Thursday, January 31, 2013

Lotus reveals its new E21 F1 car

Lotus E21


Lotus has unveiled the new E21 Formula 1 car that it hopes will provide a springboard for it to become a top team in 2013.


After an encouraging 2012 campaign where Lotus delivered a victory in Abu Dhabi, the Enstone-based outfit believes its evolutionary car can move it further forward.


Team principal Eric Boullier said: “I think it is fair to say that great things are possible. The leap we made from 2011 to 2012 showed what we are capable of.


“Add to this the continuity and potential of our driver line-up and we have a very powerful cocktail for the season ahead.


“Our ambitious plan to turn ourselves into one of the top teams in Formula 1 is coming to fruition and now we need to harness this with strong and regular podium results.


“We are lean and hungry. Enstone knows how to win championships, but it is a while since we have won so we are very eager to taste glory again.”


The E21 is visually similar to last year’s car, but technical director James Allison said that certain areas of it have undergone a wholesale redesign.


“Depending on where you look, some parts of the new car are a ground-up redesign and in other areas we have further optimised the best bits of the design philosophy we’ve adopted for several seasons,” he said.


“The front and rear suspension layouts are substantially revised to try and give us better aerodynamic opportunities. The front wing is a continuation of the concepts we have worked on since the 2009 rules were published.


“For the rear wing system, we’ve continued to try to work on having a satisfactory level of rear downforce stability whilst having maximum DRS switching potential.”


The E21 will feature the passive double DRS that the team evaluated last year and the outfit has elected not to run with the ‘vanity panel’ that is allowed this year to hide the stepped nose.


Allison has high hopes for the new car, but is equally aware that its performance will only become clear once the outfit starts racing.


“The E20 proved itself to be an effective racing car, so there is an element of expectation from the E21,” he said.


“We have continued with our design themes and tried to build a more efficient and faster racing car based on all the lessons we learnt last year. How successful we have been at this we will only know once we take to the track at grands prix.”

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/lotus-reveals-its-new-e21-f1-car

Brian Hart Gene Hartley Masahiro Hasemi Naoki Hattori Paul Hawkins

It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s a . . . Superman-Themed Kia Optima Hybrid! [2013 Chicago Auto Show]

Kia Optima hybrid Superman

Kia’s relationship with DC Entertainment is by now well known—the duo created a batch of superhero-themed Kias for last year’s SEMA show—and now the partnership has resulted in a Superman-themed Optima hybrid, set to debut at the 2013 Chicago auto show.



Like the SEMA cars, this Optima is being used to raise awareness for the We Can Be Heroes campaign to combat hunger in Africa. Kia released an image previewing the customized Optima ahead of the car’s debut, and it appears as though the sedan will receive some pretty hefty upgrades to reach man-of-steel spec, including a wild blue-and-red paint job and a crazy body kit.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/2Ou20HxfA6s/

William Clyde Elliott Jeffrey Michael Gordon Charles Robert Hamilton IV Charles Robert Hamilton V Kevin Michael Harvick

Ganassi takes thrilling Daytona win

Ganassi, Daytona 24 HoursChip Ganassi Racing claimed a fifth victory in its 10 years of competing at the Daytona 24 Hours after Juan Pablo Montoya came through to seal the honours in a thrilling final hour.


Ganassi’s winning Riley-BMW MkXXVI, which Montoya shared with Scott Pruett, Memo Rojas and Charlie Kimball, briefly dropped to fourth position after the final restart with less than an hour to go.


The NASCAR Sprint Cup star quickly took back third from AJ Allmendinger’s Michael Shank Racing Riley-Ford and then moved up to second when Joao Barbosa pitted in the Action Express Coyote-Chevrolet to take a penalty for avoidable contact with the MSR car.


Montoya then needed less than a lap to hunt down and overtake Max Angelelli, who had moved into the lead when the Wayne Taylor Racing squad opted not to change tyres on his Dallara-Chevrolet DP01.


The lead Ganassi entry, which was the fastest car throughout the 51st running of the 24 Hours, then pulled away into a 20-second lead. Splash-and-dash fuel stops for the leaders in the closing minutes had no bearing on the overall result.


Angelelli, who shared with Jordan Taylor and Ryan Hunter-Reay took the chequered flag nearly 22s in arrears.


The victory means that team leader Pruett has now equalled sportscar legend Hurley Haywood’s record tally of five overall Daytona victories.


The MSR Riley-Ford Allmendinger shared with Justin Wilson, Oswaldo Negri Jr, John Pew and Marcos Ambrose ended up third, despite dropping as far as eight laps off the lead.


Last year’s winning team was able to fight back onto the lead lap, but an off-road excursion as Allmendinger tried to overtake Barbosa straight after the restart resulted in an unscheduled pitstop to clean out the radiators.


Barbosa, who shared his Action Express car with Mike Rockenfeller and Burt Frisselle, ended up fourth after his penalty.


Audi upset the form book to finish one-two in the GT class with the Alex Job Racing R8 Grand-Am team heading home the APR Motorsport squad’s identical car.


The AJR car in the hands of Filipe Albuquerque finished the race with the APR car in the hands of Rene Rast.


Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/ganassi-takes-thrilling-daytona-win

Eddie Keizan Al Keller Joe Kelly Dave Kennedy Loris Kessel

Lotus persists with passive double DRS

Lotus E21Lotus will run the passive DRS system that it trialled last season on the newly-launched E31.


The Enstone team tried the design for the first time in free practice for last year’s German Grand Prix but despite further tests in subsequent races never raced it.


This year, systems based on exposing holes in the rear wing endplates when the DRS is deployed are outlawed, but passive versions, which rely on the car hitting a certain speed to divert airflow to stall the rear wing, are still permissible.


Despite Lotus struggling to set the ‘aero switch’ up to deactivate at the same speed at which it activates, technical director James Allison is confident that the concept will earn its place on the car during pre-season testing. It was not present on the launch car.


“This is an area we continue to work on and the passive nature of the switching of our device means it is not outlawed by the latest regulations,” said technical director James Allison.


“It is not something which will be a silver bullet to transform our car, but it is something which could add performance as part of the overall design.”


Allison also confirmed that the team has no plans to run the optional ‘vanity panel’ which has been introduced this year to allow teams to cover up the step in the nose.


As this part has no performance advantage and adds weight, he believes there is no benefit in fitting it.


“There is one rule which opens the possibility for a change as we will now be permitted to fit a non-structural ‘vanity panel’ on the upper surface of the nose as a means of avoiding the duck-bill style designs that we saw in 2012.


“However, such a panel will add a few grammes of weight and so is only likely to run on the car if a team can find a performance benefit for doing so.”

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/lotus-persists-with-passive-double-drs

Ryan Joseph Newman Kyle Eugene Petty Floyd Anthony Raines Scott Russell Riggs Hiroshi Fushida

Evans to make NZ comeback

Mitch Evans GP2 DAMSGP3 champion Mitch Evans will make a one-off return appearance to New Zealand’s Toyota Racing Series this weekend.

The 18-year-old Kiwi will use the New Zealand Motor Cup meeting at Hampton Downs to re-acclimatise himself to racing ahead of returning to Europe for his GP2 campaign with Arden International.

“It will be a big challenge stepping into a TRS car again,” said Evans.

“I haven’t raced since winning the GP3 title at Monza in early September and my TRS rivals have already competed in nine races during the three rounds leading into Hampton Downs.”

Among the other international drivers taking on Evans and points leader Nick Cassidy at Hampton Downs are Formula 3 European Championship drivers Alex Lynn, Felix Serralles and Lucas Auer.

Evans, who will drive for Giles Motorsport, won the NZ Motor Cup and the TRS title in 2011.

Jack Brabham, John Surtees, Graham Hill and Jackie Stewart all won the NZ Motor Cup when it was held for Formula 1 machinery in the 1960s.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/formula-cars/gp2/evans-to-make-nz-comeback

Leslie Johnson Bruce Johnstone Alan Jones Tom Jones Juan Jover

Wallace team sets return

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/01/30/2643651/wallace-team-sets-return.html

Charles Robert Hamilton IV Charles Robert Hamilton V Kevin Michael Harvick Virgil Ernest Irvan III Kenny Dale Irwin Jr

Study: People Who Bike or Walk to Work Enjoy Their Commutes the Most

A study by Ph.D candidate Oliver Smith at Portland State University found that, of all types of commuters, those who travel by bike rank the highest on measures of well-being. Image: Bike Portland

This news will surprise no one who has discovered the joy that is setting off to work on two wheels, but new research out of Portland State University found that people who bike to work enjoy their commutes the most. People who walk to work are close behind on the commute satisfaction scale.

The finding is based on a survey of commuters from the region conducted by Ph.D candidate Oliver Smith. Jonathan Maus at Network blog Bike Portland heard about the study at a happy hour/transportation geek-out put on by Portland State University’s urban planning school, where students shared research they had recently presented at the Transportation Research Board in D.C.:

I met Oliver Smith, a Ph.D. Candidate in Urban Studies at the Nohad A. Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning at PSU. Smith recently completed a research project titled, Commute Well-being Among Bicycle, Transit, and Car Users in Portland, Oregon (PDF of presentation poster) Based on surveys from 828 people taken during January through February of 2012, he found that commuting to work under your own power “increases commute well-being.” In other words, the happiest commuters are those who walk and bike. Of course I was happy to see that of all modes surveyed, biking made people the happiest (see chart). The lowest measures of commute well-being were recorded by people who drove alone (which is unfortunate because 58% of Portland commuters get to work that way).

Smith’s research also found that people who make over $75,000 per year, and people who are happy with their job and housing situation were more likely to report a high commute well-being. Major factors that dragged down well-being scores included traffic congestion (non-existent for bike riders), crowded transit vehicles, safety concerns (especially for bikers), and travel times longer than 40 minutes (for auto drivers only).

Elsewhere on the Network today: The League of American Bicyclists reports that Atlanta is gearing up to establish itself as a bike-friendly city. Car Free Baltimore shares a list of ideas for making the city more livable in the short term. And Urban Review STL explains why St. Louis needs true high-speed rail to Chicago.

