dustydesperado5's posterous http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com Most recent posts at dustydesperado5's posterous posterous.com Wed, 08 Feb 2012 03:00:13 -0800 Ferrari's F2012 is a bold step - but is it enough? http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/ferraris-f2012-is-a-bold-step-but-is-it-enoug http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/ferraris-f2012-is-a-bold-step-but-is-it-enoug

Chastened by the disappointments of 2011, Ferrari promised an "aggressive" approach to the design of their new Formula 1 car and they have not disappointed.

The new F2012, unveiled via the internet on Friday because of unusually heavy snow at the team's base in Maranello, is the most radical of the four new cars that have broken cover so far this season.

Many will also regard it as the most unattractive, featuring as it does a pronounced 'step' on the upper nose that even Ferrari themselves have described as "not aesthetically pleasing".

Fernando Alonso, the man on whose shoulders rest Ferrari's huge expectations, paused when asked for his impressions of the car and said, politely, that it "looks very different".

In order to see this content you need to have both Javascript enabled and Flash installed. Visit BBC Webwise for full instructions. If you're reading via RSS, you'll need to visit the blog to access this content.


It is a design that will feature, to a greater or lesser extent, on most of the F1 cars this season - with the notable exception of the McLaren which was unveiled on Wednesday.

The McLaren is undoubtedly more beautiful than the Ferrari but it also appeared a little conservative - a charge vigorously denied by the team. In fact, that is a charge Ferrari have levelled at their own recent efforts, and the Italian team's new car is certainly anything but.

There is no doubting Ferrari's ambition. "We want to go back to the top level," said the company's flamboyant president, Luca di Montezemolo. "We want to win. We don't want to lose the world championship at the very last race [as they did in 2010]. We have all the ingredients for a perfect recipe."

That remains to be seen. Certainly this season could not be more critical for the sport's most famous team.

The fact is that since a major set of new regulations were introduced into F1 in 2009, Ferrari have not produced a car that was right on the pace.

The 2009 car was uncompetitive - taking only a single win in Kimi Raikkonen's hands. The 2010 was their best stab yet, but even though Alonso took it to the brink of the world title, he was only able to do so because Red Bull, who had a faster car, made so many errors between the team and drivers.

Last year was not quite as bad as 2009, but still Alonso, a man regarded widely as the most complete racing driver in the world, was able to take only one win, despite producing what he said himself was his best season in F1.

It's not hard to see where Ferrari may have created a problem for themselves.

Having put such emphasis on the need to be competitive this year, on the need to rid their design department of what they described as its conservatism, what happens if this year's car does not live up to their expectations?

They have already dismissed one technical director. Aldo Costa - who was at the team through the glory years with Michael Schumacher - was pushed aside and replaced by ex-McLaren engineer Pat Fry.

Equally, Alonso has effectively committed his career to them. This is, as team boss Stefano Domenicali has said, a huge benefit - he is a gold standard and no failure of pace can be laid at his door. But that is a double-edged sword. If the car is not winning, it is clearly Ferrari's fault, not his.

"Fernando did an incredible, extraordinary season [in 2011]," Domenicali said on Friday. "He has extended his relationship with us for many years and that is a sign of the responsibility we feel - we have to offer you a competitive high-performing car. I'm sure it will be winning from the very beginning."

Ferrari's F2012: Is this the car that will complement the exceptional talents of driver Fernando Alonso?

A lot rests, then, on the performance of the F2012. Whether its stepped nose, pull-rod front suspension and exhaust exits angled low down will make it competitive remains to be seen, but it is at least clear what Ferrari are trying to do.

The ugly step on the nose will undoubtedly cause more airflow disruption on the top of the car than any other seen so far, but it also means that Ferrari can get the much more important bottom part of the chassis higher across its entire width.

In theory, that means more airflow under the car, and therefore increased downforce, the holy grail for all F1 designers.

However, according to BBC F1 technical analyst Gary Anderson - a man with 20 years' experience of designing grand prix cars - the curved chassis underside that will result from the 'eye-let' design on the Force India is actually advantageous in terms of directing the air where it needs to go - under the floor.

The pull-rod front suspension - where the rocker arms run from the top of the wheel to the bottom of the chassis rather than the other way around - has advantages in that it gets the weight of the suspension lower down in the car, and Ferrari claim there is an aerodynamic benefit, too.

And it remains to be seen whether Ferrari's solution on exhaust exits - which look like remaining a key issue this year, despite the ban on exhaust-blown diffusers - is as effective as that of their rivals.

"I really believe in the skills we have here in Ferrari," Alonso said. "We have to be optimistic. We have two months to get ready for the first race in Australia. We have to fight for this title."

