Houston gears up for a new kind of horsepower as "Lone Star Muscle" makes its television debut on CW39. The show, which launched on February 3 and will continue airing 30-minute episodes throughout 2024, features Vinnie Tortorella, a 68-year-old seasoned car enthusiast, and his crew as they bring old Corvettes and other muscle cars back to life. According to the Houston Chronicle, Tortorella's shop, Muscle Cars of Texas, has snagged several awards from the National Corvette Restore Society for their top-tier restoration work.
Flecknoe is no stranger to interesting guests, as per a recent "Houston Happens" segment, where Tortorella himself appeared live to talk about the upcoming show. Having aired at 11 a.m. tomorrow, the show seeks to captivate audiences with a glimpse into Texas's vehicle modification culture—one that Tortorella has embraced since relocating from New York and setting up shop in Alvin in the 1980s. With a lot currently housing 60 cars and handling 15-20 cars daily, the show promises an inside look into what it takes to make these beauties purr, reported by CW39's "Houston Happens".
Beyond muscle cars, the episode shines a spotlight on Montoiya Murray and Solieh McKnight, young orators who triumphed in the Foley MLK Jr. Oratory Competition. While originating from a Muscle Car of Texas, the narrative drive of the program is the pursuit of excellence — pursued by Tortorella in the mechanical ballet of restoration and by Murray and McKnight through the power of speech. Their achievements echo with the affinities that Tortorella holds for his American muscle—potency under the hood, a reverberation in the air that stirs something in the soul.
Tortorella's pilot originally crafted for Motor Trend TV, didn't align with what the network had in mind. Still, CW39 Houston saw potential in his vision, granting production through Clear Life Media, a local Houston company. As the producer of his pilot episode, Tortorella continued growing his passion, now shared on screen, beginning his love affair with Corvettes when an acquaintance sought him out for help with the sportscar. "I just fell in love with them since then," Tortorella recalled in an account by the Houston Chronicle. "Anybody that had a problem with them just kind of sought me out."
