TheFOAT.com Blogs

GASSER Reunion at Summit Motorsports Park This Weekend

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 07:39:17 -0700

This weekend, Summit Motorsports Park will step back in time, with some of the most popular machines ever to grace a dragstrip! GASSER Reunion 9 will return the track to the days of John Mazmanian, Stone-Woods-Cook and nostalgia racing at its absolute finest. For three days, the sixties will live again, only faster! The wheelstanding antics of the most popular drag racing machines of the golden age of drag racing will take center stage for three glorious days, July 2-4. Front engine dragsters, wild and wooly Altereds and Gassers, Gassers, and more Gassers will put on the same wild, unpredictable shows that have brought crowds to their feet for forty years! There's a reason this segment of the sport has grown by leaps and bounds over the last few years, and once you witness the pure fun and excitement that these cars produce, you'll understand why. Captured from pages of history when drag racing cars had as much personality as the men that drove them, the GASSER Reunion brings back the feeling and joy of another era. It's something that you can't experience sitting at home watching it on TV! Bring someone along this weekend. If you're old enough to remember when these cars were the terror of the nations tracks, bring someone who's too young to know. If you know someone that used to love these cars, make their summer complete and bring them out this weekend to relive that time. GASSER Reunion 9 this weekend at Summit Motorsports Park. Be There!! <img src=http://www.summitmotorsportspark.com/main-news1/gasser-reunion-at-summit-motorsports-park-this-weekend/untitled.jpg/image_insidestory>

Anderson Gets $75,000; Wilkerson, Dixon, Smith Win

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 06:49:04 -0700

Greg Anderson got a little help with the first payment on his new home in the form of a check for $75,000. Anderson and his wife close on a new home next week that replaces their home that burned down in January. Anderson won the K&N Horsepower Challenge on Saturday to get $50,000, and earned an extra $25,000 for winning the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Pro Stock today. Anderson beat Allen Johnson in the final round to close the deal. When asked if this was a dream weekend, Anderson replied, 'This is the 'Beyond the Dream Weekend.' To win in front of the good employees at Summit Racing Equipment is just great." Tim Wilkerson took the win in Funny Car in a final round appearance against John Force. "I feel like I just won a world championship by beating old Johnny," said Wilkerson, referring to Force. "We were worried we were running late to get to the starting line, but John told me, 'Don't worry Wilky, we're not going anywhere without you!'" Wilkerson was elated with his win but had nothing but praise for Force. Wilkerson won by a car length in a tight final round, 4.191 at 300.40 mph to Force's 4.272 at 290.88 mph. Larry Dixon took Top Fuel honors against Antron Brown with a 3.880-second, 313.29 mph pass against Brown's 3.907, 307.65 mph. It was Dixon's second win in a row at Summit Motorsports Park, having won in 2009. In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Matt Smith beat Hector Arana with a 7.076-second, 188.36 mph pass to Arana's 7.080/188.52. <img src=http://www.summitmotorsportspark.com/main-news1/anderson-gets-75-000-wilkerson-dixon-smith-win/anderson.jpg/image_insidestory>

drifting compilation

Sat, 26 Jun 2010 17:17:43 -0700

Geared up, or null

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 21:42:00 -0700

I struggle with the question every day. Do I put my motorcycle jacket, gloves, boots and pants on when I ride...or *FOAT* it? On any given day, I am easily going fast enough to end my life whether I am in an Iron Man suit or riding naked. So whats the answer? It may not be the right one, but I wing it. If I feel like wearing the gear I do. If I don't, then I don't. I also ride defensively. Its the only way I think any motorcyclist can end their days of riding and never have gone down. I've been riding since 2004, and I'm told on a monthly basis that I "WILL" go down. I say you can shove that nonsense up your ass. It does no good to jinx someone like that. I make it a point to PLAN on not going down. I don't just get on my bike and mindlessly ride. I think about what I'm doing. And that's what every rider should do. <img src="http://images.paraorkut.com/img/funnypics/images/m/motorcycle_fail-12827.png" />

BMW E92 M3

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 08:34:49 -0700

<a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=32742"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1277220637057933d4.jpg" border="0"></a> APP Europe brings the look of the M-cars with performance on the road. With a sporty tuning program gives the current BMW E92 M3 APP a very exciting finish. The German StopTech High Performance Brake Distribution offers a thoroughbred performance vehicle for the ambitious Trackday pilots. The goal: weight reduction, driving dynamics, engine performance and stable braking! But the Stop Tech STR saves high-performance brake system on each axis one of the M3 over 8 Kg: The Stop Tech STR braking system is made of forged aluminum, the front axle is fitted with anodized 6-piston calipers with two-piece 380x35mm discs - the rear axle with four-piston and 355x32 discs. (A sharp deceleration rate of -13.4 m / sec!) In fact, many are in APP-piece and multi-piece wheel designs to choose from. Here, however, the light version of ATS "Race Light" 19-inch Michelin Pilot Sport 2 high performance tires has been selected. This combination saves per wheel rims compared to the standard 1.5 kg, and that's in the driving dynamics considerably noticeable. The chassis can now be easily described as very athletic. The one KW Club Sport sports suspension makes it possible. This joins the Titan of Akrapovic Evolution system, a titanium exhaust system with sport metal catalysts, which is 23 kg lighter than the series. From the Swiss StopTech partner who Collaction AG Widnau, the performance of the M3 V8 by 30 horsepower was increased to 450 hp. This increases the torque by 40 Nm, which bear also much earlier. This makes the power delivery of revving much more harmonious and increases the fun factor at the track! From the film specialist and longtime partner APP, CFC (Car Film Components), the car with a sensational new film has been plastered. A titanium silver / matt with metallic effect, that is the culmination of a completely successful Optical project cars! Now the output values are well within the range of pure-bred sports car. The relatively inconspicuous overtaking will certainly lead to bewilderment of many diverse sports car owners. <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=32741"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1277220633eabacc89.jpg" border="0"></a>

Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid

Sun, 20 Jun 2010 04:21:10 -0700

1320Xtreme race at Capitol Raceway

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 08:20:20 -0700

SpeedSceneLiveTV Decals now on the Vette

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 15:53:16 -0700

Well I got my SpeedSceneLive TV decals in the mail today and had to run out and put them on the Vette. Check them out in the Forums build thread.

New used parts for the Vette Build

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 18:30:03 -0700

Well I got the Corvette C5 Calipers for the Vette I am working on. Come check it out on the forums.

Today's Blog

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 17:41:07 -0700

Well the only thing I have to post is tonight is SpeedSceneLive TV. Looking forward to watching the show.

Up Close And Personal

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 08:01:37 -0700

Have you ever wondered what it is like to glimpse inside the locker room of a major NFL football team- or a locker room in the NBA? Trouble is, those areas are off limits to you and me. Even to get to the door would require only the most exclusive pass in the stadium. Summit Motorsports Park hosts drag racing events for popular stars like John Force, Don Garlits, and Top Fuel driver Tony Schumacher. The difference between our sport and the NFL and the NBA, is that we welcome our guests to come right up to the "locker room" and visit with the pros even as they wrench on their car! The Locker Room of Summit Motorsports Park is one of the most intriguing aspects during your visit at the track. Imagine your children just witnessing the explosive power of a 330-mile an hour Nitro Funny Car screaming down the track, and then minutes later having the chance to shake the driver's hand and see his car up close and personal! Where else can you experience this? The place to be is Summit Motorsports Park!

Professional Racers Opinions of Summit Motorsports Park

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 07:01:54 -0700

June 14, 2010 Time and time again we've heard from the NHRA's professional drivers how much they enjoy racing here at Summit Motorsports Park. That sentiment was prevalent at national events before the NHRA came to town, but it has grown exponentially since this track started hosting the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals. Of the 23 national events on this year's schedule, there are few tracks anywhere in the country that get the accolades that this track gets. There are several reasons for the unsolicited compliments that we receive. The condition of the track is one of the reasons that Norwalk is a desirable place to race. The fact that the racing surface is babied the way it is happens to be one noteworthy factor. Another happy note is the overall length of the track. Short shutoff areas can be a nightmare for cars travelling over 300 mph, and if anything goes wrong during the run, it can become deadly. Summit's shutdown area is almost twice the length of the racing surface, and if anything does go wrong, there's a healthy measure of sand as a backup. The Budweiser (east) side pits, where the professional cars reside for the event, are completely paved, which is something that not all of the tracks on the circuit can claim. Over two million square feet of asphalt makes it much easier on transporters, racecars, and pit crews, and that's a welcome factor in the heat of battle on raceday. Professional teams deserve professional facilities, and paved pits are a major component of that atmosphere. Organization and forethought are two intangibles that can make all the difference in the world to travelling race teams. Being able to rely on services when coming into a track is critical. Less confusion and knowing that those things required to make the team's life easier are in place also make for a more relaxed feeling on the part of the teams. That translates into a better race. There is one more overwhelming source of the compliments that we receive. That comes from the staff of Summit Motorsports Park. The dedicated men and women that work at this track are the best in the business, bar none! The management of Summit Motorsports Park is aware just how important the treatment of racers and fans is, and that attitude shows up in everything the team does. It's reflected in the Bader Guarantee, and the caliber of the people that work here. We're proud of that! What does all this mean to you, the folks that will stroll through the gates for the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals? It means that you can be assured you'll see the best drag racing on the planet, and be able to enjoy the unparalleled family atmosphere while you're here. You can rest assured that you'll be treated better here than at any other track anywhere in the world! You are our guests in the most sincere meaning of the term, and we can't wait to see you!

Super Chevy Weekend

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 09:24:25 -0700

Mickey Mart Rewards Super Chevy Race Results June 13, 2010 Racing this weekend at the Mickey Mart Rewards Super Chevy Show presented by Donald M. Graham and Associates was fast, furious and non-stop. No matter whether it was the sportsman racing, the gamblers race, the Shoebox Showdown, or the fabulous Fuel Altereds, the action on the track was as good as it gets. For three days, the only time there wasn't something on the quarter-mile was when Mother Nature left a deposit of H2O or some poor racer unloaded the contents of their oil pan on the track. Over the course of the three days that it took to complete the refreshed and revitalized Chevy extravaganza, we saw some of the most exciting racing that this show has produced in years! We'll have the results of the car shows as soon as they're available, but here are the results of the weekend's races. B1 DI R/T ET MPH Winner JP Schuster Damascus OH 8.00 0.006 8.011 161.83 Runner -Up Lisa Schaffner 7.93 0.033 7.930 165.11 B2 DI R/T ET MPH Winner Maurice Edwards Norwalk OH 11.07 0.016 11.057 118.72 Runner-Up Rick Baehr Wellington OH 10.43 0.038 10.407 123.52 DOT DI R/T ET MPH Winner Erick Hegelmann Kalamazoo MI 12.10 0.064 12.115 101.16 Runner-Up Dr Wendy Norwalk OH 13.63 0.121 13.678 95.89 Bonus Race - Saturday DI R/T ET MPH Winner Randy Biddle Jr Burbank OH 11.09 0.037 11.091 122.41 Runner-Up Wes Buckley Walbridge OH 10.21 0.022 10.227 126.62 ShoeBox Class DI R/T ET MPH Winner Robert Pavlov Poland OH 9.07 0.068 9.220 144.67 Runner-Up Bill Rodrigues Stockbridge MI 9.93 0.004 9.841 132.93 Fuel Altereds - Sunday R/T ET MPH Winner Dave Hough Las Vegas NV 0.181 6.436 224.55 Runner-Up Jason Richey Pleasanton CA 0.104 6.821 197.02 Fuel Altereds - Saturday R/T ET MPH Winner Jim Maroney Gilbert AZ 0.347 6.476 208.33 Runner-Up Tom Padilla Arlington WA 0.205 6.736 201.46

MandHtires.com Giveaway

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 06:08:33 -0700

Thank you to everyone that signed up for the <a href="http://www.MandHtires.com" target="_blank">www.MandHtires.com</a> giveaway. We would like to thank MandHtires.com for giving away their incredible tires to our members. You can see all of their amazing tires at <a href="http://www.MandHtires.com" target="_blank">www.MandHtires.com</a> We would also like to congratulate the winners of the prizes. <a target="_blank" style="text-decoration:none;" title="Check Out My FOAT Page!" href="http://www.thefoat.com/license/uXjMxuWxom5GZqbEB8Y8Ow%3D%3D.png"><img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0;" src="http://www.thefoat.com/license/uXjMxuWxom5GZqbEB8Y8Ow%3D%3D.png" title="Check Out My FOAT Page!"></a> <a target="_blank" style="text-decoration:none;" title="Check Out My FOAT Page!" href="http://www.thefoat.com/license/pYVb2IOBXUHgJCQEynkvHQ%3D%3D.png"><img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0;" src="http://www.thefoat.com/license/pYVb2IOBXUHgJCQEynkvHQ%3D%3D.png" title="Check Out My FOAT Page!"></a> <a target="_blank" style="text-decoration:none;" title="Check Out My FOAT Page!" href="http://www.thefoat.com/license/OHr6nqxrnME3h7YMuyFjEg%3D%3D.png"><img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0;" src="http://www.thefoat.com/license/OHr6nqxrnME3h7YMuyFjEg%3D%3D.png" title="Check Out My FOAT Page!"></a> <a target="_blank" style="text-decoration:none;" title="Check Out My FOAT Page!" href="http://www.thefoat.com/license/41a8JWaMvjiB0gxuas8gYg%3D%3D.png"><img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0;" src="http://www.thefoat.com/license/41a8JWaMvjiB0gxuas8gYg%3D%3D.png" title="Check Out My FOAT Page!"></a> Please be sure to support the companies that support The FOAT nation. We will have many more incredible contests in the future -- so stay tuned! Regards, The FOAT Team

Build Thread

Sun, 13 Jun 2010 10:28:41 -0700

Well I started a Build Tread forum on here, and have posted my build so far. Hope everyone has a chance to check it out. I will keep updating it as I go.

Hybrid

Sat, 12 Jun 2010 22:18:15 -0700

This puts new meaning to a hybrid. It's a motorcycle with a car attached to it. Too much time on someone's hands. <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=30125"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_12764045082e31ab0cdd.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=30124"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1276404506442b5b.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=30123"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1276404504535c3808a364.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=30122"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_127640450115bb1c9f.jpg" border="0"></a>

WOT Magazine plans to build redline time attack car

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 09:00:08 -0700

We are currently working on and building a 1989 Honda Civic Hatchback for Redline Time Attack Racing and more. If you are interested in getting your company some publicity message us for our proposal.

Cleaning an Engine Compartment by Scott Ellis

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 11:12:43 -0700

Ever wonder how used car dealers get those engine compartments clean and looking like new? Maybe the prior owner was a little old lady that used to drive the car only to church on Sundays? Not likely. It used to be that you needed a steam cleaner, or the other option was go to the local parts store and get a solvent based de-greaser cleaner, like Gunk. Well, there is a better alternative and only takes a few quarters at your local self-serve car wash. Years ago, since I didn't have a steam-cleaner, I chose the Gunk route to clean up the engine compartment on my 1956 Chevy pickup. The problem I had was that some of the solvent-based product splattered on the inner fender walls and I ended up having to re-paint them. At the time, I didn't know about citrus-based cleaners and the wonderful job they do in knocking out grease, grime and crud WITHOUT hurting the finish! In addition to being safe for the finishes, citrus products are also biodegradable and flat out work better. Cleaning an engine compartment is easy - and can be done for a couple of bucks. Other than looking better, it is a lot easier to detect any fluid or oil leaks and other problems. Additionally, if you are selling the car it really is a difference maker. You will have prospective buyers look under the hood even if they don't know how to check the oil. You can also "dress" the engine to make everything look like new and shiny. Getting Ready You don't need to own a pressure washer to clean your engine compartment - the high-pressure rinse at the local car wash will do just fine. Get a spray bottle of Jax Wax Super Citrus Cleaner and quarters for the wash bay. And if you want to dress your engine, get a small bottle of Jax Wax Shine All water based dressing. As a precaution, I recommend soaping the exterior of the car down first, around the fenders and hood. This is for the rare case that any overspray from the Jax Wax Super Citrus cleaner should dry on the surface. Cleaning Facing the front of the vehicle, raise the hood. Using Jax Wax Super Citrus, select a "Stream" setting on the spray instead of a "Spray or Mist" start coating the entire engine and compartment from the back to the front, left to right, working your way to the front. Go to the passenger side of the vehicle and repeat the same process. Start at the point farthest away (driver's side) and work your way back and forth to the passenger side. Then go to the driver's side and repeat the spraying process working your way from the passenger side to the driver's side. The engine compartment has a lot of nooks and crannies where dirt and grease build up - but by spraying from three different angles, you'll ensure that you have the entire surface covered. Now the fun begins! Throw your quarters in the machine, and select the high-pressure rinse. Start at the back and work your way to the front. Note: Use care and do not DIRECTLY spray any exposed electrical or electronic parts! The force of the spray will rinse away any dirt, grime, grease and oil. Once your done, close the hood and rinse off the outside of the vehicle to remove any cleaner solution from the from the finishes. It IS that simple! Dressing Anyone? If you would like to dress the engine compartment - now is the time to do it while it is wet. Select "Stream" on the Jax Wax Shine All spray bottle and coat the entire compartment from back to front. You won't need to do it from each side like you did the Super Citrus. When you go on a "dry off" drive the Shine All will dissipate and evenly coat the entire surface. Shut the hood. Dry Off Drive Start the car (I've never had one not start) and go for about a 3-4 mile ride. I have had one "sputter", but it cleared up after a short time. If a freeway is close by, jump on it - the higher speed will aid in quicker drying. When you get back, open up the hood and check it out - it will look brand new, squeaky-clean and all the surfaces will be dressed. Depending on your personal preference, you can even wipe the surfaces to dull down the shine a bit. Scott Ellis is from Jax Wax Distribution Systems and is responsible for distributing Jax Wax Car Care Products retail worldwide. Jax Wax Car Care Products are widely used in commercial businesses such as detail shops, body shops, and auto dealers. Jax Wax is now packaging its products in smaller quantities for the consumer market. You can get fast, commercial quality results by doing the detail work yourself. For more information, go to <a href="http://www.jaxwax.com" target="_blank">www.jaxwax.com</a> or call 877-7JAXWAX.

Snowmachine Drag Racing in Alaska in June!

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 19:07:12 -0700

Awesome Burnout Video at Alaska Raceway Park

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 17:45:38 -0700

Alcohol Fueled Nostalgia Drag Cars in Alaska

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 17:06:40 -0700

Air Cooled VWs

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 17:03:42 -0700

Check out the best wheelie!!!

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 15:45:57 -0700

latest videos

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 14:16:47 -0700

Hi all! Check out my latest videos. Please comment and rate, if worthy.... Thanks More to come <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=v.video&video_id=1447" target="_blank">http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=v.video&video_id=1447</a> <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=v.video&video_id=1510" target="_blank">http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=v.video&video_id=1510</a> <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=v.video&video_id=1511" target="_blank">http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=v.video&video_id=1511</a> <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=v.video&video_id=1411" target="_blank">http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=v.video&video_id=1411</a>

Race Report, West Coast Hot Rod series, Famoso, June 5-6

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 10:59:33 -0700

A Bad Day at the Races is.... The saying goes, "A Bad Day at the Races is Better than a Good Day at Work." Maybe in a lot of cases that's true, but not this time. It was more like "Some Days You're the Windshield, Some Days You're the Bug." I was the bug. I really like the West Coast Hot Rod series. I really like night racing at Famoso. WCHRA racing at night at Famoso? Now that's nice! Add in good friends like Troy and John Palmer, and my long time friend of 30 plus years Steve Long, my son Mark with John Hashim of M&H Tires guiding me into the waterbox, and it's that much better. And that summertime aroma that is uniquely Famoso! This was a "Friday/Saturday Night" deal. Things went pretty good on Friday. Our first run netted an 11.52 at 118mph, well under the 11.60 index for E/Gas. I was happy with that. It was just where I like to be. This put us in the number 16 qualifying spot out of the 16 cars entered. To tighten that up and run on the plus side of the index, I'd have to rein 'er in some. I was matched with 2009 E/Gas champ and genuine good guy Dustin Lee for the next round of qualifying. I figured I'd just pace him because he always runs really close to the number. Unfortunately, Dustin was a little off, running 11.69, and my run was 11.70. This bettered my position significantly to number nine. This matched me up with the number one guy, a newcomer to the series and driving a '66 Dodge Dart. Troy's guy didn't show, so he got a single for the win. Steve won his match-up and so did I. At least for a while. About an hour and a half later, I was up in the stands watching the action when I get a call over the PA system to report to my pit area immediately. I'm more than an 1/8th mile away, and thinking something was wrong, I RAN! (Yep, at 54 years old, I'm proud to say I can still do that). The series promoter Tim Rigby met me there and said we needed to re-run the first round race, as my opponent had complained about a discrepancy in the way the numbers added up. I guess I could have declined but I said OK, and went up to the lanes to do the re-run. What's fair is fair, right? As it turned out, I guess I musta lost my focus and I went red by .013. Dammit! I think I've only had to do two or three re-runs in my entire life and I end up getting the short end every time. It really left a sour taste, and now days later, I'm still really bugged about it. Because of life's twists and turns, we are going to have to take a hiatus from racing for at least the rest of the summer and we will miss the remainder of the WCHRA races and probably most if not all of the ANRA races. I really would have liked to have had our last outing end on a more positive note. We might have been better off using the Sacramento Bugorama as our last race since things went really well at the one with my son Mark at the wheel. So in this case, a good day at work mighta been better.

MP4-12C Supercar

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 07:17:11 -0700

<a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=28234"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_127600644548e6b.jpg" border="0"></a> McLaren Automotive celebrates the second decade of its legandary F1 Supercar but while history is glorious the manufacturer is still intent on setting the benchmark for the future. With the launch of its next Supercar, namely the MP4-12C, 2010 is set to be a busy year for McLaren. The fame that its successor enjoyed is perhaps a very daunting prospect. Everything from the power to weight output, its scissor-style doors, three seat set-up and optimum dimensions (4.2 metre long, 1.8m wide and 1.1m high) were a marvel of its time. Has McLaren still got the Midas touch? We are yet to find out. <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=28235"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_12760064554a89db4eae.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=28236"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1276006468436d6a25.jpg" border="0"></a>

Maybach Excelleros

Sat, 05 Jun 2010 13:51:08 -0700

<a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=28058"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1275770851e84f9ddfb.jpg" border="0"></a> Replica Maybach Excelleros may be manufactured by a Swiss company as early as next year. We first saw the imaginatively pretentious Maybach as a concept in 2005 and it won us over for its originality and daring show-biz attitude. However it seemed that the stage was it`s only home and once it had done the show circuit it ended up as a museum spectacle. As far as Maybach was concerned, that was where it would stay. Now we hear a mysterious Swiss Manufacturer has bought the rights to its design and will be selling off replicas for around half a million euros. A large enough sum to weed out the riff-raff perhaps but realistic enough for the high flying entrepreneurs to consider it. They may well have to do without the original V12 AMG engine but a Dodge Viper 8.3-litre V10 should be quite sufficient to make the rest of us appear as dust mites in the rear-view mirror. <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=28057"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1275770841057423c9.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=28059"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1275770858cc85940bc6.jpg" border="0"></a>

Thermo-Tec Giveaway

Thu, 03 Jun 2010 13:32:37 -0700

Thank you to everyone that signed up for the Thermo-Tec giveaway. We would like to thank Thermo-Tec for giving away their amazing products to our members. You can see all of the incredible products that Thermo-Tec produces at <a href="http://www.ThermoTec.com." target="_blank">www.ThermoTec.com.</a> We would also like to congratulate the winners of the prizes. <a target="_blank" style="text-decoration:none;" title="Check Out My FOAT Page!" href="http://www.thefoat.com/license/MslNr9Sp77psUQ5J5KmZjg%3D%3D.png"><img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0;" src="http://www.thefoat.com/license/MslNr9Sp77psUQ5J5KmZjg%3D%3D.png" title="Check Out My FOAT Page!"></a> <a target="_blank" style="text-decoration:none;" title="Check Out My FOAT Page!" href="http://www.thefoat.com/license/G3bWv5HC11mvb6OS9fHfcA%3D%3D.png"><img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0;" src="http://www.thefoat.com/license/G3bWv5HC11mvb6OS9fHfcA%3D%3D.png" title="Check Out My FOAT Page!"></a> Please be sure to support the companies that support The FOAT nation. We will have many more incredible contests in the future -- so stay tuned! Regards, The FOAT Team

My 1990 Vette Project

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 22:12:05 -0700

Well I guess I will start one of these on here so you all will know what I am up to. I am taking my stock 199 Tuned Port Injected Corvette through a mild transformation. Right now I have installed the 10 point cage and am almost certified. I will have it Certified shortly.(Just have to add a little frame support. I have back halved the car, and installed a 4-Link and a narrowed Ford 9" in the back with a set of 33X21.5X15 rear tires, and that is where we are right now. Once Certified, I will be rebuilding the interior, and then will be working on a very unique drive train. I will update more later. Feel free to check out my photos to see its progress

my fxgt has been sold

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 16:47:00 -0700

i my mate hounded me for the the car for weeks and by the time you read this the car is gone. but in its place a ford seirra station wagon.

Sacramento Bugorama Race Report, May 29-30

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 17:29:42 -0700

Passing the Torch When one goes to Bugorama at Sacramento Raceway, if you're gonna see it, you're gonna see it there. From the oddities you'll see in the "Zoo", the campout area of the event, to the outstanding performances on track, to the wonderful and sometimes weird car show entries and the offerings in the swap meet area. This installment of the Bugorama series did not disappoint on any level. We saw stuff like a car that ran head first into the drainage ditch that goes through the camp area, ending up almost vertical with it's tail in the air, to the little pug dog in the time slip booth that greeted the racers picking up their timeslip, to 8 second, 170 mph performances from from the 18 VW full body, rear engine Pro Mod cars that came to do battle. The stands were packed on race day and you could feel the excitement in the air. And out of that air came "Spider Rain". Who'da thunk it. Tiny spiders raining down from the sky! This time, my oldest son Mark was at the helm of the Blue Car. Nervous anticipation in the weeks before the event built up for both father and son. Mark would drive the blue car for the very first time around the pits on the first day of the event. My advice for the first run..."Just go out and drive it." First pass right off the trailer, front wheels in the air and a solid 11.60 @ 119.71 mph. I was so very proud! Watching my own car launch like that with my son at the wheel and go down the track was quite an experience. I was not aware it was that LOUD! We asked if he wanted to go right back up for another practice run before actual qualifying started, but Mark declined, saying he needed to come back down to earth and calm down a bit. You could see the excitement written all over his face! Then, on the first qualifying run, with a "shot it the dark" guess on when to throttle back, he hits 11.96 to take the number one qualifying position on the 11.90 index. "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree!" were among the comments I heard from our fellow racers. I think the smile on my face gave my feelings away. Mark held on for the top position even though it was a pretty soft number after the final qualifying session of Saturday evening. We celebrated with close friends Allen, Sue and Matt Wiess, Ken Jevec and Darren Krewenchuk at dinner that night. In the morning, we were able to relax a bit before setting about the business of racing. Mark & I walked the swap area, talked with Gary Clifford and crew of NOS Productions there in the swap area. Then it was time to get to it. Mark & I decided on a strategy to hit the number a little closer, and we headed to the lanes for our third ad final qualifier. By this time the show area was buzzing and there were many in attendance walking the pits and show area. It made the tow up to the staging lanes a fairly leisurely affair. Although we waited in the lanes for quite a while to make our run, it was a GOOD time, chatting with friends and watching some racing action from the front of the lanes. When it was finally our turn to run, Mark made the most of it, posting an 11.92 to secure his Number 1 position going into eliminations. That matched us up with our good friend Russel Sakatani for round one. Unfortunately, Russel suffered catastrophic engine failure once again, ending his weekend. I sure hope he gets it figured out. There's something not quite right going on with his motor. That's three windowed engine blocks in three events. This meant Mark had a single. With the heat of the day increasing, we decided to use the run as another practice shot at hitting the 11.90 index. We figured the heat would slow the car down, but instead, it ran it's best numbers of the weekend thru the 1/8th mile and Mark ran an 11.65 coasting thru. We were paired with a newcomer to S/Gas (11.90), a feller named Eric in a brown chop top beetle for the semi finals. When the tree went green, Mark jumped out to a pretty stout lead, posting a .071 RT to Eric's .191. Unfortunately, Mark missed the 1-2 shift, and Eric went to win the round to face the always tough Jim Martin in the final. All in all, it was an incredible weekend. It was an amazing thing for me to see my son handle himself and the car so well on his first time out. Mark will be driving the car in the rest of the VW PRA events this season, and maybe, just maybe, he might be better at it than the old man! And I'm OK with that!

Rich Killian's 62 Catalina & Enclosed trailer stolen in Chicago

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 09:10:27 -0700

copied from craigslist: STOLEN SUNDAY LATE NIGHT/EARLY MONDAY MORNING MAY31 Taken from the driveway at Ricks Racecraft in Yorkville 2007 Haulmark White 28 foot enclosed car hauler w/ race car inside The trailer has the logo of "ARC environmental engineering "on both sides also "Nostalgia superstock" on both sides and "Ricks Racecraft" sticker on both sides. it also has "ambassidor car carriers" on the rear door. It has spoke Aluminum wheels The Car was a 1962 Pontiac Catalina, "SUPER CHEIF" is Lettered on both rear quarter panels. PURE PONTIAC MOTORS of Chicago on both front fenders. Ricks Racecraft on both quarter panels in front of rear wheels Bamboo cream color on the exterior and custom red and white interior Also a matching color Golf cart and all race support equipment THIS IS ALL VERY UNIQUE LOOKING AND SHOULD BE VERY EASY TO NOTICE REWARD for the safe return YOU can call Rick at 630-553-6183

858bhp Swiss super coupe

Fri, 28 May 2010 15:41:28 -0700

The Aston Martin One-77s

Tue, 25 May 2010 16:00:08 -0700

<a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=26644"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_12748281559a762d.jpg" border="0"></a> The Aston Martin One-77s 7.3-litres of engine producing 700 hp. Thought is vehicle was clean! <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=26645"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1274828163ada5e1.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=26642"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1274828132b53991d0.jpg" border="0"></a>

Drag Racing World champs are tops in Topeka

Mon, 24 May 2010 14:07:12 -0700

Sunday, May 23, 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series world champs Tony Schumacher, Robert Hight, and Mike Edwards collected wins at the 22nd annual O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Summer Nationals presented by Castrol GTX at Heartland Park Topeka to bolster their title defenses. Neither Schumacher nor Hight had won in Topeka, but both crossed that task off their lists to move closer to the points leaders in their classes. Edwards, meanwhile, upped his already impressive points lead to 267 markers over runner-up Allen Johnson. After racing last weekend in Atlanta, the Full Throttle teams will have Memorial Day weekend off before heading to Chicago for the United Association Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by Miller Welders. That race will kick off four straight weekends of competition and a string of seven events in the next eight weeks that will go a long way toward sorting out which teams will qualify for the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship playoffs this fall. Tony Schumacher Don Schumacher Racing teammates Schumacher and Cory McClenathan each were aiming for their third win of the season and put on a whale of a final for the Topeka fans. Schumacher got off the line first and won on a holeshot, 3.87 to 3.86, to earn win No. 64. McClenathan is 97 points behind leader Larry Dixon, and Schumacher is just 11 points behind Cory Mac. The win was also the 100th for U.S. Army-sponored teams. "It was a heck of a day," said Schumacher. "To go out and beat Cory by five-thousandths of a second, Dixon the round before, and Shawn Langdon by eight-thousandths of a second -- that's what racing is about. That's why you get up in the morning. I say it all the time, it's not the trophy, it's getting up Sunday morning and knowing you're going to have to dig real deep to get it, and we did. "We needed to get [Topeka] off the list. It's been a great career, but there were two tracks I hadn't won at, here and Atlanta. I've got Atlanta left, and I've still got time in my career to go out and do that. I enjoy those big moments, where you have to really pull something off, and that's what we had today. Cory's a great driver, and he gave us a great race. We knew it was just going to be just inches no matter what." Schumacher defeated Dom Lagana, Langdon, and Dixon to reach the final, his 98th. He was in the 3.8-second zone all day, running 3.86 to beat Lagana, 3.88 to turn away Langdon, and 3.88 to best Dixon's 3.92 in the duo's third straight semifinal meeting. Schumacher now owns a 35-29 lifetime edge over his fellow world champ and longtime rival. McClenathan, winner with his Fram dragster this year in Phoenix and at the inaugural NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Charlotte, raced to the final round, the 61st of his Top Fuel career and 67th overall, by sitting down Morgan Lucas, Doug Kalitta, and Brandon Bernstein, opening with a 3.91, then running back-to-back 3.85s to reach his fourth final of the year. Robert Hight Hight won his third straight Funny Car title and for the first time in Topeka by defeating Jeff Arend, 4.10 to 4.15, for his 16th win. The defending NHRA Full Throttle world champ moved past teammate Ashley Force Hood and into second place and sits just 49 points behind his boss, John Force. "This is stuff you dream about," said Hight. "I'd never won more than three races in a season, so to come out here and win three in row and win from the pole, that's tough to do; not many guys do that. We went down the track convincingly all weekend long in the heat, and what's cool about it is that it's safe. [Crew chief] Jimmy [Prock] is tweaking and making changes, and the car's responding. But there are eight other guys on this team that are putting that thing together perfectly every single run and not making any mistakes. With all the variables there are on these fuel cars, to run like this and do the job that we're doing, you've got to give the credit to the whole team. We know this isn't going to last forever, so we're going to celebrate and cherish it. "You have to give Arend and that whole team over there a lot of credit for coming back after their crash. We didn't take them lightly. We knew we were going to go up there and run a good number, and I knew I had to do my job. Arend's good on the Tree, and I had to stay focused. I was probably in [deep] a hundredth, so that was probably a 4.09, and the track was over 100 degrees. That's unbelievable." Hight and his Auto Club Mustang completed their wire-to-wire run from the No 1 qualifying spot with relative ease. He set low e.t. of the event at 4.074 on a first-round bye in the short field, then defeated tire-smoking Del Worsham with a 4.12. Ron Capps gave him a struggle in the semifinals, but, after an even launch, Hight pulled away to win, 4.12 to 4.15, to reach his 29th final. Arend, runner-up in Houston this year with the Kalitta Motorsports DHL Solara, reached his fifth career final with a series of 4.1-second passes to beat Jeff Diehl, Force, and Jim Head in the three preliminary rounds. Arend had been just 1-10 versus Force but scored with a 4.13 to 4.15 win, then advanced to the final when Head suffered a massive engine explosion while leading, sending his Solara body high into the air. Head, temporarily blinded by the fire, lightly rear-ended Arend's machine in the shutdown area, causing minor damage. Mike Edwards Pro Stock boiled down to the class' premier horsepower makers and its points front-runners in a rematch of last year's final, and this year's title round lived up to the billing. Edwards, runner-up last year, took a .016 to .026 holeshot lead, then held on to win his 26th Wally with a 6.717 to Johnson's quicker-but-later 6.710. The margin of victory was .007-second for Edwards, whose fifth win of the year matches his 2009 season total. "It's been a while since our last win in Topeka [1999], although we were runner-up to Allen Johnson last year," said Edwards. "But what made this weekend so special was the fact that my parents, A.C. and Gladys, were here to see the win. They've never been to any of the races that I've won before, and you can't believe how much it means to me for them to see this one. They're from Oklahoma, and they only get to come to this race and maybe a couple of times to Dallas. "We managed to leave first today, and that was a good thing because that Hemi Dodge of Roy and Allen Johnson is really running strong, They are a top-notch team, and they're going to be something to reckon with all year long. I'm not sure that they won't make a lot of winner's circles this year because they are running extremely strong." Edwards reached his sixth final of the year in the season's first nine events with a trio of passes within .012-second in his Penhall/K&N/Interstate GXP, defeating Justin Humphreys, Johnny Gray, and engine customer Ron Krisher, who red-lighted. The final-round appearance was Edwards' 45th in Pro Stock. Johnson had dominated eliminations, posting three straight 6.70s that were either the quickest of the round or second-quickest. He opened with a 6.709 to beat Greg Stanfield, then recorded a 6.703 to best Greg Anderson and a 6.708 to defeat Atlanta runner-up Rickie Jones and reach his 19th final. Duane Shields drove his A/FD to a 5.40 to 5.42 victory against Mark Niver's entry in Top Alcohol Dragster, and Jay Payne scored win No. 38, his 22nd in Top Alcohol Funny Car, on Clint Thompson's final-round red-light. David Rampy collected win No. 73 and his eighth in Topeka when he took his A/EA Bantam to victory against Lou Ficco Jr. in Comp. Tim Nicholson posted his first win by scoring Super Stock honors against Kevin Helms, who was bidding for his second double-eliminator win. Helms, who scored his double in Denver in 2005, returned a short time later to take part in the Stock final but lost that one, too, to Dan Fletcher, who scored his 67th win. Dustin Long defeated Larry Piper for Super Comp honors, and Super Gas gold went to Jason McClure, who used a .002 reaction time to defeat Mike Burkhart for top honors. Related stories Friday: Brown, Hight, Edwards lead after opening day in Topeka Saturday: Friday leaders hold steady on a windy day in Topeka

Free One Day~ Roy Hill Drag Racing School!

Mon, 24 May 2010 13:57:01 -0700

J.W. Performance To Offer Free One Day Roy Hill Drag Racing School 5/20/2010 Rockledge, FL J.W. Performance Transmissions has teamed up with Roy Hill Drag Racing School to offer a ONE-DAY free "DIAL IN - BRING YOUR OWN CAR" experience valued at $1,000. The school is a two-day school where you bring your own car to dial the vehicle in. The winner will be responsible for payment of the second day of the school. No purchase is required and you may enter to win at Hyatt Racing Services on manufacturers midway starting June 3rd, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. Anyone over 16 years of age with a valid drivers license can enter at all NHRA Nationals events and all participants in the JEG'S US OPEN BRACKET CHAMPIONSHIP held June 17th to 20th, 2010 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The winner will be drawn at J.W. Performance Transmissions racer support trailer at the NHRA US Nationals held in Indianapolis, Indiana September 1-6, 2010. For details on Roy Hill's drag racing school visit <a href="http://www.royhillsdragracingschool.com" target="_blank">www.royhillsdragracingschool.com</a> or <a href="http://www.racewithjw.com." target="_blank">www.racewithjw.com.</a> You can also e-mail to J.W. Performance Transmissions at <a href="mailto:jwperf@racewithjw.com">jwperf@racewithjw.com</a>. Racers can also get the popular "Ultra-Case" and "Ultra-Bell" recertified and pick up select flex plates at Hyatt Racing Services at all NHRA National events.

Danica Patrick gets booed at Indy!

Sat, 22 May 2010 19:26:51 -0700

Indianapolis 500 pole day qualifying attempt on Saturday, Danica Patrick was frustrated. So frustrated that she threw her crew under the bus. "This is the worst car I've ever had. There's no stability or grip. It's just scary, really scary ... It's awful, really awful. I think I'm still shaking." And when her comments were played over the track PA, she was booed. "I wasn't flat out the last two laps and I was scared to death flat on the first two. I've never been bad here before. I've never been outside the top 10 on a finish or qualifying, so, it's not my fault. The car is not good." Maybe she should think of her "crew" as part of the team and handle this situation differently in the future!

Supercharging and custom aftercoolers

Fri, 21 May 2010 07:19:37 -0700

<a href="http://mercracing.net" target="_blank">http://mercracing.net</a>

Making Your Interior Showroom Fresh by Scott Ellis

Thu, 20 May 2010 03:49:08 -0700

Unless your ride is a trailer queen or a museum piece, most of us spend the majority of our time behind the wheel. Isn't it a great feeling sliding into a seat of a clean and detailed vehicle regardless if you are a driver or a passenger? Well, instead of interior cleaning being strenuous and time-consuming, make it easy and get professional results yourself with some of these tips. Other than a great feeling of accomplishment, it's much easier to keep clean, look "showroom fresh" and will protect your interior from getting worn. And just like anything, using the right products for the right job makes all the difference in the world. Here are some tips for Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning, Cleaning Vinyl and Plastic Surfaces, Leather Care, Dressing and Protecting Vinyl and Plastic, and everyone's favorite (not)

Rookie Zach Germain Prepares for 200 Laps at Iowa with a Back to the Basics Attitude and New Sponsor JaxWax.com on Board

Thu, 20 May 2010 03:47:51 -0700

Audi R4 Concept

Wed, 19 May 2010 05:46:24 -0700

<a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=25660"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1274272955d60d3186b50.jpg" border="0"></a> The Audi seemed to be astonished at the ammount of interest shown in the R4 e-tron concept car in Detroit earlier this year however the logistics and reality of producing it are still being discussed. At the motorshow of course the concept was shown off with no expense spared - a lighweight alloy space frame were amongst plenty of other high grade materials and tricks of the trade. This structure may well still be an option if the Boxster-sized R4 is made however a heavier steel unibody is what will please finaciers. It is thought that the RWD R4 will also have a mid-mounted engine and be offered with two turbocharged power plants; a 1.4 liter and a 1.6 liter together with a 2.0 liter diesel variant. VW also have rights to the R4 platform and are considering an entry-level roadster which would fill the slot below its Boxster model. When the VW Group will make such a decision as to the fate of these two models is still yet unknown but we will keep fishing for answers! <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=25661"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1274272968577b92c8c.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=25662"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_12742729820a3bb7ccc3.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=25663"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_12742729865a0438018.jpg" border="0"></a>

A nice write up and well done page

Tue, 18 May 2010 09:25:21 -0700

Four Wheeler Magazine: <a href="http://www.fourwheeler.com/projectbuild/129_0806_1997_jeep_tj_brute/magnaflow_mufflers.html" target="_blank">http://www.fourwheeler.com/projectbuild/129_0806_1997_jeep_tj_brute/magnaflow_mufflers.html</a>

Latest News from Summit Motorsports Park

Mon, 17 May 2010 07:35:56 -0700

WOW! What An Event! May 17, 2010 What an incredible weekend! The 4th annual B'laster Cavalcade of Stars presented by Budweiser was the biggest Division NHRA 3 event in history. In fact, on Saturday, we had to close the gates at 5:00 to incoming traffic because there was no more room! That's the first time in the history of this track that that has ever happened! Even then, the steady stream of traffic on all roads leading to Summit Motorsports Park was bumper-to-bumper for another 3 hours. Every seat in the stands was taken and spectators were 3-4 deep at the fence. The racing over the 3-day event was close and furious, which added to the palpably exiting atmosphere. Saturday's qualifying rounds were buoyed by the National-event-like circus atmosphere. Some of the racers that we spoke to were in shock at how many people were hanging around the pits. One Alcohol Dragster driver said he hadn't seen anything like the crowds this weekend since Indy! Some of the Sportsman racers were a bit disoriented, noting that they just weren't used to having a bunch of faces staring at them while they prepared their cars. One notable attempt over the weekend was that of Marco Abruzzi, who came to the show with one car in Top Dragster and another in Top Sportsman. He was attempting to put both cars in the finals. He won Top Dragster, and only missed the finals of Top Sportsman by .001 second! We want to thank all of the racers that chose to compete at Summit Motorsports Park this weekend, and we want to send out a special thanks to the thousands of folks who came out to the track this weekend to see the great racing! Here are the results from the 4th annual B'laster Cavalcade of Stars presented by Budweiser. Class Winner E.T. Speed R.T Super Comp Steven Schmidt 8.902 172.38 .002 Super Gas Billy Smith 10.043 144.53 .014 Super Stock Jeremy Duncan 9.73 128.49 .051 Super Street Randi Lyn Shipp 10.898 139.72 .001 Stock Eliminator David Walther 10.993 118.66 .022 Comp Eliminator Rick Brown 8.199 163.81 .028 Top Dragster Dave Connelly 7.028 171.03 .022 Top Sportsman Jimmy Fallon 6.942 194.21 .025 Pro Stock Snowmobile Tiina Duncanson 8.528 152.54 .233 Top Alcohol Dragster Rich McPhillips 5.519 248.80 .064 Top Alcohol Funny Car Frank Manzo 5.507 262.49 .090

IKPS 2010 Season Opener

Sat, 15 May 2010 16:33:29 -0700

May 8th was the season opener for the Import Kings Points Series by Stray-Kat Motorsports. A wet morning left a lot of would be competitors at home, but the real die-hards came out to play and got rewarded with smaller fields making it easier to win money and prizes. I came in second in my class (Outlaw) while also running a personal best ET of 10.69. I finally feel comfortable driving the car, and combined with brand new M&H slicks was able to achieve the best performance to date out of my CRX.

