2015ADIRONDACK NATIONALS COVERAGE!
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A visit to the NortHeast classic car museum!
FREE FALL ISSUE WE TALK TO THE CREATOR OF
STREET SCENE
Polaris
SlingShot Reviewed! A PE X AU T OMO T I V E M AG A Z I N E
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A LETTER FROM OUR TEAM Managing Editor Kevin Crandall
Welcome to the Fall Edition of Apex Automotive Magazine. Wait, Fall?! Where did summer go? Oh my, has time flown by since our last edition. It seems like just yesterday that we were handing issues out at Street Scene. With the weather cooling off and the show season coming to a close, we’re saddened by the reality that we’ll have less events to cover and attend over the coming months. We’re lining up some great shop tours and other content for our next issue though, so fear not, we will not be hibernating while the snow flies.
Creative Director Justin Palmer
Account Manager Director of Photography Matt Wilson Chris Penree Photography Jordan Polizzi John Zachary Bill Tuttle
Thomas Sblendorio Kevin Crandall
Contributing Writers Justin Palmer John Zachary Mike Potaczala Kevin Crandall Brian Coupe David Sblendorio Matt Wilson Bill Sauve
Enough about the weather, let’s talk about this edition! We’ve crammed it to the gills again with great rides, killer show coverage (including an interview with the founder of Street Scene - Chris Burkhart), we visit a museum, cover some motorsports action, and of course a few recaps of local car shows.
Proofreader Denise Crandall
New for this edition is our classifieds section that we’re test driving. While we’re not looking to be the next AutoTrader, we think this would be a benefit to our readers and offers local car dealers (and collectors) another avenue of listing their more unique rides directly to the auto enthusiast audience we cater to. We’d love to hear your feedback on this addition.
Proudly printed locally by Kenyon Press Inc.
And finally, we want to reiterate that we need your help! Please tell us what you think about our publication, ways we can improve, events we should cover, etc. In addition, if you’d like to contribute to Apex, we’re always looking for story leads, contributing writers, help distributing (and locations to distribute to), anything. By all means, don’t hesitate to contact us at info@apexautomag.com or call 315-280-8305. We’d love to hear from you!
— The Apex Automotive Magazine Team
Website MPW Marketing // Damon Maldonado
Special Thanks Richard Aversa, Chris Burkhart, Vic Falcone, Dana Vanveghten, Excell Motorsports, Sports Unlimited
Advertise with us! Apex Automotive Magazine is the only publication of its kind in CNY. Each issue contains articles featuring custom builds, local car shows, area custom shops, auto enthusiasts, unique car stories, and everything else automotive. We appreciate all of our amazing advertisers, without them this publication would not be possible. Please give them a chance to earn your patronage and tell them you saw them in Apex Automotive Magazine. To find out more about advertising in Apex, visit www.apexautomag.com or call 315.280.8305
Subscribe Today. Apex Automotive Magazine is published four times per year by Seven Horsepower Publishing, LLC. To subscribe, please send $20 to the below address. Magazines will be delivered via USPS. Apex Automotive Magazine 1484 Bogan Rd. Waterville, NY 13480 We welcome feedback, story suggestions, reader contributions and anything else you might like to share with us. Send us a note to info@apexautomag.com. All contents copyright 2015, Apex Automotive Magazine. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or republished without consent. Apex Automotive Magazine is not responsible for unsolicited submissions, photos, or artwork.
FALL ISSUE
TA BL E OF C ON T E N T S // F E AT U R E S 6
HOT ROD TRUCK
The little tuck that could
When the late 70’s marked the end of the muscle car era, Dodge refused to go down without a fight. They built a muscle truck. by JUSTIN PALMER
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COOL CAR STORY
LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT
When a young Steve Cater spotted a built up Mercury Cougar, he knew one day he had to own it. by JUSTIN PALMER
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FEATURED STORY
A TRUE PASSION FOR THE CAR SCENE
We talk to Chris Burkhart, a Syracuse native with a serious passion for cars and founder of Street Scene, a growing car show. by David sblendorio
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RACE TIME
ANYONE CAN AUTOCROSS
Have you ever wanted to get into racing but the expenses of it make it seem impossible? Autocross might be for you. by Matt Wilson
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NEW VEHICLE REVIEW
2016 POLARIS SLING SHOT REVIEWED
We test drive the all new three-wheeled canyon carver by Polaris. by Mike Potaczala
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AUTOMOTIVE HISTORY
WE VISIT THE NORTHEAST CLASSIC CAR MUSEUM
We explore automotive history at a beautiful car museum located in Norwich, NY. by Brian Coupe
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GETTIN’ DIRTY
DRAG TIME
We check out the awesome 2015 Excell Eastern Grass Drag Nationals and MRA Mud Drag Nationals by John zachary
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Reader’s rides Each issue we showcase area rides submitted by our readers. These are their pride and joy and we’re helping to show them off!
Josh Zbydnuewski, 1980 Camaro Z/28 drag/street car. He’s had it about 8 years now. When it was bought, it was all tore down in pieces and Josh slowly started to put it back together and build a drag car. He’s done a 400 SBC 0.30 over 750 Holly with a nice thumper cam and estimates it makes around 475hp. It also has a 4 speed trans, centerforce clutch, electric fuel pump, solid mounts, and 10 bolt rear with spool. All on drag radials! He did all the body work himself and plans to tube chassis and tub it. Josh and his wife have fun making passes at Esta drags and some day soon will be building another one for their son when he is old enough to drive. Kalvin Malli, Victor, ny,
Barn find RB 240SX. Kalvin found the shell in Buffalo, which had been sitting for 7 years. It had 77k original miles when bought but no rust and original paint. It was completely stripped out with many buckets of parts and bolts. He re-vamped the whole car, adding Stance coil overs with fully upgraded arms. He also swapped out the wheels & tires. Then he did a RB20 swap and added a RB25 turbo. Full bolt on. This ride makes around 240whp now. Kalvin went for a clean look and did all of the work himself.
Do you have an awesome ride you want us to share? Email high-resolution, clear photos and a brief description about your vehicle to rides@apexautomag.com. Please include your name and hometown. All of this issue’s Reader’s Rides features are getting 2 FREE Admission tickets to the Northeast Classic Car Museum! We want to thank the Museum for sponsoring this section with this great prize package. If you haven’t been there lately, go check it out!
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NORTHEAST CLASSIC CAR MUSEUM 24 Rexford Street Norwich, NY 13815 607-334-2886 www.classiccarmuseum.org
Over 165 classic cars on display! Open 7 days per week 9am-5pm!
