Source: http://www.16thandgeorgetown.com/2011/12/pagenaud-joins-schmidt.html
Saturday
John Wes Townley suspended by RAB Racing after DUI arrest
John Wes Townley's NASCAR comeback is on hold after he was suspended by RAB Racing after being arrested for DUI early Friday morning in Georgia.
Townley crashed his car into a pole and was arrested after knocking on the door of a nearby residence.
In a statement Friday afternoon, RAB Racing with Brock Maggard owner Robby Benton said that Townley would be suspended indefinitely. Townley, 22, was set to drive in the Camping World Truck Series in 2012.
"Obviously, this is an unfortunate situation," Benton said in the release. "However, we have to react to the severity of the incident accordingly. His actions do not reflect those of RAB Racing, nor the sponsors associated with the team.
"John Wes has accepted full responsibility, and will take the necessary personal steps in order to correct his actions, among other internal sanctions," Benton continued. "We stand by John Wes, and will welcome him back to the team at the appropriate time."
After scoring a ride with Richard Childress Racing to start 2010, Townley parted ways with the team after five races, and came back and ran four more for RAB in the latter half of the season, before leaving the team. He didn't race in 2011.
Last year, Nationwide Series driver Michael Annett was arrested for DWI shortly before the season-opening race at Daytona and was not suspended by Rusty Wallace Incorporated, his team at the time. (Annett will drive for Richard Petty Motorsports in 2012).
Unfortunately, this isn't Townley's first incident involving alcohol. While with Childress in 2010, he was cited for underage possession of alcohol during the Las Vegas race weekend. At the time, Townley said that he learned a "valuable lesson" from the incident.
Bravo to Benton and the rest of RAB Racing for making the right decision in suspending Townley, one made more obvious by the fact that this is Townley's second alcohol-related offense in the past two years. And we hope that Townley can seek the appropriate help and treatment and eventually resume his racing career.
More sports news from the Yahoo! Sports Minute:
Michael Bleekemolen Alex Blignaut Trevor Blokdyk Mark Blundell
Michael Waltrip to attempt Daytona 500 for Hillman Racing
Michael Waltrip has a ride for the Daytona 500.
Waltrip will drive the No. 40 for Hillman Racing, a single-car team attempting the 500 for the first time. Sponsorship will come from Aaron's, a longtime sponsor of Waltrip.
Aaron's is also sponsoring the No. 55 that Waltrip and Mark Martin (and a third driver) will share in 2012. While Waltrip, a two-time winner of the Daytona 500, is running the No. 55 in the Bud Shootout on Saturday, Martin will be in the No. 55 for the 500.
The start will be Waltrip's 75th at Daytona in NASCAR's top three series, the most events of any driver at Daytona in NASCAR. Waltrip won last year's season-opening race at Daytona in the Camping World Truck Series.
"Aaron's really does make your dreams come true," Waltrip said in a release. "When I was a kid thinking about racing in Daytona I never dreamed I would start more NASCAR races there than anyone. That's amazing."
Hillman Racing is running full-time in the Camping World Truck Series and is run by Mike Hillman, Sr., who was formerly involved with Germain Racing. Hillman�purchased the assets of the truck team a the end of the season. (Germain Racing is still in the Cup Series with Casey Mears.)
If he wasn't to drive for his own team, Waltrip needed to drive for a single-car team in the 500 because of NASCAR's four-car limit. Since Waltrip owns MWR, a three-car team, driving for a two- or three-car team would have put him over the allowable limit. (For example, had Waltrip driven a second car for JTG Daugherty, a team that has a technical relationship with MWR, the two JTG and three MWR cars wouldn't have been allowed.)
Waltrip will need to qualify on time for the 500, but Martin will not. The points from the No. 32 of FAS Lane Racing have been "transferred" to Martin and the No. 55.
