It brought tears to my eyes!!

[flvideo]

Hi Nancy.
Yeah I talked to Jim as he was going up to East Bay. The guy that lived in the house next to the theater was Hugh Thomas. We lived in an apartment in the base of the screen. There was a gate in the fence that led to the theater, I guess thats what you remember. I got my first bicycle one Christmas morning at the theater concession stand. Hugh had I think 3 dogs and they always seemed to have puppys. When I read Worth Hensons name I remembered then. We are gonna be in trouble with our terrble memories. LOL! Didn't worth own a car at Sara-mana? I can't for the life of me remember who drove it. Worth never raced as far as I know. I just thought about when I met with him. Tolksdorf drove a car for him. He told me when I met with him that they ran an enduro at CCMP just after it opened and Tolksdorf drove it. That was late 80's I am guessing. I don't remember exactly when CCMP opened but I was there that night. Leroy had ask me to tape it but with the infield pits and the wall inside the back Straight you couldn't see the cars in the back at all. Did you and Richard know Eddie Brann? he built engines or race cars for an awful lot of people. Bob...

[flvideo]

Hired Gun!

His name is Ricky Smallwood. He goes by Model Car Man on here. He does such an awesome job on those cars. At the Blast from the past he had several with him. Probably a half doesen that he had I knew to owners or the drivers and it was just like a doorway to the past. The cars were very much like the original. Jim Fenton was there and he drove the FOUR at goldengate and other tracks. Ricky gave him a model of his car at the blast.
When Jim got home he got out a picture of the FOUR and took a pic of the model with the pic above it and it was identical. He is Good. Bob...

[flvideo]

Nancy!

I just checked my E-mail and Dan Hall had e-mailed me. He said the car in front of Emils may be his Dads. It very well may be. Harold took me and Mike Martin to Sara-mana in 1953 and we both aquired a life long passion for racing. Bob...

[Jim Fenton]

Here is Emil reutimanns 3 window coupe as I first saw it in I think 1953. Such detail. Model car Man built it for me and did a fabulous job. Thank you Ricky. I will treasure this coupe. It'll take its place in my studio among my treasures. Bob.

Another masterpiece by MCM! (as usual).

Ricky puts his heart & soul into his creations and it definitely shows in the final product. Kudos to Ricky for helping to keep some of Florida’s great short-track history alive!

It brought tears to my eyes!!

Yep, he has that effect on people.

The very same emotion happened to me literally when he gave me a model of the FOUR Late Model at last year’s Blast from the Past. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, it was definitely the highlight of the event for me!

For those that didn’t see it before, here it is again next to a pic of the real deal.



Thanks again Ricky!!

[N.Rowe]

Sara Mana-Coupes-Good Ole Days

Yes, Richard and I knew Eddie Brann...he did work on our car a few times. Even went to one of Jimmy's Christmas Party's. Glad one of the Hall's contacted you..there are a lot of memories there. Richard always enjoyed talking to Harold. You must mean Billy drove for Worth. Don't believe Worth ever drove a race car. Vaguely remember the room under screen..oddly shaped. Also, remember riding bikes there, too. Wonder what ever happen to that family?

[flvideo]

Hey Jim, I get goose bumps when I see the model next to your pic. That's awesome. How are you healing my friend? Good I hope. Are you ready for the next blast?? Everybody needs to make their plans to attend the second annual
Blast From The Past in March. Bob...

[Hired Gun]

well

I wonder if they make a 1973-77 monte carlo kit. or a 66 chevelle. Id like to have Mr. model car man build me a super stock. opps I think fascar called then "thunder car" back then....

[flvideo]

It couldn't be!

