2024 Grand National Roadster Show

The Grand National Roadster Show, a revered automotive event held annually in California, epitomizes the essence of automotive craftsmanship and passion. Originating in the 1940s, the show has evolved into a global showcase for hot rods, custom cars, and classic automobiles, drawing enthusiasts and builders from far and wide. At its core, the event represents a celebration of automotive culture, where diversity in vehicle displays mirrors the individuality and vision of their creators.

Central to the show’s appeal is the prestigious “America’s Most Beautiful Roadster” award, which recognizes the pinnacle of automotive design and craftsmanship. Beyond accolades, the Grand National Roadster Show fosters a vibrant community of enthusiasts, providing a platform for connection, collaboration, and the exchange of ideas. As automotive technology advances, the show also serves as a glimpse into the future of innovation, inspiring builders and manufacturers to push the boundaries of what is possible. In essence, the Grand National Roadster Show is a testament to the enduring allure of the automobile and the unwavering passion it ignites in enthusiasts worldwide.

Closing out Another Season on the Dry Lakes..

Birds eye view of the starting line, looking down course..

The last meet of the Southern California Timing Association 2023 season at El Mirage Dry Lake was a two-day event that brought together racing enthusiasts in a thrilling display of speed and skill. Despite the chilly weather, the weekend turned out to be amazing, providing the perfect backdrop for the excitement on the track.

Thank you once again to the SCTA competitors and volunteers for allowing us to be a part of your history.

The Iowa Hall of Fame and Racing Museum: A Home for Racing History

Nestled in the heart of Otho, Iowa, the Iowa Hall of Fame and Racing Museum is a treasure trove of racing history that has been carefully curated and preserved by Marty Pringle, a lifelong enthusiast of the sport. This remarkable museum is a testament to the passion and dedication of Marty and his family and friends, who have dedicated years to collecting, restoring, and showcasing a unique array of racing memorabilia and artifacts.

Marty Pringle’s journey into the world of racing began in the late 1950s when he watched his father compete against some of the greatest dirt track legends in central Iowa. From those early days as a spectator, his involvement in the sport expanded to include various roles such as building, maintaining, racing, owning, sponsoring, flagging, and being a pit crew member. Marty’s deep-rooted connection to racing is a central theme that runs throughout the museum’s collection.

The Iowa Hall of Fame and Racing Museum houses an impressive assortment of racing artifacts and memorabilia, with many items personally owned by Marty Pringle and on permanent loan to the museum. Over the years, numerous drivers and their families have generously donated items to Marty’s personal collection, which he has proudly displayed to the public for many years.

The collection includes a diverse array of items, from race cars and equipment to autographed memorabilia. Some of the notable items in the museum’s collection include:

  1. Mike Smith #37 Late Model
  2. Wendell Scott #34 ’39 Ford Coupe (from the movie “Greased Lightning”)
  3. Willie Kraft #83 Sanger Late Model
  4. Roger Tapper #85 Larry Shaw Late Model
  5. Jerry Dixon #3 Hobby Stock
  6. Marty Pringle #27p Hobby Stock
  7. Bob Hill #46 1996 Daytona Car
  8. Clint Pringle #76 Figure 8 Car
  9. Chuck Hubbard #2 -1940 Ford Coupe
  10. Gerald Seiser 7up – 35 Ford Coupe
  11. Jim Pringle #lx -34 Ford Coupe
  12. Tony Anthony #lOx -34 Ford Coupe
  13. Dean Fowler #7 Camaro
  14. 1957 Purple Quarter Midget
  15. Bruce Sommerfeld #50 -Mid ’80s modified
  16. Craig Jacobs #96- 2013 Mach 1 Late Model
  17. Craig Jacobs #96- 2011 MasterBuilt
  18. Phil Kenyon #99 – ’57 Ford
  19. Denny Pittman’s first racing car – 1964 Chevelle
  20. Ryan Griffith’s Late Model
  21. Jimmy Gustin #19 Modified
  22. Ed Morris 1970 Track Champion (’56 Chevy)
  23. Vintage racing signs, equipment, and trophies
  24. A vast collection of photos, programs, yearbooks, and media guides

The museum’s dedication to preserving racing history extends beyond artifacts. It also celebrates the individuals who have left an indelible mark on the sport. The Iowa Hall of Fame, which celebrated its inaugural group of 30+ inductees in 2018, continues to honor Iowa’s racing legends and heroes. The Board of Directors is passionate about preserving Iowa’s racing heritage for future generations and regularly inducts new members from various categories, including drivers, owners/builders/car sponsors, promoters/officials/media/event or series sponsors, and more.

