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Super Car Show drives into State Farm Stadium

BY JORDAN ROGERS Peoria Times Staff Writer

Tony Herrera served as a Phoenix firefighter for 28 years, but lowrider cars were always his passion.

After he retired, he co-founded the Arizona Super Car Show to fill a void in the market. This year it celebrates its 10th anniversary on Saturday, March 26, at State Farm Stadium.

“Everybody loves cars,” he said. “I don’t know a person who doesn’t like them. I think where lowriding has gotten now, it’s just so diverse. It’s a lifestyle now.”

Herrera is looking forward to seeing “the best of the best” at the event.

“These cars aren’t cheap either,” he said. “These cars that are coming to the show, you’re talking anywhere from a $40,000 or $50,000 car up to $350,000-plus cars. It’s a piece of art to how they display their cars and how they paint them.”

The Arizona Super Car Show has grown since its first event in 2013. This year’s edition will feature more than 670 cars, 75% of which will be out of state and many from out of the country. Cars are coming from Denmark, Germany, Mexico, Japan and Brazil.

“It’s gone worldwide,” he added. “It’s crossed over those barriers where it used to be very stereotypical. Just look at what happened a month ago at the halftime show at the Super Bowl. Lowriders were featured in that halftime show with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg.”

Lowrider cars won’t be the only vehicles prepped to be displayed. The Arizona Super Car Show holds cashprize competitions for bicycles, motorcycles and import cars, among other vehicles.

Lowriders will be set up inside the stadium, while everything else will be parked around the concourse. Herrera said his goal is to reach 800 cars for the show.

“It’s reached a point now where it’s gotten so (big),” he said. “The venue just says it all for everybody, and it’s a whole different vibe being at the stadium. We’re just able to showcase a lot of people.”

The 2022 Arizona Super Car Show will feature more than just lowriders.

(Arizona Super Car Show/Submitted)

SEE CARS PAGE 16

ANSWERS PAGE 16

ACROSS

1 Slander in print 6 L-P link 9 Old map letters 12 Fred’s dancing partner 13 Goal 14 Salt Lake athlete 15 Lightweight wood 16 “Lust for Life” punk rocker 18 Duration 20 Sea predator 21 “I’m not im-pressed” 23 Poseidon’s home 24 Serpentine 25 “-- a roll!” 27 Lent a hand 29 Live-in nanny 31 Mine vehicle 35 Call on 37 Activist Parks 38 Island porch 41 Stitch 43 Resistance unit 44 “Oops!” 45 Proverbial burg 47 1987 Peter Weller film 49 Hotel posting 52 CBS logo 53 Group of two 54 Said something 55 ISP alternative 56 Norm (Abbr.) 57 Plains shelter

DOWN

1 Science room 2 Writer Tarbell 3 Hotel staffer 4 Otherwise 5 Inclines 6 Rum cocktail 7 At hand 8 Texter’s “Wow!” 9 Toyota model 10 Inventory 11 Settle a debt 17 There 19 Bike components 21 Ms. Farrow 22 Ostrich’s kin 24 Sun. talk 26 Arizona tribe 28 Fawned (on) 30 Jr.’s son 32 Stove workspace 33 Fireplace residue 34 Zodiac animal 36 14-legged crustacean 38 Enticed 39 Greetings at sea 40 Prestigious prize 42 German sausage 45 Sulk 46 Scruff 48 LPs’ successors 50 Scrape (out) 51 Observe

EVEN EXCHANGE

by Donna Pettman

Each numbered row contains two clues and two answers. The two answers differ from each other by only one letter, which has already been inserted. For example, if you exchange the A from MASTER for an I, you get MISTER. Do not change the order of the letters.

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CARS FROM PAGE 14

Kids will enjoy the Arizona Super Car Show as well. There will be a kids zone, train rides, bounce houses, obstacle courses and face painting.

“Families come out and they enjoy the whole day together,” Herrera said. “There’s competition there (at all levels). The kids are competing against each other with their bikes, and their dads are over there with their cars.”

Last year’s iteration had a limited capacity, due to COVID-19. Next weekend, organizers are allowing more fans and State Farm Stadium allowed 74 additional cars in the concourse.

“I really see this year is going to be one of our biggest years,” Herrera said. “With it being the 10-year anniversary and having a year after COVID and people are excited to get out. So, I really think we’re going to have a good turnout.”

For Herrera, the show is branding itself and he’s looking forward to expanding its reach.

“It’s a car enthusiast show, but there’s a diversity of all different kinds of cars that are going to be there,” Herrera said. “So, I want this show to be grown into more than just a lowrider show.

“Anything that you can drive, bring it to the show and have fun. That’s what I want this show to be known as: If you have a car that drives and you love it, show it off, let the people see it.”

Though Herrera works hard to put this show on, he recognizes he can’t do it alone. He is very grateful for the relationship he cultivated with State Farm Stadium. “I am so grateful to them and their staff there at the stadium. They embraced the show and embraced us,” he said. “They’re working with us every year on how we can make this show bigger and better. We’ve never had any issues at all there. We’ve had a great relationship.” His appreciation doesn’t stop with State Farm Stadium. Herrera gets help from a lot of volunteers for the show. “I mean, it started with a small dream of mine and thinking, ‘Hey, we could pull this off here in a stadium, right?’” he said. “We’re a small group that puts a show on that actually do this.

“I would really like to give some credit to the staff of the Arizona Super Show and everybody that has their hand in it puts it all together.” PT

The 2022 Arizona Super Car Show will feature more than just lowriders. (Arizona Super Car Show/Submitted)

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WORD CROSS

And now, a few words from the red fox...

Across:

2. My girlfriend, and any female fox 3. I’m related to dogs, but since the iris of my eye is vertical, I have excellent hearing, I climb trees and I have retractable claws, I am also a bit like a _____. 4. Although my tail is called this, you can’t use it on your hair.

Down:

1. I eat meat but also eat some plants. 3. My babies, bear babies and Chicago baseball players are called these. Bonus: You may have one of these in your house, but mine is underground _ _ _

Fox pun: I wonder what pheasant tastes like? I hope it isn’t grouse.

PUZZLE

ANSWERS

to puzzle on page 15