jeanrowald

Monday, October 29, 2012

Allmendinger Moves Forward in Charlotte

The helmet of AJ Allmendinger, driver of the No. 51 Phoenix Construction Chevrolet, sits atop his car in the garage area. - Photo Credit: John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR
Charlotte, NC – 14 October, 2012-AJ Allmendinger was back in NASCAR Sprint Cup action this weekend, making his first Cup start since June. Returning to work after completing the NASCAR Road To Recovery program, Allmendinger joined Phoenix Racing in the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday night.

After the team rallied to make last minute adjustments and outfit the No. 51 Phoenix Construction Chevrolet to fit the new driver, Allmendinger was back in the swing of things as he showed encouraging pace in the opening practice sessions.

While his enthusiasm for entry speed cost him on his Thursday night qualifying run and he had to settle for 38th on the grid, Allmendinger knew he had a solid car underneath him. With 500 miles to run and a clear focus on just getting the most out of the weekend, Allmendinger approached the Bank of America 500 as a chance to get back into the grove over the course of a long race on his adopted home track.

After starting 38th, Allmendinger quickly worked his way up to the mid-twenties, staying on the lead lap with his Smiley-Faced Phoenix Construction Chevrolet deep into the night. A late-race pit road procedural penalty saw him losing time to the leaders as he had to make the long, slow way down pit lane at a crawling penalty pace before returning to the pack at full speed.

But despite all the variables that come with working with a new car, a new crew chief, and a whole lot of new faces, Allmendinger focused on his job to bring the Phoenix Construction car home in 24th place.

“It was great to get back into a Cup car, and I just want to thank James Finch and everyone at Phoenix Racing for giving me this opportunity–I’m really grateful,” said Allmendinger. “I was hoping I could have repaid that favor with a little bit stronger finish. But it was great to get back in the car and compete again. It was a solid weekend all around despite everything coming together so quickly. I want to also thank everyone who has been so supportive through this entire process. It meant a lot, and now we are all focused on building on this and looking forward to whatever comes next.”

For additional information and interaction, visit www.twitter.com/ajdinger, www.facebook.com/ajallmendinger, and www.ajallmendinger.com.

About Walldinger Racing, Inc.: Walldinger Racing was formed in 2006 to support AJ Allmendinger’s motorsports career by developing commercial opportunities and partnership programs.

Source: Walldinger Racing, Inc., Press Release

The post Allmendinger Moves Forward in Charlotte appeared first on Catchfence.

Jaguar's Julian Thomson teaches us about design

For the design-minded among you, Julian Thompson, whose recent hits have included the Land Rover LRX concept and the Jaguar CX-75, gave a talk at the PSFK conference about design values. He begins with the question "How do you get a design story?" and then walks us through Jaguar's to address the issue of making the most of a brand's heritage while keeping things new and fresh.

It's a timely discussion because Thompson is also behind the new Jaguar F-Type which, according to his talk, is the latest in Jaguar's line of "beautiful fast luxury cars with glamour." Thompson doesn't shirk "the sad years of Jaguar," either, called out as being 1968 to 2004, when they "essentially made the same-looking car." Thompson's reasons for the malaise: "not only did we start doing market research, we started asking Americans what they wanted."

You'll find more insights in the video below.

Continue reading Jaguar's Julian Thomson teaches us about design

Jaguar's Julian Thomson teaches us about design originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 28 Oct 2012 14:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/28/jaguars-julian-thomson-teaches-us-about-design/

Kurt Thomas Busch Kyle Thomas Busch Jeffrey Tyler Burton Richard Allen Craven Kerry Dale Earnhardt

Video: Matt Kenseth Victory Lane At Kenseth

Source: http://thefinallap.com/2012/10/21/video-matt-kenseth-victory-lane-at-kenseth/

Randy Joseph Lajoie Kevin Paul Lepage William Ashton Lewis Jr Sterling Burton Marlin Mark Anthony Martin

Allmendinger Moves Forward in Charlotte

For additional information and interaction, visit www.twitter.com/ajdinger, www.facebook.com/ajallmendinger, and www.ajallmendinger.com.

About Walldinger Racing, Inc.: Walldinger Racing was formed in 2006 to support AJ Allmendinger’s motorsports career by developing commercial opportunities and partnership programs.

Source: Walldinger Racing, Inc., Press Release

The post Allmendinger Moves Forward in Charlotte appeared first on Catchfence.

