Saturday

Aston Martin Vanquish AM 310 New Promo Clip

Aston Martin knows that is staking its future short-term events such as the Geneva Motor Show , an event related to the automotive world which should be able to dazzle your prospects just to acquire one of their vehicles instead to rival the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini or McLaren, brands may have in their catalogs [...]

Source: http://www.autocarblog.co.uk/429-aston-martin-vanquish-am-310-new-promo-clip.html

Mark Blundell Raul Boesel Menato Boffa Bob Bondurant

Kurt Busch makes Forbes list of disliked athletes for the second straight time

Kurt Busch's move to Phoenix Racing to get back to "old-school" and fun racing didn't do much for his public standing according to Forbes. For the second year in a row, Busch made the publication's list of the top 10 most disliked athletes.

After coming in at No. 10 last year, Busch was No. 8 this season, behind Michael Vick and ahead of Kobe Bryant.

In 2012, Busch was suspended for the season's first race at Pocono after threatening a reporter after a Nationwide Series race at Dover when Busch was asked about racing against Justin Allgaier. That incident was preceded by a fracas in May after the Southern 500 at Darlington when Ryan Newman's crew was unhappy with Busch's driving on pit road after a late race caution.

In September, the 2004 champion announced that he would be driving for Furniture Row Racing in 2013 and made the move to the team for the final six races of 2012. In his final race for Phoenix Racing, he drove away after getting spun out with safety officials near his car and an equipment bag on top of it and said that he couldn't hear NASCAR officials' calls for him to stop because he had his helmet off.

There was a tie atop the Forbes list between Lance Armstrong and Manti Te'o. Armstrong's place at the top after his doping admission is understandable. Te'o's is less so. Many people must be skeptical of Te'o's story that he was completely hoaxed by Roniah Tuiasosopo who was posing as Te'o's girlfriend, Lennay Kekua. Or they don't have much sympathy.

College football video from Yahoo! Sports:

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nascar-from-the-marbles/kurt-busch-makes-forbes-list-disliked-athletes-second-001705222--nascar.html

Chris Craft Jim Crawford Ray Crawford Alberto Crespo

Rolex 24: Thoughts upon the Race ?N More

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/sc-ulq2Rcts/rolex-24-thoughts-upon-race-n-more.html

Johnny Cecotto Andrea de Cesaris Francois Cevert Eugene Chaboud

The Tomaso Files: Four legged Friends on thee brain...

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/zw63XvASMPE/the-tomaso-files-four-legged-friends-on.html

Pedro Matos Chaves Bill Cheesbourg Eddie Cheever Andrea Chiesa

Daly To Test With Foyt

Source: http://www.16thandgeorgetown.com/2012/12/daly-to-test-with-foyt.html

Jim Clark† Kevin Cogan Peter Collins Bernard Collomb

Friday

How I Saw It? 2012 Super Review Part The Final, The People Edition

2012 was the year of competition. Even with an unproven hardware package, the fight from the front to the back of the field was close and intense all year long. A new car, new engines, the reworked rulebook, a cleaned … Continue reading

Source: http://anotherindycarblog.wordpress.com/2012/09/26/how-i-saw-it-2012-super-review-part-the-final-the-people-edition/

JeanChristophe Boullion Sebastien Bourdais Thierry Boutsen Johnny Boyd

The better part of valor: Conway recuses himself from INDYCAR finale

Source: http://www.popoffvalve.com/2012/9/13/3328582/the-better-part-of-valor-conway-recuses-himself-from-indycar-finale

George Connor George Constantine John Cordts David Coulthard

Sutil ?Delighted? By Force India Return

Adrian Sutil has revealed that he is ?delighted? to have been officially awarded a seat at Force India. The German, who was dismissed by the team at the end of the 2011 season, has been heavily linked with a return for some time. Now reports have emerged that he has beaten Jules Bianchi to the [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/co8dfQrqKOs/sutil-delighted-by-force-india-return

Chris Craft Jim Crawford Ray Crawford Alberto Crespo

Clements confirms remark that resulted in NASCAR suspension was racial

On Tuesday, NASCAR suspended Nationwide driver Jeremy Clements for what it termed an "intolerable and insensitive remark." On Thursday, Clements gave ESPN's Marty Smith the broad outlines of the remark, without explicitly repeating it.

