Kandi’s Birthday Bash

Photos & Story by Joe Secka

KANDI’S BIRTHDAY BASH - 2020

Photos and Story by Joe Secka

If you haven’t made it down to Ashland to help celebrate Kandi’s Birthday Bash, you are really missing out on something special. This was a car cruise-in with a pinup contest, burlesque exhibition, a shop open house with live music by the ‘80s rock band Bad JUJU. There were dash plaques, raffle items, a 50/50 and lots of festivities! Proceeds from this event went to the National Pancreas Foundation. The evening wound down with a Moonlight Cruise through downtown Ashland. The spacious grounds provided plenty of parking for the cruisers and spectators alike. It was a great mix of vehicles with some interesting displays. The pinup contest winner was crowned Miss Bombshell Blaze followed by a special performance by the Fort Wayne Bombshells Burlesque ladies.

This event was originally scheduled for April, on Kandi’s birthday, but the Covid-19 issues moved it to September. Kandi is a born gear head, published pin up, car enthusiast, writer, and shop co/owner, manager, and, yes, a body tech to boot! From pin up dresses and petticoats when she co-hosts events as a special guests, to blue jeans and work shirts when in the shop or teaching at an event, Kandi and her team can build it if you can dream it.

When Kandi was eight, her parents gave her a secondhand yellow banana seat bike. She bugged her dad to paint it hot pink with black pinstripes. He told her if he showed her how to sand and prep it for paint, and she did all the work, he would paint it her hot pink and put black pinstripes down it. That was just the beginning. Kandi has struggled with serious health issues as a high-risk autoimmune COPD but has fought back with a fierceness that has to be admired. She goes on to operate Kandi’s Rods & Kustoms with her husband, firefighter Rob McCrea. Their shop has become a place where other women are introduced into learning the automotive trades. At the dragstrip, Kandi can be seen racing her Chevy Nova down the track and generally promoting the hot rod hobby in any way she can.

I was not able to make it down for the 2021 event, but I highly recommend this one for all of you gearheads out there. It is a blast for sure! This show is well worth considering for your 2022 plans.

That’s all I have - Joe

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