2019 Sockeye Run
June 9, 2019
News
2019 Marks the 29th year of the Richmond Lions Sockeye Run. With hundreds of cars, free entertainment, a variety of vendors, and yearly crowd pleasers this event is a yearly favourite.
2019 T-Shirts
Finally, we have preview of the 2019 t-shirts
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409 Powered Cars
“409” powered cars were iconic in the muscle car era of the 60’s. There is a song by the Beach Boys about these cars. This is the second year we have included this display in the car show.
In 2018 we invited all 409 powered Chevies to attend the Sockeye Run Car Show. We ended up with one from every year, a 1962, a 1963 and a 1964 model. Vancouver Sun and Province, Driving Section, “Car Nut Corner” contributor, Cam Huchins, took a marvelous photograph of all three cars that was published the following week.
Several other car owners were not ready and asked us to repeat this feature display this year also. They will. The baby brother of the powerful 409 cu.in. engine was the earlier 348 cu.in. engine that was introduced in 1958. They are similar in the usual appearance and design.
They will be parked together, if they pre-register.
Mo Davidson's Drag Boat
Mo Davidson has been restoring famous former race cars and boats and bringing them to display at the Sockeye Run for the past several years.
Mo was recently in California and and while in Santa Barbara he uncovered yet another project. This drag boat has not one, but two engines! Mo’s friend, Rob Reid, joined him in this project. Two engines, two owners, it fits right?
The hydro-plane hull was built by Hallett Boats in California in 1959, during the height of drag boat racing. At one time there were ten twin engine boats and they had their own class for racing. This is the last one known to survive.
The two engines are Chev 327 cu.in. with 4:71 blowers on top and they run on regular gasoline, not a special fuel mixture. It's also worth noting, the engines are mounted side by side, not in-line as were most of the others of that era. Speed on water is in the 140 – 150 mph range.
The hull is fiberglass over wood in pristine condition. The engineering and design is unquestionably the finest.
Mo is known to “fire-up” his projects to the delight of the crowd.
HOT ROD TRIBUTE TO
DAVE BOYCE
1938 TO 2018
Dave was the ultimate Hot Rodder. He built his first car as a teenager before he had a drivers licence. He built over fifty hot rods and was still building hot rods in his late seventies. Dave was the first chairperson of the Sockeye Run and a tribute is planned in his honour.
Dave was born at home in Richmond in 1938. His parents lived on a property near where Westminster Highway and Shell Road are today. The address was actually on No. 5 Road, because that was the entrance to the property. In 1938, the acre next to #5 Road, cost $15.00. The next acre cost $10.00 and the acre farthest from the road cost $5.00 and that is where they lived.
Dave raced cars at both Digney Speedway, in the fifties, and at Callister Park with the Satellites Motorsport Club, in the sixties.
Dave built his first tow truck from scraps and pieces of four different trucks. That’s when Dave and his wife Anne started the Richmond based business, BOYCE TOWING. They later grew the business to include over twenty tow trucks on the road.
Due to the nature of the business, Dave knew every automotive repair shop or body shop. If there was a hot rod that was started, but not finished, or one that was damaged, Dave knew about it. He bought and sold dozens over the years.
While operating a towing business, Dave decided to join the local Lions Club. In 1990, when the club was contemplating fund raising ideas, Dave suggested a car show. Thus, the birth of the very first “Steveston Sockeye Run”. Dave was the chairperson for the first three years and a Lions Club member for five years. At the twenty second running of the show, Dave won the award for entering the most cars in the show, five hot rods.
Dave has helped other many other enthusiasts to weld, repair engines and prepare a vehicle for painting. In 2012, he won the “Sandy Lovelace” award from the Motorsport Pioneers Society for his contributions to help others in the motorsport hobby.
Dave’s favorite car was his yellow 1931 Ford five window coupe. Dave entered various cars in every Sockeye Run Car Show, except one, over twenty eight years.
Dave and Anne have been married since 1958. They raised two sons and a daughter. Their son, Billy, is the one most interested in cars, both in racing and restoration.
The Richmond Lions Club is paying tribute to Dave Boyce by putting art work of his favorite hot rod on posters and flyers for the 2019 car show.
The current owner of Boyce/Tonks Towing is Gary Tonks and he is sponsoring a new award in Dave’s honour, called “Most Outstanding Hot Rod”. This award will be judged by the Sockeye Car Shows judging team and will be presented at this year’s Sockeye Run on Sunday June 9th.
BEST IN SHOW
2018 SOCKEYE RUN
Winning “Best In Show” at the 2018 Sockeye Run Car Show in Richmond, was Peter Chutter, of North Vancouver. His car is a rare, 1970 AAR Cuda. This was his first appearance at the popular car show, held in Steveston Historical Park, on June 10th, 2018.
Peter found the car in Georgetown, Ontario, in 2016. The Cuda was in excellent condition according to OEM specifications. Peter rebuilt the engine, transmission and suspension to OEM specs. as well. The motor is 340 cu. in. with a six barrel carb (6 pack). The tranny is a 727 three speed automatic (slap stick). The 8.75 inch Sure-Grip rear end has 3.55 gears.
The car is similar to the pair of cars that Dan Gurney and Swede Savage raced in the 1970 Trans Am series, on road race circuits, across North America. These cars were equipped with many enhancements not available with regular production cars. A limited number were built in order for the cars to qualify for the race series. This one is purple and has a historical “Hot Wheels” sticker which was Dan Gurney’s sponsorship from Mattel, at that time.
