FROM THE ARCHIVES 6/2024
- June 4, 2024
- Desert Drives, From The Archives
- Posted by Phil Reese
- Comments Off on FROM THE ARCHIVES 6/2024
From the Archives #25, June 2024
Last month the LV Region celebrated its 50th anniversary, and began looking forward to the next 50 years. Since this column is supposed to recount the history of the Region, I thought we might look back to the time the Region celebrated its 25th anniversary and began looking toward its second 25 years.
That would be 1995.
Bill Clinton was President of the US, and an equally audacious character was President (again) of the LVR. That would be Carl Young. If you’ve read this column previously, you’ll know what I mean. Suffice it to say that Carl was Region President in 1975, and he founded Carl’s Place.
During the first few months of 1995, several members praised the new 993, while at the same time complaining about all the “bells and whistles” that they didn’t understand (They should try a 2024 Cayenne.)
The Las Vegans started the year with a bang… the annual Super Bowl & Chili Party at, where else, the home of Carl and Ellen Young. The point here is that as recently as 1995, the LVR could hold its “After Christmas” party at a private home, and it was mentioned that it was the biggest crowd ever at Region party. Nowadays, we have to limit the attendance to 100 folks. And at the 1995 party, they made a strong point that all smokers at the party had to go outside to light up.
And to jog your memory as to how far back 1995 is, at lot of time was devoted at the first three LVR Board meetings to discussing how badly a COMPUTER was needed to produce the SANDSCRIPT and to keep track of members, address changes, the Region budget, and other things. Finally at the end of the March meeting the Board voted to purchase a laptop, a home computer, and a laser printer, all at a price not to exceed $7,000 (that’s about $14,000 today).
And also in 1995, the LVMS was beginning to take shape, and was causing serious anticipation, probably because the $70 million oval track was opening soon, a long road race course was promised, and the drag strip was being relocated and improved. Especially the drag strip.
