Saturday
Watch a truck try to jump a school bus ? and fail.
Look, it's the offseason, it's almost the holidays, and news is rather sparse right about now. So just enjoy this automotive destruction, willya?
[Via Jalopnik]
Paco Godia Carel Godin de Beaufort Christian Goethals Paul Goldsmith
Join us for the last pre-Christmas NASCAR chat, Wed. at 1 p.m.
Hey, it's almost time for the holiday break, so let's all gather here in good cheer and talk some NASCAR or whatever. Bring a Secret Santa gift to share ... or just one for us, whichever. See you at 1 p.m. on Wednesday!
Tony Stewart set for Chili Bowl Nationals
Source: http://www.nascarracinglive.com/nascar/tony-stewart-set-for-chili-bowl-nationals.html
Heikki Kovalainen Kevin Harvick Armour Vienna Sausage Kroger Chevrolet Clint Bowyer
Friday
Fantasy NASCAR Preview: Phoenix 2 - Kobalt Tools 500
Gerino Gerini Peter Gethin Piercarlo Ghinzani Bruno Giacomelli
Darian Grubb takes over as Denny Hamlin?s crew chief
Sometimes the puzzle pieces fit exactly like you'd expect they would. Just weeks after guiding Tony Stewart to a Cup championship�and then getting the boot, and just days after a position opened up atop Denny Hamlin's pit box, Darian Grubb is once again a crew chief.
Grubb now has one of the more enviable resum�s in racing, having worked for, in succession, Hendrick Motorsports, Stewart-Haas Racing and now Joe Gibbs Racing. And he's used to performing under pressure, not just of the championship variety but of the driver-induced (and soon-to-be-unemployed) variety as well.
That trait should come in handy as he works with Hamlin, who's long been one of NASCAR's most mercurial personalities. He doesn't generally have the rage of, say, a Busch brother, but Hamlin needs constant support, particularly when not running well, and Grubb will need to add part-time psychologist to his list of crew chief duties.
Former 11 team crew chief Mike Ford often clashed with both Hamlin and JGR brass. There's also a pervasive sense that the team never really recovered from its disastrous performance in the penultimate 2010 race. There, poor strategy turned what would have been a huge lead heading into the season finale into a minuscule one, and Hamlin would go on to lose the championship to Jimmie Johnson. Hamlin drove poorly all season in 2011, and although he made the Chase, he was the barest shadow of the dominant driver he'd been in 2010.
Regardless, the hiring of Grubb is an unquestionable win for Hamlin and JGR, and it should return the 11 team to competitiveness in 2012.
Award-winning presence by Audi Sport
Source: http://www.motorsportsjournal.com/archives/2011/12/award-winning_presence_by.php
Q and A with Luis Perez-Sala
Thursday
Shocker: Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins Most Popular Driver award for ninth time
Do yourself a favor and sit down before you read this. Oh, you're already sitting down? OK, cool. Maybe lay down, then, and read this from a prone position. We don't want you to hurt yourself from the shock of the news we're about to tell you.
Ready? OK, here it is: Dale Earnhardt Jr. has won NASCAR's most popular driver award.
I know, crazy, right? But this is the world we're living in now. Junior was named the NASCAR National Motorsports Press Association's Most Popular Driver for the ninth straight year.
Junior took the highest number of the nearly 1.5 million votes cast in the 2011 effort, sponsored by Wheaties Fuel. He beat out the other nine finalists: Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth, Bobby Labonte and Tony Stewart.
[ Related: Four-time Sprint Cup champion Jeff Gordon breakdances ]
You know the rest: Junior was honored, he's hoping to build on the momentum of this year, et cetera et cetera. To be sure, this was a turnaround year for Earnhardt, making the Chase after two straight seasons of disappointment, but he still lacks that elusive next win. Even so, the award shows that he's still got the fans' support, no matter how he runs.
Junior still has a ways to go to catch the all-time leader in Most Popular Driver awards; that would be Awesome Bill Elliott with 16. However, Earnhardt could match Elliott's consecutive streak with 10 if he wins again next year.
So, yes, those of you who wonder what all the fuss is over Junior: this is it. He's got a hell of a lot of fans, like it or not. And these are the diehards. Just imagine what would happen if the dude started winning.
Other popular stories on Yahoo! Sports:
? Video: Antonio Margarito not bothered by criticism
? Houston coach Kevin Sumlin is considered a top Texas A&M target
? Listen: Pat Forde's take on slew of college football scandals
Parker Kligerman Trevor Bayne Out! Pet Care Toyota Jason Leffler
Retro Racing: Brewer, Johnson still at odds nearly 20 years later (NASCAR.com)
Today?s Headlines
And Here’s Yet Another Way Riders Will Pay for Gov’s Transit Cut (Bloomberg)
Emboldened Transit Know-Nothings Want Cuomo to Finish the Job, Kill Payroll Tax (2nd Ave Sagas)
Rev. Al to Cuomo: Pass the Borough Taxi Bill (News, Politicker)
Journal News: Fast-Tracked Tappan Zee Shouldn’t [...]
