Historic Auto Club Cruises to Brownstown!

It's always an amazing experience to see 12 classic cars travelling caravan style on the back country roads to a cruise in! The Historic Auto Club took off early Saturday morning and made their way to Brownstown with Allen and Albi Distler leading the way in their 63' Pontiac Grand Prix. We covered some amazing territory and I'm sure everyone who drove along can now better negotiate curves!

One story I have to share is when we stopped for a break at a McDonalds. Everyone parked together; quite a sight to see 12 classic cars in a random parking lot! A lady, who was into her 80's approached me and asked about a specific car. She was speaking about Mr. and Mrs. Jones' beautiful orange 55' Studebaker (photo below). To her, it wasn't so much about the car, it was about the memories that the car triggered. Her father only drove Studebakers. For this lady, it brought back memories of her and her father cruising together when she was younger. She had tears of joy because she hadn't seen a Studebaker in so long and almost forgot the great times she shared with her father. It's experiences like this that make me realize why people have classic cars. It make me understand that classic cars aren't just toys, they are part of history and also great memories.


After arriving in Brownstown, everyone parked their cars and enjoyed the beautiful day. It was a great show with a live band, plenty of shade and tons of food. Over 200 cars showed up, making the cruise a success! A special thanks to the Historic Auto Club for making this cruise memorable!

What do you think about cruise-ins and car shows? Please feel free to post your opinion by clicking on 'comments' below! Thanks!

Cruise-In or Car Show?

The collector car hobby in North Carolina is exciting to be apart of and I'm taking advantage of all the activities in the area. Each event has a unique style and method for creating a great car show event with various activities for the young and young at heart.

What makes a car show or cruise-in go from good to great? Which of the two classic car activities do you prefer?

Each of the two has a unique atmosphere drawing together a group of classic car owners and enthusiast from all over the area. The car show is a daylong event, which includes car judging of different classifications of vehicles ranging from stock, resto-mods, year models and more. The car show also includes car registration and entertainment. The cruise-in event is usually during the week later in the day from 5:00 to 9:00 pm and includes entertainment, 50/50 drawing, music and more. The cruise-in event does not have a judging category or car registration requirements.

Both show events provide the excitement of the hobby and creates entertainment for the whole family. For me, I love the excitement of the car show, but enjoy the relaxation of the cruise-in. The cruise-in creates an escape from the work week for enthusiasts. For example, the anticipation of the cruise-in each Wednesday night is a great way to spend the evening with other enthusiasts and talk about the unique stories behind their favorite classics!

Which do you prefer? The cruise-in or car show?

Cars and Coffee

If you don't have plans every Saturday morning, check out Cars and Coffee in Irvine at the Ford Center. That is where I will be tomorrow. I think it is one of the best car shows in Orange County and it's all over by 9am. If you are going to show off your car, be sure to get there by 6:30am. I heard last week they turned people away by 7am because the lot was full. For more information go to http://irvine.carsandcoffee.info/. See you there.

Pinks All Out in Indy!

If you're a race fan and you like to watch fast cars, go check out Pinks All Out down at O'Reilly Raceway Park this weekend. For more information, click this link: http://www.oreillyracewaypark.com/apcm/templates/news.asp?articleid=31832&zoneid=138

You can also learn more about PINKS and where they're going to be by clicking on this link: http://www.speedtv.com/programs/pinks/.

What are your thoughts on drag racing? Please feel free to share! Thanks!

The 5th Annual Vetts in the Valley Corvette Show

Location: Maggie Valley, NC

Time: May 24th and 25th from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm

The Corvette has an enriched tradition, and is recognized as the true "American Sports Car." In 1953, the first generation Corvette was born, and continues to be the premium domestic sports car today.

The Vetts in the Valley event kicked off with "Meet and Greet" Friday evening at the Maggie Valley Inn, which had the atmosphere of a highly energetic cruise-in. The music was playing throughout the event and ended with a 50/50 drawing.

