MotoX News: 6/16/13

Saturday

Happy Hour: Indy?s finish, NASCAR?s red flag rules and Warped Wednesday

Throughout the week you can send us your best questions, jokes, rants and just plain miscellaneous thoughts to happyhourmailbag@yahoo.com or @NickBromberg. We'll post them here, have a good time and everyone's happy. Right? Oh who are we kidding, this is NASCAR. No one is ever happy.

Immediately following the Indianapolis 500, which I must say was the best Indianapolis 500 I've ever seen, the cries for the race to attempt to finish under green similar to NASCAR's green-white-checker system began. It's understandable that some tuning in wanted to see such a thrilling race end under yellow, but should IndyCar take a page from NASCAR on this one?

After Tony Kanaan's victory on Sunday at Indianapolis, more than a few stated that the finish wasn't satisfying because it ended under caution. They want what NASCAR has - the ballyhooed 'Green/White/Checkers'. As much as I like Green/White/Wreckers in NASCAR, you can't do it in Indy Car. Try beating, banging, and bumping with those cars like they do in NASCAR and someone ends up in the hospital - or worse. Leave Indy Car, and especially the 500 with all its traditions, alone. I had absolutely NO problem with the result.
- Andy

I'm completely with Andy on this one. I have no problem with IndyCar and NASCAR having separate rules, though some in NASCAR thought differently. Take this tweet from Michael Waltrip. Waltrip must have forgotten that he raced most of his career without a green-white-checker finish rule in place in NASCAR.

And besides, that essentially was a green-white-checker finish. Sometimes dramatic NASCAR races end under caution too... like Dale Earnhardt's Daytona 500 win.

_____________________

Can someone explain to me why when a bizarre event like a TV camera cable falls, everyone gets to pit for 15 minutes to repair the damage and then resume the same race order. But back when Jeff Gordon had the Martinsville pothole throw up a piece of asphalt into his car and put a hole in the grill that you could stick your head in after dominating the race to that point, he was forced to pit on his own and make the repairs just as if he had a flat tire.
-Paul

That's a good point that Geoffrey Miller and I talked about in our Chrome Horn podcast. You all listened, right? I believe it was the fairest thing NASCAR could have done in that situation, though it was a stark departure from the rules that have been in place previously.

In that race Paul mentions, Gordon wasn't allowed any special avenues to help get the damage from the concrete fixed and his car in raceable condition. Neither did anyone in the Daytona pothole incident.

We're going to get another bizarre incident in NASCAR in the near future that's going to damage race cars. Hell, who could have seen the rope snapping like that? But the big thing is to see how NASCAR will react in the future. Officials can now go either way. Is this the new normal or was it a special exception?

Now, on to Warped Wednesday, which apparently generated a lot of chatter.

_____________________

We cannot afford to go to the races and will be deprived of seeing them on TV.
- Tommy

You need to stop posting BS lies .... You are so full of it your eyes are brown I have no Idea why yahoo lets you post BS..I hope yahoo yanks you from there page ... Start printing real stuff not fake crap ...
- Jamie (via Twitter)

Apparently people don't read headlines or disclaimers. I'll spell it out. Warped. Wednesday. Is. Not. Real. Got it?

However, there were a lot of commenters and people on social media who got freaked out about the post, despite the fact that the race was going to be replaced by a LEGO re-enactment. Disclaimer aside, if that didn't make you think that it was a fake story, I've got nothing to say.

(I do want to apologize to other NASCAR media members who had to field questions about the post on Twitter Wednesday evening. With the exception of a post that I wrote to convey a message, most are more unbelievable than your craziest Jimmie Johnson conspiracy theory.)

_____________________

Here is something I have never understood. Bobby Labonte is consistently in the top 10 in the fan vote every year, despite his best years being far behind. Heck, he hasn't won a race in almost ten years. I understand loyalty to a driver, or a team if you include all sports, but it seems like being a Labonte fan would be frustrating at times. Can you explain why Bobby Labonte remains so popular to this day?
- Jason

NASCAR fans are a fiercely loyal bunch. Labonte is also the last of the family in NASCAR. Justin's Nationwide Series career was short and Terry is just running a race or two every year.

My guess is that many of those fans have also picked other drivers, but given that Labonte has been eligible for the fan vote every year, he's an easy and sentimental choice to vote for.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nascar-from-the-marbles/happy-hour-indy-finish-nascar-red-flag-rules-012934796.html

Chuck Daigh Yannick Dalmas Derek Daly Christian Danner

End of a season

Source: http://www.popoffvalve.com/2012/9/16/3340226/end-of-a-season

Kurt Adolff Fred Agabashian Kurt Ahrens Jr Christijan Albers

$400,000 car, wrecked: This is not how you want your afternoon drive to go

Yeah, so, this is not how you want to treat your $400,000 Bugatti.