Source: http://streetsblog.net/2013/01/31/study-people-who-bike-or-walk-to-work-enjoy-their-commutes-the-most/

Bill Homeier Kazuyoshi Hoshino Jerry Hoyt Nico Hülkenberg Denny Hulme

Hunt Brothers® Pizza Continues Four Race Primary Sponsorship with Richard Childress Racing and Drivers Kevin Harvick and Ty Dillon for 2013 Nationwide Season

Hunt Brothers Pizza - "Made For Me" Logo
Hunt Brothers Pizza - "Made For Me" Logo
No. 33 Hunt Brothers Pizza to debut at the Texas Motor Speedway in April

NASHVILLE, Tenn., (January 30, 2013) – Hunt Brothers Pizza will be the primary sponsor for four races with Richard Childress Racing’s new 2013 Chevrolet Camaro NASCAR Nationwide Racecar. Kevin Harvick will drive No. 33 at the Texas Motor Speedway on April 13, 2013.

“We are eager for the 2013 NASCAR season and to showcase the Hunt Brothers Pizza paint job on the new Chevrolet Camaro,” said Keith Solsvig, vice president of marketing for Hunt Brothers Pizza. “We want to continue our winning tradition with Kevin Harvick and welcome Ty Dillon to our race team.”

Hunt Brothers Pizza will be a primary sponsor for four Nationwide races, including three races for Kevin Harvick and the No. 33 Chevrolet Camaro and Ty Dillon and the No. 51 Chevrolet Camaro. Throughout the 2013 NASCAR season, the company will also be an associate sponsor for Richard Childress Racing’s Nationwide Series No. 33, No. 2 and No. 51 Chevrolet teams as well as drivers Ty Dillon, Austin Dillon, Brendan Gaughan, and Kevin Harvick. Hunt Brothers Pizza will continue its partnership with Harvick and RCR’s No. 29 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team as a season-long associate sponsor. The four sponsored races include:

April 12 –     Ft. Worth, Texas
May 25 –     Charlotte, North Carolina
July 5 –     Daytona, Florida
July 27 –     Indianapolis, Indiana

“Keith (Solsvig) and his group at Hunt Brothers® Pizza have done a great job with their program and they have a lot of fun doing it,” said Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. “Hunt Brothers Pizza is family owned, which fits in very well with the approach we have at RCR. All of us are proud of the partnership we’ve created and look forward to continued success in 2013 and years to come.”

For more information about Hunt Brothers Pizza or to locate a store near you, visit huntbrotherspizza.com. Follow Hunt Brothers Pizza Racing on Twitter @hbpRacing for news and contest information.

IMAGES available upon request.

About Hunt Brothers Pizza:
With more than 6,800 locations in 28 states, Hunt Brothers® Pizza is the nation’s largest brand of made-to-order pizza in the convenience store industry. Perfect for today’s on-the-go lifestyle, Hunt Brothers Pizza offers original and thin crust pizzas with All Toppings No Extra Charge®, breakfast pizzas, plus Hunt Brothers® Wings and WingBites®. Headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., Hunt Brothers Pizza is family owned and operated with 50 years of experience in offering all of the food products, marketing programs, equipment and training for convenience stores to operate their own turnkey pizza program.

For more information, visit huntbrotherspizza.com.

About Richard Childress Racing:
Richard Childress Racing (http://www.rcrracing.com) has earned more than 200 victories and 14 championships, including six in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with the legendary Dale Earnhardt. RCR was the first organization to win championships in the Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series. Its current Sprint Cup Series lineup includes Paul Menard (No. 27 Menards Chevrolet), Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser/Rheem/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet) and Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar/Wheaties/BB&T Chevrolet). Its Nationwide Series program includes Elliott Sadler (No. 2 OneMain Financial Chevrolet), 2011 Camping World Truck Series champion Austin Dillon (No. 3 AdvoCare/American Ethanol/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) and Harvick/Menard/Brendan Gaughan/Max Papis/Ty Dillon (No. 33 South Point Hotel & Casino/Menards/Hunt Brothers Pizza/Armour Brands/Fast Fixin’/Chevrolet). Harvick/Tim George Jr./Gaughan (No. 2 Applebee’s/South Point Hotel & Casino/Kroger/Tide Chevrolet), Joey Coulter (No. 22 RCR/Armour Brands/Husky Liners/OneMain Financial Chevrolet) and 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards champion Ty Dillon (No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) compete in the 2012 Camping World Truck Series season.

Source: Richard Childress Racing, Press Release

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/catchfence/~3/3jMnuHLHj6I/

Hans Herrmann François Hesnault Hans Heyer Damon Hill Graham Hill

Mystery Mopar Limited Edition Teased Prior to Chicago Debut [2013 Chicago Auto Show]

Working from the inside out, Chrysler has released a single interior image of its upcoming Mopar ’13 limited-edition vehicle. Set to debut next month at the Chicago auto show, the Mopar ’13 follows in the footsteps of the limited-edition Mopar ’10 Dodge Challenger, Mopar ’11 Dodge Charger, and Mopar ’12 Chrysler 300. The sole image provided reveals just one fact about the vehicle, which is that the seats will be upholstered in a brilliant-blue-and-black scheme.

