I won ! I won !! I won !!!

[NOT A TA]

The Performance Therapy online car show photo contest!!! With a picture taken by my friend John Hendrick at a NASA HPDE road course event I attended at Sebring in June of this year. It was taken during one of the first sessions of the day and was the first time I'd ever run the famous 3.7 mile track used for the 12 hour races.

Details of the contest were posted by Hotchkis and so I went to check out the pics people put up then thought "Hey! I should put a cool pic of my car up!" As you guys have seen in the past I'm always posting track pics to get others interested in taking their cars out. The contest said "post a pic of you enjoying your car". Well a day at an awesome world famous road course is the most fun for me in my car!

The Performance Therapy contest winners were just announced by John Hotchkis at SEMA and just posted online here http://www.performancetherapycontest.com/

Chad from Fletchers had called me yesterday from SEMA and said he'd heard my name over the loudspeakers and I'd been bouncing off the walls since waiting to see if it was really true!! I'd been at Fletchers Customs installing a dash I'd built for Tys car and then helping the guys all of last week. When they headed off toward Vegas I made the 8 hour trip back to south Florida from Chads shop in GA.

I thought maybe they were messin with me when they first called yesterday but it's true! I won!!!!

As the grand prize winner I'll be recieving a system from each of the sponsors of the contest. Man can I put this stuff to good use!!! Here's why

Hotchkis Sport Suspension: A full TVS setup. I already have Hotchkis springs, sways, and tierod adjusters, as well as the Bilsteins they sold me to go with their products I installed in my Firebird which I purchased a long time ago, before they called it the TVS. So I'll have to talk to them about my options for another car or maybe upgrading the Firebird.

Baer Brakes: A full setup. As many of you know from my posts like "here's why you need big brakes for track use" I've had some real issues running a stock front disc/rear drum setup in my Firebird on road racing tracks with long straightaways where I need to haul the car down from 125 MPH+ to slow for sharp corners. I've gone through stacks of different pads, shoes, rotors, calipers and literally gallons and gallons of brake fluid. I couldn't put bigger brakes on without also needing to buy new wheels and tires. I just couldn't afford to do both but thanks to Jason....

Rushforth Wheels: A full set!!! Then I can install bigger brakes!! Funny that I win a set after I sent an email earlier today recommending someone else on this forum purchase a set for his early 2nd gen Camaro. Now I should be able to fit some really serious rotors and binders while being stylish with new wheels I couldn't afford. To wrap the new wheels.................

Yokohama Tires: Again a full set! I'd been running the Yokohama Advan AO 32s and needed to replace the fronts but they've discontinued making the DOT R tires in the sizes I needed so I've had a set of temporary front tires on the car (with the AO32 rears) since the end of the track day the picture was taken. The temporary fronts had nowhere near the traction of the original AO32's so I've had to take a little easier. (I put 4 wheels off once and found the new lower adhesion limit! LOL) Perhaps I can get some DOT Rs in a size that will work with the new rims!!!!

Red Line Synthetic Oil: I was going to order some of their Water Wetter this week. I've had some slowly rising water temp issues on track in the Firebird since moving south which required a cool down lap in the middle of each track session the past couple events when it was very hot out. Now that I'm in FL I don't need antifreeze anymore and I planned on flushing the system and switching to just water with Water Wetter. Not sure what else I'll get from them but because of the track time the Firebird gets I'm constantly changing oil, tranny fluids, rear end, etc. in the car as well as my tow vehicle (which takes 15 quarts of oil !) so I know I'll go right through whatever it is that they provide.

Lifeline Fire Safety Systems: A full system. As you might guess by the full cage, NASCAR full containment seats and 6 point harnesses in my Firebird, safety in cars is an issue with me to the point where the money I've spent on safety items could have purchased the killer engine I really want. I can certainly put a fire system to good use!!! Although hopefully not ever needed and activated!

MSD Ignition: A full setup! I currently run an MSD Pro Billet distributor, Blaster 3 coil, 6A box, and 300+ wires on the old Pontiac 400 thats in the Firebird. I'm going to need (read want) to replace the engine with a much more powerfull one to reach my speed goals at land speed races and open road racing, so getting an ignition setup for it will be a huge help!

