Automotive

Bricks And Bones: Chapter 12: A Slight Return: An Epilogue

Bricks And Bones: Chapter 12: A Slight Return: An Epilogue Tony Borroz attended the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 28th, 2017. This series, Bricks And Bones, explores the cultural significance, endearing legacy, and the nitty-gritty phenomenon of The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
The prologue of this series here.
Chapter 1: Real Wrong here.
Chapter 2: St. Elmo’s Fire here.
Chapter 3: The Quiet Racer here.
Chapter 4: Hang Ten here.
Chapter 5: Female Perspective here.
Chapter 6: The Fearless Spaniard here.
Chapter 7: Speedway Legends here.
Chapter 8: Barrel Roll here.
Chapter 9: A Wide Face here.
Chapter 10: Among The Fans here.
Chapter 11: After The Storm here.

It is Tuesday and the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500 is now two days gone. Healey and I return to our car after taking in The Speedway’s museum and a quick, impromptu chat with Donald Davidson, the “professor emeritus” of Speedway history. We get in and amble slowly through the infield roads. The vast track complex is largely empty. All cars gone. All huge shiny team transporters long on the road to Detroit for the next race. Track vehicles neatly parked. Motorhomes, the private sanctuaries of drivers, mostly gone except for a half dozen or so.
Chance Encounter
We wander back toward Gasoline Alley, Bill’s car idling along at a slightly-better-than-walking pace. A weary, strung out security guard half-heartedly waves us through a check point. The complex of garages are all shuttered behind steel roll-up doors . . . except for one. By who knows what reasoning, the remnants of Dale Coyne’s team are still there, doing a final load-out and catching up with spares for the race. We park and get out to say hello, and there, to my absolute and honest wonder is Sebastien Bourdais. He’s sitting/leaning on the back of a golf cart, talking with various team members as they walk by carrying the bits and pieces that make up a modern day racing team.
Sebastien seems none the worse for wear, despite sitting at an odd angle and orientation – no doubt due to the fact that ten days ago, he slammed into a wall in excess of 225 mph at an impact of 100 Gs, breaking his hip and fracturing his pelvis in seven places.
He’s actually rather chatty, although he seems slightly restless and agitated. When asked how he’s feeling he answers in a bit of a world-weary way, partially due to this being the 2,459th time he’s answered these same questions, but such questions are reminders he will not be racing for quite some time; weeks, months, who knows. Although talkative as is his usual self, he’s also a bit slow to answer. He is no doubt on enough painkillers to knock even Keith Richards on his ass.
Sebastien Bourdais looks on during qualifying at the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500. Photo: Joe Skibinski.
Quiet Reflection
We chat a bit more then take off, winding our way out through the track. We leave via the north entrance, slowly tooling by the lined up jet-driers and safety cars, and the garages and storage sheds necessary for putting on The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
We return home, to the leafy, tree-lined street of suburban middle America and I pause and look down the street as Bill goes inside. I think of Sebastien Bourdais, a man who shouldn’t even be here. A man of uncommon talent and bravery and skill. I think of concepts like “luck” and “risk” and “mortality.” But mainly I think of the racers. I think of Sebastien Bourdais.
I think of Sebastien Bourdais. I think of Sebastien Bourdais. I think of my friend/acquaintance/guy I met. I think of a man who should be dead. I think of a man who, but for the grace of God or Fate or Luck is still alive. I think of Sebastien Bourdais.
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He means well, even if he has a bias towards lighter, agile cars rather than big engine muscle cars or family sedans.
This series, Bricks And Bones, in its entirety can be found here.
Cover Photo: David Yowe.

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Bricks And Bones: Chapter 11: After The Storm

Bricks And Bones: Chapter 11: After The Storm Tony Borroz attended the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 28th, 2017. This series, Bricks And Bones, explores the cultural significance, endearing legacy, and the nitty-gritty phenomenon of The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
The prologue of this series here.
Chapter 1: Real Wrong here.
Chapter 2: St. Elmo’s Fire here.
Chapter 3: The Quiet Racer here.
Chapter 4: Hang Ten here.
Chapter 5: Female Perspective here.
Chapter 6: The Fearless Spaniard here.
Chapter 7: Speedway Legends here.
Chapter 8: Barrel Roll here.
Chapter 9: A Wide Face here.
Chapter 10: Among The Fans here.

