AltDriver

The 1969 Talladega 500 was the worst NASCAR race of all time. There were plenty of issues surrounding that infamous running at Talladega Superspeedway (formerly Alabama International Motor speedway) that contributed to it being an absolute Whopper-sized dud. Chief among these issues were serious tire failures that occurred during the race’s practice run. These failures spurred Richard Petty, who was the President of the Professional Driver Association, to lead a boycott of the race. Those who joined Petty in the boycott included David Pearson, Bobby Allison, Donnie Allison, Cale Yarborough, Buddy Baker, Tiny Lund, Ramo Stott, and nine additional drivers. Firestone also withdrew their tires from the race as a result of the tire malfunctions. By all accounts, the race never should have happened, but NASCAR President Bill France Sr. was determined that it go on as scheduled. In a last-minute scramble, France offered fans free admission to the 1970 Daytona 500 if they bought tickets to the Talladega race. On top of that, Goodyear had a new set of tires flown in the day before race day. The NASCAR Grand National Series race was pretty uneventful, although it did mark the first race that Dodge Charger Daytona race cars were used in the Cup Series. As far as race results go, Bobby Isaac won the pole and Richard Brickhouse came away the winner, though even that was the subject of controversy. Jim Vandiver, who ended up finishing second, argued that he had actually lapped Brickhouse and should have been considered the winner. Some auto racing scholars think that Brickhouse racing in a winged Dodge Daytona and Vandiver racing in an older Charger 500 was the major reason behind Brickhouse’s win. In any case, the PDA ended up disbanding after its boycott of the ’69 Talladega 500. Considering the background and execution of the race, it’s hard to come up with a worse race in United States stock car racing history.

NASCAR is a very profitable business in auto racing, but they didn't achieve that growth by just selling merchandise and tickets to races. NASCAR sponsors play a huge role in the development of the sport and really helped grow the motorsports racing into what it has become today. In fact, NASCAR racing relies on sponsors more than any other sport in the world. The reasoning behind it is because NASCAR fans are extremely brand loyal. Their fan base spends over $2 Billion each year just on the merchandise. If you can get your name associated with the brand, it could prove to be very beneficial for your company. I'm sure you've seen NASCAR's sponsorship models which feature official partners or premier partners such as Anheuser-Busch beer, Budweiser, Coca-Cola, Nationwide, Geico, or Monster Energy. These's are some successful companies and they put up millions of dollars in order to have their names on the premier series races. However, there have been a number of ridiculous sponsors who have also tried their luck at getting in on the action with not as much success. Let's look back on a few of them and we'll see if you remember any of the odd names from the stock car racing. 10 Oddball NASCAR Sponsors Affliction Clothing Matt Kenseth, had some issues landing good sponsors back in 2011. He ended up with the clothing brand that signed on for five races with their logos on the hood of his race car. Affliction is not exactly the type of clothing that the race car driver would wear, or a majority of the NASCAR fans either to be honest. Kenseth didn't manage to get any first place finishes for the clothing brand, but did get a second place finish as well as 3 other races that he ended up in the top 10. Poison Winner of the 1990 Daytona 500, Derrike Cope, is known for some uncommon sponsorships. He normally had some kind of music or rock festival sponsor on his number 37 Ford race car. In 2002, he went with the unique poison paint scheme, which was a shock to say the least. Although he sported the sponsor for a while, he couldn't manage to bring in a top position. The best he was able to get was a 34th place finish at Homestead. RedneckJunk.com Speaking of Derrike Cope, he's also involved in this one in 2004. Redneck Junk was a classified ad service that sold the stereotypical "redneck" hobby choices. Although a little odd, it didn't seem extremely out of place as the sponsor for the number 50 Dodge car. Cope was unable to make much happen during this time, got a last place finish, and eventually Arnold Motorsports failed after a bad truck campaign. Sephora (Kim Kardashian products) Sephora is a big makeup outlet, and used this time in 2010 to promote Kim Kardashians fragrence lineup and a few other products of hers. 2002 Camping World Truck Series Champion, Mike Bliss, was the driver of this car. He played off the sponsorship pretty naturally, but unfortunately couldn't gain much traction with the team. He crashed during one race which resulted in a poor finish, and the driver left the team around 4 races later. Boudreaux's Butt Paste With its unique name, Boudreaux's Butt Paste was a cream for diaper rashes. The product was aimed to all of the young mothers out there watching who had children. In the mid 2000's, Former school principal, Kim Crosby, drove the sponsored car. She had about 10 career starts but on multiple occasions was black flagged for being too slow. After an unsuccessful career, by 2005, the deal was over and Crosby moved on to driving monster trucks instead. Viagra Mike Bliss was one of the drivers of the Viagra sponsored car but didn't have much luck. Mark Martin however, also drove a car with this logo on the hood. It wasn't exactly a huge failure, the sponsor was frequent for about 6 years and they managed to grab 3 wins and a couple close finishes. It did, however also have some hectic years leading up to the wins. Depend This company made adult diapers and boy did it seem out of place on a race car. They originally went after football players but landed in NASCAR territory later on as they sponsored Juan Montoya's number 42 Chevrolet. He surprisingly did pretty well, bringing in a 4th place finish and around 67 laps led. Montoya had actually raced some of his better races while he was sporting this sponsor. Loveable A brassiere company who sponsored Tammy Jo Kirk for 15 races in the truck series. It was one of the rare times that a female driver and a female product were matched up together. She managed to get a best finish of 11th throughout the series. WCW/nWo NFL's Adam Jones had a relationship with the wrestling federation and they decided to bring the name to NASCAR. Kyle Petty, in his nWo sponsored car, managed to grab a fourth place finish at Talladega in '97. WCW cars saw a win at the season opening race at Daytona as well. After these, the good finishes kind of tapered off. Cartoon Network Although a little out of place, the sponsorship did manage to inspire some younger kids to get a little more interested in the sport. They were actually apart of the same network as WCW so they shared cars from time to time. The company didn't see much luck in NASCAR though, and eventually the sponsorship was retired Types of Sponsorships Title Sponsor: A title sponsor will likely pay the highest amount for their partnership. They get the rights to have their names become a part of the racing series. For example, instead of the NASCAR cup series, it would be the NASCARSprintCup Series, or the Xfinity Series. It creates a ton of exposure for the sponsor, either through a broadcast on TV, or through social media. Primary Sponsor: This is what a company would go for if they're looking to put their name on the side of a stock car. They can use the car for whatever type of advertising strategy they want, but it usually promotes their current and most recent products. If you manage to be a primary sponsor in a championship race, and that car takes home the championship trophy, rewards would be huge! Associate Sponsor: You know all those smaller sponsor logos on the cars and the uniforms? Well, those are associate sponsors. They pay a much cheaper price to become involved, but in return, see a smaller placement of their brands on the cars and the racetracks. See more at altdriver.com

