It’s nothing like your average car and truck show. The long-running Daytona Beach Turkey Run has been a Florida favorite for more than three decades. Originated by the Daytona Beach Street Rods with several of the charter members still playing active roles, this Florida favorite has outgrown numerous venues since it began in 1974. The original collection of 45 vehicles pales in comparison to the staggering numbers at this year’s show. The 2006 get-together, held in the Daytona International Speedway, attracted 5,150 vehicles, making it the largest show of its kind in the country. What’s the reason for this unparalled success?
The most important element that brings the more than 100,000 spectators back each year is fun. There are no classes, there are no teams of judges, and there are no trophies. Pull in, park, give your car a quick wipe down, and forget the tooth brush and tire shine. The idea is to enjoy the show! And the sheer number of vehicles on display will keep your enjoyment level high for quite some time. The Turkey Run’s ‘rolling 20 rule’ means that entries have to be at least 20 years old, skewing the population toward the classic rides we love. You could easily spend days trying to see them all but that’s only one part of the attraction. The show boasts a huge number of vendors with the three thousand spaces sold out every year. If you’ve got a special project vehicle in the garage that needs a few parts, the odds are good you will find it at the Turkey Run. But wait, there’s more. If you’ve had your favorite ride a while and it’s time to move on, turn your attention to the Car Corral where you can choose from more than fourteen hundred vehicles lined up with For Sale signs on them. Chat with old friends on the way, enjoy one of the dozens of food concessions at the track, and hope to hear your number called at the daily giveaways. Significant door prizes like crate engines and MIG welders went home with folks who were already having a good time!
One of the happiest spectators at this year’s show had to be Terry Lykens from Honaker, KY. Terry purchased a dozen tickets for the ’62 Chevy Impala giveaway car, raffled off by the Daytona Beach Street Rods to support their many charitable pursuits in Volusia County. It turned out to be the best contribution Terry ever made when Event Chairman Rick Finzer drew his name from the drum Saturday night and handed him the keys.
If you would like to be part of the largest car show and swap meet in Florida and enjoy one of the biggest events of its kind in the country, check out the web site www.daytonabeachcarshows.com for details. Who knows, this year’s giveaway car might just wind up in your garage! (It’s possible. Just ask Terry!)
The Sparks Show 2020 at the Sevier County Fairgrounds in Sevierville, Tennessee, brought quite the crowd! This three-day event packed a fun-filled weekend for the whole family. The August show was presented by Sparkles Detail, Fennell Custom Interiors, Minitruckers Union, Jr. Griffey & Son Body Shop and Logan Wade Photography.
The show started on Friday night with an epic pre-party. DJ Maze and OLP were set up at the showgrounds bringing the tunes while Molloy’s BBQ was slinging some mouthwatering street tacos. The night then wound down with a corn hole tournament brought to you by Corey Floyd Photography. Tacos and cornhole: What more could you ask for? 
Unfortunately, Saturday morning started with a lot of rain. Despite the rain, the grounds were absolutely packed with amazing rides! The sun finally began to shine in the afternoon as the rain moved out. Everyone dried off their vehicles so they would be prepared for judging. The quality of rides, as well as the people, were absolutely amazing! Adam Tripp, Don Dizzy Davis and the Sparks Show crew immediately got to work knocking out the judging. As the sun began to set at the fairgrounds, the fun wasn’t over yet! The Sparks Show crew shut down the parkway with an epic cruise with a fleet of trucks from No Regrets, Aftermath and several more.
Luckily, Sunday morning brought more sun and no rain. New vehicles and even more spectators started to roll into the fairgrounds. While you walked around the show you could hop under the pavilion to check out all of the awesome auction and raffle items. From the Rose Metalworks panel and custom cornhole board to a Golden Ticket for Minitruck Nationals 2020, this show had it all! Michelle Boone organized the club games while the crew set up for the limbo contest on the far side of the fairgrounds.
This show always raises money or collects donations for a specific charity, and this year they donated to POPs for Patients (www.popsforpatients.org). The Sparks Show was able to raise $4,000 plus approximately 130 Funko Pop figures for donation! As the show began to come to an end, it was time for awards.
The awards were created by Welch’s Chop Shop, Mad House Designs and many more sponsored by Jr. Griffey & Son Body Shop. Darrell Poe was presented with the Best of Show truck. The Best Paint award went to Chris Denton and the Best of Show Car went to David Culpepper with the VW Beetle, a.k.a. Beetlejuice. Josh and Anne Holt took home the OLP Minis On Da Rise award this year. The Club Participation Hammer stayed with Banzai with a total of 23 registered vehicles at the show.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and the weather conditions, this was one of the best years for The Sparks Show! Adam and Don aren’t stopping now, so be on the lookout for the Sparks Show 2021!
