Monday, October 31, 2011
Dan Wheldon Tribute 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup at Talladega
Another, very emotional tribute to Dan Wheldon from the NASCAR Good Sam Club 500 Pre Race, it also gives a inside look into a drivers mind when tragedies like this happen, and how the motorsport family comes together. Nicole Briscoe did an exceptional job during the entire Tribute Related Reading: NASCAR Sim Racing Great Moments [...]
Vettel becomes Youngest ever Double ?Weldmeister!
Newly anointed 2011 World Champion ?Zebb Vettel celebrates title win with ?JENSE on Suzuka podium... (Source: grandprix.com)
So this year?s Formula 1 title fight seemed most Anti-climatic compared towards last year?s knuckle-biter - as the outcome this weekend seemed a forgone conclusion compared to last year?s thriller...
As its funny how there was no impetus to stay up into the ?Wee hours watching history being made vs. arising at Oh DARK-30 last year in order to watch the unthinkable, as I?d already thrown in the towel upon Master ?Zebb?s title aspirations - and begrudgingly ceded the title to ?Ferdi-the-Putz? (Fred Alonso) instead - before reveling in Vitaly ?VO5? Petrov tellin? Fredrico Suave he was Numero Uno! By giving the Spaniard the ?Byrd and a dose ?O his own medicine by holding off the Double World ?Champ-PEE-on for sixth place upon the Yas Island Marina circuit last November...
Sebastian: You are World Champion - Can you Confirm that; Please!
Yet after Scribblin? my riveting Salute to the youngest ever World Champion last year - being elated by Master ?Zebb?s title snatching feat; a ?Juan certain Indiana Bureau Chief tried putting the Kybosh upon my excitement by telling me that Vettel was NO Alonso! Alas, Fernando was BETTER then Sebastian... (Apparently a Worldwide phenomena, eh?) WTF? As this has stuck in my ?Craw for nearly one year now...
Driver: Alonso VettelStarts: 173 77Wins: 27 19Podiums: 71 33Poles: 20 27Fastest Laps: 19 7Year Started: 2001 2007Age: 30 24
Yet I?d haveda say that the first ever Bathurst 1000 V8 Supercar race ?live on SPEED preceding the Japanese GP was much more exciting then the F1 race itself - with the Top-2 finishers a scant 0.02 apart after six and one-half hours of competition vs. BLOODY ?JENSE summarily cruising to the chequered flag, albeit Alonso did make him work for the victory; but I digress...
As I?ve said before enlight of Thee REAL Iceman?s 2007 title; contrary to popular belief - I?m not just now jumping aboard Der Vettel Express... As I?ve been a staunch fan ?O his since ?08, ironically after having given up on Kimi R�ikk�nen and his Vanilla Ice OOMPLATS; Hya! As I have this silly notion (ritual) of NOT rootin? for the same racing drivers or NFL Footenballen teams as other friends ?N family members...
Thus with the DER TERMINATOR, nee Michael Schumacher having been exiled prematurely into retirement in order to make room for Raikkonen, who others had chosen as their Anti-Schumacher pick I began to cast about for a new rising star to root for - becoming immediately enamored by a precocious 19yr old German Teenager who began his ?Juan-off for BMW Sauber F1 as The Krakow Kid?s (Robert Kubica) substitute at the 2007 USGP by garnering a $5,000 Euros fine for speeding in the Pitlane upon exiting for his very first-ever Grand Prix practice session! Yet the young ?Whippersnapper from Heppenheim would calmly go onto finish P8 in his debutant Formula 1 start and commence what has become a lengthy resetting of the record books for Youngest ever accomplishments... Becoming the Sport?s current youngest F1 point?s scorer to date...
And while Alonso spent his rookie season in a full year campaign for the perennial Backmarker Minardi F1 Squad, before spending a further year as a Renault test driver before ultimately becoming its Number-one driver; the young Sebastian would find his way into Grand Prix permanency by first deputizing as the replacement for Toro Rosso punching bag Scott Speed alongside Vitantonio Liuzzi for the remainder of his truncated rookie season.
Then the following year the younger Vettel completely ?Dusted Off his French Stable mate le Hamburgular - the reigning four-times Champ Car World Series Champion Sebastian Bourdais at Scuderia Toro Rosso. Which ironically is the very same Formula 1 team that gave Alonso and Mark Webber their F1 starts. As many will know that STR was born out of the ashes of the former Minardi F1 Team - having been acquired by Red Bull?s ?Deeter Majestik? in a plan to effectively run a four-car team before chassis cloning came to a head.
And the rest as they say is History... As Master ?Zebb went on a tear by bringing the debutant Grand Prix victories to not one but two new F1 Constructors: Scuderia Toro Rosso and Red Bull Racing respectively, en route to becoming the Sport?s youngest ever Pole-sitter and Grand Prix winner.
Apparently there are some cynics worldwide who think Vettel isn?t worthy of all of his accolades - with detractors saying he?s either gotten the Lewis Hamilton Silver Spoon treatment or doesn?t have the ability to win from behind or overtake Fernando Alonso... As this trio currently is my grouping for fastest men on the grid, with Jenson Button, Mark Webber and Felipe Massa all being a step behind. Thus I won?t try arguing or answering this - since it doesn?t really matter because like it or not, Sebastian Vettel is now the current Two-time reigning Formula One World Champion.
In a further bit ?O irony, it seemed somewhat symbiotic that Herr Schumacher (Michael) would choose the very occasion to say: DON?T Forget about Me... By leading his very first race in five years on the very track that he?s scored eight Poles and six ?W?s? (Wins!) compared to the ?Uber young ?Wunderkin?s three Poles and two victories... As Schuey?s first Grand Prix crown wasn?t obtained until the tender age of 25. Just do NOT call him Baby ?Schuey - whatever Yuhs do!
Thus, it?s a tad bit ironic that I?m guessing privately Master ?Zebb is hoping to break BLOODY ?NIGE?s (Mansell) staggering single season Pole position tally of 14, as Vettel currently sits on 12 with four races remaining. The irony? Mansell?s All-conquering Team Willy (Williams) FW14B-Renault was designed by none other then Red Bull?s current chassis genius Adrian Newey...
And I found it overly refreshing to listen to the Japanese GP Post-race interview where Master ?Zebb apologized for running a bit long and didn?t know exactly everyone to Congratulate; and hence, profusely thanked the person he spent the most time with the entire year - none other then his virtually unknown Finnish ?Pysio (trainer) Tommy Parmakoski and his Family! With NO mention of Red Bull or ?Deeter Majestik, a la the obligatory ?RASSCAR Infomercial style... COOL!
We didn't get ahead of ourselves - Vettel
Way to GO ?Sebastain! Kick some MORE ARSE ?Zebb!
So this year?s Formula 1 title fight seemed most Anti-climatic compared towards last year?s knuckle-biter - as the outcome this weekend seemed a forgone conclusion compared to last year?s thriller...
As its funny how there was no impetus to stay up into the ?Wee hours watching history being made vs. arising at Oh DARK-30 last year in order to watch the unthinkable, as I?d already thrown in the towel upon Master ?Zebb?s title aspirations - and begrudgingly ceded the title to ?Ferdi-the-Putz? (Fred Alonso) instead - before reveling in Vitaly ?VO5? Petrov tellin? Fredrico Suave he was Numero Uno! By giving the Spaniard the ?Byrd and a dose ?O his own medicine by holding off the Double World ?Champ-PEE-on for sixth place upon the Yas Island Marina circuit last November...
Sebastian: You are World Champion - Can you Confirm that; Please!
Yet after Scribblin? my riveting Salute to the youngest ever World Champion last year - being elated by Master ?Zebb?s title snatching feat; a ?Juan certain Indiana Bureau Chief tried putting the Kybosh upon my excitement by telling me that Vettel was NO Alonso! Alas, Fernando was BETTER then Sebastian... (Apparently a Worldwide phenomena, eh?) WTF? As this has stuck in my ?Craw for nearly one year now...
Driver: Alonso VettelStarts: 173 77Wins: 27 19Podiums: 71 33Poles: 20 27Fastest Laps: 19 7Year Started: 2001 2007Age: 30 24
Yet I?d haveda say that the first ever Bathurst 1000 V8 Supercar race ?live on SPEED preceding the Japanese GP was much more exciting then the F1 race itself - with the Top-2 finishers a scant 0.02 apart after six and one-half hours of competition vs. BLOODY ?JENSE summarily cruising to the chequered flag, albeit Alonso did make him work for the victory; but I digress...
As I?ve said before enlight of Thee REAL Iceman?s 2007 title; contrary to popular belief - I?m not just now jumping aboard Der Vettel Express... As I?ve been a staunch fan ?O his since ?08, ironically after having given up on Kimi R�ikk�nen and his Vanilla Ice OOMPLATS; Hya! As I have this silly notion (ritual) of NOT rootin? for the same racing drivers or NFL Footenballen teams as other friends ?N family members...
Thus with the DER TERMINATOR, nee Michael Schumacher having been exiled prematurely into retirement in order to make room for Raikkonen, who others had chosen as their Anti-Schumacher pick I began to cast about for a new rising star to root for - becoming immediately enamored by a precocious 19yr old German Teenager who began his ?Juan-off for BMW Sauber F1 as The Krakow Kid?s (Robert Kubica) substitute at the 2007 USGP by garnering a $5,000 Euros fine for speeding in the Pitlane upon exiting for his very first-ever Grand Prix practice session! Yet the young ?Whippersnapper from Heppenheim would calmly go onto finish P8 in his debutant Formula 1 start and commence what has become a lengthy resetting of the record books for Youngest ever accomplishments... Becoming the Sport?s current youngest F1 point?s scorer to date...
And while Alonso spent his rookie season in a full year campaign for the perennial Backmarker Minardi F1 Squad, before spending a further year as a Renault test driver before ultimately becoming its Number-one driver; the young Sebastian would find his way into Grand Prix permanency by first deputizing as the replacement for Toro Rosso punching bag Scott Speed alongside Vitantonio Liuzzi for the remainder of his truncated rookie season.
Then the following year the younger Vettel completely ?Dusted Off his French Stable mate le Hamburgular - the reigning four-times Champ Car World Series Champion Sebastian Bourdais at Scuderia Toro Rosso. Which ironically is the very same Formula 1 team that gave Alonso and Mark Webber their F1 starts. As many will know that STR was born out of the ashes of the former Minardi F1 Team - having been acquired by Red Bull?s ?Deeter Majestik? in a plan to effectively run a four-car team before chassis cloning came to a head.
And the rest as they say is History... As Master ?Zebb went on a tear by bringing the debutant Grand Prix victories to not one but two new F1 Constructors: Scuderia Toro Rosso and Red Bull Racing respectively, en route to becoming the Sport?s youngest ever Pole-sitter and Grand Prix winner.
Apparently there are some cynics worldwide who think Vettel isn?t worthy of all of his accolades - with detractors saying he?s either gotten the Lewis Hamilton Silver Spoon treatment or doesn?t have the ability to win from behind or overtake Fernando Alonso... As this trio currently is my grouping for fastest men on the grid, with Jenson Button, Mark Webber and Felipe Massa all being a step behind. Thus I won?t try arguing or answering this - since it doesn?t really matter because like it or not, Sebastian Vettel is now the current Two-time reigning Formula One World Champion.
In a further bit ?O irony, it seemed somewhat symbiotic that Herr Schumacher (Michael) would choose the very occasion to say: DON?T Forget about Me... By leading his very first race in five years on the very track that he?s scored eight Poles and six ?W?s? (Wins!) compared to the ?Uber young ?Wunderkin?s three Poles and two victories... As Schuey?s first Grand Prix crown wasn?t obtained until the tender age of 25. Just do NOT call him Baby ?Schuey - whatever Yuhs do!
Thus, it?s a tad bit ironic that I?m guessing privately Master ?Zebb is hoping to break BLOODY ?NIGE?s (Mansell) staggering single season Pole position tally of 14, as Vettel currently sits on 12 with four races remaining. The irony? Mansell?s All-conquering Team Willy (Williams) FW14B-Renault was designed by none other then Red Bull?s current chassis genius Adrian Newey...
And I found it overly refreshing to listen to the Japanese GP Post-race interview where Master ?Zebb apologized for running a bit long and didn?t know exactly everyone to Congratulate; and hence, profusely thanked the person he spent the most time with the entire year - none other then his virtually unknown Finnish ?Pysio (trainer) Tommy Parmakoski and his Family! With NO mention of Red Bull or ?Deeter Majestik, a la the obligatory ?RASSCAR Infomercial style... COOL!
We didn't get ahead of ourselves - Vettel
Way to GO ?Sebastain! Kick some MORE ARSE ?Zebb!
F1: Horner Pays Tribute To Newey
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner is touting the accomplishments of RBR chief technical officer Adrian Newey...
Vettel to Set more History at Suzuka
2011 F1 World champion elect Sebastian Vettel is on the cusp of clinching the Formula 1 Drivers title at Suzuka this weekend, which he can claim by finishing a lone solitary single point ahead of BLOODY ?JENSE, nee Jenson Button - which seems on the cards for Master ?Zebb this Sunday - and would be most appropriate - as its also where DER TERMINATOR, nee Michael Schumacher made history by becoming the Sport?s first-ever Six-times World champion in ?03.
When Vettel becomes World Champion for the second consecutive year, he?ll join a very elite grouping of Back-to-Back (Consecutive) Double World Champions, a select list of eight by my count.
Double WinnersAlberto Ascari, (1952-53) Juan Manuel Fangio, (1954-57) Jack Brabham, (1959-60) Alain Prost, (1985-86) Ayrton Senna, (1990-91) Mika Hakkinen, (1998-99) Michael Schumacher (2000-04) and Fernando Alonso. (2005-06)
And Master ?Zebb?s torrent of accomplishments for Youngest Ever will continue, when at 24yrs old, he?ll become the youngest ever to accomplish the feat - while he?s also made another bit ?O history by becoming only the second driver ever to claim ten Pole positions in more then one season... As Zebb?s currently sitting on 11-poles to date, preceding the Japanese Grand Prix!
