Question Of The MonthThis month's query is simple and straightforward:What's the best-smelling thing about cars?Do you enjoy whiffs of Pennzoil? Is there something engaging about the odor of burnt rubber? Let us know. If your response is amusing (and not too sicko and weird), we'll publish your reply. E-mail us at sccnews@primedia.com. And this is strictly an e-mail thing, so don't send us anything you expect us to smell.
Answers Of The MonthIn the February issue we asked you: Which is more fun to watch or participate in, front- or rear-wheel-drive drag racing? Here are some of answers we got.
Rear wheel all the way. Why do you think Ferrari, Porsche, Jaguar, and Lamborghini never made front-wheel cars? They SUCK. Know why Pro NHRA is all rear wheel? It works. Front drive makes for cheap and easy family cars and minivans, but nothing for racing or even really driving fast.-Aaron J. Dowdell, Boone, IA
Neither. The most exciting drivetrain in drag racing is AWD. Nothing beats that split second when the light flashes green and all four wheels claw the pavement with a fury found in no two- wheel-drive car.-Chris Ross '94 GSX, Parts Unknown
Neither. Drag racing is boring. I'd rather watch F1 or Rally. Just going straight doesn't do it for me.-Douglas C. Biehl II, Parts Unknown
I like to watch the rear-wheel-drive racing more, because it seems like there are more possibilites for something to go wrong. What's more exciting than watching cars wheelie or flip into the air? -Jesse, Parts Unknown
Seems pretty obvious. Would you rather watch wheelstands or wheelhop?-Scott Jackson, Parts Unknown
Drag racing is drag racing. It doesn't matter whether the front, rear, or all of the wheels put power to the ground.-Barry Hettler, Rochester, NY
I like front-drive drag racing better. There's more involvement. In a rear-drive car you mash the gas and the car does all the work, but getting a front-drive four-cylinder car into the 11s, 10s, 9s or 8s is amazing. I'm stuck up here in domestic Hell, so a fast front driver is fun to watch. Seeing a Civic blow the doors off of a Camaro or Mustang is worth the trip to the track.-Dustin, Sioux Falls, SD
Not Quite An EvoWant something that looks kinda/sorta like an EVO, but costs a lot less and should even carry affordable insurance? Then the 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart is for you.
The Ralliart is a mere front-driver, but has the big 2.4-liter SOHC four in its nose pumping out 160 hp. It also comes wearing 16-inch wheels, a stiffer and lower suspension and four-wheel disc brakes. (ABS and electronic brake force distribution are optional.) All 2004 Lancers will get the new nose, but only the Ralliart will get the clear lens taillights. Inside, the front seats are the same ones used on the JDM Lancer Evolution GT-A and there are all sorts of carbon-fiber trim and brushed phony metal. Both five-speed manual and four-speed automatic transmissions will be offered when the car goes on sale this fall.
Priced starting at less than $18,000, the Ralliart Lancer is intended to fill the hole in the Lancer line-up between the O.Z. Rally Sedan (which has no power upgrades) and the wickedly turbocharged, all-wheel-drive Lancer Evolution.
"2 Fast 2 Furious" Trailer Online ReviewedAre you desperate to see the sequel to 2001's "The Fast and the Furious?" The movie opens June 6, but the trailer for "2 Fast 2 Furious" is up right now on www.thefastandthefurious.com and we figure it's time for us to give our snap judgment based on those few seconds.
First, there's way too much neon on the cars. Second, the acting isn't going to win any Oscars. Third, the girls look hot. And fourth, all the action looks damned awesome.
Cars jump, cars race and, in one stunning sequence (we swiped the frames to show you here), a Saleen Mustang gets run over by a semi and then hit by a Corvette convertible. Not only does the scene look absolutely insane, but it also manages to destroy both a Saleen and a Corvette, making the world just that much more pleasant.
Despite the presence of actors, we think this movie is OK. If you have money leftover after renewing your subscription to SCC, go see this movie. After all, the trailer looks good.
