Source: http://www.motorsportsjournal.com/archives/2012/01/seb_web_and_seb_red_bull.php
Saturday
SEB, WEB AND SEB RED BULL RACING'S 2012 DRIVER LINE-UP
Red Bull Racing Thursday 5 January 2012 Red Bull Racing is pleased to confirm that S�bastien Buemi will continue his relationship with Red Bull as Red Bull Racing's test and reserve driver for 2012. The 23-year-old joins Sebastian Vettel and...
Friday
Greg Zipadelli says timetable for Tony Stewart?s return hasn?t been determined
While Austin Dillon keeps the No. 14 car's driver's seat warm for Tony Stewart at Michigan, a timetable hasn't been determined for Stewart's return.
?We don?t know that yet," Stewart-Haas Competition Director Greg Zipadelli said Friday, when asked if Stewart was out the rest of the season, "I?m working under the assumption that he?s out for the next month or so or longer. He went to the doctor?s this week, he had a decent visit. No setbacks. Basically, very simple instructions, stay in his bed with your leg up over your heart for the next seven days and then come back and see me. We?ll reevaluate you and tell you what you can do. That?s what he?s doing."
On Monday, August 5, Stewart suffered a grade two fracture of his right tibia and fibula in a sprint car accident in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Stewart was leading when he crashed into a lapped car that was spinning in front of him.
Zipadelli said last week at Watkins Glen that the team was looking at Nationwide drivers to fill the races Stewart will miss, and said Friday that it'd likely be two drivers for the rest of the duration of Stewart's absence, whether it's a month, the rest of the season, or anything in between.
Dillon already has a relationship with Bass Pro Shops, one of Stewart's sponsors. While that played a role, being the 2010 Camping World Truck Series champion and leading the Nationwide points this season obviously doesn't hurt either. Plus, Dillon finished 11th at Michigan in June.
"We looked at that, the association with Bass Pro Shop, both sponsors were on board," Zipadelli said. "That is a big priority to us that our partners are on board with everything we do. Obviously, we let them down with Tony not being in the car the rest of the year and we need to do the best we can to represent them and they are a big part of our decisions.?
NASCAR video from Yahoo! Sports:
Related coverage on Yahoo! Sports:
? Time is running out for Jeff Gordon, Brad Keselowski
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? Happy Hour: Watkins Glen highlights Brad Keselowski's dilemma
Thursday
Carroll Shelby and the Avengers
One of my heroes passed this past weekend. Carroll Shelby died at age 89.
I don’t want to recap Shelby’s life in this post. Others have written that story over the past several days. The truth is, I’m a little late to be writing an epitaph on the man. From the moment that I heard the [...]
I don’t want to recap Shelby’s life in this post. Others have written that story over the past several days. The truth is, I’m a little late to be writing an epitaph on the man. From the moment that I heard the [...]
Casey James Mears Juan Pablo Montoya Joseph Francis Nemechek III Ryan Joseph Newman
Wednesday
Tony Stewart out for the season; Mark Martin, Austin Dillon to drive in the #14
Stewart-Haas Racing has announced that Tony Stewart is out for the season due to a broken leg sustained in a sprint car accident earlier this month. Mark Martin will drive the No. 14 car for most of the remaining races, with Austin Dillon handling Talladega.
?After consulting with Tony?s doctors and speaking with Tony, we agreed it was best for him to focus on his recovery,? said Greg Zipadelli, SHR director of competition. ?For the No. 14 team, our focus is on positioning them for a run at the owner championship. Mark Martin and Austin Dillon give us the best opportunity to do that, and we certainly appreciate Michael Waltrip Racing and Richard Childress Racing for making Mark and Austin available to us."
?Obviously, I?m disappointed to be out of the Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Chevy for so long, but the team is in very good hands with Mark Martin and Austin Dillon,? Stewart said. ?Mark is someone I?ve looked up to my entire career and I have a tremendous amount of respect for him. Austin is a great young talent, and he showed that Sunday at Michigan. Greg Zipadelli, Steve Addington (crew chief) and everybody at SHR supports them 100 percent. This isn?t a situation anyone wanted, but we?re going to make the best of it. In the meantime, my focus is on getting healthy and getting back into my Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Chevy.? Stewart indicated he would return to the driver's seat for preseason testing in January 2014.
Martin has been a reliable part-time driver for Michael Waltrip Racing, most recently coming within a few laps of winning Sunday's Michigan race. Martin's two-year contract with Waltrip ends this year, and there is substantial speculation about his future. Dillon, meanwhile, has a promising future ahead as a Cup-level driver for Richard Childress Racing.
The news comes as a blow to Stewart's fans and sponsors, and surely to Stewart himself. Stewart knows how a season can completely turn around at Chase time; just two years ago, he proclaimed himself completely out of the Chase mix at Richmond before winning five of the season's final ten races and the Sprint Cup.
Related content from Yahoo! Sports
? Joey Logano grabs critical win from Michigan pole
? Kurt Busch jumps back into top 10
? Watch: Crew member hit by tire on pit road
Tuesday
Power Rankings: Welcome to first place Matt Kenseth
It's time for Power Rankings! After every race, we'll opine about who we think is at the top of the Sprint Cup heap and how and why they got there. Remember, this isn't scientific, as our formula is the perfect blend of analytics and bias against your favorite driver. So let's get on with it now, shall we?
1. Matt Kenseth (LW: 7): We have ourselves a new Chase points leader. OK, we have ourselves a driver in sole command of the Chase points standings. Just a couple weeks after it looked like Kyle Busch could be Joe Gibbs Racing's strongest Chase contender, Flatline strikes and reminds us all that he was still set to be tied with Jimmie Johnson when the Chase began. And now he's ahead of him.
