Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2012/09/in_singapore_lewis_hamilton_cu.html
Duane Carter Eugenio Castellotti Johnny Cecotto Andrea de Cesaris
Wednesday
Dale Earnhardt Jr.?s moving letter to his 16-year-old self
Dale Earnhardt Jr. has had a life that few of us could even imagine, and there are times when even he doesn't seem to be able to believe he is where he is. In a moving segment on "CBS This Morning," Earnhardt reads a letter to his 16-year-old self, advising him on family, racing and confidence. It's some powerful stuff, and it might just inspire you to think a little differently about the 88.
[H/t to Highflyjet]
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Horner hoping for alternator fix by Suzuka
Christian Horner is hoping that Renault will have its upgraded alternator ready to race as soon as the Japanese GP. Sebastian Vettel has had two failures this year, one while leading in Valencia, and another in Monza. Red Bull had … Continue reading 
Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2012/09/24/horner-hoping-for-alternator-fix-by-suzuka/
Chase Power Rankings: Cue the Imperial March
The first race of the Chase is over, and that means it's time for Power Rankings! But we're doing things a little differently now that we're in the postseason. It's all-Chasers, all the time. Good job, good effort for those of you that didn't make it, but we've got bigger fish to focus on. We'll be judging who's running well, considering not just finishing position but quality of run, expected potential, and general gut feelings. As always, we hate your guy and are biased against him. Now, enjoy.
1. Jimmie Johnson: We call Jimmie Johnson "Vader" around these parts. (No, we've never figured out who Luke is, though we're cool with Chad Knaus being the Emperor.) It's because the 48 is relentless, like the Vader in the first two Star Wars movies, not the indecisive goof in "Return of the Jedi" or the whiny twit in the prequels. (Last week: 2)
2. Brad Keselowski: The Chase is all about keeping yourself in position, and Keselowski did exactly that by finishing sixth. If you can't win, keep the winner in your sights. (Last week: 1)
3. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin made a guarantee of victory last Sunday, which was awesome. Then he backed off it on Friday, which was weak. And he made a Babe Ruth called-shot motion when he won, which was ridiculous. Ride it out, Hamlin. Own it. (Last week: 5)
4. Kasey Kahne: Exactly where he needs to be. After his early-season debacles, Kahne has specialized in keeping close without screwing up too badly. A top-5 finish? That'll do. For now. (Last week: 3)
5. Clint Bowyer: We didn't give Bowyer much of a chance to win this thing, and absent a couple victories we still don't, but hey ... there's always a chance. (Last week: 7)
6. Jeff Gordon: This is how badly one terrible finish can hurt you: Gordon is still mired in last place despite a third-place finish this week. He's running well but has zip to show for it. (Last week: 9)
7. Tony Stewart: Decent but unspectacular week for Smoke, but at least he's keeping himself in the mix. He's currently only a handful of points off the lead, which at this point is saying something. (Last week: 4)
8. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: About time to make that move, Junior. Two straight weeks of mid-high-pack finishes ain't gonna cut it. (Last week: 6)
9. Matt Kenseth: Looking a bit grim for Kenseth, who appears to have lost whatever single-digit mojo he had earlier this season. (Last week: 9)
10. Kevin Harvick: This is a 10th-place kind of year for Harvick, and fittingly enough, he finished 11th at Loudon. (Last week: 12)
11. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex may have seen his best chance to get in the Chase hunt pass him by before the Chase even began. (Last week: 11)
12. Greg Biffle: That points lead seems a long, long way away right now. (Last week: 10)
Non-Chaser of the week: Brian Vickers, with yet another top-10 performance that ought to get him a better ride next year. What's a brother got to do?
All right, your turn. Who goes where?
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Tuesday
2012 Chase Prospects: Can Matt Kenseth close his Roush career with another Cup?
Can he do it? Of course he can, he's in the Chase. Will he? That's a tougher order. He's only got one top 5 finish in the last five races, down from seven in the last 20 races. He's riding a 9th and a 5th place finish in the last two races, but before that he'd had trouble maintaining his previously series-leading run.
