Race schedule at Slades

Dirt Drag Racing Rules

Contact Us

Click here to visit the Young Gunnaz Racing Team's page

Report #11 - 09 December 9, 2009

This Page is sponsored by

It's the crazy holiday season again. Hope ya'll had a great Thanksgiving!! I had intended to get this report done a couple of weeks ago, but it's either been hectic or I couch potato. I may not do a report each month during the off season. It all depends on whether I can find something to tell you about!!

On November 8th, I had the pleasure of helping prepare food and serve it to the veteran's and motorcycle riders at the First Capital Chapter of ABATE of Virginia for their 18th Annual Vet's Run celebrating Veteran's Day. Gene Spares, his wife Mandy and his brother Jack were there when I arrived at 9 am. Some more of the ABATE folks came to help get things going around 10. We cooked chicken, hotdogs, hamburgers, beans and there were all kinds of bread, potato salad, tuna salad and a gorgeous cake. The riders of both on bikes and in cars gathered at the YMCA in Newport News. They rode with police escort to the VA Hospital to arriving at 1 pm. There were about 138 registered riders and several nice cars. Most of the Veteran's were served before the riders arrived. With such a large crowd, it was awesome that we didn't run out of food. There was a raffle of a gorgeous quilt that Mandy Spares made; a 50/50 drawing that one of the wheel chair bound Vets won and an abundance of door prizes to give away. Each Veteran's name was put in a hat for the drawings. The US Veteran's Motorcycle Club presented a check for $1000.00 to be used for the Veteran's personal needs. The newly formed Northern Neck Club brought several bags of goodies to pass out along with all the door prizes from First Capital.

The motorcycles and bikes involved in the ride also participated in a bike show with trophies presented by the Veteran's for Best in Show.

My husband Bill and my younger son Jacob were part of the ride. It was Jacob's first ride and he was on his new Buell Lightning. I drove Jacob's 1990 Chevy Truck with the Harley race bike in the back to be part of the show even though I couldn't be in the ride. We were thrilled when out of all those bikes, they chose Bill's 1999 Harley Street Bike as the favorite. A while later, we found the trophy for best in the car show on the seat of the pickup truck!! We have won many trophies for racing at Slade's Park and several from events at the Rodeo sponsored by the First Capital Chapter, but none of them can compare with the pride in being chosen by the Veteran's that day!!

I took a bunch of great pictures during the day. Some of them I sent to my sister, the director of ABATE of Virginia. She sent some to Thunder Roads and several will be in the ABATE newsletter this month. It takes a lot of work and donations to make this event a success. Without the Rodeo this year it was especially challenging. It was great that so many clubs and groups helped with donations. The police escort alone cost $300.00!! If you would like to be part of the fun next year, it is always the second Sunday in November, close to Veteran's Day.

Click on thumbnails for larger images

Back to the Main Page....