POST FALLS - After 13 years, Mark Nehlich believes it's time to roll out the black 1971 Chevelle SS 454 that his late father cherished.

And the River City Rod Run is the logical place to do it.

Nehlich's dad, also Mark, entered the car in the first Rod Run in 1998. A couple months later, the father was struck by lightning and killed while hunting in Montana.

Aside from occasional casual outings, the Chevelle has been in storage since.

That will change today when the car will be in the Rod Run's show and shine at the Hot Rod Cafe as a tribute to Mark.

"We wanted it to be in a show where my dad grew up," Nehlich said. "It's been hard seeing it in storage for so long, so it will be neat remembering what it's all about. My dad's friends who go to the show haven't seen it in a long time.

"Now that I have the time, I believe it's something that I need to do."

The Mark Nehlich Memorial Award is given out each year at the Rod Run.

The younger Nehlich, now 26, was 13 when his father died. His mom, Tess, gave him the Chevelle when he was old enough to drive, but it was in storage while he pursued a degree from the University of Idaho in nutrition.

Tess said the car's return to the Rod Run stirs up a lot of emotions.

"That car was such a big part of (Mark's) life, and everyone knew that," Tess said, adding that a Chevelle is engraved on Mark's headstone. "It's been a part of our family and it will be nice to have it out and bring back a lot of memories.

"It will be fun and nerve-wracking at the same time."

The Nehliches are longtime local residents.

Mark graduated from Post Falls High in 1979 and Tess a year later. The two were high school sweethearts.

Mark bought the Chevelle, one of multiple hot rods owned by the family, in 1978 when he was a junior.

"We used it to cruise Sherman and Riverside," Tess said, adding that it was later restored in 1986.

The car was entered in several shows in the region in the late '80s and early '90s. It won first place in its class one year in the Super Chevy show in Seattle. The first River City Rod Run in 1998 was one of the last shows it was in.

Mark was the service department manager at Parker Toyota and Jim Parker was injured in the same lightning incident while hunting.

"The Parker family has been awesome," Tess said. "Doug and Jim set up a trust fund for my children to help pay for my children's college education."

Jim Parker said old cars and family were a big part of Mark's life and bringing back the Chevelle is special.

"He loved that car and had a lot of fun in it back in the day," Parker said. "A lot of us who grew up and went to high school around here are familiar with that car."

The younger Mark graduated from Coeur d'Alene High in 2003 and sister Mallory in 2004. Both are college graduates.

Each year, the two and Tess select the Mark Nehlich Memorial Award winner during the Rod Run.

"It's an emotional time for the whole family," Tess said. "We've had grown men crying because they get really excited about winning the award."

The Chevelle's return to the show will add another notch in the family's legacy.

"It will be nice to bring it back to where it was before," Mark said.