That thing got a hemi?
Chalk this one up under strange but hypnotic. Hardcore Racing, Inc., one of Michigan's biggest domestic tuner shops, carried out an open house event that could only exist in the world of V8 splendor.
As the main event for the christening of Hardcore Racing's massive facility, a replica of the General Lee (the infamous yee-haw Dodge Challenger from The Dukes of Hazzard) was jumped off a launching ramp and then crash-landed. Although the car was demolished, the driver emerged untouched, and no, he didn't look anything like Daisy Duke. A touching moment that lets all good-ol' boys get in touch with their Boss Hogg-evading roots, this jump just makes you think, what is the point and does the import world need something as off-the-wall interesting as this? Should we jump the Mine's R34 Skyline across a riverbank and freeze-frame it midway? Only if Waylon Jennings comes along.
Scion Attack with Speedtrial USA
We know that many people question whether or not Scions can actually survive on the track. There are rumors flying about that the xA, xB and tC are just street cruising show cars, ready for a bruising if they dare set tire to a genuine racetrack. But SpeedTrialUSA's open arms have proved otherwise.
Setting your standard track day/driving event at The Streets of Willow Springs in sandy Rosamond, Calif., SpeedTrialUSA catered directly to the Scion crowd for this event. The notorious orange, red and green machines of Five Axis showed up for a huge parade lap, lead by Scion clothing manufacturer turn3 Creative's Honda Ridgeline. But once the track went green, it was on. If you've never seen a typical tuner Scion xB leaning through a sweeper, custom side skirts almost scraping the ground, then you've got a lot of learn. Mixing it up with the Motegi Wheels '06 Civic Si, TEIN's H1 Honda Challenge EG and our very own tech editor Scott Tsuneishi's tire-scorching 30hp Civic coupe, the Scion crowd proved that going to the track is a hell of a lot of fun, no matter the car. SpeedTrialUSA has many more Scion-geared events planned at various Southern California racetracks, so check the schedule at www.speedtrialusa.com.
Nissan and Infiniti Day 2006 at Stillen
If you own any sort of Nissan or Infiniti derivative and you don't know who Stillen is, you're probably just a confused Honda owner. The brainchild of IMSA champion racecar driver Steve Millen, Stillen is one of the most well-known and prolific Nissan tuners. Judging by the 2006 edition of their annual open house event, Stillen is apparently also one of the most popular Nissan aftermarket peddlers.
With the aid of the Costa Mesa police, the entire street in front of Stillen was closed off, and in combination with the main parking lot, was the host to more than 400 cars. Outside the building, the latest Nissan parts from Stillen, AP Racing, Eibach, Volk, ACT, and Injen were on display for careful inspection and questions. Inside the HQ was a thorough tour that included tech seminars by the Stillen R&D staff on exhaust, superchargers, suspension and brakes.
Stillen's dyno machine was also running full blast, going run after run to let 300ZX, 350Z and G35 owners stack up against each other. Remember, these things are annual, so if you missed out on this one, don't miss out next time. Be a Nissan lover. - www.stillen.com.