It’s mid-morning in Speedway, Indiana and I walk outside into the bright Memorial Day sunshine. It is as perfect and sunny as a small town Midwest spring day can get. Leafy green trees line the block. White clapboard houses. White picket fences. Carefully maintained yards and house-proud dwellings line the block, stretching out as far as one can see. Birds tweeting and chirping. All that’s missing is a toe-headed paperboy with a crewcut.
This would be postcard middle America to a tee. Pleasantville in 3D Technicolor.
Nothing that would make it remarkable in the least, but if I were to walk ten yards to my left, there it would be. A half-mile to the east is Indianapolis Motor Speedway. A low, glowering eminence grise whose presence can be felt, night and day. It glows through your consciousness, like a power source just into the infrared. But here, right now, there is nothing but a quiet holiday morning. Yesterday, and I mean less than 24 hours ago, the scene was utterly different.
Cordiality & Chow
The streets, even these residential streets nominally on the periphery of The Scene, were swarmed with people. Walking ten yards to my left, which is north, would have given a better picture. A mass of humanity all moving in one direction: towards the Speedway. And 98 percent of them are dragging coolers, hauling backpacks, carrying this and that, and all of them, all 100 percent, are jabbering and jibbering and talking and screaming and chatting and debating and conferring. And the closer you got to the track, the more intense it was. The place was awash in soda and beer and hotdogs and corndogs and deep fried turkey legs the size of a Cro-Magnon’s club.
Burgers, fries, nachos, greasy pizza slices the size of a snow shovel blade, chow-mien(?!), more burgers, more corndogs; food enough to feed an army. And everywhere you looked, the mass of humanity was dressed in shorts and t-shirts and tank tops, blaring nationalist slogans or team allegiances or declarations of wanton consumption of drink and substances. And all of them talking and burping and babbling and farting and guffawing and snorting and prattling and sweet Buddha there’s a lot of them.
Normally the attendance of the Indy 500 is around three to five hundred thousand. That is roughly the number of kids that showed up at friggin’ Woodstock and this happens every year, year in, year out. And these people, these bright, perennially cheerful, down home Midwest salt of the Earth folk welcome them in. It is a stunning display of hospitality right out of some old testament parable. “Need to park your car? Why, here’s a spot on our lawn. That’ll be $20.00.” The streets are lined with cars, the yards are packed with them too. The front yards and delightful screened in porches are full of people talking and eating and drinking. And the roads, always the roads are packed with a moving mass of humanity, going onward, ever onward toward The Track.
Fans gather in droves inside Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Photo: Walter Kuhn.
Picturesque Arrays
But that was yesterday. Short hours ago. Not even a full day. And now, not a speck of lawn is taken up by a vehicle. There is no trash to be seen anywhere, and I mean that: no trash. Later Healey and I do a bit of a driving tour, and the scene can only be described as stunning, and only in the context of what it was like the day before.
There was a huge parking lot the size of a shopping mall. Now it is a green, grassy field. Scores of port-a-potties are now neatly stacked on trailers, all patiently idling in line, waiting to merge with traffic. All souvenir booths are shuttered. Food stands of the most common and mass-produced eats imaginable are locked down and boarded up. The garbage cans, packed to overflowing yesterday are gone, completely gone. All refuse vanished as if on the whim of an invisible wind-god.
And the track, good Lord the track itself: a scattering of people here and there on the outside, but no signs of the throng of humanity that once was. The inside is eerie in its striking lack of people and its neatness. Here and there, maybe a total of 150 people where there were once hundreds of thousands. They walk and sweep and pick up the bits of leftover trash that has so far gone unaccounted for.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway the morning of the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500. Photo: Chris Owens.

Tranquil Territory
And the trash! It has all been collected up, piece by piece, and stuffed into rust-colored garbage bags, and the bags, tens of thousands of them, all neatly lined up at the end of each row of seats. The aluminum white horizontal stands against the strong rust of the vertically arranged garbage bags is like a Christo installation piece.
The contrast between what The Speedway brings, invites; desires even, with what the town is now shocks in the extreme.
Yes, this is Speedway, both in name and deed, but the vast majority of the year it is just a simple, small Midwestern town almost drowning in its own unpretentious charm. And now, not even a day after such noise and speed and riotous behavior, Speedway, Indiana is nothing but silence and slowness and subdued conduct. It is back to as it was. Again it is Pleasantville. It is deepest, whitest American. The heart of paleness close by the banks of the Wabash.
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He means well, even if he has a bias towards lighter, agile cars rather than big engine muscle cars or family sedans.
*To be continued. Bricks And Bones is an Automoblog original series with forthcoming installments during the days leading up to, and following the Indianapolis 500.
Cover Photo: Shawn Gritzmacher.

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Bricks And Bones: Chapter 10: Among The Fans

Bricks And Bones: Chapter 10: Among The Fans Tony Borroz attended the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 28th, 2017. This series, Bricks And Bones, explores the cultural significance, endearing legacy, and the nitty-gritty phenomenon of The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
The prologue of this series here.
Chapter 1: Real Wrong here.
Chapter 2: St. Elmo’s Fire here.
Chapter 3: The Quiet Racer here.
Chapter 4: Hang Ten here.
Chapter 5: Female Perspective here.
Chapter 6: The Fearless Spaniard here.
Chapter 7: Speedway Legends here.
Chapter 8: Barrel Roll here.
Chapter 9: A Wide Face here.

Journalists are, as a group, pretty jaded and jaundiced about the world around them. Whatever their specialty, whatever little slice of the world they cover, it’s usually done so with barely concealed condescension and detachment. This is actually something you are more or less taught in college newswriting classes. Maintaining a sense of detachment is how a journalist stays objective.
American journalists have this fetish about being objective. But this fetishized objectiveness is the beginning of being jaded in progressively darker shades of green; jaundiced in ever-yellowing hues.
By The Book
Sportswriters, although they can and are encouraged to be fans of the sports they cover, are particularly focused on being objective. Just the facts ma’am. Hits. Runs. Strikes. Passes. Touchdowns. Scores. Statistics. Always tons and tons and tons of statistics. Especially for American sportswriters.
So there we all were, some 150 or so journalists in various shades of jaded experience about two-thirds of the way through the 2017 Indy 500. Assiduously watching, taking notes, scribbling passages, hammering on keys. We were covering the event. Get it all down, stitch it together, write a lead-in graph or two, a nice summation and, bada-boom, bada-bing, you’ve met your deadline, kept your Managing Editor happy, and lived to write another day.
Sixpence Suspense
A few times during the race this professional detachment fell away. Most notably during Dixon’s colossal accident, but most of the time the press area was quiet mumbles and typing, with the occasional four sentence conversations. It was in this setting, on a late race restart, all professionalism fell away from every one of us in that room in an instant. A pack of cars, indeed the second pack of cars behind the lead group, were all blasting down the back straight on the first green flag lap after a protracted caution period. All of a sudden, for reasons that were never clear, this pack of cars, the entire pack, all saw a passing opportunity. Someone checked up, or slowed or something, then the pack, and I mean the entire pack fanned out two – no three – no four – no SIX-wide.
Everyone, and I mean literally every one of us in the top level of the pressroom switched in that instant from being jaded, jaundiced reporters, and reverted back to what got us into this business in the first place: Race fans. Collectively we had been around racing long enough to know what was up, what was down, and what happens when things go sideways. And what we were now looking at was directly on the edge of going very, very sideways.
From the outside wall to the infield grass, six cars were now running side by side at 230 miles an hour. The biggest gap between any two cars was maybe the width of your palm. The slightest was the thickness of your hand. As the cars fanned out, we, the assembled press, all started screaming, and I mean screaming the exact same thing: “NO! No, no, NO, no, no, no, nononoNONONOOOOO!!!!”
Race fans watch the action at the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500. Photo: Chris Owens.

