SPRING 2021 / VOLUME 17 / ISSUE 1
OPENROAD
Presenting Sponsor
Sustaining
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Partners
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BEHIND
THE WHEEL
Big changes are Driving Forward AAT in 2021.
10
ON
EXHIBIT
Steve Saleen hosts a packed opening of his iconic sports cars.
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CONCOURS
CLUB & CLUB AUTO
Get ready for Rally the Mountain March 27, 2021.
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RPM
FOUNDATION
Revving up with new initiatives for 2021.
MEET
THE CEO
Introducing Tabetha Hammer
ACM
EDUCATION
Pivoting to Virtual Programming
F E A T U R E :
INTRODUCING AMERICA ON WHEELS MUSEUM
Meet AAT’s fantastic new partner in Pennsylvania.
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A C M C O L L E C T I O N S :
RECENT ACCESSIONS
Newly donated vehicles soon to be on display at ACM.
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M A S T E R C O L L E C T O R :
BROWN M. MALONEY
The Northwest 100 Collection wowed them at ACM, and on the auction block.
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P I C T O R I A L :
CELEBRATING THE WOMEN OF AAT
Meet the women that make America’s Automotive Trust great!
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T H E D R I V E H O M E :
THE DRIVE FORWARD NATIONAL RALLYES
Host your own car rally in support of AAT.
Some car fanatics have four legs, as seen at a recent Club Auto Wine & Wheels event. Photo by Karl J. Noakes
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There’s not an app for this INSURANCE
DRIVERS CLUB
CAR CULTURE
MARKETPLACE
877-922-1706 | Local agent | Hagerty.com Policies underwritten by Essentia Insurance Company. Membership by Hagerty Drivers Club (HDC), a non-insurance subsidiary of The Hagerty Group, LLC. Only the HDC Program Guide contains a complete description of benefits. Purchase of insurance not required for membership in HDC. All third party makes, models, and vehicle names are property of their respective owners. Their use is meant to reflect the authenticity of the vehicle and do not imply sponsorship nor endorsement of Hagerty nor any of these products or services. Hagerty is a registered trademark of the Hagerty Group LLC, ©2020 The Hagerty Group, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
BEHIND THE WHEEL By David Madeira Vice-Chairman AAT
DRIVING FORWARD in 2021
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020 is in the rear-view mirror, and we are decidedly not looking back. I’m delighted to say that we are “Driving Forward” in our efforts to preserve automotive heritage and promote the interests of the enthusiast community! In fact, even with the forced closure of LeMay – America’s Car Museum for much of the year, we were committed to the idea that we must “drive forward” in every way we could to bring hope, encouragement and demonstrate that better days lay ahead for all of us. And in spite of the difficulties, we made amazing progress in our mission to be at the center of automotive culture and an agent for collaboration among like-minded organizations. I’m proud to announce that as 2020 closed we: • F ormalized an affiliation with the NB Center for American Automotive Heritage in Allentown, PA, to promote heritage efforts, particularly in the Northeast. • Completed a similar agreement with the Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners, MI, which enhances the work we are doing in the Midwest. • And, brought the wonderful America On Wheels Museum also in Allentown, PA, into America’s Automotive Trust giving us an East Coast Museum as a partner to the LeMay – America’s Car Museum in Tacoma, WA.
Jeff Romig, President of the Gilmore Car Museum, accepts the Nicola Bulgari Award for Chairman Bill Parfet from AAT Vice Chairman David Madeira. Photo by John Lacko
helming last year’s record-setting virtual Wheels and Heels Gala, now brings his organizational wisdom and energy to the fore, taking the baton from the indomitable Corry McFarland, who remains involved as Chairman Emeritus. A reimagined North American International Auto Show by DADA Executive Director and AAT Board Member Rod Alberts will bring The Drive Home series to the forefront of what is now September’s “Motor Bella”. We have to believe our past partnership with NAIAS on The Drive Home was partly a catalyst to this bold reinvention of the legendary auto show, which will be open-air, kinetic and experiential at Pontiac’s M1 Concourse motorsports facility.
All of these relationships extend the impact of America’s Automotive Trust nationally and strengthen each entity through shared resources and programmatic collaboration rather than competition. We’re proud to serve the broader enthusiast and collector communities in this way.
Finally, I’m thrilled to announce that we’ve hired Tabetha Hammer as the new President and CEO of America’s Automotive Trust! Tabetha is a “car girl” through and through and her eleven years of increasing responsibility at Hagerty has demonstrated her leadership skills and commitment to the interests of the collector car community. Tabetha has served on the RPM Foundation and the AAT Boards where she most recently chaired our Marketing Committee. She is committed to our vision and mission and we know that she will continue to keep us “Driving Forward” as she takes the wheel this March. I’ve been on many a road trip with Tabetha and I know she will be a dynamic and successful “Road Boss” for us.