Nancy do you remember a tall skinny red head at the theater? You just rung a bell in my noggin. A guy used to come to the theater and talk to my dad and Hugh and bring his little girl and her bicycle. I used to ride with her we had a ball. That little girl couldn't have been you could it? The Thomas Family moved to Calif. My Dad left the Trail Drive in and opened the Siesta Drive in down on Stickney point rd. The trail sat empty for several years and someone bought it and they soon tore the screen down and built a new one. Jim Kelly just left. Him and I been solving all the racing worlds problems. If you don't believe it just ask us.

[N.Rowe]

Sara Mana-Coupes-Good Ole Days

Bob..it is very possible..remember riding over the humps of the isles. Remember standing at the door of the apartment...so that was probably me. My Dad took me with him a lot..even helped him under the shade trees next to Oneco Cemetary to work on his race cars. Wonder if my Dad knew them from Calif., as that was where he was from. Brownie always said they got the new gadgets lst. because of my Uncle who lived out there. Guess I never asked enough questions..it is a small world after all!! Richard use to talk about the Siesta Drive-In..I don't recollect being there, but both his parents families lived in Sarasota and that must of been a place they went. His Grandfather built that house shaped like a boat and a apartment next to it in the shape of a lighthouse(on his Dad's side). They were all from Tarpon Springs, I believe on Alderman Road. Grandmother was a Alderman. his Dad is 97 and still living!!

[flvideo]

Man this world is small!

Well I'll be. Yeah I thiught I was the thing I showed you how to jump the humps. I used to go as fast as I could and jump them and I maybe got 2 ft. of air and thought I was hot stuff. LOL! Its very possible Your dad knew Hugh from Calif. Thats where he was from and they eventually went back. Did you ever go to the airport and Picnic with us? Dad had a plane and we'd go to the airport out on the ramp and eat a picnic lunch and dad and Junior dads friend took turns taking us all up in the airplane. It was a 2 seater. I remember 1 time dad took me out over tampa bay and flew right on the water. I thought I could stick my hand out and touch the water. We probably weren't that close but it felt like it. Boy how things have changed. Can you imagine a family picnicing next to a airport runway now. There were quite a few people doing that on a Sunday afternoon. Dad kept the plane at Lowes field on circus Blvd. Now a bank parking lot I think. Bob...

[N.Rowe]

Sara Mana-Coupes-Good Ole Days

Remember being at the airport, as my Dad was stationed there during the war as a mechanic. Seems like a lot of people around. Do remember Sundays going places and picnicking. Once we all went to where I think was near Jeg's Landing and swimming in the river and our axle broke leaving, because of all the palmetto bushes. No roads that I can remember once you got off main road. Figure the location of the drive in was because of the base and airport. Do you know if Hugh Thomas built it? Remember our yard being full of race cars and we lived in a little trailer...but we were happy. Going to pick my Aunt Elaine's brain and cousin Barbara's and see if they remember any of this. Did Jim thaw out from Fri. @ Eastbay? OMG...was it cold!!!

[flvideo]

Jim was over here about 2 hours today and didn't say a word about being cold Friday. He said the track sucked. It was dry slick. The only one that passed all night was Matthews. He went back Sat. and he said the track was fine. Go figure. Dirts a whole different ball game. You were probably at the airport with us then. I always liked to fly with JR, he was crazy. If dad knew half the things JR did he would have never let me fly with him. He took my grandma up one time and she never flew agin as far as I know. He scared the devil out of her. He was a stunt pilot at one time with an air show. He was also dads Projectionist. The theaters had the old carbon arc projectors then. Jr could fix one of those in a flash. He would have made a good race car mechanic. He could look at things and see them working mechanically.
Jim and I watched an old video today from 1994 at Desoto. It was the night Dave Eldrige tore down the fence on the front straight. I have been trying all afternoon to get it on u-tube. I am going to try agin tonight when my browser is mabey a little faster. Most sane people are in bed. Bob....

[ModelCarMan]

You're welcome Bob and Jim!!! I really enjoy building models, building them is my way of remembering my past heros!!! I guess I would say it's very therapeutic for me as well. lol