The Amboy Illinois Car Show Committee hit a home run this past weekend with the resounding success of the Depot Days Car, Truck and Motorcycle Show. For 24 years the non for profit committee of volunteers has nurtured and grown this show for the love of cars and for the love of their community. There were roughly 450 cars and trucks registered for this judged event. The rides were divided into an astounding 36 classes ranging from Model A- B – T (original or restored) to Street Machines 1976-Present and everything, and I mean everything in between. Those judges had their hands full. The lines of trophies that were beautifully arranged and waiting distribution seemed endless; many fine folks went home with some extra hardware for their efforts at the Depot Days show. It was a great show with a great turnout. I believe the heat index that reached well into the triple digits may have kept some away; for me hot and humid are just fine.

Now you can’t talk about Amboy Depot Days without talking about their legendary 50/50 drawing. As one event official told me it used to be a car show with a 50/50 drawing and now it has morphed to a 50/50 drawing with a car show. For the uninitiated the 50/50 drawing at the Depot Days provides 50% of the contributions to the winner with the other 50% going back into the community through various volunteer groups and local charities. It has become so popular that it has a life of it’s own. Ticket sales start well before the show and continue until the very end. The 300,000 printed tickets were almost a sell out. To give you an idea, the air horn would blow every time $500 worth of tickets were sold, at one point the horn blew 3 times! That means $1,500 in a minute; can you even imagine. I believe every spectator that wasn’t in a stroller, had ticket stubs in their pockets and were day dreaming about what they were going to spend the 50/50 winnings on. This year was another record breaker with total contributions (drum roll please) reaching an insane $215,150 and change. Over two hundred thousand dollars! Forty of those dollars were mine but alas I am sorry to say I’m not $107,575.00 richer. Yes one lucky fellow went home with a check for over one hundred grand! The Car Show Committee sure has a good thing going – a great show and a huge amount of money to put back into their community. Great job.

Since I can’t show you a $107,575 check, what I can show you are some of the priceless rides that were out for the Depot Days Show. I think you’ll agree the quality and variety are unbeatable.

The Most Rcent Show Gallery has all of my pictures from this Depot Days Show. You are going to have to hold tight for the video, I am experiencing some technical difficulties and the video equipment is in the hands of professionals; hopefully they can remedy this “issue” ASAP.