Hot Import Nights / Nopi . July 2-3 . New England Dragway . Epping NH

Fri, 14 May 2010 15:52:27 -0700

Hot Import Nights and NOPI announce the Super Show Tour. HIN and NOPI will be working together for the first time in their storied histories. HIN and NOPI will be co-producing the biggest auto lifestyle event tour EVER! Come join HIN and NOPI as we bring drag racing, car shows, models, music, gymkhana (head to head drifting) and much, much more to the great race tracks of the U.S. The Super Show Tour will hold events that take place over two-days and include a racing series and car competition of the likes of which have never been seen. Join us on July 2nd-3rd at New England Dragway in Epping, New Hampshire as we kickoff the 2010 Super Show Tour. Quarter Mile Drag Racing program for New England Dragway: TECH CARD Costs - $55 pre reg/$65 Day of show and includes one crew pass Friday evening - Test and Tune and Qualifying Saturday - Qualifying and Elimination Racing Classes: BRACKET: All run. Handicap start .500 full tree. Slicks and open exhaust okay. EXTREME PRO: Heads-up category. No powertrain restrictions. SUPER SHOOTOUT: Index class 11.50 and slower. Pro .400 tree. No powertrain restrictions. PRO SHOOTOUT: Index class 10.50 and slower. Pro .400 tree. No powertrain restrictions. NEW ENGLAND DRAGWAY POINTS SERIES CLASSES: STREET FIGHTER BIKE: All run. Handicap start .500 full tree. No slicks or open exhaust. OUTLAW 10.5 TOP BIKE Event Purse $TBA There will be a huge car show as well with classes for pretty much every make and model! To get your tickets go to: <a href="http://www.hinnopi.com/index.php?vn=TIX01" target="_blank">http://www.hinnopi.com/index.php?vn=TIX01</a> Get $5 off adult admission - use promo code: rsx

Best Wheel Stand at MIR!

Fri, 14 May 2010 09:34:24 -0700

No Excuses

Thu, 13 May 2010 21:43:55 -0700

None of us should have any complaints - there is always the next race! <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/obdd31Q9PqA&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/obdd31Q9PqA&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

Join Us Around The Web

Thu, 13 May 2010 08:43:18 -0700

<a href="http://www.hubgarage.com/" target="_blank">http://www.hubgarage.com/</a> <a href="http://www.myspace.com/thermo-tec" target="_blank">http://www.myspace.com/thermo-tec</a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=362709498979" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=362709498979</a> <a href="http://www.thermotec.com" target="_blank">http://www.thermotec.com</a>

Quick look at Summit (Norwalk) Raceway this season...hope to see you there!

Thu, 13 May 2010 08:30:25 -0700

Spring Warm-Up (from April 17, 2010 09:00 AM to April 18, 2010 08:00 PM) A two day Swap Meet and Test-n-Tune Session! Mickey Mart Rewards "Season Opener" (from May 01, 2010 09:00 AM to May 01, 2010 11:00 PM) It's Opening Day!! We've got a photo contest for you to enter! 22nd Annual NAPA High School Nationals (from May 02, 2010 08:00 AM to May 02, 2010 10:00 PM) HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS...THIS DAY IS ALL ABOUT YOU!!! 4th Annual B'laster Cavalcade of Stars (from May 14, 2010 08:00 AM to May 16, 2010 07:00 PM) An NHRA/Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Event (Division 3) Friday Night CHAOS! (from May 21, 2010 03:00 PM to May 21, 2010 11:30 PM) Chaos is...200+mph Factory Doorslammers sporting all 'American Made' Muscle: Chevy's-Fords-Chryslers! These are some of the fastest cars in the Midwest! 5 Classes! 80+ Cars! 'A smack of Chaos in life is Good!' 20th Annual Toth Buick/GMC Buick Race Day 2010! (from May 23, 2010 09:00 AM to May 23, 2010 05:00 PM) Buicks are what your grandfather drives, right? Don't tell these people that! Buschur Racing Sport Compact Nationals (from May 30, 2010 09:00 AM to May 30, 2010 05:00 PM) Strikingly small and scary fast! This was never what the car companies had in mind! AHDRA All Harley Drag Racing Association (from June 05, 2010 08:00 AM to June 06, 2010 05:00 PM) V-Twin heartbeat thunder, spiked with white-hot nitro fire! Super Chevy Show (from June 11, 2010 08:00 AM to June 13, 2010 05:00 PM) High-Powered Chevy Racing and Beautiful Classic Chevy Cars! Friday Night CHAOS! (from June 18, 2010 03:00 PM to June 18, 2010 11:30 PM) Chaos is...200+mph Factory Doorslammers sporting all 'American Made' Muscle: Chevy's-Fords-Chryslers! These are some of the fastest cars in the Midwest! 5 Classes! 80+ Cars! 'A smack of Chaos in life is Good!' Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals (from June 24, 2010 08:00 AM to June 27, 2010 06:00 PM) Come See the Stars of NHRA! Ohio's Fastest Weekend! 8,000 horsepower Funny Cars shoot to 300mph quicker than you can read this sentence. 8,000 horsepower Top Fuel dragsters shake the ground with enough force to create a "mini earthquake" that registers 3.9 on the Richter scale! It's all at the fourth annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio. Gasser Reunion IX 2010 (from July 02, 2010 08:00 PM to July 04, 2010 05:00 PM) Before there were Funny Cars, Gassers were the BADDEST cars on the Planet! Friday Night CHAOS! (from July 16, 2010 03:00 PM to July 16, 2010 11:30 PM) Chaos is...200+mph Factory Doorslammers sporting all 'American Made' Muscle: Chevy's-Fords-Chryslers! These are some of the fastest cars in the Midwest! 5 Classes! 80+ Cars! 'A smack of Chaos in life is Good!' Oldsmobile Powered Nationals 2010! (from July 18, 2010 09:00 AM to July 18, 2010 05:00 PM) Dead and buried by GM? Never have the dead moved so quick and fast! Frank Hawley's Drag Racing School (from July 20, 2010 08:00 AM to July 21, 2010 04:00 PM) FORDS AT THE SUMMIT (from July 23, 2010 08:00 AM to July 25, 2010 05:00 PM) A Show about YOU and Your Ride! Napa Night Under Fire (from July 31, 2010 08:00 AM to August 01, 2010 09:00 AM) It's the Three-Ring Circus of Drag Racing Entertainment! AMES Performance Tri Power Pontiac Nationals (from August 06, 2010 08:00 AM to August 08, 2010 05:00 PM) If you're a Pontiac Lover, we have something for you.... Friday Night CHAOS! (from August 13, 2010 03:00 PM to August 13, 2010 11:30 PM) Chaos is...200+mph Factory Doorslammers sporting all 'American Made' Muscle: Chevy's-Fords-Chryslers! These are some of the fastest cars in the Midwest! 5 Classes! 80+ Cars! 'A smack of Chaos in life is Good!' DSM/EVO Shootout (from August 15, 2010 09:00 AM to August 15, 2010 05:00 PM) Small sized cars with oversized performance! Goodguys DuPont Blue Suede Cruise (from August 20, 2010 08:00 AM to August 22, 2010 05:00 PM) PINKS ALL OUT (from August 27, 2010 08:00 AM to August 28, 2010 11:00 PM) Be part of the Magic of TV! Ten Grand Nationals (from September 03, 2010 08:00 AM to September 05, 2010 06:00 PM) Friday Night CHAOS! (from September 10, 2010 03:00 PM to September 10, 2010 11:30 PM) Chaos is...200+mph Factory Doorslammers sporting all 'American Made' Muscle: Chevy's-Fords-Chryslers! These are some of the fastest cars in the Midwest! 5 Classes! 80+ Cars! 'A smack of Chaos in life is Good!' Chrysler Classic "Mopar World Finals" (from September 17, 2010 08:00 AM to September 19, 2010 05:00 PM) ADRL (from September 24, 2010 09:00 AM to September 25, 2010 11:00 PM) Ohio Drags VI Coalition of Urban Drag Racers Association (C.U.D.R.A.) "The Triangle" (from September 26, 2010 09:00 AM to September 26, 2010 05:00 PM) The first ever Grudge Race in Northern Ohio No Box Bonanza Weekend (from October 01, 2010 08:00 AM to October 03, 2010 05:00 PM) presented by BTE AMA Dragbike Track - or - Treat Nationals (from October 09, 2010 08:00 AM to October 10, 2010 05:00 PM) K&N Halloween Classic XXXVII (from October 24, 2010 10:00 PM to October 31, 2010 10:00 PM)

Project American Heros

Thu, 13 May 2010 08:28:25 -0700

Just wanted to let everyone know about this great cause. If you have a business, it might interest you to donate. Last auction raised $150,000 for our men and women! Keep up the good work guys! <a href="http://projectamericanheroes.net/" target="_blank">http://projectamericanheroes.net/</a> Check out what these guys are doing for our soldiers!

King of the Hill

Wed, 12 May 2010 12:41:36 -0700

Coming To America

Tue, 11 May 2010 15:56:40 -0700

<a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=23740"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_12736183931dbd9a0.jpg" border="0"></a> North and South America will get the prestigious Aston Martin V12 Vantage later this year due to popular demand. Engineers have worked hard to produce a suitably homologated version of the luxury marque for the new markets but have been strict that the design remains unaltered. originally launched last year as a niche product for Europe, the manufacturer has been forced to reconsider its position and give the Americas what they want. The Vantage is powered by a 6.0-liter V12 engine with 510 bhp and 420 lb ft of torque. It accelerate from 0-62 mph in 4.2 seconds and can travel up to speeds of 190mph. North and South America will see it go on sale later in 2010 alongside the Carbon Black limited edition which features bespoke metallic paint, a bright finish grille, carbon fiber side strakes, gloss black wheels, and array of other extras. <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=23741"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_12736184046e1c5c106d0e.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=23742"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1273618425724b1f3d07.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=23739"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1273618385ad9618.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=23738"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_127361837431a5221b.jpg" border="0"></a>

WOT Magazine has T-shirts!

Tue, 11 May 2010 08:39:10 -0700

Front: <a href="http://s821.photobucket.com/albums/zz133/wotmagazine/?action=view&current=P5082803.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz133/wotmagazine/P5082803.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a> <a href="http://s821.photobucket.com/albums/zz133/wotmagazine/?action=view&current=P5082805.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz133/wotmagazine/P5082805.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a> Back: <a href="http://s821.photobucket.com/albums/zz133/wotmagazine/?action=view&current=P5082806.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz133/wotmagazine/P5082806.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a> <a href="http://s821.photobucket.com/albums/zz133/wotmagazine/?action=view&current=P5082807.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz133/wotmagazine/P5082807.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a> Rep WOT Magazine in style with these hot new t-shirts at a affordable price of $22 shipped anywhere in the US! 100% cotton shirts, they run alittle small. If you would like one send $22 via paypal to <a href="mailto:afischer_616@yahoo.com">afischer_616@yahoo.com</a> with the size and color of the shirt (black or white). WOT Magazine your grassroots motorsports magazine for your all things motorized enthusiast!

Want Your Car/Truck/Boat/Suv/Plane or whatever in a magazine?

Tue, 11 May 2010 06:28:41 -0700

We are looking for feature cars and reader rides for our June isse at <a href="http://www.wotmagazine.com," target="_blank">www.wotmagazine.com,</a> if you are interested in a feature send photos, mod list and owner info to <a href="mailto:features@wotmagazine.com">features@wotmagazine.com</a>, if you are interested in a reader rides submission send a photo, owner info and modlist to <a href="mailto:readerides@wotmagazine.com">readerides@wotmagazine.com</a>

3rd Annual Rod & Kulture Dragfest!! Photographs are up & Posted Now!

Mon, 10 May 2010 08:28:58 -0700

Well this years Dragfest was good! but could have been better if they had not canceled the event! it was announced at both Nostalgia races the weekend before Dragfest. which hurt the gate .. but car count was up from last year. all the racers I talked too enjoyed this race event it is laid back no pressure no points it is about having a good time with friends and fellow gear heads who enjoy hot rod's and fast cars! Please Guys & Gals do this event next year the fans and racers will hear from others that were there that they missed a fun time and will want to come play next year! Photographs haveall been posted from Dragfest 2010 now! <a href="http://JamesDrewPhotography.com" target="_blank">http://JamesDrewPhotography.com</a> link to photos below <a href="http://public.fotki.com/1320Sherlock/all-2010-photograph/3rd-annual-dragfest/" target="_blank">http://public.fotki.com/1320Sherlock/all-2010-photograph/3rd-annual-dragfest/</a> up next for us is Jegs Pacific SportsNationals presented by K & N Filters at Auto Club Dragway at Auto Club Speedway this weekend Starting 13 May 2010 threw 16th of May Starts on 13th Thursday with Test & Tune then Q Fri & Sat Racing Sunday! then following weekend Pacific Street Car Assn. rolls into Auto Club Dragway! then off to Las Vegas for NHRA Heritage Series race at LVMS the Strip along with Car Cruise's and car Show at Oval and Rockabilly Music dress up in your 50's & early 60's clothes ! see ya at the track Jammin James Drew Tim Marshall & Donna bunny ears

My WRX STi Hybrid Build Under Way!

Sun, 09 May 2010 09:04:49 -0700

My Goal, lots of Torque and super quick Spool-up!!! 2.5L STi block New with upgraded crank, Mahle 100mm pistons, Manley H-Beam rods, ACL Race bearings, ARP Head Studs. 2.0L WRX Heads, SuperTech Valves and Springs, GSC S1 Camshafts 270/266 Precision Billet Turbo 5557 or 6262 not sure yet FMIC and Rotated Turbo setup. Deatschwerks 800cc Injectors Future Mods: I may go with AquaMist Alcohol Injection as well.

my fxgt

Sat, 08 May 2010 18:58:34 -0700

i am starting to think this car is a lemon. the clutch seals have given up the ghost. yes i will put some pics up soon

Another Case of Good Luck/ Bad Luck for Bluebaugh in Vegas

Sat, 08 May 2010 17:24:17 -0700

Another Case of Good Luck/ Bad Luck for Bluebaugh in Vegas By Deborah-WFO, Bluebaugh Racing <img src="http://www.wforacingandmachine.com/images/racin_4_jason_sunday_tim_020.jpg" /> Bluebaugh Racing's Team Magna Fuel is determined to reach the 6.20's this season. The team recently attended the Pacific Street Car Associations (PSCA) "Racin' 4 Jason" Nationals in Las Vegas April 30th- May 2nd 2010 running to the Semi-Finals. Crew Chief Deborah Woodard said we had taken some brief down time to rethink our combination and attended the PSCA event to test our theories on a good track. Changes to the chassis and weight distribution in the Magna Fuel Monte Carlo have proven effective. We have been focused on looking for small gains in the first few feet of the track through fine tuning the balance of the car. In qualifying we ran a very consistent pair of 6.45's and a personal best of 6.40 flat being the only team to put down three hard passes in a row. It's a promising start. During the Semi-final round, Bluebaugh paired against reigning PSCA Champion Randy Walker in his 1974 El Camino for an exciting Nitrous showdown. The Charles Carpenter tuned team had been running 30's all weekend qualifying 2nd to Bluebaugh's 6th position. It could have been anyone's race. The lights came down and it was Walker with a small margin advantage. From the starting line it looked like Bluebaugh was pulling hard. Spectators said it was nose to nose nearing the half track. As all were watching in anticipation, the Magna Fuel Monte Carlo suddenly popped with a bright orange explosion shooting out both pipes bringing Bluebaugh to an unexpected stop. Woodard said the car really looked good and appeared to be making some steam. I thought we might just get around Walker this time. As it turned out, the flywheel bolts sheered mid-track under full power basically putting the car in neutral. The engine wrapped more than 9000 rpm's before Bluebaugh could get off the gas. Bluebaugh said at first, I was unsure what happened. I thought the transmission broke. This is the second time we have sheered the flywheel bolts. Once back in the pit, we started to inspect the damages wondering if the crank snapped as well. The long stroke in these big engines puts more stress on the crankshaft. It's been a concern. We lost a crankshaft several years ago and when it happens it destroys the engine most of the time. Later the crankshaft was inspected and cracks were found in thee journals. It's another case of good luck/bad luck. We were very lucky the crankshaft did not snap in two. Despite an untimely end in the Semi's with some broken parts, Woodard said we have a lot left on the table with this car. We have not really begun to put all the power to the engine that it can handle. We have felt that the chassis and other details have been more important. We collected some really good data and have a much better foundation compared to where we started with the changes last September. We are excited to get back to the track and see what this car has in it. The 6.20 range appears to be a very realistic goal from everything we can see. We will certainly need it with West Coast Competitors now running very low in the 6 second range with more frequency and consistency. Bluebaugh Racing would like to thank Magna Fuel for being our title sponsor for a second year. We want to give special appreciation to our media sponsor Speed Scene Racing for giving the team and all sponsors great media coverage. Thanks to JE Pistons who will also stay with us for another year. JE Pistons worked with us to create the perfect set of pistons for our 784 cubic inch nitrous engine. As most people know, DJ Safety has joined us this year and big thanks goes out for the custom fit driver's suit. We will have a full catalog of items from DJ Safety, Magna Fuel, Hughes Performance, and Arrow Track GPS available for sale on our Web Store project <a href="http://www.1320racer.com" target="_blank">http://www.1320racer.com</a> Special thanks to Friction Unlimited for supplying the team with awesome clutch discs. We are negotiating with Friction Unlimited to join us as a full sponsor in our marketing program. Thanks for continuing support from W. W. Williams, Special thanks to Dave at Goodyear Racing who helped us out with a tire deal for the recent event. Bluebaugh Racing is supported by the World's Fastest Organization, LLC along with WFO Racing and Machine, and 1320 Racer.com. Again Much Thanks to our Sponsors and Supporters Magna Fuel, Speed Scene Racing, JE Pistons, DJ Racing Safety Equipment, Friction Unlimited, Fast Forward, W.W. Williams, Highway 69 Racing Products, Hughes Performance, SI Valves, Charles Carpenter Racing, Cubic Flow Modifications, Chris Patrick of Automated Racing Technologies, and Dave at Goodyear Racing. <img src="http://www.wforacingandmachine.com/images/racin_4_jason_sunday_tim_017.jpg" />

KILLER GTR

Sat, 08 May 2010 11:25:46 -0700

<a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=23660"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_12733427907bd20f9b0b.jpg" border="0"></a> Beefed up GT-R makes Goodwood debut. One of the coolest cars on earth just got cooler! Feast your eyes on the new GT-R SpecV; a carbon clad version of the original model with lightweight components and enhanced performance. Unfortunately though, it will only be available though a limited number of dealers in Japan with a whopping price tag of 15,750,000 Yen - that's over $110,000! <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=23661"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_12733428055dc14d4.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=23662"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1273342815307c4.jpg" border="0"></a>

Lets Stomp Out Hunger Giveaway Contest

Sat, 08 May 2010 08:16:56 -0700

<img src="http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz133/wotmagazine/fighthungerflyer.jpg" alt="Fight Hunger" width="627" height="444" /> Help us fight hunger! Today is national stomp out hunger day! If you want to be entered in the drawing send $5 via paypal to <a href="mailto:afischer_616@yahoo.com">afischer_616@yahoo.com</a>

Get your car in WOT Magazine

Thu, 06 May 2010 15:25:35 -0700

Looking for feature cars and reader rides for our june issue, if interested in a feature send photos, mod list and owner info to <a href="mailto:features@wotmagazine.com">features@wotmagazine.com</a> if interested in reader rides send a photo, owner info and mod list to <a href="mailto:readerrides@wotmagazine.com">readerrides@wotmagazine.com</a>

How to maintain a sponsorship

Thu, 06 May 2010 14:27:52 -0700

<a href="http://s821.photobucket.com/albums/zz133/wotmagazine/?action=view&current=P4301818.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz133/wotmagazine/P4301818.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" width="523" height="334" /></a> I've had a few drivers ask me why they can't get sponsors for this season, besides economics do you know how to maintain a sponsorship correctly? Now that the season has kicked off and you have a few sponsors on board, the real work begins. Hopefully you and your sponsor have some sort of agreement that outlines your sponsorship package and what roles the sponsored and sponsoree take. The contract/agreement should lay everything out on paper including the payment/product agreement. When you are involved with a sponsor that is paying a good amount of money, all the money is not going to be paid up front. The payment layout should be able to be managed by both your team and the sponsor. Hopefully you made sure that money you receive is enough to fund your whole race season, unless, of course, something other than the length of your contact has been agreed to. Make sure whoever is involved in your sponsorship agreement knows what they are responsible for making things happen in regard to the sponsorship. Communication is key, you need to make sure everyone involved is aware of what is being done and when. There should be a key contact that the sponsor is working with. This will help prevent fewer mistakes. There are many ways of communication today, but it still seems to be a lost art. There is nothing like picking up the phone and calling the sponsor directly or even writing a letter. If you want to stand out then send a handwritten letter to someone if they mention you in an article. This will get their attention and gain their respect. It's the small details that count. At least once a month you should send your sponsor a report of what has been done to assure the sponsorship they provided was a success. The sponsor also should be doing things on their end to activate the sponsorship. All of the promises you made to your sponsor in your proposal in order to obtain their support should be now finished. There should never be a broken promise. Often times this happens when you promise something you think that can be done when in reality it can't. Hopefully you have used some of the sponsorship money to help market the company in one way or another. Press Releases <a href="http://s821.photobucket.com/albums/zz133/wotmagazine/?action=view&current=P5022563-Copy.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz133/wotmagazine/P5022563-Copy.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" width="522" height="360" /></a> You need to announce the sponsorship. It is crazy how limited the people who are sponsored now days don't create a press release announcing their sponsorship. The press release should be created so that it is a mix of the sponsorship announcement, plans for the season and information on the team/car, the driver or owner, past successes and so on. A press release that just talks about the sponsorship has a less chance of being used in media than one that includes all of the above. There are many media outlets that will use your press release if it's written professionally and sent to the right people. There are many local print media, internet sites and more willing to work with you. Graphics/Visual Aids: The sponsor should be willing to work with you, your car and the trailer/hauler if you use one to design graphics to promote their brand. It is important that your sponsor, based on what is offered gets a location on your car that can be seen by fans, TV cameras (If you're that lucky), photographers and more. The sponsor name/logo should be readable. Many car owners come up with a variety of excuses for not having a sponsor logo or name on a car or their trailer when most of the excuses are non-sense. You need to make your sponsor's name stand out. There will most likely be more exposure for a sponsor's name than your own. The Winners Circle: <a href="http://s821.photobucket.com/albums/zz133/wotmagazine/?action=view&current=P4302198.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz133/wotmagazine/P4302198.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" width="613" height="416" /></a> Here is a serious mistake that many car owners make. Sponsors pay for exposure, at least most of them do (there are other reasons for businesses getting involved), so why Is it that when a car wins, often times the sponsor name can't be seen because there is some many people in the photo in front of the car. The winners circle is a great marketing opportunity for the sponsor. The car owner/driver should be visible also with the hat from the sponsor on it or on the uniform. There will be many photos used so make sure it's clearly seen. Next time you're in the winner's circle try this. Have the friends, family, and others stand behind the car and only the driver in front of it. But be careful that you're not blocking the sponsor's logo. You should keep a hat with the sponsor name/logo on it in the car so as soon as you reach the winners circle you can replace your helmet if you have one with it. It should be the case if you win or lose. As soon as the helmet comes off that hat should go on. You're Appearance: Personal appearance is also important like your uniforms, hats, hero cards, gloves and etc and anything else within budget should be provided by the sponsor. Everything else should not only be grade a looking but also promote a message for your sponsor. Team/Club Website: Does your team or club have a website? If not they should. Websites can be a very important part of the sponsorship success package. Having your sponsor linked to your website is a great way to increase exposure and perhaps, create more business for the sponsor. If you have more than one sponsor, you should try to get them all together so that they can work out a B2B relationship that is beneficial to all and earn you respect from your sponsors. As for the website, it's important to have an informative website that is easy to navigate and up to date. Not being up to date is worse than not having a website at all. Media: There will be many local, regional and sometimes national publications and newspapers that are popular with readers that come use your editorial help. Most of the weeklies are already under staffed and would welcome a weekly or monthly column about local racing. You could offer to write for them for free which gives you an opportunity to gain additional exposure for your sponsors just don't make it 100% about you! Exposure: A tent with the sponsor's name or logo on it could be setup to cover your work area to help give your sponsor more exposure. They are very inexpensive. These are just some ideas to help maintain that sponsorship that keeps the throttle "Wide Open!"

H1R The beginning

Thu, 06 May 2010 06:28:24 -0700

I'm about to post up the beginning poto's of my new project. A Buell drag bike and its transformation into a real proffesional looking and performing machine. I hope all who see this process enjoy it as much as I will.

What would you like to see in WOT Magazine?

Wed, 05 May 2010 15:46:05 -0700

We are always working to improve WOT Magazine and we want to hear what our fans want to see. Let us know!

DJ Safety to Sponsor Bluebaugh- Offical Press

Mon, 03 May 2010 22:44:50 -0700

WOT Magazine releases first issue

Mon, 03 May 2010 14:35:07 -0700

check out our first issue! Were very excited! <a href="http://www.wotmagazine.com" target="_blank">www.wotmagazine.com</a>

BugIn 35, Fontana California

Mon, 03 May 2010 13:19:01 -0700

On the one hand, I was dreading our trip to Fontana. I've never really liked the track there. On the other I was really starting to look forward to it when it got closer. I have to admit, contrary to my first experience there, the personnel at Fontana were very nice and very helpful and it was a beautiful day for racing. <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=22875"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_12729189854afdcb699.jpg" border="0"></a> Except for the long clean-up periods, and the fact that we only got two runs before eliminations, it was a great event. I have never made a secret of my disdain for Fontana, so when I found SOMETHING to complain about, I was happy! The thing that bugged me the most is because of the downtime, we only got two shots before eliminations. The "Outlaw Turbo" and "Super Stock" guys got three. The Quick 32 guys paid TWICE as much as those guys for class fees and I would have thought that would have counted for something. This ain't taking away from the OT & SS guys. I'm happy they got three shots. For our money, we should have gotten three also. That's my complaint, and it's aimed at whoever's decision it was on that call, such as it is. Moving on... We had tons of people coming by our pit area to check out everything we've done on the car, from the chassis work we did over the off season, to the new "Strip Dominator" heads now on the car from our friends at CB Performance. Kind words from everyone. Thank you! I had put the motor back in with the same state of tune that we ran on the dyno the week prior to this event at CB. It made a lot of power on the dyno, and Pat Downs (pictured at the dyno), my son Mark and us were looking (hoping) for some really good performance numbers. I did not want to disappoint. <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=22876"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1272919274dfd7f.jpg" border="0"></a> We opened up the day with an 11.42 at 117+ mph. Not an all time best. However, what is interesting to note is that our all time best at Fontana was 11.70 at 113. A couple years ago, we came straight from Bakersfield after running an ANRA event on Saturday, running a string of 11.60s, getting a runner-up finish in E/Gas (11.60 Index) and towing from there to Fontana the very next day, and not being able to do any better than 11.80. So considering those factors, 11.42 was pretty good. I tried one step leaner on the fuel for the second run, and it slowed down. Apparently, it didn't like that at all, so I went back to the baseline setting. When we went back up for our third qualifying pass, we were turned away. That is when we found out that only OT and SS got three, and we would have to be satisfied with two. We got two, but I wasn't satisfied. For round one of eliminations, we dialed 11.45. I had veteran David Cerny who was also dialed at 11.45, so it would be a heads up start. We left the line together and on top end of the track, David was way out in front, and I just couldn't catch him. And then my win light came on and I knew he had run under. I went 11.47 on my 11.45 dial to his 11.33, also on an 11.45 dial. I round two I had a bye and a brain fart on the starting line and only ran 11.80. No biggie. I still cursed myself and tried to convince myself to get my head in the game. In Round three, I was paired with good friend Troy Palmer. I like racing Troy. He is a very tough racer and always gives me a good run. This time was no different. I went 11.46 on my 11.45 dial, he went 11.34 on an 11.32 dial. I got the win and the margin of victory was only .011 second. I know there's guys with automatic trans race cars that do that on a regular basis, but it ain't bad for a couple of stick shift cars, buzzing the motor up close to 8000 rpm on the starting line, dumping the clutch and rowing through the gears! That put us in the final round with my good friend John Schuerger, another very tough racer. John was dialed in at 11.65 and I stuck with my 11.45. I got there first but ran under with an 11.43....and backing off the throttle! For some reason, it picked up all the way through the run and all the incremental times were the fastest of the day from the 60 foot, all the way through the 1000 foot times and speeds. I reckon the air must have come in! The good thing was it was very consistent, it ran it's best ever numbers at Fontana by .28 seconds and 4mph. Not so good was it has not bettered it's best ever number, those coming at Sacramento last May. We are pretty certain that at a track that has better conditions such as Famoso or Sacramento that we can see some all time best performance numbers for the Blue Car. The best thing... Getting to run a couple of my best friends in the late rounds and getting a runner-up at Bug In 35. Who wouldn't be happy with that!

my fxgt

Sun, 02 May 2010 15:02:11 -0700

got tunes sorted but brought out new problem. short in the back tail lights grrr. so my car is only daytime use only for the moment.

photo of the M&H Tires I won in TheFoat.com and M&H Tires first tire giveaway contest

Fri, 30 Apr 2010 19:54:34 -0700

Here is a link to a photo of the M&H Tires I won in TheFoat.com and M&H Tires first tire giveaway contest 4-6-2010. Thanks again gang!! <a href="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_127268130236c58b9428.jpg" target="_blank">http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_127268130236c58b9428.jpg</a>

Ever think about the things we're offered for our cars?

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 22:37:22 -0700

Something has been bothering me a lot for the last couple of years. The tire shops started offering to fill our tires with nitrogen a while back. An employee of a company with 15 stores in CA only offered this to me once back in '07. My problem at that time was if he was going to put nitrogen in, what was he going to do about what's already in there? There is no way to evacuate a tubeless tire. Even more astounding is this, the air we breathe is about 80% nitrogen! What the hell are they selling again? How much improvement are you supposed to get by inflating a tire that has 90% of it's volume containing air made up of 80% nitrogen that's trapped inside by the bead of the tire against the rim with just a fraction of a cubic foot of pure nitrogen to build up a pressure of 35 - 45 PSI? They charge people money for this. If some of you FOATers out there can tell me why this makes sense, I'd love to hear it. I'd also like to hear similar rants about other products and gimmicks.

WOT Magazine-New Grassroots Enthusiast Automotive Magazine To Cater To All Things Motorized!

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 05:14:21 -0700

WOT Magazine (www.wotmagazine.com) is a magazine for the grassroots enthusiast. They cover everything from your local car show to the big corporate events. Some of their specialized coverage includes Formula D, Redline Time Attack, Import Face Off, XDC and much more. With the latest trends, tech articles, features, industry news and more WOT Magazine (www.wotmagazine.com) is your one stop for all things motorized. If you can hit the throttle WIDE OPEN then you can see it in WOT Magazine! Their innovative magazine helps develop interactive connectivity between the Grassroots enthusiasts and businesses all around the globe. WOT Magazine plans to not only offer information on a daily basis but they also plan to release a monthly interactive flip magazine which will be jammed packed full of the hottest cars, trucks, suvs, bikes, boats and more! Unlike other publications, WOT caters to everything from your garage built project all the way up to your corporate/sponsor build show pieces. Justin VanBlargan, editor in chief for WOT Magazine, states With todays automotive industry magazines concentrating on just one sort of motorized style we capture it and bring it right to your finger tips at <a href="http://www.wotmagazine.com." target="_blank">www.wotmagazine.com.</a> We hope to bring many opportunities not only to ourselves but to others out there that may not be interested in a certain sport until they see it from a different angle.If you would like to advertise, have a suggestion, event or anything in general for WOT Magazine you can contact them by emailing <a href="mailto:info@wotmagazine.com">info@wotmagazine.com</a> . Also be sure to request to join our crew!

First Race of the Season

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 11:35:16 -0700

Well the weekend started out well. I practiced with my new transbrake for the first time and was doing really good. .009, .029 lights, then comes competition and what happens.... -.011 egads!!! just what I didn't need. First round out in the first race. Well the good news is that there are 11 more races and hopefully I can do better than I did this last week. I need to be able to practice the transbrake more since I have been footbraking for so many years....

Maserati Sale Starts 2014

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 23:16:23 -0700

<a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=21177"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_127243523764322a.jpg" border="0"></a> A new entry-level model from Maserati is set to rival the Mercedes E63 AMG, BMW M5 and Audi A6. Being the boss can take you on some exciting ventures but Fiat has also proved that owning Maserati can also ruffle a few feathers in certain German camps. They spoke at a press conference in Italy recently about plans to bring their prices in line with the big three (BMW, Mercedes and Audi). This will no doubt boost Maserati`s sales but in doing so will it disappoint current owners by taking away the exclusivity of the brand? Fiat hope not as they also wish to slash the price of the replacement Quattroporte in 2014 to around $97,000.00. Proving they mean business, they are also pushing another of their offsprings, namely Ferrari to make six new models within four years. Get stuck in, Fiat, we say.

NASA RACE 3

Sat, 24 Apr 2010 20:25:14 -0700

We will be going to sac on sunday for NASA PRO VW race. Going to try to get the car in the nines. found some problems last time out and they are fixed. turning up the boost to around 25 psi, the track should be well prepped from the Funny Car Fever race so it should hold the power.

Parts Online Searches

Sat, 24 Apr 2010 13:09:14 -0700

I spend a lot of time researching Automotive Aftermarket trends, and results of SEO practices for auto performance parts and accessories. My opinion of what is behind the scenes has changed 100% from 5 years ago, what seemed so simple on the web page took a lot of time to get it to appear that way. What a dilemma they faced. When I wanted a website to simply show Make Model and Year for part selection and include brands and part numbers in results, even the task sounded simple. There are many developers out there that say they can pull it off...put a few hundred brands in the mix with about 50 new variables and it's a different story. I have looked at templates that promise to do what you need yet there are no Make Model and Year search options...if I am selling car parts I need Make-Model & Year period. Obviously there was a need to simplify the process of selling parts online, nothing complicated, just M-M-Y and parts connecting to the searcher. No super duper AAIA or ACES stuff, I just want to sell parts. Being a small retailer I cannot pay thousands of dollars to do it. Or give up any small margins I may profit. These are all the conclusions that led me to a developer that really could pull it off and have the results right, and not charge more than I could justify paying. Since they were looking to establish their business in the States, they agreed to take it on. They were not aware of the complexities of aftermarket parts and data, but each step was bravely confronted and ultimately pulled off. The results are astonishing and even I am impressed, they are SEO Pros. Which many profess to be, but never produce. Bottom line is these guys were a good find. I just thought I would share my story in case you are dealing with the same issues or have in the past, there are options. My next mission is going to be doing something about the MAP busters and maybe even figure out a way to get Manufacturers to clean up their own data, and then I will be satisfied. Thanks for reading!

Shopping for a new ride

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 08:17:13 -0700

I've been looking for a family style daily driver for months now. Getting a little frustrated. I was supposed to hop a train to Chicago this morning, but, the dealer failed to make good on his promise to fix an air bag light that was on. Really, just needed a code scanned and a little labor. I had my train ticket, and took a day off from work, only to get jerked around again. Oh well, I like driving my Bug!

high school drag race

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 19:14:37 -0700

thinking about letting my 17 year old daughter run my drag truck for high school race, after all she did help build it and has been my pit crew for 5yrs. she help warm the truck, fix it, service it, clean it, monitors my tire pressure, she is my pit crew, my son help some but not like her. she wants a F.E.D. but I told her she needs track time first. I guess I can de-tune and run smaller launch and top end chips! any suggestions?

my current ride...

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 16:26:04 -0700

i ofloaded a 230e merceds benz for an 1985 ae82 jap import fxgt corolla. that i had previously owned before. silver in colour. 5 speed man. gear box a bit rumbly but fixing that soon. going to to sort out the lack of tunes shortly.

Dodge Tomahawk V10 Superbike

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 09:31:08 -0700

<a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=18423"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1271867309176edb.jpg" border="0"></a> Most Expensive Motorcycle Dodge Tomahawk V10 Superbike Price: $700,000 The Dodge Tomahawk, a 1,500-lb. motorcycle with four wheels, has a Dodge Viper's V10 engine and can go from zero to 60 mph in 2.5 seconds, according to Edmunds.com. The top speed is estimated to be more than 300 mph. The vehicle, which made its debut at the 2003 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, was reportedly priced at $550,000, but a Dodge spokesperson confirmed to Bloomberg Businessweek that two units were sold at an even higher $700,000.

Ferrari's stunning 202mph V8!

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 17:49:01 -0700

<a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=18418"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1271810669821b32.jpg" border="0"></a> Ferrari's stunning 202mph V8! The new Ferrari 458 Italia is a huge leap forward from the company's previous mid-engined sports cars with distinctive styling and improved performance; using cutting edge technology, internal engine friction is reduced for lower fuel consumption than the F430, despite increasing the overall power. What's more, the car is equipped with 7-speed dual-clutch transmission that provides smooth shifts even at full throttle - just one of the many additional features that make this particular model really quite special. We can expect to see it unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show later this year. <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=18417"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1271810661f033b8407.jpg" border="0"></a>

web page

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 03:21:41 -0700

<a href="http://www.nobodysbitchracing.com" target="_blank">www.nobodysbitchracing.com</a>

Rotary Engine World Record

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 15:44:51 -0700

From 0-201mph in 6.752 seconds you don't see much but the smell of glory is immense! This speedy feat made engineer brothers, Rocky and George Rehayem the new World Record holders for the fastest rotary-engined vehicle over 400m. They share their victory with the Pac Performance Mazda 6 team and 30,000 fans who witnessed it at the Fuchs Australian Nationals at Western Sydney's International drag strip last Saturday. Thanks to the modifications of the two brothers, the Mazda6 produces some 1,500hp from a single-turbo, triple rotor Mazda engine. The car is also given additional strength and weight saving from aerospace-grade materials while the chassis is chrome-moly and the body and brakes carbon fibre. <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=18392"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_12717169726fbe7.jpg" border="0"></a>

Acura NSX

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 15:24:39 -0700

<a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=18391"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_127171575797f5ea.jpg" border="0"></a> Never mind Clairvoyants, the latest John Danby Honda NSX can predict the future with its clever ESP system and even change it to save your bacon! Sadly for us this smart-looking race car is a one-off model built for owner and Britcar race winner David Fenn who will be racing it in the final round at Brands Hatch on 7th November. We're thinking he probably has a pretty good idea of how to keep the car in check anyway but traction aids are always handy! John Danby Racing has applied the latest engine control and data-logging GPS and Fly by Wire live feed video technology to the car. The dampers and brakes are also upgraded for the event. TV journalist, Vicki Butler-Henderson will drive the debut race for the Honda NSX alongside John Danby Racing regular James Barclay in the daytime Production race. Car owner and Britcar regular David Fenn will then drive the NSX in the evening GT race alongside Barclay. For more info on John Danby Racing and their services and products visit: <a href="http://www.johndanbyracing.com" target="_blank">www.johndanbyracing.com</a>

12's

Sat, 17 Apr 2010 13:34:37 -0700

Well finally made it into the 12's but still have a bad stumble in 3rd @4600 rpm. Went <a href="mailto:12.76@108.56">12.76@108.56</a>

Life in General

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 21:27:30 -0700

I really have no idea what to write here but I'll give it a shot and if ya don't like it,,,don't read it and certainly don't let the door hit ya in the ass on your way the f--- out...:) Trying to get some last minute prep done on the car for Saturdays club birthday party and car show.... Crap!!! I remember years ago when cleaning a car was nothing to it but now, at 57 years of age, this is a boatload of work! LOL Got a powerball the other day and I gotta say it does make polishing a lot easier! The weather looks like it's gonna be good for the show but we may get some rain towards the evening time soooo, I am sincerely hoping the storm passes us by! I'll pick this up again later.. Have a great Thursday all!!! RIDE SAFE AND RIDE SMART!!!

Diesel Hot Rod, but GREEN

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:18:53 -0700

Three winters back I designed a Diesel Powered Hot Rod, based on Recycling as much as possible. I was inspired by the Green Zone at the SEMA show, got the idea to do a green and very cool hot rod that I could race, and drive, I hate trailer queens. Winter being what it is up here in the Great White North, I have had three years to refine the design. Design is finished and I have been hunting for a Duramax powered pickup that was a write-off for the drive line donor. One would think that would be easy to find, so did I, apparently not. I am also an automotive journalist, my specialty has been off-road, and I have been writing about what I actually do, not what I see someone else do. I figured this project might be an interesting way to get back into the racing scene that I have not really been a part of for a long time. I did race back in the late 70's when street racing was still politically correct, sort of, and cars only went in a straight line, they had to turning was out of the question. I will be posting notes on how the project is progressing and a link to my blog site as things progress. Can't wait to get started, and better yet, join the 200 MPH club at Bonneville. I also want to say a big thanks to my first sponsor, Superior Diesel in Sexsmith Alberta, thanks Ernie. been a week more or less, and I had the idea to update sooner, then I caught the Baby Plague, my grandson brought home something from daycare and everyone spent the week on the big white phone, think a night of tequila with beer chasers,oooh. So added to the collection of open minded companies who appreciate a different build are Wysco Products who are supplying just about anything I need from their catalog. Supreme Diesel, my drive line supplier has decided to have the Allison Transmission re-built to race spec, thanks for that. I wanted to post some concept drawings, however, other things got in the way last week, just not enough hours in a day it would seem. I did however find a 1995 Range Rover that I am going to use the body off of, it is going to be hard to recognize it when I am done, but it does provide a VIN number for registration and road use, and all legal up here in Canada. Until the next installment, have a great week.

Audi R8 V10

Sat, 10 Apr 2010 09:12:48 -0700

<a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=17319"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1270915894bf11616.jpg" border="0"></a> R8 V10 has been awarded World Performance Car 2010. As if they needed another title! Audi has now scored a hatrick (out of five attempts) in the World Performance car category. In 2007 it was the RS4 that took the title, in 2008 the Audi R8 and now in 2010 the Audi R8 V10 - that`s just greedy! The German manufacturer kicked off its world status back in 2005 when the Audi A6 won World Car Of the Year and that trend hasn`t seemed to have slowed down ever since. Developed jointly with quattro GmbH, the Audi R8 V10 is powered by a 5.2 litre direct injection ten-cylinder engine which develops 525PS, enabling it to sprint from zero to 62mph in just 3.9 seconds and then to a top speed of 196mph. It features Audi technologies such as quattro permanent all-wheel drive, a lightweight aluminium body and innovative all-LED lights. Many on the jury at the World Car Awards were swayed towards the R8 V10 as they said that "Audi has at long last satisfied our hunger for a street car that lives up to the excitement of the original Le Mans series-dominating R8 LMP1 race car." For more details on this car and others in the range go to <a href="http://www.audi.co.uk" target="_blank">www.audi.co.uk</a>

photographs from March PSCA race // Mopars at the Strip / LBGP Media Day

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 10:23:45 -0700

New photographs been posted from Mopars at the Strip LVMS and I got a some words and Photographs from 36th Annual LBGP Media day on <a href="http://www.HotRodHotline.com" target="_blank">www.HotRodHotline.com</a> <a href="http://www.hotrodhotline.com/feature/2009show/09toyotagrandprixjames/" target="_blank">http://www.hotrodhotline.com/feature/2009show/09toyotagrandprixjames/</a> <a href="http://public.fotki.com/1320Sherlock/all-2010-photograph/mopars-at-the-strip/" target="_blank">http://public.fotki.com/1320Sherlock/all-2010-photograph/mopars-at-the-strip/</a> psca <a href="http://public.fotki.com/1320Sherlock/all-2010-photograph/psca-spring-break-s/" target="_blank">http://public.fotki.com/1320Sherlock/all-2010-photograph/psca-spring-break-s/</a> <a href="http://public.fotki.com/1320Sherlock/all-2010-photograph/52nd-annual-march-m/" target="_blank">http://public.fotki.com/1320Sherlock/all-2010-photograph/52nd-annual-march-m/</a> more photographs <a href="http://JamesDrewPhotography.com" target="_blank">http://JamesDrewPhotography.com</a>

IMSM RACING SERIES CLASS'S

Wed, 07 Apr 2010 07:02:55 -0700

IMSM RACING SERIES HEADS UP INDEX CLASS'S <a href="http://WWW.IMSMRACINGSERIES.COM" target="_blank">WWW.IMSMRACINGSERIES.COM</a> CHECK FOR MORE INFO STREET BRAWLER(13.50) STREET INTIMDATOR (12.50) STREET HEAT (11.60) PRO AVENGER (10.50) PRO DOMINATOR(9.50) PRO XTREM(8.60) PRO 10.5 TIRE(8.60) PRO OUTLAW (7.80)

IMSM RACING SERIES

Wed, 07 Apr 2010 04:42:05 -0700

HELLO EVERYONE ARE YOU READY FOR RACING IF SO COME ON OUT AND RACE IN OUR PROGRAM THE IMSM RACING SERIES WE HAVE CLASS'S FOR EVERY TYPE OF RACER OUT THERE SLOW FAST WHAT EVER IT MAY BE WE HAVE SOME FOR YOU. HEADS UP DRAG RACING OFF A PRO .400 TREE GREAT PAY OUTS GREAT LAKES DRAGAWAY UNION GROVE WI. APRIL 17TH IS OUR OUR OPENER GATES OPEN 8 AM

Changing EMS

Sun, 04 Apr 2010 19:55:07 -0700

Well the time has come to try a new EMS for my CRX race car. I will be changing to a Hondata S300 system from an Autronic SMC. There was nothing wrong with the Autronic system, but I just want to try something else. The Hondata system is very proven, and I will now have a tuner that is "local" to me. We are aiming to get the car down within a few weeks before the first weekend in May.