Meet Edmund Burgess, of Lavenham in the United Kingdom. As Autoblog relates, Mr. Burgess was driving his 1924 Bugatti Type 13 in the Prescott Speed Hill Climb in Gloucestershire. The brakes apparently failed, the car rolled, and, well, Mr. Burgess was quite literally lucky to escape with his skull intact.

As you can see in the video above, Burgess only wore a helmet, goggles and jacket; the Bugatti's cockpit is wide open to the elements. The car, worth an estimated �250,000, suffered heavy damage. But Burgess says he'll be running it again later this summer, to which we say: keep the rubber side down and the shiny side up, friend.

-Follow Jay Busbee on Twitter at @jaybusbee.-

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nascar-from-the-marbles/400-000-car-wrecked-not-want-afternoon-drive-193353491.html

Bill Aston Richard Attwood Manny Ayulo Luca Badoer

The Tomaso Files: Doin? the Time Warp thingy!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/8uTia5rbt3Q/the-tomaso-files-doin-time-warp-thingy.html

Tony Brise Chris Bristow Peter Broeker Tony Brooks

Bump Day Recap

Source: http://www.16thandgeorgetown.com/2013/05/bump-day-recap.html

Tom Bridger Tony Brise Chris Bristow Peter Broeker

Friday

Twizy Renault Sport F1 Concept Car

Twizy Renault Sport F1 concept car, when I reach Electrical anabolic This was anticipated by Renault surprise a few days ago … A vitamin-Twizy, which has been integrated regenerative braking system more aggressive style used in Formula 1. An apparatus has also changed its aesthetic by incorporating some aerodynamic appendages composed exagerad�simos skirts, front spoiler, [...]

Source: http://www.autocarblog.co.uk/465-twizy-renault-sport-f1-concept-car.html

Philippe Alliot Cliff Allison Fernando Alonso Giovanna Amati

Raikkonen in rude health

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2012/11/post_abu_dhabi.html

Karl Gunther Bechem Jean Behra Derek Bell Stefan Bellof

Suzuki Officially Announce Return To MotoGP - In 2015

Official confirmation of Suzuki's return to Grand Prix racing has come at last. This morning, Suzuki issued a press release announcing that they will be back in MotoGP. The bad news is that they will not return until 2015, deciding instead to spend a year developing the bike before mounting a serious challenge in the series in 2015.

As already reported, Davide Brivio is confirmed as the manager of Suzuki's team, while Randy De Puniet has been officially announced as the development rider for the bike. Nobuatsu Aoki will continue to do a lot of the donkey work in testing, in much the same role as Franco Battaini at Ducati. Both are capable riders willing to grind out the miles and test that everything is working correctly, while De Puniet, like Michele Pirro at Ducati, will try to get the bike up to race speed, to see where its weaknesses lie.

The decision to wait until 2015 makes decisions for riders a little more complex. Riders in the running for the Suzuki seat were informed last week of Suzuki's decision, giving them time to look for alternatives.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MotoGPMatters/~3/S6YBzRb4X1M/suzuki_officially_announce_return_to_mot.html

Mauro Baldi Bobby Ball Marcel Balsa Lorenzo Bandini

Lotus still unhappy with ?conservative? tyre choices | 2013 F1 season

Lotus have repeated their criticism of Pirelli's "conservative" tyre choices for the upcoming races.

Source: http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2013/06/21/lotus-still-unhappy-with-conservative-tyre-choices/

Trevor Blokdyk Mark Blundell Raul Boesel Menato Boffa

Audi Q3

Posted on 06.20.2013 17:00 by Simona

Audi announced plans to expand its SUV lineup with the unveiling of the Cross Coupe quattro concept at the 2007 Shanghai Motor Show. Ever since that unveiling, it has been pretty clear that the company is preparing a compact premium sports car with the spaciousness and versatility of a four-seat SUV.

When the Q3 finally arrived in production form at the 2011 Shanghai Motor Show, it offered no big surprises, as its exterior language remained nearly identical to the concept. The Q3 is built on the same A5 (PQ35) platform as the Volkswagen Tiguan and at launch, Audi was offered with a choice of three engines, with a fourth engine ? diesel one ? coming at a later date.

The Q3 was put on sale in Europe in June 2011 and it received no updates since then, except the recent addition of the most powerful version in the lineup: the Q3 RS.

Click past the jump to read more about the Audi Q3 SUV.

Audi Q3 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 20 June 2013 17:00 EST.

Source: http://www.topspeed.com/cars/audi/2013-audi-q3-ar158117.html

Chuck Daigh Yannick Dalmas Derek Daly Christian Danner

Thursday

Daytona International Speedway plans major redesign, will reduce capacity

International Speedway Corporation has announced that it will undertake a massive redevelopment of NASCAR's flagship track, Daytona International Speedway, in a three-year project that will completely revamp the look and feel of the track.

