MONTECITO MOTOR CLASSIC: CONCOURS FOR A CAUSE!

Our intrepid California ‘shooter’ Jim Palam brings us highlights of the Third Annual show that benefits the Santa Barbara Police Activities League. Bill Ceno's wicked ‘03 Ferrari Enzo has a young show-goer almost falling off his Gulf racing livery Nikes! John Yzurdiaga's customized, seldom-seen ‘41 Graham “Hollywood Supercharged” is menacing in Montecito. "Hammer's Slammer" is low for the show – another head-turner from Michael Hammer's impressive hot rod and custom collection. You're ...
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THE 100 MOTORCARS OF RADNOR HUNT: CONCOURS!

One of the highest-quality and most eclectic shows in the country celebrates its 18th year. Mike & Maureen Matune bring us highlights. This year’s Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance, benefitting the Thorncroft Equestrian Center, featured a field of select Concours grade automobiles along with motorcycles and featured groups. Best in Show honors went to Margie & Bill Cassini’s ’33 Chrysler CL Imperial five-passenger Phaeton, top. Originally purchased by LeBaron designer Ralph Roberts f...
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JESSE ALEXANDER: CAR GUY OF THE YEAR!

The Car Guy Chronicles celebrates legendary photographer Jesse Alexander, named ‘Car Guy of the Year.’ International motorsports photographer and celebrated car culture veteran Jesse Alexander has been named the 2014 “Car Guy of the Year” by a select group of automotive professionals, motorsports and collector-car enthusiasts. The announcement was made as part of Alexander’s overall recognition as this year’s honoree during the annual Montecito Motor Classic Gala and charity dinner held at t...
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FORMULA E: THREE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW!

‘I’ll certainly be cheering for the series to succeed long term, but there are a few points to bear in mind along the way,' blogs Stephen Cox. The new Formula E racing series for electric cars has done a lot of things right, as was evident by their first race in Beijing last weekend. The series already draws more entries than Formula One will have in 2015, and they've attracted known drivers including Nick Heidfeld, Takuma Sato, Jarno Trulli, Katherine Legge and others. First of all, Form...
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DRAGON’S FYRE: JET-POWERED DRAGSTER!

Exhibition drag racers partner with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF): Go fast & do good. Few exhibitions create more buzz and excitement than 40-foot flames erupting from the rear of a jet powered dragster truck. The driving force behind the jet-powered NHRA/IHRA exhibition drag racing vehicle “Dragon’s Fyre” is Dave Modder. As owner/driver and volunteer firefighter for the Town of Randall, WI Fire Dept., this partnership has a high emotional connection. "Those of us i...
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PENSKE’S CAN-AM PORSCHE 917: THE FINAL CHAPTER!

Stephen Cox blogs about the most iconic of the thundering Turbo Porsche 917s. 
 Part VII: The Legacy. “In two of the races – Atlanta and Elkhart Lake – the car lapped the entire field. That’s doing something. This was an unbelievable car.” – Chief mechanic John “Woody” Woodard. Porsche enjoyed a dominance in 1972 that McLaren could only dream of. McLaren’s five-year stranglehold had been crushed, and Porsche had earned their first Can-Am Challenge Cup. But many years passed before the pa...
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’14 AUDI Q7 QUATTRO: BEAUTIFUL BEAST!

Audi’s do-everything, go-everywhere high-performance people mover. With the low-speed grunt of a big-block muscle car and the fuel-sipping consumption of an eco-friendly four-cylinder ride, the ‘14 Audi Q7 quattro Tiptronic offers the best of both worlds. On a recent trip from Detroit to Watkins Glen, NY, we had the pleasure to climb behind the wheel of this very luxurious yet sporty seven passenger SUV. We saw for ourselves that a brawny powertrain wrapped around beautiful bodywork can peac...
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THE ART OF BUGATTI: ART DECO AT ITS FINEST!

Jim Palam brings us highlights of the Mullin Museum’s incredible Bugatti show in Oxnard, CA, open until March 31, 2015 and not to be missed. According to many in the automotive world the ‘37 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic  is one of the greatest cars of all time. The magnificent ‘39 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante. Back in 1932 the essence of style and power was this beautifully balanced Bugatti Type 55 Roadster. The now infamous ‘25 Bugatti Type 22 Brescia Roadster that was salvaged in ...
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MERCEDES-AMG-GT: A RACE CAR FOR THE STREET!

Mercedes-AMG GT boasts racetrack performance combined with superb everyday practicality. Is this the ultimate GT? The first Mercedes was a racing car and its most recent successor carries this heritage forward. With the new GT, the Mercedes-AMG sports car brand is moving into a new sports car segment. The GT is the second sports car developed entirely in-house by Mercedes-AMG. It’s a front mid-engine design with a rear transaxle and use of lightweight intelligent aluminum construction, formi...
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PENSKE’S L&M 917 PORSCHE: UNTOLD STORY OF CAN-AM’S MOST FAMOUS CAR!

Stephen Cox blogs about the most iconic of the thundering Turbo Porsche 917s. 
 Part VI: The Title. “The talk around the pit area was that no one could touch them. They knew that it was the beginning of the end of Can-Am. The L&M Porsche was making history.” – Marilyn Motschenbacher Halder. No other track on the Cam-Am schedule offered sweet corn and bratwurst like the little food stand at Elkhart Lake. Everyone on the  circuit looked forward to it. The stand remains there today, j...
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