12th annual event features over 100 cars, and one boat, to benefit school’s auto program and SYV Youth Rec
Attendees to the 12th annual Pirate Garage Car Show on Saturday, March 15, got to see over 100 classic, vintage cars and also even some that are a little newer.
And they also saw something there that wasn’t an automobile: a sleek-looking racing boat brought by Jordan Endler of Santa Ynez. In addition to running his pool-cleaning business, Action Pool & Spa, Endler competes in the National Jet Boat Association, where he has won the high points title in Super Eliminators in 2023 and 2024, and was runner-up in Pro Comp Flat high points in 2024.
“It’s got a motor, and it makes noise, so I figured it would fit in here,” said Endler, who dubs his craft Bad Medicine. “It’s TR2 Flat Bottom, and I’ve had it for 15 years.”
Despite having the boat that long, he actually only started racing it in 2020.
“My dad got me into this and then I started racing and struggled a little bit, but then we hit our stride,” said Endler, who’s actually taking the year off from regular racing to concentrate on his pool business.
Endler’s boat was one of an estimated 116 entries, according to Gary Semerdjian, the head of Santa Ynez High’s automotive studies.
“It’s a little low this year because of the rain we’ve been having and some people not knowing if it would be clear today or not,” he said. “We usually get about 156-160 in a typical show, but this is still a good turnout. We have one that camefrom Camarillo, a couple from Arroyo Grande and one from Pismo Beach.”
Semerdjian said the show benefits the SYHS Pirate Garage, where the school’s automotive studies classes are held, and Santa Ynez Valley Youth Rec.
“The entry fees go to the program, the T-shirts sales go to the program, and then we let Youth Rec do a 50-50 raffle andthey keep the proceeds from that,” he said.
In fact, Semerdjian had a chance to honor Frank Kelsey of SYV Youth Rec, as well as Doug Riedy, Pete Thompson, and DJ Dunn for their contributions to the car show and the community over the years, presenting all with personalized drinking cups.
The car show was not only a chance to admire all kinds of vehicles, but also to talk shop with some of the owners, get Pirate Garage shirts and other merchandise, listen to music spun by DJ Peetey, and go to the food truck from Rudy’s Mexican Restaurant to get some lunch.
While SYHS’s automotive department was the host of the show, it was not the only local school represented: Cabrillo High School’s Motorsports program brought a red 1965 Ford Mustang.
“Every year, we get one old car and get it fixed up, it’s our project,” said Gabe Martin, representing the CHS program, which is supervised by Chris Moldt. “It’s great to be here. Shows like this are good for reminding people we need automotive education in our schools, and programs like Santa Ynez’s and ours keep it going.”
Next to the Mustang stood a small car recognized by old Disney movie fans: The white #53 Volkswagen Beetle, known as Herbie, the star of “The Love Bug” and all its sequels.
Faridi Sherieff of Santa Ynez was the owner of that car and explained how he had come to restore and decorate the car with his son Zaeden, a freshman at SYHS.
“I actually bought the car already in the ‘Herbie’ style so I had a project to do with my son during the pandemic,” Sherieff said. “I grew up in the ’60s, so I painted the sides with images from that time, like the Beatles for instance. I did want to put something in there for Zaeden, for something he liked, so I put an image of a car being driven by ALF.”
