Project Underdog’s Ford Maverick is the Darling of SEMA
Among all of the epic builds being unveiled at the 2016 SEMA Show, one particular car unequivocally captured the hearts of showgoers — Project Underdog’s 1972 Ford Maverick.
A huge crowd gathered around the Shell “Pioneering Performance” stage in front of the Las Vegas Convention Center to learn about the story behind Project Underdog, which features actor Sung Kang and Alhambra High School students Alexis Hernandez, Christian Quiroz, and Tony Chen.
After a brief Q&A, the cover was finally lifted to reveal a perfect example of what happens when mentors and industry leaders come together to foster a new generation of true car enthusiasts.
For Alexis, Christian, and Tony, it’s clear that their lives have been changed for the better. They’ve grown immensely over the course of this project and are more motivated than ever to accomplish great things and give back to the community.
While the Maverick is Sung Kang’s second SEMA build, it’s much more emotional this time around — Project Underdog has a meaning and depth that his first car, the FuguZ, lacked due to its nature of being a personal project.
“The outpouring of support on this build has been tremendous,” said Kang, who was left a bit speechless from the amazing reception of the Maverick. “And the result is more than I would have ever imagined.”
And even though the Maverick is a beautiful piece of art from talented builders like the SEMA Garage, GReddy, Rocket Bunny, and Steve Strope, Kang isn’t referring to the car itself when he speaks of the end-result — it’s the impact of Project Underdog that he’s fond of, namely the experiences that took place behind the scenes like the formation of life-long friendships and the mending of bonds between father and son.
As the Maverick heads off to auction later this year to raise funds for the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund, the boys will be starting new adventures of their own: Alexis will be attending UTI with the goal of working for Mercedes-Benz, Christian will continue to hone his car-building skills, and Tony will pursue his dream of becoming a professional race car driver.
It’s been an unforgettable ride for the Dream Team, and we hope that they will continue to inspire everyone around them. Keep an eye out for the final chapter of the Project Underdog video series on Sung Kang’s official Facebook page.
The Shell “Pioneering Performance” Pavilion is open to the public so if you’re in the area, stop by to see the Maverick in person and check out many other cool cars and new products from Shell and Pennzoil.