Apparently Clements was walking through the garage with an MTV reporter and a representative from NASCAR. According to Clements, he was escorting them to Johanna Long's hauler and was not in a specific interview situation. During the walk, he was talking with the reporter and made the remark. The remark was not recorded, and conversation continued afterward.

So what exactly did he say? He would not disclose the exact word or phrase. Here's the breakdown:

In a one-on-one interview with ESPN, Clements would not verbalize the specific comments he made, but when pressed for clarity about whether or not it was racial, he paused. Asked again, "Was it racial or not? Maybe not in context, but in term?" Clements replied: "Correct."

"When you say 'racial' remark, it wasn't used to describe anybody or anything," Clements said. "So that's all I'm going to say to that. And it really wasn't. I was describing racing, and the word I used was incorrect and I shouldn't have said it. It shouldn't be used at all."

Clements owned up to making the comment. He will be suspended for a minimum of two races, and will need to undergo an as-yet-undetermined form of speech advisement. He expressed surprise that he was suspended.

Although there have been questions about Clements' rights of free speech, this is a private situation with a private organization. The constitutional right of free speech does not apply in this situation. More specifically, Clements is free to say whatever he wishes, but not free from consequence for those words if they reflect badly on himself, his team or his organization.

And given that this is a racially charged word, even if not used directly in regard to an individual, you can understand why NASCAR is so interested in keeping a lid on this one. The sport has more than enough problems appealing to races other than whites without its own drivers adding to the problem.

-Follow Jay Busbee on Twitter at @jaybusbee.-

NASCAR video from Yahoo! Sports:

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nascar-from-the-marbles/clements-confirms-remark-resulted-nascar-suspension-racial-192845322--nascar.html

Erik Comas Franco Comotti George Connor George Constantine

How I Saw It? 2012 Super Review Part The Final, The People Edition

2012 was the year of competition. Even with an unproven hardware package, the fight from the front to the back of the field was close and intense all year long. A new car, new engines, the reworked rulebook, a cleaned … Continue reading

Source: http://anotherindycarblog.wordpress.com/2012/09/26/how-i-saw-it-2012-super-review-part-the-final-the-people-edition/

Bobby Ball Marcel Balsa Lorenzo Bandini Henry Banks

Thursday

Porsche 911 Carrera by SR Auto Group

SR Auto Group , known Canadian-born coach, just show us the official photos of its latest project, a work performed on the latest generation of Porsche 911 Carrera which has worked in perhaps too subtle improvements looking to offer a more dynamic and Sexy one of the few supercars that you can use in your [...]

Source: http://www.autocarblog.co.uk/417-porsche-911-carrera-by-sr-auto-group.html

Allen Berg Georges Berger Gerhard Berger Eric Bernard

2013 MotoGP Sepang 2 Test Press Release Round Up, Day 3

Press releases from the MotoGP teams and Bridgestone after the final day of testing at Sepang:

Year: 
2013

read more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MotoGPMatters/~3/xQr2MjPJ66M/2013_motogp_sepang_2_test_press_release_.html

Hans Binder Clemente Biondetti Pablo Birger Art Bisch

2013 Phillip Island World Supersport Race: Flag To Flag Duel

Running only fifteen laps, the race started late as Araldite was pumped into fresh cracks on some corners; The battle between asphalt and tyre turned out different to expectations in the Superbike race.

Kenan Sofuoglu had his work cut out for him, with Sam Lowes blitzing qualifying. His title defence would start as second-favourite for the race and with the shortened distance, he would have to get a better start than Lowes as if he let the Englishman get the slightest lead, he would never catch him.

Race Details
Round Number: 
1
2013

read more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MotoGPMatters/~3/k3F1sY2jQKE/2013_phillip_island_world_supersport_rac.html

Johnny Boyd David Brabham Gary Brabham Jack Brabham†

Wikipedia and IndyCar Need Our Help!

