Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/ioIcZEgb_QA/the-top-ten-formula-one-lookalikes
George Abecassis Kenny Acheson Andrea de Adamich Philippe Adams
Saturday
The Top TEN Formula One Lookalikes
With the world populated by approximately 6,973,738,433 people, it?s understandable that of us look like somebody else. F1 has not escaped this and there are a few racers who look very similar to other famous personalities. Here are our top ten CLICK HERE TO REVEAL THE TOP TEN F1 LOOKALIKES
VIDEO: Ricky Stenhouse wins Kansas Nationwide race in hectic fuel mileage finish
Kyle Busch was oh-so-close to getting his first Nationwide Series victory for his own Kyle Busch Motorsports team on Saturday afternoon at Kansas Speedway.
After the race was extended because of a late crash, many cars near the front of the field were pushing the limits of their fuel tanks. Busch was one of them, and it looked like he was going to grab that first win as he led Ricky Stenhouse to the line as the white flag waved.
However, Busch started to wiggle his car back and forth on the backstretch of the final lap, and in turn 3, his car ran dry, allowing Stenhouse to pass him for the race win.
Saturday's race featured 12 cautions, including one when Stenhouse made contact with Joey Logano. Will we see that type of action on Sunday? We'll find out soon.
Sponsorship tittle-tattle
There has been a lot of talk in recent weeks after McLaren losing Vodafone and looking to Mexico for money. It has been suggested that the signing of Sergio Perez was decided in order to give the McLaren marketing people the opportunity to delve into new markets in central and south America. These rumours need [...]
Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/11/09/sponsorship-tittle-tattle/
Tony Bettenhausen Mike Beuttler Birabongse Bhanubandh Lucien Bianchi
Friday
Danica Patrick wrecks herself crashing Landon Cassill
KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Danica Patrick was frustrated with Landon Cassill. However, as she drove into turn one on Cassill's rear bumper on lap 155 of Sunday's Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway, she got the worse end of the accident.
Patrick entered the corner with her front fender on Cassill's rear bumper, and maintained the contact through the turn while moving him up the track. Her message was delivered, as Cassill's car went into a spin. But Patrick's did too, and when she went to straighten her car out in turn 2, she ended up sliding back up the track and slamming into the wall.
"I have just been really frustrated with the No. 83," Patrick said after getting out of her car. "He slammed into me on the front straight for no other reason than his radio communication 'She was in the way.' I've always played fair. If it's one time, I can imagine frustration. But it's been pretty consistent with him getting in to me. So at some point in time, I have to stand up for myself, or everybody's going to do it. So, the bummer is that this is my Texas car. We were having a good run, we were making the car better. And, I'm out of the race and he's not."
Her crew chief, Stewart-Haas Racing competition director Greg Zipadelli was not amused with Patrick's attempt at retaliation, telling her, according to the ESPN broadcast that "You know better than to do that."
Before crashing Cassill, Patrick was inside the top 20 and on the lead lap in her eighth Sprint Cup Series start of the season before she moves full time to the series in 2013. But because of the damange, she finished 32nd. Cassill was able to keep going. He finished 18th.
"My situation with [Cassill] is really a product of frustration," Patrick said. "He got into me on the front straight and said I was just in the way. That's really no good reason to hit me. If it's one time, I can imagine it's frustration, but it's been quite a few times with him. At some point I have to stand up for myself so this doesn't happen with other people. I chose today. The bummer about it is that my car is out, and he's still out there going, so I've got to work on how to do that."
More news from the Yahoo! Sports Minute:
Other popular content on the Yahoo! network:
? Watch: Monday night predictions for Matthew Stafford, Jay Cutler
? Vogelsong helps Giants force deciding Game 7 | Scutaro stays hot
? Dwight Howard's Lakers debut begins with honest intro from Kobe Bryant
? Y! Shine: How to make classic Buffalo wings at home
Colin Davis Jimmy Daywalt JeanDenis Deletraz Patrick Depailler
Happy Hour: When is a guarantee not a guarantee?
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.
Yeah, we're late this week. Sorry. Anyway, right now in golf there's the Ryder Cup, which I know you probably don't care about but hear me out. It's a team-vs.-team competition. How awesome would that be for NASCAR? Two-on-two battles, head-to-head showdowns? Tell me you wouldn't want to see a 20-lap showdown between Jimmie Johnson/Kasey Kahne and Denny Hamlin/Kyle Busch. Brad Keselowski vs. Kevin Harvick for all the marbles? Make this happen, NASCAR.
Also, update on our Last Chaser Standing competition: Greg Biffle came in last among eligible Chasers last week, so he joins Jeff Gordon on the virtual sidelines.
All right, your letters:
Seriously, why is the media playing up Denny Hamlin's supposed "called shot" so much? If anything, it was a balk at best. He kept saying in all of his interviews heading into the race, that he didn't mean it as a called shot and only meant it like every other driver that says "we'll go get 'em next week." But then after he won, because the media hyped the false intention of the statement, he plays it up like he really did call the shot with his antics after getting out the car and pointing, then swinging.
Either own it or don't, but don't take credit for it after you retracted your call, Denny.
? Nick J
Los Angeles, CA
OK, look, I'm biased here, but is there ANY chance that both drivers and fans won't default to the tired "it's the media's fault!" every time a storyline doesn't play out exactly the way they want? I thought Hamlin not only did a great thing by guaranteeing a win at Loudon, I thought he shot himself in the foot by backing off of it.
