Thousands of Corvette owners from across North America, including more than 100 from various parts of Ontario, will drive to Bowling Green, Kentucky later this month to visit the museum that celebrates…

Ontario Corvette Owners Driving To The Birthplace Of The Iconic Car

Thousands of Corvette owners from across North America, including more than 100 from various parts of Ontario, will drive to Bowling Green, Kentucky later this month to visit the museum that celebrates the birthplace of the iconic car.

The Corvette Caravan is billed as the largest moving vehicle event in the world and this is the 30th anniversary. It is a week-long event that begins in the last week of August and runs through to Labour Day weekend.

Corvette owners from seven separate regions will start the trek on August 25, led by James and Lianne Krane. James is the President of the Corvette Club of Ontario, the oldest Corvette club in Canada.

“We’ve been planning this for about the last 3½ years,” James told me. “It’s to commemorate the anniversary of the museum, but it’s also a fundraiser for the museum. We charge a fee for everybody to participate and have sponsors that help with different events down there. Whatever money we have left over, we donate to the museum, which does not receive government funding.”

In 2014, James and Lianne drove to Bowling Green for the 20th anniversary. It became an emotional experience.

“I kind of got choked up,” James said. “Lianne looked at me and says, ‘What’s the matter with you?’ I said, ‘It’s like going home.’  It’s the birthplace of the Corvette, it’s what it’s all about. Everywhere you look there’s Corvettes. It’s difficult to describe unless you’ve experienced it.”

In 2019, James and Lianne led a group of 65 Corvette owners, but the time it will be 110 cars because of the popularity of the event. Of the 65 car owners who did the trip last time, 55 are doing it again.

“This is really a testament to the event itself,” he said. “It’s just a really enjoyable, well-organized machine. The folks at the museum have done it enough times to make it really seamless. The 20th anniversary was the single best trip Lianne and I have ever taken in our Corvette. The people who went also said it was the best trip they’ve taken in their Corvettes. The organizers who were running it in 2014 were looking for someone to take it over and we decided to do it.”

He said the package sold out in six months.

The journey for the southern Ontario contingent will head west to Sarnia and cross over into Michigan, where all the Ontario clubs will meet up in a Bavarian town called Frankenmuth, which hosts car events. It will be the first time that all 209 members of this southern Ontario group will convene for this trip. The journey will continue to Pratt Miller Engineering, which manufacturers the Corvette Z06 GT3.R race cars that compete in the IMSA Series. The next stop will be the Gilmore Car Museum, which tells the history of America through the automobile. From there it will continue through to Indiana on route to Bowling Green.

“On one side of the highway is the Corvette Assembly Plant and beside it is the National Corvette Museum, and across from that is the National Museum Motorsport Park, which has a 3.2 mile racetrack,” he said.

Krane has rented the track for his contingent to do touring laps, which has an instructor in a pace car leading 10 cars at a time for four laps. Some winners of a raffle will have a chance to drive some of the track’s Z06 cars on the track behind an instructor. After that, it’s a visit to the museum before the majority of the cars arrive from other parts of North America. There’s various events the museum will host for the next few days.

James owns a 2011 Grand Sport Convertible coloured Cyber Gray.

“It’s just a whole lot of fun to drive,” he said. “It’s got pretty low mileage. Most of the cars do because we only drive them on nice weekends. I’ve had it since 2020 but I’ve been a Corvette owner for about 15 years. It’s something I always wanted and had the opportunity to get one and I’ve never looked back.

“Our motto with the Corvette Club of Ontario is you join for the cars, you stay for the people. Over the last 15 years we’ve made lifelong friendships within a hobby. It’s a friendly group that is very welcoming and make it easy to stick around. I’m in my ninth year as President and we’ve tripled our membership. We’re pretty proud of that. Who knows where that’s going to go if the Corvette ever produces an SUV.”

Perry Lefko is the Content Manager of The Car Magazine. He can be reached at [email protected]. Feel free to forward any story suggestions or comments.

I recently attended the Corvette Club of Ontario’s annual get-together for charity at Bill Wallace’s Gateway Chevrolet in Brampton. This was my second time doing it and similar to the first I was…

Corvette Club of Ontario Keeps Going Strong After More Than 60 Years

I recently attended the Corvette Club of Ontario’s annual get-together for charity at Bill Wallace’s Gateway Chevrolet in Brampton. This was my second time doing it and similar to the first I was awestruck by the cars and their owners’ pride.

The Corvette Club in Ontario is the oldest Corvette Club in Canada, established in 1962. It includes 300 members, some of whom are original members.

Some of the cars have been handed down or willed from a previous owner, creating second- and third-generation owners.

This year the money raised from the event, which costs a $20 entry fee, raised funds for the Tiger Jeet Singh Foundation. It is a registered Canadian charity founded by pro wrestling legend Tiger Jeet Singh and his son Tiger Ali Singh Jr, also known as Tiger Ali Singh. They have both used their celebrity to bring awareness to promote inclusion, support children, woman shelters, hospitals and funding for public school initiatives such as mental health, literacy, inclusive classrooms and  nutrition.