For better or worse, Wikipedia is the largest public information repository to be found anywhere on the internet; all of it is all user created and maintained. In some eyes, wiki has a poor reputation, but sometimes with good reason. … Continue reading

Source: http://anotherindycarblog.wordpress.com/2013/02/07/wikipedia-and-indycar-need-our-help/

Eric Bernard Enrique Bernoldi Enrico Bertaggia Tony Bettenhausen

Holy Retirement Funds Batman!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/G48bn0qV6vo/holy-retirement-funds-batman.html

Fred Agabashian Kurt Ahrens Jr Christijan Albers Michele Alboreto

Wednesday

INDYCAR: Power Rankings (Baltimore)

Source: http://www.popoffvalve.com/2012/8/30/3280896/indycar-power-rankings-baltimore

Bob Bondurant Felice Bonetto Jo Bonnier Roberto Bonomi

Jaime Alguersuari: ?Is my career over at 22-years-old??

Jaime Alguersuari has expressed his frustration at not being able to find an F1 seat for 2013, despite apparently being close to a deal some months ago. Alguersuari took the unusual step today of issuing a press statement to clarify … Continue reading

Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2013/02/16/jaime-alguersuari-is-my-career-over-at-22-years-old/

Juan Manuel Bordeu Slim Borgudd Luki Botha JeanChristophe Boullion

2013 Preseason Preview: No. 10 Matt Kenseth

As we count down to the 2013 Daytona 500, we're also counting down how we think the Chase will play out this season as predicted by Nick Bromberg, Jay Busbee, Jay Hart and Geoffrey Miller. So sit back, relax, and watch the 2013 Chase unfold before your very eyes. Though you should be warned, we picked Carl Edwards to win last year.

2012 Finish: 5th. Three wins (Daytona, Talladega, Kansas)

2013 Predictions:
Bromberg: 8th
Busbee: NR
Hart: 6th
Miller: 12th

Crew Chief: Jason Ratcliff

When we last saw Kenseth: He was winning two Chase races but nowhere near title contention. Why? Well, his teammate Greg Biffle, who we profiled Thursday, was out of the hunt after three straight finishes in the teens to open the Chase. Kenseth started with an 18th and a 14th and then finished 35th at Dover to find himself in the basement of the Chase.

Big Question for 2013: This one is pretty obvious, eh? Will there be a transition period at Joe Gibbs Racing? Kenseth announced that he was leaving the only Sprint Cup Series team he had ever known in Roush Fenway in June -- when he was atop the points standings. In the fall, he revealed that he was moving to JGR's No. 20 car and his presence means its an explicit disappointment if all three of the JGR cars miss the Chase.

Track most likely to win at: If this was last year's car and last year's team and crew chief combination (with Jimmy Fennig atop the pit box), this would be easy: Daytona and Talladega. Kenseth and Fennig had something special at the plate tracks, leading 245 laps and winning once at each track.

Track most likely to require a miracle to win at: Sonoma. Kenseth has finished in the top 10 once in 13 races in wine country and that was an eighth place finish in 2008.

How Kenseth could win the Chase: The man who won the last pre-Chase title gets a couple more wins in the regular season and avoids the crazy engine and random troubles that have plagued both Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin over recent seasons. At worst, Kenseth is making a lateral move in teams; not making the Chase with Gibbs would be just as big a surprise as if he was still at Roush.

How Kenseth couldn't: The adjustment to JGR and new crew chief Ratcliff takes the entire regular season and Kenseth misses the Chase.

A Haiku:
A champ makes a move
Matt's now a Husky driver
Another title?

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nascar-from-the-marbles/2013-preseason-preview-no-10-matt-kenseth-150353171--nascar.html

Luki Botha JeanChristophe Boullion Sebastien Bourdais Thierry Boutsen

Royal Enfield Bullet 500 B5


Royal Enfield has forged itself a pretty strong reputation as this name is around since the 1950s. Royal Enfield started as a British company, but after a while the name was bought by Indians and today Royal Enfield?s motorcycles are assembled in India.

