I had just two days of turn around time after the Advanced Plating Tour ended in York. The Vintage Air Tour was set to head out on Sunday morning and Jack Chisenhall and Rick Love had a kick-off hot dog roast planned for everyone on Saturday evening. From my home in Youngstown Ohio Vinatge Air's headquarters in San Antonio is a mere two day drive. That would be just be too easy. I looked at a schedule of events and realized that I could catch The Hot Rod Power Tour in Memphis,Tenn on Thursday and roll with them into their final destination of Little Rock, Arkansas. What the heck, that sounded like fun.
I left Youngstown on Wednesday afternoon. Mark Kirby from Motor City Flatheads and Shadow Rods built the beautiful blown flathead motor in this years coupe. He wanted to give it a quick once over after the first two tours so he got it Sunday evening and with Phil Goller from Gollars Hot Rods in Defiance, Ohio gave it a tune up and made some adjustments. Mark met me with the Coupe on Weds evening and I drove to my pal Wade Hughes home in Cincinnati for the evening. Wades is the master of the Ohio Hot Rod Flames and a good friend.
Thursday's drive to Memphis was flawless and I arrived at the Memphis Motorsport Park by mid-afternoon. The Power Tour was at full tilt and in its fourth day. I parked in the Timberwolf exhibit and spent the afternoon seeing many old friends from Road Tours past. Check out Timberwolf's website at WWW.TWSPEEDSOP.Com to see how you can win this years Tour Coupe. Friday morning I stopped with a few folks at Vernon Walker's home in West Memphis, Arkansas. Walker Radiator and the NSRA keep Vernon busy during the day but his real passion is collecting neon signs and automobilia of all kinds. He has most of his treasures on display and it was a great two hours enjoying his fantastic collection. It is not everyone who has a restored 1962 Texaco gas station in their back yard.
Friday the Power Tour headed to Little Rock for the wrap up of their week on the road. Early Saturday morning I set my sites on San Antonio, Texas and the kick-off to the Vintage Air Road Tour to the LA Roadster's Father's Day Show in Pomona California. We had 30 cars filled with participants on this Tour and the route that Rick Love planned would take us through some of the pettiest parts of the Southwest.
Saturday evening we all gathered at Vintage Air for a cook-out and get together. There were a number of folks from last years Vintage Air Tour to The Roadsters Show and there were quite a few new faces too. Traveling with us this year was the legendary Tom Medley of Stroker McGurk fame. Tom was riding with Street Rodder staffer Ron Ceridono in Tom's vintage Ford sedan.
It was rise and shine on Sunday morning as we rolled out of Vintage Air. The weather was great and we were headed West. After a lunch stop in Del Rio, Texas we made a brief stop in Langley, Texas at the sight of the original court room and pool hall of Judge Roy Bean the only law West of the Pecos for quite a few years. It was then on to our stop for the night in Fort Davis, Texas. The local folks had planned a car show to raise money for charity and we were the center of attention all evening.
The first day of the Vintage Air Tour to the LA Roadster's Show was a blast. Check back here as we continue to roll West and we invade the UFO capital of the World, Roswell, New Mexico.