Tony Stewart’s Custom Hearse on Display at SpeedwayEXPO
Will Castro from SpeedTV’s Unique Whips to Appear
Salisbury, MA — While Tony Stewart is racing in Vegas, his fans and auto enthusiasts will enjoy what “Smoke” sent to SpeedwayEXPO presented by Sunoco on February 29-March 2. The 1984 Cadillac Brougham hearse often referred to as one of Tony’s prize possessions will be on display throughout the weekend.
The tricked-out hearse was restored and customized by Will Castro’s Unique Autosports of Long Island for the Speed Channel show Unique Whips. Castro will also appear at SpeedwayEXPO and sign autographs from noon to 5:00 on Sunday, March 2.
The hearse, which Stewart bought “just to mess with people,” is affectionately called “Smoke deVille.” Acquired from a Cincinnati funeral home, Stewart delivered the hearse to Castro in 2006 for a five-month customization. The finished product includes murals, body modifications and tons of interior accessories. Attendees at SpeedwayEXPO will see the unique vehicle up close.
Will Castro is the founder and owner of Unique Autosports, a leading automotive customizer. While still in high school, Will got a taste of the car business while working at a body shop. That sparked him to open Willie’s Shape & Shine, in Islip, New York, in the 1980s. The business, and demand for his conversions, grew. He then formed Unique Conversions and, in 1999, changed the name to Unique Autosports.
Unique’s first celebrity clients were Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith and the rap pioneers EPMD. Word of Castro’s craftsmanship quickly spread through the rap community and landed Hip-Hop artists like Busta Rhymes, 50 Cent, Wyclef, Fat Joe and more. Castro’s client list also includes Marc Anthony, John Singleton, Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony, Marcus Camby, Jermaine O’Neal, Yao Ming, Pamela Anderson and Tom Wolfe as well as many NASCAR, NFL and MLB stars. His work has been featured on MTV Cribs, VH1, MTV2, ESPN, Fox, CBS and BET. His top-rated show on SpeedTV, Unique Whips, draws more than a million viewers and fans around the world.
SpeedwayEXPO ‘08 presented by Sunoco will take place February 29-March 2 in the Mallary Complex at the Eastern States Exposition Center in West Springfield, MA. More than three acres of indoor space will be dedicated to motorsports, including local and regional race tracks and associations as well as vendors of performance parts, safety equipment, accessories, apparel and memorabilia. In addition there will be a full schedule of special events, racing seminars and activities such as autograph sessions, the Pit Crew Challenge, pedal-car races for the kids and a host of special vehicle displays like “Smoke deVille.”
SpeedwayEXPO tickets are $15 for adults, children ages 10 and under are free. Coupons worth $5 off EXPO admission are available at participating Sunoco stations. For complete information on exhibits, activities, schedules and driving directions, go to speedwayexpo.com or call 978-465-9099.
Sources: Dale Wolbrink/SpeedwayEXPO PR.