Ever wonder what's being said over an intercom during a rally? That strange language in the background of rally videos? The instructions are known as "pace notes" and they are read by the co-driver from a book while the two drive as fast as possible through a closed section of road called a "stage."

I didn't really get it at first. In fact, it took me a few hours before I really understood what was going on. Sort of like a first time at Mardi Gras — you know you're doing something fun, and everyone else is having fun, you're just not sure why you're there, or how this whole thing even got started in the first…

By my count there were eight red flags, three life flight helicopter trips, five ambulance trips, over a dozen driver visits to the hospital, and at least one injured spectator at this weekend's Pikes Peak Hill Climb. Why?

WRC Finland is this weekend and it's the rally of all rallies. Sure there are more epic ones in length or difficulty, but nothing matches the speed and jumps of Finland! When one dreams of being a rally driver, it's on the stages like Ouninpohja.

Whenever I hear someone say "electric cars are the future" I just shake my head and laugh. Sure, all those gas cars, millions of them, along with thousands of gas stations will disappear over night. And all the muffler shops and emission centers, too!

BMW's announcement today of the Lime Rock Edition M3 was the final nail in the coffin for me. The company that claims more 24-Hour wins at the Nürburgring than any other manufacturer just launched a track edition M3 that offers no serious performance improvement over the current M3.

Something really amazing happened this past weekend in the world of auto racing. It's the automotive equivalent of an American walking on the moon. Did we hear about it? Not really.

Have you ever been on a bad road trip? Like a really bad one? One where you say I am never doing that again? The trip that makes you think plane travel is not only convenient, but actually enjoyable?

Please welcome our latest contributor, Bill Caswell, he of the $500 Craigslist Rally Car (and the movie about it) and exciting adventures and even more exciting misadventures. Bill will be writing a weekly column for us about the world of cars as seen through his crazy eyes. — Ed.