2009 Woodward Dream Cruise
What brought an estimated 1 million people and 40,000 cars to Detroit last month? The 15th Annual Woodward Dream Cruise, that's what.
If fat-fendered cars make your "rockin' world go 'round," then the Dream Cruise is your sort of party. The largest one-day automotive event on the planet (take that, Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance), Woodward is all about real people and real cars driving on a real road.
Once a street-racing haven and always a cruising scene, the 19-mile stretch of Woodward Avenue where the famed rally is held runs straight through the heart of Detroit's suburbs and into the heart of American car culture.
View Pictures: Woodward Gallery 1
The event began in 1995 when a group of car buffs, who had grown nostalgic for the hot-rod nights of the 1950s and '60s, decided to raise money to build a soccer field in the Detroit suburb of Ferndale. So they did what they know best — organized a cruising event on Woodward Avenue, their old stomping grounds. It was a rousing success, so the group decided to make it an annual happening.
View Pictures: Woodward Gallery 2
Over the years, the Cruise has grown to include every angle of the automotive hobby. Cruisers, racers, lowriders, military vehicles, street rods, antiques, Class 8 tractors — they all take part in this famed rally. But mainly it's red, white and blue, 4-speeds and twice pipes that the fans love to see. Spectators just love the thunder of eight big pots and a lumpy cam.
While it's impossible to capture the entire scope of this multimile event, here is a snapshot of the coolest cars from 2009, as well some choice rides from last year. So hang an elbow out the window and cruise down memory lane.
View Pictures: Woodward Gallery 3
Longtime Road & Track contributor Tom Wilson's credits include local racing championships, three technical engine books and hundreds of freelance articles.
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