A Tough Pill to Swallow

I had to give this post some very serious thought, because it is not one I want to publish. But if HotKarz is to maintain its integrity, I must.

Let me begin, if I may, by stating unequivically that the Bektash Shriners (Concord NH) have always held a special place in my life. My Dad was the Potentate of Bektash more than 40 years ago. And when my Mother passed away, the Bektash Temple helped Dad get through the difficult time. And I certainly appreciate all the good works they do. They are truly deserving of our support.

And I would like to mention that I have been to car shows in 28 states over the last 40 years, so I am rather familiar with them. I can usually pick out a true show car from contenders and pretenders.

Unfortunately, the judges at the Bektash show seem to know precious little about car shows. Hopefully, they will learn. The reason I say this is because they run an old-time show, one without classes, but they do not judge it that way. Every car on the field competes with every other car. In such a show, there is only one legitimate way to judge - the judges must know cars, they must adhere to a strict point system, and all bias and predjudices are left at home. Personal opinions and favorites have no place in such judging.

In short, in an open show like that, the most perfect cars are the winners. But that is not what happened today. Today, though we all had a good time, and the Shriners were really great hosts, the judging appeared seriously flawed. In a "points" show, where perfection is king, there is no excuse for awarding a trophy to an unrestored, rusted vehicle while near-perfect vehicles were completely ignored. And it raised more than a few eyebrows when several cars arriving at the last minute, in succession, were all awarded trophies, right down the line. Wouldn't you wonder just a little if you heard the announcer say "Car #72, #73, #74, #75, and #76"?

Certainly, some of today's winners really were winners, like the car that took People's Choice, Best of Show, the '67 Goat, the Mustang convertible and the silver 455. But many others were a far cry from being "points perfect".

Now, I will be the first to admit that my own car is definitely not a winner in an open, points show. It has too many little, yet obvious, flaws, dings etc. I go for the enjoyment of it, and to report on the days' events. And if I had won a trophy, I would have been even more disappointed than I already am. But some true show vehicles went home empty-handed while seriously flawed cars took home the gold, and as much as I love the Shriners, that is just plain wrong. I truly hope they will strive to do better next year. Otherwise, I will not be going back, as I would not feel right about supporting it.

Yes, I know this post sounds harsh. But when a show has such inherent problems, I think it is best to bring those problems to light, as that is the only way that they can be fixed. You can't fix something if you don't know it's broke! Earlier this year, we noted similar problems with a show in Center Conway (not to be confused with the show at Settler's Green). At that show, it raised more than a few eyebrows when an inordinate number of trophies ended up on the hosts' table. Maybe it was legitimate, but I should note that those same winners were also on the list of the show's sponsors. (And, yes, we won a trophy that day, so it's not a case of "sour grapes". I just report what occurs.)

Another serious problem with the Bektash show - they appeared to have no interest except in how much money they could pull out of us. Instead of selling 50/50 throughout the day, they soild "different" batches each hour. The ones you bought at 9 am were no good for drawings after 10am, etc. So, if you wanted to play, you had to buy new tickets every hour - and that gets expensive. No other car show mistreats the participants with such abject greed. We spend $70,000 on a car, spend hours polishing it, and a lot of $$$ on gas to get there so THEY can make money from us. That's fine - but to bleed us is an entirely different story, and unacceptable. Car shows are supposed to be a symbiotic relationship - we use our cars to help them raise money, and they treat us right. It seems Bektash has no regard for the second part of that equation.

If they want to have successful shows that grow, and prosper, they need to do at least two things:

1) Make the judging much more honest, by people who know the difference between a 1940 Ford and a Tuner, and

2) Stop bleeding the very people who are helping them fund their pet projects.

Treat us fairly, and with respect, or you will lose us.

Again, it truly pains me to write unpleasant things, because I deeply treasure our "hobby". I only hope that by bringing such circumstances to light that our hobby can become even better than it already is.