Meet Angelica Larsson. Hailing from Stockholm, Sweden, this girl does it all. She drives trucks, operates heavy machinery, shoots guns, rides motorcycles, scuba dives, and sky dives. Oh, and she’s also ridiculously hot. Angelica developed a love for big trucks at a young age, when she climbed inside a semi at the age of four. By the time she was 19, the blonde bombshell had her commercial license and was driving semi trucks in Sweden professionally. While she mostly drives Scania and Volvo trucks in Sweden, Angelica is always up for a challenge. Back in 2018, the Swedish truck driver took her first trip to America and drove some big rigs at The Great American Trucking Show in Dallas, Texas. Speaking of challenges, Angelica likes to showcase all sorts of fun experiments and educational tutorials on her YouTube page. Remember the viral bottle cap challenge? Here’s Angelica pulling it off with a with a forklift and 15-ton wheel loader. Though she has model good looks, and frequently shows them off on her Instagram page, Angelica takes the most pride in being a trucker. She travels all over the world doing what she loves and has earned a ton of respect for what she can do behind the wheel of some monstrous machines. While she’s already accomplished so much, Angelica’s big dreams never stop. She want to drive a truck around Norway, “because their notoriously bad roads would be great to test her driving skill.” She also wants to drive a land train across Australia, and plans on traveling to India, as well, to experience the culture and challenge herself with the road conditions. Angelica Larsson is no doubt an inspiration to girls out there with dreams of becoming truck driver. Even still, her Instagram page definitely doesn’t hurt to look at. See more at altdriver.com

Armenian-American internet personality Dan Bilzerian certainly likes money – perhaps this shared interest explains why so many people, for better or worse, live vicariously through Dan’s social media presence. Born Dan Brandon Bilzerian, the Tampa, Florida native (though now he lives in Las Vegas, Nevada) has said that he estimates his own net worth at about $100 million. There are no other official numbers out on how much Dan Bilzerian is worth, though we do know that Dan and his brother Adam Bilzerian are probably extremely rich. Their father, Paul Bilzerian, was a corporate takeover specialist and Wall Street raider that set up trust funds for both his children. We also know that Dan plays poker. In a Howard Stern interview, Dan said that although he refuses to play against professional poker players, he won about $50 million in one year. Both Bilzerian brothers have fairly decent poker careers, which has probably served them well financially. In the 2009 World Series of poker, Dan came in 180th place – certainly respectable. We also know that the Instagram-er won $385,000 in a quarter-mile race against prominent Supreme Court expert Tom Goldstein. Bilzerian beat out the Ferrari 458 Italia in a 1967 AC Cobra. Dan’s lifestyle certainly takes its toll on himself and those around him. In Navy Seal training, Dan failed to graduate twice and was ultimately cut after a safety violation on the shooting range. By the time he was 32, Dan had already suffered three heart attacks related to his drug abuse and high stakes lifestyle. What’s more, in agreeing to push an 18-year-old woman, Janice Griffith, from a multi-story roof into a pool for Hustler in 2014, he shares much of the blame for the injuries she suffered. There is also video evidence of Bilzerian deliberately kicking another woman, Vanessa Castano, in the face at a Florida nightclub while wearing what appear to be heavy combat boots. So, there is certainly plenty of evidence that Dan “Blitz” Bilzerian is rich. But money isn’t everything and, unfortunately, there also seems to be a lot of evidence that Dan is a damaging, toxic influence on society who’s probably pretty damn sad inside. For more check out AltDriver.com

Headlight restoration is one aspect of vehicle maintenance that can easily be DIY-ed. If you’re looking to save money on maintenance by taking care of things yourself, headlight restoration is a great place to start. In this article, we’ll give you everything you need to DIY your headlight restoration, such as providing the best headlight restoration kits and breaking down the multi-step process of clearing up yellowing headlight lenses and other common issues. How to Restore Headlights Restoring your headlight isn’t as arduous a process as it sounds. If you prep correctly and give yourself enough time, there’s nothing hard about it! The first thing you’ll want to do before you start restoring is give the headlights a thorough cleaning. After that, put painters or masking tape on the metal surrounding the headlight to prevent the restoration solutions from damaging your paint. From here, various kits will have different instructions. The most heavy-duty headlight restoration kits will require sanding down the headlight using wet sandpaper. This clears away the sun-damaged, oxidized layer of the headlight. Other kits are primarily chemical focused, in which case you’ll have to use less elbow grease. Chemical formulas tend to last a bit less time before a new restoration or coating is needed. Once you’ve wet sanded, you’ll apply your buffing or polishing solution to the headlight to finish off the process of deoxidizing your headlight, which will clear up any lingering discoloration. Microfiber towels or buffing machines work best. Now, just apply your clear coat and remove the tape. Congratulations, you’re officially a headlight restorer! Enjoy those clear headlights! See more at altdriver.com

