Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/m61cJw0iodU/retro-phoenixs-last-grand-prix-two.html
Saturday
Audi Q7 S-Line by Je Design
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Audi is currently working on the second generation Q7 - it will be unveiled sometime in 2013 - but until then, there are some tuners that have found new ideas on how to improve the current model. One example of such a tuner is Je Design, who is offering a new tuning kit with both exterior and interior upgrades, as well as a power increase.
The Q7 tuning package is based on the S-Line model and adds an even sportier feel to the SUV. It includes new high-class wheel arches that increase the SUV’s width by 30 millimeters per side at the front and 40 millimeters per side at the rear. The German tuner is also offering front-spoiler corners, a Park Distance Control rear-apron extension, two Je Design double-tailpipe covers, and a dynamic roof wing with side covers above the C pillars. The complete styling package is available for 7,438 euros, or about $9,624 at the current rates.
The final touch for the exterior of the Audi Q7 is a new set of single-part 10 x 22 inch SUV Select alloy wheel rims. The five-spoke design wheels are wrapped around fitted 295/30R22 tires and available in three different color schemes: matte-black, front silver matte/shadow silver, front polished/graphite matte, polished lip. Customers can also choose the new JE DESIGN SCORPIO complete 10 x 22 inch wheel set in a new double-spoke design. This set can also be had in size 9 x 20 inches in matte-black with polished-silver rim flange. Both 22-inch complete wheel sets are available from 5,190 euros, or about $6,715 at the current rates.
Under the hood, the 4.2 TDI engine has undergone optimized programming of the control electronics to deliver an extra 70 HP and 99 lb-ft of torque. This brings the total power up to 405 HP and 660 lb-ft of torque from the standard 335 HP and 561 lb-ft of torque. With the extra power, the Q7 will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds. The new control-system software is available for an added price of 1,499 euros, or about $1,940 at the current rates. This software includes a one-year guarantee for the engine, turbocharger, transmission, and drive train, which can be extended by another year for just 199 euros, or $257 at the current rates.
All told, the complete Je Design package for the Audi Q7 will run the customer somewhere around $18,536, depending on the currency rates and any additional tweaks they want to add.
Audi Q7 S-Line by Je Design originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 30 December 2011 18:00 EST.
Source: http://www.topspeed.com/cars/audi/2011-audi-q7-s-line-by-je-design-ar122331.html
Friday
From Daytona to Homestead, a look back at 2011 at The Marbles
Here we are at the end of 2011, one of the best NASCAR seasons in recent memory. And your pals here at the Marbles were on board for every single lap, win, fight and postrace tantrum. Join us, won't you, as we take one final look back at the glory that was the 2011 NASCAR season here at From The Marbles:
January: We started out by asking if 2011 would mark Year VI of King Jimmie's reign. (Spoiler: no.) ... Kyle Busch rang in the new year a newly married man. He'd have more adventures as 2011 went on ... Tony Stewart got into a fight in Australia and was apparently held for questioning. His year would get better ... NASCAR began kicking around a new points system ... Travis Pastrana announced plans to run the Nationwide series. Unplanned: catastrophic injury beforehand ... The media got criticized for being too negative; was it a fair complaint? ... Richard Childress predicted a Cup championship for his boys. Missed it by just a touch.
February: Uh, what the heck was Kyle Busch thinking letting this photo be taken? ... This year marked the 10th anniversary of Dale Earnhardt's passing at Daytona, and we listened to your reflections ... ESPN yapper Tony Kornheiser tried to assert that NASCAR is "fixed," and later recanted ... Some kid named Trevor Bayne won the Daytona 500, and the NASCAR world said, "Who?"
March: Two races in, were Jeff Burton and Greg Biffle already out of the hunt? (Spoiler: yes.) ... Robby Gordon got into a fight in Las Vegas with Kevin Conway, and ended up on probation for the rest of the year ... Brian Vickers wrestled with cheetahs in Saudi Arabia? What the hell? ... Jennifer Jo Cobb struck a blow for drivers everywhere when she refused to start-and-park at Bristol in the Nationwide race ... Bristol attendance in the spring? Yeah, it stunk on ice.
