Granbury Hot Rod Homecoming

Live Setup And Event Kickoff

unknown 0:04

Go online, Mark.

Don Armstrong 0:09

So if you'll wait just a second, we will do this live.

unknown 0:12

Stay away.

Don Armstrong 0:13

Okay. And go. Hello, everybody. It is the In-Wheel Time Car Talk Show today coming to you from the Lone Star Street Rod Association State Run Car Show at Hewlett Park in Granbury, Texas. Just ahead, guests from today's event, including the chairman of the board of the Lone Star Street Rod Association. He is here today with us. Everybody stand, please, for Rick Neely.

Jeff Dziekan 0:45

Thank you, Rick.

Don Armstrong 0:46

Good morning, y'all. Good morning. Plus, we'll have some of our regular features scattered throughout the show. It's a three-hour bonus program today. Aren't you lucky? Howdy, along with Mike out of this world Mars, we always need more Jeff Zeke. Chief Engineer David Ainsley, I'm Don Armstrong. Or in your world, I'm Nod Nortzmora. So we're having the uh the uh national anthem right now, and uh we're just talking right over it because you know, as much as I would like to stand and salute the flag and do all of the great things that we should be doing, we have a program that uh actually will ultimately go to a podcast, and it just doesn't work all that well. So I understand. Yeah, so I I apologize ahead of time for anything that may happen while you're on the air with us and everything. It's a disclaimer up front. It is a disclaimer up front. Now you're at home watching on our live stream, which is currently on YouTube, Facebook, and in real time.com. Well, uh, if we look a little off, well, that's because of the camera issues that we've been trying to deal with here. So we apologize for that. We apologize for living today. Of course. But uh that's another story for another day. We'll go to church for that one.

Meet Rick Neely

Don Armstrong 2:06

Ladies and gentlemen, here he is, Rick Neely. Good morning. Okay, take it away. Now, if if if if if you were standing in front of an audience of a thousand people here, which you do often, don't you?

SPEAKER_00 2:20

I do. Yeah. I'm I got the pleasure of actually doing the awards and uh speaking to our membership every year. Uh it's I enjoy it. It's a passion. It's good, and I love sharing my passion. Uh I I appreciate y'all coming. Uh, over and over again. Uh and getting to spend some some time with you.

Don Armstrong 2:46

This is it's an educational experience, isn't it?

SPEAKER_00 2:49

It's uh no, I refer to it as a life lesson. Life lesson. Yeah, yeah. I'm a glutton for punishment, and here we go again.

Don Armstrong 2:56

There we go again. Yeah. Well, it's great to see you. Good to see you.

SPEAKER_00 2:59

It always is. Do you live here? No, I live out in Midland. I live in Midland. 300 miles west of here.

Don Armstrong 3:05

Is that all it is?

SPEAKER_00 3:06

Just about that. Yeah.

Don Armstrong 3:07

Well, so in other words, this is kind of like the halfway point between Houston and Midland, the stop off here in Granbury.

SPEAKER_00 3:14

Oh, if you go through Granbury, you're you're lost.

Mike Marrs 3:19

That's really not too bad because it's like two 250 for us to get up here. Yeah. It's about what takes gas?

SPEAKER_00 3:27

Miles. Yeah, it's miles.

Don Armstrong 3:28

A little over 250. 250. Yeah. But it took us five hours to get here.

SPEAKER_00 3:31

Yeah. Well, that's traffic.

Don Armstrong 3:33

No, actually, it's not. It's uh, you know, we don't have a big highway like you've got from Midland to Granbury. And we take the we take scenic. We take the back route through Waco. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That way.

Mike Marrs 3:45

Yeah. 71. There's a couple of ways, and even all they all end up going like this. Absolutely.

Don Armstrong 3:50

So I would imagine that uh all of the participants in today's event come from all over the state and beyond.

SPEAKER_00 3:56

They do. We have some people in here from Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, uh, New Mexico, as well as Texas. So congratulations. Yeah. We have a we have a very diverse, we're not just we're organized in the state of Texas. Therefore, the Lone Star Street Roder Association. But we welcome everyone.

Don Armstrong 4:20

I mean, we You know, it must be it must be a real problem trying to read the minutes every month to everybody from all over the world.