The project will begin with a ceremonial groundbreaking in July, and is expected to be completed in time for the 2016 Rolex 24 and the Daytona 500, at an estimated cost of $375 million to $400 million.

The goal is to create a more fan-friendly (and safe) environment that allows for both fan interaction and good racing sightlines. According to the plan, five "injectors" along International Speedway Boulevard would route fans to one of several concourse levels. From there, fans could visit several "neighborhoods," each the size of a football field, to socialize as they watch the race either live or via video screens.

DIS will replace every seat in the frontstretch with wider, more comfortable seats. The backstretch grandstands will be torn down. The final capacity will be 101,000, with the option to increase to 125,000, down from an estimated 160,000 now. And, of course, ISC will take care of the big dogs. There will be 53 suites along the mile-long frontstretch for corporate partners.

ISC had sought to work out a public/private partnership with the state of Florida, touting the project's $1.6 billion in annual economic benefits. But that partnership failed, forcing the company to cut back on plans such as a redeveloped midway. Plans for a multi-use recreation facility across the street from the track are still subject to numerous government approvals.

Construction will begin right after the 2013 Coke Zero 400, and should not affect major races during Speedweeks in 2014. For more information on the project, ISC recommends fans check out the redevelopment site.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nascar-from-the-marbles/daytona-international-speedway-plans-major-redesign-reduce-capacity-141612901.html

Karl Gunther Bechem Jean Behra Derek Bell Stefan Bellof

Carl Edwards locks keys in car, still wins pole in Michigan

Carl Edwards has won his first pole via qualifying in more than a year, but not without a bit of nerve-wracking pre-qualifying drama.

Early Friday, a few hours before qualifying began, Edwards went for a run and locked his keys in his rental car. What to do? The rental car company was no help. After some scheming and plotting, Edwards and his PR agent found a local used-car dealership, coaxed out a mechanic who had a few coathangers and a crowbar, and broke into the car.

"It kept my mind off the stress of qualifying," Edwards laughed. "It was a little adventure. Jimmy (Fennig, crew chief) says I should go running more often. If he had known how close I was to not making it back I don?t think he would say that.?

So who was this mysterious savior-with-a-crowbar who helped one of NASCAR's finest drivers break into a car? "I don?t want to call the guy out," Edwards said. "I mean he did use a crowbar to break into the car. I didn?t ask him how he knew how to do that so well."

The irony of a NASCAR driver being unable to drive wasn't lost on Carl. "I am just furthering the belief that drivers can?t take care of themselves," he said with a wry grin. "I have people coming to help me all the time, so that isn?t good."

Once he actually drove his company car, Edwards turned a lap of 202.452 mph at Michigan International Speedway, taking his first pole on speed in 49 races and setting himself up as the man to beat in Sunday's Quicken Loans 400. Michigan is one of Edwards' best tracks; he's won twice and finished in the top 10 a career-best 13 times there.

"I'm happy with that lap," Edwards said after his qualifying. "I don?t think I could go any faster if I ran it again."

Fortunately, he doesn't need to. He'll start on the front row alongside Kurt Busch, who's had an impressive recent run of speed. Busch has started first or second in four of the last six races. Rounding out the top five are Kasey Kahne, Paul Menard and Aric Almirola. Other notables: Dale Earnhardt Jr. 12th, Tony Stewart 14th, Jimmie Johnson 17th.

"To be second, that?s qualifying, now we?ve just got to step into the race and that?s where we?ve got to close the deal," Busch said. "We haven?t been as strong as we?ve needed to be in the last section of the race, like after the last pit stop or with two pit stops to go, that?s where we have to find a little bit more improvement. But otherwise, these Furniture Row guys are phenomenal, and we?re knocking on the door.?

Michigan repaved the track in time for the start of the 2012 season, and drivers indicated that the dreaded "new track feel" is starting to fade.

"It's just going to continue to get better," Martin Truex Jr. said. "Last year, there was times you just felt like you were along for the ride. It was hard to do anything with what you had. ... Hopefully, the groove will widen out. It's pretty narrow right now."

"The new track is super fun to race on," said Edwards, not missing a chance to ladle out the praise. "The pavement seems like it has aged more in a year than a lot of new track surfaces have and hopefully we can keep developing a Goodyear tire and keep making it softer and softer to where it becomes the old Michigan here in a year or two. I think that is going to be awesome.?

Edwards joked that even though he's started on the pole several times this season, this would be the first one to actually count for next year's Sprint Unlimited race. (Others were via rainout.)

"There are a few things I like about racing at Michigan," Edwards said. "The first is that it is the site of my first Sprint Cup start, a huge day for me personally. I will never forget when they said ?Gentlemen, start your engines.? That was one of the most emotional moments I?ve ever had in a race car."

