Dream of dream car comes true

I won a 1965 Ford Mustang. It has a V-8 with a 4-speed transmission. It is a beast and I could not be happier about … what? I’m sorry. You want to know how this happened?

Let’s rewind to April.

In April, my dad and I went to the Good Guys All-American Get Together. My dad and I have been going to these shows for years, and there is always some contest for winning a car. We entered this time, filling out the forms and dropping them. I didn’t give the contest another thought until September when I got a phone call from the now-out-of-business radio station KRFC, part of CBS radio, telling me that I was one of 32 finalists in the drawing for the ’65 Mustang giveaway.

I immediately went online and read the contest rules, and a little cloud blocked the sun on my perfect day. Participants had to be present to win. The contest was in Pleasanton, and I was in Long Beach. For those of you unfamiliar with California geography, I was a little less than 400 miles from my dream car.

I had no way of getting to Pleasanton that odd weekend in November, so I tried hard not to think about it

In October, another amazing thing happened. My dad called and told me the Good Guys had sent me something. He opened it for me and told me they had sent some information about the contest, along with two passes to the show.

The universe seemed to be taunting me. Then something amazing happened — yes again, a lot of amazing things happen in this story, so deal — my dad told me if I found a good deal on tickets, he would fly me home for the show. I wasted no time in checking all the flights I could, finding a round-trip ticket for $120. My parents bought me the ticket and I started planning for my trip back to Pleasanton.

Fast forward to November 9, walking up to the Live 105 booth — remember KFRC went out of business so another station took over the contest — I got my finalist wristband and was told to come back at 2:45 p.m. My dad and I used the time to walk around the show like we always do, around 2:30 p.m. we made our way back toward the booth, then over to the car. We had to wait for all the show winners to be announced, and there were seemingly 100 categories. I stood with other finalists, 24 of us in all, as each winning car drove past. After the last car was announced, it was time for the contest to begin. My heart has never beaten so fast.

Names were drawn at random from a bucket to determine who would draw a key. I don’t remember how many people were called before me, but there weren’t a ton of keys left. I picked up key No. 19. I was bummed because it was such a high number, I didn’t think I had a chance. Then people started trying their keys in the ignition. I watched person after person get in the car and try to start it, 18 times people tried, and 18 times they failed. Then they called for key No. 19. I walked up to the Mustang, ditched my purse outside and sat down. Just sitting in the car was an experience I’ll never forget. It took me a minute to see where the ignition was, it wasn’t on the steering column like in my old Mustang. I put the key in, and turned it, expecting nothing. But nothing didn’t happen, the engine roared, and I screamed.

I won the 1965 Mustang. I won my dream car.

’Tis the season, so rev your engines for the holidays

As the weather stays the same and no natural indicator of season change occurs in Southern California, I frequently, and eagerly, check and recheck the dates of two of my favorite holidays in the fall — not to mention the date that marks the beginning of what I like to call “Open Season.”
Are you wondering what two events could have this girl dancing in her favorite black heels? It’s Southern California car show season, and this year’s festivities are full of promise.
The Orange County Auto Show and Los Angeles Auto Show are coming up — the O.C. show is this week — and I couldn’t be more excited than if Christmas morning was only a few days away.
The really exciting fact: I’m credentialed for both shows. That means media access before the public is allowed to park. Oh yeah.
The line up of this year’s shows has all kinds of potential. At the O.C. Auto Show there will be a number of West Coast debuts and the L.A. Auto Show will have North American debuts, including the unveiling of the much anticipated 2010 Ford Mustang.
The O.C. Auto Show will have for the first time on the West Coast the Chevrolet Silverado hybrid, Lamborghini LP560-4, 2009 Pontiac Solstice Coupe, 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX and 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Clean Diesel.
While none of these really catch my eye — OK, you got me, I drooled a little when I saw the LP560-4 would be making a cameo — the real reason I’m going out to the Anaheim Convention Center is the celebrity appearances.
Some of Hollywood’s most memorable cars will be on display this year including Bumblebee, the Camaro from “Transformers,” the time-traveling DeLorean from “Back to the Future” and a Mach 5 inspired by “Speed Racer.” While I’m stoked for the Doc’s machine and a sucker for speed, Bumblebee is the car-lebrity I’m dying to see in person. Awesome cars, huge robots, what more could you ask for in a movie?
I also have to admit, I’m hoping to grease a palm or two while I’m there. Mostly with Mark Williams, the senior features editor of Motortrend. If I can’t convince him to become a regular reader of my humble blog, maybe I can at least score an internship.
But I digress.
Besides nearly fainting from seeing my favorite big-screen cars, I’m very excited about the test driving opportunities that await me in the O.C. Mazda, Toyota and Hyundai will all have ride and drive events this year. Check back for what I test and what I think.
The O.C. Auto Show is like Christmas Eve for me, a few presents, but really more of an excitement builder for the next morning. Although the L.A. Auto Show won’t take place for more than a month after the O.C. show, the anticipation will only grow.
Any regular reader knows about my obsession and excitement over the 2010 Mustang, and I’ll be there the minute it is unveiled with my camera and a defibrillator in the event my heart stops.
Along with my beloved Mustang, 20 world debuts are confirmed so far for the L.A. Auto Show. Not all of the specific cars were not mentioned, but Buick, Cadillac, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Lamborghini, Lincoln, Lexus, Mazda, Mercury, Nissan, Porsche and Volkswagen are the manufacturers who signed up.
Not much information is available for the L.A. Auto Show, but I’ll be checking the website regularly between now and press days. The lack of information just makes me more excited.
Stay tuned for complete coverage of both shows.



