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PALM BEACH, FL-
Recently, The Fireball Run was featured in a major wide-release motion picture. From the Executive Producer of Crash and Million Dollar Baby it's a family film? Yup- featuring Disney's biggest child stars, the Sprouse twins (like the Olson twins, only boys). Also Starring Sally Kellerman (M*A*S*H) & Ed Lauder (hes done it all). Fireball Run teams Charger and Jaguar were chosen to be featured as the star-cars in the film; A Modern Twain Story (working title). Producer Nick Vallelonga and Directed by James Quattrochi. Also Executive Producing Jonathan Krane (Face-off, Primary Colors, Swordfish) and Joe Reilly. America is Seeing the tip of the iceberg next stop for Fireball Run is reality TV. Fireball is currently in negotiations/ development with producers working to give you Fireball Run TV in 2008. We all had a blast with the cast and crew on the set The Ambassador Jay Sadie even got a cameo- lucky F$%#er! The experience was fun for everyone. The Fireball Run rolls into theaters Fall 2007.
Here's lookin at you car.
J. "JJ McClure" Sanchez
Organizer/ Founder/ Car Freak The Fireball Run 
THE LAKE MIRROR CLASSIC- Lakeland, FL Oct 20-22
The Fireball Run exhibition teams were on display at this; muscle-meets-vintage-meets-exotic-meets… amphibious car (?) event.
Lake Mirrors' Organizer is Mr. Ford Heacock, owner of Parish-Heacock Insurance, founder of Vintage Motorsport Magazine, and founder of the SVRA sanctioning body.
While it was no Pebble Beach, the event was all-in-all a pretty damn good. Budweiser kicked off a Friday Muscle party, leading into Saturdays open to the public event, which took over all of downtown Lakeland Florida. You name it was there.... and for an interesting first, we saw those good ole' amphibicars at work- driven right into the lake! Incredible!
There were plenty of cars, but because the event is spread across a huge area- our impression was there needed to be a bit more people. Organization at our arrival was a bit chaotic, as can be expected with such huge events.
The evening capped off with an evening party in honor of the legendary Brock Yates and was hosted by Mercedes Benz. The food? Awesome! though the service left something to be desired. The company? Excellent! Brocks talk? Well, Cannonball never gets old with us... as I mentioned before, all-in-all, a very enjoyable evening. We ending our long hot day/night back at the hotel bar, privately with Brock and Lady Pamela.
We were a little dismayed at the odd level of arrogance from some of the "players"- especially in Lakeland. As you know arrogance never goes too far with us- we enjoy real people being, well, “real.” Arrogance is not what made Pebble Beach or Amelia Island, it’s the laid back atmosphere of the attendees. And while the Lake Mirror Classic has a ways to go using Amelia Island as the bench mark... it’s positively on its way. We'll be back again and hope you will be too.
To learn more visit www.LakeMirrorClassic.com
Drive Safe,
J. "JJ McClure" Sanchez
Organizer, The Fireball Run®
Oprah & Gayle’s Big Adventure...
If you don’t believe “Motoring” is making a comeback then think again. Even the big “O” got into the spirit. Recently the topic Oprah’s show was the road trip she and best friend Gayle took from Los Angeles to New York. The adventure lasted nine days, 3600 miles- all caught on film. They laughed, they cried, they got pissed off with each other and everyone around them…. Ah… isn’t it great.
Oprah said she had the time of her life meeting new people and experiencing America first hand. I’m a sucker for this stuff so for the first time in my life… I (admitting) watched the Oprah show… I must say it wasn’t bad at all- in fact it was pretty good. Everything Oprah and Gayle went through reminded me of my experiences in the Cannonball…. Sweet sweet memories.
On the road, cramped in a car, we’re not celebrities, we’re not Chamber Chairmen, we’re not CEO’s, we are just people enjoying each others company and America. How cool is that?!!!
To learn more about the "O's" Big Adventure: CLICK HERE
What do you do until Fireball? Do you wander aimlessly up and down the street? Do you jump on the local Interstate and give the cops a new reason to impound your recently purchased HEMI ‘Cuda?
If you have even just a little time and a reliable ride (an unreliable ride makes the adventure that much more interesting) then I suggest a cool web site called RoadsideAmerica.com; probably the greatest gift to the true motoring enthusiast. RoadsideAmerica.com claims to be “the online guide to truly offbeat tourist attractions” and they ARE. Who could have known Orlando has its own mini Graceland? Or that Alamogordo New Mexico is home to the Atari burial ground? did you know there is a Submarine buried in Ohio?
Whether you’re looking to do a day jaunt or a year long road trip, this web site should be your starting point. Just input the cities you’re looking to drive through and the sites “Roger” system does the rest.
I’m personally using the site for possible ideas for the Fireball Run… so don’t be surprised if we route you to Alexandria Louisiana to take a picture with the miraculous cross in the “Cross family” bathroom.
To learn more about RoadsideAmerica.com visit:
DUH- www.RoadsideAmerica.com
Till next time,
J. Sanchez
Organizer/ Founder/ Car Nut
The Fireball Run
WOW- the BLOG is finally working! Thanks "Sam" for your efforts in getting us ON-LINE.
So here we are you, me and the Fireball Run. On behalf of everyone at Fireball Run- "Thank you" fans of American motoring and road rally.
Why did we create Fireball? Fireball Run is our answer to a void in American rally today. It was constructed to be a little different, a little odd, and a whole lotta' fun- and since one cannot not "safely" drive like a jack-ass on the road. Don't get me wrong, I would like to drive like a jack-ass on the road... I simply won’t risk killing a mother of three to do it. Fireball Run was constructed for the modern “professional by day” “car aficionado by night” player. It's more than a rally- it's a game. In fact it's more than a game- it's a lifestyle. Fireball is an experience the players will remember forever and it provides drinking stories for a lifetime.
Fireball is not weak on speed; there are incredible all day track events- fastest team wins. The game itself is a "Clue-meets-Cannonball" adventure rally- one of a kind.
