Tom Christian stands next to his 1932 Ford Hiboy Coupe, which won 'Best of Local Cruiser' at the Atlantis Cruise competition on Tuesday. Christian bought the Hiboy two years ago and fully restored it.
Although Wolfman Jack is not in Reno while the city celebrates vintage hot rods during Hot August Nights, 1932 Ford Hiboy Coupe owner Tom Christian is. And he's $650 richer because of it.
Tuesday evening Christian took his 'Competition' orange, yellow-flamed Hiboy through the Atlantis Cruise competition, open only to hot rod owners within a 60-mile radius.
With more than 400 cars participating, Christian didn't want to do it, but after being goaded on, he did. After all, he had won $100 for Best of Show and $50 for Best Hot Rod at Diamond's Casino Saturday, and that might be a hint of what could come.
"The car is a real nice car," Christian said. "I didn't think it was going to take first place. Several people were saying, 'C'mon do it,' and I'm going, 'Oh my gosh,' and I did it. And people went crazy (about the car)."
Judges handed Christian a checkered flag after the cruise, indicating they would like to further inspect his car called "Lft Lane" for the top cash prize of $500. He pulled the Hiboy into a special judging area. Judging is based on points, and Christian's Hiboy came up the highest.
"I mean they really work the car hard," he said. "They take a flashlight all over it and underneath it, absolutely trying to find something wrong."
Christian won the title of "Best Local Cruiser." The money will go to expenditures this week, including meals for friends, and back into the car kitty.
"I was pretty excited," he said. "I liked the $500 deal, you know."
Christian purchased the Hiboy about two years ago and "absolutely, positively tore it apart."
At first, he put a lot of time into the car, but then had some help from Final Finish, Classic Restorations and Nitro Rods, when he got busy at work.
Recently retired, he has two daughters, 19-year-old Kamie, a biochemistry major at the University of Nevada, Reno, and Ciarra, a 16-year-old junior at Carson High School who plays basketball and golf. His wife of 24 years, Cindy, works for Southwest Gas in Carson City. Christian moved to Carson City when there were "just three paved streets in town." He is a 1972 graduate of Carson High School, and $650 richer thanks to "Lft Lane," as his plate reads.
With a plaque in his car window, the Hiboy will be parked in the Atlantis parking lot for the remainder of Hot August Nights. It's in the first row next to Virginia Street.
"It's really cool. It's amazing the recognition you get for something like that," he said. "It's unbelievable. I've been working on cars since 16, but never anything like this."
ON THE NET
Check out hotaugustnights.net for information on events, which continue through Aug. 11.
To learn what a hot rod is, go to: www.rodster.com.