Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Statement from Richard Petty Motorsports

Concord, N.C. (November 22, 2010) ? The following is a statement from Richard Petty regarding plans for the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season and beyond. ?Richard Petty Motorsports has completed its restructuring process and is now in the process of moving forward. RPM will shift from running four cars to two in the NASCAR [...]

Source: http://finallapradio.com/2010/11/22/statement-from-richard-petty-motorsports/

Johnny Mantz Robert Manzon Onofre Marimón Helmut Marko Tarso Marques

Latvala: Hirvonen will return to form

Jari-Matti Latvala says he has no doubt his Ford team-mate Mikko Hirvonen will return to form next season. Hirvonen has suffered his toughest year as a professional driver, enjoying just one World Rally Championship victory this season.

Source: http://www.inracingnews.com/world-rally-championship-news/wrc/latvala-hirvonen-will-return-to-form/

Harry Merkel Arturo Merzario Roberto Mieres Francois Migault John Miles

The Continental: Porsche Impressions and Some News from Lotus, Lincoln, and VW

Each week, our German correspondent slices and dices the latest rumblings, news, and quick-hit driving impressions from the other side of the pond. His byline may say Jens Meiners, but we simply call him . . . the Continental.
This week’s Conti is brought to you from California instead of Europe?I?m on the West Coast as [...]


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  2. The Continental: Mercedes Prototype-Spotting, New Ranger for Everyone Else, and Some Thoughts on Lincoln
  3. The Continental: Infiniti Goes Forward, Porsche Under Watch, and We See the Light

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/YnWJ6RHTWGY/

Stefan Bellof Paul Belmondo Tom Belso JeanPierre Beltoise Olivier Beretta

Oh what a feeling ? as HRT and Toyota agree to disagree...

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/jLrghgDwR44/oh-what-feeling-as-hrt-and-toyota-agree.html

Bill Homeier Kazuyoshi Hoshino Jerry Hoyt Nico Hulkenberg Denny Hulme

ACO reveals ILMC calendar

The 2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup schedule has been unveiled by the series organiser, the ACO. The seven-event series will begin with the American Le Mans Series-opening Sebring 12 Hours in March, and the LMS round at Spa in May before the 24 Hours in June.

Source: http://www.inracingnews.com/3rdparty/aco-reveals-ilmc-calendar/

Pedro Matos Chaves Bill Cheesbourg Eddie Cheever Andrea Chiesa Ettore Chimeri

Avid NASCAR fans turning more to digital media (NASCAR.com)

Avid NASCAR fans turning more to digital media

Source: http://www.nascarracinglive.com/nascar/avid-nascar-fans-turning-more-to-digital-media-nascar-com.html

Emerson Fittipaldi Wilson Fittipaldi Theo Fitzau Pat Flaherty Jan Flinterman

Monday, November 29, 2010

NASCAR: Petty takes back control of RPM

Petty takes back control of RPM Monday, November 29th 2010, 18:38 GMT Richard Petty has taken back full control of his NASCAR team, through buying out former partner George Gillett. Petty, now 73, will serve as chairman of the team and will oversee the daily running of two Fords for AJ Allmendinger and Marcos Ambrose in 2011 Related posts:
  1. NASCAR: Petty vows to continue with two cars Petty vows to continue with two cars By Matt Beer...
  2. Richard Petty says RPM will field 2 cars for 2011 season CONCORD, N.C. -- Richard Petty says he has finished financially...
  3. Richard Petty mum on possible bid to boost investment in Richard Petty Motorsports MARTINSVILLE, Va. -- Richard Petty doesn't plan to let financial...
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Source: http://doxcar.com/nascar-petty-takes-back-control-of-rpm/

Jos Verstappen Sebastian Vettel Gilles Villeneuve Jacques Villeneuve Jacques Villeneuve Sr

MICHAEL LEWIS FINISHES SECOND AT THANKSGIVING GRAND PRIX FORD FOCUS MIDGET EVENT

Michael Lewis Racing Laguna Beach, California, Friday, November 26, 2010 Michael Lewis?s Ford Focus Midget career came to a conclusion on a high note on Thursday, November 25, as he earned a second-place finish during the 70th annual Turkey Night...

Source: http://www.motorsportsjournal.com/archives/2010/11/michael_lewis_finishes_se.php

Elie Bayol Don Beauman Karl Gunther Bechem Jean Behra Derek Bell

MONOGRAM '80 BRONCO - Any Feedback?

Anyone buy and open up the new Bronco re-release?  Feedback?

 

 

Source: http://cs.scaleautomag.com/scacs/forums/thread/924564.aspx

Bernd Schneider Rudolf Schoeller Rob Schroeder Michael Schumacher Ralf Schumacher

Ecclestone injured in London mugging

Bernie Ecclestone was mugged in central London on Wednesday evening, suffering a head injury in the attack.