April: Kimi Raikkonen announced plans for a long and prosperous career in NASCAR, plans that apparently changed ... Junior wins! Junior wins! There's no way Kevin Harvick is going to catch him at Martinsville, right...? ... Say what you will about the two-car drafting at Talladega, it gave us the closest finish in NASCAR history.
May: Ryan Newman and Juan Pablo Montoya got into it at Richmond, and may well have thrown some fists in the NASCAR hauler. Awesome, but the fights got even better ... In the throwdown of the year, Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch brawled after the Darlington race, with Harvick throwing punches and Busch driving right through Harvick's unmanned car ... Jimmie Johnson brought planking to NASCAR, but thankfully the phase passed pretty quickly ... Everybody welcome the 2011 NASCAR Hall of Fame class! ... Kyle Busch got tagged going 128 mph in a 45-mph zone. Whoops ... Memorial Day featured two of the most heartbreaking (which is not the same as "tragic") finishes, as both J.R. Hildebrand and Dale Earnhardt Jr. surrendered last-lap leads.
June: Brian Vickers skydove into Daytona International Speedway ... Jamie McMurray's childhood home was destroyed by tornadoes; this was a sobering picture of that ... Kyle Busch fought with Richard Childress? Wait, that can't be right ... More secret fines? Nice work, NASCAR ... Is Dale Earnhardt Jr. a future Hall of Famer? Stop laughing and think about it ... This was our biggest post of the year, and it wasn't even about NASCAR: Two cycles got hooked up and danced a dance of death! ... Jeff Gordon cameo'd in Cars 2, and we picked the greatest athlete cameos in movie history ... Kurt Busch berated his crew on the radio but won at Infineon. And surely there would be no negative blowback.
July: The Kentucky race was a decent one, as long as you weren't one of the 20,000 who didn't even get in or the thousands more who got stuck trying to get out ... NASCAR showed up to help save the world in Transformers 3 ... Jeff Gordon spent the off-week in the Congo. Of course he did ... Kyle Busch won his 100th NASCAR national series race, and the recognition of that drove quite a few folks a bit insane ... Simply the best NASCAR prerace invocation you'll ever see: Boogity, boogity, boogity, amen.
August: Brad Keselowski had a hard wreck in testing, but that was OK, because he was ranked in the 20s and not really much of a factor this season ... The best postrace interview of the year belonged to road-course ringer Boris Said, who teed off on Greg Biffle with an epic rant ... Matt Kenseth: funniest driver on Twitter. No kidding ... Danica Patrick prepared to jump to NASCAR full-time, and the earth briefly stopped spinning on its axis ... We would advise against eating anything you caught in the Bristol parking lot.
September: Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be at Hendrick through 2017 ... Several drivers declined a White House invitation, which instantly became a huge political issue ... The most horrifying picture you'll see all year, guaranteed ... Tony Stewart criticized the media for asking the same old questions. No big deal, as it looked like he wasn't going to be much of a factor in the Chase ... The last race of the regular season, Richmond, featured the most bizarre press conference in NASCAR history, capped by Kurt Busch ripping a transcript in half ... Oh, and Paul Menard might just have spun on team orders to give Kevin Harvick the Richmond win, leading to a new catchphrase: "Go to Channel 2."
October: Clint Bowyer closed one of the wilder free-agent bonanzas in recent memory by announcing he'd be driving for Michael Waltrip Racing in 2012 ... Charlotte Motor Speedway created the "funnel bacakonator," the most unhealthy food in human history ... Horrible tragedy: Indy 500 winner Dan Wheldon was killed in a Las Vegas IndyCar crash ... Check out the greatest Hot Wheels track in human history... More "team orders" drama with Jeff Gordon and Trevor Bayne at Talladega.
November: Jeremy Mayfield arrested for meth possession. But he really was innocent all those other times ... Kyle Busch crashed Ron Hornaday Jr. in a trucks race, and got himself parked for the Sprint Cup race for his trouble ... And then came the piling-on, as sponsors sought to distance themselves from Busch ... Coonskin Cap Man gives us a philosophy for life: get it, dig it like Dale Junior ... Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart starred in an epic pre-Homestead press conference ... In the end, it was Tony Stewart, winning on a tiebreaker, to take the 2011 Sprint Cup in one of the greatest races in the sport's history ... Stewart responded by firing winning crew chief Darian Grubb. Alas.
