Episode 10... it's been a blast! This is the last regular episode with a series summary coming down the pike soon. This episode features consecutive 2012 and 2013 national United States Sprint Boat Association (USSBA) champions Kyle and Alex Patrick of Psycho Racing. I was lucky enough to go out and see them race at an official USSBA race that was sponsored by Lucas Oil at the now decommissioned Field of Dreams in Albany, Oregon.

I got to delve into the passion that both Kyle and Alex share for going fast on the water in a Sprint Boat. This little 13 ft beasty sports a 408 small block Chevy that is producing somewhere north of 700 hp and can pull over 6 lateral G's in the turns! Kyle and Alex race in the A400 class and will soon be competing for the world championship in New Zealand!

Episode 10 features artist Mike Lavallee who is a cut above the rest. With Mike's ability to paint what actually looks like fire, his ability to lay down paints licks set vehicles ablaze. Unfortunately Mike suddenly passed away in 2020, but he was extremely prolific and left us with many pieces of amazing art. He touched many peoples hearts with his jovial personality, his huge heart and his desire to please and create magic. In this episode, Mike shares a powerful story about how an seemingly insignificant gesture changed his life forever. Even though I only spent a couple of days with Mike shooting this episode, it felt like we were long lost pals and we had a great time. Mike, I sure do miss you buddy!

I got to hang with David Vital and talk a bit about his E30 M3. His car is waaaay custom and features a 5-speed and a built 3.2 liter six. David talks a bit about his car, but he also gives us some insight into how he has transferred his passion to his son. This is great because what a great way to bond and have a great time. Yep, great, great, great!!

I got to hang out with Don Rush of West Coast Classic Cougar and shoot the breeze about what the automobile means to him. I also got to check out a ton of cool Cats at two of WCCC's annual open house events. Don has been lucky enough to not only figure out what he is passionate about, but lucky as heck to turn it into a well paying gig and feed his family. In the end, isn't that what it's really all about? Don is also the primary sponsor of Velocity Quest, give him some love and check out his site!
http://www2.cougarpartscatalog.com/

I got to hang out at the Umpqua dunes with Mike Smith where we shot the breeze and terrorized the sand in his turbo'ed VW rail. Mike built his badass machine in his garage showing us that seemingly ordinary people can create extraordinary machines anywhere. That is what this series is about, understanding how passion can lead and individual to create something and lead them on a journey of self discovery.

"Phat Pat" is getting his stunt on in episode 5 of Velocity Quest! Pat has tweaked, tuned and dialed in his bike to have impact. Can you tell what kind of person Pat is by looking at his bike? In his interview, he lays out his choices for the theme of his bike and he shows us that this passion has roots that can extend way back into our childhoods. Our vehicular expressions are a window that can go right to the center of our mind and, if you pay close attention to the symbology, will show you exactly what make a fella or lady tick.

Jeff and his dad Chip Chipman give us an inside look at their toy box where we get to talk car stuff and bear witness to a rampaging elephant! Jeff's 1968 Doge Dart is equipped with dual carbed Hemi that really roars! Is this episode we also get to explore the infectious mechanism that is responsible for the transfer of passion. Typically this type of passion is pasted from father to son. But in V/Q episode 4 we get to witness not only mega Hemi badassery, but we also get to see that passion can go from son to father. Get comfy, score ya a cold one and enjoy!

Velocity Quest episode 3 is coming at you straight from the past! In this episode, we get to sit down with Todd Toedtli and checkout his automotive wonderland that is All American Classics in Vancouver, Washington. Classic vehicles are a direct link to our past and these metal ghosts show us where we have come from. However, unlike other types of ghosts, these mechanical apparitions get to live on in other vehicles that still tear up the streets to this very day. If you love sweaty patina and classic American iron, this episode is for you.

The vehicles that have come to their final resting place in Todd's yard are a direct link to the imaginations that have influenced the world with their beautiful machines. Through these archaic relics, we can see just how we have managed to get to the technological frontier that we now reside in today. They all have a story, they have all had a long fulfilled life and they all carry the hopes and dreams of a nation. Todd does not just sell parts, he fulfills dreams. He does not just reside over a wonderland, he builds bridges between our optimism and our desire to create functional mechanical art.

Velocity Quest episode 2 is all about high speed on the water. You'll meet Cody Rose who has an addiction that no street dealer can fix. He needs to go fast! Cody goes fast in a 1300 horsepower, flat bottomed, propeller driven, alcohol swilling beast that can accelerate to over 130 mph in just shy of 7 seconds. Skipping across the water at those speeds is an experience that few will ever feel. But in this episode, maybe you will get to come close.

Cody is a rare breed of human that chases the razors edge that lies between truly living and dying in spectacular fashion. I suspect that it's close to that precibus where Cody feels the most alive. That place where the essence of the human condition is at it's height and where it speaks to what it means to be alive as a conscious being. Get seated, fire up your imagination and hold on! Velocity Quest is coming at you now!

In Velocity Quest episode 1, you will get to meet Dave Eckert and the Mach 40. Dave and his team at Eckert's Rod and Custom in Molalla, Oregon are automotive artists of the highest caliber. One of their latest creations, the Mach 40, is one of the highest quality automotive creations to ever grace the asphalt and has the power to devour it at an amazing pace. Eckert's Rod and Custom's creation is the seemless blending of a 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 and a Ford GT with a bit of Corvette Z06 thrown in for good measure. With 11,000 man hours into the building of this mid-engined masterpiece, you will not find an imperfection anywhere. This car exemplifies badass!

At it's core, Velocity Quest is the anthropological, psychological and sociological study of the relationships that humans have with modified vehicles. Dave tells us a bit about how he was introduced to the passion and how he feels about the true high art that he and his team create. The vehicles they build transcend utilitarian transportation and enter the realm of magic where form and function meet as equals. Ultra high-end one-off creations like the Mach 40 tend to speak to the heart of the human condition and show us who we are. They also expose the mechanisms that have driven our evolution as a species and can be a window into our technological future.