In terms of style, the company?s motorcycles didn?t change too much since the 1950s. However, Royal Enfield?s models are fitted with modern engines and new technologies.

The Royal Enfield Bullet 500 B5 is built in the image of the legendary iron barrel Bullet 350 and features a vintage design language that puts practicality and simplicity on the first place. The motorcycle is powered by a single cylinder, 4-Stroke, spark ignition, air cooled, OHV engine with a displacement of 499 cc. The engine?s output is rated at 27.5 BHP and 41.3 Nm of torque at 4000 rpm.

Hit the jump for more information on the Royal Enfield Bullet 500 B5.

Royal Enfield Bullet 500 B5 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 26 February 2013 20:27 EST.

read more



Source: http://www.topspeed.com/motorcycles/motorcycle-reviews/royal-enfield/2013-royal-enfield-bullet-500-b5-ar146556.html

Zsolt Baumgartner Elie Bayol Don Beauman Karl Gunther Bechem

Frank Williams: ?When we are down we always fight our way back?

Sir Frank Williams is adamant that the new FW35 represents a major step forward from the car that won last year?s Spanish GP. Williams says that the pieces are in place for a strong season. ?A group of talented people … Continue reading

Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2013/02/19/frank-williams-when-we-are-down-we-always-fight-our-way-back/

Giorgio Bassi Erwin Bauer Zsolt Baumgartner Elie Bayol

Tuesday

Munoz Lands FIL, '500' Ride With Andretti

Source: http://www.16thandgeorgetown.com/2012/10/munoz-lands-fil-500-ride-with-andretti.html

Ivor Bueb Sebastien Buemi Luiz Bueno Ian Burgess

Harry Metcalfe gets on the Ferrari FF

Speaking of Ferrari FF is talk of a new vehicle for more than Ferrari, nothing short of a shooting break concept, ie a growing sport in the back to accommodate two extra passengers in comfort. As I said, a completely new concept for Ferrari that is rapidly gaining market share quite attractive. On the other [...]

Source: http://www.autocarblog.co.uk/403-harry-metcalfe-gets-on-the-ferrari-ff.html

Adolf Brudes Martin Brundle Gianmaria Bruni Jimmy Bryan

Time to renew (or sign up to) GP+?

The new season is edging ever closer and it is a good moment to sign up for a 2013 subscription to GrandPrix+. This is an electronic magazine that is written and created in the Formula 1 Media Centres all around the world, by professional Grand Prix reporters and photographers, who between us have attended something [...]

Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2013/02/26/time-to-renew-or-sign-up-to-gp/

Tony Brooks Alan Brown Walt Brown Warwick Brown

The most unique car in the Daytona 500

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. ? When Michael Waltrip takes the green flag in the 55th running of the Daytona 500, he'll be in a used car no longer wanted by Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, one that has used parts purchased at auction or castoffs from Roush Yates.

But that's not only what makes it so unique.

[Also: Daytona fans injured as car slams fence in Nationwide race]

The future No. 30 is sporting the number 26 this weekend in honor of the 26 victims of the December 14 tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. It will also adorn the number 80888, the number to which people can text donations to the Sandy Hook School Support Fund.

Before a preseason meeting in January, car owner Brandon Davis and driver David Stremme were approached by NASCAR president Mike Helton. Davis, who purchased Inception Motorsports last year and renamed it Swan Racing, laughs when he tells the story now, but he recalls the possible reasons that Helton would want to talk to an owner who just entered the sport, not to mention a team that hadn't run the entire 36-race the year before.

"Walked in the door, Mike Helton slaps me on the shoulder and says, 'Hey I need to talk to you guys after this is over.' " Davis said. "And I?m like, 'Oh [shoot], what did I do wrong? That was my first thing, like, 'Ah, what the hell?'

"And we sat there and I was nervous the whole time, like 'Man, should I just leave this thing?' After it was over with, he came over and said 'Hey, I have this idea. Since Michael?s in the car, and I mentioned this to Michael, running the 26 for the 26 people that lost their lives in Newtown.' It was 100 percent Mike Helton. Mike Helton made that deal happen."