Source: http://www.streetsblog.org/2011/12/20/todays-headlines-1291/
Scouting Report: Phoenix
1) Practice will be extremely important this week and luckily we get to see two practice sessions before qualifying (weekend schedule of events). This will not be your typical Phoenix race weekend. The track changed in such significant ways that solely going off past Phoenix [...]
Wednesday
Name That Exhaust Note, Episode 117: 2012 Audi A8L 4.2 Quattro
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/C3y_TtYS11M/
Health Benefits of Ciclovia Events Outweigh Costs
Source: http://streetsblog.net/2011/12/21/health-benefits-of-ciclovia-events-outweigh-costs/
Kurt Busch Joins Phoenix Racing
Kubica loss ?biggest blow? to Renault
Report: Ousted Mercedes-Benz USA boss Lieb fighting dismissal in court
Filed under: Europe, Government/Legal, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Mercedes-Benz
Deposed Mercedes-Benz U.S.A. chief Ernst Lieb may be gone, but he won't soon be forgotten. Lieb is suing Benz parent company Daimler for wrongful dismissal, with a German court date scheduled for March, according to Automotive News.The automaker claims Lieb, 56 improperly spent a six-figure sum on his company-owned home in Mahwah, N.J., making "incomplete, inaccurate and manipulative statements" when questioned about the expenditures in an audit. "None of the accusations are justified," said Lieb's lawyer, according to the report.
The former CEO's counsel reportedly plans to argue that Lieb was "one of dozens" of executives who were "fired unfairly" as part of a sweeping crackdown on ethics violations.
Lieb was terminated in October, and eventually replaced by Steve Cannon earlier this month.
Ousted Mercedes-Benz USA boss Lieb fighting dismissal in court originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Dec 2011 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/27/ousted-mercedes-benz-usa-boss-lieb-fighting-dismissal-in-court/
Tuesday
Cast Your Vote for the 2011 Streetsies
Yes, the polls are open for the people’s choice categories in Streetsblog’s annual [...]
Source: http://www.streetsblog.org/2011/12/23/cast-your-vote-for-the-2011-streetsies/
Chevrolet Bringing Sportier 2013 Sonic RS to Detroit Auto Show
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/R2ErWA3TycI/2013-chevrolet-sonic-rs-news
Helm Glцckler Paco Godia Carel Godin de Beaufort Christian Goethals
Your 2012 Budweiser Shootout field
The criteria to qualify for the 2012 Budweiser Shootout was released on Wednesday and once again it's different than it was the previous year.
The 2012 field for the Daytona exhibition race will include the top 25 drivers in driver points and past Daytona winners (any driver who has won a Daytona 500, Coke Zero 400 or Budweiser Shootout).
The result? Well, the odds are that your favorite driver is eligible, because a whopping 33 drivers can run the race. The field is listed below, though it'd take less time to tell you who's not eligible to run the race.
Tony Stewart
Carl Edwards
Kevin Harvick
Matt Kenseth
Brad Keselowski
Jimmie Johnson
Dale Earnhardt Jr
Jeff Gordon
Denny Hamlin
Ryan Newman
Kurt Busch
Kyle Busch
Clint Bowyer
Kasey Kahne
A.J. Allmendinger
Greg Biffle
Paul Menard
Martin Truex Jr.
Marcos Ambrose
Jeff Burton
Juan Pablo Montoya
Mark Martin
David Ragan
Joey Logano
Brian Vickers
Bill Elliott (previous Daytona 500, Coke Zero 400, Budweiser Shootout winner)
Geoff Bodine (previous Daytona 500 and Budweiser Shootout winner)
Derrike Cope (previous Daytona 500 winner)
Michael Waltrip (previous Daytona 500, Coke Zero 400 winner)
Jamie McMurray (previous Daytona 500, Coke Zero 400 winner)
Trevor Bayne (previous Daytona 500 winner)
Terry Labonte (previous Budweiser Shootout winner)
Ken Schrader (previous Budweiser Shootout winner)
Will all 33 drivers attempt the race? At this point it's impossible to say yes. Kurt Busch Ragan, Vickers, Elliott, Bodine, Cope, Bayne, Labonte and Schrader all do not have Sprint Cup rides lined up for 2012 and Martin and Waltrip are slated to share the No. 00 for Waltrip's team. Busch won last year's event.
