Pink’s Husband Carey Hart Is a Former Motocross Star
We've all heard at least a few Pink songs on the radio, and there's no denying that the Grammy Award winner grew to be quite a well-known pop star over the years. But, did you also know that her husband, Carey Hart, used to be a professional motocross racer? Not only that, but he's also got a number of accomplishments under his belt.
From racing to freestyle motocross to off-road racing, Hart has been involved with it all. It's hard to have the light shined on you when you're dating a Hollywood celeb like Pink, so that's why we're going to check out what Hart was able to do on the dirt, and discuss why he's pretty much a badass on two wheels.
Born in Seal Beach, California, but raised in Las Vegas, Carey Hart turned professional by the time he was 18, racing on the AMA supercross tracks. He was one of the very first to get involved with freestyle motocross as it started to gain some traction. In '98 and '99, he was known for throwing down big "superman seat grabs" on the jumps. He even stepped it up further and did an "invert superman," which later was actually renamed to "Hart attack."
Hart continually improved his tricks and was one of the first to complete a backflip on a 250cc dirt bike during competition. He tried this trick a few times in the early 2000s, but finally landed it at the 2002 X Games in Philadelphia, grabbing himself a silver medal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N60tdFEvgK4
Hart is no stranger to hard slams in his career. He's had plenty of them, with broken bones, concussions, all of it, on multiple occasions. One of the worst ones was perhaps in 2002 on the first night of Tony Hawk's Boom Boom Huck Jam tour.
Hart mistimed a jump with a skater and ended up having to bail into the metal scaffolding. The steel target wasn't the safest landing, and it resulted in him breaking both his arms and legs. This crash was severe enough to take him out of competition for three years. He used this time to start his company, Hart & Huntington Tattoo Company.
In 2005, he was the host for ABC's Live's X Games FMX coverage, and he did lots of other TV work, as well. By 2007, he formed his very own supercross team, H&H/Rockstar Moto Team. As he got closer to 2009, he shifted gears a bit to launch his off-road racing team. His truck competed in the short course tracks, and the team earned 40 podium finishes over the years. He competed in a number of different Lucas Oil Off-Road racing events, and was nominated for "Rookie of the Year" in the LOORR Series.
The racer announced that his final moto competition would be at the 2012 X Games. After retiring from the sport, he got much more involved with television, advertisements, and movie work. He's definitely had a wild ride to get to where he is today.
Alecia Moore, a.k.a. Pink (or P!nk, if you're super cool), was actually the one that proposed to Carey Hart. During a racing event, she held up a sign on the pit board that said "Will you marry me?" as he rode past. Shortly after, the motorcycle racer exited the race to go pick her up. They later married in 2006 at the Four Seasons Resort in Costa Rica.
In 2011, the couple welcomed their daughter Willow Sage. They released pictures of her to People Magazine, and used the proceeds to donate to different children's charities. Five years later, the couple had son Jameson Moon.
While Carey has been featured in the music videos for the Pink songs Just Give Me a Reason and True Love, both Carey and Willow were featured in the music video for Just Like Fire. Talk about keeping it all in the family!
Peeking into their social media account, it's clear that Carey and Alecia have made the most of their coronavirus pandemic lockdown time. Pink has videos sharing a new song that she and her daughter came up with, and there's plenty of other pics showing both of the children sitting on the dirt bike with Carey.
Seeing as Hart is somewhat retired now, they've both been able to slow down a bit and enjoy the things in life that truly mater.
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Vicki Golden Smashes Through 13 Flaming Boards in Record-Breaking Stunt
When it comes to pulling off insane stunts, Vicki Golden has made the seemingly impossible look easy. But, on July 7, 2019, the three-time X Games gold medalist took it to another level of extreme when she smashed through 13 plywood firewalls on a motorcycle, breaking a 12-year-old world record and achieving a feat that even renowned stuntman Evel Knievel couldn’t complete.
The ridiculously dangerous stunt was part of “Evel Live 2,” the second annual televised event, put on by The History Channel and action-sports group Nitro Circus, that recreates stunts attempted by Knievel himself during his heydey in the ’60s and ’70s. Golden’s recreation was a homage to the 1966 debut show of “Knievel and his Daredevils” in Indio, California, where Knievel shattered flaming boards, performed wheelies, and jumped over two pickup trucks.
Traveling at 30 MPH, the 27-year-old Golden became the first woman to set a new world record for riding through flaming wooden boards, beating the 12-board record set by Louis “Rocket” Re in 2007.
“This was such an iconic record to go after,” Golden told Good Morning America. “It’s not something you hear about every day, everyone always wants to jump as far as they can possibly go and this was just something that just felt so good that it was inspired by Evel Knievel himself that I just had to go after it.”
“It sounds easy to count to 13 but not when you’re doing all that. I totally lost track of what I was doing.”
Golden’s inspiration for the fiery stunt was her late father, a dirt bike racer who ended up getting paralyzed in an accident.
“My dad was a huge Evel Knievel fan,” Golden said, according to History.com. “I did it for him and I did it for Evel.”
Vicki Golden’s mother was there to see her daughter complete the stunt, which only added to the emotion of the day.
“She’s been there for all my struggles and maybe one or two of the celebrations so for her to be there for this [was] special,” Golden said.
Unfortunately, not every stunt ended successfully. During a practice run only days before the event, 22-year-old freestyle motocross athlete Axell Hodges seriously injured his ankles and was unable to attempt his two stunts: one where he was meant to soar more than 200 feet over 25 semi trucks and another that, if completed, would have broken Robbie Maddison’s record of 378 feet and 9 inches as the longest motorcycle jump for all time.
Hodges arrived at “Evel 2 Live” only as a spectator and to cheer on Golden, but he’s determined to get back on the bike soon and make a quick comeback as a competitor.
“I’m bummed out for sure but there will be more to come,” Hodges said.
Vicki Golden has racked up a number of impressive accomplishments during his motocross career. The San Diego, California native started racing at the age of seven, but her career really took off at 16, when she raced the Loretta Lynn’s Amateur Motocross National Championships in Tennessee and won the Women’s Amateur National Champion title.
The freestyle motocross rider is also the first woman to compete in a freestyle Moto X competition, earning the bronze medal in the best whip category. Speaking of firsts, Golden is also the first woman in Energy AMA Supercross to qualify for the “Fast 40.″ Having won three consecutive gold medals in Women’s Moto X Racing at the X Games, Golden was nominated for an ESPY Award in 2014 for Best Female Action Sports Athlete. She is also the first female team member of Metal Mulisha, a lifestyle clothing brand that sponsors various racers.
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4 Cool Minivans You’ll Actually Want to Drive
As you probably know, there is somewhat of a stigma surrounding minivans. Namely, that they’re not “cool” or “manly” enough. Then, of course, there’s the whole soccer mom cliche. You pretty much know the drill.
Even with the rise of crossovers and MPVs, which have strived to, in a way, rebrand minivans as more sleek-looking vehicles, some folks out there still give minivans a bad rap.
So, with that in mind, we’re here to remind you that the term “minivan” shouldn’t scare you away just because you’re a dad looking to pack in your kids for that family vacation, or a bachelor in need of some extra storage for a much-needed road trip.
There are plenty of cool minivans out there. Don’t believe us? Just take a look at these minivans that you definitely won’t feel ashamed driving.
Chrysler Pacifica
Replacing the Chrysler Town and Country (which, by the way, is another solid minivan choice), the Chrysler Pacifica has two powertrains and a 3.5-liter v6 engine as well as a plug-in hybrid, marketed as the Pacifica Hybrid, which boasts an outstanding fuel economy.
It even got Jim Gaffigan’s approval, which is just a special bonus.
Honda Odyssey
The Honda Odyssey has been in production since 1994, but it wasn’t until 2014 that the Japanese automaker gave the Odyssey a serious facelift complete with a long list of available features.
