Olivia Love
Staff Writer
Ten years ago, ISU’s College of Technology started what would grow into one of the most beloved events in Pocatello – Chrome in the Dome.
The show is put on to raise money for students to attend national and state conferences through a student organization called “SKILLS USA – Automotive.”
Over the decade, Russ Butler, coordinator and instructor of auto collision repair and refinishing, has watched the event grow and become more popular.
“The most surprising thing is how quickly the show fills up. The first year we started we were really anxious and didn’t know how successful it would be,” Butler said. “It took about two and a half months to fill the spots. Now, that has changed so much that we fill the show in two days.”
People from Utah to California race to reserve spots for their cars in the show. In addition, the students in the college are going to have the chance to feature one of their own restoration project cars.
On top of the array of unique cars presented at the show, there will be two celebrity appearances: Charley Hutton and Ed ‘The Outlaw’ Jones.
Hutton was a shop supervisor on the Discovery Channel’s series “American Hot Rod” and Jones is celebrating 40 years of drag racing at the event. Both are going to be at the show signing autographs throughout the weekend.
Trevor Pickens, the program’s SKILLS USA president, said, “It’s really family oriented this year, with the cosmetology program being there face painting the kids.”
Aside from being an exciting, family-friendly car show, the proceeds from Chrome in the Dome help provide opportunities for students within the automotive program.
“It has funded so many good things for the students, which they have then turned around and given back to the community” Butler said.
From donating to the food bank to providing children winter coats, this car show not only provides technical opportunities for the students, but also gives them the means to give back to the Pocatello community.
Prior to Chrome in the Dome, there had not been a car show in Holt Arena for 18 years. Now the event has turned into the largest car show in the southeastern area of Idaho and each year is different from the last.
“Sure, there are cars that are there year after year, but out of the 150 cars, there are at least 100 new cars,” Butler said.
The goal is to make it different than any other car show. Reserving a spot in the show is first-come-first-serve so coordinators cannot control whether there will be a repeat car, but they try to bring in cars that have yet to make an appearance at the event.
Chrome in the Dome will take place at Holt Arena on Friday, March 18 from 2 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, March 19 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission is $5 per adult and children 12 and under are free. This family event will feature over 135 cars as well as 25 motorcycles.
