In most cases, it would be a challenge to make an accurate assessment of an experience lasting just a few moments. However, this experience was unequivocally AWESOME. Not only is the 2019 Silverado a great truck but to be driven by racing legend Dale Earnhardt Jr around one of the world's most famous tracks is simply an experience that will live with me forever. In the words of Dale Jr, "relax, this is gonna happen fast... it'll be over before you know it".

This year, the 2019 Chicago Auto Show was a look at an industry in transition. The switch from cars to crossover/trucks is apparent as only one all-new sedan made its debut at the show. This year’s show has plenty trim packages and "anniversary edition" announcements. Here’s a look at some of the new vehicles that will appear on dealer lots in the coming months and into next year.

How to you make the Cadillac Escalade is already an SUV with attitude and is one of my favorite luxury rides. Now it's gotten a bad-ass upgrade from the folks at AddArmor who turned it into an absolutely stunning executive protection vehicle. I dream of one day rolling through the streets in one these but for now I'll just have to be satisfied by the photos...

The Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is what would happen if a Dodge Charger Hellcat and a Grand Cherokee had a baby. This is an absolutely ridiculous concept but this is one of my favorite vehicles that I've driven in the past few years. Imagine all of the comfort and style that the Grand Cherokee is known for... but with a 6.4L V8 707hp Hellcat engine up front propelling the vehicle to a blistering 0-60 of 3.5 second. Oh and since it's still the Grand Cherokee is has 7,200 lb towing capacity, super comfortable rear leg room, and plenty of trunk space for all the gear you need for a weekend getaway.

Almost anyone who has felt the thrill of racing through the open desert has dreamed of one day becoming a professional dirt racer. There's a unique thrill that you can only understand if you've ever sat in an open windshield truck, buggie, or UTV and felt the wind and grit fly by your face. This is a different sort of experience than exploring typical "jeep trails" and the objective here is to go as fast as possible as safely as possible so you can do it all again as soon as possible. BFGoodrich is the undisputed king of tires in this space and if you watch any of the leading races including MINT 400, Baja 1000, or even King of Hammers you'll notice that the pros all are riding on their latest tires. Often this is the KR3 - known for its grip as well as rugged sidewalls able to resist damage at relatively low air pressure. Now though, there's a version for the rest of us to use on UTVs and off-road trucks such as custom Jeeps, Raptors and Colorado ZR2s.

Last fall BFGoodrich Tires invited us to join them for the 2018 awards announcement at SEMA Show. I love it when corporations choose to find ways to enhance their community with efforts that genuinely help their consumers. While there's nothing wrong with helping babies, curing diseases, or other great charitable efforts, I'm extremely impressed with what BFGoodrich Tires has done since 2006 to raise awareness of responsible use and preservation of off-road trails across the United States. 

Generally the SUV space is pretty boring today and this is especially true among midsize crossovers. This space has been dominated by generally bland vehicles that are designed to eek out that extra MGP and be as inoffensive to the most potential buyers. Chevrolet already has a fantastic stable of vehicles in this space including the Trax, Equinox, and Traverse. While these each fit their niche well, what was missing is something that buyers can have an emotional reaction to. I want to feel emotionally drawn to a car and be able to have fun driving it - while still satisfying my needs for space and capability. That's exactly what the 2019 Chevy Blazer does and why they invited me to join them as one of the first people to drive it.

The current generation Dodge Challenger “borrows” more than a few bodylines and exterior cues from the classic, and highly collectible, first generation 1971 Dodge Challenger. FCA knows well enough to leave the new/old bodylines alone as Challenger has steadily been increasing sales and has reached a milestone; it has surpassed the once mighty Camaro to become the no. 2 best-selling retro pony. In 2018 Mustang sales were 75,842 (7.4 % drop), Challenger with its 10-year old platform, had a sales increase (3%) to reach 66,716 units.  As for Camaro, the bottom dropped out as sales slid to 50,963 units (25% drop) in 2018.

For some jobs it is worth paying a premium for new, genuine OEM parts for your car... and other times you can do with second hand options. I know a lot of you guys have "project cars" or off-road trucks that are cobbled together piece by piece and spend as much time in the shop as they do on the road. Most of us that have learned how to hunt through a salvage yard were lucky to find a friend to show them. Here's how you can get started picking through the junkyard for the right piece... or one that is close enough.

