auto known better: the race of gentlemen

79 years later

by ralph “tuffy” hicks

I was thinking about the topic for this month of October, when I suddenly realized "WOW" this is my seventy-ninth birthday month. Born in the old Mary Washington hospital during WWII in 1943 and having spent the next 79 years living in the Fredericksburg area has been an experience. I was fortunate to have lived in Stafford, Spotsylvania, Warrenton, Woodbridge, Colonial Beach and finally back home in Fredericksburg. My friends tell me I have come full circle from attending Stafford elementary school and Montfort Academy to Maury Elementary and graduating from James Monroe. Those were exciting and fun times with many fond memories that was the foundation of a wonderful lifetime. There have been times of being happy and of course some sad times also.

I was fortunate to have parents and grandparents that were very supportive that I was able to have contact with on a regular basis. After several years in the military and College I returned to Fredericksburg where we raised a family, and I was employed with a state agency until my retirement. During that period, I was involved in the community with City government. I am thankful for the many friends I have.

Fredericksburg has changed in appearance over the years; however, it still has its character, charm and historical significance which is in my opinion second to none.

Here listed are seventy-nine places, people & things, one for each year I have lived, that were important to me when I was growing up and living in Fredericksburg. 1.Farmers Creamery 2. Palms Restaurant 3. Greyhound Bus Terminal 4. Lucas Brothers Moving Company 5. Hilldrup Transfer 6. Free-Lance-Star 7. Eddies Pizza 8. College Inn 9. Log Cabin Restaurant 10. Old Virginia Gift Shop 11. Circle Restaurant 12. Crown Jewelers 13. Ginnie's Hobby Shop 14. Young Men's Shop 15. Goolrick's Drug Store 16. Dinty Moore's 17. General Washington Inn 18. Anne's Grill 19. 2400 Diner 20. Hicks Exide Garage 21. Ward's pre-school 22. Ice Plant 23. Ulman's Jewelry Store 24. Roma Restaurant 25. Scotty's Bakery 26. Monford Academy School 27. Carl's Frozen Custard 28. Eddie Mack's Grill 29. John Wayne Edwards Art 30. The Prophets Band 31. Fredericksburg Fair 32. Fredericksburg Dog Mart 33. Confederate Cemetery 34. FMC Plant 35. Lena's Hat Shop 36. Western Auto Store 37.Fredericksburg Hardware 38. Pep Rally Community Center 39. Hot Shoppe Restaurant 40. Carl Silver 41. Pool Room Hot Dog 42. Mayor Davies City Council 44. Earls Food Market 45. The Spot 46. Dugans Restaurant 47. Grisby Heating 48. Robinson's News Stand 49. Wallace Library 50. Burgess Barber Shop 51 Spotless Store 52. Temple Allen's News Stand 53. Joes Snack Bar 54. Washington Woolen Mills 55. Maury Elementary School 56. Gentlemen Jim's 57. Colonial and Victoria Theatre's 58. National Bank of Fredericksburg 59. Paris Inn 60. College Heights Pool 61. Hollybrook Dairy 62. Beck Chevrolet 63. Andora Restaurant 64. Fredericksburg Volunteer Rescue Squad Running Tape Drive 65. Fredericksburg Christmas Parade 66. Growing up on the Rappahannock River 67. People's Drug Store 68. Woolworths Store 69. Mary Washington Monument 70. US Post Office 71. Hugh Mercer Statue 72. Fairview Beach 73. VEPCO Canal 74. Civil War Camps 75. All My Teachers 76. Dad & Mom 77. Children 78. Medical Professionals 79. Smile on Anne's Face

Thank you all for the kind birthday wishes. God Bless

Tuffy Hicks loves all that is Fredericksburg

Auto Known Better

TROG (troglodyte?)

By Rim Vining

What is it about fall that makes us feel invincible? When you think about it all the leaves are falling off the trees, the gardens are turning brown and the warm pleasant days of summer are coming to a close. Yet we feel better. Cooler days and nights, clearer deep blue skies and the cacophony of crickets. What is there to get so excited about? Funny you should ask...

Classic cars. No A/C, poor wipers and less than modern cooling systems causing them to overheat on hot summer days can now be driven anytime, anywhere. It is no different than the preponderance of horse shows and polo matches that spring up in the fall. Even football, rugby and soccer come alive with the feeling of fall. People feel more on top of their game, more competitive. It just happens.

In fact the competition bug has bitten one of our local classic car guys with enough force to prompt a two year build of a vintage racer so they might stake a claim to having entered TROG! For us laymen that would be The Race of Gentlemen.

This is an actual re-e enactment of the original car and motorcycle races held on the beach in Wildwood, NJ, before WWII. Keep in mind the only flat and smooth surfaces for racing in the early days were on beaches when the tide went out. Hence the Daytona 500 which is held in Daytona Beach where they used to race on the beach and actually set land speed records.

I once wrote about a friend's grandfather who raced on sand in the early 1900's and set numerous speed records. They even made a car called the Guy Vaughn in the 1920's. Of course when the speeds got too high and he witnessed a few fatal mishaps on the beach he announced to his wife and children he was giving up speed racing as being too dangerous for a family man. So he went to work for Curtiss Wright testing airplanes in 1913. So much safer. An amazing career choice. However, for the record he led a full life with a successful career in aviation and lived well into his eighties.

In any event one of Fredericksburg's own is going to give it a try. I hope to be on the beach in New Jersey the first weekend in October to cheer him on. More power to the more mature guys in old cars showing the young whippersnappers how it's done. Then we're going to take up hang gliding and perhaps ballooning.

Really, it is car season with shows everywhere. Here are a few of my favorites: Hershey AACA Fall Meet in Hershey, PA runs the first full week of October. Classics of all makes and models along with flea markets and car corrals and the AACA Museum which is spectacular. They have a full wing devoted to the Tucker. Search the movie with Jeff Bridges which is fairly accurate and then go see the real thing.

Hunt Country Classics in Marshall, VA. The show is October 9th and held on a beautiful estate in the Piedmont of Virginia. It's a people's choice show for British cars of all makes and models with period racers and more modern versions of classic marques. When the weather cooperates it is a great event with music, food and classic cars!

I'll let you know how the New Jersey event turned out. Check out the shows and next month I might even reveal the driver's name and have a story to tell. ~autoknownbetter@gmail.com

Rim Vining, humorist, friend and a devoted community volunteer