The Corvette Club of Ontario does various events a year, yet the common theme is celebrating owning one of the world’s most celebrated car brands. “Our motto with the Corvette Club of Ontario is you join for the cars, but you stay for the people,” said current President James Krane.

“Over the last 15 years that I’ve been a member we’ve made lifelong friendships within a hobby. It’s a friendly group that is very welcoming and make it easy to stick around. I’m in my ninth year as President and we’ve tripled our membership in that time. We’re pretty proud of that.” James and his wife, Lianne, are proud owners of a 2011 Grand Sport Convertible coloured Cyber Gray. “It’s just a whole lot of fun to drive,” James said. “It’s got pretty low mileage.

Most of the cars do because we only drive them on nice weekends. I’ve had it since 2020 but I’ve been a Corvette owner for about 15 years. It’s something I always wanted and had the opportunity to get one and I’ve never looked back.”

On display at the event were two rare 2011 Z06 Carbon Edition Cars owned by Enzo Colosimo and Lee Upton. I approached one owner, Robert Hawn, who joined the club in 2021 and has become its Vice President. “I joined for the activities and the socializing with the Corvette community,” he told me. He’s owned Corvettes for 12 years. In July he privately bought his current car, a black 2019 C7 Z06. “This particular one is the last of a breed, front engine, manual shift, high  horsepower and it only had 10,000 kilometres on it,” he said. He has a personalized plate PUNISHRR on it. He wanted PUNISHER, but it was already taken by an owner with a FORD F150.

“In my opinion it’s better than most simply because it’s a little bit larger than Miatas or similar little cars, and it’s got great power that makes for a lot of fun when you drive it spiritedly,” he said. “I’m completely selective where I drive it. I drive just over the fashionable speed limit, but I do bring it to the track to have that enjoyment of doing that. “I typically take a bunch of my friends up to Grand Bend that has a wonderful little track that allows you to get a heavy right foot with very little danger unless you are being silly. Most of the people I take out for the first time come back vibrating and say, “When’s the next one, I’m signing up.”

I also talked to Casey Haars and his wife, Sandy, who joined the club two years ago. They attended the event in her 2021 red and black Stingray with the license plate 1FASTKAR. They bought it brand new. “I don’t like Ferraris and I don’t like Porsches, I’ve always liked Corvettes,” Sandy told me. She said she waited 35 years to own her own Corvette. She said when she first met her husband, he had a 1973 Corvette, then he went to a 1988, a 2007, a 2010, a 2014 and then a 2019. “He’s always been a fan of them, unfortunately he’s a double amputee and can’t drive,” she said.

He lost both his legs to diabetes.

They traded in the 2010 and 1988 Corvettes to purchase the new one. Her husband and daughter designed the new car.

Sandy said she’s known quite a few of the members of the club from other events and decided to join because of a similar interest of cruising in their Corvettes rather than participating in car shows. She and all the members who attended the event had to deal with some rain, but it didn’t dampen their enthusiasm or their pride.

Some other nice Corvette's

Perry Lefko is the Content Manager of The Car Magazine. He can be reached at [email protected]. Feel free to forward any story suggestions or comments.

I’m not sold on electric vehicles, but I know someone who at least has an open mind on the subject. Morgan Crosbie, a salesperson at Finch Chevrolet Cadillac GM in London, Ontario, is upbeat every time…

A Case To Be Made For Buying Electric Vehicles

I’m not sold on electric vehicles, but I know someone who at least has an open mind on the subject.

Morgan Crosbie, a salesperson at Finch Chevrolet Cadillac GM in London, Ontario, is upbeat every time I talk to him about cars. He has a popular YouTube channel called Cars and Crosbie that has 10,000 subscribers. He coined the phrase, If You’re A Canuck, You’re In Luck because he’s trying to use his videos for a Canadian audience and to help consumers buying cars.

My concerns about EVS is it was an idea forced upon consumers by governments concerned about the environment. I believe in a market-driven economy and people aren’t buying EVs with interest that manufacturers had hoped, leading to sagging sales and profit losses. Some OEMs are re-thinking their strategies. Ford announced in July that the plant in Oakville that was to be used to assemble three-row EV SUVs will now be used to manufacture its gas-powered F-Series Super Duty pickup truck. 

One EV-specific manufacturer, Fisker, filed for bankruptcy in June. A Fisker spokesperson sounded the warning for all EV-specific manufacturers in an article in CarExpert.com.

“Like other companies in the electric vehicle industry, we have faced various market and macroeconomic headwinds that have impacted our ability to operate efficiently.”

Potential changes in the current U.S. and Canadian governments could see a different philosophy that is not pro EV.

In Canada there will soon be almost no financial incentives to buy an EV. Earlier this year, Quebec announced plans to phase them out completely by 2027 feeling there’s no reason any more to hand out money because EVs have moved on from the early adoption stage. B.C. followed and lowered the manufacturer’s suggested retail from $55,000 to $50,000 for vehicles qualifying for the province’s rebate program. That removes about 75 percent of EVs and hybrids. Ontario Premier Doug Ford scrapped rebates worth almost $14,000 shortly after elected in June 2018. He has chosen to invest on building battery plants.

