Monday, February 28, 2011
Resilient Mears Rebounds in Phoenix
2011 NSCS Casey Mears - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen/Getty Images for NASCARAvondale, AZ (February 27, 2011) ? Ten days ago, Casey Mears was dealt one of the worst hands in his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racing career when two motors broke in two days at Daytona, forcing him and the Germain Racing team to pack...more»
Rochester Residents, Left Out of Transpo Bill Hearing, Create Their Own
As we’ve been reporting on Streetsblog Capitol Hill, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has been touring the country gathering suggestions about the reauthorization of the six-year transportation bill. And as we’ve reported, congressional representatives are hearing a lot from state transportation officials, who tend to be decidedly highway-centric.
When Rochester area residents learned they [...]
When Rochester area residents learned they [...]
AUTOSPORT launches new polls
AUTOSPORT magazine has launched a new weekly poll on the AUTOSPORT.com forums.
Ford Says It Isn?t Planning an Explorer SHO, Quashing Rumors
Despite a typist’s trip-up on Ford’s consumer site earlier today, whereby an Explorer SHO was listed among other EcoBoosted models, the company confirms that it is not working on a high-performance variant of its latest crossover.
The Explorer is currently sold with a 3.5-liter V-6 making 290 hp and 255 lb-ft, and the company is preparing [...]
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The Explorer is currently sold with a 3.5-liter V-6 making 290 hp and 255 lb-ft, and the company is preparing [...]
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Collard and Foster to race for WSR
Rob Collard will remain with WSR for this year's British Touring Car Championship and will be partnered by series rookie Nick Foster. Collard took seven podium finishes on his way to eighth in last year's championship and will again drive one of the squad's BMW 320si machines.
Kasey Kenneth Kahne Matthew Roy Kenseth Alan Dennis Kulwicki Travis Wade Kvapil
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Xenatec reveals Maybach Cruiserio Coupe ahead of Geneva debut
Filed under: Coupe, Geneva Motor Show, Maybach, Luxury
Xenatec Maybach Cruiserio Coupe - Click above for high-res image gallery
Xenatec is using the Geneva Motor Show to unveil its one-off Cruiserio Coupe, a customer-ordered hyper-luxury car based on the Maybach 57S. The coupe was designed by Fredrik Burchhardt to a customer's exact specs, then hand-built by the Xenatec team.
Outside, the Xenatec Cruiserio Coupe is swathed in a two-tone matte finish that's designed to give a brassy shimmer in the light. Xenatec says the paint was hand-applied in several stages to get the look just so.
The big coupe's interior is another Xenatec one-off, featuring hand-stitched natural, undyed buffalo leather and espresso-colored Nappa hides. To take things to the next level of ludicrous opulence, Xenatec lined the footwells of the car with blackberry Alcantara.
Xenatec says the whole package is set off by the car's panorama roof, which is accented with a Nappa leather headliner.
No word yet (or ever, we assume) on what this level of exclusivity costs, but we're ok with that. If you have to ask... Hop the jump for a full press release.
[Source: Xenatec]
Continue reading Xenatec reveals Maybach Cruiserio Coupe ahead of Geneva debut
Xenatec reveals Maybach Cruiserio Coupe ahead of Geneva debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 27 Feb 2011 20:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments2011 Race #2 Results: Phoenix
1 20 24 Jeff Gordon Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet 2 4 18 Kyle Busch Combos Toyota 3 28 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s / Kobalt Tools Chevrolet 4 17 29 Kevin Harvick Jimmy John’s Chevrolet 5 14 39 Ryan Newman Tornados Chevrolet 6 3 4 Kasey Kahne Red Bull Toyota 7 18 14 Tony Stewart [...]
Harry Gant, Hal Needham Live Chat Replay With FanHouse
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- FanHouse senior motorsports writer Holly Cain had another exclusive FanHouse live chat from Daytona International Speedway Saturday, this time with NASCAR legend Harry Gant (above) and stuntman and director Hal Needham.
Needham directed the classic "Smokey and the Bandit" starring Burt Reynolds, and Gant won 18 victories during 22 years of driving in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series from 1973 through 1994. Many of his wins came driving the Skoal Bandit, named after the movie.
Needham, famous in Hollywood for his stunt work before he took up directing, has authored a book on his life, "Stuntman!" that was published Feb. 9.
Below is a replay of the chat.
PIR?s plan to repave not popular with driver
Phoenix International Raceway will undergo a transformation almost as soon as the checkers drop on this weekends Sprint Cup race, a repaving and reconfiguration project scheduled to be completed before NASCAR returns in the fall.
Patrick Gaillard Divina Galica Nanni Galli Oscar Alfredo GŠ±lvez
A great talent awaiting a great car
It is an awful irony that it has taken Robert Kubica's horrific crash in a rally car on Sunday to bring him to the attention of the wider world.
Despite four and a half seasons in Formula 1, the 26-year-old Pole was not exactly a household name. Such is the lot of a grand prix driver who does not find himself in a front-running car.
