Let’s face it: Any excellent news in 2020 was welcome. It was a tough highway. But tales emerged this 12 months that highlighted extraordinary efforts firms all through the business took to help native communities.

That ought to be no shock. It is emblematic of what occurs within the auto business; When the going will get robust, its individuals come collectively to assist each other.

What’s additionally emblematic of the auto business? It is plenty of enjoyable.

Alex Rosenberger is aware of that. He is the proprietor of MasterCars, a vendor of late-model upscale vehicles and bikes in Granite Metropolis, Unwell. Having some secure enjoyable within the midst of the coronavirus pandemic was simply one of many causes he and different native enterprise homeowners alongside historic Route 66 east of St. Louis created the Kicks on 66 Extremely Automobile Present and Cruise, hosted in Edwardsville, Unwell., in October.

As enterprise homeowners, in addition they noticed the occasion as a possibility to faucet into the historical past of the Mom Highway to assist the native financial system and help the charitable efforts of an area enterprise. Its founder, Randy Gori, was fatally stabbed final January at age 47.

“There’s a robust automotive tradition on this space, and Randy was an enormous a part of that,” mentioned Rosenberger. “We needed to recollect him and every little thing he did for this group by tapping into the historical past of Route 66 to create an occasion the place individuals may safely have some enjoyable driving and seeing vehicles whereas producing financial exercise that supported his basis and the native enterprise group.”

Ryan O’Day is an area restaurateur who helped plan the occasion. Rising up within the Detroit space, he used to attend the famed Woodward Dream Cruise, which served as an inspiration for Kicks on 66.

When there was a necessity, Gori’s first response was at all times, “No drawback; let me understand how I might help,” O’Day says.

That spirit helped gasoline the group of associates to do what they may to offer again to the group.

Kicks on 66 attracted some 300 vehicles for show in addition to hundreds of spectators and cruisers. It additionally generated vital financial exercise for the local people, with jammed companies on the day, and raised about $2,000 for the trigger. And it drew native and out-of-town automotive sellers, who noticed the occasion as a possibility to attach with potential consumers.

“The automotive tradition is predicated on enthusiasm and keenness, and Ferrari homeowners are extremely passionate,” mentioned Joe Cauley, a co-owner of Cauley Ferrari of Detroit, within the suburb of West Bloomfield Township, Mich. He hauled three vehicles greater than 500 miles to the present.

“We definitely needed to be a part of the occasion to faucet into the passionate automotive group in St. Louis,” Cauley mentioned. “However collaborating can be good for enterprise. We noticed this as a strategy to join with native Ferrari homeowners.”

Close by sellers felt the identical. They included Holman Motorcars St. Louis, which sells Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Aston Martin and different unique manufacturers.

“Holman Motorcars St. Louis are an enormous supporter of the automotive tradition within the Midwest,” mentioned Graham Hill, the dealership’s vp of ultraluxury gross sales “Once we opened the dealership in St. Louis 20 years in the past, we acknowledged that with out the help and friendship of native automotive fanatics, we’d have a hill to climb.”

2020 is now behind us. Quite a few indicators level to a greater 2021, However vital uncertainly nonetheless surrounds conventional auto reveals and the prospect of holding them safely anytime quickly.

Whereas we stay up for their return, it is good to know that comparatively small outside occasions similar to Kicks on 66 had been there, following Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention pointers whereas tapping into what individuals love about vehicles and serving a higher trigger.

And when the large occasions come again, Kicks on 66 will not be going away. The second annual Extremely Automobile Present and Cruise is scheduled for Sept. 11.