American stars at Americarna show
Scott Brown, the United States Ambassador to New Zealand, says he and his wife Gail felt immediately at home when they saw the Stars and Stripes flying in Taranaki.
‘‘I’m not going to lie it’s pretty cool,’’ he said yesterday.
Brown, who lives in Lower Hutt, braved the wet weather in New Plymouth to visit Americarna for the first time and said it was the biggest car show he had ever seen.
‘‘The ones I usually see are 300 to 400 cars,’’ he said of the shows in America he attended.
Brown had his own mini collection of cars back in his hometown of New Hampshire, including a limited edition 1980 MGB and a GMC Sierra, but was hitching a ride with Americarna’s event director John Rae to Stratford and Ha¯wera as part of yesterday’s schedule of events.
It is Brown’s first proper visit to the region as US Ambassador so during his time here he would also visit Fonterra, meet with iwi and call on some schools before he leaves on Monday.
On Thursday, Americarna hit Waitara before heading to a street party in Inglewood.
A selection of cars also visited some New Plymouth rest homes.
Radius Thornleigh Park rest home resident Ruth Julian, 97, got a chance to ride in a candy apple red Buick.
The Brixton local said she was 18 when she learnt how to drive and was taught by her then-boyfriend, who later became her husband.
Julian said that her husband was a good teacher but she had to stop driving at 89 because of her failing eyesight.
Last night, the popular cruise through New Plymouth’s CBD was held.
Today, Americarnival day is on in the central city from 10am until 3pm.