Ashley Force-Hood’s Mustang for Charity

ASHLEY FORCE HOOD’S RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE MUSTANG
TO BE FEATURED AT 48TH ANNUAL WORLD OF WHEELS

YORBA LINDA, CA (March 1, 2010) — Chicagoland’s largest custom car show will feature Ashley Force Hood’s Ronald McDonald House Charity themed NHRA Mustang Funny Car. O’Reilly’s Auto Parts and South Oak Dodge will present the 48th Annual World of Wheels, March 5-7 2010, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois. Force Hood’s Mustang will be on display as part of the Chicago BrushMaster Kustom Kulture Art Auction with all proceeds going to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana. Fans will be able to get their photo taken beside the Mustang throughout the weekend and get an up close look at one of the fastest race cars in motor sports.

Ashley Force Hood campaigned the Ronald McDonald House Charities Mustang at two events (Seattle and Sonoma) during the 2009 Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. The attention the car generated for the Ronald McDonald House Charities is something Force Hood is proud to continue into 2010.

“I was thrilled to be able to help raise awareness and donations for the Ronald McDonald House Charities in Seattle and Sonoma. BrandSource, one of our major sponsors, is very involved with this organization and their president Bob Lawrence, started talking with us about getting involved in early 2009. We got really excited about all the opportunities to help so this program came together very quickly,” said Force Hood.

“The biggest thing for me was being able to race this amazing looking Ford Mustang. I knew it would draw a lot of attention and I wanted to turn that excitement into donations for Ronald McDonald House Charities. I have so many fans that are children I really want reach out to them and their families to encourage them to give to or volunteer with this great organization.”

In just two previous World of Wheels Custom Car shows, the Chicago BrushMasters have raised over $110,000.00 for the charity. The Kustom Kulture Auction will feature the work of over 100 automotive artists from across the nation. Items auctioned off will include gold leaf lettered, pin-striped and air brushed pieces of Kustom Kulture Art and Automotive Memorabilia.

Auctions will be conducted Friday at 7pm, Saturday at 4 pm and 7pm with a final auction held on Sunday at 4pm. Ronald McDonald himself will be appearing near the Ashley Force Hood Mustang display both Saturday and Sunday 4 pm to 5 pm.

Fans are encouraged to come out and help support Ronald McDonald House Charities in building the world’s largest Ronald McDonald House at 211 E. Grand Ave. in Chicago. At 14 stories, and 86 rooms, it will help keep families together during their child’s time of medical crisis.

The Donald E. Stephens Conventions Center is located at 5555 N. River Road in Rosemont, IL. Show Hours: Friday 3-10:30pm – Saturday 10am to 10:30pm and Sunday 10am to 7pm. Discount tickets can be purchased at any Chicagoland O’Reilly’s Auto Parts retailer. For more information call 708-361-2665.

For additional informationa about John Force Racing contact Dave Densmore, 214-244-0008 or Elon Werner, 214-244-1184.

FOLLOW JOHN FORCE RACING AT www.twitter.com/jfr_racing.com

Mustangs and Muscle Cars in Mesa, Arizona

Lance and his website HotRodPlanet.com is becoming quite a car show promoter in Arizona.  This is his latest effort and I’m sorry to get this up late for THIS WEEKEND 2/13/10.  Here’s the info you’ll need. (Click on the flier to see it full size) The show is SOLD OUT, but you can still take in the 200+ cars and the Air Museum.

Mustangs & Muscle Cars – Car Show at the
Commemorative Air Force Arizona Wing Aviation Museum February 13, 2010

The public is invited to attend the Commemorative Air Force’s (CAF) Arizona Wing Aviation Museum’s Mustangs & Muscle Charity Car Show, sponsored by Berg Ford on Saturday, February 13, 2010. This shows theme features WWII P-51 Mustang fighters, along with both classic and new cars. The car show is open to all makes, models and years of muscle cars, street rods, 4X4’s, Exotics, Imports and motorcycles. Come see the cars cause this show is SOLD OUT.

