wodranaizo

dinsdag 15 februari 2011

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Wins Pole Position for Daytona 500

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, Daytona Int'l Speedway, Chase for the Sprint Cup, Hendrick Motorsports, NASCAR

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The roar from the Daytona International Speedway crowd confirmed it. On a brisk but sunny afternoon, all seemed right with NASCAR nation. Let the 2011 season begin.

The sport's favorite son, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will start his No. 88 AMP Energy Chevrolet from the pole position for the Feb. 20 Daytona 500 after posting the fastest lap of qualifying (186.089 mph) Sunday on the newly-paved 2.5-mile track. It is Earnhardt's first superspeedway pole and comes 10 years after his father, the legendary seven-time NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt, was killed in the 2001 Daytona 500 -- a fact not lost on a largely sentimental crowd cheering him on Sunday.

Earnhardt's Hendrick Motorsports teammate, three-time Daytona 500 winner Jeff Gordon completes the other half of one of the most popular starting front rows in recent 500 memory. Rookie Trevor Bayne was a surprise third-place qualifier for the iconic Woods Brothers Racing team. Richard Childress Racing teammates Paul Menard and Clint Bowyer rounded out the top-five fastest speeds.

Only the front row is set for the race. The remaining portion of the 43-car field will be filled out according to the finishing order in Thursday's Gatorade Duel 150-mile qualifying races. Each of the Duels starting lineups will be assigned according to the qualifying results.

The last driver to win the Daytona 500 from the pole was Dale Jarrett in 2000.

"We're fired up,'' said Earnhardt, who started second and finished second in last year's 500. "I had a great car today. I didn't have a whole lot to do about it (winning the pole), just held on. The power and the body does all the work.

"It obviously gives you the idea you've got a great car. But anybody can win the race. The main thing for me is it takes the pressure off the (Gatorade Duel) qualifier, I don't have to worry about where I finish and I can just go out there and have fun.''

As for the timing of his first pole at the track coming on the 10-mark of his father's tragic death, Earnhardt deferred the irony.

"I'm here to race,'' Earnhardt said. "I understand the situation and I look forward to seeing how people remember and honor my father. But I don't really get into the hypothetical, fairy-tale ending stuff. I just need to focus on my job and what gets me closer to victory lane on Sunday.''

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Source: http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2011/02/13/dale-earnhardt-jr-wins-pole-position-for-daytona-500/

Howden Ganley Out! Pet Care Toyota Al Keller

maandag 14 februari 2011

NASCAR orders changes, tries to dodge draft trouble

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/02/13/987896/nascar-orders-changes-tries-to.html

Mike Harris Charles Robert Hamilton IV David Lee Blaney

Richard Petty Remains King of NASCAR

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Petty Enterprises, Daytona Int'l Speedway

Why is Richard Petty the King? Let us count the ways.

He won 200 races. He's signed at least a million autographs. He's 73 years old.

As impressive as those feats are, what makes Petty the greatest driver in NASCAR history isn't numbers. The King was good enough to win, but wise enough to know you don't win at all costs.

That's the big difference between Petty and Dale Earnhardt Sr. Sure, we could point to about total victories, win percentage and other arithmetic. But statistics can make any point you want.

Petty and Earnhardt each won seven NASCAR championships, but Petty won 137 more races. He did it pre-NASCAR boom, so Earnhardt fans will argue that it was easier to rack up checkered flags.

There's some truth to that, but it's also like saying Babe Ruth wouldn't have been Babe Ruth if baseball had been integrated and he'd had to play night games.

Petty won 27 of 48 races he entered in 1967, including 10 in a row. I don't care if he was racing against Danica Patrick's grandmother, that's astounding.

The King's critics will even say that 200th win wasn't legit. It was a premiere event, the Firecracker 400. Ronald Reagan was in the press box, making him the first sitting president to attend a NASCAR race.

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Source: http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2011/02/08/richard-petty-remains-king-of-nascar/

Gregory Jack Biffle Alan Jones Walt Hansgen

Qualifying results: What's set so far

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/02/13/987838/qualifying-results-whats-set-so.html

Tony Gaze David Hobbs Nick Heidfeld

NASCAR names Brett Jewkes to lead Integrated Marketing Communications

Source: http://www.skirtsandscuffs.com/2011/02/nascar-names-brett-jewkes-to-lead.html

Bruce Johnstone Casey James Mears Stefan Johansson

Australian GP boss fears for event

Australian Grand Prix boss Ron Walker fears Bernie Ecclestone will see through his threat to remove the event from the calendar in the next few years following recent criticisms about the cost of the race. Ecclestone was at the centre of a spat with Melbourne mayor Robert Doyle recently, amid questions about whether the high cost of the race brought good value to Melbourne.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/australian-gp-boss-fears-for-event/

Peter de Klerk James Hunt Romain Grosjean

zondag 13 februari 2011

Virgin sure 2010 issues now resolved

Virgin technical director Nick Wirth says the MVR-02's first week of testing has confirmed hopes that it is a big step forward over the team's 2010 car - and that most of the reliability issues that compromised Virgin's rookie season have been resolved. Timo Glock and Jerome D'Ambrosio's times at Jerez this week indicated that Virgin had closed the gap on the rest of the field, with Glock able to get up to eighth on Saturday with a time within 1.8 seconds of the pace

