Latest news with #BackfireNews
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Another Dragstrip Closes Down
Read the full story on Backfire News Car enthusiasts in Paris, Texas are mourning after the Paris Dragstrip announced it's closing for now. With tracks getting shut down and bulldozed far too often these days, we hate seeing these stories. But the owners of the dragstrip say there are multiple good reasons for the sad Paris Dragstrip has been around for over 50 years, hosting NHRA sanctioned races on the 1/8 mile strip in Northwest Texas. It's been an outlet for many who have octane in their veins, helping them get their need for speed firsthand or vicariously. But that's gone in a flash and seemingly without warning. The owners of the facility took to the official Facebook page on June 17 to make the shocking announcement: 'After a lot of thought and consideration, we have made the tough decision to close Paris Dragstrip until further notice. 'With the rising cost of operations, a constant shortage of staff, ongoing criticism, and the continued struggle to break even financially — it's simply not feasible to keep the gates open at this time. 'This track has been a huge part of our family, and I know it means a lot to so many of you. I want to personally thank every racer, fan, family, and crew member who has supported us over the years. Your loyalty and love for the sport never went unnoticed. 'This isn't goodbye forever — just a much-needed pause. We will be taking this time to regroup and consider what's next. I appreciate your understanding and support more than you know.' While it's shocking, even infuriating to see another track close down, it sounds like this move might not be permanent. Exactly what 'criticism' the Paris Dragstrip has endured isn't entirely clear. But looking around on Google Maps, the facility seems to be around some homes. We don't know if those houses were built before or after the strip was established, but we do know some people buy homes near racetracks, then complain about the noise. Hopefully the Paris Dragstrip comes back better than ever. Too many tracks have shut down in recent years and we hate to see another go away forever. Image via Paris Dragstrip/Facebook
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Josef Newgarden Flips In Horrific IndyCar Crash
Read the full story on Backfire News People are genuinely shocked after seeing footage of Josef Newgarden's car flipping in this weekend's IndyCar race. It's no wonder since the collision with Louis Foster's damaged racecar and the subsequent flip are something that's rarely seen. Thankfully, Newgarden and Foster both walked away from the horrific crash lap 130 of the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 on June 15, Newgarden was in the lead and was coming up on Foster and Santino Ferrucci battling when Foster, a rookie, ended up losing control of his car. Foster then rode the wall, breaking his rear axle. Unable to steer, he became a passenger as he veered left at a sharp 90 degree angle, right in front of Newgarden, who had zero time to react. The race lead T-boned Foster's racecar, then flipped over it. Thankfully, Newgarden didn't go over the wall or the crash could've ended on pit lane, perhaps becoming a much bigger disaster. Instead, Newgarden's car flipped onto its top, the safety halo shooting sparks as it skidded along the pavement. Had that and other safety equipment not been incorporated into IndyCar, both drivers might have been seriously injured or killed. Thankfully, a complete disaster like that was avoided. People in the racing world are marveling at what safety innovations have done for IndyCar. While some have complained about the safety halo looking ugly and being unnecessary, there's no doubt it saved Newgarden from a serious if not fatal injury in this freak accident. Kyle Kirkwood went on to win the race, beating out Pato O'Ward. It was his first victory on an oval, but it was completely overshadowed by the crash between Newgarden and Foster. Image via IndyCarOnFOX/X
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Disneyland Autotopia Car Crashes Off The Track
Read the full story on Backfire News One of the cars at the Disneyland Autotopia ride in Anaheim, California went off the track, crashing in the dirt and foliage. We've been on the ride ourselves many times and never imagined such a thing was even possible with all the guardrails and such, but there are photos and video to prove it Disney and theme park aficionado Laughing Place posted the photos and video of the crash aftermath to X. While he was just as shocked as we were, he did note it didn't appear anyone was injured in the freak incident, which is a good thing. After all, we can't have any tragedies in the happiest place on earth, right? While we would think this is a first in the ride's 70 year history, it's apparently not even close. Another X user called The Infernoman