By Joe Carlson NJ Herald
Hugh Redston, who is visiting from England, left, gets a closer look at the engine of a 1931 Model A Ford Photo by Daniel Freel/New Jersey Herald
NEWTON — The Sussex County Community College parking lot was full on Sunday, but not for classes. The college hosted the annual 9/11 Memorial Car Show.
Cars of all makes, models and ages lined up as their owners gave each one a final detailing to make them look their best.
On one side of the age spectrum there was a 1931 Ford Model A sedan, owned by Jack Denmead. A few cars down was a 2012 Sierra Denali pick-up truck, owned by Michael Pirrello, of Newton. While it may sound strange to have two cars with such an extreme age difference lined up in the same parking lot, it was just another day in the car show circuit.
“We had some military and firemen as part of our club and we wanted to keep the memory of what happened that day alive in the county,” said Barry Worman, the president of the Pocono Mountains Corvette Club, as to why the show was started in 2002.
Worman said that each year the club is able to donate between $1,000 and $2,000 to the college’s 9/11 memorial as well as book scholarships to some of the college’s students.
The Newton Fire Department also raised money by selling food throughout the day.
Denmead, of Blairstown, who has shown his car in several area shows, said he thinks having a show to raise money for the 9/11 memorial is a great idea.
“I love it. It’s a great idea,” Denmead said. “It brings a lot of awareness to those who died on 9/11.”
Denmead said a friend of his, named Paul Simon, died that day when the first tower collapsed.
Louis Pirrello, like his son, was showing a car on Sunday, a 1957 Cadillac Coupe with 16,000 miles on it.
“This car belonged to a convent in Pennsylvania,” Louis Pirrello said. “The nuns used it to get around. I was going to look at another car when I saw this one that was going to auction because the nuns couldn’t drive it anymore. So I made a deal with the guy and bought it.”
Pirrello said he bought the car 31 years ago and the only mileage that get[s] put on [it] is [from] going to car shows. Everything on the car is original he said.
His son’s car, the Sierra Denali might of [sic – might have] seemed out of place, but it’s not just an ordinary car — it has a Corvette engine in it.
“I couldn’t afford a Corvette, so I got a family vehicle with a Corvette engine,” Michael Pirrello said. “It’s the best of both worlds.”
Worman said the cars that were on display during the show were up for several awards.
“We have the Participant’s Choice award, the People’s Choice award, the Fireman’s Choice award and the Newton Chief of Police will be coming to give the Chief’s Choice award.”
Louis Pirrello, who said he goes to several car shows a year said he believes that all shows should try and raise some type of awareness.
“Everything little bit [sic] we do helps,” he said.
