What really struck Bobby Nitro about this story, and the event it tells of, was not only the top-class car goodness but the sheer petrolkop enthusiasm of the organizer Dale Sauls of Mike’s Place.
It all started when Dale, the digital marketing guy at the engine and gearbox supplier, suggested holding a park-off in March outside the business.
In fact it started earlier than that, with the story of how Dale found his way into the job, but more of that later.
Dale says: “My manager Billy called me into the office, wanting to know what a park-off was.” Dale told him about how people like to show off their rides, do a limbo and hang out. What followed was a successful event in March.
By the sounds of things, social media was buzzing with petrolkoppe asking when the next Mike’s Place event would be.
In fact, the response and ongoing interest was so big, that Dale found himself in the organizing seat for a bigger and better event. Dale says: “For the December park-off we started with a deejay, then came the food trucks, Emcee and local businesses partnering with prizes.”
In short, they started small, the idea snowballed, and the recent event at Mike’s Place was a collection of some of the finest metal around.
Ryno took best of show with his impeccable Escort. All the intense work this guy has put in over the years has really paid off, with the judges scrutinizing every detail and finding this cabbie to deservedly come out tops. Dale says: “There is a TV in the engine bay, even the sun visors have TVs.”
Then best interior went to Zaheer, with his Jetta and a halwe Golf in tow. That’s right, a half a Golf attached to a trailer chassis, kitted out with flatscreen and Xbox, folding chairs and a rustige attitude.
Dale says: “For me, a car show is like taking a baby to a candy shop. When the cars pull up and make their entrance, that’s the moment that gets my blood up.”
But it’s Dale’s back story that got the journo in Bobby curious. Here’s how he tells it: “It was Mike’s Place manager’s birthday at the bar I worked at. I noticed a racetrack on the cake, and remarked on that. So I go talking to him, and told him rather enthisiastically that one day I’d simply love to work at the shop.
“A year later I got a message asking if I was still up for the job. I was over the moon, accepted and started out as a salesman. Then I started playing around with advert design and digital marketing, and this year was appointed to the post.”
What Bobby loves about this story is it truly shows you can really get places if you show enthusiasm, take the opportunity when it comes, get proactive and improve your skills on the job.