Once again the Festival of the Rolling Arts topped the events of the past year. The Coasters Car Club's Sleepy Hollow Rod Run, held Friday, Aug. 11, was a complete success as well as the Sunshine Coast Drag Racing Associations (SCDRA) Fun and Fumes for the Whole Family drag races last Sunday at the Sechelt airport.
This year's Rod Run had more than 300 entries taking to the streets of Sechelt and then down Redrooffs Road in Halfmoon Bay. All of the participants were cheered on by hundreds of appreciative, placard waving fans. Saturday's annual Show N' Shine was a huge success with 417 registered cars on display as well as 30 other late entries that were out on then street for viewing. Thousands of fans packed downtown Sechelt to view the cars under beautiful blue skies.
Coaster's president Lloyd Bingley had nothing but great things to say about this year's 11th annual Rod Run.
"When you see the efforts of the committee blossom like this it can only make you smile and say a job well done to all the volunteer club members that pulled this off," Bingley said.
The highlight of the whole weekend was the successful sale of the raffle tickets the club sold on the 1965 Ford Fairlane with all the proceeds going to the Back the Cat Foundation for St. Mary's Hospital.
The Coasters started selling 950 tickets six weeks ago and sold the last one at 10 a.m. at the Show and Shine. This is an effort all the club members got behind and we hope in the next couple of weeks to present the Foundation with a large cheque. Thanks to Wakefield Home Builders for the donation of the car to the Coasters.
Sunday saw the 15th annual drag race sponsored by the SCDRA. Again great weather, lots of cars and plenty of fans to be entertained by the smell of burning rubber, loud thundering engines and a smooth running operation.
President Wayne Taylor had a smile as big as a Cheshire cat on his face all day as the race progressed trouble free to the delight of all the fans. The sad note to this is after guiding, cajoling and working hundreds of hours for the club Taylor is stepping down as president so he can once again get back to his passion of drag racing.
On behalf of the Coasters Car Club and the SCDRA, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those that entered their vehicles in the Rod Run and raced their cars on Sunday. I would also like to thank all the fans that supported both events, and also thank Coast Reporter and the rest of the Sunshine Coast media for their wonderful support for this great weekend. I know it will be hard to top this one, but we are already working on next year's events.
Check out the Sports Ticker on page C4 for complete results from the drag races and Show N' Shine.