Mustangs & Muscle Charity Car Show will be held at the CAF Arizona Wing Aviation Museum located at Falcon Field Airport, Mesa, AZ. The Museum is located at 2017 N. Greenfield Road. Doors will be open from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Warbirds on display for the car show include the B-17 Sentimental Journey, B-25 Mitchell Bomber, North American SNJ/T-6 and Stearman trainers, and many more. Exhibits displays Include a tribute to the B-17 Chow Hound, honoring fallen Airmen and the 91st Bomb Group, the Tuskegee Airmen, the Flying Tigers, the China Burma India Theater and Women in Aviation, including the Women’s Air Force Service Pilots (WASPS) of WWII plus others.

In addition, there will be Hot Wheel racing for the kids, sponsored by KMJ Diecast, as well as music provided by a local DJ playing hits from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s.

Admission Price – Ages 13-Adult $10.00, Seniors 62 and older $9.00, Ages 5-12 $3.00, Ages under 5 free. Rides are also available on WWII B-17, C-45 and SNJ/T-6 trainer. Gift certificates may be purchased for flights on Sentimental Journey or other warbirds. The museums gift shop has many aviation gifts available for that unique gift. Food and drinks will be available.

The CAF Arizona Wing is a 501(c)(3) non-profit volunteer organization dedicated to celebrating our heritage of freedom through flight, education, exhibition and remembrance. For more information on The Commemorative Air Force Aviation Museum please call 480-924-1940 or visit our web site at www.azcaf.org.

12th ANNUAL JFR HOLIDAY CAR SHOW-Tons-o-toys!

Interview with Austin Coil about drag racing today Click to read it…

12th ANNUAL JFR HOLIDAY CAR SHOW A HUGE SUCCESS

(story starts below)

Press Release from John Force Racing:

12th ANNUAL JFR HOLIDAY CAR SHOW A HUGE SUCCESS

YORBA LINDA, CA (December 6, 2009) — Mother Nature and the people of Southern California cooperated to make the 12th annual John Force Racing Holiday Car Show one of the biggest in the events history. Ominous clouds made brief appearances over the 14-time champion’s shop but a comfortable breeze was the only weather variance all day as thousands of toys were dropped off making a mountain of memories for children this Christmas season. From 10 a.m. until well after 4 p.m. today toys, stuffed animals and games poured into the John Force Racing shop as fans filled the streets. Tens of thousands of people wandered through one of the largest collections of vintage cars, trucks and street rods.

In addition to the hundreds of car club vehicles a number of specialty vehicles were on display including the Force Borthers “Nightstalker,” Funny Car which returned to competition this year in a one-off event at Norwalk, Ohio, plus Jay Leno’s 1955 Buick Roadmaster custom, a $2 million Bugatti Veyron, a collection of “monster rods” built from Peterbilt trucks and an historic Amphicar designed for road or water.

“Today was awesome. It was all about the kids and I think our fans really came through. We are having tough economic times and I know there are a lot of kids out there who might not have a very good Christmas. I hope being able to donate all these toys to the CHiPs Toy Drive will help. I want to thank all our sponsors for stepping up and helping out especially Tom McKernan and the Auto Club,” said John Force.

“I know Craig Hoelzel really worked hard on this as well as all his volunteers. I want to thank everyone who helped out to make this happen from the bottom of my heart. My hand is just about worn out from signing autographs but it is what we do and I love spending time with the fans. We have a lot of really good friends that come out every year so it is good to see everyone. I want to especially thank Tom McEwen, Jack Beckman and Cory McClenathan. Cory Mac flew straight from Germany to be here.”

Fans were treated to music by the M.O. S. Project, Adria Force Hight’s band, as well as a number of other musical acts. In-N-Out burgers were available all afternoon and fans enjoyed the burgers.

Kirkham Motorsports to Donate a Cobra to Primary Children’s

I am on the Utah Cobra Club’s email list and got this email this last week.  I thought I’d pass it on to you charitable hot rodders.  I’ll find out more about how we can send donations to Kirkham and update this later.

