driving-force-online-may-2015-issue-1

PACK YOUR BAGS, WE’RE HITTIN’ THE HIGHWAY!

Billed as “the world's largest road trip,” the Hot Rod Power Tour will soon be embarking on its 21st annual excursion. Automotive media personality Courtney Hansen will once again be with the SEMA Action Network (SAN) signing limited-edition posters. Shown above with her own 1957 Ford Thunderbird, she will join us at each stop from Memphis, Tennessee to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. So, stop by our prominent display at the flamed Hot Rod bus to grab one for yourself.

The Power Tour draws motor vehicle enthusiasts from across the country. Covering more than 1,500 total miles, this seven-day, seven-city tour begins in Madison, Wisconsin, and will make its way to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, through both highways and winding back roads. The event will attract more than 4,500 collector cars and grab the attention of more than 75,000 spectators. All kinds of hot rods, classics, custom trucks and street machines will be along for the ride. Any vehicle year, make or model is accepted.

The dates and stops are as follows:

• Saturday, June 6 – Madison, WI (Alliant Energy Center)
• Sunday, June 7 – Champaign, IL (Parkland College)
• Monday, June 8 – Madison, IL (Gateway Motorsports Park)
• Tuesday, June 9 – Memphis, TN (Memphis International Raceway)
• Wednesday, June 10 – Hoover / Birmingham, AL (Hoover Metropolitan Stadium)
• Thursday, June 11 – Gulfport, MS (Centennial Plaza)
• Friday, June 12 – Baton Rouge, LA (Lamar Dixon Expo Center)

This link contains information on tour stops and other details: www.hotrod.com/events/power-tour/ 

We hope to see you on the road!
 

Legislative Front Lines

• Florida Bills Requiring Program to Tax Cars for Miles Traveled Die as Legislature Adjourns

• Hawaii Bill to Eliminate Ethanol in Gasoline Approved; Sent to Governor

• Vermont Bill to Provide Titles for Exempted Vehicles Amended and Approved by House; Sent to Senate for Concurrence

• New Jersey Bill to Provide Window Stickers for Vehicles Exempt From Inspection to be Considered on May 11, 2015

• Maryland Bill to Allow Single License Plate for Hobby Cars Signed Into Law

• Tennessee Legislature Adjourns Without Approving Bill to Exempt Newer Cars From Emissions Inspection

• Maine Bill to Amend Prohibition on Ethanol Blended Gasoline Not Approved

• North Dakota Bill Regarding Vehicle Modifications Signed Into Law

• Washington State Bill to Provide for Single License Plate Dies as Legislature Adjourns

• 6th Annual Collector Car Appreciation Day to be Celebrated July 10, 2015

SEMA SAN Strike Force

Persistence can be highly rewarding! Pictured here at the Coachmen's Collector Car Appreciation Day (CCAD) show, event promoter Skeeter Rader (right) and co-chair Paul Dryman (left) each receive a certificate of recognition from the administrative assistant to former state Senator Tony Strickland for the club’s effort to promote the hobby.

For those who know Skeeter Rader well, the challenge of juggling multiple responsibilities appears simple. He glides between vehicle-related roles that include car club spearhead, event promoter and automotive brand developer seemingly without struggle. "My life's passion has been the automobile," the devoted SEMA Action Network (SAN) member proudly exclaims. He enjoys a variety of activities throughout the year with the Coachmen Car Club of Ventura County, California. Several auto-related events are produced under his Roddin' Around Productions. Most recently, he's chosen to pursue a new avenue for his passion by developing Vista Ford Racing, the aftermarket division of Vista Ford/Lincoln of Woodland Hills/Oxnard.

In 2010, Skeeter helped initiate a Southern California tribute to Collector Car Appreciation Day (CCAD) during the celebration's inaugural year. This annual tradition has steadily grown into an impressive event that attracts hundreds of show vehicles. As he explains, "The Coachmen have held a cruise each year to heighten awareness of collector cars, not only to hobbyists and the general public, but to legislators at all levels." In fact, the popular gathering's sheer size has resulted in several venue shifts since its beginning. ‘Collector Car 6' will take place this year on July 11, 2015, at the Community Marketplace in Moorpark. If you're in the area, make plans to stop by-you won't be disappointed!

Perhaps Rader's consistent involvement with the car hobby can be traced back to seeds that were sown very early in his life. At age fourteen he acquired his first car, a '47 Ford, and started customizing it immediately. A full custom '51 Henry J was purchased by the time he got his driver's license in 1958. Skeeter has since owned a slew of rods, customs, classics and trucks. At one time he ran his own custom shop in Thousand Oaks called Skeeter's Performance. In addition to being a retired firefighter for the City of Oxnard, the gearhead has worked on both sides of the camera in soaps, movies, commercials and music videos. He was inspired by a father who earned a living as a professional stunt driver for Jimmy Lynch. Through it all, he believes that those who share a passion for automobiles form an unbreakable brotherhood. "Thanks to the SAN legion, our voice will no longer fall on deaf ears with lawmakers," he says. "Together we must protect our hobby for the future!"

We couldn't agree with the sentiment more, Skeeter! Many thanks for all your contributions to the car-crazed community at large-and best wishes for those yet to come.

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