My name is Arrie (Armand) Redelinghuys and I hail from Rochester, MI. Born in South Africa I was fortunate to come to the USA over a decade ago. Growing up in SA, British bikes were very much the beat we grew up with. Even though the Japanese bikes came to dominate. For me the sound, look and feel of the old Brits remained. Upon coming to the USA I met my buddy Paul (bike #90) and being a Triumph collector it did not take much encouragement from him to nudge me over the edge. Today I own a decent collection of Triumphs and related collectables. My garage is not an uncomfortable place to be 🙂 The “youngest” of the bikes is a 47 year old 1970 T100R Daytona and the oldest is the 1919 Model H I will be brining to the Cannonball. In the end I hope to have collected good examples from each decade since Triumph got to build their first motorcycle.

Going cross country with a motorcycle is something I was fortunate to tick off the bucket list back in 2015. Me and the wife took a 7000 mile ride roughly from Washington DC to San Francisco. In the process we stopped and detoured to many of America’s natural treasures. Our route took us over Sturgis during the annual motorcycle rally and what a great experience that was! The cross country only fueled the desire for long distance motorcycle riding and in 2016 we did a couple of thousand miles across Alaska. Only thing I can say about that trip: if you have a bucket list put this on it! And preferably at the top of the list – it is well worth every mile of the way.

Owning a real vintage motorcycle was never really on my list, but once I went that route I absolutely came to be humbled by the fantastic privilege to own, fix and ride such an old machine. I am sure everybody on this Cannonball would know the feeling of opening up a nearly 100 year old machine that has not been touched for many decades. The engineering of the day is most fascinating and the privilege to ride such a machine is truly a blessing.

I am very much looking forward to the challenge of getting both myself and my machine across the many mountain passes and miles that is being planned for us. Together with 2 of my buddies we will form the Coventry T³ team (Coventry being the place in the UK where Triumphs were originally manufactured). Most of all, I am looking forward to meet like minded motorcycle enthusiast and to travel our beautiful country together.

Arrie Redelinghuys

Todd Kraft, #71, is on his second Cannonball Run with his father Dan Kraft. Todd has spent the last 29 of his 51 years devoted to raising a family with his lovely wife, Beth. They live in Ben Lomond, CA and together they have three grown sons. Todd is the eldest son of Dan Kraft #72 and operates the family business, Kraft’s Body Shop, which has served the Santa Cruz, CA area for over 53 years. Todd’s dad, Dan Kraft, started Kraft’s Body Shop out of his garage in 1965 and today it has 40 employees. Dan is “retired” and Todd has worked in the collision repair shop for 32 years. In addition to running the Body Shop, Todd is a volunteer fireman for the Zayante Fire Department where he is an acting Captain. In 2016, Todd rode a 1914 Model U Thor with the Santa Cruz Thor Losers. His Thor proved to be an exhaustive challenge to pull together and to keep running for the entire ride. On this 2018 Cannonball Run, Todd will be riding a 1928 Harley Davidson JDH with the Surf City Vintage Riders from Santa Cruz.

Dan Kraft, #72 was the same age as his riding number in 2016 on his second Cannonball Run. The 2018 Cannonball Run is the third one for Dan as he rode with his middle son, Robb Kraft in 2014 and his eldest son, Todd Kraft #71 in 2016. This year Dan and Todd have partnered again. Dan has been married to his beautiful wife, Janice for 53 years and together they have three sons, a daughter and nine grand-children. Born and raised in Santa Cruz, Dan is well known and beloved in the community. Dan started Kraft’s Body Shop, 53 years ago out of his garage and today it has 40 employees. Dan is “retired” and his son, Todd, continues to operate the family business. Dan’s hobbies are too many to list but a few include—Old Ford’s, Old Cars, Indian Motorcycles, Whizzer bikes and Surfing. Dan and his son Todd rode Thor motorcycles for the 2016 Cannonball Run with the Thor Losers. Those bikes proved to be quite a challenge to not only pull together but to keep running for the last Cannonball. In an early test ride on Mother’s Day 2016, Dan went down on his bike doing a good deal of damage to his face, hand and bike. Although not completely healed, he felt good enough to participate in the 2016 ride. One souvenir of the accident was his hand-made metal eye patch with his #72 on it. Dan enjoys looking like a pirate and occasionally uses the eyepatch to this day. On this 2018 Cannonball Run, Dan Kraft will be riding a 1928 Indian with the Surf City Vintage Riders from Santa Cruz.

Hey Cannonball followers, I’m going to ride my 1915 HD F-model once again. I’m still in the process of rebuilding the motor from the last cannonball run. It should have been easy, but, nothing is easy on 100 year old machines. The parts I broke are rare and expensive!!! Oh well, that life in the fast lane.

I said I would never ride the cannonball again, it is grueling, especially at 65 years old. Never say never. I have never been to Portland Maine, here’s my chance.

Richard Asprey is a native Londoner who moved to Texas in 2001. He’s been riding motorbikes since he bought his first bike at age 15; a used Garelli Tiger Cross 50cc 2-stroke.The little Garelli was still his daily rider when he started working for Lloyd’s of London.

Since selling his business a few years ago, Richard has become an avid motorcycle collector, and an even more avid rider.

He is the current president of the North Texas Norton Owners Association (NTNOA), and is also a member of the Lone Star Section of the Vincent Owners Club, the Southern California Norton Owners Club, and Peckerhead Motorcycle Racing.

Richard will be piloting a 1915 Norton Model 16TT (Norton Code Name: Tourist),The twelfth oldest known Norton. He bought the bike in February 2015 from Joe Seifert of Norton Motors (nortonmotors.co.uk). Initially the rare bike wasn’t for sale, but Joe was intrigued with Richard’s plans to ride it in the Cannonball Run, and kindly allowed him to purchase the Norton.

Restoration and race modification was performed by Keith Martin of Big D Cycle, Dallas, Texas.

The 490cc single, 3 1/2 hp, 3 speed engine had a period top speed of 60+ mph in its racing versions.

Improvements to the Tourist for the Cannonball Race include: modern rims and tires, a drum brake for the rear hub, L.E.D. lighting, and an auxiliary fuel tank mounted behind the seat. The original ‘chain-cum-belt’, stepped leather final drive belt was reluctantly replaced with a metal chain to boast speed and reliability.

Richard rode the Model 16TT in the 2016 Cannonball Century Race finishing 22nd, on the only Norton entered in the race.

For 2018, Richard will be bringing Team Norton. He’ll ride the 1915 Norton Model 16TT again, while friends ride two more flat tank Nortons – a 1923 Model 16H and a 1925 Big Four.

If you need to contact Richard, you can send him an email: Richard@NTNOA.org

Jody Perewitz has been around motorcycles all her life. From a kid in her dad’s shop to setting land speed records, Jody has become well-known throughout the motorcycle community for her both her knowledge of bikes and riding skills.

Having learned from the “King of Flames” himself, Jody has been perfecting her own talents for airbrushing and painting as well as managing the marketing for Perewitz Cycle Fab.

In her spare time, she likes to go fast on a motorcycle. She has the world record as the fastest woman on an American V-Twin and currently holds 16 Land Speed Records this year she is not only adding vintage circle track racing to her resume, but also competing in the prestigious cross-country Cannonball Endurance Run!