Saturday
2012 Dodge Charger Pursuit Police Package Instrumented Test: We File a Police Report
2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport Driven: Putting Some Holy Faith in this Redesigned CUV
Oscar Alfredo Gбlvez Fred Gamble Howden Ganley Frank Gardner
Track worries curtail IndyCar practice
Vettel: 2010 experience gives hope
Kostka leads IRC runners in Zlin
Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/kostka-leads-irc-runners-in-zlin
Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr Carl Michael Edwards III William Clyde Elliott
Friday
Happy Hour: Why don?t drivers take a race off before the Chase begins?
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 or on Twitter at @jaybusbee, we respond to your messages, everyone goes away with a smile on their face.
So I was covering the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island, S.C. this past weekend, and there were these huge traffic jams coming out of the tournament, mainly because there was only one two-lane road to get tens of thousands of people off the island. Seriously, this made the Kentucky debacle of last year look like a 3am highway. We were in a freaking bus. We should've just pulled a Keselowski and plowed right on through the rest of the cars.
Anyway, your letters, starting with a question of sit-or-start...
Will we ever see a driver take the last race before the Chase off? Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart and Brad Keselowski all have 3 wins, and if they keep running like they are then even if they skip the last race before the Chase they're not going to drop out of the Top 10 and still start near the top with the bonus points. So why not take a page from football and give your guy and/or crew the week off? Put a development driver in the car for the week and still get ad time for your sponsor.
? Ben
First thing I thought was, "damn! Why hasn't anybody done that?" Then, in a rare move, I kept on thinking and discovered a few flaws. You're right, the 11 spot is so far back that right now, anyone in the top nine could take the last week off. But you've got to consider whether rest is really what's needed; crews and drivers would probably prefer to keep the momentum going and the timing down pat. There's the classic question in stick-and-ball sports of whether it's better to make the playoffs early and rest, or make the playoffs last-minute and carry in momentum. As Tony Stewart proved last year, you can squeak in and still do OK.
Plus, let's consider the sponsors. I don't think Lowe's or Office Depot would be thrilled about spending one race's sponsor coin on Joe Schmoe rolling their car around in the 30s. And wrecked equipment in NASCAR costs considerably more than wrecked pads and helmets in football. My take: there are just too many possible negatives for the relatively minor benefit of getting everybody a week off. Any crew members out there want to offer a different opinion?
____________________
I've noticed recently that in the past few seasons there have not been any "standout" rookies. Earnhardt Jr., Kenseth, Stewart, McMurray, Johnson, Newman ... these drivers challenged and even got wins in their rookie seasons. It seems like all the new rookies run towards the back of the pack and they hardly challenge for wins. I want to know why this is. Are the veterans just that good? Do the upcomers just not have all that much talent? Am I crazy for thinking this way?
? Nick
Huntingburg, Ind.
Nobody's ever crazy for thinking ANY way in this space, Nick. But I would think that your first question hits on it: the veterans are that good. Plus, we've seen a consolidation of teams in the last few years; there's the superteams and the indies, with very few in the middle. (I'd put Waltrip, Petty and Penske in that "middle," and two of those three are very close to breaking through to the top echelon.)
Careers in NASCAR last for-freakin'-ever, and that's the main impediment to rookies getting work. Consider this: In fantasy football, there was a time not so long ago when you'd push your mother aside to draft running back LaDainian Tomlinson. Now? The guy's out of the league. But the most recent year he was at his best was in 2007. If you look at that year in NASCAR, every single driver in the top 20 is still running full seasons to this day. Every driver in the Chase from that year with the exception of Jeff Burton is either in or close to the Chase this year. There's just no turnover, and the shrinking team sizes mean fewer seats available in the best equipment.
Is, say, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. a better driver than [insert non-Chase-making driver here]? Yes, almost certainly. But Unnamed Non-Chase Driver has a contract and a reputation with both teams and sponsors, and that's tough for a rookie to get past. It'll happen; there are five or six drivers who are nearing their sunsets as fulltime drivers, but it won't happen as soon as the youngsters would surely like.