Perhaps the large field is the precursor to NASCAR banning radio communication between different teams in another effort to break up the tandem drafting. A large pack would be the best possible way to find out if any potential rules changes could break up the 2x2 racing.
Last year's Budweiser Shootout field was the 2010 Chase field, past Sprint Cup champions, past Daytona winners and the rookie of the year winners from 2001-2010.
This year's Shootout is Saturday, February 18, and will be a two-segment 75 lap race.
BBC defends shared F1 coverage move
Hiroshi Fushida Beppe Gabbiani Bertrand Gachot Patrick Gaillard
Monday
Lexus Teases Design Concept Ahead of Detroit Auto Show Debut [UPDATE]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/KVAYhELa9tg/
Button: I can beat Red Bull in 2012
Charles Robert Hamilton IV Charles Robert Hamilton V Kevin Michael Harvick Virgil Ernest Irvan III
Offseason Hot/Not: Red Bull?s Unfortunate NASCAR Goodbye
Typically, in this space, we'd be talking about the most recent on-track NASCAR dramas (thanks, Busch brothers!) from the previous weekend's racing. However, the very nature of the offseason isn't very good about giving us material. And since I'm so dedicated to you, my three loyal readers, I'm not even going to take vacation while guys like Jimmie Johnson send Twitter pictures from far-flung, palm tree-laden destinations.
So we're going to change it up a bit until Daytona, and use this space to review the most pressing (and occasionally irrelevant) NASCAR news of the past week. Ready? I am. Jump in:
NOT: Not to depress you in the midst of the holiday season, but there's a lot of families with NASCAR ties hurting after the typical ebb and flow of sponsor issues and team direction changes led to many layoffs.
The most recent negative shift was last Thursday's closing of Red Bull Racing. It wasn't exactly a shock after the Austrian energy drink-maker announced early in 2011 that�it wouldn't be supporting�its five-year old NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team past this season. Investors or sponsors were never found to continue the team past Red Bull's departure, and now roughly 150 people working in and around Brian Vickers' and Kasey Kahne's Toyotas are looking for what's next.
For a sport we all love so much as a refuge from real life, it's tough to handle when it crosses into negatively affecting those who work in and around it ? regardless of the level.
NEUTRAL: Thinking of the Red Bull closure, it's an interesting time to think about the hypotheticals for Brian Vickers. The 2003 Nationwide Series champion left his ride at Hendrick Motorsports (where he had accumulated a single win at Talladega) to join the new Red Bull venture in 2007.
His first season, the team struggled and Vickers failed to qualify for 13 races. He would eventually earn a win at Michigan in 2009 and go on to qualify for the Chase.�In five seasons with Red Bull, Vickers posted�11 top 5s and�34 top 10s,�despite missing all but 11 races last year due to a life-threatening blood clot issue.
But I've always wondered: Where would Vickers have ended up had he stayed with Hendrick Motorsports after the 2006 season? He wasn't exactly setting the world on fire in the No. 25 for Hendrick, but he was showing steady progression as a young driver.
There's no guarantee he would have lasted past 2006 at Hendrick, really, but it's interesting to wonder the what-ifs ? especially now that he's without a job for 2012.
HOT: It's not a surprise that Tony Stewart won this little go-karting deal in Indianapolis, is it? And, by the way, when does his insane hot streak end? Remember ? and Smoke fans don't need this reminder ? Stewart has yet to win the Daytona 500.
ODD: (Yeah, it's different. That's what happens in the offseason.) I still can't seem to figure out just how AJ Allmendinger ? now apparently witout a ride in 2012 thanks to sponsorship woes and Kurt Busch ? was the best driver in the final�10 percent of races this year. I'm going to crowdsource it. Anyone have any tips as to how he did that?
Was it a phenonmenal drive late in the going of just a few events? Did he just routinely beat other drivers late? Was there a jet pack involved?
And, now, we're learning that even being the best closer in NASCAR won't let you keep your ride for the next season. Ah, Silly Season.
HOT: Jeff Gordon visited Africa during an off-week in July, and if you're a follower of his Twitter feed (@JeffGordonWeb) you saw he returned last week.
It wasn't about vacationing for Gordon, as instead it was part of his philanthropic work with his foundation to end pediatric cancer there. That, friends, is just impressive.
HOT: We should all thank Penske Racing and Kurt Busch for adding a new phrase to the racing world's lexicon with Busch's departure, er "mutual agreement, last week.
NEUTRAL: Scott Speed and Leavine Family Racing announced Tuesday that the former Formula One driver will drive 15 Cup races for the team in 2012. The Tyler, Texas-based team is sure a long way from his time in the F1 paddock, but it at least seems to be an effort that's about more than being a start-and-park team.
