2011 Billetproof Car Show – First 7 Years

History of Billetproof – The Original

Fifteen years ago Kirk Jones and Jay Ward had a idea. The idea was to create a car show with unique, hand-crafted trophies and to express the growing old school hot rod movement. They held their first new car show at the Albany Bowl in Albany, CA. In attendance was 26 traditional cars and about 100 friends. The music was provided by The Stillman in the bowling alley’s tiny, packed lounge. The year was 1997 and the show was simply named Billetproof.

In 1998 on a rainy day at the Albany Bowl attendance jumped to 63 rods and the venue was busting at the seams. Billetproof was ready for a bigger venue. The next year in 1999 Billetproof thought they had found a new and bigger home. The MLK Jr. Waterfront Park in Oakland, CA. Right on the water, with grassy areas to relax in and fully equipped with built in BBQ’s to cook on, the park seemed twice as big as they needed… Wrong! On this beautiful sunny day in Oakland, 129 choice hot rods and customs filled the parking lots to the brim and with twice the amount of participants, Billetproof was on the hunt again for a larger venue.

Going back to their roots in 2000, Billetproof choose the Holiday Bowl in Hayward, CA. Surely with parking for 300 cars Billet found it’s new home. When a surprising 225 hot rods and customs showed up and the show was pleasantly full and you could still breathe. Billet thought this would be as big as the show would ever get. Little did they know, on Sept 29th, 2001 at the same Holiday Bowl with 300 car capacity, the parking area squeezed in 320 cars and had to turn some 40 rods away.

The 2001 Billetproof was sold out weeks ahead of time to hear bands like the Dynatones and the Sore Thumbs and to witness The Retarded Sparks Car Club chopping a Model A Tudor Sedan right in the middle of the show. For the forth time Billetproof had to pack up and search for a bigger venue.

In 2002 Billet found themselves in Livermore, CA at the Livermore Rodeo grounds. Granted the place was huge and a killer grandstand to see all the action. You would think, home, finally,home… but there was one thing that stood in the way of home. Dust and lots of it. That year not even two solid days of watering trucks could keep the dust off of 468 hot rods and nearly 3000 spectators. The biggest turn out in Billetproof 6 year history.

Speaking of history, in 2003 Billetproof landed in the Antioch Fairgrounds where it still stands today. On Sept 20th, 2003 on a typical scorching Antioch day, the Fair was bursting at the seams. 638 rods, customs, bombs and trucks were viewed by more than 3000 spectators! The addition of the Kustomizing Kompetition where two teams cut, welded and hammered out two Rancheros into there new shape with “WierdOh’s” winning. Since 2003 Billetproof has been blowing up the Antioch Fair grounds around the last week of September for the past 8 years and 15 years altogether. With past host clubs like the Poor Boys and the Swanx handing the torch Antioch-grown club, the Dragoons, this 15th year anniversary Billetproof pulls out all the the stops.

So if you are ready to roll into the show and enjoy the day, jump in, we are heading up to the gates of the Antioch Fair grounds for Billetproof 15!

-N/K

(Editor’s note: Nick, let me know where you got these fliers so I can give credit)

2011 Circus of the Wicked Car Show – No Clowns Allowed

NorCal Hot Rods and Custom Car Show Pictures

When you hear the circus is in town your first thought is of the big top, right?

Well I asked my two daughters what was the first thing that came to mind when I said, “The circus is coming to town.” My youngest who’s four said, “Chuck Chuck the Clown” and my oldest who’s eleven said, “A big parade of people”. This is the funny cause I’m sitting in my backyard writing this story as it’s happening… So I ask my girls what’s the first thing that comes to mind when I say, The Circus of the Wicked is coming to town? Lets listen in for their response: My youngest says, “The chicken on SNL.” OK. My oldest,”Sounds like a cool name for a car show.” No, I’m not pulling your leg, that’s what she said.