December: Champions Week in Vegas featured a fun "Newlywed Game" won by, of course, Tony Stewart ... Yes, Dale Earnhardt Jr. does have a girlfriend ... Kurt Busch and Penske Racing have parted ways, much to almost nobody's chagrin ... Crew chiefs and drivers switched seats and boxes like their old spots were infested with bees ... And the year ended with Kasey Kahne getting into a fight over breastfeeding. Of course it did.
And that was that! Thanks to all of you for joining us this year, and we'll all gather again for 2012, won't we?
Pedro Matos Chaves Bill Cheesbourg Eddie Cheever Andrea Chiesa
Massacre at Toro Rosso
Scuderia Toro Rosso will have a completely new driver line-up for the 2012 Formula 1 season, made up of Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne. It will be the first time since the team?s 2006 debut that it will begin the year with an all new line-up. Both drivers have come through the Red Bull Junior [...]
Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2011/12/14/massacre-at-toro-rosso/
Raikkonen team-mate announced
Romain Grosjean will join the returning Kimi Raikkonen at Renault next year, the team who will be renamed Lotus. Grosjean – who was dropped by Renault in 2009 – admits that he is delighted to be given another chance, this time alongside the legendary�Raikkonen. The 25-year-old said: “There’s a big grin on my face at [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/jLetzcwR1kE/raikkonen-team-mate-announced
Join Kurt Busch for a heartwarming fireside chat
No, there is no story other than Kurt Busch and Penske parting ways right now, and here's the latest twist: over at KurtBusch.com, which has already been stripped of anything resembling a Shell logo, Busch offers up an interesting little fireside chat about his separation (firing? quitting? mutually agreed parting?) from Penske Racing.
The video, which looks like it was shot while Busch was preparing for a Christmas card photo, is a little odd, to say the least. For one thing, it starts cold, with nothing other than Busch's name and signature to lead off. (Granted, intro music would have been strange, though I would have gone with either "Take This Job and Shove It" or "Bad Romance." Or maybe a Christmas carol. That would have been cool.)
Busch isn't quite looking at the camera, which gives the viewer the unsettling feeling that he's not really paying attention to us. And while he has the patented Kurt-Busch-in-sponsor-mode patter down, you can see cracks around the edges. Look at the 1:22 mark, where the mask starts to crack as he says "I needed to put the fun back into racing." And watch him flinch right afterward when he talks about walking away from his "lucrative contract." Ouch.
Here's the thing, though: cringeworthy as some moments are in this video, this isn't meant as a slam at Busch. It makes him more human, seeing him speak for three uninterrupted minutes, seeing him as somewhere between the robotic interview machine and the profanity-spewing caricature.
Busch has a long way to go to get into the good graces of NASCAR fans. This is a tough way to learn a hard lesson about attitude, but Busch has the opportunity here to make some real changes. It'll be interesting to see what he says on video the next time he's got a Christmas tree up.
Thursday
Tony Stewart wins the NASCAR ?Newlywed? Game, of course
Champions Week has begun in Las Vegas, and for a few days your favorite NASCAR drivers plunge into a world where they're both the bringers and the butts of jokes ? you know, pretty much like every day around these parts.
The festivities kicked off with a version of "The Newlywed Game," hosted by none other than Bob Eubanks himself. Teammates (and occasional rivals) paired up to answer questions about the other, in often sick and twisted fashion. The teams were:
? Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman
? Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth
? Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson
? Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch
? Brad Keselowski and Kurt Busch
? Kevin Harvick and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
The Stewart-Haas boys won the day by correctly picking what the other would say about them (follow that?). A few of the key one-liners:
? Kenseth said Edwards' most annoying habit was being late. "You're also late crossing the finish line," Eubanks added. Twist that knife!
? Who would Stewart bump out of the way on the last lap to win a race? Stewart said Brian Vickers, while Newman said ... Ryan Newman. (Kenseth added that he wouldn't bump Vickers to win a race, because "he probably wouldn't be leading.")
? What driver would the other drivers not let their daughters date? Gordon answered Hamlin, Newman answered Stewart, Kenseth killed with "Danica."
? Gordon and Johnson shot back and forth at each other, with Johnson mocking Gordon's onetime "cheesy mustache" and Gordon reminding everyone that Johnson shaved his legs in high school for swim meets.
? For the record, Ryan Newman can fart the alphabet. Just thought you'd like to know that.