____________________
I cannot believe that they are touting this "great finish" at Watkins Glen. Yes, it was an exciting finish, but that is never, let me reiterate, NEVER worth the dangerous situation NASCAR allowed to persist on the track. I would bet money that the families of the countless drivers killed in motorsports over the years didn't think that was a great finish. If they were cutting a driver from his car would ESPN still have avoided the elephant in the room during the post race coverage?
? Darrell "Furiousd" Watts
Yeah I know how ironic my handle is right now
I absolutely get what you're saying, and NASCAR has set itself up for this kind of criticism by throwing caution flags for gnat crap in Turn 3. Thing is, where do we draw the line? If NASCAR throws the flag, it ticks off the "NASCAR is fixing races/safety is boring" crowd, and if it doesn't, you've got a whole different group who are, so to speak, furious. There will never, ever be a solution that pleases everyone in a close race like this. NASCAR should hew to the side of safety, of course...so we should all be glad this didn't play out as badly as it could have.
_________________
Dang it, Brad, stop making me like you! If you aren't careful, you might become one of my favorite drivers. Seriously though, Brad K. actually gave me goosebumps after the Watkins Glen race. First, he went over and shook hands with members of Marcos' crew. How often do you see that kind of sportsmanship in NASCAR? Then during his post-race interview he was gracious and praised Ambrose's performance and racing style at a time when adrenaline is still running high and far too many (admittedly, not all) drivers come across as whiny and negative. Thanks Brad, for such a classy performance.
? Julie M
Las Vegas Baby!
Keselowski's been doing all the right things PR-wise for awhile now. And, just like everything else in NASCAR, how you feel about what he does depends on how you feel about him in the first place. Is he sincere or putting on a show? Good sportsman or cheap-shot artist? We go with the former in both cases. Regardless, to paraphrase Will Ferrell in "Blades of Glory" and a certain Jay-Z/Kanye song, he's provocative. Gets the people goin'.
____________________
If I was to pick a bottom 5 drivers whom I dislike, Kyle Busch would head the list. For all his skill in an individual race, he has never shown he can focus on winning the cup. He is arrogant, hypocritical - hey you get the idea, I don't like the guy. But he got a raw deal this week. After too many races with a phantom yellow, we get a phantom green. Are the guys who make these calls for NASCAR moonlighting as judges for Olympic gymnastics? Kyle should have this win.
? Dean
Centerton, Ark.
Kyle Busch would like to punch you. And then thank you. And then he'd either punch you or thank you. No telling how that would go.
___________________
Jay, Jay, Jay. The fact you were listening to a radio station that would play "Call Me Maybe" is grounds for dismissal. You maroon, you even put it in writing.
? Matt Rardon
Kalispell, Mont.
Look, I was kind of tired, and I wasn't really thinking all that straight, and so I asked this friend of mine to work the radio station, and, well, next thing I knew it was all "Hey, I just met you," and ? wow, that's a crappy excuse. Sorry.
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. You can find Yahoo! Sports' NASCAR coverage on Facebook right here, and you can follow me on Twitter at @jaybusbee and on Facebook here. Make sure to tell us where you're from. We'll make you famous!
Jeremy Allan Mayfield James Christopher McMurray Casey James Mears Juan Pablo Montoya
Jeff Gordon was really unhappy with Dale Earnhardt Jr. in Michigan
Everything was going so well for Jeff Gordon. He'd been charging forward for the last few months, working his way up the standings from joke to afterthought to respectable competitor to wild-card holder. Then came last week and a spin at oily Watkins Glen, and then Sunday at Michigan, when absolutely nothing went right.
As you can hear in the video above, Gordon was furious at Dale Earnhardt Jr. for hard racing ... much to Earnhardt's surprise. The issue, apparently, was how Earnhardt was handling restarts:
[Related: Danica Patrick hits a shoe while leading Montreal Nationwide race]
"He took me four-wide [on the restart] and that wasn't that big of a deal, but then he slid up in front of me off of Turn 2, and I had to check up or I would have wrecked all of us," Gordon said afterward. "So, I just didn't think that it was the smartest thing to do, especially as teammates. But, he chose to do it and that's fine. It all worked out. I don't care who I'm racing out there; I'm going to show my displeasure if I'm not happy about something. But that one was pretty close; but no big deal. I'm glad to see he's running good. Those guys have really got their car dialed-in here at Michigan this year."
