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2
STAFF
PRESIDENT
Scott Robinson
[email protected]
612-730-3719
VICE PRESIDENT
John Amundson
[email protected]
651-983-7347
Scott Robinson and John Amundson, owners of
Wheels of Thunder Magazine, founded July 2010
Table of contents
4 NHRA Brainerd - 2010 Nationals
8 Bike Nights: Duluno’s Uptown
16 Wheels of Thunder - First Subscriber
20 2nd Annual ‘Run for the Races’
22 Cycleworks
26 Ride 4 a Cause
30 Leather and Pipes Rally
32 Bruce’s 8th Annual
34 Ride for UHL
36 Rock ‘N Roll Ride
39 Interview with Austin Judge
40 Kia Time Trials and Car Show
42 Advantage Custom Paint by Austin
46 Business Directory
GENERAL MANAGER
Buddy Robinson
[email protected]
763-234-5358
EDITOR/ART DESIGN
Betty Schurmann
[email protected]
OFFICE MANAGER
Mandi Carlson
[email protected]
MN REGIONAL SALES MANAGER
Teri Baker
[email protected]
612-968-0544
MN AND WI SALES REPRESENTATIVE
Sarah Thiesse
[email protected]
763-607-7832
WI REGIONAL SALES MANAGER
Rob Axtell
[email protected]
651-343-0687
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3
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BRAINERD RACEWAY
Antron Brown grew up at the drag
strip, so it’s only fitting he developed
into a championship-caliber drag
racer. The Chesterfield, N.J. native
was raised in the quarter mile racing
hot bed of the Garden State and attend races with his family at historic
Atco and Englishtown, N.J. and Reading, Pa.
gional High School in Columbus,
N.J., Brown competed on both the indoor and outdoor track circuit. The
scholar athlete competed in multiple
events including the long jump and
100-meter dash. He earned an Associate of Arts degree in business administration from Mercer Junior
College.
Brown, 33, first operated a motorcycle at four-years-old shortly after
learning how to ride a bicycle with
training wheels. The 16-time NHRA
winner first competed at 12-years-old
in an 80-cc class in amateur youth
motocross. His first competitive action on the drag strip came during his
senior year in high school aboard a
Suzuki GSXR 1100 that Brown routinely steered at runs at 9.20 seconds
at nearly 160 mph.
It was during college in 1997 that his
dream of being a professional drag
racer became a reality. While at his
college dorm, he fielded a phone call
from star NFL cornerback Troy Vincent, who asked if Brown was capable
of riding a Pro Stock Motorcycle. Less
than a year later, Team 23 Racing was
a reality as Brown teamed with famed
rider Dave Schultz, who mentored the
animated rookie racer. In 10 seasons
on his Suzuki, Brown amassed 16
PSM victories in 33 final rounds, 11
No. 1 qualifying awards, and twice
finished second in the points standings (2001 and ’06).
While his passion for motorcycles
never waned, Brown excelled at track
and field. After graduating from
Northern Burlington County Re-
After a decade as one of the premier
riders in the Pro Stock Motorcycle
category, Brown inked a deal with
David Powers Motorsports to drive
the Matco Tools dragster in 2008.
Brown made a seamless transition to
the Top Fuel class, earning the pole in
his first career Top Fuel race at the
2008 Winternationals at historic
Pomona, Calif. with a blast of 4.495seconds. He won in just his fourth
Top Fuel start by edging two-time series champion Larry Dixon in the
final round at Houston Raceway Park
becoming the first driver in NHRA
history to win races in both Top Fuel
and Pro Stock Motorcycle. The popular driver earned two wins in five final
round appearances, along with claiming three No. 1 qualifying awards
during the 2008 NHRA season en
route to finishing fifth in the NHRA
Countdown to 1 standings.
Despite a tumultuous season that saw
four team owners in less than one
year, Brown experienced a career year
on 2009. With the tuning duo of
Brian Corradi and Mark Oswald, the
1984 NHRA Funny Car champion,
calling the shots, the Matco Tools
4
2010 NATIONALS
dragster proved to be a title-contender from day one of pre-season
testing. Brown earned his first of
seven No. 1 qualifying awards at the
season-opening Winternationals and
raced to a runner-up finish at the historic California track. Two weeks later
he won for new team owner Mike
Ashley at Phoenix. The Matco Tools
team continued to be the team to beat
winning again at St. Louis before
Brown became just the seventh professional driver to sweep the grueling
Western Swing (Denver, Seattle and
Sonoma). The former college track
star led the Top Fuel field into the
Countdown to 1 and despite a few
sub par events, finished third in the
six-race playoff. The Matco Team received some stability when drag racing mogul Don Schumacher
purchased the assets of the Matco
team from Mike Ashley Racing in October 2009. At the final event of the
season at Pomona, despite not earning the Top Fuel championship,
Brown dispatched a stellar field en
route to a category-best sixth win of
’09. He posted six wins in 10 finalround appearances, seven poles, 51
round wins, and earned top speed of
the meet honors at 13 races. Brown
also set the 1,000-foot speed record
21 poles and 308 round wins. He is
the only driver in NHRA history to
have won races and led the standings
in both Top Fuel and Pro Stock Motorcycle.
Brown and his wife, Billie Jo, reside in
Pittsboro, Ind. They have three children, Arianna (7), Anson (5) and
Adler (1). When not at the race track,
Brown enjoys spending time with his
family. He also has a passion for RC
boats, motorcycles and fitness.
twice at 319.22 (Indianapolis) and
319.60 (Richmond) mph.
Category: Top Fuel
Residence: Pittsboro, Ind.
Brown previously was a member of Hometown: Chesterfield, N.J.
the Don Schumacher Racing stable Date of Birth: March 1, 1976
from July of 2002 (Denver) through
2010 Car: Matco Tools/U.S. Army
the completion of the 2007 NHRA
dragster
season where he and three-time Pro
Stock Motorcycle champion Angelle Crew Chiefs: Brian Corradi/Mark
Sampey were teammates aboard the Oswald
U.S. Army Pro Stock Motorcycle Team Owner: Don Schumacher
Suzuki’s. Brown earned seven PSM
wins as a member of DSR, along with 2010 Wins/Final Rounds: 0/6
collecting five No. 1 qualifying Career Wins/Final Rounds: 24/54
awards. He finished second in the (8/21 TF, 16/33 PSM)
standings in 2006 narrowly missing Best Points Finish: 2nd (2001, ’06)
the championship.
First Start: Gainesville 1998
In 12 seasons as a professional racer, (PSM)/Pomona 1 2008 (TF)
Brown has 24 wins in 48 final rounds, First Victory: Dallas 1 1999
(PSM)/Houston 2008 (TF)
First No. 1 Qualifying Position:
Houston 2001 (PSM)/Pomona 1
2008 (TF)
Career No. 1 Qualifying Awards:
26 (15 TF, 11 PSM)
Career-best Elapsed Time: 4.495
seconds (Pomona 1 2008), 3.777
seconds (Houston 2010)
Career-best Speed: 331.94 mph (St.
Louis 2008), 321.96 (Houston 2010)
5
BRAINERD RACEWAY
Jason Line
• 2004 NHRA Road to the
Future Award winner as
Driver of the Summit Racing
the sport’s most outstanding rookie.
