del rio car show 2026
Billed as "The Premier Car Show of the Central Valley", the Del Rio Car Show 2026, and all of them, certainly deliver on that promise. It's a bold statement, but it's hard to argue with. On the fairways of the gorgeous Del Rio Country Club in Modesto, over 500 cars lined up on the meticulously manicured grounds and a bevy of trophies. Attendance was very strong. The cars were incredible. And the people were a blast!
For me the day started at 4:00 am. That's when I got up and got ready to go. Some friends who had cars in the show met me at my house at 5:00 and we went to the Del Rio Country Club, which is just blocks from my house. We thought if we got there at that time, we'd be in the front of the line. Nope! The front guy arrived at 3:00. By 5:00 there were already over 100 cars in front of us. But it was fun. People were in a good mood, going around meeting each other and talking cars. Very cool. In more ways than one. It would hit 105-degrees by 1:00 pm, so the cool air of the morning was welcome. Once we got in I was lucky enough to find one of the only spots that would be shaded all day long for my little Mustang. Unfortunately, my group got separated and we couldn't park together.
They really did it right at the Del Rio Car Show 2026, as they always do. At first, the $90 entry fee seems high when compared with other shows. However, this includes not just getting your car in the show, but also an excellent breakfast (bacon, eggs & potatoes, despite being billed as a 'continental breakfast'), bottomless Mimosas, then a great lunch with lots of hot items to choose from, all-you-can-drink beer and wine, and an event T-shirt. Your entry includes two wrist bands, which get you all the free food and drink for you and a guest. It's a heckuva deal! And spectators who attend the show get in free and can get a wrist band for just $30. That's a pretty good deal too, when you think about it. The Del Rio Car Show 2026 was top-notch, all the way. No vendors with food trucks, the country club restaurant kitchen provided all the food and it tasted like it. It was all top-quality.
ABOVE: Valley Classics members Mike & Lorena and I (Andy) had a few Mimosas with breakfast. Lots of cool people to talk to also.
BELOW: This is Mike & Lorena's awesome 2017 Dodge Challenger R/T.
ABOVE: Our buddy Glenn brought his amazing "Herbie"-tribute Baja Bug and yes, he won again. This guy never misses! Or should I say the car never does. Either way, it draws people to it like a magnet, including the judges. Early in the show, his car was picked out of the bunch to take a spot in a special circle reserved for the best of the best. Glenn is on the right, his nephew and son are next to him, and on left is Valley Classics' newest member, Lawrence.
Del Rio Car Show 2026 - So, let's see some cars already!
ABOVE: This was a sweet 1965 Buick Riviera. Black plate California car. I love Rivs.
BELOW: Lovely 1965 Ford Thunderbird with Kelsey-Hayes wire wheels. Great cars, they're still reasonable enough today to make good drivers. And they make great drivers, even by today's standards.
ABOVE: This was billed as a 1965 Chevy station wagon. But check it out. It's a 2-door, it has sliding rear windows, and the whole greenhouse slants forward aggressively. Look familiar? It's just like the Tri-Five Nomads. I wonder why Chevrolet didn't use that great name on this car.
BELOW: Delicious 1972 Chevy El Camino. Great color.
ABOVE: This husband & wife team attend most of our Cars & Coffee events in Oakdale (3rd Saturday of every month) in this very original '85 Pontiac Trans Am and concourse-grade 1967 Chevy Camaro RS/SS convertible.
BELOW: Lovely Porsche 911 RS, sorry I don't know the year.
ABOVE: Lots of trophies to give out. And this has become a very prestigious show. Getting a trophy at Del Rio really means something.
BELOW: Our buddy Glenn's incredible car pays homage, of course, to Herbie the Love Bug of Disney movie fame. But it goes so much farther than that. Glenn did all the work himself, including a 3-inch body lift which involved reworking almost every system in the car, a major suspension lift and upgrade, and that killer engine which is an aluminum work of art! It's gorgeous! Polished and anodized bits are everywhere. Four individual exhaust pipes with reverse-megaphones deliver a raspy, powerful sound, like a high performance motorcycle. Every visual detail has been dialed in to make the engine package a wonder to look at, and on top of it all is a roots-type supercharger! What else could you ask for? Apparently, the judges felt the same way and Glenn and his little Herbie got yet another trophy. He's going to have to add on to make space for all of them. What makes it even better is that he did all the work himself! Great job, Glenn.
ABOVE: Also perched in the Winners' Circle was this svelte McLaren. Don't ask me what year or model it is, I don't know. It's lovely to look at and I greatly admire the engineering and craftsmanship, but cars like this really don't interest me all that much. Now, give it a shaker hood and a big ol' screamin' chicken and I'm a player!
Del Rio Car Show 2026 - In conclusion...
My final thoughts after attending this, my second Del Rio Car Show, I am totally blown away at how good a job they do of putting it on. By eliminating the vendors, the food and drink quality goes way up and you don't have to dip into your pocket for it. Their staff was fantastic and providing excellent and cheerful service. And the whole thing was very well organized. I go to a lot of car shows, particularly in the Central Valley and it is my humble opinion that the Del Rio Car Show is the premier car show of the Central Valley. Hats off to Del Rio. And thank you for putting this on every year. Don't miss the next one.