“In terms of incentives, I think if you give people fish then they won’t learn how to fish,” Morgan said. “If you’re giving people incentives it doesn’t really motivate manufacturers to innovate and come out with a cost-effective vehicle on their own. If you subsidize the cost of vehicles with rebates through the government, in the long run it’s not going to be a viable solution. Maybe they can focus their money on investing in the battery plants or charging infrastructure.”

2025 Chevrolet Silverado EV - Charging

When I talk to people in the automotive world, consumers want to buy hybrids because they still want the option of having gas and electricity. And apparently dealerships can’t stock hybrids fast enough.

I think hybrids are an easier way to introduce consumers to EVs, and I don’t think I’m alone. I believe range anxiety is a huge concern, although Morgan said those types of concerns are “extremely shallow.”
I think price is also an issue having to pay up to $15,000 more for an EV compared to a similar gas-powered car.

“Right now it’s difficult to determine what the culture is, and right now we’re kind of redefining how we look at transportation with electric vehicles and it comes down to almost being a cultural shift more than just a preference in what you’re choosing ,” he said. “Right now a lot of people are apprehensive because there’s been a lot of uncertainty in terms of the equity they have in their houses and it’s not a safe time to be purchasing a depreciating asset while interest rates are high. People are reverting back to their safe bet, which is a gas vehicle, even though they understand the financial logic of an electric vehicle makes sense.”

I get it. You’ll pay more for an EV than a gas-powered car, but you’ll spend a fraction of money recharging your car compared to fueling. Moreover, you won’t have anywhere close to serving your car because there’s only about a third of the parts – and that’s strictly for an EV, not a hybrid.

I suggested the EV and gas-powered situation is an equivalent to the 50s when automatic transmission began to replace standard transmission.

“I would say it’s kind of the difference between a horse carriage and a car,” he said.

He bought a Cadillac Lyriq EV last December for family use to go along with his gas-powered car Corvette and a diesel-powered truck.

“It’s an organic solution to a problem that we didn’t realize we had and at the same time the jury is still out on it,” he said of EVs. “You can say you’re going to be conscious of the environment, but more importantly you’re lowering your operational costs.”

So for people who are apprehensive about buying an EV, the safe option is to buy a hybrid.

“I would say if you are looking to maximize your efficiency and reduce your risk, a hybrid is 100 percent a great option, but manufacturers are geared more to an electric vehicle because that’s where the future of the technology is going,” he said. “I guess it comes down to personal preference. I think a hybrid vehicle is a solid answer for right now, but if you’re looking to get into where the future is going I do believe it is going to include electric. It’s just a matter of how much of the market share and that piece of the pie is going to be.”

In summation, Morgan said in his opinion you really couldn’t find a better time to buy an EV.

“The reason why is you have manufacturers that have overengineered a product (and) they have to make this market work,” he said. “They’ve got billions of dollars invested in this industry, so they can’t come out with a mediocre product…And they are not selling very well, so the manufacturers are giving huge discounts to get people into them.

“So you’ve got this perfect storm where you’ve got an overengineered product, they’re giving a discount on it because they need to get the momentum rolling with it, and the (charging) infrastructure is already in place and you just don’t realize it.”

To buy or not buy an EV, that is the question.

Perry Lefko is the Content Manager of The Car Magazine. He can be reached at [email protected]. Feel free to forward any story suggestions or comments.

Morgan Crosbie sells cars for a living and owns an electric vehicle and as far as he’s concerned the issue of range anxiety is overblown. Morgan has a popular YouTube channel called Cars and Crosbie…

Electric Vehicle Owner Downplays Range Anxiety

Morgan Crosbie sells cars for a living and owns an electric vehicle and as far as he’s concerned the issue of range anxiety is overblown.

Morgan has a popular YouTube channel called Cars and Crosbie that is about anything and everything related to Corvettes. He does that while also working as a sales representative for Finch Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac in London, Ontario. He owns three vehicles, a gas-powered Corvette, diesel-powered pickup truck and EV, specifically the Cadillac LYRIQ that he leased last December. He jokingly calls it his Dad-illac.

“I think a lot of the objections people have about electric vehicles are extremely shallow,” he told me. “Range anxiety is a big one. Once they start to educate themselves on it, they will realize it’s a lot more simplified.”

He said range anxiety shouldn’t be an issue because most people don’t drive 400-500 kilometres a day, which is about the limit most EVs have before they need to be fully charged. He used an example of someone driving from Toronto to Montreal and worrying that they will have to wait five to six hours to recharge once they start to run low.

“In reality, you would only just top it up until you got to your destination and then charge it overnight with wherever you were going on your trip,” he said. “The physics of how batteries work is something people don’t recognize. It takes the same amount of time to go from zero to 80 percent to charge a car as it does to go from 80 to 100.

