The Cold War was a dark period in history when humanity came, for so many times, too close to total annihilation. When this “war” came to an end, in 1991, the danger of a nuclear Armageddon became a thing of the past and now we can, in a more relaxed way, look back at someContinue reading “Chasing a Spy Plane”
Author Archives: Rubens Junior
When NASCAR Went to Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the most traditional and prestigious motor race in history. Every year, since 1923, the best race teams and drivers from all over the world go on a pilgrimage to the Circuit de la Sarthe, located in the city of Le Mans, France, for a gruesome 24 hours race,Continue reading “When NASCAR Went to Le Mans”
The Bizarre Collision Between an American Carrier and a Soviet Submarine.
On the foggy morning of January 15, 2022, the American carrier USS Kitty Hawk departed from the Naval Base Kitsap in Bremerton, Washington for its last voyage, the destination is a shipbreaking facility in Brownsville, Texas where the emblematic vessel is set to be scrapped. The ship was decommissioned in 2009 and had been onContinue reading “The Bizarre Collision Between an American Carrier and a Soviet Submarine.”
Lucky Custom’s “Cheetah”
The (north) American way of life has permeated the whole world, through movies, music, and TV shows and we, the poor cousins from South America are, perhaps, the biggest suckers of it, especially when it comes to cars and bikes. We sure love the European and Asian stuff as well but nothing sends a shiverContinue reading “Lucky Custom’s “Cheetah””
The Mini
During the 1950s North America experienced unprecedented economic growth but on the other side of the pond, in Europe, things were a lot different: they were trying to rebuild the continent from the ashes of WWII, and the economic situation was awful. For those fortunate enough to afford a new car, the options were notContinue reading “The Mini”
George Harrison, the Beatle Who Was a Car Guy.
The Beatles are back in the spotlight, thanks to the “Get Back”, the wonderful documentary about the band’s last work, the album Let It Be. The director Peter Jackson (the same director of the Lord of the Rings trilogy) had access to over 50 hours of never seen before video and audio recorded during theContinue reading “George Harrison, the Beatle Who Was a Car Guy.”
The Peacemaker
On August 6, 1945, a solitary B-29 Superfortress named Enola Gay, (after the Captain’s mother), took off from North Field, Timian, and after a 6 hour flight, the crew dropped an atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima. Three days later, another bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki. It was the only timeContinue reading “The Peacemaker”
The Brazilian Champions. Part Three: Ayrton Senna.
“And suddenly I realized that I was no longer driving the car consciously. I was driving it by a kind of instinct, only I was in a different dimension.” – Ayrton Senna-. Brazilians are passionate about speed and that passion produced a few names that became legendary; most of them are well known only withinContinue reading “The Brazilian Champions. Part Three: Ayrton Senna.”
Toronto International Air Show.
The Toronto International Air Show is Canada’s largest and longest-running aeronautical event and it happens right in the heart of the city’s downtown, over Labour Day Weekend. Thanks to the Covid pandemic, the show was cancelled in 2020 but it was back for the 2021 edition. It all started in 1946 when the National Aeronautical AssociationContinue reading “Toronto International Air Show.”
Rat Trap
Between 2008 and 2015, I had the privilege to work for one of the most traditional speed shops in Brazil, Powertech, the company was founded with a noble mission: to bring performance parts from the USA to South America, helping a legion of gearheads who craved speed but had nowhere to go. Powertech’s founder, João Alexandre deContinue reading “Rat Trap”
The Brazilian Champions. Part Two: Nelson Piquet.
By the time when I began to better understand the Formula One universe, during my teenage years, Emerson Fittipaldi was struggling with the Copersucar race team and he naturally fell into obscurity. Fans like me were waiting for the next guy who would restore the Brazilian pride in F-One and that guy was Nelson Piquet.Continue reading “The Brazilian Champions. Part Two: Nelson Piquet.”
Mad Max
When I went to see Mad Max for the first time, in 1985, the movie was already 6 years old and its two sequels had been released already. To be honest, the sequels never caught my attention, I was there to see the original. Even after so many years I still remember leaving the theatreContinue reading “Mad Max”
The Brazilian Champions. Part one: Emerson Fittipaldi.
Brazil, if there is one sport that defines the country is soccer, after all, they won the World Cup 5 times, but there is another sport that the country won even more titles: Formula One. Brazilian drivers won nothing less than 8 F-One World Championships. Sir Jack Stewart once tried to explain the phenomena: “MustContinue reading “The Brazilian Champions. Part one: Emerson Fittipaldi.”
1963 Aston Martin DB4 GT Lightweight.
The DB4 model, produced from 1958 until 1963, was the car that put Aston Martin firmly in the sports coupe segment and started the iconic look that would define the brand throughout the next decades. If you look closely, styling cues from this car can still be found in modern Aston Martin models. Aston madeContinue reading “1963 Aston Martin DB4 GT Lightweight.”
Norton-Wankel – The Victory of the Underdog.
In the 1970s, as Japanese motorcycles began dominating the global market, Norton was merely another legendary British bike brand fighting to stay afloat. A mix of mismanagement and lack of innovation brought the company very close to bankruptcy. Still, it was in the late 1960s that Norton had a spark of brilliance; the engineering developmentContinue reading “Norton-Wankel – The Victory of the Underdog.”
Atlanta Dragway in 2000 -Video Blog.
The official drag strip of Atlanta, GA isn’t exactly in Atlanta, the venue is located in a small town called Commerce, a little bit over one hour driving, from downtown Atlanta, via I-85 North. The dragway opened its doors in 1975 and has been hosting the Southern Nationals since 1981. In 1993 it was boughtContinue reading “Atlanta Dragway in 2000 -Video Blog.”
Pablo Escobar’s Porsche.
It was during the crazy 1960s that cocaine started to become famous; at that time, the drug was still expensive and hard to find, the kind of stuff reserved for rich kids and celebrities. It was only during the 1980s that the drug became readily available to the average consumer, and the responsibility for thisContinue reading “Pablo Escobar’s Porsche.”
The Classic Machines 