Visitors to the Iowa Hall of Fame and Racing Museum are treated to a truly interactive and educational experience that encapsulates the rich history of racing in Iowa. The museum’s commitment to sharing this history has drawn visitors from four countries, 18 states, and 116 Iowa towns, highlighting the widespread appeal of racing and its enduring legacy.

In addition to housing a remarkable collection, the museum hosts an annual racing reunion, bringing together drivers, families, and fans from across the region. It’s a testament to the sense of community and camaraderie that racing has fostered in Iowa for generations.

The dream of the Iowa Hall of Fame and Racing Museum is to provide a permanent facility that can continue to house and showcase the rich tapestry of Iowa’s racing history. With limited space and word-of-mouth advertising, the museum has already achieved remarkable success in preserving this heritage.

The Iowa Hall of Fame and Racing Museum is not just a museum; it’s a living testament to the passion, dedication, and rich history of racing in Iowa. As it continues to grow and evolve, it remains a must-visit destination for racing enthusiasts and anyone interested in the captivating story of racing in the Hawkeye State.

SCTA 2022 Season Opener

April showers bring May flowers… or something like that… not that it matters in the midst of what they’re saying is the worst drought the Southwestern United States has seen in 1200 years. The lack of precipitation has left the lake bed in a bit of a rough condition, but that didn’t stop the competition. Records were made on both days of the event with plenty of 200 plus mile per hour passes in both the car and motorcycle classes, the highlight for many being the first 300 mile per hour pass on the dirt in many years, congratulations to the #77 team for capturing the top speed of the meet with a 303 mph pass!

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Church of Speed-cast…

When it comes to podcasts, we have little to no idea what we’re doing. When it comes to calling our buddies and making them come down to Crackville for a visit, we are the Champions of the World… lol

You think you know speed??? Whatchu’ know about 340mph in a top fuel car? Probably jack… Lucky for us we have NHRA Top Fuel Pilot and team owner Jim Maroney to give us the lowdown on what it’s like pushing ten thousand horsepower down the quarter mile, just don’t ask about that time in Vegas. Dean Livermore of Hot Rods by Dean fame is also here along with his son, Zach, who has some pretty good news for some of you grumpy old keyboard warriors about high school shop class. Click the link and have a listen…

SCTA World Finals 2020

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I was properly stressed out. Moving into the new shop… trying to get settled in a maybe think about making a few dollars…. I hadn’t stopped for a minute since blasting back from Speed Week. A break was called for and when Wendell Burns called and asked what my plans were for World Finals my response was “Smoking cigars with you and taking pictures, sir.” I was so excited to go I tried to leave a week early…

Full story coming soon…

The Grand Ave Collection…

Grand Avenue is the spot Saturday night in downtown Phoenix…. It also just happens to be basically in my backyard so I’ve sneak out and have some fun with the camera when I can.

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Speed Week 2020

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I’m not to proud too understand that you didn’t come here to read what ever I have to say about this… lol. Full story coming shortly.

Vintage Torque Fest 2020

What happens when 2020 comes around and shuts all the local shows down? You drive 1689 miles across the country to spend the day someplace new….

I spent 2 days behind the wheel to spend a day partying down Iowa style with the guys from Torque Fest and The Rod Tossers CC. I won’t lie, this ‘coverage’ is lacking in the ‘coverage’ department and is more of a showcase of the action going on and around the dirt track at the Dubuque County Fairgrounds. And there is plenty of action… from the minute I pulled up to the back gate, until I had to split on Sunday, there was somebody, running something around the track; dirt bikes, mini-bikes, vintage dirt track bikes and hot rods. There were a few sessions of ‘run what you brung’ style grudge racing and the Summit Dirt Drags on the front stretch. The ‘main-event’ went down on Saturday night. Chain racing was new to me but an absolute hoot, two cars are chained together, front car has an engine and no brakes, rear car has no engine and may or may not have brakes. It’s a shit show like none other and we will be back to participate. Bet.