Special Exhibit Muscle Cars, Motorcycles & Memories
Receive $1 off admission with this coupon Valid for up to 4 adult admissions. May not be combined with other discounts or coupons. Coupon expires 4/30/2016. apex
Home of the Staley Collection
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1978 Dodge Li’l Red Express
Power > 225 HP Engine > 360 c.i. V8 Gear Box > auto 0-60 > 6.6 sec
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HOT ROD TRUCK
was the s s e r p x E d uction d o r p The Li’l Re e d a rican m fastest Ame 78. vehicle in 19
In the late 1970’s America was going through a lot of changes. Strict government regulations slowly sucked the life out of the muscle car by forcing manufacturers to install primitive pollution control devices that really hurt the performance of otherwise potent power plants. By 1978 the muscle car had all but died. Dodge, however, had a different game plan up its sleeve. While cars had been hit hard with regulations, commercial vehicles remained largely unaffected, at least at that point. They decided to create a very unique machine, the Dodge Little Red Express, a high performance take on their popular work truck. With a 225hp 360 cubic inch small block, a four barrel, a beefed up 727 transmission, hemi style mufflers, unique wooden bed inserts and dual stacked exhausts, this wasn’t your
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grandfather’s Dodge Ram. It was definitely a standout truck in its day, and believe it or not was the fastest American made production vehicle in 1978. Seth Knoller’s 1978 Dodge Little Red Express came into his life at the age of 6, when his dad purchased the truck and parked it. It was in an unfinished state and he didn’t have the time to fully restore it. In 2007, when Seth was 19 and finally had enough resources and cash, he decided it was time - the truck was ready to be restored. “It was rough, but in less than 24 hours of taking it out of the garage, I had it running and drove it 75 miles to Old Forge; it hadn’t been on the road since 1987.” Seth eventually went through the whole truck. Fortunately, he works as a
A PE X AU T OMO T I V E M AG A Z I N E
professional painter at a local shop, and had plenty of experience taking on these types of projects. He restored the truck to original specifications. It’s definitely the kind of vehicle that stands out in the crowd of otherwise mundane work trucks designed to do anything but look interesting. This truck was built with performance in mind and it looks the part. With big shiny smoke stacks, GR60x15 raised letter tires on 7 inch chrome wheels up front, and LR60x15 on 8 inch chrome wheels on the rear, there is no doubt that this truck is all about speed. Upon start up, the small block snarls to life with a lopey idle and a true muscle car rumble. It sounds amazing and what’s even more impressive, Seth says, the exhaust is completely stock. Although 225hp might seem meager compared to cars like the 2016 Hellcat with well in excess of 700hp straight off the factory line, you have to remember that these small blocks made torque and a healthy dose of it at around 300 ft/lbs. In 1978 the Chevy Corvette was less that 200hp to put things in perspective and this little truck could roast its tires all day long. It was also extremely rare with only about 2,188 being built in 1978 and 5,118 in 1979. The late 1970’s may have been a bad era for American muscle, but there is no doubt that the Little Red Express is a true muscle machine.
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THE REBELS TWO THIS 1964 PLYMOUTH WAS RACED AT UTICAROME, ESTA IN CICERO, AND ALL OVER THE NORTHEAST BY HERM SCHREMMER, KOY LILLY, BASIL KESTER, DAVID JONSON & AL GIACCHI. IT WAS GREY THEN BLUE AND BLACK. WILL PAY FOR PHOTOS/VIDEO OF THIS CAR’S HISTORY CONTACT GEORGE 4438663608
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COOL CAR STORY
Love at first sight
photos by CHRIS PENREE story by Justin palmer A PE X AU T OMO T I V E M AG A Z I N E
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COOL CAR STORY : STEVEN CAter Love at first sight is a funny thing. It’s almost like you just know when something is meant to be, yet you can’t necessarily explain why. Now, as much as we like to tell our wives that they were our first love, chances are that a car guy might have experienced love long before marriage. Maybe it was while reading about a car that was about to be released that had just the right body lines, horsepower, and stance. Or maybe you’re like Steve Cater, a long time car nut who happened to be in the right place at the right time, and found the car of his dreams. It was 1985 - Steve and his father where at Carlisle, a popular car show in Pennsylvania, NY, when they came across a gorgeous Mercury Cougar Eliminator. The car was a fresh restoration that had been converted into a drag car and was in perfect condition. Immediately, Steve and his father were in awe of the car’s beautifully sculpted body lines, angry all-business stance, and of course that big block nestled in its engine bay. At the time, Steve’s dad was a bit leery of the fact that the car had been converted to drag
duty and decided to pass, but Steve never forgot about that car. Two years later, completely by chance or perhaps by fate, Steve stumbled upon the very same Eliminator in a Hemmings ad. He recognized the car right away. This time, they were not going to make the same mistake as before. They quickly made a deal with the owner and picked up the car. Fast forward to 1990, after some time of enjoying the car, Steve’s dad had decided that he was going to sell it. At that time, Steve owned an XR7 428 Cougar convertible and decided to sell that car and buy the Eliminator before his dad sold it to someone else. He finally owned his dream machine. Since then, Steve says the car has been pretty much rock solid. The only modifications that had been made were for performance reasons. He estimates that he
has made hundreds of passes with the Cougar and enjoys bringing it to shows when he can. Currently, the car has race headers, a four barrel, performance pistons, file fit rings, and a hydraulic roller cam. It also has a Dove single plane intake and a 3,000 stall ATI. Upon firing up the big block Ford, it feels as though the earth is rumbling below you as the beast snarls to life with a deep growl that settles to a very mean, lopey idle. This isn’t a car for the faint of heart; that’s for sure. Even Steve admits that it’s a bit over-the-top for street duty. When asked what his future plans are with the car, he said he would like to tone it down a little bit to make it a bit more street friendly. He also plans on making more passes and attending more shows. One thing is for sure, you can really tell that Steve still loves this car and that there are many more years of driving enjoyment to be had with this all-American muscle machine.
Two years later, completely by chance or perhaps by fate, Steve stumbled upon the very same Eliminator in a Hemmings ad.
NEW VEHICLE REVIEW
Polaris
Sling -Shot Reviewed! photos by CHRIS PENREE story by Mike Potaczala
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2016 SlingShot
Power > 173HP Engine > 2.4l Gear Box > 5-Speed 0-60 > 5.5 Sec
New in the Polaris 2015 product line up is the Slingshot; a 3-wheeled car/motorcycle hybrid. This is the first of its kind for Polaris and we had the privilege to take one for a test drive. Settling into the cockpit of the Slingshot, it feels just like a car. It features comfortable side by side bucket seating similar to a small convertible sports car and includes many safety options to ensure a safe ride. It features a steel frame that wraps behind you with forged aluminum roll hoops and three point seat belts for driver and passenger. Driver aids include electronic stability control, traction control (which can be turned off) and ABS which are standard on all Slingshot trim levels. The completely weatherproof interior includes a traditional tilt steering wheel, stick shift, stereo with 4.3 inch LCD screen that provides ample viewing for the backup camera and cruise control. Our Slingshot in the SL trim also featured a windscreen. Under the hood, the Slingshot is powered by a General Motors Ecotec 2.4-liter four cylinder engine producing 173 horsepower and 166 ft-lbs of torque that is backed up by a 5-speed synchromesh transmission with reverse. It measures 149.6 inches long, 77.2 inches wide and has a curb weight around 1,700 lbs. It has 17x7 wheels in the front, a rear tire size of 18x9.5 and is paired with vented disc brakes all around. The chassis is set up like a reverse trike; two wheels in the front and one in back. It has the dimensions of a small sports car, only it’s missing one of the wheels. Now, it’s the drive that makes the Slingshot really shine. We can honestly say that it drives as good as it looks! You can’t tell you’re riding in a three wheeled machine. The Slingshot has the acceleration of a sport bike with the stability of a sports car. Thanks to the sport-tuned suspension which includes a double wishbone coil over, gas filled shocks, and a cast aluminum sway bar around back, it hugs the road and corners with stealthiness and ease. It was definitely built for one purpose, and that’s to be astoundingly fun. With all that said, I just want to remind everyone that you do need a motorcycle license and a helmet to operate. Also, dress accordingly. There are three trim levels offered for this motorcycle, Slingshot $21,199, Slingshot SL $25,199 (as tested), and the Slingshot SL LE $26,199. I want to thank the awesome crew over at Sports Unlimited Polaris/Yamaha/Victory in Utica, NY for letting us review this ride. If you have any inquiries about the Polaris Slingshot, ATVs or other motorcycles they carry please go visit their beautiful showroom.
