mar-apr 2017 thestardust...directors of this event, and gave the group insight into the event and...
TRANSCRIPT
If you hurry, there is still time to register for the Desert Stars,
2017 race season kickoff, the Desert Stars Grand Prix! This
guaranteed fun time will be held at Octane Raceway located at
The Pavilions at Talking Stick Shopping Center, at 2:00 PM,
March 11, 2017. Come take on the challenge of the track and
see if you can topple defending Desert Star Champion, Matt
Crawford.
Participants will pilot European made Sodi RTX electric racing
karts around a 1/3 mile indoor/outdoor course with speeds up
to 45 mph. 10,000 rpm electric motors provide acceleration
Please see DSGP on page 8
that will impress even our AMG driving members, while low centers of gravity and disc brakes hold you in the turns. And best of
all, no FIA Super license required, just a valid driver’s license and closed toed shoes.
The race format will consist of two timed sessions. The finishing places will be determined by the lowest combined total times of
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Desert Stars Grand Prix 1
M-BEAT 1
President’s Message 2
Star Night 3
Annual Business Meeting 4
Sponsor Spotlight” Team Tino 6
Registration form 8
In the Mirror: M-B Enthusiasts Dinner 5
In the Mirror: Poker Run 7
Registration Forms 9
SW Regional Event 10
Classifieds 11
Save These Dates 12 10
Saturday & Sunday, April 22 & 23, 2017
D E S E R T S T A R S S E C T I O N | A R I Z O N A
THESTARDUST Mar-Apr 2017
Saturday, March 11, 2017
By Mark Ichiyama
By Dick Sharp
Desert Stars Grand Prix
MBCA Desert Stars M-B.E.A.T.
Time to sign up for a repeat of last year’s M-B European Auto Tour to Flagstaff on Saturday/Sunday, April 22 and 23, 2017.
We will start the tour at Denny’s (immediately behind the Chevron gas station) in the shopping center located on the northeas t
corner of Interstate 17 and Carefree Highway; be there NO LATER THAN 7:00am. Coffee and donuts or a “healthy” McDonalds
meal or a “Slam” at Denny’s are available in the shopping center if participants have not had an earlier breakfast. There will be a
driver’s meeting at 7:25am in the Denny’s parking lot at which time driving instructions and a route map will be handed out. Our
intended departure time is NO LATER THAN 7:30am; make sure your fuel tank is filled before you get on the road!!
Please see M-BEAT on page 3
Above: Racer John Phin concentrating on his racing
line. This could be you. Be like John.
Above: Bill R. took his almighty AMG W209 Black
Series out on a past tour. Come play again!
TheStarDust
Page 2
of it here in the Valley. With the AZ Concours and Auction Week in January, Concours in the Hills, Copperstate 1000 Rally, the nearly countless club, hot rod and custom shows and don’t forget the monthly Cars and Coffee. Our valley is a car lover’s dream come true. And speaking of Cars and Coffee sponsored by Scuderia Southwest, on the first Saturday of each month, it has outgrown it’s present location at Gainey Ranch and on April 1st is moving to a new location. 7000 E Mayo Blvd. Phoenix. That is on the west side of the Scottsdale Road between Mayo and the 101 freeway. Many of the Desert Stars attend the Cars and Coffee each month. It is a great opportunity to see the cars and meet with fellow car enthusiasts. Enjoy your cars, our valley and we hope to see you at out on the roads.
More Than a Car Club | We’re a Community℠
New Members, “Welcome!”
January-February 2017 Volume 53 Number 2
©2017 MBCA Desert Stars Section TheStarDust Newsletter is published by the MBCA Desert Stars Section bi-monthly. All rights reserved. Permission to reprint original articles is expressly granted to all MBCA Sections.
Newsletter Editor: Matthew Crawford
• Email [email protected]
Contributing Credits for this Issue: Todd Bush Harman and Susan Cadis John Hutchison Debbie Ichiyama Mark Ichiyama John & Roberta Phin Jocelyn Salisbury Dick Sharp
Photography Credits for this issue: Matthew Crawford John Hutchison Mark Ichiyama John & Roberta Phin Bob Yoder
Activities & Events: Karen Manser
• Email [email protected] Advertising Manager:
Ken Borowitz
• Email [email protected] Website: www.desertstars.mbca.org
Facebook: DesertStarsMBCA
Twitter: @MBCADesertStars
President’s Message By Debbie Ichiyama
Desert Stars Section Officers and Board Members
January Edward Hoyt Patrick Wenz
Hard to believe spring is almost here. Where does the time go? With the warmer weather approaching it is time to dust off our cars and enjoy the Arizona weather and scenery. We are so lucky as a car club to be in an area where there are so many opportunities to see and appreciate cars. No matter what era or model car is your favorite, you will be sure to see a sampling
Officers: President & Membership Chair: Debbie Ichiyama (480) 268-9535 Vice President: Bob Yoder (480) 998-0194 Treasurer: Dick Sharp (480) 661-1325 Secretary: Don Burton (480) 832-1504
Directors: Ken Borowitz (513) 706-1765 Bud Cloninger (602) 326-6210 Matthew Crawford (480) 704-3456 John & Roberta Phin (602) 272-8851 SW Regional Director: Bud Cloninger (602) 326-6210
Chairs: Activities & Events: Karen Manser Publicity / Webmaster: Mark Ichiyama Newsletter Advertising: Ken Borowitz Newsletter Editor: Matthew Crawford
TheStarDust
Page 3
Join your Desert Stars for a Star Night dinner at Mastro’s City
Hall Steakhouse, at 6991 East Camelback Road in Scottsdale.
