TheNASCARInsiders.com
Follow the Insiders on Twitter or be a fan on Facebook!
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheNascarInsiders/~3/7quHncspnAg/
Christian Danner Jorge Daponte Anthony Davidson Jimmy Davies
Tuesday
Cup Start-And-Parks Dwindling
The practice of starting-and-parking has been a much discussed topic over the last couple of years. If you aren’t aware, starting-and-parking refers to a system in which teams enter a race and pull into the garage after only a few laps with a perfectly good race car in order to collect prize money. Teams can [...] 
Monday
Bridgestone Press Release: Hiroshi Yamada Reviews The Highs And Lows Of The 2013 MotoGP Season
With the racing season done, Bridgestone issued a press release looking back over the 2013 MotoGP season with Bridgestone's Motorsport Manager Hiroshi Yamada. The review covers the high points and the low points of 2013, with Yamada praising the depth of talent in the series and hailing the arrival of Marc Marquez in the premier class. Yamada also briefly reviews the events at Phillip Island, where Bridgestone totally misjudged the state of the newly resurfaced track. There is also some news of the 2014 season, with Bridgestone still evaluating the soft tire options for the new Open class MotoGP machines. The arrival of more powerful bikes such as the Honda RCV1000R and the Yamaha FTR make producing a soft tire for the bikes a more complicated endeavor. The press release appears below:
Hiroshi Yamada looks back over the 2013 MotoGP™ season
After one of the most exciting MotoGP™ campaigns in recent years, Bridgestone Motorsport Manager Hiroshi Yamada looks back on the highlights from this year, and gives a brief glimpse of the world’s largest tyre manufacturer’s approach to the 2014 season.
Yamada-san, how would you summarise the 2013 MotoGP season?
“Overall, I think this season has been fantastic – one of the best ever for the series. All the riders were performing at a very high level and to witness Marc break record after record and Jorge defend his title with so much passion, I think it brought many new fans to MotoGP. Personally, I was very happy to see that despite our focus on producing safer, more user-friendly tyres, eleven Circuit Best Laps and ten Circuit Record Laps were set this year, showing the performance potential of our BATTLAX tyres.
“Also, to start the year with 24 riders – the largest grid since Bridgestone started in MotoGP – shows how the series continues to grow and when I heard that the overall attendance figure this year was the highest ever, it reaffirmed to me that the 2013 season was one of the best ever.”
Year:
2013
Sunday
After crashing with Ty Dillon, Kevin Harvick says Dillons are reason he?s leaving RCR
Kevin Harvick's impending departure from Richard Childress Racing has been amicable. Emphasis on the past tense, please. Because it's not in the present tense any longer.
Harvick, who was racing in Saturday's Camping World Truck Series race, crashed with Ty Dillon with 11 laps to go after the two made contact. Dillon is Childress's grandson and drives for RCR in the Truck Series. RCR is the only Sprint Cup Series team that Harvick has driven for until next season, when he'll be with Stewart-Haas Racing.
After the crash, Harvick, who was driving for NTS Motorsports Saturday, stopped in Dillon's pit stall, where he was confronted by Dillon's crew -- and even had a sledgehammer thrown at his truck. Then, when he climbed from his battered truck in the garage, he had this to say:
?(Dillon) just dumped me," Harvick said. "Exactly the reason why I?m leaving RCR because you?ve got those kids coming up and they?ve got no respect for what they do in this sport and they?ve had everything fed to them with a spoon."
"So, I cut him slack all day and, you know, he just dive-bombs me in there, dumps me. I?ve got to thank all these Anderson Syrup guys for everything that they do (Harvick's race sponsor). It?s a shame you?ve got to get taken out by some rich kid like that.?
Well then.
"I?m pretty disappointed in the things that just went down," Dillon said after the race. "I used to look up to that guy but I guess he doesn?t understand the circumstances of what?s going on. I understand it?s tough racing down there in (turns) one and two at Martinsville.
"I know we wrecked, but to tear up a truck after the race and act like a punk on the track and on pit road and stop on pit road on my pit stall when my guys were coming out, that was pretty ridiculous. I?m not happy with him. And for him not to stick around, that?s pretty sad, too.?
