I met Michael Satterfield after he emailed me about some possible collaborations with student experiential learning opportunities at my day job as a professor.
For those visiting this site for the first time; by day I am a professor at Texas A&M where co-direct a Creative Media Lab out of the Communication & Journalism program. I obtained my Ph.D. at the University of Texas at Austin in Radio, Television and Film. My dissertation specifically looked at Online and Offline Culture in Central Texas. I studied drag racing, street racing, road racing, car shows, performance shops and high end automotive shops.
So when Michael mentioned the Wheels, Watches and Whisky event last year I was intrigued. However time flew by much faster than I anticipated and it wasn’t until this past summer that I reconnected with Michael and he reminded me of the event and encouraged me to attend.
Michael and his agency, Satterfield Group, are a friendly media agency located in downtown Bryan, TX. His background really resonated with me when we sat down and chatted this summer and we quickly hit it off talking about car culture and the media aspects of it.
So I signed up for the Wheels, Watches and Whiskey event, purchased a poster and also signed up for the Gentleman Racer Round Top Rally. The overall cost was $200.
Michael reached out and asked which car I would be bringing to the events and I told him which ever he felt fit best. So we went with my 2015 Lexus RC F. I bought the RC F in the Spring of 2023 and just this past spring I did a major 60,000 mile service where I had all the fluids changed and spark plugs changed. I also had all new Michelin Pilot 4S tires put on. I personally replaced all the rotors and pads on the brakes and with the help of my wife did a full rim off cleaning of the wheels and inner wheel bays. Along with all this I did a paint correction at the beginning of the summer on it as well. So to say the least it was ready to go.
I also own a 2005 VW GTi, which may sound like a much lesser car of the two, but it has been resto-modded as a daily and is a hoot to drive along the backroads and is in good enough shape to be shown and appreciated inside and out. It’s not perfect but it is charming.
A happy coincidence
In parallel to this story my son, who turned 8 this year also started getting into video gaming. I am not a huge gamer, but I have always loved car video games, from Test Drive in the 80’s to Forza on the Xbox 360.
Months ago after we got a PS5 I picked up Gran Tourismo 7 and my son got hooked, he bugged me for a wheel and pedals and we were literally off to the races.
It got to the point that three weeks before the event I was in Austin with him and he asked me if there was a Porsche dealership. 6 literal stories later of the Austin Porsche dealership and a visit to their gift shop and my son was glowing and convienced we needed a Porsche. I can whole heartedly agree with his assessment. All in time…
Wheels, Watches and Whisky
So the event quickly came upon me, I picked up my stuff from Michael at the office as I live in downtown Bryan and am less than 5 minutes away. He and the team were working away on finishing touches for the event, it was a good energy.
I got home and decided to put the poster in a frame. I got it all mounted and then decided to have some fun and put the framed poster in front of the HiFi and snap a fun photo with the Grand Prix movie sound track next to the poster. And for those who do not know, I also just started a business called Joey’s HiFi Shop and sell hand made British electronics. So it was fun to combine the two, even if HiFi didn’t start with a W!
The day of the event I did some final detailing of the RC F and my wife and son drove out to the Stella Hotel where the event was taking place. The Stella Hotel is a fun destination, the Hotel itself is in a space that has breath to it. With a pond, nice walking paths, an observation tower, small shops and some business buildings as well, it has a high end aura to it, yet still very grounded at the same time.
I got the RC F parked and setup and found Corina and my son and we ventured out to see all the cars that had arrived and were on display. I cannot lie, it was so fun to have my son ask questions and look around. A true Dad moment for sure. We went and checked in and Michael got my wife a VIP badge, which was very kind of him. At one point my son was still wanting to see more of the cars and my wife and I were relaxing a bit inside the Stella’s lounge area that looked out onto the cars. I told my son he could go out and look if he wanted. He was hesitant. I told him “Are you hesitant because you do not have a badge?” He told me “yes” and so I put my badge around his neck and it was like he was a new person, he confidently walked outside and looked around at all the cars. As a car Dad it made me melt.
