Contact:  Mark Wagner                                                                                                 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tel:  508-854-1377
Cell:508-962-1832
Email: mwagner@wagnermotors.com

AMERICA’S FIRST MOTORCYLE BRAND BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE AND IS HERE TO STAY

Indian Motorcycle rolls into New England with NEW dealership slated to open June 11.

Worcester, MA—Motorcyclist enthusiasts around the country are applauding the re-launch of Indian Motorcycle Company.  With a brand new factory located in Kings Mountain, NC, a management team that has spent the past two years studying the trends in the American motorcycle market and shareholders who know exactly how to engineer the re-launch of an icon like Indian, because they did the same for Chris-Craft boats, Indian is on a successful track to make it all work.

The all-new, reengineered Indian Chief is a powerful work of art.  The 2009 Indian Chief features a redesigned 105 cubic inch PowerPlus V-Twin powertrain with electronic closed loop sequential port fuel injection.   A new charging system provides increased capacity for the EFI. 

Indian’s newest motorcycle is the result of 4 years of development, engineering and market research.  No details have been overlooked, and it shows.  This is the chosen one; the bike that will show the motorcycling world that Indian is back, different and committed to the future.

Indian Motorcycle dealers are opening across the country with Indian Motorcycle of New England officially opening on June 11^th.  2009 Indian Chiefs are on their way and slated to arrive before that.  The Indian Motorcycle Demo Truck will visit on June 12^th and 13^th to help celebrate the official Grand Opening of the dealership.  New apparel, parts and other merchandise will be available at the dealership.

For more information or to see the latest news on the Indian brand, visit www.indianmotorcycleofne.com or call Indian Motorcycle of New England at 508-854-1515.

Plans underway for 10th Anniversary DuPont Hot Hues Syracuse Nationals this July

Adam West-Original “Batman” and the “Batmobile”  on Hand All Weekend!

Syracuse, NY—A significant milestone will be achieved this summer when the 10th Anniversary edition of the DuPont Hot Hues Syracuse Nationals kicks off at the NYS Fairgrounds July 17.

This three-day automotive extravaganza has become a tradition for thousands of classic car and truck owners and their families from all over the country.

This year’s show will be even more exciting with the appearance of Adam West, the original “Batman” along with the “Batmobile”, in the Center of Progress Building all three days of the event.

West’s portrayal of “Batman”, in the extremely popular TV series show which ran on the ABC television network from 1966 to 1968, began what has become a more than 40 year fascination with the super-hero that continues today.

The Syracuse Nationals, which started as an idea in the summer of 1999, has grown each year since its record setting debut in July of 2000 when more than 4,300 vehicles and 30,000 participants filled the facility with bright colored hot rods and sounds of roaring engines.

Last year’s Nationals attracted 6,794 registered vehicles and some 72,000 participants making the show one of the largest in the country.  All totaled, some 50,000 vehicles, and hundreds of thousands of participants, have cruised onto the fairgrounds and into the Central New York for this event over the last nine years. 

At last count, there are some 600 car owners who have never missed the show making the trip every year from as far away as Florida.

Among this group are Richard and Deb Gift from Hamburg, PA.  Rich says, “We enjoy the show very much and we have been coming for the last 9 years.  The first year we we’re there we won a jacket and two tickets to the New York State Fair.  We came back for the Fair with the kids and we loved it! 

We knew then that we would make the Syracuse Nationals an annual family vacation whatever happens….we will be there, we love the show”!   

The Nationals started almost by accident.  After the NSRA decided to move their annual national event to Louisville and the Goodguys folks passed on local rodders’ requests to host a show in Syracuse, the idea of an independently-promoted, national-scale show, in Syracuse began to take shape.

“We thought that the combination of a venue with tree lined streets, grassy parks, great exhibit buildings and ample food and beverage facilities was not only great for a traditional fair, but just what we needed to attract participants, sponsors and vendors to a major classic and custom car event …and we were right”, said Bob O’Connor, Syracuse Nationals founder and director.                 

After two very successful events in 2000 and 2001 the country suffered the horrible events of 9/11.  Right after that, like most Americans, things seemed a little scary and uncertain for hot rodders and large events with huge crowds suddenly became unnerving for some. 

“But, the 2002 show came roaring back with another record turnout and we have not looked back since”, said O’Connor.

 The economic and charitable impacts of the show would be hard to overstate. 

Over the last nine years, the thousands of classic and custom car and truck owners that have motored into Central New York from virtually every state and Canada to spend up to a week cruising the streets, staying in the hotels, eating in restaurants and patronizing local stores and businesses has been good news for the local economy. 

Large automotive-related companies recognize the value of having a presence at, and sponsorships of, events like the Nationals.  Some of the most prestigious of these include companies like DuPont Hot Hues, title sponsors for the show since 2005, presenting sponsor Advance Auto Parts and Chevrolet.

