IN THE NEWS  

DADE CITY MONTHLY CRUISE-IN APRIL 3

The monthly Dade City Cruise-in attracts hundreds of motoring enthusiasts from the Tampa Bay area and surrounding communities. It is held from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the first Saturday of every month in downtown Dade City. It will next be held on April 3.

“It’s a free family event, which brings back a hometown feeling as you stroll through antique shops, enjoy eating at one of the delicious restaurants or from one of our many vendors,” said Nita Beckwith, executive director of the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce.

For more information, call the Dade City chamber at (352) 567-3769, e-mail info@dadecitychamber.org or visit www.dadecitychamber.org

PLANT CITY MONTHLY CRUISE-IN MARCH 20

The monthly Plant City Strawberry Classic Car Show attracts hundreds of motoring enthusiasts from the Tampa Bay area and surrounding communities. Entered in the show are pre-1984 and older cars and trucks as well as antiques, hot rods, customs and classics.

It is held from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the third Saturday of every month at McCall Park in historic downtown Plant City. Next car show is scheduled for March 20.

For more information, call (813) 754-3707 or 1-800-760-2315 or visit www.plantcity.org

Click here to watch a video of the Feb. 20 Plant City Cruise-in.

DOWNSHIFTERS OF BROOKLYN IN ST. PETERSBURG WINS GOLDEN RULE AWARD

                                                                        Story provided by Eagle One

Practicing the Golden Rule has won the Downshifters of Brooklyn, St. Petersburg, the Eagle One Golden Rule Award for conducting the most outstanding community service program in the Southern region during 2009.

Other clubs honored with the coveted award for providing exemplary support to community and charitable causes were:

Early Mustang Club of Colorado, Denver - West

Central Nebraska Car Club, Kearny - Midwest

Lancaster County Corvette Club, Lancaster, Pa. - East

In recognition, the car-care products company and associate sponsor Valvoline made cash donations to favorite charities of each club, provided each with a supply of car-care products and motor oil for fundraising purposes, and a custom plaque.

The Grand Prize winner for the most compassionate achievement was the Mustang Club of Colorado, which received $1,500. A $500 donation was made for each of the three other clubs. The Denver club donated $25,000 to the Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarships to children of servicemen who were killed or permanently disabled while serving the country.

“For the past 17 years, Eagle One has been proud to reward car clubs for the commendable work they do in their communities while actively engaged in the preservation of one of our country’s greatest heritages, the automobile, said Rob McCarter,” Eagle One brand manager.

Downshifters of Brooklyn will be holding its ninth annual Bay Pines Hospital Veterans Car Show on Sunday, March 28. It will be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the grounds of the Bay Pines VA Hospital, 10000 Bay Pines Blvd. in St. Petersburg. Several trophies and awards will be given. Pre-registration is $20 or pay $25 on day of show. All proceeds will benefit the Vets Recreation Fund. For details on the club, call Greg at (727) 207-0939, Ski at (727) 243-9120, e-mail greg@downshiftersofbrooklyn.com or visit www.downshiftersofbrooklyn.com

For information on Eagle One, visit www.eagleone.com

BILL HOUGHTON MEMORIAL CAR CONTROL CLINIC SET APRIL 10-11

                                                            Story provided by FSCBMWCCA

The Car Control Clinic April 10-11 is presented by the Florida Suncoast Chapter BMW CCA. It is essential for improving your driving skills and becoming more aware, more controlled and safer in everyday driving. It is open to drivers of all ages and consists of classroom instruction and in-car exercises. CCC students must be at least 15˝ years old and have a valid learner’s permit or license. Parents of students with a learner’s permit must attend the events. Parents of young drivers are encouraged to attend and observe.

STUDENT ENTRY FEE: $60

Day 1 – Classroom instruction – Saturday, April 10, 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Attendance is required. Reeves BMW, 109 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, FL 33612 (showroom second-floor classroom) Learn about the physics and forces impacting your vehicle and what to expect the next day.

Day 2 – Car Control Clinic – Sunday, April 11, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hernando County Airport,

Brooksville, FL 34604. Lunch provided by Saint Pizza and Omelet Party Experience (vendor subject to change).

TO REGISTER:

Students can register at http://tiny.cc/oQ6K5

All students must complete the mandatory waiver for minors. Closed-toe shoes are required: No sandals; no flip-flops.