Instant Fans
We knew what we were going to see next. This was bad. This was toddler wandering into a running machine shop bad. This was bad to the point of taking us out of journalism entirely. There were too many cars, too much speed, and a quickly diminishing amount of space . . . and then, cooler heads prevailed. It was as if all six drivers realized what they were doing and, in a snap, sorted it out.
Marco backed out of the throttle. Another car dropped left and back. Alonso (you knew Alonso was going to be in the middle of this) somehow found more speed, gained a car length, and moved right. It was over in a second, maybe a second and a half, maybe two. But in that brief span of time, we journalists were reduced to being just fans at the track, watching the race, having a blast.
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He means well, even if he has a bias towards lighter, agile cars rather than big engine muscle cars or family sedans.
*To be continued. Bricks And Bones is an Automoblog original series with forthcoming installments during the days leading up to, and following the Indianapolis 500.
Cover Photo: Chris Owens.

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Bricks And Bones: Chapter 9: A Wide Face

Bricks And Bones: Chapter 9: A Wide Face Tony Borroz attended the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 28th, 2017. This series, Bricks And Bones, explores the cultural significance, endearing legacy, and the nitty-gritty phenomenon of The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
The prologue of this series here.
Chapter 1: Real Wrong here.
Chapter 2: St. Elmo’s Fire here.
Chapter 3: The Quiet Racer here.
Chapter 4: Hang Ten here.
Chapter 5: Female Perspective here.
Chapter 6: The Fearless Spaniard here.
Chapter 7: Speedway Legends here.
Chapter 8: Barrel Roll here.

Years ago, there was a movie starring David Bowie called Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence. In addition to starring Bowie, Tom Conti, and a bunch of other people, the main antagonist was played by Ryuichi Sakamoto. In the reviews, Ryuichi Sakamoto was referred to as “Japan’s David Bowie,” because, like Bowie, he was a musician and composer who was just getting into acting. One of the people interviewed about the movie, a Japanese film journalist, described Sakamoto as “having a wide face.”
It would seem this is a Japanese term meaning, roughly, that the person is very famous.
As I looked down from my perch in the press building at Takuma Sato in the winner’s circle, all huge smiles and waving, my first thought was, “Takuma Sato now has a very wide face.”
Neck & Neck
It was a very enjoyable, thrilling, and fascinating race. Sato, or Taku or Taku-san as his fellow racers call him, became the first Japanese driver to ever win the Indianapolis 500. He did it with style, grace, and astonishing amounts of speed. It some ways, this was rather surprising. Sato has been a fixture on the IndyCar circuit for a while now, and before that, on the Grand Prix circuit. He had only won a single IndyCar event. He was, and how can I put this diplomatically, a bit of a nutcase. Sato was known for being brave and quick and seemingly fearless. He was also known for taking chances and trying gonzo passing maneuvers that rarely worked, usually taking out one or more competitors in the process.
Towards the end of this year’s 500, he was at the front of the field. And in the final laps, it boiled down to a two man race between Sato and Helio Castroneves – three time Indy champion and former Dancing With The Stars winner. Castroneves, a Brazilian, is outgoing, effusive, and animated to an extreme. Most Brazilians have that rep, but Castroneves is like that on top of your usual Brazilian ebullience. He is also a racer. Always fast and competitive, Castroneves races with a flair and style on top of his outright speed that makes him highly entertaining to watch. When he wins, he is known for climbing out of his car and scaling the nearest catch-fence, pumping his fists, and screaming for joy at the fans.
Takuma Sato moments after winning the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500. Photo: Chris Owens.
Hot Laps, Hot Mic
With just a handful of laps to go, it was either going to be Taku-san or Castroneves. Either way it was going to be history-making. If Sato could do it, he would be the first Japanese winner. Indeed the first Asian, period. If it was Castroneves, he would join an elite group of racers who have won the Indy 500 four times. In 100 Indy 500s, only three men have won four times: A.J. Foyt, Al Unser Sr., and Rick Mears. So no matter what happened, this would be historic.
Or, Sato would go all gonzo again and crash and take both of them out. Or Castroneves would let passion drive his right foot and crash and take both of them out. Neither of those happened, thankfully. Castroneves tried a couple of moves on Sato going into one, but none of them worked. And down the straights, Sato’s Honda-powered Andretti Racing entry had more speed than Castroneves’ Chevy.
As he took the checkers, Sato, wanting to share his joy and thank the team, keyed the radio button on his steering wheel. Unfortunately, it was not the “closed channel” button to just Michael Andretti and the rest of the team. It was the “open broadcast” button and it was sent out to the entire world.
Sato was screaming like a kid at Christmas who just got every toy in the catalog. Although he is rather outgoing and known for having a huge grin continually plastered on his face, this was Sato in a full joyous explosion of sentiment. At the awards banquet later that night, Tony Kanaan, a former teammate of Sato’s, and a Brazilian only slightly less outgoing than Castroneves, announced he had already downloaded Taku-san’s on air celebrations as the Sato-specific ringtone on his phone.
Photo: David Yowe.

