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2001 19th |
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Earlier Run |
WAX FACTOR !! |
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Pump’n Speedsters Gas Up Kent Valley |
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RunHome || Results || Report || Thumbnails || Photos |
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| Printable Report | ||||||
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| Kent, WA—The 19th Annual Northwest Vintage Speedster Run and Lowland Tour is history, but will long be remembered as a high quality event with surprising results. The Puget Sound Chapter of the Model T Ford Club of America hosted this years run with Gary and Joice Bueling at the controls. They guided a huge crew of volunteers that managed to pull off a most memorable event for the out of town visitors that hailed from Montana to California and all points in between. Forty-nine speedsters signed up for the run, with forty-six eventually making it to the starting line for the 205-mile trip. Six Lowland Tourers joined in on the festivities. Puget Sound Chapter members were well represented in the top ten finishing positions. The field was made up of veterans and rookies as well as some youngsters guaranteed to keep fresh interest alive in this by-gone era re-creation of “4-Banger” endurance fun. Six of the top ten finishers were Model T’s, the rest were Model A’s making it an all “Ford Sweep” waxing all other car marques. The Chevrolets, Buick and Dodge cars were confined to the bottom fifteen. | ||||||
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| One year ago Gary Bueling made a commitment to “give back” something to the hobby by volunteering to ramrod this years event. And give he did. From the terrific tour bags full of goodies, that mirrored his theme of Petrolania and Speedsters, to the most excellent trophies bedecked with repro gas pumps that would look cool on anyone’s mantle. He also gave us the temporary use of all his extended family members that helped in so many ways with checkpoints and time keeping. Special mention should go to Gary’s wife Joice who counseled Gary with much needed feedback on the route, maps, and food selections. They made a great team. Randy and Maggie Murray organized the Lowland Tour to coincide with the speedster run. They coordinated their tour route to meet the speedsters for coffee and juice in the morning, and lunch in the afternoon. Once back at the hotel, they ushered the incoming speedsters to a hero’s welcome and some cold refreshments. Some of the out-of-towners arrived early on Friday to settle in and enjoy the Kent valley’s shopping opportunities and rest up for the next two days. Gary’s crew also arrived early to set up the parking areas at the Hawthorne Suites Inn and finalize the last minute details. A nearby warehouse parking area provided plenty of tow rig and trailer parking. | ||||||
| Saturday’s weather was typical for a Western Washington Labor Day weekend. Rain showers mixed with periods of sun and partly cloudy with a chance of showers heavy at times. But, it was a warm rain. It did not however, dampen the spirits of this hearty bunch as trailer after trailer arrived to drop off one gleaming speedster after another. A Technical inspection of each competitor’s car is a requirement for participation. There is an expectation, that the owner/driver/mechanic has already checked the vehicle prior to arriving. The inspectors look for items like missing cotter pins and loose front ends. One item of note was the number of cracked front hubs found on Model T’s equipped with 1926-27 wire wheels. A plea was made by Tech inspection chief safety officer Paul Murray, for all to take a moment to thoroughly check, even a non-speedster Model T, for cracks along the exterior surface radius between the inner bearing carrier and the flange the hub bolts go through. Along with Tech inspection is the Registration and Hospitality loop that all look forward to. Joice and her crew put out some scrumptious morsels to chase away the most voracious appetites. The theme of the event even carried over to the food. Petrolania revolves around GAS, so Joice made a huge pot of chili guaranteeing the desired result. Icy cold beverages quenched any thirst, if the rainy downpour didn’t get the job done | ||||||
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Dave Howie explains how he is going to win the event to John Gilmore and a disbelieving Frank Thompson. Howie and his most excellent navigator Jill lead the entire event and finish 1st overall. |
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Once the Tech and Registration duties were behind them, Gary hired Kent area locals Jim and Patti Cunningham to lead both the Lowlanders and Speedsters for a drive over to Ron Kipling’s. At Ron’s all enjoyed his superb Model T race car/speed equipment collection and BBQ. If the hospitality room didn’t fill you up with “Ethyl” Ron and Shirley King offered robust gut busting BBQ’d burgers, that were oh so good, with all the trimmings. Ron’s garage was chuck full of so many “goodies” that some of the folks wanted a part or two with there burger hoping to make it a “Happy Meal” !! “Let’s see, I’ll take a ‘Single Stick Fronty’ with a side of ‘Counter Balanced Crank’ and follow that with a ‘Winfield Downdraft’ chaser.” Everyone who wandered the garage were doing their best Dave Neihaus imitations loudly repeating over and over “MY OH MY!!” Ron has three legitimate Model T single seat race cars, one that is still perched on the back of a Model T truck that was used to haul it all over the western states to races in the twenties and thirties. It is a pure “priceless” representation of the era, and is indeed an equivalent to any major metropolitan museum piece. The most “salivated over” car was a lowered 1915 Model T Roadster equipped with a DOHC Gallivan racing engine, 20” wire wheels, and a Columbia 2-speed rear axle. He fired it up and instantly drool exploded from everyone’s mouth within hearing distance. The car is dubbed the “Flying Dutchman” and for good reason. It is capable of speeds in excess of 100mph. Ron commented that it rides really great at freeway speeds. Kipling’s place kept in “tune” with the theme of Petrolania and Speedsters…it was a GAS !! |
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| Earlier Run | ||||||
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