2013
SEPTEMBER
10th Annual Saleen Nationals Edition—Front to Back Coverage Inside!
Letter From the President
By: Rick Lebeau
Where were you the weekend of August 1-4? Well if you
weren’t in Conroe, TX you missed it BAD! I haven’t quit
grinning about this year’s Saleen Nationals hosted by The
South Central Region! Joe Mills and his crew knocked it
out of the park, and clear into Canada! AMAZING show,
and an even MORE amazing group of people in Texas that
helped Joe pull it all off. I know most everyone has been
thanked so I won’t go into a lengthy list of ladies ‘n gents
that helped bring this show to Texas.
Club Mailing Address
929 Southern Oaks Lane
Odenville, AL 35120
Board of Directors
President — Rick Lebeau
president@saleenclubofamerica.com
Vice President — Mike Foley
vp@saleenclubofamerica.com
Secretary — Nancy Reese
secretary@saleenclubofamerica.com
Treasurer — Frank Messina
treasurer@saleenclubofamerica.com
Editor — Jason Smith
editor@saleenclubofamerica.com
Board Advisor — Tony Brodzeller
tony_brodzeller@hotmail.com
Membership, Dues & Payments
Frank Messina, Treasurer
PoweRRR Submissions
Jason Smith, Editor
Note: back issues & additional copies
contact Club Secretary.
Y’all know the saying about how in Texas they do EVERYTHING bigger – well they sure do! From a great hotel to
an indoor venue for the show; from the fantastic folks at Gullo Ford that helped make this happen to Roland’s
Man Cave (Banquet facility); from Ron Wade who shipped one of his S7’s to Conroe and drove it back to Washington State to each and everyone one that either brought a car or just showed up for the weekend! And a special thanks to Rudy & Betsy Beyer for bringing their brand new Orange County Orange S-351 Speedster to the
show – hats off to you!
I’d also like to thank the Saleen family and company for their support at our Nationals this year! We hope to
have a long and mutual relationship with them in the future. From the bottom of mine and Debby’s hearts, a
HUGE Thank You to all involved! I could keep going on but Jason gets a little “upset” if I get too long winded.
Hey, after the weekend we just experienced I would have given you three pages if you wanted it! - Ed
Hey speaking of Mr. Smith (who was going to resign after this Nationals issue of Powerrr), I am EVER SO HAPPY
to announce that he has decided to stay on as Editor and he attributes his decision to each and every one of you
that expressed their thanks and best wishes to him. Of course the constant badgering I gave him at the BOD
Meeting held on Friday night didn’t hurt, nor did the knife I held to his throat! Kidding aside, he said and I quote
“it felt like I was leaving my family.” So thank you all that introduced yourselves, and talked with him and Tracy
in Texas!
Rick Lebeau, President
Along with that goes the following, which also pleases me to no end. Mike Foley had offered to take over the
Editor position after Jason left and was working with Jason to do that. Long story short, Tony Day has resigned
as VP and has resumed duties as International Director, and Mike Foley has agreed to assume the role of VP for
the remainder of the term that was held by Tony. Mike will also be working as Assistant Editor with Jason on
Powerrr, and we have a few other tasks for Mike as well!
Club General Store
And with all that said its ELECTION TIME yet again club members! The positions that are up for a vote this year
are:
Club Website & Forum
Reed Reese
clubstore@saleenclubofamerica.com
Incorporation Director
Jacquie Hair
Regional Directors
Emails @saleenclubofamerica.com
Northwest — Dennis Mickelberry
nwregiondir@
Rocky Mountain — Mike Svela
rockmtnregiondir@
Southwest — Vacant
swregiondir@
North Central — Vacant
ncentralregiondir@
Central — Terry Denton
centralregiondir@
South Central — Adam Hair
scentralregiondir@
New England — Thom Narkawicz
newengregiondir@
Mid Atlantic — Jose Santos
midatlanticregiondir@
Southeast — Bob Glover
seregiondir@
International — Tony Day
internationaldir@
SWE—Goran Forsberg
DEN—Martin Nanerup
2
President (Incumbent Rick LeBeau)
His/her duties are as follows, from our By Laws:
The President shall be the clubs chief executive officer and shall, subject to the control of the Board of Directors,
have general supervision, direction and control of the business and affairs of the club. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors. The President shall have signature authority over all club actions
and accounts, except in cases where authority thereof shall be expressly delegated to some other officer or
agent of the club.
Secretary (Incumbent Nancy Reese)
His/her duties are as follows, from our By Laws:
The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the members and
Board of Directors, record the minutes of all meetings, keep
or cause to be kept, a current register of members, and give
notice of all meetings of members in accordance with the
bylaws. This position also includes mailing the international
issues of Powerrr, and sending the current members list to
the publisher of Powerrr.
You can see our complete bylaws on the website under
Forms/SCOA Bylaws, or you can email
president@saleenclubofamerica.com and we’ll make sure
you get a copy.
So if you think you might be interested in helping out, step
up! Get your info to us and we’ll make sure it gets out to
the masses. The time is now, as elections ballots are due in
the November issue!
Thanks everyone - never lift!
Rick
SEPTEMBER 2013
From the Editor’s Desk
By: Jason Smith
WOW!!! I just returned from Houston for the 10th Annual Saleen Nationals, and that’s about all I can say—or maybe to borrow from today’s teenage text jargon—O.M.G.!!!
We knew going in that the gang down in Texas had a stellar game plan
and that it was shaping up to be the best Nationals ever, but we had no
idea just how awesome it was going to be. Hats are
off all around (and for me I tip my shades from my
head) to Joe Mills, Adam Hair and the entire committee that pulled it off. I don’t have space here to name
them all, but they definitely get their due respect on
page 19, along with all the big winners on page 16!
You can read all about the weekend inside these
pages, but for me the highlight was finally getting to
meet the entire Saleen family, as well as the key folks
from the SOEC that helped pull off this long overdue
collaboration of like-minded folks! Jim Dvorak and
Rudy & Betsy Beyer are to be commended for their
efforts in bringing everyone together for a fantastic
weekend.
Knowing that Steve would be in attendance, I began
researching the disassembly of the S-197 dash so I
could get the center vent pod out and pack it with me
for the trip. After an hours worth of reading and
watching videos, I began the daunting task of removing the passenger side airbag. That’s right—it has to come out first, and
of course that is the most dangerous & nerve-wracking part of the process. From there the rest is a piece of cake. All told it was an hours worth
of research for a 15 minute removal and 15 minute re-installation. In the
end, it was a successful mission with my car now bearing an autograph of
the man responsible for it all! And it only took me eight years to get it.
