Thunder on the Plains attracts young, old

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

It was a breezy, but otherwise a pleasant day for a car show Saturday in Frontier Park.

The annual Thunder on the Plains car show attracted more than 180 cars, trucks and motorcycles.

“We are really happy with it,” said Jackie Lang, event volunteer, of the turnout. “This is the first time we have had it on our own.”

The event used to be downtown and co-sponsored with the Downtown Hays Development Corp.

Allen and Marie Leiker of Hays brought their 1959 Chevy Impala to the show.

Allen had a ’59 Impala when he was in high school. During his Vietnam service, he asked his father to sell the car.

“It took me 40 more years to find another one and bring it home and restore it,” he said.

Allen has owned this Impala for about 10 years. Allen and Marie said they still enjoy driving the car.

“We have to cruise Main at least once,” Marie said when they take the car out for a spin.

Thunder on the Plains is one of about six or seven car shows the Leikers attend with the Impala every year, but they said they particularly enjoy bring the Impala out for Thunder on the Plains.

Harold Kraus of Hays attended the car show with his son who brought a 1952 International truck and Whizzer bike that had belonged to Harold when he was younger.

The truck belonged to Pete Johnson. Harold’s son bought the truck from him. The truck was still remarkably preserved and required little restoration, Kraus said.

Kraus said he remembered Johnson using the truck. He put a hitch on it and pulled it from field to field behind a tractor so he would have transportation.

“But I don’t think Pete went over 30 miles per hours,” Krasu joked.