2010 OPTIMA Batteries Ultimate Street Car Invitational

[Jimi-FM3]

Just 33 days to go until the 2010 OPTIMA Batteries Ultimate Street Car Invitational in Pahrump, Nevada and we’ve got some exciting news to share. While hundreds of car owners submitted entries in hopes of participating in this unique event, the following represent this “spirit of the event” and have been selected to compete in this year’s event:

· Herb Adams ‘80 Camaro
· Bob Bertelson ‘72 Firebird
· Bruce Cambern ‘05 Ford GT
· Sean Dell ‘61 Mercedes
· Vaughn Gitten Jr. ‘69 Mustang
· Kendrick Gray Subaru Impreza
· Jim and Mike Ring ‘67 Mustang
· Dennis Linson ’62 Chevy II

For the first time this year, OPTIMA worked with several, existing regional race events to offer top contenders an opportunity to win a spot in the 2010 Invitational. The following list of entrants were invited during these 2010 qualifying events:

· Paul Arvid "Polly" Blytt ’86 Pontiac TransAm
· Tom Ciancitto ‘37 Ford Pick-up
· Brad Coomer ‘68 Mustang
· Tom Farrington ‘66 Chevelle
· Brian Finch ‘71 Camaro
· Kyle Newman ‘57 Chevy 210 Wagon
· Brian Nutter ’02 Z06 Corvette
· Mark Stielow ‘69 Camaro
· Kyle Tucker ‘71 Camaro
· Telly Violetto ‘78 Trans Am
· Rob McGregor ‘55 F100
· Phil Gerber ’70 Chevelle

Additional Invitational finalists will be announced in the coming weeks and a few invitations are being held to potentially be awarded during the 2010 SEMA Show. A committee made up of OPTIMA and industry representatives will walk the SEMA Show floor in Las Vegas, looking for the best of the best, across all vehicle segments. The final phases of the search will be promoted during the Show and will benefit the many vehicle teams who work on project builds right up to the final hours before the start of the show.

An OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational press conference will occur during the SEMA Show on Thursday, November 4 at 10:00 a.m. PT in the OPTIMA booth #23059 to reveal all final event announcements. For the current list of the OPTIMA Batteries Ultimate Street Car Invitational participants, the official rules and more information on the event, visit http://www.optimainvitational.com/

[Jimi-FM3]

Thank you to everyone who participated in the OUSCI qualifying events during this past year and thanks for those who submitted requests to be in this year's event. It was a tough job deciding who made the list. I wish we had the opportunity to invite all of the great cars submitted.

Here are the final Pre SEMA invitees for the 2010 Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational. Please keep in mind that there will be a handful of invites announced at SEMA at the Optima press conference on Thursday Nov. 4.

Roger Tessman - 08 Pontiac Solstice
Jeff Smith - 67 Chevelle
Blake Foster - 70 Nova
Mark Turner - 69 Camaro
Rob Phillips - 69 C10
Billy Utley - 72 Nova
Paul Alderman - 70 Camaro
Gary Harlan - 68 Corvette
James Shipka – 67 Camaro
Bill Howell – 72 Dodge Charger
Curt Ukasik - 69 Camaro
Kevin Kraack – 08 AMG C63
Steve Rupp – 68 Camaro
Bill Tichenor – 67 Chevy Truck
Stacy Tucker – 69 Camaro
Brett Voekel – 66 Chevelle
Josh Russel – 32 Ford
Will Baty – 2010 Camaro
Brent Jarvis – 65 Corvette
Todd Akes – 69 Camaro
Dan Long - 05 GTO
Jeff Van Buren – 67 Camaro
Steve Kepler – 06 Corvette

See you at SEMA!

[Stuart Adams]

Aldermans new camaro - cool. That's great.