Why is the event invitation only? to control the quality and class of player. Fireball is not about what you have, it's about who you are- as a person. Every Fireballer was personally selected to play based upon both personality and respect for motor sports.
So again thank you, for allowing me and my team the opportunity to add our own chapter to the American road rally legacy. Please feel free to poke around, show support for your favorite teams, because they're gonna need it.
J. Sanchez aka “JJ McClure”
Organizer/ Founder/ Car Nut
The Fireball Run
Sure the various iterations of the Elise are a hoot to drive. They make great novelties for the street and killer track cars, but let’s face it—only the discontinued Hummer H1 can challenge it as the least friendly daily driver.
When is Lotus going to launch the successor to the Esprit? Certainly, companies like Porsche, Aston Martin, BMW and Mercedes-Benz have raised the bar for two-seat performance cars, but for decades, the Esprit screamed, “chick-magnet sports car”. There were apologies for sub-par interior quality, and the car rags criticized it for dated design, but I still look at the car and think, “cool!’
It looked like a true sports car, sounded like a true sports car and was (really) hard to get in and out of like a true sports car. You know what they say…”if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck…” you get the point. The wedge-shaped British sports car always had sex appeal. I always lament the fact that if Lotus had spruced up the interior and bumped the price by about 30 percent, it would have been a viable alternative for budget-conscious Ferrari buyers, especially in the era of Ferrari’s 348 and 355. But priced in the $80k range, it had limited exclusivity and was the relatively poor man’s exotic car.
So where is the replacement? Rumors and photos circulated last year about the successor, but dealers report that car is at least a year away—if then, or even if at all. I think that illuminates the basic problem independent auto manufacturers have competing in the marketplace. Without the benefits of big company backing and economies of scale, I think it will become more and more difficult to create an independent product. The Esprit has been off the market so long, it may not be missed if it doesn’t return.
Let’s just hope that now-independent Aston Martin doesn’t meet the same fate without Ford’s R&D resources.
Tom LaPointe is a freelance automotive photojournalist who manages Sterns Automotive Strategies, a premium and exotic car buying and selling service in Clearwater, Florida. He can be reached at tom@jeffsterns.com. Visit STERNS’ website at www.jeffsterns.com Stunt driving clinic photos by Tom LaPointe
I had the pleasure of hanging out at the Extreme Stunt and Driving Team clinic last week. What an amazing course Grady Bishop puts on for aspiring stunt drivers for the entertainment industry. As one of the approved racing / performance driving schools for the Fireball Run, it gives students a very unique opportunity to learn precision vehicle control unlike any other school.
While the majority of students are early twenty-somethings who aspire to drive in movies, television or theme parks (who wouldn’t want to drive the Pontiac GTO’s at Disney’s MGM Studios?), Fireball founder J. Sanchez’s relationship with Grady opened the class up to Fireball competitors.
Did you ever wonder who was the lucky one behind the wheel of all the stunt vehicles in movies like 2 Fast 2 Furious and others? It’s people like Grady and his students. He actually owns a stunt company that provides support vehicles, drivers, camera platforms and more to the entertainment industry. The school helps keep his pool of available drivers filled.
Skidpad vehicle control, drifting, 180-degree spins and many more vehicle control skills were perfected on the course. Additionally, Grady teaches the course as if his students are performing on a set the next day, so he includes details such as radio etiquette, formation driving and especially safety concerns.
When I was a youth, I fantasized about being Jim Rockford doing the reverse 180 turns (Grady teaches them!) or the chase driver on the Dukes of Hazzard. But alas, I was in the wrong state at the wrong time. Grady provides a unique opportunity for those with those same passions today to fulfill their dreams. BRAVO! Check out the Extreme Stunt and Driving Team website at www.extremestunt.com.
Tom LaPointe is a freelance automotive journalist who operates STERNS Automotive Strategies, an exotic car buying and selling service for private clients in Clearwater, Florida. He can be reached at tom@jeffsterns.com. Check out their website at www.jeffsterns.com. 
Photo by Tom LaPointe - Naples Cars on Third 2007
We in Florida tend to take the sun for granted. We don’t suffer the deprivation that much of our northern car-loving brethren endure for months each year. No matter what month it is, we jump in, turn the key, and off we go.
Evidently not the case if you live in Chicago, New York or pretty much anyplace north of the Carolinas. I hear horror stories of having to put the sports cars in the garage for half the year, getting stuck in the snow, senseless fender benders (not to be confused with drinking benders!) and dead batteries from the cold.
People often lament to me that Florida doesn’t have a change of seasons. I wholeheartedly disagree. We have four:
- Warm
- Warm & rainy
- Hot
- Hot & rainy
And yes, we DO have fall colors…they just show up about January and last 10 minutes!
But hey, I hear it’s warming in the north, and it’s time to take off the car cover, check the oil, pump up the tires and break out the battery charger. Spring’s here, baby, and the open road beckons!
Consider this my official “welcome back” to the open road, extended to our northern friends. May the gasoline in your veins always have high octane.
See you on the open road!
Tom LaPointe is a freelance automotive journalist who operates STERNS Automotive Strategies, an exotic car buying and selling service for private clients. He can be reached at tom@jeffsterns.com.
Mark these words, you read it here first. The horsepower wars are less than thirty months from crashing down. Yes, it’s painful. Yes, it’s heartbreaking. And yes, it’s coming.
As someone who grew up in the dark ages of the automobile (late ‘70’s and ‘80’s), I’ve not only embraced the modern performance and design revolution, but continue to celebrate it!
But alas, these nouveau automobile glory days are about to fade fast, and likely from the same cause of the extinction of muscle car production. I am afraid that the move toward common sense fuel economy, coupled with the continued unrest in the middle east, will serve to castrate drivetrains of tomorrow. Sure, the fad for hybrids will continue, and true electrics will begin to permeate our highways as NiCad batteries become functional in auto applications. But good old suck-boom-blow horsepower will start to shrink quickly…especially if the political party represented by the ass takes a seat in the White House in two years (yep – the inauguration is 23 months from now, and the circus has begun).