As the only other Gran Primo Piloto to do this was a one ?Ay Airton (Ayrton) Senna who claimed 10-poles a year between 1989-90-91. (13-13-10) While the All-time single season mark for Pole positions by a driver is 14, set by BLOODY ?NIGE (Mansell) in 1992 aboard the All-conquering FW14B Williams-Renault, which featured active suspension - to which Vettel claims is outta reach... Hmm? Five Pole positions are still up for grabs - with Red Bull having locked-out ALL 14-events to date. With Vettel?s 11 and Mark Webber?s 3; so, we?ll see, eh?
When Vettel becomes World Champion for the second consecutive year, he?ll join a very elite grouping of Back-to-Back (Consecutive) Double World Champions, a select list of eight by my count.
Double WinnersAlberto Ascari, (1952-53) Juan Manuel Fangio, (1954-57) Jack Brabham, (1959-60) Alain Prost, (1985-86) Ayrton Senna, (1990-91) Mika Hakkinen, (1998-99) Michael Schumacher (2000-04) and Fernando Alonso. (2005-06)
And Master ?Zebb?s torrent of accomplishments for Youngest Ever will continue, when at 24yrs old, he?ll become the youngest ever to accomplish the feat - while he?s also made another bit ?O history by becoming only the second driver ever to claim ten Pole positions in more then one season... As Zebb?s currently sitting on 11-poles to date, preceding the Japanese Grand Prix!
As the only other Gran Primo Piloto to do this was a one ?Ay Airton (Ayrton) Senna who claimed 10-poles a year between 1989-90-91. (13-13-10) While the All-time single season mark for Pole positions by a driver is 14, set by BLOODY ?NIGE (Mansell) in 1992 aboard the All-conquering FW14B Williams-Renault, which featured active suspension - to which Vettel claims is outta reach... Hmm? Five Pole positions are still up for grabs - with Red Bull having locked-out ALL 14-events to date. With Vettel?s 11 and Mark Webber?s 3; so, we?ll see, eh?
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Solo II at Auto Club Speedway
Organised by the California Sports Car Club, which forms part of the SCCA, the Solo 2 is a low speed handling event that is timed. Courses vary between 1/2 to one mile long. It is a fun event that will improve the driver's skills. This contest will put the driver's ability and the vehicle's handling characteristics to the test.
Related posts:47th Annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA FinalsAuto Club Speedway to Host NASCAR EventLA Invasion
Related posts:47th Annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA FinalsAuto Club Speedway to Host NASCAR EventLA Invasion
Earnhardt Jr. on pole for Daytona 500
Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s pole for Saturday night’s Budweiser Shootout may have just been credited to the luck of a draw, but he hit Daytona International Speedway on Sunday and turned in the fastest lap in Daytona 500 qualifying to claim his first pole at Daytona in a points-paying race.
“Obviously, it gives you good ideas that [...]
“Obviously, it gives you good ideas that [...]
Justin Bonsignore Wants No Part Of NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Silly Season Carousel
THOMPSON - The 2011 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season comes to an end today with the running of the World Series of Speedway Racing 150 at Thompson International Speedway.
And while the cars may be heading back to the shop for the offseason, it doesn't mean the jockeying for positions has ended.
The silly season for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour is in full swing, with rumors continuing to sprout seemingly weekly about driver changes and team changes for next season.
One of the big dominoes fell last week when seven-time Whelen Modified Tour champion walked away from his ride with Flamingo Motorsports.
But when it comes to the silliness of it all, Justin Bonsignore doesn't want to be part of it.
And while the cars may be heading back to the shop for the offseason, it doesn't mean the jockeying for positions has ended.
The silly season for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour is in full swing, with rumors continuing to sprout seemingly weekly about driver changes and team changes for next season.
One of the big dominoes fell last week when seven-time Whelen Modified Tour champion walked away from his ride with Flamingo Motorsports.
But when it comes to the silliness of it all, Justin Bonsignore doesn't want to be part of it.
Restrictor plate bigger this time around
The Nationwide Series may have a new car this weekend in Daytona, but the Sprint Cup Series has something new of its own — a new restrictor plate. The plate that’ll be used for Saturday night’s Coke Zero 400 will have 1 1/32-inch openings, the largest opening ever. Full Story
INDYCAR is calling on you to vote on the ?lucky dog? rule
Yesterday INDYCAR announced several rule changes for the 2011:� Side by side restarts at all tracks, later green flag starts, and a "lucky dog" rule.� The fan reaction to the last one, the luck dog, was tepid at best.
I actually am in support of these rules, but a lot of ...
I actually am in support of these rules, but a lot of ...
Saturday, October 29, 2011
On second thought ?
Team owner Rick Hendrick and drivers with swapped crew chiefs: Mark Martin (who now has Lance McGrew), Dale Earnhardt (Steve Letarte), and Jeff Gordon (Alan Gustafson).
First, a preface. On Monday night, I was on Mojo Nixon’s Sirius NASCAR Channel show, “Manifold Destiny.” I noted that many Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans had been suggesting, no, demanding, that Earnhardt be given crew chief Chad Knaus, who assisted Jimmie Johnson in winning the last five Sprint Cup championships.
I said that, based on my knowledge of both men, Junior and Knaus wouldn’t get along for 15 minutes. I then said that I thought Steve Letarte, Jeff Gordon’s crew chief, would be a better match for Junior.
The next day Hendrick Motorsports announced that it was swapping the teams of the three drivers other than Johnson. Letarte moved to Earnhardt’s team. Lance McGrew moved to Mark Martin’s team, and Alan Gustafson moved to Gordon’s.
It looked as if I had had inside information. I hadn’t. It was just an observation that happened to occur the very next day. It made sense to me. I guess it made sense to Rick Hendrick, too. Skill is rewarding, but luck is more fun.
On Wednesday, I co-hosted another Sirius NASCAR (Ch. 128) show, “Trading Paint,” with Danny “Chocolate” Myers, who worked with Dale Earnhardt for years and is still affiliated with Richard Childress Racing.
On the day before, while driving, I had listened to some of the NASCAR Channel, just to see what everyone was talking about. Everyone was talking about the Hendrick moves and still were when Choc and I answered their calls and talked about them for most of four hours.
On Tuesday, while I was listening, almost everyone had been angry, particularly the fans of Earnhardt and Gordon.
On Wednesday, while I was talking to them and trying to answer their questions, most all of them had reconsidered.
The transition didn’t particularly surprise me. It’s not unusual for people to overreact on first impression, then think it through and come around. The near unanimity of the change is what surprised me.
The day before, it was the same show, Choc paired with his regular sidekick, Rick Benjamin. I was just substituting.
That made me the variable, I guess, but I don’t really think that had anything to do with it.
Sleepless in Seattle... Again!
So in case you hadn?t noticed, your Humble No Fenders Scribe was off to The Valley of the Sun all last week and hence returned to the ?Ol Jet City yesterday afternoon before promptly being awoken at 3:27AM to the soothing NOT! Tones of my ASSHOLIC neighbors that believe everybody wishes to listen to their CRAP! Err, R-A-P Snoop-Snoop HomeDog whenever they feel like Parteein? - but I digress...
As this nonsense, along with the Gossip I just heard ?bout She ?Texted the Bartender ?bout her Daughters over NOTHING because she?s apparently a BITCH! All seem so NOT important after the HORRIFICLY WASTEFUL DEATH of Dan Wheldon - as I?ll save my true comments ?til next week as I?d like to pay my small token of admiration towards the ?Cheeky Brit prior to moving on...
As not only have we lost ?DannyBoy, but also ex-Moto2 Champion and emerging MOTO GP rider Marco Simoncelli - who?s death made me immediately flashback to the checkerboard motif planter-box with tree honoring another fallen rider at Pacific Raceways in Kent, WA - when this Unknown Rider (to Mwah) was tragically killed whilst trying to crawl across the ?Ash-fault after having tumbled off his motorcycle several years ago...
And how many people know of the late Rick Huseman (plus his brother and pilot) whose death was also confirmed upon the same fateful Sunday as Dan Wheldon?s? As I myself had never heard of the Off Road Champion prior to his Aeroplane?s plummet into the Baja desert. And lastly, let?s not forget six-year old Michael Wanser; son of Barry - Dario Franchitti?s Strategist who succumbed to his fight against leukemia... (As I HATE to see anybodies life taken prematurely - MOST especially a child?s!)
As hopefully we?ll all take a moment or three to think of, honour and/or pay homage to in our own individual ways to the people above - along with the unfortunate Souls to come in the future...
The right way to grieve...
As this nonsense, along with the Gossip I just heard ?bout She ?Texted the Bartender ?bout her Daughters over NOTHING because she?s apparently a BITCH! All seem so NOT important after the HORRIFICLY WASTEFUL DEATH of Dan Wheldon - as I?ll save my true comments ?til next week as I?d like to pay my small token of admiration towards the ?Cheeky Brit prior to moving on...
As not only have we lost ?DannyBoy, but also ex-Moto2 Champion and emerging MOTO GP rider Marco Simoncelli - who?s death made me immediately flashback to the checkerboard motif planter-box with tree honoring another fallen rider at Pacific Raceways in Kent, WA - when this Unknown Rider (to Mwah) was tragically killed whilst trying to crawl across the ?Ash-fault after having tumbled off his motorcycle several years ago...
And how many people know of the late Rick Huseman (plus his brother and pilot) whose death was also confirmed upon the same fateful Sunday as Dan Wheldon?s? As I myself had never heard of the Off Road Champion prior to his Aeroplane?s plummet into the Baja desert. And lastly, let?s not forget six-year old Michael Wanser; son of Barry - Dario Franchitti?s Strategist who succumbed to his fight against leukemia... (As I HATE to see anybodies life taken prematurely - MOST especially a child?s!)
As hopefully we?ll all take a moment or three to think of, honour and/or pay homage to in our own individual ways to the people above - along with the unfortunate Souls to come in the future...
The right way to grieve...
NASCAR This Week ends operations today
It's been a hoot, but we gotta scoot.
NASCAR This Week is ending operations on Monday, December 6, and will go offline on Dec. 17.
While traffic to the site has continued to grow since April 2008 when we came online, NASCAR This Week failed to meet its financial expectations.
We’d like to thank Monte for his generous permission to feed all his stories to this site. We still believe he’s the best NASCAR journalist out there, and wonder if the NASCAR heat we got last summer was due more to Monte’s voice than the few bucks we were making off advertising.
Keep giving ‘em hell, Monte!
Monte will continue to cover NASCAR. You can find his stories on the NASCAR page at the Gaston Gazette where he works, as well as his blog, also located on the Gaston Gazette website. Monte also posts blogs on his personal MySpace page, and he also maintains a music MySpace page where you can hear his songs and find out where he’s performing next. He also has a page on Facebook.
We also want to thank all of you for stopping by over the past few years to catch Monte’s latest, join in the comment conversation or just enjoying some NASCAR octane.
Please leave us a message of farewell if you care to in the comments section below.
For the next couple of weeks we’ll leave up some of Monte’s best stories from the season. We think they offer ample evidence of why you should continue to follow Monte where you can. As we said, we think he’s the best around.
Here’s to great racin’ in the years to come!
-- Ovalscream
Sprint To The End: Tough Run For Rowan Pennink Closes Once Promising Whelen Modified Tour Season
It was a run that few fans who were at Thompson International Speedway on Sunday won't soon forget.
Unfortunately for Rowan Pennink, it was a run that had nothing to do with sitting behind the wheel of a racecar.
On a day that saw wild storylines all over the place when it came to the season ending event for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, Pennink's sprint across the Thompson Speedway infield after getting wrecked will be remembered as one of the signature moments of Sunday's 2011 finale for the division.
Unfortunately for Rowan Pennink, it was a run that had nothing to do with sitting behind the wheel of a racecar.
On a day that saw wild storylines all over the place when it came to the season ending event for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, Pennink's sprint across the Thompson Speedway infield after getting wrecked will be remembered as one of the signature moments of Sunday's 2011 finale for the division.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Introduction and Audi R15 Racing Pictures
Audi R15 car is diesel-powered Audi to create the second paragraph of Section Le Mans P1 car, the first generation car is the Audi R10, the Audi R15 car is also called second-generation diesel Audi prototype. R10 launch in late 2005, has been taking since his debut, the participation of three Le Mans 24 Hours [...]
NASCAR highs and lows of 2010
Most improved driver: “Flame On” Harvick. Least improved auto manufacturer: Ford.
HIGH: Jimmie Johnson won a record fifth consecutive Sprint Cup championship, which is even more impressive in that no one else in the sport’s history as won more than three.
LOW: The exhortation of NASCAR vice president Robin Pemberton – “Have at it, boys” – proved to be emblematic of the season that followed. An on-track feud between drivers Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski boiled over in both the Cup and Nationwide Series. No one was hurt, but the crashes were scary and obviously intentional.
* * *
HIGH: Denny Hamlin’s run for the championship was inspirational and heartbreaking. Hamlin persevered in spite of a knee injury that required surgery … while he continued to race. He led Johnson by 33 points with two races remaining – and won two more races -- but wound up losing the championship by 39.
LOW: Dale Earnhardt Jr. continued to struggle. Ninety-three races have passed since his most recent victory. He will begin his fourth season at Hendrick Motorsports with his third crew chief, Steve Letarte. (A fourth, Brian Whitesell, just took the reins for one race.) He finished 21st in the standings and collected only three top-five finishes.
* * *
HIGH: Another driver who didn’t qualify for the Chase won the season’s two most prestigious races. Jamie McMurray captured both the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis.
LOW: Upset at being criticized, NASCAR officials tried to fine two drivers, Hamlin and Ryan Newman, in secrecy. Naturally, word leaked out, leading some to wonder what else the ruling body was hiding.
