Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2012/09/03/whitmarsh-upbeat-about-button-prospects/
Wednesday
Whitmarsh upbeat about Button prospects
McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh says that Jenson Button is right to believe that he still has a shot at the 2012 title, despite still being some way behind the other contenders after his Spa win. Whitmarsh says a highly motivated … Continue reading
Wild Card Race: Ryan Newman is in, for now
With four races to go before the Chase, Marcos Ambrose's win vaulted him into serious Chase discussion, but Ryan Newman was also a big beneficiary of Watkins Glen's final lap craziness.
And so too, believe it or not, was Jeff Gordon, who found himself in the wall on the final turn of the race after spinning out because of oil on the track.
"I went to the outside and hit it (oil on the track) and just spun right out," Gordon, who ended up 21st, said. "I'm just really disappointed because we fought hard today to come back to get what was going to be a pretty nice finish. The thing is, I'm just disappointed at how hard we had to fight for the position. The points are going to be what the points are going to be. We can't control what other people do."
"We can only control what we do. And today, we took back control when we got off, and we were coming. It's just unfortunate that that gets taken away from you because NASCAR doesn't want to end the race under yellow. I understand. You want to keep it entertaining and give the winner a shot at it but there are a lot of other things going on our there too. I think they completely disregarded that and hey, it's over now. We'll move on."
One of the other people that Gordon was referring to was Kyle Busch, who was the leader as the white flag lap. Busch, now one of five drivers with a win outside the top 10, looked poised for win number 2 and a steady grip on the final Wild Card spot until that crazy final lap that saw him end up seventh.
""Yeah, (Busch winning) would have impacted it in a big way," Gordon said. "Again, we can't control what other people do. We can only control what we do. And we're not wishing bad luck on anybody. We're trying to go out there and race as hard as we can and get the best finishes that we can get."
If drivers are tied for a Wild Card position via wins, the tiebreaker becomes points position, and thanks to his 11th place finish, Newman tentatively holds the tiebreaker amongst the five with a win, as they are ordered like this:
13. Newman, -49 points from 10th.
14. Busch, -55
15. Gordon, -59
17. Ambrose, -93
18. Logano, -106
Winless Carl Edwards still lurks in 12th, 43 points out of the top 10, and imagine the craziness that could ensue if Edwards wins at Michigan next week? The lack of separation between Newman, Busch and Gordon at this point may mean that avoiding a bad finish is as important as getting that second win, while Ambrose and Logano are strictly needing another win.
We're looking (for a win) next week," Ambrose, who is still searching for his first oval win, said. "We got the pole at Michigan (in June).� We were running top five all day there.� No reason we can't go there and surprise them again."
George Abecassis Kenny Acheson Andrea de Adamich Philippe Adams
Tuesday
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
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheNascarInsiders/~3/1cWsQhe5HFU/
2012 Brno Moto3 Race Report: Folger And Salom A Thorn In The Side Of The Championship Leaders
There is no doubt that the 2012 season summer break has given some riders like the Spaniard Luis Salom and German rider Jonas Folger just what they needed – plus machinery in Folger’s case - to believe in themselves as genuine Moto3 winners.
After finishing sixth in the standings last year, this year's winner of the Czech Moto3 Grand Prix Jonas Folger trusted his instincts very unsuccessfully at the start of 2012 season. Riding the all new Ioda Moto3 machine, the winner of the soaking wet 2011 British GP finished just one single race out of nine in the current season. This poor performance mainly came from the Ioda suffering from mechanical failures with terrifying frequencey, making a nightmare of what should have been a challenging season for the German rider.
Folger was nowhere near the front, in deep contrast indeed to some better results from less experienced new winners like Romano Fenati or Louis Rossi. It seemed there was no way out of such a frustrating situation, not until Spanish Moto3 Mapfre Aspar team decided to look for a new rider in the middle of the season.
Folger meets Aspar
Red Bull F1 car singing the National Anthem? Red Bull F1 car singing the National Anthem.
Look, we already know that robots will one day become our masters. We know they'll enslave us, but what we didn't know until now was that they'll also be singing our National Anthem:
That's precious. A lot better than Roseanne Barr or Carl Lewis, that's for sure. It's part of Red Bull Racing's "American Vacation," and this performance took place at New York's Liberty Park. At least we'll have entertainment while we're all fueling the Matrix.
Monday
Keselowski will run a Blue Deuce tribute to Rusty Wallace this weekend
It's always weird seeing someone else step into your shoes, particularly when your "shoes" have been a part of your identity for so long. Rusty Wallace was synonymous with the Blue Deuce for much of his Hall of Fame-caliber career, and now it's not his anymore. Kurt Busch ran it for awhile, and now the car belongs to Brad Keselowski. (Well, Penske Racing, but you know what we mean.)
But Rusty, who'll be inducted into the NASCAR Hall in 2013, has not been forgotten. Witness Keselowski's retro Deuce above, which he'll run in honor of Rusty this weekend at Bristol. It's a fitting place for a tribute; Wallace won nine times at Bristol. In 2000, which the throwback paint scheme honors (wait, does 2000 really count as a "throwback?"), Wallace won both races ... which, coincidentally enough, Keselowski is also attempting this weekend.
Mike Beuttler Birabongse Bhanubandh Lucien Bianchi Gino Bianco
Volkswagen CC ? Four Door Coupe
In order to compete in today?s auto industry; manufacturers have to constantly come up with new cars, models, safety features, design, etc. There were some doubts within the industry when Volkswagen unveiled their Passat CC in 2007, but as it happens, it turned out to be a worldwide success. The Passat CC was inspired by [...]
