Jake Humphrey's season review

I should have known what to expect from this season when we went on air for the first time in Australia back in March.

Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel went on to win the race in Melbourne without really breaking a sweat, while expert pundit David Coulthard ended up with cake on his face during the post-race F1 Forum thanks to a very over-excited world champion.

Dominance and madness in one go.

Since then, Vettel has won almost every race, while we've had masses of fun and games on camera as we traversed the globe. I have plenty of highlights from a season that has been, without question, the most rewarding of my three years. At the same time, it has been one of the most difficult and surreal. But more of that later...

First the fun! One of the things I've loved about the coverage we've provided since 2009 has been the genuine human emotion that only live sport can deliver. The F1 Forum, in particular, has given us a chance to see a side to the sport that was previously hidden, usually because all the TV crews had long since stopped work.

A stand-out moment for me occurred in the F1 Forum after the Monaco GP. We headed up to the Red Bull Barge - or the 'float-a-home' as it's nicknamed - where the team were celebrating their second successive win in the race.

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First, Vettel went into the pool, followed by various Red Bull team members, making it inevitable that Eddie Jordan would join them. I must confess that, as I challenged Eddie to go and grab the race winner, I knew he was likely to end up in the drink... and that's precisely what happened. EJ losing his glasses and proceeding to do duck-dive after duck-dive to retrieve them will live with me forever. All on live TV, let me remind you.

We then got a glimpse of just how brave the strong, fearless, race-winning F1 star DC really is. As soon as it looked like he would be the next one to get a soaking, he suddenly grabbed both his mic and the nearest railing for dear life. Cries of "No, I'm wearing white jeans!" and "No, I'm holding a microphone!" fell on deaf ears.

We often see drivers wearing race suits, helmets on their heads, wrapped inside a shell of carbon fibre. We never really get to know the human being behind the mask. I hope that, as the year progressed, you have felt you've got to know the likes of Daniel Ricciardo and Mark Webber as never before.

After the careers they've had and the success and the riches that have come their way, it would be very easy for Eddie and DC to not bother going the extra-mile for the good of the coverage, too. Yet they have. Early starts, late finishes, being asked to do ludicrous things and always buying into it... they've done it all. In fact, EJ refusing to go on the Abu Dhabi rollercoaster was just about the only time he has said 'no' in three years!

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I remember heading to a shopping centre in India to film a Bollywood opening to a show. When the nearby Metallica gig was cancelled, 40,000 very unhappy heavy metal fans suddenly surrounded the car. It was a little scary until EJ decided to engage them in conversation to find out what was going on. Moment defused!

That first trip to India was fascinating. I found it particularly difficult and struggled on a daily basis with the contrast between the glitz and glamour of F1 and a country with such obvious socio-economic issues. It was hard to see the poverty as we headed to the track every day, then watch million-pound cars going round in circles. I sincerely hope that F1 makes a concerted effort to give something back to India in the coming years.

It was good to chat that weekend to Rowan Atkinson. But after creating such genius TV as Blackadder, it's sad to think he's globally famous as Mr Bean! Great he could join us on the show, though. To have 'George McCartney' (copyright E Jordan) with us in Abu Dhabi was also special. The only reason McCartney and Atkinson came to chat to us was because of Eddie. It's amazing the power he actually wields!

At this point, let me congratulate Eddie on raising more than £100,000 for Children In Need with his signed Indian GP shirt. He forced all the drivers to sign it, as well as Bernie Ecclestone and Macca.

DC has also really come into his own this year. Whether he's taking on Lewis Hamilton or Jenson Button in a pit-stop challenge or on a jet-ski, he's become a credible, eloquent and respected pundit. Added to that, he knows how it feels to win races, fight for titles and drive contemporary F1 machinery.

Sir Paul McCartney, Jake Humphrey and Eddie Jordan

Jake Humphrey and Eddie Jordan meet Beatles legend Sir Paul McCartney. Photo: Getty

He's also rather naughty, using his weekly track guides to educate Sergio Perez about the perks of being an F1 driver, to tell Vettel about the German-speaking films he watched as a kid, or to make Karun Chandhok, who was busy minding his own business by cycling the track, re-enact Hamilton's crash with Webber in Singapore.

