Euro Auto Festival - Carolinas - Mercedes

FOURTH QtR 2012
MBCA | Carolinas Section
The official newsletter
of the mercedes benz club of
america, carolinas section
Euro Auto Festival
Domination
The 17th annual EURO Auto Festival was held the
weekend of October 19 - 20 in Greer, South Carolina, which is between Greenville and Spartanburg in
the upstate. The event covered the entire weekend,
with two rallies through the area early Friday afternoon, a series of workshops on Friday, followed by
a welcome dinner at the Embassy Suites, which was
the host hotel for the weekend’s festivities.
Other workshops included sessions on ethanol fuel,
concours judges training and high performance
tires.
The main event was, of course, the car show held
on the grounds of the BMW Manufacturing Plant
on Saturday, October 20th. The morning was quite
chilly, but the day turned out to be perfect in all
regards, with afternoon temperatures in the 70s.
By the time the show opened, there were 415 fine
vehicles representing 30 marques in 54 classes.
There was something for everyone, and the highlight was the massive attendance of Mercedes Benz
owners. Sixty four excellent representatives of the
brand were lined up in two large rows for all to see
and appreciate.
Members of MBCA from both the Carolinas Section
and the Peachtree Section were represented, and
One of the show sponsors, BASF, brought a beautifully restored 1957 300 SL Gull Wing Coupe prepared by Chip Foose. It’s two-tone paint was breathtaking.
Dennis Gage, host of the Speed Television network
show, My Classic Car, was in attendance to participate as a judge and to shoot footage for a future
episode.
The next EURO Auto Festival honored marque will
be Ferrari for 2013. If you’ve not participated with
this event before, please consider attending with
your Mercedes Benz this coming Fall. The venue is
absolutely beautiful, the facility offers great amenities (indoor restrooms!), and it’s centrally located
between North and South Carolina. Come join your
fellow MBCA members and let’s keep showing our
beautiful cars!
Be sure
to look
inside for a
full photo
feature on
the 2013
EURO Auto
Festival.
MBCA Carolinas
One of the workshops held Friday afternoon was
a session on detailing. The small conference room
was packed to standing room only and we learned
all about what chemicals to use and not use, and
the importance of keeping up with your car from
Tim McNair.
Bill Hopper our Eastern Regional Director attended
as well. The club had a great tent setup, and different members took turns manning the booth. Many
copies of The Star magazine were distributed, as
well as several membership applications.
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2
President’s Message
3
New Member Roster & Benefits
4 - 5
EURO Auto Festival Photos
6
Calendar of Events
7
Member of the Year
8-9
Christmas Party
PRESIDENT
Richard Deiber
Huntersville, NC
(704) 948-1433
president@mbcacarolinas.org
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
Anthony Santagati
Beaufort, SC
(843) 522-9444
sandspub@aol.com
VICE PRESIDENT
Soren Pedersen
Waxhaw, NC
(980) 722-5651
vicepresident@mbcacarolinas.org
SECRETARY
Position Vacant
TREASURER
Roy L. Davis
Columbia, SC
(803) 331-1852
royleedavis42@gmail.com
MEMBERSHIP CHAIR
Fred Harris
Statesville, NC
(704) 902-6253
harrisfred@hotmail.com
EVENTS CHAIR
Position Vacant
NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Melissa Sprouse Browne
Columbia, SC
(803) 791-3800
info@mbcacarolinas.org
From the National Business Office: With
every email and address update that we receive
at the NBO, we will send a 10% off coupon for
one item in the Club Store. One coupon per
member will be sent electronically (so it must
2
include
a valid email address). Please send these
updates to Geni at geni@mbca.org.
president’s message
Ready for
What’s Next
This year has been a busy one for the MBCA Carolinas
Section, with several huge events and increased attendance
well over the previous year. These are signs of positive
growth in our club and I’m looking forward to what the new
year will bring.
We will be having our planning meeting in January, 2013 in
Columbia to plan the events and outings for 2013. Of course
everyone will be invited to attend and a notice with a date
and location will be provided in advance.
