Route 66 Blowout
Just southwest of Tulsa, along historical Route 66, lies Sapulpa, Oklahoma. Each year this town hosts the Route 66 Blowout and Car Show. Out of towners and locals alike bring their relics to show their work and celebrate both the historical highway and the classic Americana of the American auto industry.
The festivities begin the evening before the car show. Classic cars can be found at many of the restaurants in town. Owners and restorers are eager to talk about their rides and the process to get them to their current state. I found a spot at Wimpy’s Sandwich Shoppe. There was live music, and a parking lot full of restored cars accompanied by a crowd admiring them.
There seemed to be a cue they were all aware of around 6pm as the old cars fired up almost simultaneously and within 5 minutes had split the scene. As the sun starts to set, families gather roadside on the old route where E Dewey Ave meets Main St in Downtown Sapulpa. And for an evening, E Dewey Ave transforms into the Route 66 cruise strip of old, as classics rev, rip and roll through town.
The morning after is when the staging begins for the judges to inspect. There are over forty classes of cars on the registration form. Cars are staged in the parking spaces on each side of the road for five or six city blocks, including the alley streets. One alley way is specifically reserved for the previous year’s winners in each category.
Live music echos through the buildings as the crowd packs in to view the vehicles. There are multiple food trucks placed throughout the stretch and restaurants have their doors propped open to become part of the event. The Sapulpa firefighters get involved as they turn the front parking of the sheriff’s department into a feed lot of smoke pits and dining tables.
Walking through and taking in the various design elements from each generation of vehicles brought a sense of respect for American ingenuity. These automobiles were from an era when each manufacturer was making a statement with every model. Getting from point A to point B was not as important as the style and experience in between. It is a reminder of a simpler time.
If you are looking for something to do this September and have a flare for classic Americana, head to Sapulpa for the next Route 66 Blowout and Car Show.
