Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin have been sure things at Nashville, taking top 10 after top 10. But can they work their mojo this week? Both are solid right now, but so are several other cats. Your favorite NASCAR Jays, Hart and Busbee, offer up some cogent commentary on the odds of these two flat-track titans this weekend. Enjoy, and have your own say in the comments below.
Thursday
Williams takes on Mrs Wolff
The Williams F1 Team has announced Susie Wolff will join the team as its Development Driver. She is the wife of Williams shareholder Toto Wolff. Born in Scotland, the 29-year-old has been racing for Mercedes in DTM for the last seven seasons. Before marrying Wolff she was known as Susie Stoddart. “Susie will join Williams [...]
Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/04/11/williams-takes-on-mrs-wolff/
Harry Blanchard Michael Bleekemolen Alex Blignaut Trevor Blokdyk
Wednesday
Spy Shots: BMW 4-Series Convertible shows off its roof mechanism
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The upcoming BMW 4-Series Convertible has been caught topless before, but now the spy images that were captured show off the details of the vehicle’s roof mechanism. Just like the current 3-Series Convertible (E93), these photos officially confirm that BMW has decided to go with the folding hard top mechanism.
The BMW 4-Series Convertible is still heavily camouflaged, hiding most of the lines, but according to some inside information, the front end will differ from the recently announced F30 3-Series sedan and will be more sculptured and sportier. In fact, rumors say that the new 4-Series will take most of its design elements from the 5-Series and 6-Series, but with more squared-off headlights and larger eyebrows.
Rumors also say that the 4-Series will be offered with the latest four and six-cylinder petrol and diesel units found in the BMW lineup, including the new 245bhp 2.0-liter four-cylinder petrol engine.
The new BMW 4-Series Convertible will be launched sometime in 2013 and will go on sale as a 2014 model.
Spy Shots: BMW 4-Series Convertible shows off its roof mechanism originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 11 April 2012 21:00 EST.
Into the Crystal Ball? OMG ITS FINALLY HERE!!! Edition
We kick the 2012 season off in St. Petersburg, Florida. 26 cars are locked and loaded for the ninth time open wheel has raced at the airport. Emotions will be heavy as the paddock returns to the adopted hometown of … Continue reading 
Video: Does NASCAR keep a closer eye on Chad Knaus?
Hey! Video from your favorite Jays, Hart and Busbee, as we discuss whether NASCAR is keeping a closer eye than usual on Mr. Chad Knaus in the wake of his upheld suspension Tuesday. Might NASCAR catch him for violations that others could skate on? Could be ... Anyway, enjoy and have your say in the comments below.
Jay Chamberlain Karun Chandhok Alain de Changy Colin Chapman
Ecclestone: We can?t force teams to go to Bahrain
Bernie Ecclestone said today that he can?t force the F1 teams to go to the Bahrain GP. Tensions have been rising in Bahrain due to both the imminent arrival of the F1 circus and a hunger strike by a prominent … Continue reading 
Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2012/04/10/ecclestone-we-cant-for-teams-to-go-to-bahrain/
More Data In Circuit Perhaps for Formula 1 in Mar del Plata
Just a few hours we had breakfast with the news of the likely return of Formula 1 in Argentina and once again talk of a street layout located in the resort city of Mar del Plata. In 2009 Bernie Celestine envoys had visited the famous city of Buenos Aires and had been amazed at the [...]
Source: http://www.autocarblog.co.uk/196-more-data-in-circuit-perhaps-for-formula-1-in-mar-del-plata.html
Tuesday
Video: Does NASCAR keep a closer eye on Chad Knaus?
Hey! Video from your favorite Jays, Hart and Busbee, as we discuss whether NASCAR is keeping a closer eye than usual on Mr. Chad Knaus in the wake of his upheld suspension Tuesday. Might NASCAR catch him for violations that others could skate on? Could be ... Anyway, enjoy and have your say in the comments below.
George Constantine John Cordts David Coulthard Piers Courage
More qualifying frustration for Rosberg
For the second Saturday in a row Nico Rosberg has compromised his grid position with a scrappy lap in qualifying. Despite showing impressive speed at times over the weekend, the Mercedes driver will start only seventh in Malaysia ? and … Continue reading 
Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2012/03/24/more-qualifying-frustration-for-rosberg/
Monday
Video: Does NASCAR keep a closer eye on Chad Knaus?