Quality response by Gordon, especially considering he was off the track soon afterward for unrelated engine issues, and a smart one for the long term. Chances are this "feud" is already over and done with, but still ... makes for some good radio, yes?
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Video: Styrofoam takes out multiple motorcyclists on TX highway
Filed under: Videos, Motorcycle
A group of motorcyclists encountered one hell of an incident on a Texas highway, all of which was captured thanks to the magic of helmet cam. This time, however, it doesn't involve the authorities and more than just the riders' pride was hurt.
According to one of the bikers on the weekly ride in McAllen, Texas, a truck was carrying large styrofoam boxes that weren't properly tied down. As the group came up behind the truck, one of the boxes flew out and shattered in front of the riders. One of the motorcycles went down in the explosion of styrofoam, and second rider went down after, clipping the first downed bike in the process. Both riders were taken to the hospital and, thankfully, were released the following day with nothing worse than bruising and road rash. One of the bikes, though, was totaled.
Scroll down to watch the carnage unfold.
Continue reading Styrofoam takes out multiple motorcyclists on TX highway
Styrofoam takes out multiple motorcyclists on TX highway originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/30/styrofoam-takes-out-multiple-motorcyclists-on-tx-highway/
Fantasy NASCAR Preview: Fontana - Auto Club 400
Thursday
Edwards says he's staying with Roush
Edwards called rumors that he could be moving from Roush Fenway Racing to incoming Ford team Penske "impossible," and added the rumblings were so intense that sponsors inquired as to his status.
Edwards, who signed a blockbuster contract to remain with Roush last year while being courted by Joe Gibbs Racing, insists he'll remain in the No. 99 Roush Fenway Racing Ford in 2013.
"Truly, I will be driving the 99 Fastenal Ford next year," Edwards said Wednesday. "I'm glad to be driving that car and I've never explored the option of driving the No. 22 car. It took me so long to mention that because I thought that's so silly it can't have traction, but I guess it has."
Edwards says he doesn't discuss his contract in public and mentioned there might be a stipulation in the terms which precludes him or others from doing so. Edwards also acknowledged he's "never spoken with anyone from Shell," the sponsor of the No. 22 Penske Racing car.
AJ Allmendinger started the season with that team, but Sam Hornish Jr. has driven the entry since Allmendinger was indefinitely suspended for violating the sport's substance-abuse policy.
Joey Logano has been mentioned as a candidate for the ride. While the 22-year-old Joe Gibbs Racing driver has two series' victories, he has yet to qualify for the Chase for the Sprint Cup in the four seasons that he's been eligible. However, with Shell's recent track record, the sponsor may be more concerned with a safe choice such as Logano or sticking with Hornish.
Georges Grignard Bobby Grim Romain Grosjean Olivier Grouillard
MATT ARTIN JOINS NHRA AS DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING AND PROMOTIONS
Source: http://www.motorsportsjournal.com/archives/2012/01/matt_artin_joins_nhra_as.php
Carl Michael Edwards III William Clyde Elliott Jeffrey Michael Gordon Charles Robert Hamilton IV
Pedrosa had faith he would win
Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/motorcycles/motogp/pedrosa-had-faith-he-would-win
Video: Previewing the new-old-new Bristol
Bristol's back, baby! How will the new surface, which is a version of the old surface that they replaced with a new-but-not-as-new surface, handle the races this weekend? Join Yahoo! Sports' NASCAR Jays, Busbee and Hart, as we kick around this and other preview stories from this weekend. Who are we picking? Hint: there's a "K" involved. Enjoy!
Wednesday
Video: Wrapping up the best of the Bristol weekend
Another weekend, another fine race! Let's keep this streak going! Before we prepare for the final two races of the season, let's take one last look at Bristol. From repaves to wrecks to helmet tosses, it was a fine weekend in Thunder Valley. What was your favorite moment? Enjoy.
Report: Rolls-Royce planning one or two new models based on the Ghost
Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Sedan, Rolls-Royce, Luxury
Fourteen years after Volkswagen bought Bentley, its English brand has two distinct lines, Mulsanne and Continental - with numerous variants at the Continental's lower price point - an SUV on the way and perhaps a sports car and a Mulsanne convertible, too. In the 14 years since BMW bought Rolls-Royce, its English brand has the Phantom and Ghost - with three variants at the Phantom's much higher price point. Rolls-Royce doesn't chase sales, but the difference in the brand direction helps explain why Bentley has sold more cars in the first six months of this year than Rolls-Royce sold all of last year.
