Friday, December 31, 2010

Ducati: Rossi?s fitness biggest concern

Ducati's sporting boss Filippo Preziosi has admitted that he is concerned Valentino Rossi's testing programme could be hampered by his recovery from shoulder surgery. The MotoGP legend is joining Ducati from Yamaha next season, but was off the pace in his first test on the Italian bike in November, and then had surgery on the shoulder injury he had sustained in a Motocross incident earlier in the season. In an interview with Motosprint , Preziosi confirmed that Rossi's fitness was a worry, as he fears the former champion will still be below par physically when testing resumes in Malaysia in February

Kenny Wallace Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet Jason Keller T

Ariel Celebrates Atom?s Ten-Year Anniversary with 270-hp Mugen-Powered Model

It?s been ten years since the Ariel Atom Motor Company first released its no-frills open-cockpit�Atom sports car, and the company will celebrate with ten limited-edition models powered by Mugen-tuned engines.
As has been the case with the European version of the Atom since 2007, propulsion comes from a 2.0-liter Honda K20Z engine, like the one found [...]


Related posts:
  1. DDMworks Announces 430-hp Twincharged Engine Upgrade for Ariel Atom 2
  2. Ariel Atom 3 – Specialty File
  3. Ariel Launches Limited-Edition, 500-hp Atom 500 V8

Christian Klien Karl Kling Ernst Klodwig

The 2010 NYC Streetsies, Part 2

Nadir of the Year – Transit Division: This vote wasn’t even close. Low points don’t get much lower than the worst service cuts in a generation. In June, more than a dozen New York City Transit bus lines were eliminated, service was reduced on dozens more, trains started to run less [...]

Jean Marc Gounon Emmanuel de Graffenried Lucas di Grassi

Calado eager to take on Bottas in GP3

James Calado is confident he can defeat highly-rated new team-mate Valtteri Bottas and become the first Racing Steps Foundation driver to win a single-seater championship when he moves into GP3 in 2011. The Briton narrowly missed out on the 2009 Formula Renault UK title with Fortec, before finishing a distant runner-up to Carlin team-mate Jean-Eric Vergne in British F3 in 2010

Z Line Toyota Clint Bowyer Zaxby s Chevrolet

Lotus Confirms it May Develop V-8 In-House

A spokesperson for Lotus Cars has told us that the company is very seriously considering building its own V-8 engine for the upcoming Esprit sports car, among other planned models. This confirms recent rumors while contradicting the powertrain plans set forth for the car at the recent Paris show.
Previously, Lotus had said that it would [...]


Related posts:
  1. Lotus Goes a Little Bit Crazy: All-New, Six-Car Lineup Debuts at Paris Auto Show – Car News
  2. La Dolce Lotus? Group Lotus taps Ferrari Designer for New Design Position
  3. Lotus: A Historical Timeline – Feature

Ryan Newman Phoenix Construction Chevrolet Jeremy Clements

Hamlin vows to improve for 2011

NASCAR Sprint Cup runner-up Denny Hamlin believes the 2010 season brought massive improvement to his team, but believes there's plenty of areas where he still has to maximise his potential as he looks forward to challenging for the title again next year.

Yves Giraud Cabantous Ignazio Giunti Timo Glock

Thursday, December 30, 2010

IndyCar Airport Racing

Week Seven of the iRacing.com IZOD IndyCar Series led the drivers to the Sebring International Raceway.� This time the full course was bypassed in favor of the shorter “Modified” track layout which takes a tight short cut after the first very fast left hand turn and the extended backstretch leads to a tighter version of [...]

Nicolas Kiesa Leo Kinnunen Danny Kladis

2010 Subaru Legacy 3.6R Limited ? Long-Term Road Test Update

Update One: The big Subaru sedan quietly marches toward 40,000 miles.
Date: December 2010
Months in Fleet: 23,212 miles
Current Mileage: 9 months
Average Fuel Economy: 22 mpg
Average Range: 407 miles
Service: $285
Normal Wear: $0
Repair: $68
Over the last 23,000 miles and change, the overwhelming impression we?ve formed of our long-term 2010 Subaru Legacy is one of quiet competence. It does [...]


Related posts:
  1. 2010 Subaru Legacy 3.6R Limited – Long-Term Road Test Intro
  2. 2010 Subaru Legacy 2.5i – Short Take Road Test
  3. 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI – Long-Term Road Test Update

Mark Green Sons of Anarchy FX Network Chevrolet Ryan Newman

Send a Thank You to the People Who Are Changing NYC Streets

2010 is almost over, and it’s about time to step back and assess all the progress that’s been made in just the past 12 months. This year alone, New York City has seen the transformation of Broadway near Union Square, the taming of traffic on Prospect Park West, the launch of Select Bus Service on [...]

David Gilliland Tony Raines Bobby Labonte

Hirschman Lands Whelen Modified Tour Ride

Matt Hirschman (Adam Fenwick Photo) DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. ? Matt Hirschman will return to the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour next season as the pilot of the Boehler Racing Enterprises ?Ole Blue? No

Olivier Grouillard Brian Gubby André Guelfi

The Vehicles of Tron: Legacy ? Feature

Tron: Legacy throws new vehicles into digital combat, and we talk to the lead vehicle designer about creating the film?s signature rides.
Those who remember Disney?s original Tron from 1982 know that even in the parallel universe of the computer world known as the Grid, you still need a cool vehicle to get around. [...]


No related posts.

