The Turkey Run as norm’ was well run with daily door prizes given away if you put your ticket for “that day” in the drum. There were Fri., Sat. and Sunday tickets that had to be deposited only on the day of the drawing. There were at least 30 to 40 numbers called each day with the last 4 or 5 numbers collecting $50 cash each day.
The swap meet would tire the strongest of legs with both its size and variety of products. New, used, and just about anything you could think of was there to be found. Approximately $11,000 was raised for the Shriners during the 4 day event.
We stayed till Sunday, packed up the wagon and drove as far as Santee S.C. to a favorite Motel, Clarks Inn. Monday we returned to Richmond, about 2,100 trouble free miles ... about 15 mpg, no oil used, not a wrench turned. Unloaded the car and found all the stuff we bought and didn’t need ... maybe I should have taken the Vette after all. Not much room to bring stuff home in that!
Keep the old things runnin’, they last longer that way.
Some Turkey Run Facts …
Years ago this show was started by a member of the Daytona Beach Street Rods. It originated due to a nearby event the same weekend that had banned cars that were not strickly antiques and with that ... the Turkey Rod Run was born.
A gathering of cars met at a motel on A1A, and moved onto larger locations, (Seabreeze High School, to the Bellair Plaza, airport property) as it gained more attention.
Each passing year attendance grew in both cars and swap, from a small gathering of 40 to an impressive show of 900 plus cars and 250 vendors. Attendance numbers doubled to 1500, then 2000 and then a gearhead’s dream come true ... the Daytona International Speedway.
Today the number of participants is well over 5000 cars & trucks with 3000 vendors. In 2002 a remarkable number of 5600 was recorded.
The name of the event changed in 1995, they opted to change it for simplicity to just the “Turkey Run”. The same members who started the Turkey Run in the 70’s still today serve faithful to the events to ensure it remains enjoyable each year for all the participants. If you’d like to spend Thanksgiving the way 5000 or so gearheads think Thankgiving “Auto” be spent, then mark your 2008 calendar.
