2024 In The Rearview - Highlight: The Race of Gentlemen 2024

TROG puts the "Wild" in Wildwood once again during this year's beach drags.

As the year winds down, I find myself reflecting on the first year of Three From The Pit. What started as an online magazine to cover concerts and live events throughout Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey in January quickly grew into something much more meaningful. With photography and reviews as our tools, we set out to create a win/win/win for artists, venues, participants, and fans alike. Over the past year, we’ve covered over 170 bands at countless venues, but one event shines brightest in my memory: The Race of Gentlemen (TROG) in Wildwood, New Jersey.

For those unfamiliar, TROG (@t.r.o.g._official) is a celebration of vintage drag racing culture held on the sands of Wildwood each October (when Mother Nature plays along). Imagine vintage motorcycles, hot rods, rail cars, and even belly tankers racing side-by-side at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean while the crashing waves occasionally kiss the fenders or floorboards of those same vintage machines midrace. While that may paint a basic picture, TROG is so much more. It’s a living dreamscape for motorheads, photographers, beach lovers, and adrenaline junkies alike.

This year’s TROG was particularly special after the planned 10th-anniversary event in 2022 was canceled due to Hurricane Ian. Mel Stultz, the wild and brilliant organizer of TROG affectionately known as The Culprit, Mad Man, and probably a bunch of other loving

monikers, had faced setbacks after that washout but rebounded by taking the event on the road with the Flabob Airstrip Drags in California in the months that followed the cancellation of TROG ‘22. Buoyed by their success, he returned to Wildwood in 2024 with determination to make this year’s event the biggest and best TROG yet.

This time around, Mother Nature finally cooperated, gracing us with weather that seemed almost too good to be true. Early October mornings greeted us with golden sunrises and crisp air in the low 50s, which warmed to sun-soaked afternoons in the 70s. High tides delayed racing slightly each morning, but that gave fans and racers extra time to explore the sights, chat about their rides, grab merch and catch performances inside the legendary Wall of Death.

For starters, Friday night kicked off with the Night of the Troglodytes bike show and party, setting the tone for the weekend. By the crack of dawn on Saturday morning, the streets of Wildwood came alive with the rumble of vintage engines as racers began to gather for the surreal parade that signals the start of TROG. This iconic procession weaves through town, under the boardwalk near Morey’s Pier, and onto the sand. It’s a time warp straight out of the ‘40s and ‘50s, where racers, motorheads, fans of Americana, and adrenaline junkies alike all line the streets to cheer them on.

As the procession of racers roared down East Schellenger Avenue and into the tunnel under the historic New Jersey boardwalk, onlookers smiled ear-to-ear as racers and in some cases their families waved and revved their engines to the joy of onlookers. Following the last car's entrance onto the sand, I made my way through the amusement park, past the games and rides, and into the pit area of the beach.

Once there, it took no time to encounter some of the stories that epitomize TROG’s spirit. One of the first racers I ran into was Jack Harleytte, a racer from Tours, France, had spent three months shipping his Harley-Davidson across the Atlantic to make his dream of racing at TROG a reality with the help of fellow racer Robert Lawkiel from Hope, NJ.

Clad in a vintage Harley-Davison racing sweater with high leather racing boots and classic vintage cap, “Remy C.” (@jackharleyette) as he’s known, was clearly giddy with the excitement of participation in his first TROG. Both he and Lawkiel were as proud of their accomplishment of getting his baby blue Harley to the states as they were of their newly formed friendship, fostered throough the love of this event. Next up was Randy “Detroit” Hayward (@detroit_antique_motorcycles), a Motor City legend in the vintage motorcycle scene, who

brought his unmistakable passion and signature look to the beaches of NJ, all the way from Detroit, Michigan. Detroit has an infectious smile and seemingly endless line of folks waiting to shake his hand, share a story and grab a selfie with him between races. Familiar faces like Girard Fox (road_oiler) also returned and although I hadn’t seen him in years and only met briefly back then, struck up conversation as if we were continuing a friendship that felt like a family reunion. After an early misstep on my ened, he even helped me track down my media credentials, once again showing the camaraderie that abounds amongst this family of folks.

Racers, event organizers and a bevy of photographers buzzed through the pits, including Bryan Helm (@bryanhelm), a renowned motorcycle photographer I had met years ago at a Wall of Death show in Pennsylvania. Helm is known for his tireless documentation of the motorcycle lifestyle and his endless coverage of two-wheeled events that span the globe. His adventures are a great follow on social media for any enthusiast.

