NASCAR Tracks - The Phoenix International Raceway

The Phoenix International Raceway hosts a variety of NASCAR and IRL events throughout the year. The Phoenix International Raceway was opened in 1988, and the Checkers Auto Parts course is 312 miles long - which equals 312 laps - and last year's race had an average speed of 103 MPH. For all sections of this top raceway the tickets are great and your sure to enjoy the Checker Auto Parts 500 that is run there each year.

The Phoenix International Raceway, built in 1964, boasts the world's fastest one-mile oval paved track for auto racing, and the Manzanita Speedway holds Sprint, midget, and stockcar races. The Phoenix International Raceway was opened in 1988, and the Checkers Auto Parts course is 312 miles long - which equals 312 laps - and last year's race had an average speed of 103 MPH.

Phoenix International Raceway (PIR) is a great track to visit if you want to experience NASCAR but on a smaller scale compared to much larger tracks and spectators. It's easier to bring the kids to this track because it is smaller and therefore the crowds are smaller. Phoenix International Raceway is one of the most unique tracks on the NASCAR schedule. Phoenix International Raceway may the same length as those two Nextel Cup Series venues, but thats where the similarity ends.

Carl has three wins in the all-new car series and could have had a fourth. Thats close to domination of the seven races so far but the good result have come on the super speedways, not the two short tracks. Cars get together and hook up in that second groove. But you can pass just about anywhere on this racetrack. Carved from the foothills of Estrella Mountains in 1964 the Phoenix International Raceway was a new star in the world of open-wheeled racing when it was opened. It wasn't until 1988, when NASCAR came to Phoenix that the raceway became truly world-class sporting venue.

PIR provides two great NASCAR weekends, one in the fall, and one in the spring. Fans from all over visit the Valley of the Sun for these two great weekends filled with the best in Sprint, Busch and Craftsman Truck Series racing. PIR is easy to get to from downtown. Take I-10 west to Avondale Blvd (formerly 115th Avenue), and drive south (left) for 6 miles. PIR is now in the outer suburbs of the fast-expanding Arizona city. The track hosted its first USAC Indy car races in 1964 with AJ Foyt winning the 100-mile event and Lloyd Ruby a 200-miler but it remained underdeveloped.

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Di Resta and Hulkenberg fight for Force India seat

As the winter nights have shortened so too have the prospects of finding a Formula 1 drive for two of the sport's brightest prospects.

Nico Hulkenberg - rated as the best rookie of 2010 - and Paul di Resta - Britain's third driver in Formula 1 alongside Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button - find themselves fighting for a drive.

At the end of the season, Williams released Hulkenberg in favour of cash-rich GP2 champion Pastor Maldonado.

Hulkenberg's sudden unemployment has complicated matters for Di Resta as the German is now closing in on the Force India seat the Scot has been warming all season as the team's reserve.

To add to the dilemma, Force India's incumbent drivers, Adrian Sutil and Vitantonio Luizzi, still have ties to the team with Italian Liuzzi contracted for 2011 and German Sutil sitting on a one-year option to continue.

Formula 1 insiders believe the hearts and minds of Force India are with Di Resta and the team want to give him one of the two seats that are listed as 'TBA' on the official entry list.

After joining the Silverstone-based team as a reserve for 2010, the Scot drove capably in eight first practice sessions on grand prix weekends.

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The auburn-haired Di Resta, a laidback and likeable addition to the paddock, quietly impressed the team with his technical feedback and commitment.

At the same time, the 24-year-old proved he was a winner by clinching the German Touring Car championship (DTM) for Mercedes on his weekends away from F1.

His manager Anthony Hamilton - father of McLaren driver Lewis - says: "There hasn't been one bit of negative information from the team about Paul.

"He has done a great job, the team love him. He's a champion and a leader. Nothing has changed; he is still a contender for a race seat. We are very positive."

Hulkenberg, however, is also an intriguing prospect for any F1 team.

The 23-year-old stole the headlines in the midst of the dramatic championship battle by snatching a blistering pole at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Yes, Hulkenberg had benefited from some tactical groundwork by team-mate Rubens Barrichello on his previous qualifying lap but the German's feat was still far beyond that of any of the other four F1 newcomers.

Humorous and straight-talking, Hulkenberg came into F1 on the back of a glittering junior career - where he won titles in karting, Formula BMW, Formula Three and the 2009 GP2 Series - and is now a highly-rated F1 prospect

Both Hulkenberg and Di Resta are gifted drivers - but in F1 money often talks louder than talent.

