New Entries Selected from the SEMA 2013 Show Floor     OPTIMA® Batteries Announces “Golden Ticket” Winners for the 2013 Ultimate Street Car Invitational Best-of-the-Best SEMA Show Vehicles Selected to Compete In Sixth Annual Invitational on November 9th   November 7, 2013 (LAS VEGAS) – OPTIMA® Batteries announced the final vehicle participants for the 2013 OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational, during a press conference at the SEMA Show. These qualifiers were selected by a committee of OPTIMA and industry representatives who walked the SEMA show floor in Las Vegas to recognize the best of the best across all performance vehicle segments.   The following drivers are the finalists selected, earning a spot to compete in this year’s OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational: 2010 Audi R8, William Horan 1950 Chevy Thriftmaster Truck, Jonathan Ward 1993 Mazda RX-7, Scott Sangpiel 1973 Chevy Camaro, Randy Johnson 2013 Ford Focus ST-M, Mark German 1969 Pontiac GTO, Darren Nickleson 1965 Ford Mustang, Alan Palmer 1995 Toyota Supra, Joe Delgato 1968 Chevy Camaro, Karl Dunn 1967 Ford Mustang, Ed Moss   “There are so many extraordinary vehicles at SEMA and we are always impressed with the quality of unique vehicles that are at the show,”...

Who's Coming and What Radical Race Car are they bringing?   2013 OPTIMA® Ultimate Street Car Invitational: Second Group of Finalists Revealed If you can't find a car to like in this group... you don't like cars! From a BMW M3 wagon to classic Camaros and Mustangs, the OUSCI has you covered. All of these race cars will be seen at SEMA, many of them inside as part of vendor displays. Then on Friday, they'll take to the streets and make the parade lap leaving SEMA followed by a rally-style out to Pahrump, NV and the Spring Mountain Ranch race track where they'll kick things off on Saturday morning. Check out more details below.   The Upcoming Sixth Annual OPTIMA® Ultimate Street Car Invitational to Showcase a Strong Mix of Imported and Domestic Vehicles   OPTIMA Batteries, the global leader in high-performance automotive and marine batteries, gears up for the sixth annual OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational, presented by K&N Filters and Royal Purple, by revealing the initial list of drivers and vehicles that have been invited to compete in the event. OPTIMA Batteries has long been the battery of choice for many automotive enthusiasts looking for better...

OPTIMA Shootout Qualifiers at Road America Premiere of OPTIMA’s Search for the Ultimate Street Car: Faceoff at Road America Qualifier Event to Air on MAV TV Network   OPTIMA’s Faceoff at Road America Qualifying Event Episode Premieres Thursday, October 31 with more high intensity performance vehicles and nail-biting action Oct. 17, 2012 (MILWAUKEE) – OPTIMA® Batteries, the global leader in high-performance automotive and marine AGM batteries and chargers, is proud to announce the premiere of the OPTIMA’s Search for the Ultimate Street Car series to air on Thursday, October 31 at 6 p.m. EDT and 9 p.m. EDT on MAV TV.   In the premiere, viewers will get a behind-the-scenes look at the action during the OPTIMA Faceoff at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. This regional qualifying event introduces a diverse range of performance vehicles and the stories behind the passionate drivers as they compete on one of the most historic race tracks in America.   “This episode captures the passion of the automotive community with a great cast of entertaining characters. If you’re looking for fast beautiful cars, then this is your show,” said Cam Douglass director of product development and marketing for OPTIMA Batteries....

OPTIMA Faceoff at Road America Awards - A Hot Rod Wins! Optima Faceoff at Road America Awards Four OPTIMA Invitational Entries Among Largest Group of Participants in Faceoff History, 1964 Chevy Corvette, 2013 Nissan GTR, 1963 Pontiac Tempest and 1981 Pontiac Trans Am earned entries to the 2013 OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational   June 25, 2013 (MILWAUKEE) – The OPTIMA® Faceoff at Road America, presented by Royal Purple and K&N Filters, returned to Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, this past weekend with more than 70 participants. The event, which will be showcased on television later this fall, kicked-off on Friday, June 21 at Johnson Controls Headquarters with a car show and charitable OPTIMA Build-A-Bike event benefiting Milwaukee area Boys & Girls Clubs and Neighborhood House of Milwaukee. The Faceoff at Road America is a Regional Qualifier event leading up to OPTIMA’s Ultimate Street Car Invitational, to be held in Pahrump, NV, after the SEMA show in early November.   The driving and fun began Saturday as all of the Faceoff participants drove more than 60 miles through Wisconsin’s scenic Kettle Moraine State Park to the Road America facility in the Detroit...

Spectator Tickets Available for: 2013 OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational Sixth Annual OPTIMA® Invitational Promises to be Another Thrilling Automotive Event   More info about the rides racing at the OUSCI   Today OPTIMA® Batteries released a limited number of spectator tickets for its sixth annual OPTIMA® Ultimate Street Car Invitational presented by K&N Filters and Royal Purple. Spectator tickets to the Pahrump, Nevada event, which sold out in 2012, are available for purchase online. Spectators are invited to watch the action-packed event where participants – both up-and-comers and industry favorites – from around the world compete for the OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car title. Fans are advised to act quickly because the 2012 event sold out of spectator tickets.   Last year, the OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational brought in massive crowds with a sold out event, more thrilling moments and record times, ultimately crowning Mark Stielow and his custom 1967 Chevrolet Camaro as the 2012 OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car.   "We’re looking forward to another exciting year of this growing event as we continue to layer on different challenges and elements for a new experience for fans and...

OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational Qualifier   May 21, 2013, (MILWAUKEE) – Back by popular demand, OPTIMA Batteries will once again host the OPTIMA Faceoff at Road America event in Elkhart Lake, Wis., June 21-23. Presented by Royal Purple and K&N Filters, the OPTIMA Faceoff at Road America will showcase one-of-a-kind performance vehicles during an action-packed weekend of high-powered activity. The OPTIMA Faceoff at Road America brings together a wide range of the best street-legal performance vehicles including vintage, late-model, import and domestic entries of all makes, and is a regional qualifying event for the prestigious OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational occurring later in the year.   The OPTIMA Faceoff at Road America event will be filmed for television as part of the expanding OPTIMA’s Search for the Ultimate Street Car series. Automotive celebrity and former WWE wrestler, Bill Goldberg, will be onsite as returning show host. Participants and spectators will also have the opportunity to interact with select cast members from the “R U Faster Than a Redneck” television show. Several of the “Redneck” drivers, including Brian Finch, and brothers Jason and Lonny Childress will be participating in the...

Ariel Atom Racer: Hit the Race Track! By Ben Mozart Photographs by our friends at Moore Good Ink If you're looking to get into racing, the Ariel Atom may be a great way to start. A fairly low cost, great power-to-weight ratio for a fun time, and a good looking package that'll fit my 6'4" frame! Check it out!   Alton, VA: Probably the most significant milestone in the past two years for Sportsman road racers, those who pay their own bills, is the introduction of the Spec:RaceAtom (SRA) which is a race-version based off the popular Ariel Atom 3 supercar. The Spec:RaceAtom (SRA) distinguishes itself in several extraordinary ways, not least by its unusual exoskeleton form. But its mesmerizingly rapid acceleration and its remarkable cornering power are attributes that need to be explored urgently.   Weighing 1315lbs, the SRA is extraordinarily light and having its transversely mounted engine and transmission positioned over the rear wheels ensures massive traction. In steady-state cornering, the car generates remarkable g-forces, measuring 1.7 to 1.8g. In its power-to weight ratio the SRA exceeds many modern supercars.   No wonder former NHRA Top Fuel...

Track Day Racing - What you need to know Every car enthusiast wants to drive on a race track – whether it’s a chance to hit the oval, cut a great light at the strip, or test your skills at a road course, the allure of the race track is obvious: there are no cops, no stoplights, and no minivans to pull out in front of you. It’s just you and the pavement. And maybe some walls. Many clubs offer open track days, driver schools, and other events where you can get your car out on the race track. Some clubs require you to join up to participate, others are happy to take virtually anyone. If your club doesn’t do track days, just ask around and you’re sure to find at least one opportunity in your area. Fair Warning: Driving on a Race Track is Dangerous Before you sign up, there are three things you need to know: The first and most important thing to remember is that no matter how great your car drives and handles on the street, it’s likely to feel like a bowl of loose...

Pro-Touring Hot Rod Comet   Pro-Touring? Does this sound like grandma cruisin' Route 66 in a Mercury Marquis? Try Again! For those hiding out in your garage working on your own hot rod in the last 5 years, Pro-Touring cars are classic muscle cars modified to be driven hard with modern hot rodding technology.   Call it Pro-Touring or G-Machine, everything on these tricked out rides is upgraded and modern: Late model or aftermarket suspension, big horsepower engine, and body mods to fit those giant wheels with low profile tires and big brakes. New school muscle with old school style. Buckle up.   OK, let's have a look-see at Josh Martin's 1965 Pro-Touring Mercury Comet Caliente then shall we? A few magazines are planning to feature this track day-ready Comet, but the details are not set. In the meantime, MyRideisMe.com delivers the latest and greatest in hot rodding. We say, why wait? Type in your email address over on the left and you'll receive stories like this right to your inbox.   Filling you in on the Comet build then, meet car owner, Josh Martin.   MyRideisMe: All dream...

After selling both the Nissan 240SX race cars he had owned and saying, "I'm not getting another race car..." Brady Dohrmann of Tempe, AZ picked up this race prepped BMW M3. I work with Brady, so it was only natural to make him the first officially sponsored MyRideisMe.com race car! It also helps that with his previous cars, Brady pretty much won every event he raced in and was featured in a couple of magazines. He won his class at the 9/22-23 Track Day at Phoenix International Raceway (PIR) and was 3rd overall. It's a big responsibility being Brady's sponsor. We had to show up late and bring 3 cold Burger King Whopper Jr's. With backing like that, I'm sure Brady will continue to be successful. To see more pictures of Brady's car, check out his Brady's garage. To see all the pictures I took from the race, go HERE: If anyone would like the high res photos, please get in touch. There yours...