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/virgin-sure-2010-issues-now-resolved/

Hans Herrmann Jo Gartner Oswald Karch

Yellow line? Here we go again

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/02/12/987335/yellow-line-here-we-go-again.html

Bobby Grim Richard Allen Craven Zaxby s Chevrolet

Gary Ravan To Fill Team Manager Role At Faith Motorsports

CONOVER, NC – Gary Ravan has been promoted to team manager of the two-car Nationwide shop at Faith Motorsports, the team announced February 11. Ravan, who served as crew chief of the #89 Nationwide entry driven by Morgan Shepherd in 2010, will now over see both the #89 program and Brett Rowe’s #55 Nationwide rides....more»

Source: http://www.catchfence.com/2011/nationwide/02/11/gary-ravan-to-fill-team-manager-role-at-faith-motorsports/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gary-ravan-to-fill-team-manager-role-at-faith-motorsports

Carel Godin de Beaufort Leslie Johnson Lucas di Grassi

Hirvonen leads Swedish Rally after day 2

Mikko Hirvonen of Finland holds a narrow lead over Norwegian driver Mads Ostberg after day two of the Swedish Rally. Just 16 seconds separate the first five drivers going into the final day. Petter Solberg, Jari-Matti Latvala and Sebastien Ogier all trail the leading pair. Seven-time world champion Sebastien Loeb also gained ground as he claimed four stage victories on Saturday.

Source: http://www.nascarracinglive.com/nascar/hirvonen-leads-swedish-rally-after-day-2-ap.html

Ryan Joseph Newman Jesús Iglesias Kyle Thomas Busch

zaterdag 12 februari 2011

Fighting For His Right To Race With The Intimidator In His Corner

Guest Column by Cathy Elliott I have spent the better part of two days getting to know Michael Waltrip a whole lot better. He never said a word to me during this process, but he spoke volumes. Well, make that one volume – I just finished reading Waltrip’s recently-released memoir, “In the Blink of an [...]

Source: http://finallapradio.com/2011/02/11/fighting-for-his-right-to-race-with-the-intimidator-in-his-corner-dale-earnhardt-michael-waltrip/

Boy Hayje Peter Gethin Bruno Giacomelli

MINI WRC Team announce new driver Dani Sordo

MINI WRC Team Banbury/Munich, 05.01.2011. Spanish driver Daniel “Dani” Sordo will strengthen the new MINI WRC Team in the 2011 FIA World Rally Championship. He will team up with Kris Meeke (GB) when MINI makes its return to rallying with...

Source: http://www.motorsportsjournal.com/archives/2011/01/mini_wrc_team_announce_ne.php

Kamui Kobayashi Masten Gregory Gregory Jack Biffle

Ramos joins Fortec’s FR3.5 team

Reigning Italian Formula 3 champion Cesar Ramos will partner Alexander Rossi at Fortec in this season's Formula Renault 3.5 championship. The Brazilian sampled Formula Renault 3.5 machinery with P1 Motorsport and Draco at Motorland Aragon's collective test last season, before running with Fortec in a private test at the circuit last November.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/3rdparty/ramos-joins-fortecs-fr3-5-team/

Cliff Griffith Mike Hawthorn Gary Hocking

GOP Moves Ahead With Deep Cuts to Transportation, Housing

The House Appropriations Committee voted last night to move ahead with deep spending cuts, totaling $32 billion, to the remainder of the FY2011 budget. It’s still not the $100 billion the GOP wanted to cut, and some committee Republicans voted no, saying the cuts were still too small.
Appropriation Committee Chair Hal Rogers (R-KY) proposes to [...]

Source: http://dc.streetsblog.org/2011/02/09/gop-moves-ahead-with-deep-cuts-to-transportation-housing/

Mike Hailwood Dave Kennedy Piercarlo Ghinzani

MINI WRC Team announce new driver Dani Sordo

Source: http://www.motorsportsjournal.com/archives/2011/01/mini_wrc_team_announce_ne.php

Kenny Dale Irwin Jr Joe Kelly Richie Ginther

vrijdag 11 februari 2011

Indy legend Carnegie passes away

Legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway commentator Tom Carnegie has died at the age of 91. Carnegie was an announcer at the track for 60 years, making his debut at the 1946 Indianapolis 500 and only retiring after the 2006 event.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/indycar-news/indycar/indy-legend-carnegie-passes-away/

José Froilán González Brad Keselowski Christian Klien

Sprint Cup preview: Can anyone dethrone Jimmie Johnson?

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/02/11/984031/sprint-cup-preview-can-anyone.html

Jacky Ickx Floyd Anthony Raines Dick Gibson

Patrick sets conservative ’11 goals

Danica Patrick hopes to achieve top-15 finishes in her second partial season in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, while she has yet to decide whether she will pursue a full-time career in stock cars from 2012. The IndyCar star will kick off her racing season next week with the first of a planned 12 NASCAR events, competing for a second time at Daytona, scene of her debut in the second-tier series last year.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/nascar-news/nascar/patrick-sets-conservative-11-goals/

Jeffrey Michael Gordon Eddie Irvine Paul Hawkins

Massa fastest on Jerez test day one

Felipe Massa's Ferrari topped the opening day of this week's pre-season test at Jerez. The Brazilian set Thursday's best time on the seventh lap of his first run of the day

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/massa-fastest-on-jerez-test-day-one/

Geki Phil Hill Brian Gubby

Chicago 2011: Kia Optima Turbo SX Kinetic Race Car

Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Concept Cars, Motorsports, Sedan, Kia, Racing

Kia Optima Turbo SX Kinetic Race Car - Click above for high-res image gallery

Is Kia considering following the lead set by Toyota in crafting an entry into NASCAR? No - at least not that we know of. But the Korean automaker is proving it has an interest in racing nonetheless, as you can see from the 2011 Kia Optima Turbo SX built by Kinetic Motorsports seen above.