Childress said that he was disappointed in the incident, but that he'd address Harvick face-to-face. (Harvick better check for a watch before that conversation.)
Ty Dillon is moving to the Nationwide Series in 2014 and his brother Austin, who has driven in place of the injured Stewart at SHR for two Cup races this season, is widely expected to take Harvick's spot at RCR next year. Harvick is currently in third place in the Cup standings, 26 points behind Jimmie Johnson. Will this carry over to Sunday, or the three Sundays following it?
- - - - - - -
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
?Formula One is too expensive? ? Todt | F1 Fanatic Round-up
In the round-up: Todt says F1 costs are too high ? Anthony Hamilton admits sponsorship deal was "scam" ? Kubica wins FIA 'Personality' award
Source: http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2013/12/08/f1-fanatic-round-up-0812/
Friday
Cup Start-And-Parks Dwindling
The practice of starting-and-parking has been a much discussed topic over the last couple of years. If you aren’t aware, starting-and-parking refers to a system in which teams enter a race and pull into the garage after only a few laps with a perfectly good race car in order to collect prize money. Teams can [...]
TheNASCARInsiders.com
Follow the Insiders on Twitter or be a fan on Facebook!
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheNascarInsiders/~3/7quHncspnAg/
Fuel Economy Tips Courtesy of Hypermilers
Hypermiling is a sensation which is sweeping the nation and becoming more and more common. In order to make your car as fuel efficient as absolutely possible, it is the act of using every little trick in the book. This can turn a relaxing drive into a stressful one since you have to pay attention […]
Source: http://www.autocarblog.co.uk/574-fuel-economy-tips-courtesy-of-hypermilers.html
Thursday
Wednesday
Tuesday
IRS says that Juan Pablo Montoya owes $2.7 million
The IRS wants some cash from Juan Pablo Montoya. Cash that it says he didn't report on his income taxes.
The report from Forbes says that Montoya has admitted to having $800,000 more in receipts and items that he didn't report, but that he's challenging the rest of what the IRS says he owes of $2.7 million in a lawsuit.
The lawsuit states that Montoya sold his image licensing rights to a Bahamanian company his father set up called "JPM Motorsport." That was in 2001, when Montoya was in F1. Before Montoya made the switch to NASCAR, tax advisers told them to "domesticate his foreign assets to the U.S." So an LLC was set up in Delaware named Monty Motorsport.
From Forbes:
Here?s where it gets interesting, becoming either a sham (the IRS view) or a clever, if aggressive, tax arbitrage between Montoya?s status as a non- U.S. resident in 2006 and a U.S. resident in 2007. In 2006, Montoya?s JPM Motorsport sold his Driver Identification to his Monty Motorsport for a $15 million note. Monty Motorsport then began amortizing (writing down the value of) its $15 million investment, claiming a deduction of $1.4 million in 2007 and $1 million in 2008. The IRS disallowed the deductions, listing six possible grounds on which they could be thrown out, including that all the related party transactions were a sham and that their principal purpose was to ?improperly claim amortization deductions in self-created intangibles and to artificially create basis for such deductions.?
As Forbes notes, Montoya is joining Penske Racing next year to run in the IndyCar Series full-time. His future teammate is Helio Castroneves, who was acquitted on felony tax charges in 2009.
- - - - - - -
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!
Monday
2014 World Superbike And World Supersport Provisional Calendar Released - With Many Question Marks
At long last, the FIM and Dorna have released a calendar for the World Superbike and World Supersport classes for 2014. The calendar features fourteen World Superbike events, but it is still very much a provisional list, with three of the fourteen still subject to contract, and the final race still marked as to be confirmed, with neither the location nor the country known.
The season kicks off as always in Australia, the World Superbike and World Supersport classes headed to the Phillip Island circuit for the opener on 23rd of February. There follows another WSBK tradition: the interminable wait for round 2. In 2014, there are seven weeks between the first and second rounds, with the second event taking place at the Motorland Aragon circuit just outside of Alcañiz. The WSBK circus then takes off for a tour through Europe, heading to Assen, Imola and Donington Park, before heading overseas again to Sepang, and a Malaysian round. Two rounds in Europ follow, at Misano and Portimao, before the World Superbike class heads to Laguna Seca, taking the slot vacated by the MotoGP class.
