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'Fat N' Furious' picks up where it left off
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Fat and Furious cast members Tommy Christmas, left, and Chuck Kountz in their garage.
Tommy Christmas promised tearjerkers on “Fat N’ Furious” this year, and he delivered.
The Discovery Channel reality show kicked off its second season Monday with an episode that featured a man who wanted to finish a Ford Fairlane rebuild that he started with his late father when he was young.
The owner wanted to install a Cobra Jet engine, a massive motor with a high price tag that he couldn’t afford. At first, Christmas balked, but when he realized how much it meant to the owner, he swung a deal.
The project was a way for the owner to remember and honor his father, and Christmas couldn’t say no.
The plot line also had some hilarious moments.
The Fairlane owner was a large man who couldn’t fit in the narrow aluminum racing seat. So Christmas’ right-hand man, Chuck Kountz, hatched a plan to expand it. Kountz had the seat cut in half, and then became the “butt model” to determine how wide to make it. He used his own backside as a template, and it was accurate.
In “Fat N’ Furious,” the crew at Christmas Automotive restore dilapidated muscle cars into race condition. The first season was shot in a garage in Fowler, but this season utilizes a newly built speed shop in Springfield, and the screen was noticeably brighter.
As always, Christmas dropped some nuggets of wisdom, including this one: “When you’re talking drag racing, every 100 pounds [of vehicle weight] equals a tenth of a second [in racing time].”
The episode also had a brief but informative video that showed how “stroking out” an engine increases power. It was done in 1950s-style — black-and-white animation — that meshed well with the gearhead vibe.
Christmas’ daughter, Jess, and his son Nick also made extended appearances on the episode, helping out on the rebuilds.
POLAR BEAR PLUNGE IS SEEKING PARTICIPANTS
The American Cancer Society is looking for some warm-hearted people willing to freeze their bodies to raise money to fund research.
The group’s annual Brr! For a Cure Polar Bear Plunge will be at 2 p.m. Feb. 7 at the Harry Meshel picnic area of Lake Milton State Park (that’s on the east side of the lake). Registration will start at 12:30 p.m., and the plunge is at 2 p.m.
It’s a minimum donation of $25 to register. Those who raise at least $100 will get a BRR! T-shirt
Parking is very limited at the picnic area, so participants and observers are asked to park at the Lake Milton American Legion parking area, 16465 Milton Ave.
For information or to register, go to brrforacure.org. To donate, call 888-227-6446, ext. 2222.
NELSONVILLE MUSIC FEST ANNOUNCES ITS LINEUP
The Nelsonville Music Festival has announced its lineup, and it is impressive: the Flaming Lips, Lucero, Merle Haggard, St. Vincent, Trampled by Turtles, the Oblivians, Greg Brown and many more.
The fest, now in its 11th year, is May 28-31 on the campus of Hocking College in Nelsonville, Ohio, which is in the hilly southeast corner of the state, just a few miles from Athens.
It will feature more than 40 bands. Weekend passes for all four days are on sale now for $130 (with no fees).
Go to nelsonvillefest.org, or call 740-753-1924.
BAND BOWS OUT OF ROCK OFF
Last Dream, the band from South Range school district, performed Saturday in Round 5 of the Tri-C High School Rock Off in Cleveland.
Unfortunately, the quartet — the Mahoning Valley’s sole representative in the annual battle of the bands — did not get picked to advance.
The final round will be Feb. 7 at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.