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I had planned on going....I really had.  I had even bought tickets and a spot up on the infield inside of the skid pad, like we always used to do, but didn't hear that anyone else was going.  

But somehow.....This year was different.

We've had a pretty good Replica crowd in years past, and the Milkzanowskis usually show up, at least with their Model A on Sunday for the show, so we can visit, but I couldn't get into the spirit this year.

Last time I was there, two years back, I drove Pearl out and met everyone up on the Skid Pad on the infield inside of the "West Bend", passed around warm greetings, checked out everyone's latest car mods and then wandered the Paddock with Joel Abrahamson, my Paddock buddy from years past.  We would start with the "cheap seats", "B" paddock area between the skid pad and the "real" paddock, seeing how the low-budget "Privateers" were doing and what they brought to race, marveling at the workmanship of the cars and even of the support areas while watching the Opera of cars being worked on, the cacophony of revving engine noise and the smells of burnt exhaust and oil vapors.  We kept wandering on over to the "gentleman racers" area in the "A" Paddock where money never seemed to be an object and high-bucks support equipment was, virtually, everywhere, along with factory-sponsored mechanics and technicians supporting their clients for the weekend.

That was the year before last, when they had a big display of Cunningham racers at the event.  Joel was all excited about the Cunninghams and was telling me all about the cars in the display even before we arrived at the tent.  One of the Revs Institute Docents came over, said hi and shook our hands and offered to give us a tour of the display.  THAT was like giving Joel an all expense paid weekend at Coney Island.  

We followed the Docent, "Charlie", around the Revs tent while he gave us a personal history of each car and answered any questions we might have, even drawing a small crowd around us as more people listened in.  Joel was in seventh heaven, asking a lot of polite questions and always getting an answer from Charlie, no matter how deeply he probed.  

At the end of the tour, Charlie asked Joel if he had any more questions and Joel was almost speechless, so overwhelmed with the racing history of what we had just seen in that tent.  He thanked Charlie, our Docent, and we started to leave.  "Remember", Charlie called to me, "Cars and Coffee coming up over in Northborough next weekend.  Make sure you're there, Gordy, and bring your Speedster!"

"You know that guy?" Asked Joel.....  

"Sure!.......  That's 'Hot Rod Charlie', from Grafton!  He winters in Naples, Florida and is a Guide at the Revs Institute!"  

Joel bought me lunch.  I bought an apple pie wedge that we split for dessert, up on the hillside slope at the Apex of turn two (the "Lefthander").  It was pretty decent Apple Pie.

I miss my Paddock Buddy.................................... 

Joel was certainly not a Celt, like me, but I'm sure he would appreciate hearing this, played for him here:

Last edited by Gordon Nichols
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