But Kubica is very different from the other men pounding around in the midfield, to whom the wider TV audience pay only scant attention while focusing on the big names battling it out at the front.
This is a man who is increasingly regarded as one of the very finest racing drivers in the world - someone who, as David Coulthard put it on Monday, can be talked about in the same breath as the likes of Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and the new world champion Sebastian Vettel.
Kubica has won only one grand prix - a superb drive for BMW Sauber in Canada in 2008 - but there was an ever-growing number of F1 observers awaiting with increasing impatience the time he would get his hands on a competitive car.
The signs have been there for some time, little snapshots that made you sit up and take notice that this was someone out of the ordinary.
In 2006, his pace as BMW Sauber's test driver effectively ended the career of 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve - when the Canadian fell out with the team, they needed no encouragement to sack him and replace him with Kubica, knowing that he was not only cheaper, but significantly faster.
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Despite zero experience, Kubica was brilliant in the second half of that year, immediately out-pacing his team-mate Nick Heidfeld, a veteran of more than six seasons, and taking a podium finish in only his third grand prix.
Kubica's driving style - turn in early and on the brakes, demanding a lot from the outside front tyre - meant he was affected badly by the switch to a single tyre supplier, and consequent lower grip levels, in 2007.
But he bounced back with a bang in 2008, driving with stunning consistency and pace to lead the championship after that win in Canada mid-season.
What happened next rankles with Kubica to this day.
BMW's plan was to use 2008 as a building year for a full title assault in 2009, and they stuck to it resolutely, easing off development of their race car just as they had got themselves to the top of the pile, in order to concentrate on their next model.
Their logic was that the car was not really quick enough to win the title against the superior machines of McLaren and Ferrari, that they were only leading the championship because Kubica had been more consistent than his rivals - and that the top teams would eventually get their act together.
Kubica missed only one race after emerging unhurt from this crash in 2007. Photo: Getty
Kubica didn't see it that way - he saw a team giving up a golden opportunity to win the championship. Even with BMW's decision, he ended up finishing third, in contention until the penultimate race.
BMW's intransigence - matched, it has to be said, by Kubica's stubbornness - fatally damaged the driver's relationship with the team, and is almost certainly one reason behind his generally lacklustre 2009 season, when Heidfeld more or less matched him.
Even then, though, there were flashes of genius from Kubica, and last season, following his move to Renault, the doubters became less and less.
The 2010 Renault was not a great car, and had no business mixing it at the front with the Red Bulls, Ferraris and McLarens.
But Kubica performed miracles to qualify it in the top three at Monaco, Spa and Suzuka, the three tracks where a driver's input is most important, where a great driver can transcend the level of his car.
How good is he?
Among his fellow drivers, there has never been any doubt about Kubica's quality. Hamilton regards him as a future world champion - Kubica was the Englishman's main rival in their karting days as teenagers; Alonso has been quoted referring to him as the best driver in the world.
It is also a little known fact that, when Vettel was an inexperienced BMW test driver in 2007, Kubica was an average of about 0.4secs quicker than him.
At Renault, they adore him - technical director James Allison was effusive in a profile of Kubica my colleague Mark Hughes wrote for this website last season.
Allison, who has also worked with Alonso, described Kubica as "one of those very, very top guys where you know that if the car is not running at the front it's because of the car, not him", adding that he was "incredibly fast, won't make mistakes under pressure and will plough on for lap after lap at a really good pace".
Ferrari, too, have noticed his ability. He came very close to replacing Felipe Massa when the Brazilian suffered a fractured skull in a crash in Hungary in 2009, missing out only because he was too big for the car.
The interest remains. And before Sunday, most in F1 expected Kubica to replace Massa eventually, either at the end of this year or next.
Even a Ferrari drive, you suspect, would not change him. Kubica is totally unaffected by fame, has a complete lack of interest in self-promotion and is unimpressed by the razzmatazz of F1.
It now remains to be seen whether he will ever sit in the Ferrari that appears to have his name on it.
F1 drivers are renowned for their near-miraculous ability to recover from terrible injuries - they are to a man very fit and tremendously determined. And as someone close to him said on Monday, Kubica is also "totally stubborn". He will need all his single-mindedness to fight back after this.
But he has done it before. After breaking his left arm in 13 places when a passenger in a road-car crash early in 2003, doctors said he would be out for between six months and a year. Three months later he made his Formula Three debut and won.
Equally, after surviving virtually unscathed a horrific barrel-roll in the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix, doctors advised him to sit out the US Grand Prix seven days later. He was back for the following event in France, and qualified and finished fourth.
On Monday, the initial prognosis was about as positive as you could expect in the circumstances. Nevertheless, with such serious injuries, it seems likely that Kubica will be out for most of the season and replacing him is going to be impossible for Renault. There are simply not any drivers of comparable quality around.
Renault have two 'third drivers' in Bruno Senna and Romain Grosjean, but both are inexperienced and unproven, just like Kubica's team-mate, the Russian Vitaly Petrov. Will a team with aspirations of winning a couple of races this year feel they can go into a full season with a driver line-up like that?
