NASCAR Tickets - Gordon's Time to Shine (Again)

Kyle Busch knocked No. 17 Matt Kenseth out of the running for the historical measures of winning NASCAR's first three races in a row at the Shelby 427 last weekend at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, but it is the ever-popular No. 24 DuPont car and its similarly-famed driver Jeff Gordon who are celebrating now. Gordon fumbled a bit in Sunday's Las Vegas race as he lost the lead after lap 150, sliding past and missing pit road before consequently getting a flat tire and some fender damage. The mishap led him to fall back to 10th place with around 20 laps left to go in the race, but by the end of the day Gordon had secured a sixth place finish at the Shelby 427, racing to the finish line after first place Kyle Busch and successive finishers Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton, David Reutimann and Bobby Labonte.

While Jeff Gordon's sixth place finish wasn't the race-winning finale he had hoped for while leading the race, the points from Las Vegas allowed Gordon to go around Matt Kenseth for the first place ranking in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, where he is up from number two last week. Gordon's current number one standing is significant in several ways, but it is important to the racing league mostly because it is the first time No. 24 has been ranked first after the third race of NASCAR season since 1997, when he won the Sprint Cup Series Championship. Gordon's consistency has brought him into his current first place ranking, as his sixth place finish from last weekend adds up with his 13th place finish at Daytona and second place finish at Fontana last month.

Jeff Gordon may be leading the NASCAR pack currently, but two more names are hot on the heels of this racing legend. One such name that inevitably comes up when mentioning top NASCAR drivers is Kyle Busch, the winner of last weekend's Las Vegas race. Busch has been a top contender for the Sprint Series title all year, and he is also the reigning champion of the Sprint Cup Series from 2008. Busch's win at Las Vegas bolsters his ranking to number six, but No. 18 still has a long way to go after the infamous Daytona crash that Dale Earnhardt, Jr. caused and Busch was involved in earlier in February, leaving Busch at a number 41 finish at the end of race. Kyle Busch has since been playing catch-up, snagging the number three finish in the Auto Club 500 at Fontana on February 22. His Las Vegas win will undoubtedly put him back in the running for the Sprint Cup Championship in 2009.

Another name thought to dominate the NASCAR series this year is Matt Kenseth, who made history by winning the first two races of the season (both Daytona and Fontana) this year, tying Jeff Gordon's record from 1997. Kenseth started up his engine in last weekend's Las Vegas race attempting to become the first driver to win the first three races of the season, but was disappointedly struck down just laps into the race, when his No. 17 Ford Fusion blew a motor and put him as the last place finisher from the Shelby 427.

While Jeff Gordon has some fierce competition in defending his position in the upcoming weeks and months, No. 24 is still sitting pretty atop the Sprint Cup dog pile, keeping NASCAR fans jazzed about his comeback to victory lane. To watch Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth battle it out for top honors at the end of the year, get NASCAR tickets online and pick your favorite races to attend!

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.

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Source: http://www.articlespan.com/article/248655/nascar-tickets-gordons-time-to-shine-again

Niki Lauda† Roger Laurent Giovanni Lavaggi Chris Lawrence

Classic F1 2011 - Michael Schumacher

Michael Schumacher has chosen his five greatest all-time grands prix for the second edition of this year's new-look classic Formula 1 feature.

To those unfamiliar with the concept, BBC Sport has asked all the F1 drivers to name their five favourite races, and we will select one of them ahead of each grand prix this season to whet your appetites for the action to come.

World champion Sebastian Vettel started the ball rolling with his selection prior to the Australian Grand Prix, and now it is his friend and countryman's turn.

The drivers are free to choose whether they pick races from their own career, or those from the wider history of F1 that have resonated with them. And like Vettel, Schumacher has selected only races from his time in the sport.

Whereas the Red Bull driver made his F1 debut only in 2007, Schumacher's career dates back to 1991 and the 42-year-old has raided the memory banks to come up with what he considers, for different reasons, key highlights of that time.

Not all of them are races in which he starred. Some of them are intended to highlight his admiration for rivals. Some fulfil both aims.

In chronological order, and in his own words, this is Schumacher's list:

"The 1991 Spanish Grand Prix.

