Lifestyle

Test drive: The 2020 Jeep Gladiator Mojave is an off-road oasis of fun

Jeep has always been known for building off-roaders that can crawl over the toughest terrain, but now it has one that can run … and jump.

(Fox News Autos)

The Jeep Gladiator Mojave is the first “Desert Rated” version of the pickup, which is a new marketing term meant to indicate that it was engineered for the kind of high-speed driving you might do in its namesake locale.

(Jeep)

The $45,370 Mojave is a different kind of beast than the identically priced “Trail Rated” Rubicon model and is the latest in a growing segment of high-performance off-road pickups that includes the larger Ford F-150 Raptor and smaller Chevrolet Colorado ZR2.

(Jeep)

The Mojave’s frame has been strengthened at key points to better brace it for impacts, and its suspension equipped with remote-reservoir Fox shocks that can take on long rough roads while providing plenty of damping for leaps and bounds. If you do manage to bottom it out, a unique set of hydraulic jounce bumpers up front further cushion the landing.

(Jeep)

It also gets a one-inch front lift to help you attack the bumps you’re about to use as launch pads, and a front bash plate for when you don’t quite make it. A half-inch wider track than other Gladiators adds stability and its standard 33-inch all-terrain tires on 17-inch wheels give it plenty of grip.

(Jeep)

The Mojave gets the same 285 hp 3.6-liter V6 as other Gladiators, either with a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission. It doesn’t have a locking front differential or detachable swaybar that the Rubicon has, but it does have 11.6-inches of ground clearance, Jeep’s two-range Command-Trac transfer case and a rear locking differential that will be able to operate in 4×4 High after a software update later this year. That’ll be a first for a Jeep truck and should make it even better at sailing across deep sand. A softened set of rear springs limits the Mojave’s tow rating to 6,000 pounds, well short of the Gladiator Sport’s maximum 7,650-pound rating.

(Jeep)

Mildly beefed-up bolsters on the front seats add some trophy truck flair, but the interior is otherwise the same as the other Gladiators and offers the most room of any midsize pickup. As is often the case with off-road packages, the Mohave’s ride comfort on the pavement is improved, although the knobby tires add to the already abundant wind noise created by its boxy body. That’s Jeep life, but it can be mitigated with niceties like extra insulation in the optional hardtop, leather upholstery and radar cruise control.

(Jeep)

Unfortunately, a cross-country trip from New York to the closest desert wasn’t in the cards while I was testing the Mojave, but nearby New Jersey has a little bit of everything, including hundreds of miles of sandy public roads traversing its pine barren forests.

There, the Mojave lived up to its billing, tearing down torn-up trails without breaking a sweat — or anything else — and taking on big dips just as easily. I’m not sure if I managed to get it fully airborne, but coming down hard with the suspension at full droop never resulted in the kind of pain and painful sounds delivered by a typical off-road pickup.

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The Mojave doesn’t give up much on the slow stuff, either. Its crawl ratio isn’t as aggressive as the Rubicon’s, but its suspension articulation is right there with it and it can probably handle 95 percent of the trails that its stablemate can. It is even available with the Rubicon’s front-facing trail camera, which has its own spray washer, because you’ll need it.

Of course, that 5 percent matters a lot to some people, but for everyone else, the Mojave should prove to be an oasis of high-speed fun.

———-

2020 Jeep Gladiator Mojave

Base price: $45,370

As tested: $61,315

Type: 4-door, 5-passenger four-wheel-drive SUV

Engine: 3.6-liter V6

Power: 285 hp, 260 lb-ft

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

MPG: 17 city/22 hwy

Matt DiBenedetto says memories of Bristol NASCAR Cup loss are still ‘painful’

Matt DiBenedetto is returning to the scene of the crime.

DiBenedetto is 11th in the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series standings.
(Chris Graythen/Getty Images))

The journeyman NASCAR driver was on the verge of picking up his first career Cup Series win last August at Bristol Motor Speedway after dominating the second half of the race when Denny Hamlin stole the lead with just 11 laps to go.

It was such a heartbreaking moment for the popular driver and his small Leavine Family Racing team that the first thing Hamlin did when he got out of his car was to apologize for winning the race.

