HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE Better than fruitcake

$981,000

Domestic box-office

gross for 1985’s The Protector, which

starred Jackie Chan and was directed by Jim Glickenhaus.

FROM TOP LEFT: GLICKENHAUS LOOKS ON; HUMBLE TOOLS OF THE TRADE; PUTTING PEN TO PAPER; A FAMOUS FACE ADDS INSPIRATION; RAPID-PROTOTYPED COMPONENTS.

in the foam. Vermeersch is too. “We could probably skip this stage, since design software has become so good,” he notes. “But computers can’t simulate emotions; seeing, touching, and discussing this three-dimensional sculpture, we suddenly spot new areas for improvement.” It’s a romantic sentiment rooted in a simple directive: “It’s primarily a race car. Efficiency rules. Every part serves a purpose.”

All of the engineers are present for the unveiling, even though it’s Saturday and more than half the packaging work is already done. So when an issue with the air intakes pops up, laptops fly open and a bunch of very smart brains shift into top gear. Ten minutes later, a simple solution is found. It’s a good example of the philosophy behind SCG 003: Vermeersch says that during the taping process, he noticed the car’s proportions improved without rear windows and that classic air intakes would save weight and add “nostalgic flair.” Though Glickenhaus liked the reference to the Twenties and Thirties the windows suggested, he ultimately deferred to Vermeersch.

“This isn’t about me, anyway,” Glickenhaus says. “I’m not a car designer. I can’t improve this, I can only screw it up. Over the years, I’ve learned to enjoy the moment and shut up.”

Belgian writer and photographer team Bart Lenaerts and Lies De Mol (waft.be) have been following the development of the new Glickenhaus vehicle for Road & Track. They will later publish a book on the project.

NOISE

NO CRIMINAL CHARGES FOR TONY STEWART

NASCAR megastar Tony Stewart will not face criminal charges related to the August death of 20-year-old driver Kevin Ward Jr. at a dirt-track race in upstate New York. A grand jury heard testimony from more than two dozen witnesses— including drivers, medical personnel, track workers, and a pair of accident experts—but ruled there wasn’t sufficient evidence to indict Stewart for second-degree manslaughter or criminally negligent homicide. When the decision was announced, it was revealed that a toxicology report found marijuana in Ward’s system, “enough to impair judgment,” according to Ontario County district attorney Michael Tantillo. Neither the grand jury’s decision nor the positive drug test seems to have provided any peace of mind to the involved parties. The Ward family has indicated that it still holds Stewart accountable; the fiery three-time Sprint Cup champ has seemed uncharacteristically skittish since getting back behind the wheel.

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