Until this point, Asphalt Ego-Rama points rankings had been unknown. Now that we were clocking some official times, we could sense a rise in the competitive vibe. But there was still a day and a half of Asphalt Ego-Rama left.
The next morning, we visited the Planes of Fame Museum in Chino. The 150-plane collection includes flyers going back earlier than Wilbur and Orville, and prominently features WWII-era planes from the U.S. and Japan.
We backtracked to SO-CAL Speed Shop in Pomona. Jerry Krob had been there all morning, replacing a driveshaft carrier bearing. Tony Thacker gave us a tour, and owner Pete Chapouris and hot rod legend Alex Xydias (who opened SO-CAL in 1946) joined us for lunch.
The Kennedy Brothers shop, about a mile from SO-CAL, is always packed with traditional hot rod projects. Joe and Jay didn't mind us crashing in for a look around. In fact, they were happy to show us the dozens of pallets of parts and a few '32s they had recently bought from a collector. From there we headed to the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum for the Twilight Cruise Night, where spectators cast their votes for their favorite car of the bunch.
Later that night, after we unwound with a good dinner in our guts, we counted ballots, reviewed track test numbers, and argued the merits and shortcomings of each car. With seven distinctly different competitors to evaluate, it was an apples-and-oranges comparison in many ways, but we had seven plaques and only one said "Winner." The ultimate decision was unanimous.
The announcement was made at Boyd Coddington's shop in La Habra. Boyd fed us and gave us full access to his very impressive facility. And unless we came on a slow day-there was far less drama than you see on "American Hot Rod."
The real drama was reserved for our final bit of business-the awards presentation. The prize could've gone to any of these real-world, do-it-all rods, but Jim Shelton's '32 roadster ultimately earned it.
Jim and Eleanor, Denise, Jack, Jerry and Cheryl, Rich, and Corey and Judy also earned our respect. All seven of these cars are hard-driven, big-mile rides, built to do exactly what Asphalt Ego-Rama was created to promote. Thanks to everybody.
| CATEGORY WINNERS |
| Acceleration: | Rich Guasco's |
| '32 Ford |
| Braking: | Jim Sheldon's |
| '56 Olds |
| Handling: | Corey Cummings' |
| '47 Ford |
| Craftsmanship: | Jim Sheldon's |
| '56 Olds |
| Ride & Drive: | Jim Shelton's |
| '32 Ford |
| Gas Mileage: | Jim Shelton's |
| '32 Ford |
| Budget: | Denise Sheldon's |
| '47 Olds |
| People's Choice: | Denise Sheldon's |
| '47 Olds |
| Style Points: | (Tie) Rich Guasco andDenise Sheldon |
Corey Cummings' '47 FordAcceleration: 16.54 at 87.15 mphBraking: 176 ftHandling: 6.68 seconds at 42.8 mphGas Mileage: 19.4 mpg
Rich Guasco's '29 FordAcceleration: 13.01 at 113.48 mphBraking: 159 ftHandling: 7.01 seconds at 40.9 mphGas Mileage: 17.3 mpg
Jerry Krob's '59 Chevy Acceleration: 17.28 at 82.58 mphBraking: 169 ftHandling: 8.23 seconds at 34.9 mphGas Mileage: 16.4 mpg
Jack Parker's '41 Ford coupeAcceleration: 14.43 at 98.40 mphBraking: 165 ftHandling: 7.10 seconds at 40.3 mphGas Mileage: 16.1 mpg
Denise Sheldon's '47 OldsAcceleration: 15.71 at 88.65 mphBraking: 169 ftHandling: 7.62 seconds at 37.8 mphGas Mileage: 14.4 mpg
Jim Sheldon's '56 OldsAcceleration: 14.73 at 96.79 mphBraking: 133 ftHandling: 6.89 seconds at 41.5 mphGas Mileage: 14.8 mpg
Jim Shelton's '32 FordAcceleration: 14.12 at 100.08 mphBraking: 147 ftHandling: 7.19 seconds at 39.7 mphGas Mileage: 20.9 mpg
Asphalt Ego-Rama 2006 Official EntryCould your ride win Asphalt Ego-Rama?
| Name |
| Street |
| City | State | Zip Code |
| Phone |
| E-mail address |
| Car year, make, model |
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| Tell us about your car (use separate sheet if necessary) |
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| In one sentence, tell us why readers should pick your car for Asphalt Ego-Rama |