SODA SPRINGS — The 27th annual Pizza Run Car Show on Saturday at City Park offered more than a showcase of beautifully restored classic cars.

Each vehicle carries a history that represents connection: husbands and wives united by vintage automobiles, brothers working together, sons honoring late fathers, and fathers and sons bonding over laborious restorations.

These classic masterpieces on wheels are more than mechanical machinery. They are tributes to love, legacy and priceless memories — a sentiment that extends even to the car show itself. The Pizza Run is an annual memorial to local car enthusiast Matt "Pizza" Lindsay, who died at age 20 in a crash.

For many families, restoring cars has become a tradition passed down through generations.

The Liechty family of Soda Springs exemplifies this trend. Carson Liechty says the work spent restoring these cars is priceless.

"My dad started it all," Carson said. "We spent our childhood riding in a classic 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air going to car shows and cruises. Cars were a major part of my upbringing."

Carson said the memories of talking shop, getting hands dirty, laughing and learning are invaluable. It's a passion he has shared with his own sons to keep the tradition alive.

Similarly, Jared Shelton of Soda Springs was born into loving the automobile atmosphere, first beginning by sweeping the floors of his father's auto body shop. Jared learned step by step as his family consistently collected and revived old vehicles. Jared spent time with his son Tyler from age 3, traveling throughout Oregon for car club events and shows.

When Jared was 16, he took a 1978 Ford F-150 from his grandfather and rebuilt the entire truck. He sold it to pay for his church mission and regrets not keeping the vehicle. Those shared moments have now been passed down through three generations of Shelton men.

Tyler's passion for cars influenced his decision to become a certified mechanic and turn his affection for automobiles into a career.

While some families bond over shared restoration projects, others find classic cars offer a way to honor loved ones. Justin Hansen of Soda Springs found that entering his father's car in the Pizza Run Car Show was a way to remember his dad. Former Soda Springs Mayor Kirk Hansen always dreamed of owning a Chevrolet Corvette. Only after Justin's mother passed away did Kirk finally decide to buy one — part midlife crisis and part therapy. Driving helped clear Kirk's mind and the Corvette gave him something to enjoy during a difficult time.

After Kirk died, Justin chose to buy the car from his family.

"I'm glad I did. It helps remind me of him," Justin said. "He never did enter his car in a car show."

Justin feels entering the Corvette in the car show is a tribute not just to the automobile, but to the man who once owned it.

But it's not just fathers and sons who share this passion. Classic cars create bonds between husband and wife. Clearly men aren't the only ones enjoying the restoration process.

Kris Higgins of Montpelier made a deal to buy her aunt's 1964 Ford Mustang. It was the first year Ford made the Mustang model and the car Kris bought is one of the few that still has the original 260 motor in working condition.

"It was a deal made between women," Kris said, referring to her aunt. "My husband and his brother worked together to restore it, even though he kept saying how much he hated to work on cars. Every nut and bolt are new. They took it right down to the frame."

The color required a special mix from Japan. When the 2011 tsunami hit Japan, the Higgins had to wait much longer to finish the paint job.

Steve and Kris Higgins say the Pizza Run Car Show provides an incredible environment to showcase classics like their Mustang. They aren't the only ones who make the drive to Soda Springs for the annual automobile extravaganza.

The Soda Springs event draws auto enthusiasts from across the region.

Tana and Chad Checkettes, regulars at their hometown Preston City Car Show, say the Soda Springs event always makes it onto their calendar.

"Growing up, the rumble of a classic truck was the soundtrack of my childhood," Chad said. "There's just something about the feel of the road beneath those vintage tires. It's more than a ride — it's a connection to a different era and simpler time."

Tana and Chad share a passion for restoring old beauties. It's their way of bonding as a couple and creating something timeless together.

Whether attending the Pizza Run Car Show in June, the Bear Lake Car Show in July or the Preston City Car Show in August, taking time to not just see the vintage masterpieces of bygone eras but to hear the stories behind them is worthwhile.

The cars carry amazing tales that are as inspiring as they are endearing.