Friday
Big Changes To Pit Crews For 2012
As we have talked about before around here, the crew guy silly season can be just as crazy as the one involving drivers and sponsors. You won’t see press releases about changes, but teams vying for the top pit crew talent can be very competitive. I have absolutely no data to back this up, but [...] 
TheNASCARInsiders.com
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheNascarInsiders/~3/LaAn8Lbho6s/
Thursday
Ownership group acquires Red Bull Racing owner?s points
Landon Cassill will be locked into the Daytona 500 after an ownership group formerly involved with the now defunct TRG Motorosports team bought the assets and owner's points from Red Bull Racing.
Cassill said he has a deal with the new team to drive all year.
"It's my first time going into a NASCAR season with a signed deal knowing I'm going to be in the car every week," Cassill said. "It's my first time attempting the Daytona 500?wait, I am locked into the Daytona 500. That's a pretty big dream came true."
Team name and sponsorship information is still to come. While owner's points are involved in the deal, this is much different than the points swap ? a tactic unliked by many ? that got Danica Patrick's No. 10 guaranteed into the field for the Daytona 500. (Patrick is in the field via the points from Tommy Baldwin's No. 36 car.)
Cassill will have the points from Brian Vickers' No. 83 last year, while the possibility remains for the team to field a second car at Daytona, as it would be locked in via Kasey Kahne's owner points from the No. 4.
The move, which had been in the works for a few weeks, officially means that all 35 of the guaranteed starting positions from 2011's owner points are spoken for if the team runs a second car.
In January, Michael Waltrip Racing attempted to buy the owner's points from Red Bull but a deal didn't work out. If the team that just acquired the Red Bull points fields a second car, one of Waltrip's cars will need to qualify for the 500 on speed. Martin Truex Jr.'s No. 56 is locked in, and the team has the owner points from David Reutimann's No. 00, for either new MWR driver Clint Bowyer or the No. 55 that Waltrip is sharing with Mark Martin.
Roush Fenway Racing is running the No. 6 for Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in the Daytona 500 because the team has the points from David Ragan last year. And while Richard Childress Racing has scaled back to three full-time teams, it's running the No. 33 for Elliott Sadler at Daytona and Brendan Gaughan for the next four races.
More sports news from the Yahoo! Sports Minute:
Hopkins Breaks Hand In Testing Crash At Phillip Island
John Hopkins' run of bad luck with hand injuries continues. The American has suffered yet another broken bone in his right hand, after crashing during a private World Superbike test at Phillip Island, ahead of the first round of the series in just under two weeks' time. Hopkins highsided at Turn 2, landing on his right hand, and fracturing a bone at the base of the hand.
The crash was doubly unfortunate for Hopkins. The American landed on his right hand, the hand which he had only recently had surgery on to remove the damaged ring finger. That injury had been sustained in 2011, the American crashing during practice for a wildcard appearance at the Brno round of MotoGP. Hopkins then had to cancel a second wildcard appearance at Sepang after the strain of riding a MotoGP bike separated the bone which had already partially healed, and eventually led the American to have the finger amputated.
Hopkins has now flown home to California to have his hand examined by his specialist Dr Chao. The American is in doubt for the first round of World Superbikes at Phillip Island, but with over six weeks until the second round of WSBK at Imola in Italy, he should not be forced to miss any other races.
Below is the press release from Suzuki announcing Hopkins' injury:
Happy Hour: Two views of Danica Patrick
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.
We're getting geared up for the season, and that'll bring us plenty of material, but until then: hit us with your best questions, NASCAR or no. Sure, we can talk about Chase scenarios and qualifying, but let's open it up a bit. Music? TV? Movies? Books? Fine dining? Religion? Philosophy? Politics? Hit us with it all. NASCAR will always lead the show, but let's get a little more variety in the lower reaches of the lettercol.
And now, let's begin with a highly noncontroversial topic: Miss Danica Patrick.