* * *
HIGH: The season’s two races at Talladega Superspeedway produced a total of 175 lead changes. The individual numbers were 88 and 87, the two highest such totals in the sport’s history.
LOW: Two of the sport’s more dignified drivers, Jeff Gordon and Jeff Burton, exchanged blows after Burton inexplicably wrecked Gordon’s Chevy under a caution flag at Texas Motor Speedway on Nov. 7. It’s difficult to buy Burton’s explanation that he didn’t mean to do it on purpose.
* * *
HIGH: The Raybestos Rookie of the Year in the Camping World Truck Series, Austin Dillon, actually won two races.
LOW: The rookie of the year in Cup, Kevin Conway, never finished higher than 14th and was 35th in the point standings.
* * *
HIGH: The most improved performance came from Kevin Harvick, who improved his average finish from 19.9 in 2009 to 8.7 in 2010. Under the point system in place prior to 2004, Harvick would have finished the season with 295 points more than any other driver.
LOW: Even though three of its drivers made the Chase, and Edwards won the season’s final two races, Ford’s NASCAR program still had a disappointing year. Chevys won 18 Cup races, and Toyotas won 12. Fords won four, and Dodge’s one-team, three-car effort claimed two.
HIGH: Jimmie Johnson won a record fifth consecutive Sprint Cup championship, which is even more impressive in that no one else in the sport’s history as won more than three.
LOW: The exhortation of NASCAR vice president Robin Pemberton – “Have at it, boys” – proved to be emblematic of the season that followed. An on-track feud between drivers Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski boiled over in both the Cup and Nationwide Series. No one was hurt, but the crashes were scary and obviously intentional.
* * *
HIGH: Denny Hamlin’s run for the championship was inspirational and heartbreaking. Hamlin persevered in spite of a knee injury that required surgery … while he continued to race. He led Johnson by 33 points with two races remaining – and won two more races -- but wound up losing the championship by 39.
LOW: Dale Earnhardt Jr. continued to struggle. Ninety-three races have passed since his most recent victory. He will begin his fourth season at Hendrick Motorsports with his third crew chief, Steve Letarte. (A fourth, Brian Whitesell, just took the reins for one race.) He finished 21st in the standings and collected only three top-five finishes.
* * *
HIGH: Another driver who didn’t qualify for the Chase won the season’s two most prestigious races. Jamie McMurray captured both the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis.
LOW: Upset at being criticized, NASCAR officials tried to fine two drivers, Hamlin and Ryan Newman, in secrecy. Naturally, word leaked out, leading some to wonder what else the ruling body was hiding.
* * *
HIGH: The season’s two races at Talladega Superspeedway produced a total of 175 lead changes. The individual numbers were 88 and 87, the two highest such totals in the sport’s history.
LOW: Two of the sport’s more dignified drivers, Jeff Gordon and Jeff Burton, exchanged blows after Burton inexplicably wrecked Gordon’s Chevy under a caution flag at Texas Motor Speedway on Nov. 7. It’s difficult to buy Burton’s explanation that he didn’t mean to do it on purpose.
* * *
HIGH: The Raybestos Rookie of the Year in the Camping World Truck Series, Austin Dillon, actually won two races.
LOW: The rookie of the year in Cup, Kevin Conway, never finished higher than 14th and was 35th in the point standings.
* * *
HIGH: The most improved performance came from Kevin Harvick, who improved his average finish from 19.9 in 2009 to 8.7 in 2010. Under the point system in place prior to 2004, Harvick would have finished the season with 295 points more than any other driver.
LOW: Even though three of its drivers made the Chase, and Edwards won the season’s final two races, Ford’s NASCAR program still had a disappointing year. Chevys won 18 Cup races, and Toyotas won 12. Fords won four, and Dodge’s one-team, three-car effort claimed two.
Vettel becomes Youngest ever Double ?Weldmeister!
Newly anointed 2011 World Champion ?Zebb Vettel celebrates title win with ?JENSE on Suzuka podium... (Source: grandprix.com)
So this year?s Formula 1 title fight seemed most Anti-climatic compared towards last year?s knuckle-biter - as the outcome this weekend seemed a forgone conclusion compared to last year?s thriller...
As its funny how there was no impetus to stay up into the ?Wee hours watching history being made vs. arising at Oh DARK-30 last year in order to watch the unthinkable, as I?d already thrown in the towel upon Master ?Zebb?s title aspirations - and begrudgingly ceded the title to ?Ferdi-the-Putz? (Fred Alonso) instead - before reveling in Vitaly ?VO5? Petrov tellin? Fredrico Suave he was Numero Uno! By giving the Spaniard the ?Byrd and a dose ?O his own medicine by holding off the Double World ?Champ-PEE-on for sixth place upon the Yas Island Marina circuit last November...
Sebastian: You are World Champion - Can you Confirm that; Please!
Yet after Scribblin? my riveting Salute to the youngest ever World Champion last year - being elated by Master ?Zebb?s title snatching feat; a ?Juan certain Indiana Bureau Chief tried putting the Kybosh upon my excitement by telling me that Vettel was NO Alonso! Alas, Fernando was BETTER then Sebastian... (Apparently a Worldwide phenomena, eh?) WTF? As this has stuck in my ?Craw for nearly one year now...
Driver: Alonso VettelStarts: 173 77Wins: 27 19Podiums: 71 33Poles: 20 27Fastest Laps: 19 7Year Started: 2001 2007Age: 30 24
Yet I?d haveda say that the first ever Bathurst 1000 V8 Supercar race ?live on SPEED preceding the Japanese GP was much more exciting then the F1 race itself - with the Top-2 finishers a scant 0.02 apart after six and one-half hours of competition vs. BLOODY ?JENSE summarily cruising to the chequered flag, albeit Alonso did make him work for the victory; but I digress...
As I?ve said before enlight of Thee REAL Iceman?s 2007 title; contrary to popular belief - I?m not just now jumping aboard Der Vettel Express... As I?ve been a staunch fan ?O his since ?08, ironically after having given up on Kimi R�ikk�nen and his Vanilla Ice OOMPLATS; Hya! As I have this silly notion (ritual) of NOT rootin? for the same racing drivers or NFL Footenballen teams as other friends ?N family members...
Thus with the DER TERMINATOR, nee Michael Schumacher having been exiled prematurely into retirement in order to make room for Raikkonen, who others had chosen as their Anti-Schumacher pick I began to cast about for a new rising star to root for - becoming immediately enamored by a precocious 19yr old German Teenager who began his ?Juan-off for BMW Sauber F1 as The Krakow Kid?s (Robert Kubica) substitute at the 2007 USGP by garnering a $5,000 Euros fine for speeding in the Pitlane upon exiting for his very first-ever Grand Prix practice session! Yet the young ?Whippersnapper from Heppenheim would calmly go onto finish P8 in his debutant Formula 1 start and commence what has become a lengthy resetting of the record books for Youngest ever accomplishments... Becoming the Sport?s current youngest F1 point?s scorer to date...
And while Alonso spent his rookie season in a full year campaign for the perennial Backmarker Minardi F1 Squad, before spending a further year as a Renault test driver before ultimately becoming its Number-one driver; the young Sebastian would find his way into Grand Prix permanency by first deputizing as the replacement for Toro Rosso punching bag Scott Speed alongside Vitantonio Liuzzi for the remainder of his truncated rookie season.
Then the following year the younger Vettel completely ?Dusted Off his French Stable mate le Hamburgular - the reigning four-times Champ Car World Series Champion Sebastian Bourdais at Scuderia Toro Rosso. Which ironically is the very same Formula 1 team that gave Alonso and Mark Webber their F1 starts. As many will know that STR was born out of the ashes of the former Minardi F1 Team - having been acquired by Red Bull?s ?Deeter Majestik? in a plan to effectively run a four-car team before chassis cloning came to a head.
And the rest as they say is History... As Master ?Zebb went on a tear by bringing the debutant Grand Prix victories to not one but two new F1 Constructors: Scuderia Toro Rosso and Red Bull Racing respectively, en route to becoming the Sport?s youngest ever Pole-sitter and Grand Prix winner.
Apparently there are some cynics worldwide who think Vettel isn?t worthy of all of his accolades - with detractors saying he?s either gotten the Lewis Hamilton Silver Spoon treatment or doesn?t have the ability to win from behind or overtake Fernando Alonso... As this trio currently is my grouping for fastest men on the grid, with Jenson Button, Mark Webber and Felipe Massa all being a step behind. Thus I won?t try arguing or answering this - since it doesn?t really matter because like it or not, Sebastian Vettel is now the current Two-time reigning Formula One World Champion.
In a further bit ?O irony, it seemed somewhat symbiotic that Herr Schumacher (Michael) would choose the very occasion to say: DON?T Forget about Me... By leading his very first race in five years on the very track that he?s scored eight Poles and six ?W?s? (Wins!) compared to the ?Uber young ?Wunderkin?s three Poles and two victories... As Schuey?s first Grand Prix crown wasn?t obtained until the tender age of 25. Just do NOT call him Baby ?Schuey - whatever Yuhs do!
Thus, it?s a tad bit ironic that I?m guessing privately Master ?Zebb is hoping to break BLOODY ?NIGE?s (Mansell) staggering single season Pole position tally of 14, as Vettel currently sits on 12 with four races remaining. The irony? Mansell?s All-conquering Team Willy (Williams) FW14B-Renault was designed by none other then Red Bull?s current chassis genius Adrian Newey...
And I found it overly refreshing to listen to the Japanese GP Post-race interview where Master ?Zebb apologized for running a bit long and didn?t know exactly everyone to Congratulate; and hence, profusely thanked the person he spent the most time with the entire year - none other then his virtually unknown Finnish ?Pysio (trainer) Tommy Parmakoski and his Family! With NO mention of Red Bull or ?Deeter Majestik, a la the obligatory ?RASSCAR Infomercial style... COOL!
We didn't get ahead of ourselves - Vettel
Way to GO ?Sebastain! Kick some MORE ARSE ?Zebb!
So this year?s Formula 1 title fight seemed most Anti-climatic compared towards last year?s knuckle-biter - as the outcome this weekend seemed a forgone conclusion compared to last year?s thriller...
As its funny how there was no impetus to stay up into the ?Wee hours watching history being made vs. arising at Oh DARK-30 last year in order to watch the unthinkable, as I?d already thrown in the towel upon Master ?Zebb?s title aspirations - and begrudgingly ceded the title to ?Ferdi-the-Putz? (Fred Alonso) instead - before reveling in Vitaly ?VO5? Petrov tellin? Fredrico Suave he was Numero Uno! By giving the Spaniard the ?Byrd and a dose ?O his own medicine by holding off the Double World ?Champ-PEE-on for sixth place upon the Yas Island Marina circuit last November...
Sebastian: You are World Champion - Can you Confirm that; Please!
Yet after Scribblin? my riveting Salute to the youngest ever World Champion last year - being elated by Master ?Zebb?s title snatching feat; a ?Juan certain Indiana Bureau Chief tried putting the Kybosh upon my excitement by telling me that Vettel was NO Alonso! Alas, Fernando was BETTER then Sebastian... (Apparently a Worldwide phenomena, eh?) WTF? As this has stuck in my ?Craw for nearly one year now...
Driver: Alonso VettelStarts: 173 77Wins: 27 19Podiums: 71 33Poles: 20 27Fastest Laps: 19 7Year Started: 2001 2007Age: 30 24
Yet I?d haveda say that the first ever Bathurst 1000 V8 Supercar race ?live on SPEED preceding the Japanese GP was much more exciting then the F1 race itself - with the Top-2 finishers a scant 0.02 apart after six and one-half hours of competition vs. BLOODY ?JENSE summarily cruising to the chequered flag, albeit Alonso did make him work for the victory; but I digress...
As I?ve said before enlight of Thee REAL Iceman?s 2007 title; contrary to popular belief - I?m not just now jumping aboard Der Vettel Express... As I?ve been a staunch fan ?O his since ?08, ironically after having given up on Kimi R�ikk�nen and his Vanilla Ice OOMPLATS; Hya! As I have this silly notion (ritual) of NOT rootin? for the same racing drivers or NFL Footenballen teams as other friends ?N family members...
Thus with the DER TERMINATOR, nee Michael Schumacher having been exiled prematurely into retirement in order to make room for Raikkonen, who others had chosen as their Anti-Schumacher pick I began to cast about for a new rising star to root for - becoming immediately enamored by a precocious 19yr old German Teenager who began his ?Juan-off for BMW Sauber F1 as The Krakow Kid?s (Robert Kubica) substitute at the 2007 USGP by garnering a $5,000 Euros fine for speeding in the Pitlane upon exiting for his very first-ever Grand Prix practice session! Yet the young ?Whippersnapper from Heppenheim would calmly go onto finish P8 in his debutant Formula 1 start and commence what has become a lengthy resetting of the record books for Youngest ever accomplishments... Becoming the Sport?s current youngest F1 point?s scorer to date...
And while Alonso spent his rookie season in a full year campaign for the perennial Backmarker Minardi F1 Squad, before spending a further year as a Renault test driver before ultimately becoming its Number-one driver; the young Sebastian would find his way into Grand Prix permanency by first deputizing as the replacement for Toro Rosso punching bag Scott Speed alongside Vitantonio Liuzzi for the remainder of his truncated rookie season.
Then the following year the younger Vettel completely ?Dusted Off his French Stable mate le Hamburgular - the reigning four-times Champ Car World Series Champion Sebastian Bourdais at Scuderia Toro Rosso. Which ironically is the very same Formula 1 team that gave Alonso and Mark Webber their F1 starts. As many will know that STR was born out of the ashes of the former Minardi F1 Team - having been acquired by Red Bull?s ?Deeter Majestik? in a plan to effectively run a four-car team before chassis cloning came to a head.
