subscribesubscriber servicescontact usabout ussite mapBuy a Classified
Mon, Jul 06 2009 

Resources

print this story   Print this story
  Post to del.icio.us

Photos


CHARLOTTE DAVIDSON and her daughter, Chloe Campbell, 3, look at motorcycles during Thunder on the Strip.
WARREN DILAWAY


Published September 07, 2008 11:07 pm - The strength of Rhett “Rotten” Giordano’s vintage motorcycle sent tremors through decades-old wood Sunday at the Thunder on the Strip motorcycle rally, his fans cheering as he defied the “Wall of Death.”

Defying the odds
GOTL’s Thunder on Strip brings big tourism after Labor Day

By DORIS COOK - Staff Writer
Star Beacon

GENEVA-ON-THE-LAKE — The strength of Rhett “Rotten” Giordano’s vintage motorcycle sent tremors through decades-old wood Sunday at the Thunder on the Strip motorcycle rally, his fans cheering as he defied the “Wall of Death.”

Exhaust filled the tented early 1940s structure as Giordano rode his motorcycle to the top of the wooden cylinder to snatch money from his fans’ hands, nodding his head to Kid Rock’s “All Summer Long.”

“I’m the baddest man on two wheels,” Giordano said. “I do this to support my family and to keep board track racing alive.”

Event organizers Dwayne Bennett and Jake Hummel said Giordano was the biggest draw of the motorcycle rally.

“He brought amazing crowds at every show,” Hummel said. “Everybody loves him, even the people who never heard of him before saw the show and love him.”

Giordano whizzed around his wall of death as exhaust fumes gathered under the black and white tent. The structure rocked with each pass as Giordano pumped his fists in the air and smiled for the crowd.

Giordano didn’t wipe out Sunday, but had a close call at a show on Saturday when the front end of his 1920 Indian motorcycle came apart.

“I am blessed that I was coming down from the wall when it happened, or else it would have been a real disaster,” Giordano said. “They don’t call this the ‘Wall of Death’ for nothing.”

Giordano was in the right place when his bike broke, as Bennett, who owns Goblin Custom Cycles, helped him fix it for the Sunday shows.

“I love Geneva-on-the-Lake,” Giordano said. “The people are super nice and I couldn’t have asked for a better crowd.”

Still nursing two broken ankles from an accident in March, Giordano said a prayer before he rode and took time to encourage children to stay in school.

Giordano’s visit to the village was part of Hummel and Bennett’s plan to extend the summer tourism season at the lake

Hummel, who owns Sportsterz Bar and Grill, said the plan is working.

“This was an amazing weekend for the village,” he said. “A lot of businesses are reporting huge profits and some are saying this was their biggest weekend of the summer.”

Hummel said traffic counters were positioned on Lake Road at both ends of the village to accurately gauge attendance at the event.



print this story    email this story   




Zillow
monster
autoconx
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide

PREMIUM JOBS

QUALITY CONTROL
Earn up to $100 a day. Evaluate retail stores. Training provided. No exp req. Call 877-218-6203....>MORE

ASHTABULA AREA CITY SCHOOLS
BUSINESS OFFICE

CUSTODIAN, LAKESIDE
HIGH SCHOOL
2nd Shift, 2nd Floor,
2:00PM - 10:00PM
...>MORE

NURSING - LPN
Full-time position in a 20 bed residential facility serving the MR/DD population. Apply in person:
The Gables,
...>MORE

Direct Care Staff
Residential Treatment Center Hiring part time direct care staff. primarily evenings & weekends. Must be able to pass bac...>MORE

Dispatcher Needed
in a fast paced busy environment. Must be available for various shifts.
Apply within City Taxicab,
1753 West
...>MORE

PRODUCTION - FIBERGLASS
Production - Fiberglass
Must be able to transfer shift
with short notice
Recent verifiable fiberglass exp
...>MORE

CLERICAL
Collections $12-15/hr
Customer Service $10-15/hr
Office Asst $10-1
...>MORE

