Archive for News
NASCAR Season Off to a Rough Start
Posted by: | CommentsNASCAR Sprint Cup drivers appeared a bit rusty in today’s practice sessions for Saturday’s Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway. When the smoke cleared, six Cup cars were trashed by crashes involving seven drivers.
The first incident occurred just 20 minutes into the first practice session when Denny Hamlin tapped Mark Martin going into turn 1, triggering a wreck that also collected Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer (subbing for an ill Kevin Harvick) and Jamie McMurray.
The second practice session didn’t fair much better, as Juan Montoya bumped Kurt Busch into the frontstretch wall just three minutes after the track went green.
All but Juan Montoya had to pull out back-up cars.
Jeff Burton topped the first practice session at 193.303 mph. Kasey Kahne was fastest in the second session at 191.673 mph.
Two practice sessions are scheduled Friday for the Daytona 500 (2:00pm ET and 4:00pm ET). The Budweiser Shootout will kick off the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup season at 8:00pm ET on Saturday.
Now This is a Stock Car
Posted by: | CommentsAt the end of last year Ford announced the return of the Mustang BOSS with the introduction of the BOSS 302R factory-built race car, ready to hit the race track right here in 2010. The car will share the track with its GT cousin in the Grand-Am Road Racing series and the SCCA this season.
The Mustang Boss 302R features a 5.0-liter, 32-valve engine capable of over 400 horsepower, a six-speed manual transmission, race-ready suspension and performance brake package, and a built-in roll cage. In other words, it’s totally awesome. And while we won’t be seeing these babies at a local race track any time soon — the base price starts at $79,000 — professional race teams are sure to have a field day with this new Mustang. Fifty Boss 302R cars will roll out of the factory in 2010.
Although “America’s #1 Motorsport” likes to think it has cornered the market on “stock car” racing, the truth is that the cars raced in road racing tours like the Grand-Am Road Racing series — ironically, owned by NASCAR since 2008 — are more “stock” than the race cars presented to NASCAR fans. NASCAR can slap as many headlight decals on its monstrosity of a race car as it likes, but it won’t change the fact that stock car fans find its insufferable “Car of Tomorrow” to be a total turn off. Not only does the Mustang Boss 302R look better (and not fake), but it’s powered by the same 302 cubic inches of small block glory available today on a dealer’s lot.
The Ford Mustang BOSS 302R features a race-ready 400-hp 5.0-liter engine, roll cage, and one badass cupholder no doubt. (Photo credit: Ford Motor Company)
Why is stock car racing important? Because everyone loves cars. They love speed. They love the engineering, the power, and the styling. And a stock race car is something that an average person can relate to. It’s easier to draw someone into racing when a person can relate to it. Stock car racing is a great stepping stone into the larger sport.
And what about the manufacturers? “Racing has long served as a technical proving grounds for production engines,” said Jamie Allison, director, Ford North America Motorsports in a press release from Ford. “What’s good enough for the streets is now good enough for the racetrack. The 5.0-liter block and architecture in the Mustang BOSS 302R is the same as the 2011 Mustang GT.”
Exactly! You can’t say the same about the NASCAR Ford Fusion with its carburetor technology.
The Mustang Boss 302R had mixed results in its debut at Daytona International Speedway this past weekend. Okay let’s be honest — there were a lot of new car jitters. But on the positive side, Multimatic Motorsports started a Boss 302R from the front row and JBS Motorsports brought one home in fourth position.
Now all we need is to get these real “stock” cars into an oval racing series. That, I’d bet, would really take off here in America.
Tri-State RaceSaver® Series to Debut in 2010
Posted by: | Comments
The 2010 Tri-State RaceSaver® Series will run at Bridgeport and New Egypt Speedways.
Delaware Valley sprint car fans will have something extra to look forward to in 2010 with the recent formation of the Tri-State RaceSaver® Series, featuring RaceSaver® 305 engine rules. The affordable RaceSaver® program has gained much attention and popularity nationwide over the past decade. The GM 305 ci motors crank out over 400 horsepower.
The 2010 TSRS schedule is expected to have a handful of events each at Bridgeport (NJ) and New Egypt (NJ) Speedways, with a possible one or two additional races at Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, PA. The 2010 season will likely allow for a transition phase for the Bridgeport Limited Sprints and the Super Sportsman Sprints that ran at New Egypt. Bridgeport hosted two RaceSaver® 305 events in 2009.
There will be a meeting for all interested participants (drivers, team owners, etc.) this coming Sunday to discuss the 2010 TSRS. (Note: Rescheduled to January 10 due to snow.)