The L.A. Auto Show is tricky to get in to, but this is my golden ticket! I smooth talked my way in last year, and I guess they decided I was good enough to come back.






SHOW INFO

Orange County Auto Show

Dates:
Oct. 2 to Oct.

Hours:
Thursday, Oct. 2 and Friday, Oct. 3: noon to 10 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 4: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 5: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Ticket Prices:
Adults (13+) $10
Seniors (62+) $6
Kids (12 and under) Free

College Two-Fer day (Thursday): Buy one $10 adult admission with valid college ID & get a second adult admission free with a second valid college ID

Los Angeles Auto Show

Dates:
Nov. 21 to Nov. 30, 2008

Hours:
Friday, Nov. 21: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Saturdays: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sundays: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Mon – Weds: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Thanksgiving Day: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 28: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Selling a name

I’ve recently come to the realization that the automotive world may have more in common with the sports world than I previously thought — I’m not talking about racing.
I’m talking about isolating one name and selling it off.
Professional sports teams do it all the time. Fans be damned, team owners want the money so they sell beloved players. The team remains intact with the exception of that one player.
Chrysler LLC is thinking about doing the same. In late August, Chrysler LLC announced that it was considering selling it’s high performance sports car, Viper, to interested third parties. Chrysler LLC even brought in a financial consultant, Lazzard Limited, to advise the sale.
According to an article on www.caranddriver.com, Chrysler doesn’t have a specific time it wants Viper sold by.
Some domestic companies, Roush and Saleen, have expressed an interest in buying Viper. But reports indicate people shouldn’t be surprised if a foreign company picks it up.
Viper is the halo car of Dodge. Let’s face it, Viper is the halo car for Chrysler LLC. A halo car is a high-performance, high-power car that companies make to prove to enthusiasts they have what it takes to be stylish and fast. Companies like Porsche, Lamborghini and Ferrari don’t need halo cars, but Ford, GM and Chrysler do.
Unfortunately, halo cars aren’t known for their tremendous sales.
USA Today reported that last year Dodge only sold 435 Vipers. The Detroit News reported that sales are up this year, with 682 Vipers sold as of July.
Those numbers shouldn’t be all the surprising. The Viper is available in two models. The roadster starts at $85,545 and the coupe starts at $86,295, according to the Dodge website. But honestly, if you’re buying a Viper, who is going to buy it stock? Add some fun features and your Viper is easily over $100,000.
Unfortunately, the high cost and low numbers don’t balance out in a way that is really beneficial to Chrysler, or its parent Cerberus — a private equity investment company with its hands in numerous industries. Cerberus is in the business of making money. It’s not particularly concerned with the fact that Viper has become one of Chrysler’s iconic halo cars — not to mention proof that the U.S. can compete in high performance vehicles.
Different estimates for the worth of the Viper name have been reported from different sources. David Healy, an auto analyst at Burnham Securities, told The Detroit News “that Viper could sell for maybe $50 million — likely ‘as a hobby for an Indian car manufacturer.’” But Kevin Tynan, an analyst at Argus Research, told USA Today that he thinks Viper could go for $140 million to $150 million. Does anyone else think the $90 million to $100 million difference in the estimates is a bit much? I almost wish Chrysler would hurry up and sell so I could see the final price.
In addition to selling off entire brands, like Ford selling Land Rover and Jaguar, many automotive companies have been seriously cutting back on the models produced — cutting out the low-selling high-performing cars — and closing factories. General Motors is planning on closing the factory where Hummers are made. Chrysler has plans to close the factory where Vipers are produced, the Corner Avenue Assembly Plant in Detroit, at the end of 2011, making that the last model year for Vipers.
It sounds like if someone else doesn’t pick up Viper, it’s at risk of going extinct. It will have been around for just under 20 years.

