Tuesday, January 31, 2012
consul Capri Project
(Please visit the site to view this media)
Hi i thought i would post this as the first actual post i have added here.
My 1:1 car is a Ford Consul Capri, a car that has to the best of my knowledge never been made as a model kit.
There was an example made by fairy-lite as a toy back in the 60's, but these are very rare and cost far too much money for what they are.
So i have for years thought of making one from scratch adn about 4 years ago got as far as cutting out one blank side from a sheet of plastic.
Since that time i have done very little model making, as i have been re-building the real thing; which has taken far too long.
But this Friday i got home from a really stressful week at work and for the first time in years sat down to mess with the plastic.
It wasnt trully spur of the moment as the previous week i had been sorting out cupboards and come across the blank for the Consul Capri; still around after all that time.
So i am typing this at 10pm on the Sunday and have completed two sides, attached is a picture with my car in the background.
have a look and let me know what you think.(Please visit the site to view this media)
David Lee Blaney Michael Duane Bliss Kurt Thomas Busch Kyle Thomas Busch Jeffrey Tyler Burton
Monday, January 30, 2012
Name That Shifter, No. 60: 1967 Mazda Cosmo Sport
On Monday we presented this week?s shifter and asked you to identify the make and model of the vehicle from whence it came. This week?s challenge apparently wasn?t difficult enough?the first commenter to correctly identify it as a 1967 Mazda Cosmo Sport was also the first to post a guess. SBro will receive a Save [...]
Casey James Mears Juan Pablo Montoya Joseph Francis Nemechek III Ryan Joseph Newman Kyle Eugene Petty
Tim Boyd's 57 T-Bird
Tim Boyd did a two tone 57 T-bird gasser. What I would like to know is what chassis he used to buid that 57.Very cool.
Yves Giraud Cabantous Ignazio Giunti Timo Glock Helm Glцckler Paco Godia
FAS Lane Racing Welcomes Big Red Sponsorship for Kentucky Debut
FAS Lane Racing LLCMooresville, North Carolina (July 5, 2011) ? For the second time this season, Big Red, Inc. will sponsor the No. 32 entry of FAS Lane Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The No. 32 Big Red Ford will be piloted by Mike Bliss as the series heads to Kentucky Speedway for...more»
Brad Keselowski Ruby Tuesday Dodge Carl Edwards Copart Ford Denny Hamlin
LeMons Good/Bad Idea of the Week: 280Z Engine in Datsun 510
Welcome to the first installment of the 24 Hours of LeMons Good/Bad Idea of the Week series, where we’ll share good racing ideas that go terribly wrong, bad racing ideas that go unaccountably right, and the general maelstrom of fabrication genius/madness that one encounters at every 24 Hours of LeMons race. We’ll start off with [...]
Max Jean Stefan Johansson Eddie Johnson Leslie Johnson Bruce Johnstone
Peugeot Abandons Endurance Racing: Why It Happened and What It Means for Prototype Racing
Considering that French automaker Peugeot hasn?t sold cars in the U.S. for 20 years?and has no immediate plans to return?you?d think the company?s decision to end its participation in big-time endurance sports-car racing, effective immediately, wouldn?t have much impact on the American racing scene. Au contraire: The American Le Mans Series was counting on Peugeot?s [...]
Olivier Grouillard Brian Gubby Andrй Guelfi Miguel Бngel Guerra Roberto Guerrero
Sunday, January 29, 2012
De la Rosa calm over new HRT car
Pedro de la Rosa insists HRT's production of its new car is going to plan and is still hopeful he will be able to drive it during the second pre-season test at Barcelona. The Spanish squad is working flat out to have its new single-seater ready in time for testing and, despite suggestions that there are delays with it, de la Rosa says he is staying calm. HRT is set to test its 2011 car in the opening session at Jerez, but de la Rosa is still hopeful the team will be able to run with the 2012 machine in the second test at Barcelona on February 21
Jeremy Allan Mayfield James Christopher McMurray Casey James Mears Juan Pablo Montoya Joseph Francis Nemechek III
Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona 50th Anniversary: 50 Facts and Milestones
There are 50 things you need to know about the 50th anniversary of the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona sports-car endurance race (the golden race will be held this weekend, January 28?29), beginning with this one fact: This is the 50th anniversary, but not at all the 50th annual 24-hour race. Keep Reading: Rolex 24 [...]
Jeffrey Tyler Burton Richard Allen Craven Kerry Dale Earnhardt Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr
Student Design: Mithos Electro Magnetic Concept [video]
It was originally created in 2006 when Tiago was studying Industrial Design, it has since been updated with this superb animated teaser video which took around 3 months to make.
Eddie Irvine Chris Irwin Jean Pierre Jabouille Jimmy Jackson Joe James
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Q and A with Kazuki Nakajima
After a short stint in Formula 1 with the Williams team, Kazuki Nakajima returns to the big time with Toyota's attack on the Le Mans 24 Hours. The Japanese driver spoke to AUTOSPORT about the challenge ahead. Q
Kyle Busch Toyota Kimmy Z Line Designs Toyota Parker Kligerman Trevor Bayne
Clint Bowyer, 2011 NSCS Quaker State 400 Race Preview
2011 NSCS Clint Bowyer - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen/Getty Images for NASCARClint Bowyer No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet Race Notes and Quotes This Week’s Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet at Kentucky Speedway … Clint Bowyer will pilot chassis No. 360 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This Chevrolet Impala, built new in 2011,...more»
Charles Robert Hamilton IV Charles Robert Hamilton V Kevin Michael Harvick Virgil Ernest Irvan III Kenny Dale Irwin Jr
Friday, January 27, 2012
Raiders Coach info
Hi I'm building the MPC Raiders Coach and need some help The front end of this is a late 60's GTO Are there any photoetch grills availible Also any body have any good sites with photo's of the real car Thanks
Chris Irwin Jean Pierre Jabouille Jimmy Jackson Joe James John James
Red Bull will be challenged in 2012
Hi all, thanks for your many and varied questions about the 2011 season. I've answered a number of them as well as giving my thoughts about how the season panned out and what I think will happen in 2012.