When: Sunday, December 20 January 10, 1:00pm ET
Where: Neshaminy Mall — Uno Chicago Grill (Rockhill Drive side of the Mall parking lot)
Address: Route 1 and Bristol Road, Bensalem, PA, 19020
Point of contact for the TSRS is Joe Grandinetti (e-mail: racinjoe23@yahoo.com; phone: (215) 355-0510). Web site: http://www.tsrs1.com/new_page_2.htm
Philippe, Power Injured at Sonoma
Posted by: | CommentsNelson Philippe and Will Power were hospitalized after a practice crash at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA today, according to a statement issued by the IndyCar Racing Series. A third driver, EJ Viso, was also involved in the incident but was uninjured.
Both drivers suffered concussions with Power breaking two veterbra in his back. Philippe underwent surgery for a broken left foot.
The report says that Philippe lost control exiting turn 3 on the road course and then was struck by Viso’s car and then finally by Power.
Mustang to Make NASCAR Debut in 2010
Posted by: | CommentsFord Motorsports announced Tuesday that its Mustang model will make its NASCAR debut in 2010. It’ll be the first time the Mustang brand has competed in NASCAR and the first Ford coupe in the Nationwide Series since the 1997 Thunderbird. The new Mustang will be coordinated with NASCAR’s transition of the Nationwide Series’ cars to the “Car of Tomorrow” platform. The platform will be nearly identical to that currently used in the Sprint Cup division, however the plan is to use different body styles in the Nationwide Series.
Image of 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series Ford Mustang, courtesy Ford Motorsports.
NASCAR expects to phase in the new car over 5 or 6 races in the 2010 season before employing the car full-time in 2011. The Chevrolet, Dodge and Toyota manufacturers have not officially announced which model they intend to submit for the new car design, however Dodge is rumored to propose its Challenger brand for 2010. NASCAR is interested in differentiating body styles from its highly-criticized Sprint Cup COT. According to a release made available from NASCAR.com, the new Nationwide car will sport a rear spoiler (rather than a wing) and a spring front suspension (rather than bump stops). The front splitter will apparently carry over from the Sprint Cup COT.
Ford Motorsports claims the Mustang has accumulated over 2,000 professional race victories. The fifth-generation Ford Mustang has enjoyed success in the KONI Challenge, SCCA Speed World Challenge and Formula Drift events. Ford has competed in the NASCAR Nationwide Series since its inception in 1982 under various brand names: Fairmont (1982-1986), Mercury Cougar (1984), Thunderbird (1987-1997), Taurus (1998-2005), and Fusion (2006-Present).
Click here to read the press release from Ford Racing.
Here’s my take on it: I think this is a great step in the right direction for NASCAR and the car manufacturers. It seems that NASCAR is taking a conservative approach with the new car’s debut; I think they could have been more aggressive though. While it’s certainly an improvement over the Sprint Cup COT — “let’s just put headlight decals on the thing and pretend it’s a stock car” — they could have gone a little further and allowed a more stock body and — dare I say — allowed the various makes to have different downforce numbers.
Why not take the guts of the COT platform (e.g., the frame, etc.) and throw a fully stock body on top of it? Drop in a front valence and rear spoiler for safety and then let them drive it. No headlight decals allowed. Whoever builds the better car wins. And it would be great to have something that handles dramatically different than the Sprint Cup cars to throw those drivers for a loop. Let the manufacturers duke it out for a little added drama.
We’ll see how it goes. It has to be better than the Fusion.
Alabama to Host Indy Racing in 2010
Posted by: | CommentsThe Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, AL announced today that the Indy Racing League has signed a three-year deal to bring Indy car racing to the Alabama track. The inaugural “Indy Grand Prix of Alabama” is scheduled for the April 9-11 weekend of 2010.
The Indy Racing League held a practice session on the 2.38-mile road course in March 2009. At 45 feet, the track is slightly wider than Watkins Glen International. Officials are hoping to draw 100,000 spectators over the three-day weekend.
The Barber Motorsports Park is located about 50 miles west of Talladega Superspeedway, where NASCAR typically races on the last weekend of April.
Click here for the official press release.
Happy Harvick Not So Happy?
Posted by: | CommentsTim Tuttle at SI.com, citing “multiple sources”, is reporting that Kevin Harvick is asking out of his contract with Richard Childress Racing (RCR) after this season. Harvick has another year remaining on the contract, but according to the report he is looking to move over to Stewart-Haas Racing, perhaps taking sponsor Shell/Pennzoil with him.
RCR has had a poor season so far in 2009 and Harvick is mired back in 25th in the point standings, pretty much putting him out of contention for the championship. Meanwhile Tony Stewart has had a remarkable season with his new team, posting fifteen Top-10s and two wins. Stewart leads the driver standings by 175 points over Jeff Gordon. The NASCAR Sprint Cup season passed the halfway point after Sunday’s race at Chicagoland.
Harvick stepped into the RCR #29 team after Dale Earnhardt was fatally injured at Daytona in 2001. The team changed numbers from 3 to 29 out of respect for Earnhardt. In just his third start for the team, Harvick posted his first win in a photo finish at the Atlanta race in March.
Harvick has not won a Sprint Cup race since the 2007 Daytona 500.
