The Oilers Car Club is bringing the Race of Gentlemen back to the Jersey shore the weekend of October 4–6. This year’s event, the second annual, will be held on the beach just south of the Wildwoods Convention Center in Wildwood, New Jersey. The invitation-only race, brought by Wildwood Motor Events (backed by the Greater Wildwood Hotel and Motel Association) and sponsored by Harley-Davidson of Long Branch, New Jersey, will feature a collection of pre-war (’20s and ’30s) cars and motorcycles. The weekend will start with a party Friday night outside the Starlux Hotel, Saturday will be the first day of racing followed by a bonfire and beach party, and Sunday the races continue for a second day, concluding with an awards ceremony and more music and partying. Check out www.theraceofgentlemen.com for more info… Laconia H-D and the Boys & Girls Club of the Lakes Region in New Hampshire held a Hogs Empowering Youth (H.E.Y.) raffle for a custom-painted 2013 Street Glide commemorating the 90th Laconia Motorcycle Week. The winner was drawn during the dealership’s Harley Hoedown event on July 27. Congratulations to Joseph F. who now owns a rolling work of art! Congrats also to Russ D. who won a $500 gift card for the dealership, and to Jeff D. who won a $100 gift card… Also on July 27, the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association sponsored a benefit ride at Horsepower H-D in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Over 100 riders raised money for Marine Corps veteran Cpl. David Noblit of Selinsgrove who was severely injured when he stepped on an I.E.D. in Afghanistan in 2010. The Corporal lost both his legs and sustained major injuries to his left arm, and is now in a wheelchair. Money collected from the ride will go toward building a new house in Elysburg for him and his family. The groundbreaking ceremony for the home took place July 20, but it will cost nearly $400,000 for the entire house to be built handicap accessible. Donations for the home are being accepted by the nonprofit organization Homes for our Troops at www.hfotusa.org/donate… Congratulations to the Reading Motorcycle Club, which held a four-day celebration for its 99th anniversary at their clubhouse in Oley, Pennsylvania, at the end of July. Reading MC has actually been a club for 102 years, but they didn’t incorporate until 1914. The birthday bash/campout included live music, fireworks, biker games, a tattoo show and other activities… For all you drag racing fans in the Northeast, Island Raceway in Great Meadows, New Jersey, is now open! At the end of 2012, it was announced that the historic drag strip, which had been in operation over 50 years, would not reopen for the 2013 season. Track manager Melissa DeMarcky credits the fan-created Facebook page “Help Keep Island Dragway” with garnering the support needed to reopen the track. Volunteers helped get the facility in shape with cleanup, painting bleachers and doing whatever it took to re-open. Individuals and organizations helped with donations and sponsorships. Many motorcycle drag racers got their start at this track, eventually going on to AHDRA and NHRA pro racing. As far as I know, motorcycle drags have not yet been scheduled, but the last time I communicated with track management, they said they would gladly welcome bikes back to the track. So if your club, organization or racing team would like a place to dial in a drag bike or you just want to have some fun, contact manager@islanddragway.com or 908.637.6060. Racing continues through December so there’s still time!… In other New Jersey racing news, Raceway Park in Englishtown brought back a once-popular event, the All Harley Summer Festival, on August 18.There were drag races that included Run Whatcha Brung, Street Harley and Money Bracket, and a bike show with eight classes. Bike builder Dave Perewitz was invited as a special guest, and there were lots of other features planned such as a tattoo contest, hot bikini contest, Harley swap meet and merchandise vendors. It’s been 10 years since Englishtown hosted this type of Harley-oriented event, and although attendance was light from the reports I heard, it would be great to see this continue as an annual event once again… The inaugural Operation New Troy Community Hospital Motorcycle Run, put on by American Legion Riders Post 49, Wiggle100 Radio and Guthrie Troy Community Hospital, was held on Saturday, August 10. The 130-mile ride began at Guthrie Clinic in Sayre, Pennsylvania, made stops in the Keystone State towns of Camptown, Dushore and North Tonawanda before ending at the Troy VETS Club for a barbecue, 50/50 drawing and door prizes. The total proceeds of over $3,200 were donated to the new Guthrie Troy Community Hospital that is currently under construction. Donations are still being accepted, so if you’re interested you can contact the Guthrie Resource Development office at 570.887.4420 or go to www.guthriegiving.org… American Legion Post 139 in Milford, Pennsylvania, and the Milford chapter of the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association held a “Vetstock” rodeo event at Malibu Dude Ranch, also in Milford, over the Fourth of July weekend. The event also included a military exhibition, concert and 340 riders participated in the Warrior Watch motorcycle ride. Net proceeds from the event go to Homes for Our Troops, the aforementioned nonprofit organization that accepts donations of money, materials and labor to build specially modified homes for severely injured veterans. For information about next year’s event, go to vetstockusa.com or facebook.com/vetstockusa… Over 1,000 motorcyclists participated in a procession to honor MIT Officer Sean Collier, 27, who was killed by a terrorist in the Boston Marathon attack. The ride, put on by Ride4Cops, followed the route of the marathon, and raised $50,000 to help families of officers who die in the line of duty.
