CPTC: Years 6 thru 10

  • September 1993: With over 45 cars on the field of play, President John Krause declares the 4th annual club picnic at Allenberry an unqualified success. The second annual Meeting of the Marques occurs at the same place one week later. Brian Fuerstenau, Triumph enthusiast and co-founder of Group 44 Racing dies when the sport plane he is piloting crashes near Group 44 headquarters in Winchester VA. Ted Schumacher of TesRac Enterprises introduces his Delco alternator conversion kit for TR8s. This is the first in a long list of Triumph upgrades created by him.
  • October 1993: CPTC begins to stock the club tool shed with valuable items. At a tech session, Eric Fairchild demonstrates the use of the club's new engine hoist and car cradle.
  • November 1993: The Union Canal House is the site for the fall dinner and election of officers. Newly elected are Joe Laurito (President), Ed Mohler (Secretary) and Dennis Ward (Newsletter Editor).
  • January 1994: President Laurito reviews his stable of Triumphs with a tear rolling down his cheek. The TR3 is in a million pieces, the TR6 has a blown rear end and the TR7 enhances its wedge shape under the rear bumper of a 1966 Pontiac.
  • February 1994: Sixty one members brave the aftermath of a winter storm to enjoy fried stickies at the Allenberry Playhouse.
  • March 1994: Kelby Steele demonstrates electrical troubleshooting on a variety of cars. It seems that there is no lack of "demonstrator cars" for this tech session. Club members Eric Fairchild and Jared Worman make the national press as they are interviewed for British Car Magazine's article on the Meeting of the Marques.
  • April 1994: Twelve Triumphs saddle up for Dick & Diane James' Spring Run. These diehards brave the spring drizzle and cold to reach a great buffet at the Lighthouse Restaurant. John Krause and Sue Kistler go international with an article on their cars in European Car magazine.
  • May 1994: The Carlisle Import Show benefits from a warm and sunny weekend. CPTC hosts a fun rally for the event. The giveaway car is a 427 S/C Cobra (almost as good as the Volkswagen they gave away in 2004). Scotty and Bev Boyer extend the club's reach to Wyomissing PA when they join at Carlisle.
  • June 1994: Seven Triumphs spend the weekend touring western PA and the Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece, Fallingwater. The men do some shopping at TRF; the ladies do some power shopping at the Georgian Place. Best-In-Class winners at Bowie include Sue Kistler's TR8, Dave Herr's Stag, Fred Durnan's TR4, Bob Yeager's TR7 and Joe Tolerico's Land Rover.
  • July 1994: Jack Biddle, Ron Hain and Bob Johnstone give us our first taste of "Open Fire Bean Soup" at the conclusion of the Upper Dauphin Dash.
  • August 1994: At the end of the Carlisle Fun Rally, the club is treated to a Pool Party at Mike & Cindy Pool's house. Droves of CPTC members make the August pilgrimage to Armagh PA for the TRF Summer Party.
  • September 1994: 120 people attend the summer picnic at Allenberry when member rebates are announced. Sue Kistler's TR3 fills with smoke in Blain PA. She calls the local fire department but…………nobody answers the phone. Fortunately the problem is a split heater hose and the "smoke" is antifreeze vapor. Jared Worman dressed as an English Bobby directs traffic at the Meeting of the Marques.
  • October 1994: The James' Fall Leaf Tour winds its way through Cumberland and Adams counties. A few bushels of apples are taken hostage before the trip ends at the Sunny Ray Restaurant in Gettysburg.
  • November 1994: Bob Iwan is elected to serve as Vice President and Keith White repeats his duties as Treasurer.
  • December 1994: High point….Dick & Diane James host the CPTC Christmas Party. Low point…club member Charlie McLaughlin passes away at age 75. Charlie and Pauline were the nice "older" couple you always saw in the green TR3 at club events. Their absence would be frequently noticed in the months that follow.
  • February 1995: Club members viewed snow covered South Mountain through a veil of white as the wind whipped powder from the roof of the Allenberry Playhouse. The sight was truly a Winter Wonderland and so became the name of our annual winter gathering.
  • March 1995: The operation of CPTC's newly acquired Gunston gas analyzer is demonstrated by Kelly Steele at the spring tech session. Discussion continues with the proposed emissions inspections planned by the Commonwealth of PA.
  • April 1995: The sight of a snow storm greeted the early riser on the morning of the Spring Run, but God's little April Fools' joke was all melted by 11AM. Seventeen Triumph owners resisted the temptation to spend the day in front of the fireplace. No one, not even Dennis Ward, took the tour with the top folded.
