By RORY MOORE
Tiger Media Network
Hays is a community known for its easy-going lifestyle and welcoming atmosphere, attracting tourists from around the country. Its small-town status makes it ideal for a relaxing trip away from the chaotic hustle and bustle of big-city life. On Friday night, however, that small-town quietness was interrupted by the revving of loud engines that echoed through town as a line of classic cars paraded through the community to mark a yearly tradition.
Thunder on the Plains parades through Downtown Hays. 
A Mercury 100 leads the way through Main Street. 
A 1951 Ford F-100. 
A 1958 Chevy Apache Fleetside. 
Onlookers watch the Cruise Night roll through town. 
The driver of a 1962 Buick Special does a burnout for admirers by the Hays Aquatic Park. 
Drivers arrive at Hays Municipal Park. 
Driving to the site of the car show. 
Park for observation and judging. 
The interior of the Ford F-100 sporting a dream catcher. 
A furry passenger waits patiently as his companions park their Chevy C/K pickup. 
A 1970 Chevy Chevelle SS. 
Jennie Lee Bettes entered the Thunder on the Plains car show with her 2009 Saturn Sky as a dream come true.
The 10th Thunder on the Plains Car, Truck and Cycle show took place at Municipal Park over the weekend, where older vehicles were restored for display alongside newer muscle cars and motorcycles. The event was founded by Rod Roy and Mike Hertel to allow car enthusiasts to showcase the aesthetics of their vehicles and raise funds for local charities.
This year’s Thunder on the Plains began with Cruise Night on June 13, where owners drove their cars from Big Creek Crossing through Downtown Hays before parking at Municipal Park for the car show on June 14.
One of the owners, Jennie Lee Bettes, entered the car show with her 2009 Saturn Sky, which was a dream come true for her as she battles pancreatic cancer.
“On my bucket list is for me to enter my very first car show,” she said. “This means so much to me because I’ve wanted this for a long time. I’m gonna go through some serious chemo on the 25th of this month, so I’m glad I got to do this because I wouldn’t have been able to do this.”
Bettes made her experience possible with the help of her boyfriend, John Leiker, and Thunder on the Plains executives.
“They’ve been so awesome,” she said. “They made it possible to complete my bucket list with their hospitality and generosity. I thank them 1,000 times because it’s unbelievable the things they’ve done for me. I drove from the Oklahoma Cancer Center in Oklahoma City yesterday so I could make it to the cruise. It means that much to me.”
The Thunder on the Plains Car Show takes place at Hays Municipal Park. 
A 1966 Ford Mustang Golf Cart. 
A 1932 Ford 3-Window Coupe with a Chevrolet motor. 
The engine of a Ford Mustang. 
Customized and restored cars on display in front of Fort Hays Tech North Central. 
A 2009 Chevy Corvette Z06. 
Admirers of old cars. 
A Chevy C/K pickup sporting a small American flag. 
Motorcycles displayed alongside cars. 
An onlooker observes the interior of a Ford Custom. 
Two attendees admire a 1969 Plymouth Barracuda. 
A raffle giving away various items. 
The Make-A-Wish foundation gives young Kinley a trip to Hawaii. 
Thunder on the Plains awards various organizations, like Community Assistance Center, for their support on the car show. 
Hays Mayor Sandy Jacobs awarded her choice to Charlie Dehaan who brought his 1932 Ford 3-Window Coupe. 
Gary Schartz won the 2025 EMS Choice for his 1936 International C-1. 
The Mark Lang Memorial Nomad Award is given to Steve Clark for his 1961 Chevy Impala. 
Stan Schulz won the 2025 Best of Show Car award for his 1968 Camaro SS, a car he most restored himself.
All cars were parked next to each other for observation by judges, who selected award winners based on make, paint, engine and interior. Special awards were given by local departments such as EMS, police, fire and Mayor Sandy Jacobs.
Stan Schulz of McPherson, won the Best of Show Car award for his 1968 Chevy Camaro SS.
“It’s a great feeling,” he said. “When you get the top award over 149 other cars at the show, that’s a good showing. My Camaro is a 396 big-block car, and it’s restored to originality. I did a lot of it, but I had other guys work on it, like the bodywork, paintwork, some of the interior and recovering the front seat. I’d say it was over $50,000 overall.”
The awards included the top 40 and Best of Show awards for truck, motorcycle, tractor, paint, engine, interior and project.
“I’m amazed by what the community is doing for us,” Roy said. “You can’t say enough about what they’ve given for everything we’ve raised. I can’t believe how people are supporting us, and it keeps getting bigger and bigger. It’s heartwarming to see, and it makes you want to do more.”
150 cars were entered into the car show.
“The rain slowed us down this year,” Roy said. “A lot of the die-hards came out to support this through that, and we were very pleased.”
Roy notes how Thunder on the Plains is synonymous with the compassionate culture that characterizes Hays.
“Hays supports organizations like this,” he said. “There are good people in this town, and it’s good to see that support come out to this.”