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The Last Cruise… Metrocenter


“I ain’t never seen anything like this…”-pretty much ‘erebody

Earlier last week, management at the Metrocenter Mall in Phoenix announced their decision to pull the plug and shutter the nearly vacant shopping center. What came next was a flood of nostalgia and reminiscing from disappointed locals, many of whom spent countless evenings circling the property in their youth, a time long before pop up meets and two way communication apps for your phone, you just went and cruised Metro. A simple idea, “let’s go cruise the mall one last time” exploded into an unbelievable send off that nobody expected, turning out to be what will be remembered as one of the largest cruise nights in Arizona history….

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Track Day Action with NASA…

As happy as I am to have something to point cameras at, you could feel the excitement as these drivers were finally able to make some road course laps on the west track at Wildhorse Pass Motorsports Park. Congratulations to Bobby Tanner making the show in his first road racing event, you can check out Bobby’s #198 Miata mixed in with the rest of the group in the gallery below. Don’t see your car? Shoot us a message, I shot a few thousand pics and just didn’t have room to post them all here.

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The Battle at Tucson…. West Coast Hot Rod Association style…

It was one of those weird Arizona days where it’s about a hundred and ten degrees out, yet a ‘cool’ northbound breeze threaten to drag in a sky high wall of dust followed by flash flood warnings and gully washers. It was actually two days like that. Luckily the wind merely threatened, leaving behind two pleasant evenings to kick off the West Coast Hot Rod Association’s 2020 season.

As the sun crept below the horizon we were treated to some phenomenal sunsets setting the scene for some great racing action on the Tucson Dragway. We’ll get the official results posted once Danny and crew have a chance to get those over to us but for now enjoy some shots from the event.

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Cruise to the Pines 2020

Disclaimer; I crashed this party and didn’t really stick around for much of it… definitely not our best event coverage… I was feeling the need for speed so I treated it a bit like a chase, got some live video on the Facebook page, hauled ass ahead, got a few shots, hauled ass ahead again, got some shots on the mountain and then spent the rest of the day driving aimlessly around the backroads of Yavapai county.

No Images found.

Omega Motorsports March 2020

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Covering the NHRA Arizona Nationals as if we were some sort of professionals…



Worst they can say is no…

-the webm0nk

“Dude…. I got to talk to Don Prudome!” Jessie was on another planet…. I mean, he kinda always is, but this time the galaxy he was orbiting around was the Wildhorse Pass Motorsports Park dragstrip and he had an all access press credential hanging around his neck. “Should’a asked him for an interview bud,” I suggested, giving his media bling a tug, “It’s your fault we’re even here!” And it really was his fault… or… idea to come here. About then, a pair of top fuel cars pull up about nine feet from us as they roll out of their burnout, Jessie, suddenly transported to planet focus and intensity aiming that two hundred millimeter glass towards the track, “I wanna see the whites in their eyes….”

It’s mind bending. I swear you go blind for a split second as the cars go by… eyeballs overcome by the pressure of twenty thousand horsepower exploding, visible shockwaves punching their way through you, leaving behind a nitromethane and tire smoke cocktail for the sinuses. Eyes burn… noses run… mind how you and when you breathe. Be ready in case one of these suckers makes a break for the wall….

Ground zero for incredible speed, the fuel fed blower cars are celebrities of the day, and fans follow them around the track from pit to staging lane, some spending big money on seats in stands that they never see, choosing instead to stand along the fence truly getting the maximum possible bang for their buck.

After hours at the track is where the similarities to celebrity athletes ends however as many of the drivers and crews can be found interacting with fans and sharing the cars, answering questions and occasionally offering up some 330mph souvenirs.

Go to the races… click through our photo gallery.

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Random Saturday Night in The Valley…. Dirt Tracks and Low-Lows

*insert text message notifications noise*… it’s from Kevin and it’s just a link to the re-opened Adobe Mountain Speedway which says racing is over in 90 minutes. What the hell… I jump in the car and head north making it in time for the final rounds of racing and talked my way into the infield.