Considering Mopar’s history of introducing features that eventually make their way into rank-and-file Chrysler vehicles, it’s a good bet the Mopar ’13 vehicle will showcase at least one example of custom or performance-enhancing technology. Previous Chrysler and industry firsts introduced on Mopar limited editions include electronic owners manuals, wireless charging for portable devices, and—much to the dismay of teenagers everywhere—EVTS, an electronic tracking system that texts owners when their vehicle exceeds pre-set speed or distance parameters.



“This vehicle is the perfect canvas for personalization and customization,” said Mopar president and CEO Pietro Gorlier. “We couldn’t wait to get our hands on it and give it the Mopar treatment.” We’re sure that Gorlier’s excitement about modifying a mystery Chrysler product is genuine, but it’s just so hard to know for sure without knowing which model, exactly, Chrysler’s go-fast arm is working on. But if the upholstery’s any indicator, regardless of which model the Mopar ’13 turns out to be, it’ll be tough to miss.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/4Ejz0uHXaZI/

Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr Carl Michael Edwards III William Clyde Elliott Jeffrey Michael Gordon Charles Robert Hamilton IV

2015 Volkswagen Golfs Bound For the U.S. will Be Made In Mexico

The U.S.-bound, seventh-generation Volkswagen Golf will be made in Mexico. The German automaker has announced that production of the new, MQB-based model will commence at its Puebla, Mexico, plant in early 2014. VW says that the decision to build the Golf in Mexico safeguards from currency fluctuation, protecting the brand in the fight between the weakening Euro and strong U.S. Golf sales. The Golf will join the Jetta, the Jetta SportWagen, and the Beetle, all of which currently are produced in Mexico.

European markets will continue to get their Golfs from local plants—Puebla-built Golf models are reserved for just the American markets. But the production site should not imply that quality and equipment are inferior to European-built models. Puebla-built Jettas, Beetles, and SportWagens are exported to markets all around the globe, including Germany.



Although the Golf MkVII already is available in Europe, the car won’t be sold in the U.S. some time in the first half of 2014, according to VW of America. Despite the delayed launch, the Golf VII is likely to be worth the wait over the sixth-generation hatchback currently on offer. The 2015 Golf will be significantly lighter and more agile than the MkVI, and it will ditch the five-cylinder engine in favor of a turbocharged four.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/anBiq0swyn0/

Al Herman Hans Herrmann François Hesnault Hans Heyer Damon Hill

Nuerburgring to host grand prix as planned

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/01/31/2645689/nuerburgring-to-host-grand-prix.html

John James Jean Pierre Jarier Max Jean Stefan Johansson Eddie Johnson

Shedlick, Kiss Top 2.4 Hours of Daytona

Jim Shedlick and Norbi Kiss came out on top of the nearly 2000 iRacers competing in last weekend’s 2.4 Hours of Daytona, aka Round Two of the 2013 World Tour of iRacing. Like the Rolex 24 at Daytona itself, the 2.4 Hours of Daytona was not without its challenges (click here for more on that front). In the end, however, the drivers put on a great show – make that 48 great shows over two days – in their Riley Mk XX Daytona Prototypes and McLaren MP4-112C GT3s.

Anthony Roselli bested Riku Alatalo to set fastest DP qualifying time with a lap of 1:35.733, while Fredrik Follestad edged Rens Broekman for the overall pole in the McLaren class with a lap at 1:42.692. As for the online races, it was Roselli leading Shedlick and Chad Holmes home in DP in Friday’s top split, with Trey Cauley finishing a lap up on Tapani Linnaluoto and Paul Williams in the McLaren competition. Saturday saw Shedlick take the DP top split from Jacob Desmarais and Marcus Lindsey while on the McLaren side it was Kiss coming home ahead of Paul Ilbrink and Blake Townend.

When the points were toted-up, the results had Shedlick atop the DP standings with Desmarais and Roselli mounting the second and third steps of the virtual podium and Kiss outpointing Ilbrink and Townend in the MP4-12C GT3 division.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/iracing-news/shedlick-kiss-top-2-4-hours-of-daytona

Gus Hutchison Jacky Ickx Yuji Ide Jesús Iglesias Taki Inoue

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Kubica ‘very comfortable’ in DTM test


Robert Kubica said his DTM test with Mercedes posed no physical problems at all.


The Valencia run on Thursday was the first time that Kubica had driven a high-specification racing car since the horrific rallying accident in February 2011 that left him with multiple fractures and a partially severed right arm.


Kubica completed 114 laps of the Spanish track, initially in wet conditions before the track dried.


“The first installation lap was in the dry, then a few heavy showers of rain came down and we had to wait for the track to dry out,” he said.


“I was able to get to grips with the DTM Mercedes AMG C-coupe and felt very comfortable in the car, even though after my long break it meant adjusting to the high downforce that a state-of-the art DTM race car produces.


“I’m very pleased with my performance on this first day of DTM testing and had no problems whatsoever in the car.”


Robert KubicaMercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff said earlier this week that the test was purely a chance for Kubica to see how he coped in a racing car with downforce.


“We all obviously like Robert. He’s very special. I think what we want to do at Mercedes-Benz is give him a chance of doing a proper test in a proper racing car, seeing how he goes and how he feels,” he said.


“He’s not 100 per cent fit yet. It’s the first time he’s in a car with downforce and I think we have to take it from there.”