Equipment Pro Stock Pontiac
• 1993 NHRA Stock ElimiGXP
nator national champion
• 17 NHRA National Event
Wins
• 37 NHRA Final Round
Appearances
• 16 No. 1 qualifying performances
• 209 - 111 Elimination Round
Record (320 total rounds, 65.3%
win percentage)
• 205-115 Elimination Round Record
(319 total rounds, 64.3% win percentage)
• Has won at least one national event
in each of his six full seasons in Pro
Stock (including 2009).
PERSONAL INFORMATION:
• Has earned at least one No. 1 qual• 39 years old
ifying position in each of his six full
seasons in Pro Stock (including
• Born in Wright, Minnesota
2009).
• Lives in Mooresville, North Car• Has finished in the Top Five in the
olina
championship standings for the last
• Wife: Cindy, Daughter: Emma, Son:
five years.
Jack
• Hobbies: Restoring muscle cars
• Former head dyno operator for Joe
Gibbs Racing
TEAM INFORMATION:
• Race Car: Summit Racing Equipment Pro Stock Pontiac GXP
• Racing Series: NHRA Full Throttle
Drag Racing Series
• Team owner - Ken Black
• Crew Chief - Rob Downing
Career Highlights (as of June 22,
2009):
• 2006 NHRA Pro Stock champion
6
• Won his first NHRA Pro Stock
championship in only his third full
season.
• Currently 4th in the 2009 NHRA
Full Throttle Championship standings.
• Has
two
wins
(Pomona,
Gainesville) in three final rounds in
2009.
• Career-best top elapsed time of
6.644 seconds (set earlier this year)
is third quickest in NHRA Pro Stock
history.
• Career-best top speed of 211.69
mph (set earlier this year) is fifth
fastest in NHRA Pro Stock history.
2010 NATIONALS
Buddy Robinson
huge budget is definately what a guy
needs for this category of racing. We
Independent Rider
are always looking for that company
that has the desire to advertise and
Minnesota's Buddy Robinson Quali- partner up with a burning desire to
fied for his first NHRA national event, win. It's been a 27 year dream that fiat his home track in Brainerd. Buddy nally came true, so never give up on
has been racing since the age of 16 your dream because you just dont
and has many credited wins as he know how powerful dreaming can
climbed the ranks of motorcycle drag be.”
racing. He has won many local track
championships and then went on to
win a Divisional championship in
2000 following up with a 2nd place
finish in 2001.
“I knew I wanted to go pro at the age
of 14 and always had it in my sights”
Buddy said. “I began building a ProStock Motorcycle in 2004 and began
racing Pro in 2005, finding that a
Jim Underdahl
ing a Minnesota State Wrestling
Champion has taught him what it
Independent Rider
takes to be a winner. Learning about
motorcycles working with his father
Jim Underdahl, son of veteran drag on the pro stock Suzuki and riding
racer and crew chief Greg Underdahl, motocross in the local racing series,
is no stranger to competition, becom- Jim has now tapped his father for the
driving chores on
the pro stocker.
Testing his skills
since 2002 Jim
now feels it is time
to contend for the
NHRA Pro Stock
Motorcycle Championship.
BIRTH DATE:
November 7th, ‘85
HOMETOWN:
Forest Lake, MN
PERSONAL:
Fiance-Kelly
7
n
w
o
t
p
U
in
s
’
o
n
Dulo
BIKE NIGHTS
Written by Kyle M Gardner
August 5th, 2010
There’s a place in Minneapolis
where the modestly accommodated
and widely assorted motorcycle
crowd can gather in a traditionally,
unsponsored fashion. A true motorcycle gathering with character and diversity, and very little reason to exist
other than the compelling drive to
surround oneself with people whom
all have a single thing in common; a
simple love for a motor and two
wheels.
And for those that need an extra
wheel on the ground, the event even
includes Can-Am’s, Moped’s, and an
odd ram shackle vehicle that looks
like a Taxi one might brush bars with
on the compressed streets of Sri
Lanka. Others are 3-wheeled modified motorcycles, including Honda
and Harley cruisers. But these contraptions are far outnumbered by
their two wheeled counterparts.
square blocks, motorcycles line the
streets, with owners standing next to
their machines proudly or wandering
off to see the array of engineering
marvels. And all this unexpected camaraderie takes place around a tiny
pizza place located off Lake Street in
Minneapolis named Dulono’s Pizza.
rounded me. As we approached Lyndale, it was clear we were all filtering
towards the same destination. Looking for open parking was as easy as
finding an open street, and lining up
the bikes.
I found myself amongst a group of
guys in their late 30’s, roaring like frat
I remember the first time I came to boys. One of the gentlemen asked me
At the gatherings peak, the street re- Dulono’s for bike night. As I began to what year my Ninja was. He was consembles a narrow roadway, edged get closer to Uptown, other motorcy- vinced that it was the first bike he
with chrome hedges. For nearly 6 cles on the road noticeably sur- ever bought. He was amazed at the
condition; everything was flawless,
down to the late 80’s neon pink stripe
running up the plastic panels. He decided it couldn’t possibly be his, because he had never had the
aftermarket pipe installed. He left it at
that and apparently never juggled the
idea that the pipe may have been put
on some time between when he sold
it, and when I bought it.
I started walking towards the commotion. As I approached Lake Street I
8
could see the rows of motorcycles extending three blocks long, and one
block in each direction. I wandered
aimlessly through the crowds, staring
wide-eyed and slack jawed at the immaculate condition of some of these
rides. I had not imagined a scene with
such a rich variety of two-wheeled ingenuity. Ridiculously raked choppers,
strenuously extended swing arms;
this was obviously a gathering for
I tried to describe how amazing all
this was. I asked Joe why all the motorcycles met here.
“They just do, every first Thursday of
the month,” he replied.
“But what for?”
“Not sure exactly. The Norton Owners Club meet here, or they used to at
least,” he said, while scanning the
streets for vintage Norton’s.
We cruised East on Lake Street, turnWe journeyed up and down the side- ing onto River Road. We crossed the
walks for another hour, discussing river into the picturesque downtown
every bike in intense detail to one an- St. Paul, just as the sun started to
other, as if we were
make its way to
describing it to a
the
western
blind man or tryhorizon.
At
Dulono’s Bike Night
ing to convince
some point we
takes place every first
ourselves it exgot separated
isted. After excesfrom one of the
Thursday of the month
sive staring, we all
guys. By the
(weather permitting)
decided it was
time he caught
and
starts
after
5pm.
time to ride our
up with us, he
own contraptions.
looked beat and
decided
he
At the time I was lucky enough to needed to head home cause his bike’s
own a 1990 Kawasaki Ninja 600R, stalling issue was getting worse. This
which was my pride and joy. It was in caused the other rat bike rider to rephenomenal condition and I got it member he didn’t have a functioning
from a family friend when I was 18. headlight, and needed to head home
My friend Joe owned a Kawasaki ZRX immediately as well. From there Joe
1100, which he had put quite a bit of and I decided to go our separate dieveryone. Groups of stunt bikes, race work into and which seemed to me at
bikes, and rat bikes, all clustered on a the time to be absurdly fast. The other
densely crowded street outside a guys were riding salvaged bikes. One
small pizza pub.
was a GSX-R 600 with a rarely functioning headlight and the other was a
The first time I came to Bike Night, I
stripped down R6 that had stalling
didn’t even go into the restaurant, I
troubles nearly every other ride.
simply ogled machinery. Although, as
I later came to discover, Dulono’s
serves up a pretty tasty slice of thin
crust pizza.