We will need to look toward replacement officers for the
coming year as well. If you have an interest in serving in any
capacity for the club, please let me know and we’ll help you
get plugged in to the role you desire. You may reach me via
email at president@mbcacarolinas.org.
Our section has several great traditions, including our
annual Dock Party which is held every summer. Don’t be
afraid to come to one of the posted outings; you’ll find
everyone to be friendly and welcoming. And, we already
have so much in common –our love of all things Mercedes
Benz. Join us and meet some new friends!
About MBCA
Established in 1956, MBCA has approximately 20,240 active members and 9251 additional
household members in 12 regions which are comprised of 80+ local sections throughout the
United States and Canada. Each region is adminstered by a regional director who is responsible
for assisting and inspiring the sections in the region. The regional director also fosters the formation of new sections, coordinates regional activities and represents the constituents as a member
of the national board of directors. Hundreds of events are organized by sections, from social
gatherings to tech sessions, from car shows to driving events. Most sections publish a newsletter
of information and events and each section has its own officers and bylaws.
Consectetuer #00
CONTENT
Consectetuer #00
r
t
THE LATEST FOLKS TO JOIN US
We are so pleased to welcome the newest members
of the Mercedes Benz Club of America to the
Carolinas Section!
Ed KeadyCharlotteNC
Paul SykesCharlestonSC
Roger Loewenheim Hendersonville
NC
Wendy SpitzFt. MillSC
Darrell Burdick
Hanahan
SC
Rock Hill
SC
and beyond the normal
extended to a club
member.
At Hendrick Motors of
Charlotte and Mercedes
Benz of Myrtle Beach,
members receive a
fifteen percent discount
on parts. AND, both
dealerships generously
offer a reduced hourly
labor rate of $99, which
represents a savings of
thirty percent over the
standard rate!
Finally, a chance
to meet with fellow
enthusiasts may provide
benefits you never
expected. One chance
conversation might
lead you to that one
piece of information you
needed; for example,
several of our members
are very knowledgeable
about parts and may
be may be able to point
you to a resource you
never knew existed
for that one part you
needed.
3
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Benefits for NEW
MEMBERS
Christopher O’Leary Hilton Head
SC
There’s a lot of good
to be had from your
Don DicusChapinSC
membership!
In addition to all of
George BokasConcordNC
the cool things you get
from National, such as
Brian HayesMooresvilleNC
the loyalty discount you
receive on the purchase
Gerald AxnerAikenSC
of a new Merceds Benz,
Robert Bilka
Myrtle Beach SC
your very own Carolinas
Section offers special
Danny ArnoldAshevilleNC
benefits, too!
First, as a new
Lee Oppenheimer Hilton Head
SC
member, please feel free
to attend an event at
Donnie ToddMarvinNC
no charge. For activities
Daniel OlsonLincolntonNCthat include travel or
dinner, those expenses
Erik Griffen
China Grove
NC
will still remain the
responsiblity of the
Steve HaasMatthewsNC
member. But any cost
charged by the club
M. Emma Crawford Summerville
SC
to participate will be
Michael Cottone
Aiken
SC
waived for your first
outing.
Stephen Coma
Charlotte
NC
Second, your club
officers
have made
Molly Hammonds Charlotte
NC
some amazing
arrangements with
Gene Madden
Laurens
SC
dealers in our territory
Tom Barnett
N. Myrtle Beach
SC
to offer discounts above
Chuck Layer
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EURO Auto Festival
4
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5
2013 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
JANUARY
•Planning Meeting, January 2013, Columbia SC. We will hold our annual planning session at
the Real Estate School of SC, 101 Medical Circle, West Columbia SC on a Saturday morning in January to
plan events for the remainder of 2013.
MAY
Go to http://startech.mbca.org/ for additional information and to register.
w w w . m b c a c a r o l i n a s . o r g
•StarTech 2013,
May 18-22,
Alabama.
Registration is now
open for StarTech
2013, running May
18-22 in sun-kissed
Alabama. Save up to
$45 if you register
by March 15th.
