(Sean Connery voice:) Welcome to THE ROCK!

NMS-North vs. NMS-South

I sure hope you've seen the 1996 action movie THE ROCK with Sean Connery and Nicholas Cage, because otherwise today's catchy blog title isn't very funny. Anyway, Sean Connery's character once escaped from Alcatraz and then has to take some special forces folks and Nicholas Cage back to Alcatraz to avoid a disaster, and it's just a snappy line he says in his epic Sean Connery voice. 

So, what's this post all about then? Is NMS announcing a new major league racing series with itty-bitty cars racing around Alcatraz Island in San Francisco? No. 

Are we forming a racing team of famous ex-prisonors? No, but I have visited a former prison where Robert Redford filmed "Brubaker"... although it was just a pizza company at the time!

Well, then what in the wide-wide world of sports is THE ROCK? Pro Tip: it's not the actor Dwayne Johnson either. 

Are we talking about Rockingham Motor Speedway, the former oval track in Great Britain? No, it stopped hosting racing in 2018 according to the BBC: BBC NEWS                However, if you're looking for a logistics hub overseas that can store 50,000 cars, host a track filming session or etc, contact the current owners of Rockingham Motor Speedway at this link: Rockingham Logistics Center

"THE ROCK" we're talking about is Rockingham Speedway, and oddly enough it is located in Rockingham North Carolina! THAT is where we'll be driving on August 13th with the Triad Sports Car Club. More specifically, we'll be auto crossing the NMS Cayman on a smaller part of THE ROCK known as the LITTLE ROCK. Here's a link:  THE ROCK

Hey. come on now, even saying THE LITTLE ROCK in Sean Connery's voice sounds cool! Now that I think of it, we're getting close to September 19th, which as EVERYONE knows is the annual Talk Like a Pirate Day, and I think we need another ridiculous Talk Like ____ day, so why not Talk Like Sean Connery Day?

Autocross wise, both NMS drivers will get behind the wheel of Ruby and see how we do in the B Street class. So far there are 5 total drivers in the class, and 68 competitors signed up to drive. We're going to pull out all the stops and go for TOP FIVE... in our class of five! 

NMS Adds Truck #2

If the Red Bull F1 team is going with Ford Hybrid power in 2026, why not me too!

Subtitle 1: I bought a bottle opener, and a Ford Maverick was attached to it! The tailgate really does have bottle openers on it!

Subtitle 2: What truck is ranked #1 by Motor Trend for Best Small and Midsize Trucks to Buy in 2023? Hint: Rhymes with Maverick. Here's their article: MOTORTREND

                                              

OK, yeah, we ordered a Ford Maverick a few weeks ago, and of course due to high demand and production of hybrids being slow, we were willing to wait a year for it to be built. Or two. Or more. However, we kept checking car dealerships, as well as online retailers that rhyme with CarMax and Carvana, and not finding any new trucks or used trucks that seemed right. But then, like a bolt of lightning out of the blue oval (Ford blue oval, get it?), our local dealership had one on their website. 

Should I name it Brett Maverick, or maybe Pete Mitchell?

                                        

Not so fast! I've learned that dealerships will have trucks listed online, and maybe the truck is AT the dealership, but all of them so far I'd seen were customer orders, so they were NOT for sale. Today however, I figured "Ah what the heck, give 'em a call." The phone call with our local dealer revealed that the truck wasn't at THAT dealership, but up the road about 50 minutes. Shoot, says I, I'll call them too, what could go wrong? 

So, I called, and found out that YES they HAD the truck on the lot. YES it was for sale. I told the helpful salesperson I'll be there ASAP, can I test drive it? They said sure, come on down, it's for sale. The customer that ordered it changed their mind. We'll have it ready for you!

One test drive later, and a bunch of paperwork too, and NMS has now brought on board a 2023 Ford Hybrid XLT Maverick. 

Does it tow a county courthouse? No

Does it go from 0-60 faster than a speeding bullet? No

Does it go off-roading over the Grand Canyon and cure Covid? No. 

Did it have a $30,000 dealer "price adjustment" like a Saleen Mustang I saw on their lot? No. 

Does it have 775 Horsepower like the Shelby F150 I saw on the lot? No.

Does it have push button start? No.

Guess what, I don't need a vehicle to do all that. I just wanted a good gas mileage vehicle (can you say 40mpg in the city?) to drive every day, load up car parts, pick up pizza in, and take trash (excuse me, "garbage" if you're in NY) to our local facility a couple times a week. The Maverick does all that, and I'm looking forward to all that new technology I've never had, like Apple Car Play and all that stuff. 

Oh, and yet again, NMS is going all out in 2023 to boost the economy, spend money, and pay enough taxes to run an entire continent. You're welcome America!

NMS Visits Joe Gibbs Racing

Joe Gibbs Racing, Huntersville, NC

One advantage of living near Charlotte NC is that we're pretty dang close to the epicenter of the entire NASCAR universe. We happened to be up in Huntersville on business the other day, and noticed a little old place called Joe Gibbs racing. As a proud former member of the Washington Commanders Marching Band, where Joe was football coach, I figured it would be fun to stop by, drive a few cars, and impress the team with my racing skills. 

Joe Gibbs, NASCAR team owner, NASCAR Hall of Fame member, 3-time Superbowl winning coach, and NFL Hall of Fame member. That is one very exclusive club my friends!

Daytona 500 Harley Earl Trophy

Another Daytona 500 trophy!

OK, that part didn't happen, but I did stop by and visit the gift shop, take a look around the lobby, and then get a peek down into the shop where the cars were being worked on! Hey, it was free too, so a lot more fun and cheaper than going to Carowinds amusement park down the road! 

Driver suits

What do you do with an extra engine? Make it into a table of course!

The store had a ton of shirts, pins, hats, decals, and even used car doors and hoods! I asked about the car hoods and was told they are $1,800 each, so that's another item on my Stuff To Buy When I Win the Lottery list.

Really cool hoods and other car parts for sale

More car parts for sale

Out in the lobby, there were a couple of cars, some nice display cases with memorabilia, and some trophies. To be more precise, a LOT of trophies! I liked the ones from Daytona and Dover, and the Nashville trophy of a Les Paul electric guitar was very nice too!

I liked the Monster Mile (Dover) trophy on the right

Your traditional trophy (Bristol) and a trophy with a pair of boots from the O'Reilly's 500 at Texas Motor Speedway in 2018

Daytona 500 Harley J. Earl trophy

Gibson Les Paul guitar, from the Nashville race

The view into the workshop was impressive, because it's a BIG garage. There were a good number of mechanics working on cars, another area with a bunch of car bodies, and at least one of those was getting a new vinyl wrap. Oh, and a couple bazillion banners hanging on the walls marking the teams many victories. 

Joe Gibbs Racing, 10 driver championships. Not bad for a guy with 3 Superbowl rings too!

The mechanics were busy, so I'd have to guess this car will be racing in Michigan this Saturday and Sunday. 

Lots of work getting done. Apparently, they didn't need a hand or another driver. 

Facility seems to be "slightly" larger than the NMS team

Center right car is getting a new vinyl wrap.

If you get near Charlotte, I'm sure you can visit many of the team's facilities, the Charlotte Motor Speedway, or the NASCAR Hall of Fame, and also for a fun short side trip, head to Huntersville and stop by Joe Gibbs Racing.