Fernando Alonso: 2012 in quotes

Many have hailed Fernando Alonso as the driver of the 2012 Formula 1 season, taking a car that was demonstrably not the fastest to within a few points of the world championship.

His three victories in the Malaysian, European and German Grands Prix helped him to a 40-point lead at one point, but he wasn’t quite able to hold off the charging Sebastian Vettel late on.

During the year, Alonso was never anything less than quotable and made very clear the scale of the task that faced him.

Fernando Alonso: 2012 in quotes

“There has been a tendency from the media’s point of view to believe that Ferrari is having a bad pre-season, or that the car for some dark reason that we know is a bad one… but apart from a slight delay due to the complexity of the car, we haven’t seen the light and we weren’t inside any tunnels before.”

Responding to being asked if Ferrari is seeing light at the end of the tunnel during pre-season testing

“A big surprise today. I think we were not competitive in Australia and not competitive here and the goal was to score as many points as possible. Today it was 25, so an unbelievable result.”

Struggling to believe that he’s won in wet/dry conditions in Malaysia

“It’s really difficult to express in words what is the feeling at the moment. Winning the home grand prix is something unique, a very special feeling. I had the opportunity in Barcelona in 2006 with Renault and I still remember that moment perfectly. But now I had opportunity with Ferrari, with the grandstands full of red colours. I’m feeling very proud, and winning this race in Spain is probably the best victory I ever felt in terms of emotions. Nothing can compare to this one.”

Struggling for what to say after winning the European Grand Prix in Valencia from 11th on the grid

“To increase the lead in the championship up to 40 points is something that we didn’t expect. We go into the summer break with points in the pocket that maybe we are surprised to have.”

Admitting his surprise to be leading the championship comfortably heading into the August break

“I’m lucky that I can be in the car in five days at Monza because looking at the image, we were turning in so you could have a problem with your hands or even your head because [Grosjean's] car was so close. I think we broke everything on top of the car. It was lucky in that respect.”

Escaping injury in the Romain Grosjean-inspired Spa first corner shunt

“In 2010, they [Red Bull] were more than one second faster than us and we were leading the championship in Abu Dhabi. Now they are eight tenths to one second faster than us and we are leading the championship. Let’s say we are used to this situation, to be one second slower than our competitors and fight for the championship.”

Accepting that he will be playing catch-up on track in the closing stages of the season

“I had no space. On the right, I had [Jenson] Button and on my left, I had Kimi [Raikkonen]. I don’t understand why Kimi didn’t lift off or anything because there was not any room. I don’t know what Kimi’s idea was for the first corner, but that is the way it is and this time it was bad luck for us.”

Blaming Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen for their first-corner collision at Suzuka

“At the moment we are not fighting against Sebastian only. We are also fighting against [Adrian] Newey let’s say.”

Highlighting Red Bull’s trump card in the world championship fight

“I remain 100 per cent confident we will fight for the championship and we will win it.”

Keeping the faith as the title scrap tightens

“You just have the feeling that some years you have done a good job and others when you feel there was something missing or something you wanted to change or want to improve for next year. I think it’s been a perfect year. It’s going to be nearly impossible to repeat that in my career.”

Reflecting on a remarkable season

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/fernando-alonso-2012-in-quotes

Bill Holland Jackie Holmes Bill Homeier Kazuyoshi Hoshino Jerry Hoyt

Panther Partners with Moduline Cabinets on Multi-Year Agreement

Panther Racing Logo

IndyCar Series Champions Reach Extended Contract Agreement with Custom Cabinet Company

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – (January 4, 2013) – Two-time IndyCar Series Champion Panther Racing announced today it has reached a multi-year technical partnership agreementwith Moduline Cabinets, makers of specialized custom aluminum storage cabinets. Moduline will become the official tool storage supplier of Panther Racing and will create custom cabinets, tool chests and workbenches for the team’s headquarters in Indianapolis and for its pit and garage areas during the IndyCar Series season.

“We’re really excited about this partnership with Moduline,” Panther CEO and Managing Partner John Barnes said. “In motorsports we thrive on efficiency and organization, and we’ve seen the way Moduline can customize its products to suit the needs of its clients. We knew right away that Moduline would be able to streamline our efforts and add a great deal of style to our race shop. This is a great partnership for all of us at Panther Racing and we’re looking forward to having the Moduline team in here to start the installation process.”

Moduline specializes in customized aluminum cabinetry for shops, showrooms, kitchens garages, vehicles and trailers. The company is based in Massachusetts and its company branding will be displayed on Panther’s No. 4 National Guard Chevrolet IndyCar this season, in addition to all of the team’s uniform apparel worn by the crew and driver JR Hildebrand, the 2011 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year.

“Moduline cabinets is excited about becoming part of Panther Racing and their primary partner the National Guard,” Moduline President Paul L. Gill said. “We know we can help the team with our cabinets and organization products and we’re looking forward to working together.”

Panther Racing kicks off the 2013 IndyCar Series season on March 24 with the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in a seasonthat will be highlighted by the 97^th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race on May 26^th. All IndyCar Series races are broadcast oneither the NBC Sports Network or ABC.

About Moduline Cabinets:

Gill Metal Fab, Inc. the parent company and manufacturer of Moduline cabinets was created in 1988 by Paul Gill. Over the years of producing metal components and parts, the company gained a reputation of high quality items and productivity and soon grew to be a very successful business. This success and participation in the racing industry led to the development of our product Moduline cabinets and accessories which are designed with the same standards.  Our Moduline products are modular, lightweight, durable and easy to install. Initially, Moduline was produced mostly for trailers and soon models were designed for shops, military vehicles and other specialty areas. The high quality and design make them the cabinet to own when organization is important. “A place for everything” is achieved with our cabinets.  They are available in several colors and combinations making them an absolute necessity for all of your organizing needs.  www.modulinecabinets.com

www.jrhildebrandracing.com - www.pantherracing.com - www.modulinecabinets.com

Source: Panther Racing, Press Release

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/catchfence/~3/5l5eIwGzD7w/

Johnny Herbert Al Herman Hans Herrmann François Hesnault Hans Heyer

China to Overtake Europe in Auto Production

Automobile production started in Europe in the late 1880s, thanks to Carl Benz. This was the time when John L. Sullivan was boxing, George Eastman patented the first box camera, and Jack the Ripper was getting busy. Automobile production started in China in the 1950s with a car called the Red Flag, which was built for government dignitaries. Chinese car production didn’t top 1 million cars until 1992, but despite the 70-year head start, China likely will overtake Europe in car production in 2013, according to the Financial Times.

Citing studies from several consultancies and investment banks, the Financial Times is predicting China—whose auto industry and market’s ups and downs have been well documented by our own Aaron Robinson—will assemble 19.6 million cars and light vehicles this year versus Europe’s 18.3 million. And that’s including Russia and Turkey in Europe’s numbers. Meanwhile, still reeling from the financial calamity set in motion nearly five years ago, Europe will produce just more than 20 percent of the world’s cars in 2013, according to the FT. In 2001 that number was 35 percent, while in 1970 it was almost 50 percent.

