The event was simple: contestants were invited to CA's Buttonwillow Raceway, not only to prove their mettle around a track, but also to demonstrate how well they can receive and apply criticism from professional data-acquisitionists, survive interviews by a panel of champion drivers and corporate big-wigs, and assemble a winning sponsorship proposal or business plan. This year's applicants ranged in age from 14 to 56 years old, represented professions from competitive surfing to mechanical engineering, and hailed from all across the country. To say the competition was fierce wouldn't even scratch the surface-these were the best of the best amateur racers, each looking (fighting) for their "big break".
At the end of a long, cold day in the California desert, after completing dozens of laps around a shortened Buttonwillow Raceway circuit, and graded on PR skills, experience level, technical knowledge (do you know what scrub radius is?), familiarity with the latest technology, and finally, driving ability, each competitor was sent away unknowing which was the winner. After hours of crunching numbers and deliberating, 2008 Skip Barber MAZDASPEED Challenge Champion and Rookie of the Year, Justin Piscitell, was given the green flag. Come mid-2009, he'll be fighting for a win again... only this time, one that'll likely land him in the pro ranks.
To find out more about club racing, check the official SCCA site: www.scca.com
Visit importtuner.com to find out what it takes to build a spec MX-5, then hit up www.mazdamotorsports.com to get started.
EA Need For Speed: Undercover
What you probably know, is that EA's Need for Speed: Undercover has been out for a few months now. But what you don't know, is that 2NR made the short VIP list to the game's official Hollywood release party... and what you probably don't want to know, is that it was completely badass. Open bar, 1.5:1 girl-to-guy ratio, open bar, free food, open bar, and as much Need for Speed: Undercover as you could handle... with complimentary take-home versions for Xbox 360. Oh, and did we mention that Maggie Q (MI3, Balls of Fury, Die Hard 4, etc.) was kickin' it in our booth? Yeah, sorry... www.ea.com
News Of The "Here, Hold This"
Two Lincoln, NE men were arrested for burglary, after they asked the next-door neighbor to a house from which they stole a 55-inch TV, to watch the TV for them while they returned with a larger car that it would fit into. Instead, despite their $100 bribe, she called the cops.
www.journalstar.com
Westminister Lexus Meet
The latest stop along tour "wherever/whenever" for the Import Tuner/TEIN/Rockstar Lexus IS F was one where it felt a little more at home: Westminster Lexus' semi-annual Toyota/Lexus Invitational, at the dealer's Westminster, CA headquarters. In addition to our bottle-fed time-attacker, multiple examples of nearly every late-model Toyota/Lexus vehicle imaginable were on hand, most notably 2JZ-swapped big-power sedans, and Bippu/VIP-themed big-body cruisers. San Diego-area VIP specialists Autofashion, renowned Toyota/Lexus tuners Tom's, and concept car/sick-ass wheel creators Five Axis Designs were among the more stand-out exhibitors, for all the right reasons.
www.lexuswestminster.com
By The Numbers
16,330:
The number of 2000 model-year and up, application-specific automotive air filters and intake systems K&N manufacturers, not including universal applications.