On Saturday, Corvette owners rolled into the grass covered venue to show their classic or newer Corvette. The Vetts in the Valley entertainment included door prizes, silent auction, vendors and live music. Corvette enthusiasts traveled from Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Georgia and more to share in the tradition. The atmosphere of the show was electric with Corvettes enthusiasts and owners walking through the venue getting a glimpse of their favorite generation. The last item on the program for Saturday was a road rally through the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway.

The Corvette show continued on Sunday with a loud exhaust contest and concluded with the awards ceremony. There was apprximately 400 Corvettes throughout the weekend long event, and enjoying the scenic view of Maggie Valley.

If you are a Corvette enthusiast then this is the show for you! The history of the Corvette was represented with all generations present. It was exciting to witness the deep rooted tradition of the Corvette in every generation at the Vetts in the Valley Corvette show. Now, I can see why the Corvette is labeled as "American's Sports Car."

Please log onto http://www.smokyevents.com/ for further information on the Vetts in the Valley event.

Congratulations to Marion Hamel for having a successful Corvette show!

See you at the next car show!

A Summer Place car show a great SUCCESS!

I know I probably say this a lot, but if you have never been to this real working 50's town in Sharpsville, you have to go! It was the perfect venue for a car show, plenty of space, tons of shade, and all sorts of stuff to do. In the theatre, Elvis was performing on screen, in the diner, volunteers were serving hot meals, and for the car show entertainment, there was a DJ and live band! What more could you ask for? Oh yeah, they were also making banana splits! I was very honored to be welcomed as a Hagerty representative at the car show and know that Jim Richardson was hosting it for a good reason. Please take a moment to check out their website and consider contributing to a good cause: http://www.asummerplace.org/index.htm.

A Summer Place Car Show- May 23rd

If you're looking for something to do this beautiful weekend, check out this car show in Sharpsville: http://www.asummerplace.org/. It's only about 1 hour north of Indianapolis and well worth the drive. Founder, Jim Richardson, put this real working 50's town together over the years and invites people to come enjoy it. If you get a chance, swing up there! Hagerty will be there supporting the car show :)

Obama Sets New Auto Emissions and Mileage Rules

Check out this article about new emissions and mileage rules: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/20/business/energy-environment/20emit.html?_r=1. Will the auto industry still be making muscle cars in 2016? If they do, they'll be pretty sweet as they will have to get 35.5 miles per gallon.

Cruise-In of the night in Mooresville, NC

Location: Mooresville, NC

Time: Every Wednesday from 5:00 to 9:00 pm

The cruise-in of the night was in Mooresville at Brusters Ice Cream. Once I arrived, the parking lot was full of classic cars and enthusiasts of all ages. The event had a 50/50 drawing for adults and children, a DJ providing 60's and 50's music and plenty of ice cream. The organizers of the event encourage the whole family to experience the beauty and unique history behind each classic car.

Tonight, the "Car of the Week" was a '70 Chevelle Malibu, which had a gorgeous gold metal flake mixed with a candy red paint job. The interior was perfect with zero tearing in the front and rear seats. The engine compartment was shining with chrome. The owner of this beautiful classic purchased it 30 years ago!

I had a memorable conversation with a gentleman who had his green '72 Monte Carlo near the back of the parking lot. The gentlemen mentioned his father purchased the vehicle brand new for $3,900. In 1985, he inherited the classic, and repainted the vehicle only three years ago. I asked him if he would ever sell the vehicle, and he replied by saying, "Selling the vehicle isn't a option since the sentimental value of this Monte Carlo has no price."

This was a great night! Thank you for sharing your stories!

See you at the next cruise-in!

Hear what people are saying about us

This weekend I attend the 15th Annual Muckenthaler Car Show in Fullerton. It was an amazing show and it was great see see some familiar faces! Saturday's show was all Rods & Customs and Sunday's was the Concours d'Elegance. If you missed it be sure to make pencil it in to your schedule for next year. It is held on the lawn at the Muckenthaler Museum.

There I ran into one of our satisfied clients Robert. He shared with me his amazing experience with Hagerty's claims department and one of our agents Jonathon Barlow. We are who we say we are, check it out....

