Car enthusiasts from across generations found common ground this weekend in a shared love of custom builds and classic rides. Augustana’s Car Club held its season opener Saturday, April 4, in the Centennial Hall parking lot. The occasion not only invited Augustana students to gather with their favorite vehicles but also welcomed vehicle lovers of all ages and backgrounds to join in the experience.
The club has only recently begun rebuilding over the past few years. Despite this, the Car Club’s event had a strong turnout.
Doug Tschopp, director of the Entrepreneurial Center and advisor for the Car Club, said that, prior to COVID-19, the organization had been active for nearly a decade before facing a period of stagnation. He has witnessed the organization through its many phases.
“COVID definitely took its toll on the [car] club, like it did on many of the clubs on campus, but that one in particular,” Tschopp said. “It’s a meet-up, right? That’s what you do. You’re car people. It’s about cars – but it’s really about relationships [between] humans that love cars.”
Since then, junior Melissa Cook, president of Car Club, and junior Brianna Phorasavong, treasurer, have dedicated significant time to rebuilding the organization and expanding its reach.
According to Cook and Phorasavong, much of the club’s growth has come from building friendships within the car community, particularly in the Quad Cities, and networking through those connections.
Phorasavong said the season opener creates opportunities for new relationships, not only for longtime enthusiasts, but also for those just beginning to take an interest.
“There’s a lot of people who go [to car shows] that necessarily don’t know much about cars,” Phorasavong said. “[If you’re] just not into it yet, or you want to [be], this gives you a space to make friends with older people that are deep in the car community and would be someone you would want to know if you want to get into cars.”
The event was open to both classic cars and newer models, as well as motorcycles, offering attendees a wide range of vehicles and knowledge to explore.
According to Cook, food trucks also helped attract a broader audience and draw in community support. Specifically, for the season opener, Don Monicos Concessions provided food for attendees to purchase.
Cook said the ultimate goal for the club’s future is to build a sense of community where motor vehicle enthusiasts of all ages and backgrounds can come together to share their passion and learn from one another.
“I’m trying to merge the bike and younger generation car scene with the old ones, because I love looking at the old cars. I love meeting people who have awesome stories of how they got their cars, but then I turn around and my friends are throwing pop-up takeover meets and they want to do stunts,” Cook said. “I want to create a space where they can do that gently with the older scenes.”
No matter the generation or knowledge of cars, the Car Club season opener and their future meets served as a way for the Augustana and Quad Cities communities to share their rides and embrace the culture and connections.