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is one of the most recognizable celebrities in the world today. He was a popular wrestler in the WWE before he became a Hollywood action star in tons of popular blockbusters such as Fast and Furious, Pain and Gain, and San Andreas, and you may have also seen him in the HBO TV show Ballers. With a net worth of around $320 million, it should be fun to look into his personal car collection to see how exactly the superstar chooses to spend all that money. You'll want to check this one out, because he's got some really cool cars. Here's the interesting part, even though Dwayne Johnson owns quite a number of hypercars and supercars, he can only fit properly in a small number of his vehicles. I mean, the former WWE superstar is pretty massive so I can't say i'm all that surprised to hear that. I don't think that stops him from having some fun though. But without further ado, let's jump into the awesome cars he has in his collection in real life. Pagani Huayra Right off the bat, we start out with this insane Pagani Huayra. Priced at a cool $1.3 million, The Rock rolled up to the premier of ballers in this. Talk about a show-stopping entrance. Although it's hard to believe he actually fit in this car at all, somehow he managed to squeeze in there. Getting out, well that's a different story. This sports car is powered by a 6.0 liter twin turbo V12 engine. I think it's safe to say, this is likely one of the most powerful cars that he owns. Rolls-Royce Wraith Of course, when you want the best of the best as far as luxury cars, you have to get a Wraith. This one was also featured in the show Ballers. Comfort is what this car was made for and it's got enough room inside to actually seat the Hollywood star. Not only is it luxuries, but it's also got a turbo V12 engine under the hood which can put you back in your seat if you put your foot to the floor. A new one will run you just shy of a quarter million dollars. Ferrari Laferrari This rare matte white Laferrari goes into the category of cars that The Rock doesn't fit into very well, however he seems to make it work when he wants to. What kind of engine does it have, you might ask? Well, it's also got a V12. Notice the pattern? He's clearly got a thing for these performance motors. The Laferrari is a flagship hypercar for the Italian company. Dwayne Johnson received this car as a complementary lease but rarely drives it due to the whole, massive guy vs small car thing. Regardless, it's still a car worth well over a million dollars. Ford F-150 Custom Now we jump into what Dwayne Johnson really likes. His Ford F-150 pickup truck with a lift and tons of upgrades. Big enough to fit him inside and Ford really has been on their game with their new trucks, they look really good. Along with this custom F-150, he also owns another one. The other one however, is a Hennessy VelociRaptor which is a regular F-150 Raptor with an all new V8 engine implanted that creates massive amounts of power. Both are extremely good looking trucks though. Dwayne Johnson definitely has some amazing cars in his collection. While some are for show and some are more practical, he sure does have a good taste in the vehicles he chooses. It's awesome to know that he takes as much interest in his cars off the screen as he does in the movies. Keep enjoying that luxurious lifestyle and living the dream Mr. Johnson, you earned it. See more at altdriver.com

Kyle Larson’s firing from Chip Ganassi Racing may be dominating the NASCAR news cycle, but, we’re here to talk about the NASCAR driver’s better half: A smokeshow from Grass Valley, California named Katelyn Sweet. The sister of World of Outlaws driver Brad Sweet, Katelyn Sweet officially became Katelyn Larson on September 26, 2018. The couple has two children, Owen Miyata Larson (5) and Audrey Layne Larson (1), and live in Mooresville, North Carolina. Katelyn, an avid runner and former horseback rider, may be a mom of two, but that doesn’t mean she still doesn’t like to party from time to time. Who can forget the time she was the star of the NASCAR Awards back in 2019? Katelyn Larson Shotguns Beer at NASCAR Awards NASCAR likes to do award shows a little bit differently than the average organization, and nothing showed that more than when Katelyn Larson shotgunned a beer at the NASCAR Awards show in Nashville, Tennessee on December 4, 2019. Katelyn proved how sweet she really is (get it? because her maiden name is Sweet?) when she threw back a Busch tallboy like she was at a Talladega tailgate. I’ll take, “badass things you can do in an evening gown” for $1,000, Alex. Now, before you go getting your undies in a bunch: Yes, we realize that Katelyn didn’t actually shotgun a full Busch tallboy, as the 16-ounce can appears to be either empty or mostly empty. So, yeah, maybe the stunt wasn’t entirely legit, but shotgunning a pre-opened beer still beats most of the hokey gimmicks you see at award shows these days. As you may know, Larson’s Busch moment was a homage to her celebratory shotgun at victory lane at Dover International Speedway back in October 2019, after Kyle won the playoff race at the Monster Mile. As you can see from the below footage, Katelyn’s excitement over her husband’s big win led to a, lets just say, not-so-successful shotgun. As Kyle Larson’s wife and Brad Sweet’s sister, Katelyn has been around professional auto racing for most of her life. Meaning, she’s probably shotgunned a fair share of beers in her day. Hey, even the pros can get rusty.

There are few people in this world who have given as much back to their community as Iraq War veteran Justin Anderson. After losing his leg in the war, the Bellevue, Nebraska man came home and was diagnosed with brain cancer. Being a true hero, Justin never gave up and he beat the cancer, but he wasn’t satisfied. That’s when the disabled veteran decided to use his off-road wheelchair, which was donated by The Independence Fund, as more than just a way to get around. In 2015, Anderson outfitted the wheelchair with a snow blade, and, now, every winter for each snowfall, he clears the sidewalks in his neighborhood with his makeshift snow plow. ADVERTISING Read More: Snow Plow Know-How: This Genius Inventor Came up With a Sweet Snow Plowing Invention “I don’t want kids or parents having to go through the snow and possibly trip or hurt themselves,” Anderson told WOWT 6 News in 2016. “I had a half-dozen people stop to take a picture because they hadn’t seen a chair like this before.” “The chair has on-the-fly tilt so I can adjust the height of the blade as I push snow.” Anderson says that he appreciates the support from his Bellevue neighbors, but their gratitude is just an added bonus. For the wounded war veteran, doing what he does in his modified wheelchair every winter is his duty. “The community has supported me immensely with my struggles and tough times as I had a leg amputated and my fight with brain cancer. This is my way of giving back,” Anderson said. “It’s very gratifying. It’s nice to know you’re appreciated. But even if I didn’t get any response from anyone – or nobody said ‘Thank You’ – I’d still do it.” See more at altdriver.com

Most NASCAR fans know that Bristol Motor Speedway is one of the most popular tracks in the sport. With a capacity of more than 160,000, Bristol is known for housing rowdy crowds and hosting intense races. They call it “The Last Great Colosseum” for a reason. Since the track’s first sanctioned NASCAR race back in 1961, there have been a number of incredible and memorable races run there. You may have even witnessed, either on TV or in person, a few of those races yourself. But, did you also know that 40 years ago, the Tennessee short track marked the spot of Dale Earnhardt’s first Cup Series win? All the way back in 1979, it would essentially be the catalyst for one of the most legendary careers in all of motorsports. It was at the 1979 Southeastern 500 (back when the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series was still the Winston Cup Series) where Dale Sr. essentially kicked off the career that would include 76 race wins and seven Cup Series championships. “It was a major accomplishment simply because it was his 16th Cup start,” racing historian David McGee told the Bristol Herald Courier. “Rookies did not win in that era. You had guys like Bobby Allison and Cale Yarborough and Buddy Baker that won all the races. For a rookie to come and win against all those guys in the field was remarkable.” Earnhardt, driving the No. 2 Chevrolet for Osterlund Racing, would end up taking the lead at lap 474 — wrecking Darrell Waltrip’s No. 88 Chevy race car in the process — and would hold the lead until the end, beating Bobby Allison by three seconds. Waltrip, Richard Petty, and Benny Parsons rounded out the top five. Now, this sort of finish seems like pretty standard fare for The Intimidator, but according to McGee, Earnhardt had not yet come into his own as the dominant driver that NASCAR fans would come to know and love. “He was a good driver. If you talked to racers who competed with him they said he was competitive, but he wasn’t dominant,” McGee said. “Maybe not the hallmark of someone who is going to go on to such greatness.” As you probably know, Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s first win was one of many in an illustrious stock car racing career. Winning the 1979 Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year, Dale Sr. moved on to Richard Childress Racing in the mid-’80s (after a brief stint at Bud Moore Engineering), where he enjoyed the majority of his success. The Kannapolis, North Carolina native would see victory lane a total of 76 times during his career, and would also rack up 428 top-10s. Oh, and, of course, seven Winston Cup Championships. Sadly, Earnhardt lost his life on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. Yet, nearly 20 years after that tragic day at Daytona International Speedway, we still remember the legacy of the man who gave so much to the sport of NASCAR. See more at altdriver.com

