Coming up on August 15, 2010, Wheels Through Time Curator and Founder, Dale Walksler, will travel across the country to Pebble Beach, CA for the world's premier Motorcycle and Automobile show -- The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.  The invitation-only gathering of over 175 of the world's most prized collector cars and motorcycles is annually held on the third Sunday in August, as owners, collectors, and enthusiasts gather on the famed 18th fairway at Pebble Beach for an event that is said to be nothing short of amazing.

Regarded as one of the most competitive events in the automotive world, the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance is not a contest of speed, but of excellence.  Now in its 60th year, the show attracts hundreds of the most well-designed, rarest, and most collectible two- and four-wheeled vehicles ever built.  Machines are judged for their historical accuracy, technical merit, and their style.  

2010 is just the second year that the Concours will feature machines of the two-wheel variety, with the focus being pre-World War II American motorcycles.  In total, twelve motorcycles have been invited to be judged on the 18th fairway, two of which are among the finest machines displayed at Wheels Through Time. 

In March of 2010, museum curator, Dale Walksler, was contacted by Pebble Beach staff who were in hopes of gaining a few of America's most historic motorcycles for the Concours.  After long discussion of the many extremely rare machines at the museum, it was decided that two of the museum's board track racers would be judged and displayed.  "To be invited to Pebble Beach is an outstanding honor," said Walksler.  "We're extremely excited about attending the 60th Concours, and look forward to sharing a few of the rarest and most unique machines housed within the museum with the rest of the automotive and motorcycle world!"

For the show, Walksler will be displaying the world's only 1909 Reading Standard board track racer.  Regarded as the most intricate early American racing motorcycle in existance, the 1909 Reading Standard has a unique story that dates back to the earliest day of racing in the United States.  Built in the hills of Eastern Pennsylvania, in Reading, the machine features a 1000c.c. "super-charged" factory racing engine, and is capable of speeds in the area of 90-100mph.  While there are approximately less that 50 Reading Standard "production motorcycles" in existance today (the company operated from 1907-1922), the 1909 board track racer on display at Wheels Through Time is the only example of its type.    After a short racing career through the late 1900s and early 1910s, the machine sat idle until it was donated to the Henry Ford Museum in Michigan in 1944, upon which it was lost in the museum's basement for nearly 50 years.  In early 1992, the machine was brought to one of the curators attention, and was promptly put up for silent auction via sealed bid.  Wheels Through Time curator, Dale Walksler, heard about the machine, and immediately made his way to Dearborn, Michigan to see it and place a bid.  Less than a week later, Walksler was notified that he was the high bidder.  After a short stint at Wheels Through Time when it was at its Mt. Vernon, IL location, the machine was sent to famed restorer Steve Huntzinger for a detailed, two-year restoration process.  Today, the machine sits in outstanding condition at the museum's new Maggie Valley facility, and is held as the first 100-point restoration on the Antique Motorcycle Club of America judging scale.

Also on display at the Concours d'Elegance will be Walksler's 1929 Harley-Davidson DAR board track racer.  A truly outstanding piece of American racing history, the '29 DAR is the product of 15 years of development from Harley-Davidson after joining the racing game in 1914.  Resting in original condition, the machine comes from a somewhat forgotten era of American racing, when board track racing was all but over, and American hillclimbing and dirt track racing were on the up and up.    Regarded as "the last American board track racer", the 1929 DAR features an overhead-valve, high compression 45" factory racing engine, of which only 20 were produced.  For over 70 years now, it has been documented that the OHV 45 was developed as a hillclimb motorcycle (given the model designation DAH), debuting during the 1930 season, however, the '29 DAR at Wheels Through Time predates the DAH.  "This is the machine that we dreamed about, before we even knew it existed," said associate director, Matt Walksler.  The machine is truly an undocumented marvel of American motorcycle history, as no information or pictures of it exist to this day.  It is the only OHV 45 in track racing trim, and is capable of speeds in excess of 120mph.  In early 2009, Walksler found the machine in the midwest after it had sat hanging from the rafters of its current owners house for over 50 years.  With careful research, and a stroke of luck, Walksler managed to find the exact engine that was installed when this machine was built in Milwaukee in late 1928 or 1929.  Today, the motorcycle rests in the museum's American Board Track Racing Exhibit, and is occasionally fired up for visitors who are lucky enough to be in attendance.

"This year will be my first experience at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance," said Dale.  "We've arranged to bring two machines that will be serious competitors at the show, and regardless of the results, we're honored to be a part of Pebble Beach's second selection of motorcycles."

The Concours is slated for August 15, 2010. Judging of machines will commence at 9a.m., and the field will open to spectators at 10:30 a.m.  For more information about the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, visit their website at www.PebbleBeachConcours.com.