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Funny Cars Are No Joke Racing This Weekend At Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Author Shawn Tempesta
The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be blistering fast this weekend for the NHRA Nevada Nationals.

It’s loud, it’s fast and it’s a ton of fun! The National Hot Rod Association is letting the rubber hit The Strip this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the NHRA Nevada Nationals! Some of the fastest vehicles and most talented drivers in the world will be tearing up the track for what could be a pivotal event for the season standings.

Aimee+Shawn got a chance to talk with Robert Hight, a three-time NHRA Funny Car Champion and holder of the national funny car speed record! A blistering 339.87 miles per hour down a quarter mile of track in just over 3.8 seconds. You think your Tesla is fast, but this puts it to shame. We are talking 6-G’s worth of force coming down on you at once. It isn’t for the faint of heart.

This weekend at the NHRA Nevada Nationals, Las Vegas will get a show

“If you look at the forecast, we’re gonna have some amazing conditions this weekend,” Hight said. “It’s gonna be fast. I think you’re gonna see not only track records, but maybe national records.” It turns out the speed on the track has a little to do with the weather around the track.

The forecasted high on Friday is 79 degrees with temperatures sliding into the upper 60s on Sunday. “We’ll have a little cooler air which the engines like better, better to make horsepower,” Hight explained. “The biggest variable we have to fight is hot track. When it gets hot it gets greasy, and it gets hard to make traction.”

Those cooler temperatures will offset the blazing hot engines that will power these cars down the track at a ridiculous speed. There’s a chance you’ll be witnessing something special!

If you’ve never seen Funny Car and drag racing for yourself, it is really a blast. This weekend will surely bring some high octane fun.

Shawn Tempesta is the co-host of Aimee+Shawn on 102.7 VGS in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is also an Emmy award nominated television host. As a content creator for 102.7 VGS, Shawn writes about current events, education, funny and trending stories.

Thieves Target These 10 Cars For Catalytic Converters In Nevada

The theft of catalytic converters in Las Vegas is a plaguing problem.

You’ve seen the stories on the news, maybe you know someone or maybe you’re a victim of this trending criminal activity: Catalytic convertors are being stolen at a high rate.

And it seems like in the past five years, a rush of more catalytic convertors have been plucked out of cars and sold as scrap metal. In 2022, catalytic convertor thefts were 540% higher across the country compared to 2020, according to USA Today.

It’s a relatively “easy” crime that requires a sly person to slip under a car, to saw off the pollution-controlling device and to ultimately  sell off the metal from the converter.

It’s a costly item that ranges in the thousands to get replaced, and most insurance doesn’t cover theft of catalytic convertors.

Catalytic convertors help clean a car’s exhaust and filters out harmful pollution coming from the car’s tailpipe.

Precious metals, such as platinum and palladium, are used in the catalytic convertors, which are some-what valuable when sold off as scrap metal.  The disrupted supply chain has also increased the prices for these metals. Someone who sells a catalytic convertor and its metals can get anywhere from $50 to $1,000 depending on the quantity and quality of the metal.

But despite this increasing trend of stolen catalytic convertors, there are a few ways to protect your car.

The most common way is to park in a manner where thieves are unable to climb underneath. Keep your car in a garage (if you have one) and avoid street parking if possible. If you must park in the street, or in a public parking lot, then try to stay in a well-lit area near buildings or anywhere that may have a security camera.

Also, a AAA driver once told us to spray paint your catalytic convertor with a bright color like neon orange, bright pink, red, etc. This will deter a possible thief for a few reasons. It’s harder to sell a spray-painted catalytic convertor, and the thief may think that the convertor is linked with a specific car, per the AAA worker’s recommendation.

8 News Now published an article that outlines the 10 most popular cars that thieves target when it comes to stealing catalytic convertors. Scroll down below to see if your car is on the list!

  • 10. Dodge Journey

    Dodge Journey | Find Parts, Service & More

    View the official page for Dodge Journey resources. Find information, parts, accessories, owner resources & answers to commonly asked questions here today.

    The tenth most popular car among catalytic convertor theft is a Dodge Journey. This car’s size and popularity makes it a prime target.

