Salem Super Cruise

07/06/2026

It's inevitable...

About this time every year we all look to the weather predictions during the four days of the Salem Super Cruise. Personally I've been scanning extended forecasts for weeks, knowing any forecast beyond a day or two is really meteorological guesswork. This time of year in this part of Ohio means a chance of rain exists almost every day. With early summer heating comes an increased chance of afternoon thunderstorms.

I'm kind of philosophical about the whole thing. Yes, I don't like my cars getting wet but my cars have been wet before sometime in their lifetime. One more rainy day won't hurt it.

I have left home on sunny skies over my garage only to find a wall of 'wet death' over my chosen path to a car event. I can either turn around and go back home or trundle on hoping that dark cloud above is just fooling around. It's 50-50 what I might do. For me rainy weather is a double sided sword. I hate cleaning my cars but love to make the dirty go way and make the car shine again. FYI...that's my plan for today, clean up a car that I last drove home in the rain after a show I attended. I have to be ready just like ya'll do.

Almost every SSC has experienced some rainfall but in all these years I can remember only one year being truly bad. I sat in the Pershing Street lot where at any given time we had no more that 7-10 cars parked there. Ironically, because of contractual obligations the DJ had to play music all day long...to an almost empty lot. That particular Saturday was one of those "cow peeing on a flat rock" days.

The bright spot in all the above doom and gloom is that no day, except for that one, has been a total washout. Keep in mind all that late afternoon rain comes, well, in the afternoon. Usually later in the day. Come early if you can and enjoy yourself. My advice is if it threatens rain just stay put because the rain will stop. If you've decided it's time to leave because the clouds are building you've waited too long...rain will catch you before you get home. Now you have road grime to clean whereas, if you stuck it out through the rain, you only have to towel off your car. I wait for the roads to dry before I leave if possible.

I went to a show in Steubenville one time. Usually it was a big turnout but it rained because that same cow pee'd on a different rock...in Steubenville. 33 cars turned out and they were giving away 35 trophies. About an hour after the cow began peeing the DJ announced "everybody come pick up a trophy, we're calling it a day". I proudly display that trophy along with the others I've been fortunate to have won. I don't tell anybody about that cow.

06/06/2026

I wish to apologize...
..for the error I made in my posting the Wall of Death's location. I received the information, which I write down 'word for word', and shared that information 'word for word' with you.

There is currently only ONE Goodwill store location in Salem and that is in the Salem Plaza on the city's east side. I was not told the OLD Goodwill location.

It was an unintentional mistake, not of my making, that seems to have opened a can of worms for which I have been drug through the coals for making.

To Brandon Mohr and his sponsors, I apologize.

Send a message to learn more

05/06/2026

CORRECTION...CORRECTION...CORRECTION.

Mea culpa....

Because of a miscommunication I wrongly said the Wall of Death was going to be at the new Goodwill store at the Salem Plaza on the east side It will REALLY be held at the OLD Goodwill location on Broadway across from the police station that sits on the corner of Pershing and Broadway.

05/06/2026

NEW ATTRACTION...

State Street Tattoo, a longtime supporter of the Salem Super Cruise, has chosen to bring something new, different, and exciting to the event.

It's called many names but when cruise director Brian May called me up and told me the "Wall of Death is coming" I knew exactly what he meant. Dare devils riding motorcycles in a confined enclosure at breakneck speeds. I can ride but not like that!! Not even in my wild and tumultuous stage of life would I have considered doing this!

State Street Tattoo stepped up and is bringing this attraction to the SSC at no cost to the cruise or the city. Kudos to them.

Plans are still being confirmed but with the Cruise just days away any issues will be resolved quickly.

As it stands now the event will take place behind the OLD Goodwill Industries store on Broadway, downtown. Shows will begin on the hour, on the hour, Friday and Saturday. It's FREE to watch, also courtesy of State Street Tattoo.

Now that's worth cruising seeing.

***Photo represents a type of Wall of Death

02/06/2026

Sam Brown Dodge...Salem, Ohio

In the late 1960s Dodge Division produced and marketed a car specifically for the D/Stock class in NHRA competition. Remember those? Only 50 of those cars were produced by Dodge specifically targeted for that class.

