senor honda

By Steve and Tara
Steve and Tara's Power Tour Adventures
A day by day blog of the annual Hot Rod Power Tour
Friday, June 10, 2016

"Gettin' There"- June 9-10
Orlando, FL to Gonzales, LA
(707 miles)

With the cars all loaded up, may dad (in the Corvette), Tara and I (in the Acadian) hit the road for the Okahumpka service plaza to meet up with the rest of the group: Tim and Lori (454 Chevy truck); another Tim and his son, Timmy ('57 Chevy); Scott ('63 Nova convertible), Jacob (Pontiac GTO ) Mike from Melbourne ('70 AMX); and Pilot Transport contest winner Bruce who needed a ride since his car was getting shipped VIP to the venue and then home after the Tour.

After some donuts and coffee, our intrepid group departed to start our way to the Power Tour. We hit lunch at Ted's Montana restaurant in Tallahassee and then it was on to our stop for the night in Pensacola. The food was great, but the wait was lengthy to say the least.

Our hotel, in Pensacola, the only one with any vacancy, left much to be desired. It still was better than the place we stayed in Memphis in 2013 and the Econo Lodge Tara booked in Detroit our first year. We met up with our friends Fred and Kym and Don. The highlight was dinner at the Grand Marlin on Pensacola beach. The food was excellent and the drinks were a refreshing way to end a day's drive.

When we got back to the hotel, we learned that Mike was having issues with the belt in the AMX. A late night repair session got it squared away enough to run the next morning (and hopefully the rest of the trip).

This morning, we passed up the La Quinta's "continental breakfast" and made a bee line for some good Cajun food in New Orleans' French Quarter. Taking 9 cars into the French Quarter and keeping them together is a monumental task in good weather. We managed to find the only rainstorm in the southeast. But, somehow, we made it work. Unfortunately, the restaurant "Coop's Place" had a strict "over 21 years of age" policy and wouldn't let Timmy in. So, Scott, Tim and Timmy ate next door. I imagine their food and service were better. After lunch, some of us hit Cafe Du Monde for beignets before leaving for Gonzales.

We weren't on the road long before Lori, who was ahead of us, called us and said they were nearly sideswiped and thought Mike may have been wrecked. We doubled back to check...He wasnt.

When we arrived in Gonzales, we picked up our credentials and spent some time catching up with friends from Power Tours past and then headed to the hotel. We had dinner at the Cabin restaurant which we found last year. It's an old slave cabin that the owner bought and moved it along with an old schoolhouse and other buildings and turned them into a restaurant. It's definitely unique. The bathrooms are made out of an old water cistern barrel.

After dinner we went back to the hotel and took in the parking lot car show. There are some really interesting cars just in our little parking lot. One guy has an awesome turbo diesel rat rod that is really well done. The Edelbrock guys are staying here and brought an 810 hp supercharged Challenger. They mentioned that hey have a supercharger for the Corvette that'll give me an additional 200 hp: INSTANT Z06. I asked if they'd do an install demo here at the show, they almost said "yes." We spent some time swapping stories with some Canadians with a '69 Firebird convertible and a '68 427 powered Caprice wagon who are on their first tour. My dad went to pick up my mom at the airport so we can all enjoy the car craziness that is the Power Tour.

Check out the photos so far:


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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Quick Stop in the middle of nowhere[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]The Grand Marlin[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]We'll get it going again!![/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Never pass up a gas station. Someone's tank is empty and others' bladders are full.[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]All hotels should look like this lot.[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Amphibious vehicle???[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]427 powered!! He bought it from the second owner[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Adjustable wrenches and camshaft as structural components[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Hellcat? Bah!![/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]The Cabin[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Cisterns repurposed?[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]The story of the Cabin!![/TD]
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senor honda

[h=2]Saturday, June 11, 2016[/h] Day 1: June 11- Gonzales, LA
(0 miles)

The first morning of the Power Tour is always exciting. Even though the venue didn't officially open until 9:00 a.m. Everyone in the hotel was up and moving early. In fact, there was a long line of cars waiting for the gates to open. I held Tara back as long as I could, but you could see her twitching with every car that passed by our hotel lot. So Tara and I, Jacob and my parents got in line and made our slow way the mile to the venue.

Once we got to the Expo Center, the layout for parking was different that when we ended there last year. They were parking people in a big, open, and fairly damp field. Fortunately, I along with a few other cars, spotted a strip of grass lined with shade trees right behind the sponsors' midway and parked right there. It was a perfect shady spot to watch the cars roll in and convenient for getting clocked in and picking up the Long Hauler (people like us who do the full trip) freebies. MSD gave away their collectible magnets, there were also hats, shirts and Mother's gave away bottles of waterless wash and wax spray. We probably go through a bottle by the end of the Tour.
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Primo Parking!
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The morning started off hot and just got hotter as it went. We quickly clocked in and got the freebies and then headed back to the shade for a brief time. For hours, the cars kept coming in. Every kind of muscle and performance car was represented. From classic Hot Rods, Camaros, Chevelles, Mustangs, Corvettes, 'Cudas, and an AMC Rebel "Machine" to the modern performance Hellcats, Camaros, Challengers, there were more than a thousand cars. There was even a 30's Cadillac and a V8 powered bar stool. In addition to the cars on the tour, the Sponsors' Midway had some amazing custom cars. There was a Cummins Diesel powered 1970 'Cuda. Roadkill had some of their builds: "General Mayhem," a Hellcat powered 1969 Charger and "Stubby Bob,"a rear engine, blown truck.
There's no way to see everything and pictures don't do justice to show the full experience.
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"] I'm not sure what to think. It's gotta be a Torque-monster