  • May 1995: 73 Triumphs make up the show field at Carlisle. Jared Worman begins the tradition of serving up belly bombers (hot sausages) to all club members on Saturday.
  • June 1995: Don & Dolly Taskey host the York Town 'n Country Road Rallye. President Laurito makes history by running the rally in a behemoth 1979 Cadillac Coupe de Ville.
  • July 1995: Dennis Ward leads the procession of CPTC cars into the Bowie car show. The entrance to Allen Pond is found after several trips around the perimeter. Several CPTC members attend the VTR Summerfest in Somerset NJ. John & Jean Krause come home with a trunk load of trophies.
  • August 1995: Ron Hain leads the parade of the faithful to the 1995 installment of the TRF Summer Party. Two weeks earlier, that very same Ron Hain was the mastermind behind the Upper Dauphin Psychic Run. What's that? Simply put, you stay within a boundary shown on a map, travel any road you want picking up as many paper plates as you can find stapled to poles, and arrive exactly two hours and 61 miles later at Biddle's woods. Very unusual and very much fun.
  • September 1995: At the Allenberry summer picnic, the club membership votes to host the VTR Regional convention in 1997. Diane James and Dolly Taskey are appointed as co-chairs for the event. Thus begins a very busy two years.
  • October 1995: Seventeen club Triumphs tour the covered bridges of Lancaster County courtesy of Don & Peggy Souder. Two weeks later, the Upper Dauphin boys sponsor the Fall Leaf tour.
  • November 1995: Elections are held at the Market Cross Pub in Carlisle. Dick James is elected President for a second time, Ron Hain is elected as Secretary and Joe Laurito becomes Newsletter Editor.
  • December 1995: Thirty four members brave the winter snows to enjoy a cup of grog in front of a blazing fireplace at Joe & Michele Laurito's house. Another year of fun events comes to a close.
  • February 1996: Snow forms walls along both sides of the roads, but the day for Winter Wonderland dawns clear and sunny, but frigid. The fireplace at Allenberry feels very good. John Krause and Dennis Ward were presented with the Ironman Award for their service to the club.
  • March 1996: CPTC reaches an agreement with the Radisson Penn Harris Hotel who will provide the physical resources needed for the 1997 VTR Regionals. Kelby Steele imparts copious knowledge to the CPTC faithful regarding the care and feeding of wire wheels.
  • April 1996: Twenty seven CPTC cars enjoy beautiful spring weather and a trip to the King's Gap mansion in Pine Grove Furnace. Sue Kistler takes on the marketing job for the VTR Regional and begins the task of lining up sponsors, vendors and contributors.
  • May 1996: CPTC members brave wind and rain to attend the Carlisle Import Show. Gene Schrader takes over the duty of feeding the huddled masses. Bill Shover takes responsibility for overseeing the development and operation of the TSD Rally and Autocross for the 1997 VRT Regionals.
  • June 1996: Club members do the Durea hillclimb and take in the sights from the Pagoda during the Reading Run sponsored by Scotty & Dev Boyer. A budget is submitted for the VTR Regional identifying 106 separate events that need funding.
  • July 1996: A large group of CPTC members attend the VTR Nationals in Albany NY to learn how a quality show is run. 18 members pick up show awards. Thanks to the work done by Dennis Ward, CPTC wins the VTR Chapter Newsletter award.
  • August 1996: CPTC begins the month by designing and operating the Gymkhana for the TRF Summer Party and ends the month with another edition of the August Seizer Rally by Joe & Michele Laurito.
  • September 1996: CPTC members enjoy a Funkhanna and Drag Race at the club summer picnic. The drag race has a twist; the slowest car wins. A rainy day puts the damper on the Meeting of the Marques.
  • October 1996: Several club cars make the trip with Bob & Tina Krivenko to Orbisonia to take a ride on the East Broadtop Railroad.
  • November 1996: Elections at the general meeting produce new officers. Bill Kephart is elected Vice President and Keith White continues his duties as Treasurer.
  • December 1996: Good food and good cheer is shared by 44 members at Dick and Diane James' Christmas Party.
  • February 1997: With temperatures in the mid-forties, EVERYBODY drives their Triumphs to Allenberry for the Winter Wonderland banquet. Don & Peggy Souder and Diane James win the latest issue of the Ironman Award.
