NEBRASKA CITY – The AppleJack Festival’s 50
th anniversary was golden at the River City Classics Car Show, and, a little pink.
Don Schinkus of Lincoln won the Bob Lechner best of show trophy on the 50
th AppleJack, with a rare Impala built to recognize the first 50 years of Chevrolet.
Schinkus: “I just fell in love with it. I loved the color combination. Although, back when I was a kid I didn’t realize it was an anniversary gold edition and that made it more special when I found out what it was.”
The self-employed painter, originally from Columbus, pointed out the gold Chevy bow-tie in the hood emblem that was only done for the golden anniversary in 1962.
Phil Gottlob of Cook entered his 1949 Chevy pickup that is Coors colored and has a beer keg to accent the front bumper.
Gottlob: “Every piece on it is hand-built. It’s all custom. There ain’t a piece on this that is original.”
He said claims only amateur status with body work, but he was able to make headlight carriages out of exhaust pipe and air cleaners.
It was the festival’s golden anniversary, but Lori McIntire of Grand Island said it was a good place for “pink muscle.”
Her 1973 Dodge Challenger won best modified. She said she likes it because of its four-speed transmission and its speed. “She’s fast,” McIntire said.
McIntire: “It is a beautiful car show. I’d come back here in a heartbeat, everybody is so nice and the kids are cool going up and down. They respect your car. It’s a good show. “
Larry Stephenson and his family awarded a veteran memorial trophy in honor of Army Ranger Shane Alan Stephenson, who died in car accident in 2012.
Stephenson: “This is what we are doing to honor him and all the veterans. The trophy, we try to give to the veterans, not necessarily, but the cars we try, you know, the good car that my son would have picked out if he was here.”
Bill Finn, a Marine Corp veteran from Bennington, said it was amazing to receive the trophy.
He showed a 1967 Camaro he bought 40 years ago when he was a kid. He started the restoration five years ago.
There were 417 paid entries at the 34
th annual car show.
Schinkus: “I just fell in love with it. I loved the color combination. Although, back when I was a kid I didn’t realize it was an anniversary gold edition and that made it more special when I found out what it was.”
The self-employed painter, originally from Columbus, pointed out the gold Chevy bow-tie in the hood emblem that was only done for the golden anniversary in 1962.
Phil Gottlob of Cook entered his 1949 Chevy pickup that is Coors colored and has a beer keg to accent the front bumper.
Gottlob: “Every piece on it is hand-built. It’s all custom. There ain’t a piece on this that is original.”
He said claims only amateur status with body work, but he was able to make headlight carriages out of exhaust pipe and air cleaners.
It was the festival’s golden anniversary, but Lori McIntire of Grand Island said it was a good place for “pink muscle.”
Her 1973 Dodge Challenger won best modified. She said she likes it because of its four-speed transmission and its speed. “She’s fast,” McIntire said.
McIntire: “It is a beautiful car show. I’d come back here in a heartbeat, everybody is so nice and the kids are cool going up and down. They respect your car. It’s a good show. “
Larry Stephenson and his family awarded a veteran memorial trophy in honor of Army Ranger Shane Alan Stephenson, who died in car accident in 2012.
Stephenson: “This is what we are doing to honor him and all the veterans. The trophy, we try to give to the veterans, not necessarily, but the cars we try, you know, the good car that my son would have picked out if he was here.”
Bill Finn, a Marine Corp veteran from Bennington, said it was amazing to receive the trophy.
He showed a 1967 Camaro he bought 40 years ago when he was a kid. He started the restoration five years ago.
There were 417 paid entries at the 34th annual car show. 
