Believe it or not, it?s even closer at the bottom of the top 10 now

While Jimmie Johnson is putting a whupping on the field ? his lead is 75 points over second place Clint Bowyer ? there wasn't any separation amidst the drivers fighting for the final Chase berths after Indianapolis.

It actually got closer. Thanks to mix of finishes, the gap between 8th and 13th place is now just a dozen points. And Ryan Newman, Sunday's winner, is still on the outside of the Chase.

8. Greg Biffle, 565 points: Biffle has historically been very good at Indianapolis. He wasn't at all on Sunday, where he finished 24th. His gap on 9th place went from 16 points to 1.

9. Kasey Kahne, -1 point to Biffle: Kahne's third place finishes moves him up a spot in the standings. While that's nice, it really doesn't mean much given how stacked together everyone in this vicinity is.

10. Jeff Gordon, -6 points: This is Gordon's first time in the top 10 since a brief appearance in 8th place after Phoenix. He finished 7th on Sunday.

11. Tony Stewart, -7 points: While Gordon has to worry about being in the top 10, Stewart's Dover win has him in line for the first Wild Card. Because of that, he doesn't have to spend as much time as Gordon does looking in the rear-view. Though Newman's win may change that.

12. Martin Truex Jr., -11 points: Going from 38th to 11th is an incredible accomplishment at a track like Indianapolis where it can be hard to pass. He's Wild Card No. 2 at the moment.

13. Brad Keselowski, -12 points: Brad is our biggest faller of the week after finishing 21st on Sunday and falling four positions. The Wild Card is of no use, yet, because Keselowski doesn't have a win.

14. Kurt Busch, -19 points: This is also where Busch finished on Sunday. As such, he didn't make up any spots in the points.

15. Jamie McMurray, -28 points: This is also where Jamie McMurray finished. Insert the second sentence about Kurt Busch here as well.

16. Ryan Newman, -31 points: 20 is the number for Newman at this point. That's the amount of points that separates him from Truex and the second Wild Card.

17. Aric Almirola, -36 points: Oh for heaven's sake, this is also where Almirola finished on Sunday. Though he moved down a spot in the standings.

18. Joey Logano, -41 points: Logano's top 10 run was rewarded aptly, but at 18th and 41 points behind 8th, that's not going to help make up a bunch of ground in a single race.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nascar-from-the-marbles/believe-not-even-more-jumbled-bottom-top-10-211042269.html

Rubens Barrichello Michael Bartels Edgar Barth Giorgio Bassi

Nationwide Craziest Moment: Elliott Sadler spins after contact with Regan Smith

A relatively uneventful Nationwide race at New Hampshire got wild over the final laps as a fuel mileage race turned into a festival of green-white-checker restarts, including Elliott Sadler's spin on the penultimate lap of the race.

On that final restart, Regan Smith started behind Sadler in the third row and dove to Sadler's inside as they headed into turn one. That put Sadler in the middle three-wide, and there just wasn't enough room. Smith's right front got into Sadler and around he went.

Sadler spun in front of most of the field, but wasn't hit by anyone else. And because the race was on its final GWC attempt, NASCAR kept it green. Sadler finished 18th, the final car on the lead lap.

Kyle Busch, the eventual race winner, dominated all day and was set to cruise to victory before Chad Hackenbracht spun to set up the first attempt at a GWC. An attempt that was quickly aborted shortly after the green flag flew when Landon Cassill was out of fuel in turn three.

On attempt two, with Busch still holding the lead, he almost made it back to the white flag, but Joey Logano made contact with Paul Menard as they were three wide with Trevor Bayne, and Menard went around. So did Parker Kligerman, who was behind the two, and he spun to the inside grass where he ended up stuck in the mud.

