Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/WyWSvz_JKYQ/strike-pose.html
Monday
MURDERDROMES!!!
With many of these posts I will bounce ideas off of my brother or roommate to get a feel for how I should go about presenting a few of the topics. I have always known board track racing as ?Murderdromes? … Continue reading 
Source: http://anotherindycarblog.wordpress.com/2011/11/23/murderdromes/
Sunday
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.
GP2 to support F1 in Singapore, Bahrain and Malaysia | GP2
The GP2 calendar will expand from 18 to 24 races in 2012.
Source: http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2011/12/16/gp2-support-f1-singapore-bahrain-malaysia/
JeanDenis Deletraz Patrick Depailler Pedro Diniz Duke Dinsmore
Report: Brian Barnhart out of IndyCar Race Control
Brian Barnhart is set to be removed from his position officiating Izod IndyCar Series races.
According to a report from SPEED.com, Barnhart has been offered to stay within IndyCar but his new position wouldn't be involved with race control.
SPEED can report that Barnhart will be offered to stay on the payroll as president of operations but will no longer have anything to do with the officiating or managing of IZOD IndyCar Series races.
INDYCAR CEO Randy Bernard was unavailable for comment but indicated a few weeks ago that some major changes were forthcoming.
In addition to removing Barnhart as chief steward and director of racing, Bernard is also replacing Terry Angstadt with Mark Koretzky, who served as director of business development for IndyCar in 2011.
IndyCar has had an uneven recent history when it comes to race control decisions from the disbursement of blocking penalties to the starting of the Baltimore Grand Prix when there was still a safety vehicle exiting the track in turn one as the field came barreling after the green flag.
And of course, there's the whole episode at New Hampshire that led to Will Power's double middle-fingered salute towards the race control box. That New Hampshire race had been restarted with the track damp from rain, and when many drivers hit the gas pedal, they lost control of their cars.
After his tirade, Power had this to say about Barnhart:
"[Barnhart] makes such bad calls all the time," he said. "They cannot have this guy running the show because that was a decision to put many drivers in danger. It's no condition to race in; shame on him."
In October, Al Unser Jr. was suspended indefinitely from his position in IndyCar Race Control for his third alcohol related arrest.
Gerhard Berger Eric Bernard Enrique Bernoldi Enrico Bertaggia
MURDERDROMES!!!
With many of these posts I will bounce ideas off of my brother or roommate to get a feel for how I should go about presenting a few of the topics. I have always known board track racing as ?Murderdromes? … Continue reading
Source: http://anotherindycarblog.wordpress.com/2011/11/23/murderdromes/
Saturday
Tony Stewart officially accepts championship at Sprint Cup banquet
The Sprint Cup Series' Champion's week came to an end on Friday night with the annual awards ceremony in Las Vegas. Well, officially, anyway. There's probably a handful of NASCAR-types still partying as you read this.
Didn't stay up for the banquet Friday night? No problem, we've got you covered.
? Speed led off its coverage with a red carpet special similar to a Hollywood awards show preview. The key takeaway? Yes, Amy, Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s girlfriend, is real.
?�When Tony Stewart was introduced at the head table, Jimmie Johnson walked out ? much to everyone's surprise�? and feigned surprise that his name wasn't on the dinner card. That Jimmie, he sure is vanilla, eh?
?�Host Reba McEntire was solid and got in a couple of zingers including this one:
"Earlier I was out front and saw Kyle Busch drive right past the valet," McEntire said. "Well, I guess NASCAR officials are only allowed to park his car."
(Busch wasn't an official honoree at the banquet as he finished outside the top 10 in points.)
?�When Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski were introduced, they were emphasized as the winners of the wild card that went to the two drivers with the most wins in 11th-2oth place in the points standings before the Chase. However, Hamlin and Keselowski were 11th and 12th in the points and would have gotten into the Chase anyway under the previous top 12 format.
?�Yes, the video of Jeff Gordon breakdancing got played.
?�For you east coast NASCAR fans, it must have been really weird to see Johnson speaking before midnight.
?�Robert Weaver, the Ice Cream Man, won the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award. Weaver, an 83-year-old Talladega native, won for his over 50 years of volunteerism for the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind.