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Chris Burkhart From: Syracuse, NY Drives: 2002 Honda Civic Si
FEATURED
STORY
A true
passion for the car scene photos by Thomas Sblendorio story by DAVID SBLENDORIO
We talk to Chris Burkhart, a Syracuse native with a serious passion for cars and creator oF Street Scene, a growing car show.
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Standing out in today’s Honda scene is not an easy task.
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FEATURED
STORY
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2002 Honda Civic SI Power > 250 HP Engine > K20a3 Gear Box > 6-Speed 0-60 > 5.5 Sec
Standing out in today’s Honda scene is not an easy task. Creating Central New York’s premier import show isn’t either. Chris Burkhart of Syracuse has managed to do both with his immaculate EP3 Honda Civic and the incredible Street Scene show held at Long Branch Park in Liverpool. The story of the car began ten years ago when Chris purchased the car as a lease turn-in. With his heart set on finding a white EP3, Chris found the car at a near-by Honda dealership. After putting down a deposit, the dealership inexplicably sold the car out from under him. The search continued and Chris found another car he was interested in, just to find out the car had been sold only hours before he arrived. Luckily, a silver ‘02 SI was It was time to traded in the same morning, and that was the start of the journey. start showing For the first few years, Chris had fellow enthusiasts just been enjoying his fun and practical daily driver, but soon after the mod all the hard work bug bit. He started with the usual initial modifications…a Tanabe exhaust that had gone into and D2 coilovers. As things started to progress, it became obvious the the build at various stock K20a3 engine, powering the EP3 didn’t cut it anymore. It was time to shows, including add some boost with a Jackson Racing Chris’ own First supercharger with a 3.8” pulley, and 650cc RC injectors to provide the now Annual Street necessary extra fueling. At this point, the car was no longer a daily, and it Scene show. was time to really take things to the next level. Kustoms was added and Chris started to delete any unsightly In 2010 Chris began helping out at a body shop with his brother wires and hoses. There is absolutely no section of the engine bay and started gaining the skills to transform the look of his Civic. The that wasn’t taken into consideration. After doing a full wire tuck car was then painted in beautiful Root Beer Metallic, a factory color and shaving the bay of any empty holes, Chris then went so far borrowed from the Honda Element SC. A few other exterior touches as to make his own custom brake lines. He then went on and rewere added such as the Vis Racing carbon fiber front lip and Mugen placed every nut and bolt with brand new OEM pieces. Finally, style rear spoiler, also from Vis Racing. everything was cleaned and painted before the final installation. Chris now had a car that was aggressive and fun to drive on In 2013 Chris’ EP3 came out of the garage for the very first country back roads and had the aesthetic appeal to back it up. In time since moving into his new house. It was time to start showing the following years he moved into a new house, which most imporfellow enthusiasts all the hard work that had gone into the build tantly had a 30x48 garage space to work on his car. This is where the at various shows, including Chris’ own First Annual Street Scene process of turning the engine bay into what is arguably the most show. The next year some final finishing touches were performed, impressive part of the build. A custom valve cover from Kokenda
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A PE X AU T OMO T I V E M AG A Z I N E
FEATURED
STORY
such as having the supercharger sent out to be polished and adding a different valve cover, again from Kokenda Kustoms, only this time being a beautiful wood grain design. Around the same time, Chris began having troubles with the engine harness he had originally ordered, due to poor quality and customer service. The solution was the purchase of a wellbuilt Rywire harness that has been great ever since. Fast-forward to the present, and more suspension upgrades were added along with some interior touches, including the custom Burberry headliner and suede Mugen steering wheel. The valve cover was changed again to the current graffiti design that will grab your attention even in a sea of well-built Hondas. It was also just recently that the 5 lug swap was done, and with the help of some friends, a set of immaculate Volk Racing TE37s wheels were purchased. The TE37s are a timeless, high quality forged wheel that you can never go wrong with. Chris’ particular set measures 16x7� and are wrapped in super sticky Dunlop Direzza ZII Star Spec tires.
Street Scene // A very special car show It should be clear by now that cars are more than just a hobby to Chris. Building a car to this level of perfection takes time, dedication, and a lot of skill. Lucky for us, the enthusiasts of Central NY, Chris wanted to bring together other people just like himself. After years of driving all over the Northeast going to car shows, he decided in the spring of 2012 it was time to put that same dedication he put into his own Honda build into holding a local meet. Many phone calls later, Chris had Quaker Steak and Lube on board willing to host the show, only to be rejected before anything was set in stone. He persisted through the next winter with the planning to properly create the special event he was working so hard to hold. Chris knew from the start that the location of the event would play an important role in the overall atmosphere and success of the show, and eventually the search led him to Long Branch Park in Liverpool. It had the perfect, relaxing backdrop he was looking for. Armed with nothing more than a Facebook account to spread the word, and his minuscule amount of free time, Chris pulled off his dream of holding the first ever Street Scene in the summer of 2013, with over 200 cars in attendance. The next two years the show grew exponentially, with over 700 cars attending in 2015. Chris says that the show cars came from all over, including A PE X AU T OMO T I V E M AG A Z I N E
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Maryland, Illinois, North Carolina, and even Canada. It should also come as no surprise that Street Scene is the home of the Northeast EP3 meet, bringing in over 30 EP3 chassis Civics. In addition, it’s all the little things at this show that make it such a joy to attend; for example, Chris’ love for graffiti spawned the idea of the graffiti wall which is undoubtedly very entertaining to watch, and the idea of having the unique skateboard awards simply came from his love of skateboarding. The planning for the show is a yearlong ordeal, with massive amounts of time and preparation to keep the show growing and keep us all coming back each year wanting more. Chris says the days leading up to the show are extremely intense, “I’m normally running on little to no sleep, stressed out to the max, knowing how much is on the line, but for some reason I keep doing it.” Planning this truly impressive show is something Chris has never done in an effort to get rich. This is simply his passion and it has been executed to a level we should all aspire to. “I felt our local scene was lacking and that I shouldn’t have to go out on a Friday or Saturday night to try and find other enthusiasts. We didn’t have anything available to bring the newer generation car community together, so I stepped up to the plate”…and step up to the plate he did!
