Mustang Motorcycle

In previous posts I have mentioned my
affection for motorcycles all the way back to
my 14th birthday.. In recent times I have been
asked many times "what was your first motor-
cycle?" When I say Mustang I get a blank stare
from the questioner. Most people today see a
Ford pony car when you mention the word
Mustang,...BUT about 50 years ago it was a
great little motorcycle. I went through a couple
of scooters before moving up to a Mustang.
The Mustang was the brainchild of John Gladden.
His plant had built several parts for the government
during World War II. When the war came to an end
he looked for something else to manufacturer. Being
a cycle enthusiast, he thought he could sell a bike
between the scooter and the larger motorcycles. In
1945 the first Mustang motorbike rolled off the
Glendale, California assembly line and it cost $346.50.
It was powered by a 125cc two-cycle single cylinder
Villers engine. The Villers company was in England and
they were having labor problems from the start. In
1947 Gladden began using his own engine design. It
was a 320cc four-cycle single cylinder engine coupled
to a three speed transmission...with the shifter on the
side of the tank. In 1949 a 'highly modified' Mustang
ridden by Tom Beatty showed up at Pomona Drag Strip
and turned the quarter-mile at 90 MPH in the low 12
second bracket. By 1960 Mustang was producing three
models of their product.. the Pony, Bronco, and the
Stallion. It was a great little bike, but like the British bikes
that were the rage during the 50's and 60's, the invasion
of Japanese bikes killed them. Unable to price their bikes
alongside the Honda, Mustang produced it's last bike in
1965. Now days Mustang Clubs are all over the nation and
show up on bikes you would swear are brand new. Companies
have sprouted up to supply a new generation with parts to
rebuild the old bike. The Mustang plant may be gone..but the
bike refuses to die..
Photos: The Red Mustang is a 1956 model owned and refurbished
by Jimmy Hull ... The Black Mustang is a 1960 and is the pride and
joy of Dan Joslin. The ad speaks for itself !!

Diversity In NASCAR... More Than Just Talk

For years NASCAR has tried to reach out to more
audiences than the average white southerner. A few
years ago former basketball star Magic Johnson was
named to head a program to bring NASCAR Racing to
more blacks. That program was merely lip service for
the government !! I discovered this story on NASCAR.com
and it was written by Raygan Swan.

How do you keep sight of more than 50 revved up high school students on a field trip to a NASCAR race?

Dress them all in sunshine yellow Shell Oil Co. shirts and put Kevin Harvick in charge.

Kevin Harvick spends a few minutes with the kids.

Well, maybe not in charge, but the driver of the No. 29 certainly can keep the kids' attention long enough to create an unforgettable moment. The at-track field trips are part of a growing program called Kevin's Krew -- outreach for at-risk students intended to expose them to the world of racing.

Harvick and crew will play host to special groups several times throughout the season, potentially reaching 700,000 students across various school districts nationwide.

His most recent trip was at Atlanta Motor Speedway where dozens of teenagers from Atlanta's Boys and Girls Club as well as two area high schools were shuttled in for the Kobalt Tools 500 and given VIP treatment. The next outing is at Dover International Speedway.

"We basically bring anywhere from 20 to 80 kids to the track and let them get away from their environment and put them in an environment that impresses them enough to go out and do things that are fun and to be in an environment that is safe and put a good influence on their lives," Harvick said.

Making a lasting impression is the main objective which Harvick must do in a short amount of time -- the trips are on the mornings of race day where drivers are already busy with meetings and media.

Kevin's Krew in Atlanta turned numerous kids into NASCAR fans.

"We take a picture and sign everybody's hats and try to interact with each of them as much as you can in a 10-minute time frame," Harvick said. "But they like being around you, and it excites them and it makes you feel good because you are having a positive influence on the kids that are in that particular group."

And if he isn't making a difference, a day with local law enforcement might get the job done. It's a police officer from California, Todd Smith, who started the program in 2008 and coordinates with police agencies across the country to chaperone the student groups.

Smith, of Colton, Calif., initiated the program for students who otherwise would not have an opportunity to go to a NASCAR race. The idea for Kevin's Krew stems from Smith's first NASCAR experience.

"A good friend invited me to race in 2007. I didn't want to go but once I saw the cars I was hooked and had a favorite driver before the race was over," Smith said. "The next year I reached out to some teams and got in touch with Richard Childress Racing who put me in touch with Shell and Chevy. They loved the idea."

New TV Show--- Justified

If you have cable TV you have probably seen
the promotional ads for this show.. But once you
see it you will like it.. My wife and I are both fans
of Timothy Olyphant. In 2008 he was in the movie "Live Free and Die Hard"with Bruce Willis. He played
a computer geek trying to shut down the U.S. Govern-
ment. In 2007 Olyphant shaved his head to play the
title role in the movie "Hitman". He was simply
super in this movie and I can't imagine many others
playing the same part.
Now the FX Channel has Olyphant starring in a new
weekly series called "Justified". He plays the part of a
Deputy U.S. Marshall named Raylan Givens. The first
episode had Givens shoot a Miami gun thug and his
bosses had to get him out of town. They transferred
him back to Eastern Kentucky, which just happens to be
the area where he grew up. One of his longtime friends
now is on the shady side of the law and Givens has
already put him on notice to shape up. The series has
only aired two episodes and the TV critics are calling
it a smashing success. It airs at 9pm CDT on Tuesdays,
but beware...This is cable TV and the language can be
a little strong for some . I like it and would recommend it
to others... Besides, Olyphant really looks good in his
cowboy hat!!

