March 2013 Issue

M A R C H 2 0 1 3

&

Page 4

Featured Motorcycles Page 16

Pacific Street Car Association

RECORD BREAKER NATIONALS Page 38

GardenIsle Page 6

ŠNick Latulip Photo

INSIDE

This Issue

2 | Hawaii Motorhead Magazine | March 2013

4 6 13 16 20 22 27 32 36 38

Kalaeloa Sand Drags Garden Isle Stude Meet Bob McClurg Kolohe to the max!

6

Local Boy

Craig Lew Memorial Race Bleizn FX Windward Mall Cruizin’ on the River

16

Project Cuda

PSCA Nationals Las Vegas

20

22

38

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September 2012 | Hawaii Motorhead Magazine | 3

s ’ r o t i Ed note The 2013 race season is finally here! I mean come on, if there’s no football, there better be some racing going on!!! Right!

With Hawaii Motorhead Magazine’s expanded coverage starting in 2012 of everything motorsports throughout Hawaii and Las Vegas there is never a shortage of cool rides and awesome events to cover. This month we are very excited to have race coverage from the Pacific Street Car Associations Record Breaker Nationals from The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway that included the West Coast Outlaw Pro Mod Associations, Hughes Pro Mod Competition.

From Maui, the 8th Annual Craig Lew Memorial Motocross Race plus another sweet Street Rod by photo journalist Bob McClurg. A 1941 Studebaker! From Oahu fast paced action from Kalaeloa Raceway Park with the final test-n-tune for Sand Drags, Stock Car Racing and HulaCross/MotoCross before the season openers this month and I can’t wait for that!

And be sure to join me as I climb into a bomber stock car at the Hilo Motor Speedways March Points Race on Saturday the 9th in a celebrity race. One of the celebrities is my long time radio buddy DC from B97/B93. Should be a fun time!

Till then I hope you enjoy this months issue.

Enjoy the ride!

-Nelson

PO Box 7077 - Kamuela, HI 96743 www. hawaiimotorhead.com

Publisher / Sales Nelson Ray Parker

P: 808-960-5296 E: nelson@teammotorhead.com

Publisher / Production Monica Parker

E: monica@teammotorhead.com or editor@teammotorhead.com

Design / Production Makana Parker

E: makana@teammotorhead.com or info@teammotorhead.com

Contributing Editor Bob McClurg

P: 808-315-7355 E: hilobobmcclurg@live.com

Locally Owned & Operated Since 2004!

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4 | Hawaii Motorhead Magazine | March 2013

Nick Latulip Photos

This is it!!! Test-n-tune events are pau and its time to kick up some sand in the Kalaeloa Raceway Park’s 2013 SAND DRAGS Season Opener! On February 24 the final test-n-tune before the season opener wowed face fans with big rooster tails of sand as Oahu fastest off-road vehicles mashed the pedal to the metal.

With the drag strip still under construction at Oahu’s only multi-venue motorsports facility, Kalaeloa Raceway Park’s sand drags have given many drag racers with a need for speed an outlet for fast paced fun. Swap out the big slicks for some paddle tires, make some gear changes and go dash for cash & prizes! Well maybe not that simple for everyone, but where there’s a will, there is always a way!

Don’t miss the 2013 Season Opener on Sunday, March 24th. Gates open at 9am, $10 park admission with 5 and under getting in FREE! Military discount with ID and as with all KRP events, parking is free and there’s lots of Onolicious Grinds!

For more info visit www.kalaeloaracewaypark.com or call 808-782-7432

www.KalaeloaRacewayPark.com

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November 2012 | Hawaii Motorhead Magazine | 5

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6 | Hawaii Motorhead Magazine | January 2013

GardenIsle ŠBob McClurg Photos & Story

January 2013 | Hawaii Motorhead Magazine | 7

8 | Hawaii Motorhead Magazine | January 2013

January 2013 | Hawaii Motorhead Magazine | 9

The distance from Hawaii’s Garden Isle of Maui to the State of Tennessee is great (4,423-miles to be exact) but the connections are strong. Makawao, HI’s Philibert Freitas first purchased an interior for his 1956 Studebaker Hawk from Rene’ and Bonita Harger through an ad in the Studebaker Club of America news letter. When Rene’ and Bonita came to Maui on vacation, they decided to look up their customer, and talk story. A great friendship has since developed and a strong connection has been forged. The Harger’s now visit paradise every year and have done many upholstery jobs for Philibert and other Hawaiian car enthusiasts across the islands.