It was a lightweight Dodge Dart with a 273ci motor producing 275 horsepower. Lots of options could not be had in the car to help with weight reduction. Back in the day there were rumors that one of those cars roamed the streets of Salem although I never saw it.

I do know that Sam Brown owned one and walked the walk, campaigning one for the 1966 season at Quaker City.

I'm vague on how many years they campaigned that car but it came up for sale just after I graduated high school...listed as 'no warranty' on it. I wanted that car!! I asked Dad to co-sign for me and he refused because, well you know, it's an ex-drag racer with no warranty. Don't know what might have been but I do know as I got older, my dad got smarter. Now I look back and I think "what was I thinking?".

31/05/2026

Back in the day...

Back in the late 1960's, cruising State Street in Salem, Ohio was a happening. Be there or be square seemed to be the attitude. True, cruising was a thing in most every city, but the streets of Youngstown lacked the intimacy and atmosphere the smaller town of Salem provided. I knew many Youngstowners that came to Salem For me and my girlfriend/drink holder, spending almost every Friday/Saturday summer night in Salem was expected. When the sun went down we usually went to the Salem Drive-In to 'watch' the movie. That's another story.

I always compare the atmosphere in Salem to that depicted in 'American Grafitti', minus four lane. FYI...that movie was filmed in Petaluma, California, not Modesto, as many claim. The atmosphere of AG was alive and well in Salem in the late '60s/early '70s.

As I've gotten older, and I'm not complaining about that because it's a privilege denied to many, I seemed to have forgotten how much fun cruising was when the sun went down. Last year I went home before dark as I somehow felt I had to do but came back and enjoyed nighttime cruising just like way back when.

Growing old is mandatory but growing up is not. I am and always will be 'lost in the 60's'.

FYI...my girlfriend/cupholder is now the wife and still holds my cup.

30/05/2026

Rules and regulations...

Salem is first and foremost a city in Ohio. That being said it's worth noting that like any city there are laws and ordinances that must be followed. Some of those rules and ordinances come not only from city council but the state of Ohio as well. The city has to follow state laws as well.

Many of those attending assume just because the Salem Super Cruise exists then all rules somehow disappear as if riding through town shooting it up like TV westerns is somehow okay. That's not true and we all know it.

I get many comments claiming Salem's cops are overzealous in enforcing laws because "I saw.....". Yes our cops will issue citations if the circumstances require it. Our cops, like every cop in existence, also has the option of NOT issuing a citation and letting the offender off with a warning. I myself have witnessed that happening. No...not personally...but I did witness cops pulling people over, walk up to the driver's window and say "don't do that again, be safe" and that was it!

Doing a burnout in traffic is inherently dangerous because none of us are as good a driver as we think we are. That's the truth. Numerous videos exist on YT showing what happens when one of us 'not as good as we think we are' drivers loses control. More than once, I've seen drivers almost rear end the car in front of them. Let your cammed up idle and throaty exhaust speak about your car's power. Tire wear is a dumb way to do the same thing.

Don't roll coal. Salem has a specific ordinance banning that. I mean, really, rolling coal and blowing soot on people is just dumb. What if a child in a stroller is right at the end of your exhaust pipe when you do that. You think it's cool? You're not. Be childish somewhere else, not at the SSC.

We cruised back in the day and obeyed the laws and had fun anyway. Just be good and you'll have no problems.

30/05/2026

Parking around town...

We all know getting into the municipal lot on Pershing can be difficult at times. For the record, I am a victim of that as well. If I go cruising and come back, I will be turned away too, if that parking lot is full.

Most businesses will allow cruisers to park in their parking lots but that privilege comes with responsibilities. Remember that business may be open so park as far away from the doors as you can. Be respectful and don't think "I can squeeze one more in" because if you're justifying parking that way that lot is already full. It would be nice if cruisers purchased something, especially if it's a food place. I always buy something. Finally if you do utilize a business' parking lot when you leave....CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELF!! I can't stress that enough, no matter where you park. I have cleaned up garbage that wasn't mine so be like me...not like the person that left it there. If asked to leave, do so, and be polite about it. Please.

Spots will be open along State Street in the downtown area so feel free to use them.

There are many opportunities to see the SSC from different perspectives. I see someone I know along the cruise route and I stop and swap lies with them.

Good times.