Source: http://www.inracingnews.com/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/ecclestone-injured-in-london-mugging/

David Murray Luigi Musso Kazuki Nakajima Satoru Nakajima Shinji Nakano

My Brazilian Grand Prix review

Hello everyone, the Brazilian Grand Prix was not a great race, but it was a hugely significant one.

Congratulations to Red Bull for winning the constructors' championship, a new star is born in Williams's Nico Hulkenberg, McLaren seem to have lost the plot, and it's all set for a thrilling finale in Abu Dhabi.

I went to the Beaulieu Museum to film my thoughts on the race and you can watch it here.

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IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE THE UK, CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/murraywalker/2010/11/my_brazilian_grand_prix_review.html

Bob Evans Corrado Fabi Teo Fabi Pascal Fabre Carlo Facetti

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Blaney Prepares For First Snowball Derby

Ryan Blaney will attempt to make his first in the annual Snowbally Derby in December at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Fla.

Source: http://www.inracingnews.com/nascar-news/nascar/blaney-prepares-for-first-snowball-derby/

Chris Bristow Peter Broeker Tony Brooks Alan Brown Walt Brown

5 Questions Before ... Ford 400

Source: http://www.skirtsandscuffs.com/2010/11/5-questions-before-ford-400.html

Ukyo Katayama Ken Kavanagh Rupert Keegan Eddie Keizan Al Keller

Racing rookie shows she's a fast learner

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/11/27/828418/racing-rookie-shows-shes-a-fast.html

Bertrand Gachot Patrick Gaillard Divina Galica Nanni Galli Oscar Alfredo Gálvez

The dust settles

Source: http://www.metrof1.com/blogs/metrof1/2010/11/the-dust-settles.html

Ben Pon Dennis Poore Alfonso de Portago Sam Posey Charles Pozzi

Towler Honored at NASCAR Sprint Cup Finale

NASCAR Championship Scenarios as Finish Line Nears for 2010

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Denny Hamlin
certainly had plenty of frustration boiling over after late-race strategy failed to work in his favor. So, he took a water bottle and threw it Sunday in Phoenix.

The temperament, however, may be unjustified: Hamlin heads into Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup season-finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the proverbial driver's seat to win the 2010 crown.

Sure, the Virginia driver is sporting just a 15-point lead and could lose it by finishing second to Jimmie Johnson at Homestead.

But if that happens, Hamlin will be just the third driver in NASCAR's modern points system era to lose the championship in the season's final race. The first was 1979 when Richard Petty beat Darrell Waltrip and the second in 1992 when Alan Kulwicki topped Davey Allison.

Hamlin, however, clinches his fate by simply leading the most laps and finishing second or better. If Hamlin pulls that feat while Jimmie Johnson wins, the two will finish tied in the point standings.

 

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Source: http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2010/11/17/nascar-championship-scenarios-as-finish-line-nears-for-2010/

Eric van de Poele Jacques Pollet Ben Pon Dennis Poore Alfonso de Portago

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Honda Unveils Two-Motor Plug-In Hybrid System

In addition to the Honda Fit EV concept unveiled at the L.A. auto show, the big “H” rolled out a plug-in hybrid platform intended for use in a mid-size sedan. Like the disembodied Delahayes and Duesenbergs crowding the chassis class at the more enlightened concours (have you ever paid attention to how beautiful a chassis [...]


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  3. Honda to Launch Next-Gen Civic Hybrid in 2011, Full-Electric and Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles by 2012

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

Mike MacDowel Herbert MacKayFraser Bill Mackey Lance Macklin Damien Magee

Asia/Australia Intel GP Final Field Set

AMA Pro Road Racing Revises AMA Pro SuperSport Class for 2011

AMA Pro Racing DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (November 23, 2010) AMA Pro Racing's exciting SuperSport class will undergo some subtle changes in configuration for the 2011 season. The segregated Top Gun and Young Gun class within the class structure has been...

Source: http://www.motorsportsjournal.com/archives/2010/11/ama_pro_road_racing_revis.php

Gino Munaron David Murray Luigi Musso Kazuki Nakajima Satoru Nakajima

Hendrick makes big changes

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/11/24/822716/hendrick-makes-big-changes.html

Adolfo Schwelm Cruz Bob Scott Archie Scott Brown Piero Scotti Wolfgang Seidel

Mortara not expecting F1 opening

Edoardo Mortara may have earned a place in motor racing's history books by becoming the first man to win the Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix for a second time - but he is not expecting the feat to unlock doors into Formula 1. The Italian achieved something that no one else has managed to do since Macau became an F3 event in 1983 as he took his second successive triumph in Sunday's street race. And although the list of former Macau winners includes F1 stars like Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, and David Coulthard, Mortara is well aware of just how much money talks in terms of moving up to grand prix racing.

