Hope From a Dope On A Rope

Source: http://www.skirtsandscuffs.com/2012/05/earnhardt-allmendinger-and-labonte.html

Michael Stephen Wallace Gerino Gerini Z Line Toyota Cash America Chevrolet 5 hour Energy Toyota

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/05/18/2073688/kyle-busch-wins-pole-for-all-star.html

Elliott Sadler François Hesnault Armour Vienna Sausage Kroger Chevrolet Long John Silver s Ford Oscar Larrauri

Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg are confident that their Mercedes car will be well suited to the Monaco track as they aim for the team’s second win of the year. Although the outfit has only had one podium finish so far this year, both drivers believe that the low speed nature of the Monte Carlo track, allied to the demands on traction, should be good for their chances at Formula 1′s blue riband event. Rosberg said: “I have always been quick around the streets here, and I believe a good result is possible for us next weekend.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/mercedes-duo-sure-car-will-suit-monaco

Alan Dennis Kulwicki Zaxby s Ford Brian Lee Vickers Carl Long Bobby Grim

Mark Winterbottom escaped to victory in a spectacular first V8 Supercars race at Phillip Island, as his title rivals Jamie Whincup and Will Davison collided amid a wild dice for second place. Shane van Gisbergen fought through from 11th on the grid to take second in the Stone Brothers Ford, while his team-mate Tim Slade fended off Garth Tander (Holden Racing Team) for third. Ford filled the podium, but for much of the race it looked like it would be the Ford Performance Racing team itself that took the top three sweep

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/winterbottom-wins-as-rivals-collide

Narain Karthikeyan Gérard Larrousse Oscar Alfredo Gálvez Marc Gené Timo Glock

Filed under: Aftermarket, Performance, Wagon, Mercedes-Benz

If you need to haul some stuff in a big hurry, you could do a lot worse than the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Estate wagon. It offers all the power of its coupe and sedan siblings, only with the added cargo space that so many European customers prefer over the betrunked versions. But if the stock 457 horsepower isn’t enough, the good folks over at Edo Competition are glad to help out with an upgrade of their own.

That upgrade, it turns out, is anything but negligible, pumping output up by nearly 150 horsepower to a stonking 600. Torque has also been boosted from 442 lb-ft stock to 501, where that extra single measure of twist makes all the difference.

The boost comes courtesy of new exhaust, headers, cats and filters, supplemented by 19-inch modular alloys riding on suitably low-profile Michelin rubber, with a slew of interior enhancements to make the Edo C63 feel all the more special.

The exterior, however, remains decidedly low-key – all the better for messing with the head of Porsche drivers on the Autobahn while hauling the whole family and all their gear. Check it out in the press release below and the high-res image gallery above.

Continue reading Edo Competition squeezes 600 HP into Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Estate

Edo Competition squeezes 600 HP into Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Estate originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 19 May 2012 14:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/19/edo-competition-squeezes-600-horsepower-into-the-mercedes-benz-c/

Masten Gregory Stefan Johansson Ricky Stenhouse Jr Jimmie Johnson Jeffrey Michael Gordon

Image: Arizona Department of Transportation
Does walkable development really lead to worse traffic congestion? Opponents of urbanism often say so, citing impending traffic disaster to rally people against, say, a new mixed-use project proposed in their backyards. But new research provides some excellent evidence to counter those claims.
A recent study by the Arizona Department of Transportation [...]

Source: http://dc.streetsblog.org/2012/05/18/arizona-dot-study-compact-mixed-use-development-leads-to-less-traffic

David Carl Allison Divina Galica Z Line Designs Toyota Verizon Wireless Dodge Nanni Galli

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/05/18/2073677/lofton-races-to-first-truck-series.html

Richie Ginther Aaron s Dream Machine Toyota Kevin Harvick Jerry Hoyt Innes Ireland

Pastor Maldonado believes that the driver plays a bigger part in the competitive equation under Formula 1′s current regulations.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/maldonado-driver-plays-bigger-role-now

Brian Lee Vickers Carl Long Bobby Grim Kevin Michael Harvick Kasey Kahne

Follow Indy 500 qualifying with Marshall Pruett’s live blog from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Source: http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/indycar-indy-500-pole-day-qualifying-blog/

