16th Annual Car Show takes place in Ellis Grove

<span>ELLIS GROVE -- The Ellis Grove Fire Department held its 16th Annual Car Show on Sunday in Eggemeyer Plaza.</span>

<span>The car show, known as the "Best little car show in Southern Illinois," aids the Ellis Grove Fire Department in all its costs.</span>

<span>In addition to the car show, a 50/50 raffle is drawn and there are concession stands to add to the profits. </span>

<span>This year's 50/50 raffle winner was Amy Stellhorn, winning the cash prize of $432.</span>

<span>Others won things such as a free detailing at the local body shop or other car-related prizes.</span>

<span>The car show draws attendance from towns up to two hours away.</span>

<span>The judging had classes A-FF, with each car getting assigned a class upon entering the judging - with FF being "under construction" and going up from there.</span>

<span>The judges base the scoring off of paint/bodywork, wheels/tires, chrome/trim, interior/dash, and engine/compartment.</span>

<span>In each category, the judges give the car a number on a scale from 1-20, depending how good they are, with 20 being the best.</span>

<span>"In the beginning, our car show chairman tried finding people every year to judge it, and after a while, people didn't want to do it anymore," said Ellis Grove Fire Chief Mike Jackson, one of the firemen who helps put on the car show.</span>

<span>"So about five or six years ago, we found these people from a local car club that were willing to do it. So we pay them every year to do the judging and it makes it a lot easier on us."</span>

<span>A new addition was added to the judging this year called the Display category, for which there were only about three cars.</span>

<span>"We added the Display category by taking out two of the normal classes that these cars would have been in anyway and added that one," said Jackson.</span>

<span>"Adding the Display category was an easy way to help us cut down on the costs of putting on the car show."</span>

<span>Along with those, there were also awards given out for Best Engine, Best Painting graphics, Fireman's Choice, Mayor's Choice, Club Participation, and more.</span>

<span>Leigh Elsey, winner of the Fireman's Choice award, had her Mustang completely dedicated to her father.</span>

<span>"He loved all this stuff, and I was a daddy's girl, so whatever daddy was into, I was into," said Elsey.</span>

<span>Accompanied by Elsey was her grandson, Chase Elsey, who at 4 years old is already into car showing and fixing up cars, with a mini-Mustang of his own. </span>

<span>Chase is part of Elsey's car club, the Mustang Mafia of Western Kentucky, which Elsey is the president of.</span>

<span>Along with Fireman's Choice, Elsey's car won 1st place in the Class M, which is for Street Machines 1980 and newer, cars only.</span>

<span>A total of 134 awards were given out, with some participants leaving with more than one award.</span>