Apex Automotive Magazine Issue 7 Late Summer 2016

D E W IE V E R T S S U C O F 2016 FORD FR E E TAKE ONE

W. AP EX AU TO MA E MA GA ZIN E // W W TIV MO TO AU IER CN Y ’S PR EM

ER ISS UE G. CO M // L AT E SU MM

WE L OOK AT T WO FINE RICH TERPENING’S EXAM 2013 GT-R PLES OF N ISSA N’S GTR /SKY LINE ZACH LASALLE’S 1990 R32 SKYLINE GTS-T

2016 SYRACUSE NATIONALS COVERAGE INSIDE

A LETTER FROM OUR TEAM Where did the summer go? It seems as if we blinked and missed it. Ah, the life of a car enthusiast in central New York... there’s never enough time to see and do everything you want during the summer months.

We’ve had an amazing time at the shows throughout the season. We shared a booth with Tucci Hot Rods at the Syracuse Nationals and met so many new faces and heard some great stories. We had our booth set up at Street Scene and a number of other area shows and cruise-ins. We can’t tell you how much we appreciate everyone telling us how much they love what we’re doing with the magazine - it is what keeps us going!

While the season slows down and the weather gets colder, we’ll be looking for story ideas that are indoors. If you have a shop (or know of one) that we should be covering (or a unique build that is in a big enough storage facility to take photos), we would love to hear some coverage suggestions. Please feel free to email us at info@apexautomag.com and we will be in touch to follow up. We know our readers have some great connections that could help us obtain interesting stories and cars to shoot, so please consider helping!

HELP WANTED! To those who have seen the ad on the website, we are always looking for writing contributors, photographers, and most importantly, ad sales reps.

Sales reps - We are looking to add to our sales team to help find new advertising customers that could benefit from connecting with our readers.

Without ads, our publication cannot exist (or at least be free).. so this is a vital role within our team. If you are in the automotive industry and not afraid to get out there and make new connections to help spread the word about our publication (and make some commission while doing so), we want to hear from you! Please email kevin@apexautomag.com with your resume.

Thanks so much for reading. If you like our publication, please consider a subscription to get new issues delivered directly to your door (if for some reason there isn’t a NAPA nearby). We very much appreciate your support and continued readership.

— The Apex Automotive Magazine Team

Managing Editor Kevin Crandall

Creative Directors Justin Palmer Marc Stress

Account Manager Marketing Manager Matt Wilson Bob Sblendorio Director of Photography Chris Penree Photography Jordan Polizzi John Zachary

Thomas Sblendorio Marc Stress

Contributing Writers Justin Palmer John Zachary Bob Sblendorio David Sblendorio John Cannizzaro Matt Wilson Proofreaders Denise Crandall Website MPW Marketing // Damon Maldonado Proudly printed locally by Kenyon Press Inc. Special Thanks Richard Aversa, John Cannizzaro, Tucci Hot Rods, Chris Burkhart, Rob O’Connor

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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.

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Magazines will be delivered via USPS. Apex Automotive Magazine PO Box 148 Clinton, NY 13323 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.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS // FEATURES 7

22

2016 FORD FOCUS ST

THE LITTLE SPEED SHOP

REVIEW

We test drive this little hot-hatch to see how it stacks against the competition.

by JUSTIN PALMER

AMERICAN MUSCLE

A ONE-OF-ONE SHELBY FORD MUSTANG GT350

This is one bad GT350. It also happens to be a really rare breed.

by BOB SBLENDORIO

12

FEATURED RIDES

NISSAN SKYLINE/GTR

We compare to local (and did I mention amazing) examples of Nissan’s GODZILLA.

8

by DAVID SBLENDORIO

18

Q+A WITH PHIL BURKART

BORN TO GO FAST

We took an opportunity to sit down with Phil to find out more about life inside and outside the Top Alcohol Funny Car.

by MATT WILSON

20

DIRT TRACKIN’

CHARLIE TIBBITTS 12

We follow up with the dirt track young gun and see how his season went.

by BOB SBLENDORIO

AREA EVENT CALENDAR 41 CNY

A complete listing of car shows, driving events, motorsports events, swap meets and more.

22

24

We visit the little shop that’s not so little anymore.

by JUSTIN PALMER

24

CAR SHOWS

8 7

FEATURED SHOP

2016 SYRACUSE NATIONALS

Check out some shots from this years Syracuse Nations.

by JOHN ZACHARY

34

CAR SHOWS

2016 STREET SCENE RECAP Another successful year for one of the areas fastest growing shows.

by JUSTIN PALMER

37

CAR SHOWS

DIPPIN DONUTS

One of the areas best weekly car show, and there’s donuts!

by JUSTIN PALMER

42

CAR SHOWS

FILLMORE AUTO SHOW

Labor Day weekend is known as the last long weekend of summer. It also has been the weekend of the popular Fillmore Auto Show

by JOHN ZACHARY

42

SPONSORED TECH HOW-TO

HEADLIGHT RESTORATION

Ever own a car or have seen cars that have that nasty film on the headlights? Well you don’t have to buy new headlights. It can be fixed!

by JOHN CANNIZZARO

READERS RIDES // LET’S SEE THOSE 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!

2015 HONDA CIVIC SI

My name is Casie Bellstedt and this is my 2015 Honda Civic SI. I got her just over a year ago brand new and immediately started putting money into it. My first mod

was my D2 lowering springs paired with TruHart struts. Next came my custom color powder-coated 18x7.5 Advan RGII’s with white extended F2 lug nuts and SPC Performance control arms from DSG Perfor-

mance.... And then began my obsession with carbon fiber and the salesman at DSG. I purchased a CF cold air induction box, CF vuse box cover, CF side splitters, CF coil pack cover paired with a custom brilliant red valve cover, and a CF cooling plate. She has a 70mm Invidia N1 catback exhaust, a fiberglass voltex diffuser, and modelo side skirts.

She also has a custom interior wrap and front banner done by ShezDesigns.

I got into cars roughly 5 years ago, prior to that I had never even scheduled an oil change and didn’t even understand why i would need one. My SI has quickly become my favorite car that I have owned, and as the parts come together on it I love it more and more. I am hoping next year to bring the heat a little more and step up in this (mostly) male dominated scene. I have big plans for the future which will eventually end at supercharging her (End at? like that ever happens). This scene has opened my eyes to a whole new world of people that I feel have been like family to me.