There you have it, as I lead into this feature on the Circus of the Wicked car & bike show at Holeshot Choppers in Sacramento,CA. The host car club or should I say “ringleaders” for this event were, none other than, Relentless CC. Upon my arrival to the show, I spoke with Relentless mastermind and long time rodder Jay Walding on what he thought of their 1st annual show. Jay told me, “It’s really the second show and the first was last year, but it was more of a word-of-mouth type gig with a big bike showing… Unlike this year’s show where it was more publicized with fliers and through H.A.M.B and so on.” So call it what you may, I’m sticking to the 1st annual.

Since it was still early and not to hot…yet. I took the opportunity to grab a few shots of Jays ride along side his wife’s ride, who I think you might of heard of. Does Darling Danika ring a bell? It should, because she happens to be one of the baddest alt/pin-up models (shown in the first photo) in Nor Cal! Not to mention she’s pretty frigging cool as well! How ’bout that duo. Long time major player in the Northern Cal hot rod scene and super bad Danika. I sense a interview gracing the pages of MyRideisMe.com soon. (click any picture for full size shot)

Getting back to the show, Jay was totally cool to pull out both rides away from the club so I could grab a couple of quick shots. Thankx bro!

As the lazy Sunday woke up, more and more people were filing in to the show. In a way, it did have that circus feel with tons of stuff to appeal to the little rodders at the show as well as the older ones, too. Things like a dunk tank and face painting to mechanical bull riding. Relentless CC covered all the bases with a carny style food court with everything to Bubba’s BBQ to deep fried candy bars… yeah… you heard me right! Of course you have to wash it down with something so they had an array bevmo’s to quench any thirst. The vendors where also varied with vintage wear from Devil Dolls & Street Surfer and hot rod parts from the Speed Shack.

I do have to say.. it’s been awhile since I’ve seen the type of variety that this show brought fourth. Among the many Sacramento car clubs that rolled in, like the Grinders CC, RiffRaff CC and The Alley Cats. There was also clubs like the Throttle Queens and the Road Lords CC spotting up. I also noticed there where a few lowrider clubs as well, such as the Devotion CC that were well represented with some serious rides (which brought back a lot of fond memories from the earlier 90′s).

(editor’s note: Nick, love this Lincoln! Can you get a feature story on it?)

What kind of circus would it be if you didn’t have elephants doing tricks. Well exit elephants and enter street bikes. These cats where doing things that quite frankly were making my you know what pucker. Just wicked. Next up was the Burnout exhibition which Alley Cats Jacob Bryant and his rubber spitting 61′ Ford truck that just let loose a fury on the spectators. With one arm out of the window and one on the wheel with a grin only the devil himself could conjure up. I think the only thing that stopped Jacob was he blew a belt. Beyond wicked.

Huh, I see a pattern forming here. What could possibly top that? A shoot with super bad model Danika Darling. That’s what could! One thing I would like to say too, is that I, N/Koljian of the MyRideisMe.com posse was the first to shoot Ms. Danika with her car. Ha! Well, that’s what she told me. Nothing like a little pressure huh. Ms.Danika made it very easy on me to shoot and is a absolute pleasure to work with.

After that, I made my rounds and said my good-byes. Snap a couple shots on my way out. Jumped in the truck, turned the AC on high and headed west bound on interstate 80 back to Hellcity, aka Concord. I would like to thank Jay Walding and the rest of the Relentless family for their killer hospitality and fantastic show. For more info on any Relentless shows or on the club itself you can go to the Relentless Facebook Page. And that my friends is my day at the circus…wicked. – N/K

As always, my best pictures from the car show are in the MyRideisMe.com custom car picture gallery. Pick your favorite and let us know.

-N/K

2011 Midnight Mass – Almost All Cool

NorCal Hot Rods and Custom Car Show Pictures

Midnight Mass #8

This year I thought I would go against what I was hearing about Midnight Mass and experience it for myself. For some reason Midnight Mass was getting a bad wrap for the past couple of years. Yeah, there has been some drama inside the Poor Boys car club but really, what club doesn’t have a little drama here and there. Mostly when rumors are spread it just makes it 10x worse by the time it reaches it’s final destination.

