That’s right folks, the Big Red Camaro that Hot Rod Magazine billed as the Baddest Ever, is coming to your TV screen soon. We’ve been watching for the past couple of years as RJ Gottlieb and crew have been filming like mad men, and it looks like all that has finally come to fruition. We are super excited about this one! You should be too. Whether you are a ’69 Camaro guy, like me, or just a hot rodder in general, this car is one for the ages. It gives us lumber, we’re not going to lie. This 8 episode series is the documentary of the life, the speed, the passion that Big Red Camaro is all about. Here is a teaser  of what you can expect, along with a bit of the history of Big Red below that along with the Press Release with details on the new TV Show.

(Words by Suzy Bauter, Photos provided by Team Big Red)

Today’s History is Yesterday’s Racecar

Ever wonder what’s going on with the once-infamous “Baddest Camaro Ever”? Well, I had a chance to catch up with Team Big Red Camaro and the answer it seems, is: Plenty.

If you’re too young to know about Big Red Camaro, Google it – it’ll give you an idea of where pro-touring started and save me the typing. As for you guys who know exactly what I’m talking about, I know you’re thinking “What DID happen to that car?”

Deemed the “Baddest Ever” Big Red Camaro had managed to win road races all over the country, only to be mothballed in 1996 in a museum in Sparks, Nevada. (Queue Debbie Downer) For nearly ten years the car was ogled by armchair racers recalling the days of fame and lost fortune in Big Red’s past as the car was rotting before their very eyes. After schooling and some life lessons learned on the East Coast, owner and pilot RJ Gottlieb returned to Southern California and committed to bringing Big Red back to life. A dedicated team brought the car out of retirement, overhauled it adding an all new 598 cubic inch Larry Mollicone crafted power plant (that produces nearly 1100 horsepower) along with some safety and modernization to back it up. To give you an idea of the numbers, the car was producing at this point: approx. 215 mph at 7,000 rpm at the Silver State Challenge that same year.

Keep in mind that back in the day, the car went from a sleeper, to a full-blown racecar (with several usage-appropriate platforms to swap out as needed) always using as little ‘modern’ technology as the team could resist. RJ’s original wish for the car was to be as close to stock as possible – until blowers and cubic inches were necessary to keep winning. Funny how that goes when you build a classic car to race once in a while – anyone else familiar with this path?

Throughout the early days, Team Big Red stuck with a naturally aspirated fuel system in order to remain true to the car’s roots. Keeping the spirit, the post-museum rebuild aimed to keep the carb and as much of the original nature of the car as possible while still being competitive with the newer builds.

Fast forward a few years and in 2013 the decision was made to take on the fabled world of Land Speed Racing bringing on a great many changes to Big Red as she found her way to one of the great dry lakes of Southern California-El Mirage. Running for SCTA Records in a class that allowed Big Red’s traditional unmodified body style (all steel body except the hood and glove box, mirror, hinges, etc.) but required the use of forced induction the beast now sported an 1800 horsepower supercharged motor for the very first time ever. Countless other changes had to be made for both regulatory reasons as well as the pursuit of maximum speed, but with the exception of the snorkel type hood cowl, Big Red remains as true to the original as the rulebook will allow.

Mojave

Big Red’s Land Speed Record dreams ultimately take her to the world-famous salt flats of Bonneville International Speedway wherein August of 2013 an attempt at the class record of 246.767mph is made. Over the course of the 9-day event Big Red chewed up the salt and reached speeds in excess of 227mph; not enough to break a record but firing up the team to continue the quest.

Three weeks ago, Big Red made it to the Mojave Mile where the car ran 238.1 mph in the Magnum, and was officially the fastest (and baddest) car at the event.

I tell you all of this because Big Red (in addition to Land Speed Record competition) is coming to a town near you and you’ll likely get a chance to root on this hero of so many car builders past and present. Big Red might do a striptease and even kick your ass at a street car event – you never know.