HOT: Good for Darian Grubb signing on as Denny Hamlin's crew chief. Winning the title as an outgoing employee undoubtedly has its perks in finding future employment, however odd it seems.
NOT: Alternatively, Mike Ford was fired as Hamlin's crew chief just before Grubb's hire despite Hamlin giving Ford a pretty extensive vote of confidence twice late in the season. It makes you think that maybe, just maybe, a vote of confidence isn't exactly a good thing for someone to have in NASCAR.
LAST: One of the joys of the NASCAR offseason is getting to take in other forms of racing. In January, that category falls to the France Family-owned Rolex Sports Car Series' 24 Hours of Daytona.
I'll be attending this year for the first time, and I'm going to certainly brag about how excited I am. However, I can only imagine what the other teams in the series thought Tuesday when Chip Ganassi rolled out his two-car driver lineup. The pairings for racing twice-around-the-clock for Chip will include car No. 01 with Scott Pruette, Memo Rojas, Graham Rahal (IndyCar) and Joey Hand, while car No. 02 will feature Scott Dixon (IndyCar), Dario Franchitti (IndyCar), Juan Pablo Montoya (you know him) and Jamie McMurray (NASCAR's resident Big Race winner).
They'll drive in the faster Daytona Prototype class again this year, trying to defend Ganassi's title from last year. Any takers?
Sunday
Fantasy Racing Darkhorse Picks: Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami
Website
Pick to Win
Finish
Experts Avg
Josh Lobdel
David Ragan
38
13.44
Jerry Lagger
One and Done Game Winner
Kasey Kahne
7
14.42
Dennis Michelsen
RaceTalkRadio.com
Marcos Ambrose
39
16.83
Steve Wronkowicz
On Pit Row
Martin Truex Jr
3
15.69
Eric McClung
KFFL
Kasey Kahne
7
14.64
Eric McGuire
free agent
Greg Biffle
35
16.72
Dan Beaver
Fantasy Racing Games
A J Allmendinger
15
15.19
Matt Mercer
On Pit Row
Marcos Ambrose
39
13.92
Adam Ansell
Roto Experts
no pick
Chris Leone
On Pit Row
A J Allmendinger
15
22.11
Bob Ellis
NASCAR Ranting and Raving
Clint Bowyer
6
16.69
CharlieTurner
On Pit Row
Kasey Kahne
7
12.81
Jordan McAbee
On Pit Row
A J Allmendinger
15
14.92
Jon Rodgers
Gillette [...]
Richie Ginther Yves Giraud Cabantous Ignazio Giunti Timo Glock
Look back at the 2011 seasons of Ragan, Logano and Vickers
Every driver has highs and lows in a year, but rarely are those two in balance. For the next few weeks, we'll be looking at the seasons of all your favorite drivers (and, of course, your least favorite, too). We begin with three who didn't quite live up to their potential, and partly as a result, two are currently out of a job.
First, Brian Vickers of the now-defunct Red Bull team:
Next up, Joe Gibbs Racing's Joey Logano:
Finally, Roush Fenway's David Ragan, the only guy on this list to win a race this year:
More very soon. Weigh in on these three cats below.
Q and A with Luis Perez-Sala
Ferrari confident of ?no surprises?
At Last NASCAR Victory for the Son of Sam
One win in almost six seasons of NASCAR.
But Hornish won 19�races in eight seasons of�IndyCar (CART [...]
William Ashton Lewis Jr Sterling Burton Marlin Mark Anthony Martin Jeremy Allan Mayfield
Saturday
With Saab in Bankruptcy, Here?s How Dealers are Handling Discounts and Warranties
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/8KxTK1zv7Xo/
Which driver could take over for Kurt Busch in the #22?
Did Kurt Busch jump or was he pushed? In the end, it doesn't really matter; Busch is out at Penske, and that suddenly gives NASCAR that rarest of gems: an open seat in a Chase-level organization. (Albeit one without a crew chief, of course.) The question now from Penske's perspective is, who's in line for the seat? It's not going to go away, of course; business connections between Penske and Pennzoil will keep the car on the track. But since we assume there won't be ghost-riding, let's consider some candidates:
David Ragan: The Thrilla from Unadilla is getting the most early buzz as a replacement driver. He had one victory earlier this year, and was a bad restart away from possibly winning the Daytona 500.
Brian Vickers: Out of a job thanks to Red Bull's departure from the sport, Vickers brings undeniable talent but also, as recent weeks demonstrated, a few personality issues of his own.
[Related: Kurt Busch's future looks bleak after being ousted by Penkse Racing]
David Reutimann: On the far edge of a NASCAR career, he may not be the best long-term fit for the team.