Flowmaster: A complete exhaust system. While the sidepipes on my Firebird are functional they have a fake 4 into one header that won't even allow the current engine to perform as well as it could because only one of the 4 "header" pipes is actually used and it's barely 1 1/2" !!! I'd installed the sidepipes about 10 years ago when the car had a stock 350 two barrel and for that engine it was fine. A new system will be awesome and allow me to run a bigger carb on the current engine than the (cough) 575 (cough) thats on there now. Plus when I can afford a new engine it will have some breathing room!

Hot Wheels: We're all big kids who love toys. Who wouldn't want enough Hot Wheels to fill a track that spirals around the garage! LOL

I want to thank all the sponsors for giving us all the contest. It's a place to throw our cool pics up and share our pride in our vehicles with others. If you haven't looked through the photo galleries it's really worth a look. You'll find pics of everything from ground scraping cars, to pics of little kids helping their ole man wash the car, the smokiest burnouts, and all the way up to giant 4 wheeler monter trucks as well as everything in between. http://www.performancetherapycontest.com/entries.php

OK enough of my ramblings! Here's the winning picture

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/08/Firebird005-1.jpg

[Part Time]

That's awesome! Congrats! Post up plent of pic's of the new parts going on.

[SUNK69]

I entered also,and if I couldn't win then the next best thing is for another member here to win.Congrats! and as was mentioned before post up pics as you upgrade.

[Chevrolaine]

Awesome, Congrats! Christmas in November!

[HotRod47]

Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cheapthrillz]

Dude Awesome! You of all people completely deserve what you just won! You are one of the few people on this site who actually tracks the HELL out of your car. Congrats broha!

[Yelcamino]

That is so cool! Congrats and enjoy your new parts!

[wayne70]

Congrat's man it's nice to see you out there beatin on it and winning some cool part's.

[454bug]

WAY TO GO JOHN!!! :1st:

For someone who hasn't waited to get out there until your car was "complete" it has REALLY paid off!!

NOW everything on your car will be top of the line and brand new!!

Congratulations!! :twothumbs

[Takid455]

awesome man. and a honest car & photo to win. what better than some old iron tearing up the track beat a new car in the background.
way to go.:1st:

[BIGX69]

Sweet!!! Congrat's..........

[The Rook]

Based on what I know of your car you probably don't need to upgrade much so this only means one thing....you need to buy another project car and add all of the new goodies to it!!!!! Or, if that is too much work you could donate them to my sons project. No? It was worth a shot. CONGRATS AGAIN!!!

[dropit69]

Dude thats awesome congrats.if there is anything you wont use and are gonna sell let us poor suckers have first chance..lol..can;t wait too see the upgrades..

[critter]

It couldn't have gone to a better guy or car. We all know you drive the snot out of it so the manufacturers can rest assured they'll be getting serious "face time" for their stuff. Now, remember to cut your fellow Pontiac buds in when you start taking those old parts off the car. :) :) :)

[srh3trinity]

You should seriously think about putting a set of Rushforth's new mesh design on the car. I have been wanting to see those on a second gen 'Bird. Make sure you take plenty of pictures of the improvements.

[The Stickman]

Congrats, couldn't have gone to a nicer guy. And it benefits all of us because now we get to folow not only what you do with those parts but how they work. You can brag about it all tomorrow night on the chat.

[srh3trinity]

John,
Is there a build thread for the 14 car? I was curious if it was mini-tubbed and what size tires you are running.

[NOT A TA]

Dude Awesome! You of all people completely deserve what you just won! You are one of the few people on this site who actually tracks the HELL out of your car. Congrats broha!

I keep trying to tell everyone, just put it together and run it! If you wait till it's "perfect" you're never gonna get to the tracks. My cars been on the cover of PHR, had a feature in PHR, had two 2 page pics in HOT ROD, a pic in another PHR, and won this contest. Why? Because I'm out driving the car having fun. It's not the fastest, prettiest, most expensive, or technologicly advanced car and it's certainly not "perfect" but it's out there being driven and raced all the time. You don't need to win to have fun at a track or other event.

