Memorial Day Weekend,
5/26/07 - 5/27/07
5/26/07 - 5/27/07
Norwich Car Show
With a slight chance of rain
in the air I loaded up the
B29 and headed up Route 12
to Norwich, Ny for the Rolling
Antiquers 18th annual
Muscle Car and Hot Rod
event. Easily one of the
nicest shows in the area, any
car buff can find something
new and interesting parked
in the infield of the
Chenango County
Fairgrounds. This day was no
different, parts vendors were
out in force and even though
there wasn't as much old
flathead race equipment as
in past years, there was still
some around. One fellow had
a nice Modal A coupe for sale
which was excellent hot rod
material and the price wasn't
bad either. Antique engines,
hot rods, muscle cars, trucks,
you name it, if it came on two
or four wheels, it was there
for the viewing. Our club
showed up with an
impressive display of antique
stock cars as well. As I pulled
in, John and Barb Clark,
Alan and Roxanne Weaver,
and Dad were already lined
up. Friends Dave Conde and
Ray Bunzey came over to
help unload the B29 and I
joined the group. Later
Richard and Sharon Parry,
Jim Florance and Jim Chase
joined us as well. The field
boasted two flatheads, a
Fonda Sportsman, Ray
Kennedy's #67, a Seamon
built asphalt mod, Bud
Hinman's Hillegas and the
Clark's '56 Ford latemodel.
There were plenty of lookers
all day long and the weather
co-operated beautifully. A
fun way to waste away the
day.
With a slight chance of rain
in the air I loaded up the
B29 and headed up Route 12
to Norwich, Ny for the Rolling
Antiquers 18th annual
Muscle Car and Hot Rod
event. Easily one of the
nicest shows in the area, any
car buff can find something
new and interesting parked
in the infield of the
Chenango County
Fairgrounds. This day was no
different, parts vendors were
out in force and even though
there wasn't as much old
flathead race equipment as
in past years, there was still
some around. One fellow had
a nice Modal A coupe for sale
which was excellent hot rod
material and the price wasn't
bad either. Antique engines,
hot rods, muscle cars, trucks,
you name it, if it came on two
or four wheels, it was there
for the viewing. Our club
showed up with an
impressive display of antique
stock cars as well. As I pulled
in, John and Barb Clark,
Alan and Roxanne Weaver,
and Dad were already lined
up. Friends Dave Conde and
Ray Bunzey came over to
help unload the B29 and I
joined the group. Later
Richard and Sharon Parry,
Jim Florance and Jim Chase
joined us as well. The field
boasted two flatheads, a
Fonda Sportsman, Ray
Kennedy's #67, a Seamon
built asphalt mod, Bud
Hinman's Hillegas and the
Clark's '56 Ford latemodel.
There were plenty of lookers
all day long and the weather
co-operated beautifully. A
fun way to waste away the
day.
DIRT HOF Induction,
Weedsport, NY
On Sunday it was off to
Weedsport for a special day to
honor modified and Nascar
legend Dick May. Tom
Skibinski and Jack Speno of
Boundless had exteneded a
gracious offer to include us in
the festivities to honor Dick and
we jumped at the chance.
