Critique

Bumped into an acquaintance today while I was at Jongerden's store trying to avoid having my wife see me buying donuts. He said he was a fan of HotKarz, but was wondering why I am sometimes blunt in my criticism of some of the car shows.

As I mulled that in my mind (you know, the one I am losing), at first I thought that I do that because I want to be fair and honest. After all, some folks come here because they actually want to hear what I have to say.

But as I thought more on it, I realized it was more than that. I love cars. I enjoy going to shows and cruises. And I really like the folks we meet there. So it is only natural to want all the shows to be the best they can be. But that will never happen if the organizers don't understand what car folks really want.

I realize that any car show that is not organized well will probably not draw many of us back next year. And a car show dies! That is not good for them, nor us. While we seek the perfect show, organizers seek funds for their pet projects. If their show fails, neither party wins. It is in everyone's best interest to strive for improvement wherever improvement can be made.

And that is why I criticize. I do try to be fair, but it is more important that I give an honest accounting. I ask a lot of folks what their opinions are. I listen. I learn. And then I publish my two cents worth, in the hopes that our hobby will only grow stronger and more enjoyable for us, and more profitable for the organizers.

Let's face it - car shows are a business from a fundraising standpoint, and a business cannot survive if it does not provide what the consumers want. Many organizers simply do not understand what we want. Others do not care - like the proverbial slum lord, they just want to pull in the money without providing much in return.

A few - Durham, Dover, Casco, OOB etc. know what we like. And they put thought and effort into their shows. Each of us needs to help the other organizers to learn and understand what makes the good shows "good", so they, too, can make more profit, and provide a better event.

After all, you can't fix something if you don't know it's broken. I see a part of my function as pointing out when something is in need of repair, or needs a little TLC. And I hope organizers will take the criticism in the way in which it is intended - to help them become better, so they can make more money for their causes, while providing a more enjoyable event for participants and spectators.

After all, isn't that what it's all about? To organizers who think it is only about the money, I say they need to address our needs if they expect the money to come in year after year. And to participants who think it's all about trophies, I say that's fine, as long as you don't take it too seriously, and don't forget to enjoy the moment.

And to spectators who think it's only about all the "eye candy" we provide for their enjoyment, I say, "Absolutely! But keep your Coolatta off my car!"

Seriously though, I am considering the possibility of putting together a comprehensive outline about what makes a great show - one we will always strive to attend in large numbers, providing huge profits for the organizers, so everyone wins. And once the outline is finished, submit it to all the organizers, so they can have an easier time of making desirable improvements.

If y'all think that's a good idea, I look forward to your input. What improvements would you like to see? What do you want to see more of? Less of? Which changes in classifications would you endorse? What type of judging do you prefer? When should a show start? End? Think about your favorite shows, then ask yourself why they are your favorites.

I embrace any and all suggestions and input. And as the outline begins to take shape, I will post it on HotKarz, so you can see it develop, and offer new suggestions that may come to mind.

Hope to hear from you! Please email your suggestions and ideas to ptwoodycrew@aol.com, or feel free to approach me at car shows and cruises with large gifts of cash (^.^)

BTW: A reminder that Super Cruise balloting will take place Thursday at Buffalo Wings, in Westbrook.

Bill