And fortunately, you can't lock your keys in an NASCAR car.

-Follow Jay Busbee on Twitter at @jaybusbee.-

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nascar-from-the-marbles/carl-edwards-locks-keys-car-still-wins-pole-222723347.html

Luiz Bueno Ian Burgess Luciano Burti Roberto Bussinello

Horner gets a gong

Christian Horner has been named as an Officer of “The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire”, which is abbreviated to “OBE” in the Queen’s Birthday Honours. The award recognises public service or an outstanding contribution to British society. In recent years the honours system in the UK has come in for much criticism for […]

Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2013/06/16/horner-gets-a-gong/

Paolo Barilla Rubens Barrichello Michael Bartels Edgar Barth

AJ Allmendinger completed less than a lap in the IndyCar dual races at Detroit

The followup to AJ Allmendinger's strong performance at the Indianapolis 500 didn't go very well.

In the IndyCar Series' first dual race weekend of the season, Allmendinger failed to complete the first lap in each race at Detroit's Belle Isle street circuit.

On Saturday, Allmendinger's car launched over Scott Dixon's as he made a move to the inside going into turn four under braking. After flying over Dixon's car, Allmendinger's car came to rest in the tire barrier on the outside of the turn.

Sunday, he didn't make it to turn four. As he exited turn two on the first lap, his car got loose and when he corrected it, it slammed into the outside wall and snapped the right-front suspension.

Saturday was Allmendinger's fifth race in an IndyCar for Penske Racing after coming over from NASCAR. Allmendinger joined Penske's No. 22 Sprint Cup team at the beginning of 2012 but didn't race again for the team after testing positive for a stimulant following the Kentucky race. A five-time winner in CART, Allmendinger finished seventh at Indianapolis.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nascar-from-the-marbles/aj-allmendinger-completed-less-lap-indycar-dual-races-121509496.html

Bill Aston Richard Attwood Manny Ayulo Luca Badoer

Wednesday

2013 Barcelona Post-Race Test Times, 2pm: Bradl Leads, As Suzuki Makes Debut

The Montmelo circuit just outside of Barcelona is a hive of activity, as all but the Repsol and Gresini Honda teams take to the track. As of 2pm, Stefan Bradl was the fastest man on track, just a fraction quicker than Nicky Hayden and late arrival Jorge Lorenzo, while Andrea Dovizioso, Cal Crutchlow and Valentino Rossi are all within three tenths of Bradl's time.

Much of the interest was around the Suzuki garage, where Randy de Puniet made his debut on the bike, after it had been given a shakedown by Nobu Aoki. So far, and some 15 laps in, De Puniet has lapped at 1:44.089, which is some 1.8 seconds off the time of Bradl. In comparison, De Puniet did a 1'43.186 during qualifying on the Aprilia ART machine he has been riding so far this year.

While Jorge Lorenzo was a late arrival, choosing to get some rest in the morning after a hard race yesterday, Bradley Smith left the track early. The Tech 3 man is scheduled to have surgery tonight to repair his little finger, and fix the scaphoid in his left wrist, damage from his crash at Mugello.

Times as of 2pm

Race Details

2013

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MotoGPMatters/~3/uvScRN0937I/2013_barcelona_post_race_test_times_2pm_.html

Peter Collins Bernard Collomb Alberto Colombo Erik Comas

More Indy Hoopla: ?Symona-Symona?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/9sXGl4WXb4E/more-indy-hoopla-symona-symona.html

Sebastien Bourdais Thierry Boutsen Johnny Boyd David Brabham

What?s with the disappointment about Saturday?s All-Star Race?

In the last Warped Wednesday feature, I asked the (not-so serious) question of what the point of the All-Star Race was. After all, it's not like NASCAR drivers race against each other 38 times a year or anything.

After watching the reaction after Jimmie Johnson's runaway victory in the final segment of Saturday night's race, allow me to be serious for a moment: Why was the race such a letdown for so many?

I'll be blunt. If you're one of those people, you've allowed yourself to be manipulated by the hype and promotion surrounding the All-Star Race. Last night's race wasn't certainly one of the ones that will be shown on the glossy teaser package to be played 10,000 times before next year's race. But let's not undersell it either.

This is NASCAR. In 2013. On an intermediate track. If you watched ? and were disappointed ? on Saturday night, you've likely seen one or three or fifty intermediate track races over the last few years. If this was a points race, would anything that happened Saturday night have merited such a disappointing reaction?

Hell, after restarts, the racing was pretty damn good, especially by our intermediate track standards. The racing that Johnson and Kahne carried on for two laps before Johnson checked out was compelling, Clint Bowyer's three-wide move for the lead was daring and Ryan Newman's charge on the high side of 1 and 2 seemed inexplicable.