The other option is to take someone experienced. They could potentially try to buy 2010 Williams driver Nico Hulkenberg out of his reserve driver contract with Force India. And Italian Vitantonio Liuzzi, rejected by Force India this season despite having a contract, is also available.
But the obvious contender is Heidfeld, F1's Mr Consistency, who may not set the world on fire, but can be relied upon to be decently quick and score regular points.
Whoever it is, they have a tough act to follow.
FIA ?supports? the Bahrain GP decision
The FIA has broken its silence on the Bahrain GP matter by issuing a short statement tonight, with no sign of any quotes from the organisation’s President, Jean Todt. This has clearly been an awkward situation for the Frenchman. As … Continue reading 
Speed Tops King at Richmond
For the second consecutive week, the drivers of the NASCAR iRacing Class C Series (NiCCS) battled on a short track as the competitors rolled their trucks onto the Richmond International Speedway. As was the case at Bristol Motor Speedway, many big names in the sim racing world topped the charts after seven days of side-by-side paint swappin? competition at Richmond with a familiar name to race fans bringing home the overall win. Former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race winner Scott Speed scored 213 points in his only start on Saturday night ? more than any of his 850 peers who raced during the past week in the NiCCS. Speed?s victory on Wednesday took place in a 3406 Strength of Field (SoF) race. The [...]
Trevor Bayne Out! Pet Care Toyota Jason Leffler David Carl Allison
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Rossi happy despite gap to front
Valentino Rossi was pleased with his pace in testing at Sepang despite finishing a second off the quickest time. As MotoGP testing got back to action in Malaysia, Rossi finished the opening day of work in ninth position with his Ducati.
Ernst Klodwig Kamui Kobayashi Helmuth Koinigg Heikki Kovalainen
Local MP says Melbourne should drop GP
A member of Australia's parliament has called for the country's F1 grand prix to be dropped once the current contract comes to an end. Michael Danby, whose Melbourne Ports electorate includes the Albert Park circuit where the race is held, said locals are tired of the event, and that the rising costs are not justified anymore. "The grand prix may have been a good deal in 1996, when it cost the government only $1.7 million; but, with falling crowd numbers and taxpayers footing a $50 million-a-year bill, the government should cut its losses and walk away," he told parliament according to Reuters.
Matthew Roy Kenseth Alan Dennis Kulwicki Travis Wade Kvapil Robert Allen Labonte
Malaysian race organisers concerned over Singapore | F1 Fanatic round-up
In today's round-up: competition from Singapore is a concern for the Malaysian GP organisers.
StopRepairBills.com Teams Up with Josh Wise and Go Green Racing
2011 NNS Josh Wise - Photo Credit: John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCARCORNELIUS, N.C. (February 24, 2011) ? Josh Wise is pleased to announce that he will again join forces with Go Green Racing at Phoenix International Raceway this weekend, with support from StopRepairBills.com. Wise will take to the track in the No. 39 StopRepairBills.com Ford...more»
Mercedes SLS AMG widebody styling by FAB Design
There's no denying that Fab designs aren't for everyone, but one thing for certain is that they provoke a strong response - and just for that reason alone they get our nod of approval.
NYC Asks Banks For Ideas on Parking Privatization
Is a public-private partnership the path to high-tech parking sensors like this one? Or will a deal handcuff the city's parking policy? Photo: Matthew Roth
New York City is moving forward with possible plans to privatize its on-street parking to some degree. An RFP released last week by the city’s Economic Development Corporation asks investment banks [...]
New York City is moving forward with possible plans to privatize its on-street parking to some degree. An RFP released last week by the city’s Economic Development Corporation asks investment banks [...]
Friday, February 25, 2011
Bonanomi to be Audi reserve
Former GP2 and Formula Renault 3.5 racer Marco Bonanomi will be reserve driver for Audi's Le Mans programme this year. The 25-year-old Italian moved to sportscars last season and drove an Audi in the Italian GT championship
The Continental: Lancia?s New Chryslers, Renault?s R-Space Concept Leaks, Greenpeace Takes on Electrics, and the SEAT Exeo on the Autobahn
Each week, our German correspondent slices and dices the latest rumblings, news, and quick-hit driving impressions from the other side of the pond. His byline may say Jens Meiners, but we simply call him . . . the Continental.
In what likely is Lancia’s most extensive product offensive ever, the Geneva auto show will witness [...]
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In what likely is Lancia’s most extensive product offensive ever, the Geneva auto show will witness [...]
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- The Continental: E-cars for the Elderly, Mercedes A-class and VW Amarok for the U.S., and a Case for the Autobahn
- The Continental: VW Golf Cabrio Confirmed, a Four-Cylinder Boxster, and the Scirocco R on the Autobahn
- The Continental: Marchionne Wants a Word with Piė£Ø about Alfa, Ghosn Talks Renault’s Electric Future, the Electric Boxster, and the Mercedes CLC Dies
German dealer tunes the Infiniti M30d S
Infiniti dealer in Hamburg ups the attraction quotient on the M30d S sedan model by providing power boosting as well as optics and a new set of wheels. 