This is Mastro’s flagship location and the food and décor are a
must. Mastro’s is known for their delicious steaks and seafood
selections. The French onion soup comes highly
recommended, and they have you covered if you’re in the
mood for oysters or calamari. Salads and vegetable sides are
also in plentiful supply. Valet parking is available but not
required. As is our custom, we will order off the menu and have
separate checks. RSVP to Todd at 760-954-3026 or
[email protected] by March 19th. There is no need
to call the restaurant as Todd is handling the arrangements.
Mastro’s City Hall Steakhouse, Sunday March 26, at 6:00 PM By Todd Bush
Star Night
Our route will take us through Wickenburg (for a rest room stop), then on one of the
back ways to Prescott, a “rest” stop in Skull Valley, to Jerome for lunch and a stop at the Jerome State Historical Park
(Douglas Mansion). After spending some time at the museum, we will then head for Clarkdale, Cottonwood, Sedona and Oak
Creek Canyon, ending up in Flagstaff late in the day for dinner and lodging. Lunch will be at the Asylum Restaurant, 200 Hill
Street, Jerome. AZ 86331.
You will be responsible for own costs for lunch, dinner, and refreshments. Continental breakfast Sunday morning is included at
hotel.
M-BEAT from Page 1
Dick Sharp has arranged for 10 rooms Rodeway Inn & Suites
for the one night stay on Saturday, April 22. 2017.
Do not contact the hotel your reservation it will be entered by
the club.
Please contact Dick Sharp ([email protected]) with any
questions about hotel and Bob Yoder ([email protected]) if
you have any other questions.
Mark Miller and Bob Yoder on the BEAT in 2014
TheStarDust
Page 4
Sunday, May 7, 2017
By Debbie Ichiyama
Annual Business Meeting
Join us for the Desert Stars 2017 Annual Meeting and luncheon, Sunday May 7th, 2017 at The Glady restaurant, 2201 E Camelback Road, Phoenix, AZ 85016. The luncheon meeting starts at Noon and will be ordered off a menu prepared for our event. The cost is $37.00 per person, which will include appetizers (family style) an entrée that you will order off the menu, dessert, coffee, ice tea, lemonade, tax and gratuity. Bar service will be available and is the responsibility of the individual. The business portion of this event is brief and consists of announcements of events and our Board and Officer elections. The new slate of candidates is found below. The registration form is located on page . For questions or credit card payments please call Debbie Ichiyama at 480-268-9535. Please RSVP by May 2, 2017. Looking forward to seeing you at the meeting!
Annual Meeting Slate of Officers and New Directors
Directors for class of 2020
Todd Bush Karen Manser
President
Vice President
Treasurer
Secretary
Debbie Ichiyama
Bob Yoder
Dick Sharp
Don Burton
TheStarDust
Page 5
By John and Roberta Phin
Sunday, January 22, 2017
Auction week in the greater Phoenix area was unusually wet and cool. However, the sky cleared for the Desert Stars Auction
Week Wrap Up – the MB Enthusiasts Dinner and Car Show, just in time to provide a lovely evening for the Enthusiasts’ Car
Show. The winner of the People’s Choice award was Dr. Phil Lutfy’s 1966 250SE Cabriolet. Voters also recognized the
appeal of Dick Sharp’s 1952 300S and Rich Schulte’s 1988 420SEL. There was quite a range of beautiful cars, early to
current models and all cherished by their owners. Schumacher European, Ltd. also provided two new Mercedes for all to view;
the new model GLC Coupe and a GLE.
The event was very well attended, with 80 local and out of state members registered. Dinner was sumptuous and provided
enough choice and variety to please everyone. Maggiano’s Little Italy handles banquet management with customer service at
the forefront; they aim to please and they hit the mark. During dinner, photos of cars from the auction tours arranged for
Desert Stars members were displayed, reminding the group of the cars they saw and bid on and perhaps obtained. Or just
dreamed about. There had been a pre-auction contest, members asked to guess the final auction price of a 2000 SL600, 2002
CL55AMG, and a 2008 CL63AMG. John and Roberta Phin presented the winner, Richard Alsager,
In The Mirror: Mercedes-Benz Enthusiasts
Dinner
Above: The Peoples’ Choice Award went to Dr.