CAFE restrictions will tighten quickly, and I still believe that gas is bound for $4 per gallon or more. While I feel that hybrids are merely an exercise in self-indulgent excess (a Corolla or Jetta are great gas sippers, though not so cool) I personally think that it’s asinine to have hybrid luxury cars. For all the infrastructure it takes to manufacture and install the high—tech systems, why not just add an efficient turbo or supercharger to capitalize on V8 horsepower. It’s unlikely that many Lexus 400H buyers are going to be concerned about basic conservation, such as consolidating trips and efficient driving habits, so why bother. But hey, it’s a heck of a way to blow five extra grand on a car, AND you get to impress your friends with your pseudo conservationism.
I think it is inevitable that the manufacturers are going to HAVE to transfer all the technology they have invested in achieving massive horsepower into lower power and MUCH better economy. Right now there is not only no incentive to do so, but a true DEMAND for high horsepower. Even if there weren’t, the marketers would be sure to convince us there is!
I just hope that the collapse of power won’t nearly as tragic as it was in the ‘70’s, and that at least creative design will carry on. I will mourn the change, then scoop up a couple of 400HP vehicles to save for 30 years until they become $100k collectibles, like the muscle cars of yesteryear. But don't bury your Corvette or Mercedes yet, hit the road and burn some rubber!!
Tom LaPointe is a freelance automotive journalist who operates STERNS Automotive Strategies, an exotic car buying and selling service for private clients. He can be reached at tom@jeffsterns.com.
By Tom LaPointe
We’re already reading the headlines in car mags. During the next couple of weeks, the world invades Detroit for the annual North American International Auto Show. Something like 100,000 spectators will wander through Cobo Hall in this spectacle for which automakers spend millions of dollars to display their wares.
But it’s not really the guests the automakers are working so hard to woo…it’s the media. I had the pleasure of attending last year during the press preview…it’s a whole different show! As a member of the press, I got to rub elbows with some of the highest-ranking PR people the car companies have on staff. Their passion and understanding of their vehicles in the global car market make most dealership salespeople seem like weekend amateurs. They invite you past the “do not cross” barriers and up on the platforms so you can get close enough to their concept and production cars to smell the leather. Need a better angle for a shot? They’ll hold your bag. Need a pithy quote? Their lips are loaded. Exactly as you would expect.
But it goes way beyond that. From the moment you arrive at your hotel and check in, you really have no other expenses. The automakers shuttle you back and forth to Cobo from morning to night, and once inside the hall, you have a virtually unlimited supply of food and drinks. Cappuccino, espresso, sandwiches, beer, wine and cookies could be had in various proportions at almost every display. I was talking with one veteran reporter at the bar (more on that, later) who could tell you which manufacturer had the best food at which parts of the day. Audi for sandwiches, Mercedes for drinks and so forth. What he couldn’t tell me was which of the concept cars might make it into production.
At the end of the “work day” is when the fun really began. There were all kinds of private dinners around town with the bigwigs from the car companies and top editors and writers from the likes of Motor Trend, Automotive News and others. If you’re not important enough to make that short list, Daimler-Chrysler makes sure you’re not left out. Evidently, a few years back they purchased an old firehouse across from Cobo Hall and refurbished it. Then they donated it back to the city with the option to use it every so often. The place serves a full grill menu and top shelf drinks to all the Daimler-Chrysler corporate staff, friends and media. There are four bars and a cigar room to ensure nobody is thirsty or has to stand outside in the ten-degree weather to smoke their stogie. Corporate leader, Dieter Zetsche even serves from behind the bar. It kind of makes you wonder what it must be like if you’re an important guy in Washington, D.C.?
How impartial can you really be when you were up until four a.m. partying on their tab? I can’t tell you, because I headed home at midnight so I could view their competitor’s vehicle launch early the next morning…
Tom LaPointe operates STERNS Automotive Strategies, an exotic car buying and selling service for private clients. He can be reached at tom@jeffsterns.com. www.jeffsterns.comBy Tom LaPointe
The people who have everything are always the hardest to shop for during the holidays. For those of you who have already given this person in your life a gold-plated humidor, rare wine and a round of golf at Pebble Beach, we have the perfect solution for you. The Ferrari F430 Spider is arguably the greatest sports car ever presented to the driving public. Perhaps not the purest sports car, definitely not the best-priced and certainly not the most practical, but who cares? As it enters its third year of production, Ferrari’s latest V8 treat for the high net worth crowd is an unadulterated, high-performance kick in the pants—literally. Mash the gas in this car and hold on for dear life as 490 horsepower rocket its lucky driver from zero to sixty in less than four seconds. Ignore the speed limit (and law enforcement), and this acceleration will continue to nearly 200 mph.
It’s available as a coupe or convertible (Spider), but since you’re getting that special someone a gift that is definitely going to get them noticed, they may as well be seen, as well. So go ahead and step up to the Spider. The soft top folds back behind the seat with the press of a button in less than twenty seconds for high-performance, open-air motoring. If you’re worried about the recipient of your thoughtful gift operating a gearshift while they’re talking on their phone/PDA/camera/TV/MP3 player, fear not. Both versions of this engineering marvel are available with either a traditional manual transmission or F1-style paddles behind the steering wheel (sans clutch). The paddles are just like Formula 1 racecars. The car is shifted up or down with a simple pull on the paddle, and the computer operates an electrical clutch to change the six-speed gearbox. There is even an “auto” mode that will assume all the shifting decisions. It’s not quite as smooth as a traditional automatic, but it does free up a hand to sip latte.
Don’t worry about having to pay “sticker price” for this rolling piece of art. They are sold out indefinitely, so actual street price is typically $60,000 to $80,000 over its MSRP of $215,000-$240,000. But what the heck, your lucky recipient is likely to appreciate it MUCH more than that electric tie rack you were considering. I’ll take mine in traditional red/tan, thank you very much.