Hi Jay, how do you handle this conundrum? I have supported Danica Patrick for a while and look forward to the change to the standard in NASCAR. While chatting with my 12-year-old daughter tonight, I asked, "Do you want some fan gear, now that she is running fulltime stock?" Then it hits me. Do I want my daughter walking around in GO DADDY? I think not and dropped the conversation.
? AJ
Reedville, Va.
That's a great point, one that I'm not certain the Danica supporters have thought through. For all the advances she makes on behalf of a "woman racing in a man's sport" (an idea which I think is ridiculous; speed knows no gender), she gives back a lot of the goodwill by participating in those goofy Go Daddy ads. Sure, she always seems detached and above it all, but still: The message Go Daddy is pushing isn't exactly a subtle one. For her long-term career, she'd be better served hooking up ... er, aligning with a less sex-obsessed sponsor. (Kudos to Go Daddy, though, for sexing up web hosting, which has to be the unsexiest thing on Earth.) For another view on Ms. Patrick, here we go ...
____________________
NASCAR does a lot to cater to fans. Frankly I feel they do a lot more than other sports do for fans, and they never get any relief from the complaining ... Then we finally get a female in the Cup series with a serious chance at being competitive and all people do is complain, and complain about things they seem to know nothing about. People say she hasn't earned her keep and yet if you look at what she's done in other series as a child in to adulthood she's no different than drivers who have come up the same way. So I don't get it. Is it that she's a chick and knows that sex sells and uses her sexuality to make money? Is the NASCAR fan base that prudish? So what did I miss here? Why is a woman who's been racing around the world since she was 10 years old criticized so much?
? Patricia Augusta
Simi Valley, Calif.
Nice counterpoint to the letter above. The problem with using sex to sell yourself is that, as much as the "seller" wants to delude themselves that they're in a position of power, the truth is, it's always the "buyer" who has the power. We're skirting right along the edge of our PG-13 rating here, so I won't take the metaphor any further. Patrick and her handlers have made a conscious decision to dive deep into the murky waters of sex and gender, and until she can prove herself as a driver at this level, that's the context in which she'll be judged. She and her team have set the rules of the game for the moment, and it's up to her to change the game going forward.
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I had a thought about the new designs each car manufacturer will be adding to the field. Since the cars will be different-shaped in 2013, wouldn't that mean that some teams are going to have an advantage, even if just minimal? And if there is some nominal gap, doesn't that mean we're not just seeing results based on drivers themselves, but almost more on luck of what vehicle they drive? I know that there are larger differences in the quality of engines and chassis that they use, but I feel that racing should depend on what the driver him or her can do. I would almost rather that all drivers drive an exact identical car so we can see how each individual can handle it. I know this is a pipe dream, but it would test the skills of the driver rather than relying on the better equipment they get because of the team they're associated with. I feel that these aerodynamic differences pull away more from the driver's skill.
Note: I am glad that they will look more like stock cars now and will be able to spot drivers easier. I'm just worried it'll provide some unfair advantage.
? James
Pismo
Pismo is a place? I always thought that was just a Bugs Bunny beach destination. Anyway, I'm no engineer, obviously, but I would imagine that the aerodynamic differences between the various manufacturers' noses wouldn't be enough to change the game entirely. A fumbled lug nut or a missed pit call would have far more drastic of an effect on the race than aerodynamics. To me, it adds a new dimension to the concept of driver-as-team-member; engineers now have to step up and play with design within specifications. But it will indeed be a fascinating statistical exercise to see how the manufacturers' new designs compare with the old ones and one another. Bottom line: I see no downside to the new designs.
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Isn't the object of qualifying to try to be the fastest and put on a show for the fans? If you make every driver and team have to get in on "strictly speed," you would see a difference. Plus, I also follow Ron Capps on the NHRA circuit and he missed an event during the "Countdown to the Championship," NHRA's "playoff," at the end of the year, and I do not recall anything being said about his sponsor, NAPA, being ready to pull the plug. You could also look at it this way: If "One Race Sponsor's" car doesn't make the show, it's not "fair" to him if his car outruns some of the Big Boys and doesn't make it, plus chances are the "One Race Sponsor's" budget is obviously not big and they lose on their investment. So I think it's time to get rid of the Top 35 Rule. Period.
