May 22, 2009 photos

Scott Garland submitted these photos.

Photos of May 2009

Finally! Here are some images from May..... And no, that's not a Mary Kay pink Caddie. It was originally green and was restored with a pale shade of pink.

Roy's Folks Coming to Cruise-in

Roy Ackland and David Weatherly with WGHP-TV Fox 8 in High Point are planning to come to the cruise-in on Friday. Roy is the on-air talent and David is the show's producer and videographer. Both are incredibly talented men. The name of the show is Roy's Folks.

They specialize in fun feature stories and have traveled throughout the Carolinas and Virginia finding interesting tales to tell. We're delighted to have them as our guests! Watch for the "Folkswagon!"

May 22 Cruise-in On Schedule

Pinch me. The weather will be wonderful on Friday!

Last month, because the temperature was so nice, we had our second largest crowd of cars and people ever! The street was lined with cars shortly after 1 p.m. They were still coming into town after 8 p.m. We had a steady line of shiny old classics, sexy street rods and those waiting for a colorful coat of paint.

Tony King will be our guest musician. He is a Roy Orbison tribute artist. Pretty cars and "Pretty Woman." Be sure to get some 50/50 tickets. Last month's winner went home $98 richer! Bring your lawn chairs, your cameras, your most comfortable walking shoes and an appetite for lots of cars. We like to call it "Living History."

Bojangles Features Oakboro in Commercials

In August 2008, the advertising agency for Bojangles came to town. TV commercial producers interviewed a lot of people and captured a lot of images of cars.

Commercials began airing across the Carolinas in January 2009. The first one featured Jake DelHomme and Steve Smith with the Carolina Panthers. Oakboro Cruise-in volunteer Joel Leonard was also in the commercial. He's a tall guy who used to play football - and sometimes sells the 50/50 tickets.

Now, a second commercial is airing with Jerry Crayton, Cruise-in founder and Mayor Joyce Little. The spot opens announcing the Oakboro Cruise-In and shows a lot of cars throughout - and ends with a great daytime shot along Main Street.

We thank Bojangles for coming to our town and for helping us promote what we think is the biggest and best cruise-in anywhere.

2009 Season Heats Up: 400+ cars, 8,000+ people

Oh, my gosh. Coming into Oakboro traffic was backed up all the way to the school. And it took 15 or so minutes to get from there to downtown. By 1:30 p.m., streets were already crowded with parked cars.

Organizers estimate this was the second largest crowd ever, with around 8,000 people and 400 or so cars. They were everywhere - and many had never been to the Oakboro Cruise-in before. We checked out the new restaurant, Boomers. Hamburgers were big and tasty. Loved the home fries.

One lucky person took home $98 in cash from the 50/50. Sometimes a dollar ticket can really pay off! .... And wouldn't you know it - this would be the night my camera batteries died!

It's April - That Means BURNOUT!

Are your camera batteries charged? Better get 'em ready! Burnouts start this month!

The Featured Car of the Month will be the 1915 Ford Touring Car belonging to Mr. Heath Hahn of Red Cross. The car will be placed at the intersection of 2nd Street and Main Street, near the stop light. Be sure to check it out.

Souvenir calendars are for sale at $5 each. Our new Welcome to Oakboro Magazine is free - be sure to take one home with you.

You'll hear music coming from Neal Smith. Follow his sound to purchase your 50/50 tickets. Last year, people left with more than $100 in cash. Or, purchase your tickets from any member of the Medical Laboratory Technician Club. Tickets will be sold throughout the evening and at the burnout site.

The cruise-in is sponsored by the Greater Oakboro Business Association. Participants are reminded to follow all traffic laws while driving through town. Special parking is available for handicapped. For further information, call 704-485-4323 or 704-485-2065.

Burnout Changes Time from 9:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

March came in like a lion, so we're hoping it will go out like a lamb - and give us great weather on March 27.

Burnouts will begin in April - and we've moved the time from 9:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. So mark your calendars!

Be sure to bring some cash to buy 50/50 tickets. We've been giving away hard, cold cash to lucky winners! If you see someone in a bright neon-colored STAFF shirt, ask where you can buy the tickets. Monies raised go to put on future cruise-ins.