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There was a quite a bit more than the advertised 90 minutes worth of racing left, I was able to settle in, find a few good angles, catch a few cool shots until racing was done and I was sufficiently dust and racing fuel scented. It wasn’t even 9:30 yet which meant my favorite taco cart wouldn’t be serving up that delicious barbacoa so I split down to the weekly Grand Avenue cruise downtown…

Grand National Roadster Show, 2020….


You cannot and will not be able to see everything…

-everyone

Everyone was one hundred percent correct too… We ‘snuck in’ a the day before the show and ran around the Fairplex for two and a half solid days trying to prove them wrong. We didn’t stand a chance. Not even close….

After having taken a Saturday afternoon siesta. we noticed a bunch of folks headed out of the show and the sunset to our backs had us pulled over to the side of the road like paparazzi for some random rollers. Goodtimes….

Follow our Instagram and Facebook pages for more photos and check our YouTube for seizure inducing video….

Just a random day out…

Four thirty in the morning… I am wide awake and wired like a jackrabbit. So I hopped in the opulente ente…. Hot coffee and a full tank of the ‘hoods finest later, I hit the highway headed towards the farmland and McMansions in the suburbs to see what could be seen.

First light makes for great photos. There were a handful of shutterbugs scurrying around…

Still dark and my arrival premature, having beaten the drivetime estimation by a considerable factor… I hunkered down in a end spot, cranked the heat up and started in on the coffee. It wasn’t long until I was flanked by a jet boat and another form of yacht in a Hellcat Charger… they started rolling in and soon enough we had a car show on our hands. And so began our day at Chandler Cars and Coffee…

“I can still see my breath…”

-me

By Arizona standards it was a bit chilly out. I offered the jet boat fellow a towel to wipe off the red gel coat but it wasn’t morning dew… it was last nights frost. Stuffing my hands deeper into my pockets as the sun crept over the horizon offering much less warmth than us thin blooded desert dwellers had been craving the parking lot was starting to fill up with an interesting assortment of machinery. I grabbed the camera and a few shots before splitting to the next spot…

This puppers came to the meet in an R8… I was slightly jealous.

I jammed out from Chandler and hit the highway again… bound for east Mesa and another Cars and Coffee event taking place at Power and McDowell, a 20 mile cruise across town. With what could be considered “no” traffic, the Duck of Opulence made short work of the trip and in a few short minutes we were arriving at meet number two…

YOHB?

The Mesa meet was a little more low key… more of a small town feel, no crazy wide body kits or wrapped cars, more hot rods and street rods even a deuce and a half military truck. It seemed like we missed out for making this stop number two as it seemed many participants had already broken camp.

And as it goes, that was pretty much that… I got a few shots in and people started clearing out. I’ll make this the first stop next time and see how that works out but I imagine it will be another relaxing morning filled with great cars to see and a nice drive to go see them.

Sunday School with Omega Motorsports…

Welcome to Gila Bend…. or…. well, their airport anyhow. We spent the morning track side with Omega Motorsports and can’t wait to get our junk back on the road, ripping some half mile passes. The laid back format makes for an enjoyable day of pushing your machine to the limits without the pressure or structure of a ‘race’. Ready to make a pass? Simply pull onto the taxiway and wait for clearance… No Fly Zone is not merely a speed trial but a diverse display of machinery being put to the test, from BMW’s and Mustang’s, to Lamborghini’s and Hayabusa’s, Viper’s, Porsche’s, GTR’s…. and they’re all here to put the hammer down. While the paddock and spectator parking is full of rare, exotic and modified cars, the real show is out on the tarmac….

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Thanksgiving 2019

My favorite day of the year. And not because I like turkey or sweet potato’s but because we gather up a bunch of cars and friends and make some noise. This run is a yearly tradition going back over 20 years and with it’s close proximity to the city, this 20-ish mile run is a nice way to kill a few hours on the road instead of riding the couch watching that same old boring parade while you wait to stuff your gut.

Grand Ave is poppin’ AND hoppin’…

If you know, then you know….

I’d been hearing rumors that the lowriders have been showing up in full force. I now consider myself a bit more well informed about what somebody means when they say “them dudes are showing up FULL FORCE!”. This isn’t an advertised deal with shirt vendors and kettle korn… this is cruising, with the occasional hopper standing up on the rear bumper in the middle of the street. Goodtimes.