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Murray
Kyle Thomas Busch Jeffrey Tyler Burton Richard Allen Craven Kerry Dale Earnhardt Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr
Harvick says wife is 14 weeks pregnant
Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 29 Budweiser/Rheem/Jimmy Johns Chevrolet, speaks with the media during the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Media Tour hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway on Wednesday in Welcome, N.C. - Photo Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images for NASCARHarvick announced DeLana Harvick’s pregnancy during a media event at Richard Childress Racing. The...more»
Jules Bianchi lands Force India reserve job
Jules Bianchi is to be Sahara Force India’s reserve driver this year, after weeks of speculation about his chances of landing the job. The Frenchman will drive the new car in testing and will do at least nine Friday morning … Continue reading 
Jean Marc Gounon Emmanuel de Graffenried Lucas di Grassi Cecil Green Keith Greene
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Video: Audi lights up vampire-laden S7 commercial ahead of Super Bowl
Filed under: Performance, Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Hatchback, Audi, Luxury
Audi apparently couldn't wait until the Super Bowl to show off the ad it will run during the Big Game. The German automaker has released its spot, and sure enough, the quick clip has cashed in on the current vampire craze. The commercial features a clutch of gen x/y/millennial 20-something vamps out for an impromptu fireside party. When their hero arrives in an Audi S7 with an extra cooler of O Negative, disaster ensues. At least the company chose an excellent soundtrack. The whole drama plays out under the silky tones of Echo & The Bunnymen's "Killing Moon."
Audi unveiled the spot mere days after teasing its Super Bowl ad after Facebook fans beat the company's Race The Light game on the social network.
We have to say, we're a little underwhelmed by the spot. Audi is on an undeniable roll right now with products like the TT-RS and A7 littering showrooms across the country, so it's a bit sad that this was the best feature they could muster to highlight in a Super Bowl commercial. Hit the jump to see the spot for yourself.
Continue reading Audi lights up vampire-laden S7 commercial ahead of Super Bowl
Audi lights up vampire-laden S7 commercial ahead of Super Bowl originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsTimo Glock Helm Glцckler Paco Godia Carel Godin de Beaufort Christian Goethals
Morgan Shepherd Planning Full NASCAR Nationwide Series Schedule In 2012
Morgan Shepherd - Photo Credit: John Harrelson / Getty Images for NASCARCONOVER, NC - Morgan Shepherd will be celebrating his 45th season in NASCAR in 2012 with plans to compete for the full season in the Nationwide Series. Morgan enjoyed his finest season in points in 2011 by competing in all thirty-four events and finishing...more»
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Wanted dodge ram / an a Straight-six
I am looking for any parts or hole kits for the dodge ram snap tite kits box cabs an so on.... I am also looking for any Straight-six engine i can get just block is what im looking for or i will take hole engines make dont really matter muck just 1/24 1/25. I have some parts i can trade or cash will work to. PM me details to work out a deal thanks for looking.
Leslie Johnson Bruce Johnstone Alan Jones Tom Jones Juan Jover
Red Bull set to dominate?
To some, the decision of Red Bull and Ferrari to pull out of the Formula 1 Teams' Association, the umbrella group that represents the teams' interests, could look innocuous enough. In reality it could have far-reaching consequences.
The F1 teams have put a brave public face on it, but behind the scenes there are serious concerns that it could lead to a period of Red Bull domination about which their rivals can do little.
The move by two of F1's most powerful teams was provoked by continuing distrust about whether all of the competitors were adhering to the terms of a document called the Resource Restriction Agreement.
The RRA sets out limits on the amount of staff, external spend and aerodynamic research teams can employ and covers work on the design of the car - with drivers' salaries, marketing and engines excluded.
World Champion Sebastian Vettel's (left) team Red Bull and Michael Schumacher's (right) former team Ferrari announced that they have quit the Formula One Teams Association (Fota). PHOTO: Getty
It is not a budget cap per se, but it does have the effect of keeping costs under control, to the point that the biggest budgets have dropped from in the region of £300m in 2008 to an estimated £150-200m in 2011.
To cite just one example, the RRA limits the amount of hours a team can dedicate to wind-tunnel testing - a key way of honing an F1 car's aerodynamics, the single biggest performance differentiator.
And the more wind-tunnel hours you do, the less simulation of aerodynamics on a computer is allowed (and vice versa).
Because there is only so much of this work that a team can do, there is only so much money they can spend.
The problem that has arisen is that some of the teams - led by Ferrari and Mercedes - believe Red Bull have been exceeding these limits since 2010, the first of their two consecutive title-winning years.
Red Bull insist they have always operated within the RRA - and they counter their rivals' accusations by pointing out that it is easier for an F1 team allied to a car company (as Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren all are) to hide extra work than it is for one that operates in isolation.
A year's worth of talks to try to reach a compromise agreement with which everyone is happy have come to nothing, leading to a situation where Ferrari and Red Bull have run out of patience. They signalled their intention to quit Fota late on Friday - although they have to give two months' notice.
Ferrari's statement was long and detailed, talking about their reluctance at a "difficult decision", their ongoing commitment to cost-reduction and other changes in F1, and emphasising their own central role in Fota since it was set up in 2008.