These AAR Cudas were only produced by Plymouth for five weeks, between March 10 and April 17th in 1970.
Peter’s car has only been entered in one show each year since he finished it. In 2016, it won second place in the Muscle Car Class at the Crescent Beach Concours D’elegance. In 2017, it won first place in the Muscle Car Class at the Luxury Supercar Weekend at Van Dusen Gardens. In 2018, Peter’s Cuda won both first place in the Mopar Class and “Best In Show” at the Sockeye Run Car Show.
Peter owns five other cars including a 1965 Shelby Cobra, 1995 Porsche, 2014 Lotus Evora S, 2009 Lamborghini “one of three six speeds made that year”and a 2016 VW Golf R. Peter is bringing the Lamborghini to this year’s Sockeye Run on Sunday, June 9th.
Electric Avenue
Get a glimpse of the future at this year's Sockeye Run Show and Shine. Electric Avenue features a variety of different electric vehicles, along with both owners and dealers available to share their we alth of information and experience with you. Given the increasing interest in electric vehicles, many drivers want to know if their particular needs and driving style would suit an electric vehicle now or at some point in the future. This is an opportunity to get independent advice and separate fact from fiction. In addition to the environmental benefits, find out why electric vehicles save money and are so much fun to drive.
Does an electric vehicle have enough range to meet my needs? What about finding a charging station? How much will I save on gas? What are the maintenance costs? How about replacing the battery? Can the electric grid support a sudden increase in the number of electric vehicles? Is it really going to significantly reduce my household greenhouse gas emissions? Get the answers to these questions and more from electric vehicle drivers who began with the same questions.
The Showcase is being organized by Plug-in Richmond
Plug-in Richmond an independent group of Richmond electric vehicle drivers and Emotive BC which raises awareness of plug-in electric vehicles in B.C.
2018 T-Shirts
We have several Large and X-Large t-shirts from last years Sockeye Run offered for the special rate of just $12. Order yours when you register.
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SOCKEYE RUN 2019 OUTLINE
Our car owners say, “this is one of the top ten outdoor car shows in the province”.
- The show is located in beautiful Steveston Historical Park.
- Steveston Village, a popular Metro Vancouver tourist destination, is only two blocks away
- Great food onsite. White Spot food truck is on location.
- Good Entertainment with the Rainshadow Band, air guitar contest, “open mic” contest and more
- Plenty for the kids to do. Hot Wheels racing, model car building, and Air Guitar contest
- Average of 300 cars over the past five years.
- Over 25 classes with awards, plus special presentations.
- Please pre-register your entry. Numerous benefits if you do.
- This is a fund raiser for the Richmond Lions Club. There is a live auction, silent auction and prize draws. All for charity.
Some features this year include:
Tribute to Dave Boyce (1938 - 2018) – Dave was the ultimate hot rodder. He built his first car as a teenager before he had a drivers license. Over the years he built over fifty hot rods and was still building hot rods in his late seventies. Dave was the first chairperson of the Sockeye Run and a tribute to hot rods is planned in his honour. The first ever “Most Outstanding Hot Rod” award is being sponsored by the current owner of Boyce/Tonks Towing.
Art Cars – Unusual cars have their own class called “Dare to be Different”. There are cars covered in pennies, or sea shells, or letters. One previous entry had an actual water fountain coming out of the carborator (imitation carb of course) there are also cars with weird and wacky paint jobs.
409 Cars – “409” powered cars were iconic in the muscle car era of the sixties. The Beach Boys even wrote a song about these cars. No other local show puts together a gathering of these cars.
If you pre-register, we will attempt to put you all together. Special souvenir item if you pre-register.
PLEASE NOTE: we added 348 cu.in. powered cars as well. The engines look similar.
Barracuda Cars – Over the years, we have had terrific entries. Several became Grand Champions. There are also new, fresh entries, just coming out of auto shops. All are invited.
Please pre-register and we will try and place you together as a feature of the show. Special souvenir item if you do.
Electric Ave. – This is the only classic car show that has a complete display of new electric cars all side by side. Every car has a representative to explain the features of the various makes and models.
ATTENTION
POTENTIAL SOCKEYE RUN
CAR OWNERS
Pre Registration has been open since March. Car owners have already started to register for 2019. Revisions have been made to make the electronic registration process smoother. This is our fifth year of pre-registration. In our first year, 20% of car owners pre-registered. In 2016 it was 30%. In 2017 it was 40%. Last year over 60% of car owners did pre-register.
The next bulletin will list all the advantages you will benefit by with pre-registering. The classes of competition have changed only slightly for 2019. Take a look at the list of classes before you pre-register, and pick just one. There is a description of every class to help you with your selection.
You may have noticed some upgrades to the web site. There is a count-down clock to remind everyone how much time we all have before the big day.
If you look at the list of the past ten years, you can re-visit all the photos and information for each of those years. The list of award and trophy winners are posted for the past three years only.
The list of folders now appears on the opening page, so you can click directly on the one you wish. If you have not been to this show previously, there is even a map of both the area and the park layout itself.
We are pleased with the team of judges that come out to judge this show. Nine people attended our workshop in January and another for our workshop in April. The ideas and decisions by this group will benefit both the car owners and the other judges that attend this car show.
Map of the 2019 Sockeye Run