Hooking it up with a six-speed automatic transmission and a much more stylish exterior, Toyota also outfitted fourth-gen Odyssey models with smart-entry capabilities, LED rear taillight bars, and even gave the Touring Elite model a built-in vacuum cleaner.
The most recent, fifth-gen models are even more streamlined than previous iterations, making the Odyssey one seriously slick ride as well as a quality family hauler.
Kia Sedona/Carnival
Known interchangeably as the Kia Sedona and the Kia Carnival, the 2019 model is known for its premium styling, fuel-efficient petrol engine, and top-notch cargo space and back-seat comfortability.
The spacious third row and rear-seat entertainment capabilities certainly don’t hurt either.
Toyota Sienna
The Toyota Sienna has undergone a number of impressive upgrades since first hitting the production line back in ’97.
Currently offered in five trim levels, the Sienna has such badass features as an optional sliding second row with Lounge Seating recliner chairs, a Smart Key System with push-button start, and a back-up camera with 180-degree panoramic view.
Of course, your Sienna probably won’t end up looking like the one pictured above (unless you plan on modding it), but it’s good to know that the minivan has that sort of capacity to be tricked out.
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Soccer on Motorcycles Is an Actual Sport
If you have a passion for soccer and motorcycling, then this might be exactly the sport you need to hear about. Motoball, also referred to as motorcycle polo, combines the two sports into one awesomely chaotic game. As far as team sports go, this is definitely a game I could see myself getting involved with.
Unfortunately, it’s not all that common to see in the United States, but it’s prominent in Europe. There’s a handful of tournaments that take place each year in well-known groups, such as the European Nations Championship, the Coupe de France, and the European Champions Club Cup. The teams normally consist of five players: four on dirt bikes and one goalie. The bikes are limited to 250cc to level the playing field. If that doesn’t have you sold yet, just take a look at some of this incredible footage!
How Motoball Works
Motoball has relatively the same rules as soccer, meaning the motorbike athletes cannot touch the ball with their hands or the opposite team will be awarded with free kicks, though the goalkeepers are allowed to use their hands. They’ve got a six-meter D-shaped area around the goal, which the riders are not allowed to enter. The ball used is about twice the size of a traditional soccer ball. There’s no intentional ramming allowed, and the chains have special guards on them, so at least there was some consideration for safety.
These athletes riding motorcycles on the motoball teams need to be highly skilled on two wheels and have complete confidence while controlling their bikes. It should be no surprise that most of them are either ex-motocross riders, enduro riders, or they’ve been a racer for some other kind of motorcycle sport before. The bikes are custom built for each player’s specific height and weight, and they’re capable of going up to 40 MPH (65 KM/H).
This is definitely one extreme motorsport, and it’s hard to look away from all the craziness that’s going on once it begins. The amount of control the racers have while also maneuvering the bike across a slick ground is pretty impressive, especially considering the other team is trying to steal the ball away. If you’ve never witnessed it before, now’s your chance to see why soccer on motorcycles is one epic sport.
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Lisa Kelly Was a Badass on “Ice Road Truckers”
History Channel's Ice Road Truckers (IRT) had a good long run with its 11 seasons. Not many truck drivers can last very long out in the harsh snow storms of Canada and Alaska, but there was one woman who knew she had what it took. Lisa Kelly was originally featured as the first and only woman on the reality TV show until Maya Sieber was introduced, but she quickly became a popular character until the show ended in 2017.
Originally born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, her family made the big move to Wasilla, Alaska when she was just six years old. She claimed that she had no intention of becoming a truck driver, but watching her parents medical careers scared her from going the same route. She returned to Grand Rapids for a second time to attend Cornerstone University, but later dropped out. Instead, she held a wide variety of small jobs including being a and riding motocross. It wasn't until she had a job as a pizza delivery driver that she realized she loved being behind the wheel. This ultimately pushed her into getting her CDL.
Ice Road Truckers
In a recent interview during Trucking HR Canada’s annual Women with Drive event, Lisa opened up and gave people an inside look into what it was like broadcasting her career as an American trucker on the dangerous Alaskan roads for the show.
Lisa landed her first big rig job with a trucking company by the name of Carlile Transportation. It was there that she realized just how hard she had to work to prove herself. She stated that because she was a woman, she felt as if people were waiting for her to fail, and that she would be quick to get called out on mistakes that other drivers would normally get away with.
Her boss forwarded a number for the TV show and asked if she wanted to be part of it, and Lisa agreed before she even knew what it was about. After getting more info, it was made clear that she was picked to be "eye candy" for the viewers. This only motivated her further to prove that she was capable of more than just looking good. The more she drove, the bigger her fan base got. While in the long run she may not have been portrayed exactly how she wanted in the show, she still undoubtedly proved that she was a hard working woman.
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Many articles came out with Lisa as the subject, but they focused on looks more than anything. When asked how she felt about an article calling her the "Sexiest trucker alive", she chuckled and noted that it was better than being known as the fattest trucker alive. Regardless, her time on the show granted her with more fame than she had before, and she talked about the multiple fans that stop her along her journeys.
Not only was she part of the show for eight seasons, but she also got involved in the spinoff, IRT deadliest roads with Rick Yemm and Alex Debogorski, where she spent a couple of months driving in India, Bolivia, and Peru. In later years of IRT, she began working for Darrell Ward's new company before his death after season ten. After finishing off the last season with the show, she's extremely grateful for her time spent on screen, and admitted “I don’t know how it went so long. I’m just pleasantly surprised”.
Personal Life
Still residing in Alaska, Lisa has been married to Traves Kelly since 2008, but they do not have any kids. Traves is an Aleut Native Alaskan and big into motocross, which is perfect for Lisa. In her spare time, she also enjoys riding dirt bikes, as well as horse riding, snowboarding, skydiving, and hang gliding. Safe to say she enjoys living life on the edge.
Lisa is also a big animal lover. She owns a miniature horse named rocky, and a cat named Tanzi. During her time on IRT: deadliest roads, she even brought a puppy for the ride, which she named Rampur Jackson. After the show was finished, the puppy was happily taken home by one of the producers from the show.
Lisa proved to everyone that just because she has good looks and blonde hair, doesn't mean she's blind to hard work. This chick is probably tougher than most of the men on the roads today. Maybe one day we will see her return to the television screen for another show, but until then we wish her the best of luck out on the roads.
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Supercar Blondie Works With the World's Rarest Supercars
When I say the name Alexandra Mary Hirschi, you might not know who that is, but you probably know her alternate name on social media, Supercar Blondie. If you're a car enthusiast, one of her videos is guaranteed to have come across your screen at some point, and they're always pretty eye catching.
Not only is Alex Hirschi a gorgeous woman, but she showcases some of the rarest and most expensive hypercars, luxury cars, and exotics in the entire world. That includes everything from Mercedes concept cars, to top-spec Lamborghini's and Bugatti's. Supercar Blondie is without a doubt living the dream, and she broadcasts it nearly every day for everyone to see.
Born in Brisbane, Australia, she had a passion for cars from a young age. Her very first car was a Mitsubishi Lancer. She studied Business and Journalism at Queensland University of Technology, and made the big move to Dubai in 2008. Let's check out how this Australian got her start and quickly developed into an influencer known worldwide.
Alex Hirschi's Career
By 2009, Hirschi had landed a job as a newsreader and presenter for a talk radio show, Dubai Eye 103.8, where she would work for the next nine years. She actually interviewed some pretty celebrity names on the show, including Liam Neeson, Jake Gyllenhaal, and John Travolta. Her popularity began to grow quickly among the public, but it skyrocketed when she decided to quit the radio job in 2018 to become a full-time social media influencer.