Fellow Car Nuts:

A few weeks ago a friend of mine came by and was looking at the pictures and magazine articles we have on the walls here at our shop. He noticed the cars we have donated over the years to various charitable organizations. He asked if we had ever thought about donating a car to Primary Children’s Hospital. Every year Primary Children’s Hospital does a fundraiser with the Festival of the Trees and KSL is a major sponsor of the Festival. He just retired as the general manager of KSL, the main Utah news organization, and so he has been deeply involved for years with the organization for years. www.festivaloftreesutah.org

He then described to me the incredible things they do there at the hospital. They do hundreds of thousands of visits and procedures every year–many of them for children from all over who can’t pay. For the fundraiser, local charitable organizations, businesses, and even normal people buy trees and decorate them, then auction the trees off for the hospital. Some of you here will remember the first car we donated was to another hospital, the hospital at Ground Zero after the 9/11 attacks in New York.

Back in March Glenn Beck asked people to remember how they felt after 9/11 and to use the 912 “principles and values to solve some of the problems of the day?”

A couple of months ago, my 13 year old son asked me why people were in wheel chairs. I talked to him about spinal injury, from accident or illness, that can cause paraylsis. He asked if they could be cured. I told him, “Not yet, but they are working on it with stem cell research, gene therapy, and many other techniques.” He then told me he wanted to find a cure so those people could walk again.

I then saw the thread here on CC on “Paying it Forward” www.clubcobra.com/forums/showthread.php?t=100608 and it got me thinking it was time to donate another car. The Festival of the Trees seems like a good place to donate.

My brother and I are thinking there are a lot of kids at Primary Children’s Hospital here in Salt Lake City that need help. Even in a bum economy, kids still need chemo, x-rays, and wheel-chairs. My brother and I decided Santa could probably use 600 horses to pull his sleigh and give his reindeer a breather. I hope some of those children could put them to good use.

Anyone who would like to donate to the build would be greatly appreciated!

David

“Run to the Pines” 2009 Car Show and Cruise for Charity

Run to the Pines – 2009

The 26th annual “Run to the Pines” car show was this past September 25th, 26th, & 27th, up in Pinetop, Arizona. It’s a great getaway for a fun car show up in the cool pines. We had a good time, as usual, and the weather was perfect! The car show was fully booked again. The limit is 550 cars, so it fills up pretty fast. Even though most of the cars are from Arizona, there is a pretty good showing of cars from New Mexico, as well.  Money from this show goes to local charities in the White Mountain area. The Run to the Pines car show has donated over $220,000 over the years, to special needs in the community.

The event kicks off Friday afternoon with a “Cavalcade of Cars”, where car show participants meet up at a place in Show Low, then cruise from there and parade through Pinetop to the Hon-Dah Casino, just outside Pinetop. Once there, they have a “Welcome Party” with free Bar-B-Q, door prizes, music, and live entertainment.

Saturday is the main “Show & Shine” with lots of cool cars, trucks, & other unique vehicles to see. If you want, the Hon-Dah Casino has a shuttle bus that runs between the car show, the Casino, and the Fall Festival Arts & Crafts show. There’s something to do for everybody. They always have a Poker Run on Saturday afternoon, which is fun for a lot of people, too. On Sunday, till Noon, it’s the Show & Shine, then at Noon they give out the raffle prizes & trophies.
It’s a great show, and the money goes to great causes. If you want to go, you gotta book early! The show fills up fast, as well as all the local Hotels, Motels, & cabins. The dates for next year are… Sept. 24th, 25th, & 26th. 2010. Maybe we’ll see you there!

Here’s the full Picture Gallery from the Run to the Pines Event!

By Devin R. Squire (aka-“Rebar”)

2009 “Cruisin for a Cure” in-Picture Recap

One thing I liked (and some might hate) about the Crusin for a Cure car show in Orange County, California is the wide variety of cars filling Costa Mesa’s OC Fair and Events center. Seems like most of the big shows I’ve been to are restricted to a certain year or type of car. Not here!

From hot rods and classics to exotics and muscle cars and even some, “Custom” PT Cruisers ( More on that soon) Crusin for a Cure had a little something for everyone!

