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Hot Rods, Street Rods, And American Muscle Cars Gather To Shine, Show Off, And Cruise The California Coast!

Two years ago, events were being postponed only to be eventually canceled, and the only thing harder than finding a car event to attend was locating a roll of toilet paper. Yeah, gearheads were going stir-crazy, and while it was nice to have extra time to wrench on projects, there was a ton of pent-up desire to get out and cruise. That’s when a few guys came up with the idea of having a cruise. Hey, cruising in the fresh air and sunshine certainly was in line with the whole social distancing deal, and it would let hot-rodders do what hot-rodders love to do: drive.

Founded by Jason Scudellari (@week2wickedjason), Hek Valdez (@hektattoo), Patrick Wagenbrenner, and Ken Johnson (@classicsdaily, @boostednova, @ken), the original Quarantine Cruise and became the go-to event for those tired of postponed or canceled get-togethers brought on by seemingly endless Covid lockdowns. Valdez and Scudellari were out cruising in their trucks one day when they met up with Wagenbrenner, of Keystone Automotive Operations, a large aftermarket distributor (@keystoneautomotiveoperations). The three started talking and decided they should try to set up a cruise and see how many people would show up. Johnson eventually joined the team and the four guys have been working hard to grow the event and keep it exciting even after the pandemic fades away. What started out as a few cars getting together has expanded to between 1,000 to 2,000 rides, all getting together to hang out and cruise the iconic coastline.

This event may have been born of the economic and personal tragedy of the pandemic, but even with the virus mostly in the rearview mirror the cruise shows no signs of slowing down. During the busiest times, when the Quarantine Cruise was the only event going on they were seeing two or three thousand cars. Now, with a sliver of normalcy returning, the 26th cruise still pulled in over 1,300 cars, most of them classics, customs, and hot rods, along with a smattering of Broncos, VWs, Blazers, and just about anything else you can imagine. Hell, we even saw a tank rolling through the event!

The idea of the cruise is simple. Once a month everyone comes together to hang out and check out each other’s rides, then cruise down the iconic Southern California coastline. Over the years the event has picked up some sponsorship support from FiTech as a title sponsor, along with presenting sponsor CPP and local real estate broker Dave Castle. The spectacular SOCO and the OC Mix dining, shopping, and design center has been made the official location to begin the day, with a different ending location each month. For the anniversary Cruise, Huntington Beach favorite Old World Village was the destination of choice, giving participants the chance to dig into the local delicacies and take in the atmosphere of the recreated German village.

“It’s one thing to have an idea, and another one completely to bring it to life,” said Wagenbrenner. “The Cruise was born of need—just to get out of the house, to have some moments of normalcy when the definition of normal was changing every day. We may be four guys behind the Cruise, but for it to have become what it has turned into, it’s taken the passion and support of so many people who share in the experience. From our sponsors, to the artists who lend a hand with the flyers, to the photographers, videographers, and journalists who cover the events, to our family and friends who help us with merchandising and setting up and tearing down each event, it’s a collaborative effort.”

“Most of all, it’s the people that make the Quarantine Cruise what it is,” added Scudellari. “People come with their clubs, their families, and their friends, but even if they come by themselves, they are not alone. The Cruise is really a like-minded community that really loves sharing this incredible enthusiasm for their vehicles. When you come to the Cruise, you’re with family, and it’s something special. We have two years and 26 events under our belts, and as long as everyone keeps coming and having a great time, we’re going to keep it going. There really isn’t anything quite like the Quarantine Cruise.”

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