Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Lorenzo Underwhelmed By Yamaha Engine Updates

From MCN: “It is only a slight difference but for sure in Indy we will use this engine. It seems a little bit better in top speed but it is not clearly much better.” Jorge Lorenzo is not exactly brimming with praise for the engine update tested in Brno, which apparently will be used at [...]

JEFF WARD JEFF MATIASEVICH RICK JOHNSON

The Latest on Larry Pearson

There have been numerous calls for Bristol Motor Speedway to end its experiment with old-timer “legends” racing since the track’s March 20 event resulted in a savage late-race accident. Larry Pearson, the driver seriously injured in that wreck, isn’t one of the naysayers. Pearson, 56, had six surgeries in the 12 days following the crash, [...]

Ford Andy Hillenburg Fast Track Racing Enterprises

Rockstar Energy Washougal Highlight Video

Rockstar Energy Washougal Highlight Video
Rockstar Energy Washougal Highlight Video- Dirt Rider Magazine
MX Sports Pro Racing and Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports, present the Rockstar Energy Washougal Highlight Video from Saturday's Peterson CAT Washougal National.

MX Sports Pro Racing and Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports, present the Rockstar Energy Washougal Highlight Video from Saturday's Peterson CAT Washougal National. The eighth round of the 2011 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship from Washougal MX Park featured an incredible day of action, as well as a shakeup in the 450 Class championship.


Photo Gallery: Rockstar Energy Washougal Highlight Video- Dirt Rider Magazine


Furniture Row Racing Kenny Wallace Dietrich Mateschitz

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Aitchison the fast learner

0001_p01_aitchison_ambienceAussie rider Mark Aitchison (Pedercini Team Kawasaki) is an absolute class rookie in 2011, having been snapped up by his Italian-based team in the winter. Riding the all-new Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R outside of the influence of the official factory team offered a difficult introduction to Mark, but he has already had his first top ten in a race and strong rides in Superpole. Recently, consistency has also arrived to go with his improving speed and WorldSBK.com caught up with him to see how he feels things have gone.


You came to this class a real rookie in WSBK, so how do you think it has turned out?

"I think I have met the expectations of the goals I wanted to achieve. I wanted to start to enter Superpole and ideally start to enter the points every race. I have been challenging for those kinds of results at almost every race now, so I am very happy about that. I have been in Superpole in the past three races. This has been good for me because it confirms that the people around me, and me as a rider, have been doing a good job. That is good for me but also the team, as they are getting better results and more consistency. They have obviously put in a lot of hard work not only this season but over the past few seasons. So for them to get improving results is rewarding for them. For these last four races we should have a good opportunity to put ourselves inside the top ten. To have a full-time gig this year and to be riding better than I have been in a lot of the earlier years I have had in Europe, is pretty satisfying. I have been enjoying myself immensely this year. The thing I really enjoy about Superbike is the riders around you. You get a lot of respect from the other riders on the circuit. It is very close fought but if you are there and putting a performance in the respect is there. And I also enjoy the two race format."


The bike itself seems to have been I improving each week, but has it in reality?


"We have had more development from the team side and Kawasaki has been starting to help us. From America we have had some access to some other bits and pieces. We have had consistent development because we have done our development at each race. We have not done a whole lot of testing outside race meetings so we have focused on if we did find something that gave me a positive feeling in the bike we would run with that and keep on trying to improve that. That has let me develop as a rider on the bike. So instead of changing the bike too much in any given weekend we have stayed with a bike that I know and let the mechanics work around that sort of area, so we can get the best out of it."


At Silverstone you had some particularly good rides, even if you had a few problems in the races?


"Yes, we had a few brake issues at Silverstone over the course of the weekend but apart from that it was a very good meeting. Everywhere we go anywhere we are consolidating what we know about the bike. The biggest area we need to work with is the tyres and making them last over full race distance. Currently we have a very good bike for the first half of the race and not so good for the second half, so a lot of the work the guys have been doing in the mid-season break is based on improving that area, I believe."

Renault Force India-Mercedes Williams-Cosworth

Ryan Newman grabs first win in 2 years at Phoenix

Ryan Newman took the lead after a late caution at Phoenix International Raceway and held off Jeff Gordon (FSY) in a two-lap shootout Saturday night to get his first victory since the 2008 Daytona 500, and first since joining Stewart’s new team last season.
Kyle Busch (FSY) was cruising to what would have given him a [...]

