​York Auto Show to Boost Local Athletics

YORK, Maine—Parking lots and fields of 
York High School will be transformed into a 
dreamscape for car aficionados of all stripes, 
when the second annual York Auto Show 
is expected to draw as many as 600 cars, 
trucks and motorcycles on June 23, 2020.
Car owners and visitors alike will contribute to a good cause. Funds raised will 
go to the York High School Athletics Boosters. Last year, the show drew 200 cars and 
raised $18,000, which allowed the Boosters to begin replacing aging equipment in 
the high school fitness room, and funds to 
meet the needs of coaches and athletes.
This year’s event promises to be even 
bigger, said Boosters member Steve Bricker, the show coordinator who’s been restoring cars for a long time.
“Car shows are a hobby and passion,” he 
said. “I thought, Why not here? We have a 
unique location, an hour from Boston, Portland and Manchester, a tourist area, a location that works well. That’s how it started.”
“Car show season” follows the warm 
weather months and begins in June. “I 
wanted the show on the early side of the 
season. Everyone wants to get their car out 
of their garage and get it out on the road.” 
But especially when it comes to antique 
cars, owners don’t want to travel a far distance. York’s in a perfect location.
Bricker has reached out to many car 
clubs in the region and found “when I talk 

​to these communities, our mission to help 
students is well received.” He’s also found 
car show organizers are willing to share 
tricks of the trade.
There will a special category this year 
for 50th anniversary cars from 1970 that 
will draw a lot of interest. Other categories include hot rods, exotics, trucks, Jeeps, 
classic 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s, Corvettes, 
muscle cars, Mustangs, Mopars, Camaros 
and Firebirds, street machines, Eurosports, 
VWs, pre-1950 antiques, and motorcycles.
Attendees can vote for their favorites. 
Winners receive trophiesw.
Incoming Athletics Booster president 
Darcy Bastarache said the “mission to help 
students is key. Two-thirds of the student 
body at York High participates in sports 
in some way, as athletes or managers, but 
even those who don’t participate benefit 
from the fitness room updates; fitness is a 
required course for all students.”
York is a “minimum receiver” school 
department. As such, it receives about 7% 
of what it takes to fund essential programs 
and services from the state; other school 
departments in Maine receive up to 70%. 
The projected state subsidy in York for the 
coming fiscal year is $2.2 million. 
“It really handicaps York schools,” she 
said. “If we’re not going to be supplemented by the state, we have to find another way 
to support our athletic programs.”

The Boosters fund scholarships, training 
for coaches, equipment, and even one-off 
requests like helping defray transportation 
costs for a YHS swimmer who swims with 
the Kennebunk High School team. 
Bricker and Bastarache said they are 
looking forward to a bigger and better auto 
show this year and in years to come. “We 
have capacity for 700 cars. We’d love to 
see that many.” Bricker said.
Key sponsors York Hospital, Coastal Kitchen and Bath Designs, Key Ford 
of York, and Saco Bay Orthopaedic and 
Sports are among 32 sponsors from around 
York and the Seacoast.
Sunday, June 23, York High School parking 
area by the auditorium and nearby fields. 
Gates open at 8 a.m. Event closes with an 
awarding of trophies at 3 p.m. 
Gen. admission $5; kids under 12: FREE.
Show car fee: $10 (includes one passenger)
Parking is available at Grain Surfboard/
Rocky Acre Farm Stand property on Webber Road and Smith Field on Ridge Road; 
limited parking is also available on site on 
the main entrance side of the school and by 
the football field.
Visit theyorkautoshow.com or the York 
Auto Show Facebook page. Contact: 
207 252-1807 • yorkautoshow@gmail.com