"This was one of the first few races of my career, but that's not why I remember it. It's for the wheel-to-wheel battle down the pit straight between Ayrton Senna and Nigel Mansell, when they came within inches of touching. It was two great drivers pushing each other to the edge, but with the respect to leave each other just enough room. It's one of the coolest moments I've seen in F1."

"The 1993 European Grand Prix.

"Not one of my greatest races - I spun out in the pouring rain. I've picked this because of Ayrton. My time racing against him was too short. He was a great talent, and I always have been impressed by his driving, and this race showed exactly why."

"The 1998 Hungarian Grand Prix.

"This race sums up the great relationship I had - and still have - with Ross Brawn. We were behind the McLarens of Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard for the first part of the race and Ross decided that the only chance of beating them was to switch to a three-stop strategy - one stop more than them. It was a brilliant plan but it wasn't easy. I still remember the radio message from Ross that I had to make up something like 25 seconds in 19 laps."

"The 2000 Belgian Grand Prix.

"I enjoyed many great battles with Mika Hakkinen, who was very fast and a very tough competitor, and this was one of the best. I got into the lead when it was wet early on, but as it dried up Mika had a big pace advantage and he caught up easily. I managed to fend him off for one lap, but on the next he pulled off a great move to pass me as we went either side of Ricardo Zonta's BAR."

"The 2000 Japanese Grand Prix.

"This is probably both the toughest and most beautiful race of my career. Mika and I were flat out all the way, really on the edge every lap on a great drivers' circuit with the world championship at stake. And the race was really tricky because of changing conditions in the drizzle. I managed to get out ahead after my final pit stop and won. What makes it all the more special was that it was my first world title for Ferrari - this race certainly is my personal number one."

As with Vettel, we have chosen one race to highlight in this blog - and how we could choose any other than Schumacher's number one?

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In addition, we have decided to make available the full BBC 'Grand Prix' highlights programme of the time from one of his other choices - the 1991 Spanish Grand Prix. You can watch it here.

You can also enjoy highlights of last year's Malaysian Grand Prix in both short and extended form.

The classic races will also be available on the red button on digital television in the UK. On satellite and cable they will be broadcast from 1900 BST on Tuesday 5 April until 0845 on Friday 8 April. On Freeview, they will be shown from 2215 on Tuesday until 0645 on Wednesday, on Thursday from 0415-0645 and again from 1915-2045.

A final word. In my last blog, I said that we would feature Schumacher's team-mate Nico Rosberg this time around. We were not able to do so because of unforeseen problems. His choices will appear later in the season.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2011/04/michael_schumachers_classic_f1.html

Theo Helfrich Mack Hellings Brian Henton Johnny Herbert

NASCAR Tickets - Busch Contemplates Open-Wheel Switch

Kyle Busch is back on top of the NASCAR Sprint Cup throne, a familiar position for the No. 18 M&M's racecar driver. After suffering a disappointing start to the NASCAR season when he was taken out by Dale Earnhardt, Jr.'s aggravating crash in the Daytona 500 in February, Busch fought back to earn third place honors at the Auto Club 500 in Fontana in late February before jumping headfirst into the Shelby 427 in his hometown of Las Vegas on March 1. Busch won the race at Las Vegas after starting at the back of the 43-car pack, proving his mainstay status in the NASCAR realm. While Busch is sitting pretty in the Top 10 in current rankings, however, the famed No. 18 could be seeing a different kind of racing in the near future.

NASCAR online recently reported on a probable Formula One startup in the U.S., and Kyle Busch is one of the names being tossed around as a possibility to fill the driver's seat. Racing heavyweights Ken Anderson (former Ligier and Onyx engineer) and Peter Windsor (former Ferrari and Williams team manager and pit-lane reporter) have recently announced plans to start an F1 organization in Charlotte, North Carolina, saying they will have seats for two American drivers to partake in the F1 excitement starting in 2010. Busch is one figure being considered out of NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series, and IndyCar racers Danica Patrick, Marco Andretti and Scott Speed are also being considered, though Speed has already tried his hand at Formula One and has expressed no interest in returning to the league.