Tracy and I had such a blast on this trip—hanging out with old friends and
meeting many new friends. So much so that we are already looking forward to next year—in
Long Island, NY! That’s
right, the 2014 SCOA
Nationals are heading
back to New York were
the team put on a great
event back in 2010. They
have their work cut out
for them to top this years
event, but I know they
are up for the challenge.
They say things are bigger and better in
Texas—and HOTTER!
One thing that is definitely bigger and better—that I got to experience first hand—is the
southern hospitality. It
all started with a request
to help out the dealership with any logistics
they may need getting
to and from the show. Since I would be carless I was ready to help.
General Manager Sparky Gullo thanked me for the offer, claiming they
had it all covered, but then generously offered to set me up with a rental
car for the weekend via their in house Enterprise branch. What a generous offer, and one that I was gracious in accepting. Jeff Murray of Gullo
Ford and Falen Demita of Enterprise were also a big help in this process
and must be thanked as well.
Next up was an email exchange with Conroe local Seth Johnson, who
had five Fox Body Saleen’s registered for the show. Again I offered with
the logistics and we traded contact info so we could coordinate once we
arrived. Little did I know that Seth’s idea of logistics and mine are a little
different—he threw me the keys to 1986 #018 and
told me to drive it for the weekend! He even encouraged us to take it on the Piney Woods Cruise!
And finally on show day when in need of a support
vehicle to get back to the hotel briefly, Seth’s
buddy Cliff McSwain tossed me the keys (without
even knowing who I was) to his F-150 Raptor! I
can’t thank all of these fine folks enough for their
hospitality for the weekend.
At the Saturday evening Banquet I had the privilege
to speak about the Gary Alsobrooks Award, and
with former winner Tony Day standing by my side,
we announced this years recipients—Nancy & Lee
Reese. It was such an honor to tell the story about
Gary and why we honor folks in his name. But I
have to admit standing in front of 100+ people and
staring at Roland’s incredible “Man Cave”, I struggled to get the entire story out. So for that reason,
as well as for the folks that were not in attendance, I am running the
write-up on page 17-18 about the Gary Alsobrooks Award.
As if the weekend was not fun enough, it was also inspiring enough. All
the Fun, all the Friendships and all the Saleens—it was just so fantastic
and inspiring. On the entire plan ride home I couldn’t help but think
about the FAMILY that I was about to leave. So after a few conversations with Rick Lebeau and Mike Foley, I am happy to announce that I
am rescinding my resignation as Editor and plan to remain onboard! I
had folks come up to me at the show with the edition in hand featuring
their car and thanking me. It was great to meet these people and to see
the cars first hand. I’m also happy to announce that Mike Foley has
offered to stay on board as an Associate Editor to help me out. One of
his first assignments is going to be regular communications with all of
our Regional Directors and State Reps in order to get our Calendar of
Events back to where it should be. So get ready—Mike will be hounding
y’all via email soon! Damn, I still have the “y’alls” from Texas!
That’s about it from my desk for now. I’ve got over 1,500 pictures to
compile and dig through to determine what makes it to print. What a
task for a beautiful Saturday morning—I think I’ll pass and go do some
cruising instead. Now get out there an enjoy those Saleens!—Ed
SEPTEMBER 2013
3
Diehard Saleen fans refuse to let the big weekend come to a close, hanging past 2am on Sunday to say goodbye to the 10th Annual Saleen Nationals. What better way to close out all the fun and friendships, than with the ultra sexy Saleen S7!
10th Annual Saleen Nationals
Story By: Jason Smith
Photos By: Jason Smith, Frank Messina,
Blake Bankester, Michael Hyde & Parker
Golightly
th
The 10 Annual Saleen Nationals were held in Conroe, TX
during the weekend of August 1-4 and as has become tradition at these events, the weekend kicks off on Thursday
for the “early birds”. Tracy & I landed in Houston around
1:30pm and quickly loaded up in our rental car – a brand
new Taurus Limited with just 4 miles on the odometer –
and headed due north on I-45 to Conroe. Within 30 minutes we were at Chili’s just across from the Host & Support Hotels meeting up with Rick & Debby Lebeau for a
late lunch and a few refreshments.
self to the one and only Joe Mills whom I had been corresponding via email for months. It was just one of several
long overdue introductions during the weekend.
The welcome signs were up at Texas Roadhouse and we
had the entire back portion of the restaurant reserved for
us. The crowd was already thick with more than a couple
dozen Saleen owners enjoying some refreshments and
grub. Soon after the gang from the Southeast rolled in
and the party was heating up.
From there it was off to the hotel to get checked in and
head out to the parking lot to mingle with all the Saleen
owners as they rolled in. I’ve been to five of the club’s
nine previous Nationals over the years, and this was the
busiest Thursday “Early Birds” evening that I have seen.
Saleens as well as trucks/haulers had already staked their
claim of the Holiday Inn parking lot as well as the access
street – it was shaping up to be “off the hook”!
It wasn’t long before the phone rang with Adam Hair letting us know the festivities were on at the Texas Roadhouse across the street. As we walked I quickly met up
with a strange face I had never seen, so I introduced my-
4
SEPTEMBER 2013
Ed and Prez hamming it up during the Early Birds
festivities at the Texas Roadhouse.
International Director Tony Day supervises as George Gast performs an
impromptu oil change and sending unit replacement—at 6am!
After a couple hours at the Texas Roadhouse mingling
with old friends and meeting new friends…oh wait, this is
where we must review one of the first of several comic
moments over the weekend. You see several of us were
partaking in Gold Margaritas, which came with an additional shot of tequila in a test tube sank into the drink.
While most of us figured it out, one individual picked it out
of drink and asked what it was. “You shoot it” one
onlooker proclaimed. “From what end” this Gold Margarita
newbie asked? Uh, here’s your sign…but we won’t name
any names will we Nancy? All this while Lee was sipping
on his Peach Frozen Margarita ;-) Those Reese’s really
are great people all kidding aside!
