The Road Spins Round

By Paula Saylor

May 6th, 2006 was a beautiful spring day as 112 vehicles lined up in downtown Elkin, NC for the 6th annual "Appalachian Moonshine Rally".

As always folks were excited as each driver waited his turn at the starting line where Jon Saylor, Rally Master par excellence operated his new Stop/Go traffic light he engineered just for the rallys. As simple as this sounds, the wait can be intense when you have that many drivers barley able to contain the mechanical "horse" power just chomping at the bit to be off and running! I think it’s safe to say the "Run for the Roses" didn’t have much of anything on these "jockeys"! Participants came from Virginia, New York, all parts of North Carolina and Tennessee. The appeal of this rally seems to broaden every year.

When the last car was off, Jon and his faithful workers headed for the finish point which this year was "Round Peak Vineyards". This is one of the most picturesque vineyards in the area and produces an absolutely sumptuous line of wines. The owners/operators of Round Peak, George and Lee Martin were most gracious in accommodating our groups needs. They worked with Jon in laying out the best display venue for the cars, arranged for a caterer to make delicious food available for our travel weary participants, held wine tastings to aquatint those who were interested in their products and processes and otherwise met any need these guest had. In fact, they truly not only "met" the needs of their customers, they far "exceeded" them and we gladly take this opportunity to give them our deepest thanks!

Although some of our most ardent supporters such as Gary Brierton, Harold Arrowood and last years winner Piers Clarkson were unable to attend this year due to prior commitments there was still a lot of healthy competitiveness among the drivers. However, a driver is only as good as his navigator and the navigator is only as good as the driver allows him to be by listening to his directions! Every man in the free world should recognize this, as you have all been accused at one time or another of being lost and refusing to admit it. HEHEHE

The navigators did have their hands full on this route because every road and turn was a potential "Kodak" moment. In fact, many drivers expressed how difficult it was to concentrate on the directions because they wanted to stop or at least slow down and drink in the beauty around them! This reaction is exactly what the Moonshine rally hopes to accomplish every year. A chance to step out of the normally mad paced lives we lead and drink in the gentle beauty of our world that lies barley hidden on the next road over.

For example, the checkpoint for this year was on the Blue Ridge Parkway at a small country store. This store not only offered a postcard view of the parkway and a chance to refresh your body, but also offered some local crafts and music for sale and a charming, little art gallery out back. There was a house along the route, abandoned and falling in on itself that one could imagine the past glory of especially when you factored in the breath taking view of it’s location. One road twisted through a mountain like a slithering snake and offered a magnificent view not only of the blue and white doors of heaven, but also the sheer, plunging depth to the valley below; just a little bit of a tummy roller! Still another gave a panoramic view of rolling hills, newly turned fields, grazing cattle and lazy cats. There was even an apple orchard that hosted delicious smelling blossoms for miles and miles on yet another area of the drive; a 2 hour, 32 minute, and 58 seconds drive of pure pleasure. There was a total of 112 cars started and 109 finished; of these, there were seven Healeys and 29 other marques. Not bad numbers for something that was so small six years ago!!

You can guess I’m sure what the priorities upon arriving at the winery were.

Facilities and scores of course. The winery offered pretty sufficient facilities for immediate use, but scoring takes just a bit longer. Last year, as many of you will remember, Matthew Freed, a faithful ralliest and friend developed a computer program to expedite the scoring process, but even that takes time.

Meanwhile participants milled around eating, tasting wines, visiting with each other and generally enjoying their surroundings. Finally after what always seems an eternity the results were in and the prizes were ready to be handed out. Prizes this year included handmade, miniature moonshine stills, copies of the 1950’s movie "Thunder Road", featuring the late "Robert Mitchum" when he was still a hunk, Revenuer Bills Moonshine cake in a jar and Revenuer Bills Moonshine Jelly. Below, you will find a list of the winners and Jon wants to thank each and every person who was a part of this year’s rally for their support and participation. Additionally, this year we added one new prize to the mix for the club having the most participating entries, and that went to the "Carolina’s Miata Club" from Charlotte. It doesn’t matter how you came to be in the rally, what you drove, or where you placed, you folks make this rally a very special event for us and we Thank You!!