This year marks number 8 for Midnight Mass and it was held at Gibson Ranch out in Sacramento, CA. Generally, this show is held from 5:00pm till midnight, hence Midnight Mass. Calendar-wise it’s also held at the end of July. So if you are not familiar with Sacramento, especially at the end of July, I would like to give you a heads up for future summer shows out in this area… bring a ton of sun screen and enough water to fill a 50 gallon drum! Simply… it’s hot. Which is pretty smart thinking by the Poor Boys CC to have it go into the night. It does cool down about 8:00pm that does make for a pleasant, cooler rest of the show. A percentage of the proceeds to this show went to Marshell’s Mafia (someone help with a link) which benefits Autism. I thought that was very cool.

To put Midnight Mass into perspective it’s Sacramento’s version of Viva Las Vegas. It has a main stage with band like Switchblade Frankie, The Fortunate Few, K B and the Slingtones, Vintage Vandals and Colonel Jimmy and the Blackfish. So there was plenty of groove’n and shake’n going on.

Midnight Mass also had plenty of food and bevmo booths to supply the crowd with what ever they needed. By the looks of it, the PBR booth always had a line around the corner. Imagine that.

In Viva fashion as well, Mass had about an acre of vendors. Every thing from merch, barbers, tattoos, vintage clothing, mags, pinstripers and of course photographers. Yes, the photographers. Every time I turned around… photographers. Not that I have anything against them. Reason being that there where so many is that they had a lot to shoot. Whether it was rods or pin ups or just spectators. There was a mass of them.

I couldn’t even tell you how many different clubs there where, not to mention the showing of non club rods. If you stood at one end of the show you really could not see where it ended. Just rows and rows of rods, customs, bombs, classics, wagons, trucks cycles and even a vintage fire truck. I would hate to be the guy or gal having to judge for best in show or any of the awards. It was a sea of amazing metal.

I could probably say the same for the pin up gals! Everywhere, whether they were all dolled up getting snapped by the custom culture paparazzi or just rolling through till the pin up contest. One reason is that the Midnight Mass pin up contest is a pretty big deal when it comes to Northern California summer shows. Also the contest is held at sundown on the main stage which I personally think is brilliant. After snapping a few pin ups and the last of what I thought would be rods coming into the show, I decided that it would be a smart idea to split before the mob did.

It was a good walk back to the ride, about a 1/4 mile. It was about 8:00pm when I split and people where still pouring in. I got to the ride, put my equip up and headed out for my 2 hr ride back home. I pulled out on Elverta, which was the entrance to the show. Packed all the way to Watt Ave. Again for those of you that don’t know Sac-town. That’s about 2 miles of stopped traffic. All wanting to get into Mass. I’m sure after I left the show ragged into the night, well at least till midnight. With every thing that has swirled around this show in years past you can say what you want. Myself, I enjoyed it. I would say if you are traveling from out of town to get a room. Which most people did who I talked to. You can like it or dislike it but you can’t deny it’s one for the Masses. For more info on future Midnight Mass shows or any Poor Boys CC show you can go to theoriginalpoorboys.com

As always, my best pictures from the car show are in the MyRideisMe.com hot rod picture gallery. Pick your favorite and let us know.

-N/K

2011 Nite of the Hot Rods Car Show – Custom Car Cult

NorCal Hot Rods and Custom Car Show Pictures

Nite of the Hot Rods #5

107.7 The Bone Rock Girl Brittany Cervantes

11:05 am on Saturday morning I was in the back yard pulling some unwanted weeds and up in the skies were some wicked black and grey clouds just looming over the city of Concord, CA. As I had 10,000 years by High on Fire running through my head and anticipating the sky to rip open at any second I pondered the thought of, “How cool would it be if the weather stayed like this for the show tonight?”

Meaning, the 5th Annual Nite of the Hot Rods at the Riverview Lodge in Antioch, CA. The day went on and the thunderhead started to disappear the closer it got to show time. Reason why I thought it would be cool that the weather stayed that way is because the show, like every year is held on the pier at the lodge, but this year there was something different in the air, something a bit weird. Kind of like that feeling you get when you walk into a room and everyone stares at you in a way like they all know something and you don’t, but you will find out soon enough whether you want to or not!

