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2015 HOT ROD POWER TOUR

CAR SHOW COVERAGE

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When it comes to covering local area car shows, this time of the year can get pretty busy. We covered four shows last weekend (March 14-15, three posted above) and have four planned this weekend (March 21-22). We'll probably miss a fifth one just 4.6 miles from home when we're coming back. We'll see!

The TOMBALL LIONS CLUB is having their annual Car Show this coming weekend (March 22) at the Tomball High School. It's one of the

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better shows in and around the Houston area and it's a must-see for us. Pictures posted above are from last year's event.

You never know what you're gonna see at a local car show. This past weekend was the Niftee 50ees Classic Cruisers

opening day (2026) of their weekly Saturday Night Cruise and check out what showed up! I worked for the Houston area Transit Company for 40 years up until 2019 and it was nice to see one of the older buses.....again!

Sometimes when I'm driving through back roads on my way to or from a car show, I spot some interesting stuff. This (left) was spotted this past weekend on my way home from a show in Magnolia (TX).

2000 GRAND PRIX OF HOUSTON

.....DIECAST, PLASTIC MODELING, ARTWORK COLORING BOOKS

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Not only is model building fun, it's interesting! One of my just started projects is a van dragster using an old MONOGRAM 1/32 scale Chevy van. I'm currently building the same kit as a custom (#1) and just purchased a second kit (#3) for the dragster. My son recently bought me a 1/24 dragster kit, and I cut up the chassis to fit under that second body (#2). I used the kit's axles, tires and wheels and added wheelie bars from my spare parts. Not long after, I was checking Ebay and saw a similar van, also 1/32 scale, but from REVELL (#4). That kit had the stock front grill, no side windows, no roof vent, no louvers on the hood and it looks like no

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molded-on wipers! All perfect for a "drag" version. Only drawback was the $75.00 total price tag. I got lucky and found the same kit ("Paramedic") released in a different version ("Swat") for only $35.00 (#5). So besides the Chevy van I had already ordered, I also have this van coming. I do have my fingers crossed for a couple of things...the frame/mount was built for the wheelbase of the MONOGRAM kit, so I hope it'll still work on the REVELL kit. Also the "Swat" kit seller found several kits in a storage locker he bought and was selling it "as is"...he wasn't sure if parts were missing and/or broken. Picture looks good but again, fingers crossed!

Don't buy as much CAR TUNED diecast as I used to but every so often, my son and/or my brother surprise me after one of their visits to local area stores. Here are my latest "acquisitions". From their latest series (Nine), I got a '56 Nomad, a '59 Chevy and a '67 Impala (top row). On the

bottom row is another of their Series 1 "Low Rider" Series; a '72 Monte Carlo with posable suspension and LED lighting.

Since I didn't cover any car shows in 2020 and very few in 2021, I decided to join several private and public Facebook Groups to share my old pictures, some going back 50 years! Below are the latest images I shared.

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Posted the two images on the left on the Facebook Group "The Pro Street Era" last week. A group member asked if I had any more pictures of the Mustang. I dug into my folders and found three more, and then two more and posted them (below) under "Member Request". He thanked me less than ten minutes after the first post. Happy to share! (Images were taken in Ocean City, Maryland back in 2019).

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Before heading out to cover the NHRA Hot Rod Reunion in Bowling Green (KY) back in 2018, I made some prints of a handful of pictures that I had taken of "Big Daddy" Don Garlits. He had made surprise appearances in the past so I was hoping that he would show and I could get the pictures

autographed. As you can see above and right, he did and so did I. My old images, now autographed, were taken years ago at Alamo Dragway in San Antonio and Green Valley Race City in Fort Worth (top row). Both bottom images were taken at Eastex Dragway in Porter just north of Houston. Now as far as the political bumper sticker above, Garlits ran for Congress in Florida back in 1994.

After a couple of years with a two-door 1962 Chevy Bel Air which I wish I still had, I bought my first brand new vehicle; a 1972 Datsun pickup (left). Once I got used to working the manual shift, I slapped on some big-meat Goodyears on Ansen wheels. It got plenty of attention

whenever I picked up my younger siblings at Junior High and High School.

Check out my admission ticket from Houston International Speedway (above). Not sure of the year but only $3.00, it had to be from quite a while back.

Right after the Pandemic shut everything down, I joined several Private Facebook Groups to share my old images. As I share, usually 8-16 per week, I also post them further above. Before the Pandemic, I

also had a "RACING" page where I posted my old racing images. I've decided to post a condensed version of that page below. What I'm trying to show is the variety of motorsports that I frequented back then and as you can see, it was quite a few!

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8 - Rear Engine Top Fuel Dragsters Aug 15, 21

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4 - Green Valley Raceway Drag Strip May 12, 21

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2 - ALAMO DRAGWAY SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS May 24, 20

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Yes, all the images above were taken by me over the years but this image was not. It's the only image I've ever seen posted that actually has me on it!

That's me on the right side (w/beard) leaning on the trailer at Eastex Dragway when Don Garlits was there.

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Although I never use my camera's motor-drive feature, I do get lucky enough sometimes to get an action sequence.

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GREEN VALLEY RACEWAY HISTORICAL AREA

Several years ago, I received an email from someone on the North Richland Hills (TX) City Council concerning a Green Valley Race City Historical site that was in the planning stages. They were asking permission to use several

of the images that I had taken at the track back in the '80s. I of course told them that it wouldn't be a problem. Below are the latest images of the site that were posted on a Green Valley Race City Facebook Page.

A quick check of the three information boards that are already put up (top, right) shows eleven of my images! I posted those images below and I hope I can make it up one day to check it out. (On the right image, you can see some of the original track that's still there)

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It was a lot more fun to be 20 in the '70s than to be 70 in the '20s!

Time is precious,

Don't waste it.

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2018 NHRA

HOT ROD REUNION

Before heading to the NHRA Hot Rod Reunion in 2018 (Bowling Green, Ky), I decided to make some enlargements of images I had taken over the years including some of "Big Daddy" Don Garlits and Tom "the Mongoose" McEwen in hopes of getting them autographed. They had both showed up in previous years so I decided to give it a shot. As you can see above (left) and below, Garlits did show up and I was able to get some of my personal images signed. Not sure if he had planned on showing up or not but sadly, McEwen passed away three days prior at the age of 81.

All the images above were taken at Texas tracks that I frequented when I was a lot younger. Left to right...Alamo Dragway in San Antonio, Green Valley Race City in Fort Worth and the final two were taken here (Houston) at Eastex Dragway in Porter. The tracks have been closed for years.