Blast to the Past: 2019 Main Event
2020 is here and it has been interesting so far with the majority of events being cancelled or postponed with ongoing regulations for social distancing and the unfortunate situation of limited numbers for attendance. 2019 on the other hand was business as usual with the 780Tuners season opener where room was hard to come by to park at the Yellowhead Casino.
After everyone had left Clear Choice for a cruise to the show, I was able to sneak into a parking lot close by and witness the variety of cars and their owners patiently waiting to park and spectate. In the distance, I could see a Mclaren 570s, Ferrari 458 and Dodge Viper take their queue with the other vehicles as everyone slowly rolled in. The one thing about the 780 gathering is the fact that it draws all ages and types of vehicles to one location for a laid back night with no club commitments and it provides the ability to mingle with other enthusiasts.
You never know what might show up for the season opener with this Ratrod truck taking it’s place between a couple of imports.
The Supras managed to stick together for the drive from the Clear Choice premeet and prepared to find some parking.
Quite the polar opposites with an FRS and a classic streetrod joining the parade in.
I figured I would grab a couple of shots of the NSX while I was waiting to get into the lineup myself.
Finally parked, I started to walk around and see if there were any vehicles that peaked my interest when I was surprised to see a gentleman riding by on a custom motorized cooler. Not only vehicles come out for the night but sometimes you will see modified RC cars, slammed shopping carts and other unique creations. One of the cars I was looking forward to see was the Liberty Walk Maserati owned by the organizer of the event. This used to be a red color but I much preferred the satin blue he chose for the season.
This Exige filled a spot on the north side of the lot while a Porsche GT3rs took on the east side.
Wheels can always change the look of a car whether it is wide body fitment or a clean OEM look.
A few more shots of the bumperless Gallardo that was showcasing the exhaust work. Mercari had a couple of cars in attendance.
As the sun started to set, participants started to look for an opportunity to sneak out before it became too busy for exiting the tight parking lot. Of course I love the dreamy look of the setting sun through my 135L lens so I continued to walk around and see if the crowds had dispersed for some unobstructed shots.
This Datsun rocked the brown paint perfectly and I was surprised to see one without flares. Great execution.
Fellow Cold Lake enthusiast, Nate, had brought his BRZ out after having his custom hood installed earlier that weekend. The second photo, I decided to park my NSX close by and get some clear shots of the front of his car. I was not expecting it to draw a crowd.
The owner of this immaculate R32 is always a staple for the Edmonton events as he is part of the organizing team for the 780 Tuners and Driven shows.
Roll out began and the night was still young as some of the owners made their way down Whyte Ave for a warm spring evening and they ended up at the old location of United Cycle.
2019 was another great success for the organizers. The ability to draw all enthusiasts together both young and old, exotics and classics, imports and works in progress, shows that the Alberta scene is still alive and well. 2020 will be a bit different, but one thing I have noticed is that networking will always find a way and adversity only helps grow the community.
Individuality Uncompromised.
Regards,
Travis
Ryoko Kings 