rapid fire
Unique Vehicles Offer Broad Intrigue
Honoring History and Service
Automobiles are truly American, and so is the honored pastime of their appreciation and restoration. Today, many auto shows pay tribute to those in uniform.
Francine Quinn and Stephen Govan, hosts of Fast Cars and Freedom to be held in McLean, Va., Oct. 12, gather to celebrate freedom and servicemembers. Their show raises money for the Fisher House Foundation, which provides lodging for families of servicemembers receiving extended medical care.
According to the show’s website,
www.fastcarsandfreedom.info, “We wanted the show not only to reflect our fondness for ... the greatest cars ever made, but more importantly ... a celebration of the freedom we enjoy in this great country of ours.”
Similarly, the All American Pow Wow, held in July by the Mopar Club San Diego (
www.moparclubsandiego.net), donates its proceeds to Homefront San Diego, a nonprofit that helps military families on the homefront with various expenses.
Other car shows focus exclusively on military vehicles. The Iola Vintage Military Show (
www.iolavms.com), held Aug. 11-12 in Iola, Wis., showcases military vehicles, equipment, large guns, and other machines.
Logging Tank Hours Stateside
Tony Borglum’s Drive-A-Tank (
www.driveatank.com) experience, based in Kasota, Minn., gives servicemembers, veterans, and the public a chance to drive demilled tanks, crush old cars, and shoot a variety of firearms.
As the first such business in the U.S., Drive-A-Tank was inspired by similar facilities in England. “It’s fun,” Borglum says. “It’s interesting.”
The tanks range from an FV-432 Trojan to an FV-433 Abbot. American models are not available because the U.S. military does not release its armor to the public, but the foreign versions come close enough to reality, even for servicemembers, says Borglum. The Marine Corps comes in occasionally to test its delayed entries, and top performers receive bonus sessions.
One Marine who completed the course even bought a package for his parents. “He thought it was a good way for his parents to experience the adventure,” Borglum says. — Mark Burr
DIGITAL EXTRA
Tour the tank arsenal at Drive-A-Tank in Kasota, Minn. Click here to watch a video of the tanks, the course, and more.
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