Kubica is also working towards a European Rally Championship programme this season, having already won national-level rallies in Italy.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/miscellaneous/dtm/kubica-very-comfortable-in-dtm-test

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

Tandy joins Falken for Sebring

Nick TandyNick Tandy will drive for the Walker Racing-run Falken team at the American Le Mans Series-opening Sebring 12 Hours.


The 28-year-old Briton marked his debut as a Porsche factory driver by taking pole position in the GT class for last weekend’s Daytona 24 Hours.


He will now partner Falken regulars Bryan Sellars and Wolf Henzler in the 911 GT3 RSR at the March 16 event.


“To join Wolf and Bryan, and Derrick Walker’s team is an honour and something I intend to make the most of,” said Tandy, the 2011 Carrera Cup Germany champion.


“The team has been having great results with its partnership with Porsche on both sides of the Atlantic and I hope to be able to contribute to even more development and success.”


Porsche has yet to reveal Tandy’s full programme for 2013.


Last year he was awarded the Porsche Cup for the best season-long performance in Porsche machinery by a non-factory driver. He finished second in the International GT Open as well as winning four races in the ADAC GT Masters.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/tandy-joins-falken-for-sebring

Nanni Galli Oscar Alfredo Gálvez Fred Gamble Howden Ganley Frank Gardner

Name That Shifter, No. 113: 1986 Suzuki Samurai

Name That Shifter

1986 Suzuki Samurai

Shifter No. 113

On Monday, we presented this week’s shifter and asked you to identify the make and model of the vehicle whence it came. The first commenter to correctly identify it as a 1986 Suzuki Samurai was Matt Hadden, who will receive a Save the Manuals button and sticker as a reward.

These Samurai photos are from Suzuki’s 1986 press materials for the little SUV. We previewed the Samurai in our November 1985 issue, noting at the time that the SUV was more of an economy car with charm and a sense of adventure than an all-out Jeep competitor. Still, the Samurai came with a low-range transfer case, significant ground clearance, and steep approach and departure angles of 48 and 39 degrees. Power came from a 1.3-liter four-cylinder making a puny 63 horsepower—but that was reasonably sufficient given the Samurai only weighed a little over 2100 pounds. 1986 Suzuki Samurai interior

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/Y8nENAeSQzE/

Brian Henton Johnny Herbert Al Herman Hans Herrmann François Hesnault

Review: 2013 Cadillac XTS [w/video]

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The Cadillac Of Stopgaps

2013 Cadillac XTS

As confusing as most alphanumeric car names have gotten in recent years, at least one constant has been that the letter "X" is generally indicative of a crossover. Then why did General Motors use this letter on its new 2013 Cadillac XTS luxury sedan? Well, for that, we'll have to look to the world of mathematics where "X" stands for an unknown variable or a placeholder. Now we're talking. The XTS is just an interim product sitting at the top of Cadillac's four-door food chain until the brand gets a true flagship in place. That sounds like a lot of resources to spend on what will likely be a one-and-done model, but the automaker needed to get something - anything - to replace the DTS.

So here you have the 2013 XTS. A big luxury sedan that was created to bridge the gap between Cadillac's recent past and its pending future. Going into our week with this XTS knowing that it was a stopgap measure proved to be both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, we know (or hope) that this car will act as a baseline for future high-end Cadillac models, but at the same time, we couldn't help but be mindful of past stopgap models, albeit in more entry-level segments, like the Cimarron and Catera.

Continue reading 2013 Cadillac XTS [w/video]

2013 Cadillac XTS [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Jan 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/30/2013-cadillac-xts-review-video/

Ruby Tuesday Dodge Carl Edwards Copart Ford Denny Hamlin Z Line Toyota

Tommy Baldwin Racing Pays Homage to Its Heritage

Source: http://www.skirtsandscuffs.com/2013/01/tommy-baldwin-racing-pays-homage-to-its.html

Yuji Ide Jesús Iglesias Taki Inoue Innes Ireland Eddie Irvine

Analysis: Devil in the detail for Lotus

Lotus E21The Lotus E21 is by no means a radical overhaul of its predecessor, but the small changes that have been made are those that should deliver the greatest return.


Technical director James Allison said at the launch on Monday night that the “devil is in the detail” of the latest car from Enstone, and that appears to be borne out by a deeper look at its design.


While it retains the stepped-nose and pushrod suspension concept of its predecessor – and the front and rear wings shown are not the final 2013 version – changes elsewhere should produce a decent step forward.


The car that was launched did not feature the passive double DRS that the outfit hopes will deliver it a straightline speed advantage in 2013.


On the launch car, the biggest change appears to be in the area of exhausts. The outfit has switched to the style of Coanda ramp and tunnel set-up that Red Bull put to such good effect last year.


This concept should deliver Lotus improved downforce, even if it is at the expense of throttle-sensitive handling and a small loss of power.


Team owner Gerard Lopez made it clear this week that one of the strengths of Lotus was that a culture of racing had been harnessed at Enstone.


Lotus E21“The people here feel pretty good about the team,” he said. “There is a special Enstone culture for sure.


“I am not saying they are laidback, but there is a very accepting culture.


“People with differences who handle things in a different way. There is a common denominator though, which is racing.”