Bottom line: Kenseth and his team are pros, and they'll do all they can to bring home a Cup for Jack Roush. But they've got to be at their very best over the next 10 weeks, and that means screening out any and all distractions of what they'll be doing the day after Homestead.
Best Chase track: Texas, where he has an average finish of 8.6. Since 2005, he's only had two finishes outside the top 10. His last four finishes? 2, 1, 4, 5. That's not bad, and Texas hits in the perfect point in the schedule for Kenseth to keep himself in the mix.
Worst Chase track: Talladega, where his average finish of 18.6 is, well, not so good. Obviously, that's Talladega, where everyone has troubles. And its earlier slot in the Chase means there's time to get past any weak performances.
JB's take: Kenseth has had another long, slow slide from the top of the heap this season, and while he was a constant threat early in the year, he doesn't inspire the same sort of confidence now that he might have back in the springtime. Staying close to the top isn't good enough in the Chase; you need to be able to win at any time. Kenseth will get in the top 10, but he won't be a factor come Homestead.
2012 Chase Prospects: Can Clint Bowyer bring Michael Waltrip a championship?
It's not supposed to be this easy. You don't take a team that's a punchline, slap a Chase-worthy driver in there and see immediate dividends. Yet that's exactly what happened with Michael Waltrip Racing and its star acquisition, Clint Bowyer.
Sure, Bowyer and Waltrip haven't had the best history, but they learned this year that winning is a powerful bandage, and hurt feelings have no place in victory lane. Combined with new crew chief Brian Pattie, Bowyer rolled off two wins this year, including a regular season-ender at Richmond just a few days ago. He spent the entire season in the top 10, never in any real danger of losing his Chase berth.
Bowyer never really comes up in championship conversation, mainly because he's always one of those guys who's not quite mounting up enough top 5 finishes to really scare the leaders. But he has a right-place, right-time knack, and if he's able to secure some early wins, you never know. You never know!
Best Chase track: Things start off well for Bowyer; his best track is Chicago, where he's got an average finish of 10.2 over six races. He'll need an early start to get ahead of the projected leaders; a victory in one of the first few races will keep him in the hunt far longer than his usual good-but-not-great runs of late. (Richmond excepted, of course.)
Worst Chase track: Charlotte, where he's achieved only a 17.5 average finish. That's not the kind of finish you want on your record in the Chase, since it necessitates two to three top 5 finishes to offset it. But hey, you know that going in, you can prepare.
JB's take: Not this year, but this is a case where just getting into the Chase is a huge achievement. Bowyer was brought to MWR as a Chase-worthy driver, and he delivered immediately. That's the kind of foundation that the team can build on in future seasons. At the moment, Bowyer doesn't have the squad to hang with the Johnsons and Hamlins of the world, but before long, he just might.
AJ Allmendinger completes ?Road to Recovery,? reinstated by NASCAR
Allmendinger had been suspended indefinitely earlier this summer for testing positive for a still-unrevealed stimulant at the Kentucky race. Allmendinger and his team had initially called the test results into question, but once a second sample turned up the same result, he consented to NASCAR's judgment. He told a curious story about taking Adderall, but in the end, he didn't disagree with the sport's judgment.
The knock on Allmendinger was that he would follow in Jeremy Mayfield's footsteps, fighting every inch of the way. He didn't; he took the wiser route and is now back in the sport faster than perhaps anyone expected.
Of course, he returns to a NASCAR changed even since he was suspended in July. Joey Logano has taken over his old seat, and there's no guarantee of another coming available for him anytime soon. He's indicated that he'll take time to explore his options. But at least now he has them.
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2012 Portimao World Superbike And World Supersport Saturday Post-Qualifying Press Releases
Press releases from the World Superbike and World Supersport teams, as well as the WSBK press office, after qualifying at Portimao:
Round Number:
13 Year:
2012
Monday
2012 Chase Prospects: Is it Denny Time?
You have to wonder how many times Denny Hamlin has played out the final two weeks of the 2010 Chase in his head.
