Drag Race Challenge: The Brief Appearance of the Plymouth Road Runner

It was an ordinary Sunday. I woke up, had my coffee, and, as usual, went for a drive with the Road Runner. Nothing special—just a relaxed day enjoying the wheel.

Then my friend Neto sent a message: “There’s a drag race at the track, want to come?” And off I went, thinking it would just be a casual hangout, watching and laughing with friends who had their tuned-up cars on the strip.

But of course, these “friends” wouldn’t miss a chance to throw me into the fire. They started egging me on: “Put the Road Runner on the track too! It’ll be fun!”

I looked at my car. Stock, heavy, and totally unprepared for this kind of thing. Any sensible person would’ve said “no” and continued munching popcorn in the stands. But me? I said “yes,” because common sense has never been my strong suit.

And so I found myself challenged in the 201-meter race by an Amarok with all the mods and all-wheel drive. The result? Naturally, I got smoked so badly it still echoes in my ears. At the start, the Amarok leaped ahead because I launched at low revs, worried about losing traction. It was a humiliating defeat, and I’ll admit—it was pretty funny. You can watch the shameful moment here: https://www.instagram.com/revson_ribeiro/reel/C_8eLTVPXf5/, and the aftermath in the YouTube video below. Laugh without moderation.

But you know what? That’s life. If you’ve never thrown yourself into a ridiculous situation with style, go ahead and cast the first stone.

Comments

From Goiânia to Uruguay in a 1969 Dodge Charger – Part 2: Minas Gerais

With our feet on the road, we headed towards Minas Gerais, our first neighboring state. The first stop was in Patos de Minas. The sun was determined to roast us alive, but we arrived in the late afternoon, still toasted but in one piece. My parents, who were driving the Mustang, left Goiânia a little after us, but we ended up meeting at the hotel at the end of the day – the Mustang must have air conditioning, right? Smart move. In Patos de Minas, I reunited with my uncles. I swear it was a coincidence. There was dinner, conversation, and, of course, some quality gossip. The next day, we set out to explore the city and search for a pamonha as good as the ones made in Goiás. The Dodge Starts Acting Up Here began the first mechanical issue of the trip: the Dodge's starter motor had a strong personality, working whenever it felt like it. Some electrical issue between the switch and the starter motor. But I discovered that, with a screwdriver and a bit of desperation, I could ...

From Goiânia to Uruguay in a 1969 Dodge Charger – Part 3: Espírito Santo

Time to pack our bags and leave Ouro Preto towards Vitória, ES. Bazolli had warned me that the road was in bad shape, full of potholes. Let me tell you: the road wasn’t that bad; it was actually quite decent. Of course, there were a few potholes here and there, but nothing a Dodge Charger with tank-like suspension couldn’t handle. What really makes this stretch exhausting is the long line of trucks and the complete lack of overtaking points. Add to that a desert-like heat, and there you have it: the perfect recipe for a tiring journey. Honestly, this road between Belo Horizonte and Vitória has deserved a dual carriageway for at least 20 years. The Charger’s highway range is just over 300 km. That means I stop to refuel every 200 km. The upside? I get to stretch my legs and avoid the dreaded fuel starvation since, in Brazil, there are practically no stretches without gas stations for more than 100 km – unless you're trying to cross the Amazon. We arrived in Vitória, wher...

A Stationary Beetle Deteriorates More Than a Running One: The Maintenance Saga of 2025

Anyone with a sizable collection of vintage cars knows this all too well: keeping the fleet in good shape is no small feat, especially when some barely leave the garage. That’s exactly the case with my Itamar Beetle . In 2024, it covered a mere 300 km . And that, dear reader, is a problem, because as any car enthusiast will tell you, a car left idle deteriorates faster than one that’s regularly driven. Now in 2025, I’m taking steps to ensure it stops being a decorative piece and gets back to fulfilling its purpose on the road. The first step? Changing the oil. Yes, even with only 300 km on the clock, the oil was as tired as I am on the Monday after Carnival. Some argue for changing it every six months, but to me, that’s overkill— once a year is just fine . The second step was retiring the awful diagonal tires that were on the car. And when I say “awful,” I’m not exaggerating. I’m not talking about aesthetics here, but pure functionality. The car was simply unbearable to drive w...

Leroi's Windshield

Search This Blog