Pachuco Vintage Car Club Ventura County: Mega Car Show at Briggs to benefit AVID
May 29, 2013
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
The Pachuco Vintage Car Club of Ventura County (PVCCVC) will offer visitors a look at the rides of their lives at a special June 9 Car Show, carnival and concert benefiting the Briggs School AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) Program.
According to Bob Martinez of the PVCCVC, the celebration of all things motorized, from low riders to motorcycles, will take place at Briggs School, located at the corner of East Telegraph and Briggs roads, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Admission is only $5 each for those 14 years old and up, free to those under 14 years old and active military with ID.
Martinez said the “show will consist of more than 20 vendors,” including those offering food and drink, “a DJ, and live music from the Pepe Marquez Band.”
There will also be a special guest performance by Hank Castro, lead singer of Thee Midniters, among the first Chicano rock bands to have a major hit in the United States. One of the best-known acts to come out of East Los Angeles in the 1960s, Thee Midniters is famed for their cover of “Land of a Thousand Dances” and the instrumental track “Whittier Boulevard” in 1965.
The event will also feature plenty of activities and games for children including pony rides, Jolly Jumps and face painting, as well as a surprise guest appearance Martinez said is “just for the kids!”
Martinez is expecting at least 160 cars, “any make or model up to 2013... motorcycles of all makes and models are also welcome. There will be 1st, 2nd and 3rd place trophies awarded” for the best car and motorcycle entrants.
This is the fourth annual car show staged by the Pachuco Vintage Car Club of Ventura County, which always donates the proceeds to a good cause. “Each of our shows have gotten better,” and the club is going all out for the June 9 event benefiting the Briggs AVID program, a class for college-bound 7th and 8th graders.
The class focus in on improving study skills, writing, reading, and planning for academic success. Students plan their academic classes for high school by the end of the school year, and are encouraged to do their best in all classes with support from tutorial sessions in the AVID classroom.
“I spoke to the Briggs Principal Brandon Gallagher and he said the AVID program has a 90 percent success rate of the students they mentor” who later attend college. “That’s pretty impressive,” said Martinez. “AVID is very successful and our club wants to help them acquire the funds to help pay for the cost of the program. We are very excited to be involved in that.”
As are the event sponsors, including Santa Paula Chevrolet, Doug Huff Allstate Insurance, the Women of Santa Paula Moose Lodge, ARP, Bruce Eucce Transport of Bakersfield, Eric Young Corporation of Camarillo, Saticoy Autobody & Truck and Quickline Motor Sports of Oxnard.
“It’s nice when people show where their hearts are, and we also want to thank Firefighter Matt Klein of the Santa Paula Fire Department for his help as well as Frank Cuevas of Crown Disposal,” said Martinez, who noted that several of the out of town sponsors are employers of the car club members.
Pachuco Car Club got its start in the early 2000s when Johnny Garcia and Jamie Peralta - who had been involved in low-riding and other car clubs over the years - decided to start a club that was both unique and run with a certain style, a club that would set a standard with values.
The club would be a “sophisticated homeboy” club that would mix and promote “Peace, Unity, Respect” (the club’s motto), the love of classic cars, and family values. The club grew and now has clubs throughout the U.S.; there is even a Pachuco group in Japan.
“Please come and join us on this eventful day of beautiful cars and motorbikes, with great music, food, entertainment and fun for the kids!” For more information or to enter the show, call Martinez at 805-754-5270.