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• Instrumented Test: 2012 Audi A8L W12
• First Drive: 2013 BMW Alpina B7
• Comparison Test: 2013 Cadillac XTS vs. 2012 Bentley Continental Flying Spur Speed

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The publication quoted Volvo’s chief executive, Håkan Samuelsson, as saying, “[As for] the [European car] market, you can only pray.”

Times do change, don’t they? Today, Chinese dignitaries prefer locally built German luxury sedans and Eastman Kodak is in bankruptcy. Oh, and they never did catch Jack the Ripper.

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

Richard Allen Craven Kerry Dale Earnhardt Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr Carl Michael Edwards III

Davidson sure of comeback fitness

Sportscar star Anthony Davidson has no concerns about the back injuries he sustained at last year’s Le Mans 24 Hours as he prepares to make his comeback behind the wheel of a racing car this week.

The 33-year-old Briton, who fractured two vertebrae when his Toyota TS010 Hybrid flipped at Le Mans in June 2012, will drive the 8Star Motorsports Coyote-Chevrolet at the official Daytona 24 Hours test, which starts on Friday.

The Briton is scheduled to share the Corvette-bodied car in the US enduro on January 26-27 with Stephane Sarrazin, Nicolas Minassian, Pedro Lamy and team boss Enzo Potolicchio.

Davidson, who has been re-signed by Toyota for its 2013 LMP1 campaign, said: “My back is strong, so I have no worries.

“I have been running and cycling for a while and have been in the Toyota and Mercedes Formula 1 simulators.

“It will be my first time back in a car, so it is going to give me a bit of a work-out before I get going with Toyota.

“It will be a good way to blow the cobwebs away; I can’t wait to get going again.”

Davidson said he is looking forward to the challenge of driving a Daytona Prototype and racing in one of the major sportscar events for the first time.

“I never driven a DP before, but I’ve spoken to enough drivers who have to know that it is going to be a new type of challenge,” he said. “I’m expecting quite a specific car.

“I’m going into the race with my eyes wide open; anything can happen. Maybe I can have some of the beginner’s luck I had at the Sebring 12 Hours when I won with Peugeot [on his debut in 2011].”

Davidson and the other five members of Toyota’s 2012 Le Mans line-up have all been retained for the coming season.

It is expected but still unconfirmed that Toyota will field two cars in the full FIA World Endurance Championship.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/davidson-sure-of-comeback-fitness

Taki Inoue Innes Ireland Eddie Irvine Chris Irwin Jean Pierre Jabouille

Queens Residents Press for Safety Fix at Car-Choked Sunnyside Intersection

Two cyclists heading northeast on Greenpoint Avenue cross Borden Avenue. One path is legal but conflicts with turning cars; the other is illegal but avoids these conflicts. Video: Jessame Hannus

Greenpoint Avenue has long been a dangerous connection between Queens and Brooklyn. The intersection with Borden Avenue in Sunnyside, where it crosses the Long Island Expressway, is often overrun with drivers heading toward an LIE onramp or exiting the highway so they can get to Manhattan via the free Queensboro Bridge. The waves of traffic make crossing Borden a dangerous mess for people trying to walk or bike around their neighborhood.

“It can be a pretty daunting intersection at the best of times,” said Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer, who has lobbied for safety fixes.

In April 2012, a bike rider was struck and killed by a livery cab driver at the intersection, and months later another cyclist was killed in a hit-and-run just blocks away. The deaths spurred action from Queens residents who had long worried about traveling through the area. Steve Scofield and four other volunteers recorded conditions and behavior at the intersection, ultimately producing a list of recommendations to improve street safety. On December 18, they presented their findings to Queens Community Board 2′s transportation committee.

The group suggested adding lane markings on eastbound Greenpoint Avenue to mark where turning and through traffic should go. Currently, “it’s kind of a free for all,” Scofield said.

The group also proposed adding a dedicated left turn signal from westbound Greenpoint to eastbound Borden, as well as adding a leading signal for cyclists and pedestrians headed eastbound on Greenpoint, to give them a jump start on drivers turning to access the expressway. Currently, many cyclists heading east on Greenpoint Avenue illegally ride on the sidewalk on the other side of the street because they feel unsafe on the road, said Jessame Hannus, who presented with Scofield.

The problems at this intersection are also a symptom of the city’s lack of a coherent road pricing system. Much of the traffic is due to drivers using local streets as a shortcut between the Long Island Expressway and the Queensboro Bridge, instead of staying on the highway and paying a toll at the Queens-Midtown Tunnel. Consistent tolls on the East River crossings would cut down on the traffic, Scofield noted. He often sees the intersection of Borden and Greenpoint gridlocked while traffic flows freely underneath on the expressway to the tunnel.

The recommendations from the Sunnyside group come after other efforts to secure street safety improvements on Greenpoint Avenue have stalled.

In 2011, DOT abandoned a proposal to extend bike lanes from Greenpoint Avenue in Brooklyn along the bridge across Newtown Creek after nearby industrial businesses opposed it.

Last year, DOT worked with CB 2 to identify streets for bike lanes in Sunnyside and Long Island City. Despite being at the top of the list at a community forum, Greenpoint Avenue was not included in DOT’s first round of bike lane installations. As part of its recommendations, the group studying the intersection with Borden Avenue suggested adding shared lane markings to Greenpoint Avenue.

In August, Van Bramer sent a letter to DOT asking for red light cameras and leading pedestrian intervals. Currently, only eastbound Borden Avenue has a red light camera, according to Van Bramer. DOT responded that due to the limit on the number of red light cameras the city can install (Albany, in its wisdom, has capped it at 150), it could not put another one at the intersection. The agency did not respond to other traffic calming measures mentioned in his letter, Van Bramer said.

The Sunnyside volunteers have other ideas in mind besides automated enforcement. ”I suppose it wouldn’t hurt,” Scofield said of the cameras, adding that the volunteers are focused on improving the street’s design.

The CB 2 committee did not take a vote on the recommendations, but members expressed interest in having DOT study the issue. Community Board Chair Joseph Conley said at the December meeting that he would draft a letter to DOT asking them to begin a formal study of the intersection, according to committee member Emilia Crotty.

“Generally we work well with DOT,” Van Bramer said. “I suspect we’ll be hearing more from them in the coming weeks on where we go from here.”

Source: http://www.streetsblog.org/2013/01/02/queens-residents-press-for-changes-at-traffic-choked-sunnyside-intersection/

Bruce Halford Jim Hall Duncan Hamilton Lewis Hamilton David Hampshire

McLaren set to power Formula E racing

WOKING, SURREY, UK - 12th November 2012 - McLaren Electronic Systems Limited today announced that it will provide the electric engine, transmission and electronics for cars that will participate in the FIA's exciting new Formula E race series.

McLaren will be a key partner of Spark Racing Technology, which is led by Frédéric Vasseur and is dedicated to the creation and assembly of the electric cars participating in the FIA World Championship Formula E.

McLaren and Spark Racing Technology will work together to design and assemble high performance, highly efficient electric cars which will soon be racing around cities across the globe.

The FIA ​​Formula E Championship will be launched in 2014. It will solely feature electric powered cars, will run exclusively in major international cities and it has all the assets needed to reach a worldwide audience. As well as being an exciting new urban race series, it will facilitate the development of important new electric car technology which could one day feature in mainstream road cars and be of significant benefit to the environment.