Afterhours Hogging…

Time is money they say, and nowhere will you be reminded about that more often than in a machine shop. Turning handles for a living isn’t what most people expect, as a fair portion of your time is planning, setting-up, double checking your plan and set up, eventually firing up the machine to make some chips. And then there’s times when you just need to haul ass to rough in a part to help get the job moving along. This is one of those times… most everyone had gone home for the night so we had some fun making some big noise with a monster of an old Axleson lathe.

The Church of Speed 2019 BFGoodrich Mint 400 Photo Gallery Deluxe….

Here’s a photo dump to tide you over until we can get the full story and video together….

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Steineggar & Eshenbaugh’s Winter Hot Rod & Car Show

Winter in many places is the time to put your car away and break out the snow shovel. That’s certainly not the case in Scottsdale…

With over 200 cars in attendance and five nitro fed dragsters firing off this is on party you don’t want to miss!

It just haaaaad to rain…

There’s not much story for me to tell…

I found myself free for the evening last Saturday night, so I booked it down to Wild Horse Motorsports Park in Chandler, AZ to catch the last few rounds of the Shutdown Showdown event. I saw one round of small tire class before the weather turned. So that’s that and here are a few photos I managed to shoot before the showdown was shutdown…

Taco tour of the Baja Peninsula. There may also have been a Baja 1000 going on….

“I can’t believe you fuckin’ came dude.”

By now Seth had said that about forty three times and considering that this particular time we were passing through San Quintin, about 175 miles south of Tijuana, I had to laugh. It was at this point I had to remind him of his “sales pitch”… 

“I have some buddies that have a trophy truck and they have this place we can camp out and we can spend a few days eating tacos up and down the Pacific coast.”  There may also have been mention of a donkey we could put ducky stickers on…


The Final Ride….

For the past nine years, The Hell City Saints car club has thrown one Hell of a party in support of the American Legion Post 1 located in downtown Phoenix. Gathering many local hot rods, customs, lowriders and cruisers, the Blessing of The Rods was the place to be early each November. We say ‘was’ due to this ninth show being the last and final hurrah for the event. Spend a few minutes with us to have a look at some of the rides, people and bands at this years “Blessing”…. with appearances including The Octanes, The Roadkill Wranglers and headlined by The Paladins!

Street Car Takeover, Phoenix

In typical fashion, we showed up late, ran out of memory card and had to leave early….

But we were there…. and took advantage of access to the starting line to test out some new some new camera gear on some of the fastest street cars in the southwest.  This video is really just a highlight reel and a few passes shot from trackside. A few of our buddies were running and I hammered this together really just to share the footage with them… there’s still ten solid minutes of great motor noise to crank up if anything. Next time I’ll be on time and have my shit together boys, I promise.

I used to stay out that late. Now I get up this early….

“Hey man… you got fiddy-cent on my bus pass?”

All I wanted was to fill up the F100 and get these motors out

I’m starting to think that “bus pass” is some new code for drugs as this  sloppy shirtless smelly fuck surely wasn’t going to be allowed on public transport. I told him he was welcome to a few random cans in the bed of the truck but that’s where the charity would end. He expressed his displeasure of me not wanting to fund his next fix and moved off in a direction quite the opposite of the bus stop. Ya just gotta love downtown….

All of a sudden there was fire…

And here I was, the steel booted meathead behind the wheel. This was not an enjoyable conclusion to my first (and thus far, only) time actually hot footing the racecar. I was just getting a feel for things when with a flash of orange and the blast of a fire bottle we were hustling to get it back in the trailer, back to the shop and torn apart to see just how bad it was. This was Tuesday…  we rolled onto the dyno at 0900 and this picture was taken at noon. I remember because we were on the clock, big time. Speedweek was set to kick off Friday and we weren’t planning on missing out…. 