And even though Rolls-Royce isn't solely about the tally, it would still like to improve on the 3,538 cars it sold last year - a sales record that eclipsed a mark set in 1978. To do so its CEO is planning one or two more Ghost-based models beyond the as-yet-unnamed Ghost Coupe due next year, perhaps to be called the Corniche, according to a report in Autocar. A convertible version of the Ghost Coupe is the obvious guess for one of them, and it would get the double-R "closer to 4,000" sales, where the CEO would like to be.
Sales might not be the only part of it, though; the headline of the Autocar piece says the CEO wants the new models because they're "required to give Rolls-Royce a proper identity." If that is accurate, we have no idea what kind of identity Rolls-Royce could be missing that would be served by a wider range of cars in the Ghost range, which by their place in the brand's own lineup are admittedly not the most opulent carriages on the planet.
Rolls-Royce planning one or two new models based on the Ghost originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Aug 2012 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/29/rolls-royce-planning-one-or-two-new-models-based-on-the-ghost/
Buller wins shortened F3 race two
Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/buller-wins-shortened-f3-race-two
Marquez triumphs in close Brno fight
Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/marquez-triumphs-in-close-brno-fight
Beppe Gabbiani Bertrand Gachot Patrick Gaillard Divina Galica
LeMons Chubba Cheddar Enduro Inspections: Northstar-Powered Maxima, a Lotus Elite, and Enver Hoxha
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/hfcN19O-SE4/
Tuesday
IRWIN Tools Night Race Guests Receive Flag, $10 Off Coupon from Outback
IRWIN Tools Night Race LogoBRISTOL, Tenn. (Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2012) ?�Bristol Motor Speedway guests at the Aug. 25 IRWIN Tools Night Race receive a couple of special rewards from Outback Steakhouse just by finding their seats. As part of the continued involvement in NASCAR racing by the popular restaurant chain, each guest will receive a...more»
The post IRWIN Tools Night Race Guests Receive Flag, $10 Off Coupon from Outback appeared first on Catchfence.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/catchfence/~3/nYS1aKDKpGc/
Out! Pet Care Toyota Jason Leffler David Carl Allison Gregory Jack Biffle
Pit crew survives frightening accident
Mark Martin?s Plans for His Twitter Hacker: NASCAR Fan View (Yahoo! Contributor Network)
Mark Martin has revealed his plans to get revenge on the person who hacked his Twitter account and changed the name to Epic Swag. Although Mark Martin has been able to recover his account, he plans to use Epic Swag as his name on the No.
Video: Police cams capture woman's 119-mph stuck accelerator run [w/video]
Filed under: Safety, Videos, Crossover, Kia
Police car dashboard cameras have provided plenty of footage over the years of criminals attempting to evade police or horrific car accidents, but Lauri Ulvestad wasn't the former and some inspired - if not lucky - driving prevented the latter. Ulvestad, 47, of Ames, Iowa, experienced a stuck accelerator while driving her 2011 Kia Sorento along Interstate 35 in Missouri, and while she was able to call police to help clear traffic in front of her, it was her miraculous driving that ultimately ended the day with not so much as a scratch on her crossover.
The dash cam footage of a Missouri State Highway Patrol officer shows Ulvestad at speeds of well over 100 miles per hour swerving around cars and even using the median to avoid a collision. Ulvestad's Sorento was equipped with a keyless, pushbutton starter that she was unable to turn off, and according to the phone recording with a 911 operator, she was also unable to get the car to decelerate or shift the vehicle into neutral. After the 59-mile ordeal that lasted for about 35 minutes, police finally told her to try pulling back on the accelerator while hitting the brakes. This worked, and her Sorento came to a stop on the shoulder, leading some to suggest that accelerator entrapment (i.e. a floor mat wedged under the gas pedal) was to blame rather than a computer-related unintended acceleration. It has been reported that Kia is investigating what caused the problem, but it is just amazing that nobody was injured during the course of this event.