Sunday, October 28, 2012

2012 Martinsville Cup Series Starting Lineup – Jimmie Johnson On Pole

Source: http://thefinallap.com/2012/10/26/2012-martinsville-cup-series-starting-lineup-jimmie-johnson-on-pole-qualifying/

Juan Pablo Montoya Joseph Francis Nemechek III Ryan Joseph Newman Kyle Eugene Petty Floyd Anthony Raines

Report: Mercedes-Benz exec promises C-Class convertible

Filed under: Convertible, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

Mercedes-Benz is already at work on the next-generation C-Class sedan, but USA Today reports that the automaker promises to add a convertible model for to the mix as well and will offer it in the US. The new C-Class is expected out next year as a 2014 model, and it will be the first time the C-Class has ever directly offered a drop-top model, likely to be called the C-Class Cabriolet.

Previously, the CLK-Class acted as a convertible based on the smaller C-Class, but it was sized and generally thought of as an E-Class model. There are no concrete details about this new car, but it's almost certain to be the most affordable convertible in the Mercedes lineup, priced less than the $42,900 SLK-Class roadster and well below the $59,070 E-Class Cabriolet. Cars such as the C-Class Cabriolet and the all-new CLA-Class are an attempt to draw younger buyers into the Mercedes family, according to Steve Cannon, CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA.

In addition to the new C-Class convertible, USA Today also says that Mercedes plans a total of 19 new or refreshed models (including 11 in new-to-Mercedes segments) by 2020.

Mercedes-Benz exec promises C-Class convertible originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 27 Oct 2012 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/27/mercedes-exec-promises-c-class-convertible/

Bob Gerard Gerino Gerini Peter Gethin Piercarlo Ghinzani Bruno Giacomelli

Rosberg: Mercedes must end on a high

Nico Rosberg, Mercedes, India 2012 Nico Rosberg thinks it vital that Mercedes ends the 2012 Formula 1 season on a high, after a run of disappointing results.

The German, who had finished every race of the campaign up until Suzuka, failed to complete the first lap in either Japan or Korea – and is eager for an upturn in fortunes.

“For me the races ended very quickly,” he admitted. “It was a lot of travelling for one lap and back home, and then one more lap and back home.

“So hopefully here I get beyond lap one. It is important for us to end the year on a high and keep on pushing.”

Rosberg was fourth quickest in second free practice in India on Friday, in a sign that the team may have put its recent struggles behind it.

He believes that the prospect for better results is there because there is much more performance to come from the update package – and especially the Coanda-effect exhausts – that the team introduced at the Singapore GP.

“We have made the most of the upgrade, but on that route of development of the car there is so much more to go before you get the most out of that concept,” he said. “So we take it step-by-step and we are trying to catch up at the moment.

“The target has to be a top-eight finish here, which in itself doesn’t sound fantastic but I am sure it is possible.”

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/rosberg-mercedes-must-end-on-a-high

Copart Ford Denny Hamlin Z Line Toyota Kyle Busch Toyota Kimmy

NCWTS Pole Report: Timothy Peters snags pole, track record at Martinsville

Source: http://www.skirtsandscuffs.com/2012/10/ncwts-pole-report-timothy-peters-snags.html

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

GM At Work: Bringing Opel to the Land Down Under

“My boss is in Germany, and this is an Opel operation, but we are both General Motors organizations—so the ultimate goal is to ensure that this makes sense for General Motors in Australia.” So says Bill Mott, the genial and eloquent American charged with the task of introducing Opel down under. Along with Opel, the “we” refers to Holden, GM’s Australian subsidiary. Australia represents an important part of the German brand’s ambitious international expansion drive. But in a country where Holden still is seen as Australia’s own and accounts for one in every eight cars sold, what can Opel bring to the party that Holden hasn’t already?

To understand Opel’s pitch, it’s first necessary to recognize the seismic shift toward imported vehicles that has taken place in the Australian market in recent years. And within that shift, “[there’s] a tendency to look for European and, in particular, German brands,” Mott told Car and Driver on the floor from the Australian International Motor Show last week. So strong are German brands, in fact, that in a market that has grown nearly 30 percent in the past 10 years, VW’s growth in the same period and market equates to nearly 300 percent—and Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz aren’t far behind.