Now Renee doesn’t normally build cars for other people, but because of their strong friendship, he agreed to build this 1941 Studebaker Super Commander coupe for Freitas. Why a 41 Studebaker Commander over the more popular Ford or Willys from that same year? One. Philibert’s father Jack had one, and two Freitas was born in 1941 so he wanted a car that was as old as he was.

A couple of 1941 Stude coupes were found through a South Dakota connection and the task of building one high quality street rod out of the two cars began. The two-door coupe body was used from one, and the frame was used from the other. Freitas explained that in actuality, one was not better than the other, but what this allowed Harger to do was to accomplish different tasks separately in different areas at the same time.

Although the body of this ‘41 Commander is essentially stock, there are many modifications made to make it user friendly. This is a large car, over six-inches wider than most cars of that era, and even wider than the more common Studebaker Champion. It also has a slightly longer wheelbase than a like year Ford or Willys at 119-inches making it a far better handling car than the other two. The strong Studebaker Commander frame is a very sturdy boxed and channeled unit using a healthy x-member. It has also been powder coated for durability.

Actual adaptation of the 350 HP High Output GM Performance Parts Turn Key crate motor and TH350 (motor mounts, transmission mount, etc;) was handled by Knoxville, TN’s Mike Barillaro. The front suspension is a custom built stainless Jaguar type setup from Kugel Komponents, and utilizes QA1 coil over shocks, Wilwood two piston disc brakes, and Uni-steer custom rack-and-pinion steering gear. The triangulated four-bar rear suspension was built by Jim Weiner’s Garage. The rear end is a 3.31:1 geared Dana 44 twin track outfitted with Moser Engineering billet axles. The rear disc brakes are from Turner Brake Co, and once again shocks consist of a pair of QA1 coil over’s. A set of 18x8-inch, Boyd Codington “Smoothie II” wheels were selected to go along with Michelin Aqua Tread high performance radial tires.

The aforementioned 330 HP 350 H.O. Turn Key small-block has been mated to a TH350 using a B&M torque convertor. The transmission cooler is from Specialty Auto Tech. The headers are Sanderson with Mr. Gasket copper headers gaskets. The valve covers on this engine are actually OE Studebaker finned aluminum valve covers adapted to fit the small-block Chevrolet bolt pattern, and a matching custom finned aluminum/paper element air cleaner covers a Holley 650-cfm four barrel carburetor. The A/C set up is from Allen Grove components while all dip sticks, gas pedal linkage, gas pedal and brake pedal are from Lokar. Engine cooling comes from a specially built Walker radiator using a Cooling Components electric fan.

More on page 10.

GardenIsle

©Bob McClurg Photos & Story

8 10| Hawaii | HawaiiMotorhead MotorheadMagazine Magazine| January | February 2013 2013

The body work on the ’41 was r5oughed out by Rene’ while final body prep and the application of multiple coats of DuPont Chromabase 2006 Nissan Altima Majestic Blue with Silver stripe accent were executed by Knoxville, TN’s Mike “Thump” Thurmer from South Paw Customs. The factory one-piece windshield and rear glass were nearly impossible to find so Vic Phillips from Phillips Classic Glass custom made an entire set using tinted glass. All the rubber trim and weather-stripping was obtained through well known vintage Studebaker parts vendor Bill Fennessey. The windshield wipers were manufactured by Specialty.