By now, you know the story just as well as Hamlin does: dominating the season's penultimate race at Phoenix, fuel mileage came into play and Hamlin and then-crew chief Mike Ford pitted for fuel late in the race to ensure that his car would make it to the end under power. Hamlin finished 12th, and Jimmie Johnson finished fifth, closing the gap between himself and Hamlin at the top of the standings. Hamlin was dejected.
Hamlin was still the points leader by 15, but qualified poorly at Homestead and spun and damaged his splitter early in the race. His team scrambled all race and scraped out a 14th place finish. Meanwhile, Johnson qualified sixth and finished second. He won by 39 points. Hamlin was even more dejected.
Hamlin was a non-factor in the Chase in 2011 and started working with a sports psychologist to help his attitude.
Now, as we enter the 2012 Chase, Hamlin's atop the points standings and brimming with positivity. Can you blame him? He ripped off back-to-back wins at Bristol and Atlanta, and hasn't finished outside the top 20 all season except for accidents or mechanical failures. Hamlin's in a prime spot to be in the same position that he was in 2010, and does anyone think the script won't change if that's the case?
Best Chase Track: It's Martinsville, but you probably already knew that too. Hamlin has four wins and 12 top 10s in 14 starts. Given that Martinsville is also Jimmie Johnson's strength, Hamlin has to beat him here.
Worst Chase Track: Dover, where Hamlin has an average finish outside the top 20 and only two top 10s to his credit. He hasn't been incredibly sharp at Chicagoland either, so if he can buttress Loudon (a track where he's good at) with good finishes at Chicago and Dover, watch out.
NB's Prediction: 3rd. This is going to be a three team race down to the wire, and Hamlin will be one of the involved parties. If he's ahead of Johnson after Martinsville, the seventh race of the Chase, it will be advantage, Hamlin.
Power Rankings: It?s Denny Time
The race is done, and that means it's time for Power Rankings. Each week throughout the season, we'll size up who's rising and who's falling, based on current standings, behind-the-scenes changes, expected staying power, recent history and general gut feelings. It is not scientific, nor is it meant to be. And remember, whoever your favorite driver is, we're biased against him and like someone else better. We continue with a guy who's back:
Dropping out of the rankings: Marcos Ambrose. How do you say "Hail Mary" in Australian?
Lucky Dog: Mark Martin. See above for MWR commentary.
The Carl Edwards DNF: Sam Hornish Jr., who did everything he could to get back in that No. 22 and still couldn't get it. Sorry, DWW.
All right, your turn. Fire away, friends.
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2012 Chase Prospects: Can Clint Bowyer bring Michael Waltrip a championship?
It's not supposed to be this easy. You don't take a team that's a punchline, slap a Chase-worthy driver in there and see immediate dividends. Yet that's exactly what happened with Michael Waltrip Racing and its star acquisition, Clint Bowyer.
Sure, Bowyer and Waltrip haven't had the best history, but they learned this year that winning is a powerful bandage, and hurt feelings have no place in victory lane. Combined with new crew chief Brian Pattie, Bowyer rolled off two wins this year, including a regular season-ender at Richmond just a few days ago. He spent the entire season in the top 10, never in any real danger of losing his Chase berth.
Bowyer never really comes up in championship conversation, mainly because he's always one of those guys who's not quite mounting up enough top 5 finishes to really scare the leaders. But he has a right-place, right-time knack, and if he's able to secure some early wins, you never know. You never know!
Best Chase track: Things start off well for Bowyer; his best track is Chicago, where he's got an average finish of 10.2 over six races. He'll need an early start to get ahead of the projected leaders; a victory in one of the first few races will keep him in the hunt far longer than his usual good-but-not-great runs of late. (Richmond excepted, of course.)
Worst Chase track: Charlotte, where he's achieved only a 17.5 average finish. That's not the kind of finish you want on your record in the Chase, since it necessitates two to three top 5 finishes to offset it. But hey, you know that going in, you can prepare.