April Issue Coming Soon!

Sun, 04 Apr 2010 19:52:23 -0700

April's Issue will release the 6th so keep your eyes peels for a jammed pack issue! Here is a preview: <a href="http://s580.photobucket.com/albums/ss245/tunermag/?action=view&current=page1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i580.photobucket.com/albums/ss245/tunermag/page1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a> Keep your eyes peeled to <a href="http://www.tunermaneuvermag.com" target="_blank">www.tunermaneuvermag.com</a> for more details!

MoTeC

Sun, 04 Apr 2010 01:10:29 -0700

What's the deal with MoTeC not updating there non x00 series boxes with the windows based software like the x00's boxes do. you would think that MoTeC would update these boxes to be more user friendly and more attractive to potential buyers. Instead they leave it alone and make it less desirable for the novice ppl like myself. Me personally would not run the non x00 series being that there are not enough ignition outputs nore regulare outputs and inputs. Whats your thought? cause this really grinds my gears!

Low end power on CBR600RR

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 23:17:40 -0700

I love my bike, but sometimes I wish it had lower end torque as compared to a 1000RR. I always have to rev up to keep up. I guess that's what having a 600 is all about, but it also seems like I burn through gas faster.

Arash AF-10 Supercar

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 16:44:13 -0700

<a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=16555"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_127016532364930924519.jpg" border="0"></a> Have you ever had all the blood rush to the skin under your chest when you anticipate something momentous? Well perhaps the Arash AF-10 supercar was named after this very telling symptom. Who couldn't get a bit twitchy when you see a 1260kg, carbon fibre, Bugatti Veyron league super car which has just been announced to cost $400,000? All the hype of 1200bhp and 900-1000lb ft from its 550bhp 7.0-litre V8 engine from a Corvette Z06 and an optional six-speed sequential gearbox from the Zonda F suggests it will beg, borrow and steal to be the best. Even its chassis tuner, Loris Bicocchi was half-inched from the Bugatti Veyron engineering team. Founder of the Supercar brand Arash Farboud even bragged to the media; "This will be like a two-seater F1 car with a radio, it's the most extreme car I can make." We await to see it in action.

Dart Facebook Contest for April

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 10:55:54 -0700

We're announcing a new Facebook contest for the month of April from Dart! We want to see your insane performance videos! Go to our Facebook group "Dart Machinery Performance" and post up your videos there. We want awesome burn outs, cars standing on two wheels, trucks flying through the air, whatever you've got! At the end of April, we'll take a vote here at Dart, and the poster of the video that gets the most votes will get a $200.00 Dart gift certificate! The videos can be your pre-existing clips, or if you like you can make a new video just for the contest. We'll announce the winner on our Facebook group in early May after all the votes are tallied. Please follow the link below to read the full contest rules, entries that don't follow the rules can't win, so don't skip reading them! <a href="http://www.dartheads.com/news_article_view.php?nak=101" target="_blank">http://www.dartheads.com/news_article_view.php?nak=101</a> Good luck everyone!

West Coast Hot Rod Race Report

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 11:36:37 -0700

Be careful of what you ask for. You just may get it! When I undertook the task of reconfiguring the rear suspension, the goal was not necessarily to make the car quicker. The project was intended to make the car launch cleaner and quicker and be more controllable. After about a dozen runs, we got close to figuring out what it likes. Now, we just gotta get 'er softened up a little because it now gets outta the gate way too fast! At the West Coast Hot Rod Association season opener this weekend, we would once again be competing in E/Gas on and 11.60 index and on a .5 pro tree. I had a good idea of where to start. 12psi in the M&H slicks, 7200rpm launch chip and the front end set up loose. My long-time friend Steve Long was also there in his '69 big block Mustang, and also my good friends, Troy & John Palmer, with their 1960 VW sedan, although John would not arrive till late in the day. Other VW racers, and FOAT members in attendance were Paul Miller and Andre Drier. Along with beautiful weather and incredible conditions, the usual cast of characters, tough racers all, the stage was set. We opened up with a -.002 redlight and an 11.44 pass in round one of qualifying. That put a smile on my face. Steve and Troy were having some difficulties though. Steve's car was having tranny troubles and Troy's car was having some valvetrain issues, which prevented him from making a full pass. We pitched in to help Troy, but could not get it wrapped up in time for round two of qualifying. Steve's troubles were simply unfixable. Somewhat reluctantly, we left Troy on his own so we could make our second run. The result was a botched stage, but a good run. I was way late because of the botched stage but ran 11.53 to get a little closer to the 11.60 index. I had one more shot to back it down enough to get inside the index, so I was OK with it. In round three of qualifying, I had backed off on the launch chip as well as the top end, and went 11.72 with a .025 reaction time. This put us in the fifth position in qualifying. Good enough. I was happy with the reaction time too. A nice soft, straight launch that should be repeatable. It was now "Kick-Back" time. Troy had more valve-train issues in his last qualifying session so we pretty much pulled up a chair, knock down a couple brews and watched the spectacle unfold. By this time John had arrived so there was no need for us to pitch in, except for trying to round up some rocker arm adjusting screws, as Troy had used up all the spares he had and had broken more. Fellow VW racer Paul Miller came to the rescue with what Troy needed. For the eliminations round the next day, I found that I was paired up with my friend Steve. Troy would be "Flying Blind" against his opponent, as he didn't get a decent run going during qualifying. I knew Steve's car wasn't running the numbers, but still, I wasn't going to hold anything back. I was pretty soft on the tree at .099, and was out in front the entire distance, throttling back on the top end to take the win. Troy did not advance and he put a little too much "oomph" into it, not knowing if it was going to make a clean, full pass or not, and just couldn't scrub enough speed off on top to stay within the 11.60 index. In round two, we were paired up with Al White in his '67 GTO. Al alternates between C/Gas (9.60 index) and E/Gas. He's a really tough competitor that knows his car well. I was up mentally and I had upped the launch chip as I was a little bugged about the .099 reaction time I had recorded in round one. I went minus.031 red and Al was minus .003 red. Since I was "redder", Al got the win. So, the "Three Amigos" were done. All things considered, it was a good outing. In hindsight, I should have shrugged off the .099 as an anomaly and left it the way I had it after the third qualifying run. "Shoulda, coulda, woulda" The good thing for us was that there are now only three guys in front of us in points. The bad thing is that this was a double points race, so two of those guys are TWO rounds out on us and one that is FOUR rounds out! Hopefully we can get 'em reeled back in at the next West Coast Hot Rod race. Our car worked REALLY well. Maybe TOO good. I had it softened up so much to keep from going red that it had a little bit of a bog. It would pull the front wheels up and then it would kinda just fall down and then go, but not too bad. Still easily able to run the number. I had a couple of really good RTs in qualifying, starting out with a minus .002, and running 11.44 all-out, botched the stage in Q2 and was late, but ran 11.53 throttling back some, and came back with a .025 at 11.72 in Q3 after "Chipping" the launch down and throttling back enough to make a run over the index. Chalk it up to learning how to set it up for any given race and getting a handle on what it likes as a baseline for those situations. Hopefully, we can do better by not having to guess as much going in to any given type of race. I now have almost 20 runs on it since converting the rear suspension and have raced on three different trees, full tree, .4 pro and .5 pro, and I've found that on "Full Kill" it can go red on a .4 pro tree as long as I am on my game. And that is precisely what I wanted.

NEW SEASON

Sat, 27 Mar 2010 17:20:26 -0700

4 WIDE AT Z-MAX DRAG STRIP...! WHAT DO YOU THINK..?....GOOD FOR THE SPORT...? OR BAD FOR THE DRIVERS..?

Bluebaugh Racing: On the Horizon for 2010

Sat, 27 Mar 2010 17:02:33 -0700

Bluebaugh Racing: On the Horizon for 2010 By Deborah-WFO, March 2010 <img src="http://www.wforacingandmachine.com/images/3-14-09-tm-psca_094_ssi1.jpg" /> Bluebaugh Racings Team Magna Fuel is taking a brief reprieve to rethink and prepare for the 2010 racing season yet ahead. Last September Bluebaugh and Crew Chief Deborah Woodard took a late mid-season leap of faith changing a proven combination in the Magna Fuel Monte Carlo with a bigger engine. Bluebaugh said its been quite a challenge to harness the new power. We are taking a step back for a minute to rethink after several events spent with difficulty. We want to come back to the competition prepared. Adding horsepower to the mix is just not as easy at it sounds. It changes everything about the car. Crew Chief Woodard said we have spent countless hours studying chassis dynamics for this project and days at a time on the garage floor with a tape measure and calculator. Our 1995 model chassis has now undergone a complete transformation with additional bracing, a 180 degree turn in the scaling, and changes in the four link set up. During the process a crack was also located. Woodard said this is the second time a crack has been discovered just following difficulties with getting the car to respond correctly and may have been contributing to the problem. Crack inspections have become a more frequent part of our routine. Preliminary testing is showing we are headed in the right direction with a rough but encouraging 1.01 60ft. time. We should be ready by May to give the competition a good run. We feel this new set up has the potential to compete in the low 6 second range now needed on the West Coast. During down time, Woodard who is also the teams Marketing Director has been working on a new project to attract sponsorship support for 2010 and beyond. The project is an online Sponsor Store marketed under the name <a href="http://www.1320racer.com" target="_blank">http://www.1320racer.com</a> Woodard said, I think it makes sense that we take an aggressive role in meeting what sponsorship is supposed to be about, which is promoting a return on investment for those companies that have invested in us. A part of our sponsorship funding will come directly from sales and be proportionate to how well we do with the store project. I hope that companies will start to find that investment in racers more on a sportsman level is very worthwhile as the market continues to be difficult. I think this will be a good deal for all involved. We have four companies who have immediately joined the project. Magna Fuel, our title sponsor, was the first to agree that the project should be launched. Hughes Performance who has been with us for many years is on board as well. DJ Racing Safety Equipment has joined as a new sponsor and brings with them a full catalog of quality safety products. Arrow Track GPS has also joined as a new sponsor bringing a unique live Internet tracking GPS unit that will locate any vehicle, trailer, or RV anywhere nationally. We are expecting more companies to join shortly and more deals are in the works for the project. Bluebaugh and Woodard agree that without the support of our sponsors we just would not be racing and we are fortunate to have such an opportunity to do what we love so much. We would like to welcome back all our returning sponsors. JE Pistons will be returning for a second year and have been instrumental to the success our racing program. We also continue to enjoy a great relationship with Speed Scene Racing who has been our live Racing Webcast media sponsor for a few years now. Continuing support will be W.W. Williams, Fast Forward, Highway 69 Racing Products, and SI Valves. We hope to see everyone at the races very soon. *Post Note- We are having a sale on DJ Safety items in light of recent circumstance <a href="http://www.worldsfastestorganization.com" target="_blank">http://www.worldsfastestorganization.com</a> <img src="http://www.wforacingandmachine.com/images/psca_lvms_april_09_tim_639_8mz7.jpg" />

Porsche 911 GTStreet R

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 15:45:46 -0700

German Tuning firm TechArt have re-developed their GTStreet R package to suit the new Porsche 911 Turbo facelift model. The 2010 version of the kit uses many carbon fibre-look parts as well as a glossy black honeycomb finish on the mirror caps and spoilers (previously it was matt). The LED daytime lights give the front of the car even more character due to their expanse and new pattern. Also new are the 19 and 20" TechArt Formula five-spoke light alloys. The new face-lifted 911 Turbo now comes with a six-speed gearbox and sport clutch instead of the Tiptronic S transmission and this has given it a 0.1 second acceleration advantage over the 2009 model. Otherwise the performance figures stay the same (660PS and 860Nm). The new kit is currently being debuted at the Geneva Motor Show. <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=15500"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_12695569632b4f422aaf.jpg" border="0"></a>

ETI this weekend

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 15:13:36 -0700

So ETI is this weekend. Everything should pass. Bought those dreaded new seatbelts... Oh wait the ones I just took out looked brand new. I hate having to change seat belts every two years when there is nothing wrong with the current pair. Anyway running a 9 sec car means that the tech guys will be crawling all over it Sat. Next weekend will be the first out on the track finally. Sure been a long winter.

Q & A

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 11:25:25 -0700

1 Q: How does wrapping headers increase horsepower? .. .. A: Wrapping the headers maintains exhaust gas heat within the header. This translates into more exhaust flow due to maintaining exhaust temperatures as it flows out of the engine. By improving the scavenging of spent gases, the engine breathes more efficiently. This reduces contamination of gases, thus allowing the engine to develop more power. .. .. 2 Q: How much wrap is required to do a set of headers? .. .. A: Guidelines recommend: 1-2" x 50' roll for a 4 cyl., 2-2" x 50' rolls for a V6 or V8, and 3-2" x 50' rolls for a big block or 180 degree set of headers. .. .. 3 Q: Why only wrap 18" to 20" of the primaries on a RV or towing vehicle? .. .. A: These vehicles generate a lot more heat than the average automobile with the chemical properties of the wrap assisting with the heat flow, the collector acts as a "dump off" area for the heat on these applications only. Generally the header manifold blankets are easier to use on these applications and are highly recommended. .. .. 4 Q: Why do you use only a 1/4" overlap and nothing more? .. .. A: Using only 1/4" overlap draws the heat from the motor but still allows the heat to evenly dissipate through out the system. If you use more than 1/4" overlap you may cause fatiguing due to "hot spots" in your tubes. .. .. 5 Q: Does the wrap overheat exhaust components? .. .. A: This area is not a problem due to the added flow of the exhaust. Increasing flow also increases the amount of heat extracted from the engine and manifold. .. .. 6 Q: When is it not recommended to use header wrap on cast iron exhaust manifolds on a turbo engine? .. .. A: Cracking on stock exhaust manifolds and housing has never been a problem. Manifolds to the turbo can be a problem only if extensive modifications have been made to the castings. These types of castings have a high failure rate even without the wrap being applied to them. This is due to the uneven wall thickness of the castings from the machine work performed to improve flow of the manifold. The heat cycle generated could cause the cast iron to become brittle eventually causing cracking to occur. .. .. 7 Q: Can the header wrap be used on a catalytic converter? .. .. A: Yes! .. .. 8 Q: What temperature will the wrap withstand? .. .. A: 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit .. .. 9 Q: Does the header wrap contain asbestos? .. .. A: No! .. .. 10 Q: What kind of material is the header wrap made of? .. .. A: Highly textured silica based fabric with a patented inorganic coating applied by a proprietary process. A heat conducting coating is applied with a binder to the surface to provide a equal amount of heat distribution. Limit 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. .. .. 11 Q: Does the header wrap retain heat better than ceramic coatings? .. .. A: Yes. Ceramic coatings are made from inorganic compounds made of aluminum oxide or of zirconium oxide or coating of an intermetallic compound. These coatings are all very good conductors of heat and only provide corrosion protection. .. .. 12 Q: Does header wrap increase power and improve fuel mileage? .. .. A: Yes. By wrapping headers, exhaust gas heat within the header is maintained. This translates into better exhaust flow because the hotter the exhaust gasses stay, the faster they flow out of the engine. By improving the scavenging of spent gases, the engine breathes more efficiently. This reduces contamination of the intake fuel air charge with exhaust gases. Thus allowing the engine to develop more power with less throttle. .. .. 13 Q: How does the turbo kit help? .. .. A: It will keep the turbine spooled-up so when you are in the throttle, let-off and then get back into the throttle, the spooled-up turbine gives more boost and increases throttle response immediately. By keeping heat in the exhaust, a higher velocity is maintained, that improves over all turbo performance. Lower temperatures will occur from the induction to the inner cooler. For every 10 degrees reduction on incoming air fuel mixture, you have an increase of 2% in horsepower. .. .. 14 Q: When is it not recommended to use header wrap on cast iron exhaust manifolds? .. .. A: We do not recommend using header wrap on cast iron manifolds that have had extensive machine work, altering the wall thickness of the casting. These manifolds would not be able to withstand the heat cycle generated, rapid heat-up, by using header wrap. This cycle could cause the cast iron to become brittle eventually causing cracking to occur also using exhaust insulating wrap on cast iron manifolds tends to be a very difficult application, especially on RVs and towing vehicles. .. .. 15 Q: Does the turbo kits overheat the turbos? .. .. A: No adverse effects have been recorded to date. Remember, that the properties of the materials are not just helping with insulating the heat in the system, but also assisting with getting the heat out of that area. .. .. 16 Q: Will it take turbos longer to cool down once the kit has been applied? .. .. A: The turbo will not take longer to cool down due to the added flow. Any user should follow normal shutdown procedures recommended by the manufacturer of the turbo or engine that they have. Normally this is done by allowing the engine to idle for a certain amount of time so the exhaust and oil have time to dissipate the heat. .. .. 17 Q: Does any of Thermo-Tec products contain asbestos? .. .. A: No! Thermo-Tec products are all user safe, and do not contain any cancer causing chemicals. .. .. 18 Q: Can you use Thermo-Shield Tape on the exhaust? .. .. No! The tape has a adhesive backing that is limited to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. The base material will withstand 1000 degrees. .. .. 19 Q: Why is it necessary to lean the motor down in most applications with the wrap? .. .. Air/fuel mixture is enriched due to cooler intake and increased exhaust velocity. Increased scavenging of the exhaust has an effect on the induction side of any motor. Clearing the combustion chamber more efficiently means more efficient flow of the incoming air fuel mixture. .. .. FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 1-800-274-8437.

How It Works

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 11:14:50 -0700

Think of exhaust gases as a piston moving down through the tubular system. As each pulse travels down the system, it creates a vacuum behind itself. The negative pressure behind each, is the scavenging effect. As the velocity of the pulses increase, the negative pressures also increase. As you have an increase in velocity, the length of time that you have a negative pressure in the system is increased. The net result of higher velocity to assist in scavenging is increased performance of the intake and exhaust system. Maintaining higher exhaust temperatures throughout the system increases performance in many ways. Think of exhaust gases as a heavy liquid such as an oil additive. If the liquid were traveling down a tubular system in a cold state, it would move very slowly. If you were to heat the liquid, the density of the fluid changes. The liquid responds to the heat increasing Its velocity. Exhaust gases respond In the same manner. Higher temperatures in a system increases the flow of the system. If the liquid is allowed to cool in the system, It slows down the flow of the liquid. By this Illustration, you can now see the importance of maintaining higher temperatures in a exhaust system. The Incoming air charge increases due to many different factors. First, the lowering of air induction temperatures and cooler fuel coming into the engine will increase horse power by over 1% per Degree drop In temperature. Other areas of performance are Improved by the increased scavenging effect. Increasing the scavenging effect of the exhaust allows the engine to breathe more efficiently. A engine in many ways is like an air compressor, the pushing of exhaust gases from the combustion chamber creates a condition called pumping losses. This is the loss of power due to the piston pushing these exhaust gases Into the system and out of the system. Increased scavenging not only lowers pumping losses but also allows more efficient clearing of exhaust gases from the combustion chamber. This means cleaner air fuel mixture, this means power. The increased scavenging effect of the exhaust also benefits the intake of air & fuel during the overlap phase of the intake stroke. During the overlap phase, both the intake & exhaust valve are open. The exhaust gases create a vacuum effect which pulls the air fuel mixture at a higher velocity through the intake. As you can see, there are many benefits to the use of our product, lower cockpit temperatures, lower under hood temperatures. These all mean increased life of electric & electronic components. Thermo-Tec is a one of a kind product. Through a proprietary treatment of inorganic materials, the material develops the unique ability to conduct heat across its surface. This provides distribution of heat throughout the system providing insulation without creating hot spots. The conductivity of just the right amount of heat to combat the problems of the heat radiated by an exhaust system were developed over a period of 3 years of research and development. The specific make up of the Header Wrap was developed as to not over insulate the system and provide just the right amount of Insulating properties. It is very important to retain only a specific amount of heat. We caution the use of any products said to be used for this purpose. The specific make up of Thermo-Tec Header Wrap Is a delicate balance of high temperature materials blended to control a accurate amount of heat dissipation Beware of any products said to be used for this use. Thermo-Tec stands alone as a quality product developed for a specific use. We hope you now have a better understanding of the benefits of our products. We hope we have answered any questions you may have had.

Racing shoes that are worth a look!

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 07:01:19 -0700

Practical and good-looking; these driving shoes have the grip and the style to be a big hit. You don't see racing drivers in loafers, nor would the average self-respecting track driver wear a fashion fad on their feet over functional driving shoes. It does help however if the driving shoes look cool as well as being useful. Pictured here are a shoe by Alpinestars and Fatlace called the Shibuya. You can buy them at <a href="http://www.fatlace.com." target="_blank">www.fatlace.com.</a> <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=15442"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_12693525623e8813.jpg" border="0"></a>

McClaren's new supercar

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 09:06:18 -0700

Formula One automaker McLaren has launched a supercar, part of a drive by the firm to shift up a gear in its battle to capture the high-performance commercial sports car market. The MP4-12C, modeled on technology used by McLaren's Formula One team, will go into production next year with 1,000 of the cars expected to roll off the production line in 2011. McLaren will sell the car through retailers in 19 countries, with North America expected to account for up to 40 percent of the market. <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.ride&ride_id=582&photo_id=2414&tab=photos"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/ride_photo_1269273933874436830e.jpg" style="border:0;width:399;height:266;" /></a>

NASA VW DRAG RACING

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 20:46:38 -0700

March 28th is NASA race at sac. This will be are first race with the new set up. just broke in our new motor and did some test passes on a non prepped surface. This new set up sure fells like it has some power.We spun the tires in 1st hard and 2nd pitched a little sideways and had to lift,peddled all the way down. Cant wait to get it on a prepped track fells like its going to really haul the mail.Well we ran the car and had some problems,first pass car ran out of fuel at top of 3rd and it shut off in 4th ran10.56@113mph . went to pits and no fuel psi, got a pump from BOB and put it in the car in time for 2nd time trial, same thing ran out of fuel and car felt lazy ran 10.88@104. cleaned fuel line and found that filter spring was in wrong and closing off orfice,fixed it in time for round one.dialed a 10.00 car felt lazy again won the round with a <a href="mailto:10.88@132mph.fuel">10.88@132mph.fuel</a> psi is ok but car has no boost check intake boots and boost lines all looked good now time for next round . real bad this pass 12.32@124mph and lost. video of runs are posted. today i found that my boost gauge was leaking its fixed and next race in 2 weeks.

April Issue Preview

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 19:36:27 -0700

Here is a preview of Aprils Issue that will hit April 6th so keep your eyes peeled! <a href="http://tunermaneuvermag.com/"><img src="http://i580.photobucket.com/albums/ss245/tunermag/tmmmagcover2-3.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a>

52nd Annual March Meet AAA Famoso Raceway Photographs are all Up NOW! :)

Jax Wax Partners with Chuck Haubiel Motorsports

Sat, 20 Mar 2010 13:34:36 -0700

Jack Minor, CEO of Jax Wax Inc. announced today that Jax Wax Car Care Products has entered into a marketing partnership with Chuck Haubiel Motorsports. Chuck Haubiel campaigns a 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt in NHRA's Competition Eliminator division. "Comp Eliminator is one of the most competitive classes in NHRA and second only to Pro Stock in terms of technology, " Minor stated. "Being a racer myself, everyone knows that Comp Eliminator brings out the best of the best of sportsman racers. Jax Wax products are made to be the best of the best as well. We are pleased to be associated with a racer like Chuck who has not only had success as a driver in the sportsman ranks, but has also maintained a stable of Best Appearing and Best Engineered race cars awarded at NHRA events." "Maintaining a quality finish on a race car can be a challenge, especially with a Comp car that you are consistently thrashing on. Jax Wax products make it easy and we can keep the car looking showroom fresh in the pits and on the track," said Haubiel. He continued, "Equally important is that Jax Wax manufactures a line of fleet care products to keep our transporter and trailer looking like new, which is difficult considering all the miles we log. We are pleased to help represent and promote Jax Wax and will have products for sale at each of our races." About Chuck Haubiel Motorsports: Based in Gahanna, Ohio, Chuck Haubiel Motorsports currently campaigns a 2010 Super Mod Chevy Cobalt built by B & B Race Cars of Hohenwald, TN. The Cobalt's striking paint scheme consisting of Ferrari red, candy tangerine, candy lime gold and platinum pearl white was designed by Scott Brown designs of Odessa, MO and painted by J.R. Hill of Custom Motorsports Painting in Mansfield, OH. Power is provided by Jeff Taylor Performance of Sellersburg, IN. About Jax Wax Products: Jax Wax Car Care Products are widely used in commercial businesses such as detail shops, body shops, and auto dealers. Jax Wax is now packaging its products in smaller quantities for the consumer market. You can get fast, commercial quality results by doing the detail work yourself. For more information, go to <a href="http://www.jaxwax.com" target="_blank">www.jaxwax.com</a> or call 877-7JAXWAX.

Ford Focus Mk 2 RS

Sat, 20 Mar 2010 06:26:09 -0700

<a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=15273"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1269091417cbb454.jpg" border="0"></a> You may dream of something more exotic than a Ford Focus Mk 2 RS one day but why be so hasty when there's specialists out there who can turn it in to something outrageously quick. Step up Graham Goode Racing Ltd. Some figures which may just tantalize you further are 368bhp and 339lb ft. The price of Graham Goode's independently validated upgrade package may dampen your spirits slightly ($4000 + VAT) but just check out what's included: A carbon fibre Cold Air Induction System (CAIS), large capacity air to air intercooler with alloy air diverter plates, large volume fuel injectors, silicone boost hoses, large bore exhaust turbo front pipe and sports catalyst section, specification ECU remap using Superchip's Bluefin and firmware upgrade. We don't feel so ripped off now when we think of all the work that's gone in to this offering! It's also covered by a 12 month/ 30,000 mile breakdown warranty. Go to <a href="http://www.grahamgoode.com" target="_blank">www.grahamgoode.com</a> for more details.

Ferrari Theme Park

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 18:08:10 -0700

The Ferrari world theme park on Yas Island in Dhabi is set to open later this year and a GT roller coaster will be one of its main attractions. Two Ferrari F430 Spider styled coaches will race against each other on rails amidst screams of elation and terror. The coaches which seat four passengers on individual seats are amongst twenty other attractions at the theme park. It will be the first theme park dedicated to the automaker and will take up 135 acres of land. Think Las Vegas meets F1 with a 200km/h roller coaster and a Flume ride through the heart of a Ferrari 599 engine, even a Aerial voyage over Italy can be untaken all before authentic Italian lunch and a spot of shopping. You can expect all the glamour, thrills and extravagance of both Las Vegas and F1. <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=15248"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1268960482c9253.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=15249"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1268960486ee57ee25267e.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=15250"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1268960488ea63582311.jpg" border="0"></a>

Dodge Challenger Drag Racing

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:43:00 -0700

After the 2009 Challenger Drag Pak enjoyed such a warm welcome from enthusiasts, Mopar elected to kick off the new year by giving hardcore drag racers more of what they love with the 2010 Challenger Drag Pak. Outfitted with a 6.1L HEMI V8, the 2010 Drag Pak weighs in at roughly 1,000 pounds less than its street-legal counterpart and features enough mods to blow your doors off (on the track, of course). Essentially a Challenger SRT8 on the juice, the Drag Pak features a composite lift-off hood with functional scoop, Viper-style front seats, polycarbonate door windows, a light-weight cooling module with electric fan, manual rack-and-pinion steering, a special cable-operated deck-lid release, special lightweight front-brake assemblies and special cable-operated throttle linkage and pedal assembly. Although it's not street legal, the Drag Pak is easy enough to order and can be purchased directly from Mopar through your local Dodge dealership for $39,999. <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=15197"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_126893399321c78273af.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=15196"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1268933987b503cd42ec0e.jpg" border="0"></a>

Yonaka rear lower control arms are now available for 92-95 Honda Civics and 94-01 Acura Integra's.

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:29:39 -0700

<a href="http://yonaka.com/"><img src="http://i580.photobucket.com/albums/ss245/tunermag/Yonaka.jpg" alt="" /></a> <a href="http://yonaka.com/"><img src="http://i580.photobucket.com/albums/ss245/tunermag/EG-lca.jpg" alt="" /></a> Yonaka is excited to announce a new line of lower control arms. Machined entirely from aluminum, our lower control arms retain the factory suspension geometry while reducing weight and eliminating the problematic OEM factory bushings and replacing them with high grade solid bushing. Our solid bushings are easily serviceable, and backed by a lifetime warranty. To check out other products Yonaka makes for your ride go to <a href="http://www.yonaka.com/">www.yonaka.com</a>

Formula DRIFT Continues Alliance with Universal Technical Institute

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:28:27 -0700

<a href="http://formulad.com/"><img src="http://i580.photobucket.com/albums/ss245/tunermag/fd-2.jpg" alt="" /></a> <a href="http://uti.edu/"><img src="http://i580.photobucket.com/albums/ss245/tunermag/uti.jpg" alt="" /></a> LONG BEACH, Calif. - March 18, 2010 - Formula DRIFT will continue their relationship with Universal Technical Institute. (NYSE: UTI) the "Official Technical School of Formula DRIFT." UTI is a leading provider of technical education training for students seeking careers as professional automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle and marine technicians. UTI will host the annual "Tech Day" at their Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. campus, located at 9494 Haven Avenue, on March 27 from 10am to 4pm. "As part of our continued alliance with Universal Technical Institute, the Official Technical School of Formula DRIFT, UTI and FD are collaborating to bring forth the 2nd Annual UTI / FD Tech Day," stated Jim Liaw, president and co-founder of Formula DRIFT. "Tech Day is a fun day where fans can come and get a glimpse of the new cars for the 2010 season, meet the new and returning drivers as well as have an open house tour of the top class UTI Rancho Cucamonga campus. It's been a good off-season but now we are all excited to get the season started and March 27th at UTI will be the unofficial start of the 7th FD season." Over 24 of the top Formula DRIFT teams will be bringing out their 2010 competition vehicles for annual technical inspection. This will be the first glimpse of many new vehicles and drivers including Samuel Hubinette's new Dodge Challenger, Michael Essa's new BMW 3-series powered by a M5 motor, and the 4-rotor Mazda RX-8 of BMI Racing. At 1pm Nitto Tires will announce their official drive lineup for the 2010 Formula DRIFT season. Attendees will also have the opportunity to meet Formula DRIFT drivers, teams and techs, and watch the pre-race inspection live. On hand will be industry displays, food vendors and promotional giveaways (while supplies last) that include Round 1: Streets of Long Beach tickets. An autograph session with Formula DRIFT pro drivers will be held at 2pm with confirmations from Vaughn Gittin, Jr., Ken Gushi, Dai Yoshihara, and the 2009 champion Chris Forsberg. For prospective students interested in automotive training, UTI will provide tours and information about its various technician training programs and financial aid. (Financial aid is available for those who qualify.) Instructors and graduates will be available to speak to individuals interested in careers in the automotive industry. "UTI is honored to continue as the 'Official Technical School of Formula Drift' and host Tech Day at our Rancho Cucamonga campus to kick off the 2010 series," said Mark Harston, events manager at Universal Technical Institute. "The relationship between UTI and Formula Drift is complementary. We are always looking for ways to give back to the community and motorsport enthusiasts, and the open access that Formula Drift has given to them is truly unique. We look forward to working with the series and teams again this year to help advance the sport of drifting, while creating awareness about technician training and careers throughout the industry and motorsports."

Tuner Maneuver Magazine Releases Issue 1 Of Their Virtual Magazine

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 07:25:46 -0700

Tuner Maneuver Magazine releases a new magazine software format that makes their magazine more realistic and interactive. This format makes the magazine have actual pages and covers that you can flip with the touch of a mouse. They plan to produce monthly publications 12 times a year. Tuner Maneuver Magazine is an online community dedicated to the automotive car culture, lifestyle, clothing and more. Tuner Maneuver Magazine believes with this new software format they can be dedicated to bringing the true automotive lifestyle and motorsports enthusiast the most relevant content possible. They will be taking the best features from the industries events, feature cars including tuner cars, performance trucks, and street cars and more, industry news stories, street racing videos and much more and we combined them into one dynamic magazine. The automotive scene is full of energy and action and Tuner Maneuver Magazine is capturing that energy and passing it on to you. Tuner Maneuver Magazine (www.tunermaneuvermag.com) plans to offer very competitive and economical friendly advertising prices for everyone. For a full page spread advertisement in a monthly issue is only $50.00, if you want to get the message across even more they offer a two page spread for $100.00 an issue. They also have banner ad advertising packages starting at $125 a year. If you're interested in any of them or looking for more information contact Jay Wyman at <a href="mailto:info@tunermaneuvermag.com">info@tunermaneuvermag.com</a> for more information.

52nd Annual March Meet Auto Club Famoso Raceway Photographs From James Drew Photography Posted

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:42:59 -0700

Hello racers and fans I am still in the process of uploading photographs from this years 52nd Annual March Meet 2010 held at Auto Club Famoso Raceway, I have along with Tim Submitted are photos to be used by NHRA National Dragster coverage of the race, if you arestill awaiting photographs or C D's give me a few more days as we took 12 thousand photos and it has taken me longer to get the seperated by classes I am working long hours on computer every day and it will be aweek or more until all photos have been posted to my website <a href="http://public.fotki.com/1320Sherlock/all-2010-photograph/52nd-annual-march-m/" target="_blank">http://public.fotki.com/1320Sherlock/all-2010-photograph/52nd-annual-march-m/</a> or if u only ran Pre March Meet testing here isa link to that <a href="http://public.fotki.com/1320Sherlock/all-2010-photograph/pre-52-march-meet-t/" target="_blank">http://public.fotki.com/1320Sherlock/all-2010-photograph/pre-52-march-meet-t/</a> <a href="http://JamesDrewPhotography.com" target="_blank">http://JamesDrewPhotography.com</a> I have gotten all Winners circle done Monday Semi & Finals Done along with what is listed below sorry Albums are so large 500 photos or more to help you with ur looking for your race car or team photos shoot me an e mail at <a href="mailto:drewphoto@aol.com">drewphoto@aol.com</a> if u can find one photo and cut and paste the url into the e mail i will look for rest of the photoswe have taken to help save us both time if u do not know how to do this write in mail photo album name vol # etc page row and # under photo Iwill find it cutand paste a url in a return e mail to confirm i am looking for the correct race car. Again Thanks James Drew Hot Rod AA A B C D Gassers and am working on putting up Pro 7.0 NE 1 II III

Preventing and Eliminating Swirl Marks on Your Finish

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:27:24 -0700

A common question that we hear is "My finish looks great, but when you look at it up close you can see all these fine scratches. How do I get rid of them?" These are especially noticeable on black or dark finishes. If you have ever had a black or a dark colored finish, you know what I mean! You will hear these referred to as "Swirl Marks or "Swirls". Swirls can be caused by virtually anything that comes in contact with your finish. Washing, drying and wiping, commonly causes swirls. Fortunately, there are some steps that you can take to reduce the likelihood of introducing new swirl marks on your finish. There are also a couple of ways to get rid of them and or reduce their appearance. Avoiding Swirl Marks when Washing Many people use sponges when washing their vehicle. The problem is that sponges have many pores that trap dirt and grime which inevitably scratch your finish. Instead of a sponge, use a Lamb's Wool Wash Mitt with a long nap. Refresh your mitt with new soapy water often during the wash process to release any grit introduced into the mitt. Another tip is to start at the top and work your way down to reduce the amount of dirt building up in the mitt, since that is usually the least dirty and grimy part of the vehicle. One cool product from Grit Guard is an insert that fits inside the bottom of your wash bucket that allows the grit to sit in the bottom and not be introduced into the rest of your soapy water. The Grit Guard also acts as an agitator when dunking your mitt into the bucket, which actually releases the grit, grime and contaminants to provide scratch free washing. Avoiding Swirl Marks when Drying and Wiping Another source of swirl marks is wiping or drying your finish. For example, many people use a chamois or terry cloth towels to dry their finish. A chamois works great, but not many people wash their chamois after wiping a vehicle dry. Consequently, the dirt builds up in the chamois and ends up scratching the finish. Terry cloth towels, although absorbent, can also scratch your finish. One solution is to use Micro fiber Towels. Micro fiber towels are less likely to scratch the finish and are more absorbent than terry cloth. Micro fiber Towels hold up to seven times their weight in water, which makes them ideal for drying and wiping. They can also be laundered and reused hundreds of times. My personal preference is to use 2 smaller micro fiber towels when drying. I ring one out as I go and immediately follow with another for a final dry. Your Two Options for Eliminating Existing Swirls - Polish or Fill Since Swirl Marks are really fine scratches, there are only two ways to reduce the appearance of them - either polish them out or fill them in. Polishing is really like "micro-sanding" or leveling the surface to blend the high spots in with the low spots using a high-speed rotary buffer. This requires skill and practice, and unless you have experience and skill buffing on a regular basis, I usually recommend hiring a professional since it is easy to ruin your finish without the proper experience, tools and knowledge. For example, the clear coat on today's finishes is only about as thick as a sheet of paper. Another option to reduce their appearance is to "fill" them in. This is something that virtually anyone can do, with products especially made just for that purpose. What these specialty waxes actually do is to fill the low spots of the swirl marks to reduce their appearance. Used just like a regular wax, the products will reduce the appearance of swirls, darken and improve the overall appearance of your finish and protect it at the same time! It is often said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure - that is the case here. By using these products you are reducing existing swirl marks and protecting against new ones. Additional Tips for a Swirl Free Finish When applying wax on don't use circular motions - instead just wipe it on lightly and go back and forth, slightly overlapping each stroke. Think or applying wax like painting a wall, a couple of thin coats are better than one thick coating. Use a professional product that is easy on and easy off and doesn't require undo pressure on the surface. Let the product do the work! Remove the wax the same way - and go easy wiping it off! Always use micro fiber towels and turn them over frequently. Always use clean wax applicators and micro fiber towels in good, clean condition. Summary To prevent swirls take care in washing, always use micro fiber towels to dry and wipe, and keep a good coat of wax on your finish. Other than making your finish look great and being easier to clean, wax is great protection against swirls. Wax is the barrier between your finish and the environment. A couple coats of a professional grade carnauba wax will conceal most swirl marks that are already there and help prevent new ones from occurring. And most of all - keep it fun! Scott Ellis is from Jax Wax Distribution Systems and is responsible for distributing Jax Wax Car Care Products retail worldwide. Jax Wax Car Care Products are widely used in commercial businesses such as detail shops, body shops, and auto dealers. Jax Wax is now packaging its products in smaller quantities for the consumer market. You can get fast, commercial quality results by doing the detail work yourself. For more information, go to <a href="http://www.jaxwax.com" target="_blank">www.jaxwax.com</a> or call 877-7JAXWAX.

Irwindale VW Drag Day Race Report

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:12:31 -0700

It almost didn't happen. All systems were "go" and we made the trip down to southern California for the CB Performance sponsored VW Drag Day. The trip down started out in typical fashion on Saturday morning. Then, while on the road, a little scratch in the throat and then a sniffle. Dang it. I was getting sick. The Wiess's (Allen & Sue) were once again our gracious hosts and our time with them was, as always, very enjoyable. We had dinner together at a Mexican joint not far from their house and returned to their house to watch rerun episodes of "Ice Road Truckers" before retiring. By the time race day rolled around, I was hammered hard. Cindy asked if we should just head for home, but I said no. I figured I would be miserable at home, and doubly so because we would miss out on the racing. So, we stayed and raced, and I did so under the influence of drugs. The really hard stuff too! Stuff like Tylenol Sinus given to me by Sue Wiess. Even though I was under the weather, I was still anxious to run the car to see how the rear spring change would affect the performance. Besides, we've always enjoyed going to Irwindale and the car has always run it's best 1/8 mile numbers there. We have always received a warm welcome from all the people when we are there too. At the drivers meeting before racing commenced, we found that we would be on a pro tree, and that the "Top Eliminator" (winners of all categories run-off to be the overall event title) had been eliminated from the program. We really like the pro tree format and I was very happy with that, but we did miss the TE run-off as we have won that prize twice before. Getting to work, we prepped the car for the first run. Air pressure, fuel, and a cursory check out to make sure nothing was out of place. With 17psi in the rear tires, the Blue Car spun the tires a little bit on the launch and went 7.32 @ 92mph. It went straight, so for the second run, the tire pressure was lowered to 14 psi and I added two clicks to the rear shock adjustment to stiffen 'em up just a bit. Run number two was 7.20 @ 92.42 mph, and the best 60 foot time the car has ever recorded, a 1.48! It exhibited a small pull to the left on that run, so I went back and added one more click to the left side shock for our 3rd and final qualifying run. Unfortunately, I missed the 1-2 gear change and aborted the run. It did launch pretty good though and went nice and straight. I decided to go with a 7.25 dial since the day was warming up. The car I had in round one was dialed 7.75, so he would get the go. This is where I almost screwed up. There is no "blinder" between the left and right tree lights. With my brain being "programmed" to the pro tree, I was looking for the first flicker of amber. The handicap didn't register until his lights started coming down and I came very close to leaving on his light! I caught it in time, but it did cause me to be a little late. We dodged the bullet though as he slowed and I drove around him for the easy win, running a 7.50 on my 7.25 dial. In round two/semifinals, due to the short field, there were only three left standing, Bruce Fordyce, Mike Sheldon and myself. I have a tremendous amount of respect for both those guys, both very good racers and very tough to get past. Ron Fleming, the lanesman and VW racing legend, (Aronson & Fleming, "Tar Babe" late 1970s) came up to the three of us in the lanes, and to determine who was to get the bye, asked for us to give a number between one and ten. The one furthest off would run one of the other two. Mike Sheldon ended up being the man out, so Bruce and I flipped a coin to see who would race Mike. I won the toss and the bye, then in their semifinal race Mike Sheldon advanced to the final over Bruce. In my bye run, I let 'er fly, and achieved the best 1/8th mile ET and 60 foot time the car has ever laid down. 7.11 at 94.69 mph with a 1.48 sixty. Cindy met me at the end with a big smile on her face to tow me back and said "I think you need to adjust your dial in!" So, it was another Mike & Mike battle in the final. I readjusted the dial to 7.15 and Mike was dialed at 6.92. Mike and I have had many match-ups over the years and I think we're about even. Mike is a guy I thoroughly enjoy racing because if you get past Mike, you've accomplished something. He also has a great sportsmanlike attitude. He doesn't like to lose, but he is gracious either way. All I can say is the Mike musta wanted it very much! He pushed it a little too much and drew the redlight! Meanwhile, it seems I either didn't get all the water off the tires on the burnout, or there was some water on the track as the blue car spun the tires at the launch and ran 7.27. So, we got our first win of 2010 at Drag Day. I must say that luck was on my side. Avoided a misstep in round one, got the bye run in round two, and on the winning side of a redlight in round three. When Cindy met me at the top to tow me back, she said, "this is one of those times it's better to be lucky than good!" I'd say we were good & lucky!