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SLINGSHOT® IS A THREEWHEELED MOTORCYCLE. IT IS NOT AN AUTOMOBILE, IT DOES NOT HAVE AIRBAGS, AND IT DOES NOT MEET AUTOMOTIVE SAFETY STANDARDS. THREE WHEEL VEHICLES MAY HANDLE DIFFERENTLY THAN OTHER VEHICLES, ESPECIALLY IN WET CONDITIONS. ALWAYS WEAR DOT APPROVED FULL FACE HELMET AND FASTEN SEAT BELTS. DRIVER MAY NEED A VALID MOTORCYCLE ENDORSEMENT. DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE. POLARIS INDUSTRIES INC.
photos by Jordan Polizzi story by MATT WILSON
This feather light s2000 is a perfect setup for autocross
Track Time We try out auto racing’s gateway drug
Anyone can Autocross. Motorsports, for many, is inaccessible and expensive. First up there’s the money. Most people aren’t willing or able to invest gobs of money to prep and maintain a car for the track. Then there’s the question of how do I start this hobby – how do I dip my toe in? The answer for most, hands down, is autocross. While APEX was at Street Scene this year, I took a walk around to see what vendors had to offer. I met with the folks from the CNY Region SCCA – the Sports Car Club of America. They seemed like nice fellas, and they invited me to one of their
many autocross events held throughout the year. The following week I was on my way to a parking lot outside Fulton County Community College to see what this was all about. This wasn’t my first foray into the world of performance driving. I started doing track days three years ago when my mechanic, who happened at the time to be an active volunteer of the Northeast Quattro Audi Club, cajoled me into driving my recently purchased Audi A4 wagon around Watkins Glen at speed. I haven’t
looked back since, and today I have a trackprepped 2001 2.7 Twin turbo Audi S4 which I track about four times a year. The bug bit me hard, but it’s fair to say, it has taken a bite out of my wallet too; modifying my car up to 400hp with uprated brakes, downpipes, turbos, suspension, clutch and more. So imagine my surprise when my sporty track car was beaten round the CNY SCCA Autocross Solo course by far slower, less modified cars. I was out-driven, and I loved it! Autocross, or Solo as the SCCA calls it, is essentially a short racetrack built with nothing more than an open parking lot and a lot of traffic cones. The cars range from basic daily drivers, some bone stock or with modest modifications, all the way up to custom built roadsters, stripped Miatas, stanced imports, and hot hatches. The equalizer is the PAX system – which provides everyone an opportunity to compare their times against each other. It handicaps the faster cars, which run in
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faster classes and provides a ratio designed to equalize times. In theory, the best man out there will end up with the best time after PAX adjustment. I arrived at 8 a.m., and popped up the APEX canopy tent, torqued my lug nuts and checked my oil. I then headed over to the registration tent to pay $40, which included a $10 fee for a single event membership and $30 for the event itself. The cost of a SCCA membership is comprised of $65 national dues plus Region dues ranging from $0 $25, if you want to run in many events. There were about fifteen cars there already and soon after, another fifteen or so showed up. I understand event numbers can
be north of 75 vehicles, but normally run in the 30-50 range. Everyone was sorted into their class, and letters signifying that class were on each vehicle along with a number. I was in the NSM class which meant I was a “Novice Street Modified.” Most people hadn’t modified their car as much and were running in different classes. My R-Comp tires and my chip, turbo and exhaust pretty much put my car into the modified class, and my PAX multiplier would reflect the expectation that my car should be fast. There were about six other novices at the event and we walked the track before the event, so we could learn the line and
Seeing how quickly people can take daily drivers with road tires around these tracks gave me a whole new appreciation for how much I had to learn about driving fast on a tight track and also how much damn fun you can have for $40.
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get a feel for the corners. One of the veteran solo racers came along and pointed out racing line considerations and gave advice on how we could run the fastest. Today’s track included a slalom-style line of cones that we would weave around, a big circle at one end of the track, followed by another short slalom into a short straight, and ending with the right-hander near the start. On the first lap, you’d sweep right and run the course once again. On the second lap, you’d swing back left into the finish line. We were split into three run-groups. Two groups each had about fifteen cars, and then a younger racer on his go-kart. Kids are welcome to autocross too in age appropriate vehicles. When you weren’t racing, you were manning a corner of the track with another racer replacing cones that got knocked over or out of their marked boxes, and communicating back to a scorer to let them know when a struck cone meant they would need to add a two-second penalty. I was up in the first group and ran exceedingly badly the first time. It was hard to get the hang of the slalom and it was easy to carry too much speed in the corners and get out of shape quickly. You could strike a cone, go off course or simply lose time when correcting. It was also hard to remember the track and stay on line. You are essentially staring at a sea of cones! Each time out was the two-lap course, and I was pleased to hear we’d get three runs in the morning and four in the afternoon. I’d need the whole day to get used to the track and how my car was acting in the corners. After three runs our group was done and the second group lined up to race while
I manned my corner. I found it useful to watch others running the track to see what lines they were taking, where they were on the gas, and where they were braking. I suddenly realized how badly I was doing watching some of these cars whip around the track with great accuracy. During the break for lunch we took the opportunity to compare our lap times, both before and after PAX adjustment. Sadly, after adjustment I was one of the lower scoring drivers. It was a really friendly group of folks and people were keen to talk to me about my car. Doing something like this for the first time can be intimidating, but I can truly say that the CNY Region SCCA welcomed me with open arms. The afternoon runs were a few seconds faster, but in three out of four I knocked over a cone each time, which added back the few seconds gained. It was my last run of the day where I hooked everything up and kept it clean for both laps. When everyone’s run was complete I had come in eighth position out of thirty for raw time, and fifteenth position after PAX adjustment. Not too shabby for my first event, but boy – did the people at the top of the page put in some incredible times. Seeing how quickly people can take daily drivers with road tires around these tracks gave me a whole new appreciation for how much I had to learn about driving fast on a tight track and also how much damn fun you can have for $40. There is no need to prep or modify your car for autocross. You’ll have an absolute riot out there all for less than the cost of dinner and a movie.