The art of building your dream car

Let’s be realistic. A lot of us will never be able to own the cars that race on the highways in our dreams — or maybe that’s just me. But it never hurts to plan out the colors, features, and extra options of a car you might consider buying one day. Thanks to the Internet, you can design just about any car, from a Toyota Corolla to a Porsche 911 Turbo. The “build your car” feature on most websites is a great way to pass free time, and motivate you to get a job that will help your dream become a reality. Here are a few of my personal favorites:
Design and build your own MINI
This is one of my semi-realistic dream cars. I like to start with the MINI John Cooper Works hardtop. I’m not a fan of convertibles, and while the Cooper S is a lot of fun, in my dreams, I always have the top-of-the-line.
The base price of the JCW MINI is $28,550. I like the British Racing Green color with a white roof and white mirrors. For the extra $100, I like to get the white bonnet stripes too. I toss in both the premium package and convenience package because I want a sunroof, keyless entry and an iPod adapter. For handling, I take the sport suspension, $500 but thanks to choosing the already awesome JCW MINI, I don’t need much else. The only things left to add are leather seats, a center armrest and killer sound system bringing my total to a mere $37,120. Not bad.

Ford: Build and price
I can’t help myself. I have to build a Mustang. I start with the Mustang coupe, premium GT for only $28,725. I liked the Grabber Orange color, because it was more of a yellow — at least on my screen. I added the 18-inch chrome aluminum wheels with all season tires. I don’t believe in the DVD-based navigation, I’d rather stick to my Garmin, so I save almost $2,000 and still get what seems to be a decent radio. Five simple steps and I’ve got an awesome Mustang, not really my dream but you can’t build a 64 1/2 online, you need to build it physically. The total of my Mustang: $30,705. But that’s limited to what I can do on the Ford website. If I took it to Shelby I expect to double that number.

Build your Porsche
Shut up — a girl can dream. And I dream in Speed Yellow on a 911 Turbo. I wouldn’t want the wheels painted the same though. That’s a little too much yellow. I like how the adaptive sports seat with driver memory sound, so I figured $1,145 wasn’t much more when you think of the $128,700 base MSRP. Now it’s on to the fun stuff. Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes, Speed Yellow seatbelts, Bluetooth interface for mobile phone with a phone holder, six disc CD/DVD changer, universal audio interface and a fire extinguisher — safety first. And the grand total of a very awesome, very yellow Porsche is $153,770. But come on, seatbelts that will match the exterior? Totally worth it.

As much fun as I have building cars my journalistic salary might never aid me in purchasing, sometimes I do like to be realistic and look at cars I could buy in the next few years — before I make it big on the NASCAR circuit.

Volkswagen: Build
It’s not nearly as exciting — it doesn’t come in Speed Yellow or British Racing Green — but it’s affordable and practical. Those are two of my least favorite words. The VW Rabbit with four doors starts at $17,575. Black is really the only color that makes this car look remotely sexy, so black it is. I can’t really tell the difference between the interior color, so I skip it. I don’t believe in tiptronic transmissions, so a standard five-speed it is. At least I can add 18 inch wheels to make myself feel sportier. And a sunroof. I really like those. The sunroof was the last addition to my Rabbit, bringing the total to $19,827. That’s not completely unreasonable. I could buy seven Rabbits for the price of my Porsche.

Toyota: Build your own
The moderately priced Yaris is an excellent choice for any college student. It gets respectable gas mileage and the sedan version starts at $12,965. I chose “Option A” which is the convenience package. It includes AM/FM CD player with MP3/WMA playback capability, auxiliary audio jack, satellite radio capability and CD text display function; 60/40 split fold-down rear seat, 15-in. steel wheels with full wheel covers and rear window defroster — all for $840. To make it look more fun, I chose the Barcelona Red Metallic exterior color. I figured I’d keep this simple and not pick any pricey options so my total would stay relatively close to base price — it’s even under $15,000. My practical, responsible Yaris will only cost $14,525.