I'd just like to say how much I've loved working with both EJ and DC over the past three years. It's rare to find three people who just seem to click, but we have and it's been an incredibly rewarding time.

Despite Vettel being so dominant, I've really enjoyed the racing in 2011.

The new DRS overtaking aid on the cars has been toyed with by the FIA during the year but I think they've generally got the balance right now after the slightly embarrassing overtaking-laden Turkish Grand Prix.

What has really got me excited this year, though, have been the Pirelli tyres. Yes, the teams have worked really hard to nullify the effects of marginal tyres, but they have still added to the spectacle. Next year, Pirelli will be even smarter and more aggressive with tyre choice, so I think the tyres will really ask questions of the strategies that teams employ. If they get it right, Pirelli could again be the difference between a good season and a great season in 2012.

And what about my classic moments of 2011? Well, Canada stands out. We had international pop star Rihanna trying out Hamilton's car, DC demonstrating his knowledge of ornithology and Star Wars creator George Lucas chatting to us in the garage... all while a race should have been taking place!

When the racing eventually started, it didn't disappoint, did it? Button was incredible that day and I'd like to extend my thanks to him and all the other drivers who have made themselves so accessible this season.

The F1 Forum has been a magnet for race winners, from Vettel in tears as he watched our 'back-to-back champions' tape, to EJ, DC, Martin Brundle and me leaning over flight cases and around photographers in an attempt to get to Hamilton after his race win in Abu Dhabi. All great times.

It's worth pointing out that the drivers are not obliged to join us live pre-race, before or after qualifying, or on the F1 Forum. They choose to do it, which I think speaks volumes for both our coverage and about the drivers themselves. Thanks, guys.

After all that fun over the last eight months, we get to take a breath, grab a winter holiday, then do it all over again come March 2012. So what can you expect from the BBC next year and how will we make a very different season just as interesting to watch?

Well, the first thing to say is that EVERY race will be on the BBC.

I know you guys want live F1 but you will still get plenty of racing to watch - and often at much better times. Australia, Japan and Malaysia, for example, are races that take place in the early hours in the United Kingdom but we will show almost the whole race at 2pm. As well as that, the programme will be two hours long, so there will be plenty of action and reaction. For non-live races that are run at lunchtime in the UK, you can now enjoy a Sunday out, get home for 5.30pm and have 90 minutes of F1 in a peak-time slot.

The highlights will not just be a few token laps edited together either. We're talking extended, comprehensive highlights to really tell the story of the grand prix.

I can also reveal that the BBC presentation team will be at all the races, so the guys and I will be interviewing drivers, bringing you the usual banter and hosting the show in the way you've come to expect since 2009. So expect F1 Forums and the usual 60-minute build-up for live races. Plus we will have in-depth analysis from DC and others, as well as stacks of driver interviews for the highlights races.

Yes, it's a shame we haven't got 100% live F1. As a fan, I would dearly love to host every race live and you can only imagine how hard and uncertain it has been for all of us since Hungary, when the new rights deal was announced.

The team works so hard to make F1 a success on the BBC and it hurts that, after all that effort we've put in, things have changed. But the BBC has backed us with great on-air times and, as I have said, will be sending us to every race, while the usual back-room talent will be making every show special.

Thanks so much for your support, loyalty and viewership over the last three years. I promise you that, if you stick with the BBC, we won't disappoint in 2012. I am personally driven to make next year's coverage even better than ever before.

Have a great winter and I look forward to you getting a lie-in before I welcome you to the Australian Grand Prix in less than four months.

All the best,

Jake

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/jakehumphrey/2011/11/jake_humphreys_2011_season_rev.html

David Hobbs Gary Hocking Ingo Hoffmann Bill Holland

An Explanation of The Physics of NASCAR

Even though NASCAR started as a backwoods illegal race to run moonshine, it has today evolved into a sport that is not only entertaining but depends on physics too. The obvious element in the physics of NASCAR is the aerodynamic design required by these cars in order to achieve top speeds of near 200 mph with the minimum drag coefficient. But there are other forces involved too such as Newtons Law of Motion and centripetal force.

