Fontana- Twelve SCC Members travelled to Cal Speedway for the B&M Hurst American Muscle Car Challenge on May 17^th, 2010. A total of fourteen Challengers were present along with eighteen Camaros, seven Mustangs, and three Pontiac G8’s. Participants were grouped by make and were given track time on the infield course in thirty-minute intervals. All drivers were accompanied in-car at all times by instructors from Driving Concepts. Participants learned high performance driving techniques delivered in track time and classroom instruction. B&M also provided a Hawaiian barbecue lunch for drivers and instructors. SCC Member Brian S was awarded the Most Improved Driver Award by Driving Concepts at the closing of the event.  

I remember leaving my home in Huntington Beach that morning excited to be able to get some track time for my Challenger at a great price. Because of B&M and their sponsors, we got a great discount for our day at Cal Speedway. Not five minutes away from my home and my phone alerts me of a text message. Dan leaves a message, ”So what about this rain?” “What are your plans?”. I didn’t understand the message so I called him. He replied that it’s raining where he is. Like RAINING. I replied, ”It’s not raining here”. “I’m going out there”. Since I left earlier than everyone else, I gave the scouting report as I travelled out there. At the Speedway, it was a moderate drizzle and windy but the track day was still on.

 All of us were able to park in the pit crew bays that the race cars get to use. B&M separated our cars by make. Camaros, Challengers, Mustangs, and a couple of Pontiac G8’s for good measure. We all made our way into the classroom where Carl from Driving Concepts introduced himself and his fellow instructors for the event. Car also introduced a special guest for us as well. Mr. Ian James had stopped by to hang out with us. He races in the Continental GT class. And he drives a Challenger! My kind of guy. The pedigree from Driving Concepts I had experienced before….. Lots of drivers with pro experience and success.  The rules and regs were covered and we were assigned instructors for the day. The different makes of cars would be separated on the track and go individually with Camaros being first. We were up second followed by the Mustangs and the G8’s.

You first few laps are driven by your instructor driving your car. He shows you the track, talks your way through it, and gives you the best line to follow. After that, it’s your turn. The instructor sits shotgun and talks through a headset at you as you drive. If you aren’t familiar with the track, there are several laps of simply learning the course. Some of the infield course is simply marked off with cones which can be confusing at higher speeds until you learn the track. This fades quickly though after a few laps. After that, it simply building your technique and keeping things smooth. This was my fourth track day and I knew for some SCC Members it was their first. It was great to see them learn and improve so quickly throughout the day.

After each thirty minute session, you went back to the classroom for a debrief to discuss what you experienced on the course. We also were allowed to be taken out by the instructors in their cars. Fun! If you thought you were being pretty badass in your car the ride with the instructor wiped that out real quick. They were blindingly fast. That was a kick. Ian also took participants out in their personal vehicles if they wished.

I remember being really impressed with some of the Member’s driving that day. Karl was doing really well out there. So were Dan and Marcello. Bill and I had a great time the very last session of the day staying neck and neck with each other for the whole thirty minute session. I went over and thanked him for that after we got back to the bays. That was a blast!

Our last classroom session was for awards for each make of car present that day. Brian received the Most Improved Driver Award for the Challenger group. Go Brian! I saw lots of teeth that day, from smiling members. I think everyone enjoyed themselves and learned valuable driving skills that will help them in their everyday driving. I’d like to thank B&M Hurst and Driving Concepts, as well as all of the sponsors for putting on such a first class and safe event. We can’t wait for the next one!

Pomona-  The campus of Cal Poly Pomona was the setting for the 1^st annual LA Fire Department 3^rd Alarm Car Show. Proceeds from the show benefitted the LA Fire Explorer Post 19. Participants were treated to two live bands, a catered lunch, raffles, and several vendor booths. Thirteen SCC Members attended the event. Rick L received a Winner’s Trophy for his supercharged black R/T.

My nav unit has most always gotten me where I needed to go. That women’s voice guiding me here and there as we travel to our car shows, events, and cruises. This time she was a woman scorned.  As I got off the freeway and was travelling down Pomona Blvd, suddenly she barked at me to “Perform a legal U-turn”. That didn’t make any sense to me since I remember seeing the Mapquest of the location and it showing the meeting spot straight ahead. However, I put my trust in the nav gal and made a U-turn at the next light. As I now headed back towards the freeway I was looking around for the addresses on the buildings. The numbers were going down, not up. Then she spoke again. “Perform a legal U-turn”. Umm….excuse me? So I made another U-turn and started heading West again down Pomona Blvd. I went as far as that same spot and got the message again, ”Perform a legal U-turn”. Evidently Miss nav gal wished me to go in circles this morning. She actually got me to do it twice, that gal. Maybe she had a bad night before; drank too much, the guy kissed her and then left without asking for her number. Maybe she had intestinal distress, I don’t know. I took charge of my life at that point and shut her off. I felt in control. I felt badass. I was reading building numbers….Old school! I stormed past the supposed U-turn point and went straight to the meeting spot. Ha! I actually gave my nav unit the finger when I shut my car off  like that would do anything. She’ll probably send me over every pothole imaginable on the way to the next one. Her pissyness then shifted to the other members. From the meeting place I could see member after member getting into the left turn lane as she told them to either turn left or hang a U-turn. That dude the night before must have really pissed her off. I started flagging down everyone to go straight to get to the meeting spot.    