So it was off to the parking lot of the host hotel for round
one of what has come to be known as Trailer Talks. However this year there very few trailers in sight – which
means more and more folks are actually DRIVING their
Saleens to more events! So as far as the 2013 Nationals
is concerned I’m now referring to it as Saleen Talks. It
was a great night with friends as usual, and as I have already alluded to, it was one of the largest “Early Birds”
parking lot gatherings I have experienced.
SCOA members invade the K-1 Karting Center. Hey I’m no expert, but
shouldn’t all these racers be watching the track ahead of them?!
Clark and Colin Canant are stylin’ at 70 mph on the cruise to
the K-1 Karting Center on Friday morning.
Friday morning greeted us with a packed agenda. But
first we were treated to a 6am display of how to change
your oil and sending unit in a hotel parking lot by none
other than George Gast. Of course once you are done you
can’t test your oil pressure without at least a dozen blips
of the throttle to 6,000 RPM as a community wake-up call!
After that excitement it was off to the Lonestar Convention
Center to check in on some of the early arrivals setting up
their displays. Most notably was Rudy & Betsy Beyer from
the SOEC with their brand new 2013 S-351 in Saleen custom Orange County Orange. Adam Hair’s incredible S-351
Speedster was already taking up residency on the show
floor as well. But soon it was time to head out to the
parking lot to meet the other cars that were heading down
to Houston for a fun morning at the K-1 Karting Center.
With nearly 50 of us in attendance, the stage was set to
determine who the real Stig was – since The Guch wasn’t
in attendance this year. We set up in 10 person heats for
about 10 laps each to practice, and then qualify before the
final heat races. Unfortunately due to some communication issues with the track officials, and the timing of needing to get back to the Convention Center for the Piney
The final podium L-R: Third Place—Terry Denton, First Place—Scott
Springer, Second Place—Sheldon Hair.
SEPTEMBER 2013
5
Woods Cruise, the majority of the contestants left after
the qualifying round to leave just a dozen or so contestants to battle for the podium. But it didn’t take long to
determine who the “marked men” of the day were. Scott
Van Hoose posted a lap speed in the low 25 second range
before Phil Frank walked in late without a practice lap and
joined a qualifying heat with a best lap of 25.01. We
should have seen it coming from a guy that carried his
own helmet in! But at the end of the day the top of the
podium was claimed by Scott Springer.
At this point in the day is where I experienced my first round of good ole southern
hospitality. For the weeks leading up to
the event I had been in contact with Conroe, TX member Seth Johnson about helping him with the logistics of his five
Saleens he was bringing to the show. We
traded messages and quickly set out just
down the road from the K-1 facility to his
shop where were to pick up his 1986 #18.
He threw me the keys and said “enjoy it
for the weekend – take it on the cruise”. I
quickly pointed out that I only intended to
help with logistics, not drive it all weekend
as I had a rental car. But he insisted that the ’86 needed
to be driven, and I was the man for the job! How lucky
could I be – to be given the keys to a Fox Saleen for the
weekend? And it was a Four Eye to boot - what a great
guy!
The Piney Woods cruised rolled out around 4:30pm
through some twisty and scenic roads – something I was
not expecting in Texas. It wasn’t without incident however as there were quite a few wrong turns and threepoint turnarounds on some busy streets. But the sight of
dozens of Mustangs on the side of the street turning
6
SEPTEMBER 2013
around certainly made everyone stop and take notice. Not
to be deterred we all eventually ended up at the Dobbin
Saloon & Grill for some mid-point refreshments and buffet
style “linner”, or “dunch” as some called it. Well, all but
one I should say as we did lose one participant just minutes after our departure from the Convention Center.
Seems Johnny Law was not feeling generous for one S331 Sport Truck that may or may not have went through a
“pink” light.
The saloon had a quaint, Texas style bier
garten feel to it and the hospitality of the
owner and bar staff was just fantastic. We
surrounded the entire block of Dobbin with
60 plus Saleens & Mustangs, and I’m not
sure the small town ever realized what hit
them. After hanging out for a bit and
watching the local freight train snarl traffic
for 20 minutes or more while it switched
tracks, we saddled up and headed back
across highway 105 for some spirited,
three-wide galloping to park the steeds and
settle in for round two of Saleen Talks at
the host hotel. Friends gathered, drinks
were poured, strangers got acquainted and
everyone just had a great time relaxing and telling stories.
Oh, and I should point out that Seth’s 1986 #18 drove
and handled flawlessly on the cruise save for a small A/C
issue…but who am I to complain?!
Saturday morning came early for many, as has become
tradition over the past several years. I loaded up my
travel size bag of detailing supplies that I packed in my
suitcase and set out for the Convention Center in Seth’s
’86. After I wiped all the road grime off and brought back
the shine to the Jalapeno Red paint, I headed inside to get
out of the heat and watch all the cars roll in to get set up.
What better way to greet visitors to the Lonestar Convention Center than with a Barricade, S7 and Saleen/Allen Racecar!
It was shaping up to be the best gathering of Saleens to
date – maybe not in quantity but certainly in quality! It
wasn’t long before I was tracking down the maintenance
crew to locate a 12’ ladder for aerial shots. Between myself, George Gast, Parker Golightly, Frank Messina, Michael Hyde and Blake Bankester with our Nikons and Cannons strapped around our necks all day, the photo barrage
was on.
SR Widebody. The car is an entire story in itself which
hopefully we’ll be able to feature in these pages someday
soon. And not to be outdone in the rarity department, the
main entrance patio of the convention center featured an
actual Team Saleen/Allen racecar (owned by Ron &
Sharon Baker) in one corner, with a 2007 Barricade Extreme Tribute (owned by Robert McCaskill) in the other. I
told you this show was one of high quality!
Words just can’t describe how incredible it was to have a
show of this caliber indoors in Houston. While the heat
was pretty intense, it wasn’t unbearable. However the air
conditioning indoors sure did provide relief, comfort and
overall enjoyment of all the cars. There were over 110
cars in attendance overall, with 77 being Saleens – with
the parking committee managing to squeeze 57 of them in
the main indoor pavilion. The variety was spectacular,
with nearly every production Saleen vehicle represented
save for the Ranger, Camaro and Challenger. The show
managed to draw three S7’s, which were the feature mark
for this 10th Anniversary event. Two were splashed in the
incredible Lizstick Red hue (owners Ron Wade and Tony
Gullo), while the other was done in Speedlab Yellow. And
if that wasn’t enough, the yellow S7 brought by Wayne
Lee was a last minute assembly after some paint work just
48 hours prior! These guys didn’t sleep – loading the
trailer at 10:30pm and setting out from Baton Rouge with
just enough time to roll in the loading area of the Lonestar
Convention Center at 9am. Simply incredible!