Kenny Wallace Dietrich Mateschitz Team Red Bull

Colin Edwards On CRT Teams: "There'll Be Tracks Where CRT Teams Will Surprise Some People"

Colin Edwards' future in MotoGP has been uncertain for some time now, and rumors about what comes next have been circulating continuously. As late as Mugello, there appeared to be a good chance that Edwards could remain with Tech 3, Yamaha boss Lin Jarvis hinting to MotoMatters.com that Edwards' long experience in MotoGP and his unquestionable development skills could play a key role in helping to develop Yamaha's 2012 MotoGP bike, especially important as MotoGP reverts to a 1000cc formula.

Since then, Edwards' star has waned with Yamaha, and the Texan has been linked with rides in World Superbikes and elsewhere. The latest rumor - first published by Britain's MCN, and today confirmed by GPOne.com - is that Edwards could end up on a CRT bike. The Texan has been linked with the Forward Racing team, currently racing with Jules Cluzel and Raffaele de Rosa (who replaced Alex Baldolini) in Moto2. The Forward team is one of the teams whose entry as a CRT has been accepted by IRTA, and is expected to field a BMW-powered Suter in 2012. At a pre-event conference call ahead of this weekend's Red Bull Indianapolis GP, Edwards refused to talk about his future, saying he expected to make an announcement at Misano.

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HRT-Cosworth Virgin-Cosworth Mark Webber

2011 MotoGP Indianapolis Friday practice report/results—Stoner quickest among complaints of slick track

2011 MotoGP Indianapolis Friday practice report/results—Stoner quickest among complaints of slick track
2011 MotoGP Indianapolis Friday practice report/results—Stoner quickest among complaints of slick track - Sport Rider Magazine
Repsol Honda's Casey Stoner was quickest on Friday despite complaints of a slick track surface at the Red Bull Indianapolis MotoGP

Although Repsol Honda’s Casey Stoner took the top spot on the Friday practice leaderboard in the closing minutes of the afternoon session from Yamaha Factory Racing’s Ben Spies, he was far from happy about it. In fact, most of the riders weren’t in such a great mood, after finding that the newly repaved section of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway MotoGP road course was much too green, with quite a few riders calling the opening morning practice session “a waste of time” due to the lack of traction and abrasive nature of the new asphalt caused by no rubber on the track.


Photo Gallery: 2011 MotoGP Indianapolis Friday practice report/results—Stoner quickest among complaints of slick track - Sport Rider Magazine


RICKY CARMICHAEL ANDREW SHORT DAVI MILLSAPS

Monday, August 29, 2011

Monster Energy Kawasaki Endurocross Team Heads to Round 2 in Everett, Wash.

Monster Energy Kawasaki Endurocross Team Heads to Round 2 in Everett, Wash.
monster energy kawasaki, logo, everett, washington, endurocross, endurox, round 2, video, justin soule, x-games, obstacles, news release, dirt rider magazine

Monster Energy Kawasaki News Release

Coming off a Bronze Metal Win at X-Games, Monster Energy Kawasaki's #3, Justin Soule and the team worked hard to tackle the obstacles of the Endurocross at Everett, Wash.

Click here to view the video

Click here to view from a mobile device



Carl Edwards Kyle Busch Paul Menard

Maldonado gets away with five grid places

It will shortly be announced that Pastor Maldonado has been given a five place grid penalty for driving into Lewis Hamilton at the end of qualifying in Spa. Hamilton has been reprimanded. The punishment seems a little less than severe given what happened.

Penske Racing Kurt Busch James Finch

Belgian GP- as it happened

Sebastian Vettel wins a dramatic race as Red Bull take a one-two in Spa with Jenson Button third

DAMON HUFFMAN STEPHANE RONCADA KYLE LEWIS

Elena Myers Rides The Brickyard on the Suzuki GSV-R

Elena Myers got a bit closer today to her dream of racing a MotoGP motorcycle, as the young AMA Pro Supersport rider got a chance to ride one of the Rizla Suzuki GSV-R race bikes around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway GP circuit. The outing started with a rocky start, as the Suzuki GSV-R cutout after Myers finished her out-lap, and was on her first proper lap of the session. Getting it started and riding back ...

CHAD REED GRANT LANGSTON EZRA LUSK

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Beta Racing Update

Beta Racing Update

Beta Racing News Release

PASO ROBLES, CA (August 24, 2011) - Fresh off a podium finish in Washington, Factory Beta rider Cody Webb is ready to take on the nasty at this Friday nights Enduro Cross at the Pepsi Coliseum in Indianapolis, Indiana. Webb will then travel to the world famous Trials Training Center for the first annual Tennessee Knockout Extreme Enduro. The Knockout race will be held on Sunday, August 28th. Webb will ride a Beta 350RR in the Knockout race which is rumored to be a tough event.
 