StarTech 2013
®
Birmingham, Alabama
May 18-22, 2013
MBUSI Headquarters
NOVEMBER
•CONCOURS
D’ELEGANCE &
CAR CLUB
JAMBOREE,
Hilton Head,
South Carolina.
The annual car show
in Hilton Head has a
BIG change this
year! The venue will
be adjacent to the
Westin host hotel
and no longer at
Honey Horn! No more
dusty cars! Look for
additional info on
this event in the
next issue and plan
to join us the first
week of November
in 2013.
MBUSI Welcome Center
Modification
Come for the Tech!
• Factory Tours of Mercedes-Benz
U.S. International (MBUSI)
• MBUSA and MBUSI Speakers
• Touring Laps – Barber
Motorsports Road Course
• Technical Seminars
– Maintenance
– Repairs
– Restoration
Barber Motorsports Park
Aldridge Gardens
Come for the Fun!
•
•
•
•
•
Vintage Races at Barber Motorsports
U.S. Space & Rocket Center and NASA Tour
Shopping
Garden & Museum Tours
Something for everyone ...
– Modification
– Manufacturing
For information and registration package contact Liz Roberson
at lizroberson2013@gmail.com | 205.822.8460
Mercedes-Benz Club of America | Alabama Section
www.StarTech2013.org
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U.S Space & Rocket Center
MEMBER OF THE YEAR
And the Award Goes to...
Motors dealership and they
provide excellent service to our
club members.
The General Manager of Hendrick
Motors of Charlotte, Ed was
instrumental in arranging the
absolutely incredible private tour
for the Carolinas Section of the
Rick Hendrick Racing facility this
past April.
“I’m thrilled to present Ed with
the Member of the Year honor,”
said Rick Deiber, Carolinas
Section president. “He is a very
supportive part of our network
of dealers and we wanted to
show him how much he is
appreciated.”
w w w . m b c a c a r o l i n a s . o r g
The Carolinas Section is pleased
to honor Ed Keady as the 2012
Member of the Year!
Ed is responsible for the Hendrick
ODDS AND ENDS
UNIQUE TOUR OF GERMANY
As a special bonus in 2013, the National Business Office has partnered with Frosch Travel to offer MBCA
Members a unique tour of Germany. This tour is open
to all MBCA members.
Members will travel from basel, Switzerland to Amsterdam, Holland September 29-October 6, 2013 aboard
the exquisite Viking River Cruises Sun cruise ship. Explore four countries with six guided tours and visit some
of the most amazing highlights along the breathtaking
Rhine River.
Special price discounts have been created exclusively
for MBCA Members. Contact Randy Norris at Frosch
Travel for infromation and reservations, 800-262-7447,
ext. 105. You can also contact John Martiss at 800262-7447, ext. 114. Space is extremely limited, so
please call ASAP.
NEWSLETTER EDITOR PUBLISHES
BOOK ON SENIOR CARE
Melissa Sprouse Browne, a Carolinas Section
member since 2003, has written a book on
caring for aging parents.
The Caregiver’s Training Program: What You
Need to Know to Take Care of Your Parents
in Their Golden Years gives you practical,
immediately useful tactics for caring for a
senior loved one.
Available in print on www.amazon.com,
and through caregiverstrainingprogram.net.
E-book offered on Kindle, Nook, Kindle Fire
and all other e-readers.
If you have questions about caring for an
aging parent, please feel free to
contact Melissa at melissasprouse@aol.com.
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CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION
Photos and Story By Nick Pasquine
On December 1st, almost 30
members went to the historic
town of Aiken, South Carolina
for our annual meeting.
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This year, it was held at the
Willcox Inn, which is ranked
number 32 out of the Top 50
Small Inns of the World.
After a short pre-dinner
cocktail, we went on to dinner
in our private dining room,
which the Inn had decorated
for us, right down to our own
Christmas Tree.
It was unusually warm, so we
bypassed having the large
fireplace lit. Our former club
secretary Roger Levesque
generously brought his
keyboard and voice and
provided Christmas music for
the event.
