THE DAY THE GROUND WAS SHAKING

“Th e day the ground was shaking in Taunton & Raynham, MA”

By LARRY QUINTAL

On the 31st day of July 2021 many residents of Taunton and Raynham Massachusetts felt the ground shaking and the rumble of thunder. This was no earthquake, thunderstorm nor a pack of B-52 bombers. It was only the Warner Boulevard Reunion Car Run that was started in 2019 by Todd Rynhart.

How did this begin? Is it safe? Can I be a part of this next year? Is it true there were over 100 cars this year? “Sit back and enjoy the story. “

Todd Rynhart of Taunton grew up listening to the stories from his dad Al Rynhart and some of his buddies like John Viera Steve Fernandes, Dave Henriques, Harold Frizetti, Bill Trucchi just to name a few, of the good old days racing on Warner Blvd back in the 50’s & 60’s. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Todd began at the age of 14 when he bought a 1972 Chevelle and by the age of 16 was caught many times street racing on the same road his dad and the guys did many years before.

What can a dad say to his son who shares the same passion? After each time Todd and his friends were caught by the police, his dad Al would try to tell them that times were diff erent when he was a kid and eventually Todd started racing at the racetrack and would never think of spinning the tires of the same Chevelle he still has today but is now powered by a 427 on Warner Blvd (yeah right).

I just wish I could have seen our forefathers like Al Rynhart race his 68 ½ Tasca’s Cobra Jet (which was only one of fi fty built) racing against Ed Lawton in his Tasca’s Cobra Jet on Warner Blvd. Blvd Reunion car run, which is held each year at the end of July. This year my wife and I had the privilege of being part of this long line of rolling thunder with our cars. I met Todd through my dear friend Paul Braga of Paul’s Custom Exhaust. Ironically my 72 Dart was one of the same cars Todd - as a kid would race against - that was owned by his friend Paul Veradt, owner of the Lafayette Club and the Pines, also a car enthusiast who hosts a car show every Wednesday at his restaurant located at 18 Lakeview Ave. in Taunton, MA.

Everyone met at Scott Wessel’s place, Bear’s Den Fly Fishing Company, in the Industrial Park, Taunton, followed by some instructions, then it all began. The massive muscle cars started their engines, you could not hear a thing but in the air could smell racing fuel. Finally take off time, the route would take us through parts of Raynham where the young and old were running out to the road taking photos and waving with smiles (We all felt like Burt Reynolds in Smokey and the Bandit) and ending up at the parking lot on Warner Blvd. Then onto Brandon Hayes’ place, Motion Concepts, in Taunton where he played old car movies and cooked hamburgers and hotdogs cooked on the grill that were donated by Paul from the Lafayette Club.

It was all good clean fun, we were guided by the Taunton Police (the best department in Massachusetts…my opinion). Later I spoke to Captain Arnie Santos (also a muscle car owner), he said each year it gets bigger and better. All of the street machines obeyed the law, very respectful, he said.

Next year Todd is thinking of having a small entry fee that will go towards a food pantry, children with cancer or some organization that will help someone in need.

From all of us at Motorhead Magazine, we thank Todd for organizing this great event year after year and look forward to the next one in 2022.

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