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2023 Hot Wheels Legends Tour Winner2023 Hot Wheels Legends Tour Winner
View our gallery of the ten finalists to see the winning real-life Hot Wheels car!
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The Phoenix, Ariz.-winning entry, a pair of customized BMW Isettas.Mattel
The 2023 Hot Wheels Legends Tour, the world’s largest traveling car show, concluded with the crowning of one of the global finalists as the next 1:64-scale Hot Wheels diecast vehicle.
In its sixth year, Hot Wheels Legends Tour spans five continents and 15 countries, to give custom car builders from around the world an opportunity to make Hot Wheels history with a one-of-a-kind die-cast modeled after their car.
The finalist’s passion projects will be judged on authenticity, creativity and garage spirit. The panel of judges includes Mercedes Designer Dalal Elsheikh, TV host and car enthusiast Jay Leno, renowned automotive photographer Larry Chen, actor Noel Gugliemi, NASCAR driver and model Toni Breifinger, along with members of the Hot Wheels Design Team.
About the Author
Dan’s coverage of the auto industry over three decades has taken him to the racetracks, automotive engineering centers, vehicle simulators, wind tunnels, and crash-test labs of the world.
A member of the North American Car, Truck, and Utility of the Year jury, Dan also contributes car reviews to Popular Science magazine, serves on the International Engine of the Year jury, and has judged the collegiate Formula SAE competition.
Dan is a winner of the International Motor Press Association's Ken Purdy Award for automotive writing, as well as the National Motorsports Press Association's award for magazine writing and the Washington Automotive Press Association's Golden Quill award.
Dan, testing the 2025 Aston Martin Vanquish. ANDY MORGAN/ASTON MARTIN
He has held a Sports Car Club of America racing license since 1991, is an SCCA National race winner, two-time SCCA Runoffs competitor in Formula F, and an Old Dominion Region Driver of the Year award winner. Co-drove a Ford Focus 1.0-liter EcoBoost to 16 Federation Internationale de l’Automobile-accredited world speed records over distances from just under 1km to over 4,104km at the CERAM test circuit in Mortefontaine, France.
He was also a longtime contributor to the Society of Automotive Engineers' Automotive Engineering International magazine.
He specializes in analyzing technical developments, particularly in the areas of motorsports, efficiency, and safety.
He has been published in The New York Times, NBC News, Motor Trend, Popular Mechanics, The Washington Post, Hagerty, AutoTrader.com, Maxim, RaceCar Engineering, AutoWeek, Virginia Living, and others.
Dan has authored books on the Honda S2000 and Dodge Viper sports cars and contributed automotive content to the consumer finance book, Fight For Your Money.
He is a member and past president of the Washington Automotive Press Association and is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers.
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