Newtons Law of Motion states that a body will remain in motion unless it is acted upon by some external force. In outer space for example, in the absence of gravity, an object will go on forever. So there are forces that resist the movement of a NASCAR vehicle such as wind drag and another known as centripetal force.

Centripetal force should not be confused with centrifugal force. However without getting too technical, you can think of centripetal force as a real force acting perpendicular to the motion of the moving body. Centrifugal force on the other hand is actually a fictitious force and what we feel as we are thrown outward from a moving vehicle is the reaction force.

Centripetal force in the physics of NASCAR is crucial to keeping a car on the track. The tires of the vehicle provide the friction which is part of the centripetal force. The centripetal force needed to keep the car on the track cannot exceed the square of the speed of the car. To put it in simple terms, if the car takes a turn too fast, the wheels leave the ground and an accident occurs. The physics of NASCAR dictates that turns on the racetrack must be banked in order to increase the friction (part of the centripetal force) to hold the car.

Another component of physics of NASCAR that serves to keep the vehicle with all four wheels on the track during the race is center of gravity. Center of gravity is basically the point where you could balance the car on the top of a flag pole (theoretically). Racing vehicles need low centers of gravity in order to keep the weight close to the track. If a vehicle has a high center of gravity then it can lose control when it hits a turn much faster. Think of an ambulance with a high profile patient area. If the ambulance took a turn too fast, it would topple over. But if its profile was not too high, it could take the turn faster because the center of gravity is lower.

An ambulance needs the high profile in order to get patients in and treat them but the physics of NASCAR dictate the low center of gravity in order to apply more centripetal force and keep it attached to the track on a turn.

Then there is the machining of engine components in the physics of NASCAR that are important for building horsepower with the minimum of friction. You want friction when it comes to centripetal force but you dont want it inside of an engine. This is why internal engine parts are machined to within very accurate tolerances much more accurately than automobiles for family and everyday use. Why? It is because you want to minimize friction inside the engine. When engines torque at these speeds, friction is a very dangerous enemy.

For the largest selection of Nascar Merchandise along with up to the minute News, NASCARsupershop offers this and more. We carry everything NASCAR including Carl Edwards Jackets and Bobby Labonte Jackets 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: An Explanation of The Physics of NASCAR

Source: http://www.articlespan.com/article/103927/an-explanation-of-the-physics-of-nascar

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History About The Start Of Nascar

What started off as a way of racing stock motorcars on dirt tracks has now become as America's biggest and most-watched sporting event. It has rapidly matched and in many places taken over even the NFL as the most-watched sport. Nascar is huge today. For those of you wondering, Nascar stands for the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. There are many popular races that are put on by Nascar. There are more than 1500 races that are sanctioned by Nascar with the Nextel cup, Busch series, and the Craftsman series being the most common ones.

The History
It all began in the early days of the 19th century, when Daytona Beach became the setting for speed and racing cars. It had quickly become the place where speed records were being passed each and every day. In fact, more than 15 records were set here in a span of a few years. Drivers then begun to modify their cars in order to escape the fierceness of the police force. It was here that modified cars began participating in the racing circuit.

William France, Sr.
It was William France, Sr. who can be named the founding father of Nascar or the man who laid the groundwork for it. William France, Sr. had traveled to Daytona Beach from Washington, D.C. to escape from the Great Depression. He then entered in the racing event at Daytona Beach and finished fifth. He saw that very often the drivers were left lurking in the dark after sponsors made off with their money. They were left unpaid most of the times after doing all the hard work.

This led him to the conclusion that a set of regulations, a governing body, and an organized championship were necessary for the improvement of the race and the drivers. This gave way to negotiations with several racing enthusiasts, and Nascar was formed on the 21st of February, 1948.

The First Races And Rules
Can you believe that the first set of Nascar rules and the points system were written on a saloon napkin? The first racing event sponsored by the facultative body was held at Daytona Beach. But the first ever stock car race was held on June 19th, 1949, at the Charlotte speedway. Alterations on the car commenced after about six years after Nascar was formed. Soon, custom-made vehicles began appearing on the circuit.

