Car Rally Day in the Sun

by Fred Peterson

At nine years old, it wouldn’t seem the age to be going on a car rally, but I was invited by my eldest brother Tim, so I was thrilled to be going on an “adventure”. He belonged to the Hornet Touring Society, the car club based at Sacramento State College in California. (Hornets being the mascot of the school team).

My brother Tim was excited because he was a freshman in college in fall, 1957. His interest in sports-type cars increased when my family purchased our first VW Beetle in fall, 1976. Tim had his driver’s license at sixteen, so our VW served his needs to college and back, as well as getting my brothers to high school across town. He started a subscription to Sports Cars Illustrated (later becoming Car & Driver) that year. A VW Beetle being the closest thing that he could drive, it gave him much satisfaction with sports car gymkhanas (autocrosses) over the next few years. He wanted to acquire an Austin Healey Bugeye Sprite, but by this time he was graduating from college and going overseas for a U.S. Peace Corps assignment. Ivy league casual fashion was in vogue in 1957, so a striped driving cap, buttoned down sport shirt, khaki slacks, etc. between the two of us set the stage for a fun afternoon with the car club.

A parade in suburban Sacramento included the car club members for a route of an undetermined time to be a part of so this made it exciting as a first-time experience for my brother and me.

Early Austin Healey 100-4s, MGAs, and Triumph TR-2s were there, as well as other assorted late 50s “foreign cars”. A Karmann Ghia belonged to Tim’s friend, so I realized VW had a “sports model” of sorts, that to my eyes at that time, was really quite dramatic.

As the parade route ended, Hornet Touring Society members formed a line, and followed each other to the local shopping center to park in one corner and converse about the parade and discuss cars, college, etc. As darkness set in, the sports cars dispersed for the evening. Tim and I followed the friends in the Karmann Ghia and then departed for home. An Altogether great day/early evening for a sports car outing.

This was especially true for a “wide-eyed” grade schooler who had a memorable evening with his older brother. I saw how unique the “foreign cars” were, specifically the 2-seater sports cars.

Over the next few months, there were gymkhanas conducted on the back sloping hills of the parking lot behind the local large shopping center. I went with Tim to two of these events.