Inside, the coupe features a Rene’ and Bonita Harger (aka. “Slick Stuff,” interior.) The dash, panels, console, and head liner were all custom fabricated by the Harger’s and helpers Dale Banks and David Corn. The headliner is made of fiberglass and covered in single hide leather and features the Studebaker “Lazy S” logo. The ‘41’s seats are from a 1996 Chevy Monte Carlo and are ideally suited for the coupe’s larger size. and are covered in the same type of leather using specially stitched French seams in #7 cord. This is unique because most commercial sewing machines are not large enough to accommodate this size cord. Rene’ added this detail as a feature because of Philibert background in saddle making and horse tack. The dash was hand formed fiberglass to wrap into the doors. The gauges are Stewart Warner set in a genuine abalone shell pearl inlay, inspired by Maui Street Rodder Kenny Ventura who first introduced that concept a number of years ago. This pearl is available as a laminate from Aqua Blue Maui and laser cut to pattern by Maui Plastics. The console was hand formed from steel framework, molded plastic, as well as using the tail section of a console taken from a Chevrolet Monte Carlo. It resides a Lokar shifter, a full complement of rocker switches, and a Pioneer audio system set into a pearl background. The steering column, steering column drop, and lower column support are from Flaming River, topped off wit5h a Le Carra leather wrapped steering wheel. All of the side panels were vacuum formed by Rene’ continuing the wrap around theme. The arm rests are built into the doors and also use French seams with the accent line continuing into the vacuum formed speaker pods located in the kick panels. Abalone shell is also used to accent the Rock Hinge-manufactured billet door handles. The windows have power supported by Balls. The Stude’s trunk liner and trunk side panels were hand formed and covered with matching vinyl trim. Custom made Lambert Industries trunk hinges are cleverly hidden out of sight. Bringing up the rear is a set of LED taillights made especially for the Stude also by Lambert Industries.

In keeping with the Studebaker theme, the ’41 were shipped cross-country to San Diego on a 1962 Studebaker car hauler owned by Jack Heidel from Wartburg, TN’s Red Hawk Services. From there, the car was shipped to its new home in Makawao. The car proudly sits amongst Freitas’ impressive collection of vintage Studebaker restorations and street machines. What’s Philibert’s next project? How about a Chrysler Hemi-powered 1953 Commander Coupe?

GardenIsle

©Bob McClurg Photos & Story

12 | Hawaii Motorhead Magazine | March 2013

AUTO

Lunch Bunch

About 7 or 8 years ago, (no one remembers exactly), Bill Maloney, the producer and host of Ohana Road TV show and the former columnist of A Bunch of Maloney in the Honolulu Advertiser, and Ed Kemper, host and producer of Island Driver TV (OC-16) and auto writer for Hi Luxury magazine and the old Honolulu Star Bulletin, thought the gearheads should get together. What evolved was the Auto Lunch Bunch usually held on the first Tuesday every month in Honolulu.

Initially, it started as a talk story kind of event. But since we were car guys and gals why not bring some cars to show off. So generally, a couple of cars would be displayed outside of the club and the owners would talk about them during the lunch. Now the monthly meeting are themed with a particular make, usually one old and one new.

In January, it was brand new Ferrari FF and older Ferrari Boxer. The last portion of gathering was to add a short video on a car or racing from Bill’s vast video collection.

On occasion, we would add a speaker in a haphazard sort of way. That resulted in some large crowds so that is now part of the monthly format. Some of the speakers have included the present mayor of Honolulu, Kirk Caldwell, the head of the First Hawaiian International Car Show, Dave Rolfe, and many representatives from local car dealers and Honolulu’s race track.

The latest addition is Bill and Ed giving short up dates on the automotive world including the previous month’s sales figures and new car introductions.

Bottom line: It’s not a club. No agenda. Nobody’s selling anything. No roster or membership, inexpensive food ($14.25 includes meal, drink and tip) and we do it EVERY first Tuesday of the month. If you are interested in finding out about upcoming lunches, email Ed at edracers@aol.com, and he will add you to monthly email bulletin.

Photos & story submitted by Ed Kemper

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March 2013| Hawaii Motorhead Magazine | 13

Meet Bob McCLURG

BE THE MATCH AND COME SEE SOME AWESOME VINTAGE DRAG RACING PHOTOS WHILE YOU’RE AT IT

Aloha!

I am proud to announce that the kind folks at Parts Center of Hawaii (NAPA,) and Big Island Auto Trader’s Association (BIATA) have invited me to participate in their “Be the Match” fund raiser event for the Hawaii Bone Marrow Donor Registry to be held Saturday, March 9 between 9.00 am to 3.00 pm at the Hilo NAPA store located at 722 Kanoelehua Avenue, Hilo, Hawaii 96720.

