When the first rays of sunlight came through on that Sunday morn, I was ready and raring to go! It was the day where all of the formalities would be dispensed with and the Concours could actually begin! I wasted no time at all in whisking my car around to the other side of the golf course with the other 30 under 30s and getting the merriment underway.
Among all of the amazing foreign and domestic (non-Stude) cars there, the one that really caught my eye was a cream 1940 Packard 160 convertible. It was nothing short of lovely, taking me back to a time when the stories told in TINTIN comics felt more like reality. The elderly gentleman who owned her was even kind enough to let me sit inside. Guess he wasn't a curmudgeon!
When it was time for the judging to begin, I hurried along and made myself as presentable as possible, just hoping I wouldn't make a bumbling spectacle out of myself. I'm pleased to report that that didn't happen. I even got to meet Wayne Carini afterwards!
Near the very end, I unfortunately had to leave early in order to catch a flight bound for Atlanta so I could be present at college on Monday. My great family friend, Norbert Kent Wilmering, filled in as my replacement so my car could still participate in the parade and collect her class award. The event organizers as well as my fellow 30 under 30ers were very cooperative so off we went!
It was then that a series of remarkable events began unfolding. An ambassador from a group called "DriveTribe" (apparently owned by the original Top Gear trio) conducted a full interview of me and my car. It is expected to hit social media in a few days. After that, Mr. Anderson greeted me and said that there might be an internship in the A-C-D museum in store for me. I was elated! However, when one Mr. Harvey Geiger approached me, he said that he was an esteemed automotive writer. He was evidently so impressed with my character and automotive ethics that he offered to bequeath me his life's work - some 33,000 archived documents and photographs dating from the earliest days of the automobile to the present day. He expects me to continue his project (as he has apparently not found a worthy successor until me) and I am totally willing to do so. In addition, he also wanted to make me a full member of the CCCA (Classic Car Club of America) as well as give me a college scholarship (the amount is to be determined). Oh boy!
Of course, all of this would not have been possible with the original momentum that the WSJ article created. It seems long ago now, but I suppose that is only natural with the exponential progress I have made. But enough about me! Let this be a lesson that opportunities to promote Studebaker-dom, that which we love, can crop up in the most unexpected places. It is our duty to utilize them to the best of our abilities, otherwise, we may find ourselves left behind. Basically: keep at it! We are all counting on EACH OTHER here!
Among all of the amazing foreign and domestic (non-Stude) cars there, the one that really caught my eye was a cream 1940 Packard 160 convertible. It was nothing short of lovely, taking me back to a time when the stories told in TINTIN comics felt more like reality. The elderly gentleman who owned her was even kind enough to let me sit inside. Guess he wasn't a curmudgeon!
When it was time for the judging to begin, I hurried along and made myself as presentable as possible, just hoping I wouldn't make a bumbling spectacle out of myself. I'm pleased to report that that didn't happen. I even got to meet Wayne Carini afterwards!
Near the very end, I unfortunately had to leave early in order to catch a flight bound for Atlanta so I could be present at college on Monday. My great family friend, Norbert Kent Wilmering, filled in as my replacement so my car could still participate in the parade and collect her class award. The event organizers as well as my fellow 30 under 30ers were very cooperative so off we went!
It was then that a series of remarkable events began unfolding. An ambassador from a group called "DriveTribe" (apparently owned by the original Top Gear trio) conducted a full interview of me and my car. It is expected to hit social media in a few days. After that, Mr. Anderson greeted me and said that there might be an internship in the A-C-D museum in store for me. I was elated! However, when one Mr. Harvey Geiger approached me, he said that he was an esteemed automotive writer. He was evidently so impressed with my character and automotive ethics that he offered to bequeath me his life's work - some 33,000 archived documents and photographs dating from the earliest days of the automobile to the present day. He expects me to continue his project (as he has apparently not found a worthy successor until me) and I am totally willing to do so. In addition, he also wanted to make me a full member of the CCCA (Classic Car Club of America) as well as give me a college scholarship (the amount is to be determined). Oh boy!
Of course, all of this would not have been possible with the original momentum that the WSJ article created. It seems long ago now, but I suppose that is only natural with the exponential progress I have made. But enough about me! Let this be a lesson that opportunities to promote Studebaker-dom, that which we love, can crop up in the most unexpected places. It is our duty to utilize them to the best of our abilities, otherwise, we may find ourselves left behind. Basically: keep at it! We are all counting on EACH OTHER here!
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