Here's the thing that both athletes and fans are realizing, now that they've got instant access via social media: maybe the media does serve a purpose after all. Denny wasn't misquoted when he guaranteed that win; that was straight from his phone to your eyes. Every time an athlete says something dumb/provocative/misguided on Twitter, the whole "the media twists our words" argument gets that much weaker.
But enough Journalistic Whining. Hamlin should've owned the guarantee from the start. Playing it tentative is what people hate about NASCAR these days; what's the harm in talking big at a track where you know you have success?
____________________
After perusing the new schedule I think it would help NASCAR if a few changes were made. Swap Miami with Vegas. Take the second race at Pocono and Michigan and replace them with North Wilkesboro and Rockingham. Last but not least put that shiny new road course at Kansas in the Chase as their second date. I would love to see all the west coast stuff back-to-back as well for logistical reasons for smaller teams, but some concessions have to made.
? Matt Lightner
The biggest problem with that scenario is that Vegas is owned by SMI and Homestead by ISC, and no way ISC is giving up that plum season-ending date without some serious compensation. Also, the North Wilkesboro and Rockingham tracks aren't really Sprint Cup-ready (sorry, guys). The Kansas road course is a great idea, but for whatever reason NASCAR is against a road course in the Chase. Nice thoughts, though.
____________________
Did I see the headline right: "Kyle Busch annoyed with lack of TV interviews"? Are you kiddin' me? He can't be serious. "I've had a second-place, third-place, fourth-place, fifth-place and sixth-place finish this year with no drama throughout the race and don't get a TV interview." Think about it, Kyle, if you weren't such a butt-head when the TV people did interview you, maybe if you didn't storm off like a kid who just got his favorite toy taken away, maybe if you didn't just give two-word answers to questions ... I'm just sayin'.
? Steve Donovan
Davenport, Iowa
Yeah, that was a bit curious to me too ... to be fair, Kyle has been a lot better in interviews this year, but truth is, he hasn't yet hit that sweet spot of interesting-without-drama; other drivers, like Carl Edwards and Jimmie Johnson, can be engaging even when they've had a bad day. With Kyle, you never know what you're going to get. That's the way it goes, though. There are ways to change that, though, Kyle.
____________________
A NASCAR fan in a "non-NASCAR city" ... that's the story of my life. I'm from Long Island, born and raised. The Island used to have a big racing culture with Islip Speedway and Freeport open as well as the still-operating Riverhead Raceway. But Islip and Freeport are gone. Riverhead is barely surviving. The NY media could care less about racing. If it isn't about Mark Sanchez, Eli Manning, David Wright or Derek Jeter, the NY sports media doesn't want to hear about it.
And that is reflected in the culture here now. All I heard from pre-K through 12th grade was the traditional "how can watch cars go in circles?" If I go to a place like Buffalo Wild Wings, I have to ask at least three times to get the race on one of the TVs. Contrast that with the BWW in Charlotte at the Hall of Fame, racing is always on.
Don't get me wrong, I love Long Island (minus how damn expensive the place is to live). But it's very frustrating being a race fan from NY.
? Rob
Long Island
What, no Tebow? Keep fightin' the good fight, Rob.
____________________
The mile and a half tracks with long green flag runs have gotten really boring. Tires are reliable. Engines are reliable. Cars are tough and hold up under moderate pounding. The winner is the driver that can best get his 800+ hp down to the pavement. It is a chassis tuner's race and less of a driver's race.
How can we make this more of a driver's race? Oval tracks are so 19th century, when cars raced on horse tracks because the roads weren't fit to race on. How about putting wedge and track bar electric adjusters inside the cars for the drivers to adjust ( or maladjust) as conditions change? Maybe even regular competition restarts to liven things up (which are now called competition cautions). There must be some way put more driver skills and
thrills back in front of the fans.
? Ken
Here's what you do: switch the stickers on the cars between qualifying and the race. So Jimmie Johnson might qualify with a rocket and find himself driving a sled. Stephen Leicht might find himself behind the wheel of a winning automobile. Hey, you got a better idea?
____________________
The original Indy 500s went on for 7 or more hours and were an endurance run as well as for flat out speed. Using that as a model, shouldn't someone build a five-mile track and run a 1000-mile race?
? Greg Spahr
Head Coach
Cape Fear Fencing Association
As nice as the idea is in theory, the truth is that if you think the Pocono and Michigan races are too long at 400-500 miles, you're going to loathe one that goes on twice that long. Unless it was a thousand miles in a straight line, Cannonball Run-style. Then I'm all over it.
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!
A new team principal at Caterham
Caterham F1 Team has confirmed that Cyril Abiteboul has been promoted to the role of Team Principal with immediate effect. He will combine that role with his current responsibilities as CEO, a post he took up in September 2012. “Having launched our partnership with Renault in Paris on Monday the plan Kamarudin and I formed [...]
Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/11/08/a-new-team-principal-at-caterham/
Thursday
It?s no surprise that Jimmie Johnson is tops at Charlotte
Entering last year's Charlotte race, Jimmie Johnson trailed points leader Carl Edwards by four points. He left trailing by 35.
