Driving economy

Bright's Pioneer Park looked more like Australia's most expensive car park on Sunday, with hundreds of immaculate vehicles spanning almost a century of motoring being admired by thousands of enthusiasts at Bright's 33rd Rod Run. The vehicles, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars each, sparkled in the early morning sun, a seemingly endless seas of hot rods and street machines, their fenders, hoods, bumpers, and windshields under the mesmerising gaze of adoring fans. Many of the vehicles, plus hundreds more from fellow enthusiasts, had provided non-stop entertainment, cruising two circuits within Bright's CBD across the weekend, ensuring vehicular traffic was bumper to bumper and pedestrians movement was shoulder to shoulder. "The cruising is a byproduct of our event," enthused Bright Rod and Kustom Club treasurer Mike Dealy, who believed the weekend had been yet another huge success for the club, and town. "Looking out over the oval, seeing hundreds of vehicles and thousands of people on Sunday morning makes it all worthwhile," he smiled. "We've got 330 entries in the show' n' shine, which is similar to last year. "They've come from all over the state, and interstate too...and there are some amazing vehicles on show. "We've also got trade stalls lining the boundary line, together with around 100 site holders for the Bright Rotary Club market. "We'll have upwards of 6000 people through here today. "Across the entire three days we'd say we've had the expected 15,000 visitors. "All the accommodation was booked out...that's 12,500 beds, in addition to caravans, tents and people staying with friends and relatives. "Our Saturday night Cabaret spectacular drew 600 plus people with the 1970s theme a real hit." Bright Chamber of Commerce president Marcus Warner said the three-day event had again delivered a multi-million dollar boost to the local economy, bolstering recovery efforts in the wake of the police tragedy at Porepunkah. "It has direct benefit to our accommodation and hospitality sectors and certainly helps put Bright on the map," he said. Sergeant Cameron Miller of Bright police said there had been a significant police presence over the weekend and pleasingly there was little to report. "It was great to see the crowds back in Bright and the event itself at Pioneer Park was sensational...well attended, well run and without incident," he said. "The dry zone (no public alcohol) in Bright's CBD was respected with no infringement notices issued." Sgt Miller said while two drivers had their vehicles impounded, the vast majority of road users were well behaved, with no drink or drug drivers or other offences detected. Ford phaeton an oldie, but a goodie Glenn Fairall and his 1930 Ford phaeton were crowd pleasers at Bright's 33rd Rod Run on the weekend. Amid more than 300 vehicles sprawled out on the oval at Pioneer Park for the show n' shine on Sunday, the Holbrook motoring enthusiast and his Washington Blue two-door machine were a pit stop for many of the thousands of spectators. The pair were inseparable, which given Glenn's investment is understandable. "I've put $250,00 to $300,000 into the build, which took 18 years," he explained. The full restoration and rebuild of what was originally a worse for wear four door shell, commenced in 2003, under the craftsmanship of former Bright resident Dan Fitzgerald, who owns Fineline Automotive Refinishings Albury. "Chasing parts took a long time and everything was handmade," Glenn said. "It was something of a passion for myself and my wife Jo. "We'd been coming to the Bright Rod Run for several years, driving other friend's vehicles." Sadly Jo succumbed to brain cancer in 2011, never to see the build completed. "She's asked me to call it Remarkable Breasts, in her honour, which I did," Glenn said. Completed in 2022, it took out the champion mantle at the Hotrod and Custom Auto Expo in Sydney that year, and had won a heap of other show n' shine trophies and titles since. "It's nice to get that recognition, but it's not what drives me," Glenn said. "I just love sharing my passion with others...seeing the joy the vehicle brings to fellow enthusiasts. "Cruising Bright's streets and getting high fives from the kids was terrific. "I really like the Bright event, where you see more street machines than hot rods." SHOW N SHINE RESULTS: Best in Show, sponsored by Bright Rod & Kustom Club: Russell Dunning's silver 1950 Mercury Eight Monterey coupe. Presidents Choice, sponsored by Bright Rod & Kustom Club: Mark Wiseman's 1928 Ford A Model Tudor. Policeman’s Choice, sponsored by Community Bank Bright: Adrian Hillyer's turquoise 1959 Chevrolet Apache ute. Hot Rod, sponsored by Bright Riverside Holiday Park: Rod Harris's yellow 1931 Ford Hotrod coupe. Rat Rod, sponsored by Morses Creek Bakery: Trevor Burke's grey 1952 Ford F1 panel truck. Custom, sponsored by Making Spirits Bright: Mitchell Young's blue 1950 Chevrolet coupe ute. Muscle, sponsored by JRB Automotive & 4X4: Justin w Schembri's purple 1976 Ford Landau coupe. Classic, sponsored by Dickens Real Estate: Peter Andresen's burgundy and beige 1959 VW Kombi. Original, sponsored by Bright Smash Repairs: Alan Maslen's black 1953 Holden FX sedan. Best of the Rest, sponsored by Alpine Gourmet Meats: TBA Best Club, sponsored by Shannons Insurance: Gippsland Motors Club. Best Paints, sponsored by Wholesale Paint Group: Rodney Neindorf's candy colours 1967 Plymoth Barracuda 2-door. Best of 30's, sponsored by Star Hotel: John Coinu's purple 1934 Ford coupe 3-window. Best of 40's, sponsored by Bright Automotive & Towing: Robert Pet's silver Ford 4-door. Best of 50's, sponsored by Kool Kulture: Ron Holingworth's International pickup. Best of 60's, sponsored by Porepunkah Pines: Jack Close's cream 1962 Ford Thunderbird coupe. Best of 70's, sponsored by Crow Cams: Adam Purtell's silver 1971 Holden GTS Monaro coupe. Best American, sponsored by BF Transport: Domenic Colmbini's red 1957 Chevrolet BelAir Sports coupe.

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