CASTROL®, VOLVO CLUB OF AMERICA AND HILTON HEAD ISLAND CONCOURS D'ELEGANCE & MOTORING FESTIVAL AWARD MOBILITY SCHOLARSHIP TO DESERVING STUDENT
Hilton Head Island, SC (October 1, 2020) - Last night, as a part of the Driving Young America Boulevard virtual series, a partnership between the Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance, Castrol® and Michelin, the $5,000 Irv Gordon ‘MilnMilr’ Scholarship, in conjunction with the Volvo Club of America, was awarded during a live Zoom broadcast to William (“Liam”) Owens of Eagle, Idaho. For a video of the complete presentation, click here.
Commemorating the life of Irv Gordon and his Guinness World Record achievement of driving his 1966 Volvo P1800S for 53 years accumulating over 3,320,000 miles, the most miles driven in a single, private vehicle, the Volvo Club of America established this scholarship to educate and inspire high school students to pursue a career in the automotive industry. To name this in Mr. Gordon’s honor reinforces the centuries old tradition of vehicle maintenance and adhering to routine, recommended maintenance practices and insisting on the use of premium (Castrol) lubricants and OEM parts.
“Irv was probably the most famous and popular attendee of any Volvo gathering,” said John Holtzapple, the president of the Volvo Club of America. “His jolly demeanor, story telling, and hearty laugh made him the perfect ombudsman for the club and the Volvo brand.”
Before he was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records, Irv was known throughout the US and Europe for driving great distances in his Volvo 1800S. With every mile he drove, he broke the Guinness record, which will stand for many years to come. Asked often if he would sell his Volvo, Holtzapple recalls Irv would always reply with, “yes, for a dollar a mile!”
“This is an exciting time for the automotive industry, with an accelerating pace of innovation in vehicle technologies. It’s more important than ever to recognize and encourage the vision and passion of individuals like Liam and Castrol is delighted to do so through the presentation of this year’s Irv Gordon ‘MilnMilr’ Scholarship,” said Tracy Drelich-Knauer, Manager, Stewardship and Advocacy at BP Lubricants USA Inc.
This scholarship program was launched in Irv’s memory in 2019 and was presented to the winner at the 18th annual Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance & Motoring Festival last fall. Despite both the Hilton Head Island events and Volvo Club of America’s annual meeting being rescheduled for 2021, organizers did not want to see the scholarship opportunity to fall absent on the 2020 school year.
“Our partners at Castrol and Michelin have remained strong through a challenging and difficult year,” said Lindsey Harrell, the HHI Concours’ president. “Neither organization wanted to see any of the scholarship opportunities for students fall by the wayside because of the pandemic and agreed that now, more than ever, these scholarships were even more critical.”
Endowed by Castrol and administered through Driving Young America, William (“Liam”) Owens will receive a $5,000 scholarship presented by the Volvo Club of America and will be attending Baylor University pursuing graphic design and mechanical engineering.
ABOUT THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE & MOTORING FESTIVAL:
The Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance & Motoring Festival will celebrate its 19th year in the fall of 2021. The Festival will kick off with race partner SVRA at the Savannah Speed Classic, October 21 – 24, on the Grand Prize of America road course situated on the property of The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa in Savannah, Georgia. The festivities will continue on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, November 5-7, at both the Hilton Head Island Airport and the Port Royal Golf Club, where the Concours d’Elegance (Nov. 7) will take center stage.
ABOUT CASTROL®:
Castrol is one of the world's leading lubricant brands, with a proud heritage of innovation and fueling the dreams of pioneers. Our passion for performance, combined with a philosophy of working in partnership, has enabled Castrol to develop lubricants and greases that have been at the heart of numerous technological feats on land, air, sea and in space for over 100 years. Castrol is part of the BP group and serves customers and consumers in the automotive, marine, industrial and energy sectors. Our branded products are recognized globally for innovation and high performance through our commitment to premium quality and cutting-edge technology. To find out more about Castrol, visit https://www.castrol.com/.
ABOUT THE VOLVO CLUB OF AMERICA:
Founded in 1983, the club, composed of Volvo owners of any model and vintage to promote the preservation, enjoyment and sharing stores of Volvo ownership, offers resources, unique offerings – often at discounts for parts and services, classifieds for sale and purchase opportunities, and activities for travel and exploration with other Volvo owners. Regional sanctioned chapters are located throughout the United States for localized gatherings along with annual national meets held at interesting travel venues within and beyond the US. With a business office in NY state, the club’s directors from across the country guide the mission of the club, the publication of a bi-monthly full color magazine, Rolling, and inter-club communications via electronic and social mediums. Visit vcoa.org for more information.
ABOUT THE DRIVING YOUNG AMERICA BOULEVARD POWERED BY CASTROL®:
The Driving Young America Boulevard provides a fun and interactive experience, exclusively at the Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival, showcasing annual education & scholarship opportunities that empower participant’s pursuit of careers in mobility while inspiring the next generation of automobile enthusiasts. This year, in light of the event’s cancellation due to the impact of COVID-19, the Boulevard is being taken virtual through a series of online events. Upcoming events include the Lane Motor Museum: Inspiration Tour (October 6 at 1pm EDT) on Facebook Live, Industry Insiders: Motor Oil + Tire 101 (October 14 at 4pm EDT), a Zoom Webinar with Castrol and Michelin and the 4th annual Michelin Junior Challenge Design (November 1 at 2pm EST), a Zoom Webinar with the finalists presenting to the esteemed panel of judges including Moray Callum (Ford), Frank Campanale (judging coordinator), Ralph Gilles (FCA), Vera Park (Jaguar), Michael Simcoe (GM), Jay Ward (Pixar) and Ed Welburn (retired, GM). A full schedule can be found online at https://www.hhiconcours.com/full-schedule.html.