In addition, our new Chairman of the Board, Michael Towers, direct from
Join me in welcoming her. And JOIN us as we Drive Forward together. OPENROAD 5
America’s Automotive Trust
BOARD MEMBERS CHAIRMAN: Michael D. Towers, Partner Ambassador Wines of Washington — Seattle, WA IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRMAN: B. Corry McFarland, President Cedar Management Company — Fife, WA VICE CHAIR: William T. Weyerhaeuser, Director/ Chairman Tacoma, WA VICE CHAIR: Gary Gartner NB Center for American Automotive Heritage — Briarcliff Manor, NY SECRETARY: Tom Hedges, Co-Owner Hedges Family Estate — Benton City, WA TREASURER: Trevor Cobb, Founder & CEO Avantia A Multi-Family Office — Seattle, WA Rod Alberts, Executive Director North American International Auto Show — Detroit, MI John D. Barline, Attorney at Law Harlowe & Falk LLP — Tacoma, WA Dale Bloomquist, Associate Professor Emeritus Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery — Seattle, WA Stephen Boone, Retired Ford and Harley Davidson Dealer — Olympia, WA Nicola Bulgari, Vice Chairman BVLGARI S.p.A — New York, NY Frank Chang, Co-Founder & Managing Partner Flying Fish Partners — Seattle, WA Richard B. Davis NAPA Auto Parts — Tacoma, WA Nicole Cheri East Mac Trucks/Volvo Group North America — Greensboro, NC Ike Eisenhart, Owner Ike’s Service Center — Coopersburg, PA Dawn Fisher, Owner MFD Classic Motors Inc. — Traverse City, MI Keith Flickinger, General Manager and Curator The NB Center for American Automotive Heritage — Allentown PA Alan Granberg, Auto Enthusiast — Lakewood, WA Dr. Gerald Greenfield, Retired Dentist — Lake Tapps, WA Alan F. Gross, Curator America On Wheels — Bethlehem, PA McKeel Hagerty, CEO Hagerty — Traverse City, MI Michael Holmes, President Holmes Electric — Kent, WA George Ingle, Owner The Ingle Company — Spanaway, WA Mark Jaindl, Chairman/President American Bank — Allentown, PA Marwan Kashkoush, Executive Vice President-Retired Parker Hannifin Corporation — Seattle, WA Patty Lanning, General Manager North America Marketing Shell Lubricants — Houston, TX Doug LeMay, Vice President LeMay Investments LLC — Tacoma, WA Nancy LeMay, Owner LeMay Investments LLC — Tacoma, WA Keith Martin, Publisher Sports Car Market Magazine — Portland, OR Continued on page 6
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IN THE HEADLIGHTS
Amelia Island Concours D’elegance to Honor Lyn St. James MAY 20-23, 2021
O
ur very own Lyn St. James –racer, writer, broadcaster, entrepreneur, motivational speaker and women’s sports advocate – is the Honoree of the 26th annual Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance scheduled for May 20-23 2021. Lyn is a Celebrity Ambassador for the RPM Foundation and Steering Committee member of America’s Automotive Trust and recipient of the 2019 RPM Mentor of the Year Award. Lyn’s career and accomplishments will be celebrated at an invitation only, black-tie gala the night before the Concours and throughout the weekend-long event. If you are attending the Concours this year, please show your support for Lyn and this well-earned honor. Congratulations, Lyn!
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PUBLICATION CREDITS
Managing Editor & Head Writer William Hall William Hall is an automotive journalist based in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, whose work has appeared in Hemmings Motor News, Classic Car Journal, RM Shift and Prancing Horse magazines, among others. His personal collection of cars skews classic Italian, with a few ‘70s era Muscle Cars and a growing collection of vintage motorcycles for good measure.
Contributors: Rob Mains (robmainsphotography.com) provided a beautiful cover shot of Ferraris at sunrise at Cars and Coffee of Alpio’s of Troon in Scottsdale. Karl J. Noakes (karlnoakes.com) is still our main man with photos on Page 1, 3 & 29 and incredible spreads on Page 10-11, 12-13 and 14-15. David Reese gives us a great visual introduction to America On Wheels on pages 18-19. Payton Photography captured a family of ACM visitors so photogenic you’d swear they were professional models on Page 1 & 21.
Art Direction & Graphic Design Jennifer Weitzman, jamgd: jamgd a design firm located in Madison, Wisconsin — having a long history working with the RPM Foundation — they now bring their talents to this publication. jamgd.com
ALONG FOR THE RIDE
America’s Automotive Trust
BOARD MEMBERS Continued from page 6
By William Hall Managing Editor
The Year that Wasn’t
I
n the journalism world, “burying the lede” means diminishing the important headlines of a story. But I think we’re in agreement that no one wants to revisit the big challenges of 2020. So, this is all you’re going to read about the unprecedented difficulties that AAT, ACM, RPM, AOW and Club Auto faced in this past year. Like the forward-looking members of our organization, OpenRoad prefers to drive a little harder towards what’s around the next bend, and clip the apex doing it.
In truth, there is growing evidence that our socially-distanced collector car hobby is actually thriving during the pandemic, with enthusiasm building for when we can safely gather again. But without many recent public events, we at OpenRoad have to work extra hard to report on the goings-on of the members of the Trust.