Red Bull's ran to only two sentences: "Red Bull Racing can confirm it has served notice to withdraw from Fota. The team will remain committed to finding a solution regarding cost saving in Formula 1."
This in itself has led to more suspicion.
It is clear, more than one insider has said, why Ferrari pulled out of Fota - if the organisation could not sort out an RRA, what was the point of it? - but Red Bull's reasoning was very different.
The implication being that the world champions did not like the RRA because they had no intention of adhering to it. Fota had become an inconvenience.
Red Bull were not available for comment.
This suspicion has been poisoning the atmosphere within F1 all year, despite attempts to reduce it.
As well as the endless meetings aimed at bringing the two warring sides together, there was an investigation in the summer by external consultants into the way the teams were detailing their use of resources.
But while Red Bull believe this effectively cleared them of wrongdoing, their accusers disagree. "The analysis showed more than one concern about what Red Bull were doing," one insider told me.
The next step, as laid out by the RRA, was for a full audit of the accounts of the team about which there were suspicions - if a certain number of teams wanted this to happen, the accused team had to agree.
But this point was never reached, and after further meetings at the season-closing Brazilian Grand Prix, Ferrari and Red Bull ran out of patience.
So what happens next? Is this the death knell for Fota? Will the departure of Ferrari and Red Bull lead to a domino effect of teams leaving the organisation?
Alternatively, will a rump stick together, recognising that there can still be strength in numbers, not least in the forthcoming negotiations with F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone over a new Concorde Agreement, the document which binds the teams, the commercial rights holder and governing body the FIA together?
That may become clearer after a Fota meeting on Tuesday.
More importantly, does this mean the end for resource restrictions in F1 - and will the sport therefore revert to the 'arms race' spending that led to the RRA in the first place?
On the face of it, the answer to that is no. The RRA is still technically in force. It is a legally binding document which lasts until at least 2012, or perhaps even 2017 - depending on whom you believe, and which version of the document you are talking about.
In theory, if Red Bull's rivals feel that they are breaking the RRA, they can sue them. If that sounds unlikely, one insider I spoke to for this article raised it as a possibility.
Equally, though, Red Bull and Ferrari are due to meet the other members of F1's big four - McLaren and Mercedes - next week to discuss resource restriction and how to move forward on it.
That hardly sounds like the actions of a group of people on the verge of legal action.
In public, everyone in F1 says they want to avoid a return to unrestricted spending.
One of the main reasons for this is that (effectively) unrestricted money is no longer available to top F1 teams - the effects of the credit crunch have reached even this notoriously expensive sport's rarefied climes.
Many of the smaller teams are living hand-to-mouth to a degree, with only the top four existing in relative comfort.
But even they have limitations on what they can spend.
McLaren are a private team who have to live within the budget they can raise from sponsorship and other commercial partnerships.
Mercedes, huge car company though it may be, has set clear limits on the amount of money its team can spend.
Even Ferrari, who 10 years ago could effectively spend what they wanted, now have to be careful with money.
But Red Bull are different, or so their rivals believe.
Team principal Christian Horner insists they have far from the biggest budget in F1 - he ranks them about third or fourth.
But his rivals raise their eyebrows at that, pointing out that Red Bull is worth billions and that the soft-drinks company is weathering the global economic downturn well by comparison with car companies and traditional corporate giants. In that sense, their rivals say, they really can spend what they want.
So whether founded on reality or not, and whether the accusation at its heart contains any truth, the fear at the heart of F1 is quite simple.
If Red Bull, despite the RRA, are prepared to spend what they want, as well as having the best designer in Adrian Newey and arguably the best driver in Sebastian Vettel, who can stop them dominating for years to come?
Andrй Guelfi Miguel Бngel Guerra Roberto Guerrero Maurнcio Gugelmin Dan Gurney
U.S. Supreme Court Declares Vehicle GPS Tracking by Police Illegal?But Here?s Why You Can Expect More Surveillance
In the age of cruise-missile assassinations of U.S. citizens without a trial, a Supreme Court victory for civil liberties and freedom is a welcome aberration. Yesterday, a unanimous court ruled in U.S. v. Jones that police don?t have the authority to put GPS tracking devices on vehicles unless they get a warrant first. Yes, you?ve [...]
Spy shot: Raikkonen tests old Renault
Kimi Raikkonen has returned to the wheel of a Formula 1 car for the first time since the end of 2009, driving a two-year-old Renault R30 at Valencia as he reacclimatises himself to the sport with Lotus. Raikkonen arrived at the track at 0830 CET and took to the wheel of a two-year-old Renault R30 car - painted in Lotus's contemporary black and gold livery and using Pirelli's demonstration-spec rubber - for an installation lap just after 0900. The Finn is taking part in a two-day session designed to help him reacclimatise himself with grand prix machinery
Copart Ford Denny Hamlin Z Line Toyota Kyle Busch Toyota Kimmy
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Five ways to improve F1
 Emerson Fittipaldi in his heyday |
Alan Jones Tom Jones Juan Jover Oswald Karch Narain Karthikeyan
The Final Lap #187 ? Preseason Thunder Daytona Testing
SHOW #187 – We recap the Preseason Thunder Daytona Testing sessions and discuss the latest news stories. Hosted by Kerry Murphey and Paul Northrop (About 45 mins) LISTEN HERE SUBSCRIBE HERE DOWNLOAD HERE RSS FEED SUBSCRIBE FROM iTUNES: Take us with you! Subscribe to our audio shows from iTunes, and they will automatically show up [...]
