TEJANO SUPER CAR SHOW

Odessa's

Tejano Car Show 2009

By. C.A.

Photos: Mayo Garcia and D. Arredondo

The 38th annual Tejano Car Show in Odessa, Texas has maintained considerable success thanks to Taste of Latin car club founder and Lowrider Hall of Famer, Nick Hernandez who has lived the lowriding lifestyle since the early 1970's.

A major part of Hernandez's car show success has come as a result of the loyal support he receives from major sponsors, the city of Odessa and car clubs across America.

How Odessa, Texas, which has a mid-sized population of about 100,000 inherited the crown of presenting one of the Lone Star States biggest car shows leaves some city slickers scratching their heads. The reason may be that Odessa roots back down into lowrider history and is also located right in the core of the Southwest, which in turn attracts hard core car collectors and aficionados from the lowrider hubs of New Mexico, El Paso, West Texas, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and south Texas.

Whatever the actual theory may be, the fact of the matter remains that Odessa knows exactly how to present a car show worth venturing to. Evidence of this claim may be witnessed in these exclusive photos we took of the show.

As we photographed our way throughout the show we came across the path of a wicked looking fully restored brown 1939 Oldsmobile. The car's owner Enrique Orrantia of Old Memories Car Club informed us about the unique history of his car and the trials and tribulations he faced while searching for discontinued parts for his classic ride.
"I could have been impatient and rigged the car up with the bumper of a different model, but decided to remain patient until I found every original part I needed to complete my project." he said. "At first glance, many people think my car is a Chevy, but at closer inspection are surprised to find it's actually a rare Oldsmobile."

The show included dozens of car hoppers from all over the Southwest and even Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. They were there to break the laws of physics and prove to hundreds of spectators that cars can literally fly.

Music performers filled the lowriding atmosphere with expressive lyrics while dozens attractive woman added spice to the event with their hot outfits and sensual curvaceous figures.

We met with Chole, an attractive and experienced model who ventured all the way to the show from her home town of Soledad, California. She's no stranger to the lowrider scene and was featured as a front page model for Streetlow Magazine's # 55 issue. So what a pleasure it was for us to photograph her caressing two large Mexican flags by a mural down 1968 Impala belonging to Luis Ortega of Amigos C.C.

We were also fortunate enough to hang out with and photograph Lowrider Girl, an alluring girl from Chaparral, New Mexico. Not only did she add spice to the show with her striking looks, but also exhibited her classic green 1963 Impala.

There was a heavy presence of unique car clubs from El Paso, West Texas, Dallas, Corpus Christi, Rio Grande Valley, New Mexico and even Oklahoma. Different clubs- different styles from different area codes.

Seen at the event were El Paso's prestigious Latin Pride, New Breed, Our Story, Amigos, Nobleza, Old Memories, Presence, Destiny, and Klique car club.

City Style of Corpus Christi rolled in deep as well as Brown Impressions Lubbock, Amarillo, Laredo, and Eagle Pass chapters. Local car clubs from Odessa made quite an impression with their numerous Lowriders, classic bombs, sleek Euros, chromed-down bikes and custom SUV's.

Odessa's Taste of Latin, Aztlan Warriors, and Tranquillo were all there in full force to fully represent their town. Taste of Latin had an impressive display of exotic lowriders dressed with top quality paint jobs wet with perfection.

"Convicted Artist Worldwide Social Art Network"