My Summer Recap: Automotive Edition
Summer is winding down, roads are getting slicker, and sticky tires are being shelved; it is the perfect time for a look back at what I did this summer in the automotive sphere. I always extoll the virtues of ‘getting out there’ and involving yourself in what you like to do, and looking back, I can confidently say that I feel I listened to my own advice. There will be A LOT of pictures in this post, so I hope you enjoy!
The pictures aren’t going to be in any chronological order, nor labeled. If you have any questions about the pictures, comment down below and I’ll make sure to provide what information I can.
Thunderhill Track Nights
This summer I had the pleasure and privilege to take my own car out on track at Thunderhill Raceway in Northern California. This experience was a first for both myself and the car, and I have zero regrets. In fact, I went back the month after for more!
While the experience was a ton of fun, and affordable through Tire Rack’s Track Night in America program, I had to take the rest of the summer off after my 2nd experience. Between track nights I had installed stickier, wider tires and coil over suspension, and the increased speeds I could maintain through corners meant that the grip of my little Fiesta ST is now to much for the cooling system: the poor car overheats after a vigorous 20min session.
Come next summer, I plan to return to the track, with a new oil cooler, intercooler, and radiator to ensure my Fiesta ST–which is also my daily driver–maintains its rock-solid reliability.
Read my Fiesta ST on-track review HERE.
Cars and Coffee: Dreams and Drivers and Cars and Coffee Folsom
For most people in America, the most accessible automotive event is the local community’s Cars and Coffee event. While almost every area has one, I am lucky enough that my area has multiple: some weekends it is hard to choose which to go to. For the most part, I stuck around my neck of the woods and went to the Cars and Coffee Folsom events hosted at my local shopping mall, and the Dreams and Drivers events–a charity in the area–I could attend.
I am also lucky in the sense that my local ‘little’ car gatherings feature some seriously cool metal including: a 1957 Ferrari Pontoon-Fender Testarossa clone, all of the AC Cobras you can dream of, and tuner cars galore.
Here is just a few of my favorites from the summer (Bonus Puppy in a few pictures):
If you have any questions about any of the cars pictured, comment below: I have the information.
Cars and Rossi: A Famous Guy at a Cars and Coffee
While I went to numerous car shows this summer, a few stood out from the crowd. One of these was the imaginatively named ‘Cars and Rossi’ event at my local K1 Speed Karting center. This event, sponsored by Honda, was notable because of Indy Car driver Alexander Rossi being present and lending his name to the event.
After giving a little talk to the crowd, he went in and raced a few lucky Honda owners, and it proved to be a good time. They hope to do more events like that in the future, and I hope they do as well!
Original article HERE.
Cops and Rodders: Drive In, Ride In, … Fly in?
This was one of the cooler independent shows I went to. Sponsored by the local law enforcement agencies, various modern and historical police vehicles were included in the show. The location of the show–a private airport community–meant that the roads were capable of supporting airplanes, enabling people to fly in and display their cool planes.
The ‘Airpark Show’ as I have mentally dubbed it has gone on for most of my life, and I usually make a point to go every year. This was the first year I can remember that the law enforcement agencies got involved, and I hope they do again next year. It was a fantastic family environment, and the police cars are always fun to see.
Original article HERE.
2017 Sacramento International Auto Show: Send Off to Summer
I recently posted some pictures from this event, and actually covered last years event as well (1 year site anniversary, yay). While the big-name auto shows will feature concept cars and reveals, Sacramento’s ‘International’ Auto Show is more of a consumer show, geared towards putting people into new cars.
Despite this, the show provided a venue to view a wide variety of cars, from historical examples, custom-built examples, all the way to next year’s models. I have made it to the last two, and will certainly cap my next summer of with it next year.
Original post HERE.
The Speed Trap 