Drag racers are a predictable bunch, especially those who live at the ragged edge of extreme speed and power. Pretty much anything that enhances performance is highly coveted, and most of the time, if a little is good, then a lot is better. Take Claremore, Oklahoma’s Dave Pierce. It wasn’t enough to have a carbon […]
I’m one of those guys who grew up loving drag racing.” That simple statement is how Dennis Chillik would describe himself. Nothing overly spectacular about that statement, right? Unless of course you know what a love like that can mean! Dennis served in the U.S. Air Force, and in November of 1967 while stationed at […]
To hear Clifton Park, New York’s Jeff VanNorden tell it, he didn’t have a choice. On the streets in his hometown, there is an order. There’s an ethos. There’s a way you establish yourself. And to fail to abide by those unwritten rules is… well…unforgivable. “A buddy of mine was riding his Hyabusa and he […]
It’s been said that variety is the spice of life. And try as we might to mix things up here at RPM, the truth is that for all our car guy and gal chest thumping for being different, unique, and individualistic, we sure tend to do things a lot more alike than different. We all […]
Starskys Boss In the summer of 1975, the now cult-classic cop drama Starsky and Hutch debuted on ABC. The show ran for four seasons, exposing you bell-bottom-wearing, huge-fro-having jive turkeys of the late 1970s to an interesting sociocultural mix of California living—not to mention the unlikely star that emerged: Detective Michael Starsky’s era-perfect red and […]
Fast toys aren’t just for boys. And if you don’t believe us, then stop what you’re doing for the next few minutes and take some time to heck out this stunning—and deadly fast—Fox body Mustang. With just a glance we think you’ll quickly agree that Indiana native Shannon Butler can prove that statement. We caught […]
We aren’t afraid to admit it. In a veritable sea of Mustangs and Camaros, we at RPM are suckers for relatively obscure body styles, alternative colors, and off-the-beaten path engine and transmission combos—especially when such rides are able to crank out insane power. Don’t get us wrong—there are plenty of gorgeous mainstream cars out there. […]
Speaking from experience here, it’s funny what we remember from our childhood as we age. For some, it’s a familiar smell of grandma’s kitchen. For others, it is just a few notes from a beloved song. But for the car guys and gals among us, it is fairly common that some of our best and […]
Nothing is forever in the world of drag racing—records are broken, cars become outdated, and money becomes scarce. Spencer, Tenn. resident David Solomon has worked his way up the ladder, like many other drag racers, but that feeling of accomplishment and success was crushed in the fall of 2012, when his entire racing operation was […]
Severn, Ontario’s Ron Fountain was tired of the hassle. Fed up with the fight. Weary of the war. With a 9-second capable but non-caged 1970 Nova that he had street raced for years, every time he went to the track he’d get scolded for having a car that lacked the necessary safety equipment for its […]
For some of us, it takes a while to settle on the perfect car for a build. We scour the available targets, consider the pros and cons of each, hunt for a good buy, and eventually we make our choice. But for others like Trumbull, Connecticut’s Jim Sciortino, it is a far simpler choice. “I […]
Ask any scientist and he or she will surely tell you that the key to any quality experiment with dependable results is the effort put in up front to ensure that the data collection process is sound. Trial runs, mistakes, and miscalculations can be sorted out ahead of time to ensure that the finished product […]
Nestled between the frame rails of the Poncho is a 598 CI aluminum big block with Dart “Big Chief” 14 degree cylinder heads. The Pontiac valve covers really give those in the know an idea of what exactly makes this Cat so angry.