?�One of the reasons that the NASCAR banquet can be a snoozer��? yes, even more so than your typical race at Pocono��? is the scripted speeches for all of the drivers honored. Mad props to Keselowski, who clearly went on stage and winged it. It was compelling and well done, simply because it was clear that it wasn't off a teleprompter or a page of notes. Plus, he was even able to joke about his past history with Carl Edwards.
?�Matt Kenseth said that if he would have known that there wasn't going to be a comedian, he would have told some jokes. We all missed out. And he thanked Ollie's Bargain Outlet in his speech and snuck in a toilet-related Fluidmaster joke. You don't hear that every day.
?�During his speech, Edwards compared being honored (again) for finishing second as akin to sitting in the dentist's chair. Edwards handled the remarks about the championship battle with class all throughout the evening and he'll be at the head table very shortly.
?�Sprint CEO Dan Hesse announced that the company has extended its sponsorship of the Cup Series through 2016.
?�Stewart, who shared the head table with his former crew chief Darian Grubb, thanked Grubb for his commitment and dedication to Stewart-Haas since the organization's inception. Stewart's car was on display off to the side of the head table, but unfortunately didn't change to a Mobil 1 paint scheme two-thirds of the way through the evening.
Kurt Busch fined $50,000 for actions at Homestead
Kurt Busch has been fined $50,000 for "actions detrimental to stock car racing" after his expletive-laced rant while waiting for a potential interview with ESPN and pit reporter Dr. Jerry Punch�during�last Sunday's Ford 400.
From NASCAR:
NASCAR determined that Kurt Busch violated Section 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing ? inappropriate hand gesture; abusive language) of the 2011 NASCAR Rule Book.
In issuing the penalty, NASCAR cited Kurt Busch's "poor judgment in making an inappropriate hand gesture" when he drove his car into the garage early in the race after it experienced transmission problems.�In addition, NASCAR said Kurt Busch showed "disrespect towards a media member," an incident that followed similar inappropriate media confrontations earlier in the season.
Busch was shown on his in-car camera flipping someone off as he was pulling into the garage. The previous incident mentioned involved Busch ripping a reporter's transcript in half when asked about comments at the Richmond race before the Chase.
Kudos to NASCAR for immediately making this fine public. The last time (that we know) a driver was fined for comments was Brad Keselowski, when he was monetarily punished for his words about electronic fuel injection at a NASCAR fan forum. That fine was initially a "secret" fine and was reported two weeks after Keselowski's comments took place.
In a press conference before Sunday's race, NASCAR chairman Brian France said that NASCAR didn't see a benefit to having a public fining system "at the time" but that the sanctioning body would take a look at fining procedures in the offseason.
"The way we looked at it, what would be the benefit?" France said. "The drivers know exactly what we're after. We have these annual meetings with them, right?� And then we have semi-annual meetings with them, and we meet with them every weekend at the track.�We have formal meetings in the off-season.
"So they know exactly what we expect out of them.�When they don't handle that, the only way we can control that is obviously a fining system.�But look, don't panic over this.�We'll look at it in the off-season, if we need to change it, we'll change it.� Not a big deal."
Carlo Abate George Abecassis Kenny Acheson Andrea de Adamich
Kawasaki KFX 90
 |
The Kawasaki KX85 is effectively the two-wheeled version of the KFX90. Regardless, both vehicles offer plenty of fun, whether you’re riding a motocross bike or an off-road ATV.
The KFX90 ATV is well-suited to the dimensions of those 12 and over, largely thanks to a comfortable set-up that emphasizes looks and comfort for young riders. The KFX90 also has a simple and friendly 89cc four-stroke engine that provides compliant power delivery with a healthy mid-range, all while mated to a continuously variable transmission that eliminates the need for a shift lever. Dual front shocks and a swingarm rear suspension are also part of the ride package, helping make the ride more enjoyable by cushioning the rider against bumps.
Another important feature of the KFX90 is the keyed ignition switch, a set-up that prevents the use of the ATV without the key. This feature is important to parents who value the security of their child’s ATV. There’s also a throttle limiting screw and a CVT transmission speed limited that parents can use to ensure the safety of their kids when they’re riding the KFX90.
For those young kids that have an adventurous bone in their bodies, the Kawasaki KFX90 is an ideal ATV to take for all those thrill-seeking exploits.
