The Chasing Pavement Vintage Automotive Festival held in Mathews Saturday was a success, according to event organizer Mac Casale of Mathews.

More than 25 car clubs were represented in the show, which was a fundraiser for Mathews County’s fire department, rescue squad and sheriff’s office. Some clubs came from as far away as South Carolina and Pennsylvania, said Casale, and a lot of local and regional clubs were also represented. He said the show drew a crowd of around 6,000 spectators, which was "better than expected."

"For a first-time event, I think it went very well," he said. "We got up to 411 cars and then we stopped counting."

While he hadn’t gotten all the bills in yet and couldn’t be sure of the amount raised, Casale said that over $10,000 was collected in spectator tickets on a donation basis. He said he could have made another $15,000 at the gates if he had been allowed to block off Main Street.

"From a safety standpoint, it would have been b...