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WE PULLED IT OFF! The 2009 Cadillac Grand National is in the history books. The 30th annual Cadillac Grand National was held June 17-20 at the South Point Hotel Casino and Spa. Over 1000 Cadillac enthusiasts from 36 states and 7 foreign countries registered for the Convention. The facilities provided by the South Point were outstanding, especially the air-conditioned Exhibition Hall used for the car show. The feedback we have received from around the country is that this was one of the best Grand Nationals ever held. As Las Vegas Region members we can be very proud of this significant accomplishment. In total we hosted over 1000 Cadillac enthusiasts and had over 150 Cadillac and LaSalle vehicles on the show field. Our Region members won ten 1st place awards, eight 2nd place awards and three 3rd place awards! That’s a total of 21 award-winning vehicles that stood out in this national judging event.
Organized tours to area car collections and local tourist attractions included the Maloof Collection, the Sunbelt Auto Museum, the Shelby Facility, the Auto Collection at the Imperial Palace, the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead, the Liberace Museum and the backstage tour of the “Jubilee” show at Ballys.
The Maloof Tour
The 2009 Grand National T-Shirt There was also a driving tour down Famous Las Vegas Strip, and then out to Red Rock Canyon.
Misbehave Wednesday evening’s Fabulous ‘50s Welcome Reception celebrated the 50th anniversary of the iconic 1959 Cadillac. Live ‘50s music, ‘50s attire, hamburgers, shakes and root beer floats completed the ‘50s theme. The evening was enjoyed by everyone who attended.
Two 1959 Cadillacs were on display at the Welcome Reception.
Getting the cars in from the parking garage to the reception area required some really careful maneuvering. The cars went down a narrow hallway and then through a kitchen area to enter the reception room.
With the outside temperature over 100 degrees, the South Point’s air-conditioned Exhibition Hall proved to be a fantastic location for the first indoor Grand National car show. On display were over 150 of the highest quality classic Cadillac and LaSalle vehicles.
The show field layout was done in a chevron style, making for a spectacular display that looked more like a dealer showroom than a car show.
Fire codes dictated that batteries be disconnected while cars were on display in the Exhibition Hall. This led to a two-stage judging process. Each vehicle had its running aspects judged as it entered the Exhibition Hall on Thursday or Friday. The remaining aspects were judged on Saturday.
The Saturday Awards Banquet was a fun event. The evening started with live jazz music during the cocktail hour and as dinner ended Elvis appeared to perform on stage.
The vehicle awards presentation moved along at a lively pace. Las Vegas Region members won 21 awards.
Souvenir Casino Chip
Thanks go out to everyone who helped make our Grand National a success, especially•John Bergler, GN Chairman, for his leadership, energy and attention to detail. •The Grand National Subcommittee chairs for their time commitment and their skills in both the planning and execution of the GN. •All the CLC members from Las Vegas and around the country who volunteered to help during the GN. •The CLC National Board for their guidance and assistance. •Toni Rothman, VP for National Activities, for her wise counsel over the last four years and the detailed checklists that keep us on track. •Fred Bausch, Western Regions VP, for his clear and level-headed guidance. •Carl Steig, National Chief Judge, for his help dealing with the unique judging requirements of an indoor show. If you were there you know that the 2009 Grand National was one of the very best and that it was the result of a lot of work by a lot of great people.
By the way, because of the efforts of Ed Pentesco, our stellar official GN photographer, Grand National posters are still available postage paid for $12 ea. Don’t miss out on this special piece of GN history. Contact Ed at 702-233-3843 or vegas781@hotmail.com.
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2007 Cadillac & LaSalle Club - Las Vegas Region
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