SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – It will be hard to beat.

This year’s International Route 66 Mother Road Festival is the biggest they’ve had in 25 years — just two cars shy of 1,500 were entered in any of 70 different classes.

“These judges had a tough time, picking the best of the best,” said Greg Cooper, show promoter. “That’s what this is all about:  awarding all those people who came from all across the country.”

Cooper says between the car show, a Blackhawk helicopter flyover, a Cozy Dog eating competition, and other activities, it’s like there was a thrill a minute every time he turned around.

But what about trying to fit all those cars into downtown Springfield?  That was a task in itself, with parts of 14 downtown blocks closed for the show.

“I used to run a promotion company in Indianapolis, where we’d go to cities and we’d have to pull teeth,” said Shane McDermith, show general manager.  “In Springfield, they come to us and say, ‘What do you need, and we’ll see if you can make it work.  This year, we needed more asphalt because we knew we were going to have 400 more cars the way the registration was going.”

The festival wrapped up with an awards ceremony for the vehicles in those 70 classes.  Organizers say they hope to have more than 1,500 cars next year.