Zaxby s Chevrolet Brad Keselowski Ruby Tuesday Dodge Carl Edwards
Lotus Launches Elise Club Racer, Says We Can?t Have It
Lotus has released another variant of its entry-level Elise called the Club Racer, but as with most Elise spin-offs, this one will stay in Europe. There are minor visual enhancements, but the new CR?s calling card is that it shaves 53 pounds from what is already one of the lightest cars on the market. Lotus [...]
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JosŠ¹ FroilŠ±n GonzŠ±lez Oscar GonzŠ±lez Aldo Gordini Horace Gould
StopRepairBills.com Teams Up with Josh Wise and Go Green Racing
2011 NNS Josh Wise - Photo Credit: John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCARCORNELIUS, N.C. (February 24, 2011) ? Josh Wise is pleased to announce that he will again join forces with Go Green Racing at Phoenix International Raceway this weekend, with support from StopRepairBills.com. Wise will take to the track in the No. 39 StopRepairBills.com Ford...more»
Jimmie Kenneth Johnson Kasey Kenneth Kahne Matthew Roy Kenseth Alan Dennis Kulwicki
Dusty Davis, 2011 NCWTS Lucas Oil 150 Race Preview
2011 NCWTS Dusty Davis - Photo Credit: John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCARDusty Davis No.15 Vision Airlines/Emerald Coast Resorts Toyota Tundra Race Notes and Quotes Career Phoenix Stats: Davis has one career start at Phoenix International Raceway in the K & N Pro Series where he started 4th and finished 5th. This will be Davis’s first...more»
Bahrain hoping for swift F1 return
Bahrain is hoping to be able to return to the Formula 1 calendar "in the very near future". The race was today withdrawn as the opening event of the 2011 championship, but no decision has yet been made on whether it will be rescheduled for later in the season or cancelled completely. Bahrain International Circuit chairman Zayed Alzayani says only that he hopes F1 will be able to return to Bahrain soon.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
BMW 3-series Hybrid Prototype Spied Wearing Next-Gen Sheetmetal
The German auto industry was late to the hybrid game. While Toyota slowly pushed forward with gasoline hybrids, Germany’s preferred fuel-economy solution?the diesel?failed to make inroads.
Now it?s time to catch up. Every German carmaker is pushing hybrid technology, often with execution surpassing that of the Japanese competition, and BMW is looking at a system for [...]
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Now it?s time to catch up. Every German carmaker is pushing hybrid technology, often with execution surpassing that of the Japanese competition, and BMW is looking at a system for [...]
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Helmuth Koinigg Heikki Kovalainen Kevin Harvick Armour Vienna Sausage Kroger Chevrolet
The Shield - Baptism by Fire
Kavanaugh acquires what he needs in order to apprehend Vic who is preoccupied with getting revenge on Guardo. Claudette finds herself under the political microscope as a result of the San Marcos incident, and Danny receives some news about her future at t
Emmanuel de Graffenried Lucas di Grassi Cecil Green Keith Greene
Bahrain GP is? postponed
An impeccable source has told me that the Bahrain GP has been postponed – rather than cancelled. Incredibly, because of the commercial implications Bernie Ecclestone is going to try to squeeze it into the schedule at the end of the … Continue reading 
Report: GM displeased with Volt's low rating from ACEEE
Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Chevrolet, GM, Electric
2011 Chevrolet Volt - Click above for high-res image gallery
How do you determine how environmentally friendly an automobile is? Certainly, fuel efficiency will be factored in rather highly, as will all manner of tailpipe emissions. But that's only part of the story. Consider that there are many ways to power a vehicle; gasoline, diesel, electricity or any combinations thereof. Plus, you have to determine what actually goes into producing the vehicle and getting it into the hands of the consumer.
As you can see, assigning environmental grades to our current crop of cars and trucks is anything but an exact science, and the results will no doubt be swayed by how much emphasis is put on any given factor. And so it comes as no surprise that there are a number of differing opinions concerning the latest green machines to hit the market, and that may apply to the 2011 Chevrolet Volt more than any other.
The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy publishes a list of green vehicles every year. For the last few, the Honda Civic GX has parlayed its compressed natural gas running gear into a victory on the ACEEE's report. We won't argue with that determination, and we also don't see any issues with the all-electric Nissan Leaf earning the silver position... but that's where things get murkier. The Smart Fortwo comes in at number three, followed by the Toyota Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid and Honda Insight. The next five slots are filled with compact and subcompact sedans and hatchbacks.