SPEAKER_00 4:29

Well, no, uh actually we do quarterly, quarterly meetings among the directors and such. And uh as far as the membership, they just want to know what day the the event's gonna be.

Don Armstrong 4:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 4:42

You know.

Don Armstrong 4:43

Is this the only event that you actually physically sponsor? This is it. This is it. This is it. This is the other thing. So all of the other events that these guys go to, that's a completely different thing that you guys really aren't involved in.

SPEAKER_00 4:55

Absolutely. Well, do we go we go to support those other events?

Don Armstrong 4:59

So do I mean do you promote the other events?

SPEAKER_00 5:01

We do. Yeah, okay. If they get us the information in our monthly newsletter, then all of that information is shared throughout our membership.

Jeff Dziekan 5:10

But Hewlett Park offers other clubs as well, not just uh Lomesar. Correct. I mean, because I see flyers for it, I see things on Facebook that you know come to Hewlett and it's maybe a corporate player or Chevrolet specific. Yeah. Correct.

Don Armstrong 5:23

So I heard there was a uh nasty rumor that they're gonna do away with the grass and turn this into a great big showpiece on asphalt for all of the car clubs we get.

SPEAKER_00 5:33

Well, we're actually the only group that they allow to park on the grass. Oh wow. If you've noticed around the park, it's don't park in the grass. Yeah. Don't drive in the grass. Well, look around you.

Don Armstrong 5:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 5:45

We're all in the grass sidewalk.

Don Armstrong 5:47

I cannot even imagine having a car show this size and not parking in the grass.

SPEAKER_00 5:51

No, I mean, uh, so we're we're a family Christian base organization. Yeah. And when it in its early times, it was like at Fort Fisher in Waco forever. That's a huge park right there on the Brazos River. And then we went to Fredericksburg to Ladybird Johnson Park. We were there for 13 years. This is actually our tenth year in Grand Bridge. Oh, really?

Don Armstrong 6:17

And that brings up the the question is have you and I obviously you've been at other places, but you continue to come back here. Who wouldn't? Why wouldn't I uh there there is that. And uh also Tammy Dooley.

SPEAKER_00 6:31

Why wouldn't you? Does that too? Tammy Dooley is amazing. Uh I had a a uh friendship with her and her husband Mike when they were in Midland years ago. So we were already Lone Star was already here in Granbury, and Tammy came to run the Visit Granberry office, the visit. From Midland. From Midland, yeah. Yeah, she was smart. She came and found some trees and water. And uh but she uh she came over and she took over this, and then when she found out I was involved with Lone Star and what we were already here, oh, it was like a reunion. And the city just makes it s makes us so welcoming. Uh they honored us with a distinguished a distinguished honor they hand out once a year. Lone Star received that from them one year. And Tammy will tell you that we are their we're their favorite event of all the events that they hold. And your hours too. Yes, of course. Well, I I believe her, Don. Good man. Yeah, but no, uh between the the city and and the county, uh the CVB, they just they literally roll out the red card.

Don Armstrong 7:53

So you've been to the other events uh at other venues.

SPEAKER_00 7:56

Yes.

Don Armstrong 7:56

What makes this, other than what you've just spoken of, what makes this different?

SPEAKER_00 8:03

This feels like coming home. Okay. I don't know how better to put it.

Don Armstrong 8:07

Well you can't, because I mean this is this is your only event every year, and clearly you have talked to your

Updating Rules To Survive

Don Armstrong 8:14

membership. How many members do you have?

SPEAKER_00 8:16

Membership right now is just over 500.

Don Armstrong 8:18

That's good. That's that's that's impressive.

