Sarasota Baptist Church, from its services to its music to its special events, can be summed up in two words: First Class. Anyone who has attended there can attest to that. So it’s no wonder, when I heard this church was planning a car show, I was totally thrilled because I knew this would be no ordinary cruise. I soon received a flyer for the July 20th, 2002 event that confirmed my suspicions -- registration included a dash plaque, goody bag, judging for cut-glass trophies, and dinner. Dinner? Yes indeed, a full sit-down banquet, and the guest speaker was none other than NASCAR legend Ernie Irvan! Not too shabby for only $15.

The forecast that day called for thunderstorms, but we did not see a drop of rain -- the entire day was sunny and hot. Not to worry as there was plenty of shade, and soft drinks were readily available. Remember what I said about first class? I have never, ever been to a car show before where drinks were delivered! Yes, some young ladies actually put together a rolling lemonade stand, and made continual rounds through the entire lot, selling delicious ice-cold lemonade for a quarter! It seemed every time I got thirsty, which was about ever five minutes, that lemonade stand was only a few feet away. Ice cream was also available, as well as breakfast, lunch, and other snacks.

The music and much of the event itself was coordinated by Cruisin’ To The Hop With Lance. I didn’t get an exact count but I believe around 130 vehicles were registered. A few assorted race cars were also on display. Registrants came from as far away as Ft. Myers and Lakeland. About mid-afternoon Ernie Irvan stopped by to chat and sign autographs, which created a LONG line. Soon after, door prizes were given away (lots of them), and of course trophies were presented.

With every aspect of this event living up to the reputation of first class, the next obvious question was, what was in the goody bag? Well, there was the usual assortment of pens, mouse pads, Frisbees and coolies, but the bag also included a videotape about the life of Jesus, and a CD of inspirational music sung by members of the church choir. I know what you’re thinking, but this is not your run-of-the-mill church choir recording. I listened to the CD, and the music was lively and the recording is professional - definitely a keeper. Again, first class.

There was about a two hour break between the car show and the dinner, allowing the locals to go home and freshen up. As for the dinner, the church sanctuary was converted into literally a restaurant, where volunteer waitresses delivered the food and took care of everyone. How was the food? Somewhere between excellent and superb. This was not your average church banquet; there was china and silverware. The food, from the appetizers to the deserts, reminded me of what I’ve been served on cruise ships - fancy and delicious. The main course was pork tenderloin with a special sauce - but enough about the food, this is a magazine about cars.

After dinner Ernie Irvan spoke, giving us a brief glimpse of his life and racing career. He began by telling us that he’s not a good speaker, but he had the entire room of over 400 people captivated for the duration. He also spoke about his Christian testimony and some of the things he’s doing today. The event was wrapped up with a question and answer session. His speech was entertaining and informative.

This event was the church’s very first attempt at doing a car show, and already they seem to have raised the standard. But best of all, this is to be an annual event. I suggest checking the Mike Kelly’s Cruise News Coming Attractions listings as the time approaches; I heard a rumor that next year’s speaker will be Don “Big Daddy” Garlits! CN

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