It was the perfect symbol for the end of Johnson's reign. He crashed at a track that he had dominated throughout his career. In his five championship seasons, the lowest Johnson had ever finished at Charlotte was 14th. That was in 2007, and after that race, he was in second, trailing teammate and points leader Jeff Gordon by 68 points ? or roughly 2o points converting to the current point system.
So this current 14 point deficit to Brad Keselowski? Nah, that's nothing. (For all of his success at Charlotte, Johnson has never taken the points lead during the race. In 2006 and 2007, he's entered and left trailing, and in 2008-2010, he was the points leader both before and after.)
Johnson's average finish at Charlotte is the highest of any Chase driver at 11.8, with six wins and 14 top 10s in 22 races. Yes, it's worth noting that since his last win (the 2009 fall race) that Johnson has finished 28th or lower three times in five races. But, it's Jimmie Johnson at Charlotte. After all, the dude did win four straight races there at one time.
Here's how the other Chasers stack up:
Kasey Kahne: Kahne's won the Coca-Cola 600 earlier this season and you can make a case that he's been the series' best on intermediate tracks this season. That bodes well, as four of the final six races are at 1.5 mile tracks. In his career at Charlotte, Kahne has three wins and an average finish of 12.7.
Tony Stewart: Think of how different the storylines would be surrounding Tony Stewart this week if he would have held onto the lead for another 1/3 of a lap. Anyway, Stewart's average finish is 14.0 at Charlotte and his lone win there came in 2003. In last year's race, he had the pole and led 94 laps, finishing 8th.
Matt Kenseth: Here's the man that won last year's Charlotte Chase race and the guy that won Sunday at Talladega, and he clocks in with a 14.2 average finish. Kenseth has 14 top 10s in 26 starts, and is going to need to repeat if he wants to get out of the Chase cellar.
Denny Hamlin: Hamlin's average finish at Charlotte is a nice, round, 15.0 and he's got 7 top 10s in 14 starts. He finished second in the Coca-Cola 600, and unless he finishes behind Johnson or Keselowski, I'm sure second this time would be just fine too.
Gordon: Gordon clocks in with an average finish of 15.7 and 21 top 10s in 39 starts. His last Charlotte win came in 2007. You know what will probably happen on Saturday night? He'll finish fourth... behind Keselowski, Johnson and Hamlin, in that order.
Keselowski: His fifth place finish in the Coca-Cola 600 was Keselowski's first top 10 in six Charlotte starts, and he finished 16th in last year's Bank of America 500. As we've said before, Keselowski is NASCAR's small sample size outlier, so his average finish (16.5), is likely the least indicative of anyone else's.
Greg Biffle: Being in Roush equipment for all of his 19 starts at Charlotte, doesn't it seem that Biffle's average finish would be higher than 17.1 and he would have won a race at the track before? Biffle has 4 top fives and 7 top 10s.
Clint Bowyer: Bowyer has finished outside the top 10 in his last four Charlotte starts, and was 13th in the 600 in May. His average finish is 17.5, and his best run came in 2007's fall race at the track, where he finished second and led 79 laps.
Kevin Harvick: Harvick's only victory at Charlotte came in last year's 600, when he seized the lead on the final lap when Dale Earnhardt Jr. ran out of gas, the second of his four straight top 10 finishes at Charlotte. And he finished second and eighth in his two rookie Charlotte starts. But in the 17 races between his rookie year and the first of those top 10s, he only grabbed one top 10 finish. His average finish is 18.1.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Junior has 11 top 10s in 26 Charlotte starts, with five top fives and no wins and an 18.8 average finish. He finished sixth in the 600, and 19th in last year's fall race. In between finishing fifth in the 2008 600 and seventh in the 2011 race, Junior's highest Charlotte finish was 22nd.
Martin Truex Jr.: Here's Other Junior, and his stats at Charlotte are slightly worse than Junior in the average finish department at 19.4. He's got two top 10s in 14 Charlotte starts and was 12th earlier in the year at the 600.
Ryan Newman: Newman has nine poles in his career at Charlotte, but the worst average finish of any Chaser at 20.1 Kind of weird, eh? Newman had the pole for both 2007 races, and promptly lost an engine in the 600 and crashed in the 500 for finishes of 39th and 28th. He was 10th in last year's Chase race here.
We Lost A Big Hat on Sunday
Jimmie Johnson won the race on Sunday and edged a little closer to the points lead, but I think the bigger story was something that happened off the track. After 30 years on pit road, reporter Dr. Dick Berggren retired, making Dover his last race. Berggren, like so many broadcasting greats who came before him [...] 
TheNASCARInsiders.com
Follow the Insiders on Twitter or be a fan on Facebook!
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheNascarInsiders/~3/1cWsQhe5HFU/
Keith Andrews Elio de Angelis Marco Apicella Mбrio de Araъjo Cabral
Can Keselowski maintain his advantage over Johnson and Hamlin at Martinsville?
Is Martinsville the track that's the best barometer for Brad Keselowski's Chase chances?
Yes, he's the points leader, and no one is doubting the legitimacy of Keselowski's Chase bid. But his two closest pursuers are pretty good at Martinsville.
Scratch that. Really damn good.
Jimmie Johnson is seven points back of Keselowski after drawing even with him at Kansas, damaged race car and all. In 21 Martinsville starts, Johnson has six wins, 14 top fives and 18 top 10s. Yes, he's only finished outside the top 10 three times. His average finish is an astounding 5.8, and he's led over 17 percent of the laps he's completed at Martinsville.
