Friday, April 24, 2009

Look What The Post Man Brought Today!!!

When I was 6 years old I sent ten cents and two box tops to Tony The Tiger for a secret decoder ring and club membership into Tony's The Tigers Club. I remember going to the post office every day for what seemed like an eternity to see if my package had arrived yet. That was 51 years ago but I remember it as if it were yesterday.

But today the postman brought me something I wasn't even expecting but I can assure you I am just as excited to get it as I was the day my package arrived from Tony The Tiger. When I looked at the return address I saw it was from my good friend C. Van Tune. Unless you are from another planet, you will probably recognise the name since C. Van Tune is one of the world's leading automotive journalists and to his credit he has over 20 years of magazine and TV series. A 20-year veteran magazine editor, C. Van Tune is also America's premier TV reporter on anything and everything automotive. His cumulative TV audience of more than 120,000,000 makes him by far "America's Most-Watched Automotive Analyst."

Editor-in-chief: Motor Trend Magazine, 1994-2001; Executive producer/host: Motor Trend Television (Fox's Speed Network); Co-host, Motor Trend Radio (Talk America Network)

More than 10 years experience as national TV commentator/guest expert: Today Show, Live with Regis & Kelly, Good Morning America, 20/20, CNBC Power Lunch/Closing Bell, MSNBC News with Brian Williams, CNN, Fox News Channel, ABC Special Report with Sam Donaldson, ABC World News with Peter Jennings, The View, Iyanla, Extra; Hosts series of one-hour specials on ESPN: Road Trip; Host of ESPN's Road Trip, the highest-Nielsen-rated automotive show on TV.

Even before I got the package open I knew exactly what it was and wow, was I ever excited. And what a coincidence it was. Just last week my good friend Carson Scheller and I were talking about some of these old, hard to get, out of publication, magazines and books and in fact Carson bought some and bid on one another. The book C. Van Tune sent me is without a doubt the most recognizable to anyone ever affiliated with La Carerra Panamericana. It is none other than an ORIGINAL "Book Of The Mexican Road Race" by Floyd Clymer. (More commonly known to Carristias as "The Green Book.)



Like many of you I have seen this book for sale in the past years selling in the hundreds of dollars and that is in only fair condition while this one is in MINT condition and looks like it was only sold a few weeks ago.




Van wrote;

Gary,

I found this old book in my files and thought you'd enjoy it. The mugshots of the competitors on Pages 38-39 look like peoples photos on the wall at the Post Office! Of course, racers are a suspicious crowd!!

Best to you and your family,

Van


Thanks Van! Man this is better than Christmas!!!

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