Tom LaPointe operates STERNS Automotive Strategies, an exotic car buying and selling service for private clients. He can be reached at tom@jeffsterns.com. www.jeffsterns.com
By Tom LaPointe
Entrepreneur Malcom Bricklin recently announced that he is cancelling plans to manufacturer and import Chinese Chery brand cars to the United States. Citing quality issues with the vehicles, the man who brought you Suburu (a good thing) and Yugo (not so good thing), pulled the plug on a planned 2007 launch of entry cars that would feature luxury content. But was it quality issues, or the fact that Daimler-Chrysler is in negotiations to launch their own joint venture?
For me, it doesn’t really matter. The automotive landscape in the U.S. is overrun with nearly three hundred nameplates, and I don’t think another one would be a plus. Don’t get me wrong; I’m all for capitalism, free enterprise and the American dream. I just still pity the unfortunate souls who bought into the Daewoo dream of a decade ago. Buy here – pay here lots are still littered with these mediocre cars with little or no parts availability.
The industry is rife with brands that sputtered at the starting line, and even major international nameplates that faltered in our market. Many of the exotic brands were under-capitalized from the get-go. But the major brands that failed typically weren’t able to get a foothold in the market. Familiar names such as Renault, Alpha Romeo, Fiat and most British sports car have all fallen by the wayside.
Coming in under the umbrella of a major player in the market is probably the best option for a new import. The model has been successful with such examples as Mini (with BMW) and Scion (Toyota’s sub-brand). A financial guardian angel and the ability to leverage an existing dealer base seem to improve the odds for success in these ventures. That still doesn’t mean I support the idea of sending even more of our dollars into the land of the big fortune cookie…but that’s a whole other topic.
Tom LaPointe is a freelance automotive journalist who operates STERNS Automotive Strategies, an exotic car buying and selling service for private clients. He can be reached at tom@jeffsterns.com.by Tom LaPointe
For the past few years I have been espousing the merits of diesel-powered automobiles as the best intermediate solution for our energy addiction. Regardless of your political affiliation, you have to recognize that IF countries like Saudi Arabia and Venezuela pose a long-term threat to this nation, there isn’t much we can do about it as long as we are married to their oil.
There isn’t any easy answer. We as Americans LOVE to consume…and consume…and consume. Whole industries are created out of disposal products, from razors to diapers….oh yes, and cars.
So, if a car is disposable, what’s the best purchase choice? New technologies being implemented by companies like GM and Daimler-Chrysler (Dodge to you and me), such as displacement on demand that cut down cylinder use from eight to four, are interesting and can improve mileage by ten percent. Let’s do the math…a ten percent improvement on 15 mpg is a whopping 1.5 mpg. Spread across an entire fleet or the hundreds of thousands of vehicles sold with this technology, it makes a cumulative improvement on the amount of pollutants being levied on the environment. Hardly a reason to run out and buy another vehicle based on fuel savings. But people do.
Same thing with hybrids. The circle of conservation is to REDUCE / REUSE / RECYCLE. With a hybrid, buyers are skipping right to the recycle stage. If all the neo environmentalists in Hollywood and upscale neighborhoods REALLY cared about the environment, they would:
a) drive less and find ways to carpool, and
b) keep the car they have until they truly NEED one!
But that’s not good for image. After all, who wants to show up at the red carpet for an awards show in their old Mercedes?
Like all research, the results are in the eye of the beholder. Some researchers can demonstrate that a HUMMER actually makes a smaller imprint on the environment when the entire cycle of life is factored in with the exotic materials and manufacturing processes required for hybrids. Some say hybrids are better.
Let’s figure out our diesel fuel once and for all. Make it compatible with the rest of the world to economize manufacturing. The real-world mileage is nearly as good as hybrids advertise. It takes much less energy to process it from oil. And it doesn’t blow you up if it leaks in an accident.
Works for me, but DANG I want a Corvette Z06. So let the next guy be friendly to the environment.
By J. Sanchez
I must admit, not to be offensive, but although I do like cars and I do like speed, I never really did like NASCAR. For me it’s all about the hands-on experience, the comradery amongst my fellow competitors. I hate being told “NO” and I saw NASCAR as one big “NO”. I’ll explain it like this; No matter how much money you have, you will never be a NASCAR driver. It’s that easy folks. The problem with NASCAR is that it is only a spectators sport. Unlike basketball or football or even golf, you can watch NASCAR but you cannot play it. As a so called marketing expert I can assure you in today’s society people can only watch for so long. Then they get really bored, and when people get bored, they get lost, and fast.
There are other factors; the “celebrity mentality” driver personalities leave a lot to be desired. And they are going around in a circle. Yes yes, for hours on end, but hell jogging is hard if you do it for hours on end. Then there are the “more machine than man” cars. In fact I’m not so sure one can even call them cars. They are venomous monstrosities shaped like a car… but when is the last time you saw an “off the rack” Chevy fly like they do on NASCAR? Can you really be loyal this car brand? Isn’t that like worshiping a false God? THEY ARE NOT REAL CARS. Why don’t we just create a robot in the form of a human and let that thing play football… let’s see how long you stick around to watch.
Did you read this morning’s USA Today about audiences slipping away from NASCAR? I predicted this over a year ago only to be told I was crazy. Research proves people today want to experience things. Just ask anyone in the travel industry. The most popular vacations are those in which people can educate themselves by experiencing and immersing themselves in a trade, game, culture, or place. World Series of Poker is watched- but can also be played. The fun is learning how to play and then playing with friends- socializing. Yeah I know fans of NASCAR are socializing… but they are also not doing hot laps around the block in the KIA- you can’t play NASCAR. People today have too short an attention span. Hell I’m bored with writing this blog!
