May 9, 2011
For Immediate Release

University Marketing & Communications: Mike Rigert (801) 863-6807
Written by: Matt Reichman (801) 863-6808

More than 700 vehicles will get their place in the sun at Utah Valley University’s 24th Annual Auto Expo and Swap Meet on May 21 at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi. This year’s stable features everything from classic roadsters to modern muscle, with plenty of elder statesmen, like a 1912 Metz, rounding out the field.

Any patrons inspired by the gleaming horsepower can also wheel and deal at the state’s largest automotive swap meet, where more than 300 vendors will sell auto-related wares, including old cars.

Every “ooh” and “ahh” counts – by simply showing up and slapping a friend on the back while admiring a 1967 Mustang, patrons are contributing to automotive education, as all proceeds of the show are donated to scholarships in automotive training. This goes to studies in everything from diesels to collision repair to alternative fuels. Nine students have received such scholarships in the last three years.

“We need to make sure we have upcoming generations trained to take care of vehicles,” said Kim Chiu, assistant director for Career & Technical Education at UVU. “There is such a demand for them. Fewer and fewer kids are going into automotive areas, but we still need them.”

Apart from fundraising, the University’s Department of Automotive Technology hosts the show to prepare future automotive workers and preserve automotive tradition. Rolling out the classics – especially those from this year’s featured collectors Lynn Miller, Jay Page, Ardell Brown and Dr. H. DeWayne Ashmead – keeps people interested in the automotive industry, Chiu said.

“I am not a car person and don’t know much about them,” she said. “However, to see these restored vehicles is amazing. Some of the cars have themes, and the paint jobs are amazing.”

Special attractions this year include special guest Charley Hutton, an award-winning automobile painter, the Utah Hot Rod Hall of Fame Presentation and musical band Plan B. Utah Gov. Gary Herbert and UVU President Matthew S. Holland will also be in attendance.

Organizers are dedicating this year’s event to John Miner, an Auto Expo volunteer for the past 18 years who passed away in March.

All events take place at Thanksgiving Point Electric Park in Lehi, Utah. The Auto Expo and the Swap Meet run from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. on May 21, rain or shine, and the swap meet will also open from noon-5 p.m. on May 20. Admission is $5 per person, or free for children 5 years and younger. Parking and admission to the swap meet are free.

For more information and directions to Electric Park, visit www.uvu.edu/autoexpo.

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About UVU

Utah Valley University is located in Orem, Utah, and is home to nearly 33,000 students. UVU began as a vocational school during World War II, and in the seven decades since has evolved into a technical school, community college, state college and, finally, a comprehensive regional teaching university. UVU is one of Utah’s largest institutions of higher learning and offers programs ranging from career training to high-demand master degrees, with emphasis on undergraduate education.