Rick Lay

I'm not smart enough (yet) to post a photo directly to the DF, but hopefully I am smart enough to get it on one of my website pages. <A HREF="http://www.skyfamily.com/rickanddawne/index5.html" TARGET=_blank>DF Johnstown Photo</A>

I'll have the photo back this evening and will scan it and send to ronbarn for help in putting DF names with actual names.

Shall we as usual on Saturday meet at 1:30 behind Class 5-E (Scooters)? Unlike Talladega, I will try to be timely this time - lunch was a bit longer than planned!

I'll add another post to keep this at the top. Four of us from the East Tennessee Region are leaving at 7:00 in the morning <BR>(Friday) and heading down with three cars for the driver class and one for HPOF. Looks like a good DF turnout!

All those going to Talladega - shall we meet at the usual time of 1:30 P.M. behind Class 5-E (Scooters)? <p>[ 04-30-2001: Message edited by: Rick Lay ]

I have used Passport twice - once sending and one receiving - with excellent results. The receiving end was a Kaiser from New Mexico and it arrived within a company stated time frame. A man and his wife were driving the rig and they criss-cross the country back and forth picking up and delivering. The driver told me that the hard part was planning the positioning of all the vehicles so that constant reloading could be avoided.

I will be there also.

I live about 40 minutes from Knoxville - as far as any of our East TN Region members are aware - no Drakes are in existant. There was an excellent 2 or 3 page article by Keith Marvin in "Antique Automobile" during 1985 - may be the July/August issue - but definitely 1985 - I looked it up last year for an interested party. There are photos and records of the Drake in the McClung Collection at the Knox County Public Library.

Works for me.

The Saturday lunch at St. George's sounded good to me unless we all want to get the delicious box lunch and gather around a couple of the round tables on the Mezzanine.

There is a Mr. Roy Alley from Jonestown, PA who is a member of the Kaiser-Frazer Owners' Club. If you think this might be the man, let me know and I can E-mail you contact information.

Sal - Dawne and I will both be there. We came to the annual meeting for the first time in 1998, and really enjoy coming to the big city (coming from a city of 12,000).

I am very concerned at this point about ever having something to endow.

Holiday Inn Express - 850 Speedway Industrial Drive, Talladega, AL 35096.

I can't believe I forgot! I was talking to Ronbarn about it before judges' breakfast - and the next time I thought about it was at 4:00 P.M. I guess I was having too much fun!<BR>Anyway, I think I saw most everyone at some point in time.

Actually, I have not called for a room yet! It is pretty close, time-wise, if you think about it.<p>[This message has been edited by Rick Lay (edited 11-11-2000).]

Best Western Hotel, 300 W. Retta Esplanade, Punta Gorda, FL 33950. (941) 639-1165.

I will be there also.

Rick & Dawne Lay # 509714<p>[This message has been edited by Rick Lay (edited 11-10-2000).]

If you have not done so, you really should see the actual trophies that the silver trays represent. As Ronbarn said, they are at National headquarters at Hershey in lighted display cases. I looked at them again this year - many are actual racing trophies won during the earlier part of the 20th century. Many are very ornate and some downright huge!<BR>I must admit I am particularly fond of the "Foo Dog" trophy which is, as described in the winner book, a " rare and unusual work of Chinese art." Even more interesting are the stories behind the folks who gave these awards. D. Cameron Peck established the Foo Dog Award, and is an interesting individual - as is James Melton, the opera singer, who established the Melton Cup.<P>I will make one more comment and then I'll hush. The way these awards are presented in Philadelphia really adds to their being something really special - a slide is shown of the winning vehicle simultaneously with a slide of the actual trophy itself and a little of the history behind it. With the dimmed lights and the spotlight on the winners as they receive their tray - well, it is quite a moment for the winner, to say the least.

I am sorry this happened. The fact that your vehicle was nominated for an AACA national award speaks for itself. My only comment - which will be of no comfort is - you had a bad day at a national meet. They are going to happen if you attend enough meets - I've seen it and had it happen to friends of mine. <P>The important thing is....there's another day and another meet. Two-wheelers are a different kind of vehicle and not all judges are that familiar with how they should look or should be finished. In many cases, the folks who know the most about Class 5 have a vehicle on the field in that class, and cannot judge it. There is usually a shortage of judges who sign up for Class 5 - and I have observed that the teams sometimes then get composed of the folks who put down as their request "wherever needed."<P>I have scooters and enjoy judging Class 5 - but, I can tell you that I have seen some judges who were not familiar with the vehicles point them off without mercy - things that would never occur to me to point off because of some familiarity with two-wheelers. This is where the team captain should step in and have a little "prayer meeting" with the heavy-handed judge or judges. Unfortunately, I have seen some team captains who failed to do this where, in my opinion, they should have - it kept some very nice vehicles from getting the award they deserved that day. In two cases I am familiar with, the vehicles came back to another meet and got their desired award.<P>This is not something that happens very often - but, when conditions are right - can happen.<P>I hope you will bring your two-wheeler back for "another day."<p>[This message has been edited by Rick Lay (edited 10-16-2000).]

Well.....I guess I'll be the one to ask - what was the injustice?

Father Ron was recognized (in absentia) at the banquet Saturday night for his sacrifice.

Rick - I am sorry I missed the discussion last November - I should have gotten on the DF sooner! The first I heard about this was in Ft. Lauderdale earlier this year. I have heard about incidents at other national meets since.<P>An AACA friend reminded me this afternoon of a situation we had in another club which illustrates what I was saying in my last post. Kaiser windshield glass was date marked with the maker's (PPG) logo. As NOS windshields ran out, someone had some new made up by Viracon. Some members argued that we should deduct because the Viracon logo was on it. We finally went back to basics and looked at the purpose of our club: "to encourage the restoration and enjoyment of our cars." That is the "spirit" of which I spoke. Our mission at AACA ("I" think) is to encourage folks to restore their car and bring it out to enjoy and be enjoyed. We are not supposed to chase people away by requiring things that are impractical.<P>That said, I am looking forward to Hershey!

Howard - thanks for the insight. I heard the same comment from a committee member - maybe at a different time. I will not argue with him (or anyone else) that "technically," tubeless tires are incorrect. But I do argue that it is not in keeping with the "spirit" of what AACA is all about. I just worry that if some clarification is not made soon, a lot of folks are going to get their feelings hurt who have spent a lot of time and energy on trying to do an authentic restoration with what's available. <P>Ron - speaking as a field judge, I was hoping that someone might bring this up to the committee. I would certainly appreciate some clarification before I am judging again in one of the classes affected. <BR><p>[This message has been edited by Rick Lay (edited 09-26-2000).]