2nd Annual Car Show for Bombshell Betty's Charity
2nd Annual Car Show for Bombshell Betty's Charity
by “Doc” Clancy
April 28th was a windy and overcast day in California's Antelope Valley, the weather overall pleasant for checking out cool cars, pinups, and a variety of vendors in support of the Bombshell Betty's Calendar for Charity group, which raises money and awareness for veterans.
Having been asked to participate as a judge in the car show, I had arrived early, and saw how much effort went into coordinating the event behind the scenes. From plotting out the parking arrangements and prepping the pinups, to last minute emergencies like tracking down a misplaced box of clipboards, it was a privilege to see how skillfully Bonnie, Katherine, and Cheyenne (along with their trusty volunteer staff) kept everything running smoothly and on time.
The event was emceed by Juan Blanco, the president of another great local charity, Coffee4Vets, and local band On Tap provided plenty of old-school rock 'n' roll. The Antelope Valley branch of the Cadillac Kings Car Club dominated the show space with a beautiful presentation of classic Caddies, but there were also Chargers, Firebirds, a stock Buick Riviera and some Bel-Airs, as well as a couple of genuine hot rods, including a revved up 29 Tudor named “Betty Lou”, which took the prize in the Hot Rod category.
While classic cars occupied most of the space, there was also room for motorcycles and newer cars, including Ira Lockshin's heavily modified Gray Ghost, which won in the Import category. Ira says the car was inspired by the Queen Mary, which was called the “Gray Ghost” when it was drafted into service and painted battleship gray in World War II. This is an important part of his family's history because his grandmother in the Royal Navy and his grandfather in the US Army met on that famous boat at the end of the war!
While looking at cars took up most of the day, there was ample time for the pinup pageant. Each of the ladies spoke about freedom and the veterans in her family and each had to demonstrate a special skill, from hula dancing to speed-painting to forensic science! This clever take on the vintage “talent portion” of the pageant left everybody smiling and was clearly enjoyed by the pinups themselves, who braved the strong Mojave winds picking up to perform on stage.
Bombshell Betty's Calendar for Charity runs several other events throughout the year. You can find them online at https://www.bombshellbettyscalendars.com/ and on Instagram @bombshellbettyscalendar. I'd like to thank the ladies for the great work that they do, and for letting me be involved. I'm already looking forward to next year's show, and to seeing it become an Antelope Valley tradition.
All photos by “Doc” Clancy, except photo of “Betty Lou” resting with her trophy, provided by her owner Carl (@omim123456).