Glenn Pilgreen and Mike Quinn started Animated Attractions Car Club in 1989 out of their interest in modifying cars.

Since then the club has grown into a tri-state organization with members in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. They began holding an annual show in 1993.

The 18th annual Animated Attractions Slamsession Car Show will be held April 1-3 on the Pitt County Fairgrounds.

The annual event brings close to 950 customized cars, trucks and motorcycles from New York to Florida.

“The number fluctuates depending on the economy,” said Animated Attractions president Rusty Kern.

Kern, 32, has been a member of the club for close to 10 years.

“But I've been hanging around with them since I was 16,” he said.

Kern has spent the last two-and-a-half years modifying a 1993 Chevrolet S-10 truck , pictured on this month's cover.

“Everything on the truck has been touched,” he said.

The club has shifted away from the party atmosphere from years previous towards more a family-friendly event.

“Not something some of our sponsors like too much, but we're going back to our roots,” Kern said.

This year's flyer said that “cruisin' is not beneficial to Slamsession. This is a family-style day show and cruisin' can endanger spectators.”

As such the club has put into place a couple of show laws: no cruising and no “adult” music.

That doesn't mean that the event won't have music or contests. There will be a bikini wet T-shirt contest and Country Boy KT will give a live performance on the ground's stage. A car stereo contest will also be held.

Vehicle contests include Best Overall, Best Truck, Best Car and best-of-in each division.

The club, in the past, has donated some of the proceeds of Slamsession to local charities. Kern said he wasn't sure what organization would be the receiptant this year but said that money would be donated. At Christmas, club members bought $1,500 worth of toys and donated them to Toys for Tots.

Show entry is $35 including drive and passenger, $10 for spectators.

Visit www.animatedattractions.com