We also got to experience the Watches and Whisky side of the event where there was an online silent auction taking place as well. I am not much of a Watch or Whisky person, however I do own one Tag Huerer that was gifted to me by my dad in my early 20’s. So I wore that watch and it was nice because it also just reminds me of my family and the support they have given me over years, as my years haven’t always been easy (a year jobless).
So my wife and I spoke to the Seaholm watch company, which was very informative. Their watches were intriguing. I did find it interesting that they had a Texas Border Patrol and a Texas Ranger series of watches. It made me think of my grand mother’s aunt who raised her and for whom she was named after, Jovita Idar.
Jovita Idar is famous for having stood up to the Texas Rangers who wanted to enter her family’s printing press because they were reporting on the lynchings of African Americans and Latinos in Laredo, TX by the Texas Rangers. A day later the Texas Rangers would come to the printing press and burn it down. Last fall 2023, my grandmother’s aunt was commemorated on the official U.S. Quarter for her activism, which is something that really rung with me while looking at those watches.
Definitely an interesting part of my heritage. Also very interesting because on my mother’s side of the family, our ancestors signed the Declaration of Independence of Texas on two sides (Navarro and Ruiz). Our past definitely travel with us.
The Whisky was also fun to learn about. I do not drink, I am a straight edge and always have been, but I love giving alcohol as gifts. I spoke with TAMDHU representative and learned about the Scotch Whisky. So if you are my friend and end up with a 15 year aged Whisky as a gift, you will know how I knew which one to get.
Overall the evening was great, got see Rami of Cafe Capri, meet Alanis King, an up and coming automotive YouTuber and in general just be around some very friendly automotive enthusiasts. I highly recommend checking out this event next year if you can get a ticket.
Gentleman Racer – Round Top Rally
So the next morning I woke up bright and early and headed to the Stella Hotel to meet up with everyone going on the Rally. I got some nice iced coffee from POV a coffee shop right next to Stella and got to chat it was with some very friendly folks who brought a grey fully custom Shelby Cobra with a 427 and also a Lamborghini Huracan (see pictures below). We talked about Ford cars as I used to own a Turbo’ed Mercury Grand Marquis (check it out on the track) and as such I have learned all about Fords and their platforms and engines. It was a lot of fun.
We then headed out of town on the rally. The driving and scenery was great. We drove a route of which about 50 percent I hadn’t driven on before am those parts were very nice. It was so cool hear all the different engines and their notes as they down shifted and went through and came out of corners. I know my car was definitely having a fun time with it.
Our first stop was at Independence, TX. A very small town. We all pulled over and took pictures and chatted and were able to meet each other that much more. I love events where people get to chatting and bonding and this event definitely had that feel.
After Independence we made our way to Round Top, population 87. There we had an amazing meal at Royers Cafe. Evidently they are famous for their Sunday lunch Fried Chicken served with mash potatoes and cream corn. I found it funny that their menu notes that on Sunday they do not serve fry’s because they need the fryers for the chicken. Their fried chicken was indeed amazing and I highly recommend anyone within 200 miles of the place trying it out sometime, a fun drive and neat place to eat at in general. While I did not have desert, others did and it looked amazing.
To wrap things up we visited the Round Top Festival Institute. The hall was jaw dropping amazing inside and its story almost unbelievable as it isn’t what one would think. I assumed it was an old hall that they restored and in reality it is an old grounds that has had this hall slowly built over the past century. The docent led tour will do so much more justice than whatever I can write here. Truly a random experience tucked away in the middle of Texas. There is also a Chapel that they had relocated from Lagrange to the grounds and it too was amazing and had an Aura to it.
Sadly I had to cut the rally short as I had prior engagements. To say the least it was so great meeting everyone and I cannot thank Michael Satterfield and his team enough for putting in a great event. I look forward to next years events and the ones in between. An awesome time for sure!