According to Kia, this race car was built as a prototype to showcase the performance and racing capabilites of the Optima. Performance aside, this machine, which is being shown off at the 2011 Chicago Auto Show, certainly looks the part of a credible racer.

It's worth noting that the Kia Forte race car, also built by Kia racing partner Kinetic, finished second in the Grand-Am race at Daytona a few weeks ago. Will the Optima be following suit? It certainly wouldn't be a complete surprise...

Gallery: Kia Optima Turbo SX Kinetic Race Car

Chicago 2011: Kia Optima Turbo SX Kinetic Race Car originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2011/02/10/chicago-2011-kia-optima-turbo-sx-kinetic-race-car/

Innes Ireland Ukyo Katayama Carl Michael Edwards III

donderdag 10 februari 2011

Kral sets pace in GP2 practice

Arden's Josef Kral was the pacesetter in free practice for the opening GP2 Asia round in Abu Dhabi. In the first official session for the new-generation GP2 cars, Kral set an early 1m37.788s to lead the way, and although iSport's Sam Bird briefly deposed him, the Czech driver responded with a 1m37.020s to cement his place at the head of the order

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/formula-cars/gp2/kral-sets-pace-in-gp2-practice/

Mika Häkkinen Jason Leffler Tom Jones

Makowiecki moves to Marc VDS

Leading World GT1 driver Frederic Makowiecki will switch to the Marc VDS Ford team for the 2011 season. Makowiecki won three races and finished third in the standings for the Hexis Aston Martin team last season, in what was his first full year of top-level international racing

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/3rdparty/makowiecki-moves-to-marc-vds/

André Guelfi Marc Gené Z Line Toyota

News Bites: Kenseth Backups, Gordon Tests, JGR Engine Explodes

Matt Kenseth and Roush Fenway Racing have a couple of backup drivers ready as Matt’s wife Katie is expecting to give birth later this month. Kenny Wallace and Brian Ickler are ready to jump into the #17 ride to practice or anything else the team may need. Kenseth does plan (or at least try) to [...]

Source: http://finallapradio.com/2011/02/07/news-bites-kenseth-backups-gordon-tests-jgr-engine-explodes/

Phil Hill Brian Gubby Kazuyoshi Hoshino

Fans Come First During New Motorsports Celebration; Charlotte SpeedFest Fan Appreciation Day on March 12

Source: http://www.skirtsandscuffs.com/2011/02/fans-come-first-during-new-motorsports.html

Alan Jones Walt Hansgen Kasey Kenneth Kahne

2011 season preview: Can anyone dethrone Johnson this time?

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/02/08/976530/2011-season-preview-can-anyone.html

Joseph Francis Nemechek III Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr Jeremy Allan Mayfield

woensdag 9 februari 2011

Force India targets fifth with new car

Force India has set its sights on finishing fifth in the constructors' championship this year, after unveiling the VJM04 that it hopes can help it deliver podium finishes in 2011. As the team revealed its 2011 car during an online launch on Tuesday, its CEO Otmar Szafnauer set out the team's ambitious targets for the forthcoming season. "Last year we finished a strong seventh - and we were sixth for most of the season," he said.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/force-india-targets-fifth-with-new-car-2/

Kevin Paul Lepage Ken Kavanagh Frank Gardner

Crutchlow satisfied with test progress

MotoGP rookie Cal Crutchlow believes he made great progress during the first test of 2011 at Sepang this week. The Superbike convert was near the foot of the times and crashed on Wednesday, but was pleased with his pace at this stage in his learning curve

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/motorcycles/motogp/crutchlow-satisfied-with-test-progress/

Willi Heeks Oscar Alfredo Gálvez Jimmie Kenneth Johnson

Hyundai Releases Full Information on RMR Red Bull Veloster Rally Car

Having whetted our appetites with a teaser photo, Hyundai has now dished the dirt on its new Veloster–based rally car that will campaign in this year’s U.S. Rallycross Championship and summer X Games. As with its past motorsports efforts, Hyundai will partner with Rhys Millen Racing and Red Bull. The car is making its public [...]

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/T0r5z04Ixlw/

Juan Jover Randy Joseph Lajoie David Hampshire

Chicago 2011: Volkswagen debuts turbocharged 2012 Jetta GLI, priced from $23,495

Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Sedan, Volkswagen

2012 Volkswagen Jetta GLI - Click above for high-res image gallery

When Volkswagen first debuted the new-for-2011 Jetta sedan, we were told that a total of four engine choices would be available. The standard Jetta makes use of the naturally aspirated 2.0- and 2.5-liter mills, as well as the much-loved 2.0-liter TDI powerplant. The final engine in this set - Volkswagen's turbocharged 2.0-liter four - now makes its debut under the hood of the 2012 Jetta GLI, which gets its official reveal at this week's Chicago Auto Show.