Joe Kelly Ryan Truex Elliott Sadler François Hesnault Armour Vienna Sausage Kroger Chevrolet

According to its quarterly report, Tesla is planning to begin deliveries of the Model S sedan this June, not July, as had been earlier announced. Tesla is just waiting to finish crash testing the Model S and obtain final ratings from the EPA for the car’s range and MPGe (the electric equivalent to fuel economy) [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/6HZD7vDm5HY/

Brad Keselowski Kyle Thomas Busch Cecil Green Kelly Bires Music Center Toyota

Filed under: Toys/Games

There are driving simulators and there are racing simulators. They tend to cross over, but what divides them are the types of cars and the types of roads used in the game. Drive racing cars on digitally recreated racing circuits and you’re looking at a racing sim. Street cars on public roads (whether simulated or replicated) and you’re playing a driving game. The Forza Motorsport franchise has always been more of a racing simulator than a driving game, but the minority of open roads that have appeared in the four iterations of the series so far are about to jump into their own game altogether with the launch of Forza Horizon.

Having made the initial announced back in March, Microsoft hand Turn 10 Studios have now released the box cover art and a single frame of in-game footage, both depicting the new SRT Viper on the open road. The cover, as you can see, shows a yellow Viper with black stripes speeding out of a mountain town, while the screenshot shows us a metallic Viper – like the one we saw at its unveiling in New York – on a desert highway in what looks like Carburator County from Pixar’s Cars.

About a year and a half (if you can believe it) since the launch of Forza 4, the arrival of Forza Horizon will surely come as welcome and eagerly anticipated by the legions of racing and gaming fans that have enjoyed the various iterations of the franchise until now. All we know about its release is that it’s coming sometime in the fall, but with the E3 gaming convention just a couple of weeks away, we should have more to bring you soon, so watch this space.

Forza Horizon coming this fall with hot Viper action on the open road originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 May 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/18/forza-horizon-coming-this-fall-with-hot-viper-action-on-t/

Sam Hornish Jr Leslie Johnson Jean Pierre Jabouille Joseph Francis Nemechek III Jason Leffler

Adrian Sutil is confident that he will have the opportunity to return to Formula 1 despite being without a seat for 2012. The German, who raced for Spyker/Force India from 2007-2011 before losing his seat for this year, returned to the F1 paddock at last weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix. While there are no opportunities currently available, he believes that if he is patient there will be chances to make a comeback.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/sutil-my-f1-career-is-not-over

Carl Edwards Martin Lee Truex Jr Virginia Commonwealth University Ford Boudreaux s Butt Paste Chevrolet James Hunt

Filed under: Japan, Technology, Toyota, Toys/Games

Video games are already an easy target for politicians, what with their amazing ability to turn both brains and muscles to jelly while also promoting violence and other sociopathic behaviors. So we can only wonder at the political grandstanding that might accompany this development: The Nintendo DS can now be used to control a Toyota navigation system.

Yes, that’s right, if you can pull yourself away from drawing evil kittens on your DS – and you live in Japan – you can pair it via Bluetooth, and use it to input destinations and display a speedometer on the DS, according to Kotaku. The Kuruma de DS game card also gives your handheld gaming device the ability to broadcast its audio through the car’s stereo system.

The software is designed to be used by passengers – of course – but we’re sure it’s only a matter of time before Japan experiences its first I-was-just-using-my-DS-to-program-my-nav crash. Kotaku says the game card is being sold by Toyota dealers for about $92.

Toyota turning Nintendo DS into navigation system originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 May 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/17/toyota-turning-nintendo-ds-into-navigation-system/

Leslie Johnson Jean Pierre Jabouille Joseph Francis Nemechek III Jason Leffler Zaxby s Chevrolet

One option being considered for Webster Avenue Select Bus Service would have the buses run in the center of the street, potentially speeding service even more than existing SBS routes. Image: NYC DOT/MTA
Webster Avenue could be the place where Select Bus Service reaches the next level. At a community meeting Wednesday evening, the Department of [...]

