Tom Titus and his family came...
Tom Titus and his family came out in their beefy '70 Road Runner. Ol' Tom later garnered notoriety on Brice Road by getting a ticket for smoking in public. The rumor is that he really deserved it. Yeah, baby!
Atlanta, Georgia-The South Rises Again
Year One's substantial planning and execution make the Dixieland tour one of the best. This year, Musclecar Review Editor Tom Shaw and ad salesman John Nichols were on deck, with John Balow of Muscle Car Restorations rolling off the miles in a soon-to-be-restored Superbird as the leader. The tour left Atlanta and cruised I-75 until ending up that afternoon in eastern Tennessee. The following morning, it was a walk-through at Floyd Garrett's Muscle car Museum, then the trip began in earnest, covering almost 380 miles to meet with the Memphis group as they tag-teamed into the Columbus region, arriving just after 6 p.m.
Fairfield, New Jersey-Running With The Big RigsThat leaves the New Jersey leg, which left the Just Suspension facility (where everyone enjoyed Bill's toy truck/electric train collection and latest Mopar parts) for a 400-mile run that covered the entire state of Pennsylvania in a day. Editor Geoff Stunkard and art director Bob Stuart got this leg, hammering west out of the Garden State in a brand-new Dodge Motorsports Dakota courtesy of DaimlerChrysler. Heavy traffic, especially trucks, was the norm, and some time was spent chasing lost sheep and fixing a breakdown. After overnighting in Kent, Ohio, the tour went to the cavernous Summit Parts facility nearby for a morning visit. Due to construction, the final day of the trip was made over backroads that eventually led right to National Trail Raceway. This tour was on Brice in the early afternoon, with everyone returning for the evening photo shoot.
Kansas City, Missouri-From The Heartland
The land made famous by Wilbur Harrison's tune from the '50s began at Weld Wheels' operation on Wednesday morning before starting east toward the big river and the Midwest heartland. Company photographer Chuck James led this leg, with the Paddock's Tom Eddy riding shotgun. A missed turn in St. Louis cost some time, but rewarded the boys with a view of the fabled arch. After an overnight stay in Effingham, Illinois, the crew reached the Hoosier State and headed for the Paddock's facilities in Knightstown, Indiana, ate lunch at noon, and rolled into Columbus, Ohio, at 5 p.m.
 Summit Racing Equipment was...  Summit Racing Equipment was the launch point on Thursday. Joel Fishel and the guys there had a good time looking at the machinery in the lot, and we had a great backdrop for our group photos. |  Joe Luis took a piece of truck...  Joe Luis took a piece of truck tire at speed, which destroyed his fuel pump and led to a roadside thrash on I-80 east of Altoona, Pennsylvania. Despite the fact that Stunkard was helping with the wrench work, the gang was back on its way in an hour. Joe gets the Boy Scout Award for having the part in his Dart's trunk. |  Crossing through the Land...  Crossing through the Land of Lincoln. |
 Once again, with the tour...  Once again, with the tour starting at Weld Wheels in Kansas City, the caravaners had an opportunity to see just how this company makes its products. Here, Weld's rim design is explained. |  The arch in St. Louis is a...  The arch in St. Louis is a landmark. Due to a wrong turn, we were able to see it this year. |  A barbeque lunch was served...  A barbeque lunch was served at the Paddock on Thursday, then the cruisers headed out for the final leg into Ohio. |