RENO, NV (May 10) – A sure sign of spring is the Hot August Night?s Spring Revival that visited downtown Reno this weekend. The Friday, Saturday event was blessed with decent weather, at least during the daytime.
Winning the Best In Show was Mark Hain and his 1959 Rambler Cross Country Station Wagon.
Asked why he chose this car he said, “It was the first car I remember as a child and I absolutely loved it. So when you become adult you have to revert back to your childhood. I decided I wanted to build one and here she is.”
He was able to locate the car in Lincoln, California where the owner wanted to get rid of it.
“He brought over and changed me a whole $500 including delivery. It didn?t have an engine or transmission and the interior was shot.”
After he got the car was when the real work began and there were a few alternations added as well.
“We basically put a racing suspension underneath so it?s got coil overs and a small block Chevy Turbo 400 engine. I did all the bodywork, all the paint, chrome and stainless. Bob Abnew helped me with the interior, Big Rob helped with all the suspension and I’ve also had Robby Selton down in Carson City do some work on the car as well. So it’s a collaboration with a bunch of racers.”
The trip from his home to the revival was the car?s maiden voyage but he wasn”t exactly sure everything would work exactly as planned.
“I made sure my wife had her phone ringer on because I wasn’t sure if we were going to make it. You never know on the maiden voyage.” he said with a laugh.
The car has another purpose as it?s the town vehicle for a vintage trailer he?s building for the Hot August Nights Trailer Revival at Rancho San Rafael.
In addition to Hain’s car there were many others like a Chevy Corvair Corsa, a turbo charged version of this car. A immaculate 41 Willys pickup with matching trailer as well as other vehicles all one display.
Another vintage car has a deep sentimental connection with its current owner, David Anderson from Reno.
Asked about the car he said, “The car is a 1941 Packard 110 Convertible, came with the flat head 6 motor, a three-speed overdrive transmission and it’s all original.”
Then he continued with the car”s history.
“My father restored it before he passed away and I bought it from the estate. The way you see it is the way he left it and I show it for him. He owned it since 1956 so it?s been in the family a long time. I go to as many shows as I can and the car gets quite a bit of interest, quite a bit of photos and a lot of people stop and look at it.?”
There were many other cars, some in various stages of restoration. One was a 1948 Cadillac with 74 thousand original miles. To say it was immaculate would be an understatement and a sign explained famous designer Harley Earl designed the body.
In fact the trophy for the Daytona 500 is named in his honor.
One of if not the rarest car on display is owned by Spanish Springs resident Tom Nelson.
“This is a 1941 Lincoln with the limousine option. There were 295 of them and they were hand built cars off the assembly line. It?s a very rare car, there are only maybe a dozen left in the world and this is 95 out of 295,” he said.
When he bought the car 18 years ago it was a wreck so he stored it behind his barn until Nelson retired.
“After I retired I dragged out from my barn and did the restoration on it, it took about two and a half years to do that, got approximately 3,000 hours of labor in it,” he said. “Did everything myself with the exception of the upholstery, needle and thread are not my friend. The motor is a V12 flat head, which was standard for all the Lincolns from 1932 until 1948.”
He added the car will be part of Hot August nights as Nelson enjoys seeing the vintage cars as well as the hot rods.
While the Spring Revival was a two-day affair in just a few months Hot August Nights will return for over a week filling our streets with all types of vehicles.
• Saturday morning was when the Northern Nevada Camaro Club had its monthly meeting that started at Summit Racing in Sparks. This time there was a twist to the meet.
After all that were going to join arrived the club cruised to the Miguel Riberio Park on Neil Road where the Northern Nevada Food Bank was taking donations in food as well as money that went to benefit a veteran’s organization.
After arrival the club members donated food and bought raffle tickets before resuming their cruise.
• On Sunday Reno Cars and Coffee had it?s third weekend of the month meet. This time it was at Classic Rock Coffee, a new location with more parking area.
Although the weather was cool there were plenty of cars that ranged from exotic to a restores 1963 Chevy.
Despite what Mother Nature is throwing at us this spring, the car meet and cruise season is well underway.
REPORTER’S NOTE: There is a photo gallery from the Revival after the results.
OTHER RACING NEWS:
• Rattlesnake Raceway got its second race of the season underway Saturday evening. It was also the start of the season for the Nevada Pro Stock Association.
