Racing for a Dream
Evren Toprak drives his kart during a practice run at Buttonwillow Raceway Kart Track in Buttonwillow, Calif., on April 20, 2024. Photo by Benjamin Hanson.
It’s 15 minutes before a race and 15-year-old Evren Toprak prepares to slip into his alter ego. He scans his bright yellow racing kart that will join him...
Flippin’ Whips
Erick Vasquez wipes down the engine of his Nissan GTR R35s in Chatsworth, Calif., on April 3, 2024. Photo by Ashley Shellmire
On a recent SuperCar Sunday at Pierce College, five of Erik Vasquez’ cars grabbed spectators’ attention, including his two rare, discontinued Nissan GTR R35s.
But that’s just part...
Three Wheel Motion
Jess "Cookie" Juarez stands by his 1966 Chevy Impala SS on Alabama Street in Canoga Park, Calif., on April 17, 2024. Photo by Myraneli Fabian
Jess “Cookie” Juarez opens the suicide door of Crystal Blue Persuasion, his 1966 Chevy Impala SS with shaved handles and 13 different hues of candy blue and...
Pedal to the Metal
Jay Frye spins his wheels during an NHRA Summit Series at Irwindale Speedway in Irwindale, Calif., on April 7, 2024. Photo by Benjamin Hanson.
Red.
The tires spin and smoke rises.
Yellow.
The engines rumble as drivers anticipate conquering the eighth-mile.
The Manicured Mechanic
Emily Holz conducts a battery test on a Chevy Cruse in Chatsworth, Calif., on April 21, 2024. Photo by Myraneli Fabian
When Emily Holz showed up for one of her first automotive service technician classes at Pierce College, she raised more than a few eyebrows. Holz describes herself as a niche within a...
Drifting in Style
Zach MacGilivray drifts around the track during a Drift Roulette elimination tournament at Willow Springs Raceway in Rosamond, Calif., on April 20, 2024. Photo by Ashley Shellmire
White smoke fills the air as roaring engines and squealing tires burn hard rubber on hot asphalt. As the sun beats down on the...
Showdown: Gas vs. EV
Roberto Orozco inspects an engine in Los Angeles, Calif., on April 4, 2024. Photo by Ashley Shellmire
Roberto Orozco is no stranger to gas vehicles, but when he stepped into a Tesla for the first time it felt like going into a new world, like something from a video game. He...
Dodgers fans bleed blue
Blake Williams, an editor for the Dodger Blue blog, stands in front of a mural in North Hollywood on Nov. 10, 2023. Photo by Daniela Raymundo.
While Jazzlyn Flores can’t remember much of her first Dodgers game, she can recall the Dodger dog that her small hand could barely hold, the sea of...
Where LA shops
Dominic Anaya stands in his vendor tent at Melrose Trading Post in Los Angeles on Oct. 22, 2023. Photo by Benjamin Hanson.
Turn one corner on North Fuller Avenue in Los Angeles, which is full of quiet residential houses, and a new world emerges, with more than 300 shops selling jewelry, inking tattoos...
Food emporium of LA
Entrance to the Grand Central Market in Downtown Los Angeles on Oct 26. 2023. Photo by Dannie Carreon.
The Grand Central Market, first named “Wonder Market,” is a historical landmark in Downtown Los Angeles.
It opened in 1917 on the ground floor of the Homer Laughlin Building. It currently has...