2020 was not an ideal year for the Rochester Street Rods Car Club. The club began in the 1970s, devoted to showcasing automobiles built for performance and creating a community of classic and muscle car enthusiasts. Summer is usually full of events for the club and the community. With the pandemic and quarantines, all events were canceled.
Chad Holberton, President of Rochester Street Rods, began thinking about how he could safely bring the classic and custom car community together. He had an idea of a “rolling car show.” One evening Chad was watching the classic movie American Graffiti, which got his creativity flowing. “It hit me! This is the answer,” Chad said.
Chad then began to create an event like that in the movie American Graffiti. The film featured hot rods of the 60s cruising the night away out on the strip to see and be seen. The scenes of this classic movie included not only the hot rod and classic cars but also ice cream and car hop type food.
After careful consideration, Chad chose several locations for the Rochester Street Rods Car Club to hold the American Graffiti-themed events. Locations varied from Greece to Webster and Henrietta. “These cruises would let people who wanted to distance themselves stay safely in their vehicles, and those who wanted could also step out to grab some food or ice cream,” said Chad.
Chad really liked Brockport for a venue as it provided a perfect backdrop for American Graffiti. When he was scoping out the parking/staging area and drive, he noticed the nostalgic theatre, The Strand. He learned that The Strand is the second oldest movie theatre in the United States and faces an economic crisis due to state-mandated closures. Chad had an idea of how his event could help benefit the century-old movie theatre while also offering an excellent opportunity to bring the car enthusiast community together.
With the help of Debbie and Jimmy from Jimmy Z’s, Chad was able to contact Jeff Yantz, the owner of The Strand, and run an idea by him. If The Strand put the words “American Graffiti” on their marquee, they could serve as a backdrop for the event. Participants could then have portraits taken of their classic cars in front of the iconic theatre with a suggested donation of $20, to the help The Strand through this challenging time.
On Saturday, August 8, American Graffiti arrived in Brockport with an impressive turnout of 300 cars. Two Great Danes even participated, riding in a motorcycle sidecar. “This was our biggest turnout,” said Chad. With the help of social media and promotional support from Advanced Auto manager Steve Schultz, the event surpassed the club’s expectations. “The cars kept coming,” said Chad, pleasantly surprised. The Brockport Police even participated in a picture simulating a scene from the American Graffiti movie. “I heard people saying they have not had that much fun since high school,” said Chad.
Chad and the Rochester Street Rod Club appreciate the hospitality given to their event from the village of Brockport and the Brockport Police Department. He also is grateful for the support from many who helped make the event possible, from his son, Paxton, to Steve at Advanced Auto, Jimmy Z’s, and The Strand.
To see more pictures or to learn more about The Rochester Street Rod Club and its future events, check out the club’s Facebook page.