  • March 1997: Kelby Steele takes the mystery out of the workings of side-draft SUs and Strombergs. CPTC holds a dress rehearsal at the Radisson Penn Harris for the VTR convention.
  • April 1997: Dark clouds don't deter 25 CPTC cars from the Welcome Spring Run. CPTC members travel to Fairfax VA for a tech session by club member Larry Rittenger and the folks at Motorhead. The Carlisle Sentinel runs an article about CPTC and the upcoming VTR Regional convention.
  • May 1997: CPTC wins the first place award from Carlisle Productions for the largest club participation at the Carlisle Import Show. Keith White's change of companies forces a move to Ohio. John Krause agrees to complete the reminder of the year as treasurer.
  • June 1997: Club members roll pretzels at Uncle Henry's Pretzel Factory, them sample the stock at the clover Hill Winery during the Reading Run sponsored by Scotty & Dev Boyer. Final plans are implemented for the VTR event.
  • July1997: The CPTC sponsored VTR Regional convention is a critical as well as financial success. Many club members take time from their busy lives to work the may events occurring simultaneously. Diane James and Dolly Taskey wonder what they are going to do with all the spare time they will now have.
  • August 1997: The CPTC run Gymkhanna takes on a Jimmy Stewart theme for this year's TRF Summer Party. Back at home, the Rolling Hills TSD Rally is sponsored by Bill & Paula Shover.
  • September 1997: The CPTC pig roast forgoes the pig for the first time ever. Because of the modest profit made from hosting the VTR Regional, the club leadership decides to underwrite the difference in cost. The menu change to steak and chicken continues to the present day.
  • October 1997: The Fall Leaf Tour winds through Fort Indiantown Gap where a high speed Army convoy scares the bejesus out of us. The leaves were in full color, the weather was cool and the bean soup was steaming in the open fire kettle when we arrived at Biddle's meadow.
  • November 1997: CPTC gathers at the Hillside Café to elect new officers. They are: President Bill Kephart, Vice President John Krause, Secretary Sue Kistler, Treasurer Joe Laurito and Newsletter Editor Bob Iwan.
  • December 1997: The start of winter is spent in front of the fireplace at Dick & Diane James' Christmas Party.
  • February 1998: Another warm one for Winter Wonderland….45 degrees. Kinda makes up for the several years of snow on Allenberry weekend.
  • March 1998: Kelby and his crew put a few dogs up on the lift and show us what to look out for when buying a Triumph. I wish he had this tech session a few years ago.
  • April 1998: Twenty cars gathered for the Spring Run to the Conewago Dam. By the time we were ready to make the return trip to the Hillside Café, most of the tops were folded. Now this is more like it!
  • June 1998: The club is well represented when Sue Kistler stages her Perry County Tour. The mid-point rest stop is a little curio shop west of Blain which makes a year's worth of sales in just 30 minutes.
  • July 1998: The CPTC Gymkhanna is staged at Haar's Drive-In. John Krause is accompanied by Craig Hancock, a bloke from merry olde England who entertained John a few years earlier when he made the pilgrimage to the Beaulieu Autojumble (England's version of the Carlisle Fall Meet).
  • August 1998: A group of CPTC cars take a tour up to Lewistown. Once there, Jeff Yetter guides us to Penn's Cave in Potters Mills for a day of spelunking.
  • September 1998: The Allenberry Summer Picnic is graced by the presence of Walt & Jane Hopkins' 1914 Overland. Walt & Jane model period clothing to make the spirit of the day complete.
  • October 1998: Over 40 members gather around THE KETTLE at Jack Biddle's Yeungling sampling hollow. The name of the event is changed from Fall Leaf Tour to E'ville Bean Soup Run.
  • November 1998: Members meet at the Hillside Café to elect officers. Ed Mohler receives the nod for Vice President and Bill Shover begins his term as Treasurer.
  • December 1998: The holiday spirit is dampened by the passing of CPTC member Bruce Brockman. Bruce & Liz were fixtures at most club events.
  • February 1999: CPTC member, John Burket forms Triumph Works which specializes in frame building for TR6s.
  • April 1999: Just because we are British car nuts don't mean that we are nutz. Only 5 cars brave the chill of an early spring rain to do the Spring Run. Too bad, though, because Dick & Diane James led a tour over Sterret's Gap and through Perry County on roads seldom used.
  • May 1999: The Fiero Club beats our CPTC for best attendance at the Carlisle Import Show. Hmmmmm…….didn't know Fiero was an import!