My first attendance involved meeting
up with some friends after work.
They were all amazed that I had never
heard of Bike Night, and were excited
to introduce it to me.
When I finally caught up with them,
9
rections as well, laughing and vowing ate personalities all make this a
that we would do this again next worthwhile event to attend. No matmonth.
ter what the bike; vintage, race-ready,
dual sport, enduro, cruiser, chopper,
Bike Night itself has become an infre- or whatever combination of two
quent tradition for me. Having such a wheels and an engine sparks your inlimited amount of first Thursday’s in terest, you are bound to find some
summer, you feel slightly cheated
when you’re forced to miss a Bike
Night, and slightly ashamed if you
ever forget. The diversity, the shear
congestion, and the vibrant, passion-
10
reason to return to Bike Night.
while event. No matter what the bike;
vintage, race-ready, dual sport, enduro, cruiser, chopper, or whatever
combination of two wheels and an engine sparks your interest, you are
11
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25 Off
any service
call
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Any Door
Not valid with any other
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at time of sales agreement.
Expires 9/31/2010
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Ramsey, MN 55303
License #20627261
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715-796-2766
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15
first subscriber
David Hogue was our first subscriber
to our Wheels of Thunder Magazine.
Thanks to David and his great idea, I
think it would be great to hear from
our readers! We appreciate our readers, and everyone that is or has been
involved with the Wheels of Thunder
magazine. Please come say hello
when you see us out on the runs and
in the community. We would love to
meet you! We like to hear from our
readers and are always open to suggestions. You all are who make this
magazine successful.
Hello Scott and John,
I just picked up a copy of your magazine at the Route 65 Bar in Ham Lake.
I would like to tell you that you have
put together a magazine that I believe
we have all been waiting for; good quality, excellent photos, and interesting stories. In addition to this, your up-coming
events calendar is actually “local.”
Some so-called local magazines have
events listed for Colorado??? Why
bother??
I have been riding some type of motorized two-wheeler for almost 40 years,
starting when I was 7 years old on an
old 3 h.p. orange mini-bike, then a Hodaka 100cc Dirt Squirt. Which also had
that crotch-destroying chrome steel gas
tank, and a few other bikes. And during
Thank you to David Hogue, and to all
all these “decades” of riding, I have of you!
never had a subscription to any cycling
magazine. Well, until now.
Also enclosed is a photo of my 2008
Electra-Glide Classic. I am not sure if
you are considering a “readers page” in
the future.
I currently live in Coon Rapids, but
grew up in the Hamel and Medina area,
so I remember the Fortin Hardware
Store mentioned in the August issue featuring Pat Hayes. I still go riding out
that way frequently, and take a nostalgic drive down Main Street Hamel.
“Does anyone remember the “haunted
house” by the water tower on the west
end of town?”
Keep up the great work!
David Hogue
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YOUR
1ST CIGAR
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September 30, 2010
19
THE 2ND ANNUAL
s
e
c
a
R
e
h
t
r
o
f
n
Ru
Written by Kyle M Gardner
August 7th, 2010
We arrived around 10 am at Captain’s
on Long Lake. With ample parking
space, and a serene view of shoreline,
the location was an ideal gathering
place for this run. But this wasn’t any
motorcycle run. Nor was it any classic
car or truck run. This was all of the
above.
As the lot filled, it appeared that even
I had underestimated the diversity. By
the time we launched, an array of
classic cars, trucks, and bikes, as well
as their modern day remakes took
line. Rows of custom Harley cruisers,
with so much chrome that the surgeon general recommends you not
stare directly at them on intense,
sunny days. A handful of finely kept
classic bikes had their day as well. As
for classic cars, the list was extensive.
Old school El Camino’s, Mustangs
from all eras, classic Corvettes alongside race-ready modern vets. A personal favorite of mine was a restored
Plymouth roadster with a 5.7 liter
Hemi tucked not so discretely under
the hood.
And for all this, one might ask the
purpose of such a gathering. The answer is Long Lake Vintage Snowmobile Racing. Club President Pete
Stanius has been racing on Long Lake
for the past 8 seasons.
“People come from all over. A good
turn out is 125 people on a race day.”
But events like this don’t just happen
overnight. They take planning and
commitment. When asked about
tackling the workload, Pete admits
his cousin Carrie does a lot.
“When we first started,” Carrie says,
“Pete approached the Isanti Fire Department [which Carrie was working
for at the time]. They were actually
the beneficiaries of the funds we collected from all the races. Then we
pushed over to the Long Lake Improvement Association in 2006.”
Pete and his cousin Carrie Englund
organize about 5 races a season, starting in January and ending in March.
And as a non-profit organization,
their donations have gone to support
a number of local charities, including
the Willow River Community Food
“I used to race, and I was traveling. I Shelf, the Isanti County K-9 program,
wanted to do it a little bit closer, so and a local racing family that has been
we put it together and started doing affected by ALS. They also support
it here,” said Pete simply enough. the Isanti County Safety Rescue, who
in turn, joined us on the day of the
20
ride by providing escorts and safety
support. “We’re just trying to grow,
make some money, benefit the community, and have a good time doing
it,” says Carrie, excited and passionate for the cause.
The run itself, journeyed past my old
high school, taking us through all my
favorite roads. With each stop, the
sun shined down a little bit harder. At
the first stop, Patriot Lanes of St.
Francis, the entries were judged. The
run rambled off to the VFW in Isanti
and, from there, to the Purple Hawk
golf course in Cambridge and onto
the final stop at Mystic, where dinner
and prizes ensued.
All in all the day was a huge success,
not only for the coordinators but the
riders and drivers as well. It seems
like so many events are geared towards one specific trend, whether it
be race bikes, Harley’s, classic cars, or
even rat rides. It is always refreshing
to see so many people who naturally
have so much in common, coming together. And just in case you start having too good of a time, remember, this
is all for a good cause.
For more info on The Long Lake Vintage Snowmobile Racing Club, or
other future events, check out their
calendar at www.vintagesnowmobileracing.com
21
Cycleworks, Elk River, MN
Cycle Works opened in July of 2003,
and today it still has 4 of the 5 original partners. Willy is one of the original partners that, is at the shop day
in and day out. Cycle Works started
out with just 2 bike tables and in a
year and a half out grew the space
that they had. In 2005, Cycle Works
expanded to over double the size that
they had. In this expansion, they
added room for 5 more bike tables, a
welding & fabrication room, a dynamometer room, an expanded showroom & parts area, a machine shop
area, and a bike storage area.