The food was absolutely
excellent. After dinner and
opening remarks, we shared in
a gift exchange and then door
prizes from several Mercedes
Benz dealers in the Carolinas.
Some members virtually got
their dinner costs back in
prizes!
Our club president also
awarded Ed Keady of Hendrick
Motors of Charlotte with our
Member of the Year award for
his contributions to our club.
8
We then wrapped up club
business with closing remarks
and sincere holiday wishes.
Some of us took this to mean
we should go to the bar until
we close it!
Some couples also took
advantage of the Inn’s great
room offer. Our rooms were
just beautiful. The next
morning, the Inn provided
breakfast and we did all of
the usual talking about the
previous night, our cars and
other club events. Based on
attending members’ votes, we
look forwar to returning next
year.
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9
ODDS AND ENDS
In the event of an uncontested election
where there is only one nominee for each
National Board position and there are no
ballot issues to be submitted to the membership, a slate of candidates will be printed
in the Sept/Oct The Star in lieu of separate
delivery to the Active Members.
w w w . m b c a c a r o l i n a s . o r g
In order to be counted, ballots must be received by October 15, 2012.
NEWSLETTER EDITOR PUBLISHES
BOOK ON SENIOR CARE
Melissa Sprouse Browne, a Carolinas Section
member since 2003, has written a book on
caring for aging parents.
The Caregiver’s Training Program: What You
Need to Know to Take Care of Your Parents
in Their Golden Years gives you practical,
immediately useful tactics for caring for a
senior loved one.
This book provides the step by step instruction you need to understand what to do,
who to call and how to find help when
you need it. Written by Melissa, who owns
Seniors First Home Care, this book addresses
the common issues you’ll encounter, incluing how to handle a parent with Alzheimer’s
Disease, Parkinson Disease, breathing
disorders, mobility issues, stroke, congestive
heart failure and more.
Available in print on www.amazon.com,
and through caregiverstrainingprogram.net.
E-book offered on Kindle, Nook, Kindle Fire
and all other e-readers.
If you have questions about caring for an
aging parent, please feel free to
contact Melissa at melissasprouse@aol.com.
10
NEW MERCEDES BENZ MAGAZINE
Sundial Magazines the publishers of the monthly title Mercedes Enthusiast have launched a new quarterly magazine
Classic Mercedes.
Classic Mercedes will focus on the world’s best and most
coveted classic Mercedes Benz models, from the iconic
SL Gullwing of the 1950’s through to the Modern Classics
of the 1980s and
1990s.
NE
W
!
MBCA NATIONAL ELECTION
Classic Mercedes
will have strong
international theme
sourcing the broadest possible spread
of material from
across the world
with company and
model profiles,
plus guidance on
buying. The photographic element
will be pronounced
feature of its presentation.
Classic
Mercedes
Issue Number 1
£4.95
C E L E B R AT I N G T H E W O R L D ’ S G R E AT E S T C A R S
BETTER THAN
W113
BUYER’S
GUIDE
PICK ATOP
PAGODA SL
NEW!
On the road with a beautifully
restored 300SL Gullwing
ORIGINAL SUPER SALOON
TO STUTTGART IN STYLE
300SEL 6.3’S PACE AND SPACE
1,400-MILE R107 DASH
MAJESTIC COUPES
It is designed to
PLUS 190E 2.5-16 EVO II ◆ BARN FIND PONTONS ◆ MERCEDES LEGEND - ERICH WAXENBERGER
complement Mercedes Enthusiast
which maintains its policy of covering all aspects of the
Mercedes brand while leaving the new Classic Mercedes to
concentrate on solely classics.
TWO W111 V8s
Classic Mercedes is targeted at the affluent collectors and
enthusiasts of the brand which will emphasised by the
high quality production and paper stock of the title.
Classic Mercedes will be on sale in selected Barnes & Noble
stores from the end of July/early August 2012 and will cost
just $12.50 per issue. If you can’t get to a Barnes & Noble
store, then you can order Classic Mercedes on the website
($12.50 inc. air mail) or subscribe for just $40.
For more information www.classicmercedesmagazine.com