Build your Nissan
Hatchbacks are my favorite. I’m not in love with the Nissan Versa, but all things considered it’s practical — I really, really hate that word. The Versa hatchback starts at $12,990 and comes with 60/40 Split fold-down rear seatbacks, roof-mounted curtain side-impact supplemental air bags and front seat-mounted side-impact supplemental air bags. The Blue Onyx is a nice color without that look-at-me attitude. The nice thing about the Versa is that you can get either a manual or automatic transmission standard, a lot of times the automatic costs extra. I kept the manual. Anti-lock brakes aren’t standard, but it’s not an expensive option and it’s worth the cost, even if you have to buy the splash guards. The final cost of my Versa was $14,045, making it the least expensive car in my dream fleet.

Mustang facelift makes its debut in November

Stronger badge, stronger car
The 2010 Mustang is supposed to be stronger, crisper and more muscular. Shouldn’t the beloved pony badge match?
Ford has decided to give the classic badge a makeover and put a lot of thought into it.
The new pony will be more muscular, with more defined lines.
“We wanted to give the Mustang pony a more realistic feel,” said Douglas Gaffka, chief designer for the 2010 Mustang, in a press release. “We lifted the head to make the pony more proud, tipped the neck into the wind to give it a feeling of greater speed and better balance.”
250 words, 2010 Mustang
It’s been far too long since I turned my Mustang daydreams into a blog, so here’s what I’m dreaming about today.
Today I’m picturing myself pulled over on the side of Interstate 5. I’m driving home to Pleasanton, Calif. to visit my mom and dad, when a CHP Camaro pulls me over — yes a Camaro, that will be the only CHP car that will be able to catch me. Why? Because I’ll be cruising at unreasonable speeds in my brand new 2010 Ford Mustang. Did I mention this ponycar was free?
Well for some lucky schmuck, my dream might be a reality — without the whole being-pulled-over-for-speeding part. How is that possible? Ford is giving away a 2010 Mustang, for the low price of 250 words.
One lucky person who spins a tale of their Mustang experience in 250 words will win one. I don’t think I could ever limit my word count like that, so I’ll keep dreaming.
But whoever does win is one lucky person. Ford is about to make one of its bestselling cars even better.
It’ll start with the appearance. Some people may think the Mustang isn’t as tough looking as a Dodge Charger, those people will need to think again. The Mustang is getting a small hump behind the doors, like a muscular shoulder.
Other modifications will come in the taillights, the nose and — you guessed it — under the hood.
Some reports say that Ford is contemplating using a twin-turbo V-6 in the 2010 Mustang. The engine, which Ford has dubbed EcoBoost, is designed to help reach the ridiculous CAFE standards of 2020. Right now the EcoBoost is supposed to appear first in a performance version of the Fusion, but if it works, it could be a fuel efficient alternative for the original pony.
To win this dream car, log on to www.the2010mustang.com and tell your tale. The last day to submit is Oct. 15. The public, mostly Mustang enthusiasts, will vote for their favorite story from Oct. 18 to Oct. 30 with the winner announced Oct. 30.
The 2010 Mustang will debut Nov. 19 at the LA Auto Show and I fully plan on being there to see it unveiled. Who knows, maybe I’ll try to curtail my story to win the pony of my dreams.

Fastest convertible for $2.2 million, while supplies last

Just because I don’t have $2.2 million right now — and won’t in the next few years — doesn’t mean I can’t dream.

And what sweet, speed-filled dreams I have.

After the past few years of living in Southern California, I’ve learned there is nothing more relaxing than dirivng south on Pacific Coast Highway and ending up at some beautiful beach. But I might be wrong.

Sure I always rolled the windows down, but I’ve recently found out that I could be making the drive in a Bugatti Veyron 16.4 GrandSport. OK, maybe I couldn’t be driving that. After all, it is the drop-top version of my favorite — yet totally out-of-reach — auto, the Bugatti Veyron.

The Veyron 16.4 GrandSport will be sold for about $2.2 million, if not more. The major catch: Only 150 are being made. One of the best ways to secure this formidable convertible is to already own a Bugatti, according to Car and Driver, the first 50 Veyron 16.4 GrandSports will go to current Bugatti owners, leaving only 100 for the rest of us. Production is set to begin in the spring of 2009.

Car and Driver reported that with the top up, the Veyron 16.4 GrandSport matches its Veyron brother in a top speed of 253 miles per hour. If you choose to enjoy the sun on your face and wind in you hair, losing the top will lost you about 20 mph in speed as the car will only go 229 mph.