The Racing Circuits
Some of the tracks expended in the initiatory racing circuits are still utilized today. Martinsville Speedway is one of them. Darlington Raceway, which opened in 1950, is another. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which is a popular track on the Nextel Cup circuit, dates back to 1909!

This author is a HUGE fan of NASCAR licensed merchandise

Article Source: History About The Start Of Nascar

Source: http://www.articlespan.com/article/111202/history-about-the-start-of-nascar

Travis Kvapil Long John Silver s Ford David Gilliland Charter Air Transport Ford

Alonso and Massa's Ferrari F150 shakedown at Fiorano

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Fernando Alonso got the opportunity to drive the new Ferrari F150 following its launch on Friday (28th Jan'11), while Felipe Massa took over duties on the second day yesterday, around Fiorano circuit in Maranello.

On this second day of acquiring footage of the car?s new livery for advertising purposes, the Fiorano Track opened its gates to a section of the fifteen thousand Scuderia Ferrari Club members. ?I would like to thank all of you for having coming all the way here to give us your passionate support,? said Stefano Domenicali as he got the day underway by addressing the crowd.

?Last year, on the day we won at Monza, feeling this wave of affection from all of you was a great motivating force as we fought our way back and we hope to give you something back this year with a championship title, something that we missed out on in Abu Dhabi by the smallest of margins. This car is dedicated to celebrations for the 150th anniversary of Italian Unification because it is part of our makeup to feel pride in representing our country all over the world. Even if we have team-members who come from many different countries, starting with a Spaniard like Fernando and a Brazilian, albeit with Italian origins, like Felipe, we have a strong desire to hold high the national flag which is now seen in all its glory on our car.?
-Stefano Domenicali


A day of red hot enthusiasm at Fiorano

"Over a thousand people braved the cold and damp this morning to see the Ferrari F150 and the Scuderia?s full complement of drivers from Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa to Bianchi, Fisichella, Bertolini and all the youngsters from the Ferrari Driver Academy.

The weather was definitely not at its best, with a bit of sleet in the early hours of the morning making the track damp and temperatures were even lower than yesterday, so that Felipe Massa only did just over sixty kilometres at the wheel of the F150."

- Ferrari.com


Fernando Alonso's first laps in the Ferrari F150 (Day 1)


Felipe Massa drives the Ferrari F150 (Day 2)




Ferrari's movable rear wing in action

F1 websites across the web are pointing out the adjustable rear wing in action in the Ferrari F150 shakedown pictures. Have you noticed the rear wing in 'normal' and 'deployed' positions in the above pictures yet?!

The development testing will get underway in Valencia on Feb 1st. For launch and test schedules, go to this post (2011 Winter launch and Test schedule).

Images © Ferrari

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NASCAR Tickets - NASCAR Makes Racing Debut on Wii

It doesn't matter what time of the year it is for NASCAR fans who have invested in the Nintendo Wii, as racing enthusiasts can now watch their favorite drivers storm the racetrack even outside of racing season. NASCAR's fiercest competitors have been transformed into video game characters in the newest Wii arrival called "NASCAR Kart Racing," allowing racing fans to jump into the driver's seat to maneuver around the league's several tracks such as the Talladega Superspeedway and Daytona International. The NASCAR Kart Racing Nintendo game has been in the works for several months and was finally released in the middle of February 2009, granting racing fans an all-access pass both in and out of racing season.

While NASCAR Kart Racing is highly comparable to the dominating Mario Kart Nintendo game of a similar caliber, this virtual automotive delight adds a personal touch to the highly-respected sport of racing, even featuring characters named and resembling 14 drivers, including Jeff Burton, Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth, Elliott Sadler and Tony Stewart, with two unlockable mystery drivers including racing legends Richard Petty and Joey Logano. Just like in real life, these characters each have different attributes and strengths that affect how they run races, making this Wii game even more exciting for racing fans. 10 other non-NASCAR drivers called "Outsiders" are also available options for choosing drivers in the Kart Racing game.