For more information go to www.endurocross.com or www.trialstrainingcenter.com

webb podium, fox podium, geico podium, dirt rider magazine,

Webb on the podium in Washington

Webb's sponsors include Factory Beta Racing, Dunlop Tires, Kal Gard Lubricants, AXO, Gaerne, Troy Lee Designs, FMF, CV4, Rekluse, Works Connection, TU-Bliss, and DVS.
 
American Beta is the sole US importer of high quality Beta motorcycles. Beta motorcycles are handcrafted in Florence, Italy offering a complete range of Off Road competition, Dual Sport as well as class-leading Mototrial motorcycles.
For more information go to www.americanbeta.com



Frank Kimmel Bryan Mullet CJM Racing

The Weekly Dirt: July 27, 2011

The Weekly Dirt: July 27, 2011
The Weekly Dirt: July 27, 2011 - Dirt Rider Magazine
The place to go for the nitty-gritty on the off-road scene

Welcome to The Weekly Dirt, the place to go each Wednesday to catch up on the latest happenings in the realm of off-road motorcycling. This week's Dirt is coming from the NMA Ponca City Grand National Amateur Motocross Championships in Ponca City, Oklahoma.


Photo Gallery: The Weekly Dirt: July 27, 2011 - Dirt Rider Magazine


Jenson Button Felipe Massa Nico Rosberg

New Formula Renault 3.5 racer unveiled at Silverstone

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2012 Formula Renault 3.5

Formula One drivers aren't born, they're made. Sure, a select few enter life with otherworldly reflexes, a sixth sense for speed and the financial backing needed to make it to the top. But there's a whole mess of steps they need to take before they can get there. And for many - take Sebastian Vettel and Robert Kubica as a couple of examples - one of those steps is the World Series by Renault. Now, after a long period of development, series organizers have released the new Formula Renault 3.5 that will serve as the training wheels for the next generation of grand prix pilots.

The new FR3.5 is built around a chassis developed with Dallara and packs a 530-horsepower V8 engine furnished by Zytek. Compared with the model it replaces, the latest single-seater is composed of 70 percent new parts, packs 50 more horsepower and is 15 kilos (33 pounds) lighter. As a result, testing showed it to be 2.6 seconds quicker around Spain's Aragon circuit in Spain than the current model.

It also packs the latest carbon brakes, specially developed Michelin slicks and even a DRS variable rear wing like the one currently used in F1, all there to help aspiring drivers gain their footing on the run up to the big leagues. 26 new cars will be delivered to eager teams in January ahead of the first test session of the WSR season in March. While they're waiting, you can scope it out right now in our high-res image gallery and the press release after the jump.

Continue reading New Formula Renault 3.5 racer unveiled at Silverstone

New Formula Renault 3.5 racer unveiled at Silverstone originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Aug 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IVAN TEDESCO DANNY SMITH DONNIE SCHMITT

A rider to watch: Danilo Petrucci

petrucci_silverstone_news_ok2011 is turning into an important year for Italian Danilo Petrucci's career. The Team Italia rider, who is taking part in the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup with the Ducati Barni Racing squad, is first and foremost back in contention for the title after scoring the first win in this particular category at Silverstone.


At the moment "Petrux" is lying third in the table, behind leader Davide Giugliano (Ducati Althea Racing) and BMW Motorrad Italia charger Lorenzo Zanetti, just 21 points off the top slot. With four rounds remaining, it's now going to be an all-out battle between the top 3 and for this reason Petrucci intends to repeat the superb form he showed in the UK and go for the title.


In addition the man from Umbria in central Italy is also the test-rider for Ducati's new Superbike machine, the so-called Extreme 1200, the new model that in some way is slated to take the place of the victorious 1198 in the future. For Petrucci, being official test-rider for Ducati is a prestigious recognition given the success of former riders who form part of World Superbike history on twin-cylinder machines from Ducati. WorldSBK.com sat down for an exclusive post-Silverstone chat with Petrucci.


Your first career and season win came just at the right time and allowed you to close the gap to the leader and to overcome the issues you experienced during the previous races. How do you feel about it?


