Classic car show raises money for Sebastopol Area Senior Center

Any more, classic car shows are nearly as common as Toyota Camrys.

But a car show that helps to transport vintage west Sonoma County residents to where they want or need to go, that’s a rarity.

A central distinction of Saturday’s Driven to Perfection Classic Car Show and Cruise was the money it raised for the rides-for-seniors service and other programs of the Sebastopol Area Senior Center.

Since 2008, volunteer drivers have given clients more than 24,000 rides to doctors’ offices, grocery stores, wherever.

The Sebastopol center’s Volunteer Driver Transportation Program is one beneficiary of the car show that attracted more than 180 automobiles and trucks to the parking lot at O’Reilly Media.

Patrons perused the vehicles and also booths staffed by food vendors, car and car-parts dealers and purveyors of all things related to the ownership, maintenance and enjoyment of cars.

Much buzz and rumble was generated at Saturday’s show by Nitroholic, a 4,000-horsepower dragster that owner Dan Davis races on the nostalgia circuit of the National Hot Rod Association.

Do-it-yourselfers who burn up half a day changing their car’s oil watched in awe as Davis’ crew tore apart and rebuilt the funny car’s engine in less than an hour.