The 35th Annual Daytona Turkey Run took place on November 27-30, 2008. If you are an auto enthusiasts, you know about the Turkey Run. It is the biggest show in the Southeast, and is also one of the largest participant-based auto shows in the United States, combining a world-class swap meet and a 5,000+ custom car show, all in one venue. That venue of course is the world famous Daytona International Speedway, which not only has an expansive infield to host all of the activities, it also has lots of history that makes it special to be inside of. All of that combines for one spectacular event, which we look forward to months in advance every year.

As usual we spent lots of our time in the car show area, checking out all the cool rides and taking lots of pictures. It’s a daunting task to try and see them all every year, but we always do our best. Of course we also spent time in the huge swap meet area checking out all the cool stuff you can come across, and we went through the new parts vendors to see all the items they had to offer. We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again - if you need something for your car the Turkey Run is the best show to find it at. We also made our way through row after row in the massive car corral area, and there was also an auction that took place in the garage area.

Every year there is a raffle car given away, and for 2008 it was a 1965 Mercury Comet Caliente convertible, won by Paul Royed of Windermere, Florida at Saturday night’s drawing during the nighttime activities. In addition, for 2008 there was also a 1936 Ford 2-Door Sedan “rat rod” given away during Saturday’s door prize drawing inside the Speedway, with only registered participants eligible to win. Matt Mattingley out of Nicholson, Georgia was the lucky winner of that drawing. The raffle car for 2009 will be a very sharp looking blue 1965 Chevy II Nova SS, so be sure and get your tickets, which only cost $2 each of 3 for $5, and cross your fingers.

The official nighttime activities for the Turkey Run take place just outside the Speedway on Thursday through Saturday nights, and in addition to just hanging out include cash prizes for the Tricycle Race, Slow Drags, and Teeter-Totter. There is also a dyno available on Saturday night, for those wanting to live up to their “bragging rights” of high horsepower, or see what those new engine mods have reaped in terms of performance. Sadly however, due to insurance regulations they can no longer host the flamethrower contest. The official activities just outside the Speedway wrap up at about 9:00pm every night, so that still leaves plenty of time for cruisin’ along A1A (Atlantic Avenue), which will always be a tradition at the Turkey Run, though not officially sanctioned by the show itself. Bring your lawn chair and pick out a good spot, and you can see lots of cool cars pass by all night long, while “bench racing” with your buddies. That’s tough to beat!

The big news for 2009 is that the Turkey Run will now be open to ALL YEARS of show cars and trucks. Remember, “show car” does not mean grocery getter, so use common sense when determining what should or should not be brought into the show and avoid being turned away at the gate.

We’d like to once again thank the Daytona Beach Street Rods host club, the Daytona Beach Racing & Recreational Facilities District, all of the volunteers, and of course the participants that make the show what it is. The Turkey Run takes place on Thanksgiving weekend every year, and the 2009 event will take place on November 26-29. We once again look forward to seeing everyone there, and having another great time! For more information you can visit www.turkeyrun.com, where you can find out about all aspects of this incredible event. CN