Nice Guys Finish First
The rare thing about Sato is how all the other drivers seem to genuinely like the guy. Everybody, even Castroneves who desperately wanted win number four, seemed just as happy as Taku-san was. I heard more than once, from journalists, team owners, mechanics, and fellow racers that “it couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.” And they were all sincere. And they were all right. Takuma Sato is just one of those nice people you run into a few times each day, only he happens to be a racer, and now a winner of the Indy 500.
Given the Japanese society’s predilection for popularity, fads, and expansive love of fame, everyone said Japan was going bonkers within moments of the news. And Taku-san pretty much lost it on the podium. The traditional drink of milk from an old-time glass bottle was four huge swallows, followed by dumping the remaining contents directly onto his head while grinning and laughing. It was the image of the race. It perfectly captured how Takuma Sato felt. At that moment, I had a mental image of his face on billboards in Tokyo and Nagoya and such. Huge grin. Unbridled delight.
“Taku-san now has a very wide face,” I thought.
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He means well, even if he has a bias towards lighter, agile cars rather than big engine muscle cars or family sedans.
*To be continued. Bricks And Bones is an Automoblog original series with forthcoming installments during the days leading up to, and following the Indianapolis 500.
Cover Photo: Shawn Gritzmacher.

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Dallas Organization Addressing Transportation Woes For Low-Income Individuals

Dallas Organization Addressing Transportation Woes For Low-Income Individuals

I often take my personal vehicle for granted because automobiles in my line of work are so common. I think nothing of it as I jump in my vehicle to run errands, attend meetings, and go see friends. I think nothing of it when, during an auto show, I visit with consumers about trim packages and performance capabilities of a particular model.
However, this is something Josephine Castillo, a Dallas area resident, is not accustomed to. Lacking the freedom reliable transportation provides is a battle she knows all to well.
Empty Nest
Castillo is bright and bubbly, chatting with me one sunny afternoon as she clocks out from her job at a nearby call center. While she is proud of her long history in customer service, the self-described “parenting, grandparent” speaks with a particular warmth regarding the four grandchildren she is now raising; ages 10, 8, 3, and 4. Castillo derives strength from them, especially as she finishes her bachelor’s degree in Christian studies through Grand Canyon University.
“I am the first in my family to attend college, so there is a lot of new beginnings here, but I was nervous when I started,” she said. “I dropped out of school growing up, and even though my mother tried to keep things together as best she could, I still had a broken home.”
Castillo then recalls her battles with empty nest syndrome in 2013, an event sometimes experienced by parents when their children leave home for the first time. Despite her best efforts, she fell into a deep depression which later lead to the loss of her job, car, and residence.
“I don’t know, I guess it just hit me really hard,” Castillo said. “I got so sad I just couldn’t get myself out of bed.”
To make matters more pressing, by the time 2014 arrived, Castillo was now, through a series of difficult circumstances, the primary caregiver for her grandchildren. Little by little, she climbed her way out of debt.
“I was on the train, on the bus, going to work, taking the classes to become a certified adoptive parent, and taking the kids to daycare,” Castillo recalled.
On the Road Lending’s car loan program helps clients who need affordable, reliable cars – one of the most essential components for building a strong life. Photo: John B. Sutton, Jr., Sutton Photography.
Limited Access, Maximum Stress
When Castillo was volunteering with the Salvation Army, she learned about On the Road Lending, a Dallas-based organization that provides affordable loans for reliable, late-model cars. Although Dallas has a substantial mass transit system, especially in terms of light rail, less than 15 percent of the jobs in the area are reachable through it. In Dallas County alone, where On the Road Lending is located, 68 percent of households have subprime credit, about 550,000 families. Furthermore, about 10 percent of the vehicles (around 489,000 cars) in North Texas have failed emissions testing, and are predominantly registered to low-income families.
“Access is critical to everything in life. We have to get to our jobs, get our kids to school, go to the store, get to the doctor, or see friends,” said Michelle Corson, Founder and CEO, On the Road Lending. “If you are trapped without a reliable car or you are trying to make mass transit work, it creates a tremendous amount of stress.”
In 2015, The Atlantic penned a commentary about how mass transit is failing those who need it most, from mechanical problems and fare increases, to excessive wait times and limited access. Those resolved to using public transit often combat these shortcomings daily. Corson, with her finance background, created On the Road Lending to tackle social concerns like this.
“I saw transportation was an issue in Texas, and even though we have the largest mass transit system in the U.S. in Dallas in terms of linear rail miles, very few people use it,” Corson said. “I thought we could provide a way for low-income families to buy a good car if we created an impact investment loan fund where we could enable them to purchase something better at a lower cost.”
Meanwhile, Castillo struggled to get around and maintain life with the children now in her care. One thing they enjoyed most was going to church as a family, but she did not have the luxury of a leisurely Sunday drive. Getting to a morning service was near impossible.
“We might be able to get there on the bus, but maybe not back; or becasue of the particular day a church activity fell on, we could only make it halfway, then have to walk, if we even made it at all,” Castillo recalled. “When we couldn’t be there it really took a drain on us becasue we were missing out.”
On the Road Lending CEO, Michelle Corson (left) is deeply involved with clients. “We are constantly amazed at how resilient our clients are in the face of a lot of adversity,” she said. Photo: John B. Sutton, Jr., Sutton Photography.

Sincere Framework
Through On the Road Lending’s character-based model, Castillo was able to obtain an affordable loan for a 2013 Nissan Quest. It’s reliable with enough room for her grandchildren, but without On the Road Lending, owning such a vehicle would have been impossible for Castillo. Through character-based lending however, she had a second chance.
“Credit scores developed and became a way that lenders could evaluate risk quickly,” Corson explained. “We had a suspicion that credit scores might not be the best predictor of a person’s ability to be a responsible borrower.”
On the Road Lending’s model examines other factors, such as how long a person has been employed or lived at their current residence. The model even covers how willing an applicant is to own their past mistakes, and includes a personal essay as one of the requirements.
“I want to be a person of integrity and a person of my word,” Castillo said. “I used to quit things in a heartbeat; I used to run from things, but I want to set a new example and have a good name.”
Photo: John B. Sutton, Jr., Sutton Photography.