For vehicles with pushbutton starters, most vehicles can still be shut off by press and holding the starter button for a few seconds. This combined with shifting to neutral and applying the parking/emergency brake can usually help bring an out-of-control vehicle safely to a stop.
Scroll down to see the dash cam footage of Ulvestad's frightening incident.
Continue reading Police cams capture woman's 119-mph stuck accelerator run [w/video]
Police cams capture woman's 119-mph stuck accelerator run [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 27 Aug 2012 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/27/police-cams-capture-womans-119-mph-stuck-accelerator-run-w-vid/
Monday
Tony Stewart Said Matt Kenseth Opened Doors for Rest of 2012
Meanwhile, we look back earlier in the race, around lap 332. It was a restart and Roush Fenway driver Matt Kenseth was in front, as he had been numerous times during the night. Tony Stewart, driver of the No.14 Office Depot Chevrolet had gotten a good run on Kenseth and passed him. Stewart and Kenseth bumped for a little while as Kenseth tried to pass him back. They were both driving hard when a little rubbing during racing went to far and took both cars out of contention for the win. Stewart and Kenseth wrecked into each other, Stewart immediately got out of his car while Ke...
HAYDEN INJURED IN TRAINING ACCIDENT
Source: http://www.motorsportsjournal.com/archives/2011/12/hayden_injured_in_trainin.php
Paul Goldsmith Josй Froilбn Gonzбlez Oscar Gonzбlez Aldo Gordini
Sunday
Sharp Suits Compared: 2012 Audi A7 vs. 2013 BMW 640i Gran Coupe
McNish flies in final practice
Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/mcnish-flies-in-final-practice
David Carl Allison Gregory Jack Biffle David Lee Blaney Michael Duane Bliss
Report: Honda ups 2012 forecast by more than 25% on bullish CR-V, Civic sales
Filed under: Coupe, Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Crossover, Honda
On the verge of launching an all-new 2013 Accord, Honda has significantly upped its expected sales figures for 2012. Riding on the success of both the new Honda Civic and the 2012 Honda CR-V, the automaker says its forecast of 2012 sales have increased by more than 25 percent from the original 1.2 million units projected earlier in the year up to 1.3 million units. This all despite having to recover from natural disasters in Asia that crippled its production and inventory.
This bullish estimate can directly be attributed to strong sales of the new CR-V and Civic, two models which account for almost half of all Honda's 732,165 units through July. In fact, the CR-V is on pace to "demolish" its 2007 sales record of 219,000 units. Compared to last year, CR-V sales are up 33.9 percent, and with five months left, Honda is well on its way of not only breaking this record but also beating out the CR-Vs closest rival - and last year's top-selling crossover - the Ford Escape. As for the Civic, despite its cold critical reception, it remains Honda's best-selling model as well as the best-selling car in its class. Things should get even better for Honda with the Accord coming out this year and an emergency-refresh Civic due out next year.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Honda Fit subcompact is down 26.4 percent for the year while the company's CR-Z and Insight hybrids have combined to sell just 7,194 units all year.
Overall, Honda's sales are up 18.5 through the first seven months of 2012.
Honda ups 2012 forecast by more than 25% on bullish CR-V, Civic sales originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Aug 2012 15:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/24/honda-ups-2012-forecast-by-more-than-25-on-bullish-cr-v-civic/
Stoner to miss Brno for surgery
Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/motorcycles/motogp/stoner-to-miss-brno-for-surgery
Gregory Jack Biffle David Lee Blaney Michael Duane Bliss Kurt Thomas Busch
Danica loses lead after running over shoe
Fittingly, Jacques Villeneuve is the race’s current leader at the track that bears his late father’s name, but I doubt that will be any consolation to Patrick, who looked like she was in for a great, possibly wreck free day. At least she was, until she ran over that shoe.
No word on who actually threw the shoe, or why the did so, but it’s fair to say that whoever did toss a shoe on the track is not only stupid, but just plain ignorant.
Personally I think Danica is just a tad overrated, but still, to lose your lead because of a shoe on the track is really some bad luck. The ...
Kyle Thomas Busch Jeffrey Tyler Burton Richard Allen Craven Kerry Dale Earnhardt