SPEAKER_00 8:20

It's uh you know, attrition has taken its toll and things like that. Our membership used to be well over 2,000. Yeah. Uh uh I hear at one time it was approaching 3,000. But through attrition and whatnot, so to bolster the membership. Lone Star founded was founded as a pre-49 organization. Well, that that was all real well and good in the 70s because that was the error. Correct. The gentlemen that uh the empty nesters, the folks that had enough uh money to to spend on their cars. They could go back and they could build that car that they wanted in high school that they couldn't do in high school. So they're up there now, they have the time and the means to do so, so they started building this. Well, that's all pre-49 stuff. That rocked along for many, many, many years. Then they they bumped it prior to me being on the board, they bumped it to pre-73. You know, the end of when the government got involved in all of our vehicles and started choking them all out. Uh so we rocked along there for a good long while. Uh, a couple of years ago, as a board, we put it before the membership to what do you want to do? We need to do something because if we do nothing, we're gonna end up not being here anymore. But we need to do something. So we laid out some choices to the membership, sent ballots to everybody that was on our mailing list, and like your local and national elections, about 20% of them voted. And they voted for a rolling 30-year calendar. Now, this year, if you have a 96 model vehicle, you can come into the show.

Don Armstrong 10:15

So ultimately, if I'm still living, I'll be able to bring my 2001 Corvette here and show it.

SPEAKER_00 10:21

If that's what you want to do.

Don Armstrong 10:24

Yeah, yeah, I don't see too many Corvettes in here.

SPEAKER_00 10:27

We have trailer parking. Thank you.

Don Armstrong 10:29

If you can't get that guy, I I I get it and I appreciate the humor. Yeah. But uh, you know, we drove the Corvette up here. Jeff Jeff was my sidekick, my ride and shotgun on it, and yeah, and it did quite well and got 30 miles to the gallon. Wow. Yeah. So uh I I'm I'm doing ISI am bragging.

SPEAKER_00 10:48

Yes, as you as well as you should. Yeah. No, everybody has their car passion. I mean, it's just everybody has their car passion.

Car Culture Changes And Club Decline

Don Armstrong 10:55

And you know, it's funny because your car passion, at least for me, has evolved since I got into this in 1977. Yes. And um, you know, car show we didn't have cruise ins that I was aware of. We had a car show, and yes, it was in a park, and it was a big deal for the club that I was in. And it was basically for club members. I mean, if somebody wanted to come and show their car, that was a that was okay. Yeah. But the whole idea of cruise-ins and car shows has evolved.

SPEAKER_04 11:27

It has.

Don Armstrong 11:28

You don't, you know, you the we have in Houston a thing called Autorama, I'm sure you're familiar with that group. And it's a great show. And the problem that I see, and other people have seen it as well, is it's the same cars over and over again. Back in the day when I was exposed to it, it was different. You go and there was guys building their cars and showing them, well, I'm not gonna show it this year, uh uh, and somebody else would take their place. It's not so much that way at an Autorama anymore. It's the same guys pretty much over and over with, and let's face it, we're all none of us are getting any younger.

SPEAKER_00 12:04

No, we're not.

Don Armstrong 12:04

And so it's kind of stalled where it where it is right now with the show cars.

SPEAKER_00 12:08

And that's a shame.

Don Armstrong 12:09

It is. But you don't see as many clubs showing as a club within Autorama.

Jeff Dziekan 12:15

Well, it's also technology too, because our day it was hands-on, bolt, wrench, turn the wrench, pull the motor, shade tree. Now it's all computer digitized. I'm gonna look at YouTube, how to do this. The cars are already set up computer generated or computer uh driven, so that is what you have to overcome. Well, and they're not interested in it.

Mike Marrs 12:35

And the car club aspect of it, we we used to do a feature, try to feature car clubs to kind of help them grow a little bit. But COVID pretty well down our area killed out most of the clubs. Most of them, if they'll even answer the phone or an email, will tell you, no, we just never recovered from COVID. I mean, they just aren't as active anymore. Well, no. No, and they're not.

Jeff Dziekan 12:55

That to me is is an excuse. That to me is is an excuse, and it's a lame one. It I'm and okay, Jeff. I'll pass that along. Um because if you're interested in it and you really are a car enthusiast and you want to build a car, you're gonna do it.

Mike Marrs 13:08

Well, no, no, I'm talking about as far as the club aspect of it goes, they they just they just don't do that. There might be two or three of them get together, but as far as twenty or thirty, they just don't seem to do it.