Essential Relationships
Corson was close to the automotive business for 15 years, while Chief Operating Officer, Mary Burnett once owed three dealerships. Both Corson and Burnett leveraged their knowledge of the car business to build a network of dealerships across Texas. One of the most vital is Toyota of Richardson, a large Toyota store in the Dallas/Ft. Worth region which serves about 80 percent of On The Road Lending’s clients.
“They understand what our organization is all about and they are very kind to our clients, which is of the utmost importance to us,” Corson said. “They recognize that our clients don’t have a lot of time to spend at the dealership and that many are very vulnerable.”
When Burnett and Corson first visited Toyota of Richardson, they were impressed with the level of customer service. The dealership is known for its transparency and community roots going back over 30 years. The average employee has stayed there for over a decade, with many pushing the 15 to 25 year mark. After visiting dozens of dealerships in the area, Corson and Burnett took an instant liking to Toyota of Richardson.
“They explained to me their overall mission and gave me some insight into their clients and expectations for partnering dealers,” said Brian Pacheco, Sales Director, Toyota of Richardson. “The program is designed to empower individuals by providing knowledge and encouragement, along with the means of reliable transportation, to better their life and the lives’ of their family.”
On the Road Lending clients are often single parents, domestic violence survivors, immigrants, refugees, veterans, working families, and first-time buyers. Photo: John B. Sutton, Jr., Sutton Photography.
Genuine Involvement
Like Corson and Burnett, Pacheco was also concerned with the number of people who either had a high mileage, unreliable vehicle, or no vehicle at all.
“We are working to provide reliable transportation and quality financing options to individuals that would have previously resorted to “buy-here, pay-here” lots and other situations that result in predatory lending,” he said.
On the Road Lending’s character based-model is a natural pairing with Toyota of Richardson’s sales approach.
“We train our staff on being straightforward and honest, and we pride ourselves in hiring quality people to interact with our customers,” Pacheco said. “The staff here have taken a personal interest in the well-being of On the Road Lending clients, and our salespeople commonly talk about how grateful the clients are and how rewarding it is to be part of the process.”
“We have nothing but good things to say about their entire organization,” Corson added.
Photo: John B. Sutton, Jr., Sutton Photography.
Serenity & Solutions
Currently, On the Road Lending is active in Texas but is potentially expanding to 20 additional markets by 2022. Those who wish to inquire about loans may do so through the organization’s website.
“Very few people understand that transportation is a huge issue for lower-income families,” Corson said. “We are working hard to raise awareness, as well as to provide a practical solution for people that is both immediate and lasting.”
“I had to make some changes in my life but they helped me, they really helped me,” Castillo said. “Having a reliable car has eliminated so much stress, especially for little things like running to the store to get a loaf of bread.”
Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan.

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Bricks And Bones: Chapter 8: Barrel Roll

Bricks And Bones: Chapter 8: Barrel Roll Tony Borroz attended the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 28th, 2017. This series, Bricks And Bones, explores the cultural significance, endearing legacy, and the nitty-gritty phenomenon of The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
The prologue of this series here.
Chapter 1: Real Wrong here.
Chapter 2: St. Elmo’s Fire here.
Chapter 3: The Quiet Racer here.
Chapter 4: Hang Ten here.
Chapter 5: Female Perspective here.
Chapter 6: The Fearless Spaniard here.
Chapter 7: Speedway Legends here.

Watching the Indy 500 from my perch in the top floor of the press center was interesting. At first, I was surprised at how professional all the drivers were. They dropped the green flag and they all snarled off into turn one with seemingly little drama.
It was sort of like standing by the barrel of an enormous shotgun that was fired every 40 seconds or so.
Quiet Sunday
For the longest time, the laps just clicked off. Nobody did anything stupid. There were no gonzo dives for the inside, no low percentage moves that were doomed to failure. The racing was just as clean as could be. The first round of pit stops were largely the same way. My spot was directly behind Simon Pagenaud’s pit box and a little off from where Hélio Castroneves was. It was amazing to watch the Penske pit crews do their jobs with flawless precision.
The press center is a four story building right next to The Panasonic Pagoda, the tall timing and scoring tower. The top is a glass box that can easily accommodate 125 members of the press. There are screens everywhere, and we got the direct audio feed from race control so we knew when they’d throw yellow flags, and when they’d go back to green.
About half the press stayed at their desks – long rows of tables with power and data hook ups – either banging away on laptops or staring at the TV feed on the screens. The rest of us were lined up along the windows, watching the cars, now broken up into packs of 8 or 10, blasting down the straight, over the yard of bricks, and into turn 1 doing 230 or so. Then as the cars zoomed out of sight, we would all turn to the screens and watch until they came back around again.
Photo: Doug Matthews.
Airborne Assault
This was our rhythm until, on lap 53, backmarker Jay Howard either drifted up into the gray exiting turn 1, or was pushed up there by Ryan Hunter Reay (it depends on who you ask). He slithered up into the outside wall, then slowly slid back down the track directly into the path of oncoming traffic. The main pack had already blown by us, so everyone in the media center was watching the screens when a minor screw up turned into a very bad day.
Howard’s car, now damaged beyond control in the initial impact, slid back down the track and nearly missed Tony Kanaan’s #10 Honda powered entry. This caused a collective exhalation from the assembled press. But now Howard’s car was pretty much in the middle of the track, grinding to a halt directly in front of the oncoming Scott Dixon who was powerless to do anything but ram Howard at around 225 mph.
Everyone in the press room let out a “ohhhh-ahhhhAAAAAHHHHH-OH!” as Dixon impacted Howard’s car and was flat out launched like a low angle mortar round. Dixon, a highly personable and perennially grinning Kiwi, arced through the air, reaching an apogee of around 25 or 30 feet. Helio Castroneves appeared on the scene doing well over 200 miles an hour, and dove for the last open space, which was directly under Dixon’s car, mid-parabola.
Scott Dixon (front left) in the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500. Photo: Bret Kelley.

