Hot Rod Heroes part 1

I would like to take time, to recognize people that are what I consider to be essential in the hot rodding world.  Real people with real hot rods.  These guys generally go un-noticed, they are quietly building hot rods in their garages, away from the reality TV crews and the magazine coverage.  They don't have CNC mills and lathes   in their shops, just basic stuff and a desire to build.

My first Hot Rod Hero hails from South Carolina.  His name is Jeff  Yocum or "Flamedabone" on the HAMB.  I first met Jeff on the HAMB in around 1999.  He was a hot rod guy through and through.  He had a  passion for Pontiac powered daily drivers and who can't love that?

  The memory that I have of Jeff, that is forever burned into my memory,  is the very first time I met Jeff.  I pulled into the parking lot of the host hotel on the very first HAMB drags.  Jeff was on the 3rd floor balcony screaming  "ROOTHAWG!!!!!!!!" with arms waving in the air, trying not to spill his beer bottle.  He drove his Poncho powered A sedan all the way from South Carolina, roughly 1,000 miles, to race at the hamb drags, and then drive home.  That in itself, takes some cahones.

Jeff uses this A as his daily driver.  Complete with full cage and no windows.  Jeff has a knack for building cool stuff.  Here are a  few examples of his cars.

Every now and then I get a little bummed at the state of the hobby,  with all of the keyboard heroes, but I think about guys like Jeff that press on, no matter what is cool or trendy at the time.  They just build hot rods, plain and simple.  

That gives me hope.