Source: http://www.inracingnews.com/3rdparty/mortara-not-expecting-f1-opening/

Vincenzo Sospiri Stephen South Mike Sparken Scott Speed Mike Spence

'41 Willys Gasser

 This is my older build also. It's the Revell Motorsport kit or something... Built pretty much box stock exept plug wires... Engine is Hemi, there are plug wires installed and otherwise it's box stock.

Chassis is just typical to gasser, no anything "not needed" stuff... Kit parts used there. Interior is black, I left that rear "wall" away, and built it just with box parts. Nothing special.

Body is painted by blue and there is no any special things, just clear on it. Decals came with the kit.

Now I'm feeling like that I just can't write anymore so if I forgot something, ask me, I will answer to you.

 

 

 

Thank you for looking, comments are welcome.

Source: http://cs.scaleautomag.com/scacs/forums/thread/923490.aspx

Menato Boffa Bob Bondurant Felice Bonetto Jo Bonnier Roberto Bonomi

Friday, November 26, 2010

De La Rosa Must Find ?10million To Secure HRT Seat

Nissan Ellure Concept ? Auto Shows

This concept hints at the styling direction of future Nissan sedans, and it foreshadows a new hybrid system, too.
Full disclosure: Your author is not a woman, nor is he in his 30s or 40s. So when we were given a preview of the Nissan Ellure concept in a Metro Detroit conference room a few weeks [...]


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

Chase Coverage: Homestead Wrap-Up Report

Source: http://www.skirtsandscuffs.com/2010/11/chase-coverage-homestead-wrap-up-report.html

Ken Miles Andre Milhoux Chet Miller Gerhard Mitter Stefano Modena

Oh what a feeling ? as HRT and Toyota agree to disagree...

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/jLrghgDwR44/oh-what-feeling-as-hrt-and-toyota-agree.html

Gino Bianco Hans Binder Clemente Biondetti Pablo Birger Art Bisch

Denny Hamlin Leads Title Contenders in Final NASCAR Practice

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HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- After struggling in opening practice Friday and qualifying a disappointing 37th for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season finale, championship leader Denny Hamlin showed some signs of progress, posting a top-five speed in Saturday's final practice session -- best among the three drivers in contention for the title.

Hamlin's lap of 169.284 mph in the No. 11 FedEx Toyota was fourth best in Happy Hour -- as the final practice is called -- well off Kasey Kahne's pole-winning mark of nearly 177 mph, but ahead of his closest championship rivals. Four-time defending series champ Jimmie Johnson, who trails Hamlin by 15 points in the title hunt, was 22nd fastest in final practice, while Kevin Harvick, who is 46 points behind Hamlin, was 29th fastest.

"I feel pretty good about my car,'' said Hamlin, who made a beeline from the garage to his team transporter after practice. "I feel like we have a better car than the 48 (Johnson). I feel like the 29 (Harvick) is maybe a hair better than us, but we are always a little bit slower in practice than what we are in the race.

"I'm confident that we're going to have a good day tomorrow. We've just got to make sure we stay on the right strategy.''

Harvick, whose Richard Childress Racing teammate Jeff Burton was fastest on the day, was similarly satisfied with his team's preparation -- so much so that he parked his No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevy before the session ended.

"I'm excited,'' said Harvick. "It should be a fun day tomorrow.''

 

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Source: http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2010/11/20/denny-hamlin-leads-title-contenders-in-final-nascar-practice/

Anthony Davidson Jimmy Davies Colin Davis Jimmy Daywalt JeanDenis Deletraz

Ferrari chief drives the new Lancia Stratos revival [video]

Luca de Montezemolo slips into the Stratos and takes it for a spin around Ferrari's Fiorano race track in Maranello, Italy.

Source: http://feeds.worldcarfans.com/~r/worldcarfans/Jxfz/~3/rjd3aaMevb4/ferrari-chief-drives-the-new-lancia-stratos-revival-video

JeanChristophe Boullion Sebastien Bourdais Thierry Boutsen Johnny Boyd David Brabham

Thursday, November 25, 2010

2011 Porsche Cayman R ? Auto Shows

The Cayman reasserts itself as quite possibly the most desirable Porsche.
As much as we like the Porsche 911, the Cayman is better to drive in many ways, thanks in large part to its lighter weight and optimal mid-engine layout. But Porsche has been careful to keep the Cayman in its place, limiting horsepower and [...]


