(Words and photos by Scott Liggett) – 2014 was my first full year back in my home state of Nebraska after 25 years of living in California. I moved to the rather small town of Kearney in central Nebraska to take a job that closer to my hobby.
I started off the spring by going back to the very first car show I ever remember going to as a little BangShifter, the World of Wheels Autorama in Omaha. The show is now held in a new convention center, but I got to see some cars that brought back memories from my youth. I then cruised around Omaha and Papillion to see my high school and old stomping grounds.
Making new friends here allowed me fall into the local car culture. I fully expected that it wouldn’t be much compared to the major metropolis of Los Angeles and it’s storied car culture. I was so wrong. I followed my buddy, who is a member of the Central Nebraska Auto Club, all over the state to many car shows. Josh Sikes has a really badass ’52 Suburban that he pulled out of a field 16 years and totally restored with complete with a 425 hp 383 from the company we work for, BluePrint Engines. He was a great guide. The Central Nebraska Auto Club two major events of the summer, Tour Nebraska and Kearney’s Cruise Night. Cruise Night literally took over the town during five days bringing in nearly 10,000 car enthusiasts. With car shows and cruises leading to big Cruise Night on Saturday night that turned Hwy 30 through town into looking very much like Van Nuys Blvd. I was impressed.
June came and another friend introduced me to tractor pulls. He is the treasurer of the local sanctioning body and gave me free reign with my camera. I definitely want to hit more of these in 2015.
Throughout the whole year I explored this area of the country seeking out Americana, American history, and rusty automotive gold. Small towns not only have great people, but also great history. I have only scratched the surface of what is around here and have plans to do more this year.
In August, I finally bought a pickup truck. Hell, I live in the land of pickup trucks, why not own one? Actually, over the last few years, I have come to the realization that trying to carry around parts for my hot rods in the trunks of my hot rods was a total pain in the back side. I found this patinaed out beauty of a ’67 GMC C1500 languishing in the back of a local used car lot. I have spent the last few months crawling around the best junkyard I have ever crawled through, Andersen’s Self Serve Auto Wrecking here in town, making improvements for daily driving.
The year ended hanging with a friend from BangShift,com, Thumper455 on the forums, at his dad’s farm as he was working on his collection of Pontiacs. Nebraska has great sunsets.
Great pics! Those old brick gas stations are awesome!
All love your stuff, Scott. It’s great to virtually tag along on your adventures.
Scott going from a large town back to your hometown is like a big adventure. We have to do the same thing this summer to Oregon(not by choice). The cool thing is seen all the automotive gold, the locals don’t see it because it is the same old scenery.
During my four long years stationed at Offutt AFB (STRATCOM) I got around a lot of NE for motorsports stuff. There’s Scribner which is no more (last I heard). I caught a couple IHRA national events there. Greenwood and I-80 speedway. I spent more time at I-80 than just about any place during my tour. I love the sprints. Always NRSCCA – woomah…!!! Speedway Motors is great to visit. Lots of Americana sitting of the side of the road and yes, good sunsets. Downside – only thing between Nebraska and Canada is a barbed-wire fence. -70 wind chills are not my idea of a good time. HP Motorsports used to be a staple. At shows and cruises could almost always catch a glimpse of Grimes’ ’65. The CWS is a blast. The Zoo is one of the best I’ve ever been to. Dig the shots of the Impy stylin’ at cool locations. So, are the missiles still on display out there….? I spent a good part of my childhood riding from home in OK up 177 then I-80 over to Cheyenne. We almost moved to Scotts Bluff when I was a kid too. Almost.
My dad was stationed at Offutt twice. Why I grew up there. I am not sure if the missiles are still on display at the base, but they had a B-52 and a KC-135 on stilts by the main gate. They also moved the entire air museum by Lincoln’s airport. That must’ve been some feat moving all that stuff including the Saturn 5 rocket.
Scribner is gone, but there is a Facebook group dedicated to the track. Lot’s of pictures from it’s heyday.
Scribner…..the most concrete I think I’ve ever seen in one place. Great racing surface and no neighbors to complain except the corn. First time I saw Shirley. Second time I saw Scotty Cannon. I watched Pontiac Jack have a fire right near the lights (I could feel the heat in the stands) that went up on the cockpit with him. Mr. Dirt (reference to SS&DI) was on the PA. Pretty good stuff. I haven’t been back to Omaha in over a decade. Don’t really have a reason to go unless I start following college baseball again.
Good stuff Scott, excited to see what kind or vintage gold you dig up in 2015