Victory in Jesus Chevrolet Eric McClure Kroger Ford

2012 Toyota Yaris Previewed by New Japanese-Market Vitz

Toyota revealed its latest Vitz, a B-segment car better known here as the Toyota Yaris, today in Japan. This car�likely�will come to the American market as a 2012 model after a trip to the plastic surgeon trims the front fascia, a Toyota logo is added, and the car is generally tweaked for our market.
In Japan, [...]


Related posts:
  1. 2009 Toyota Yaris 5-Door Hatchback – Short Take Road Test
  2. Changes and Prices for 2010 Toyota Avalon, FJ Cruiser, Highlander, RAV4, Tacoma, and Yaris
  3. 2008 Toyota Yaris – Review

Brian Scott BigSpot com Toyota Carl Long

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Victory Junction's Holiday Gala

Timo Glock Helm Glöckler Paco Godia

2011 Chevrolet Silverado HD 2500 Crew Cab 4�4 Diesel ? Short Take Road Test

Heavy hauling in the fast lane.
With more than a million annual sales at stake?very profitable sales, at that?as well as bragging rights for who can move the largest mountain, the rivalries in the full-size-truck segment are some of the hottest in the automotive world. Nowhere is this more true than in the [...]


Related posts:
  1. 2011 Ford F-250 Super Duty King Ranch Crew Cab 4×4 Diesel – Short Take Road Test
  2. 2010 Dodge Ram 2500 Laramie Mega Cab 4×4 Diesel – Long-Term Road Test Intro
  3. 2010 Dodge Ram 2500 Laramie Mega Cab 4×4 Diesel – Long-Term Road Test Update

Jean Marc Gounon Emmanuel de Graffenried Lucas di Grassi

Ukraine reveals plans for F1 track

Ukraine has become the latest country to look at hosting a Formula 1 race, with Kiev officials announcing plans for a new international race track to be built in the next few years. During a press conference held on Tuesday, Kiev's head of regional state administration Anatoliy Prysiazhniuk revealed an ambitious scheme for a $1 billion (USD) facility near the city.

Jimmie Kenneth Johnson Kasey Kenneth Kahne Matthew Roy Kenseth

Nissan Sunny Revealed in China, Foreshadows Next Versa

Nissan previewed the next-generation Versa in China this week, taking the wraps off of the Chinese-market Sunny at the China International Automobile Exposition in Guangzhou. Now that we’ve seen it, we wouldn’t mind if they put the wraps back on.
Although Nissan is officially mum on what badge this car will wear when it arrives in [...]


Related posts:
  1. 2011 Nissan Versa Pricing Announced
  2. 2009 Nissan Versa Sedan and Hatchback – Review
  3. 2010 Nissan Versa 1.8 SL Hatchback – Quick Spin

Paco Godia Carel Godin de Beaufort Christian Goethals

Year in Review ? TJ Coughlin

JEGS Sun, 19 Dec 2010 Indy victory makes Coughlin?s year a success For most racers, a win at the prestigious Mac Tools U.S. Nationals is usually enough to make any season a successful one and that was certainly the case...

Gérard Larrousse Jud Larson Niki Lauda†

Caffi unfazed by Monte debut

Former grand prix driver Alex Caffi says he is relaxed about making his top-line rallying debut in the 2011 Monte Carlo Rally. The sometime Osella, Scuderia Italia and Footwork Formula 1 racer is driving a DP Autosport-run Skoda Fabia on the Intercontinental Rally Challenge's famous season-opener next month. The 46-year-old, who still races in GT series, said that although his rallying experience was minimal, he had coped with being thrown in at the deep end during his F1 career, so was not concerned about tackling the Monte for the first time

Music Center Toyota Scott Speed Red Bull Toyota

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Cast Your Vote For the 2010 Streetsies

Even after 51 weeks of reporting on NYC’s sustainable transportation and street safety scene, it’s still somewhat stunning to sit back and pore over the sheer volume of news that happened in the past year. 2010 was an epically bad year for transit riders, leavened by some important flashes of innovation. New York also saw [...]

Cliff Griffith Georges Grignard Bobby Grim

NASCAR rallies together for Stocks for Tots

Citifinancial Ford Reed Sorenson Dollar General Toyota

Collect ?Em All: Buying the 2001 10Best List ? Feature

How has history treated our favorites from ten years ago, and what would it cost to buy the entire group?
We recently announced the 2011 10Best Cars, our picks for the pinnacles of automotive achievement. Each belongs at the top of your shopping list in its respective category, and owning any of them [...]


Related posts:
  1. Decade in Review: 10Best of the Aughties – Feature
  2. 10Best Car Parts for Home D�cor – 10Best Cars
  3. 2009 10Best Winners and Losers – 10Best Cars

Michael Annett Germain com Toyota Brendan Gaughan

2010 Subaru Legacy 3.6R Limited ? Long-Term Road Test Update

Update One: The big Subaru sedan quietly marches toward 40,000 miles.
Date: December 2010
Months in Fleet: 23,212 miles
Current Mileage: 9 months
Average Fuel Economy: 22 mpg
Average Range: 407 miles
Service: $285
Normal Wear: $0
Repair: $68
Over the last 23,000 miles and change, the overwhelming impression we?ve formed of our long-term 2010 Subaru Legacy is one of quiet competence. It does [...]


