Unlike years past when Media
Day was staged in town, this year it was kept at the track, smaller
and hosted at the Auto Club display behind the grandstands. The
four featured cars were the two Stone Woods & Cook AA/GS
cars, the Fireside Inn fueler and the Ewald Bros. BankAmericar
AA/FD.
Tony Thacker,
executive director of the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum
(producers of the annual California Hot Rod Reunion), was the
host and his first intro was Cruz Pedregon.
Pedregon was on hand to address
the media and announce the debut of his new Nostalgia Nitro Funny
Car - a Joe Pisano tribute. He was far more relaxed and candid
than he would be under the pressures of the "Big Show"
and made more than one comment that was "not for publication".
Car builder and tuner,
Donny Couch
Tony with Bakersfield
Convention and Visitors Bureau Manager Don Cohen.
Monique Valadez did a
great PR job for her first CHRR.
Graciela Sanchez
was barely big enough to see over the top of the cowl but got
a big thrill doing a nitro fire-up.
Many found Cruz to be "not
a bad guy" when you get him away from the pressures of the
Big Show. He even initiated a Q&A session about front engine
fuelers in general and the BankAmericar in particular. Bob Danly,
Don and John Ewald found him truly interested.
Announcer Mike English
had his time with the Cruzer as did the local media.
Couch did an excellent job putting
this whole car together in just 28 days. Goes to prove that talent
and money can get things done much faster than desire and budget.
Some people do
better at 5 a.m. than others. Before sunrise Friday KERO TV was
on hand to do a live PR spot for their morning news. Melissa
Vreeman, Morning Weather Anchor was all smiles while Blake Bowser,
not so much.
On cue
Blake put on his PR face and the whole deal went as planned.
Between live shots Vreeman did some PR shots
of her own.
The second live spot
was with Tony Thacker.
That's all folks...
Thee guesses who's car
this is on.
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