Harley Davidson Ladies Night Out

Tuesday night Texoma Harley Davidson held their
first Ladies Night at the dealership...it was called
"Garage Party". The females have long been
delegated to the passenger spot on a motorcycle,
but in recent years more and more women have
become the rider instead of the passenger. According
to statistics supplied by Harley Davidson, 35% of sales
of the Softail Deluxe model are made to women.
The Garage Party started with a welcome to the
ladies from General Manager James Mayer...then the
ladies were escorted to various sections of the dealership
to find instruction on different models of the Harley Davidson.
They also received a showing of the proper clothing to wear
when riding a motorcycle. A veteran woman rider also showed
the ladies the proper technique for picking up a bike that had
been layed over on the side. Refreshments were provided
and just over forty women attended the Garage Party. It
was a fun evening and everyone in attendance was pleased
with the outcome. Chances are it won't be the last....

What .......More Snow ?

Okay, the fun has gone out of this 'Winter' stuff.
Overnight the North Texas area got another 4-5
inches of snow. This makes the fifth snowstorm we
have had since Christmas eve 2009. Al Gore, are
you taking notice of this? Doesn't look like Global
Warming to me.
Cosmo and I discovered the overnight snowfall
at the same time this morning at 6:30 when I took
him out for his regular routine. He had never seen
snow until the Christmas Eve layering and now he
loves the stuff. He likes to run through the snow and
kick up a spray of it in his face.
Just two days ago we had temperatures in the
seventies and this morning it was 31 when we made
our discovery. It is suppose to return to the upper
60's by Tuesday and hopefully this time we will put
'Ol Man Winter to bed for the last time this season.

Brough Motorcycles

This is the story of the 'Best Motorcycle You
Never Heard Of'. Englishman George Brough
followed in the footsteps of his father as
one who tinkered with bicycles and motorbikes.
In 1908 George produced his first motorcycle at
his Nottingham, England plant. From the very
beginning, Brough emphasized quality in every
one of his bikes. Employees stated that Brough
wanted three people to check every fitting and
bolt on his motorcycles. Every bike went through
a 100 mile test ride before being offered for sale.
Brough secured his engines from a couple of
suppliers. Most of the Brough bikes came with a
engine from the JAP Company, named after James
A. Prestwich. During a lull in the late 1920's some
bikes came with a Matchless engine when labor
unions were giving the JAP Company problems.
Brough marketed his bikes in America as 'Yank
Busters', an obvious reference to Harley Davidson
and Indian motorcycles. World War I hero T.E.
Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) had seven
different Brough motorcycles and met his death
on May 13, 1935 while riding one. That particular
Brough bike is in the museum at Hampshire, England.
Despite being built from 1908 through 1936, only
about one thousand Broughs are still known to
be in existence. Each of them valued from fifty thousand
dollars up to one hundred thousand dollars. The
photos accompanying this post are of a 1935
Brough Superior SS100. When the automobile speed
limit in 1935 was rated at 45 miles per hour, this
motorcycle was guaranteed to run over 100 MPH.

NCAA's March Madness

This week marks the beginning of the annual
'March Madness' in college basketball. At the conclusion
of the regular season each conference around the
country hosts it's own championship tournament.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
then stages it's own tournament to find a National
Champion. Sunday night 64 invitations went out to
various men's college basketball teams to be part of
the NCAA tournament. I find myself somewhat torn
at this time of the year. I started my college education
at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. After my
first year at SMU, I transfered to the University of Texas
for my second year. The U.S. Army then needed me to
assist them in their Southeast Asia endeavours...but I
digress!! I graduated while still in the Army from the
University of Maryland. Luckily for me, SMU did not
receive an invitation to this years tournament. So I only
have to follow Texas & Maryland. The Longhorns face
Wake Forest on Thursday night at 8:45CDT at New Orleans.
Maryland will play its first round game Friday night at
8:40CDT at Spokane, Washington against the University
of Houston. This will be the 24th NCAA Tournament appearance
for Maryland and they are currently ranked #4 in the country.
Best of luck to the Terps and the Steers.... I'll be watching!!

MGA Sports Car

The MGA sports car was truly a great little
car.. It was made in England and was only in
production from 1955 through 1962, but still
left a legend. I had a 1960 MGA for a short
time and really loved it. The windows had to
be snapped into place and it was drafty as
well as a real danger on a rainy day....BUT
when the sun was out you were the one on
cloud nine..The MGA came out to replace the
MG TD series, which was a more square looking
car and was not as aerodynamic as the 'A' model.
Here is more on the MGA...