Related posts:
  1. 2010 Subaru Legacy 3.6R Limited – Long-Term Road Test Intro
  2. 2010 Subaru Legacy 2.5i – Short Take Road Test
  3. 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI – Long-Term Road Test Update

AMP Energy National Guard Chevrolet Kasey Kahne Budweiser Ford

Caraviello: Changes offer Junior best chance yet at comeback (NASCAR.com)

Caraviello: Changes offer Junior best chance yet at comeback

Verizon Wireless Dodge Ryan Truex NAPA Toyota

Kanaan sure de Ferran team can win

Tony Kanaan is confident he will be able to win races with the De Ferran Dragon Racing team, even though it has not been a regular frontrunner so far. After eight seasons with Andretti Autosport (formerly Andretti Green), Kanaan lost his seat at Michael Andretti's squad over the winter due to a sponsor pull-out

A J Allmendinger Insignia HDTV Ford Clint Bowyer

Monday, December 27, 2010

Flying Lizard Retains ALMS Drivers

SONOMA, Calif. ? Flying Lizard Motorsports won?t be breaking in any new drivers next year as all four of its drivers will return to the team for the 2011 American Le Mans Series season. Joerg Bergmeister and Patrick Long will return to drive No.

Carl Edwards Copart Ford Denny Hamlin

NASCAR The Game 2011 Launch Trailer

This is about as real as it gets, coming February 2011 For more info about this game, CLICK HERE

Phoenix Construction Chevrolet Chevrolet Mikko Kozarowitzky Willi Krakau

Driving in the Dark ? Feature

Five ways automakers are making it safer and easier to hit the road after sunset.
During this holiday season, from December 23 to January 2, 92.3 million Americans will travel 50 or more miles from home, according to AAA. Much of that driving will take place before or after work hours, and when [...]


No related posts.

Eric McClure Kroger Ford Kenny Wallace

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...

André Guelfi Miguel Ángel Guerra Roberto Guerrero

New Book Tackles NASCAR's Greatest Debates

Filed under: , , , , , , ,

EDITORS NOTE: When you start talking about Richard Petty's rightful place in NASCAR history vs. Dale Earnhardt vs. Jeff Gordon, you're going to get in an argument.

In his first book,
Trading Paint: 101 Great NASCAR Debates, recently published by John Wiley & Sons Inc., motorsports writer Jerry Bonkowski tackles these questions and provides his unique viewpoint. Prior to joining FanHouse over a year ago as an editor, Jerry Bonkowski was National NASCAR Columnist for Yahoo! Sports and ESPN.com and wrote for USA Today.

Here are several excerpts from Bonkowski's book, which is available at Barnes & Noble, Borders and other book stores, as well as online at Amazon.com.

WHO'S THE GREATEST NASCAR DRIVER EVER?

This debate always gets passionate fans going, with typically mild-mannered individuals turning into raving, obsessed fanatics if someone dares to challenge the superiority of the guy they so proudly call "their" driver. Think of a 140-pound, Woody Allen-looking dweeb who lives and breathes Kasey Kahne suddenly getting a surge of testosterone, puffing out his chest while forgetting common sense, and stupidly trying to take on a hulking, 300-pound redneck who takes great offense if you say anything bad about Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Then watch the punched-out Woody Allen-esque fan suddenly wind up doing a frightening, almost cartoonlike barrel roll through the air like the great Rusty Wallace did more than a few times during his career at places like Talladega Superspeedway.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Loan Max Toyota Aric Almirola JR Motorsports Chevrolet

Flying Lizard Retains ALMS Drivers

SONOMA, Calif. ? Flying Lizard Motorsports won?t be breaking in any new drivers next year as all four of its drivers will return to the team for the 2011 American Le Mans Series season. Joerg Bergmeister and Patrick Long will return to drive No.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr Citifinancial Ford Michael McDowell

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Season Rewind: ARCA Racing Series

ARCA RACING SERIES CHAMPION: Patrick Sheltra Patrick Sheltra won two races en route to his first ARCA Racing Series championship. (Adam Fenwick Photo) For the third-straight season, the battle for the ARCA Racing Series championship came down to the season finale, held this year at Rockingham (N.C.) Speedway

Bob Gerard Gerino Gerini Peter Gethin

Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG to Keep Beastly 6.2-liter V8

Contrary to speculation?including by us?Mercedes now tells us that the C63 AMG will keep its normally aspirated 6.2-liter V-8 when it is face-lifted for the 2012 model year. Much of the cosmetic revisions will be based on those received by the regular ‘12 C-class (seen at right), which goes on sale here next summer; we [...]


Related posts:
  1. 2010 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Development Package – Short Take Road Test
  2. Name That Exhaust Note, Episode 14: 2009 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG
  3. 2009 Mercedes-Benz C-class / C300 / C350 / C63 AMG – Review

David Carl Allison Gregory Jack Biffle David Lee Blaney

Video: Car-Free Play Streets in the UK

A little weekend viewing from the west coast of England. Since the summer of 2009, neighbors in Bristol have organized “Playing Out” events on seven streets, setting aside car-free hours for kids to play in the street without constant parental supervision. Watching this video immediately brought to mind Clarence’s Streetfilm of the 78th Street play [...]

Jeff Gordon DuPont National Guard Military Intelligence Ryan Newman

Marcos Ambrose Is NASCAR Crash King With 19 Incidents

Filed under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Marcos Ambrose, NASCAR's Aussie driver, did not let a mid-season surge in futility by Elliott Sadler deter him from capturing the season 'championship' in yellow-flag crashes and spins.

Coming on strong during the final eight races with seven spins or crashes, including a final spin (at right) during the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Ambrose easily outdistanced the competition in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series to post a season-leading 19 incidents and win the title by two.

Sadler, meanwhile, found uncommon consistency in the final stretch, chalking up only a single yellow flag in an incident at Martinsville Speedway during the last eight races. That brought his season total to 15, a number easily surpassed not only by Ambrose, but by hard-luck Sam Hornish Jr., who reached the second-highest total of 17 after the misfortune of four more incidents in the final eight races, including two in the Martinsville race.