Martin Whitmarsh, CEO McLaren Group and Team Principal of Vodafone McLaren Mercedes: "I'm a passionate believer in the role that motorsport can play in showcasing and spearheading the development of future technologies, and regard the Formula E concept as an exciting innovation for global motorsport. McLaren has worked with Frédéric Vasseur for many years, and our association has been very successful. Working together in Formula E, McLaren's world-class technology and Spark Racing Technology's expert knowledge will combine to allow both companies to stay at the forefront of technical innovation and hopefully open up great opportunities for the racing cars of tomorrow."

Frédéric Vasseur: "I am proud and happy to give birth to this project that is innovative and extremely rewarding for a company both technically and philosophically. Personally, I can write a new chapter, regardless of my other ventures in motorsport. Confidence and commitment from our partner McLaren is a guarantee of quality and reliability without which this project would not have been possible. The association with a globally recognized car manufacturer is definitely the right way to go. Sport and society are evolving and Spark Racing Technology is proud to be the pioneer and leader in the new field of electric cars that will revolutionize the motor racing industry and attitude."

Whether it be in the construction of the innovative and highly efficient McLaren Technology Centre or the use of lightweight carbon fibre structures in the 12C sports car, McLaren has developed and implemented a range of innovative technologies that improve environmental performance. This commitment to innovation and the environment enabled Vodafone McLaren Mercedes to be the first Formula 1 team to retain the Carbon Trust Standard and to be declared 'carbon neutral'.

Source: http://www.motorsportsjournal.com/archives/2012/11/mclaren_set_to_power_form.php

Walt Hansgen Mike Harris Cuth Harrison Brian Hart Gene Hartley

Fast Facts: Bobby Labonte

Source: http://www.skirtsandscuffs.com/2013/01/fast-facts-bobby-labonte.html

Hans Klenk Peter de Klerk Christian Klien Karl Kling Ernst Klodwig

Queens Residents Press for Safety Fix at Car-Choked Sunnyside Intersection

Two cyclists heading northeast on Greenpoint Avenue cross Borden Avenue. One path is legal but conflicts with turning cars; the other is illegal but avoids these conflicts. Video: Jessame Hannus

Greenpoint Avenue has long been a dangerous connection between Queens and Brooklyn. The intersection with Borden Avenue in Sunnyside, where it crosses the Long Island Expressway, is often overrun with drivers heading toward an LIE onramp or exiting the highway so they can get to Manhattan via the free Queensboro Bridge. The waves of traffic make crossing Borden a dangerous mess for people trying to walk or bike around their neighborhood.

“It can be a pretty daunting intersection at the best of times,” said Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer, who has lobbied for safety fixes.

In April 2012, a bike rider was struck and killed by a livery cab driver at the intersection, and months later another cyclist was killed in a hit-and-run just blocks away. The deaths spurred action from Queens residents who had long worried about traveling through the area. Steve Scofield and four other volunteers recorded conditions and behavior at the intersection, ultimately producing a list of recommendations to improve street safety. On December 18, they presented their findings to Queens Community Board 2′s transportation committee.

The group suggested adding lane markings on eastbound Greenpoint Avenue to mark where turning and through traffic should go. Currently, “it’s kind of a free for all,” Scofield said.

The group also proposed adding a dedicated left turn signal from westbound Greenpoint to eastbound Borden, as well as adding a leading signal for cyclists and pedestrians headed eastbound on Greenpoint, to give them a jump start on drivers turning to access the expressway. Currently, many cyclists heading east on Greenpoint Avenue illegally ride on the sidewalk on the other side of the street because they feel unsafe on the road, said Jessame Hannus, who presented with Scofield.

The problems at this intersection are also a symptom of the city’s lack of a coherent road pricing system. Much of the traffic is due to drivers using local streets as a shortcut between the Long Island Expressway and the Queensboro Bridge, instead of staying on the highway and paying a toll at the Queens-Midtown Tunnel. Consistent tolls on the East River crossings would cut down on the traffic, Scofield noted. He often sees the intersection of Borden and Greenpoint gridlocked while traffic flows freely underneath on the expressway to the tunnel.

The recommendations from the Sunnyside group come after other efforts to secure street safety improvements on Greenpoint Avenue have stalled.

In 2011, DOT abandoned a proposal to extend bike lanes from Greenpoint Avenue in Brooklyn along the bridge across Newtown Creek after nearby industrial businesses opposed it.

Last year, DOT worked with CB 2 to identify streets for bike lanes in Sunnyside and Long Island City. Despite being at the top of the list at a community forum, Greenpoint Avenue was not included in DOT’s first round of bike lane installations. As part of its recommendations, the group studying the intersection with Borden Avenue suggested adding shared lane markings to Greenpoint Avenue.

In August, Van Bramer sent a letter to DOT asking for red light cameras and leading pedestrian intervals. Currently, only eastbound Borden Avenue has a red light camera, according to Van Bramer. DOT responded that due to the limit on the number of red light cameras the city can install (Albany, in its wisdom, has capped it at 150), it could not put another one at the intersection. The agency did not respond to other traffic calming measures mentioned in his letter, Van Bramer said.

The Sunnyside volunteers have other ideas in mind besides automated enforcement. ”I suppose it wouldn’t hurt,” Scofield said of the cameras, adding that the volunteers are focused on improving the street’s design.

The CB 2 committee did not take a vote on the recommendations, but members expressed interest in having DOT study the issue. Community Board Chair Joseph Conley said at the December meeting that he would draft a letter to DOT asking them to begin a formal study of the intersection, according to committee member Emilia Crotty.

“Generally we work well with DOT,” Van Bramer said. “I suspect we’ll be hearing more from them in the coming weeks on where we go from here.”

Source: http://www.streetsblog.org/2013/01/02/queens-residents-press-for-changes-at-traffic-choked-sunnyside-intersection/

Gary Hocking Ingo Hoffmann Bill Holland Jackie Holmes Bill Homeier

MOUNTAIN VIEW RACING TEAM REPORT NHRA Nationals

The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas
Another final round for Nobile in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS (October 29) - still one week shy of his 21st birthday, Mountain View Racing Pro Stock driver Vincent Nobile has never pulled the lever on a slot machine or played a single hand of black jack, but that doesn't mean he hasn't gotten lucky in Las Vegas. For the second time this year, Nobile drove Nick Mitsos' NAPA/Mountain View Dodge to a Pro Stock final round at the famed Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Nobile was runner-up to teammate Allen Johnson at the first NHRA Las Vegas event last April and the Mopar duo repeated that performance this weekend with the win once again going to Johnson. Nobile did his job on the starting line with a great reaction time but his 6.67 elapsed time fell to Johnson's 6.63.

"Obviously, it would have been great to win but overall we're very happy with the way our weekend went," said Nobile. "We thought we had a good chance to win the final but we broke a lash cap on the run and that hurt our performance a bit. We've been knocking on the door of another final round for the last few races and it was nice to finally get there again."