Yes, ultimately, clean air was the order of the evening. But that's no different than what we'll see Sunday night in the 600. Just because it was "no-holds barred" and not for points, did you expect clean air not to be a factor?

There have been 29 All-Star Races. And there have been, what, five or six truly memorable moments? After the Pass in the Grass, the first race under the lights (and Davey Allison and Kyle Petty's crash), Jeff Gordon's T-Rex car, Rusty Wallace and Darrell Waltrip crashing and Dale Earnhardt Jr. winning, are there any other races that really stand out?

Yet we're conditioned to think that every All-Star Race is exceptional, given the excitement in the booth and those glitzy promotional videos. I get that it's the job of the sport and Fox, the network that broadcasts it, to get viewers to tune in for a non-points race on a spring Saturday night. But at the same time, those promotions fuel the cries to change the race's format yet again or make significant location and structure changes every time each race doesn't have a signature moment.

Johnson has something to do with that too, though, especially given the tinfoil-hat wearing that blew up Twitter shortly after the race thanks to an inaccurate in-race graphic. Not only has he won the most All-Star Races of any driver, but he and Chad Knaus have won back-to-back races under completely different formats. If the All-Star Race is about showcasing NASCAR's best, isn't it fitting that perhaps the best crew chief and driver combination in NASCAR is proving their excellence?

The All-Star Race isn't untouchable; the discussion whether or not it should be moved around is a worthy one. The easiest way to try to create a signature moment would be to add a track wrinkle that's only seen at the race. But until that actually happens and the race is still staged at a 1.5 mile track and intermediate track racing continues to be ruled by clean air, treat it just like you would a points race. Don't expect to be exhilarated every year.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nascar-from-the-marbles/disappointment-star-race-125209871.html

Stefan Bellof Paul Belmondo Tom Belso JeanPierre Beltoise

End of a season

Source: http://www.popoffvalve.com/2012/9/16/3340226/end-of-a-season

Andrea de Cesaris Francois Cevert Eugene Chaboud Jay Chamberlain

The Indy 500 winners? trophy might be the most terrifying thing you?ve ever seen

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - One of the most coveted trophies in sports is also one of the most terrifying. Above is the Borg-Warner Trophy, presented to the winner of the Indy 500. It now stands more than five feet tall and weighs more than 150 pounds. Looks reasonable enough from a distance, though, right? Let's zoom in a little closer...

OH SWEET HEAVEN. Those little knobs on the trophy ... they're faces! Yes, the trophy has carved faces of every single winner since 1911, arranged in a checkerboard fashion. Despite, or perhaps because of, that, the trophy is valued at about $3.5 million. (Also, as For The Win notes, the guy on top is naked.)

At least they're smiling. If the faces were screaming, though ... hey, wait a second. A trophy that captures your soul when you win it? That's one fine movie idea there. And it's mine.

-Follow Jay Busbee on Twitter at @jaybusbee.-

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nascar-from-the-marbles/indy-500-winners-trophy-might-most-terrifying-thing-155333947.html

Luca Badoer Giancarlo Baghetti Julian Bailey Mauro Baldi

Tuesday

Track marshal dies after sustaining injuries at Canadian Grand Prix

A marshal died from injuries sustained in a mishap while tending to Esteban Gutierrez's crashed car in the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal.

The 38-year-old worker, who has not been identified, dropped his radio and was backed over by a crane while officials prepared to remove Gutierrez's car from the track. Gutierrez crashed in turn 2 in the late stages of the race.

"The worker was helping to recover a car which had stopped during the race. The recovery vehicle had lifted the car to return it to the pits and while doing this the worker dropped his radio and attempted to pick it up. As he did this, he stumbled and was hit and run over by the recovery vehicle," the FIA, the governing body of F1, said in a statement.

The track worker, a 10 year veteran, was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead at 6:02 PM local time before he was to be operated on.

From the Montreal Gazette:

The man was rushed by ambulance to the medical centre at the raceway, where he was stabilized by a team of doctors and nurses. He was given oxygen.
The man was then transported by helicopter to Sacr�-Coeur, a designated trauma centre, where a team of specialists was already in place waiting for him.
?A giant wheel went over his body, so there are fractures,? Bouchard explained shortly after the accident.

Mobile cranes are a common site at F1 races and are used by course marshals and officials to extract cars from gravel traps and barriers with limited disruption to the race. Fernando Alonso, who finished second to Sebastian Vettel in Sunday's race, tweeted his condolences.