Surprisingly at this point of the day my camera battery
decided to die on me. Time to head back to the hotel to
grab my charger, but my rental car was 25 miles away
with Tracy and Courtney Hendon who opted to go shopping. This is where I experienced a second round of incredible southern hospitality. I asked Seth if he had a
support vehicle at the show that I could borrow. He shook
his head no but suggested his buddy Cliff McSwain did.
Before he could even ask who the heck I was or where I
needed to go, he was tossing me the keys to his F-150
Raptor! Man, the folks down in Texas are just as hospitable as it gets!
We were also blessed with a incredible display put on by
Mark Provenzano with his ultra rare, one-off 2002 S-281E
By now it was 11am and the highly anticipated guests of
honor were making their way into the indoor pavilion –
none other than Steve Saleen himself, along with wife Liz,
daughter Molly, and Hans Meyer (Saleen Director of
Sales). Steve made his way around to greet many of his
enthusiasts, and by 1pm the line was on for having items
autographed. He graciously signed everything put in front
of him for nearly two hours – including my center dash
pod out of my 2005 S-281 that I disassembled and packed
just prior to our flight! Steve didn’t stop there – he made
The indoor pavilion featured 57 incredible examples of Saleen Mustangs, Sport Trucks, Foci and Explorers...oh yeah, and
a couple more of the events feature mark—the S7. Gullo Ford was also on display with a couple of 2013 S-302’s.
SEPTEMBER 2013
7
were a dozen more Mustangs displayed outside on the
back drive, also on lifts set progressively in height to create a stunning, generational walk through of Mustang history. Words and pictures just can’t do his collection justice. Out of respect for Roland’s privacy, pictures are being kept to a minimum – so you had to be there!
Roland and his team treated us to a fabulous Tex-Mex dinner that was catered in locally as well as some adult beverages. As everyone was finishing up with dinner, show
chairman Joe Mills took to the mic to make some general
announcements and hand out a few additional awards
from the show – mainly the Long Haul Awards to Tony &
Brenda Day (Austrailia by way of air) and Ron Wade from
Washington State. He flew in while having his Lizstick Red
S7 shipped in – and drove it back to Washington!
Mark Provenzano and his team went out of their way with the
display of his ultra-rare, 2002 S-281E Widebody SR
his way around to every
Saleen (yes, both indoor and
outdoor) to sign the dash,
fan shroud, decklids and
other unique areas as requested by the owners.
What an incredibly accommodating guest of honor Steve
was!
Next the Internet & Saleen Sales Manager from Gullo Ford
(Daryle Nelson) spoke on behalf of the dealership and recognized several long distance haulers that he met and
chatted with on the show floor during the day. Daryle was
also presented with a special award for their Title
Sponsor status at this years
event.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk
about the wonderful job our
club members did running
the registration and club
store tables all day. Lee
Reese and Jaquie Hair managed the registration duties
with help from several others
Rudy & Betsy Beyer’s 2013 S-351 wears the custom Saleen
while Nancy Reese, Debby
hue—Orange County Orange. Oh, and it wears serial #01!
Lebeau, and Grayce Yannuzzi
managed the Club Store. I’m
sure I missed a few key names that volunteered as well,
but please know that you were appreciated. We also had
a great DJ (Arthur Zapata) spinning the tunes all day and
providing the PA for the continuous announcements. And
finally the concession & catering folks were open for business to help us cure our hunger and quench our thirst
With the show running behind schedule, the rush was on
to complete the awards ceremony and get everyone back
to the hotels for a quick refreshing before loading up the
two tour buses to make our way to the banquet – held at
Roland’s “super secret” man-cave (last name withheld for
privacy). If you’ve seen pictures of this facility from previous events, then you already know you missed something
special. Let’s just say you need a chin-strap and a drool
bucket upon entering. Roland has an INCREDIBLE collection of Mustangs of all varieties in this man cave which
was set up in such an inviting manner for the 150+ attendees for the banquet. There were 20 mustangs stacked
two high and two deep on the lifts in the back. The left
side garage doors were all open with a huge tent creating
a second pavilion that held his amazing collection of 19,
ultra low mile Saleens. And if that wasn’t enough there
8
SEPTEMBER 2013
By now the crowd was
growing restless and waiting
to hear from our guests of
honor. But first the mic was
handed to yours truly to
talk about a long lost friend
that was near and dear to
many of us – Gary Alsobrooks. Before I began, I
made sure to take a moment to recognize Steve, Liz
& Molly Saleen for their attendance as Gary would
have been very proud of
that – I know he was smiling down on us! I also recognized Rudy & Betsy
Beyer, Jim Dvorac and the
I knew as soon as I saw four S-302 PJ’s lined up that I had to try this
shot. I can’t take all the credit as I learned it from former Editor, Dave
Clem at the 2010 Nationals in Newburgh, NY
other SOEC members in attendance for finally coming together with us for this great event. Long overdue, and
met with a huge round of applause!
This was the fifth year since Gary passed from a long battle with cancer, and as is now a tradition we honor a club
member in his name each year for their dedication and
hard work with the club, their willingness to help out others, and their passion for all things Fun, Friendships &
Saleens. This year we stepped outside the box with the
award and named Nancy & Lee Reese as the 2013 Gary
Alsobrooks Award recipients. These are truly two great
people in this club that I could go on and on about. You
can read more about the Reese’, Gary and the four previous winners on page 17-18.
The room was set up with several large screen displays for
the presentations by Phil Frank, Mark Provensano and the
guest of honor Steve Saleen. Phil entertained us with his
insights of the design processes for the various Saleen
Mustangs since 1994, working his way up to the culmination of his efforts with the S7.
If you’ve never met Phil or
heard him speak, you really
need to if you get the chance.
Mark Provenzano gave a witty
presentation about his custom, one-off SR Widebody
and talked about his and
Steve Saleen’s collaboration
on the project that spanned
several years. Again, this is
an entire story in itself that I
can’t pretend to know the
facts about. Mark – if you
are out there and reading
this, I’d love to run the car as
a Saleen Of The Month someday soon if you want to send
me the story!
