Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2012/09/hamilton_looks_for_long-term_s.html
Monday
Jimmie Johnson tried to put a vise grip on his shifter while driving
The shifter handle on the transmission of Jimmie Johnson's car broke during Sunday's race at Michigan, so he and his team had to take drastic measures.
When Johnson pitted under green the team handed him a pair of pliers and a vise grip to attach to the remaining part of the shifter handle so Johnson could shift the gears in the car.
However, he couldn't get the vise grip onto the shifter handle. When Johnson pitted he was in high gear; after his team pushed him away from his pit stall he tried to get the vise grip on the handle.
A process that continued as he exited pit road.
And continued some more as he got onto the track and accelerated toward full speed.
It was an incredible moment of multi-tasking that a mere mortal would have incredible issues with. And we'll also be honest, it's a little bit dangerous too. We all know how dangerous texting and driving can be, but fixing your transmission and driving? Though given the preponderance of automatic transmissions in passenger cars, we won't see a new set of commercials against this.
But it's also worth pointing out, if you didn't already know, that Johnson is more than a mere mortal when it comes to driving a car. He's a six-time Sprint Cup Series champion with more car control than you, me, your best friend and your brother combined. If anyone could keep a car pointed straight and out of the racing line while attempting to do this, it's Johnson.
However, Johnson wasn't successful in his efforts. He lost a lap while trying to get the shifter fixed and his team ended up fixing it on a subsequent pit stop. However, he got the lap back and ultimately finished ninth.
"Multiple attempts," Johnson said. "[The crew] handed me some tools and I didn't have success trying to get that fixed. They had some contraption with a vise grip to try to figure that out and it fell off before I even got back to pit in under caution. So once I could get the wire tie busted and get the boot down I could see what was wrong and we were kind of able to adjust from there and [car chief] Ron Malec dove in the right side window and got it sorted out."
The shifter wasn't the only thing Johnson had issues with during the race as well. After the race he and Ryan Newman had a discussion about some on-track contact in the late laps. Johnson characterized the discussion about the racing as "normal Ryan stuff."
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
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Sunday
Report: Nationwide Series will become the Xfinity Series
NASCAR's No. 2 series has found a sponsor for 2015.
According to the Sports Business Daily, NASCAR is expected to announce a deal with Comcast next week for the title sponsorship of what's now the Nationwide Series. It'll be a 10-year deal that turns the series into the Xfinity Series.
From SBD:
Comcast emerged as a viable replacement after the company?s sports TV group, NBC, signed a 10-year, $4.4B rights deal with NASCAR. As part of the deal, Comcast agreed to spend $10M marketing and promoting the sport. Its marketing team saw title sponsorship of NASCAR?s secondary series as a way to fulfill that obligation and also promote its cable TV, broadband and phone business unit, Xfinity.
The report says that Comcast initially wanted a shorter term deal than 10 years, however it decided to match the length of the deal signed by NBC.
Comcast will spend $9 million in rights fees, down from the $12-15 million NASCAR was reportedly asking. Nationwide paid $10 million per season. The insurance company is going to sponsor Dale Earnhardt Jr. for 12 races in 2015.
We're no marketers, but here's to guessing there will be some sort of promotional campaign about how drivers in NASCAR's No. 2 series are "the X factor." Or something's "the X factor." It has to happen, doesn't it?
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
Saturday
Video: Jay Leno Tests Carbon Revolution's Carbon-Fiber Wheels
It?s no secret that carbon fiber is one of the latest breakthrough materials that provides a high-strength, low-weight solution to nearly any problem. Today it is used in making body panels, support bracing, and even entire monocoque chassis. But now, companies are developing complete one-piece carbon-fiber wheels. Jay Leno takes a look at Carbon Revolution, a company that is on the brink of releasing its carbon-fiber wheels to the marketplace, including to an undisclosed OEM automaker. Yep, soon we?ll see a mainstream automaker release a vehicle rolling on a set of carbon-fiber wheels.
Brett Gass, Executive Director for Carbon Revolution stopped by Jay?s garage to show off the new wheels. Weighing in at roughly 15 pounds, the carbon-fiber wheels weigh an average of five pounds less than a set of lightweight aluminum wheels normally found of today?s sports cars. Gass also elaborates on how his wheel is certified by the German government to pass all safety and strength requirements.
To test the wheels, Jay, Gass, and a group of friends head out to Willow Springs Raceway in a 2008 Porsche 911 GT3 RS. Besides a sideways slip into the dirt by Jay, the carbon fiber-shod Porsche holds the road. The group of guys talk about how standard, lightweight aluminum wheels flex, while the carbon-fiber rims don?t. The premise seems a little far-fetched to me that a novice driver in a borrowed car can feel the aluminum wheels flex, though I don?t doubt the benefits of lighter wheels. Either way, it?s an interesting look at the future of wheel design and construction.
Video: Jay Leno Tests Carbon Revolution's Carbon-Fiber Wheels originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 12 September 2014 13:00 EST.