Tumble & Fall
Dixon’s car was in a corkscrewing tumble by the time he was on his way down, starting to do a neat full barrel roll as Helio scooted under. His downward arc was a perfect illustration of geometry and physics until all hell broke loose. Dixon clipped the inside catch fence, started to tumble, and came down half-sideways/half-upside down onto the inside wall, directly onto his open cockpit.
This caused the assembled press to fall into what I can only describe as inchoate screaming as Dixon’s car literally ripped itself in half. The press room seemed to explode with monosyllabic gibberish. We were all educated racing journalists. We all knew, usually first hand, what the cost of this sport could be.
Now it was very hard to know where to look. Shrapnel was flying everywhere. The entire rear end of the car – the transaxle, rear suspension, brakes, uprights, wheels, and tires – all sheered completely off and slung back towards the outside wall in a terrifying kinetic twist, narrowly missing oncoming cars. Dixon’s car continued its high speed tumble, each bit of rotation shedding more and more pieces. Finally, the car came to rest, sitting upright, rendered down to the tub, and with the left front suspension and wheel still attached. The engine, which everyone at first thought had been sheered off, had actually been compressed forward by one of the multiple impacts, tamping it fully into the fuel tank, which miraculously remained intact and did not rupture.
As the car came to rest, the safety crews were already rolling up and, astonishingly, Scott Dixon unbuckled his belts and climbed from the cockpit. What can only be described as a roaring silence filled the press room. Had the car rotated another 10 degrees at most, it would have struck the top of the retaining wall flat on, and no doubt torn Dixon apart or decapitated him or both.
Scott Dixon. Photo: Scott Dixon Official Facebook Page.
Miracle In Indy
Our stunned silence gave way to wild urgent question of those closest to you; “what did you see? what did it look like?” As the multiple replays rolled on, everyone was gasping and shaking their heads and muttering to themselves and one another. The replays showed that not only had Dixon really clobbered the inside wall, but his car had grabbed the debris fence like a giant hand, sweeping it aside like a curtain.
Dixon was checked and, somehow, released without any significant injuries minutes after the accident. Miraculous doesn’t even begin to describe this outcome. Every time I see the replay it seems like there are a dozen times Scott Dixon should have died. I looked at an older, grizzled sportswriter standing next to me and asked, “what’s the Powerball lottery up to?”
“What!?” was his incredulous response.
“If I was Dixon, I’d by a lotto ticket on the way home tonight,” was my answer.
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He means well, even if he has a bias towards lighter, agile cars rather than big engine muscle cars or family sedans.
*To be continued. Bricks And Bones is an Automoblog original series with forthcoming installments during the days leading up to, and following the Indianapolis 500.
Photo: Scott Dixon Official Facebook Page.

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Lamborghini Miura P400, Chassis #3586: The Italian Job Restored

Lamborghini Miura P400, Chassis #3586: The Italian Job Restored Lamborghini Polo Storico has located and certified the Miura P400, chassis #3586.
Keen eyes may recognize it as the original from the opening scenes of The Italian Job.
Back in 1966, Lamborghini was a rather unimpressive sports car manufacturer from northern Italy. They were about as remarkable as De Tomaso or Bizzarrini. Interesting in some respects and horrid in others. That all changed at the 1966 Geneva Motor Show when Lambo rolled out the Miura. At a stroke, the upstart Italian car maker vaulted to the head of the pack. When other manufactures were only making front-engine cars, Lamborghini came out with the Miura, a mid-engine 12-cylinder beast that not only went like the business, it looked like the business.
Week & A Day (Over To The Right)
Everything about it was frightening, impressive or impressively-frightening. The powertrain layout was a marvel of packaging: the four-liter V12 engine was mounted transversely, which made for a remarkably short car that was a nightmare to work on. That same four-liter V12 was notoriously high strung, meaning you had to work on it a lot. That’s why it was tallied in the “frightening” column. The body, designed by stylist Marcello Gandini, was breathtaking; but the chassis engineering resulted in the driver’s feet being mashed a week and a day over to the right.
Lamborghini Miura P400, chassis #3586 from the 1969 film, The Italian Job. Photo: Automobili Lamborghini.
Related: The Circuit Wolf manga comic book series was inspired by this Miura SVR.
Lights, Camera, Action
It gained wide notoriety when it was driven in the opening of The Italian Job movie. Driven by an unnamed, smartly-attired gentleman; graying at the temples, smoldering cigarette nonchalantly dangling from his lips; ridiculously-styled wrap around sunglasses clamped to his face, just belting up the St. Bernard pass in Italy; its siren song V12 engine note echoing off the granite mountainsides until ka-SMASH, it runs headlong into a friggin’ bulldozer and bursts into flames.
The flaming wreckage is then pushed off the mountain road, down a terrifyingly-steep embankment and into the river, silently observed by a cadre of black suited, stone-faced gentlemen. And that’s just how the movie starts.
Lamborghini Miura P400, chassis #3586 interior layout. Photo: Automobili Lamborghini.
Chassis #3586? Could This Be The One?
That very Miura is the car you see pictured here. No, no, not the flaming wreckage one; that was one of two Miuras used in the film. The one here was used in the driving sequences and a previously wrecked one was used for the whole crunching/exploding/ravine tumbling bit. This is Lamborghini Miura P400, chassis #3586, and 50 years later, Lambo found it and gave it a factory restoration.
Painted in Arancio Miura (that would be orange) with white and black leather interior, chassis #3586 has been the most pursued Miura in recent decades. After filming, the car all but disappeared, or at least it went unnoticed. Perhaps this was “the same Miura used in The Italian Job,” was overheard at club meets and such, but #3586 became “just” another cool older Italian sports car. As interest picked up, enthusiasts and collectors got into the hunt. The car was finally found in The Kaiser Collection of Vaduz, Liechtenstein. The Kaiser Collection contacted Lamborghini Polo Storico, the in-house research and rebuild outfit, to verify it was actually the car from the movie.
Lamborghini Polo Storico, inaugurated in 2015, is Automobili Lamborghini’s department dedicated to preserving the company’s heritage. Its activities include the restoration and certification of all Lamborghinis produced up to 2001. Photo: Automobili Lamborghini.
Look For The White Headrests
The car was then sent to Sant’ Agata Bolognese where Polo Storico’s work began by examining documents in Lamborghini’s archives. They even went so far as to conduct interviews with enthusiasts and former employees like Enzo Moruzzi, who delivered the famous Miura to the set and drove it in all the shots as a stunt double.
“There was a Miura P400 almost ready on the production line, in the right color, left-hand drive and with white leather interior. It was aesthetically identical to the damaged one and we decided to use it for the film. The only thing worrying us was the elegant white leather seats, given that car had to get back to Sant’Agata in perfect condition,” Moruzzi recalled.
When filming concluded, Paramount Pictures gave the car back to Lambo, who simply prepared it for delivery to its first owner, an Italian from Rome. 50 years later, the white leather seats remain an enduring part of the story behind chassis #3586.
“So, I asked for them to be taken out, replacing them with a set of black leather seats that we used for testing,” Moruzzi continued. “The giveaway was the headrests, which on the Miura are attached to the dividing glass between the driver compartment and the engine compartment, which couldn’t be replaced in time. In the film, you can see the original white headrests.”