After our dealings with Miss nav gal were concluded we got together for the pre-show pow wow. Rick gave a little chat for this one as he put this show together. We were headed to the campus of Cal Poly Pomona. We had a nice long trail of Challengers snaking their way through the parking lots on campus. I’m glad Rick knew where the show was, I certainly didn’t. It wouldn’t have been easy to find if you weren’t familiar with the campus.

As we pulled in we took a back row in the parking lot. Rick and I figured this would be a good spot when the lot was full to showcase our cars. The problem was that the lot never filled up. By my count, aside from our group there were twenty four cars scattered about in a huge parking lot. We had almost thirty percent of the turnout. The bands played for no one pretty much. We wished they would stop anyways… At least the singers. Eeesh.

Aside from the turnout we had a great time at this show. James won pretty much every freekin’ thing you could win in the raffles, except the couch. We wanted that couch! It could be our club couch ,we thought, but someone else got it. James got pretty much everything else. We also got to see Kevins’ new Go-Wing. That thing rocks on his car and fits with the other modifications on his ride perfectly. His modifications have been supremely tasteful. I think he’s done the best job of making his Challenger look old school of anyone in the group. His car just keeps getting better and better. There were fire trucks for the kids to see and some great old cars as well.

My thanks to Rick for setting this show up for the SCC family to attend. This was their first show and they will only get bigger as time goes on. We were grateful to have the opportunity to help the explorers. They are the future lifesavers of our community. We thank them in advance.

Villa Park- On May 8^th, 2010, The Villa Park High School Marching Band hosted their 7^th annual Benefit Car show. All proceeds from this show benefitted the marching band, tall flags, and color guard to help with instrument, uniform, and travel expenses. Aside from entry ticket sales, VPHS also offered a pancake breakfast and a huge raffle to generate more funds for the school. There were many vendors scattered throughout the show offering various goods and services. Over one hundred vehicles lined the parking lot of the school and featured classics and new cars alike. SoCal Challengers took home the group Participation Trophy from this show for the second year in a row.

My wife and I pulled in to the meeting spot which was a coffee shop in the Villa Park Center only to see Jeff G and Dave already there. This show always brings back so much for me. It’s a small show (Around 100 cars or so this time) but it’s really relaxed and fun. The logistics for me are easy. Villa Park High is my alma mater so a lot of memories come flying back when I’m there. That center we met at in the morning I had spent so much time in as a kid. My dentist is still in that center and two people that work at that 76 gas station were working there when I was going to High School.  It was great to see so many more SCC Members join me this time around. We almost doubled last years turnout. Marcello brought his kids this time. It was great to finally meet them. G2’s wife Michelle brought her brand spankin’ new Charger Daytona to roll in with us too. Klaus brought a kick-ass 1955 Chrysler wagon. Aaron from Stack Performance brought Ryan’s Charger and hung out with us too for the day. He had to pretend to like us for some eight hours or so. Poor Aaron.  It ended up being a nice little crowd in the Coffee Grove parking area. After most of us shoved some coffee down our throats and I gave the pre-meeting, it was line ‘em up and move ‘em out.

This car show is one of my favorites to pull into because the high school kids are always manning the entrance to the show. They completely flip when they see our cars. There were three kids standing at the entrance and their jaws all collectively dropped as I turned the group in the driveway. One kid actually walked out of the drive way to look down the street and see how far the line went back down the street. Kids are great that way. They’re not too old to have learned to hide their feelings and show their emotion. They loved it and we loved seeing them love it. We had our own parking area marked off for us and parking was a snap. Well, sort of. I found out I’m not as good at parking people and lining them up as Shotgun Fred is. My line was not as sharp as his would have been. Maybe Fred can give me a few tips next time I see him. Klaus had a booth next to us to for his auto sales business, Exclusive Motors. He parked that wagon next to us. I was amazed how popular that wagon was that day. People were all over it. It was  one of only ten known to be still in existence.

After we got parked, shined up, and the ez-ups placed I headed for the pancake breakfast. Member Jim D had brought fresh salmon, cream cheese, and bagels for those who weren’t in the mood for flapjacks. I had some great conversation with Tom and Aaron at the breakfast tables. My wife bought plenty of raffle tickets and so did a lot of the other members. Last year my wife hit on about five raffles. Unfortunately, it was the same thing every time. Light bulbs. Those “Last forever” light bulbs. We now have light bulbs for the next fourty years. This year she kept winning tickets to the Nixon Library. I think she won six of them. We gave some away. I guess we can take all my neighbors to see Nixon’s Library . And maybe pawn off a few light bulbs.  

When it came time for awards about 2pm or so we knew we pretty much had the Group Trophy in the bag. I didn’t even see another club there. If they were, they were stealth. I didn’t see any window placards, club shirts, or stickers. We got it. Way cool. Klaus’s wagon won in the “Muscle Cars from 1930 to 1980” Category.  Aaron received some payback for having to spend his off-day with us by winning the “People’s Choice” Award. A good day for everyone involved especially the kids.

A big thank you to my fellow SCC’ers who came out to support my alma mater. You guys brought it this year and the kids have won again as a direct result of your graciousness and gift of time. Your donations will be put to good use. Thank you also the kids who volunteered to run the show that day. That show happens because of you. Anyone want to go to the Nixon Library?