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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]The Machine[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Classy[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Small block bar stool...And I thought the go-kart powered one in Orlando was crazy.[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]"Stubby Bob"[/TD]
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After lunch, my parents headed back to the hotel to escape the heat and Tara and I actually started looking forward to the rain shower that was coming our way. We waited out the rain and then headed back to the VIP parking area to catch up with Tim, Tim, Timmy, Lori, Scott who were joined by Jake (60's Chevy pickup).

Tara found a phone in the bathroom, so we brought it to the main stage to turn it in. The stage show is entertaining and I am amazed at Clarence Barnes who is literally "on" the entire trip. He has to entertain a crowd all day in whatever weather and even off stage, he has to keep the energy up. He remembers people from year to year, and has a love for the Acadian and always makes a big deal about it when he sees us walk by the stage. When we gave him the found phone, the owner's father called. Of course, Clarence answered it, put it on speaker, and was hilarious joking with the guy. Tara figures she gave Clarence 20 good minutes of material just by handing him the phone. When the girl who lost her phone finally came to get it, they were total jerks. No "thank you for keeping my phone safe" or even a "I'm the person who lost their phone can I please have it." Instead, they simply demanded "phone" and had no sense of humor whatsoever.

We stuck around for some of the giveaways. I missed winning a set of new tires because I came in 2nd place to Lori of all people in "Clarence Says." I also lost out on a set of Gibson Exhaust mufflers because my impression of a car running the 1/4 mile was nowhere near as good as the 9-10 year old kids who joined the contest. I did win a set of MSD spark plug wires and 3 T-shirts for answering some car trivia. Bruce even won a shirt because he knew what the Canadian version of the Nova was called. (Like I said, Clarence likes the Acadian).
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Clarence Says...you lose.[/TD]
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When the big rain hit, Tara and I hid with three other people under their golf umbrella. We took advantage of a break in the rain and headed for the car. I had to wade through 4 inches of water to get into it. Tara waited on the pavement. I'm glad I brought 2 pairs of shoes.
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]I hope this works to dry them out.[/TD]
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Back at the hotel, Tara dried the Acadian and we watched the cars leaving the venue and enjoyed the cooler weather. They must have been there since our detour to the French Quarter. We made friends with some guys working on a Nova Wagon. It was then that Tara found that we managed to snag some Mardi Gras beads on the control arm. Luckily, they weren't too tangled up.
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Beads!![/TD]
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A little while later, it was time to figure out a dinner plan. Jacob agreed to drive "the family." Everywhere near the hotel was mobbed, so we planned to go back to the Cabin. That plan was obliterated when we found out it was a 1 hour wait. The Yelp app led us to a place called the Grapevine in Donaldsville. To get there, we had to cross a massive bridge over the Mississippi River. It was completely worth it. There was still a wait to get seated and the service was slow, but the food was amazing. Tara went gaga over her sautéed shrimp. If I ever end up near Donaldsville again, I'm going back!!!

It was a quiet night back at the hotel. To my disappointment, no one was doing burnouts in the road behind our hotel like last year. Our Canadian buddies were hanging out, so we invited them to run in our small group to Baytown. Tomorrow is our longest driving leg, so we decided to call it a night a little earlier than usual.

Here are some more Day 1 pictures:
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Ford Supercar[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Ford Un-Supercar[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]One sweet Cadillac[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]License plate says it all.[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"] If you are gonna be stuck in traffic, at least the cars are cool!









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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Crossing the Mississippi[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Georgia Peach Martini[/TD]
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senor honda

[h=2]Sunday, June 12, 2016[/h] Day 2: June 12- Gonzales, LA to Baytown (Houston), TX (168 miles)

Before leaving Gonzales, we had to address the floppy driver's side mirror on the Acadian. Nothing a little Gorilla Tape can't fix... Tour on!!


With the mirror sorted out, we hit the road for the first leg of the tour. We started out running with with the Canadians we met earlier with the 1968 Caprice Wagon and 1969 Firebird Convertible. The weather was a little overcast, which helped keep the heat down.

The route started on I-10 for 70 miles. We then split off onto a secondary road that pretty much paralleled the highway. We hit one patch of construction traffic that took 15 minutes to go 6 blocks. The Canadians started running hot, so they peeled away and went back down the highway. Of course, we could have avoided it any time we wanted by turning down a parallel street, but the traffic was completely Power Tour cars, so we sat with it for a while before cutting over and speeding back along the way.