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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/qfrPxxizv0E/

Jody Scheckter Harry Schell Tim Schenken Albert Scherrer Domenico Schiattarella

?Hollywood? Rolls Through Tucson

Johnny "Hollywood" Herrera (center) won Friday's ASCS Lucas sprint-car feature at Arizona's USA Raceway. He shared the podium with Danny Lasoski (left) and Joey Saldana

Source: http://www.inracingnews.com/stewart/%e2%80%98hollywood%e2%80%99-rolls-through-tucson/

Joie Chitwood Bob Christie Johnny Claes David Clapham Jim Clark†

Sordo waiting on Ford offer

Dani Sordo says he will wait on word from Ford before responding to the offer he has from Mini for next season. The Spaniard has been approached by Mini to be part of its entry into the World Rally Championship, but is holding out for a possible Ford drive before committing.

Source: http://www.inracingnews.com/world-rally-championship-news/wrc/sordo-waiting-on-ford-offer/

JeanLouis Schlesser Jo Schlesser Bernd Schneider Rudolf Schoeller Rob Schroeder

2012 Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Spyder Performante ? Auto Shows

The Superleggera treatment for the open-top Gallardo.
Most people who drive the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder invariably come away depressed, thinking the same thing: With 552 hp, a 0-to-60-mph time of about 3.5 seconds, and a claimed top speed of 201 mph, this thing is too damned slow. Lamborghini gets it. Although public attention is focused [...]


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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/tpYr0phZIlE/

Giorgio Bassi Erwin Bauer Zsolt Baumgartner Elie Bayol Don Beauman

Repaved Daytona Will Have Goodyear Tire Test Dec. 15-16

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Goodyear Tire Company will conduct a tire test on the freshly repaved 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway on Dec. 15-16, the speedway announced Saturday.

The NASCAR drivers who will participate in the test will be announced at a later date, the speedway said.

"This test is going to be important for Goodyear as they construct a tire for Speedweeks 2011 and the 53rd annual Daytona 500," said speedway President Joie Chitwood III.

The Goodyear tire test will open to the public with free access to the Oldfield Grandstands through the lobby of the Daytona International Speedway ticket office.

 

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Source: http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2010/11/20/repaved-daytona-will-have-goodyear-tire-test-dec-15-16/

Cliff Allison Fernando Alonso Giovanna Amati George Amick Red Amick

Speedway Children?s Charities Distributed More Than $725,000 To Local Organizations during Opening Night of Carolina Christmas

Charlotte Motor SpeedwayCONCORD, N.C. (Nov. 24, 2010) - Speedway Children’s Charities donated in excess of $725,000 to organizations in the Charlotte, N.C., region benefiting area children during the grand opening of Carolina Christmas, Nov. 22 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. In a special presentation Monday night, the dollar amount donated was unveiled in a LED, or...more»

Source: http://www.catchfence.com/2010/arca/11/24/speedway-childrens-charities-distributed-more-than-725000-to-local-organizations-during-opening-night-of-carolina-christmas/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=speedway-childrens-charities-distributed-more-than-725000-to-local-organizations-during-opening-night-of-carolina-christmas

Huub Rothengatter Basil van Rooyen Lloyd Ruby JeanClaude Rudaz Eddie Russo

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Jean-Marie Balestre Dies

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Blogvasion/FormulaOne/~3/iY-zmsnMhdI/jean-marie-balestre-dies.html

Jack McGrath Brian McGuire Bruce McLaren Allan McNish Graham McRae

Speeding Penalty Derails Kevin Harvick's NASCAR Title Run

Filed under: , , ,

HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- Kevin Harvick and his team owner, Richard Childress, were diplomatic in the moments following Sunday's Ford 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Diplomatic, but not satisfied. Harvick was not happy.

Harvick, who entered the final race in third place in the championship -- 46 points behind Denny Hamlin -- had positioned himself to make a heroic, if unlikely run at his first title, dethroning four-time champ Jimmie Johnson and capitalizing on Hamlin's Sunday afternoon of misfortune.

After racing near the front all day, Harvick exited the pits in first place for a restart on lap 188 of the 267-lap race -- only to be penalized for speeding on pit road (right).

NASCAR said his No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet was too fast entering the pits and he was sent to rear of the lead-lap cars, dropping him back to 29th place. Harvick was understandably livid on the team radio when he received the news and still maintained after the race that he was directly behind a car -- on its bumper -- and therefore couldn't have been speeding.

"I don't think that penalty will ever settle in my stomach,'' Harvick said in a post-race press conference. "When you read me off of my pit road times of 49.6, 49.4 50.8 and then 49.6; and there's only a handful people that get to see them, I won't ever settle for that.