Dont’ forget, this show’s for charity. I haven’t heard the final stats, but the show benefited City of Hope to raise awareness and fund prostate cancer research.

As part of the show and like everyone else in the line that was fairly full every time I went by, I got my free PSA screening as a first step to making sure I stay prostate cancer free.  Guys could also wait in a short line for a test that’s never any fun, but necessary for early detection of the most survivable cancers in men… the dreaded digital exam.  I applaud the guys who took time away from enjoying the show to get checked. I’m sure if Debbie Baker, the lady behind the show, and Ross Kroenert, the Executive VP, could save just 1 life, all their hard work would be worth it.

I got the stats from Debbie:

We raised $175,000 and tested a record 1,166 men which 13% were told seek additional medical from their physicians. (that is approximately 150 guys we saved again) and that is what this show is about. You cannot put a dollar amount on a life or lives we save every year and that is what makes this so special.

So here’s my photo recap of the show. (Click on any pic to see it full size)

That’s it! See anything you like?

Make plans to be at this show, the largest one day charity car show in the country, next year. Check out all the cars, get checked for prostate cancer and help a worthy cause. 3 for 3!

MANY more pictures found in the Crusin for a Cure photo gallery.

Did we photograph your car? If so, let us know!

Special thanks to Debbie and the entire crew at Crusin for Cure. I hope to see you next year.

OC Car Show – “It’s about saving lives.”

Just got a note from Debbie, the planner and chief life saver for the 10th Annual Show – “Cruisin for a Cure”.

Just a reminder here:

When: Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009
Where: OC Fair & Events Center,  Costa Mesa CA

Important Spectator Info:

With less than two weeks remaining before the event the excitement is building. The areas best show and collection of world class cars, trucks and motorcyles is just around the corner.

Opening ceremonies start promptly at 9 am.

This year, the USMC Color Guard will lead down to the stage where Casey Simpson will sing the National Anthem. The Fire Truck will also raise the 60 foot flag and then we will officially start Cruisin’ all day.

Cruisin for a Cure Car Show Facts:

1. Over 2500 classic & custom cars and trucks are pre-registered! (they had 3500+ cars last year)
2. All day live music (The Answer, Casey Simpson),for those Country Western Fans of Casey Simpson, she will sing at the stage at Noon until 1:30.
3. Over 200 vendors of items of interest to the whole family!
4. See and hear the nostalgia dragsters fire up near the swap meet entrance.
5. Stop by the prize tent to enter to win from the dozens of opportunity drawings.
6. NOTE: The OCFair is now charging $5.00 per car to park.

Important Participants and Vendor Info:

1. Gates open at 4:30 am sharp for participants
2. If anyone leaves their cars at Gate 4 on Friday night to get in line, they MUST be back at their car at 4:15.
3. Vendors must set up on Friday 9/25 between 7am-7pm
4. We would like to remind all 200 plus survivors (that we know about with the blue shirts) to be in front of the band/stage at 1:30 for survivor photo.

If you need any more info, please go to: http://www.cruisinforacure.com

There’s more! (you know MyRideisMe.com’s a sucker for a pretty face!)

Just like last year, the show will be covered by Velocity Magazine with a video hosted by the beautiful and talented Genevieve Chappell.  Check out her website to see all the car-TV work she’s done including ESPN and the Speed Channel.

Then check out this video-look at last year’s Cruisin for a Cure:

http://www.vimeo.com/1900015

I hope to see you there! If you’re going, please get your free prostate Cancer screening test called a PSA.  It’s a simple blood test that literally could save your life… DO IT.

Save your life Car Show – Cruisin’ For a Cure

At the recent 2009 LA Roadster Show, I was lucky to meet Debbie Baker, the president and chair fro Crusin’ for a Cure.  Cruisin’ the largest one day charity car show with proceeds going to the City of Hope for prostate cancer research.  MyRideisMe.com supports all things that bring cars and a great cause together… Plus, Debbie’s just good people. 

