One of the original members added this:

“Just wanted to say hello to all and briefly introduce myself. I've been a car nut since about forever, built a few cars, raced a few, broke a few... still got the flame. Have a 1952 MGTD glass body with a homemade frame, Buick V8, 5 speed... Am just finishing my '51 Chevy pickup, frame off, SBC, Mustang FE, Turbo 350... Hope to have it at Bowling Green this June. Have a glass copy of a Ford GT40 that I'll probably never get finished, but yagotta have projects, right? BTW, I'm a founding member of the Conquistadors hot rod club (AKA White Hall Drag-O-Way) from White Hall, IL. We will have our 13th annual reunion this September... Hope to see all of our racer friends (and street guys too) there.”

White Hall Drag O Way reunion: A beautifully restored ’33 Willys coupe was on display which made this writer remember the Grove, behind the grandstands at the March Meet in Bakersfield. (Photo by Park Police)

For me, I remember too well the fun we all had traveling from Quincy, Ill. down Highway 96 to Kampsville, Ill. where we boarded an Illinois River Ferry and crossed the river on our way to Alton Dragway in 1958. We didn’t know any of the ‘Conquistadores’ back then, but we should have, we were ‘all cut from the same cloth’.

Until next time, Be On Time.