So it’s a diminishing return when you charge the vehicle. When you are at a low battery level, it charges extremely fast.”

He said topping up an extra 200 kilometres would only take 20 to 30 minutes at a DC fast-charging station. He added by planning a long-distance trip ahead of time using a mobile app and applying it to your car infotainment system, you can see where there are charging stations along the way. He said the charging infrastructure is “exceptional” now with charging stations along most major highways.

“My concern is we’re not going to be able to keep up once these electric vehicles become mainstream,” he said. “Right now, for example, if you wanted to stay at a Marriott Hotel, you can go there and charge overnight for free. We haven’t built this up to the point where we’re having to worry about hotels charging you to park your car overnight. Right now, you can get away with quite a bit and not have to worry about anything.”

To illustrate that, he wanted to push the limits to see how far he could go with his EV. He had a business trip from London to Bowling Green, Kentucky and back. The total distance amounted to almost 2,000 kilometres. He did it in 35 hours, counting the time he spent overnight. His car has a 500-kilometre capacity range.

“I wanted to be able to test what this thing is capable of doing,” he said. “In a scenario where you could drive 1,000 kilometres in a day, this is not as unrealistic as you think because there are DC fast-charging networks that are integrated into your vehicle’s (infotainment system). When you put a destination into your vehicle, it shows you every charging station along the way.

“In about 10 minutes of charging at a DC fast-charging station I could get about 100 kilometres of range,” he added. “I don’t know that many people that are going to drive 500 kilometres to begin with. If you do, you’re definitely going to need to take a break. That break is more than enough time to get you another 200 kilometres of range if you are realistic. That reverts back to that example I was saying that range anxiety is a shallow objection.”

He said some people going on a family vacation treat the driving experience like a NASCAR pit crew changing tires when they stop to refuel or take a break to eat.

“If I’m going to drive 800 kilometres in a day, why not make it a fun adventure and stop somewhere unique and have a bite to eat and at the same time charge up your vehicle,” he said. “Why not have a life experience, charge up the vehicle and get to the final destination at the same time? You’re not really limited to an institutional place to refuel. You should now open up your horizon.

“We’re at a point now where you become more efficient, spend less money and enjoy the road trip part. Why not make it seem like that’s part of the adventure?”

Perry Lefko is the Content Manager of The Car Magazine. He can be reached at [email protected]. Feel free to forward any story suggestions or comments.

When it comes to choosing a new SUV or crossover, the options can be overwhelming. With so many models vying for your attention, how do you decide which one offers the best value, especially when it comes…

Leasing Showdown: Comparing the Monthly Payments of 5 Popular SUV – Crossovers

When it comes to choosing a new SUV or crossover, the options can be overwhelming. With so many models vying for your attention, how do you decide which one offers the best value, especially when it comes to leasing? In this article, we take a close look at five popular SUV/crossovers on the market today: the 2025 Hyundai Tucson Preferred AWD with the Trend Package, the 2024 Ford Escape ST-Line AWD, the 2024 Nissan Rogue SV Moonroof AWD CVT, the 2025 Honda CR-V LX AWD, and the 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan Comfortline 4Motion.

These vehicles are not only fierce competitors in terms of features, technology, and performance but are also battling it out for a larger share of the market. However, one of the most interesting aspects of their rivalry lies in the leasing options available for each. Despite their similarities, there’s a significant difference in the monthly lease payments for these models. In the following paragraphs, we’ll dive into the details of these payments, all based on a 48-month lease term with no money down and before tax, to help you make the most informed decision for your next lease.

As I’ve discussed in previous articles, the lease’s residual value—also known as the buyback or end value of the lease—is an extremely important variable in the calculation of the lease. The higher the residual, the lower the monthly lease payment because one of the key components of a lease payment is the spread between the sale price (or capitalized cost) and the residual amount. If the residual is higher, the spread is lower, resulting in a more affordable monthly payment.

What’s interesting is that some OEM websites disclose the residual value on their lease quotes, while others do not. In most cases, the residual amount is somewhat irrelevant for most lessees since they typically do not intend to exercise the buyback option at the end of the lease. However, for the purpose of this article, research, and OEM confidence in the future value of their product, full residual disclosure would be invaluable. By understanding the residuals, we can gain insight into how much these manufacturers believe their vehicles will retain their value, which directly influences the lease payments you’ll see on the showroom floor.

2025 Hyundai Tucson

  • Sale Price: $41,131
  • Monthly Lease Payment: $526.11 plus tax
  • Interest Rate: 7.99%

Assessment:
The Hyundai Tucson offers a competitive lease payment given its higher interest rate of 7.99%, which is notably higher than the other vehicles in this comparison. Despite this, the monthly payment is relatively moderate compared to some of the others on this list. This suggests that Hyundai might be offering a strong residual value to keep the lease payments in check. However, the high interest rate makes this deal less attractive overall, as you’re paying more in finance charges.

