The late Stu Paer, below — whose Red Bank Sleep Shoppe sponsorship could be seen on many cars in competition at Wall Stadium, including his own INSOMNIA funny car — is remembered in a special Cruise Night event tonight in downtown Red Bank. (Photos by classicfunnycarboard.com)
They come from all over Monmouth County and parts beyond — the rat rods and tuners, the street rods and customs, the competition-class racers, the blue-ribbon show cars, and the weekend works-in-progress from countless suburban garages.
Tonight, they’ll be lining the streets of Red Bank’s business district in remembrance of a good friend, to benefit of a great cause.
Once a semi-regular Friday night occurrence, Red Bank Cruise Night returns for a special edition presented by Red Bank RiverCenter in conjunction with Friends of Stu Paer — an organization co-founded by Frank Woods, borough code enforcement officer and, as a classic car owner himself, an organizer of the annual Liberty Hose Car Show.
Paer, the familiar proprietor of Red Bank Sleep Shoppe, died in April at the age of 48 from liver disease — a passing that hit particularly hard over at Wall Stadium Speedway, where the Fair Haven resident and long-time racing enthusiast was well known as both owner and driver of such competition cars as INSOMNIA.
Scheduled for 6 to 10 p.m., the event takes over Broad Street between Peters Place and West Front, as well as Monmouth and White Streets between Broad and Maple Avenue. Street parking spaces will be reserved prior to start time for the participating showy sheetmetal, and classic car owners are invited to join the Cruise, with no registration required. All designated streets will remain open to motorist traffic for the duration of the event.
Many borough retailers and restaurants will be keeping late hours, and select participating businesses will be donating a portion of tonight’s sales to the American Liver Foundation, at the recommendation of Paer’s friends and family.