Sunday
Happy Hour: Looking to the future and looking to the Dodgey past
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.
As Geoffrey Miller and I discussed on the award-winning Chrome Horn podcast, the Travis Kvapil story has disappeared in the wake of the Charlotte race and the NASCAR schedule unveiling. Of all the stories to have a short shelf life, the one that doesn't need one seems to have one.
Not that we want to be talking about a driver being charged with domestic violence by any means, but this is something that shouldn't have been pushed aside so quickly. Want more on that? Listen to the podcast.
Hey, there's also the news of Todd Parrott, the highest profile crew member to be suspended because of NASCAR's substance abuse policy. While I understand NASCAR's no tolerance policy completely, this news combined with the no news on Kvapil makes it impossible not to go "Hmm..."
Oh, real quick! We've professed our love for Steve Wallace's songs before, and every listen of his song here through October will be donated to cancer research. Keep on writing the racing songs, Steve.
Now, let's talk about the schedule, shall we? And those communists at NBC. Let's start with a doozy.
I'm a nascar fan but I. Won't watch it on nbc that is a leftist leaning they hate American thAt want are rights and freedoms but the goverment controled network they got there heads so far up Obama ass that if he stops they will come out his mouth. I will not watch anything on nbc.
- Donald
Please note that we did not touch up anything that Donald wrote in this email. The cleanest line of copy was the "Sent from my iPhone" tagline at the bottom. Donald can blame fat fingers for his typing, but I'm not sure what he can blame for his ridiculous thinking.
----------------
FUNNY--NO ONE ever mentions as to how Brad K. did so well last year--out of the chase this year. How can you "experts" be so stupid? The reason is D-O-D-G-E. Most everyone wants them out , and,as usual, they got their wish. DODGE is the reason Brad won last year-against HUGE odds. No one wanted DODGE to win--they did everything they could to stop him--but 2 Dodges in the whole field in 2012--One guy named Brad--WINS "all the marbles" as you say. Now he drives Ford--the results speak for themselves in 2013. I should be writing your editorials--it's SO easy to see why Brad did lousy this year. Did you EVER think what would happen in Nascar if Dodge had as many entries as GM, Ford, & "Rice burner"? They would run away with the field as they do in Canadian Tire series in Ontario, Canada. This is WHY the other 3 manufacturers have tried SO HARD to get Chrysler out of NASCAR. This is NOT NEW. They've been trying since back in the '60's when the vaunted Hemi took over . GM & Ford were so mad--they pulled the "money strings" with the NASCAR management to get this engine outlawed. So, here we are again--Chrysler gets back in in 2001--took them 11 years to get Chrysler back out of it. It's so plain --you dummies can't see it!!!!!
- Dan
Maybe I'm insane, but no one wanted Dodge out of racing. It was a matter of financial commitment and the ability of teams to find other manufacturers with more resources.
There's also absolutely no basis of comparison for "Dodge is the reason why Penske missed the Chase this year with Brad." They had an EFI problem earlier in the season, and then a crash and Richmond and so on and so forth. Is that stuff going to happen regardless of manufacturer? Likely.
Dan, do you also still think the Hemi was being run in NASCAR? Maybe that was Penske's secret last year. Brad had a Hemi engine!
@NickBromberg Do you think the rumored schedule changes for 2015 will really be that dramatic or this just NASCAR over hyping stuff again?
? Chris Nulty (@RealChrisNulty) October 17, 2013
How sad is it that wondering about overhype is a completely warranted and natural reaction to anything in NASCAR these days?
I like to think that it is, and I'm optimistic that there will be some significant shifts. Will they be as significant as a lot of people want them to be? Likely not, and therein lies the problem.
There are so many fans who want a complete -- or near complete -- overhaul of the NASCAR schedule that anything that the sanctioning body does will come up short in the minds of a vocal minority.
