Six Years Ago in Sacramento

Nostalgia is strange. It’s easy to remember good times from the distant past. But what about times that weren’t all that long ago? Do they still count? Earlier this week, I was going through my archive when I stumbled upon a folder of photos form the 2017 Sacramento Autorama. Six years ago—to the day. Time flies, doesn’t it?

As I clicked through them, I thought back to that weekend. We were working on a TRJ story about the show’s Suede Pavilion. Talking points included an early Ford road trip with the guys from East Bay Speed & Custom, in-depth event photography, and me driving the camera van.

The mad dash from Concord to Sacramento went off without a hitch. And, when we arrived in California’s capital city, we dove straight into the action. Most of our time was spent in a long, white tent filled with hot rods and customs. There were chopped shoeboxes and flathead-powered roadsters. Four-bangers, wire wheels, candy paint and a whole lot of angel hair.

The show featured a healthy blend of cars. My favorite part? Most of them were local. I had never been to an indoor show in Northern California, but I was pleasantly surprised by the diversity of machinery. At the end of the trip, I was sure that I would be back.

Things, however, don’t always go as planned. For the next few years, scheduling conflicts made attending the show all but impossible. Nonetheless, I’m glad I was able to go in the winter of 2017—and I’m even happier that I took so many pictures.

—Joey Ukrop