Denny Hamlin isn't far behind Johnson. Hamlin has four wins in 14 starts and has finished in the top 10 in all but two Martinsville races. And he's led over 16 percent of the laps he's completed. Hamlin's average finish is 6.4.
While not in the same stratosphere as Johnson and Hamlin, Keselowski hasn't been too bad at Martinsville in his five starts, with an average finish of 13.4 and two top 10s. Problem is, if the averages hold on Sunday, Johnson would be tied with Keselowski atop the standings.
That's why Sunday may be our best indicator of how the final three races will play out. If Keselowski can keep or maintain his seven point edge over Johnson, he's got the favorite status and the mental boost that comes from stagnating the five-time champion at his favorite track. If Johnson and/or Hamlin can close in or draw even with Keselowski, then we've got no favorite anymore.
Here's a look at how the other Chasers perform at Martinsville.
Jeff Gordon: Four-time is the third best driver at Martinsville, and was in position to either win or finish second to Johnson in the spring until the late race restart and ensuing chaos. Gordon's average finish is 7.1 and he has 31 top 10s in 39 starts.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Junior's never won at Martinsville but has 14 top 10s in 25 starts and has an average finish of 12.6. How crazy would it be if his first Martinsville win came after sitting out these last two races?
Tony Stewart: This just in: many of the best drivers in the sport are the best drivers at Martinsville. Smoke has three wins in 27 starts and 15 top 10s. His average finish is 13.2, and he won this race last year on the way to the title.
Clint Bowyer: Bowyer's most memorable Martinsville moment may be that aforementioned chaos in the spring, that saw him go spinning along with Gordon and Johnson. In 13 starts, Bowyer has seven top 10s and an average finish of 14.7.
Matt Kenseth: Kenseth has eight top 10s in 25 Martinsville starts, so no, this isn't Flatline's best track, even though you would think with a name like Flatline he would be better on flat tracks. (Bad joke, I know.) His average finish is 16.0.
Kevin Harvick: Cupcake's only Martinsville win came last year in the spring when he ran down and passed Junior for the win. His average finish in 22 Martinsville starts is also 16.0. Random fact: Carl Edwards' average finish is also 16.0.
Martin Truex Jr.: Here's where the separation begins, and Truex heads the list of the three Chasers who have average finishes outside the top 20. In 13 starts, Truex has two top fives and four top 10s. Average finish? 21.4
Kasey Kahne: Kahne's last (and second) top 10 at Martinsville came in the fall of 2006. Seriously. Since then, his best finish was a 14th place one in the fall race of 2010. It hasn't been pretty. His average finish in 19 races is 21.7, though he qualified on the pole for the spring. He ended up finishing that race in 28th because of a blown engine.
Greg Biffle: Bringing up the rear is the Biff, who should go out and win the race just to screw with the averages. His average finish is 21.9 and he has no top fives and two top 10s in 19 Martinsville starts.
Wednesday
A Legend In Waiting?
Back in September 2010, after the Belgian Grand Prix, a young pretender to F1?s championship throne had just been involved in a dubious incident, taking the reigning world champion out of the race by losing control of his car in a straight line and spearing his rival?s machine, before limping to a miserable 15th place. [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/5hajQ7RWFQM/a-legend-in-waiting
Tuesday
Caterham and Renault
This morning in Paris Caterham and Renault announced a joint venture to develop Alpine road cars. This is an interesting development, particularly in relation to the F1 engine supply. What no one is saying is whether this makes Caterham more important to Renault than the other customer teams, or whether the deal makes no difference. [...]
Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/11/05/caterham-and-renault/
Into The Crystal Ball? Multiple Combatants Edition
Welcome to championship week! In five short days the checkered flag will fall on the 2012 season and new, first time champion will be crowned. Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California will be the site of the final battle that … Continue reading 
Guarantee, statement, whatever; Denny Hamlin dominates at New Hampshire
After running out of fuel in the waning laps at Chicago, Denny Hamlin sent a tweet shortly after the race that said "This is 1 week of 10. We will win next week."
A prediction? A guarantee? A (wait for it) Ruthian calling of his shot? Not really the case, Hamlin said on Friday.
"It was really meant to be nothing more than just, 'Hey, we'll get them next week. We'll win it next week.' People were just taking it a little further than that, but I'm racing ? doing the best I can ? and that's all I'm going to do."
[Related: Familiar name takes over Chase lead]
Well, whatever it was, it turned out to be prophetic. Despite starting 28th in line after a poor qualifying run, Hamlin dominated on Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway to collect his fifth win of the season and close within seven points of Chase points leader Jimmie Johnson through two races.
New Hampshire's flat mile can be a tricky place to pass, but it wasn't for Hamlin early ? or at any point during the race, for that matter. He blazed his way to the front of the field from the start, taking the lead on lap 94 and with the exception of pit strategy and green flag pit stop cycling, never relinquished it.
The race's only potential late drama attempted to build up with 28 laps to go, when a caution for debris flew, wiping out Hamlin's five second plus lead over Jimmie Johnson. None of the top seven cars pitted, and as the green flag flew with 23 laps to go, it was Johnson's chance to swipe the victory from Hamlin.
