Hagerty - From The Cowl Forward

FOR PEOPLE WHO LOVE CARSâ„¢ WINTER 2016

HAGERTY.COM

50 YEARS OF THE CAMARO

PERMIT 429

SARATOGA SPRINGS NY

PAID

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE

changed forever. So did Alex Nunn’s, because, to his family’s great concern, he dropped out of VCU, moved to Kansas and enrolled at McPherson College.

“It gave me the chance to finish my changed forever. So did Alex changed Nunn’s, forever. did Alex Nunn’s, bachelors degree,So which was completebecause, to his family’s greatlybecause, concern, to his family’s great concern, necessary. And I was given a chance he dropped out of VCU, moved hework dropped to Kanout of VCU,I loved: movedclassic to Kanto with something sas and enrolled at McPherson sas College. and enrolled at McPherson College. cars.”

Alex excelled, and he received “It gave me the chance to finish “It gave my me thethe chance finish my crucial grants from RPMto Foundation bachelors degree, which was bachelors completedegree, which was completefor his last two years. “As the youngest ly necessary. And I was givenof lyathree necessary. chance And I was given a chance kids going to college,” he says, to work with something I loved: tokind work classic loved: classic “I ofwith hadsomething to pay my Iown way.” cars.” Alex excelled, and he cars.” received Alex excelled, and he received Following an internship at American crucial grants from the RPMRestomods crucial Foundation grants from the Alex RPMaccepted Foundation in Georgia, a for his last two years. “As the for youngest his last twograduation, years. “As the youngest job there after where he met of three kids going to college,” of three heResciniti, says, kids going to college,” he says, Frank a seasoned mechanic in “I kind of had to pay my own “I way.” kind of had to pay my own way.” endurance racing. When Resciniti left in Following an internship at2012 American Following an Riley internship at American to work for Technologies as Restomods in Georgia, Alexcrew accepted Restomods Georgia, Alex accepted chief aforinthe new factory Dodge a job there after graduation, where job there he met after graduation, met Viper team, he offered Alexwhere a spot.he “He Frank Resciniti, a seasoned mechanic Frank Resciniti, in a seasoned mechanic in said if you want the opportunity to go to endurance racing. When Resciniti endurance left here in racing.

Le Mans, it is.”When Resciniti left in Alex thrives in the 2012 to work for Riley Technologies 2012 to as work for Riley Technologies as Alex has been racing ever since but high-pressure world crew chief for the new factory crew Dodge chief for the new factory of motorsport, and admits he knew nothing of theDodge sport his role within the Viper team, he offered Alex a Viper spot.he team, “He he offered Alex split a spot. when started.

Mechanics the“He car Viper teams to said if you want the opportunity saidto if go youtowant the opportunity tocockgo to into thirds, for example: front end, which he has conLe Mans, here it is.”

Le and Mans, here it is.” pit rear end.

“You just stick to your Alex thrives in the tributed has helped Alex has been racing ever since Alex but has been racing ever but part of the car and become ansince expert.” high-pressure world them earn plenty of motorsport, and admits he knew nothing of the admits sport he knew nothing of the sport of podiums.

Alex says the whole thing felt like an his role within the when he started. Mechanics out-of-body-experience. split whenthe hecar started. Mechanics split the “There’s so car Viper teams to into thirds, for example: frontmuch into end,thirds, cockfor example: to learn, so quickly.front Notend, onlycockwas I which he has conpit and rear end.

“You just stick pit to and your rear end.

“You just stick to your learning race cars, which are a comtributed has helped part of the car and become an part expert.” of different the car and become expert.” pletely animal, but an I was doing them earn plenty of podiums.

Alex says the whole thingpit felt Alex likesays an theTV, whole thing like an stops on live in front offelt fans, the out-of-body-experience. “There’s out-of-body-experience. so “There’s so boss, sponsors, everybody.

That chalmuch to learn, so quickly. Not much onlykept to was learn, I head so quickly. lenge my in it.” Not only was I ALEX NUNN'S nine-to-five is the business end of a learning race cars, which arelearning a With com- the race cars, which a comDodge team’sare exit after Dodge Viper GT3 race car. From the cowl forward, pletely I was Alex doing different was doing is nowanimal, part ofbut theI privateer 28-year-old Alex runs the show on the Viper Exchange pletely different animal, but2014, pit stops onFoundation live TV, in front Viper of pitfans, stops the on live entry TV, in in front fans, the The RPM Exchange theof series.