Anniversary Celebration
Lamborghini Polo Storico did a nut and bolt, ground-up restoration on chassis #3586, just in time for the 50th anniversary of The Italian Job. What a lovely coincidence, no? Lamborghini was good enough to give us a raft of very pretty pictures of this very pretty, and very memorable car. Here, have a look.
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He is the author of Bricks & Bones: The Endearing Legacy and Nitty-Gritty Phenomenon of The Indy 500, available in paperback or Kindle format. Follow his work on Twitter: @TonyBorroz.
Miura P400, Chassis #3586 Gallery

Photos & Source: Automobili Lamborghini.

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Letter From The UK: The Passion Returns

Letter From The UK: The Passion Returns

Imagine, if you will, a solitary man sitting slumped at the bar of a dark, depressing dive. Further along, an unshaven bar man stands despondently polishing a glass, wishing the guy would leave so he could close up early. Instead the man raises a finger and gestures for another shot. Silently he sits, sadly weeping over his lonesome drink. This is a man who once bought not one but two Italian cars.
I know this man. This man is me.
The Bad Old Days
Italian cars of the past had all the attributes of a practiced vamp: hugely desirable and ruinously expensive. My first, back in the 20th century, rusted away in real time. You could see it happening. My second 21st century car, bought new, ate front tires like doughnuts and developed mysterious electrical problems within months. After these experiences I vowed never again to buy a car that had any Italian DNA.
Fiat 124 Spider
All that is now gone; like a man waking from a deep narcoleptic sleep brought on by a whole series of dull, dispiriting cars designed to suck the vitality out of gearheads the world over, I am again in love with an Italian cutie. That’s right, you’d think after two horrendous experiences, I would learn from my past errors of judgment yet I am once again smitten: but it’s okay, truly, because the diminutive Fiat 124 Spider may have Italian ancestry but is in fact hardly Italian at all.
Essentially, it is a Mazda MX-5 Miata in a designer Italian frock. Instead of being built by Mediterranean types, the 124 Spider is built by the Japanese on the same production line as the MX-5 Miata. Scratch a Japanese car worker and he will bleed precision, I hear.
Photo: DriveWrite Automotive.
Comparing & Contrasting
Certainly the 124 Spider I am driving at the time of this writing is very well assembled. The bodywork is pure Italian design with no panels carried over from the Mazda. Under the hood, there’s a Fiat 1.4 liter engine which, unlike the Miata motors, is turbocharged. The MX-5 is offered here in Britain with either a 1.5 or 2.0 liter normally aspirated engine, as Mazda eschews turbo-charging, preferring a different approach to power.
I have driven both variants at length and found that, although a blast on tight, twisting country roads, it is necessary to keep the revs right up to get the best from the engines. Let it fall below 3,000 rpm and everything goes a bit flat. The Fiat engine is altogether quicker to respond I found, and power comes in smoothly once the turbo is spinning. Thus it isn’t necessary to work so hard to make brisk progress.
To me, the 124 feels a little more softly set-up in that the MX-5 steering responds perhaps a tad more instantly and sharply to driver input, although I suspect most people wouldn’t notice much difference. What both cars do in equal measure is bring back that passion for driving, however.
Neither brand is particularly quick as it takes over seven seconds to reach the benchmark 62 mph (100kph) but straight line speed isn’t the point. Once settled into the low slung and just about perfect laid back driving position, my firm buttocks only inches from the road, it feels quick. If you want to go really fast get a Veyron; if you want to have a smile every quarter mile get a Fiat 124 Spider.
Photo: DriveWrite Automotive.