And, well, it wasn't even close. Hamlin started on the inside and immediately drove away from Johnson by multiple car lengths as the two exited turn two after the restart. That was as close as it got, as Hamlin continued to drive away for Joe Gibbs Racing's 100th Sprint Cup Series victory.
After he exited his car after an epic burnout, Hamlin got in a batting stance and pointed, a la Ruth in the 1932 World Series, apparently forgetting that he said he really didn't make a guarantee, but rather a statement, a week ago. What was certainly a strong statement though, was Hamlin's performance on Sunday.
"You don't want to sound too cocky but I knew what we were capable of," Hamlin said in victory lane. "Our car was extremely strong and I have a really good knack for this racetrack and the two together with a crew chief like Darian (Grubb), it's a winning combination."
Other popular content on the Yahoo! network:
? Brett Favre sees public evidence against Saints as 'just hearsay'
? Ravens receiver Torrey Smith's brother dies in motorcycle accident
? Pablo Sandoval highlights Giants division clincher with great flipping over railing catch
? Upgrade Your Life: Worst ways to clean your HD TV
Monday
Chase Power Rankings: Have the Big Three become The Big Four?
The fifth race of the Chase is over, and that means it's time for Power Rankings! But we're doing things a little differently now that we're in the postseason. It's all-Chasers, all the time. Good job, good effort for those of you that didn't make it, but we've got bigger fish to focus on. We'll be judging who's running well, considering not just finishing position but quality of run, expected potential, and general gut feelings. As always, we hate your guy and are biased against him. Now, enjoy.
Oh, and as for last week's attempt at Mafia names for our favorite drivers ... let us never speak of that one again. Every race season has an Auto Club Speedway, right?
1. Denny Hamlin: This top spot is likely to rotate among the Big Three, and perhaps the Big Four, over the next few weeks. Right now, we're giving the nod to Hambone over Vader, but only by a hairsbreadth. This very easily could have been a big victory for Hamlin, and #11 fans should be pleased with the fact that he didn't seem to enjoy his second-place finish very much. Last week: 3.
2. Jimmie Johnson: Another week, another outstanding run from Johnson. Last year, we were all falling over ourselves at how amazing it was that Carl Edwards was finishing so high week after week. Now we've got three guys doing it. Johnson took the wise approach to fuel management on Saturday night; if he'd run out, he'd have a much higher hill to climb. Last week: 2.
3. Brad Keselowski: Sure, he falls out of the top spot here, but he's still running the show points-wise. This makes next week a key for Keselowski: you can afford to have an off week, but you need to be able to rebound immediately or you're going to get passed like you lost the draft. Last week: 1.
4. Clint Bowyer: Rawhide's rise is one of the more notable efforts of the season, and it'd be a shame if he doesn't get himself into the top crew here in the next couple weeks. Also: his press conferences are joys of (perhaps) Five-Hour-Energy-filled energy. Last week: 5.
5. Kasey Kahne: Decent run for Mr. Kahne at Charlotte, but we all expected a lot more out of him. Eighth place is not enough, sir! Anyway, his chances at a Cup are fading fast, but he's already turned a previously horrid season into a success. Last week: 6.
6. Martin Truex Jr.: True story: Truex wants everyone to mean HIM when they refer to "Junior." (May not be a true story.) Also a true story: this will never happen. But MTJ is establishing his good name all by himself. Last week: 9.
7. Jeff Gordon: Looks like the dream is about over for Jeff. Here's hoping that there's some kind of change in the points system (heresy!) in order to prevent one bad finish from decimating your entire season. Last week: 4.
8. Greg Biffle: All right, good to know that Biffle is starting to validate that first-place regular-season finish. Barring some lost haulers en route to a track, Biffle won't be in this hunt. Still, he's the class of the Roush squad this year. Last week: 12.
9. Matt Kenseth: Um, no offense with that "class of Roush" crack in the Biffle entry, Matt. You done good by winning Talladega, of course, but it's been a tough road these last few months. Hopefully your five-race swan song will go well for you. Last week: 10.
10. Tony Stewart: It's been a rocky Chase all the way around for Mr. Stewart, with the Talladega Monstrosity being the worst of a rough go. But he's getting sponsorship lined up for 2013, which has to be a big relief. Last week: 8.
11. Kevin Harvick: Sooner this season is over the better for Harvick fans. Nothing's working well enough, but nothing's going bad enough for a wholesale change, either. Well, at least he had himself a kid, so the year's not a total wash. Last week: 11.
12. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Salute to Junior for taking the tough path to stepping out of the car this year. Not like he'll miss out on Vegas; the "most popular driver of the year" always ends up there anyway. Last week: 7.
Non-Chaser of the Week: Carl Edwards. Good to see Carl running strong this week. Shame he wasn't able to earlier this year, but if history is any guide, he'll be right back in the mix in 2013.
All right, you're up. Who belongs where? Have your say!
Kia Forte 5-Door Cyborg Edition
Compared to his Justice League contemporaries, Cyborg is without question the least recognizable superhero among the five that were used as inspirations on the Kia-DC collaboration that are being displayed at SEMA. Despite not having movies like Batman and Green Lantern, or not having stand-alone cartoons like Flash and Aquaman, Kia and DC Entertainment, together with RIDES Magazine, still gave the half human/half machine superhero for the modern ages an appropriate tribute.