JB's take: Not this year, but this is a case where just getting into the Chase is a huge achievement. Bowyer was brought to MWR as a Chase-worthy driver, and he delivered immediately. That's the kind of foundation that the team can build on in future seasons. At the moment, Bowyer doesn't have the squad to hang with the Johnsons and Hamlins of the world, but before long, he just might.
Volkswagen CC ? Four Door Coupe
In order to compete in today?s auto industry; manufacturers have to constantly come up with new cars, models, safety features, design, etc. There were some doubts within the industry when Volkswagen unveiled their Passat CC in 2007, but as it happens, it turned out to be a worldwide success. The Passat CC was inspired by [...]
Source: http://www.autocarblog.co.uk/315-volkswagen-cc-four-door-coupe.html
Sunday
Should This Brit Be The Subject Of The Speculation In Singapore?
Lewis Hamilton destroyed the field in Monza a fortnight ago to signal his title intentions going into the business end of the F1 season. It will be all eyes on the Brit again in Singapore this weekend as he attempts to close a 37 point gap on Championship leader Alonso with seven races remaining. However, [...]
Waterfall The New Opel Convertible
The new Opel roadster will be named: waterfall. A car that inspires freshness, beauty and pure driving pleasure. With balanced proportions, muscular and slim line appearance is that of an elegant and luxurious car. Dispenses with the hardtop, as usual lately, to mount a high quality soft top. It is designed for those car lovers [...]
Source: http://www.autocarblog.co.uk/324-waterfall-the-new-opel-convertible.html
Mario Andretti Michael Andretti Keith Andrews Elio de Angelis
2012 Portimao WSBK Friday Round Up: Penultimate Weekend
In what might be the last World Superbike weekend at Portimao for a few years, the World Supersport championship could be decided on Sunday, while the World Superbike title will likely be decided on the last race of the year, in a fortnight's time.
Happy Hour: Who?s to blame for Kyle Busch?s downfall?
I waited out much of the rain in Richmond in my brother's camper. While wandering the campgrounds, I had a thought: Why on earth has nobody done a reality show about the NASCAR infield? You could have everything from cooking challenges ("Here's three pounds of roadkill, some pepper and a beer. Go!") to athletic competition (Full-contact corn holing ? GET YOUR MIND OUT OF THE GUTTER) to beauty pageants to voted-out-of-the-infield drama ... it's perfect! And the thing is, the NASCAR infield (or campground, in places like Richmond) is completely impervious to cliche or stereotype. You cannot make fun of something that's funnier on its own than anything you could come up with. When this becomes a series on ESPN, I want executive producer credit.
Your letters:
The first thing that popped into my head after Kyle Busch missed the Chase was "It's always the crew chief, never Kyle." I knew as soon as the race was over and he missed the Chase, the Kyle fans would be screaming for Dave Rogers to get fired. To be fair, yes, it was a gamble betting on weather that didn't pay off, and the pit crew dropped a lug nut. But if you listened to the 18 radio after about lap 300 like I did, Kyle sounded dejected and it seemed like his head wasn't in the game. Jeff Gordon, on the other hand, kept fighting through adversity and quite honestly gave the greatest second-place finish I have ever seen. Kyle's problem is Kyle. It probably will always be, no matter who his crew chief is. When the going gets tough and there is major pressure on his shoulders, he loses mental focus and folds quicker than one of those crappy plastic chairs you can buy at the dollar store.
?Chris in Crestview
Yeah, sentiment on Twitter wasn't exactly running in Rogers' favor. But you're right, Rogers' boneheaded pit call was only one of the many elements that doomed Kyle that night. Chances are good he won't be back in the same capacity, assuming that this was one of a number of miscommunications and not a one-time bad effort. I'd bet that he's around for one more year, but Coach Gibbs will keep him on a shorter leash than John Riggins. ('80s Redskins references! Timely!) Now, as for how Kyle could have gotten into the Chase ...
