Photo Contest: Suzuki Supermotard, Outlaw T-Bird, Porsche Carrera and YZ125

Above: Mike's 2005 Suzuki DRZ400SM. Modifications include full Yoshimura stainless exhaust, K&N filter and jet kit, and Acerbis hand guards. Rockford,IL.


Above: Mike Barton, National President of the Thunderbird Owners Club of Australia, bought his 1994 Ford Thunderbird LX 4.6L V8, 2 years ago in Santa Ana, California, because he liked the NASCAR-inspired body shape.

Mike then had the car shipped back home to Australia in 2009. However, under Australian import rules, he's unable to register the vehicle for road use in Australia as a left-hand drive unit until 2024, when the vehicle is 30 years old. He discussed my options with the Australian Federal Department of Transport in writing and for over an hour on the phone highlighting that his planned right-hand drive conversion would meet all design requirements and be engineer-certified, but no luck.

Ironically, Mike can build a car from spare parts and have it legally registered, but not his imported TBird.

Mike is also a member of the Australian Racing Drivers Club and the New South Wales Road Racing club and has a racing license. So he takes his TBird to track days, Supersprints, etc. to give it a run.

The photo above shows Mike in his TBird during a Supersprint at Wakefield Park Raceway, Goulburn, NSW Australia.


Above: Paul C. Vollmar's 1974 Porsche Carrera while parked in the garage area of Texas World Speedway, waiting for the Porsche Club of America race in 1997. Paul purchased the car new in 1974, and had logged over 200,000 miles by the time this photo was taken. Camp Hill, PA.



Above: Ted Abear of Ironton, Minnesota, began riding dirt bikes last year, inspired by several of his buddies who also have bikes and ride them in a sandpit just out of town. So Ted purchased his 2001 Yamaha YZ125 from a family friend, and found out that he absolutely loves riding.

But Ted's love for competition did not stop at the sandpit. In 2010 he also raced a couple motocross races and is now planning on doing many more this upcoming summer. He tells us, "I've never felt such a rush before as I do now whenever I take my bike out to go ride!"

Oh, we totally understand!