Source: http://www.streetsblog.org/2012/05/18/webster-avenue-sbs-could-be-best-in-nyc-with-center-running-bus-lanes/

Phoenix Construction Chevrolet Virgil Ernest Irvan III Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr Kroger Ford Eric McClure

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/05/15/2066931/what-speeds-jimmy-spencer-really.html

Kasey Kahne Coleman Pressley Mark Green Mike Harris Patrick Gaillard

Formula 1 drivers will once again be banned from using DRS in the tunnel at the Monaco Grand Prix on safety grounds, AUTOSPORT can reveal. Last season, drivers campaigned in the build-up to the race for DRS to be disabled through the Monaco tunnel because of concerns that it could put them in a dangerous situation if they were forced to use it there throughout practice and qualifying.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/monaco-tunnel-drs-ban-to-remain

Gerino Gerini Z Line Toyota Cash America Chevrolet 5 hour Energy Toyota Mike Bliss

Casey Stoner spoke in-depth concerning his shocking decision to step away from MotoGP while just 26 and the world’s leading motorcycle racer.

Source: http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/motogp-stoner-follows-his-heart/

5 hour Energy Toyota Mike Bliss Boy Hayje Pittsburgh Paints Menards Ford Armour Vienna Sausage Kroger Chevrolet

Source: http://www.skirtsandscuffs.com/2012/05/5-questions-beforethe-all-star-race.html

Helmuth Koinigg Ruby Tuesday Dodge Toyota Kimmy Germain com Toyota Jean Marc Gounon

Casey Stoner believes MotoGP is ‘going backwards’ in moving away from being a prototype-only championship, after saying the series no longer holds his interest. After announcing his plans for retirement at the end of this season, Stoner explained that there were a number of factors that had dimmed his passion for the category – one of which included the future direction of the sport

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/motorcycles/motogp/stoner-says-motogp-is-going-backwards

Charter Communications Dodg Tony Raines Helmuth Koinigg Ruby Tuesday Dodge Toyota Kimmy

Denny Hamlin went low when most drivers went high at Auto Club Speedway, and he ended up in pole position for Sundays race.

Source: http://www.nascarracinglive.com/nascar/denny-hamlin-wins-pole-at-auto-club-speedway.html

Ryan Newman Bradley Reed Sorenson BigSpot com Toyota Key Motorsports Chevrolet Helm Glöckler

Joey Logano pulls away at Darlington for second straight Nationwide win May 11, 2012 By Reid Spencer NASCAR Wire Service DARLINGTON, S.C. — Joey Logano drove away from Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin after a green-white-checkered-flag restart and won Friday night’s VFW Sport Clips 200 Nationwide Series event at Darlington Raceway. Hamlin, who complained [...]

Source: http://thefinallap.com/2012/05/11/joey-logano-pulls-away-at-darlington-for-second-straight-nationwide-win/

Jason Leffler Kamui Kobayashi Juan Pablo Montoya Toyota Kimmy Z Line Designs Toyota Eddie Irvine

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Auctions, Misc. Auto Shows, Ferrari

RM Auctions only just finished pulling in record numbers at its event in Monaco, but it’s already gearing up for the next event set to take place during Pebble Beach weekend in Monterey, California.

Headlining the Canadian specialist auctioneer’s catalog for the August event are the rare 1955 Ferrari 410 Sport Berlinetta and the timelessly elegant 1938 Talbot-Lago Teardrop Coupe pictured together above.

Considered by some to be one of the world’s most desirable Ferrari classic road car, this particular 410 Sport Berlinetta is the second of just four built and the only fixed-roof coupe. Chassis 0594 CM features bodywork by Scaglietti in ivory with blue leather. It will be making its first appearance both in North America and at auction, having only traded hands a few times between private European collectors until now.

The Talbot, meanwhile, is one of only five of its kind built (of four remaining) and the only such coupe built upon a four-seat chassis. The winner of several concours, this particular example of French art deco in motion is expected to fetch $2.5 to $3.2 million. Scroll down for the full press release and peruse the high-resolution images of the two cars together in Monaco for a sneak preview.

Continue reading Elegant classic Ferrari and Talbot-Lago to headline at Pebble Beach

Elegant classic Ferrari and Talbot-Lago to headline at Pebble Beach originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 May 2012 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/17/elegant-classic-ferrari-and-talbot-lago-to-headline-at-pebble-be/

Jean Marc Gounon 3M Ford Brian Hart Alan Jones 3M Ford

Infineon Raceway SONOMA, Calif. (Jan. 4, 2012) Colin Monahan has been named Marketing Coordinator at Infineon Raceway, raceway officials announced….