? Greg Cates
Dinwiddie, Va.
I like the idea of throwing a little love to the one-race sponsors. Maybe there could be like a little "consolation race" for the guys who don't make it. Matter of fact, that's a great idea: Let 'em race a 10-lap opening-act race to get everyone fired up! Probably ought to make sure the track is clear of fans and the prerace entertainment before you do that, though. Would be hell trying to pick pieces of Foreigner out of the grille.
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Here's a fun idea for next year's All-Star Race...for the final segment, have "Crack-da-whip" rules. With 20 laps to go, only the top 20 cars remaining continue. As the last segment progresses for the final 20 laps, the last place car must retire from the field starting at lap fifteen. Here's how it would go:
Twenty-2-go: 20 cars continue.
Fifteen-2-go: Last place car is black flagged and retires to the pits.
Fourteen-2-go: See above.
.....
One-2-go: Remaining 5 cars duke it out, no-holds-barred.
So, in the final 20 laps, you have a frenzy of cars trying NOT to be last and lots of bumpin'-n-rubbin' for the final moments of the race.
? Douglas Osborn
I love this idea. LOVE it. I'd have a few more laps left at the end, maybe five, but that's a minor tweak. You'd have fun all the way through watching the last guys trying to get across the start/finish line every lap. You might not want to do it every lap; give the last-place guy time to regroup and catch up. But yeah, that would be so, so much fun to watch. Every. Single. Lap.
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These boys (AJ Allmendinger and Andy Lally at 24 hours of Daytona) did really well. One of the post-race comments was that Lally has made huge contributions to the Grand Am teams he has been on at Daytona. What's your take on why Lally has not done better at NASCAR's road courses? He obviously has the skill set in the prototypes.
? Jill Joachim
A very good question. Being a 21st-century journalist, I went and checked out Lally's Wikipedia page. Did you know the dude not only races cars, but he's a champion mountain biker? And he races street luge? And does Brazilian Jiu Jitsu? He's a freaking athletic Renaissance man! Why didn't we take advantage of this treasure when we had him in the Sprint Cup series? If nothing else, why couldn't we have a Jiu Jitsu throwdown in the garage? We missed out on LallyWorld, people! Let's get him back in the series, pronto!
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!
Wednesday
What Was Your NASCAR Best and Worst from 2011?
It was a wild season that began with 20-year-old Trevor Bayne winning the Daytona 500 and ended with a wild race that made series veteran Tony Stewart the first Cup Series Champion not named Jimmie Johnson since 2005. In the mean time: we saw 19 different winners, including five different first time winners; Kyle Busch [...] 
TheNASCARInsiders.com
Follow the Insiders on Twitter or be a fan on Facebook!
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheNascarInsiders/~3/jfWowQPeArw/
Double BAFTA success for Senna movie
Senna has won the BAFTA awards for Best Documentary and Best Editing in tonight’s event at the Royal Opera House in London, giving F1 a boost in front of a star-studded audience that included the likes of Brad Pitt, George … Continue reading 
Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2012/02/12/double-bafta-success-for-senna-movie/
Let?s See What Sticks?
Disclaimer: What follows is purely a blind man taking shots in the dark. There was no specific precedent that instigated these ideas; just dumb speculation. It seems that the recent trend on twitter and in the indycar blogosphere has been … Continue reading 
Source: http://anotherindycarblog.wordpress.com/2012/01/16/lets-see-what-sticks/
Magnussen gets an F1 test
Vodafone McLaren Mercedes will be testing 19-year-old Dane Kevin Magnussen later this year in an MP4-27. In the interim the youngster, son of former F1 driver Jan Magnussen, will become involved in preparatory work for Formula 1, including engineering support and working with Gary Paffett and Oliver Turvey in the F1 simulator, Magnussen has been [...]
Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/02/14/magnussen-gets-an-f1-test/
Tuesday
Which driver needs a win most in 2012? (Besides HIM.)
In 2011, 17 different Sprint Cup regulars won a race, with three of them (Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch) accounting for more than a third of the season's races by themselves. That leaves an awful lot of guys who didn't reach the checkered flag first. Some of them probably never really expected to get there; others had it snagged right out from under them at the last instant. Let's take a look at which drivers most desperately need a win in 2012.
1. Joey Logano. What? Ranking someone ahead of Earnhardt? Absolutely. No driver in NASCAR faces more pressure to hang onto his ride than Logano right now. Junior could lose for the next three years straight and still have his seat.
2. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Come on. You know about the 129-race losing streak. What more do we need to say? Everything is in place for him to win. Of course, we've said that before.
3. Martin Truex Jr. He's got an even longer losing streak than Junior, one that dates back to 2007. In a contract year, it's high time for him to level up.
4. Greg Biffle. While his Roush brethren are tearing up the standings, he hasn't quite kept pace. Time for The Biff to rejoin the ranks of the Chasers.
5. Juan Pablo Montoya. He had a brief stint of respectability a couple years back, but team disarray and unexplainable slides have hurt his standing. He needs to prove he's as good as he thinks he is.
6. AJ Allmendinger. There'll be some growing pains with a new team, but Allmendinger has all the pieces in place to start capitalizing on all the promise he's shown.
7. Jeff Burton. After a horrendous early 2011, Burton started turning his year around, and needs to prove that he just hit a rough patch, not that his days are numbered.
8. Jamie McMurray. Like his teammate Montoya, McMurray has to reassert himself; he's got Chase-level talent, but it seems to come and go with the tide.
9. David Reutimann. Ushered to the sidelines because of his age, Reutimann could bolster his rep with a victory for his new team.
10. Bobby Labonte. One more win for the old champion would be a fine way to bookend a career.
Your turn. Which Sprint Cup regular most desperately needs a win, and which of the guys above will win one this year?
Repsol Press Release: Marc Marquez Says He Is "Almost 100%"
Below is a press release from Repsol and a video blog (in Spanish) produced by the Catalunya CX team, in which Marc Marquez speaks of his recovery from his eye injury, and displays his motocross riding skills:
Year:
2012
Happy Hour: Where will Brian Vickers end up?
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.
NASCAR is in the middle of its media week, and look, I have to say this: as much as we all complain about NASCAR drivers being vanilla and bland to the media, you have to admit: these guys are more available for more sessions than any other sport anywhere. And most of them will actually treat the process with respect and, dare I say it, a bit of enjoyment in some circumstances. NASCAR fans (and NASCAR media), we get a TON of information straight from the major players. Not all of it, true, and not all of it IS true, but still ... far better than the alternative. (Hey there, NFL.) Anyway, let's start with a guy who, sadly, isn't doing many interviews right now:
I am one of those rare under-30 NASCAR fans and I cheer only young drivers (to the point I actually watch the Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series on a semi-regular basis #Lame). I started liking NASCAR in college. Brian Vickers was one of my go-to guys as he connected with young fans. Watching him win in Michigan was awesome! As the silly season ends, is he doomed to start/park or nothing?
I don't get why no one will pick up Vickers. Nationwide champion, 2x Sprint race winner. Did the Kenseth incidents end his career? I hope not, but it seems like he is a pariah for NASCAR.
? Chris Johnson
Yeah, there's something up with the Vickers thing that we haven't totally isolated yet. David Ragan took the last available regular Sprint Cup seat (at Front Row Motorsports), so yes, it's looking like Vickers will be either a Nationwide driver or a start-and-parker. We've put in an inquiry with Vickers but are yet to hear back; most recently on Twitter he told a fan, "When there is news, we will let you know. Until then- sit tight please." (He's also hawking sake to his 39,000 followers. Hey, you do what you have to do.)