Cruise-In of the night in Mocksville, NC

Location: Mocksville, NC
Time: Every first and third Monday of the month from 5:30 to 8:30 pm

The cruise through historic downtown Mocksville was a head turner with shiny classic cars on the right and left side of Main Street.

The Piedmont C.A.R.S Association organizes the event, which includes a 50/50 drawing, live DJ performing 50's music, welcoming downtown businesses and a "The Classic of the Week" parking spot. The parking spot is located in center square, and dedicated to the previous cruise-in winner.

The downtown venue is perfect for classic car owners and fellow enthusiasts walking along to sneak-a-peek at their favorite vintage car. The organizers of the event mentioned there was about 50-60 classics present, but classics will travel from neighboring towns to Mocksville because of the relaxing atmosphere of the cruise-in. Future cruise-in events will have between 80 to 100 classic cars lining up on Main Street.

The downtown venue is perfect for car clubs eager to cruise together since there are convenient parking lots throughout downtown Main Street.

Please log onto http://www.piedmont-cars.com/ for further information.

See you at the next cruise-in!

Concours Motorcar Company

The 3rd Saturday of the month come over to Concours Motorcar Company's monthly show from 9am - 12pm in Anaheim. It has been going on for the last 3 months. They have amazing cars, booths, driving simulators, food, a kids zone, a different club each month, clothing and cars for sale. I hear next month they are expecting the Ferrari Club to attend. This is a show to keep your eye on because they have a lot of space to work with. Hope to see you at the next one on June 20th. Check out their website for more information http://www.concoursmotorcars.com/concours/car-shows.html

All-Star weekend at Lowe's Motor Speedway

The 2009 NASCAR Sprint All-Star race captured the moment of acceleration with every turn! This was my first NASCAR race, and the experience exceeded my expectations. Car enthusiasts of all kind witnessed the great finish with Tony Stewart taking home the million dollar grand prize.

Typically, this blog is about classic cars, but being in North Carolina I had to post this experience of speeds exceeding 170 mph!

I'm a car guy!

Mopar's Car Show; Marion, NC

Location: Marion, NC
Time: All day event from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm

The Mopar name, which is short for MOtor PARts of Chrysler LLC, has been used for 80 years!

The 12th Annual Mountain Gateway Mopar's Car Show had many unique Mopar vehicles. The Mopar culture of enthusiasts are one of the most interesting to speak with about their particular Mopar.

For example, I had a great conversation with Mr. Smith regarding his '67 Plymouth GTX Hemi 4-Speed. This is only 1 of 104 built, which was pre-order from a person in '66. Mr. Smith mentioned he owned the vehicle since '77, and purchased the vehicle for $500. This is a unique vehicle since it is 1 of 45 with the 4-Speed Transmission. The documentation of the VIN with the pre-order purchase sheet broke down the options available, and verified the authenticity of the GTX. It was great to listen to the story of this unique Mopar.

Can you calculate the Value of this '67 Plymouth GTX Hemi car?

Please log onto http://www.carsthatmatter.com/ for the lastest value market trends.

The Mopar show had many great classic cars ranging from Plymouth Superbird to a Dodge Challenger R/T, which was exciting!

Congratulations to the Mountain Gateway Club for having a successful event!

See you at the next car show!

Daytona Coupe lives to sell another day.....

Thousands of spectators were available to see the Daytona Coupe take the block Friday night. At 8:05 pm, the main attaction set way! Peter Brock, the designer, and Bob Bondurant, one of the c0-racers, were on site to partake in the excitement. After the autioneer started the bid at $20 million, he quickly brought it back down to earth and started at $2 million. The bidding slowly gained steam and big hitters made there way out of the audience to try and buy a piece of history. After about 10 minutes of bidding, the action segued to a silent calm. With $6,800,000 on the screen, the bidding lost it's momentum. It was rumored $8.4 million was the reserve, but only the auctioneer and the seller will truly know. After the auctioneer closed the bid, the room went silent and the wind went out of everybody's sales (pun intended). I tried to make a deal after the bidding stopped, but there was no way they would take $3,000. Don't be suprised if you see this amazing machine surface at another auction in the next few years.

