Senior prom parade features classical and unique rides

Episode 366

June 20, 2021

Senior Prom Parade primetime for car viewing

When one thinks of senior prom visions of high school seniors dressed to the max on their final chance to be together as a class. Caribou Class of 2021 held their prom last Tuesday and the Prom Parade show of cars did not disappoint.

I was at a spray clinic in Presque Isle early on Tuesday when during the course of conversation with a former student/FFA member, he mentioned that his son, a senior, was going to driving his date to the Senior Prom in a restored pickup. I got the starting time and location and late in the afternoon showed up for the car/truck lineup.

Notice I said car/truck lineup. The field of rides for prom dates was roughly one third trucks, two thirds cars, and one stretch limousine from Aroostook Limousines. Maybe that could be attributed to the central Aroostook agricultural roots.  And yes, I know most of the parents admired the prom dresses and tuxes, however, it was quickly apparent that these seniors either had nice cars or great connections to land some sweet rides.

Tasked with the job of getting over 60 rides with 128 participants lined up for the roughly one-mile ride from Skyway Plaza in Caribou to prom headquarters at the Rec Center, was Ryan “Chico” Deprey and Rick Bouchard. At times it looked like a vain attempt to herd cats.

Almost on time, the parade moved forward out of Skyway Plaza onto Bennett Drive in a surprisingly orderly and safe manner. Prom goers arrived at their destination in less than 10 minutes. I was able to be at the starting area after wandering the staging lanes getting photos and names.

Here are my picks for the 2021 Senior Prom Parade. Tough choices had to be made and often came down to a time crunch trying to put names and cars together.

Sitting on pole position in his Gary’s Auto Sales 2019 Ford Mustang Eco-Boost is 2020 CHS graduate Parker Deprey with his date Edie Shea Class of 2021. From the front one can grasp the idea of how large the parade was going to be. (HTF Motorsports photo)

In the driver’s seat is CHS senior Dylan Dodd with his prom date Sadie Lapointe who is not visible due to windshield glare. With Dodd is his father Andy and mother Tiffany. The truck is a 1971 GMC shortbed brought from Arkansas in 2003 then fully restored by Andy. Nicknamed “The Mistress” it features a 383 stroker engine with Turbo 400 transmission. (HTF Motorsports photo)

Owned by Northern Auto Body’s Greg Roderick,, this 1969 Camaro SS 396 four speed with 375 horsepower was the ride of Chance Bragan and Abby St. Peter. Their chauffeur for the night was Roderick’s son Riley. The car was finished in 2014. (HTF Motorsports photo)

Miles Collier and prom date Araya Caverhill display big smiles in preparation for the start of the Prom Parade 2021. (HTF Motorsports photo)

Miles Collier smoothly joins the parade in his grandfather Steve Irving’s 1962 Chevrolet Corvette four-speed. (HTF Motorsports photo)

Coleson Theriault with his 1967 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442 he purchased as an eighth grader. He and his father Cole have spent many hours together restoring the classic. It has a 425 big block Olds engine and numerous modifications first featured in Episode 279, September 1, 2019 http://upnorthmotorsports.bdnblogs.com/2019/09/02/home/rabbit-obsession-comes-to-an-end/  (HTF Motorsports photo)

Coleson Theriault and prom date Hannah Tarbox wait in the staging lane before blending into the Prom Parade. (HTF Motorsports photo)

Waiting their turn to join the Prom Parade is Macy Wakem and Ethan Burgay in a 2014 Chevy Silverado. As mentioned previously an estimated one third of all participants were in trucks. Kart racers may recognize Wakem from her days as the Northern Maine Karting Association (NMKA)  pit gate steward at Spud Speedway. (HTF Motorsports photo)

Caleb Espling and Nevaeh Trombley join the parade in Nissan’s legendary GT-R high performance sports car. The GT-R replaced the Nissan Skyline GT-R in 2007. (HTF Motorsports photo)

SRX improves the show

It was like the management at Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) were reading last week’s episode where I suggested four changes to the race to improve their race on CBS primetime Saturday night.

The heat races were cut from 15 minutes to 12 minutes. The feature race was cut from 100 laps to 50 on the 1/2-mile Knoxville, Iowa dirt track. And better identification of the cars was done by keeping drivers in same-colored cars throughout the remaining four races in the series.

Next Saturday, June 26 the SRX Series moves to Eldora Speedway, Eldora, Ohio to race on the 1/2-mile dirt track owned by Tony Stewart. The Rocky Balboa car goes to 5-Time USAC Silver Crown Champion Kody Swanson. All happening on CBS 8-10 pm.

Tony Stewart hoists the SRX race winner’s trophy high above his head. Remember from last episode that the trophies were custom built by Tom Patsis, Cold Hard Art (CHA) especially for this series. Patsis lived in Maine until going to college. In the photo on left is second-place Hallie Deegan (20-years old) and Ernie Francis, Jr. (23-years old) the third-place finisher. (Photo courtesy SRX Series)

Throttle Car Club Open House May 26

I first learned about Throttle Car Club and their ambitious plans in October 2020 after they began construction of their new club facility on the grounds of Scarborough Downs. I followed that initial introduction of Throttle Car Club in Episode 336 with a visit and subsequent story in Episode 340 December 6, 2020.

Construction has been going full-speed ahead despite COVID issues. Throttle Car Club will open their doors to the public for the first time this Saturday June 26 from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. If you are in the area, give them a visit. You will not be disappointed by what you see.

Throttle Car Club, Maine’s only private luxury car club, located in Scarborough, Maine will host an Open House and Cruise In at their new 35,000 square foot facility. This event is free and open to the public.

Let’s go racing,

Tom Hale

Soli Deo Gloria (Joshua 1:9)

 

 

Tom Hale

About Tom Hale

Tom wrote 14 years as freelancer for the Bangor Daily Sports covering motorsports in Maine. Now blogging and concentrating on human interest stories about people and places in racing. He races Champ Karts and owns HTF Motorsports in remote Westmanland, Maine