Race Season is coming

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 23:58:17 -0800

Bremerton Raceway starts racing on the first weekend in April. Wow fast approaching. Got the motor, tranny, etc. back into the car this last weekend. Sounds great. Did not do much to the car but make sure that everything was good to run another season. We did have the heads ported so I may pick up a bit which would be great. Need to complete the electrical changes that we are doing to the car essentially going from using the key to using a switch to start the car and then it will be ready to hit the track. I am hoping to do well this season as long as my health allows me to. It would be nice to win the Pro Bracket championship again as in 2008 but I am afraid that I may be expecting too much but that is the goal. I am really excited and can't wait to start driving.

TRACK!!

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 13:36:12 -0800

Is tired of sitting around!!! Its time to race!

Truck to go please! Cool video.

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 07:00:46 -0800

US cars to race in New Zealand at the annual Nostalgia drags.

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:35:57 -0800

Im visiting the US and trying to cram as much racing as i can until August. It would be good to chat to people who may be interested in taking their drag car to race in New Zealand one day. I have found a Kiwi company that can do very cheap rates on shipping...what ya reckon???

Irwindale VW Drag Day

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:59:26 -0800

We will be heading out Saturday morning for southern California to race at Irwindale for the Hot VWs magazine Drag Day. It is an 1/8th mile event. We've always done pretty well there at that race, and the car has consistently run it's best 1/8th mile numbers there. I now have six runs on the car since reconfiguring the rear suspension in the off-season. Upon close inspection after the March Meet and having a little handling trouble there, I found that I had adjusted the right side rear coil spring up 1/2" tighter that the left. With 550lb per inch springs, this meant the rear had 275 pounds more preload on the right rear than it did on the left. This was most likely the biggest contributing factor to the ill handling we we experienced at the March Meet. I also felt the rear was way too stiff. I chose the 550 spring because that is the most common among rear engine VW guys. I have changed these to 450s and have carefully adjusted them to even on both sides. We'll see soon how that works out. We will be running a class called Quick 16, in which the 16 quickest street legal cars will qualify. It too is a full a "full tree" race like the Hot Rod class at the MM. I have set the car up for pro tree racing since that is the majority of what we do. The challenge will be to "Back 'Er Down" enough to be able to compete on a full tree race. Hope to see you there!

M&H TIRES

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:32:21 -0800

I would like to give john and the M&H crew a huge thank you for dropping off my new slicks at march meet. Its hard to find that kind of service out there. thanks guys.

Bakersfield March Meet Race Report

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 06:46:50 -0800

"Largely Forgettable" were the words my friend and fellow E/Gas racer Garry Hastins used to describe his March Meet experience this year. That pretty much sums it up for in the performance department for us as well. The weather played a huge role this year in how things played out. Coupled with a change of the racing format, we were forced to make due with only two time runs on a sub 50Â° track. The 32 car funny field (40 cars going for 32 spots) caused considerable down-time from oil-downs as did a few early crashes. My hat is off to the Famoso crew! They worked valiantly to get the track as good as it could get, but with no sunlight on the surface on Friday and Saturday, many teams struggled with traction and control. Our first run first thing Friday morning was pretty good, even though it spun the tires a bit. A good .017 second reaction time and a 11.51 ET at just under 116, gave us something to smile about. That was the only run we would get that day. The rest of the day we walked the midway, watched what racing there was, and watched the clean-up crew in action all day. Those boys musta been tired at day's end! For Saturday's time run, I elected to lower the tire pressure to try to get more of a hold on the cold track. As I rolled up to stage on that run, they shut us off because one of the cars that went just before oiled the left lane. So we sat there for 40 minutes. It was cold enough to see my breath in the car. I elected not to make any changes for eliminations. The car hooked up, got on the wheelie bar and made a left turn of the guard-rail! I managed to drive it out, but missed the second gear shift from my body being out of position from making the steering correction. I attributed this "Left Turn" to a damp spot in the track that probably developed from the time sitting there. However, what it turned out to be was an unbalanced shock adjustment (which I didn't discover until after first round of eliminations on Sunday). Thinking it was a damp spot, I didn't make any changes before eliminations. The rest of the day was much like Friday. Numerous delays as the program got further and further behind. By Saturday evening, a little "event burn-out" on the whole thing was starting to take hold. Cindy and I left the track at 6pm, got some dinner, and went back to our hotel room, turning in early. Sunday's outlook was much brighter! Partly cloudy and otherwise sunny skies were on tap. Cindy and I got there early and prepped the car. It sounded good, and I was hopeful. I was paired with a low 10 second Pontiac, and with my 11.60 dial, I would leave first. I rolled up to the waterbox and did a healthy burnout and pulled into the beams being careful to stage as shallow as I could. On a full tree, I need to concentrate on that last amber. I drilled a hole thru it with my eyes and that amber was solid yellow when I let 'er fly. But I still saw the red light come on as the car got up HARD on the wheelie bar and made a hard left turn for the concrete barrier, I clutched it, bring it back down and under control and CURSED my way down the track. This is when I remembered that I had jacked the right side spring up the level the car as it sat 3/8" lower on that side with both springs adjusted evenly. I guess with the lower tire pressure, it was hooking hard enough to hit the wheelie bar hard, and unload the opposite side, causing the pull to the left. At least that's the consensus John Palmer, my friend Steve Long and I came up with. So, we were spectators the rest of the day. My good friend and VW racing buddy Troy Palmer had won his first round match-up, so it was up to him to carry the VW banner to the fight. As it turned out, Troy did not win his second round match, and the balance of the event was postponed until Monday. We went from Chicken Salad in 2009 to Chicken Crap in 2010. We still had some fun, we got a lot of attention based on last year's finish and got some more run data on the car. A few minor changes are in store this week before we make the trek to Irwindale for VW Drag Day. See you there!

Sold - 2004 Honda CBR1000RR For Sale - Sold

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 22:54:49 -0800

Honda CBR 1000RR, Honda CBR1000RR 4500 miles! Garaged everyday. Never Dropped. Runs Great. Oil Changed Regularly. This bike is a clean CHERRY. It is basically brand new. If you are looking for a brand new motorcycle but want to pay half the price, this is the bike for you. Call 661.699.3715 <img src="http://www.orbc.us/1000rr/left_45_small.jpg" alt="Left 45 degree" width="300" height="200" border="0"> <img src="http://www.orbc.us/1000rr/left_small.jpg" alt="Left" width="300" height="200" border="0"> <img src="http://www.orbc.us/1000rr/right_45_small.jpg" alt="Right 45 degree" width="300" height="200" border="0"> <img src="http://www.orbc.us/1000rr/right_small.jpg" alt="Right" width="300" height="200" border="0"> <img src="http://www.orbc.us/1000rr/rear_tire-small.jpg" alt="rear tire" width="300" height="200" border="0"> <img src="http://www.orbc.us/1000rr/front_tire_small.jpg" alt="front tire" width="300" height="200" border="0">

FORD FUSION AND FUSION HYBRID LURING NEW CAR BUYERS FROM OTHER BRANDS

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 06:57:09 -0800

The 2010 Ford Fusion and Fusion Hybrid, fresh off a sales record and a string of awards in 2009, are attracting more buyers who are new to the Ford brand than ever before. The Fusion, redesigned in 2009, saw "conquest sales," or sales to customers new to Ford, increase to 60 percent of total Fusion sales in February, up 6 percentage points from January and up 11 percentage points from the 2009 calendar year. The percentage of customers new to Ford purchasing the Fusion Hybrid reached 82 percent last month, up 12 points from January and 19 points from 2009. Fusion competes in a segment long dominated by some of the best-selling cars in the market, including Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima. Sales of the new Fusion Hybrid account for almost 20 percent of total Fusion retail sales and more than 60 percent of Fusion Hybrid sales have been to customers coming from import brands, including Honda, Nissan and Toyota. Fusion's share of the midsize car segment in 2010 has increased to 12.2 percent, up 4.4 points from the 7.8 percent share in the first two months of 2009. Like it did in 2009, Fusion posted the largest share gain in the segment of any competitor. Winning new buyers in the midsize segment is another indication that American car buyers value the craftsmanship and fuel economy offered across Ford's lineup. "It's extraordinary that a car could set sales records and continue to excel in an environment where overall industry sales in the midsize segment are down 19 percent from a year ago," said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president of Marketing and Sales and Service. Since the introduction of the redesigned Fusion in March 2009, the car has set monthly sales records for the nameplate in every month but one. In 2009, sales increased 22 percent to a record 180,671. Over the course of the year, Fusion's share of the midsize car market increased from 7.0 percent in 2008 to 10.5 percent in 2009. The gain - 3.5 points - was the largest gain for any car in the segment. Over the first two months of 2010, momentum continued after the Fusion Hybrid, with industry-leading fuel economy, won key awards - including being named North American Car of the Year and winning the MOTOR TREND Car of the Year award. <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=14026"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1267971985a730d73d.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=14027"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1267971987c66ce260e08.jpg" border="0"></a>

Tuner Manuever Magazine Now Has SMS/Text Alerts So You Can Stay Up To Date!

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 23:05:47 -0800

<img src="http://www.djpushkin.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/p_mobileemail.jpg" alt="SMS Alerts" /> Hey guys & gals, We now offer a new way for you to get alerts of news from Tuner Maneuver Magazine on your mobile phone via a text/sms message. If you don't have texting standard rates may apply. Stay up to date with TMM by signing up in right sidebar.

Preparations for 2010 NMRA/NMCA Season

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 23:00:08 -0800

As the 2010 season approaches we are working steadily to prepare the ShadowLands Mustang GT for the NMRA season. With our new Kicker Audio sponsorship we have high expectations for our team this season and are looking forward to bringing Kicker into the NMRA limelight. Our Mustang will feature a new engine combination based on a 298" stroker short block from Probe Industries/Coast High Performance. Combined with cylinder heads from our own ShadowLands shop and the superior flow capabilities provided by our new C&L intake manifold we are expecting the car to be a consistent low ten / high nine second performer. Backing up this power will be a 5R55S automatic transmission from Performance Automatic featuring the newly released SFI-legal bell housing and the deep pan / dipstick combination available from P/A. Complimenting the new transmission will be a new torque converter from Ultimate Converters. Power is then sent back via a Spydershaft aluminum, one-piece driveshaft to a serious 8.8 rear end built by Pyle Brothers Differentials. "Hook" is provided by the newly released upper/lower control arms from UPR, lightweight Billet Specialties Street Lite wheels, and killer M&H drag radials. Putting all this together is only made possible by our partnership with Strictly Performance in Houston, Texas. From custom parts, installation, and tuning the crew at Strictly knows how to build a winner. Further tuning by BamaChips keeps our Mustang in the winner's circle on a regular basis. Back inside our hot rod is the one thing that makes fast street cars enjoyable: a killer stereo system. The new Kicker Audio upgrade system for the Ford Mustang GT replaces our old Shaker 500 system and will allow us to showcase the power and clarity of Kicker components to the fans and fellow racers of the NMRA. This new system uses bolt-in components that are a direct fit replacement for the Ford audio components along with "plug & play" wiring for an easy, trouble-free installation. With Kicker components in your Mustang you'll be....Livin' Loud! We will also have a new set of Corbeau seats with 3" 5 point Corbeau silver camlock harnesses. We are happy to bring Corbeau into the NMRA/NMCA family and on board for our season. Stay tuned here at ShadowLands Racing for further updates and pictures of our hot rod once we're done with the upgrades, body components, and stereo system. And keep an eye out for our new ShadowLands t-shirts being designed by StreetCar 1320!!! Check back to see how you can get your hands on a few for yourself. The ShadowMaster

hitting the road

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 05:47:53 -0800

We getting ready to leave for the MARCH MEET. some of our freinds that are in the feild are not going because of weather, and that sucks. hope the weather man is wrong.

FORD'S U.S. SALES UP 43 PERCENT

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 03:04:05 -0800

Higher sales for every brand and in every product category propelled Ford Motor Company to a 43 percent sales increase in February versus a year ago. Compared with January, Ford's February sales are up 22 percent. "The strength of our new products and Ford's leadership in quality, fuel efficiency, safety, smart design and value are resonating with customers," said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, U.S. Marketing Sales and Service. "The good news is we have even more new products and fuel-efficient powertrains coming this year, and we expect our progress to continue." February sales were higher throughout Ford's line-up. Cars were up 54 percent versus a year ago, utilities were up 39 percent, and trucks were up 36 percent. Among brands, Ford sales were up 46 percent, Lincoln sales were up 19 percent, and Mercury sales were up 24 percent. Year to date through February, Ford, Lincoln and Mercury sales totaled 250,050, up 34 percent versus a year ago. <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=13927"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_126770060698e760e6dd.jpg" border="0"></a>

Recalls, Recalls and more Recalls

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 06:33:49 -0800

GM Recalls 1.3 Million Compact Cars for Power-Steering Issue General Motors Co. said it is voluntarily recalling 1.3 million compact cars, including the company's popular Chevrolet Cobalt model, because the cars' power steering could fail. The recall affects the 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalts, 2007-2010 Pontiac G5s, 2005-2006 Pontiac Pursuits sold in Canada and the 2005-2006 Pontiac G4 sold in Mexico. The auto maker told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about the recall Monday after finishing an investigation that began last year. The condition takes time to develop and tends to occur in models that are out of warranty, said GM Vice President of Quality Jamie Hresko. Toyota, Honda, GM - Did everyone forget how to make vehicles?!?

Tuner Maneuver Magazine Goes Virtual With Monthly Publication

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 06:15:16 -0800

Tuner Maneuver Magazine (www.tunermaneuvermag.com) will be producing a monthly virtual flip through magazine publication on a monthly basis and you can look for the first issue by April. TunerManeuverMag.com is an online community dedicated to the automotive car culture, lifestyle, clothing and more in the Midwestern States. We are dedicated to bringing the true automotive lifestyle and motorsports enthusiast the most relevant content possible. We take the best features from the industries events, feature cars including tuner cars, performance trucks, and street cars and more, industry news stories, street racing videos and much more and we combined them into one dynamic site. The automotive scene is full of energy and action and we are capturing that energy and passing it on to you through TunerManneuverMag.com our online publication and car magazine. We are not only about the cars but the lifestyle as a whole. Far from a fan-site, we cover all cars- domestics, imports, lowriders, muscle cars, classic cars, motorcycles & more! Tuner Maneuver Magazine delivers the best content through interactive, timely, and measurable means traditional media outlets cannot match. Tuner Maneuver Magazine offers savvy marketers an exclusive channel of communication with the most influential consumers and lifestyle trend-setters in the automotive industry. By utilizing interactive content, Tuner Maneuver Magazine brings valued audiences right to your front door. Tuner Maneuver - a magazine FOR enthusiasts, BY enthusiasts. They will have full page advertising opportunities starting at $50 a month. For more information email Jay Wyman <a href="mailto:info@tunermaneuvermag.com">info@tunermaneuvermag.com</a>

Dart to be Featured on Speed Channel!

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:39:15 -0800

The popular "Two Guys Garage" show, featured on the Speed Channel will be featuring a Dart engine package later this year! The episode will cover the building of a Factory Five Racing '33 Hot Rod kit, which will be put together in a mere five days! The car will be powered by a Dart Ford SHP small block engine which will be assembled on site during the show. No air dates have been set for the episode just yet, but expect it to air later this year. We'll post it here when we find out more! Update: The first air date for this episode will be April 4th. The show will air for three weeks!

This guy is The FOAT!

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:10:01 -0800

This guy is The FOAT! <object width="640" height="430"><param name="movie" value="http://www.thefoat.com/flash/FLVplayer.swf?videoID=844"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.thefoat.com/flash/FLVplayer.swf?videoID=844" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="430"></embed></object>

Roush Greg Biffle Win Tire Car Photo Guess Contest

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 18:56:16 -0800

Thanks to our friends at Roush (<a href="http://www.Roush.com">www.Roush.com</a> ) we are giving away a Roush signature Greg Biffle used win tire. The contest is very simple.Name the Car in this Photo: <img src="http://i580.photobucket.com/albums/ss245/tunermag/contest.jpg" alt="Roush Tire Contest" /> Winner must provide Years produced, Make, and Model by filling out the comment box below.

Mishimoto Automotive Design Contest By TMM

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 18:34:06 -0800

Hey guys, We are hosting our first contest. The rules are simple you are to photoshop a Tuned/Styled version of the car below in Jpeg format to <a href="mailto:info@tunermaneuvermag.com">info@tunermaneuvermag.com</a> subjected "Mishimoto Liquid Chill Contest". It must be 800x600 in size maximum. The top 3 car designs choosen by the staff of Tuner Maneuver Magazine will then be posted for the public and they will recieve Liquid Chill from Mishimoto the leaders in <a href=""">Racing radiator</a> applications. Contest ends March 12th. <img src="http://republika.pl/blog_oi_1072478/2167531/tr/nissan_skyline_r30.jpg" alt="Skyline" width="656" height="408" /> Let the fun begin!

EV Battery vs. Hydrogen Fuel Cell

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 10:57:41 -0800

I have been wanting to convert an older vehicle into an EV. I read an article on <a href="http://www.newscientist.com" target="_blank">www.newscientist.com</a> <a href="http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18511-sunpowered-water-splitter-makes-hydrogen-tirelessly.html" target="_blank">http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18511-sunpowered-water-splitter-makes-hydrogen-tirelessly.html</a> that says scientists have come up with an a type of solar panel made of inorganic molecules that uses the sun's energy to directly perform hydrolysis as opposed to using electricity. It is supposed to be relatively cheap to make and more than twice as efficient as using standard solar panels -> electricity -> electrolysis. So now, I wonder, should I start designs for a hydrogen powered vehicle or battery powered?

Dodge Ram SRT-10 Yellow Fever ED No 42 of 500

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 09:30:23 -0800

Performance: Built forged Motor Mopar Headers Mopar mids Mopar Comp Cam Elec cutouts port & polished TB TB spacer CrankCase Breather Catch Can volant CAI Custom magnaflow exhaust Cat delete Custom Compucar NOS 300 shot SCT Tuned by Torrie Edelbrock Air/Fuel Ratio Monitor system Gtech EGS w/OBDII Shift light M/T ET Slicks Stinkers Oil & Power Steering lines Best time to date 1/4 11.2 @ 119

Rep Tuner Maneuver With These Hot New Shirts!!!

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 07:05:51 -0800

<a href="http://www.cafepress.com/tunermaneuver"><img src="http://i580.photobucket.com/albums/ss245/tunermag/tunermaneuvershirt.png" alt="" width="364" height="311" /></a> Check out our hot new shirts by going to <a href="http://www.cafepress.com/tunermaneuver" target="_blank">www.cafepress.com/tunermaneuver</a> . These shirts are 100% made in the USA. So get them before they are gone!

Tuner Maneuver Magazine Now Has SMS/Text Alerts For Your Mobile Ph

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 06:43:45 -0800

Sneak Peak at the 2011 Porsche Cayenne

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 11:31:39 -0800

The eagerly-awaited Porsche Cayenne (Pictures Below) is finally here. At least, virtually, as the German carmaker will show this latest contraption at the Geneva Motor Show next week. Porsche says the car will hit European showrooms on May 8. The entry-level Cayenne will be equipped with a 3.6-liter V6 engine that develops 300 horsepower and is mated to an eight-speed Tiptronic S automatic transmission. The biggest improvements is in the fuel economy area, as the car now burns only 9.9 liters of gasoline per 100 kilometers (28.5 mpg) - an improvement of 20 percent as compared to the previous version. The Cayenne S is powered by a 4.8-liter V8 configuration, which received a power increase of 15 hp, so it now develops 400 hp. Fuel consumption was improved by 23 percent in this case to 10.5 l/100km (26.9 mpg). The Cayenne Turbo remains the top-of-the-range model, now developing 500 horsepower thanks to the 4.8-liter twin-turbo V8 engine it is equipped with. Overall, the new Cayenne is longer and lighter as compared to the current model. Specifically, it is 48mm/1.9-inches longer than its predecessor (it now measures 4,846mm) while the wheelbase has been extended by 40mm/1.6 inches (2,895mm). Furthermore, owners who are looking to get more interior space can benefit from the sliding rear seat that could provide 160 mm (6.3 inches) of additional legroom. As for weight, the new Cayenne is 180 kilos lighter. <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=13326"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1267126046a795e.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=13327"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_12671260526147fb20ab.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=13328"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_126712605912c4d7ed2b26.jpg" border="0"></a>

Learn from home with our online classes!

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 12:06:09 -0800

Some short video clips from a recently held live online class. Learn from the comfort of your home. No stress, no travel, no large classes! One on one with a live instructor! <a href="http://efituningtech.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=120&t=136" target="_blank">http://efituningtech.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=120&t=136</a>

Famoso TnT Before the March Meet

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 08:09:08 -0800

This would be our first test session after doing all the chassis work. While the weather report showed it might dry up enough allowing us to get some runs, the track was virtually under water when we arrived and this is what it looked like... <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=13139"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1266853973e00ac02.jpg" border="0"></a> The Famoso crew worked their tail off to get the track and staging lanes dried off, and then it started raining again at 10:30am. Finally at around 2pm we were good to go. I debated on whether I should take it easy on the first run to make sure everything would be good, but I'd driven it around a little at the Clovis Rodeo arena parking lot the week before, so I knew it ran OK and stopped and steered. So, I went for it on the very first run. Although not a personal best for the car, considering we didn't have a baseline for the new suspension, it still ran just a tenth off it's best at 11.50 @ 116 mph. The sixty foot times were close to the best we've had at Famoso at 1.53, and considering it was a cold green track with no rubber, we were very happy with that. Also add a .040 reaction time on a 4 tenth pro tree for the first run after a winter lay-off with no practice, I was happy with that too. I loosened the rear shock for the next run and it didn't like it, slowing to an 11.61 with a 1.59 sixty. That was all we could run on Saturday. On Sunday, it didn't look all that promising weather wise either, but they opened the lanes at 11am and we got in line right away. Moving the rear shock adjustment 2 clicks stiffer than the first run got good results and lowered the air pressure on the M&Hs to 15psi. I had also riched the fuel up since it was really good air. It liked everything but the jet change. Putting down an .50 light, a 1.52 sixty and running 11.53 at 113 and change. The numbers to the eighth mile were better, but it was lazy on top, so I'm guessing it was too rich. Anyway, I think we are ready for the March Meet in two weeks Prayers for those who were injured at Phoenix this weekend

Tragedy at NHRA event, Woman Killed

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 06:58:33 -0800

While the sport of Top Fuel drag racing is inherently dangerous, no one expects for the spectators be in danger's way. That was not the case on Sunday at Firebird International Speedway in Chandler, AZ. The incident happened during Antron Brown's first round run, in which the dragster lost traction, spinning out of control. Damage to the car caused the vehicle's left rear tire to detach, sending it into the stands. The unidentified woman was air lifted from the track to Good Samaritan Hospital but died during treatment of her injuries. The National Hot Rod Association released a statement Sunday evening on NHRA.com. The following was taken directly from their website: "A woman who was struck by a tire earlier today at the NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird International Raceway was pronounced dead at Good Samaritan Hospital this evening. The tire became detached from Antron Brown's dragster following an incident during the first round of eliminations. Brown was not injured." "NHRA is investigating the incident. The entire NHRA community is deeply saddened by today's incident and sends its thoughts and prayers to the woman's family and friends." As for Antron Brown's account of the accident, he said, "It felt like the back end just dropped out and the car started pitching end-over-end. At that point, I was upside down, and in my mind, things were going crazy. I was just hoping I didn't go into Troy or into the other lane. The next thing I knew, I hit the wall." It is unclear whether or he knew of the woman's injuries at the time of his statement to Speedtv.com The NHRA has proven to be a fairly safe spectator sport throughout it's history, despite the dangers that drivers face on the track. This is believed to be the first spectator death in the NHRA since the mid-1970s. <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=13138"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1266850321e2de72e84a4.jpg" border="0"></a>

Koenigsegg CCX vs Ferrari 430 Scuderia

Sun, 21 Feb 2010 07:57:37 -0800

If you wanted to know which one was faster! <object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/m0jTCsQmPQk&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/m0jTCsQmPQk&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>

The Resurrection of the "Maniac Mazda" part 5

Sun, 21 Feb 2010 06:20:08 -0800

Mike Willmon, our NEDRA President recently moved down to Washington from Alaska to work in the EV field. This past Saturday he was at the Portland International Raceway showing off his orange Pinto electric drag car named "Crazy Horse. This was the Friend's of PIR's opening day at the track celebration. John Wayland was also there showing electric drag racing footage in a booth under the new NEDRA banner that his wife Cheryl had just made. While in Portland Mike is picking up the 360 volts of Enersys batteries that John has so graciously offered to me for the "Maniac Mazda" in order to get her running. He will be bringing them home to Lacey, Washington with him. This gets them a 100 miles closer. I only have to plan a 100 mile trip to pick them up unless I can persuade Mike to come up next weekend :-) Monday M & H tires is shipping out two 325/50R15 rear drag radials with 11 inches of extremely sticky compound. Michael from M & H says they are running them on some 9 second cars. They are also shipping out two 185/75R15 radials with 5" wide matching tread for the front. These tires are all DOT approved so we can be street legal in order to do some of our testing on remote back roads using a G-Force meter. We did this with earlier versions of the car when we first put in the four T-Rex controllers. We had massive traction problems on the street with this set up and the 216 volts of prototype Inspira batteries. I will be able to tell right away how sticky the tires are:-) A couple weeks ago I applied for a personalized license plate from the State of Washington. It will say: SUKAMPS. I should know tomorrow if I am getting sponsorship from Extreme Dimensions for a GP-1 body kit. You can see it here: <a href="http://www.extremedimensions.com/9193.html" target="_blank">http://www.extremedimensions.com/9193.html</a> We plan on doing extensive modifications to the hood as well as locating thin headlights in the bumper area. We will weld and mold in the old headlight openings and drop the hood line down so that it is straight across the car with no dips where the old headlight buckets lifts were located. We will block off the front air intakes with dark smoked lexan. We do not need to be sucking in that much air through the front and causing more drag. Besides I threw away the radiator years ago:-) The lower center scoop will be a great place for the front license plate. The rear will get major tail light modifications as well. My friend Sam is still working on the timing advance control. Due to a tip from Bob Schneeveis suggesting solenoids Sam is looking it large speaker coils. They react extremely quickly and can be made to go exactly the distance you program them for. We will be mounting two small TV screens in the dash with cameras that are watching the brushes. Bob Schneeveis used fiber optics on "Silent Thunder" Bonneville electric Ford Taurus to monitor the brushes on the four eight inch motors. This car did 135 mph at Bonneville and ran out of gearing, not horsepower. I had a great conversation with Bob a couple of weeks ago. He has always been an inspiration and is quite the character.

Parise Racing and Wounded Warrior Project team up in 2010 !

Sat, 20 Feb 2010 07:43:43 -0800

For Parise Racing it is not just about the numbers on the board and the incredible paint schemes. For Andrew and Dina Parise, it's also about honoring our Nation's Veterans and currently serving Military personnel. "We feel as if we have created a well rounded program to honor our Veterans," Stated Dina Parise. "We began with the paint schemes on the cars (that translated to the crew shirts). I am excited to announce that we will now be working with the Wounded Warrior Project. Along with raising donations, we will be running some other great programs for our Veterans throughout the season. We have a vision to create an environment where the Veterans can enjoy a great day at the races, and the public can let them know how much they appreciate their service to our country. It's what they deserve." "We got the ball rolling last year," stated Andrew Parise. "Working along with Wounded Warrior Project, I believe we will fully achieve our vision. All donations we receive will go directly to the Wounded Warrior Project, and will support a full range of programs and services for severely injured service members and their families. Not only are we looking forward to a fantastic season of racing, we are also looking forward to the opportunity to thank our Nation's Veterans!" Wounded Warrior Project is a non-profit organization whose mission is to honor and empower wounded warriors. Thousands of troops have been wounded in recent conflicts, many of them suffering traumatic brain injuries, amputations and severe burns which may retire them from service. WWP serves to raise awareness and enlist the public's aid for the needs of severely injured service men and women, to help severely injured service members aid and assist each other and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs. "On behalf of the thousands of severely injured service members we aim to assist, we want to thank Parise Racing for its dedication to our nation's heroes. Its commitment is helping ensure the tremendous personal sacrifices service men and women have made for our country are not forgotten," said Wounded Warrior Project CEO Steve Nardizzi. For more information, please visit the Parise Racing website: <a href="http://www.pariseracing.com" target="_blank">www.pariseracing.com</a> Click on the 'our causes' tab. After you have read all about the great things WWP has done and will be doing for our wounded heroes, feel free to click on the 'Donate Now' button, and make a donation! It's quick, it's easy and you can do it right from <a href="http://www.pariseracing.com/causes.php" target="_blank">http://www.pariseracing.com/causes.php</a> ! Your donation is greatly appreciated! As this is a new venture for the team, please keep checking back for updates. Parise Racing would like to thank the following for their continued support: NGK - <a href="http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/" target="_blank">http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/</a> GoodYear - <a href="http://www.racegoodyear.com/" target="_blank">http://www.racegoodyear.com/</a>

Leffler and Harvick to battle in CA state showdown

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 07:59:02 -0800

Saturday's Nationwide Series showdown at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., could come down to a showdown between two California natives -- series regular Jason Leffler and Kevin Harvick. The two drivers are coming off drastically different finishes, though, in last weekend's season-opener at Daytona. Leffler, a Long Beach native, is hoping to bounce back after a dismal Daytona race. After being collected in a multi-car incident last weekend that resulted in a 33rd-place finish for he and his Braun Racing team, Leffler is looking to right the ship in his home state on the road to a 2010 season that he hopes will produce a series title for the first non-Sprint Cup full-timer in several years. If he's to right the ship at Fontana, though, he's going to have to overcome a history of poor performances at Auto Club Speedway. Historically, he hasn't run well there, or at least not consistently. His average finish at the track is 22.2, and he only has two top-10 finishes at Auto Club. Harvick, a native of Bakersfield, on the other hand, is coming off a third-place Daytona finish. He may not be an official Nationwide full-timer for 2010 yet, but he has hinted that he's pondering the possibility. If he does decide to once again race full-time in the Nationwide Series, he'll definitely be one of the favorites Leffler would have to go through if he's to claim a title for the independents. Auto Club Speedway is one of seven tracks Harvick has yet to post a win, but he's gotten close and has improved his finish there over the last three years. His last three finishes in Nationwide Series competition have each been better than the last -- sixth, third, and second. If Harvick continues the pattern, the only possible finish could be first. Saturday's Stater Brothers 300 at Auto Club Speedway can be seen live on ESPN2, beginning at 5 p.m. ET <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=12829"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_12665951082b99348b66.jpg" border="0"></a>

Tuner Maneuver Magazine Has Corperate Advertising Packages For $100 A Year!

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 21:14:56 -0800

Hello, TunerManeuverMag.com is an online community dedicated to the automotive car culture, lifestyle, clothing and more in the Midwestern States. We are dedicated to bringing the true automotive lifestyle and motorsports enthusiast the most relevant content possible. We take the best features from the industries events, feature cars including tuner cars, performance trucks, and street cars and more, industry news stories, street racing videos and much more and we combined them into one dynamic site. The automotive scene is full of energy and action and we are capturing that energy and passing it on to you through TunerManneuverMag.com our online publication and car magazine. We are not only about the cars but the lifestyle as a whole. Far from a fan-site, we cover all cars- domestics, imports, low riders, muscle cars, classic cars, motorcycles & more! Tuner Maneuver Magazine delivers the best content through interactive, timely, and measurable means traditional media outlets cannot match. Tuner Maneuver Magazine offers savvy marketers an exclusive channel of communication with the most influential consumers and lifestyle trend-setters in the automotive industry. By utilizing interactive content, Tuner Maneuver Magazine brings valued audiences right to your front door. Tuner Maneuver - a magazine FOR enthusiasts, BY enthusiasts. We have openings for corporate sponsorship advertising starting at $200 for a year which includes: A stationary banner on the side bar of our website A banner in rotation at the top A link on our blog roll and links page Postings of product releases and press releases We wear your apparel at events Can hand out literature at events Product Testing & Reviews Access to contest and giveaway hosting And Much Much More. These packages start at $200 a year or $600 for life.

AC induction motor controls for Electric Vehicles

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 18:41:20 -0800

I'm developing AC induction controls for Electric Vehicles. This craft is one of the most challenging for a power electronics engineer that has created controls for series and sepex brush motor controls

Bluebaugh Racing to Display at NHRA Arizona Nationals

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:59:10 -0800

We will be displaying the Magna Fuel Monte Carlo Pro Street Car on the midway in the PSCA booth at the NHRA Arizona Nationals. Firebird International Raceway; This weekend. Stop by and see us !! <img src="http://www.wforacingandmachine.com/images/3-13-09-tm-1-psca_237_erz7.jpg" />

Cars.gov allows government to takeover your computer

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 13:38:14 -0800

Plane crash kills 3 Tesla employees

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 14:20:06 -0800

Plane crash kills Tesla employees It's a tragic day for Silicon Valley electric-car startup Tesla Motors: A small plane owned by a Tesla employee crashed this morning after takeoff from Palo Alto Airport, killing the pilot and two passengers. "Three Tesla employees were on board a plane that crashed in East Palo Alto early this morning," CEO Elon Musk said in a statement. "We are withholding their identities as we work with the relevant authorities to notify the families. Our thoughts and prayers are with them." According to the Merc's report, the twin-engine Cessna 310 owned by Tesla employee Doug Bourn crashed into a residential street in East Palo Alto, causing damage to three structures, one housing a day care center. Fortunately, no one in any of the buildings was hurt. <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=12753"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_126644497885d9d82.jpg" border="0"></a>

Write up from welike2race dot com

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 22:53:28 -0800

Profile February 2010 Jr Comp Dragster Update! On the right is Ralph Lederer, owner of this super cool Jr Comp Dragster. Standing to his right is his son, and driver of the rail, Darien Lederer. This is a father and son team that has moved up the Jr Dragster ranks and are now planning to kick some tail in the new Jr Comp class! They had their first outing last weekend and fared pretty well with only minor problems! They hit the track, tried out the new setup, and made about sixteen passes in Arizona. On the last pass, the air shifter regulator malfunctioned. A team member drove to Phoenix for parts, but they failed to fix the problem. After a bit of parts swapping and tweaking, Darien was back in business thanks to the tuning capabilities of his Dad! These guys are on it! On Saturday, Darien was #1 qualifier with a 6.92 E.T. He finished up the day 1 activities with a runner-up finish. The team came back on Sunday and made #1 qualifier again! Darien then used his racing talent to take the win, running a best of 6.90 for the day. Great job guys! We can't wait for you to come to Redding! February 2010 - Jr Comp Dragster Buildup! This is a current buildup of a Junior Comp Dragster. It is being built in Sparks, Nevada and will see action in Sacramento, Redding, Washington, Colorado, and Arizona. The local owner and driver will be named upon completion of the dragster so check back with us for an update! The frame for this Jr. Dragster on steroids comes from Visions Race Cars and is NHRA certed to 7.50. It has a 180" wheelbase, is made of 4130 chrome moly tubing, and has a special flex design with an adjustable arch. Five point restraints will hold the driver in and a fire suit for this rail rocket is mandatory! This track slayer will be powered by a Suzuki Hyabusa 1300cc engine that is water cooled and has electronic fuel injection. The weight with motor is 525 lbs and steering is courtesy of a rack and pinion unit that is linked to a telescoping crush-zone steering column. It looks like these builders have it covered from all the angles! Putting the power to the ground will be a set of Hoosier 24x9-13 drag slicks mounted on Keizer wheels and the front rubber sits on Keizer wheels as well. Stopping this missle will be up to the Wilwood disc brake setup which is a custom design by Visions Race Cars. The black color will be replaced with a custom paint job when the wrenching is done! Other performance goodies going in are an MTC centrifugal slider clutch, custom splined axles, hub and drive unit, and an MPS air shifter. This rail should scream when it's done, and the best part is, it will do it on 91 octane unleaded fuel! Thanks to the new owners for the photos and be sure to send us some video footage when it hits the track! Want to see more? Just go to the Visions Race Cars website at: visionsracecars

Write up From Vacavilleinsider

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 22:51:16 -0800

"Avatar" has grossed more than $1.8 billion, but Darien Lederer will not be contributing a nickel to the movie's box office success. The 14-year-old has no intentions of seeing it. He prefers films that are a bit more frightening. Lederer does not scare easily. He became a certified scuba driver when he was 8 years old, has never met an obstacle he could not clear on his skateboard and gets a kick out of juggling fire sticks. Darian Lederer Not long from now an unsuspecting DMV employee will climb into a car with Lederer when the teen takes his driver's license test. That employee will have no idea what Lederer likes to do behind the wheel. Folks who hang out at dragstrips across California already know. Lederer feels the need for speed. He has his own a dragster and will compete in the National Hot Road Association's new Junior Comp (ages 14-20) category. "I'm just a daring person," he said. His father, Ralph, is going along for the ride for no other reason than there is little he can do to stop his son. As long as Lederer is a responsible racer, he has the green light to burn rubber on the weekends. Ralph speaks from painful experience when the subject is safety. Ralph crashed last year on his Suzuki motorcycle at the Redding dragstrip after reaching 120 mph. The motorcycle was totaled, but the motor was salvaged. It now powers his son's dragster. "It's safer than a skateboard," Ralph said of the machine he had built for his son. "He's completely strapped in. He knows how to handle the car." Lederer also knows he has to play by the rules. At a recent testing session in Sacramento, he covered 660 feet in 6.74 seconds by reaching 103 mph. The Junior Comp speed limit is 6.9, however. His dragster does not have a speedometer, so Lederer had no idea he was going so fast. "He's still a kid," Ralph joked. Lederer may be young, but the eighth-grader at Golden West Middle School is old enough to realize his dragster is not a toy. "It's serious," he said. "There's no messing around."

Ready to Roll

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 19:33:03 -0800

A couple of months ago, I posted an entry about the chassis work in progress on the Blue Car. Essentially, we threw out everything from the transaxle outward and rearranged the entire rear suspension set-up. There's not a lot of bolt-on stuff available for these cars, so everything was hand fabricated. We also converted to four wheel disc brakes from Wilwood, and spindle-mount front wheels to compliment the American Track-Star rear wheels. Brand new M&H tires at all four corners too! I started the project on November 1st and put the finishing touches on it this weekend. Some small stuff will have to be refined the next time the motor is out, but my goal to have it ready in time to run at the March Meet has been realized. <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=12257"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1266117425b6bc8c060c.jpg" border="0"></a> Took a cruise around the block today and nothing fell off, so tomorrow, we'll take it to an industrial park near the house and give 'er a couple short pokes. Our first runs down the track will come at Famoso on the 20th and assuming all goes OK, the next thing up is the Bakersfield March Meet. I can smell the nitro already!

Tuner Maneuver Magazine wants to know what you want to see in 2010

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:12:07 -0800

We over at Tuner Maneuver Magazine are looking for ways to improve all the time and we would like to know what our readers would like to see more of in 2010. So please let us know.

?

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:07:36 -0800

JUST INSTALLED MY NEW DRAG SEATS CANT WAIT TO DO SOME PASSES WITH EM THEY SAY 100 POUNDS = 1, 10TH OFF e.t

Contacted car builders world wide on the 7/2/2010

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:17:25 -0800

Att Engine technical dept. I have a way to reduce fuel consumption and maybe decrease carbon emissions on petrol engines. I think I have increased torque but its unmeasured. I have found a different way to port an engine, I tested my first engine back in 2002. I have a prototype running at the moment its a mild version of what I had in 2002, its an old nissan bluebird wagon with L20B engine (2000cc) with a carby, on the hwy I get in the order of 40 MPG 7.03 L/100km with a 75 deg C thermostat. My record is some where between 49 MPG 5.1 L/100km and 67 MPG 4.1 L/100km with a with a 96 deg C thermostat there is a 3.4 L fill up variation depending on the service station drive way slope. Are you interested? Do you buy new ideas? I would be interested in a collaborative effort. I would like to make an engine that would have to be fired after top dead center again. I have ported my 2nd engine and have some very good results and some bad results. My timing curve is nearly a straight line over the entire rpm range. I haven"t ported an EFI engine yet because I can see a few problems that still need to be sorted out. 1. The correct compression ratio. my first engine was 12.5 and the plugs lasted 3 days per set before shorting out. 2. Minimum injector flow rates. from the fuel consumption test I have done the current single injector per cylinder would be too low to idle smoothly see http://ampair.tripod.com/Fuel.html This test reveals a flow rate of about 13.6 cc/min at an idle speed of approx 830 rpm, my primary butterfly control is fully shut. I think that is about 50% less than normal. 3. Maximum injector flow rate is large 1172 cc/min@7000rpm however this is only a guess. 4. Ignition base line timing seems to vary overtime eg with carbon build up, it all ways goes lower so a knock sensor should be able to fix this with the right ECM. 5. Engine operation, temperature vs timing it has quite a drift. 6. Apply porting methods to crankshaft to reduce wind resistance to save fuel in the long term. 7. A redesign of inlet manifold would be better to incorporate 2 or more injectors per cylinder. I have no Idea of the cost when you come up with something new. I discovered this method over 8 years ago my first engine lasted only 3 months due to the timing that was needed to run it correctly with out knocking. I build a second engine in 2005 and still have it today. My timing slope is very different to, I had to write my own program and control my timing with a toshiba notebook.

The Resurrection of the "Maniac Mazda" part 4

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 06:47:20 -0800

We have the new motors on the bench with the advance mechanism upgrades installed by Jim Husted of Hi-Torque Electric in Redmond, Oregon just north of Bend. There are pictures in my photo albums. My friend Sam Maynard and I are now in the process of developing an an electrically controlled mechanism to advance the timing of the motors during a run. This has been done in the past with linear actuators but only in vehicles with no transmission. Due to the fact that shifting the car will reduce RPMs for a very short period of time we need a system that will react in milliseconds to retard the timing in relationship to the amount of RPM drop. This will be an important piece of engineering for our project. I have already picked up all the aluminum adaptor pieces from Pete Langley of the Port Townsend Foundry. He kindly sponsored all the polishing. They look great! Last week end we drove up to Sequim with a rented tow dolly and got the "Maniac Mazda" out of storage and back here to Port Townsend where it resides in my driveway. It will not fit in my garage because it is all filled with tools and equipment. Yesterday the weather was fantastic. A very warm spring day at the end of the first week of February while the Northeast coast is under a couple feet of snow. More later as we continue our work. We have to have it done and tested before May when it will be shipped to Europe to be featured in the World's First International Electric Drag Race. Besides regular racing I will be doing an exhibition run against a Mig-21. This event will be filmed by Chris Paine's film crew for his upcoming sequel to "Who Killed the Electric Car" tentatively titled "Revenge of the Electric Car. I may also put it on display in France at the World's First All Electric Grand Prix to be held in a superb of Paris.

Fast & Furious 5 !!??!!

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 20:19:29 -0800

<img src="http://i580.photobucket.com/albums/ss245/tunermag/fast_and_furious_01-535x227.jpg" alt="Fast & Furious Fast 5" /> Well... The long awaited question has been answered Fast & Furious 5 will be made and why wouldn't it with the way the last movie ended. Fast & Furious 5, Called Fast 5 will be in the making this year confirmed by Vin Diesel & Paul Walker. According to Vin Diesel's Facebook page- "If 2009's 'Fast and Furious' was chapter one, what writer Chris Morgan just delivered is Chapter 2 and chapter 3. I have never been submitted a two story saga from a studio before... it is very exciting, and shows a commitment level that is hard not to respond to. Excited about the sexy locations the filming of this sag..." What does this mean ? A Fast & Furious 6 will always be making its way to the big screen. We will have to wait and see where this goes. The F&F 5 will be released some time in 2011. I wonder where they will be this time?

Win a FOAT shirt and hat!