In NASCAR's newest Wii endeavor, players select a driver and also choose a teammate, building up added speed bonuses for staying close to teammates in the various races at several different racetracks across the country. NASCAR Kart Racing isn't all about going fast and turning left, however, like it is for these real racecar drivers, as in the Wii game there are several racetracks with varying obstacles blowing through the screen. Just like in Mario Kart, Kart Racing's competitors try to outspeed each other in some high-flying racing action on the track, zooming past dizzying landscapes, rocky cliffs, falling boulders and other hazards on their way to victory.

NASCAR Kart Racing is rated E (for Everyone) by the ESRB and has been given the description "Cartoon Mischief," letting all racing fans with a Nintendo Wii get a slice of the action. The Wii program also offers myriad options when it comes to controls, as the game is drivable by Wii remote, remote and nunchuck, classic controller or Gamecube controller.

While racing enthusiasts are now getting their kicks from the NASCAR Kart Racing Nintendo Wii game via living room televisions and Wii remotes, die-hard racing fans are still lining up to get NASCAR tickets to see Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Co. kick up dust live from racetracks across the country. Racing season is alive and well, so scour the web for tickets to a race and head down to the track to watch everyone's favorite icons zoom past the checkered flag on their way to Victory Lane!

This article is sponsored by StubHub.com. StubHub is a leader in the business of selling NASCAR tickets, sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets and special events tickets.

Article Source: NASCAR Tickets - NASCAR Makes Racing Debut on Wii

Source: http://www.articlespan.com/article/249502/nascar-tickets-nascar-makes-racing-debut-on-wii

Ruby Tuesday Dodge Carl Edwards Copart Ford Denny Hamlin

Ferrari F150th Italia is now Ferrari 150° Italia..!

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Ferrari have apparently proceeded to a second name tweak for their 2011 F1 challenger, following the controversy surrounding the initial designation of the car back in January. According to the ?Horse Whisperer? column ? an online interface commonly used by Ferrari to share its likes and dislikes with the world ? the new name of the racer will be Ferrari 150° Italia.

?It might seem like a Kafkaesque scenario, but the affair relating to the name of the car with which Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa will tackle this year's Formula 1 World Championship saw its final and decisive episode played out these past few days with the concomitant withdrawal by Ford of the summons. Therefore common sense has prevailed,? wrote the columnist.

The car?s initial name was Ferrari F150, but in mid-February was changed to F150th Italia as a result of the legal proceedings issued by American carmaker Ford to the US District Court in Detroit.

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Ford-F150-Pickup

This situation occurred because Ferrari?s car name and logo resembled Ford?s trademark for their line of pick-up trucks, the famous F-150. A couple of days back, Ford announced it has filed a notice with the US court for dismissal of the case, after it had reached an amicable agreement with their Italian counterparts.

In order to avoid the slightest risk of anyone confusing a Formula 1 car with a pick-up truck, for their part, the men from Maranello have decided that the car will lose the F that precedes the number 150 and which stands for Ferrari, as it has done on numerous occasions when it's come to giving a car a code name, be it for the race track or the road

It appears that this could have caused so much confusion in the minds of the consumer across the Pond that, at the same time as losing the F, the name will be completely Italianised, replacing the English 'th' with the equivalent Italian symbol.

Therefore the name will now read as the Ferrari 150° Italia, which should make it clear even to the thickest of people that the name of the car is a tribute to the anniversary of the unification of our country.

Let's hope the matter is now definitely closed and that we can concentrate on more serious matters, namely ensuring that our car that already seems to be pretty good out of the box, becomes a real winner.

- The Horse Whisperer

Original article by Ovidiu Panzariu of autoevolution http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FaR2xPNXkeI/TXMtsRZgK0I/AAAAAAAAHRc/gXgJoIumrJE/s1600/ovidiu-panzariu.jpg

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Jenson Button - classic F1

Jenson Button has enjoyed arguably the finest season of his Formula 1 career. The McLaren driver may have won the world title in 2009, when he was driving for Brawn GP, but his driving in 2011 has been even better.