Dan Bosco, just like the name of his Outlaw Limited Street “Maverick” suggests, isn’t scared to cross the line of conformity. No stranger to cars growing up, Bosco’s dad always had something that would turn heads in the driveway. For Dan though, there was nothing like the thought of going fast in a drag car, […]
Bob Smith started out as a regular kid, growing up around cars and hearing stories from his dad about the fast muscle cars of the sixties and seventies. In particular, he recalls his dad talking about the 1968 Shelby GT500KR and its Holman & Moody race prepped 428CJ. “According to dad, it was never touched […]
“I bought the car in 1986 while I was a sophomore in college,” said Jay Friedrich of his 1966 Chevelle Deluxe. “It was an all original six-cylinder car with 48,000 original miles.” That Chevelle would only make it one more year with the six in it as Freidrich was working feverishly after school nd any […]
My good friend RJ Miolla said it needed a name,” recalled Lake Peeskill, NY paint and body extraordinaire George Rubistello. After several failed attempts and a few laughs, Miolla (whose own Pro Cameo took the July 2015 cover of RPM) said “Loose Screw,” and that was that. “There couldn’t be a better name for the […]
>>>BRADLEY GRAY’S ARMY OF WILD HOME-BUILT PRO STREET CREATIONS IS ANYTHING BUT ORDINARY! From a distance, it looks like any other vendor trailer you’re likely to see at a major show. As you draw closer, you notice that the bright red Kenworth tractor with matching stacker trailer is spotlessly clean and adorned with more chrome […]
A bright orange Mopar out of Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania had the street car drag race world in awe this past July as it led qualifying in Kristal Cowle’s inaugural War By The Shore Real Street Showdown class. A Dodge leading the pack…this just doesn’t happen, let alone a 100% Mopar powered Dart. For those less […]
…..Mic Sites’ heavily nitroused big block ’72 Cheyenne “crowd pleaser” pick-up Eastside Raceway was the place where Michael “Mic” Sites first cut his teeth in drag racing. “It was 1976 and I was just 18 years old,” recalled Sites. “And I have to give my father, B. J. Sites, owner of Sites Parts Co., thanks […]
PROJECTS – HOME GROWN COPO – Powered, Wired & Shifted
It’s been six long months since we last checked in with Project Homegrown COPO, an RPM MAG-influenced tribute to the factory modified racecar offering from Chevrolet, and we’ve made some decent progress. It might not seem like much if you are a fan of TV shows that pack a year’s worth of work into a […]
PROJECTS/BUILDS – 4 LUG THUG – Nitrous Express Water Injection
For eons we have become accustomed to water methanol injection on both diesel and gasoline engines. It has been used in boosted racing and street performance primarily, but in the last few years water injection has become increasingly popular for nitrous engines, as well. Although it may seem like someone just recently discovered the advantages […]
INSTALL – 4 LUG THUG – RaceCraft Part 2 – Suspension Upgrade
Last month, we started our RaceCraft rear suspension upgrade in the RPM Magazine THUG mule Mustang with the install of a much-needed upper control arm doubler kit. RaceCraft’s stock upper torque box upgrade not only reinforced the control arm bolt holes but gives us another set of bolt holes above the stock location for more […]
INSTALL – 4 LUG THUG – RaceCraft Part 1 – Upper Torque Box Doubler Install
We decided while rebuilding the rear section of project 4 Lug Thug over the winter that we should upgrade our cheap second-hand upper and lower control arms while its jacked up and stripped down. While the car as originally going to be a mild street/strip ride, it has slowly morphed into more than we thought […]
TECH – Cover Your Butt – Engine Diaper Install