Friday
BMW 2 Series Convertible
BMW announced its new 2 Series convertible, including the M235i and this 228i, in September 2014. While the M235i will be the choice of most enthusiasts and weekend track rats, the standard 228i and the 228i xDrive will be the ones found at Whole Foods and Macy?s, and will constitute the bulk of 2 Series sales. That?s not a bad thing, however, as the BMW?s latest drop top checks all the right boxes for topless automotive fun.
A high-strung, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine comes boosted by a twin-scroll turbocharger and is backed by an eight-speed automatic with paddle shifters or a six-speed manual. The quick-shifting flappy paddle helps the 228i hit 60 mph in a surprising 5.7 seconds. What?s more, the 228i?s chassis share many of its designs and parts with the 228i coupe, giving it some street cred right out of the box.
The 228i xDrive brings an extra level of usability to the 2 Series Convertible?s lineup. With a normal torque split favoring the rear axle, the xDrive 2 has plenty of sport still in its chassis. However, when the weather turns rough, all four wheels grip the road. The xDrive system even makes itself useful in the dry, helping the 228i xDrive knock a tenth of a second off the 228i?s 0 to 60 mph time.
While the now-dead 1 Series may have been the first drop-top contender in the premium sub-compact segment, the new 228i and 228i xDrive take the legacy into the future. If 1 Series 130,000 units sold worldwide is any indication of the 2 Series Convertible’s potential success, BMW?s latest convertible will have no trouble finding homes.
Click past the jump to read more about the BMW 2-Series Convertible.
BMW 2 Series Convertible originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 11 September 2014 16:00 EST.
Source: http://feeds.topspeed.com/~r/topspeed/~3/xf0Bm7zJByA/2015-bmw-2-series-convertible-ar129351.html
Thursday
Wednesday
Unfiltered Race Notes: Pocono 2014
Welcome to the always off-the-cuff unfiltered race notes for race two of the Grand Prix of Houston. This is just my internal monologue that runs throughout the race. Sit back and enjoy! –Prerace– 500 miles? very yes Flashback to 2014. … Continue reading 
Source: http://anotherindycarblog.wordpress.com/2014/07/06/unfiltered-race-notes-pocono-2014/
Sherry Pollex, girlfriend of Martin Truex Jr., diagnosed with ovarian cancer
Furniture Row Racing announced Wednesday that Sherry Pollex, the girlfriend of Martin Truex Jr., was recently diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
"Everyone at Furniture Row Racing extends their thoughts and prayers to Sherry during her treatment and recovery period," Furniture Row GM Joe Garone said in a statement. "She is a devoted supporter of our race team and we can't wait for her return to the track."
The team said that Truex would miss Friday's activities at Michigan which include practice and qualifying. Matt Crafton will drive the car in his absence.
Since 2007, Truex and Pollex have been hosting Catwalk for a Cause to benefit Levine Children's Hospital and children diagnosed with pediatric cancer in Charlotte, N.C.
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
Tuesday
Monday
Sunday
Saturday
Chase Watch: The drama of the next two weeks got ratcheted down
Ryan Newman, Clint Bowyer and Greg Biffle are suddenly feeling pretty safe.
12 drivers have won a race this season and Matt Kenseth, who is winless and in fifth in the points standings, is a virtual lock to make the Chase barring two disastrous finishes. If the Chase started now, 24 races into the season, the next three spots would be filled by winless drivers. And those winless drivers would be Newman, Bowyer and Biffle.
By avoiding poor finishes on Saturday night at Bristol, the three put some separation between all other winless drivers in the battle for the final three Chase spots.
As we said last week, it's possible that a winless driver could win before the Chase begins. But there have only been two first-time winners in the last 12 races. The odds aren't good, especially when you consider those first-time winners came at a restrictor plate track and a road course.
Based on that, we're going with the assumption that there are three "bubble" spots for the Chase. And, well, they're not really much of a bubble after Bristol. Here's how the battle for the final Chase spots looks with two to go.
Matt Kenseth (5th in points, 57 points ahead of Greg Biffle): We're just putting Kenseth here to show how much of a crater he'd have to fall into at Atlanta and Richmond to miss the Chase. He finished third at Bristol.
Ryan Newman (9th, +16): Newman started 11th and finished 13th, which about sums up his season to-date, don't you think?
Clint Bowyer (10th, +5): Bowyer sustained some pretty severe damage in his run-in with Kyle Busch but it was far from terminal. It meant Bowyer only lost a couple of laps and ended up 17th.
Greg Biffle (11th, 26 points ahead of Kyle Larson): If Biffle makes the Chase, he has Marcos Ambrose to thank. Biffle was being black flagged for a flapping rear bumper cover after contact on track, but instead of having to serve the penalty and remove the bumper under green, Ambrose crashed and brought out a caution. Biffle's team made the repairs under yellow and he ended up finishing 10th.
Kyle Larson (12th, -26): Finishing in the same vicinity as the guys you're racing against isn't horrible unless you need to make up a lot of points on them. Larson needs to make up a lot of points. He finished 12th.