The design dates back to 1952 when MG designer Syd Enever created a streamlined body for George Philips' TD Le Mans car. The problem with this car was the high seating position of the driver because of the limitations of using the TD chassis. A new chassis was designed with the side members further apart and the floor attached to the bottom rather than the top of the frame sections. A prototype was built and shown to the BMC chairman Leonard Lord. Lord turned down the idea of producing the new car as he had just signed a deal with Donald Healey to produce Austin-Healey cars two weeks before. Falling sales of the traditional MG models caused a change of mind and the car, initially to be called the UA-series, was brought back. As it was so different from the older MG models it was called the MGA, the "first of a new line" to quote the contemporary advertising. There was also a new engine available so the car did not have the originally intended XPAG unit but was fitted with the BMC corporate B-Series type allowing a lower bonnet line.

Good for the Goose Is Good for the Gander

If you watched the Kobalt 500 NASCAR race on Sunday
you saw some vindictive action at the end of the
race that has NASCAR scrabbling to find a solution.
Sprint Cup regulars Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski
have not been the closest of friends. Last year at
Talladega Keselowski bumped Edwards and sent him
spinning through the infield. Another incident in a
Nationwide race at Fontana reignited the flare-up.
On Sunday Edward's car moved down into Keselowski's
car in turn 2 and Edwards bounced off into the path
of Joey Logano. Both the 99 and the 20 cars went to
the garage for repairs, but both returned later in the
race, but behind by at least 140 laps. Keselowski was
headed for a top ten finish when as he passed Edwards
the 99 car intentionally turned him around. At 190 miles
per hour the 12 car spun, went airborne, and then slammed
the wall upside down. Keselowski walked away from the
crash, but was visibly upset. NASCAR black-flagged Edwards,
brought him to the pits, and placed him 36th in the final
standings of the 43 car field. NASCAR says they are not
finished with disciplinary actions for Edwards.
Being a Kevin Harvick fan,...might I remind race fans of
the 2002 race season when Harvick had some similar actions.
He spun out a car in the Busch series...had some fisticuffs
with Greg Biffle, and then retaliated against Chad Little by
bumping him into the wall. Harvick was 'parked' for the
Virginia 500 Sunday race at Martinsville that year. It was the
first time in 54 years that NASCAR had forced a driver to
miss a race for on-track actions. Kenny Wallace was hired
to drive Harvick's number 29 that race. If the precedent has
been set,...then it should apply to Edwards now. He smiles a
lot in his commercials and is buddy-buddy with the TV crews,
but Carl Edwards is a loose cannon and needs to be taught
a lesson. At 190 miles an hour, the race track is not the place
to carry a grudge with another driver.

Alice In Wonderland

The new film 'Alice In Wonderland' came to
town today and my wife & I were among the
first in town to see it. It is another of the 3D
films that have suddenly become the rage...again.
This current remake of the 1951 film is a very
loosely adaptation of Lewis Carroll's 1865 novel.
The film work of director Tim Burton is again
without equal. The combination of Burton and actor
Johnny Depp is almost a guarantee of a hit movie.
Depp was given a free reign to play the role of the
Mad Hatter just about anyway he wanted. He comes
across as the zany character that Carroll wrote about
one hundred and forty five years ago. The role of Alice
is played by Mia Wasikowska and she returns to Wonderland
as a 19 year old after first visiting the place twelve years
before. The country is now divided between two kingdoms,
or queendoms to be more specific. There are two queens
that rule adjoining lands. The White Queen is played by
Ann Hathaway and the Red Queen by Helena Bonham Carter
(Tim Burton's wife). The surrounding cast of characters
really make the movie. The Cheshire Cat, the tardy March Hare,
and the scholarly Caterpillar are all in the movie. The one hour
and forty minute feature started off a little slow for me, but
I suppose that was the groundwork being put down before
Burton got on with the story. If you are a fan of Johnny Depp
you will love it,..but it is not on par with 'Edward Scissorhands'
or 'Pirates of the Caribbean'... Still I will probably buy it when
it comes out on DVD...

Back On Top

Okay,...It might be a little early to toot my own
horn, but after last years disastrous season I
have to act swiftly... As has been reported here
many times in the past, Kevin Harvick is my driver
on the NASCAR circuit. I was a longtime follower
of Dale Earnhardt, and when he died I just stayed
with the same team,...rather than jump to another
team just because the driver had a similar name.
To the point,... after three weeks of the 2010
season the cream has risen to the top. Harvick is
the points leader despite not winning a points race
yet. Proving the point that if you simply finish in the
top five or six cars that will enable you to stay at the
top of the points chase. Harvick finished seventh at
the Daytona 500 to open the season. Couple that with
back to back second place finishes at Fontana and this
past Sunday in Las Vegas. Despite first place wins by
reigning Champion Jimmy Johnson in Fontana and Vegas,
Johnson sits in fifth place thanks to a 35th place finish
at Daytona. Harvick's teammate, Clint Bowyer, is in
second place in the points race 46 markers behind. Mark
Martin is third 49 points back, and Matt Kenseth is 58
points back in fourth place.
The NASCAR drivers will be in Atlanta, Georgia (Hampton)
this coming Sunday for the fourth race of the season...and
the site of Harvick's first win of his NASCAR career.