NASCAR red-flagged the race, setting up the final restart. Had the race stayed under caution, it's likely that many, if not all, of the leaders attempting to stretch their fuel tanks to the end would have run out of gas during the long caution.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nascar-from-the-marbles/nationwide-craziest-moment-elliott-sadler-spins-contact-regan-040748239.html

Martin Brundle Gianmaria Bruni Jimmy Bryan Clemar Bucci

On mergers and unifications: enduring the long road ahead

Source: http://www.popoffvalve.com/2012/9/6/3298289/on-mergers-and-unifications-enduring-the-long-road-ahead

Peter Ashdown Ian Ashley Gerry Ashmore Bill Aston

Driver Changes Entering Mid-Ohio

Source: http://www.16thandgeorgetown.com/2013/07/driver-changes-entering-mid-ohio.html

Rene Arnoux Peter Arundell Alberto Ascari Peter Ashdown

Being in the right place at the right time

You do not need to be a rocket scientist to work out that Fernando Alonso is frustrated. He joined Ferrari in 2010 and in his four seasons with the Italian team to date he has scored 11 victories in 68 races. He has been runner-up in the World Championship twice. Interestingly, when he was with […]

Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2013/07/30/being-in-the-right-place-at-the-right-time/

Warwick Brown Adolf Brudes Martin Brundle Gianmaria Bruni

Filtering?? New BMW M3

During this weekend have appeared on the net these photographs of study that we present today. They show us what we expected for a very long time, and there seems to be at all staged. Is this the next-generation BMW M3? All indications are that it is. We are in a more or less key [...]

Source: http://www.autocarblog.co.uk/475-filtering-new-bmw-m3.html

Jean Behra Derek Bell Stefan Bellof Paul Belmondo

Welcome to May!

  Welcome to May Welcome to the official opening day Social Media Garage live blog on a chilly day at the Greatest Race Course in the World. We?re starting a bit late due to the ridiculously chilly weather today but … Continue reading →

Source: http://anotherindycarblog.wordpress.com/2013/05/11/welcome-to-may/

Don Beauman Karl Gunther Bechem Jean Behra Derek Bell

Happy Hour: Jimmie Johnson and the live chat popularity of Joe Nemechek

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.

The mailbag is a little light this week, but the dominant topic? Jimmie Johnson, of course. But first, let's talk a little New Hampshire.

Outside of Johnson, the biggest non-no-penalty storyline of the weekend may be Morgan Shepherd becoming the oldest driver to start a Sprint Cup Series race. At 71, it's awesome to see Morgan still doing what he loves. That said, let's not overlook the fact that he's driving basically the 43rd car in an entered field of 43. And let's all hope that Morgan's first start in the Cup Series since 2006 is a tad more auspicious than the last time the No. 52 hit the track and another car on pit road at Sonoma.

The last 10 New Hampshire July races have had 10 different winners. Will we see No. 11 in 11? A Johnson win would break the streak; he won there in 2010.

Onto the questions:

Crabs in a bucket, that is what Jimmie Johnson's anti-fans are. If any crab starts climbing higher than the others, the rest pull it back down. Seems to be a huge resentment of genuine mastery amongst the crabs in the Nascar fans. I admire Jimmie Johnson, although I prefer some other drivers, and think more Nascar fans should be vocal about Johnson's amazing accomplishments.
- Lexi

For some reason, I now have "Suds in the Bucket" stuck in my head, and that song is just torturous to me. So thanks, Lexi!

NASCAR fans aren't alone in their treatment of Jimmie Johnson. It's not a perfect comparison -- especially because they didn't win five straight Super Bowls -- but would the Patriots be the football equivalent? They've been very good for a long time, and while NASCAR fans point to the suspensions and penalties that the No. 48 team has received over the years, NFL fans point to the Patriots' videotaping.

_____________________

What would the post race interviews be like had the #48 and the #5 roles had been reversed last week in Daytona? If the #5 car jumped out of line blocking(hanging the #48 out) and then blocked the #9 causing Jimmie Johnson to wreck? Would Johnson decline an interview like he's done in the past? Would he have acted like a past champion?
- Rick

First off, the idea that Johnson declined the interview at Kentucky is very, very, overblown, and seems to be a product of some vague language from TNT towards the end of the race. Johnson spoke to PRN and other reporters after the race. For whatever reason, TNT was not included in those reporters. Pretty straightforward.

I don't think Johnson would have been anything other than professional had the roles been reversed. Would he have been undoubtedly frustrated at losing a golden opportunity at a win for two weeks in a row? Of course. Would that frustration have come through in the interview? Likely. Would it have been "unbecoming" of a past champion? No.