If you want to drive with the top down, you should only take the car out on days you know will be beautiful because there is no place to store the removable hardtop. For those freak out-of-the-blue showers there is a soft top that you can use, but avoid it at all costs — it will slow you down to a normal speed of 80 mph. Who wants to drive with the flow of traffic when you can leave it all in your wake?

For those of you living on a budget, there are still over 50 hardtop Veyrons left to buy. They go for the bargain price of $1.7 million.

Personally, I’ve always enjoyed the look and feel of a hardtop instead of a convertible, but it is nice to dream about that targa top cruising down PCH in the California sun with a 16-cylinder, 8-liter, 4-turbocharger engine.

Will it be worth the wait?

It's finally happening. The Chevy Camaro will make its comeback early next year. Should muscle car fans prepare themselves for another pony car competitor? Or should they start getting ready for something more?

The Chevy Camaro made its debut in 1966 (1967 model year) to compete with Ford's original pony car, the Mustang (1964 1/2). Since then the line has been clearly drawn between Chevy enthusiasts and Ford fans, it has been the Mustang vs. the Camaro for many years. Sure at some points other muscles factored in, the Dodge Challenger, Pontiac Firebird, Mercury Cougar - you get the point - but I've always noticed the rivalry between Mustangs and Camaros. So what's different now?

According to an article in Motortrend, Chevy has been testing the new Camaro against the Dodge Charger, Nissan 350Z and Infiniti G37. Chevy looked upmarket, higher prices and performance, for vehicles to compare 5th generation Camaro to.

I'm an avid Mustang fan but since I first saw the Camaro concept I've been looking forward to seeing it on showroom floors and maybe even cruising down Pacific Coast Highway. I have to admit, I admire Chevy's bold move to develop the Camaro against more upscale cars. I also admire the guts Chevy is displaying by bringing in another V8 (there is a V6 options) car when in just a few years the new CAFE standards will be enforced.

I'll give some more technical details after I do a little more research, but the estimated price for the new Camaro is between $22,000 and $33,000.

It's been a long time coming, I hope the new Camaro doesn't disappoint.


The new Camaro enticed audiences when it starred as Bumblebee in the 2007 blockbuster "Transformers."

Don't ditch domestic design

In a recent article in Automobile magazine, Preston Lerner wrote that more auto manufacturers were closing down design studios in Southern California and that those still open aren’t really hiring.
According to Lerner’s article some people say “Southern California is losing its advanced design mojo.”
So who’s taking over? Some people say China and India are the new up-and-coming places for automotive design. And thanks to this neat little thing called the Internet, it’s easier than ever to work inter-continentally. Labor is already largely outsourced, so why not outsource design too?
That might not be the best idea. I’ve never been to China or India (although I’d like to visit) but from what I’ve seen in pictures and movies, those places don’t really resemble L.A. or Orange County.
I know fuel prices are climbing and some people are looking for energy-efficient cars, but that doesn’t mean we want to drive around golf carts all day (no offense to those of you that do).
Tata Motors Limited, India’s largest automotive manufacturing company according to wikipedia.org, recently began producing the Nano, a small car to be driven in a city. The Nano is roughly the same size as the Smart Fortwo, but the Nano is about 16 inches longer. Those extra inches make the Nano a four-door with a backseat. There is a great demand for the Nano in India, but I don’t know how much of a demand there will be from the U.S., especially Southern California.
Will India try to bring the Nano to the U.S.? I (sort of) hope not. I was initially excited about the idea of Smart cars in the U.S. until I realized that the compromise of size leads to a compromise of speed.
I don’t mean to hate on the Nano. I think it’s a great car for India, probably China and Europe too. But Hot Wheels weren’t made to drive on the U.S. highways.
Two years ago, I visited Germany with some family. We opted to rent a car instead of trying to use public transportation (I think the sizes of the suitcases factored into this decision). Since there were six of us, we rented a van — an Opel Zafira to be exact. The funny thing is, what the Germans called a van, seemed more like a tall station wagon.
Why such a difference? That should be obvious. Globalization may bring the world closer together in terms of music, movies, clothes and other information, but it can’t change the roads. Cities in Europe and Asia are designed with a good public transportation service, or things are within walking or biking distance. But here in the U.S. many large cities require a car. You could walk around some areas I suppose, but come on, nobody walks in L.A.
I love seeing cars in foreign countries because they are so different from what we have here in the U.S. It’s exciting to see what other people consider to be “big” and “compact.” That doesn’t mean I want their definitions at my local dealership.
The future of cars may be in India or China, but until all the giant trucks and SUVs are off the roads, I don’t think closing down design studios is a wise choice. Instead of outsourcing immediately, why not send designers abroad for inspiration? They can observe designs in other countries and adapt them to better fit the needs of the U.S.