Then there is just plain burn out. Despite being around for decades, NASCAR was allowed to torch across America way way too fast. It’s simply burning out. Much kudos to the brains behind the marketing and franchising… but when you whore out your name to a billion different things at once any smart marketing person should know there will inevitably be consumer kick back. Ever hear about a controlled burn? The season is too long and there are so many events you can’t keep up with it all. I call this the “STAR TREK Syndrome”. There was a time in which Star Trek was a master brand, then some soulless greedy jackass hijacked it and whored it out a billion ways to sundown. Alas, something that took decades to build was killed in a matter of years. There will always be NASCAR fans just as there will always be Star Trek fans, but the brand will not command much more than core fan loyalist value. Let’s face it, it’s about the money, and because NASCAR is imprinted on everything from women’s panties to cocktail napkins, after a while it’s seen as just a number on a vehicle of a car that does not exist.
I’m quite sure I just pissed off tons of people with this blog. If so, it was not my intention. My intention was to say “I told you so.” The best thing NASCAR could do to save itself from what will be a grinding slow death is to stop being so flippin greedy, scale back ½ a billion licensing deals, cut the number of races in half, and if you really want to you CAN play NASCAR, only it’s not called NASCAR, it’s called The FIREBALL RUN.
See you on the track.
J. “JJ McClure” SanchezOrganizer/ Owner/ Car Nut
The Fireball RunBy Tom LaPointe
It’s auto show season in Florida. After the rest of the country gets to see the latest and greatest that the manufacturers are bringing to market, the manufacturers drag their wares down here for us to peruse for our next rational purchase or irrational aspiration (let’s face it, most will never write the check for a new Ferrari or Rolls).
As usual, Tampa is very much a secondary show, so no cutting edge concept cars for us. No Camaro or Challenger. No Ferrari 599 Fiorano, though it was cool to see the Chevrolet Nomad concept from a few years ago in person. Most of our show is made up of cars that you can actually buy today, and that’s not all bad. However, we are fortunate that duPont Registry is based here, so they brought a multi-million dollar display of supercars. It’s a rare opportunity for most consumers to see a Ferrari Enzo FXX or Saleen S7.
I have to admit, as a certified (or is it “certifiable”) car nut, I followed the eighty-twenty rule—you know eighty percent of my time around the exotics and twenty percent with the “commoner” cars. Even many of the luxury marques are out of reach of the masses, but mainstream consumer cars continue to benefit from performance and safety features that debut on premium luxury cars and trickle down to the masses.
After a quick three hours, here are my favorite CARS for the ’07 model year in each price bracket, from a looks / performance / coolness standpoint. Good news is, they’re MY opinions, and you’re entitled to your own!
Under $30k – Mazda Speed 3
Under $50k – BMW 335i
Under $75k – Corvette Z06
Under $110k – BMW M6
Tie – Mercedes-Benz CLS 63
Under $175k – Bentley Continental GT
Under $300k – Ferrari F430 Spider
Under $500k – Saleen S7
Under $1.5 million – Bugatti Veyron
No offense intended for all those brands jilted from the list. The good news for buyers is that EVERY manufacturer makes great cars, and with hundreds to choose from, we all win.
I must admit I was asked some time ago to check out the digital magazine Winding Road, I just never bothered. Why? because as you know most of the time its all regurgitated crap, basically advertorials bought off by the Auto manufactures. Motivation being the almighty dollar (E.G. Tony Swan; Car & Driver). What changed my mind? what made me go to the web site? Steve Cole Smith. Steve was visiting our headquarters a few days prior and made his second attempt to get me to check out Winding Road. So reluctantly I did. My first reaction was hmmmm.... the site is unusually simple and clean, not all muckity muck like most automag sites (cramming a million banners down our throats- none of which we will click on anyways). Then I thought to myself, perhaps it's because the content sucks, or even worse, slated to a particular manufacturer or advertiser, but no- with a hint of credibility, no. The articles are open minded and in some cases bare resemblance to actual real opinions. In fact the publication actually is written from the enthusiasts vantage point. Refreshing and free of the typical corporate culture vibe I feel through most auto mags, Winding Road is a beacon of hope in a sea of basic "who gives a damn when the next KIA is coming out" crap. They talk about exotics, but they don't go overboard. Lets face it, most publications use the topic of exotics like the motion picture industry uses sex- not because they care, but because it hooks- its sensationalism in publication speak. Oh and here's the kicker, so far I haven't seen one picture of a whore mucking up the pictures of the vehicles. Don't get me wrong a pretty girl here and there is great- cars and women definitely go together, but at the rate some hack pubs use skanky women you know its because they have nothing else going for them. If I wanted to see a whore I'd simply by a Penthouse. If I wanted to see one in a car, I'd simply drive down to Orange Blossom Trail and put one in the Lamborghini. As it's name implies, Winding Road articles are wispy and passionate. Written by folks who seem to love driving and love cars- more than they love satisfying the sales manager, corporate Gods, or their own literary vanity. So... someone finally gets it, and thanks to Steve now I do to.
If you don't like this rave; J. Sanchez, Organizer
To learn more about Winding Road; www.WindingRoad.com
PS If my grammar and writing skills don't meet your level of professionalism then read the Wall Street Journal, because I never claimed to be a literary scholar, just a guy with an opinion.
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PALM BEACH, FL-
Recently, The Fireball Run was featured in a major wide-release motion picture. From the Executive Producer of Crash and Million Dollar Baby it's a family film? Yup- featuring Disney's biggest child stars, the Sprouse twins (like the Olson twins, only boys). Also Starring Sally Kellerman (M*A*S*H) & Ed Lauder (hes done it all). Fireball Run teams Charger and Jaguar were chosen to be featured as the star-cars in the film; A Modern Twain Story (working title). Producer Nick Vallelonga and Directed by James Quattrochi. Also Executive Producing Jonathan Krane (Face-off, Primary Colors, Swordfish) and Joe Reilly. America is Seeing the tip of the iceberg next stop for Fireball Run is reality TV. Fireball is currently in negotiations/ development with producers working to give you Fireball Run TV in 2008. We all had a blast with the cast and crew on the set The Ambassador Jay Sadie even got a cameo- lucky F$%#er! The experience was fun for everyone. The Fireball Run rolls into theaters Fall 2007.