If there is one thing I’ve learned in my first 14 months of fatherhood, it is the vital importance of diapers. I never gave them much thought for the first 38 years of my life, but now I realize how fast things get out of hand without one. Even 10 minutes with a miniwild man […]
FEATURED – THE REAL THING Tony Karamitsos 1969 Z28
South Bend, Indiana’s Tony Karamitsos has one heck of a cool job. The Die-Cast Brand Manager and Designer for Johnny Lightning, Auto World, American Muscle, and Racing Champions is instrumental in turning cool real-life rides into small scale replicas for collectors and enthusiasts. But he doesn’t just build the small stuff. He builds the real […]
FEATURED – KNOW THE RULES Pierre Luc Mallet 1991 Mustang Coupe
Grudge no-time drag racing has grown from the roots of both street racing and organized street car style class drag racing. Add in the component of not having time clocks telling everybody what a car is capable of (that’s why it’s called “NO TIME”) and you just managed to level the playing field to almost […]
In every race community, there are groups that form and come to light. The Pro Stock and Pro Mod scene in the ’80s grew into Pro Street, while the current radial tire craze that started with the NSCA and NMCA has spawned multiple new classes of drag racing like no prep and the drag n’ […]
FEATURES – THE INSTIGATOR – Jeff VanNorden – 70 Challenger
To hear Clifton Park, New York’s Jeff VanNorden tell it, he didn’t have a choice. On the streets in his hometown, there is an order. There’s an ethos. There’s a way you establish yourself. And to fail to abide by those unwritten rules is… well…unforgivable. “A buddy of mine was riding his Hyabusa and he […]
FEATURES – STIFF WIND – Anthony Albanese ‘ ’71 Chevelle Ragtop
It’s been said that variety is the spice of life. And try as we might to mix things up here at RPM, the truth is that for all our car guy and gal chest thumping for being different, unique, and individualistic, we sure tend to do things a lot more alike than different. We all […]
FEATURED – THE REAL THING Tony Karamitsos 1969 Z28
South Bend, Indiana’s Tony Karamitsos has one heck of a cool job. The Die-Cast Brand Manager and Designer for Johnny Lightning, Auto World, American Muscle, and Racing Champions is instrumental in turning cool real-life rides into small scale replicas for collectors and enthusiasts. But he doesn’t just build the small stuff. He builds the real […]
FEATURED – KNOW THE RULES Pierre Luc Mallet 1991 Mustang Coupe
Grudge no-time drag racing has grown from the roots of both street racing and organized street car style class drag racing. Add in the component of not having time clocks telling everybody what a car is capable of (that’s why it’s called “NO TIME”) and you just managed to level the playing field to almost […]
FEATURE – Howlin’ Hauler – Alan Williamson
To car enthusiasts in the United Kingdom, the United States is well known as “the land of milk and honey”. First, because of the relatively low cost of building a hot rod, but even more so because of the availability of the donor cars and trucks themselves. What we sometimes take for granted, others can […]
FEATURE – Second Chance – Edward Wilson
Any type of racing can be dangerous, as even in a controlled environment something can go wrong that results in damage, injury, and sometimes loss of life. Motorsports as a whole will use an accident as a learning experience. Safety equipment manufacturers and governing bodies will look at improvements in driver safety both in-car and […]
FEATURE – The Dark Side – Ron Bookman
It is low, loud, and downright mean. One glimpse and an unsuspecting onlooker is irresistibly drawn as if by some shift in the planet’s gravitational field. And sporting unmistakable classic pro street styling cues with science fiction-era high technology, it has enough “nasty” to entrance generations both young and old. But like every good villain, […]
FEATURE – Double Trouble – Bryant Goldstone
