Ratrodtober
OCtober 11, 2025
McKinney, Texas
CAMERA: Fujifilm XE-5
Exactly one year ago from the day of this shoot, I was on foot getting to know McKinney as a new resident of the DFW area. During my walk, I was surprised to see a rusty VW buss pass me up, followed by a gang of motorcycle riders. They were heading in the opposite direction I was walking. Eventually,I found where they were leaving from: an old flour mill-turned-brewery with cartoonish, rusty pieces of junk invading the parking lot. What I walked into was a show called “Ratrodtober” at Tupps Brewery, a car show that celebrates rat rods and the people who build them. As a car enthusiast, rat rods are one of my favorite cars to look at. They are machines built only to celebrate absurd, aggressive stying, all covered in rust and chock full of crafty details that would never be permitted in a regular show car. Some of them are decorated with zombies, others with mismatching body panels, hand made metal seats, and one even had a working flame thrower coming out the roof. This year, I made it a point to shoot the show for as long as I can. It was hot, and I did almost pass out…but it was worth the energy.