Hey! Video from your favorite Jays, Hart and Busbee, as we discuss whether NASCAR is keeping a closer eye than usual on Mr. Chad Knaus in the wake of his upheld suspension Tuesday. Might NASCAR catch him for violations that others could skate on? Could be ... Anyway, enjoy and have your say in the comments below.
NASCAR trucks driver nabbed in sex sting
Mario Gosselin, who most recently drove for NASCAR in the Camping World Truck Series, has been arrested in a Polk County, Fla. sex sting.
Conducted by the Polk County Sheriff's Office, the sting offered up online advertisements for sex, and Gosselin was among more than 40 individuals who responded to the ads. Those netted in the sting were arrested when they met with undercover detectives.
Gosselin last raced in the Truck Series in 2010, when he competed in 25 races. He gained a bit of notoriety in the Nashville race; wrecked by the lapped truck of Joe Aramendia, Gosselin went to pit road and tried to hit Aramendia's car with a brake hose. Alas, he missed.
Gosselin ran in the Sprint Cup series in 2004, racing at Martinsville and Darlington. At Martinsville, suspension problems ended his day early, while at Darlington, he was flagged for being too slow after just 14 laps.
He is free on $250 bond.
Related Mario Gosselin highlights from Yahoo! Sports:
Into the Crystal Ball? OMG ITS FINALLY HERE!!! Edition
We kick the 2012 season off in St. Petersburg, Florida. 26 cars are locked and loaded for the ninth time open wheel has raced at the airport. Emotions will be heavy as the paddock returns to the adopted hometown of … Continue reading
Sunday
Changes are coming to Bristol: But what will they be?
After the race at Bristol on March 19th produced lots of long green-flag stretches and many fans dressed as empty aluminum bleachers, SMI chairman Bruton Smith said that changes to the track would be possible before the Sprint Cup Series returned to Bristol in August.
Smith and Bristol announced Wednesday that the changes were in fact a comin'. But what those changes are is still unknown.
"The race fans have spoken," Smith said in a release. "We had input that included a wide range of opinions. But the majority we heard from said they wanted to see changes made. As a result, I have ordered the equipment and work will begin within the next two weeks to allow time to have everything ready for August."
The details of the changes will be announced in the near future.
While it's easy to assume that what is old ? a single groove that required drivers to root and gouge for position on the bottom line of the track, resulting in lots of fender rubbing ? will be new again with the changes, a move like that would be unprecedented in modern NASCAR.
Like many tracks that have undergone pavement replacement in the last 10 years, when Bristol Motor Speedway was resurfaced, progressive banking was installed in the corners to allow for multiple lines of racing from the top to the bottom. For some, the progressivity of said banking worked too well: drivers were able to run relatively far apart from each other at race pace and the driver on the upper line was able to pinch the driver in the low line off the corners, rendering it impossible to pass inside at times.
But none of the tracks which have recently installed progressive banking have reverted back to a consistent corner banking system. Theoretically, it seems easy to do if that's a potential fix�? the gradient would just be raised gradually from the bottom of the surface to match what it is at the top. But that's likely easier said than done�? and it's far from a guarantee that the "old" Bristol will return. (Tire compounds and the new car also play a major factor.)
And it's also no guarantee that the grandstands will magically fill up because of the "newer" Bristol in August, either, simply because the costs of hotels in the area and fuel are things out of the speedway's control. The summer night race traditionally draws more than the March race anyway,� so August may serve as a practice test of sorts for the 2013 spring race.
Let's have it. How pleased are you that Bristol is going to make changes with the track? Do you think they're needed? Do you think they'll be impactful? You know where to let us know below.
Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nascar-from-the-marbles/changes-coming-bristol-020038599.html
Hyundai Genesis Coupe Formula Drift Car
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The flock of drift race cars scheduled to compete in the 2012 Formula Drift season just got a lot more interesting with the introduction of Rhys Millen’s prized steed.
Over the past few years, Millen has competed in Formula Drift with a Hyundai Genesis Coupe and now that the latter has a refreshed 2013 model, it was only right for Millen to get his own race-tuned, drift-spec Genesis Coupe.
?I?m pleased to have Hyundai?s ongoing support for the 2012 season,? Millen said. ?This begins the fourth year of our racing relationship with Hyundai, and we want to continue to build upon our success in both developing and racing Hyundai?s race-proven products.?