Phil Lutfy’s 1966 250SE Cabriolet
Below: Our hard-working event hosts, John
and Roberta Phin pulled off another wonderful
MB Enthusiast dinner.
Please see Enthusiast, on page 6
Above: Dick Sharp and his 1952 300S are
always a popular sight anywhere he goes.
TheStarDust
Page 6
with a certificate and prize at the dinner.
After dinner, Chuck Stanford gave a wrap up of the 4th Arizona Concours held at
the Biltmore Resort at the start of auction week. Chuck is one of the founding
directors of this event, and gave the group insight into the event and the cars,
including the winning 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic.
Dave Tobin (pictured, right) of the SL Market Letter, Inc. was the evening’s
featured speaker. Displaying photos of cars from many of the week’s auctions,
Dave described the car, the predicted results, the actual outcome and some
insight into why certain cars defied expectations. Dave has been a Mercedes
aficionado since pre-school days; he talked from real experience and a love of the
marque. And he reminded us to buy what you love, love what you drive. It is not
always just about the investment, Mercedes are imminently drivable and enduring
and great fun; sometimes also great investments.
Enthusiast from Page 5
See more photos on page 11
TheStarDust
Page 7
By Harman & Susan Cadis
Sunday, February 25, 2017
This year's annual Poker Run had 28 club member participants in 15 cars. The Poker Run / Tour started at Mercedes-Benz of
Arrowhead where we enjoyed their hospitality and watched several members hold on to their wallets. Next, we were off to the
Hassayampa River Preserve, a 770-acre riparian nature reserve owned by The Nature Conservatory. Everyone appreciated the
flora and fauna in addition to the museum. Then we ventured off to Wickenburg where we stopped at Chaparral Homemade Ice
Cream for great ice cream and some live music. The Poker then took a much need rest at the shops and saloons of Wickenburg.
Next, we hit the trail to the entrance of The Vulture Mine (regrettably, we could not get the tour). From there the Players (all had
their very own Poker Hand this year) were treated to some of the best back roads Arizona has to offer in both scenery and black
top. Finally, Players had to put their hands on the table to see who gets to take home the winnings at the WigWam Resort. Cold
libations and hot appetizers were waiting. All had a great Fajita buffet dinner and wonderful service from the staff at the WigWam.
First place honors go to John Hutchison’s grandson, Raden Chambers (below, left) - With FOUR ACES! - while Kathy Hobson
(below, middle-low) took second place and Terry Horne (below, middle-high) came in third. The “Low hand” award was held by
Dee Cloninger (below, right) and yes, she got a prize too!
In The Mirror: 2017 Poker Run
TheStarDust
Page 8
DSGP from Page 1
the two sessions, rather than who crosses the finish line first. Computerized timing
by the track will determine the finishing order. Awards and recognition ceremonies
will follow the last race. For more information about Octane Raceway and the racing
karts http://octaneraceway.com
Entry fee for the event is $49.00 for drivers, or $10.00 if you just want a “pit-pass”
and refreshments. The fee includes the two races and refreshments at the raceway.
We hope every Desert Star will compete, but if you don’t feel the need for speed,
then we will also have “Pit Passes” for spectators to cheer the racers on and share
in the refreshments.
Register by Sunday, March 5. (EXTENDED, CALL ASAP!) For more information or
to register by phone call Debbie Ichiyama at 480-268-9535.
TheStarDust
Page 9
2017 Desert Stars Grand Prix March 11, 2017 Please Register and Pay by March 5, 2017
Name(s) registering: _____________________________________ Number Attending_______
Address: ______________________________________________________________________
City: State/Prov.: Zip: ____________________________________________________________
Phone No.: ________________________________________________________ Day/ Night
Email Address: ________________________________________________________________
Cost is $49 to drive, $10 to attend. Registrations should be paid by March 5. After that date, contact Debbie for availability or questions at (480) 268-9535.
Make your check payable to: MBCA Desert Stars; and mail to: MBCA Desert Stars c/o Debbie Ichiyama
6502 E Evans Drive, Scottsdale, AZ 85254
Credit Card payments available: Call Debbie Ichiyama at (480) 268-9535.
