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Community Corner

Did You Know THIS About Your Neighbor?

Meet Mike Horsman, owner of SPEEDWELL Cars in Watkinsville.

TOP TEN THINGS YOU MAY NOT ALREADY KNOW ABOUT YOUR NEIGHBOR, MIKE HORSMAN:

1) Mike has been working on classic British sports cars for over 35 years. Today he and his wife, Andrea, own SPEEDWELL Cars where he repairs and restores classic (1978 and older) English cars including the MG, Triumph, Austin Healey, Jaguar, Sunbeam, Rover and Mini.

2) Mike specially prepares about 20 classic cars twice a year for participation in two annual car ralleys that draw participants from as far away as Missouri, Michigan and New York. Mike and Andrea, who is also a sports car enthusiast, participate in the driving events, too.

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3) Mike used to race an MGB in the Sports Car Club of America in the E-Production class.

4) Mike has three children: Daughter Kimberly is 23 and lives in Atlanta, son Zac is 20 and is enrolled in the Motor Sports Program at Lanier Tech, and the youngest, Zibbie is eight and in the second grade at . Mike is very proud of all of his children.

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5) Mike has lived in New York, Pennsylvania, California and Maryland, but has lived in the Athens area for the past 30+ years. The last eight years he has been in Oconee County and it is by far his favorite place to live.

6) Mike considers himself to be very lucky to have a business that feeds his passion for making vintage British cars the way they were meant to be. To watch him work, most people wonder if he is at work or at play. To him it is both.

7) Mike is really interested in encouraging people to keep these vintage sports cars on the road and finding ways to spark younger people’s interest in the sport/hobby.

8) Mike thinks the proper use of tools is not taught in high school anymore and learning to work on a classic car is a great way for a young man or woman to learn some basic but essential skills. This hobby also teaches patience and rewards hard work.

9) Mike works with the American Cancer Association, participating in the Silent Auction committee for the Boule on Bourbon Street event each February.

10) Mike is planning to build an MGB high speed car to take to the Salt Flats at Bonneville next fall to test the upper limits of an MGB’s speed, and hopefully to reach speeds over 150mph on the salt.

Mike allowed one final thought which could be No. 11, but this fact may be something that you already know about him...

11) Mike is married to his best friend. He says Andrea is the best cook in the world, a fabulous mother, a great sport and the best wife a guy could ever wish for.

 

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