"I'm very happy to have won at Silverstone, I've been looking for a win for a long time. To be honest I came close to winning the race at Assen as well, but in that case Davide was very strong and at the same time I didn't want to throw away a good result. From Misano onwards I've been at the top in almost every practice and qualifying session, getting the pole position four times in a row - and setting the new lap record every time. Unfortunately during each race something happened: a brake pump issue at Misano, a broken clutch and third gear on the first lap at Aragon and a crash while I was pulling away at Brno."


Was the aggressive attitude you showed during the race a sign that the only useful result was a win?


"After Brno we were quite frustrated, because that was a good chance to bounce back into contention for the title. Giugliano had been consistently strong and even when he didn't get the win he still finished on the podium. At that point I told myself to start focusing exclusively on performing well in each race - in order to show I was capable of winning - and so I did. We have to continue that way, we're not that far anymore and I truly believe we can play a part in the battle for the title."


What is going to be your approach to the remaining rounds then?


"I intend to take every race like the last one, because any strategy would be useless considering the level of the top riders. Giugliano, Zanetti, Barrier and Canepa are always up there, but we showed we can make a difference - the 4 consecutive pole positions are a fine example of this. At the end of the season we'll know who's been the best rider, but personally I'd like to get to the last round with the title still in contention."


How do you feel about being the official Ducati Extreme 1200 test-rider?


"To be chosen as the official Ducati Extreme 1200 test-rider was one of the best pieces of news of my entire life. They were looking for a fast, well-trained and sensitive rider, but I never thought they would have picked me, also because the only experience I had on a Superbike was in the 2010 Italian Championship season with the Pedercini Team. However Ernesto Marinelli believed in me and still does, so I'm going to test the bike again, from September until the end of the year. The opportunity to work with a team that's won so much - with Fogarty, Corser, Bayliss, Hodgson and Toseland - represents a good benchmark, and being the first tester of the new bike has somehow placed me in the history of the brand. It's hard work though, I can ride up to 500km during a single day at Mugello, and if you think that usually it's a 3 day test... it's like a marathon, I can't be slow anytime as we have to get the best out of every little detail."

JASON THOMAS DAMON BRADSHAW RYAN HUGHES

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Ask The Insiders Wednesday #139

Thanks to a Monday Cup race, it’s a short week! �The Nationwide haulers are already en route to Montreal, and the Cup and Truck Series are taking on Michigan. �And since it’s Wednesday, we’ve got the 139th edition of ATIW. �If you don?t know what this post is,�we�answer any and all reader questions every Wednesday, [...]

TheNASCARInsiders.com

Follow the Insiders on Twitter or be a fan on Facebook!

STR-Ferrari Lotus-Cosworth HRT-Cosworth

The Weekly Dirt: August 17, 2011

The Weekly Dirt: August 17, 2011
The Weekly Dirt: August 17, 2011 - Dirt Rider Magazine
The place to go for the nitty-gritty on the off-road scene

Welcome to The Weekly Dirt, the place to go each Wednesday to catch up on the latest happenings in the realm of off-road motorcycling. This week we're covering details of the 87th International Six Days Enduro in Finland, the Unadilla Pro Motocross and the announcement of this year's U.S. MX of Nations team.


Photo Gallery: The Weekly Dirt: August 17, 2011 - Dirt Rider Magazine


ERIC SORBY BRANDEN JESSEMAN TRAVIS PRESTON

Sauter gets in Hornaday?s face after Truck race

Johnny Sauter got in the face of Ron Hornaday after the Truck Series? Kroger 250, but with two NASCAR officials nearby, it didn?t escalate into anything more Saturday afternoon at Martinsville Speedway.
Sauter was angry because Hornaday had turned him with 27 laps remaining. After the race, Sauter did not return to his pit stall as [...]

DAMON HUFFMAN STEPHANE RONCADA KYLE LEWIS

Ford F-250 Super Duty sets diesel and biodiesel land speed records

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brent hajek and his record-breaking ford f-250

The Bonneville Salt Flats are a place where records are constantly made and broken. Vehicles of all shapes and sizes are driven, towed or pushed out to the brilliantly white sodium chloride desert where drivers embark on a quest for high speeds. You can expect to see production cars, motorcycles, purpose-built streamliners and vehicles that look ready to leave the flat plain and attack the sky. One vehicle you would not expect to pull away from the start line, however, is a Ford F-250 Super Duty.

Brent Hajek sees the world a little differently.