Hamlin passed DiBenedetto with 11 laps to go.
(Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images)

“I’m so sorry to Matt DiBenedetto, [crew chief] Mike Wheeler. I hate it. I know a win would mean a lot to that team, but I gotta give 110 percent for FedEx and my whole team. And just sorry,” Hamlin said.

DiBenedetto called it the biggest and craziest moment of his career, but even as he prepares to race again at Bristol on Sunday, May 31, he still hasn’t seen a replay of the finish.

Hamlin consoled DiBenedetto after the race.
(Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images)

“I actually still to this day have not watched the end of that race. It’s still that painful that I’ve never watched. I can’t remember what lap, but I cut it off and I can’t even watch it,” the 28-year-old said during a press call on Friday.

DiBenedetto drives for Wood Brothers Racing now and picked up his second second-place finish at Las Vegas earlier this year. He is currently 11th in the season standings, finishing in the top 20 in every race so far this year. He’ll be starting in ninth position on Sunday, right next to Hamlin in 10th, after the lineup was set through a random draw since practice and qualifying is being skipped due to restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

“I would say Bristol would probably be more of the nerve-wracking ones of firing off with no practice,” DiBenedetto said as he compared it to the longer tracks. “Bristol, there’s just no margin for error. It’s really, really fast. It’s an insanely fast short track.”

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He said the car has to be dialed-in just right from the start because its set up to be more sensitive to handle the tighter turns at Bristol, and that he’ll probably watch his races from 2018 to prepare. Not because of last year’s loss, but because the rules package was similar to this year’s.

“We have the low downforce back for Bristol, which will make the racing way, way better, so I’m excited about that.”

The Food City presents the Supermarket Heroes 500 NASCAR Cup Series race will be broadcast on FS1 at 3:30 p.m. EDT Sunday, May 31.

Coronavirus pandemic sparks rise in car thefts across the country

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The coronavirus hasn’t been kind to car owners.

With more people than ever staying home to lessen the spread of COVID-19, their sedans, pickup trucks and SUVs are parked unattended on the streets, making them easy targets for opportunistic thieves.

Despite silent streets and nearly nonexistent traffic, vehicle larcenies shot up 63 percent in New York and nearly 17 percent in Los Angeles from Jan. 1 through mid-May, compared with the same period last year.

And many other law enforcement agencies around the U.S. are reporting an increase in stolen cars and vehicle burglaries, even as violent crime has dropped dramatically nationwide in the coronavirus pandemic. It’s a low-risk crime with a potentially high reward, police say, especially when many drivers leave their doors unlocked or their keys inside.

“You might as well put a sticker on the window that says ‘come take my stuff,’” said an exasperated Alex Villanueva, the Los Angeles County sheriff.

In Austin, Texas, last month, a whopping 72 percent of the 322 stolen vehicles had their keys nearby. The total number of auto thefts in April spiked about 50 percent, and burglaries to vehicles were up 2 percent from April 2019.

The virus has created a “perfect storm,” said Austin police Sgt. Chris Vetrano, a supervisor in the 11-detective auto theft unit that investigates stolen vehicle cases.

The elements for that storm: Drivers are at home and not using or checking their cars regularly. School’s out, so teenagers are trying their luck. Criminals are out of work and have more time on their hands or need fast money to support a drug habit.

“You can get on the Internet nowadays and learn how to break into vehicles just searching YouTube,” Vetrano said.

(He should know: Someone broke into his locked Ford F-150 pickup truck, one of the most commonly stolen vehicles, about a year ago.)

CORONAVIRUS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Salt Lake City police Detective Greg Wilking said a 22 percent spike in vehicle burglaries there could be from a few criminals working quickly on “car prowls.”

“It’s really 10 seconds,” he said. “They’re not spending a lot of time in your car. It’s a smash-and-grab-and-go,” sometimes in broad daylight.

Wilking worries the numbers will keep rising because “people get more desperate as time goes on.”

In Baltimore, though, a push to reduce the city’s historically high numbers of vehicle thefts and burglaries appears to have paid off. Thefts from autos plunged 24 percent and stolen vehicles dropped 19 percent from January to May compared with the same period last year.

