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The team behind the Sonoma Speed Festival is back gearing up for a new motorsports festival, Velocity Invitational. The exciting event is to be held on November 11- 14, 2021, at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Salinas, California.

Velocity Invitational will feature a special exhibition of historic McLaren Racing Formula 1 race cars by Mika Häkkinen, two-time Formula 1 World Champion. There will also be hundreds of additional significant and unique historic race vehicles, gourmet food, and fine wine.  

Velocity Invitational was conceived following the success of the first Sonoma Speed Festival which was held in 2019. The event will bring together wheel-to-wheel vintage racing, historic and cultural exhibits, and tastings from the very best wineries and restaurants California has to offer.

The 2019 event was a great success with thousands of spectators enjoying seeing over 300 race cars, not to mention the dozens of gourmet food vendors and local wineries being present to complement the racing.

For this year’s Velocity Invitational, McLaren Racing will be bringing several very impressive vehicles.

The first is the 1998 MP4/13A chassis number 02, a 760 brake horsepower V10 powered Formula 1 vehicle that was handled by David Coulthard and Mika Häkkinen. It is the very same vehicle that Häkkinen once drove to win the Australian GP.

1998 MP4 13A chassis number 02

McLaren has also announced that they will feature the 2011 MP4/26A and 2012 MP4/27A Formula 1 cars that Lewis Hamilton and Jensen Button once drove.

 2011 MP4

“We are delighted to partner with Velocity Invitational to showcase our McLaren Racing history on the track and contribute to one of the most exciting automotive lifestyle festivals in the United States.” 

McLaren Racing CEO, Zak Brown. 

For those spectators that are up for more than just food and racing, a 1998 MP4/98T two-seat Formula 1 demonstration car will be taking a fortunate few passengers around the circuit in a breathtaking ride. 

Velocity Invitational Founder Jeff O’Neill stated:

 “We have all missed racing and seeing these extraordinary and rare cars in the past year. So we’ve decided to

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By: Sports Car Digest
Title: Legendary McLaren Racing to Feature at Velocity Invitational this Fall
Sourced From: sportscardigest.com/velocity-invitational-mclaren/
Published Date: Fri, 14 May 2021 20:53:43 +0000

Motor

BEYOND THE STRIP: Discover the Cultural Gems of Las Vegas

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BEYOND THE STRIP: Discover the Cultural Gems of Las Vegas

Written by Barbara Toombs

Fremont Street in the heart of downtown Las Vegas.

Millions of visitors are understandably attracted to the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas’ renowned Strip each year, where world-class resorts, casinos, shows and incredible dining options are the name of the game.

What many don’t realize is that there’s another fascinating side to the Entertainment Capital of the World, headlined by two cultural districts known simply as Downtown and Chinatown.

Downtown Las Vegas (also known as DTLV) is really where this unique desert city got its start. In 1931, construction began on what is now known as the Hoover Dam, attracting thousands of workers to a site just east of the city. To capitalize on this growing workforce, savvy businessmen began building casinos and showgirl venues along Las Vegas’ only paved road at the time: Fremont Street.

Today, DTLV is comprised of three distinct districts. Many visitors to the city are already familiar with one of them: the Fremont Street Casino District, which contains museums, restaurants and bars, as well as the original Las Vegas casinos, including El Cortez, Golden Nugget and Golden Gate. Here you’ll also find the renowned Fremont Street Experience, which debuted in 1995. This pedestrian-only thoroughfare is covered by a canopy of more than two million LED lights and a state-of-the-art sound system that comes to life every night for a spectacular sound and light show called “Viva Vision.”

The Arts District

A popular attraction in this district is The Mob Museum (the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement), which showcases intriguing tales and the age-old dichotomy of good guys versus bad guys. Explore at your own pace, go on a guided tour or uncover museum surprises as part of a group scavenger hunt. Want a literal “taste” of old-school Las Vegas? Plan to dine at Top of Binion’s Steakhouse, perched on the 24th floor of Binion’s Gambling Hall. The restaurant dates back to 1965 when it was known as Top of the Mint, the signature dining spot at The Mint hotel tower. The interior design (and menu – think steak, prime rib, lobster and even Baked Alaska) is a throwback to an earlier era when the mob ran much of Las Vegas, but the real draw is the spectacular view through dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows.

Built in 2002, the Fremont East Entertainment District (FEED) is a six-block area that stretches from Las Vegas Boulevard East to 8th Street and from Ogden Street South to Carson. FEED is pedestrian-friendly, offering diverse street life and many eateries, cafes, bars and lounges, as well as ample shopping opportunities and lively entertainment. A must-see attraction in this district is the Downtown Container Park – a dining, shopping and live music venue made of 45 colorful repurposed shipping containers, all fronted by a two-story, fire-breathing praying mantis who made its original debut at Burning Man. Nearby is the popular Bin 702 – one of many great dining choices in the area – featuring a great selection of beer and wine, as well as a tantalizing choice of charcuterie and cheese, sandwiches and small plates for sharing.

18b sign in The Arts District.

