Wednesday, January 18, 2012

 SGE 1st ANNIVERSARY ULTIMATE ADVENTURE GIVEAWAY CELEBRATION!!!


Based on general conjecture and wild guesses, this marks the first anniversary of the SGE blog. We’ve visited several exotic locales and met many colorful characters together. It’s been a fun run. Thank you all for nervously checking in each week to see how I’ve chosen to blow off steam (these reports are typically my passive-aggressive ‘acting out’ reactions to a week spent writing by the rule book). How to properly celebrate such a milestone? Ice cream social? Silent meditation? Trash the local drag strip with fire, broken parts, and beer bottles? I think not. We can do better.


Let's begin by formally acknowledging the Top 5 feature stories of 2011 (according to web traffic). Please hold your applause until the final Scotty Award has been presented:

#5: Banned! Steve Curry’s Mopars

#4: Cole Coonce Interview

#3: Chad Reynolds Interview

#2: America’s Coolest Station Wagons in 3-D

And the number one SGE feature story of 2011: Faith Granger Interview

Congratulations to our first five recipients! Your checks and trophies should be on your front porch with our camera crew right about now!


Enough chit chat. Let's get down to it. Have you been to the Goodwood Festival of Speed in England? Me neither. If you’re not familiar with this global celebration of everything fast, loud and on the razor’s edge, go to: www.goodwood.co.uk/festivalofspeed/welcome.aspx
I’ll wait here while you check it out...


  Hey Lord March! I stole your photos! Got your attention now?

Ah, welcome back. So, what do you think? Look like your cup of tea? Do you have your bail bondsman on speed dial? If so, here’s your shot at long distance high velocity glory:
Cars compete at Goodwood by invitation only. I hereby vow to begin campaigning event promoter Lord March immediately for an invite to run my old Morris hot rod at the hill climb (I think I can borrow it back from the new caretaker). I’m prepared to play the media card, if necessary. Once in the door, the sky’s the limit for offending stuffy old world money with stereotypical ugly American behavior. Place your bets now on how long it takes to get kicked out of this joint. But I’m not going down alone. I want to take YOU with me!

                               Shotgun rider wanted. Must have own life insurance.

Together, I believe we can scam our way to Goodwood. Some of you probably have connections with evil corporate empires that are desperate to polish their tarnished images with sponsorship of just such an adventure. I know some of these soul mongers, myself. It’s not like I’ve never whored myself out to vicious pimps before. Hell, I wrote the book on it. Well, most of a chapter, anyway:


 Coming soon from Gosson Bros. Racing Library. Copyright 2012

 And I shake hands with these devils every day, in exchange for a flimsy token paycheck. Proof:

                              Buy these books! It’s the only way to save America!

And I’m currently finishing up a book on overseas racers who come here to compete in hot rodding’s birthplace. So I feel that making the Goodwood pilgrimage is the least I can do in return. Like the immigrants before me, I’ll ship my steed over the ocean to compete with the best on their home turf (plus it will provide appropriate transport around the UK - just the ticket for speedy getaways).

It’s a long way to Goodwood. I prefer not to go it alone. I’d rather bring YOU along as the official shotgun rider on this adventure of a lifetime. How should I choose which lucky reader will join me in this insanity? Post your suggestion in the COMMENT box. As of today, I’m thinking the reader who comes up with the best plan to finance the trip is the one who’ll join me in learning to drive on the wrong side of the road. Meanwhile, I’ll be scheming, too. If inspiration hits and I figure it out on my own, I’ll probably just take my girlfriend with me and forget about you guys. Let that be your motivation. In 2013, we ride! Who’s with me? Let’s jangle!