2025 Hyundai Tucson

2024 Ford Escape

  • Sale Price: $40,076
  • Monthly Lease Payment: $552.00 plus tax
  • Interest Rate: 4.99%

Assessment:
The Ford Escape comes with a reasonable interest rate of 4.99% but still has one of the higher monthly payments at $552.00. This suggests that the residual value might not be as strong, or that the initial sale price is slightly inflated. While the interest rate is favorable compared to the Hyundai Tucson, the higher monthly payment may indicate less value in the long run, especially if you’re focused on keeping monthly costs low.

2024 Ford Escape

2024 Nissan Rogue

  • Sale Price: $40,385
  • Monthly Lease Payment: $504.00 plus tax
  • Interest Rate: 3.49%

Assessment:
The Nissan Rogue appears to offer the best deal in terms of monthly payments, with a $504.00 lease payment and a low interest rate of 3.49%. This low interest rate, combined with a reasonable sale price, suggests a favorable residual value and a strong lease offer overall. If you’re looking for the best value in terms of monthly payments, the Rogue stands out as a top contender.

2025 Nissan Rogue

2025 Honda CR-V

  • Sale Price: $39,161
  • Monthly Lease Payment: $543.00 plus tax
  • Interest Rate: 4.99%

Assessment:
The Honda CR-V offers a good balance with a lower sale price and a moderate interest rate of 4.99%. The monthly payment of $543.00 is competitive, though slightly higher than the Rogue. Given the CR-V’s reputation for reliability and resale value, this could be a solid deal for those who value a well-rounded vehicle and are willing to pay a bit more each month for it.

2025 Honda CR-V

2024 Volkswagen Tiguan

  • Sale Price: $41,228
  • Monthly Lease Payment: $563.00 plus tax
  • Interest Rate: 4.99%

Assessment:
The VW Tiguan has the highest monthly payment at $563.00, despite a sale price and interest rate that are similar to the others. This suggests that the residual value might be lower, or the initial pricing is slightly higher. While Volkswagen typically offers a premium experience, this lease deal seems less attractive from a purely financial perspective, especially if you’re prioritizing a lower monthly payment.

Volkswagen Tiguan Side Profile

Overall Value Ranking:

  1. Nissan Rogue – Best value in terms of monthly payment and low interest rate.
  2. Honda CR-V – Strong balance of sale price, interest rate, and monthly payment.
  3. Hyundai Tucson – Competitive monthly payment despite a high interest rate.
  4. Ford Escape – Decent deal but with a higher monthly payment.
  5. Volkswagen Tiguan – Least attractive in terms of monthly payment relative to its sale price and interest rate.

If monthly payment is your top priority, the Nissan Rogue offers the best value. However, if you’re considering other factors like brand reputation or features, the Honda CR-V and Hyundai Tucson may also be worth considering.

James Matthews is the President, General Manager and Co-Founder of LeaseBusters. James launched LeaseBusters in 1990 and is considered one of Canada’s leading experts on new vehicle leases, lease-take-overs and vehicle lease (re)marketing. James can be reached directly at jmatthews at leasebusters.com

Farid Ahmad had attended the IndyCar race in Toronto, but always had the Indy500 on his bucket list. On the weekend of May 24-26, 2024, the President and Founder of Dealer Solutions Mergers & Acquisitions…

Automotive businessman Farid Ahmad crosses the Indy 500 off his bucket list

Farid Ahmad had attended the IndyCar race in Toronto, but always had the Indy500 on his bucket list.

On the weekend of May 24-26, 2024, the President and Founder of Dealer Solutions Mergers & Acquisitions made the trip to Indianapolis to attend the historic race with his wife, Kim, and sons, Payam, 28, and Cameron, 26. He “finally made the plunge” when his sons were in their 20s so they could appreciate the race.

Farid booked an exclusive VIP package a year ago through an organization called Princeton Group Sports that provides hotel accommodation, access to see the cars up close and learn about the history of the race, grandstand seating and police escort to and from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

They arrived Friday night, and the following day they and the others who booked the package were taken to the track and given a view of the cars and then went to a massive parade. The next day they left at nine in the morning for the start of the race at noon.

USAF Thunderbirds and the Borg Warner Trophy by Chris Owens

“If you didn’t leave at nine, you’d never get in,” Farid said. “When you’re going, every house around the speedway is jammed with cars.”

A torrential rainstorm pushed back the scheduled start time four hours but did not dampen Farid and his family’s enthusiasm. Farid marvelled seeing trucks with blowers on the back that dried off the track.

Before the race started, singer Jim Cornelison and the Purdue Marching Band performed Back Home Again In Indiana.

US Air Force Thunderbirds - 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 - By Aaron Skillman

“It was so patriotic hearing the crowd, it was quite moving,” Farid said. “It’s indescribable, very much so. It was 1,000 percent unlike anything I’ve ever heard before. I couldn’t express it any better than that.”