Busch, on the other hand, has already entertained the idea of switching from stock cars to open-wheel racing, recently stating, "I wouldn't mind trying IndyCars and running the Indianapolis 500 once, or running Formula One. But it's not quite time for me to do that yet. If I can win a championship here in the next two or three years, then I wouldn't mind going over there."

While Kyle Busch is now contemplating a possible future switch to IndyCar or F1, his resume is currently lacking in the open-wheel sector of racing. Busch followed his older brother Kurt Busch onto the stock car racing scene from his youth, starting to race at age 13 in the Legends Series before moving on up to NASCAR's late model series, which he excelled in before joining Roush Racing while still in high school. Busch became the youngest race winner in NASCAR's history at age 20, and, now still in his twenties, Busch has become one of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' best drivers, maneuvering his No. 18 stock car around the nation's toughest courses. Busch's game plan for his racing future seems yet uncertain, as he recently made a statement saying, "I think I'd still be young enough where if I could win a championship by 25, go run Formula One for a couple years, be back by 28, I've still got plenty of time left to run in NASCAR. That's just what I see, but a lot of things would have to work out for that to happen."

Clearly, nothing is set in stone now, nor will be for a while, but if you want to see Kyle Busch in his famed No. 18 stock car before he makes a possible switch to F1, get NASCAR tickets, available online, and watch the talented driver zoom around the track before he exits the Sprint Cup Series!

This article is sponsored by StubHub. 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 - Busch Contemplates Open-Wheel Switch

Source: http://www.articlespan.com/article/248654/nascar-tickets-busch-contemplates-open-wheel-switch

Beppe Gabbiani Bertrand Gachot Patrick Gaillard Divina Galica

NASCAR Tickets - Yates Racing's Kvapil Loses Ride

Even a season-best 18th place finish couldn't keep Yates Racing's Travis Kvapil and his No. 28 Golden Corral Ford Fusion in the running of the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series after last week's Food City 500 at the Bristol Motor Speedway, and the Tennessee race was likely Kvapil's last race of the season. The 39th ranked Sprint Cup driver has had incredible difficulty keeping a sponsor this year, and Yates Racing had to make the tough choice this week to pull the plug on his 2009 racing career, suspending operations for this Wisconsin native's car in the wake of hard financial times.

Geoff Smith, president of Roush Fenway Racing (also partner with Yates Racing,) made a statement this week regarding the Kvapil decision, saying, "It's difficult to be in a situation when you have to deal with the consequences of the economy. We're in a situation where there's no extra cash to support running an unsponsored car for any period of time." While this means that the near future isn't looking so bright for Kvapil, Smith did say that "if the economy picks up later in the season maybe we'll be able to pick up something for that team."

Travis Kvapil had a hard break this year after failing to gain substantial backing in the form of a sponsor. Yates Racing and Roush put as much money as the teams could into Kvapil's car, but the demands to keep this stock car running were ultimately more than the team could handle, leaving No. 28 behind. Yates and Roush have been scrambling for sponsorship money for their drivers for a while now, and speculation is also starting to arise about other Roush drivers like Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth, as Edwards is currently sponsored by the ailing Aflac and Kenseth's deal with DeWalt expires after this season.

This frustrating situation is tough for the ousted Travis Kvapil to stomach, yet the NASCAR driver is still being optimistic about his Cup Series run in 2009, saying, "We've just had bad luck [in 2009] and haven't had the results to show for it. [Sunday] we ran in the Top 15 most of the day but got the car a little bit off on one run and that hurt us and got us a lap down. I was hoping for a little bit better result to give us something more to sell, but I thought overall we did an OK job. It was fun to drive up through there and race hard. I leave here knowing in every race so far we've had competitive racecars - but it's gonna be a bummer when we realize it might be the end."

While the door has (temporarily?) closed for Travis Kvapil, Yates Racing's other driver Paul Menard is still in the running to rev his engine on race days to come, thanks in part due to his hefty sponsorship with his father's own chain of Menards home improvement stores. Menard is currently ranked 38th in the Sprint Cup Series, and now that Kvapil is gone he has the chance to fend off his position even more. Even though Travis Kvapil has been cut from the NASCAR circuit, the racing must go on, and NASCAR tickets are available now online.