There's a lot of options in the market for off road-trucks right now but most focus on ulta-ruggedness, while others are honestly more of an appearance package than anything else. With the launch of the GMC Sierra AT4 though, there's a new option for those that want to spend time trail riding in comfort and style, but still have great capability including a 2" lift, off-road tuned Rancho shocks, locking rear differential, skid plates, and more. To test test it out, GMC invited us to join them on a trail ride in San Diego and we had a blast.

Bigger, stronger and smarter - that's how GMC is describing their newest trucks - the 2020 Sierra HD 2500 and 3500 due out late summer 2019. Building on one of our favorite trucks because of how easy it is to maneuver around tight spaces and the existing reputation for focusing not just on the raw numbers game but actually making towing easier and safer. This includes a variety of technologies that we're looking forward to spending more time exploring when it comes out. Here's a summary of the key updates that you can look forward to when it hits dealer lots in just a few short months.

While modern off-road trucks have some incredible technology, almost nothing compares to the classic Landrover Defender. So when the folks at E.C.D. Automotive Design sent us this "All-American" take on the classic British icon we just had to share it with you.

The current generation Ford Explorer is one of our all-time-favorite SUVs. It's more than just a car, it is in fact an American icon. Ford continues to position it as something more than just another SUV and frankly it works well. They have an excellent vehicle that may just be our favorite choice for a road trip. We've had the chance to enjoy the the 5th generation Explorer on multiple occasions and we were in Detroit to welcome in the latest iteration. Let's take a look at what's new!

The Ford Ranger is probably the most anticipated new truck to launch this year. Ford made waves in 2018 by telling us they were shifting away from cars and doubling down on trucks and SUVs so there's a lot riding on the success of this entry to the mid-sized truck segment. We're doing a full driving review of the Ford Ranger in March but here's our initial thoughts based on the chance to spend a couple hours riding around San Diego as a passenger.

The Chevrolet Corvette is one of the most iconic cars in the world. Since 1953 it has captured the minds of men (and women) around the world for it's style and performance but also for being a fabulous example of American automotive design ability. While there are other American-made sports and muscle cars - none come close to the way Corvette combines performance and style into a lifestyle that is larger than just another fast car. However, few people actually get to experience how amazing this car really is since at highway speeds and on regular roads it's just a great looking car that turns head and goes fast. That all changed for me when I got invited to spend a day with Chevrolet driving a few different versions of this American icon around the track at the Ron Fellows Performance Driving School in Pahrump, Nevada - just outside Las Vegas.

Do you dream of driving the General Lee? How about the Batmobile or the Back to the Future Delorean? So do we! Here's our roundup of our favorite movie cars...

Toyota is the undisputed leader of the compact crossover SUV space and now they've made it even better. With the launch of the 2019 RAV4, Toyota has made it bigger, more aggressive, more fun, more stylish and generally more everything that buyers would want to see. Ultimately though it's not perfect but Toyota's new design theory seems to be on the right path to create great vehicles that are more than just "reliable". To celebrate the launch of this new vehicle, we tested it out on a road trip along the California coast including the twists and turns of Big Sur and the mountains of Carmel Valley.

Buick is a car brand that has almost universal name recognition in the United States (and likely much of the world). Unfortunately it suffers from a perception problem that it is "and old man's car" and they've even embraced that with the "That's a Buick!?" marketing campaign. I'll be fank - when I was invited to Palm Springs earlier this week, there wasn't a single car in their lineup that I was excited to drive. However, I accepted the invite because I really love working with GM and the company has treated me VERY WELL over the past couple years. What I discovered after spending some time listening, feeling, and driving a few different vehicles was that this is a brand that is worth considering if you are looking for what they describe as, "Attainable Luxury."

The LA Auto Show (now called Automobility) is usually a showcase of green cars and talk of transportation alternatives. This year, though, the last auto show of 2018 was a lot more focused on trucks and sport utilities. A clear marker of where the automotive market is going in North America.

Chevrolet upped it's game this year with the launch of the all-new 2019 Silverado. While we haven't had a chance to give it the love it deserves, we did get a chance to play with it for a few hours earlier this fall. Our route was an odd one for a vehicle designed for dirty and dusty back roads though. Instead of going off road, we got the opportunity to experience how it handles on pavement, winding our way through LA traffic from Santa Monica up into the mountains and canyon roads of Malibu. All of this, while hauling a trailer loaded with a RZR.