Although the Corsa and Insignia—which you might recognize as the Buick Regal—nameplates are unfamiliar ones to Australians, a big part of Opel’s strategy in Australia relies on leveraging locals’ familiarity with the Astra—Buick might be getting an Astra of its own, too. Wearing a Holden badge, the Astra proved to be a strong seller during its long run between 1995 and 2009. But like other Opel imports, including the Corsa (Barina) and the Vectra, it was axed by Holden in favor of models developed by GM Korea. At the time, it was explained that the business case for importing from Europe just didn’t add up. Holden’s compact contender is now a locally built version of the Chevrolet Cruze.

So, what’s changed in the meantime?

According to Mott, the change is how strong the Aussie dollar has become. But if it’s a simple question of exchange rates, can’t the Opel range simply be re-imported as Holdens, without going to the expense of setting up a whole new brand? Mott’s response suggests that for prospective Opel customers, the brand is as important as the product.

“We think—and when I say ‘we’ I speak for both myself and Holden management—that our [customers are] looking for a European and, in particular, German brand experience. And [Holden], by definition, can’t cover [those customers]. Either we walk away from that market as General Motors, or we attack it. We’re bringing Opel to attack it, and we’re doing it in concert with Holden.”

Without doubt, the dynamic between Opel and Holden is a fascinating one. Although they are technically distinct entities operating underneath the same overarching GM umbrella, it’s evident there is significant collaboration—Opel’s local headquarters is located in the same Port Melbourne building as Holden’s. But both companies essentially are GM brands targeting much the same market segments. Surely customer overlap is inevitable, right? Not entirely unsurprisingly, Mott disputes this assertion.

“In Europe, there is the Chevrolet brand, and obviously there is the Opel brand. We see very little overlap in customers shopping between, say, the Astra and the Cruze—and that’s despite the fact that in many countries, our dealerships have both brands. Customers who . . . are shopping Chevrolet have a different competitive context. The other brands that they’re looking at, in the European context, are . . . more-budget-conscious brands—the Kias and Hyundais of this world. An Opel [customer] is generally coming from a different competitive set that is probably much larger, but includes other European brands.”

Asked to identify Opel’s main rivals, Holden doesn’t score a mention from Mott. That isn’t a huge surprise. What is more curious is that he also declines to name Ford as a direct rival, despite the fact that the European-developed Fiesta, Focus, and Mondeo all are sold in Australia and compete directly with Opel’s lineup in Europe. Instead, the importance of the Opel brand again makes itself apparent. He identifies “mainstream European imports”—read Citroën, Peugeot, Renault, and VW—as the key competition.

With the first Opels arriving in Australian showrooms in September, it’s too soon to say whether or not GM was right in its assertion that it can tap into Australia’s demand for German autos without cannibalizing its existing Holden offerings. But taking such a gamble in the first place gives us an idea as to just how desperate GM is to find Opel a market outside of Europe to rely on.

Read full story »

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/rQ9THOolyFg/

Stefan Johansson Eddie Johnson Leslie Johnson Bruce Johnstone Alan Jones

Toyota leads practice two in China

Toyota, Shanghai WEC 2012 Toyota turned the tables on Audi in second free practice ahead of Sunday’s World Endurance Championship finale at Shanghai.

Alex Wurz topped the timesheets aboard the solo Toyota TS030 Hybrid with a 1m50.573s lap.

That put him more than a second ahead of Tom Kristensen in the best of the Audi R18 e-tron quattros.

The second Audi was third fastest in the hands of Benoit Treluyer, while Neel Jani was quickest privateer LMP1 in the lead Rebellion Racing Lola-Toyota B12/60.

James Rossiter headed the secondary prototype class in the best of the Lotus LMP2 squad’s Lola-Judd/BMW B12/80s. The Briton’s time of 1m55.290s was just one tenth clear of John Martin’s ADR-Delta ORECA-Nissan 03.

Aston Martin Racing came out on top in a closely-fought GTE Pro class.

The solo AMR Aston Martin Vantage GTE driven by Darren Turner was just a tenth ahead of the AF Corse Ferrari 458 Italia in the hands of Giancarlo Fisichella and three tenths ahead of the Felbermayr-Proton Porsche 911 GT3-RSR driven by Richard Lietz.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/toyota-leads-practice-two-in-china

Christian Goethals Paul Goldsmith José Froilán González Oscar González Aldo Gordini

Down Takes A Fifth Crown in the UK

Down took the lead at the start and cruised to the win — and the V8 Supercar title.