My car is my daily driver, my grocery getter, my mom-mobile, and my heart.

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!

4 // APEX AUTOMOTIVE MAGA ZINE

READER’S RIDES 2015 SUBARU WRX STI LAUNCH EDITION

The Subaru WRX STI has always been a dream car of mine. I was just making conversation with a friend of mine one day when he mentioned to me that there was a STI Launch Edition at Bill Rapp Subaru in Syracuse. There were only 1000 Launch Editions made, and they were only sold in the U.S. The Launch Edition package in-

cludes; World Rally Blue paint with gold BBS rims (a necessity for a Subaru purist such as myself,) a short throw shifter, push button start, and blue interior trim where all other STI models have red.

After much searching and researching, I discovered it was the last Launch Edition for sale in the northeastern U.S.. After the agonizing two-week wait, I was finally

able to take delivery of this beauty. (If you can’t see its aesthetic beauty, you can certainly appreciate the beauty in the engineering once you drive one.)

I am continuously impressed by the perfect balance of handling and power, which is enhanced by a well-apportioned cockpit with many of the ‘bells and whistles’ you would expect in a luxury touring car, but not-so-much in a car with such a rich rally racing heritage. The dealership had also added a few items from Subaru which I may not have requested, but am happy they added them; to include a speaker/subwoofer package, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and a rear spoiler under the diffuser (which I had color matched to the car later on.) I, myself, have made a few subtle cosmetic changes such as an F1 brake/fog light, and LED lighting where the factory originally placed Halogen. I am hesitant to make any ‘big’ changes for performance due to the rarity of the car and I would hate to disturb the performance balance.

The car is truly a dream to drive. It’s very much at home on the track, and apportioned enough to make the drive getting there pleasant and comfortable.

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DEALER SPONSORED TEST DRIVE // CARBONE FORD

2016 FOCUS ST New Vehicle Review

photography Chris Penree words Justin Palmer

I would like to start out by saying thank you to the Carbone Automotive group for allowing me to review this handsome 2016 Ford Focus ST. I have been wanting to drive the ST since it was launched because I once owned a 2011 MazdaSpeed 3, a car very similar in power and layout.

I loved the little turbocharged Mazda for its turbo punch and hatchback practicality. With the MazdaSpeed 3 now out of production, the ST has become the hot hatch to have (if you need more than 260bhp than look at its big brother, the all new Focus RS with 350bhp and all wheel drive).

I took some time to take in this sharp hatch from many different angles throughout the day. I grew to really enjoy it’s somewhat mature or ‘clean’ approach to suggesting performance. It doesn’t scream at you with big hood scoops, a whale tale spoiler or a body kit that looks like it was glued on with double sided tape and chewing gum.

Now don’t get me wrong, this car looks the business, with lean sculpted body panels, a much more aggressive front bumper and rear diffuser design than the standard Focus, and some really beautiful wheels.

Inside the design continues to impress with upscale soft touch plastics, heavily bolstered Recaro racing seats and tidy center

stack with a much improved Sync 4 infotainment system.

I’m about 200lbs and 6’ 1” and I found the Recaros snug but in a good way and I never felt uncomfortable during my hours driving this car. The bolstering is aggressive however and for larger drivers this maybe an issue so I would suggest trying the Recaros out before ordering that package. Outback there is plenty of room to fit full sized adults and like any hatch, with the seats folded down there is some serious storage capability making this a very nice alternative to a coupe.

Under the hood lies Ford’s 2.0L EcoBoost turbocharged engine producing just under 260bhp and similar torque. That power is sent through a six speed manual gearbox to the front wheels. Torque steer is

not prevalent under hard acceleration which is impressive when you consider this car is putting down 2005 Mustang GT power to the front tires. When on the power the little turbo four pulls strong and turbo lag is almost nonexistent. This was accomplished by using a fairly small turbo in combination with a larger engine. Zero to sixty comes in about 5.5 seconds and this hot hatch feels every bit of its rated power figures. There is also a nice grunt that grows in aggression as you stay on throttle. Ford uses a combination of a sound enhancer tube that connects off the intake box and electronic engine noise that pumps through the cars audio system. The result sounds very satisfying and throaty.

The six speed manual transmission is a joy to push through the gates with positive throws and the clutch take up is light but with lots of feedback. Steering input is firm and direct with plenty of road feel and the suspension is The Focus ST’s not too harsh over bumps interior is a considering the perforpleasant place to be with soft mance this care is touch plastics, capable of.

Recaro racing At the end of the day seats, carbon I wanted to take this car fiber shift home. If you have a family knob/e-brake or just value four doors and a thick flat but want a sports car, this bottom wheel. might be your best bet.  APEX AUTOMOTIVE MAGA ZINE // 7

AMERICAN MUSCLE // SHELBY GT350

A ONE-OF-ONE

GT350 This beautiful Shelby GT350 in Gotta Have It Green is literally a one off car created by the Shelby group. photography Thomas Sblendorio words Bob Sblendorio

8 // APEX AUTOMOTIVE MAGA ZINE

En route to the garage for the interview, even before initial pleasantries were exchanged, Sue McDonald described her 2014 Shelby GT350 with a simple phrase: “one-ofone!” For any car collector, there is nothing more treasured than owning a one-of-one!

With that, she got my attention; and Sue, along with her husband Joe, then proceeded to describe their journey of getting the car.

A few years ago, Joe and Sue wanted to add to their car collection, which includes classic muscle cars from the ‘60s and ‘70s.

This time they wanted a newer muscle car, something with all the modern amenities for comfort, performance and handling. They are both big “Ford fans” and in particular Sue loves Mustangs. She had previously owned a 2011 Mustang that she really enjoyed. Next in the process came the “mistake,” as Joe kiddingly explained; “I placed a call out to Shelby American in Las Vegas – and after a very long conversation with a salesman – I was hooked.” After discussing it with his wife, their decision was made…Sue was getting a brand new Shelby GT350!

