Pontiac-Oakland Club International Show - The 2010 POCI Convention

Charlestonhospitality And Tons Of Pontiacs Provided Fun In The Sun After The Rain Stopped

From the April, 2011 issue of High Performance Pontiac

By Don Keefe

Photography by Thomas A. DeMauro

Southern hospitality is a term used so often that it starts to lose its meaning, but in the case of the 2010 POCI Convention in Charleston, West Virginia, this past July 6-10, the traditional definition held very true. Like it did in 2002, the Almost Heaven Chapter, which is based in nearby Nitro, did a fantastic job of making 602 registered participants feel at home. The food and entertainment were also really something special.

To be sure, it was hot. The temperature was over 100 degrees for the majority of the week, and topped out at 104 degrees with 95-percent humidity, sending most people inside to cool off on an hourly basis. The heat didn't really deter anyone, but the air-conditioned lobby of the Charleston House Holiday Inn host hotel and the Charleston Civic Center Grand Hall, where 78 Pontiacs were displayed in the Points Judged class, became the social gathering places.

Thanks to registrations from 35 states and 3 foreign countries, and an impressive total of 440 Pontiacs participating in various classes and special displays (according to Convention Advisor Bill Fortune), the event provided a live history of many of the greatest Pontiacs, Oaklands, and GMCs ever made. Some very special Pontiacs included the '67 Hurst Grand Prix convertible, a one-of-one blue '72 Hurst SSJ Grand Prix, a pair of vintage NASCAR machines, and a 1910 Oakland roadster, which at 100 years old, was the earliest vehicle in attendance.

As was the case in 2002, the swap meet was held under the elevated highway, which provided shade from the sun and shelter from the rain. Various sellers offered parts, literature, and memorabilia to meet even the most discriminating Pontiac hobbyists' needs.

One of the strong selling points of the POCI conventions has always been the long list of activities and events designed to appeal to all members of the family. There were a variety of bus and car tours to various historical locations in the Charleston area, as well as shopping excursions and an Ice Breaker social activity for early bird arrivals and POCI board members.

Many of the non-regional specialty chapters held meetings, as this was the annual opportunity for members to meet in one location. Several reunions were also held for specific models, such as the GTO and Judge, 2+2, Firebird and Trans Am, and Fiero, as well as a 50th birthday party/luncheon cruise for the '60 Pontiac.

Highlights of the conventions are the tech seminars, where specific topics are explored in detail in one- or two-hour blocks. Arnie "The Farmer" Beswick and Mike Garblik hosted "The Legends of Pontiac Drag Racing." Jim Wangers gave a seminar titled "Who Killed Pontiac?," and Mark McConville spoke about the (compressed natural gas) CNG-powered '66 GTO that was recently featured in HPP. POCI head judge Rick Gonser gave a tech talk on Pontiac Tri-Power systems and the author gave two seminars, one on photography and magazine publishing and the other was a "Department X" slide show on Pontiac experimentals.

Other activities included cruise-ins, slow drags, breakfast and luncheon cruises, a street party sponsored by Performance Years, and Live on the Levee sponsored by Ames Performance. To wrap up the event, there was a free concert by none other than Ronny & The Daytonas, who performed "Little GTO" for the Pontiac faithful.

Due to rain, Friday's drag-racing program had to be cancelled, so we aren't able to provide the wheels-up action at the track. Nevertheless, the 2010 POCI Convention was a great success and will be remembered as a wonderful time for all who were there.

"Attending a POCI convention in a walking cast and having to rely on a scooter chair to get around doesn't sound like fun," said POCI President Dave Bennett, who had fractured his leg a few weeks before. "But the inconvenience is more than overcome by the joy and excitement of the annual get-together with friends, acquaintances, and fellow club members that only a POCI convention can bring. I hope to see everyone again at the 2011 convention."

The 2011 POCI Convention will be held July 5-9 in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Several activities are planned, including a trip to the Corvette assembly plant and the National Corvette Museum.

For more information on the convention and joining POCI, log onto www.poci.org. See you there!