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:40:56 -0800

Win a FOAT shirt and hat by entering TheFOAT.com Super Bowl Contest. Participation is simple and FREE: 1. You must be a register member of TheFOAT.com - If you are not a member you can register here <img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1265412335992a675b89d4.jpg" border="0"></a> 2. Choose the winning team (you have two choices New Orleans Saints or Indianapolis Colts). 3. Guess the combined total of the final score between the two teams (i.e. if you think the final score is going to be Saints 10 and Colts 7 you would want to choose 17 total points). 4. One entry per member (all other entries will be removed) 5. Place your entry in the comments section below. How the winner is selected: First, you must select the winning team. Second, you must come the closest to the combined total of the final score (It doesn't matter if you go over or under as long as you are the closest). In the event of a tie we would go to the combined total of the final score you guessed. If there are two or more members that came the closest to the combined total final score we will go to the second tie breaker which is the member that has the most current FOAT Series points (Jan. 1, 2010 - April 30, 2010). The prize is a free FOAT shirt and hat. <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/fa/foat_store"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_126539872535852.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/fa/foat_store"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1265398727d3320b14e.jpg" border="0"></a> If you would like to purchase a shirt or hat you can do so here. <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/fa/foat_store">http://www.thefoat.com/fa/foat_store</a> Happy Super Bowl, TheFOAT.com ** Absolutely no entries accepted once the game starts. ** ** Employees and family members of TheFOAT.com not eligible. **

FOAT member wins the 2009 Goodguys National Homebuilt Heaven Award-Thanks

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:48:51 -0800

Thanks to all, we just found out that we have won the 2009 National Goodguys Timberland Pro Homebuilt Heaven Award. Many Thanks to all our friends that voted. Click on the link below for more of the story. This was one of those once of a lifetime Blessings. See you at the Detroit Autorama http://www.good-guys.com/news/newsStory.aspx?newsid=1456

Virgin unveiled the latest addition to Richard Branson's luxury fleet

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:51:57 -0800

<a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=11354"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1265172551d5ce3db597.jpg" border="0"></a> Virgin unveiled the latest addition to Richard Branson's luxury fleet on Friday: an underwater plane that will fly riders into the depths of the Caribbean Sea. Guests on Necker Island, a retreat in the British Virgin Islands, will be able to dive underwater in a submarine dubbed the Necker Nymph for $25,000 a week. But that's only after shelling out around $300,000 for a one-week stay on Necker, the private island owned by billionaire and Virgin Group chairman Richard Branson.

We Have lost KS Pitman

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 21:21:50 -0800

KS was one of the top gas racers of all time. K.S. Pitman was 82 years old and born July 7, 1927. I had the good fortune to meet K.S. when he raced at LACR during the NDRA days. He was always a high class guy who loved what he was doing. I was in the tower announcing when he took his new 33 Willys on a wild ride through the Christmas tree and then guard rail to guard rail.

RJ Fabrication ~ 1948 Austin Devon A40 Streetable Drag Car

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 23:47:24 -0800

Wheel and Tire Upgrade

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 20:54:33 -0800

My tires are almost done, and soon I'll have to drop about $450-$500 on a new set... It always amazes me how much tires cost, but I suppose you only have to buy them every 30k-50k miles. I came across a set of wheels and tires for sale in a forum that I belong to for about $700. I did some quick math to support my impulse urge to buy, and it works out in my favor. :) So soon, my car will look like this: <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=11150"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1264912668b1bfc51e.jpg" border="0"></a> And the tires will be <a href="http://www.falkentire.com/Tires/Azenis-RT-615-14">Falken Azenis RT-615</a>. They are W rated tires, meaning they can handle speeds up to 165 mph, though my car can easily reach just 3/4 of that. They look like a great radial, and they have about 50% life in them. Not bad. Thanks for reading.

Nissan Rogue

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 20:14:38 -0800

Well, my GF bought a new 2010 Nissan Rogue. I have to say that our initial experience with it has been very pleasant. It drives like a sport compact. It has a great turning radius, easy to parallel park, quick acceleration, stiff suspension (yet smooth), and it comes with many comforts. We are currently enjoying the SAT radio that comes with the SUV for a few months free. If you search for consumer reports and stats for the Rogue, they aren't very good. However, Nissan is a solid company and their price point and options were exactly right for her to choose it over the Honda CRV and Toyota Rav4. To her, it just seemed like a better vehicle, and I have to agree. So if you're in the market for a fuel efficient mid sized SUV (Crossover), take a look at the <a href"http://www.nissanusa.com/rogue/">Nissan Rogue</a>. <img src="http://autonorth.squarespace.com/storage/NissanRogue09.jpg">

10" Wide Drag Racing Videos

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 09:07:51 -0800

Hello F.O.A.T. members. Visit our web site for wheel standing, bumper dragging, parachute popping street car drag racing action. Use coupon code "1320" to receive $10 off of our latest two DVD release. www.10wideracing.com

Money Never Sleeps

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 19:16:08 -0800

Ok..VW, now you're impressing me.

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:41:26 -0800

<img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/vw-r.jpg"> BMW has M. Mercedes has AMG. Audi has Quattro. Now Volkswagen is slated to launch the R brand as its own separate performance division. This according to a report from Inside Line, quoting an unnamed VW exec during the launch of the new Golf R. The official announcement is expected at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show in March. After that, it'd be reasonable to expect additional performance models to come out of the new R GmbH. So far we've got the new Golf R (which is expected to arrive in North America early next year), the Scirocco R (which, to our eternal chagrin, remains grounded overseas), and there are reports of an upcoming Jetta R (previewed by the New Compact Coupe concept unveiled in Detroit), to say nothing of appearance-only packages like the CC R-Line. Push comes to considerable shove, the reported formation of R GmbH only stands to bring some exciting new offerings to the street. http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/28/report-vw-to-announce-formation-of-r-performance-division-in-ge/ <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=11021"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1264729841cd018273f8.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=11022"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_126472984988a249.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=11025"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1264729871aaa92ce4c08.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=11023"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1264729854899736889cd6.jpg" border="0"></a>

www.bryantlayton.com

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 08:57:33 -0800

Check out my new website www.bryantlayton.com register and tell me what you think. Thanks, Bryant

I need this to get around!

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 11:40:42 -0800

fan

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 07:15:17 -0800

When the S#*t hits the fan ...DUCK!

Nissan LEAF

Sat, 23 Jan 2010 06:02:57 -0800

<a href="http://www.nissanusa.com/leaf-electric-car/#/car/index">Nissan LEAF</a> Nissan is coming out with a 100% electric vehicle called the LEAF. It looks a little funky from the outside (not as bad as the Insight and Prius), but I'm happy to see other companies developing options. I'm tired of the usual Toyota and Honda EV cars. Interesting how it seems Nissan will beat GM's VOLT, by coming available first. That is VERY interesting to me since GM came out with that EV1 car a decade ago. Another example of how they were sitting on a gold mine without one shovel. <img src="http://www.nissanusa.com/ev/media/images/nissan-ev/gallery-1.jpg" alt="Nissan LEAF" />

Cool Guys don't Look at Explosions

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:50:00 -0800

?

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 15:49:21 -0800

Puddle of mud ...Duh???

Dynoed the Cobra on the giggle gas

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:11:07 -0800

Well after a 2 1/2 hour drive to the tuner, Greg at Racers Edge Tuning whom is hands down the best tuner in all of California.... the 7th pull we hit the magic number with the jets. I wanted a 70 shot and the car put down 571 hp 616 tq. I was wanting more but he made it conservative and I am good with that. I want hp and tq over 600 but the car was hot and it was 70 degrees with 91 octane fuel. Cant ask for much more than that.

i need major help

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 20:20:57 -0800

i just bought a 1990 iroc-z28 camaro, with a 350 tuned port injection motor. The motor is all stock, but it gets horrible gas mileage. I think it is running rich, but the check engine light isnt on, so I want to know what i can do to the motor to get better mpg. Let me know if there is any mods or hook ups that i can do to it. thanks

space

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 17:52:23 -0800

Along time ago in a galexy far a wasted ,I'm basted comon yea .....

Thanks to all for visit in my profile

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 15:08:06 -0800

Check out a You Tube Video on our Starliner done by Ford TV at Carlisle 2009

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 19:50:14 -0800

Also Please vote for our Starliner in the Goodguys National Home Built Heaven Award. Log on to www.good-guys.com to vote http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_y-4EtB5R4w Thanks

"Gone Postal" 5, Woodburn Nationals, 2004

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 22:10:42 -0800

Here is the full story of "Gone Postal" at Woodburn Dragstrip in Woodburn, Oregon, September 25th at NEDRA's Woodburn Nationals. The new front axles were installed weeks before but there wasn't any nearby tracks open before Woodburn so "Gone Postal" had sat in the shop for about two months with the batteries charged as delivered by Rich after he was done testing and taking it to the Greenwood Car Show in Seattle and a parade in Kingston. I knew the first run wouldn't be great as the batteries were cold and hadn't been cycled so I figured I would take a run down the track to warm them and fill em up. Also the rear drive according to Rich was turned down to 1300 amps. That's like in Raptor territory, not Zilla numbers. Also Oat had suggested we try a third gear launch instead of second and I wanted to test his theory and see if we got a better 60 foot time than our previous best of 1.89 seconds. I pulled up "Gone Postal" into the bleach box with the front wheels and did a burnoff in second to warm the front tires due to the traction problems we've been experiencing on the front. I did a smokey burnoff going a bit sideways but corrected as I approached the timing lights. I put it in third for the launch and when the lights came down I put the aluminum to the floor and the launch felt great. We did the sixty foot in 2.154 seconds and we crossed the eighth at near 80 mph, 0 to 79.85 in 8.861 seconds to be exact. Not too bad for a two ton plus block of lead. As Bill Dube says we're fighting that old cube law. Bill has told me: " The HP requirement to overcome the aero drag is the cube of the velocity. You also must toss in a "square law" to accelerate the vehicle to the end velocity." He has told me it might not be impossible but it would be very difficult to accelerate this brick to over 100 mph in the quarter. I agree with Bill on this and I know it is not any easy task but I bit it off knowing this. I thought the accomplishment would be more significant in the minds of John Q. Public. I want old John Q. to think that he has a much better idea than me and that he could go out and build himself a light weight aerodynamic vehicle and kick my ass. Of course this is the psychological motivation for doing it the hard way. Well, back to the track, right around the eighth mile I shift into fifth gear and also right about then the built in series/parallel function of the Zilla's "Hairball" kicks in and I have to hold on as the electric nitrous slams be back in the seat. Well I kept waiting and waiting and nothing happened. We crossed the line on our first cold run at 14.007 seconds at 92.91 mph knocking almost two seconds from our previous world record in MP/B of 15.907 seconds at 90.66 mph set at Las Vegas. I went back to the pits and was somewhat perturbed by the series/parallel not functioning. I did some inquiries and found that one of our crew members who shall remain nameless had rewired "Gone Postal" without my permission or knowledge and had disabled the series/parallel function from automatic to manual and had installed a switch that I was not informed off. I was a bit ticked off to say the least. I wanted to turn the rear drives up to the full 2000 amps for the next run but was unable to get this accomplished because the same crew member who is in charge of programming spaced out bringing his lap top. Well I was all charged up and it was the electrics turn to run again so I said what the heck, I'll just use the manual switch which won't be as effective as the "Hairball" computer that Otmar has programmed to switch at just the right moment. I did another smokey burnoff in second then shifted to third for the launch. I launched very hard mostly due to warm batteries. It must have been only about thirty feet out judging from my 3.374 sixty foot time when I heard a horrible noise as I lost power. There was major crunching sounds coming from the Corrado transaxle. I realized I was done racing for the day. As I was coasting to a stop some weird force overtook me and I said to myself what the heck and shoved the tranny into fourth gear and nailed it. As I shifted into fifth I remembered the series/parallel switch and hit it. I crossed the line at 98 mph flat at 18.324 seconds. Some things to ponder. In the first run without the series/parallel mode I accelerated from 79.85 mph at the eighth to 92.91 mph in 5.146 seconds with a gain of 13.06 mph. With series parallel in the second run I accelerated from 73.08 mph in the eight to 98 mph in 5.101 seconds with a gain of 24.92 mph. Looking at these numbers shows that in about the same amount of time I almost double my mph on the far end using series/parallel. You all can be the judge of how far away "Gone Postal" is from breaking 100 mph in the quarter.

"Gone Postal" 4, Second outing, Bremerton Racway

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 22:01:47 -0800

Bremerton Raceway, Bremerton Washington, Friday April 30th, 2004. On the first run the tires were breaking loose in every gear. We broke absolutely nothing! We did have severe steering issues that turned out to be a loose rack and pinion box. The van had a much improved 60 foot time. In Vegas when we exited at 90.66 mph our 60 foot time was 2.809 seconds compared to our new 60 foot of 1.894. This is better than the Maniac Mazda's 60 foot time the first time it broke 100 mph at Woodburn in 1998. The Mazda turned a 12.379 ET at 109.44 mph with a 1.956 second 60 foot time. I feel we are on the right track. Much more dial in is needed. Our controllers were set to 1800 motor amps. We have 200 more times three motors or a reserve of 600 more amps of torque to throw at it.

"Gone Postal" 3, First outing at "The Strip" Las Vegas

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 21:57:56 -0800

In this blog I will be writing about our first time at the track in Las Vegas. I will work on this in the next few days. I want to get some build pictures up first in my photo section. Check back in a few days. Wildman

"GonePostal" 2, History of The Grumman/Olson Postal Van

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 21:47:39 -0800

History of the Kurbwatt Electric Postal Van Provided by Morgan Olson GRUMMAN OLSON EV EXPERIENCE In 1978, due to the energy crisis, the U.S. Postal Service expressed interest in using electric powered vehicles to deliver the mail. In response to this potential market, Grumman Olson embarked on a program to design and develop an all aluminum electric powered mini-van. The proven rugged light weight aluminum construction of the Grumman Olson truck body was a natural staring point for a small vehicle that had to carry 1000 pounds of batteries and still be able to carry the mail man and his mail. During the next three years, Grumman Olson Engineering and Production designed, built, and tested several prototypes to validate the durability and functionality of the design. The resulting vehicle was all aluminum-unitized construction that weighed only 2650 pounds including batteries. Gross vehicle weight including driver and cargo was 3200 pounds. The vehicle was 100% road worthy with all normal automotive systems and equipment and fully certified by testing to comply with all FMVSS requirements for special purpose IC powered vehicles. The vehicle was designed to meet all performance requirements of the USPS including a top speed of 55mph, 0 to 30 acceleration in 14 sec., and the 350 start/stop cycles. In 1981 the first ten production Kurbwatts were delivered to the USPS in Evansville, IN for use on regular mail delivery routes. Based on the success of these vehicles and input from the Postal Service, the design was further improved and in 1983 an additional 31 Kurbwatts were put in service in Cupertino, CA. All 41 remained in use by the USPS until 1992, and accumulated nearly half a million miles of daily service. Many more Kurbwatts would probably have been built had it not been for the easing of the energy crisis and the lack of improvements in batteries. A few Kurbwatts were also sold to other customers. Six of which were built for Long Island Lighting Co. Long Island, NY in early 1984 for research in the use of electric vehicles. These six vehicles were later donated to major universities around the country for continued research projects. In 1992 two of the LILCO Kurbwatts were acquired by the University of South Florida for use in a solar charging research program. One of the vehicles is still in use today and the other has been interned in the Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa, FL. It serves as the central focus of a solar energy display. Many of the Postal Kurbwatts have now been acquired by private individuals and are still in use today, including one in Bermuda. Grumman Olson demonstrated that a practical electric vehicle could be built to withstand the rigors of daily use

"Gone Postal" 1

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 21:19:18 -0800

"Gone Postal" was the name I choose for an ex postal van that we converted in to a high powered electric brick for a one hour Discovery Channel TV pilot titled "Sucking Amps". I already had the tattoo so the name fit well. This film was shot and produced by Craig Pilegian's Pilgrim Films and Television. He is the same producer that does "American Chopper". We were put under an extreme amount of pressure as they wanted this project built in six weeks. The Vehicle started life as a 1983 Grumman-Olson electric postal van. We chose this vehicle because we felt it was the most unassuming and unlikely vehicle for a high performance electric. It was originally set up as a 96 volt system with a Curtis 1221, 400 amp controller. It was a real dog with a 0 to 30 MPH of 13 seconds and a top speed of 55 MPH. For the show we faked pulling out a VW Rabbit engine so that we could show the public how a conversion from gas to electric is done. The front wheel drive was originally Volkswagen Rabbit. We knew that the Rabbit tranny would end up in broken bits if we tried to use it because of the extreme torque we were going to throw at it. We decided to go with a front transaxle from a 1991 VW Corrado G60. We originally used the 9 inch GE but later installed a nine inch Advanced DC motor our item # MT2120 after damaging the GE in Las Vegas. The nine inch ADC was coupled to the VW Corrado transaxle through a racing flywheel from Auto Tech with a Centerforce clutch and pressure plate feeding a Quaiffe spiral gear type positraction differential that also came from Auto Tech. We installed VW Golf front hubs and rotors in order to have larger front brakes and CV joints in addition to having a more usable five bolt pattern. These hubs are sprung by racing McPhearson struts by H & R Springs. The rear drive is supported by a custom designed aluminum box which ties into the frame in two places and also to the rear roll cage tubes. To this box mounts lower lateral links scavenged from a 1990s Subaru Legacy wagon. We also used the rear trailing arms which we boxed and gusseted. All control arms were made adjustable by welding in nuts and using heim joints so that we could adjust toe and camber. We also had to fabricate aluminum strut towers as the original rear suspension was a straight axle with drum brakes. The rear uses two eight inch Advanced DC motors. The ones we used were originally designed for the Sparrow EV. Each rear motor drives a single custom axle of heat treated 4340 steel. Each motor had a belt drive which has now been changed to a three row #40 chain which drives a bigger sprocket that drives a primary axle and hub assemble. All the belt drives and chain drives were supplied by Applied Technology. The original primary drives sheared the keys in Las Vegas when we turned the power up. The rear final drive axles are custom made with splines for 100 MM VW Bus CVs on one end and Subaru Legacy on the other. We also used the rear hubs and disc brake assemblies from the Subaru Legacy which have the same bolt pattern for the wheels as the front VW Golf hubs. The axles drive 315 by 35 series 17 inch Nitto Extreme Drag radials with twelve inches of rubber on the road. Can you say traction! These tires are mounted to beautiful Pentangle wheels made by Budnik Wheels. We are running a rear drive ratio of 3.75 to 1. The new chain drive appears to be able to handle the instant torque but the axles won't. We snapped one in testing getting ready to go racing. We are now going to larger CV joints made of 300M steel by boring and splining our hubs. We are also having custom large axles made of 300M as well. We are shooting for axles that can handle 800 horsepower. We are tired of staying home from the track due to breakage. The heart of the electrical system and where all the power comes from is the batteries. We are using Exide's new XCD (extreme cycle duty) spiral wound lead acid batteries. We have tested these batteries and they have more power density than anything else on the market today. We have tested them to an 1800 amp draw for ten seconds until they started melting the test equipment. You can really suck the amps out of these batteries without damaging them. They are beyond awesome. We use 40 of these batteries in two series strings of 240 volts each. We mounted them low and in the center of the vehicle so that it would handle well. These batteries feed two Zilla 2000 amp controllers built by team member Otmar Ebenhoech. These in turn take the power from the batteries and feed it to the motors. We have one mounted in the front to feed the front motor and one in the rear to feed the two rear motors with series/parallel switching of the motors which is handled by the Zilla's "Hairball Interface". The series/parallel switch effectively gives us an electric two speed. When we launch in series both motors see the full maximum controller amperage which we program in. So if we are set at two thousand amps then each motor sees the full two thousand amps but only half the voltage. When battery current equals motor current the "Hairball Interface" switches the motors to parallel. Now the motors see the full voltage and since RPM is related to voltage in a series wound motor the motors try to spin faster causing the vehicle to continue to accelerate. At this time each motor is only seeing half the amps. To keep the batteries happy we charge them with team member "Madman" aka Rich Rudman's power factor corrected charger. On the rear we run a Bomz Racing rear spoiler which keeps the rear of the 4350 pound "Gone Postal" van planted on the ground at over 100 mph ;-)

CRZ Live Launch by Honda

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 10:32:39 -0800

Jan, 11, 2009 in Detroit: <object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="400" height="320" id="utv45608"><param name="flashvars" value="autoplay=false&brand=embed&cid=2546367"/><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"/><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"/><param name="movie" value="http://www.ustream.tv/flash/live/1/2546367"/><embed flashvars="autoplay=false&brand=embed&cid=2546367" width="400" height="320" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" id="utv45608" name="utv_n_181136" src="http://www.ustream.tv/flash/live/1/2546367" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" /></object><a href="http://www.ustream.tv/" style="padding: 2px 0px 4px; width: 400px; background: #ffffff; display: block; color: #000000; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline; text-align: center;" target="_blank">Live video by Ustream</a>

fb

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 16:10:12 -0800

football is over for PA this year

? nobody knows the trouble ive seen..

Sat, 09 Jan 2010 16:32:37 -0800

Nobody knows the trouble ive seen..

Miniature Small Block that really runs - Unbelievable

Sat, 09 Jan 2010 13:32:25 -0800

This is almost beyond comprehension. This man has talents bordering on the supernatural. This goes beyond what most of us can only dream about. And he did it all on a Bridgeport milling machine. After viewing all of the pictures, be sure to catch both of the film clips of it actually running. http://www.moyermade.com/chevyV8.html

The Resurection of the "Maniac Mazda" part 3

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 20:17:00 -0800

In this blog I will explain how I came to know Otmar Ebenhoech and obtain one of the earliest high performance controllers ever developed. His involvement in the development of EV racing can never be underestimated. Just in the same sense as you can never underestimate the effect that Vic Edelbrock and Fred Offenhouser had on the drag racing scene in the 1950's. Both Otmar Ebenhoech, of what became Cafe Electric, and a little later Damon Crockett, of DC Power Systems, later to morph into Alltrax Inc., both made high powered DC motor controllers. These motor controllers gave us power hungry ampheads the necessary watts, (volts times amps = watts and watts = horsepower)to accelerate us down the strip. Without them there would be an EV Drag Racing Movement. The electronic motor speed controller is like the fuel injection, carb, blower, etc, on your gas car. It gets the power from your batteries to your motor just as a gas car uses a blower injection system to force fuel into the engine, these controllers allow us to suck a lot of amps. Since amps equals torque then the more amps you have the more axles you can twist off :-) More later on how I met Otmar.

Please vote at www.good-guys.com for our Starliner in the Homebuilt heaven award

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 20:07:12 -0800

Please help a fellow car hobbist and vote at www.good-guys.com for our 1961 Ford Starliner in the National HomeBuilt Heaven National Award. We are competing against 22 regional Good Guy Home Built Heaven award winners. We are car number 10. Thanks see you at the Detroit Autorama.

55

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 16:19:21 -0800

dont want no traffic i gotta pass ,

55

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 16:18:15 -0800

I got one foot on the brake and one on the gas

Finishing Off Season Suspension Upgrades

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 12:29:24 -0800

Back on Dec 14, I posted a blog on what we had done to that point with our off season upgrades. Since that time, the chassis work has been completed as well as the "Minitubs" which involved cutting out the inner half of the wheel tub in the back, and widening it to the inside to make romm for the bigger tires. The chassis was sent out to Blast Tech in Fresno for a beautiful satin black finish and I couldn't be happier with the service. It's now ready to reattach the body and begin the reassembling work in preparation for the Bakersfield March Meet. A bunch of photos are loaded into my photo album here on the FOAT with more to come. Check out them sexy M&H tires! <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=9133"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_126297156240aa99142f4a.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=9056"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1262879549ccef392.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=9072"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1262880129b856d9446.jpg" border="0"></a> A complete documentation of the build is also on my website www.lawlessdesigns.com under the WKR link.

blogin

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 07:12:48 -0800

I'm blogin I'm blogin

How to Detail Your Car at a Show Like a Pro in Minutes by Scott Ellis

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 03:51:12 -0800

Keeping it Simple: Straight Talk about Dressings for Rubber, Plastic and Vinyl by Scott Ellis

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 03:50:09 -0800

Ever roll into your local auto parts store to get some car care supplies, for example - dressings for tires, trim or your interior? With the vast array of products available, it is confusing to say the very least! Considering your choices, combined with all slick packaging, hard to see sizes, and pretty pictures - all these products are competing for your hard earned dollars. The result is confusion of what product to buy for what application. Do you use the same product to dress and protect tires as you do for your leather seats? Let's keep it simple, folks! This isn't rocket science - we're talking about dressings here. Hopefully this article will give you some insight into the choosing the right product for the right job. Basically, there are two kinds of dressings - Water Based Dressings and Solvent Based Dressings. So look at what we've done here - grouped all of the dressings into two options. I don't know about you, but I can get my arms around 2 choices pretty easy. We all like keeping things simple. Both Water Based and Solvent Based dressings have their rightful place and use, and have different properties, pros and cons. In keeping with our "simple" theme and as a general rule of thumb, here's the skinny: Use Water Based dressings on the inside of your ride and Solvent Based dressings on the outside. Pretty simple, isn't it? Why the inside / outside choice, you ask? Simple! When water hits a Water Based Dressing - it tends to fall down, fall apart, poof - gone. Water Based Dressings generally don't stand up to the elements as well as Solvent Based Dressings do. Solvent Based Dressings tend to repel water, much like water beading from a waxed finish on your car. In my opinion, Solvent Based Dressings also give a more rich, luster-like finish and do an excellent job of bringing back the fading of vinyl and rubber typically seen on the outside of your vehicle. The bottom line is that Solvent Based Dressings are longer lasting and more durable when constantly exposed to the elements. - A little more detail about Water Based Dressings Most of the dressings available at retail stores come in a ready to use formula. The downside of this is, if you don't like the particular finish of these products, you are stuck with it. For example, you might want a more of a matte finish instead of an out-of-bottle glossy finish a product might provide. You figure, since it's water based, you should dull it down with water, right? Not so. Most of these dressings aren't designed to be mixed with water, and now you have worthless bottle. As well, we have all had the experience when these dressings really never dry to the touch and become a big dust magnet. Well, you figure, so much for dressing and protecting your interior, right? Not so! Water Based Dressings that the professionals use actually dry to the touch AND are designed to be mixed with water to give you the exact finish you desire. But the best part is they don't usually cost any more than their retail counterparts! - A little more about Solvent Based Dressings Solvent Based Dressings tend to do a better job at restoring faded trim and plastic, offer excellent UV protection and are easy to apply. To get the finish you want, instead of diluting these products like Water Based Dressings, simply wipe the dressing on with an applicator to get your desired finish. More equals a higher gloss, less a lower gloss. For those who want a high-gloss finish on their tires, simply spray the dressing on and let it dry. For those who prefer a lower gloss, wipe the dressing while wet to get their desired finish. In addition to tires, a good Solvent Based Dressing can also be used to dress and protect all of the rubber, plastic and vinyl trim on the outside of your ride. - Lastly, one more Specialty Dressing - a cleaner and conditioner in one There is one more category of dressings that should be mentioned here - a cleaner and conditioner combined. For example, one of the most delicate interior surfaces of your ride is leather. The key to keeping leather nice is delicate cleaning and proper conditioning to keep it supple and protected. Check this out for simple - wipe the product on and then wipe it off. In most cases, these specialty products are also scented like leather. Summary Don't let all the choices and hype about dressings confuse you. Use Solvent Based dressings for the outside, Water Based Dressings for treating and protecting the inside and consider Specialty Dressings for cleaning and conditioning delicate surfaces such as leather. Scott Ellis is from Jax Wax Distribution Systems and is responsible for distributing Jax Wax Car Care Products retail worldwide. Jax Wax Car Care Products are widely used in commercial businesses such as detail shops, body shops, and auto dealers. Jax Wax is now packaging its products in smaller quantities for the consumer market. You can get fast, commercial quality results by doing the detail work yourself. For more information, go to www.jaxwax.com or call 877-7JAXWAX.

Should You Use Professional Car Care Products? By Scott Ellis

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 14:47:23 -0800

When talking with most car owners, whether their ride is a daily-driver or a show-car, most have an opinion on the type of car care products to use. It used to end with, "You get what you pay for." But today, the differences between car care products is blurry, mostly due to marketing which has created a lot of hype and confusion for people. Today it seems that "New and Improved" is a requirement for printing any product label. Who hasn't gone to a department store, paid $8 for a bottle of wax and sacrificed most of a Saturday cleaning and waxing their car? Or maybe you've decided that the big Auto Parts Chain stores had better stuff to cut your time and you can get better results for only a few dollars more? Today, on any "Wax Wall", there is a myriad of choices, all in slick packaging competing for your hard earned dollars. So, what separates the retail and professional car care products besides slick packaging and marketing? Think about this simple fact: If Auto Dealers and Professional Detailers could get products of similar quality in the Auto Parts and Department Store Chains, why wouldn't they? Simple -because time is money and results matter. Let's look at a Professional Detailing business. You hire them to clean and detail your car for a fixed price. You don't care if it takes them 1 hour or 18 hours - you are paying the same price. Professional Detailers have three major challenges. First, their time is their most valuable asset for earning a living. Secondly, if your car is not looking good for a time after the detail, you won't go back to them and they have lost a customer. Third, most of their business is word of mouth. If the results aren't astonishing, they won't get any referrals. The bottom line is that they need products that are fast, easy to use, get great results and last. If they don't use professional car care products, they will not be in business very long. Now let's look inside an Auto Dealership. They take your car in trade when you by a new one. The first thing that they need to do is to clean and detail the car, then put it for sale on their lot. The goal is to sell the car as soon as possible for a profit, but it might sit in inventory for a month or more before eventually being wholesaled to an auction or another dealership. The car almost always sits outside, has to constantly look great and the finish has to stand up to the outside elements. The dealership has similar needs to the Professional Detailer - products that get great results in a minimal amount of time. They only want to clean and detail that particular car one time. Don't get me wrong - not all retail products are bad, and you may be very happy with your brand of choice. The major difference of retail and professional car care products is usually based on amount of quality ingredients used in the formulations. For example, most of you would be surprised when learning that some of the larger, well known retail brands don't even manufacture their own products - they have in essence become marketing companies, and are very good at it with wide distribution and big advertising budgets. Keep in mind how much you are really spending. It might make sense to choose a retail product over a professional car care product to save $5. But, it might make more sense to get better results in less time that last longer and opt for a guaranteed, professional product. Another bonus when purchasing professional car care products is that these companies are used to serving professionals and are well versed in car care. They often will work with you one on one with your car and can offer expertise to help you with your specific needs and questions that you have. Consider your choices when buying retail or professional car care products. Factor in what's important to you - cost, time, and results. Scott Ellis is from Jax Wax Distribution Systems and is responsible for distributing Jax Wax Car Care Products retail worldwide. Jax Wax Car Care Products are widely used in commercial businesses such as detail shops, body shops, and auto dealers. Jax Wax is now packaging its products in smaller quantities for the consumer market. You can get fast, commercial quality results by doing the detail work yourself. For more information, go to www.jaxwax.com or call 877-7JAXWAX.

Citrus Cleaners Have Taken Center Stage In Detailing By Scott Ellis

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 14:43:03 -0800

Are you amazed at how many specialty cleaners that are available to clean your vehicle? Wheel and rim cleaner, tire cleaner, brake dust remover, engine degreaser, white wall cleaner, tar remover - the list goes on. Ever wonder what the pros in Dealerships and Detailing Shops use? In those businesses, concentrated citrus cleaners have replaced them all and taken the center stage. Why? Simple - they work, and work extremely well where time and results matter. Citrus cleaners work as well or better than the caustic counterparts that we are all used to using. Citrus cleaners are also cost effective and versatile. For example, a good professional-grade, concentrated citrus cleaner now replaces a lot of specialty products that professional detailers needed to use in the past. Citrus cleaners easily dissolve and lift grease, oily residue, grime and dirt without harming or discoloring the surface. The principal component of a good, professional grade citrus cleaner is something called d-limonene. D-limonene is extracted from the oil found in peels of citrus fruits, a natural solvent that is also biodegradable. As with any product, the quality and performance difference is related to how highly concentrated the ingredients are, including d-limonene. For example, more "orange" cleaners are showing up on retail shelves, some of which are scented or colored orange, or both - and aren't really suitable for heavy duty cleaning tasks. A good professional grade citrus cleaner is highly concentrated and is able to be diluted all the way down to 1:50 for general cleaning tasks. Other than simply working better, there are many reasons detailing pros use citrus cleaners. Citrus cleaners replace dangerous, flammable solvent-based products, are safer to use, environmentally friendly, non-caustic, and much more economical and cost effective. Citrus cleaners degrease, clean and deodorize at the same time while leaving behind a clean surface with a pleasant scent. For example, cleaning and degreasing under the hood is a snap with a good citrus cleaner at the coin car wash. Here's how: Simply pop the hood, spray the cleaner from front to back, left to right, then right to left - getting coverage in all the nooks and crannies. Throw in some quarters, select rinse and spray away all the crud. Once you're done, shut the hood and rinse off the excess from the outside finish. Go for a short drive to dry it off and it will look like brand new. If you've owned a utility trailer, RV or camper, you undoubtedly experienced those dreaded black streaks that run down the sides from the roof, which can be a real challenge to remove. To easily remove them, substitute a good concentrated citrus cleaner as you would for soap. Wash as normal and rinse. The results will be a clean shiny surface with no black streaks. Sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? It really is that easy with a good citrus cleaner. Cleaning and removing brake dust from wheels, and tires with a citrus cleaner is a breeze. Make sure the wheels are cool first - if not, spray some cool water on them. Liberally spray a concentrated citrus cleaner directly on the surface and select high-pressure rinse and you're done - usually no need for scrubbing. Citrus cleaners also do a great job at removing adhesive residue, cleaning concrete floors and countless other uses. Try a professional-grade citrus cleaner next time in your cleaning regimen. Other than getting better results, it will make things a lot easier on you and your wallet. Scott Ellis is from Jax Wax Distribution Systems and is responsible for distributing Jax Wax Car Care Products retail worldwide. Jax Wax Car Care Products are widely used in commercial businesses such as detail shops, body shops, and auto dealers. Jax Wax is now packaging its products in smaller quantities for the consumer market. You can get fast, commercial quality results by doing the detail work yourself. For more information, go to www.jaxwax.com or call 877-7JAXWAX.

Clay Bars - So Simple Yet So Effective by Scott Ellis

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 14:42:08 -0800

One of the most common questions we hear at car shows when we have clay bars displayed for sale is - "So that is clay - I've heard of it - How do you use it?" When I hear that - I get excited. Not necessarily to sell someone a clay bar - but I love teaching people about detailing and sharing information. We like to keep things simple - and a clay bar is one of the easiest things to use, and is one of the most beneficial things you can do to maintain and bring out the richness, beauty and depth of your finish. Clay is very similar to "Silly Putty" that you played with as a kid - but it is very "sticky". What a clay bar does is virtually "lift" or "pull" things from your paint that doesn't come off with regular washing. To get the ultimate looking finish, you need to start with the most smooth and cleanest surface possible - and a clay bar will do that for you. The better the surface to start with, the better it will look when you apply wax. It's like painting a wall - the better the surface preparation the better the end result looks. Think your finish is "baby-butt" smooth? Try this on your ride - even if you have a show car that doesn't go out in inclement weather and stays covered 90% of the time. Wipe your hand over the surface - feels pretty smooth, right? Then take a plastic baggie, put it over your fingers then feel the surface. Feel all those little bumps? All the plastic did is enhance your feeling of touch - what you are feeling is contaminants from the everyday environment that ends up embedded in your finish. A clay bar will remove those contaminants without being aggressive like polishing with a high speed buffer - and will leave a silky smooth finish. It will also remove overspray from paint. A word to the wise - there are different grades of clay, just like any other tool. You will want to use a professional grade clay bar that the pros use - you will get better results in less time. I use an analogy of comparing a quality tool from Snap-On compared to Chinese socket set from the dollar store. Remember - you get what you pay for. Your clay bar should have come in a plastic container - usually like a soap bar container. Remove it from the case, and tear off a piece about an inch or so. Immediately put the rest of the bar back in the case. This is extremely important! If the clay bar falls on the ground, it will pick up containments and will scratch the paint - do not use it. You only need a piece of it at a time. Knead your piece of clay bar and flatten it out. Lubricate an area with a quick detailer product about 18 inches square or so. I prefer to use a quick detailer for lubrication - some people use soap and water. While the surface is wet simply rub the clay bar back and forth over the wet area. Do not press down hard on the clay bar! Resist our natural tendency to treat anything in our hand like a piece of sandpaper - not so here - let the clay bar do all the work. If you do put undue pressure on the clay, like anything - it can mar your paint. If you feel the clay bar start to "drag" - add more lubricant. You will more than likely "feel" the surface getting smooth. Once that area is done, use a micro fiber towel (they won't scratch your finish) and dry the area. Now feel the surface with and without the plastic bag on your fingers - it should be smooth as a baby's behind. While you are using the clay bar on your finish keep kneading and folding into itself to get a "fresh" sticky surface. Once you deem the piece of clay too contaminated or full of junk you lifted off the surface, simply discard and tear off a new piece and start again. One more word to the wise - keep it fun! Don't make it monotonous - do a section at a time. For example if you have some time to kill or feel like playing with your ride - go do a fender or the hood. Remember - a section at a time keeps it fun and light! And this is my favorite part - put a coat or two of wax on it afterward for protection and admire how awesome your finish now looks! Summary Using a clay bar is probably one of the most beneficial things you can do help maintain, protect and increase the beauty and depth of your finish. Remember to keep the surface area lubricated, don't treat the clay bar like a piece of sandpaper, and return it to the container after use. Use a professional grade clay bar to get the best results. And most of all - keep it fun! . . Scott Ellis is from Jax Wax Distribution Systems and is responsible for distributing Jax Wax Car Care Products retail worldwide. Jax Wax Car Care Products are widely used in commercial businesses such as detail shops, body shops, and auto dealers. Jax Wax is now packaging its products in smaller quantities for the consumer market. You can get fast, commercial quality results by doing the detail work yourself. For more information, go to http://www.jaxwax.com or call 877-7JAXWAX.

blo

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 13:46:38 -0800

what is the point in bloging ?