In recent years, The Arts District – or the 18b as it’s also known (a reference to it occupying 18 blocks of Downtown Las Vegas, loosely outlined by Commerce Street, Colorado Ave, Fourth Street and Hoover Avenue) – has been growing in popularity. Its monthly “First Friday” block party and art walk features food trucks and live music, serving as a backdrop for artists showing their works off at a variety of open-air and indoor galleries. These include The Arts Factory, home to over 30 artists and art galleries, and ArtSquare, a hip establishment that houses design stores, designer’s studios, wellness spots, and food and drink outlets. Behind The Arts Factory sits one of many great dining choices in The Arts District: Taverna Costera, serving up delicious Coastal Mediterranean fusion that draws inspiration from coastal Spanish, French, Italian and Greek cuisines and beyond.

Just a couple of miles east of the Strip, along Spring Mountain Road (roughly between Rainbow Boulevard and Interstate 15), lies the city’s amazing Chinatown, which has grown in leaps and bounds over the past two decades. Here you’ll find the largest collection of Asian businesses in Southern Nevada, including a multitude of authentic Asian restaurants, gift shops, a hair stylist, a reflexologist, home decor, an Asian supermarket and the only Chinese bookstore in Nevada.

At Chinatown’s heart is the enormous and ornate Chinatown Plaza, featuring a colorful, dragon-adorned, Tang Dynasty-inspired gate and gleaming

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By: Barrett-Jackson
Title: BEYOND THE STRIP: Discover the Cultural Gems of Las Vegas
Sourced From: www.barrett-jackson.com/Media/Home/Reader/beyond-the-strip-discover-the-cultural-gems-of-las-vegas-2023/
Published Date: Fri, 19 May 2023 18:07:14 +0000

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Motor

2024 SCOTTSDALE AUCTION: 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Custom Coupe – No Reserve

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2024 SCOTTSDALE AUCTION: 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Custom Coupe – No Reserve

This red 1967 Corvette custom coupe received a complete custom restoration at Springfield Motorsports in Peachland BC, Canada. The build consists of a completely new jig-mounted tube chassis with C4 corvette front upper and lower control arms riding on coilover shocks and power rack & pinion steering. The rear differential is a custom narrowed 9-inch Ford with aluminum Dale Gerry center section with Wilwood disc brakes on all 4 corners. Filling out the wheel wells are custom offset Fikse wheels.

K&S machine in Kelowna, British Columbia took the 454ci engine and machined it to 496ci it is equipped with Comp Thumper camshaft and 800cfm carburetor and it creates a true hot rod sound through the ceramic-coated exhaust. Lee Baxter upholstery created the one-off hand-stitched red leather interior with a rear storage area. It features Vintage Air, Digital gauges, power windows and a leather-wrapped vintage-style steering wheel.

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By: Barrett-Jackson
Title: 2024 SCOTTSDALE AUCTION: 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Custom Coupe – No Reserve
Sourced From: www.barrett-jackson.com/Media/Home/Reader/2024-scottsdale-auction-1967-chevrolet-corvette-custom-coupe-no-reserve/
Published Date: Fri, 27 Oct 2023 15:52:01 +0000

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Motor

From Hamamatsu to Lisbon: A Honda CBX 1000 restomod by Unik Edition

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Honda CBX 1000 restomod by Unik Edition
The Honda CBX 1000 was only in production for four years, but that was enough time for it to leave a lasting impression on the motorcycle industry. First released it in 1978 as a screaming six-cylinder naked superbike, it later faced stiff competition from its stablemate—the equally iconic CB900F. So the Japanese marque redesigned it as a sport tourer, halfway through its tenure.

The updated ‘CBX-B’ had a touring fairing, optional panniers, and Honda’s new-at-the-time Pro-Link mono-shock setup. It was a hair less powerful than before, but that didn’t stop it from becoming a legend in its own right. If you park a CBX and CBX-B next to each other, you could argue that the latter has more presence.

Honda CBX 1000 restomod by Unik Edition

It’s that mystique that prompted the owner of this 1982 Honda CBX 1000 Pro-Link to buy it. Enamored with the fusion of modern technology and ancient traditions found in Japanese cities like Tokyo and Kyoto, he was on the hunt for a classic motorcycle that embodied that philosophy. When he found the CBX, the sheer brutalism of its six-cylinder engine was impossible to ignore.

“In the eyes of this enthusiast, the engine wasn’t just a mechanical marvel; it was the soul of the motorcycle, much like the heart in a human body,” says Tiago Gonçalves, founder of the Portuguese custom shop, Unik Edition. “This revelation laid the foundation for a transformative project, one that would honor the motorcycle’s origins while infusing it with a new identity.”

Honda CBX 1000 restomod by Unik EditionRead More

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By: Wesley Reyneke
Title: From Hamamatsu to Lisbon: A Honda CBX 1000 restomod by Unik Edition
Sourced From: www.bikeexif.com/honda-cbx-1000-restomod
Published Date: Sat, 28 Oct 2023 16:34:54 +0000

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