The 32nd Summer’s Last Blast in Vernon is only a month away on August 12th-14th. While the cruise night, car shows and burn-out contest have been a staple of the event for years now, it didn’t start out that way. In 1989, Terry Steele and Tracy Ryan attempted to join a local car club  that consisted of drag racers. After being told that the club would not allow street cars, the two  friends and other community members with a passion for cruising started their own club, called  the Vernon Street Machines and Classics Association (VSMCA), in September of 1989. VSMCA  was “dedicated to help promote the preservation and restoration of classic and antique automobiles, a valuable part of the American Heritage.” 

Steele says that this part of Texas has a rich history in classic cars, but he felt that it started to go away in the 1970s and 1980s. When VSMCA was formed, it came at a time to fill that void for classic car fans who were seeing that history fade. While there were other car shows at the time, the idea of Summer’s Last Blast came about because the club wanted a rolling car show, so spectators could immerse themselves in the sights and sounds of these cars and what it  would have been like to cruise in one. 

Summer’s Last Blast made its debut in 1990 as a one-night cruise featuring 36 cars. The event slowly started to gain popularity over the next few years, but in 1994, Summer’s Last Blast made plans to host a representative from Car Craft Magazine to gain even more public interest. Getting word that Car Craft Magazine wouldn’t show up for a one day event, Summer’s Last Blast coordinators decided to host a Sunday car show in addition to their Saturday cruise, which already featured 500 participants. Car Craft magazine published an article in March 1995 about the event and VSMCA members set their sights on a new goal: broadcast coverage. 

The Saturday cruise for Summer’s Last Blast in 1995 was set to be emceed and covered by Wolfman Jack, an Oklahoma City broadcaster. A few weeks prior to the event, Wolfman suddenly passed away, leaving his son to step in and cover the event at the last minute. The commercial Wolfman made for Summer’s Last Blast VI was the last original recording that was made by him in his studio and aired over the radio to promote the event after his death. Steele says that having their commercial be his last recording is a bittersweet token of this event’s history. The cruise that year was dedicated “In Memory of Wolfman Jack” and all cruisers stopped in the middle of the event to observe a moment of silence. The event featured 750 participants in the cruise and car show and the Vernon Police Association opened the burn out competition with great success. 

Since 1995, Summer’s Last Blast has continued to grow each year and Terry Steele is still active in the event planning, serving as the Event Coordinator. He says the event is a chance for people to relive parts of their childhood and remember life as it was depicted in the movie “American Graffiti,” with classic cars and cruising with your friends. Steele feels that having the event is also a way for the younger generation to see life as it used to be and gives them a chance to meet up with their friends face-to-face, instead of through social media and phones.

This year’s event proves to be just as exciting as its founding years, including various types of car and engine shows all three days, a concert on Friday night, and swap meets both Friday  and Saturday. Entry forms for the car shows and a full schedule of events is listed on Summer’s Last Blast website. Outside of Summer’s Last Blast,  VSMCA also runs the Texas and Oklahoma Cruises and Car Shows Facebook page. This page is utilized by other car clubs to promote their events, furthering building the community and keeping the history of classic cars in this area alive.