PonyGirl's blog

Hello friends, I have news....  I'm public.  Yep, the full edition of my most recent blog will now be in the public domain on our home page from here on out. Look out world, here I come!  If you want to see past blogs, ( personally I think you will because there are some great stories in there) all you have to do is login.  That said, this week was the unofficial beginning of the cruise night/car show season in my neck of the woods.  And for the first time in four years the car show gods were smiling on Mundelein, IL and Park on Park went off without a single rain drop.  I'm going to take that as a great sign for the summer. 

The showing at Park on Park was impressive.  But I must say I was blown away by what I saw innocently tucked in on Park St.  The latest creation from Brent Jarvis and his crew at Performance Restorations.  This '55/'56 Chevy is awesome.  It's a '55 with the emblems and moldings shaved off and replaced by '56 detail that has been airbrushed on.  Brent took this beauty out to Park on Park as a sort of test and tune.  It sure drew the crowds!  I wonder if those folks realized they were in a bit of a scoop seeing this baby out and about for the first time.  Mark my words, this ride is going to be collecting awards all season long.

 I've got much more from Park on Park but wanted to share this baby with you first.  

How lucky am I that there are world renowned builders right in my own backyard! 

 Til the next time - Keep on Kruzin!

You know we pride ourselves on finding some of the best, most unexpected events in the hot rodding world.  For example, we discovered the World Power Wheelstanding Championship at the Byron Dragway a few years ago and have been faithfully trekking out to Byron every fall since to cover them.  So imagine my surprise when I was leafing through Car & Driver recently when what to my wondering eyes should appear was a full 5 page spread on the Byron wheelstanding contest.  Car & Driver called it "the greatest automotive contest on two wheels."  If "greatest competition" means bumper dragging, nitrous spraying, wheelstanding mayhem, then I guess I definitely have to agree with the folks at Car & Driver.  Byron is come as you are, bring, work on and drive your own garage built, pavement pounding beast.  No pretense here, no big sponsors, no factory haulers.  Just good old, grass roots hot rodders taking it to the limits (and sometimes insanely beyond) all the while showin' the big boys how it's done.

Car & Driver writer John Huffman's article deftly describes Byron as "the kind of racing where if your girlfriend says she's having fun, you marry her."  Huffman says Byron "is one of the few places left in America where a man can cruise around on an ATV with his seven year old son on the fuel tank, smoking a Marlboro with a Coors Silver Bullet in one hand and not be accused of child abuse." (John, you have a way with words!)

I'm sure you are aware of the hours of video footage out there on this event; we've even contributed a few videos ourselves.  But in my humble opinion there is just something amazing about high speed still shots of these beasts clawing for the skies.  Sometimes they capture nano second glimpses of these awesome wheelstanders that go by just too quickly in the videos for the human eye to see.  Here are some examples a couple you have seen before but I believe they are well worth repeating.

Just can't get enough of these amazing stills so I've put them into a video slideshow as well.  Can you smell the burning rubber?

The World Power Wheelstanding Championship is an event not to miss.  This year it's the weekend of October 6th & 7th.  As you've read, it's held at the one of kind Byron Dragway.  Just look for the chimneys at the nuclear palnt and you know you're near.

Til the next time - Keep on Kruzin!

Here is another of my favorite finds.  Ok, I know I might be taking a little liberty here, this isn't typically what you'd call a hot rod but I'd sure call it a bit of a custom and a classic for sure and in my book cool.  I saw this White Motor Company cabover decked out with some attitude at the GoodGuys Southwest Nats.  It stopped me cold.  Not only can you haul with a whole lot of style but, the owners made it into one of the coolest portable shelters I've ever seen.  Now you've got to cut me some slack here if we don't exactly see eye to eye on this one.  I've got a real soft spot for trucks and I really dig this one.  

Here is a quick walk around.

I was sorry I didn't see it in the winner's corral with the "Just Causes It's Neat" award because in my book it sure is.  

Til the next time - Keep on Kruzin!

You know we pride ourselves on finding some of the best, most unexpected events in the hot rodding world.  For example, we discovered the World Power Wheelstanding Championship at the Byron Dragway a few years ago and have been faithfully trekking out to Byron every fall since to cover them.  So imagine my surprise when I was leafing through Car & Driver recently when what to my wondering eyes should appear was a full 5 page spread on the Byron wheelstanding contest.  Car & Driver called it "the greatest automotive contest on two wheels."  If "greatest competition" means bumper dragging, nitrous spraying, wheelstandong mayhem, then I guess I definitely have to agree with the folks at Car & Driver.  Byron is come as you are, bring, work on and drive your own garage built, pavement pounding beast.  No pretense here, no big sponsors, no factory haulers.  Just good old, grass roots hot rodders taking it to the limits (and sometimes insanely beyond) all while showin' the big boys how it's done

Car & Driver writer John Huffman's article deftly describes Byron as "the kind of racing where if your girlfriend says she's having fun you marry her."  Huffman says Byron "is one of the few places left in America where a man can cruise around on a ATV with his seven year old son on the fuel tank, smoking a Marlboro with a Coors Silver Bullet in one have and not be accused of child abuse." (John, you have a way with words!)

I'm sure you are aware of the hours of video footage out there on this event; we've even contributed a few videos ourselves.  But in my humble opinion there is just something amazing about high speed still shots of these beasts clawing for the skies.  Sometimes they capture nano second glimpses of these awesome wheelstanders that go by just too quickly in the videos for the human eye to see.  Here are some examples a couple you have seen before but I believe they are well worth repeating.

Just can't get enough of these amazing stills so I've put them into a video slideshow as well.  Can you smell the burning rubber?

The World Power Wheelstanding Championship is an event not to miss.  This year it's the weekend of October 6th & 7th.  As you've read it's held at the one of kind Byron Dragway.  Just look for the chimneys at the nuclear palnt and you know you're near.

Til the next time - Keep on Kruzin!

While getting things in order for the upcoming show season, I've come across several gems I think you will enjoy.  The first of my series is this awesome, and I really mean awesome, ride I saw at the GoodGuys Southwest Nationals last fall.  It's a "Radical Custom" 1950 Tin Woody Nomad.  This thing was amazing.  Not a detail overlooked, as you can see.  It was built as a tribute car to Harley Earl and I dare say a mighty fine tribute it is.  Mr. Earl is smiling down on this sweet, sweet ride.

I know I've promised more from Byron and it's coming my friends, it's coming.  We are updating my blog format and I'm waiting for the new format for the reveal of one of my (ok, i'm going to kinda brag here) best videos to date.  Stay tuned loyal friends, you wont be disappointed.

Til the next time - Keep on Kruzin!