This article is sponsored by StubHub. 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 - Yates Racing's Kvapil Loses Ride

Source: http://www.articlespan.com/article/251698/nascar-tickets-yates-racings-kvapil-loses-ride

Greg Biffle 3M Ford Jeff Burton Caterpillar Chevrolet

NASCAR Tickets - Kyle Busch Takes Checker Flag

Kyle Busch knows he is fast and fearless on the track. When this bad boy gets a chance to burn rubber watch out NASCAR fans, he is heading towards victory lane. That exactly what happened on Sunday when Busch won his second Sprint Cup Series race of the season in the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. He led a pretty impressive race with 378 of 503 laps before taking the checkered flag. After the race, many compared number 18 to another driver who happens to be a legend, Dale Earnhardt. However, the Bristol Motor Speedway Champion doesn't want to be compared to one of the most revered drivers in history. He believes he's his own man in his own time. Get NASCAR tickets and see Kyle Busch on the track.

Number 18 received his customary chorus of boos both before the race and during his victory lane celebration. But with 14 career Cup wins (47 spanning all three of NASCAR'S to series) he's grown comfortable with the discord. There are spectators who say Kyle enjoys the dissension. After the race, the Las Vegas native told reporters he doesn't care about the hecklers from the stands and being labeled as number one, he's out on the racetrack to win races. So those who wish him ill, the bad boy from the sin city wishes ill right back at them. What really drives the crowd mad is when Kyle wins his races and then gives a sarcastic celebratory bow.

Kyle Busch doesn't care what people think and doesn't censor himself before he speaks. The speed demon is not Earnhardt and that is a good thing for NASCAR. Whether fans love him or hate him Kyle is one of the best faces for the sport. Sure, he is confident and cocky, but in an era where the drivers are too watered down and politically conservative, Busch keeps things interesting. He never holds back on his raw emotions, which tends to hurt plenty of feelings. On Saturday, his racing crew fumbled away a tire during the final pit stop of the Nationwide Series race. The bad boy would have had another victory underneath his belt; however, the carelessness drew a NASCAR penalty that took him out of contention after he'd led a race 157 laps.

So what was Kyle's reaction? The man parked his car in Turn 3 near the pedestrian tunnel and walked to his motorhome. The crew ended up collecting the car, which was a reminder that they blew a sure victory. You would think the Las Vegas native would have apologized to his crew for his actions on Sunday, but the driver didn't bother to make nice before he took on the track. On this day, number 18's crew made no mistakes. It was critical that Busch be the first car off the pit road on the final stop because the track position would play heavily into the outcome. Runner-up Denny Hamlin and third-place finisher Jimmie Johnson both acknowledged that the race was won on the pit road during that final stop. NASCAR really hasn't seen a person like Busch.

This article was sponsored by StubHub. StubHub sells NASCAR tickets, as well as many other kinds of sports tickets, concert tickets, special events tickets and theater tickets.

Article Source: NASCAR Tickets - Kyle Busch Takes Checker Flag

Source: http://www.articlespan.com/article/253130/nascar-tickets-kyle-busch-takes-checker-flag

Ingo Hoffmann Bill Holland Jackie Holmes Bill Homeier

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

Dan Gurney Hubert Hahne Mike Hailwood Mika Häkkinen

Red Bull on top after F1's winter war

There is an adage in Formula 1 that if a team shows form at Barcelona's demanding Circuit de Catalunya in the winter then they are in good shape to go racing.

Over the final two pre-season tests in Barcelona, team analysts have been poring over reams of data, calculating fuel levels and conjuring tyre tactics to try to find out where their team falls in 2011's pecking order.

The teams were unanimous in one thing - Red Bull will once again be the ones to watch in 2011.

But as the field of 12 teams prepares to race under new regulations for the new season, the champions may not have it all their own way.

Just like last season, Ferrari are not far behind Red Bull.

Nevertheless, after four pre-season tests, it is widely agreed Red Bull have an advantage in both qualifying and race pace.

Sebastian Vettel in the Red Bull at the Circuit de Catalunya

The Red Bull has looked ominously fast in all conditions in pre-season testing. Photo: Getty

In terms of pure pace, the champions have yet to push the RB7 in full qualifying trim - with some insiders saying they believe the car has never been on track with less than 80kg of fuel on board when 10kg is usually enough for qualifying.