_____________________

It is $25.00 to join the Joe Nemechek fan club on his website.....Think I'll just stick to the fan club on chat.
- Josh

I'm going to wager that if Joe's fan club in the Yahoo! Sports' live NASCAR chats all voted for him in the Sprint All-Star race voting, he'd get in by a landslide. Don't underestimate the power of the live chat, Joe. Mobilize your fans!

That's a perfect plug for Sunday's New Hampshire live chat, isn't it? Join us then, and then join us later next week. Hop online Sunday afternoon for details.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nascar-from-the-marbles/happy-hour-jimmie-johnson-live-chat-popularity-joe-000020888.html

Gary Brabham Jack Brabham† Bill Brack Ernesto Brambilla

It was an eventful day for Kyle Busch at Sonoma

Kyle Busch may still be looking in his rear view mirror.

Busch, who won at Sonoma in 2008, went spinning twice during Sunday's race. He recovered from the first, but the second incident ruined his day.

That happened on lap 83, when he and Carl Edwards were racing for position in the esses, the track's downhill section of winding curves. Busch was ahead of Edwards and Edwards thought he saw an opening to the left of Busch. But as soon as he went to make that move, Busch moved towards the space Edwards wanted and Busch went spinning off of Edwards right front bumper and into the tire barrier, wiping out the right side of Busch's car.

Before that, Busch had spent the majority of those 82+ laps making up the ground he lost when he was hit by Juan Pablo Montoya in the track's tight hairpin turn 11. Montoya wheel-hopped the car getting into the corner and he hit Busch in the right side, sending him around.

While Busch ended up 35th (after another spin, no less. This time, he went around after moving to the dirt to avoid another car under braking), Montoya and Edwards were in the top five as the white flag waved at Sonoma. Edwards ended up third while Montoya ran out of gas and finished 34th.

After the race, Edwards apologized for hitting Busch, while Montoya immediately apologized for the wheel-hop on his radio after that incident.

"I've got to apologize to the Gibbs guys, Kyle Busch and the 18 guys," Edwards said. "We swapped that position back and forth for a lap or so, got inside of him back there and I thought he knew I was there and ended up spinning him out."

As for Kyle? He had this to say on Twitter:

Awww. My heart melts for @jpmontoya who ran out of gas.

Busch is now 8th in the points standings, 16 points ahead of 11th place Paul Menard.

Related coverage on Yahoo! Sports:
? Power Rankings: Carl Edwards makes a huge leap
? Martin Truex Jr. ends drought at Sonoma
? Is the Chase for the Sprint Cup a good thing?

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nascar-from-the-marbles/eventful-day-kyle-busch-sonoma-235356864.html

George Amick Red Amick Chris Amon Bob Anderson

Could Fernando Alonso really go to Red Bull?

Talks between Fernando Alonso?s manager and Christian Horner have set up the intriguing possibility of the Spanish star emerging as a candidate for a Red Bull seat. While he obviously has a Ferrari contract it?s no secret that Alonso has … Continue reading →

Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2013/07/28/could-fernando-alonso-really-go-to-red-bull/

Kevin Cogan Peter Collins Bernard Collomb Alberto Colombo

Alonso: I Must Beat Vettel

Fernando Alonso believes that he must beat Sebastian Vettel in Hungary to keep his championship hopes alive. The Spaniard is now 34 points adrift of his rival, and is yet to win since the Spanish Grand Prix in May. Although there are still plenty of races left in 2013, Alonso says that it is vital [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/bO183w0juSA/alonso-i-must-beat-vettel

Keith Andrews Elio de Angelis Marco Apicella Mбrio de Araъjo Cabral

2013 MotoGP Championship Standings After Round 9, Laguna Seca, USA

MotoGP Championship standings for round 9, 2013

read more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MotoGPMatters/~3/Qwv-98uCq5M/2013_motogp_championship_standings_after.html

Andrea Chiesa Ettore Chimeri Louis Chiron Joie Chitwood

F1: The British Grand Prix - Now and Then...

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/52RLlx18q5Q/f1-british-grand-prix-now-and-then.html

Don Beauman Karl Gunther Bechem Jean Behra Derek Bell

Roberto Cavalli shows us his vision of the MINI Paceman

Roberto Cavalli, one of the most famous fashion designers in the world, today announced a MINI Paceman literally unique, a creation that has been undertaken to work closely with designers and engineers from the very MINI. The model was presented at an event in Vienna this same weekend, just hours before this MINI Paceman so [...]

