Fran Peppler has the style to ride around in a limo, but when one lines up next to her, she takes care of business. These two jets squared off in some exciting action at Denver.
Heading to Denver for the Super Chevy Show, we were in a brand-new Z06 Corvette, courtesy of the kind folks at GM, and we passed a trio of near-perfect '57 Bel Air hardtops: one red, one white, and one blue. Since we were quite a ways from Denver, we didn't figure they were actually driving these beauties there, but when we looked around the car show grounds on Friday, guess what we saw. The Dowd family drove their Tri-Five trio over from Grand Junction, Colorado, to show off part of their collection. Ben Dowd has 37(!) '57s around his shop, not all of which are as nice as the ones at the show, but the best part is that he builds them to drive, including the one for his wife, Lela, who garnered the Super Chevy Magazine 30th Anniversary Award for her freshly built blue Bel Air.
Who says current technology isn't great? While we're griping about computers crashing and having to listen to endless answering machines, consider this: We met Tim Jackson of Grand Junction in the drag race pits when he had just finished his first run on Saturday, driving his Bracket 2 '68 Camaro. This was his first event following his 18-year-old daughter Erica's enrollment in college out of state, so she was not racing with dad. For many years the two have been constant companions, sharing the driving duties. Before he did his burnout, Tim dialed Erica on the cell phone and placed the phone in a cradle on the dash; she listened to the entire run, even commenting later on dad's shift points. It was apparent that dad missed his girl mightily, but this helped relieve some of that for the time being.
Over from Palmyra, NE, came Larry and Marie Case. Their ultra-clean '68 Nova garnered an Editor's Choice Top Ten Show Car award along with the class win for Nova '68 and Newer-Street.
2002 Denver Super Chevy Show Stats
Saturday Awards
Editor's Choice Top Ten Show Cars
Larry & Marie Case, Palmyra, NE, '68 NovaDoug & Margie Clark, Lakewood, CO, '55 truck
Gary Ham, Elizabeth, CO, '54 ChevyMichael Knapp, Aurora, CO, '70 Chevelle
Steve & Bobbi Kraft, Morrison, CO, '67 ChevelleJoe Kring, Littleton, CO, '69 Corvette
Rich Means, Littleton, CO, '72 Camaro
Norm Rons, Sioux Falls, SD, '56 Chevy
Tom Ulrich, Aurora, CO, '61 Chevy wagon
Robert Verner, Colorado Springs, CO, '67 Impala convertible
Joel Fisher of Colorado Springs is shown with his well-deserved Outstanding Classic Truck award, presented by Classic Trucks magazine. The '57 half-ton also took the class win for Truck'49-72-Modified and the prestigious Workmat Car of the Show award.
Specialty Awards
Best Interior-John Whitlock, Rio Rancho, NM, '34 FordBest Paint-Robert & Robin Eharett, Littleton, CO, '93 Caprice
Best Engine-Doug Marrs, Hays, KS, '67 ChevelleBest Detail Sponsored By Racing Communications, INC.-Jerome & Linda Naugle, Boulder, CO, 67 'Camaro
Best Workmanship Sponsored By Waterloo Industries-Dale Rose, Berthoud, CO, '29 Modela WoodyBest Achievement Stock-Clark Griffith, Scotts Bluff, NE, '70 Chevelle
Best Achievement Street-Tom Cleek, Colorado Springs, CO, '67 ChevelleBest Achievement Modified-Don & Tina Brown, Broomfield, CO, '70 El Camino
Dean and Leslie Tucker of Arvada, CO, pose with their pride and joy, and a great '33 three-window to boot. The car earned the Street Rodder magazine award for Outstanding Street Rod.
Espn2 Award Of Excellence
Brian Bruns, Aurora, CO, '54 Chevy convertible"Transport Award"-Featherlite Trailers
Fred & Belinda Smith, Alta Loma, CA, '71 El Camino"Graphics Award"-American Colorscans, INC.
Chris Connolly, Brighton, CO, '74 CorvetteISCA "Award Of Excellence"-ISCA
Daniel La Bonte, Lake Ozark, MO, '65 El CaminoSuzuki "Outstanding 4x4" Award
Harold Briggs, Golden, CO, '94 truck"Outstanding Street Rod" Award-
Street Rodder Magazine
Dean & Leslie Tucker, Arvada, CO, '33 Ford
"Outstanding Classic Truck" Award-Classic Truck Magazine
Joel Fisher, Colorado Springs, CO, '57 truck"Outstanding Custom Rod" Award-
Custom Rodder MagazineDick Brazzell, Aurora, CO, '49 Chevy
Super Chevy Magazine 30 Year Anniversary AwardBen & Lela Dowd, Clifton, CO, '57 Chevy
Norm Ron's '56 Bel Air had a look all its own. The Sioux Falls, SD, native earned an Editor's Choice Top Ten Show Car award, as well as the Danchuk Best '55-57 trophy. | 
Joe Kring's '69 Corvette from nearby Littleton has been seriously updated. The car earned an Editor's Choice Top Ten Show Car award |
Robert Verner of Colorado Springs, CO, likes them big. His great, big '67 Impala convertible took an Editor's Choice Top Ten Show Car award. | |