On his way to the final round, Nobile drove past reigning NHRA Full Throttle series champion Jason Line and also claimed a crucial victory against Erica Enders, his closest rival in the points battle. Enders is currently ranked third while Nobile is fourth. The strong showing allowed Nobile to move to within 14 points of Enders with one event remaining in the 2012 season.

"That's our goal right now," said Nobile. "We know that we can finish in third place and that would be awesome for our team. We finished fifth last season and obviously we'd like to improve on that. A couple of races ago I wasn't so sure we could do it but it's definitely within our grasp now.

"The final race of the season is also in Pomona, which is the home track for the Mitsos family and the whole Mountain View Tires team. Nothing would make me happier than to end the season with a victory there."

The season-ending Automobile Club of Southern California Finals will take place at Auto Club Pomona Raceway, Nov. 8-11.

Source: http://www.motorsportsjournal.com/archives/2012/10/mountain_view_racing_team.php

Oscar Alfredo Gálvez Fred Gamble Howden Ganley Frank Gardner Billy Garrett

Ecclestone: I could be forced out

Bernie Ecclestone has admitted that he would likely be removed from his role as Formula 1 supremo if he faces further action over the Gerhard Gribkowsky bribery case.

Ecclestone is still awaiting news from German prosecutors over whether or not they intend to charge him amid allegations that he paid a bribe to Gribkoswky over the sale of F1 to CVC in 2006.

Gribkowsky has already been jailed for his part in the affair.

Although Ecclestone is adamant that a 45 million Euro payment he made to Gribkowsky was not bribery, German prosecutors are still investigating if there are corruption charges to answer.

In an interview with The Sunday Telegraph, Ecclestone has conceded for the first time that if further action is taken against him then his running of F1 would likely come to an end.

Speaking about what CVC would do if he was charged, Ecclestone said: “[It] will probably be forced to get rid of me if the Germans come after me. It’s pretty obvious, if I’m locked up.”

CVC has already been pondering a succession plan for what happens when Ecclestone is no longer in charge, but the man himself does not believe its actions are cause to feel that it is looking to ease him out.

“They said they had hired a head-hunter to find somebody in the event that I was not going to be there – if I was going to die or something. It is the normal thing they do to keep people happy,” he said.

Ecclestone’s comments about his future come just a few weeks after Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo suggested that change would be needed if German prosecutors acted.

“First of all, I hope for Bernie and F1 that nothing will happen,” said di Montezemolo during a pre-Christmas media lunch. “If Bernie is accused under process I think he will be the first to give a step back in the interests of Formula 1. This could be bad for F1.”

Di Montezemolo reckoned that the time had come for new younger management to take over the running of F1, so it could build a stronger future.

“We need people with a more modern view. It is the same in my company. In a couple of years I will no longer be the person for Ferrari. Someone else will come.

“What I always say to Bernie is that the one-man show in life is finished. You need a team around you. We have to ask these questions in a positive way and look ahead. Sooner or later it will happen to Bernie as to me.”

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/ecclestone-i-could-be-forced-out

Dave Kennedy Loris Kessel Bruce Kessler Nicolas Kiesa Leo Kinnunen

Brawn: Aero changes caused slump

Ross Brawn believes that mid-season changes in Mercedes’ Formula 1 aerodynamic department were the root cause of the team’s slump in form during the second half of 2012.

Mercedes, which took over the world champion Brawn squad in late 2009, scored its first F1 race win as a constructor since 1955 when Nico Rosberg dominated the Chinese Grand Prix from pole position.

By the halfway point of 2012, Rosberg lay sixth in the championshp, only 34 points behind Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel.

But the squad’s form suffered during the second half of the year, Rosberg eventually trailing world champion Vettel by 189 points and Michael Schumacher’s sixth place in Brazil its only points finish from the final six grands prix.

Team principal Brawn said that the departure of head of aerodynamics Loic Bigois, coupled with a change in windtunnel philosophy while the team experimented with Coanda exhausts and double DRS, also played a major influence.

Brawn said: “We made a decision to change the structure of the aero group. We had to wait for [new aero chief] Mike Elliot to join us because we had a notice period he had to fulfil at Lotus.

“We concluded the situation with Loic and there was a gap that we didn’t fill very well.”

“On top of that we were doing the transition from 50 per cent to 60 per cent models in the windtunnel, and there were a lot of other things in the aero group as well. It did have an impact.”

Brawn said that the shift to 60 per cent models was necessary to increase the amount of technical data it could extract from Pirelli’s tyres.

“Our conclusion was that we would get a much more representative tyre at 60 per cent than at 50 per cent,” he added.

“Pirelli have to make 50 per cent and 60 per cent windtunnel tyres. There are only two teams that are still doing 50 per cent.

“Even with Pirelli’s best efforts, they’re going to be getting better feedback about 60 per cent tyres than 50 per cent. So we wanted to make the move.

“The other thing that has happened over the years is that you’re putting more and more equipment inside the windtunnel model to measure, monitor and check. We just ran out of space in the 50 per cent model.

“There were things that we wanted to do that we couldn’t do, and we needed the 60 per cent model to accommodate those features. Sixty per cent is the legal limit you can go to, there is no further step we can make.”

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/brawn-aero-changes-caused-slump

Hiroshi Fushida Beppe Gabbiani Bertrand Gachot Patrick Gaillard Divina Galica

Harry Scott Jr. becomes co-owner of Turner Motorsports, now Turner Scott Motorsports

Source: http://www.skirtsandscuffs.com/2013/01/harry-scott-jr-becomes-co-owner-of.html

Boy Hayje Willi Heeks Nick Heidfeld Theo Helfrich Mack Hellings

Yamaha and PETRONAS Conclude MotoGP Partnership

Yamaha Racing
Sunday, 01 Jan 2012

As 2011 draws to a close it marks the end of a successful partnership between Yamaha's Factory MotoGP Team and PETRONAS.

The integrated Malaysian oil and gas corporation came onboard with Yamaha in 2009 and has enjoyed a hugely successful three year relationship.

Yamaha and PETRONAS have been privileged to share in two consecutive Triple Crown MotoGP victories, in 2009 and 2010.

Lin Jarvis,
Managing Director of Yamaha Motor Racing:

"The relationship between Yamaha and PETRONAS has been a great success, we have enjoyed some major achievements together in the MotoGP class. Now that the partnership has reached its natural conclusion I would like to thank our friends at PETRONAS for the support during their time with us and wish them well for the future".

Mohammad Medan Abdullah,
Senior General Manager of PETRONAS Group Corporate Affairs Division:

"We are happy to have had this opportunity to work with the Yamaha Factory Racing team over the past three years. In that time, we have enjoyed the benefits of strong brand exposure through the privilege of being associated with a team that shares our values and passion. The team has achieved many successes through a high level of competitiveness and stretched performance standards and we wish the team continued success in the future".

Jointly issued by Yamaha Factory Racing and PETRONAS Motorsports

www.yamaha-racing.com

Source: http://www.motorsportsjournal.com/archives/2012/01/yamaha_and_petronas_concl.php

David Carl Allison Gregory Jack Biffle David Lee Blaney Michael Duane Bliss Kurt Thomas Busch

Frijns backs Magnussen, da Costa

Formula Renault 3.5 champion Robin Frijns believes that Kevin Magnussen and Antonio Felix da Costa will lead the fight to succeed him in the series this year.