Campaigning a car in one of the many ultra-competitive fast street car events these days takes a serious commitment of both time and money. Trying to campaign two cars is pure insanity but Bryant Goldstone has been darn successful at it, having won a number of big races over the years including the Drag Week Modified […]
FEATURE – All The Luck – Mick Bodigon
Maybe it was blessed by a priest. Or maybe it has a secret compartment of fairy dust hidden somewhere in the dash. Or maybe there’s a four leaf clover ghosted into the clearcoat. We aren’t sure, but whatever it is, Mick Bodigon’s low-slung retina-searing red Nova is just rolling along in a charmed life. Some […]
FEATURE – Gangster Style – Ken Everitt
You never know what the future holds, and we’re pretty sure that it was never in Ken Everitt’s crystal ball that a car he and his father bought over 30 years ago, tore apart and stored in his shed would end up being a chopped, slammed-to-the-weeds, badass Top Sportsman drag car that catches loads of […]
In 1963, upper management at General Motors sent word from on high that none of their divisions would be allowed or authorized to have formal corporate involvement in auto racing. Long known as a performance-oriented brand, Pontiac was left only one option: turn their attention to production platforms or rebrand altogether. Thankfully for musclecar enthusiasts, […]
FEATURE – Das Volkswagen – Troy Mason
How many people first learned to drive in an old VW Bug? Myself, I remember coming home from school to hop in a ‘69 Bug that sat at my grandfather’s shop. I must have put 100 miles on that thing and taught myself how to drive a stick in it. It almost broke my heart to see […]
AVON LAKE, OHIO (Sept. 2, 2020) -Protect your wires, lines and cables from the damaging effects of high temperatures with new Black Titanium Protect-A-Sleeve line sleeves from Design Engineering, Inc. Capable of withstanding temperatures of up to 1,800° F direct heat and 2,500° F radiant heat, the line sleeves are offered in 1/2″ and 1″ […]
September 4, 2020 Mentor, OH – Race Winning Brands, Inc., (“Race Winning Brands”, “RWB”, or the “Company”) a portfolio company of Kinderhook Industries, LLC (“Kinderhook”) is pleased to announce that they have completed the relocation of their MGP Connecting Rods business to Lakewood, New Jersey – home of Manley Performance, another RWB company. RWB has relocated […]
[Bowling Green, Kentucky September 3rd]: Holley is excited to announce its involvement in the 2021 Dodge Challenger Mopar Drag Pak program and its ongoing support of NHRA Sportsman racers and classes. “We’ve been fortunate to work with Mopar and Dodge//SRT for several years in the Drag Pak program,” said Robin Lawrence, Holley Director of Motorsports. […]
Nitro drag racing returns to Santa Pod next weekend
Back at last! Nitro drag racing returns to Santa Pod next weekend. NOT The European Finals _presented by STP_Santa Pod Raceway Fri.11 – Sun.13 September 2020 The crackle and bark of blown fuel drag racing ricochets once more around Santa Pod Raceway next weekend. Fans starved of nitro’s sensory spectator experience will have their patience […]
FEATURE – BIG SHOT – Tony Harlin – 1968 Dodge Dart
Sloatsburg, New York resident Tony Harlin is no stranger to world-class performance. The former competitive track & field athlete was a highly decorated shot putter, finishing fifth in the 1984 U.S. Olympic Trials by launching a 16-pound steel shot over 66 feet. Such results require lots of hard work, flawless execution, and plenty of muscle. […]
NEWS – SUMMIT® Racing Now Stocking Total Seal® Gas Ported Piston Rings
Total Seal gas ported piston rings feature strategically sized and placed horizontal slots in the ring. This allows combustion gases to enter through the groove and behind the ring to gas-load the ring—providing greatly improved ring sealing. No matter which type of racing your engine is designed for, it will benefit from the […]
SEPTEMBER ISSUE RELEASED….CHECK IT OUT HERE!