Kasey Kahne (13th, -33): Kahne had to pit under green for a loose wheel and lost two laps. Not long after that, a caution came out and Kahne was essentially trapped. Then he had to go behind the wall later in the race. Look for the No. 5 team to go for broke at Atlanta. He finished 35th at Bristol.
Austin Dillon (14th, -40): Dillon hit the wall early and that meant a really long night. He finished 28th.
Paul Menard (15th, -45): PFM is less than a full race out of the Chase and finished 9th so we can't ignore him. Yet, anyway. He's going to have to make up points at Atlanta to be more than just on the mathematical periphery at Richmond.
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
Friday
Tony Stewart will not race at Bristol as Jeff Burton substitutes for him again
Tony Stewart is not driving at Bristol.
The team announced Wednesday afternoon that Jeff Burton would substitute for Stewart again. Burton drove the No. 14 at Michigan. Stewart has not driven in a Sprint Cup Series race since he struck and killed Kevin Ward at a dirt track in upstate New York on August 9.
Just like with Burton's appearance in Stewart's car last week, the team said the decision only pertains to Bristol and that any decision on Atlanta, the next race on the Sprint Cup circuit, hasn't been made.
The investigation into Ward's death is still ongoing by the Ontario County (N.Y.) Sheriff's Department. Last week, Sheriff Philip Povero said the investigation could take two weeks. There are no criminal charges pending against Stewart at the current time and Povero said last week there was no evidence of criminal intent.
Burton's ride at Michigan was cut short because of a broken tailpipe on Sunday. The team said a crack in the tailpipe meant heat was catching the heat shields underneath the car on fire.
Burton has driven in three Cup Series races this year. He drove twice previously for Michael Waltrip Racing and is going to be an analyst for NBC's race coverage in 2015.
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
Pit Gun Technology Speeding Up Pit Stops
It’s been a common thread this year; a driver has a shot to win, but a bad pit stop or two derails the whole day and somebody ends up getting called out on the radio or national television. Yes, the pressure is as high as it’s ever been on the pit crews with track position […] 
TheNASCARInsiders.com
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheNascarInsiders/~3/8Tix6IzDGf0/
Thursday
Infiniti Q80 Inspiration
While everybody seems to be all caught up with the Q50 Eau Rouge, Infiniti is preparing another vehicle that?s expected to steal some shine away from the sports sedan. I mean that in a good way, of course. The model in question is called the Q80 Inspiration and not surprisingly, it?s headed to the Paris Motor Show.
The Japanese automaker is promising the world with the Q80 Inspiration, describing it as the peak of its model lineup. Those are big words for a company that?s been aggressively trying to reinvent itself as a premium brand capable of giving its German rivals a serious run for their money.
If the Q80 Inspiration lives up to its hype, then you better believe that Infiniti will get the attention of BMW, Audi, and Mercedes.
The Q80 Inspiration has been scheduled to make its debut on October 2, 3:30 p.m. local time in Paris. That?s 9:30 a.m. EDT on the East Coast.
Click past the jump to read more about the Infiniti Q80 Inspiration.
Infiniti Q80 Inspiration originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 3 September 2014 17:00 EST.
Source: http://feeds.topspeed.com/~r/topspeed/~3/d406APzrRbY/2015-infiniti-q80-inspiration-ar165185.html
Eugenio Castellotti Johnny Cecotto Andrea de Cesaris Francois Cevert
Wednesday
Tuesday
Unfiltered Race Notes: Iowa 300 2014
Welcome back to another enthralling edition of whatever it is that you call this. Rain rain rain in Iowa this weekend so I hope we can get all 300 laps in at a reasonable hour tonight. Strap in and enjoy … Continue reading 
Source: http://anotherindycarblog.wordpress.com/2014/07/12/unfiltered-race-notes-iowa-300-2014/
Jaime Alguersuari Philippe Alliot Cliff Allison Fernando Alonso
Monday
Sunday
Bristol spring race in 2015 will move to April, Southern 500 back to Labor Day weekend
The Sprint Cup Series will be back at Darlington on Labor Day Weekend.
The move will become official on Tuesday when NASCAR announces the full Sprint Cup Series schedule, but Bruton Smith said Darlington Raceway was moving its race back to the weekend when Bristol Motor Speedway announced that its spring weekend would be moving from March to April on Friday.
Bristol's first race in 2015 will be on April 19.
"I think we did them a favor and they did us one," Smith said via USA Today. "I think they kind of needed that Southern 500 thing back in Darlington. So going back there, I thought that was a good thing."
The Labor Day weekend spot is now held by Atlanta, which took the date from California, the track that the Cup Series raced at after it moved Darlington's traditional Labor Day date. Atlanta, as reported by ESPN and SiriusXM's Jim Noble earlier this week, will move to March in 2015.
Atlanta, like Darlington, used to have two races but now has one. Darlington's race was on Mother's Day Weekend before being shifted to April this year. Kansas took the Mother's Day Weekend spot.
The schedules for all three NASCAR series will be announced at 5 p.m. ET Tuesday.
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
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