For question, e-mail Rob Houghton at robbah@rocketmail.com or Russ Garvey

at maddog88@gmail.com

The event is co-sponsored by the Bill Houghton Memorial Driver Training Fund and Reeves Import Motorcars.

For updates or more information, call (813) 653-4651 or visit www.fscbmwcca.org

BARBECUE, BICYCLES, CLASSIC CARS AND FESTIVAL ON MARCH 19-20 IN DADE CITY

                     Story provided by East Pasco Habitat for  Humanity

Habitat for Humanity of East and Central Pasco is gearing up for its second annual Orange Blossom Special BBQ and Outdoor Expo. – Florida's Best BBQ, live music including national recording artists -The Carter Twins and Michael Ray, and more – March 19-20 at the Dade City Business Center Festival Courtyard (use north entrance on Pioneer Museum Road off U.S. 301 in Dade City).  

This is a charity BBQ festival where all proceeds will go in to building more homes for families in the area. A Florida BBQ Association Competition will be going on during the festival; more than $10,000 in prizes to be given away (including a People's Choice Award where guests may sample and vote for their favorite BBQ)! This competition is a Florida State BBQ Competition and also a “Jack Daniel's” National qualifier for the winning BBQ Teams from all over the state.

 

Friday Night (March 19) from 6 to 9 p.m.

* Best BBQ in Florida
* Beverage Garden
* Music from Michael Ray, local country recording artist
* Contests just for fun and bragging rights: Beer Can Chicken Contest, Dessert Contest and “Anything But” (anything but BBQ) Contest.

 

Saturday (March 20) 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
* Best BBQ in Florida, more food vendors and People's Choice – taste BBQ samples and vote for your favorite
* WQYK 99.5 live remote
* Beverage Garden
* Live Music from the Tonebenders (classic rock)
* Local recording artist Michael Ray
* National recording artists the Carter Twins
* Outdoor Expo, classic cars, kid's train, bungee jump, giant slide and activities
* Arts and crafts, community, business, sports and other vendors
* Rocky D. Bull the USF Bulls Mascot will be making an appearance
* Reptile Discovery will have an exhibit and shows going on throughout the day
* Florida BBQ Association Competition, winners announced around 5 .m.

Ride For Humanity - Bicycle Ride Fundraiser (10, 30, 62.5 mile
rides) Saturday (March 20) 8 a.m., sign in at Dade City Business Center
Festival Courtyard.

To register, be a sponsor or for more information, visit www.ephabitat.org or call (352) 567-1444.

AT 75, SUBURBAN IS THE LONGEST-RUNNING NAMEPLATE IN U.S. AUTO HISTORY

                                                                        Story provided by Chevrolet

The Chevrolet Suburban, the venerable hauler of people and cargo that debuted in the Great Depression, celebrates its 75^th anniversary this year as the king of continuous U.S. automotive production.

No other nameplate has been around longer without at least some time off.

The idea for the Suburban was born out of a need for a heavier-duty, truck-based wagon. Through the early 1930s, most manufacturers offered car-based wagons for professional use. Open models with windows and rear seating were known as depot hacks, and were used to ferry passengers and their cargo around train stations and boat docks. Enclosed models, typically without rear seats, were known as sedan deliveries.

Chevrolet began experimenting with an all-steel wagon body mounted on a commercial chassis in the mid-1930s, and the Suburban Carryall was launched in 1935. The original Suburban could seat eight, while easily removable seats provided a large, 75-inch-long by 77-inch-long cargo area. The heavy-duty chassis of the Suburban increasingly found favor with professional customers, including the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II.

The foundation of strength and capability that propelled the brand for more than seven decades is still evident today. The 2010 Chevrolet Suburban seats up to nine, or can accommodate 137.4 cubic feet of cargo with the second-row seats folded and third-row seat removed. With the standard Vortec 5.3-lither FlexFuel engine and fuel-saving six-speed automatic transmission, Suburban half-ton models can tow up to 8,000 pounds. Suburban 2500 models offer a 6.0-liter, six-speed power train combination and a maximum towing capacity of 9,600 pounds.

A 75^th Anniversary Diamond Edition Suburban goes on sale early this summer and is limited to 7,570 units. It is distinguished by a White Diamond Tricoat exterior color and Cashmere interior, along with unique 20-inch chrome-clad wheels and new roof rack rails.