The September issue of RPM Magazine has been released. Check it out here! If you aren’t reading it in RPM, you are missing it. All exclusive articles and tech. Here’s what’s happening NOW in RPM! Who’s In This Issue of RPM Magazine – September 2020 THE TEACHER…Auto Mechanics teacher Martin Girard holds lessons outside the […]
NEWS – Stainless Thermal & Acoustical Floor & Tunnel Shield
Get your sound & heat control into shape with the power of stainless steel. When you’re looking for serious heat and sound control, start from the bottom up with new Stainless Steel Thermal & Acoustical Floor & Tunnel Shield from Design Engineering, Inc. The Stainless Steel Thermal & Acoustical Floor & Tunnel Shield is a […]
NEWS – 2020 YELLOW BULLET NATIONALS POSTPONED!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 14, 2020 From: Monty Mikho/Yellow Bullet Nationals This press release is very difficult for me to write as everyone knows how much Maria and myself enjoy putting on the Yellow Bullet Nationals however, due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the rules and regulations that we are forced to follow by our state […]
Statement from SEMA about the 2020 SEMA Show
SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association, announced today that due to Covid-19 and concerns that event facilities and services will be unavailable, the SEMA Show will not be taking place in 2020. While both event organizers and industry members have been working tirelessly to deliver an outstanding SEMA Show in November, mounting uncertainty has rendered […]
TRUCK QUICK TECH – Hit The Brakes
Like most of readers, we use our vehicles for everything Imaginable, and honestly, we are not what you would call “easy” on them. And contrary to popular belief, we don’t cruise around in a fleet of brand new stuff. Instead, just like you, we have to make our old rigs last. Oh sure, we take […]
TRUCKS – Trick Out Your Truck – Lighting & Style F250
With new diesel F-250 pickups running into the upper $60,000 range, we decided it would be worth the upgrades to freshen our 15 year-old reliable Powerstroke instead. The newer trucks actually still have very similar overall body styling but our lights and grille really show how dated our old truck really is. Our 2000 F-250 […]
TRICK OUT YOUR TRUCK – TOW TECH – Safety, Style, Function
If you have a high performance street machine or drag car, chances are that sooner or later you are going to have to haul it somewhere. In fact, having a fully-equipped tow rig is—for many enthusiasts, at least—one of the key steps in being ready for the race or show season and not. If you […]
TECH – TOW TECH – Need a Lift – Air Bag Install
Yes, I am guilty of it. If you consider yourself a gearhead then you are probably guilty of it as well. What am I accusing you of? Gearheads like having toys and usually don’t have enough money to buy something new or something that is the “best” in its class—mostly because we can fix them […]
TRUCKS – TRICK OUT YOUR TRUCK – Flares
Trick Out Your Truck – A Flare for New Shoes My wife has a flair for new shoes and so does our vintage RPM F-250 hauler. Four flares to be exact, but only one set of new shoes. If you have been following the Trick Out Your Truck tech in RPM over the last several […]
TRUCKS – TRICK OUT YOUR TRUCK – In a Day!
FROM MILD MANNERED TO MENACING….IN A DAY! We’ll be honest, we got sick and tired of being made fun of for our mundane 2015 F150 shop truck. We just heard one too many “hey look at the magazine guys driving around in a stock pickup,” comments and decided to do something about it. First, we […]
TRUCKS – Tow Tech – Gettin’ Hitched
If you’ve towed your race car or street machine before, you know that depending on the quality of your tow setup, it can either feel like a stress-induced worryfest where your rig seems to constantly teeter on the brink of disaster or pretty much like any other drive. The less heavy duty your equipment, the […]
FEATURES – ENTROPY – Kevin Amar – 1955 GMC 3100 Pickup
ENTROPHY – Kevin Amar 1955 GMC 3100 Pickup Lack of order or predictability. Gradual decline into disorder.” Entropy isn’t a suggestion. It isn’t a probability. It is a scientific law. In short, it is the natural order of things to decline, decay, and become less organized—unless energy is added to the system. Take Kevin Amar’s […]
WELCOME TO THE NEW RPM MAGAZINE ALL DIGITAL VERSION
Well, it’s finally here….the very first ALL DIGITAL RPM MAGAZINE! Here is just a little Teaser of the June issue. If you were a subscriber, you would already have this in your email inbox today. Subscribe by June 1st and you will receive this issue in your email just as the thousands of other RPM […]