Scott Russell Riggs Hiroshi Fushida Beppe Gabbiani Bertrand Gachot Patrick Gaillard
Dear Media Lemmings: Headphones Don?t Kill People, Drivers Do
There’s a University of Maryland study making the rounds today that links pedestrian fatalities with the wearing of headphones — a three-fold increase over the last seven years. Judging from the breathless headlines, the causation is clear. “Study Shows Sharp Rise in Accidents Involving Tuned-Out Pedestrians,” reads the Chicago Tribune. “Fatal Distraction,” says MSNBC. “Music [...]
Bruce Kessler Nicolas Kiesa Leo Kinnunen Danny Kladis Hans Klenk
Vettel set for titles aplenty
 |
?Here, after all, is a young man, already dubbed ?Baby Schumi? by Germany?s tabloid press, winning the first of what will presumably be multiple world championships, and all at the tender age of 23. Plenty of time yet to match Schumacher's incredible haul of seven world titles. And yet, their phenomenal ability to drive racing cars apart, there is little similarity between the two men. ?There are still lingering doubts over his racing ability but with such blistering qualifying pace he is nearly always leading from the front anyway. Vettel is set for multiple world championships. Just don?t call him Baby Schumi.?The Guardian?s Paul Weaver says it was difficult to begrudge Vettel his moment of glory after he won the first of what will be many world titles. He also looks back at some of the season?s highlights.
?An amazing Formula One season produced its final twist here on Sunday when Sebastian Vettel, who had never led the title race, won his first world championship. It is difficult to begrudge him his glory, for he had more poles (10) than any other driver and shared the most wins (five) with Fernando Alonso. There will be red faces as well as red cars and overalls at Ferrari, though, for deciding to bring their man in when they did, only to see him re-emerge into heavy traffic. ?Among the highlights, and every race felt like a highlight after the bore-start in Bahrain, there was that wonderful beginning to his McLaren career by Jenson Button, who won two of his first four races, even though he couldn't keep up the pace, especially in qualifying. ?Hamilton once again drove his heart out, and outperformed a car that looked a little too ordinary at times. He was superb in Montreal. Then there was Webber, the Anglophile Aussie who was the favourite among most neutrals to win the title. There was that spectacular crash when he ran into the back of Heikki Kovalainen and the most famous of his four wins, at Silverstone, when he said to his team at the end of the race: 'Not bad for a No2 driver.' ?But in the end there was only one German who mattered. It was the remarkable Vettel. This will be the first of a clutch of championships for him.?The Independent?s David Tremayne focuses on the plight of the other title contenders, writing it is easier to feel more sorry for one than the other.
?It was impossible not to feel for both Webber and Alonso. Yet while a frustrated Alonso gestured at Petrov after the race, the Australian, predictably, refused to complain about his pitstop timing. ?A world championship seemed an inevitable part of Sebastian Vettel's future, but it came a little sooner than most expected, after his recent tribulations. You wouldn't bet against several more, and if that record-breaking streak continues, perhaps even Schumacher's achievements will be overshadowed.?And the Mirror?s Byron Young elaborates further on the petulant behaviour of Fernando Alonso on his slowing down lap after his title dreams ended behind the Renault of Vitaly Petrov.
?Fernando Alonso was hurled into more controversy last night for a wild gesture at the former Lada racer who cost him the title. But the Spaniard brushed off accusations he gave Russian Vitaly Petrov the finger for ruining his title hopes by blocking him for 40 laps as they duelled over sixth place. "The Ferrari ace was caught on television cruising alongside the Renault driver on the slowing down lap and gesticulating from the cockpit. Petrov was unrepentant: "What was I supposed to do? Just get out of his way, pull to the side? I don't think that is how we race. It was important for the team for me to get points."
Eddie Irvine Chris Irwin Jean Pierre Jabouille Jimmy Jackson Joe James
Monday, January 23, 2012
Proton thrilled to show potential
Proton team principal Chris Mellors says the Malaysian firm's World Rally Championship return has demonstrated the potential of the Satria-Neo S2000. While the car struggled to match the frontrunning Intercontinental Rally Challenge pace last season, two months of work on the Satria have been repaid with a handsome lead at the end of the opening day of Super 2000 WRC competition today. P-G Andersson holds 10th overall and a four-minute advantage over his only SWRC rival Craig Breen, who suffered a puncture on his Ford Fiesta
James Christopher McMurray Casey James Mears Juan Pablo Montoya Joseph Francis Nemechek III Ryan Joseph Newman
OFFICIAL: Volkswagen Up! five-door revealed
First previewed in Frankfurt last year as the Cross up! concept, the production version seen here carries over the same engines and option packages as the 3-door Up! - just with easier access to the rear seats. 
Kamui Kobayashi Helmuth Koinigg Heikki Kovalainen Kevin Harvick Armour Vienna Sausage Kroger Chevrolet
72 chevelle
Hey,this is my first model in quite a few years.
Jackie Holmes Bill Homeier Kazuyoshi Hoshino Jerry Hoyt Nico Hьlkenberg
Dodgy journalism
The reports about Fernando Alonso’s remarks in relation to Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel should be taken with a pinch of salt. These were reported in a German publication. They were then parroted around the world by those with no idea about what is right or wrong. The reports say that Alonso said: “Lewis is [...]
Denny Hamlin Z Line Toyota Kyle Busch Toyota Kimmy Z Line Designs Toyota
Sunday, January 22, 2012
McLaren drivers out of title race
 Is it now a three-way battle for the title? |
?Focus and concentration will be of paramount importance and there is none stronger in this regard than Ferrari?s Fernando Alonso.?The Guardian?s Oliver Owen thinks that it is Mark Webber?s title to lose now, and that this may be the Australian?s last realistic chance of winning the title.