"I don't know how you can be speeding when you're on the bumper in front of you and if the other guy is not speeding. So that's about it. ''

 

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Source: http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2010/11/21/speeding-penalty-derails-kevin-harvicks-nascar-title-run/

Fred Gamble Howden Ganley Frank Gardner Billy Garrett Jo Gartner

Will The Incredible Hulk have to go back to his Day Job next year?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/5VPXZbK90lY/will-incredible-hulk-have-to-go-back-to.html

Nelson Piquet† Nelson Piquet Jr Renato Pirocchi Didier Pironi Emanuele Pirro

Domenicali praises Alonso

Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali hailed Fernando Alonso’s pole-to-flag Singapore Grand Prix triumph as an “exceptional performance”. Alonso produced a flawless display for 61 laps under the lights of the Marina Bay street circuit that included two safety car periods … Continue reading

Source: http://nascar-news-update.com/domenicali-praises-alonso/

Luigi Piotti David Piper Nelson Piquet† Nelson Piquet Jr Renato Pirocchi

A case of what could have been?

It took all 19 races in this year’s Formula 1 season to crown a Champion. For the first time in five years the Championship wasn’t decided at the Interlagos circuit in Brazil, but at the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi. Four drivers went into the race with a chance of becomming World Champion and ultimately the best man came out ...

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/peOmVrEO-6w/a-case-of-what-could-have-been

Dorino Serafini Chico Serra Doug Serrurier Johnny ServozGavin Tony Settember

Vettel keeps cool to fulfil destiny

Sebastian Vettel was choking back tears as he tried to respond to his team's congratulations after he won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to clinch an unlikely first world drivers' title. They were tears of disbelief as much as joy.

The German and his Red Bull car have been the fastest combination on the Formula 1 grid all year but a mixture of driver errors, mechanical failures and pure bad luck had meant that Vettel - who replaces Lewis Hamilton as the youngest world champion in history - had never led the title chase heading into the final race of the season.

Starting from pole position but 15 points adrift of Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, who was directly behind him on the grid in third place, the title looked a long way away for the 23-year-old.

But Vettel did everything he needed to do by driving a race of cool maturity as things began to unravel for Alonso and Ferrari almost from the start.

A lost place to Jenson Button off the line was a minor inconvenience for the Spaniard, but the title was lost with a catastrophic strategic call to mirror the decision of another championship protagonist, Vettel's team-mate Mark Webber, to stop early for fresh tyres.

It put Alonso back in the pack of midfield runners, breaking the cardinal rule of all F1 strategy moves - keep track position and if you don't make sure you have clear air in which to run at your maximum pace. Stuck behind Renault's Vitaly Petrov, Alonso had neither, and the Ferrari driver was at the mercy of Vettel's result.

Vettel did what he has proved more than capable of all year - made no mistakes when running in the lead, reeling off the laps to the chequered flag.

It was an incredible final twist to end an astonishing season, one that will go down as one of the greatest in F1 history.

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It was the first time four drivers had ever gone into the final race all with a chance of the title - and a fifth, Button, was only knocked out of the reckoning seven days ago in Brazil.

What has made 2010 so compelling was to have so many superb drivers competing in cars that were relatively evenly matched.

For Alonso, Hamilton and Button, though, the season was always a rear-guard battle fighting a faster car in the Red Bull, and they were able to compete only because of the mistakes made by that team and both their drivers.

For all Vettel's stunning qualifying pace and coolness when leading, he is less convincing when not in first place.

He crashed into Webber while trying to pass him for the lead in Turkey, got a puncture at the start in Silverstone after making an ill-advised decision to sit it out around the outside of Webber at the first corner, and inexplicably rammed into Button after losing control behind him in Belgium.

His talent may still have some rough edges, but it is of the highest quality, and he has made a convincing case this season that he can now be considered in the same breath as F1's two benchmarks - Alonso and Hamilton.

Vettel shot to prominence in F1 with his performances for Red Bull feeder team Toro Rosso in 2008, culminating with a brilliant victory in the wet at the Italian Grand Prix.

Back then, his image was all positive. He was young, fast, approachable and had a sense of humour - he was that most unlikely thing, an Anglophile German who liked The Beatles and Fawlty Towers.

Since then, he has displayed a darker side to his character, and the steeliness and ruthlessness all great F1 champions need has been fully in evidence this season as he and Webber have gone toe-to-toe at Red Bull and sparks flew.

It was obvious Vettel was going to be the man to beat this season from the moment he took pole for the first race of the season in Bahrain and led until a spark plug failure handed victory to Alonso.

Vettel lost another victory two weeks later in Australia thanks to a wheel-nut failure and had he won those two races perhaps the pressure would have been off and he would have led comfortably throughout the season.

Thankfully, for the sake of the championship battle, that is not what happened.

Two superb wet-weather wins for Button in the space of three races put him in the lead; Webber took over after dominating in Spain and Monaco; Hamilton took his place at the top after back-to-back wins in Turkey and Canada; Webber took it back; and then it was Alonso's turn after a quite superb late-season run of form.

As Vettel put it on Sunday: "All of us could write a book about races we should have finished in higher positions. We have all had so many ups and downs. It has been a tough season mentally to ignore what people were saying and always get your own thing done."

