My interest in cars began when I was a boy "about 9 years old" working on my dad's used car lot. I started working, just doing lot maintenance, then some auto repair, then by the age of 17 I was running the carlot while my dad started an insurance agency.
While attending William N. Neff High School I drove a 1969 Chev. Chevelle SuperSport (SS) with a 396ci. Engine. Sometimes early in the morning before school, my friends and I would go to a service road behind the school that was a half mile long and 50 feet wide and nothing around for at least a mile. And race each other. Before my senior year, the '69 Chevelle was sold. I then got a 1969 Plymouth Road Runner with a 383ci. Engine. I built the engine-up for racing. I not only had the fastest car at school, But I never lost a race in that car. After High School the Road Runner started self-destructing. So I got rid of the Road Runner and gave up racing in pursuit of making money in the insurance business.
That is until 1994 when the NHRA began the "STREET LEGAL DRAGS' program at Pomona Raceway.
1970 Chev. Corvette Stringray 350ci./300hp w/both tops: I bought the car 1981. It was a mess when I got it. But I bought it to fix up. I had the body repaired and repainted ('77 BMW red), bumpers re-chromed and the wheels commercially polished. I did the engine, transmission and interior work myself. I had the engine completely overhauled in 1990. The car is basically stock.
I have enjoyed participating in the Street Legal Drags program with some success.
1995 3 quarterfinals
1997 1 Win
1998 Won tournament of champions, 1Runner-up, 1Semi-final
1999 1 Win
Finished in the top 5 for the track championship in 1997, 1998, 1999.
Participated in Sears Craftsman ET FINAL Oct 1998 as part of Team Pomona. Made it to the final 9 of 135 entries of 18 other track teams in 7 Western states.
2002: West Coast Corvette Challenge 6/27 at California Speedway in Fontana; quarterfinalist, award for best reaction time of the day
My interest in Lionel trains began when I was 6 years old and 1 of my uncles gave me his old Lionel trains.
My interest in trains ran hot and cold as I was growing up. Then back in 1987 my neighbor set up a 4 x 8 ft HO scale model railroad in his garage. That re-ignited my interest in trains. After all I could build a much nicer model railroad in my garage with my Lionel trains, than my neighbors HO stuff. And model railroading is much less expensive than cars, right? Wrong, After 1 year I figured I was spending as much money on trains as cars. I had a nice 4 X 8 ft layout. But I had so many buildings and accessories, that it started looking cluttered and was difficult to clean and maintain.
I need more space! With fewer buildings so I can enjoy watching my trains run. So I tore it all up and rebuilt it. Starting with a 4 1/2 X 9 ft layout then expanding to the 8 1/2 X 11 ft layout it is today. In the mean time I collected a lot of limited edition and expensive trains.