NEWS – DiabloSport Tuning Now Supporting 2020 Ford F150 2.7L Ecoboost & 5.0L V8
Tuning for 2020 Ford F-150 2.7L Ecoboost & 5.0L V8 DiabloSport tuning is now available for 2020 Ford F-150 2.7L Ecoboost and 5.0L V8 motors. Adding power to the already impressive Ford F-150 was no small task. DiabloSport’s calibration team spent the time to develop awesome tunes that enhance thnee driving experience for any F-150 […]
NEWS – Automakers seek new revenue streams from wireless services, upgrades
By Nick Gibbs, ANE The dashboard, once the place where drivers checked their speed or changed the radio station, is fast becoming the car’s most valuable real estate, as automakers seek to generate new revenue through wirelessly delivered services, features and upgrades. The upgrades can include everything from in-dash apps up to software […]
NEWS – Fiat Chrysler confirms talks for $6.8B state-backed loan to weather virus crisis
MILAN — Fiat Chrysler Automobiles confirmed that it is in talks to obtain an Italian state-backed credit line of as much as 6.3 billion euros ($6.8 billion) to buttress the automaker’s finances after the coronavirus caused a steep downturn. In a statement on Saturday, the company said talks were ongoing with lender Intesa Sanpaolo for a three-year […]
AUTO MANUFACTURER NEWS – People Bought More Trucks Than Passenger Cars In The U.S. Last Month
As passenger car sales plummet, trucks overtake them temporarily. Passenger cars have always outsold pickup trucks in the U.S. In some years, as many as 600,000 vehicles separated the two classes. But with the novel Coronavirus affecting all new car purchases in the U.S. in April, pickup trucks stole the sales crown. At least, temporarily. New data […]
Brands push forward with new-EV rollouts
Article by Stephanie Wallcraft COVID-19 has automakers pumping the brakes on r&d spending, but most are still planning — at least for now — the launch of key electric vehicles in the coming months. Matt Girgis, managing director of Volvo Car Canada, said the XC40 P8 Recharge crossover is still scheduled to arrive in Canada […]
Automakers want Ontario showrooms opened to deal with expiring leases
Facing an onslaught of customers returning leased vehicles, some automakers are calling on Ontario to reconsider rules forcing the closure of dealership showrooms during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Our dealers are now dealing with record numbers of lease returns at our peak season and they are unable to process them,” Hyundai Canada CEO Don Romano wrote […]
U.S. self-driving startup settles trade secrets lawsuit with Tesla
U.S. self-driving car startup Zoox said on Tuesday it had settled a lawsuit with Tesla after admitting that some new hires from the electric car maker were in possession of certain Tesla documents when they joined Zoox. Tesla lawyers filed a lawsuit in March last year against four former employees and Zoox, alleging the employees […]
ROUSH YATES COLLABORATES WITH BIOMEDINNOVATIONS FOR VENTILATORS
Roush Yates Engines was formed in 2003 by Robert Yates, Jack Roush, and Doug Yates with the leadership of Ford Motor Company to create a world-class race engine company that would compete at the highest levels of the Motorsports Industry. Out of the passion for power and performance excellence, Roush Yates Manufacturing Solutions was formed. […]
FCA Canada implements temperature taking protocol for workers
As automakers eye a return to production, FCA Canada says it is taking steps to keep its factory employees safe on the shop floor. Some employees are currently working at the automaker’s Ontario assembly plants in Windsor and Brampton. They’re deep cleaning the facilities and tweaking job stations to make room for social distancing. But those that arrive […]
Jaguar Land Rover aims to make 5,000 protective visors
LONDON — Jaguar Land Rover said it is using its prototype building operations to make a target of 5,000 visors a week for health service workers, as manufacturers repurpose facilities to fight against coronavirus. The British government is trying to boost the amount of personal protective equipment for doctors and nurses and ventilators for patients. […]
Daimler CEO, top executives take pay cut in response to crisis
Daimler CEO Ola Kallenius and members of the automaker’s management board will reduce their fixed compensation by 20 percent until the end of the year in response to the effects of the coronavirus crisis. Other senior executives will see their pay drop by 10 percent for the next three months, Daimler said in a statement […]