Cool cars, hot days

Hot summer days and cool cars came together for the Cool Summer Nights car show in Trout Creek over the weekend. Lakeside Motel and Resort welcomed 54 entries at the event.

Charlie Shelor of Trout Creek won first prize for his 1965 Pontiac GTO. Second place went to Rick Blomdahl of Troy with his 1935 International truck, and third went to Ron an Elizabeth Petrie of Thompson Falls with a 1941 Ford pickup. Gift card prizes were sponsored by Blue Ribbon Auto in Missoula.

Participants and spectators also voted on a People's Choice Award, which went to Gary McGraw of Plains and his 1931 Ford Roadster. McGraw won four tickets to the Festival at Sandpoint, sponsored by Cisco.

Jake Rostker of the Lakeside said that the weather helped with participation this year, and that he had family and friends from Kentucky helping out.

"This is a successful turnout," Rostker told the crowd on the lawn behind the Lakeside. "We have people here from Missoula to Spokane and everywhere in between. We love this event."

Participants in the show also came together for a cruise around the area on Sunday. The cruise started at the Lakeside, went down Blue Slide Road to Thompson Falls, up Highway 471 to the Wild Coyote, and back to the Lakeside.

Rostker and his crew are already looking forward to next year's Cool Summer Nights car show, scheduled for July 20, 2019.