Using the Kia Forte 5-Door as the platform, RIDES Magazine began the project by using an Aztec Silver paint job on the body of the car, a testament to the shiny chrome digs of Cyborg’s actual armor. Red LED lights were also installed into the newly added side ports because, you know, one of Cyborg’s eyes is red. Other exterior elements include a vented air scoop on the hood, a new set of 18" Rotiform TMB wheels with a chrome lip and red anodized bolts, a coil over suspension to give the Forte more aggressive maneuverability, and widened custom metal fenders that alludes to Cyborg?s ability to mechanically morph to face any adversary.
Inside, red perforated leather and red suede are visibly present throughout the cabin. The Cyborg emblem likewise features red and silver trim highlights, which is also visibly featured in the Forte’s interior design. There’s also a tablet on the center console because like Cyborg, this Forte 5-Door is always connected and ready to spring into action. The final touch inside the Forte is the JL Audio sound system.
Kia Forte 5-Door Cyborg Edition originally appeared on topspeed.com on Sunday, 4 November 2012 18:00 EST.
Source: http://www.topspeed.com/cars/kia/2013-kia-forte-5-door-cyborg-edition-ar137245.html
Can Keselowski maintain his advantage over Johnson and Hamlin at Martinsville?
Is Martinsville the track that's the best barometer for Brad Keselowski's Chase chances?
Yes, he's the points leader, and no one is doubting the legitimacy of Keselowski's Chase bid. But his two closest pursuers are pretty good at Martinsville.
Scratch that. Really damn good.
Jimmie Johnson is seven points back of Keselowski after drawing even with him at Kansas, damaged race car and all. In 21 Martinsville starts, Johnson has six wins, 14 top fives and 18 top 10s. Yes, he's only finished outside the top 10 three times. His average finish is an astounding 5.8, and he's led over 17 percent of the laps he's completed at Martinsville.
Denny Hamlin isn't far behind Johnson. Hamlin has four wins in 14 starts and has finished in the top 10 in all but two Martinsville races. And he's led over 16 percent of the laps he's completed. Hamlin's average finish is 6.4.
While not in the same stratosphere as Johnson and Hamlin, Keselowski hasn't been too bad at Martinsville in his five starts, with an average finish of 13.4 and two top 10s. Problem is, if the averages hold on Sunday, Johnson would be tied with Keselowski atop the standings.
That's why Sunday may be our best indicator of how the final three races will play out. If Keselowski can keep or maintain his seven point edge over Johnson, he's got the favorite status and the mental boost that comes from stagnating the five-time champion at his favorite track. If Johnson and/or Hamlin can close in or draw even with Keselowski, then we've got no favorite anymore.
Here's a look at how the other Chasers perform at Martinsville.
Jeff Gordon: Four-time is the third best driver at Martinsville, and was in position to either win or finish second to Johnson in the spring until the late race restart and ensuing chaos. Gordon's average finish is 7.1 and he has 31 top 10s in 39 starts.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Junior's never won at Martinsville but has 14 top 10s in 25 starts and has an average finish of 12.6. How crazy would it be if his first Martinsville win came after sitting out these last two races?
Tony Stewart: This just in: many of the best drivers in the sport are the best drivers at Martinsville. Smoke has three wins in 27 starts and 15 top 10s. His average finish is 13.2, and he won this race last year on the way to the title.
Clint Bowyer: Bowyer's most memorable Martinsville moment may be that aforementioned chaos in the spring, that saw him go spinning along with Gordon and Johnson. In 13 starts, Bowyer has seven top 10s and an average finish of 14.7.
Matt Kenseth: Kenseth has eight top 10s in 25 Martinsville starts, so no, this isn't Flatline's best track, even though you would think with a name like Flatline he would be better on flat tracks. (Bad joke, I know.) His average finish is 16.0.
Kevin Harvick: Cupcake's only Martinsville win came last year in the spring when he ran down and passed Junior for the win. His average finish in 22 Martinsville starts is also 16.0. Random fact: Carl Edwards' average finish is also 16.0.
Martin Truex Jr.: Here's where the separation begins, and Truex heads the list of the three Chasers who have average finishes outside the top 20. In 13 starts, Truex has two top fives and four top 10s. Average finish? 21.4
Kasey Kahne: Kahne's last (and second) top 10 at Martinsville came in the fall of 2006. Seriously. Since then, his best finish was a 14th place one in the fall race of 2010. It hasn't been pretty. His average finish in 19 races is 21.7, though he qualified on the pole for the spring. He ended up finishing that race in 28th because of a blown engine.
Greg Biffle: Bringing up the rear is the Biff, who should go out and win the race just to screw with the averages. His average finish is 21.9 and he has no top fives and two top 10s in 19 Martinsville starts.
Sunday
Repsol Media Press Release - Marc Marquez: "There were times I had to channel my inner rage to win"
The Repsol Media Service today issued the following press release containing an interview with Marc Marquez, in which he talks about what it took to win the 2012 Moto2 championship. He discusses the many tough races he had to win, the risks he had to take in the last laps, and his first lap at Motegi. The text is shown below:
Moto2 - Interview with Marc Márquez, Moto2 World Champion
"I won the title by taking last lap risks"
New Moto2 World Champion looks at the keys to his title winning season, one hour after his latest honour.