Each year the event attracts some 300 other exhibitors of all types from all over the country.  In addition to the main sponsors, the Nationals has become an “A” list event for a who’s who of custom and classic car parts and service companies like Air Ride Technologies, Coast to Coast, Hemmings Motor News, Ididit, Mac’s Antique Auto Parts, Borgeson, Tucci Hot Rods, Cool Flex, Meguiar’s, Year One, Yearwood and many others.

The show also has something for the whole family including a large Women’s Worlds consisting of dozens of non-automotive related vendors and exhibitors.  And, over the years, the entertainment has been first class with national recording artists like the Turtles, Dion and the Belmonts, Gene Chandler, Freddie Cannon and many others. 

Henry Winkler, the “Fonz” from the 70’s and 80’s hit TV show “Happy Days” and Cindi Williams from the “Laverne & Shirley” show were a huge crowd favorite at the 2008 Nationals.    

The show has also been an exciting motorsports event featuring flame throwing cars, burnout competitions, tractor and truck pulling, modified garden tractor pulls, figure eight racing, demolition derby, snowmobile drag racing and more each year!

Giving Back in a Big Way   

Bob O’Connor says that one of their goals, when they started the show in 2000, was to give back to the community and, with the help of thousands of Nationals participants, hundreds of car club volunteers, exhibitors and sponsors, they have done just that. 

“The Nationals has generated more than $300,000 for a variety charitable and community organizations over the last nine years.  Each year the show donates proceeds of the event to charities designated by car club volunteers for causes in their community”, O’Connor said.

“And, the last two year’s panel jams, “Artie’s Party”, have been a huge success raising a total of some $81,000 for great causes”.

The pin striper’s panel jam was held for the first time at the 2007 Syracuse Nationals.  Over 29 pin striper’s, from as far away as Canada, California and Great Britain, helped raise more than $33,000 for Parent Plus, a local charity that gives support to children who have lost an important person in their life.

This 2008 panel jam raised $48,000 to benefit the McMahon/Ryan Child Advocacy Site, located in downtown Syracuse, NY. 

McMahon/Ryan House is a non-profit organization established to honor the ideals of members of the McMahon/Ryan families and provide support to existing community efforts that address child abuse.

Participating artists at the jam work almost around the clock during the event to paint original designs on items of all kinds…from vehicle panels to mailboxes.  The items are then auctioned off to the highest bidders with all the proceeds going to a great cause!

Planning and executing a show of this size and complexity would not be possible without help from dedicated volunteers.  For the past nine years, hundreds of volunteers from the Central New York Car Club Association have worked to make the show run smoothly and make everyone who attends the show informed, safe and comfortable.  The association also designates many of the charitable organizations and causes that receive donations from the proceeds of the event.

Dennis Connor, president of the CNYCCA says, “Over the last ten years, our relationship has grown and prospered.  Unlike other organizations that I’ve worked with, the Syracuse Nationals and, later, the Right Coast Association, put that extra work into the show that makes it so much fun! 

More importantly, our association is extremely proud to have been instrumental in raising an incredible amount of money for some great community organizations as the official hosts of the Nationals.”

This year’s 10th Anniversary edition of the Nationals promises to be the best yet.  Plans are underway for a number of special promotions and contests to mark the event.  Stay tuned for more details.

 Make your plans now to attend this milestone edition of the show.  For more information on this year’s Syracuse Nationals, to include a detailed event schedule, or to register for the event, call (800) 753-3978 or visit www.ctcruisenews.com or www.rightcoastcars.com.

In Memory of A Friend Joe South

For most people, it’s difficult to remember where they were exactly four years ago today. For me, it’s impossible to forget. 

I was a senior at New Milford high school and one of a hundred or so students who came to Joe Weiser Field to watch the Green Wave’s annual powderpuff game.  When I was a junior, I was a “coach,” but given the fact that I didn’t play football, I wasn’t of much use. 

So, as a senior, I reluctantly accepted an invitation to announce the game (nervously read off rosters) from the booth. 

After the game—a 6-0 win for the seniors, might I add—I was in a great mood.  I quickly trotted down to the field to talk to my friends who were “coaches.” 

Among them, probably my closest friend on the football team, was captain Joe South.  It was a Saturday night and Joe was going to an after-game party with a few other students.  He invited me to go with them.  I considered Joe one of the most laid-back, fun-loving people that I knew.  A part of me wanted to go just to joke around and talk sports with him.  But, in high school, I was a homebody. I politely declined so I could go home and watch TV with my family. 

The next morning, on Nov. 7, 2004, the phone rang at about 8:30 a.m. and my mother came into my room to wake me up.  It was my friend, Chris Norlander.  I hadn’t talk to Chris in weeks.  When I heard his voice on the other line, the only thing I could think was “Why in God’s name is he calling me this early?”  

“Joe South got in a car accident last night,” he said. 