And the rest as they say is History... As Master ?Zebb went on a tear by bringing the debutant Grand Prix victories to not one but two new F1 Constructors: Scuderia Toro Rosso and Red Bull Racing respectively, en route to becoming the Sport?s youngest ever Pole-sitter and Grand Prix winner.
Apparently there are some cynics worldwide who think Vettel isn?t worthy of all of his accolades - with detractors saying he?s either gotten the Lewis Hamilton Silver Spoon treatment or doesn?t have the ability to win from behind or overtake Fernando Alonso... As this trio currently is my grouping for fastest men on the grid, with Jenson Button, Mark Webber and Felipe Massa all being a step behind. Thus I won?t try arguing or answering this - since it doesn?t really matter because like it or not, Sebastian Vettel is now the current Two-time reigning Formula One World Champion.
In a further bit ?O irony, it seemed somewhat symbiotic that Herr Schumacher (Michael) would choose the very occasion to say: DON?T Forget about Me... By leading his very first race in five years on the very track that he?s scored eight Poles and six ?W?s? (Wins!) compared to the ?Uber young ?Wunderkin?s three Poles and two victories... As Schuey?s first Grand Prix crown wasn?t obtained until the tender age of 25. Just do NOT call him Baby ?Schuey - whatever Yuhs do!
Thus, it?s a tad bit ironic that I?m guessing privately Master ?Zebb is hoping to break BLOODY ?NIGE?s (Mansell) staggering single season Pole position tally of 14, as Vettel currently sits on 12 with four races remaining. The irony? Mansell?s All-conquering Team Willy (Williams) FW14B-Renault was designed by none other then Red Bull?s current chassis genius Adrian Newey...
And I found it overly refreshing to listen to the Japanese GP Post-race interview where Master ?Zebb apologized for running a bit long and didn?t know exactly everyone to Congratulate; and hence, profusely thanked the person he spent the most time with the entire year - none other then his virtually unknown Finnish ?Pysio (trainer) Tommy Parmakoski and his Family! With NO mention of Red Bull or ?Deeter Majestik, a la the obligatory ?RASSCAR Infomercial style... COOL!
We didn't get ahead of ourselves - Vettel
Way to GO ?Sebastain! Kick some MORE ARSE ?Zebb!
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Who knows why the bubble burst?
The morning after the Amp Energy Juice 500 was as muddled as the race. It required a long drive home to get the old thoughts in order.
This race featured 87 lead changes. It ended in a side-by-side finish, though, oddly, not at the finish line. The last-place driver in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, Clint Bowyer, became the only driver so far to win two of its races. Of course, the reason Bowyer is buried so deeply is the absence of 150 points due to a NASCAR penalty.
See what I mean by muddled?
But what fired my ruminations was the question of declining interest in NASCAR. Many opinions have been offered, most by folks who, in some way, have a specific interest in the view they offer. Those who are having trouble economically blame the economy. Those who love Dale Earnhardt Jr. blame his struggles. Those who loathe Jimmie Johnson blame his dominance.
It can’t be contended that the sport hasn’t reacted. Ticket prices have been slashed. Rules have been changed to promote excitement. Nothing seems to work. The NASCAR estimate of the Talladega Superspeedway crowd was 110,000. In 2003, it was 170,000. Those who point out how convenient it is to watch on TV fail to account for why TV ratings are declining as rapidly as attendance.
I’ve pondered and addressed all these issues and offered a few of my own, but the truth is, I don’t know, either. And I don’t think NASCAR does.
One word occurred to me while driving the interstate: “bubble.”
In the stock market, there was a “dotcom bubble.” I’ve heard of mortgage bubbles, real-estate bubbles and Indy 500 qualifier who are “on the bubble.” The world is one big bubble bath.
The idea is that something grows too rapidly. The perception of prosperity creates something of a feeding frenzy. Everyone gets on board, so much so that growth is artificially enhanced in a way that can’t be maintained.
And the bubble bursts.
All that “Fastest Growing Sport” rhetoric, which NASCAR so enthusiastically circulated, may have burst. “Burst” may be too harsh a word. In the stock market, there is often a “fallback position.” Maybe that’s where NASCAR is right now. It’s still big, but not as big.
This race featured 87 lead changes. It ended in a side-by-side finish, though, oddly, not at the finish line. The last-place driver in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, Clint Bowyer, became the only driver so far to win two of its races. Of course, the reason Bowyer is buried so deeply is the absence of 150 points due to a NASCAR penalty.
See what I mean by muddled?
But what fired my ruminations was the question of declining interest in NASCAR. Many opinions have been offered, most by folks who, in some way, have a specific interest in the view they offer. Those who are having trouble economically blame the economy. Those who love Dale Earnhardt Jr. blame his struggles. Those who loathe Jimmie Johnson blame his dominance.
It can’t be contended that the sport hasn’t reacted. Ticket prices have been slashed. Rules have been changed to promote excitement. Nothing seems to work. The NASCAR estimate of the Talladega Superspeedway crowd was 110,000. In 2003, it was 170,000. Those who point out how convenient it is to watch on TV fail to account for why TV ratings are declining as rapidly as attendance.
I’ve pondered and addressed all these issues and offered a few of my own, but the truth is, I don’t know, either. And I don’t think NASCAR does.
One word occurred to me while driving the interstate: “bubble.”
In the stock market, there was a “dotcom bubble.” I’ve heard of mortgage bubbles, real-estate bubbles and Indy 500 qualifier who are “on the bubble.” The world is one big bubble bath.
The idea is that something grows too rapidly. The perception of prosperity creates something of a feeding frenzy. Everyone gets on board, so much so that growth is artificially enhanced in a way that can’t be maintained.
And the bubble bursts.
All that “Fastest Growing Sport” rhetoric, which NASCAR so enthusiastically circulated, may have burst. “Burst” may be too harsh a word. In the stock market, there is often a “fallback position.” Maybe that’s where NASCAR is right now. It’s still big, but not as big.
INDYCAR news - 26 car fields, lucky dogs, Bourdais, and more
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="110" caption="Sebastian to Coyne? / Image by Getty Images via @daylifeof "][/caption]
There's some nice bits of INDYCAR news floating around the web this week, so here is the latest edition of short-shifts. The definition of "full field" was redefined this week by Randy Bernard, as INDYCAR ...
There's some nice bits of INDYCAR news floating around the web this week, so here is the latest edition of short-shifts. The definition of "full field" was redefined this week by Randy Bernard, as INDYCAR ...
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
World Series Of Speedway Racing Winners Abound Saturday At Thompson International Speedway
THOMPSON - Frank Cardile held off a charging Earl Pelletier at the line to win the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature Saturday at the World Series of Racing at Thompson International Speedway.
Cardile, of Bolton, inherited the top spot late in the event after Zach Aszklar and Jay Goff crashed in a battle for the lead.
Pelletier, of Wolcott, held on for second. Dylan Liseo of East Hartford was third.
One of the most dramatic finishes of the day came in the Outlaw Mini Stock feature, where Richard Fournier and Phil Evans came to the checkered hooked together.
Cardile, of Bolton, inherited the top spot late in the event after Zach Aszklar and Jay Goff crashed in a battle for the lead.
Pelletier, of Wolcott, held on for second. Dylan Liseo of East Hartford was third.
One of the most dramatic finishes of the day came in the Outlaw Mini Stock feature, where Richard Fournier and Phil Evans came to the checkered hooked together.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
[HD] NASCAR 2011 ? Talladega Good Sam Club 500 (Finish)
Clint Bowyer wins at Talladega Related Reading: They Call Him Cale: The Life and Career of NASCAR Legend Cale Yarborough Great Moments in American Auto Racing (Matt Christopher) Nascar Legends: Memorable Men, Moments, and Machines in Racing History
F1 Brazilian Grand Prix 2011
The Brazilian Grand Prix at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace will wrap up the Formula One racing season for 2011.
Related posts:Formula One Brazilian Grand Prix 20092011 F1 Italian Grand Prix2011 Indianapolis 500
Related posts:Formula One Brazilian Grand Prix 20092011 F1 Italian Grand Prix2011 Indianapolis 500
Bruton Smith on prize money in NASCAR, says Bristol probably not a sellout
Bruton Smith weighed in on how NASCAR is parsing out price money in a story from NASCAR.com:
"I would like to take half of the money from the points fund and give it to the winners of the races. I'd like to see a $300,000 to $400,000 difference between ...
"I would like to take half of the money from the points fund and give it to the winners of the races. I'd like to see a $300,000 to $400,000 difference between ...
Glen Reen Clears The Chaos To Score First NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Victory Sunday At Thompson
THOMPSON - Glen Reen walked into the Thompson International Speedway press box and immediately relayed a message to the media on hand.
"Don't pinch me because I don't want to wake up," Reen said.
In one of the wildest events of the season, Reen pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the year in winning the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour World Series of Speedway Racing 150 Sunday at Thompson Speedway.
It was the first career victory in the series for Reen, of Wilbraham, Mass., who was making his fifth start of the season.
"Don't pinch me because I don't want to wake up," Reen said.
In one of the wildest events of the season, Reen pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the year in winning the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour World Series of Speedway Racing 150 Sunday at Thompson Speedway.
It was the first career victory in the series for Reen, of Wilbraham, Mass., who was making his fifth start of the season.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Gran Turismo 5 Spec 2.0 ? New NASCAR Cars
Don’t forget to click thumbs up button to give us some support. Gran Turismo 5 Spec 2.0 – New NASCAR Cars www.facebook.com twitter.com MotoGamesTV Related Reading: They Call Him Cale: The Life and Career of NASCAR Legend Cale Yarborough NASCAR: Yesterday & Today My Greatest Day in Nascar: The Legends of Auto Racing Recount Their [...]
47th Annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals
The 47th Annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals concludes the Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. Filled with drama at this historic racetrack, the event promises to keep audiences captivated.
Related posts:27th annual NHRA Arizona NationalsNHRA Summit Racing Southern Nationals11th Annual NHRA Nevada Nationals
Related posts:27th annual NHRA Arizona NationalsNHRA Summit Racing Southern Nationals11th Annual NHRA Nevada Nationals
Hall of Fame nominee announcement on Thursday
NASCAR announced on Monday that the 25 nominees for the 2011 induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame will be revealed at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday. The official announcement will be made on a special edition of the network’s show, “NASCAR Race Hub.”
According to a press release from NASCAR, there will be be at [...]
According to a press release from NASCAR, there will be be at [...]
Sunday, October 23, 2011
This year ? the Chase works
Chase contenders Denny Hamlin, Jimmy Johnson and Kevin Harvick during a Champions press conference on Friday. (Photo: Getty Images)
HOMESTEAD, Fla. – Let the best man win. Let the fastest car win. Here’s hoping they’re the same.
Grant the serenity not to have to muddy the Sprint Cup waters with leaking oil or litter them with debris. Here’s hoping no one’s title hopes run out of gas … literally.
Even though “ABC’s Wide World of Sports” is but a memory, it would be nostalgic to have the Ford 400 decided amid “the human drama of athletic competition.” What’s more important than who wins is how he wins it.
In an incredible development, given the slings and arrows of the Chase format, the three drivers who are still in contention – at Homestead-Miami Speedway, in the final race, with a 46-point blanket over them – are the three who deserve to be there.
If there were no Chase – and the points awarded in each race the same as now – Kevin Harvick would lead by 295 points. Of course, there is a Chase.
The driver with the most victories is Denny Hamlin.
The driver with four straight championships is Jimmie Johnson.
Chase or no Chase, they would be the top three now, though in different order. If the true goal of the Chase is to tighten, but not otherwise alter, the course of the season, then this Chase is the one that exemplifies the format. Even those who dislike the Chase – they’re out there – should be willing to concede that this is just about as good as the format, however flawed, gets.
If everything works out perfectly today, NASCAR will have a difficult time justifying further changes, even though NASCAR chairman Brian France has been floating trial balloons on the subject since July.
They’ll probably “tweak it” a little – France and his minions love that word – just to save face.
France was still pumping hot air – perhaps not quite as hot as before – into the balloon as recently as Friday.
The results of the current season, he said, demonstrate that “the more we can do, to have incentives ? an incentive basis -- to decide this championship, that puts it all on the line more often. That's what we need to be thinking about.”
Oh, yeah. “Take paradise and … put up a parking lot.”
HOMESTEAD, Fla. – Let the best man win. Let the fastest car win. Here’s hoping they’re the same.
Grant the serenity not to have to muddy the Sprint Cup waters with leaking oil or litter them with debris. Here’s hoping no one’s title hopes run out of gas … literally.
Even though “ABC’s Wide World of Sports” is but a memory, it would be nostalgic to have the Ford 400 decided amid “the human drama of athletic competition.” What’s more important than who wins is how he wins it.
In an incredible development, given the slings and arrows of the Chase format, the three drivers who are still in contention – at Homestead-Miami Speedway, in the final race, with a 46-point blanket over them – are the three who deserve to be there.
If there were no Chase – and the points awarded in each race the same as now – Kevin Harvick would lead by 295 points. Of course, there is a Chase.
The driver with the most victories is Denny Hamlin.
The driver with four straight championships is Jimmie Johnson.
Chase or no Chase, they would be the top three now, though in different order. If the true goal of the Chase is to tighten, but not otherwise alter, the course of the season, then this Chase is the one that exemplifies the format. Even those who dislike the Chase – they’re out there – should be willing to concede that this is just about as good as the format, however flawed, gets.
If everything works out perfectly today, NASCAR will have a difficult time justifying further changes, even though NASCAR chairman Brian France has been floating trial balloons on the subject since July.
They’ll probably “tweak it” a little – France and his minions love that word – just to save face.
France was still pumping hot air – perhaps not quite as hot as before – into the balloon as recently as Friday.
The results of the current season, he said, demonstrate that “the more we can do, to have incentives ? an incentive basis -- to decide this championship, that puts it all on the line more often. That's what we need to be thinking about.”
Oh, yeah. “Take paradise and … put up a parking lot.”