The CNY region SCCA runs around 10 events each year, and I’ll be back for sure. I know at least three friends who will want to do this with me next time. I could see this becoming a fixture for my performancedriving addiction once or twice each year, and maybe in a few years, my five-year-old will be ready to get a restricted go-kart and run it at these events too. When I upgrade in a few years to my
next daily driver, I might consider picking something small, light and fast, that’s going to go well round these tracks. A Golf GTI perhaps or a Subaru STI. Solo events are definitely something to try on for size. It’s not enough to have a car that looks good or be quick in a straight line, you’ll want to find out if you can handle those corners too. http://www.cny-scca.com/
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Kenny Wallace
Dirt Driving Experience photos by chris sauve story by BILL SauVE
You never quite forget that first smell of race gas, mixed with the searing sound of a big block modified at full song and with a touch of burnt rubber. I was all of 12 years old in 1995 when I watched Brett Hearn hold off Joe Plazek at the Moody Mile to win the Wheels 300; ironically the same year I won a go-kart in a drawing at the same event. To put it lightly I was hooked on racing, and I had won the most incredible 5hp racing machine a typical 12-year-old kid from Camillus, NY could ever imagine. As it turned out I also had the chance to sit in Billy Decker’s Wheels sponsored car at a media event and steer it back into the hauler the day that I was presented my new kart. You could say this made an impression on me, one that would last a lifetime. Fast forward to 2015. I now teach Technology and Engineering Education at Ithaca High School, and am 32 years old. I have been to dirt races on and off throughout the years and to Oswego Speedway to see a weekly event here and there but had never competed in any form of organized motorsports. Though I had always had an innate desire
to drive a Dirt Modified, the stars had not yet aligned for me. I didn’t have the funds to start a race team, or the resources, but there was still plenty of desire to do it. It just never materialized. And along came the Kenny Wallace Dirt Driving Experience. I had noticed a friend of mine liked the page on Facebook, and I was intrigued. When I saw they would be making a stop at Rolling Wheels Raceway I was hooked, and after some digging on the website I decided I had to give it a shot. It was the opportunity I had been waiting for since I was a kid. Surely they had to be watered down versions of real race cars, I mean who would voluntarily hand me the keys to an 800hp tire shredding Big Block Modified? I arrived at Rolling Wheels Raceway on a beautiful late September day around 11am. I was scheduled for the noon time slot, but wanted to get there early to see other cars and drivers on the track, and to make sure I was comfortably early to the drivers’ meeting. I was torn between excitement and pure nerves, the same exact feeling a starting pitcher gets before the first pitch of a big game. I was quite familiar A PE X AU T OMO T I V E M AG A Z I N E
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Kenny Wallace DRIVING Experience
with this feeling, but at the same time I was a bit apprehensive about driving someone else’s racecar around a 5/8ths mile dirt track. What if a tire let go? What if someone else came down/up the track on me and took me out? These were thoughts that were quickly pushed out as soon as the 5 point harness clicked, and a vicious big block power plant snarled to life under me. After a quick instructional session covering the basics of dirt oval and five point harness operation, it was time to gear up and head to the cars. You can watch dirt modifieds race for the better part of 20 years and never pay any attention to how much of an acrobatic act it is to successfully get into one. The word “tight” doesn’t really do it justice; it is fairly similar in layout to the cockpit of a jet fighter, but tighter. I tried grabbing nothing but roll bar on the way in and slithered into the machine the best I could and my 5’9, 190lb frame barely made it through the window and melted into the aluminum Kirkey racing seat. I scanned the cockpit, familiarizing myself with the switches and gauge panel, while awkwardly beginning my first attempt at strapping down a 5 point harness. The best way to describe the “office” of dirt modified pilot in two words, beautifully simple. Oh yeah, and hot!
I flipped the ignition to the on position, pushed the start button, and felt the big block V8 rumble to life underneath me. I could feel the power resonate through the car as I gently blipped the throttle for the first time and eased the hand clutch back to get the car moving. I was pleasantly surprised how well I was able to move the car around in the pits and it felt great to build confidence early. They instructed me to kill the ignition as we waited for my turn to let it rip. I sat there strapped into this car, listening to the on track radio transmissions and patiently waiting to launch. I was a racecar driver, right then, even sitting still. I was doing it. When I was called to hit the track, I tried to remember everything I was told. Get it rolling in low gear, check. Let go of the hand clutch, check. Bang it into high gear and roll on the throttle, check. And like that, I was on the backstretch at Rolling Wheels, strapped into a big block modified and struggling to learn as much as I possibly could in 15 short laps. The first few circuits melted into each other, honestly I was feeling out the steering and throttle inputs and trying to find my limits. To date, the most powerful thing I had ever driven with confidence had been my 300whp turbo Lancer Evolution with a fairly pronounced
turbo lag and silky smooth power delivery. In contrast, this big block mod was delivering power like a sledgehammer in my teeth, and on dirt. A violent relentless amount of power that instantly demanded respect with any amount of throttle. As I started to build confidence and corner speed, I began to look further down the straightaways and stay in the throttle longer. I would guess that by maybe lap 5-6 I was running the car at some level of proficiency, even finding the rev limit on occasion at the end of the straightaways. The first time I bobbled coming out of a corner caught my attention, but I was quick to gently get back into the throttle and the car straightened right out. It felt as though I was steering the car with the throttle, feeling the stagger and suspension pull me to the inside of the track every time I grabbed some loud pedal. The checkered flag came way too fast. I thought instantly of my three fans in the stands and as I rolled past them on the front stretch, I popped the car out of gear with some degree of skill and gave them a quick three rev salute before I gently rolled it back into the pits, like I knew what I was doing. And it didn’t quite hit me until I rolled to a stop, but I had just fulfilled one of my wildest childhood dreams.
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We visit the
Northeast Classic Car Museum We, the inhabitants of Central NY, are very spoiled when it comes to activities or events to visit and experience. It bothers me greatly when people say there isn’t anything to do around here. If we were to draw a circle an hour from our homes, inside it there would be numerous, wonderful places to go.
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AUTOMOTIVE HISTORY
I personally had never been to the Northeast Classic Car Museum in Norwich. Speaking honestly, I didn’t even know it was about 100ft away from Route 12 South which so many of us have taken on family car trips down to Florida or other southern states. When I was presented with the opportunity to head down to the museum I immediately accepted. I arrived to the museum in a little under an hour drive. There is a row of parking available by the front entrance and plenty of space at the nearby lot directly across the street. Visitors to the museum are immediately greeted by warm and friendly staff members. Most of the individuals working here are volunteers who donate their time because of a love for automobiles. A few steps more past the front desk and we are at the double doors to enter into the Staley collection.