Alonso, Ferrari say, works more closely with the team than even Schumacher did. But he is a very demanding man, who expects the absolute best from those around him, just as he delivers it on the track.

If the F2012 does not go better than it looks, things will get very uncomfortable at Maranello.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2012/02/ferraris_f2012_is_a_bold_step.html

Maurício Gugelmin Dan Gurney

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/4xlqL4ZsQU9j dustydesperado5 dustydesperado5
Tue, 07 Feb 2012 23:00:25 -0800 Red Bull set to dominate? http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/red-bull-set-to-dominate-80984 http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/red-bull-set-to-dominate-80984

To some, the decision of Red Bull and Ferrari to pull out of the Formula 1 Teams' Association, the umbrella group that represents the teams' interests, could look innocuous enough. In reality it could have far-reaching consequences.

The F1 teams have put a brave public face on it, but behind the scenes there are serious concerns that it could lead to a period of Red Bull domination about which their rivals can do little.

The move by two of F1's most powerful teams was provoked by continuing distrust about whether all of the competitors were adhering to the terms of a document called the Resource Restriction Agreement.

The RRA sets out limits on the amount of staff, external spend and aerodynamic research teams can employ and covers work on the design of the car - with drivers' salaries, marketing and engines excluded.

Sebastian Vettel

World Champion Sebastian Vettel's (left) team Red Bull and Michael Schumacher's (right) former team Ferrari announced that they have quit the Formula One Teams Association (Fota). PHOTO: Getty

It is not a budget cap per se, but it does have the effect of keeping costs under control, to the point that the biggest budgets have dropped from in the region of £300m in 2008 to an estimated £150-200m in 2011.

To cite just one example, the RRA limits the amount of hours a team can dedicate to wind-tunnel testing - a key way of honing an F1 car's aerodynamics, the single biggest performance differentiator.

And the more wind-tunnel hours you do, the less simulation of aerodynamics on a computer is allowed (and vice versa).

Because there is only so much of this work that a team can do, there is only so much money they can spend.

The problem that has arisen is that some of the teams - led by Ferrari and Mercedes - believe Red Bull have been exceeding these limits since 2010, the first of their two consecutive title-winning years.

Red Bull insist they have always operated within the RRA - and they counter their rivals' accusations by pointing out that it is easier for an F1 team allied to a car company (as Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren all are) to hide extra work than it is for one that operates in isolation.

A year's worth of talks to try to reach a compromise agreement with which everyone is happy have come to nothing, leading to a situation where Ferrari and Red Bull have run out of patience. They signalled their intention to quit Fota late on Friday - although they have to give two months' notice.

Ferrari's statement was long and detailed, talking about their reluctance at a "difficult decision", their ongoing commitment to cost-reduction and other changes in F1, and emphasising their own central role in Fota since it was set up in 2008.

Red Bull's ran to only two sentences: "Red Bull Racing can confirm it has served notice to withdraw from Fota. The team will remain committed to finding a solution regarding cost saving in Formula 1."

This in itself has led to more suspicion.

It is clear, more than one insider has said, why Ferrari pulled out of Fota - if the organisation could not sort out an RRA, what was the point of it? - but Red Bull's reasoning was very different.

The implication being that the world champions did not like the RRA because they had no intention of adhering to it. Fota had become an inconvenience.

Red Bull were not available for comment.

This suspicion has been poisoning the atmosphere within F1 all year, despite attempts to reduce it.

As well as the endless meetings aimed at bringing the two warring sides together, there was an investigation in the summer by external consultants into the way the teams were detailing their use of resources.

But while Red Bull believe this effectively cleared them of wrongdoing, their accusers disagree. "The analysis showed more than one concern about what Red Bull were doing," one insider told me.

The next step, as laid out by the RRA, was for a full audit of the accounts of the team about which there were suspicions - if a certain number of teams wanted this to happen, the accused team had to agree.

But this point was never reached, and after further meetings at the season-closing Brazilian Grand Prix, Ferrari and Red Bull ran out of patience.

So what happens next? Is this the death knell for Fota? Will the departure of Ferrari and Red Bull lead to a domino effect of teams leaving the organisation?

Alternatively, will a rump stick together, recognising that there can still be strength in numbers, not least in the forthcoming negotiations with F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone over a new Concorde Agreement, the document which binds the teams, the commercial rights holder and governing body the FIA together?

That may become clearer after a Fota meeting on Tuesday.

More importantly, does this mean the end for resource restrictions in F1 - and will the sport therefore revert to the 'arms race' spending that led to the RRA in the first place?

