DO YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE - PERFECT - RACING WEEKEND LOOKS LIKE!!! Well put your peepers on this one. It all started on the Friday night awards presentation, at the CHRR Bakersfield Reunion in 2012.
The event kicked off with his Grand Marshal speech. He had all the VIP's of his racing life at his head table. Ivo had the mic and he, one at a time, racked them over the coals - starting with Don Prudhomme.
"select" for VIDEO of - IVO'S GRAND MARSHAL SPEECH
Ivo's first T Hot Rod was placed in the Lobby of the event hotel, and Hot Rod Deluxe Magazine came out with that month's issue. It had this car on the cover and 28 pages inside reflecting on Tommy Ivo's racing career.
As Grand Marshal, Ivo reigned over his court of Life Time Achievement Award winners. Ivo spoke to a standing room only crowd of over 2,000 people in the huge hall, and it fired up the "Stand Up Comedian" in TV Tommy Ivo's speech.
After the awards presentations, they did the customary firing up of the engine outside of the hotel (and woke up half the neighborhood). Below is a group shot of the owner Ron Johnson; son, daughter and the crew.
Then, on Saturday night at the race track it just got better. They led off the festivities with this Parade of Stars and Cars. Here's Ivo riding down the track in this roadster to the cheers of the crowd...
Then, after a mad dash back to the starting line through the pits, they pushed out Ivo's dragster (in the honorary last position in the parade). They also placed him in that same place in the Cackle Fest that followed.
Ivo no more that rolled up to the staging lane and stopped the motor when he was inundated with fans. So off came the helmet and up went the arms. It was the end of THE PERFECT RACING WEEKEND. SHAZAM!!!
This event celebrated the 60th Anniversary of TV Tom's illustrious career in Drag Racing. It also represented the winning of his first major race - The March Meet - right here at Bakersfield in 1959...
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