Think of the Jetta GLI as a bigger, fatter GTI. Just like in the smaller hatchback, the 2.0-liter turbo-four produces 200 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque, mated to either a six-speed manual transmission or VW's DSG automatic. The Jetta GLI uses the same XDS cross differential system that debuted in the GTI, which assists in controlling wheel spin and understeer during cornering.

The Jetta GLI is available in three trim levels - GLI, GLI Autobahn and GLI Autobahn Navigation - priced from $23,495, $25,545 and $26,445, respectively. The base GLI comes standard with 17-inch alloy wheels, smoked taillights and a revised front fascia, not to mention enhanced suspension geometry for better engagement out on the road. The GLI Autobahn ups the ante with a set of 18-inch alloys, dual-zone climate control, heated leatherette seats and a new Fender premium audio system. The top-trim GLI Autobahn Navigation adds, well, navigation, as well as push-button start.

Look for the 2012 Jetta GLI to hit dealerships in the coming months. For the full details, follow the jump for Volkswagen's press release, and stay tuned for live impressions direct from the Chicago show floor.

Gallery: 2012 Volkswagen Jetta GLI

[Source: Volkswagen]

Continue reading Chicago 2011: Volkswagen debuts turbocharged 2012 Jetta GLI, priced from $23,495

Chicago 2011: Volkswagen debuts turbocharged 2012 Jetta GLI, priced from $23,495 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2011/02/08/2012-volkswagen-jetta-gli-revealed-chicago-2011/

John James Miguel Ángel Guerra Juan Pablo Montoya

Today’s Headlines

More on Columbus Ave Tweaks: CBS2 Attacks; Daily News Claims Victory, Admits No Mistakes
Traffic Death Report Round-Up: WSJ, Transpo Nation, Metro, NY1
Day After Marty Mocked Biking, Hit-and-Run Severely Injured Wmsburg Cyclist (Bike Blog, Bklyn Paper)
NYPD Assigning Officers to Bike Enforcement Who Have No Idea About Bike Laws (Gothamist)
Times Metro Section Devotes 900 Words to Another [...]

Source: http://www.streetsblog.org/2011/02/08/todays-headlines-1072/

Brian Henton Sam Hanks Bertrand Gachot

dinsdag 8 februari 2011

SPEED Airing NASCAR Nationwide Series Race From Richmond

NASCAR RACE HUB RATINGS OFF TO STRONG START FAN VOTES REVEALED ON THURSDAY’S SPEED PERFORMANCE AWARDS SPEED TVAfter simulcasting a pair of NASCAR Nationwide Series races in the 2008, SPEED will be the exclusive home for the NASCAR Nationwide Series race from Richmond on April 29 at 7:30 p.m. ET. “An exclusive NASCAR Nationwide Series...more»

Source: http://www.catchfence.com/2011/nationwide/02/07/speed-airing-nascar-nationwide-series-race-from-richmond/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=speed-airing-nascar-nationwide-series-race-from-richmond

Walt Hansgen Kasey Kenneth Kahne Kyle Eugene Petty

Name That Shifter, No. 10: BMW 318i

As we do every week, we asked you to identify a mystery shifter’s vehicular origin. An overwhelming majority of those who ventured a correct guess, with the consensus that it was a BMW E30 3-series, and probably a coupe. The first commenter to respond, Shaka, was correct and will receive a Save the Manuals sticker [...]

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/FZAak9otTPs/

Max Jean Parker Kligerman Hiroshi Fushida

Team AirAsia Joins Forces With FXPM.com

Team AirAsia Hingham, UK 6th January 2011 New GP2 entrant Team AirAsia is proud to announce FXPM.com has joined as a team partner and will race with the team throughout the Asian and Main GP2 series in 2011....

Source: http://www.motorsportsjournal.com/archives/2011/01/team_airasia_joins_forces.php

Trevor Bayne Duncan Hamilton Hubert Hahne

Opinion: Ranking the automotive Super Bowl ads from best to worst [w/videos]

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Videos

Volkswagen and Chrysler lead

Super Bowl XLV car ads - Click above to see the videos and their rankings after the jump

The Super Bowl is a contest of advertisers as much as it is for two football teams seeking championship rings, the big trophy and bragging rights.

The Super Bowl is one of the few times a year that most of the country is gathered around a single event.

This year, twelve of the advertisers are from the auto sector: Chevrolet, Chrysler, BMW, Mini, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Audi, Hyundai, Kia, Suzuki, Cars.com and Bridgestone.

Why so many car related ads? 2011 is widely seen as a breakout year for the auto industry. In 2008 and 2009, sales fell below 11 million, about one-third less than the industry had been doing in the early part of the decade. Sales in 2010 were better and sales are forecasted to come back even stronger this year.

The slowly recovering economy has kept a lot of consumers out of the new car showrooms. But cars and trucks are getting older. The U.S. has seen a sales rate below the annual scrap rate for a few years now. The stock market is back to where it was before the 2008 economic meltdown. Unemployment is ticking down. Things are looking up.

