Roger Ward “Inspiration Award” winner at the 2012 Stray Kat 500.

Last year we started a new tradition, we are going to spotlight some one that has been
an inspiration to our club. There have been a lot of guys that has inspired us over the
years and we thought that it would be kool to thank them publically. What better way
to give them the “Inspiration Award”.

Last year it was Carl Green. When I was in high School Carl had a shop in Dewey, Ok.
This is where he painted the Dream Truck and built a lot of wild projects over the years.
I would drive by his shop when I was going to lunch. Needless to say, I fell in love with
kustoms and if it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t be in this Hobby. When word got out what
we were doing, Gene Winfield and Dave Stucky wanted to be there for the ceremony. The
other guy in the picture is Wes Jones, he helped Carl restore and paint the Dream truck.





Jeff Meyers and I came up with the idea, Jeff did the paint work, Dudley Baughman
letter'd it and Ron Myers finished it off with some line work. It turned out very Kool!




This year we are going to spot light Roger Ward. I know he isn’t a kustom guy but one
of the koolest Hot Rodders ever. He has provided a lot of entertainment over the years,
if you know Roger you know what I’m talking about. He also taught us that it doesn’t
matter if some else likes your car or not, you built it for you and that is all that is important.
The other thing that I learned is you can drive nice cars, they don’t need trailer’d. I was in
a group that if you had something nice you had to put it on a trailer to protect it. If it wasn’t
for Roger I would have missed out on the buzz you get while driving your Hot rod or Kustom.
I don’t have to tell you, driving is a spiritual experience.

I’m sure you will recognize Roger's Roadster it has been everywhere….



We are honored to be able to pay tribute to such a kool guy and thank him for inspiring so
many people with in our hobby.

Happy Trails, Mick

 

Isn't Roger Ward the guy that built the super black, super straight '50-'52 Chevy woodie several years ago...??? THAT was almost a kustom...and very kool...

R-

 

Yes the fake woody is in California or some where west of here. It was an awesome
build. Roger also drove a Merc to the first Spectacular or Merc Deuce reunion., It
was dark brown, with wires and no skirts I'll see if I have a picture of it..

Happy Trails, Mick

 

Wow, its going to be tough to out-do the award you built for Carl last year...that thing is outstanding!

 

Thanks and your right, it is going to be tough to follow. If the award would have ****ed
it would have been a lot easier for Roger's award. We are rolling around some kool ideas.

 

You picked the perfect person. Roger is the man. What an inspiration.

 

I have had that damn roadster in my rearview mirror for at least the last 15 years, it doesnt matter where I go, (the ghetto), (a short cut that turns to gravel"thats when we have to stop"), you name it its always right behind me. Roger has been and is the best friend I have he has an opinion for almost every subject and is more then willing to share even when your not quite ready. I met Roger when he was building the woody, I was having a 51 Fleetline chopped the same time the wagon was getting wacked, (see Mick I like kustoms too, I havent always driven roadsters), he told me to come by the shop the next time I was in Kansas and Ive been stopping ever since.

I think Roger has inspired alot of people to build the cars they want and to enjoy them, as he always says " hell there cars your supposed to drive them, if your afraid your going to hurt it, sell the damn thing and get a boat or something you can enjoy.

My favorite Roger Ward quote he ask Todd, the kid that works with him, " hey empty your pockets", Todd says, "what for?" Rogers says, " you must have a pocket full of nuts, because theres been nothin but squirrels come through that door since we opened this morning."

 

You guys picked a great guy I have known Roger for a long time.......he tells it like it is.....

 

Iv had the pleasure of knowing Roger for a few years now and cant think of a better person. Excellent guy and car builder.

 

Excellent choice.

 

Is this the same Roger Ward that rode shotgun in a black Olds convertible on the R&C Egorama back in '03?

 

VERY DESERVING, can I please paint this award also? I would love to paint something for roger ward,( I paint for 2 percent of the people, those who can see) I think that was his moto. ....I would be honored to help out again.....

 

I always liked the story of how Roger told his customers what color he was going to paint their car...cl*** act.

 

Yes Don that is the same Roger....

LOL!! I gotta use that one... I'm jealous, having to be running with Roger for so long. I've
known Roger for years and look forward to the opportunity to visit.

One of my favorites is what he told at Hubs garage last year: He was driving down the
highway in his roadster and noticed that this street rod was broke down up ahead. Roger
was thinking to him self, "I'm not a mechanic, I'm a painter. Unless he has a paint problem,
there is not sense of me stopping". That just tore me up, Can you imagine driving your car
down the road and pulling off to the side because you noticed orange peal, a cats eye or
a run on your hood? LOL!! Roger did stop and helped that the guy.....

Very kool!! as always I need some help, I have some ideas....

Thanks guys for all of the kind words and I'm glad that you agree with the choice.
Roger is one of the best.

Happy Trails, Mick

 

I'm the worlds worst for traveling in a group. If I'm in front, It's everyone else's job to keep up. If I'm back in the pack, I usually get frustrated, break rank and go at my own pace. Maybe it's from driving on SoCal freeways most of my life, maybe it's because some of my junk will overheat if stuck in traffic, maybe it's just because I'm impatient.

On the '03 Egorama we were traveling from the SF Valley to the Peterson mid morning and the traffic was a *****. After fighting the traffic and trying to stay with the group for a while, I said "screw this". Rotten Rodney and I took off on our own route. We know where the Peterson is, we don't need to follow the group thorugh this maze.