Vickers seems to be another of those guys who desperately needs to prove he's not as bad as his image would suggest. A good, drama-free run in a lower-level car would do just that; his career shouldn't be over, by any means.
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In the "way too early to discuss but why not while we wait for Daytona" category, who do you think will, and should, end up in the Hall of Fame next year? I have only a few possible picks with a good chance:
-Rusty Wallace (definite)
-Leonard Wood (likely)
-Fireball Roberts
-Joe Weatherly
Drivers I'd like to see:
-Alan Kulwicki (and the famous napkin contract)
-Ralph Earnhardt (the original number 8)
-Benny Parsons
-Davey Allison
I wouldn't mind seeing a broadcaster in there, either. Benny Parsons fits the bill as a driver AND a broadcaster. Thoughts?
? Jeff "Sarge" Smith
Statesboro, Ga.
All worthy choices. I'd throw in Red Byron (won the first NASCAR championship), Buck Baker (two-time champ) and possibly Wendell Scott (first African-American driver) as potentials as well. Now that we've gotten mostly past the "guaranteed"s and before we get to the next round of must-enters (Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart), we've got some time on our hands to debate value to the sport. It'll be fun AND educational!
____________________
I know during the silly season everyone tries to come up with ways to pass the time, including coming up with a better way to determine the champion.
Under many different scenarios, Tony Stewart would not have won the Sprint Cup title. But he did. And he did so in dominating fashion. From a position where no one gave him a second thought, he won 5 of the 10 chase races. There is no doubt that at the end of the season he was the best driver, sitting in the best car. Even non-NASCAR fans are aware of what he did in the final race.
Stewart is the 2011 Champion and he earned the title.
? Ross Lipman
A bunch of commenters got bent out of shape (commenters reacting irrationally? No!) about the whole multiple-Chase-scenarios of last week. Yes, we know Tony Stewart won. Kicking around multiple scenarios does nothing to diminish his achievements. Relax, everybody, and enjoy kicking a few topics around. We won't be taking Tony's trophy away. Yet.
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I keep hearing that the reason the top 35 in points are locked in each week is due to the power of the sponsors. Yet the cars not in the top 35 have sponsors. What makes their sponsors inferior to the ones for the top 35? Kind of makes the whole argument invalid doesn't it? Why doesn't NASCAR just say "The following sponsors are ensured a spot, we don't care who drives it."?
? Scott
Interesting idea. But let's be honest: a multinational, multibillion-dollar company IS superior to a sponsor who's there for one race only, and because of the simple fact of dollars and cents. If Billy Ray's Sausage Links & Car Insurance can come up with $20 million to sponsor a car for a year, then they get to belly up to the table with the Lowe's and Home Depots of the world. If not? Yeah, there's a bit of a caste system there.
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Qualifying should be restricted to only a few select tracks where starting position is crucial to a good finish (i.e. Bristol, Sonoma, Martinsville, etc.). The starting positions for the other races should be set based on the inverse order of the points. The points leader would start dead last, forcing the best drivers to prove every race that they can pass everyone else.
? Rusty Brummett
I'll do you one better: Every place above 43rd in the points gets another 10 pounds added to their car. So the race leader has to drag nearly an extra quarter-ton around the track. Or how about this: Every race, the drivers get to pick the car they want to drive out of the whole field! Or, here's one: the drivers play a giant game of dodgeball in the infield, and winner gets their choice of pit stalls ...
Point being, my friend, we can complicate the hell out of any scenario. Turn 'em loose and let the chips fall where they may is probably the best of all possible plans.