The first order of business was the purchase of a basic 2014 Mustang from the local Romano Ford dealership, a dealership they already did business with. The car was ordered with all of the options she wanted in the final car, including the relatively new (2013) paint option of “Gotta Have It Green,” which was a must have, according to Sue. After ordering the car, it was shipped directly to Shelby American in Las Vegas.

Much like ordering the basic car, the next decision was ordering the desired options from Shelby American. As far as that goes, the McDonalds pretty much ordered every option that Shelby offered, with only a couple of exceptions. The main options and modifications to the car included: Kenne Bell Supercharger, fiberglass hood, new skirting front and rear, Shelby wheels, Shelby/Wilwood disc brakes, entirely new Shelby/Katskin interior, gauge pod, special Shelby/Borla exhaust system, oil coolers, high performance cooling system, and Ford racing suspension.

Throughout the conversion process – which took about 7 months – the shop sent many photos of the car through the various stages of work. When the car was completed, the McDonalds flew out to Las Vegas to see it. Even the viewing of the car was presented in a special way, referred to as a “Museum Delivery.” The day started by them getting picked up at the hotel where they were staying. Upon arriving at the shop, they were greeted by a group of employees, with APEX AUTOMOTIVE MAGA ZINE // 9

that win, they were invited back the following year in 2015, for the 50th Anniversary of the Shelby Mustang. For the event, their car was part of a special display area with other Shelby Mustangs, all of which were of the ‘60s era. It was a nice honor to have the only modern era Shelby on display. Also, as part of the event they got to meet and get autographs from Chuck Cantwell…the lead engineer personally hired by Carroll Shelby.

He was in charge of the GT350 program in the mid-‘60s. At the event, Cantwell also made an in-depth presentation that the McDonalds attended, about the Shelby Mustang development. He also shared some personal stories about the man himself, Carroll Shelby…like the “350” (in the GT350), came from the number of steps across the parking lot that Shelby had to walk from his the finished car displayed on a pedestal – for office to the shop. He then decided to name that “wow factor” – and it worked. Next, was the car after that. Joe explained, that Shelby the taking of photos and the presentation of was held in such high esteem, that he was a commemorative plaque with Sue’s name “like some mythical figure” among his peers on it. After the presentation, they were given and others in the industry. a behind-the-scenes tour of the factory, In the end, Sue’s 2014 which is only afforded to VIP Shelby GT350 is a modern guests. And yes, the cost of the SHELBY WAS HELD muscle car with 624 hp, whole process of purchasing a IN SUCH HIGH and 536 lb-ft of torque. It basic Ford Mustang and getting it converted into a Shelby ESTEEM, THAT HE is one of 87 that were converted by Shelby American GT350 was very expensive…

WAS “LIKE SOME that year and it is the only but unbelievably the car has already appreciated in value MYTHICAL FIGURE” convertible, painted with “Gotta Have It Green” that according to Joe and Sue! AMONG HIS PEERS was built, and hence the Joe explained, Shelby American is an impressive AND OTHERS IN THE “one-of-one.” Joe explained that some of the other cars facility and operation. They INDUSTRY. manufacture various high in their collection also have performance cars, as well as engines with comparable horsepower, but being sell parts and accessories. In older designed muscle cars addition to the manufacturing with older suspension and brakes…“they operation, there is a museum, known as the can be downright scary, when going fast.”

“Heritage Center,” which has a variety of cars on display.

This is not the case with the GT350, it is like In 2014, shortly after receiving their car, being on “rails.” Joe said, “The future plans for the car include continuing to attend local Joe & Sue attended the Carlisle Ford Nashows, and someday getting to a track – like tionals, in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. With their the Watkins Glen Speedway – so the full brand new ride, they entered a competition performance of the car can be tested”… for the “2011 Shelby & up” category – and but only if Sue allows!  you guessed – won first place. As a result of

Carroll Shelby (1923-2012) was legendary: as a race car driver, a car designer, and as an entrepreneur. Just how incredible was his legacy to the automotive industry in the US and throughout the world? One measure of the impact of his legacy occurred on August 19, 2016, when a world record was set at the RM Sotheby’s auction event in Monterey, California; the first Shelby Cobra was sold for a record $13.8 million!

This car was the original car that is responsible for starting one of the most iconic lines of performance cars ever. It was personally owned by Carroll Shelby up until his death in 2012. This car, known as CSX 2000, was hand built by Shelby in 1962 by combining a successfully made British AC Ace sports car and installing a Ford 260 cu in V8 engine. That prototype was light, very fast and did well on the road and at the track. Shelby was known for the simple mantra of: little car, big engine, “It’s as simple as that” he once told Car and Driver.

In 1964, Shelby went on to work with Ford to develop and build the legendary Shelby Mustang GT350. The car was introduced in 1965 and included street and race versions. The high-performance GT350 was intended to compete against the highly successful Corvettes in SCCA road racing venues. It certainly was an enduring line of performance cars that lasted more than 50 years!

In the end, Carroll Hall Shelby did it all: veteran of WWII, survived a heart transplant in 1990 and a kidney transplant in 1996; raised and donated a significant amount of money for many charitable causes through the Carroll Shelby Foundation; and created an incredible empire in the automotive industry. On May 10th, 2012, Carroll Shelby passed away at the age of 89.

photography Chris Penree words David Sblendorio

12 // APEX AUTOMOTIVE MAGA ZINE

FEATURED RIDES // SKYLINE/GTR

TWO JAPANESE HEROES. BOTH BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLES OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGICAL EVOLUTION.

APEX AUTOMOTIVE MAGA ZINE // 13

The Nissan Skyline GT-R: That special car people always lust after seeing it in movies, games, and magazines. As Americans, we were never treated to the car for whatever reasons. It was a car never sold in the US, and we just had no access to it. But luckily in 2007, we were deemed worthy enough and able to purchase the new GT-R. Thanks, Nissan!

This is Rich Terpening’s 2013 GT-R, the first year the potent 3.8 liter twin turbo V6 had the 545 hp and 463 lb-ft engine. Also the first year the beautiful deep blue pearl color option was added, which I find to be the most attractive and unique factory color I’ve seen on an R35 GT-R. Also, we have Zach LaSalle’s ‘90 R32 Skyline GTS-t. The GTS-t model came with the RB20DET engine making about 210 hp and was also a rear-wheel drive car. Zach’s particular car has an upgraded RB25DET engine, that with a 2.5-liter displacement, which has quite a bit more punch than the original RB20’s 2.0 liter.

