In my experience, gearheads choose one of two movies as their favorite all-time: Smokey and the Bandit or Days of Thunder. Folks who fall in the former camp usually end up driving a big rig themselves or operating heavy equipment, whereas people with supreme affection for the latter dump their money into junked-out track toys. I’m not saying either description is absolutely true, but looking at this slick video edit that portrays a goofy all-minivan crash fest as Cole Trickle’s next challenge to conquer seems to support my theory.
It highlights the Vice Grip Garage Vandemonium event at Holley’s MoParty festival in Bowling Green, Kentucky. As you’ll soon see in the excellent work of cinematography, it was a run-what-you-brung showdown where drivers raced minivans with all sorts of mods. Without it, I may have never seen a Grand Caravan taxi with a turbo:
A post shared by Holley Moparty (@holleymoparty)
I have to say, a Kentucky circle track is exactly where I’d expect to find a blue van with a Plymouth Superbird chin and spoiler. That’s coming from a Missouri Ozarks hillbilly, so just know it’s not a jab—if anything, I’m jealous. That Richard Petty-inspired people hauler didn’t win the competition, but by golly, it won people’s hearts.
The killer camera work made Beech Bend Raceway Park feel a lot like Daytona, and then there’s the Hans Zimmer-composed soundtrack. It has all the right makings of a classic. If you haven’t watched the original in a while, here it is for comparison:
A Holley spokesperson told me they produced their rendition in-house, so props to them. It might not earn them an Oscar, but who cares? It gives off the same vibe as your favorite car-lover’s go-to comfort watch. That’s something we should celebrate.
Got a tip or question for the author? Contact them directly: caleb@thedrive.com
From running point on new car launch coverage to editing long-form features and reviews, Caleb does some of everything at The Drive. And he really, really loves trucks.