Louisiana is an interesting state. Instead of the traditional power tour scenery of cornfields and farmhouses, we passed numerous crawfish farms and rice paddies. The first day is always one of the best because it's a weekend and there are lots of local folks sitting alongside the road waving and watching the Power Tour cars come through. It was particularly true in Rayne, LA (the frog capital of the World.) In addition to specators, the streets of Rayne were lined with frog statues. Each business seemed to have their own unique statue.
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Rayne: Frog Capital of the World[/TD]
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We made our lunch stop at Steamboat Bill's in Lake Charles, LA. It got great reviews on Yelp. When we pulled up to the parking lot, we were the only ones there. Tara started to have reservations about it, but we went in anyhow. Good thing we did too. The dining room was big and open and we were greeted by a sweet Cajun woman who sat us at our table. The food was great. Since I don't eat shellfish or catfish, I was limited to chicken fingers (they were some of the best I have ever had). My mom ordered cheese fries with crawfish etouffee and sour cream on top. My dad and Jacob had fried shrimp and Tara, who couldn't make up her mind ordered a variety of small Cajun items. She had gator bites which were basically like fried crabcakes, but with gator meat, a pistolete (fried roll stuffed with crawfish etouffee), and a boudin ball (rice, crawfish and veggies fried). When she mentioned to the sweet Cajun woman that the gator was a bit spicy, the lady laughed and asked where Tara was from. My mom said Ohio and it seemed that was all the explanation needed. The woman told Tara: "Honey, we Cajuns put peppa in everythin."

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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]The "Large" Fish platter at Steamboat Bill's[/TD]
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The next part of the route took us toward a huge old bridge that had to be a 70 degree incline. Fortunately, that one was being refurbished and we took the new bridge. The new bridge was just as high, but the slope seemed much more manageable.

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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Welcome to Texas!!![/TD]
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We hit a bit of rain going through the beginning of Texas, but Overall, it only took us a few hours and one fuel stop to make it to the Royal Purple Raceway, our Venue in Baytown. When we got there, I met up with my friend Steve who drove a rental car over from Austin and is going to ride the route with us in the Acadian. He's a die hard car guy, but misjudged the distance from the rental car dropoff to the dragstrip. HE WALKED 5 MILES.

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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]John Jones raced his new Challenger. I bet he wanted to have his Hemi Super Stocker[/TD]
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We got clocked in and picked up our magnets. Tara was thirsty, so I thought I'd buy her a soda. They had souvenir cups that were shaped like pit crew gas cans, so of course I bought that so she would have to drink out of it. I think I heard her eyes roll when I handed it to her.

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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Refuelin'[/TD]
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There were more cars today than yesterday. Everywhere we looked there was another parking lot or field packed full of cars. I saw a souped up Chevy Monza to match up with the Ford Pinto from yesterday. There's no shortage of crazy cars that end up on Tour. Diesel rat rods seem to be very in vogue. The "what was he thinking/smoking when he built that?" award has to go to the yellow roofless pickup truck with a blown hemi motor stuffed in the rear.


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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]"Yeah, It's got a Hemi."[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Wile E. Coyote isn't going to catch this Road Runner[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"] Diesel rat rod, with teeth




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We weren't at the venue long before the weather got ominous. I wasn't able to hit the dragstrip due to the weather. Our friends Kyle (Nissan Skyline R33) and Don (Mustang Cobra Terminator) caught up with us. My parents headed for the hotel, but we stuck it out long enough to get pinned down by a torrential downpour. We hunkered down in the concession pavilion.



The whole group of us, including Rick and Lisa from Tampa (75 Dart Sport) had dinner at the Pipeline Grill which was really good. It was next to the Washabeeria, which is exactly what it sounds like, a laundromat that serves beer.


After dinner, the clouds broke and it was a beautiful night. We stopped for gas at BUC-EEs which is chain of monstrous gas station/food stores. Picture a WaWa on steroids. Everything's bigger in Texas. We spent the rest of the night walking the nearby hotel parking lots and checking out the cars.

Tomorrow we head to Austin.

Here are some more pictures from Day 2:

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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]If it's hers, then what's he drive?[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Who doesn't love a '71 'Cuda?[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]'57 Ambulance. The sign on the window said "Vacancy"[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Panoz Esperante[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]A Miata I'd actually wouldn't mid being seen driving.[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"] Cadillac 472 front engine VW??? [/TD]
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senor honda

Monday, June 13, 2016

Day 3: June 13- Baytown, TX to Austin, TX (175.8 miles)

Today's route was a short one, and mostly highway. We left the hotel at 6:30 to beat the Houston traffic. Our group managed to unintentionally run at least one toll. The signage for the Texas toll roads is terrible and for parts of the road, they don't take cash. you have to be enrolled in "Pay by Plate." Hopefully, we just get a bill for the toll and a small processing fee and not some stupid fine. Towards the end of the first highway stretch, our group got divided when some of us managed to make it to the cash toll lane and the others ran yet another toll. Even though we were hung up for 5 minutes in the cash lane, we were able to regroup at a gas station a few miles down the way.