?He has driven beautifully. Monaco and Silverstone spring to mind. He has been an uncompromising racer, not giving Vettel or Lewis Hamilton an inch in Turkey and Singapore respectively. Most importantly, he has largely avoided the bouts of brain fade that can wreck a season ? his on-track hooning in Melbourne when racing Hamilton being the only exception. But there is a feeling that for Webber it is now or never, that a chance of a tilt at the title may never come again. He is certainly driving as if that is the case and that has been his strength.?According to The Mirror?s Byron Young, both McLaren drivers are now out of the title hunt after their fourth and fifth place finishes in Suzuka.
?McLaren's title hopes died yesterday in a weekend from Hell at Suzuka. Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton finished fourth and fifth in a Japanese Grand Prix they had to win to have the remotest chance of keeping their title bid alive."The Sun?s Michael Spearman was of the same opinion, saying ?Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button's title hopes were in tatters after a shocker in Japan.?
William Ashton Lewis Jr Sterling Burton Marlin Mark Anthony Martin Jeremy Allan Mayfield James Christopher McMurray
Stoner: MotoGP needs quick Ducati
MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner hopes his former employer Ducati can produce a more consistent challenge in 2012 - especially with the number of works bikes at the front of the field shrinking. Ducati has not won a race since 2010, as Stoner's Honda team and Yamaha dominated last season.
Patrick Gaillard Divina Galica Nanni Galli Oscar Alfredo Gбlvez Fred Gamble
2013 Nissan GT-R pricing announced (US)
Nissan has announced U.S. pricing information for the 2013 GT-R. See how much it costs inside 
Bruno Giacomelli Dick Gibson Gimax Richie Ginther Yves Giraud Cabantous
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Nascar Remington Fords
I am in the process of building three different Nascar Remingtons: two Thunderbirds and a Taurus. One is almost complete. I will post photos soon.
Gene Hartley Masahiro Hasemi Naoki Hattori Paul Hawkins Mike Hawthorn
Red Bull to launch RB8 on February 6
Red Bull Racing will unveil its new RB8 on its own official website on February 6, the day before the first pre-season test takes place. The team announced on Tuesday that at 1pm on February 6, images of the new car and comments from drivers and management will be available on www.redbullracing.com . The RB8 car will be the machine that the Milton Keynes-based outfit is hoping will deliver its third consecutive drivers' and constructors' world championship following Sebastian Vettel's back-to-back success in 2010 and 2011
Former NASCAR driver Bobby Hamilton Jr. files for bankruptcy
Bobby Hamilton Jr. (Photo Credit: NASCAR Illustrated / Scene Daily) Former NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Bobby Hamilton Jr. has filed for bankruptcy to reorganize his debts, according to U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Tennessee. Hamilton Jr. filed the Chapter 11 bankruptcy papers last week. Hamilton Jr. and his wife are listed as debtors, as is his...more»
SX: Talent Is No Longer Enough
James Stewart remains the fastest man in the Monster Energy Supercross field but that alone is no longer good enough.
Gerino Gerini Peter Gethin Piercarlo Ghinzani Bruno Giacomelli Dick Gibson
Friday, January 20, 2012
Latvala credits Solberg for tyre move
Monte Carlo Rally leader Jari-Matti Latvala thanked his Ford team-mate Petter Solberg for his input into the Finn's perfect tyre choice for second stage of the opening day. Latvala took 52.7 seconds out of SS1 leader Sebastien Loeb on the Burzet-St Martial test after deciding to run the softest tyres mixed with studded covers. Instead of a conventional front-rear split, Latvala went with slicks on the right-front and left-rear and studs on the other wheels
Jesъs Iglesias Taki Inoue Innes Ireland Eddie Irvine Chris Irwin
Silk Cut Jaguar XJR-12
1990 Le Mans Winner
The decals cracked something fierce when introduced to water. I was able to mix a blend of Testors Panther Pink and Dark Sea Blue to be very close, but it needed to be airbrushed in to work without being detectable under scrutiny.
David Lee Blaney Michael Duane Bliss Kurt Thomas Busch Kyle Thomas Busch Jeffrey Tyler Burton
Byford still keen on BTCC return
Martin Byford has not ruled out returning to the British Touring Car Championship despite committing to a GT deal in the UK. Byford made his BTCC debut last year, driving the AmD Milltek VW Golf, but budget issues have so far scuppered a deal for 2012. He has now signed to race a Lotus Evora in the British Endurance Championship, but still hopes to compete in the BTCC in future.
Carel Godin de Beaufort Christian Goethals Paul Goldsmith Josй Froilбn Gonzбlez Oscar Gonzбlez
Caterham to unveil car in F1 Racing
Caterham will unveil its new Formula 1 car on the cover of AUTOSPORT's sister publication F1 Racing on January 26. The Hingham-based outfit's challenger will remain in the green and yellow colours that the outfit used when it raced under the Team Lotus name. The new car will run for the first time at the opening pre-season test that takes place in Jerez from February 7.
Michael Duane Bliss Kurt Thomas Busch Kyle Thomas Busch Jeffrey Tyler Burton Richard Allen Craven
Thursday, January 19, 2012
1938 Master Deluxe
Wondering if a kit was ever made for a '38 Chevy Master Deluxe Sedan? If not, does anyone have an idea of a couple of kits that could be mashed into a 38 Master Deluxe?
Bruno Giacomelli Dick Gibson Gimax Richie Ginther Yves Giraud Cabantous
Introducing the hideous Toyota Prius Camper Van
The crazy creation has received a composite FRP (fibre reinforced plastic) shell which extends the Prius' length by 520mm (20 inches) but more importantly adds 560mm (22 inches) to the height. 