Hence, the hopeful-looking cover photo in this issue of OR, taken in Scottsdale. While we missed many of the auctions and activities of our usual Arizona pilgrimage, they will inevitably return – like a spring sunrise.
As for this past year, I believe the hobby will ultimately be stronger in spite of it. It seems life – like an Open Road – is full of curves. What ultimately matters are how we take them.
So please reach out with your photos, stories or news. We’d love to include them in future issues.
New and exciting changes are happening to memberships…our member driver’s licenses are going digital! Enjoy a new way to access your AAT membership! Beginning in March 2021, members will receive digital membership driver’s licenses, a convenient, ecofriendly alternative to traditional plastic cards. Once downloaded to your smartphone, your digital member driver’s license will automatically update each year when you renew. Plus, digital member driver’s licenses provide quick links to our website, contact information and helpful reminders. This will be an optional benefit and if you choose to have a printed card, that will still be available. We look forward to sharing this new benefit with you!
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Peter Brock
McKeel Hagerty
Bill Warner
Car Designer, Writer and Photographer
CEO, Hagerty
Chairman, Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance
Thomas L. Bryant
Sandra Button
Keith Martin
Editor, Emeritus Road & Track
Chairman, Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
Publisher, Sports Car Market
Jay Leno Website Host Collector & Enthusiast
Lyn St. James Racer, Collector & Enthusiast
Subscription to OpenRoad magazine published by America’s Automotive Trust is a benefit of Silver Key Driver membership and above. America’s Automotive Trust is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. A portion of your gift towards membership and sponsorship are tax deductible.
Administration:
VICE CHAIR: David L. Madeira — America’s Automotive Trust — Tacoma, WA AAT President and CEO Ex Officio: Tabetha Hammer — America’s Automotive Trust — Tacoma, WA ACM President Ex Officio: Paul E. Miller — LeMay-America’s Car Museum — Tacoma, WA AOW Executive Director Ex Officio: Linda Merkel — America On Wheels — Allentown, PA RPM EXEC. DIRECTOR EX OFFICIO: Vacant
Please Address Correspondence to America’s Automotive Trust/OpenRoad 2702 East D Street Tacoma, WA 98421 Phone: 253.779.8490 Toll Free: 877.902.8490 Fax: 253.779.8499 Website: americasautomotivetrust.org Please note: Not all of the automobiles depicted in OpenRoad are on display or part of the ACM Collection. Some of the photographs were chosen in order to illustrate or enliven a featured story while others were selected purely for their artistic merit.
James Gary May, Owner and President Hopewell Land Partners — Windemere, FL T.G. Mittler, Auto Enthusiast — Santa Fe, NM Tom Nault, Managing Partner Middlerock Partners LLC — Kirkland, WA Michael J. Phillips, Executive Altaira Wealth Management — Clyde Hill, WA Michael T. Phillips, Financial Advisor AXA – Advisors — Seattle, WA Paul Sabatini, President Lincoln of Troy — Troy, MI Steve Saleen, Founder & CEO Saleen Automotive — Corona, CA Manfred Scharmach, CEO & President Scharmach Enterprises BMW Northwest, Northwest Mini, Seattle Mini, Northwest Pre-Owned Center — Fife, WA Ed Welburn, CEO The Welburn Group — Detroit, MI James M. Will, President Titus-Will Enterprises Inc. — Tacoma, WA
America’s Automotive Trust
STEERING COMMITTEE Sandra Button, Chairperson Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance — Carmel, CA Gill Campbell, Director of Business Development Aero Marketing Group — Monterey, CA John Carlson, CEO National Association of Automobile Clubs of Canada Corporation — Belcarra, British Columbia, Canada Doug Clark, Publisher & Vice President of Business Development Hagerty — Traverse City, MI Peter Hageman, Founder Suite 200 Automobile Collection — Kirkland, WA William G. Hall, Writer, Car Collector and Classic Car Broker — Milwaukee, WI Rock Jenkins, Executive State Farm Insurance — Tacoma, WA Al McEwan, Founder Suite 200 Automobile Collection — Redmond, WA Glenn Mounger, Former Chairman Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance — Bainbridge Island, WA Diane Parker, Vice President Historic Vehicle Association — Potomac, MD Candida Romanelli, President Romanelli Event Services — Frisco, TX Pamela Chavez Rosen, External Advisor – Fuels Lubricants & Motorsports Shell Oil Company — Houston, TX Ken D. Ross, Auto Enthusiast Detroit, MI Blake Siebe, Founder Northwest Auto Salon Right Away Tire — Lynnwood, WA Jeff Stumb, Director The Great Race — Chattanooga, TN Lyn St. James, President/Founder LSJ Enterprises — Phoenix, AZ Bill Warner, Chairman Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance — Jacksonville, FL Drew Weyerhaeuser, Auto Enthusiast — San Francisco, CA
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UPCOMINGEXHIBIT The allure of the Italian sports car is as potent today as in the heady era of Grand Prix racing in the 1920s. The embodiment of Italian style, Alfa Romeo has a century-old legacy of winning on the track and the marketplace. The Alfa Romeo Exhibit at ACM will delve into Alfa brand history, iconic flair and innovative technology, and showcase great Italian design from fashion and appealing consumer products to a rich lifestyle connecting visitors with an immersive experience in “La Dolce Vita.” If you would like to have your Alfa considered for the Exhibit, write a short bio and include a recent photograph of your Alfa and email it to scot.keller@americascarmuseum.org.
