Super Run - a Not for Profit Rod Run – Put on by car guy’s for Car Guy’s
History of the start of Super Run in the Prairie Provinces
In the early 70’s there was only Car Shows and Swap Meets where car guys could show off their rides. Canadian Street Rod Assoc (CSRA) was trying to grow it’s membership across Canada by having a Rep from each province. After taking over being Sask. Rep from Keith Lee, Bob Gunn wanted to get an event going involving the car clubs of Saskatchewan.
For their Honey Moon Bob attended the Canadian Nationals held in Winnipeg in 1974 –driving their 1936 GM truck. Lots of cars from across the Provinces and the States attended.
At this time, early 70’s, the car clubs of Saskatchewan started having interclub meetings early in the year. At these meetings we would get together at different cities to make new friends and try to plan the events for the year. This then created an events calendar for the year. With clubs putting on small events and a few of us trying to put on different events Bob put on a small camping weekend at Coldwell Park Diefenbaker Lake. This was a casual weekend for Car Guys to get together. Bob had the event for 2 years.
As a rep for CSRA Bob tried to get some of the clubs in Saskatchewan interested in putting on a summer event together. It was this idea that started the planning for the first Super Run Saskatchewan. He got a few people interested in helping put on the event in Saskatoon. Helping to get the word out Richard Bedford from the Regina area and Bob from Saskatoon area talked to Car Clubs and individuals about the event. A committee was formed to get the planning done with volunteers from clubs across Saskatchewan. Funds from the run setup to go to local charities.
The site was booked at the Saskatoon Exhibition grounds for the August Long Weekend in 1990.
The car clubs around Saskatchewan were asked to put on an event during the weekend. The clubs got involved with having balance beam, vehicle inspections, hot rod repair, shop tours etc. Most of the clubs were involved in some way. We saw a need to have a dealer area at the site to give the entrants more to do and to have access to the different suppliers for the sport. When planning this event, Bob met Dale Thivierge who offered to help and contact Dealers that may want to get involved.
With this event having a good response from car guys and spectators, we were ready to look at the future of doing the event in a different city.
The next event was in 1995. The Majestics hosted the event in Regina, which spurred more interest. A Super Run committee was then set up with reps from different clubs and we started planning for the future of the event.
To spread out the event, the Provinces of Alberta and Manitoba were added. With the event now being held in Saskatoon, Red Deer and Brandon. The run now is held every year in a different prairie province.
After attending Super Run in Red Deer and Saskatoon some car guys from Brandon decided it would be a great thing for Brandon car enthusiasts to host the show. A trip to Saskatoon was arranged meeting with the founding members, where an agreement was reached and that was how Brandon became a host of Super Run.
The Provincial Exhibition was enlisted to lend their expertise as they had been producing fairs for many years, and financial backing from them was invaluable. This has been a partnership that has worked with the car guys organizing the show and manning it and the Provincial Exhibition financing the show and assisting with set up and doing much of the administrative end.
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n 2007 the show was a great success making a modest profit which was donated to a scholarship fund at Brandon University. We have not looked back since.
All the volunteers work very hard and the show could not happen without them!
I truly value all the help we receive from our volunteers and those that serve on the executive!
These are the years and locations that the event has been held in:
Saskatoon, SK ; 1990 – 1999 – 2002 – 2005 – 2008 – 2011 – 2014 - 2017
Regina, SK ; 1995
Winnipeg, MB ; 1996
Red Deer, AB ; 2000 – 2003 – 2006 – 2009 – 2012 – 2015 - 2018
Brandon, MB ; 2007 -- 2010 – 2013 – 2016 (Aug 2019 Future Show)
Thank you to everyone that halped put this story together.