who claims to have been at one point a trainer and working lead for the Autotopia ride confirmed this sort of thing has happened in the past. Saying it was 'very rare,' the guy said he has seen a car go completely off the tracks in the past, noting the off-road part of the ride is where it's most likely to occur. He goes on to explain that if one of the cars is hit hard from behind in the area where you make a U-turn, it could in fact get knocked off the track. That might be why workers at the ride emphasize not ramming into the back of the car in front of you. The ride was immediately shut down and everyone in the cars had to get out and walk to the exit with help from employees. Disneyland had the ride up and running again soon after the incident, so whatever happened it must have been an easy fix. Just remember next time you go on Autotopia to not ram into your friends or family members driving right in front of you. Image via laughing_place/X
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
This Nash Metropolitan Is Really A Suzuki Samurai
Read the full story on Backfire News People sure are getting creative with body swaps these days, but this Nash Metropolitan on a Suzuki Samurai is unexpectedly cool. Laugh all you want, we know the Jeep bandwagon will, but the Samurai is a respectable rig that won't break the bank. And showing up Wranglers in your Nash Metropolitan-bodied rig would be absolutely never really thought about the fact the Suzuki Samurai is of similar size to a Nash, but now that we do it's not surprising in the least. Back in the day, Nash was making economy cars when people didn't care about fuel consumption and such. They were weird and lacked broad market appeal. The Samurai was similarly mocked back in the late 80s and early 90s. Sure, they weren't fast and they looked like little toys, but it's like people don't realize the original jeeps (before they were a brand name) were made to be small, lightweight, and maneuverable. There are a lot of cool details about this build, like the fact it has a removable fiberglass top so you can enjoy open-air off-roading just like the Jeeps (but the doors say on). There is of course a roll cage, just in case things get a little tipsy. The turquoise and white paint is actually Raptor bed liner, so it can take a beating and not get all scratched up. That same stuff has been applied to the roll cage and the interior surfaces. Even better, the guy who built this has a tow bar and light so it can be towed to a trailhead. We imagine it's not really great on the interstate, but most good off-roaders aren't built for highway cruising anyway. According to the seller, who has this listed on Facebook Marketplace, this rig has won all kind of awards at car shows and has been in parades and such. If you're in the market for a unique off-roader, this could be it. Plus, at $14,500 you're not going to find many cheaper options that aren't riddled with problems. Check out this off-roader's listing here. Images via Ed-Faith Westendorf/Facebook Marketplace
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Two Florida Motorcyclists Hit An Alligator
Read the full story on Backfire News Two motorcyclists riding on separate bikes were both injured when they hit an alligator that was on Interstate 4 near Orange City, Florida. This is the sort of craziness we would expect to be routine in the Sunshine State, but apparently alligators on an interstate are in fact motorcycles involved were a 2021 Kawasaki Ninja 650 and 2022 Suzuki GSX-R1000R. A report from WFTV-9 doesn't give any indication the riders might have been speeding, only saying they were both in the inside lane when they struck the 'gator. Those riders were a 25-year-old woman and 67-year-old man. It's unclear if they were riding together, although we think it's pretty safe to assume they were. After hitting the giant reptile, both sport bikes veered off the interstate. The Suzuki went into a wooded area and hit a tree. Both riders suffered non-life-threatening injuries. As for the alligator, it was also injured in the collision, although it's unclear how badly. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers arrived on the scene to assess the animal. In the meantime, Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the crash. Again, this might be the most Florida story we've covered in a while. In other states, drivers have to watch for deer darting across the road. But in Florida people on motorcycles might hit an alligator crossing the interstate for some reason. While such a thing is a rarity, from what we've been told, just a month ago we covered how the Blue Collar Brawler helped wrangle an alligator that was spotted on the side of a busy Florida interstate, helping authorities relocate it to somewhere safer. All this leads us to ask: why did the alligator cross the road? What's on the other side that's so compelling? Image via Adriaan Greyling/Pexels
