30TH GREAT USA DAY
Dunedin car club Stateside Streeters Inc put together another enjoyable Great USA Day event at Tahuna Park in South Dunedin recently.
The standard of cars, pickups, and motorcycles present showed just how strong the car scene is in Dunedin and the extremely high level of quality work being carried out. The club’s 30th annual event attracted exhibitors from all around Otago and as far afield as Christchurch and Invercargill, who all joined in the laid-back atmosphere of a nostalgic slice of Americana. The event was made even more enjoyable by the wonderful weather.
Club secretary Raelene Munro was very pleased with the support the club had received from around the provinces and the feedback she had received: “It’s been great. The feedback has all been positive. There was not one negative comment the whole day.”
The big prize of the day was one night’s accommodation at Homestead Villa Motel, Invercargill, two adult passes to Bill Richardson Transport World, and travel to Invercargill in a Ford Mustang supplied by Dunedin City Ford. However, at the time of writing, the prize had yet to be accepted. “The winning ticket number was 0563 and still hasn’t been claimed, and I’ve even put it on Facebook but no response,” Raelene said. Someone may have thrown away a very good prize it seems; hopefully it will have been claimed by the time this report goes to print.
The club enjoys a high level of local support and sponsorship, and a number of trade suppliers exhibited on the day, along with food stalls. While entrants and spectators enjoyed the picnic atmosphere, they were entertained with music by the Logan Park High School Jazz Band, which was fundraising for travel.
“The kids were great and helped the success of the day. Some of the former members who had left school joined the band for the day and put on a great show,” Raelene told us.
Negotiations with the Dunedin City Council are currently under way to find a new venue for the annual Great USA Day: “It looks like this is the last time we will be able to use Tahuna Park, but we are in discussions with the council to find another suitable venue. There were few available sites large enough and with appropriate facilities,” she said.
Proceeds from this year’s event went to a new organization that the club had chosen. Raelene explained, “It’s a new charity in New Zealand, ‘Casting for Recovery’, which supports rehabilitation for women who have been through the trauma of breast-cancer operations.”
With around 30 active members in the club, it was pleasing to see new members joining and the return of some older members who had not been involved for a while with the club, Raelene said. Stateside Streeters Inc was formed in 1979 and caters for post-1948 American vehicles. Like a number of clubs in the region, it is enjoying a welcome surge in membership. If you are interested in joining the club or taking part in upcoming events, email Raelene at statesidestreetersinc@hotmail.com.
Results People’s Choice
Keeron and Glenys Elliott: 1956 Ford Thunderbird
Top 10 Cars
Dean Crocker: 1948 Chevrolet Pickup Catherine and Wayne Holmes: 1954 Ford
Customline Warren Cherry: 1972 Dodge Challenger Dave Rodgers: Ford Model A Coupe Wayne Mcfarlane: 1968 Chevrolet Camaro Lindsay Mckenzie: 1948 Plymouth Coupe Mark Beer: 1956 Oldsmobile Paul Sibbe: 1956 Buick Convertible Mike Dee: 1965 Chevrolet Impala SS Bob King: 1970 Boss Mustang
Best Club Display
Hurricane Rodders
Longest distance travelled
John Andrew, Waiheke Island
Best Motorcycle
Phil Leyden