Draggins Custom Car Show funds Saskatoon charities in 1989

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Every Thursday, we feature an image from the StarPhoenix archives, curated by the City of Saskatoon Archives. Today, we see viewers gazing at a 1930 Hudson Coupe on display at the Draggins Rod and Custom Car Club’s annual show at Sask Place (now Sasktel Centre), on March 27, 1989. The car show helps the club raise money for local charities each year. (City of Saskatoon Archives StarPhoenix Collection S-SP-S-SP-1989-03-26-58G-016, photo by Glen Berger)

From the StarPhoenix archives, by Byron Jenkins:

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The Saskatoon Draggins Rod and Custom Car Club had dubious beginnings back in 1957. The property the club operated on a few weedy acres of land north of the city was distinguished by an old chicken coop. They also had what you might call an image problem.

Today the Draggins have first rate club facilities and are a very visible charitable organization. They donate generously to the Saskatchewan Abilities Council among other charities. They are also organizers of the annual Draggins Custom Car Show, held every Easter weekend. This year’s show, the biggest ever, was held this past weekend in expanded space at Saskatchewan Place and featured over 200 vehicles entered in a variety of design categories.

“Our involvement with charities began back in 1957 when we formed,” says Bruno Konecsni, spokesperson with the Draggins. “In those days if you called yourselves the Draggins Car Club, the image of you in the public’s mind were of a group of hoodlums racing up 8th Street. We wanted to overcome that negative image by doing good works in the community. That’s led to our involvement in many community activities and charities. For the past 12 to 15 years our greatest involvement has been with the Saskatchewan Abilities Council.

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“We’ve identified with that group because many of us are family men with children of our own. Some of us have children who are disabled in some fashion.” Funding from the Draggins over the years has provided the council with a number of valued resources from transport vehicles to refurbished facilities at Camp Easter Seal.

The highlight of the Draggins year is the Draggins Custom Car Show held annually to promote the sport of car customizing, to provide family entertainment and expose the sport to the public. Funds raised from the show are put back into the community charities supported by the Draggins. …

“We like to make the Draggins Custom Car Show a forum for other car clubs to promote their activities in the city,” says Konecsni. “Our car show is really a family entertainment, too. We have a number of displays designed for kids. As well, about 20 of the performance parts dealers are there with their latest parts on display.”

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The Draggins’ 25 members carry out month-to-month operations in a modern, well-equipped clubhouse and body shop facility at the corner of 58th Street and Wales Avenue.

To celebrate their 30th Anniversary, the Draggins have made up club jackets in the exact design of their original 1957 club jacket. Judging them by the success of their annual show and their community involvement in the past thirty years, club members wearing Draggins jackets in 1989 should garner a little more respect than the “hoodlums” who wore them in 1957.

Throwback Thursday is a weekly StarPhoenix series where we revisit photos from Saskatoon’s past.

Check out our entire collection here.

What moment in Saskatoon’s history from April would you like us to revisit next? Send suggestions to [email protected].

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