Has Hamilton finally turned the corner?

Somehow you suspected that, after all his problems this year, there was going to be a happy ending for Lewis Hamilton somewhere along the line - and it came with a top-class, controlled drive to victory in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

As he celebrated on Sunday, the healing nature of the weekend's events was clear in the McLaren driver's face.

Suddenly all the bad things that have turned this into what Hamilton himself has called his worst season in Formula 1 took on a new perspective in the wake of his first win since the German Grand Prix back in July.

This was a Hamilton that has not been seen in 2011, calmly ticking off the laps at the front, resolute in the face of a challenge from Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, the sport's most relentless competitor, doing just enough to keep the Spaniard at arm's length without extending his car and tyres more than he needed to.

In that sense, it was very like many of the wins taken this season by Sebastian Vettel, whose domination has left Hamilton over-striving, increasingly frustrated in the face of the Red Bull's generally uncontainable speed.

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Brilliant as they were, Hamilton's two previous wins this season in China and Germany came about on weekends when Red Bull were slightly off-form in one way or another.

But Hamilton did not have to worry about Vettel in Abu Dhabi after a mysterious puncture pitched the German into a spin at the second corner of the race.

The flailing tyre did so much damage to the car as the world champion wrestled it back to the pits that Vettel was forced to retire at the end of the first lap.

Whatever the cause of the failure, it means it will remain a tantalising mystery as to whether Hamilton could have beaten Vettel had the Red Bull remained in the race.

The Englishman was certainly confident that he had a good chance. He had looked the form man all weekend, to the extent that it was something of a surprise that Vettel pipped him to pole position on Saturday. As much as it can be a surprise that a man who has taken all but four pole positions all season should get another one, anyway.

Hamilton drove superbly throughout the three days in the desert, showing none of the mental instability or driving misjudgements that have stymied him in recent races and led to so many of his well publicised contretemps with Ferrari's Felipe Massa.

Hamilton said after the race that he had felt much more positive this weekend than at recent races, and it certainly looked that way.

It was, as McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh pointed out, "a great recovery from where he's been in the last few months".

Certainly, it was a marked contrast from previous races, where his state of mind -
about which Hamilton was unusually open in Abu Dhabi - was clearly anything but peaceful.

He talked of his "problems", saying he had lost the "happy bubble" around him that he sees benefiting team-mate Jenson Button - and he wanted to get it back.

The end of his four-year relationship with pop singer Nicole Scherzinger last month has clearly affected him - he mentioned that he did not intend to stay single for long.

And after his victory on Sunday, Hamilton added that he wanted to get his father Anthony and brother Nicholas - both of whom were at his side at all the races until this season - back to provide him more support.

As well as the issues in his personal life, he also talked about a "negative vibe from everyone" that had surrounded him recently as he was faced with "negative questions" from the media about his troubles on the track. All this, he said, "affects your judgement".

Hamilton's willingness to discuss these problems in public is to be applauded - it gives an all-too-rare insight into the inner workings of one of world sport's biggest stars, and in Abu Dhabi at least he found the means to rise above it.

Hamilton is a truly great racing driver. But if Sir Jackie Stewart, for example, were to hear those remarks, he would be tearing his hair out.

Stewart - a three-time world champion and one of the greatest racing drivers in history - has long talked about the importance of removing emotion before climbing into a Formula 1 car. It is too easy, he says, for that emotion to cloud your judgement - and with that comes mistakes. In his era, that meant serious injury or worse.

Safety has improved and the risks are lower now, but nevertheless Hamilton seems this year to have been living proof of the truth of Stewart's remarks.

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Hamilton is an emotionally driven man, and some would argue that this is what allows him to access the stunning highs that none of his rivals are able to match. To take away the emotion, they would argue, would be to take away some of his gift, too. The one is not possible without the other.

But others would say that, whatever support mechanisms you create around you, life is unpredictable, and that whatever happens away from the sporting arena, it is a top-class athlete's job not to let those problems affect their performance.

In the euphoria of victory, Whitmarsh said of Hamilton: "There is no reason in my mind why he can't raise himself to another level now."

