RACINE -- Who are these people who see beauty and grace in the most unlikely places?

Amidst the red, white, blue, green and orange of a tractor. Amidst oil, grease and rust. Amidst hot metal. Amidst a crowd of grandfathers in bib overalls, fathers in blue jeans and sons in shorts all swooning over a machine.

For instance, people like Bernie Bias and his son, Blaine.

Since Bernie's grandfather, John Bias, cranked up the first Case 1527, and Bernie's father, Clem kept Case the only tractor driving through the Bias farm fields at Alden.

"Like they say, whatever your grandfather drove, that's the one you'll probably be farming with if it is still around," Bernie said.

The next generation -- Blaine, 7 -- will be expected to keep the Case name alive, too.

The father and son will make the trip across Mower County July 20 on a classic Case 3373 -- a general purpose tractor vintage 1972.

The tractor will be one of many displayed this weekend at the annual Antique Engine and Tractor Show next to the Deer Creek Campgrounds and Speedway south of Racine. The show is sponsored by

the Northland Case Collectors Club, and J.I. Case Tractors and Equipment.

To promote the 20th anniversary show this weekend, the tractor collectors held a tractorcade July 13, from the Mower County fairgrounds in Austin to the show grounds midway between Racine and Spring Valley along U.S. Highway 63.

Bob Radloff, Austin, is the president of the Root River Antique Historical Power Association, Inc., which sponsors the annual show and operates a heritage center at the site all year.

"This will be the biggest and the best show we've had," said Radloff. "We're featuring Case this year and expect a large crowd throughout the weekend."

According to Radloff, the glory days of distinctive tractor models are long gone. "Every one of them was unique. There was a design factor about each of them that made them stand out from the others and the manufactures prided themselves on that fact," he said.

Today there are only three separate companies: John Deere, Case IH and Ford," Radloff said. "The rest: White, Oliver, Minneapolis Moline, Allis Chalmers and the others are all gone."

The demise of so many tractor manufacturers makes shows like the Root River Extravaganza more important.

"It's good to see a guy like Bernie Bias pass along the tradition to his son, Blaine," said Don Livingston of Austin, another Case collector. "We need to keep those farming traditions alive among the younger generations."

The show ground's gates open 7 a.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

There will be a Little G Law and Garden Tractor Collectors Club display and demonstrations of rosemaling, spinning, weaving, butter churning and chair caning. Food and refreshments will be served throughout the day.

There will be a tractor pull of antique and classic models beginning 5 p.m. Friday.

Sunday's schedule features a horse and pony pull, beginning at 1 p.m.

One of the most popular attractions will be the familiar Timberlin Short Line railroad with a model steam engine powering the train through expanded trackage.

Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at :mailto:lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com