Post Script
On balance, I prefer the 124 Spider based predominantly on the looks but also with a nod to the feisty little engine. Prices here in the UK are broadly similar and of good value. The value thing is important because folks who love driving will also love that these cars are very affordable, economical, and reasonably cheap to maintain. So after weeks of ubiquitous SUVs, and temperate family hatchbacks that leech your automotive soul away, it is great to experience a bit of hot-blooded passion once again.
I have to remember that I am, above all, British and therefore not given to overt displays of excitement or emotion or the wearing of Armani, but even this jaded Johnny English could feel the red stuff stirring as the Spider snapped into the corners with aplomb.
Favoloso!
Love is a fickle thing. I’ve just checked my diary and noticed that soon I will have the pleasure of the company of another personal favorite, the newly revised Subaru BRZ for a whole week. Will the Italian passion fade like a holiday romance? Watch this space.
Geoff Maxted is a motoring writer, photographer, and author of our Letter From The UK series. Follow his work on Twitter: @DriveWrite
Cover Photo: FCA US LLC.

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2017 Toyota 4Runner 4X4 TRD Off-Road Premium Review

2017 Toyota 4Runner 4X4 TRD Off-Road Premium Review

Families who want to get away from civilization won’t find a better vehicle than the Toyota 4Runner. Upgrade to the 4×4 TRD Off-Road, and you can get it done with a bit more attitude and comfort than the standard model. It’s a rare breed that doesn’t fit the typical SUV/crossover mold. It will thrive in mud, snow, dirt, and steep, rocky adverse terrain.
If it sounds too rugged for you, think again. This weekend, we drove the 2017 Toyota 4Runner 4×4 TRD Off-Road Premium. It was as comfortable as it was capable.
What’s New For 2017
The Toyota 4Runner carries over with minimal changes for 2017. The Trail and Trail Premium are renamed TRD Off-Road and TRD Off-Road Premium, and the TRD Pro Series is available in three additional colors.
Features & Options
The 2017 Toyota 4Runner 4×4 TRD Off-Road Premium ($39,295) comes with lots of standard features. It comes with skid plates, fog lights, a backup camera, keyless entry, five 12-volt power outlets, and a 120-volt AC power outlet. Stepping up to TRD Off-Road adds some serious off-road goodies in the form of a locking rear differential, wheels that are 0.5 inches wider, and a crawl control function.
Premium variants of the TRD Off-Road get power-adjustable and heated outside mirrors, premium vinyl upholstery, navigation, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. Our tester came with the optional KDSS suspension ($1,750), roof rack cross bars ($185), and sliding rear cargo deck ($350). The power moonroof with a sunshade makes for a nice touch too.
Total MSRP including destination: $43,922.

Interior Highlights
Families are choosing the Toyota 4Runner for the kids’ sporting events, school activities, and runs to the grocery store and shopping mall. Even though it looks rugged and has the ability to get you away from civilization, the interior offers a comfort zone for families to travel in relaxation. The top-trim TRD Off-Road Premium offers a soft side that doesn’t match the 4Runner’s aggressive exterior and off-road character. The cabin is attractive and comes with easy-to-clean premium vinyl upholstery, heated front seats, and a power sliding rear window.
The dash is nicely arranged and the instrument panel is simple and easy to read and understand. The view from the driver’s seat is commanding becasue the 4Runner sits up higher than the average SUV and crossover. The disadvantage is that it’s harder to get in and out, unless you get the optional running boards. An extra 3 inches of step-up height is the price you pay for extra rock and ground clearance. The standard reverse camera is also a plus because rear visibility is limited.
There’s enough head and legroom for taller adults up front, and the rear seats offer similar headroom. There is a bit less legroom in the backseat, but tall passengers still fit easily. The large cargo area is quite functional, and the rear seatbacks fold flat. It’s easy to pack the sizable cargo hold with 88.8 cubic feet with the seats down, and 46.3 cubic feet with the seats up. The cargo area is quite versatile, especially when equipped with the optional sliding rear cargo deck.

Engine & Fuel Mileage Specs
The Toyota 4Runner is powered by a 4.0-liter V6 engine, producing 270 horsepower and 278 lb-ft. of torque. It’s mated to a five-speed automatic transmission and rated to tow up to 5,000 pounds. EPA fuel mileage estimates are 17/20 city/highway and 18 combined mpg.
Driving Dynamics
The 4Runner’s real strength lies in its ability perform off-pavement. It’s designed for families who want to get in the back country and away from civilization. 4Runner is a rare breed – its body-on-frame construction gives it a ruggedness and tolerance for extreme off-roading. While many families might not take their SUVs off-road, they may want a tough vehicle that will handle extreme weather. This one offers a level of safety and confidence that most crossovers won’t when the going gets slick and icy.
The drawback is fuel mileage suffers with the extra weight, and it won’t corner like a typical family crossover.
However, The 4Runner does have descent pick-up when you need the power for getting up to highway speeds quickly. It also has enough climbing power for traveling up long grades and getting over the mountain passes at altitude. It’s not the most powerful engine in the class, but it gets the job done in most driving situations. Throttle response is smooth and continuous, and the five-speed automatic transmission shifts seamlessly. Although, we did wish for another gear as we traveled up I-70 into the mountains at altitude.
It’s stable in the corners, but it does have body lean because of its extra ground clearance. For those wanting a true off-road vehicle, the 4Runner comes with part-time four-wheel drive, crawl control, active traction control, and a rear locking differential. Our tester came with the optional KDSS suspension that automatically disconnects both stabilizer bars when maximum articulation is needed. We could see this being beneficial for families during the winter.
Conclusion
The 2017 Toyota 4Runner 4×4 TRD Off-Road Premium is comfy inside, with enough room for growing families and their cargo. While the 4Runner is well suited for weekly activities, the real strength of this SUV is its off-road and all-weather prowess.
Denis Flierl has invested over 25 years in the automotive industry in a variety of roles. Follow his work on Twitter: @CarReviewGuy
2017 Toyota 4Runner Gallery

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2017 Toyota 4Runner Official Site.
Photos: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

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