The calm before the storm…eerie. Speaking of the storm, all of a sudden it got very humid outside as I stepped out on to the pier and I looked up to notice not a cloud in the sky. Strange. I turned around to see nothing but faces, faces staring, like I had just stepped into a cult collective. Now the definition of cult simply states,
1. a particular system of religious worship, especially with reference to its rites and ceremonies.
2. an instance of great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing, especially as manifested by a body of admirers.
3. the object of such devotion.

On July 16th,2011 in Antioch,CA at approximately 4:30 pm on a very humid late afternoon at the Riverview Lodge, the Dragoons Car Club era had come to an end and a new beast was about to unleash it’s fury upon the Northern California car club scene. This beast was to be known as the Dragoons Car Cult. It’s rites and ceremonies…The Nite of the Hot Rods! The object of devotion..the love of classic rides! Of course you can not forget “Manifested by a body of admirers.”

The admirers came in droves this year. This was the most I have seen in past few years. This show was packed! Clubs rolled in from as far as San Jose. Local clubs like Swanx, Villainz and the Road Knights to the Style Kings,Bay Bombs and Road Lords. Not to mention the Lucky Bastards CC rolled in for a rare stop. Just to check out the cult following was fabricating madman Alex Gambino and friends. I asked Dragoons guru and cult leader Max Ballesteros what was the idea of going from Dragoons Car Club to Car Cult. He told me that one night he was checking out some old clips of Charles Manson and thought that would be cool to go with cult rather than club. I would have to agree with Max 100%.

Other notables that came out to feel the Manson vibe was Skoty Chops of Skoty Chops customs and Korena and Hank of NorCal Knockout fame. This show certainly had a cult following. This years carnival of fun was filled with music,vendors and rides from the primered to the classic. Vendors this year included Gearhead Magazine, Bella Beauties,Indigo Skin designs and Charlottes Web were a few. Food and Bevmo’s where at easy reach with the Lodge right there on the pier. Also the Nite of the Hot Rods Miss Dragoons pin up contest is always a crowd pleaser and will fill the lucky gals purse with 100 spot. I was lucky to grab one of the participants in the pin-up contest and 107.7 The Bone Rock girl Brittany Cervantes for a couple of quick pics. I’m sure MRIM fans of all likes will enjoy. Thankx Dixie!

The show awards this year where supplied by the local clubs like Swanx, Villainz and the host of this years cult-ural event the Dragoons. Awards went out to the clubs pick of Best in Show. For the 1st time in NOTH history the Dragoons had show shirts at their booth. In new DCC fashion the shirts had awesome designs and the one that caught my eye and ended up in my camera case was the “Ignore your local Dragoons Car Cult” tee.

By this time the show was at it’s peak and had no sign of slowing down and Stigma 13 was ready to light up the stage with the sun getting ready to fade off into the bay. I found it time to say my alohas and bail back to homestead. Reflecting back on the show on my way up hi-way 4, I have to say this show was a the true meaning of a cult classic. The Dragoons really put this one out there and everyone bit. How could they have not? Awesome venue, great location and perfectly set time wise. As I pulled up to the house and got my camera gear together I grabbed my IPod to bring it into the house. I looked down and there it was in all it’s glory…10,000 Years by High on Fire. Now that’s weird.

As always, catch all my pictures from the 2011 Nite of the Hot Rods “Cult” Show in the MyRideisMe.com hot rod picture gallery

And if you missed it, here’s last year’s show: 2010 Nite of the Hot Rods and the 2009 Nite of the Hot Rods Car Show

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N/Koljian

2011 Strangers Car Show – Family Fiesta

NorCal Hot Rods and Custom Car Show Pictures

Story Contributed by MyRideisMe.com member: Nick Koljian “Hellcity316″

2011 Strangers Car Show

I would like to start off by saying the Strangers Car show and BBQ is a special show in many ways. One, it’s a family show for us here at the N/K residence. The whole family piles in to the wagon and heads down 680 south in route for San Jose’s Kelly park. Dave,my bro-in-law and his son roll in for the festivities. It’s a family affair gig.

