Car Show Creates 'American Graffiti' Atmosphere
at Central Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks

LAKE OF THE OZARKS, MO.– With the historic Bagnell Dam “Strip” as its backdrop, the 19th annual Magic Dragon Street Meet Nationals Car Show will offer visitors to the Lake of the Ozarks a truly memorable experience, May 4-6.
  
 “The Street Meet isn’t your typical car show in a parking lot with rows of cars,” says Alan Sullivan, Magic Dragon Street Meet Nationals chairman.  “The Strip and the Lake create a very unique setting for the car show.  It’s like being on the set of the movie ‘American Graffiti.’”
   
All makes, models and years of cars, trucks and motorcycles will be welcome at the Street Meet, the largest open class car show in Central Missouri.  The show is free for spectators and is expected to attract 7,000 to 10,000 visitors and more than 700 street rods, customs, trucks, street machines, lead sleds and motorcycles from all over the United States. Show hours will be noon to 5:00 p.m. on Friday; 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday; and 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Sunday.
   
The event offers participants a chance to display and earn honors for their prized vehicles. Entrants will be judged in more than 40 classes for domestic and import vehicles, along with choice and specialty awards such as best supercharged, best interior, best exterior, best paint/graphics, etc.
   
Three awards will be given in each class and two awards will be given in the motorcycle classes.  One Grand Champion winner will receive a large trophy and $200 cash for the best car, truck or motorcycle in the entire show as determined by the judges.
   
Last year’s Grand Champion winner was a 1967 Chevy Nova, owned by Jeff Halterman of Macon, Mo. ”That’s an incredible looking car,” Sullivan says.  It’s featured on the official 2007 Magic Dragon Street Meet Nationals Car Show T-shirt that will available for purchase at the Lake Area Chamber of Commerce booth throughout the show.  Vehicle owners will appreciate the convenience of “drive-through judging,” 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday and 8:00-10:00 a.m. on Sunday. Prize winners will be announced at the awards ceremony at 1:00 p.m., Sunday, May 6.
   
A special attraction on Saturday will be Toyota’s “Club Scion,” an 80-foot semi trailer featuring six plasma TVs hooked up to interactive Sony XBOX 360 stations and a 40,000-watt sound system, plus foosball, wireless Internet access, strobe and multi-pattern lights and a DJ booth.  Highly customized Scion Angel xB cars also will be on display.
   In addition, the Make-n-Take model activity will offer kids a chance to assemble and take home a model 1957 Chevy, free of charge.  Other activities will include morning and evening cruises, the Dam Poker Run, swap meet and Shop Hop and door prize drawings.  Vendor booths will feature car parts and accessories and well-known DJ Leo Case will spin classic oldies throughout the event.
  
 “The Street Meet keeps growing so this year on Saturday we will expand the show area farther up the Strip to accommodate more cars,” Sullivan says.  Traffic will be diverted from the show area to a safe alternate route between 6:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.  A free shuttle service will run from the American Legion parking lot to the show area.
   
“We work very hard to create a top quality event,” Sullivan says. “Our show has so much character, with its unique setting, oldies music playing and about 700 really cool cars parked up and down the Strip.  You really just have to experience it!”
   
Adds Trish Creach, executive director of the Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, “The Magic Dragon Street Meet car show is always a great family event.  We urge everyone to come see these incredible cars, trucks and motorcycles and enjoy a spring weekend at the Lake of the Ozarks.”
  
The registration fee will be $30 after April 13 and $20 prior to that date.  Those who register from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 3, may take advantage of special show discounts on lodging, attractions and entertainment.  To get more information, download registration forms or register online, visit the Street Meet web site at www.magicdragonstreetmeet.com.  More information about the Street Meet – and other Lake attractions and events – also is available from the Lake Area Chamber of Commerce at www.lakeareachamber.com or by calling 573-964-1008 or 800-451-4117.
   
For complete information on the entire Lake of the Ozarks area, contact the Lake of the Ozarks Convention & Visitor Bureau by calling 800-FUN-LAKE or visiting the bureau’s web site, www.funlake.com.

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