I will have a special showing of my award winning drag racing photography on display taken during my 45+ year career, some of which you may have already seen at the Queen’s Market Classic Car Museum @ Waikoloa Resort and others which have never been publicly shown before.

I will also have my “Drag Racing Nostalgia Poster Series” of eleven 20x24-inch black and white posters on display which normally retail for $19.95 ea. However, for this event, autographed copies will be sold HALF PRICE @$10.00 each or the entire set of eleven for $100.00 with 50% of the proceeds being donated to Mrs. Ke’ala (Pauline) Lee Loy and the Hawaii Bone Marrow Donor Registry. Hope to be seeing you there! Mahalo! hilobobmcclurg@live.com

@NAPA Hilo - March 9th • 9am-3pm

Drag Racing Nostalgia Posters • Photos • Autographs Just a handful of Bob’s books.

Yenko: The Man, The Machines, The Legend (2010).

How to Install and Tune Nitrous Oxide Systems (2012).

Fire, Nitro, Rubber and Smoke: Bob McClurg’s Drag Racing Memories (2007).

How to Build Supercharged & Turbocharged Small-Block Fords (2005).

Diggers, Funnies, Gassers & Altereds: Drag Racing’s Golden Era (2004). Mustang: Selling the Legend (1997)

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14 | Hawaii Motorhead Magazine | March 2013

CRUZZIN with the LUGNUT CAR SHOW

and HEADS UP

DRAG RACING from LVMS

The Lucas Oil/PSCA Car Show Series will be at all PSCA events! And the Vegas “Lugnut” was cruzzin’ the car show, camera in hand in this months “Cruzzin’ with the Lugnut.”

There was lots of action on the Strip at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway with the Pacific Street Car Associations “Record Breaker Nationals” and the Car Show area was hoppin’ as well on both Saturday and Sunday with some of the nicest street cars on the planet competing for class trophies and the “Best of Show” award! The Riderz 4 Life Lowrider Bicycles had a great display of lowrider bicycles plus there were vendors, live music, a live DJ and entertainment.

The February event was the first in a series of car shows during the PSCA drag racing events at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway sponsored

by Lucas Oil.

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November 2012 | Hawaii Motorhead Magazine | 15

WATCH VIDEO

>>>

Randall “Lugnut” Connell

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16 | Hawaii Motorhead Magazine | March 2013

©Hawaii Motorhead Magazine Photos

to the max!

Emaile Quintal of Hamma’s Customs in Kona has been creating custom rides since High School and has had this ’57 Pan Head for about as long. In fact Emaile tells us it was the first bike he got on his own (without the help of dad) and was close to selling the bike a short time ago.

Instead the buyer bought another roller Emaile had lying around and he was able to hang on to the old Pan Head!

The ’57 took a back seat to everything else after Emaile said he “blew it up” on a Labor Day weekend about 17 years ago. Late last year, Emaile and his High School sweetheart Marni decided to bring the old pan back to life. Starting by raking the front of the ’57 pan head frame and fitting it with a set of Jireh forks with JB handlebars and controls. Emaile had to dig real deep as many of the parts he’s had for too many years to remember. Out back now resides an Arlen Ness widened swingarm and RC billet rims measure 5.5 x 16 in the rear with 180 rubber and a 21” up front. The bike is set up Warrior style up front with no brakes with a JB set up in the rear.

The ’57 Pan Head was rebuilt by Ed Walker’s Engine & Frame Works in California and features STD Performance Heads with big valves, 40 over barrels, Shot Gun pipes and a 48 Weber on a custom manifold Emaile fabricated back in 1990. And some said at the time it wasn’t gonna work! The new power plant is mated to a stock 4 speed trans with a 3” Primo Drive.

The tank is a stock 5 gallon fat bob and the rear fender was shortened and widened 7” from stock. Emaile shot the House of Kolor Candy Tangerine with silver flakes and Ryan from Art Works did the graphic and air brushed art of their keiki, son Keanu and baby girl Tiare. If you look closely at the art on the tank, yup that’s Emaile. Never thought we’d see him in a malo! By the way, that’s an original WWII German helmet with the addition of the billet spike and painted to match.