Sam Hornish Jr.: He and Penske have a history, but that could work to his disadvantage, as he didn't exactly tear up the Sprint Cup circuit while driving for Penske. Reportedly not in the running.
Elliott Sadler: A solid choice for a return to Cup given his success in the Nationwide series last year. He's a proven commodity and knows how to take care of a sponsor.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: Coming off a Nationwide-championship season, Stenhouse faces sponsorship difficulties. He'd have to leave the Roush umbrella, but Penske lured Brad Keselowski out from Hendrick Motorsports a couple years back, so it could be done.
Justin Allgaier: Also still under contract, but also a former Penske employee, a victim of the Sprint/Verizon sponsorship brawl. Another potential young talent that could be groomed alongside Keselowski.
These are your most likely candidates. (Aside: How do you think Clint Bowyer and Mark Martin are feeling right now? Not that they could have anticipated this, but still ... wouldn't a Penske seat, all things being equal, seem a more likely Chase contender than a Michael Waltrip Racing one?)
Got any early favorites? Make your best guess below.
For more motorsports news, follow us on Twitter at @FTMNASCAR and @jaybusbee.
Other popular stories on Yahoo! Sports:
? Bears' playoff hopes dwindling after Matt Forte sprains MCL
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Hudson Scores Chicagoland Win
Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/iracing-news/hudson-scores-chicagoland-win/
Timo Glock Helm Glцckler Paco Godia Carel Godin de Beaufort
Paddon switches to S2000 for 2012
Hiroshi Fushida Beppe Gabbiani Bertrand Gachot Patrick Gaillard
Friday
NASCAR Fantasy Racing Experts Picks: AAA Texas 500 at texas Motor Speedway
Website
Pick to Win
Finish
Experts Avg
Josh Lobdell
Carl Edwards
2
12.68
Jerry Lagger
One and Done Game Winner
Carl Edwards
2
13.38
Dennis Michelsen
RaceTalkRadio.com
Kevin Harvick
13
12.62
Steve Wronkowicz
On Pit Row
Carl Edwards
2
12.88
Eric McClung
KFFL
Matt Kenseth
4
13.85
Eric McGuire
free agent
Matt Kenseth
4
15.15
Dan Beaver
Fantasy Racing Games
Carl Edwards
2
13.18
Matt Mercer
On Pit Row
Carl Edwards
2
15.44
Adam Ansell
Roto Experts
no pick
Chris Leone
On Pit Row
Kevin Harvick
13
13.03
Bob Ellis
NASCAR Ranting and Raving
Carl Edwards
2
13.15
CharlieTurner
On Pit Row
Jimmie Johnson
14
14.18
Jordan McAbee
On Pit Row
Matt Kenseth
4
12.71
Jon Rodgers
Gillette Young Guns Challenge Winner
Carl [...]
Power Rankings: The best drivers under 30
Sure, it's the offseason, but that doesn't mean we can't throw out a few Power Rankings now and then. Today, we focus on the young bucks, the drivers under the age of 30 who will be dominating the sport for the next 15 years or so. Most NASCAR drivers don't seem to hit their peak until their early 30s, so we've got plenty of time to watch these cats in action.
1. Kyle Busch (26): His constant struggles in the Chase notwithstanding, Busch is far and away the best driver in this crew, and one of the top handful now in NASCAR. Love him or hate him, he'll be around for a long, long time,
2. Brad Keselowski (27): Kes�probably would have struggled to make the top five on this list as recently as July. But his hot streak vaults him almost to the top, and he actually beat Busch in the 2011 season standings. Now, what does he do for an encore?
3. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (23): The 2011 Nationwide Series champ is very, very close to the big time. Question is, where's he going to drive on the Sprint level?
4. AJ Allmendinger (30). He turned 30 last Friday, so we're bending the rules a bit to let him in, but what the heck. Dinger is this offseason's unquestionable hard-luck case, with rumors running rampant of him getting pushed out of his car by Kurt Busch and now�losing his primary sponsor in Best Buy. Shame, too, because his on-track career is definitely on the upswing.
[Related: Power rankings: AJ Allmendinger to drive No. 22 for Penske Racing]
5. Joey Logano (21): We're getting close to a make-or-break year for Logano. One more season outside the Chase competition and he may well become expendable for the Gibbs organization. Still, he's shown the ability to reel off strings of strong finishes, and perhaps a new crew chief will invigorate him.
6. Trevor Bayne (20): He's got himself a Daytona 500 win, and they can't take that away from him. Not even Tony Stewart has one of those. But now it's time to see if he's a legit Sprint Cup-level driver, or the world's luckiest right-place, right-timer.
