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The 2005 Chevrolet SSR in brilliant, blazing Canary
Yellow. (Image source: conceptcarz.com)
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And was I-T a PickemUp Truck, Car or some weird type of cross pollination?
Currently your humble No Fenders scribe
Tomaso should be ensconced in another of Honeyman's State Park's Yert's, albeit
hopefully just to stay warm in the fall air and NOT trying to keep dry due to
abundant precipitation...
As I've got ZERO idea of what unusual, if
any? Automotive vehicles will have been prowlin' Honeyman's State Park this past
weekend, eh? Excluding the various Sand Rails, etc.
Recently when Out 'N Aboot' with Tacoma
Bureau Chief Mary Ellen, and naturally Pixie-the-wonderdog WUF, WUF! Whilst on
a Walkabout to explore the remains of Fort Casey, part of Puget sound's
"triangle 'O Fire's" Fort Flagler, Casey and Worden triplets! Mary
Ellen spotted a most unusual lookin' vehicle crusin' thru the campground's
tarmac.
Having burbled once by, and having her
describe I-T to Mwah, I deduced that it sounded like Chebbies' answer to the PT
Cruiser? NO! It's definitely not anything like a PT Cruiser I was quickly
informed.
As my only knowledge 'bout PT Cruiser's and
it's Kissin' Cousin, the HHR come from Movie Man Rob, who's HHR I once purused
at Carpets Manor in Indianapolis a few years ago.
As Rob informed me that the HHR, which I've
just learned stands for Heritage High Roof, was indeed Chevy's answer to the
then wildly popular PT Cruiser. With its design being credited to Bryan Nesbitt,
who GM "Poached;" Err recruited to lead the HHR's design, even
serving briefly as the Bowtie's Chief Designer...
But back to Thy Walkabout, for which as we
were returning to our Campsite at the nearby Keystone Ferry dock, that same,
weird mismatched rumblin' vehicle loped past us again, with Mary Ellen waving dramatically
in attempt for them to stop so we could find out what is I-T?
To which the two 50 Somme-thun' middle aged
men enraptured in crusin' the campgrounds on a crisp, sunny fall day simply
rumbled by us without stopping; DRAT!
Thus, upon returning to Tomaso Manor, as
typical I began searchin' Zed Internetz to find out what in thee HELL a SSR
was? And have Mary Ellen confirm whether this was the vehicle in Questione?
That is definitely it. Even the canary yellow paint
job matches...
Even funnier yet, although I know that Gil de
Ferran won the '03 Indy 500, I simply don't recall watching the race, nor being
aware' that that year's Pacecar was this very same vehicle. As how many Y'all
recall Dat?
As I still really don't know what this
retractable steel roof PickemUp Roadster
looks like since it was just a bright blob rollin past Mwah.
As apparently it was the second and final?
Pace-truck; Uhm Pace Vehicle. Which I'll try NOT Cornfuzing with what I've
Dissed repeatedly at the Penske Racing Museum as the UGLIEST EVER Pace Vehicle,
the '02 Oldsmobile Bravada! Y'all know the
first, and thankfully LAST SUV to pace the race with then Mrs. Melloncamp, now
wife 'O Jay PISSENBOOTZ' Penske and good friend of Katherine Legge, Elaine
Irwin at the helm...
Hmm, I've never
noticed how the Mellonheadz'; Err Melloncamp's were front 'N center at Mother
Speedway fifteen years ago. When Elaine made history as the first female
Pacecar driver, and then hubby Johnny Cougar sung at that year's USGP.
As may be it was a
package dealio, especially since Duh Indy Racing League was using his song
Peaceful World as its theme song that year...
And I'd still really like to know how long
the General Motors "Exclusivity" Pace Vehicle contract at Mother Speedway
lasts? As I'm extremely tired of year-after-year Chebbies leadin' Duh Pack.
Like C'mon IMS, why not honour Hondre' by
letting the new Acura NSX start the race. Or how 'bout one of the countless
variations of Mustang's pace the field! Or even wilder yet, a Swede Savage
inspired Saleen Dodge Charger...
And next time
Y'all see a female with a Chihuahua plus blind guy totin' a white cane waving
at Yuhs. Do 'em a favour and politely stop briefly for them, Yuhs Hear!