Although very different cars, both the GT-R and the Skyline come from the same lineage, dating back to 1957 when Prince Motors first released the Skyline. Two years after Prince Motors and Nissan merged the C10 Skyline was born in 1968. This first Nissan Skyline, known as the Hakosuka by enthusiasts, is the first generation of the GT-R that featured the S60 engine DOHC inline six making 160 hp. The GT-R model would remain as the flagship Skyline all the way through to the R34 generation. The GT-R was the most expensive and best-performing version of the car. Originally, this 14 // APEX AUTOMOTIVE MAGA ZINE

meant you’d get the sportier S60 engine along with other changes geared towards track use for the Hakosuka and Kenmeri Skyline, which was built from 72-77. The introduction of the R32 added all-wheel-drive the larger 2.6-liter twin turbo, Rb26DETT inline six engine as the major differences from the standard Skyline. This remained true throughout the R33 and R34 generations, which ended production in 2002.

With the introduction of the R35 generation in 2007, Nissan dropped the Skyline name, which only left the GT-R. Basic Skyline models were no longer available.

We’re finally getting to see the some of

the older cars on the road, which for years, was an unattainable icon here in the states.

Cars older than 25 years are exempt from US safety and emissions laws, and being that the R32 Skyline’s first production year was 1989, those willing to go through the work involved can now purchase and have one imported. This is how Zach got his ‘90 car. It was purchased through the classic Japanese car importer, Rivsu Imports, in Sanford, Florida. Once Rivsu had received the car from Japan, it was then shipped to New York. While the process sounds easy, it’s anything but. Zach had been searching for a very long time to find the right car, long enough that most people would’ve just given up.

The R32 generation was extremely important for the Skyline family, being the first to earn the Godzilla nickname. Although previous generations had a respectable racing history, the R32 GT-R, however, was a true force; winning all 29 Japanese Touring Car Championship races it entered.

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Although extremely impressive, it’s not the racing credentials that have won the hearts of car enthusiasts around the world, it’s the fun people get from driving these road-going vehicles and the way they really beg to be modified.

In Japan, and other countries where these cars were originally imported, they have been building them since they hit showroom floors. They have been proven as a great platform for every form of motorsport you can think of - from drag racing with engines well over 1000 horsepower to circuit racing, and drifting for the rear-wheel drive models - it’s hard to find something a Skyline/GT-R isn’t good at.

The introduction of the 2007 R35 Nissan GT-R was huge. Nissan cranked up the technological insanity with this car. When the new GT-R first came out, the performance was truly amazing and has only gotten better as the years went on. But just like a sports team that always wins, eventually, people began to nitpick and criticize the GT-R. I can confidently tell you though that Rich has no problem proving this car has earned its rank as an exotic car killer.

All of us car guys and girls have different perceptions of what makes a fast car. A lot of people grew up around old muscle

cars and the fastest things anyone had seen had a big cubic inch V8 sending a ton of power to the rear wheels, and with a blip of the throttle the car was all over the road and the driver was hanging on for dear life.

Getting these cars straight is half the battle.

For a lot of us in the younger generation of car enthusiasts, it was a lot more of the smaller lightweight cars that may or may not have been turbocharged. In the more recent years, small Japanese and European cars were the cheapest and easiest way to go fast. Now your experiences may differ, but I would be willing to bet your teenage friend down the street didn’t have a 545 hp all-wheel-drive terror... like a GT-R. The GT-R changed my perception fast.

When you stomp the throttle of your average fast car you get wheel spin and craziness before you really start pulling. The GT-R on the other hand might spin a tad if you go full throttle from a very low speed, but after that, you’re gone. In what feels like the blink of an eye, you’re at a point where as Rich says, “It’s like no one else is moving.”

But of course the R35 GT-R didn’t stray too awfully far from its roots as a proper race car, and unlike some of the old muscle cars and the like, the GT-R’s cornering ability is equally as impressive as its outright speed. It’s one of those special cars where the limit seems impossible to reach anywhere outside of a racetrack.

The GT-R has always been Japan’s top performer, although some may dispute that if we look back at the ‘90s. Regardless, it is an extremely important machine that will always get better, which of course could be done by Nissan or the owner of the car.

Looking at Zach’s older Skyline to Rich’s new GT-R is a great way to see the progression over the years of a legendary lineage.

If history is anything to go by - the next 50 years of Skyline/GT-R should only get better. 

In case you’re not super familiar with the Skyline GT-Rs. Here is a basic rundown of each generation mentioned.

There are a few others, but these are the most popular.

C10:1968-72. Known as the Hakosuka, or box skyline in English. This was the first to have the high-performance GT-R model.

C110: 1972-77. Known as the Kenmeri, after the popular commercials of the car featuring a couple with the names Ken and Mary. Some say the names came from the fact that the car looked very American at the time; that makes sense being that the reverse of Kenmeri is Meriken.

Get it?

R32: 1989-94. First to earn the Godzilla nickname because of its tremendous success in racing.

Also, the first GT-R to offer allwheel-drive and the first with the venerable RB26 engine.

R33:1995-98. Continued on where the R32 left off. Same engine and drive-train layout, still a force in racing

R34:1999-02. Possibly the most famous. Was featured in the movie 2 Fast 2 Furious which was probably the first time a lot of people ever saw it. Same AWD and RB26 drive-train still continued on from the R32.

R35:20 07-present. Latest generation and first to be sold in the US. All new technology to keep up with modern supercars and the first that didn’t use an inline six. The engine is now a V6 called the VR38DETT.

Q+A // PHIL BURKART JR.

BORN TO

GO FAST

At 14 years old, Phil Burkart Jr. drove his race on a drag strip at Cicero, N.Y.’s ESTA dragstrip. Now a professional racer and owner of Burkart Automotive, we took an opportunity to sit down with Phil to find out more about life inside and outside the Top Alcohol Funny Car. photography Chris Penree words Matt Wilson

You drove on the drag strip at 14!

How did this all start?