Cliff Griffith Georges Grignard Bobby Grim Romain Grosjean Olivier Grouillard
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Preseason Thunder Daytona Testing Day 2 Speeds top 206mph
Combined Times Day 2 Rank Car No. Driver Manu. Time Speed Session 1 51 Kurt Busch Chv 43.677 206.058 D2PM 2 78 Regan Smith Chv 43.678 206.053 D2PM 3 18 Kyle Busch Tyt 43.729 205.813 D2PM 4 24 Jeff Gordon Chv 43.743 205.747 D2PM 5 5 Kasey Kahne Chv 43.743 205.747 D2PM 6 27 Paul [...]
Randy Joseph Lajoie Kevin Paul Lepage William Ashton Lewis Jr Sterling Burton Marlin Mark Anthony Martin
Williams confirms Senna for 2012
Bruno Senna will drive the second Williams car during the 2012 Formula 1 season, as the team from Grove finally announced who will partner Pastor Maldonado.
Kevin Harvick Armour Vienna Sausage Kroger Chevrolet Clint Bowyer Zaxby s Chevrolet Brad Keselowski
Jake Humphrey's season review
I should have known what to expect from this season when we went on air for the first time in Australia back in March.
Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel went on to win the race in Melbourne without really breaking a sweat, while expert pundit David Coulthard ended up with cake on his face during the post-race F1 Forum thanks to a very over-excited world champion.
Dominance and madness in one go.
Since then, Vettel has won almost every race, while we've had masses of fun and games on camera as we traversed the globe. I have plenty of highlights from a season that has been, without question, the most rewarding of my three years. At the same time, it has been one of the most difficult and surreal. But more of that later...
First the fun! One of the things I've loved about the coverage we've provided since 2009 has been the genuine human emotion that only live sport can deliver. The F1 Forum, in particular, has given us a chance to see a side to the sport that was previously hidden, usually because all the TV crews had long since stopped work.
A stand-out moment for me occurred in the F1 Forum after the Monaco GP. We headed up to the Red Bull Barge - or the 'float-a-home' as it's nicknamed - where the team were celebrating their second successive win in the race.
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First, Vettel went into the pool, followed by various Red Bull team members, making it inevitable that Eddie Jordan would join them. I must confess that, as I challenged Eddie to go and grab the race winner, I knew he was likely to end up in the drink... and that's precisely what happened. EJ losing his glasses and proceeding to do duck-dive after duck-dive to retrieve them will live with me forever. All on live TV, let me remind you.
We then got a glimpse of just how brave the strong, fearless, race-winning F1 star DC really is. As soon as it looked like he would be the next one to get a soaking, he suddenly grabbed both his mic and the nearest railing for dear life. Cries of "No, I'm wearing white jeans!" and "No, I'm holding a microphone!" fell on deaf ears.
We often see drivers wearing race suits, helmets on their heads, wrapped inside a shell of carbon fibre. We never really get to know the human being behind the mask. I hope that, as the year progressed, you have felt you've got to know the likes of Daniel Ricciardo and Mark Webber as never before.
After the careers they've had and the success and the riches that have come their way, it would be very easy for Eddie and DC to not bother going the extra-mile for the good of the coverage, too. Yet they have. Early starts, late finishes, being asked to do ludicrous things and always buying into it... they've done it all. In fact, EJ refusing to go on the Abu Dhabi rollercoaster was just about the only time he has said 'no' in three years!
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I remember heading to a shopping centre in India to film a Bollywood opening to a show. When the nearby Metallica gig was cancelled, 40,000 very unhappy heavy metal fans suddenly surrounded the car. It was a little scary until EJ decided to engage them in conversation to find out what was going on. Moment defused!
That first trip to India was fascinating. I found it particularly difficult and struggled on a daily basis with the contrast between the glitz and glamour of F1 and a country with such obvious socio-economic issues. It was hard to see the poverty as we headed to the track every day, then watch million-pound cars going round in circles. I sincerely hope that F1 makes a concerted effort to give something back to India in the coming years.
It was good to chat that weekend to Rowan Atkinson. But after creating such genius TV as Blackadder, it's sad to think he's globally famous as Mr Bean! Great he could join us on the show, though. To have 'George McCartney' (copyright E Jordan) with us in Abu Dhabi was also special. The only reason McCartney and Atkinson came to chat to us was because of Eddie. It's amazing the power he actually wields!
At this point, let me congratulate Eddie on raising more than £100,000 for Children In Need with his signed Indian GP shirt. He forced all the drivers to sign it, as well as Bernie Ecclestone and Macca.
DC has also really come into his own this year. Whether he's taking on Lewis Hamilton or Jenson Button in a pit-stop challenge or on a jet-ski, he's become a credible, eloquent and respected pundit. Added to that, he knows how it feels to win races, fight for titles and drive contemporary F1 machinery.
Jake Humphrey and Eddie Jordan meet Beatles legend Sir Paul McCartney. Photo: Getty
He's also rather naughty, using his weekly track guides to educate Sergio Perez about the perks of being an F1 driver, to tell Vettel about the German-speaking films he watched as a kid, or to make Karun Chandhok, who was busy minding his own business by cycling the track, re-enact Hamilton's crash with Webber in Singapore.
I'd just like to say how much I've loved working with both EJ and DC over the past three years. It's rare to find three people who just seem to click, but we have and it's been an incredibly rewarding time.
Despite Vettel being so dominant, I've really enjoyed the racing in 2011.
