One Hot Lap

One Day...

2013-05-19T14:48:00.004-04:00

It can't be too far off, can it?

The E30 M3 Is Still a Beauty!

2013-05-19T13:40:00.001-04:00

Hat Tip to Mike I.

The E30 M3 is a classic and it still looks incredible!

It's like a good scotch that only gets better with time!
The symmetry in this front shot is stunning.

Please Don't Crash into My House, Thank You!

2013-05-18T11:00:00.000-04:00

Hat Tip to Kamal R.

Amazing footage from Targa Newfoundland!

Financial Planning 101

2013-05-18T09:00:00.000-04:00

Here's our sound financial advice:
Just buy the car you really want, you'll figure out the rest!

Lower Your Car, They Said...

2013-05-17T11:00:00.000-04:00

Yep, it all looks very familiar...

Subaru's Newest Rally Car Features a 3-Wheel Drive Design!

2013-05-17T09:00:00.000-04:00

Here is the first spy shot of Subaru's intriguing 3-wheel drive design. Rumors that Subaru is looking to ditch the remaining 3 wheels altogether have not been confirmed...

Postcards from Watkins Glen

2013-05-16T11:00:00.000-04:00

The road leading to a fiercely fast race track is so peaceful!

The road from the Seneca Lodge

to the center of town overlooking lake Seneca

Name That Caption! (No. 62)

2013-05-16T08:00:00.000-04:00

OK, convinced! Those Volvo flames look real enough!!

Hot Laps around Laguna Seca in a GT3 Cup Car!

2013-05-14T22:26:00.000-04:00

Hat Tip to Kamal R.

Porsche IMSA Challenge with delicious sounds from the GT3 Cup car!

Car Fruit Ninja

2013-05-13T09:00:00.000-04:00

Hat Tip to Kamal R.

Love the choice of Vivaldi's Four Seasons for the shoot but even autocross novices clip fewer cones than this. Maybe the car needs longer knives?

Happy Mother's Day!

2013-05-12T07:00:00.000-04:00

Spotted in Concord, MA

Happy Mother's Day!

Thank you, Moms, for helping raise our kids,

And always giving them love to spare,

And putting up with our racing shenanigans,

And pretending you didn't see another tuning part we smuggled,

And listening to our car problems for hours,

And becoming experts on camber, caster, and toe

And cleaning all the grease we leave behind

And reminding us to be safe every day

And always showing us that you care

And loving us for who we are.

We can do what we do only because of You!

Protecting Your Car's Paint on the Track

2013-05-11T17:18:00.005-04:00

Protecting your car's paint on the track?

Ain't nobody got time for that!

Toyota Corolla Race Car

2013-05-10T09:00:00.000-04:00

Hat Tip to Omeed A.

A proper race wing to keep this Corolla grounded to the ground!

Name That Caption! (No. 61)

2013-05-09T23:48:00.000-04:00

The Fiat version of Pontiac WideTrack Grand Prix?

Ice Cream and Car Parts

2013-05-04T09:00:00.000-04:00

All true except some days, I'm still more excited about ice cream!

House Plan for Car Enthusiasts

2013-05-02T13:42:00.001-04:00

Hat Tip to Hristo S.

My dream lot would also feature

a backyard built as a minuature of the Nurburgring.

After the Track Party

2013-05-02T13:00:00.000-04:00

This is what a dash looks like after a good track party. Luckily, there's 6 miles' worth of gas in the tank and the headlights are still working.

Why 7-Year Old Tires Do Not Belong on the Track

2013-05-01T16:00:00.000-04:00

Questions? I didn't think so.

OneHotLap Quiz: Mystery Car Part

2013-04-30T12:00:00.000-04:00

Guess the part type and approximate price.

(no lookups and other Google shenanigans, please)

How to Fit 275-Wide Tires on a Lotus Exige

2013-04-28T15:57:00.000-04:00

275s mounted on 15x10", 13-lb wheels

And this is how you fit them on a Lotus Exige!

The Perfect Induction into the Rollover Club

2013-04-26T15:49:00.000-04:00

Very funny write-up by John Tecce on Grand Am driver Jim Norman's recent rollover at Road Atlanta --

This past weekend BGB Motorsports driver Dr. James Norman was inducted into a very special club founded by the SCCA's Atlanta Region, when he left the racing surface entering Road Atlanta's famous blind, uphill turn 1. Norman, of Tampa Bay, FL is normally known for his quiet, soft-spoken demeanor, which is why it was odd for the Grand Am driver to have attempted something such as this. Norman - someone who usually chooses to "fly below the radar," chose NOT to enter Turn 1 and instead, drift the entry of Turn 1 and then perform the elusive "gravel mowing, sideways somersault." This feat which typically earns anywhere from a score of 9.6 to 10.0 depending on the panel makeup of former Olympic Men's Gymnastics Judges from the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, involves leaving the racing surface to drift the gravel trap and then somersault before landing; in order to achieve maximum point allocation, the car must sustain only cosmetic damage, taking additional cabin ballast in the form of gravel or Diet Mountain Dew.

With this being the Grand American Road Racing Associations first and only visit to Road Atlanta, given that the two sports car racing series in North America are merging and creating the United SportsCar Racing identity for 2014, Norman is sure to have his name in the history books as Grand-Am's entry into this very exclusive club.

Calls were made to Norman's home in Tampa but no comments were made.

The team's official comment was as follows, "This is typical for the Doc -- while the entire paddock and the rest of the motorsports world are shocked by the fact that we were able to put this car back together in 2 hours, we are not. The folks at Porsche Cars North America sell a very "balanced" car in the Cayman. Just read the reviews! Editors are always raving about the balance and we had no idea that's what they meant - we thought it gripped the road well." When asked about the miraculous fact that the car was unscathed, the team's manager added, "Since I started my career in racing, I find that it helps to pray weekly to the Catholic's patron saint of miracles before every event; when that doesn't work, I remember that it pays to stay current with your racing dues."

Corner workers from the Sports Car Club of America did not recognize the employee who has been a current dues paying member of the Atlanta Region SCCA since joining in 2000, racing out of region while living in New York City, Manhattan Beach, CA and then Florida. When asked why Tecce has chosen this region as his home he added "without the men and women of the Sports Car Club of America, who donate their time as corner workers to stand outside all day long ins sometimes very unfavorable conditions, none of us would be able to do what we do. Thanks Workers!"

A badge of honor!

It's nice to know that the Cayman's underside is aerodynamic too

4x4 Tuning

2013-04-26T15:30:00.000-04:00

Lowered 4x4s never look quite right, do they?

Track Technique - AWD Vs. RWD Vs. FWD

2013-04-26T12:04:00.002-04:00

Hat Tip to Kamal R.

Just remember, AWD, RWD o FWD is not that different.
In the end, it's all about weight transfer and traction.

What You Don't Want to See at the Apex!

2013-04-25T12:00:00.000-04:00

This cannot possibly end well...

OneHotLap Quiz: What's Wrong with This Picture?

2013-04-25T11:00:00.000-04:00

OneHotLap fan Jamey F. asked "What's Wrong with This Picture?" and offered some suggestions:

I can drift better without so much grip.
Mechanic? Ain't nobody got time fo dat!
Install your own wing they said, it'll be easy they said!
Sorry, the instructions were in Japanese.
Phase one of my flying machine!

Can you help him sort this wing situation out with some more ideas?