We got there loooonnng before the rest of the group so, we got out some chairs, sat next to the car and RR had a beer.

When the rest of the group rolled in Roger walked up and asked "how long have you been here?"

I said "I dunno..., long enough for him to have a beer."

Roger replied "I like your style, I can't keep up but, I like your style!"

 

OUTSTANDING PICK.....I have seen this guy and his roadster around for many years and have talked to him many times. This summer at the Goodguys show in DesMoines he told me how many miles he had put on it. I can't recall just what it was (due to old age) but it was a bunch of miles. Great guy and a great craftsman.

 

What do you mean Roger is not a custom guy. Did you forget about his 51 Merc that was at the first Merc-Duece Reunion and at the first Leadsled Nationals. I'm sure your to young to remenber the cool chopped 55 ford pickupRoger drove in the 70's. Rogers opinions about customs and custom paint jobs have benifited the custom car kulture for decades. Roger is a true custom guy.

 

LOL!! I can hear him saying that to ya guys.. Very kool story.

I remember his Merc when I saw it in Wichita, that was the first time that I met Roger.
The Merc was completly different then anyone elses. I looked for my pictures last night
and I couldn't find them.... I wasn't aware of the '55 Ford pick up.

Happy Trails, Mick

 

WELL DESERVING!! Ive known roger since I was a snot nose 20 year old driving a black 33 3 window.. Not a cooler guy man. I had not seen him in awhile since I was and am in the VW scene now but I caught up with him couple weeks ago. Stories this man tells are second to none.. Something about a gold chain and a pastel colored street rod! LOL I wont elaborate..
He just turned 70 btw.. hard to believe. We catch up alot and talk paint.

Roger says "I walk out of the paint booth to get some fresh air and here stands this biker dude just got off his harley I got a Binks in my hand and blood red paint all over my *** and this guys says "You a painter??!!?"

If you have never met Roger I suggest you do he is quite a character indeed

 

Oh and if you dont think he is a custom builder as said,, you should go look at what he is building.. He just finished up a 32 4 door sedan for Poteet as well..

He was telling me he has over 60,000 miles on the roadster now He won the Duece doins at goodguys KC last year.. Its a funny story the car has been done for over 20 years and he won it the first year at Desmoines and 20 some odd years later in KC.. He asked the guy in KC.."you sure you wanna pick this 20 year old car for this" he said the guy had a funny look on his face.. lol cl***ic

The woody wagon was up for Goodguys custom of the year in DesMoines in like 95 or 96.. I took my merc up there that year with all the guys from Ottawa. That year Troy had his Rumbler or the Sniper and basically gave noone else a chance to win haha.. but it was fun.. here is an OLD snapshot.. car way WAYYYY bad*** and a BIG insp on me and my building ways..

 

I know this thread is old but I'm new and he is as good as family. I met Roger when I was in the single digits still. He gave me a job when I was 14 in the summer and again when I graduated college. I never missed a chance to hang out at the shop. I had a different job offer after college but when he offered me a job I said "see ya" and never looked back. I have always loved his cars and I'm not that gold chain, Hawaiian shirt, blue dot taillight kind of guy, so we meshed well. Roger has taught me so much but what is great about him is that he will learn from me also.
I can't pick a favorite quote we make up new ones every day. Well okay, I do have one. Last year at the Stray Kat 500 we were in the hotel parking lot. He was outside smoking a cigarette and a very nice looking, very well tattooed girl was also outside. He said to her "Nice tattoos" she said thanks. And without missing a beat he said, "The canvas ain't bad either." I don't know many guys his age that act that young. He still gets so excited for a rod run he can't sleep the night before. I think the world of Roger and am so thankful to have the opportunity to work, learn from, and hang out with such a craftsman.

 

Gotta bring this back to the top. Great pick Mick, Roger has always been so nice to me even though I'm just a flunky and my cars show it.

 

Rodger Ward, I met Rodger at a leadsled outing and at that time he was motoring a 1949-59 Ford Coupe. Great guy and very nice car.

 

Thanks bumping this too the top. Rogers award is coming together. This was a challenge
to put this award together. Why? I love hot rods but my heart is kustom made. I have
A tendency of thinking it's done till it is over done. This is a complete opposite of what
Roger is all about. Jeff Meyers volunteered to paint the award and it is gonna be kool. I
won't tell you what color Jeff painted the award, but it's not a candy, metal flaked or
pearled. I think Roger will approve.

Looking forward to the ceremony, it's gonna be kool.

Happy trails, Mick

 

I hadn't seen the thread before and have to say you made a great choice. I and I would imagine a lot of others have enjoyed seeing his latest and not so latest creation and have thought that what ever it was had that just right look. One look at his roadster or the woodie says that his builds are timeless too.

 

Bttt

 

He sounds like a real character,
The kind of hot rodder I like.

 

Mick,

I was just down to Rogers shop, and he is really lookin forward to coming to Dewey. We all are....................cant wait to see you guys.

 

We are honored to have ya guys come down, Roger has inspired a lot of people and he will
be floored with the amount of the people attending to show how much they appreciate
him. We have expanded the show area to accommodate up to 650 cars so we are in good shape.

Happy Trails, Mick

 

Congratulations Roger. Great pick. I always liked his philosophy: “Show em like you drive em, hood down.” He is a great craftsman and his cars always look like they are going 100 MPH setting still.