CURE FOR A CLUNKER
November 28, 2022
THE AUTO BUILDER
Featured
70 Years of Cool: The Tri-Five Chevy Turns Platinum
July 24, 2025
The Cars That Defined HPX 2026
June 11, 2026
MERC-O-MATIC MAKEOVER
Gil Losi, the owner of this super-slick ’54 Mercury Monterey—which was a year in the making—has quite a liking for the ’54 Mercury body style. He’s owned several of the stylish Monterey hardtops, but this one tops them all with its slammed stance, laser-straight paint and bodywork and 32-valve DOHC engine. One of the many great aspects of this particular Mercury Monterey is that Steve Cook’s team started with a good body. It was solid and already featured a low-down stance, but the crew reworked every part of the car into what you see here.
Fab’d Four Recap: On the Road to the Triple Crown
We’ve been road-tripping all year long through the Fab’d Four of Auto Shows, chasing the best builds, the wildest debuts, and the kind of iron that makes you stop mid-sentence just to stare. Three shows in, we’ve already seen cars that melted minds and trucks that had crowds three-deep around them.
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: The Accusump by Canton Racing Products
Here’s the deal: if you’ve got a V-8 or a high-horsepower V-6 or 4-banger and you’re not running an Accusump, you’re gambling with your engine’s life. The 24-006 Accusump 3 Qt No Valve is one of those pieces of gear you slap on and immediately wonder why you didn’t do it sooner. It’s been saving engines—and wallets—for over 30 years. Let’s break it down.
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Honoring a Legend
ARP Pays Tribute to George Poteet at the 75th Grand National Roadster Show
The 75th Annual Grand National Roadster Show went down from January 31 to February 2, 2025, and for those who live and breathe speed, this one hit different. ARP Racing Products turned their booth into a full-blown tribute to land speed legend George Poteet, who passed away last year, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire.
Author
The Auto Builder Staff
Photography by Scott Killeen
The Grand National Roadster Show
The Grand National Roadster Show is the indoor car show. The one that’s been setting the bar for 75 years. Held at the Pomona Fairplex, it’s the place where hot rods, customs, muscle cars, and everything cool with wheels come together under one roof. This year, amidst the insane builds and rolling artwork, the tribute to Poteet stood out—not just as a remembrance, but as a reminder of what’s possible when you push the envelope.
Remembering George Poteet
If you know anything about speed, you know George Poteet wasn’t just another guy in the game—he was the guy. A true racer, a visionary, and a flat-out speed freak in the best possible way. The man behind the legendary Speed Demon 715, Poteet wasn’t about the talk—he was about setting records and making history. That car? Fastest piston-engine, wheel-driven land speed car in the world. That’s not just fast—that’s history in motion.
The Speed Demon 715
ARP brought out the big guns for this tribute, giving fans a close-up look at the Speed Demon 715. This isn’t just any car—it’s the pinnacle of land speed engineering. A machine that cracked the 400-mph barrier and shattered more records than any other in its class. Standing next to it, you could almost feel the salt beneath your feet and hear the roar of the turbo V8 screaming across Bonneville. It was a moment for every gearhead who ever dreamed of pushing the limits.
Why It Mattered
George Poteet wasn’t just a racer; he was an inspiration. His dedication, his drive, and his willingness to push beyond what was thought possible made him a legend. The folks at ARP knew it, and that’s why this tribute mattered. It wasn’t just about looking back—it was about celebrating the kind of relentless passion that moves the entire industry forward.
Keeping the Legacy Alive
For those who made it to the ARP booth, it wasn’t just about paying respects—it was about being part of something bigger. Poteet’s legacy isn’t just in the records he set, but in the spirit he embodied. And if this show proved anything, it’s that true speed demons never fade—they just keep inspiring the next wave of racers to go even faster.
ARTICLE SOURCES
Speed Demon
A webpage dedicated to Speed Demon 715, the fastest piston engine/wheel driven car in the world.
