Putting the pedal to the medal

Jennifer Kho

FAIRGROUNDS -- Drivers won’t need to gas up to prepare for the car

races at the Orange County Market Place today.

The racers -- all young children -- will rely entirely on pedal power.

“I think pedal cars invoke nostalgia in a lot of people,” said Jill

Lloyd, spokeswoman for the Orange County Market Place. “It’s a lot like

the attraction of regular classic or antique cars. They bring back

memories of good times. A lot of people who participate tend to be older

adults who remember the pedal cars from their childhood. It’s about

remembering the good old days, and at some time or another the cars were

part of their lives. They are not so much a part of today’s children’s

childhoods; technology has changed that.”

Pedal cars are small-scale models of real cars, run by pedals instead

of motors.

Between 40 and 50 pedal cars -- mostly antique or classic car models

-- have so far entered the first pedal car invitational, which will be

part of the first Holiday Car Show and Toy Drive, said Jason Rimestad,

another market place spokesman.

The car show, which will take place from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday

at 88 Fair Drive, will cost $10 and will include 24 classes of display

competition. Pedal car races will start at 10 a.m. and will be held every

hour until 2 p.m.

The show will be free for donors who bring toys for needy children to

the event. Project Cuddle, a 10-year-old nonprofit organization, will

give the toys to foster children at its annual holiday party.

The market place decided to include pedal cars because they are toy

cars and fit in with the toy drive theme, Rimestad said.

But many people take the tiny, shiny toys seriously.

“There is a whole culture of building these antique-looking pedal

cars,” Rimestad said.

Chuck Anderson, an Ontario resident with a Model T Touring Street Rod,

a 1916 Model T Firetruck and a 1916 Model T pickup truck, said his cars

aren’t raced because they are too valuable.

Anderson, who was driven to begin restoring -- and later building --

pedal cars so he could give one to his granddaughter, said it takes him

between two and six months to build each car, which can sell for as much

as $4,500.

Ben Laurence, an Irvine resident who was formerly the vice chairman of

the Indianapolis 500, has entered two pedal cars in the show: a Curtis

Midget and a 1926 Bugatti.

The Midget took about a week to build, he said, and the Bugatti --

which might be a pedal car race contestant -- took about a month.

“They’re toys, and everyone likes toys,” said Laurence, who built his

first pedal car in 1949 to give to his son. “I was always interested in

cars, as far back as I can remember. They were fascinating and shiny.

When I was growing up, cars had chrome all over them. I’ve always been

involved with cars, and I enjoy car shows because it’s delightful to

watch kids’ eyes bug out when they spot them. Some of the adults are no

different. People get excited about them.”

FYI

WHAT: Holiday Car Show and Toy Drive, including a pedal car

invitational

WHERE: Orange County Market Place, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa

WHEN: 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday

CALL: (949) 723-6660

WEB: o7 https://www.ocmarketplace.comf7 .