It got hot, then it got hotter, but we weren't complaining. Chevy fans love the sun and take the temperature as a byproduct. The entertainment dollar is highly competitive in the Los Angeles area with a full-blown NASCAR event going on about 20 miles east and a couple of other car shows going on nearby, but people know where the action is-Super Chevy. The racers came, the spectators came, and the show cars came. With limited dates for racing it isn't every day that people get to run down one of the world's most famous drag strip. The show area is as big as we need it to be and is about as clean as we find, owing to acres of pavement. Of course, the Manufacturers' Midway contains all the right displays and vendors. Fact is, Pomona is the place to be when Super Chevy hits town.
One other cool thing is that most of the magazines is the Primedia stable of publications are headquartered in the LA area, so you know who comes to the show? Right? Tons of photographers looking for cars and trucks to feature in their magazines. For SUPER CHEVY magazine alone, we took photos of many great Chevys during and after the event. So there are chances to win car show trophies, drag race trophies and cash, giveaways including a Tremec transmission and two giant Waterloo roll-around tool chests, get your ride in a magazine, and see the greatest Chevys in the state. Where else would you rather be? We even took a few extra shots while we were doing feature photos. Check www.superchevy-web.com for a look at more photos than we put in our car features.
It Used To Be Daddy's Car!
But It's Penny's NowFinding great Camaros at the Pomona Super Chevy Show should come as no surprise to anyone who knows Chevys and California. There were rows of them. One of the best was a great blue second-generation car that caught our eye. We met the owner, Penny Morioka from Hollister, CA, and some of her pals who had quite a story to tell about the car. It began life as Penny's father's car that he bought brand new in January of 1973. Mom had said she wanted a Monte Carlo and dad went shopping for one. He came home with this Camaro, which at the time was Frost Green with a white vinyl top, AM radio, air conditioning, manual windows, and a $3,000 sticker price. Mom drove the car until Penny got her driver's license learner's permit in 1979 at which time the car was Penny's. Mom took the bus to work and Penny would drive her home after school. Great mom!
The Camaro was a daily driver until 1992 at which time it went into a lake! Penny took a girlfriend out jet skiing and launched both skis from a trailer behind the Camaro. At the end of the day, the friend offered to get the car and trailer and backed it in with one shot, straight on the ramp and ready to load. Penny had loaded one ski when the car slipped into the water deep enough to drown out the carb, causing Penny to back away, fast. The jet ski on the trailer jack-knifed against the dock and some "big guy" grabbed a chain and wrapped it around his waist and the front end of the car, keeping it from completely sinking. It was, however, completely under water. After rescuing the car, it never was the same so it sat in the garage for the next 5 years.