Car show opens to benefit wounded servicemembers

This 1939 Lincoln Zephyr is just one of the classic and muscle cars on display this weekend at the D.C. National Guard Armory. The swap meet benefits local, wounded servicemembers. (WTOP/Thomas Warren)
CBS NFL Today host James Brown's 1969 Chevy Camaro. (WTOP/Thomas Warren)
Cruzerz Unlimited Inc. motorcycles at the Unity Thunder Car Show. (WTOP/Thomas Warren)
A 1956 Chevy Bel Air at the Unity Thunder Car Show. (WTOP/Thomas Warren)
Members of the Unity Thunder Car Club, who are hosting the car show. (WTOP/Thomas Warren)
A 1939 Lincoln Zephyr at the Unity Thunder Car Show. (WTOP/Thomas Warren)
A Pro Street Camaro designed with a Sharpie pen by "Pinstripe Chris" Dunlop at the Unity Thunder Car Show. (WTOP/Thomas Warren)
Cars lined up for the Unity Thunder Car Show in D.C. (WTOP/Thomas Warren)
A 1962 Chevy C-10 at the Unity Thunder Car Show. (WTOP/Thomas Warren)
U.S. Navy Staff Sgt. Jaddod Davenport and his Captain America-themed motorcycle. (WTOP/Thomas Warren)
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WASHINGTON – It’s a classic, muscle car-lovers’ dream this weekend at the D.C. National Guard Armory.

The 5th Annual Car Show and Swap Meet will run from Feb. 28 through March 2 with proceeds benefiting wounded servicemembers and their families in the D.C. area.

More than 140 cars from 1923 to 1980 cover the gym floor inside the Armory. The star of the room could be the gray and black Pro Street Camaro – designed with a sharpie pen.

Organizers hope all of the vintage cars will draw huge crowds.

“Driving a vehicle up here could be a benefit to the military and what they do in this county for the support they’ve given us for our freedom,” says Ron Pemberton, member of the Unity Thunder Car Club – the event hosts.

One of those wounded servicemembers who benefited from the outreach is Navy officer Jarrod Davenport. He has served in the Navy for 24 years including six deployments. He suffered head, back and shoulder injuries during a deployment to Iraq in 2011. He’ll retire from the military later this year with two college degrees.

“I graduate this summer from Ivy Tech Community College. And Colorado Technical University I graduate Summa Cum Laude in December,” he says.

Car enthusiast and famed sportscaster James Brown lent his decked out 1969 Chevy Camaro for the cause. He says the event is the least that can be done to help those returning home from war.

“When they came back and are faced with challenges about how to make ends meet. Those are real world things, so we wanted to take it beyond just lip service and be doing something,” Brown says.

Show hours are from 2 to 9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. General admission is $10 and children under 12 enter for free. Tickets will be available for purchase at the door.

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