Gearing Up for the Classic Car Show
Classic car owners and enthusiasts are washing, waxing, and polishing their cars in preparation for the 21st Annual Classic Car Show and Concert at Ramona Oaks Park.
Steve and Linda Glau have participated in the Classic Car Show for over 17 years. Steve has lived in the San Diego Country Estates for 27 years, and Linda has lived here since she and Steve got married eight years ago. In 2008, Steve’s 1967 Camaro won Best Muscle Car, and in 2018, he won 1st place. Now, he and Linda each bring a car to the show, a ’67 Corvette and a ’67 Camaro. “It’s a his and hers thing this year,” says Steve. Linda adds that she is taking the Corvette, and it's super cute.
The couple really enjoy the social aspect of the car show and like to see all the people who come out to support the community. “It’s a lifestyle, not a hobby,” says Steve. He feels an obligation to the old cars and to involve people with them. Linda added that she is a caretaker of these cars and helps to carry on the tradition and share the history with the younger generations. She says that little kids get so excited when they see these classic cars, and she loves it when people come up to them to talk about their cars. “It’s a way to relive your youth through these classic cars,” says Linda.
“One additional interesting feature of the car show is that it is a People’s Choice show,” says Steve. Some shows are judged by a specific group of people, but the People’s Choice means that everyone attending the show has a vote for the winners. Each car is assigned a number, and the ballots are handed out early during the show. It allows car owners and the public to participate in the event.
The Glaus participate in more than classic car shows. They both race Autocross with the Sports Car Club of America, in which traffic cones are used to make a mini-road course in a parking lot. Linda races her Subaru BRZ. “It’s the most fun thing I’ve done in my entire life,” says Linda. “It’s a timed event.” They have a 2018 Corvette Grand Sport, a streetcar they race in Autocross. They have a 1968 Camaro that is not quite finished yet, but once it's ready, Steve will drag race it at Barona. They are also involved with the Ramona American Graffiti Cruise and cruise every Thursday night.
Harold and Gretchen Carlisle have been married for 53 years and SDCEA homeowners for 38 years. Harold has been coming to the car show since 2008 and was a winner in 2008, 2010, 2019, and 2021. Now his son, Harold Dean III, also known as Tripp, and his two grandsons, Kaleb, 18, and JJ, 13, are following Harold’s footsteps, making it three generations of car guys who have been coming to these car shows for 16 years.
Harold has three classic cars and built them all: a 1933 Ford Component, a 1967 Camaro Super Sport, and a halfway-done 1972 Chevelle that they have been working on for the last year and a half. “JJ did the breaks on the ’33, and they work,” says Gretchen. They have worked on other cars, including a 1967 Cobra car they finished in 2008 but no longer have. According to Harold, it’s a labor of love. Harold hopes to build his son and daughter each a car and hopes his grandkids will inherit them one day and say, ‘That’s what grandpa did.’
He spends a couple of days prepping each car for the car show—cleaning, polishing, and waxing them from top to bottom. “I write the checks,” says Gretchen. She also provides moral support for the car show guys by making sure they have food and drinks while working on the cars.
Harold enjoys seeing the community’s interest in looking at cars and likes to share what he built with his son and two grandkids. He says that’s what makes it special. Harold added that some of the prizes for the show include a trophy, gift cards for rounds of golf, and lodging at the hotel.
Crystal Carle, Accounting Assistant at the San Diego Country Estates Association, organizes the event. Carle registers no more than 65 cars since the space on the grass is limited, and she wants to ensure everyone is safe. The registration fills up quicker every year, and she has had to turn away late entrants for the last five years.
“Crystal puts on a great show and band,” says Harold. “It’s great to see shows not on pavement but grass.” He adds that he likes the venue; it’s like a tour of elegance.
The Classic Car Show and Concert will be on Saturday, September 21, at 5 pm at Ramona Oaks Park, 23341 Pappas Road. There will be live music by Steal Dawn from 5 to 8 pm as part of the Summer Concerts at Ramona Oaks Park. Admission is free, and food will be available for purchase from Carnival of Foods, Outlaw BBQ, and Nomadic Pizza Trolley.
Car photos courtesy of Steve Glau and Harold Carlisle.
