Brookdale Car Show

by Fred CookPosted on June 20, 2017 Posted in Events — No Comments ↓

     On Saturday June 17, 2017, the SBCC and the AACA (Antique Automobile Club of America) joined together to show our cars at the Brookdale Palmer Ranch Assisted Living.  They have a wonderful facility including a circle drive in front, perfect for a car show.  This is the fifth outreach we have joined together with the AACA to bring something new and different to the residents of assisted living facilities.

     The residents came out, some in wheel chairs and others on walkers, to inspect and comment on our cars.  One lovely well-dressed lady with pearls and matching earrings told President Jim Wilson she had heard if she was outside by 11 am she could enter a “raffle for one of the cars.” She picked new member John Magine’s beautiful black 1957 MGA.  Of course she was quite sharp spoofing us about the raffle, and John was able to leave with the car he came in.  Other residents were just glad to have a good reason to get outside and get some fresh air.  There were about 20 cars in attendance with eight from the SBCC.  Brookdale provided burgers and hot dogs, lemonade and ice cream for all.

     If you would like to participate in one of these events in the future, please check our calendar tab to see when the next show is coming up.  

Written by Jim Wilson

2017 Poker Run

by Fred CookPosted on April 30, 2017 Posted in Events — No Comments ↓

Having “won” this event last year, Fred and Kathleen Cook had the honor of organizing this year’s edition. The event was held the afternoon of April 23 with great top-down weather under partly cloudy skies. Ten cars participated in the “run.” The first stop was the 100 year-old “Little White Church at Bee Ridge” Presbyterian Church in Sarasota. It soon became evident that the theme of the game was old little white churches because the second stop was the white clapboard Sandy Baptist Church on the northeast side of Myakka State Park. This was followed by the Old Miakka Church, after which the route returned to downtown Sarasota and the Crocker Memorial Church. The fifth stop, and the food and watering hole, turned out to be the home of club members.

The total route was about 70 miles although two of the drivers missed the turn for the second stop, which added a couple dozen miles of open road and rural scenery to the day’s excursion. But they got back on track and joined their thirsty and hungry colleagues at the final destination.

In all, 24 members participated in the festivities. The coveted second prize (a SBCC logo garage parking mat) was won by Jerry Madden and Pat Hull. Jack and Nancy Hartley, sporting the best hand with an Ace high flush, were the big winners, collecting the unique traveling trophy, a SBCC logo polo shirt and the exclusive right to host Poker Run 2018!

2017 Fourth Annual 50+ Car Show and Picnic

by Fred CookPosted on April 20, 2017 Posted in Events — No Comments ↓

By Bruce Skaggs

The Suncoast  Club held it’s fourth annual 50+ car show and picnic Saturday, April 15, to a great turnout.  This show, put on by Gene and Betsy McOmber, had eight British cars fifty years old or older with a total of twenty British cares in attendance.  While there were no official awards, the featured cars all received special recognition and a special parking spot.  The members brought their own lunch and afterwards everyone had a great time telling stories (lies) about their great cars.  Being a Triumph guy, I must mention that this was a Triumph day although the three Morgans and the Jags were also impressive.  In my mind, the two outstanding cars were the two TR3’s of Fred Cook and Craig Dozois.

Thanks Gene and Betsy for a great time.

2017 Farlow’s on the Water

by Fred CookPosted on March 26, 2017 Posted in Events — No Comments ↓

On Saturday, March 25, the club drove to Farlow’s On the Water in Englewood for a late lunch. Beginning at one of our usual starting points, the Clark Rd. Chick-fil-A, Jack Hartley plotted a leisurely drive that was half bucolic countryside and half Florida strip mall territory. (Some of us who have not driven south on Honore Avenue in the past few months were amazed at how quickly the cow pastures are morphing into new gated housing developments.) It was great top down weather. The 11 car caravan met up with a contingent of 4-5 cars of our southern members at the restaurant.

Farlow’s has just recently finished an extensive remodeling, adding a spacious covered patio on the bank of Ainger Creek. We had a total of 35 people at the event. Everyone found the food and service to be wonderful.

Jack Hartley contributed to this story.

2017 Highland Games

by Fred CookPosted on February 7, 2017 Posted in Events — No Comments ↓

The 23rd Annual Sarasota Highland Games and Celtic Festival was held on February 4 at the Sarasota County Fairgrounds. The weather forecast was for good top-down conditions but the cool early morning temperature had everyone bundling up for the drive in. By midafternoon, however, the strong Florida sun had raised the mercury into the high 70’s. With a yellow Lotus that came in later, we had another good turnout of 18 cars this year. There was a great cross section of LBCs, including new member Walt Rinker’s ’81 Delorean, Alex Huppe’s Rover and Morgans from the 50’s, 60’s and 90’s, not to mention many of our TR3’s.

A crowd of several thousand enjoyed the music, dancing, sheep dog demonstration and athletics. Like past years, there were a large number of food and drink concessions. Walking from the dance competition to the athletic fields, one was accompanied by the smell of freshly-made fish and chips wafting on the gentle breeze. In addition, there were vendors for all sorts of Scottish and Celtic-themed clothing and other paraphernalia.

The Games judges awarded club members the following ribbons: 1st Place – Jim Wilson (1973 TR6), 2nd Place – Gene Cohen (1960 Jaguar Mk IX) and 3rd Place – Fred Cook (1957 TR3).

[Thanks to Jim Wilson for supplying the alternative facts for this post.]