The “Golden Eagle” is a 1964 Dodge 330 Limited Edition that inspired Stephen King to write the horror novel "Christine." It's been called "the most evil car in America." But do you know why? It was originally used as a police car in Old Orchard Beach, Maine. Three of the officers who drove the vehicle all ended up killing their families in a murder-suicide. Eventually, it was sold to the Allen family, who claimed that the car's doors would swing open when they drove it on the highway. The Allens were never harmed, but several poor souls who vandalized the car in the '80s and '90s met tragic fates. One was struck by lightening. Another was decapitated by an 18-wheeler. Two kids who were hit by other cars died after being flung onto the Golden Eagle. In 2008, one kid simply touched the car. He later went home to murder his whole family and burn his house to the ground. Wendy Allen, who was nicknamed the EelKat and the Sea Witch of Old Orchard Beach, was the car's longtime owner. She claims to collect and decorate nothing but haunted cars, which she takes to car shows. Even after the Golden Eagle was chopped up and sent to junkyards, Wendy tracked down some of the pieces and had it remade. Spooky stuff, right?

Talk about the ultimate throwback! It’s been nearly 60 years since Linus, Pigpen, and Snoopy from the classic Peanuts cartoon took us on a journey with the 1961 Ford Falcon. This blast from the past was a huge success for Ford in the early 1960s. At the time, the Ford Falcon was the most popular compact car in America. The television marketing campaign featuring Charles Schulz’s beloved Peanuts characters was just as popular. During the 1950s, the major American car companies focused on larger luxury sedans that offered a higher profit margin, so the compact car market was ripe for the taking in the early ’60s, as most families were looking for a second car. The Falcon was small with only 95 horsepower and a 2.4 L straight-6 engine and a single-barrel carburetor, but that didn’t stop families from buying it! Maybe Charlie Brown’s friends and his lovable dog had just a little something to do with that. Nowadays, using cartoon characters to sell cars probably may seem a little bit hokey, but back in the ’60 and ’70s, it was all the rage. Whether it was Looney Tunes, Peanuts, or anything else that was popular at the time, the familiar animated characters made for pretty darn good salesmen. That’s not to say that Ford Motor Company, Chrysler, or Chevrolet still don’t use gimmicks like that today in their TV commercials. But, with auto companies having much deeper pockets, and technology being a lot better now than it was a half-century ago, manufacturers can go much more over-the-top with their ads. Heck, just watch the Super Bowl. Some of these TV spots look more like big-budget Hollywood blockbusters than advertisements. Of course, these new commercials are all well and good. But, sometimes, it’s great to look back on and appreciate the classics. See more altdriver.com

Back in the summer of 2018, lip sync challenge videos were all the rage. From Indianapolis, Indiana to Jacksonville, Florida, police departments, fire departments, and EMT personnel from all over the country took to the streets to film lip sync challenge videos, because even first responders should get the chance to go viral. In its lip sync entry, the Columbus Police Department in Indiana got just a little bit of a leg up on the competition when it got Columbus native and racing legend Tony Stewart to make a cameo appearance. In the viral video, Stewart flexes his racing chops when he gives the Columbus PD police officers chase as Sammy Hagar’s “I Can’t Drive 55″ plays. Then, the Eldora Speedway owners flexes his lip syncing chops, totally nailing his “Total Eclipse of the Heart” bit. Of course, the rest of the video isn’t too shabby either, with the cops doing a nearly five-minute routine to such songs as Miley Cyrus’s “Party in the U.S.A.,” the Friends theme song, and Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’. Other local departments may have not had the star power of Tony Stewart, but there were still some pretty incredible performances. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, for instance, had quite the routine to Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop the Feeling.” Then, you had the Martinsville Police Department in Virginia, which basically threw a full-on pool party. Now, back to Tony Stewart. If you thought his lip-syncing prowess is a rarity among current and former NASCAR stars, you’re sorely mistaken. Back in December 2017, all of the drivers from the Joe Gibbs Racing team got together for a little lip sync action of their own. Before that, Kyle Busch and his wife Samantha, teamed up for a couples lip sync video. The Busches sure do love them some lip syncing. But, hey, you can’t help but respect that. Speaking of respect, considering the mutual respect that Stewart and Busch have for each other on the racetrack, you have to assume they both respect the other’s lip syncing abilities as well. See more at altdriver.com/racing/tony-stewart-lip-sync

