[jayscobras]

DICK, ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU SO FOR DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB WITH THIS.

TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR TOM, WHOM I MET FOUR YEARS AGO NEXT MONTH OR STRETCH, WHOM I MET IN PERSON THE DAY BEFORE OUR FIRST EVENT. I AM SURE THAT NONE OF US EXPECTED TCC TO BECOME WHAT IT HAS IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. I DO THINK THAT WE ALL KNOW NOW THAT EVEN ALMOST 200 MEMBERS IS NOT ENOUGH.

FOUR YEARS AGO, TOM AND I CRUISED TOGETHER THINKING WE WERE THE ONLY ONES OUT THERE. THEN CAME STEVE PARKS, GARY AND SUE MORRIS IN TULSA AT THE MID AM, ALAN AND DONNA DREWRY, JAMES AND JEANIE BALDWIN WAITING FOR THEIR CAR, CLAY FUGATE BY WAY OF HIS DAD AND AN OLD FRIEND OF MINE, ETC, ETC, ETC.

IT WASN'T WHAT WE DREAMED, IT WAS A DREAM THAT WASN'T BIG ENOUGH. THE LOVE FOR THE CARS SHORTLY BECAME OUTWEIGHED BY THE LOVE OF THE PEOPLE. IT WAS A DREAM THAT HAPPENED TO GROW THE WAY A VEHICLE IS BUILT. GARY MORRIS TOLD US ABOUT A NEW WEB SITE CALLED CLUB COBRA. WE THEN HAD WATER FOR THE ROOTS. AND THEN ALONG CAME STRETCH AND WE HAD FERTILIZER TOO. THEN THE SUN SHINED ON IT ALL IN AUSTIN AND NOW LOOK HOW IT GROWS AND THRIVES.

AUSTIN WILL ALWAYS BE AUSTIN. IT'S THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE AUSTIN SO GREAT IN FEBRUARY. IF I HAVE ONE WISH IT IS THAT EACH AND EVERY PERSON, MEMBER AND NON-MEMBER, REALIZE THIS. THE CARS ARE A BONUS AND I HOPE WE HAVE A HUNDRED. I HAVE SEEN CARS...BUT HAVE NEVER MET ONE.

AUSTIN IS THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEAR AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING ALL OF US THERE. IF YOU ARE NOT, YOU WILL BE SORELY MISSED BY EVERYONE.

SEE YOU THERE
JAY