Then came the most famous words in motorsports, “Drivers Start Your Engines,” which was done by Roger Penske, Chairman of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Scott McLaughlin - 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 - By Joe Skibinski
Scott Dixon - 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 - By Joe Skibinski
Photo by Farid Ahmad Indy 500
Photo by Farid Ahmad Indy 500

“There was massive excitement from the crowd, everyone was standing, what I didn’t realize was how many people were on the track by each car until the drivers started their engines,” Farid said. “It’s fricking loud. You have to wear earplugs.”    

Pit Road Action - 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 - By Joe Skibinski
Scott McLaughlin - Pit stop - 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 - By Joe Skibinski

What made the experience even more enriching was the final lap that saw Josef Newgarden of Team Penske repeat as the winner, edging Pato O’Ward of Arrow McLaren in a tight finish.

“I didn’t realize how close it was, it was just fabulous,” Farid said.

Josef Newgarden - 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 - By Joe Skibinski

He described the entire experience as phenomenal.

“I had never seen so many people at an event as you do at the Indy500 and so much enthusiasm from supporters,” Farid said. “I had never met so many people who had been going to it consistently for like 20 years. It was amazing.”

He said anyone who has never been to the race should experience it at least once.

“I think you really got to feel the energy in the crowd, the race is fantastic, the engineering of these cars is just ridiculous,” Farid said. “It’s the closest thing to F1 obviously, but the Indy is such a large scale because of the people, the cars and all that stuff.”

He said the whole night after the race he and his family were talking about the experience.

“It’s one thing you can’t come down very easy from,” Farid said. “It was just phenomenal.”

Perry Lefko is the Content Manager of The Car Magazine. He can be reached at [email protected]. Feel free to forward any story suggestions or comments.

While vacationing this month in Bar Harbor, Maine, I became fascinated with license plates, specifically ones of cars from various parts of the United States. Bar Harbor is a tourist destination and it…

American License Plates Are Fascinating

While vacationing this month in Bar Harbor, Maine, I became fascinated with license plates, specifically ones of cars from various parts of the United States.

Bar Harbor is a tourist destination and it became apparent that this region of the U.S. attracts people from across the country, as well as some from Ontario and Quebec. I saw a few plates from both provinces.

I even saw a place in town that has a wall with American license plates affixed to it. Clearly I’m not the only one interested in U.S. license plates. For me, it turned into a history lesson and I snapped photos of plates, which probably seemed weird to people who saw me doing it.

A wall with various license plates from across the USA

I am familiar with the slogans of the more prominent American states, such as Empire State for New York and which has distinctive orange and black colours. But some plates were white with the word Excelsior in black lettering and various images. To discover why, I searched Wikipedia and came across the state’s department of motor vehicles site. This design, which includes images of Niagara Falls, a mountain range, the Statue of Liberty, the New York City skyline and a Long Island lighthouse, was the winner among several considered in a state vote. Excelsior means ever upward in Latin. The plates are pleasant to the eye, though the old ones stand out just for tradition, in my opinion.

Artwork on the license plate from New York
Artwork on the license plate from New York
License plate from New York

Florida, of course, has the Sunshine State. I figured the people who drove from there to Maine wanted to escape the summer heat.

New Jersey is the Garden State, though I also saw a plate with the slogan Shore To Please.

I found out Maine has some plates with Vacationland and others with A Natural Treasure. I get that it’s a vacation spot, and apparently it a natural treasure because within state lines are hundreds of little gems just waiting to be discovered – according to the University of Maine website. But shouldn’t Maine have a reference to lobsters?

Minnesota is 10,000 Lakes. I am more familiar with it as a place that is a hotbed for hockey, Wisconsin is America’s Dairyland, which is fairly straightforward, as is Peach State for Georgia.

North Carolina is First In Flight. Apparently it’s a tribute to the first self-powered manned flight that took off in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

I also saw North Carolina plates with the word Weighted. Apparently, the weight tag refers specifically to the weight of the car and the trailer used for hauling property.

Ohio plates have the words The Birthplace Of Aviation and is a tribute to Orville and Wilbur Wright, who invented the first airplane.

Massachusetts is The Spirit of America. I saw on the site Forerunner.com the slogan was devised as a means to secure financial gain from the Commonwealth, but it is strikingly prophetic of a spiritual reality – for good or evil. Massachusetts has been the spiritual focal point of the U.S. for the past 370 years, and the politics and ethics of the U.S. were birthed in Massachusetts. It’s also a Bee Gees song.

The Indiana plate I saw had the words I’d Rather Be Down The Shore. Apparently there are different slogans that begin with I’d Rather Be. When I think of Indiana it’s the song Back Home in Indiana sung before the Indy500. When I was growing up it was sung by Jim Nabors, who played the goofy TV character Gomer Pyle. Jim Nabors had one of the deepest voices when he sang, which was in contrast to the high-pitched “golly” of his character.

Illinois is Land Of Lincoln, which is a tribute to Abraham Lincoln.

Arkansas is The Natural State because of its lakes, rivers, mountains and wildlife.

The Alabama plate has God Bless America and the American flag in the background. It’s rather nice. The plate I saw had the personalized abbreviation GODSGRC.

Virginia is, of course, for lovers.