Kyle Busch and Joey Logano were tied for fourth in our exclusive FanHouse crash and spin roundup, with 14 incidents apiece.

Drivers involved in 13 spins or crashes in the 36-race schedule, or one every three races, were Kurt Busch, Kasey Kahne, Brad Keselowski and Juan Pablo Montoya.

In our tally, we count an incident on a driver's tally if his car is listed as being involved in a spin or a crash that brings out a yellow flag. Caution periods caused by stalled cars, engine failures or debris do not count, unless a spin or crash was involved and a car number listed.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

NAPA Toyota Joe Nemechek Gator com Chevrolet

Kanaan sure de Ferran team can win

Tony Kanaan is confident he will be able to win races with the De Ferran Dragon Racing team, even though it has not been a regular frontrunner so far. After eight seasons with Andretti Autosport (formerly Andretti Green), Kanaan lost his seat at Michael Andretti's squad over the winter due to a sponsor pull-out

Brendan Gaughan Loan Max Toyota Aric Almirola

McLaren Announces MP4-12C Race Car for European GT3 Series

McLaren plans to launch a race-ready�GT3 version of its upcoming MP4-12C supercar in time for the 2012 season. The GT3 car will be offered in limited numbers to European race teams and, as a preview, the company will campaign a development model at several GT races in Europe next year.
There are few details so far, [...]


Related posts:
  1. McLaren Announces MP4-12C Production Numbers, Dealership Locations
  2. 2011 McLaren MP4-12C – Car News
  3. McLaren Gives MP4-12C Acceleration Estimates: It’s Going to Be Fast

Joe Nemechek Washington Music Center Toyota Scott Speed

Saturday, December 25, 2010

NASA eyes NASCAR safety work

JR Motorsports Chevrolet Justin Allgaier Verizon Wireless Dodge

Andersson pleased with Proton test

P-G Andersson has reported a positive first test with the Proton Motorsports team ahead of his debut in a Satria Neo S2000 on next month's Monte Carlo Rally. The Swede drove the Satria for two days close to Grenoble earlier this week and will return to the French Alps, along with Proton team-mate Chris Atkinson, for a further test ahead of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge opener next year. Andersson drove a current specification Satria on his first test, but the British-based Proton Motorsports team is working on a revised engine for the January 19-22 event.

Paul Goldsmith José Froilán González Oscar González

NASCAR Hall of Fame facing budget cuts

Mark Green Sons of Anarchy FX Network Chevrolet Ryan Newman

Opening some holiday notes

Danny Kladis Hans Klenk Peter de Klerk

Season Rewind: World of Outlaws

CHAMPION: Jason Meyers Jason Meyers drove to 12 victories in World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series competition this season. (Justin Leedy Photo) Jason Meyers clinched his first World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series championship in style, sweeping the two features during the season-ending World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte. Driving the Elite Racing No

Jean Pierre Jabouille Jimmy Jackson Joe James

Caraviello: Changes offer Junior best chance yet at comeback (NASCAR.com)

Caraviello: Changes offer Junior best chance yet at comeback

Jackie Holmes Bill Homeier Kazuyoshi Hoshino

Friday, December 24, 2010

The 25 Hours of Thunderhill in the B-spec Mazda 2 and Honda Fit ? Video

B?s: We find fun?and even success?racing the Honda Fit and a Mazda 2.


Related posts:The 25 Hours of Thunderhill in the B-spec Mazda 2 and Honda Fit – Feature2011 Ford Fiesta vs. 2010 Honda Fit, 2011 Mazda 2 – Comparison TestsHonda to Build CR-Z and Fit Hybrids in 2010


Related posts:
  1. The 25 Hours of Thunderhill in the B-spec Mazda 2 and Honda Fit – Feature
  2. 2011 Ford Fiesta vs. 2010 Honda Fit, 2011 Mazda 2 – Comparison Tests
  3. Honda to Build CR-Z and Fit Hybrids in 2010

Regan Smith Furniture Row Chevrolet Casey Mears

Ganassi adds Rahal, Kimball to driver line up in 2011

Caterpillar Chevrolet David Ragan UPS Ford

Scott Speed Sues Red Bull After Team Releases Him

Filed under: , , ,

A NASCAR driver usually don't sue his car owner after parting ways, since taking legal action could dissuade potential future car owners from getting involved with the driver.

But after more than seven years with Red Bull in both Formula One and NASCAR, Scott Speed has made that move, suing his former team for alleged breach of contract in a complaint asking the court to award him $6.5 million, SceneDaily.com reported late Friday.

Red Bull "significantly reduced its financial commitment to Speed's race team and was unable and/or unwilling to provide [Speed] with 'supporting equipment' satisfactory for a driver of [his] skill to [be] effective [to] compete in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series," Speed's complaint states, according to SceneDaily.

Speed's complaint also provides a rare, inside look at the money being paid in the Sprint Cup series for a driver at his level.

According to SceneDaily, the lawsuit says Speed signed a three-year deal in September 2007 for a salary of $300,000 in 2008, $500,000 in 2009 and $1 million in 2010. He was to receive 50 percent of his purse winnings for each top-10 finish, 45 percent for finishing 11th through 20th and 40 percent for finishes of 21st or worse.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Trevor Bayne Out! Pet Care Toyota Jason Leffler

Fast Short Track IndyCar Action

Week Six of the iRacing.com IZOD IndyCar Series led the drivers back� to short oval racing and saw some great online races. The Milwaukee Mile with a length of a bit more than one mile is the oldest oval in operation ? even older than the famous Indianpolis Motor Speedway!� Built in the 1800s as [...]

