2007 Night of Fire Benefit Car Show (VIDEO)

The Night of Fire is a benefit car show that assists worthwhile causes. It is underway right now!

(SALEM) - The Night of Fire Benefit Car Show began five years ago when Rich Bailey, a local race car driver, was approached and asked for help in raising money for a very ill person. The person’s insurance coverage left much of the medical costs untouched. That is when Rich and others created the first Night of Fire.

To date, the Night of Fire Benefit Show has raised approximately $35,000. Bailey says this show is like no other. This year's Night of Fire Benefit car show will be held June 1st, 2007 at the Salem Evangelical Church.

"We feature vehicles from almost every motor sport and include antique, street rods, muscle cars, tuner cars and race cars. We have also seen Junior Dragsters, nitro and top fuel dragsters, off-road buggies, custom bikes and hydraulic low riders."

The highlight of each show is a jet dragster flame show. It inspired the name of the show. Rich and the others say community togetherness is the key.

"This show is truly a coming together of variety for the sole purpose of raising money to aid a person from our community who has a great financial need."

The 2006 show was held at Morning Star Community Church. Ric Bailey says the response was overwhelming, as participants brought their vehicles from all over Oregon and Washington.

"Not only did the show feature so many entries, whose fee went directly to the beneficiary of the show, but food vendors also donated their proceeds. Adam’s Rib, Papa’s Pizza and Sweet Treats Ice Cream provided a local flavor and the National Guard also brought their rock wall for climbers to venture. Face painting, and bouncy rooms rounded off the evening. One of the most amazing parts of the show was the donation of a car to the mother of the beneficiary of the show’s proceeds. The car was over-hauled and then a custom paint job topped off the gift. The young mother had no transportation to the daily visits to Doernbecher Hospital where her son spent so many months."

Organizers say the reason the Night of Fire is so successful is because it is based on the traditions of old barn raising principle. In the olden days, and still today in some places, work parties help neighbors in need, and that same premise is the foundation for the benefit car show according to Bailey.

"We ask local business to donate items or services that will help to increase their customer base, and then we raffle and auction off these items. 100% of the proceeds go to the benefactor. No person who participates in the show, including the organizers, receives any financial compensation. This is truly built on the desire to help someone who has a need, and we believe that we can help with that need."

This year the group has been asked to help with the No Meth Task Force, based in Salem. Police reports indicate that large numbers of families have been affected by the meth problem in our local communities. Bailey says the event should really help, "We believe that the proceeds from the Night of Fire benefit show will be well used and are greatly needed in our community. Rather than support one beneficiary this year, we hope to touch many."

He says that as always, they are searching for willing participants for the show, "We would like to encourage you to sponsor the show by making a donation that may be used in the raffle or auction. The item would highlight your business name. We encourage businesses to use a gift certificate that would allow us to send the winner directly to you in order to pick up the prize." This he says, helps to support business in turn. The Night of Fire Benefit Show will be held on June 1st, 2007 at the Salem Evangelical Church. It is located across from Applebee’s and just off the Salem Parkway. Bailey and the other organizers say they greatly appreciate the community's participation.

If you want to see what the Night of Fire car show in Salem, Oregon is all about, watch the video below by Salem-News.com's Tim King, complete with bouncing low riders a historic drag race driver, and other fun aspects of this important event.
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Watch the video report below by Salem-News.com's Tim King.
Produced, written and edited by Tim King
Music by Sean King