The new DRS overtaking aid on the cars has been toyed with by the FIA during the year but I think they've generally got the balance right now after the slightly embarrassing overtaking-laden Turkish Grand Prix.
What has really got me excited this year, though, have been the Pirelli tyres. Yes, the teams have worked really hard to nullify the effects of marginal tyres, but they have still added to the spectacle. Next year, Pirelli will be even smarter and more aggressive with tyre choice, so I think the tyres will really ask questions of the strategies that teams employ. If they get it right, Pirelli could again be the difference between a good season and a great season in 2012.
And what about my classic moments of 2011? Well, Canada stands out. We had international pop star Rihanna trying out Hamilton's car, DC demonstrating his knowledge of ornithology and Star Wars creator George Lucas chatting to us in the garage... all while a race should have been taking place!
When the racing eventually started, it didn't disappoint, did it? Button was incredible that day and I'd like to extend my thanks to him and all the other drivers who have made themselves so accessible this season.
The F1 Forum has been a magnet for race winners, from Vettel in tears as he watched our 'back-to-back champions' tape, to EJ, DC, Martin Brundle and me leaning over flight cases and around photographers in an attempt to get to Hamilton after his race win in Abu Dhabi. All great times.
It's worth pointing out that the drivers are not obliged to join us live pre-race, before or after qualifying, or on the F1 Forum. They choose to do it, which I think speaks volumes for both our coverage and about the drivers themselves. Thanks, guys.
After all that fun over the last eight months, we get to take a breath, grab a winter holiday, then do it all over again come March 2012. So what can you expect from the BBC next year and how will we make a very different season just as interesting to watch?
Well, the first thing to say is that EVERY race will be on the BBC.
I know you guys want live F1 but you will still get plenty of racing to watch - and often at much better times. Australia, Japan and Malaysia, for example, are races that take place in the early hours in the United Kingdom but we will show almost the whole race at 2pm. As well as that, the programme will be two hours long, so there will be plenty of action and reaction. For non-live races that are run at lunchtime in the UK, you can now enjoy a Sunday out, get home for 5.30pm and have 90 minutes of F1 in a peak-time slot.
The highlights will not just be a few token laps edited together either. We're talking extended, comprehensive highlights to really tell the story of the grand prix.
I can also reveal that the BBC presentation team will be at all the races, so the guys and I will be interviewing drivers, bringing you the usual banter and hosting the show in the way you've come to expect since 2009. So expect F1 Forums and the usual 60-minute build-up for live races. Plus we will have in-depth analysis from DC and others, as well as stacks of driver interviews for the highlights races.
Yes, it's a shame we haven't got 100% live F1. As a fan, I would dearly love to host every race live and you can only imagine how hard and uncertain it has been for all of us since Hungary, when the new rights deal was announced.
The team works so hard to make F1 a success on the BBC and it hurts that, after all that effort we've put in, things have changed. But the BBC has backed us with great on-air times and, as I have said, will be sending us to every race, while the usual back-room talent will be making every show special.
Thanks so much for your support, loyalty and viewership over the last three years. I promise you that, if you stick with the BBC, we won't disappoint in 2012. I am personally driven to make next year's coverage even better than ever before.
Have a great winter and I look forward to you getting a lie-in before I welcome you to the Australian Grand Prix in less than four months.
All the best,
Jake
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1953 Hudson Hornet WIP
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Tuesday, January 17, 2012
David Ragan lands with Front Row Motorsports
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Monday, January 16, 2012
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Protests raise fresh concerns over Bahrain GP
Fresh doubts have emerged about the viability of this year's Bahrain Grand Prix after a human rights group in the Gulf kingdom called on the Formula 1 teams to boycott the race in the wake of continuing civil unrest.
It is the first public intervention by an interested party on the subject of the wisdom of holding the race since F1's governing body the FIA confirmed Bahrain's place on the 2012 calendar last month.
Bahrain's inclusion on the official schedule raised eyebrows. That's because unrest continues there, despite pledges by the ruling royal family to increase human rights and democratic representation in an attempt to move on from the disturbances that led to the cancellation of last year's race.
The call for a boycott - by the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR) - became public two days after police were accused of beating a leading opposition activist on the back, neck and head at a rally on Friday.
Bahrain's Sakir International Circuit has not had a Grand Prix since 2010. Photo: Getty
That man was the vice-president of the BCHR, Nabeel Rajab, who also happens to be the man who gave the interview calling for the boycott of the race.
Rajab told a leading Arab business magazine: "We will campaign for... drivers and teams to boycott. The government wants Formula 1 to tell the outside world that everything is back to normal.
"Formula 1, if they come, they are helping the government to say [it is normal]. We would prefer it if they didn't take part. I am sure the drivers and teams respect human rights."
F1, then, appears headed for another long-running saga over whether the Bahrain race can go ahead this year - just as in 2011, when it was four months between the outbreak of civil unrest and the race finally being cancelled.
During that time, it became clear that F1 commercial boss Bernie Ecclestone was keen for the event to take place, despite the concerns of many both inside and outside the sport that holding a race would send the wrong message.
Those concerns remain alive today.
Ecclestone was unavailable for comment, but I understand he and the FIA are still determined to hold this year's race.
At the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix six weeks ago, he told BBC Sport: "It's on the calendar. We'll be there. Unless something terrible happens to stop us."
Asked if he had any concerns about the race becoming a magnet for problems in the kingdom, he said: "No, I don't see that."
On Monday, the race organisers insisted the race should go ahead, pointing out that the government had already started down the path to reform and insisting that the race was "supported by an overwhelming majority of people from all sections of society in Bahrain and represents a symbol of national unity".
