For about 5 years now, the Mount Hope Car Club has been running un-affiliated to RWU since they were told having car meets on campus was a safety liability. Originally, the club was mainly putting together car meets off campus for students, but now, club president and senior Colin Mascola has changed the clubs main purpose and was finally approved by SPLO to become an official club.
The Mount Hope Car Club has operated on instagram and hosts car meets off campus for anyone who wants to join, but Mascola has a new vision for the club.
“I want to focus more on the learning aspect of it than just the car meets.”
Mascola told me as he explained how he wanted not only people with “cool cars” to be a part of it, but also freshmen who don’t have vehicles to be able to come to the meetings and learn about cars, how they work and the culture behind them.
“We usually have 10 to 20 people at our car meets but now, you know, people just don’t want to drive their car or people who don’t have one can be included in it too and they can learn and talk about cars.”
Mascola emphasized how he hopes to do more activities with the club to benefit the community and the university including hosting trunk-or-treats, trips to car museums and even track days where they can head down to the New England Dragway and spend the day there. Mascola doesn’t just want to sit and talk about cars, he wants to build a car community within the university.
“I understand we’re college students, not everyone has the ability or the money to get a cool car. As long as you have an interest or desire to learn about the community and about cars then you can join.” Mascola eliminates all fears for interested students who assume they need some type of “cool car” to join the club. All they need is interest in the community and they can learn and check out some of the members who have cars too.
“I have two cars, I have a Supra ST8 which is my daily and then I have a drift car which is a Miata so it has a roll cage and I have to wear a helmet when I drive it and a full four point harness.” Mascola says. His brother, Connor Mascola, drives a Camaro and someone in the club even has a brand new Corvette.
The Mascola brothers have big dreams for the car club and thanks to SPLO, they will have the ability to make them come true. The Mount Hope Car Club meets every friday and occasionally hosts car meets off campus. You can find them on instagram @mthopecarclub!