Taking the Cruise-in Home With You

It's not necessarily a requirement that Oakboro residents have old cars, but it seems like most do. And they're featured in a new calendar. I really like looking at mine on the wall. When stress hits during the day, I take a gander at Betty and Herman Almond's 56 Chevy and the stress goes away. For an instant, I feel like I'm at the Cruise-in. I envision friends I've met there and the crowds of people who come every month from afar.

That beautiful, bright yellow '56 F-100 Ford pick-up truck that I see every month is the photo for April. It belongs to my friends Jerry and Agnes Crayton. He's the one who actually started this event.

Calendars are $5 apiece and can be purchased during the cruise-in. It's a great way to take a little of it home with you!

March 27 Cruise-in News

Our 2009 Oakboro Cruise-In season has begun and with the weather being in our favor, we expect it to take off as usual on March 27th. This year you can purchase another unique piece of Cruise-In memorabilia. We are offering a calendar complete with picture pages of cars belonging to the folks that have worked to help bring the Cruise-In to the success that it is today. The sale of these calendars and the advertisements in them will help to offset the cost of the Cruise-In.

The cost of this calendar is $5.00. They will be available at several spots on the street at Cruise-In night. You may purchase them at other times at the following Oakboro locations: Rowell’s Screenprinting, Home Savings Bank, Wayside Restaurant, SunTrust Bank, Bank of Stanly and Oakboro Hardware. In Albemarle , you may find them at The Marketplace of Albemarle Antique Mall.

Would you like to feature your favorite antique or classic car in our 2010 calendar? Each 2009 calendar has a insert in it with all the information you will need to do just that. Don’t wait too late, as we have already sold some spots for next year. If you have questions or need a special mailing, please call Becky at 704-485-2065.

Cruise-in Friday - February 27, 2009

Come on down to Oakboro this Friday. Our Cruise-in will be held at 5 p.m. rain or shine. And according to the forecast, the rain will come after we've gone home. So let's have a little fun!

And we've got a few new things to share with you. We've created a classy 2009 calendar to showcase our classy cars. They're $5 each. The snazy photos will look really nice on your wall and help you plan your day. Flyers for this year's season are here. Be sure to pick one up and put next to your calendar.

We hope our new Oakboro Magazine will be here. It's at the printer now. It's packed with all kinds of interesting information about the Cruise-in, our area - and what it's like to live here.

We want to thank a few people for their financial support this year: SunStoppers Professional Glass Tinting; Mike Baucom, Nationwide Insurance Agent; Rob’s Convertible Tops; and Hughes Automotive. The 2009 season is also sponsored by Albemarle Marketplace and Auction Gallery.

Our committee is working on a few new things for this year's season. So you'll just have to come and see what they are!

Get Your Car Ready

Jerry Crayton says this is the time of year to get your car serviced for the busy cruise-in season. He also says to take advantage of warm sunny days and get out the polish. He says very soft cloths help may your car shine. When asked what he likes to use, he replies "old towels and baby diapers!"

Bring Your Car in a Trailer

Don't feel comfortable about driving your shiny old street rod on the road? Haul it in a trailer. We have plenty of parking available right behind the Methodist Church. That's located on the main drag - and you can get a hot dog there too!

This Site Used in a Seminar

Jim Buie, an expert in social marketing, incorporated this Website (blog) in his educational seminar on Jan. 29 at the NC Main Street annual conference. He was talking about ways to use Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Blogger and Wordpress to communicate via the Web.

Thanks Jim!

Everyone in the audience represented a small town across the state and many of them hold cruise-ins. Some commented that even though they have not been to Oakboro, they know about it because so many of the drivers of cars participating in their own cruise-ins tell them about the huge and highly successful Oakboro Cruise-in!

2009 Brings Warm Weather for January Cruise-in

Diehard fans of the Oakboro Cruise-In braved the cold for the January Cruise-In. A small but enthusiastic group drove into town to enjoy the camaraderie and to sample the local restaurants.

Visitors from nearby Spencer said they never missed an Oakboro event, siting the friendliness of all the participants. They also frequent the cruise-ins in Lexington, Hickory and other cities, but none are as full of excitement as Oakboro’s. Weather permitting, they said, they will be back in February.

A group of three families from Salisbury said they always came to Oakboro, ate at the restaurants, and stayed through the burnout in the summer months. “We always see people we know and meet the friendliest folks here,” said one participant.

Oakboro holds cruise-ins each month on the fourth Friday night beginning at 5 p.m.. From April through October, a burnout is held starting about 9 p.m. The event continues to draw thousands of people each of those months.