7. Brian Vickers (28): His stock took a sharp hit in the wake of several on-track incidents later this year, but he's still talented enough to run with (and into) the leaders. Perhaps a year in Nationwide will settle him out; he ought to be challenging for the championship if he's there.
[Related: Happy Hour: When is it time to find a new favorite driver?]
8. David Ragan (26 on�Dec. 24): Another Sprint Cup-level driver who's way too young to write off completely. He too will benefit from some time at a lower level to let things shake out at the Sprint Cup level; his days at NASCAR's highest level probably aren't done.
9. Justin Allgaier (25): Still a bit of an X factor; it'll be interesting to see what he can do once he gets up to the Sprint level and gets some reliable equipment. Strong enough to run with the Sprint regulars in Nationwide, but can he do it in the show?
10. Austin Dillon (21): The trucks champion is already the heir apparent at Childress, and the big "3" on the side of his car is a target. So far, though, he's kept moving. He'll be one of the most fascinating on this list to watch over the next five years, for many reasons, and could well be at the top within a half-decade.
Other popular stories on Yahoo! Sports:
? See it: Crazy snowboard trick caught on video for first time
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All right, your turn. Who's your pick for the best of the young guns?
Oscar Alfredo Gбlvez Fred Gamble Howden Ganley Frank Gardner
Official: New Kia Ray is Korea's first production EV
Filed under: Wagon, Technology, Hatchback, Kia, Electric, South Korea
Kia has unveiled the automaker's very first production electric vehicle. The Kia Ray EV will offer buyers a range of around 86 miles depending on driving conditions and will include a fast-charge option that should top off the cells in around 25 minutes. Otherwise, expect the 16.4 kWh lithium-ion battery pack to take around six hours to charge on a 220-volt circuit. A 50 kW electric motor provides power to the front wheels, which is good enough to get the EV to 62 mph in 15.9 seconds. That may seems slow by most standards, but its worth noting that the internal combustion Ray with its 1.0-liter gas engine makes due with significantly less torque.
Kia says that Ray EV boasts 123 pound-feet of torque, which is 77 percent more than the 1.0-liter machine. The boxy EV also uses a new type of regenerative braking system in which the electric motor generates boost for the hydraulic brake assist - just like on an internal combustion vehicle. The automaker says that the result is a linear brake that still manages to recuperate energy that would otherwise be lost during deceleration. As wonky brake feel is one of our chief sticking points with all EVs, this comes as welcome news.
Kia will manufacture 2,500 Ray EVs for government agency use in Korea, so don't expect to be able to get your hands on one anytime soon. Click past the jump for the full press release.
Continue reading New Kia Ray is Korea's first production EV
New Kia Ray is Korea's first production EV originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Dec 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/22/new-kia-ray-is-koreas-first-production-ev/
ESPN2 to Air NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series Season Reviews
Mark Anthony Martin Jeremy Allan Mayfield James Christopher McMurray Casey James Mears
Thursday
Saab Is Actually Dead This Time, To Be Sold Off in Pieces
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/DVCe189zgGc/
Create-a-caption: ?That?s the guy I beat.? ?Hey, me too!?
Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart, cuttin' up at the NASCAR banquet. What are these two fine gentlemen saying? You know, don't you? Have your say, friends.
After the jump, a Smoke fan is overcome with emotion.
Richard R:
Race Ticket - 100 bucks.
Old Spice outfit - 125 bucks
Beer - 200 bucks
Missing the end of the most exciting race season ever....Priceless!
Shawn S:
Don't drink the Old Spice!
Razz:
An exhausted Tony Stewart waits on mouth-to-mouth resuscitation from the Sprint Cup girls.
Wednesday
Kimi R�ikk�nen injured in a race. A snowmobile race.
Kimi R�ikk�nen is no longer an official member of NASCAR, but that doesn't mean we can't still have a little fun at his expense now and then.
The newly-minted Formula One star-to-be was in an accident in a snowmobile race in Austria, but apparently walked away with only a sore wrist. Lotus Renault, his F1 team, informed fans via Twitter that "he's absolutely fine." Good news: "We just spoke to Kimi. There's nothing to worry about, he only has a sore wrist. He might have it checked again on Monday, but that's all."
Well, that's a bit disappointing. Racing has a proud tradition of drivers injuring themselves doing insanely stupid off-track things (Jimmie Johnson surfing atop a golf cart, for one). Shame this one won't add much to that legend.
R�ikk�nen was the 2007 world champion but left the sport temporarily in 2009. He dabbled a bit in NASCAR but recently signed a two-year deal to drive for Lotus Renault.
Richard Petty Motorsports interested in hiring Kurt Busch
After his release from Penske Racing, it seemed that there would be a slim chance that Kurt Busch would be in a competitive ride in 2012.