World's First Transcontinental International Electric Auro Rally, 4/14/01

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 21:47:16 -0800

Hi All, I had meant to get to this quite some time ago but as many of you know when you leave the office for more than a week without access, your E-mail and other affairs get very backed up. Well my life is just about back to as normal as it ever gets for me ;-) In my last update we were in the town on San Ramon and I had found a cyber cafe to send a post from. There are a few things I would like to mention that I had omitted due to haste. The ceremony at the town square in front of the grand Catholic Church was much more elaborate than I had mentioned. Ricardo Garron the director of Entebbe, the (Fundacion Costa Rica para el Desarolla Sostenible),of which APVE is a division of, gave a speech and then the introductions as usual. He has been with us since the beginning riding his personal electric scooter that he normally uses around his ranch. This gentle man with the constant warm smile and sparkling eyes held a high level ministry in the last administration. After the speeches from the local government officials we were treated to dancing by a teenage dance troupe from a local school. The dance told the story of the brutality of the Spanish invaders. One of the dancers represented Columbus. They definitely have a different opinion of him than many Americans. It's so enlightening to go to another culture and get a glimpse of how they picture the world through their eyes. At the end of the entertainment we were all individually introduced to the crowds of onlookers. From there we went to the City Hall for a light lunch. After lunch everyone was loaded on to buses to be taken up high into the hills to check into their cabins at the Villa Blanca. This private resort on 2,000 acres is located in the Los Angeles Cloud Forest and is owned by former President Rodrigo Lazaro Odin. I had stayed behind to write my second update at the cyber cafe and was given directions as to where to meet everyone back in town for dinner. I arrived at the dinner location at the church hall a little before the buses pulled up. We were treated to a great dinner with music and dancing. The women dancers wore long full dresses similar in style to what women square dancers wear in the US only more colorful. After the entertainment we had a speech given both in Spanish and English by our host for the night, Rodrigo Lazaro Odin, who had some rather scathing remarks concerning our current president's not signing the Kyoto Accord. I'm sure we can recover from whatever damage Bush does to the environment within the next twenty or thirty years after he leaves office. Just my own opinion on the subject. I will refrain from further political comments during the rest of this report. At dinner I met Jose Ross who does consulting to the CNFL in their electric vehicle program. The CNFL as you may recall from my earlier post is the major distributor of electricity in the country. He knew of Wilde Evolutions and appeared to be quite surprised to meet me as he had planned on contacting me via E-mail later in the week. He invited me to come to CNFL in San Jose after the rally and check out their vehicles. As I may have mentioned earlier, they had three entrees in the Rally, A transit bus from AVS (Alternative Vehicle Systems) in Chatanooga Tennesee, and two Solectria vehicles. An S-10 and a mini pickup. I will tell more on my experience with the bus later. After dinner we loaded on the buses and were driven to our home for the evening in the cloud forest. It was getting near dusk as we headed up the winding road that lead us to pasture lands with Brahman cattle. The fences are quite unique. Since vegetation grows rapidly with the combination of moisture and heat they have found an inexpensive replacement for fence posts. They plant trees along the edge of the road close together in a line and then wait a relatively short time and then attach the barb wire. If you aren't in a big hurry this works great and these people do not seem to be in a big hurry. As a side note, an old movie favorite of mine is "The Bishops Wife" circa 1947 with David Niven, Loretta Young and Cary Grant. Cary Grant, who plays an angel and Loretta Young, the Bishops wife are taking a ride in a Taxi. The taxi driver whose name is Sylvester, says to them: "Do you folks happen to know what the main trouble with this country is? Grant: "Oh, I've heard several versions of that! Young: Do you know, Sylvester? " Well I think I do. The main trouble is there are too many people who don't know where they are going and they wanna get there too fast. Take you two, you I call you unusual. Grant: Thank you! You're very perceptive. Syvester: "First place you know your destination, but you're not in a hurry to get there. You want to enjoy some scenery en route, and you're not reluctant to spend an extra four bits for a day tour with Mother Nature." This movie reminds me of one of those old sayings that remind you that you should stop and snort the roses now and then. Now back to your regularly scheduled program. We arrived in the dark and went into the main building lobby to check in and get my key to my cabin. Lighted steps lead through the mist filled air down the somewhat steep hillside to my home for the evening. I had a cabin all to myself. It was nicely done with natural woods and it had a small fireplace which I lit up. It wasn't that cold but the fire helped me to dry my hair after my shower. I had a great nights sleep, but a student from UC Riverside who ended up sharing a cabin with my former room mate from the Hotel Palacio didn't get a bit of sleep. I can sleep anywhere anytime and was never bothered by this guys snoring. That morning he had the new nickname of Diesel Don. Last names withheld to protect the guilty. We had a great breakfast with all the usuals which includes rice and beans, eggs and toast and lots of fresh fruit. We headed back down the mountain to San Ramon after breakfast and met at the charging area. From there we headed out and up and up with only a few downs. Our charging stop for the day was at Esparaza. The CNFL had already arrived earlier with their bucket boom to drop a line from a power pole to set up a charging station. This was along side the road with a wide pull off area appropriately near the entrance to a gasoline filling station. There were reporters and a camera man from a motor sports TV program there to capture the historic event. After the vehicles were charged we headed out. I decided to ride on the AVS bus on this next leg of the journey.This portion of the trip was mostly downhill through windy, steep mountain grades. I was paying attention to the amp hour meter as we made our decent. When I boarded we were only down about nine amp hours but as we dropped in elevation so did the amp hours due to the regenerative braking. As I was later to discover, this was the buses second excursion to Puntarenas. It had travelled there previously for the dedication of a new deep water pier that enabled Cruise Ships to dock. When we dropped to about five amp hours the driver pulled to the side of the road. As I got off the bus I immediately realized the reason for the unexpected pull over. Smoke was pouring from the front brakes. At first I didn't understand this as I knew the bus had regenerative braking. They had put a full charge over night on the bus at San Ramon. Leaving San Ramon and heading uphill had not used enough energy to account for all the downhills. When the batteries are near full the control logic in the motor speed controller reduced the amount of regen braking so as to not over charge the batteries. This meant relying on the front brakes to do most of the work on slowing the rapid decent of this multi-ton vehicle carrying two tons of batteries. Luckily we had a very bright driver who realized the situation and pulled over to let the brakes cool otherwise I may not have been here to write this. Our next stop was for a great lunch at Mirador Enis. From there I decided to not push my luck so I grabbed a ride on one of the other buses. I should have stayed on the bus as this final leg was when the Vice President of the country, Elizabeth Odio, chose to ride. I was later to be introduced to her. Puntarenas lies at the end of a long narrow peninsula that heads due west from the mainland. The northern shore is somewhat parallel to the continental land mass. If seen from a map it reminds you of a lions tail with the short haired part being the long narrow drive out to the city with water on both sides. Puntarenas is built on the end of the tail where it widens out to closely resemble the shape of the bristles of a Japanese calligraphy brush. As we arrived at our final destination the rally was far from over. We were once again met by throngs of interested onlookers. We had more speeches in Spanish, of course, with introductions by or own Ricardo Garron. He gave a speech as he has at all the stops and then introduced the mayor and later the acting President of the country, Elizabeth Odio, who is also the Minister of Energy and the Environment. In Costa Rica the Vice President of the country takes over when the President is out of the country. The Vice President also chooses a Ministry to head similar to our cabinet positions here in the U.S. After the speeches the participating vehicles were loaded on to trucks to be taken back to Limon to be shipped by freighter. The Japanese team made arrangements to leave their Citroen in the country. When the loading was complete we all headed upstairs in the building that is the headquarters for the Puntarenas Tourism Board. Here awaited our final feast of a whole roast pig and local seafood plus salads and specialties. We were also treated to live music from local entertainers. The dinner and festivities were followed by an awards ceremony. Since this was an officially timed event the team with the closest to the ideal time were the winners. Marc Kohler, whose team I was on came in third in the street division with my new friend Jose Ross in second driving a Solectria converted micro pick up owned by the CNFL. The CNFL also took first place with their Solectria S-10 conversion. There were also prizes for the "Slow Speed Vehicle" division, which we refer to up here as NEVs (neighborhood electric vehicles) and last but not least for the electric scooter division which I believe was won by a gentleman riding one of the Pizza Hut delivery scooters. In Costa Rica in San Jose it isn't just Pizza Hut that delivers, so do McDonalds and other fast food chains. After the awards we all exchanged E-mails and address information and people had their T-shirts signed by their fellow "competitors". I use that term loosely as it was more like the feeling of comradery than competition. Once we completed our goodbyes we were loaded on to buses for our return trip to the Hotel Palacio in San Jose and then departure the next day for most of the out of country participants. I stayed on for a few more days and spent time back in Peurto Viejo where it all began. On my last day in the country I went back to San Jose and met with the owners of AISA, a company that makes fork lift batteries and also distributes other deep cycle batteries. They were one of the sponsors of the yellow sports car. Later we went to CNFL to meet Eduardo Brenes Mata, the head of the electric vehicle division that Jose Ross does consulting for. I got to see some of their other electric vehicles. Most of these were bicycles , scooters and small motorcycles although they do have a Solectria Geo Prizm that didn't make the Rally due to waiting for parts for it's charger. I'm sure it would have done very well also as did the other Solectria vehicles. On this whole trip we had been treated almost as royalty. The hospitality was overwhelming! As word gets out of this Rally I think it will become the premier EV Rally of the world. The simplest way I can describe it is a cross between the Paris to Dakar and Mardi Gras. There will only be so many applications accepted for next years Rally as logistically they can only handle so many entrants. If any of you out there are wishing to be involved in one of the ultimate EV adventures and plan on going next year you should get your registration in early. I wish to personally thank Ronald Gonzales, whose ear I bent almost to the point of breaking, and the rest of the staff from the APVE for putting on an incredible rally. Also a big thank you to the government and people of Costa Rica for the feeling of being more than welcome. I'll see you all next year! Roderick Wilde

World's First Transcontinental International Electric Auro Rally, 3/31/01

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 21:43:56 -0800

World's First Transcontinental International Electric Auro Rally, 3/28/01

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 21:41:14 -0800

Tuesday, March 28, 2001 11:55 am, Porto Viejo, Costa Rica (east coast) Sitting in a Cyber Shop The rally is about to begin. It was supposed to start at 11:00am, but one of the trucks carrying electric vehicles got stuck in the mud and has only now just arrived. There are entrants here from four countries; Japan, Korea, United States (2) and Costa Rica . ATT R&D brought two NEVs from Korea and the Japan Electric Vehicle Club brought a Citron 2CV which they had left in the US last year after bringing it over for an event in the states. You list members may remember Shoji's posts to the list. Things have been on Costa Rican time here with several delays, but most can be attributed to this being the first year of the rally. Puerto Viejo, where the Rally is starting, is a very unique place. There are about 27 different nationalities represented here in this small Caribbean coastal community. The culture here was somewhat isolated until the road to San Jose was completed only in 1987, just fourteen years ago. We awoke to rain this morning, now the sun is out. It's rather humid, but tolerable. From the United States, UC Riverside brought a hybrid Ford Ranger. I am with Marc Kohler from Austin, Texas, who brought his recently completed Doran three-wheeler running a Prestolite motor, Auburn controller, and the new Panasonic lead-acid batteries, using a Zivan K2 charger. This Rally is being conducted in the normal way a rally is done with a designated ideal time to complete a certain portion or leg of the rally. Today is rather short, only about 60 kiometers. Tomorrow will be a very long day with two charging periods. One about two hours and the other about an hour and a half. Yesterday we had an opening ceremony held at the headquarters of the national electric company located in San Jose. It's logo is (ICE). I will get the actual Spanish wording for the list later. I was able to get a decal which should be quite funny on my car. They had a very good turnout with several dignitaries and even a Priest who blessed the cars. I met the president of the company which imports Trojan batteries relabeled for sale in Costa Rica. We have a meeting set to see his facility after the rally. I also met the Minister of Tourism who was educated in the US. I believe it was Duke University. Costa Rica is the ultimate guilt free country for EVs with over 85% of it's electricity coming from hydro-electric and most of the rest from a mix of geo-thermal and wind power. It appears that one of the major sources of income is from Eco-tourism. APVE, which is putting on this rally, is a division of a non profit organization promoting a sustainable environment. The president of this organization is a former president of this country. I was told that even though an opposing political party is now in power there was very good support in making this rally possible with all permits being granted in a very timely manner, which as I see it is not the norm down here. It is kind of like what we call in Jerome as being on Mountain Stranded Time. The people here are very friendly. When two friends meet on the street they kiss on one cheek only. They must have a little French influence. Who knows. There is a very good looking sports car with a glass body and aluminum chassis built here in Costa Rica. It has a great deal of potential but was put together in only seven weeks by people who had never built an electric before. It is running a direct drive through a differential with only 48 volts. When I showed them a picture of the "Maniac Mazda" they were blown away. Unlike Mexico, people drive very slow here, including truck drivers. Electrics and NEVs have a great potential to fill many transportation niches here. Well the rally is about to begin so I must go till I find another one of these cyber places. Roderick Wilde

World's First Transcontinental International Electric Auro Rally, 3/24/01

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 21:38:02 -0800

In 2001 I was invited by the country of Costa Rica to be involved in the World's First International Electric Auto Rally. The following are posts I wrote back to our EV Discussion List which I latter had to leave due to censorship by the List Administrator, David Rodin. March 24, 2001 Hi All, I will be flying out Monday morning to San Jose, Costa Rica to be part of the world's first transcontinental international electric auto rally. Go to and follow the links. I will be part of Marc Kohler's team from Texas. He is taking his recently completed Doran three wheeler with the new Panasonic lead acid batteries. I can't wait to see how they perform. There is a team coming from Japan and also England and at least one more from the US. I believe it's Team New England. I just got in on this at the last minute. Marc may know more details. I will be able to E-mail a report to the list next Friday from my friends computer in San Jose. There may be people in the rally with satellite links so information can get out to the rest of the world sooner. That's all for now. Roderick Wilde

Team BackMotor's BLOG

Sun, 03 Jan 2010 13:25:38 -0800

Here is my BLOG >> http://backmotor.blogspot.com

The Resurection of the "Maniac Mazda" part 2

Sun, 03 Jan 2010 08:50:28 -0800

Once we built the Mazda for the road race in Phoenix we though we could make some improvements and enter the next race. Well the problem was that were way faster than they expected. They canceled the class I was in. It also did not make sense to wait up to a year to race again. I decided to give drag racing a go. There were several tracks in our area for testing and there was also the street:-) When I first got involved with EVs and purchased my first one, which was a Navy surplus converted Ford Courier pick up, I was appalled at how dog slow they were. I remember saying to myself, "No one is ever going to want to own and drive an EV if this is all there is." I decided right there and then I would try to find out how to make one of these EVs go better. I had heard of a fellow down in California by the name of Ed Rannberg who was drag racing an electric motorcycle called "Kawashocki". I called him up on the phone and thus began the beginning of a great friendship. He became my mentor and inspiration. Since the highest amp controller that existed at the time was only 400 amps I had to figure a way to get the amps from the batteries to the motor. My first testing was using parallel switching with big forklift contactors. I had 240 volts worth of Interstate Megatron Plus batteries which were sponsored by Vern and Tom Allen from Interstate Batteries in Everette, Washington, now called All Battery. I wired these in two parallel strings to have 120 volts. I experimented on the road in front of my house. I would hit the 120 volts direct to the single nine inch Advanced DC motor and then once going good I would throw a switch which would put all the batteries in a single stream for 240 volts. This actually worked quite effectively but I did not feel it was launching as hard as I would have liked. I next wired all the batteries in series for 240 volts at launch. The initial bang on the drive train was horrendous. As it launched I saw flames shooting out of the motor. We were testing with no hood on. As I rolled to a stop my friends who were watching these experiments came out and helped to push the car back into my yard. In inspection of the badly damaged motor I saw that it had blown a hole through the aluminum end bell. It had plasmaed and also blown off the brush springs and leads and arced over to the field coils and melted them as well. I now needed a new motor.

The Resurection of the "Maniac Mazda" part 1

Sun, 03 Jan 2010 08:11:53 -0800

This bog will be about bringing the "Maniac Mazda" out of storage and out of retirement. It will cover all of the upgrades I plan to do. As they say, competition drives the sport. Well there is getting to be stiff competition from other EV drag racers, especially with the new Lithium batteries that are showing up on the tracks and setting new World Records. First a bit of history on the Mazda. It was first built back in 1993 to compete in a circle track race for street legal electric cars. This race was put on by APS, Arizona Public Service, an electric utility company for the greater Phoenix, Arizona area. It was held at PIR, Phoenix International Raceway know as the World's fastest one mile oval. We built the car specifically for the race. We chose the batteries accordingly since it was a very short ten lap race. This was my first experience on a track like this. I did get some pointers from Chip Hanauer who used to teach school here in Port Townsend. He is most noted for his Unlimited Hydroplane Racing but has road raced for Toyota in the past. He was the driver for the Port Townsend High School Electric Vehicle Team's car as their insurance would not allow a student to drive. It won many EVents sponsored by APS and put on by EVTC.We were running what at the time was the largest controller available, a 400 amp Curtis model 1221. If you drew too many amps from them they would heat up and fold back current so it was important to keep them cool. This was done with heat sinks. In our case we mounted it directly to the side of our aluminum battery box up front which also gave it some air cooling. In the ten lap race that insued I lapped three fourths of the competition and was a full two thirds of a lap ahead of the second place car. This was a Ford Mustang converted by the Arizona. In the TV interview that followed winning the race my wife at that time, Abby, was asked why I was so fast. She replied: "Because he sucked a lot of amps". This is where the term first began that spawned into the famous rallying cry of EV drag racers and the name of my Racing Team as well as being the first to bear this statement tattooed on my shoulder. Now there are two other similar tattoos out there. I will post pictures in my photo section.

1/4 mile times

Sat, 02 Jan 2010 06:54:53 -0800

Hey I don't see a lot of 1/4 mile FOAT times here. How about folks visit www.dragtimes.com to post them. Can you link them to the FOAT. Just as an example there are 5 of us electrics voted as "Featured Car of the Month" on that site. http://dragtimes.com/featured-electric-cars.php All they do is collect drag times. Could be a good resource to refer your viewers to, especially if you are selected "Car of the Month" ;-) All of us electric guys watch it to compare times ;-) Mike

2009 coming to a close.

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:29:46 -0800

Time to put down the tire gauge and heat gun, and get ready for 2010. I look forward to helping the next racer get down the track and post their BEST times and 60s. What will be instore, I will not know that until I see the next time slip and then I can answer the questions. Until then, be SAFE, best of LUCK and HOOK and Book. SlicksMH

"HANG OVER NATIONALS"

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 05:29:26 -0800

Well THE NITRO GARAGE has had 6 weeks off and now the racing season is starting this weekend again. We will be at FONTANA Jan 1-3 for the HANG OVER NATIONALS this weekend. BERNIE used to hold an race on NEW YEARS at LACR in PALMDALE. He still has a race at SPEEDWORLD in PHOENIX. We will be selling our line of t-shirts,die cast cars,metal signs and the GO PRO video camera in the vendor area. It`s going to be a great race and good weather. Hope to see everybody there. NEWT

Gone Electric

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 03:46:15 -0800

Well usually you start a Blog to document a process that you are starting so folks can follow you on the way through. Well maybe this is a new start for me but I'll get to that part in due time. Several folks from the FOAT got a hold of me earlier this fall and asked me to put some stuff electric up on the list. A few of you have seen a little of what I've posted up. But I just tonight got around putting up pics of the whole process In one Album (which is the only one not up yet) you'll see what started for me back in the summer of 2005. Gasoline hit $3/gal and the several years of considering electric cars I determined that gas had to hit that to make it a break even proposition. So I really started doing my homework and that fall I bought a 1988 Mitsubishi MightyMax 4x4 pickup in excellent running shape for $1000 with the intent of converting it to electric. That winter and the next spring and summer of 2006 I finished the ride. To be sure this thing was way faster than stock. Not really a race car but it would do 0-60 mph in about 12 seconds. Not too bad for an econo pickup. The little 2.3L barely got it there in 30 seconds. But I splurged a little. I got a little bigger motor, a little bigger controller than I needed, a few extra batteries to give me a 40 mile range while I only expected to be driving 20 miles a day. After complete I found it got ~350 Watt-hours per mile. Thats about 3 miles per Killowatt-hour while KWH's cost $0.13 each from the power company. That meant my 15 mile RT commute a day consumed ~5KWH and cost me $0.65 a day to charge. Compare that the the gasoline engine that got 15 mpg and so cost me at the time $3.00 a day to drive to work. You might think thats way cheaper... but let me explain. I usually (over the previous 4 year period) averaged 500 miles a month. Thats 6000 mile a year. In gasoline it would have cost me 400 gallons at $1200 per year. In electricity however it cost me only an extra $30/ month on my power bill for an annual cost of $360, for an $840/yr savings. Now there are all sorts of things you have to add up for a gas car you would do in say a 3 year period like oil changes, filters, tune up etc which would increase the cost of the gas car. For the electric there is nothing to do but plug it in every day and check the tires. However in about 3 years depending on how you care for the batteries they will give out. But don't worry lead acid batteries are fully 99% recyclable. And since you saved $840 each year you could afford to buy a cheap battery replacement pack every two years or a more premium pack every 2-1/2 to 3 years. Many folks are able to keep their batteries alive that long. Some lead foots that don't care for the batteries and keep them maintained can murder them in a matter of months. Well for a period there I went 1 year and 3 days without touching a gas pump. It felt good. But the truck was spirited and can break the tires lose in 2nd gear. It was a bullet to 45 mph and then tamed out a bit up to 85 mph. In the meantime I got to following the National Electric Drag Racing Association and the antics of the folks crazy enough to take their EV's to the heart of the lions den to prove themselves. Yes they went to the Drag Strip. So with a new inspiration, in the real early spring of 2007, I set out on the next adventure. I will save that for the next entry though. But unlike the Electrabishi as I have named it, (more photos of which will be posted) you can go ahead and peruse build pics of the Electric Pinto. Thats another story all in itself and I'll hit that a bit in the next entry. Its almost 3am where I'm at so I need to crash. Enjoy the photos. Mike

TRUE ECONO Front Engine Dragster build

Sat, 26 Dec 2009 16:47:48 -0800

After playing with our HAMB Dragster for a couple years (still enjoying it) I'm considering stepping up to another project. The HAMB Dragster (HA/GR) was a blast to build and race with the ANRA group, not to mention the field of 4 racing heads up at Eagle Field last October. But with its treaded tires and manual transmission it's not as consistant as we want for my son Lee to compete with in the ANRA Open Wheel (bracket racing) category as he is very competitive. My answer to the problem is to build an C/GD (Cool/ Gas Dragster) Front Engine Dragster using some rules I made up as guidelines to follow. I know that the rules are restrictive for a bracket car but it would keep the cost down and allow racers who build the cars to race at ANRA events in the Open Wheel Category and Eagle Field heads-up since we don't have or plan to use clocks or a tree! The way I wrote the rules a competant car guy, maybe with his buddies or a club could build one for next to nothin' like we originally built our HA/GR ($1100) for. My thinking is use a small CID "pick your part" engine under 325 CI, use a 600 cfm vacuum secondary carb or 3 Stromberg's, Holley 94's on an aluminum intake. The ignition allowed would be your standard part that is collecting dust on a friends shelf, Dual Point, HEI, Single Point and throw a Petronix in it. Stock cylinder heads would be required (standard dia. springs) with angle plug chevy heads not allowed. Inside the engine restrictions would be limited to Hydraulic Flat Tappet cams, stock rockers, flat top pistons and Zoomie Headers to keep the exhaust easy. Both automatic and manual transmissions would be allowed and required to meet NHRA rules. The converters will be restricted to 10" or larger and a 3500 max stall speed. The great equalizer at Eagle Field will be the tires. I'm thinking an 8 or maybe 9" "spec" M&H tire. Bakersfield seems to always have the teeth needed for traction but at Eagle Field we run on an UNTREATED surface and I think the C/GD's would put on a tire spinnin show. I wouldn't have a problem policing the rules at Eagle Field, most all your circle tracks have similar rules and pumping an engine CI couldn't be that hard. Check out the rules and let me know what you think. Rocky COOL GAS DRAGSTER (C/GD) RULES These rules are written to build a race car to compete in the ANRA Open Wheel Category and an Eagle Field heads up category. They are only guidelines to build an affordable Dragster which could be built by any competent Do It Yourselfer with inexpensive parts found at wrecking yards and garages. THESE ARE GUIDELINES AND WRITTEN USING THE 2008 NHRA RULE BOOK FOR CARS 10:00 AND SLOWER Please check current NHRA rule book when building a car 1. Frames allowed are 3 x 2 by .118 wall (or larger) rectangular tube, 3 round tube or "Open Space" with both Slingshot and Altered style chassis allowed. . No chromemoly materials allowed Minimum wheelbase of 90" SEE NHRA 4:12 , Maximum 150 C/GD rule. REMEMBER that ANRA races at an NHRA track and NHRA rules apply. 2. Front suspension optional on cars weighing 2350 lbs or less with 100 inch or longer wheelbase. SEE NHRA ET Handicap racing, Super Pro, Pro, Sportsman, Suspension, Altereds, Dragsters Also SEE NHRA 3:2, 3:4 3. All cars must have a (5 point min at ANRA events, 3 point and some nostalgia designs allowed at Eagle Field) roll cage of minimum 1 5/8, .118 Mild Steel wall tubing. No chromemoly materials allowed C/GD Rule SEE NHRA 4:11 4. Narrowed rear ends allowed and aftermarket axles required on cars running quicker than 10.99 and all cars with spool. Rear end must be equipped with an anti rotation device SEE NHRA 2:11, 2:2, 2:4, 4:9 Brakes 3:1. Drum Brakes required C/GD rule 5. A minimum of .120 Steel plate flooring to protect driver from u-joint in case of failure. 6. Cars must have cowl/body and floor boards, belly pan sufficient to prevent drivers legs from exiting vehicle unintentionally Minimum .032 Aluminum or .024 Steel. SEE NHRA 7:5 Sub flooring independent of car body is mandatory in Dragsters that allow drivers legs to rest on Belly Pan or Chassis. SEE NHRA ET Handicap Racing A minimum .032 Aluminum or .024 Steel firewall is mandatory. SEE NHRA 7:4 Windscreen 7:7 7. Cars must be equipped with an engine mounted starter and be self starting at NHRA tracks. Eagle Field will allow Vintage engines to use remote batteries. 8. Batteries must be securely mounted using modern safety standards and separate from drivers compartment. SEE NHRA 8:1 9. Cars must have a master battery cutoff switch accessible from rear of the car. SEE NHRA 8:4 10. Cars must have at least one red rear running light for night racing. 11. Manual and Automatic transmissions allowed. All cars with clutches must run a stamped steel bell housing with SFI certified clutch, flywheel and bell housing required on cars quicker than 11.50. SEE NHRA 2:3 2:5 2:6 2:10 Automatic equipped cars require a shifter with reverse lockout and neutral safety switch, cars must be manually shifted, no air or electronic shifters allowed. Transmission lines must be metallic or NHRA accepted high pressure type hose. Cars running quicker than 10.99 or faster than 135 MPH must be equipped with a transmission shield meeting SFI Spec 4.1. Trans brakes not allowed Torque Converters may not stall over 3500 RPM. Floorboard required unless trans shield and 3.2A/15 driving suit are used. 12. American made small block V-8 or 6 cylinder (325 cid or smaller) engine only, no overhead cams allowed. Engines must be naturally aspirated. No superchargers, turbos, nitrous oxide or fuel injection. Stocks cylinder heads only, NO Canted valve (example Ford Boss 302) or Angle Plug small block Chevy. OEM dimension valve springs only, "Roller" rockers not allowed, stock rocker arms only. Pistons are restricted to Flat Top or less design, NO KICKER or POP-UP. Camshaft must use hydraulic lifters, unless engine is considered "Vintage" (Ford Flat Head, Ford Y-block, Buick Nail Head etc) otherwise NO solid or hydraulic roller cams allowed. No Dry sumps, external oil pumps (except when OE equipped", Pan Evacuation systems other than PCV. 18. Zoomie headers only 13. No electronic ignition boxes (MSD etc) mounting outside the distributor allowed with the exception of factory units. HEI coil in cap, factory electronic , single and dual point distributors allowed. Conversions in the manner of Petronix that fit within a stock dist cap are allowed. Aftermarket magnetos ONLY allowed on Vintage engines. 14. Pump gas/racing gas only. No Methanol, nitromethane, or alcohol. 15. One Holley #1850 or Edelbrock Performer 1405 or 1406 600 cfm vacuum secondary carb allowed. 3 Multiple (4 allowed on Ford Flat Head and other "Vintage engines") 1bbl or 2bbl Carter, Stromberg, or Holley 94 carbs allowed. Aluminum intakes allowed (no tunnel ram type manifolds) Flash Shield or Scoop Required SEE NHRA 1:4 16. Fuel lines shall have no more than 12" total of rubber line. SEE NHRA 1:5 17. Cooling system or water tank must use a radiator cap and overflow/catch can system. SEE NHRA 1:7 NOTE: Most tracks require a cooling system and do not allow tow cars. ANRA and Eagle Field DOES NOT require a cooling system and allows tow cars in the Open Wheel category. 19 Slicks may be NO wider than 9" 20. Drivers must wear up to date NHRA acceptable full face helmet with shield (Snell M2000, M2005, K2005, SA2005, SFI 31.2A or 41.2 SEE NHRA 10:7 & ET Handicap Racing). SFI 3:3 Neck Collar or SFI 3:3 Head Sock or Skirted Helmet Required. SEE NHRA 10:8 3.2A/5 two layer fire retardant jacket & pants or suit required when transmission is covered with a floorboard, SFI 3:3 Gloves required on all open bodied cars. SEE NHRA 10:10 Leather Driving shoes 3:3A/5 & Arm Restraints required SEE NHRA 10:3 21. Five point NHRA approved safety harness required. SEE NHRA 10:5 22. No electronic/pneumatic drivers aids including rev limiters. Shift light Tachometers are allowed 22. Cars are required to be Self Starting at NHRA tracks Revisions made, Name change, C/GD Cool / Gas dragster NO canted Valve heads like the Boss 302 Ford Magnetos allowed on Vintage engines Solid Lifter allowed on vintage engines Eagle Field will allow Vintage engines to use remote batteries. External oil pumps allowed when originally equipped [IMG]http://i472.photobucket.com/albums/rr84/Toymaker1/EagleFieldDragster.jpg[/IMG] I have already made some changes of issues I over looked,. I have decided to allow "Open Space" frames, Ford Flat Head and other "Antique" engines. The antique engines will be allowed to run up to 4 carburetors, solid lifter camshafts and maybe Magnetos to allow them to be more competitive. The other issue was the "canted valve" heads like a Ford Boss 302, NOT ALLOWED! The intent of my idea is to keep the build ECONOMICAL but we all know what racers do, Race To WIN. All this talk has got me fired up so I'm off on a parts hunt! Rocky 12-28-09 As of today I'm changing the name to C/GD (Cool) and have made some revisions to the rules. The revisions are; Magnetos allowed on Vintage engines Solid Lifter allowed on vintage engines Eagle Field will allow Vintage engines to use remote batteries. External oil pumps allowed when originally equipped Maximun rear tire width of 9" The name change is primarily to save Butch at ANRA the grief of having to answer a bunch of questions that he probably won't have the answers to. The ANRA Series is awesome, GREAT fun and GREAT group of people and I thought I would give the series some exposer never thinking of the consiquences. O'well Butch can handle it :)HEHEHEHE. Vintage engines like the Ford Flat Head, Ford Y-Block, Buick Nail Head and others which I will address as need will be allowed solid lifter cams and magnetos. I really don't think a Mag is a big advantage but I will also allow these combinations to run without a battery on board at Eagle Field, helping them be a little lighter. The last thing to mention is the 9" rear tire will help equalize the cars when we race at Eagle Field. I'm currently working on chassis ideas and will post on that as I get more info. Rocky

GMC Syclone

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 22:57:04 -0800

Mobile Audio - What's in your ride?

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:47:05 -0800

I realized today on the way home from work that Mobile Audio is a subject I once spent hours of my day obsessing over. 15 - 20 years ago, I would have claimed to be an expert on the subject. Currently, in 2009, I'd say I think I know what brand of mid/high frequency speakers to buy and my favorite head unit brand is definitely still top shelf. My current system in the '88 Toy: Head - Alpine Sub Amp - Zapco High Amp - MTX Woofer - 8" JBL Mid/Tweet - 5 1/4" & 1" MB Quart This is a pretty small, low watt system but it sounds good for what it is. <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=4478"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1261108545c571d945b7e.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=4481"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_12611094563a39460.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=4482"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1261109461601f42a1335.jpg" border="0"></a> What's in your ride?

Proposed Social Circle G.A drag strip

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 04:01:40 -0800

Off Season Suspension Upgrades

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 20:29:12 -0800

Swing Axle to IRS, the Hard Way Most race Vws (rear engine) use swing axles that pivot from the transaxle and are a solid shaft from the center pivot point out. The benefits are that this set-up is fairly simple, fairly light and reasonably strong. The downside is the severe rear wheel alignment change as the suspension goes thru its travel. I've been using this set-up since the car was first put together in late '99. Although we've acheived pretty good results with it, I haven't been completely satisfied with the way car has been working with the swing axle set-up. Haven't been for quite some time. Although I have been getting fair results, there have been compromises that needed to be made because of its limitations. I decided that the end of the 2009 season was time for the "Big Project," and although there are fairly easy ways to do it, as in most things on this ride, I want to do it "My Way." The Big Project is a change of wheels and rear suspension. The U-jointed swing axles we have been running are giving way for Independent Rear Suspension or IRS. This will feature a narrowed rear track with custom tubular control arms, coil-over shocks, four corner disc brakes and "Micro Stub" rear hubs. Wider wheels and tires will go along with these changes. American Racing's Trak Stars are the wheels I've been looking to use for this project ever since I started thinking about it. Along with the spindle mount front wheels, the overall look will be different and very aggressive. Maybe it will scare the competition! The major benefit will be better rear wheel alignment throughout the suspension travel, and the tires will stay square to the track surface and hopefully give more efficient operation. Increased safety is another benefit. There will be much less risk of losing control in the event of an axle failure. It is also looking like we'll see a weight reduction both front and rear to the tune of about 60 pounds overall. Once the existing drivetrain is removed, we began the mock-up by slipping the CV drive flange onto the transaxle, and then positioning the wheel/tire/hub combo into the wheel well in the position where it should be. http://home.comcast.net/~mlawless29/Chassis2010b.jpg http://home.comcast.net/~mlawless29/Chassis2010c.jpg By taking a measurement between CV flanges on trans and drive hub, a dummy mock-up axle was made that bolts on the flanges and is the length necessary to position the wheel where it needs to be. Basically, it's a length of tubing with flanges at both ends. http://home.comcast.net/~mlawless29/Chassis2010d.jpg Since it's on center with the output flanges on the trans, the wheel will be on center as well when we start fabricating the control arms. Although absolute on-center wheel positioning is not so critical with IRS, having it as close as possible, will make it so the joint doesn't "work" any more than it needs to. My original plan was to leave the upper spring mount in it's existing location, but after some rough mocking up with cardboard templates, it was apparent that too many compromises would have to be made to the design of the control arm to fit the coil spring into the same location it's been in. So, a fairly difficult, yet at the same time, easy decision was made to cut out the existing rear support structure and start fresh. To get the control arm design to be the way I wanted, I decided to raise the upper shock mount so that the lower mount could be on top of the control arm, and out of the way of the diagonal bars and the outer CV joint. This required removal of a portion of the rear package tray, as the upper shock mount will be above the stock package tray location. Since I will be "mini-tubbing" the wheel wells, a little more sheet metal work in the package tray is not a big deal. With the new rear support structure tacked in, I moved to making the custom brackets and tabs I would need. All of the control arm mounts are going to be located off the rear torsion housing. This makes set-up much simpler. The pivot bracket will have three mounting holes. The bottom one on center of the torsion tube and the other two at one inch spacing above that. Call it an educated guess as to determining their location. The pivot point on center will be as if it was in the stock location. The two points higher up will put the pivot arm's "push point" on a higher weight center. Will it improve handling? Only time will tell. With the inner bracket tacked in level with the chassis, fab work on the control arm begins. First, the outer hub bracket, then the inner control arm stub. After that it's simply a matter of "Connect the Dots." An outer pivot bracket is then made and will be welded to the end of the torsion tube after the "stock style" spring plate flange is removed. We can then finish off the basic control arm with the addition of the outer straight forward bar. The control arm pivots on 3/4" super duty rod ends which are adjustable in and out. http://home.comcast.net/~mlawless29/trailingarm1.jpg To enable adjustment of rear wheel alignment, a plate which is cut at a slight angle, will be sandwiched between the hub and the hub mounting plate. By rotating this plate, a precise rear wheel alignment can be achieved. When the first control arm is complete, the arm and it's bracketry is mirrored for the other side. Once both sides are complete, it's down to finish and detail work, then measuring for axles. http://home.comcast.net/~mlawless29/trailingarm5.jpg http://home.comcast.net/~mlawless29/Chassis2010m.jpg Now that it all fits and functions as envisioned, the Big Question is, "How will it work?" Next up is converting the front end to the new American TrakStar spindle mount front wheels. While it seemed that Anglia spindle wheels would be the easier conversion since the inner bearing has the same inner diameter as the stock linkpin, it turns out that Strange spindle wheels are easier. This due to the OUTER bearing which would only require a skim cut to fit, and the threads are good as is. The Anglia outer bearing is much smaller and would require either reducing and rethreading the end of the spindle or finding a conversion bearing. I opted for the Strange. All that is required is to make a bushing for the inner bearing and taking a .030" skim cut on the outer spindle journal. Very simple. I also bought a Wilwood disc brake kit to use on the American wheels. The brake hat bolts right on to the back of the wheel. The biggest hurdle was that the bracket for the caliper was made for a P&S dragster spindle. I used this as a pattern to make caliper mounts to fit the VW spindle. All in all, a painless conversion that took about a half day and a foot long piece of 3/8" x 4" 6061 aluminum. http://home.comcast.net/~mlawless29/Chassis2010a.jpg http://home.comcast.net/~mlawless29/frontbrake1.jpg http://home.comcast.net/~mlawless29/frontbrake2.jpg With all American style wheels and brakes, the only original brake part that remained was the cast iron dual circuit master cylinder. I decided this was the time to replace that, even though it was new last season. I felt the four piston calipers at the rear, along with the disc brakes up front would need more volume than the stock MC could provide. Wilwood again supplied the aluminum dual circuit MC with optional remote mount reservoirs. With the elimination of the stock style MC, there was no sense in keeping the stock brake lines with a bunch of metric to AN adapters. It will be completely converted to all AN with stainless steel lines. That completes the chassis work. With clean-up and detail work and elimination of all unused brackets and tabs, the pan will go in for a satin black powder coat finish.

foat membership

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 19:02:46 -0800

I want to wish my personnel buddy Bob Godfrey all the luck and I know skill with his driving in the up-coming Denver nostalgia funny car race. God speed,bless you and keep you safe in this fun but dangerous sport!!!!!!!!!!!Alex Mckinney one big FAN!!!!!!

Getting ready for the 2010 Season

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 22:07:44 -0800

I had made some changes to my rear gear ratio. Went from 3.27 to 3.73. I also added a rear anti-roll bar to keep the car straight! See ya all and thanks for reading! Les

I'm going to buy presents for myself

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 13:44:21 -0800

So, my new favorite website for my Mustang is <A HREF="http://www.americanmuscle.com">AmericanMuscle.com</A> The parts I'm considering are as follow: I really like this rear window visor... <IMG SRC="http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/mustangtuning_2081_1272410207"> These Louvers... <IMG SRC="http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/mustangtuning_2081_1120385999"> This wing... <IMG SRC="http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/mustangtuning_2081_1585544722"> And these wheels <IMG SRC="http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/mustangtuning_2081_1156684685"> What do you guys think? My car... <IMG SRC="http://www.thefoat.com/pics/ride_photo_12552949078eeecda.jpg">

Today is Pearl Harbor day.

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 09:34:23 -0800

Pearl Harbor day is a significant memorial for Americans and car guys alike. Although the auto racing had already taken root in America and in Europe and the Model T was being turned into speedsters and doodle bugs the current automotive culture did not develop until after World War 2. It was returning WW2 vets who came home and used their increased income and war experiences to begin cutting up and tearing down the older cars that had been setting around the country side. This abundance of autos and the new found boredom of home away from war lead many young men to go racing. At first it was the venerable Model A and Model T getting the more powerful Ford Flat head V8 engine swaps. These smaller lighter cars found significant gains with a 1932 and up Flatty. It was during the fifties that these same guys found that the all new Chevrolet V8 which was a push rod engine placing the valves over the heads was far more powerful and accepted modification in a more gratifying way than the now dated Flat head. The small block Chevy fit right into the light weight 32 Ford and many others. These cars where the first truly quick street cars. Hot Rods became a part of our culture as they were both denigrated and loved. Hated by the clean and straight they represented a dangerous loose life and were not the desired toy of retirees that they are today. The spirit of the hot rod lives on today. As we modify cars to gain more power and more speed we are following in a long line of Americans who have come and gone. Today we squabble over a LS1 in a Mustang and claim blowers are better than spray but these things are not new. The true spirit of the Hot Rodder enjoys the pursuit of speed more than the resale value of his ride or cultural taboos. Keep in mind a Chevy in a Ford has been around a long time since the fifty's and like it or not the Flat head V8 was the original engine swap of choice even during the Great Depression. Blowers, nitrous, or moth balls in water, or moon shine injection they are all the same. So this Pearl Harbor Day stop and consider. When Pearl Harbor was attacked the world barely new the custom car seen. But when those boys came home after wooping some Axis of Evil they came home to become guys that we now immulate with our hobby.

2009 International Motorcycle Show in Long Beach, CA

Sun, 06 Dec 2009 22:57:55 -0800

I'm fast becoming a sport/super bike enthusiast. While technology enhancements exist for other classes of motorcycle, it is most augmented in the sport/super bike classes. Instead of getting into why I think that, I'll tell you my two very favorite motorcycles at this year's show. They are the <a href="http://www.bmwplanetpower.com/" target="_blank">BMW S1000RR</a> and the <a href="http://www.streetfighter.ducati.com/" target="_blank">Ducati Streetfighter S</a>. Both bikes are extremely different. The BMW is a very comfortable and practical superbike. It has a lean 999cc engine with a WHOPPING 193 hp and 83lbs of torque. The very first thing I noticed was how cushiony the seat is, since my bike's seat sucks balls. All the controls, dials, and gages were in easy to reach and see areas. It looks sporty, and has a unique front end. Unique because the headlights are situated unlike any other motorcycle I've ever seen. See for your self. <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=3964"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_126016756688a63.jpg" border="0"></a> All in all, if you were the proud owner of this bike, you'd get a lot of nods and thumbs up from car drivers and fellow riders. but... If you owned the Ducati... <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=3967"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_126016857047bc2.jpg" border="0"></a> ...you'll literally leave people *FOAT*ing their pants as you fly by. Thats right, this is the 2010 Ducati Streetfighter, and in my opinion, it is the sexiest "naked" bike on the market. It boasts a 1098cc engine (the same motor in the Ducati superbike) - 155hp and 85lbs torque. I'm not even going to talk about this bike...I'll let you just look at it and cry. Which would I choose If I had to? Though the BMW outperforms the Ducati, neither bike is in the same class, so it is unfair to judge on performance alone. I choose the Ducati, because it looks amazing, and I think it would be way more fun to ride. Plus, Ducatis usually leave other brand owners speechless. ...even BMW riders. "I should'a got a Ducati."

PLEASE HELP PARISE RACING SPREAD HOLIDAY CHEER TO WOUNDED SOLDIERS!!!

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 21:07:41 -0800

HELP PARISE RACING SPREAD HOLIDAY CHEER TO WOUNDED SOLDIERS It is that time of year once again. The holidays are upon us. Most of us associate the holidays with family and friends gathering at one another's homes for food, drinks and gift exchanging. We at Parise Racing would like to remind everyone about our nation's wounded Military personnel who are not fortunate enough to be home for the holidays. It has been Parise Racing's mission, in part with The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, to raise awareness for our nation's Military, past and present through our 'Vettes for Vets' program. From raising donations, to having veterans spend a day at the track, the 'Vettes for Vets' program has many facets. With the holiday season approaching, Parise Racing is asking for everyone to remember our nation's wounded Military personnel, and get involved to make this holiday a brighter one. Perhaps this year, rather than participating in your office 'grab bag' , you would choose to send a small gift to a member of our nation's Military , who was wounded in the line of duty and is spending the Holidays in Brooke Army Medical Center. There are many options of things to send. Feel free to send just a card. If you would like to do more, here is a list of a few things that would be useful and greatly appreciated: Toiletries, Gift Cards to: Wal-Mart, Burger King, Applebee's and Olive Garden. Please be assured that we at Parise Racing have had one on one contact with the Gift Coordinator and she has assured us that all cards and gifts will be handled appropriately. Please send any card or gift to: Brooke Army Medical Center Attn: Gift Coordinator (Parise Racing) 3851 Roger Brooke Drive San Antonio, TX 78234 On behalf of our wounded Military personnel, Parise Racing would like to thank you in advance for your generosity. Wishing you all a Happy and Healthy Holiday Season and a prosperous 2010! Dina and Andrew Parise www.pariseracing.com

Too much money!

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:39:44 -0800

Video will explain <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lFZ-kSNt2A0&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/lFZ-kSNt2A0&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

M&H Tee Shirts

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 12:26:10 -0800

those vintage M&H Racing tee shirts are awesome!!

Black Friday Blowout Sale

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 08:37:12 -0800

My wife is shopping on Black Friday. Why don't they have a Black Friday Blowout Sale for motorheads? I guess I will watch speed channel or speed scene.

FOAT Series Winners

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:59:15 -0800

Kinda silly that a person can load millions of photos of everyone elses cars and win the FOAT series for the period :-( I have well over 1500 photos of just one of my cars and its whole build cycle, but I'm not sure I would bore everyone with them just to win the Foat Series. And I have three rigs now and as many photos for each. And almost as many videos for one of them. Enough to over triple the current leaders points. Not sure if loading pics and vids of others rigs is allowed under the rules. But I'd call SrtBrad out on that one if there was a rules committee. Someone tell me if this is legal to load pics of others rigs, like from every event you've ever gone to. If its OK by the rules, I'll shut up and go back to playing with the new rig.

The year at "THE NITRO GARAGE"

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 06:36:17 -0800

Well the drag racing year is over. THE NITRO GARAGE has been to 26 drag races this year. NEWT and KORK would like to "THANK" all our friends and customers for there support. We started out in Jan. with the PRO WARM UP in PHOENIX. Then back there for the Div.7 race. MARCH MEET next. Then after that its just a blur! We did a road trip in June. Started with FUEL ALTEREDS in TUCSON, then BOWLING GREEN,KY for the HOT ROD REUNION, the next week was CORDOVA,IL. then home. 25 days on the road, Throw in a bunch WEST COAST HOT ROD ASSOCATION, and PACIFIC STREET CAR ASSOCIATION races,a few races at BARONA DRAGSTRIP, JET CAR NATIONALS at TUCSON, and then the California Hot Rod Reunion in BAKERSFIELD. Finishing up in LAS VEGAS at the STREET CAR SUPER NATIONALS. Now its time to work on new t-shirt designs, and a new "MISTER NITRO" shift knob. We would like everybody to check out our website [ www.thenitrogarage.com ] for a complete line of Drag Racing Merchandice, like t-shirts, stickers, metal signs, die cast cars and more. Look for our TRAILER next year at a DRAG RACE near you. Thanks again NEWT "THE NITRO GARAGE"

Engine cases

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:09:06 -0800

Going to build a turbo 1776. What engine case would you recommend?

Horsepower Heaven ~ Nitro Nostalgia Funny Cars

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:40:44 -0800

Another great video by <a href="http://www.horsepowerheaven.com/navigation_all/hhnavigation.html" target="_blank">Larry Pfister</a>. 2009 NHRA National Open at Mission Raceway Park. Misc clips plus final round and winner interview with DragNuts.com member <a href="http://dragnuts.ning.com/profile/TimBoychuk?xg_source=profiles_memberList" target="_blank">Tim Boychuk</a>. <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/GIfEZfVaVwo&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="never"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/GIfEZfVaVwo&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="never" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

Darryl's Slide Show of the John Force Cruise Night 10-31-2009

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:39:02 -0800

</embed> <a href="http://dragnuts.ning.com/photo/photo"> Darryl, Rob & I attended the John Force Cruise Night. We had a great time and I recomend for everyone to go to the</a> <a href="http://dragnuts.ning.com/events/john-force-holiday-car-show" target="_blank">Holiday show</a>. Oh, and the Austin won its first Award!

Midnight Mayhem at The strip, Las Vegas in HD

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:13:44 -0800

How to buy a used blower at Back N The Day. Tom Contino of Snap On Tools & Rob Lindsay of RJ Fabrication.

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:11:29 -0800

"Hot Rod" oil for cars that are stored for winter months.

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:46:12 -0800

Let me be the first to confess that I don't usually take my engine oil too seriously. I have always been one to be happy with clean oil, and good pressure. However I have just purchased some oil I felt you should know about. Joe Gibbs racing oil now offers "Hot Rod Oil" an engine oil that is designed for engines that sit for long months with out use. Hot Rod Oil uses the same technology used by the military in there engines that are being stored for combat duty.This oil prevents corrosion inside your engine that can be caused by moisture resting on internal parts that have long since dried out due to inactivity. It's a high zinc synthetic oil too so it will work great for the flat tappet engine in your antique. I will be using it now for my 1990 Mustang that sets for long periods of time in storage. If you want to know more or would like some "Hot Rod Oil" for your car give me a call. 931-451-7559

STREET CAR SUPER NATIONALS UPDATE!

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:40:06 -0800

THE NITRO GARAGE is all set up at "THE STRIP" in LAS VEGAS. Good day thur.. Lots of fast cars and huge wheel stand. One '67 CAMARO put it on the back bumper and came down and both wheels were pointed in, and oil pan broke. Then a VEGA wagon did the same thing and kept driving down track with one wheel pointing in and scweeling the full 1/4 mi. Last nite a 2010 twin turbo MUSTANG ran two runs, 6.01,and then a 6.001/244 to win $500 in the PRO STEET SHOOT OUT. Today is qualifing in all classes. Lots of turbo cars. This race is a must see!more tomorrow. NITRO GARAGE OUT!