Unless you’re a diehard classic car aficionado, you’ve probably never heard of Duesenberg Motors Company. The Auburn, Indiana-headquartered manufacturer of race cars and luxury vehicles went defunct in 1937, mainly because the Great Depression ruined the market for expensive luxury cars. Even still, the company’s impact on classic car culture is felt to this day. In 1951, J. L. Elbert wrote the book, Duesenberg: The Mightiest American Motor Car, and in it, he particularly described the influence of the Duesenberg Model J. Here, we’ll touch on what made the Model J deserving of the moniker, “The Mightiest American Motor Car.” In 1913, Duesenberg Motors Company was founded by brothers August and Fred Duesenberg in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The company would eventually move to Elizabeth, New Jersey and then to Indianapolis, Indiana, until E.L. Cord, owner of the Auburn Automobile Company, bought Duesenberg in 1925. The company was renamed Duesenberg, Inc., and Fred stayed onboard, earning the title of vice president in charge of engineering and experimental work. Cord immediately instructed Duesenberg to design one of the fastest and most stylish luxury cars in the world. One that could compete with such European brands as Hispano-Suiza, Isotta Fraschini, Mercedes-Benz, and Rolls-Royce. And, Fred delivered. The Model J debuted at the New York Car Show in New York City on December 1, 1928. As far as engine specs go, the DOHC (dual overhead camshaft) straight-8 was based on Duesenberg’s successful racing engines and was manufactured by Lycoming. It produced 265 horsepower and was capable of a top speed of 119 MPH. With some Model Js costing as much as $25,000, it was both the fastest and most expensive American car at the time. Duesenberg’s chief body designer, Gordon Buehrig, designed the bodywork of half the Model Js, while the rest were designed by such independent coachbuilders known for their custom coachwork, such as Derham, LeBaron, Murphy, and Rollston. Styling wise, the Model J was made to exhibit the peak of luxury, equipped with everything from bright chromium exhaust pipes to fine wood interiors and richly embroidered fabrics. But even stripped down, the Model J’s chassis was an incredible work of art. Given the Model J’s look and feel, it became a must-have for Hollywood’s finest. Clark Gable, Greta Garbo, Howard Hughes, and Mae West were among the many stars that owned a Model J. In May 1932, Fred Duesenberg introduced a supercharged version of the Model J (SJ), which apparently had a top speed of 140 MPH and could do 0-60 in eight seconds. Other variants included the Duesenberg Special, a one-off speedster, and the SSJ roadster, of which only two were built. While the Model J dipped in popularity during World War II, it had a resurgence in the 1950s, and today, Model Js go for big money at car auctions. In 2004, the the Duesenberg Special was sold at auction for $4.5 million. In 2007, an SJ sold for $4.4 million at RM Auctions in Monterey, California. In 2018, a Duesenberg SSJ that was owned by Gary Cooper was sold at auction for $22 million, making it the most expensive American car ever sold. Clearly, these cars are highly sought after by collectors all over the world. And, it’s easy to see why.

Watch out, Joe Rogan! Isla Rose Earnhardt is about to be at the top of the podcasting game in no time! Earlier this week, Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s daughter made her podcast debut during a Skype recording of the Dale Jr. Download. It took her about a minute to get acquainted with her dad’s setup — after all, headphones and microphones are pretty strange things for a two-year-old — but once she got all settled in, she was the star of the show. She even flexed the pipes for a adorable rendition of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” Get this girl her own show, Junior! She’s a natural! Due to the social distancing requirements brought on by the coronavirus outbreak, Earnhardt has recorded the last few episodes of the podcast from the comfort of his North Carolina home. Needless to say, the Earnhardt family has been spending quite of bit of quality time together. Speaking of the Earnhardt family, the unit’s about to grow by one, as Junior, his wife Amy Earnhardt, and Isla Rose announced to the world in two heartwarming Instagram posts a couple weeks back. On last week’s episode of the Dale Jr. Download, the two-time Daytona 500 winner discussed his feelings about having a second child. “I’m looking for forward to going through that role process again and to have another human in our house,” Junior said. “The first two years with Isla have been incredible, and I can’t wait for that experience all over again and to see them two together, interact with each other, will just be so much fun.” See more at altdriver.com

Stroker Ace is one of those movies that was an absolute flop by Hollywood standards, but has since developed a cult following, particularly with NASCAR fans. Starring Burt Reynolds as fictional NASCAR driver Stroker Ace, the 1983 comedy featured several classic cameos from actual stock car racing legends. In one especially epic scene, Dale Earnhardt Sr., Kyle Petty, and Ricky Rudd engage in a little bit of table-racing tomfoolery along with Stroker’s rival Aubrey James (played by Parker Stevenson). At one point, Dale Sr. — the Intimidator himself — actually gets a line of dialogue in the form of a well-placed zinger “You never could drive anyway, James. It’s always the equipment.” What a burn! As the cherry on top of the brief but awesome scene, Stroker comes in at the end to give his rival a little push in the wrong direction. Talk about making a splash! Based on the 1973 novel Stand On It by William Neely and Robert K. Ottum, Stroker Ace co-stars Ned Beatty, Jim Nabors, Loni Anderson, and Bubba Smith. Filmed in North Carolina and Georgia at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway, and the Atlanta Motor Speedway, the movie also featured cameos from such race car drivers as Harry Gant, Cale Yarborough, Neil Bonnett, Terry Labonte, Benny Parsons, Tim Richmond. Interesting enough, they’re all listed as simply “NASCAR drivers” in the film’s credits. Even Richard Petty was featured in an uncredited role as himself. For all you fans of Southern rock and country music out there, The Charlie Daniels Band were the musicians behind the intro song, simply called “Stroker’s Theme.” It’s no “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” but it’s still pretty damn catchy. In fact, it may be one of the best parts of the entire movie. Sorry, Burt! See more at altdriver.com/racing/stroker-ace-dale-earnhardt

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is now a NASCAR announcer for NBC, but he was building his hefty net worth before he even hit the booth! 1:1, Altdriver, Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR, NASCAR drivers, net worth

You can’t call yourself a true classic car fan, or a movie fan for that matter, until you’ve seen the Hollywood classic Bullitt, which came out all the way back in 1968. That’s more than 50 YEARS ago, and yet this flick still holds up. Time flies when you’re driving fast. Featuring the legendary Steve McQueen as San Francisco cop Frank Bullitt, this Oscar-winning film has one of the greatest car chase sequences of all time and helped solidify the highland green '68 Mustang as one of the most classic movie cars in history. If you don’t know what we’re talking about (but here’s hoping that you do), we come bearing YouTube clips. This nearly 11-minute car chase scene made every big-time movie producer in need of a high-speed car chase scene head on down to the streets of San Francisco to use those endless hills for some truly breathtaking jumps. Not to mention, this chase set the stage in general for plenty of epic big-screen chases in future action movies. We know it may look so easy here, mainly thanks to the incredible driving of stunt driver Bill Hickman, but don’t try any of this driving in real life. That should go without saying, but you never really know these days. The filming process for the iconic scene was actually a lot more challenging that you might think. Fun fact: The filmmakers actually ruined more than one sports car during the process of filming the famous car chase. But, judging from the end product, which was filled with epic close-ups and amazing long shots, it was certainly worth it. At least we think it was. You’d really have to ask the folks over at Warner Brothers. See more at altdriver.com