Kolohe to the max!

March 2013 | Hawaii Motorhead Magazine | 17

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March 2013 | Hawaii Motorhead Magazine | 19

ŠHawaii Motorhead Magazine Photos

20 | Hawaii Motorhead Magazine | March 2013

©Hawaii Motorhead Magazine Photos

Some may call it a Local Boy; after all it won the Best Local Boy honors at the Four Horsemen New Years Bike Show and Pancake Breakfast. Others may call it a Digger with its lack of crash bars, wide bars, running boards and solo seat, but there is no denying, whatever you call Chris Okimura’s Heritage Softail, it’s a real winner.

In September of 2012 Chris bought the bike from Hilo builder John Chiquita III who with the help of fellow builder Nohea Huddleson started putting the pieces together modeling the bike after one Nohea had recently built that caught Johns attention.

John tells us that it was sort of a rebuild of a bike he had and a bunch of left over parts from previous build and projects. He then traded a motor with a friend for more bits and pieces and the build was off and running.

The aftermarket frame was fitted with a 2 under front end (shorter tubes) from Ellsworth’s Custom Cycles to get the nose down and get the stance right.

John also got the tank and fenders from Ellsworth. Patrick Crivello of Crivello’s Engineering machined all the billet brackets and accessories, including the trick rear struts with hidden fastening screws for a super clean look.

John rebuilt the 80 cube, which is basically stock with the exception of a 510 cam, high compression 10:1 pistons and S&S carb. Pat’s handy work is also found in the V Twin 1 ¾” exhaust as John was not thrilled at all with the stock mounting brackets, so Pat cut off the stock brackets, sleeved the back half of the pipes and fabricated the slick new billet mounts. Pat then fabricated the rear pegs, as John could not find a matching set for the V Twin foot controls. The V Twin rims are 16” in the rear with 21’s up front and wrapped in Metzler Marathon white walls. Note the lack of front brakes for a cleaner look.

John had his dad John spray the Candy Root Beer but a mishap meant it needed to be re-sprayed and as you probably know, candy can’t be simply touched up, so Eric Gomes of Aftermath Painting in Hilo re-sprayed the candy and Greg Kobayashi knocked it out of the ball park with the old school gold leaf lettering and pin striping. Chris Calicdan of Twisted Bike Worx handled the chore of wiring the bike.

Chris’ win of Best Local Boy and Best of Show honors is proof positive, it’s a real winner no matter how you intrepid its style of build. Beautiful is beautiful!

March 2013 | Hawaii Motorhead Magazine | 21

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©Shanti Berg Photos

The unmistakable sound of motorcycles revved up waiting for the gates to drop filled the air at the Maui Motorsports Park at Pu’unene on the long Presidents Day Weekend for the 8th Annual Craig Lew Memorial Race!

Containers of bikes showed up on the Maui shore with racers from the neighbor islands flying in for the big race.

The Vets, 125cc, 250cc, Open big bikes, Open Wahine, 50A, 60A, 80A/B and the School Boy classes all raced on Saturday with the Quads, Keiki Quads, Peewee, 50 & 60 Beginner, Keiki Pit Bike, Adult Pit Bike and Island Teams tore it up on Sunday. After a long weekend of hard charged racing both racers, track crew and their ohana were treated to a great awards banquet where everyone ate before the hardware was handed out including the prestigious (And the taller than me trophy) Craig Lew Hole Shot award won by Oahu’s Shawna Montalbo. See the complete results on the MMA website @ www.mauimotox.com

continues on page 24

Maui’s first motocross race of the year rocked Hawaii’s Valley Isle on February 16 & 17 as the Maui Motocross Associations presented the 8th Annual Craig Lew Memorial Race (AKA the State Race) at the Maui Motocross Association track.

