Photo gallery: Thousands gather for Hurricane car show in support of new all-abilities playground

Written by Nick Yamashita
April 12, 2023

HURRICANE — Last weekend, thousands gathered for the annual Hurricane Easter Car Show, which organizers say was their “best show” yet.

Rodders’ Choice Champion Rick Sheley with his 1968 Chevrolet Camaro in the Hurricane Easter Car Show, Hurricane, Utah, April 8, 2023 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News

On Saturday, the Hurricane Valley Rotary Club hosted its annual car show with a charitable purpose in mind: raising funds to benefit an all-abilities playground planned to be built in Dixie Springs Park.

The car show featured everything from antique classics to modern vehicles. Attendees could be seen around both types, with some being lured toward antiques and others to modern autos.

In the end, two entrants cruised to the winners’ circle to receive the Rodders’ Choice and the People’s Choice awards.

The Rodders’ Choice award went to Rick Sheley, of Washington City, for his electric-blue 1968 Chevrolet Camaro.

“She did her job,” Sheley said about his champion car.

Sheley owns Sheley Customs, a high-end restoration shop located at 1490 E. Midway in Washington City, which took home a total of eight trophies in the competition. The auto shop had 10 vehicles in the competition. One of the vehicles was entered by Sheley’s daughter for her first car show.

Zachary Wildmann, 18, of Hurricane, won the People’s Choice award for his sky-blue 1962 Volkswagen single-cab bus.

L-R: Rodders’ Choice champion Rick Sheley and People’s Choice champion Zachary Wildmann pose with their trophies, Hurricane, Utah, April 8, 2023 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News

“I was very happy,” he said of winning the award, “and it felt like an out-of-body experience when walking up to get the award.”

Wildmann, who works for his father as an electrician for Firehouse Electric, said this was his first time participating in a car show and was enthused that his first entry received an award.

“There is a little bit of a story in this (vehicle),” Wildmann said, adding that the bus has been in his family for almost his whole life.

His parents were married inside the bus and exchanged vows in the front seats.

About three years ago, an electrical fire in the bus prompted his father to give the vehicle to him, telling him he could fix it.

“I have pictures of me in the bus when I was about 4, and it was a rust bucket,” he said.

Years later, he said he used to dance in the back of the bus to earn money while living in Las Vegas.

People’s Choice Champion Zachary Wildmann with his 1962 Volkswagen Bus in the Hurricane Easter Car Show, Hurricane, Utah, April 8, 2023 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News

He said he had to attend to some last-minute work on his winning vehicle on the first day of the show, which ultimately paid off. He expressed gratitude to his parents, especially his father, who let him do most of the work on the vehicle but mentored him in the process.

Car show victories run in his family, he said, as both of his parents received awards in the last two years of the same competition, each for Volkswagen buses, one peach and one green, with an alien standing nearby.

“My mom won for Rodders’ Choice and my dad for Peoples’ Choice in the last two years,” Wildmann said.

In total, the car show saw over 300 entries with 40 categories to enter and 100 winners announced with trophies to claim.

Wade Beatty, Hurricane Valley Rotary Club event coordinator, was ecstatic about the success of the show.

Trophies awarded at the annual Hurricane Easter Car Show, Hurricane, Utah, April 8, 2023 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News

“There was over $10 million of value in vehicles there,” Beatty said. “Best car show we have ever had.”

The rotary recognized Matt’s Off-Road Recovery, who showcased multiple vehicles and donated over $125,000 to the car show’s charitable purposes over the last two years.

Beatty said in addition to the donation from Mike’s Off-Road Recovery, they had raised $50,000 so far in support of children with disabilities.

He gave thanks to everyone who entered the show, all the sponsors and everyone who came out and supported the event.

“The biggest number of vendors, number of entries and number of attendees,” Beatty said of the event. “We are looking forward to next year’s show.”

Photo Gallery

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nick Yamashita has extensive experience reporting for small town media, covering a variety of subjects and events for The Virgin River Times and The Progress in Southern Nevada. Before a career in journalism, he worked a variety of jobs in criminal justice systems. Yamashita holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and a master's degree in interdisciplinary studies from Southern Utah University. He is an award-winning photographer and writer. He has been published in scholarly articles and poetry compilations. In his spare time, he practices and teaches martial arts.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews

Free News Delivery by Email

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!