If you grew up in the 1960s (or are just a fan of old-school kids’ movies), you probably remember the wacky Hollywood adventure flick known as Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Starring Dick Van Dyke, written by Roald Dahl, directed by Ken Hughes, and based on the novel by Ian Fleming, you might say that the film was made by a dream team of creatives at the tops of their fields. Of course, the film also had one other major powerhouse: the flying car. Today, the car from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is one of the most iconic vehicles ever filmed. But, whatever happened to the magical car? Let’s take a look! The Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Car Although in the movie the vehicle was crafted by the eccentric inventor Caractacus Potts, the real-life designs were by Ken Adam. The movie car, first thought into being by James Bond writer Ian Fleming, was actually several cars by the time filming wrapped up. The model used in filming had six iterations, but only one was a running motor vehicle. The rest were props shot in stationary positions. This piece of memorabilia was powered by a 3-liter Ford V6 engine. The dashboard plate was crafted from a World War I British fighter plane, and the vehicle’s boat deck was made of red and white cedar. The car was legally registered under the Iconic Gen 11 plates, making it fully street legal — a truly Scrumptious detail, if you ask us. Where Is the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Car Now? From 1970 to 2011, the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car was owned by a man named Pierre Picton, who toured in the car, taking it to various auto shows around the UK. In 2011, the car was auctioned for $805,000. Who purchased the classic car? None other than the acclaimed Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson. Jackson has since used the vehicle to raise money for charities in various capacities. The car is kept in New Zealand where it is registered as GEN 1I, because the original Gen 11 Plate was already taken. See more at altdriver.com

NASCAR didn’t have just one legend named “Dale.” While he didn’t have nearly as many accomplishments and accolades as Dale Earnhardt, Dale Jarrett was a dominant competitor in his own right. He won three Daytona 500s, a Cup Series championship, was named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers, and will be memorialized forever in the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Yeah, we’d say the kid from Conover, North Carolina did more than fine during his racing days. Dale gave nearly 30 years to the sport of NASCAR, and as a result, made a sizable amount of money. Here, we’ll look at how much the 63-year-old auto racing icon is worth these days. NASCAR Career Son of two-time Grand National champion Ned Jarrett, Dale Arnold Jarrett was practically born to be a high-caliber NASCAR driver. A graduate of Newton-Conover High School, Jarrett was offered a full golf scholarship from the University of South Carolina. He declined. Thus, beginning his extremely successful racing career. Jarrett got his start in the Busch Series (now the NASCAR Xfinity Series) in 1982. Jarrett would go on to run 329 Busch Series races in 20 years, racking up 11 wins, 173 top-10s, and 15 poles. In 1984, Jarrett ran his first Sprint Cup Series race, driving the No. 2 Chevrolet for Zervakis Enterprises. After a few brief stints with a number of different teams, Jarrett earned his first Cup Series win in the 1991 Champion Spark Plug 400 at Michigan International Speedway, driving the No. 21 Ford for Wood Brothers Racing. His first of three Daytona 500 wins would come in 1993 with a little team called Joe Gibbs Racing. That race would go down in history as “The Dale and Dale Show,” since it was a hotly contested battle between Jarrett and The Intimidator himself, Dale Earnhardt. To make the win even more special, Ned Jarrett got to call his son’s win in the broadcasting booth. From 1995 to 2006, Jarrett was signed to Robert Yates Racing. Jarrett would go on to win a number of big races for RYR, including two more Daytona 500s (1996, 2000), two Brickyard 400s (1996, 1999), and three Budweiser Shootouts (1996, 2000, and 2000). In 1998, Jarrett was named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers, and in 1999, he won the NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship. Jarrett finished his career with Michael Waltrip Racing, and after running in the All-Star Race in 2008, he officially hung up his racing gloves and joined ESPN’s broadcasting team as a booth announcer. Jarret is also a 2014 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, and was inducted along with Tim Flock, Jack Ingram, Maurice Petty, and Fireball Roberts. Dale Jarrett Net Worth and Personal Life Dale Jarrett has an estimated net worth of $35 million. The former race car driver and current sports commentator is the father of Jason Jarrett, who had a brief stint in NASCAR. In 1984, Dale married Kelley Jarrett, his now ex-wife, and the couple had three children together: Zach Jarrett, Natalee Jarrett, and Karsyn Jarret. Jarrett’s past business ventures have seen him partner up with two NFL legends: Terry Bradshaw and Brett Favre. Dale and Terry co-owned the now-defunct fantasy sports site Pay The Fan, while Dale and Brett co-own the Dale Jarrett Racing Adventure. Favre was also a part owner of Jarrett’s Busch Series team. While he doesn’t race anymore these days, Dale also still takes time to actively participate in his first love: golf. See more at altdriver.com