____________________
I have read some columns saying Kyle Busch was done in by early season mishaps, and hey, I am on record saying he got screwed at Watkins Glen, but this time his team did themselves in by losing focus again. At the start of the race, the Chase [spot] was Kyle's to lose, and he was not racing the field, he was racing one car, the 24. His pit strategy should have been simple: do whatever the 24 does. Why did they stay out on that last caution? He wasn't racing the field, and even if he were, with a driver like Kyle, put four new tires on and let him drive to the front. But they thought too much. It's a shame, really.
?Dean
Centerton, AR
Bingo. That's exactly it: Kyle should have been racing Gordon and Gordon only. Hell, he only missed by three points, and he lost two points on the last lap at Richmond! You'll note by the finishing order that Denny Hamlin, who had owned the race earlier on, mysteriously dropped like a rock to finish behind Kyle. But you'll also note that the Hendrick boys finished right in front of him. Think all that's a coincidence? I don't. I also think that finishing within 12 points of Jeff Gordon at Richmond is something Kyle should have been able to do while napping, but hey, that's why they race the races.
More Kyle:
____________________
I realize that his misfortunes tonight were not of his making, but does it seem to you like it does to me that Kyle Busch is to JGR what the Titanic was to the White Star Line? The brightest and the best who falls short when it really counts.
?Joyce Keith
Boy, time really does heal all wounds, doesn't it? You think football fans in 2083 are going to be using 9/11 as a comparative reference for when their team sucks? Probably. We humans are awful. Anyway, yeah, if you're going to go all White Star, the famed British shipping line with three flagships, Kyle is Titanic, Denny is Olympic (reliable, hung around forever) and Logano is Britannic (hit a mine and sunk early in its use). Next week: We compare the Hendrick boys to the artists of the Italian Renaissance. Shoot, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Botticelli are practically separated at birth.
_____________________
During the pit stops of any of NASCAR's top three series, television announcers always seem to mention the Sunoco brand name when describing that the car/truck has been fueled. Is there some contractual agreement between Sunoco and the networks which require that the announcers mention Sunoco? It's hard not to miss this little plug.
?John Giorgio
Funny you should ask. We reached out to Andy Hall, communications maestro at ESPN, and he gave us this statement: "Sunoco fuel is an endemic part of NASCAR races but as a matter of company policy, we do not discuss our business deals." That crafty Andy! He even used Sunoco fuel in the statement about using Sunoco fuel! And now he's got me doing it! Aaaaaggghh!!
Anyway, you can draw your own conclusions about Suno- about that particular product's prominent mentions.
_____________________
This has been a bizarre year in NASCAR. Had you told me any of the following would happen at the beginning of the year I would have thought you'd spent too much time 'round the shine.
1. JPM will run over a Jet Dryer during the Daytona 500. Oh, it will end on Tuesday morning too.
2. Team 48 will have a significant penalty repealed.
3. Caution flags will be virtually nonexistent.
4. There won't be any fights. Though tweeting and water bottles will cause controversy.
5. AJ Allmendinger will be suspended for drug use.
6. Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards will miss the Chase.
7. MWR will put two cars in the Chase.
8. Jeff Gordon will make the Chase only because Alan Gustafson keeps a magic wand in his backside.
9. Junior will lead the points for two weeks.
10. Kevin Harvick will look like a pretender as the Chase starts.
Honorable mention: JJ takes Mr. Hendrick for a ride after winning the All-Star race.
What are your thoughts on the season as we head into the Chase?
?Eric E.
Home of Cousin Carl
Even though I probably have spent too much time around the 'shine, I think you've done a fine job of recapping there, Eric. I'd throw in the Watkins Glen race, which is hands down the best final lap we've seen in a long, long time. When you put it all together like that, the 2012 regular season was fairly impressive, wasn't it? The Chase ought to be a lot of fun, especially if somebody (looking at you, 48) doesn't screw it up for all of us by locking it down before Halloween.
And on that note, we're out. Thanks to all our writers this week. You want in? Fire up the computer and hit us with whatever's on your mind, NASCAR-wise, at happyhournascar@yahoogroups.com. You can find Yahoo! Sports' NASCAR coverage on Facebook right here, and you can follow me on Twitter at @jaybusbee and on Facebook here. Make sure to tell us where you're from. We'll make you famous!
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