I've had cars enteered in ISCA shows in a competition class and some of the competition was a car with a roll cage made of chromed exhaust tubing and had parachute packs stuffed with rags. A car entered into a ISCA or similar show should of course be spotless, and meet all the rules as to batteries, fuel,
oil,etc
A car entered in a cruize nite show should be something that has a theme and good workmanship---not necessarily a leased mini cooper or BMW.
My cars have also been featured cars at the SEMA show, LA Auto SHow on celebrity nite----the worst part of that is that the camera crews want to spray them down with something to dull the reflections---we actually packed up and left the LA Auto Show once during the RED CARPET portion to avoid having all the polished magnesium parts from being sprayed down.
A cruisin show is a drive and arrive with whatever you have---its more important to be there and support these activities than it is to so wound up with a few specs of dust!!