Happy Thanksgiving

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:31:00 -0800

Well it looks like the time is almost here and man I couldn't be more ready for it. The time for setting back feasting and then doing nothing for a while. Maybe it's the state of the world today or maybe it is just the time of life but it sure seems like everyone is run completely ragged all of the time. And as I say that and as I look forward to the soon to be "restful" holiday season I must admit that I am also looking forward to the coming year. 2010 looks to be a good year for both my family and DBR. We work daily to plan new activities and goals to both build our reputation the best and most enjoyable speed shop in Tennessee and to have a little fun for ourselves too. For 2010 be watching DBR as we plan more events for enthusiasts like our diesel and truck gathering, The annual Fox Body show, Burgers, Brats and Burnouts, and more. You can also expect that DBR will be continually growing our product lines and knowldege to better serve you and your hobby. So as you sit back and enjoy the holidays remeber to stop by and say hello to your beloved local speed shop (DBR High Performance) and maybe even bring your family members who come in to visit. Until next time ya'll have a happy thanksgiving.

7.19 192 Thanks John

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 09:36:54 -0800

I LOVE MY M&H tires. Yesterday in testing, i ran a new personal best (by 3 tenths and 10mph). I went 7.19 / 192 on a cold green racetrack. No shake, no spin. Straight down broadway. Hashim, you are the man. These tires ROCK.

DBR adds new product line.

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:57:43 -0800

DBR High Performance has just added Metco Motorsports solutions to our growing list of products. http://www.metcomotorsports.com/index.htm Check them out when you see what you need just give me a call and we'll install it for ya. Ya'll have a good week.

SUPER NATIONALS

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:43:09 -0800

THE NITRO GARAGE came home on thur. from SEMA SHOW in VEGAS and jumped in the motorhome and headed to FONTANA for the PSCA FINALS. There was great racing and great weather. There was a few crashes but no one was hurt. 2 or 3 records were broke. Now we are home for a week and then off to THE STRIP in LAS VEGAS for the STREET CAR SUPERNATIONALS 5. Nov. 19-22. This is going to be a must see race! 50 OUTLAW cars, and 35 PRO STREET cars pre registered.Some big names are coming. PAT MUSI,SHANNON JENKINS,BILLY GLIDDEN and more. Big money up for grabs.$20,000 to win for PRO STREET, $10,000 for OUTLAW, $5000 of X-TREME DRAG RADIAL.For more info:www.pscaracing.com Hope to see everybody there. NEWT THE NITRO GARAGE

SEMA SHOW

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:34:24 -0800

THE NITRO GARAGE came to VEGAs mon, for an INTERNET MARKETING seminar. Then tue. we were at the show. The car count was down from last year, and the quality was off also. Not a lot of really radical cars. Lots of mildly custom 2010 CAMAROS. Last year it was the CHALLENGER and PT CRUIZER the year before. Seen the BERNSTIEN ARROW funny car, DON PROUDOHME ? "SNAKE" CUDA funny car and truck.One of GARLIT'S dragsters, the FRIEGHT TRAIN and the "RATTLER" were there. GIOVANNI wheels had a HUGE booth with 10 or more REALLY EXPENSIVE cars {ROLLS ROYCE,FERRARI,LABORGINIS} just to name a few. There was a DJ spinning records and a bar to get drinks at! Lots of people as usual. Going home today and off to PSCA fri, and sat. P.S. Also seen a all flat black ROLLS ROYCE ot side the show on a side street. Is theres no shame in the car world????

THE NITRO GARAGE

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:09:42 -0800

We went to PHOENIX for the FUNNY CAR`race and it was great. Lots of NITRO funny cars,CIFCA funnys, jet cars and bracket cars. Seen lots of old friends. Now we are in LAS VEGAS for the SEMA SHOW this week. It is goint to be KOOL. We will be home on thur and off to FONTANA for the last PSCA race of the year. Everybody need to ncome out and support MEL and his crew. See ya at the track. NEWT

Winning is Hard to Do

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:13:19 -0700

Race Report, ANRA Finals, Oct 24-25, 2009, Famoso Raceway To quote Jimmy Duggan, "It's supposed to be hard. It's The Hard that makes it Great!" Going into the final chapter of the American Nostalgia Racing Association series, we had the stuff to win. Car was running good, I was doing a good job driving..... But then, so were the 18 other guys in the class. It was a record turnout of 19 E/Gas (11.60 index) cars this time out. Unbelievable. Over 300 race cars were in attendance total. That would lead one to believe that nostalgia racing is alive and well in central California. We'd been experiencing a decline in power over the last several races, and it got to the point that it just would not run the number. After the Las Vegas VW PRA race in early October, I yanked the motor and swapped out the barrels and pistons for the set we had run earlier in the season when it was running really good, before we switched to the "High Dollar" brand. The first pass right off the trailer netted an 11.47 at 118mph. Right back to it's previous performance levels before the installation of the high dollar brand pistons. It was also a red-light start. So, I knew I had to back 'er down a notch. After turning the wick down, and while waiting in the lanes for qualifying run #2, we were informed that because of the large volume of cars, and a couple of delays due to oil downs, we would only get two qualifying shots. So playing it a little safe, run #2 was 11.76 on the 11.60 index. Good for the #11 qualifying position. However, the most interesting thing about that run was the .001 reaction time. Nice to brag about, but a little too close for comfort! Looking at the pairings for eliminations, we were to be matched up with my good friend of more than 30 years, Steve Long in his big block '69 Mustang. We had paired up in the finals in one of the West Coast Hot Rod Association events during the summer, and Steve won that round. This time, Steve and I both had good .03 reaction times, and going through the traps, I put a wheel out on Steve and kept it there. I was certain the win was mine. But it was not. I had run .014 under, or 11.586 on the 11.60 index while Steve had run 11.61. I got to the finish line only .03 seconds ahead, but it proved to be too much. I can't complain, both car and driver did their jobs. I did what I wanted to do at the stripe. I just didn't get the win. While disappointing, I can't cry about it. Because "There's No Crying in Drag Racing!"

Installation of Tanabe exhaust

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:33:14 -0700

First thing I did was sprayed lube around all the nuts and bolts I'd need to remove. They are real tight from being heated and cooled over and over again. Then I removed two of the three nuts holding the backpipe to the CAT, while leaving one nut on (but loose) so that the pipe wouldn't fall on my head later. <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=2441"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_12559795908f3e4.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=2442"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_125597962457fd5e2.jpg" border="0"></a> Next I removed the two spring loaded nuts and bolts which attached the muffler to the longer backpipe (next to the resonator). Once this was completed, the muffler was free to remove. All that held it in was a rubber grommet. <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=2443"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_125597965648a99.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=2444"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1255979681623dc160b1.jpg" border="0"></a> The rubber grommets look like this. <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=2445"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_125597970443369f2a0e.jpg" border="0"></a> Once the muffler was removed, I then went back to the CAT and removed the final nut. Then I slipped the backpipe off the rubber grommets it hung from, and the entire CAT back had then been removed. The process was reversed by installing the new Tanabe Medalion Exhaust (Made in Japan =). The OEM grommets were reused and everything fit pretty snug. <object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" width="504" height="357" id="wasp848228" ><param name="movie" value="http://www.thefoat.com/flv3/wasp.swf" /><param name="flashvars" value="s=0&r=MjlzNkp6NEl5JTdEJTVDJTI2Sm9NRCU3Q2pKR1JDJTVDeSUyMWtobWdD&f=http://www.thefoat.com/video/JBGdAlKPRSOG0QE26CzGEA%3D%3D.flv&me=1&waspSkinsz_1|1|1^sa_1|1|1^sf_1|1|27||000000^sw_1|1^sv_1|1^sp_1|1|27|D8D8D8|000000|000000^sb_1|6|15|FFFFFF|909090|FFFFFF^sg_1|1^st_1|1|16||000000^sr_1|1&im=http://www.thefoat.com//pics/movie_1255581798e324b7b6a_cover.jpg" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.thefoat.com/flv3/wasp.swf?c=http://www.thefoat.com/flv3/wasp.xml" id="wasp848228" name="wasp848228" allowfullscreen="true" width="504" height="357" flashvars="f=http://www.thefoat.com/video/JBGdAlKPRSOG0QE26CzGEA%3D%3D.flv&im=http://www.thefoat.com//pics/movie_1255581798e324b7b6a_cover.jpg&pageColor=000000&wmode=opaque" ></embed></object>

CHRR

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 05:41:31 -0700

Well the CHRR was great as usual. The crowd seemed down this year.ED HAYSTY {spelling?} with the "KING KONG" altered got out of the groove and hit the wall. Car laid over on its side and got bent up pretty good. He walked way with sore ribs, but in good spirits. I`d like to thank SCOTT "LUCKY" HUDSON from SPEED SCENE LIVE for the use of the floor mats this weekend. They really helped. Also want to say "Nice job to JASON for getting all "THE FOAT.COM t-shirts on the top fuel team. They looked great THE NITRO GARAGE is home now for 3 days and then we head out to PHOENIX for the NOSTALGIA FUNNY CAR show at FIREBIRD RACEWAY fri.and sat. Talk later, NEWT

B-2 Stealth Bike makes appearance at Edwards Air Show!

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 16:47:39 -0700

<a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=2399"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1255822259e84b1ddebc.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.thefoat.com/?sg=m.photo&photo_id=2356"><img src="http://www.thefoat.com//pics/photo_1255821632ea3760.jpg" border="0"></a> In July 2009, Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Air Force celebrated the 20th anniversary of the first flight of the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, which occurred on July 17, 1989. As a visual centerpiece of its year-long celebration of this milestone, Northrop Grumman Corporation, the Air Force's prime contractor for the B-2, unveiled a custom B-2 themed motorcycle designed and built for the company by famous <a href="http://www.orangecountychoppers.com">Orange County Choppers</a> (OCC), Newburgh, N.Y. <object width="560" height="340"><embed src="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/EZkTU1rRwLM&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object> Sources: <a href="http://www.as.northropgrumman.com/products/b2spirit/assets/B2_Bike_FactSheet.pdf">Northrop Grumman B-2 Bike Fact Sheet</a> <a href="http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123146018">B-2 stealth bike on display in May at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force</a>

NHRDA FINALS

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:30:59 -0700

Who all is going to NHRDA finals in Bowling Green Kentucky October 24th?

JET CARS and CHRR

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 07:08:56 -0700

TUSCON WAS CRAZY. 5.5 hours of madness sat nite. Lots of people and great racing. Good racing in the GAMBLE and bracket race. There was a `69 CAMARO funny car from TEXAS testing and will be at B-FIELD this weekend. Got home sun. and now getting ready for the NHRA CHRR this weekend. THE NITRO GARAGE will be in the vendor area selling drag race merchandise. Today I1m off to L.A. to get more die cast cars and also pick up the fiberglass doors for the `56 CHEVY race car. Ordered the fiberglass decklid, rear bumper, and hood MON. The car is coming along . Hope to see everybody this weekend. You have to be there. NEWT

Making a list and checking it twice gets you cool speed parts and everything nice.

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 06:55:42 -0700

Have you made your list yet? The list that you memorize until January in case someone asks you the greatest question of all time. "What would you like me to get you for Christmas?" It may seem a little early for this but hey we know how some people like to shop early. It's happened far too many times for me. I've not made a list, then when asked by a loved one at the wrong time and place I have caused many a nights of sorrow. Too many times I have been out with my wife or a close family member when they would ask the question. When unprepaired my mind would race as though my very life could be on the line. As I fumbled through Hot Rod magazine clippings in my head I would become tense and anxious. Then like Ralphie talking to Santa Claus I would blubber out some stupid item that really means nothing to me at all like a new leaf rake or something. It's really hard to go back afterwards and bring up something like a programmer or exhaust kit when you first mentioned a $5.00 item. I suggest that you start making a list. Check it twice (make sure the part numbers are all correct) then staple a DBR business card to it and leave it her make up drawer. She'll love you for making her job much easier.

Fox Body Tribute show

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 08:26:34 -0700

To commemorate 30 years of the Fox Body Mustang / Capri DBR will be hosting a tribute car show from Noon till 4pm in Spring Hill, TN. The show will have food vendors and music. Door prizes, goody bags, and 4 $50.00 gift cards to class winners. The judging will be entirely people's choice. Awards for best Coupe, Gt, LX Hatch and Convertible. Show is open to all 1979-1993 Mustangs and Capri's. We encourage your to bring your unique cars to help show what all the Fox body has become. From dirt track and drag cars to show cars and street machines. Come join the fun. October 24th 2009

LIVING IN PHOENIX???

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:16:53 -0700

Well THE NITRO GARAGE did pretty good at the NHRA DIV.7 ET FINALS. Went to FIREBIRD RACEWAY and didn`t know what to expect. I didn`t know it was the SUMMIT ET FINALS. Seen a lot of friends from BAKERSFIELD,BARONA,FONTANA,IRWINDALE. It was like being at a HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL game with all the golf carts decorated,horns and cheerleaders. IT WAS NUTZ!!!There was almost 600 cars racing. Really tight racing. There were a couple crashes. Good weather in the day, Rained a couple nites. We will stay at my daughters in PHOENIX and head out fri morning for TUCSON and the fri. TNT, and sat. THE JET CAR NATIONALS. That is there biggest show of the year. Then we will be home for 3 days and then off to BAKERSFIELD for the NHRA CHRR. See ya at the track. NEWT

Wow, What a day of driving.

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 19:13:32 -0700

I left Hunstville Alabama and the United Outlaw Racing series this morning and headed home today. Went a couple rounds in the 7.0 class but lost in a double breakout in round two. I went 6.98 to the other guys 6.99, a close race. Everybody at the track was very nice and friendly and it was a real pleasure to be there. i got a lot of video and some interviews for Speed Scene Live TV. Found out I needed to be home and take care of a couple things that couldnt wait so I had to change my plans and not wait for the Holly Springs race and the George Howard race. hated to miss them but you gotta do what you gotta do. So I started driving home. Drove thru Alabama, Tennessee and Arkansas in the rain the whole way. Finally stopped raining at the Oklahoma border. Gonna stop for the night outside of Oklahoma city and start again in the morning. Will stop at home for a couple days and then head north to the Bakersfield NHRA Hot Rod Reunion. Will have a Currie Booth and some FOAT handouts in the vender area, come on by and see us. Might even have Diana -Mite in the booth Saturday and Sunday signing autographs. Lucky

United Outlaw Racing Series

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 21:29:52 -0700

Left Nashville this morning and towed south to the Huntsville Alabama track. Drove past the historic Carter house that has over a thousand bullet holes from the civil war in the walls. Past the Jack Daniels distillery, David Crockett State park, saw a lot of really nice country. It really makes you proud to be an American when you drive around and see what an incredible country we live in. So many resources, water, trees, stone, it is really incredible. Got to the Huntsville track and the racers and track officials are so friendly. Got parked, teched the race car and did some filming. The folks next to me invited me over for some homemade Gumbo. I wasnt sure what it was but man did it taste good. It was all kinds of tasty meat over rice. Ran the car down the track four times and watched the other racers. There are sure some incredible cars out here. Fast, Fast stuff! Lots of families here, with kids riding bikes and playing on the stands. The whole track feels very family oriented. Tomorrow, more racing, and eliminations. Stay tuned. Lucky

Hanging out in Nashville

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:51:42 -0700

Got this big trip going, but right now I am taking a little break due to the fact that I am close to the next race, but it is only wednesday, and the race is not until friday. When you are in this area, KY, TN, OH, etc, all the tracks are very close to each other. So you dont really need three or four days to travel to the next event. I spent part of one day driving from Bristol to Nashville and am staying in the NitroPlate coatings parking lot. I can drive to the next race, in Huntsville Alabama in half a day, so I decided to pull the PT cruiser out of the trailer and do the tourist thing. After all, I am in Nashville, the epicenter of country music! So I went to the Grand Old Opry today, the country and western museum, the Opryland hotel, then hit some honky tonk bars in the old downtown area and listened to local live music, stopped at a old BBQ place, visited a famous guitar shop, and then rounded out the day by hitting WalMart to reload the fridge in the Toter. Got one more day to be a tourist, and then on to the next race. Lucky

Lucky on the road in Nashville TN

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 11:43:05 -0700

How A Sex Goddess Changed The Automobile Industry

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 08:15:56 -0700

The Mansfield Bar If you're around the same vintage as I am (59) you probably remember Jayne Mansfield or at least heard about her. I know you're probably wondering what Jayne Mansfield has to do with the automobile industry but actually, she had a lot to do with it. Jayne was a 1950's blond bombshell that took Hollywood by storm. Before she had a chance to make it really big she was killed in a car accident. On June 29, 1967 the car she was riding in crashed into the rear of a tractor-trailer that had slowed down because of a truck spraying mosquito fogger. The automobile struck the rear of the semi tractor and under-rode it. She was killed instantly. Rumors that Mansfield was decapitated are untrue, though she did suffer severe head trauma. The scene was so gruesome that it wasn't long before the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration made it mandatory that all semi truck trailers be outfitted with a rear under-ride bar or bumper. In 1998 that standard was revised and the height that this requirement was set at was 22 inches (measured from the ground to the bottom of the bumper). Today there are a number of pickup trucks and SUVs that you can drive off the showroom floor with bumpers higher than 22" (although they're getting better). So why should you care? Under-ride is a huge problem - not just for the bullet vehicle that under-rides the target vehicle but because the target vehicle is susceptible to a post collision fire. The auto industry has done a lot to prevent the typical backing accident by installing backup alarms and cameras. But did you know that you are twice as likely to die from a fire caused by a rear end collision to your pickup truck than you are to back up over someone with it. Rear end collision fires are rare - but not a rare as backing over someone. There's only two ways to help prevent a post collision vehicle fire - move the gas tank ahead of the rear axel or shield it from intrusion. Blocking under-ride and shielding from intrusions into the tank zone are just two more additional benefits of having one of our products on the back of your pickup truck or SUV. So the next time you take a look at the back of a semi truck trailer, check out the rear under-ride bar. That bar is sometimes called "The Mansfield Bar". It took the life of someone very famous before something was done about protecting the rear of a vehicle from under-ride and the treacherous "Wedge Effect". Just two more reasons why we do what we do. I thought you'd like to know. Sincerely, Jeff Mohr Mohr Mfg Jeff is CEO of Mohr Mfg and is an expert in rear end collisions. The company makes portable, crash tested, energy absorbing rear safety under-ride guards for pickup trucks and SUVs. These spare bumpers, ball mounts, hitch steps, and bumper shields prevent rear end collision damage caused by Tailgaters, Uninsured Motorists, Bumper To Bumper Traffic, Distracted Drivers, Inattentive Cell Phone Users, Drivers With Poor Judgment, Text Messengers And Lousy, Stinking Parallel Parkers. For more information please visit their web sites at http://www.superbumper.com and http://www.sparebumper.com. P.S. By the way, Jayne Mansfield's daughter, Mariska Hargitay was also in the automobile crash. She came away with just a slight cut above the eye. Mariska stars in the TV series Special Victim's Unit or SVU. So I hope that, when you read this you gather in the information that it took the death of a very beautiful person to make something happen.

WCHRA Race Report

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 07:47:56 -0700

Missed it by THAT Much! The final race of the West Coast Hot Rod Association was held Sept 26-27th at Historic Famoso Raceway. Going into the event, we were in second place in our class, E/Gas and unable to catch the leader. Our good friends, the Palmers, were three rounds in back of us in third. Hoping that in late September the weather would be a little cooler, I gambled on keeping the motor together as is, knowing it had been losing performance. This time, the gamble did not pay off. I did not come prepared to win and needed some luck. So, I hoped to bluff my way through a few rounds. Luck I did not get. With the Blue Car's performance declining, and with the heat, it just didn't have enough oomph. The first qualifying run was disappointing and it appeared as though I might have brought a "Stick to a Gun Fight," running 11.84 for the 11.60 E/Gas index. After an adjustment, round number 2 was worse at 11.97. With only one more shot at it, another adjustment got us to 11.70. Closer, but not nearly close enough. I was not going to gamble further by making any more adjustments for eliminations, so I decided to leave it as it. The plan was then to remove the wheelie bars, and only run the bare minimum amount of fuel to get the weight down. Then, hope for an easy target for round one. At least with the 11.70, I had a knife for that gunfight! Sunday morning when we arrived, Troy Palmer was there to greet us. "You want the good news or bad news first?" he said. He went on the say, "The good news is you qualified sixth. The bad news is you have Dustin Lee in round one." Dustin is the current points leader and has not lost a round at the three races he has attended. Very tough. "It is what it is," I said. "I'll just have to take my best shot." Troy assured me that he was beatable. Maybe he was beatable, but he consistently has about a .04-.05 package and rarely makes mistakes. My first round stats compared to my opponents were Mike RT .034, Dustin RT.036. Mike at the stripe, 11.647, Dustin at the stripe, 11.641. MOV for Dustin .004. That 11.64 was all she had and was the best run of the weekend. But then, like I said earlier, I knew the car was slowing down over the last few races and had the chance to do something about it. I was gambling on cooler weather. By the time we knew it was gonna be hot, it was too late. I gambled and lost, simple as that. Troy handily won his first round matchup as his opponent Jeff Beck (Not the rock 'n' roller) in his 66 Chevelle redlighted away any chance of winning the round. Troy also got past his second round guy on his way to meet Dustin in round three. Troy said that after the round, Dustin said, "I knew you were going to be tough, and with the car slowing due to the heat, I needed something, so I put the thin oil in." The results were Troy RT .06, Dustin RT .04, Troy at the stripe, 11.594, Dustin 11.613, (Troy correct me on the exact numbers, but that's pretty close to what I remember.) Even with the heat, and our poor showing, it was a fun weekend. We finished in second place overall for the season, so we're pretty happy with that and the Palmers are always fun to be with. Both the Palmers and us have made many new friends and have gained the respect of the V8 guys we race against. One thing is certain, they don't take us lightly and cut us no slack at all. That in my mind is the ultimate show of respect! We have to turn it around and run in Vegas for the VW PRA series next weekend, but with the index at 11.90 (12.10 corrected) I think there's enough left in the Blue Car to run it as is. We're looking forward to seeing our VW brethren again and hoping to "Stir the Pot" in Super Gas. We are not in contention for a high finishing position, but we still want to win. And that as always, is the goal. Maybe Lady Luck will pay us a visit in Vegas as she has so often in the past!

I am the highway

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 21:27:18 -0700

Audioslave...perfect. Finished two of the most grueling months of my life at work and came to one conclusion: the road is better to me than a stationary existence. I opened a new concept at work, something totally new to our company, and I did it almost completely on my own. Oh sure, there were those, "hey, you should do this" phone calls from a well meaning VP or IT guy, but in the end I hoofed that sucker over the ledge. What did I learn? Well, no matter what your title says, there are no letters that go before your name that make you stop being a jackass. Also, if you are incapable of grasping what it is that your customers want you shouldn't try and fake it in meetings. The "VP" did that. The funny thing is I like most of those guys, but the brass balled she-beast of a President has them all quivering and second guessing themselves. Not me baby. I have the road to clear my head. And so, on most nights, I can leave those turds 100 miles behind me and imagine them stretching their irrelevant suggestions out to the back of my ride as I push the RPMs up past 4500. I can make their doltish directions dissipate behind the whine as I push my four cylinder box on wheels past 95 on a Grapevine grade that most only see once a year driving out of state. Yeah, it was a stressful month, but I've got the road, and thank the road gods for that! J

THE NITRO GARAGE on the road again!

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:44:15 -0700

We did the WCHRA race in B-FIELD at FAMOSA RACEWAY. The race went well with about 200 race cars. the spectator attendence was low due to the county fair??? WHO WANTS TO SEE THE FAIR, WHEN YOU CAR SEE 200 MPH RACE CARS??? We got home late sunday and now getting ready for a trip to PHOENIX wed. We will be at FIREBIRD RACEWAY Oct.1-4, for the DIV.7 ET FINALS race this weekend. Will spend the week at my daughters and the next fri. leave for TUCSON. and the JET CAR NATIONALS Oct9-10. Then back home for 3 days and then off to B-FIELD for the NHRA CHRR Oct15-18. And if your wondering if we will have a break? NO!!! We will be back at FIREBIRD for the NOSTALGIA NITRO FUNNY CAR race Oct.23-24. Can we take a break now? Finally. WEill keep you informed about the races when we get there. NEWT

Heading for Nashville and NitroPlate

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:12:08 -0700

Heading for the next race, the UORS (United Outlaw Racing Series) in Huntsville Alabama. But will first stop by Nashville and take a tour of the NitroPlate coating company. NitroPlate coated my headers and they do great high quality work for a reasonable cost. They can coat anything, and even coated a rearend housing for me. Had a great drive from Bristol TN today, it is a blustery Fall kind of feeling out here. The air is cool and crisp, the trees are starting to turn colors, such a nice change from So cal weather. Drove past the birthplace of Davey Crocket and Dollywood today. Got all the video downloaded, edited, and sent to Hollywood this morning so I am ahead of the game. Got final rounds from the Super Chevy Show along with racer interviews, winners, jet cars, nitro coupes and more! Be sure to check it out tuesday night at www.SpeedSceneRacing.com Lucky

Sometimes you are the windshield, sometimes you are the bug!

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 17:07:26 -0700

Well, today started with good weather and no rain. Got the track here at Bristol TN "Thunder Valley" dried and started racing. I have been having trouble with the transbrake this weekend, but could not find anything broken. Took the button apart and took the shifter apart trying to find an issue, but could not find anything. The transbrake would work in the pits, or on the return road, but on the starting line it would not hold. It would hold for a little and then send the car down the track too soon, causing a red lite. Round one, dialled a 7.05 (1/8 mile) and ran a 7.053 with a red lite due to a bad trans brake. Round one loser. Long drive to have a car that wont work! Bought a brand new shifter and will try to install it this week. Hopefully the problem is not the transmission. Lucky

Best car builds I have ever seen! Build by RJ Fabrication in Hesperia.

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 01:01:24 -0700

Probably one of the best car builds I have ever seen! The fab work is like art. Built bu Rob Lindasy and his crew at RJ Fabrication in Hesperia. http://dragnuts.ning.com/profiles/blog/list?user=RJFabrication

Day two of Bristol Super Chevy Show

Sat, 26 Sep 2009 19:08:06 -0700

Day started with threatening skies and a 90 percent chance of rain, Skies were dark and the radar showed a huge storm, but the cars were called to the lanes. Everybody got one hit at the tack, the Currie Race team '66 nova ran a 7.0 in the 1/8th. While waiting for the second run the skies darkened and I put the nova in the trailer. Then it started, not just a little rain, but buckets and buckets. The race was called, the area was issued a flood warning and the river that ran thru the track facility grew higher and higher. All the cars that were parked below the river were told to relocate to higher ground. While the cars were moving I went to my first Super Chevy Show year end awards banquet, and Currie racing rearends were awarded a sponsor award. Drivers were awarded and Ken "the Kid" Walsh was declared the nitro coupe world champ, and Jerry Hunt runner up. Rain stopped and hopefully tomorrow will be better. Lucky

First day of Bristol Super Chevy Show.

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:56:35 -0700

Weather is cool and cloudy out here in Bristol TN for the first day of racing. met alot of nice people, about a half dozen that watch the show and know me from Speed Scene Live TV. A couple guys read the blog about the trip and liked it. People here are very friendly and easy to talk with and dont mind stopping and talking for a while. This track is so nice with hills and trees everywhere. it is the beginning of Fall and you can see the trees starting to turn. a few here and there are more orange and red while most are still green. Got some drizzle and then went back to racing. Got in line for a second hit and it started to rain. I was surprised how orderly everybody left the staging lines. Lots of nice cars out here and of course, the nitro coupes! Hoping for a good day of racing tomorrow but the weather is calling for 90 percent chance of heavy rain and flood warnings. Not looking so good, but we can always hope for the best. If tomorrow is a dud, there is still Sunday. Super Chevy Show banquet is tomorrow night. Lucky

THE NITRO GARAGE at WCHRA

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:36:49 -0700

So we left at 9am for FAMOSA. Did good until we were just about to BAKESFIELD and we had a blow out on the trailer. FIXED IT and then I got a call from my friend JEFF GAYNOR. He was already at the track with a '69 CAMARO funny car. Owner / driver unknown, there getting the licencing passes done this weekend. We made it the track and set up the trailer. I took a ride and saw GARY DENSHAM with his new nostalgia '69 CAMARO funny car. Looks good in flat black. Has the "TEACHERS PET" painted on the side. Looks like there will be more funny cars testing this weekend. It would be a good time to come out to the track. Will let you know what happens later. NEWT

Setting up for Super Chevy Show, Bristol TN

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:01:05 -0700

Well, we are inside the vender area and have the Currie tables and canopies set up. Pulled the Nova out, installed the delay box and adjusted the strap's on the new head and neck restraint. I have been using the Hutchens R3 for years, but am now trying a new model, the Hutchens Hybrid. it is very similar to the R3 but has a few things that make it better. Also, it is about 2/3 the price of the regular hutchens so it is more affordable for racers. I highly recommend that every racer get a head and neck system. It may save your life or prevent you from being seriously injured in a crash. I got a chance to sample the local foods, Criscoe from NitroPlate coatings cooked up some fried Bologne sandwiches. I hope as many people as possible come down to the Super Chevy Show and stop by the Currie booth. We have Currie and Speed SCene stickers, and some great fans provided by Currie. Come on down and say hi, then watch the racing and the Nitro Coupes. Tomorrow, the action starts, so today is kind of the calm before the storm. Stay tuned! Lucky

finally in Bristol TN!

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 04:17:55 -0700

Well, I didnt write much last night due to being burnt out from hours of driving. The last couple hours were tough due to it being dark and the hilly windy country roads. Man, it sure is dark out here in the country! Left Arkansas in the morning and drove across the entire state. Arkansas is really a nice state, so green and lush. Lots of little rivers full of water everywhere. Weird to see with California being so dry. Saw some Arkansas wineries. The rest stops here are more like a park or a golf course they are that nice. Not just a bathroom and a trash can, out here they have everything top notch. Came around a corner and saw an incredible building, I thought maybe state capitol, turned out to be a church. Passed the Remington ammo factory, the home of the ivory billed woodpecker, saw a crop duster plane flying at about 100 feet over the freeway. Fun to watch that little plane turning and swooping down low. Moved into Tennessee and drove from end to end, with Bristol being the farthest northeast of the state. Drove past Lake Dardenelle, just incredible. Saw lots of roadkill, a bunch of armadillos, etc. Drove past the Museum of Automobiles. Honked at a couple with "just married, honk at us" on the windows, saw huge farm machinery that took up the whole road driving down little roads. Drove thru Memphis TN listening to BB King on the radio, saw red barns and green fields with big rolls of hay, not bales. Getting close to Nashville I40 is named "Music Highway", listened to a country song about a girl called "She's rockin' the beer gut", Also saw a expensive prevost motor home with windows all blacked out and music notes painted on the side heading into Nashville, maybe a big star???? Crisco at NitroPlate header coatings called me and waited until I rolled into Nashville and then I followed him to the track. What a huge help that was, at least I didnt get lost. A huge thanks to Crisco and they do great work on headers. Mine look great. Drove past Casey Jones home and railroad museum and Loretta Lynn's museum, a Civil war battlefield at Lexington and a park named "Toad Suck Park" What the heck kind of name is that? Now the sun is coming up and I am parked at the Bristol Dragway. They call this place Thunder valley and it is well regarded at a great racetrack. Looking forward to setting up the Currie Rearends booth today and getting the '66 nova teched and ready for tomorrow. Lucky

From Arkansas to Bristol Tennessee

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 20:54:47 -0700

Wow, what a day. I put in over 900 miles of driving today. Started this morning in the west part or Arkansas, drove thru the entire state, and then drove thru Tennessee from one end to the other. Bristol is located in the farthest most northeast corner of the state. Dont really know what it looks like yet because I have been driving in the dark, but am told in is very pretty. Will post a blog tomorrow with all the details of the day, just way too tired to do it now. Gotta get some sleep and be ready to set up the Currie rearends booth tomorrow morning. Thanks to Chrisco from NitroPlate Coatings for showing me the way to Bristol. I have been following him since Nashville. NitroPlate did the header coating on my headers and they do great work. More about the day tomorrow.... Lucky

PINKS ALL OUT THE DAYS AFTER.

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:42:57 -0700

So we went to the race and didn`t run as quick as we needed to.The NOVA ran a best of 12.01 and on sat morning, on the ARM DROP qualifer with RICH, At about 1200 feet, the rods started knocking and wanted out of the little 327 block. Luckily they stayed inside for the rest of the run. They were sure talking though. I loaded the car up on the trailer and now we are building a 355 C.I. sm. bk.Will have it back together in a week or two. Will let you know when and what it runs. NEWT

WCHRA at FAMOSA RACEWAY

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:30:10 -0700

THE NITRO GARAGE will be at the WCHRA race this weekend. [Fri, niote TNT, and racing SAT. at 8 AM. We will be in the vendor area, so stop by and say "HELLO" These guys put on a great action filled race. Come on out.

Luckys road trip from Texas to Arkansas..

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 19:24:44 -0700

Road trip on Route 66

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:32:07 -0700

This blog might be a little fuzzy, because I have been driving all day. Hit some bad weather but am making progress and am east of Amarillo Texas right now. Saw some great old Route 66 roadside stuff. "Twin Arrows trading post" with old gas pumps and two huge 20 foot tall arrows sticking in the ground. "Two guns", which is just a sign and a collection of old buildings falling apart, Meteor crater, Ice cave, petrified wood, indian trading posts, so many white crosses on the side of the road, cows, antelope, petrified wood, moccasins, Winslow Arizona, Fireworks, more cows, dinasaur museums, too many Dairy Queens to count, more cows, indian rugs and blankets, pottery, sand paintings, Tee Pee's, even more cows, a volcano and a bunch of old rusting cars. Even saw an old 32 ford out in the desert rusting away. lots of junk yard full of old cars, and finally, more cows. Hit a real bad stretch of road with intense wind, and everybody was parking under the overpasses, so I pulled over and fired up the laptop and checked for tornados. Weather report said all was clear so I took off. Could only get up to 35 MPH on the freeway because of the wind, and one of my windshield wiper arms got blown. Also, rain and Hail! Wind is still blowing but less now, so I pulled over for the night. Toter home is rocking back and forth, but hopefully no Tornados. Tune in to Speed Scene Live TV tomorrow night at www.SpeedSceneRacing.com

2009 makes 30 years for Fox body Mustang

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 08:58:52 -0700

I am personally a big fan of fox body Mustangs. I own more than my wife cares to and I would gladly take on more. 2009 marks thirty years since the 1979 Mustang and Capri fox body was first available. I believe the Fox body is the Mustang that saved the Mustang name from becoming a front drive v6 car in the late ninety's. For those of you who remember the Ford Probe was actually supposed to be the next Mustang until the big wigs decided the Fox had become to popular and they feared a full on mullet attack would cause too much damage to their facility. To commemorate this 30 year mile stone DBR would like to do a little something here at the shop for all of you who still roll in your 5.0's. The year is coming to an end however and we don't have much time plan so we are coming to you to ask what would be a good time that would allow us to get the most cars here at one time and what would it take to make you bring your car and come hang out with us a bit? Gimme your input I'll see what I can make happen.

First day of the big road trip.

Sun, 20 Sep 2009 19:06:54 -0700

Left home this morning and am heading east to attend the Super Chevy Show in Bristol TN, after that I will stop by a race in Alabama and then the huge George Howard Million Dollar race. Will be promoting Currie racing rearends, Speed Scene Live TV, and of course, The FOAT dot com. I got The FOAT stickers on my trailer and on my car. Will be handing out flyers for The FOAT also. Didnt get a lot of miles in today, about 480 and am now parked in a rest stop outside of Flagstaff Arizona. Got a late start and had to work my way thru the congestion of Southern California. Headed up the 15 fwy and up the Cajon Pass, (4190 elevation) thru the area with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans and at Barstow got on the I 40 freeway. Passed Needles and crossed the Colorado River and drove thru KIngman Arizona. They had the Kingman Street Drags this weekend and I could still see the K rails and the people as I drove by. The I 40 Freeway runs along the old Route 66 road and in some places the old road still exists and in others the freeway is right on top of it. Have seen a lot of desert but right now I am surrounded by tall pine trees, deer, and Elk. Tomorrow I will drop down into New Mexico and drive into Texas. Thanks for reading my Blog and if you are going to be at any of the races I will be at be sure to stop by and say hi. And tune in to Speed Scene Live TV every Tuesday night for the live show, or visit the archives page anytime to catch a show you may have missed. www.SpeedSceneRacing.com Lucky

PSCA RACE at FONTANA

Sat, 19 Sep 2009 19:53:33 -0700

THE NITRO GARAGE is set up at CALIFORNIA DRAGWAY selling t-shirts and other products. The racing was good today. Track was slippery but came around this evening. My friend ARMEN went 7.91 in an almost stock `57 CHEVY with lots of nitrous and is #1 qualifire in WILD STREET. Come out to FONTANA for some great racing SUN. at FONTANA. Stop by and say "HI" at the THE NITRO GARAGE trailer and recieve a FREE STICKER.

Traveling to TN

Sat, 19 Sep 2009 17:15:03 -0700

Heading out to Bristol TN in the morning to go to the Super Chevy Show, and to the George Howard Million Dollar race. About a three day drive, so I give myself a couple extra days, just in case. Will be doing the Speed Scene Live TV show from my toter home in a Walmart or truck stop parking lot. Will continue to post new blogs about the trip and about the drag racing! Lucky

Getting the whole package.

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 07:59:07 -0700

If your like me you might like to hear guys talk about the good ole days when some friend or relative used to own an old beater that one day received a mega power plant and destroyed the whole town. Stories abound from decades past of young men who met their Maker at the helms of a local legend. Usually a car or truck known for it's many defeats at stop lights and corn fields or made famous by evading the sheriff a time or two. These cars where rough and tough and full of parts that made them fly. And fly they did but in the end most of them turned up in the same locations. After an untimely slam into an immovable object that usually posted no threat to the average driver these cars would be nothing more than scrap metal. One such story comes to mind from my younger days. Me and a friend were out rummaging through old abandoned farm houses one hot summer day, while the rest of the world was at work. The house we visited this day had been vacant for years. The former tenant was a wild man who grew up there. The family that had raised him and occupied the house for decades was long gone but they left a legacy of having been the local hooligans. I remembered the parties and the mean dogs they had when I was a kid and how they used to chase me and my friends, scaring us half to death. I never knew he had an older brother who was never around any more. This day we would stumble onto a piece of local automotive lore and misery. Out behind the house was a barn that was barely visible through the brush. We climbed into the top of the barn and looked out the hole used for raising hay and such into the upper level. From where we stood we could see across a field and into some woods. Down in the woods not too far from where we were was a blue 64' Impala. We quickly climbed to the ground and ran out to see what we could find on the junker. The scene at the car was typical except for one thing. The car had been in the woods for a long time. The windows gone the paint gone etc. etc. but usually in these farm towns you find a car that was sent to pasture because it was too costly to maintain and was usually not to badly damaged apart from time and weather. This car was different though. The front of the car was crushed all the way to the fire wall with the twisted metal stiking high in the air above the roof while the rest of the car was left intact. The engine was gone and the windshield was destroyed. My friend and I thought little of the damage or the story behind it as we began to unload our pellet guns into any remaining piece of glass or plastic on the car. That night as I returned home to tell of my findings I learned the horrible story behind the car from my father. Apparently the Impala had been one of the aforementioned autos whose performance had made a name. A name for out running the law that is. I was too young to remember the details of the engine and such but hey those parts did their job. Story goes that a young man no older than 21 had been out east of town getting into some trouble. When he was pursued he took off down an old curvey road. The speeds did exceed 100 mph and I can tell you myself (now that I drive that same road from time to time) that 100 mph is ridiculous even in today's cars given the area he was in. It wasn't the curves that got him though. The cops where relentless this time and young William (if I recall correctly) was getting desperate. You see he had built the car to run and he was young enough to drive real stupid but he didn't consider the whole package. With stock brakes and suspension the beast was unable to stop at a stop sign. A "T" in the road where one long straight stretch of road stops when it comes to another road. Directly past the stop sign and across the other road is a rail road track that is elevated about 20 feet from the corn field it crosses. The track formed sort of a wall crossing the big field. William's Impala launched off the road traveled 30 yards or so and hit the wall formed by the tracks so hard it killed him and destroyed the car on the spot. The officers simply had to clean up the mess and leave wondering why a young man had to die. The car for some reason was sent to the home of the family and stuck out back for years to come rather than going to the scrap yard. Perhaps they thought there was something to be saved. Truth is alot could have been saved. All too often I see vehicles upgraded to perform well beyond normal means when it comes to acceloration but with no regaurd to the stoping power of the brakes and suspension at all. Nowadays we see cars leave our shop with more than 600hp so much that it seems commonplace. These cars are fast and mean just like we like them but with each car we always strongly recommed upgrading the brakes as well. Many times it is as simple as a nice set of slotted rotors and some Hawk pads. Some times we may install a complete Brembo Gran Turismo kit it all depends on the car and the customers attitude towards true safety. For the guy who really wants to have the whole package we may consider some sway bars and or drop springs as well. Improved braking and handling can be a fun upgrade by itself as it will make the car feel lighter and more nimble. The effect of the more nimble feel will be the perception of a faster car. If you take it to a track you may actually run faster lap times by making these upgrades alone. So when you decide to spring for that supercharer or turbo; don't be stupid get the whole package.

PINKS ALL OUT / BAKERSFIELD

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 06:48:24 -0700

Got there on Thur about 2:30 with THE NITRO GARAGE concession trailer and there was about 200 cars in line. Got in and set up by 4:30. My son didn`t get there until 3:30 Fri. morning with the race car. Got two T N T runs on Fri. Sat morning we got one run on the tree, and the next was on RICH`S ARM DROP. Whet 12.01, and then 12.13 and at 1200 feet the rodss started knocking and only 20 lbs oil pressure. Going to build a 434 c.i. now. My good friend RICKY OLIVEIRA of CYPRESS,CA won the race with a string of 10.08 - 10.18 runs. Friday he had the alternator go out and wouldn`t charge. Then on sat. the fuel pump went out. Thanks to another racer borrowing him a pump and he made the show. Beating a 32 car field. Then when we were celebrating after the race a guy that had gone out in the 3rd round came by and congradulated RICKY on his win. Then the guy that had loaned the pump came by and HE and RICKY had agreed to return the pump in the morning as the guy wanted $300 for the used pump. You can get a new one for $320? Then about an hour later the same guy in that had been by earlier game back and got in RICKY`S FACE about the pump and wanted to fight. This guy was racing a BLUE 68-69 CHEVELLE and was drinking. It wasn`t any of his buisness. But he took it apon his self to try and fix the problem of the used pump. Ricky returned the pump and gave the guy $100 FOR THE USE OF IT. The pump guy didn`t even know about the confrontation. Drinking and racing just don`t mix. Just want to thank the CHEVELLE guy for ruining RICKY`S WIN. P.C I`m looking for a 400 CHEVY block as we blew up the NOVA engine sat.

Pinks "All Out"

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 13:07:25 -0700

Pinks was filmed at Famoso drag strip near Bakersfield Ca yesterday, 9/12/09. It was a blast. There were some great battles. Specifically, two El Caminos had at it, and apparently it was an old rivalry between racers. They waved their $500 bets against each other and wagered the full amount of $1000. I'll be uploading videos of the action in the next couple of days.

Volksarama Bonneville Bus. Marketing opportunity, big returns. Need support.