Despite this, world champion Sebastian Vettel and team-mate Mark Webber have managed to top the timings in Barcelona four times out of eight days between them.

Red Bull have also raised eyebrows with their consistency and speed over longer spells on track.

Analysis of Webber's long runs at the final test suggested that after 10 or more laps he was 0.7 seconds per lap faster than others, showing the car has pace and is kinder on the tyres.

That could be crucial in a season when tyre wear and management is expected to be key factors.

Over at Ferrari, championship runner-up Fernando Alonso and his team-mate Felipe Massa have both shown pace in shorter bursts and strength in race simulations, but analysts point to tyre life as a potential weakness for the Italian marque.

After teething problems in the first three tests, Mercedes bared their teeth in Barcelona as Michael Schumacher was unassailable at the top of day four's timesheets in the heavily upgraded Mercedes.

Insiders within the team are confident they are now the third fastest team on track - if not the second.

Behind Red Bull, Ferrari - and now perhaps Mercedes - the pack tightens around the midfield of Renault, Williams, McLaren, Toro Rosso and Sauber.

After a catalogue of headaches, from exhaust, hydraulics and engine problems to a lack of spare parts, McLaren have done little to show they will start 2011 where they left off as F1's third fastest team.

The mood within McLaren has swung between concern, voiced painfully by both drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button, and optimism that things will better.

And on the plus side, it would not be the first time McLaren have had to battle back from a difficult design through determined development.

Fernando Alonso's Ferrari in the pit lane at the Circuit de Catalunya

Ferrari appear to be best of the rest - just as they were in 2010. Photo: AFP

"If you had to pick a team on the grid who could make most progress throughout the course of year, McLaren are the ones to flag up every time," one rival team insider commented.

"In 2009 they took a car that was 3.5 seconds off the pace of the [eventual champions] Brawn to races wins at the end of the year."

Of 2010's three new entrants, Team Lotus appear to have made the most progress - on pace alone the Norfolk-based team have made up at least a second over the winter to move closer to Force India at the back of the pack.

There is, however, a view up and down the paddock that Formula 1's new regulations could upset the form book.

When Pirelli won the contract to supply the sport's tyres this season in place of Bridgestone, the Italian company was asked to make the rubber less durable in the hope that it would spice up racing.

The early signs are Pirelli have delivered on what was asked of them.

Throughout the four pre-season tests, two themes have come up time and again; how quickly the Pirelli tyres are degrading and the performance difference between the four compounds.

For the first three races in Melbourne, Malaysia and China, the teams can only choose between the soft and hard tyres.

Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery predicts the soft tyres will last between 10-15 laps and the hards up to 25.

One experienced F1 race engineer estimates the difference between those tyres could be worth as much as 1.3 seconds a lap.

Tyre selection and when to change them during a race will be crucial to deciding 2011's winners and losers.

Team strategists believe by getting it right - or wrong - strategy calls could be worth up to six positions.

"The team with the fastest car may not necessarily win the races," warned Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn.

"If you are out on track on the wrong tyre at the wrong time, people will overtake you. There is more potential to get it wrong than there was last year. It's a challenge I'm relishing."

The pit wall strategists and the drivers will have to work together to determine tyre strategy over the weekend.

Drivers who have a good feeling for tyres and how to manage them - the likes of Schumacher, Button and Renault's Nick Heidfeld - will use that skill to their advantage.

The return of the kinetic energy recovery and power-boost system (Kers) and the introduction of the moveable rear wing also increase the pressure in the cockpit.

"Drivers used to drive the car and were not that good at controls and switches; now they are totally dominated by them," explained Williams technical director Sam Michael.

"It will be a real thinking game now; tyre degradation, how you are using Kers and the rear wing. You are going to see drivers making some mistakes, that's for sure."

At the final test in Barcelona, the F1 field were beginning to tire of looking into their crystal ball to respond to questions on form and expectations for the new season.

In less than two weeks' time, the drivers will race through the leafy surroundings of Melbourne's Albert Park and find the answers - whether they like them or not.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/sarahholt/2011/03/red_bull_on_top_after_f1s_wint.html

Oswald Karch Narain Karthikeyan Ukyo Katayama Ken Kavanagh