"The Super Bowl is one of the few times a year that most of the country is gathered around a single event," says General Motors marketing chief Joel Ewanick, who bought five ads at $2.7-$3 million per to advertise Chevrolet models. Chrysler marketing chief Olivier Francois says, "There is no better place for a real coming out," referring to a slate of newly designed vehicles Chysler is releasing this year. Chrysler bought an unprecedented two-minute ad.

Continue reading and to see the rankings of the Top 10.

Continue reading Opinion: Ranking the automotive Super Bowl ads from best to worst [w/videos]

Opinion: Ranking the automotive Super Bowl ads from best to worst [w/videos] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2011/02/07/opinion-ranking-the-automotive-super-bowl-ads-from-best-to-wors/

Eddie Johnson Peter de Klerk James Hunt

maandag 7 februari 2011

Kentucky Speedway Corporate Offices to Open in Sparta Feb. 7

Kentucky SpeedwaySPARTA, Ky. – Kentucky Speedway will open its new corporate offices at 1 Speedway Drive, Sparta, Ky., 41086 on Monday, Feb. 7. The expanded two-story building previously known as the track’s Fan Center will feature new ticket areas, conference rooms and offices that will house and support all communications, sales, marketing and administrative functions....more»

Source: http://www.catchfence.com/2011/otherseries/02/04/kentucky-speedway-corporate-offices-to-open-in-sparta-feb-7/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=kentucky-speedway-corporate-offices-to-open-in-sparta-feb-7

Nico Hülkenberg Brian Hart Yuji Ide

NASCAR Fans to Rev Up for Sam’s Town 300 with On and Off Track Events March 3-5

Press Release Source: Boyd Gaming Corporation On Thursday January 27, 2011, 4:52 pm EST LAS VEGAS, Jan. 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Boyd Gaming Corporation’s Sam’s Town Hotel and Gambling Hall is jumpstarting its much-anticipated 14th Annual Sam’s Town 300 NASCAR … Continue reading →

Source: http://nascar-news-update.com/nascar-fans-to-rev-up-for-sams-town-300-with-on-and-off-track-events-march-3-5/

Georges Grignard Gus Hutchison Helmuth Koinigg

CUP: Richard Petty Still The King?

In its heyday, Petty Enterprises won a record 268 races in NASCAR’s top division...

Source: http://nascar.speedtv.com/article/cup-richard-petty-still-the-king/

Ryan Joseph Newman Jesús Iglesias Kyle Thomas Busch

O’REILLY AUTO PARTS NAMED TITLE RIGHTS SPONSOR OF SEATTLE AND CHICAGO FULL THROTTLE SERIES EVENTS

NHRA GLENDORA, Calif. (Jan. 5, 2011) NHRA announced today that O’Reilly Auto Parts has agreed to multi-year deals to become the title rights sponsor of the 14th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Route 66 Nationals, July 7-10 near Chicago and...

Source: http://www.motorsportsjournal.com/archives/2011/01/oreilly_auto_parts_named_1.php

Emmanuel de Graffenried Karl Kling Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr

McLaren explains U-shaped sidepods

McLaren has revealed that the importance of getting as much clean air as possible over the lower plane of the rear wing was the catalyst for the radical sidepod design on its new MP4-26.

Source: http://www.inracingnews.com/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/mclaren-explains-u-shaped-sidepods/

William Clyde Elliott Horace Gould Clint Bowyer

zondag 6 februari 2011

Scott biographer: Hall nominations another snub

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2009/07/04/970996/scott-biographer-hall-nominations.html

Gene Hartley Kevin Paul Lepage Ken Kavanagh

Future Supercross and Motocross stars will battle for points and purse at 2011 AMA Racing Pro/Am events

American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) PICKERINGTON, Ohio Dec. 22, 2010 The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is pleased to announce the 2010 AMA Racing Pro/Am motocross schedule. These events are where dreams begin for amateur racers, and where they earn the credentials...

Source: http://www.motorsportsjournal.com/archives/2010/12/future_supercross_and_mot.php

Eddie Keizan Willi Heeks Oscar Alfredo Gálvez

Poole's picks for 2010 hall class

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2009/07/03/125431/pooles-picks-for-2010-hall-class.html

Parker Kligerman Hiroshi Fushida Theo Helfrich

Name These Porsche Exhaust Notes, Win “Porsche Sounds” Book

We changed things up a little this week. Instead of the sound of one mystery vehicle, we gave you clips of five different exhaust notes with a clue: they’re all from Porsches. To hear them again, click play above.
No one correctly guessed all five, which come from a CD included with the book “Porsche Sounds.” [...]

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/q15fxHsw8_c/

Eddie Johnson Peter de Klerk James Hunt

Chrysler 200 and 300 First to Get “S” Treatment

Between its square-jawed 2011 300 sedan, the suddenly stylish Sebring-cum-200 sedan/convertible line, and the re-engineered Town & Country minivan, Chrysler’s 2011 product line is its strongest in a generation. Building on this brand makeover, Chrysler hopes to expand its appeal to a younger, hipper market by offering special “S” trim levels for its cars.
While “S” [...]

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/7Bh5vLCJmRU/

Paul Hawkins Hans Heyer Bob Gerard

zaterdag 5 februari 2011

Followup: BBC apologizes for Top Gear remarks about Mexicans

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Celebrities, MISC

Ugh, fine. We're sorry. Okay, so that's not exactly how the BBC responded to Mexico's Ambassador Eduardo Medina-Mora Icaza, but it certainly didn't fall all over itself in making a formal apology, either.

