Check out Hover Motor Company for the latest car show recaps, stories, upcoming events, and inforamtion!

If you enjoy my Examiner column, I think you'll want to know about my new Hover Motor Company site.

Although I will still post the occasional article on the Examiner, I am excited for the opportunity to build a web-presence of my own.  That's why I'm working to make Hover Motor Company the premiere destination for car show recaps, car stories and history, upcoming events, and automotive news in the Kansas City area.  There will be plenty for the local folks and plenty for our national audience, and it will be presented in a more lighthearted, but still professional style.

For the best enthusiast-focused automotive coverage to be found ANYWHERE in Kansas City, check out:

http://www.hovermotorco.com/

Click on the link, enjoy the ride, and be sure to subscribe for updates!  Thank you!

- Craig

Hot fun at KCCA Corvettes on the Square Kickoff Party at Vintage Vettes, L.L.C.

The Kansas City Corvette Association was gearing up for their premiere event of the year, "Corvettes on the Square," in Independence, Mo., on Saturday. But before that, club members got together for a fun kickoff party at the fabulous Vintage Vettes, L.L.C. in North Kansas City.

The only real issue with Friday's event was the weather. It was hot. Officially, it was the first time that it hit 103-degrees at KCI since 2006. But temperatures easily topped 106, and things were even hotter when you added in the infamous Midwest humidity. And to make matters worse, some nasty thunderstorms were circling the perimeter of the show.

People didn't seem to be letting that discourage them, however. Everyone was hanging out with their cars, noshing on a potluck buffet, hanging out with old friends and meeting new ones.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY AND A PHOTO SLIDESHOW

NASCAR in Michigan and Dover, NHRA in Brainerd, and lots of local racing. August 13, 14, 15

You say you like car races? Well, you’re in luck! There are great shows on the dirt, on the asphalt, around the ovals, and down the drag strips all over Kansas City, and on race tracks throughout the country. Here’s a handy list of some of the biggest and best motorsports events that you can watch this weekend.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL WEEKEND AUTO RACING SCHEDULE

Kansas City car shows and cruises all over the place. Automotive events for August 13, 14, 15

So many car shows, so little time. If you like the competitive atmosphere of an organized, judged competition, or the freedom of a casual car cruise, there are plenty of options around Kansas City this weekend. Everything from the big Corvettes on the Square show in Independence, to the easy going gathering at the Riverside Red-X on Friday night, there is bound to be a car-charged event to fit your mood.

Also, if you are into car races, we have now moved that calendar over to the new Kansas City Motorsports column here on the Examiner, so be sure to check that out to see where you’re going to go for wheel-to-wheel racing competition around town and across the nation.

CLICK HERE FOR THIS WEEKEND'S CAR SHOW SCHEDULE

Larry Phillips may be the greatest NASCAR driver you never knew

When you think of the most successful drivers in NASCAR history, names like Petty, Earnhardt, and Pearson come to mind. Well, there is one driver who competed locally that regularly makes the list for people in-the-know, and you may have never even heard his name.

Larry Phillips from Springfield, Mo., is one of the greatest stock car drivers who ever lived, and he had much of his success here in the Kansas City area.

So why haven’t you heard of him? Well, he only raced one event in what is now called the Sprint Cup series, that in 1976. He was not a media mogul, an attention hound, or a socialite. In reality, he was a crabby loner. But his accomplishments on the short tracks of the Midwest are nothing short of legendary.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Kansas Speedway sponsor Price Chopper launches Chopper Shopper card racing promotion

Local area grocery store chain Price Chopper is the sponsor of the "Price Chopper 400" when the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to Kansas Speedway on October 3. And now, they've put together a promotion that should get most race fans pretty excited, and they can enter it by saving money on their groceries.

All you need to do is swipe your Price Chopper "Chopper Shopper" discount card to enter to win one of several pretty cool racing prizes.