Col. Richard Worley, the chief of patrol, in part credits aggressive efforts to remind residents to lock their cars, take their keys home and park in well-lit areas. In this case, however, the pandemic has actually helped police:

Residents are home, driving less and keeping an eye on the neighborhood, and officers now have time for proactive patrols because calls for service and violent crime have decreased. A thief was recently arrested with 13 stolen catalytic converters during a motor vehicle stop.

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Sometimes, however, it’s just a matter of luck. Like for Lindsey Eldridge, the police department’s community outreach coordinator, who left her keys in her car’s cupholder. She realized her mistake just before falling asleep.

As Worley said: “She could have been a statistic.”

North Carolina speedway sees thousands in the stands, few with masks despite coronavirus risk

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Thousands of racing fans packed the stands Saturday night at Ace Speedway in Alamance County, North Carolina.

Sheriff Terry Johnson revealed that he would not interfere with the event and called Governor Roy Cooper’s executive order “unconstitutional.”

FOX8 saw large crowds of people and very few people in masks.

The track reopened at 7 p.m. to a packed house. The season was supposed to start last month but was delayed because of the pandemic.

Racing staff wore face coverings and large signs were posted encouraging social distancing and sanitation.

CORONAVIRUS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Phase 2 restrictions limit outside gatherings to 25 people.

From families who live locally to racing fans traveling from outside of the state, they told FOX8 they weren’t going to live in fear.

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“We’re tired of being stuck in the house. I’m not afraid of this virus one bit,” said spectator Becky Woosley.

“I’m wearing my mask. I would have liked to see people wearing their mask,” said Brad Flynt, who drove from Richmond to watch the races.

Click for more from Fox 8.

What is ‘prosecco Pilates,’ the latest lockdown fitness fad?

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Keeping active during lockdown provides a sense of normality and routine, but outdoor exercise can be tricky as people continue to socially distance and keep six feet apart. But many fitness fans around the globe have been enjoying a good core workout — while they sip of a glass of prosecco.

Fitness instructor Kelly Ravenscroft, 41, from Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands in Birmingham, England, has been teaching the quirky skill to women all over the world.

Fitness instructor Kelly Ravenscroft, 41, from Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands in Birmingham, England, has been teaching “prosecco.Pilates” to women around the world.
(SWNS)

WHAT WILL GYMS LOOK LIKE IN POST-CORONAVIRUS AMERICA? GOLD’S GYM, PLANET FITNESS WEIGH IN

The unusual combo helps to improve flexibility, muscle strength and balance. She says it is particularly effective to help tone abdominal muscles, the lower back, hips and buttocks.

“Many women are doing regular Fitness Pilates workouts with me online each week, women still want to stay physically fit and mentally fit while in lockdown,” Ravenscroft said. “It’s also the perfect stress buster to help with anxieties surrounding the coronavirus outbreak.”

The unusual combo helps to improve flexibility, muscle strength and balance, the fitness instructor claims.
(SWNS)

“Fitness Pilates is wonderful for this as they are getting a workout but the relaxation aspect of the class is great for mental health. I love the strength it gives your body, I love the feeling of calm that you get and the difference that it makes to your overall well being.”

Prosecco Pilates can be done in the house or garden and Ravenscroft says all you need is a mat, a glass of prosecco and a quiet space to lose yourself in your exercise. Ravenscroft caters to all levels, ages and abilities, from complete beginners to those who have done Pilates before.

MORE THAN 50 PERCENT OF AMERICANS FEEL BURNED OUT FROM WORKING REMOTELY DURING PANDEMIC: STUDY

“I love the strength it gives your body, I love the feeling of calm that you get and the difference that it makes to your overall wellbeing,” Ravenscroft said.
(SWNS)

“I added a glass of prosecco to our last class of the week as a way to relax and unwind,” the instructor explained. “We were all in our pajamas as well, so it was meant to be a way of connecting virtually with each other — as if we were having a drink at the end of class.”

“I’m trying to bring a bit of normality to a very unreal situation.”

It may be hard to get up and go when you know you’ve got an exercise class looming but there is no better time to use your body as your gym.