Connecticut is called the Constitution State. It was deemed the Constitution State by the General Assembly in 1959, according to the Connecticut State Library site.

There were plates that really surprised me, if only because they were so powerful and spoke to American history.

License plate from New Hampshire

New Hampshire’s is Live Free Or Die, which is the state motto. According to the official New Hampshire government website, the words live free or die come from the words uttered by General John Stark, a distinguished war hero of the Revolutionary War, in 1809. It later became the official motto of the state.

The most powerful words I saw of any plate were the ones from Washington, D.C. – End Taxation Without Representation. According to the State of Washington, D.C. website, the citizens of the District of Columbia have been subjected to systemic inequality and denied the full rights of citizenship that the residents of other states enjoy, including voting representation in Congress.

License plate from Washington, District of Columbia

Moreover, Washington D.C. residents pay more taxes than residents in 22 states and pay more per capita to the federal government than any state. Additionally, D.C. is subject to the whims of the federal government where Congress interferes with its local laws, local funding and operations. To really emphasize this disparity, the site says D.C. has all the same responsibilities, but not the same rights, as its fellow Americans and its residents are treated as second-class citizens.

By the way for residents of America, the Province of Ontario plate has the slogan Yours To Discover. I have no idea why, but the current premier wanted to change it to Open For Business, but it was shot down.

Perry Lefko is the Content Manager of The Car Magazine. He can be reached at [email protected]. Feel free to forward any story suggestions or comments.

My wife, Jane, and I drove from our home in Mississauga to Bar Harbor, Maine earlier this month, using my 2018 Mazda 3 and the route to and from gave me a glimpse of America I hadn’t seen before. I’ve…

My Journey Through Rural America

My wife, Jane, and I drove from our home in Mississauga to Bar Harbor, Maine earlier this month, using my 2018 Mazda 3 and the route to and from gave me a glimpse of America I hadn’t seen before. I’ve been in the U.S. many times for work and vacation, and many ways I now have a better understanding of the rural fabric of the U.S. and the country in general.

Village of Bar Harbor Maine

We went to Bar Harbor because Jane had seen it featured in a TV show. Bar Harbor also appealed to her as a tourist town because it overlooked the Atlantic Ocean.

Maine is the headquarters of L.L. Bean, the clothing store that is famous for its outdoor gear and camping equipment. We’ve shopped from the catalogue and bought clothes at a store near us.

Jane chose the route to get to Maine, specifically going east to Quebec and then veering into Vermont. Though we had navigation issues once we crossed over to Quebec – mostly my fault because I am terrible with directions and lousy reading maps – we made it to Vermont and stayed overnight in Burlington after driving eight or so hours.

The next day we began a linear route using a country highway and went through small towns, each of which had Dunkin’ Donuts stores seemingly everywhere. They are the equivalent to Tim Hortons but have all but ceased operations in Canada.

We also saw numerous Irving/Circle K gas stations. The Irving family is famous in New Brunswick for its oil business.

From Vermont we continued into New Hampshire, which had a Santa’s Village, which reminded me so much of a similar theme park in Bracebridge that became a regular stop for me spending summers nearby at the family cottage in Baysville. Jane and I often took our kids, Ben and Shayna, to Santa’s Village when they were younger.


Our route through New Hampshire seemed to take forever because of ongoing road work. Throughout the drive, we kept looking for signs indicating how far or close we were to Maine.

Jane on the Muskoka Chair at the Bluenose Inn

 They were nowhere to be seen and I kept saying to myself what it must be like to travel with kids saying, “How much further?” In rural roads in Ontario, there are signs everywhere giving you distances to the nearest towns.

We continued into Maine and headed towards Bangor, which is the major city nearest to Bar Harbor. It just so happened the small town of Ellsworth on route to Bangor had an L.L. Bean outlet, which was lucky for us because we could visit it on the way back instead of going into a store in a more prominent part of the state.

I had already booked reservations in Bar Harbor at The Bluenose Inn. It sits high atop a hill and provides an excellent view of the harbor. Jane said she wanted an oceanfront view. The inn is named after the famous Nova Scotian fishing vessel, Bluenose, which has been memorialized on three Canadian stamps and is featured on the Nova Scotia license plate and the Canadian dime. Exactly why the hotel is specifically named The Bluenose, I’m not sure.

The Bluenose Inn is pure Americana because of American flags draping various areas of the property. There’s even enlarged 15-foot high Muskoka chairs with the hotel logo and painted in red, white and blue. I snapped a shot of Jane sitting in one.

Bluenose Inn

Now I’ll be honest, it isn’t cheap to stay at the hotel. In Canadian currency, it is north of $600 a night. It has amenities such as an outdoor pool and indoor pool with a sauna, whirlpool and exercise facility but does not provide complimentary breakfast that many cheaper hotels do. . I emphasize cheaper. It has a restaurant with a great view and a relatively inexpensive menu. I recommend eating in town anyway because of the many restaurants with so many different menus, not all lobster and seafood by the way. The pizza places are really good.   