Surprised me to have this car
following me into the gate and
as soon as I got out I was
greeted with "Need a driver?" as
Dick jutted out his hand. 'Sure'
I replied and our day was off to
a great start. The Midstate
Vintage Club was on hand as
well with an impressive display
of their Vintage Stock Cars and
despite any differences we may
have had over the past few
years, all members were very
gracious and we got along just
fine. The entire May contingent
were wonderful, it was truly a
pleasure to meet them all and
they were very appreciative of
our display which drew many
onlookers. I took the
opportunity to sit and talk with
Dick and even got in a short
interview which I'll have to work
up for a Racing in Retrospect
article, I hate to give it away
here so let's just say it was very
interesting and entertaining. At
least the Appleby's and Dad
thought so, hope I can hear
what Dick was saying on the
tape over all the laughter. Dick
drove Bob Hayslett's B29 to the
1962 Watertown Track
Championship and related
when he was driving modifieds,
he was out to win. When he
later moved to Charlotte and
drove in NASCAR, he drove to
finish. It was a different era
then with many family owned
cars in Winston Cup and for
many, finishing meant being
able to race again. Dick was a
master at bringing a car home,
at relief driving (he once drove 5
different cars in one race) and
qualifying. He's also quite the
card and enjoys a laugh as
much as anyone. I also got to
meet inductee Dave Heaslip
who was looking over the
Kotary 90 and related that he
had started with flatheads at
Kingston Speedway in the early
1960's. Dave is still winning
races today. It was good to see
Jim Sincerbaux and Wayne
Emm at the induction also. Joe
Marotta and Shane Andrews
were on hand manning the
mike for Billy Osmun's and
Dave Heaslip's inductions and
then Mike Perry gave a
wonderful induction speech for
Dick May. I was pleased to
present Dick with one of Ken
Myer's super wooden models of
the B29 which made Dick's
eye's light up. Truly a great
day, this is what it's all about,
honoring your heroes that
made stock car racing such a
popular sport. Afterward
outside I grabbed Carl Nagel
and had him look over the B29.
We looked at the Mickey Mouse
quickie and he related he had
one just like it, his first
quickchange. "I didn't know
how to put the gears in when I
first got it and so Don
Diffendorf told me, 'It's just like
Marilyn Monroe, big on top,
small on the bottom.'
Ahahahah." That's a good way
to remember it. And I'll
remember this day as well as
an excellent one.
Weedsport, NY
On Sunday it was off to
Weedsport for a special day to
honor modified and Nascar
legend Dick May. Tom
Skibinski and Jack Speno of
Boundless had exteneded a
gracious offer to include us in
the festivities to honor Dick and
we jumped at the chance.
Surprised me to have this car
following me into the gate and
as soon as I got out I was
greeted with "Need a driver?" as
Dick jutted out his hand. 'Sure'
I replied and our day was off to
a great start. The Midstate
Vintage Club was on hand as
well with an impressive display
of their Vintage Stock Cars and
despite any differences we may
have had over the past few
years, all members were very
gracious and we got along just
fine. The entire May contingent
were wonderful, it was truly a
pleasure to meet them all and
they were very appreciative of
our display which drew many
onlookers. I took the
opportunity to sit and talk with
Dick and even got in a short
interview which I'll have to work
up for a Racing in Retrospect
article, I hate to give it away
here so let's just say it was very
interesting and entertaining. At
least the Appleby's and Dad
thought so, hope I can hear
what Dick was saying on the
tape over all the laughter. Dick
drove Bob Hayslett's B29 to the
1962 Watertown Track
Championship and related
when he was driving modifieds,
he was out to win. When he
later moved to Charlotte and
drove in NASCAR, he drove to
finish. It was a different era
then with many family owned
cars in Winston Cup and for
many, finishing meant being
able to race again. Dick was a
master at bringing a car home,
at relief driving (he once drove 5
different cars in one race) and
qualifying. He's also quite the
card and enjoys a laugh as
much as anyone. I also got to
meet inductee Dave Heaslip
who was looking over the
Kotary 90 and related that he
had started with flatheads at
Kingston Speedway in the early
1960's. Dave is still winning
races today. It was good to see
Jim Sincerbaux and Wayne
Emm at the induction also. Joe
Marotta and Shane Andrews
were on hand manning the
mike for Billy Osmun's and
Dave Heaslip's inductions and
then Mike Perry gave a
wonderful induction speech for
Dick May. I was pleased to
present Dick with one of Ken
Myer's super wooden models of
the B29 which made Dick's
eye's light up. Truly a great
day, this is what it's all about,
honoring your heroes that
made stock car racing such a
popular sport. Afterward
outside I grabbed Carl Nagel
and had him look over the B29.
We looked at the Mickey Mouse
quickie and he related he had
one just like it, his first
quickchange. "I didn't know
how to put the gears in when I
first got it and so Don
Diffendorf told me, 'It's just like
Marilyn Monroe, big on top,
small on the bottom.'
Ahahahah." That's a good way
to remember it. And I'll
remember this day as well as
an excellent one.