Don Armstrong 13:19

Well, I will say this that uh we uh have been involved in uh several events that these car clubs have. Um and uh there's one in particular, uh the one down in um that Woody used at the end of the year. Woody, yeah, yeah. Yeah, waterfront. But it but the cars were like these. And the guys were passionate about the cars. It wasn't a club per se, but it was a cruise in that gained popularity amongst these, which I'm sure that these guys, some of them have probably been to that event. I'm sure they have a waterfront car show. Anyway, it's a beautiful setting right there on Galveston Bay, and um and this restaurant that's kind of associated with it has enough room for, I don't know, a hundred cars or so. And uh it was a nice small event, but it's not a club per se that put it on. It would be like a Lone Star Street Rod Association. A promoter event, yeah, yeah. Where uh everybody uh belongs to the club. They get word that there's going to be a an event going on. And I think that that too is an an issue in the fact that who do you reach that has that green Ford and he he he loves his car and he spends a lot of money on it and a lot of time on it, but he doesn't know. I remember when I first got into Corvette Club of Houston, that was 1977. I didn't know anything about it. It was a little bitty box ad in the Houston Chronicle, and go to the meeting, and I went to the meeting, and they welcomed me and made me part of the club right away, and I paid my 20 bucks or whatever it was, and I went to their events, but they were far and few between. Now it's now it's imports.

SPEAKER_00 14:52

Yeah. Well, and what I see that really I guess bugs me to the bone is there's so many 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 year old boys and girls out there that aren't even interested in getting a driver's license. Yeah, I know. And that's true. And I mean, I'm thinking, well, uh they'd whole lot rather sit in the back seat or the front seat while mom and dad drive them around or their buddies drive them around while they're talking with their thumbs. And to me, that's I I I just see that as this is. How old is your son? Forty-two. Yeah, forty-two. Yeah. The the one with the little roadster.

Don Armstrong 15:35

Yeah. So he grew up in the 80s.

Jeff Dziekan 15:38

Born in the 80s. But well th that that's a that's a trick question because he grew up with his dad having hot rods and being part of the Lone Star Street Rod Association. Now I have two girls, so it's well, yeah. So he was automatically born into it, so to speak. And I was as well.

SPEAKER_00 15:53

Exposed very early.

Don Armstrong 15:54

Did you ever have him wrench on your car?

SPEAKER_00 15:56

Absolutely. We wrench on his together. Yeah.

Don Armstrong 15:59

Mine runs. Well, that one that he was driving here today looks like it runs too.

SPEAKER_00 16:04

It runs really, really, really. It's a pretty car. It's a beautiful car.

Don Armstrong 16:08

And I said to you, and we've all talked about it, that's a Boyd Coddington car. It looked like a Boyd Coddington. It's uh there were some cues taken from the Boyd Coddington era in that car.

SPEAKER_00 16:18

So I'm gonna say I think it's a Boyd Coddington knockoff. Well, yeah, I mean honestly. I didn't want to say that, but yes. Well, no, I mean, Boyd Coddington was a genius. I mean, he was he was the Harley Earl of street rotting. Yeah. In my mind. Yes. And I pick on Harley Earl, father of your Corvette. Well, he was also the father of my 57 Buick.

Don Armstrong 16:43

You still have the 57 Buick? I bet I do.

SPEAKER_00 16:45

Is it a nail head if he ate in it? The nail head is the original nail head is still in it. I love it. And we did get a fuel-injected six-pack on it. Oh, gosh.

Jeff Dziekan 16:56

So I've got a Buick as well, and I carried a six-pack in it. Well, lightweight. You bet.

SPEAKER_00 17:04

It is light, really light.

Don Armstrong 17:06

So um tell me about the Buick. I I didn't know. Is it here?

SPEAKER_00 17:12

No. It's not here. Why not? Well, because I'm in the process of redoing. Oh, I see. Okay, well, that's a good excuse.

Don Armstrong 17:20

And is it a what what Buick bottle is it in 57?

SPEAKER_00 17:24

It is a Buick special two-door post. Post car nice. Yes, yes. Supposedly 74,000 hardtops built and only 6,400 postcars. And uh original paint on it? Okay. Oh no. No. No, no. Originally it was oh yeah. That's a 56 Oldsmobile, I believe. That is an unbelievable build. Yeah. Yeah. That's Jeff, Jeff Kenzer built that car.