The Cruise-In is sponsored by the Greater Oakboro Business Association and is managed by a committee of dedicated volunteers. This group is working hard to add new features to the event and to make it more spectator-friendly.

For information on vendors, call 704-485-2065. Other contacts include Jerry Crayton at 704-467-4992, Randy Huneycutt at 704-485-4142, and Ann Hopkins at 704-791-3019.

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2009 Schedule

OAKBORO, NC – The 2009 schedule has just been released for the Oakboro Cruise-in & Burnout.
The event is always held on the fourth Friday of the month.
The dates are: January 23, February 27, March 27, April 24, May 22, June 26, July 24, August 28, September 25, October 23 and November 27. The December event will not be held as it falls on Christmas Day.
Oakboro has become recognized for its event where thousands of people flock to town to see shiny classic and street rod cars, socialize – and listen to crackling tires during the burnout.
Cruise-ins begin at 5 p.m. and the burnout is held at 9:30 p.m.
For more information, visit www.oakborocruisein.com or call Jerry Crayton at 704-467-4992.

"Hot Rod Lincoln"

Now that the burnout season is over, here's a little something to lighten up your day -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6g9yylRujU&eurl=http://video.google.com/videosearch?hl=en&ned=us&q=caring%20for%20street%20rods&um=1&ie=UTF-8&saiurl=http://i4.ytimg.com/vi/o6g9yylRujU/hqdefault.jpg

Friday, Oct. 24 - Oakboro's Last 2008 Burnout

OAKBORO, NC – Burning rubber. Billowing smoke. Bursting tires. Crowd cheers. Photos. That’s what the burnout is all about. It signals the end to a fun-filled night packed with street rods, classic cars, shiny kits and old clunkers.
The Oakboro Cruise-in & Burnout will be held on Friday, October 24 from 5-10 p.m. in the heart of downtown Oakboro. The burnout is held April-October, but the cruise-in continues year ‘round. It’s always the fourth Friday of the month.
Cars will start arriving around 3 p.m. and line Main and side streets. People will bring their chairs, grab a burger and socialize. It’s a ritual that pulls people from all across the Carolinas. If the weather is pretty, thousands of car lovers will show up, many driving their pride and joy.
And if this October is anything like others have been, participants at the Good-Guys Rod & Custom Association gathering at Lowe's Motor Speedway will bring their cars, according to event organizer Jerry Crayton. “I’ve seen their event schedule and there really isn’t anything going on at their event on Friday night. My hope is that they’ll come to Oakboro. They usually bring some really nice cars.”
Oakboro Cruise-in souvenirs, festival food and the 2009 schedule will be available. Restaurants and shops will be open. Throughout the evening, free T-shirts will be launched into the crowd. The Medical Laboratory Technician Club from Stanly Community College will be selling 50/50 tickets. Winners have typically gone home with $200 newly-found cash in hand. Antique, street rod and classic car drivers are encouraged to register for door prizes.
Oakboro is located on NC Hwy. 205 just off NC Hwy. 24/27 between Charlotte and Albemarle.
For more information, call Jerry Crayton at 704-467-4992 or log onto http://www.oakborocruisein.com/.

October 24 - Good-Guys Weekend

Jerry Crayton, event organizer, says the weekend of Oct. 24 is the same weekend as the Good-Guys Rod & Custom Association gathering at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

"The schedule doesn't really offer much on that Friday night, so we anticipate having some of them show up at the Oakboro Cruise-in & Burnout. Some even participate in the burnout. "

Good-Guys attendees come from all over the country, particularly from along the Eastern Seaboard. They bring street rods, custom built, classics and muscle cars through 1972.

Even though this is the last Burnout for the 2008 season, the actual cruise-in will continue on the last Friday of each month. The next burnout will occur in April 2009.

Oh, it's raining!

Today is Friday, September 26 and the skies are gray. It's raining most everywhere across North Carolina as the storm moves across our state. The eye of this non-tropical, tropically-shaped N'easter is over us now - but weather radar has rain extending from Oakboro south to the GA/SC line.

I've had inquiries about tonight's Oakboro Cruise-in & Burnout. Organizers tell me that some people are still planning to attend, but that the crowd will be nothing like it normally is - because of Mother Nature.

Events do not have rain dates. The next one will be held the fourth Friday in October - let's keep our fingers and toes crossed for outstanding weather!