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Upstate NY represented at SEMA 2017

Posted November 16, 2017 by Robert Kenney

When you think of one of the biggest aftermarket trade shows in the world, you don’t expect to hear of a small local business making the trip to Vegas as an exhibitor. But that’s exactly what Oswego, NY’s Southern Diesel Truck Company did. Matt from Southern Diesel teamed up with a 2016 SEMA award winning business (also from Upstate NY) Any Level Lift. Aaron from Any Level Lift won SEMA’s Best Engineered New Product and won the SEMA Launch Pad competition. The truck would be a 2017 Ford F-350, fitted with an Any Level Lift and sit on American Force wheels.

“I joked about it like 10 years ago, just being able to go to SEMA, and now we are building a truck for it.” Matt said.

Early on, the partnership included many hours out at Aaron’s shop in Ballston Lake, NY for Matt and two techs. This was part of the truck build as well as crucial training for Matt and his team as they became the first authorized Any Level Lift installer. This hands on training is needed with this highly sophisticated lift system. The labor intensive lift isn’t something that can just be installed in your home garage.

With the successful trip to SEMA under his belt, Matt and his team are now focused on building more Any Level trucks. The first one is scheduled to be built and ready for sale on December 1st. Meanwhile, the team is also keeping up with current demand for other truck sales and modifications.

Look for Matt and the SEMA truck at car and truck shows around the country this spring and summer. If you are looking for a truck or looking to have one built to your specifications, visit www.southerndieseltruck.com. To learn more about the Any Level Lift, visit http://www.anylevellift.com.

Incubus: Lakeview Amphitheater

Posted July 25, 2017 by Robert Kenney

The warm and humid evening began causally and very low key as Atlas Genius performed for a crowd that was still filing in, finding their seats, and chatting with their friends at the Lakeview Amphitheater. The band remained positive and fearless in the ever-growing crowd that was heavily anticipating performances from the likes of Jimmy Eat World and Incubus. And for a group of Southern Australians with only 8 years under their collective belt, they held their own, calling out to and connecting with the crowd from the pit to the lawn as the masses eagerly awaited their favorite ’90s and early ’00s hits.

Jimmy Eat World hit the stage with the look of average dudes and with the energy of performers half their age, faced with a larger and livelier crowd. They rocked hard to a number of more recent hits before slowing things down with an acoustic version of “Hear You Me,” heavy laden with emotion. Lead singer Jim Adkins amped the crowd back up with shouts of “Let’s do this!” Having saved some of their biggest hits like “The Sweetness” and “The Middle” for the end, the band went out big with a nearly full Lakeview Amphitheater on their feet dancing while fireworks could be seen over the lawn from the Fairgrounds.

By the time Incubus made their way onto the stage, the crowd was electrified and ready. They played it cool, opening with “Love in the Time of Surveillance” off of the new album, ‘8’, and following it with “Warning” off of classic album ‘Morning View’ The energy level was ramped up when they moved on to “Nimble Bastard” also off of new album ‘8’ as well as “Anna Molly”, “Glitterbomb” and “Megalomaniac” While performing, it is clear that Brandon Boyd is in another realm, feeling every lyric and line. Meanwhile, Ben Kenney maintains a solid groove, DJ Kilmore tears it up swings his massive dreads through the air, Jose Pasillas beats the hell out of his kit, and Mike Einziger utilizes his guitar like a mad scientist. The set list, as always, was a productive blend of new songs promoting the new album, old classics like “Wish You Were Here,” “Pardon Me,” “Drive” and “Nice To Know You” to appease the throwback crowds, as well sprinkles of older and more obscure tunes like “Redefine” and “Sick Sad Little World” to maintain the diehard fans. Jose and Brandon took the opportunity to have a drum-off during “Redefine” off of their second album; ‘S.C.I.E.N.C.E.’ Mike took the opportunity to show off his incredible musicianship in an extended interlude during “Sick Sad Little World” off of ‘Light Grenades.’ They wrapped things up with three more tunes from the new album ‘8’ and left the stage. They then returned in classic Incubus fashion, Mike with pipa in hand, bringing a serene end to the night with “Aqueous Transmission” the finale from ‘Morning View.’

Set List: “Love in the Time of Surveillance,” “Warning,” “Nimble Bastard,” “Anna Molly,” “Glitterbomb,” “Megalomaniac,” “The Warmth,” “Wish You Were Here (+ Remix),” “State of the Art,” “Pardon Me,” “Drive,” “Nice to Know You,” “Undefeated,” “Redefine,”

“Sick Sad Little World,” “The Original,” “Loneliest,” “When I Became a Man” and “No Fun.” Encore: “Aqueous Transmission.”

Robert Kenney Jr. / CBP Productions / The Fuze Magazine
Jessica Kenney / The Fuze Magazine

Sahlen’s 6 Hour at the Glen

Posted July 5, 2017 by Robert Kenney

From torrential downpours to clear blue skies with Nissan Altimas and Mazda Mx-5s to Lamborghini Huracans and Acura NSX GT3s, The annual Sahlen’s 6 hour of The Glen weekend provided it all.

Fans saw the combined Porche GT3 Cup challenge abandoned after a multi car crash sent 5 drivers to the infield care center and another 4 drivers to local area hospitals including one driver flown to Upstate Hospital in Syracuse. Luckily everyone was ok and the reason the one driver, Trenton Estep, was flown to Syracuse was due to him being a minor (17) and that was the closest children’s hospital.

Practices gave plenty of time for drivers to adjust setups for both dry and wet racing conditions. Although the Prototype challenge struggled to get going as the rain fell and 2 cars got together coming to the drop of the green.

The Continental Tire 120 race started out strong. The cars got about 60 minutes of racing in before the skies opened up. Multiple accidents due to the cars being on dry tires as well as a threat of lightning put the race into a red flag. Fans were asked to take cover as winds picked up and it looked like the track could see more than just rain. After a short while the skies cleared and the sun was quickly drying off the track. Cars that had switched to rain tires were switching back to dry tires. Back to racing the cars went and provided the fans about another hour worth of racing. When the checkered flag dropped Jack Roush Jr and his partner Dean Martin came out on top.

Later in the afternoon the Lamborghini Trofeo race class hit the track. A race that saw Riccardo Agostini win from the pole and Ashley Freiberg become the first woman ever to podium in the series with her 3rd place finish.

The final race was the WeatherTech Sportscar series. A series that consists of 4 classes of skilled drivers that takes on the 6 hour endurance challenge. The team of Joao Barbosa, Christian Fittipaldi and Filipe Albuquerque took the overall win in their Cadillac prototype for Mustang Sampling Racing. And New York native Andy Lally with his teammate Katherine Legge took the win in the GTD class in their Acura NSX.

Robert Kenney Jr. / ColdBlooded Photography / The Fuze Magazine