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March 2013 | Hawaii Motorhead Magazine | 23

Race Results Click Here

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24 | Hawaii Motorhead Magazine | March 2013

ŠShanti Berg Photos

Mahalo to these fine sponsors for their support of the Craig Lew Memorial Race. 1320 Performance, Akamai Pumping Service, Al Jr. Trucking, Aloha Cycles, Allied Machinery, American Machinery, Cycle City Maui, DLNR/Na Ala Hele Trails, D&M Hydraulics, Marlayna, Erwin DeCoite & Sons Trucking, Fevella Motorsports, Goodfellow Bros., Inc., Hawaiian Cement, Hawthorne, HC&S, Kiwi Car Care, Maui Bulletin, Maui Moto, Maui Tropix, Maui Oil, Monster Energy and Service Rentals & Supplies.

Join the Maui Motocross Association and bring the whole family for a free day of practice riding on Sunday, March 17. The track opens at 9am with the annual membership meeting with the election of the Board of Directors and the presentation of the 2012 Season Winners at 11am. At noon there’ll be a BBQ Potluck and membership renewals will be 50% off! The track will re-open after 2pm for practice. Come join the MMA ohana.

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March 2013 | Hawaii Motorhead Magazine | 25

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26 | Hawaii Motorhead Magazine | March 2013

@Windward Mall

BLEIZN FX

CruiseNight

On Saturday, February 16th, the East End Hot Rods held it’s first Cruise Night at Windward Mall for 2013 with a great showing from Oahu’s car nuts showing off an amazing collection of Hot Rods, Classics, Trucks, Motorcycles, VW’s, Tuners, Corvettes and Muscle Cars! The drive was nice heading over to the Windward side and the crowd loved the stroll down memory lane with the many classics on hand. The “Biggest Mahaloz to Jim and the East End Hot Rods crew for a Slammin’ Windward Mall Cruise Night” says Lei, event coordinator for Bleizn FX who was on hand and provided photos for Motorhead. The Cruise Night schedule for March is set with no shortage of beautiful rides and good food as Cruise Nights in March will all be held all at McDonalds and Wendy’s restaurants! You want fries with dat?

Visit www.bleiznfx.blogspot.com for the official Cruise Night schedule.

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January 2013 | Hawaii Motorhead Magazine | 27

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28 | Hawaii Motorhead Magazine | March 2013

KRP OVAL KALAELOA RACEWAY PARK

©Michael Kitchens Photos

On Sunday, February 10th Kalaeloa Raceway Park opened the gates for the last test–n-tune before the season opener at the new Valve Service Stock Car Oval Track.

And although it was just a test-n-tune it provided lots of non-stop action for racers and spectators alike. Every class was out in high anticipation of the return of stock car racing on Oahu since the close of Hawaii Raceway Park.

The Season Opener is set for Sunday, March 10th. Gates open at 8am with racing to follow. Catch all the action from the Cruzer-Bruzers, Econo Sprints, Mini Mods, Mini Truck, Mini Stocks, Modified, Super Street and the always exciting Winged Sprints.

Experience incredible, wheel-to-wheel excitement at Oahu’s only multi-venue motorsports facility. Kalaeloa Raceway Park!

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March 2013 | Hawaii Motorhead Magazine | 29

see what’s next!

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30 | Hawaii Motorhead Magazine | March 2013

Gary Solmerin Photos

Aloha fellow racers and car enthusiasts!

Our February 10th event was attended by 18 drivers who enjoyed a great day with near perfect weather. This was a new season and our 1st event of the 2013 RTP (Racer’s Theoretical Performance) Championship. Everyone who drives is automatically entered. Each event is worth 10,000 points. There are twelve events this year and the best seven are counted. So, the more events you race, the better your chances of scoring a trophy at the end of the year!

The course (which changes every event) seemed to be a challenge for the first few drivers. But after a few tries, it started to make sense and times became quicker. Before everyone “runs,” the drivers are “walked” through the course by Brandon Wilk, our course designer. A second “walk thru” is offered and some of us (me!) take advantage of this.

There’s a lot to be said for taking notes, walking the course twice and basically “paying attention.” But, once behind the wheel, everything always seems different. Even Brandon, the designer, “get’s lost” some times!