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 21:26:11 -0700

Are you ready to start a full time advertising campaign. We have a truly unique opportunity to reach hundreds of thousands automotive enthusiasts and get national and international exposure for your company and brand. We have built a 1966 VW Bus that has been modified to double as both a race vehicle and a show car. I want to take this vehicle on tour to as many car shows, cruise ins, drag races, and land speed racing events as possible. There are hundreds of automotive events that take place throughout each month. Some are one day events, some are two, three, or four day events. All of the events I am targeting take place in the West with most of them throughout California. Some events are VW only events, some are nostalgia races that include all types of vintage race cars, and still others are huge custom car shows that have all types and styles of custom vehicles. My proposal will offer you a huge return on your investment throughout the year. What I can offer you is both National and International exposure for your company and brand. There are numerous ways in which I will bring attention to your product and/or services. Below is a list of different ways which your company and brand will be exposed to potential customers. 1. Your logo on all sides of the vehicle. The sides is where you will see the biggest logo. There is a space roughly 5 - 6 feet long and about 2 - 3 feet wide to place your company logo. There is also room on the front nose and the roof is HUGE. You could choose to just place large decals over the painted surface or you could wrap the whole vehicle in vinyl with a custom design. I would be willing to paint or wrap the vehicle any color you want. I do have several smaller parts sponsors that would need to be on the bus too. Their logos are much smaller and will be placed along the bottom edge, on the windows, or near the rear corners. They obviously helped to make this project possible and need to be included in a small way. There are not many other vehicles out there that would allow for such a large logo plus the benefit of having so much vertical surface makes it a marketing dream. 2. The vehicle will be featured in a number of national and international automotive magazines when finished. I currently have four VW magazines that have committed to fully featuring the bus when it is finished. One is the only US based VW magazine, the next is the UK magazine "Volksworld", next is the French magazine "Super VW", and the last is the Japanese magazine "Lets Play VWs". There are always other magazines that attend various events and serve different segments that include hot rod, import, VW, nostalgia drags, land speed racing, and custom culture enthusiasts. There will surely be more magazines that will feature the bus as we get out to the events. 3. Direct exposure at any event the bus attends. There will be hundreds of thousands of attendees that attend all these events we have planned to attend. All of the attendees will obviously see your name and logo displayed at the show itself, but many of the people will be taking photos and videos to post up on auto related websites and social networking sites. The images of this vehicle will proliferate throughout untold number of websites, photo galleries, blogs, and discussion boards. Your logo will be easily readable, no matter what size the image is. 4. This vehicle will be on the road throughout the year, logging tens of thousands of miles on the back of the trailer. Everywhere is goes, your company name and logo will be there for everyone to see. Once again, I figure there is an opportunity to expose your brand to hundreds of thousands of people. 5. Inclusion of the vehicle in the largest automotive aftermarket industry convention, the SEMA show in Las Vegas. This is the place to be seen by all the other industry professionals. It would be a great way to expose your brand to potential retailers to sell your products. Once again there are somewhere in the area of 100,000 attendees from all around the globe that would see and photograph the vehicle. Excellent opportunity for international exposure, as those attendees go home and post pics, and video on website in their own country. 6. You could use the vehicle for your own advertising and marketing ideas. If you have a special event you would like the vehicle to attend, We could bring it to your event. If you want to use the image of the vehicle within any of your own media for advertising, you would have that opportunity. From online website images, to images in your catalogs or magazine adds. You would have one of the most unique vehicles out there to use as a promotion tool. 7. We could set up a way to distribute flyers, coupons, or literature from the bus. If there was a way to set up a stand or something to distribute any of your literature, company information, samples, etc, I would be open for your ideas to get something into the attendees hands. The vehicle itself is what makes this such a tremendous marketing tool. Everybody loves VWs. Everybody has a great story during their life about a VW. Their family owned one, their friends owned them, or they had one themselves. You watch people as they interact with VWs and as you talk to them they always open up a smile and tell you a funny or treasured memory of a VW in their life. You don't have the same reaction to a different vehicle like an old Camero or 1932 Ford. Also this vehicle when new could barely do 65mph on the freeway with a tailwind. People see an old VW Bus built for racing is such an oxymoron. It's more like the anti-speed vehicle. You expect a Mustang, Camero, Chevelle, or old hot rod to be fast, not a VW Bus!!! That is what makes it stand out in a crowd. Isn't that what marketing is all about? We have another custom bus that we take out to car shows. It easily draws the biggest crowd. It can be parked next to a $100k hot rod, and people will always notice and gravitate to the bus. Also being that it is a vehicle that can be taken to all sorts of events makes it a diverse tool as well. How many vehicles could you take to a hot rod, import, VW, custom truck, vintage drags, regular drags, and land speed racing? It appeals to all automotive fans, and your brand will be in there face and at their event. Several companies have used VW busses in their advertising campaigns. Sunny Delight vinyl wrapped an old bus and took it on tour around the nation. It was, from what I read, and incredibly successful campaign with TV commercails and live appearances. The Speed Channel recently included a VW Bus in their latest season of the Bullrun and was a viewer favorite. Music pop group Panic at the Disco featured a VW bus throughout one of their entire music videos. I will tell you what I am looking to get out of this partnership First we need to have all of our traveling expenses paid to get the bus out to as many events as possible. These would include fuel to get to the event, entry fees to enter the vehicle in the show or race, and lodging in hotels/motels while on the road. We will have a pretty specific list of events plan on attending throughout the year. We will be able to project most expenses for entry fees that range from $20 per event to $100 per event for the races. The average would probably be around $50 per event. We are contacting event promoters to try to nail down exact fees for each event. There are also pre event gatherings that don't cost anything to attend. The fuel would be relatively easy to estimate. I can calculate the mileage to and from each event, and figure out how much fuel it would cost to complete the year. Lodging expenses can be roughly estimated by figuring out how many nights I will be in a location for the specific event and figuring out an average rate that would be paid. I realize you may not mind spending money but don't need to waste money. I will cut as many corners as possible to cost you the least amount possible. There are a few events a year right here in Las Vegas, and obviously would not have gas or lodging expenses incurred. The next thing I need is to be able to make a living taking this vehicle on tour. There is no way I could commit to a regular job and be able to make commitments to attend all these events throughout the year. Some of these events I would have to leave on Thursday or Friday and may not make it home till Monday. Some weekends will only be a one day event, but most will be multiple day events. I need to be able to provide for my family. This will be a full time job. When not at a show, there will be constant updates to my website and photo galleries as well as posting updates on numerous other websites, blogs, and discussion boards. There will be many hours spent per week behind the computer, updating and promoting. Also there will surely be hours spent maintaining, cleaning, and updating the vehicle during the week to get ready for the next event. There are also expenses to the tow vehicle like fluid changes, tires, and regular maintenance which will obviously be greater than normal. I will absorb the vehicle expenses myself. I need to make around $4,000 per month to be able to support my family if I am to commit to this campaign on a full time basis. I think it would be best to be brought on as a fulltime employee of your company and employed as a marketing representative. I would then need some sort of an expense account or a company charge account to pay for hotels, gas, and entry fees. If you have a different idea, I am open to suggestions. For me, this is an opportunity to make a living doing something I truly love. For you, you gain an incredible marketing tool. Your return on investment will be outstanding. You pay for a marketing employee and expenses but don't have to pay to build the promo vehicle, tow vehicle, or trailer. Your risk is very low and return will be outstanding. You only pay if the vehicle gets out to the events. You have practically no risk of not getting what you are paying for. If the vehicle breaks down and can't make it to an event for one weekend, you incur no expenses for that weekend. Let me assure you I am a very straight up person. There are no angles here. It's all exactly as it sounds with no ulterior motive here. I simply want to promote my vehicle and your product throughout the year. I am a father a two younger kids, a husband of 13 years, and a very upstanding person. I don't drink, smoke, or do drugs. I was bellman for 17 years before quitting my job to open my own VW shop which unfortunately had to close recently because of the weak economy. Being a bellman at a high profile hotel and Las Vegas, customer service comes naturally. I know how a company wants to be represented at all times. I would be a spokesperson and an example of your brand. Treating people right, always smiling, never losing your cool, and always having your company in mind. You always have to be "on" because you never know when someone is watching you. These are the things I have learned and honed as a front line employee in a customer service orientated business. It comes naturally. I understand most companies budget out for these kinds of expenses for the whole year several months before the beginning of the year. One of the biggest promo opportunities for the year is the SEMA show. This show is at the beginning of November and would benefit you greatly to have the bus there with your huge logo all over it. I would like to start our relationship with the SEMA show and follow thru till the end of October 2010. You let me know what we have to do to come to an agreement and start this awesome marketing campaign. I don't have all of the figures yet, but I will soon. Some shows or races don't have their date set for next year yet, so it difficult to exactly plan out the specific shows because sometimes shows overlap from year to year. I have a pretty complete list that will be available soon. As soon as I can come up with the locations and dates, I can figure out the mileage for fuel and number of days needed for lodging. l am so excited about this, I have a hard time sleeping at night. I will put my heart into this and would be a dream come true. I appreciate any and all consideration for your support. Please call me if you have any questions with anything outlined here or if you want to commit to the campaign. My contact info is as follows Derek Campbell 504 Palegold st Henderson, NV 89012 702-491-5146 derek@volksarama.com www.volksarama.com Take 10 minutes and go to my website and see the drawings and picture your logo across 5 feet of the rolling billboard. With a logo that large, any image, no matter how small, will be highly visible and any photos and videos taken. You will see there is no way you can lose here. There are pics and video of the bus and a list of parts sponsors that felt it was beneficial to support this project. Many have seen how this will work in their favor. I believe in it 100% as a marketing tool. . Let me know what you think ASAP. Thanks, Derek Campbell p.s. please excuse any grammatical errors, I am a greahead after all.

Speaking of New Upgrades

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:12:30 -0700

With the 2009 season coming to a close at the end of October, it's time to look ahead to 2010 and what we need to do to make things better. I think the overall combination is pretty good, but every season there seems to be some nagging little item that sticks out like a loose nail that needs to be hammered down. Enginewise, things may or may not be different. We're looking at the completely new "Strip Dominator" heads from CB Performance. These heads will offer up dramatically improved flow and velocity through the range and should result in better ETs. It's simply a matter of if they will be available by the time we'll need them. The high end CP pistons and barrels from Autocraft that we installed at the beginning of this year did not live up to their potential I'm afraid, not matching the performance of our mid level piston and barrel set-up. So we'll be going back to the tried and true piston and ring combo we ran last year. Everything else on the motor stays the same. The Hilborn Injection system is working great and we have it pretty much dialed in where we want it. I'm thinking of making some "restrictor" inserts for the exhaust to dial the power back a little for the 11.90 index races we do. Since we run both 11.90 and 11.60 index series, and we run so far under the 11.90 index, I think it'll be much easier to drop in a restrictor to make it easier to hit the mark. Chassis-wise is where the big changes are going to be. The running gear will get a total refit. Slightly larger wheels and tires out back, (M&H tires of course!) with spindle mount fronts. The car will be equipped with four-wheel disc brakes and a new rear suspension design. Older VWs have what's known as a"Swing-Axle" rear end. The axles pivot from the transaxle and "swing" from there. This single pivot design makes the wheel travel in an arc, which cause dramatic changes in rear wheel alignment throughout the travel. New Double jointed axles with big CV joints and redesigned rear control arms will replace this. With this set-up the rear tires will stay flat on the track and the toe-in will remain constant throughout the travel, hopefully improving traction, and not scrubbing off as much speed with less-severe alignment changes On the event scene, our schedule will be pretty aggressive. First up on next year's schedule will be the 52nd Bakersfield March Meet. We won our class there in 2009 and we were the first VW in any category ever to win at the March Meet. Repeating that feat will not be easy nor expected. This will be my fourth go-around at this historic event in the "modern era" with its Nostalgia format, and my seventh participation overall, having participated in 1984, '86 and 87 with a 9 second Dodge Challenger. Back in those days there were big name professional and sportsman teams there that competed on the national circuit. Garlits, Prudhomme, Bernstien, Hawley and the "hometown favorites" Warren & Coburn. It was really something. These days, the nostalgia thing has really taken off and the stands are absolutely packed. It's pretty cool to race in front of 30,000 fans, even if a good number of 'em are cruising the pits when we run! Also on the event schedule are the full course of West Coast Hot Rod Association, American Nostalgia Racing Association, both series at Famoso, VW Professional Racing Association (Phoenix, Sacramento, Las Vegas, Fontucky) events as well as Dragfest at Famoso. Hope to see you at the races!

Upgrading during a recession...

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 09:27:36 -0700

It has been said many times that the speed shop is a totally unnecessary part of society and will be one of the first businesses to fall away when times get rough. I have a different view. I content that it is financially prudent and sound to upgrade a vehicle during a recession. The problem here of course lies some where in the preconceived notions of our minds that are telling us an upgrade is simply a luxury and can even result in a less efficient and less dependable auto. This notion can not be more incorrect. Not all upgrades are simply luxury items. Many upgrades can and will improve the performance of a vehicle. Better performance is not always a luxury improvement. Earlier today as I sat in a very small room with a with a single white chair off to one side I picked up a diesel builder magazine and flipped through for a few moments. Thumbing through the pages an ad for performance exhaust caught my eye. The ad commented on the improved performance and fuel economy one gets when installing said exhaust. This caused my mind to begin to ponder the after market world thinking of what upgrades may actually be (dare I say it) wise. Now before I begin a list of parts let me explain why it may be wise to upgrade any vehicle. We already know that smart money says the cheapest car you can buy is the one you already have. But you are tired of your ole truck and just need a change to something fresh and exciting. Well what if you made some improvements such as a performance programmer, intake, exhaust, lowering springs and maybe even a new set of rims? If you made these changes to the average 2 wheel drive pick up you will see improvements in power, acceleration, appearance, and handling. But you will also see improvements in fuel mileage and overall satisfaction with your vehicle which leads you to hold on to it rather than trade for a cookie cutter new car or truck. The upgrade process can be done over a period of time as you pay for each part fully and won't need to take out another major loan. Such upgrades that might be beneficial to some one trying to hang on to a vehicle might include the previously mentioned as well as improved ignition such as an MSD box, wires, distributor. Under drive pulleys will improve performance, fuel economy and extend the life of accessories such as alternators, power steering, belt tensioners etc. Throttle body spacers used with stock throttle bodies will fit the bill as will headers, performance mufflers, performance air filters such as K&N. High performance spark plugs will help you burn the fuel you buy better while using less in the long run. High flow catalytic converters will keep you legal and improve economy too. If you are solely trying to upgrade to help beat out this tough economy then stay away from the obvious items which trade economy for speed. A good performance shop will advise you. Finally a good window tint and new steering wheel can make your car feel like a different vehicle. To smell like a new car consider new carpet. You might be surprised what is offered for your car or truck. By having these items professionally installed you improve performance and most shops will continue to help you and your vehicle after the purchase by giving advise and fixing those troubling gremlins we sometimes cause ourselves. If your in the South East stop by and check out our shop we will be glad to help you make some wise improvements to your ride. Thanks now lets get rockn'. Brian

THE American auto.

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 09:30:59 -0700

Okay I must preclude this blog with a confession. I have not taken any time to research facts or stats nor have I any hard data to prove what I am about to propose. This is simply my personal thoughts and opinions and will surely be attacked by many who disapprove. Please maintain that you do have the right to disagree, in silence, no matter how incorrect your views may be on this proposed view. Not too long ago I was attending a local car show that DBR was supporting. Before the show started I was hanging out with some guys who were of the Euro auto persuasion if you know what I mean. Their cars were low and far less than 400 cubic inches under their hoods. Any how these guys were telling me about something that had happened in the parking lot we were in a few weeks before. Apparently the perpetrator in their story was driving a fox bodied Ford Mustang. Before the story could begin I was asked to confirm whether I accepted that Fox Body guys have a certain stereotype about them. My answer to them was absolutely yes. There is a stereotype of Fox body Mustang owners and I have personally spent over a decade helping to form that stereotype. Of course we all had a good laugh and the story was told and so forth but when I walked back to by old Chevy truck I secretly thought to myself I really am a "Mustang Guy". Which lead me to thinking as usual about politics and religion. I thought about how we are experiencing the worst time in the history of the American auto industry. The big three have fallen to be known only as the American three. Gm and Chrysler are propped up by government bailouts, bankrupted and then restructured so as to be officially "Changed" I suppose. When pondering a new auto I wonder if either GM or Chrysler will be around in another 5 years or not. Out of this mess it seems that Ford has held it's head up. Sure they took some shots where it hurts and saw horrible car sales and losses for most of the past months but it does seem that Ford managed to tread water and not need the bailout. Now Ford appears to be heading into the future more quickly and profitably than either of the other two. I'll stay out of the politics of capitalism that most likely played a larger roll than you'll ever hear on CNN, and focus on the news I've heard over the past 5 years. As the shining star of our current American auto industry begins to forge on I have not heard anyone say they made it because they had more fuel efficient autos or that they were already on the green wagon. No all I have heard for years now is that the success of the Ford Mustang was all that kept Ford afloat. While the successful F150 was slowing due to fuel cost and propaganda against big trucks the Mustang took center stage with it's new retro look. Baby boomers and gear heads alike were pleased with the cars style and performance. News reports used to state how Ford was propped up by Mustang sales and questioned if this was enough to support an entire major manufacture. It seemed as though Ford was on it's way out the door with only a single ray of hope. Now as the 2010 Mustang emerges from showrooms nation wide I must give pause to the little car that saved a company which in the years to come may be the last major us automaker left. That being said the Mustang may be the car to keep us in the game as future generations of manufactures come and go. Of course Tesla and others are eyeing the future with dreams of grandeur but I bet they will always have one car to contend with that may never be killed off. The Ford Mustang. The Mustang is the very essence of the hard working freedom loving American. Chided, maligned, and sometimes beaten the Musatng is victorious and strong. The endurance of this model inspires me to remember the endurance of the american revolutionaries and bolsters hope in the future of the American people. Regaurdless of your opinion of the Mustang it is a part of our national heritage and thus we take pride in her. Oh crap I'm crying. Any how here's to a 600whp AWD electric Mustang in 2020. With a gas splattin, fire breathing, solid rear axle, manual trans, bone shaking mega V8 option. Brian

Race Report, Sacramento Bugorama, Sept 6, 2009

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 17:33:56 -0700

Coulda Been Better, Coulda Been Worse. That's usually how I describe my golf game. Let's just say there is absolutely no chance of my ever competing on the pro tour....or even the amateur tour! I reckon "Coulda Been Better or Coulda Been Worse" works for this event as well. This was the 64th Sacramento Bugorama at historic Sacramento Raceway. The track is showing it's age these days, but it was an absolutely beautiful weekend with temps in the mid 80s. Racer attendance was a little down, no doubt due to current economic factors. Our class of competition, S/Gas which runs on an elapsed time index in the quarter mile of 11.90 seconds, had only 14 cars competing for 16 spots. One broke in qualifying, which left 13 for elimination rounds. The goal in index racing is to be first to the finish line without running quicker than the index. A much higher difficulty level than simply going fast and driving it "Out the Back Door." For us, that's the attraction. The car has been working very well and has been very consistent. However, the track surface at this event did not favor our particular combination. But there'll be no excuses from us. Everyone has to race on the same surface, but some combos will work better or worse depending on track conditions. I think we did have the stuff to win our second round match with our good friend John Scheurger. We had a .02 advantage on the tree and a performance advantage. I knew I had enough power to get to the stripe first, but fender-racing Johnny has always been a huge challenge for me. His car kinda lags back through the middle compared to ours, and if I lose sight of him, it's extremely difficult to judge just how much to throttle back. Too much and he comes around on top, and momentum carries him through and he drives right on around. Too little and I risk going under. This time, I took a little too much off and he drove around and got me at the stripe...AGAIN! Dang it! One of these days Johnny! One of these days! We started out the event with an all out, wheels up launch, running 11.58 at 118 (and change) MPH practice run. Then the track got a little slipperier from that point out. After that the car would spin the tires over a few times and it just wouldn't make the initial move as hard as it normally does. We made a few adjustments and brought it closer, but it was still pretty soft. We were matched up with our good friend Scott Bakken (we have a LOT of good friends in Super Gas!). Scott was operating at a disadvantage for this round as he needed to avoid shifting into second gear because it had stuck there in qualifying and he wasn't able to get it out until the car had stopped. So, he made the run shifting from first straight over into third! It was a valiant effort with an 11.97. The round was ours though, that win put us against Johhny in round two. Johnny, already leading the series, went on to win the event, and put more distance on the points spread, between him and his rivals. With a commanding lead going into Vegas, Mr Scheurger definitely has a BIG target on his back. As for us, Vegas has been really, REALLY good. We've won there three out of the last four years. We're looking to make four out of five. A little change of game plan in car set-up should get us closer to the index so the top end guessing will be minimized. Next up for us is the final go-around for the West Coast Hot Rod Association series at Famoso. Currently we are looking to cement a second place overall finish. The championship is too far out of reach, unless the Number one guy just doesn't show up! I guess anything can happen. But second place in our first season with the WCHRA ain't bad at all in our book!

Sponsores

Sun, 06 Sep 2009 09:24:22 -0700

Today I was watching NHRA, and some of the teams will not be back next year. No sponsores, NO money, No racing, times are tough.

Back in the saddle---but how?

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 20:48:24 -0700

Drag racing is a dangerous sport. I think we all know in the back of our minds that an accident at the track, while rare, could happen to any of us. Engine or transmission failure oiling down the rear tires, the car in the next lane, or a host of other reasons can cause an accident at any time. Thankfully accidents at the track are pretty rare, and the safety equipment required makes sure us drivers will live to tell the tale. I always thought that I would crash at some point, eventually. Do it long enough, and eventually its your turn. But to actually happen to me OFF the track? No way I thought.....it didn't ever occur to me that drag racing at the track just might be safer then the daily commute to work. <a href="http://s410.photobucket.com/albums/pp183/psfracer/?action=view&current=Sideimpact2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp183/psfracer/Sideimpact2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a> <a href="http://s410.photobucket.com/albums/pp183/psfracer/?action=view&current=Damage3.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp183/psfracer/Damage3.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a> <a href="http://s410.photobucket.com/albums/pp183/psfracer/?action=view&current=IMG_0022.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp183/psfracer/IMG_0022.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a> I was t-boned on the driver door by an 18 wheeler semi truck. The roll bar the car had for the track actually saved my life on the daily commute to work. It prevented the truck from penetrating further into the passenger compartment. I still had a broken pelvis and two broken ribs. Astonishingly, however, I was lucky where it really counted. No head injuries, no neck or back injuries at all. The boss gave me a free pass. The following 12 weeks I had to walk with the walker (four legged cane with two wheels). The broken ribs were just an annoyance when compared to the broken pelvis. But all is well today as I fully recovered with absolutely no lasting effects from the accident. I truly consider myself lucky. While recovering physically, Adam @ ST Motorsports took in the car, and took off everything I could either use on the new car or sell. Then engine and front suspension where good, so I transferred that to the new car. I also used this opportunity to upgrade the front brakes, go with a Kirky race seat, and some other modifications in preparation for my return to the track. And this other new car? Well--it just happened to be the same color / model mustang. It already had a roll bar and race rear suspension, race transmission, but no engine. Perfect. <a href="http://s410.photobucket.com/albums/pp183/psfracer/?action=view&current=NewCar1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp183/psfracer/NewCar1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a> In the end, the car came out great. It has my old engine and front suspension, but is lighter and only has 9K miles (vs my old car with 78K miles). <a href="http://s410.photobucket.com/albums/pp183/psfracer/?action=view&current=GoodyearSlicks1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp183/psfracer/GoodyearSlicks1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a> <a href="http://s410.photobucket.com/albums/pp183/psfracer/?action=view&current=NewCar2009aweb.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp183/psfracer/NewCar2009aweb.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a> So the physical part, car and body, was not easy, but it wasn't hard either, just time consuming more then anything else. Time for my body to heal, time to rebuild the car. Thats only half the story. My mind had to be dealt with to. When I started driving to work again, I was very cautious on the road at first. I avoided the road where the accident happened, even though I traveled on that same road every morning for the previous 4 years while on my way to work. Over the next 4 weeks, I slowly returned to what I would call a normal driving style. But what about the track? Before my first pass, I was nervous. I honestly didn't know if I was going to get out of it at half track or what. I was telling myself I wouldn't, but doing it is another story. Now granted, I am not driving some 7 second 1/4 mile car, it only does low 10s @ 134mph, but first time out it was still scary for me. So my first pass after the accident---which also happened to be my first pass in the new car! Oh, great. Nice. "If anything even hints of going wrong I am lifting" I told myself. So I pull up to the line and wait for the third yellow. Car leaves good, nice and straight, so I stay in it. Half track, still smooth. 1000 foot mark everything great, even look down to check the a/f. Through the lights and I lift. I made it, all though I was very nervous. Not until the 5th or 6th time down the track did I really settle down. So what did I think about to get me through these first few passes? Well for me, to get back in the saddle I thought of it this way: I have been racing since 1987. Not one time have I been in an accident at the track, but I have been in three accidents on the street. Once when the transmission on my 67 mustang locked up at 60mph and I slid just off the side of the freeway, once when I was rear ended, and the accident described above. So you see, the track IS safer then the street..... Then a couple weeks ago, while racing at Famoso, a Nova hit the wall just 50 feet behind me at the finish line. Whew, looks like it wasn't my turn again.

Major epiphany on slow drivers this morning.

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 07:16:29 -0700

Good Friday morning all. Today I was ten minutes later than usual getting to work. Was it the light rain that kept me? No. Was it the fact that I lay awake until 2 a.m. last night? No. The answer is that I was later because of a slow poke driver. And oddly enough that driver was me. You see I make a 38 mile commute everyday in my 1970 Chevrolet C10. I live in a rural area where a 55 speed zone is translated as a 75 speed zone on most occasions. Today was different though. As I pulled on to highway 31 in middle Tn. and accelerated up to 70mph I was quickly greeted by a white Ford Explorer with blacked out windows and black grille/bumper. Knowing I was in a 55 speed zone I backed out of the throttle until the needle bounced from 55-65 meaning I was around 60mph. I kept a watchful eye on my pursuer as his bumper steadily grew closer and closer to mine and then stayed there for a number of miles. My eyes scanned the grille and windshield for any signs of hidden lights or cameras but found none. I started to worry that by driving at or near the speed limit might make me stand out more. Will he notice my plates are only tied on for example. I wondered if I had put my new insurance card in the glove box. Had I remembered to keep my insurance card in the vehicle. do all my lights works? On and on I thought. I try to console myself that maybe it's not a cop but the windows are totally black and that doesn't fly here in Tennessee unless your a police officer and thus above said laws. As I perpetually hold weight off the peddle for what seems an eternity I see him start to make his move. The vehicle comes right up to my bumper weaves a bit (he must be reaching to turn on his blue lights I think) then crosses the center line and begins to pass me. I first feel a sigh of relief, I am free I think. As the terror inducing vehicle proudly struts past my lowly civilian heap what do my eyes see inside? It's a friggin woman on a cell phone with two car seats in the back!!! My foot got really heavy for a second I admit but I obstained from unleashing 400 cubic inches of smoke blowing fury on her. Then the epiphany struck... If you don't want people driving slow in front of you and making you late all the time then don't drive a car that looks like a cop car. That's all I wanted to say. Brian

DBR is dealer for EGGE machine.

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 13:38:18 -0700

DBR is now a dealer for EGGE machine. Most already know of EGGE as being a major player in the realm of obsolete engine parts. Engine internal parts for flatheads, nailheads, stove bolts,and more. Performance parts also available. If you have a need for any early model engine part gimme a call. 931-451-7559 In Spring Hill, TN. just outside Nashville

DBR exclusive product update.

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 06:49:38 -0700

DBR0307- Reverse rotation idler pulley for 03-07 Cummins diesel. For use when running dual CP3's and an electric water pump. Allows the belt to run on smooth surface to protect belt premature wear. $105.00 + freight Image is available in our profile.

Papa John found his Camaro...

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 07:16:04 -0700

I've heard it more times than I've heard my own name. That saying that is feared by all men when they know one of their motorized buddies has to find a new home. "I wish I'd never sold that car" This phrase is usually followed by "I'd probably buy it back right now if I had the money or could find it." Rarely do you hear of some one who has kept a car through thick and thin just so they don't ever have to say those words. Myself being one of the few who still has their car from high school stuffed away in an underground bunker hoping to one day ride again after the Apocalypse has decimated civilization. But it is even less likely to hear about a guy actually finding that special car he had to sell to save the family business. Case in point the now famous Papa Johns Camaro. you have seen the television ads and you've saved the cool looking pizza boxes with the car on the lid, today that man and his machine are together again. I'll include a link to the actual story rather than plagiarize but I wanted to chyme in and give my congrats to Papa himself for finding his first love all over again. In this case it even looks like the car came with some serious horse power and now runs in the 9's in the quarter mile. That sounds like two dreams coming true at once. Here's the link to the story. http://jalopnik.com/5344739/how-jalopnik-reunited-papa-john-with-his-camaro?skyline=true&s=i

Burgers, Brats, & Burnouts Aug. 21

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 08:50:30 -0700

Hey guys I just uploaded photos from our monthly get together we had this past Friday. This time was a bigger success than last month. I didn't catch anything on fire this time and we had a line of 5-6 cars caravanning out of our driveway. Most of said cars boasted more than 550 whp. I was sadly trying to save money on gas after buying a dirt bike with my spending money earlier this month and was thus driving my 100bhp 4cyl. 1986 Mustang. The stang ran 13.20 through the traps in the 1/8th mile. This gave me time to lookout and wave at everyone as I went by. Josh Drake's SRT-8 Jeep blasted out a 7.68et against a quick little fox body mustang. I love fox bodies but this time the win went to the Jeep. Next month we are planning something a little different. We will probably have our get together on Saturday to allow a few more folks to join us. Check back later for more updates. Peace and Speed Brian

Test N Tune

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 22:46:53 -0700

My car is a street car and I have been running on street tires with about 9lb of boost. In the 1/8 mile running 8.94 @ 77mph with a 1.91 60'. launching the car at 4,000rpm Sat night with new gears, new tires, new wheels, with 19lb of boost and launching the car at 6,000rpm. I do a small burn out and stage the car. The tree drops. The car pulls a 1.74 60' I was not ready and I pulled on the wheel and start for the wall. I straighten up and grab 2nd. Run a 8.20 @ 87mph. I was not ready for that hard of a launch I stage the car again and Im ready. I also bump my *FOAT* point up 300rmps. I tell the person pulling the cars that I what the Vett that is behind me. The tree drops and the Vett went red I could not catch him I keep hitting my rev limiter. I pull out my top end chip. I stage the car again and pull a Mustang GT. I cut a 505 light 1.69 60' the clutch is slipping very badly in 3rd and I run a 8.00 at 87.5mph betting the GT by 2.31. Not a bad day at the track then drove he car home.

Sacramento Bugorama on Labor Day Weekend

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 12:48:30 -0700

In a couple weeks, we'll be heading up north to Sacramento, for the Sacramento Bugorama. Bugorama features a swap meet, a car show and drag racing action and home to some of the quickest VWs ON EARTH! The Lauffers of VW Paradise in San Marcos, CA have been deep into the 6s at well over 200mph with their VW powered dragster. Eric Calabrese has been 8.40s at over 170mph in his Pro Modified full bodied bug, and Eric Madson has been really close to that in his orange Ghia. Although we have been past champions in our class, (11.90 Index Super Gas), we are not in the running this year due to some sanctioning body turmoil earlier in the season. We will however be going for the event win, and to try to shake things up for those who ARE in contention for the championship. If you are into the VW scene and want to see some wheels up action on the track and look over some incredibly detailed show cars, and maybe score a rare find at the swap meet, the Sacramento bugorama is the place to be on Sunday Sept 6th Sunday, Sunday, Sunday! Be there!

Car is back up and running.

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:27:07 -0700

I fired up my VW bug to day. I am so happy it is back on the ground. I had broke 1st gear and with the help of a good friend Tom J. I now have a better and stronger gear box. Tory and I also are now trying to dial in the boost on the turbo. I was at 7 to 9 pounds and wanting to be at about 18lb. I made a few pulls down the street and we have found 14lb and 20lb. Just need to find that sweet spot im looking for of 18lb. Hope to make a few more pulls be for going to the track on Fri and/or Sat.

Motorcycle and atv motocress event

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:59:14 -0700

I am putting on a Motocross event at our ranch September 26th. 2009 The racing will start at 4pm, It should be nice weather for bakersfield. I hope you all can come out. APM Raceway 15658 Breckenridge Rd. Bakersfield apmracetrack.com (661) 549-1919

How many websites and forums do you go to daily?

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 20:15:45 -0700

With my recent addition of FOAT It occured to me that my list of daily visitsing stops on the net has grown to crazy proportions. I mean with MySpace,Twitter,UAC, TheSamba,ESPN, etc etc how can I keep with this growing list. But as I look over this new addition to my list as I built my page I have to say I like this and the way it is laid out. So damn it, I have to add this one more but thats it!! Yea sure it is LOL

New to this Foat thing

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 20:09:05 -0700

Well after recieveing a phone call saying a fake Ultimate Aircooled account had been created here (thank you FOAT for the heads up before the fake UAC did something bad in our name) so all is well and THEY ARE DELETED! So I now have created this Official UAC site here on FOAT. Please spread the world to the aircooled community To the person who created the fake UAC account here, walk away just walk away!

Custom 67 Camaro RS Front Valance

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:18:19 -0700

Just wondering if anyone else would be interested in purchasing one of these. Take a look through my pictures to get an idea of what it would look like. I retained the factory RS indicator lights and added Marquez Billet 1969 Indicator/Driving lights. I am still waiting for confirmation, but I am pretty sure this will work a 68 Camaro as well...

Liquid Performance

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 08:14:11 -0700

DBR just ordered in our first stocking order of the famous Royal Purple brand fluids. If you don't already know the claims that many have made then check out their website or even google Royal Purple. You might be surprised at what you find. In the past I have read articles that claim as much as 10hp gains just by switching fluids through out the test vehicle. Earlier today I read about people gaining 5hp on another car. If anyone is gaining Hp just by switching to Royal Purple then surely there are also improvements in fuel economy to be gained as well. Check them out.

Race Report, ANRA Summernationals, Aug 15-16, Famoso Raceway

Sun, 16 Aug 2009 19:50:32 -0700

Scratch One More Thing off the "Bucket List" Ever since I was a young man, I have always thought of how cool it would be to be one the first pairs of cars to fire up after the playing of the National Anthem. You've all seen it. The National Anthem is sung, then a pair of top fuel cars light up. I've always liked that. Well, it wasn't a National Event stage, and we weren't firing up a fuel car, but it was still pretty cool. They brought us up to the starting line, my opponent and I, shut us off and played the national anthem. When it was over, we lit 'em up and rolled into the burnout box. We headed into the third event of the year for the American Nostalgia Racing Association trailing Bud Tickel and Bill Teague by two rounds of racing and sitting in third overall. This group of racers are tough, so I knew we would have to do well. During qualifying, went in order, 11.595, 11.619 and 11.675. The 11.61 got us into the #4 spot and paired us with a newcomer named Sterling in a late 60s' Nova. My long time friend Steve Long was also there racing with ANRA for the first time. As things progressed, we handily won our first round match-up using a .016 reaction time to full advantage. I was actually a little worried earlier in the morning, as I had gone .003, then .001 red in the first two rounds of qualifying. But with a minor adjustment, the .016 was right where I wanted to be. Meanwhile, Bud and Bill who were tied for the lead, both went down in round one. Good news and bad news. Good news was we were only one round back after the first round of competition. Bad news was I had to face one of the toughest dogs in the fight in round two. Jerrod Hastins in his '69 Mustang. Jerrod is able to run well under the index, and I knew I would have no choice but to run it out the back door. When we went up to the starting line for our run, I wanted to make sure I did everything by my routine. For some reason, I couldn't seem to keep the bottom bulb lit. I was in swallow enough to have it flickering, then it would out. On third bump in, it finally stayed lit and the tree activated almost right away. The result was that Jarrod got a little bit of a jump on me at the tree. On top, I ended running under the 11.60 index with an 11.54, giving Jarrod the win. All I could do was watch it play out. By the end of the day, we are still only one round out of the lead. That's the good news there. The bad news is there are now FOUR guys tied for the lead in front of me! With the season's points leaders are packed very tightly at the top and just the final race of the season left to go, it should be very exciting!

ANRA Racing.

Sat, 15 Aug 2009 21:36:52 -0700

Today was a fun day at the track, all the racers that are on M&H slicks Hooked up hard. Car count was BIG and some cars posted there best times,tomorrow is going to be even better. Good luck to all the racers, and good luck to butch. SlicksMH

AFE diesel upgrade special offer.

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 08:01:22 -0700

Everybody knows by now that today's diesel trucks can make ridiculous power with very little changes. On most peoples list of first things to do is to upgrade the intake and exhaust system. AFE is offering a special promotion for 2003 and up Dodge diesel pickups. For 90 days only they are offering a combo package of intake system and a turbo back exhaust upgrade with 4" or 5" tip for only $529.00 normal price is over $800.00. This is a smoke'n deal on a great upgrade to your big truck. These upgrades are known to improve both performance and fuel mileage which helps to get them approved by the missus. after all they will pay for themselves in time. And besides this is a great sale price on name brand upgrades. DBR will even install them for you in a clean and professional manner unlike many "speed shops". We'll even throw in a free DBR t-shirt to sweeten the deal. Gimme a call... 931-451-7559

Thanks and Congratulations to Gene Coe

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 06:54:43 -0700

Thanks and Congratulations to Gene Coe and his crew of helpers for winning the July 31st Pro Power class at Music City Raceway. Gene runs an orange Fox body coupe. Pictures of Gene and his orange coupe with their DBR clad crew can be viewed at this link. http://www.streetlegalwinners.com/July%2006.htm Thanks.

No Joke

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 18:28:53 -0700

Today I went in to my bedroom and my two kids where on the bed playing with a dummy epipen. I take it away form my 5 year old daughter and try and hit her in the arm with it. She pulls way form me. For some reason she thinks it will hurt. We have never had to use an epipen on here before. It is hers. So I show here again that it is ok and dose not hurt. I hit my arm and nothing happens. OK, maybe it needs to be reset. Then I remember you have to pull the safety off. I pull the gray top off and hit myself in the arm to show her it is ok. The epipen hits me about twice as hard as normal and I get a stinging in my arm. I look at the epipen Oh no the needle is out of this thing and dripping with meds. I just hit myself with a REAL THING.

ANRA SUMMER NATIONALS

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:51:13 -0700

Don`t forget the SUMMER NATIONALS this weekend at BAKERSFIELD. Butch and crew from ANRA put an a great show and THE NITRO GARAGE will be there on the VENDOR MIDWAY. Stop by and say h HELLO and check out the new GO PRO on board video camera. See everyone there.

videos

Sun, 09 Aug 2009 20:43:55 -0700

I am having a problem uploading a video. It tells me that it is the prong format. What pormat must the video be in?

Trojan runs new Best Famoso Sunday morning.. details inside!!!

Sun, 09 Aug 2009 18:51:16 -0700

What a day! I left my house at 10:00am friday over to Spankin Time Motorsports to finish up the car and get to Famoso 3 hours away by 6:00pm. Well nothing ever works as planned these days! Car was done at 4:00 and the had to be dyno tuned after that! They run tell midnight at Famoso. Long story short we didnt leave S.T tell 9:00pm. Good news is that I got a call from M and H john who told me i could run privatly with 10 cars tell 3:00 am. I was amazed they were running a private session. The temp was 66*'s. John your the man for hooking that up! I can thank you and M and H, The FOAT enough for all your support and help. Im gonna keep at it to show my appreciattion. Adam dialed in the boost to 17lbs. With well over 800 to the wheels we set out for Famoso at 9pm and pulled into the track at 12:30am. Met up with John, Stanko, Paulie, Ryan, and Carlos. The guys I know with srt's that already ran tell me theres been several accidents on the track and there 60's are hurtin! They said the track was way slick! Usually Steve cuts great 60's with his AWD Hemi jeep so now im tripping out! All this new TQ and HP and the tracks a skate rink! Wtf am i gonna do? Its hard enough on a decent track! Well it was time to make it happen! This is what its all about! So me being the conservative type i decide to do a little shake down run and see for myself! First pass was a 10.6, i was not impressed! 1.8 60'. But I new it was a soft launch and for the first time on slicks the car tracked perfectly! No skating that was huge for me! Now im gonna go for it! The track felt great. I did notice the top end felt weak! Adam told me to watch the boost gauge at the top! So i go again, this time i cut a 1.59 60' and at the top i see the boost drop to 12! Wtf! Belts slippin! Dang! Get back to the pits and they hand me a 10.18 slip at 136mph. Yeah Boy! And the belt slip at the top! Decide to put the 15lb pully on. Staged, Bam! Busted the belt! Grab the back up belt, stage again! Bam threw the belt again! Turns out the larger upper 15lb pully was to close to the idler pully and the belt was pinching between the 2 pullys! That was it they shut the track down! Never got a real full pass! I am very pleased with the car! Had i not lost 5lbs of boost on run 2 i would have hit a 9.X . It was a crazy day as i was ready to race all day friday and finally got to Sat morning! Adam from S.T Motorsports ran 3 9.8's in a full street trim Mustang that he built for a friend! Were gonna fix my pully issue! The new Fore Fuel Hat is working great! Ive got TONS of extra fuel now! I wanna say thanks to ST Motorsports for all there help! Adam, John, and Jimmy are badass! I never hear nothing but whats next out of these guys! 9's for me are real close. MandH!!! The car felt solid, It hooked better then ever! I picked up almost 1/2 sec from Ohio! Car has once again bettered itself with another track day. So for 1 shake down run and 1 90% pass Im happy! Ive been up for 24hrs and i may have forgot something. Still 2 hours from home and beat! <img src="http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b237/Hemified/Challenger/TIME%20SLIPS/1018FamosoGraveyardShift.jpg">

Building a turboed sleeper.

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 08:22:11 -0700

It's been my dream for many years to have a truly fast street car. I have been the guy in the Mustang at stop lights for years. Usually having a fender in front of must cars I'd play around with. But my car was never "FAST". As a kid my dad would tell stories of his impromptu races on his long drive home. I know their illegal but we all do it. His stories always had to do with his 1965 Chevy short wide bed truck named "Paco" Paco wasn't "FAST" either but depending on the day he might just let some bloated Carter era T-Bird see his tail lights most of the way down highway 41 in Kentucky during the 1970's. During that time my father also purchased a 1974 Mustang ll Ghia notch. Special ordered with V8 and 4 speed. Black on black with black vinyl roof. The Ghia wasn't "FAST". It was fast enough for the time. One Saturday when Daddy was out in the Mustang he was setting at a stop light with another early to mid 60's chevy truck in line in front of him. This truck was rusty as could be. It was hit'n a lick and lowered a bit too. When the light turned green Dad noticed that the truck left slowly but shifted at a really high RPM. Are you getting a mental image? As the truck slowly accelerated from the light the Mustang started looking for room to pass. It took a while but as traffic cleared and the road ahead was straight and free of on coming traffic Daddy pulled the Ghia down in to second, revved the engine then dropped the clutch as we say. As the SBF began to display it's fury and move out the old truck (apparently baiting the Mustang) let out a roar and left Daddy and his Stang in a cloud of rust-dust and smoke. In some versions of the story he even tells of a piece of the rotted out tail pipe being blown off the back of the truck and nearly scratching the his jet black paint. As a young boy this story was better to me than all the stories about Santa Claus and the He-man. My hero was that bad-a old truck. Now an interesting algebraic equation has formed in my life time. I sell speed parts X I own an old rusty chevy truck = bad-a old truck. While the current economic status of my pocket doesn't allow me to make all my dreams come true I am now capable of putting pen to paper to develop the baddest rust bomb in all of TN. And thus I begin. Here's the kicker... All parts needed to make this old 1970 Chevy a real daily driven stop light warrior are available through DBR and we have the connections to have anything we need built one off. Here's an over view of the build up. 400 SBC forged rotating assembly, splayed four bolt main caps, basic aluminum heads Edelbrock performer EPS intake Hooker long tube headers remote mounted turbo TH350 trans 12 bolt posi rear end 3:23 gears slammed 5" front more in rear drilled and slotted 12" rotors and much more. Stay tuned. This project won't begin right away as this is my personal vehicle and you know how that goes. Anyway if you are thinking of building something similar gimme a call. Our number is on our web site www.dbrhighperformance.com Keep'em spin'n

DBR gets new shop truck.

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 09:56:51 -0700

Just took delivery of a new shop truck on Monday. It is already on the lift getting diesel performance parts installed. The list of first week mods include AFE air horn, MBRP exhaust, programmer, Pure Flow (air dog), Flex-a-lite electric fan and shroud kit. Fluidamper, Quadzilla. I posted pics of the MBRP exhaust in one of our albums as they were installing the Pure Flow kit. Let's see if this thing will be as ridiculous as the last. Which will be for sale soon by the way.

$2.50 lb for NOS refills

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 11:35:53 -0700

DBR High Performance refills NOS bottles. $2.50 per lb. Many people stop by and ask or see us at the strip and tell us how amazed they are that we refill bottles for this price. Most can't believe it. It's true $2.50 per lbs. We also stock NOS parts and many others as well.

Nashville area forced induction speed shop.

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 11:16:41 -0700

DBR is you Southeast source for all superchargers and installations. We sell BDS (BLower Drive Service) Procharger, Vortech, Paxton, Turbonetics, Banks, Oh yeah we also install them. Swing by for free t-shirts while they last.