Today there is nothing to celebrate. Terrible news arrive with the death of a marshal this race. Very sad. R.I.P.
? Fernando Alonso (@alo_oficial) June 9, 2013

More racing news from Yahoo! Sports
? Jimmie Johnson dominates for victory at Pocono
? NASCAR Craziest Moment: Stewart and Keselowski make great saves after contact
? Nationwide Craziest Moment: Hit from Pastrana lifts Papis' rear wheels off ground

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nascar-from-the-marbles/track-marshal-dies-sustaining-injuries-canadian-grand-prix-010852942.html

David Clapham Jim Clark† Kevin Cogan Peter Collins

F1 Fanatic Live: 2013 Milwaukee IndyFest | F1 Fanatic Live

Follow the 2013 Milwaukee IndyFest on F1 Fanatic Live.

Source: http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2013/06/15/f1-fanatic-live-2013-milwaukee-indyfest/

Duke Dinsmore Frank Dochnal Jose Dolhem Martin Donnelly

Suzuki Intruder M800

Posted on 06.18.2013 05:29 by Sulthoni , Serafim

Suzuki?s Intruder M800 is one of the most iconic Japanese cruisers in its class. Since its inception, the motorcycle has conquered a lot of hearts and there is no wonder why as it has a lot to love.

For the starters, is wrapped in a classic skin that helps it stand out from the crowd. You?ll certainly like the unique trapezoidal headlight the elegant exhaust pipes and the unique fuel tank.

You also get first class ergonomics which give you a laid back riding position that makes long journeys a real joy.

The motorcycle is built around a 805cc, 4-stroke, 2-cylinder, Liquid-cooled, OHC, 45� V-twin engine that puts out more then enough power and low end torque to help you deal effortless with highway traffic.

The motorcycle weighs 269kg and rides on a set of custom-looking wheels wrapped in 130/90-16M/C 67H front and 170/80-15M/C 77H rear tubeless tyres.

Hit the jump for more information on the Suzuki Intruder M800.

Suzuki Intruder M800 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 18 June 2013 05:29 EST.

Source: http://www.topspeed.com/motorcycles/motorcycle-reviews/suzuki/2013-suzuki-intruder-m800-ar156466.html

Walt Brown Warwick Brown Adolf Brudes Martin Brundle

RLLR Signs Jourdain

Source: http://www.16thandgeorgetown.com/2013/04/rllr-signs-jourdain.html

Felice Bonetto Jo Bonnier Roberto Bonomi Juan Manuel Bordeu

Monday

Lotus unhappy over ?very conservative? tyre choices | F1 Fanatic round-up

In the round-up: Lotus critical of Pirelli's harder tyre choices ? Whitmarsh confident teams can afford more testing ? Abiteboul feels Caterham will improve

Source: http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2013/06/15/f1-fanatic-round-up-1506/

Jean Alesi Jaime Alguersuari Philippe Alliot Cliff Allison

The Chrome Horn Episode 12: Darlington

New Chrome Horn, new intro! Join yours truly and Geoffrey Miller as we were slated to talk Darlington but ended up talking a lot about the All-Star Race.

Got any questions for us to use in the mailbag or the podcast? Hit us at HappyHourMailbag@Yahoo.com.

Click here to download the podcast or here to listen to in your browser. And we're now on iTunes! Find us in the Podcast section right here and subscribe. Listen!

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nascar-from-the-marbles/chrome-horn-episode-12-darlington-012425186.html

Jose Dolhem Martin Donnelly Carlo Abate George Abecassis

Day 3 Photos

Source: http://www.16thandgeorgetown.com/2013/05/day-3-photos.html

Francois Cevert Eugene Chaboud Jay Chamberlain Karun Chandhok

NASCAR Still Working Out New Inspection Process

The introduction of the Gen 6 car this season has brought with it some new equipment for the inspection process, namely the new laser measuring rig (see details and a photo here). The laser system helps NASCAR more accurately measure the chassis and things like where and how the rear end is located. But the [...]

TheNASCARInsiders.com

Follow the Insiders on Twitter or be a fan on Facebook!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheNascarInsiders/~3/aDp_tzepnag/

Tommy Byrne Giulio Cabianca Phil Cade Alex Caffi

As the rain fell Friday at Pocono, restarts reigned

Thanks to steady rain all day, the only on-track activity to talk about at Pocono on Friday was Sunday's Dover restart, which saw Jimmie Johnson get penalized -- and lose any shot at a win -- for jumping it with less than 20 laps to go.

Johnson had the dominant car that day, leading 147 laps. But Montoya was the leader at the time of the restart and Johnson accelerated before he did, beating Montoya and the rest of the field to the start/finish line.

There was no dominant car Friday at Pocono. No one got on track and all activity was officially canceled just after 2 p.m. Eastern. That means the field is set by owner points and Johnson will lead the field to green on Sunday with Carl Edwards next to him. Yes, it's probably safe to say that Johnson isn't going to be overanxious to hit the gas at the drop of the green.

