With the onset of fall and the approach of the SEMA show, we’re also getting ready to start looking forward to the Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational which is held each year in Pahrump, Nevada. This year, qualifying events were held all over the country for racers to earn a “golden ticket” into the big show and as luck would have it, we’ve been to most of them. Chad has been announcing the majority of the Optima events this year and I’ve managed to sneak to a couple as well. Additionally, the fine folks at Optima have gotten together with the SPEED channel to produce a mini-series showing the cool cars, intense competition, and great driving that have become hallmarks of the Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational.

Having been front and center (literally) for the Texas event which is heavily shown in this preview, I can say that it should make some good TV. There were Lambos competing side by side with 401 powered AMC Concords, full tilt Pro Touring cars squaring off with Toyota MR2s, and hot rods beating up on Nissan GT-Rs. It is easy to pick sides, favorites, and cheer on the competitors. That makes for compelling viewing in our eyes!

Press play below to see the preview of THIS SUNDAY’S SHOW – CHECK YOUR LOCAL LISTINGS FOR TIMES!

THE SHOW WILL AIR SEPT 30TH AT 1PM ON SPEED!

OPTIMA^® Batteries Announces Premiere of
OPTIMA’s Search for the Ultimate Street Car TV Miniseries

All-new Miniseries Highlighting the Race to the OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Title to Premiere on SPEED™ Sunday, September 30, 2012 at 1 p.m. ET

Sept. 6, 2012 (MILWAUKEE) – OPTIMA^® Batteries today announced the premiere of its new 2012 television miniseries. OPTIMA’s Search for the Ultimate Street Car will air Sunday, September 30 at 1 p.m. ET on the nationally-televised SPEED™ TV network. The miniseries will feature two epsiodes showcasing participants of the OPTIMA Faceoff at the HOT ROD Power Tour and OPTIMA Faceoff at Road America as they compete to gain an entry to the fifth annual OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational presented by K&N and Royal Purple.

These new shows will bring viewers an insider look at the road to OPTIMA’s Invitational taking place Saturday, November 3, immediately following the 2012 SEMA Show. The annual event consistently features some of the most high-profile and prestigous SEMA Show vehicles as they are put to the test in a series of performance and design events, in order to crown the OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car.

In the first episode viewers will be taken to the OPTIMA Faceoff at the HOT ROD Power Tour in Arlington,Texas, the end destination to the grueling 1,371-mile, eight day drive of the HOT ROD Power Tour. With thousands of participants making the trek, only 37 strong-willed drivers continue the journey to compete in this new event as the episode opens.

As part of this and future episodes viewers will see interviews and exciting on-track coverage as participants prove their vehicle’s street cred in the Detroit Speed and Engineering/JRI Shocks Road Rally, weave through the twisiting cone course of the  Ridetech Street Challenge Autocross, come screaming to a halt in the Wilwood Disc Brakes Speed Stop Challenge, burn rubber as they feircly compete in the BFGoodrich Hot Lap Challenge and ultimately show off their vehicle’s craftmanship in the Lingenfelter Performance Engineering Performance Design Challenge. The miniseries will also feature a wide variety of exotic and classic vehicles including a BMW M3, Audi TT Coope, Porsche Carrera and several other classic American muscle cars.

“We’re excited to give viewers an early peak into the road to this year’s OPTIMA Invitational,” said Cam Douglass director of product development and marketing for OPTIMA Batteries. “We continue to see more support and greater competition each year, and 2012 has brought out some of the best talent and most passionate street car enthusiasts yet.”

OPTIMA’s Search for the Ultimate Street Car is scheduled to air on SPEED during the following times:

·         Sunday, September 30, 2012 at 1 p.m. ET: Episode One – OPTIMA Faceoff at the HOT ROD Power Tour in Arlington, Texas

o   Link to teaser video here: http://youtu.be/sYC3yA05cfc

·         Sunday, October, 21 2012 at 1 p.m. ET: Episode Two – OPTIMA Faceoff at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin

*Air dates and times are subject to change

As part of the ongoing miniseries, SPEED TV will also air this year’s final event, the 2012 OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational in early 2013. Additionally, fans can catch the 2011 OPTIMA Invitational TV Special when it re-airs on SPEED TV Sunday, October 14, 2012 at 11 a.m. ET.

A complete list of sponsors for the 2012 OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational and OPTIMA Faceoff at HOT ROD Power Tour include presenting sponsors K&N Filters and Royal Purple; race event sponsors BFGoodrich, RideTech, Wilwood Disc Brakes, Lingenfelter Performance Engineering and Detroit Speed and Engineering/JRI Shocks; and associate sponsors MagnaFlow, Roadster Shop, Mothers and Centerforce Clutches. OPTIMA Faceoff at Road America sponsors include all of the above with the exception of K&N Filters.

For more information on the OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car franchise including event dates, schedules, official rules and its new charitable Build-A-Bike program, please visit www.optimabatteries.com  and http://www.optimabuildabike.com/.