Cover: Crash Course
Inside the crunching metal and hot-car-on-car action of the Watsonville Speedway.

Nüz: Dark Horses.

Gagli: Ben Affleck meets J.Lo in the year's worst. No, make that the century's worst..

Gods and Monsters: Cabrillo Music Festival pulls off a spectacular tribute to Lou Harrison and two creature features.

The Rock Show: Les Nubians; Zap Mama; Mariza; the Rio's third anniversary.

Dazed and Perused: Lots of books to read, and a dearth of author events. Like the Go-Go's said, vacation's meant to be spent alone. They were all about literacy.

Round and Round It Goes: Our lifesaving Bagelry outposts have given hope to the ravenous for over 25 years.

Apocalypse Noel: The battle of the sexes goes nuclear in Shakespeare Santa Cruz's lively production of Noel Coward's 'Private Lives.'