Are you asking yourself where the Volt fits in? So was Chevrolet. Speaking to Forbes, GM spokesman Rob Peterson had this to say:
No matter your personal opinion, one thing is for certain: As more and more category-bending vehicles hit the market, this topic isn't going to be resolved any time soon.Their logic would escape the majority of consumers. If you look at the EPA ratings for the Smart fortwo at 33 city and 41 highway, it's actually less than the Volt's after the electric range is exhausted. We're being penalized against the Smart because our car is a four-seater with a battery pack and therefore weighs more. And we lose against the Leaf because we have a gas engine. But you really have to look at how the car is actually used - their methodology doesn't add up.
[Source: Forbes]
Report: GM displeased with Volt's low rating from ACEEE originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsVW Golf Cabriolet revealed before Geneva
Next Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet features a few design changes from the standard Golf model. 
Jean Marc Gounon Emmanuel de Graffenried Lucas di Grassi Cecil Green
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Gearing up for new F1 season
Since that sweltering Sunday sunset in Abu Dhabi almost three months ago where we saw a man who looked about 12 years old being crowned the composed, confident, champion of the world, it's been a case of counting down the days until I can dust off the passport and embark on season three as the BBC's F1 presenter.
And this time, as we take the first steps of the few thousand miles we will be travelling to bring the 2011 F1 season to you, I need your help.
Read on to find out how.
The last three months have been a mix of highs and lows for me. Hosting Sports Personality, but being struck down by a vicious flu bug the following day. Going for a New Year's Day walk with my wife Harriet but inadvertently pulling her into the River Thames up to our waists (don't ask!), and just spending time at home, despite locking myself out of the house on three separate occasions!
And now, the wait for us all is almost over. I'm currently penning this blog in bed, Sunday Love Songs is on the radio, (what an old romantic eh ;-) and it's 13 February...one month to the day and I will be swapping Radio 2 for team radios, my home for hotel rooms, the middle of Richmond for the Middle East.
Vettel won the 2010 title in the final race of the season at Abu Dhabi. Picture: Getty images
I remember when I first met Martin Brundle, it was winter 2008 and we were at our first meeting ahead of the 2009 season and I asked him what he was doing with the winter. His reply was 'seeing the dentist, going to the doctor, cutting that grass...all the things I can't do during the season' and now I know how he feels.
Mind you, and I mustn't say this too loudly for fear of offending my lovely wife and all the friends I've enjoyed catching up with, I can hardly wait for that first flight to Bahrain.
Flights to grand prix races are usually 80% full of F1 faces from Bernie and team principals at the front with the drivers, to press officers, engineers, and a few fans too who can hardly believe their luck that they've also booked on to the same flight we've all chosen.
The two flights that seem to create the best atmosphere are the last flight home as we all breathe a collective sigh of relief that we've survived another season, and the first, as everyone quietly hopes that this is their season.
And this year, there is a palpable air of excitement. And I place a huge amount of credit for that at the door of 'social media'.
In seasons gone by there would be very little news from testing unless you looked at specialist websites. There was no way for drivers to converse directly with their fans. 'Trending topics' were the kinds of thing you read about in Smash Hits magazine.
These days we have drivers tweeting how their car feels the moment they hop out of the cockpit, teams uploading snaps of their speed directly to the internet, thousands of fans using hashtags to discuss the latest news from Valencia or Jerez, and far from giving us F1 overkill, it merely seems to heighten expectations as Formula 1 unsurprisingly grasps a technological development and makes the most of it.
In the past week alone #robertkubica, #bbcf1, #jerez and #formulaone have been among the most talked about topics on Twitter, most team launches were simulcast online this year, and you may have already topped up Bernie's wallet with the 2011 F1 timing app.
When the BBC got the F1 contract one thing I was really keen to do was bring the F1 fans closer to the sport that ever before. Yes, walking into a garage, touching the cars, unscripted chats with the team members and having a certain effervescent Irishman grabbing anyone he likes in a headlock is the kind of revolutionary approach you all seem to enjoy, but I think blogs, websites, apps and tweets have done just as much.
So, one month to go before we see the 24 new cars roll out into the blazing Bahrain sun. A month until Schumi looks to prove 2010 was just an anomaly, one month until we have three British drivers on the grid with Paul di Resta joining the elite.
So Paul will line up in the Middle East, sadly though, Kubica won't. I heard about Robert's accident while in Wales waiting to host live football and at first it didn't seem too serious. However, as news started to emerge it became clear it had been a very unfortunate, freak accident and his racing future would be in some doubt.
However, almost immediately social media was on the scene as people updated us from the hospital and from within the team. I was really moved by how quickly messages of support started to appear online and I know that Renault will have passed on all your good wishes.
Well this year, for the Bahrain GP in particular I want to use social media to help get the whole of the country watching the first race of the season...and that is where you come in.
The BBC's F1 following is incredible and the viewing figures since the sport returned to what I consider its natural home have been record breaking.
However, F1 is the kind of sport where the more you know the more you want to know. I still get tweets, emails or people stopping me in the frozen food aisle saying 'isn't it just cars going round in circles?'
Well of course it is, but there is the unseen drama of the tactics, the split-second decision making, the mind-boggling physics that keeps the car on the track...and then there is the actual racing.