I was able to post the Fastest Time of Day (FTD) - 67.75 seconds! It’s been an entire year since I’ve been able to do that! In 2012, I was plagued with wet weather, engine & tire issues and plain “bad luck.” That’s racing! But Brandon Wilk was the RTP points leader with a adjusted (RTP) time of 59.498! I placed second with an RTP time of 59.688 - beaten by less than 2/10 of a second! Michael Oates, the RTP Points Champion for 2011 & 2012 had to settle for third with an RTP time of 60.011. He was followed by Jim Hains (60.451) David Smith (62.153) Margie Oates (62.341) Allen Stueben (62.381) and Vernon Harvey (62.925) Look for results on Facebook, motorsportreg.com or bigislandscca.org This month we are having our first “back to back” weekend! That’s two days of autoXing excitement - no experience necessary! Come out and join us Saturday, March 30 & Sunday, March 31 for some sports car fun! Spectators are always our guests! Bunny ears and chocolate eggs are optional!

“Keepin’ it off the streets and takin’ it to the track,” F. Brian Dorr Regional Executive Big Island of Hawaii Region Sports Car Club of America

www.BigIslandSCCA.org

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March 2013 | Hawaii Motorhead Magazine | 31

Please help if you can...

Aloha, We would like to take a moment to familiarize you with our friends Kaleo & Wendy Opiopio. They reside here in Kona with their 3 young children who atend Kealakehe Elementary & Kealakehe High School. Wendy works with families here in our community & Kaleo operates their local auto repair shop business.

In January of 2013, the Opiopio ohana welcomed the New Year with a double diagnosis of cancer. Kaleo has stage IV (4) colon cancer which has metastasized into the liver and Wendy has breast cancer.

In most families having to face the reality of one diagnosis can be confusing, frustrating and scary but to have 2 diagnosis in the same month is absolutely terrifying. On Saturday March 30, 2013 at Big Island Honda Kona from 12:00pm to 6:00pm, we will be hosting a benefit event for their family. There will be entertainment, an auto show, food, silient auction, lucky number drawings, jumping castles and much more. All proceeds from this benefit will help alleviate some of the family’s financial burden associated with medical expenses.

We are asking for donations to help make this event a success. Monetary donations will go directly to their family immediately and all product donations will be used towards the lucky number drawing on the silent auction during the benefit.

Please visit our page on Facebook for updates on the event at Friends of Opiopio.

You may email us at friendsofopiopio@live.com or contact Jeremy @ 937-5051 or Willi at 756-1570 with any questions or to arrange pick up of your donation. We thank you in advance for helping us make this event a success and for making their family time together less stressful.

For your donation we have included our EIN # 46-1984075 Mahalo, Friends of the Opiopio Ohana Kaleo and Wendy with their children

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32 | Hawaii Motorhead Magazine | March 2013

CRUIZIN’ on the RIVER

The River Cruizers annual “Cruizin’ On The River”, Charity Classic Car Show was held fittingly at the Riverside Resort Hotel & Casino in Laughlin, Nevada on January 19th. The all day event featured plenty of cool cars; trucks and motorcycles, with the car show open to all years, makes and models. And if that weren’t enough cool for you Cruizin’ On The River also had its second annual Parade of Cars, plus a Cosmic Bowling Party, Open Header Contest, the popular Creeper Races, a Poker Walk and a Poker Run, an Auto Swap Meet, Cars for Sale area, lots of Vendors, Raffles, Auctions and a Ladies Tea Party Indoors!

And what makes this cruise extra special is that All the proceeds of this way cool event go to local charities. If you missed this great event no worries, mark September 26-29, 2013 on your “Events Not To Miss Calendar” for the 22nd Annual “Roddin’ On The River” hosted by Don Laughlin’s Riverside Resort & Casino. All the cool things like the Cruizin’ On The River event with the addition of Live Auctions, a DJ all weekend long, a pinstriper, a Ladies Luncheon and Fashion Show, 50/50 Cash Drawings and a Food Court and a bar! 4 big days of fun!

Photos by “Rambunctious” Jim of Boulder City.

Randall “Lugnut” Connell

www.vegas-rides.com

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March 2013 | Hawaii Motorhead Magazine | 33

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34 | Hawaii Motorhead Magazine | January 2013

©Nick Latulip Photos

I don’t think “excited” even begins to explain what everyone is feeling as the 2013 season openers at Kalaeloa Raceway Park get set to kick off this month including the popular HulaCross/MotoCross racing. KRP photographer Nick Latulip gives us a look at the last test-n-tune in February before the Sunday, March 17th Season Opener which will feature a Double-Event day with both HulaCross and Motocross racing.