CLICK HERE FOR THE CONTEST DETAILS AND PRIZES

Cheseburger in Paradise car cruise didn't exactly live up to its name

If you've been reading stories from this column for any time at all, you know how most of these stories go--we go to a cruise, we have a good time, we come back and tell you why it was fun. We love car gatherings, and we encourage every business to have them.

Almost.

We decided to check out the monthly Sunday cruise at Cheeseburger in Paradise in the Legends shopping area in Kansas City, Kan., and it was an experience we'd just as soon forget.

READ THE FULL STORY AND SEE A PHOTO SLIDESHOW HERE

It's good to be the King in the Richard Petty Driving Experience at Kansas Speedway

When you’ve shopped at the Legends during the summer months, you may have noticed the unmistakable scream of racing engines coming from Kansas Speedway, even on an off weekend. Chances are it isn’t Dale Earnhardt, Jr. shaking down the AMP Energy Chevy. More likely, you’re hearing a bunch of hot, happy people taking part in the Richard petty Driving Experience (RPDE).

The RPDE is more like an amusement park ride than an actual driving school. The gist of it is that you go out and follow an experienced driver around Kansas Speedway behind the wheel of an old Sprint Cup-type car. You can go as fast as you are comfortable driving, as long as you stay within the boundaries set by the pylons on the track, and you slow down if the leader waves you off.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY

Carnage and mayhem as the Parkville Cruise Night on August 7 packed 'em in like never before

The monthly cruise night in Parkville, Mo., is sort of a hit-or-miss affair. We've been to a couple that really didn't have that great of a turnout, and we've been to a few that were busting at the seams. The event on August 7 was definitely in the "hit" category, for more reasons than one.

We didn't arrive too late, but the show organizers were already warning, "parking is tight." And they weren't kidding. If you got there anytime after things got underway at 4:00, you needed to grab any spot you could find.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY AND A PHOTO SLIDESHOW

Kansas Speedway and NASCAR confirm second NASCAR Sprint Cup weekend date in 2011

Yesterday, we recounted the rumor that Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., was likely to receive a second NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event in 2011, and today the Speedway confirmed it.

The two big NASCAR weekends will be held on June 4-5, and October 8-9. As is the case in 2010, the October show will be part of the NASCAR Chase to the Sprint Cup championship series.

The fact that Kansas City had one NASCAR Sprint Cup event was pretty significant, but two dates at the same track place it in rarified air with some of the most elite and prestigious racing facilities in the nation. Many tracks would love to get just one date—so to receive two is quite an accomplishment for the owners and staff of parent company ISC and Kansas Speedway.

SEE THE FULL STORY HERE

Montoya wins NASCAR Sprint Cup at Watkins Glen. Nationwide and Camping World Trucks. Local drivers

NASCAR's premiere series were on the road course at Watkins Glen, N.Y., and on the oval in Nashville, Tenn., over the weekend, and there was plenty of action to keep everyone on the edge of their seats.

The main event was the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen, and while the outcome couldn't have been any further removed from Kansas City, there are still some local connections.

The favorite going into this event had to be Australian driver Marcos Ambrose. That's a fairly unusual pick for a favorite, especially since he has never won a race in the top series. But Ambrose is extraordinarily adept at road course racing thanks to his vast experience driving in the V8 Supercar Series on similar tracks on his home continent. And in fact, Ambrose won his third NASCAR Nationwide Series event in-a-row at Watkins Glen just a day earlier.

READ THE FULL STORY AND SEE A PHOTO SLIDESHOW HERE

Kansas Speedway looks poised to get a second NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event in 2011

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule is going through some of the biggest changes in several years, and Kansas City is right in the thick of things.

The Associated Press reported last week on the widely predicted rumor that Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., was going to pick up a second Sprint Cup date in 2001, and the story was picked up on nearly every major local and national sports news source in the country.

READ THE DETAILS ABOUT THIS ANNOUNCEMENT HERE

Double features and double winners highlight Lakeside Speedway action on Friday night, August 6

Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., had not one, but two sets of feature events for the Modifieds and Grand Nationals on Friday night, August 6, plus a great factory Stock feature. If fans didn’t think they got their money’s worth with all that, there’s no making them happy.