On the face of it, the answer to that is no. The RRA is still technically in force. It is a legally binding document which lasts until at least 2012, or perhaps even 2017 - depending on whom you believe, and which version of the document you are talking about.

In theory, if Red Bull's rivals feel that they are breaking the RRA, they can sue them. If that sounds unlikely, one insider I spoke to for this article raised it as a possibility.

Equally, though, Red Bull and Ferrari are due to meet the other members of F1's big four - McLaren and Mercedes - next week to discuss resource restriction and how to move forward on it.

That hardly sounds like the actions of a group of people on the verge of legal action.

In public, everyone in F1 says they want to avoid a return to unrestricted spending.

One of the main reasons for this is that (effectively) unrestricted money is no longer available to top F1 teams - the effects of the credit crunch have reached even this notoriously expensive sport's rarefied climes.

Many of the smaller teams are living hand-to-mouth to a degree, with only the top four existing in relative comfort.

But even they have limitations on what they can spend.

McLaren are a private team who have to live within the budget they can raise from sponsorship and other commercial partnerships.

Mercedes, huge car company though it may be, has set clear limits on the amount of money its team can spend.

Even Ferrari, who 10 years ago could effectively spend what they wanted, now have to be careful with money.

But Red Bull are different, or so their rivals believe.

Team principal Christian Horner insists they have far from the biggest budget in F1 - he ranks them about third or fourth.

But his rivals raise their eyebrows at that, pointing out that Red Bull is worth billions and that the soft-drinks company is weathering the global economic downturn well by comparison with car companies and traditional corporate giants. In that sense, their rivals say, they really can spend what they want.

So whether founded on reality or not, and whether the accusation at its heart contains any truth, the fear at the heart of F1 is quite simple.

If Red Bull, despite the RRA, are prepared to spend what they want, as well as having the best designer in Adrian Newey and arguably the best driver in Sebastian Vettel, who can stop them dominating for years to come?

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2011/12/red_bull_set_to_dominate.html

Kyle Busch M and M s Toyota Sam Hornish Jr Mobil 1 Dodge

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/4xlqL4ZsQU9j dustydesperado5 dustydesperado5
Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:00:34 -0800 From Nascar "Pony" Car Fame - The Lincoln - Mercury Cougar http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/from-nascar-pony-car-fame-the-lincoln-mercury-90437 http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/from-nascar-pony-car-fame-the-lincoln-mercury-90437 You may well have thought that the Mercury Cougar auto that the origins of the Mercury Cougar auto were nothing more than a whale sized version of simple Ford Thunderbird car. Yet many are surprised that the history and development of this classic American sportscar rather was that of the NASCAR legendary Mercury “Pony Car” , which kicked nothing but but “Butt” on the Trans-Am Automobile racing circuit.

Originally Lincoln- Mercury (considered at the time to be the luxury end of Ford Motor Corporation), had devised the idea of developing, designing and marketing a small sized sports car. The germ of this idea had started as early as February 1963 with the idea in the works of this smaller sports type vehicle to be sold within the North American automobile market.

But it was the success of the Ford Mustang product that finally put the pedal to the metal (or the design and marketing staff’s ok and budgeting of departmental project funding). It is said that nothing drives a project the automobile industry than the potential of excellent sales figures and profitability’s. Even the name of the vehicle product “Cougar” is not totally unique. Cougar is in the same vein as “Mustang” – both being sleek fast racing animals.

Although the Cougar was also built on a 111 inch

wheelbase similar to the mustang auto sports car, the Cougar was rather three inches and half inches shorter than its cousin – the Thunderbird. Underneath the elegant sheet metal of the Cougar was a Mustang, so to speak. In actuality the Cougar shared with its cousins – the sporty Mustang, and the dourer family vehicle - the Ford Falcon (which was also known in the Canadian market as the Ford Frontenac product. The Ford Mustang had the greatest fortune of being born from the Ford Falcon product line. Mustang enthusiasts owe a great debt of gratitude to a so called compact “Family” car. The Ford Falcon allowed both the Mustang car project as well as the Cougar car product a quick to develop, cheap to produce as well as a proven and durable base platform. Even the dash of the early Mustangs was a direct copy of the Falcons.

Underneath all of the glitter of its elegant sheet metal the Cougar car was all Mustang, using the exact same Falcon front suspension and a solid rear axle with four-leaf springs. A base 289 cubic inch V-8 made 200 bhp (gross), but the real action came in the guise of a 390 cubic inch V-8 that made 320 bhp. A GT option included a performance handling package and power disc brakes that replaced more standard front brake drums. Finally special GT wheels rounded out the package.

