Power Tour

Much like life, the Power Tour is a marathon and not a sprint. And much like life, I usually just spin my wheels until I eventually burn out. Welcome to the sixth and final leg of the 2019 Hot Rod Power Tour. What's today? Thursday? No, it's Friday. That's the Tour in a nutshell. Such a blast and equally as much of a blur. Massive miles, big time vistas, and all sorts of rides, however, it can be challenging to recall dates and cities (no different than any other time of the year for me). Today we went 165 miles from Fort Wayne, Indiana to Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio. I'm also pleased to report that because I called Charley "Steve" in yesterday's post, my status with him has been elevated from "Idiot" to "Jackass." He loves me! He really does! Poor Forrest. After a week spent enduring the world's worst co-pilot, he was a wreck. 1,100 miles and counting with me under his skin was more than enough to put him under the weather. As a result, his Day 6 parking struggle was all too real. I needed my main man to be focused for the final stretch of the Tour today. This called for a serious remedy. Nothing like a double dose of Double Chocolate Hostess Donettes, Pringles Wavy Jalapeno chips and Chex Mix Muddy Buddies. Shut up and take your medicine, Forrest. After so much bad weather, it felt great to bask in the summer sun again. Only shared this snap of Randy with the hope that Charley would stop calling me Jackass. It didn't work. Game respect game. Perhaps the only man we ran into on Tour who did a better job matching his clothes than Keith. Cal is beyond the "Felt cute" phase. He's now firmly entrenched in "Might delete later." Today, the Tour route took us right by the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum, which called for a stop. For the record, the route also took us by a Cracker Barrel, but the rest of our party couldn't be bothered to stop there. Oh, Maple Jamn' Bacon Burger, someday you will be mine again. This is it. The one you think of when you think of Duesenberg. The 1931 Model J Beverly Sedan is massive with a 5,500lb curb weight and a 153.5-inch wheelbase, while the 420 cube straight 8 only made 265hp. The 1925 Miller Junior Eight was an Indy Car. It's Miller-built blown 8 made 200hp, but the most interesting feature is the front wheel drive configuration! Steering wheel on the Miller Junior Eight. Could not even imagine using this to turn left 800 times in a row. Now this is a hood ornament. Not a sticker, or an emblem, but a true ornament. While in the John Dillinger exhibit, Forrest was arrested for impersonating an accent wall. For the record, Forrest claims he's 6'4," but you know how the camera subtracts 10 inches. Midway through the drive we bode a reluctant farewell to our group. Tragically, as Steen went to pull away in his 572-stuffed Chevelle SS, he lost traction. On a private road. In Mexico. To both Mrs. Steen and our legal department, no one was harmed in the incident and we can assure you, it will not happen again. With that said, no need to read any further. Okay, now that Mrs. Steen and Legal are gone, look at that set of elevens! We finally made it to Summit Motorsports Park, relatively intact. As did Precious. After Steen's tire fryer, the Power Tour burnout contest was a bit of a been-there-done-that moment. Like going to a Mexican prison. I can't be the only one, am I? Before. After. And the aftermath. Goes all the way to Norwalk, Ohio for Power Tour. Orders cheesesteak from Philly. This could be the best shirt on Power Tour. Correction, it is most definitely the best shirt on the Tour. Even on the final day, our friends at Holley were still working their magic. Ford vs. Chevy - the Battle of the Patina. Looks like Chevelle Guy made it all the way. And in record time, no doubt, thanks to his big 572. This Divco long hauled the entire Tour with a special treat under the hood. Divco + LSX = a good time. Not sure what lives on the bed of this bus, but I'm willing to bet it's savage af. At the end of the day (and the Tour), it all comes back to Forrest. And his precious Precious. No touching. After the auction ended, instead of awarding her to the highest bidder, Forrest tucked Precious under his arm and leapt off the stage like King Kong and Fay Wray. I've never seen the big guy move so quickly. Run, Forrest! Been waiting forever to say that. When the final gavel fell, we helped raise $9,000 for the Susan J. Komen foundation. And with that, our 2019 Power Tour adventure has come to an end. We'll post a complete recap with all the highlights, but in the meantime, please enjoy our gallery of pics from Day 06 here. John Naderi for Mothers® Polishes•Waxes•Cleaners facebook.com/mothersusa