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News-Sun photo by KATARA SIMMONS Joel Alcantar, 27, touches up his 1981 Buick Regal lowrider. Alcantar and Florida Army National Guard Sgt. John Vincent are organizing their third car show in Highlands County. The first two were held at the armory in Avon Park. Saturday's event, the Good Times Car Show, is from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the Circle in Sebring.

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published: Thursday, September 25, 2008

Lowrider lifestyle about family, fun

By KEVIN J. SHUTT

kevin.shutt@newssun.com

SEBRING -- Long, low and Latin, lowriders are more than a style of customization.

"It's a way of life," 27-year-old Joel Alcantar said Thursday.

It's a lifestyle he shares with his wife, son and friends.

He wants to share it with the Highlands County community through the Good Times Car Show.

Through a partnership with Greater Sebring Chamber of Commerce's downtown council, the show is from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday on the Circle.

Alcantar is president of the local chapter of Good Times Car Club, founded in 1989 in East Los Angeles.

During his seven-year stint in the regular Army as a diesel mechanic, he started a chapter at Fort Carson and here.

He met Florida Army National Guard recruiter Sgt. John Vincent and the two already have organized a pair of car shows at the Avon Park armory.

"Low riding has been around since the '40s," Alcantar said, explaining it was an answer to a segment of car enthusiasts who were going high with their hot rods. "It's not what this county is used to."

In fact, his fledgling chapter has attracted just three members in its two years.

He said Saturday's show is expected to draw about 80 cars from various genres. A third or more should be lowriders from around the state, including well-known clubs.

Hoping it wouldn't jinx his event, Alcantar predicted 300-600 people might attend.

Though the show will include competitions for several styles from lowrider and hot rod to trucks and sport utilities, the main attraction might be the "Hop Off."

Short of assisting a vehicle over annoying speed bumps, humps and tables, lowrider hydraulics seem to serve no other purpose than the cool factor.

From single hops to dancing cars, lowriders have a double-take effect on passers by when strutting their stuff.

Saturday's Hop Off will reward the best hopper with a $200 cash pay out.

Expect bounces that exceed 60 inches, Alcantar said.

In addition, a stereo competition will feature woofers and tweeters in an audible dance off of sound systems.

In his own lowrider, a blue Regal, Alcantar prefers Spanish Gospel and oldies rock.

"Just tell them old school jams," he told the musically illiterate reporter, who asked him to describe what that meant.

A daily driver that he uses to get to work and school -- he's majoring in business administration -- Alcantar described his car as "lay and play," a strictly-street car.

Though Hispanic in origin, he said the lowrider culture transcends racial lines.

It's crossing political and geographic boundaries too.

"It's beautiful when another country embraces your culture," Alcantar said, explaining Canada has two chapters of Good Times Car Club.

Japan, he said, is the major importer of General Motors 1978-1987 era rear-wheel, body-on frame models that lend themselves to lowrider customization.

"Some of the most beautiful cars have been shipped to Japan to be seen no more," he said, noting the growth of the lowrider lifestyle is at once happy and sad for him.

For more information, contact Alcantar at 781-6506.