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

Phil Hill Danny Kladis Cuth Harrison Jim Hurtubise BigSpot com Toyota

Chevy Bowtie Symbol LogoFor the Chevrolet V-6 powered teams and drivers, it was a busy day as preparations continue for the 96th running of the Indianapolis 500. For the first time in the month of May Indianapolis 500 activities, there was one on-track incident with approximately 15 minutes remaining in the six-hour practice session. Rookie Josef…more&#187

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/catchfence/~3/hy-ec6Nd5W4/

Ken Kavanagh Mike Wallace Kenny Wallace Brad Keselowski Paco Godia

NASCAR Sprint Cup returns to the West Coast to race the two-mile Auto Club Speedway in Fontana March 25. Fontana is a double-edged sword for NASCAR. The track is a favorite for drivers because it is smooth, wide and racy but for fans it is a long, drawn out race that usually ends…

Source: http://www.nascarracinglive.com/nascar/fontana-tough-to-watch-but-nascar-drivers-love-to-race-fan-opinion-yahoo-contributor-network.html

Bobby Labonte Budweiser Ford JD Motorsports Chevrolet David Ragan Richie Ginther

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/05/15/2066008/food-network-host-to-drive-indy.html

Kevin Paul Lepage Ernst Klodwig Theo Helfrich Red Line Oil Dodge Carl Michael Edwards III

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/05/16/2068237/nascars-pit-crews-get-their-chance.html

Mike Wallace Mark Anthony Martin Dale Earnhardt Jr Denny Hulme Phoenix Construction Chevrolet

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Fisker, Electric, Luxury

The Fisker Atlantic extended-range plug-in vehicle will start production about a year after its previously estimated mid-2013 date, Inside EVs blog reports, citing leaked company documents that were dated “a few weeks ago.”

The Atlantic, formerly known as Project Nina, will compete pricewise against the BMW 3 Series and 5 Series sedans, as well as the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and E-Class, Jaguar XF and Audi A4 and A6. That would put the model in the $50,000 to $60,000 range, according to the publication. The model, which will still be produced at Fisker’s Delaware plant, will have 300 horsepower, a 0-60 time of 6.5 seconds and emissions of 50 grams per kilometer of CO2, Inside EVs reports, citing the documents.

“As these documents are obviously leaked investor documents and highly confidential, I am not prepared to comment any further,” a Fisker representative tells Autoblog sister site, AutoblogGreen.

The status of the Atlantic has been in question since plans for the former General Motors plant in Delaware were put on hold once the U.S. Department of Energy froze most of the $529 million in loans earmarked for the California-based company.

Fisker unveiled the Atlantic at the New York Auto Show last month, saying that the car’s price tag would be “a much lower price point” than Fisker’s Karma sedan.

Leaked Fisker Atlantic documents reveal big production delay, specs originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 May 2012 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/16/fisker-atlantic-documents-reveal-production-delay-specs-blog-r/

Brian Lee Vickers Carl Long Bobby Grim Kevin Michael Harvick Kasey Kahne

Sebastian Vettel denied Pastor Maldonado a shock timesheet-topping performance in the final seconds of the third practice session for the Spanish Grand Prix at Barcelona.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/vettel-fastest-in-final-barcelona-practice

Bobby Labonte Budweiser Ford JD Motorsports Chevrolet David Ragan Richie Ginther

2012 NSCS Denny Hamlin – Photo Credit: Robert Laberge/Getty Images for NASCAREXPRESS NOTES: Darlington Recap: Denny Hamlin finished second in Saturday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, leading four times for 56 laps to take the checkered flag behind winner Jimmie Johnson. Hamlin — the 2010 Darlington winner — battled a tight…more&#187

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

Denny Hamlin Ryan Newman Bradley Reed Sorenson BigSpot com Toyota Key Motorsports Chevrolet

Spanish Grand Prix winner Pastor Maldonado said he always felt like he had the race under control even as Fernando Alonso closed in after the final pitstops.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/maldonado-says-race-was-under-control

Bass Pro Shops Tracker Chevrolet Narain Karthikeyan Gérard Larrousse Oscar Alfredo Gálvez Marc Gené

Infineon Raceway SONOMA, Calif. (Jan. 4, 2012) Colin Monahan has been named Marketing Coordinator at Infineon Raceway, raceway officials announced….