That focus means there are no fads or radical elements of the E21 for the sake of it.


It is an approach that may not have delivered headline grabbing attention at the launch, but it is the right way for a team that wants to go racing and win.


* AUTOSPORT will bring a full technical analysis of the Lotus E21 by Craig Scarborough later today.



Lotus E21 launch – full coverage:


Lotus reveals the E21
Raikkonen sure Lotus capable of titles
E21 unveiling gallery
Lotus keeps passive double DRS
Raikkonen keen to prolong comeback
Valsecchi becomes Lotus third driver
Why Lotus was right to keep Grosjean

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/analysis-devil-in-the-detail-for-lotus

Charles Robert Hamilton IV Charles Robert Hamilton V Kevin Michael Harvick Virgil Ernest Irvan III Kenny Dale Irwin Jr

Video: Bizarre Honda Civic explosion triggered by trunk remote

Filed under: , , , ,

Civic Explosion

In most states, it's illegal to transport oxygen and acetylene tanks inside of a closed cabin vehicle. Why? Ask the owner of this 2012 Honda Civic.

Jackie Sugrue's boyfriend, a plumber, left his welding rig inside the vehicle's trunk while the couple went shopping. Unbeknownst to him, the acetylene tank was slowly leaking, filling the whole interior with highly flammable vapors. When the wife hit the remote trunk release, the mechanism generated enough of a charge to ignite the fumes, causing the gas inside to explode. The resulting carnage ripped the little Civic open like can of Pabst at a frat party.

Amazingly, neither Sugrue, her boyfriend, nor anyone else was harmed in the blast, despite the fact that a gentleman in the parking lot next to the Honda was loading his vehicle when the eruption occurred. Vehicles nearby where damaged in the blast, and Sugrue said her trunk lid went flying when she hit the remote. Check out a local news report on the incident in the video below.

Continue reading Bizarre Honda Civic explosion triggered by trunk remote

Bizarre Honda Civic explosion triggered by trunk remote originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Jan 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/29/bizarre-honda-civic-explosion-triggered-by-trunk-remote/

Johnny Herbert Al Herman Hans Herrmann François Hesnault Hans Heyer

Today’s Headlines

  • Full Details About March Fare Hike, Including $1 New MetroCard Fee (2nd Ave SagasGothamistPost)
  • Liu Attends S.I. Anti-Toll Rally; MTA Board Member Rails Against Bridge Tolls Funding Transit (Advance)
  • DOT Eliminates or Adjusts Left Turns After 2010 Study Highlights Danger (Post)
  • Woman Has Cardiac Arrest and Severe Head Trauma After She’s Hit by Driver in Bensonhurst (News)
  • Plans for MetroCard Replacement Remain Vague (2nd Ave Sagas)
  • Post: What Next Year’s Super Bowl “Fan Zone” on Broadway Needs Is More Cars
  • Brooklyn Paper Rounds Up Some NIMBYs for Its South Williamsburg Plaza Plan Story
  • Lhota: Commuter Tax, Gone Since 1999, Should Come Back to Fund City (NewsdayCapNYAdvance)
  • NY Mag Christine Quinn Profile: Her Dad Didn’t Like Congestion Pricing, and She Quotes Jane Jacobs
  • S.I. Advance Ferry Editorial Can’t Help But Mention Bike Lanes (Gothamist)
  • Mott Haven Residents Have Vision for Harlem River Rail Yards — Minus FreshDirect (News)

More headlines at Streetsblog Capitol Hill

Source: http://www.streetsblog.org/2013/01/28/todays-headlines-1559/

Copart Ford Denny Hamlin Z Line Toyota Kyle Busch Toyota Kimmy

Roush Fenway Racing is “Driven” in 2013

Source: http://thefinallap.com/2013/01/25/roush-fenway-racing-is-driven-in-2013/

Terrence Lee Labonte Randy Joseph Lajoie Kevin Paul Lepage William Ashton Lewis Jr Sterling Burton Marlin

Valsecchi becomes Lotus third driver

Davide ValsecchiGP2 champion Davide Valsecchi has been appointed as Lotus’s third driver for the 2013 Formula 1 season.


The Italian, who impressed the team during his outing in last year’s young driver test in Abu Dhabi, is set to attend all of the races in 2013 in his new role and is first in line to stand in for either of the regular drivers should they become unavailable during a race weekend.


His predecessor, Jerome d’Ambrosio, remains on the team’s books as reserve driver.


“I’m really happy that the team want me to be with them and I’m excited about the future,” said Valsecchi. “I hope that this is a really good start to a career in F1.


“My last year in GP2 in 2012 was something I really focused on and in the end I succeeded. Now, in Formula 1, my target will be a little different but my focus to do the very best job is still the same.”


Valsecchi has previously tested for HRT in 2010 and Caterham, which was then still running under the Lotus name, a year later.


Although Lotus has no plans to run him during the 12 days of pre-season testing, which will be shared between race drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean, Valsecchi is confident that his new role is a big step towards an F1 race seat in the future.


“I very much hope, step by step, to get into Formula 1 as a race driver and being here as third driver is as near as you can get,” he said.


“It’s a great opportunity here; if I do the best job I can this year then it will open up my chances for the future and we’ll see if I’m good enough.”


