A long-running Martensville tradition will bring classic cars, racing and plenty of community spirit together on Saturday, September 12th, as the Martensville A&W Valley Street Stock 100 returns for another year.
The day will begin at Martensville A&W, where drivers and cars from the Street Stock Invitational will be on hand from 9:00am to 12:00pm. The annual A&W Show & Shine Car Show will run from 10:00am to 2:00pm along Centennial Drive North before activities shift to Sutherland Automotive Speedway later in the afternoon.
For Martensville A&W’s Rachelle Buffin, the event has become much more than a car show.
“Community involvement has always been really important to us,” Buffin said. “A&W has that nostalgia with the vintage cars. That’s kind of part of A&W’s culture from back in the day, so it’s nice to keep that going.”
Although Buffin isn’t certain of the exact year the event began, she estimated her father started it around 2006 or 2007, several years after the Martensville A&W opened in 2001.
What began as a small gathering with only a few vehicles in the restaurant parking lot continued to grow year after year.
“It was very small. It just started in the parking lot and there were just a few cars,” Buffin explained. “Then it just became a bigger thing each year, and then the parking lot was super full.”
Eventually, the event expanded onto Centennial Drive and into surrounding areas to accommodate the growing number of participants.
In recent years, Buffin said the Show & Shine has attracted approximately 200 vehicles. The Martensville Lions Club registers vehicles as they arrive, allowing organizers to keep track of participation and include entrants in draws.
Buffin said one of the most impressive parts of the event is seeing the passion owners have for their vehicles and the wide variety of car clubs represented.
“It’s a real eye-opener to see how many people have these beautiful classic vehicles and hold on to them and take care of them,” she said.
The event has also grown beyond the cars themselves, with nearby businesses benefiting from increased foot traffic and some offering sidewalk sales or specials throughout the day.
“The community comes together, and it’s really nice to see the other businesses taking advantage of it because there’s a lot of walking traffic,” Buffin said. “It’s just become an annual community event.”
For Buffin, one of the highlights is simply getting the chance to mingle with those who come out.
“I think my favorite thing about the day is walking around and talking to all of the people that come out,” she said, adding that A&W hands out lollipops and balloons and brings out the Root Bear for the kids. “The little kids get so pumped, and the parents are taking pictures with the kids and the Root Bear. It’s just really special.”
Buffin credited the Martensville Lions Club for its longstanding role in helping make the event possible, including registering vehicles and volunteering throughout the day.
“A huge shout-out and thank you to them because they are just so helpful on so many things when it comes to this,” she said. “They donate a lot of their time.”
Following the Show & Shine, the action will move to Sutherland Automotive Speedway, with gates opening at 3:00pm and the green flag dropping at 5:00pm.
Martensville A&W is the title sponsor of the Valley Street Stock 100, a 100-lap feature race expected to begin at approximately 7:15pm. A&W will also bring the Root Bear and balloons to the speedway for young racing fans.
“The turnout there is unbelievable,” Buffin said. “There are so many kids, and it’s so great when we go down there with the Root Bear. We take probably 200 balloons and all the kids come running down.”
For Buffin, the combination of familiar faces, local businesses, families and community organizations is what has kept the event special as Martensville has grown.
“I think it’s really good for the town, I know we’re technically a city, but there’s something about this event that kind of gives the city still that small-town feel,” Buffin added.
Buffin also encouraged residents to come out Saturday, whether they are dedicated car enthusiasts or simply looking for something to do with the family.
“I would just encourage everyone to come out and check out the vehicles and walk around,” Buffin said. “It’s a good time to check out the other businesses if they haven’t yet. Everything’s pretty close together.”