On the evidence of Sunday, that was exactly what Hamilton did this weekend in Abu Dhabi. Which suggests that if Hamilton can continue to keep his personal life out of the cockpit of his car, there is every reason to believe Whitmarsh's remarks are more substance than spin.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2011/11/somehow_you_suspected_that_aft.html

Hans Herrmann François Hesnault Hans Heyer Damon Hill

Alonso and Massa's Ferrari F150 shakedown at Fiorano

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_f2dCclIT9q8/TUT7kodAnTI/AAAAAAAAG4s/_ChhaGlOSIM/s1600/jpg_110063_new.jpg

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

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/F1InsightAFormula1Blog/~3/W3Ic1-nvTgM/alonso-and-massas-ferrari-f150.html

Long John Silver s Chevrolet Tayler Malsam Iron Horse Jeans Toyota Mike Bliss

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

Nascar Dario Franchitti Jimmie Johnson Nationwide Series

NASCAR Tickets - All-Star Race to Feature 10-Lap Final Sprint

$1 million is at stake for the winner of this year's NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, but the money isn't even half of what draws such huge throngs of fans to Charlotte's Lowe's Motor Speedway for this famed stock car rumble. While the All-Star Race has been running annually since its inception in Charlotte in 1985, this year's competition has been rousing tons of speculation, as the track previously disclosed that this year's format for the 25th anniversary of the race would slightly differ in format than recent years.

In this midst of this mystery format change, NASCAR has just come out with the answer to the conjectures flying around the racing realm, as the website reported this week that the change taking place in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race this upcoming May will be the addition (and revival) of a 10-lap final sprint at the tail end of the all-star race. The thrilling element of the 10-lap final sprint as the end segment to the all-star race is already scoring high-fives around the racing realm, as the sprint is an exciting end to cap off the already-exhilarating race.

Robin Pemberton, the vice president of competition, recently made a statement concerning this addition to the all-star race, saying, "Some of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race's most spectacular finishes have come using the 10-lap shootout as the final segment, and what better way to celebrate the 25th running of this great event than incorporate that element back into the format. I can tell you from personal experience, I was Kyle's [Petty] crew chief in 1992 when he and Davey Allison battled all the way down to the wire and that has to go down as one of the most exciting All-Star Race finishes ever. The 10-lap shootout there at the end was something else from a competition standpoint. That was quite a night; one I'll never forget."

Fans with NASCAR tickets to this year's All-Star Race will get to see all qualifying Sprint Cup Series pros zoom around the racetrack in four different segments, all building in a crescendo of excitement for fans at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Segment 1 of the race will be the beginning 50 laps with a mandatory pit stop at Lap 25, while Segment 2 features 20 laps with the optional pit stop. Segment 3 is 20 laps with a 10-minute break at the end, and Segment 4 will bring the return of the much-anticipated 10-lap shootout with only green-flag laps counting.

Just like every year, this May's NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race is open to any and every race winner from the previous year (and winners from this year up through May 9) as well as past champions of the All-Star Series from the previous 10 years. The top two finishers of the 40-lap Sprint Showdown are also eligible for the All-Star Race, as is the winner of the Sprint Fan Vote. Look for heavy hitters like Kurt and Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth, who have all won Sprint Cup races this year, to dominate the track at Charlotte on May 16, 2009, when these stock car racing favorites start their engines. Tickets to this huge event are still available, so check online to secure your seat in the grandstands this spring!

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 - All-Star Race to Feature 10-Lap Final Sprint

Source: http://www.articlespan.com/article/252996/nascar-tickets-all-star-race-to-feature-10-lap-final-sprint

Hans Heyer Damon Hill Graham Hill Phil Hill

Alonso and Massa's Ferrari F150 shakedown at Fiorano

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_f2dCclIT9q8/TUT7kodAnTI/AAAAAAAAG4s/_ChhaGlOSIM/s1600/jpg_110063_new.jpg

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

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/F1InsightAFormula1Blog/~3/W3Ic1-nvTgM/alonso-and-massas-ferrari-f150.html

David Lee Blaney Michael Duane Bliss Kurt Thomas Busch Kyle Thomas Busch

Red Bull RB7 launch pictures (1st of February)

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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

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/F1InsightAFormula1Blog/~3/to5ODaYY2v4/red-bull-rb7-launch-pictures-31st-of.html

Masami Kuwashima Robert La Caze Jacques Laffite Franck Lagorce

Why is Safety in NASCAR Still Lagging?

NASCAR racing is all about speed, adrenaline, checkered flags, and, unfortunatley, accidents and injuries. Its in the news almost on a daily basis nowadays. "Dale Earnhardt Jr. briefly lost consciousness and he hid a significant head injury from his team and NASCAR last year", "Winston Cup driver Jerry Nadeau, critically injured during a crash during practice at Richmond International Raceway", etc... We will discuss what causes these crashes and injuries and what is currently being done to prevent them and why more needs to be done.

