Car, bike enthusiasts cruise into Marysville for a good cause
Cruising is technically prohibited in Marysville, but that didn’t stop more than 80 car and motorcycle enthusiasts from polishing their rims and participating in the 10th annual Historic Downtown Marysville Car and Bike Show on Saturday.
This year’s car and bike show, much like past events, was put on by the local chapter of the Americans Motorcycle Club and raised money to help children with cancer.
“We help pay for things like travel expenses, because a lot of kids have to go elsewhere for treatment like Oakland or Stanford,” said John Stenzel, president of the local motorcycle chapter and event organizer. “We try and help in areas that their insurance programs don’t cover.”
Stenzel said this year’s event went well. He said each year they have about 80 to 100 participants, and this year’s show saw the same amount.
Organizers were afraid the heat would turn some people away, but that wasn’t the case, he said.
“It turned out better than we thought it was going to initially,” he said. “We have some new cars but a lot of people are repeaters from past events. It’s always a great event to be a part of.”
For Plumas Lake resi- dent, Danny Martinez, 70, the car and bike show was an opportunity to meet other like-minded people from the area.
“I like coming out to these for the camaraderie,” Martinez said. “I’ve met a lot of other people that have the same interests as me.”
Martinez said he first fell in love with hot rods back in 1959 when he attended his first drag race, and it’s been a hobby of his ever since.
Much like many of the other participants, Martinez was a cruiser back in the day. He remembers Friday and Saturday nights in the Bay Area, looking for a bustling Main Street to journey with his friends.
“I did it back when gas was like 70 cents a gallon,” Martinez said. “Everyone had muscle cars back then.”
On Saturday, Martinez showcased his 2008 Spirit Industries C-Cab, which was a remake of the company’s 1923 model. Although he said it’s a work in progress, he plans on getting a new paint job on Monday and taking it to Reno later this year for Hot August Nights.
Organizers awarded the top cars and bikes in a variety of categories at Saturday’s event, Stenzel said.
The annual car and bike show is one of the main fundraising events the motorcycle club puts on. Stenzel said community members can also help support the cause by purchasing fireworks from the club’s stand that will be in front of the Yuba-Sutter Mall along Highway 20 next week.
“This club has been around since 1970,” Stenzel said. “Our main focus has always been on helping kids with cancer. It’s what this is all about.”