Despite being impressed by Hulkenberg's "exceptional" skills, Sir Frank Williams let him go in favour of Maldonado simply because he could bring in a reputed 10m euros - largely from Venezuela's state oil company - at a time when the Williams team had lost several key business partners.

When it comes to securing their own future, the problem for both Hulkenberg and Di Resta is that they don't bring any cash to the table.

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Hulkenberg himself says: "It has become much, much harder to open doors if your application does not come with a serious sponsor package and you really only rely on your talent as the sole 'sales argument'."

The complex situation at Force India means the team need to find the cash to buy Liuzzi out of his existing contract - so contributions from a replacement would be welcome.

And of all those in the frame only Sutil, who is understood to have bought around 2m euros to the team in 2010, has the immediate funds to strike that deal.

Force India's engine partner Mercedes-Benz could also influence the team's decision.

What if its own-brand Mercedes Grand Prix team wanted to scout out potential replacements for Michael Schumacher or Nico Rosberg by paying to place a driver in another team?

Di Resta is already well-connected and well-liked by Mercedes, especially after his DTM win, but Hulkenberg, as a rising German star, could be a perfect future fit for the Silver Arrows.

For now, Di Resta and Hulkenberg are playing the waiting game.

Hulkenberg's management company, whose founder Willi Weber also plotted Schumacher's career, opened talks at the final race in Abu Dhabi and said they had expected Force India to have made their decision by now.

Di Resta is sitting down with the team this week to discuss his future role.

Although nine cockpits are still to be filled on the 2011 grid, options elsewhere remain squeezed.

Hulkenberg's team have already approached Toro Rosso and Renault but found no room at the inn.

Toro Rosso will stick with Jaime Alguersuari and Sebastien Buemi, with newly-signed third driver Daniel Ricciardo waiting in the wings. The renamed Lotus Renault team are widely expected to retain Russian rookie Vitaly Petrov alongside star driver Robert Kubica.

Timo Glock has confirmed he is staying at Marussia Virgin, with Brazilian Lucas di Grassi and Belgian Jerome D'Ambrosio - both of whom come with sponsorship - the favourites to join him. Back-of-the-grid Hispania first need to find someone to build their 2011 car before confirming drivers.

Di Resta already has a contract to continue as Force India's third driver in 2011, while Hulkenberg has been linked to the same role at Mercedes and Ferrari.

In the fickle world of Formula 1, it is never a bad idea to have a Plan B.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/sarahholt/2010/12/as_the_winter_nights_have.html

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The NASCAR Vehicle Past and Present

The original concept of a NASCAR race car was that is was supposed to be composed of stock parts you would buy in an auto parts store. In some respects that is true but not totally. The race car is a high performance racing machine designed to withstand high G-forces when banking on turns. Lets look at what makes up this vehicle.

The first component most are interested in is the engine of a NASCAR racing vehicle. This engine actually is very close to that which you have in your car (provided you have a big engine) but it is customized so that it can withstand high temperature and torque. All parts in the engine of a are machined to within very tight specifications so that there is a minimum of friction. The carburetor is designed to let in the volume of air and fuel mixture required to sustain high speeds for lengthy spans of time. There are no fuel injectors in the race cars engine.

The first modification to the NASCAR vehicle was to smooth out the ride. Early races were run on tracks that were very bumpy and this causes a lot of damage. Today, the NASCAR vehicle is basically a body molded from sheet metal on a frame supported on the inside by bars made of sheet tubing. The vehicle is not a stock vehicle any longer as each component is hand-crafted and assembled. The car is built with safety in mind while giving it the ability to maintain speeds approaching 200 mph. Driver comfort is not the focus.

The NASCAR vehicle at one time was able to reach speeds in excess of 200 mph and that all changed in 1987 when Bobby Allisons race car flew into a section of fence at the Talladega Speedway in Talledega, Alabama. Fans were injured in the stands and NASCAR took action to restrict the speed of the vehicle through what is known as a restrictor plate. This also gave birth to the term restrictor-plate racing.

The physics of the restrictor plate have to do with reducing air intake into the intake manifold of the engine. Less air will result in lower combustion thus reducing horsepower. The restrictor plate is a sheet of metal with four holes bored in it at precise tolerances. The plate is then mounted between the intake manifold and the carburetor. After that, the NASCAR vehicle should not be able to exceed speeds of 200 mph.

It would seem like the restrictor plate would resolve the safety problem but many professional drivers have been asserting that it creates more potentially unsafe situations in a race. If you think about the difference between a motor scooter and a motorcycle you can see where a restrictor plate could create problems. Many times a motor scooter has an accident where a motorcycle could have avoided it because of its increased ability to accelerate (a motorcycle can accelerate quicker to avoid an oncoming threat). It is the same complaint among almost all of the racers with restrictor plates. They have identified situations where the cars bunch up and the driver only has one choice and that is to slow down. Speeding up to avoid the congestion is not an option because the other cars may be at the restrictor plate limit too.

