BangShift’s own Chad Reynolds entered into the fierce competition of the 2011 Goodguys Editors Challenge, at the 2011 Goodguys Del Mar Nationals, and came out with a number 4 finish. Getting into the Top 5 wasn’t easy, but making clean decent runs kept Team BangShift in the hunt. The field consisted of 16 of your favorite magazine and online editors including former Editors Challenge Champs Nick Licata, and Jeff Smith. Camaro Performers Magazine also had a ringer with newly hired contributing editor Mary Pozzi. Each editor was required to make one pass in each of three cars. The average of those three runs determined your “time”. The cars driven were Ridetech’s 1969 Mustang, Optima’s One Lap 1967 Camaro, and Hotchkis’ 1968 Road Runner. At the speed Chad was talking, it must have been fun.

Chad finished 4th to Nick Licata, Jeff Smith, and Mary Pozzi respectively. Mary Pozzi’s winning time was only 4 hundredths of a second better than Jeff Smith, who was only 2 tenths better than Nick Licata. The competition was great, and all who attended were having fun. But just because they were having fun doesn’t mean everyone didn’t want to win. Johnny Hunkins, Steven Rupp, Doug Glad, Travis Noack, represented some of the great Editors on hand. “I know it sounds stupid, but this is racing. Plain and simple, we all want to win, even if we are having fun.” Said Chad “And kicking ass on some of these magazine guys, and especially being the top finishing Website Editor, means a lot. Plus I was working all weeekend announcing this event and didn’t get a lap around the track until the competition started. These guys had the option to practice. Some didn’t, but some did. I’ll be back next year, and Mary is going down.” Chad’s last lap was in the bad ass 1969 Mustang from Ridetech. This car makes 630 horsepower and flat flies around the autocross. Given Chad and Bret’s friendship and history of thrashing on stuff, the last pass should have been no surprise to anyone. After getting black flagged for a part falling off the car, it was determined that a re-run was in order. The run looked clean, but on the final tight left hander, Chad lifted a bit too much and the ass end started coming around. This is what he had to say about it. ” This car wants you to feed it throttle, and I was told that, but I just lifted a bit too much going into the final tight lef u-turn. It was sideway A LOT, and Brett was yelling for me to hang with it. I drove it right out to the edge of the cones and thought if I’m going to hit them, I’m going to hit them with my foot to the wood. We drove out of it hard blazing the tires across the finish line and looked in the mirror to see I had hit one cone. When we got back to the pit spot, everyone one was congratulating my “bravery” at driving the car out near the concrete barrackade. Bret and I laughed and said we were only looking at the cones, we never though about the concrete. LOL. I wish I could have missed that one cone and cleaned up that last corner. I am confident that would have put me in the 3rd spot. Oh well, it was fun. We’ll be back next year.” 

Big thanks to Scott “Rebeldryver” Liggett who was on hand to snap photos of the Editors Shootout. You can check out more photos from the competition by looking at our gallery from the event.Full results are posted below the photo.

2011 Goodguys Editors Challenge Results

1. Mary Pozzi – Camaro Performers Magazine –  34.205

2. Jeff Smith – Car Craft Magazine – 34.245

3. Nick Licata – Camaro Performers Magazine – 34.445

4. Chad Reynolds – BangShift.com – 35.257

5. Wes Drelleshak – Classic Trucks Magazine – 35.728

6. Mark Gearhardt – StangTV.com – 36.007

7. Sean Haggai – Chevy High Performance Magazine – 36.139

8. Johnny Hunkins – Popular Hot Rodding Magazine – 36. 614

9. Doug Glad – Car Craft Magazine – 36.844

10 Kirk Jones – Goodguys Gazzette – 36.852

11. Steven Rupp – Camaro Performers Magazine – 37.238

12. Rob McGaffin – Popular Hot Rodding Magazine – 37.915

13. Kevin Shaw – Street Legal TV.com – 40.298

14. Paul Heizenga – LSX Tv.com – 41.434

15 Courtney Hallowell – Drive Magazine – 41.711

16. Travis Noack – Muscle Car Magazine – 47.401