Building Versus Buying Hot Rods

Don Armstrong 17:52

You know, and and the other and that's the other thing, too, is there are guys here that have actually built these cars, and then there are other guys here uh that have bought cars that are passionate about their car. They sold what they had and they got something upgraded that somebody else did. I'm all into that, especially at my age.

Mike Marrs 18:11

Well, not only that, it it you you guys get to a certain age, okay. I've had this for 10 years, 20 years. I want something different, like you say, but I don't at this age want to get into a two or three year build and crawling underneath the car and just gonna sit out from underneath it because nobody will help me get up. And that's what keeps car builders in business.

SPEAKER_00 18:31

Keeps them in business.

Don Armstrong 18:33

And that that that business itself has expanded tremendously.

SPEAKER_00 18:37

It has, and beautiful work. I mean, stuff that I have never dreamed of. Right. Shows up, and here that it is. Yeah. Yeah, there's some outstanding

How The Granbury Show Runs

SPEAKER_00 18:47

business.

Don Armstrong 18:47

The one thing that I I have noticed at this show this year is that we got here, Mars got here on Thursday, and there weren't very many cars here. And yesterday uh we drove by and there weren't very man. We got here this morning, weren't many cars here. There are more cars that are actually cruising in today that I think that were stationary last night when they moved in. Or in a trailer in a hotel parking lot.

SPEAKER_00 19:13

And they're parked in the hotel parking lots and this and that and the other. When we shut down registration last night, we had 152 that had picked up. So there was already 152 cars. Some of them, as you witnessed, were here Thursday saving their favorite spots. Yeah. And so on and so forth.

Don Armstrong 19:31

There's some very interesting and creative things that they use now to uh save this spot.

SPEAKER_00 19:35

Yeah, it's not just a cone or a lawn chair.

Don Armstrong 19:37

Correct.

Jeff Dziekan 19:39

The guy had his mother-in-law tied to a tree out here. I wouldn't doubt it. Arms were flapping like one of those weekly things.

SPEAKER_00 19:45

Yeah, yeah. Part leave one of the kids out here.

Don Armstrong 19:48

So tell me about today's event. Uh, how long does it go on today? Is it over with tonight?

SPEAKER_00 19:53

No, this is a three-day event.

Don Armstrong 19:55

Okay, so Friday, Saturday, Sunday? Right.

SPEAKER_00 19:57

Yeah, we we opened up registration at 10 o'clock yesterday morning.

Don Armstrong 20:00

Okay. So you couldn't pre-register? Certainly. Oh, okay. Certainly did. No, but I'm saying before the event even started.

SPEAKER_00 20:07

Yeah. Yes. Okay. Pre-registered way back when there's people that'll pre-register for next year during this event.

Don Armstrong 20:14

Where is it going to be next year? Well, right.

SPEAKER_00 20:17

Right here at home in Granberry.

Don Armstrong 20:20

I had to say it. It was there.

SPEAKER_00 20:21

No, no, no. We'll be right here at Granberry. We're having it at your place.

Jeff Dziekan 20:25

Okay, come on down. We're going to park on your lawn.

SPEAKER_00 20:28

Yeah.

Don Armstrong 20:28

The old folks will love it.

SPEAKER_00 20:30

But uh no, and then today is when we get the vast majority of foot traffic, local traffic. Where's folks coming out of the Metroplex, come down? Yeah, because folks work Friday and they want to come down, they want to see the event, even if they don't have a way to participate in the event.

Don Armstrong 20:46

And there's no charge to get in for this.

SPEAKER_00 20:47

No, absolutely not. It's open to the public. Yeah. So we'll rock along here till it gets plenty hot, around three, four o'clock, and people will start drifting out.

Don Armstrong 20:58

And we know where several bars are. We visited one last night.

SPEAKER_00 21:01

Yeah, there's uh if you're looking for something good to eat or drink, you're in Granberry and you go without, it's on you. I mean, there's there's so much, so many good restaurants.

Don Armstrong 21:12

We're thinking about opening the in-wheel time, good time restaurant and bar. What do you think?

SPEAKER_00 21:17

I think you'll I think it'll work. I'll I'll patronize it.

Don Armstrong 21:20

Will you? I'll be there. You'll actually be there.

SPEAKER_00 21:22

Once a year when he comes in, he'll stop in and no, at least four times a year I'll come, I'll come see you. Because we're in town at least four times a year.