@ ACM Photo: Michael Tessman Model: Jil Kirchner
DOWNTHEROAD APRIL
JUNE
JULY
APRIL 13 Virtual If Cars Could Talk: The World by Motorcycle | America’s Car Museum
JUNE 5 GRAND PRIX SLOT CAR DAY | America on Wheels
JULY 8 Take A Spin | America’s Car Museum
JUNE 8 Virtual If Cars Could Talk | America’s Car Museum
JULY 10 The Drive Forward Rally, Greater Maple Valley Veterans Memorial| Club Auto
APRIL 22 Wind-Powered Cars Online with Tacoma Public Library | America’s Car Museum APRIL 25 Bulldog Beauty Contest | America on Wheels APRIL 30 – MAY 2 Autorama Detroit | America’s Automotive Trust
JUNE 13 Cars & Fondue | America on Wheels JUNE 13 Motors at the Market, Detroit Eastern Market | America’s Automotive Trust
MAY
JUNE 19 Indian Village Car Show Detroit | America’s Automotive Trust
MAY 1 Griot’s Motors Collection Tour | Club Auto
JUNE 19 Outdoor Family Steam Day | America’s Car Museum
MAY 11 Virtual If Cars Could Talk | America’s Car Museum
JUNE 19 - 20 HOODS UP WEEKEND | America on Wheels
MAY 14 – 16 Vintage Camping Weekend, Gilmore Car Museum | America’s Automotive Trust
JUNE 19 – 27 RPM Foundation has joined forces with the Great Race
MAY 15 Outdoor Family Steam Day Concert in the Cars & Modern Mopar | America’s Car Museum MAY 20 Biofuels Online with Tacoma Public Library | America’s Car Museum 8 OPENROAD
JUNE 24 Take A Spin | America’s Car Museum JUNE 26 Artist William Bunting Classic Cars Demonstration | America on Wheels JUNE 26-27 Wine & Wheels, Summer Sunset Drive | Club Auto
ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE Ashley Bice AAT National Strategic Initiatives Officer Patricia Borgardt ACM Guest Services Manager
JULY 10 Kids’ Rubberband Roadster Experience | America on Wheels
Renee Crist ACM Curator of Collections
JULY 10 Drive-In Movie Princess Bride | America’s Car Museum
Nora Flemming de Sandoval ACM Education Manager
JULY 11 Motors at the Market, Detroit Eastern Market | America’s Automotive Trust
Diane Flis-Schneider AAT Advancement Director – Mideast Region
JULY 13 Virtual If Cars Could Talk | America’s Car Museum JULY 17 Outdoor Family Steam Day | America’s Car Museum JULY 22-25 Concours d’ Elegance of America, Plymouth, MI | America’s Automotive Trust JULY 24 Drive-In Movie Rush | America’s Car Museum JULY 25 Kidventure Day | America on Wheels
Liz Hahn AOW Director Sales & Events Scot Keller ACM Curator of Exhibitry Ann Sweeney ACM Sales Manager Kristen Wells Club Auto & Membership Development Director Contact AAT Administrative Office 253.779.8490 or info@americasautomotivetrust.org
AROUND THE TRUST Former ACM Intern Benjamin Chessler expressed interest in automotive journalism, but young writers often struggle to get their first published byline. With networking help from AAT, Ben was given the chance to pen an interview with Evel Knievel’s former painter, George Sedlak, for Airbrush magazine.
In collaboration with Tacoma’s Museum of Glass, a collection of ten René Lalique decorative glass automobile radiator caps will be displayed at LeMay – America’s Car Museum beginning April 2, 2021.
Tom and Lenora Anders generously donated their beloved 1930 Ford Model A Four-Door, which was accessed into the ACM Collection at January’s board meeting.
Rust never sleeps, but nor does our volunteer team working to restore ACM’s Ford Model A Cabriolet project, sponsored by the Gallopin’ Gerties Car Club. Here the guys are carefully unloading the newlypainted body. OPENROAD 9
ON EXHIBIT
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I
t all began at a dinner table in Santa Rosa, California, in 1983. In a pencil and paper sketch, Steve Saleen formed Saleen Autosport, a company that would eventually create America’s first supercar.
