InverCARgill entries light

MARK BELLRINGER/Southland Times

CADILLIGHTS: Neville Carter's 1967 Cadillac deVille is all lit up to travel from Taranaki to the Americarna car show that will be held in Invercargill in two weeks.

Americarna organisers are hoping for a last-minute flood of entries, with a disappointing number of cars entered in the Invercargill event in two weeks.

Americarna co-ordinator Bob Anderson said only 310 cars had been registered in the event, which is being held at the end of the month.

The event generated, on average, an estimated $3 million in New Plymouth, and that kind of economic benefit could be replicated in Southland if it was well received, he said.

However, 700 cars were registered in the New Plymouth Americarna last weekend and the 310 entrants from Southland just did not compare, he said.

It was the first time the event was being held in Invercargill so that could account for the small number of entrants, but he was hoping that would pick up as the show drew closer, to make it a success, Mr Anderson said.

The event is unlike most other car shows because the cars do not park up in one place for a weekend and then leave again afterwards.

The entrants would convoy to towns surrounding Invercargill so that everyone could enjoy the benefits of the large crowds the event was likely to draw, Mr Anderson said.

Taranaki American car fanatic Neville Carter said he was driving all the way down to the Invercargill event and thought it had the potential to draw at least 600 cars in its first year.

The event always drew large crowds in New Plymouth and it would be great to see that in Southland if there were enough cars to make it worthwhile, he said.

Mr Carter spent 170 hours building and fitting a beam with lights that read "Invercargill here we come" to his 1967 Cadillac deVille and was keen to use it, he said.

Americarna runs from March 24 to 27 and will be based at Stadium Southland.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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