2018 was a big year for Alex. By this point, the Supercar Blondie name was gaining popularity, and she committed everything she had to uploading quality content frequently. By march, Esquire Magazine Middle East named her influencer of the year, and Arabian Business listed her in the Top 50 Most Influential Women In The Arab World. For 2019, they bumped her up to the Top 30. Also during 2018, she appeared on Germany's TV show, GRIP Das Automagazin, co-presenting the rare Bugatti L'Or Blanc and the La Ferrari Aperta.
Her social media presence is absolutely massive. Recently, she won a shorty award for being a breakout Youtuber. With over 24 million followers on Facebook, nearly 7 million on her Instagram account, and strong numbers on TikTok as well, it puts her in a very good position. Automotive brands such as Mclaren, Bentley, Rolls Royce, and Maserati use her online presence to advertise their products through her.
She was featured in an Episode of Top Gear in 2019, but even took it a step further once she announced that she would be hosting a new show on Insight TV, Car Crews. The show focused on discovering a variety of different car cultures throughout the United States. They managed to put out six episodes for the first season.
Net Worth
As expected, a high popularity normally comes with a high income. It's estimated that Alex Hirschi's net worth is right around $15 million. Not too bad for a job that lets you play with expensive supercars. The woman has worked exceptionally hard to create a brand for herself so it's nice to see that hard work starting to pay off. I say starting because at age 34, she's got plenty of years ahead of her.
Take a little extra time to check out some of her videos the next time they pop up. She actually does provide some pretty cool insight on cars that otherwise you would never even know about. You've got to respect a woman that carves her own path in the industry.
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10 Celebrities Who Started as Truck Drivers
For some people, truck driving has given them a long and fulfilling career, and for others, it was only just the beginning. Trucking can offer ways to get people back on their feet, or give them the ability to save money like they weren't able to before. That's why today we're going to look at some of the famous celebrities in the world who drove trucks at one point in their lives.
Although the trucking industry and being a trucker is not always the most glamorous life, it does provide opportunity for a lot of people in the world. There are loads of people that enjoy the solidarity and the freedom that the career brings, but when Hollywood comes calling, it's hard to pass up that kind of opportunity. Check out the list below to see some of the most famous truckers that went on to become celebrities.
Liam Neeson
Liam Neeson is known for his character of an over-protective father in the variety of films he's been in. This Irishman started his career as a fork-lift driver and a lorry driver for Guinness. Eventually, he decided this career was not for him. He resigned and joined the Lyric Players' Theater before eventually landing his first role in the film industry with Pilgrim's Progress, in 1977.
Elvis Presley
Word on the street is that the king of rock was very talented behind the wheel of a big rig. He started driving fresh out of high school. On one particular occasion, he decided he wanted to audition as a singer. After his audition, he was told "stick to truck driving, you'll never make it as a singer." Safe to say, he proved them wrong as his career progressed.
James Cameron
This amazing director dropped out of college to become a truck driver. While he was driving, he used his spare time to continue to work on scrips and learn about special effects. He was inspired by Star Wars back in 1977, and eventually quit his job and used his savings to buy a camera. He created a successful indie movie and eventually went on to create Terminator, Titanic, and Avatar, and so many others.
Chevy Chase
Turns out there are lots of film stars who started out in the trucking industry. Chevy Chase is among those. He hopped into trucking after finishing med school, before eventually transitioning into the world of film. It was a good start, but the National Lampoon star had bigger goals in mind, and he went on to provide the world with some incredible entertainment.
Sean Connery
The very first James Bond; yeah he was a trucker. Can you imagine having this guy deliver to you? It would probably be the highlight of the year. Connery has had a wide variety of jobs before getting into acting, including serving in the Navy, driving trucks, being a lifegaurd, being an artists model, and so much more. I'm glad he was the one to start off the James Bond series though.
Charles Bronson
This famous Western star tried out multiple different jobs after serving in WWII. He drove a truck for quite some time before transitioning into a theater company. This turned out to be a great move for the star, as he went on to be in films such as The Dirty Dozen, and Once Upon a Time in the West.
Richard Pryor
Before this comedian made his debut, he was involved in some trucking jobs. He hauled truckloads across the US and Europe. He must have had tons of time to himself to come up with all kinds of hilarious jokes. Think about the laughs he was probably creating over the CB radio. He eventually traded the trucking life for a life of stand-up comedy. He was even put into the Rolling Stones list of Top 50 stand up comics.
Rock Hudson
Hudson is arguably one of the most famous truck drivers from the movie industries. He spent a lot of time driving trucks in WWII, before making his move into the movie business. The truck driver ended up being a part in tons of classic romantic comedies throughout the 50's and 60's.
Viggo Mortenson
Not only was Mortenson a truck driver, but he was also a florist. He was a truly underrated star throughout the 90's but you probably know him as Aragorn in the Lord of the Rings. Overall, it was a very good move for him to get more involved with film, because he was later nominated for an academy award in 2016 for his role in Captain Fantastic.
Jason Aldean
I couldn't leave Jason Adlean out of this list. He became one of the biggest country rock stars in the United States, following his trucking career. Even today, he still has a passion for these big machines. He made deliveries for Pepsi back in the day before moving more into music.
Trucking can undeniably give you a little more opportunity if you're struggling to get by in life. But, this list should show you that just about anything is possible if you truly stick to what your passionate about.
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Jeff Gordon Visits Dale Earnhardt’s Statue in Touching Tribute
The on-track rivalry and off-track relationship between Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt is one of NASCAR’s greatest stories. It was a story that was explored in the documentary Unrivaled: Earnhardt vs. Gordon, where everyone from Dale Earnhardt Jr. to Rick Hendrick to even Jeff Gordon himself (who executive produced the film) dished on the enduring impact of Earnhardt vs. Gordon on the sport of NASCAR. According to Dale Jr., the movie tells the story “just the way it was.”
For one of the more touching segments in the film, Gordon heads to the Dale Earnhardt Plaza in Kannapolis, North Carolina — Earnhardt’s hometown — to visit the memorial statue of Dale Earnhardt and pay tribute to his good friend and greatest rival. What makes the moment even more somber is that it came just ahead of the 2019 Daytona 500, the event where Dale Sr. tragically lost his life only 18 years prior.
If this doesn’t get you right in the feels, we don’t know what will.
“This is the Dale Earnhardt that a lot of us knew,” says Gordon, looking up at the Dale Earnhardt statue. “Cowboy boots, Wranglers. This is the size he was when he was in the race car.”
During their days going head-to-head, Gordon and Earnhardt couldn’t have been more different. Gordon was “Wonder Boy.” Earnhardt was “The Intimidator.” Gordon looked like a fresh-faced college kid who said “Gosh” a lot. Earnhardt looked like the kind of guy who mowed his lawn while smoking a Marlboro and drinking a Budweiser.
Even still, there was a mutual respect between the two drivers that transcended their differences. At the end of the day, they were both incredible NASCAR drivers. Two of the best to ever do it.
“As much as he messed with me, somehow on the inside I always thought that it was a sign of respect,” Gordon continues. “He would have not said anything at all if he didn’t care. I respected the heck out of this guy. I loved racing with him – Hated it at times, but overall my experience with Dale was incredible.”
When remembering Dale Earnhardt the driver, Jeff has never been one to sugarcoat things. In Unrivaled, he recalls Dale as being “a pain in the ass” to race against. Even still, the warmth was still there.
“He just was a tough, tough competitor,” Gordon said. “He just had this magical way of shoving you out of the way, knocking you sideways or maybe even wrecking you, and the next day or the next week, put his arm around you and say, ‘Hey kid.'”
When it was all said and done, Dale Earnhardt would win seven Winston Cup Series championships and 76 Cup Series races. Gordon himself would rack up four championships and 93 wins.
