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Farid Sanchez
A 52-foot limousine crafted from a jet airplane, NBA star LeBron James customized Hummer H2 and Dale Earnhardt Jr. s 1967 Camaro are just a sampling of the radical rides that will be featured during the April 12-15 Food Lion AutoFair at Lowe s Motor Speedway. The jet limousine is a rolling luxury party palace for 30 to 50 passengers. The brainchild of flamboyant businessman Robert “Limo Bob” Strauser, the limousine is a retired Boeing 727 jet that has been mated to a 2000 Mercedes commercial truck chassis.
“It s the only way to fly! ” Strauser said. “Some of our customers have even hired flight attendants to serve drinks and hors d oeuvres. ” The limousine s interior is more luxurious and entertaining than any exclusive nightclub. The lounge area features glass block lighting that shifts through a range of neon colors, leopardskin prints on the seating and walls, a sunken living room, a dance floor and a full wet bar with its own fireplace. A 67-inch television hides the entrance to the restroom, and a heart-shaped, neon-lighted doorway leads to a bedroom replete with heart-shaped bed and infinity mirror. Unique Autosports, the automotive customizing business owned by Will Castro and featured on SPEED s “Unique Whips, ” is bringing seven of the most radical rides to ever roll out of its Holbrook, N.Y., facility.
“When an automobile rolls into Will s shop, it s just a production car. When it leaves, it s a work of art, ” said H. A. “Humpy” Wheeler, president and general manager of Lowe s Motor Speedway. Among the customized beauties on display from Unique Autosports will be NBA star LeBron James Hummer H2; NASCAR champion Tony Stewart s “Smokedeville” hearse and bright orange Lamborghini; Atlanta Braves outfielder Andruw Jones 1968 Buick Electra and Cadillac Escalade; and a pair of Nissan SUVs owned by fashion designer Marc Ecko. The Food Lion Pavilion will also feature 11 radical rides from the personal collections of NASCAR NEXTEL Cup drivers Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Jeff Green and Ken Schrader.
In addition to his prized 1967 Camaro, Earnhardt Jr. will have his 1955 Chevy Bel Air and a Jeep that has been transformed into a rock-crawling monster. Green s 1941 Willys street rod boasts a 1,000-horsepower engine and is an absolute showstopper, while a 1933 Ford hot rod and a Paul Yaffe chopper will be among the vehicles belonging to Gordon. A 1955 Ford tow truck and a street-legal NASCAR modified are two of the cars Schrader is providing for display. Other Food Lion AutoFair attractions include:
