PONTIAC, Mich. – Every year for the past nine years, enthusiasts around the country have been asked to participate in some sort of automotive event on “Collector Car Appreciation Day,” a special date set aside to celebrate the hobby. It’s an idea fostered by SEMA, its Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO) and the Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA).

This year’s annual Collector Car Appreciation Day fell on July 13, 2018, and to mark the occasion, a massive, free, Friday night cruise-in was set up at the M1 Concourse in Pontiac, Michigan, located right off Woodward Avenue in suburban Detroit. Called the 3rd Annual Cruis’News / M1 Concourse “Cruise the Concourse Automobile Extravaganza,” the event invited all years, makes and models of collector cars to come to the sprawling M1 facility for an evening of showing off cool rides and the chance to win door prizes and possibly a trophy.

The M1 Concourse has become a big enthusiast venue in Southeast Michigan as a place where car owners can enjoy their passion for all things automotive and motorsports by having their own private “car condo” garage surrounded by other enthusiasts, plus on-site repair and restoration shops, restaurants and even a performance track. Champion Motor Speedway is a 1.5-mile road course that serves as the central feature of the complex. Other facilities there include a multi-purpose outdoor event arena with a 2.5 acre skid-pad, and covered event spaces that can accommodate groups of 500 people.

As you might expect, our roving car-show photographer, Ford marketing retiree Bill Cook, attended the event and took photos of the cars on display there while seeking out all of the notable Fords that he found in attendance. He’s agreed to let us share some of our favorites from his photo shoot with you in the gallery below:

FORD PERFORMANCE PHOTOS / COURTESY BILL COOK