Thousands roll in to enjoy Continental Tire Street Machine Nationals

DU QUOIN, Ill. (KFVS) - Thousands of people are taking part and enjoying their love of cars this weekend in Du Quoin, IL.

People are lined up to see roughly 1,500 unique vehicles as part of the Continental Tire Street Machine Nationals.

We talked with people attending the event who tell us they feel at home while they are here as they reunite with friends they have met here in years past.

“I love the fairgrounds, I like the little town, I like the cruising we get to do and just the fact that this is where all our Pro Street family get together and it’s like I come home when I get back here,” Jeff McCormick said.

“Everyone looks out for everybody. Everyone takes care of each other,” Quentin Sullivan said. “I had problems yesterday and everybody chipped in. Some other friends had problems, everybody chips in. It’s like we’re one great big family.”

Bonnier Event Public Relations Manager Tony Veneziano said the event has grown with more people and vehicles over the years.

“There’s a lot of local auto shops and car builders and people,” Veneziano said. “Southern Illinois has a great car culture and obviously you get a new generation now, we have a lot of people with newer cars which is great. You still have all your classic cars but you have a lot of newer cars. We have an award called the modern muscle which started last year and that’s for cars year 2000 or newer. That’s kind of to bring the next generation in.”

Veneziano said this event is great for the local economy as well.

“It’s great for the community around here,” Veneziano said. “Obviously, people stay at the hotels around here, they go to the restaurants, and they go to the gas stations. So it’s a win-win for everybody. For the fairgrounds, just seeing all these people out here, it’s great.”

The event resumes in Du Quoin on Sunday at 9 a.m.

For more information on this event, you can find that here.

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