Today, Cycle Works has three people
at the store everyday; they are Willy,
Mike, and Dan. Dan is probably the
least seen one, but the most important one. He is the main mechanic
that keeps every ones bikes running,
engine upgrades or rebuilds, building
of the custom bikes, and all of the
major services. Mike helps with the
parts counter, welding & fabrication,
answering the phone, and minor service work. Willy does the dyno tuning, helps with parts, sales, shows,
minor services, advisements, and
what ever else has to get done. Having only a few people at the shop,
means that every customer gets personalized service.
The service department can help you
with your custom bike with its S&S
motor or your Harley with a twin
cam, evolution, or shovel head motor.
Cycle Works can do everything that
the Harley dealerships can do and
more with the exception of warranty
work. They also have a mill and lathe
for making some of the custom parts
to either fully customize your bike or
just to make a part to keep you on the
road. There are also a welder, cutting
torch, bead blaster, hone, sanders, and
drill presses to help with some of the
custom parts. Having all this equipment doesn’t mean that all they do is
custom bikes, they can also do all of
the services (like 1k, 5k, 10k, 20k, oil
& tire changes) that your Harley
needs to keep running smoothly.
They can also do big bore kits (88 to
95 or 96 to 106), wide tire kits, performance upgrades, cam changes, exhaust work, or any other performance
work that you may be looking for.
One of the big things that you will see
in Cycle Works service department,
that you will almost not see anywhere
else in the state, is the Dynojet 250ix
dynamometer. This machine allows
the tuning of not only motorcycles
but also trikes. The Dynojet 250ix is
a state of the art tuning and diagnostic tool. It incorporates an integrated
air fuel ratio monitor and eddy current braking system. The air fuel ratio
monitor allows the mechanic to precisely graph the air fuel ratio at all
rpms. Used in conjunction
with the eddy current
brake the mechanic can
simulate road conditions
in a controlled environment with accurate repeatability. Cycle Works
can tune your bike or trike
if it has a carburetor or fuel
injection to run its best.
Some of the tuners that
they use are Power Commander and Harley’s Super
Tuner, but they are not
limited to these. The dyno
room is set up to use the
shops air, so it can be used
year round and keep a
consistent temperature.
For more information on
the dyno, please stop in
and ask Willy what they
22
can do for you.
Motorcycle storage is another service
that Cycle Works has to offer. This
year they are offering 20% off of winter storage if you sign up by the end
of September. The other thing that
Cycle Works is doing is that every
time 50 bikes is reached for storage,
they are drawing a name and that person will receive their storage for free.
In the past they have drawn for a 5
day / 4 night say with your bike in the
Florida Keys, however they are not
doing that this year. Having your bike
in for winter storage means a few different things, 1) you have the extra
garage space and don’t worry about
scratching your bike, 2) if there was
any service or performance works, it
can be done without having your bike
down during the riding season, and
3) your bike has a climate controlled
and secure spot for the winter. If you
like riding up until the snow does fly,
they can pick up your bike also.
Ride 4 a Cause
September 3 - 6
Litchfield, Minnesota
ABATE of Minnesota State Rally
The event will be held at
Meeker County Fairgrounds.
gates open at 8:00 am. The
event will include a memorial
run, bike games, bike show,
contests, entertainment and
more. No contact information
was provided for this event.
Mmcs Maxs Bash - 26th Annual
From Friday, 03-Sep-2010 at
12:00 PM, To Sunday, 05-Sep2010 at 12:00 PM
Fundraiser for Camp Copurage
North a summer camp for special needs kids and adults in
lake George MN $35.00 for a
weekend pass this includes
Camping electric hook ups
extra and all the BEER,pop and
coffee you can drink there will
be music,bike games,bike
ride,food and a Tattoo and body
piercer.Come have some summer fun and raise some money
for a great cause. No Guns,No
Pets,No Minors,No Attitudes.
Roosevelt, MN, Justin Loewe
218-689-7643
September 4th
Crosby, Minnesota
North of the River Run
The ride starts at The Bridge
Tavern, 26969 State Hwy 6 in
Crosby. Registration is from
9:00 am to 11:00 am and the
ride leaves at 11:00 am. The fee
is $25.00 per person. The fee includes breakfast, t-shirt, key
chain, and a pig roast. The ride
ends with music and fireworks.
For more information call (218)
546-8053, click here to send email, or go to http://www.bridgetavernmn.com.
Studebaker Drivers Club. No
swap meet. 20 Orphan awards,
20 still-made awards, great
music, hourly prizes, on-site
food & beverages, and more!
Open to ALL YEARS AND
MAKES of antiques, classics,
customs, rods, tuners, cars &
trucks. Over 375 cars last year.
$10 per car, spectators and passengers FREE. For Sale signs
okay. Download a flyer and see
pics from last year's show at
www.northstarwheel.com
more. Proceeds will benefit the
Lakeland Hospice Foundation.
Phone 218-998-1423
www.hospice-ride.com
September 11
Red Wing, Minnesota
American Legion Riders Post 54
Poker Run - 2nd Annual
Registration Starts at 10am.
$15 for Drivers $10 for Riders.
Stops include: Hastings, Farmington, Northfield American Legions, and Cannon Falls VFW.
Kick Stands up at 11am.
Proceeds to the Legacy Scholarship Fund
A scholarship for college bound
students of military men and
women killed on active duty
since 9-11-2001
Door Prizes Food and Entertainment to follow at the Red Wing
Legion.There will be a short memorial before the ride.
9th Annual Lakeland Hospice
Motorcycle Ride
Fergus Falls, Minnesota
Sponsored by Eagles, First State
Bank of Ashby, The Computer
Hero, Victor Lundeen, Zero
Variance, Innova Industries,
Pamida, Lakes Radio, Shooting
Star Casino, Jim & Nancy
Salentine, and Lake Region
Healthcare
The ride starts at Lakeland Hospice & Home Care parking lot.
Registration begins at 10:00 am
and the ride begins at 12:00 pm.
The ride is a free-will donation.
The ride goes through the lakes
country with two stops. The
ride ends with supper and
music. Your gifts will go to support our mission of providing
loving hospice care. For more
information call (218) 998-1423
or go tohttp://www.hospiceride.com
Cold Spring American Legion &
VFW Benefit Run
Cold Spring, Minnesota
Sponsored by Cold Spring
American Legion & Cold Spring
VFW
The 100 mile ride starts at Cold
Spring Granite Company cam-
September 9
Burnsville, Minnesota
Burnsville Fire Muster Car
Show
The Burnsville Car Show kicks
off a weekend of community
events. No charge to enter. 1976
and older customs, street rods
and classics. Location:
Burnsville Performing Arts Center, 12600 Nicollet Ave. South,
Burnsville, MN 55337 Hours:
5:00 - 8:00 pm. Beer Tasting
Event nearby. For more info
call: 952-435-8398 (Retro USA).
Craft Show, 5K and Kid’s Fun
Run, Parade, Food Vendors,
Street Dance—featuring The
Power of 10, Fireworks, a CARNIVAL, and much much
more!!!
September 10 - 12
Shakopee, MN
AMA Pro Grand National
Championship Flat Track-Minnesota Mile
The AMA Pro GNC returns to
Cantabury Downs on Sept 11,
2010.
