Autofest 2010 Broken Bow 

Autofest 2010 Broken Bow, OK

May 15, 2010

This past weekend, May 15, Autofest made its' second stop of the Choctaw Challenge Tour in Broken Bow, OK. The event was preceded by a week of ominous weather that included severe thunderstorms, hail and tornadoes. This would prove to have a heavy impact on the number of participants. Weather outlook for the Saturday event was not great, however everyone at the Autofest event was treated to a day that turned out to be partly cloudy, but with a lot of blue skies and sunshine for the event overall. While the show did not see full attendance, it was a good day with some great cars and competitors. There was also some great food provided by the Choctaw Casino that made the day that much more enjoyable. Everyone involved is thankful that the event was even able to go on and look forward to seeing everyone at the next stop in McAlester, OK.

All week long you could watch the news and see the radar map covered with a spectrum of colors. The colors represented everything from showers to hail and tornadoes. Calls were coming in every hour to the Autofest office from competitors saying that they would not be able to make it due to the weather. There were also calls from spectators wanting to know if the show would be going on and what would the contingency plan would be if it was not.

Event director, Tony Goza answered each call with a positive outlook. Wishing well to the competitors that would not be able to make it and letting concerned spectators know that Autofest is yet to be cancelled. All the while keeping a concerned eye on the weather map lighting up on his computer screen. “We definitely cannot put spectators or competitors in harms way if there is bad weather,” says Goza, “But we will be there in full force ready to provide an event, given the opportunity, for anyone able to make it. All we need is for the weather to give us a window, and the show will go on.”

Everyone continued watching the weather and the number of phone calls back and forth across the area only grew. All in an effort to decide whether to make the trip or not. This decision had to be made by competitors and spectators alike. For competitors, this decision is a little tougher when you are thinking of exposing a vehicle that contains countless hours of work, love, labor and money in it to bad weather. Some competitors understandably chose not to risk it, for some, their location in relation to the event made it easier to decide on going. Luckily, this decision was rewarding for the competitors and spectators alike as it turned out, mother nature would give Autofest its' window.

This window allowed for many fans to arrive at Broken Bow to take part in this stop on the Autofest Choctaw Challenge tour. They were able to enjoy a field of great vehicles, great competition and somegreat food. They were also able to receive another ticket that gives them a chance to win $5,000 in a drawing held at the finale in Durant. These tickets are given out at each show to everyone who shows up. In addition, the Choctaw Casino provided wonderful foods such as BBQ Brisket sandwiches and grilled hamburgers that made the day that much more enjoyable.

While the show will not go down as the biggest stop on the tour, it did overcome some of the biggest obstacles and still went on. Goza, had the following to say: “The Autofest show in Broken Bow has been faced with opposition from mother nature all week. The weather reached surrounding areas and states. Our thoughts and prayers go out to anyone affected by this weather, but especially to our competitors who have become part of our extended family, and we are grateful for everyone who could make it to the show. We do consider Broken Bow a success given the circumstances. We know that a large number of competitors and spectators alike could not make it due to weather, and that is understandable. We will move forward as usual, planning for the next show to be even bigger and better in McAlester.”

You can look for the next stop in the series to be at the Choctaw Casino in McAlester. There will also be an additional show at the Magnolia Festival in Durant, OK on June 5th. This is not part of the Autofest series however members will still be able to earn points towards the MECA world finals. For more information about any of these events please contact Tony Goza 580-924-2255.

A few vendors that were at the Broken Bow Show