OF THE MONTH THE GTO ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA CAR CLUB Said to be the first muscle car produced in the 1960s, the Pontiac GTO started a craze that quickly cultivated an international following. With the explosive popularity of the innovative model, organizations such as the GTO Association of America, or GTOAA, began to sprout in its wake, with their aim and intent focused on the honoring of this vaunted vehicle. Founded in 1979 by Tony Bastien, the GTO Association of America set out to commemorate the “Original Muscle Car” by gathering likeminded enthusiasts willing to dedicate their free time to the promotion and preservation of the iconic Pontiac GTO. What began as a modestly sized group of friends and fellow hobbyists has since grown into a prospering organization of more than 3,800 members and currently more than 30 nationwide chapters dedicated to the same mission. Although the main focus of each branch is to “preserve and promote the Pontiac GTO and offer enthusiasts the opportunity to share their common interest,” the GTOAA welcomes members of all backgrounds—from the ones who simply enjoyed the Pontiac classic to those wishing to celebrate the more comprehensive history of the eclectic muscle car realm. Appropriately, the GTOAA has a reach that even extends worldwide, with dedicated members from countries like Germany, Sweden, Finland and the United Kingdom, to name a few. The only real requirement for association inclusion is paying the annual membership dues. Over the years, the GTOAA has seen various changes in presidency, and most recently, it is Victor Schreck who took the wheel. Although always a dedicated member, Schreck did not start out as the organization’s leading man. Prior to running and growing the GTOAA, Schreck was a member of one of the numerous chapters the organization has to offer, the Susquehanna Valley GTO (SVGTO) chapter of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. This division was formed in 1995 by two friends who echoed the mission of the GTOAA, and it has since multiplied in member count. Although these chapters also center on the GTO, more than 40% of the members own other Pontiac models, making it an inclusive brand celebration inspired and buoyed by the GTO. SVGTO started out with a humble 20 members and stayed at that steady rate for about the first 10 years of its life. Around 2007, Victor Schreck and current SVGTO president Brian Little joined the club after buying their own 2005 GTOs. For several years, Schreck served as the president of SVGTO and Lit tle as vice president, and the energy that this dream team created and the drive the two men possessed was precisely the change of pace the club needed to obtain exponential growth. Af ter making some huge strides together, Schreck moved on to become president of the GTOAA, leaving Little to continue to lead the SVGTO as the club’s current sit ting president. With such strong leadership over the past 13 years or so, SVGTO has become one of the premier chapters of the GTO Association of America. Now hovering steadily at about 97 members, the SVGTO has been granted the opportunity to host By Hailey Schulte 82 • MECUM.COM
