NHRA Twilight Cruise and Toy Drive

Good thing it was Jacket Night at the eighth and final Twilight Cruise Night of the season at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California. It was unseasonably chilly, but that didn't stop about 800 people and 250-plus rods and muscle cars from showing up and bringing toys - tons of them - for the annual charity toy drive that also highlights the December event.

There really was a holiday-type cheer in the air as Cal-Rods, the host car club backed a stake-bed truck packed and overflowing with gifts to give to the Inter-City Volunteers, a nonprofit charity group that will disperse the gifts to hundreds of needy families in the Inland Valley for the holidays.

"Inter-City Volunteers will get the gifts to the families that really need some holiday cheer," said Sam Jackson, executive director of the Parks Museum. Jackson also thanked "Vic Cunnyngham and all the Cal-Rodders for their generous donation of hundreds of gifts. This was a very special event."

In true spirit of the holiday, folks attending Cruise Night also brought gifts to the event, which were placed around the Wally statue in the Museum's lobby, adding to the festive atmosphere which carried throughout the winter-like evening.

Ironically, it was Jacket Night, and more than a dozen donated jackets from Ford, the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, NOS, Knott's Berry Farm and other companies were raffled off and certainly came in handy for extra warmth. While the weather was cool, the cars displayed were, as usual, extra hot. Cal-Rodder Jon Duran, who stages the cars for Cruise Night, said his theme for the evening was "Santa Claus red cars."

A host of celebrity judges picked the winners for the evening. One of the judges was Bill Shaklett, director of facilities at the Fairplex (home of the Parks Museum) and is on the board of the Inter-City Volunteers. Shaklett's wife, Deanna, is the executive director of the charity organization. Shaklett tabbed Don Skurpti's 1946 Ford two-door sedan as his top choice.

Noted car stylist and author Thom Taylor chose "a fresh looking" '32 Ford owned by Lynn Park of La Crescenta, Calif. Drag racer Gary Densham named Tom Haug's '33 Ford Hiboy as the his favorite, while SEMA intern Megan McKernan (daughter of the Automobile Club of Southern California's Tom McKernan) carefully eyed all cars until deciding on a cool 1930 Model A Ford owned by Gary Booke of Huntington Beach, Calif.

Budd Legg of nearby Glendora, Calif., won the monthly "The Look" award, chosen by J.R. Martinez Design and Power Puzzles, for his sweet 1940 Plymouth convertible. Each month Martinez gives the Museum a $50 donation in the name of "The Look" award winner.

The five winners chosen will participate in a pre-opening ceremonies parade at the 2005 Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals in Pomona next November.

Scheduled for the first Wednesday of the month - from April through December - Cruise Nights transform the popular motorsports museum in Pomona, Calif., into hot rod heaven as cool pre-1970 rods, customs, classics and muscle cars fill two parking lots.

The next Twilight Cruise is be on Wed., Apr. 6, 2005. Cruise Nights, which run from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and are hosted by the Cal Rods car club, include raffles, prizes and a huge 50/50 drawing. Admission to the Twilight Cruise is free, and all who attend receive free admission to the Parks Museum as well. Food and beverages are available for purchase.

For more information, call 909/622-2133 or visit http://museum.nhra.com. The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California, houses the very roots of hot rodding. Scores of famous vehicles spanning American motorsports history are on display, including winning cars representing 50 years of drag racing, dry lakes and salt-flat racers, oval track challengers and exhibits describing their colorful backgrounds.

The Parks Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., PST, with extended hours during NHRA national events. Current NHRA members are admitted free. Admission for non-members is $5 for adults, $3 for seniors 60 and older, $3 for juniors six through 15, and free for children under the age of five. The Parks Museum is also available for private parties, meetings, corporate events, weddings and special group tours.

The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California, is located at Fairplex Gate 1, 1101 W. McKinley Ave. in Pomona. For further information on special exhibits, museum events or directions, call 909/622-2133 or visit http://museum.nhra.com.