DRIVERS WANTED
DEDICATED
ROUTES
   • Consistent Home Time
   • $1,100 per wk./avg.
   • Health + 401k
Class-A-
...>MORE

MEDICAL DELIVERY DRIVER NEEDED
Seeley Medical, a respiratory services company, has a full-time opening for a medical delivery driver to setup home resp...>MORE

See all ads

PREMIUM AUTOS

1995 BLAZER
4x4 from Texas 175,000 miles $1500..
(440)812-8139
...>MORE

‘96 OLDS 88 LS
3.8L, V6,
auto, 4dr, full power, 130K, well kept, great car. Asking $2,200 obo. Ash. 319-5510 lv msg
...>MORE

1998 Malibu
4dr, auto, all power, runs good, $899. Call (440)224-3323 / 319-7007...>MORE

See all ads

PREMIUM HOMES

Buckeye House for Sale
Buckeye Remodeled 2BR Ranch, new siding, roof, bath, gar. 2 sheds $49,900. Darla 440-992-3399...>MORE

Cottage for Sale
GOTL 4908 Sunset, 2BR winterized cottage, many updates, $40,000. 440-361-1072...>MORE

Buckeye Rent to Own
Renovated 4BR 2BA $65k. (440)812-5398...>MORE

OPEN HOUSE
Sat. July 11th, 12-2pm.
1008 Norwood Dr, Ash. Brick ranch w/att 2 car gar, many updates incl kit & windows, lg mas
...>MORE

1967 GLOBEMASTER
14x70 decent condition $1,000, new furnace
440-466-7885
...>MORE

1996 SKYLINE
Exc. cond. 3BR 2BA air, big deck. Crestlawn Village 18,500 obo. 812-2404...>MORE

JUST LISTED!!
East Conneaut: 2BR 1BA
245 Lee St. Newly updated, priced to sell $57,900. 813-3168
...>MORE

See all ads

PREMIUM EXTRAS

Tires
Lots of good used tires
992-6050
...>MORE

PAINTING
Interior/Exterior painting, satisfaction guar. Free estimates Reas. rates. 25 yrs. exp. (814)873-5207...>MORE

See all ads

PREMIUM RENTALS

House for Rent in Jefferson
Jeff Village 3BR ranch $600; Adams St. or for sale 474-3339...>MORE

ASH. MICHIGAN SQUARE APTS.
BR/1BA lg. walk-in closet, appl. incl., kitch., dining & living room, laundry room. Call (440)964-9570. Sec. 8 ok. Se H...>MORE

Apartment for Rent
Ash. W.52nd 2BR inc. wtr/swr/ trh/appl. $400+300 dep. 645-8796...>MORE

GENEVA OLD ORCHARD APTS.
1, 2 & 3BR appl., from $485/mo. Call
440-466-6547 or 440-361-1637
...>MORE

SAYBROOK APARTMENT
2Br ranch duplex, $460 + utils & sec. dep. No dogs. Sec 8 ok. 440-969-1593/440-473-2934...>MORE

Williamsfield House for Rent
Williamsfield 5 room house $450/mo.
5422 W. Slater Road (216)431-3245
...>MORE

Ashtabula Harbor Apt. for Rent
3BR 1BA $525+ sec, Appl. incl. Sec 8 OK. 812-5398...>MORE

TWO BEDROOM
2nd flr apt. $525/mo incl ALL UTILITIES,
quiet park setting - NO PETS. 440-466-7885.
...>MORE

MOBILE HOME FOR RENT
Harpersfield $375/mo. 2BR, all appl. incl. No pets. Background & credit check. 466-3661...>MORE

Conneaut Apt. for Rent
1st Month Discount 2BR up, inc. water, sewer, trash, all appl., inc. wash & dry. $435/mo+sec. Ref. req’d. (440)812-2055...>MORE

See all ads



 

Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.CNHI Classified Advertising NetworkCNHI News Service
Associated Press content © 2009. All rights reserved. AP content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Our site is powered by Zope and our Internet Yellow Pages site is powered by PremierGuide.
Some parts of our site may require you to download the Flash Player Plugin.
View our Privacy Policy
Advertiser index