As Rick Thurston tightened the clamp on an air filter of a '57 Chevy on Thursday, he asked owner Steve Stewart if he'd signed up for the ninth annual Cruizin' with the Oldies car show during Memorial Day weekend.

Stewart, while proud of his candy apple red Bel Air with its tricked out interior, said he hadn't thought much about it.

No problem, responded Thurston, who went to the bulletin board inside Rick's Rod Shop and pulled off a registration form for Stewart.

Thurston and the Oil Capitol Auto Club just snared another participant to join the 300 or more car enthusiasts who will show off their four-wheeled, chromed and customized pride-and-joys for thousands of spectators beginning next Friday.

This year will include major changes for the show, which has grown into the largest event of its kind in Wyoming, Thurston said.

The Parkway Plaza still will host the registration on the afternoon of Friday and Saturday, and will serve as the staging area for a short scenic cruise around Casper, he said.

But nearly all other venues are different, Thurston said.

The Old Yellowstone District will serve as the hub for the activities on May 23, and the Natrona County Fairgrounds will do the same on May 24, he said.

The cars - classics, sports, exotics, customs, antiques - will gather at the 300 block of West Yellowstone Highway, where car fan John Huff has refurbished the former Tripeny Motors building.

From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on May 23, the cars and their owners will gather for a "cruise-in" along West Yellowstone, which will be blocked off for traffic, Thurston said.

Besides the Tripeny Motors building, Huff and other area property owners have opened their lots for participants and spectators, he said. "It's a big joint deal."

During the cruise-in, sponsors of the event will wander among the entries and choose their favorites for display in front of Tripeny Motors, which will be the site of the sock hop with the "Buddy and Beyond" Buddy Holly tribute band on the evening of May 23, Thurston said.

Thurston recommended spectators park in the area of Mossholders Furniture - the former location of the cruise-in - and walk the few blocks to West Yellowstone.

From 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., participants can join a poker run that will feature five old schools in Casper, and end at the American Pride Car Wash in Evansville, Thurston said.

At 6 p.m. on May 23, cars will begin lining up along King Boulevard in the Platte River Commons for the 7 p.m. parade, he said.

Instead of driving east then west on East Second Street as in years past, participants will drive in a loop from one end of King Boulevard at 13th Street to the other end at Poplar Street for about an hour, Thurston said.

Parade organizers will keep one lane of King Boulevard open for golfers at the Three Crowns course.

Spectators will be able to park in most of the lots on the Platte River Commons, the vacant lot north of the old Amoco Administration Building, and north of the river by the Pump House and walk across the bridge, Thurston said.

On May 24, the "show and shine" event will happen in a fenced area at the Natrona County Fairgrounds instead of Fort Caspar, he said.

Spectators will be able to park elsewhere on the fairgrounds, he said.

Reach Tom Morton at (307) 266-0592, or at tom.morton@trib.com. Read his blog at tribtown.trib.com/TomMorton/blog.

For more info

For more information about Cruizin' with the Oldies, visit www.ocac.cc, or call 235-8889 or 265-7314.

For more information about Cruizin' with the Oldies, visit www.ocac.cc, or call 235-8889 or 265-7314.]]->