Don't think your brakes are up to the task at a road course? Go to a land speed race where there's a mile to slow down. Just let off the gas and don't even touch the brakes till wind resistance slows you to 75.

Don't think you're gearing's right for the high speeds at land speed racing or road course days? Hit up an auto X and have at it.

Don't think your car's set up to go around corners like you want? Go to a dragstrip or land speed race.

Don't think your cars fast enough for a dragstrip? Call me and I'll bring my blazing 13.9 second car and get in the other lane. I'll bet almost all the cars on this forum can beat my car at the strip.

Point is GO DRIVE THEM!

[NOT A TA]

Congrat's man it's nice to see you out there beatin on it and winning some cool part's.

I had a 68 Camaro in high school I wouldn't "beat" on so it would last "forever". It was stolen.
I had a Monza Spyder I wouldn't "beat" on I bought brand new. Gave it to an ex when I divorced her and her brother wrapped it around a pole.
I had a 70 Challenger.....well you get the idea

Now I build them to be driven hard, enjoy driving them, and try to maintain them to keep up with what I ask of them.

[NOT A TA]

Dude thats awesome congrats.if there is anything you wont use and are gonna sell let us poor suckers have first chance..lol..can;t wait too see the upgrades..

Anyone interested in a slightly used set of DRUM brakes? They'll come with new wheel cylinders (because I melted the rubbers on the old ones) and a set of "custom made" race compound brake SHOES from Porterfield!!! LOL How about a set of stock single piston calipers with only 2 road track days on them (melted the rubber on the old ones also) which will come with a 1/2 worn out a set of Raybestos Race compound pads? They have one more track day left in them! Sorry no matching rotors because they were so overheated they have a thousand cracks in them now and aren't safe and I didn't get the new ones yet.

[shmoov69]

THAT is freaking awesome!!!! Really nothing more to say than that! Just freaking AWESOME!!!

[NOT A TA]

It couldn't have gone to a better guy or car. We all know you drive the snot out of it so the manufacturers can rest assured they'll be getting serious "face time" for their stuff. Now, remember to cut your fellow Pontiac buds in when you start taking those old parts off the car. :) :) :)

The companies were nice enough to donate stuff to the contest on the chance that it might be a good advertising venue. They deserve recognition as well as the advertising benefits. As you guys know I'm always posting up about the track events I go to and what works and doesn't. I'll be sure to do my best to promote the products the companies donated as long as they hold up to the usage they were designed for. Heck I sticker up my car now for every different track event just because it's fun! And write build threads and install threads on products I get.

If the companies see that the advertising benefits of sponsoring contests like this help them then they may do them again and that creates excitement in the community as well as a possibility for someone else to get the thrill and opportunity I got today.

I will post up about installation and use of anything I get.

[NOT A TA]

You should seriously think about putting a set of Rushforth's new mesh design on the car. I have been wanting to see those on a second gen 'Bird. Make sure you take plenty of pictures of the improvements.

I just sent an email to another member this morning before the announcement saying I thought those wheels would be perfect on his early 2nd gen Camaro!

Pictures? Oh ya... Got that covered!

[mc84_zz4]

Congratulations! Well deserved. I am glad the goodies aren't just going to be on a trailer or show queen.
Now drive it like you WON it!! lol

[NOT A TA]

John,
Is there a build thread for the 14 car? I was curious if it was mini-tubbed and what size tires you are running.

I'm old and started The 14 Car before internet and digital cameras were available for people like me. I do have a few build threads with the most recent being the safety thread here https://www.pro-touring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=48151

The car is not tubbed and has no wheelwell mods running 275 40 17 and 315 35 17. The wheels have custom backspacing and there are a lot of variables so be very carefull if you consider trying to run this combo on a similar car.

[dadto2jays]

Congratulations!!!!!!! thats great that you are out there really having fun with it.....