____________________
I understand you get all sorts of suggestions for the Chase. So here goes mine. I believe once the Chase is set the only teams that should receive points are the teams in the Chase. What are the other drivers in the race for? The prize money for that race is still in play, and isn't that good enough? Now as for points each race the points go from 12-1 based on the order the Chase drivers finish in. There are 2 points awarded for a win, 1 point for most laps led. If a Chase driver is wrecked early it won't end their chances. The only way to gain points is to finish high, win a race and lead laps. I think this makes more sense than the current state of things.
? S.I.
Chicago, Ill.
I'm not even going to ask anyone to run the numbers on this one, because�A) Tony Stewart would probably win and�B) I think we've bagged our limit on fantasy Chase scenarios. Plus, this one would really hurt the feelings of the non-Chasers, and we don't want that, do we?
Finally, this week in spam:
____________________
Bonjour, je suis informaticien depuis 6 ans dans un pays africain. Mon objectif �tait d'avoir les moyens et les relations en Europe ou en Asie avec une personne qui partage mes ambitions. Ce que je voulais concr�tement c'est d'avoir une personne qui se trouve en Europe ou en Asie ou en Am�rique comme associ�.
Damn straight. I think. Or not. What did I just agree to there? Anybody speak French?
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!
More Off Season Rambling?
It has been quite a while since have chatted. Amid a strenuous work schedule, unforeseen sick time, an even more critically injured computer, and the holiday craziness, it?s nice to be able to slow down and talk some indycar with … Continue reading 
Source: http://anotherindycarblog.wordpress.com/2011/12/19/more-off-season-rambling/
Monday
Kimi Raikkonen: ?There?s still a long way to go??
Kimi Raikkonen refused to read any significance into his performance today after he topped the time sheets in Jerez. Raikkonen got up to speed by driving a two-year old Renault in Valencia recently, and also did some slow filming laps … Continue reading 
Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2012/02/07/kimi-raikkonen-theres-still-a-long-way-to-go/
Sunday
Big Daytona payout includes bonus for leader at halfway
NASCAR has announced that the Daytona 500 will have a largest-ever payout of $19 million, with the winner getting at least $1.4 million. That's nice and all, even though you and I probably won't see a nickel of it.
However, here's the cool element: there will be a $200,000 bonus for the leader at halfway, Lap 100. The idea is that it'll reward drivers who actually race rather than running in the back of the pack until there are 20 laps remaining. This should add another element of life into the traditional ride-around portion of the race, particularly if NASCAR's efforts to disrupt tandem driving don't work as well as hoped.
Conspiracy-defusing note: If Lap 100 is under caution, the bonus will be deferred until the race goes green, and it'll then go to the driver who's leading the fifth lap after the race goes green.
The "Daytona 500 Mid-Race Leader Award" doesn't yet have a sponsor, but you can bet it will by race day. That would be February 26, for those of you keeping score.
Great Flexibility in Production and Distribution Vehicles
It produces small urban electric vehicle. No intention of entering the competition of the great automotive industry. A very specific niche market that allows great flexibility in the production and distribution of vehicles. The company e-ride Industries produces several models and are manufactured with aluminum chassis, Fiberglass body and motor of 72 volts. Clearly, the [...]
Source: http://www.autocarblog.co.uk/162-great-flexibility-in-production-and-distribution-vehicles.html
Reduce Fleet With 51 Cars
The full Connell approved reduced by more than 50 percent of the fleet depends on the Government to move from 112 to 51 vehicles, it was announced Friday at a news conference Connell vice president and spokesman, Joseph Cascara. Connell spokesman explained that this action “falls within the savings and rationalization plan,” which was released [...]
Source: http://www.autocarblog.co.uk/155-reduce-fleet-with-51-cars.html
Why Danica Patrick?s decision to run Charlotte over Indy makes sense
On Monday, Danica Patrick announced that she would run the Sprint Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 on May 27 instead of the Izod IndyCar Series Indianapolis 500 in 2012.