Mazda Will Teach You to DriveThe Mazda Rev It Up program is the world's largest performance driving school and the cheapest. Training starts at just $40.
Rev It Up will travel to 15 different major cities around America and offer classroom instruction, some seat time with professional drivers and a solo event where drivers can pit their new skills against the clock and other competitors. Not bad for $40-and every attendee will also get to drive the Mazda6, Miata and Proteg on a "simulated street course." Beyond all that, there will also be "interactive activities" available for general amusement for those people who don't want to learn a damned thing.
Information and registration is available at www.mazdarevitup.com, but here's the schedule should you be unable to operate a computer.
San Francisco Bay Area, Alameda PointMarch 29-30
Los Angeles, CAHollywood ParkApril 5-6
Orange County(Irvine, CA), El ToroApril 12-13
Houston, TXSam Houston RacewayApril 26-27
Dallas, TXTexas Motor SpeedwayMay 3-4
Atlanta, GA, Atlanta Motor SpeedwayMay 17-18
Charlotte, NCCharlotte ColiseumMay 24-25
Miami, FLGulfstream ParkMay 31-June 1
Chicago, ILChicago Motor Speedway (to be confirmed)June 14-15
Minneapolis, MNMinneapolis Fairgrounds (to be confirmed)June 21-22
Cincinnati, OHTurfway Park (to be confirmed)June 28-29
Boston, MACMGI FieldJuly 12-13
Philadelphia, PA Philadelphia ParkJuly 19-20
Washington, DCFedEx FieldJuly 26-27
New York, NYBelmont ParkAugust 2-3
Rumors&Lies
* Raymond Banasan, 18, of Fairfield was killed when he lost control of his Honda Civic during a street race in the northern California city in February. According to reports, two passengers in his car were also injured, but are expected to recover.
* McG, the filmmaker responsible for the movie "Charlie's Angels," has announced his intent to make a movie based on Mattel's Hot Wheels toy cars. McG was quoted by the Associated Press as promising a movie with "all the warmth and humanity of your favorite James Dean movie with the state-of-the-art visual effects and the hottest collection of automobiles ever brought to the screen." As this is written, Columbia Pictures was still looking for a screenwriter and a cast of very tiny actors to fit in the cars.
* There are rumors that Saab will rebadge a Subaru WRX and sell it as its own. Call it Saabaru.
* The SCCA has inked an agreement with The SPEED Channel that will put all eight of the 2003 ProRally Championship events on the channel. The one-hour shows will air on Thursday nights as part of the cable channel's "Thursday Dirt" programming.
* Toyo Tires has announced its tire will be the spec tire for all events in the United States Touring Car Championship. All entries will run on either 205/40-17 or 235/45-17 Proxes RA-1 tires.
* Michelin, which already owns BFGoodrich here in America, has taken a 10-percent stake in South Korea's Hankook Tire.
* One more reason the 24 Hours of Daytona sucked this year is that the Grand Am sanctioning body outlawed all rotary engine racecars.
* Toyota has announced it will build a new plant in San Antonio, Texas, to produce Tundra pickups. It will be Toyota's sixth plant in America when it opens in 2006 and will build 150,000 trucks during the first year.
* Nina Rivet Sukvir Singh Khosa, 20, and Bahadur Singh Bhalru, 23, were both sentenced to two years of house arrest in Vancouver for the street racing death of pedestrian Irene Thorpe, 51, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Company. Both were convicted of criminal negligence causing death after Khosa lost control of his car during a November 2000 race with Bhalru and hit Thorpe. Diane Levair, Thorpe's sister, was outraged by the zero-jail-time sentences. "It's garbage," she says. "Where's my sister? What did she get? She got a conditional life sentence. It's not going to bring her back, and they get to walk? It's garbage, it's garbage."
WebsideIt's another month and another batch of Web sites. Send us info on yours or some other non-porn, automotive site that makes you deliriously delirious at sccnews@primedia.com. Ah heck, send us the porn sites, too.