20 Years of Pro-Touring.com - Please read and talk to us

[Larry Callahan]

March 10 2020 – Pro-Touring.com celebrates 20 years

For me the addiction started over 30 years ago. Back in about 1988 I bought a ‘68 Camaro that I still have to this day. I knew from day one that I wanted the Camaro to handle better, stop better and be more comfortable than it was when it left the factory. The car was a bit worn out and flat out scary to drive at freeway speeds. Fast forward about a decade, an engine swap and a Dick Guldstrand mod later and things are getting better. Add some urethane a-arm bushings, disc brakes and an anti-sway bar and that’s about all that I was able to find back then.

Where did the term Pro-Touring.com come from? The story that I heard was about 1998 Mark Stielow first spoke the words “Pro-Touring” while with Jeff Smith. Shortly after that it’s on the cover of Chevy High Performance Magazine and I’m hooked. At the time I had a website that I built for my Camaro and a few close friends using my free Earthlink account when it hit me. I need to start a website to share my passion with others and call it Pro-Touring.com!

A number of cars have had an impact on me over the years and some are the most known muscle cars ever built. Dan and R.J. Gottlieb’s ’69 Camaro known as Big Red, Mark Stielow’s ’69 Camaro known as Tri-Tip that is now owned by Steven Rupp, Roger Conley’s Camaro and of course the Tuckers Thrasher Camaro. Something else that had a big influence on myself was the Car Craft Magazine Real Street Eliminator Challenge. They took a number of cars and tested them for things like acceleration, braking, handling, fuel mileage and more. I knew that one day I wanted to complete it that completion.

Very quickly after Pro-Touring.com was started a number of great moderators joined us. Most of them are still around and the site would not be what it is without all of their help and support. In no particular order I need to thank Andrew Borodin, Bill Howell, Carl Casanova, True Tourtillott, David Pozzi, Derek Forbes, Jeff Tate, Tony Whatley, John Parsons, Ralph LoGrasso, Tony Huntimer, Tonly Langlois, Tony Rapin, Allen Ortega, Mary Pozzi, Steven Rupp, Matt Rogers and Brian Zales. I also need to thank everyone that helps at our SEMA dinner every year, the weekend photographers and site contributors.

I also need to thank the great members of the site and the support of all our site sponsors that make it all possible.

Now I want to hear from you. What has this little “fad” meant to you over the years? Have you made new lifelong friends? Has it got you out of a lawn chair just watching static cars? Have you started a business that focusses on the build style?

Please take a minute and share with us the impact it has had on you and who you influenced you.



It’s been an awesome 20 year and I would love to hear what you enjoy about it.