Bastrop's Heroes and Hot Rods 2025

Annual Bastrop Veterans Weekend Cruise-In, Veterans Tribute Ceremony, and Car Show, a beloved tradition that brings the community together to celebrate veterans. Approximately 400 vehicles on the car show field, with an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 spectators. 2025 will be the 19th year for the car show and Veterans’ tribute event. Saturday's Car Show begins bright and early AT 7:30AM.

*Please note, you MUST pre-register in advance of the car show. There is NO day-of-event registration. Registration is $35/car at this link: https://www.bastropareacruisers.com/register.

Judging Guidelines:

All registered vehicles will be judged using a 70-point scoring system. To ensure fairness, a team of two judges will evaluate each class between 10:00 AM and 1:30 PM.

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Judging Decisions:

All judging decisions are final. A business card placed under your driver's side windshield wiper or on the dashboard signifies your car has been judged

For Optimal Judging:

To ensure our judges can effectively evaluate all vehicles, please ensure the following:

• Clearly Display Your Placard: Place your placard prominently on the driver's side window or dashboard for easy visibility.

• Open the Hood and Trunk: Provide full access to the engine bay and trunk for thorough inspection.

• Lower the Windows: Allow judges a clear view of the interior by lowering at least one side window, preferably both.

For Your Information:

To ensure a fair playing field, we won't judge build photos/books, props/display items, or previous awards. However, feel free to showcase them!

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EXTERIOR (Maximum Points 25)

Body – Panel Fit, Dents, Waves, and Evident Repairs

Paint Quality – Smoothness Lack of; Scratches, Nicks, and Orange Peel

Condition of Bright Work & Glass, Trim, Door Handles, and Moldings

Tires, Wheels, or Hub Caps – Matching, Condition, Detail, and Wear

Overall Appearance – Cleanliness, Detail, and Quality of Workmanship

INTERIOR (Maximum Points 25)

Hardware – Dash, Instruments, Console, Steering Wheel, Etc.

Upholstery – Seats, Door Panels, Headliner, Etc.

Carpet, Mats, and Floor Treatments

Trunk/Cargo Area – Cleanliness, Detail, and Spare Tire

Overall Appearance - Cleanliness, Detail, and Quality of Workmanship

ENGINE (Maximum Points 20)

Cleanliness – No Oil, Water Spots, Debris, Rust, Etc.

Paint – Engine, Firewall, Fenders

Assembly - Detail in Plumbing & Wiring Routing

Overall Appearance – Cleanliness, Detail, and Quality of Workmanship

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Award Ceremony:

Get ready to celebrate! Award presentations will begin around 3:00 PM in front of the Bastrop Museum & Visitor Center (Main St and Pine St). We'll recognize winners in each class (depending on the number of entries) and present special awards like Best in Show, Best Paint, Best Interior, Best Engine, and more. This includes the Presidential Sponsor's Choice, Veterans' Choice, and crowd favorites for Chevrolet, Mopar, and Ford.  Vehicles can win within their class and one "Best Of" award, but not multiple "Best Of" awards.

75%+ of the proceeds from the event go primarily to many local & central Texas Veteran support organizations. The remainder goes to automotive technology scholarships for several Bastrop County high schools and to other local charities (food pantries, homeless resources, children’s organizations, etc.).