The final round for the 2012 Season 3 iRacing.com V8 Supercar Championship presented by Bigpond found the drivers heading back to the UK to tackle a challenging track that has hosted the finale for the past few seasons: Brands Hatch. The championship picture saw Madison Down increase his lead to 22 points when he won the first race of the night, while Justin Ruggier took to qualifying to improve his time.

In qualifying it was Down taking pole position with a 1:26.688 while Ruggier would start from second with a 1:26.807. The second row of the grid was made up by Tatts.com driver (and Down’s teammate) Mitchell McLeod and DCM driver Richard Hamstead, who announced earlier in the week he would be leaving DCM and for a new team in Season 4. Joshua Muggleton and Zandvoort winner Rens Broekman claimed the the third row of the grid ahead of Scott T McLaughlin and Vail Riches, while Shaun Kelly and Petteri Kotovaara rounded-out the top ten on Row Five.

The battle for the championship was still very much alive in the final race of the season with Ruggier needing to take victory and hope a little misfortune visited Down. When the lights went green it was Down getting the jump and Ruggier bogging down, to be overtaken by McLeod and Hamstead. Just when Madison began to breathe a sigh of relief at the sight of a couple of cars between himself and Ruggier, McLeod and Hamstead made contact, allowing Ruggier to reclaim second place and try and chase down Down.

Just as everyone appeared to be settling-in to their early positions, McLeod blocked McLaughlin onto the grass. McLaughlin retaliated against McLeod with a bump and run as, not for the last time, the twosome livened-up the action in this race.

Broekman’s bid for a double came acropper when he got sideways and lost seven spots trying to avoid McLeod. Heading into Turn Five, the Zandvoort winner gave Samuel Collins a little tab to his right rear sending him sideways, but Collins was able to save it in front of a group of six drivers. At the end of the second lap, Riches would cop a hit from behind and take to the grass to save it, losing four spots in the process. And on Lap 10 Petteri Kotovaara’s race came to an abrupt end when the motor let go whilst downshifting for Turn Five, making the Finn the first retirement of the race.

Collins makes the save of the race en route to a 1oth place finish.

Four laps later came a big impact when Mitchell Abrahall lost control of his Lazy Man Racing entry exiting Turn Three, with the resulting impact with the inside wall necessitating a stop for repairs and, ultimately, the loss of four laps. A season’s worth of engine stress showed when another V8 let go on Lap 17 as Kelly downshifted a little too quickly into Clearways, but he swiftly pulled into pit lane and retirement. One lap later and another of the Lazy Man Racing Falcons, this one driven by Brad Ryan, clouted the wall after losing control in similar fashion to teammate Abrahall on the exit of Turn Three.

After staying within a couple of seconds of Down for the first half of the race, Ruggier gradually slipped back to first three, then four seconds before a mistake on Lap 20 allowed Hamstead to move into second place with just five laps remaining.

Although Ruggier’s bobble more or less sealed Down’s win and the title, the action was by no means over. On the last lap, McLaughlin downshifted a little too quickly and over-revved his Ford but, unlike the other drivers who’d buzzed their engines, he was able to continue on to finish the race. Coming into Turn Eight, however, McLeod gave McLaughlin a little payback for their earlier disagreement and sent his sparring partner into the dirt.

But putting the argey-bargey aside, today was the battle for the championship and it was Madison Down taking the race and the title. The only driver to win more than one V8 Supercar crown, Down now has five championships to his credit. In his final race for DCM, Hamstead came home in second place while Ruggier was left to finish in third place and wonder what he could have done better throughout the season to beat Down. That said, no doubt he will be back stronger then ever to try and make it to the top step in Season 4!

Down captured an impressive fifth V8 Supercar title, overcoming a valiant effort by Ruggier.

Muggleton brought his TT-R Falcon home in fourth place and for the second time in two seasons finished third in the overall championship. McLeod came home an eventful fifth while John Emerson finished ahead of TTL team mate Vail Riches to make it a TTL 6 – 7. Broekman recovered to take eighth place ahead of McLaughlin’s smoking Ford while Collins would round-out the top ten finishers.

