1965 Pontiac Grand Prix

All-Car Rally has perfect weather, good turnout

BELLE FOURCHE - Andy Demos couldn't smile enough about the turnout and the weather for the Center of the Nation All-Car Rally Friday and Saturday June 17 and 18, 2011, in Belle Fourche.

"It was a big jump from the first of this year," he said. "We didn't know if we were going to have a show."

"It was people, just people who worked hard to put it on," he said.

Demos has been with the show now for 24 years and already is involved in planning for next year's 25th annual rally.

He's the only committee member that has been involved from the beginning of the annual event, and stepped in as chairman when last year's leadership moved from the community.

The 120 cars was down from last year, he said, "but last year was an exceptional year."

This year's weather and relaxed atmosphere may help people plan in advance to make the 25th annual show a must-go on their calendars.

This year's committee leadership included vice chairman Doug Kraft, Misty Meyer as secretary and Laurel Turbiville as treasurer.

Demos said volunteers seemed to come from nowhere to help with different aspects of the show, and many didn't have cars on display.

Activities began Friday evening at Scott Peterson Motors where the Peterson crew sponsored a live band and a burnout demonstration.

Scott admitted with a grin that he picked up the skills of burning up tires and turning doughnuts when he was a teenager.

Although Hersruds of Belle Fourche, the second new car dealer in town, didn't seem as up front on the show as Petersons, even the manager had a 1968 Chevy on display that won Cass Heimbaugh a first place trophy.

"Even the police department sent one of its officers to all of our meetings to help make sure things would go smoothly," Demos said. "We just have a lot of people willing just to take care of things, and everybody did their part."

Demos said the crowd also surprised him since there were so many other top quality programs available throughout the Northern Hills. A PRCA rodeo in Sturgis, Wild Bill Days in Deadwood and baseball and softball throughout the area didn't stop an estimated more than 1,000 people from enjoying the activities.

American Cars of the 1960s

The Federal reporter

Cars & parts

Motor City Muscle, High-Powered History of the American Muscle Car

Standard catalog of American cars, 1946-1975