C U SUV

It's finally happening. It only took $4.50 per gallon of gasoline to start it, but the wheels are turning.
OK, so the wheels actually aren't going to be turning anymore. That's probably a good thing.
With gas prices on the rise, SUV sales and sales of large trucks have been falling. And for good reason.
If you drive a GMC Yukon, that gas tank holds about 26 gallons. If gas costs $4.50 per gallon, to fill the tank would be over $100. And with the wonderful fuel economy of such a large vehicle, you'll probably have to fill about about once a week, maybe once every two weeks depending on your commute and driving habits. Either way, you're looking at spending between $200 and $400 a month on gasoline alone. When I combined my love of cars and love of online shopping, I found a number of different small cars that I could buy for about that same amount of money. I'm not the only one who's seen the light, either. People are buying smaller, more fuel efficient cars and automakers are finally catching on.
According to a press release from General Motors, four factories, "Oshawa Truck Assembly in Canada, which builds the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra, will likely cease production in 2009, while Moraine, Ohio, which builds the Chevy TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy and Saab 9-7x, will end production at the end of the 2010 model run, or sooner, if demand dictates. Janesville, Wisconsin, will cease production of medium-duty trucks by the end of 2009, and of the Tahoe, Suburban and Yukon in 2010, or sooner, if market demand dictates. Chevrolet Kodiak medium-duty truck production will also end in Toluca, Mexico, by the end of this year."
GM also said it would "work closely with its union partners to mitigate the impact of these difficult actions, which are made necessary by long-term changes in consumer demand for trucks and SUVs." But the SUVs aren't going away entirely. GM plans on fitting more models with their Flex Fuel system. Flex Fuel gives drivers the option of filling up with E85 ethanol, gasoline, or any combination.
GM is also offering cash incentives to move different SUVs and trucks off dealers’ lots.
Since GM isn't going to be making as many large vehicles, it is going to shift its attention to smaller, more efficient cars.
GM isn’t the only automaker feeling the effects.
Ford, noticing the decline in truck sales, has offered customers the opportunity to buy trucks at the same price Ford employees pay.
But sales of these automotive monsters don’t seem to be improving.
Instead of the traditional SUV, it seems like more consumers are choosing crossovers. Crossovers have almost as much space as most of the large SUVs, but they ride and behave more like cars because their structures are similar to cars. SUVs
I never thought people would abandon their SUVs and trucks and drive smaller, more efficient cars, but when gas prices near $5 per gallon I guess they realize that driving your kids to soccer practice in a tank maybe be just a little extreme.

Long over due, but still no where near...

I know it's been ages since I've updated this blog, but please pardon my absence. Between finals, setting up a new staff and trying to organize my own life, I've failed the dedicated blogger aspect.
Sadly, this isn't even a real post, I'm just trying to distract you while I finish my first issue.
But fear not, real posts are on the horizon, one may pop up as early as next week.
If it's any consolation, I haven't been shopping much either.

24 hours of LeMONS

What do chickens, blow-up dolls and pirates have to do with racing?
Probably nothing, unless the race you're watching is the 24 Hours of LeMONS.
No, I didn't misspell LeMans; I meant to say LeMONS, because that's exactly what the race is about. Imagine a track full of cars all valued at $500 or less (before the safety equipment is installed), lemons, if you will.

Can you imagine those cars lasting 24 hours? Probably not, but that's half the fun.
This year, at SF LeMONS, which is held at the Altamont Motorsports Raceway in Tracy, Calif., some of the cars I saw were Honda CRXs, Toyota MR2s, Volvo wagons, even a Ford Pinto and Chevy Cavalier.

If the cars used for racing weren’t crazy enough, you should see how they are decorated. One car masqueraded as a chicken, another appeared to be driven by a pirate, and I saw more than a couple blow-up dolls riding along.

Why the wild outfits for the cars? Because they – the participants – can. Wouldn’t you like a pirate driving your Miata? I thought so.

This was my first LeMONS event, so I wasn’t really sure what to expect, although I’m pretty sure I’ve seen pictures of the chicken car, from the team Mother Cluckers, in past issues of Car and Driver.

For those of you unfamiliar with LeMONS, it’s a little like the 24 hours of LeMans. It’s an endurance race. The winner is the one who completes the most laps in a certain amount of time. The 24 Hours of LeMONS happens at racetracks across the country, some are actually 24 hours.

