American Beauty Car Show (ABCS) takes its beginning from 2001. Event will celebrate its 15th anniversary next year as well as making an effort to grow from year to year.

ABCS takes place in July in a small town on the west side of Estonia — Haapsalu. Event consists of three main parts: exhibition inside medieval castle, parade around the city and drag race.

Haapsalu during the weekend is possibly the most exciting town to visit in Europe. Streets are full of V8 rumble, non-american cars are even not allowed to enter the old town, everywhere you look you find an automotive jewel from 60’s America. Dragsters, hotrods are just parked in the street.

EXHIBITION

Here owners from all over Baltic States snd Scandinavia compete for fame and glory. Cars are washed and polished and then washed and polished again.

If you’re lucky, you can agree with some owners about photographing their car. Me and my friend and colleague Deniss Podnebess were lucky and got our hands on unique Stingray Corvette C2.

Road legal, 1000hp engine, does 200mph from a standing mile.

I love these spontaneous photoshoots when you don’t have time to prepare, car owner is in a hurry, etc. No time for procrastinating. I remember this day: Kimmo (owner) needed to go and make tests before drag racing, weather was more that +30 degrees, asphalt was literary sticking to my feet and knees while photographing.

PARADE

Parade is the most awaited part of the event by all guests of the city. It happens few hours before the drag race. Basically there is one road that leads from castle to the airfield and every exhibit and all the campers go there on their own 4 wheels.

Should I add that the whole pilgrimage is accompanied with burnouts from almost every participant.

This parade and event in whole is a big and cheery celebration of american culture.

Parade usually lasts one hour. After everybody go to the racetrack and enjoy proper 1/4 mile drag race.

DRAG RACE

Apart from traditional estonian drag racing championship this competition is only for american builts.

Classes are divided between stock-ish cars, heavily tuned vehicles and proper Outlaw dragsters.

This year they even tried to put a proper 3000hp Pro-mod Dodge Viper, but without a proper glued racetrack it was very dangerous to put all the power down. Evening before the race pilots were playing cards and the loser had to drive the dragster first.

In the end pro-mod made a huge 100m burnout from where it was already understandable that there’s absolutely no grip in the tires.

Many pilots who already don’t race in Estonia come only to participate in this event.

With this, another successful year of ABCS was finished. Find more at www.facebook.com/wheelsbywovka