OFF THE WIRE
Bikers from all over the country started rolling into the Gulfport Dragway on Friday for the 30th annual Mississippi Gulf Coast Blowout. The event is hosted by the track and the Asgard Motorcycle Club, which is known for its charitable work around the Coast.
By the end of the rally Monday, organizers hope to have raised at least $5,000 for the Gulf Coast Multiple Sclerosis Society, Boys & Girls Clubs and other area charities.
In addition to helping out the club's favorite causes, Asgard's Smokey Stepputat said another purpose of the blowout is to elevate public opinion of bikers.
"Bikers come from all walks of life," he said. "They come together because of the desire to ride."
Bikers also get the chance to let their free spirits run wild -- within reason -- inside the gates of the dragway, which is designated adults only.
Bikers can spread out on more than 100 acres of campgrounds to keep the party going the entire holiday weekend.
Biker babes let it all hang out Friday with the Daisy Dukes contest, and with the bikini contest Saturday. Today's wet T-shirt contest is one of the event's biggest crowd pleasers, organizers said.
Saturday's festivities featured racing, a bike show, a ring-toss competition, barrel race, weenie-bite contest (bikes' passengers try to bite a hotdog hung from an arch as the bikes ride under it) and live music. More racing is on tap today, as are a tattoo contest and the wet T-shirt contest at 7:30 p.m., followed by more live music.
The Blowout was in prior years a Harley-Davidson event, but was opened up to all bikes in 2011, Stepputat said. The bike show includes motorcycles in the categories of rat, chopper, antique, dresser, trike, sport, stock and custom.
One of the custom bikes getting the most looks belonged to Joe Mangino. He said it took him two years to build, starting with a 2009 War Eagle frame. He said everything else was custom made for the bike. The most eye-catching thing about the motorcycle and matching helmet is the flame paint job.
"I wanted to look like I was on fire," Mangino said.
Between 5,000 and 10,000 motorcycle enthusiast may pass through the gates by the end of the weekend, Stepputat said. He wants the event to keep bringing a positive impact to the Coast.
"It's great when we see the local businesses with signs that say 'Welcome Back Blowout'," he said. "We want to keep it that way."
http://www.sunherald.com/2012/05/26/3972477/gulfports-motorcycle-blowout-celebrates.html