So here it is, fellas. Unbeknownst to a lot of folks, the car carries a 2013 Genesis Coupe body shell with all the mechanical components being modified by Rhys Millen Racing. The result is a pretty bad-ass Korean drifting machine capable of producing a very impressive 600 horsepower.
How will Rhys Millen fare against the competition? With a car like this by his side, there’s no doubt RMR will be making some serious noise in the 2012 Formula Drift season.
Hyundai Genesis Coupe Formula Drift Car originally appeared on on Friday, 6 April 2012 16:00 EST.
Source: http://www.topspeed.com/cars/hyundai/2013-hyundai-genesis-coupe-formula-drift-car-ar127579.html
Duane Carter Eugenio Castellotti Johnny Cecotto Andrea de Cesaris
Video: Who?s staying, who?s going from the Chase picture?
We're only five races into the season, but there's a saying: "Get to five, Chase hopes alive." OK, we just made that up, but it COULD be a saying. Anyway, the top 10 is stuffed with drivers who haven't been there lately, and quite a few well-known names ? Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne ? are on the outside looking in. Who's staying, who's going? Your favorite Yahoo! Sports Jays, Hart and Busbee, are here to discuss the ins and outs of the Chase prospects. Have your say in the comments below.
Baltimore Sun reporter accidentally included on email about Baltimore Grand Prix contract
The Izod IndyCar Series Baltimore Grand Prix was run for the first time last year amidst much fanfare and handwringing. The fanfare was because of the location and uniqueness of the street course, which was in downtown Baltimore and went past Camden Yards. The handwringing was because of funding issues for the race.
The race went on -- Will Power won -- and is on the IndyCar schedule to return for 2012. However, the financial tension looks like it's returning too.
After the city of Baltimore terminated its contract with Baltimore Racing Development at the end of 2011, Downforce Racing Group took over as the organizers of the event for 2012. Efforts for the event apparently aren't going smoothly.
There was a March 15 deadline for the contract for the race to be finalized. In covering the organizational efforts for the race, Baltimore Sun reporter Julie Scharper contacted the Maryland Stadium Authority about the contract's finalization for more information. After hearing back from the MSA, Scharper was inadvertently included on an email from an MSA attorney to a spokesperson for Downforce saying that the contract situation "could present some PR problems."
Oops. And what are those PR problems, exactly? Well, it seems that in the email dated from Tuesday, April 3, that the contract still isn't signed.
From the Baltimore Sun:
From: Hahn, Cynthia [mailto:chahn@oag.state.md.us]
Sent: Tuesday, April 03, 2012 7:01 PM
To: Hardesty, Jan; Scharper, Julie
Cc: Frenz, Michael J.
Subject: RE: Agreement with Downforce RacingHI, Jan,
Downforce RAcing has never returned a fully executed counterpart of the contrac to MSA, unless MIke has received it over the last 48 hours.� Last I heard, Mike had advised Reck that we needed a properly executed counterpart, and Reck said he would provide it.� That was last week, before I left on vacation.� I have received nothing since.MSA's� receipt of the signed copy is critical for a few reasons.� First and most obviously, until we receive their signed counterpart, their is not contract.� That leads to the second part that is relevant for PIA disclosure purposes:� If there is no final contract, there is nothing to produce.� Draft and partially executed versions of contracts are exempt from disclosure.�� Mike's signed copy is not subject to disclosure, until DFR signs off on teh agreement--and signs off properly in a manner that is legally binding.
Bottom line:� MSA has nothing to disclose to the Sun yet.� Because this could present some PR problems for DFR, I will contact their attorney.� You should refrain from discussing this with the Sun until Reck has a chance to get MIke his properly signed counterpart.
If Mike has it, then MSA's counterparty signed by Mike can be released.� I do have the pdf of it that Pam sent over to me.� However, the original of the pdf is likely retained by Mike and Pam.
I will copy you, Mike and Pam on my communication to Reck's attorney.� At this point, I would give the Sun no information until we find out if Reck has the necessary signatures.
Thanks,
Cynthia
While it may not be time to panic about the status of this year's race just yet, it's not an encouraging sign for the Labor Day Weekend event that issues have affected the event's organization -- by two different organizing groups -- in its first two years. (However, this does serve as another reminder to always check who you are sending an email to before you hit the "send" button.)
And sadly, those dreaded monetary troubles aren't unique to Baltimore for the IndyCar Series as well. Last year's Edmonton race was canceled for financial reasons for a couple months before being uncanceled and run in July. It's also scheduled to be run in 2012.
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