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2015 HOT ROD POWER TOUR

CAR SHOW COVERAGE

For years, the Friday Night Cruise here in Pearland (TX) was a regular stop for me. Can't remember why I quit going to the gathering, but I just started up again and I also had forgotten how good it was. I've covered it a couple of times recently and plan on going back regularly. Below are images from one of those recent visits.

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Ever since they built a BOMBSHELLS Restaurant & Bar right down the street from me here in Pearland (TX), they've held car shows on a regular basis including Chevy events or in this case (below), a mostly Corvette show.

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This "Sneak Peek" is a little different. It's not exactly from car show coverage. We just covered the monthly HOUSTON COFFEE & CARS June edition and these vehicles are actually

spectator vehicles from the parking lot or some just driving by. The well-known GUMBALL 3000 made a stop at the gathering on their way from Florida to Mexico City and it turned out to be a very large show. Our coverage will be posted soon.

For a long time, I used to receive images of VW inspired products on Facebook. Hadn't gotten them in a while but they just started up again. The "products" posted above all showed up just this past week but I'm sure they're all computer generated; look good, but yeah! And VWs aren't the only ones! Check out the image on the right. Anyone?

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

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Outside of a couple of small details, I've completed my latest project (above). I've also posted a couple of images of my "inspiration" that I saw on the internet (right). I swapped tube chassis mid-build so everything could fit a little better. I've also decided to invest in an air brush system. I was a little disappointed in my last two paint jobs, both using regular spray cans.

...photographer's choice!

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.

I've been retired seven years now and I still cover car shows on the weekend. I've been doing it for over fifty years and it wasn't until I retired that I realized that it's actually therapeutic for me! While I'm at the car shows, I record most racing events on cable TV that I can watch during the week. I also spend a lot of time here, on my website. On top of that, if you've noticed further above, I got back into the hobby of plastic model car building after a thirty-year hiatus. So I guess I'm "Making Retirement the Best Years of My Life".

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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.