In case you need a refresher, Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond quipped on a recent broadcast episode of the hit television series, in reference to the Mexican-built Mastretta MXT sports car, "Mexican cars are just going to be a lazy, feckless, flatulent, oaf with a mustache leaning against a fence asleep looking at a cactus with a blanket with a hole in the middle on as a coat."

Not surprisingly, a number of the country's inhabitants were not amused... including the aforementioned Mexican Ambassador, who sent a letter to the BBC as something of a formal complaint. The BBC responded with a letter in return, which included the following statement:

Our own comedians make jokes about the British being terrible cooks and terrible romantics, and we in turn make jokes about the Italians being disorganized and over dramatic; the French being arrogant and the Germans being over organized. We are sorry if we have offended some people, but jokes centered on national stereotyping are a part of 'Top Gear's' humor.

In any case, an apology was demanded and an apology (of sorts) was provided. Now, if you'll excuse us, we lazy, over-fed and easily amused Americans are moving on. Hat tip to Jesse!

[Source: Associated Press via Google | Image: Gareth Fuller/AP]

Followup: BBC apologizes for Top Gear remarks about Mexicans originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Feb 2011 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2011/02/04/followup-bbc-apologizes-for-top-gear-remarks-about-mexic/

Leslie Johnson Lucas di Grassi Jeffrey Michael Gordon

Sami Selio And Mad Croc Capture Driver And Team Title's In '10!

F1 H2O / F1 Powerboat News ABU DHABI, U.A.E. – December 31, 2010 Finland's Sami Selio scored 50 of his 94 total points in his final three races of the 2010 season in a brilliant come from behind performance to...

Source: http://www.motorsportsjournal.com/archives/2011/01/sami_selio_and_mad_croc_c.php

Walt Hansgen Kasey Kenneth Kahne Kyle Eugene Petty

Ferrari releases new dynamic images of four-seater FF

Filed under: Performance, Wagon, Ferrari

2012 Ferrari FF plays in the snow - Click above for high-res image gallery

Ferrari is taking a bold leap with the unveiling of its brand-new 2012 FF all-wheel drive shooting-brake. The Italian automaker also understands basic accounting principles, noting that demand is currently high for any images or video of the four-passenger super wagon, yet yet supply is low. Helping satiate our requirement for a fix of the FF, Ferrari has released five additional photos of the car playing in the snow.

We would prefer to hear the wail of the 651-horsepower, 6.3-liter V12 engine, but we'll take what we can get. Check out in the 2012 Ferrari FF exploring a winter wonderland in the gallery below.

Gallery: The Ferrari FF playing in the snow

[Source: Ferrari]

Continue reading Ferrari releases new dynamic images of four-seater FF

Ferrari releases new dynamic images of four-seater FF originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Feb 2011 18:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2011/02/04/ferrari-releases-new-dynamic-images-of-four-seater-ff/

Hubert Hahne William Clyde Elliott Horace Gould

Kubica puts Renault on top at Valencia

Renault's innovative forward-exhaust R31 set the fastest time on its third day of Formula 1 testing as the opening week of running at Valencia concluded on Thursday. The day was half done before the team got round to some proper stints, but once running Robert Kubica was soon on the pace. He was the third driver to dip into the 1m13s and then went quickest of all on a 1m13.144s with just over an hour to go.

Source: http://www.inracingnews.com/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/kubica-puts-renault-on-top-at-valencia/

Miguel Ángel Guerra Juan Pablo Montoya Olivier Gendebien

Daytona 500 Champ, Danica Patrick, Darrell Waltrip & Lyn St. James to Participate in PIR’s “Night of Champions” Charity Event

Annual event will help rev up the 2011 NASCAR season at Phoenix International Raceway Phoenix International Raceway(PHOENIX, Ariz.) – Phoenix International Raceway’s annual Night of Champions charity event on Feb. 24 will have a twist of mystery until the winner of the DAYTONA 500 is crowned just four days prior, on February 20. The 2011...more»

Source: http://www.catchfence.com/2011/sprintcup/02/03/daytona-500-champ-danica-patrick-darrell-waltrip-lyn-st-james-to-participate-in-pir%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%9cnight-of-champions%e2%80%9d-charity-event/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=daytona-500-champ-danica-patrick-darrell-waltrip-lyn-st-james-to-participate-in-pir%25e2%2580%2599s-%25e2%2580%259cnight-of-champions%25e2%2580%259d-charity-event

John James Miguel Ángel Guerra Juan Pablo Montoya

vrijdag 4 februari 2011

Drivers predict very high tyre wear

Formula 1's leading drivers are predicting tough times in dealing with tyres this year after witnessing high levels of degradation with the new Pirelli rubber in testing at Valencia. As a number of teams got down to work with their 2011 cars this week, matters have been complicated by a big lap time drop-off on the softer rubber - which has been so large that it has raised some worries of potential tyre chaos in races if the situation does not improve. Fernando Alonso said: "It was not easy to keep the tyres consistent

Source: http://www.inracingnews.com/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/drivers-predict-very-high-tyre-wear/