It has been an intensely competitive year and the pressure on everyone was huge throughout, but Vettel and Red Bull always had the consoling thought that they were the fastest thing on the grid.

Still, though, it had looked as if the drivers' title was going to slip through their fingers. And what appeared as if it was going to be the decisive turning point of the season occurred at the Korean Grand Prix two races ago, when Vettel - under intense pressure from Alonso - suffered an engine failure.

That put Alonso 11 points clear of Webber, and the manic cackle he gave over the radio at the end of the race - a mixture of joy, surprise and disbelief - summed up everything about the Spaniard's unlikely fightback from being 47 points off the championship lead after the British Grand Prix.

In Abu Dhabi, though, Ferrari again found themselves at the mercy of a faster car. Caught between deciding whether to cover Webber's early stop and Vettel disappearing up the road, Alonso's engineers chose what in hindsight was the wrong option. As Red Bull chief technical officer Adrian Newey said after the race, had Alonso stayed out, he would probably have finished fourth. Which would have made him world champion.

Alonso had been adamant before the race that this would have been a great season for him no matter what happened in the championship, and although clearly gutted he stuck to that line after the race.

"If we didn't stop, Webber would probably overtake us; if we stop, we let (Nico) Rosberg and Petrov overtake us," he said. "Very difficult call.

"Next year we try again. But it was [a] very good [season] for me, especially after two years of some difficulties, coming back to winning races, fighting for the championship in the last races.

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"I won five races, I overtook in victories Niki Lauda, Juan Manuel Fangio, some great names, and I'm sure with this team it is very possible to fight for championships in the future, so I am happy."

Forget all the nonsense about team orders at the German Grand Prix, Alonso would have been a fully deserving world champion. In fact, no matter who won it there wasn't going to be a bad one in 2010 and in Vettel there can be no doubt that the sport has a good one.

This is a man who is going to be at the heart of F1 for years to come. There will be many more victories, probably many more titles. And at 23, who knows, even his friend Michael Schumacher's record of seven titles and 91 victories might be vulnerable.

To get there, though, he will have to beat the likes of Alonso and Hamilton, who are not going anywhere in a hurry, as well as Renault's Robert Kubica, a man who this year convinced even his doubters that he will be a major force once he gets his hands on a competitive car.

In 2011, the same top drivers will be with the same teams, and there is every reason to believe it could be just as good as 2010, perhaps even better. Bring it on.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2010/11/vettel_keeps_cool_to_fulfil_de.html

David Clapham Jim Clark† Kevin Cogan Peter Collins Bernard Collomb

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Kahne takes first pole at Toyota

Kasey Kahne claimed his first pole position at the wheel of a Red Bull Racing Toyota, while Jimmie Johnson beat his title rivals in qualifying for Sunday's NASCAR Cup season finale at Homestead. In only his fifth outing at the wheel of the #83 Camry, Kahne was able to make the most of the improving track conditions late in qualifying to beat the standing benchmark set by last week's winner Carl Edwards. His lap of 30.525 seconds was at an average speed of 176.904mph

Source: http://www.inracingnews.com/nascar-news/nascar/kahne-takes-first-pole-at-toyota/

Walt Faulkner William Ferguson Maria Teresa de Filippis Ralph Firman Ludwig Fischer

Garage to Condo: The Case for Convertible Parking Space

In many of our cities right now, there’s a built environment devoted to parking that rivals retail or even office space.
What will all this garage space look like in 10 years? Or 20? Will a changing energy landscape and increased investment in non-automotive modes of transportation turn all this structured parking into massive concrete echo [...]

Source: http://streetsblog.net/2010/11/19/garage-to-condo-the-case-for-convertible-parking-space/

Mark Donohue Robert Doornbos Ken Downing Bob Drake Paddy Driver

2011 Hyundai Elantra unveiled in LA

Essentially a rebadged Avante, the Elantra features a Fluidic Sculpture design with four-door coupe styling.

Source: http://feeds.worldcarfans.com/~r/worldcarfans/Jxfz/~3/gVKt2AvvbLA/2011-hyundai-elantra-unveiled-in-la

Archie Scott Brown Piero Scotti Wolfgang Seidel Gunther Seiffert Ayrton Senna†

For Lotus fans?

I have tried to explain the situation between Group Lotus and Team Lotus, which is obviously a source of considerable confusion. I have recently been sent details of link to a website which explains the situation in a very clear and concise way. I have no idea who is involved with the website, although I [...]

Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2010/11/20/for-lotus-fans/

Alberto Ascari Peter Ashdown Ian Ashley Gerry Ashmore Bill Aston

Canadian Grand Prix 2010 Practice gallery


Formula One returned to Canada after a 2 year absence. Check out this gallery of the practice sessions for the 2010 Canadian Grand Prixhttp://1.bp.blogspot.com/_f2dCclIT9q8/TBPcUFUH8rI/AAAAAAAAGTs/lcOG1OcVfQY/s1600/Canadian+Grand+Prix+2010+Practice+gallery.jpg


Credit : Daylife, F1Fanatic

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/F1InsightAFormula1Blog/~3/7NEI9zqHHaQ/canadian-grand-prix-2010-practice.html

Heini Walter Rodger Ward Derek Warwick John Watson Spider Webb

New Faces in Formula One in 2009?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Blogvasion/FormulaOne/~3/q21tcwn2j0Y/new-faces-in-formula-one-in-2009.html

Jacques Laffite Franck Lagorce Jan Lammers Pedro Lamy Chico Landi

Monday, November 22, 2010

Infineon Raceway Honors Jimmie Johnson with ?48 Championship Special? Ticket Offer

Infineon RacewaySONOMA, Calif. (Nov. 22, 2010) ? Infineon Raceway is celebrating Jimmie Johnson’s historical fifth consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship with a very special ticket offer for the Toyota/Save Mart 350 on Sunday, June 26. For just 48 hours, race fans can purchase the ?48 Championship Special,? which gets you a reserved seat above...more»

Source: http://www.catchfence.com/2010/sprintcup/11/22/infineon-raceway-honors-jimmie-johnson-with-48-championship-special-ticket-offer-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=infineon-raceway-honors-jimmie-johnson-with-48-championship-special-ticket-offer-2

Larry Perkins Henri Pescarolo Alessandro PesentiRossi Josef Peters Ronnie Peterson

Pirelli suspects debris caused failure

Pirelli suspects that debris on the track caused the tyre failure suffered by Sebastian Vettel in the closing minutes of today's tyre test in Abu Dhabi. The world champion sustained the failure on his right rear wheel, but had no problem bringing the car to a halt safely

Source: http://www.inracingnews.com/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/pirelli-suspects-debris-caused-failure/

Luigi Villoresi Emilio de Villota Ottorino Volonterio Jo Vonlanthen Ernie de Vos

Your classic grand prix - race 19

The 1993 Portuguese Grand Prix is our chosen race for the final edition of our classic Formula 1 series this year.

That means we will broadcast the full 'Grand Prix' highlights programme shown on BBC Two at the time, as well as the shorter highlights edit that we have cut for all our choices.

That 'Grand Prix' programme is embedded below, with the shorter highlights clips linked underneath. There are also short and long versions of last year's inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

In order to see this content you need to have both Javascript enabled and Flash installed. Visit BBC Webwise for full instructions. If you're reading via RSS, you'll need to visit the blog to access this content.


Watch short highlights of the 1979 US Grand Prix East
Watch short highlights of the 1988 Portuguese Grand Prix
Watch short highlights of the 1991 Mexican Grand Prix
Watch short highlights of the 1993 Portuguese Grand Prix
Watch short highlights of the 2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Watch long highlights of the 2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

The classic races will be available on the BBC red button in the UK on satellite and cable from 2200 GMT on Wednesday 10 November until 1300 GMT on Friday 12 November. On Freeview, they will be available between first and second practice on Friday (approximately 1040-1240 GMT).

The 1993 Portuguese Grand Prix is a fascinating race, not only for the action on the track, but also for the fact that it has something of a fin de si裬e feeling about it.

It was an event that, in hindsight, seems to encapsulate the passing of the torch from one generation to the next.

It was the race at which the great Alain Prost clinched his fourth, and final, world championship title, and at which he announced his retirement, not willing to go toe-to-toe again with Ayrton Senna, who had signed to drive in 1994 for Williams, where Prost drove in 1993.

The Frenchman won the title by finishing second to an emerging star called Michael Schumacher. The German's Benetton was slower than Prost's Williams but Schumacher defended his lead with all the lack of compromise for which he was to become notorious in future years.

Meanwhile, McLaren gave a debut to another promising talent, a certain Mika Hakkinen.

The Finn would go on to win two world titles in 1998 and 1999, becoming the man to push Schumacher hardest until the emergence of Fernando Alonso, but was, at this stage of his career, McLaren's test driver.

Hakkinen had driven for struggling Lotus in 1991-2, but moved to McLaren in a downgraded role in 1993 on the promise of being given a chance to race at some stage.

That chance came in Portugal, after team boss Ron Dennis had grown frustrated by the continuing struggles of Michael Andretti.

Hakkinen wowed F1 by outqualifying Senna on his debut. The great Brazilian was very far from amused.

Senna wasted no time in dispensing with Hakkinen in the race, but the Finn had made his point - this was a special talent awaiting the chance to blossom.

So, it is a superb race, laden with symbolism.

As I explained in my blog on Tuesday, though, all the choices this time were great in their own way.

