Panhandle British Car Association - April 2007 Newsletter

BRITS ON THE BAY - APR= IL 24

Bill Moseley

April 14 - STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL CAR SHOW - ONE WEEK BEFORE BRITS on the BAY= - Highly Recommended! PBCA and other British clubs have been invited to the Loxley, Alabama Baldwin County Strawberry Festival All-Car Show. They will have a British Car Class this year. This is the 20^=
th annual Strawberry Festival. I= t will be in their City Park, which is a very nice setting for the show. Enj= oy strawberry treats!

It will be a great warm-up for PBCA’s Brits on the Bay – Let’= ;s support them! For registration form, go to www= .BaldwinCountyStrawberryFestival.org or contact Tom Schmitz, 251 961-7171, for times and directions.<= /span>

BRIT= S on the BAY

April 21 - The PANHANDLE BRITISH CAR ASSOCIATION presents the Fifteenth Annual = Pensacola British Car Show, Brits on the Bay, on April 21, 2007. This year it will be held at Admiral Mason Park on Bayfront Parkway in Pensacola, just a few feet from the beautiful waters of the Gul= f of Mexico. It’= ;s a lovely vacation or weekend paradise only walking distance to restaurants and shopping in Pensacola’s historic district.

Accommodations are available at the PENSACOLA BEA= CH RESORT (no longer a Best Western), (800) 934-3301, (850) 934-3300, at $109 for isl= and side rooms and $129.00 for beach front rooms for the special BRITISH CAR SH= OW rate. We will have dusk to dawn professional security at the motel parking = lot both Friday and Saturday nights. Those who mention they are with the British Car Show will receive the reduced rates as long as they are available.=

A new, improved show site…

For the past 14 years the PBCA has had the opportunity to hold our annual British Car Show at Pensacola Beach just yards from the Gulf of Mexico. As we have grown we have face= d many challenges to fit our ever-growing show into the limited space available on= the beach. Although
it was a parking lot show, with t= he beach right there, the location was always a big draw.

In 2006, our show was almost blown away by an unexpected sand storm. Almost all cars required a thorough cleaning after the event. Thi= s year we had the opportunity to relocate to the Pensacola waterfront near downtown, just 100 feet from the waters of Pensacola Bay and a short drive from the host hotel.

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This location is just off Interstate I-110 with easy access and almost no traffic problems. A big plus - we wil= l hold the 15th Annual British car show on GRASS.   We hope our attendees will enjoy this year's n= ew location.

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For more information, registration forms, assista= nce, or to become a sponsor of our show, go to the PBCA website at www.pb= ca1.com or contact Tom Schmitz, 9609 Soldiers Creek Dr, Lillian, AL, 36549 (251) 961-7171, tschmitz@ametro.net . =

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Directions to show site from I-10      = (We are in downtown Pensacola this year.)

Exit onto I-110 heading south toward downtown Pensacola. Do not= take any exits but continue to the end of the interstate. (You will pass the Civic Center on your left). Get in the far right lane ASAP at the end of the ramp, as you need to turn right at traffic light at 9^th Avenue. The show= site faces 9^th Avenu= e about 1/4 mile on your left. = Look for entrance signs to show and trailer parking if needed.

The Friday night Red Beans and Rice Party, “Beach Bash”, will again be held at Best Western on Pensacola Beach. From the interstate, follow signs = to Beaches, travel through Gulf Breeze, then turn right at the Pensacola Beach sign, go over the toll bridge to the beach and about 1 mile down on your ri= ght is the Best Western

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Past Events

P= anama City British Car Show – March 10 – Thirteen PBCA members attended the Panama City, Florida Show, which was he= ld in conjunction with the Highland Games. The winners were Pat and Lou Ballard.

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At= Panama City, L to= R, Margaret and Bob Henson, Peggy Overly, Melissa and Bill Silhan, Ron and Lyn= da Pardo, Ralph Overly, Beth Messick, Keith Sanders, Tom Schmitz

(P= hotographer unknown)

PBCA Chili Cook Off – Feb. 25 - The 2^nd annual chili cook off took place at the Spanish Cove Clubhouse, Lillian, Alabama= . We all sampled six expertly prepar= ed pots of chili, took a secret vote, and the winner was Tom Schmitz. All were excellent but Tom’s Toenail Curling Chili, in my opinion, hit the spot. Tom cooks his beans separately bec= ause he doesn’t want them to be gooey. Tom’s chili has an unusual, dark flavor that I have never tast= ed before. Delicious! About twenty members were on hand = and Frank Straub of Mardi Gras MGs and his dad were there.

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At PBCA Chili Cook Off, L to R, Marie Olive, Beth Messick, Curt and Midge Derb= y, Carla Willows, Ralph Overly in background, Tom Schmitz, PBCA President, Mic= key Kay, Scott Putriment in background.

        =             &nb= sp;            =             &nb= sp;            =             &nb= sp;       Photo: Bill Moseley

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Ri= chard and Carla Willows’ chili didn’t win the Chili Cook Off but their Austin-Healey was certainly a winner!

        =             &nb= sp;            =             &nb= sp;            =             &nb= sp;            =            Photo: Bill Moseley

Fairhope Arts and Cra= fts Festival – Fairhope, Alabama – March 17 - PBCA and SABCC again joined the lead club, Mardi Gras MG’s, for a car display on the green of Faulkner State Community Coll= ege. It’s definitely “the best parking place in Fairhope” to p= ark and enjoy the huge Festival which encompasses every street in Fairhope. This year, Dick Bishop, Chairman o= f the Mardi Gras MG’s invited the Pensacola Sonnenschein (Sunshine) Porsche Club = to join us on the green. (We wil= l join Sonnenschein at NAS Pensacola on May 12.) Seventeen Porsches, a BMW, and a = VW Jetta joined twenty British cars to make the car display a major attraction= for the large Festival crowd.

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So= me of the 20 British cars at Fairhope        =             &nb= sp;            photo: Dick Bishop

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Welcomen to Seventeen Sonnenschein Club Porsches        =             &nb= sp;        Photo: Dick Bishop

Upcoming April - May Events

April 14 – Baldwin County Strawberry Festival, Loxley, AL – All-make show with special class for British cars

May 5 Sat. - Scatter Rally Florida Area (Curt Derby to follow up)

May 12 Sat. – British – European car gathe= ring at National Museum of Naval Aviation, NAS Pensacola, FL <= /p>

May 12 Sat. - Townsend, TN British Car Show

May 19 Sat. - Sports Cars at Buck Park, Helena, AL (a = few miles south of Birmingham) (Birmingham British Motoring Club, www.birminghambmc.org)

May 19 Sat. - British Car Gathering at Berry College, = GA (old Chateau Élan Event)

May 26 to = June 3 All Week - British Car Week "DRIVE YOUR BRITISH CAR!" =

May 26 Sat. - Hadji Temple Car All-Car Show, Pensacola – There is a British Class.

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