Thirty-eight years and many achievements later, Saleen’s decades of innovation from the raceway to the road were celebrated with the man himself in attendance at LeMay — America’s Car Museum. The retrospective, “Saleen — From the Heart of a Racer to America’s Supercar,” opened to record crowds of high-performance enthusiasts and racing fans alike, all looking to meet the man who remarkably shaped the automotive landscape. Saleen’s love of automobiles started early with his first car, a Porsche 356. After a couple of short years of tinkering, Saleen moved on to the car that would lead to his name being known throughout the automotive world – a Shelby Mustang GT350. From there he would venture into motorsports, winning his first race at Riverside, California, in 1973, then turning professional in 1974. Saleen quickly gained notoriety on the racetrack. His nickname “Gas-Saleen” was garnered from his win at the 1978 Pacific Coast Championship in a March 76B Formula Atlantic, also on display at ACM. His racing efforts would vary from class to class, but it was his team’s top-three podium finishes at the 1992 24 Hours of Mosport in a Mustang that would catch the eye of Ford Motor Company executives. This led to a partnership and the debut of the Saleen Mustang in 1985 — a car rendered into reality from that early sketch at the dinner table, which launched a legendary brand of exciting sports cars. America’s Automotive Trust is proud to welcome Steve Saleen as one of the newest members of its Board of Directors.
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CONCOURS CLUB & CLUB AUTO
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WE WILL DRIVE AGAIN! OPENROAD 13
RPM FOUNDATION
Driving the Future
T
he RPM Foundation is driving the future of the restoration industry by safeguarding skills, supporting hands-on training programs and introducing the craft and function of collector vehicles to the next generation of professionals and enthusiasts. Some of our initiatives for 2021:
ENDANGERED SKILLS PROGRAM Each retirement or passing of a vehicle restoration and preservation specialist brings another skill vital to the interest and industry closer to extinction. In response, the RPM Foundation is launching the Endangered Skills Program. RPM will identify, evaluate and publicize a list of the skills required for the restoration and preservation of vehicles, ranking them as stable/at-risk/endangered/extinct. We will then work to connect existing masters of these skills to RPM Apprentices for training on the endangered skill(s). The process will be recorded and documented for safekeeping and distribution to our partners, so that students may continue to learn the endangered skill. In addition to the “health” ranking, skills will also be ranked according to their industry need in order to inform those considering a career in restoration and preservation. These rankings can be used to influence how skills are taught in post-secondary programs as well as within our own Apprenticeship and Internship Programs. THE GREAT RACE X-CUP The RPM Foundation has joined forces with The Great Race, an endurance rally based on precision driving and navigational skills in classic, antique and vintage automobiles covering exciting routes like the historic Route 66. Their X-Cup student division is designed for high school, technical school, college or qualified youth group teams to compete in this special class of The Great Race. RPM will be working with the Great Race to administer the X-Cup Grants, Scott Henderson X-Cup Scholarship Awards and the new X-Cup Team Choice Award. For 2021, RPM will have its own X-Cup team, consisting of RPM Junior Ambassadors mentored by RPM Ambassador Herb Clark. We will also be recruiting additional X-Cup teams, including an all-female X-Cup team in 2022!
RPM FUTURES CLASS AT HILTON HEAD The RPM Futures Class will be held at the Hilton Head Island Concours for the first time this November and rolled out at Concours across the country! Designed to challenge the perception that younger generations don’t have the same passion for classic cars as those before, the RPM Futures Class is designated for individuals 30 years old or under or who are actively enrolled in a restoration program – and who have had a significant role in restoring or preserving their vehicle. Jason Wenig, owner of The Creative Workshop in Florida, worked with the RPM Foundation to establish the new class. “One of the biggest challenges I face is finding the talent needed to restore, service and repair our wonderful classic cars,” Wenig says. “For the past several years, I have been working closely with the RPM Foundation to help them ensure the skills needed to support our hobby not only remain, but grow. I’m proud to be a part of their initiatives and to support them.” ASSISTANCE GRANTS As always, the RPM Foundation continues to support our educational and program partners with grant funding to provide scholarships, apprenticeships, internships, program and project assistance. RPM Grant Recipients for 2021 so far include McPherson College, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, Alfred State College and the Apprenticeshop, among others. RPM continues to work closely with the institutions that provide pathways to careers in restoration and preservation to gauge progress while they navigate ever-changing safety standards.
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Meet the CEO . . .
T
Tabetha Hammer
abetha Hammer is no stranger to America’s Automotive Trust, having served on the Board of the RPM Foundation and the combined AAT Board for the last few years, including a stint as Chairman of the Marketing Committee. She even piloted a 1962 International Travelette truck across America on The Drive Home for two consecutive years.