HulaCross is an action-packed event of vehicles running for points in flag-to-flag, wheel-2-wheel races. MotoCross features off-road TT-style racing action with bikes and quads with a $500 prize this month for motorcycles and quads.

Gates open at 9am, $10 park admission with kids 5 and under getting in FREE! Military Discount with ID. For more info visit www.kalaeloaracewaypark.com or call 808-782-7432.

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We laugh about it still! A barn find in Hawaii. First of all, we don’t have very many barns. And certainly not many with classic rides hidden under old Army tarps in it. But that’s exactly what April Duquette and her husband Denny of Island Performance & Off Road in Kona stumbled across. This complete 1970 Cuda covered in dust and a bunch of old cardboard boxes. The old Plymouth Barracuda was in really great shape being kept all those years in a barn miles and miles from the ocean and out of the elements. See our November 2012 issue in “Back Issues” as we started following the build of this prized catch.

When we caught up with April last month the car was fresh out of the paint booth at D&L Painting and she and Denny were busy with the reassembly. April hung the shortened Dana 60 rear end with Dutchman axels; 4:10 ring & pinion, Sure Grip posi and SSBC slotted and drilled rotors.

The 18” Foose wheels fill the mini tubbed rear wells nicely and you could really see what it was gonna look like when she’s all done. The rebuilt 440 looks like a gem in the de-cluttered engine compartment. All new trim and refinished grill and roll bars in the Orion Silver look amazing.

The interior, rear window, windshield (with all those darn clips!) door handles and lights were about all that was left. And these photos are the last look before the reveal in our next issue. If you’re on the Big Island you can also see it at the Friends of Opiopio Fundraiser Car Show at Big Island Honda Kona on March 30th!

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The off-season is over (Thank God for that!) and the Pacific Street Car Association and the West Coast Outlaw Pro Mod Association kicked off the 2013 campaign in grand fashion with the Chris Alston’s Chassisworks Record Breaker Nationals at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, February 8 – 10.

The three-day event started on Friday with all PSCA classes including the West Coast Outlaw Pro Mods and Jr. Dragsters, live music, a huge vendor row and a massive car show. An added bonus for everyone over this race weekend were the stars of the NHRA Mello Yello Pro Stock class who were out testing along with some of the Top Fuel and Alcohol teams.

Earlier this year the Pacific Street Car Association and the West Coast Outlaw Pro Mod Association announced they would partner up for 3 events in 2013, the first being the Record Breaker Nationals in Las Vegas.

All the classes are super competitive and some of the PSCA/WCOPM contenders racing their way into the Winners Circle and to the top of the point standings after this first event were Mike Maggio of Sa Dimas, CA in the Hughes Pro Mod/WCOPM class. Maggio, the #1 qualifier in his ’67 Camaro

continues on page 40

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clicked off a 5.765 @ 250.46mph pass to qualify #1 and in the finals beat runner – up Dan Myers of Ramona, CA in his ’68 Camaro to the stripe.

Brent Calvert with his ’10 Mustang won the Accufab Mustang Madness class over runner – up Paul Wolfe in his ’67 Mustang. In the Super Index class the win went to Paul Wiechmann in his ’83 Ciera with Randy Kersey in his ’95 Cutlass taking the runner – up spot.

Other winners included Tony Aneian and his ’67 Camaro in the AOS Hot Street class, Kevin Houmard in his ’70 Camaro in the Calvert Racing Street Muscle class and Dustin Lee in his ’55 Ford Ranch Wagon in the Goodyear Open Comp class. The Outlaw 10.5 class saw Doug Sikora in his ’00 Mustang take then while in the Outlaw 8.5 it was Jason Ayers in his ’03 Cobra.

In the Jr. Dragster 8-12 chock up another victory for the girls as Tabitha Boardman took the win over runner – up Reilly Garceau.

See all the results and point standings and lots of great photos on the PSCA Fan Page at www.FaceBook.com/PSCAracing

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