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

Jim Hurtubise BigSpot com Toyota Victory in Jesus Chevrolet Martin Truex Jr InternationalTrucks com Chevrolet

Giedo van der Garde used a bold tyre strategy to take his first win since joining the Caterham team in the GP2 feature race at Catalunya.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/formula-cars/gp2/van-der-garde-takes-barcelona-win

Virgil Ernest Irvan III Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr Kroger Ford Eric McClure Joe Nemechek Washington

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/05/13/2061758/tempers-flare-fracas-ensues.html

Hermann Lang Ryan Newman Richmond Menards Ford Carel Godin de Beaufort Ricky Stenhouse Jr

Panther DRR LOGODAY FOUR PRACTICE NOTES/QUOTES—- Indianapolis, Indiana, May 15, 2012 Fast Facts: Oriol Servia Oriol clocked the 15th fastest speed today (219.948 mph) in day four of practice, completing a total of 48 laps. On day one of practice Servia was 11th fastest (217.20 mph), on day two he was 19th fastest (217.656 mph)…more&#187

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/catchfence/~3/RAvv0oGNJkM/

Justin Allgaier Paul Hawkins Claudio Langes Landon Cassill Zaxby s Chevrolet

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/05/13/2061963/johnsons-56th-is-hendricks-200th.html

Trevor Bayne Red Bull Toyota David Gilliland Howden Ganley Oswald Karch

Rookie Josef Newgarden was quickest for Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing on the opening day of practice for the first Indianapolis 500 of IndyCar’s new rules era on Saturday. The day was largely a shakedown for the 24 drivers who were ready to run, but Newgarden still managed an early lap of 40.8627s at an average speed of 220.250mph.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/indycar-news/indycar/newgarden-tops-opening-day-at-indy

5 hour Energy Toyota Bass Pro Shops Tracker Chevrolet Narain Karthikeyan Gérard Larrousse Oscar Alfredo Gálvez

We like the BMW 3-series, and we like station wagons. So here’s good news: BMW has released the first round of info on the new 3er Sports Wagon, or Touring as it is called in the Old World. It will be offered in the U.S. once again, and we expect to see a 328i with [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/MnFhV406s94/2013-bmw-3-series-sports-wagon-news

Pittsburgh Paints Menards Ford Armour Vienna Sausage Kroger Chevrolet Jason Leffler Kamui Kobayashi Juan Pablo Montoya

Mattias Ekstrom believes that Audi must raise its game at Brands Hatch this weekend if he is to avoid losing touch with Mercedes drivers Gary Paffett and Jamie Green in the championship.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/miscellaneous/dtm/ekstrom-brands-form-critical-for-audi

Joe Nemechek Mike Wallace Mark Anthony Martin Dale Earnhardt Jr Denny Hulme

Pastor Maldonado will start from pole position for the Spanish Grand Prix after Lewis Hamilton was excluded from qualifying for not returning to the pits after setting his best lap. Hamilton’s McLaren was found to not have had enough fuel on board to comply with the rules that demand a car returns to the pits under its own power after qualifying with enough petrol for a one-litre sample to be provided to the FIA. Only under circumstances of ‘force majeure’ are drivers allowed to stop on that slowing down lap – and stopping deliberately because there is not enough fuel to finish the tour and supply that sample is not acceptable.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/hamilton-loses-spanish-gp-pole

Clint Bowyer Kelly Bires Joe Nemechek Mike Wallace Mark Anthony Martin

Michael Schumacher will lose five places on the starting grid for the Monaco Grand Prix following his crash with Bruno Senna in Spain. The Mercedes driver crashed into the back of the Williams when fighting for position at the end of the straight on lap 13, with both drivers retiring. The stewards deemed the seven-time champion was to blame for having caused the collision and he will be dropped five places on the starting grid at Monaco.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/monaco-grid-penalty-for-schumacher

Dale Earnhardt Jr Denny Hulme Phoenix Construction Chevrolet Virgil Ernest Irvan III Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr

Source: http://www.skirtsandscuffs.com/2012/05/in-hunt-with-rcr-darlington.html

Zaxby s Ford Brian Lee Vickers Carl Long Bobby Grim Kevin Michael Harvick

Kimi Raikkonen is confident that he will break through for a grand prix win for Lotus in 2012, after finishing on the podium at the last two races. After following Sebastian Vettel home in Bahrain, Raikkonen was amongst the frontrunners again in Spain, eventually finishing third behind Pastor Maldonado and Fernando Alonso

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/raikkonen-says-victory-was-possible

Phil Hill Danny Kladis Cuth Harrison Jim Hurtubise BigSpot com Toyota

Pickett Racing’s HPD dominated LMP1 qualifying for the American Le Mans Series’ Laguna Seca round on Friday.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/pickett-hpd-blitzes-alms-qualifying

Kevin Conway Morgan Shepherd Tony Raines Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet Caterpillar Chevrolet

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety

It’s been working its way through Congress for years, but according to Car and Driver, an event recorder mandate could soon become law. The Senate has already voted to adopt a transportation bill that would make the so-called “black boxes” mandatory by the 2015 model year. According to the report, the House of Representatives is also expected to pass a similar statute.

While the specifics of the bills are “vague” – to use C/D‘s words – they’re also likely to change before becoming law. What probably won’t, according to the report, is the standard data set that the Department of Transportation has set forth, 15 measurements that include direction of acceleration, throttle position, and time that the airbags fired, among others.

This raises the specter of government snooping, of course. The Senate version at least specifies that the data contained in the little electronic box is actually owned by the owner of the vehicle, according to the report. Johnny Law can still come around with a warrant to gain access to it, however, and first responders and paramedics would be able to do so without the warrant, provided they needed the information to respond to the emergency.

Senate OKs mandatory black boxes in cars for 2015, House expected to follow originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 May 2012 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/14/senate-oks-mandatory-black-boxes-in-cars-for-2015-house-expecte/

Kenneth Lee Wallace Mark Martin Denny Hamlin Ryan Newman Bradley Reed Sorenson

Filed under: Etc.

We record Episode #282 of the Autoblog Podcast tonight, meaning you can drop us your questions via our Q&A module below and chime in to direct our conversation. Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes if you haven’t already done so, and if you want to take it all in live, tune in to our UStream (audio only) channel at 10:00 PM Eastern tonight.

Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #282

• Caroll Shelby passes away
• BMW 3 Series wagon headed stateside
• Porsche baby Boxster and Pajun
• Google self-driving car in public
• BMW 2 Series arrives in 2014

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes
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Submit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #282 LIVE originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 May 2012 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/14/submit-your-questions-for-autoblog-podcast-282-live/

Kyle Busch Kevin Harvick Richmond Menards Ford André Guelfi Lucas di Grassi

Charles Pic – 21st: “I am quite happy to be honest. I think for me all round it is quite a good qualifying. We managed to improve the package for this weekend, but the gap to the cars in front today did not reflect that.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/spain-saturday-quotes-marussia

Copart Ford Kevin Lepage Hermann Lang Ryan Newman Richmond Menards Ford

Filed under: Motorsports, Safety, Videos

Yesterday’s Spanish Grand Prix was an enormous cause for celebration for Williams. The Formula One team that was once at the very top of its game hadn’t won a race since 2004, but it broke that losing streak when Pastor Maldonado claimed the checkered flag for the team against Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen and against all odds. But the celebrations in the team’s garage were cut short when a massive fire broke out just after the race.

The fire erupted an hour and a half after the grand prix’s conclusion as team members were toasting their victory in the garage on pit lane, sending smoke billowing out over the track. Members of other teams – Force India and Caterham chief among them – quickly sprung into action to help their comrades put out the fire. A total of 31 people were subsequently sent to the emergency medical center on site, with all but one treated and released. The remaining Williams team member is being treated for burns suffered in the incident and is expected to be sent back to the UK for further treatment in the coming days.

Officials are still looking into the cause of the fire, which reportedly emanated from the racecar that Bruno Senna drove until it was disabled in a collision with Michael Schumacher that took both cars out of the race. Suspicions center around a malfunction in the Kinetic Energy Recovery System. The incident is not the first time a Williams facility suffered from a fire, the factory back in Grove having caught on fire a few years ago. Scroll down to watch video of the incident in Barcelona this weekend.