[NOT A TA]

drive it like you WON it!! lol

I will ! And if you don't mind I'm going to use that quote somewhere on the car, or my helmet or something. I like it!

[trapin]

Awesome! Congrats!

[The Stickman]

So I guess this means Christmas came early. When do the presents arrive?

[NOT A TA]

So I guess this means Christmas came early. When do the presents arrive?

No idea? Everyones at SEMA this week so I haven't talked to anyone. Once everyone goes home, and gets caught up, I'll probably find out some details.

[CRead01]

very cool. this is deffinately one of my favorite cars on this site.

congrats.

[Nessumsar]

Awesome!! Cool to have someone on the board win, there were so many people who entered.

[NOT A TA]

Awesome!! Cool to have someone on the board win, there were so many people who entered.

Thanks! They said about a thousand entries and almost a million votes.

[stealth71]

Congrats on the win. Your pic was indeed a good one.

I guess view counts weren't used as any part of the scoring like the contest description said. Some of the winners had 40 views while some entries had thousands. Just think some of the other pictures look like sh*t and there were many better in the mix. No offense to the Racing section winner, but is that picture even in focus?

[BA.]

Congratulations John, that is WAY cool!!!!


Thanks also to the sponsors we all recognize for donating such cool stuff!!!

[autoxcuda]

Congrats again NOT A T/A !!

I also won for Racing Picture with my Ultra Low Budget Barracuda.

Thanks a ton Hotchkis and Performance Therapy!!! You guys rock!!

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

[NOT A TA]

Congrats on the win. Your pic was indeed a good one.

I guess view counts weren't used as any part of the scoring like the contest description said. Some of the winners had 40 views while some entries had thousands. Just think some of the other pictures look like sh*t and there were many better in the mix. No offense to the Racing section winner, but is that picture even in focus?


I think (not positive) that the overall votes were shown on the galleries but that the computer program counting the votes only tallied one vote (when the first pic was clicked) from each ISP address so if you clicked on your own pic a thousand times it didn't help you. I realized that when my ISP # poped up on my screen when I clicked on a pic to enlarge it. I think it was Steves Cuda actually so I didn't even vote for myself! LOL His car just looks so grassroots and raw. I love it. Anyway from what I read after I found out I'd won, the grand prize was selected by some kind of group of expert photograpers or something like that and the catagory winners and other ones were by the votes tallied. I'll ask them and find out exactly how they determined the winners.

What I did was email a link to my pic to family and friends and told them if they wanted to see a cool pic of my car on track click the link and send it to any of their friends they thought might also like to see the pic. I also included the link to my pic in my signature on the forums I frequent.

Here's what it said on their website, seemed a little confusing to me not being a computer guy

When someone new clicks a picture, it counts as one vote. Only one vote per picture per computer will be counted for official results. Each participant can only submit one picture per category, and finalists in each category will be selected by the number of comments. Only one comment/vote per person counts, but feel free to solicit as many people as you’d like to vote for your picture(s). The photo albums are powered by Flickr, and Facebook/Myspace/Twitter promotion is allowed.

All photos will be ranked by popular vote. Entries with the most comments in each category will receive runner-up status and be awarded t-shirts. A panel of automotive aftermarket experts and photographers will choose a single winner in each category, who will receive a gift certificate worth no less than $200 from a sponsor company. The Grand Prize winner will receive a single system from each participating sponsor. The Grand Prize will be awarded for the most outstanding photograph out of all the entries, regardless of category. Prize winners are planned to be announced November 4, 2009.

[autoxcuda]

Congrats on the win. Your pic was indeed a good one.
...No offense to the Racing section winner, but is that picture even in focus?

I don't think it was a contest of raw photography skills. The prizes went to the car owner, not the photographer. It was more about the message and content of the picture. And the pics were suposed to be in low res.

This is probably a better photo of my car, but I don't have $50 to pay for ONE photo of my car. Photos don't make my car go faster or keep in running. So this pic has a big watermark on it...

