Daredevils, Pyrotechnicians and FX TV at Big Bear Choppers This Week

You may have seen some motorcycles ripping it up in front of Big Bear Choppers this week. As it turns out, special segments for the FX Network’s “DVD on TV” are being film in Big Bear Choppers’ parking lot on Fox Farm Road in Big Bear Lake. The special segments, which also include “DVD on TV” hosts Dave Holmes and Jennifer Lothrop, were filmed yesterday and will continue through this evening. The clips from Big Bear Choppers, which include two daredevil motorcyclists and pyrotechnicians today, will air when the FX Network broadcasts the Nicolas Cage movie “Ghost Rider,” the 2007 film about a stunt motorcyclist based on the Marvel Comics character. This segment will likely air on FX television later this month but, in the meantime, you can check out the action at Big Bear Choppers into this evening.

Sam Cabiglio of Big Bear City Recognized For His Porsche Expertise

Sam Cabiglio of Big Bear City, California is an expert on many thing’s that are related to automobiles, but what makes him very special is his connection and knowledge of Porsche and Porsche racing history.  Check out the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Porsche Video with Sam Cabiglio. Besides being a collector of  sports cars and collector cars he has developed a business finding special cars for car collector clients around the world.  With offices in Long Beach, California and now in the Monterey Bay  area of California he has found special cars for the likes of Jerry Seinfeld.  Some of Seinfeld’s collection of rare Porsches includes the 600 horsepower 1969 917 Porsche used and owned by Steve McQueen for the famous race movie “Le Mans” staring Steve McQueen.  And if that wasn’t enough, Seinfeld also owns the 1970 Porsche 908/03 named the “Giant Killer” because it’s compact agile size, light weight and ability to dominate races at Nurburging in Germany and Targo Florio in Italy.  It went on to help Porsche clinch the 1970

championship halfway through that race season.  Then the “Giant Killer” raced for much of he 1970’s with an astounding and hard to imagine, 1979 Le Mans finish of 2nd place overall.  Both cars were show at the Rolex Historic Races on Saturday August 15 and at Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on Sunday August 16, 2009.  Of note is that the 908/03 won 2nd place in the racing Concours race category.  Congratulation Sam and Jerry for a great weekend in Monterey and showing off these beautiful cars.

Wings Over Big Bear Air Fair 2009 Thrilling and Popular Aircraft and Car Show

The weather was perfect and the large crowds of over 7000 attendees were entertained with a great collection of vintage and modern aircraft at the Wings over Big Bear Air Fair.  The vintage lineup included the folding wing F4U Corsair, B-25 Mitchell, P 38 Lighting, P-40 Warhawk and a P-51 Mustang, all from the Planes of Fame Museum in Chino.  Other highlights included the Big Bear Lake Antique Car Club and the Big Bear Cruisers collections of vintage automobiles.

All day and into the evening there was a constant stream of arriving and departing aircraft giving rides around the Big Bear Valley. The co-winners of the People Choice Award went to two helicopter exhibitors and it was well deserved as the crowds seemed to constantly surround the west end of the airfield where the Royal Air Force Merlin and Navy Seawolf were perched.  Tom Woehl, who accompanied the finely restored Seawolf HC-1, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his flying skills during the Vietnam War.   The Best of Show Award went to The Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing owned and operated by Si Robin.

Two sisters, Kelly and Kimberly Annadike, flew in from Compton with their instructor Isaac Beteta complete with plenty of great flying stories to share.  Both gregerious aviators hold two world records for young African American flyers.  Kimberly flew from home airport Compton to Newport News, Virginia at age 15 in 10 days of cross county flying.  Older sister Kelly was the youngest African American to fly four different planes solo on the same day, she was 15 at the time.  “Disappointing” was how she described her accomplishment as she intended to set the record with seven different planes on that day, but the poor weather conditions kept her record to just four different airplanes.  Their visit was highlighted with a perfectly restored 1944 Stearman PT-13 Biplane “Spirit of Tuskegee” used in World War II to train young African American flyers.

Much to the surprise of all the participants at the fair was an accidental landing gear malfunction on a Piper Arrow which came to a skidding belly slide stop on the runway.  It took a few moments to clear the plane from the runway but even this incident helped demonstrate that sometimes the worst outcome of an aircraft accident can be a badly bruised ego.  The day was complete with vintage aircraft fly-by’s, Skydivers, vender booths, great static displays, a fantastic variety of food, an inexpensive entry fee of $1.00, perfect weather and a very memorable Big Bear event.  The next Big Bear Air Fair will be the summer of 2011.

Car Enthusiasts Call Monterey and Laguna Seca Home Every August

Car enthusiasts descend on Monterey, California for the annual Auto week, August 10th to the 16th. this year.  Events include the Monterey Historic Races at Laguna Seca and the Concours d’Elegance at Pebble Beach plus many other car events and car auctions.  For more information check out this link Monterey Car WeekCar enthusiasts descend on Monterey, California for the annual Auto week.  Events include the Rolex Monterey Historic Races at Laguna Seca and the Concours d’Elegance at Pebble Beach plus many other car events and car auctions.  For more information check out this link Monterey Car Week.

A historic 1952 Jaguar C-Type Sports Racing Car that was driven to victory in 1952 by the legendary Phil Hill to claim the Jaguar C-Type’s first North American racing victory will be sold at RM Auctions Sports & Classics of Monterey event, to be held August 15thin Monterey, California.