photos by Thomas Sblendorio story by Brian Coupe
Throughout the museum are placards and displays, so visitors can gain more information about Mr. Staley and the vehicles themselves. George Staley grew up in the Central NY area on a dairy farm. He decided that caring for cows was not his choice of lifelong career and enrolled in the New York Aviation School in Utica, NY. It was here that his passion for the mechanical began to blossom. Mr. Staley would continue onward through the years, traveling across the globe to be involved in all things aeronautical. A culmination of this experience can be considered as working on the Enola Gay airplane which would drop the first atomic bomb. Of course, there are many more tidbits which can be written here, but I just wanted to share a couple of highlights. Take time to read more about George when at the museum! You won’t be sorry. It’s an understatement to say the Staley collection is impressive. The wide variety and eclectic mix of vehicles from multiple manufacturers throughout the facility is almost unbelievable to comprehend. This is in Central New York?! The collection begins with very early 20th century vehicles, with companies such as Franklin, Auburn, Stanley, Graham, and Marmon. Some of you might recognize a few names, but others may have not even been known to exist, but they do. Early automobile manufacturers
AUTOMOTIVE HISTORY would last a few years, or even a few months. The humble beginnings of transportation did not fare well for all companies. The stock market crash and Great Depression put the nail in the coffin for a few more and only the strongest would survive…for a year or two more. The emergence of major manufacturers such as Plymouth, Ford, Chevrolet, and Buick would come into play. Luxury companies like Cadillac, Packard, and Duesenberg allowed more ornate and featured boasting elements for more demanding automotive enthusiasts of the time. Continuing onward through the museum we must choose the left path or the right path. For now let’s go into the “Fabulous Franklins” room. We can talk about the Post War collection in a little bit. When I say room, I mean warehouse sized. Did I mention this place is massive? Franklin was a manufacturer of the early 20th century and as I said earlier in the article would succumb like many others to the credit crisis and Great Depression. During their time of being in business a multitude of beautiful sedans and roadsters were created and enjoyed. A major feature of these vehicles is the air cooled engine. No doubt Mr. Staley was drawn to this vehicle due to the similarity in power plants of airplanes at the time. Now, had we chosen the left path we would be in the Post War collection room. This section is full of amazing, swooping fenders and afterburner taillights. Studebakers, Avanti, gorgeous Buicks, Chevy Bel Airs and the like. The heart and soul of growing up in 1950s America lives in this room. Further past the Post War collection is a room dedicated to vehicles manufactured in the State of New York. I had no idea there
were so many! A range of there being one or two cars made in total before the company went belly up, to companies assembling under a 100. Startups with hopes and dreams of becoming the next Ford or Chevrolet, but instead only lasting a few months. It’s great to see that New York State is represented here by such vehicles. The final main room within the museum is one which is a limited time exhibit. The vehicles within this room are swapped in and out after a few months. The caretakers of the facility decide on a theme for the room. The current theme being: Muscle Cars, Motorcycles and Memories. This is the first time motorcycles have been included in the exhibit and response has been incredibly positive. Previous themes have been fun subjects such as “Woody and Wagons”, Tractors, and a topic which I feel is very creative: “Car Tunes”. I wish I had known about the museum to check out that theme because it focused on cars which were mentioned lyrically in popular songs of the past. What I first noticed in this particular exhibit is the rainbow of colors. Lime greens, vibrant oranges, and shades of blue mixed in with reds and yellows. Each car in this room has its own machismo and charisma. With pristine condition cosmetics and engine
bays, these cars are well cared for and it shows. It should be noted that most of the vehicles in this limited time exhibit are generously donated for the duration by local car collectors. We spent multiple hours in here photographing the cars for the magazine shoot and discussing the vehicle merits with the knowledgeable classic car museum staff. This room will not disappoint if you are a fan of muscle cars. The museum caters to the wide variety of automotive enthusiasts. Visitors can choose to walk around with the staff for a guided tour of the entire facility (recommended) or walk around by yourself taking it all in and reading the placards on your own. Either way the experience will be exciting and fulfilling. There is something for everyone to see and remember fondly. Take advantage of the opportunity to check this place out! A quick drive through the scenic farmlands and villages with family or friends makes for a memorable afternoon.
The wide variety and eclectic mix of vehicles from multiple manufacturers throughout the facility is hard to get your head around.
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GETTIN’
DIRTY
Drag Time Excell Eastern Grass Drag Nationals and MRA Mud Drag Nationals 2015
photos by Jordan Polizzi & John Zachary story by John Zachary
September 26th & 27th was the 4th Annual Excell Eastern Grass Drag Nationals in Bouckville, NY, put on by Aaron Excell and Edward Carhart. The popular two day event would also host for the first time, the MRA Mud Drag Nationals. Two national events - at the same location on two completely separate tracks. Bouckville, NY, is known for its antique shops and shows during the summer months. For the past four years this quaint little town comes to life with the sounds of high horsepower snowmobile grass drags. Excell Raceway is the site of the ever growing event. For the first time this year the 4000hp MRA Mud Drag trucks will be joining the snowmobiles for a national event of their own. This is what gearheads, like me, call the perfect weekend of motorsports. Along with the racing, Excell Motorsports invited vendors and vintage snowmobile owners to join the fun displaying their beautiful vintage sleds. Vendors were selling snowmobiles, quads, helmets, etc. A PE X AU T OMO T I V E M AG A Z I N E
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4 second runs at over 100mph were normal at this event. Some of the
Plenty of good food to fill your belly, from pizza to BBQ, and fried dough. The place was packed with participants, as well as spectators. We arrived early Saturday morning to start our weekend coverage of the event. Both the snowmobile pits and the truck pits were buzzing with early morning tuning on the machines. On the grass drag side the track crew was making final adjustments to the 100ft starting pad. Riders were saying later in the day that the starting pad was perfect. Each of the four lanes had a hard packed clay area that would help launch the sleds out onto the 500ft drag strip. Each rider would
4-stroke turbo sleds ran 3.5 seconds at 140 mph.
have crew members clean off the area before they placed their sled on the starting line. This was a pretty precise thing that had to be done before each pass. Each rider would set his sled on the line tripping the staging lights, then he would sit on the sled. As soon as the starter gave the let’s roll sign, a crew member would fire up the sled and wait for the Christmas tree to drop. Four second runs at over 100mph were normal runs for the days. Some of the 4-stroke turbo sleds ran 3.5 seconds at 140 mph. The first round of eliminations started the day with 30 classes of sleds competing on the fast four lane track. Most classes lined up four sleds in each run. Spectators witnessed a ton of close races all day on the grass track. On the other side of the large field was the mud track for the MRA Nationals. This track was a 200ft track with a pretty big shut down area on the other end. MRA trucks do not run in sloppy mud like one might think.
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The surface is more like loose dirt about 12-16 inches deep. The open classes with the 4000hp trucks run sings runs for time. After a couple of rounds the guy who made the quickest run on the day won that class. Some of the other classes like Mod2 they ran double elimination. Each truck ran side by side with another truck down the fast track. Once a competitor lost twice his day was over. Mod2 finals came down to two drivers that had gone undefeated throughout the earlier rounds. Cory Robinson was the eventual winner in his “Heavy Metal” Ford truck. Getting a good light (reaction time) can make or break a run for these trucks. Competition is so close that every second counts. Outlaw Prostock and MRA Mod cuts had some heavy hitters in the field. These guys were making runs in the 2.5 second area. When these trucks leave the line they throw dirt from all four wheels. Spectators
gathered on both sides of the track to check out these trucks because they are fast and loud. It is amazing how fast these guys get down the track. After a weekend of racing they might run maybe a full minute. Sunday was day two of this growing event in Bouckville, NY. I went back out early Sunday morning to cover the finals in most classes on both tracks. Again, the weather was great making for a perfect day of racing. On the sled side they started with the third rounds early in the morning and then on to the semis and final rounds later in the day. The Excell crew once again did a fantastic job preparing the track for the high horsepower sleds to compete on all day. Saturday night they ran a class that paid $1,000 to win under the lights. Unfortunately I was not able to witness that race, but I heard it was an AWESOME show to watch. The Vendors were on hand Sunday as well for the people to enjoy throughout the day. I did notice that most of the Vintage sled guys had left on Saturday and did not come back for Sunday’s show. This was a little disappointing, as I did not get a chance on Saturday to check out these machines from the past. Fans lined the fences on the sled side all day enjoying the close racing in all classes.
On the MRA side, the competitors had their trucks ready to roll for day two of their national event. Sunday brought a couple new classes to the MRA event. The mod trucks were still on hand, but some of the other classes only ran on Saturday. A couple stock classes filled the bill for Sunday’s event. I think this is a great idea. This gives some of the local guys a chance to run their mostly stock trucks at a big race like this one. In Mod Scoops, Shane Ohlrogge set a new record with a 2.471 pass, and then backing it up with a 2.488 run later on in
the day. This record shows how good this track was all weekend. Brian Davoli and his crew did a fantastic job at the first MRA Drag Race at Excell Raceway Park. I have covered a lot of racing events in my life, and this one ranks right up near the top for me. This will be on my calendar for many years to come. For this year’s results go to excellraceway.com. If you are a motorsports fan, this is a must see event. You will not be disappointed. Great racing, and great people make for a great event.
