Best of show cars
By CHRIS RAMBO, Morning Journal Sports Intern
POSTED: June 23, 2008
SALEM — For many of the contestants at the Steel Valley Super Nationals, cars have been a part of their daily lives since they were old enough to grasp a steering wheel.
“The only pictures we have of me as a child are ones where I’m standing around cars,” said funny car racer Jerry Streb from Austintown. “Racing has been a family tradition for us.”
“I became interested in cars from watching my older brothers,” said Bob Gamble of Columbiana. “They all had cars that they worked on, so it just kind of came naturally from following them around.”
There were similar stories all around Quaker City Raceway on Sunday. Stories of contestants growing up around cars and developing a love that has stayed with them throughout their lives.
It is a love that has to run deep considering that most show car contestants often shell out thousands of dollars worth of parts and spend countless hours of labor in order to transform their cars from somebody else’s scrap heap into the gems that were enjoyed by fans and owners alike on Sunday.
“There is nothing like the satisfaction that comes from a finished product after knowing all of the work that was put in,” said Mike Mansfield of Columbiana, who showed off his 1986 Chevrolet El Camino this weekend.
“I put about 15,000 dollars and about percent of the labor into my truck and it was worth every bit of it,” said Matt Krawchyk of Leetonia, whose prized 1978 GMC C-10 was selected as one of the top 10 show cars.
Krawchyk bought his prize-winning truck in 2005 for a meager sum of $300 and has spent the last three years giving it a complete facelift.
“When I first got it everything was rusted, there was no carpet, and all the seats were ripped up,” said Krawchyk. “It was a total rebuilding project from the ground up, there is not one part that is not custom-made.”
The extensive makeover has made Krawchyk attached to his truck. Even though the truck would surely fetch thousands of dollars Krawchyk hesitated when asked if he would part ways with it.
“It’s going to be hard to sell,” said Krawchyk. “After everything I’ve put into it, it’s going to be tough to let go.”
Krawchyk’s sentiment was a popular one among his fellow contestants.
“This car is my buddy,” said Mansfield about his El Camino.
“I’ve just loved cars all my life,” said Gamble. “This is definitely a labor of love.”
