Snook Celebrates Herself, Community as Guest Judge at Fairbury's Car Show

FAIRBURY, Neb. - Dozens of awards were bestowed upon the region’s best vehicles at the 13th annual Fairbury Car Show right here in front of the Jefferson County Court Building in Fairbury this Sunday. But the event also features a handful of unique awards, including one presented by a lifelong Fairburian with a unique connection to cars.  

Amanda Snook has been coming to the Fairbury car show with her family since its inception. 

“It was just a couple of blocks long, that’s it – a few cars, couple of blocks, and now it’s turned into this, where it’s around the whole entire square," Snook reflected Sunday. "Side streets, both sides packed. It’s become a really big deal."

And since 2020, she’s been part of the festivities in a different way: as a guest judge. In December 2017, Amanda was in an accident where the truck she was driving flipped and landed with her half in and half out of the door, leaving her paralyzed from the waist down. 

“I had to learn how to do everything from a wheelchair including cooking, doing laundry, and at the time I had three young boys," Snook said. "At the time it was very unfortunate and scary, but I am very fortunate that I am alive.” 

A Fairbury native, after she was named Miss Wheelchair Nebraska in 2020, Amanda was invited back to the Fairbury Car Show as a guest judge, where she now annually presents the Amanda’s Choice Award to the vehicle of her choosing. While some of the other awards are decided by specific criteria, Amanda says her award goes to a vehicle – and a person – with a compelling story. 

"One time I chose a young kid who had his story on the hood of his car saying ‘I work paycheck to paycheck so i can only put so much money into it and this is where I am’ and I don’t think it was finished," she said. "I thought that was a really cool story. I like to choose somebody who I know there’s a backstory – this is what this vehicle used to be, and this is what I worked hard on to make it look like now."

Another key criterion to help Amanda select the winning car: if she could see herself driving it herself, even in her new state. The 2024 winner of the Amanda's Choice Award was a 1961 Chevy C10 owned by Brian Spears of Concordia, Kansas.  

"It was beautiful and it was low to the ground - so my transfer from wheelchair would have easy!" Snook said this week.

Raising three boys alongside her husband Brian, cars have always been a big part of Amanda’s life. And even after a vehicle crash nearly took her life, she plans to keep giving back to her community by participating in one of its biggest events – one that celebrates cars of all kinds.  

"I’ve always chosen to have a positive attitude," she concluded. "I could’ve died that night and been missing out on all my boys’ stuff, so I am just very thankful that I am able to be here."

From collecting Hot Wheels toys for her sons to evaluating vehicles at a car show, Amanda and her family have always been around cars – and she says she’ll be a judge at the Fairbury Car show any time she’s asked.