Virginia Commonwealth University Ford Brian Scott BigSpot com Toyota

The Final Lap Podcast #139 ? NASCAR News Fix

SHOW #139 – Get all your off-season NASCAR news in about 10 minutes. Featuring Goodyear Tire testing at Daytona, Jimmie Johnson is DOTY, Travis Pastrana wheels a stock-car, and more. Happy Holiday’s from Kerry Murphey and Paul Northrop LISTEN HERE (About 12 mins) Download audio file (tfl_podcast_139_10.mp3) SUBSCRIBE HERE DOWNLOAD HERE SUBSCRIBE FROM iTUNES: Take [...]

Zaxby s Chevrolet Paul Menard Richmond Menards Ford

Kanaan finds new ride with de Ferran?s team (PA SportsTicker)

By MICHAEL MAROT AP Sports Writer

Barnes Sadler Johnny Andrew Sauter Kenneth William Schrader

Thursday, December 23, 2010

BIKES: 2011 Kawasaki Vulcan Vaquero First Ride

We sampled the all-new Kawasaki Vulcan Vaquero on the scenic farm-to-market roads north of Houston, Texas.

Tony Raines Long John Silver s Chevrolet Tayler Malsam

2010 Team Rankings: Hendrick Motorsports Leads Way

Filed under: , , , , , ,

Just days after Jimmie Johnson secured his record-extending fifth NASCAR Sprint Cup title, Hendrick Motorsports experienced quite possibly the largest shift within its organization, ever.

With the exception of Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus, crew chiefs changed teams and drivers switched shops. All of it, goofy enough, in a bid to become as good or better than Johnson & Knaus in 2011.

But before they get there, it's worth noting what Hendrick Motorsports did in 2010 that earned them the distinction of FanHouse's top NASCAR team of the past season:


1st - Jimmie Johnson [6 wins, 17 Top-5s, 23 Top-10s, 4 DNFs, 12.2 Avg Finish]

Johnson obviously carried the Hendrick load most impressively this season by the sheer fact that he won, yet again, the Sprint Cup title. However, it was Johnson's first season in which he looked terrifically vulnerable down the stretch -- even needed to outrace Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick in the season finale to lay claim to his fifth title.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Jimmy Jackson Joe James John James

?Gravity Always Wins?: How the U.S. Can Face the Crisis of Unsafe Bridges

A quarter of U.S. bridges may be deficient, but focusing on just the most dangerous will have the most impact. Image: Partnership Border Study
If you left your grandma?s old wicker chair out on the porch all winter ? and the next, and the next, and the next for 20 years ? would you still trust [...]

Ignazio Giunti Timo Glock Helm Glöckler

Di Grassi overall winner of kart event

IndyCar driver Ana Beatriz won leg two of Felipe Massa's International Challenge of Go-Kart Champions in Brazil yesterday, but the overall victory went to Virgin Formula 1 racer Lucas di Grassi. Although Di Grassi retired from Sunday's heat with damage following contact with Antonio Pizzonia, he ended up tied on the same points tally from the weekend as Beatriz, Massa and Rubens Barrichello.

Kelly Bires Raybestos Ford Elliott Sadler

Jimmie Johnson's NASCAR Dynasty May Make Him Greatest Champion

Filed under: , , ,



HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- Jimmie Johnson joined his team on the crowded stage, hurriedly set up on the Homestead-Miami Speedway front stretch and, with confetti flying in the air, raised NASCAR's crown jewel, the Sprint Cup Series championship trophy, for an unprecedented fifth consecutive time.

Only seven-time champions Richard Petty and the late Dale Earnhardt have more hardware. And as the humble, low-key Californian hugged his wife, kissed his infant daughter, embraced his dad and gazed out into the crowd, Johnson was struck by something that helped him realize he had finally made it.

"There was a fan standing right up front with an 'I Hate the 48' T-shirt and he gave me the thumbs-up and said, 'Congratulations,' '' the driver of the No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet recalled with a laugh. "I have people tell me they hate me, but they respect me and that's always cool. If this takes it to the next level, then right on.''

So it is for the most dominant race car driver in NASCAR history. The more he wins, the more trophies he collects, the more people clamor for someone else to step up.

How about, instead, we honor this great accomplishment and appreciate the good fortune to be witnessing sports history.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Furniture Row Chevrolet Casey Mears GEICO Toyota

State OKs tax incentives for Kentucky Speedway

Coleman Pressley R3 Motorsports Chevrolet Mike Wallace

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Pre-Holiday Crowdsourcing Project: Map NYC?s Busted Crosswalk Displays

View Larger Map
We’ve got a nice piece of interactive reporting you might want to contribute to on your trip home tonight or while you’re making some holiday shopping rounds. Alex Goldmark at Transportation Nation is collecting photos and locations of NYC’s crosswalk signals gone haywire — the ones that show both the “Walk” and “Don’t [...]

Dollar General Toyota Michael Annett Germain com Toyota

Darlington President Honored With S.C. Award

DARLINGTON, S.C. ? Darlington Raceway President Chris Browning was awarded the Palmetto Patriot Award by Lieutenant Governor Andre Bauer during a ceremony at the track Friday morning. In addition to Browning, NASCAR legends David Pearson, Bud Moore, Cale Yarborough and Cotton Owens ? all South Carolina natives ? were also honored along with former Darlington track president and NASCAR executive, the late Jim Hunter and his wife Ann.