The partnership was announced on February 14th, with NASCAR CEO Brian France and wife Amy making a $50,000 donation to the fund with a matching gift from the NASCAR Foundation.

Stremme, who was a minority owner in Inception before Davis bought the team, will be the driver for the remainder of the season but is stepping aside this weekend for the higher profile of Waltrip.

"Stremme wants to race the Daytona 500 just like I did and it?s his car," Waltrip said. "But he thought that me driving it would strengthen his relationship with Toyota and really bring his team into the family more."

Stremme made his Cup Series debut for Chip Ganassi in 2005, but hadn't had a full-time ride since 2009. That's when he went searching for partners to start their own team. His idea: go to auctions and buy as many good parts as he could for as cheaply as possible, something he still does today for Swan as a self-professed "man of many hats."

"I still do," Stremme said. "We race off of other people?s leftovers, I guess you would say. ? And there?s a lot of things that teams waste and do things, and we?re able to go still race. Like this car here that we?re running, is Jamie McMurray?s Shootout car from last year. " McMurray wrecked in that race. "We fixed it, put a Toyota body on it and done everything. That?s the way that we have to build this organization is be smart about our money.

[Also: Danica Patrick bows out of Nationwide race; ready for Daytona 500]

"It?s just multiple areas we purchase from and we make it work. A lot of it is we might have some big team might say, ?Hey, we?re getting rid of all these brakes,? and there?s nothing wrong with them, they just want to change manufacturers and we buy them."

Stremme met Davis, CEO of Swan Energy, at Talladega last spring where he pitched him on buying the team. Davis gave Stremme his business card and told him to call him if he was serious, Stremme did just that, and Davis finalized the purchase in the fall.

In the offseason, the team hired crew chief Tony Eury Jr. and Steve Hmiel as its director of competition. Eury Jr. and Hmiel worked together at Dale Earnhardt Inc. while Eury Jr. was crew chiefing for Dale Earnhardt Jr. Last year, Eury Jr. served as Danica Patrick's crew chief in the Nationwide Series for 26 races before parting ways with JR Motorsports. That name recognition from working with both Junior and Patrick was a big draw for Davis.

"And Tony was at the top of the list, but for me, it pushed it over the top that people know who Tony is. That Tony has a fan base. No other crew chief had a fan base. And if we?re going to build this team, we have to develop that. For the team, for the driver, for Tony, and our overall product, just everything that we bring to the table, it needs to be known."

Speedweeks has helped with that awareness. Not only for Newtown, but for Swan.

"The goal is to make the race. We did that," Waltrip said. "The goal was to build the team. I think we?ve been able to do that. And the goal was to have something cool on the car for the 500 and I know we did that."

Waltrip can relate to what it can be like to be a new owner in NASCAR, having started Michael Waltrip Racing seven years ago and gone from missing the Daytona 500 and being penalized in his team's debut 2007 season to two of his drivers making the Chase for the Sprint Cup last year.

"Our team has made a 180," he said. "And everybody thinks it happened overnight but it?s actually taken about seven years. And so I lived it, I experienced it, I?m very knowledgeable about everything we went through in order to get where we are and I?m really thankful that David included me in the family to help them try to maybe get to where we are now without some of the hurdles we had to overcome."

[Also: Jimmie Johnson's daughter has a favorite driver -- and it's not JJ]

Many new teams have come and gone in the six years since Waltrip became a team owner, and both Stremme and Davis are cognizant of the financial pitfalls of racing at NASCAR's top level. That's why Stremme's still going to those auctions.

"Steve and Tony and myself, we?re all very hands on," Stremme said. "Everyone on the crew, we do what we?ve got to do and those guys work hard. Instead of having seven guys and three dogs before, we?ve got 20 guys and three dogs. We?re still the same people and it?s just an old-school mentality of racers and I feel like we?ll be able to survive off of that mentality."

