The Texas Tech University Cars organization serves as a chance for students and car enthusiasts to show off their custom rides in monthly car meets despite the occasional stigma surrounding vehicular meetups.
Haley Clement, a second-year mechanical engineering major from Dallas and organizer of TTU Cars, said car meets usually take place on the last Sunday of every month and are hosted on the top floor of Flint Garage.
These meetings are an opportunity for people to come out and showcase their cars’ custom style or builds, she said. However, the organization emphasizes doing so respectfully, such as not being too loud, revving engines or racing in the garage.
“I really just hope that with TTU Cars, I can help people find a group of people, and to just show that there’s more to the car scene than just going to a parking lot and doing illegal stuff,” Clement said.
She said the biggest reason she enforces such strict rules for the community is so they don’t get kicked out for their monthly two-hour meets. This is because they don’t have explicit permission from the university to use the garage, but they still can host the meetups if everything remains under control.
She said she has a good relationship with the Tech Police Department and issues warnings or bans to those who don’t adhere to the laws or Tech’s policies.
“If someone doesn’t listen, I stop them right up front, tell them they can’t come in,” Clement said.
Attendees look under the hood of a car during the Texas Tech University Cars meet on the fourth floor at Flint Avenue Parking Garage Oct. 26, 2025.
Cali Coiner
She said the car community isn’t an official organization with Tech yet, but she met with Lauren Hill, the director of Student Involvement, to start the process of making the organization official. She hopes to do so by December’s meet.
TTU Cars has been ongoing since 2020, and Haley Clement said she took charge of the community after her brother, David Clement, graduated.
David Clement, who graduated last December, originally started the community in his freshman year because of his interest in cars and wanting to find others with the same hobby.
Since his time at Tech, Haley Clement said the car scene in Lubbock hasn’t grown much, so she wanted to revive the community on campus once again.
She said building cars is an expensive thing to do, but there are many ways people can go to make their car individual to themselves, such as going the performance or cosmetic routes.
“We work to be able to build our car and be the fastest or the coolest. It’s kind of like how some people buy clothes, or how some people do their nails, or how some guys pay a lot of money for their sport,” Haley Clement said. “It’s kind of the same thing. It’s just like a hobby.”
Each car is special and unique in its own way, Haley Clement said. There are several different types of makes and models to see at meets — including Chevy, Ford, Honda and BMW — and each reflects the personalities of their owners.
“It’s just always really fun to see how people progress with their cars, or see new people and meet new people,” she said.
Cars drive up to the fourth floor to be viewed by event guests during the Texas Tech University Cars meet on the fourth floor at Flint Avenue Parking Garage Oct. 26, 2025.
Cali Coiner
Dylan Jennings, a third-year mechanical engineering major from Abilene, has been a part of the community since his freshman year. Jennings said he really got into it once he realized it was other Tech students who shared the same love of cars.
Since the beginning, he said it’s been about respect for other car owners and the areas surrounding the garage.
“Obviously, we don’t need any burnouts done up there; that’s illegal,” Jennings said. “I mean, we don’t want anybody to be revving because there’s so many dorm buildings nearby. People live, people try to take a nap, trying to go to sleep, trying to do their homework, whatever.”
When Jennings first attended a meet, he said he remembers how small it was with around 14 cars. Since then, he said it’s expanded substantially, with over 40 cars at the last meet.
With the growth, Haley Clement said it’s great to see, but she worries about moving locations if attendance exceeds the top floor of the garage. She said the environment has stayed the same through the growth and continues to be a welcoming community for anyone interested in cars.
“You go up and talk to anyone, and they’ll talk to you about anything,” Haley Clement said. “Really nobody is going to say, ‘Hey, go away.’”
For more information on TTU Cars and meets, Haley Clement said to check out the organization’s Instagram page for announcements and dates.