Phoenix Construction Chevrolet David Gilliland Tony Raines

Roush Fenway Racing Names Steve Newmark President

Roush Fenway RacingCONCORD, N.C. (Dec. 20, 2010) ? Roush Fenway Racing has announced that Steve Newmark has been named president of its multi-car racing organization. Newmark will succeed Geoff Smith in the position; Smith is retiring at the end of December after serving in the role for the previous 13 years. Newmark, who previously was...more»

Shell Pennzoil Chevrolet Kurt Busch Miller Lite Dodge

Shank Racing Adds Wolf As Lead Engineer

COLUMBUS, Ohio ? Michael Shank Racing has added veteran engineer Henry Wolf to the team?s Grand Am Rolex Series No. 60 Crown Royal XR Ford Riley Daytona Prototype operation

Loan Max Toyota Tony Raines Long John Silver s Chevrolet

Today?s Headlines

Times Editorial Page�Sneeringly Advocates NYPD Crackdown on Cyclists
CB 1 Committee Urges Closing City Hall Park to Cyclists, Saying They Ignore Dismount Signs (DNAinfo)
Fight Over FDNY Crash Fee Heads to Albany (City Room)
Gridlock Sam’s X-mas Wishes Include Staten Island Subway, BRT on Highways (City Limits)
Emilie Gossiaux, Cyclist Hit By Unlicensed Truck Driver, Left Blind By Crash [...]

Jeffrey Tyler Burton Richard Allen Craven Kerry Dale Earnhardt

McLaren MP4-12C to race from 2012

McLaren has confirmed that it plans to bring its name back to sports cars racing, with the news that it will supply its MP4-12C car for competition in the GT3 category.

Bertrand Gachot Patrick Gaillard Divina Galica

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

IIHS crowned 66 Top Safety Picks in 2011

Filed under: ,

2011 Buick Regal Crash Test

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has released its list of vehicles with the highest crash ratings for 2011. A total of 66 vehicles were awarded the honor of becoming an IIHS Top Safety Pick, with 40 cars, 25 SUVs and one minivan making the cut. As you may recall, the organization awards its Top Safety Pick designation to vehicles that achieve the highest possible rating in front, side, rollover and rear crashes. They also must come equipped with traction control as standard equipment.

This year, Hyundai/Kia and VW/Audi both tied as manufacturers with the highest number of Top Safety Picks with a total of nine winning models. Ford/Lincoln, General Motors and Toyota/Lexus/Scion all took second place with a total of eight Top Safety Picks each. Subaru has managed to retain its title as the only automaker to have a Top Safety Pick designation for every vehicle it sells, too.

Interestingly enough, The Volkswagen Touareg became the only large SUV to take home a Top Safety Pick for 2011, and the 2011 Ford Explorer managed to make its way onto the Top Safety Pick list for the first time in the vehicle's history. Hit the jump for the full press release.

[Source: IIHS]

Continue reading IIHS crowned 66 Top Safety Picks in 2011

IIHS crowned 66 Top Safety Picks in 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 19:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Dave Kennedy Loris Kessel Bruce Kessler

Media members vote Jimmie Johnson's fifth consecutive title as top story of 2010

Carl Edwards Copart Ford Denny Hamlin

Kanaan finds new ride with de Ferran?s team (PA SportsTicker)

By MICHAEL MAROT AP Sports Writer

Divina Galica Nanni Galli Oscar Alfredo Gálvez

NASCAR to induct Hall of Fame's second class May 23, 2011

Reed Sorenson Dollar General Toyota Michael Annett

2011 North American Car and Truck of the Year Finalists Announced

The finalists for the North American Car and Truck of the Year awards have been announced, and the choices shouldn’t surprise anyone. The Chevrolet Volt, the Hyundai Sonata, and the Nissan Leaf will battle for NACOTY status; truck finalists are the Dodge Durango, Ford Explorer, and Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Of the three cars, two are familiar [...]


Related posts:
  1. 2010 North American Car and Truck of the Year Award Finalists Announced
  2. North American Car and Truck of the Year Finalists Announced – Car News
  3. Nissan Leaf Batteries to Carry 8-Year/100,000-Mile Warranty, Launch Markets Announced

Jimmy Jackson Joe James John James

Denny Hamlin Already Looking Toward 2011

Filed under: , ,

HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- Only 25 laps into Sunday's Ford 400 NASCAR season finale, Denny Hamlin realized his day was going to be long, and his hopes of holding off his two championship challengers diminished as the hot South Florida afternoon wore on.

When the green flag dropped, his 15-point championship lead over four-time defending Sprint Cup series champ Jimmie Johnson technically vanished, based on Hamlin's 38th-place starting position compared to Johnson's sixth.

Then on lap 25, Hamlin collided with Greg Biffle, sending Hamlin's No. 11 FedEx Toyota spinning on the infield grass -- an omen for what would come. Tire problems, pit road miscommunication and then an ill-timed caution period late in the race spelled his ultimate doom. The 30-year-old driver finished 14th in the race and became the first driver in NASCAR's seven-year Chase playoff format not to win the title when leading the championship with one race remaining.

"It's tough, trust me, these years don't come by too often in anyone's career,'' said Hamlin, who finished championship runner-up, 39 points behind the newly crowned five-time champion Johnson.

"I was privileged enough to be part of the closest championship in (Chase) history and give it my best effort, but it wasn't enough today. Our car got banged up and we just couldn't overcome it.''

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Ingo Hoffmann Bill Holland Jackie Holmes

Monday, December 20, 2010

Rick Hendrick Buys First Volt Offered for Public Sale

Rick Hendrick Buys First Volt Offered for Public Sale $225,000 Bid in Auction Benefits Detroit Public Schools Foundation DETROIT (December 16, 2010) ? Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports and chairman of Hendrick Automotive Group, has purchased the first Chevrolet Volt offered for sale. Proceeds will benefit science, math, engineering, and technology education initiatives through [...]