Frijns took a surprise title in 2012, beating the strongest field in the championship’s history as a rookie for Fortec Motorsports.

And the Dutchman, who has been signed as a Formula 1 reserve driver by Sauber, believes that 2012 race winners Magnussen (pictured) and da Costa will lead the running in FR3.5 next season.

“It’s Magnussen and da Costa,” Frijns told AUTOSPORT of the likely contenders for the title. “They were always up there this year, and they are both really quick.

“The speed that Kevin has is impressive. And he always goes for the win. He’s capable of dominating races.

“I think da Costa is similar, and he won a lot of races last year. I don’t think there will be as many guys going for the title as there was this year, but the ones at the front will be really quick and that’s good for the championship.”

Magnussen has dominated winter testing so far with DAMS, for which he will race this year. Macau Grand Prix winner da Costa, meanwhile, is expected to retain his Red Bull backing and remain with Arden Caterham.

Da Costa finished fourth in the points and won four races in the series with the team, despite only contesting the second half of the season. Magnussen was seventh overall with Carlin.

Frijns offered some words of warning for both of his title tips though, pointing out that neither had to race with the pressure of going for the championship in FR3.5 last year.

“I don’t know Kevin that well, but from what I saw maybe he takes too many risks. You can’t win a championship if you only ever go for the win.

“Sometimes you have to settle for second place, third place, or even sixth if you have to. I don’t know if he learned that this year, but we will see.

“It’s the same for da Costa. He didn’t have the pressure that we had going for the championship at the end of last year.

“He was free to do whatever he wanted and he won loads. He’s really quick, but if he’s in a position to fight for the championship he hasn’t got that freedom anymore so he can’t take as many risks.”

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/frijns-backs-magnussen-da-costa

Christian Goethals Paul Goldsmith José Froilán González Oscar González Aldo Gordini

Name That Exhaust Note, Episode 165: 2012 Kia Sportage SX

On Tuesday, we posted an audio recording of a mystery car’s exhaust note. To hear it again, click play below. No one figured out that this week’s sound came from the 2012 Kia Sportage SX. In SX trim, the high-riding Sportage comes standard with a powerful, 260-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder. In our testing, an all-wheel-drive example hit 60 mph in 7.5 seconds.

Like that sound? Download the MP3 and quiz your friends, make your own ringtone, or just lull yourself to sleep with sweet, sweet vehicular ear candy.

2012 Kia Sportage SX MP3 (Right-click to Save As…)

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

Miguel Ángel Guerra Roberto Guerrero Maurício Gugelmin Dan Gurney Hubert Hahne

Today’s Headlines

• $17.8 Million in MTA Bus Service Coming on Line This Weekend (NYT, News, DNA)
• Straphangers: Hurricane Sandy Was Both the Worst and the Best News for NYC Transit in 2012 (AP)
• What the Heck Happened During Adolfo Carrion’s Brief Stint at the White House? (WSJ)
• Queens CB 8 District Manager Will Make a Run for James Sanders’ Old Council Seat (QChron)
• QChron Notes the Year-End Spate of Traffic Deaths in Eastern Queens
• Cuomo Planning a Re-Org for Subsidy-Dispensing, Arena-Building ESDC (Post)
• Step Aside, “Broken Windows,” and Make Way for the “Leaded Gas” Theory of Crime (MJ via Gothamist)
• Tom Vanderbilt Talks Biking and Bike Advocacy With Embrocation (via Brooklyn Spoke)
• Want to Liven Up NYC’s Sidewalk Scaffolding? There’s a Kickstarter Campaign for You (Curbed)

More headlines at Streetsblog Capitol Hill

Source: http://www.streetsblog.org/2013/01/04/todays-headlines-1544/

Parker Kligerman Trevor Bayne Out! Pet Care Toyota Jason Leffler David Carl Allison

Global Gouging: A Survey of Fuel Prices Around the World

Click to enlarge.

In spite of increasing domestic oil production, four-dollar-per-gallon gasoline remains an on-again/off-again reality in the United States. That’s because oil and gas are global commodities, and the U.S. market isn’t as insular as we might like. The prices we pay, however, still stand out as cheap. Most of our global neighbors see fuel prices at the pump so high that even the most bumptious Texas oilman would blush. We’ve assembled the costs of a gallon of the most popular juice in every country we could—be it leaded crud in Ghana, sugar-derived ethanol in Brazil, or near avgas in Bahrain—based on the most recent data available. Check out some of the pricing highs and lows on the dimensional map above. And no, the price in Venezuela isn’t a typo—but we’d still rather empty our wallets at the pump here than live under Chávez over there.

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• Feature: Why Are Gas Prices Going Up When Demand Is Going Down?
• Tech Dept.: Natural Gas: The Next Step on the Road to Hydrogen
• The CAFE Numbers Game: Making Sense of the New Fuel-Economy Regulations

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/NmiL16pUbCY/

Dick Gibson Gimax Richie Ginther Yves Giraud Cabantous Ignazio Giunti

MOUNTAIN VIEW RACING TEAM REPORT NHRA Nationals

The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas
Another final round for Nobile in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS (October 29) - still one week shy of his 21st birthday, Mountain View Racing Pro Stock driver Vincent Nobile has never pulled the lever on a slot machine or played a single hand of black jack, but that doesn't mean he hasn't gotten lucky in Las Vegas. For the second time this year, Nobile drove Nick Mitsos' NAPA/Mountain View Dodge to a Pro Stock final round at the famed Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Nobile was runner-up to teammate Allen Johnson at the first NHRA Las Vegas event last April and the Mopar duo repeated that performance this weekend with the win once again going to Johnson. Nobile did his job on the starting line with a great reaction time but his 6.67 elapsed time fell to Johnson's 6.63.

"Obviously, it would have been great to win but overall we're very happy with the way our weekend went," said Nobile. "We thought we had a good chance to win the final but we broke a lash cap on the run and that hurt our performance a bit. We've been knocking on the door of another final round for the last few races and it was nice to finally get there again."

On his way to the final round, Nobile drove past reigning NHRA Full Throttle series champion Jason Line and also claimed a crucial victory against Erica Enders, his closest rival in the points battle. Enders is currently ranked third while Nobile is fourth. The strong showing allowed Nobile to move to within 14 points of Enders with one event remaining in the 2012 season.

"That's our goal right now," said Nobile. "We know that we can finish in third place and that would be awesome for our team. We finished fifth last season and obviously we'd like to improve on that. A couple of races ago I wasn't so sure we could do it but it's definitely within our grasp now.

"The final race of the season is also in Pomona, which is the home track for the Mitsos family and the whole Mountain View Tires team. Nothing would make me happier than to end the season with a victory there."

The season-ending Automobile Club of Southern California Finals will take place at Auto Club Pomona Raceway, Nov. 8-11.

Source: http://www.motorsportsjournal.com/archives/2012/10/mountain_view_racing_team.php

Denny Hulme James Hunt Jim Hurtubise Gus Hutchison Jacky Ickx

Sims joins Hexis for Blancpain

Former McLaren AUTOSPORT BRDC Award winner Alexander Sims will team up fellow factory McLaren driver Alvaro Parente for an assault on next year’s Blancpain Endurance Series.