2. Jimmie Johnson (LW: 1): Johnson's claim to the top spot isn't too much weaker than it was previously, especially given that the incidents that have plagued him the last two weeks were out of his control. That said, the reason Johnson was caught up in David Reutimann's spin Saturday night was because the No. 48 wasn't near the front of the field. And now, Johnson's looking up at the guy ahead of him, both in the Power Rankings and when the Chase begins.
3. Clint Bowyer (LW: 9): Bowyer's impressive drive at Bristol isn't reflected in the box score, which simply shows a 14th place finish. That's because he ran out of gas on the final lap. Before that, he was back in the top 10 and had a contending car. We say "back" because Bowyer was at one point leading the race when he got Kvapiled and had to work his way through the field. Plus, he's now just 18 points behind Johnson.
4. Kasey Kahne (LW: 4): Who wanted Kahne to wreck Kenseth after his comments following Watkins Glen? After the race, Kahne said that he simply doesn't wreck people, and while crashing Kenseth would have been the highlight of the season, it's an honorable thing for Kahne to say. And how strongly can you argue with a guy who says he's committed to racing cleanly like that?
5. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (LW: 8): Junior's race changed when Martin Truex Jr. was in that vicious accident. Instead of racing for the win, Junior's night became more about hedging his bets. While he had a car that was capable enough of a top 5 finish had he not pitted again, the choice was understandable, especially given that Bowyer ran out on the last lap.
6. Joey Logano (LW: 10): Hell of a comeback by Logano and the No. 22 team to bounce back from the significant damage sustained in the incident with Busch to finish fifth. And now, all of the sudden, Joey Logano is in position to make the three points from winning at Michigan count. This is one hell of a run.
7. Kevin Harvick (LW: 3): So how many of you thought for a split second that Harvick and Denny Hamlin's discussion was going to be something that would be played on Bristol commercials for the rest of eternity? It wasn't, which was probably a good thing ultimately. What really could have happened with one driver strapped in his car with his helmet on and a bevy of crew and officials nearby?
8. Kyle Busch (LW: 5): Does the contact with Joey Logano keep Busch's trouble or top 10 streak alive? Or since it only indirectly caused a caution flag and Busch didn't lose track position because of the incident, it doesn't count? If it indeed doesn't count, Busch didn't miss by much. He finished 11th.
9. Carl Edwards (LW: 6): Edwards had perhaps the strongest car of the evening before a valve spring went bad. Despite the parts failure, it was a good opportunity to show that Edwards can compete for wins rather than consistently finish well. Yeah, that may not make sense, but if anyone knows that wins > good finishes, it's Edwards.
10. Kurt Busch (LW: 2): Sorry for the precipitous drop, Kurt, but someone had to fall. And you rocketed up last week anyway. We know this going into Atlanta: Busch will have a fast car, and something won't go right. What that something is, however, is the big question. It could be very minor and Busch will get back into the top 10. It could be major and his Chase hopes will disappear.
11. Greg Biffle (LW: NR): Yes, Greg Biffle is still in the Sprint Cup Series -- not sure if you've seen him on TV over the past few weeks -- and he's going to make the Chase. You may end up asking yourself "who's that guy?" when he takes the lead at Atlanta Sunday night, so go ahead and look up his career stats now just in case.
12. Jeff Gordon (LW: NR): Welcome back to the top 12 Mr. Gordon. You're here over Brad Keselowski and Ryan Newman simply because you're back in a position to pounce. If Gordon is within single digits of the top 10 going into Richmond, you don't count him out based on last year.
Lucky Dog: Brad Keselowski: Things could have been much worse for Kes after he was caught up in that crash. Instead he's just four points outside of the top 10. That's not going to be a big deal, is it?
The DNF: Oh man, Joe Nemechek is our DNF this week. For a team that has started and parked but also tried to run the distance in some races, blowing an engine on lap one is absolutely brutal. Both for the team and the Yahoo! live chat.
Dropped out: Keselowski, Ryan Newman.
Heikki Kovalainen Kevin Harvick Armour Vienna Sausage Kroger Chevrolet Clint Bowyer
Monday
McLaren wants Button, Perez for 2014
McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh insists his team has no plans to change its Formula 1 driver line-up next year. Jenson Button has been linked with a possible move after admitting during the Belgian Grand Prix that his option has yet to be picked up by the team. The 2009 world champion is currently in the second year of a McLaren deal negotiated during 2011
Kevin Michael Harvick Virgil Ernest Irvan III Kenny Dale Irwin Jr Dale Arnold Jarrett
Nationwide Craziest Moment: Travis Pastrana?s flat left rear tire sends him around
Haven't we mentioned before that Travis Pastrana is making regular appearances in this post?
In the first Iowa Nationwide race this season, Pastrana was part of it with Max Papis, Brian Vickers, Alex Bowman and others. On Saturday night, he was all by himself.
As Pastrana headed into turn three, his left rear tire went down and as a result, his car went spinning around, hitting the wall with the front end. There was no warning -- Pastrana went into the corner like normal and around the car went.
Brad Keselowski won the race. Pastrana ended up 27th.
Sunday
2014 Ferrari 458 Speciale: Maranello Gives the 458 Special Treatment [2013 Frankfurt Auto Show]
If you ask Ferrari, there are too many people who love the 458 Italia but are put off by its measly 562 horsepower and piddling 202-mph top speed. At least that?s what we assume the thought process is, as the gang in Maranello pulls from the oven the 458 Speciale?a 458 variant that?ll work even [...]
Randy Joseph Lajoie Kevin Paul Lepage William Ashton Lewis Jr Sterling Burton Marlin
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