It has been said that Lincoln Mercury’s chief designer had envisioned the Cougar as an elegant European sports car, along the lines of the Jaguar Mark 2. How was it that the Cougar went racing?

In 1967 Lincoln Mercury turned to Bud Moore to be the point man for a shot at the SCCA Trans-Am Championship. Team Cougar made up of drivers, Dan Gurney, Parnelli Jones, Formula 1 driver Peter Revson and NASCAR driver Dave Pearson came in second in Ford Mustang’s team. In 1968 then under the aegis of Moore, driver DeWayne “Tiny” Lund went on to capture the NASCAR Grand Touring Championship.

So where and how did the Cougar go wrong and in the end become a rather non defined wishy washy bloated luxo sort of sports car by the end of its automobile production lifetime? What proved to be this product and projects undoing was the lack of true comprehension from the direct Mercury as well as Ford staff and executives as to what this car’s clear and distinct market was. It may be said that at the best they were disinterested and at the worst clueless and greedy. This lack of market focus, as well as not knowing and perceiving the needs and desires of the potential Cougar customer market proved to be the Cougar’s undoing.

By the 1969 product introduction the Cougar was a little longer and a little wider. From then on it was only a short decent into landau roofs as well as the opera window type styling and options of the day. Once started this downward trend and spiral of the Cougar was inevitable. The halcyon years of the early Cougar - specifically the early Cougar model years of 1967 – 70 remain a time when the Cougar’s roar boomed out of dual exhausts and the sign of a car that had some bite to it.

Riv Import Car Broker Buy Car Vancouver Used Auto Vancouver Dealer

Article Source: From Nascar "Pony" Car Fame - The Lincoln - Mercury Cougar

Source: http://www.articlespan.com/article/140282/from-nascar-pony-car-fame-the-lincoln-mercury-cougar

Franck Lagorce Jan Lammers Pedro Lamy Chico Landi

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/4xlqL4ZsQU9j dustydesperado5 dustydesperado5
Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:00:12 -0800 An Explanation of The Physics of NASCAR http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/an-explanation-of-the-physics-of-nascar-10328 http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/an-explanation-of-the-physics-of-nascar-10328 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

Kyle Busch Toyota Kimmy Parker Kligerman Trevor Bayne

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/4xlqL4ZsQU9j dustydesperado5 dustydesperado5
Thu, 19 Jan 2012 06:00:17 -0800 NASCAR Tickets - Jimmy Watts' Big Mistake http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/nascar-tickets-jimmy-watts-big-mistake-31091 http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/nascar-tickets-jimmy-watts-big-mistake-31091 Jimmy Watts might just be the most famous NASCAR crew member of the year, but that doesn't necessarily mean good things for the crew team of Marcos Ambrose and his No. 47 stock car. Watts made national headlines last week after he chased a runaway tire onto the racetrack at the Atlanta Motor Speedway during the Kobalt Tools 500, shocking everyone with NASCAR tickets and violating one of the league's biggest rules while also causing NASCAR to throw out the third caution flag on lap 67 of the race. This huge error in judgment was undoubtedly an instant reaction (and a regrettable one, at that) by Watts, and this gasman will be forced to live with the consequences of his knee-jerk reaction for the rest of this racing season.

When Jimmy Watts went onto the racetrack at Atlanta, he violated Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 9-15-U (crew members cannot for any reason go onto the racetrack while cars or racing or running under the yellow or red flag, unless a NASCAR official directs the action) of NASCAR code, triggering a four-race suspension and a nine-month probationary period while also penalizing his crew chief, Frank Kerr. Kerr, the chief of Ambrose's No. 47 Toyota, also got slapped with a hefty fine and was placed on NASCAR probation until December 31 for violating Sections 12-1 and 9-4-A (crew chief assumes responsibility for his team members' actions).

Watts works as a fireman while he's not in the pit for Marcos Ambrose's team, and his automatic reaction to chase after the tire could be a result of his instinctive job and intense firefighting training. The gasman did offer an apology to NASCAR after the race, saying, "Everything happened so fast on pit road that I just didn't realize how far I had to go out until I grabbed the tire. I put myself in jeopardy and I know how hard NASCAR works to make the pit crew members safe on pit road. I stand by their decision and will serve my four-race suspension."

The caution flag that resulted from Watts stepping foot onto the racetrack at the Atlanta Motor Speedway may have had an effect on the race's outcome, as NASCAR officials would have waited for the green flag stops to cycle out before calling a caution had Watts not chased after the tire, keeping all the cars on pit sequence. Instead, however, the caution flag went up, and some of the Sprint Cup drivers are not pleased with the results. Matt Kenseth recently made a seething comment about the incident, saying, "Maybe he's new. Maybe he hasn't seen us drive, but we tend to wreck a lot. I wouldn't want to be out in the middle of the grass."