I honestly can't believe that with the stunning locations, incredible driving talent, danger, bravery and political manouverings on and off the track that the whole country isn't sitting down at 1210 to watch the racing.
So, here's what I'd love you to do. I want you to bring a friend to BBC F1.
Essentially all this means is that you pick a mate or even better a bunch of mates who you know don't normally watch F1. Maybe offer to make Sunday lunch, or host an F1 party. Get them in front of the TV and let us do the rest.
With a Kers boost button and new rear wings to aid overtaking, a brand new tyre manufacturer coming onboard that could result in multiple-pitstops in the first few races, 12 teams and five world champions on the grid, is there a better time to bring a friend to BBC F1?
I'll be tweeting about my campaign too, so feel free to add the #bringafriendtobbcf1 hashtag to your tweets, tweet me and let me know what you are organising for 13 March and let's see what we can achieve together.
Time to induct a whole new legion of potential F1 fans. We know the sport we love is amazing. Are you ready to spread the word?
Kurt Thomas Busch Kyle Thomas Busch Jeffrey Tyler Burton Richard Allen Craven
Cannoball Run 2011
Okay folks it's that time again. Lets kick the tires and light the fires.
As I've mentioned in the announcement thread, this is the thirtieth anniversary of the film, The Cannonball Run. For me and a lot of others, it helped forge the love of cars and more specificly car movies. It still puts a smile on my face.
The rules.
Your car MUST represent a car that "could" have appeared in the 1981 film. It must be a 1981 or older vehicle, and must use the technology and stylings of the day. If you plan on using some tech or items that someone finds in question it is up to the BUILDER to provide proof that it was in use back in the day. So rule of thumb, if in doubt, do your research. * I'm no auto expert, so I'm relying on the SA community to help keep us honest on this rule.*
The car must represent a car that you would like to race across country. Remember huge horsepower is great quarter mile, but you should be thinking reliability to drive from NY to LA.
Any scale.
No diecast.
The race is open to vehicles of any origin, foreign or domestic. It does not have to be a car that was commecially available in the U.S.. If you wanna race a Holden, by all means do so.
A started kit are allowed as long as you are NOT more than 25% along.
A parts box build or a tear down & rebuild are fine also.
We'd like to see an unstarted kit or whatever mess-o-parts you are starting from.
Wheels are gonna be a bear on this build. Remember 1 millimeter is roughly 1 scale inch if the kit is 1/25. So if your wheels are much larger than 16 millimeters across, they are gonna be too big . Mixing scales is gonna be a pain too, a 1/24 scale rim is 17-18 millimeters across so on a 1/25 scale body they are going to look too large.
The last day of this CBP is going to be December 1st 2011. A bout two weeks prior I'll open a thread for you to post pics of your completed builds. On Dec 2 I'll close that thread and open a poll for our peers here to vote on their favorite.
Anyone can enter this CBP AT ANY TIME. As long as we see the beginning, a build progression and an end result, I don't care if you knock one out on the weekend before the race.
Let's get to it.
The 2011 Cannonball Rogue’s Gallery - so far that is.
Slantasaurus – Mercury Capri II (a what?)
MillerMeteor – 77 Pontiac Ventura
Alex_bman33 – 69 Chevy Nova
Ace-Motorsport – 79 Mustang II (aka “Shortshot”)
Wagonmaster – 69 Plymouth (our lone Mopar so far)
Wraith – (treating us like mushrooms)
Dingo – Ford Falcon XY 350 GTHO (eventually)
Crazyhorse – Farrah’s 76 Mustang Cobra II
Bloodyjaws – 427 Street Cobra (the cops will hear this one comin')
Zenrat – That 70’s Chevy Van (sheesh another van)
Highway76 – Lambo Countach LP500S (very discreet entry)
Jantrix – 53 Studebaker Coupe (bringing some Leowy style)
Geoff Steel Racing returns to BTCC
The Geoff Steel Racing team will return to the British Touring Car Championship this year with a pair of BMW 320si machines.
Olivier Grouillard Brian Gubby AndrŠ¹ Guelfi Miguel Šngel Guerra
Young Driver retains Turner, Mucke
Young Driver Aston Martin has completed its 2011 GT1 World Championship line-up by retaining Darren Turner and Stefan Mucke alongside the already-announced Tomas Enge, and recruiting newcomer Alex Muller. Turner, Mucke and Enge are all long-time factory Aston drivers, and were part of Young Driver's squad in the inaugural World GT1 series last year. This season will see Turner and Enge's partnership split up, with Turner joining Mucke in the #8 car, formerly shared with Christoffer Nygaard, while Muller joins Enge in the #7 Aston after appearing with Mad-Croc Corvette and Hegersport Maserati last year.