Support race at Raceway Park
Sept.10. (RaIn date 09/12/10)
.For more info call: 701 7998419 or e-mail [email protected]
September 6
September 11
Hugo, Minnesota
10th Labor Day Orphan and
Still-Made Car Show
Join us on Monday, September
6 2010 for the 10th annual
Labor Day Car Show featuring
ORPHAN and still-made cars
and trucks at the Blacksmith
Lounge in Hugo, MN. Sponsored by the North Star Chapter
Fergus Falls, MN
9th Annual Lakeland Hospice
Motorcycle Run
The 9th Annual Lakeland Hospice Motorcycle Run will be
held on September 11, 2010 in
Fergus Falls, Minnesota (MN).
There will be Cash Prizes, Ride
(Rain or Shine), and much
26
pus, 2 miles west of Cold Spring
on Highway 23. Registration begins at 10:00 am and the ride
starts at 11:00 am. The fee is
$15.00 per person. The ride
ends with music, door prizes &
a lunch. All proceeds will benefit the Cold Spring American
Legion & VFW. For more information call (320) 685-4741
Itasca County Habitat for Humanity Construction Cruise
Grand Rapids, Minnesota
Sponsored by Hawkinson RediMix
The ride starts at Itasca Habitat
for Humanity, 1336 E US Hwy
169. Registration will begin at
9:30 am and the ride will leave
at 11:00 am. The entrance fee is
$30.00 for each person and will
include a t-shirt, a ticket for the
$100.00 cash drawing and
lunch in Bigfork. The ride ends
with door prizes and a drawing.
The ride will benefit the Itasca
Habitat for Humanity Chapter.
For more information call (218)
244-5629 or go to
http://www.itascahabitat.org
Bikes and Coffee with Wild
Prairie Harley-Davidson
Chanhassen, Minnesota
Bike Ride.Arrive at dealership
by 7:30 am. Kickstands up at 8
a.m. sharp! Be at the Chanhassen MotorPlex at 9:00 am.
Call if you have any questions.
952-698-5000
Itasca Habitat for Humanity
"Construction Cruise"
Grand Rapids, Minnesota
This will be a 150 mile ride
through northern Itasca county.
We start in Grand Rapids at 11
AKM sharp and will travel
through Bigfork, Squaw Lake
and the ride will end in Cohasset. There will be drawings for
motorcyxcle items and $100
cash at the end of the ride.
218-244-5629 Wayne R Roskos
www.itascahabitat.org
Harley's Heroes Motorcycle Run
Elk River, Minnesota
Zylstra Harley-Davidson, Elk
River
Ride 4 a Cause
11:00 AM Registration/Lunch
12:00 PM Kick Stands up
All motorcycles welcomed. All
proceeds will benefit the Disabled American Veterans.
Sponsors include the SGT. John
Rice VFW, Blaine, Isanti VFW
and Forest Lake VFW.
763-241-2000 Danette Chovan
www.zylstrahd.com
September 13
Victoria, Minnesota
Flock to Floyds with Wild
Prairie Harley-Davidson
Arrive at dealership at 5:30 p.m.
Ready to ride at 6 p.m. Arrive at
Floyd's around 6:30 p.m. Beverages available at Floyd's in Victoria, Minnesota.
Call if you have any questions.
952-698-5000
September 16
Withrow, Minnesota
Saunter 2 Sals with St Paul
Harley-Davidson
Arrive at dealership at 5:30 p.m.
Ready to ride at 6 p.m. Arrive
at Sal's around 6:30 p.m.
Call if you have any questions.
651-738-2168
September 17
Cambridge, Minnesota
Cambridge Customer Appreciation Event
Come and enjoy the Cambridge
Customer Appreciation Event
Fri., Sept. 17, 2010 5:00-9:00 on
Main Street. Free hot dogs,
chips, beans and beverages!
Walk around and enjoy the
Classic Cars while listening to
The Timeless Band playing
some oldies and classic rock.
Free games for the kids and a
beer garden for the adults.
September 18
Aitkin, Minnesota
Hammerin' the Highway for
Habitat
Sponsored by GLAR Foundation
The 140 mile ride starts at 40
Club Convention Center, 950
2nd St NW. in Aitkin. Registration starts at 10:00 am and ride
leaves at 11:30 am. The ride
ends with door prizes, raffle,
silent auction, music, pig roast
and more. All proceeds go to the
Habitat for Humanity. For more
information call (612) 802-8964
or go to http://GreaterLakesBikeRide.com.
Happy Days Car Show
Location: Ramsey, Minnesota
The Happy Days Festival is an
annual event put on each year
by the City of Ramsey. This year
we are excited to announce that
we've expanded our CAR
SHOW! The Car Show will run
from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at the
Ramsey Municipal Center 7550 Sunwood Drive NW (near
the corner of Sunwood Drive
and Ramsey Blvd).
And don’t forget to check out
the other events, including a
Craft Show, 5K and Kid’s Fun
Run, Parade, Food Vendors,
Street Dance—featuring The
Power of 10, Fireworks, a CARNIVAL, and much much
more!!!
Zylstra Harley-Davidson 10
Year Anniversary
Elk River, Minnesota
Live music performed by
R.O.M. 12-3. Grilling and refreshments served 12-3
763-241-2000 Danette Chovan
www.zylstrahd.com
Leather & Leavez Farewell to
Zummer
Detroit Lakes, Minnesota
The ride starts at 12:00 pm in
the DLCCC parking lot and will
go through the Minnesota lake
country. Pre-registered riders
will receive a free t-shirt. The
ride ends with food, music and
raffles. For more information
call (218) 844-4221 ext. 117 or
go to http://www.dlccc.org.
2nd Annual Ridin' For The Jugs
Motorcycle Poker Run
Savage, Minnesota
Neisen's Sports Bar & Grill,
4851 W 123rd Street -- Off Hwy
13. Phone : 952-846-4513
Poker Run begins at 10:00am at
Neisen's in Savage. Bikes will
leave anytime between 10-11:30
am. Route is 100 miles, stops
include New Prague, Henderson, Victoria
$25 Single Rider
$30 Rider plus Passenger
Pre-Register and receive $5 off
Monetary Prizes awarded for the
top three poker hands
After-Party starts at 7pm at
Neisen's
Jessica at 651-262-9983
or Jessica at 952-361-3165 for
any questions or if you'd like to
pre-register.
All money raised will benefit the
2011 Sisterhood of Savage 3day
60 Mile Walk Breast Cancer
Team.
Tri-County ABATE Stimulus Ride
Shakopee, Minnesota
The ride starts at Turtles Bar and
Grill, 132 1st Avenue East, in
Shakopee. Registration begins at
10:30 am and the ride leaves at
12:00 pm. The ride fee is $15.00
per person and includes a meal.
For more information call (852)
294-7124.
September 25
Hardwick, Minnesota
Internatinonal Collector Trucks
and Pickups
Collector Trucks and Pickups
All international. 1935, 1946,
1941/2, Collector Tractors and
More!
VanDerbrink Collection. All for
Project, Rod or Restore.