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nascar-from-the-marbles/most-unique-car-daytona-500-205433072--nascar.html

Mario Andretti Michael Andretti Keith Andrews Elio de Angelis

Monday

Activity at Nissan

It is interesting in the light of yesterday’s ruminations about F1 engines that Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Nissan and Renault, will be announcing “major news” for Nismo motorsport and its performance arm on Tuesday in Tokyo. For some time there have been rumours that Nismo was undergoing major changes in order to be transformed into [...]

Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2013/02/22/activity-at-nissan/

Enrico Bertaggia Tony Bettenhausen Mike Beuttler Birabongse Bhanubandh

Pantano In For Kimball

Source: http://www.16thandgeorgetown.com/2012/08/pantano-in-for-kimball.html

Ivan Capelli Piero Carini Duane Carter Eugenio Castellotti

Jimmie Johnson wins Daytona 500 with powerful late-race stand; Danica Patrick 8th

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. ? Jimmie Johnson hasn't won a championship in two years. But on Sunday, he proved he's got plenty of fire left for a run at NASCAR's most fabled record: seven championships.

Last year, the five-time champ wrecked on Lap 2 of the Daytona 500. This year, making his 400th career start, Johnson outpaced the entire field and won convincingly, holding off challenges from Brad Keselowski and Greg Biffle.

As the leaders raced for the checkered flag, a wreck broke out behind them. NASCAR did not bring out the yellow flag, allowing the drivers to race to the finish line. Johnson won that battle, followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. in second. Mark Martin came home third.

"I had a lot of confidence in the final few laps leading the train, so I knew just how fast the car was," said Johnson, who collected his second Daytona 500 victory. "So big credit to everybody at Hendrick Motorsports."

The 55th Daytona 500 made history days before the green flag flew. Danica Patrick delivered on a measure of the hype surrounding her by becoming the first woman to ever qualify for the pole in a Sprint Cup race. While she couldn't initially capitalize on her leading position ? Jeff Gordon passed her almost immediately ? Patrick remained close to the front for most of the day. When she took the lead on Lap 90, she became the first woman ever to lead a lap under green at the Daytona 500. She entered the final lap in third place, and would go on to finish eighth.

"Ran up front all day long, led a little, stayed in the top 10 pretty much," Patrick said after getting out of her car. "It's always a little frustrating when you come through and You're in the top three in the last lap, but I'll learn more for the next time."

[Related: 50 Cent denied kiss by Erin Andrews kiss at Daytona 500]

For much of the afternoon, drivers ran in single-file lines because of the lack of grip on the lower line. It was different, at least, than the tandem and pack racing that fans had seen over the last few years. But the differing effects of the draft on the new Gen 6 cars made predicting the best spots on the track a tricky and dicey business, as several big names learned when their days ended early.

The race ran largely caution-free, though a wreck on Lap 33 changed the complexion of the leaderboard. Kyle Busch ran into the back of Kasey Kahne, who had checked up because of slower cars in front of him. The ensuing wreck took out other big names such as Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick. While all were able to return to the track, they were dozens of laps down and thus begin the season on a down note.

A later wreck knocked out Carl Edwards, who will be more than happy to put Daytona in his rear-view mirror. He wadded up five cars over the course of Speedweeks, and once again will be playing from behind.

Of major concern for many teams: Toyotas had significant engine problems toward the end of the race. Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. all had late-race engine problems that sidelined their cars and submarined their chances.

The best racing of the day came with less than 15 laps to go, when last year's championship duelists staged a multi-lap head-to-head battle. Brad Keselowski and Jimmie Johnson ran side by side, each looking for any advantage. When a caution flew with nine laps remaining, Johnson took the outside line. From there, it was simply a matter of clicking off laps for Johnson.

The Sprint Cup series now heads to Phoenix.

More NASCAR video on Yahoo! Sports:

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-Follow Jay Busbee on Twitter at @jaybusbee.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nascar-from-the-marbles/jimmie-johnson-wins-daytona-500-214212031--nascar.html

Zsolt Baumgartner Elie Bayol Don Beauman Karl Gunther Bechem

Don?t forget Grab Bag Sport?s Blogathon this weekend...