Matthew Roy Kenseth Sterling Burton Marlin Chris Irwin

No injuries in fire at Gibbs Racing

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — Fire caused significant damage to the engine department inside Joe Gibbs Racing headquarters Friday. No injuries were reported. The incident initially was described as an explosion, but a spokesperson for the Huntersville Fire Department termed it a “significant flash fire” similar to an explosion because most of the damage was done initially....more»

Source: http://www.catchfence.com/2011/sprintcup/02/04/no-injuries-in-fire-at-gibbs-racing/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=no-injuries-in-fire-at-gibbs-racing

Jackie Holmes Kamui Kobayashi Masten Gregory

2012 Pagani Huayra Official Photos and Info ? Auto Shows

According to Pagani, its new supercar is about to whip up one hell of a storm.
Pagani has unleashed a maelstrom of photos and info on its new supercar, the Huayra. (And here we thought ?Touareg? was hard to pronounce.) The name is taken from Huayra Tata?the god of wind among the Aymara people of South [...]

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/1gd6lFrd5L8/

Bill Homeier David Carl Allison Roberto Guerrero

2011 Event Lineup Includes More Than 100 Days and Nights of Excitement

Charlotte Motor SpeedwayCONCORD, N.C. (Feb. 2, 2011) – Charlotte Motor Speedway is gearing up for a spectacular year of entertainment as the track’s 2011 schedule features more than 100 days and nights of excitement. The speedway’s 2011 season includes premier NASCAR, NHRA and World of Outlaws Series events, as well as two gigantic Food Lion...more»

Source: http://www.catchfence.com/2011/otherseries/02/02/2011-event-lineup-includes-more-than-100-days-and-nights-of-excitement/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2011-event-lineup-includes-more-than-100-days-and-nights-of-excitement

Z Line Toyota Jim Hall Aldo Gordini

Simoncelli ends Sepang test on top

Marco Simoncelli was the surprising pace-setter on the final day of MotoGP testing at Sepang on Thursday. The Gresini Honda rider posted a best time of 2m00.757s, the best time of the three days of testing at the Malaysian circuit. Simoncelli was followed closely by a group of riders who also broke into the 2m00s bracket, with Casey Stoner just 0.054 off the Italian's pace on the works Honda

Source: http://www.inracingnews.com/other-news/motorcycles/motogp/simoncelli-ends-sepang-test-on-top/

James Hunt Romain Grosjean Georges Grignard

donderdag 3 februari 2011

The Next Frontier in Carbon Fiber: Forged Composite ? Tech Dept.

A faster and potentially cheaper way to add lightness.
In a word-association exercise, ?Callaway? is probably equally likely to be followed by ?golf? as ?Corvette.? As it turns out, golf is now relevant in the car world, too, as Callaway Golf and Lamborghini have partnered to develop what they call Forged Composite, which [...]

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/pOAIhmfoQSA/

José Froilán González Brad Keselowski Christian Klien

2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco ? First Drive Review

But weight, there?s less! Which is why we like it more.
The automotive landscape is bookended by those buyers who want their cars to be fun and those who want them to use as little fuel as possible. While these two goals are usually at odds with each other, every now and then they can coexist [...]

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/lRR244kO4c0/

Joe Kelly Dave Kennedy Loris Kessel

2011 Acura MDX vs. 2011 Audi Q7 3.0T S-line, 2011 BMW X5 xDrive35i, 2011 Land Rover LR4 HSE, 2010 Lexus GX460 ? Comparison Tests

Sleighboys: Five three-row SUVs travel from coast to coast with ease.
The words ?coast to coast? have very specific connotations when they appear in this magazine. The Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, for one. Not this time. Do you see any California beaches in these photos? Any Red Ball Garages?
Keep Reading: 2011 Acura MDX vs. [...]

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/jbz5c4mh5zg/

Carel Godin de Beaufort Christian Goethals Paul Goldsmith

Chip Ganassi Makes More History With Victory in Rolex 24 at Daytona

Filed under: Daytona Int'l Speedway

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Sure, Chip Ganassi's driver lineup looked unbeatable: three Indy 500 champions, a Daytona 500 winner and the reigning sports car season champs. But in the always grueling, unpredictable and increasingly wild and woolly Rolex 24 at Daytona, it takes more than talent. It takes luck, preparation and in Sunday's case, great tenacity to win.

Reigning Grand-Am Series champ Scott Pruett took the lead from his Chip Ganassi Racing teammate, 2008 Indy 500 champ Scott Dixon, with 45 minutes left in the twice-around-the-clock race on the 3.56-mile Daytona International Speedway road course, then held him off on a re-start with one lap to go to give Ganassi his fourth Rolex 24 win in the last six years.

Ganassi is the first owner in racing history to simultaneously own the Daytona 500, Indianapolis 500, Brickyard 400 and Rolex 24 trophies -- something people are already affectionately calling the "Chip Slam.''

"I don't drive the cars, I don't change the tires and I don't work on the engines,'' Ganassi said, modestly acknowledging the accomplishment. "I'm just the guy that gets to stand up here and talk about it. It's a lot of other guys that do the hard work.

"A win here does not reward you at the next race. We had a great day today and tomorrow we're on to the next race.''

The first four finishers were separated by less than four seconds after 24 hours of what was one of the most competitive races in the event's 49-year history. It was the fourth overall and ninth class win for Pruett, who co-drove with Memo Rojas, second-generation IndyCar driver Graham Rahal and sports car veteran Joey Hand.