Top Five Drivers – Championship Points – Overall
1.    Madison Down – 2110
2.    Justin V Ruggier – 2077
3.    Joshua Muggleton – 1895
4.    Richard Hamstead – 1853
5.    Mitchell McLeod – 1849

Split Two Winner: Jon Latham

Split Three Winner: Timothy Hancock

Split Three Winner: Paul De Maria

You can watch all the action on www.v8sonline.com; also this Sunday and Monday nights you can catch all of the Direct Clutch Services “Race of Champions” live on www.v8sonline.com.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/iracing-news/down-takes-a-fifth-crown-in-the-uk

Ingo Hoffmann Bill Holland Jackie Holmes Bill Homeier Kazuyoshi Hoshino

Audi R8 LMS ultra to fight for World Champion's title in 2012

AUDI Motorsport
Ingolstadt, December 20, 2011

- GT1 World Championship to be held with GT3 cars in 2012
- Team WRT from Belgium is set on battling for championship
- Two new Audi R8 LMS ultra cars on the grid

The new Audi R8 LMS ultra will also be competing in the FIA GT1 World Championship next year. Two vehicles of the brand new customer sport race car will be independently fielded by Team WRT in the world's highest-caliber GT racing series.

Successful ascent: when Audi in the 2009 season initiated its customer sport program with the R8 LMS for the GT3 class, this class was one of four major GT categories. Meanwhile the GT3 is not only making its mark nationally but increasingly on an international level as well. Following the inception of a FIA European Championship for GT3 models in 2006, there will also be a FIA GT1 World Championship exclusively held for GT3 vehicles in the future. Consequently, the Audi R8 LMS ultra will be able to compete in the world's top racing class for GT vehicles and, in the 2012 season, fight for a world champion's title of its own for the first time.

"We very much welcome the decision of the FIA World Motor Sport Council on December 7th in favor of the GT3 cars," emphasizes Werner Frowein, Managing Director of quattro GmbH. "In the future, this vehicle class will not only stand for high-caliber national and European customer sport but also for the world's pinnacle in GT racing. We are delighted that Team WRT has submitted its entry for the World Championship and will be representing the colors of Audi Sport customer racing."

The squad based in Flénu, Belgium, has been fielding the Audi R8 LMS in various European championships since 2010. Only two years old, the team has celebrated some remarkable successes this season, having clinched overall victories at the Spa and the Zolder 24 Hours plus having won the Blancpain Endurance Series. "The GT1 World Championship is a wonderful new commitment for us," says a pleased Team Director Vincent Vosse. "We're facing a challenging new task which all of our team members are looking forward to."

According to the wishes of World Championship promoter SRO each team is to compete with two cars of a single vehicle model from a single brand, respectively. While in most GT3 racing series professionals and amateurs share a cockpit, only professional racers compete in the GT1 World Championship. WRT is planning to select and announce its drivers before the end of December. The details on the format of the competition will be approved by the FIA shortly. It is expected that there will be ten worldwide events, each featuring two one-hour races. A provisional race calendar has already been established.

2012 FIA GT1 World Championship
Round 1: Apr 08 Nogaro (France)
Round 2: Apr 22 Zolder (Belgium)
Round 3: May 27 Navarra (Spain)
Round 4: Jul 08 Algarve (Portugal)
Round 5: Aug 26 Peking (China)
Round 6: Sep 02 Ordos (China)
Round 7: Sep 16 Moscow (Russia)
Round 8: Oct 07 Zandvoort (Netherlands)
Round 9: Nov 25 San Luis (Argentina)
Round 10: TBA

Source: http://www.motorsportsjournal.com/archives/2011/12/audi_r8_lms_ultra_to_figh.php

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

2012 Ford Falcon FPV GT RSpec: If Max is Mad, Consider us Crazy

For those whose familiarity with the Falcon GT begins and ends with Mad Max—and if you’re not familiar, let us introduce you to a replica of the infamous Mad Max Falcon—it may come as a surprise to learn the history of this famous nameplate actually started out in relatively discreet fashion. In fact, the two models that kicked off the breed—the 1967 XR and the following year’s XT—were relatively restrained in their cosmetic add-ons. It was only with the arrival of the following XW and XY models—complete with Super Roo decals, a shaker hood scoop, and go-fast stripes—that the Falcon gained a reputation for extroverted styling to match its scorching performance. We won’t be awarding any prizes for guessing which course Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) elected to pursue when it finalized the look of the new Falcon GT RSpec.“It definitely makes a statement,” said Brad Brownell, Ford Australia’s VP of marketing, in a masterpiece of understatement. “[Our customers] want the performance, but they also don’t want it in a stealth package. They want it to be loud and proud.”

