Sandusky Firefighters Host Annual Car Show and Cruise

By: Wm. Michael Dixon
Tribune Recorder Leader

Bob Ezyk’s 1969 Roadrunner won “Best of Show” honors at the annual Sandusky Firefighter’s Association Car Show. Pictured are (left to right): Sandusky Fire Chief Todd Hillman, Bob Ezyk and his son.

The Sandusky Firefighter’s Association held their annual Car Show and Cruise night this past Saturday in Sandusky. The Car show kicked off at 9 am on the courthouse lawn with some of the nicest classic cars and modern hot rods on display on the courthouse lawn until the middle of the afternoon.
The winners were announced around 3 pm, with Bob Ezyk from Harbor Beach taking home the honor of best in show with his 1969 Roadrunner. Ezyk has been showing his Roadrunner at the annual car show for years, but this is his first time earning the honor of best of show.
The Sandusky firemen call Hall #13 home and so they choose the top 13 entries and award trophies to the top 13 cars as judged by the association.
The top 13 from this year’s show were as follows: Joe Ellis of Melvin with his 1956 Chevy BelAir, Perry Walker of Mayville with his 1971 Chevy Chevelle, Bill Burks of Sandusky with his 1972 Chevy Vega GT, Charlie and Marie Vat of Brown City with their 1933 Ford, Dale Scribner of Sandusky with his 1963 Chevrolet Corvair, Mel Kirchoff of Carsonville with his 1941 Willy’s Coupe, Steve Rosser of Marlette with his 1963 Chevrolet Impala SS, David Pritchett of Greenwood with his 1979 Chevy Camaro, Ray Hanes of Sandusky with his 1927 Ford Model A, Mike Krause of Bad Axe with his 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air, Sandy Parkes of Sandusky with her 1971 Oldsmobile 442, Ralph Baer of Sandusky with his 1960 Corvette, and Roger Gerstenberger of Sandusky with his 1964 Ford Econoline. The association also hands out two special awards to honor famous supporters of the car show who have passed on.
The Doris Award was created to honor Doris Schultz who used to bring her original and unrestored 85 Buick Riviera to the show every year. Doris was convinced that no matter what anyone else said that her car was the best thing there ever was, and so in the spirit of Doris, the award is handed out to a late model (preferably 80’s) original, unrestored car in good condition. This year’s winner was a 1982 AMC Concord, owned by Bernie and Linda Spernak out of Melvin. The People’s Choice award was started under similar circumstances, honoring the late Doris Schultz.

The people’s choice award is voted on by the public and attendees of the show. This year’s people’s choice award winner was the 1971 Oldsmobile 442 owned by Sandy Parkes of Sandusky.
The show continued in front of Elk Street Brewery for burnouts starting at 5 pm, with the annual Cruise night starting shortly after, at 6pm. The evening was capped off with a fireworks display launched from the industrial park east of town at dusk. The weather held and thankfully no rain fell on the more than 40 classic cars entered in the car show.

Check our facebook page for a full catalog of photos of the event!