Issue 9: Wheels

This week’s cover stories hit the open road and burn rubber. J.M. Giordano profiles a drag-racing granny, Van Smith hits the road with an all-female motorcycle gang, the Mufflers, and Edward Ericson Jr. learns about the surprising speeds reached by the new breed of amped up electric cars.

City Folk continues down the same road with the story of a man who rebuilds and customizes Volswagons that can outrun V8s, all on an unlikely corner of North Avenue.

In Mobtown Beat, Ericson reports on a possible relaxation of the regulations that force classic car owners to mount front-license plates on their works of art, and also hangs out with a group of people living a little too close to the road--on the streets, beneath the I-83 underpass.

We also present new evidence about the closure of local faves Berger’s Cookies.

Ericson continues in the arts, with a review of The Great Persuasion, a fascinating take on the rise of free-market ideology since the Great Depression, while John Barry looks at A New Deal for All?, a detailed and increasingly relevant account of social movements in Baltimore in the 1930s. Baynard Woods finds the uncanny amidst the mundane in two shows of figurative painting, and Geoffrey Himes locates the absurd amidst the 1970s pretension of Equus. In film, Jenn Ladd finds Jim Jarmusch’s Dead Man beautiful, but a bit slow for her liking.

In Music, Baynard Woods rocks out with Whoarfrost and Al Shipley tells us what’s up with hip hop and remembers Smash, a local MC who passed away this week.

In Eats and Drinks, John Houser III finds the food better than the booze at Moonshine Tavern, Henry Hong teaches us to make mayonnaise, and Baynard Woods discovers lay-a-way beer.

The Baltimore City Power Rankings, Earl Weaver is up top; the Olympics Committee contemplates Baltimore; smoking is banned in the stadiums; and Preakness’ infield fest sinks to new depths.

Don’t forget to plan your week with our calendar listings.