Roland and his crew went out of their way to make the Saleen
family and all of their enthusiasts feel welcome!
Aside from the incredible “lift display” inside the garage, Roland
had a tent connected to the building to display all of his Saleens.
The culmination of the night
was an entertaining, and at
times comical presentation
by Steve Saleen. Steve
was welcomed with a
standing ovation and
promptly told us “oh sit
down, it’s just me”. Then
he proclaimed that the reason he hasn’t been back to
Houston since they came
here in the 1990’s is because when they got to the
show, “the cars melted,
the trucks melted, the
trailers melted, the people
melted….” referring to the
oppressive Houston heat.
The promise of an indoor
venue with air conditioning
was enough to get him
back, and he quickly acknowledged the Saleen
Club of America for the
efforts that shined through
during the weekend.
Steve continued to talk about the Saleen journey over the
years of racing and building Saleen Mustangs, and then
went on to talk about the legal issues that have been part
of the rumor mill for the past several years – coining it
“the dark years”. Steve made a strategic move in 2007
that made him a non-majority owner for the first time in
company history. Well things didn’t go as originally
agreed upon in principle, and the downward spiral had
begun. He explained that his resignation from Saleen in
2007 was a necessary first step in order to preserve the
Saleen brand. It was a long battle gaining back his identity and legacy, and he thanked the Saleen community for
the support and inspiration that ultimately helped him get
to where he is today.
With all of Roland’s Saleens moved out and on display in their own pavilion, the race was on to get the catering ready for everyone’s arrival.
The company has secured the capital to continue production and build back a team for the daily operations of
building and selling performance Mustangs, Camaros and
Challengers. By now you should have read about the in-
SEPTEMBER 2013
9
Once I was able to pick my jaw up off the floor, I began to snap as many
pictures as I could of the fabulous Gullo Museum—simply amazing!
troduction of the Heritage series of all three pony cars that
will continue the tradition of honoring legendary SCCA racers—George Follmer Edition Mustang, Mark Donohue Edition Camaro and Swede Savage Edition Barracuda.
Continuing on Steve focused on the future of Saleen with
a three layered approach to the new models of Mustangs –
a good, better and best approach. These models are
coined White Label starting out at $39,095, Yellow Label
starting out at $50,563 and Black Label starting out at
$82,634 for the S-351 power plant. Production is rolling
and Steve insisted the future is bright for the Saleen
brand. He also told us to keep our eyes peeled as the
Saleen brand will be making it back to the big screen in
the coming months via two different movies – and Steve
was a stunt driver for one of them!
Steve was excited about his first official visit to the SCOA
Nationals, and wasn’t really sure why it took so long to get
there. He proclaimed there should be no more riff between the SCOA and SOEC – that we are all in this for the
enthusiasm of the cars that bear his name. And finally, he
thanked us on behalf of his family and the brand for hosting such a fantastic event, and vowed to support us moving forward. This of course was met with another loud,
standing ovation to wrap up the night.
This room was a reflection of Tony Gullo’s life, complete with a representation of his first job, first date and a replica chapel of where he was married.
By the time the banquet wrapped and we made the long
bus ride back to Conroe it was 12:30am. As you can
imagine there weren’t many sticking around for round
three of Saleen Talks, but there were a dozen or so of us
diehards that managed to hang out until about 2am. And
our guest of honor for this night of Saleen Talks was S7
owner Ron Wade and his wife. We chilled on the curb at
the main entry to the hotel where Ron’s car was prominently displayed under the lights for all to enjoy. What a
great way to end a great weekend!
Sunday morning came and all the goodbyes were being
dealt. But for those that chose to stick around a bit
longer, the weekend’s final event was still to come – a
tour of the Gullo Private Collection. Many of you have
seen the pictures and heard me talk about the Ray Skillman Museum here in Greenwood, IN. Well I didn’t think I
would ever see something that would top it! The cars
were just jaw-dropping, the layout of the various rooms
was strategic and classy with paraphernalia that lined
nearly every inch of useable wall space. The facility features a fully functional barbershop, a working antique vinyl
jukebox (yes, RECORDS), a functioning drive-in theater, a
fully stocked diner & ice cream parlor and even a chapel.
The facility was started 27 years ago by Tony Gullo, and
20 years, four phases later the museum was complete.
The museum was built in four phases over twenty years. Classic cars, neon signs and paraphernalia go on as far as the eye can
see. If you are ever presented the opportunity to tour this faclility—DO NOT turn it down!
12
SEPTEMBER 2013
Just after lunch the line was forming to meet Steve Saleen
and grab an autograph. Steve was gracious enough to
spend over two hours at the table!
Steve poses after signing the dash of Seth Johnson’s 1989 SSC.
Steve was amazed at the condition of the car—of course it is still
brand new with just over 1,000 miles on the odometer!
a chance to experience the Gullo
Private Collection while in the
Houston or surrounding areas, do
NOT pass it up!
There are over 220 vehicles on
display, and for the year 1955 he
has one of every American production vehicle that was offered!
Tracy & I headed back to the hotel
I have visited several car musefor our late checkout, and it was
ums, but never have I been
there we were slapped in the face
greeted by the owner suggesting
with reality – the weekend was
to us to “have someone help you
over. There wasn’t a Saleen in
with your camera if you need to
sight at the Holiday or Hampton, so
open any doors for a better look”.
we grabbed our bags, bid adieu to
There’s that southern hospitality
Conroe and headed south to the
George Bush Intercontinental Airagain! Words and pictures just
port. We don’t talk much when in
don’t do it justice, and I don’t want
the car usually, but we talked the
Another popular autograph sought after at Saleen
to get too carried away as this is a
entire 30 minutes about all the fun
events is that of Phil Frank—the chief designer for
private collection that is only open
Saleen vehicles since 1994—including the S7!
we had and the meetings with new
by appointment to car clubs and
and old friends alike. The Nationother special events for charitable
als are officially in the books for the 10th year.
donations. Speaking of which, thanks to our
If you haven’t attended one yet – what are you
entry fees we were able to hand Mr. Gullo a
waiting for? I’ve been to six of them, and fully
check for $1,060 on behalf of the Saleen Club
intend to attend my seventh next year in Long
Island, NY – hope to see you there! —PWR
of America to further benefit his Christmas
For The Kids charity! If you are EVER offered
The enthusiasm of Saleen owners runs family-wide. Here Liz and Molly Saleen ink their autograph on the dash of Bob
Vervaeke’s pristine 1986. You may recall this vehicle from the July 2013 issue of PoweR RR.