“I’m trying to bring a bit of normality to a very unreal situation.”
(SWNS)

Ravenscroft aims to target more than just your core from the living room floor. She has been teaching the “superman” technique where you extend one arm forward and the opposite leg back while balancing the glass in one hand.

Ravenscroft has also been teaching the “side plank technique,” where you lie on one side with your elbow under your shoulder, straightening the legs and finding a line down the body as you lift your hips and extend your arm up, hold for 30 seconds and repeat on the other side.

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You could also try the “single leg extension” routine, where you lie on your back engaging your core muscles as you extend one leg fully hovering just above the floor, slowly returning as you then extend the other – all holding a glass of bubbly without spilling it.

Or perhaps give the “thread the needle” position a go – taking a four-point kneeling position and extending the right arm up to the ceiling and then threading underneath the left arm, repeating eight times and then repeating on the other side with a glass of fizz.

“I’m teaching a group of 200 women Prosecco Pilates, they can join the live sessions or do them whenever they have time.”
(SWNS)

“My business has always been face to face, when lockdown hit I was forced to close all my classes down,” said Ravenscroft, who has been an instructor for 10 years. “I’m teaching a group of 200 women prosecco Pilates, they can join the live sessions or do them whenever they have time.”

Pilate’s enthusiast Charlotte Ellis, 23, said that she and her mother enjoyed the class, “mainly because it was an excuse to have a glass of prosecco.”

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“It was lovely to know that everyone else who did the class was also doing the same,” Ellis said.

Another client Sue Williams, 50, said she loved it and “felt very relaxed with my glass of prosecco.”

Avid follower Mandy Gardner, 51, agreed, happy that she “could relax with a glass of prosecco after a long day.”

“My clients are telling me they are doing more classes than ever as they can fit them around their lives better and that they are getting fitter in lockdown,” Ravenscroft claimed.

This story was originally published by SWNS.

Instagram-famous, two-faced kitten Biscuits and Gravy dies

Biscuits and Gravy — the two-faced kitten who gained an instant Internet following when he was born in Oregon last week — has died, his owners announced Sunday.

“He was born with the longest of odds and by living nearly 4 days, he beat those odds,” an owner of Biscuits and Gravy announced on an Instagram page devoted to the feline.

A two-faced kitten named Biscuits and Gravy has passed away, his owners said.
(Instagram/@Biscuits_andgravy)

HOW TO GROOM YOUR PET AT HOME, ACCORDING TO AN EXPERT

“We thank all of you who have been so kind, prayed, and wished the best for Biscuits and Gravy,” the Instagram post read.

Biscuits and Gravy was known as a Janus cat, derived from the two-headed Roman god.

Janus cats suffer from a congenital defect called diprosopus — which results in a cranial duplication.

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Most kittens with the affliction don’t live longer than a day. Biscuits and Gravy ate well over the course of nearly four days, but could not put on weight, the Instagram post said.

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“It’s hard work for a little guy like him to support a large head with two complete faces.”

This story was originally published by the New York Post.

North Carolina restaurant receives $1,000 tip on reopening day: ‘There’s so much kindness in this world’

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Talk about a tipping point.

The employees of one North Carolina restaurant were shocked to receive a $1,000 tip on the establishment’s reopening day amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The Famous Toastery in Wilmington reopened its doors to the public on Saturday, during which two first-time customers left an incredibly generous gratuity of $1,000 on their $43.31 breakfast bill.

Though the generous tippers remain anonymous, the Famous Toastery identified the customers as a local couple who seemed to truly enjoy their meal.
(Famous Toastery)

SOME RESTAURANTS PUSHING BACK AGAINST THIRD-PARTY DELIVERY APPS

“There’s so much kindness in this world. There really is,” restaurant owner Jamie Kloiber told WCET of the sweet surprise.

Though the thoughtful tippers remain anonymous, the Famous Toastery identified the customers as a local couple who seemed to truly enjoy their meal.

The employees of one North Carolina restaurant were shocked to receive a $1,000 tip on the establishment’s reopening day amid the coronavirus pandemic.
(Google Maps)

“They made a point to comment on their experience with us. A truly genuine couple,” a rep for the restaurant wrote on Facebook. “After they had left, our hostess noticed the incredibly generous tip.”

