Unanswered remains the 25-year-old question: Who can do better burnout?
Hollywood is filled with car-crazy stars, but few celebrities have the camaraderie of Jay Leno or Tim Allen. Both were born during Detroit’s first muscle car era. They are both comedians and love to turn rubber into smoke. They have been battling for 25 years over who can do the longest burnout. It all started in 1990 when Allen and Leno were roasting tires in the Tonight Show’s parking lots. This new video shows that the setting has changed, but not the antics.
This CNBC video actually goes beyond a burnout display with Dodge Challenger Hellcats. Leno visits Allen’s shop and is given a brief tour of his collection. There are plenty of Ford muscle for sale, including an original 427 Cobra and a classic Mustang Shebly GT-350H. Also, there’s a 1955 Ford Fairlane with a lot of racing upgrades. This includes a Ford GT-spec supercharged, supercharged V8 that makes over 700 horsepower.
However, it’s not just a Ford show. A 1970 Pontiac GTO and a 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air are also on display. In the background, we can see many European rides, including classic Jaguars and Porsche 911s as well as a VW Beetle. We suspect that the Bug is not stock, given Allen’s reputation.
Alas, this story’s hook is yet another Burnout Contest, and this time it’s supposed be an equal match. Two Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcats 2015 are summoned to duty. There’s no doubt that the cars have enough supercharged Hemi V8 horsepower to properly atomize rubber. In Leno-Allen style, however, the contest descends into trash talk, followed by donuts, and then a visit from the police who “arrest” both TV celebrities.
This isn’t the first time this has happened, and it won’t be our last. It’s a fun way for gearheads spend seven minutes of their day. For now, at least, it continues.