But as for now, the restrictor plate is a requirement in the race car vehicle on the majority of tracks.

For the largest selection of Nascar Merchandise along with up to the minute News, NASCARsupershop offers this and more. We carry everything NASCAR including NASCAR Helmets and NASCAR Hats s all at the best prices everyday! I'm not only the owner of NASCARsupershop.com I'm also the senior editor, website developer and a HUGE fan of NASCAR!

Article Source: The NASCAR Vehicle Past and Present

Source: http://www.articlespan.com/article/102706/the-nascar-vehicle-past-and-present

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F1: Mercedes not panicking over form

Mercedes not panicking over form By Jonathan Noble Thursday, March 3rd 2011, 18:00 GMT Mercedes GP is hopeful that it will be in 'reasonable' shape by the time the season starts in Australia - despite the struggles it has faced so far in early testing. The new W02 has not been a match for early favourites Red Bull Racing and Ferrari in testing, and its hopes for a step forward in performance are pinned on an upgrade package that it is bringing to next week's final pre-season test in Barcelona Related posts:
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Why the NASCAR Foundation Organization Supports Charity

A good organization supports charity and NASCAR does just that through its NASCAR foundation. The foundation has a program where for a 30 dollar donation you can join in on the NASCAR track walk. The Home Depot, one of the nations largest retail home improvement centers, is a major sponsor of the promotions and holds charitable events with proceeds going to the Foundation. But who does the Foundation support and what kinds of events do they hold to raise funds?

One thing they do is sponsor auctions where the proceeds go to one of the foundations supported by the foundation. For example, on September 17, 2007, they announced bidding on Jeff Gordon full-sized and autographed fiberglass auto body. The proceeds from this auction go to the Jeff Gordon Foundation which supports pediatric medical care of children with serious and life-threatening disease.

The NASCAR foundation holds the Blood and Marrow Drives at different tracks each year. The donations help out the Jimmie Johnson Foundation and the Hendrick Marrow Program. Other charities of the Foundation are:

The Dale Earnhardt Foundation,This is a foundation run by the wife of the racing great who died in a race car crash in 2001. Dale Earnhardt was concerned about education, children, and wildlife and his commitment lives on through this foundation.

The Kyle Petty Charity Ride,Kyle Petty is the son of the King of NASCAR Richard Petty and he sponsors a motorcycle ride across the USA for the Victory Junction Gang Camp as well as other childrens charities.

Victory Junction Gang Camp,This is an organization with the mission of helping to enrich the lives of children with serious illnesses by providing them a camping experience in a medically-safe environment. It was founded by Kyle Petty and his wife Pattie in June 2004. The couple also donated the land that the camp stands on today. The camp is interesting because it was built with a racing theme and all the look of a race track. The camp takes cash donations and there are volunteer opportunities. It is also gives a quilt and a teddy bear to each child who stays there so they are always looking for donations of these two items to replenish their supply.

There are many ways to donate to the foundation. One way is through the NASCARs Auto Donation program. Here, you can donate a vehicle and then any of the proceeds that the Auto Donation program gets from the proceeds in an auction are given to charity. All donations are fully tax deductible.

The Day Telethon,This was a telethon held on May 18, 2007 across from Lowes Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Speed Channel, NASCAR, and Sirius radio broadcasted this telethon event through the end of the Craftsman Truck Series Race.

There are many other charitable organizations supported by the Foundation but it is obvious that they care about contributing to the community which is probably one of the reasons why this sport is becoming increasingly popular.

For the largest selection of Nascar Merchandise along with up to the minute News, NASCARsupershop offers this and more. We carry everything NASCAR including NASCAR Shorts and NASCAR Sunglasses all at the best prices everyday! I'm not only the owner of NASCARsupershop.com I'm also the senior editor, website developer and a HUGE fan of NASCAR!

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Champions Red Bull the centre of attention

Valencia

On a cold January morning in Valencia it was hard for Red Bull to bask in their glories of last season's double championship success as they unveiled their 2011 challenger.

World champion Sebastian Vettel wisely wore a woolly hat and a blond beard as he and team-mate Mark Webber shiveringly unsheathed the RB7.

There was even an early attempt to burst Red Bull's bubble when a plucky journalist asked in the team's first media conference of the new season, "Have you thought that this car could be complete junk?"

