The 2011 Lincoln MKT seems like just about the last car we’d be reviewing on this site. After all, it’s a crossover with very little enthusiast appeal and virtually no online presence, right? Maybe so, but after 1500 miles in America’s least well-known Lincoln, we found ourselves wanting one, bad. Read on to find out why. (more…)
The Woodward Dream Cruise, now in its 16th year, is the largest single-day car show in the US. Literally millions of people, and tens of thousands of cars gather on Woodward Avenue and cruise up and down the 8 mile stretch of road for hours upon hours. Spectators can pick a spot along Woodward and just watch the whole show cruise on by, or hop in their rides and be a part of it. Of course, The Smoking Tire isn’t the type to sit on the sidelines, so we got ourselves an ass-kicking piece of Detroit iron, the Firebreather, and hit the road.
In addition to the madness that is the Dream Cruise, we learned the story behind the Firebreather, along with the film, Jinn, that it stars in. And, in usual The Smoking Tire fashion, we throw a twist into the mix, when Matt convinces a car fan to get the Firebreather logo as a tattoo. Video after the jump.
As most of you know, we recently competed in the 2010 Bullrun Rally from New York to Las Vegas. We drove a brand new 2011 Shelby GT500 Convertible, and we shot way more video than we had available air time. There was so much great footage that we just couldn’t use, that we’ve decided to make just one more video, with all the best pull-overs, personalities, and driving footage from the 2010 Bullrun Rally. (more…)
In case you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past week, The Smoking Tire just finished the Bullrun Rally as Team Black Magic. The Bullrun is a cross-country checkpoint-style navigational rally with 50 other cars, some exotics, some not, and full of great personalities. We shot, edited, and uploaded a video every day from the road, documenting all our adventures and the beautiful places we’ve seen. We put nearly 6,000 miles on our 2011 Shelby GT500 Convertible, and other than a few minor tire issues, the Shelby performed admirably. Hit the jump to watch all 7 of our videos from the road in once place, and be sure to check out my photos and written blog entries at Black Magic Shine.
The Bullrun Rally attracts all types of media attention, from online car shows like The Smoking Tire giving you full coverage of the event start to finish, to local newspapers and blogs. Some of them are fairly straightforward and boring, and others are absolutely comedy gold. For Instance:
Team Black Magic wakes up in the firey heat of Scottsdale to discover someone played a prank on their car…. We visit the Taser factory to watch Flag Girl Karen get shocked, we have a little run-in with the cops, and we have the most unique Bullrun finish of the year.
The 2010 Bullrun departs the beautiful resort town of Telluride, Colorado for Scottsdale, Arizona. On the way, we stop at Monument Valley for a little of that southwest Americana….
Day 5 begins with some high-speed kart racing at Bandimere Speedway just outside of Boulder, CO. Then the boys hit the road, snaking through the gorgeous Colorado mountains to the high-altitude paradise that is Telluride. On the way an unexpected TV crew interrupts the Ferrari’s fun, and the last car you would expect to get pulled over, does.
2010 Bullrun: Day 4 Omaha – Boulder
It’s day 4 of the Bullrun Rally. Tom takes the wheel first, hoping to continue the good fortune and success of the previous leg. The Maserati shows off it’s Bond-like gadgets, and an old friend surprises us by joining the Bullrun mid-way. You’ll understand when you see who it is.
The Bullrunners depart Chicago, in a mess of lost, for Omaha, Nebraska. There’s never a shortage of surprises on the Bullrun, and today doesn’t upset. We get lost and angry, drive the tires off our car, and finally figure out a good strategy.