Find out more about the Kawasaki KFX90 after the jump.
Kawasaki KFX 90 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 16 December 2011 17:00 EST.
Source: http://www.topspeed.com/motorcycles/motorcycle-reviews/kawasaki/2012-kawasaki-kfx-90-ar121416.html
Friday
Happy Hour: We need some new postrace celebrations
Welcome to the latest Happy Hour mailbag! You know how these work: You write us with your best rant/ joke/one-liner at happyhournascar@yahoogroups.com (note new address) or on Twitter at @jaybusbee, we respond to your messages, everyone goes away with a smile on their face.
So on Tuesday, I got caught in a 90-minute dead-stop traffic jam caused by a 20-car pileup on a highway near Atlanta. (Here's a brief news account.) And as I drove past the Talladega-esque wreckage, cars twisted into unrecognizable shapes and people sitting on the ground, shaken by the experience (thankfully, no serious injuries), I only had one thought: this was probably Vickers' fault. Also, no word on who got the Lucky Dog.
Now, to your letters. Last week, your assignment was to devise some new victory celebrations in the vein of Carl Edwards' flip. And oh, did you respond. Away we go...
Matt Kenseth would just fold his arms and yawn after a victory.
? Oranje
Hancock, Mich.
___________________
After winning a race, Jimmie Johnson could eat some vanilla ice cream because he is Mr. Vanilla.
? Dave Blakely
Simple. Effective. This is the vanilla ice cream of jokes.
___________________
If Brian Vickers ever wins again, he can wreck the other 42 cars during his victory lap.
? Daniel Biggins
___________________
? Joey Logano - Wait in his car for his Dad to get there and tell him what to do.
? Juan Pablo Montoya - Overcook his drive into Victory Circle taking out all of the equipment onstage and tell everyone it wasn't his fault that the equipment pinched down on him and left him no room.
? Any MWR driver - Go straight to their garage, close all the doors/block all view of the car, pretending their is a fire to distract everyone. Make the car legal, then go to victory circle.
? Danica Patrick - Now, I'm sure their wouldn't be a lot of complaints if she decided to moon all of her competitors, but NASCAR is family-oriented. So she hands out pacifiers to all the whiners.
? Dan Boren
Bay City, Texas
___________________
? Jeff Gordon - Gotta break dance now... think of the head spin with a polished helmet on!
? Tony Stewart - Fires his crew chief
? Denny Hamlin - Fires his crew chief and claims he thought of it first
? Dale Earnhardt Jr. - Tells NASCAR thanks for the 87 lucky dogs that mysteriously took place in the race
? Tim Palmer
___________________
? Joey Logano - Cups his hands on his face a la Home Alone
? Danica Patrick - busts out the little guillotine to even further emasculate the other drivers.
? Kurt
Home of the #17
Cambridge, Wisc.
...and finally, this one wins for the sheer absurdity of several of these...
___________________
? Brad Keselowski - The Robot
? Denny Hamlin - Shrug it off, put a brick on the throttle and walk towards pit road
? Ryan Newman - Take a stray dog and throw it into the grandstands
? Kurt Busch - Give a bird to Kyle Busch fans
? Kyle Busch - Give a bird to Kurt Busch fans
? Kasey Kahne - The Worm
? Greg Biffle - Take a Pancake and start eating it
? Paul Menard - Jump out the car and mutter one simple word: "Dad." Then start crying
? Martin Truex Jr.- Run as hard as you can into the car, see how much damage that you can make
? David Ragan - MOON WALK
? Regan Smith - Start singing your favorite "Grease" number
? Jamie McMurray - Start bawling
? Bobby Labonte - Start painting your car green, with a red 18 on the side, then start praying for JGR
? David Gilliland - Faint because you can't believe it
? Liam Morast
Ann Arbor, Mich.
Yes, drivers slinging puppies into the crowd, eating pancakes and working out their daddy issues. Do you get this kind of angle on the sport on ESPN or NASCAR.com? Hell no, you don't.
All right, on to the next topic ... and hey, it's Kurt Busch! Imagine that!
___________________
Yes, there's an opening now at Penske for 'Urt's' seat. But instead of the usual suspects who lost rides this year, Penske had great success pulling Brad Keselowski out of another organization who was ready, but for whom there was no room at the inn at Hendrick Motorsports. My money's on one of the up and comers in Nationwide, or Elliot Sadler, who's marketable and arguably was unfairly shuffled out of Sprint a few years ago.
