THE ORIGINAL DODGE HEMI CHARGER

Posted on November 18, 2024 by MartynL

Bigger than a Ponycar and larger and more luxurious than a Musclecar, THE ORIGINAL DODGE HEMI CHARGER in 1966 turned heads and blew off the competition. The biggest big news for 1966 was the 426 Dodge and Plymouth Street Hemi. After teasing us with on-again, off-again streetable 426 Hemi cars in 1965, the option was officially announced. Rated at 425 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 490 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm, the Street Hemi was, essentially, a detuned race Hemi with milder 276-d...

’64 PONTIAC GTO & THE SUPERCAR REVOLUTION

Posted on October 22, 2024October 22, 2024 by MartynL

An option turns a midsize Tempest into the ’64 PONTIAC GTO & THE SUPERCAR REVOLUTION, and a decade of GTO-badged high-performance Pontiacs. Pontiac called it “A Device For Shrinking Time & Distance.” Magazine editors called it a “Supercar”. And, from coast to coast, enthusiasts flocked to Pontiac dealers see the new GTO, an option that breathed life into a Tempest. Pontiac - not Ford, Chevy or Plymouth - essentially created the option that ignited the Supercar Revolution and an ...

CHEVY 427 MARK II MYSTERY MOTOR

Posted on October 20, 2024October 20, 2024 by MartynL

Unlike the Z11, the CHEVY 427 MARK II MYSTERY MOTOR was not available in a car, or to the public. You had to have serious NASCAR cred to get one of the 20 built. In the 1960s, Semon “Bunkie” Knudsen always seemed to be one step ahead of GM Chairman Fred Donner’s anti-racing missives. While running Pontiac, he had supported the Super-Duty Group that later, after he left, managed to get 421 Catalina Lightweights to drag racers before the axe fell. Then he moved on to Chevrolet in 1961 and...

CHIP GANASSI: THE AMELIA’S 2022 HONOREE!

Posted on January 12, 2022January 12, 2022 by MartynL

The 27th Annual Amelia Island Concours will celebrate the career of racer and racing legend, CHIP GANASSI: THE AMELIA’S 2022 HONOREE! The founder of Chip Ganassi Racing has touched every major form of North American motorsport plus the ultimate international road race, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Ganassi’s legacy extends far beyond being an accomplished driver, he is a decorated race team owner who has fielded highly successful teams in INDYCAR, NASCAR, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Champ...

‘57 CHEVY: BLACK WIDOW REDUX

Posted on January 14, 2020January 14, 2020 by MartynL

Ronnie Staples channeled Chevrolet’s Vince Piggins and SEDCO to come up with a modern, resto-modded version of the legendary Black Widow ’57 Chevy. It’s a true Road Warrior! The SEDCO vanity license plate on Ronnie Staples’ ultra-slick ’57 Chevy 150 two-door could easily go unnoticed unless you’re a student of 1950s Chevrolet factory racing programs. SEDCO, Southern Engineering and Development Company, was home to Chevrolet’s backdoor NASCAR racing efforts in 1957. It was hidden in plain sight, ...

ST. MICHAELS: CONCOURS ON CHESAPEAKE BAY!

Posted on October 3, 2019October 3, 2019 by MartynL

Maureen & Mike Matune represented the CarGuyChronicles at the 13th annual St. Michaels Concours d’Elegance. Here are some highlights. This year was lucky number 13 for the St. Michaels Concours d’Elegance. Situated on the grounds of the Inn at Perry Cabin and the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, it showcased the beauty and grace of classic cars and boats set among the splendor of Maryland’s Eastern Shore on a late summer Sunday afternoon. New this year was a gathering of the Senior Award winn...

LES BAER: AN AFFAIR WITH THE BOSS (9)!

Posted on June 26, 2019 by MartynL

In his quest for one matching number example of each color Boss 9, Les Baer has already accumulated 10 picture-perfect examples. LES BAER: AN AFFAIR WITH THE BOSS (9)! Before getting into Al Rogers’ excellent story (and photos) about Les Baer and his passion for Boss 429 Mustangs, LES BAER: AN AFFAIR WITH THE BOSS (9)!, here’s some background history on the engine, car, and why Ford built its unique Mustang Supercar. Ford never had a true business case for building a Boss 429 Mustang and t...

ELECTRIC GT CHAMPIONSHIP: PLUG-IN & PLAY!

Posted on November 7, 2017November 7, 2017 by MartynL

Stephen Cox blogs about the new EGT Championship Series and its ‘Day Of Light’ on November 18th. As racers and motorsports enthusiasts, most of us like to keep our ears to the ground about what's happening in our sport. Who could have predicted the explosion of $500 “crapcan” endurance racing, the declining attendance in NASCAR or the amazing rise of Formula E? What's next in our sport? I must admit that the success of Formula E took me by surprise, especially considering the controversy sur...

EMPTY STANDS: IS AUTO RACING DOOMED?

Posted on October 23, 2017 by MartynL

Stephen Cox blogs about the good old days and bringing fans back to tracks. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May 2014 The past few years have brought every gimmick imaginable to auto racing. NASCAR holds races that three people can win. The ever-changing playoff system (a gimmick in itself) functions like an automotive version of musical chairs! Indycar's gimmicks are even worse. They tried mandating overpriced “body kits” to make their field of 33 identical Dallara chassis look like some...

NASCAR: HOW TO SAVE TRUCK RACING!

Posted on September 2, 2017September 2, 2017 by MartynL

It's really not that difficult to organize a competitive race series. But turning down money? Now that's tough,blogs Stephen Cox. The easy way to run a series is to have an official provider for everything from tires to body kits to engines. Mandatory components (spec parts) are frequently offered as a fix-all solution though in reality, costs are rarely contained. Remember, everyone at every step along the way has to make money. That means the series, parts manufacturers, distributors and on a...