Repsol Media Service - Monday 29/10/2012
Battles with Pol Espargaró, the epic comeback in Japan, the fight to recovery from injury in the winter and the pressure of being a favourite have all been key to crowning the 2012 Moto2 Champion. "Sometimes I have to channel my inner anger to win a race,” says Márquez.
Moto2 World Champion. For two years the title seemed to be calling, but it has not been easy. Do you feel liberated now?
Sizing up the Chasers at New Hampshire
If the past two Chase races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway are any indication, Sunday's Sylvania 300 will come down to fuel mileage. And Tony Stewart and Clint Bowyer should be in the mix.
Two years ago, Stewart was running first and Bowyer was second when Stewart ran out of fuel a lap from the finish. Bowyer finished first. Stewart was 24th and never really regained his title hopes. Bowyer's were looking good -- until his car failed post race inspection and he was docked 150 points. He went from being 35 points behind Chase leader Denny Hamlin to being 185 points behind. He finished 10th in the Chase.
In 2011, Stewart and Bowyer were dueling again, but this time the roles were reversed. Bowyer was leading and ran out of gas in turns 3 and 4 as the duo was coming to the white flag. Stewart drove by and took his second Chase win in two races on his way to the title. Bowyer, who wasn't in the Chase, finished 26th.
This year, nine Chasers enter with New Hampshire victories to their name:
Denny Hamlin: Hamlin's only win at Loudon came back in 2007, but he has the highest average finish of any Chaser at 8.3 and has four top three finishes in the last six races. In last year's Chase race, Hamlin finished 29th, two laps down.
Jimmie Johnson: After recovering from a 39th place finish at New Hampshire in the first race of the Chase in 2006 to win his first title, Johnson strung together seven straight top 10 finishes. His average finish is 9.9 and finished 18th last year.
Jeff Gordon: If it wasn't for so many other Chasers' success here, this would be a prime spot for Gordon to make up a lot of points. Gordon has three wins in 35 New Hampshire starts and hasn't finished outside the top 15 since the summer race at the track in 2005. His average finish is 10.7.
Stewart: Stewart has three wins at Loudon including last year's victory, and has an average finish of 11.6. He was average this summer at Loudon, finishing 12th. Random fact: his title hopes were dashed in the inaugural Chase in 2004 at New Hampshire when he got together with now-teammate Ryan Newman.
Kevin Harvick: Cupcake dominated in his only New Hampshire win in 2006 when he led 196 laps. He's got an average finish of 13.8 and finished eighth earlier in the year.
Matt Kenseth: Kenseth has never won at New Hampshire and he's led just 88 laps in 25 starts. His average finish is 14th, and he's got 12 top 10s. Like Stewart, he too was average at New Hampshire earlier in the year, as he finished 13th.
Martin Truex Jr.: Truex has an average finish of 14.8, but that's bouyed by his success at New Hampshire when he was with Dale Earnhardt Inc. when he didn't finish outside the top 10 in 2007 and 2008. Since he's been with Michael Waltrip Racing, his only top 10 came during last year's summer race, but as we've seen so far this year, we can heavily discount MWR's past performance.
Brad Keselowski: The Chaser with the fewest starts at New Hampshire also has the fewest laps led. In fact, he's got a lap led for every one of his 6 starts at the track. He's got an average finish of 15.3, but has finished second and fifth in the last two Loudon races.
Bowyer: Before getting his first Sprint Cup Series win at New Hampshire in 2007, Bowyer's best finish at the track was 24th, which contributes to his 15.9 average finish. In his first race with MWR at New Hampshire this summer, he finished third.
Greg Biffle: The Biff won this race in 2008, and generally runs better at New Hampshire in the fall than in the summer. His average finish is 16.2, but that's compromised by four finishes outside the top 25 in his first five starts.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Junior has 11 top 10s in 26 starts, and finished fourth earlier in the year. His highest finish at the track is third, and he hasn't led a lap at New Hampshire since 2008. His average finish is 16.2
Kasey Kahne: Can you believe that the driver who won this summer's New Hampshire race has the worst average finish among the 12 Chasers? That 16.8 average finish is because of a stretch of nine races from 2006-2010 in which Kahne finished inside the top 10 just once. And that was a 10th place finish. Given Kahne's win earlier this year and success with Hendrick, he probably won't be the worst finishing Chaser Sunday.
Related NASCAR video from Yahoo! Sports:
Other popular content on the Yahoo! network:
? Tim Tebow may eventually consider a career in politics
? Clemson coach Dabo Swinney is tougher for being a mama's boy
? Five concessions owners must make to move closer to NHL labor peace
? Yahoo! Finance: Test your fast-food calorie IQ
Juan Manuel Bordeu Slim Borgudd Luki Botha JeanChristophe Boullion
Happy Hour: When is a guarantee not a guarantee?
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.
Yeah, we're late this week. Sorry. Anyway, right now in golf there's the Ryder Cup, which I know you probably don't care about but hear me out. It's a team-vs.-team competition. How awesome would that be for NASCAR? Two-on-two battles, head-to-head showdowns? Tell me you wouldn't want to see a 20-lap showdown between Jimmie Johnson/Kasey Kahne and Denny Hamlin/Kyle Busch. Brad Keselowski vs. Kevin Harvick for all the marbles? Make this happen, NASCAR.
Also, update on our Last Chaser Standing competition: Greg Biffle came in last among eligible Chasers last week, so he joins Jeff Gordon on the virtual sidelines.
