LaSota Racing Technologies

We had the pleasure of spending a few days at Put-In-Bay, Ohio to watch the annual vintage sports car races. Not any fire breathing Mustangs, but lots of old cool cars!

For those of you that do not know where it is, here is a short description.

Put-in-Bay is a small, historic village on South Bass Island in Lake Erie, Ohio. It's a popular summer tourist destination often called the "Key West of the North" for its lively atmosphere. Weekdays are great for family fun, but weekend nights in the summer families may want to avoid. It gets very rowdy.

History & Name Origin 📜
The name "Put-in-Bay" is thought to have come from sailors who would "put in" the bay for shelter from sudden storms on Lake Erie. The island played a significant role in the War of 1812 when Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry used the harbor as a base. From here, he sailed to defeat the British fleet in the Battle of Lake Erie on September 10, 1813. The victory is commemorated by the Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial, a 352-foot granite column visible for miles. The island's rich soil and climate also led to a thriving wine industry in the mid-19th century, with vineyards and wineries still operating today.

What to Do & See 🗺️
Put-in-Bay offers a mix of historical sites, natural attractions, and entertainment. Many visitors get around the small island by renting golf carts.

Historical and Natural Sites: Key attractions include the Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial, Perry's Cave (an underground cave), and Heineman's Winery, which is home to the world's largest geode, the Crystal Cave.

Recreation: Visitors can enjoy activities like kayaking, parasailing, and exploring the island's state park. There are also family-friendly spots like the Butterfly House and Kimberly's Carousel.

Nightlife: Downtown Put-in-Bay has a vibrant scene with numerous bars, restaurants, and live music venues.

Holy smokes! What a weekend at the PRI Show in Indianapolis a few weeks ago! 🏎️🔥 From the latest engine tech to mind-blowing custom builds, it was a motorhead's dream come true.

We have ben to the SEMA show in Las Vegas, and the PRI show in Indy many times. Even though SEMA dwarfs PRI, I HATE Las Vegas.

Don't get me wrong, Vegas has its own kind of charm (and those buffets which have gotten ridiculously expensive!), but Indy just felt like a better fit for the racing world.
Here's my take:

Midwest Vibes: Indy has this genuine, down-to-earth feel. People were friendly, the city was easy to navigate, and the overall atmosphere was more relaxed. Vegas always feels like everyone is hustling you.
Racing Heritage: You can feel the history of motorsports here. Being so close to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and all that racing legacy adds something special.
More Focused: In Vegas, it's easy to get distracted by all the shows, the crazy stuff on the streets and casinos. In Indy, the focus stayed on the PRI Show and connecting with other motorsports enthusiasts.

Anyone else feel the same way? Maybe it's just me, but Indy won me over for sure this year.

Also in Vegas, the homeless crisis is overwhelming. I have always been a advocate for the homeless, but getting terrorized and almost mugged coming out of a McDonald's was a bit too much, and it was the same guy who we bought breakfast for 15 minutes earlier

We had the pleasure to tune a 1966 Ford Fairlane over the last week. I had a 1966 Fairlane many years ago so these are near and dear to me. Even today, the styling is terrific. This one is equipped with a Coyote 5.0L motor, which I am sure would let it blow the doors off an older 390 GT/A Fairlane. Normally when we tune swaps like these, we see occasional small glitches with mechanical/wiring components. It is such a lot of work, it is very tough to get everything thing 100%. But not this one, everything was perfect and it was easy to tune. The owner did a remarkable job with it. I think it is a work of art! A shot of nitrous is coming to it really soon!