Life After College: “The Real World”

It feels like only yesterday when those wayward tassels tickled my face mercilessly. I graduated summa cum laude at UNC Charlotte in December 2018 with hopes, dreams, expectations, desires, goals … and delusions of grandeur. Legend says when you graduate college, you enter this place called “the real world,” because apparently you were living in […]

The Charlotte Motor Speedway: America’s Home for Racing

The Charlotte Motor Speedway (CMS) is a haven to many and a home to some. Find out what makes the CMS so unique.

Mile by Mile

This story delves into the relationship between a car and its driver as told from the perspective of the anthropomorphic car. Ride along as the car tells of its journey from a place of despair and destruction to a place of sacrifice and salvation, mile by mile.

I Got a Tattoo

I finally took the plunge and stained my bare skin with a design that will forever be displayed under my wrist. In other words, I got a tattoo! After mulling over the idea of my tattoo for a little over a year, having a temporary design made from henna to test the waters, discussing it […]

‘Heroes of Bavaria’: 75 Years of BMW Motorsports

‘Heroes of Bavaria’ | 19 May 2017 | BMWCCA in South Carolina I just want to preface this piece by saying my entire life has changed since attending this exhibit. Ever since my youth, I’ve had an emotional reaction to automotive beauties, but I can now proudly say that real tears streamed down my face […]

The Camaraderie of Cars and Coffee

On an unusually warm, winter Saturday morning, car enthusiasts emerged from their garages in search of caffeine and camaraderie, funneling into the parking lot of a coffee shop just as the sun began to rise. Why would dozens of people sacrifice time to rejuvenate on the weekend to stand around with cups of hot coffee […]

The Collision

In February, I had two adjoining weeks of euphoric joy. For 14 days straight, I woke up glowing with jubilance. It didn’t matter what I had going on that day. Whether it was work or school or I had no commitments at all, I was joyful. I truly feel like God has enlightened my soul […]

Life from the Cockpit

(Org. published on CarSumo.com by Olivia Carmen on January 10, 2017–prior to its closing) For Scott Heckert, there’s nothing more exhilarating than the sight of a checkered flag as he leads the pack down the final stretch. As a professional racecar driver and rising senior in college, Heckert, 23, is a driven individual in a […]

Slaying the Tail (of the Dragon)

(Org. published on Carsumo.com by Olivia Carmen on November 11, 2016–prior to its closing) If you’re on the hunt for a road that gives you the ride of your life, this was written for you. A section of US129 has a secret identity known only to car and motorcycle enthusiasts as the Tail of the […]

Best Driving Shoes

(Org. published on Carsumo.com by Olivia Carmen on October 16, 2016–prior to its closing) It’s been said that it’s a poor workman who blames his tools, but when it comes to driving, if your tools (shoes) have thick soles and chunky traction, the finished product (smooth shifting) is going to be riddled with shoddy workmanship. […]