MOOSE JAW — The Next Gen Car Club revved up the local scene with its largest event in Moose Jaw to date, drawing thousands of car enthusiasts to Tatawaw Park recently.
The 2025 season opener featured a special appearance by Hollywood actor Noel Gugliemi, known for his role as Hector in The Fast and the Furious franchise.
“It was definitely unmatched energy,” said Austin Murray, co-organizer of the event alongside Jai Singh. “Hector was a super kind, down-to-earth, humble guy, and he was nothing but smiles. The crowd… loved him.”
Gugliemi's visit included autograph sessions and photo opportunities with fans, alongside a display of tribute vehicles from The Fast and the Furious films, including Paul Walker's Eclipse, two Honda Civics, and Jesse's Jetta.
“The Fast and the Furious cars definitely put the cherry on top,” Murray noted.
“Hector was super impressed with the turnout,” he added. “He goes to a lot of car shows, and he said this show was fantastic and that he really loved it. He loved meeting everyone, and he wants to come back in the near future.
“He even asked us to let him stay an extra day next time so he can explore Moose Jaw a little bit more. He’s really interested in Al Capone, and… he was excited to see Mac the Moose. He loved that guy.”
Despite cold weather and rain, the show drew approximately 1,000 vehicles. Attendees travelled from across the Prairies, with visitors from Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba — however, the club doesn’t record official attendance numbers.
“Overall, it was a really great time. It was probably one of the biggest turnouts we've had,” Murray said, noting that more lots were filled than in 2024. “We’re really thankful that we got this kind of support from the community.”
The event also served a charitable purpose, collecting non-perishable food items and gate proceeds once again for the Moose Jaw and District Food Bank. Murray said the food bank volunteers appeared to have done well for themselves, but it’s still too early to announce how much was raised for the cause.
In addition to numerous static displays, the show featured several returning fan-favourite competitions, including the limbo and exhaust contests.
“People love getting rallied down in the park, and it’s away from the city so we're not really disturbing anyone,” he added.
To encourage intergenerational participation and hopefully attract more classic cars to the show, Murray and Singh introduced discounted pricing for attendees aged 55 and older.
“We’re always struggling with the number of classic cars, but we’re starting to see more of a positive turnout,” Murray said.
“We want to make sure our shows are affordable, regardless of how big they get,” he added. “Having the food bank out there to accept donations (while visitors enjoy a good show), that’s what it’s all about — bringing everyone together. That’s what a community is.”
Murray wished to thank everyone who helped make the show possible, including the club’s crew and Roadway Auto and Sport Inc. who helped bring Gugliemi to Moose Jaw and make an event of this calibre possible.
“I want to give another big thank you to everyone who showed up, because we wouldn’t have a show if you didn’t. The more people we have, the bigger the shows we can host.”
The club plans more pop-up events this year and a fall season closer in Moose Jaw.
“We’ll have pop-up events throughout the year, so follow our pages and stay tuned,” Murray said. “We like keeping people on their heels and doing events on short notice. Moose Jaw can expect us back for a season closer with a date to be determined.”
For more information and updates on upcoming events, message or follow “nextgencarclub” on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok, or visit NextGenCarClub.ca.