D’Ambrosio still in the mix


D’Ambrosio, who stood in for the banned Grosjean in last year’s Italian Grand Prix, is expected to focus on factory-based work in the simulator. He will largely work on the 2014 car and is not scheduled to attend all of the races.


Jerome d'AmbrosioHowever, he will also remain an option for the team should one of its drivers not be able to race even though Valsecchi is first in line.


“I learned from last year that you need to be ready in order to step straight into a race seat, so my aim will be to keep focused and be prepared,” said d’Ambrosio.


“Of course my ultimate aim is always to gain a race seat, however I know that by doing the best job I can here – and proving myself valuable to the team – I’m in a very good position should an opportunity arise.”


Nicolas Prost also remains on the Lotus roster as a development driver.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/valsecchi-becomes-lotus-third-driver

Stefan Johansson Eddie Johnson Leslie Johnson Bruce Johnstone Alan Jones

Sainz wants to return to the Dakar

Sainz wants to return to the DakarFormer Dakar Rally winner Carlos Sainz says his early retirement from this year’s event has not dissuaded him from returning with Nasser Al-Attiyah’s Qatar Red Bull buggy project in 2014.


Having led after the opening stage, Sainz dropped out of Dakar with an engine fault.


His team-mate Al-Attiyah suffered a similar issue later in the rally and also retired.


Sainz says he is convinced of the buggy’s potential, but with only a small amount of pre-rally testing there was not much chance of a repeat victory.


“First of all, I would like to say it was nice to come back and I don’t regret that decision,” he said.


“We knew the project was very young and now it’s a matter to try and start working. If we start working now, I would like to come back.


“You can do the first year to learn, but to do the second year in the same fashion, I’m not so sure.


“Nasser is clever and he knows what we have to do, and in that way I will be more than happy to help him.


“We can make a strong team, but we need to start working now to have the prospect of a good result. We will make a plan at the latest next month.”

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/sainz-wants-to-return-to-the-dakar

Al Herman Hans Herrmann François Hesnault Hans Heyer Damon Hill

Susie Wolff to increase Williams role

Susie Wolff Williams F1Susie Wolff will increase her development role with the Williams Formula 1 team in the 2013 season.


The former DTM driver joined the team last year, conducting her first F1 test in an older-spec car in October.


This season she will be entrusted with the majority of aerodynamic tests, including the first run of the new FW35 at the Idiada track in Spain, and will also be given a greater level of simulator work.


Williams technical director Mike Coughlan said Wolff had earned the chance with her work during 2012.


“Susie has proved herself to be a valuable addition to our driver roster and her feedback during simulator sessions is second to none,” he said.


Wolff described the promotion as an important step for women in F1 as well as herself.


“Last year was a valuable experience and I certainly feel that I’ve developed a lot as a driver,” she said.


“I’m showing that women can play a role at the top level of motorsport and would like to thank Sir Frank Williams and the whole of the technical team for the trust they continue to show in me.”


Williams’s former test and reserve driver Valtteri Bottas is replacing Bruno Senna in the race team alongside Pastor Maldonado this year.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/susie-wolff-to-increase-williams-role

Danny Kladis Hans Klenk Peter de Klerk Christian Klien Karl Kling

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

NASCAR and Featherlite Trailers Announce Six-Year Partnership Extension

Source: http://www.skirtsandscuffs.com/2013/01/nascar-and-featherlite-trailers.html

Ryan Joseph Newman Kyle Eugene Petty Floyd Anthony Raines Scott Russell Riggs Hiroshi Fushida

Joe Mattioli, III leaves Pocono Raceway to pursue new endeavors

Pocono Raceway Logo
Pocono Raceway Logo
Long Pond, PA (January 28, 2013) ― Joseph R. Mattioli, III, the son of Dr. Rose Mattioli and the late Dr. Joseph Mattioli, announced today that he is stepping down as a member of Pocono Raceway’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee.

Mattioli’s tenure at Pocono started in 1974 following his graduation from Lehigh University and spanned over 40 years, with him serving as a member of the Board of Directors, Executive Committee and as its past President and COO.  In 1995, with Pocono enjoying unprecedented success, Mattioli stepped down as President and COO, but continued to assist the family business as a member of the Board and Executive Committee.

“After college, Joe was heading to law school, but his father asked him to take a year off and help us at the track,” remembered Joe’s mother and Pocono’s current Chairman of the Board, Dr. Rose Mattioli.  “We were still practicing medicine in Philadelphia and needed him there at the track.  One year turned into over 20, and he was very instrumental in the Raceway’s success in the early years.”

Joe Mattioli is especially proud of Pocono’s success through the 70’s and 80’s, when debt service, a hurricane, a recession, an oil crisis and two sanctioning body boycotts during the USAC – CART wars threatened to shut the track down. “This was a family business, so failure was not an option.  With a lot of help, including major assistance from the France and Hulman families, somehow we fought our way to success,” Mattioli concluded.

According to Mattioli, it makes a lot of sense to leave Pocono Raceway’s management structure at this point in his life. “My dad told me that the secret to happiness is to completely change directions about every 15 years, and with the track now in the very capable hands of our next generation, I feel free to do just that,” Mattioli commented.  “My nephews, nieces and sons are the future of Pocono Raceway, and I have no doubt they will continue to provide leadership, meet the challenges and guide Pocono Raceway into the future as my Dad’s legacy had always intended.”

