In this week’s Ask Nathan:
- These are the top three vehicles we want back.
- Are racing shoes worth it?
The first question comes a fan who reminded me of all the requests I’ve received over the years from all of you regarding vehicles we want back.
Q: (Via: NathanAdlen@Tweitter/X) Is there a specific car or truck name you want to see back in action?
It could be any name or brand I don’t care.
— Sheldon Monkey
A: This is a great question, and it’s one that I can answer thanks to all of you.
Let me explain: over the past (many) years, we have received many comments, emails and personal requests to yell to the automotive gods to return precious names to you. I am listing three below that I seem to recall more often than most, and they should come as no surprise to many of you.
I do hope that some of you will contribute to this list below.
3. Chevrolet Camaro. This should come as no surprise as there were quite a few of you who were upset that Chevrolet killed the name altogether. We are hearing rumors that the Camaro may return – as an all electric four-door SUV… which may be hard for so of us to accept.
2. Dodge Dakota. We know that Ram is cooking up a small pickup truck of some sort. Even the UAW has let the cat out of the bag. The thing is: I doubt it will be the replacement many of you have plead to have for so many years. We’ll know soon.
1. Nissan Xterra. Don’t deny it. There are a lot of people who were fond of the Xterra’s mix of capability, utility and affordability. It truly was a thorn in the side of some competitors, and it looked cool too. With Nissan in its current state, I’m not sure we’ll see a replacement – ever.
— N
The last question comes a new fan who was curious about racing shores.
Q: (Via: NathanAdlen@Twitter/X) RE: Should I buy racing shoes?
It’s me again! I was wondering if you ever would need actual racing shoes if you do track days and stuff like that? I’m not sure it’s necessary to put out $150 for a set of Sparco shoes.
— Kyle
A: Another good question
I’ll keep this simple.
One time, when I was at a Nissan Versa event, I saw a journalist wearing a pair of driving shoes for our test drive. This was not the time or place for racing shoes.
Went to a track day where I saw a local Miata club taking over the place. This was the right time to wear racing shoes IF it worked for the driver.
In many cases, if you need a helmet, you may feel more comfortable wearing racing shoes. They are good for pedal engagement, and maintaining better space in the foot-well as you work the pedals. That’s especially true for vehicles with manual transmissions.
I recommend a used pair to see if they work for your driving style. In my case, I either wear Vans or Chuck Taylors; they shrink my wide feet, and allow good pedal feel. They’re not perfect, but that’s what I like using.
Hope that helps!
- N