Life's Little Instructions

This piece is not about cars - but it should be taken seriously. If you follow these instructions, I guarantee your life will be sweeter and more fulfilling.

Life's Little Instructions

Sing in the shower. Treat everyone you meet like you want to be treated. Watch a sunrise at least once a year. Leave the toilet seat in the down position. Never refuse homemade brownies. Strive for excellence, not perfection. Plant a tree on your birthday. Learn 3 clean jokes. Return borrowed vehicles with the gas tank full. Compliment 3 people every day. Never waste an opportunity to tell someone you love them. Leave everything a little better than you found it. Keep it simple. Think big thoughts but relish small pleasures. Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know. Floss your teeth. Ask for a raise when you think you've earned it. Overtip breakfast waitresses. Be forgiving of yourself and others. Say, "Thank you" a lot. Say, "Please" a lot. Avoid negative people. Buy whatever kids are selling on card tables in their front yards. Wear polished shoes. Remember other people's birthdays. Commit yourself to constant improvement. Carry jumper cables in your truck. Have a firm handshake. Send lots of Valentine cards. Sign them, "Someone who thinks you're terrific." Look people in the eye. Be the first to say hello. Use the good silver. Return all things you borrow. Make new friends, but cherish the old ones. Keep a few secrets. Sing in a choir. Plant flowers every spring. Have a dog. Or cat :) Always accept an outstretched hand. Stop blaming others. Take responsibility for every area of your life. Wave at kids on school buses. Be there when people need you. Feed a stranger's expired parking meter. Don't expect life to be fair. Never underestimate the power of love. Drink champagne for no reason at all. Live your life as an exclamation, not an explanation. Don't be afraid to say, "I made a mistake." Don't be afraid to say, "I don't know." Compliment even small improvements. Keep your promises no matter what. Marry for love. Rekindle old friendships. Count your blessings. Call your mother.

by H. Jackson Brown Jr.

Smokey

We had a lot of fun at Two Trails Fab 50's Diner cruise this evening. But the high point was the People's Choice trophy - everyone got together and voted for the hot Malibu owned by Deputy Sheriff Larry Cote. He never saw it coming (much like Nelson never saw the "horse's ass" award coming, last week :o)

Larry also happened to win the 50/50. First, he gave back the money, to have another ticket drawn. And his ticket was drawn again! I guess it really was his night!

As a side note, Larry's plate number is "TEN 33". That's fuzz talk for "high speed pursuit." As one of his friends commented, perhaps "TEN 44" would be more appropriate (cop talk for "mental subject").

The crowd at the Diner isn't often very big, but it is the one we look forward to the most because there is a lot of fun and laughter, and it's a lot like a "family gathering". It's nice. And I, for one, want to let all the regulars know that they hold a secure place in our hearts.

Enough of the mush. The folks at the Diner will be getting together again on Saturday evening for the final "cruise" of the season. And, as usual, there will be trophies, music, food and, above all, fun!

Hope to run into you there (not literally, of course - my insurance is high enough). We'll probably arrive a bit late, as we are covering the Bektash show in Concord, NH on Saturday, and my wife has to get our daughter, Criss, to the Bonney Eagle Homecoming Dance. But we'll make it, eventually.

BJ

Looking for car clubs

HotKarz.com is adding a new feature: we will be including a page that will list the various car clubs throughout northern new England. If you are in a club, please have your club president or other authorized official email us the info for their listing. The info can include any or all of the following:

Official Club Name
Any specific description, such as "Mustang owners only", etc.
Address (if any)
Contact info - phone, email address, web address (we will link the email and the web address so interested persons need only click on them)
Name of the current club president

Looking to hear from you. While HotKarz.com is non-club affiliated, and may not be used to actively promote any club, it is a useful function of HotKarz to let its vistors know what clubs are available, and how to contact them.

Help Wanted!

With the season coming to an end in less than a month, I have been giving much thought as to how HotKarz.com can continue to provide value to you until next season.