Mattioli’s future plans include focusing more time on non-profit and veterans’ organizations that he supports, such as the Military Warriors Support Foundation, which provides housing assistance to returning veterans, and the Motor Sports Institute, which promotes academic success through engagement with motor racing.  He also plans to develop Group 341, a consulting business he began 2011. With offices in California, Pennsylvania and Oklahoma, Group 341 provides strategic planning, marketing, branding, and event management consulting services.  Group 341 commercial clients include America’s Woodshops and Active International.

The entire Mattioli family, the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee wish to thank Joe for all he has done for the Raceway over the past 40 years and wish him well as he begins the next chapter in his life.

Source: Pocono Raceway, Press Release

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/catchfence/~3/0nCz25lF_ss/

Mack Hellings Brian Henton Johnny Herbert Al Herman Hans Herrmann

GLOBAL iPRINT NAMED OFFICIAL SPONSOR OF NHRA

NHRA
GLENDORA, Calif. Jan. 4, 2012


Global iPrint, a premier printing and distribution company, has signed a three-year agreement to become the "Official Print Sponsor" of NHRA.


Based in Dallas-Ft. Worth, Global iPrint offers a number of printing services including offset printing, digital printing, large-format printing, mailing services, bindery, specialty finishing and distribution. As the preferred printer, Global iPrint will provide a wide array of services to the world's largest motorsports sanctioning body. "Given the enormous printing needs of NHRA throughout the year, Global iPrint will be able to provide professional and timely printing capabilities for all of our applications," said Tony Driscoll, vice president of sales and business development of NHRA.

As part of the multi-year agreement, Global iPrint will provide exclusive incentives and programs for NHRA sponsors, teams and members in hopes to fully integrate its capabilities into the NHRA Drag Racing community. Global iPrint will receive advertising in National DRAGSTER as well as introductions by NHRA to the entire racing community.

"We are excited to get involved with all aspects of NHRA's business," said Brian Rozansky, president of Global iPrint. "Our mission is to create an atmosphere to encourage teamwork and challenge our people to consistently meet and exceed the expectations of our clients. Our core team has been involved in all facets of the printing industry since the early 70s and we want to bring our expertise, technology and industry innovations and advances to bear on behalf of the NHRA community."


Headquartered in Glendora, Calif., NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 23 national events featuring the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by ProCare Rx. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and the NHRA Drags: Street Legal Style presented by AAA. NHRA also offers the Jr. Drag Racing League for youth ages 8 to 17. In addition, NHRA owns and operates five racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Atlanta Dragway in Georgia; National Trail Raceway in Ohio; Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis; and Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in Southern California. For more information, log on to NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

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

Helm Glöckler Paco Godia Carel Godin de Beaufort Christian Goethals Paul Goldsmith

Today’s Trans-Am: Continental Tires Series Starts 2012 Road-Racing Season with a Mustang Win

Continental Tires Series Starts 2012 Road Racing Season with a Mustang Win

Make no mistake, the original Trans-Am series deserves the heady reputation it earned in the early 1970s for fender-to-fender action, but you should know we now have the Continental Tire Series and it’s just as exciting. Okay, this Trans-Am remix might not have the big-name drivers, like Mark Donohue, Parnelli Jones or Sam Posey, but the field makes up for it with tough racing. Better yet, the field is filled with some of our favorite cars: Mustangs, Camaros, BMW M3s, and Aston Martins in the GS field. Move to the ST machines and its Honda Civics, Mazda MX-5s and MazdaSpeed3s, Porsche Boxsters, Nissan Altimas, and BMW 328s.

Continental Tires Series Starts 2012 Road Racing Season with a Mustang Win

This weekend is the first race of the season and from the green flag it looked as though the Aston Martins—one starting from the pole—had the measure of the GS class, but the Stevenson-entered Camaro GS.R hounded it, as did the Rum Bum Porsche 997. In fact, the trio of Astons stayed in the top six right to the end, but it was the Mustang Boss 302 R of Jack Roush’s team, his son, Jack Jr., teaming with Billy Johnson that finally had the lead when the checkered flag came out, the Rum Bum Porsche 997 in second, and an Aston finishing out the GS podium.



In the ST class, the Hondas beat on the Mazdas, the Porsche Boxsters, the BMWs and the Volkswagen Jettas. And what won? A Nissan Altima Coupe, followed by a BMW 128i and a Civic Si.

Continental Tires Series Starts 2012 Road Racing Season with a Mustang Win

Here’s the rest of the series’ schedule for 2013:

March 2: Circuit of the Americas
April 6: Barber Motorsports Park
April 20: Road Atlanta
June 15: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
June 29: Watkins Glen International
July 26: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Aug. 10: Road America
Aug. 17: Kansas Speedway
Sept. 8: Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Sept. 27-28: Lime Rock Park

Continental Tires Series Starts 2012 Road Racing Season with a Mustang Win

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/Bq1WRHqEBw4/

Oscar González Aldo Gordini Horace Gould Jean Marc Gounon Emmanuel de Graffenried