Where do we start? The NHRA Winternationals in Pomona marks the return to racing after our winter break and we’ve been present bringing you footage and news. Project work continues, and cameras are getting a workout. It’s still early, still a rainy, cold mess outside, and still winter. Here at BangShift Mid-West, if the rain doesn’t stop soon, I’m going to caulk the Imperial and hope I can float across the flooded creek without losing my supplies or dying of dysentery. Hang onto hope, Spring is on the way soon. Meanwhile, take a gander and some of the more random news bites from the world this week in our Scrapple lineup:

1.  *sympathy intensifies.*It wasn’t enough to shut down vehicle production, was it? Wasn’t enough to replace an iconic machine with an Opel with a different nameplate. Now, there is a strong rumor that General Motors is planning on selling the importation business that is keeping the Holden name afloat to a company called Inchcape Motors, a UK-based import and distribution group that handles 14 brands, including Volkswagen, Jaguar, and Peugeot, to name a few. Inchcape could import Holdens to Australia cheaper than GM can do it themselves…if Aussies would buy enough of the ZB Commodores to justify sending any more down under. Call us jaded, but we don’t see that happening anytime soon…the car barely sells by the hundreds.

2. *lust intensifies.*Will FCA cave in and give the Charger a widebody version, like the Challenger? Potentially. Will it be on more than just the Hellcat? We hope so. Is there a chance that a Charger Redeye could happen? Right now Dodge is the land of “you know what? Screw it…MOAR POWER!” and seeing how the cars are coming due for that often speculated platform change, now would be the time to keep thumping that high note the LX twins have been riding…

3. *confusion intensifies.*Before you say anything, it was mostly legal. When the California Highway Patrol pulled a box truck over that had a Ram 1500 jammed in the backside, it was certainly a sight to behold. Comment theories ran from some redneck moving to the Ram being a stolen truck, being smuggled out of the country. The answer was simpler than that: the driver had driven his Ram to California from Florida to buy the box van, had stuffed his daily inside, and was on his way back home. Police cited him for failing to properly secure his load (only one ratchet strap was holding the Ram down) and after he securely fastened down his cargo, was allowed to continue on.

4. *queasiness intensifies.*Corey LaJoie, I have a personal message for you: I don’t care if the wrap was your idea or not…if I wake up screaming in the middle of the night because your #32 NASCAR Mustang with the gigantic head wrap of yourself chases me around threatening to eat me, we will have words, my man. I’m sure other racers might have something to say about a hard-charging bearded man running right up their rear-end, too. Maybe not, but maybe so. Thanks for the nightmare fuel.

5. *facepalm*
If you are looking for a place to lay the blame at for seeing Ford F-150s with quarter windows and louvered rear windows that slope down like a fastback, look for a place called Michigan Vehicle Solutions. It’s a bed cap called the “Aero-X” and it’ll set you back about four thousand dollars, probably more if you have it paint-matched or opt for the rear spoiler. Currently available for 2015-up Ford F-150s, MVS is planning on bringing out more versions for Ford as well as for GM, Ram, Toyota and Nissan trucks.

This is how the car dies. By slapping a fastback roofline onto a pickup truck.