SEPTEMBER 2013
13
For those that managed to venture out of the air conditioning comfort of the Convention Center…
...there were some really nice cars parked outside as well
on this sultry Texas day!
Local Mustang Clubs were well represented with plenty of
Mustang varieties to enjoy.
Debby Lebeau and Nancy Reese strike a pose early in the
morning before the Club Store opened for business.
DJ Arthur Zapata kept the tunes spinning all day along, as
well as provided the mic for announcements.
Lee Reese was in position early at the registration table,
and was assisted all day by Jacquie, Sheldon & Tyler Hair.
Unless you were in the Saleen factory when they were built,
this is a display that may have never been seen before!
Northside Mustang Club President Chlee Green emceed the
awards while Molly Saleen presented to the owners.
Yet another rare display that happens once in a blue
moon—but the second time for me in 2013!
Scott VanHoose’ Joplin, MO Killer Tornado survivor, back and
better than ever! Look for a complete story on this car soon.
Well you just knew if there were any Four-Eyes
present that Ed was going to show them...
...and both happened to be 1986 varieties in Jalepeno
Red—owned by Bob Vervaeke and Seth Johson (L-R)
Mike Mitchell’s 1969 and 1971 Fastback’s were representing
the early generation Mustangs quite well.
Andrew Furgeson’s 1976 Torino was one of just a few
“other” Fords on the show field.
Gary Korpe’s 1933 Ford “Lil-Tex” is powered by a 351
Windsor, and has been a family icon since 1968.
14
SEPTEMBER 2013
Wayne Lee’s Speedlab Yellow S7 was looking stellar by lunch
time, but you should have seen it when...
While all the cars were incredible, this rare 1955 300SL
Gullwing was un-prepped with just 406 miles!
...it rolled in at 9am. This is what his team was working
with just 48hrs prior to their arrival!
It may be over 20 years old, but TV and Hollywood made
the Ferrari Testarossa the quintessential exotic.
Title Sponsor Tony Gullo was kind enough to have his
Liztick Red S7 on display for all to enjoy.
1999 Diablo VT “Roadster Momo” Edition. $495k, 530hp V-12,
#9 of 12 built, 5300 miles and only 6 known to exist.
Tony Gullo addresses the crowd at lunch, thanking them for
the generous donation to his Christmas For The Kids charity.
Tony Gullo greets the Saleen family on Sunday morning
prior to touring the incredible Gullo Museum.
Tony Day and Jason Smith present the 2013 Gary
Alsobrooks award to Nancy & Lee Reese.
Generous hosts Roland & Melinda pose with the guest of
honor at the Saturday banquet—Steve Saleen.
Ron Wade addresses the crowd while accepting his
Long Haul award with his S7.
Joe Mills presents Tony Day with his Long Haul award after
flying in from Australia for six weeks!
Guest of honor Steve Saleen along with daughter Molly
address the crowd about the future of Saleen.
Phil Frank speaks to the crowd about the early design concepts for the SN-95 Saleen Mustang.
SEPTEMBER 2013
Mark Provenzano tells the story about the long journey to
complete his S-281 E Widebody SR.
15
2013 SCOA Nationals
Nationals—
— Class Winners
Steve Saleen singed just about everything
put in front of him—but he did make Gary
Korpe put on a shirt for this autograph.
Just kidding Gary :-)
The kids had their fun at the K1 Karting
Center too. From L-R: Sean Yarbrough,
Ronnie Moser and Michael Hyde III.
1:
2:
3:
Class A—1984-93 Saleen Closed
Seth Johnson—Woodlands, TX (1989 SSC)
Katie Canant—Flower Mound, TX (1990)
Bob Vervaeke—Bonner Springs, KS (1986)
1:
2:
Class B—1984-93 Saleen Open
George Gast—Douglasville, GA (1990 Convertible)
Craig Stanfield—Houston, TX (1990 Convertible)
1:
2:
3:
Class C—94-98 Saleen Closed
Ken Howell—Desoto, TX (1997 S-351)
Joe Mills—Katy, TX (1994 S-351)
Mike Welch—Tyler, TX (1997 S-281)
1:
2:
3:
Class D—1994-98 Saleen Open
Adam Hair—Keller, TX (1995 S-351R Convertible)
Mark Provenzano—Lake Jackson, TX (1996 S-351 Convertible)
Scott Sorweid—Round Rock, TX (1996 S-281 Convertible)
1:
2:
3:
Class E—1999-2004 Saleen Closed
Mark Provenzano—Lake Jackson, TX (2002 S-281 E SR)
Andy King—Houston, TX (2002 S-281 E)
Kevin Marujo—Keller, TX (2001 S-281)
1:
2:
3:
Class F—1999-2004 Saleen Open
Marlin Richardson—San Antonio, TX (1999 S-281 Convertible)
Gary Korpe—Spring, TX (2001 S-281 SC Convertible)
Chad Bornholdt—Baytown, TX (1999 S-281 Convertible)
1:
2:
3:
Class G—2005-Current Saleen Closed
Scott VanHoose—Loma Linda, MO (2005 S-281 SC)
Ray Welsh—Bullard, TX (2007 S-281 E)
Bobby Anderson—Rosenbore, TX (2006 S-281)
1:
2:
3:
Class H—2005-Current Saleen Open
Chris Yanuzzi—Round Rock, TX (2006 S-281 SC Convertible)
James Nelson—Tyler, TX (2006 S-281 Convertible)
Dale Reeves—Universal City, TX (2011 S-302 Convertible)
1:
2:
3:
Class J—Saleen Specialty Vehicle
Clay Hendon—Jasper, AL (2007 S-331 SC)
Jerrill Guy—Round Rock, TX (1998 XP8)
Terry Denton—Owensboro, KY (2004 Focus N2O)
1:
2:
3:
Class K—Saleen Specialty Edition
Cliff Parsons—Beaumont, TX (2007 S-302 PJ)
Liz Hanson—Pensacola, FL (2008 H-302 DG)
Brenda Adamson—Plano, TX (2007 S-302 PJ)
A popular photo opp. at the close of the evening,
Rick and Debby Lebeau with the man himself.