What's done is done, however, and Watts will have to come back from his four-race suspension at the end of April and prove that his talents outweigh his one big mistake. In the meantime, the racing will continue, and tickets to NASCAR races are always available online.

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 - Jimmy Watts' Big Mistake

Source: http://www.articlespan.com/article/250667/nascar-tickets-jimmy-watts-big-mistake

Jan Lammers Pedro Lamy Chico Landi

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/4xlqL4ZsQU9j dustydesperado5 dustydesperado5
Thu, 19 Jan 2012 02:00:17 -0800 Why are the FIA bringing out their toolkits? http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/why-are-the-fia-bringing-out-their-toolkits-59992 http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/why-are-the-fia-bringing-out-their-toolkits-59992
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_f2dCclIT9q8/TUUgS2L7_oI/AAAAAAAAG40/O-U57y8LQY0/s1600/start5_barc_2010.jpg

By Matt Carver

It's been two months since Sebastian Vettel was crowned as the Formula 1 world champion of 2010, after what was arguably the most enthralling and closely-fought championship in recent history. But bizarrely, the sports governing body, the FIA, have decided that it needs 'spicing up' with a whole raft of new technical regulations.

Even without these supposed enhancements, the setup for the 2011 season looks stronger than ever. The live TV broadcasts will now be in High Definition, there will be five former world champions on the gird, the teams are closely matched, and worldwide viewing figures are very strong. So this begs the obvious question: If it's not broken, why are the FIA bringing out their toolkits?

The answer can be found in a simple, four-syllable word that sparks a lot of debate: Overtaking.

The Return of KERS

For 2011, the Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) will again be available to all the teams, after its banishment for 2010 following an uninspiring implementation in the previous season. For those unfamiliar with the concept, a KERS unit is essentially just a large battery which harnesses a reserve of energy from heavy braking. This energy can then be fed though the drive train at the press of a button for an 80bhp boost for several seconds per lap.

It was originally intended as a 'push-to-pass' button to aid overtaking, but the unit itself was heavy and had a strong destabilizing effect. The cars that were fitted with KERS were more unstable and thus slower for the majority of a lap, but had the extra muscle on the long straights. So it quickly became more of an overtaking deterrent than an aid, and there is no reason to believe that it will be any different next season.

The Controversial Moveable Wings

The big concern for next season is the introduction of moveable wings, which will allow a chasing car to greatly reduce its aerodynamic drag, allowing for greater top speed, but only when closely following a competitor. This is hugely controversial, for the simple reason that it hands an artificial advantage to the chasing car, effectively handicapping the leading car for having superior track position. The problem here is that it appears to violate a fundamental rule of fair racing. Surely you can't artificially penalize a driver for having track position just to make it more entertaining. This is no different from telling Usain Bolt that whoever wins the silver medal is now allowed to use performance enhancing drungs, but only until he starts winning, then he will be back on the protein 'shakes so that it doesn't get boring.

The Nightmare Scenario

Let's take Spa for example, the much-loved host venue for the Belgian Grand Prix. There is always plenty of overtaking at Spa, mainly due to the layout of the first few turns. The tricky first hairpin leads uphill through the staggeringly fast Eau Rouge bend, onto a lengthy straight, leading down to a tight right hander. It's hard to see how any driver could sufficiently defend their position through this section against a competitor who has artificially increased top speed. This could lead to the nightmare scenario; A driver with a narrow lead may decide to deliberately concede position before starting the final lap, as the advantage of the movable wing could be more beneficial than having track position. This would be a farce in every sense of the word, and could damage the sport's competitive integrity.

There can be no doubt that on some occasions, overtaking in F1 can become almost impossible. In Hungary last year, Vettel was forced to spend more than twenty laps simply staring at the back of Fernando Alonso's Ferrari, despite being significantly faster. Alonso's championship hopes eventually faded as he spent the last 40 minutes of the season finale waiting in vain for Vitaly Petrov to plough his Renault into the Abu Dhabi tyre wall. But on other occasions, the wheel-to-wheel action was spectacular. In Turkey, The two Mclarens where bumping wheels for the lead at turn one, just a few minutes after the Red Bulls were bashing each other into the scenery. Robert Kubica provided plenty of excitement whilst scything through half the field in Singapore, and the Japanese fans at Suzuka were amply entertained by Kamui Kobayashi flinging his BMW Sauber past anyone and everyone at the hairpin.