Don Armstrong 21:30

Every quarter. Rick, I I know this is a long distance call from Sarah, and she hooked us up, but uh do you think you could drive in from Midland? It's only what three hours? Four and a half. Four and a half hours from Midland. 300 miles?

SPEAKER_00 21:43

Yeah.

Don Armstrong 21:44

Yeah. Piece of cake. I've done it before. What did you what did you what did you do for a living in your real life? I'm still doing it. Are you? What are you doing? I'm in highway

What Road Construction Really Takes

Don Armstrong 21:54

construction. Are you?

SPEAKER_00 21:55

Yeah.

unknown 21:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 21:56

Build highway.

Don Armstrong 21:57

I don't know whether to love you, hug you, or hate you.

SPEAKER_00 22:00

Not in Houston, well no, it's a transition. We can be friends and then you can be mad at me, but when we're done, you're gonna be so happy.

Don Armstrong 22:07

Well, okay, then and now that we've opened that can of war, let me ask you something. Why is it that all of the construction manages to happen during afternoon drive, morning drive, or they close a lane down and it lasts for a week and as opposed to doing it in an overnight period?

SPEAKER_00 22:23

It only seemed that way to you, Dom, because that's the only time you get out of the house.

Don Armstrong 22:26

There you go. That's a good that's a good enough answer, and uh, I'll buy that. Amen.

SPEAKER_00 22:31

And in large cities like Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Fort Worth, a lot of that work's done at night as to not interfere with the flow of traffic during the day so people can get to and from work. So they can still have their three-hour commute each way. Yeah. Over that 12 miles. Instead of it instead of it being a four hour, you can still keep it your regular three hours.

Mike Marrs 22:51

I got that. I got that. Yeah. All right.

Don Armstrong 22:53

So let me let me dig into this just a little bit more. I know this is not car rel car show related, but well it is because we all drive on roads. Well, that's true. Um well, how do they let those contracts? So, in other words, okay, we're gonna rebuild this part of the highway, and we're gonna give you five years to complete it. I how does how does that work? Obviously, the public's not concerned or uh has a word on that.

SPEAKER_00 23:20

No, the public does not, because the public's not building it.

Don Armstrong 23:23

Well, that's true. Okay, so why why why does it take so long to build a road or a highway or repair it or fix it or whatever?

SPEAKER_00 23:30

I can tell you, I'll cut it real short for you. Yes, there is so much more science and engineering that goes into building a road than what the general public would think. They just see that group out there spreading dirt, and then they're gonna put some black stuff up on top of it. Well, that dirt has to meet certain specifications. Yes. So it has to come from a quality source. So you've got to go find the source. Then you've got to manufacture the material within specifications. Then when you place it, it has to be placed within specifications to reach densities. And then you've got to wait for the inspector to come out and say, okay. Well, actually, the inspector is supposed to be there through the entire process. Oh, okay.

Mike Marrs 24:11

So so you're not just you going and digging up some dirt. No. You're having to make it.

SPEAKER_00 24:16

You have you have to grow dirt what the Lord gave us, and you've got to make it fit within the specifications.

Mike Marrs 24:25

And that's with what we think is right, not what the Lord is. And that's one thing we're not making.

SPEAKER_00 24:32

And I mean, there's some some fantastic engineers, and there's some that should have never got their stamp. But regardless of all of that, so once you get the dirt down, as y'all referred to it, then comes the black stuff. Well, there's so much, there's tenfold amount of science in creating the correct black surface for the environment and the traffic. So they do traffic studies for years prior to what they're gonna do in a certain piece of I-10 or 45 or 10.

Don Armstrong 25:08

But you really find you do realize that none of that changes my mind.

SPEAKER_00 25:13

I I understand. But I you know, the should just show a little bit more compassion when you're going through that. So don't be mad at the guys out there.

Don Armstrong 25:24

So there is a PR issue in your business when it comes to public relations education to people like me that drive by the construction site going on to these numbers. Call Austin. That's right. So how many employees do you have?

SPEAKER_00 25:46

We have four, just over 400. Wow. Yeah.

Don Armstrong 25:52

That's a lot. Yeah. Yeah. And are you still based in Midland?