Ecclestone now cautious over Bahrain
Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has admitted there is now more uncertainty about the Bahrain Grand Prix after the government cracked down on protests on Friday afternoon. Ecclestone has said this morning in an interview with the BBC that he was "more hopeful" the race would take place despite the unrest in the country. The situation, however, worsened in the afternoon, with Bahraini troops shooting at demonstrators and reportedly wounding many of them
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Subaru RWD Sports Car Technology Concept
Back in 2008, Toyota and Subaru set out to make a RWD sports car that would take advantage of both of their strengths, and later details and images of these car made their way into our pages and put giant smiles on our faces. We would think that the next step would be the unveiling of production versions of the Toyota FT-86 and the Subaru FT-86, but instead, Subaru is taking a step back by unveiling the RWD Concept at the Geneva Motor Show. Really? Give us a break!
Featuring Subaru’s horizontally-opposed Boxer engine, the RWD Concept will allow the company to show potential buyers just how Subaru proposes to integrate this expertise into a rear-wheel drive car to offer a new and highly enjoyable, Subaru-like driving experience.
A production version of the Subaru RWD Coupe - ahem, the Subaru FT-86 - is expected by the end of the 2011.
Next to the RWD Concept, Subaru will also display the Impreza concept and the new Trezia.
UPDATE 02/22/2011: Subaru has released the first teaser image of their BOXER Sports Car Architecture set to make its world debut at the Geneva motor Show. Check it out!
Hit the jump for more details on the Subaru RWD Sports Car Technology Concept.
Subaru RWD Sports Car Technology Concept originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 22 February 2011 12:00 EST.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
2012 Bentley Mulsanne ? Road Test
This Old House: That the Bentley Mulsanne costs as mush as a decent condo doesn’t mean it works as one. Can your drawing room go 187 mph?
For automobiles, 11 years is a long showroom tenure. That?s how long Bentley?s last flagship sedan, the Arnage, was in business?uncomfortably close to twice the industry [...]
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For automobiles, 11 years is a long showroom tenure. That?s how long Bentley?s last flagship sedan, the Arnage, was in business?uncomfortably close to twice the industry [...]
Related posts:
AT&T Williams to Fire Up Caracas
AT&T Williams Grove, UK. 06 January, 2011. The AT&T Williams team is pleased to announce that it will run a 2010 Williams Cosworth FW32 race car in Venezuela on Friday 14 January. The event will be staged to mark Venezuelan-born...
Joseph Francis Nemechek III Ryan Joseph Newman Kyle Eugene Petty Floyd Anthony Raines
Early Incident Ruins Kenny Wallace?s RAB Racing Debut At Daytona
RAB Racing with Brack MaggardCONCORD, N.C. (Feb. 21, 2011) ? A rough end to a promising week left Kenny Wallace with a 28th place finish after being collected in a wreck during the season opening NASCAR Nationwide Series DRIVE4COPD 300 at Daytona International Speedway. Despite being caught in the early incident on lap 25, Wallace...more»
Cooling adjusted for Daytona 500
NASCAR officials have issued last-minute technical changes affecting the cooling of Sprint Cup cars ahead of Sunday's Daytona 500. Following restrictions imposed to the front grille opening for radiators after last week's Budweiser Shootout, NASCAR has gone back slightly on its measures to give a bit more cooling to the cars when they race for the first time in a full field.
Ricciardo: Mixed weather a big help
Daniel Ricciardo believes the Formula 1 teams now have a much better grasp of handling the new Pirelli tyres in mixed conditions, following another wet morning at Barcelona today. The Toro Rosso reserve driver was on board the STR6 for the first half of today's running, which was mostly wet then dried enough for a run on slicks before the lunch break. When asked by AUTOSPORT about gathering data on the crossover point between the Pirelli inter and the slick, he said: "This morning was another big step forward with that
Watch Bahrain F1 Grand Prix Live on Star Sports ? Time in India, Hongkong, Malaysia and Singapore
Fernando Alonso clocked the fastest time in Q3 on Saturday at the Bahrain F1 Grand Prix. However, it was Sebastian Vettel who will take the pole position on Sunday at Sakhir, Bahrain. Sebastian Vettel dedicated his pole position to Ferrari’s Felipe Massa. Fernando Alonso will start from the 3rd position on the grid.
Star Sports, which [...]
Star Sports, which [...]
Monday, February 21, 2011
Local MP says Melbourne should drop GP
A member of Australia's parliament has called for the country's F1 grand prix to be dropped once the current contract comes to an end. Michael Danby, whose Melbourne Ports electorate includes the Albert Park circuit where the race is held, said locals are tired of the event, and that the rising costs are not justified anymore. "The grand prix may have been a good deal in 1996, when it cost the government only $1.7 million; but, with falling crowd numbers and taxpayers footing a $50 million-a-year bill, the government should cut its losses and walk away," he told parliament according to Reuters.
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Button Steps Up Pre Season Training With Lance Armstrong
Jenson Button teamed up with record breaking cyclist Lance Armstrong, as he continues to prepare for another Formula One season. The McLaren driver excitedly tweeted that he would be riding with Armstrong, the 7 time Tour de France winner, in Hawaii. Armstrong responded via Twitter “I hope he doesn’t ride as srong as he drives [...]