While Dale is sadly no longer with us, his legacy will live on. Through his family, his statue, and his countless contributions to the sport of NASCAR, and his rivalry with Jeff Gordon.
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This Dragster-Themed Coaster Goes Is One Wild Ride
If you're a fan of roller coasters and adrenaline rushes, then you've got to check out this POV on ride video on the Top Thrill Dragster in Sandusky, Ohio, at the Cedar Point amusement park. Thanks to its hydraulic launch system, you can see first hand just how quickly this ride gets up to speed.
At the beginning of the video, you'll notice the similarities to drag racing, as it features the same starting light Christmas tree. Once the light turns green, this cart takes off down the track in the same fashion as if it were headed down a drag strip. It reaches some insane speeds as well, but it doesn't hit the brakes at the end. Instead, the track continues straight into the air through inversions before making its way back down to the other side.
Good thing they have a lap bar on this ride, because you'll need one. It may be a short ride, but it's certainly action packed and the drop at the end is enough to get the blood pumping. Let's check out some information about the crazy ride.
Cedar Point's Top Thrill Dragster
The strata coaster was manufactured by Intamin, and it was the sixteenth built inside the park. The tagline for the Top Thrill Dragster is "Race For The Sky" and it's not hard to see why. The hydraulic system that launches the trains down the track is definitely its most notable unique feature.
When this new roller coaster first debuted at the theme park in 2003, it broke world records for the tallest complete circuit roller coaster, tallest roller coaster, tallest roller coaster drop, and fastest roller coaster. Amazingly, you will hit a top speed of 120 mph on the stretch of launch track in under 4 seconds. The previous records were held by rides like Tower of Terror II, Dodonpa, and Superman: Escape from Krypton at Six Flags Magic Mountain. Two years later, Kingda Ka opened at Six Flags Great Adventure and took two of the records away from Top Thrill Dragster.
As if the ride wasn't scary enough, there's also occurrences known as "rollbacks" that happen from time to time. This happens when the train does not have enough speed to make it all the way up and over the hill, causing it to roll back down the way it came. Luckily, the ride is equipped with magnetic braking fins so it can be slowed down if this happens. On rare occasions, it can even get stuck at the very top due to not having enough speed. In this scenario, a mechanic takes the elevator up and pushes the train forward so that it can roll down the other side.
The Top Thrill Dragster and the Millennium Force rides are reported as the top two largest investments in Cedar Point history. If you're ever in Ohio, this should definitely be one of the places that you stop at. Keep in mind, this is only just one of the rides at the theme park.
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Eddie Van Halen’s Iconic Lamborghini Miura Was Featured in “Panama”
By now, everyone has heard about the tragic death of legendary guitarist and musician Eddie Van Halen. He was a massive influence in the world of music, and he will be missed greatly around the world. In memory of this icon, it seemed appropriate to look back at one of the coolest supercars that he owned: a 1972 Lamborghini Miura.
Now, Eddie Van Halen was a massive car guy who loved motorsports, owning tons of different high-end sports cars, such as a Porsche 911 GT3 RS, Ferraris, Mercedes-Benz AMGs, and two supercharged Audi R8s, one of which has the V8 engine and the other fitted with the V10. While all of his cars are pretty badass, the Lamborghini just matched the persona of this guitarist so perfectly.
Back in 1984, the rock star released the song Panama, and it left many Van Halen fans confused as to what sound was played following his mind-blowing guitar solo. The sound was later revealed to be revving from the V12 inside the Lamborghini. This unique exhaust noise was incredibly different from other race cars, and it was a great touch to an already fantastic song.
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Eddie originally received the car as a wedding gift from his former wife Valerie Bertinelli. John Temerian is an entrepreneur and supercar enthusiast, and he is the one that currently owns the vehicle. He jumped into details on the widebody Lambo in a video he made on his YouTube channel Curated TV.
The car even still had the wedding date on the license plate. On a daily basis, Eddie would drive this car in the streets of Los Angeles and Beverly Hills, normally listening to tapes of his latest music or other content to inspire him.
The Eddie Van Halen Lamborghini Miura is certainly an amazing piece of history, and it’s great to know that it’s in good hands right now. Many people made hot rods out of these cars, but Eddie kept things original for the most part. It was discovered that the car was a factory widebody car that also came with bigger wheels.
Even today, this supercar is absolutely stunning, and it is now serving as a magnificent tribute to the late, great Eddie Van Halen.
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Constance Nunes Is the Hottest Mechanic in the Business
Out of all the mechanics we can think of, no one looks quite as good doing their job than Constance Nunes from the popular Netflix show Car Masters: Rust to Riches. She’s the only woman on the crew at Gotham Garage, but she’s a wicked talented engine specialist.
It’s not often that you find a mechanic who also doubles as a smoking hot model, but don’t let Candace’s looks fool you. She’s got tremendous amounts of experience working in the automotive industry. She’s certainly no stranger to being in front of a camera, but for many, the show gave folks their first glimpse at who Constance is. Let’s learn a bit more about the interesting life this woman leads.
Constance Nunes Career
Constance was surrounded by car culture pretty much since she was a child. Her father was a drag racer, and the rest of the family were gearheads that loved to work on cars. She learned a ton from just helping out on the many different projects growing up.
As she progressed further along in her auto industry career, she began working in the service departments for such big-name auto brands as Ford, BMW, Acura, and Audi. Not only did she work for dealerships, but she also held jobs at a variety of different garages in the Los Angeles area. Her experience is one of the reasons she’s so respected around Gotham Garage, and while she maintains a no-nonsense attitude, she’ll also let her work do the talking for her.
If you’ve seen Constance, it shouldn’t be hard to understand how she can also be a model during her time away from the shop. She’s appeared as a car model at the Grand Prix of Long Beach, and has also worked on campaigns for such companies as Wrangler, Jockey, and Feral Cosmetics. Additionally, she was featured in commercials for Motorola and the Kim Kardashian Hollywood game on mobile.
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Jolene Van Vugt: The Former Nitro Circus Star Is a Hollywood Stuntwoman
Jolene Van Vugt is definitely one of the toughest and most talented women out there on two wheels. She is most known for her stunt videos and appearances as the to join the Nitro Circus crew, but she proved her talent even before she teamed up with Travis Pastrana in 2005. At the age of 14, Jolene decided to take her women's motocross career more seriously. She's won multiple championships and even became the first CMRC Women's Canadian Motocross National Champion.
Jolene was born in Ontario, Canada, and since her motocross career began, she was determined to create a successful career out of the sport. I'd say she's done just that. Surprisingly, she decided to part ways with Nitro Circus in 2016 and has transitioned into her new career as a Hollywood stuntwoman. There's a pretty crazy story behind it, so let's take a look at what happened and where this former nitro girl is today.
When she came on board with the Nitro Circus TV show, she shifted away from being a racer and focused more on freestyle motocross (fmx). With some help from Travis Pastrana, she became the first woman to do a backflip on a full sized dirt bike. She spend a total of 11 years with the crew, and became a holder of multiple Guinness world records in the process. She became an icon for American and Canadian women throughout the action sports community. She had tons of great times, but everything changed for her during 2015.
Jolene Van Vugt was testing a new winch system which would replace the 50-foot drop in ramp. While doing so, she sat in a big whiskey barrel on wheels and prepared for takeoff. As the winch threw her forward, she let go of the rope and began to veer off course. Since she was in the barrel, she couldn't do anything but brace for impact as her right arm collides with the scaffolding, and slams her face into a nearby pole before crashing onto the concrete. Jolene was seriously injured by the stunt, shattering her forehead, jaw, nose, eye socket, and right arm. There is actually a video out there of the crash, but Jolene says she refuses to watch it. You might think that the brutal injuries sustained were what made her decide to walk away from Nitro Circus, but that wasn't the case.