16
SEPTEMBER 2013
Uh, did somebody say photo
opp. with Molly Saleen?
Where’s Ed? Here I am!
I didn’t get a chance to ask Steve,
but I’m guessing this was his first
garage door autograph!
Speaking of popular photo opps. Michael Hyde III didn’t
shy away from Wayne Lee’s offer to saddle up in his S7!
5th Annual Gary Alsobrooks Award
One of the clubs original members, Gary Alsobrooks succumbed to a lengthy battle with cancer on February 11 th
2008, after beating it on two previous occasions. He was
49 yrs old and left behind a wonderful wife (Lynette) and a
very cool teenage son, Ryan. His life was celebrated on
Valentine’s day, and myself along with three other SCOA
members from Indianapolis (Marc Allen, Stu Akers and Ken
McDowell) made the trip to Hendersonville, TN to pay our
respects.
I met Gary at the SCOA Midwest Regionals in 2005, along
with Lynnette and Ryan. We instantly became friends in this
small “car community”. From that point on the Alsobrooks
were regulars at the Shelby Spring Fling and the SCOA Midwest Regional. Gary was instrumental in promoting the
club, growing the membership and more importantly – helping to gain interest in regional events.
Gary would sit outside with us at night during what became
known as “Trailer Park Talks” and even let (then 12yrs old)
Ryan sit with us. Some would question that move as we
weren’t always on the best behavior, but at the end of the
day I think Gary knew the “car enthusiast” trait in all of us is
what would really rub off on young Ryan. Well the car blood
runs in the family as Ryan is now following in his dad’s footsteps….driving and ’84 SVO and working with his uncle (Carl
Phillips) to get Gary’s pride & joy back on the road…1985
#49.
Lynette & Ryan returned to the Shelby Spring Fling in 2012
where we had our best attendance as a club, and won the
highly coveted Club Participation award for the 4th time in 5
years….something that would have made Gary VERY proud.
It was Gary’s passion, and distinct southern drawl in saying
“Come on y’all, we can do this” that led Charlie Smith, Tony
Brodzeller, Mark Sweet, Dan Aiken & I to push very hard
every winter to bring all the Saleens out of the woodwork
and take the crown starting in 2008, just three months after
his passing. Each year that we won the award we donated it
back to charity in Gary’s name – and in 2012 I had the privilege to have Ryan up on stage with me to accept the award
check in his dad’s honor.
Gary was about more than just Saleen’s however – he was
all things Mustang. It started out with Shelby’s and grew to
include SVO’s and of course his last love, a 1985 Saleen #49 to be exact. It’s white with blue stripes and gold
wheels, built from an LX with blue interior – and it is a “Big
Wing” car to boot. Of course this helped him coin is online
name we all came to know - BigWingSaleen. Gary was a
founding member of the Music City Mustang club in 1980,
and then a founding member, board member and newsletter
editor for the SVOCA, which formed in 1998. And of course
Gary was one of the original members of the SCOA in 2003.
The Gary Alsobrooks award was started in late 2008 by
Charlie, Tony, myself and other board members as a way to
pay tribute to our fallen friend, and to honor the club member that most represents the motto of this club – FUN,
FRIENDSHIPS & SALEENS. The inaugural recipient was Marc
Allen. Marc went above and beyond the call of duty with the
restoration process of Tony Brodzeller’s 1985 #127 which
began in 2008 shortly after the Nationals. The award was
given around Christmas time, and in late 2009 it was decided the award would be voted on and awarded each year
at our National Event.
In 2010 at the Orange County Choppers facility in Newburgh, NY the award was given to George Gast, who was
instrumental in the motor build for Brian Beard’s 1987
Gary and Ryan Alsobrooks pose at the 2007 Shelby Spring fling with 1985 #049. The SCOA missed the
coveted Club Participation award that year by just a few cars. Little did we know this would be Gary’s
last Fling. His inspiration led us to take the crown four out of the next five years in his honor.
SEPTEMBER 2013
17
Stroker Project. Like Marc, George has a wealth of knowledge about Fox Mustangs and knows his way around motors. He’s always willing to lend a helping hand for fellow
Saleen and Mustang owners alike.
The following year in Madison, IN the award was given to
Tony Day, our club’s Vice President and resident Aussie, who
probably logs more miles each summer in the USA than
most of us that live here! Of course those miles are spent
from one coast to the other, attending and promoting the
SCOA at Mustang and SCOA events alike. If you’ve never
met Tony & Brenda Day, well you should. Truly great people that embody the “Friendships” in our motto.
In April of 2012 we lost another young member to cancer –
FAR too young in fact at just 33 yrs old. Greg Lipsey was an
avid Mustang guy, much like Gary. He was always online
providing assistance for all things Mustangs, whether on the
SCOA forum, Four Eyed Pride and others. Greg helped with
hard to find parts, grabbing items locally and shipping to
others. One of his last offerings of assistance was to help
George Gast with a 3-piece Stern project. Greg’s battle with
cancer worsened to the point of not being able to speak, but
he didn’t stop helping and promoting the hobby until the end
– and for that the 2012 Gary Alsobrooks award was given
posthumously to Greg Lipsey. The award was accepted by
good friend Bob Goodson, and presented the following week
to his wife Rebecca and son Noah.
This year I nominated two individuals to receive the award
as a “team” and my fellow board members quickly agreed.
These folks embody everything that this club is about. FUN
– you bet these two know how to have fun. They host one
of the best events of the year in the Spring - a simple cookout and then a nice jaunt across town for a big cruise in. I
say “simple cookout” because the concept is simple, but it is
FAR from simple with all the work they put in to promote
and put on an event that started with a handful, grew to 25,
50 and now 75 people. I’ve seen how much fun it is, thus I
decided to drive 1000 miles round trip for it…yes, for a cookout! FRIENSHIPS – well I’ve said it before, you don’t pull 75
people and 35 cars (28 of them Saleens) to a weekend
cookout just to hang out with folks you don’t like. And
SALEENS – well I think five Saleens (two Stangs, two Trucks
and a Focus) has that covered. Heck they even have a dedicated office in their house just for their SCOA duties. I was
happy to nominate these fine folks, and I was even prouder
to stand alongside Tony Day and hand the 2013 Gary Alsobrooks Award to Lee & Nancy Reese!