65' Shelby Daytona Coupe at Mecum

This could very well be the most expensive car to go on the auction block in history! Take a moment to read about it: http://mecum.com/auctions/lot_detail.cfm?LOT_ID=SC0509-79207. Check out live coverage of the auction on Discovery HD, the Daytona Coupe is scheduled to take the block at 8:05 p.m. E.S.T. Bob Bondurant, who drove this Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupe, CSX2601, across the finish line at the 12 Heures du Reims in France to secure the F.I.A. Championship will be in attendance at Mecum to watch the car sell. Hagerty will be there every step of the way as the excitement continues! Some people are estimating the car will go for over $10 million dollars. Yes, go ahead and say it like Dr. Evil would in Austin Powers........$10 MILLION DOLLARS!!!

Fuddrucker's in Lake Forest

This was my first time at Fuddrucker's in Lake Forest and I was blown away by the cars, the people and the hospitality of Fuddrucker's. I hear the summer months pull in their largest crowds. I bought a milkshake and cruised around the parking lot for hours. Check it out each Tuesday night after work!! Hope to see you there.

Just another Friday night

Just another Friday night in Garden Grove. The streets are blocked off on Main Street every Friday night in Garden Grove from 4pm-8pm to hold over 100 cars each week for your viewing pleasure. I was welcomed with open arms, friendly faces and amazing cars. This has been going for 14 years now. Every make and model are welcome, so bring your car and show your support. Hope to see you next Friday night!!

Old Tyme Auto Club in Evansville

Let me first start by saying, Evansville is a pretty far drive from Indianapolis. Now that's out of the way, my wife, Courtney, and I had the pleasure of joining the Old Tyme Auto Club in their monthly meeting last night. It started at 7:00pm with a structured agenda. One topic I found particularly interesting was "Trouble with parts or repairs". This is where members could discuss some of the repairs they were working on or talk about parts they're having a hard time finding. It was great to see this as a topic and get an open dialog amongst club members. Hagerty did a brief presentation and discussed the benefits of Collector Car Insurance. Everyone was very engaged and excited to hear how to better protect their classics. One question I forgot to ask at the beginning of the presentation was "How many of you are insured with Hagerty?" I ended up asking the question towards the end of the presentation. Almost 1/2 the room raised their hands! It's also great to see people get pumped about getting involved in the hobby. Hagerty has a ton of great information regarding getting involved in the hobby. Take a second to check out our website: www.hagerty.com. A big thanks to the Old Tyme Auto Club for their hospitality yesterday. It's always a great feeling when you feel welcomed in a strange place!

Cruise-In of the night in Cornelius

Location: Brusters Ice Cream-Cornelius, NC
Time: Every Tuesday from 6:00 to 9:00pm

On Tuesday, May 12th, I drove to Brusters at Kenton Place in Cornelius for their weekly cruise-in. At each cruise-in there is group of enthusiasts hovering over one particular classic car, and this cruise-in was no different.

To my surprise the classic of the night was a '68 AC 427 Cobra...Not a replica! How do we know it's not a replica? Usually, there will be a couple plates labeling the CSX VIN and manufacture. The VIN of this particular model is CSX3168, and the body plate read A.C. Cars Ltd, England. This AC Cobra was built in England by A.C. Cars Ltd, before being shipped to the Shelby American facility. The owner pointed out where Carroll Shelby signed the glove box, but also pointed out he signed the back of the hood after finding out this was a CSX 3000 model.

The owner of this historic car mentioned he purchased the vehicle in 1968 for $6,500. In 1980, he and another gentlemen performed a body restoration of the vehicle. Today, these vehicles range anywhere from $700,000 to $900,000 in value, but the RM Auction results for a 1966 AC 427 Cobra was $675,000 on March 14th, 2009.

This is a great story, and I was excited listening to every part!

Next time your out on a Tuesday you might want to drop by Brusters, because this Cobra might be in the parting lot.

See you at the Cruise-In!