So much so that former Renault team boss Flavio Briatore, who dropped Button at the end of 2002, has even been forced to admit that he "never realised" the Englishman was "that good".

Button's three victories in 2011 - including his remarkable climb from last to victory in Canada - were among the very best of the year.

Even more impressive than that, though, is Button's achievement of finishing above compatriot and fellow McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton in the standings. Hamilton, a man widely thought of as the fastest driver in the world, has never before been beaten by his team-mate.

Given his remarkable year, it is appropriate that Button is in the hot seat for the final edition of this year's BBC Sport's classic F1 series.

As regular readers will know, we have asked all F1 drivers for their five favourite races of all time, serialising them ahead of each grand prix.

The drivers have been free to choose whether to interpret the question as a request for their selection of the five greatest races of all time, or for their favourite races from their own career - or a selection of both.

Hamilton, Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel, for example, chose their own races, while Mark Webber picked several all-time classics. Fernando Alonso went for a mix - as has Button.

Making the selection was not easy for Button - as you will find out if you read on or watch the video embedded below - but what a choice it is. There are two historic races that would be on many people's lists of greatest grands prix ever, plus three from the 31-year-old's own career that could also be on that list.

In Button's own words, here is his countdown from five to one:

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5) Britain 1987

"Nigel Mansell at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in 1987, when he pulled an epic dummy on Nelson Piquet into Stowe and went on to win the race. It was an amazing race to watch, especially dummying his team-mate like that."

4) Europe 1993

"Ayrton Senna annihilated everyone, overtook five cars on the first lap and was leading when he crossed the line. An amazing race. I was actually there watching it. It was one of the first races I saw live."

3) Germany 2000 (in Button's maiden F1 season with Williams)

"I had a problem at the start, well, the pre-start and had to start last. I fought my through in wet conditions and finished on the tail of David Coulthard. He finished third, I finished fourth and that was almost my first podium in F1. It was an amazing race for me fighting my way through. It was also at the old Hockenheim track with the long straights, so it was pretty scary in wet conditions. (Editor's note - the race was memorable for another reason - Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello won from 18th on the grid, in a race marked by a safety-car period following a track invasion)

2) Brazil 2009

"My second favourite race of all time would be Brazil 2009. This is a tricky one for me because it was either this one, when I clinched the title, or my first ever win in Hungary 2006. But I've chosen Brazil, mainly because it clinched me the world title.

"It was a very aggressive drive through the field from I think it was 14th or 15th on the grid. I don't even know where I finished, but it was one of those races, fighting my through, knowing every single point counted to winning the world championship. I really wanted to get it wrapped up before heading to Abu Dhabi - and that's exactly what I did."

1) Canada 2011

"My favourite race of all time has to be the Canadian Grand Prix this year. It's tricky because every win really matters to you and really means a lot and you remember pretty much every lap. But I've chosen this one because of what I went through, the high and lows throughout the four hours.

"To come away with that victory after being 21st and fighting my way through to first on the last lap of the race, that's a race I will remember forever.

"That's the one, if I have kids, I will first mention to them when they start watching Formula 1. I'll say: 'Daddy used to do that and he used to be all right. And he won the Canadian Grand Prix.' And I'll put it on 'play'."

The highlights programme broadcast on the BBC on the evening of the Canadian race is embedded below. Beneath it are long and short highlights of Vettel's victory in last year's Brazilian Grand Prix, as a warm-up for this weekend's action in Sao Paulo.

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WATCH HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2010 BRAZILIAN GRAND PRIX
WATCH EXTENDED HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2010 BRAZILIAN GRAND PRIX

The classic races will also be available on the BBC red button on digital television in the UK.

On Freeview, they will be broadcast only between first and second practice at the Brazilan Grand Prix - from 1355 to 1555 GMT on Friday 25 November.