Sims and Parente will partner 2012 FIA GT1 World Championship runner-up Stef Dusseldorp aboard a Hexis Racing McLaren MP4-12C.

The all-professioinal line-up will run in the Pro-Cup class of the five-round BES, which incorporates the Spa 24 Hours.

Sims said: “I’ve heard a lot about Hexis since I started working with McLaren GT a year ago. It’s a great opportunity to race with them.

“I want to say thank you McLaren and Hexis for this chance to be racing in a top series with a top team.”

Hexis team boss Philippe Dumas said: “Our aim with such a high-quality driver line-up is clear: to repeat our Navarra performance throughout the 2013 season.

“We’ve got the right package to win the championship and break the stranglehold of our German rivals [Audi, BMW and Mercedes] on the Spa 24 Hours.”

The French team also plans to field a second McLaren in the Spa enduro at the end of July.

The McLaren scored a maiden BES victory at Navarra in October when Hexis made a one-off appearance in the series with Frederic Makowiecki sharing with Dusseldorp and Parente.

Long-time Hexis driver Makowiecki looks likely to land a works deal with Aston Martin Racing for 2013.

Hexis has also announced a French GT Championship campaign with its pair of McLarens, but is not planning to contest the new GT Sprint Series that takes over from the FIA GT1 World Championship.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/sims-joins-hexis-for-blancpain

Robert Allen Labonte Terrence Lee Labonte Randy Joseph Lajoie Kevin Paul Lepage William Ashton Lewis Jr

The Bluegrass Battle

Alfalla (1) leads Daley (2), Hightower (3), Mojica (5), and Blackford (4) out of Turn Two.

Fresh off a week of short track racing, Week Eight of the NASCAR iRacing.com Class C Series (fixed setup) took the sim racers on a trip to the Bluegrass State for a bumpy and fast ride at the Kentucky Speedway. With over 1,200 online racers making at least one start during the week, it was a great battle to watch as this week’s Strength of Field involved many drivers who are considered the best at what they do.

This week’s high Strength of Field event took place on December 21st and included six current and former NASCAR iRacing.com Series World Championship competitors. Byron Daley (New York) led the NiSWC wave leading 31 of the race’s 45 laps to take the victory by 0.490 seconds over fellow NiSWC competitor Bryan Blackford (Florida) in the 4214 SoF. Former NiSWC competitor and current NASCAR iRacing.com Pro Series competitor Pedro Mojica (Texas) finished in the third position after turning the fastest lap during the race. The NiSWC trend continues as Marcus Lindsey (Indiana) finished in the fourth position and Georgia native Brandon Williamson rounded out the top five after starting from the 13th position. The remaining two NiSWC and NiPS competitors in the field were two time champion Ray Alfalla (Florida) and Josh Berry (Mid-South) who made contact early in the race which left Berry heading toward the garage with heavy damage to his Silverado. Alfalla was able to recover slightly better, finishing in the 11th position after battling for the lead early in the going.

With a thrilling victory in the week’s high SoF, Daley left Kentucky with the most championship points on the week, adding 264 to his season total as he attempts to claim the Season Four championship. Blackford’s second place effort earned him a solid 248 points as he looks to break into the top five in overall standings. While Alfalla’s finish in the week’s high SoF race wasn’t what he was looking for, his performance in the three other races he competed in during the week was good enough to earn him 246 points. John William (Carolina) ended Week Eight in the fourth position, earning 232 points for his efforts. Lindsey’s fourth place effort in the week’s SoF event earned him 217 championship points.

Daley (2), Darren Armitage (17), and Blackford (4) work their way up through the field.

The king of the hotlap is back at it once again as he put his name on top of qualifying chart for Week Eight. Simon Crochart’s (France) time of 31.585 seconds was the fastest time of the week by 0.011 seconds over second place qualifier Ryan Luza (Texas). Ken H O’Keefe (Eastern Canada) finished in the third position, just 0.002 seconds behind Luza. Jason Jacoby (Georgia) and Thomas Davis (Mid-South) filled the remaining spots in the top five.

After eight competitive weeks of online racing, Daley holds a 204 point lead over second place driver Berry. Jordan Hightower (Mid-South) sits in the third position, 226 out of the lead. Alfalla sits in the fourth position, 454 points back, and rounding out the top five is Jason Jacoby, who is 467 points back.

Keep a bookmark of inRacingNews.com handy because next week the NiCCS (fixed setup) makes a trip to the NASCAR homeland for some racing at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Also, be sure to head on over to iRacing.com to be part of the action and you could win a Logitech G27 wheel and pedal set by claiming any of the Season Four divisional championships in the NASCAR iRacing.com Class C Series (fixed setup) or by being chosen at random from iRacers running the Logitech logo in any series. Click here for complete details.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/iracing-news/the-bluegrass-battle

Trevor Bayne Out! Pet Care Toyota Jason Leffler David Carl Allison Gregory Jack Biffle

Red Bull’s ‘heroic spirit’ key to 2012 win

Red Bull Racing team boss Christian Horner says the 2012 Formula 1 title chase pushed his staff harder than they had ever been pushed before.

Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull ultimately delivered their third consecutive world championship double, but only after overcoming Fernando Alonso in a battle that remained on a knife edge until the final laps of the season.

Earlier in the year Red Bull had often appeared to be on the back foot as McLaren enjoyed periods of dominance and teams like Lotus and Mercedes appeared at the front.

“They’ve always worked hard but this year I think by far has been our toughest challenge,” Horner said of his staff.

“It’s been the hardest championship, constructors and drivers, because we’ve had to really fight our way back into them; that is what made it the most gratifying in many respects.”

Click here for AUTOSPORT’s video guide to Red Bull’s final round of key upgrades

Horner underlined that 2012 had seen Red Bull personnel go ‘beyond the call of duty’ more than ever before.

“The personal sacrifices the time that’s given up away from home away from family and friends, particularly in Milton Keynes has been just remarkable,” he said.

“The reason this team is so successful is because of the spirit within the team. The way that we work as a team, the way that we work as one unit.

“There’s so many heroic stories this year of people going beyond what they are asked of to deliver, to get performance from the car, to get components to the circuit, to get development into the windtunnel, to hit all of those targets.

“What you see on a Sunday afternoon is a very small percentage of what is involved in a grand prix team. This championship, and a triple championship, would never have been imaginable without the commitment of the staff.”

Click here for AUTOSPORT’s full 2012 Formula 1 season review

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/red-bulls-heroic-spirit-key-to-2012-win

Kazuyoshi Hoshino Jerry Hoyt Nico Hülkenberg Denny Hulme James Hunt

NASCAR Ready To Accelerate Into 2013 Season

2013 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Squier-Hall Award Part Of Feb. 8 NASCAR Hall Of Fame Induction

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 3, 2013) – A new NASCAR season is just over the horizon.

But before the engines are fired next month at Daytona International Speedway, there’s unfinished business – the celebration of those who built the foundations of the sport.

