Power, speed and performance – those are the three major traits of a muscle car. When first produced, muscle cars were just pretty darn amazing because they combined the efficiency of a lightweight, mid-sized body with the performance of a high- power V8 engine and special design features that further increased the cars? acceleration capabilities. Because muscle cars topped all other vehicles in terms of power, speed and performance, they were ideal for racing.

Muscle cars were produced from the mid-1960s into the early 1970s, but the production of such beasts fell drastically due to a number of factors. First was the controversy over whether it was wise and responsible to make such powerful vehicles available to the general public, primarily due to road racing. Because muscle cars were often used irresponsibly, liability relating to them was pretty high which forced insurance companies to increase rates for insuring muscle cars. Emission control requirements intended to curb pollution also played into the picture making it near impossible for automakers to produce muscle cars that met the standards they had to adhere to.

Needless to say, the muscle car industry changed quickly due to these influences. Demand decreased because many ?would-be? buyers of muscle cars couldn?t fathom paying the enormous insurance rates for a high-power vehicle and automakers had to meet the challenges presented by pollution control standards.

Since muscle cars were produced for a limited number of years, they are valuable items for collectors and are still highly desirable to those who enjoy racing or desire a quick, powerful, mid-sized car. Since the decline in the production of muscle cars, some automakers have attempted to bring the muscle car era back to life by producing powerful vehicles that resemble the legendary muscle cars, but in my opinion, they don?t hold a candle to classic muscle cars like the GTO, the Road Runner or the Chevelle SS.

It will be interesting to see how the history of muscle cars plays out. Will present day automakers renew production of true muscle cars that are fast and powerful? Will there be enough demand to make muscle car production worth it to them? Or, will muscle cars continue to be limited to those classic models that were produced in the 60s and 70s?

Classic muscle cars are pretty amazing pieces of machinery. One that is restored and in cherry condition is really worth a lot of money. As time goes on, there are fewer muscle cars available which makes them even more valuable to classic car collectors and muscle car enthusiasts.

Drive a Race Car For One Day
Cristian Andrei
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Have you ever wanted to drive a real race car around a world famous racetrack? Have you ever wanted to experience the speed, the power, the rush? Well, all of this are now possible right next to you! How? Simple: racing courses and racing schools

What are these schools and courses offering?

First, of course Introduction to racing. Your adventure will begin with a short classroom and SkidCar session where you will learn the proper high performance driving techniques required to drive a race car. You will then be supplied with a racing suit, helmet, and gloves. After a brief orientation of the Spec Racer Ford, you will be strapped into your race car for the most exhilarating drive of your life!

When you will go forward to Techniques of racing. You know that the best way to learn racing is to spend lots of time behind the wheel. That's why these schools maximize your track time during this day program. An ideal way to begin a career in racing or to just spend three days experiencing the thrill of driving a racecar. The Techniques of Racing Course teaches you the skills and gives you the opportunity to improve your speed and performance.

And if you really want to be an expert on racing cars you can get to Advanced Racing. This three-day program adds advanced driving and racing techniques to your basic skills and prepares you to enter your first race. Participation in the course is subject to verification of previous racing experience or graduation from Techniques of Racing Course.

What cars can you drive?

On Jim Russell's Racing School you can drive:

* Formula Mitsubishi - for Test Drive and Techniques of Racing Course. The car specifics are: Dry Weight 1095 Lbs, Wheelbase 95.5, Bhp 125 @ 5500 rpm,Torque 119 ft. lbs. @ 5500,Height 42.5, engine: 2.0L DOHC 16 Valve Four Cylinder with alloy head and balance shaft and gearbox with 4 speed manual straight cut gears with dog rings

* Formula Russell - for Advanced Racing Courses and Racing Series. Car specifications are: Dry Weight 1150 Lbs, Wheelbase 94.6, Bhp 150 6250 rpm, Torque 148 ft. lbs. @ 5500,Height 42.5; engine: Twin Rotor Rotary Engine with dual ignition and full dry sump lubrication and gearbox with: 5 speed manual straight cut gears with dog rings.

On Bondurant, school for high performance driving you can choose from:

* Chevrolet Corvette C5. Car's specifications:350-hp 5.7 Liter aluminumV8,375 ft lbs of torque at 4200 rpm,0-60 mph: 4.6 seconds, Lateral Acceleration: .93g, 6 speed Manual Transmission, 17x x 8.5x front, 18x x 9.5x rear aluminum wheels, Magnetic Selective Ride Control with Real Time Damping, Tour and Sport Settings, Active Handling System works with ABS, Traction Control, yaw rate sensor, and lateral accelerometer to assist the driver in maintaining control. Speed-sensitive, power-assisted, magnetic variable effort.

* Cadillac CTS. Car's specifications: 3.2 liter V6, 24 valve, 220 hp at 6000 rpm, 220 ft-lbs or torque at 3400 rpm, 5 speed manual transmission (automatic are optional), 0-60 mph in 6.9 seconds, Stabilitrak stability enhancement system, Traction Control System in conjunction with ABS, Weight: 3509 lbs, High-intensity discharge (HID) headlamps for excellent light penetration.

* Formula Bondurant. Car's specifications: 110 HP, 1.6 L Ford Cortina,Custom Jet Hot coated header, Nology ignition system, Crossle 35's and 50's, Halon fire suppression system, 1100 Lbs. Hewland 4 speed gearbox, Fuel Safe fuel cell, American Racing 15x7” wheels, Goodyear Eagle GT II tires, Custom Bob Bondurant designed.

Where can you race?

On Bertil Roos racing school you can race on:

* Pocono International Raceway - located in northeastern Pennsylvania, between Scranton and Allentown, three miles south of interstate 80 on State Highway 115.

* Virginia International Raceway: VIR is located in the scenic hills of Virginia, east of Danville and just north of historic Milton, North Carolina. The addition of V.I.R. is also an important step in fulfilling our long-term strategy of providing geographic diversity for our clientele. Due to the uniqueness of our school, we have traditionally drawn students from all over the country. Now our programs will be available a little closer to home for some of our customers.

* Beaver Run Motorsports Complex: located in Big Beaver Borough, Pennsylvania, near Koppel and a few miles west off Wellwood City. It is situated on approximately 384 acres of land strategically located just to the west of route 18, less than three miles north of the Beaver Valley Exit of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

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