Here's lookin at you car.
J. "JJ McClure" Sanchez
Organizer/ Founder/ Car Freak The Fireball Run
THE LAKE MIRROR CLASSIC- Lakeland, FL Oct 20-22
The Fireball Run exhibition teams were on display at this; muscle-meets-vintage-meets-exotic-meets… amphibious car (?) event.
Lake Mirrors' Organizer is Mr. Ford Heacock, owner of Parish-Heacock Insurance, founder of Vintage Motorsport Magazine, and founder of the SVRA sanctioning body.
While it was no Pebble Beach, the event was all-in-all a pretty damn good. Budweiser kicked off a Friday Muscle party, leading into Saturdays open to the public event, which took over all of downtown Lakeland Florida. You name it was there.... and for an interesting first, we saw those good ole' amphibicars at work- driven right into the lake! Incredible!
There were plenty of cars, but because the event is spread across a huge area- our impression was there needed to be a bit more people. Organization at our arrival was a bit chaotic, as can be expected with such huge events.
The evening capped off with an evening party in honor of the legendary Brock Yates and was hosted by Mercedes Benz. The food? Awesome! though the service left something to be desired. The company? Excellent! Brocks talk? Well, Cannonball never gets old with us... as I mentioned before, all-in-all, a very enjoyable evening. We ending our long hot day/night back at the hotel bar, privately with Brock and Lady Pamela.
We were a little dismayed at the odd level of arrogance from some of the "players"- especially in Lakeland. As you know arrogance never goes too far with us- we enjoy real people being, well, “real.” Arrogance is not what made Pebble Beach or Amelia Island, it’s the laid back atmosphere of the attendees. And while the Lake Mirror Classic has a ways to go using Amelia Island as the bench mark... it’s positively on its way. We'll be back again and hope you will be too.
To learn more visit www.LakeMirrorClassic.com
Drive Safe,
J. "JJ McClure" Sanchez
Organizer, The Fireball Run®
Oprah & Gayle’s Big Adventure...
If you don’t believe “Motoring” is making a comeback then think again. Even the big “O” got into the spirit. Recently the topic Oprah’s show was the road trip she and best friend Gayle took from Los Angeles to New York. The adventure lasted nine days, 3600 miles- all caught on film. They laughed, they cried, they got pissed off with each other and everyone around them…. Ah… isn’t it great.
Oprah said she had the time of her life meeting new people and experiencing America first hand. I’m a sucker for this stuff so for the first time in my life… I (admitting) watched the Oprah show… I must say it wasn’t bad at all- in fact it was pretty good. Everything Oprah and Gayle went through reminded me of my experiences in the Cannonball…. Sweet sweet memories.
On the road, cramped in a car, we’re not celebrities, we’re not Chamber Chairmen, we’re not CEO’s, we are just people enjoying each others company and America. How cool is that?!!!
To learn more about the "O's" Big Adventure: CLICK HERE
What do you do until Fireball? Do you wander aimlessly up and down the street? Do you jump on the local Interstate and give the cops a new reason to impound your recently purchased HEMI ‘Cuda?
If you have even just a little time and a reliable ride (an unreliable ride makes the adventure that much more interesting) then I suggest a cool web site called RoadsideAmerica.com; probably the greatest gift to the true motoring enthusiast. RoadsideAmerica.com claims to be “the online guide to truly offbeat tourist attractions” and they ARE. Who could have known Orlando has its own mini Graceland? Or that Alamogordo New Mexico is home to the Atari burial ground? did you know there is a Submarine buried in Ohio?
Whether you’re looking to do a day jaunt or a year long road trip, this web site should be your starting point. Just input the cities you’re looking to drive through and the sites “Roger” system does the rest.
I’m personally using the site for possible ideas for the Fireball Run… so don’t be surprised if we route you to Alexandria Louisiana to take a picture with the miraculous cross in the “Cross family” bathroom.
To learn more about RoadsideAmerica.com visit:
DUH- www.RoadsideAmerica.com
Till next time,
J. Sanchez
Organizer/ Founder/ Car Nut
The Fireball Run
WOW- the BLOG is finally working! Thanks "Sam" for your efforts in getting us ON-LINE.
So here we are you, me and the Fireball Run. On behalf of everyone at Fireball Run- "Thank you" fans of American motoring and road rally.
Why did we create Fireball? Fireball Run is our answer to a void in American rally today. It was constructed to be a little different, a little odd, and a whole lotta' fun- and since one cannot not "safely" drive like a jack-ass on the road. Don't get me wrong, I would like to drive like a jack-ass on the road... I simply won’t risk killing a mother of three to do it. Fireball Run was constructed for the modern “professional by day” “car aficionado by night” player. It's more than a rally- it's a game. In fact it's more than a game- it's a lifestyle. Fireball is an experience the players will remember forever and it provides drinking stories for a lifetime.
Fireball is not weak on speed; there are incredible all day track events- fastest team wins. The game itself is a "Clue-meets-Cannonball" adventure rally- one of a kind.
Why is the event invitation only? to control the quality and class of player. Fireball is not about what you have, it's about who you are- as a person. Every Fireballer was personally selected to play based upon both personality and respect for motor sports.
So again thank you, for allowing me and my team the opportunity to add our own chapter to the American road rally legacy. Please feel free to poke around, show support for your favorite teams, because they're gonna need it.
J. Sanchez aka “JJ McClure”
Organizer/ Founder/ Car Nut
The Fireball Run
Sure the various iterations of the Elise are a hoot to drive. They make great novelties for the street and killer track cars, but let’s face it—only the discontinued Hummer H1 can challenge it as the least friendly daily driver.
When is Lotus going to launch the successor to the Esprit? Certainly, companies like Porsche, Aston Martin, BMW and Mercedes-Benz have raised the bar for two-seat performance cars, but for decades, the Esprit screamed, “chick-magnet sports car”. There were apologies for sub-par interior quality, and the car rags criticized it for dated design, but I still look at the car and think, “cool!’