? Kyle said Hamlin's haircut was straight from "Dumb and Dumber," while Hamlin shot back that you could get a really good laugh by watching Kyle "attempt to play any other sport."
? Whose wife or girlfriend would win a wet t-shirt contest? While Keselowski tried to answer with grace, Hamlin said, "just pick one of my girlfriends." ("I don't know their names," Keselowski said. "I don't either!" Hamlin replied.) Earnhardt offered up a nice one: "Do ex-wives count?"
Oh yeah, we're rolling now. More out of Vegas as it hits, including the Thursday burnouts on the Strip.
A sad story from Finland
Finnish former F1 driver and double Le Mans winner JJ Lehto has been sentenced to two years and four months in jail for his involvement in a boating accident which killed a friend. The prosecution argued that Lehto was drunk at the time of the accident, which occurred in June 2010, when Lehto’s boat hit [...]
Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2011/12/14/a-sad-story-from-finland/
What Was Your NASCAR Best and Worst from 2011?
It was a wild season that began with 20-year-old Trevor Bayne winning the Daytona 500 and ended with a wild race that made series veteran Tony Stewart the first Cup Series Champion not named Jimmie Johnson since 2005. In the mean time: we saw 19 different winners, including five different first time winners; Kyle Busch [...]
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Francois Cevert Eugene Chaboud Jay Chamberlain Karun Chandhok
Shocker: Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins Most Popular Driver award for ninth time
Ready? OK, here it is: Dale Earnhardt Jr. has won NASCAR's most popular driver award.
I know, crazy, right? But this is the world we're living in now. Junior was named the NASCAR National Motorsports Press Association's Most Popular Driver for the ninth straight year.
Junior took the highest number of the nearly 1.5 million votes cast in the 2011 effort, sponsored by Wheaties Fuel. He beat out the other nine finalists: Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth, Bobby Labonte and Tony Stewart.
[ Related: Four-time Sprint Cup champion Jeff Gordon breakdances ]
You know the rest: Junior was honored, he's hoping to build on the momentum of this year, et cetera et cetera. To be sure, this was a turnaround year for Earnhardt, making the Chase after two straight seasons of disappointment, but he still lacks that elusive next win. Even so, the award shows that he's still got the fans' support, no matter how he runs.
Junior still has a ways to go to catch the all-time leader in Most Popular Driver awards; that would be Awesome Bill Elliott with 16. However, Earnhardt could match Elliott's consecutive streak with 10 if he wins again next year.
So, yes, those of you who wonder what all the fuss is over Junior: this is it. He's got a hell of a lot of fans, like it or not. And these are the diehards. Just imagine what would happen if the dude started winning.
Other popular stories on Yahoo! Sports:
? Video: Antonio Margarito not bothered by criticism
? Houston coach Kevin Sumlin is considered a top Texas A&M target
? Listen: Pat Forde's take on slew of college football scandals
Elio de Angelis Marco Apicella Mбrio de Araъjo Cabral Frank Armi
Wednesday
Bravo to Kurt Busch for seeing a sports psychologist
"I need to be a better person on the radio, to the team, as a leader," Busch said. "It's personal issues, of course, and working with a sports psychologist, I've gotten obviously a small grasp, but there's obviously bigger things that I need to accomplish and things can't happen overnight."
[ Related: Four-time Sprint Cup champion Jeff Gordon breakdances ]
Busch marred a promising year with several outbursts, ranging from profane radio chatter to unruly behavior at Richmond to a foul-mouthed shot at Homestead captured on YouTube. He became a walking punch line ? we too got in on the jokes ? who could explode in rage at any moment.
But the revelation that he's seeing a sports psychologist is very good news indeed. Certainly, there will be those who can't understand this, who see this as either quack science or a way of dodging those "personal issues." That's completely the wrong approach to take here.
Most of us can't possibly understand what it's like to compete at this level. Sorry, but chances are your job and mine aren't the kinds that jack your adrenaline through the roof for hours on end and involve the very real threat of bodily harm. So it's not surprising that you see guys act like Kurt Busch. What's surprising is that you don't see more like him.
Busch conceded, though, that the environment is no excuse, and acknowledged how much harm one can do to one's image with just a single outburst. "You can work 364 days on being positive and building toward a better platform, and it can take just one day to knock it all back," he said. "I need to harness what happens in the race car and keep it there, and then I need to step out of the car and understand that if we didn't reach our goal for that day or that moment, that it's going to be all right at the end."