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Appalachian Moonshine Rally Results

May 6, 2006

Fin Pos. - Car # - Driver / Navigator - Car Make - Penalty Points

1. 84 Ken Bolick / Linda Bolick ‘82 Datsun 280 ZX 32

2. 13 Kevin Harper / Barrie Harper ‘76 Fiat 124 Spider 99

3. 3 Jason Kennedy / Garrett Wieringa ‘90 Mazda Miata 112

4. 48 Dave Brendle / Dianne Brendle ‘65 Ford Mustang 112

5. 78 Phil Evns / Ruth Evans ’69 Porsche 912 122

6. 81 Ed Fesmire / Linda Fesmire ’99 Chevy Corvette 138

7. 58 Dana Loomis / Leslie Elliott ’86 BMW 535I 148

8. 21 Gary Shaver / Debbie Shaver ’63 Austin-Healey 3000 170

9. 54 Bruce Younts / Eric Younts ’04 Mini-Cooper – S 190

10. 12 Mike Jones / Royce Porter ’76 MGB 196

11. 53 Jeff Irwin / Alex Irwin ’79 MGB 203

12. 6 Robert McNabb / Tracy McNabb ’80 Fiat Spider 216

13. 35 Wes Young / Holly Young ’91 Alfa Romeo Spider 235

14. 8 Denise Burchette / Ron Burchette ’72 Fiat Spider 236

15. 73 Frank Zamaroni / Jim Horton ’02 Jaguar XJ-8 246

16. 14 Robert Wilds / ?? ’67 Alfa Romeo Spider 249

17. 92 Rich Little / ?? ’94 Mazda Miata 275

18. 34 Taylor McCaskill / Jacquelyn Gobre ’06 BMW 24M Roadster 293

19. 74 Dwayne Gentry / ?? ’92 Mazda Miata 293

20. 82 Chuck Bohrer / Connie Bohrer ’94 Mazda Miata 303

21. 76 Mike Rohm / Chris Rohm ’01 Mazda Miata 312

22. 105 Chris Bates / William Porter ’58 Austin-Healey 100-6 318

23. 15 Larry Yow / Glenda Yow ’95 Chev. Corevette 326

24. 42 Gene Spainhour / Pat Harris ’94 Morgan +8 352

25. 103 Nathaniel Eliason / Kirk Sanders ’86 Alfa Romeo Spider 352

26. 43 Clint Johnson / Barb Johnson ’04 Nissan 350Z 368

27. 2 Rees Brody / Nancy Brody ’74 Trriumph TR-6 390

28. 50 Rodney Trask / Teri Trask ’02 Mini Cooper S 397

29. 7 Clifton Gordon / Terry Gordon ’74 MGB 409

30. 101 William Dymond / Kim Dymond ’73 Merc. 450SL 424

31. 44 George Eckart / George J. Eckhart ’64 Chev. Corevette 434

32. 26 Jeff Cecil / Pam Cecil ’66 MGB 457

33. 10 Bill Neas / Jan Neas ’60 Austin-Healey Sprite 464

34. 86 Robert Cain / Pam Cain ’95 Mazda Miata 470

35. 45 Rice Strange / Natalie Strange ’74 Toyota Land Cruiser 476

36. 52 Dave Albert / Cheryl Albert ’03 Mazda Miata 494

37. 51 Bill McCord / Pam Becker ’04 Mazda Miata 498

38. 88 Mark Heatley / Steve Pepper ’91 Mazda Miata 522

39. 56 Charles Weill / Adelaide Sanford-Wade ’86 Alfa Romeo Spider 527

40. 17 Toby Rufty / James Rufty ’71 Fiat Spider 532

41. 18 John Oliver / Sandra Oliver ’52 MG-TD 533

42. 55 Teddy Eng / Rosa Eng ’04 Mazda Miata 542

43. 91 Debbie Thomas / Larry Thomas ’97 Mazda Miata 549

44. 60 Rebecca Ashburn / Oide Sleelt ’01 Toyota MR-2 566

45. 72 Fred Patric / Jason F. Patric ’58 Austin-Healey 100-6 576

46. 5 Ken Nicks / Patricia F. Nicks ’74 MGB-GT 579

47. 87 Walter Emory / Katharine Emory ’90 Mazda Miata 579

48. 16 Bill Adams / Theresa Adams ’79 Fiat 124 612

49. 49 Adam Pristas / Kristie Pristas ’92 Mazda Miata 630

50. 110 Ken Pinkney / ?? ’86 Mitsubishi Starion 642

51. 31 Avdo Aljie / Maggie Johnson ’96 Audi A-4 662

52. 108 John Cole / Steve Kleinert ’01 Porsche Boxter 668

53. 111 Geoff Guerdat / Angela DeMatteo ’67 Fiat 124 SD 672

54. 68 Brad Day / Anne Marie Vincent ’02 BMW 2002 674

55. 20 Bob Cattera / Gail Gray ’81 Fiat X-1/9 676