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GETTIN’
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Trucks
Gone photos & story by Kevin Crandall
Wild
On a whim this summer, we decided to stop into Trucks Gone Wild, which was held at Maximum Power Park in Poland, NY. It’s a huge gathering of mud loving truck enthusiasts, featuring mud pits, jumps, tug of war, ATV trails, mud trench, freestyle, bounty hole, tire pit, sand pit and more. We missed the freestyle and jumping portion of the weekend which was unfortunate. The photos shared by others on social media looked like it would have been amazing to watch. We still caught a ton of great action and were able to check out a number of great looking trucks tear up the mud pit and compete in the tug of war. Everyone attending seemed to have brought their camper and ATV’s or UTV’s to make a full weekend of the event. If you are into this scene, this event is surely the highlight of the summer. This was my first time here and I couldn’t believe how massive this place was and the crowd it brought in. It’s awesome to have discovered this place and I look forward to going back. There were food and merchandise vendors in attendance, as well as live performances by The Lacs, Sarah Ross, Lenny Cooper, and Moccasin Creek. Trucks Gone Wild specializes in video editing, event promotions, online communities and much more. They promote a number of similar gatherings all over the country and help grow the motorsport with the videos they put together, covering them all. Attending the event was a blast. Even as spectators, we had a lot of fun watching all the awesome rigs tear up the terrain. If you are a fan of big tires, flying mud, tons of horsepower and roaring engines – this is an event not to be missed.
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Adirondack Nationals
2015
For the past 26 years car lovers have been meeting in Lake George, NY for one of the premier car shows on the East Coast. This show is a bit different than any other show in the area. High end cars and trucks grace the grounds of Fort William Henry in Lake George. After the sun goes down, Canada Street lights up with wonderful rides from the show. After Labor Day most people shut down their camps, put away their boats and cars, and some even stop wearing white (I’m not sure what that is about). It is the end of summer as we know it. The promoters of the Adirondack Nationals have carved a spot on many car enthusiasts’ calendars for the week after Labor Day. Thousands of people from all over the Northeast travel to the picturesque town of Lake George for one of the best shows around.
Last year was my first trip to the Adirondack Nationals, and boy was I impressed. As soon as last year’s event was over, my wife and I decided that we would be going for many years to come. I have been to a lot of car shows in my life, including the East Coast Nationals, Carlisle, Hershey, Syracuse Nationals, and all of the great local shows in New York. Every show has its own appeal that makes it unique. The Adirondack Nationals has its own flavor, from the great location next to the lake to the cruising on Friday and Saturday nights on Main Street. In past years, the show was known for the burnouts happening around the town for the entire weekend. This is a hot topic each year at the Nationals. I won’t get into all of the details of this topic, but it is pretty cool to see cars of all sorts burning a little rubber on Main Street. As we all know, it can be very dangerous too, for both the drivers and the spectators. If something goes wrong, somebody is going to get hurt, then the discussion will be over. The Fort William Henry is the site of the show each year. This year they expanded
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the show area for more cars and vendors. The special guest for this year’s show were the guys from Discovery Channel’s hit show Fat N’ Furious. Fans of the show lined up both Friday and Saturday to get an autograph and a picture with two TV stars. I had a chance to talk to both of them, they said that they were having a great time at this year’s show, and they just finished up recording their upcoming season, due out in February. My wife and I arrived at 10:00am Friday morning. We met with Dana, one of the show promoters, in the new vendor area. Dana gave us the $10 tour of the show and filled us in on the weekend’s schedule of events that we might want to cover in our story. All of the event staff were very nice and willing to help anybody that had any questions about the show. After our tour, we made our way to the huge show area where the participants display their rides for the weekend. One of the things that stands out to me at this show is the different cars and trucks. The more shows I attend, the more cars I see again and again. The Adirondack Nationals is very different. Sure I see some cars that I have seen before,
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but 85% of the cars are all new to me. Everything from clean stock cars, rare muscle cars, to wild customs. They are all there and they are all well-built. As we walked around drooling over some of these beauties, we noticed that there were a lot of wagons on display this year. One of my favorites was a 1956 Chevy Nomad. This car was amazing. Red and white, with a perfect stance on a well thought out wheel treatment. This car was tough to get some good pictures of because there were always people around it. Friday the weather was perfect with temperatures in the low 80’s. Early in the afternoon the place started to fill up with both cars and spectators. Music was playing in the background along with the faint sound of cars cruising up and down Main Street. As we were pulling into town, it seemed like every hotel had its own show going on in their parking lots. Both sides of Main Street were lined with show cars and spectators admiring the view. After a few hours of shooting pictures and walking around the grounds, we decided to go check into our hotel and grab a bite to eat. We wanted to make sure we
ADK NATIONALS were back in town before the nightly cruise started. The local police shut down Main Street from 6:30pm — 11:00pm for show cars to take part in the popular moving car show on the main drag. Our hotel was only six miles out of town. With the popularity of this show, you must reserve a room early in the year if you want to stay right in town. After a bite to eat and a shower we were ready for my favorite part of the event, the cruise. We made our way back into town and found a parking spot close to Main Street. Most of the shops are open for business, even though it’s after Labor Day. Both sides of the street were packed with people enjoying the scenery. It was great to see some of the high dollar cars and trucks taking part in the cruise. This shows that it is just as fun for the owners as it is for the spectators. Walking around the show is great, but to see them cruising under the moonlight is awesome. Not only the way they look under the night sky, but the sound and smell too. Some of the drivers dress up in costumes, putting on a show for their fans. Throughout the night, cars come into the fold and cars leave the fold, keeping it fresh and new all night long. Looking up and down the street you can see people pointing and smiling as the cars roll by. Cruising is a great way to show off these beautiful machines in their natural environment. Just before 10:00pm my wife and I packed up our chairs and headed back to the hotel. On the way back a yellow Lamborghini pulled alongside our Camaro and stayed right next to us. My wife pulled out her phone to snap a picture. I said I think he wants to race, so I punched it, and so did he. We stayed with him for approximately 5ft and then his taillights faded into the night. Saturday morning came fast, but we were up early and ready to get back to it. After breakfast we thought we would check out some of the rides on both sides of the street. As we walked up the street, my wife pointed out the yellow Lamborghini from last night. I snapped a shot of it before it drove off. We made our way up to the show area to meet my son and his girlfriend. Fort William Henry was filling up quick. I was told you have to get there pretty early to get a good spot for the day. On-site food tents were serving breakfast, making it easy for people to get a tasty meal without giving up their parking spot. Saturday was like a new show, with tons of cars that we did not see on Friday. Throughout the day we could hear
cars doing burnouts outside the show area. After hearing this for most of the morning, we decided to go over and see what all the white smoke was about. Both sides of the street were lined up with hundreds of people watching cars pull up and smoke their tires. I have to admit it was pretty cool watching all of the different cars pulling up to give it a shot. After a while, the local law enforcement showed up and put a stop to the “smoke show”. My son was blown away with the amount of vehicles at the show, and he thought the burnouts were an added bonus to an already great show. Now that the burnout show was over we headed back to the new vendor area to see what was going on down there. Everything from wheels, wax, handbags, and of course the all-important fried dough and corn dogs. Alongside the vendors, there was a nice field that held another 100 show vehicles. Again, top notch cars and trucks graced this area making the show a bit larger than previous years. Later in the day the clouds started rolling in with a threat of rain. At 4:00pm the event staff started handing out this year’s awards to the well deserving participants. A huge crowd gathered around a big water fountain behind the hotel. The trophies were huge and there were a ton of them. I can’t imagine judging this show, the judges must have to narrow their choices down to fine
details to separate the winners. After the awards ceremony a lot of the participants started to pack up and head out for some dinner. With Saturday nights cruising starting at 7:00pm, Canada Street started filling up with excited spectators looking for a good place to view the rolling car show. Around 5:30pm the skies opened up with some light rain. After about 45 minutes the rain let up, and allowed us to go back out to watch the cars roll by. It was cool to watch the beautiful show cars driving on wet roads. Eventually the rain started again and we decided to call it a night. This wasn’t how we wanted our weekend to end, but we had been blessed with two perfect days to enjoy this wonderful show. If you haven’t guessed yet, I love this show. If you are into cars, trucks, and cruising, this is a show for you. Make plans for next year’s show and I promise you will not be disappointed. Visit the website for dates and details at adirondacknationals.com.