Webber stared into the middle distance, designer Adrian Newey fashioned a face of indifference and it was left to Vettel to answer in shock, "No!"

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By the end of the first day, Vettel had emphatically answered the question on the track by holding sway at the top of the timesheets.

The world champion was more than 0.7 seconds ahead of the next 2011 car, which happened to belong to the man he beat to the 2010 crown, Ferrari's Fernando Alonso.

Times don't count for much on the first day of winter testing as the teams are furiously tinkering with the cars, running with unknown amounts of fuel on board and learning how to adapt to the Pirelli tyres, which will be used instead of Bridgestone this season.

But Vettel's marker was undeniably a statement of intent - Red Bull are out to defend both titles.

"It's a good sign," Vettel commented after his first day back in the cockpit. "Generally it's better to be on top of the ranking than being at the other end.

"What we achieved [in 2010] made us all very proud and no-one can take it away from us.

"But we have to develop on how good we were last year or the others will pass us. We have to stay focused, keep learning and keep trying to get better. If we just have the same approach as last year then we won't move forward."

Red Bull were cagey about the specific design changes and upgrades to the 2011 car.

Perhaps you cannot blame them when some of the other teams were hovering amid the media throng at the Red Bull launch trying to get a glimpse of Newey's latest creation. One rival team representative was even spotted unsubtly snapping away with a long-range zoom lens.

Red Bull simply say that the car is an evolution of its 2010 championship-winning vehicle and that a lot of the changes are "beneath the skin".

The principal tasks for all teams is in incorporating 2011's regulation changes which include the addition of a movable rear wing to aid overtaking, the return of 2009's Kers energy recovery and power boost system and the removal of the double diffuser, as well as gaining an understanding of the new Pirelli tyres.

Unlike last season, when they skipped the first test to spend more time honing the car at their Milton Keynes factory, Red Bull arrived at the opening test determined to take full advantage of the 15 days of testing before the first race of the season next month.

"We felt that the car was ready to be released," explained Newey. "It's always a balance of research time versus development time in terms of performance and reliability. I was keen to get the car out for the first test.

"It's difficult to design the car for the Pirelli tyres. Packaging for Kers is a challenge and no doubt McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes will have Kers and will be competitive and so for no other reason we need to get it to work for performance off the line.

"In terms of performance we are all struggling to recover the downforce we lost through the double diffuser.

"It is a period of nervousness for us but also a period of excitement."

While Newey grapples with the nuances of designing another peerless car, team boss Christian Horner is tasked with avoiding a repeat of the tensions within his team that threatened to derail last season's championships.

Friction between Vettel and Webber memorably spilled over onto the track at the Turkish Grand Prix when Vettel crashed out in an attempt to pass his team-mate for the lead.

"They'll push each other hard but I don't think they'll push each other too hard as they did in Istanbul," Horner commented.

"They have number one and number two on their cars but that is in many ways irrelevant. We give both drivers equal priority and that's the way we will treat them in 2011."

In their first appearance ahead of the new season, Red Bull presented a united front as a team hungry for more success. With the world champion leading the field, the fastest car on the track and the largest motorhome in the paddock, they already look every inch like being the team to beat when racing resumes next month in Bahrain.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/sarahholt/2011/02/champions_red_bull_the_centre.html

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WTCC: Michelisz announces BMW switch

Michelisz announces BMW switch By Peter Farkas Thursday, March 3rd 2011, 16:36 GMT Hungarian driver Norbert Michelisz will continue to race in the World Touring Car Championship this season, but will switch to BMW machinery from SEAT, his Zengo-Dension team confirmed today. Related posts:
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Source: http://doxcar.com/wtcc-michelisz-announces-bmw-switch/

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Bobby Labonte the latest feel-good story in NASCAR

Life lessons, in the gutsy art of hanging in there, have been the best part of the early season.Here's Jeff Gordon, winning at Phoenix, stifling his detractors, right on top of the bombshell that burst upon Daytona, from the long-down Wood Brothers and young Trevor Bayne. [+] Enlarge Jason Smith/Getty Images Trevor Bayne (21) could have done a lot worse than pair up with Bobby Labonte (47) for the stretch run of the Daytona 500.There's another story out there, just beneath the surface, not as blatant but just as feel-good.It is the pairing of 46-year-old Bobby Labonte, who had to scrape up rides with four different teams last season just to keep his streak of starts intact, with a one-car team that Marcos Ambrose quit (Marcos Ambrose, mind you) after last season.Without this little team and its older driver, there would have been no Trevor Bayne story at Daytona. Related posts:
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Source: http://doxcar.com/bobby-labonte-the-latest-feel-good-story-in-nascar/

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