- Today is a VERY proud day, and a big step in the culmination of a dream for me. Sound cheesy? Probably... But I don't care! Here's my story! :)
- In May of 1988, I was reading through one of my father's Car Craft magazines. As I flipped the pages, I came to page 56 and saw the car that I knew I had to have someday! It was a gorgeous red 1972 Camaro RS/SS with a 406 SBC, Centerline Champ 500 wheels, and all of the chrome was blacked out. It was love at first site. See for yourself:
- See what I mean? :) Anyway, I still carry that picture with me today, and it was the inspiration for the Camaro that I now own. Obviously my vision changed over the years, but this is what started it all.
- Jump forward a few years. I can't remember exactly when they started it, but somewhere around the early 90's, Car Craft started a competition that they called Real Street Eliminator. They picked a handful of cars and put them through various competitions (drag race, skid pad, road driving, etc). I remember the original set of cars were awesome in my eyes! When I saw that first article, I decided that one day, I would build my Camaro and I would go win that competition!!!
- Car Craft continued the annual competition for several years, but unfortunately it ceased around the end of the 90's. I was bummed, but oh well. I was still going to build my car. :) Then, earlier this year, right after I finally got the Camaro on the road, I saw an ad in Car Craft for applications to this year's version of RSE!!!! Here's the link. Now, you can call it destiny or whatever you want, but I knew I would be applying for this event!!!
- Unfortunately, I didn't get my application together until kind of late in the game. I overnighted it to Car Craft a couple of days before it was due. :) They received it on Monday I believe... Well, that afternoon, I received a phone call from Matt King, editor at Car Craft! He told me that I had been selected as one of the 5 cars to come to Bristol and compete!!! YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- So, I will spend the next couple of months preparing both the car and myself for the competition. I have to do a drag race, an auto-cross, a 30 mile drive with the Car Craft writers, and have the car judged by the Year One officials (RSE is being run at the Year One Bristol Bash in Bristol, TN October 19-20). I'm SOOOO excited about this! I hope that I can make a good showing, and even better, possibly win the competition that I've looked forward to entering for all these years!!!
- So, if you can make it, come on out to Bristol and see the show, the competition, and stop by and take a peek at the car. :) Hope to see you there!