Meet me at Geddy's

Each day we trekked down the hill into town, which took about 20 minutes. We quickly developed pain in our calves from the walks, which we opted to do rather than drive into town. We found it a great way to get into shape and burn off calories. Parking is also an issue in town.

There are also shops for clothing featuring Bar Harbor and Maine logos. One of the more interesting restaurants is called Geddy’s, which has a cartoon on the storefront window of Rush bassist Geddy Lee. He has no stake in it and I’m not sure if he knows about Geddy’s. As an aside, his autobiography, My Effin’ Life, was on sale at a bookstore across the road.

Save the Ales - atlantic Brewing Company

There’d also a few craft breweries in town, including one with the slogan “Save The Ales.”

Bar Harbor has estates that are remnants of places built more than a century ago. Bar Harbor had high-society events reported in the New York Times and other prominent newspapers in cities on the East Coast. Smack dab in town is La Rochelle, a 41-room, 13,000 square foot mansion purchased by the Historical Society in 2019 because it wanted a new location for its museum. The mansion was originally the summer home of the Bowdoin family, who lived on Park Avenue and brought their servants with them for the summer.

Some of the estates have been converted into bed and breakfasts inns. A fire in 1947 in the business district burned 170 permanent homes and five large historic hotels. While there is a monument heading into town of the great fire, you would not even know there had been any damage in the area.

Bar Harbor has daily boat tours to see wildlife and marine life. For $5 you can rent binoculars, which we didn’t do, which was a mistake. It would have been useful to see the bald eagles, which seemed perched invisibly in the dense trees far off in the distance. The tour guide kept insisting they were there, and I was waiting for one to dart into the water, pick up a fish and fly away. It was far easier to see the whales, seals and dolphins. I snapped some photos, but didn’t see any whales breaching, which Jane and I saw during our trip several years ago to Gloucester, Massachusetts. Parts of the movie The Perfect Storm were shot there, by the way.

Whale Fluke

I took a pill to avoid sea sickness. We were told by the tour guide the undulation of the ocean could cause the boat to go rock. She strongly recommended holding on to the rails and look at the horizon if you felt sick. I saw numerous people with their heads in the “motion sickness bag” – that’s not as harsh as barf bags. The marine life cruise took four hours because we had to go far to track the whales, so I felt sorry for the people who spent all that time feeling sick and not getting to experience the wonders of these mammals.

Near the hotel is Acadia National Park. It is famous for its cliffs and trails, but it’s almost impossible to park near the main center unless you get there really early in the morning. Parking your car on the curving roads near the trails is not easy. We were hoping to find Sand Beach and Echo Beach, which apparently are popular for swimming, but we couldn’t find parking for either, and ended up frustrated and just wanted to get back to the hotel. There are shuttles available around town if you want to tour the park.

If you want to go swimming, Bar Harbor is not the place to do it. Gloucester has places to swim with pristine white beaches, either for the ocean or lakes. Bar Harbor has a sand bar crossing over to an island, but you have to hit it during high tide, and once you get to the island there is nothing to see. The ocean water in Bar Harbor is cold, far more than in Gloucester. If you want to swim in Bar Harbor, a hotel is your best bet. The Bluewater Inn has a great outdoor pool.

After five nights we checked out and began the drive back home, this time with Jane choosing a more mainstream highway route. We stopped off at the L.L. Bean outlet and picked up some clothes and then proceeded to the nearest main thoroughfare into New Hampshire, then Massachusetts and New York. We stopped off in Springfield, but much to our surprise and chagrin the hotels were all booked. The first one was reserved by the U.S. Government for immigrants. When it became apparent we were out of luck, we drove an hour to Albany, only to find out vacancy was also an issue. We finally found a hotel that had one room available. Having driven eight hours, we just wanted a place to settle for the night. We considered ourselves lucky because we had thoughts of sleeping in the car. The room had a dank smell and broken air conditioning and couldn’t be fixed at that hour. We opened a window and were told we’d be given a break in the rate.

The next day we had breakfast, which was included in the room rate, and drove four hours to Buffalo. I was stunned by a sign that said Welcome To Buffalo, An All America City. I didn’t see any town signs throughout our trip that purposely had America written on it.

We arrived home two hours later. It took basically the same time overall for the drives to and from Bar Harbor, but less stressful on the way back, notwithstanding the issue with the hotels.

If you want to visit Bar Harbor, I recommend driving there rather than flying and renting a car if you want a true glimpse of America. If you want to spend less money staying in a bed-and-breakfast inn rather than something fancier, it’s an option depending on your budget. If you want to go somewhere to swim in the ocean or a lake, this is not the vacation spot to do it.

But if you want seafood with a view of the ocean and a great vibe, it’s worth the trip.

By the way, I saw t-shirts with the words BAA HAA BAA. I had to laugh at that. I didn’t detect any strong Massachusetts accents around town, but it was funny, nonetheless.

Bahaha.

Perry Lefko is the Content Manager of The Car Magazine. He can be reached at [email protected]. Feel free to forward any story suggestions or comments.