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As seen on the receipt, the mystery diners initially left – then scratched out – a $20 tip, ultimately leaving $1,000 with the note “Bless you all!”

Better yet, employees in the front and back of the restaurant elected to split the tip to share, Kloiber said.

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Jimmie Johnson disqualified from second-place Coca-Cola 600 finish after car fails post-race inspection

Jimmie Johnson’s second-place finish at the Coca-Cola 600 was nullified after his car failed inspection following the end of the longest NASCAR race ever.

Johnson started and finished the overtime period in second place behind Brad Keselowski.
(Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Johnson finished less than one second behind Brad Keselowski after an overtime period that saw the scheduled 400-lap race go 405-laps covering 607.5 miles.

The Hendrick Motorsports Corvette’s rear alignment was found to be past the allowed tolerance, and Johnson was relegated to 40th place.

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

“We think something must’ve broken, but won’t know until we get it back to the shop,” said Johnson crew chief Cliff Daniels. “Tough news after a strong night.”

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Cup Series director Jay Fabian said Hendrick has the right to appeal the decision, but that the rule was designed to prevent cars being built to intentionally break during the race to make them perform better, which has happened in the past.

Seven-time Cup Series champion Johnson was looking to get his first win since June 2017. Johnson is currently 15th in the NASCAR standings in what is expected to be his final season. Meanwhile, the win moved Keselowski into fifth place.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

Texas Chick-fil-A hosts high school graduation ceremony for employees

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Congrats, grads!

A Texas Chick-fil-A recently celebrated the high school graduation of five employees with a socially distanced commencement ceremony in the restaurant’s parking lot.

A Texas Chick-fil-A recently celebrated the high school graduation of five employees with a socially distanced commencement ceremony.
(Chick-fil-A)

BURGER KING DEBUTS ‘SOCIAL DISTANCING WHOPPER’ WITH EXTRA ONIONS: ‘HELPS OTHERS STAY AWAY’

The chicken centric chain’s Babcock Road location in San Antonio made lemons out of lemonade and surprised its 2020 grads with a small, outdoor ceremony on Friday.
(Chick-fil-A)

Though the coronavirus health crisis has upended many events this spring, management at the chicken-centric chain’s Babcock Road location in San Antonio made lemons out of lemonade and surprised its 2020 grads with a small, outdoor ceremony on Friday. In the fight against the novel coronavirus, attendees wore masks and gloves throughout the commencement.

“While this may not be how you guys pictured graduation… we wanted to make sure that you guys were celebrated,” one employee said.
(Chick-fil-A)

In the fight against the novel coronavirus, attendees wore masks and gloves throughout the commencement.
(Chick-fil-A)

“While this may not be how you guys pictured graduation a few years ago, months ago, or even days ago, we wanted to make sure that you guys were celebrated in a way that we could all be here and celebrate you guys for the accomplishment you have made,” a team member explained at the start of the convocation. “We know it took a lot of hard work and determination, so we did not want that to go uncelebrated.”

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After a few heartfelt speeches from teachers and Chick-fil-A staffers, each senior student walked down a red carpet, received a stole and gift basket, and posed for a photo with the chain’s cow mascot, who dressed for the occasion in robes and a mortarboard. Video footage of the heartfelt tribute has since gone viral with over 1,500 views on Facebook.

“We are so proud of everything they have accomplished! Congratulations to our Class of 2020!!!”
(Chick-fil-A)

“We are so proud of everything they have accomplished! Congratulations to our Class of 2020!!!” Chick-fil-A said.

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Brad Keselowski wins rain-delayed Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte

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CONCORD, N.C. — Brad Keselowski extended Jimmie Johnson’s losing streak to 102 races, holding off the seven-time NASCAR champion in overtime early Monday in the Coca-Cola 600.

Keselowski started in the back of the field, worked his way to the front at Charlotte Motor Speedway and gambled in not pitting when caution stopped Chase Elliott from winning with two laps remaining.

Elliott pitted and Keselowski led a train of eight cars that stayed on the track. He lined up in front of Alex Bowman on the inside line with Johnson — retiring from Cup racing at the end of the season — on the bottom ahead of Keselowski teammate Ryan Blaney.