? Jeff "Sarge" Smith
Keselowski totally altered the Penske dynamic based on his success. I have to wonder if Penske would have been so quick to kick Kurt to the kurb if Keselowski had finished around 20th. Now, Penske can do exactly as you said, letting Keselowski be the top dog and bringing in a promising newcomer or perhaps a one-more-chance cat like Sadler. Of course, if the rumors are true, there might be another guy looking for a ride. "Kes and the Dinger" sounds like the worst morning radio show ever, but could make for a hell of a driver tandem.
___________________
I am not a Dale Jr. fan per se, but I like the guy based on what I perceive as absolute genuineness. One thing that irritates me is that there is a nation of people out there that constantly like to bring him down due his inability to compete for a championship. People need to chill out.
Junior has been in "the show" for 10 years and in those 10 years, 2 drivers have won 8 of the championships. That leaves a lot of other people in the same garage as Junior ... So take some time, breathe deeply and say "serenity now." Everyone that enjoys NASCAR needs to also enjoy the fact that Junior is still active and racing. There will come a time when his persona is no longer on the scene and people like him don't come along every day.
? Jeff Morehouse
South San Francisco, Calif.
I agree with all of the above, but I honestly have nothing new to say about Junior today. Do you? I didn't think so. Aside: anybody ever see the movie "Serenity" or the TV show it was based on, "Firefly"? Good stuff. Here's the trailer.
New assignment: YouTube clips. Find us some good ones. Things that we can embed on a public website like this one. We'll run one a week till the season starts. Funny, scary, ridiculous, dramatic, whatever. Does not need to be NASCAR-related. Go.
We close with this emphatic manifesto:
___________________
I'm old-fashioned; growing up in Talladega I have always been an avid fan. I had decided several years ago when they finally decided to allow a female to drive that I was done. Did I mention I am a female as well? It's a man's sport, let's leave it that way. I wanted to make a few suggestions.
? Bring back the girls in bikinis in the Winner's Circle. The fire suits have got to go, who wants to see a chick in a cover up? (And I am happily married to a man.) I'll do it if they will let me!
? Have a fan of the day. Go out into the crowd during the 10 hours of pre-race intro and talk to some of the fans. Get more involved with the people, the main reason that NASCAR is still running.
? Please, for the love of the series, take the stupid windows down in the pits so we can have more interaction. To push things to get signed through a bankers window is very demeaning. Who wants to pay for a pit pass to have their picture taken with glass? Not me.
? When the drivers are getting carted around the track to wave a their fans, why do they have to be interviewed at the same time that they are supposed to be acknowledging the very fans/humans that pay to go see them?
? If they are going to be drivers, why do they also have to be commentators after the race? (could I be talking about "pretty boy" Edwards?)
? If you are going to sit, bitch and complain about everything under the sun about what is wrong with your car, and never is it your fault, why do you still get praised? (umm ... Stewart?)
? Have a race where the driver gets an old body style car, gets it fixed up and races, something fun to spice the season up.
? And please, please, please, no chick drivers, it's a man's sport, leave it that way.
? Last but not least, take out the radio frequencies, except between the driver and his crew chief, it is no one's business what they say behind the scenes, that takes so much of the fun out of it.
Let's bring back the racing we used to love, when it was fun!
? BamaRebel
Sweet mother of mercy, I think I'm in love. And I'm probably not the only one.
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!
Thursday
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 [...]
TheNASCARInsiders.com
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheNascarInsiders/~3/jfWowQPeArw/
Paolo Barilla Rubens Barrichello Michael Bartels Edgar Barth
Suzuki Post-Portimao Test Press Release: Camier's First Outing On The GSX-R 1000
The press release from Suzuki after the Crescent team's first World Superbike test:
Year:
2011
Luis Perez Sala lands HRT team principal job
Luis Perez Sala has been appointed team principal of HRT, as replacement for the departing Colin Kolles. The former Minardi driver has acted as an advisor for the new owners, and played a key role in getting Pedro de la … Continue reading 
Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2011/12/15/luis-perez-sala-lands-hrt-team-principal-job/
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