-continued some other time

Rockabilly Bash 2019

Pin-up girls? Check. Tattoo contest? Check. Mini bike action on the dirt track? Check. Bands? Tons. Tire smoke? More than plenty…. this is the AZ Rockabilly Bash 2019 hosted on the shores of Lake Pleasant, just a few minutes north of Phoenix. The Bash is a 3 day festival style event with camping/RV parking, a 300 foot “hole shot contest”, tons of great bands and a highly competitive burnout competition. With a variety of on-site activities and the events proximity to town you will have the choice to fully relax or wear yourself out behind the wheel on some scenic backroads in the area. A super fun event with a small town, family friendly feel… thanks to the small group of enthusiasts that put on the show. Whatever your plans are for next March, we suggest you change them and plan to attend the Rockabilly Bash! In the meantime enjoy this little teaser video or check our youtube channel for coverage of 2018’s event!

Arizona Cars & Coffee

1st Saturday of the month Scottsdale Cars & Coffee

Living in Arizona we are privileged beyond belief. What better state to be a car enthusiast and collector? Seriously our dry heat is a “barn finders” dream! If you can find that barn.  However if you’re in north Scottsdale.. drop on into Penske’s Barn.
Penske Racing Museum. You won’t be disappointed.

You can usually find me here 1st Sat of the month. Ask me for a Ducky sticker!

2nd Saturday of the month Chandler Cars & Coffee

Gassers, Tuners & Car clubs show up here in force. Kneaders Bakery & Cafe / Guaranteed to see AZ Veloster & One Auto Movement cars here.

The “High Life” Reel….

A look back to some of the things we’ve done and pointed cameras at…. the end of an era. Now that we’re joined forces with Tyler and TxP Media the days of the oil on the lens, low-res video, are over. Mostly over… I’ll still share those cell phone videos from around the shop, don’t worry.  So here it is, the last, Church of Speed, edited in the bathroom on cell phone movie……  -nick

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_v-7qrEmO8&feature=youtu.be

Government Work….

During WWII, some sensitive tasks were given directly to a worker, and his supervisor might not be authorized to know exactly what it was. Thus the response when the supervisor questions what appears to be personal work done on company time: “it’s government work.”….

That’s not what’s happening in this video at all….

Flashback thirty-some years. As I remember it, my Dad had told a caller that the shop was closed for the day but “we” were there finishing up some “government work”. We… Ha! I don’t think I had even started school yet, but I do remember asking him what our shitty little canoe trailer had to do with the government. Back  to present day and you can find me after hours and weekends making those federal dollars. Like these secret things that are a…. big secret. We’ll show you where they’re going to end up in a coming feature, but for now enjoy a peek into the process of trimming a bit of fat and fixing up an old set of (secret things; ed.)…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWSlP2TJI-g&t=12s

The Copperstate 1000 Rally… basically a photo-dump and a lame 200 words.

“Pull in there dude,” I told my buddy, “park this sum-bitch in the show….”

There was an expression of hesitation on his face as we noticed the looks on the faces of the fellas guarding the premier parking situation, armored in day-glo vests, armed with orange construction flags… ready to send these greasers in a flat black ’40 Ford pickup down the road to park like suckers amongst the mini vans and rental cars. It’s just so much more fun to fall into the line up of Ferraris, 911’s…  let’s just say the spectator parking was as nearly as good as the big show.

Inside the stadium, the variety of cars about to depart for a thousand mile tour of the The Grand Canyon State is impressive and quite interesting. From the Lamborghini Islero to the many 356’s to the Dino’s and Split window’s and racecars and even a Tatra 87…. google that…. the attitude on the field is quite casual and quite frankly made me quite jealous that I didn’t get to tag along to see these cars on the open road.

Here’s a little video we threw together high lighting a few of our favorite cars in the show and a few as they pulled off the grass and onto the highway….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxrqfAac5EI&t=4s

Video killed the radio star…

We’ve come up with the brilliant idea to start making little videos or episodes or shows or whatever you want to call them. We have no idea what we’re doing and no idea which direction we’ll go with it. As usual we’ll wing it and let the world be our oyster….

 

Feel free to let us know what we’re doing wrong.

 

https://youtu.be/HOnzDLNRusM

Somebody will surely call bullshit….

