Car club places table at Pocket Park

The Blast from the Past car club donated a table with benches to Pocket Park off Market Square.

It was placed there last week and is one of many ways the club gives back to the community, according to Lynn Smith, president of Blast from the Past.

“We decided that we wanted to leave a mark in Durant somewhere that said something about Blast from the Past car club, so we had this table and bench made,” Smith said. “It’s really pretty, we think and we’re dedicating it to the Pocket Park so it will always be here.”

The table was made by Texoma Millwright & Welding of Durant. The sandblasting and powder coating was done by Vail Precision of Calera.

Smith said that all funds raised by the club are given back to the community.

“We’ve donated to the American Legion, the VFW, to church organizations, everything,” he said. “We donate all of our funds back. We do not have one paid person.”

Smith estimated that at the end of this year, the club will have about $12,000 to donate.

Blast from the Past has a car show at 5:30 p.m. on the first Thursday of every month at Wright’s Drive-In on South Ninth Avenue.

Matt Swearengin | Durant Democrat The club started out with four members and two cars and now, there are about 50 members and 50-60 cars, according to Smith.

The club’s seventh-annual Draggin” Main Car & Bike Show will be June 14 and 15 in downtown Durant.

“Last year, we had 168 cars there,” Smith said. “This year, we’ve partnered with the Lions Club which is going to make it that much better and we’re expecting over 200 cars this year.”

Choctaw Casino & Resort is also a sponsor of the show and the Rooftop Rally shows.

“They are so heavily involved, it’s unreal,” Smith said. “We also right after we have a car show here, we have a show out there called Rooftop Rally up on the new parking garage. This year is going to be kind of a special deal. Richard Rawlings with Gas Monkey is coming up to judge the cars.”

The Rooftop Rally shows will be from 9 a.m. until noon June 22, July 20 and Aug. 17 at the Choctaw parking garage.

The Draggin’ Main Car & Bike Show will also have a street dance, children’s cruise and burnout contest.

Smith is excited about the show which brings many visitors to downtown Durant.

“I’m surprised that it has grown like it has and it’s still growing every year and we’re going to keep it growing,” he said.