As Patrick has transitioned over to the stock car world -- 2012 will be her first full season in NASCAR -- the door to Indy has always publicly been left open a smidge. It's a race that she, like her car owner Tony Stewart, grew up dreaming about, and a race that she's participated in the last seven years -- and been pretty damn good too. In those seven races, she's only finished outside the top 10 once, and that was because of a crash on pit road.
And that door still may be open in the future. But Patrick shut it for the present on Monday, a smart decision for her NASCAR career.
Since she dipped her toes into the stock car waters in 2010, her full-time transition to the full-bodied machines has seemed inevitable, an inevitability that was a reality as early as January 2011, as Michael Andretti told Brant James last week that Patrick informed him of her departure -- per her contract -- at the beginning of last year.
That gave Andretti a full year to find Patrick's replacement. And gave the Coca-Cola 600 more short-term relevance to Patrick than Indy did. Sure, Danica could have attempted the 500-600 double like Stewart did in his rookie year in 1999 and in 2001, but with limited seat time in a stock car, it likely would be an exercise in futility this year. (Not to mention logistics with Patrick likely driving a car in the Coca-Cola 600 that will need to qualify on owner's points unless an arrangement is worked out.)
"I hope to do it in the future, the Indy 500 that is," Patrick said. "Maybe it'll be a double."
When she makes her Sprint Cup debut at Daytona next month, the Sprint Cup car will be the third type of stock car that Patrick has driven in NASCAR in only her 26th race. We've seen drivers with eight times the amount of races talk about the stark differences in cars between the new and the old and the Sprint Cup and the Nationwide Series. Imagine finding a sense of predictability with that variety. (Not to mention that the Cup Series will have a new car in 2013, when Patrick moves full-time into the Series.)
Plus, the IndyCar Series is transitioning to a new chassis and engine package for 2013, a car that's significantly different from the Honda powered Dallaras that Patrick has driven the past five seasons. Jumping in a car to practice and qualify for the Indianapolis 500 wouldn't be like putting on an old pair of sneakers, it'd be like breaking in a pair of cowboy boots without the benefit of trying them on.
And we haven't even talked about the logistics of running both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series and the 500.
Practice begins Monday, May 14 for the Indianapolis 500. On May 11 and 12, Patrick will be participating in the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series races at Darlington. (How about that for a transition?) Pole Day is May 19, the same day as the Sprint All-Star race, a race that Patrick could participate in by winning the fan vote -- not a completely farfetched proposition. The Nationwide Series races at Iowa the next day, May 20, which is also Bump Day.
While it might have been fun to see Patrick drop in at Indianapolis to run the 500, 2012 is all about preparation for that full-time Cup move in 2013. A move that wouldn't be helped by running the Indianapolis 500.
2012 Valencia Moto2 And Moto3 Test Day 2 Times: Redding Smashes Moto2 Lap Record, Cortese Fastest Moto3
Testing continued today for the Moto2 and Moto3 classes at Valencia, with the temperatures proving a little more cooperative than Wednesday, helped along by the watery February sun. The morning chill remained, though, leaving the teams stuck inside the garages for much of the morning, the action only really getting underway around 11am.
A little more temperature and an extra day of testing saw Scott Redding step the pace up even further: the Marc VDS rider was already under the official Moto2 race lap record on Wednsday, and on Thursday, he took another nine tenths of a second off his best time, smashing Toni Elias' pole record from back in 2010. Redding had company from Andrea Iannone on the second day of testing, with the Speed Master rider lapping the Valencia track just two tenths slower on his FTR Speed Up, and three tenths quicker than Claudio Corti on the Italtrans Kalex.
Where Kalex had dominated the show on Wednesday, the top of the timesheets was much more of a mixture: while Kalex had 5 bikes in the top 10, FTR had their Speed Up machine in 2nd, with Andrea Iannone aboard, while Corsi and Angel Rodriguez took 5th and 8th respectively for the British chassis build. Bradley Smith put his Tech 3 bike into 6th, nine tenths behind the Kalex of Redding.
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