Update completed for Tuesday Feb 13. Just under $1900 bucks and we can make 10K for this effort.. wow.. Thanks all JW
One liner stories on MG: * At a KS meet decades ago, Mike went down the row of GS's starting them and doing a short description. Didn't know him or if he knew them. lol * Same gathering just after giving the start em up tour, a car did a flyby. Mike calls out "pick your poison!" Found that funny. * Took a nitrous ride in what I think was a brown GS once. The most scared I've been in a car or close to it.... and not because it was that fast. * License plate. lol. Bonus multi-line story: * Driving through KS many years ago and spotted a GSX that needed a resto. "Maybe they dont know what they have" I thought, since it had what looked like snow tires on it. Nah, if I recall it was at the Ruge Automotive shop. I don't think Mike had it yet. Not a lot of stories but then I didn't really know the guy well or live nearby. Met only a few times and doubt he remembers these moments. Such a striking character though so I'll never forget them . A real "shut up and race" attitude.
Updated for Thursday Feb 15 2018 We will keep the fund raiser open for another week or so, and then forward the second half of the funds to Mike and Family. Thanks JW
Updated for Friday Feb 16.- No activity yesterday, first time that has happened. Thanks again to everyone who has been a part of this effort. JW
Mike was the first person I met at my first GS Nats, in 1984. It was Friday evening, after the Pizza Hut next door had graciously let our car show spread to their parking lot, from the overflowing Holidome lot. Mike wanted to go out street racing, and was soliciting “ride-along’s.” This was the brown ’70 referenced above. (It was not on the gas then, as referenced above. Perhaps Mike had a brief flirtation with “the OTHER dark side” before the famous license plate?…) We found no takers. But, on his cassette deck he played, over and over, the Beach Boys “This Car of Mine.” I will never forget that. Since then I made a point of seeing him every year in BG. He was usually busy selling parts, or tending a Super 16 contender, but ALWAYS remembered me and acknowledged me. And, he almost always had something I wanted and bought! LOL I am talking about him in the past tense, which suddenly feels SO wrong. Mike IS still with us, and I look forward to things being back to a current conversation, not one that right now feels like “was.” (I hope that makes sense…) To Mike: (I trust you will read this, sooner or later.) You made me believe in “Going Fast With Class,” and embody the Buick camaraderie we all treasure. Nick (The VD guy LOL)
Great Story Nick.. Updated for Saturday Feb 17... just $718 away from out 10K goal now.. thanks everyone JW
Yup, no problem Scott, it's the same paypal account, that's all. Unless otherwise stated, everything to that account has gone to the Garrision relief fund, since the day we stared this, Feb 7... Updated for Sunday, Feb 18 Thanks JW