Dukes of Hazzard star Tom Wopat to visit Pottsville car show on Saturday

Aug. 9—Just a "good ole boy" from Hazzard County will be making his way to the Valley this weekend for the 23rd Annual Great Pottsville Car Cruise.

Tom Wopat, who played Luke Duke on the hit 1980s television show "The Dukes of Hazzard," will be appearing at the car cruise on Saturday.

Wopat will be signing autographs and taking pictures with fans of the show which ran from 1979 through 1985.

He is no stranger to the Valley, he told The Daily Item during a recent interview.

"I've been to several places in Pennsylvania before and driven through the Valley to various autographs signings," he said. "I am excited to get back and meet with fans."

Wopat said every appearance he makes, he is amazed by the generational gaps in fans of The Dukes of Hazzard.

"One third of the people are kids, who are third and fourth generation fans of the show," he said. "This show will live on and on long after I am gone. It was iconic, and I never expected this when we were filming."

Wopat said at times younger fans who are just watching the show for the first time ask him questions, and he has to really think.

"I'm like that was 40 years ago, but then I remember the scenes," he joked.

Wopat said he still speaks to cast members, Ben Jones, who played Cooter, John Schneider, who played Bo Duke, and Catherine Bach, who played the Dukes' cousin, Daisy Duke.

"We are all still fairly close," he said. "I see John and Cathy and Ben a lot."

Cruise Co-Chairman Dave Clews said he is excited to have Wopat at the event.

"This will be a great addition and surprises me about the amount of phone calls and where they are coming from to see him," he said. We have someone coming from South Carolina so we are very excited. We are expecting to have a great day."

Cruise Day starts at 9 a.m. Saturday at Jerry's Classic Cars & Collectibles Museum, located at 384 S. Centre St., Pottsville.

Beginning at 11 a.m. and continuing until 2 p.m., there will be a raffle run, in which the participants drive around Pottsville and surrounding towns to get a map stamped to win prizes.

From 2 until 8 p.m. there will be a downtown car show on Center Street from Howard to Laurel featuring live music and other activities.

At 6 p.m. the event will be giving away a Jeep Liberty to a Schuylkill County veteran and at 7 p.m. awards for the top 60 cars will be awarded.

Wopat will be at the Humane Fire Company, at 200 Humane Ave., from noon until 5 p.m. signing autographs where the car cruise will be held.

Wopat is also scheduled to meet with fans at Big Diamond Speedway, at 392 Forest Lane, in Pottsville, on Friday evening, where he will also meet with fans prior to the start of racing at 6 p.m.

"I am excited to be back and I can't wait to meet everyone," Wopat said.