Second Annual Glen Arbor Car Show

By Torin Yeager
Sun automobile correspondent
The sunlight filters softly through the trees, birds sing, and the scents of fresh flowers mingle with the perfume of motor oil…
Indeed, it is time for the second annual Glen Arbor Car Show, following in the tracks of last year’s highly successful inaugural event, sponsored by the Glen Lake — Sleeping Bear Area Chamber of Commerce. The upcoming display of classic automobiles on August 7th will feature 15 classes of cars and trucks, with participants judging the winners of first and second place trophies.

Many fine machines are expected to rumble, roar, or otherwise roll into town, but one will stand out from the crowd, if not for being an exotic auto, but for its driver. Brandon Mikowski, an 18-year-old senior at Glen Lake High School, is likely to be the youngest participant in the show, with a 1966 Ford Mustang.
Brandon “found” his light blue dream car last June at a Traverse City modular home dealership, of all places. Despite the odd location, a nearly all-original classic car for $6,500.00 was just too good to pass up.
“It had a Straight Six 200 Sprint engine with a three-speed automatic transmission and only 55,000 miles on it,” Brandon recalls almost reverently. “It’s not a speed demon, but it is a classic car.”
Mikowski has long been a fan of classic cars, and particularly of Mustangs. “My love of cars began when I first saw my uncle’s collection of classic cars,” says Brandon. “I like all classics, but it was the Ford Mustang which I feel to be ahead of its time in that it was the sports car that anyone could own. Now I own one, too.”
Due to the lucky timing of his purchase last year, Brandon was able to participate in a number of local car shows, including the Northwestern Michigan Fair, the Maple City Car Show, and of course, the 2003 Glen Arbor Car Show. “I enjoy being able to see machines that are rarely seen on the road anymore. Historic cars are a dying breed because steel has an unfortunate tendency to rust away, so it is good to know that some of them are still taken care of so well,” says Brandon. “The Glen Arbor Car Show is definitely the best show I have participated in; there was live entertainment, friendly registration, fair judging, just a great environment.”
Mikowski was able to get input from his much older peers in Glen Arbor, not only about Mustangs, but other classic cars as well. “I learned a lot about better presentation of the machine to best educate viewers about my car,” says Brandon. “Everyone was very helpful and friendly, and the worst I heard was, ‘You’re too young to have a car like that.’”
Regardless of age, all are welcome to enter their automobiles at the Glen Arbor Car Show, which will take place on Saturday, August 7th, from noon to 3 p.m., located. Pre-registration by August 1st costs $10 and registration between 10 a.m. and noon on the day of the event costs $15. Line up behind the Glen Arbor Township Hall on Oak Street and M-22. All proceeds will benefit the Chamber’s Scholarship Fund. Vendor space is also available. For more information, please call Bob and Teddy House, the event organizers, at (231) 228-3424.