Those chances may be a lot fatter than initially figured. Richard Petty Motorsports COO Robbie Loomis said Tuesday that the team is interested in the 2004 Sprint Cup champion.
"Best Buy has been a great partner for a long time, and AJ Allmendinger has done a fantastic job for us. He's coming off his best season yet, but I can tell you there is a lot of interest on our part in having Kurt Busch in the fold. It makes sense to have Kurt with our team, if we can make it work."
And he added this:
"I would mortgage my house to make Kurt a part of this team," said Loomis. "We value what he has done on the race track. He has won a [Sprint Cup] championship and worked for a first-class operation like Penske Racing. Guys like that don't come along every day."
According to the report from Sirius Speedway, Busch would be a candidate to replace AJ Allmendinger in the No. 43 Ford in an attempt to keep sponsor Best Buy with the team. Allmendinger was one of the better performers in the Cup Series over the final weeks of 2011. Since RPM was a two-car operation with Allmendinger and Marcos Ambrose last year, they would have room to expand for Busch, but�? and stop me if you've heard this before ? sponsorship would have to be found.
Interest in Busch from RPM seems a little odd on the surface given the relationship between Busch and Jack Roush. Roush's team is the flagship Ford operation and provides chassis and Roush-Yates engines to RPM. Busch was fired from Roush in 2005 after a traffic stop outside Phoenix International Raceway. And when he was asked who he wanted to win the 2011 championship, Busch picked Tony Stewart�? a man who he's had on-track run-ins with before�? because of Roush, Carl Edwards' co-owner.
If Busch does join RPM, it would be yet another instance of how uber-talent can earn multiple chances. Yes, Busch has acknowledged his actions in the cockpit and how his attitude affected his professional relationships, but we haven't yet had a chance to see that Busch's actions match his words. Will it happen? His future employer will find out soon enough.
Happy Hour: Steve Addington, glutton for punishment
Welcome to the latest Happy Hour mailbag! You know how these work: You write us with your best rant/ joke/one-liner at happyhournascar@yahoogroups.com (note new address) or on Twitter at @jaybusbee, we respond to your messages, everyone goes away with a smile on their face.
Remember, even though the season's done, we're not. Usual nonsense here every day of the week. And hey, if you want to get a letter printed, NOW IS THE TIME. We'll need plenty o'material for this feature each week.
For now, we start by considering the sanity of one of the offseason's central figures ...
Does Steve Addington have a fetish for the undercarriage of multi-passenger conveyances? Why else would he sign on with a third straight driver that WILL throw his crew chief under the bus?
? JT
Ah, undercarriage fetishes. The reason why the internet was invented. Tip: do NOT do a search on the phrase "undercarriage fetishes." Some things you just can't unsee. Anyway, where were we? Oh, yeah, Addington. Yeah, you do have to wonder a bit about his sanity in dealing with the three most notorious hotheads in NASCAR today. Shoot, I'd put them in the top 10 all-time.
But look at it this way: Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch and Tony Stewart are also three of the most talented drivers in the sport. And if you happen to be the type of person who can let torrents of rage roll off you like rain off a roof, hey, you're going to be running up front all season long. It's a small price to pay for getting the top layer of your skin peeled off over the radio every Sunday.
Plus, have we established that Addington is not, in fact, deaf? Because if he were, that would explain an awful lot.
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I'm a pretty hardcore Tony Stewart fan, and I'm absolutely ecstatic over his championship win (and particularly the fashion in which it was won), but a question troubles me after reading your last mailbag post. One reader thought it suspicious that the top 2 in points were so much faster than the rest of the field. I don't personally think that any funny business was going on (after all, the 48 crew wasn't involved) ... but say that there was. Tony wins the race, and wins the championship on a tiebreaker, then his car fails post-race inspections ? we just had a huge celebration, trophy presentation, the works, and now they take it all away? How would this be handled? Does any inspection occur before all the celebrating to make sure everything is legit? This would be my worst nightmare!
? Tom
Saint Clair Shores, Mich.
Congratulations to you, Tom, and to all the other Smoke fans out there who weathered a drought of six long years between championships. Now, to answer your question: NASCAR did inspections pre-race, bringing Stewart's and Carl Edwards' cars in for a thorough look-over several days before the race.
Now, if you want to get all JFK-conspiracy theory, you could say that Stewart and Edwards could have done work between that inspection and the race, or ? oh, here's an even better one! ? NASCAR let Stewart slide to give Rick Hendrick and Chevy another championship! You know, because they could predict that Stewart would be able to finish just one second ahead of Edwards! Alas, NASCAR does post-race inspections, as well, and Stewart passed.�
Anyway ... boy, we have a tendency to wander in the offseason ... don't sweat it, all's on the up-and-up. Or all's totally rigged. Whichever makes you feel better.
