A story to share. An old VW can take you to places and let you meet people you did not expect. This is one of those stories. A few years ago I was attending the NHRA race at Z-Max Dragway in Charlotte, NC. (I was not driving a VW at the race. Racing is another story.) Drag racing allows for ample time to move through the pits and on occasion, interact with crews or a driver. There is always a break between the top tier classes and during one of these breaks, it was announced that Don Garlits was signing books as parts of a fund raiser. I immediately told my wife we were going to buy a book. I rushed out of the bleachers and found one of my racing heroes standing under a awning surrounded by stacks of books. No one else was there. I bought a book and got two autographs. And then the story gets good. In the mid-1980s I toured the Don Garlits museum in Ocala, Florida. I had read about two air-cooled cars he owned in HotVW's magazine and they were on display during my visit. When I met him in Charlotte, I asked the one question I really wanted to know. It was almost one of those you-only-get-one question moments. I asked, "Do you still have that Ghia with 26 miles on it?" His eyes lit up! He pointed a 300 mph finger at me and said, "It's got 28 now, we had to move it around some!" For at least the next ten minutes I had an exclusive audience with the man most responsible for modern top-fuel drag racing. We didn't talk about 5000 hp record setters. We talked about the least powerful cars in his collection. The excitement with which he told how he came to own the cars was evident. It was if I had asked the magic question. Or maybe I was the first person in a long time to ask about something other than supercharged hemi dragsters. We only spoke about his Ghia and split-window Bug. The whole conversation was amazing! Eventually someone wondered up to the tent and my wife made me leave so they could buy a book too. I will always appreciate his time and enthusiasm. So, what interesting people have you met because of your passion for VW's?
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