On November 30, 2013, actor Paul Walker was killed in a car crash in Santa Clarita, California, after he lost control of the Porsche Carrera GT he was riding in and crashed into a tree. He was 40. Most famous for playing the role of Brian O’Conner in the Fast and Furious franchise, Walker’s high-octane lifestyle off-screen practically matched the larger-than-life persona he played in the movies. Here, we’ll look at his early beginnings and how he eventually became the popular action movie star who was taken too soon. Early Life and Career Just by looking at his family background, it’s clear that Paul William Walker IV was born to star in action movies. He was born in Glendale, California to a fashion model mother and a father who was both a sewer contractor and a two-time Golden Gloves boxing champion. On top of that, his paternal grandfather had a successful boxing career as well and another one of his grandfathers raced raced factory cars for Ford in the 1960s. You can guess where he got his love of cars from. Walker got his acting start at a young age, when he began modeling at the age of two. He would start acting in television shows at 12, starring in such shows as Who’s the Boss?, Touched by an Angel, and Highway to Heaven. At the age of 13, Walker began his big-screen film career. While he had supporting roles in such films as Pleasantville, Varsity Blues, She’s All That, and The Skulls, 2001 was the year that Walker would finally get his big break. Read More: Shocking Surveillance Video Shows Los Angeles Man Randomly Shove Man Under Truck Fast and Furious Stardom Paul Walker’s transition from supporting actor to mega star happened with the 2001 commercial success The Fast and The Furious. Starring opposite Vin Diesel, Walker would go on to star in five of the seven Fast and Furious installments (The Fast and The Furious, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Fast & Furious, Fast Five, and Fast & Furious 6), and went from making $1 million for the first movie to $15 million for the last. Walker would go on to win several awards for the Brian O’Conner role, including the 2002 MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Team (shared with Vin Diesel), the 2014 MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Duo (also shared with Diesel), and the 2015 Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actor: Action. During the success that came from his roles in the Fast and Furious series, Walker also starred in such films as Into the Blue, Eight Below, Running Scared, and Joy Ride. The Infamous Car Collection Since this is a car website and all, we’d be remiss if we didn’t bring up the huge car collection — worth more than $4 million — that Paul Walker amassed during his lifetime. Walker had more than 30 cars in his collection, many of which he co-owned with Roger Rodas — Walker’s friend and financial planner who was behind the wheel of the Porsche during the crash that killed both him and Walker. Here’s a look at some of the cars in Walker’s collection, a few of which were not even street legal in the United States: Audi S4 (B5) BMW M1 BMW 2002tii Touring Alpina 2x BMW E30 M3 [41] 3x BMW E36 M3 Lightweight Chevrolet Corvette (C1) Chevrolet Chevelle SS convertible Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale Ferrari 400i Ferrari F355 Spider Fiorano edition Ferrari Testarossa Ford Bronco II Ford GT (1st gen with a Whipple supercharger producing a claimed 800 hp) Boss 302 Mustang (1st gen) Ford Mustang Cobra R Ford Mustang Eleanor recreation 2012 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Lincoln Continental (4th gen) convertible Maserati Quattroporte Mercedes-Benz 560 SL 2009 Nissan 370Z Nissan R34 Skyline Spec V Nissan Silvia (S15) 3x Porsche 911 997 GT3 RS 2x Porsche 930 Turbo Rolls-Royce Ghost Saleen S7 1965 Shelby Ford Mustang GT350SR continuation car Toyota Supra Mk4 Volvo P1800 Most of these cars were sold at auction following Walker’s death. The Fatal Car Accident and the Aftermath On November 30, 2013, while leaving a charity event in Valencia, California, Paul Walker and Roger Rodas were killed after the Porsche Carrera GT that Rodas was driving slammed into two trees and a concrete lamp post. The car burst into flames and both Walker and Rodas died instantly. A later investigation concluded that the Porsche had been traveling an excess of 93 MPH in a 45 MPH zone and that the area was a popular spot for drifting cars. While Furious 7 was in production at the time of Walker’s car accident death, production was halted out of respect for Walker and his family. As a tribute to Walker, the song See You Again appeared on the Furious 7 soundtrack, spending 12 non-consecutive weeks atop the US Billboard Hot 100 and tying Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” for the longest-running rap number-one single in the U.S. In 2016, Meadow Rain Walker — Walker’s daughter with one-time girlfriend Rebecca Soteros — was awarded $10.1 million in a wrongful death settlement with the Rodas estate and, the following year, Meadow Walker reached a settlement with Porsche for an undisclosed amount. Released on August 11, 2018, the documentary I Am Paul Walker offered an inside look at the life and legacy of the late movie star. With an estimated net worth of $25 million at the time of his death, Walker got paid pretty well to do what he loved to do: drive cars and drive them fast. Unfortunately, it was that passion that ultimately led to his untimely death at the age of 40. Even still, his legacy lives on, through his movies, his daughter Meadow, and the lives he touched along the way. Read more at altdriver.com

Ashley Busch, wife of the NASCAR driver Kurt Busch, starred in the television series on CMT in 2019 called Racing Wives. Not only did they show how fast-paced and chaotic the racing lifestyle is, but it took a closer view at what these wives were doing in their own personal careers. That's when a lot of people got a glimpse of Ashley Busch's very busy life for the first time. She started riding horses when she was just 6 years old. Today, she is a professional polo player through the U.S. Polo Association, but also loves to cruise around with Kurt in some high-powered cars. Her father, Beau Van Metre, is also a professional polo player. This equestrian has a lot going on in the world of polo. Ashley has won multiple polo events including the International Polo Club 12-goaler, and Port Mayaca. She even became a brand ambassador for USPA. She's proved her talent on a horse but this didn't seem to be enough to satisfy her personal goals. Ashley also went on to start her own swimwear line named Monarch Reign. She collaborated with Enrique Sánchez, who founded La Isla, and her products are produced by Sánchez's label. She creates all kinds of unique swimwear for women to feel comfortable and confident in. Her company has been gaining some traction, but it does include some higher dollar pieces that are mainly focused on a market of people who are a little more well-off. Along with her swim line, she has began developing a modeling career as well. She was affiliated with Wilhelmina Models, and modeled exclusively with the famous brand, Ralph Lauren. These two make a powerful husband and wife combo. Kurt Busch fans adore Ashley, and they were beyond excited when the two announced that they would be getting married. Kurt popped the big question in 2015. They had a small wedding of around 40 people. The reception however, was a different story. They hosted it in Palm Beach, Florida, one week after the wedding. The crowd got the show of a lifetime, with a surprise performance by Steven Tyler as the highlight. As of 2019, Ashley has a net worth right at around $5 Million. Seeing all the stuff she has going on in her own personal career, it's easy to see how she can be valued so high. Mix that with Kurt Busch's $50 million net worth, and you get an extremely comfortable lifestyle. It's always awesome to see what the wives are capable of in their own lives and I don't think that Ashley has any plans of slowing down anytime soon. Although an additional season of the show has not yet been confirmed, we look forward to hearing what she sets her sights on next. See more at altdriver.com

To get legendary NASCAR driver Richard Petty back on the Plymouth NASCAR Racing Team, the Chrysler production brand built a race car just for him. Thus begins the story of the Plymouth Superbird. A modified version of the Plymouth Road Runner and the follow-up stock car racing model to the Dodge Charger Daytona, the 1970 Superbird was designed after Petty switched to Ford’s NASCAR racing team for the 1969 season. The King had wanted a winged car, and though Plymouth had initially pushed back (which caused Petty to move to Ford), the company started the Superbird program to get Petty back for the 1970 season. The rear wing and wind-tunnel shaped nose cone actually made the Superbird slightly less aerodynamic, but styling flaws aside, Petty ended up winning eight races in 1970 and placing in many others. As far as engine specs go, the Superbird had three different engine options: the 426 Hemi V8 engine with 425 brake horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 490 lb⋅ft at 4,000 rpm of torque (which only 135 models were fitted with), the 440 Super Commando Six Barrel (also known as a six pack V8) with 3X2-barrel carburetors producing 390 horsepower, and the 375 horsepower 440 Super Commando with a single 4-barrel carburetor. The Plymouth Superbird is still considered to be one of the most iconic American muscle cars, and it holds a prime place in NASCAR and classic car history. For more check out altdriver.com

Back to the future or blast from the past? The Delorean DMC-12 will live on in our hearts forever, despite only being in production for 2 short years. Lets learn some fun and rare facts about the DeLorean!