My father had raced since the early 60s. He was doing it every day with his own cars and with others cars he was working on. He started Burkart Automotive in 1967. It started out as an engine building and machine shop that sold racing accessories and built race engines. And I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Between sweeping floors and doing the menial tasks, at age 12 I put my first engine together. I had done some motocross racing and I had started riding a mini-bike at four – everything came much earlier to me than to most because of my father’s influence.

How did that first race go?

It was a rear engine dragster. We didn’t start off running as fast as we ended up running that year – a 9.70 quarter-mile at 140mph.

Over the course of half a year, I got faster.

I had a throttle stop which allowed only a portion of the throttle, then half a throttle, then three-quarters of a throttle – I worked up to it as the year went on. My father had a 18 // APEX AUTOMOTIVE MAGA ZINE

plan for me. Every single year ever since I’ve raced something.

When did you go pro?

I got my license in 1998. I was semi-pro for the 8 years before that. I learned a lot of my skills driving in the Alcohol ranks from 1991 to 1998. And then once I got the license and started driving Nitro funny cars in 1998 until 2014.

How competitive was being a pro?

In the pro ranks nowadays, if you’re not bringing sponsorship to a team chances are you’re not getting the driving job. A lot of the on-and-off throughout the years is either because the team ran out of money through a lost sponsorship, or another driver with sponsorship money came along – it’s been kind of a rollercoaster. There were quite a few years where I drove full-time, had a good team with good sponsorship, did really well and did the full NHRA tour across the country.

When you ran Nitro Funny Cars what was your best result?

I had four national championship wins in Nitro Funny Car between 1999 and 2006.

Explain the difference between regionals and nationals.

In the top Alcohol Funny Car categories we’re able to run for two different championships. We run for a regional championship but points from the region count towards a national championship too. You’d take five races from the regional, and five races from the national and combine your best ten and that’s your national points.

You might never run in the same races as other national contenders, but we all got a national ranking and competed against each other for points.

How did you get connected with the Follow a Dream/Permatex team?

I got a phone call out of the blue. Jay Blake is the owner of the car. It took some convincing – I have so much on my shoulders with my family and business – I had to talk it over with them all to make sure we could make it work.

How are things going this season in the 2016 Lucas Oil East Region series?

This year was good. It’s my first year back in Top Alcohol Funny Car ranks since ’98. And while the car is similar looking to Nitro, it’s a completely different driving style and procedure. When we went to Gainesville for the first race it suddenly came to me that it had been 18 years. It took me a few runs to get my feet under me, but it came back to me.

We’re number 2 in the region and top 10 nationally right now. The regional point chase is done now so we just missed out on the win. We lead it the whole year, except for the final race at Atco, N.J.

How fast are you going – what’s a good time?

You can be traveling more than 260 mph across the line. For a quarter-mile time, 5.48 is the best we ran this year – that’s also a team best over the past few years. We accomplished a lot this year.

How important is the driver in a top Alcohol Funny Car? The style of the driver works into the tuneup of the car. You can’t drop a different driver into the car. Then there’s reaction-time off the line of course and in the top alcohol cars there’s a three-speed transmission – so hitting the shift points at exactly the right time is critical and it’s also important to shut the car off at the right time to extend the life expectancy of the engine. An extra half-second running lean past the finish line could blow the engine!

What do you like to do when you’re not north of 250mph on the drag strip?

I have so much going on with family and business. When I was pro racing, my father was here to hold down the business. Now that responsibility is on me 100 percent.

It’s taken a few years to get to a place where I’m ready. My family is into it, too. My 14 year-old daughter Santina runs in the junior drag races running with 13 to 18 year olds.

She runs the eighth mile in 7.9 seconds. My seven year old is chomping at the bit too! She rides her own four-wheeler right now but can’t wait to get in a car.

What kind of company is Burkart Automotive today?

We still do all the classic and race engine

rebuilding, machine work, accessory sales and installation. We do classic car restorations over the winter and we’re also known for heavy-duty diesel work.

On top of that we offer standard auto repairs and maintenance too.

What’s the story on the car in the showroom?

It’s a Class B-altered drag car that my father raced from 1969 to 1973. He was successful with it locally and it helped get the word out when he started the business and helped put Burkart Automotive on the map. When he passed away I felt compelled to build a recreation of the car in his memory.

What’s your favorite type of work to do?

I love doing the engine machine work.

There’s only one other shop in the Utica area that does it. It’s what I’ve done since 15 years old. We tend to see the older engines. If you have a high performance, antique, classic, or collectible car, truck or tractor then chances are you need us.

We have a good reputation for anything from classic and antique car engine rebuilds to high performance race engines – and of course we do drag car engine work and restoration work too.

What’s on the cards for next year at the drag strip?

With a full season of experience, next year should be promising – no reason that we can’t take the regional championship and compete for a win nationally given what we as a team have learned.

APEX AUTOMOTIVE MAGA ZINE // 19

FOLLOW-UP // CHARLIE TIBBITTS

Charlie Tibbitts the 12 year old race car driver photography Jeremiah Fish & Kim Scheri words Bob Sblendorio

Charlie is a prolific and accomplished racer. In his younger years, he had over 200 go-kart victories and last year he raced the Xcel 600 Modified cars.

20 // APEX AUTOMOTIVE MAGA ZINE

This year he moved up to the 602 Sportsman Series. He said, “This season has been a lot better than expected, and that’s with running a shorter number of races [at Utica Rome Speedway] due to a lot of races that were canceled because of rain.”

During the interview, it was fascinating to hear a novice explain, in some detail, the technical aspects of driving a 400hp car around the track; like the best way to approach the turns and then try to “power slide so you can come off the turn with the maximum amount of speed.” In the turns, “you want to avoid jerking the steering wheel to avoid spinning around and then you can keep the speed out of the turn.”

He continued to explain how different and variable the track conditions can be from

week-to-week, and how the drivers need to read the conditions and compensate their style. Clearly, the skill on display by Charlie, and all of the other drivers, week in and week out at the tracks – is nothing short of incredible – and a lot of fun to watch as a spectator.