The highlight of today's drive was the town of Round Top- population: 90. It was a tiny town that restored all of its old buildings and relocated them along the main road through town. It was like going back in time. Many of the buildings dated back to the 1800's. While most our group kept on the Route, we and my parents drove through town and took in the scenery and made a few photo ops.








There was one place called "Gasoline Hill" owned by a man who collected and sold vintage gas signs and other fuel related antiquities, plus vintage metal lunch boxes. He told us "Everything's for sale, except my wife and daughter, even the property."



After Round Top, we stopped for lunch in LaGrange at the Riverside Café. It was a very homey restaurant and we were still in time for breakfast. The service was a bit slow, but the food was tasty.

It was then time to get the 4 days of rain and dirt off of the Corvette at a car wash down the road and not too far from our final destination.

Back on the road, we caught up with a line of Power Tour cars and ran with them for a while. We all got caught in traffic caused by a single traffic light where they were repaving a highway bridge. It's what I call "Power Tour Induced Traffic." On any normal day, the light would be no big deal. Today, it took 15 minutes to get through it.

We got to the destination: Circuit of the Americas at about 1:30. It was HOT!!!!! We first parked where they told us, while Tara scouted out a better option closer to the activity. She found an end spot with a "shade tree" (in reality a 3 foot tall sapling) right up front. Orlando car photographer Chet found us and took a great shot of the Acadian. THANKS CHET!


Chet looks a little like Senor Honda...... https://www.tamparacing.com/forums/m...ml#post9378411 [TABLE="class: tr-caption-container, align: center"]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Thanks Chet![/TD]
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From a logistical standpoint as a Power Tour venue, the Circuit of the Americas was probably the worst we have had in 5 and a half years of Long Hauling. To get to the sponsor midway and time clocks to punch in, we had to walk through the grandstands, and across the main straightaway through a single narrow gate at each side. The gate was barely wide enough for one person, let alone people trying to go each way. To further compound the mess, they closed the gate to allow the cars who paid $50 for a "parade lap" to go by. This created one hell of a traffic jam when they reopened it. One guy even started yelling at the track employee manning the gate because they wouldn't stop the cars and let HIM across. Even though it sucked as a venue, the Circuit is a seriously cool race track. Tara rode in the G8 with Jacob on his "parade lap."



When she got back to the car, it was too hot to walk around and take pictures of the showfield. Instead, we drove up and down the rows of show cars with the windows up and the A/C blasting. We managed to find one of the rarest cars on the Tour, a Australian Ford Falcon (kind of like a Torino, but not). Not only was it rare, it had a blower. My favorite car of the day, was a 1959 Cadillac El Dorado with a CTS-V supercharged motor. It had a "for sale" sign, but there was no price and no area code for the phone number. That was probably a good thing because, in my delirium from the heat, I would have tried to buy it.

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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oy, Oy, Oy.[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Monster Fins[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Monster Motor[/TD]
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Other than driving and looking at cars, the main thing we do on the Power Tour is eat. Tonight's dinner spot has been on my dad's radar ever since he saw a show about it on the Food Network 7 years ago. We drove to the Salt Lick BBQ restaurant in Driftwood. The road to get there was a great driving road. It was hilly and full of curves. Too bad it wasn't part of the Route for everyone else to experience.

The Salt Lick is an amazing place. First, it's huge. They have a garden area, a vineyard, a "kid's area" and a massive bbq pit. We stuffed our faces with the best BBQ I have had in Texas, then strolled through the garden to walk off the food coma.


My friend Steve, an Austin local, navigated us back to the Hampton Inn. We laughed at him pretty hard when it was the wrong one. That one's parking lot was also packed full of show cars. We took a lap around the parking lot and then drove to the right Hampton Inn. Disappointingly, even though the night was much cooler than this afternoon, no one was out in the parking lot, so we called it a night.

Tomorrow we leave for Grand Prairie, TX, basically Dallas. It's going to be a jammed day as we are going to try and hit Gas Monkey Garage along the way to the venue.

senor honda

[h=2]Tuesday, June 14, 2016[/h] Day 4: June 14- Austin, TX to Grand Prairie, TX (Dallas) (228.9 miles)

We didn't leave Austin quite as early this morning as we did from Baytown yesterday. I enjoyed the extra hour of sleep (until 6:45), but it also meant we caught some of Austin's rush hour traffic. We left with the usual crew, Tim and Lori, Tim and Timmy, Scott, Fred and Kym as well as Ken and his 9 year old nephew Bryson in a 1968 or 1969 LSX powered GTO convertible. As we were sitting in traffic, Bryson heard Tara and I had a ton of beef jerky for snacks and wanted some. Since we were practically sitting still, I pulled up along side the convertible and tossed the bag out the window and into the convertible. Ken managed to catch it, but I zipped it across faster than I planned. I was worried about throwing it short since I was throwing left handed, out a window and from a slow moving car. I also didn't know whether I was going to have to deal with any wind, so I chucked the sucker. I almost overthrew them.