We all park it in the same place right behind the raffle booth every year under one of the many shade trees in the park. Throw the blanket down, kick out the chairs and the girls spew out all their toys for the day.

Two, it’s the headliner of a double dip show weekend. On that Saturday is Gambino’s Sit Down custom car show in San Jose which is always a dandy. Then you have the Strangers on Sunday. Which in my opinion is one of the highly anticipated and blockbuster weekends of the summer for shows. Third, it marks my anniversary of covering the great shows that Northern California brings to the table every year for Mr.Pike and MyRideisMe.com. (editor note: Right on Nick!)

With that said,lets talk about this phenomenal show! This being it’s 12th successful year, the Strangers car show and BBQ has always been a staple in the rich San Jose hot rod scene. But this year was a bit different. Not being able to get there as early as we usually do in years past. We pulled in about 1:00 pm and got settled in. The girls grabbed their raffle tickets and I was off to capture the show.

As I was roaming around admiring all the amazing customs I noticed that a lot of the usual car clubs where not present and a slough of new clubs and rods where there in there place. Honestly I can’t remember the names of the clubs and I apologize… I do have to say that I can’t remember the last time I saw paint like this. The first thing that came to mind was the 70′s low rider scene. The fades, the flake and the lines. Just amazing. In typical fashion the show always attracts everything from customs and classics to bombs and rods. Of course a Strangers show always brings out some crazy style pinstriping, year in and year out but this year I would have to say the colors and paint won it for me.

Speaking of paint, meaning 1 shot paint, the stripers where out in full. There was the Style Kings Wim & Rich Luna as well as TBonez Graffix and pin-up/ pinstriper Trisha Turner who I had shot earlier in the day. Among all the vendors there was Mike from Gearhead mag and the boys from Deadend mag as well. Top Notch Customs also representing the city of San Jose. Like Strangers shows of the past, the BBQ was rolling out hot rod fare all through out the day and the Strangers CC booth had some of the best shirt designs I have seen in along time. That’s saying a lot cause every year they put out great prints for their show tees.

This year fellow Strangers CC member Chico Von Spoon did the a awesome job! Unlike other shows the Strangers like to bring back the past show with shirts and stickers of past events, which I find to be very cool. Needless to say, when I see stickers it is a must pick up. Naturally to fill the slot from the MyRideisMe.com stickies that got  passed out. There is another typical thing that you find just about at every car show that the Strangers don’t have but sets them aside from everyone else, is music. Now before you get all worked up and say “What no music!” They don’t need nor do I think they should have music. Not that I am against hearing classic tunes through out the show. It’s such a great atmosphere and setting that the history of the park itself and the feel alone is what makes this. Music or bands just wouldn’t be right at this type of show. Again, that’s what sets this show in a league of it’s own.

As always, the Strangers raffle is awesome. With it’s comedic leader Sean Denton, he always makes it a good time! Not to mention there’s always “that guy” that wins everything. So you can only imagine who gets ribbed every time a number is called and he walks up. The raffle parting gifts are alway top notch! That’s not the only thing that is top notch. The awards for Best in Show are out of this world.

Like clock work after the awards and the raffle the family packs up all the goodies from the day,we say our good-byes and we head to the car for the journey back up 680, well really we all go Cicero’s Pizza but I’ll save that for another time.

Leaving the Strangers show you always leave happy. Like that family picnic where everyone gets together for the day without drama or anything negative. Just a great time with family and friends. That’s the kind of feel you get at a Strangers show. Plus you get to check out some awesome customs, classics and hot rods. Not a bad combo for the picnic basket! I would take that up any and every Sunday.

Once again the Strangers CC prove that the Strangers car show and BBQ is one of the best shows of the year. For more info on the Strangers CC show or just to see what the club is up to go to http://www.strangerscarclub.com/

Catch all my pictures from the 2011 Strangers Show in the MyRideisMe.com hot rod picture gallery
- N/K

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