Car enthusiasts gear up for the ‘Super Run’

By Jeremy Twitchell

Thursday, Sept. 18, 2008 | midnight

Paul Mazurkiewicz is proud of his 1967 Pontiac Acadian Canso.

And when he eases into the car and fires it up to back it out of the garage, the neighborhood-rattling roar that escapes the dual exhaust not only justifies his pride, it demands it.

"It's like a fever," Mazurkiewicz said of his passion for cars. "Once you catch it, there's no getting away from it. It's like having a second childhood."

Mazurkiewicz, a Summerlin resident, is just one of some 1,000 gearheads who plan to be in Henderson Sept. 25-28 for the Ninth Annual Super Run Car Show, the state's largest event of its kind. It kicks off Sept. 25 at The District at Green Valley Ranch then moves to Henderson's Water Street District on Sept. 26-28.

Organizer Art Kam, executive director of the Las Vegas Cruising Association, said he expects more than 1,000 entries this year. With races, music and audience-selected awards to be decided, he said, the show is designed to offer something for everyone.

"We want to invite everyone out in the whole valley to see the show," he said. "There's a kids' pick, a ladies' pick and lots of others, so all you really have to do is get a ballot and vote. Everyone who comes gets to participate."

Across the valley, car enthusiasts are already detailing their cars in anticipation, whether it be polishing on the engine's chrome parts again or applying the tenth coat of wax to the exterior.

In Summerlin, Mazurkiewicz spent Labor Day weekend cleaning his Acadian Canso, and has been anxiously awaiting the Super Run since.

"It's the ultimate trade show for car people," he said. "You get ideas, technical help and swap stories. I've made a lot of great friends in this show — friends for a lifetime."

Mazurkiewicz' Acadian Canso was made in Canada and never sold in the United States, he said. There were only 174 made that year. His was a lucky find made when he was searching online for an old Camaro to restore.

"The funny thing is that when I bought it, I had no idea what I had," he said.

In addition to the time and money he spent restoring the car, adding disc brakes, a 400 turbo automatic transmission and a Chevrolet 383 Stroker engine, Mazurkiewicz has thoroughly researched the car's history. He can tell you the day it rolled off the line, the dealer that received it and the name of the first owner.

Such enthusiasm is the norm in this world, where Super Run has emerged as the crowning local event of the annual calendar.

"I have to say that this is the premium event of all of them," Desert Shores resident Len Rickards said. "It's just so big and there's so much going on."

Rickards, the proud owner of a restored 1970 Pontiac Firebird 400, has written articles for muscle car magazines and was the editor of a newsletter dedicated to the Pontiac GTO.

But beyond his love of cars, Rickards said, he enjoys attending shows because of the bonds and friendships that are formed.

"You have a blending of personalities and people; that's the fun part," he said. "We get beyond cars. Of course we talk about cars to start, but we get beyond that and get to the people side. We get to a point that we can joke around and sort of make fun of one another."

Super Run organizers are expecting a dip in entries this year because of the struggling economy. Last year's show brought in about 1,500 entries. Kam said other shows around the nation have been hit hard this year.

When dealing with cars designed with fuel economy being the least concern, gas prices hovering near $4 a gallon are expected to keep some car owners away.

"My car gets less than 10 miles per gallon," Rickards said. "It costs me more to drive to Henderson from Summerlin than it does to enter the show (which costs $50)."

But even if the numbers are down, participants are promising a show that won't be forgotten. Between the burnout races, the slow drags and the unmuffled cars that can literally shake the earth around them, car exhibitors say there is always a crowd-pleaser going on.

"Some of these engines just get roaring and they're so loud, the concussion of it kind of makes you seasick," said Henderson resident Kevin Mazurkiewicz, a car enthusiast who got his brother Paul into the hobby. "But the crowd loves it, and if the they're happy, we're happy."

Kevin and Jayne Mazurkiewicz have restored a 1970 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am and a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Super Sport.

Like most of the Las Vegas Cruising Association members who are participating in Super Run, the Mazurkiewiczes are working as volunteers to make the show happen.

And like most of their compatriots, a little bit of extra sweat is a small price to pay for the camaraderie and the chance to share their hard work.

"Nobody gets paid out of this deal," Kevin Mazurkiewicz said. "It's like having a street party — a four-day-long street party."

Jeremy Twitchell can be reached at 990-8928 or [email protected].