After we got out of traffic, today's route was a more traditional one. The route took us along a road that had lots of small hills. Not as much fun as twisty turny roads, but still fun. Along the way, we were greeted with the usual Power Tour scenery of cornfields and small towns. As we drove through Taylor, TX there was a welcoming committee running cold bottled water out to cars that got caught at the traffic light. We tried to gas up at a Shell station in Taylor, but everyone else had the same idea and it was a cluster. Plus, the pumps were super slow, so we abandoned that effort and drove a few more miles to a virtually empty Exxon.

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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Thanks for visiting Taylor, here's a water.[/TD]
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We obeyed one of Lori's prime rules of Power Tour: No chain restaurants and ate at Lucy's café in Moody, Texas. It was a tiny family owned restaurant that served breakfast, Mexican and American dishes. Tara and I split a Quesadilla and "Texas Toothpicks" which are fried jalapeno strips. The food was all fresh made and really tasty. For some reason, my dad always ends up getting his food last and today was no exception, but my mom, Fred and Kym also got super slow service. So, while we were waiting for them to finish, we stood along the road and watched the Power Tour cars pass by. One of the crazier built ones was a take on a rat rod semi truck. It was massive. To top it off, the thing had a train horn.



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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]This thing is ridiculous. And really cool![/TD]
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The afternoon drive was uneventful. We arrived at the venue, Trader's Village (a giant flea market area that is closed during the week. There were more cars at this venue than any other. There was also no shade. We ignored the flaggers trying to park us in the middle of nowhere and meandered so we were parked in a lot directly behind the sponsors. It was also right next to a covered pavilion which provided an ideal place for my mom to get out of the heat. We had a decent breeze this afternoon, so it wasn't as stiflingly hot as yesterday, but it was still a hot one. I got clocked in, bought my T-shirt for the day and picked up the magnets. Jacob and I made a quick pass through the show cars and stopped to talk with the guys from Gibson Exhaust who ran with us last year.


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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]It's like Christmas in front of the Holley/MSD display.[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]The yellow supercharger is a nice touch.[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]All yellow works too.[/TD]
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As we were getting ready to leave, we watched as a Ford Fairmont's axle fell out of the car. Somehow, someone saw it starting and stopped them before the wheel came completely out of the wheelwell. They were working on fixing it as we left.

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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Something's wrong here.[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]"It's no big deal, just the axle."[/TD]
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After the venue, Tara, Jacob and I had tickets for a barbecue dinner at Painless Wiring and a tour of the facility. It was interesting to see how they build the wiring harnesses and the amount of time that goes into R & D. However, wiring isn't the most exciting thing to see manufactured. The parking lot was packed with more show cars and the weather was a little cooler. Several others of our group went to the Gas Monkey Bar & Grill. To my surprise, they said they got in without much of a wait. I assumed it would be completely slammed.

Back at the hotel, we met up with Scott Shanks, our long time Long Haul friend, with his modern Hemi powered 1970 Challenger convertible. I love that car. Jake's wife Brenda also flew into Dallas today to join us for the rest of the run. We all sat in the hotel lobby and got caught up.

Tomorrow we head for Oklahoma City. It's going to be another hot one.

Here are some more Day 4 pictures:



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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]This is one of the nicest Trans Ams I have ever seen. It's definitely not a Long Hauler car.[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Lots of SSR's on this Tour.[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]1968 Road Runner[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]1967 GTX[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]This is wrong on so many levels.[/TD]
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senor honda

Been following your tour adventures on Tampa Racing.......along with a few other people in Tampa FL (102,500 members) .....thanks for posting every day, and the pictures are interesting also. I can identify with the topless pickup with a hemi in the back....around here we have a Fiero with the same setup....comes out to the Dover Rod Run....we all know what a car should look like ......some people have a good job.....what does it cost for power tour entry fee? I've seen a few cars around Kissimmee/Orlando with power tour stickers.



Chevy powered....

senor honda

Tampa Racing calendar of events... usually 1,000 postings per month
Local Events

senor honda

[h=2]Wednesday, June 15, 2016[/h] Day 5: June 15, Grand Prairie, TX to Oklahoma City, OK (242.1 miles)
Our group of 9 cars left the hotel at 7:00 this morning since the route was one of the longer ones this Tour. We hit a little Dallas traffic on our way out of town, but once we left the city, it was smooth sailing. The route itself, was fairly mundane. It was mainly a straight shot on 4 lane "rural roads" with 75 mph speed limits. You gotta love Texas!! However, when we got to a school zone, the speed did slow to a more moderate 55 mph. The road we were on was certainly one of the less traveled ones. Except for the occasional tractor trailer, virtually all of the cars were Power Tour cars.


