What an Opening Day!
Just some of the cars that couldn’t get in because we were full and they didn’t make the cut.
Without a doubt, April 1, 2023 was our best opener ever!
Once again, it began with a prayer led by the Tacoma-based Sisters of the Immaculate Transmission before the “ribbon” (fan belt) cutting by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson himself, and that began the morning of continuous surprises. Did you know he owns a mint condition 79 AMC Pacer? He’s always loved the looks.
The beloved Thugs, with Sean working two entrances simultaneously, landed all 550 cars in record time. Unfortunately, we turned away just a skosh over six hundred cars by 8:41 AM, including that oh-so-common Bugatti W16 Mistral, that was flown in from the factory for the day. Stephan Winkelmann himself said he had to park at Marymoor and tap dance his way over. We have to draw the line somewhere.
Not to be outdone, BW showed up in a spanky-new M1A2 SEPv4 Abrams Tank, something he’s been promising ever since he ordered it two years ago. BW got the thing with the active protection kit and the double-stitched Alcantara interior and a speed loader, extended barrel and upgraded audio. Unfortunately as he got in line, he didn’t see JS’s Ferrari 250 GTO and flattened it like a monkey-stomped soda can bound for recycling. JS laughed it off and said he’d just hang it on the wall and get another. No big deal. Rumor has it that BW will get the first civilian bare carbon version of the M1A3 SEPv5 in the coming year as long as he promises to let people sit in it.
At 10 AM, we had the traditional Blue Angles fly over followed by Boeing doing a slow roll with their latest 777X and this time they did it with involuntary passengers just to give them something to talk about when they got home. Some cried.
Live music was provided by Sir Drives-a-Lot who just released his first country album, “Meat Puppet Monday” in Nashville and flew his own plane, a surviving BD-5J back to Redmond, just to join us. Most people don’t know this, but he’s a high-time pilot who’s been working on his fourth upcoming slow jazz-rap album with Seattle’s own Kenny-G! I guess it’s a new hot category, Jazz-rap for snuggling.
GW brought his seven figure, last-ever-made Yugo GV, with matching doors, and hired a team to follow the car from Bellevue to RTC, just to collect the parts that traditionally come loose. Trailering was not an option because of the potential for a dreaded, as he put it, "involuntary shake-apart” that makes the car special and why it’s so coveted for its unique ability to spontaneously disassemble. GW’s coveted Yugo is also the only known example that starts. What an effort to bring it! He said it handles way better than a LaFerrari! When I walked up, he was quick to point out the matching headlights.
Tom N, our co-founder with his friend Rebecca flying around Redmond Town Center aboard Goodyear’s “Baloney Pony 3.” Rebecca L was there to cover the story for Road and Track and Psychology Today.
Once again, the Goodyear blimp showed up and one of our own founder got picked up in the “Baloney Pony 3” at the upper lot for a tour around Redmond and some great overhead shots. Goodyear has decided to become our primary sponsor and promises free tires to the first 50 cars, all season. So what if they don’t fit. Our motto is, “Free shit is still free shit.” We’re not entirely clear if they are giving away tires all season, or if the tires are all season, or both.
Vic, the co-founder of E@RTC and now famous founder of Brown Note Audio, brought his new Lamborghini Yalpa fitted with his new patented BNA system inside, we poop you not. Vic won’t let anyone ride in that baby without sitting on a waterproof towel.
Bill Gates rare 959 makes an appearance at RTC!
BG was there in his 959 with a t-shirt that said, “Chop this!” in reference to US Custom’s attempt to seize and destroy this beauty. And yes, as expected, he handed out vaccines to the first 50 over 80. He was there with some blonde twice his size with, well, let’s just say, “giant headlights” in a tube top, no, more like balloons in a seatbelt, but who are we to judge. We didn’t get her name, but he kept referring to her as his, “Fun Bag” and she just followed him around like a dog waiting for a treat. Yeah, we were surprised too!
Our own Jason B brought his newly acquired 46 window VW Bus claiming he needed more length in his life. A new garage is in the works.
“Fast and Furious” filming a bicycle chase scene at Redmond Town Center during opening day.
The entire cast of Fast and Furious made it out, complete with a car rolling, then airborne demonstration down Bear Creek. They put a little too much pepper on the stunt and the modified Prius ended up in Marymoor with lots of cheering. Not to be outdone, Turn 11 Studios shot their own Prius over the building and everyone clapped and cheered as it also ended up in Marymoor just feet from the other Prius. Good one Microsoft! Redmond Parks Department plans to use the smashed-in burned up cars as part of the new climbing wall. They think the twisted sharp metal and carbon fiber shards will add an element of excitement with the kids.
We want to thank Canlis and Barking Spider at Willow’s Run for catering the whole thing and Hublot for their generosity who gave everyone commemorative “Big Bang” watch and some coupons for Taco Bell. We also added toilet paper in the gift bags. What a day! Thank you all for coming out and keeping this day such a huge secret.
Thanks to the Honda Type R and the Performance Prius Clubs for coming out and helping us fill RTC’s Center Strip. What a show-stopper! See you all next Saturday!