The 2013 NASCAR racing season officially begins on Friday, Feb. 8 with the induction of five legendary men into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C. – NASCAR premier series champions Buck Baker, Herb Thomas and Rusty Wallace; championship car owner Cotton Owens and crew chief extraordinaire Leonard Wood.

Baker and Thomas won two championships apiece in the rough and tumble 1950s. Wallace, now an ESPN analyst, became champion in 1989 as the sport’s footprint broadened through the medium of network and cable television.

Owens supplied the cars and horsepower that carried many famous drivers into Victory Lane – and NASCAR Hall of Famer David Pearson to his first of three championships in 1966.

Wood, the architect of the lightning quick pit stop, follows his older brother Glen into the NASCAR Hall of Fame – a pioneer whose family has fielded winners through five generations of NASCAR Sprint Cup cars.

And – for the first time – media members who have contributed to the growth of NASCAR over more than six decades will be honored by NASCAR. This year’s induction events will feature the presentation of the first Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence – named in honor of its first recipients, pioneer NASCAR industry radio and television personalities Ken Squier and Barney Hall.

Squier and Hall’s careers have been intertwined since intersecting with the creation of the longtime Voice of NASCAR, the Motor Racing Network in 1970. Their expert observations on the sport have thrilled generations of NASCAR fans for more than 40 years and continue to do so today.

Vermont native Squier began his career as a race track public address announcer at the age of 14 and is a longtime New England radio station and track owner. Squier joined the Motor Racing Network in 1970 and for nearly two decades anchored NASCAR on CBS broadcasts before shifting to the studio as host for NASCAR broadcasts until 2000.

Squier, who called CBS’ first flag-to-flag coverage of the Daytona 500 in 1979 – and the post-race fight involving Bobby Allison, Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison – is credited with naming the event the “Great American Race.” He continues to enlighten NASCAR fans through periodic appearances on SPEED.

Hall, a native of Elkin, N.C., began his broadcast career in the 1950s working at local radio stations in North Carolina. He served as Bristol Motor Speedway’s first public address announcer when the track opened and called his first Daytona 500 in 1960 – missing only three broadcasts in the 54-year history of the classic event.

Hall joined the Motor Racing Network as an original announcer at the network’s inception in 1970, first as a turn announcer and then moving to the broadcast booth in the late 70s – from which he continues to provide word pictures for NASCAR’s many radio fans. Hall is widely known for his calm voice and unmatched story telling.

Induction of the fourth class brings the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s membership to 20. Ceremonies will take place at 7:30 p.m. ET in the Crown Ball Room at the Charlotte Convention Center and will air live on SPEED. The event is the first half of NASCAR Acceleration Weekend followed on Saturday, Feb. 9 by NASCAR Preview 2013.

Appearances by members of the classes of 2010, 2011 and 2012 are set for 4 p.m. at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, followed by 5 p.m. Induction Reception and 6 p.m. NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Dinner and Jacket Presentation, the latter two events taking place in the Charlotte Convention Center Ballroom.

Tickets for the ceremonies start at $45 (available at www.nascaracceleration.com) and the NASCAR Hall of Fame box office. In addition, a $20 ticket will gain fans all-day access into NASCAR Preview 2013 and the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Fame on Saturday, Feb. 9.

More than 50 drivers across NASCAR’s three national series – NASCAR Sprint Cup, NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series – are scheduled to participate in the all-day NASCAR Preview 2013 event. Fans will have the opportunity to interact with drivers and secure autographs, participate in driver Q&A sessions, get a first-look at the new sixth-generation NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race cars and paint schemes and check out various interactive displays, among other activities.

Drivers include 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski, five-time premier series winner Jimmie Johnson and NASCAR’s 10-time Most Popular Driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. Four-time series champion Jeff Gordon, three-time series champion Tony Stewart, two-time NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr., reigning NASCAR Nationwide Series most popular driver Danica Patrick, and 2012 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion James Buescher also will be on hand.

The 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup season kicks off Saturday, Feb. 16 with the Shootout at Daytona, a non-points race for 2012 Coors Light Pole winners. The 55th Daytona 500 is scheduled for 1 p.m. ETC Sunday, Feb. 24 at Daytona International Speedway with coverage by FOX Sports, MRN and SIRIUSXM.

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for one of North America’s premier sports. NASCAR races are broadcast in more than 175 countries and in 25 languages. In the U.S., races are broadcast on FOX, TNT, ABC/ESPN/ESPN2, SPEED, Motor Racing Network, Performance Racing Network and Sirius XM Radio. NASCAR fans are among the most brand loyal in all of sports, and as a result more Fortune 500 companies participate in NASCAR than any other sport. NASCAR consists of three national series (the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series), four regional series, and one local grassroots series, as well as three international series. Also part of NASCAR is GRAND-AM Road Racing, known for its competition on road courses with multiple classes of cars. NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races at 100 tracks in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla.,

NASCAR has offices in eight cities across North America. The next NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race will be the Shootout at Daytona on Feb. 16 on FOX. For more information and a complete schedule, visit www.nascar.com. Follow NASCAR on www.facebook.com/NASCAR or on Twitter: @NASCAR.

About NASCAR Hall of Fame

Conveniently located in uptown Charlotte, N.C., the 150,000-square-foot NASCAR Hall of Fame is an interactive, entertainment attraction honoring the history and heritage of NASCAR. The high-tech venue, designed to educate and entertain race fans and non-fans alike, opened May 11, 2010 and includes artifacts, hands-on exhibits, 278-person state-of-the-art theater, Hall of Honor, Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant, NASCAR Hall of Fame Gear Shop and NASCAR Media Group-operated broadcast studio.

The venue is opened 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. seven days a week and has an attached parking garage on

Brevard Street. The five-acre site also includes a privately developed 19-story office tower and 102,000- square-foot expansion to the Charlotte Convention Center, highlighted by a 40,000 square-foot ballroom.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame is owned by the City of Charlotte, licensed by NASCAR and operated by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. www.NASCARHall.com.

Source: NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications Press Release

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/catchfence/~3/-L0pHEGkO0w/

Matthew Roy Kenseth Alan Dennis Kulwicki Travis Wade Kvapil Robert Allen Labonte Terrence Lee Labonte

Official: Hyundai and Kia adding Google Maps API to nav systems

Filed under: Sedan, Technology, Crossover, Hyundai, Kia, Infotainment

Hyundai's Blue Link and Kia's UVO infotainment systems will be adding three Google features: Send2Car, Point of Interest Search and Local Search by Voice. Send2Car lets travelers send destinations to their vehicle's navigation system from a computer or via a mobile phone app, and the POI and local searches are continuously updated in Google Places' database. The new data service integrations mean that drivers will have more access to more destinations and be able to find them more quickly.

Hyundai hasn't said when the new features will debut nor on what model. Kia buyers will find them introduced on the 2014 Kia Sorento expected to roll into dealerships shortly, with the Forte sedan following. You'll find a press release on the updates below.

Continue reading Hyundai and Kia adding Google Maps API to nav systems

Hyundai and Kia adding Google Maps API to nav systems originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 05 Jan 2013 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/05/hyundai-and-kia-adding-google-maps-api-to-nav-systems/

Kyle Busch Toyota Kimmy Z Line Designs Toyota Parker Kligerman Trevor Bayne

William Wins Kentucky

Chase Raudman (8) leads the field down the backstretch.