“Is he OK?”  I asked.  Deep inside, I knew he wasn’t.  From the tone of Chris’ voice, I could have hung up the phone right there.  I knew what was coming next.   

“He died.” 

I don’t even remember what I said in response.  I hung up and told my mom, who knew Joe since her days as para-educator at Hill and Plain elementary school.  She immediately broke into tears and laid onto my bed. 

I didn’t want to get up that day. I wanted to stay in bed and pretend it was a dream. 

Joe and I knew each other since first grade.  We developed an immediate connection because of our love for sports, but our similar senses of humor brought us even closer.  We were in the same fifth grade class, and, for that year, we were best friends.  Joe always made fun of me for being a Detroit Lions fan (which thankfully, I am no longer) and I never had a comeback because he was a die-hard Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Lakers fan, or, as I like to put it, a die-hard front-runner. 

On Nov. 7, 2004, when I finally rolled out of bed, I watched the entire Dallas Cowboys’ game.  And, as much as I despised that team, I rooted for them like I’ve never rooted before. 

Whenever a young person dies, newspaper articles always quote friends and family about how the person was “the nicest kid alive” or how he or she could “cheer up an entire room with one smile.”  No disrespect intended, but that’s not possible.  Not every person who dies is the “most lovable person in the world.”  Those compliments, though fitting, don’t even do Joe justice.  There wasn’t an once of bad blood in his entire body.    He was one of the happiest people I knew.  He was one of the funniest.  He was one of the most caring. 

When I was a junior at New Milford high school, I was on the JV basketball team.  I hardly saw any varsity time, and when I did, it was clear to me and everyone else that I was not yet equipped to be playing at that level.

Still, ever since I was a freshman, my goal was to be the Green Wave’s starting point guard my senior year.  Few people believed in me.  Most of the time, I didn’t believe in myself.  But Joe, whether he meant it or not, always told me that I deserved to be out there, that someday I would.  He knew how badly I wanted it — probably because he went through the same struggle.

Up until his junior year, Joe wasn’t a football player.  He was an overweight kid who loved football.  Every time I called his house to ask him to play pick-up football or basketball—a sport that earned him the nickname “The Form” for what he thought was a picture-perfect jumpshot—his mother always greeted me with the same response:  “He can’t.  He’s on the treadmill.”  Literally, every time. 

By the time football season started in 2004, Joe had lost nearly 80 pounds and was one of the strongest, most physical players in the program. 

To be honest, I was very proud of him.  And I’m sure he would have been proud if he were around to see me accomplish my goal a few months after he passed away. 

Though it’s what I knew him from, Joe was about so much more than sports.  Students all over New Milford high school weren’t crying because the football team lost its starting center.  They were crying because New Milford high school lost a young man who treated everyone with respect; an 18-year-old whose life was on the rise; a young man who truly deserved everything the newspaper articles said about him.  Joe South was one of nicest people I have ever met. 

And that’s what makes it even more puzzling.  There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t wonder “Why?”  Why, of every person who has driven a car after a drink or two, did Joe have to be the one that God took?  Every time I drive by the scene of his accident — the slow-bending curve across from the Wal-Mart shopping plaza — I pray.  I stare down that bend and wonder how it happened, exactly what unfolded that night.  I wonder what he’d be like today.     

Joe’s been gone for four years now, but at times, I still feel his presence.  At the very end of our senior year, the girl who drove Joe to his car on Nov. 7, 2004 got into a major car accident turning onto my road.  Her car was totaled.  Our entire neighborhood was outside to watch Lifestar take her to the hospital.  And as bad as the accident looked, she was fine. 

At the beginning of my freshman year at UConn — almost three years ago to the day — I had a horrifying experience with alcohol.  I needed to be hospitalized.  When I came out unharmed, I knew Joe was looking down on me.

Joe South hasn’t forgotten about New Milford.  But — when I drive down Route 7 past what used to be a cross in his honor and is now the grounds for another new shopping mall — I can’t help but think that New Milford is forgetting about Joe South.   

Those of you in New Milford’s class of 2009 probably don’t know who Joe South is.  You probably never witnessed his infectious smile in the hallways.  You probably never saw him beaming all day because of his latest pair of Air Jordan’s or his new Roy Williams jersey. You probably never ran an extra sprint or lifted an extra weight because he believed in you, because he was the only one who told you that you were good enough. 

People like Joe don’t come along often.  And that’s why it’s so hard to rationalize his death, to understand how such a promising life could be taken away by a single mistake that so many of us have committed without consequence.   

If Joe were here, he’d tell you not to make that mistake.  He’d tell you not to let your friends make it either.  You don’t want to be a senior in college in 2013 and vividly remember the events of a random November night four years ago.  Trust me.    

 Laura—If you can fit contact info in there, I’d really appreciate it.  I want to know what the community thinks.  Kevin.R.Duffy@UConn.edu