On satellite and cable, the races will be broadcast from 1500 on Wednesday 23 November to 1400 on Thursday 24; from 1500 on Thursday until 1155 on Friday and again from 1355 to 1555 on Friday.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2011/11/jenson_button_-_classic_f1.html

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NASCAR Tickets - Hylton Yearns for One More Start

74-year-old racing legend James Hylton is NASCAR's Energizer Bunny, and as the 2009 racing season gets well underway, Hylton still just keeps going and going. James Hylton is the owner of the Hylton Motorsports race shop in South Carolina and has been for 45 years, but he just can't get racing out of his blood, as this famed driver has recently expressed interest in competing in one last NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race before relinquishing his driving powers to the next generation of NASCR contenders.

Last summer, Hylton became the oldest driver ever to start a Nationwide Series, qualifying Johnny Davis' No. 01 Chevrolet and completing 82 of 105 laps while coming in at 36th place. This racing icon also holds the record as the oldest driver to ever qualify for an ARCA race, and now he's going for records across the boards as he has recently expressed interest in snagging the Cup Series record for oldest driver, which currently belongs to Jim Fitzgerald and Hershel McGriff (who were each 65 when they made their respective final races). While hardships with sponsorship and finances keep Hylton off the track for now, the racing legend still thinks it's feasible to make a Sprint Cup start in the near future, saying, "One more Cup race. I want that record. I've put my whole life into this thing, and I feel like I'm still capable of doing it. If I thought I was endangering any of the competitors or I was in the way or I was somebody out there to cause a wreck... I ain't going to cause anybody no wreck. That's not saying I won't wreck, I've wrecked several times, had bad crashes. But the worst crash I've been in wasn't my fault."

James Hylton grew up in the backwoods of Virginia as one of 13 kids in his family, immersed into stock car racing culture at a young age. Hylton started out in the racing realm working as a mechanic for Rex White, but he eventually got into the driver's seat himself, capturing loads of fans when he made his strong NASCAR debut in 1966, popularizing the No. 48 car before Jimmie Johnson could get to it and winning the league's Rookie of the Year Award the same racing season. The next decade was an absolute racing frenzy for the great James Hylton, who finished the NASCAR championship in second place three times and finished a season in 11th place or better for 10 consecutive seasons.

Hylton retired from the full racing circuit in 1982 but has since gone on to set a number of records, now feasting his eyes upon one last Sprint Cup Series race. Hylton attempted a Daytona 500 race two years ago when Richard Childress supplied him with a bright orange car for the event, yet engine trouble kept him from starting the race, ultimately failing to capture the Sprint Cup record. The big question mark in NASCAR today still stands as whether or not James Hylton will ever accomplish his dream of starting one more Sprint Cup race, and if he does, which one it will be. In case Hylton does get to start one final Cup race soon, get NASCAR tickets online and cheer on this racing sensation, as you won't want to miss this record-setting event!

This article is sponsored by StubHub.com. StubHub is a leader in the business of selling NASCAR tickets, sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets and special events tickets.

Article Source: NASCAR Tickets - Hylton Yearns for One More Start

Source: http://www.articlespan.com/article/254220/nascar-tickets-hylton-yearns-for-one-more-start

Jimmy Jackson Joe James John James Jean Pierre Jarier

NASCAR Tickets -Patrick Mania Seeps into NASCAR

Neither the NASCAR nor IndyCar Series seasons are close to the end of their respective schedules for the year, but for whatever reason a spark has recently exploded concerning Danica Patrick and her almost inevitable crossover from IndyCar to NASCAR. Lured by far more lucrative contracts, exposure and promotional opportunities, Patrick could be looking to make the jump to NASCAR as soon as this season (along with her contract with Andretti-Green Racing) ends, and this wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing for NASCAR, either.

Patrick's status as a racecar driver has been boosted this year in the IndyCar Series with several top five finishes and even a third-place landing at May's Indy 500, but it is Danica Patrick's noteworthy marketability that keeps her in the running as one of the leading contestants for a sponsor and team in the 2010 racing season with NASCAR.
In a time where the economy has put enormous pressure on the racing circuit, Danica Patrick is still about as close to signing a deal with NASCAR as several of stock car racing's best drivers. GM's recent announcement to cut ties with the Nationwide Series is troubling, and it is predictable that more cuts are coming for next year's Sprint Cup Series, as well.