"We were very optimistic, but did we know we'd win? No,'' Pruett said about his last stint in the car after chasing his teammates for much of the race. "But Joey (Hand) did a great job making up time. We knew we had a strong car and were just looking at our options.''

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Source: http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2011/01/30/chip-ganassi-makes-more-history-with-rolex-24-at-daytona-victory/

Jerry Hoyt Nico Hülkenberg Denny Hulme

woensdag 2 februari 2011

Heads Up, Tom Latham: Livability Pays Big Dividends in Rural Iowa

You could say Oskaloosa, Iowa, population 11,000, is a model of small-town livability. Families rent apartments over renovated historic storefronts. Local college students take the bike lane down Market Street to grab a bite in the local restaurants. Visitors travel from distant towns to browse the city’s local bookstore in its revitalized, walkable town square.
Oskaloosa’s [...]

Source: http://dc.streetsblog.org/2011/02/01/heads-up-tom-latham-livability-pays-big-dividends-in-rural-iowa/

Gerino Gerini Peter Gethin Piercarlo Ghinzani

Rounding up some of the other reports

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/02/02/963916/rounding-up-some-of-the-other.html

Jim Hurtubise Gus Hutchison Jacky Ickx

Volkswagen Unveils Special Race, 24-Carat Gold Touaregs in Qatar

To balance the do-gooder image of the planet-saving diesel plug-in hybrid it unvelied at the Qatar auto show this week, Volkswagen has two more concepts that have no problem making statements of their own.�The Germans unveiled two ?no compromises? versions of the Touareg SUV, which apparently were designed to tackle Mount Subtlety.
The Race 3 Touareg [...]

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Sterling Burton Marlin Mark Anthony Martin Jeremy Allan Mayfield

Sauber duo aim to avoid mistakes

Sauber's young driver pairing Kamui Kobayashi and Sergio Perez say their focus in 2011 will be staying consistent and avoiding mistakes. Having signed GP2 graduate Perez to join Kobayashi - who only has 21 grands prix to his name - Sauber goes into the new season with one of the least experienced driver line-ups on the grid. But Kobayashi feels he has improved a great deal during 2010 and can now deliver his best form more consistently.

Source: http://www.inracingnews.com/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/sauber-duo-aim-to-avoid-mistakes/

Clint Bowyer Zaxby s Chevrolet Brad Keselowski

Real-Time Bus Info Arrives Along the B63

At 5:19 p.m. today, the MTA's new BusTime system showed that B63 buses were approaching 86th Street in both directions.
From the Verrazano to Brooklyn Heights, passengers on the B63 can now make their rides more predictable. As of today, the MTA has launched a new bus tracking system that enables riders to find the location [...]

Source: http://www.streetsblog.org/2011/02/01/real-time-bus-info-arrives-along-the-b63/

Kevin Paul Lepage William Ashton Lewis Jr Sterling Burton Marlin

dinsdag 1 februari 2011

Childress Racing feeling emotions

WELCOME, N.C. – Richard Childress will go through an emotional roller coaster, one he’s endured once already, over the course of the next four weeks as NASCAR ramps up to its season-opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 20. The NASCAR Sprint … Continue reading →

Source: http://nascar-news-update.com/childress-racing-feeling-emotions/

Horace Gould Jean Marc Gounon Emmanuel de Graffenried

2012 Volkswagen Beetle Spied Nearly Camouflage-Free

Its introduction is just a few months away, but our spy shooters have nabbed a few crisp shots of a nearly camo-free 2012 Volkswagen Beetle before its expected debut at April’s New York auto show. Just last summer, we published a rendering of the redesigned Bug, and these new pics confirm our previous assertion: the [...]

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/9xC5oQjRhHU/

Ryan Joseph Newman Kyle Eugene Petty Floyd Anthony Raines

2011 Aston Martin V8 Vantage S Coupe and Roadster ? Official Photos and Info

More power and faster looks for the baby Aston.
It?s almost as if Aston has taken a page from the Porsche 911 Guide to Model Proliferation in creating the V-8 Vantage S: start with a base car, add some power, and give it the looks of a more expensive model.
Keep Reading: 2011 Aston Martin V8 Vantage [...]

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/bx_wlH_MlGg/

Howden Ganley Frank Gardner Billy Garrett

Ferrari: Push-rod layout is right move

Ferrari says that an 'extreme' solution to its rear suspension design has allowed it to stick with the push-rod set-up for this year's F150.

Source: http://www.inracingnews.com/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/ferrari-push-rod-layout-is-right-move/

Randy Joseph Lajoie Kevin Paul Lepage William Ashton Lewis Jr

East Side Coalition Unveils Its Vision for Safer, Transit-Friendly Streets

A template to prioritize walking, biking, and transit at the intersection of Third Avenue and 117th Street. Image: Transportation Alternatives
Earlier this week, Laurence Renard was killed as she crossed First Avenue when a dump truck driver turned into her path from 90th Street, hitting her from behind. Renard was one of at least six pedestrians [...]

Source: http://www.streetsblog.org/2011/01/28/east-side-coalition-unveils-its-vision-for-safer-transit-friendly-streets/

Brian Hart Gene Hartley Masahiro Hasemi