Sean Parenteau Memorial Poker Run
Forest Lake, Minnesota
The event starts at Friar Tucks
Pub in Forest Lake. Registration
is at 10:00 am and the riders
will leave at 11:00 am. The ride
will make 5 stops and end with
a spaghetti dinner. Prizes will be
awarded for the best hands and
raffles. The ride will benefit
Teen Suicide Awareness and
teenslive.org. For more information call (651) 464-5160.
5th Annual Chilly Chili Ride
Eagle Bend, Minnesota
Sponsored by Bikers With Big
Hearts and Thunder Lodge
Sports Bar
The ride starts at Eagle Valley
High School, 405 Main St. W. in
Eagle Bend. Registration is from
10:00 am to 11:45 am and the
ride leaves at 12:00 pm. The fee
is $10.00 for each person and
includes lunch and door prizes
after the ride. The ride will benefit the kids of Camp Heartland.
For more information call (218)
738-4333, or go to
http://www.bikerswithbighearts.com .
6th Annual Lynnda Laubach
Breast Cancer Awareness Ride
Elk River, Minnesota
10:00 A.M. Registration
12:00 P.M. Ride leaves
Cost per biker $25.00
Cost per rider $15.00
Includes ride fee, hog roast and
end-of- ride entertainment.
All motorcycles are welcome to
join us on this exciting ride.
Don’t forget to buy your raffle
tickets for the 2010 FXDF that
will be raffled off after the ride.
763-241-2000 Danette Chovan
www.zylstrahd.com
"RIDE for the Fight" Poker Run/
Benefit & Family Fun Day
Lakeville to Brooklyn Park, MN
2 Brooklyn Park Firefighters
battling cancer $20.00 entry fee (per bike)
Every rider will receive a lapel
pin showing- support for Mike
and Deb - BP Fire Dept
Location 1 starting time 9:00 am
Max Muscle Sports Nutrition
(sponsor), 17742 Kenwood Tr,
Lakeville, MN 55044
The Poker Run is 7 card draw!
(7 Locations) Grand Prize:
$250.00 Cash Card from M&I
Bank, 2nd and 3rd Prize:
$125.00 - Gift Cards from Morgan's and Wine & Sprits
For additional details for the
Poker run :www.parkplacepromenade.com or Sandy Surrette-Lynne Cell: 612 272-9371
If you would like your event listed, just e-mail us: info@wheels of thunder.net
27
28
cam shots
29
3RD ANNUAL LEATHER & PIPES
RALLY AGAINST CANCER
August 21, 2010 was the 3rd Annual Leather & Pipes Rally
against Cancer with over 200 registered riders and raising
over $8,500.00 dollars and now with over $22,000.00
raised in total donations towards the fight against cancer.
Leather & Pipes began in 2008 after
Mike Bell, a close friend and family
member to many of the local’s from
the Oronoco and Pine Island area,
passed away on July 22, 2007 after a
long 12-month battle with Mesothelioma (a rare form of cancer caused
by exposure to asbestos).
The ride is not only a tribute to him
but all who suffered a loss or those
fighting a battle with cancer.
The mission of the ride is to raise
awareness and funding for cancer
research for the local Eagles Cancer
Telethon in Rochester, Mn.
Photos by Tanner Wolfe
www.tanner-wolfe.com
30
Be sure to keep the 3rd Saturday in
August on your calendar next year open
whether it be a bike or classic car and
join them in a 145 mile ride for a cause.
31
BRUCE’S 8TH ANNUAL
CHARITY RIDE
Supporting Kerry Ann Kenney
Ride for the Piper Breast Center
Covered by Teri Baker
Kerry Ann was recently diagnosed
with breast cancer and wanted to
raise awareness and help find a cure
for this nasty disease.
Her sister Wonda and her husband
Jason were on the ride, Terry was our
Corvett escort and many of her
cousins and family participated in the
ride and in setting up the event and
handling the silent auction. They all
worked very hard to make this the
success that it was.
I have to say I’ve been on alot of rides
and this one was one of the best! Jimi
Jamison (former lead singer of Survivor) with the Heartbreakers Band
was the best entertainment ever at an
event that I have attended. They made
this a night to remember for all who
attended.
32
Jimi Jamison autographed a guitar
that was auctioned off for a 1,000.00
dollars to two very lucky lady's from
Lake Minnetonka. The pictures tell
the story. Bruce did an amazing job
as well and there was over $12,500.00
raised that day. Every one that worked
so hard on this run, it all paid off.
This was a run that I will never forget.
There were about 150 bikes and the
ride was well planned and we had
great weather (the bike gods were on
our side for this one).
Thank You Dan Niesen for being a
part of this and your venue rocked for
this event. Niesen's Event Center in
Savage is a place that I will return to
again and again.
See more pictures on Facebook!
Search Wheels of Thunder
33
RIDE FOR UHL
LAKE MILLE LACS TOUR
Susan G Komen for the Cure
Covered by Teri Baker
We met at the UHL Company building bright and early in the morning.
We had about 50 registered riders.
The weather was great; overcast but
not to hot, and we had a great route
that took us up over the lake of Millacs and rode for over 220 miles.
A stop at the Blue Goose was for
lunch and a group picture. We had a
couple of other stops to rest and get
to talk to other riders. When we returned to UHL we had dinner waiting
sponsered by Famous Dave’s. This
part of the event offered great food
and a much needed time to relax and
reflect.
A live outdoor concert featuring the
Sudden Lovely’s was held in Maple
Grove and was the perfect way to end
the day. The event raised over
$6,ooo.oo we look forward to this one
again next year! Mike Polly is dedicated to making this a bigger and better run each year.
Thanks Mike, we had a good time!
34
EVENT SPOTLIGHT
In 2010 Scneider Electric partnered
with the team at Orange County
Choppers to design, engineer and
build the world’s first hybrid motorcycle.
This custom chopper featured in
“American Chopper” on TLC and in
Popular Mechanics Magazine will be
on display for the event.
CHOPPER FACTS
150 MPH 375 HP 110 MPG
Touch Screen Dashboard
Biometric Starter
Pelco Front/Rear Cameras
See more pictures on Facebook!
Search Wheels of Thunder
35
SMILE NETWORK
ROCKIN’ ROLL
RIDE TO CHANGE A CHILD’S LIFE
Covered by Teri Baker
Saturday the 28th, I was a part of a
very special ride with The Smile Network. Parrell, Gina and a lot of volunteers and staff did an amazing job
on the planning of this ride. So much
detail, nothing was left to chance. My
hats off to you for doing such a wonderful job.
We started off at Kieran's Irish pub in
Minneapolis. The ‘Rev-up party’ was
great and a silent auction with live
music from ‘Armadillo Jump’ inside
rocked the house. Food was well prepared and we all enjoyed the start of
the day.
Kickstands up at 1 pm and a police
escort out of town was a site to see.
Then onto a spectacular ride to Prior
Lake and The Minnesota Horse &
Hunt Club. There was time to eat and
shoot some skeet (if you so desired)
and check out the custom bikes that
were entered in the best bike competition. The Prior Lake cheerleading
squad did a great job in washing the
bikes before the top 5 bikes were selected by the judges.
Kick stands up again for a police escort back in to the cities to Snelling
Avenue and O'Garas Garage. The
wrap up party was for the final judgeing of the bikes and then also the
women for the BIKER BABE were
signed up and prepped for their competition on stage.