"I really believe that in the restart zone to the start-finish line that Juan (Pablo Montoya) just didn?t go and in my opinion, I think he played it right," Johnson said. "I think he was smart in letting me get out ahead of him and let them make the call on me to keep me from having the lead and winning the race. It?s interesting, I really don?t have anything against Juan for doing it, as racers we need to work any and every angle we can to win a race. That?s what we do, we race. I put a little more weight into officiating in exactly how the rule reads and the way the rule is intended to be enforced. I think we can look at enforcing it differently. I think everybody looking at it afterwards can see that Juan just didn?t go."

Johnson said that he hoped that with current technology that there would be a way to determine if a leader had mechanical issues on a restart that prevented him from accelerating immediately. He also likened the gamesmanship between drivers on the front row to players in the NBA flopping to exaggerate a possible offense by another player and talked about how that gamesmanship could depend on the size of a track's restart zone. Restart zones vary from track to track.

"Someone flops, what then?," Johnson asked. "You think about the restart zone at Indy, you have a couple hundred yards from the end of that zone to the start-finish line and if I?m the leader and on the outside, I could let five or six cars go by and then get to the start-finish line and trap them all down and put them in position to be penalized. Essentially, Juan found a loophole. He found a loophole in the officiating and worked it to his advantage so sure I?m mad I didn?t win the race, and I?m not mad at him, but I think we need to look at how we officiate and how we can regulate that and keep that from happening. Dover, it?s a very short distance from the zone to the start-finish line. At other tracks, it?s a huge distance. (At Pocono), it?s pretty big. I would have to imagine it?s a couple hundred yards as well. You could pin four or five people into that position if they take the bait, which I took the bait clearly.?

When he was asked if he found a loophole in NASCAR's restart rules, Montoya, who will start Sunday's race 25th, responded with a question himself.

"Did I? Wow, I?m that good," Montoya said with a laugh. "Man that is a compliment. The loop hole is that you have to start between the cones and the leader has got to -- I think the start says you have to restart between the two cones that I did. And you are not supposed to beat the leader to the line. What is so hard about that? You know what I mean? I read a quote about him this week. I was at my house and I read a quote. He (Jimmie Johnson) said ?if he wouldn?t have done that the No. 42 would have beat him.? I?m like well I?m the leader not you. I was thinking I know you dominated the race, but we came to a pit stop and we did a better job than you guys. And as we did a better job than you guys we are the leader not you. Crazy enough if he would have backed off let me go he would have probably passed me again. It would have been all good. He wanted to time it really well where he didn?t have to deal with me through turns one and two, but he mistimed it. That is it, no drama.?

One way to not have to worry about the second place car to the finish line is to go back to single file restarts. That's what defending champion Brad Keselowski would vote for after expressing he wasn't a fan of double-file restarts.

@nickbromberg st8 up single file with wave arounds. The leader earned this
? Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) June 7, 2013

While Keselowski's solution may be the most equitable for all -- one lane of drivers wouldn't be starting outside of the preferred racing groove -- don't look for NASCAR to change the double file restart rule anytime soon.

Like the double file restarts? Are you a fan of Keselowski's rule? Should the restart zone be eliminated in favor of another approach? Drop us a line in the comments.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nascar-from-the-marbles/rain-fell-friday-pocono-restarts-reigned-191537566.html

Tony Crook Art Cross Geoff Crossley Chuck Daigh

Sunday

Suzuki Burgman 400Z ABS

Posted on 06.16.2013 01:55 by Sulthoni , Serafim

For a scooter, the 2013 Suzuki Burgman 400Z ABS is a pretty imposing presence. It features a large saddle that can accommodate effortless two people, a modern handlebar with handguards and a large protective windscreen. Moreover, you also get heated grips and a passenger backrest as standard.

As far as storage places are concerned, the 2013 Suzuki Burgman 400X ABS offers a large 62 litre under-seat storage and a lockable front console with DC outlet.

The 2013 Suzuki Burgman 400X ABS was built around a 400 cc, 4-stroke, liquid cooled, DOHC engine which sends its power to the ground through a SECVT transmission. Thanks to its capable engine, the Suzuki 400Z ABS can deal great with high way speeds, but also with city traffic.

The Suzuki Burgman 400Z ABS is offered with a starting price of � 6,399.

Hit the jump for more information on the 2013 Suzuki Burgman 400Z ABS.

Suzuki Burgman 400Z ABS originally appeared on topspeed.com on Sunday, 16 June 2013 01:55 EST.

Source: http://www.topspeed.com/motorcycles/motorcycle-reviews/suzuki/2013-suzuki-burgman-400z-abs-ar156274.html

Eric Brandon Don Branson Tom Bridger Tony Brise

F1 Fanatic reviews over 100 Formula One books | F1 reviews

F1 Fanatic's new book reviews archive allows you to sort over 100 Formula One book reviews by subject, rating and more.