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BMW to offer new 2.0 liter four-cylinder exclusively with turbo
New 2.0 liter aluminum block engine will be fitted with different turbochargers for output variants up to 245 PS (180 kW / 241 bhp). 
Canadian J.R. Fitzpatrick Sidelined in NASCAR Nationwide Series Opener
J.R. FitzpatrickDaytona Beach, Florida (February 19, 2011) ? J.R. Fitzpatrick?s hopes of a strong showing in the ?DRIVE4COPD 300? at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday were dealt an early blow with the only Canadian in the NASCAR Nationwide Series field forced to retire just 10 laps into the season opener. The 2010 NASCAR Canadian Tire...more»
Vettel still quickest in Barcelona test
Sebastian Vettel was fastest again on day two of the Barcelona test, as Red Bull went for shorter runs for the first time and gave a hint of its potential.
Chevy to issue a special edition Camaro twice a year
Limited edition Camaros will come every six months to keep the nameplate fresh and its performance heritage alive. 
Travel warning increases Bahrain doubts
The issuing of a UK Foreign Office warning advising against "all but essential travel to Bahrain" has increased Formula 1 teams' concerns about the viability of the season-opener, amid continuing political tension in Bahrain. After further violence in Manama on Friday, the Foreign Office strengthened its warning against traveling to Bahrain today. Renault team boss Eric Boullier said this move makes the decision much more serious for teams
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Trevor Bayne Takes Short-Track Path To Glory
“Former NASCAR K&N Pro Series driver wins 2011 Daytona 500″ Trevor Bayne - Photo Credit: Muriel Brousseau Photo for Octane ManagementDAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 20, 2011) ? Two and a half years ago, Trevor Bayne was sitting in the press box at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway talking about his first NASCAR win. The 20-year-old from...more»
GM introduces MyLink infotainment system
Designed to battle SYNC and Entune, MyLink allows users to wirelessly stream audio from smartphone applications like Pandora and Stitcher SmartRadio. 
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Clint Bowyer Wins Pole for Nationwide Race at Daytona, Danica Fourth
Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Daytona Int'l Speedway, Nationwide Series, Danica Patrick, NASCAR
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Up until the final few minutes of Friday's NASCAR Nationwide Series qualifying, it looked as if IndyCar star-turned-NASCAR newbie Danica Patrick may just have landed herself the pole position at stock car's most famous track, Daytona International Speedway.
Midway through the session Patrick laid down the fastest lap of the afternoon bumping veteran Carl Edwards off the top spot and igniting a buzz around the garage area. Had her lap stood, she would have been the first woman to win a Nationwide Series pole since Shawna Robinson did it in March 1994.
Instead, another newcomer, Landon Cassill, knocked Patrick out of the top spot only to have Sprint Cup Series veteran Clint Bowyer come in and better them both. Bowyer's lap of 180.821 mph in the Kevin Harvick-owned No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet earned the former series champ the pole position for Saturday's DRIVE4COPD 300 and stifled the building frenzy around a possible Patrick front row start.
Cassill will start alongside him while another late qualifier Dale Earnhardt Jr,. took the third position. He'll start next to Patrick on the second row; he owns both cars.
This is only Patrick's 13th Nationwide Series start in her highly-publicized racing double as a full-time driver in the IZOD IndyCar Series and a part-timer in NASCAR's second-tier Nationwide circuit.
"It's been a fast car the whole time we've been here,'' Patrick said, as she watched the remaining few cars qualify. "No matter what happens now, it'll be a good starting position. This is a big deal and for it to come at Daytona, it's 10 times a bigger deal.''
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Brawn relaxed about Mercedes form
Ross Brawn insists he is comfortable with the way Mercedes GP's preparations for the new season are going - despite questions being raised about the form of the new W02.
2011 Lexus IS 350C F Sport Special Edition limited to 175 units, priced from $55,120*
Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Lexus, Luxury
2011 Lexus IS 350C F Sport Special Edition - Click above for high-res image
Lexus has just released a limited-edition version of the IS 350C convertible that will go on sale later this month. Called the F Sport Special Edition, the droptop is limited to a scant 175 units, priced from $55,120, not including delivery and processing fees.
To set it apart from other IS 350Cs, the F Sport Special Edition benefits from a few visual tweaks. It rides on 19-inch forged alloy wheels with a dark graphite finish and the only two exterior colors available are Starfire Pearl (pictured) or Obsidian. Other F Sport touches include Bilstein shocks and lowering springs that bring the IS one inch closer to the ground, and a unique sway bar set has been added, too.
The interior is padded with black and red leather surfaces, and both heated and cooled seats are standard. Navigation is also part of the Special Edition package, encompassing things like a rearview camera, Lexus Enform and the full host of XM infotainment features. Hit the jump for the official press blast.
[Source: Lexus]
2011 Lexus IS 350C F Sport Special Edition limited to 175 units, priced from $55,120* originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Feb 2011 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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