The Wheels of Whitley County Car Show returned to Columbia City on August 1, bringing classic cars, trucks and newer performance vehicles downtown for an evening of competition, community and fundraising.
Ten class and decade awards were presented, along with several community-selected favorites, a People’s Choice award and Best of Show.
Community Favorites
Several local organizations had the opportunity to select their favorite vehicle from the show.
The Columbia City Police Department, represented by Officer Crabtree, selected Dan Zumbrun’s 1972 Chevrolet C10 as its favorite.
The Columbia City Fire Department, represented by Kevin Sheffer, selected Kevin Sheffer’s 1961 Corvette.
Matt Haydn of Columbia City Parks and Recreation chose Pete Strack’s 1968 Plymouth Road Runner as his favorite.
Representing Columbia City Connect, Niki Keister selected Chad Pequignot’s 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP.
The Rotary Club of Columbia City selected Logan Colbertson’s 1969 Ford Torino.
The show also recognized Bob Ringer’s 1950 Ford F-1 pickup as Best of the 1950s.
Decade and Class Awards
The judges selected winners across several eras of automotive history.
1949 and Prior:
Dan Fuller’s 1937 Dodge pickup truck
Best of the 1960s:
Tom Yost’s 1966 Chevrolet Nova
Best of the 1970s:
Dan Zumbrun’s 1972 Chevrolet C10 pickup truck
Best of the 1980s:
Lamont Rhoades’ 1983 Porsche 928S
Best of the 1990s:
Jim Pequignot’s 1994 Mustang
Best of 2000 and Later:
Larry Tinsley’s 2024 Chevrolet Corvette, presented by Clifford’s Custom Collision
People’s Choice
The People’s Choice award, presented by B&D Automotive Service, went to Pete Strack’s 1968 Plymouth Road Runner.
The Road Runner was also the favorite selected by Columbia City Parks and Recreation, making it a standout with both the judges representing the community and the general public.
Best of Show
The final award of the evening was Best of Show, which considered every vehicle entered in the event.
The judges selected Dale Rapson’s 1966 Ford Mustang Fastback as the 2026 Wheels of Whitley County Best of Show.
Giving Back to Honor Flight
The car show also raised money for Honor Flight Northeast Indiana.
Area Lions Clubs, including the Larwill, Tri-Lakes and Arcola Lions Clubs, provided food and drinks during the event and donated their proceeds to Honor Flight Northeast Indiana.
Lions Zone Chairman Kevin McDermott presented a $200 check to Honor Flight volunteers on behalf of the Lions Clubs.
The Columbia City Lions Club also requested that VFW Post 5582 conduct the 50/50 drawing. The drawing generated $262, and the winner donated the entire amount back to Honor Flight.
Together, those contributions totaled $462 raised for Honor Flight Northeast Indiana during the event.
The 2026 Wheels of Whitley County Car Show demonstrated what makes a community car show successful: great vehicles, local organizations getting involved, and a shared effort to support an important cause.
Congratulations to all of this year’s winners, and thank you to the car owners, judges, volunteers, Lions Club members, sponsors and everyone who came out to support Wheels of Whitley County and Honor Flight Northeast Indiana.