[DarkBuddha]

A belated congratulations! It's nice to know the stuff is going to someone who will get real use out of it. I'll look forward to seeing it in person one day at a Florida event.

[shortrack]

AWESOME!!!....that is so cool!

[BossaNova]

Congratulations on the _awesome_ prizes!
I think your car & picture are pretty cool. Understand why you won.

[JayR]

I helped John Hotchkis announce the winners at the show on Tuesday and was stoked to see some familiar faces win and there were a few other guys from here who were runner ups in other categories. Congratulations John and Steve and all the other finalists!

It was an honor to be invited by Hotchkis to take part in their contest with part of the prize and helping announce the winners and Performance Therapy was a huge success. Get your photos ready for next year's contest!

[autoxcuda]

I helped John Hotchkis announce the winners at the show on Tuesday and was stoked to see some familiar faces win and there were a few other guys from here who were runner ups in other categories. Congratulations John and Steve and all the other finalists!

It was an honor to be invited by Hotchkis to take part in their contest with part of the prize and helping announce the winners and Performance Therapy was a huge success. Get your photos ready for next year's contest!

Jason, Thank you very much for your support. It is well appreciated.

[NOT A TA]

I helped John Hotchkis announce the winners at the show on Tuesday and was stoked to see some familiar faces win and there were a few other guys from here who were runner ups in other categories. Congratulations John and Steve and all the other finalists!

It was an honor to be invited by Hotchkis to take part in their contest with part of the prize and helping announce the winners and Performance Therapy was a huge success. Get your photos ready for next year's contest!

I said it on Lat G, I'll say it again and elaborate a bit here.

Thanks Jason!! Those of you who are not familiar with who Jason "JayR" is, he a designer www.jasonrushforth.com (http://www.jasonrushforth.com) who also owns owns Rushforth Wheels www.rushforthwheels.com (http://www.rushforthwheels.com) and for anyone that glanced over my rather lengthy first post in this thread, Jason donated a set of Rushforth wheels to the Performance Therapy contest. That's a HUGE expense for a company!

Thanks for helping the contest with your donation! I'm psyched to be able to get a set!! I worked up at Fletchers Customs the last week of the SEMA thrash helping build Tys car "Freedom Bird". While I was there I kept admiring the Rushforth Superspoke wheels he'd bought back when his project was just supposed to be a "scuff and shoot" paint job with a big brake kit and modern wheels and tires. Very nice looking high quality wheels! Now, after all of the incredible custom carbon fiber, drivetrain and suspension has been installed the wheels looked more at home on the car than ever.

Jay is also a perfect example of what I've been jumping up on the soapbox and preaching. As some of you already know know he bought a car this year. He didn't wait till his Buick was "perfect" to go out and run it. He put a few bolt ons on it, (cool wheels of course!!) and took it right out and started autocrossing it with the original engine and 2 speed powerglide!!! My kinda guy! Out having fun!!!!! Why wait till next year? Right? You can go again then also!!!!!!

Sometimes we wonder "who are those guys?" who own companies. Well here's a video of Jason and John Hotchkis announcing the winners of the various caytagories of the Performance Therapy online photo contest. http://www.performancetherapycontest.com/news.php

[JayR]

Knowing that you helped Chad and the guys with Ty's car on the last minute thrash to make SEMA makes your win sound a lot like karma coming back your way in a big hurry. Good on ya and thanks for the props! Knowing how you use your car makes your win just that much cooler and I really appreciate that you get what I'm doing with my car too!

[Hotchkis]

Congratulations from Hotchkis!

We're just getting sorted out from SEMA but will post the rest of the winners, prize details and more by the end of the week.

announcement video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtP6KS5nNVk)

[jturkey69]

I keep trying to tell everyone, just put it together and run it! If you wait till it's "perfect" you're never gonna get to the tracks. My cars been on the cover of PHR, had a feature in PHR, had two 2 page pics in HOT ROD, a pic in another PHR, and won this contest. Why? Because I'm out driving the car having fun. It's not the fastest, prettiest, most expensive, or technologicly advanced car and it's certainly not "perfect" but it's out there being driven and raced all the time. You don't need to win to have fun at a track or other event.

