“One Last Ride”: Ashland Community Honors Kenny Heyl With Heartfelt Tribute Cruise
ASHLAND, OH — The rumble of engines, the gleam of chrome, and the unmistakable growl of muscle cars rolling down Claremont Avenue on Saturday evening weren’t just signs of another summer cruise night. They were something far deeper—a final ride, a moving tribute to a cherished man whose life was marked by horsepower, heart, and hometown pride.
On August 2, what would have been Kenny Heyl’s 79th birthday, friends, family, and fellow cruisers gathered in the Hawkins/Miller parking lot—an iconic spot where countless cruise nights had begun over the years. From there, they followed a route Kenny himself knew like the back of his hand: down Claremont Avenue, right onto Main Street, looping around at Smetz’s Tire. A simple path through Ashland’s heart—one that Kenny helped make unforgettable.
But this night, that path carried more than just exhaust fumes and classic engines. It carried emotion.
Kenny’s son, Tyler Heyl, shared a powerful tribute following the ride, one that struck a chord with everyone who knew Kenny—and even those who didn’t.
“I’m not going to lie,” Tyler wrote. “Driving down the road next to my dad’s beloved 1968 Road Runner without him in it was not easy. He sold it two years ago. I was one when he got that car, and it was a part of my life for 56 years. Tonight, I realized that it wasn’t really so much the car that was special—it was the guy who drove it.”
Tyler stood beside the very car his father had once driven, now owned by another. His own Mustang parked next to it for what he said may be the last time.
“I have so many memories which I will cherish that involve that car and being with my dad,” he said. “Tonight was special, and tonight we made my dad proud on what would have been his 79th birthday. I know he saw us and heard us. Happy Birthday, old man. Wish you were here…”
The man behind the community’s Facebook group Hot Rods Take Back the Streets, Jake Dull, helped organize the event on short notice. He captured the emotions of the night in his own heartfelt message.
“Tonight, my heart is full,” Jake posted. “The Ashland community and the surrounding car community always amaze me—how in a day’s notice we can pull together something spectacular!”
He noted that seeing Kenny’s famous Road Runner side-by-side with Tyler’s Mustang was the moment that made the loss of his dear friend finally hit home.
“It was so bittersweet,” Jake shared. “During COVID, Kenny and I had a vision to start these cruises because we knew car shows weren’t going to happen, and we didn’t want our cars to just sit. Our cars brought us joy in a sometimes nasty world. Kenny was the guy who made the charity side of Hot Rods Take Back the Streets come to life. After every cruise, Kenny would call me and say, ‘Boy, was that a great cruise or what? That’s just fantastic.’”
Saturday’s turnout—with rows of gleaming hot rods, families lining the streets, and stories of Kenny echoing from one sidewalk to the next—was exactly that: fantastic. Not just for the cars, but for the community. For the friendships. For the legacy.
And perhaps, most of all, for the man who helped bring it all together.
There was no fanfare, no grand speeches, no spotlight. Just the sound of engines, the spirit of unity, and that unshakable lump in the throat—the kind you get when saying goodbye to someone who left tire tracks not just on the roads, but on hearts.
Rest easy, Kenny. Ashland took one last ride for you. And they’ll keep riding—because of you.