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Jay, Jay, Jay, you still don't get it. You said, "Seriously, Obama could go door-to-door handing out candy- ...
Nope. Sorry. Not going to be taking any more Obama/booing emails. (And oh, I've got plenty.) We've ground that topic into a fine, chewy paste, and we won't be revisiting it again. (Though I have been invited to appear on a couple of conservative radio talk shows; that ought to be fun.) Moving onward ...
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I do have ESPN with my cable package, but if you were ESPN would it not make sense to put the Chase races on ABC? I mean, they are putting movies on ABC Sunday afternoons. It seems the NASCAR race would generate much greater interest than these movies and I am not for sure about those movies' ratings, but they have to be much lower than they would be for NASCAR. At ESPN, is there a reason they give why they will not put the races on regular television?
? Jacob Stotz
Ida, Mich.
Another Michigan writer? We're stomping on the Upper Midwest like Ndamukong Suh! (Sorry, Detroit.) Anyway, here's the deal: ABC/ESPN has made the decision to consolidate the Chase races on the World Wide Leader, with the exception of the Saturday night race, as a way of consolidating the coverage. It does tick some people off, yes, and I agree that there's some kind of cachet that's lost by going to a cable network and not a "broadcast" one ... but we're still very much in a transitional period in sports broadcasting now. Ten years from now, you'll be able to watch Joey Logano and Trevor Bayne on any device imaginable, and the idea of "broadcast networks" will seem as quaint as music on little thin strips of plastic on spools. (And no, Junior Nation, I won't make the obvious next joke. You owe me.)
And those freakin' Sunday afternoon movies do a much better than you'd expect. You'd think pretty much anybody out there who wanted to see "The Mummy Returns" would have done it by now, but yep, it still runs every weekend. There are affiliates out there who won't run certain late-night talk shows like Jimmy Kimmel because two-decade-old M*A*S*H reruns get better ratings. America: when we find something we like, we don't ever let go of it!
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It seems to me that after the Kurt Busch/Dr. Jerry Punch encounter at Homestead that NASCAR and team owners need to take some significant steps to curb the profanity problem. �The bleeps over the radios and in car cameras seemed to have reached record proportions. We try to teach our kids to deal with anger in constructive ways and then they see their heroes in NASCAR breaking all those standards of appropriate behavior. Kurt Busch has been a real poster child of the profanity problem both in and out of the car. I can't understand how Penske allows it and Shell does not take some action.
It is becoming evident that NASCAR is not going to address this problem. I would suggest that if you are offended like I have been that you write to advertisers directly and let them know that this has to be brought under control.
Sponsorship is so hard to come by these days. I guess that I don't understand how drivers and teams can allow anything to happen that could result in negative feedback to a sponsor.
? Richard Lewis
Richard wrote this letter before the $50,000 fine against Busch was announced, so that might soften his stance a little bit. Here's my thing: I don't have a problem with Busch cursing over the radio. Those are in-team communications we're hearing. But I can understand how certain sponsors might not be thrilled with the idea of their poster boy teaching everybody a few new words and phrases. (I'll never look at a monkey and a football the same way again.)
What concerns me much more are the "secret fines" NASCAR metes out for speech. Look at Denny Hamlin; the poor guy is just about neutered now on Twitter after getting fined for speaking out. If you want to attract people to this sport, you need edgy personalities. And edgy personalities sometimes go farther than you'd like. That's the very definition of "edgy." So, yes, we could have a nice, pleasant little array of sponsor-thanking drones, or we could have drivers who speak their minds and occasionally tick off someone in a position of power. I know which one I'd prefer, and I also know which one NASCAR would, too.
Time to wrap up with a little praise.
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That was the worst article I have read lately. Next time take a little longer to write it.
? Gene
I used to get that exact message on pretty much every English paper I turned in from fourth grade right through college. Sad thing is, I have no idea which article he means, and it could really apply to pretty much anything I write.
And on that note, we're out. Thanks to all our writers this week. You want in? Fire up the computer and hit us with whatever's on your mind, NASCAR-wise, at happyhournascar@yahoogroups.com, find us on Facebook right here, or hit us up on Twitter at @jaybusbee. Make sure to tell us where you're from. We'll make you famous!
Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Tested: Not the Fastest or Priciest, But Still the Most
Round Six to Berry
Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/iracing-news/round-six-to-berry/
Tuesday
Penske promotes Todd Gordon to No. 22 crew chief
Source: http://www.nascarracinglive.com/nascar/penske-promotes-todd-gordon-to-no-22-crew-chief.html