There was a victory by the incomparable Gilles Villeneuve at Watkins Glen in 1979, his final win in a year that established him as the finest driver in the world, following a battle with Alan Jones of Williams, whose race ended when he accelerated away from a tyre stop too soon and he lost a wheel.

And in Portugal in 1988, there is one of the defining episodes in the bitter battle between Prost and Senna, when Senna pushed Prost so close to the pit wall in trying to defend the lead that those holding signalling boards had to move them out of the way.

Finally, there is a fight between team-mates in a great car, with Riccardo Patrese getting the better of Williams team-mate Nigel Mansell in the 1991 Mexican Grand Prix despite the Italian suffering from a stomach upset.

I hope you enjoy them.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2010/11/your_classic_grand_prix_-_race_6.html

Hans Joachim Stuck Otto Stuppacher Danny Sullivan Marc Surer John Surtees

Red Bull planning for long Vettel stay

400x400_1280599852_spt_ai_hungariangrandprix_sat_46

Red Bull expect will remain with them for at least the next three years.

The German, who earlier this month became the 2010 world champion, only moved to Red Bull last year and the team are keen to tie him down to a new long-term contract.

However, Red Bull advisor, Helmut Marko, told Express: "Let's be clear, there is not ...

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/UNkWEapguac/red-bull-planning-for-long-vettel-stay

Dick Rathmann Jim Rathmann Roland Ratzenberger Hector Rebaque Brian Redman

Preorder Saab 9-4X, get a free iPad?

Filed under: , , , , ,

2012 Saab 9-4X - Click above for high-res image gallery

Saab is giving the 500 people the chance to pre-order a Saab 9-4X with an Apple iPad thrown in once they take delivery of Trollhättan's latest. At the 9-4X pre-order site, you can register to have an area dealer get in touch with you. You'll be contacted in mid-January to set up an appointment and place your order for an iPad, which will cost you $500, plus tax. On top of that $500, you'll put a deposit down on the 9-4X as well - an amount to be determined by the dealer.

So where's the love, you ask? If you take delivery of the vehicle, Saab will discount the price of your vehicle deposit and the $500 price of that 16GB wifi iPad (which costs $499 at the Apple store). If you change your mind and don't take delivery, the dealer will refund the vehicle deposit and you get to keep the iPad... that you paid for. Either way, you lose nothing and you gain an iPad. If you don't want the iPad you can pre-order anyway if you're one of the first 500.

Got it? Good. The program runs from January 15 to February 28, 2011, so you have some time to work out the math and your iPad need. Or more precisely, you have until 500 other people get in line before you. Hat tip to Ben!



Photos copyright (C)2010 Jeff Glucker / AOL

[Source: Saab]

Preorder Saab 9-4X, get a free iPad? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Nov 2010 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2010/11/22/preorder-saab-9-4x-get-a-free-ipad/

Syd van der Vyver Fred Wacker David Walker Peter Walker Lee Wallard

How NASCAR's Chase dozen did

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/11/21/818347/how-nascars-chase-dozen-did.html

Ernie de Vos Bill Vukovich Syd van der Vyver Fred Wacker David Walker

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Sebastian Vettel: ?I did not know if it was enough or not??

Sebastian Vettel said he was struggling to find the right words when he met the media after his amazing World Championship victory in Abu Dhabi, but that didn’t stop him coming out with some entertaining soundbites. The German didn?t know … Continue reading

Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2010/11/14/sebastian-vettel-i-did-not-know-if-it-was-enough-or-not/

Pedro Lamy Chico Landi Hermann Lang Claudio Langes Nicola Larini

John Force Wins 15th NHRA Funny Car Championship

John Force won an unprecedented 15th National Hod Rod Association Funny Car championship at Pomona, Ca., Sunday, coming back from serious injuries in 2007 to win his first title since 2006.

Force, 61, clinched the title in the quarterfinals after points leader Matt Hagan was defeated in an upset by Bob Tasca. Force then went on to the win the race as well, his sixth victory of the year.

He is the oldest champion in NHRA history, but his career was jeopardized by the bad crash in Dallas in 2007 that left him with injuries that took him two years to fully recover from.

The NHRA also crowned its youngest champion Sunday -- 20-year-old Pro Stock Motorcycle rider LE Tonglet.

Larry Dixon clinched his third Top Fuel championship Sunday. It was his first since he won back-to-back titles in 2002-03. Antron Brown was the top fuel winner in the race.

Hagan came into the event 38 points ahead of Force, but after Hagan's first-round loss, Force needed to win two rounds, and he won those with two strong runs.

 

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Source: http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2010/11/14/john-force-wins-15th-nhra-funny-car-championship/

Renzo Zorzi Ricardo Zunino Carlo Abate George Abecassis Kenny Acheson