After tons of recovery time, and multiple surgeries, she claimed she was ready to get back to work with the circus. Now, Nitro Circus had been showing her crash video at many different events, but Jolene did not support that and she made it known. She claimed she didn't want to see the video shown anymore and begged Nitro Circus CEO, Mike Porra, to pull it. Porra explains to Jolene that they own the video and they refused to stop using it. Because of that, Jolene states she "felt violated" by the constant remembrance of the brutal crash. After trying countless times to change their minds with no success, Jolene decided to walk away from the team in an attempt to gain more control of her life.
Since leaving, Jolene started a new career as a stuntwoman, which was something she fantasized about doing since she was a child. She's been involved in different films like the Dark Knight Rises, where she was used as the stuntwoman for Anne Hathaway's Catwoman. She was also featured in the season 2 premier on NBC's Blindspot, in which she was the stuntwoman for a motorcycle chase. Film directors and movie writers are blown away by the talent that she has on two wheels, and often add more action scenes into the movie once they see what she is capable of.
It's awesome to see Jolene follow her heart and leave the Nitro Circus crew. Although it was extremely hard for her and a huge part of her life, once she started to land jobs in Hollywood, everything started to line up once again. She took what she learned from her action sports career, and applied it into a completely different industry. I completely understand her choice to leave, and look forward to the action she'll bring in future Hollywood films.
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Danica Patrick Made History at the 2013 Daytona 500
For 60 years, the Daytona 500 has not only been a defining race in the sport of NASCAR, but has also gone on to reach lasting significance in the sports world as a whole. The Great American Race at Daytona International Speedway is the perfect way to kick off the NASCAR season, particularly when you consider all of the energy surrounding it and think about all of the incredible and historic moments associated with the race. One of the many moments that come to mind is Danica Patrick’s historic finish at the 2013 Daytona 500.
Patrick accomplished plenty of firsts during her racing career. She was the first woman to win an IndyCar Series race. She racked up the highest finish by a woman in the Indy 500. On top of that, she was the 2005 IndyCar Series Rookie of the Year and a six-time IndyCar Series Most Popular Driver.
With all that in mind, it’s especially fitting to remember her impressive run at the “Super Bowl of Stock Car Racing,” especially since it happened during her first full NASCAR Cup Series season.
2013 Daytona 500
During qualifying for the inaugural NASCAR race, Patrick became the first woman in NASCAR history to clinch pole position. She was an absolute force to be reckoned with that day, as her No. 10 Chevrolet stock car for Stewart-Haas Racing flew at 196.43 MPH around the track, while she clocked in a lap time of 45.81 seconds.
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Patrick became the first woman to ever lead a lap in the Cup Series and stayed within the top 10 for the majority of the race, even reaching as high as third place. After falling back in the final three laps, Patrick went on to rack up an eighth place finish at Daytona as Jimmie Johnson held off Dale Earnhardt Jr. for the win.
Here's a look at the full race results:
1. Jimmie Johnson -- Hendrick Motorsports -- No. 48 Chevrolet
2. Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- Hendrick Motorsports -- No. 88 Chevrolet
3. Mark Martin -- Michael Waltrip Racing -- No. 55 Toyota
4. Brad Keselowski -- Penske Racing -- No. 2 Ford
5. Ryan Newman -- Stewart-Haas Racing -- No. 39 Chevrolet
6. Greg Biffle -- Roush Fenway Racing -- No. 16 Ford
7. Regan Smith -- Phoenix Racing -- No. 51 Chevrolet
8. Danica Patrick -- Stewart-Haas Racing -- No. 10 Chevrolet
9. Michael McDowell -- Phil Parsons Racing -- No. 98 Ford
10. J. J. Yeley -- Tommy Baldwin Racing -- No. 36 Chevrolet
11. Clint Bowyer -- Michael Waltrip Racing -- No. 15 Toyota
12. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. -- Roush Fenway Racing -- No. 17 Ford
13. Aric Almirola -- Richard Petty Motorsports -- No. 43 Ford
14. Denny Hamlin -- Joe Gibbs Racing -- No. 11 Toyota
15. Bobby Labonte -- JTG Daugherty Racing -- No. 47 Toyota
16. David Reutimann -- BK Racing -- No. 83 Toyota
17. Dave Blaney -- Tommy Baldwin Racing -- No. 7 Chevrolet
18. Marcos Ambrose -- Richard Petty Motorsports -- No. 9 Ford
19. Joey Logano -- Penske Racing -- No. 22 Ford
20. Jeff Gordon -- Hendrick Motorsports -- No. 24 Chevrolet
21. Paul Menard -- Richard Childress Racing -- No. 27 Chevrolet
22. Michael Waltrip -- Swan Racing -- No. 26 Toyota
23. Scott Speed -- Leavine Family Racing -- No. 95 Ford
24. Martin Truex Jr. -- Michael Waltrip Racing -- No. 56 Toyota
25. Travis Kvapil -- BK Racing -- No. 93 Toyota
26. Terry Labonte -- FAS Lane Racing -- No. 32 Ford
27. Trevor Bayne -- Wood Brothers Racing -- No. 21 Ford
28. Kurt Busch -- Furniture Row Racing -- No. 78 Chevrolet
29. Casey Mears -- Germain Racing -- No. 13 Ford
30. Jeff Burton -- Richard Childress Racing -- No. 31 Chevrolet
31. Austin Dillon -- Richard Childress Racing -- No. 33 Chevrolet
32. Jamie McMurray -- Earnhardt Ganassi Racing -- No. 1 Chevrolet
33. Carl Edwards -- Roush Fenway Racing -- No. 99 Ford
34. Kyle Busch -- Joe Gibbs Racing -- No. 18 Toyota
35. David Ragan -- Front Row Motorsports -- No. 34 Ford
36. Kasey Kahne -- Hendrick Motorsports -- No. 5 Chevrolet
37. Matt Kenseth -- Joe Gibbs Racing -- No. 20 Toyota
38. David Gilliland -- Front Row Motorsports -- No. 38 Ford
39. Juan Pablo Montoya -- Earnhardt Ganassi Racing -- No. 42 Chevrolet
40. Josh Wise -- Front Row Motorsports -- No. 35 Ford
41. Tony Stewart -- Stewart-Haas Racing -- No. 14 Chevrolet
42. Kevin Harvick -- Richard Childress Racing -- No. 29 Chevrolet
43. Joe Nemechek -- NEMCO-Jay Robinson Racing -- No. 87 Toyota
Though Danica’s final NASCAR race would be at the 2018 Daytona 500 — this time driving the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Premium Motorsports — she would never be able to best her performance at that historic 2013 Daytona 500.
Even though Danica Patrick’s NASCAR career is behind her, we’re sure that the former race car driver frequently looks back on that moment at Daytona Beach with an immense amount of pride.
This post was originally published on January 18, 2019.
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Aaron Kaufman: Where Is the Former Gas Monkey Garage Mechanic Today?
Fast N' Loud is certainly a reality TV show that saw massive success. Aired on the Discovery Channel, it provided entertainment as it showcased the restoration and custom car shop Gas Monkey Garage. Behind the Dallas, Texas shops success is the owner, Richard Rawlings. He's the man with the money and the proven business development skills. He managed to take this small Dallas, Texas shop, and grow it into a multi-million dollar company.
However, Richard wasn't the only reason the brand grew into what it is today, he also has an extremely talented crew behind him. Among those workers was the extremely talented former head mechanic Aaron Kaufman. He was a big fan favorite on the show, and had been with the company for 14 years before deciding to go his own way. The strict deadlines and time-consuming builds are ultimately what made him decide to leave in 2017. For those wondering what he's been up to, let's take a look at what this fabricator has been doing in recent years.