Of course, I can use the winter months to contact all the cruise and show sponsors, to make sure our 2008 calendar is as accurate and complete as possible. And I can attempt to find sponsors and advertisers for the site, so it can earn its own way. But those things do nothing to keep y'all coming back to HotKarz through the long, winter months.

So, I would like you to participate, and perhaps have a little fun doing it. For those of you looking to find a way to while away a few snowbound hours (days, weeks, months), I hope you will consider sending in your stories. All of us have a wealth of history inside ourselves. Let's share some of those funny, serious, heroic or other stories. Not only will it help us all to fill some hours, but it may bring some of us closer.

I will print the stories in this blog (giving the contributor credit). You may also submit supporting pictures.

I believe it is important that we remain connected during the off season. And I would like HotKarz.com to be the platform for it.

Hope to hear from you!

Bill

Bektash Shriner's Show

This coming Saturday the Bektash Temple (Shriner's) of Concord NH will host their 4th annual car show at WalMart. The reason for this article is because the Bektash Shriner's run a different kind of show. They run their show a lot like the ones in "olden days".

They do not have "classes" or categories. All the cars come, park, and the judges make the rounds, judging each car using a point system. The top 20 cars receive a trophy. It's kinda like picking out the "Top 20 Best of Show".

In short, you really gotta have your wheels in top shape if you want to win a trophy - you would be competing with every car on the field - and last year there were over 350 of them! Ralph & Ulla Stowell know what that is like - their 1940 Ford Coupe took one of the awards last year.

Now that's what I call competition. As a side note, the Shriner's also present a few special awards, such as The Potentate's Award, The Potentate's Lady's Award, and Best of Show.

For those of you who plan to make the trip, we wish you the best. We will be there, too, to get pix, and to let New Hampshire in on the HotKarz website.

Well, gotta go - I have to start whipping the PT Woody into shape.

A Good Time in Durham

Another fine day, and another great show! We headed out (far too early for my taste) to the Durham, ME show this morning. We did not know what to expect, as this event, hosted by the Yankee Cruisers, is one we had not previously attended.

And we were pleasantly surprised. The event was well organized, and the folks running it were very nice and accommodating. By noon, there were 244 cars, and by the time of the drawing, nearly $700 was raised in the 50/50. Not bad at all. It would have been just a little better if I had won it, though... :o)

I had my work cut out for me - so many sweet rides to take pix of. And about 40 1st place trophy winners to photograph. (By the way, the pix are already up at www.hotkarz.com).

At least I didn't pull the boner I pulled at the Jetport yesterday, when I ran down my battery and had to get a jumpstart. A bit embarrassing! To make sure that would not be a problem in the future, I now carry a booster pack in the PT Woody. So, if you ever make the same mistake, you will at least know where you can get a boost if I am around :o)

Next Saturday we plan to attend the Bektash Shriner's show at the WalMart in Concord, NH. I think it's time we got some pix of those righteous NH cars - and maybe put another NH trophy on a Maine mantle.

Wednesday we'll be at Two Trails Fabulous 50's diner (Standish) for their weekly cruise - especially since there are so few cruises left in this season. And maybe, just maybe we'll hit Hometown Mobil (Lebanon) on Thursday. And though Blast From The Past (Waterboro) has one last cruise this coming Friday, we'll have to miss it - we're going to the Deerfield (NH) Fair on Friday, and staying over for the Bektash show on Saturday.

I hope y'all enjoy the pictures posted at the website. If we don't get to see you again this season, may God bless you and keep you well until next season.

New Features at HotKarz

Just so you know, we are adding a "maps" feature to HotKarz. Wherever possible, listings for shows, cruises and events will include a link to a map, showing the location, courtesy of Google Maps.

Another new feature making its debut for next season: an interactive calendar. Simply click on any date, and a page will pop up listing all cruises, shows and events held on that specific date in all three states. This makes it easy to figure out a schedule that you can live with.

Let me know if you think we can make things easier or better - www.hotkarz.com is YOUR site. Feel free to help customize it to suit your needs.

Bill, Robin & Criss