The worst injuries result in death and lately their have been numerous basal skull fractures received by drivers like Dale Earnhardt and Adam Petty. Doctors have determined that a helmet harness is a good protective measure to stop some of these injuries. A basal skull fracture can result fro a severe whipping forward motion and/or a sudden abrupt stop - as in Dale Earnhardt's case. A basal skull fracture almost always results in immediate death. Another highly effective measure is shock or crash absorbing walls instead of steel reinforced concrete walls that have zero give - These could have spared Jerry Nadeau from his severe injuries or at least limited them. These walls are now being introduced and installed at several tracks.

NASCAR is over 50 years old. Why does it take a famous death or several to begin safety measures or to take them more seriously? Why is it that our own automobiles have air bags, side airbags, crumple zones, etc... Can't these same devices be reconfigured for NASCAR specs. Air bags have been proven in tests to be highly effective at speeds well over 100 mph. NASCAR drivers deserve more protection than we are currently giving them. The problem is that more attention has been given to advertising, advertisers, and speed. Placement of advertisers stickers on the car were and still are more important than the driver. More money is spent to make sure the different advertisers have their brands clearly displayed on the driver and car than on any safety measures. Some safety measures are thought of as increasing too much weight and are therefor discarded (thicker firewalls, absorbant

Take any other sport - Football, Baseball, basketball - the athletes don't have stickers, or patches with 50 different sponsors all over them. They are actually more concerned about athlete safety over advertising revenue in these sports, not in NASCAR, though. Yes, NASCAR is experiencing a huge winfall in earnings lately, but that cannot bring back the great legends like Dale Earnhardt. There is no problem with sport profits, but lets focus a little more on safety of our athletes. With all the money NASCAR has they should already be installing safety walls at all tracks, not just a few. Lets focus on safety rather than just on advertising dollars. That way we won't be left praying for our drivers outcome after a crash anymore.

David Maillie is a chemist with over 12 years experience in biochemical research and clynical analysis. He can be reached at M.D. Wholesale: http://www.mdwholesale.com and at http://www.bestskinpeel.com

Article Source: Why is Safety in NASCAR Still Lagging?

Source: http://www.articlespan.com/article/44000/why-is-safety-in-nascar-still-lagging

Carl Long Willie Allen Cash America Chevrolet Derrike Cope

Vettel wins the 2011 Malaysian Grand Prix

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Sebastian Vettel won his second consecutive race this year after another dominant performance on the Sepang International Circuit, making it two out of two for both him and his Red Bull Racing team in 2011.

Although the winning margin wasn?t as big as in Australia two weekends ago, the reigning world champion did not look in trouble at any time while in the lead, crossing the finish line a little over 3 seconds ahead of McLaren?s Jenson Button. And just as it happened at Albert Park, the last step of the podium was taken by a Lotus Renault driver, only this time it was Nick Heidfeld who got to enjoy that position.

Vettel kept 1st place from pole position early on and built a comfortable time margin ahead, while Heidfeld started off great and jumped from 6th to 2nd by the first corner, ahead of McLaren duo Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button. Renault enjoyed a great race start, as Vitaly Petrov also jumped a few positions to 5th place, ahead of Ferrari duo Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso.

Mark Webber?s nightmare was again the race start, as he lost no more than 5 positions and dropped to 8th overall.

While Vettel did his race undisturbed in the front, positions in the back changed after the first round of pit stops, where Heidfeld and Massa lost a huge amount of time and returned to the track in 6th and 7th respectively. The two McLarens and Fernando Alonso were easily the beneficiaries going into their 2nd stint, as the trio started putting in fast lap times and threaten Vettel?s leading position.

Alonso moved quickly to pass Jenson Button for 3rd place, before the second round of pit stops messed with the leading pack once more. The Spaniard lost plenty of time in the pits ? while staying more on the track and pitting last ? and returned to the track behind Hamilton and Button.

Again, while finally closing down on the two McLarens, the field began their 3rd pit stop entries, causing Alonso to further lose some positions to Petrov and Webber, while Button and Hamilton switched positions behind Vettel.

Once Petrov and Red Bull?s Webber pitted (the latter for the 4th time on Sunday), Alonso began closing down on Hamilton and, with some 10 laps to go, set up the stage for the most exciting duel of the afternoon. It didn?t last for too long however, as the Spaniard ? whose rear wing stopped working after his 3rd pit stop ? clipped the rear of Hamilton?s car when trying to overtake him and damaged his front wing.

As he was forced to pit for the 4th time, he returned to the track in 7th place, behind teammate Felipe Massa. Hamilton, however, also hit trouble late in the race and, after losing two positions to Heidfeld and Webber, decided to pit and take on a new set of tires.