SPEAKER_00 25:56

Yes, based out of Midland, Odessa.

Don Armstrong 25:58

So do you do most of your work out there around that area?

SPEAKER_00 26:01

Yes. Yeah, we try to stay within a hundred, hundred and fifty mile radius.

Don Armstrong 26:05

Yeah. And uh I'm fascinated by this, and I don't mean to take away from the car show, but I've never asked these questions for somebody that's a road builder.

Mike Marrs 26:13

That knows. That knows.

Don Armstrong 26:15

So now, Mars, we always looking for guests. Ding! There he is.

Mike Marrs 26:20

There you go.

Don Armstrong 26:21

Because seriously, I mean, talking about PR, you got Tammy Dooley, it seems to me that your industry would do well by hiring somebody to say, hey, this is the reason that it's taking so long, because nobody ever explains it.

SPEAKER_00 26:35

Well, each each region of Texdot. The Texas Highway Department, each region actually has a PR person. Yes. And um It's not evidently they don't they're not up to your standard. No, they're not. Because I'm in that business. So I I can give you a contact for start your next career.

Don Armstrong 26:57

Well, it would have to be at the state legislature level because they need to hire an outside PR firm that isn't paid for by the state because they're gonna give the same state answers, you know, all the time. But a outside PR firm is gonna go, okay, like your road construction thing, you gotta do all the research, you gotta put out all of the feelers, do all the right things ahead of time.

SPEAKER_00 27:20

Now you want me to tell you the real thorn in the barrel? Tell me. The whole highway construction industry lives and dies by low bid. Yeah. Well, I know I I mean it's the you still gotta come up to the specification. How would you change it? If you had could change that, I would retire.

Mike Marrs 27:46

They'll fix that. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 27:47

So if that's the case, there's an opening, Don. Okay, okay. There's an opening. I've got over 40 years in the industry, and uh I've made a good living. I've my family's done well, and I'm grateful for it. Uh when I figured out that I wanted a sustainable income, I thought, well, goods and services. What does everybody have to have?

Don Armstrong 28:11

A road to get there, buddy.

SPEAKER_00 28:13

Everybody's gonna eat. I didn't want to work in a grocery store. So I ended up on a highway crew, and I started from I started on a show, started on a piece of equipment, and now I'm an upper manager.

Don Armstrong 28:26

Let me ask you something.

SPEAKER_00 28:27

American drink.

Don Armstrong 28:28

What do you hear a thing?

SPEAKER_00 28:30

From a privately owned, family-owned company that's been around. We're fixing to celebrate our 75th anniversary.

Don Armstrong 28:36

That's a brand new road grader, and it's got all of the new stuff on it. Let me have a little bit of time with it. Just 30 minutes or so. You ever feel that?

SPEAKER_00 28:47

No. Been there, done that. Been there done that. So I constant most of my concentration goes towards the environmental

Environmental Rules And Lizard Hunts

SPEAKER_00 28:59

now. Really? Yeah. Interesting. Yeah, I'm an environmental specialist. Uh I transitioned in into that.

Don Armstrong 29:06

So are you the person that says, uh, the toad frogs over there, we we gotta lay off of this for a while until we figure that out.

SPEAKER_00 29:13

I'm the guy that argues with a toad frog person from the state that says I have to. Gotcha. And I give me plaws. Tell me why. So we it's funny you say that. Oh man. It's not funny. So there's a particular sand dune lizard. It was on the endangered, but then it stepped off, and it's on the one below that, and this, and that, and the other. So we have a project out in the sand hills. Imagine that in West Texas, where all the sand mines for fracking is coming from. And we have to the state of Texas actually has on their payroll a person that's a I can't even say it. A frog counter. Lizard counter. Lizard Wrangler.

Mike Marrs 30:05

Lizard Wrangler.