Source: http://www.autocarblog.co.uk/315-volkswagen-cc-four-door-coupe.html
Into the Crystal Ball? Its a REAL Twistie Edition
For the 28th year not in a row, open wheel descends upon the tight and twistie Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Lexington, Ohio will play host to the 12th round of the 2012 season and mark only the second of three … Continue reading 
Source: http://anotherindycarblog.wordpress.com/2012/08/02/into-the-crystal-ball-its-a-real-twistie-edition/
JeanDenis Deletraz Patrick Depailler Pedro Diniz Duke Dinsmore
Power Rankings: Blue Deuce Triumphant
The race is done, and that means it's time for Power Rankings. Each week throughout the season, we'll size up who's rising and who's falling, based on current standings, behind-the-scenes changes, expected staying power, recent history and general gut feelings. It is not scientific, nor is it meant to be. And remember, whoever your favorite driver is, we're biased against him and like someone else better. We continue with a new face 'round these parts:
1.� Brad Keselowski: So, was Keselowski's last-lap move on Kyle Busch good racing? Cheap shot? Karma for the #18? Whichever you choose ? and you've got evidence for all three ? you can't deny that Keselowski makes NASCAR much more interesting. He's going to be a lot of fun to watch in the Chase.� Last week: 6.
2. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson takes over the points lead thanks to yet another strong finish. Ho-hum. I'm thinking he might just have a chance at this whole six-time thing. I'm not seeing any real weaknesses; you? Last week: 1.
3. Jeff Gordon: Gordon remains one of the strongest drivers on the circuit right now, even if Watkins Glen didn't play out as he would have liked. He's now in a real dogfight for that final wildcard spot. He's running the best of any of the five guys seeking that slot, but that doesn't matter if one of them gets hot at exactly the right moment. Last week: 3.
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Road courses are Junior's Achilles Heel, but he did well enough on Sunday that he was in the mix right until one of those darned out-of-nowhere spins. I wonder, do drivers wake up on Monday morning after a road course race aching in all kinds of different places? Last week: 2.
5. Matt Kenseth: 'Sup, Matt. Nice run. So let's talk a little more road-coursing. Why do you think one isn't in the Chase? That was exciting, yes, but do you really want to have a Chase determined by some guy who out-drives his talent and puts a leader into the gravel? I would like to see a road course in the Chase, but I can see the arguments against it.� Last week: 5.
6. Greg Biffle: Nice bounceback for Biffle, who's weathering the inevitable midseason swoon and staying in the hunt. He's in the Chase, but he needs just a bit o' luck at the right time. Now is not yet that time. Last week: 8.
7. Kasey Kahne: Kasey is one of those guys who'll jump out and race wherever there's a race going on near the track, be it Nationwide, late models or lawnmowers. I kind of love that attitude, even if it probably horrifies his sponsors and those who put money into his career. Last week: 7.
8. Denny Hamlin: Not the best of weeks for Monsieur le Ham, but hey, he's got pretty much zero to worry about at this point. What would you do if you were a NASCAR driver with just a handful of races left before the playoffs? Go in strong with momentum, or coast and relax? Last week: 4.
9. Clint Bowyer: Hey, nice run for Rawhide this week. He's one of those sneaky-good guys who never wows you but is always lurking around. Kind of like Law & Order reruns. You can never ever get away from those.� Last week: 12.
10. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex's defenders email me every week demanding he get more play. Dudes. Your guy doesn't have a win in the last FIVE years. Bear in mind that the last Junior to go a long time without winning had to wear that as an anchor around his neck. You really want to do that to your boy? Last week: 10.
11. Tony Stewart: Tony Stewart's entire racing life is like an action-movie hero. There's rarely if ever a race where he just tools around, ticking off laps and getting a few points. It's always drama, wrecks, radio screaming, victory, defeat, lunacy, heroism ... works for me.� Last week: 11.
12. Kyle Busch: We haven't written our requisite "Kyle Busch has matured!" article this year, but after Sunday, we could have. Seriously, the guy gets turned on the last lap by a driver with whom he's had beef, losing the race. You were thinking Kyle was going to come out of the car guns blazing, right? But he goes into his trailer and calms down. Smaaaaart move. Last week: 12.
Dropping out of the rankings: Ryan Newman. Just barely. Call him 12.1.
Lucky Dog: Marcos Ambrose, of course. He's a longshot to make the Chase, but with just one more win, he'd be in. That's either very cool or a traveshamockery, one of the two. Still, good on ya, Aussie.
The Carl Edwards DNF: Jamie McMurray, who continues an inexplicable (well, maybe a little explicable) slide into irrelevance.
All right, your turn. Fire away, friends.
Sunday
Luxury Car Sales Jump Helps GKN Boost Profits
British automotive and airplane parts maker GKN has seen profits soar as the demand for luxury cars worldwide has shot up. The main reason for the massive profits increase is due to GKN?s Driveline business, which produces car parts such as chassis, axles and drive shafts. The sales rose from �1.3billion to �1.7billion at Driveline [...]
Source: http://www.autocarblog.co.uk/321-luxury-car-sales-jump-helps-gkn-boost-profits.html
2012 Brno Post-Race MotoGP Test Press Releases
Press releases from the MotoGP teams after the post-race test at Brno:
Year:
2012
Ty Dillon passes Kyle Busch late, gets first Truck Series victory
Ty Dillon joined his brother Austin as a winner in the Camping World Truck Series when he passed and pulled away from Kyle Busch with six laps remaining during Friday night's Jeff Foxworthy's Grit Chips 200.
(Yes, it truly was the Jeff Foxworthy's Grit Chips 200. Sometimes race sponsorships are a match made in heaven, aren't they?)
Anyway, it was Busch's first start in the Camping World Truck Series this season, and he led eight times for 75 laps. But soon after Dillon got by him on the inside for the race-winning pass, his truck got loose while he was in the high line and he scraped the wall.
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