Around Xmas of 2010 some of the crew thought that it would be cool to attend the world famous 53rd March Meet at Bakersfield in California. For the Nostalgia racing fan, it is the biggest event of this style in the world. Besides, our good mate Jim Murphy was going to be there and the guys thought they might as well get an education on these darn Nitro contraptions as well.

So, in January, we booked the tickets. 4 at first, which was Buddy, Joey, myself and Sam Farrugia, a mate of Joeys and a car buff as well. The week before we go, Tommy decides that he wouldn't mind coming as well, as he was interested in buying a 59 Corvette so might as well see the March Meet and annoy us. Under statement! Then, on the Wednesday before the event, we are having breakfast at our favourite Coffee Shop in Anaheim, and Mario calls asking us where we are as he is at Los Angeles Airport and was hungry. So, that made 6 god damn Ozzies looking for a Nitro fix.

The initial lot of us, with Tommy now included decided to leave for L.A. the Friday week before the event, as Joey and Sam had not been to the States before and we thought that we would do the tourist gig...So, the Friday night on arrival we took in the Cruise Night at Garden Grove, then most of Saturday we spent at the Santa Fe Springs Swap Meet (Mexican Markets...just love this place) then Sunday morning at the Long Beach Hi Performance Swap Meet till lunchtime, then in the later afternoon we took in an Ice Hockey game between the Anaheim Ducks and Phoenix at the Duck Pond in Anaheim. I personally being a sport nut have seen ALL of the American sports live, and everyone except Ice Hockey is like watching paint dry. They are pretty boring....but the Hockey is pretty cool.

Monday we zoomed over the Las Vegas and stayed overnight in the Luxor, and while being in Vegas a few times beforehand, I personally found the Luxor fantastic in all areas. A must stay. Headed back to L.A. Tuesday morning and then spent 3 days driving around L.A. picking up parts and sightseeing (except Disneyland) when later Thursday afternoon we headed to Bakersfield.

Spent Friday at the track with Murph and his guys and observing/asking everything we could think off. Mario spent a bit of time with Jim on fuel systems, and later that day, Buddy and Mario along with Jim and Tim Beebe spent a fair bit of time going through the Racepack. A bonus.

Saturday we done the same thing, but as Jim had some serious racing to attend to, we weren't as frequent in and around the car, observing from a distance. We were going to get into more detail again early Sunday morning, but this day was lost to a huge wind storm that turned into a rain storm that turned into a snow storm headed back down the Grapevine into L.A. (an hour after we got through the Grapevine, it was closed for 30 hours...would have missed the plane...).

Monday we took all of the 'purchased goodies' to our shipper in Orange, then raced out to BAE in Ontario for a quick look in their factory and to pick up a few pieces needed for back here.

Flew out Monday night for the return to sunny old Australia. Buddy stayed on for another 3 weeks, heading to the other side of the coast and seeing everything from Washington D.C. to New York to Niagara.

So, as they say 'What happens on tour stays on tour' has to be adhered to in this instance, BUT, we had 12 days of 6 guys that mixed, laughed and created mayhem (not malicious) wherever we went, and I would gladly tour with these guys again. It was super funny and we saw a lot and done a lot......we went 1800 miles in just 12 days, but when you take out the 3 days we were stationary in Bakersfield, we went to a few places and covered a few miles.

Pictures enclosed....2011 US Infamy Tour in the Gallery