Source: http://www.autocarblog.co.uk/482-roberto-cavalli-shows-us-his-vision-of-the-mini-paceman.html

Fabrizio Barbazza John Barber Skip Barber Paolo Barilla

Chrome Horn Episode 17: Road Course Randomness

Join special guest Jay Busbee and yours truly for the latest Chrome Horn podcast! Geoffrey Miller decided to go on vacation, so we talk road course racing, parallel parking, other weird things and there's even a Minka Kelly and Ryan Gosling reference in there somewhere too.

Got any questions for us to use in the mailbag or the podcast? Hit us at HappyHourMailbag@Yahoo.com. We may even do a live Hangout sometime soon.

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-17-road-course-randomness-124455912.html

Roberto Bussinello Jenson Button Tommy Byrne Giulio Cabianca

2013 Moscow World Supersport Race: Red-Flagged And Cancelled

The World Supersport race was red-flagged after just one lap as Andrea Antonelli was involved in a nasty crash on the straight. The one lap that was contested was a typical fight between Sam Lowes and Kenan Sofuoglu and Michael Van Der Mark was duelling with Vladimir Leonov for third.

The rain is too bad for a restart; there will be no more racing today, in any class.  There is no news on Antonelli's condition as yet.

Race Details

Round Number: 

8

2013

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MotoGPMatters/~3/_1HBUZWW-Wk/2013_moscow_world_supersport_race_red_fl.html

Jim Crawford Ray Crawford Alberto Crespo Antonio Creus

Into the Crystal Ball? 500 Miles To Go Edition

A 500 mile race in indycar racing, and especially the Indy 500, is an endurance test packaged as a sprint race. There is literally no time to think during this race, only time to allow ones instincts to make the … Continue reading →

Source: http://anotherindycarblog.wordpress.com/2013/05/23/1408/

Luki Botha JeanChristophe Boullion Sebastien Bourdais Thierry Boutsen

2013 Laguna Seca MotoGP QP Result: A Shock Top On Order

Results below

Race Details

Round Number: 

9

2013

read more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MotoGPMatters/~3/w4GAwgz19J0/2013_laguna_seca_motogp_qp_result.html

George Amick Red Amick Chris Amon Bob Anderson

Video: Nissan GT-R Alpha Omega Runs the Quarter in Under 8 Seconds

Posted on 07.20.2013 23:00 by Simona

In the past few months, AMS Performance’s GT-R Alpha Omega car smashed record after record. On July 13, 2013 the GT-R Alpha made history one more time: it managed to run the quarter mile in under 8 seconds, making the AMS GT-R the first 9, 8 and 7 second R35 GT-R!

Just 2 days before achieving this incredible result, the GT-R Alpha managed to run the quarter mile in 8.25 seconds at a speed of 185 mph. Still a very impressive result, but as the car seemed to be capable of much more. After two days, it was pushed to its limits once again and this time it managed to run the quarter mile in 7.984 seconds at a speed of 186.14 mph.

What’s even more incredible is that the car used to brake the record is a "full street trim car," with only some minor drag race parts added, like the parachute and the 18-inch drag wheels.

One more video after the jump.

Video: Nissan GT-R Alpha Omega Runs the Quarter in Under 8 Seconds originally appeared on topspeed.com on Saturday, 20 July 2013 23:00 EST.

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Source: http://www.topspeed.com/cars/car-news/video-nissan-gt-r-alpha-omega-runs-the-quarter-in-under-8-seconds-ar159734.html

Marcel Balsa Lorenzo Bandini Henry Banks Fabrizio Barbazza

Chrome Horn Episode 18: Daytona version 2.0

Join Geoffrey Miller and yours truly for the latest edition of our Chrome Horn podcast! We talk the winner of Daytona, no penalties, IndyCar at Pocono and unveil our Daytona Haikus.

Oh, there's also a lot of commercials.

Got any questions for us to use in the mailbag or the podcast? Hit us at HappyHourMailbag@Yahoo.com. We may even do a live Hangout sometime soon.

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-podcast-daytona-version-2-0-122724911.html

Ivan Capelli Piero Carini Duane Carter Eugenio Castellotti