All right, your letters:
Seriously, why is the media playing up Denny Hamlin's supposed "called shot" so much? If anything, it was a balk at best. He kept saying in all of his interviews heading into the race, that he didn't mean it as a called shot and only meant it like every other driver that says "we'll go get 'em next week." But then after he won, because the media hyped the false intention of the statement, he plays it up like he really did call the shot with his antics after getting out the car and pointing, then swinging.
Either own it or don't, but don't take credit for it after you retracted your call, Denny.
? Nick J
Los Angeles, CA
OK, look, I'm biased here, but is there ANY chance that both drivers and fans won't default to the tired "it's the media's fault!" every time a storyline doesn't play out exactly the way they want? I thought Hamlin not only did a great thing by guaranteeing a win at Loudon, I thought he shot himself in the foot by backing off of it.
Here's the thing that both athletes and fans are realizing, now that they've got instant access via social media: maybe the media does serve a purpose after all. Denny wasn't misquoted when he guaranteed that win; that was straight from his phone to your eyes. Every time an athlete says something dumb/provocative/misguided on Twitter, the whole "the media twists our words" argument gets that much weaker.
But enough Journalistic Whining. Hamlin should've owned the guarantee from the start. Playing it tentative is what people hate about NASCAR these days; what's the harm in talking big at a track where you know you have success?
____________________
After perusing the new schedule I think it would help NASCAR if a few changes were made. Swap Miami with Vegas. Take the second race at Pocono and Michigan and replace them with North Wilkesboro and Rockingham. Last but not least put that shiny new road course at Kansas in the Chase as their second date. I would love to see all the west coast stuff back-to-back as well for logistical reasons for smaller teams, but some concessions have to made.
? Matt Lightner
The biggest problem with that scenario is that Vegas is owned by SMI and Homestead by ISC, and no way ISC is giving up that plum season-ending date without some serious compensation. Also, the North Wilkesboro and Rockingham tracks aren't really Sprint Cup-ready (sorry, guys). The Kansas road course is a great idea, but for whatever reason NASCAR is against a road course in the Chase. Nice thoughts, though.
____________________
Did I see the headline right: "Kyle Busch annoyed with lack of TV interviews"? Are you kiddin' me? He can't be serious. "I've had a second-place, third-place, fourth-place, fifth-place and sixth-place finish this year with no drama throughout the race and don't get a TV interview." Think about it, Kyle, if you weren't such a butt-head when the TV people did interview you, maybe if you didn't storm off like a kid who just got his favorite toy taken away, maybe if you didn't just give two-word answers to questions ... I'm just sayin'.
? Steve Donovan
Davenport, Iowa
Yeah, that was a bit curious to me too ... to be fair, Kyle has been a lot better in interviews this year, but truth is, he hasn't yet hit that sweet spot of interesting-without-drama; other drivers, like Carl Edwards and Jimmie Johnson, can be engaging even when they've had a bad day. With Kyle, you never know what you're going to get. That's the way it goes, though. There are ways to change that, though, Kyle.
____________________
A NASCAR fan in a "non-NASCAR city" ... that's the story of my life. I'm from Long Island, born and raised. The Island used to have a big racing culture with Islip Speedway and Freeport open as well as the still-operating Riverhead Raceway. But Islip and Freeport are gone. Riverhead is barely surviving. The NY media could care less about racing. If it isn't about Mark Sanchez, Eli Manning, David Wright or Derek Jeter, the NY sports media doesn't want to hear about it.
And that is reflected in the culture here now. All I heard from pre-K through 12th grade was the traditional "how can watch cars go in circles?" If I go to a place like Buffalo Wild Wings, I have to ask at least three times to get the race on one of the TVs. Contrast that with the BWW in Charlotte at the Hall of Fame, racing is always on.
Don't get me wrong, I love Long Island (minus how damn expensive the place is to live). But it's very frustrating being a race fan from NY.
? Rob
Long Island
What, no Tebow? Keep fightin' the good fight, Rob.
____________________
The mile and a half tracks with long green flag runs have gotten really boring. Tires are reliable. Engines are reliable. Cars are tough and hold up under moderate pounding. The winner is the driver that can best get his 800+ hp down to the pavement. It is a chassis tuner's race and less of a driver's race.
How can we make this more of a driver's race? Oval tracks are so 19th century, when cars raced on horse tracks because the roads weren't fit to race on. How about putting wedge and track bar electric adjusters inside the cars for the drivers to adjust ( or maladjust) as conditions change? Maybe even regular competition restarts to liven things up (which are now called competition cautions). There must be some way put more driver skills and
thrills back in front of the fans.
? Ken
Here's what you do: switch the stickers on the cars between qualifying and the race. So Jimmie Johnson might qualify with a rocket and find himself driving a sled. Stephen Leicht might find himself behind the wheel of a winning automobile. Hey, you got a better idea?
____________________
The original Indy 500s went on for 7 or more hours and were an endurance run as well as for flat out speed. Using that as a model, shouldn't someone build a five-mile track and run a 1000-mile race?
? Greg Spahr
Head Coach
Cape Fear Fencing Association
As nice as the idea is in theory, the truth is that if you think the Pocono and Michigan races are too long at 400-500 miles, you're going to loathe one that goes on twice that long. Unless it was a thousand miles in a straight line, Cannonball Run-style. Then I'm all over it.
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!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)