I hope I was able to paint a little bit of a picture of the great
man that we honor ever summer! Gary was a dear friend
and valuable member of this club, and for those that had the
privilege of knowing him we will always be grateful. Folks
like Marc Allen, George Gast, Tony Day, Greg Lipsey and the
Reese’s fully embody the spirit and motto of this club—
something very near and dear to Gary’s heart. —Ed
Lee & Nancy Reese pose with Steve Saleen after receiving the 2013 Gary Alsobrooks Award at the Saturday evening banquet. With Steve in attendance for the first time in our 10 year history, I’m confident Gary was smiling down on them!
18
SEPTEMBER 2013
Thank You From The Chairman
Wow….just wow! I can hardly believe what just happened. For
me, this was the greatest communion of Saleen and other Ford
owners, volunteers, sponsors, and others that helped along the
way that I've ever been a part of. It's taken me a week to recover
and put this "thank-you" together, mainly because the debt owed
is exhaustive! Yes there were a few hiccups along the way, but I
just kept hearing how folks were just really pleased with how
things went, and a lot of the credit has been given to me. I certainly worked hard to make this happen, but the credit is really
owed to the terrific group of volunteers that were so instrumental in making this happen. These folks spent a lot of time towards
this event and deserve a big round of applause and I just can't say
enough about their contribution. I apologize in advance if I left
somebody off….hey, I'm old!
In no particular order:
*Adam Hair - chief co-conspirator, Sponsor Chairman
*Gary & Betsy Korpe - can't say enough about these two fine people. Hotel and meet and greet venue coordination, managed the
entire Lone Star Convention Center setup, game day, and tear
down, as well as the cruise route and stop-over point.
*Jacquie Hair - ran the registration desk with sons Sheldon & Tyler, tabulated show votes, managed the 50/50.
*Craig Stanfield - banquet coordinator….what a fantastic job he
did! Venue, food, tables….he did it all!
*World's Greatest Banquet Hosts (Roland & Melinda) - I think
people will be talking about this banquet for years to come! Fantastic location, collection, decorations, and all the support along
the way!
*Nicole Jimenez - Duchess of Transportation, arranged our "ride
in style" to/from the banquet; local paper coordination.
*Vince Deli - Special Vehicle Coordinator, Phil Frank chauffer,
inside and outside-staging cars outside (hot!), tables, check in,
banners, unload, loading, cleanup etc...
*Chad Mowrey - event "muscle"….did anything needed at any
time, inside, staging,PR, cleanup, banners, unload-load.
*Cliff Parsons - inside and outside, staging, signs, unloading etc...
*Kevin and Tina Marujo - Kevin inside and outside-signs, fuel
check staging, tables, shopping, unloading. Tina helped Betsy on
Friday with the entire setup, move tables chairs, display, show
registration etc...
*Ron Moser - inside, staging, banners.
*Stephanie & Seth Johnson - name tags for registration.
*Megan and Graham Sims (Gary's kids) - inside and outside staging cars outside (hot!), signs, food, tables, unloading, cleanup.
*Michael Hyde - karting coordinator, inside staging.
*Chris & Grayce Yannuzzi - T-shirts and Big Drive coordination.
*Parker Golightly & Adrian Chastain - Interweb publicity, chief
purveyor of Apple-Pie Moonshine!
*Frank Messina - Mr. Checkbook…always there to settle our
debts!
*Rick LeBeau - The Prez, and source of many many sage suggestions for how to pull this off.
*Debbie LeBeau – always there with great input, show day help
*Lee and Nancy Reese - SO much help from these great folks registration spreadsheet, dash plaques, coloring books, templates
for show registration, voting sheets, game-day registration desk
and voting.
*Jason Smith - PoweRRR editor who flew in from Indy to capture
all the event fun.
*Chlee Green - President of the Northside Mustang Club and the
voice of our show award presentation.
*Dennis Mickelberry - last years Nationals Chairman and always
there to give guidance when I needed it.
*Chuck D - creator of the 2013 Nationals coloring book that got such
rave reviews
*Phil Frank - for assisting with gathering S7 owners to the event.
And others that will not be forgotten!!
And we were honored to have so many special guests, including:
Steve, Liz, & Molly Saleen, as well as Hans Myer from Saleen
Designer extraordinaire Phil Frank
Daryle Nelson - Gullo Ford Internet & Saleen Sales Manager
Mark Provenzano and his wide body, tube framed, 3V, Mystic beast
Jim Dvorak - Saleen Owners & Enthusiasts Club
Rudy & Betsy Beyer of the SOEC with their new S-351
Saleen S7 owners Tony Gullo, Ron Wade, and Kim Lee
Ron and Sharon Baker with their awesome Saleen/Allen race car
Robert McCaskill with the Barricade car
Long Hauler Awards:
- Driven: Ron Wade with his S7 from Washington state!
- Non Driven: Tony Day from Australia
Title Sponsor: Gullo Ford
Platinum Sponsors: Late Model Restoration & National Parts Depot
Banquet Hosts: Roland & Melinda
Club Participation Awards: Northside Mustangs, Mustang Club of
Houston, Montgomery County Mustangs
Valued Sponsors and Auction Item Donators:
Title Sponsor: Gullo Ford, who without this event would not have
been possible! Huge thanks to Sparky & Tony Gullo, Daryl Nelson,
and Jeff Murray!!
Platinum sponsors National Parts Depot & Latemodel Restoration
Eagle One Car Care Products
Hagerty Insurance
Silver Horse Racing
Royal Purple
Circle D Transmissions
Ford Marketing - NewScope Marketing
MoSaleen - Scott Van Hoose
Auto Exam
Premier Auto Glass
Scott Warren
Frank Messina
Rick LeBeau
Jason Chatterley
Tony Day
Thanks to those above, the Silent Auction brought in $1,000 for
charity this year!
Other honorable mentions:
- Heide Van Horne for the event article in the Houston Chronicle
- Brad Bowling for signing dozens of The Saleen Book for us
- Lone Star Convention Center - Don Carpenter
- DJ Arthur Zapata
- Dobbin Saloon and Grill
- Texas Roadhouse
- Holiday Inn Express and Hampton Inn
- All the Saleen friends that traveled so many miles to share this
fantastic experience with us, all the local car club members that
came out to support our cause and enjoy the weekend!
Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.
Sincerely,
Joe Mills
State Rep—TX
2013 Nationals Show Chairman
SEPTEMBER 2013
19