Commemorating the life of Irv Gordon and his Guinness World Record achievement of driving his 1966 Volvo P1800S for 53 years accumulating over 3,320,000 miles, the most miles driven in a single, private vehicle, the Volvo Club of America established this scholarship to educate and inspire high school students to pursue a career in the automotive industry. To name this in Mr. Gordon’s honor reinforces the centuries old tradition of vehicle maintenance and adhering to routine, recommended maintenance practices and insisting on the use of premium (Castrol) lubricants and OEM parts.
“Irv was probably the most famous and popular attendee of any Volvo gathering,” said John Holtzapple, the president of the Volvo Club of America. “His jolly demeanor, story telling, and hearty laugh made him the perfect ombudsman for the club and the Volvo brand.”
Before he was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records, Irv was known throughout the US and Europe for driving great distances in his Volvo 1800S. With every mile he drove, he broke the Guinness record, which will stand for many years to come. Asked often if he would sell his Volvo, Holtzapple recalls Irv would always reply with, “yes, for a dollar a mile!”
“This is an exciting time for the automotive industry, with an accelerating pace of innovation in vehicle technologies. It’s more important than ever to recognize and encourage the vision and passion of individuals like Liam and Castrol is delighted to do so through the presentation of this year’s Irv Gordon ‘MilnMilr’ Scholarship,” said Tracy Drelich-Knauer, Manager, Stewardship and Advocacy at BP Lubricants USA Inc.
This scholarship program was launched in Irv’s memory in 2019 and was presented to the winner at the 18th annual Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance & Motoring Festival last fall. Despite both the Hilton Head Island events and Volvo Club of America’s annual meeting being rescheduled for 2021, organizers did not want to see the scholarship opportunity to fall absent on the 2020 school year.
“Our partners at Castrol and Michelin have remained strong through a challenging and difficult year,” said Lindsey Harrell, the HHI Concours’ president. “Neither organization wanted to see any of the scholarship opportunities for students fall by the wayside because of the pandemic and agreed that now, more than ever, these scholarships were even more critical.”
Endowed by Castrol and administered through Driving Young America, William (“Liam”) Owens will receive a $5,000 scholarship presented by the Volvo Club of America and will be attending Baylor University pursuing graphic design and mechanical engineering.
ABOUT THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE & MOTORING FESTIVAL:
The Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance & Motoring Festival will celebrate its 19th year in the fall of 2021. The Festival will kick off with race partner SVRA at the Savannah Speed Classic, October 21 – 24, on the Grand Prize of America road course situated on the property of The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa in Savannah, Georgia. The festivities will continue on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, November 5-7, at both the Hilton Head Island Airport and the Port Royal Golf Club, where the Concours d’Elegance (Nov. 7) will take center stage.
ABOUT CASTROL®:
Castrol is one of the world's leading lubricant brands, with a proud heritage of innovation and fueling the dreams of pioneers. Our passion for performance, combined with a philosophy of working in partnership, has enabled Castrol to develop lubricants and greases that have been at the heart of numerous technological feats on land, air, sea and in space for over 100 years. Castrol is part of the BP group and serves customers and consumers in the automotive, marine, industrial and energy sectors. Our branded products are recognized globally for innovation and high performance through our commitment to premium quality and cutting-edge technology. To find out more about Castrol, visit https://www.castrol.com/.
ABOUT THE VOLVO CLUB OF AMERICA:
Founded in 1983, the club, composed of Volvo owners of any model and vintage to promote the preservation, enjoyment and sharing stores of Volvo ownership, offers resources, unique offerings – often at discounts for parts and services, classifieds for sale and purchase opportunities, and activities for travel and exploration with other Volvo owners. Regional sanctioned chapters are located throughout the United States for localized gatherings along with annual national meets held at interesting travel venues within and beyond the US. With a business office in NY state, the club’s directors from across the country guide the mission of the club, the publication of a bi-monthly full color magazine, Rolling, and inter-club communications via electronic and social mediums. Visit vcoa.org for more information.
ABOUT THE DRIVING YOUNG AMERICA BOULEVARD POWERED BY CASTROL®:
The Driving Young America Boulevard provides a fun and interactive experience, exclusively at the Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival, showcasing annual education & scholarship opportunities that empower participant’s pursuit of careers in mobility while inspiring the next generation of automobile enthusiasts. This year, in light of the event’s cancellation due to the impact of COVID-19, the Boulevard is being taken virtual through a series of online events. Upcoming events include the Lane Motor Museum: Inspiration Tour (October 6 at 1pm EDT) on Facebook Live, Industry Insiders: Motor Oil + Tire 101 (October 14 at 4pm EDT), a Zoom Webinar with Castrol and Michelin and the 4th annual Michelin Junior Challenge Design (November 1 at 2pm EST), a Zoom Webinar with the finalists presenting to the esteemed panel of judges including Moray Callum (Ford), Frank Campanale (judging coordinator), Ralph Gilles (FCA), Vera Park (Jaguar), Michael Simcoe (GM), Jay Ward (Pixar) and Ed Welburn (retired, GM). A full schedule can be found online at https://www.hhiconcours.com/full-schedule.html.
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