Kentucky Chevy Best in Show at AutoFair

Best in Show!

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(Track release: CONCORD, N.C. (April 6, 2014) – Jerry Horine, of Louisville, Ky., drove home with the prestigious Best of Show Award at the AutoFair hosted by OldRide.com for his beautifully restored 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air, concluding the four-day automotive spectacular on Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The Bel Air topped cars from 48 clubs that attended this year’s AutoFair and competed for the top prize of overall Best of Show. After winning in its first car show appearance, Horine and his prized car were surrounded by many of his friends and family, who happen to be from North Carolina. He claims they were responsible for convincing him to enter the Bel Air into the AutoFair.

“It was exciting,” said the 72-year-old on his win. “Especially for my friends and family over there. They have been a lot more nervous than I have been about this.”

Horine claims it was love at first sight when he first saw the car three years ago in Louisville, Ky., after it had been completely restored. He did not buy it at that time but he continued to keep his eye on it.

After being sold twice, once to a man in Missouri and then again to a buyer in Georgia, Horine heard that the car was for sale again. As the story goes, he went after it with his trailer, negotiated a price, and brought it back to his hometown in Louisville where he plans to continue to showcase it.

“We’re one for one,” said Horine, who took home a silver cup trophy for winning. “And we plan to continue to do more.”

The First Runner-Up Award at the AutoFair went to Eddie Sells, of Apex, N.C., with his 1968 Chevrolet Camaro and the Second Runner-Up Award was given to John Jancic, from Cleveland, N.C. and his 1970 Plymouth Road Runner.

Specialty award winners included Joe and Sissy Sherwood, of Martinsville, Va., who took home the Bob Laidlein Award (Most Original) with their 1986 Chevrolet Silverado; Fort Mill, S.C. native, Ray Bleau, winner of the Cabarrus Cup Award (Most Creative) for his 1960 Chevrolet Brookwood; Paul Meyer, of Waxhaw, N.C., winner of the Lion Cup Award (Best Paint) for his Gypsy Red 1955 Chevrolet Corvette; and Allena and Ron Eller, of Troutman, N.C., who captured the Mecklenburg Strelitz Award (Ladies’ Choice) for their 1956 Ford Fairlane Club Sedan.

Each of the car clubs participating in the Charlotte Motor Speedway AutoFair hosted by OldRide.com was judged individually, with a Best of Show picked for each club.

The fall 2014 AutoFair takes place Sept. 18-21 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. For details, contact the Charlotte Motor Speedway events department at (704) 455-3205 or visit www.charlottemotorspeedway.com.