The state of the art is messy
Jeff Burton wrecked at ‘Dega, and he wrecked again at Texas … (photo: Getty Images)
AVONDALE, Ariz. – Have at it, boys. Those words, spoken back in January by NASCAR’s Robin Pemberton, might as well have been the slogan of the season.
Oh, by the way, remember the Maine, the Alamo and Joe Hill, too.
Once, when I was in high school, our team paid a visit to a conference rival we’d beaten 62-0 the year before. That school normally wore orange, but when we trotted out on the field for warm-up, we immediately noticed the other team was wearing red and white T-shirts, matching our school colors. The T-shirts read:
WE REMEMBER! 62-0!
We remembered, too. We won, 34-6, and there weren’t any T-shirts the next year.
While pro football implements rules that limit the capacity of overgrown physical specimens to, uh, play football, NASCAR tumbles into old-fashioned laissez-faire.
If a driver doesn’t like the way another driver is racing him, he can just duke it out, by gosh. Unlike a beanball in baseball, NASCAR doesn’t eject or issue warnings, anything like that.
Have at it, boys. The three R’s are rubbin’, retaliatin’, and wreckin’.
The august ruling body must, of course, prevent an outbreak of anarchy. It can’t have these cocky, rich whippersnappers just rioting in the streets (uh, tracks). They can be scrapping among themselves all they want, but don’t be “sassing” a NASCAR official. Kyle Busch didn’t need words to “sass,” but he would have been no better off had he launched into a profanity-laced diatribe.
One reason modern racers can “have at it” is that they have few limitations.
In the old days, when a driver wrecked a car, he had to fix it, and if he didn’t fix it, he paid to have it fixed. Nowadays that’s the domain of millionaire owners with accompanying millions from sponsors. Now a dozen cars, just like the wrecked one used to be, sit back at the shop. They’ll send a transporter to pick another one up, if need be.
More than 20 years ago, Darrell Waltrip was kidding when he suggested that a car owner’s advice to a driver was, “If you can’t win the race, at least tear up the car.”
That’s no longer a joke. That’s the state of the art now.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Kobayashi Treats Fans
Just wrapped-up watching my tape-delayed coverage of the Japanese Grand Prix?s Friday practice session from Suzuka Circuito - where SPEED?s bob Varsha mentioned some very kOOL moves by Japan?s only active Formula 1 driver ?K-Squared.? (Kamui Kobayashi)
As the Sauber F1 driver has overseen the bringing of a 60-member Girl?s Choir from the stricken Fukushima Prefecture. And on top of this, Kobayashi had previously made a ?Dealio with the circuit?s promoter to bring one family to this year?s race for every Formula 1 World Championship point scored by Kamui prior to this year?s Grand Prix. Thus with K-Squared having scored 27-points to date, 27 extremely lucky families were randomly chosen by Kobayashi, who added a further 10-families due to the enormous response of over 6,000 applicants...
NICE JOB KAMUI!
Q+A with Kamui Kobayashi
As the Sauber F1 driver has overseen the bringing of a 60-member Girl?s Choir from the stricken Fukushima Prefecture. And on top of this, Kobayashi had previously made a ?Dealio with the circuit?s promoter to bring one family to this year?s race for every Formula 1 World Championship point scored by Kamui prior to this year?s Grand Prix. Thus with K-Squared having scored 27-points to date, 27 extremely lucky families were randomly chosen by Kobayashi, who added a further 10-families due to the enormous response of over 6,000 applicants...
NICE JOB KAMUI!
Q+A with Kamui Kobayashi
My First Brickyard 400
Earlier in the summer I attended the Indianapolis 500.� On Sunday, July 31st, 2011 the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) hosted the 18th Annual Brickyard 400, which was the first Brickyard 400 I had ever attended. I didn?t know what to expect. I had never been to a NASCAR Race before. I wondered how the NASCAR [...]
Friday, October 21, 2011
Wrecks ? and effects
Accidents to be expected, but keeping cars stuck to track of utmost importance
Leave it to Ryan Newma to cut to the core of the issue.
Always quick to remind everyone that he earned an engineering degree (Vehicle Structure Engineering, to be precise) from Purdue University, Newman sometimes has a way of talking down to questioners. He [...]
Leave it to Ryan Newma to cut to the core of the issue.
Always quick to remind everyone that he earned an engineering degree (Vehicle Structure Engineering, to be precise) from Purdue University, Newman sometimes has a way of talking down to questioners. He [...]
Indy race as the world?s first high-risk events killed had refused to fight F1 talent
Indy car racing is a competition venue, with the World Championships. The racing originated in the United States, formerly the American Automobile Association-sponsored tournament. 1978 by 18 IndyCar team co-founded the “Indy Championship Racing Team Ltd”, established a series of organized racing event management, has developed unique rules of the game. 1979 organized the first [...]
Ryan Truex plans first Nationwide start at Gateway
Defending NASCAR K&N Pro Series East champion and current points leader in that series, Ryan Truex, will make his Nationwide Series debut this month when he climbs behind the wheel of a Michael Waltrip Racing entry on July 17 at Gateway International Raceway. He will pilot a NAPA-sponored No. 00 entry and will be a [...]
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Another No. 3 heads to Goodwood
For the second-consecutive year, a No. 3 driven by the late Dale Earnhardt will be a part of the festivities at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Earnhardt’s daughter Taylor drove the famed No. 3 in the festival last year. This year, the car Earnhardt raced to his 1995 Brickyard 400 win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway [...]
Legends Car Racing
Back in 1992, Charlotte Motor Speedway officials recognized that a need existed for an affordable race car that was easy to maintain. With increasing race car costs, car counts dropped, with an estimated 30% to 40% of North America's cars not competing due to costs. Research revealed that tracks with lower cost cars saw far greater participation. Thus, US Legend Cars, Inc. was introduced in January 1992, with the aim of creating an affordable race car that could race on smaller tracks and had lower maintenance costs. The first Legends Car debuted in April 1992, and since then the sport has grown tremendously.
Related posts:The Daytona 500 ? Auto RacingFantastic Motor Racing in AustraliaJunior Johnson: From Moonshiner to NASCAR Legend – Auto Racing
Related posts:The Daytona 500 ? Auto RacingFantastic Motor Racing in AustraliaJunior Johnson: From Moonshiner to NASCAR Legend – Auto Racing
On second thought ?
Team owner Rick Hendrick and drivers with swapped crew chiefs: Mark Martin (who now has Lance McGrew), Dale Earnhardt (Steve Letarte), and Jeff Gordon (Alan Gustafson).
First, a preface. On Monday night, I was on Mojo Nixon’s Sirius NASCAR Channel show, “Manifold Destiny.” I noted that many Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans had been suggesting, no, demanding, that Earnhardt be given crew chief Chad Knaus, who assisted Jimmie Johnson in winning the last five Sprint Cup championships.
I said that, based on my knowledge of both men, Junior and Knaus wouldn’t get along for 15 minutes. I then said that I thought Steve Letarte, Jeff Gordon’s crew chief, would be a better match for Junior.
The next day Hendrick Motorsports announced that it was swapping the teams of the three drivers other than Johnson. Letarte moved to Earnhardt’s team. Lance McGrew moved to Mark Martin’s team, and Alan Gustafson moved to Gordon’s.
It looked as if I had had inside information. I hadn’t. It was just an observation that happened to occur the very next day. It made sense to me. I guess it made sense to Rick Hendrick, too. Skill is rewarding, but luck is more fun.
On Wednesday, I co-hosted another Sirius NASCAR (Ch. 128) show, “Trading Paint,” with Danny “Chocolate” Myers, who worked with Dale Earnhardt for years and is still affiliated with Richard Childress Racing.
On the day before, while driving, I had listened to some of the NASCAR Channel, just to see what everyone was talking about. Everyone was talking about the Hendrick moves and still were when Choc and I answered their calls and talked about them for most of four hours.
On Tuesday, while I was listening, almost everyone had been angry, particularly the fans of Earnhardt and Gordon.
On Wednesday, while I was talking to them and trying to answer their questions, most all of them had reconsidered.
The transition didn’t particularly surprise me. It’s not unusual for people to overreact on first impression, then think it through and come around. The near unanimity of the change is what surprised me.
The day before, it was the same show, Choc paired with his regular sidekick, Rick Benjamin. I was just substituting.
That made me the variable, I guess, but I don’t really think that had anything to do with it.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
HUBBARD: Gordon may be Johnson's biggest threat in Chase
HUBBARD: Gordon may be Johnson's biggest threat in Chase
Fans await Ben Spies at the Oakley Tweet Up
We’ve been getting all of our fans hyped on Twitter and Facebook for the Ben Spies tweet up for the past 2 weeks! Today was finally the day. The first 5 fans in line outside of the Oakley retail garage received a free pair of Oakley Batwolf sunglasses and Ben signed autographs for about 20 [...]
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Women on Wheels: Meet Tamara!
This year?s Red Bull Indianapolis GP will take the time to recognize women motorcycle riders. Many events have been organized throughout the race weekend that are just for women. Some selected lady riders have been kind enough to share their riding stories with us. They come from different riding groups and [...]
Edwards itching to win at Kansas, his home-area track
Edwards itching to win at Kansas, his home-area track
Kobayashi Treats Fans
Just wrapped-up watching my tape-delayed coverage of the Japanese Grand Prix?s Friday practice session from Suzuka Circuito - where SPEED?s bob Varsha mentioned some very kOOL moves by Japan?s only active Formula 1 driver ?K-Squared.? (Kamui Kobayashi)
As the Sauber F1 driver has overseen the bringing of a 60-member Girl?s Choir from the stricken Fukushima Prefecture. And on top of this, Kobayashi had previously made a ?Dealio with the circuit?s promoter to bring one family to this year?s race for every Formula 1 World Championship point scored by Kamui prior to this year?s Grand Prix. Thus with K-Squared having scored 27-points to date, 27 extremely lucky families were randomly chosen by Kobayashi, who added a further 10-families due to the enormous response of over 6,000 applicants...
NICE JOB KAMUI!
Q+A with Kamui Kobayashi
As the Sauber F1 driver has overseen the bringing of a 60-member Girl?s Choir from the stricken Fukushima Prefecture. And on top of this, Kobayashi had previously made a ?Dealio with the circuit?s promoter to bring one family to this year?s race for every Formula 1 World Championship point scored by Kamui prior to this year?s Grand Prix. Thus with K-Squared having scored 27-points to date, 27 extremely lucky families were randomly chosen by Kobayashi, who added a further 10-families due to the enormous response of over 6,000 applicants...
NICE JOB KAMUI!
Q+A with Kamui Kobayashi
Monday, October 17, 2011
Chris Perley Continues Thompson ISMA SuperModified Domination; Russ Stoehr Wins NEMA Midget Event
THOMPSON - The master of a SuperModified at Thompson International Speedway continued his domination at the track Sunday.
Chris Perley of Rowley, Mass. drove away from Jeff Locke over the closing laps to easily win the 50-lap ISMA SuperModified feature Sunday at Thompson.
It was the fifth consecutive victory at Thompson for Perley and his ninth victory at the track in the last 12 visits to the facility by the SuperModifieds.
"I don't think it has a lot to do with me," Perley said of his success at the track. "Everytime we unload here I just can't believe it. I don't really know what to say. We don't break down. The crew gives me an awesome car. Thompson has been great to come to every year. I kind of wish we came here more often."
Chris Perley of Rowley, Mass. drove away from Jeff Locke over the closing laps to easily win the 50-lap ISMA SuperModified feature Sunday at Thompson.
It was the fifth consecutive victory at Thompson for Perley and his ninth victory at the track in the last 12 visits to the facility by the SuperModifieds.
"I don't think it has a lot to do with me," Perley said of his success at the track. "Everytime we unload here I just can't believe it. I don't really know what to say. We don't break down. The crew gives me an awesome car. Thompson has been great to come to every year. I kind of wish we came here more often."
Ex-Indy 500 Winning Crew Chief Dies...
Just found out ?bout this yesterday afternoon - as the Celebration of Life ceremony was held at the Brickyard pavilion Saturday for the late ex Chief mechanic Mark Bridges who recently passed away after a six month bout with Cancer.
Sources claim that more than 500 people attended, with the Speedway donating the use of the pavilion, while Tom Sneva, who had Bridges as his chief mechanic for his '83 Indy 500 win could not attend. He did however pick up the bar tab for all - a very nice gesture by The Gasman...
MILLER: Indy Winning Mechanic Dies
Sources claim that more than 500 people attended, with the Speedway donating the use of the pavilion, while Tom Sneva, who had Bridges as his chief mechanic for his '83 Indy 500 win could not attend. He did however pick up the bar tab for all - a very nice gesture by The Gasman...
MILLER: Indy Winning Mechanic Dies
NASCAR highs and lows of 2010
Most improved driver: “Flame On” Harvick. Least improved auto manufacturer: Ford.
HIGH: Jimmie Johnson won a record fifth consecutive Sprint Cup championship, which is even more impressive in that no one else in the sport’s history as won more than three.
LOW: The exhortation of NASCAR vice president Robin Pemberton – “Have at it, boys” – proved to be emblematic of the season that followed. An on-track feud between drivers Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski boiled over in both the Cup and Nationwide Series. No one was hurt, but the crashes were scary and obviously intentional.
* * *
HIGH: Denny Hamlin’s run for the championship was inspirational and heartbreaking. Hamlin persevered in spite of a knee injury that required surgery … while he continued to race. He led Johnson by 33 points with two races remaining – and won two more races -- but wound up losing the championship by 39.
LOW: Dale Earnhardt Jr. continued to struggle. Ninety-three races have passed since his most recent victory. He will begin his fourth season at Hendrick Motorsports with his third crew chief, Steve Letarte. (A fourth, Brian Whitesell, just took the reins for one race.) He finished 21st in the standings and collected only three top-five finishes.