Continue reading Dramatic garage fire clouds Williams celebration at Spanish Grand Prix

Dramatic garage fire clouds Williams celebration at Spanish Grand Prix originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 May 2012 13:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/14/dramatic-garage-fire-clouds-williams-celebration-at-spanish-gran/

Cuth Harrison Jim Hurtubise BigSpot com Toyota Victory in Jesus Chevrolet Martin Truex Jr

BMW has revealed some additions to its M Performance parts line for the latest 3- and 5-series sedans, as well as pricing for several parts the company previously announced. To recap, M Performance parts are designed with input from BMW’s M division, and going forward all of the company’s performance parts will be branded as [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/2LQ0esLg6y8/

David Gilliland Howden Ganley Oswald Karch Citifinancial Ford Jud Larson

AUDI Motorsport Ingolstadt, December 19, 2011 – New position: Head of Racing Commitments – Engineer is returning to Audi family – Experience from eleven years in Formula One Audi is tackling the 2012 motor sport season with an extended leadership…

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

Brian Henton Carl Edwards Martin Lee Truex Jr Virginia Commonwealth University Ford Boudreaux s Butt Paste Chevrolet

Sebastian Vettel denied Pastor Maldonado a shock timesheet-topping performance in the final seconds of the third practice session for the Spanish Grand Prix at Barcelona.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/vettel-fastest-in-final-barcelona-practice

Ricky Stenhouse Jr Mattias Ekstrom Mark Green Carl Long 3M Ford

Alexander Rossi – 21st: “I am very pleased with how this morning’s session went. We completed the program the team had set and I acclimatised quickly to the step up to F1. This isn’t my first time working with the team, I already have a day at the Abu Dhbai young driver test last year under my belt, but coming into a full race weekend is a very different proposition to the young driver test.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/spain-friday-quotes-caterham

David Carl Allison Divina Galica Z Line Designs Toyota Verizon Wireless Dodge Nanni Galli

Joey Logano pulls away at Darlington for second straight Nationwide win May 11, 2012 By Reid Spencer NASCAR Wire Service DARLINGTON, S.C. — Joey Logano drove away from Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin after a green-white-checkered-flag restart and won Friday night’s VFW Sport Clips 200 Nationwide Series event at Darlington Raceway. Hamlin, who complained [...]

Source: http://thefinallap.com/2012/05/11/joey-logano-pulls-away-at-darlington-for-second-straight-nationwide-win/

Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr Kroger Ford Eric McClure Joe Nemechek Washington Kevin Conway

The Fowler Square pedestrian plaza debuted today and is already being used. Photo: Brownstoner
Fort Greene’s newest public plaza opened today and Brownstoner was on the scene to capture the moment. The plaza, which reclaimed space for pedestrians on a short, lightly-trafficked block of South Elliott Place between Fulton Street and Lafayette Avenue, connects the sidewalk [...]

Source: http://www.streetsblog.org/2012/05/11/eyes-on-the-street-fowler-square-plaza-opens-in-fort-greene/

Jerry Hoyt Innes Ireland Hans Herrmann Ryan Joseph Newman Place Richmond Airport Toyota

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/05/12/2061153/jimmie-johnson-gives-hendrick.html

Mark Green Carl Long 3M Ford Al Keller Bobby Labonte

Heikki Kovalainen – 16th: “I think we got as much out of the car as we could this afternoon. I had a good start, passed Senna and was hanging on to the pack ahead up until the second stops.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/spain-sunday-quotes-caterham

JD Motorsports Chevrolet David Ragan Richie Ginther Aaron s Dream Machine Toyota Kevin Harvick

Arden International’s Luiz Razia scored victory in the GP2 sprint race at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya in Spain on Sunday morning. Razia led from start to finish from pole position, but had runner-up Nathanael Berthon for company for the first 16 laps. The Racing Engineering man shadowed his every move for much of the race before dropping back to finish 5.2 seconds in arrears at the chequered flag for his first podium finish in the category.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/formula-cars/gp2/razia-triumphs-in-catalunya-sprint

Brian Lee Vickers Carl Long Bobby Grim Kevin Michael Harvick Kasey Kahne

Filed under: Truck, Government/Legal

Thankfully, Truck Nuts have proven to be more fad than fashion, but that hasn’t stopped a few truck owners from donning the hitch-mounted clock weights. Those who continue to hold their Truck Nuts near and dear should keep in mind that South Carolina law enforcement is having none of it.