We stopped for lunch at Mama Carol's restaurant in Chikasha (pronounced Chick-a-shay), Oklahoma. Lori called ahead and they set up tables for the 14 of us. The place was empty when we got there, but within minutes was packed full of locals. You know it's a good place when the cops eat there. I had the best chicken fried steak, I have ever eaten. They even subbed in brown gravy for me.

After lunch we gassed up and headed to the venue, Remington Park (a horse track and casino-not a real one though, only slots). It was brutally hot again. WeatherBug showed 95 degrees, but "feels like 110." There was a strong wind, but it was more like a hair dryer than anything refreshing. Tara spotted a lone shade tree and we parked on the curb in front of it. The downside was that it was a long walk to the stage and sponsor's midway to get clocked in and pick up my magnets and T-shirt. My parents headed for the hotel and Jacob and I went to clock everyone in. No reason we all need to suffer.
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Feels like 110[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Parking lot Panorama[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]It's only 95 in the shade.[/TD]
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While I was at the sponsor's midway, I spoke with the guys from Edelbrock and got the part number for their Stage 2 supercharger kit for the Corvette. They also gave me a certificate for a jacket if I buy the kit. I went ahead and ordered it from Summit Racing while I was sitting back at the car. Z06 power, here we come!

We stayed at the venue for as long as we could stand the heat. I made some quick trips to look at a 440 6-pack 1970 'Cuda and a few other cars. A gorgeous 1963 Split Window Corvette drove by us.
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Numbers Matching[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]I think I'm in love.[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]The headers make the engine look like as spider[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Vanity plates aplenty on the Tour[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]The Viper's plate was "TRAK IT"[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]This thing's plate said "ITSADIO" which helps answer everyone's question[/TD]
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In the "just because you can, doesn't mean you should" category, there was a Thunderbird convertible that someone cobbled into a "Batmobile" and a 1970 Roadrunner convertible that was transformed into a Superbird.

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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Ummmmm....[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]It actually looks better in the picture than real life.[/TD]
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We met our friends Rick and Lisa (Dart Sport) at Pop's on Route 66 in Arcadia for dinner. It was one of the roadside landmarks and had a giant soda bottle sculpture in front. We weren't expecting it to be a gas station. To our surprise, they had a diner section with pretty good food. The big deal was that they had a soda cooler with 500+ flavors of soda. Each section was organized by flavor and you could mix and match a 6 pack. We bought butterscotch cream soda, peach cider, mango, raspberry, lemon, and some kind of berry flavored soda named for a hot rod shop in Torrance, CA (I bought that one solely on the label). So much for cutting back on soda, but we're on vacation.

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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Attention grabber[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]They have pop and soda here.[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Hot Rod soda.[/TD]
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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"] We passed the Hot Rod Power Tour bus on the way home from dinner


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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Henry J Hot Rod[/TD]
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[/TD]
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After dinner, we all met back up at the hotel. I took Bryson for a spin in the Corvette. I did a couple rolling accelerations up to 70 mph before I was finally first at a traffic light. The light went green and I punched it. The tires spun a little and once I hit 55 mph, a black Crown Victoria with "police hubcaps" turned left a few hundred feet in front of me. I let off the accelerator and held my breath. I've watched enough Street Outlaws to know that the OKC Police don't take kindly to racing and I'm sure they definitely don't want any out of town yahoos without a film crew and national TV show accelerating all around town. He kept on driving and we were in the clear.

I got back to the hotel and Lori had the porta-bar out and was mixing drinks. Finally, around 9:00 the weather finally felt cool. We walked the parking lot which was packed full of show cars. For the first time, people were out socializing. Several people stopped Tara to ask her what an Acadian was. We also met a couple from Texas in a modern GTO. Turns out, they collect vintage tractors and so does Jake. They spent quite some time talking tractors.

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[TD="class: tr-caption, align: center"]Perhaps it was the bourbon, but I realized my shorts camouflage into the hotel floor.[/TD]
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Tomorrow we head to Wichita and it's supposed to be 110 degrees and not a drop of shade at the venue.

senor honda

A few frequently answered questions.....
View All 1 Photos


HOT ROD Power Tour is the largest road trip in the world, with several thousand cars traveling to seven cities in seven days with great stops and cruise nights along the way that include massive amounts of manufacturer booths and local hot rods. The 22nd running of Power Tour, in 2016, is from June 11–17, starting in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and ending in Kansas City, on a route that includes highways and winding backroads.
Gearheads can join in at any point along the way; the exclusive Long Haul Gang includes the people who take the entire Power Tour route along with the staff of HOT ROD. Participants can sightsee, explore, and show off their cars in towns along the way and in each participating city, hordes of local spectators will take part in the event as well as they welcome the massive Power Tour cruise to their city!
ast year, we saw a record number of participants! In fact, we had exactly 6,095 drivers meet us at our stops along the 1,500-mile journey, with 2,120 of those drivers and cars making it on our Long Haul Gang for the entire week. Even better, we had around 116,000 spectators walk through our stops throughout the week.

