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Saturday
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 […] 
Friday
Motor racing and politics
With the Russian Grand Prix coming up, the F1 world must again face the question of whether sport should be treated as something unconnected with the real world, or whether it should be treated as an integral part of the political landscape. It is not an easy question to answer because, on the one hand, […]
Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2014/09/26/motor-racing-and-politics/
Thursday
Brad Keselowski takes lead with three-wide pass, wins at Chicago
Brad Keselowski saw Kevin Harvick and Kyle Larson battling for the lead ahead of him and as Larson went high and Harvick went low heading into turn one, Keselowski took the middle.
It was the right option.
Keselowski stormed past both drivers and held on for the lead through a last restart to win the first race of the 2014 Chase for the Sprint Cup on Sunday at Chicago.
Larson and Harvick were having a fantastic battle off a restart with 18 laps to go. Larson had the lead and Harvick, who restarted second, was able to hang with him. The two ran side by side for virtually the entirety of two laps, but the great racing came at a price.
Keselowski was hanging around in third and got an incredible draft of the huge hole in the air the two were creating with 16 laps to go. As Harvick headed to the white line and Larson went towards the wall, Keselowski cut the middle and was clear by the time he was on the backstretch.
"I'm not really sure," Keselowski responded when asked how he made the pass in victory lane. "I'll have to watch the ESPN replay to figure it out. But we obviously had a great car ... these Fords have really come together for a strong Chase run."
Last week, Keselowski won the last race before the Chase at Richmond for his fourth win, a victory that gave him solitary possession of first place for the Chase. With the win at Chicago, he keeps first place in the Chase and may put him in place for a repeat. Keselowski won at Chicago en route to the 2012 title. (Oh, and Keselowski is also guaranteed a spot through the first elimination round of the Chase.)
It was a win that came without the benefit of great track position too. Keselowski and his teammate Joey Logano have been the masters of qualifying this season but Friday's qualifying session was washed out. The lineup was set on practice speeds and both Penske cars started in the 20s. It ultimately didn't matter.
And neither did late pit stop trouble. Keselowski had to pit a second time under caution on lap 184 because of a potential loose wheel. He restarted 17th after starting at the back of the field but quickly sliced and diced his way up through the field. He was ninth within 25 laps and two more late cautions helped his ascent.
Jeff Gordon finished second and he's second in the points standings, seven behind Keselowski. Larson finished third while Joey Logano was fourth and Harvick was fifth.
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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!
Wednesday
Watch Tony Stewart's press conference at 1 p.m. ET here
Tony Stewart will meet with the media at Atlanta Motor Speedway at 1 p.m. ET on Friday. It's his first media availability since he struck and killed Kevin Ward in a sprint car race in upstate New York on August 9. Watch the session live at the video feed above.
Stewart is making his return to the Sprint Cup Series this weekend at Atlanta, where he'll race Sunday night. It's his first Sprint Cup race since the accident.
The investigation into the accident by the Ontario County (N.Y.) Sheriff's Department is still ongoing. We'll have further coverage of Stewart's return after his press conference Friday afternoon.
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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
Joey Logano wins and puts both Team Penske cars into the next Chase round
New Hampshire has been very kind to Joey Logano.
Statistically, Logano hasn't been great at the one-mile track (his average finish entering the race was 19.3), but it's the site of Logano's first Sprint Cup Series win and now his latest one as he pulled away from Kevin Harvick on multiple late race restarts to win on Sunday.
He's now guaranteed to advance to the next round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup along with last week's winner and Team Penske teammate Brad Keselowski after next week's race at Dover.
The race featured 15 cautions, the second-most in New Hampshire history, and after Logano took the lead from Harvick under green with more than 20 laps to go, he held on to it over the course of three restarts.
Logano got to the front with a strategy call that looked iffy at the time. Track position is always a dominant theme at New Hampshire and the first half of the race had largely been a green-flag affair. On lap 247, some 30 laps after the leaders last pitted, Logano's crew chief Todd Gordon called him down to pit road for four tires.
The call put Logano back in the pack, but it didn't matter. With fresher tires than the cars ahead of him, he sliced through the field.
"I thought we gave it away at that point," Logano said of pitting. "Man, four tires were good and we had some good restarts and were able to get ourselves back up there and had to work hard. This is my home race track. This is the coolest place to win for me. I could never pick a better place to win. I watched my first Cup race here when I was five and I won that other Cup race here and I just felt that I had to win one here the right way."
The "other" Cup race Logano refers to was on June 28, 2009. Logano, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing in his first full season in the Cup Series replacing Tony Stewart, played the fuel strategy game with then-crew chief Greg Zipadelli. It was his only choice after a cut tire and a car that was nowhere near the fastest on track. But it worked. When rain arrived to call the race early with 27 laps remaining, Logano was the leader.
There was no such trickeration on Sunday. He had one of the fastest cars throughout the course of the race and while Harvick, who ultimately finished third, felt Logano might have been accelerating too quickly on those restarts, he didn't have a car quick enough to chase Logano down once the lead had been established.
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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!
