Toni Sauls, A LEGEND in Lipstick
Toni Sauls is the first woman to be inducted into the Modesto " Legends of the Cruise" Walk of Fame.
Toni's 1932 Ford Roadster
The Modesto “Legends of the Cruise” Walk of Fame grew out of the city’s effort to celebrate its real‑life cruising history.
For more than 35 years, Toni Sauls has stood shoulder‑to‑shoulder with her husband, Jerry, in the Modesto Area Street Rod Association, helping build and sustain the car culture that defines Modesto. From organizing shows and cruises to pitching in on countless behind‑the‑scenes details, she has been a constant presence as the club expanded its events and deepened its community roots. That long record of commitment culminated in a milestone: in 2025, Toni became the first woman to be inducted into Modesto’s “Legends of the Cruise” Walk of Fame, a recognition that underscores both her leadership and her legacy in what was once a male‑dominated scene. Today, her marker sits among many others along Modesto’s original cruise route on 10th and 11th Streets downtown, a permanent reminder that the story of local hot‑rodding and cruising is also very much her story.
The Modesto “Legends of the Cruise” Walk of Fame grew out of the city’s effort to celebrate its real‑life cruising history, and it has become a centerpiece of Graffiti Summer each June. The Walk of Fame is part of the Modesto Historic Graffiti Cruise Route, following 10th and 11th Streets downtown—the same stretch locals cruised in the 1950s–60s.
What it is
Modesto’s “Legends of the Cruise” Walk of Fame is a series of sidewalk markers along the Historic Graffiti Cruise Route on 10th and 11th Streets, honoring the real people behind the city’s classic cruising culture that inspired American Graffiti. George Lucas was the first inductee in 2013, helping launch the Walk as a tribute to local cruisers, racers, musicians, DJs, students, and community characters.
Modesto’s “Legends of the Cruise” Walk of Fame is a series of sidewalk markers along the Historic Graffiti Cruise Route on 10th and 11th Streets, honoring the real people behind the city’s classic cruising culture that inspired American Graffiti. George Lucas was the first inductee in 2013, helping launch the Walk as a tribute to local cruisers, racers, musicians, DJs, students, and community characters.
How it started
Created as part of Modesto’s Historic Graffiti Cruise Route project, the Walk of Fame grew out of a local “labor of love” led by ModestoView and community partners who design and install the metal plaques each year. New markers are unveiled every June during Graffiti Summer, turning the downtown stretch into a self‑guided tour of American Graffiti history.
Created as part of Modesto’s Historic Graffiti Cruise Route project, the Walk of Fame grew out of a local “labor of love” led by ModestoView and community partners who design and install the metal plaques each year. New markers are unveiled every June during Graffiti Summer, turning the downtown stretch into a self‑guided tour of American Graffiti history.
Who gets a marker?
There’s no formal public application, but inductees share a common thread:
There’s no formal public application, but inductees share a common thread:
- Deep, authentic ties to Modesto’s cruising era—whether as street and drag racers, car‑club members, musicians, or the kids who made the scene what it was.
- Or decades of work keeping that heritage alive through organizing car shows, cruises, parades, and Graffiti‑themed events.
Each year, a small group of organizers and local historians selects a new class of “Legends of the Cruise,” who are then honored at a public ceremony and given their own permanent marker in the pavement downtown.