It’s fair to say the RSpec’s red-on-black graphics, inspired by those on the 1969 Boss Mustang, ensure its prospective buyers will be nothing if not that. (The shrinking violets among us will doubtless be pleased to hear it’s also available in Winter White, Vixen Red, or Kinetic Blue, featuring positively demure Silhouette Black detailing.)

Yet to focus on aesthetics is to overlook the hidden tweaks that (unofficially) make this the quickest production car ever built in Australia. The heart of the RSpec remains the thumping Coyote 5.0-liter V-8, but a supercharger and unique-to-Australia inlet and exhaust systems turn the Coyote 5.0 into what FPV calls Miami. The Miami mill doles out the same 449 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque as the standard Falcon GT. The suspension, however, benefits from an array of detail tweaks, including retuned dampers, higher spring rates, a fatter rear anti-sway bar, and revised rear toe setting for improved turn-in. At the front, meanwhile, a reinforced lower control arm, stiffer upper control arm bushes, and strut mounts improve wheel control.

Johnson wins pole; Keselowski to start 32nd

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/10/26/2440767/johnson-wins-pole-keselowski-to.html

Sam Hanks Walt Hansgen Mike Harris Cuth Harrison Brian Hart

Ferrari’s flag not a breach of F1 rules

Ferrari's flag not a breach of F1 rules India’s motor racing chief Vicky Chandhok is satisfied that Ferrari’s act of displaying an Italian navy flag is not a breach of rules that ban political actions.

Ferrari has found itself engulfed in a political storm at the Buddh International Circuit this weekend amid suggestions that its decision to run the flag breaches the FIA statutes.

However, after being asked to look in to the matter and speaking to Ferrari, Vicky Chandhok, head of the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI), said he was satisfied that Ferrari’s claims of it not being political are satisfactory.

“The FMSCI would like to maintain that the FIA code of motorsport is apolitical and non-religious and the FMSCI will not permit motorsports to be politicised in any manner,” he said in a statement issued on Saturday.

“Stefano Domenicali, Team Principal Scuderia Ferrari, has confirmed that their initiative of carrying their national navy flag does not have and should not be seen as having any political implication.

“FMSCI firmly believes that carrying their national navy flag will not have any effect on the case pending before the Indian Courts. The FMSCI will not permit any attempt to subvert the process of justice by politicising the event.”

Ferrari said it was carrying the flag to show support for the Italian navy, and help add momentum for a push to resolve the diplomatic dispute between Italy and India over the court case involving two Italian sailors, who have been charged with murdering two Indian fishermen.

Domenicali reiterated on Saturday that there was no political motivation behind its move.

“The Italian Navy’s national flag on the Ferrari race cars at the Indian Grand Prix is there as a tribute to one of our country’s outstanding institutions,” he explained.

“With all the respect due to the Indian authorities, Ferrari wishes to make it clear that this initiative does not have, nor should it be seen as having, any political implication.”

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/ferraris-flag-not-a-breach-of-f1-rules

Lucas di Grassi Cecil Green Keith Greene Masten Gregory Cliff Griffith

McLaren sure it can still beat Red Bull

McLaren sure it can still beat Red Bull McLaren may concede that Red Bull looks like is on its way to championship glory, but it is still adamant that there is a good chance to beat them in races.

Despite a third straight front row lock-out for Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber in India, McLaren sporting director Sam Michael thinks that a more detailed look at the performance of his outfit and its main rival shows that the competitive situation is closer than it appears at first glance.

He accepts that Red Bull’s recent surge forward in form has been a surprise, but he does not think his outfit has any grounds to consider throwing in the towel in the fight for wins.

“I think to be honest going into Suzuka I thought we were going to have a good run for the constructors’ championship, so they definitely have stepped up more than what we expected them to,” explained Michael.

“We expected to be strong on at least two of the last three tracks, and we still think that we can take the fight to them in India. But even if they were to beat us, I think our race pace would be comparable.

“It is not like, if you go back to Valencia where they totally dominated, they have not dominated like that. And even in the race in Korea two weeks ago, if we had a better run then we could have at least given one of them a hard time.

“So they are doing that, and credit to them that they are, but it is not a runaway in terms of performance. It might be for the championship, because they have built it up, but we think we can still be on them.”

Michael believes the positive signs from Friday’s long run form shows that McLaren has the pace to fight Red Bull for victory, but much will depend on track position.