Kaufman was born in Crowley, Texas, on January 26, 1982. His father was a passionate automotive enthusiast, and he helped his dad work on multiple projects. He realized he had a gift at disassembling and reassembling vehicles when he got his first ever vehicle, a Jeep Cherokee. Originally, Kaufman pictured himself becoming a park ranger, but in the end he decided to follow his true passion and became a talented hot rod builder.
Television Career
Kaufman undoubtedly gained a ton of exposure from Fast N' Loud on TV. He grew his own fan-base and became incredibly popular after showing what he was capable of. One of his more popular creations was his 1963 Ford Falcon race car. He built the car on the show and used it to race at Pikes Peak on multiple occasions. Recently, he actually ended up selling the car online for $65,000. At the Gas Monkey shop, Aaron was constantly facing tight deadlines and had to put in countless hours to keep up with demand.
Shortly after leaving the popular show, he went out an started his own show, called Shifting Gears with Aaron Kaufman. It focused on his work at his personal shop, Arclight Fabrication, where he manufactures parts for the Ford F-100. This show only ended up doing only one season, but it was a cool in depth look at what this talented individual was getting into.
That wasn't the end of his television days though, because he recently came out with another new show, called Aaron Needs a Job. In this one, he toured all around the United States and featured people doing jobs that he found extremely interesting and challenging. Most of the jobs would relate to the automotive industry in some kind of way. There are no confirmations of another season, but it could potentially be in the works for the future.
Aaron Kaufman Net Worth
Kaufman has a net worth of $8 million according to Celebrity Net Worth. He's truly put in a ton of work and his decision to leave the shop seems to be rewarding him quite well. Between his work at his personal shop, and the dedication to his television shows, it's easy to assume this guy always stays busy.
With everything regarding Coronavirus going on, I wouldn't expect to see any new series or continuation of previous shows until a little farther in the future. Checking out his Instagram, it's nice to see he's still working hard at Arclight Fabrication. Kaufman isn't done yet, so it'll be interesting to see what projects he's working on next.
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Courtney Hansen: The Former Model Is the Ultimate Auto Superstar
You probably recognize the beautiful Courtney Hansen from her time spent on the car-makeover show, Overhaulin'. What you may not realize is just how crazy about cars this woman actually is. Her whole life has basically revolved around the automotive industry.
Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota into a racing family, she spent a lot of time in the garages and pits. Her family owned Brainerd International Raceway where she developed her automotive passion. Her very first car was a 1992 IROC-Z Camaro when she was 16. However, this was only the beginning for Hansen. Below, we'll look at the numerous different ventures she's been involved with over the years.
Courtney Hansen's Career
Courtney attended Florida State University, and graduated with a degree in marketing. She started off in the corporate world but it didn't take long before she started working as a fashion model. She landed cover shots on major magazines such as Hot Rod Magazine, and Muscle & Fitness.
Around this time, she started working as the co-host on the car-makeover show, Overhaulin', working closely with Chip Foose. This was easily her biggest TV role as of yet, and it helped her become known as a TV personality. Now, she's not a mechanic by trade, but that didn't stop this woman from getting her hands dirty. Not only did she help host, but she also helped out the crew with the assembly and disassembly of the vehicles. She worked with the show up until 2005, when she decided to pursue other interests.
Following this, she was the television host for Spike TV's Powerblock for eight seasons, and even hosted a special called Great Builds. She involved herself with a wide variety of other car shows including Destination Wild on Fox Sports Net, and as a host of TLC's TV shows Rides, and Million Dollar Motors. A little bit later in her television career, she hosted Autoweek's Vinsetta Garage on the Discovery Channel's Velocity Network. By 2014, she started working as the host of NBC Sports, Spike TV, and CBS Sports TV series PowerNation, where she left in 2015.
Hansen has been writing a nationally syndicated automotive newspaper column titled "Courtney Hansen: Full Throttle" since 2005. She even went further than the newspaper to become the author of The Garage Girl's Guide To Everything You Need To Know About Your Car. This book gave women and first time car owners some helpful advice on proper care for their vehicle.
Courtney decided that she was ready to jump into something big. So, she became the executive producer of her own car show, The Ride That Got Away. Working with sponsors and investors, she managed to secure $3 million dollars to start the show. Although it was a ton of work, she still managed to get break down barriers and make this project a reality. She was on her way to season two of the show but COVID-19 may have prolonged the premier. Although, she does appear to still be looking for deserving people that have fallen on hard times for the show.
She acts as a true inspiration for other women around the world, proving that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. Today, she can be seen on her social media accounts still completely surrounded in the world of cars, or on her website CourtneyHansen.com. We can't wait to see the next crazy project she gets involved with!
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Krysten Anderson: The Monster Truck Driver Follows in Her Dad’s Footsteps
Dennis Anderson, the original founder of the Grave Digger truck, built quite the following for the black and green monster truck throughout his career. The Monster Jam truck is considered one of the most iconic and recognizable monster trucks in the world. Back in 2017, Dennis was injured while attempting to backflip the truck at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. This ended up pushing him into retirement earlier than expected. But even though Dennis Anderson has ended his driving career, he still has children who followed in the same footsteps who can carry on the family legacy; Adam Anderson, Ryan Anderson, and the newest driver of the three, Krysten Anderson.
Krysten Anderson is the daughter of Dennis Anderson and is also first female driver of Grave Digger. Originally from Currituck, North Carolina, Krysten became an official driver back in 2017 - around the same time as Dennis's accident. She's obviously been surrounded by the Grave Digger brand since she was a child, but now aims at defining her own name. The monster truck driver has competed in the last 3 feld entertainment Monster Jam world finals and the all-star challenge in 2019. With Dennis's legendary career, and Adam Anderson being a 5 times world finals champion, the female Grave Digger driver surely has a high bar set for her. With the last name Anderson, people naturally expect the "all or nothing" performances that they normally see from the truck.
Now, even though she's got big shoes to fill, make no mistake, Krysten is already a very talented driver. She didn't get put into that truck for nothing. But she has potential to be great. Dennis stated that the first time he saw Krysten in a mud truck, he knew she had what it took. This driver has no fear sending that 12,000 pound truck off some jumps to get some serious air time. Take a look at this video from her freestyle run at a Monster Jam event in Fargo, North Dakota back in 2018.
Krysten proves to be a very postive role model for women out there, especially the little girls. They see this Monster Jam driver giving her all in that arena, and witness the extraordinary things women are capable of, first hand. I think with a little time, Krysten is going to prove to the world exactly what she has the ability to do. I wouldn't be surprised to see her become a world finals champion down the line.
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6 of the Fastest American Muscle Cars From the ’60s
The 1960s were the golden age when it came to badass American muscle cars. There was a whole host of muscle cars that came out during that time that were especially designed for anyone who was seriously feeling the need for speed.
Here, we’ll just focus on six muscle cars from the ’60s that could go from 0-60 faster than you can say “zero to 60.”
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Jesse James’ “Monster Garage” Team Transforms Mustang Into Lawnmower
Who remembers this epic episode from Monster Garage? If fact, it was actually the first episode of the Discovery Channel TV show to be produced, and the challenge was to transform a stock 1990 Ford Mustang GT convertible into a functioning lawn mower. Jesse James and his team members come together to see if they can make it happen, and they didn't disappoint.
Here are the rules: the vehicle must look stock, they can't spend anymore than $3000, and they have seven days total to get it done. Considering the restrictions they had, I'd say the results of this Ford Mustang lawn mower, nicknamed switchblade, were pretty incredible. Who needs a hot rod when they have this?
Jesse may be known as a West Coast Choppers bike builder from Long Beach, but make no mistake, he certainly knows his way around custom-cars as well. They quickly ditched the back seat, mufflers, and catalytic converter, and replaced it with a Briggs and Stratton 10 horsepower mower engine with a 48 inch triangular Delta deck mower, placed just behind the rear wheels. They also attached three cylindrical blades to the doors and rear of the car. Inside the vehicle, they added controls to raise and lower the blades.