That said, the Danica factor could help pour money into the league to keep the racing circuit alive, as the racing queen garners more attention than almost any other driver in either NASCAR or the IRL. Still, Patrick acknowledges that winning races is the most important aspect of her career, saying, "I think the most important thing for me is to put myself in a situation where I can win as many races as possible and run up front and be in that competitive situation, because at the end of the day, usually the best press comes when I'm doing things on the track. That's really the most important thing for me as a driver.

So that's where the ultimate focus is going to go." The IndyCar princess didn't deny her marketability, however, going on to say, "Then aside from that and after that there has to be thoughts to the brand side of the situation, and being able to make the most of myself as an athlete and as an endorser of products and gaining exposure so that in due time I'm able to explore other things outside of racing. So, all of that comes afterwards. The most important thing is kicking butt out there."

The very fact that Danica Patrick is willing to publicly announce that she's thinking about the lure of NASCAR could either mean that she is indeed seriously considering an upcoming career with NASCAR or that she's trying to get more money out of Andretti-Green Racing, as her contract with the team is up at the end of this season. No matter if she ends up with NASCAR or IndyCar next season, the one thing for sure is that her price tag will be expensive.

Does any NASCAR team have the funds to cut a deal with Patrick? And does Danica Patrick even want to make the switch to NASCAR? Time is sure to tell, but NASCAR tickets will always be available, with or without racing's golden girl in the mix. To get tickets to an upcoming race, go online today.

This article is sponsored by StubHub.com. StubHub is a leader in the business of selling NASCAR tickets, sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets and special events tickets.

Article Source: NASCAR Tickets -Patrick Mania Seeps into NASCAR

Source: http://www.articlespan.com/article/301051/nascar-tickets-patrick-mania-seeps-into-nascar

Ryan Newman Jeremy Clements Justin Allgaier Ryan Truex

Red Bull RB7 launch pictures (1st of February)

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BIfd8yW5HHE/TWCjskkxcDI/AAAAAAAAHBk/FTVfPQqp7Sk/s1600/jpg_108112786KR006_Red_Bull_Rac.jpg

Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel presented their 2011 car, the RB7 to the media at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain on 1 February 2011.

Chief technical officer Adrian Newey explained some of the changes from the championship winning RB6 and the new RB7:

?Preparing for the new season has been an interesting challenge for all of us,? he says. ?There have been a number of changes to the regulations and while they are not as comprehensive as the changes for 2009, the major differences ? such a the re-introduction of the KERS system and the arrival of a moveable rear wing to aid overtaking ? have meant that RB7 is quite different to last year?s car.

?However, what we have done is taken the philosophy of continuing evolution. We have evolved RB6, which itself was an evolution of 2009?s RB5, and this is, if you like, the third generation of a successful lineage.?


Technical specifications
Chassis carbon-fibre and honeycomb composite monocoque, designed and built in-house, carrying engine as fully stressed member
Suspension (front) Aluminium alloy uprights, carbon-composite double wishbones with springs and anti-roll bar, push rod-actuated multimatic dampers
Suspension (rear) as front, except pull rod-actuated rear dampers
Engine Renault RS27-2011 2,400 cc (146.5 cu in) 90° V8, limited to 18,000 RPM naturally aspirated mid-mounted
Transmission Seven-speed semi-automatic gearbox with reverse gear Hydraulic system for power shift and clutch operation
Weight 640 kg (1,411 lb) (including driver)
Fuel Total
Tyres Pirelli P Zero

OZ Wheels (front and rear): 13"

Link
Red Bull RB7 ? Open Fronted Exhaust Blown Diffuser (Scarbsf1's Blog)
"Despite rule changes Newey has found the loophole that allows exhausts to blow inside the diffuser for more downforce. Although the rules were revised for 2011 to try to prevent double diffuser and openings to allow the exhaust to blow inside the diffuser. The rules did permit openings in the outer 5cm of the diffuser, an area where teams have recently split the floor and created raised lip, coincidentally a practice first exploited by Newey on the RB5."

Red Bull RB7 launch pictures







Photos © Red Bull Racing/Getty Images

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Mika Häkkinen Bruce Halford Jim Hall Duncan Hamilton