The girls were eager to strut their stuff
for the large crowd, with over 150
bikes and close to 200 people. The
crowd went wild when the girls took
the stage..and after their questions
36
and dance moves wowed the crowd
the winner was chosen.
She was the hardest one to get to
enter and she won so when someone
says you are hot we know what we are
talking about. Lezlie Greene was so
suprised when she won.
We then saddled up and had a police
escort to the fair grounds where we
were escorted into a special parking
place for the bikes and then it was on
to the TIM MAGRAW concert that
rocked the stage. He was amazing! All
in all a great day and as the sun set an
the ride and the month of August
ends, we are looking forward to the
fall rides.
Wheels of Thunder would like to
thank all who came and over $20,000
was raised, good job! We are looking
forward to next year and doing this
one again. . . . .
37
SMILE NETWORK
ROCKIN’ ROLL
RIDE TO CHANGE A CHILD’S LIFE
Written by Tanner P. Wolfe
Sexy & Sultry were two words used
to describe this years 2010 Rockn’
Roll Ride to Change a Child’s Life best
bike contest. Steven Schussler’s ‘57
Chevy Convertible created by Orange
County Chopper’s took old school to
a completely different level.
Wikipedia explains integrity as the
inner sense of "wholeness" deriving
from qualities such as honesty and
consistency of character. And trust
me when it comes to character this
bike has is flowing from the front
fender to the rear tail pipe. Keeping
the character and memories of the ’57
Chevy were an extremely important
part, from the great songs of its era to
the simplicity of its beauty. This bike
is everything Steve and his team
worked towards and in the end their
dream came alive.
worked on. Upon completion of the
build and delivery of the bike Steven
still didn’t feel that it fit the bar of
where it should be for its style. So
they looked to Donnie Smith a local
bike builder and designer of custom
choppers from Blaine, MN to help
fine tune the look and feel of a ’57
Chevy theme. Along with Donny
Smith was Dave Flom, Steve’s right
hand man when it comes to anything
with a mechanical heart beat. Dave
helped Donny turn the bike into what
it is today, not only a memory of
Steven’s Success but a smiling face
looking you in your rearview mirror
as ’57 Chevy’s are known for.
From everyone at Wheels of Thunder
Magazine we want to congratulate
But it wasn’t an easy road, laying the Steven Schussler on his win at the
ground work was done by Orange 2010 Rockn’ Roll Ride to Change a
County Choppers and being one of Child’s Life best bike contest and
the longest builds they had ever hope the best for him next year.
Keep an eye out for the release
of Steven Schussler’s new book,
"It's A Jungle in There" to be
released and on sale October 5,
2010 by Sterling Publishing
and Barnes & Noble. Preorder a copy of It's A Jungle In
There at Barnes & Noble.
Steven shares inspiring lessons,
hard-won insights, and other
acts of entrepreneurial daring.
A portion of the proceeds will
be dedicated to Smile Network
International to help surgically
repair cleft lips and cleft
palates of children and young
adults. www.itsajungleintherebook.com
Smile Network International would like to thank the ROCKIN' ROLL sponsors and volunteers for making the
event possible and all the participants for making the day so much rip roarin' fun!
Our special thanks to:
KQRS
AJ Indoor
Freestyle Productions
Street Legal Motorcycle Club
Miller Lite
MN Wheels of Thunder Magazine
Kieran's Irish Pub
Minnesota Horse and Hunt Club
O'Gara's Bar and Grill
Grizzly Creek
Minnesota State Fair
Tim McGraw
Julianne Hough
Mike Breidenbach
John Nordin
Ross Kramer
Armadillo Jump
The Prospects
Prior Lake HS Cheerleaders
Minneapolis Police
St. Paul Police
and all the terrific Smile Network
Volunteers
ROCKIN' ROLL Chairperson: Parrel Caplan
ROCKIN' ROLL Ride Captains: Jon
(Hawkeye) Hawks, Barrie (Dead
Skunk) Schumack
ROCKIN' ROLL Emcees: Brian
Zepp and Steven Schussler
Thank you all for helping to change the world...one bright, smiling face at time!
38
AMERICAN MMA GEAR:
e
g
d
Ju
in
t
s
u
A
h
it
w
w
ie
v
inter
Written by Kyle M Gardner
August 30th, 2010
record, with a great deal of experience
“We’re always looking for new peo- in submissions. His training focuses
ple. It doesn’t matter if you’re 8 or 80, on establishing a well-rounded set of
there’s something for everyone,” Ozzy skills.
says excitedly about his gym.
“As far as all the styles, I try to keep
well
versed, so I can do everything
And he has a lot to be excited about.
Since 2005, local Mixed Martial Arts and be ready for anything.”
fighter Austin Judge, known by his
friends as Ozzy, has kept a full plate.
Whether it is the gym he trains at
which attracts students of all ages, or
At 145 pounds, Austin fights within
the Featherweight division, one of the
lightest divisions recognized by competitive Mixed Martial Arts. But his
stature is little indicator of his danger.
In the ring he punishes. He lands his
strikes quickly, with precision, all
more damaging than the last. That,
with the combination of his ground
skills, leads to Judge frequently picking his opponents to pieces from full
mount.
“A lot of promoters like us because
we carry everything they need, in case
they forget something."
It’s clear that Austin’s tenacity in the
ring spills over to his work.
“For right now, it’s really fun for me.
The goal would be to have a few more
affiliates. I have around 6 gyms that I
provide for right now, that deal solely
with me. I would like to have about
30 or 40.”
“I started training a little bit in 2002,
2003. But I didn’t really start training
hard, like 5 or 6 days a week, until And through all this he keeps a rigorhis website that accommodates any
2006,” says Austin when asked about ous training schedule. With an event
fighter with anything he or she may
scheduled for September 17th at the
his habits.
need, Austin remains a local figure in
St. Paul Armory, his focus remains on
“It’
s
a
part
time
job.
You
got
to
want
it.”
the MMA community.
the fight ahead.
The training Austin receives is Despite the intensity of Judge’s train- “It’s called Combat on Capital Hill 3.
amongst the finest. He rolls with ing, he still finds time to promote It will be my first time fighting for
American Top Team in Savage most himself and his line of fight gear. On these guys,” he states calmly, without
days of the week under impressive in- the website, any fighter from begin- a degree of waver in his voice. He
ner to expert, can find all the essen- speaks highly of his sponsors and the
struction.
tials and accessories they need for assistance they provide “Of course
“The head trainer is Eric Aasen,” MMA.
I’ve got American MMA Gear. And
Austin says proudly.
“We can fully provide any gyms or Custom PC Max, they do custom
Aasen carries a 6 and 1 record in teams for all events with any kind of gaming computers.”
MMA, and is an even more experi- gear or promotional products. Anyenced instructor. But Austin will tell thing from boxing to Jiu-Jitsu, and Judge’s excitement goes beyond the
you that it takes an entire group of everything from sparring equipment up coming bout and towards the optough as nails teammates to train as to professional fight gear. Pretty much portunities ahead of him. When
asked the big question, ‘Who do you
hard as he does.
anything you need.”
want to fight next?’ Austin ponders
“I’ve got some really good, tough The website even offers custom ap- for a moment, running a mental list
teammates and solid pro fighters that parel for yourself or your team. Amer- of options.