She comes to us from AAT partner Hagerty, where she held various job titles and responsibilities over 11 years, including efforts to help save driving with focuses on youth, education and heritage. Most recently, she was appointed as Director of both the prestigious Greenwich Concours d’Elegance and the Madison Avenue Sports Car Driving and Chowder Society, a club of automotive media and industry professionals originally established in 1957. In these dual roles she was responsible for overseeing strategy, logistics, planning, staffing and execution. Tabetha’s passion for collector vehicles and restoration started in her teenage years with antique tractors, when she participated in the Chevron Delo Tractor Restoration Competition. In 2003, she became the first female to win the National Grand Championship, followed by a consecutive win in 2004. In 2009, she graduated from McPherson College’s Automotive Restoration program. 16 OPENROAD
She is active in the car community, having previously held a three-year term on the Board of the Antique Automobile Club of America, participated in several Hemming’s Great Race time-speed-distance rallies and worked closely with the Historic Vehicle Association. She has judged at various Concours d’Elegance events including Cobble Beach, Elegance at Hershey and the Edison Concours. In her spare time, she enjoys being behind the wheel of her 1973 Mini – or any other fun car – and working on her newest project, a 1974 BMW R60/6 motorcycle. Tabetha’s connection with the RPM Foundation is personal. In 2008, a RPM Foundation grant supported Tabetha’s college internship at the Glenmoor Gathering of Significant Automobiles, a Concours d’Elegance in Canton, OH. “What an amazing story. Tabetha progressed from a barnyard tinkerer in Colorado to a national award winner. Then from college student and RPM Foundation grant recipient to a Board Member,” said America’s Automotive Trust Vice Chair and former CEO, David Madeira. “Now on to the CEO role. I’ve been impressed by Tabetha’s passion and successes over the last decade and could not be more excited for her – or us – in this next step forward.” Please welcome Tabetha and support her in her new role as President and CEO of America’s Automotive Trust!
EDUCATION By Nora Flemming de Sandoval, ACM Education
Education Pivots to Virtual Programming
B
efore March 2020, the LeMay – America’s Car Museum Education Program delivered a robust array of field trip offerings serving well over 9,000 students each year. Naturally, once social distancing, quarantine and stay-home orders became part of the daily vernacular, it became clear that we would need to make some significant changes to our programming to continue engaging with students. Recognizing that teachers and school districts, already overwhelmed with the demands and cost of ensuring that all students had access to technology and hands-on learning, guided our initial focus. Utilizing grant funding from Tacoma Creates and the Boeing Foundation, the education team of Rebecca Bresler, Kelsey Cross and Nora Flemming de Sandoval began developing models of providing STEM activities to students in their own homes. We focused on a two-fold approach: an on-demand video program with activities and stories for students and families to independently engage with, as well as a virtual, classroom-based curriculum that includes comprehensive activity kits and multiple synchronous lessons. In October 2020, we launched our twice-monthly readaloud program called Stories for Little Spark Plugs and began uploading these videos to YouTube to share with the community. Each video includes a STEM-focused picture book read aloud accompanied by engaging visuals. Several of these stories include accompanying activity suggestions as well. For the classroom project, we adapted our existing field trip workshops into three extended units that would provide
consistency and greater depth of inquiry throughout an entire school year. These units include Design, in which students learn principles of design and product development while creating their own car design; Energy, in which students learn about alternate forms of propulsion, produce their own biofuel and experiment with a wind-powered car they develop; and Physics, in which students learn about gravity, momentum and their effects on crash test cars. We have partnered with Blix Elementary in the Tacoma School District and are working with students in seven 3rd-5th grade classrooms. Blix Elementary has a high proportion of Spanishspeaking students in attendance and many classes are dual language, meaning instruction is provided in both Spanish and English. To accommodate these language needs, the education team translated many of the materials into Spanish. This spring, we will continue to add to our virtual educational options with on-demand videos using readily available household supplies to create and test various biofuels, plastics and alternative energies. We will also begin providing a more traditional field trip experience with single workshop options and live virtual tours to classrooms. Additionally, we are excited to partner with Tacoma Public Library to engage virtually with families, providing our activity kits through their distribution networks and leading an hour-long online STEM lesson and story. This year has been one of challenge, growth and out-of-the-box thinking for the education department as we strive to provide access to our top-notch programming in entirely new ways. OPENROAD 17
AMERICA ON WHEELS MUSEUM is cruising into its 13th year. Located along the Lehigh River in Allentown, PA, it tells the story of a nation constantly in motion. It’s a story about cars and trucks, bicycles and motorcycles. The Museum invites its visitors to follow the trail of invention, imagination and innovation that has made mobility an American hallmark and “the open road” a quintessentially American place. The Museum offers a wide range of visitation opportunities year-round for automotive enthusiasts, educators, event planners, regional businesses and historical scholars. AOW has been recognized by NAAM as an educational cultural institution and awarded the AACA Plaque for its outstanding preservation and presentation of automotive heritage. Galleries showcase classic, rare and unique vehicles. Rotating displays have included Muscle Cars, Hudsons and Movie Star Cars. Rarities include our 1889 Nadig, the first horseless carriage ever produced. Education is one of the main tenets of our mission. The Museum has hosted over 6000 students and adults through field trips and educational programs. The objective is to impart to the next generations the benefits of preserving our automotive heritage. The Restoration Learning Center is a multimedia display of the steps involved in the restoration process. New in 2021 is a collaboration with the RB Collection, a classic car restoration business which allows our visitors to see restorations being performed in real time. In the Kids’ Service Center, young visitors can “get their hands dirty” changing parts on a kid-size Chevrolet Bel Air, or learning in a 1950’s scale model gas station which has a working car lift and hands-on activities. The Museum remains committed to preserving automotive heritage. With a committed staff and Board, a dedicated group of volunteers and a strong network of collectors and exhibit sponsors, America On Wheels continues to provide visitors with an outstanding museum experience designed to educate and entertain in a relaxed and enjoyable environment. Travel is an adventure, visit www.americaonwheels.org for more information. 18 OPENROAD
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WIN THIS “BLAZING FURY” SALEEN 302 BLACK LABEL! A top-of-the-line 800hp Saleen Mustang
Net proceeds benefit America’s Automotive Trust.