The Smoking Gun reports that one Joe Cervantes-Rodriquez recently spent a night in jail thanks to his flesh-colored pickup balls. A Spartanburg County Sherrif’s Office deputy spotted the Truck Nuts during a patrol and decided to pull over the driver.

For the Truck Nuts, Cervantes-Rodriquez was given a warning citation; for not having a driver’s license he spent the night in jail-an experience that would likely have been avoided were it not for the “obscene object” that triggered the traffic stop, which was described as being the size of a softball and anatomically correct.

Cervantes-Rodriquez was released from jail after posting a $237.50 bond. We’d guess that he’s since removed the Truck Nuts.

Truck Nuts lead to overnight stay in jail for driver originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 12 May 2012 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/12/truck-nuts-get-one-man-a-night-in-prison/

Brad Keselowski Kyle Thomas Busch Cecil Green Kelly Bires Music Center Toyota

Michael Schumacher will lose five places on the starting grid for the Monaco Grand Prix following his crash with Bruno Senna in Spain. The Mercedes driver crashed into the back of the Williams when fighting for position at the end of the straight on lap 13, with both drivers retiring. The stewards deemed the seven-time champion was to blame for having caused the collision and he will be dropped five places on the starting grid at Monaco.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/monaco-grid-penalty-for-schumacher

Regan Smith Erik Darnell Heikki Kovalainen Eric McClure Michael Duane Bliss

Source: http://www.skirtsandscuffs.com/2012/05/carl-edwards-take-on-role-as-espn.html

Red Bull Toyota David Gilliland Howden Ganley Oswald Karch Citifinancial Ford

Timo Glock – 21st: “To be honest we’ve had two pretty difficult sessions today as we’ve struggled with the balance of the car. It’s been very nervous on both sets of tyres so a little disappointing that we seem to still have this problem. We’ll just have to take a good look at the data and see what we can find to improve the situation for tomorrow.” Charles Pic – 22nd: “I am quite happy with the way today has been.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/spain-friday-quotes-marussia

Ken Kavanagh Mike Wallace Kenny Wallace Brad Keselowski Paco Godia

Bryan Herta Autosport has confirmed that it will switch to Honda engines for the Indianapolis 500 after recently ending its deal with Lotus. The team, which is defending the Indy 500 crown it won with Dan Wheldon last year, split from Lotus last month after a disappointing start to the season.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/indycar-news/indycar/herta-confirms-honda-switch-for-indy

David Gilliland Howden Ganley Oswald Karch Citifinancial Ford Jud Larson

Eric McClureERIC MCCLURE, No. 14 Hefty/Reynolds Wrap Toyota Camry, TriStar Motorsports How are things going after the accident? “The first thing I need to say is that when I started racing, I always dreamed about having this opportunity to be in here (media center) under different circumstances. It hasn’t panned out that way. I’m doing…more&#187

Source: http://www.catchfence.com/2012/nationwide/05/11/2012-nns-vfw-sport-clips-help-a-hero-200-pre-race-qa-with-toyota-motorsports-injured-driver-eric-mcclure/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2012-nns-vfw-sport-clips-help-a-hero-200-pre-race-qa-with-toyota-motorsports-injured-driver-eric-mcclure

Oscar Larrauri Alan Dennis Kulwicki Zaxby s Ford Brian Lee Vickers Carl Long

Klaus Graf and Lucas Luhr’s Pickett Racing HPD utterly dominated the American Le Mans Series’ six-hour race at Laguna Seca on Saturday. The polesitting car was very briefly headed when the rival Dyson Lola-Mazda got an over-enthusiastic start, but Chris Dyson realised his error and immediately let Graf back past.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/pickett-hpd-dominates-laguna-alms

Eric McClure Michael Duane Bliss Brad Keselowski Brian Henton Carl Edwards

Driving on a track is serious fun, but if you really want to get the most out of your car and your talent, feedback is key. The latest affordable GPS data recorders shown here take lap timing to the next level, providing info such as g-forces, predicted lap times, and lap sections (a.k.a. splits). And [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/0y-ZjuIfyKI/gearbox-portable-gps-data-recorders-tested

Victory in Jesus Chevrolet Martin Truex Jr InternationalTrucks com Chevrolet Aric Almirola Duncan Hamilton