Everything was running well until the main events began when Mother Nature threw a whammy into the evening.
The Hobby Stock main started with Crystle Kontney leading Tori Edgington and both women were running away from the pack. Later Chris Christiano took over third and was closing the gap when a caution bunched everyone up.
On the green Christiania jumped into the second as Kontney slipped back to fourth. Edgington led despite part of her hood coming up blocking her vision. Eventually Christiano took over the lead and scored the win but Edgington held on the finished second followed by Shane Cazel and Kontney.
Six Gen-X cars started the race but after several cautions only two were left. When rain really got started Mikki Beuchat claimed the victory with Jesse Showe in second as they were the only two cars left running.
With more rain headed toward the track the officials had to call it a night. Once a dirt track gets too wet it?s almost like ice.
• Further south Top Gun Drag Strip was able to get in $5 Friday as well as a full day of racing Saturday. Unfortunately after two runs Sunday the rains returned and washed out the event.
• Once again Teresa?s Garage Radio Show can be heard from 2 until 3 p.m. Tuesday afternoon. The show covers all things automotive, including trends.
I have a preview section at 2:15 to give an early look at what?s ahead for the coming weekend. You can listen to us over the air, streaming on the Internet or live on Face Book. Hope you’ll check the show out.
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Two of them are first class motorcycle shops located in Reno.
Our first sponsor is Reno Motorsports. Not only do they have about anything a rider might want or need and the store also has a full service shop.
Their location is at 964 Terminal Way, by the intersection with Mill Street. Store’s phone number is 775-322-1499 and the site is, www.rms-renomotorsports.com.
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Phone number is 775-856-3855 and the website is, www.moto-source.com.
The next sponsor is an excellent place if you need collision repair on your car or truck. It’s Concours Body shop, located at 250 Telegraph Street in Reno and has a long history of first class repairs
Brian Saul is the new owner, a car enthusiast himself he’s committed to continuing the shop’s history of quality work. The change comes as Gil Grieve, the previous owner has retired.
Phone number for the shop is 775-329-4557 and the website is, www.concoursbodyshop.net.
Hungry, want a great place to eat, then try PJ&Company for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and it’s a great place to watch your favorite sports.
If you’re a rider, well Wednesday evening is Bike Night, always a great time to see some great looking bikes and meet like minded people.
The location is 1590 South Wells Avenue, just north of the round about. Phone number is 775-323-6366 and their website is www.pjandco.net.
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RESULTS:
• Rattlesnake Raceway – May 18
+ Hobby Stocks:
Heat Race #1: 1. Shane Cazel, 2. Jimmy Berhorst, 3. Tori Edgington, 4. Crystle Kontney.
DNF: Ray Davis.
Heat Race #2: Bob Vaden, 2. Roy Peterson, 3. Chris Christiano, 4. Shane Ramussen, 5. Robert Crane.
Main: 1. Chris Christiano, 2. Tori Edgington, 3. Shane Cazel, 4.Crystle Kontney, 5 Ray Davis, 6. Roy Peterson, 7. Jimmy Berhorst, 8. Shane Rasmussen, 9. Robert Crane.
DNF: Bob Vaden.
+ Gen-X:
Heat #1: 1. Joie Gibbons, 2. Jesse Showe, 3. Ollie Gibbens.
Heat #2: 1. Mikke Beuchat, 2. Hailee Vaden, 3. Daniel Kleve.
Main: 1. Mikke Beuchat, 2. Jesse Showe.
DNF: Joie Gibbons, Hailee Vaden, Daniel Kleve.
DNS: Ollie Gibbens.
+ IMCA:
Heat Race: 1. Jeff Olschowka, 2. Wade Lumsden, 3. Josh Combs.
No Main Event
+ SSR:
Heat Race #1: 1. Rich Innis, 2. Travis Showe.
Heat Race #2: 1. KevinReuter, 2. Stephen Crook, 3. Dennis Crook
DNF: Steve Crook Sr.
No Main
+ Pro Stocks:
Heat Race #1: 1. Bill Pearson, 2. James Greenwalt
DNF: Blaine Hill
Heat Race #2: 1. Robert Miller, 2. Cory Sample.
DNF: Chris Annas.
No main.
