Rollin’ In the Dust At El Mirage

What’s El Mirage you ask?

On the Racetrack at SEMA 2009!

Today I left the hub-bub of Las Vegas and SEMA to head out to Spring Mountain Ranch racecourse. In preparation for Saturday’s Optima Invitational, myself and the others from the auto-blogging crew got a chance to get behind the wheel ourselves. Spring Mountain Ranch is almost like a country-club for speed seekers. People who are members get use of the track. In addition, they have certified race-driver training programs. While we didn’t get the whole training program in one day, we did get the opportunity to go very fast in a few different situations.

SEMA for Beginners

Most everyone in the auto world has heard of SEMA. For those who don’t know, SEMA is a yearly convention for the auto industry…and its massive, completely filling up the Las Vegas Convention Center. Basically everything you can imagine having to do with a car is here – from new concept cars on down to aftermarket parts of every sort imaginable.

As many car lovers never get to make it to SEMA, Craig (from MyRideisMe.com) and I are on the scene to bring you all the most interesting car stuff and stories! Thanks to Optima Batteries, we’ll be spending the rest of the week here at the show as well as attending the Optima Invitational race out in Pahrump, NV on Saturday. (And as I hear it, I may even be able to learn a little race-car driving on Friday!) It’s my first time here, and although I’m a little overwhelmed I’m beyond excited to learn a ton! Right now I’m headed down to the main floor to hit up some car specialists and have them download on me some of their vast knowledge.

To give ya an idea of what we’re dealing with at SEMA 2009 I’ve included a few more pictures.  Even though most of the stuff here isn’t rod and custom specific – I’m going to be learning so much cool new stuff and I’m excited to share it with ya! I’m also excited to be making some video content thanks to the very cool Flip Video recorder provided…thanks Optima!

Changing a Tire 101

Once I’d decided to start gettin’ my hands greasy – the first thing I went for was the tire. It couldn’t be too hard to take a tire on and off, right? Right! Changing a tire is as easy as 1-2-3!

Up Close and Personal with “80 Icons of Speed and Style”

Not all of you ladies and gents can imagine a car being raised to the status of an icon or art form. In fact I haven’t always myself. However, the more I get to work on and see cars, the more enamored I’m becoming. After attending RM Auctions “Icons of Speed and Style” my car love-o-meter has just shot through the roof!

An auction doesn’t sound that exciting you say? What if I told you that all of the 80 iconic cars being sold in this no-reserve auction were available to peruse up close and personal? Yep… you could even touch em’! At most car shows, the best cars are roped off to keep you admiring from a distance. There were no ropes at the Friday preview before RM’s “Icons of Speed and Style” auction at The Peterson Museum in Los Angeles, California.