With Casey Simpson singing live and Event MC, straight from the NHRA Dave McClelland MC’ing, this is a must event for everyone within driving distance to Costa Mesa, CA on Saturday, September 26th.

Here’s a little info about Debbie and how the show got started:

Cars have always been central to Debbie Baker’s life. Growing up in the San Fernando Valley, she spent her formidable years – the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, when tail fins gleamed, V8’s were king and heavy metal came with four tires and a steering wheel – cruising up and down Van Nuys Boulevard and hanging out at Bob’s Big Boy. After graduating from Van Nuys High School, she headed south to Orange County in 1973, leaving her Valley Girl ways, but not her love of cars, behind.

In need of a way to support her car habit, Debbie’s been a professional her whole life working in real estate.  Not surprisingly, her husband of 30 years Jim, was a car nut himself.  Jim passed away this year after his 12 year battle of prostate cancer. 

She and her husband had been regulars at car shows for years (Debbie has a current model Corvette and a 1936 Chevy Pickup Truck and is President of her car club Hot Rods Unlimited), but it was her husband’s prostate cancer diagnosis in 1996, followed the same year by her boss’s diagnosis with the disease, that spurred Debbie to turn her passion for cars into a new mission: Cruisin’ For A Cure.

As her husband battled the disease, which doctors told them would likely kill him within 10 years – a prediction he proved wrong – she became his advocate, helping him navigate PSA scores, scans, treatment options, and much more. In the process, she discovered how ignorant other men were about prostate cancer and testing for the disease. “It is absolutely amazing how many men don’t even know what a prostate gland’s function is,” notes Debbie.

Wanting to help raise awareness about prostate cancer and help save lives, she realized “hooking” guys with cars then getting the message out about prostate cancer would be the perfect vehicle (pun intended) and Cruisin’ For A Cure was born in 2000.

Held at the Verizon Amphitheatre in Laguna Hills, the first event featured over 600 cars and was, in spite of rain, a major success. Most importantly, the car crowd loved it. By the second year, the number of entries had grown more than five times to an astounding 3,100 cars, which were displayed on six miles of runways at the former El Toro Marine Base, where Debbie had moved Cruisin’ For a Cure. She recalls, “As a way to honor the heroes who lost their lives and those people missing as a result of the September 11th tragedy, the show opened with more than 30 fire trucks parked in formation as a ladder truck raised a 60-foot flag into the sky while country singer Casey Simpson sang the national anthem. There wasn’t a dry eye anywhere.”

The 2001 event also marked the debut of free prostate cancer screening tests for men over 40, provided by The Drive Against Prostate Cancer and the National Coalition for Prostate Cancer. More than 600 men were tested and 79 of them received a “see your doctor” notice. Over night, Cruisin’ For A Cure changed from being solely a fundraiser to what Debbie fondly calls the “save-your-life car show.”

The following year, needing yet more room, Debbie moved Cruisin’ For A Cure to the OCFair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, its current home. With more than 3,500 cars on display in 2002, Cruisin’ For A Cure officially became the largest one-day car show in the nation, a title it continues to hold.

The number of men tested for prostate cancer at the show, has also continued to grow each year. Over the past seven years, more than 6,300 men have taken free PSA tests – a simple blood test – at Cruisin’ For A Cure. Nearly 14% of them have been notified to “see your doctor.” So Debbie has literally helped to save the lives of hundreds of men, most of them complete strangers. She has also been known to personally escort friends and sponsors of Cruisin’ For A Cure to the testing van, several of whom were diagnosed with prostate cancer but are alive and well today, thanks to her.

There is, perhaps, no one more persuasive than Debbie. She promotes Cruisin’ For A Cure at other car shows year round and does not receive one penny, she is saving our men. She has procured financial or in-kind support for Cruisin’ For A Cure from nearly every major automotive company in the nation. She has earned glowing endorsements for her efforts to raise awareness about prostate cancer from the medical community. All the funds raised benefit the City of Hope and the wonderful prostate cancer program they have there.

Debbie is on a self-professed mission to save our men. And because of her efforts, she is well on her way to becoming as legendary in car circles and beyond as the Boulevard she once cruised in her youth.