Early in the season he flipped the car on the back straightaway while trying to avoid two or three cars that had spun out in front of him. To avoid the cars, he quickly turned the wheel, but he was “carrying a lot of momentum, the tires dug, and the car flipped over.” Charlie, and the car, were a little banged up. After the accident, Kim (his mom) explained that he was taken to the hospital “as a precaution and he was fine.”

She went on to explain, “In a way I felt better

“YOU WANT TO AVOID JERKING THE STEERING WHEEL TO AVOID SPINNING AROUND AND THEN YOU CAN KEEP THE SPEED OUT OF THE TURN.”

after the accident because it demonstrated what the crew members were telling me all along…‘he is well protected because of all the safety features built into the cars.’” After seeing Charlie upside down and ok afterwards, she felt a lot more confident in the car, and “happy to get that out-of-the-way early in the season.”

At Utica Rome, the last points race was on September 4th (racing continues until early October) for all of the series, which made for an especially exciting night of racing. The top two drivers in the 602 Sportsman were Matt Janczuk and Rocky Warner, separated by only 2 points entering the final feature race that would determine the 2016 Champion. That race was as competitive as a race can be and it was thrill to witness. In the way, and leading for the first 12 laps, was Charlie Tibbitts; who, at times, was ahead by as much as nine car lengths on the back straightway. In the end, Matt Janczuk got the lead and won the race – along with the 2016 Championship. The runner-up for the final feature was Casey Williams, followed

by David Schilling, then last year’s champion Rocky Warner and Charlie Tibbitts in fifth.

That final feature race was “definitely the high point of the season,” Charlie said.

In 2016, Charlie competed in 11 point races at Utica Rome Speedway. At Fulton

Speedway, he competed in 8 races in the Novice 602 Sportsman Series. At Utica Rome he won 2 heat races, had 1 top five and 1 top ten in feature races. During the season, he lead 16 laps total and came in 14th overall for the season, based on the points in the 602 Sportsman Series. He acknowledged the many talented people, and the many sponsors of the car…that make it all happen. The team is lead by Crew Chief, Mason Olmstead who works on the car every week, and he is supported and assisted by Mike Walton, Brett Rounsville and Chris Tibbitts.

Now in seventh grade and at the Middle School, the reaction to his racing career has been positive, gaining fellow student fans. And it’s not just friends who are interested in his racing career: “My science teacher told all the other teachers at the school that I race” Charlie said. He has also started Modified Football, a new sport for Charlie. Following football season, in November, he plans to participate in wrestling again, a sport he is particularly accomplished in, with many past wins and Championships.

Clearly, this young gun will have a bright future whether on a football field, wrestling mat or on a race track, and it should be fun to watch it unfold! 

22 // APEX AUTOMOTIVE MAGA ZINE

FEATURED SHOP // THE LITTLE SPEED SHOP

THE LITTLE SHOP

THAT’S NOT SO LITTLE ANYMORE photography Thomas Sblendorio words Justin Palmer

The Little Speed Shop located in Rochester, NY is anything but little. During the day you will see everything from full race spec Porsche Caymans and GT3’s in their racing and fabrication building, to more common cars like VW’s and Toyota’s receiving service in their amazing general service facility complete with six rotary lifts and a ton of state-of-the-art equipment.

APEX AUTOMOTIVE MAGA ZINE // 23

Delivering Joy Since 1929

www.CarboneCars.com

The Little Speed Shop located in Rochester, NY is anything but little. During the day you will see everything from full race spec Porsche Caymans and GT3’s in their racing and fabrication building, to more common cars like VW’s and Toyota’s receiving service in their amazing general service facility complete with six rotary lifts and a ton of state-of-the-art equipment. It’s truly amazing that this place was built in just five years.

While it’s easy to assume that The Little Speed Shop started life as a heavily funded startup with plenty of staff on hand to get things off the ground, that couldn’t be any further from truth.

Kevin Vanvalkenburgh, The Little Speed Shops President, started his passion for working on cars and racing at a young age.

Kevin took every opportunity he could to be at the race track and raced everything from dirt modifieds to go karts. Soon after graduating high school he enrolled into the Universal Technical Institute in Arizona and was accepted into the BMW program. From there he went on to work as a BMW Tech in Albany and then eventually moved back to his hometown Rochester to work.

At this point, Kevin had ten years of experience working as a BMW Master Tech which in itself is an achievement, but he also had a robust racing background and really understood the track culture. He realized that he could fill a niche market by providing high level track car service while at the same time perform dealer level service to everyday cars at independent shop prices.

Kevin had a lot of people coming to him

A NICE PLACE TO WAIT The Little Speed Shop has a spacious waiting room connected to their 8,000+ square foot service area, stocked with all sorts of cool automotive toys, art and trinkets to keep you comfy as your ride is worked on.

wanting him to work on their cars, so he eventually bit the bullet and bought a small 1,400 sq ft garage (which now houses their racing and fabrication area, but more about that later).

Any average person might take a loan out and quit their day job hoping the new venture would take right off. Unfortunately, this wasn’t really an option for Kevin be-

cause with all this happening he managed to meet his now wife and The Little Speed Shop VP of Operations, Jillian VanValkenburgh, and they were soon married and pregnant in swift order. Kevin would work his day job as a tech and immediately drive to the shop to continue working on his customers’ cars until one or two in the morning without taking a single day off for eight months straight.

APEX AUTOMOTIVE MAGA ZINE // 25

At that point he was burnt out so he and for their Mustang GT. But for Jilian it was Jillian (who actually was working as a social a natural fit. She applied her people skills worker at Hillside Children’s Center and had from working as a social worker to create a been there for eight years) both quit their really great experience for customers and at jobs and went full throttle into the business. the same time she began to fall in love with Kevin recalls how scary it was because helping customers build their dream car or they had almost no money to start. “I simply fix their daily driver. “I literally went literally had a thousand dollars in my bank from not even knowing anything about cars account. I mean it was bad, to being able to build you a really bad. We would just take complete race car off the top I GET MUCH any money we made and buy of my head. It’s kinda crazy, MORE ENJOYMENT but I love it!” Talking to her I the equipment we needed.

