Pleasanton Goodguys Car Show - Sunday

Back at the showgrounds, we set up in the same place we had occupied the previous day. It was such a joy to listen to the comments of the general public and it wasn't long before people were saying they thought we should be in the 'winner's circle'. This was something we didn't know much about, hadn't thought about and were not even sure if we were in the right place to even get judged.
One dear old chap approached us and said, "I'm 91 years old and have been messing around with old cars all my life. This car should be sitting in the 'winners circle'!"

As we were new to the whole car show scene in the U.S. we were unsure if we had to register to be judged or what, but decided the main objective for being there was to get exposure for the car, and this was being achieved where we were. Anyway...with over 2,800 of America's finest cars on display, we figured the chances of official recognition were pretty slim.

When yet another couple approached us saying their car had been selected to be in the 'winner's circle', and that they thought ours should be too, we asked more about it. Apparantly, the judges come around and give your car the going over and if it is deemed worthy, they place a small yellow sticker on one of the headlights...thus permitting you enter the prestigious 'winners circle'. After a quick check we established there was no such sticker anywhere on our old girl, so settled back down to enjoy the passing traffic.

Colin wandered off to check the swap meet out again and a few minutes later, I looked up to see a couple of guys with a clip board taking details off our entry sticker on the windscreen. When I approached them, they introduced themselves as Goodguys staff and calmly announced that all the staff had voted the roadster their pick of the show! I was absolutely blown away and watched as the much sought after yellow sticker was carefully placed on the headlight.
"Can you please take this car over to the Winners Circle," they asked as they departed.

I looked around desperately for Colin, who was nowhere in sight. I could almost feel the adrenalin pulsing through my veins as I began packing up all our gear and jamming it into the trunk. In my haste, I failed to see a tree root sticking out of the ground, and twisted my ankle as I fell heavily to the ground. Sporting one sprained ankle and one skinned knee, I greeted the returning Colin with the fact that we now had a little yellow dot on the car. We began chanting, "We're going to the winners circle" like a couple of over-excited little kids.

Once there amongst the select few, the photographers appeared out of nowhere and we basked in the glory of being part of the scene. Plaques were presented to each driver as they pulled up to the podium, and we were rewarded with a round of applause. When I say we...well Colin was driving the car...I was sitting on the sideline with my hugely swollen foot propped up on a deckchair!

I never DID get a photo of the momentous occasion, but this was soon rectified, when the Goodguys representative asked Colin if he'd like their professional model and dollybird Paula to pose with the car in front of their Goodguys balloon. Of course being a normal red blooded man, this was an offer not to be refused.

The fact that I was stranded back at the podium unable to move, let alone take any photos of them together continues to be a disappointment to us both!