For more information, visit www.gm.com

AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE PICKS FLEX, FUSION HYBRID 2010 ALL-STARS

                                                            Story provided by Ford

The 2010 Ford Flex and the award-winning 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid have been named 2010 All-Stars by AUTOMOBILE Magazine, an automotive lifestyle publication.

This year marks the second consecutive win for the Ford Flex. Last year, AUTOMOBILE Magazine described the 2009 model as a “class act among people movers.”

“For 2010, Ford has equipped the Flex with its much-anticipated EcoBoost engine, thereby addressing the Flex's only weakness – power – and effectively transforming it from a well-rounded family hauler into a large sport wagon,” said Jean Jennings, president and editor-in-chief of AUTOMOBILE Magazine. “The Flex is unique in a market brimming with compromised, look-alike utility vehicles and is one of the best-handling full-size crossovers on the market.”

Jason Mase, Ford crossover marketing manager, says it is the design and features available with the Ford Flex that make the vehicle stand out.

Jennings says what makes the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid special is that it doesn't drive like a hybrid. “Its very ordinariness is what makes the Fusion Hybrid an AUTOMOBILE Magazine All-Star,” said Jennings. “The Fusion Hybrid is not a performance machine, but neither does it feel hobbled or inadequate for daily driving. Perhaps, the best thing about it is that, apart from the LCD color screens, you might never know you're driving a hybrid.”

All-Stars are chosen by the AUTOMOBILE Magazine staff, its worldwide bureau chiefs and its contributors, following an intensive test drive of the year's most innovative and important new cars. Winners are selected based on design, value and performance, driving enjoyment and the vehicle's ability to redefine an existing category or create a new market segment.

For detailed information on the two vehicles, visit www.ford.com

INFINITI CREATES A “FOREST RETREAT” IN THE URBAN JUNGLE

                                                            Story provided by Infiniti

Infiniti is making driving in the urban jungle a little more tolerable – with a breath of fresh air. The all-new 2011 Infiniti M, which is scheduled to arrive at Infiniti retailers beginning in spring 2010, will be equipped with a newly-developed climate control system that emulates the air of the natural environment.

Infiniti looked to the forest for inspiration. The automaker believes most people rank forest air as the cleanest and most refreshing. As such, it’s ideal atmosphere to emulate on promoting an overall feeling of wellness in a car’s interior, as well as helping keep the driver alert.

Appropriately called Forest Air, the system avoids the air-conditioned artificiality of simple climate control set-ups by adding gentle breezes and optimizing humidity. All this is delivered at the temperature of the occupants’ choice, while reducing the possibility of unpleasant odors or pollen entering the cabin.

The result is Infiniti’s most sophisticated climate control system yet and one that the engineers who developed it believe is class-leading in many ways. The system offers exceptionally clean and refreshing air quality in nearly all driving situations.

Forest Air System is an umbrella term for several areas of technology, some new and some, such as the Plasmacluster air purifier, building on proven Infiniti innovations.

Instead of blasting air into occupants’ faces, the new M delivers a gentle breeze. Air from the instrument panel vents is modulated so it feels far more natural, making the whole cabin environment a more pleasant place to be.

Humidity control plays a part in the Infiniti M’s always-fresh interior. Air-conditioners are good at taking all the humidity out, making interior air very dry. Forest Air System leaves a comfortable amount of moisture in the air, avoiding the dried-out feeling but without allowing the windows to fog up. The precise humidity monitoring needed to achieve this is provided by exterior and interior sensors mounted at the top of the windshield.

For all this to work depends on a first line of defense in keeping bad air out, and the 2011 Infiniti M will have it. Again the system relies heavily on sensors – not just to close the air intake when an odor outside is detected, but also to neutralize bad air already inside, such as tobacco smoke. Active control such as this results in as oxygen-rich an interior as possible with low CO2 levels.

Allergens are effectively kept out of the cabin by a new filter in the air-conditioning system. The filter’s fibers are impregnated with natural grape-seed polyphenol that brings a remarkable rise in efficiency. The effect of cedar pollen allergens, for example, is cut by 88 per cent compared to a regular filter.

Another ingredient in the Forest Air System is Infiniti’s Plasmacluster air purifier. Now more powerful and sensitive than ever, its stream of high-density ions is able to decompose the smells that cling to interior trim, down to barely-detectable levels. Apart from this improved deodorizing function, the Plasmacluster is more effective now at inactivating bacteria, mold, viruses and allergens.

For information, visit www.infinitiusa.com