http://bit.ly/WinASaleen
Enter online at http://bit.ly/WinASaleen or call 877.902.8490 with your credit card or mail in this coupon with your check. I am 18 years or older and agree to the Drawing Rules. Name Email
Get 20% MORE entry tickets with promo code: OPENROAD $25 for 15 Tickets
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20 OPENROAD
Mail to: America’s Automotive Trust | 2702 East D Street | Tacoma, WA 98421 Void where prohibited. No purchase necessary to enter drawing. Promo code: OPENROAD
$120 for 120 Tickets $300 for 420 Tickets $600 for 1,080 Tickets $1,200 for 2,880 Tickets
Introducing Drivers Club
Family-Friendly Memberships for AAT Museums and More!
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s you know, it’s been a tough year to enjoy all the benefits America’s Automotive Trust membership has to offer. To help stretch that family dollar, we’ve added value to our membership programs that create experiences not just inside two great museums, but outside as well.
Driver’s Club is the perfect membership for the individual or families looking for special access to online virtual exhibits, events and educational programs, discounts with participating national partners and admission to not only one institution, LeMay – America’s Car Museum in Tacoma, WA, but now America On Wheels Museum in Allentown, PA, as well. As we continue to bring more member experiences to you, we hope you’ll enjoy all the benefits your AAT membership offers. Help us continue our mission of preserving and evolving car culture and community in America by renewing, upgrading or purchasing a gift of membership today.
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ACM COLLECTIONS: New Accessions
Ok, we’ll admit to being a bit of a tease here… but pictures don’t do justice to ACM’s latest accession, a 1948 DeSoto Custom Coupe; a concours-condition, exceptional example brought to us through generous funding support by AAT Board Member Jerry Greenfield and his wife Keenon. Stop in to ACM and see this stunning automobile in person.
The Norton Commando is one of the most beloved motorcycling icons of the 1970s and this well-preserved example comes to us from Mr. Brian G. Pankow who donated it in memory of his wife Lynee Resner Pankow after 30+ years of ownership. This 1975 850 Commando has the desirable electric start and Grenadier Red factory paint. A lovely, highly original example that you must experience in person at ACM.
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Master Collector: Brown M. Maloney From ACM to the Auction Block: The Northwest 100 Collection
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fter 15 months on display at LeMay – America’s Car Museum, ACM Master Collector Brown Maloney’s 100-piece Honda collection headed to the world’s largest motorcycle auction in Las Vegas. The annual Mecum auction occurred January 21-26, 2020 and produced a number of world record sales results, including a few from Maloney’s benchmark Northwest 100 collection. The collection included pristine examples of Honda road, race and specialty motorcycles. “I’ve been very meticulous about collecting low-mileage original bikes. I started buying these out of garages 30 years ago and a lot of them were from long-term or even original owners,” said Maloney. The exhibition at ACM helped Maloney in his decision to part with his large collection. “It just made sense that this was the time. The fact that they had already been gone (on display) for a year, in my mind it helped wrap my arms around the idea of selling them,” said Maloney Maloney had faith in the market, trusting Mecum Auctions to deliver qualified buyers. The results were a sale of 95 of 100 bikes offered at both Reserve and No Reserve bid price, meaning all but five bikes sold. He also credits ACM. “The exposure at the Museum added credibility to the collection,” said Maloney “I thoroughly enjoyed the staff at ACM and its dedicated volunteers. It’s been fun. You get exotics like Ferraris and rare cars there, but common Japanese motorbikes are something the average man and woman can relate to. What was displayed was the history of Honda in the United States from 1959-forward. It’s a little emotional because something at this level and at this depth is unlikely to be replicated again,” said Maloney. The Northwest 100 was the second prominent exhibit to be featured by America’s Car Museum before going on to reach a world-record price with Mecum Auctions just this past year. The famous 1968 Ford Mustang movie car from Bullitt fetched $3.74 million at Mecum’s Kissimmee, Florida, auction on January 10, 2020 after its display at ACM.