It looked like a true sports car, sounded like a true sports car and was (really) hard to get in and out of like a true sports car. You know what they say…”if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck…” you get the point. The wedge-shaped British sports car always had sex appeal. I always lament the fact that if Lotus had spruced up the interior and bumped the price by about 30 percent, it would have been a viable alternative for budget-conscious Ferrari buyers, especially in the era of Ferrari’s 348 and 355. But priced in the $80k range, it had limited exclusivity and was the relatively poor man’s exotic car.
So where is the replacement? Rumors and photos circulated last year about the successor, but dealers report that car is at least a year away—if then, or even if at all. I think that illuminates the basic problem independent auto manufacturers have competing in the marketplace. Without the benefits of big company backing and economies of scale, I think it will become more and more difficult to create an independent product. The Esprit has been off the market so long, it may not be missed if it doesn’t return.
Let’s just hope that now-independent Aston Martin doesn’t meet the same fate without Ford’s R&D resources.
Tom LaPointe is a freelance automotive photojournalist who manages Sterns Automotive Strategies, a premium and exotic car buying and selling service in Clearwater, Florida. He can be reached at tom@jeffsterns.com. Visit STERNS’ website at www.jeffsterns.com Stunt driving clinic photos by Tom LaPointe
I had the pleasure of hanging out at the Extreme Stunt and Driving Team clinic last week. What an amazing course Grady Bishop puts on for aspiring stunt drivers for the entertainment industry. As one of the approved racing / performance driving schools for the Fireball Run, it gives students a very unique opportunity to learn precision vehicle control unlike any other school.
While the majority of students are early twenty-somethings who aspire to drive in movies, television or theme parks (who wouldn’t want to drive the Pontiac GTO’s at Disney’s MGM Studios?), Fireball founder J. Sanchez’s relationship with Grady opened the class up to Fireball competitors.
Did you ever wonder who was the lucky one behind the wheel of all the stunt vehicles in movies like 2 Fast 2 Furious and others? It’s people like Grady and his students. He actually owns a stunt company that provides support vehicles, drivers, camera platforms and more to the entertainment industry. The school helps keep his pool of available drivers filled.
Skidpad vehicle control, drifting, 180-degree spins and many more vehicle control skills were perfected on the course. Additionally, Grady teaches the course as if his students are performing on a set the next day, so he includes details such as radio etiquette, formation driving and especially safety concerns.
When I was a youth, I fantasized about being Jim Rockford doing the reverse 180 turns (Grady teaches them!) or the chase driver on the Dukes of Hazzard. But alas, I was in the wrong state at the wrong time. Grady provides a unique opportunity for those with those same passions today to fulfill their dreams. BRAVO! Check out the Extreme Stunt and Driving Team website at www.extremestunt.com.
Tom LaPointe is a freelance automotive journalist who operates STERNS Automotive Strategies, an exotic car buying and selling service for private clients in Clearwater, Florida. He can be reached at tom@jeffsterns.com. Check out their website at www.jeffsterns.com.
Photo by Tom LaPointe - Naples Cars on Third 2007
We in Florida tend to take the sun for granted. We don’t suffer the deprivation that much of our northern car-loving brethren endure for months each year. No matter what month it is, we jump in, turn the key, and off we go.
Evidently not the case if you live in Chicago, New York or pretty much anyplace north of the Carolinas. I hear horror stories of having to put the sports cars in the garage for half the year, getting stuck in the snow, senseless fender benders (not to be confused with drinking benders!) and dead batteries from the cold.
People often lament to me that Florida doesn’t have a change of seasons. I wholeheartedly disagree. We have four:
- Warm
- Warm & rainy
- Hot
- Hot & rainy
And yes, we DO have fall colors…they just show up about January and last 10 minutes!
But hey, I hear it’s warming in the north, and it’s time to take off the car cover, check the oil, pump up the tires and break out the battery charger. Spring’s here, baby, and the open road beckons!
Consider this my official “welcome back” to the open road, extended to our northern friends. May the gasoline in your veins always have high octane.
See you on the open road!
Tom LaPointe is a freelance automotive journalist who operates STERNS Automotive Strategies, an exotic car buying and selling service for private clients. He can be reached at tom@jeffsterns.com.
Mark these words, you read it here first. The horsepower wars are less than thirty months from crashing down. Yes, it’s painful. Yes, it’s heartbreaking. And yes, it’s coming.
As someone who grew up in the dark ages of the automobile (late ‘70’s and ‘80’s), I’ve not only embraced the modern performance and design revolution, but continue to celebrate it!
But alas, these nouveau automobile glory days are about to fade fast, and likely from the same cause of the extinction of muscle car production. I am afraid that the move toward common sense fuel economy, coupled with the continued unrest in the middle east, will serve to castrate drivetrains of tomorrow. Sure, the fad for hybrids will continue, and true electrics will begin to permeate our highways as NiCad batteries become functional in auto applications. But good old suck-boom-blow horsepower will start to shrink quickly…especially if the political party represented by the ass takes a seat in the White House in two years (yep – the inauguration is 23 months from now, and the circus has begun).
CAFE restrictions will tighten quickly, and I still believe that gas is bound for $4 per gallon or more. While I feel that hybrids are merely an exercise in self-indulgent excess (a Corolla or Jetta are great gas sippers, though not so cool) I personally think that it’s asinine to have hybrid luxury cars. For all the infrastructure it takes to manufacture and install the high—tech systems, why not just add an efficient turbo or supercharger to capitalize on V8 horsepower. It’s unlikely that many Lexus 400H buyers are going to be concerned about basic conservation, such as consolidating trips and efficient driving habits, so why bother. But hey, it’s a heck of a way to blow five extra grand on a car, AND you get to impress your friends with your pseudo conservationism.