And look, it's not possible for NASCAR to throw everything away and start over again. There are too many ties that bind to make it happen and too many people to please. And with so many tracks tied to two Cup dates, there isn't a ton of flexibility.
But while there's not a ton, there's some. And I'm hoping that NASCAR takes advantage of it. But be forewarned, brace yourselves for the cacophony from the echo chamber about race manipulation if the NASCAR season ends with a restrictor plate race. That could be nauseating.
Grand Prix of Indy, a Few Local Reactions
Road racing is on at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and there were more than a few questions concerning the whole package. As the self-appointed every-mans indianpolis based indycar lifer and racing addict, I think some pedestrian opinion could be just … Continue reading 
Source: http://anotherindycarblog.wordpress.com/2013/10/01/grand-prix-of-indy-a-few-local-reactions/
Saturday
Stewart-Haas Racing names Daniel Knost as Kurt Busch?s crew chief
Daniel Knost will be the crew chief for Kurt Busch at Stewart-Haas Racing next year.
The team announced Knost's promotion along with some other organizational changes on Tuesday, including the official announcement that Chad Johnston would be atop the pit box for Tony Stewart.
Greg Zipadelli, who was Stewart's crew chief at Joe Gibbs Racing and has served as the team's competition director, will be the teams vice president of competition. Matt Borland, formerly Ryan Newman's crew chief, will be the team's vice president of engineering.
Knost has been with the team since before it was Stewart-Haas Racing and was Haas-CNC Racing. He formerly served as the race engineer for Newman's car.
Rodney Childers will be Kevin Harvick's crew chief and Tony Gibson will be staying with Danica Patrick.
?Our greatest asset at Stewart-Haas Racing is our people,? Stewart said in a release. ?Obviously, there is a lot of change happening for 2014 as we grow to four teams and bring in Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch. But with our new management structure and the crew chiefs we have in place, we?re well positioned to handle whatever challenges come our way. Collectively, we have the experience and wherewithal necessary for each of our teams to perform at the highest level possible.?
In other crew chief news, Mike Kelley will be the crew chief for Ricky Stenhouse Jr. next season, replacing Scott Graves. Graves is moving to the Nationwide Series for Roush Fenway. Kelley and Stenhouse won the 2011 and 2012 Nationwide Series titles together.
- - - - - - -
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
Jerez World Superbike Test Press Releases
Press releases from some of the World Superbike teams after the test at Jerez:
Year:
2014 Luki Botha JeanChristophe Boullion Sebastien Bourdais Thierry Boutsen
Thursday
2013 Round-Up ? How Did They Do? (Part Two)
Yesterday we looked at the backmarkers (Click here to catch up) so today it makes sense to look up the grid to assess how the drivers in the more impressive machinery performed. CLICK HERE TO REVEAL PART 2 OF OUR REVIEW
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/7rTVY6FmyMs/2013-round-up-how-did-they-do-part-two
Gerhard Berger Eric Bernard Enrique Bernoldi Enrico Bertaggia
Wednesday
Tuesday
Who Will Fall Off Of The 2014 Driver Merry-Go-Round?
No sooner than the chequered flag was waved in Brazil to signal the end to another enthralling year, focus was turned squarely at next year?s grid and which drivers will miss out. In case you?ve been living in isolation for the last couple of months, there have been a couple of movers and shakers already. [...]
Alonso admits frustration at elusive third title | F1 Fanatic Round-up
In the round-up: Alonso will be sad to end career with just two titles ? Maldonado's fate to be revealed soon ? Honda's V8 powerplant revealed in detail
Source: http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2013/11/25/f1-fanatic-round-up-2511/
Monday
Iowa Rain Out Causes Pit Crew Problems
On a normal NASCAR weekend when the Truck Series and/or Nationwide Series run companion to the Cup cars, there are a lot of pit crew members who double or triple dip. Crew members make some extra cash and get more reps, and the teams get top talent pitting their cars. But this last weekend presented [...] 
TheNASCARInsiders.com
Follow the Insiders on Twitter or be a fan on Facebook!
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheNascarInsiders/~3/R3FUmt0CNcQ/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)