Surely this should lead us to one inevitable conclusion. It is the layout of certain circuits that appears to be curtailing the action. Only time will tell if alterations to the cars themselves will have the desired effect.


This original article "Formula 1's Risky New Regulations" is written by Matt Carver who is a Contributing Writer at Suite101.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/F1InsightAFormula1Blog/~3/xTX-uZVXEhI/why-are-fia-bringing-out-their-toolkits.html

Alan Dennis Kulwicki Travis Wade Kvapil Robert Allen Labonte Terrence Lee Labonte

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/4xlqL4ZsQU9j dustydesperado5 dustydesperado5
Wed, 18 Jan 2012 21:00:12 -0800 Force India VJM04 Launch pictures ( 8th of February) http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/force-india-vjm04-launch-pictures-8th-of-febr-33575 http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/force-india-vjm04-launch-pictures-8th-of-febr-33575
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pe1wfbmqA5M/TWD7rwYfbGI/AAAAAAAAHLc/fr9eG15n7sQ/s1600/jpg_dcd1106fe20%2B-%2BCopy.jpg

Force India became the last Formula 1 team to unveil its 2011-spec car, the VJM04, during an online event on Tuesday 8 February 2011.

The first pics of the VJM04 were courtesy of a Force India photo shoot, so not many details have been ?inspected? by the media. However, one could clearly see that, like the majority of its rivals in 2011, the car features a high nose design, along with a reworked sidepod area and a new rear section. In addition, the car comes with a blade-style roll hoop design and a new front wing concept.

Technical specifications
Chassis Carbon fibre composite monocoque with Zylon legality side anti-intrusion panels
Suspension (front) Aluminium uprights with carbon fibre composite wishbones, trackrod and pushrod. Inboard chassis mounted torsion springs, dampers and anti-roll bar assembly
Suspension (rear) as front, except for trackrod and pullrod, and gearbox mounted torsion springs.
Engine Mercedes-Benz FO 108Y 2,400 cc (146.5 cu in) 90° V8, limited to 18,000 RPM, naturally aspirated, mid-mounted
Transmission McLaren Seven-speed semi-automatic gearbox with reverse gear, Electronic shift system
Weight 640 kg (1,411 lb) (including driver)
Fuel Mobil
Tyres Pirelli P Zero

BBS Wheels (front and rear): 13"

Force India VJM04 Launch pictures




Photos © Force India F1 Team

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/F1InsightAFormula1Blog/~3/SqxTd3BYrII/force-india-vjm04-launch-pictures-8th.html

Mike Hailwood Mika Häkkinen Bruce Halford Jim Hall

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/4xlqL4ZsQU9j dustydesperado5 dustydesperado5
Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:00:15 -0800 McLaren MP4-26 Launch pictures ( 4th of February) http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/mclaren-mp4-26-launch-pictures-4th-of-februar-55645 http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/mclaren-mp4-26-launch-pictures-4th-of-februar-55645
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

Ken Kavanagh Rupert Keegan Eddie Keizan Al Keller

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/4xlqL4ZsQU9j dustydesperado5 dustydesperado5
Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:00:14 -0800 NASCAR Sprint Cup Tickets- Mark Martin Wins at 50 http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/nascar-sprint-cup-tickets-mark-martin-wins-at-81792 http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/nascar-sprint-cup-tickets-mark-martin-wins-at-81792 At the young age of 50, three months and nine days; Mark Martin became the third-oldest winner in NASCAR history, snapping a 97-race winless streak by capturing a victory at Phoenix International Raceway. The NASCAR driver poked fun of himself after the race by telling the media he had no problems keeping up with the 25-year-olds. The Phoenix International Raceway champion started from the pole and led 157 of 312 laps. However, the 50-year-old did run into some trouble when officials erased his four-second lead over Tony Stewart with only 11 laps to go in the race. Mark headed for a pit stop and was worried about his lead. Get NASCAR Sprint Cup tickets and see Martin burning some rubber as he cruises to victory lane.

He emerged out of pit road in second place. Ryan Newman had been in the lead while his teammate, Stewart was just behind Martin, with only six laps left in the race. The 50-year-old driver felt the need for speed as he shot past Newman on the restart, heading towards victory lane. It was his first win since Kansas in 2005. The last 50-year-old to win a Cup race was Morgan Shepherd in 1993 at Atlanta, but who was the oldest driver to ever win a Cup race? Harry Gant holds the record as the oldest driver to win a Cup race. He was 52 when he won at Michigan in 1992.

