Serving the Polo Area Since 1857
POLO Fall Previews
Teaming Up
Forreston and Polo football teams are gearing up for the 2017 season. B2
Soccer kids and Special Olympians team up. A9
Tri-County Press August 17, 2017 Volume 159, Number 36 - $1.00
Jamboree Friday Harlem River Noise will perform at the Jamboree in Mt. Morris on Aug. 18. A10
Car show drives in a crowd from all around By Zach Arbogast zarbogast @oglecountynews.com Perfect skies and mild temperatures made for a great day at the Polo Chamber of Commerce’s annual Car Show on Saturday. Mason Street was a motorist’s dream, featuring more than 100 cars spanning nearly a century of time — from a 1923 Model T Ford, to a 2015 Chevrolet Corvette — and the street was packed with admirers enjoying every one of them. Cars weren’t the only attraction, entrants could win door prizes, enter a 50-50 raffle, engage in a swap meet, browse tables at the craft and vendor show at Louise Quick Park, or play some carthemed trivia in the center. “I’m having a blast,” said Tiffany Lund, Stillman Valley, who ran a Lilla Rose vendor booth. “I feel like I was born in the wrong era; these classic cars and the old music are right up my alley.” Music was provided by 3D Sound Company, Dixon, and hunger was taken care of courtesy of Sterling’s Triple P BBQ and Grand Detour’s Dogs On The Run. In light of good food, classic music, and cars as far as the eye could see, much of the public agreed the biggest attraction was meeting fellow automobile admirers. “My favorite part of coming here is meeting the people; you always meet good
people, like this guy right here,” said Ron Sassaman, Rochelle, referring to Rock Falls resident Dave Banes. Banes and Sassaman spent much of the afternoon chatting in front of Sassaman’s blue 1961 Chevrolet Corvette. “That’s a very unique car, you don’t see too many of the 1960s models anymore,” remarked Judy Groeling, who came with her husband George and granddaughter Kristi, from Shannon. “We had a great turnout today, and with phenomenal weather,” said Chamber board member Tammy Merdian. “It’s just a fun day, and we get to meet car owners and lovers from all over the area.” The “area” in question was surprisingly large; vehicles Above: “My favorite part of coming here is meeting the people; you always meet good people, like this guy right were entered from as far as here.” Dave Banes, Rock Falls, chats with Rochelle’s Ron Sassaman at the Polo Car Show in front of Sassaman’s Cullman, Alabama, and car 1961 Chevy Corvette. Photo by Zach Arbogast aficionados came even from Megan Boren, Chicago to soak up the sights. Polo, enjoys “We were passing through a bit of Sub here, when we saw signs Stop ice cream saying ‘car show,’ and I while talking to told my wife ‘Man, I wish customers at we could stop and see it,’” her Paparazzi said Carlos Flores, who Jewelry stand. came with his family from Saturday’s Car Chicago. “Then, the next Show included street, I saw the cars lined up, a craft and and said ‘Oh, we have to stop vendor market for a bit.’” inside Louise Flores is a car buff himself, Quick Park, regularly entering his 1967 featuring nine Oldsmobile Delta 88 in local different tables shows. He added that now to visit. Photo that he knows Polo does a car by Zach show every year, he’d like to Arbogast come back next year.
Mud is king at motorcycle club’s annual event Subaru station wagon just one muddy wannabe
By Earleen Hinton ehinton@oglecounty news.com Ryan Dillavou’s 1996 Subaru station wagon had around 162,000 miles on it when he drove it up to the start line of the Daily Driver Class at the Rock River
Riders Motorcycle Club’s annual Mud Bog on Sunday. After Dillavou’s first attempt to drive through 300 feet of mud, he could add just about 30 feet more, clearly not a winning run in the popular class, but enough to make Dillavou smile. “I entered it just to be
different,” the 18-year-old said as he compared notes with Jeff Dillavou whose 1991 Jeep went just about as far before stalling. “You never see a Subaru in the mud bogs.” The Dillavous, both of Leaf River, were just two competitors who took part
in the club’s mud bog on the club grounds, located east of Polo on Pines Road, across from the entrance to White Pines State Park. Competitor’s whose vehicles stalled out or got stuck in the bog, were pulled out by a pulley system powered by a large Ford farm tractor operated club member Lance LeFevre, of Mt. Morris. The Daily Driver Class followed the Class 4 competitors whose muscledup trucks flew through the man-made course tossing chunks of mud into the air to the crowd’s delight. Kyle Shambaugh, age 27,
of Morrison, won the Class 4 event when he drove his 1991 Ford with 640 cubic inches of power under the hood, through the course in 4 seconds and change. Shambaugh started competing in mud bog races when he was 15. “I’ve been racing every year…heavily,” he said smiling. This year’s events at the RRMC site has been dedicated to the late Bruce Knipple, an original club member who helped expand the club’s site through the years. He received his 50year award in 2004 and Turn to B1
Above left, Ryan Dillavou, age 18, Leaf River, (front) races Dillon Hensley, age 20, Forreston, to the finish line in the mens “run the bog” race at the Rock River Riders Motorcycle Club’s mud bog on Sunday. At right, Dillavou’s 1996 Subaru station wagon gets stuck just feet into the mud bog. Photos by Earleen Hinton
In This Week’s Edition...
Church Bells, A5 Classifieds, B6-B12 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B4
Marriage Licenses, A4 Oregon Police, B3 Public Voice, A7 Property Transfers, B4
Sheriff’s Arrests, B3 Social News, A4 Sports, B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B5
Deaths, B4 Graeme “Ben” Kaufman
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com