I've always liked automotive caricatures ("CARtoons") and a few years ago, I purchased a couple of designs (right) from Wayne Sadler (CARTOONS 'R' WAYNE) and I used them on a couple of previous pages ("RODDING", "RACING"). I recently ran across them and decided to "revamp" my website a little and repost them.
roddingandracing
.PHOTOS
CAR SHOW COVERAGE
I first started frequenting the Niftee 50ees Classic Cruisers Saturday afternoon gatherings in the Champion Forest area northwest of Houston. They then moved to the Country Lake Estates area north of Houston in Spring before moving to the Village of Grogan's Mill area in Kingwood also north of Houston. That's when I started covering a similar gathering in Kemah southeast of Houston. I would still make it up to their annual Halloween event in October. Beginning in 2024, they moved back to Spring and I was able to make it to their first event which I've posted below.
I usually update my website weekly but this time of year, we sometimes cover more than one show per weekend so before long....we're behind posting show coverages. I know it doesn't solve the problem, but I've decided to begin posting "SNEAK PEEKs" with images from the latest show(s) that we covered, usually from one to two days prior. Below are images from a West Houston Muscle show in nearby Manvel (TX).
The Houston area has a handful of yearly "specialty" car shows that I frequent...the "Lone Star Rally" (motorcycles) in Galveston, the "Lone Star Throwdown" (trucks) in Conroe and the "Lone Star Deluxe" (traditional hot rods) which is right around the corner (May 4). On the left is an image from last year's event of the vehicle that they chose to use on this year's event poster.
The last thing I need is another diecast, especially the large 1/18 scale (11" long), but when they keep putting stuff like this out,
it's very difficult not to be interested. This Pro Street 1970 Chevy C10 is a highly detailed, limited production (750) release from ACME and is currently available from Fairfield Collectibles. As with most "adult collectibles", it's a little more expensive ($140) but well worth the price. We'll see!
When Covid shut everything down, I joined several Private Facebook Groups to share my old images. As I
share them, I post them further below. Just for "fun", I also joined a couple of groups that sell cars and/or parts. Below I've posted some of those cars that are currently being offered. If you're interested, you can find them on the Facebook Groups "Gassers and Drag Racing Cars and Parts For Sale" or "Pro Street Classified".
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.
Before heading 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.
Posted a couple more images of my son (right) enjoying (?) himself. The photo with the late George Barris standing in front of the Munster Koach I've posted before. Took this at the Houston Autorama. Ran across the Indy Car image recently that was taken at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum while we were following the Hot Rod Power Tour.
Right after the Pandemic shut everything down, I joined several Private Facebook Groups to share my old images. As I share, usually 8-12 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!
Although I never use my camera's motor-drive feature, I do get lucky enough sometimes to get an action sequence.
Time is precious,
Don't waste it.
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.