Gymkhana Racing - The Next Big Thing? Gymkhana may sound like a name of some small third world country, but its actually a type of auto racing that's beginning to take solid shape in the United States. With the popularity and influence gained from Autocross, Drifting, and Rally racing, Gymkhana's attempting to be the next big motorsport trend for the coming years. Currently, there is one man in the United States that holds the key to the sport's popularity votes, and it seems as though he's on the right track. Ever heard of the Rally driver Ken Block? [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nC6eHZ1qeys[/youtube] Ken Block has all the tools he needs to make Gymkhana a success and perhaps even re-write the entire definition of the sport.  So far, with huge corporate backing from DC Shoes/Monster/Ford, Ken Block's Gymkhana videos have made the list as some of the most viewed, viral video in the entire world simply because car stunts are awesome to watch. The automobile acrobatics, cinematography, creative editing, the sounds, all in HD goodness!! I suggest going to Full screen mode, crank up the sound, and enjoy the intensity of what a...

Couresty of Ford Media and PCGCambell Two years ago this month, the drag racing community lost John Force Racing Mustang driver Eric Medlen in a tragic Funny Car testing accident. In the aftermath of that accident, John Force Racing and Ford Racing banded together to form The Eric Medlen Project, with an eye on finding and improving safety innovations for the sport. Along with the NHRA, John Force Racing and Ford Racing have instituted a series of safety measures ranging from significant Funny Car chassis modifications to the instillation of the Ford Blue Box (crash data recorder) on all nitro cars. This important work continues and This Week In Ford Racing recently caught up with 14 time Funny Car World Champion John Force and with Pat DiMarco, Ford Racing Vehicle Dynamics and Electronics Supervisor, for an update on The Eric Medlen Project and ongoing safety developments. JOHN FORCE – GTX Castrol Mustang-- CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THE ERIC MEDLEN PROJECT? “Our shop is out here in California, 50,000 square foot, but most of the race teams are out in Indy, the Ford Motor program is in...

If you're a fan of NHRA drag racing, then there's a great chance you're a fan of John Force Racing and his team. As a Ford fan, (don't forget, Pop's was a Ford Mechanic for 25 years) I've been following Force for as long as I can remember so when I got the chance to interview co-crew chief Austin Coil, I jumped at it. Meeting with Austin Coil in the small town the John Force Racing trucks make was awesome. Cruising past the beast Force pilots down the strip as his crew finished prepping for Saturday at the Firebird Race, then stepping into the trailer you often see on TV was unreal. I carefully tried to keep my grin from extending past my ears as I sat down with Coil. Without his trademark toothpick, Coil smiled alot and seemed to be winding down from Friday's session that saw all of John Force Racing cars in the top half of the field. Coil's easy going manner and obvious passion for racing and technology made this interview a breeze. I just had to keep up... WHAT’S CHANGED THE MOST ABOUT FUNNY...

The first step in fixing a problem is admitting you have one. Hi, I’m Craig, I don’t know crap about bodywork. (Hi Craig). With that out of the way, I moved onto the next step. That’s seeking help. I turned to my new friends over at Squeeg’s Kustoms in Mesa, Arizona. Squeeg’s has been turning out show quality paint and bodywork since 1964 and Doug Jerger, the owner and Squeeg’s son, has kept the business rolling. One of Doug’s latest paint jobs was for his America’s Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR) contenting 32 Roadster. I was in good hands for my shotgun lesson in body work to support the 63 Falcon Wagon project. When hot rods and custom car building’s in your head nearly every waking minute, hanging out in a shop like Squeeg’s might as well be Disneyland. When I pulled up, Doug and the Jerry Courlton were standing out front marveling at the fresh custom paint on Jerry’s Corvette super gas race car body. Wow. It’s tough to put down this many colors without having that, “I’m stuck in the 80’s” look, but Doug nailed the graphics and...

Lead and some content for this story courtesy of Ford Media. Without a doubt, John Force Racing is the team I'm routing for on Sundays. 3 of the 4 Force teams are in the Top 10 with Ashley Force at #1! Ashley made history Sunday at the NHRA Funny Car race in Las Vegas, Nev when she drove her Castrol GTX Mustang to the final round and jumped up four spots in the standings to #1. She's the first woman to ever lead the Funny Car standings after an event. It was Ashley Force’s second appearance in an event final in as many weeks and the third appearance in her last six starts. She remains the only female driver ever to reach a Funny Car final. I hope this made John Force feel a little better after failing to qualify for the Vegas race. I wonder if John's thinking of gambling instead of racing. He ended his streak of qualifying at 393 in Vegas. That mark will never be broken. John, you're still my man! In case you didn't know, Ashely's ROLLING! She was the 2007 AOL Hottest Female...

Vintage Drag Racing Back before I was born, my pops raced this car in northern California, especially Fremont Baylands Raceway and Vaca Valley. It was called, "The Happy Home Wrecker" (my parents are divorced): I have some great memories of this car because after my dad raced it, he sold it to his friend and racing partner Brad Bradly. I used to see it at Brad's shop, Bradly's Automotive in Pt. Richmond, CA. Any time he was going to move that car, we wanted to see it cause it was the loudest car we'd ever heard. Many years later, after the car had changed hands a few times, the new owner, Don Boucher, tracked down Brad in Nevada. Now that I knew who had this old friend, I contacted Don and told him who I was. Don plans to return this car to it's former drag racing glory. I will be updating this blog based on the progress Don makes. I hope to see this car running again. Don, keep us posted! To see more picture of, "The Wrecker" go to Don's Garage at MyRideisMe.com The next story isn't...