Read More: The Nautilimo is a Pink Cadillac Boat Powered by a 100-HP Yamaha Engine
Now, they could have dropped in some Chevy or Dodge V8 engine to up the power, but the car was already outfitted with a rear-wheel drive 200 horsepower 5.0 V8, and they were on a pretty strict deadline so they decided to keep it. After throwing on some gold-spoke wheels the car was ready for a new paint job. It started with a black smoke outline and used a "Kameleon" green-to-silver top coat. By the time they applied the final clear coat, this coupe was looking pretty slick. The whole car just screams that it's from the 90's.
The car actually went up for sale at the famous Barrett Jackson. This place sells everything from Deloreans to firetrucks, and in 2008, this wicked Ford Mustang creation went up on the block. The vehicle sold for $8,030 and it's safe to say they picked up one of the coolest lawn mowers ever made. Imagine cutting your grass at 100 mph, because that's what this car is capable of.
This is an epic throwback moment of television. Really makes you think about how many great shows they had going on at the time. Oh, how times have changed.
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“Counting Cars” Team Rebuilds a ’41 Buick for Charity
Danny "The Count" Koker constantly stays busy at his Las Vegas custom hot rod shop, Count's Kustoms. Thanks to the History Channel TV show Counting Cars, we've seen tons of beautiful American muscle car creations leave the shop. They've worked on all kinds of classic cars and pickup trucks from Ford, Chevy, Dodge, Cadillac, and so much more. Even today, they're still cranking out new episodes as they get rolling on Counting Cars season 9.
Every now and then, the Count's car show get's a really special project, and this '41 Buick in the 'Big Love Buick' episode was a perfect example. A couple came into the shop and wanted to get a custom vehicle made so they could put it up for auction and raise awareness for a rare disease called NF2. Their only request was that the car was badass, so Danny Koker could go in basically any direction he wanted. He could've gone with a Corvette, Caddy, Monte Carlo, Camaro, or Mustang, but he and Kevin both felt that the '41 Buick was a perfect choice for this one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPR9k6I3zSw
The shop dedicated hundreds of hours worth of work on the body, paint, and mechanical components on this old ride. He completely surpassed the former glory that this car once was, and it was entirely transformed into a custom dream car. I mean, this thing is so clean it looks like it should be at a SEMA show. As the couple comes back to see the finished product, they are speechless as Ryan rolls the Buick out of the shop. Together, the couple, Danny, Kevin, and Ryan, all go over the upgrades to this classic.
The first thing you notice about this car is the gorgeous black and orange paint job. It truly pops when the car is rolled into the sun, with the orange shifting to a golden shade. They smoothed out all of the body lines to make this car truly unique compared to how it came from the factory. As he pops the hood, you get a look at the big block Chevrolet 409 engine with modern electronics and even air conditioning.
Moving onto the inside, it was fitted with a custom black leather interior with orange stitching. Looking at the dash shows a perfect blend of black and silver to match the car. Finally, as they open the trunk, they show off the quality sound system which includes amplifiers and multiple speakers. The best part was that they integrated the sound system without losing any of the trunk space.
The final result brings this couple to tears as they say thank you to Danny and the shop. It was exactly what they were looking for, and you can tell this vehicle was made with some serious love. I'm a little surprised that Horny Mike didn't try to put his magic touch on the car. Unfortunately, Roli is no longer on the show, but I know he'd love to get his hands on this one as well. It might not as high dollar as a custom Shelby or Road Runner, but this is undoubtedly one cool car that's going to bring a good chunk of change at auction.
Make sure to catch the rest of the season 9 episodes to keep up with the next crazy project that the shop decides to take on.
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Do You Remember NAPA Parts Pups Magazines?
Do you remember NAPA Parts Pups? Some car owners might remember walking into a NAPA Auto Parts store and seeing a magazine that caught their eyes. Auto parts mechanics and customers in the United States loved the NAPA Parts Pups joke books and magazines. It’s not surprising why—each magazine issue featured pinup girls. NAPA Auto Parts stores carried the NAPA Auto Parts Pups magazines for quite some time.
You can find vintage Parts Pups joke books and magazines on Google Shopping and eBay. Some of these issues are from as early as the 50s and as late as the 90s. What made these girlie magazines so intriguing (besides the covers) were the jokes. It was the perfect mechanic content for shop workers and men working on their cars from home! Parts Pups collectibles are a win-win.
The final year of the Parts Pups magazine was 1996. I can understand why they might be too risque for stores nowadays! Bikini pictures around a parts store may cause a few phone calls to managers. Savor the last lot and head over to eBay for the vintage magazines. You'll find vintage NAPA Standard Parts Pups December, February, March, April, May, June and, December editions.
Most of them cost less than $20, and shipping costs are low. Sellers can have them at your doorsteps in just a few business days! Many sellers keep their Genuine Parts Co magazines in protective magazine sleeves stored in a temperature-controlled environment. This keeps the NAPA Parts Pups magazines in excellent condition!
Forget new tool chests and new work boots, the NAPA Auto Parts Pups car magazines make great gifts for mechanics and car lovers.
Check out Amazon for similar items and more Parts Pups annual joke books. Do you wish NAPA still sold NAPA Parts Pups magazines?
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4 of the Coolest Cars in The Rock's Collection
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is one of the most recognizable celebrities in the world today. He was a popular wrestler in the WWE before he became a Hollywood action star in tons of popular blockbusters such as Fast and Furious, Pain and Gain, and San Andreas, and you may have also seen him in the HBO TV show Ballers. With a net worth of around $320 million, it should be fun to look into his personal car collection to see how exactly the superstar chooses to spend all that money. You'll want to check this one out, because he's got some really cool cars.
Here's the interesting part, even though Dwayne Johnson owns quite a number of hypercars and supercars, he can only fit properly in a small number of his vehicles. I mean, the former WWE superstar is pretty massive so I can't say i'm all that surprised to hear that. I don't think that stops him from having some fun though. But without further ado, let's jump into the awesome cars he has in his collection in real life.
Pagani Huayra
Right off the bat, we start out with this insane Pagani Huayra. Priced at a cool $1.3 million, The Rock rolled up to the premier of ballers in this. Talk about a show-stopping entrance. Although it's hard to believe he actually fit in this car at all, somehow he managed to squeeze in there. Getting out, well that's a different story. This sports car is powered by a 6.0 liter twin turbo V12 engine. I think it's safe to say, this is likely one of the most powerful cars that he owns.
Rolls-Royce Wraith
Of course, when you want the best of the best as far as luxury cars, you have to get a Wraith. This one was also featured in the show Ballers. Comfort is what this car was made for and it's got enough room inside to actually seat the Hollywood star. Not only is it luxuries, but it's also got a turbo V12 engine under the hood which can put you back in your seat if you put your foot to the floor. A new one will run you just shy of a quarter million dollars.
Ferrari Laferrari
This rare matte white Laferrari goes into the category of cars that The Rock doesn't fit into very well, however he seems to make it work when he wants to. What kind of engine does it have, you might ask? Well, it's also got a V12. Notice the pattern? He's clearly got a thing for these performance motors. The Laferrari is a flagship hypercar for the Italian company. Dwayne Johnson received this car as a complementary lease but rarely drives it due to the whole, massive guy vs small car thing. Regardless, it's still a car worth well over a million dollars.
Ford F-150 Custom
Now we jump into what Dwayne Johnson really likes. His Ford F-150 pickup truck with a lift and tons of upgrades. Big enough to fit him inside and Ford really has been on their game with their new trucks, they look really good. Along with this custom F-150, he also owns another one. The other one however, is a Hennessy VelociRaptor which is a regular F-150 Raptor with an all new V8 engine implanted that creates massive amounts of power. Both are extremely good looking trucks though.