Bobby Allison was part of a transformative era in NASCAR. An era that helped to shape the sport into what it is today. He not only survived those rough and tumble early days of NASCAR, he thrived in them. Simply put, he’s probably one of your favorite NASCAR driver’s favorite drivers. Widely considered to be one of the best to ever set foot inside of a stock car, Bobby Allison cemented his legacy as a NASCAR legend, even in the midst of terrible hardship and tragedy. Named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998 and inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2011, Bobby Allison has a number of impressive accolades and accomplishments under his belt. Having made a name for himself as a member of the Alabama Gang — a group of respected NASCAR drivers in the late ’50s — Allison ran his first NASCAR Cup Series race (back when it was the Grand National Series) at the 1961 Daytona 500. He went on to win 84 races in 718 career races run over 25 years, placing him fourth on the all-time wins list.* Besides winning the Winston Cup Series championship in 1983, Allison is a three-time Daytona 500 winner He also ran 43 Xfinity Series races in seven years, earning 15 trips to victory lane and 22 top-10 finishes. Fun fact: Allison joined Penske Racing (now Team Penske), about a year after it was founded, in 1972. He raced twice in the Indy 500, the iconic race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway — a track that Roger Penske now owns along with the entire IndyCar Series. Over the course of his career, Allison, who drove everything from Chevrolet race cars to Buicks to Dodges to even the AMC Matador, was voted the most popular Cup Series driver seven times. He’s also one of only eight drivers to win what many consider to be a career Grand Slam by winning the the Daytona 500, the Winston 500, the Coca-Cola 600, and the Southern 500. The other seven drivers to accomplish this feat are Richard Petty, David Pearson, Darrell Waltrip, Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, and Buddy Baker. Add in the fact that Allison became the oldest driver to win the Daytona 500 at the age of 50 in 1988, and that only goes to show how much of a dominant force he truly was on the track. The 1979 Daytona 500 is considered by old school racing fans to be one of the most iconic races in NASCAR history, and not just because it marked Richard Petty’s sixth time winning the race or because it was the first race ever aired on national television from start-to-finish. It was the notorious brawl that pitted Bobby and his brother Donnie against Cale Yarborough that really helped to add to the race’s notoriety. Despite having such an illustrious career, Bobby Allison has also had to deal with his fair share of heartbreak. In 1992, Bobby and Judy Allison’s son Clifford was fatally injured during a practice crash for the NASCAR Busch Series race at Michigan International Speedway. Just a year later, Bobby’s other son Davey was killed in a helicopter accident at Talladega Superspeedway. Bobby himself had a near brush with death, after a severe crash at Pocono in 1988 left him in a momentary vegetative state and eventually led to his retirement. As a result of the crash, Allison no longer remembers the final victory of his career at the 1988 Goody’s 300 or celebrating with Davey Allison following the 1988 Daytona 500, where the pair racked up the first one-two father/son finish in the Daytona 500. Even in spite of the toll that racing took on Bobby Allison later in life, he continues to be actively involved in the sport, especially be promoting rail safety for the CSX “Keep on Living” campaign. And so the NASCAR’s legend’s legacy lives on. See more at altdriver.com

Jolene Van Vugt is definitely one of the toughest and most talented women out there on two wheels. She is most known for her stunt videos and appearances as the to join the Nitro Circus crew, but she proved her talent even before she teamed up with Travis Pastrana in 2005. At the age of 14, Jolene decided to take her women's motocross career more seriously. She's won multiple championships and even became the first CMRC Women's Canadian Motocross National Champion. Jolene was born in Ontario, Canada, and since her motocross career began, she was determined to create a successful career out of the sport. I'd say she's done just that. Surprisingly, she decided to part ways with Nitro Circus in 2016 and has transitioned into her new career as a Hollywood stuntwoman. There's a pretty crazy story behind it, so let's take a look at what happened and where this former nitro girl is today. When she came on board with the Nitro Circus TV show, she shifted away from being a racer and focused more on freestyle motocross (fmx). With some help from Travis Pastrana, she became the first woman to do a backflip on a full sized dirt bike. She spend a total of 11 years with the crew, and became a holder of multiple Guinness world records in the process. She became an icon for American and Canadian women throughout the action sports community. She had tons of great times, but everything changed for her during 2015. Jolene Van Vugt was testing a new winch system which would replace the 50-foot drop in ramp. While doing so, she sat in a big whiskey barrel on wheels and prepared for takeoff. As the winch threw her forward, she let go of the rope and began to veer off course. Since she was in the barrel, she couldn't do anything but brace for impact as her right arm collides with the scaffolding, and slams her face into a nearby pole before crashing onto the concrete. Jolene was seriously injured by the stunt, shattering her forehead, jaw, nose, eye socket, and right arm. There is actually a video out there of the crash, but Jolene says she refuses to watch it. You might think that the brutal injuries sustained were what made her decide to walk away from Nitro Circus, but that wasn't the case. After tons of recovery time, and multiple surgeries, she claimed she was ready to get back to work with the circus. Now, Nitro Circus had been showing her crash video at many different events, but Jolene did not support that and she made it known. She claimed she didn't want to see the video shown anymore and begged Nitro Circus CEO, Mike Porra, to pull it. Porra explains to Jolene that they own the video and they refused to stop using it. Because of that, Jolene states she "felt violated" by the constant remembrance of the brutal crash. After trying countless times to change their minds with no success, Jolene decided to walk away from the team in an attempt to gain more control of her life. Since leaving, Jolene started a new career as a stuntwoman, which was something she fantasized about doing since she was a child. She's been involved in different films like the Dark Knight Rises, where she was used as the stuntwoman for Anne Hathaway's Catwoman. She was also featured in the season 2 premier on NBC's Blindspot, in which she was the stuntwoman for a motorcycle chase. Film directors and movie writers are blown away by the talent that she has on two wheels, and often add more action scenes into the movie once they see what she is capable of. It's awesome to see Jolene follow her heart and leave the Nitro Circus crew. Although it was extremely hard for her and a huge part of her life, once she started to land jobs in Hollywood, everything started to line up once again. She took what she learned from her action sports career, and applied it into a completely different industry. I completely understand her choice to leave, and look forward to the action she'll bring in future Hollywood films. See more at altdriver.com