None of this is meant to say Busch is mentally ill. But the brain needs a tune-up every now and then, too. Bravo to Busch for recognizing that, and for taking the necessary steps. As much fun as it is to hear him explode, it's got that watching-a-car-crash voyeuristic element to it ... if that car was self-destructive and driving itself into guard rails at every turn. Best of luck to Busch with the treatment.
Other popular stories on Yahoo! Sports:
? Donovan McNabb's fall from grace could keep him out of Hall of Fame
? Grizzlies' Tony Allen robbed of $20,000 worth of future Christmas gifts
? Albert Pujols leaving St. Louis for Chicago would be intriguing but not the right move
Colin Chapman Dave Charlton Pedro Matos Chaves Bill Cheesbourg
2012 MotoGP Calendar Changes: Qatar A Week Earlier, Jerez Confirmed, Calendar Still Provisional
The MotoGP schedule for the 2012 season has been tweaked a little, and there is some good news for fans: the season starts seven days earlier, with the Qatar MotoGP round having been moved up a week to April 8th. The move is in response to the Formula One calendar, which sees the Chinese Grand Prix scheduled for April 15th, the date originally planned for Qatar, and so the decision was taken to start the MotoGP season a week earlier.
The other changes to the calendar are merely confirmations of what had been widely expected. The German GP is now officially set to take place at the Sachsenring, although as the contracts are yet to be completed, the date is still listed as being subject to contract. Those contracts are a mere formality, however, as the ADAC and the regional government came to an agreement earlier this month to keep the German round of MotoGP at the circuit in Hohenstein-Ernstthal. The Jerez round has also been confirmed, with the mayor of the circuit stepping in to ensure the 2012 date. Beyond 2012 is another matter, however, as the circuit is still in financial turmoil, stemming from alterations made back in 2001, and with new rounds in Argentina and Texas scheduled for 2013, Jerez could well be dropped after that date.
Brace Yourself For The Off-Season Crew Members
The next couple of weeks will be a time for celebration in NASCAR. We’ll crown three different champions this weekend and then head to the respective banquets. It was a season of improved ratings, competition and the first Cup champion not named Jimmie Johnson since 2005. As some celebrate next week, a lot of others [...]
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Tip: Don?t steal your date?s car, especially not during the date
While on a date at the movies, Pratt asked to borrow his date's car keys because he left something in the car. Innocent enough, right?
From the St. Petersburg Times:
She called him.
He laughed.
"I stole your car," said Michael Pratt, a 27-year-old from New Port Richey, according to the Pasco Sheriff's Office.
He hung up.
Believe it or not, Pratt got away with it for a while because the woman didn't call the sheriff's office until two days after the fateful date because Pratt wouldn't return her calls. Maybe he was a strict adherent of the 72 hour rule?
However, all dating rules probably go out the window after you've stolen your date's car. It would take a special bond for a stolen car not to come between people.
Ultimately, Pratt dumped the car in a Wal-Mart parking lot and was arrested on Wednesday. He was charged with grand theft auto, a crime he's already spent a year in jail for previously, among other things.
Michael Bleekemolen Alex Blignaut Trevor Blokdyk Mark Blundell
Tuesday
Your 2012 Budweiser Shootout field
The criteria to qualify for the 2012 Budweiser Shootout was released on Wednesday and once again it's different than it was the previous year.
The 2012 field for the Daytona exhibition race will include the top 25 drivers in driver points and past Daytona winners (any driver who has won a Daytona 500, Coke Zero 400 or Budweiser Shootout).
The result? Well, the odds are that your favorite driver is eligible, because a whopping 33 drivers can run the race. The field is listed below, though it'd take less time to tell you who's not eligible to run the race.
Tony Stewart
Carl Edwards
Kevin Harvick
Matt Kenseth
Brad Keselowski
Jimmie Johnson
Dale Earnhardt Jr
Jeff Gordon
Denny Hamlin
Ryan Newman
Kurt Busch
Kyle Busch
Clint Bowyer
Kasey Kahne
A.J. Allmendinger
Greg Biffle
Paul Menard
Martin Truex Jr.