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Ann Sweeney — ACM Sales Manager
Ashley Bice — AAT National Strategic Initiatives Officer
Candida Romanelli — AAT Steering Committee
Dorothy Minnich — AOW Education
Gil Campell — AAT Steering Committee
Kelsey Cross — ACM Education
Kristen Wells — Club Auto & Membership Development Director
Linda Merkel — AOW Executive Director Liz Hahn — AOW Director of Sales & Events
Lyn St. James — AAT Steering Committee, RPM Ambassador
Patricia Borgardt — ACM Guest Services Manager
Nora Flemming de Sandoval — ACM Education
Pam Rosen — AAT Steering Committee
24 OPENROAD Tabetha Hammer — AAT CEO & President
Sarah Collins — ACM Office Coordinator
Renee Crist — ACM Curator of Collections
Dawn Fisher — AAT Board of Directors
Diane Flis-Schneider — AAT Advancement Director, MidEast Region
Diane Parker — AAT Steering Committee
Celebrating the Women of America’s Automotive Trust Women have been an influential part of car culture throughout history and the excitement and passion for automobiles should continue to be celebrated. Nancy LeMay — AAT Board of Directors
Every woman needs to be supported in her automotive passions. We’re driving cultural change for women in the automotive industry and car collector community through advocacy, mentorship and opportunities. Young girls need to see themselves in the stories and images and have mentors and heroines in the automotive world. We are welcoming young women into the circles of camaraderie in car clubs, concours and car communities. AAT’s Women Driving Change initiative is a crucial effort in the mission of America’s Automotive Trust to preserve and evolve car culture in America.
Rebecca Bresler — ACM Education
Here’s to all the great women leaders, department heads, donors, board members, educators and members of AAT. We recognize and celebrate you on this International Women’s Day, March 8th. You make us great.
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The Drive Home: The Drive Forward Nationwide Rally Program
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he road may have been bumpy, but our wheels haven’t stopped turning… we’ve shifted gears and we’re driving forward. With the announcement that the North American International Auto Show would be placed on pause and the government directed closures and limitations on gathering sizes related to COVID-19, we pivoted to The Drive Forward, a series of day drives across the country to support America’s Automotive Trust’s movement to keep car culture alive during this unprecedented time.
The Drive Forward is part of the Rally Across America national effort to raise $1Million dollars for local charities across North America in the absence of car shows and concours events during the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal of The Drive Forward is to build a nationwide, steady awareness that we are encouraging driving of collectible cars, giving enthusiasts the opportunity to participate and promoting the mission of America’s Automotive Trust and its member entities. Rallies will be held in communities across the country through September 2021 when The Drive Home: Route 66 – Cruising the Mother Road kicks-off a cross-country trip from Saleen headquarters in Corona, California to NAIAS’s auto-centric event, Motor Bella, at M1 Concourse, Pontiac, MI. AAT partners and volunteer rally ambassadors are invited to join the movement and organize day-drives for groups of 25 cars in their communities as 26 OPENROAD
part of The Drive Forward. America’s Automotive Trust’s partner Rallista, a phone app for navigation and participant registration, will make planning each drive effortless. A $100 taxdeductible donation for each participant will support America’s Automotive Trust and its member entities. The Drive Home: Route 66 – Cruising the Mother Road will feature vintage station wagons recreating an epic cross-country family road trip on historic Route 66. Car clubs and enthusiast are invited to join in their own vintage vehicles as The Drive Home makes stops at historic hotels, filling stations, restaurants and more that line this iconic roadway. The Drive Home will culminate with a collector vehicle caravan on Woodward Avenue to kick-off NAIAS’s Motor Bella, a new event that will bring next-generation mobility and exciting vehicle debuts to media, show-goers and the automotive enthusiasts’ world in a never before experienced way. Interested in hosting a rally to support The Drive Forward or joining a leg of The Drive Home? Email ashley.bice@aat.org for more details.
VISIT OUR TASTING ROOM & ESTATE VINEYARD Experience Authentic Estate grown and Bottled wines. 53511 N Sunset Rd, Benton City, WA 99320 509-588-3155 | www.hedgesfamilyestate.com
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Celebrate Spring It’s all your style, your Uptown.
SIP
SHOP
STROLL
DINE
DISCOVER
Check out
MASTER COLLECTOR PETER GLEESON on the Rain City Supercars Podcast rcspodcast.com/gleeson
Propel Insurance is proud to support
LEMAY – AMERICA’S CAR MUSEUM. www.propelinsurance.com
Preferred Providers
Providers Chase Bank
Heritage Distilling
RADwood
Chihuly Studio
Inde Motorsports Ranch
Rodda Paint Company
Circuit of the Northwest
In-Gear Media
Sameday, Inc
Concrete Technology Corporation
J & L Fabricating
Sports Car Market Magazine
The Creative Workshop
JAM GD
Sun Valley Center for the Arts
El Gaucho
Museum of Glass
The Shop
Fresh Northwest Design
National Association of Automobile Clubs of Canada Corp.
TriArc Electric Supply
Gallopin’ Gertie Model A Club Hardcastle AV
Premier Media Group
Woodward Canyon Winery
Thank you to all our current sponsors!
Administrative: 2702 East D Street, Tacoma, Washington 98421 Phone: 253.779.8490 Toll Free: 877.902.8490 Fax: 253.779.8499 Website: americasautomotivetrust.org
S e c u r i n g A m e r i c a’s Automotive Heritage
AMERICA’SAUTOMOTIVETrust