“We think we can challenge Red Bull,” he said. “The only thing is it is so close, when you get in the wake and lose your downforce all those factors come into play, so if Vettel managed to get away in first three or four laps, then it will be really difficult to catch up with him.”

Despite his belief that McLaren needs to not allow Vettel to get clear at the front, he thinks there remains other opportunities to overhaul the German later on even if he does so.

“We think our race pace is the same as Red Bull,” he said. “We are not slower than Red Bull, but we don’t think we are quicker. So it means it is going to come down to the first lap.

“If he does get away and maintains a three second gap, there is still a possibility to get him on strategy, but it will be pretty hard. All the signs from practice are that we can run with them but, when you get there and get in the wake, you lose 10-15% of your downforce and then you start falling off the back.”

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/mclaren-sure-it-can-still-beat-red-bull

Joe James John James Jean Pierre Jarier Max Jean Stefan Johansson

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Gutierrez to replace Perez in FP1

Esteban Gutierrez Sergio Perez Esteban Gutierrez will stand in for Sergio Perez in first practice for the Indian Grand Prix, Sauber has confirmed.

Perez has been struggling with illness, and on Thursday elected to skip his media commitments and return to his hotel early to rest.

Sauber felt it better Perez sat out the opening session in order to aid his recovery however, leading to the confirmation that reserve driver Gutierrez will assume control.

Perez says he is ready to take over for the rest of the weekend, explaining that it was the team’s decision for him to skip first practice.

“Thanks to all I’m ready to do the weekend after practice 1,” he tweeted.

“The team decide not to do practice 1 with me, looking forward for a good weekend.”

While Gutierrez has tested in F1 several times, first practice will represent his first competitive outing.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/gutierrez-to-replace-perez-in-fp1

Walt Hansgen Mike Harris Cuth Harrison Brian Hart Gene Hartley

No. 81 Thrush & Son / Hi-Technologies Toyota Camry Of Jason Bowles 28th At Charlotte Motor Speedway Friday Night

Jason Bowles

(CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA) October 14, 2012 – With Kentucky sponsor Thrush & Son Complete Home Improvement back on the No. 81 of Jason Bowles, the MacDonald Motorsports team was pumped up for a strong run at Charlotte Motor Speedway Friday night. After qualifying a solid 20th, The Thrush & Son/HI-Technologies No. 81 was quick early on, before pit road penalties relegated Bowles to a 28th place result.

“The car was quick early as we moved up to 17th and were challenging for more,” explained Bowles. “As we were taking the wave around on the third caution I felt like I had a flat right rear. Pitting on the wave around got us a drive through penalty which really put us behind. Later in the race we had a vibration and I had to make another un-scheduled pit-stop. After that it was just about bringing the car home and getting the best possible finish we could.”

The 28th place finish was definitely a let-down for the MacDonald Motorsports team as they knew they had a quick race car following qualifying. The Thrush & Son/HI-Technologies No. 81 advanced towards the front early on before getting tight. A caution flag allowed crew chief John Monsam to make some changes to the car, which really helped getting the car to turn.

“We got the car pretty good there after the first pit-stop but we’ll never know how it would have turned out,” said Jason after the race. “I feel bad for the guys and everyone at Thrush & Son Complete Home Improvement but there’s always next week. I really want to thank Thrush & Son, HI-Technologies, Megabus.com, and Barbizon Modeling Agency for their support this weekend. On to Kansas next week.”

Despite the poor finish, Jason remained 13th in the 2012 Driver Standings. The No. 81 also remains 22nd in the owner’s points.

Next weekend the MacDonald Motorsports team makes their way to Kansas Speedway. The Kansas Lottery 300 can be seen live on ESPN at 3:00PM ET Saturday, October 20th.

Follow Jason Bowles on Social Media….. Keep up with everything that Jason is doing by following him on twitter @bowlesjason. Fans can also follow the race team on twitter @mms81_pr.

Follow Thrush & Son on Social Media….. Learn more about Thrush & Son and HI-Technologies on twitter @thrush_and_son, on facebook, and at their websites, www.thrushandson.com and www.hi-technologies.com.

About C.H.I.P.