BIG RED CAMARO RETURNS TO THE SPOTLIGHT IN NEW TELEVISION DOCUMENTARY SERIES

‘Big Red: The Original Outlaw Racer’ to Chronicle Racing History

Showcasing Over 30 Years of Footage 

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – May 26, 2015 – Handcrafted Entertainment and Team Big Red Camaro, today announced a television series about the legendary car, its winning driver RJ Gottlieb and the crew that holds the car together, called Big Red: The Original Outlaw Racer. The series unravels Big Red’s iconic past from its birth in a GM factory in the late 1960’s – to its renaissance in 1986, when father and son, Dan & R.J. Gottlieb, re-imagined the ’69 Z/28 – to present day. The eight, one-hour episode series will follow Big Red’s journey from the wide open road racing of The Silver State Challenge to the intense door-to-door action in Vintage Auto Racing and on to record setting high speeds on the salt at Bonneville. Big Red: The Original Outlaw Racer, premiers Monday, July 27^th, 2015 at 9:00PM EST on NBCSN. The series will continue in the same prime time slot for eight consecutive Mondays throughout August and September.

“The Big Red series is filmed like no other,” says Josh Oliver, executive producer at Handcrafted Entertainment, Inc. “This show is part historical documentary, part event style racing coverage and one hundred percent adrenaline fueled action. We spared no expense in utilizing industry professionals and big budget movie making equipment to capture the action with never-before-seen perspectives and clarity.”

Big Red: The Original Outlaw Racer takes viewers deep inside the operation for an intimate and authentic look at the true core of the Team Big Red spirit and reveals what it takes to make a 1969 Camaro competitive in numerous and distinctly different disciplines of modern auto racing.  Episodes will cover: The Silver State Classic, VARA’s Big Bore Bash, The Texas Mile, The Virginia City Hill Climb, Mojave Mile, SCTA El Mirage Land Speed Racing, Bonneville Speed Week and more.

“I finally realized that with so much history behind us, it was a good time to tell the story of Big Red and talk about the experiences my team and I have had racing it,” said Driver, RJ Gottlieb. “We are always looking for the next challenge, embracing new types of racing is what makes it exciting!  The team has always stayed true to the ’69 Camaro body but most fans have not seen the internal evolution we’ve taken the car through.  This series will take you on an insider’s look at Big Red and the team like never before.”

Big Red the Original Outlaw Racer

THE SHOW

Eight episodes about The Big Red Camaro, its driver RJ Gottlieb and the team of people dedicated to the car’s performance will air on NBCSN beginning Monday, July 27^th, 2015 at 9:00PM EST. The show will continue to air for eight consecutive Mondays in the same time slot and will re-air on NBCSN on Wednesdays, starting July 29^th at 3:30PM EST, 12:30PM Pacific.

About Big Red Camaro

THE CAR

Headquartered in Southern California, the Big Red Camaro is a legend in muscle car history and is often referred to as the mother of pro touring street machines. The name Big Red has become synonymous with brute power and incredible speeds, holding records at La Carrera Classica, Silver State Classic Challenge, and Road & Track Magazine’s Ultimate Street Car Shootout, just to name a few.

About Handcrafted Entertainment

THE FILMMAKERS

Executive Producer Josh Oliver and Supervising Producer Robert Radler have the distinguished privilege of being the documentarians of The Big Red Camaro. Josh is an Emmy nominated TV Producer with expertise that spans a wide range of disciplines including producing and directing.  Oliver’s prior work credits include Hell’s Kitchen, Bar Rescue, America’s Next Top Model and Catch a Contractor.

Radler recently directed Ford’s first ever 3D commercial featuring world drift champ Vaughn Gittin, Jr. Radler has directed six feature films, many television series episodes and several award-winning documentaries.

About RJ Gottlieb

THE DRIVER

R.J. Gottlieb is the only man who has ever driven Big Red and he was once called “The Fastest Teenager in the World.” In 1989 at the age of only 19, he had already set records at two Open Road Racing events: La Carrera Classica and the Silver State Classic Challenge. His prior experience in Pro Stock drag racing, as well as SCCA, IMSA and Super Production Racing, served him well in the pursuit of infamy as the Driver of The Big Red Camaro. But in 1992, R.J. walked away from what could have been a fruitful professional driving career in favor of business school and working with his father in real estate. Eventually all the Gottlieb’s racecars were sold off except for ONE. For RJ, over all the years of racing, there was one Big Red Camaro.  R.J., now in his forties continues to campaign Big Red in a wide variety of speed contests, both old and new.

Note to editors: For more information, news, logos and perspectives from Big Red Camaro, please visit the

Big Red Camaro website at: www.bigredcamaro.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/bigredcamaro

#BigRedCamaro

#BigRed

#OriginalOutlawRacer