Indiana Freedom Cruzers Car Club

If you're looking to get involved in raising money for a good cause, this is the club to join! Located in Noblesville, this club does a great job finding ways to raise money for groups or people in need. They host a great car show every year, The Chrome Carnival, and also find other ways to get involved in the community. I had the pleasure of sitting in on a club meeting and listened to how passionate members are about giving back to the community. With the economy the way it is right now, it's good to know there are still people out there who care. Take a look at their website sometime and get involved: http://www.indianafreedomcruzers.com/

Mecum in Indianapolis

If you're looking for something to do this week, check out the Mecum Auction at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. The Hagerty crew will be in attendance Wednesday through Sunday, showing their support for the hobby and helping people find the best insurance for their collector cars! Take a moment to check out the list of cars and events: http://mecum.com/auctions/auction_detail.cfm?AUCTION_ID=SC0509. Maybe you will take one home!

Historic Auto Club cruise to Anderson

Saturday may have been a little windy, but it was a great day to get the classics out and go for a cruise! Hagerty met up with the Historic Auto Club in Greenwood and took off to a cruise in Anderson. The caravan totalled 13 when we left Greenwood, but picked up steam as we made our way closer to the cruise, picking up more cars along the way. It was pretty neat to roll in with 15-17 cars all at the same time. After parking, we toured the recently renovated Paramount Theater. What an amazing facility! The Auto Clubs Council of Indiana (ACCI) had a formal meeting after the tour. This is where club leaders gather to discuss the hobby and what they can do to keep it going. Some of the topics discussed were Legislative issues such as emmissions testing and license plates concerns. The ACCI is heavily invovled in making sure hobby enthusiasts keep their rights and are allowed to cruise freely. Check out their website and see how you can support them: http://www.acc-indiana.org/index.htm





A big thanks to Allen and Albi for letting me join them as they enjoyed driving their classic to the event. It's people like them who encourage others to get involved in the hobby!

Timeless Cruizers Car Show 2009

Location: Efland, NC

Time: All day Event from 8am to 4pm

The day was filled with enthusiasts of all ages enjoying the display of beautiful classics lining up on the grass at the Efland Ruritan venue.

This was a perfect day to have a car show! The sun was shining with a nice little breeze, and the classic cars kept driving into the venue. The organizers of the event had kid's activities, great food, a live auction benefiting local charities and Jim Quick and Coastline Band.

The classics entering the venue ranged from a '70 Pontiac GTO, Resto-Rod's, Rat Rod's, Chevy C10's, Oldsmobile 442 to a lonely beautiful Triumph TR4. The Timeless Cruizers car show tailored to all classic car enthusiasts!

Congratulations to the events organizers for having a successful event! Everywhere you turned there was a smiling face kneeling down to take a closer look at their favorite classic car. The passion of the classic car hobby was on display during this event!

Please click on http://www.timelesscruizers.com/ for further information.

See you at the next show!

Indy 500

Race fans get ready! The Indy 500 is everywhere the month of May. On Thursday, I went and checked out a practice day at the track. I wasn't expecting such an amazing facility! And the cars were LOUD! It was tough to watch one go by as they were topping speeds of 220 mph. One could get lost walking around for hours just in the infield. Check out all the events going on the month of May at: http://www.indy500.com/schedule

Cruise-In at Sonic Drive-In of Rockwell, NC

Location: Sonic Drive-In in Rockwell
Time: Every Thursday from 5 to 9pm

A motorist zooming past the Sonic Drive-In has a great chance of seeing a line up of classic cars in
the parking lot of the Sonic Drive-In. The classic cars range from a "original" '34 Ford Roadster, '69 Mustang Mach 1, Prostreet C10 to a Ratrod.

It was great to hear the story of gentleman who restored his grandfathers Ford F1, and will always keep the F1 in the family or the man who mentioned he wouldn't ever sell his classic for any price, because of the intangible work he put into the vehicle. The man mentioned it was "perfect!"

Cruise-Ins really are the perfect place to have a insightful conversation about the collector car hobby and listen to the stories behind each collector car enthusiast.