Week Eight of the NASCAR iRacing.com Class C Series (open setup) brought the sim racers to a very unique track on the NASCAR circuit. Kentucky Speedway is a 1.5-mile oval, but it doesn’t fit the “cookie cutter” description at all. With turns banked at 14°, this is a very flat track compared to the high banks of Texas, Atlanta, or Charlotte, and it is also extremely bumpy. This track shows a lot of character and it proved to be a challenge for many. While it was in fact a challenge for many online racers, it proved to be no challenge to the racer who dominated the Strength of Field event.

John William (Carolina) led an impressive 63 of the race’s 90 laps after starting from the 13th position. Even more impressive, William won with a margin of victory approaching three seconds over fellow Carolina club member Justin Brooks in the 3230 SoF. Michael Emmons (Florida) brought his Silverado home in the third position after starting from sixth on the grid. Josh Hulsey (Plains) ended the race in the fourth position and rounding out the top five was Bentley Glaser (Midwest).

By taking the checkered flag first in the week’s SoF event, William earned the most championship points for Week Eight, adding 204 to his season total. Brooks’ second place run allowed him to collect 193 for his efforts. New York native Liam Lambert finished off the week in the third position, adding 188 points. Ryan Luza (Texas), Kyle J Gottula (California), and Patrick Baldwin (Connecticut) came in a three way tie for fourth in the standings, each adding 181 points for their efforts during the week.

Jay Horton (16), Thomas Davis (1), Brandon Williamson (2), and others race nose to tail down the frontstretch.

Baldwin was the fastest man in town for qualifying during the week. His time of 31.075 seconds was nearly one tenth of a second faster than second place driver Brooks who turned a time of 31.165 seconds. Danton Dressler (Pennsylvania) had an impressive run in the third position, ending with a final fast time of 31.167 seconds, just 0.002 behind Brooks. Arthur Lucas (Virginias) closed off the week in the fourth position and rounding out the top five was Keith Elliott (Western Canada).

There is a new name atop the season standings after eight weeks of racing. Maxx Harris (Northwest) holds on to a 49 point lead over Phil Brown (Mid-South). Brian Ammerman (Illinois) sits in the third position, 129 points back. Jeff Hale Sr. (Georgia) sits in the fourth position and completing the top five is Kenny Humpe, who is 156 points back.

Stay tuned to inRacingNews.com for more action as the NiCCS (open setup) heads to NASCAR’s homeland for a visit to the extremely fast Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/iracing-news/william-wins-kentucky

Out! Pet Care Toyota Jason Leffler David Carl Allison Gregory Jack Biffle David Lee Blaney

iRNC Points Battle Takes Shape in Okayama, Summit Point

Mazda drivers Carlos Ortiz (No. 2) and Harri Anttila (No. 4) lead Solstice driver Brandon Hauck (No. 6) at the start of an inRacingNews Challenge event at Summit Point Raceway’s Jefferson Reverse layout on December 20. Ortiz would lead all 20 laps from the pole to beat Anttila and Solstice driver Niccolò Cedrati for the victory.

Through eight weeks of this run of the inRacingNews Challenge—enough for most drivers to accumulate a full slate of championship points—a pair of familiar faces rank atop the standings.

Chris Hughson leads the Mazda MX-5 Roadster class with 1036 points, 97 ahead of second-place Joseph Pisciotta III. He extended his lead by scoring 147 points, good for third-best in class, in Week Seven at Okayama’s full course, and a class-best 148 in Week Eight at Summit Point’s Jefferson layout.

Pisciotta III finished 13th and seventh in those two weeks, respectively, allowing Petr Dolezal to close the gap for second in the standings. Dolezal’s 159 points were best in class at Okayama, and he finished only five points behind Pisciotta III for ninth place at Jefferson.

In Pontiac Solstice, the battle is even tighter, with Kenville Inniss, Andrey Loginov, and Niccolò Cedrati all in the championship hunt. Inniss, who leads Loginov by 32 points, finished first in class at Jefferson and seventh at Okayama, totaling 260 points over the two weeks; Loginov ranked third at Jefferson and fourth at Okayama to add 252 of his own.

Mazda drivers Chris DeShong (No. 11), Michael Melvin (No. 14), and Stephan Morien (No. 3) battle for position in the second turn at Okayama International Raceway during a December 14 race. In the distance, Solstice driver Niccolò Cedrati leads, as he would for all 12 laps of the race, on the way to a margin of victory of over four seconds.

But Cedrati seems poised to take the championship lead sooner than later. He ranks only 82 points behind Inniss with one week worth of points fewer than the rest of the title contenders. With 141 points at Okayama and 108 at Jefferson, it seems like a sure thing that he can score enough points to take the championship lead in Week Nine at Charlotte. In Week Three there, he won all three of his starts to score 125 points, coming in only two points behind first place.

After Charlotte, the iRNC makes its final three stops of the season at the main Summit Point layout, Lime Rock Park’s chicane layout, and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Look for Summit Point to be a key player in championship battles; last season, it was where Diego Rodriguez Alonso began to mount his come-from-behind championship charge in Mazda, while Inniss and Cedrati actually tied in points there last season.

Photo credit: Niccolò Cedrati

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/iracing-news/irnc-points-battle-takes-shape-in-okayama-summit-point

Mack Hellings Brian Henton Johnny Herbert Al Herman Hans Herrmann

Major ERC programme for Delecour

Francois Delecour is set to contest 10 rounds of the European Rally Championship in 2013 starting with this weekend’s Janner Rally in Austria.

Delecour, a winner of four world championship rallies and the 1993 WRC runner-up, will drive a Peugeot 207 Super 2000 for Kronos Racing with backing from several companies in Romania.

The 50-year-old Frenchman has not competed internationally on a regular basis since he left Mitsubishi’s WRC squad at the end of 2002, but came out of semi-retirement in 2012 to win the Romanian rally title.

He has also made selected WRC and Intercontinental Rally Challenge outings in the intervening period, coming sixth on the 2012 Monte Carlo Rally.

“I hope we’ll be able to do about 10 ERC rounds this year: that would be the plan, plus all the Romanian championship, so it’s definitely going to be a busy year,” said Delecour.

“But I feel much better prepared than I did last season, because I’ve been competing regularly and we’ve got a proper programme in a perfectly developed car with the chance to go testing as well.

“That really makes the difference. It’s as close as you get to a factory campaign so I am very, very happy.”

Delecour has never competed on the asphalt-based Janner Rally, which is expected to take place in snow and icy conditions when it gets underway on Friday.

“We’ll have a day of testing before the event, which will help a lot and I’m beginning to know the 207 quite well now while Kronos is a team that speaks for itself, so I don’t think it will be a problem.”

With Robert Kubica not making his ERC bow until later in the year, Delecour is one of the best-known names competing in Austria.

Stig Blomqvist, the 1984 world champion, drives a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX while Skoda’s Jan Kopecky is the top-seeded competitor.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/major-erc-programme-for-delecour

Mike Harris Cuth Harrison Brian Hart Gene Hartley Masahiro Hasemi