Car

NASCAR haulers are an absolute marvel that has the ability to transform from a truck that hauls stuff from race to race into a high-tech mobile command center. Over the years, I've walked by hundreds of NASCAR haulers but never had the opportunity to go inside and see what it looks like and how the team actually uses it on a race weekend. Thanks to Kelley Blue Book though, I got my opportunity when they invited me to join them at the New Hampshire Motorspeedway.

It's no secret that the auto industry is extremely competitive and that American tastes are shifting away from mid-sized sedans to SUVs like the Mazda MX-5, Honda CRV, Toyota Rav4, and Jeep Cherokee. What is interesting to me is how similar each of these cars is on paper and price - yet so different in driving experience. It made me step back a bit and think about how I experience cars since rarely do I get a chance to actually compare vehicles directly. Typically we're provided a top of the line model and asked to share our thoughts on it. Through a bit of luck and planning though, I managed to drive all four of these this year and take the opportunity to compare not just their bullet-ed talking points - but what it actually means to someone shopping for the right SUV for their lifestyle.

As a dad, you are expected to know everything about the car, but over the past two months I've discovered that while I appreciate tires... sometimes you can still be surprised. 

There’s something special about donuts – no not just the fried ones – but the burning rubber and smoking tires type. It’s a celebration of freedom and a way to literally leave your mark after a major accomplishment. The thrill of watching from the stands or side of the track as an expert driver like BFGoodrich Performance Team Member RJ Anderson makes a perfect race donut is something that everyone out there deserves to experience at least once.

I take a lot of road trips each year to explore different places. There's something exciting about exploring and seeing not just tourist destinations but all those spots in between. Unfortunately taking photos through the window of a moving car is among the most challenging shots to take but with a few quick tips, you can make sure that your shots look great!

Virtually every man I know has an appreciation - if not an outright love of cars. While some are simply dull practical machines to get back and forth, many of them are in fact works of mechanical and artistic triumph that deserve to be celebrated. That's one of the reasons why I love the annual Fabulous Fords Forever show. It's more than just an exotic car show, but rather it's a celebration of passion for one of my favorite automotive brands - Ford Motor Company. 

Phoenix in the spring is a pilgrimage destination for all guys (and women) that love baseball. There is simply no better place in the world that you can go to experience the pure joy and excitement of the sport unspoiled by commercialism and the pressures of rankings. For a few weeks, it's just about playing the game and seeing some amazing young talent playing their hearts out along side seasoned veterans serving as their mentors. This is a destination that I try to visit each year, so when the folks at Toyota invited me out to celebrate in the sun with them I excitedly accepted.

For the ultimate NASCAR fan, there's no bigger achievement than actually owning a car driven my your favorite driver. Short of buying an actual team, this is probably the closest you will ever come to living out those Days of Glory dreams. For most people though, this is simply a fantasy but it's actually surprisingly easy to achieve and a lot less expensive than you might think.

The Mazda mx-5 RF was never meant for a guy like me and frankly I can't drive with the top down but that doesn't stop me from enjoying it. It is one hell of a car! The engineers at Mazda did a spectacular job when they created this vehicle. It has everything that the soft top version does and really nothing more than a different top. However, it feels like a totally different car, but with everything that was great about the original. If you are in the market for an affordable roadster but live in a climate where a soft top might not be practical, this is the car for you!

Last month I got invited to drive two new Mazda's in San Diego - the CX-5 and the MX-5 RF. After weeks of counting down the days till I could get behind the wheel, when I saw the itinerary I was crushed to see that I'd be sitting in design seminars for as much (maybe more?) time than we'd actually be behind the wheel. Nothing quite made sense. After all, this was a car launch event and driving matters... right? After some initial disappointment though I decided to simply make the best of the situation and try to learn something. I'm glad I did! While there was the minutia of how many bushings were created and how sound were avoided by adding an extra micron of padding here and there, the ultimate takeaway was something greater. Mazda guys really live and breath a design philosophy that quite frankly has created some of the finest cars in the industry today. 

The first few times you come to Vegas, all you can think of overwhelming majesty of the strip. It's a fantastic wonderland of lights, sounds, and sights that you simply can't find anywhere else on earth. After a few visits though, that starts to get more and more shallow and you begin to wonder what lies beyond. The fact is, Vegas is a huge city with more than just the strip to explore. Unfortunately for you and I though, from the moment you land in the airport - everything is designed to pull you and your wallet into one of the gigantic strip resorts.

Some SUV's are made for carving a path through the jungle... and others are perfectly designed for attacking the suburbs. That's not to say that those two are exclusive, but after driving the 2017 Nissan Armada around San Diego for a week I can say that this beast felt at home driving through gated communities, soccer fields, and strip malls. There's no suburban challenge too big for this beast... except when it came time to find a place to park. Simply put, this SUV is huge and Southern California parking spaces are tiny. However, despite the size, the Armada comes equipped with plenty of sensors and technology to make even that challenge manageable.

Volvo as a brand is synonymous with safety, but until recently I didn't necessarily associate it with luxury - I simply just associated safety and European with being expensive. Things have changed over the past few years with the brand however. It is no longer a subsidiary of Ford and their new Chinese owners have provided the Swedish engineers and designers with the freedom to take the brand to the next level. As they go through the transition, various models are at different points on the spectrum - with the XC90 that I absolutely am in love with at one end and the V60 not quite as far down the path of modern luxury.

Fall is typically not a season that triggers that sort of alarm. However, bear in mind that as the summer heat dissipates to make way for the fall season, it’s bound to get colder as the months pass. Indeed, in no time at all, it’s winter. 

I've had a chance to test out the Wrangler and Renegade Trailhawk, both are rugged, and fun off road vehicles that I can't wait to drive again. However, the Grand Cherokee is a slightly different beast. While it still maintains a very high level of capability, if feels at home cruising the open highways and urban roads in comfort. Whether you are taking the kids to soccer practice, giving your client a ride to the airport, or picking up bags of mulch for that weekend project, the Grand Cherokee is going to make you feel good doing it.

The last time I rode in a Jeep Wrangler was during college, it was a beast of a car - cramped, bouncy, and generally closer to a tool than an enjoyable experience. That's all changed, but the Jeep Wrangler is still as capable as ever and that's a very good thing! Thank you Jeep for letting me borrow this amazing car for an adventure I won't be able to ever forget.

Driving safely is one of the most important things you can do, but honestly most of us learn by surviving accidents and "near misses". Sure, your drivers education class that you (and likely your kids) took at school teaches you how to operate the vehicle but it is mostly under ideal conditions. What happens though when the driver is distracted, the road surface is slick, or something causes your car to temporarily lose control? These aren't hypothetical... they are REAL conditions and like anything in life, you can can't simply avoid them. The only solution is to teach drivers how to reduce risk while teaching them how to manage situations when they arise. 

Today we're talking with Brad Lovell who is a Baja 1000 champion and BFGoodrich ambassador about his love of driving and exploring awesome places.

It's getting hot and if you are in the Southwest United States, it's going to get a lot hotter over the next few months. I just drove back from Las Vegas and as we drove through Baker, CA the thermometer on the car hit 116 degrees! That got me thinking about ideas for places to go visit later this summer to avoid the heat and cool off for a few days. 

If you’re thinking about taking some exciting trips on the road this summer, it’s important to do whatever you can to help save money at the gas pump. Earlier this spring, we were amazed at how far we could go on one tank of gas while driving the Avalon Hybrid, but with these tips we could have gone even further. Now it's up to you to make an impact and maximize your gas mileage for your summer road trips.