LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — In the chrome reflection of the restored red 1957 Chevy Bair Air visitors could be seen gravitating to the cars of their youth, and the owners were equally excited to see their preservation recognized.
Lugnut’s 10th annual Red Car Show at Nostalgia Street Rods brought exhibitors and families alike for the car show meant to raise awareness and money for STOP DUI, a Nevada grassroots non-profit organization dedicated to stopping the violent crime of driving under the influence.
“It took my family of seven to stop a drunk driver,” Sandy Heverly, Executive Director of STOP DUI, said. “My husband, myself, my four children and my mom were all very seriously injured and ultimately the injuries my mom sustained led to her death.”
Photos of lost loved ones were attached to the nonprofit’s booth behind Heverly at the car show.
“It’s all about saving lives that’s the bottom line, we don’t want people to have to suffer what we have suffered,” she said. “We don’t want to add any more photographs to that victim board back there.”
The organization released information on how a “typical” drink for most drivers, which is just over one-half ounce of pure alcohol, is not the common amount of alcohol found in most popular drinks.
| Martini | 2 typical drinks |
| Manhattan | 2 typical drinks |
| Black Russian | 2 typical drinks |
| Margarita | 1.5 typical drinks |
| Daiquiri | 1.5 typical drinks |
The Driving Force
Randall Connell, or “Lugnut” as friends call him, looked out on the red sea of cars behind him and recalled how the car show all started ten years ago.
“I’ve probably been around the car scene for 25 years and all those years I went to car shows and noticed a lot of red cars,” he said. “So, I figured let’s do a little red car show.”
Next to the car lot is the Nostalgia Street Rod museum led by Sheri Goldstrom, which displays memorabilia and vehicles from 1910 to 1965 in a custom, hot rod themed garage.
“I wanted to preserve history,” Goldstrom said. “Randy and I have two shows a year and one of them is the Red Car Show and one is called Nostalgia Street Rods, this one, in particular, is dear to our heart.”
The Nostalgia Street Rod Museum is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. near Hacienda and Decatur.
The specific car that brings people back to the show isn’t the same for everyone, but as Connell noted, they all share one thing.
“That’s the first car they look at, the one from their childhood,” he said.