While Vettel and Button ran undisturbed for 1st and 2nd, Heidfeld had to really struggle to keep his position ahead of Webber, despite having the advantage of using KERS (which neither of the two RBR drivers used on Sunday).

Felipe Massa finished in 5th place, ahead of his teammate Alonso, while Hamilton returned to the track in 7th place after his 4th stop. Sauber?s Kamui Kobayashi scored a great 8th place, at the end of a race that say him overtake Michael Schumacher a handful of times, while the German had to settle for 9th place.

Rookie Paul di Resta (Force India) managed his second point-scoring performance in F1 in 2 races and finished in 10th place, ahead of his much more experienced teammate Adrian Sutil.

-By Ovidiu Panzariu


The Race as it happened via f1livetweets

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2011 Malaysian Grand Prix Race times

Pos No Driver Team Laps Time Grid Pts
1 1 Sebastian Vettel RBR-Renault 56 Winner 1 25
2 4 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 56 +3.2 secs 4 18
3 9 Nick Heidfeld Renault 56 +25.0 secs 6 15
4 2 Mark Webber RBR-Renault 56 +26.3 secs 3 12
5 6 Felipe Massa Ferrari 56 +36.9 secs 7 10
6 5 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 56 +37.2 secs 5 8
7 3 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 56 +49.9 secs 2 6
8 16 Kamui Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 56 +66.4 secs 10 4
9 7 Michael Schumacher Mercedes 56 +84.8 secs 11 2
10 15 Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 56 +91.5 secs 14 1
11 14 Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes
+ 1 Lap 17
12 8 Nico Rosberg Mercedes
+1 Lap 9
13 18 Sebastien Buemi STR-Ferrari
+1 Lap 12
14 19 Jaime Alguersuari STR-Ferrari
+1 Lap 13
15 20 Heikki Kovalainen Lotus-Renault
+1 Lap 19
16 24 Timo Glock Virgin-Cosworth
+2 Lap 21
17 10 Vitaly Petrov Renault
+4 Lap 8
Ret 23 Vitantonio Liuzzi HRT-Cosworth
+10 Lap 23
Ret 25 Jerome d'Ambrosio Virgin-Cosworth
+14 Lap 22
Ret 21 Jarno Trulli Lotus-Renault
+25 Laps 20
Ret 17 Sergio Perez Sauber-Ferrari
+33 Laps 16
Ret 11 Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth
+34 Laps 15
Ret 22 Narain Karthikeyan HRT-Cosworth
+42 Laps 24
Ret 12 Pastor Maldonado Williams-Cosworth
+48 Laps 18

Fastest lap:
Mark Webber Australia Red Bull-Renault 1m 40.571s lap 46

Championship points:

Drivers? championship
Constructors? championship
Pos Driver Points
Pos Team Points
1 Sebastian Vettel 50
1 Red Bull 72
2 Jenson Button 26
2 McLaren 50
3 Lewis Hamilton 24
3 Ferrari 36
4 Mark Webber 22
4 Renault 30
5 Fernando Alonso 20
5 Toro Rosso 4
6 Felipe Massa 16
6 Sauber 4
7 Nick Heidfeld 15
7 Force India 4
8 Vitaly Petrov 15
8 Mercedes 2
9 Sebastien Buemi 4
9 Lotus 0
10 Kamui Kobayashi 4
10 Virgin 0
11 Adrian Sutil 2
11 Williams 0
12 Michael Schumacher 2
12 HRT 0
13 Paul di Resta 2



14 Jaime Alguersuari 0



15 Nico Rosberg 0



16 Jarno Trulli 0



17 Jerome d?Ambrosio 0



18 Heikki Kovalainen 0



19 Timo Glock 0



20 Rubens Barrichello 0



21 Sergio Perez 0



22 Narain Karthikeyan 0



23 Vitantonio Liuzzi 0



24 Pastor Maldonado 0




Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/F1InsightAFormula1Blog/~3/FUAjwPrWw8E/vettel-wins-2011-malaysian-grand-prix.html

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McLaren MP4-26 Launch pictures ( 4th of February)

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C0-vQeDcGfc/TWDazry2paI/AAAAAAAAHIc/X3Qr7G1h9bk/s1600/jpg__MP4-26_Side-1_copie%2B-%2BCopy.jpg

McLaren launched a rather radical MP4-26 during their scheduled Vodafone media event on 4th February at Potsdamer Platz located in Berlin, Germany shortly after the first test session of the season in Valencia.

