Horsepower Heaven Goodtimes Cruise 98 p3

'Goodtimes'... Was!

UPDATE: 9:00pm Well it seems all is not well in Goodtimesville. Feedback from a few sources indicate that a number of people were quite upset at the loooong, rather unorganized registration lineup, especially when a few 'plastic fantastics' cut in. It also seems the first 150 maybe didn't actually get the promised free shirts, even though they went on sale hours before the free ones were given out. To top it off, I hear the mayor was 'contacted' regarding a certain television stunt on Friday morning...by upset hot rodders no less! The street races went off as planned in Aldergrove, and I'm still burping up the spicy ginger beef...tisk, tisk such are car people. A finer group of whiners I have never met...probably why I somehow manage to fit in. I don't have to wonder why I stopped being involved with this kind of show years ago. This all comes to me second hand, but does come from a couple of my regular 'good' sources, so I thought I would pass it on to see if anyone can confirm it. All I can say is that it IS only the second time these people have ever put on a show, and knowing that and realizing how massive this deal was, obvoiusly 'stuff' happens. As usual, I take it all in as a 'semi-pro' spectator and simply report the buzz.

After nearly a decade of wallowing in hot, boring malls or civic parks with too few spots for spectators to park, the cruise-in has finally come of age in the Lower Mainland. As I drove through the deserted downtown Langley streets this morning at 7am I was pleasantly surprised to see the place amazingly clean compared to what I thought would be the mass of leftovers from the biggest cruise-in this area has ever seen.

About the only two glaring marks were the parking area the lowriders were in (a mess of paper and garbage...not a surprise knowing these young people's (most...not all I must admit) already solid reputation of leaving their 'mark') and the rubber marks outside the famed A&W. I hung around until nearly 10pm last nite waiting to video what I was calling the 'Fraser Hwy Nationals' (In honor of the Renfrew St. Nationals held each year after the Vancouver Motorsport Show). Alas I didn't wait long enough for the tire-smoking, red & blue light flashing extravaganza, as later last night the burnout boys were obviously all in the Eh and Dub.

These are small complaints however, as what I witnessed for over 14 hours yesterday was easily the best automotive 'street' event I have yet attended in this area. The cars numbered well over 1000 as approx. 850 registered (the lowriders refused) and at least a few hundred more were on hand all over downtown Langley.

This is a city that has spent a mushroom-truck load of cash sprucing up the downtown core. I, for one, thought the money could be spent better in other areas, but yesterday showed that I guess all that high-dollar cobblestone at least looks pretty in pictures. From the time the old farts of the BCHRA gathered in the foggy early morning hours for a BCTV live shoot, to the massive display of everything from cheater-slicked ten second Novas to antique fire trucks and military APC's, it was a site to see. A site that brought out a fair-like gathering of folks. Children were everywhere, so were seniors. In between were the skateboarders and the 40-somethings like me with the colorful T-shirts and baseball hats (worn the 'old' way - brim in front).

I missed the ceremonies after the time was changed at least three times, because the only way to get into our favorite Chinese restaurant was to make a reservation then hang there for half an hour in hopes of actually getting in. Needless to say, if you had a food biz in downtown yesterday, and didn't have the biggest day of the year, you had better find a new line of work.

Nearly every hard-core, oldtime cruisin' type person I spoke with said it was just a great deal. Probably because there was no car club involved to screw it up. This was an event put on by mostly local merchants, only one of which, Lloyd Gregowich, can be considered a serious car person. These people all deserve a big hand for a job well done.

After just two years this has become 'the' car event for a region that has far too many now. I don't think I'll ever go to a 'parking lot' show again after this. The same old cars, the same old people running them...boring! If I go to just one show in '99 it will be the third annual Langley Goodtimes Oldies Cruise-In.

Larry Pfister