Source: http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2013/06/16/f1-fanatic-reviews-over-100-formula-one-books/

Luiz Bueno Ian Burgess Luciano Burti Roberto Bussinello

Power Rankings: All-Star dream destinations

It's time for Power Rankings! After every race, we opine about who we think is at the top of the Sprint Cup heap and how and why they got there. But this week, it's different! The All-Star Race wasn't for points, so there's no point (pun!) in ranking the Sprint Cup field again. Besides we'd just put Jimmie Johnson back at the top.

Instead, let's stick with the All-Star theme. There's been some fantastic fodder for Happy Hour in the email inbox this week; people are incredibly passionate about the All-Star Race. So what if the All-Star Race was going to go to another track? Where would it go? Let's answer that question.

P.S. -- We're inverting the field this week. Why? Because we can. And we're dreaming big, too.

12. Rockingham: Let's start off with a fan favorite. Rockingham has produced some great racing since the Truck Series has returned to it, and given the multiple grooves through the corners and the tire wear, there would be no shortage of side-by-side racing. Of course, the size of the grandstands and the accessibility to the track would be a drawback, but this is a dream list, right? Let's not worry about stuff like that.

11. Texas World Speedway: The last NASCAR race at TWS was in 1981, but the two-mile track has been a testing site for some teams. It's got steeper banking than Michigan and older pavement, plus a road course if the oval (where Greg Biffle hit 218 in 2009) is too fast.

10. Daytona Road Course: If you're looking for a great test of both driver and car, you can't go wrong with the Daytona Road Course. Drivers would have to be able to navigate the road course turns in the Daytona infield with aplomb, hit the chicane on the backstretch perfectly, and then hope they have enough horsepower to pull away from the field through turns three and four and the tri-oval. Sounds fun, don't you think?

9. O'Reilly Raceway Park: The Nationwide Series should never have left this short track for the Brickyard, so the Cup Series should come back, if only for an exhibition race. How cool would it be to see half the field in the preferred high groove and half the field diving down as low as possible to attempt a slide job at the beginning of the final 10 lap sprint?

8. Talladega: Yes, anything can happen at Talladega, and it usually does. And yes, Talladega is on here because of its popularity amongst the NASCAR fanbase. Can you imagine the infield All-Star parties? That being said, is a restrictor plate track really the best venue?

7. Circuit of the Americas: Catch any of the V-8 Supercars race on Sunday at Austin? The Circuit of the Americas would be a fine host and the mad dash into the tight left-hand turn one after the field storms up the hill on a restart would be a hold-your-breath moment.

6. Circuit Gilles Villeneuve: The track that's produced some of the most compelling Nationwide Series races in recent memory is unfortunately not on the schedule any longer. And given how awesome those races were, can you imagine watching a Cup race there? If this were to happen, there'd have to be a way to guarantee Robby Gordon's inclusion.

5. Bristol, Martinsville and Richmond: The current Cup Series short tracks are all here because each of them would make fine venues for an All-Star Race. But like Talladega, do we really want to see three races a year at each track? Because there's no way we should take away a points race from any of the three.

4. Laguna Seca: Cup cars in the Corkscrew. Need I say more? If you haven't seen it before, take a moment and watch Alex Zanardi's pass of Bryan Herta in 1996.

3. Eldora: Yeah, we've had a version of this with Tony Stewart's annual Prelude to the Dream dirt late-model race, but let's divide the field up into heats and run Cup cars minus the front splitters. Would anyone complain about that?

2. Monaco: Of all the farfetched ideas in this week's edition of Power Rankings, this is the one that's the most out there. Hell no, it ain't happening, but it's fun to dream about, right? Instead of luxury suites, team and series VIPs could be stationed on yachts and everyone would have a great time at the Monte Carlo Casino. This is also a great time to let you know that we're having a live chat for Sunday's F1 race at Monaco. The chat triple!

1. Iowa Speedway: You've likely noticed that most of the tracks on this list don't currently host a Cup Series race. That's by design. If the race is going to change venues, the ideal place is a new track. Iowa gets rave reviews from drivers, has multiple grooves and provides a unique short track to the schedule. Plus, of all of these possibilities on the list, it could be the one that has the best chance of happening, don't you think?

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nascar-from-the-marbles/power-rankings-star-dream-destinations-032942883.html

Ernesto Brambilla Vittorio Brambilla Toni Branca Gianfranco Brancatelli

More Spy Photos: Lamborghini Aventador SV

The very last week saw some new spy photos of the Lamborghini Aventador SV, through prototype testing with a camouflage, of course, was superior to the prototype we found today. The prototype we have below and has been hunted for this weekend, reminds us once again that the Lamborghini Aventador SV is only a matter [...]

Source: http://www.autocarblog.co.uk/479-more-spy-photos-lamborghini-aventador-sv.html

Chuck Daigh Yannick Dalmas Derek Daly Christian Danner