What are the HOT ROD Power Tour dates and cities for 2016?

June 11 – Lamar Dixon Expo Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
June 12 – Royal Purple Raceway, Baytown, Texas
June 13 – Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas
June 14 – Traders Village, Grand Prairie, Texas
June 15 – Remington Park, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
June 16 – Kansas Pavilions, Wichita, Kansas
June 17 – Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, Kansas
June 17 Late afternoon – Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, KS - LONG HAULERS ONLY*
Click Here To Register Now!





[HR][/HR] HOT ROD Power Tour directions – where are we going!?
All over the map! We have a Power Tour cruise route, but by all means, take the road less traveled if you want. However, sticking to the route ensures that you are a part of the world’s biggest rolling car show!
Download your Power Tour route here.
[HR][/HR] What is there to do at HOT ROD Power Tour?
Tons, we’ve lined up drag strip days, dyno competitions, burnout contests, and tons of music and fun for everyone.
Download your Power Tour Event schedule here.
Download your Power Tour Cruise Night schedule here.

[HR][/HR] New For 2016 - The Long Hauler Awards will be handed out starting the late afternoon of June 17 and only credentialed Long Haul participants will be allowed to attend. Specific start time and details to be announced.






How Do I Attend As a Spectator?
Spectators must walk in. If you wish to bring a car into the Power Tour grounds, you must register. Here are the rough hours of the car show and manufacturers’ displays each day:
Saturday, June 11, Kickoff of Power Tour: 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Sunday thru Thursday: 12:00 noon to 7:00 p.m.
Friday, June 17, Finale of Power Tour: 12:00 noon to 8:00 p.m.
Where Do I Go To Register a Car Online?

Click Here To Go Directly To The Registration Page!
Where Do We Start Every Morning On The HOT ROD Power Tour?
On Saturday, June 11, at approximately 6:45 p.m., we will conduct a drivers’ meeting from the main stage at Lamar Dixon Expo Center to go over a few details that will make your experience more enjoyable during the week. Starting on Sunday morning, June 12, and the rest of the week, the driving directions will have us departing from, or near, the venue from the night before. We also suggest what time you should leave in order to get to the next city’s venue. You will, of course, see the staff’s official vehicles along the route as well.
What Do I Get If I Register My Car?
Registrations include a vehicle window sticker and credentials for two adults. Additional passengers are not required to register unless they would like to have their own set of credentials.
Multi-Day Registration: If you register as a multi-day participant, you will receive a goodie bag stuffed with cool giveaway items and freebies from HOT ROD and Power Tour sponsors! Once you pick up your credentials, you are set for the entire tour and do not have to stop at registration again. You also are eligible for giveaways at the main stage nightly and at the sponsors’ booths at each stop.