I work out with every day. We all get ican MMA Gear also provides support
He replies in his convincingly restogether and make each other better.” for local events.
olute tone, “Anyone who is ranked
Austin carries a teetering 5 and 4
above me is a good start.”
39
kia time trials & car show:
August 30th, 2010
There exist within the racer ego, a
compelling attraction towards the
street. It’s where most learned to drive
their first vehicles, and where the
bold received their first taste of speed.
But somewhere down the line, a
driver must decide whether to keep
his racing on the street, or to step up
to the track. Sanctioned time trials
add to the level of safety, not only for
the driver, but the crews and spectators as well. And when an opportunity arises to take your ride back to
public streets, it usually makes for a
good crowd.
Off of Garfield Avenue, near Lincoln
Park in Duluth, Minnesota, Kia hosts
an annual Time Trials and Car Show.
It’s the nations only sanctioned time
trials on a public road, and it attracts
over 100 racers to take their laborious
projects to the street. Very rarely do
you get to see slick tired racers and
street legal machines tear through a
public stretch of 1/8 mile asphalt. It
obliterates the crowds senses; the
sound of pistons firing perforates ear
drums, the smell of burnt rubber
lingers in the head days later, everything you touch has a sticky, rubber
residue to it, and the sight of cars
reaching speeds of 150 + mph on this
small stretch of road is mind blowing.
Wheels of Thunder sat down with
one of these die-hards to get a more
personal look at the drive and determination one must muster, to make
this a full time hobby.
Jim Ripley is the driver of a 1972
Chevy Nova, and a recent recipient of
Kia Time Trials sponsorship.
40
Sanctioned Street Racing
WOT: “Is this your first year doing
the Kia Time Trials?”
Jim: “Nope, this is our fourth year.
I’ve been there since it started.”
WOT: “Are you excited for the cash
prize next year?”
Jim: “Well, yeah. Anytime they give
away something, it’s a good thing.”
WOT: “You have any more events
coming up in the near future?”
Jim: “I’m heading to the Muscle Car
Shootout this Labor Day weekend in
Brainerd.”
WOT: “How many people do you expect to be up there?
Jim: “There will be probably 400 cars.
It’s a big show, a lot of 8-second street
cars.”
WOT: “Is fall the heavy time of year
for drag racing or do you run in early
spring as well?”
Jim: “We usually go to Rock Falls in
Eau Claire, Wisconsin opening weekend. Sometimes you drive through a
snowstorm to get there. It’s usually
the start of April that that track
opens, weather depending. We run as
many weekends as the checkbook allows.”
WOT: “How has the ’72 Nova been
running for you this season?
Jim: “So far so good. I haven’t broken
it yet.”
WOT: “I suppose it’s an expensive
hobby to get into. How much would
you say you spent on parts and tires
this season alone?”
Jim: “Probably about $15,000, I suppose.”
WOT: “You see any of it back in prize
money?”
Jim: “Absolutely not [laughingly].
The most I’ve ever won with that car
is 166 bucks.”
WOT: “How long have you had it?”
Jim: “12 years now. This year has
been, by far, the biggest expense because of the changes I’ve made to the
car.”
WOT: “What have you done to the
Nova this season?”
Jim: “I switched it from a nitrous
oxide engine to a twin turbo engine.”
WOT: “How’s that working so far?”
Jim: “So far so good. I’m not spending a bunch of money filling nitrous
bottles.”
WOT: “Do you get much help from
your sponsors?”
Jim: “The only sponsor I’ve got are
the Kia Time Trials. I’m actually taking my car to go get lettered for it
right now. They threw some money
on me and bought my back window.”
WOT: “You must get a lot of help
from your friends then.”
Jim: “Absolutely! Lance Line is my
41
engine builder. He owns line performance in Wright , MN. There’s also
Carlson Automotive, he’s my transmission builder. He’s the one who
keeps putting in transmissions when
I destroy them.”
WOT: “What’s the best time you’ve
run this year in the Nova?”
Jim: “The best it’s gone is an 8.78 at
158 mph. And that’s 100 percent
street legal. I could drive that car to
Ramsey if I wanted to.”
WOT: “You ever considered putting it
on slicks and making it less street
legal?”
Jim: “No. It goes faster than a lot of
cars with slicks.”
WOT: “Well, thanks for your time
Jim. And good luck up at Brainerd
next weekend.”
Jim: “Ya, hopefully we can win one of
these things.”
Interviewed by Kyle M Gardner
Rochester Ford where he gained the
precision and hands on skills that
would bring him to where he is now.
Painting on the side for many years,
he produced some amazing paint jobs
on anything from Norton’s to Ducati’s,
Greg was in the beginning stages and
created the stepping stones to get
away from the corporate feel of Ford
where he had been for 14 years.
“Cock your hat- Angles are attitudes”- Frank Sinatra once said, and
when it comes to Greg Austin from
Advantage Custom Paint, angles and
color are a day to day part of his life.
On July 1st, 2009 Advantage Custom
Paint by Austin was created and is
going strong in its new location just
on the outskirts of Rochester, MN.
Detail and design is clearly shown in
the work that comes out of Greg’s
Growing up Greg always had a passion for anything mechanical and at
an early age had his cards dealt for the
paint industry by deciding to break
out the paint and give it a go by
changing the color scheme of his parent’s basement walls of their family
home. As you can guess the end result wasn’t a very pleasant one from
his mother’s perspective, but that didn’t discouraged him from backing shop. Ranging from skulls trapped
and sunken under layers of high gloss
away from what he wanted to do.
to highly detailed airbrushed artwork
After high school Greg attended a keeps customers returning. The belocal college and had extensive ginning part of the dream is taking
hands-on training in auto body re- the time to sit down with Greg and
building and refinishing. Upon com- start laying out the rough draft of that
pletion Greg took a job with dream, the project really comes alive
when he puts his creativity to the test
and in the end comes out with flying
colors.
“Who am I to say what you can and
can’t have painted on your bike” say’s
Greg. Some may say he’s going out on
a limb doing a certain paint job. Radical ideas are part of the business, and
42
the opportunities to try new styles
have fallen in his lap from time to
time. And these radical ideas seem to
work. For this Greg not only walk’s
away with a happy customer, but one
that is going to continue to do business with him for years to come. Greg
show’s that there is no job to big or
detailed in style that can’t be added to
the list of services that Advantage
Custom offers.
Having a solid support factor is always an important part of owning a
business and for Greg, his family,
friends, and local businesses have his
back. Taking his company to new
levels this year with the expansion of
his shop by double, will give him the
room and space he needs to turn any
dream into a reality. Creating a paint
job that will not only turn heads, but
be a solid piece of work that not only
builds Greg’s reputation but gives the
customer a ride that sets them out
from the crowd.
Written by Kyle M Gardner
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Minnesota
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Kokesh Motorcycles...................763-786-9050
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Jacobson Hand Crafted ..............612-237-8549
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Cubby Hole Restaurant..............715-698-2300
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www.WheelsofThunder.net
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