After sharing some time with Bryan, I happened to be standing next to the spot where a late model scooter zipped in through the deep ruts in the sand and the rider removed his helmet and goggles. Much to my surprise, the rider was Robbie Wolfe of American Pickers fame. Again, as if we had been old friends, I greeted him with a “Hey, Robbie.” to which he responded with a handshake and a short discussion about his ride in and his plan to race his sleek, black 1931 Ford roadster in the weekend drags. After posing for a quick portrait near his weekend ride, he was off to catch up with friends and get ready for some epic runs down the Jersey beach.

By mid-morning Saturday, Stultz along with his crew gathered racers for a driver’s meeting, where he laid out the rules of the weekend. As safety guidelines were reviewed, the air crackled with anticipation. The tide eventually receded, revealing a sandy dragstrip where early one-bike test runs soon gave way to head-to-head racing.  

The racing was pure TROG: raw, gritty, and unpredictable. Machines raced across sand that shifted beneath them, with the occasional wave encroaching on the left lane, adding a thrilling element of danger. In some of those early runs, the “unlucky” or maybe crazy rider who chose the left lane closest to the Atlantic had some hair-raising runs as their sandy track occasionally turned into one filled with an incoming wave. Undeterred, they tore through the incoming ocean waves, to roars from the capacity crowds packed into bleachers that lined the entire length of the oceanfront drag strip.

As each group of riders completed their runs, they returned single file along the water’s edge before navigating back to the pits through stretches of deep beach sand, creating dramatic rooster tails and some memorable, challenging rides.

Other racers lined up two-by-two waiting for their turn to blast down the beach. That lineup had no shortage of characters or unique rides, including the likes of Chris Beckwith and his 1928 Chevy Boat Tail Speedster, complete with a Great Dane co-pilot (who waited on the sidelines during the runs),

Jack and Charlie McCall and their 1945 Harley-Davidsons, Mario Andrado and his 1932 Ford from Brisbane, Australia, Darnel Arnold and his ’29 Model A Ford, “Bonneville” Bob Dauernheim in his 1934 Essex, Robby, “Toast” Egbert and his ’30 Model A, Didier Eymard from Montreal, Canada in his 1930 Model A Ford and James Scandale in his ’28 Ford Roadster factory steel body from Clarks Summit, PA just to name a few. Bree Sladovnik on her 1948 Harley WL, Kim McCullough, Natasha “Wolfie” Moroney, Natasha Hollis and Thelma Tomalewicz also did the lady racers proud as the proved TROG is not only about the “gentlemen”.

Another unexpected highlight of the weekend featured a few cars that didn’t exactly comply with the “period correct” rules of the event. Master builder, Rob Ida (rob_ida), brought a few of his jewels to the beach, including his latest creation, the jaw-dropping “Black Cat” Jaguar XK 120 that was without a doubt the most photographed car of the weekend. He also brought his 1957 Porsche 356A which has made previous appearances at the event. Fans of the master fabricator and his rolling art were treated to a surreal side-by-side drag featuring the two jewels as they tore down the beach under the bright October sun during the early afternoon hours on Saturday. Many who may have expected Rob to take it easy and just do a trophy run, were pleasantly surprised to see both cars go all out in a once in a lifetime scene that left all in attendance awestruck.

As the sun set below the horizon, the festivities carried on with the traditional Saturday night bonfire and beach concert. Flames crackled and music filled the air, creating a vibrant scene as revelers roamed the town, immersed in the unique atmosphere. Classic cars and vintage bikes lined every lot and corner, transforming the streets into a surreal, living gallery of nostalgia.

Sunday brought yet another day of perfect weather and bracket-style racing, adding a touch of structure to the chaos. Yet, no one seemed to care about winners or losers. The true victory was being part of this extraordinary weekend. Dreams were fulfilled, friendships deepened, and memories made under the watchful eye of Mel Stultz (and his mom, Barb, IYKYK), whose passion and vision once again brought TROG to life as only he could.

For fans of vintage cars, motorcycles, and the smell of spent gasoline exhaust, TROG is a pilgrimage worth making. Follow TROG online and mark your calendar for the 2025 event—it’s an experience you’ll never forget.

For everything TROG, check out https://www.theraceofgentlemen.com/

Grab some of the coolest limited merch including the first ever run of diecast cars and the 2025 calendar here: https://www.theraceofgentlemen.com/shop

Story by Scott Kucharski

All photos by Scott Kucharski

FULL PHOTO GALLERY AVAILABLE HERE