One-Day Registration: One-day registrants get the exclusive HOT ROD Power Tour license plate and vehicle entry, but no goodie bag. One-day registrants are not eligible for the giveaways. One-day registrants who go to more than one stop will have to re-register on site each day. For example, if you are doing three stops, you would have to stop and register three times as a one-day participant. If you plan to bring a car to more than one Power Tour stop, it pays to register as a multi-day participant.
What Is The Price To Enter The HOT ROD Power Tour?
Multi-Day Registration:
$99 – Pre-registration online from through 11:59 p.m. PST 5/31/16
$125 – Registration online from 6/1/16 through 11:59 p.m. PST 6/9/16, when online registration closes
$125 – Registration on site at Power Tour
One-Day Registration:
$45 – Pre-registration online from through 11:59 p.m. PST 5/31/16.
$55 – Registration online from 6/1/16 through 11:59 p.m. PST 6/9/16, when online registration closes.
$55- Registration on site at Power Tour
What Are The On-Site Registration Hours?
Friday, June 10, at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, June 11, at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
June 12-17, all cities: 12:00 noon to 6:00 p.m.
Note: To help alleviate traffic congestion going into the show, registration could be located off-site not far from the venue. Follow the signs directing you to the “Participant Registration” location at each daily stop. Registered participants will get regular updates, including specific information in a confirmation letter in the weeks preceding the event. If you miss getting to registration before it closes on any day, you will have to get your credentials at the next venue. If you plan to go to more than one city, you fall under the multi-city registration price and will only have to pick up your credentials once. If you would like to register for one day only then decide to go to another stop, you will need to stop at registration in the next city to register again. The credential you get as a one-day registrant will not be accepted at any other venue.
If I Pre-Register Online, How Do I Get My Credentials?
We do not mail credentials. You are required to stop at registration on site and pick up your credentials there; follow the signs directing you to the “Participant Registration” location at each daily stop. Approximately one month prior to HOT ROD Power Tour you will get a confirmation letter with the most current information. You do not need to produce the confirmation letter at registration, but you will have to have your valid driver’s license, proof of insurance, and the vehicle’s valid government issued registration. Important note: Only the listed registrant can pick up the credentials. No one else will be able to obtain another person’s credentials under any circumstances.
Where Can I Get Hotel Information For Nightly Stops On The HOT ROD Power Tour?
Contact Laurie Frazier at 310.906.6524 or 310.906.6194, email bookhotelrooms@yahoo.com. Rooms are limited, so book yours now!
What Vehicles Are Welcome On The HOT ROD Power Tour?
Any car or truck owner who wants to join the tour is welcomed! Any year, make or model vehicle accepted. Please, NO rental cars due to insurance requirements.
Can I Trailer My Car From Stop To Stop?
Seriously? This is the HOT ROD Power Tour! It's all about the driving. If you must trailer your vehicle, it is allowed. However, there is no trailer parking at any of our venues, so you are responsible for finding someplace to park and off-load your ride. Also note that it MUST be driven into and out of the venue under its own power.
Where Do I Get Directions For Following The HOT ROD Power Tour Route?
Official directions will be posted on HOTROD.com as soon as they are available, which is normally about 3-4 weeks before the start of the event. Printed copies will also be available at the main stage on site. We strongly recommend you also bring your own printed atlas.
Do We Have To Follow The Mapped Route On The HOT ROD Power Tour?
It is up to you what route you follow. If you want to hit some local landmark that is not on the mapped route, please feel free to! However, sticking to the official route is the best way to see thousands of other hot rods on the road along the way.
What Goes on at the Cruise Nights?
Each cruise night you’ll see 1,000 to 3,000 local cars that have shown up to visit the Power Tour cars. There will be manufacturers set up showing off their latest parts and cars, autograph sessions with celebrities, giveaways at the main stage, and photo shoots with HOT ROD magazine and HOTROD.com. There will be drag racing fun runs on the June 12 stop at Royal Purple Raceway. Past cruise night experiences have included autocrosses, bands, drive-in movies, or special prize giveaways. The beauty of HOT ROD Power Tour is that no two days are alike!
Can I Bring My Pet Or Animal On The HOT ROD Power Tour?
We recommend that you do not bring your pets. The Power Tour stops are usually held on asphalt and it does get very, very warm. It is unfair to the animal, and it is respectful to fellow participants and our fans and spectators to leave the animals at home.
What are the HOT ROD Power Tour Long Haulers and the Long Hauler Awards?
Long Haulers are those who have traveled the entire Power Tour route, and who have had their credential stamped at the main stage at the first stop in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and at all other daily stops along the entire route to Kansas City, Kansas. The Long Haulers are an exclusive group, and they are rewarded with a special gathering at the last stop of Power Tour where they are honored by the sponsors and given a special Long Haul gift.
NEW FOR 2016 – The Long Hauler Awards will be handed out starting late afternoon on Friday, June 17, at the Kansas City venue. Specific details and updates will be emailed to registered participants and announcements will be made from the main stage throughout the week of Power Tour.
Note: HOT ROD no longer executes the Long Haul photo—the event has simply grown too large to gather all the people into a meaningful photo, and people have asked us not to slow down the Long Haul day with the photo shoot.
Who From My Area Is Going On The Tour?
The HOT ROD Power Tour forum and HOT ROD Magazine’s Facebook page are great places to get in contact with fellow Tour participants, ask questions, and get the ins and outs from Power Tour veterans.
I Am Traveling By Myself. Do I Meet Up With Someone To Run With Between Cities?
Yes, it is encouraged that you employ the buddy system. You will notice other like-minded HOT ROD Power Tour participants at your hotel or during the first day in Gonzales. It is always a good idea to introduce yourself, exchange info, and pair up with at least one other participant so you can help each other out if the need arises along the way. Power Tour participants are quick to lend a hand to a fellow gearhead in need.

senor honda

[h=1]200+ Engine Bays from the 2016 HOT ROD Power Tour[/h] Written by Douglas Glad on June 15, 2016 Contributors: Hot Rod Staff The HOT ROD Power Tour is presented by Chevrolet Performance and Driven by Continental Tire View All 209 Photos

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We briefly contemplated calling this story “200+ LS swaps” for reasons that will become obvious when you begin to flip through this gallery. But don’t fear Mopar, Ford and AMC brethren, there are a lot of non-Chevy motivators in the game.
Let’s face it; the HOT ROD Power Tour is not for the weak. In the effort to get a car to drive to seven cities in seven days, we’ve seen more late-model swaps and EFI installs than ever before. In the last five years, we’ve seen the shift from 1960s-1970s musclecars to late model Camaros, Mustangs, and Challengers…especially Challengers… with cruise control and A/C in the fast lane.




We’re guessing in that time, the older cars were getting the engine swaps we are starting to see at the event this year as the number of vintage cars is up again from our perspective, now themselves in the fast lane with fuel injection and overdrive transmissions. The aforementioned late models now have superchargers and aftermarket wheel and tire combos.




So get off the couch and come visit us on the 2016 HOT ROD Power Tour, even if you have to take the new Camaro, that’s OK with us, just don’t forget to leave the hood open at the show.

[HR][/HR]