In Tracy noise restrictions prohibited a 24 hour race. Instead the race was scheduled to last 14 hours, but about 10 ½ hours were actually completed.

You don’t need to be a professional driver to enter, but you do need to make sure your car meets the safety requirements.

The winner of this year’s race completed over 480 laps. And it seemed like in each lap, something exciting happened. Since these cars weren’t actually made for racing, most of them had problems going into sharper turns which resulted in spin-outs and collisions. It felt like for each lap completed under a green flag, 10 were counted under the yellow flag. Whether it was pushing a car that stalled off the track, putting tire barrier back in place or picking up miscellaneous parts, the flag guys and clean-up crew certainly earned their pay.

The Risk of Racing

It doesn't matter if your car is worth $500,000 or $500, there is a risk involved every time you pull out of the pit on to the track.
At my frist 24 hours of LeMons experience, I saw that risk first hand.
It was around lap 207, or 3:30 p.m. in the afternoon when car number 39, a volvo sedan crashed head on into a wall. The driver had apparently accelerated without making the effort to turn. It was in the fraction of time when he hit the gas without turning the wheel that he risked his own life. A yellow flag went up before anyone realized the severity of the accident. A red flag soon followed. After the rest of the cars had been sitting still on the track, they were ushered to the pits to make way for the rescue crew. The Altamont Motorsports Park safey and rescue truck was first on the scene. The team began working but it wasn't enough. An ambulance showed up later, followed by 3 full-size fire trucks, another ambulance, a smaller fire truck and a fire department SUV.
One photographer was scolded for taking pictures and in an effort to block what was going on, the security guards put up a tarp.
Speculations of what actually happened could be heard by spectators in the stands. Some say the driver may have had a heart attack, or lost conciousness while driving and that's what caused him to challenge the concrete wall. Regardless of how it happened, the outcome left a pall over the grandstands. Though no official anouncements have been made, death is on everyone's minds. The rescue crew did not make a speedy getaway to the nearest hospital.
Events were postponed until Sunday. There was serious damage to the wall, but it seems as though the driver suffered the most crucial damage.
As always, when I get more official information, you will too.
Hopefully tomorrow will end on a happier note.

The pictures you've been waiting for...

Here they are, pictures from the races, awards ceremonies and the pits.

Coming around the corner...

Life in the pits

The pits from above

Super hot Corvette

Sometimes the cars went too fast and I couldn't take the picture in time.

It's an amazing Viper

I was so close, I probably could have touched the cars.

Going into the hairpin turn...

Hello Ferrari

The D-List Celebrity Race

Winners of the Pro/Celebrity Race, Jamie Little and Mike Skinner.

Close up of Mike Skinner and Jamie Little

American Le Mans Series winners

ALMS gets big trophies

Champ Car Series winners prepare for a Victory Lap


Will Power won the final race in Champ Car history.
In second place was rookie Franck Montagny and in third place was Mario Dominguez.


The winning team poses in the Winners' Circle.

Problems and Results

As promised, here is all the information I have. I had to chance down an official to get it, but I thought you'd like to know.

Wilson dropped out of the race due to a mechanical problem. He said he felt a change in the McDonald's car engine and thinks he lost a cylinder a couple laps before that. From there Wilson said it just got worse.

Annala had to stop racing because of a problem with the brakes in his car. He went off the track in the turn nine run-off area.

And now, for the exciting conclusion of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Finishing in first place, after leading 81 out of 83 laps, Will Power in car No. 8 for Aussie Vineyards-Team Australia, won the final race in Champ Car history.

In second place was rookie Franck Montagny and in third place was Mario Dominguez.

For the Atlantic Championship, Simona De Silvestro took first place. She is the first woman to win an Atlantic Championship race since 2006, when Katherine Legge won in San Jose, Calif.

Alan Sciuto finished in second place, with Kevin Lacroix placing third.

I was lucky enough to get a quick interview with De Silvestro after the race.

Being the first woman to win a race in the Atlantic Championship is a big deal, and De Silvestro was very proud. Especially because she knows losing means she'll just be known as "the girl racer who couldn't win."

De Silvestro said, “It’s so competitive, so I show that I can be upfront and win, so it’s great.”

De Silvestro just seemed so excited to have won, it was really fun having the opportunity to talk to her.

The top five qualifiers of the Atlantic Championship were Jonathan Bomarito, De Silvestro, Carl Skerlong, Sciuto and Lacroix. Four out of the five remained in the top five for most of the race.

