Calistoga turned up the heat Saturday with hot cars, chili and weather during the 9th annual Cruisin’ Calistoga Car Show held at the Napa County Fairgrounds. Thousands of car lovers came from all over the valley and throughout the Bay Area to admire the rides and taste some chili and pasta that contestants made for the event’s chili and pasta cook-offs.

With the temperature reaching 101 degrees or more, the flames painted on Santa Rosa resident Bill Cileo’s 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air seemed a natural fit for the event. The car’s raised engine, a blown 392 Hemi, stuck proudly above the vehicle’s hood and gave an indication of the horsepower it’s capable of dishing out.

Cileo acquired the car a year ago for a mere $2,500, he said.

“It had no floors in it, quarter panels were gone,” he said. “It had no engine. It was still a deal.”

With a little bit of elbow grease and a lot of money, Cileo bought an engine, rebuilt the frame, replaced the quarter panels and floor, re-did the interior and painted the car a cool jet-black. The flames painted on the front sides of the car add a bit of nostalgia to the vehicle, Cileo said.

“When I was in my teens there was a car in my neighborhood that I used to race ... it had flames,” he said. “I built it to try and scare women and children.”

Near Cileo, Oakland resident Jack Freeman was representing the Raider Nation with his black 1956 Chevrolet sedan. The car has tough-looking logos painted on it of Freeman’s favorite team, the Oakland Raiders.

Inside the hulking black car, is every Raiders fan’s dream — upholstery stitched with the team’s logo, carpets featuring the team’s mascot, a booming sound system and Raiders fuzzy dice hanging from the rearview mirror.

The car was once used as a commercial paint truck for his uncle’s business, Oakland-based Jenkin Bros. Acme Towing Service. His uncle gave Freeman ownership of the car on one condition.

“He told me ‘Don’t put any of that Raiders (expletive) on it,’” Freeman said.

For many years, Freeman complied with his uncle’s wishes, but when he died in 2002, Freeman decided to paint the Raider Nation logo on both sides of his car as well as the vehicle’s back window.

“Everyone thinks I built this car for show,” Freeman said. “But I like to use it.”

As many people toured the fairgrounds gazing at the 500 or more vehicles entered into the show, some went inside one of the fairgrounds’ buildings to sample chili, pasta, sausages, beer and wine.

Calistoga residents Jerry and Barbara Thompson happily gave out samples of their Six-step Chili, a thick chili full of meat, beans and a sauce that added a kick to the Thompsons’ recipe.

“You take six steps away from the table and you feel the heat,” Jerry Thompson said.  The Thompsons cooked chili for a day and a half, and by Saturday had 17 gallons to share with the throngs of people at the fairgrounds.

“If it wins, it wins,” Barbara Thompson said. “It’s pretty fun; it’s really exciting.”

A few tables over from the Thompsons, Grant and Carol Imper handed out samples of their chili recipe they have made for “several years,” Grant Imper said. “We usually serve it at Super Bowl parties.”

Asked what winning the cook-off would mean to them, Grant Imper said “The most important thing is being here with the people.”

Chili and pasta cook-off winners received cash prizes of $250, $150 and $100. Judges also gave 30 trophies in categories such as Best of Show, Fabulous Ford and Gorgeous GM.

Cruisin’ Calistoga started out as a request by the Calistoga Chamber of Commerce said Kelly Winrod, who along with her husband, Mike, have hold the event.

“The Chamber of Commerce used to do a beer-and-sausage event,” Winrod said. “They came to my husband and me and asked if we could bring our cars.”