57th Annual Detroit Autorama-This Weekend!

Detroit March 3, 2009;Autorama, is revved up and ready to roar into Cobo Center in Detroit, March 6th through 8th. Billed as America’s Greatest Hot Rod Show, this super buffed, turbo-charged Detroit tradition features the hottest hot rods, custom cars and fifties classics in the country and attracts visitors from across the U.S.

The annual winter ritual brings the most devout gearheads and just plain curious folks, up close and personal, with over 1,000 exhibits of chopped, channeled, dumped and decked hot rods, custom cars, trucks, vans and motorcycles of the past and present.

This year’s show features award winning customs from across the country including feature film cars: Mach 5 from the film Speed Racer, KITT from the NBC TV series Knight Rider and KITT from the original Knight Rider TV series. Superstar car customizer Chip Foose will be on hand and will show his all new P32 Traditional Rod and two of the legends of car customizing history, Darryl Starbird and George Barris, will also be at Autorama showing off some of their most famous creations.

Darryl Starbird will be honored as customizer/owner of the year and will bring a selection of his famous cars rarely seen outside his museum in Oklahoma. His collection will include the never seen together before Predicta and Li’l Coffin.

George Barris, King of the Kustomizers, will be on hand with the legendary hot rods, *The Ala Kart* and *Sam Barris Merc*, never shown together before, as well as his famous *Hirohata Merc and Kopper Kart.

One of the most famous cars in hot rod history The Orbitron by the famous Ed “Big Daddy” Roth, creator of Rat Fink, will also be shown at this year’s Autorama. This famous Roth creation was literally lost for 30 years landing in Mexico. Recently rediscovered and restored with Museum-like reverence and perfection it will be unveiled for the first time at Detroit Autorama.

The entire lower level of Cobo Center features Detroit Autorama Extreme presented by 89X. This successful addition to Autorama, now in its fifth year, is getting rave reviews. A show within a show, the entire 100,000 sq ft of the lower level of Cobo’s Michigan Hall, features over 200 extreme Ol Skool traditional rods and tuners and sport compact cool customs; the latest craze in hot rodding among the young set.

They Call It Detroit - Motor City Auto Arts Pinstriper Charity Jam, a crowd favorite, also continues to expand. More than 200 of the most outrageous pinstripers from across the country will be in Detroit during all three days of Autorama to apply their artistry to items of every variety. They will demonstrate for the crowds, and auction the items throughout the event with all proceeds going to Leader Dogs for the Blind. The event will be presented by WRIF’s Mike in the Morning. Last year the Pinstripers Auction raised over $70,000 for charity.

At the heart of Autorama are hundreds of sizzling striped and souped-up masterpieces of backyard car jockeys form across the country who flock to the motor city to show off their originals for the first time. These auto gems compete in the GM Performance Parts Show Car Series and for the prestigious Ridler Award for the best vehicle first time shown. The winner will receive $10,000 in cash plus a new GM Performance Parts engine, a custom trophy and a jacket.

A new exciting feature is Autorama Student Career Day which was a roaring success when introduced three years ago. This year more than 3,000 high school and trade school automotive students from nearly 50 Michigan schools will converge on Autorama on Friday, March 6 for a morning of presentations by key hot rod builders and industry leaders including Chip Foose. After hearing from industry leaders, students will have the opportunity to visit the show and view the millions of dollars worth of show cars.

On Friday, March 6 at 7 p.m. Autorama will host a Legends of Hot Rodding Summit at Cobo Center Ballroom featuring George Barris, Darryl Starbird, Roy Brizio, John Mumford and Richard Peters (There is a separate charge of $10 for this event and limited seating.)

Other features at this year’s Autorama include the Back to the 60s Collection featuring Harry Marikieki’s ’23 Trojan (61); Ed Roth’s Outlaw clone (62); Bill Cushenberry’s Car Craft Dream Rod (63) and Dan Woods Milk Truck (65), The Cavalcade of Kustoms featuring hand-picked 50s customs, The Preservation Award Winner: The Neal East 32 Ford from the 60’s cover of Rod & Custom, Super Hot Rod Magazine’s Hemi Nation featuring Hemi Powered Rides, the 4h Annual Toy A Rama and the Hot Rod Heritage Fine Art Exhibit.

APPEARANCES on THE BELLE TIRE CELEBRITY STAGE

These special guests will meet and greet visitors and sign autographs:

Nickelodeon’s Dora the Explorer and Diego Friday, March 6, 5 – 8 p.m., Saturday, March 7, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, March 8, noon to 5 p.m.

King of the Kustomizers George Barris* All Three Days

Chip Foose & Chris Jacobs from TV’s “Overhaulin” Saturday, March 7, 1 – 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m.

Moises Arias, Rico, from TV’s Hannah Montana Sunday, March 8, noon to 4 p.m.*

Booker T –TNA Wrestling Star Saturday, March 7, noon to 4 p.m.

AUTORAMA AT COBO CENTER SHOW HOURS Friday, March 6, Noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, March 7, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday, March 8, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

ADMISSION

At Gate: Adults - $18

Children 6 to 12 years - $5

Children 5 and under free

Discount Tickets are available at Murray’s/O’Reilly’s Discount Auto Store Discount tickets are: General Admission - $15, Children 6 – 12 - $4 For more information call (248) 373-1700 Got to www.autorama.com <http://www.autorama.com/> for up to the minute information and last minute changes. Autorama is produced by Championship Auto Shows, Inc. Sponsored by the Michigan Hot Rod Association