The nose of the McLaren MP4-26 features the same high design as many of the other cars this season, while its sidepods are extremely sculpted and L-shaped. In addition, the airbox tweaks have been intensively reworked, while the car's exhaust system presents a classic rear-side design.

Technical specifications

Chassis Moulded carbon fibre honeycomb composite incorporating front and side impact structures and integral safety fuel cell
Suspension (front) Inboard torsion bar/damper system operated by pushrod and bell crank with a double wishbone arrangement
Suspension (rear) as front, except operated by pullrod and bell crank with a double wishbone arrangement
Engine Mercedes-Benz FO 108Y 2.4 L (146 cu in) V8 (90°). Naturally-aspirated, 18,000 RPM limited with KERS, mid-mounted.
Transmission McLaren Seven-speed semi-automatic gearbox with reverse gear hand-operated, seamless shift
Weight 640 kg (1,411 lb) (including driver)
Fuel ExxonMobil High Performance Unleaded (5.75% bio fuel)

Mobil Synergy Fuel System

Mobil 1 lubrication
Tyres Pirelli P Zero

Enkei wheels (front and rear): 13"

Links

McLaren MP4-26 - L-shaped sidepods ( The Official F1)
"There is no doubting the new MP4-26 is very different from all the other 2011 cars. Technical director Paddy Lowe has exploited to the extreme the idea of higher outer sidepods, last seen on the likes of Benetton's B195 from 1995 and Ferrari's F310 from 1996."

McLaren MP4-26 ? ?L? shaped sidepods (Scarbsf1's Blog)
"It remains to be seen if this set up works better than conventional undercut sidepods for creating rear downforce. Others team would be able to recreate the McLaren ?L? shaped sidepod inlets. Although it would require a significant change the radiators and bodywork, making it a major package upgrade and not a quick test."

McLaren MP4-26 Launch pictures






Photos © McLaren

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/F1InsightAFormula1Blog/~3/PKSGf3lrBNs/mclaren-mp4-26-launch-pictures-4th-of.html

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NASCAR Tracks the Atlanta Motor Speedway

The Atlanta Motor Speedway is in Hampton, Georgia (a suburb of Atlanta) and has a 1.54-mile oval track with turns banking at 24 degrees. Because these banks and their smooth surface, car speeds have been known to reach 190 mph on occasion. However these sustained high-throttle speeds make it hard on engines at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. You will see a variety of action here as cars will race closely side-by-side along with a lot of pushing and cutting off. All this action at the Atlanta Motor Speedway is made even more exciting by the high speeds.

The Atlanta Speedway offers a variety of options to see the races from premier seating to facilities for camping. The raceways premier seating is the Club One option. Fans purchasing this seating option sit in a location with a great view on top of the Winners Grandstand. It has 65 video screens along with a first-class bar and menu. Probably one of the most exciting features of Club One is the fans get a pre-race pit stop pass.

The Speedway can be rented for all sorts of group occasions too. They have custom packages for weddings, wedding receptions, theme parties, birthday parties, group meetings, and other special gatherings.

You can bring your recreational vehicle or popup tent and camp at the Atlanta Motor Speedway too. Shower facilities are available.

The Speedways website is excellent and has all the information you need. It even has a frequently-asked questions link where you can see the answers on subjects such as getting drivers autographs to bringing your cooler inside the track.

If you ever wanted to get into racing marketing, NASCARs Atlanta Motor Speedway gives you the opportunity through its internship program. This is an unpaid internship program but it gives you the experience needed to get into the career of NASCAR marketing by allowing you to gain working experience at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Plus, with this experience, one can be competitive in the market for the paid NASCAR marketing positions. The qualifications are that the person must be a college-level student (B.A. or B.S.) and a marketing communications major. You will help with the public relations, advertising, and event duties at the track.

The Atlanta Speedway is also the venue for numerous NASCAR driver schools where one can purchase a fantasy racing package and experience the thrill of being a driver for a short time. Now these are not schools to train you to be a professional driver. There is no career path like that. These are schools for the amateurs who just want to do something different and experience the thrill of the drive. There are different levels and of course price ranges. It is patterned a somewhat after the Major League Baseball fantasy camps where you get to play games and train alongside Major League Baseball players.

Richard Petty, the King of NASCAR, runs a driving experience school along with others who have their schools and use the Atlanta Motor Speedway track.

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: NASCAR Tracks the Atlanta Motor Speedway

Source: http://www.articlespan.com/article/103318/nascar-tracks-the-atlanta-motor-speedway

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