No. 33 entry in IMSA’s Weathertech SportsCar Chamaccelerates the boss, sponsors, everybody.

That boss, chalsponsors, everybody.

That With a firm grasp on the world ofchalenpionship. It’s a far cry from the boring stuff he was up growth of the next lenge kept my head in it.” durance lenge kept my head in it.”love to make to-fiveto ALEX isat the NUNN'S business end nine-to-five of a isUniversity. the business end of a racing, he would Virginia Commonwealth generation of autoWith the Dodge team’s exit after the Dodge team’s e car. From Dodge the Viper cowl GT3 forward, racethe car.family From plan the cowl forward, the With jump to prototypes.

Butexit he’safter got College was always for Alex, and in motive restoration 2014, Alex is now part of the 2014, privateer Alex is now part of the privateer the show 28-year-old on the Viper Alex Exchange runs the show on the Viper Exchange back-burner plans, too, like returning 2005 he started at VCU. But business administration and Thenot RPM Foundation The preservation RPM Foundation Exchange entry in theto Viper series.

Exchange entry in the s Weathertech No.be 33 aentry SportsCar in dull IMSA’s ChamWeathertech SportsCar school for engineering andseries. design, can pretty major if you’re that intoChamit, and Viper craftsmen through accelerates the accelerates the With a firm grasp on the world With ofaenfirm grasp onrace the cars, worldwhich of enfrom the pionship. boring It’s stuff a far he cry was from up was the boring heall. was up or restoring vintage after two years, Alex Nunn not intostuff it. At scholarships, growth of theabout next growthracing, of theformal next durance he would love durance to make racing,everything he would love to make nwealth to Then University. at Virginia Commonwealth University. would combine he loves. his mom sent him a newspaper story training andof mentorgeneration of autogeneration auto- But“I’m jump to prototypes. the he’sjump to prototypes.

But he’s got s the family College plan for was Alex, always andof the inDesign family plan for Alex, and in the agot classic car guy at heart.”

Ralph Gilles, now Head at Fiat/Chrysler, who ship.

Learn more at motive restoration motive restoration back-burner plans, too, like back-burner returning plans, too,certainly like returning U. Buthimself 2005 business hehad started administration VCU. But business administration Old race cars would benonceat been disillusioned with his path — rpm.foundation. and preservation and preservation to school design, for engineering andThey’d design, major ifuntil can you’re be pretty that dull into it, andto if you’re nottothat into it,artisand to school for engineering and efit from Alex Nunn’s passion. his anot aunt wrote a major letter Chrysler extol the craftsmen through craftsmen through orscholarships, restoring vintage race cars, or restoring which race Nunn tic was after not twointo years, it. At Alex all. Nunn was not into it. Gilles’ At formal all. life have his momvintage to thank forcars, it. which talents of her disaffected nephew.

Ralph scholarships, formal would combine everything he would loves. combine everything he loves. him a newspaper Then his mom story about sent him a newspaper story about training and mentortraining and mentora classic car guy “I’m a classic car guy at heart.” d of Design Ralph at Gilles, Fiat/Chrysler, now Headwho of Design at Fiat/Chrysler, who “I’m ship.

Learn more at ship.

Learn more atat heart.”

76 HAGERTY.COM Old race cars would certainly Old benrace cars would certainly benn disillusioned himself had withonce his path been —disillusioned with his path — rpm.foundation. rpm.foundation.

RPM Foundation is an entity of America's Automotive Trust. efitThey’d from Alex Nunn’s passion. They’d etter to until Chrysler his aunt to extol wrotethe a letter artis-to Chrysler to extol the artis- efit from Alex Nunn’s passion. have his mom to thank for it.have his mom to thank for it. ected tic nephew. talentsRalph of herGilles’ disaffected life nephew. Ralph Gilles’ life

b y S t e f an L ombar d

From the cowl FORWARD heFrom cowlthe FORWARD cowl FORWARD

76

Toll Free: 855.537.4579 Website: www.rpm.foundation HAGERTY.COM

PHOTOS: PHOTOS: RICHARD PRINCE (2) RICHARD PRINCE (2)

PATHWAY b y S t e f an TO LCAREERS ombar d

PHOTOS: RICHARD PRINCE (2)

M FOUNDATION RPMPATHWAY FOUNDATION TO CAREERS