Marcos Ambrose
Jeff Burton
Juan Pablo Montoya
Mark Martin
David Ragan
Joey Logano
Brian Vickers
Bill Elliott (previous Daytona 500, Coke Zero 400, Budweiser Shootout winner)
Geoff Bodine (previous Daytona 500 and Budweiser Shootout winner)
Derrike Cope (previous Daytona 500 winner)
Michael Waltrip (previous Daytona 500, Coke Zero 400 winner)
Jamie McMurray (previous Daytona 500, Coke Zero 400 winner)
Trevor Bayne (previous Daytona 500 winner)
Terry Labonte (previous Budweiser Shootout winner)
Ken Schrader (previous Budweiser Shootout winner)
Will all 33 drivers attempt the race? At this point it's impossible to say yes. Kurt Busch Ragan, Vickers, Elliott, Bodine, Cope, Bayne, Labonte and Schrader all do not have Sprint Cup rides lined up for 2012 and Martin and Waltrip are slated to share the No. 00 for Waltrip's team. Busch won last year's event.
Perhaps the large field is the precursor to NASCAR banning radio communication between different teams in another effort to break up the tandem drafting. A large pack would be the best possible way to find out if any potential rules changes could break up the 2x2 racing.
Last year's Budweiser Shootout field was the 2010 Chase field, past Sprint Cup champions, past Daytona winners and the rookie of the year winners from 2001-2010.
This year's Shootout is Saturday, February 18, and will be a two-segment 75 lap race.
Nico Hulkenberg: ?I?ve learned in different ways?
Nico Hulkenberg says that he?s a much stronger driver after his year as Sahara Force India?s reserve. The German drove in 14 practice sessions over the course of 2011, and did enough to justify a race seat for next season. … Continue reading 
Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2011/12/23/nico-hulkenberg-ive-learned-in-different-ways/
Luis Perez Sala: ?HRT is a little behind other teams?
Most people have better things to do on a Saturday afternoon before Christmas, but today the hard working HRT press office has dispatched a Q&A with new team principal Luis Perez Sala. Given that the team is undergoing change ? … Continue reading 
Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2011/12/17/luis-perez-sala-hrt-is-a-little-behind-other-teams/
Jack Brabham† Bill Brack Ernesto Brambilla Vittorio Brambilla
Monday
Video: BMW 640d M Sport Review
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Right after unveiling the new 6-Series Coupe, BMW unveiled its M-Sport package to jazz up the coupe that much more. British magazine, Fifth Gear, then went out to test whether the added package was worthy of the added price tag.
When equipped with the M-Sport package, the BMW 6-Series gets special M-Sport elements, including a new front bumper, rear diffuser, side skirts, wheels, and dark chrome tail pipes. Fifth Gear tested the 640d model, specifically, which means they were working with a twin turbocharged diesel powerplant that delivers a total of 313 HP and 464 lbs-ft of torque. This engine allows the vehicle to sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.5 seconds and hit a top speed of 155 mph. It delivers a fuel economy of 51.4 mpg.
Fifth Gear’s conclusion was that the BMW 640d M-Sport is an incredible mixture of power, fuel economy, luxury, and excitement. Too bad we won’t be seeing the diesel coupe on our side of the pond anytime soon, if ever.
Video: BMW 640d M Sport Review originally appeared on topspeed.com on Saturday, 24 December 2011 23:00 EST.
Source: http://www.topspeed.com/cars/car-news/video-bmw-640d-m-sport-review-ar121888.html
Green Cars Placed Under Spotlight At the Tokyo Motor Show
The green cars were put under the spotlight at the Tokyo auto show, while Japanese automakers turned over to the efficient technology of fuels to reinvigorate its growth after difficult times. The exhibition, which is fundamental to the Japanese automotive industry, left the media prior to visit and open to the public Saturday. Plug-in hybrids [...]
Source: http://www.autocarblog.co.uk/112-green-cars-placed-under-spotlight-at-the-tokyo-motor-show.html
Sunday
The NASCAR Week That Was: Nov. 6-12
Kyle Busch was talk of the week after last weekend’s suspension. On Monday, NASCAR fined the driver $50,000 and put him on probation through the end of the year. Busch’s sponsor Mars opted after the incident to pull sponsorship for the remainder of the season. Busch was also pulled from the remaining Nationwide races after [...]
