It was while he was in graduate school at the University of Texas in Austin that Ben Chappell, an assistant professor of American studies at KU, first took an interest in lowriders, the vehicles that sit low above the ground, bear brightly colored paint jobs and bounce on hydraulic suspensions.

Now Chappell is the author of a book about the cars and their role in Mexican-American culture, which earned itself an entire entry on the New York Times’ “Wheels” blog on automobiles.

In the entry, Chappell dispels some stereotypes and assumptions about lowriders and the people who ride and tend to them, including that they’re associated with violence or gang culture (the cars cost a pretty penny to maintain, requiring a fair bit of responsibility from their owners) and that they’re driven only by young people (the culture has been around for around 60 years, and people of all ages lowride).

And the post answers the big question: Chappell himself drives a 2004 Volvo station wagon, not a lowrider.

Don’t forget to send your KU news tips, no matter how high off the ground, to merickson@ljworld.com