Sanpete ‘Cruise-In and Poker Run’ Set for Sept. 8-9

DATE 02/21/2006 7:15 AMFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89.

Sanpete ‘Cruise-In and Poker Run’ Set for Sept. 8-9

The sixth annual Sanpete Cruise-In and Poker Run will be held Sept. 8 to 9 in Mt. Pleasant City, aimed at attracting “old car” enthusiasts from around the state.

There will be prizes awarded in several categories, ranging from the car with the most bugs on it to the oldest car to the first car entered.

“All of the trophies are homemade, it’s just for fun,” says organizer Teri Morris. There will also be a special trophy presented by Ilene Roth, wife of the late “Big Daddy” Ed Roth, who was famous for designing and building hotrod cars and for creating the cartoon characters the Beatnik Bandit and Rat Fink.

“We just wanted to have an event that would allow people who wanted to show off their classic and antique cars to come and have them be seen by the entire county,” Morris says.

Morris started the car event six years ago in her hometown of Wales. But it’s grown too large to be accommodated in the small town, so this year it was moved to Mt. Pleasant, with the city park serving as the home base for the festivities. “We wanted a place that was more centrally located and where people could stay overnight nearby,” she says.

Highlights include dinner in the park on Friday accompanied by rock and roll music, followed by a cruise down Main Street at 8 p.m. On Saturday, there will be a day-long car show that is open to the public and an 11 a.m. “poker run,” preceded by breakfast in the park. For the poker run, participants drive their classic and antique cars to sponsoring businesses, including Cruisers in Fairview, Native Wines in Mt. Pleasant and Auto Zone in Ephraim, collecting playing cards at each stop. Upon return to the City Park, prizes are awarded for the best poker hand.

Last year, 60 cars and more than 150 people registered for the event, which includes the car show, dinner, breakfast and poker run. Registration cost is $25 in advance or $30 day-of.

“The entire event is open to the public, and a lot of things for people to see and do,” Morris says.

She originally came up with the idea of a “cruise-in” while contemplating ways to put some oomph into the region’s summer celebrations. She and her husband Glen, both “old car nuts” organized a car show. “The first show only had 10 cars, and six of them were ours,” she says. Since that time, the event has grown in popularity, attracting people from all over the state.

For more information, contact Teri Morris at 435-283-8286.

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For more information Contact:

Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502

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