And we just kept doing it with would never guess she wasn’t HELPING MY each customer.” doing this type of work, CUSTOMERS KEEP always In the beginning it was it’s truly amazing the depth of THEIR CARS GO- knowledge that she has. She just Kevin and Jillian. Kevin would work on the cars and absorbed the car culture ING AT THE TRACK has Jillian would wear many like a sponge and really knows AND SEEING THE what she is talking about. hats including handling HR issues, ordering parts, billing, It didn’t take long for SATISFACTION scheduling, accounting, The Little Speed Shop to add THEY GET OUT OF another lift to its small 1,400 establishing customer and vendor relationships, and even sq ft space, but they were RACING. helping with builds. What’s still feeling a bit cramped so astonishing is that she had with their growing customer almost no background in cars at all. She base and eventually took the opportunity went to school for psychology and now was to purchase the space next door when it ordering big brake kits and helping customcame up for sale. It was a industrial carpet ers figure out the best supercharger setup building owned by the tenants they already

were sharing space with and the layout was perfect for a large service shop with 10,000 sq ft of a pretty much open floor plan.

After purchasing the building, the tenants they were with moved out and Kevin knocked down the wall that divided their space. Now they had 5,000 sq feet of space, substantially more than the 1,400 they started with plus the new building, so a combined work area of about 15,000 sq ft.

While the service portion of The Little speed Shop is a huge chunk of the business they receive, it’s the specialized track side service that they are becoming really well known for. With much of Kevin’s automotive passion stemming from his 20+ years of racing at Watkins Glen, he realized that there was a niche market that wasn’t being assessed very well. Every time he would be at the track he noticed that there was really no turn key track side service available for drivers and that racers basically depended on each other to make repairs.

He eventually got his CDL and purchased a large 5 car trailer complete with a large sleeper cab. Kevin began offering no hassle turn key packages to his customers who had race cars. Now you could have your car serviced or upgraded at The Little Speed Shop, but also arrange to have them deliver your car to the track and function as your personal pit crew. This concept has really worked out well for Kevin and he is booked all summer attending many events every week. “ A lot of customers ask me, don’t you miss racing? Why don’t you still race? Yes I do! I don’t have time! Still I get much more enjoyment helping my customers keep their cars going at the track and seeing the satisfaction they get out of racing. I would say I enjoy that much more than actual racing.

But I do plan to get back into racing in the future once I have more time.” said Kevin.

What started as literally “A Little Speed Shop” is now a living, breathing and most importantly prospering business with six full time employees. It wasn’t an easy journey, but one thing you quickly notice about Kevin and Jillian is that this is all more than just a job, this is a lifestyle and a passion. They are clearly committed to their customers and do anything they can to help them reach their goals. If you’re ever in the area I highly suggest stopping by their facility. It’s such a great shop and what a inspirational story! 

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2016 SYRACUSE NATIONALS photography John Zachary words John Zachary

28 // APEX AUTOMOTIVE MAGA ZINE

FEATURED SHOW // SYRACUSE NATIONALS

Mid-July in Upstate New York has become Nationals week. Car lovers from all over the East Coast look forward to this event all year long, and with good reason. This show keeps growing in popularity and participation each year.

Making it “The Largest Car Show in the Northeast”.

Cars and trucks start rolling into the Salt City early in the week, giving Central New York’s economy a boost for a week. One thing different about this year’s show was the removal of the historic “Moody Mile” race track that was removed making more room for cars and vendors.

APEX AUTOMOTIVE MAGA ZINE // 29

Saturday morning we headed out at 4:30 am to get to the show and volunteer with the 7 Valley Street Rods. We checked windshield passes and punched tickets as the participants rolled up in their sweet rides. This is great fun for us to interact with these fellow car lovers before all of the spectators arrive for the day.

We at Apex Magazine were lucky enough to be able to set up our display in the Tucci Hot Rods tent for the entire weekend. Tucci Hot Rods has become one of the nation’s top builders in recent years. They have been to SEMA, appeared in Hot Rod Magazine, and a few times in Apex. Being with Tucci was great for Apex, giving us more exposure than we might have received on our own.

Saturday was definitely the busiest day of the weekend. The place was packed with people and cars all day. As I walked around the show I started thinking about how much we love our automobiles. Thousands of people come from all over the East Coast and Canada to show off their hard work, or to enjoy looking at other people’s pride and joy. I get it, I’m one of these guys for sure.

With all of the things going on in the world these days we are walking around looking at automobiles for three days, it’s kind of crazy.

As always, the entries were top quality.

From street rods to 60’s and 70’s muscle cars.

This show has something for everybody. Not only the beautiful cars and trucks, but also a ton of vendors selling everything from lights, wheels, chassis, and full bodies. It amazes me how easy car enthusiasts have it these days. Instead of fabricating a part in their garage, they can just order it from one of these after-market companies. Yes it is still hard work building a show car, but these companies definitely make life a little easier.

Saturday’s weather was warm and sunny all day and the place was packed. With the show being spread out more, a golf cart is

definitely a good idea to get around. Gene Winfield was on hand again for his Winfield Six award. First place received $10,000 and the other five won a jacket and $1,000.

Artie’s Party returned for their tenth year to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House. Pinstripes from all over the country created artwork to be auctioned off during the three day event. Again the Ol’ Skool Rods area was hopping with Rockabilly music and awesome works of art called Rat Rods. This kind of show vehicle is not a fad, it is the real deal. You walk around the show looking at wild paint jobs and shiny chrome, these things are beautiful. Then you stop over at the Ol’ Skool area and say, “Wow, now that is cool”.

Two totally different styles of hot rodding, but both works of art in their own ways.

Sunday the car count was down a bit from the first two days, but the American Muscle

car part of the weekend made up for some of the people that headed home early Sunday morning. 1980 is the cutoff year for the show, but Sunday we got to see some new iron grace the show for a nice little change of pace. Car lovers across the nation debate the old car new car thing all the time. As for me, I love them both. Allowing the new cars into the show brings in our younger car lovers, they are the future of this “Sport”.

The quality of the vehicles this year was spectacular as always. Builders are pushing the envelope with their ideas more and more every year. Plus technology is changing the way old cars are being built today. A lot of the new builds are modern cars with old bodies sitting on top of them. Owners get the best of both worlds, the old-school look with all of the modern options available on today’s cars. One thing that stood out to me as I walked around was how many ‘55 Chevys there were among the ocean of vehicles.

