August 30th I went to the Outback in the Midwest Car Show in Indy. Showing off their coolest cars and having jaws drop, the show was held in one man’s backyard, with over 600 cars, mainly Pontiacs, Holdens, Yutes, and Chevy SS’s, but many others as well. It left an amazing feeling of pure awe when staring at them. People were from everywhere, from Canada to California, to Florida. This was an extremely important event for Australian car owners everywhere!
I got to go and was absolutely amazed at the display of cars. I went on a road trip with my friends, and one of them was even showing! I got to talk to some amazing people and learn about the cars themselves. I went with barely any knowledge of these cars. Before this trip, I couldn’t even tell you what type of engine or what model these cars were! There were some memorable people there, too, such as a regular known as the “Cheese Guy” from Wisconsin. While we all may have been strangers, it really felt like a community at the end of the night. From the laughs to the blaring of revving engines, it’s an experience I’m sure to never forget.
I spoke to Jackson Statham, a Pontiac G8 car holder. He is currently a senior at Wheeler High School. He was showing his car alongside his father, who was showing a Chevy SS, which was a close comeback to the Pontiac G8 years later. He explained what this meant to him, “This year’s show was an extra special year for me. This year, I got to join my Dad with a car of my own. I’ve been going for three years now. The first two years I took my Dad’s car, but being able to join the community with my own car is a wonderful feeling, and getting to do this thing with my Dad was very fun. Over 600 cars were there, and I’m lucky to get to join them.” It was nice to see families connecting over cars. (Their cars are pictured above)
Some history for those that don’t know, the car show was showing off only specific models of cars. The Pontiac G8 is one of those, an Australian copy of a Holden car, an Australian car company. Produced only during 2008 and 2009, it is a rather rare car.
This car show allows the rich history of one country, Australia, to be brought to America. Some of these cars were revamped, or some were even retired police cars! I also spoke to another attendee of the car show, Randy Johnson, another senior at Wheeler. He wasn’t showing off a car but was instead accompanying his friend Jackson. “I really liked the GTOs at the car show.” For those of you who don’t know what a GTO is, it’s a car by Pontiac that’s close to the Pontiac G8. Randy went on to say that he was, “Trying something new that I didn’t think I’d really like, but ended up enjoying it. Spending some time with my friends, spending some time away from the area we were from, was pretty fun.” A good reminder that you have to seize every opportunity you have to try something new.
My personal favorite was the “Not the Police” car at the show (image is attached). I absolutely loved the wide variety of cars and people. They held a raffle and had music, food, and most importantly, awesome cars! Walking around all day left an impression on me. You could see the dedication that people put into these cars, the meaning it had for them, and how each person could really connect over these cars. It was nice to see the different designs and models. Something is for certain, Australian cars are some of the coolest cars I have ever seen. I don’t remember seeing many cars that were the same, out of all of them. It was surprising with the variety I saw.
If you have a specific car model that could be shown at the Outback in the Midwest, check out their Facebook page or website by visiting Outback in the Midwest.
Let me know in the comments if you enjoyed this type of article! If so, I might go to other car shows! Or if you own a special car or have a car story to share, post it in the comments!