Before Martin headed towards victory lane in Phoenix and secured a win, only three drivers at the ripe age of 50 or older won Cup races: Gant, Shepherd and Bobby Allison. Mark was greeted by NASCAR president Mike Hilton and several of his competitors after the race. His former boss, Jack Roush, came to congratulate him. So did former teammates Kurt Busch, Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth, and Jeff Burton. It was Mark's 36th career victory, but his first victory without Roush by his side. He spent 18 years driving for Roush and decided to retire in 2006. The driver had a change of heart and wanted to come back and work for Roush, but his former boss had already secured his seat with another driver.

Stewart, who came in second place, told the media there's no shame in losing to a guy like Mark. The second place driver also added that the 50-year-old man works harder than any driver he knew. The praise continued in the garage for Martin, who is considered by many to be the greatest NASCAR driver to never win a championship. But that all changed at the Phoenix International Raceway. The Cup winner came back to the sport he dearly loved to see if he could claim glory on the tracks he driven around so many times. This is his first full season in three years; he spent the last two years in a part-time ride for Dale Earnhardt Inc., which prepared him for a long and demanding 10-month season. Rick Hendrick offered Martin a spot on his team and the key to the No. 5 Chevrolet after the man finished second four times in Phoenix. It looks like the fifth time was the charm.

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

Article Source: NASCAR Sprint Cup Tickets- Mark Martin Wins at 50

Source: http://www.articlespan.com/article/263165/nascar-sprint-cup-tickets-mark-martin-wins-at-50

David Hampshire Sam Hanks Walt Hansgen Mike Harris

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/4xlqL4ZsQU9j dustydesperado5 dustydesperado5
Wed, 18 Jan 2012 01:00:17 -0800 NASCAR Gifts For Men http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/nascar-gifts-for-men-70415 http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/nascar-gifts-for-men-70415 Do you have a man who is a NASCAR fan? NASCAR gifts are loved by men. Whether that gift is intended to be a Father's Day present, a birthday present, or a just because you want to show him how much you love him. He probably already has a Nascar hat and a Nascar t-shirt. If you would like to purchase unique NASCAR gifts for your father, husband or friend, checkout some of these great NASCAR gifts for men.

With spring and summer quickly approaching, racing themed barbeque tool sets make great gifts for men. Get a barbeque tool set with you man's favorite driver's number printed on the handles. These specialty racing themed barbeque tool sets often come with matching storage cases or bags. These NASCAR grill tool sets are great, but affordable, gifts for men who like to grill outside.

Did you know that they make NASCAR patio sets? Yes they do. An outdoor patio set with a racing theme is a great, yet unique NASCAR gift idea. Now these aren't real cheap so this is probably more suited for a very close family member, husband or dad. Make sure that the racing patio set has your loved one's favorite nascar driver on the seats and table. Some have the names of the drivers and some have the nascar driver's number. A NASCAR patio set will allow your nascar fan to barbeque in style on race days.

Companies also make racing themed canopy sets. These canopy sets are also really awesome gift ideas for men who love NASCAR. And, you will have to look long and hard to find someone else who has a race car canopy set.

What goes hand and hand with watching a race? That's right beer or another cold beverage. You man would love to have a NASCAR compact refrigerator with is favorite driver on it. I would love to have a Jeff Gordon compact refrigerator or may a Dale Jr refrigerator. These compact refrigerators would look great in your game room or a dormroom.

If you are looking for a NASCAR gift for a child, toddlers, preschoolers, and elementary school aged children love NASCAR diecast cars. NASCAR diecast cars make very affordable gifts. In fact, most grown men that I know love racing diecast cars. My son and I play racing all the time with diecast cars. He always plays with his Jeff Gordon diecast car and I play with my Tony Steweart diecast car. He won't let me play with the Jeff Gordon diecast car.

I hope that these gift ideas help you to pick out the perfect NASCAR gifts for men.

Find out more about NASCAR at Nascar Diecast Cars. Nascar diecast cars make great collections. Check out these great Dale Earnhardt Jr Diecast cars and these Jeff Gordon Diecast cars.

Article Source: NASCAR Gifts For Men

Source: http://www.articlespan.com/article/62969/nascar-gifts-for-men

James Hunt Jim Hurtubise Gus Hutchison Jacky Ickx

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/4xlqL4ZsQU9j dustydesperado5 dustydesperado5
Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:00:19 -0800 Jake Humphrey's season review http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/jake-humphreys-season-review-70856 http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/jake-humphreys-season-review-70856

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.

In order to see this content you need to have both Javascript enabled and Flash installed. Visit BBC Webwise for full instructions. If you're reading via RSS, you'll need to visit the blog to access this content.