  • 9. Chevrolet Equinox

    2024 Chevy Equinox | Small SUV Crossover

    Make a huge impression with the 2024 Chevy Equinox small SUV equipped with a 1.5L turbocharged engine, standard Chevy Safety Assist, and a details-focused interior.

    A Chevy Equinox is the ninth most popular car when it comes to people targeting vehicles for catalytic convertors. Considering this is one of the most popular cars across the country, it makes sense why this vehicle is a hot target for this crime trend.

  • 8. Chevrolet Silverado

    2024 Chevy Silverado 1500 | Pickup Truck | Chevrolet

    Experience the 2024 Chevy Silverado 1500 pickup truck equipped with advanced trailering technology, Durabed, 310 horsepower & 430 lb.-ft. of maximum torque.

    A catalytic convertor replacement for a Chevy Silverado can cost more than $2,000 — just for the part, according to RepairPal.com. From the precious metals to the ease of sliding underneath the truck, the Silverado is another prime target for catalytic convertor theft. The Silverado takes eight place on the top 10 most targeted cars for catalytic convertor theft.

  • 7. Subaru Forester

    The 2024 Subaru Forester.

    Explore the outdoors in style with the 2024 Subaru Forester. It's built for family adventures with standard AWD, advanced safety, and a spacious interior.

    Subaru is one of the most popular vehicle makes in the West. The high degree of precious metals within this model’s catalytic convertor makes it a prime target for car theft in general and catalytic convertor apple picking.

     

  • 6. Toyota Prius

    https://www.toyota.com/prius/

    Placing sixth on the list is a Toyota Prius. Due to the car being a hybrid model, there are more precious metals within the car’s interior products. Thus, making this model’s catalytic convertor much more expensive.

  • 5. Chevrolet Cruze

    2019 Chevrolet Cruze Specs, Price, MPG & Reviews | Cars.com

    Research the 2019 Chevrolet Cruze at Cars.com and find specs, pricing, MPG, safety data, photos, videos, reviews and local inventory.

    Although it’s no longer in production, the Chevrolet Cruze is one of the most coveted cars when it comes to catalytic convertor theft. The metals and the abundance of this car makes it a prime ride to steal catalytic convertors from.

  • 4. Ford Econoline

    2025 Ford E-Series Cutaway | Pricing, Photos, Specs & More | Ford.com

    The 2025 Ford E-Series is available in 3 model options; the E-350 SRW, E-350 DRW & E-450 DRW. Enjoy the standard premium-rated 7.3L V8 engine & 6-speed automatic transmission. Look into available upfits & configure towing capacity.

    The E-Series, which is the fourth generation Econoline, reached the fourth spot on our “Top 10” list. Due to the fact that many companies and organizations use this model for work or business purposes, it could be understood why these cars are plagued with the problem of getting their catalytic convertors stolen.

  • 3. Honda CR-V

    2024 CR-V

    Take on big adventures in the 2024 CR-V, with an available hybrid powertrain, rugged exterior styling, a spacious cabin, and plenty of room for gear.

    This popular car is hot among thieves who are looking for a quick pay day. Precious metals and the popularity of the car makes for this vehcile to land on the third spot for most popular cars that are targeted by catalytic convertor thieves.

  • 2. Ford F Series Truck

    2024 Ford F-150® Truck | Pricing, Photos, Specs & More | Ford.com

    Discover the immense power of the 2024 Ford F-150® Truck available in 8 trims, featuring an impressive lineup of engines. Immerse yourself in cutting-edge tech like BlueCruise hands-free highway driving & experience best-in-class towing capabilities.

    It’s one of the most best-selling cars in America: The Ford F Series Truck. It almost received the #1 spot, but the degree of theft wasn’t as high as the next car on the list.

  • 1. Honda Accord

    2024 Honda Accord - Midsize Sedan | Honda

    Discover the 2024 Honda Accord with sleek styling, spirited performance, and an available 204-hp hybrid powertrain.

    The Honda Accord is one of the hottest vehicles when it comes to getting your catalytic convertor stolen. From the precious metals inside of the convertor and to sheer popularity of the car, this make received first place on this list.

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Author Shawn Tempesta
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