I think it is inevitable that the manufacturers are going to HAVE to transfer all the technology they have invested in achieving massive horsepower into lower power and MUCH better economy. Right now there is not only no incentive to do so, but a true DEMAND for high horsepower. Even if there weren’t, the marketers would be sure to convince us there is!
I just hope that the collapse of power won’t nearly as tragic as it was in the ‘70’s, and that at least creative design will carry on. I will mourn the change, then scoop up a couple of 400HP vehicles to save for 30 years until they become $100k collectibles, like the muscle cars of yesteryear. But don't bury your Corvette or Mercedes yet, hit the road and burn some rubber!!
Tom LaPointe is a freelance automotive journalist who operates STERNS Automotive Strategies, an exotic car buying and selling service for private clients. He can be reached at tom@jeffsterns.com.
By Tom LaPointe
We’re already reading the headlines in car mags. During the next couple of weeks, the world invades Detroit for the annual North American International Auto Show. Something like 100,000 spectators will wander through Cobo Hall in this spectacle for which automakers spend millions of dollars to display their wares.
But it’s not really the guests the automakers are working so hard to woo…it’s the media. I had the pleasure of attending last year during the press preview…it’s a whole different show! As a member of the press, I got to rub elbows with some of the highest-ranking PR people the car companies have on staff. Their passion and understanding of their vehicles in the global car market make most dealership salespeople seem like weekend amateurs. They invite you past the “do not cross” barriers and up on the platforms so you can get close enough to their concept and production cars to smell the leather. Need a better angle for a shot? They’ll hold your bag. Need a pithy quote? Their lips are loaded. Exactly as you would expect.
But it goes way beyond that. From the moment you arrive at your hotel and check in, you really have no other expenses. The automakers shuttle you back and forth to Cobo from morning to night, and once inside the hall, you have a virtually unlimited supply of food and drinks. Cappuccino, espresso, sandwiches, beer, wine and cookies could be had in various proportions at almost every display. I was talking with one veteran reporter at the bar (more on that, later) who could tell you which manufacturer had the best food at which parts of the day. Audi for sandwiches, Mercedes for drinks and so forth. What he couldn’t tell me was which of the concept cars might make it into production.
At the end of the “work day” is when the fun really began. There were all kinds of private dinners around town with the bigwigs from the car companies and top editors and writers from the likes of Motor Trend, Automotive News and others. If you’re not important enough to make that short list, Daimler-Chrysler makes sure you’re not left out. Evidently, a few years back they purchased an old firehouse across from Cobo Hall and refurbished it. Then they donated it back to the city with the option to use it every so often. The place serves a full grill menu and top shelf drinks to all the Daimler-Chrysler corporate staff, friends and media. There are four bars and a cigar room to ensure nobody is thirsty or has to stand outside in the ten-degree weather to smoke their stogie. Corporate leader, Dieter Zetsche even serves from behind the bar. It kind of makes you wonder what it must be like if you’re an important guy in Washington, D.C.?
How impartial can you really be when you were up until four a.m. partying on their tab? I can’t tell you, because I headed home at midnight so I could view their competitor’s vehicle launch early the next morning…
Tom LaPointe operates STERNS Automotive Strategies, an exotic car buying and selling service for private clients. He can be reached at tom@jeffsterns.com. www.jeffsterns.comBy Tom LaPointe
The people who have everything are always the hardest to shop for during the holidays. For those of you who have already given this person in your life a gold-plated humidor, rare wine and a round of golf at Pebble Beach, we have the perfect solution for you. The Ferrari F430 Spider is arguably the greatest sports car ever presented to the driving public. Perhaps not the purest sports car, definitely not the best-priced and certainly not the most practical, but who cares? As it enters its third year of production, Ferrari’s latest V8 treat for the high net worth crowd is an unadulterated, high-performance kick in the pants—literally. Mash the gas in this car and hold on for dear life as 490 horsepower rocket its lucky driver from zero to sixty in less than four seconds. Ignore the speed limit (and law enforcement), and this acceleration will continue to nearly 200 mph.
It’s available as a coupe or convertible (Spider), but since you’re getting that special someone a gift that is definitely going to get them noticed, they may as well be seen, as well. So go ahead and step up to the Spider. The soft top folds back behind the seat with the press of a button in less than twenty seconds for high-performance, open-air motoring. If you’re worried about the recipient of your thoughtful gift operating a gearshift while they’re talking on their phone/PDA/camera/TV/MP3 player, fear not. Both versions of this engineering marvel are available with either a traditional manual transmission or F1-style paddles behind the steering wheel (sans clutch). The paddles are just like Formula 1 racecars. The car is shifted up or down with a simple pull on the paddle, and the computer operates an electrical clutch to change the six-speed gearbox. There is even an “auto” mode that will assume all the shifting decisions. It’s not quite as smooth as a traditional automatic, but it does free up a hand to sip latte.
Don’t worry about having to pay “sticker price” for this rolling piece of art. They are sold out indefinitely, so actual street price is typically $60,000 to $80,000 over its MSRP of $215,000-$240,000. But what the heck, your lucky recipient is likely to appreciate it MUCH more than that electric tie rack you were considering. I’ll take mine in traditional red/tan, thank you very much.
Tom LaPointe operates STERNS Automotive Strategies, an exotic car buying and selling service for private clients. He can be reached at tom@jeffsterns.com. www.jeffsterns.com
By Tom LaPointe
Entrepreneur Malcom Bricklin recently announced that he is cancelling plans to manufacturer and import Chinese Chery brand cars to the United States. Citing quality issues with the vehicles, the man who brought you Suburu (a good thing) and Yugo (not so good thing), pulled the plug on a planned 2007 launch of entry cars that would feature luxury content. But was it quality issues, or the fact that Daimler-Chrysler is in negotiations to launch their own joint venture?
For me, it doesn’t really matter. The automotive landscape in the U.S. is overrun with nearly three hundred nameplates, and I don’t think another one would be a plus. Don’t get me wrong; I’m all for capitalism, f | |