JIMMIE JOHNSON CRASHES OUT OF THE LEAD AT NASCAR DARLINGTON RACE

Keselowski got the push to get into clean air and denied Johnson a victory. Keselowski celebrated as he usually does by waving a giant American flag out his window during his victory burnouts.

“I feel like I have thrown this race away a handful of times and I thought we were going to lose it today,” Keselowski said. “I have lost it the way Chase lost it and it really stinks. And today we finally won it that way.”

It is the first win for Keselowski this season, his first Coca-Cola 600 victory and the first win at this event for Ford since 2002.

Brad Keselowski holds an American flag after winning the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Charlotte Motor Speedway early Monday, May 25, 2020, in Concord, N.C. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

Johnson finished second in a Chevrolet, while Elliott, who had the victory snatched away just two laps from the finish, rallied to third for Hendrick to take two podium positions.

Elliott had a comfortable lead and was coasting to the win when Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron spun with a tire problem.

“That’s got to be a joke,” Elliott said over his radio.

Elliott was wrecked by Kyle Busch last week trying to race for the win at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway on Wednesday night.

The Sunday before Memorial Day is supposed to be a smorgasbord of motorsports that begins with Formula One at the Monaco Grand Prix, then IndyCar and the Indianapolis 500, followed by NASCAR and its longest race on the calendar.

KURT BUSCH ON THE POLE FOR NASCAR’S LONGEST RACE OF THE SEASON

The coronavirus pandemic has wiped out the first part of F1′s schedule and, like IndyCar, it is still waiting to start its season. Roger Penske, the new owner of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, has moved the Indy 500. It marks the first time since 1946 the 500 is not being run on Memorial Day weekend.

NASCAR was able to go forward for its third Cup event in seven days under a health plan approved by state officials that allowed the sport to resume after a 10-week hiatus. NASCAR ran three events in South Carolina, and the Coca-Cola 600 kicks off four consecutive days of racing at Charlotte.

A rain delay of nearly 90 minutes during the first stage of the race pushed the finish into Monday, but it still ended up just fine for Penske, the owner of Keselowski’s car.

Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin had his shot at winning another crown jewel event destroyed before the race even began.

A piece of tungsten flew off of Hamlin’s car during the pace laps and Hamlin had to return to pit road to have the weight put back into his Toyota.

Hamlin was eight laps down when he finally joined the race. The penalty for tungsten coming off a car is a four-race suspension for the crew chief, according to NASCAR’s rule book.

Hamlin, winner Wednesday night at Darlington Raceway, was clearly growing frustrated as his Joe Gibbs Racing team worked to reapply tungsten.

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“Let me know when it’s the point of ‘no return’ and we can just go home,” Hamlin said.

“Nope,” replied crew chief Chris Gabehart. “We can’t do that.”

The tungsten in question weighs 35 pounds and costs $1,877 from the supplier. If it comes off a car during competition, it can cause serious damage if another vehicle hits it. The ballast is added to meet NASCAR’s minimum-weight requirement and if it becomes separated from the car it is an automatic four-race suspension for the crew chief.

NASCAR got the race started and ticked off 49 laps before rain brought out the caution. The cars were brought to pit road and covered one lap later when rain picked up and the race was red-flagged. It resumed after a rain delay of nearly 80 minutes.

Kurt Busch started from the pole and was still leading when the rain began at the only event on the biggest single day of auto racing.

Matt DiBenedetto and Tampa’s Aric Almirola crashed in qualifying. DiBenedetto needed a backup Ford from The Wood Brothers, and Stewart-Haas Racing fixed Almirola’s damaged Ford. Almirola finished 16th.

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Track officials treat the 600 as an elaborate tribute to the military and fallen heroes but most has been scrapped as spectators are not permitted to attend NASCAR races just yet. NASCAR president Steve Phelps told the Associated Press he did not think spectators would be at races at least through Talladega on June 21, the last race posted NASCAR’s current revised schedule.

NASCAR has squeezed 20 national series races onto the calendar between Talladega and the May 17 resumption at Darlington Raceway.

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