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/gi7voqXx8JA/dont-forget-grab-bag-sports-blogathon.html

Bill Aston Richard Attwood Manny Ayulo Luca Badoer

2013 Season Preview: No. 8 Clint Bowyer

As we count down to the 2013 Daytona 500, we're also counting down how we think the Chase will play out this season as predicted by Nick Bromberg, Jay Busbee, Jay Hart and Geoffrey Miller. So sit back, relax, and watch the 2013 Chase unfold before your very eyes. Though you should be warned, we picked Carl Edwards to win last year.

2012 Finish: 2nd. Three wins (Sonoma, Richmond and Charlotte)

2013 Predictions:
Bromberg: 7th
Busbee: 6th
Hart: 10th
Miller: 10th

Crew Chief: Brian Pattie

When we last saw Bowyer: He was capitalizing on Jimmie Johnson's rear gear issues at Homestead to finish second in the points standings by a single point. And just before that, he was darting through the garage in search of Jeff Gordon and team after Gordon wrecked him at Phoenix. Hindsight is always 20/20, but given the events at Phoenix, it's fair to wonder if those events at Phoenix cost Bowyer more of a shot at the championship than we realized.

Big Question for 2013: Does the curse of second place exist? In the Chase era, the highest finish in the following season for a second place driver has been fourth, and that was Matt Kenseth in 2007. Of the nine second place finishers before Bowyer, four have missed the Chase. There's no common thread to why second place drivers tend to go backwards (other than, of course, there's not much room to move forward), but an almost 50 percent missed Chase rate is something.

Track most likely to win at: Richmond. It's Bowyer's best track, and he also finished seventh there in the spring.

Track most likely to require a miracle to win at: Did you know that Bowyer's win at Charlotte in October was his first win at a 1.5 mile track of any kind in the Sprint Cup Series? Though we'll follow that up by saying Darlington, which isn't a 1.5 mile track, but it's fractionally close. In seven Darlington starts, Bowyer has just one top 10.

How Bowyer could win the Chase: Avoid getting wrecked on purpose in the penultimate race of the Sprint Cup Season. OK, so it's not as simple as that, but Bowyer's Chase was pretty close to the formula that's needed to get it done. He had a win and was consistently in the top 10, it's just that finishes of 23rd (Talladega) and 28th (Phoenix) got in the way. Repeat that performance and turn one of the finishes in the 20s into a top 10, and voila.

How Bowyer couldn't: The curse of second place does exist and Bowyer takes a large step backwards a la Carl Edwards last season. Or that the leaps forward that Michael Waltrip Racing took last season aren't sustainable, and Bowyer and Pattie can't find the speed that they had last year.

A Haiku:
Hey Carl, got advice?
I gotta avoid this curse.
I can't miss the Chase.

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nascar-from-the-marbles/2013-season-preview-no-8-clint-bowyer-134139628--nascar.html

Martin Donnelly Carlo Abate George Abecassis Kenny Acheson

Sunday

Pantano In For Kimball

Source: http://www.16thandgeorgetown.com/2012/08/pantano-in-for-kimball.html

Bobby Ball Marcel Balsa Lorenzo Bandini Henry Banks

Why You Should Watch? NASCAR | Why You Should Watch

Why You Should Watch… NASCAR is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

The 2013 NASCAR season starts this weekend with the Daytona 500. Dominik Wilde explains why you should tune in.

Why You Should Watch… NASCAR is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

Source: http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2013/02/23/watch-nascar/

Dave Charlton Pedro Matos Chaves Bill Cheesbourg Eddie Cheever

Viva Zanardi!

Source: http://www.popoffvalve.com/2012/9/5/3294060/viva-zanardi

Jim Crawford Ray Crawford Alberto Crespo Antonio Creus

Massa: Work To Be Done

Ferrari?s Felipe Massa believes that the team still have much work to do to be ready for the start of the 2013 season. The Brazilian will partner Fernando Alonso once more this time out, despite failing to live up to expectations across the past couple of years. Although Ferrari have been far more impressive during [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/ozTi9neKqao/massa-work-to-be-done

Don Beauman Karl Gunther Bechem Jean Behra Derek Bell