* * *
HIGH: Another driver who didn’t qualify for the Chase won the season’s two most prestigious races. Jamie McMurray captured both the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis.
LOW: Upset at being criticized, NASCAR officials tried to fine two drivers, Hamlin and Ryan Newman, in secrecy. Naturally, word leaked out, leading some to wonder what else the ruling body was hiding.
* * *
HIGH: The season’s two races at Talladega Superspeedway produced a total of 175 lead changes. The individual numbers were 88 and 87, the two highest such totals in the sport’s history.
LOW: Two of the sport’s more dignified drivers, Jeff Gordon and Jeff Burton, exchanged blows after Burton inexplicably wrecked Gordon’s Chevy under a caution flag at Texas Motor Speedway on Nov. 7. It’s difficult to buy Burton’s explanation that he didn’t mean to do it on purpose.
* * *
HIGH: The Raybestos Rookie of the Year in the Camping World Truck Series, Austin Dillon, actually won two races.
LOW: The rookie of the year in Cup, Kevin Conway, never finished higher than 14th and was 35th in the point standings.
* * *
HIGH: The most improved performance came from Kevin Harvick, who improved his average finish from 19.9 in 2009 to 8.7 in 2010. Under the point system in place prior to 2004, Harvick would have finished the season with 295 points more than any other driver.
LOW: Even though three of its drivers made the Chase, and Edwards won the season’s final two races, Ford’s NASCAR program still had a disappointing year. Chevys won 18 Cup races, and Toyotas won 12. Fords won four, and Dodge’s one-team, three-car effort claimed two.
HIGH: Jimmie Johnson won a record fifth consecutive Sprint Cup championship, which is even more impressive in that no one else in the sport’s history as won more than three.
LOW: The exhortation of NASCAR vice president Robin Pemberton – “Have at it, boys” – proved to be emblematic of the season that followed. An on-track feud between drivers Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski boiled over in both the Cup and Nationwide Series. No one was hurt, but the crashes were scary and obviously intentional.
* * *
HIGH: Denny Hamlin’s run for the championship was inspirational and heartbreaking. Hamlin persevered in spite of a knee injury that required surgery … while he continued to race. He led Johnson by 33 points with two races remaining – and won two more races -- but wound up losing the championship by 39.
LOW: Dale Earnhardt Jr. continued to struggle. Ninety-three races have passed since his most recent victory. He will begin his fourth season at Hendrick Motorsports with his third crew chief, Steve Letarte. (A fourth, Brian Whitesell, just took the reins for one race.) He finished 21st in the standings and collected only three top-five finishes.
* * *
HIGH: Another driver who didn’t qualify for the Chase won the season’s two most prestigious races. Jamie McMurray captured both the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis.
LOW: Upset at being criticized, NASCAR officials tried to fine two drivers, Hamlin and Ryan Newman, in secrecy. Naturally, word leaked out, leading some to wonder what else the ruling body was hiding.
* * *
HIGH: The season’s two races at Talladega Superspeedway produced a total of 175 lead changes. The individual numbers were 88 and 87, the two highest such totals in the sport’s history.
LOW: Two of the sport’s more dignified drivers, Jeff Gordon and Jeff Burton, exchanged blows after Burton inexplicably wrecked Gordon’s Chevy under a caution flag at Texas Motor Speedway on Nov. 7. It’s difficult to buy Burton’s explanation that he didn’t mean to do it on purpose.
* * *
HIGH: The Raybestos Rookie of the Year in the Camping World Truck Series, Austin Dillon, actually won two races.
LOW: The rookie of the year in Cup, Kevin Conway, never finished higher than 14th and was 35th in the point standings.
* * *
HIGH: The most improved performance came from Kevin Harvick, who improved his average finish from 19.9 in 2009 to 8.7 in 2010. Under the point system in place prior to 2004, Harvick would have finished the season with 295 points more than any other driver.
LOW: Even though three of its drivers made the Chase, and Edwards won the season’s final two races, Ford’s NASCAR program still had a disappointing year. Chevys won 18 Cup races, and Toyotas won 12. Fords won four, and Dodge’s one-team, three-car effort claimed two.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
TV Alert: 12 Hours of Sebring Recap on ABC
In case you didn't spend 12 hours sitting in front of the laptop watching the ESPN3 stream-cast of the 12 hours of Sebring, you can catch a 90 minute recap of the race today on ABC. Since this is not a live broadcast, it is uncertain about what ...
World Series Of Speedway Racing Winners Abound Saturday At Thompson International Speedway
THOMPSON - Frank Cardile held off a charging Earl Pelletier at the line to win the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature Saturday at the World Series of Racing at Thompson International Speedway.
Cardile, of Bolton, inherited the top spot late in the event after Zach Aszklar and Jay Goff crashed in a battle for the lead.
Pelletier, of Wolcott, held on for second. Dylan Liseo of East Hartford was third.
One of the most dramatic finishes of the day came in the Outlaw Mini Stock feature, where Richard Fournier and Phil Evans came to the checkered hooked together.
Cardile, of Bolton, inherited the top spot late in the event after Zach Aszklar and Jay Goff crashed in a battle for the lead.
Pelletier, of Wolcott, held on for second. Dylan Liseo of East Hartford was third.
One of the most dramatic finishes of the day came in the Outlaw Mini Stock feature, where Richard Fournier and Phil Evans came to the checkered hooked together.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Second NASCAR Hall Of Fame Class Officially Enshrined
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NASCAR Hall Of Fame
Slide text:
<p>
With each win, and each championship, a legend grew. And now, those legends have a permanent home.</p>
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (May 23, 2011) ? With each win, and each championship, a legend grew. And now, those legends have a permanent home.
The second class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame ? champions all ? captured over 350 victories and a dozen championships in NASCAR?s premier series. The five inductees ? Bobby Allison, Ned Jarrett, Bud Moore, David Pearson and Lee Petty ? make up the second class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C., which was officially inducted tonight, Monday, May 23.
read more
NASCAR Hall Of Fame
Slide text:
<p>
With each win, and each championship, a legend grew. And now, those legends have a permanent home.</p>
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (May 23, 2011) ? With each win, and each championship, a legend grew. And now, those legends have a permanent home.
The second class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame ? champions all ? captured over 350 victories and a dozen championships in NASCAR?s premier series. The five inductees ? Bobby Allison, Ned Jarrett, Bud Moore, David Pearson and Lee Petty ? make up the second class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C., which was officially inducted tonight, Monday, May 23.
read more
SPX unveils Mustang to benefit charity at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale 2012
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Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale
Slide text:
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Coachbuilders Galpin Auto Sports and specialty manufacturer SPX teamed up with Barrett-Jackson to create a special edition of the Ford Mustang</p>
Coachbuilders Galpin Auto Sports and specialty manufacturer SPX teamed up with Barrett-Jackson to create a special edition of the Ford Mustang that?s inspired by the original 1969 Boss 429.
Featuring a custom built all-metal widebody kit, the special edition Mustang is a whopping nine inches wider than the stock Mustang. To fill in the extra space in the wheel wells, massive three-piece Forgiato GTR wheels were fitted with special Pirelli tires.
read more
Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale
Slide text:
<p>
Coachbuilders Galpin Auto Sports and specialty manufacturer SPX teamed up with Barrett-Jackson to create a special edition of the Ford Mustang</p>
Coachbuilders Galpin Auto Sports and specialty manufacturer SPX teamed up with Barrett-Jackson to create a special edition of the Ford Mustang that?s inspired by the original 1969 Boss 429.
Featuring a custom built all-metal widebody kit, the special edition Mustang is a whopping nine inches wider than the stock Mustang. To fill in the extra space in the wheel wells, massive three-piece Forgiato GTR wheels were fitted with special Pirelli tires.
read more
NASCAR Sprint Cup 2011 ? Michigan International Speedway ? Part 1 of 2
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 2011 Pure Michigan 400 from Michigan International Speedway! “RATE + SUBSCRIBE!” Related Reading: Mechanix Wear MG-71-010 Original Glove, Camo, Large Great Moments in American Auto Racing (Matt Christopher) NASCAR 09
Harvick, following midseason dry spell, primed for Chase run
It was almost fitting that Harvick, the most recent Cup Series winner at Richmond International Raceway, found the correlating lines between the program built in Blacksburg and the one he drives for out of Welcome, N.C., during Tuesday’s special football press conference at Lane Stadium.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Morris one weekend away from fourth national title
Philip Morris’ full-field victory at Motor Mile Speedway, plus Rocco’s full-field victory Sunday at Thompson International Speedway, keeps the race for the national championship just as tight as a week before heading into the final points weekend of the season.
Interact in Vendor Marketplace
The Vendor Marketplace is one of my favorite spots this weekend. It’s a chance to stroll around and check out some fashion, new motorcycle products, score some sunglasses or accessories and learn more about the motorcycle culture. Plus it’s located in Gasoline Alley. Not bad.
This year I’ve noticed a greater digital influence. As someone that [...]
This year I’ve noticed a greater digital influence. As someone that [...]
Edwards talks about his car after final Sprint practice
After final Sprint Cup practice Friday at Bristol Motor Speedway, Carl Edwards left the track with the fastest time at 15.943.
De Ferran joins V8 All Stars lineup Down Under
Retired Two-time CART Champion and 2003 Indy 500 winner Gil De Ferran has been announced as Lucas di Grassi?s replacement and will co-drive Jonathan Webb?s Ford Falcon for the forthcoming Surfers Paradise V8 Supercars ?Enduro event - which will see all of the Penske & Ganassi ?Boyz, plus ?TAG (Alex Tagliani) and Dan Wheldon compete in. Not to mention some ex-Formula 1 drivers like ?Heinz 57? (Heinz Harald Frentzen) and Mika Salo to name a few, along with Grand Am?s perennial DP Champion Scott ?Scooter Pruett.
F1, WTCC and IndyCar Stars to appear in Gold Coast 600
And watching the Bathurst 1000 it was noted that the Gold Coast race will be shown live on SPEED - check your local listings for upcoming Showtime Saturday October 22nd...
F1, WTCC and IndyCar Stars to appear in Gold Coast 600
And watching the Bathurst 1000 it was noted that the Gold Coast race will be shown live on SPEED - check your local listings for upcoming Showtime Saturday October 22nd...
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Hamlin learns mind matters in racing
NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin said Tuesday he's been working with a well-known sports psychologist in an attempt to improve his attitude and outlook.
F1: This Year?s Title A Different Feeling Says Vettel
Sebastian Vettel clinched the 2011 World Championship last weekend...
Pulliam no longer underdog heading to Martinsville
Lee Pulliam had a phenomenal season with 18 victories and the Semora, N.C., native claimed his first Late Model Series championship at Motor Mile Speedway. The 23-year-old won a track-record 16 races at Motor Mile, in addition to his July 1 victory at South Boston Speedway and victory a few ...
Small Chinese: confident win all remaining games under McLaren on track
Hamilton, the British genius Xinxinbaopeng in an interview today. He believes that even now their in the drivers’ standings 88 points behind the German driver Vettel, but as long as they win the rest of the season all eight Grand Prix, and then won the championship is not an impossible task. NEW YORK, August 15 [...]
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
India Prepares for Inaugural F1 Grand Prix
As India prepares to host the inaugural Formula 1 Indian Grand Prix taking place on 28-30 October 2011, President and CEO of Formula One Management, Bernie Ecclestone, has been reported as saying that F1 authorities are happy with the progress at the newly constructed Buddh circuit located outside New Delhi.
Related posts:10th Anniversary of the Malaysia Grand PrixAbu Dhabi hosting 2009 F1 Grand PrixFormula One Japanese Grand Prix 2009
Related posts:10th Anniversary of the Malaysia Grand PrixAbu Dhabi hosting 2009 F1 Grand PrixFormula One Japanese Grand Prix 2009
NASCAR This Week ends operations today
It's been a hoot, but we gotta scoot.
NASCAR This Week is ending operations on Monday, December 6, and will go offline on Dec. 17.
While traffic to the site has continued to grow since April 2008 when we came online, NASCAR This Week failed to meet its financial expectations.
We’d like to thank Monte for his generous permission to feed all his stories to this site. We still believe he’s the best NASCAR journalist out there, and wonder if the NASCAR heat we got last summer was due more to Monte’s voice than the few bucks we were making off advertising.
Keep giving ‘em hell, Monte!
Monte will continue to cover NASCAR. You can find his stories on the NASCAR page at the Gaston Gazette where he works, as well as his blog, also located on the Gaston Gazette website. Monte also posts blogs on his personal MySpace page, and he also maintains a music MySpace page where you can hear his songs and find out where he’s performing next. He also has a page on Facebook.
We also want to thank all of you for stopping by over the past few years to catch Monte’s latest, join in the comment conversation or just enjoying some NASCAR octane.
Please leave us a message of farewell if you care to in the comments section below.
For the next couple of weeks we’ll leave up some of Monte’s best stories from the season. We think they offer ample evidence of why you should continue to follow Monte where you can. As we said, we think he’s the best around.
Here’s to great racin’ in the years to come!
-- Ovalscream
Restrictor plate bigger this time around
The Nationwide Series may have a new car this weekend in Daytona, but the Sprint Cup Series has something new of its own — a new restrictor plate. The plate that’ll be used for Saturday night’s Coke Zero 400 will have 1 1/32-inch openings, the largest opening ever. Full Story
Kobayashi Treats Fans
Just wrapped-up watching my tape-delayed coverage of the Japanese Grand Prix?s Friday practice session from Suzuka Circuito - where SPEED?s bob Varsha mentioned some very kOOL moves by Japan?s only active Formula 1 driver ?K-Squared.? (Kamui Kobayashi)
As the Sauber F1 driver has overseen the bringing of a 60-member Girl?s Choir from the stricken Fukushima Prefecture. And on top of this, Kobayashi had previously made a ?Dealio with the circuit?s promoter to bring one family to this year?s race for every Formula 1 World Championship point scored by Kamui prior to this year?s Grand Prix. Thus with K-Squared having scored 27-points to date, 27 extremely lucky families were randomly chosen by Kobayashi, who added a further 10-families due to the enormous response of over 6,000 applicants...
