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2015 HOT ROD POWER TOUR

CAR SHOW COVERAGE

After eight years, we finally made it back to the LONESTAR ROUND UP last weekend in Austin. We covered the event every year up until 2018 and I couldn't be happier, even with the April weather in Texas.

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I can't remember posting this many images (above) from a single event and even with that, I have to apologize to probably just as many that I didn't post! We took over a thousand images and that was even with the afternoon Cruise on Congress Street being a wash-out.

JOHN'S TRIM SHOP CAR, TRUCK, JEEP & MOTORCYCLE SHOW / BAYTOWN, TEXAS

ALVIN ROTARY CLUB "FRONTIER DAY" CAR & BIKE SHOW / ALVIN, TEXAS

KEELS & WHEELS CONCOURS D'ELEGANCE / SEABROOK, TEXAS

(SATURDAY HAS US IN BAYTOWN AND WE'LL SWING BY ALVIN ON OUR WAY HOME. THE ALVIN SHOW FINISHES AT 4:30 AND THAT ROUTE ADDS ONLY THIRTEEN MILES TO OUR TRIP BACK HOME. SUNDAY MY SON WILL BE JOINING US FOR THE KEELS AND WHEELS SHOW. I MISSED IT LAST YEAR)

I've been covering the HOUSTON COFFEE & CARS gathering for years. It's now at it's third location at POST Houston and every time, the mileage to get there decreases. First location, 43 miles, second location, 27 miles; and now, 18 miles. The event is held monthly and I usually cover it if there's no "Hot Rod" show in town. Every so often, one is held that's a "Must See" and this coming June just might be one of those. Check out the postings above. The annual Gumball3000 is making its way from Miami to Mexico City to the

WORLD CUP (seven daily stops) and on the leg from New Orleans to Austin, they're stopping at POST Houston. Not sure yet on the time frame...the usual event is from 8am - 11am and this one is posted 12 noon - 5pm. Either way, I should be there.

I took the image on the left at Eastex Dragway just north of Houston in Porter in the late '70s. You can imagine my surprise when the same Anglia Gasser showed up at a Houston area Cruise back in 2017 (right), almost forty years later!

(Exotics, Trucks, Plus!)

(Older images that don't "fit" any of the Facebook Groups that I've joined)

2015

2015

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

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A little over a year ago, Hot Wheels released a 1/64 scale diecast of the legendary HIROHATA MERCURY (left). Recently Car Tuned signed with Ford and in their first release featuring Ford vehicles (Series 10), they also released a "Tooned" version of the show car (above).

My son's trip to our local Hobby Lobby not only got me the HIROHATA MERCURY, he also found the '70 Mustang, the '47 COE, the '68 F100 and the '32 Hot Rod. I had already pre-ordered a complete set, so I got everything else coming.

I get my next model-building project ideas from just about anywhere and the images above are one of them. I saw them posted on a Facebook Page so I was

on my way! I ordered the 1/32 scale Anglia resin kit (right) on Ebay and found out later that they also offer a Gasser version with a smooth body and even a Pro Mod rear wing. I contacted the seller and he was okay swapping it out.

Although I don't buy as much diecast as I used to (space limitations + wife!), especially in the

small 1/64 scale, I started back up again a couple of years ago when CAR TUNED released a new line. In their current Series 10 release (8 pieces), they finally signed with Ford, and one is a Ford Lightning pickup that both my son and I want. Haven't found one yet but saw that JADA had recently released a FAST & FURIOUS set that included the truck. Again, haven't found one of those either but did find a Charger from the same set (above). The rest of the set are imports.

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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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!

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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.

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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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.