MOOSE JAW — Car enthusiasts are set to converge at Tatawaw Park later this spring as the Next Gen Car Club kicks off the season with a highly anticipated opener featuring thrilling competitions, classic cars, and a special guest from The Fast and the Furious franchise.
The park gates open for spectators starting at 10 a.m. on Sunday, May 18.
“We’re definitely stepping it up this year,” said Austin Murray, a co-organizer of the event alongside Jai Singh. “We’ve got our exhaust competition, our limbo competition, and we also have our international dB racing going on, which is essentially a competition for bass cars. So, we’re going to see some of the loudest vehicles from across the Prairies.”
Adding to the excitement, the show will welcome a special guest from Hollywood: Noel Gugliemi, best known for his recurring role as Hector in The Fast and the Furious.
“We have Hector, who you might see in a lot of other movies as well, (including) John Travolta’s High Rollers,” said Murray. “We’re pretty excited to be bringing in this special guest from L.A. who, you know, a lot (of folks) in the car community… are going to be familiar with.”
Gugliemi will host a booth at the upcoming event, where fans can purchase collectibles, get autographs, and take photos. As a tribute to The Fast and the Furious, Next Gen Car Club has also arranged for two iconic vehicle replicas to be showcased at the opener.
“We will have (a tribute build of) one of the Honda Civics from The Fast and the Furious… with Hector at his booth,” Murray said. “So, you can take pictures with Hector and the Civic and we also have Jesse’s Jetta tribute coming out.
“We’ve got some very special builds coming out for the show this year, just to put that cherry on top.”
The annual event is well known for its competitive edge, with numerous show categories and signature contests.
“We’re going to have about 20 show categories, including the exhaust champion, the lowest car, and International dB Racing will have numerous awards to hand out… as well,” Murray said.
The club is also continuing its charitable support for the Moose Jaw and District Food Bank, with non-perishable food donations accepted on site.
Much of the show’s success comes from community support, including sponsorship from Roadway Auto and Sport Inc.
To encourage participation from all generations and to encourage more classic car owners to attend, organizers have introduced a special pricing feature.
“What we’ve actually done with our pricing is, for ages 55 and up, we are offering a 50-percent discount,” Murray said. “We’re hoping this will help us get some more classic builds out from the older generation, and make pricing more affordable too.”
General spectator admission remains at $10 per person, while car entries cost $20. However, attendees 55 and older will pay just $5 for entry, and classic car owners in that age group can enter their vehicles for only $10.
With the return of fan-favourite competitions, a special appearance by a cast member of The Fast and the Furious, and exclusive tribute cars on display, Murray and Singh are confident this year’s show will be the best one yet.
“This year is going to be like no other year; it’s really a step up. I’m really excited,” Murray said. “It’s going to be a fast and furious weekend.”
The Next Gen Car Club season opener will take place at Tatawaw Park, located at the southernmost end of Seventh Avenue Southwest at the site of the former Wild Animal Park.