The Sonic Drive-In is a great place to grab a burger while admiring the variety of classic cars. If you're looking for a wide variety of classic cars then the Cruise-In in Rockwell is the place for you!

Remember...Please DO NOT snack over the classic cars!

See you at the next Cruise-In!

Classic Car Show Events for May 9th, 2009

1. The 9th Annual Timeless Cruizers Car Show in Efland, NC. The excitement begins on Friday night 05/08/2009, with the 50's and 60's Cruise-In, which will have music, dancing and food. The classic car show will continue on Saturday from 8:00am to 4:00pm. Come join the fun!

Please log onto http://www.timelesscruizers.com/ for additional information.

2. The CAR SHOW in Concord, NC. This great car show will be held at the AutoBarn beginning at 9am to 2pm. The event is open to all makes & models! The show will benefit the Boys and Girls Club.

Please call 704-788-2765 or log onto http://www.autobarnclassiccars.com/ for more informaiton.

3. The 16th Annual Classic Car & Truck Show hosted by the Apple City Street Rodders in Taylorsville, NC. Gates for this great event open at 9:30, and the awards ceremony begins at 3:00pm. Proceeds from the event go to the Shriners Children's Hospital.

For more information please go to http://www.applecitystreetrodders.com/events.htm.

4. The 2nd Annual Habitat for Humanity Car Show in Cornelius, NC. This exciting event is from 5:30 to 9:00 pm. All proceeds go to help Youth United build their 4th Habitat home.

Please visit http://www.ourtownshabitat.org/ for further details of the event.


Enjoy the passion of the collector car hobby by marveling at the beauty of these vehicles, and listen to the unique stories behind each collector car. There are many classic car shows and cruise-ins throughout area. Please visit http://www.cruisincarolinamagazine.com/ for more cruise-in information.

See you on the road!

Ray Skillman Classic Cars

If you're looking for a classic car to buy, check out this showroom. You're bound to find some American Muscle in this well set-up museum/showroom. With tons of automobilia on the walls and oldies music jamming, you feel like part of history. If you live in Indy and haven't been down there yet, I strongly suggest it. Or, if you're going to Meecum in Indy next week, look for anyone of their 53 cars they'll have up on the block!

09' Studebaker Crossroads Zone Meet

If you're a Studebaker fan, you'd love this event! Studebaker owners from all across the country gathered to proudly display their vehicles at this 4 day event. Thursday-Saturday there was a swap meet, with vendors selling anywhere from Hot Wheels to some very hard to find Stude parts. Saturday was the car show, both for Studebakers and an open show for other vehicles. Judging was done throughout the day, and awards were presented at the banquet on Saturday night. I learned a ton about Studebaker's history and gained a deeper respect for the brand. On Sunday, about 30 Studebaker owners gathered with their cars at the old Studebaker Proving Grounds. The Proving Grounds is 800 acres of developed testing facilities with a track. All the owners were let loose on the track to feel like part of history. Even I got to drive one! Yes, an awesome couple let me drive their 1980 Avanti II with a newer Corvette engine in it. As we cruised around the track, Mike (the owner), kept saying: "push it to the floor" "hit the gas pedal hard"....well, I couldn't disappoint him. "HOLD ON!!!" As I buried the needle and passed everyone except the pace car, I couldn't help but wonder how amazing it must be to own one of these awesome machines. Before driving the Avanti, I thought they were average cars. After having the opportunity to exercise it, I gained a deeper appreciation for the car and Studebakers all around. Thanks to the Michiana Chapter of the Studebaker Drivers Club for hosting a first class event and creating memories for one lifetime Studebaker fan!

Take a moment to check out the Michiana Chapter's website. I strongly suggest you stop by for one of their shows: http://www.michiana-chapter-sdc.net/Home_Page.php

Cruise-In in downtown Moorseville, NC

Location: N. Broad St in Mooresville, NC
Time: The first Saturday of the month from 3:00 to 8:00 pm.

You're bound to see a couple classic cars heading into Mooresville from 3 to 5 pm parking their classics to enjoy the day. At this time of the day there will be more than a hundred classic cars lined up on N. Broad St to enjoy the beautiful day, and talk all day about the passion behind their favorite classics.

