We just started a new year, so…like everyone else on the planet, I wanted to pump out a few resolutions to make 2026 another great year.
Some of these are easy, while others are up to random chance—but here are five things I want to see in 2026.
Jerry Sutherland
The first thing I want to see is good weather. Yes, you hear that one every year, but the June 2025 car show circuit was demolished by bad weather. I’m not talking about a few sprinkles of rain.
June was hammered by cold, wet and windy weather that would make monsoon season look like a day at the beach. The results were predictable because shows were postponed until July and they bucked up against other shows.
Nobody wins with that deck of cards.
The second thing I want to see in 2026 are more road warriors.
Maybe it’s the massive increase in bad drivers; maybe it’s the bad weather; maybe it’s the older owners—whatever the reason I’m not seeing the classic iron on the streets like I did five years ago.
Old cars aren’t paintings you hang in a museum. They’re rolling pieces of history, and the key word is rolling. If you don’t drive them—sell them to a guy who will. Preferably to a younger guy who respects what he has and wants to include his family in the fun.
That’s how you grow the hobby—an old car gathering dust in your garage should be a criminal offense.
The third thing I want to see are more car shows.
Sure, it’s going to involve more (and longer) road trips, but the MyStar guys are going to check out some new venues in 2026.
The reason is simple—tap into more events and you tap into local car cultures. Car guys all speak the same language, but there are differences in what they like. For example, urban areas showcase more cars while smaller towns feature more old trucks.
There are millions of old cars in North America—I just want to see more of them in person.
The fourth thing I want to do is take on more road trips. This ties in with reason number three because there’s nothing cooler than arriving at a car show in old iron. You get instant credibility at the event and to be honest—you get great exposure for the MyStarCollectorCar brand.
Car guys test you a little when you start interviewing them because they like smart questions. If you tell a car guy you road-tripped to the show in an old car, you’re immediately part of the brotherhood. That’s priceless.
The fifth and final thing I want to see are more great owner’s stories. I’ve been lucky enough to get some incredible stories over the last 17 years, and I expect the trend to continue in ’26.
That’s because the hobby itself generates so many human-interest stories ranging from deep family connections to a nasty, impossible, basket case project that a guy turned into a show-winning classic. You’ll see some great MyStar owner’s stories in 2026—count on it.
Are these goals achievable? Absolutely…except for the weather.
Jerry Sutherland
By: Jerry Sutherland
Jerry Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer with a primary focus on the collector car hobby. His work has been published in many outlets and publications, including the National Post, Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette, Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Regina Leader-Post, Vancouver Sun and The Truth About Cars. He is also a regular contributor to Auto Roundup Publications.
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