The Woodward Dream Cruise may not officially start until Saturday, but the events surrounding it will kick-off on Friday with style.
Among the biggest events is the seven hour long classic car show in Royal Oak dubbed, the “Performance Park Classic Car show.
The event officially kicks off at noon, but the car fanatics have already started pouring into Royal Oak Friday morning.
Craig Jensen showed up before 6 a.m. on Friday with his 1970 Corvette. He and his friend Ron Kucinski have been taking part in the Woodward Dream Cruise for nearly 20 years.
The pair used to roll up and down Woodward on Saturday, but as the crowd has grown they’ve grown accustomed to showing up earlier to beat the crowd and have a more personable experience.
“There’s so many cars you can’t move, so we come down on Friday,” said Jensen.
Kucinski popped the hood of his 1969 Camaro and revved the engine, noting he’s owned it for 38 years. It’s hard to tell after an overhaul, but it’s the same car he drove in high school.
“The amount of people that show up with their cars, you would not believe how many people have these tucked away in their garage,” he said, noting he meets new people every year.
It’s that type of camaraderie that draws people from all over the country.
That includes Dave Kindig, best known for his role on the show “Bitchin’ Ride” on the Velocity network.
This is his first year attending the Woodward Dream Cruise, but he noted he’s been watching from afar for years. This year he’s unveiling a new line of paints that he partnered with Akko-Nobel.
Kindig told 7 Action News that he’s brought an entire 18-wheeler packed with cars to show off and cruise Woodward with.
“It’s like a circus tent,” joked Kindig, who has won numerous awards for his custom paint rides, and hot rods.
“I don’t have a personal favorite because every car you’ve finished is your next favorite,” he said.
You can check out some of Kindig’s cars ahead of the Woodward Dream Cruise at his shop’s website.