Please show your support for Debbie and the Crusin’ for a Cure car show by commenting “I’ll be there!”

Gettin’ Patriotic with The Pinup Angels

2010 Pin-up Girl Wall Calendars

As Memorial Day and July 4th are sparkin’ up our summers – let me introduce some gals who are sparkin’ up some TLC for our boys serving overseas. The Pinup Angels are a group made up entirely of volunteer pinups. These ladies make care packages (with pictures included of course) and send them out to show a little love and care to our troops overseas.

We all know of the WWII pinup being used to boost troops moral and I think it’s really cool that these ladies aren’t just posing but they’re very active in finding other ways to support guys who are working to defend the ol’ USofA. Their care packages deliver not just pictures, baked goodies, and other useful stuff – but they deliver a message to the fellas that people back home are thinking of them and are very grateful for their service.

I was fortunate enough to get a chance to talk to Miss Kitty Baby, the Pinup Angel’s leading lady, while at Viva Las Vegas. With tattoos and bright red hair, she’s not your average 1940s girl – but she definitely has the old-fashioned, caring “heart of gold” we’d like to imagine all pinups have.

Coming from a military service herself (she was a Marine!), Miss Kitty has always been community-oriented. So after putting in her years of service and donating her own money she wanted to find a new way to stir up support for the troops and recruit others along the way. So in June of 2007 she put the word out and started gathering other pin-ups to her cause. Based out of Seattle, the Pinup Angels now have 25 regular volunteers who get together every couple months. They’ve sent overseas a whooping 1300 care packages! Not only do they send care packages but they also show up at tons of different events to fundraise, meet people, and have fun.

That’s a whole lotta lovin’! So as we celebrate these holidays of freedom- after the barbecue’s over head on over to The Pinup Angels and find out how you can support these hard working pinups with what they do. In fact, in May if you subscribe to Bachelor Pad magazine through the angel’s site (this issue featuring the lovely Bernie Dexter) they’ll donate 5 magazines to be added to care packages – what a deal!

Chances are you’ll be able to find these gals at any number of car shows throughout the year. And I guarantee – they’re even more lovely in person than they are in the photos!

So a big thanks out there to all the folks who’ve served our country and thanks to Miss Kitty and all the ladies of The Pinup Angels for makin’ patriotism look so good… keep up the good work!

Happy Trails!

-GreaseGirl

Professional Racers Owners Organization’s “Great Helmet Auction”

Please Contact: Michelle Domagala
(317) 373-8455 or email prodragracers@earthlink.net
Professional Racers Owners Organization’s (PRO) “Great Helmet Auction”
INDIANAPOLIS, In. – On May 15, 2009, PRO will unveil its’ first ever online promotion the Great Helmet Auction.
The auction features autographed helmets, most worn during NHRA Drag Racing competition, by stars of the sport including: Jack Beckman, Brandon Bernstein, Kenny Bernstein, Antron Brown, Ron Capps, V. Gaines, Mike Edwards, John Force, Ashley Force Hood, Matt Hagan, Robert Hight, Allen Johnson, Warren Johnson, Doug Kalitta, Ron Krisher, Cory McClenathan, Mike Neff, Tony Schumacher, Bob Vandergriff Jr., and Tim Wilkerson! For a full description of driver helmets, including their history and photographs, visit www.GreatHelmetAuction.com when the site goes “live” on May 15.
The 10-day auction will be hosted on eBay beginning June 6 and ending June 15. Direct links to each helmet can be found on the www.GreatHelmetAuction.com website.
Winning bids will benefit PRO, a trade organization providing services and other benefits to professional drag racing team owners and drivers, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting Racers for Christ (Team RFC), an organization which has been servicing NHRA for over 25 years.
Mark your calendars now with the following dates:
 
Great Helmet Auction Schedule
May 15 – www.GreatHelmetAuction.com goes live!
June 6 – The Great Helmet Auction begins on eBay.
June 15 – Last day to bid and win!
June 16 – Helmet winners announced.

Next Page »