St. Ignace Car Show 2009 guest of honor and automotive writer Ken Gross stands with his 1932 Ford Roadster, which, in 2007, was named one of the top 75 '32 Ford Hot Rods of all time. Mr. Gross will join former "Dukes of Hazzard" star John Schneider to host the annual St. Ignace Car Show Thursday, June 25, Friday, June 26, and Saturday, June 27. (Photograph by Rebecca Kelley) Hot rod historian and writer Ken Gross will be traveling to St. Ignace Wednesday, June 24, after receiving the International Automotive Media's lifetime achievement award from a group of automotive writers Tuesday at the Automotive Hall of Fame in Detroit.

"When someone gives you a lifetime achievement award, you start to think, well, maybe this is it," Mr. Gross said. "I still feel I have a lot more to accomplish and a lot further to go."

He visited the St. Ignace car show a number of years ago, he said, and really enjoyed the people and the atmosphere and is happy to return and help host the 34th Annual St. Ignace Car Show as one of the two guests of honor.

"It's charming," Mr. Gross said. "I like the idea of a show where the entire community is involved and everyone can go to it. You're right in the middle of it all."

Mr. Gross said he looks forward to seeing friends from Michigan and talking cars with fellow "gear-heads."

"It's always interesting to see how a show evolves," he said. "In St. Ignace, I have a chance to see cars I haven't seen and meet people I don't know."

Mr. Gross will be a featured speaker alongside actor and musician John Schneider during a V.I.P. Brunch at 10:30 a.m. Friday, June 26, at St. Ignace Middle School. Attendance for this event is by invitation only.

As somebody who lived through that era and still looks back on it fondly, Mr. Gross said he can talk about the '50s and nostalgia with unique, first-person knowledge.

"People seem to enjoy the stories and the enthusiasm," he said. "That's something I look forward to."

Although he won't be able to drive one of his classic cars to the show this year, he said he would love to bring his 1932 Ford Roadster with a supercharged flathead engine and authentic vintage parts. The car was picked as one of 75 cars representing different elements of the '32 Ford for its 75th anniversary.

"It would be fun to bring," Mr. Gross said. "I'll go out and enjoy everybody else's cars."

Mr. Gross said he would likely write about his experience at St. Ignace in his hot-rod column for Old Cars Weekly.

His interest in cars stems from a wealthy neighbor who owned an MG and took him for rides, and let him help clean the car every Saturday.

"I was fascinated with that car," Mr. Gross said. "It didn't look like anything else on the road."

Soon after, he picked up his first copy of Road and Track in May 1954 and Hot Rod Magazine shortly thereafter. His parents let him buy his first car at 15, and he worked on it in his grandmother's garage.

"It just mushroomed from there," Mr. Gross said.

After working as an advertising copy writer, he began copy editing and writing for various car magazines in the '70s and early '80s. In 1986, he kissed his last steady paycheck goodbye and became a freelance writer.

Since then, he has held distinguished positions including Playboy's auto editor, award-winning columnist for Automotive Industries, and a writer for Street Rodder Magazine, Road & Track, AutoWeek, and many more.

Mr. Gross said he looks forward to his second visit to the St. Ignace Car Show, the cars he'll see, and the people he'll meet.

"At least once, I'll go to St. Ignace," he said. "I hope I can inspire some other people to do that, too."