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!

In order to see this content you need to have both Javascript enabled and Flash installed. Visit BBC Webwise for full instructions. If you're reading via RSS, you'll need to visit the blog to access this content.

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

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/4xlqL4ZsQU9j dustydesperado5 dustydesperado5
Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:00:40 -0800 An Explanation of The Physics of NASCAR http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/an-explanation-of-the-physics-of-nascar-97899 http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/an-explanation-of-the-physics-of-nascar-97899 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

Carl Edwards Copart Ford Aric Almirola JR Motorsports Chevrolet

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/4xlqL4ZsQU9j dustydesperado5 dustydesperado5
Tue, 17 Jan 2012 06:00:35 -0800 History About The Start Of Nascar http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/history-about-the-start-of-nascar-64611 http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/history-about-the-start-of-nascar-64611 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

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/4xlqL4ZsQU9j dustydesperado5 dustydesperado5
Tue, 17 Jan 2012 02:00:20 -0800 Alonso and Massa's Ferrari F150 shakedown at Fiorano http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/alonso-and-massas-ferrari-f150-shakedown-at-f-85199 http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/alonso-and-massas-ferrari-f150-shakedown-at-f-85199
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

Mohawk Northeast Chevrolet Landon Cassill Post 9 11 GI Bill Chevrolet Martin Truex Jr

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/4xlqL4ZsQU9j dustydesperado5 dustydesperado5
Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:00:13 -0800 NASCAR Tickets - NASCAR Makes Racing Debut on Wii http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/nascar-tickets-nascar-makes-racing-debut-on-w-24855 http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/nascar-tickets-nascar-makes-racing-debut-on-w-24855 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

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/4xlqL4ZsQU9j dustydesperado5 dustydesperado5
Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:00:17 -0800 Ferrari F150th Italia is now Ferrari 150° Italia..! http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/ferrari-f150th-italia-is-now-ferrari-150-ital-3589 http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/ferrari-f150th-italia-is-now-ferrari-150-ital-3589
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mXNKY36Oets/TXMyWmLFszI/AAAAAAAAHRk/f2UOiEMdSGA/s1600/Ferrari%2BF150th%2BItalia%2Bis%2Bnow%2BFerrari%2B150%25C2%25B0%2BItalia.jpg

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.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OaGrwORjt9w/TXMsv9MVfbI/AAAAAAAAHRU/hdzJC20hP8E/s1600/Ford-F150-Pickup.jpg
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

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/F1InsightAFormula1Blog/~3/kmIq_iAPrzE/ferrari-f150th-italia-is-now-ferrari.html

Germain com Toyota Ryan Newman Phoenix Construction Chevrolet David Gilliland

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/4xlqL4ZsQU9j dustydesperado5 dustydesperado5
Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:00:15 -0800 Jenson Button - classic F1 http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/jenson-button-classic-f1-90453 http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/jenson-button-classic-f1-90453

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:

In order to see this content you need to have both Javascript enabled and Flash installed. Visit BBC Webwise for full instructions. If you're reading via RSS, you'll need to visit the blog to access this content.


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.

In order to see this content you need to have both Javascript enabled and Flash installed. Visit BBC Webwise for full instructions. If you're reading via RSS, you'll need to visit the blog to access this content.


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

Braun Racing Toyota Elliott Sadler Stanley Ford Mike Bliss

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/4xlqL4ZsQU9j dustydesperado5 dustydesperado5
Mon, 16 Jan 2012 10:00:23 -0800 NASCAR Tickets - Hylton Yearns for One More Start http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/nascar-tickets-hylton-yearns-for-one-more-sta-15083 http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/nascar-tickets-hylton-yearns-for-one-more-sta-15083 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

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/4xlqL4ZsQU9j dustydesperado5 dustydesperado5
Mon, 16 Jan 2012 06:00:31 -0800 NASCAR Tickets -Patrick Mania Seeps into NASCAR http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/nascar-tickets-patrick-mania-seeps-into-nasca-25323 http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/nascar-tickets-patrick-mania-seeps-into-nasca-25323 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

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/4xlqL4ZsQU9j dustydesperado5 dustydesperado5
Mon, 16 Jan 2012 00:00:14 -0800 Red Bull RB7 launch pictures (1st of February) http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/red-bull-rb7-launch-pictures-1st-of-february-73540 http://dustydesperado5.posterous.com/red-bull-rb7-launch-pictures-1st-of-february-73540
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

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

Mika Häkkinen Bruce Halford Jim Hall Duncan Hamilton

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/4xlqL4ZsQU9j dustydesperado5 dustydesperado5