The annual Cruisen Red Lodge Car & Bike Show took place last month, however, because of the COVID virus, some of the usual events had to be dropped. It was deemed that if show car owners wanted to just come up on July 24-26, to park and show their cars for the fun of it, that it would be a go — to park and line the streets of Red Lodge as usual, even though no trophies would be given out.

The one thing that did stay in the mix as planned was the flag start drags up at the airport main runway. This has been one of the really neat things done for the normal three-day show for the last few years and has been a hit to say the least. Two cars line up against each other and the flag start lady makes sure each driver is ready, raises the two flags and when she brings those flags down the race is on! There are no times given, and again no trophies either; this is just a way for a guy or gal to see how his or her car runs in a short distance of about one-eighth of a mile. It’s all just for fun and you can even have a passenger which you can’t do in real Drag Racing.

I was able to talk to one gentleman from Laurel, Montana, who owned a great-looking ’35 Chevy Standard coupe. Dave Metzger told me he did all the work putting his car together except for the excellent Blue Paint and the upholstery. I shot his car more than once because it was indeed an eye-catching car.

The other car I spent a little time with was a 1949 Dodge half-ton panel truck that had a 350 Chevy small block, with a 700 R4 transmission. The owner, “Keith,” wasn’t around, but had a little info taped to the passenger side window. This truck had an older paint job with some faded lettering that added to the overall patina one sees with a vehicle this old. The paper on the window said he had new tires for the truck but they weren’t on, and that he had all new windshield and side window glass for this truck, but had not replaced any of it as yet. The sheet also said the project was for sale and for a very low price of only $6,800.

One of the appealing aspects of this annual car show has been the cars parked and lining both sides of Red Lodge’s main drag. Photographically, it’s a hoot to see all these old classics, intermingled with street rods and the Rat Rods, with the backdrop of the stores, shops and bars. All these cars present a great boon to the town of Red Lodge, as far as those who come to see the cars and buy food; some pay for lodging and some spend money in the shops, too.

This year’s car show was a little different with restrictions, but it appeared to me to be as popular as ever, and I was told that plans for the 2021 edition has already started as I write this …

(Richard Brady is a Powell photographer and former drag racer.)