Cruise-Ins Bring Back Memories How it all started!
According to Jim LaCoy, Astronaut H.S. vocational teacher and Space Coast Antique Auto Club of America member, Cruise-Ins and car shows became a big part of his life as means to raise funds to enable some of his students to enter ‘The Great Race.’
With help of other car enthusiasts, LaCoy and the students built the cars, raised the money and went off to the adventure of their lifetime. Entering the races in 1996, 1997 and bringing home first prize in 1998 was a unique experience. Most of the cars entered in the race were sponsored and built by large corporations, unlike the Titusville teams whose cars were built and financed by proud community supporters and the student team members.
Chad Nelson with his father,
Robert Nelson, was a father/son team immersed in ‘The Great Race’ experience. Nelson is a mechanical and aerospace engineering major at University of Central Florida. He is a three-time winner the Festival of Speed in Ormond Beach, FL. He remains involved in the auto racing world
consulting with
and other companies interpreting racecar performance data.
NASCAR He
currently owns what he describes as a “restored version of a 1930 Model A Ford Speedster,” one of the “Spirit of Titusville”
team cars entered in
The Great Race. Another regular at
TITUSNites
Cruise-Ins is a beautifully restored bright red fire engine. A charming first person story, written by Lee Dodd, chronicles the fire engine’s beginning (or birth) in 1925 at the
American LaFrance Sporting a shiny paint job and gold
leaf trim, it completed the journey via train from Elmira, NY to its new home in Titusville. Officially retired in February, 1962 and relegated to various storage locations, the slow deterioration
began. Finally
some members of the Space Coast Antique Auto Club of America took on the daunting task of refurbishing the grand old engine to its current pristine condition.
For those of you who are unaware
TitusNites Cruise-In’s, having been hosted in Downtown Titusville for many years, were relocated for a street scape project
in 2010 and
moved to Sand Point Park. Many car clubs and antique car enthusiast still supported the antique car even throughout construction.
Once
the construction was done almost everyone was more than ready to move the TitusNites Cruise-In back on Route One in the Core of Historic Downtown Titusville. As beautiful as the park was it
offered little to do after admiring all the antique cars. Without shops, retail, restaurants and historic charm the Cruise-In was loosing its luster.
factory.
A year later after construction had ended the Cruise-In’s remained at the park. The big sponsors that use to pay for the Cruise- In’s were out of business or not in the financial position to sponsor. After many meetings and budget shifting the Cruise-In’s were able to return to Route One on March 3, 2012. However, due to the lack of sponsors and the exorbitant cost to close a Federal Highway, we are asking everyone who displays an antique car to make a $5.00 donation per vehicle to keep the show in the Historic Core. We hope that everyone locally and from out of town will continue to support our event. This event is still free to the general public.
VISIT US ONLINE AT
WWW.FLHRH.COM I FLORIDA HOT RODS & HOGS I JUNE 2012 31
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