But within F1 teams, there are murmurings of unease. No-one will publicly comment on the situation, let alone call for the race to be boycotted, but some insiders do believe there is a strong chance the race will be called off.
For the teams and ot
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Sunday, January 15, 2012
Better racing - but is it fake?
In Monaco before Christmas, Formula 1's governing body held a meeting to discuss one of the key and most controversial aspects of 2011 - the Drag Reduction System or DRS.
Introduced amid much controversy and no small amount of trepidation in some quarters, questions about the validity of the overtaking aid, not to mention the wisdom of employing it, decreased during the season. So much so that, at the Monaco meeting, it was decided that only small refinements needed to be made to its use for the 2012 campaign.
But while the FIA and the teams all agree that DRS has played a valuable role in improving F1 as a spectacle, they are determined to ensure it performs in the way intended. In particular, no-one wants to cheapen one of the central aspects of a driver's skill by making overtaking too easy.
Sebastian Vettel enters the DRS zone at the Spanish Grand Prix. Photo: Getty
To recap briefly, DRS was introduced in an attempt to solve the perennial problem of there being too little overtaking. After years - decades even - of discussions, F1's technical brains hit on what they thought could be a solution: DRS.
DRS does what it says on the tin. When deployed, the top part of the rear wing moves upwards, reducing drag and giving a boost in straight-line speed. In races, drivers could use it only if they were within a second of the car in front at a "detection point" shortly before the "DRS zone". The DRS zone was where DRS could be deployed, which was usually the track's longest straight.
The idea was to make overtaking possible but not too easy.
There is no doubt that racing improved immeasurably as a spectacle in 2011 compared with previous seasons. But how big a role did DRS play? And did overtaking become too easy at some tracks and remain too hard at others?
It is a more complex issue than it at first appears because it is not always easy to tell from the outside whether an overtaking move was a result of DRS or not.
In Turkey and Belgium, for example, several drivers sailed past rivals in the DRS zone long before the end of it, leading many to think the device had made overtaking too easy.
But, armed with statistics, FIA race director Charlie Whiting says appearances were deceptive. What was making overtaking easy at those two races, he said, was the speed advantage of the car behind as the two cars battling for position came off the corner before the DRS zone.
Whiting showed me a spreadsheet detailing the speeds of the respective cars in all the overtaking manoeuvres that happened in the Belgian GP.
"This shows very clearly that when the speed delta [difference] between the two cars at the beginning of the zone is low, then overtaking is not easy," he said. "But if one car goes through Eau Rouge that bit quicker, sometimes you had a speed delta of 18km/h (11mph). Well, that's going to be an overtake whether you've got DRS or not."
According to Whiting, the statistics show that if the two cars come off the corner into the DRS zone at similar speeds, then the driver behind needs to be far closer than the one-second margin that activates the DRS if he is to overtake.
"One second is the activation but that won't do it for you," Whiting said. "You've got to be 0.4secs behind to get alongside into the braking zone."
Confusing the picture in 2011 - particularly early in the season - was the fast-wearing nature of the new Pirelli tyres, which led to huge grip differences between cars at various points of the races. A driver on fresher tyres would come off a corner much faster and brake that much later for the next one. That would have a far greater impact on the ease of an overtaking move than DRS ever would.
Critics of DRS might argue that while it may be useful at tracks where overtaking has traditionally been difficult, like Melbourne, Valencia and Barcelona, for example, it is debatable whether there is a need for it at circuits where historically there has been good racing, like Turkey, Belgium and Brazil.
According to Whiting, DRS does not diminish the value of an overtaking move at tracks where it is usually easy to pass. It just means that DRS opens up the possibility for more. In other words, it works just as it does at any other track.
McLaren technical director Paddy Lowe is an influential member of the Technical Working Group of leading engineers which came up with DRS. He said people had been arguing for years that engineers should alter the fundamental design of cars to facilitate overtaking.
However, tinkering with aerodynamic design was never going to be a solution, according to Lowe, because F1 cars will always need downforce to produce such high performance, and that means overtaking will always, by the cars' nature, be difficult.
"What's great [about DRS is] at least we can move on from this debate of trying to change the aerodynamic characteristics of cars to try to improve overtaking," added Lowe.
"We've found something much more authoritative, much cheaper, easier and more effective, and adjustable from race to race."
Whiting thinks DRS worked as expected everywhere except Melbourne and Valencia.
Valencia's DRS zone could be extended for 2012. Photo: Getty
So for next season's opening race in Australia, he is considering adding a second DRS zone after the first chicane, so drivers who have used DRS to draw close to rivals along the pit straight can have another crack at overtaking straight afterwards. As for Valencia, traditionally the least entertaining race of the year, the FIA will simply make the zone, which is located on the run to Turn 12, longer.
There is potentially one big negative about DRS, though.
There is a risk that its introduction could mean the end of races in which a driver uses his skills to hold off a rival in a faster car. Some of the greatest defensive victories of the modern age have been achieved in this way. One thinks of Gilles Villeneuve holding off a train of four cars in his powerful but poor-handling Ferrari to win in Jarama in 1981, or Fernando Alonso fending off Michael Schumacher's faster Ferrari at Imola in 2005.
The idea behind the introduction of DRS was for a much faster car to be able to overtake relatively easily but for passing still to be difficult between two cars of comparative performance. In theory, if that philosophy is adhered to rigidly, the sorts of races mentioned above will still be possible.
However, once an aid has been introduced that gives the driver behind a straight-line speed advantage that is an incredibly difficult line to walk, as Whiting himself admits. "You've got to take the rough with the smooth to a certain extent," he said.
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