Skerlong hit the wall off the start and had to return to the pit to have the nose cones on his car replaced. He returned while the other drivers were on lap three and remained one lap down the entire race, finishing last with only 37 laps.

Bomarito, the top qualifier with a time of 1:15.947, held first place for most of the race. He had a significant lead over the position two qualifier, De Silvestro.

Bomarito went into the run-off in turn one on lap 24, which allowed De Silvestro to move into first place and take the win.

De Silvestro commented on her win over Bomarito.

"Bomarito was very quick ... he has so much experience, it's his third year so I knew he was going to maybe pull off in the beginning," De Silvestro said. "So I thought, 'Oh second place is also great,' so I just kept driving and being consistent. And then he did a mistake so I was very happy he did a mistake so I could pass him, so it's awesome for me to have this win today."

Another one bites the dust...

After entering the pit and staying for between five and 10 minutes, car No. 10 driven by Juno Annala was pushed back to the paddock. You'll get more details when I do.

Wilson out!

After suffering a mechanical problem, Justin Wilson of the Newman Haas Lanigan Racing team sponsored by McDonald's Racing team, is unable to finish the race.

Wilson placed first in the Champ Car qualifiers and took the pole on Saturday.

According to Tiffany Rider, who was reporting from the Champ Car paddock, the McDonald's team had packed up most of their things. The car was covered and the crew looked disappointed.

Race day

OK. I realize I lied about posting more last night, but cut me some slack, I was at school past 1 a.m. working on stories and posting them.

After a three-hour nap, I'm back at the tracks, damaging my ear drums because I enjoy the sounds of the cars as they speed past.

Again, Tiffany and I are in our favorite seats in front of the announcers, between the Imperial Capital Bank bridge and the Toyota bridge. That's the corner of Linden Avenue and Shore Drive for those of you not farmiliar with the track. For those of you unfarmiliar with Long Beach, use a map.

The drivers are speeding around the 1.97 mile track at speeds of about 92 mph.

Before the race, I was able to interview Kevin Lacroix, the 19-year-old who finished fifth in the qualifying session yesterday.

Lacroix seemed optimistic about today's race. He said he finished second this morning during the practice run.

Lacroix started racing at age 6, in go-karts. He's now 19. And yes, that makes me feel old.

Lacroix has been racing well thus far, keeping in the top five.

The race just ended, Simona De Silvestro finished in first, Lacroix finished in third.

I'll post the rest of the results when I get them.

I'm off to the winners' circle, then to get a free lunch.

Life is good when you're in the pits

I still can't believe I'm here. Someone should pinch me.

With the credentials around my neck and ugly blue vest on my back I've been able to go just about everywhere.

I've stood in the pits next to drivers of the Champ Car Series, I've talked to drivers from the American le Mans Series and rubbed elbows with Atlantic Series drivers.

I was within inches of Jamie Little and Mike Skinner, the winners of the Pro/Celebrity race. I just barely missed being sprayed by champagne.

So far, this has been one of the most exciting weekends of my life. I've already taken enough pictures to fill 1gb of memory. The best will be posted here.

On Thursday I had the exciting experience of meeting Parnelli Jones and Mario Andretti.

Friday was thrilling as I stood with a couple feet of concrete and a chain fence between me and cars racing at about 100mph.

It's hard to put into words exactly how I feel. Right now the cars of the American Le Mans series are racing in front of me as I sit in the announcer booth. It's too exciting to really focus on blogging, but I'll be back later tonight with qualifying results and final results.

26th All American Get-Together Photos

Here it is, the promised photo collage of the All American Get-Together. Enjoy it as much as I did, if you can.

I can't imagine showing any other photo first than a Mustang, it's like when you show pictures of your kids, the favorite always goes first, right? So here they are, my loves, the original all American muscle car.

Then and now, the Mama boss...

and the one taking over the family business...

This time, I found a pair of paternal twins. That was neat.

And now, my second favorite, the Bel-Airs.

A Maverick.

One of the cars didn't seem to belong...it tried to hide but I found it.


Hot GTOs.

Specialty cars, these ones are subject to the harsh California sun, but inside a protective building.

See, I'm not the only person who likes cars and the color pink.

Fins are in!

Prepare for takeoff.

Let me see that grill.

Major props on style here.



All in all the all American show was more than alright. It was amazing.

Photos by Colleen Donnelly. That's right, I can take pictures too. Now if only I could cook...