Monthly Archives: September 2016

It’s an event that locals look forward to all year.

The historic Empire Hill Climb, located in the quaint, otherwise quiet town of Empire, Mich., ran for just shy of two-decades before a severe crash in 1982 shut everything down. The hill was re-awakened in 2014 when local rally fans, Mike Kelty and Ian Dawkins helped bring the event back as the Empire Hill Climb Revival. This year’s race brought perfectly cool, sunny weather, and I was there with bells on.

When the Hill Climb was founded in 1964, the old-school mindset, “Run what ya brung,” was the usual way to race up the challenging, ½-mile course. The hill has seen some of the best cars from their respective time periods compete during the original timed races, including Jaguar E-Types, Austin-Healeys, AMC Gremlins, Formula Fords, Triumphs, Porches, a large compilation of Corvette clubs, and even a Ferrari or two.

This year’s stars included balls-to-the-walls driver Mikko Kataja’s and his eardrum rattling 1980 Toyota Starlet (who left his mark on the event with a new 21.222-second record time), also seen was Mead Korwin’s sling-shotting 1971 Lola Lola, Cody Loveland’s monsterous Enviate Hypercar, a brilliant blue 1987 BMW 325is driven by Patrick Waligore, and local favorite Dylan Helferich who skidded to an effortless win in the AWD class with his rough-and-rugged 2000 Subaru Impreza.

But enough talk, lets get on to the photo gallery, because that tells all!

Over 45,000 vehicles shook up Michigan’s Woodward Avenue for the 21^st consecutive year on August 20, 2016. Woodward Ave., also known as “Detroit’s Main Street”, was the world’s first concrete highway ever made and runs Southwest from Pontiac, Michigan to Detroit, the heart and soul of America – the Motor City.

The Woodward Dream Cruise is the world’s largest annual one-day automotive event, bringing in over $56-million dollars to the Metro-Detroit economy and attracting around 1.5 million spectators each year from around the globe. License plates from Vermont, Colorado, Arizona, Missouri, and Michigan’s surrounding states, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, were identified throughout the day.

The variety of cars is as diverse as Detroit’s culture: Muscle cars, exotics, imports, sports trucks, off-road vehicles, customs, hearses, hot rods and rat rods lined the streets for the moving car show extravaganza. Unique,  hand-built creations also caught the eyes of the spectators, who lined each side of Woodward Ave with tents and folding chairs to watch the action.

But it’s not just a cruise. Multiple car shows and displays are spread across several cities, accessible right off of Woodward Ave. There’s a car show at every turn, and there’s something for everyone to love.

This photo gallery only scratches the surface of the intensity of the weekend. Considering the constant distractions from the magnificent scattering of vehicle displays and the reverberating rumbles of classics on the road, it is nearly impossible to see everything in a day, and that is exactly why millions of people return every year.

By Tara Hurlin

When I arrived at the brand new M1 Concourse in Pontiac, Michigan on Friday, August 19^th, I immediately heard tires shredding against the freshly-tarred skid pad. My uncaffeinated-paced walk transitioned into a slow run that resembled a corny chick flick scene; A lustful woman dramatically running to her long lost lover, arms wide open. All that was missing was the kiss.

Roadkill, a series that airs on MotorTrend, is known for their automotive chaos: David Freiburger and Mike Finnegan work together to hunt down and purchase affordable, rough-looking car projects to get them back on the road as inexpensively as possible. It’s all about having fun, even when they are roughing it on the side of the road. They joined forces with Dodge to present fans with an epic event called Roadkill Nights. Last year was a success, and this year was even bigger: For the first time ever, Woodward Avenue was closed for legal drag racing.

I was about to join over 30,000 people for an entire day on Woodward Avenue, Roadkill style. First stop, a joyride in a Dodge Hellcat.

The smell of smoked tires crept farther up my nostrils as I approached the skid pad. Tires screamed bloody murder under the deep rumbling power of the Dodge Hellcats, when suddenly a loud “POP!” reverberated through the atmosphere. The first tire out of hundreds that would meet their demise that day gave in to the hot pavement’s abuse.

Thanks to Dodge, spectators were able to feel a Hellcat’s power for themselves, and I was the first one in (right after Detroit Fox News and a few others who were running the show). The Hellcat took off faster than a viper strike and drifted around corners as if the tires were made of butter. Now it’s my turn to drive right? No? Aw, well, maybe next time.

Roadkill Nights accomplished the impossible by being approved to run the first legal road races ever held on Woodward, which allowed people to re-live the old school drag races without the fear of being presented with a “high-performance driving certificate”. Anticipation flooded the crowd as the clock struck 1pm. Race time. The grounds rumbled for hours as cars, trucks and SUVs tested their limits and left behind deep black lines of rubber that will remain on the street for years to come.

I knew there were more activities going on outside of the races, but it was impossible to peel myself away. A 20-minute rain gave just enough time to mow down on some bbq, use the ladies room and browse the car show while Woodward dried enough for the next rounds. Each vehicle on display was a custom in its own right, whether by the hands of Mother Nature or by the owner’s innovation, and the diversity is exactly what I love about Roadkill.

Before sundown, Roadkill’s Dirt Track Challenger hit the strip, after swapping the rear end in their hotel’s parking lot, of course. To add to the suspense, a potentially disastrous hold up caused by an incorrect u-joint was averted when the proper part was found at a local parts store just in time for the Challenger to be re-assembled the day of the race, during lunch hour. According to Freiburger’s glee after the first burnout, the struggle and lack of sleep was all worth it.

The smell of gas and burned rubber take on a whole new meaning after sunset. The lights over Woodward Avenue set the perfect ambiance for the ending of Roadkill Nights, resembling the nostalgic effect of flashlight drag racing. The cool night air was a relief for every spectator, and with the uncomfortable heat gone, the energy in the crowd rose. The engines sounded more determined than ever and the burnouts lasted longer.

The fastest remaining drivers raced head-to-head until the end. The crowd gasped in unison each time a competitor got squirrely between the track’s concrete barriers. Maintaining traction on the street wasn’t easy, but these guys had skills, and they weren’t messing around. Each vehicle in the winner’s circle was none worse for the wear, and the owner’s faces glowed in the darkness from the day’s rush of adrenaline.

In first place for the quickest Dodge was Mike Moran’s black 1969 twin-turbo Hemi Charger. (Duh, he was photographed as a line of black blur in several of my photos.) Runners up in the All-Dodge group were Greg Charney in his baby-blue ‘68 Dart, and Tom Drago and Micheal Cole with their modern Hellcat Charger SRTs.

Tom Bailey, known for his intimidating, record-breaking 1969 Chevy Camaro, is no one-trick pony. He took first place in the All-Run Fast Four class. Standing with him in the winner’s circle were the 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th place winners of the All-Run fast four: Bryant Golstone with his ’73 AMC Javelin, Adam Hodson and his ’73 Camaro, and Mike Moore’s diesel Silverado.

We don’t know if this special event will ever happen again, but it is one that is sure to go down in history. #BecauseRoadkill. (Yeah, I just did that.)

Want more? Good vibes are in the photo gallery below!

This article originally posted on Driving Line.