56. 64 Bob King / Sandra King ’90 Ferrari 348 TS 704

57. 29 Jack McGahey / Caroline McGahey ’80 Triumph TR-8 718

58. 93 Ken Finch / Rosemary Finch ’03 Mazda Miata 725

59. 32 Erik Jordan / Missy Jordan ’99 Nissan Altima 742

60. 95 Dana Baker / Glenda Wooten ’96 Mazda Miata M 743

61. 27 Bill Hawkins / Deborah Hawkins ’70 MGB-GT 757

62. 47 Amedeo DeCarolis / Krista Miller ’00 Benz E-320 773

63. 9 Larry B. Jarvis / Karen Jarvis ’55 Austin-Healey 100-M 791

64. 66 Doug Pfitzenmaier / Ruth Pfitzenmaier ’62 Austin-Healey 3000 791

65. 63 William McGee / Denise McGee ’96 Mazda Miata 793

66. 99 Dave koch / Kim Koch ’04 Nissan 350 Z 816

67. 46 Nancy Billenstine / William Billenstine ’97 Mazda Miata 820

68. 102 Brook Smith / Shane Johnson ’69 BMW 2002 822

69. 106 Austin Colcord / nancy Zimmerman ’57 Austin-Healey 100-6 829

70. 97 Walter Taylor / Carol Taylor ’04 Honda S-2000 843

71. 65 Bryan Settle / Ann Hammond ’03 Nissan 350Z 852

72. 24 Clyde Hollar / Karen Hollar ’72 MGB 857

73. 4 Eric Freed / Ted Briengar ‘70 Jaguar XKE FCH 872

74. 19 Randy Sullivan / Lou Sullivan ’76 Triumph Spitfire 872

75. 96 Alen Lane / Nancy Lane ’02 Mazda Miata 884

76. 104 Steve Joiner / Nora Garver ’86 Alfa Romeo Velore 900

77. 38 Mark Moffatt / Kim McCaskill ’03 Mini Cooper 904

78. 70 Ronnie Williams / Jackie Justice ’97 Mazda Miata 916

79. 39 Rob Ziglar / Debbie Zigler ’00 Porsche Boxter 920

80. 100 Mickey Story / Anne Story ’05 Mini Cooper S 932

81. 41 Melody Zigler / Luke Zigler ’87 Mercedes 560 938

82. 11 Scott Sturdy / Tony Vrseckey ’73 BMW 2002 952

83. 59 Tom Jones / ?? ’01 Mazda MP-3 953

84. 25 Wayland Plaster / Nancy Plaster ’68 Triumph TR-250 981

85. 75 David Gable / Tina Gable ’02 Mini Cooper S 984

86. 90 Dorothy Wiland / Vinnie Ruscitti ’00 Mazda Miata 1013

87. 37 Harrison McCaskill / Hannah Wright ’89 BMW M-3 1017

88. 89 Charles Mock / Charlene Mock ’01 Mazda Miata 1053

89. 98 John Hall Jr. / Jennifer Hall ’78 MGB 1094

90. 107 Scott L. Gwyn // ?? ’86 Mercedes 560SL 1100

91. 71 Denice Thompson / Bob Thompson ’76 Austin Mini 1103

92. 1 Matthew Freed / Abby Freed ’73 MGB-GT 1128

93. 69 Willie Ortiz / Dargll Ovtiz ’00 Mazda Miata 1153

94. 83 Sabrena Gray / David Gray ’01 Mazda Miata 1243

95. 62 Shawn Hooper / ?? ’96 Mazda Miata 1450

96. 22 Robert Yokley / Teresa Todd ’75 Triumph TR-6 1492

97. 67 Danny Jacob / ?? ’60 MGA 1493

98. 94 Jim Gibson / Rebecca Gibson ’93 Mazda Miata 1500

99. 40 George West / John Steel ’95 Saturn 1552

100. 77 Charles Roberts / Maxine Roberts ’79 MGB 1642

101. 33 Mark Raines / John Sarda ’93 Saab Conv. 1651

102. 57 Tony Robertson / Carl Smith ’97 Mazda Miata 1780

103. 80 Brantley Wilkie / Pamela Wilkie ’02 Mazda Miata 1882

104. 79 Kelvin Crisp / Lindsey Crisp ’95 Mazda Miata 1903

105. 30 Bill Baird / Harriett Baird ’72 MGB 2187

106. 85 Nick Padgett / Dana Steinke ’06 Mazda MX-5 2237

107. 28 Harley Blodgett / Ellaine Blodgett ’59 Triumph TR-3 2343

108. 36 John Parker / Kaye Parker ’87 Alfa Romeo Spider 2401

109. 23 Tyrone Stoner / Esther Stoner ’57 Triumph TR-3 2522

110. Umberto Terreni / Jonathan Adamski ’58 Fiat 1100TV DNF

111 Donald King / ?? ’82 Alfa Romeo GT-V6 DNF

112 ??? Dean / ?? Dean ‘?? Toyota DNF