Scott Speed Red Bull Toyota Kyle Busch

Bahrain 1's Hernandez Leads the Team with PX Finals appearance in ARDL Round 3

Bahrain 1 Racing Team Round 3 of 8 Final Report Arabian Drag Racing League Qatar Race Club, Doha, Qatar (December 19, 2010) Joshua Hernandez led Bahrain 1's performance with a runner-up finish in the Pro Extreme Finals of Round 3...

Aric Almirola JR Motorsports Chevrolet Kevin Lepage Hyatt

More big names for Massa?s kart event

Formula 1 drivers Bruno Senna and Jaime Alguersuari, plus three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves, will make their first appearance in Felipe Massa's annual end-of-season karting event in Brazil this weekend.

Justin Allgaier Verizon Wireless Dodge Ryan Truex

2013 Mercedes-Benz FWD A- and B-class Rendered ? Future Cars

The next A- and B-classes will be lower and sleeker, and could be joined by a crossover and a sedan.
Mercedes lovers wince when the conversation turns to the tallish, compact A- and B-class cars that litter European cities. They are a far cry from anything the brand stood for in the past, and frumpy looking [...]


Related posts:
  1. 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK-class – Future Cars
  2. 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-class Coupe Spy Photos – Future Cars
  3. 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-class Coupe AMG Spy Photos – Future Cars

Matthew Roy Kenseth Alan Dennis Kulwicki Travis Wade Kvapil

ABC-7.com WZVN News for Fort Myers, Cape Coral & Naples, FloridaNASCAR warns RCR on Bowyer?s Chase-clinching car

By JENNA FRYERAP Auto Racing Writer CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) – NASCAR warned Richard Childress Racing that Clint Bowyer's car came close to failing inspection after his Chase-clinching drive at Richmond. NASCAR scheduled a Tuesday meeting with RCR officials to go … Continue reading

Jamie McMurray Bass Pro Shops Tracker Chevrolet Jason Leffler

O?Connell leaves Corvette

Long-time factory Corvette driver Johnny O'Connell is leaving his role with the squad's American Le Mans Series and Le Mans 24 Hours programme, but will remain with the General Motors family to drive a Cadillac in the SCCA World Challenge GT series.

Ryan Truex NAPA Toyota Joe Nemechek

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Chip Ganassi Set to Double Up IndyCar Champion Team

Filed under: ,

Chip GanassiReigning IZOD IndyCar Series championship owner Chip Ganassi will be doubling his efforts in the series in 2011, adding two additional cars to his trophy stable.

The team, which would not confirm or comment on the long-rumored news, has scheduled a press conference Thursday in Indianapolis where Ganassi will introduce the newest additions to a driver lineup that already features two-time defending series champ Dario Franchitti and former two-time champ Scott Dixon.

Second-generation driver Graham Rahal -- son of 1986 Indy 500 winner Bobby Rahal -- and Charlie Kimball, 25, a young talent moving up from the feeder Indy Lights Series, will campaign for Ganassi next year, working out of a "satellite" team shop rented from drag racing legend Don Prudhomme.

Rahal, 21, is the youngest IndyCar Series winner in history, scoring his only victory in the 2008 season-opener at St. Petersburg, Fla. However, he did not race full time last season. Kimball will be making his debut in the series.

Thursday's announcement will also confirm full-time sponsorship for both Rahal and Kimball -- significant for the series, which had several high-profile teams struggling to find primary corporate backing in 2010. In a unusual twist, Rahal actually announced a two-year sponsorship deal with TBC Corporation -- which owns several automobile tire retailers -- at this season's finale in Homestead, Fla. before having a contract in place with a team.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

David Gilliland Tony Raines Bobby Labonte

USAC Could Promote Dodge City Dirt Track

SPEED DEMONS: Sammy Swindell (1) battles Joey Saldana in a World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series event at Dodge City (Kan.) Raceway Park earlier this year. (Ken Simon Photo) ORLANDO, Fla

Theo Helfrich Mack Hellings Brian Henton

Domenicali praises Alonso

Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali hailed Fernando Alonso’s pole-to-flag Singapore Grand Prix triumph as an “exceptional performance”. Alonso produced a flawless display for 61 laps under the lights of the Marina Bay street circuit that included two safety car periods … Continue reading

Cash America Chevrolet Derrike Cope Charter Communications Dodge

F1 clamps down on driving standards

The FIA is to clamp down on driving standards for the 2011 season, in a move aimed at seeing cleaner driving on track. Following its World Motor Sport Council meeting last week, the governing body published the full sporting and technical regulations for next year. In them, the FIA has made several tweaks aimed at cleaner racing in Formula 1 - which will include being stricter in dealing with aggressive defensive driving and those drivers who regularly run off the track to find an advantage

Johnny Andrew Sauter Kenneth William Schrader Bradley Reed Sorenson

Champion's Week - Day 3

David Hampshire Sam Hanks Walt Hansgen

autosport.com ? NASCAR News: Q & A with Mattias Ekstrom

 GO TO EARLIER STORY GO TO THE NEWS INDEX GO TO NEXT STORY  Q & A with Mattias Ekstrom By Diego Mejia Saturday, September 11th 2010, 15:17 GMT Two-time DTM champion Mattias Ekstrom is making his oval debut this weekend … Continue reading

Virginia Commonwealth University Ford Brian Scott BigSpot com Toyota

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Crown Royal Extends With Shank Racing

Crown Royal will return as the sponsor of the No.