Don't think your brakes are up to the task at a road course? Go to a land speed race where there's a mile to slow down. Just let off the gas and don't even touch the brakes till wind resistance slows you to 75.

Don't think you're gearing's right for the high speeds at land speed racing or road course days? Hit up an auto X and have at it.

Don't think your car's set up to go around corners like you want? Go to a dragstrip or land speed race.

Don't think your cars fast enough for a dragstrip? Call me and I'll bring my blazing 13.9 second car and get in the other lane. I'll bet almost all the cars on this forum can beat my car at the strip.

Point is GO DRIVE THEM!
Congrats!..I know we didnt have a chance in hell to win for our car. I was just reading Sept. 2006 issue of HOTROD showing my wife different things we want to do to her Cutlass..and lo and behold..I see your car at the Maxton Mile run..LOL.

around tax season we will be scouring the for sale sections for used A-Body parts..lol

Its very cool to have someone from here win.

[NOT A TA]

Congratulations from Hotchkis!

We're just getting sorted out from SEMA but will post the rest of the winners, prize details and more by the end of the week.

announcement video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtP6KS5nNVk)

Thanks to Hotchkis for organizing the contest and contributing to the prizes!

It was really cool to a contest the average hot rodder could enter and have a chance of winning! I didn't enter till I read what the contest was about. For those who didn't read it when the contest was posted on the forums here's the part that got me to submit a pic.

QUOTE : The purpose of the contest is to help enthusiasts get out and drive. Whether you enjoy going to car shows, cruising your local burger joint with the family, running the quarter mile or participating in local track days, show us how you enjoy using your car.

The rules are simple. Send us a picture of you and your ride participating in your favorite automotive activity. Make it fun and interesting, and write a few lines explaining why the picture describes how you have fun with your car. : END QUOTE

[NOT A TA]

Congrats!..I know we didnt have a chance in hell to win for our car. I was just reading Sept. 2006 issue of HOTROD showing my wife different things we want to do to her Cutlass..and lo and behold..I see your car at the Maxton Mile run..LOL.

around tax season we will be scouring the for sale sections for used A-Body parts..lol

Its very cool to have someone from here win.

You would have had a chance to win one of the catagories. Did you see the winner of the "garage scene" pic? Guy was yanking an engine outside in his driveway like many of us do. I'm just glad I moved south and won't have to do it out in the snow anymore! LOL

The people at Maxton are really nice folks. David at HOT ROD put two big 2 page pics of my car in that issue in the story about the Maxton Mile. It's like iceing on the cake when you go out and run the car, have a ton of fun, and then on top of that get pics in a mag!

I miss my Cutlass I had to sell last year. It was a 42,000 mile car I used as a DD during nice weather. Uggh, now its a Donk but at least it's being well cared for, even if it's not the style I prefer. Good luck with yours!

[jturkey69]

You would have had a chance to win one of the catagories. Did you see the winner of the "garage scene" pic? Guy was yanking an engine outside in his driveway like many of us do. I'm just glad I moved south and won't have to do it out in the snow anymore! LOL

The people at Maxton are really nice folks. David at HOT ROD put two big 2 page pics of my car in that issue in the story about the Maxton Mile. It's like iceing on the cake when you go out and run the car, have a ton of fun, and then on top of that get pics in a mag!

I miss my Cutlass I had to sell last year. It was a 42,000 mile car I used as a DD during nice weather. Uggh, now its a Donk but at least it's being well cared for, even if it's not the style I prefer. Good luck with yours!
Yeah we still would not have had a chance..lolI bet I have every entry beat with the number of kids we have though..lol This car will definitely be a learning curve for us as we just found out how much body work costs..lol. looks like I will be doing lots of reading while shes out working trying to make some money for her lil dream car. Hers has 39,009 on it now, but was never really taken care of, and sat in a garage for 10 years with the sun shining through the driverside window making a mess of the front seatback. but it has been on Power Tour this year!..lol

[BMF Machine]

CooL car, AwsomE storieS~