How many people name their vehicles, talk to them while they drive, or treat them like babies?
My guess, most of you. If so, then you would fit right in with the Artesia Car Enthusiasts (ACE). The ACE Club, like most great ideas, is tied directly to family and the notion that improvement reaps benefits. Dorothy and Frank Hammond founded the Club in 1998, submitting their own stable of automobiles for admiration as the germinal seeds for the organization and, more importantly, the paradigm for future transportation-centered devotees to follow. Their dedication to the Club and its growth evolved quickly. The first Artesia Car Show was organized and open to the public by 1999. To say that Dorothy and Frank were ambitious is an understatement.
Drive forward to 2026: Main Event Car Show and Cruise now boasts a two-day festival, includes over 50 awards, a decade specific cruise, food trucks, and promise of good time. About five years ago, ACE joined forces with the Artesia Chamber of Commerce to help the event expand even further. The partnership was a natural one—the Chamber brought its expertise in event planning, while ACE brought the cars—creating a family-friendly tradition focused on growth, collaboration, and quality of life.
Rome was not built in a day, and ACE was not either. Dorothy and Frank’s efforts were the building blocks of something special: a show that included a record 253 automobiles in one year and is now celebrating its 27th anniversary. It was all put into motion by a tenacious couple with a simultaneous and interwoven dream for the community and their family. So, while time, technology, and society have changed, ACE is still based and run by a dozen couples who cherish their time together and adore helping and interacting with the community.
Many might call ACE members Stephen and Zilda Brindeiro automobile aficionados, but for them, cars are far more than steel and rubber—they are living connections to family, history, and shared purpose. Each vehicle carries a story across generations, like the 1929 Dodge DA Coupe Stephen restored after acquiring it from relatives. It was an achievement that not only returned the car to running condition but sparked a multi-generational family dialogue and a lasting partnership with his wife.
This story, like all good stories, does not end here. It is just the beginning. Shara Hammond and her husband Marvin joined the club in 2018. But “joined” might be the wrong word. Frank and Dorothy are their great uncle and aunt, and Shara is the new president of the organization. So, “inherited” is more accurate. Terry Todd passed the torch in 2025, and true to Frank and Dorothy’s form, Shara is not sitting on her historical family laurels. She projects another record-breaking year of entries and states, “Every year gets better and better.”
So, whether you love cars, want an excuse to walk around our beautiful community, or just want food truck fare, ask yourself, “What was your first car?” Then, tell that story to your kids. They remember more than you think.
Article written by Dr. Jonathan M. Wilson and originally published in Focus on Artesia 2026 Spring edition.
Dr. Jonathan M. Wilson
Dr. Jonathan M. Wilson is the Dean of Teaching and Learning and an Associate Professor of English at Southeast New Mexico College. He holds a PhD in English Studies from the University of Texas at Arlington with emphases in 19th and 20th century American Literature, Rhetoric and Writing, and Literary Theory and a specialization in Native American Literature(s). He completed his BA and MA in English Studies at Eastern New Mexico University. Courses taught include Professional and Technical Writing, Rhetoric and Writing, Writing in the Humanities and Social Sciences with emphasis on American Culture and Society, and Narrative Theory and Discourse. As Dean, he manages, evaluates, and implements assessment practices and processes, fosters a culture of reflection, and advocates and provides professional development opportunities for faculty.
