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roddingandracing

Although I post images on my website of all the car shows we go to, sometimes I send extended coverage to HOT ROD HOT LINE. To visit their website, click on their logo above or to go directly to our images, go to hotrodhotline.com/leal-brothers.

The days are slowly getting longer and longer and once the "time change" kicks in (March 8), afternoon Cruise Nights will be up and running and so will we. Our regular hang-outs are Friday Night Cruises here in Pearland and in Pasadena and the Kemah Saturday Night Cruise. We'll still make occasional visits to our "original" Niftee 50ees Saturday Cruise In which is now up in The Woodlands. Check out coverage of our final 2019 visits to the Kemah Cruise on our "RODDING" page. 

Glad to see a 2020 outdoor car show. Been waiting awhile. My brother (and son) made the short trip to Alvin, Texas for a Bayou City Cup Series event. I'm sure the car owners were ready for it. Thanks to the Garage Bar & Grill for hosting the event.    

10th LMC TRUCK SPRING LONE STAR NATIONALS

MARCH 13 - 15, 2020 / TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY / FORT WORTH, TEXAS

Here's something new, for me anyway. The Texas based MONSTER TRUCK WARS is hosting an event in nearby Wharton (60 miles southwest of Houston) this coming March. Four Monster Trucks (above), Stadium Trucks and Monster Truck rides will be offered with a $10 general admission charge or VIP seating and Pit Party for $25. I used to attend indoor Monster Truck shows in the Astrodome when I was younger but haven't in awhile so maybe I'll swing by and check out "Truck Wars".

This past weekend, the Grand National Roadster Show (GNRS) celebrated their 71st Anniversary. The flamed roadster posted right, won the coveted America's Most Beautiful Roadster Award (AMBR). I had the pleasure of attending the GNRS back in 1998 (Oakland, original site) and again in      1999      for      their     50th 

Anniversary at the Cow Palace across the bay in San Francisco (poster, above right). Sixteen years ago, the event moved south to the Fairplex in Pomona, California. I remember at their 50th Anniversary, they had several special displays including most of the previous AMBR winners. I  was recently checking the internet for GNRS award results and came across an article that I believe was directed at me! The article's exact words....."Plans are already afoot for the show's 75th anniversary in 2024, when organizers hope to bring together every AMBR winner from the past 75 years under one roof. SO GET ON A HEALTHY DIET, START A REASONABLE EXERCISE PROGRAM AND PLAN TO LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO SEE THAT, WILL YA?"   

Before my son joined my brother and I on our yearly "ROAD TRIPS" (Hot Rod Power Tour, NHRA Hot Rod Reunion, Street Machine Nationals, Cruisin' Ocean City, etc.), my brother and I covered the DETROIT AUTORAMA ten straight years! I still check out pre and post event coverage on the internet and there's always lots of it. It's only two weeks away and check out some of the "feature vehicles" that will be on display (above, right).  

Check out images we took at the 2005 Detroit Autorama of the HEROES 911 TRIBUTE Truck (above). We also saw the vehicle at the Lone Star Round Up in Austin. The truck sold at auction (Barrett-Jackson) in 2013 for $209,000. 

Just received my April 2020 copy of Hot Rod Magazine (left) with two separate articles covering vehicles that were just up for auction. The "THOR" custom Peterbilt (bottom, left) sold for $12,000,000 (yes; 12 million!) at a World Wide Auctioneers event in Saudi Arabia. Complete build information is included from it's supercharged 24 cylinders (12V-71 x 2) to it's helicopter engine used as a auxiliary power generator. The "CHRISTINE" article covers a "tribute" Plymouth that began as a rust-free Arizona 1958 Savoy and utilized parts from vehicles in a salvage yard that were used and destroyed in the making of the movie. The original movie car was a "No Sale" at a Mecum Auction this past January. The high bid of $275,000 didn't reach it's reserve. Both articles made for good reading so if you get the chance, check it out either by subscription or from the newstand.

* DON'T LET AGE CHANGE YOU; CHANGE THE WAY YOU AGE. *