Rhonda, one of the coordinators of the event, mentioned there will be more classic cars lining up on N. Main St, which is paralle to N. Broad St, with even more spectators enjoying the history behind each classic. The participation of enthusiasts and collector car owners is wonderful to witness.

The event features a DJ playing great music from past decades, vendors of all kind and excited spectators enjoying the event with friends and family.

If you're looking for something to do on the first Saturday of the month or a classic car owner just looking to show your vehicle then you know where to go. It's exciting to see fellow enthusiasts enjoying the show.
For further information on the Mooresville Cruise-In please click on http://mooresvillenccruisein.com/

Please visit http://www.cruisincarolinamagazine.com/ for additional information on cruise-ins in your area.

R.O.E.A Car Show at ROUSH Fenway

The ROUSH Owners and Enthusiasts Association (ROEA) host the '09 Southern ROEA ROUSH Round Up at ROUSH Fenway in Concord, NC.

If you are a ROUSH enthusiast then you needed to be at this event! The gathering of limited edition ROUSH's brought out the stories of the collector, and each owner had a unique story to tell.

ROUSH owners from Illinois to Massachusetts hauled their vehicle to the three day event. The weekend long event started with a wonderful Italian dinner Thursday night at Dennis Carpenter's Ford Reproduction's. On Friday, the ROUSH group traveled to Carolina Motorsports Park to "exercise" their cars, and day continued on a high at Lowes Motor Speedways with a dinner at the Speedway Club. The club was decorated in a ROUSH theme with a slide show of the day's events. The President of ROEA, Carol Barker, had a great agenda for the night's dinner, which included autographed items and more. On Saturday, the car show started with a lineup of ROUSH's filling the parking lot and concluded with an awards ceremony at ROUSH Fenway. The silent auction items during the car show included autograph apparel from Jack Roush, members from the ROUSH Fenway racing team and more.

Congratulations goes out to the dedication of ROEA members for having a successful event! Thank you, to the ROUSH owners for letting me experience the world of ROUSH. I will always remember how each owner has a loyal appreciation and respect for the ROUSH brand and especially Mr. Jack Roush.

For more information on the ROEA and to become a member please go to http://www.goroush.com/.

Please log on to ROUSH Fenway racing for team information at www.roushfenway.com/

A day with the ROUSH Group.

The day at Carolina Motorsports Park started at 7:00am with track registration and technical inspection of each ROUSH vehicle. The ROUSH group was excited to get on the track to test their "babies" at higher than normal speeds.

The ROUSH culture of enthusiasts loves to drive their particular vehicle, and these enthusiasts pushed the limit on the track by hitting speeds of 110 mph!

Personally, I have never been on a motorsports track...Until today. This was the day I was going to ride in a ROUSH hitting those speeds, and rounding corners at 70 mph. The adrenalin was increasing with every turn of the corner. Scott, who is an driving instructor, was driving the ROUSH hitting 110 mph on the straight away after turn four. I remember him saying, "Wow, this car has a lot of power." I agreed with him as I was gripping the door handle during each turn. After a couple laps I started to relax and really enjoy the thrill of the ride, and have a new appreciation for ROUSH and Motorsports.

The experience was thrilling! I asked the group how they usually drive their ROUSH vehicles on a normal day, and the majority of the group said maybe 3,000 miles per year. This was a day of exercising their "babies," and having fun with fellow enthusiasts. The true passion of a hobbyist.

Thank you to the R.O.E.A group for sharing their day!

Please visit the R.O.E.A at http://www.goroush.com/

2009 Studebaker Meet in South Bend

Officially known as the 2009 Studebaker Drivers Club Crossroads Zone Meet held at the 4-H County Fairgrounds in South Bend. Today was day 2 of the swap meet and they have a huge car show and swap meet tomorrow. Should be a great time! The weather held up and is expected to be decent tomorrow as well. Here are some great pictures of some cars that were there today:

Sunday, Studebakers are allowed to tour the proving grounds! I'm going to try and ride along with someone.