The double-header was a result of a rainout the week before. Heat races were squeezed in, but there wasn’t enough time to see who would bring home the big trophies. Let’s take a look at the makeup events first.

READ THE FULL STORY AND SEE THE PHOTO SLIDESHOW HERE

Aviation Adventure Cruise at the KC Downtown Airport featured hot action on the ground & in the air

Sometimes car cruises are just fun for people who like cars. If you have spouses or kids that really don't share your passion, it takes a special event to really get the whole family on board.

We were able to experience such an event this weekend at the Kansas City Downtown Airport. The Aviation Adventure Day Fly-In and Car Cruise had more than enough to satisfy the car nuts in the crowd, but it also had events to appeal to everybody else.

There were quite a few cars out there. Many of them were cars that we're used to seeing at the KCI Cruise Nights at the Ambassador Building in the northern Kansas City area. That makes sense, because the downtown event was promoted and produced by the same people. And that's a good thing, because the KCI Cruises are among the best in town.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY AND A PHOTO SLIDESHOW

Vintage Vettes, L.L.C. in North Kansas City is the Corvette lover's dream

This week, we had the opportunity to check out Vintage Vettes, L.L.C. in North Kansas City, and if you truly love early Corvettes, this trip is an absolute requirement.

From the street, it doesn't look like much, but once you get inside the un-air-conditioned industrial building, the inventory is mind-boggling. We've been to lots of Corvette shows that didn't have anywhere near the kind of cars that are sitting in this collection. And the best part is that they're all for sale. Well, maybe that's also the worst part when you realize what nice old Corvettes are going for these days. But it's still fun to dream, no?

READ THE FULL STORY AND SEE A PHOTO SLIDESHOW HERE

Cars, airplanes, churches, bars, and race tracks. Kansas City car shows & events for August 6, 7, 8

No fooling—this is a big car weekend in Kansas City. If the car and airplane show is as good as the KCI Cruise Night the Kansas City Aviation department is known for, we’re in for a real treat. For the repentant, there are car shows at churches. For the miscreants, there are car shows at bars. For the hungry, there are car shows at restaurants. And for the non-hungry, there are car shows in parks. Combine all this with a full schedule of racing events, and you have the makings of something big. Check out the list below to plan your weekend agenda.

FOR THE FULL WEEKEND SCHEDULE OF EVENTS, CLICK HERE

Downtown Belton Car Cruise does it up big, thanks to the loyal following of the South 71 Cruisers

When you talk about the most significant car cruises in the Kansas City area, the monthly Belton event is the one people seem to talk about the most.

We hadn't been to this venue in awhile, so we decided to battle the road construction and detours between the Northland and the southerly located City of Belton to see what all the hubub is about, and with the number and quality of cars that showed up, this cruise did not disappoint.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL STORY AND SEE THE PHOTO SLIDESHOW

Biffle wins weird one in Pocono while Sadler wrecks hard. Sadler did win NCWTS. Plus NNS and I-35

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series made their second stop at Pocono Raceway over the weekend, and the talk around the water cooler this week isn't going to be about the winner or the side-by-side action, but it will revolve around a devastating-looking crash on lap 165 that barely made it into the television frame of the ESPN broadcast.

Bump drafting, or the art of one car slamming another in the rear bumper to give it an extra boost, was going on all over the track. In this instance, Jimmie Johnson in the Lowes Chevrolet gave Kurt Busch in the Miller Lite Dodge a shot to clear another car. Busch lost control, and slammed hard in the outside wall, then crossed back down the track to glance off the inside steel barrier.

Meanwhile, Elliot Sadler in the U.S. Air Force Ford, was collected in the chain reaction of events behind the initial accident. Sadler barreled head-on into the corner of a dangerous guardrail that was fortified by a dirt-pack berm behind it. The force of the impact was so great that it literally launched the entire engine out of the car and on the ground several feet away.

READ THE FULL RECAP AND SEE THE PHOTO SLIDESHOW HERE