Roberto Bussinello Jenson Button Tommy Byrne Giulio Cabianca
Monday
The Home Racers Assessed
The German Grand�Prix provided an opportunity to add the garnish to an already euphoric population, who are still celebrating their World Cup win. With four countrymen on the grid, and one driving a silver arrow, there was a high chance of German success once the lights went out. The Hockenheimring gave Nico Rosberg, Sebastian Vettel, [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/b0XFeG5hVG0/the-home-racers-assessed
Sunday
2014 Singapore Grand Prix in pictures | F1 Pictures
The 2014 Singapore Grand Prix in pictures.
Source: http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2014/09/21/2014-singapore-grand-prix-pictures/
Saturday
Hamilton pips Rosberg to crucial Singapore pole | 2014 Singapore Grand Prix qualifying
With two minutes to go in Q3 there was no Mercedes in the top five. But they bounced back to claim their seventh front-row lock-out for 2014.
Source: http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2014/09/20/2014-singapore-grand-prix-qualifying-report/
Andrea de Cesaris Francois Cevert Eugene Chaboud Jay Chamberlain
Kasey Kahne at last nabs Chase spot as Kyle Busch's woes continue
HAMPTON, Ga. - Rest easy, mature ladies of NASCAR. Your boy made the Chase.
If this race were a romance novel, which fits the boyish good looks of race winner Kasey Kahne, it'd be titled "Kahne's Konundrum," or "Racin' Kasey," and it'd have dashing heroes (Kahne, of course) and scheming suitors (Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick) and even a villain (Kyle Busch) who almost vanquished our hero's chances of winning the heart of his beloved Chase Bertha. (All right, we'll work on the name.)
Alas, this was only a race, albeit a crucial one for the points standings, and the only romance taking place in the Atlanta Motor Speedway infield probably isn't the kind we can discuss in any detail on a family website. Regardless, Kahne captured his spot in the Chase, bringing a satisfying end to a long and frustrating regular season for the Hendrick Motorsports driver.
And for a moment, it looked like Kahne was going to watch it all slip away. He was dominant through the race's final laps, out in front of Harvick and riding the smooth clean air. But then Busch and Martin Truex Jr. got together ? more on that in a moment ? and Kahne saw his lead evaporate. Kenseth, Denny Hamlin, and Paul Menard all beat Kahne off pit road for a green-white-checkered finish, and for a lap or so, it appeared Kahne's best chance to make the Chase was over and done.
But then onetime teammates Menard and Harvick collided, taking them out of the mix and bringing out the second late caution flag. Kahne was able to outrun Kenseth, not exactly a surprise given the fact that Kenseth was on two fresh tires to Kahne's four, and just like that, the fourth of four Hendrick cars was locked into the Chase.
Kahne's three teammates ? Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson, and Jeff Gordon ? all stopped by victory lane to congratulate Kahne. After the race, team owner Rick Hendrick pronounced this year's quartet "the most balanced" he's ever fielded in the Chase.
The race's drama came about when Busch and Truex collided in the closing laps, each repeatedly hammering each other. After the race, Truex stopped his car at Busch's hauler, holding up the entire line of entering cars, and leaned in Busch's window to express his displeasure.
Truex continued the discussion with Busch's crew chief Dave Rogers as Busch climbed out of the car and left the garage without speaking. It marked yet another low point in Busch's ongoing late-season skid, and while Kyle is locked into the Chase, there's little indication at the moment that he'll be entering with any momentum.
The series now heads to Richmond for its regular-season finale on Saturday night. Two Chase spots remain up for grabs, with a victory guaranteeing a berth. If Sunday night in Atlanta was a romance novel, that night is going to be an MMA fight.
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Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or find him on Facebook or on Twitter.
Kurt Ahrens Jr Christijan Albers Michele Alboreto Jean Alesi
Friday
Volvo S90
Volvo first introduced the S90 name in 1996, when it renamed the 960 for certain markets. With Volvo discontinuing the 900 Series midsize in 1998, the S80 we know of today rolled in as the replacement for the S90. The S90 also marked the end of an era for Volvo, being the last rear-wheel-drive car wearing the Swedish company’s badge. The S80 continued the S90’s luxurious legacy over the course of two generations. The first series lived between 1998 and 2006, while the second-gen model is in its eighth year on the market as of 2014. As we enter the 2015 model year and a new design era for Volvo, rumors are swirling about the return of the S90 nameplate as the company’s range-topping model.
Besides taking duties from the S80, the S90 is also set to revolutionize the midsize luxury segment, much like the second-generation XC90 did in the SUV market. Expect the sedan to receive the hauler’s design language, along with an interior packed with the latest technology and luxury items developed by the Swedes. The overhauled sedan will hit dealerships in the second half of 2016.
Note: 2013 Volvo Concept Coupe pictured here - it will most likely inspire design language.
Click past the jump to read more about the 2016 Volvo S90.
Volvo S90 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 18 September 2014 10:00 EST.
Source: http://feeds.topspeed.com/~r/topspeed/~3/_UqYjSqTHLU/2017-volvo-s90-ar165393.html
Thursday
Wednesday
Tuesday
A Sauber sale?
Sauber has been sold quite a few times. The first time was back in 1995 when Red Bull boss Dietrich Mateschitz purchased a majority shareholding in the team, although Peter Sauber retained the voting rights and so remained in control. In 2001 the two parties fell out over drivers (Mateschitz wanted Enrique Bernoldi and Sauber […]
Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2014/09/10/a-sauber-sale/
Kurt Adolff Fred Agabashian Kurt Ahrens Jr Christijan Albers
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!
Related Video:
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
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