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Jay Chamberlain Karun Chandhok Alain de Changy Colin Chapman
Want a NASCAR chassis? An old COT wing? Here?s your chance
Ever dreamed of having a NASCAR show car to call your own? Or wondered if you could have a COT wing after they were replaced by the spoilers that are on the current cars?
Well, if you've got some spare cash lying around, you're in luck. Richard Childress Racing is auctioning off some equipment and parts on December 6. (We hear that driveshafts make great Christmas presents.)
Some of the items up for bid include the car chassis , an old Clint Bowyer or Casey Mears era Jack Daniel's show car without the drive train, random car parts and even a copier and an ice maker. RCR is downsizing from four Sprint Cup teams to three after the departure of Bowyer to Michael Waltrip Racing.
If you want some of the stuff, you can sign up at the auction site. We're thinking that this may be a great time to finally go through with our threats to start our own NASCAR team. There seem to be plenty of qualified drivers available.
(If you participate in the online auction or head on over in person, drop us a line. We'd love to see the gas can you purchase.)
Saturday
MotoGP Silly Season 2013 Starts Early - Yamaha Keen To Hang On To Lorenzo
With all the debate and discussion over the changes coming to MotoGP for 2012 - 1000cc machines, the appearance of the Claiming Rule Team machines, arguments over exactly what the Aprilia bike is, and the ongoing talks over the imposition of a rev limit and spec ECU for 2013, it is easy to overlook the fact that it is not just the bikes which are changing. All four of MotoGP's so-called Aliens are out of contract at the end of next season, as well as just about every other rider on the MotoGP grid. With the last five years utterly dominated by the Fantastic Four - Jorge Lorenzo, Dani Pedrosa, Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner winning all but four races in 5 season - the key for any factory to securing a MotoGP title has been having at least one Alien on its books.
Jay Chamberlain Karun Chandhok Alain de Changy Colin Chapman
Kimi R�ikk�nen injured in a race. A snowmobile race.
The newly-minted Formula One star-to-be was in an accident in a snowmobile race in Austria, but apparently walked away with only a sore wrist. Lotus Renault, his F1 team, informed fans via Twitter that "he's absolutely fine." Good news: "We just spoke to Kimi. There's nothing to worry about, he only has a sore wrist. He might have it checked again on Monday, but that's all."
Well, that's a bit disappointing. Racing has a proud tradition of drivers injuring themselves doing insanely stupid off-track things (Jimmie Johnson surfing atop a golf cart, for one). Shame this one won't add much to that legend.
R�ikk�nen was the 2007 world champion but left the sport temporarily in 2009. He dabbled a bit in NASCAR but recently signed a two-year deal to drive for Lotus Renault.
Webber delighted to end year on a high
Mark Webber has spoken of his delight that he has finished 2011 on a high after winning the Brazilian Grand Prix. Webber finished ahead of team-mate Sebastian Vettel and McLaren’s Jenson Button in Brazil to pick up his first win of the 2011 season. Speaking afterwards, the Australian said: “I felt good all weekend, Sebastian [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/dNIBo5z_9Sw/webber-delighted-to-end-year-on-a-high
Luki Botha JeanChristophe Boullion Sebastien Bourdais Thierry Boutsen
Friday
Join us for the latest Yahoo! Sports NASCAR Chat, Wed. at 1 ET
Time again for another Yahoo! Sports NASCAR live chat. Join us Wednesday at 1 p.m. Eastern to talk NASCAR, Christmas shopping, whatever. It's the offseason. We go where the conversational winds take us. See you here!
MotoGP Rules Tweaked: Testing Restrictions Ended, 9 CRT Entries Accepted, Minimum Weights Increased
MotoGP's rule-making body, the Grand Prix Commission, adopted a number of changes to the MotoGP rules in a meeting on Wednesday. As expected, the testing restrictions were dropped, now to be limited by tire allocation. Other changes adopted include an increase in the minimum weight, the introduction of rear-facing red lights to be carried in wet conditions, a slight tweak to the 107% qualifying minimum time, and explicitly granting authority to impose penalties on event organizers. The GPC also considered the entry list for the 2012 MotoGP season, and accepted 9 CRT entries, along with 1 reserve CRT entry.
Sebastien Bourdais Thierry Boutsen Johnny Boyd David Brabham
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