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Local Event coverage
7 Valley Street Rods Annual Car Show & Flea Market august 16, 2015 For the past 23 years the 7 Valley Street Rods have been putting in a terrific car show in Cortland, NY. This has become a popular show on the summer calendar and people travel from all around to take part in it. This year was no exception, with close to 190 entries gracing the small Cortlandville park on RT 281. As the cars start rolling into the park, each is stopped in front of the backstop for pictures, that were handed out later in the day. Along with the pictures dash plaques are also given out, as well as a ton of door prizes throughout the day. The show gets a lot of support from local businesses. Proceeds from this show go to charity in the Cortland area. Almost everyone goes home with something from this show. Also on hand where a bunch of vendors selling everything from old car parts, to old Hot Wheels cars. Classic Rock n Roll music was playing in the background, and good conversation was happening all around the grounds. We all know how great the Syracuse Nationals are, but let me tell you this 7 Valley Show is wonderful as well. Top shelf cars make up the majority of this show every year. Learn about the club at 7valleystreetrods.org
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The Apex Automotive Magazine team is always on the road checking out local car shows and events. You’ll be seeing us even more as our publication grows. These are a few we’ve attended recently. Visit apexautomag.com for complete galleries of these shows and more!
10th Annual Mustang ralLY august 29, 2015 We hit up the 10th Annual Mustang Rally presented by Matthews Ford of Norwich. The original date for this was earlier in the summer, but it was unfortunately rained out. The event brought in Mustangs from every generation of the model line and it was very interesting to see them all in one place. Along with the amazing display of Mustangs there were food trucks, trophies, raffles and live music by the Jason Wicks Band plus fireworks at dark – all to benefit the Children’s Miracle Network. Admission was free for spectators. The car turnout was pretty good, with Mustangs from every era. There were several very nice looking rides that we kept coming back to sneak another peek at. If you’re a Mustang fan or one of American muscle cars in general, this is a great show to attend. They raised over $1,300 for the Children’s Miracle Network of Chenango County. With great food and music rounding out the things to experience at this event, what’s not to love?
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Local Event coverage
Fillmore Auto Show & Flea Market September 6, 2015 Labor Day weekend is the last long weekend of summer. It also has been the weekend of the popular Fillmore Auto Show & Flea Market, held at Fillmore Glen State Park in Moravia, NY. The scenic backdrop of the park makes it a perfect place to hold an event of this caliber. This year was another stellar show at the Glen. The weather was in the high 80’s and plenty of sunshine to be enjoyed by all. The place was packed with entries. Not only is this a spectacular car show, it is also a wellstocked flea market. Vendors lined the show area selling car parts, die cast, crafts, you name it. In the pavilion the volunteers worked hard preparing tasty food. The quality of the show entries is among some of the best in the area, and the flea market is on the same level.
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Morrisville state college fall cruise-in september 26, 2015 This show is organized by the Morrisville State College Automotive Club. It is held during Mustang (the college’s mascot) Weekend at the Automotive Building. All makes and models are welcome to attend this show and join the group of automotive enthusiasts who make up the Automotive Club. There were a variety of cars that attended, everything from classics and muscle cars to modern rides and a number of trucks. They also offered the opportunity to put your car on their dyno during the event. You could make up to 3 pulls for just $25.
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CNY event schedule
We’ve diversified! Now includes more event types.
Looking for something to do this weekend? Consider checking out one of these events in our area. Use the grid to determine event type: l Car Show l Driving/Cruise-in/Motorsports Event l Trade Show/Vendors l Swap Meet Date
Event Name
Venue
City
l
November 13-15 Albany Auto Show
Times Union Center
Albany
l
November 20-22 National Parts Peddler Trade Show
NYS Fairgrounds - Center of Progress Building
Syracuse
l
l
l
l
2016
February 7
Snowbuster Automotive Swap Meet
Event Center on the Fairgrounds
Hamburg
February 11-14
2016 Syracuse Auto Expo
The Oncenter
Syracuse
l
February 11-14
Buffalo Auto Show
Buffalo Niagara Convention Center
Buffalo
l
March 3-6
2016 Rochester International Auto Show
Rochester Riverside Convention Center
Rochester
l
March 4-6
Cavalcade of Cars
Event Center on the Fairgrounds
Hamburg
l
March 24-26
Buffalo Motorama
Buffalo Convention Center
Buffalo
l
l
April 2-3
Syracuse Motorama
NYS Fairgrounds
Syracuse
l
l
June 7-11
Americade Touring Motorcycle Rally
Lake George
Lake George
July 15-17
2016 Syracuse Nationals
NYS Fairgrounds
Syracuse
l
l l
l
l
l
Apex Automotive Magazine is not responsible for the accuracy of this list. At the time of printing, this list was as thorough and accurate as possible. However, show dates and locations can change so we recommend research before you head out to one of these events. You can also check www.apexautomag.com for changes and additions.
Know of an event not listed here? Let us know at shows@apexautomag.com.
NEW! Classifieds section Starting with this issue, you can now list your classic, rare, collector, custom, or high end car for sale in this section. For more info, please call (315) 280-8305 or email info@apexautomag.com. $69,990
Text for price
$$$$$$
315.452.1168
For Sale by Owner 315.542.4063
315.280.8305
North Syracuse, NY
2009 ERA Cobra
*PRIVATE OWNER CONSIGNMENT SALE *BY APPOINTMENT ONLY All-aluminum 427, Tremac TKO 5-speed, Jaguar rear differential, IRS, upgraded pedal box. Nearly $100K to reproduce, too many options to list. With slightly over 1,000 miles, it is in as-new condition.
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1994 Pontiac Trans Am
Rare Hard Top. 350ci. 42k miles, very good condition. Text for more information 315-542-4063. Mag wheels also available - priced separately!
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