NICE JOB KAMUI!
Q+A with Kamui Kobayashi
As the Sauber F1 driver has overseen the bringing of a 60-member Girl?s Choir from the stricken Fukushima Prefecture. And on top of this, Kobayashi had previously made a ?Dealio with the circuit?s promoter to bring one family to this year?s race for every Formula 1 World Championship point scored by Kamui prior to this year?s Grand Prix. Thus with K-Squared having scored 27-points to date, 27 extremely lucky families were randomly chosen by Kobayashi, who added a further 10-families due to the enormous response of over 6,000 applicants...
NICE JOB KAMUI!
Q+A with Kamui Kobayashi
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Lamborghini Reventon sports car
Lamborghini Reventon sports car parameters: Chassis Specifications: Front brake type: ABS ventilated disc Rear Brake Type: ABS ventilated disc Front Tire Size: 245/35 ZR18 Rear Tire Size: 335/30 ZR18 Transmission: all-wheel drive Lamborghini Reventon sports car engine parameters: Model: V12 Cylinder capacity (cc): 6496cc Maximum power (Ps): 650ps Maximum power (kW): 478kW Maximum power speed [...]
Stewart has all the right moves
There has to be a simple solution for all the drivers who can't stretch their fuel to the finish line:
NASCAR Chase heads to Kansas
NASCAR Chase contenders discuss this weekends stop in Kansas. Related Reading: Great Moments in American Auto Racing (Matt Christopher) My Greatest Day in Nascar: The Legends of Auto Racing Recount Their Greatest Mom My Greatest Day in Nascar: The Legends of Auto Racing Recount Their Greatest Moments
SPX unveils Mustang to benefit charity at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale 2012
Pager item text:
Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale
Slide text:
<p>
Coachbuilders Galpin Auto Sports and specialty manufacturer SPX teamed up with Barrett-Jackson to create a special edition of the Ford Mustang</p>
Coachbuilders Galpin Auto Sports and specialty manufacturer SPX teamed up with Barrett-Jackson to create a special edition of the Ford Mustang that?s inspired by the original 1969 Boss 429.
Featuring a custom built all-metal widebody kit, the special edition Mustang is a whopping nine inches wider than the stock Mustang. To fill in the extra space in the wheel wells, massive three-piece Forgiato GTR wheels were fitted with special Pirelli tires.
read more
Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale
Slide text:
<p>
Coachbuilders Galpin Auto Sports and specialty manufacturer SPX teamed up with Barrett-Jackson to create a special edition of the Ford Mustang</p>
Coachbuilders Galpin Auto Sports and specialty manufacturer SPX teamed up with Barrett-Jackson to create a special edition of the Ford Mustang that?s inspired by the original 1969 Boss 429.
Featuring a custom built all-metal widebody kit, the special edition Mustang is a whopping nine inches wider than the stock Mustang. To fill in the extra space in the wheel wells, massive three-piece Forgiato GTR wheels were fitted with special Pirelli tires.
read more
Monday, October 10, 2011
Lamborghini Reventon sports car
Lamborghini Reventon sports car parameters: Chassis Specifications: Front brake type: ABS ventilated disc Rear Brake Type: ABS ventilated disc Front Tire Size: 245/35 ZR18 Rear Tire Size: 335/30 ZR18 Transmission: all-wheel drive Lamborghini Reventon sports car engine parameters: Model: V12 Cylinder capacity (cc): 6496cc Maximum power (Ps): 650ps Maximum power (kW): 478kW Maximum power speed [...]
RIR will host two races again next season
Richmond International Raceway will have two weekends of NASCAR racing again in 2012, starting with a three-day event on April 26, 27 and 28.
SSM Manager Dies...
Sam Schmidt Motorsports Indy Lights Team Manager Chris Griffis has unexpectedly passed away Monday night after participating in a Pick-up Basketball game in Indianapolis. He was 45yrs old and is survived by his wife and two daughters.
Chris had considerable experience in the Open wheel Racing world - having worked alongside Gordon Johncock and Emerson Fittipaldi at Patrick Racing, before working at Chip Ganassi Racing and Bernstein Racing and then went to Panther Racing and was the winning Crew Chief for Indy Lights Champion Mark Taylor before ultimately becoming Team Manager of Schmidt?s dominant Indy Lights program - where Chris has help guide SSM to four titles and 46 wins while the team is currently 1-2 in the Championship standings.
Team Owner Sam Schmidt has chosen to go to Indianapolis instead of Japan out of respect for Griffis and his family...
UpdateJust watched the Autosport Radio Archive video for Sept 13 with Pippa Mann - who formerly drove for Sam Schmidt Motorsports; who gave a very stirring, positive, glowing tribute to recently deceased SSM FIL Team Manager Chris Griffis - which Pippa did at the very start of her interview - saying she needed to speak about Chris before going any further.
She said the day she arrived all Chris said when he saw her was Uh-Huh... Yet mentioned how great of a guy he was who carried a picture of his family and his dog in his wallet...
Meanwhile, as Funeral Services were held in Indiana, over in Japan Sam Schmidt Motorsports ?Big Carz driver ?TAG (Alex Tagliani) gave the team an inspired fourth place finish at Motegi - tying the team?s best finish of the season...
Chris had considerable experience in the Open wheel Racing world - having worked alongside Gordon Johncock and Emerson Fittipaldi at Patrick Racing, before working at Chip Ganassi Racing and Bernstein Racing and then went to Panther Racing and was the winning Crew Chief for Indy Lights Champion Mark Taylor before ultimately becoming Team Manager of Schmidt?s dominant Indy Lights program - where Chris has help guide SSM to four titles and 46 wins while the team is currently 1-2 in the Championship standings.
Team Owner Sam Schmidt has chosen to go to Indianapolis instead of Japan out of respect for Griffis and his family...
UpdateJust watched the Autosport Radio Archive video for Sept 13 with Pippa Mann - who formerly drove for Sam Schmidt Motorsports; who gave a very stirring, positive, glowing tribute to recently deceased SSM FIL Team Manager Chris Griffis - which Pippa did at the very start of her interview - saying she needed to speak about Chris before going any further.
She said the day she arrived all Chris said when he saw her was Uh-Huh... Yet mentioned how great of a guy he was who carried a picture of his family and his dog in his wallet...
Meanwhile, as Funeral Services were held in Indiana, over in Japan Sam Schmidt Motorsports ?Big Carz driver ?TAG (Alex Tagliani) gave the team an inspired fourth place finish at Motegi - tying the team?s best finish of the season...
Sunday, October 9, 2011
11th Annual NHRA Nevada Nationals
The 11th Annual NHRA Nevada Nationals forms the penultimate event in the Full Throttle season, with a lot at stake for drivers in this event. This is a thrilling race that will see drivers pushing their vehicles to the limits. The day will also be the concluding event fot the NHRA Get Screened America Pro [...]
Related posts:27th annual NHRA Arizona NationalsNHRA Summit Racing Southern Nationals57th Annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals
Related posts:27th annual NHRA Arizona NationalsNHRA Summit Racing Southern Nationals57th Annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals
Victory takes a gallop on the beach
The winner of the Sprint Cup at the conclusion of Sunday's Ford 400 in Homestead may or may not have the best car. What really counts -- in that race, and for the very survival of Racin' -- is what comes from the other side of the tracks of the mind: A dark woman's lucky smile. It's a Stone Agel truth which science getting to from the futurel side of the brain. Or so 'tis said at Ovalscreams today.
Women on Wheels: Meet LaTanya!
This year?s Red Bull Indianapolis GP will take the time to recognize women motorcycle riders. Many events have been organized throughout the race weekend that are just for women. Some selected lady riders have been kind enough to share their riding stories with us. They come from different riding groups and [...]
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Maybe it?s a matter of winning, not losing
It’s a simple case of the Cinderella story versus the truth of who has the best damn car on the track.
AVONDALE, Ariz. – This Chase race is a bouncing ball. Each week. Back and forth.
Intangibles run rampant. Let’s see.
On Friday, Denny Hamlin was in breakout mode. His crew chief, Mike Ford, has supposedly gotten under the skin of Jimmie Johnson’s crew, which, by the way, wasn’t the same as it had been a week earlier.
On Monday, Johnson still trailed by 15 points, but it seemed as if it was time to get the cases of champagne ordered. Hamlin had played it a bit too safe by pitting near the end of the Kobalt Tools 500, apparently not realizing that most everyone else was going to try to conserve fuel and make it to the end, and more importantly, that most were going to succeed.
At Phoenix International Raceway, Hamlin snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, leaving him to wander aimlessly out of the track’s media center, muttering that he didn’t think he had done anything wrong.
Meanwhile, there was Kevin Harvick lurking, eyeing the two in front of him with the stare of a vulture waiting to snatch up the pieces.
But what if we stopped putting so much weight into the tangibles? What if the tangibles are really going to decide who wins this heated contest?
What if what happens just … happens?
If Johnson emerges next week as the champion, the prevailing view is going to be that Hamlin’s crew chief, Ford, spat on Superman’s (Johnson crew chief Chad Knaus) cape and got what was coming to him. If Hamlin wins it all, it’s going be because he kept a level head and didn’t let anyone get to him.
If Harvick wins, well, it’s going to require some alleged choking or bad luck by not one, but two. Thus will emerge the Cinderella story.
But maybe, just maybe, this championship is to be decided simply by which driver has the fastest car. Maybe no one’s going to choke. Maybe the attention should be justly slanted toward a tale of winning, not losing.
If so, few will notice. What’s between the ears trumps what’s under the hood.
Morris eyes national title after capping off historic season at SoBo
Philip Morris won his track-record 19th race of the season at South Boston Speedway last Saturday and holds a 10-point lead (782-772) on Rocco in the national standings with two weekends left in the points season.
Justin Bell visits No Fenders...
Justin Bell with Tanner Foust
If you?re a Hard Core racing enthusiast, then most likely Y?all know that Justin Bell is the son of five times Le Mans winner Derek ? who although Justin admits great admiration and respect for, along with having spent considerable time in the cockpit as teammates at Circuit de la Sarthe; instead Justin wishes to remain his own man by not introducing himself as Derek?s son. (Rather that Derek is his father...)
And Justin?s had a fairly diverse Motorsports career ? if his WICKEDpedia page is its traditional ?69% correct?? Interspersed with his own ?Offical website?s Bio ? Justin has run the gamut from Motocross, Single Seaters, Sports Cars, Trans Am, Driving School, Celebrity Driver Coach and Television Pundit! So where to begin?
Tomaso (T) So I read that you began your climb thru the ranks by going Formula Ford racing, albeit getting ?Dusted-off by a wee lad named Alan McNish. Who else of notoriety did you race on your way up the ladder and what categories did you race prior to jumping into the ?BigCarz, i.e.; Porsche 962 at Le Mans?
Justin Bell (JB) Well Alan Mcnish was on the grid with me for my first FF1600 race - my FIRST and for him about his 500th race following his successful KArting career! And yes generally he did kick my ass... Although I was always second! The next season in Opel Lotus Mika Hakinen was added to the grid in the same Marlboro team as Alan. I finished THIRD a lot that season!
(T) I seem to vaguely recall you running a Shell liveried Porsche 962 with your Old Man, which reputedly you ran with him for four years. (1992-96) is that correct or am I confusing it with the Andretti?s? What team(s) did the two of you chauffer for, who were your other co-drivers and what?s your best memory(s) from those races?
(JB) No that must have been the Andretti?s. Dad and I raced a 962 under the ADA banner in 1991 at Le Mans with Tiff Needel. The biggest race together was when I asked him to join Andy Wallace and myself in the Harrods Sponsored McLaren F1 GTR at LM in 1995. Finishing third overall and standing on the podium with Dad was extraordinary. What an experience!
SPEED: Justin Bell?s Lemans Debut
(T) Whale, after having watched your Marshall Pruett Le Mans Debut Flashback video, (above) along with doing some more digging; it (indeed) appears that your first ?Proper? Le Mans was in 1992 in a Porsche 962 with your father and Tiff Needel. And then you shared a podium winning McLaren F1 GTR with your dad and Andy Wallace: (Which Justin noted above...) which race was more special?
(JB) Definitely the 1995 LM with the F1 - wow! To drive the coolest car built at the time with Dad was massive.
(T) And I really seemed to first notice you when driving those provocative Dodge Vipers, as I?m guessing your best Le Mans memory is your 1998 class victory. How fun were those Viper GTR?s to drive vs. the Corvette?s ? and how do they stack up against each other?
(JB) Yes Racing for Dodge in their World Championship team with Team OReca was definitely the most significant phase of my racing career. We won so many races and of course being the first Driver to win a World Championship for them and then as part of the LM winning team with Luca Drudi and David Donohue - really put me on the map.
Actually for four years our main competition was with Porsche and then Vette reared their fast paced faces at the end of 1999. When I jumped ship to join them!
(T) When did you last race at Le Mans and what was your favourite racecar to drive in the 24 Heurs du Mans. (Besides that memorable Spice-Ferrari Prototype; Hya!)
(JB) Thanks for bringing up the Spice Ferrari... not a positive memory! I last raced for Corvette there in 2000.
(T) And you seem to have an infinity for Hugues de Chaunac, who you drove for ? winning in his GT2 Oreca Vipers. What other Owners did you enjoy driving for?
(JB) Racing with Corvette under the mentorship of Doug Fehan was great fun. I admire him a lot - he hired me and had the balls to fire me... his mistake though... lol
(T) Many moons ago, your Dad thru Grand Prix Tours was chauffeuring GPTCustomers around the ?Green Hella,? a.k.a. the Nordschleife in a Dodge Viper GTS; of which I seriously wished I?d done. Did that come about thru your being a Dodge factory driver?
