Motormouth Online

From Kansas City, we headed North on I-35 to Cameron, MO., hanging a right on Highway 36 we found Chillicothe, MO about 115 miles from my home. Home of the first bakery to offer, "sliced bread," the annual car show may be the best thing since sliced bread for this town. It was an absolutely perfect day for Kerwin Looney and I to attend this annual event. Driving the yet to be released 2010 Ford Taurus, our car attracted almost as much attention as some of the hotrods, muscle cars, classics and customs that populated the tree lined park.

This is Mid-America at its best. Young and old alike appreciate the art that is the automobile. For me it is exciting to hear old men talk about cars of their youth and the journey to restore past treasures. From the original AC cobra with an authentic VIN plate and an experimental four-bold main 289, to the new Dodge Challenger SRT8 Limited Edition destined to be a classic, this show had it all. An original 1959 Dodge Highway Patrol Car and the all-original 1959 Chevrolet Impala gives rapidly aging middle aged men, new hope of what 50 years old can look like.

The automobile industry is in crisis, especially the American automobile manufacturer. However, a stroll through these three hundred cars on display tells me there is a passion for American Iron. The automobile is an extremely passionate experience for many. It is more than just a machine to take us from point A to point B in safety, comfort and somewhat economically. To many the automobile represents freedom. It was the vehicle that first gave us the freedom to travel on our own away from our parents. It was the vehicle that allowed us to be with our first love away from prying eyes and listening ears. Cars allowed us the liberty to go where we wanted, when we wanted. The memories of our first taste of freedom lives in the memories of our first cars. Cars and trucks are where we often made mistakes. Some of these mistakes were life changing and dangerous, but they will always be strong memories.

I'm optimistic about the automobile industry. There will be change, some of it painful. But, this generation will not give up the personal freedom of the automobile. You can see the passion in the thousands of visitors at this car show. Chillicothe Missouri is Middle America, but this feeling is found in every town, hamlet and village. For those of us who love cars, revisiting the cars of our youth will always be the "best thing since sliced bread. "