2017 Mercedes-Benz European Auto Tour (M-B.E.A.T.) Please Register and Pay by April 14, 2017
Name(s) registering: _____________________________________ Number Attending_______
Address: ______________________________________________________________________
City: State/Prov.: Zip: ____________________________________________________________
Phone No.: ________________________________________________________ Day/ Night
Email Address: ________________________________________________________________
Room: check: 2-Queen_____ or 1 King______ bed
Cost is $115.00 per person and $125.00 for couple which includes hotel room and Douglas Mansion Tour. Registrations should be paid by April 14, 2017. After that date, contact Debbie for availability or questions at (480) 268-9535.
Make your check payable to: MBCA Desert Stars; and mail to: MBCA Desert Stars c/o Debbie Ichiyama
6502 E Evans Drive, Scottsdale, AZ 85254
Credit Card payments available: Call Debbie Ichiyama at (480) 268-9535.
2017 Annual Business Meeting May 7, 2017
Name(s) registering: _____________________________________ Number Attending_______
Address: ______________________________________________________________________
City: State/Prov.: Zip: ____________________________________________________________
Phone No.: ________________________________________________________ Day/ Night
Email Address: ________________________________________________________________
$37 Per person. Contact Debbie for availability or questions at (480) 268-9535.
Make your check payable to: MBCA Desert Stars; and mail to: MBCA Desert Stars c/o Debbie Ichiyama
6502 E Evans Drive, Scottsdale, AZ 85254
Credit Card payments available: Call Debbie Ichiyama at (480) 268-9535.
TheStarDust
Page 10
Mercedes Benz Club of America Southwest Regional Event
June 2 - 4, 2017
Hosted by the Orange County Section
Join us in Orange County, CA for a fun-filled weekend. Bring your Mercedes and enjoy the wonderful area of Orange County. Host Hotel: Embassy Suites Hotel Santa Ana, 1325 East Dyer Road, Santa Ana, CA 92705 Amenities included are: Gated parking with 24-hour attendant In-room internet Complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast buffet Complimentary managers reception Friday & Saturday Highlights include: Welcome reception Friday evening Co hosted by OC Section Rally after Saturday breakfast Lunch break after Rally Awards Banquet at a local restaurant Awards for Rally Raffle drawing with prizes This weekend also has free time to visit the following nearby attractions: Shopping at Fashion Island and South Coast Plaza Visit to Rogers Garden Crevier Classic Cars Sherman Library and Gardens Lyon Air Museum Newport Beach
We have a limited number of rooms reserved at a special rate of $117 per night (approximately $140 with tax and
parking) but you must make your reservation directly with the Embassy Suites before May 1, 2017. Reservations
made after this date are subject to room availability and prevailing room rates. When you make your room reservation, or
if you plan to attend without staying at the Embassy Suites, fill out the entry form below. Sent the completed form along
with a check for $97 per person or $194 per couple to cover trophies, lunch, Saturday banquet etc.
For any questions contact Lynn Hern at [email protected] or 714-998-1684
To make your reservation with Embassy Suites
Call 714.241.3800, select 1 for reservations and tell the
receptionist you want to reserve a room under the MBZ
Southwest region group June 2-3 event.
Orange County Regional Event June 2-4, 2017 Name(s)registering_____________________________________________No._____at $97 each
Address_________________________________________________________________________
Phone No._________________________ Day/night E-mail_______________________________
Awards Dinner Entree Choice & No. Beef_____ Chicken_____ Fish_____
Make your check payable to MBCA-OC section before May 1 and mail to: Jocelyn Salisbury, 4244 Sirius Ave, Orange CA 92868
TheStarDust
Page 11
Update your email address with The National Business Office
Contact our Membership Chair, Debbie Ichiyama, at 480-268-9535 or [email protected]
Do you know all of the perks of being a member?
One of the many benefits that your Desert Stars section of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America offers you is complimentary advertising for your Mercedes-Benz. A while ago the board decided it was a nice benefit to offer our members and we are happy to help. If you have a Mercedes-Benz you are looking to sell, please contact Ken Borowitz our advertising Chairman and he will assist you. See Page 2 for his contact information.
More photos from the MB Enthusiast Dinner, page 5
Above: Attendees “exemplar car” parking. Looking good! Below, left Therese and Rich with their stunning
420SEL. Left to right, John Phin and Chuck Stanford take to the microphone.
SAVE THESE DATES!!!
M A R C H - A P R I L 2 0 1 7
Visit us at: www.desertstars.mbca.org
“Like” us on Facebook DesertStarsMBCA
Follow us on Twitter @MBCADesertStars
March 11, 2017
March 26, 2017
April 22-23, 2017
May 7, 2017
June 2-4, 2017
June/July, 2017 TBD
September, 2017
Keep your address updated with the MBCA National Business Office at
(800) 637-2360 Online at http://mbca.org
Saturday
Sunday
Weekend
Sunday
Weekend
TBD
TBD
Desert Stars Grand Prix
Star Night
M-Beat
Annual Meeting
SW Regional Event
Trivia Night
Havasupai Rallye