Dwayne Johnson definitely has some amazing cars in his collection. While some are for show and some are more practical, he sure does have a good taste in the vehicles he chooses. It's awesome to know that he takes as much interest in his cars off the screen as he does in the movies. Keep enjoying that luxurious lifestyle and living the dream Mr. Johnson, you earned it.
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Kurt Busch’s Wife: The Polo Player Loves Horses and Horsepower
Ashley Busch, wife of the NASCAR driver Kurt Busch, starred in the television series on CMT in 2019 called Racing Wives. Not only did they show how fast-paced and chaotic the racing lifestyle is, but it took a closer view at what these wives were doing in their own personal careers. That's when a lot of people got a glimpse of Ashley Busch's very busy life for the first time.
She started riding horses when she was just 6 years old. Today, she is a professional polo player through the U.S. Polo Association, but also loves to cruise around with Kurt in some high-powered cars. Her father, Beau Van Metre, is also a professional polo player. This equestrian has a lot going on in the world of polo. Ashley has won multiple polo events including the International Polo Club 12-goaler, and Port Mayaca. She even became a brand ambassador for USPA. She's proved her talent on a horse but this didn't seem to be enough to satisfy her personal goals.
Ashley also went on to start her own swimwear line named Monarch Reign. She collaborated with Enrique Sánchez, who founded La Isla, and her products are produced by Sánchez's label. She creates all kinds of unique swimwear for women to feel comfortable and confident in. Her company has been gaining some traction, but it does include some higher dollar pieces that are mainly focused on a market of people who are a little more well-off. Along with her swim line, she has began developing a modeling career as well. She was affiliated with Wilhelmina Models, and modeled exclusively with the famous brand, Ralph Lauren.
These two make a powerful husband and wife combo. Kurt Busch fans adore Ashley, and they were beyond excited when the two announced that they would be getting married. Kurt popped the big question in 2015. They had a small wedding of around 40 people. The reception however, was a different story. They hosted it in Palm Beach, Florida, one week after the wedding. The crowd got the show of a lifetime, with a surprise performance by Steven Tyler as the highlight.
As of 2019, Ashley has a net worth right at around $5 Million. Seeing all the stuff she has going on in her own personal career, it's easy to see how she can be valued so high. Mix that with Kurt Busch's $50 million net worth, and you get an extremely comfortable lifestyle. It's always awesome to see what the wives are capable of in their own lives and I don't think that Ashley has any plans of slowing down anytime soon. Although an additional season of the show has not yet been confirmed, we look forward to hearing what she sets her sights on next.
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Amy Earnhardt Surprises Dale Jr. With Incredible Dale Sr. Portrait
Dale Earnhardt Jr. has had plenty of reasons to celebrate during his life. As a two-time Daytona 500 winner and 15-time Cup Series Most Popular Driver, the former NASCAR driver (he still races every now and then) had an illustrious career on the track. He’s also the owner of JR Motorsports, is a NASCAR commentator on NBC Sports, has a successful podcast in the Dale Jr. Download, and runs a number of other business ventures.
With an estimated net worth of $300 million, Junior is definitely living the life. So, what do you get a guy who pretty much has everything?
Well, back for Dale’s 45th birthday on October 10, 2019, his wife Amy got him an incredible gift for the big day: a portrait of his dad, the late Dale Earnhardt. You can see in the below picture that Dale and Amy’s daughter Isla especially seemed to enjoy the painting of Grandpa.
“Wife got me this amazing piece of art by Sean Wales for my birthday,” Dale Jr. wrote in the caption. “Isla loves it too.”
For an early birthday celebration a week prior, Amy Earnhardt also took Dale to the Thirsty Beaver Saloon, a dive bar right around where the Earnhardts live in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Considering what the Earnhardts went through less than two months before Dale’s big 4-5, it was great to see the family in such good spirits. On August 15, a private jet carrying Dale, Amy, Isla Rose, and the family dog Gus was involved in a bounced landing at Elizabethton Municipal Airport in Elizabethton, Tennessee.
The plane caught fire, but thankfully, no one was injured in the plane crash. Needless to say, it was definitely a terrifying experience for the entire family. Fortunately, they were able to put all that behind them and can enjoy celebrating even more birthdays together.
See more at altdriver.com/racing/amy-earnhardt-surprised-dale-jr-with-this-incredible-portrait-for-his-birthday
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Tony Stewart Lip Syncs With Police Officers in Viral Video
Back in the summer of 2018, lip sync challenge videos were all the rage. From Indianapolis, Indiana to Jacksonville, Florida, police departments, fire departments, and EMT personnel from all over the country took to the streets to film lip sync challenge videos, because even first responders should get the chance to go viral.
In its lip sync entry, the Columbus Police Department in Indiana got just a little bit of a leg up on the competition when it got Columbus native and racing legend Tony Stewart to make a cameo appearance.
In the viral video, Stewart flexes his racing chops when he gives the Columbus PD police officers chase as Sammy Hagar’s “I Can’t Drive 55″ plays. Then, the Eldora Speedway owners flexes his lip syncing chops, totally nailing his “Total Eclipse of the Heart” bit.
Of course, the rest of the video isn’t too shabby either, with the cops doing a nearly five-minute routine to such songs as Miley Cyrus’s “Party in the U.S.A.,” the Friends theme song, and Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’.
Other local departments may have not had the star power of Tony Stewart, but there were still some pretty incredible performances. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, for instance, had quite the routine to Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop the Feeling.”
Then, you had the Martinsville Police Department in Virginia, which basically threw a full-on pool party.
Now, back to Tony Stewart. If you thought his lip-syncing prowess is a rarity among current and former NASCAR stars, you’re sorely mistaken. Back in December 2017, all of the drivers from the Joe Gibbs Racing team got together for a little lip sync action of their own.
Before that, Kyle Busch and his wife Samantha, teamed up for a couples lip sync video. The Busches sure do love them some lip syncing. But, hey, you can’t help but respect that.
Speaking of respect, considering the mutual respect that Stewart and Busch have for each other on the racetrack, you have to assume they both respect the other’s lip syncing abilities as well.
See more at altdriver.com/racing/tony-stewart-lip-sync
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This Swedish Trucker Is Also a Smoking Hot Model
Meet Angelica Larsson. Hailing from Stockholm, Sweden, this girl does it all. She drives trucks, operates heavy machinery, shoots guns, rides motorcycles, scuba dives, and sky dives.
Oh, and she’s also ridiculously hot.
Angelica developed a love for big trucks at a young age, when she climbed inside a semi at the age of four. By the time she was 19, the blonde bombshell had her commercial license and was driving semi trucks in Sweden professionally.
While she mostly drives Scania and Volvo trucks in Sweden, Angelica is always up for a challenge. Back in 2018, the Swedish truck driver took her first trip to America and drove some big rigs at The Great American Trucking Show in Dallas, Texas.
Speaking of challenges, Angelica likes to showcase all sorts of fun experiments and educational tutorials on her YouTube page. Remember the viral bottle cap challenge? Here’s Angelica pulling it off with a with a forklift and 15-ton wheel loader.
Though she has model good looks, and frequently shows them off on her Instagram page, Angelica takes the most pride in being a trucker. She travels all over the world doing what she loves and has earned a ton of respect for what she can do behind the wheel of some monstrous machines.
While she’s already accomplished so much, Angelica’s big dreams never stop. She want to drive a truck around Norway, “because their notoriously bad roads would be great to test her driving skill.” She also wants to drive a land train across Australia, and plans on traveling to India, as well, to experience the culture and challenge herself with the road conditions. Angelica Larsson is no doubt an inspiration to girls out there with dreams of becoming truck driver.
Even still, her Instagram page definitely doesn’t hurt to look at.
See more at altdriver.com
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