Another successful show in the books!
The 2019 Route 66 JDM Classic represents the ninth annual occurrence of the event, and this year was particularly special. For starters, the weather cooperated perfectly! Temperatures were just right for summer attire, and a light breeze and sunshine graced Williams Arizona all day.
Last year, we opened up the event to owners of classic Toyota, Mazda, Honda, Subaru, Mitsubishi, Isuzu, Suzuki, and any other Japanese classics, and implemented a rolling 25-year rule. We added several additional awards classes, and those will grow each year as the show grows. This resulted in an eclectic and impressive display of cars, which you can check out in the gallery at the end.
Our charitable partner again this year was Raising Special Kids, and representative Janna Murrell was on hand all day to answer questions and share RSK’s message. After assisting with the raffle, Janna made her selection for the “RSK Choice” award, which went to Leroy Kyger and his spectacularly-restored ’64 Datsun 320.
One of the neatest aspect of the Route 66 show, aside from the laid-back attitude of the event, is the interaction between the car owners and the tourists who inevitably wander through. Since the Grand Canyon draws hundreds of thousands of visitors annually from all over the world, those lucky travelers in Williams on the day of the show really get a bonus. You can bet there are pictures of these cars in cameras from China to Germany to India and beyond!
T-shirts for the 2019 event were designed by Tsundereslaps. The logo pays tribute to our good friend Ryan Newman, who we lost earlier this year. Ryan’s battleship grey box-flared Datsun 510 is incorporated into the design in remembrance of his friendship and contributions to the Datsun community.
The commemorative event license plates were a huge hit again this year, and the “Class Winner” license plates were well-received.
Speaking of winners, here are the class winners for 2019:
The crew of Route 66 JDM Classic appreciate the attendees and participants who helped make this year’s event successful. The LV 702 Ratsun club presented DQ owner Debbie Pettit with a really cool plaque in appreciation for putting up with us all these years.
Special thinks go out to the crew at Kicks restaurant, Vicki Mattox, Kay & Kelly Tanis, Saraya Childs and Becky Childs for keeping the event rolling without a hitch. Thanks also to Aaron Hernandez for the video!
If you had a great time, please share this article on Facebook, and invite anyone who might own a Japanese car or truck 1996 or older.
