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24 | SUN LAKES LIFESTYLES | JUNE 2016 | Cruzin' Cronies Men and their toys, in the late 1800s, pushed the envelope in the area of speed, just as they (and women, too, of course) do today. In 1899, the first speeding ticket was issued to Jacob German, a taxi driver in New York City, for exceeding the speed limit of 12 miles an hour. Race cars were looked down upon by automakers, because specialized equipment was expensive to manufacture, and there wasn't a high demand for them by the public. However, the idea of testing new ideas in new auto equipment pushed the demand forward for specialized race cars. The first pre-arranged race between two self-powered road vehicles over a prescribed route of eight miles took place in the pre- dawn hours of August 30, 1867. Not much is known about the drivers of each car, since both were in violation of the red flag rule, which was fully in force. The rule stated that a motor powered vehicle had to be preceded by someone running with a red flag, to warn people in horse-drawn carriages that this strange new vehicle was coming. In 1875, the Wisconsin legislature passed an act offering a large cash prize for the first U.S. motor car race, which took place on July 16, 1878 over a 200- mile course. Only two vehicles competed. The first organized American auto race was held on Thanksgiving day, November 28, 1895. Press coverage of the race aroused significant interest in the automobile itself, and especially race cars. Inevitably, tracks for racing were soon developed to provide venues for this budding sport. Next month, we'll examine those venues. Cruizin' Cronies is a club of dedicated car buffs who love to display their classic cars in the Main Clubhouse parking lot at 8 am on the first Saturday of each month. They then move to the Main Clubhouse Multipurpose Room, and plan future events and field trips. After a short meeting, they caravan to a local restaurant for breakfast and fellowship. You don't have to own a classic car to join us. Info., Sandra Glickman, 267-3187. Sun Lakes Follies The Sun Lakes Follies is going full steam ahead working on their 2016 presentation "Variety Is The Spice Of Life" to be directed by Sandra Etz and assisted by Jeann Svarvar. Mark your calendar now for the show dates: Sept. 30 evening and Oct. 1 and 2 matinee performances. Invite your friends and family to attend our show full of talented performers and fun surprises.