My camera had a good workout taking over 1,500 images of great looking rides. I guess that’s not too many shots when there were around 8,200 vehicles on hand. Twenty years from now it will be fun to go back and see how things change generation after generation. Good stuff.

Anybody that loves cars should make a point to attend this show, you will love it.

Right Coast does a great job. We look forward to this weekend every year, and will continue to for many years to come. If you were not fortunate enough to attend this year’s show, we at Apex hope that this story will help fill that void for you until next year.  APEX AUTOMOTIVE MAGA ZINE // 33

STREET SCENE 2016 photography Marc Stress words Justin Palmer

Street Scene (held at Long Branch Park in Syracuse, NY) has quickly become a local favorite car show with its numbers doubling every year. What started out as a relatively modest import heavy show has transformed into something much bigger. Everything from lifted trucks to hotrods and ratrods can be found at this event, although the emphasis is still fairly import heavy. We had a great time attending the show and really enjoyed the live entertainment and the “how low can you go” car limbo contest where the lowest car wins.

After all that walking around to see the some 1,000 plus cars that make this show, you are bound to work up a appetite and with the great selection of food trucks on hand, you are in the right place.

Make sure to check out the Street Scene website (http://www. streetscenenation.com/) for updates on next years event.

It’s sure to be a great one!

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DIPPIN DONUTS

photography Chris Penree words Justin Palmer

This was the last show of the year for the weekly Wednesday night Dippin Donuts show in New Hartford, NY. Each week the show drew a solid group of proud owners with everything from lifted trucks to super clean classics. Delicious fresh donuts are fried on site throughout the show along with music from a great DJ. We look forward to this fantastic show next year. Make sure to like the Dippin Donuts facebook page for show dates and other information!

38 // APEX AUTOMOTIVE MAGA ZINE

FILLMORE AUTO SHOW photography John Zachary words John Zachary

Labor Day weekend is known as 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 70’s and plenty of sunshine to be enjoyed by all. The place was packed with entries. There were a lot of newer cars on hand this year like Corvettes, Camaros, and Mustangs.

Not only is this a spectacular car show, it is also a well-stocked flea market.

Vendors lined the show area selling car parts, die cast, crafts, you name it and it can be found. In the pavilion the volunteers worked hard preparing tasty food for anybody that was hungry. The car corral had a lot of nice rides for reasonable prices.

The quality of the show entries is among some of the best in the area, and the flea market is on the same level. Each year I run into people that I only see once a year at this show. Don’t forget next year to take the nice drive to Fillmore Glen State Park for a very enjoyable local car show and flea market.

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CNY EVENT SCHEDULE //

ALL EVENTS LISTED ARE IN NY STATE.

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

September 3

Wegmans Liverpool Cars & Coffee

Wegmans

Liverpool

September 4

Fillmore Auto Club Show

Fillmore Glen State Park

Moravia

l

September 9-11

Adirondack Vettefest

Ramada Inn

Glens Falls

l

September 9-11

Adirondack Nationals

Fort William Henry Resort

Lake George

l

September 9-11

U.S. Vintage Grand Prix

Watkins Glen International

Watkins Glen

September 9-11

Old Time Gas Engines, Tractor, and Truck Show

Rt. 26

Constableville

September 10

Saratoga Wine, Food & Concours d’Elegance

Saratoga Performing Arts Center

Saratoga Springs l

September 11

CNY SCCA RallyCross Summer at the Wheels #2

Rolling Wheels Raceway Park

Elbridge

September 11

Mohican Model A Ford Club Antique Car Show

Wampsville Fireman’s field

Wampsville

l

September 17

Cruisin At The Downs

Tioga Downs Casino

Nichols

l

September 17-18 Vintage & Classic Street Meet

Village of Clayton

Clayton

l

September 23-25 Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance

Saratoga Auto Museum

Saratoga Springs l

September 24-25 Dover Drag Strip Nostalgia Drags & Car Show

Lebanon Valley Dragway

New Lebanon

September 24

Cruisin At The Downs

Tioga Downs Casino

September 24

Eastern Grass drag Nationals/Eastern MRA Nationals Excell Raceway Park

Bouckville

September 25

Time Tunnel Rod & Custom Show

Lebanon Valley Dragway

New Lebanon

September 25

South Butler Nostalgia Drags & Cruise-In

South Butler Nostalgic Dragway

Savannah

October 1

Herkimer College Annual Car Show

Herkimer College

Herkimer

October 1

Fall Corvette Cruise-In 2016

Eagle Mills Cider Mill & Family Fun Park Broadalbin

October 1

Mo’Ville Speed Shop Alumni Weekend Cruise-In

Morrisville State College

Morrisville

l

October 2

“The Original” Grand Finale Cruise-In

Sidney Municipal Airport

Sidney

l

October 8

Fall Car Show @ the Windmill

The Windmill Farm & Craft Market

Penn Yan

l

October 8

Friendship Cheese Festival and Car Show

Friendship Central School

Friendship

l

October 9

Fall Classic 2016

Loyal Tire & Apple Auto Body

Monroe

l

October 15

25th Anniversary Celebration & Car Cruisin

Tri County Collision

Greene

l

October 15

CNY SCCA RallyCross 24 Hour NEDIV Double Header

Rolling Wheels Raceway Park

Elbridge

l

October 15

Brookdale Colonie Assisted Living Show

626 Watervliet Shaker Rd

Latham

October 23

Leaded to Unleaded Cruise-in

631 River St.

Troy

October 30

Trunk or Treat

Ross Park Zoo

Binghamton

l

November 4-6

The Albany Auto Show

Times Union Center

Albany

l

December 11

CNY SCCA RallyCross Holiday’s at the Farm

Walczyks Farm

Weedsport

l

l

l

l

l

l l

l

l

l

Nichols

l

l l l

l

l l

l l

l l

l

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42 // APEX AUTOMOTIVE MAGA ZINE

With your Dual Action polisher and a compounding pad/fast correcting foam pad, a​ pply about 5 dime size drops of Shine Supply Classic Cut and polish the headlight.

Stop and check your work.(https://shinesupply.com/collections/compounds-and-polishes/products/classic-cut) Repeat until your headlight is clear.

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