You guys are never gonna believe this…

On my way in to the shop this morning in the roadster, I pulled up to a red light. Spidey senses tingling, I look over my shoulder only to see one of Phoenix’ finest creeping up on my quarter panel. He’s rolling his window down and I’m thinking for sure the open headers have finally got me busted. No such luck… He looks the car over and then to me saying “Let’s race”. I give him a little throttle blip and the light goes green. He lit outta there like a scalded dog. Son. Of. A. Bitch…. I just got smoked by a cop!

Friday….

It’s the weekend. And it’s time to hit the streets. We’ll be out cruising along (and trying to keep up) with some of the guys that are out there yanking the skinnies in back alleys and side streets. If they’re cool they’ll even let me post the pics…

Not Rich’s Corvette…

If you know the real story behind the “Not Rich’s Corvette” gag, you can spill the beans if you like.  I secretly hope he punks us one day and shows up in his mystery C1…. but that’s never going to happen.

 

More in the forum…

Offerings to the Gods of Speed…

I’d been behind the wheel of the race car plenty of times. Even on the hallowed ground of the Bonneville Salt Flats. The number of those times behind the wheel while the engine was running? Exactly zero…  Today was my day and I… well, I was shittin’ bricks… this was a fresh motor and it’s not like we showed up at the dyno to run our mouth.
As the car was strapped down, and I cannot explain what made me do this, but I wandered over to the corner about 25 feet from the car, snatched the fire bottle off the wall, placing it a few steps between the car and the guy running the rollers for us. You can bet the farm that I made some sarcastic remark about not needing that funky yellow powder all over the place….
Quickly I leaned that “driving” this thing wasn’t quite as frightening as I’d “hoped”. It was exhilarating to squeeze into the throttle and toss the seemingly miles long shifter around. I just didn’t want to hurt the car or look like an idiot. Or look like an idiot by hurting the car. Or hurt the car by being an idiot…

-continued

 

 

 

 

Push starts….

We are 100% open for business… and we’re pretty close to “going public” and blowing the doors right off this thing. I’ve asked a few great guys to contribute and they even agreed! Please get signed up and have a look around, if you have any problems with the registration email please send me a direct message at churchofspeedweb@gmail.com and I’ll get you fixed right up. Thanks again to everyone for their encouragement and support as we get this up and running, I appreciate your patience as I can only work on this after normal shop hours and on the weekend. Be on the lookout for more original content from myself and some of your favorite (infamous) contributors from around the world.

Thanks,

Nick

 

Like that first drive around the block, sitting on a milkcrate…

It’s been an exciting weekend here at the homestead…. I’ve talked a long time about having “our” own website and forum. No more getting banned. No more picture reporting dinguses. No more politics….

More hot rods. More hot women. While there will surely be some bugs to work out let’s have a run at it and see what happens. My goals are to feature original content on this page and we can still share the “stolen” pics in the forum and the social media pages as well.  The best part is that it’s our page and we make the rules and maintain the rights to our content.

Click the register button down below and the Discussion button in the menu above to get started.

I’ve had some issues with the registration email. If you find yourself not able to get in to the forum please email me and I’ll set you up with a temporary password. email: churchofspeedweb.com

 

The rewards of a Taco Bell based diet….

My first trip to Bonneville was Speed Week 2013. That summer we lived at the shop. Eight to five was normal shop hours and from five until we were ready to pass out on the concrete, was hot rod time. As my wife tells it, I would come home for a shower, sleep a few hours and head back to work… I don’t think I ate at home for weeks. I lived on Taco Bell and Mountain Dew.
We slept alongside the so-called Extra-terrestrial Highway after deciding to call it a day having put in nearly 24 hours. I’ve never been to a place so silent that even the constant ringing in my ears was quiet. Later that morning we made a good impression on one of the SCTA officials as we blasted past them at nearly 100mph with the racecar trailing behind.
Pulling onto the Salt and driving up to the technical inspection area was surreal. It was late in the day, the shadows were long and the Salt began to take on a blueish tint as opposed to it’s typical blinding white. I was greeted by Judy the Bag Lady and invited down from the cab for my first steps on the legendary surface and a welcoming hug. I’m not too proud to tell anyone that these few minutes brought tears to my eyes…. after all the hard work, the long hours, the shitty fast food… here I was, on the Bonneville Salt Flats standing there like an idiot, blocking the line through tech with a car not quite ready and not a clue or care in the world. We had made it.

 

….to be continued