SPEAKER_00 30:07

When I heard that, I'm picturing this dude in shaps, a cowboy hat, oh, yeah, and a rope. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And so the big So they go, hey, lizard lizards. So we asked a big question. Have you seen any? No. They're endangered. They don't even know that they're out there. But our project is currently shut down for 30 days. Looking for lizards. Because they're still hunting lizards. So that aren't out there. The endangered lizard that may not even exist anymore. The endangered lizard that's there's a chance. No, he they still exist. Oh, okay. There's a there is this lizard. There's a possibility, not probability, possibility, he might come into that range of sand dunes, so we don't want to disturb it. But we need you to widen the road 48 feet into the sand dunes. But let's don't disturb the sand dunes. Without disturbing the sand. Maybe you need to build something like the Chaffalaya Bridge, you know, an elevated that goes over the dunes. Believe me, somebody did there's somebody who's already offered that. God I was kidding. Well, you know, they've gone from 60 miles of conveyor belt, elevated conveyor belt to transfer sand to minimize the footprint in this particular part of the state. Sixty miles of conveyor belt. Your government at work. So what is it like the government didn't do that? Private industry did it because they couldn't get around.

Jeff Dziekan 31:46

We ought to have a sandwich.

SPEAKER_00 31:47

So welcome to the car show.

Jeff Dziekan 31:49

That's it. Uh it and it it is what's the name of that lizard? Sand lizard.

SPEAKER_00 31:53

Yeah, sure.

Jeff Dziekan 31:54

Wasn't it a Beetlejuice? Is that the thing that comes out of the?

SPEAKER_00 31:56

Oh, yeah. I don't know. We've never seen one. Oh. Well, just watch out.

Don Armstrong 32:01

We've gone from cars, hot rods, building them. We didn't talk about engines, but we have a special section that Jeff has got to deal with with engines. And we've gone right straight into the sand, the sand dudes, and the lizard wranglers. Yeah. Yeah. Rick, it's a pleas, and I'm going to end there.

SPEAKER_00 32:20

In real time lizard wranglers. Thank you guys so much. Thank you. It's always a pleasure.

Don Armstrong 32:24

We blew right through a break, and we overblue it by 15 minutes. I just want you to know, because you, sir, have charmed all of us for 30 straight minutes.

Mike Marrs 32:34

Well, it's a good thing I can't see the clock because I didn't notice. Yeah.

Don Armstrong 32:38

Well Rick, thank you. Thank you for inviting us and thank you for a great event. We love coming and uh we appreciate you.

SPEAKER_00 32:43

And I hope to do this many, many more times. Perfect. Us too. Thank you.

Where To Watch And Listen

Don Armstrong 32:48

Chairman of the Lone Star Street Route Association, Rick Neely. Hey, you can get the In Wheel Time Car Talk Show 24-7 through the In Wheel Time app. Just look for the In Wheel Time Car Talk Show. Podcasts available from your favorite podcast provider, and we video stream our live show every week on Facebook, YouTube, and InWheelTime.com. The In Wheel Time Car Talk Show continues right after this quick break. Authentic and time-tested recipes made with the freshest ingredients. Atmosphere is part of the award-winning experience at Loopy Tortilla, all developed in a little house near Highway 6 and I-10 in Houston. Visit any of the Loopy Tortillas and you'll see the same attention to detail in each and every location. Start your loopy experience with queso flammiato and guacamole, along with a classic frozen margarita. Dine on famous loopy beef and chicken fajitas or pepper shrimp brochette, or a fish or vegetarian entree, and finish with a scrumptious flan for dessert. Find loopy tortilla in Houston, College Station, Beaumont, Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas, Fort Worth. There's a Texas location near you. The recipes are authentic and time-tested. The ingredients always fresh. Loopy Tortilla is pretty good. Apple or Android, In Wheel Time Podcasts can be found everywhere, on the stream and through downloads. Whether you're on the road or at home and searching for a fun car talk show, give In Wheel Time a try. Honest new car reviews, fun informative interviews with real car people, weekly automotive news, features like Jeff's car culture, mics driving destinations, all on In Wheel Time. Check us out on Sirius XM Podcasts, iHeartRadio, or while you're shopping on Amazon through Amazon Music. Inwheeltime.com has a list, so check us out. That's it for this podcast episode of the In Wheel Time Car Show. I'm Don Armstrong, inviting you to join us for our live show every Saturday morning on Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, and our InWheeltime.com website. Podcasts are available on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeartPodcast, Podcast Addict. Tune in, Pandora, and Amazon Music. Keep listening, and we'll see you soon.