BREAKING

Event Reports

The Race Of Gentlemen

Oilers Car Club In Wildwood, New Jersey

Article And Photos By: Mitch Bodine

Originally Published In The March 2014 Issue Of Cycle Source Magazine

CSM-MARCH2014.pg10_Page_1_Image_0002

Back at the beginning of October, I attended the 2nd annual Race of Gentlemen put on by the Oilers Car Club in Wildwood, NJ. If you are not familiar with this event, it is an invitation only race that takes place on the New Jersey shoreline for pre-war cars and motorcycles. The promoters handpicked twenty hotrods and twenty motorcycles that fit the bill to keep it period correct.

CSM-MARCH2014.pg12_Page_1_Image_0003

We arrived on Friday afternoon for the pre-race festivities. The chosen cars and bikes were all situated in a lot with many others that either didn’t make the cut or were just spectators like us. There was lots of bench racing going on all night. Later, the party moved over to the Starlux Hotel which looks like it is straight out of the ‘50s. We ended our day with some live music from The Swinging Neckbreakers that rocked out all night.

CSM-MARCH2014.pg14_Page_1_Image_0003

The next day we got to the beach early to check out the inner workings of the show. The whole scene gave us the feeling that during the night we had been transported back in time. There were signs that were all custom painted to represent the old racing sponsors. The registration area was an old, big top tent, and the viewing tower was constructed to look the part as well. I have to give the Oilers credit; they didn’t miss any details!

CSM-MARCH2014.pg13_Page_1_Image_0002

On the motorcycle side of the racing, the two oldest bikes where the 1912 Flying Merkel ridden by Jeff Decker and owned by Richard Shappy. The other was a 1911 Indian owned and ridden by Sean Brayton. One of my favorite bikes — being the racing freak I am — was the alcohol burning 1931 Indian hill climb bike owned and ridden by Pete Minardi of Precision Custom Motorcycles out of Whippany, NJ. It was definitely a badass ride! Josh Kohn of Immortal Ink Tattoo was double tapping, racing both a hotrod and a motorcycle. All weekend the racing was epic. It was like going through a time warp and seeing racing the way it used to be; good stuff for sure! So let me give you a little history about the people who put on this great event. The Oilers Car Club was a California club that started back in 1947 with five guys that just got out of the service. Eventually, the club faded off and became defunct.

CSM-MARCH2014.pg14_Page_1_Image_0004

Meldon VR Stultz III was obsessed with the car culture from back in those days. Mel ended up meeting founding Oiler, Jim Nelson, and with his blessing, Mel resurrected the Oilers. The original idea for the beach race came about while Oiler club members Mel and Mike Kliman were having some beers at the Beach Bar in Asbury Park. Mel and Mike were talking about how in the old days they would test vehicles on these beaches. Why couldn’t they put a race together on the beach and keep it period correct? Mel partnered up with fellow Oiler Tommy Larusso and put on the first Race of Gentlemen at Loch Arbor, NJ: a small, affluent beach town north of Asbury Park. It went off as a huge success.

CSM-MARCH2014.pg13_Page_1_Image_0005

Due to the devastation we had from super storm Sandy, Loch Arbor regrettably couldn’t host the event for 2013, so it had to be moved south to Wildwood, NJ. Wildwood is a very motorsport friendly town hosting a few bike events during the year including a motocross race on the beach as well. The move proved to be an improvement because the racing surface was so much bigger.

CSM-MARCH2014.pg10_Page_1_Image_0005

Plans are well under way for the 2014 event. For a racing experience like no other you need to get yourself to the 2014 Race of Gentlemen. To enter your pre-war motorcycle or hotrod you can contact Mel at raceofgentlemen@yahoo. com. Updated info on next year’s race can be found at www.raceofgentlemen.com or you can find them on Facebook.

CSM-MARCH2014.pg10_Page_1_Image_0006

Related Posts

1 of 159