(JB) Probably, maybe, likely - no clue actually!
(T) Switching gears ? without going into a long Diatribe ?bout ?the Split.? I know another ex-Corvette Racing teammate of yours named ?Johnny ?O? (O?Connell) participated in the 1996 Indy 500, but was unaware that you tried qualifying for that event; reputedly in a 4yr old Lola chassis. Who was that for and can you summarize what happened?
(JB) Bloody awful experience. Terrifying. Shit team and no money. Tony George did not need/want a Brit in the race so no real motivation to help me. End of story.
To show how bad it was - I used to pack my wash bag up every morning just in case someone else was coming back to clear my shit up after what was going to be an eventual accident - and I knew it was serious when Johnny Rutherford suggested to me that I leave and comeback another year... otherwise I may not have that option...!
(T) Whilst searching for a current image of you - I came across a photo with you and Tanner Foust, who just set the record for jumping a PickEmUp truck off the Hot Wheels (?Door?) ramp at this year?s Centennial Indy 500. Do you know Tanner and have you ever competed/worked with him? As I really enjoyed him on the past season?s American version of Top Gear. (Of which a second season of Top Gear USA is currently running on the History channel Sunday evenings...)
(JB) Yes I have a great relationship with Tanner - the first time we worked together was on that event - we had a blast. I think the only thing missing from Top Gear USA is me... lol! He is the best thing on that show at the moment.
VIDEO: Justin & Tanner ?flog Ford Focus
(T) Back to the TinTops, albeit I seemingly lost interest in Trans Am after the Tommy Bahamas Qvale (De Tomaso) Mangusta car went away in the early ?Ought?s.? (2000?s) Thus I was unaware of your racing in the series. Who did you win R.O.Y. (Rookie Of the Year) Honours for? Did your two victories come with the same team, or did you run for more then one entrant during your three seasons of Trans Am?
(JB) I had a blast in TA - I was with the seasoned Jim Derhaag team and we really got that Orange #40 Vette working well. So yes I won ROTY with that team and the last two races of the season. We actually looked like we were going to win the first race of the year at Long Beach - I came from almost last place to take the lead briefly from Boris Said and Paul Gentilozzi... and then I screwed up with one corner to go!
What a shame that TA didn?t survive - it could have been the best option as a road racing series to rival NASCAR if managed properly...
(T) I recall watching, Err listening to your Dad call a season of Formula 1 upon my local Fox Sports Network (FSN) whilst I was struggling to acquire Speed Vision way back when. Did this have anything to do with giving you the bug to go into Television and how did you get your start.
(JB) No - I loved being interviewed - apparently I did it well. Then being quite a creative person I saw it as my chance to really shine in a world I always wanted to be part of. So I dedicated myself to being a professional TV host in the same way I did to being a racing driver 20 years earlier.
(T) And what?s it like working with Jay Leno?
(JB) I moved to LA to be on his (at the time) new ?Jay Leno Show? on NBC. I got to train the celebs to drive the Electric Ford and then interview them for NBC.com. What a great gig and sadly short lived, thanks to that whole Conan /Tonight Show situation.
But Jay has always been great to me - very encouraging and now I still work with him as a special correspondent to Jay Leno?s garage.com.
(T) During your annual ?CrowdCrawl this year at Le Mans ? you mused that it?d be your last Le Mans and from now on you?d be writing books... Was this just some more of your British wit, or is there any truth behind that?
(JB) Purely me goofing around... Just my sense of humour as when I interviewed that British fan wearing fake boobs and with a giant hairy bush peeking out from his ladies thong... I thought I have done it this time!!
(T) And I noticed that SPEED had a pretty Driver ?Heavy? announce crew on hand this year, with Calvin Fish, Scott Pruett, Dorsey Schroeder, Brian Till and yourself on hand. (Along with Greg Creamer, Leigh Diffey, Jamie Howe and Andrew Marriot)
Has the SPEED broadcast luminaries (9 On-air personalities) ever gone Go Kart racing and who?d win? (As I?ll put my money upon Leigh Diffey...)
(JB) Leigh would loose...
(T) And have you ever participated in a Barret-Jackson auction besides as a commentator, i.e.; Bidder? And if so what type of Automobile did you buy/wished-to purchase?
(JB) No I knew nothing about them until I worked that B-J Scottsdale last year. Now I love those events - they are incredible to be a part of. I am SO glad I don?t have a bidders paddle - or I would now be the owner of several American muscle cars, a 21 window VW van and several cool Bronco?s... haha.
(T) And lastly, you claim you?re not officially retired as a racer on your bio. Is there any race on your ?Bucket-list? you?d like to do; ore are you simply content upon focusing on your television career instead?
(JB) Well I am racing at the Petit Le Mans race at the end of the month with Michael Waltrip in the AF Corse Ferrari F430... so I guess you are correct. I am really looking forward to it. Good to remind people I can still walk it as well as talk it...
Thanxs very much for dropping by and good luck with the book; Hya!
And don?t forget to check out Justin Bell?s Official Website at: justinbell.com
Good Luck with Mikey ?N Thee 430 Ferrari!
If you?re a Hard Core racing enthusiast, then most likely Y?all know that Justin Bell is the son of five times Le Mans winner Derek ? who although Justin admits great admiration and respect for, along with having spent considerable time in the cockpit as teammates at Circuit de la Sarthe; instead Justin wishes to remain his own man by not introducing himself as Derek?s son. (Rather that Derek is his father...)
And Justin?s had a fairly diverse Motorsports career ? if his WICKEDpedia page is its traditional ?69% correct?? Interspersed with his own ?Offical website?s Bio ? Justin has run the gamut from Motocross, Single Seaters, Sports Cars, Trans Am, Driving School, Celebrity Driver Coach and Television Pundit! So where to begin?
Tomaso (T) So I read that you began your climb thru the ranks by going Formula Ford racing, albeit getting ?Dusted-off by a wee lad named Alan McNish. Who else of notoriety did you race on your way up the ladder and what categories did you race prior to jumping into the ?BigCarz, i.e.; Porsche 962 at Le Mans?
Justin Bell (JB) Well Alan Mcnish was on the grid with me for my first FF1600 race - my FIRST and for him about his 500th race following his successful KArting career! And yes generally he did kick my ass... Although I was always second! The next season in Opel Lotus Mika Hakinen was added to the grid in the same Marlboro team as Alan. I finished THIRD a lot that season!
(T) I seem to vaguely recall you running a Shell liveried Porsche 962 with your Old Man, which reputedly you ran with him for four years. (1992-96) is that correct or am I confusing it with the Andretti?s? What team(s) did the two of you chauffer for, who were your other co-drivers and what?s your best memory(s) from those races?
(JB) No that must have been the Andretti?s. Dad and I raced a 962 under the ADA banner in 1991 at Le Mans with Tiff Needel. The biggest race together was when I asked him to join Andy Wallace and myself in the Harrods Sponsored McLaren F1 GTR at LM in 1995. Finishing third overall and standing on the podium with Dad was extraordinary. What an experience!
SPEED: Justin Bell?s Lemans Debut
(T) Whale, after having watched your Marshall Pruett Le Mans Debut Flashback video, (above) along with doing some more digging; it (indeed) appears that your first ?Proper? Le Mans was in 1992 in a Porsche 962 with your father and Tiff Needel. And then you shared a podium winning McLaren F1 GTR with your dad and Andy Wallace: (Which Justin noted above...) which race was more special?
(JB) Definitely the 1995 LM with the F1 - wow! To drive the coolest car built at the time with Dad was massive.
(T) And I really seemed to first notice you when driving those provocative Dodge Vipers, as I?m guessing your best Le Mans memory is your 1998 class victory. How fun were those Viper GTR?s to drive vs. the Corvette?s ? and how do they stack up against each other?
(JB) Yes Racing for Dodge in their World Championship team with Team OReca was definitely the most significant phase of my racing career. We won so many races and of course being the first Driver to win a World Championship for them and then as part of the LM winning team with Luca Drudi and David Donohue - really put me on the map.
Actually for four years our main competition was with Porsche and then Vette reared their fast paced faces at the end of 1999. When I jumped ship to join them!
(T) When did you last race at Le Mans and what was your favourite racecar to drive in the 24 Heurs du Mans. (Besides that memorable Spice-Ferrari Prototype; Hya!)
(JB) Thanks for bringing up the Spice Ferrari... not a positive memory! I last raced for Corvette there in 2000.
(T) And you seem to have an infinity for Hugues de Chaunac, who you drove for ? winning in his GT2 Oreca Vipers. What other Owners did you enjoy driving for?
(JB) Racing with Corvette under the mentorship of Doug Fehan was great fun. I admire him a lot - he hired me and had the balls to fire me... his mistake though... lol
(T) Many moons ago, your Dad thru Grand Prix Tours was chauffeuring GPTCustomers around the ?Green Hella,? a.k.a. the Nordschleife in a Dodge Viper GTS; of which I seriously wished I?d done. Did that come about thru your being a Dodge factory driver?
(JB) Probably, maybe, likely - no clue actually!
(T) Switching gears ? without going into a long Diatribe ?bout ?the Split.? I know another ex-Corvette Racing teammate of yours named ?Johnny ?O? (O?Connell) participated in the 1996 Indy 500, but was unaware that you tried qualifying for that event; reputedly in a 4yr old Lola chassis. Who was that for and can you summarize what happened?
(JB) Bloody awful experience. Terrifying. Shit team and no money. Tony George did not need/want a Brit in the race so no real motivation to help me. End of story.
To show how bad it was - I used to pack my wash bag up every morning just in case someone else was coming back to clear my shit up after what was going to be an eventual accident - and I knew it was serious when Johnny Rutherford suggested to me that I leave and comeback another year... otherwise I may not have that option...!
(T) Whilst searching for a current image of you - I came across a photo with you and Tanner Foust, who just set the record for jumping a PickEmUp truck off the Hot Wheels (?Door?) ramp at this year?s Centennial Indy 500. Do you know Tanner and have you ever competed/worked with him? As I really enjoyed him on the past season?s American version of Top Gear. (Of which a second season of Top Gear USA is currently running on the History channel Sunday evenings...)
(JB) Yes I have a great relationship with Tanner - the first time we worked together was on that event - we had a blast. I think the only thing missing from Top Gear USA is me... lol! He is the best thing on that show at the moment.
VIDEO: Justin & Tanner ?flog Ford Focus
(T) Back to the TinTops, albeit I seemingly lost interest in Trans Am after the Tommy Bahamas Qvale (De Tomaso) Mangusta car went away in the early ?Ought?s.? (2000?s) Thus I was unaware of your racing in the series. Who did you win R.O.Y. (Rookie Of the Year) Honours for? Did your two victories come with the same team, or did you run for more then one entrant during your three seasons of Trans Am?
(JB) I had a blast in TA - I was with the seasoned Jim Derhaag team and we really got that Orange #40 Vette working well. So yes I won ROTY with that team and the last two races of the season. We actually looked like we were going to win the first race of the year at Long Beach - I came from almost last place to take the lead briefly from Boris Said and Paul Gentilozzi... and then I screwed up with one corner to go!
What a shame that TA didn?t survive - it could have been the best option as a road racing series to rival NASCAR if managed properly...
(T) I recall watching, Err listening to your Dad call a season of Formula 1 upon my local Fox Sports Network (FSN) whilst I was struggling to acquire Speed Vision way back when. Did this have anything to do with giving you the bug to go into Television and how did you get your start.
(JB) No - I loved being interviewed - apparently I did it well. Then being quite a creative person I saw it as my chance to really shine in a world I always wanted to be part of. So I dedicated myself to being a professional TV host in the same way I did to being a racing driver 20 years earlier.
(T) And what?s it like working with Jay Leno?
(JB) I moved to LA to be on his (at the time) new ?Jay Leno Show? on NBC. I got to train the celebs to drive the Electric Ford and then interview them for NBC.com. What a great gig and sadly short lived, thanks to that whole Conan /Tonight Show situation.
But Jay has always been great to me - very encouraging and now I still work with him as a special correspondent to Jay Leno?s garage.com.
(T) During your annual ?CrowdCrawl this year at Le Mans ? you mused that it?d be your last Le Mans and from now on you?d be writing books... Was this just some more of your British wit, or is there any truth behind that?
(JB) Purely me goofing around... Just my sense of humour as when I interviewed that British fan wearing fake boobs and with a giant hairy bush peeking out from his ladies thong... I thought I have done it this time!!
(T) And I noticed that SPEED had a pretty Driver ?Heavy? announce crew on hand this year, with Calvin Fish, Scott Pruett, Dorsey Schroeder, Brian Till and yourself on hand. (Along with Greg Creamer, Leigh Diffey, Jamie Howe and Andrew Marriot)
Has the SPEED broadcast luminaries (9 On-air personalities) ever gone Go Kart racing and who?d win? (As I?ll put my money upon Leigh Diffey...)
(JB) Leigh would loose...
(T) And have you ever participated in a Barret-Jackson auction besides as a commentator, i.e.; Bidder? And if so what type of Automobile did you buy/wished-to purchase?
(JB) No I knew nothing about them until I worked that B-J Scottsdale last year. Now I love those events - they are incredible to be a part of. I am SO glad I don?t have a bidders paddle - or I would now be the owner of several American muscle cars, a 21 window VW van and several cool Bronco?s... haha.
(T) And lastly, you claim you?re not officially retired as a racer on your bio. Is there any race on your ?Bucket-list? you?d like to do; ore are you simply content upon focusing on your television career instead?
(JB) Well I am racing at the Petit Le Mans race at the end of the month with Michael Waltrip in the AF Corse Ferrari F430... so I guess you are correct. I am really looking forward to it. Good to remind people I can still walk it as well as talk it...
Thanxs very much for dropping by and good luck with the book; Hya!
And don?t forget to check out Justin Bell?s Official Website at: justinbell.com
Good Luck with Mikey ?N Thee 430 Ferrari!
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