CHIP is a 100% web based business software that saves time and money. CHIP tracks closing rates while also controlling commissions of a company’s sales force and contracted labor costs. This program organizes customers’ information and record keeping. It also configures mailing lists, creates material orders and generates all work orders for projects that are sold. CHIP also offers the capability to track profit and loss for each project that is entered into the program to let an owner or manager know where they stand on that job. All of this is done with a few simple clicks of a button and can be from accessed anywhere via internet explorer. No matter the size of a home improvement company, CHIP will allow for growth and enable a business to become more profitable. This is done by saving time and money on each job, controlling a work force and organizing a home improvement company’s day-to-day business operations! This business solution was created by a contractor with simplicity in mind for other contractors in the home improvement industry.

About Thrush & Son Complete Home Improvement

Thrush & Son: Complete Home Improvement Company has been a respected leader in the home improvement industry since 1960. W. Allen Thrush (Pres/CEO) purchased the company from his father in 1989 and that’s when the company began to grow and evolve into the industry leader that it is today. Thrush & Son has been recognized in numerous national publications. Thrush & Son takes pride in their quality craftsmanship and the fact that after 52 years in the industry, they are still truly a family owned and operated business. Whether your home has been damaged by a severe storm or you are interested in a new roof, windows, siding, patio covers, gutters, or insulation Thrush & Son has all the bases covered when it comes to transforming a house into a dream home.

MacDonald Motorsports

MacDonald Motorsports Owner Randy MacDonald has been around the NASCAR circles since 1985, when he began his own racing career with the loving support of his father “Doc” and his mother Pat MacDonald. As a NASCAR driver, Randy was successful in making it all the way to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The MacDonald family became NASCAR team owners in 1986 and have fielded cars in all three of NASCAR’s elite series following faith based principles. MacDonald Motorsports focuses on assisting our sponsors with strategically increasing the overall awareness of corporate messaging or brand recognition by consistently articulating the message to be delivered through motorsports. MacDonald Motorsports offers drivers opportunities to gain experience from grass roots all the way through the elite series of NASCAR.

Source: MacDonald Motorsports Press Release

The post No. 81 Thrush & Son / Hi-Technologies Toyota Camry Of Jason Bowles 28th At Charlotte Motor Speedway Friday Night appeared first on Catchfence.

Novikov to make DMACK switch

Evgeny Novikov Ford WRC Rally Italy 2012

Rally Italia runner-up Evgeny Novikov will switch to DMACK tyres for the final round of the 2012 World Rally Championship in Spain next month.

The Russian will line up alongside DMACK regular Martin Prokop in a second Autotek Ford on the Catalunya-based event.

The majority of the WRC field uses Michelin rubber, with DMACK’s World Rally Car outings limited to privateer Fords so far. Novikov is the first established frontrunner to compete for the alternative tyre brand.

DMACK’s best result to date is fourth in Argentina with Czech driver Prokop.

Novikov will try DMACKs fresh from equalling his career-best result with second place in Italy earlier this month.

M-Sport, which usually fields Novikov’s Fiesta, is giving reigning Jamaican champion John Powell his WRC debut in Spain.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/world-rally-championship-news/wrc/novikov-to-make-dmack-switch

Innes Ireland Eddie Irvine Chris Irwin Jean Pierre Jabouille Jimmy Jackson

Morbidelli withdraws from finale

Gianni Morbidelli has decided not to take part in Sunday’s two International Superstars Series races at the Pergusa circuit in Sicily.

The Audi Sport Italia driver suffered from two shock absorber failures during Saturday’s free practice and qualifying sessions, the second of which prevented him from setting a time in qualifying.

According to Morbidelli, the failures were a result of the extra weight the Audis carry to limit the advantage of their four-wheel-drive system.

“Short weekend in Sicily: I am packing up and going back home,” he wrote on his official Twitter account straight after qualifying.

“Shocks broken in [free practice one] this morning and again in qualifying. It’s frustrating!

“At the ultra-quick Pergusa venue you’re done if you cannot jump over the current kerbs. With the current RS5 weight our equipment can’t survive.

“If you can’t match the power of others and moreover you’ve got to skip kerbs, the right figures on your lap will not add up. Sorry for [my] fans.”

KMS’s Johan Kristoffersson was the only Audi driver to set a time in qualifying, the championship leader booking 14th on the grid with a lap that was 4.529 seconds slower than the pole time set by Mercedes driver Raffaele Giammaria.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/morbidelli-withdraws-from-finale

Richie Ginther Yves Giraud Cabantous Ignazio Giunti Timo Glock Helm Glöckler