Ready, get set, cruise!

Classic cars make a grand entrance as virus restrictions ease

Several firsts helped Atlanta’s Steven Smith Memorial Classic Car Cruise Night go over well in its fifth edition Saturday.

The car show was the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce’s first major crowd get-together since COVID-19 restrictions in March.

Cruise Night was held for the first time on a Saturday rather than Friday, and organizers said they felt the atmosphere was more relaxed.

It was also a first for the major downtown streets of both Hiram and Main to be closed to motor traffic. People in the crowd seemed to enjoy the walk-around without having to avoid oncoming traffic.

For the first time, the crowd had a live band to perform, filling the three-hour walk-about with enjoyable music. The band, Ambush, is from Shreveport, Louisiana, but includes a number of local players. It was their first time to perform since the virus interruption.

“We’ve had one rehearsal with everyone, including the horns in our band, and that was last week by the Zoom online digital capability,” said leader Joey Raborn.

Likely because of these firsts, the event drew its largest contingent of cars, said Kendell Wolfe, Atlanta Chamber of Commerce communications manager. One car driver estimated 100 cars were present. He said this cruise-in night was the first in the area in several months, and he thought the best-attended.

“We car owners have spent time working on our cars without getting to show them for these several months,” said John Fitzgerald of Texarkana. “The antique car community is close. Everyone knows one another, and we remember Steve Smith, who was one of us.”

Smith, an Atlanta civic leader, had been a member of the racing and car rallying community when he died in a racing-related accident in 2016. With many hobbies, his interests included drag racing, boat racing and amateur radio. He was also a member in the Racers for Christ organization.

For the city of Atlanta, Smith was a founding member of the Atlanta City Development Corporation and had roles in the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, Lions Club, Atlanta Education Foundation and Methodist Church. He was named Man of the Year for the city of Atlanta in 1989.

Sponsor for this year’s classic-car rally was Roark’s Auto Supply in downtown Atlanta.

Staff photos by Neil Abeles ■ For their first performance since COVID-19 social distancing, the band Ambush chose to play for the Steven Smith Memorial Classic Car Cruise Night in Atlanta. From left, band members are Rick McLauren, Louis Williams, Lance Hawthorn, David Thompson, Steve Kirkland, Larry Breshears, Kenny Davis, Kristin Thompson, Joey Raborn and Keith Cowan.

Associated Press ■ ABOVE: Stores in downtown Atlanta took on a more beautiful look with classic cars parked in their fronts Saturday evening. Atlanta’s Flower Shop on East Main already had an elegant look that held its own with the beauty of the antique car.

■ LEFT: Yes, Larry Breshears’ trumpet is a little different in shape. It’s a special design made for the Atlanta Middle School bandleader by Jim Sinkule of Tooter’s Band Instrument Repair in Hughes Springs. “Plays the same, just looks different,” Sinkule said.

■ ABOVE: Atlanta’s downtown was filled with 100 or so classic cars for the Steven Smith Memorial Classic Car Cruise Night. The modern yellow convertible hardly drew a stare as it rolled through the crowd of cars and people.