Brian Gubby André Guelfi Miguel Ángel Guerra

Servia, Hinchcliffe Test With Newman/Haas

SEBRING, Fla. ? Oriol Servia and James Hinchcliffe each made their case for full-time rides in the IZOD IndyCar Series during two cold days of testing with Newman/Haas Racing at Sebring Int?l Raceway Dec. 13-14

Jim Hall Duncan Hamilton Lewis Hamilton

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Not the Only Reason for Shakeup, Rick Hendrick Says

Filed under: , , , , , , , ,

Although Dale Earnhardt Jr., winner of 18 career Sprint Cup races, has now stretched his winless streak at Hendrick Motorsports to 101 races, that's only part of the reason for the massive shakeup announced Tuesday, team owner Rick Hendrick said Wednesday.

"This was not a Dale Earnhardt ... this was not a move that we made -- this major a move -- because of Dale or his situation," Hendrick said Wednesday in a teleconference. "I'm excited about making all four teams better. We need to be better across the board. It was a move to make all four better."

It's hard to think that a racing juggernaut like Hendrick Motorsports, with five straight Sprint Cup championships in the history books and gunning for six in a row next year, might be going downhill.

But Hendrick said as much Wednesday in describing why he shuffled the drivers and crew chiefs among three of his teams and switched driver partners in the twin pairing arrangement he has for the four teams at the organization's sprawling Concord, N.C. complex.

"I think we just kind of got complacent and other teams were getting stronger and stronger, and we were just not where we needed to be," Hendrick said. "We just were off this year. The 48 was off. And we needed to make a lot of things better.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Clint Bowyer Zaxby s Chevrolet Brad Keselowski

Texas Motor Speedway Employees Dig in to Help Fort Worth School Refurbish Educational Garden

? TMS Renovates Garden, Donates 10 Mature Trees To Rosemont 6th Grade School As Part Of Speedway?s Speeding To Help Community Outreach Program ? Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief Pays A Special Visit To The School Project Students at Rosemont 6th Grade School present a "Thank You" banner signed by every student to Texas Motor...more»

Willi Heeks Nick Heidfeld Theo Helfrich

Bahrain 1 Drag Racing team upbeat after semifinal finishes in Round 2 at QRC

Bahrain 1 Racing Team Round Two Post Race Arabian Drag Racing League Qatar Race Club, Doha, Qatar. December 14, 2010 After stellar results in the season's first Arabian Drag Racing League event for the Bahrain 1 drag racing team that...

NAPA Toyota Joe Nemechek Gator com Chevrolet

BRANDT to sponsor Allgaier at Turner Mototsports in 2011

Michael Duane Bliss Kurt Thomas Busch Kyle Thomas Busch

Friday, December 17, 2010

Chip Ganassi Set to Double Up IndyCar Champion Team

Filed under: ,

Chip GanassiReigning IZOD IndyCar Series championship owner Chip Ganassi will be doubling his efforts in the series in 2011, adding two additional cars to his trophy stable.

The team, which would not confirm or comment on the long-rumored news, has scheduled a press conference Thursday in Indianapolis where Ganassi will introduce the newest additions to a driver lineup that already features two-time defending series champ Dario Franchitti and former two-time champ Scott Dixon.

Second-generation driver Graham Rahal -- son of 1986 Indy 500 winner Bobby Rahal -- and Charlie Kimball, 25, a young talent moving up from the feeder Indy Lights Series, will campaign for Ganassi next year, working out of a "satellite" team shop rented from drag racing legend Don Prudhomme.

Rahal, 21, is the youngest IndyCar Series winner in history, scoring his only victory in the 2008 season-opener at St. Petersburg, Fla. However, he did not race full time last season. Kimball will be making his debut in the series.

Thursday's announcement will also confirm full-time sponsorship for both Rahal and Kimball -- significant for the series, which had several high-profile teams struggling to find primary corporate backing in 2010. In a unusual twist, Rahal actually announced a two-year sponsorship deal with TBC Corporation -- which owns several automobile tire retailers -- at this season's finale in Homestead, Fla. before having a contract in place with a team.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Extenze Toyota Mattias Ekstrom Red Bull Toyota

Fernandes denies Bahar offered deal

Lotus Racing boss Tony Fernandes has called for an end to the public mud-slinging in the fight over the future of the brand in Formula 1, after he moved to dismiss any suggestion he priced out Dany Bahar from a tie-up deal. Bahar, the Group Lotus CEO, claimed at a media lunch in London on Wednesday that he had tried to do a deal with Fernandes to tie-up Group Lotus and the F1 team but was forced to abandon the move when he suggested that Renault offered him a similar deal for a third of the price

Christian Goethals Paul Goldsmith José Froilán González

Johanna Long could be NASCAR?s best hope for a successful female driver

Johanna LongShawna Robinson, in 2002, was the last woman to race in Sprint Cup, closing out an eight-race Cup career with a 24th place finish in the July race at Daytona. Danica Patrick will likely be the next female in Cup, perhaps next year depending upon how her partial Nationwide season with JR Motorsports goes....more»

Dick Gibson Gimax Richie Ginther

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK Roadster Revealed in Promo Video

The next-gen Mercedes-Benz SLK convertible has debuted in a lengthy 10-minute promotional video (embedded below), weeks in advance of its scheduled January introduction. Of course, in a world when the U.S. State Department’s secrets are available for wholesale download, the early leak of a commercial for a roadster hardly seems shocking.
What we see is a [...]


Related posts:
  1. 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK-class – Future Cars
  2. 2009 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 is Sportier, But Won?t Win Any Boxster Matches – Short Take Road Test
  3. 2009 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 – Quick Take

Al Keller Joe Kelly Dave Kennedy