The Hajek Motorsports team prepped a 2011 Ford F-250 Super Duty for high-speed blasts under the Bonneville sun. The truck is a nearly stock diesel-engined model equipped with the new turbocharged 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8. Hajek Motorsports swapped out the fuel injectors, fuel pump and turbo to get more go-juice into the engine at a greater rate. Inside, a roll cage and five-point harness were added for safety while moonbeam wheel caps attempt to streamline the high-speed brick. Other than the moderate upgrades and sponsor stickers, the Hajek F-250 is a run-of-the-mill production vehicle that can run on standard diesel or B20 biodiesel. There's no exact number with regards to the upgraded performance figures, but Hajek Motorsports states that it's pushed horsepower and torque up by 50 percent over the stock engine's 400 horsepower and 800 pound-feet of grunt.

What sort of speed does that translate to on the salt flats? A new B Production Diesel Truck record of 171.123 miles per hour, which bests the previous record 166.850 mph held by a Duramax-powered GMC pickup. The Hajek team also filled the truck up with B20 biodiesel and set out to beat the previous record of 130.614 mph. They smashed that one, with a speed of 182 miles per hour. That's a pretty terrifying good clip for the large pickup. Kudos are in order for Brent Hajek and his team.

Continue reading Ford F-250 Super Duty sets diesel and biodiesel land speed records

Ford F-250 Super Duty sets diesel and biodiesel land speed records originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Aug 2011 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota J.C. Weaver Hylton Motorsports

Friday, August 26, 2011

Sudco International Moves to New Facility in Compton, California

Sudco International Moves to New Facility in Compton, California
Sudco International Moves to New Facility in Compton, California - Sport Rider Magazine
Sudco International Incorporated is excited to announce they have moved their Distributing operations from the City of Commerce to a new, larger facility in Compton California, still in the greater Los Angeles area.

August 26th, 2011, Compton, CA - Sudco International Incorporated is excited to announce they have moved their Distributing operations from the City of Commerce to a new, larger facility in Compton California, still in the greater Los Angeles area. The move allows them to better serve their dealers and to continue to grow in the future. Along with the new location address, Sudco has new local Phone and Fax Numbers as shown here.


Photo Gallery: Sudco International Moves to New Facility in Compton, California - Sport Rider Magazine


Ford Andy Hillenburg Fast Track Racing Enterprises

Rumor: Colin Edwards to World Superbike?

Make no mistake about the fact that we are well into the 2011 Silly Season, a festive time where paddock gossip is rife with the movings and rumors of where riders and teams will land for the following season. With MotoGP set this weekend to make its second American appearance for the year, we are kicking off the rumormill reports properly with talk of where Colin Edwards will race in 2012. Rumored to be in ...

CJM Racing Brandon Whitt Chevrolet

Practice Two - Webber edges out Alonso

The weather did its best to disrupt things in Friday's second practice session at Spa-Francorchamps, but not before we got a feel for the status quo as the top four were covered by half a second and the top six by nine-tenths.

Mark Webber set the pace for Red Bull with a lap of 1m 50.321s as conditions improved after a damp start to the 90 minutes, 0.140s ahead of Fernando Alonso who lapped his Ferrari in 1m 50.461s, and the McLarens of Jenson Button (1m 50.770s) and Lewis Hamilton (1m 50.838s). But where Webber did 19 laps and Alonso 16, the McLaren drivers only did nine apiece.

Michael Waltrip Racing David Reutimann Calvin Wells

Checa's wonder season so far

checa_donington_grid_newsIn nine rounds so far, five riders have won races in the WSBK championship while another six have scored a podium of some kind or another in the 18 individual races. The undisputed star man so far, with only four rounds left to run, is Carlos Checa (Althea Racing Ducati).


In a one man team, with no distractions from the goal of winning races every time out and letting his championship position take care of itself, Checa has summoned all his considerable experience to record ten individual race wins. That is easily more than half of all those on offer in a class which has two points scoring races per meeting. So successful has Carlos been that he has taken two-thirds of all his career wins in 2011, having made his debut in 2008.


Checa has recorded four double wins during this campaign, which shows remarkable concentration and consistency from a rider who is now in his 38th�year. It may however be a surprise to note that he has only taken four Tissot-Superpole wins thus far but he has recorded eight front row starts and seven fastest laps along the way.


Checa has not been short of competition for wins in 2011 but none of his rivals have matched a consistency that has seen him no-score only once, at his home race in Motorland Aragon. That day he pushed a little too hard on a different tyre choice from most of his rivals in race one and fell. For some riders this would have been a disastrous moment but Checa somehow managed to recompose himself and even post a third place in race two, something he knew would be a challenge in any circumstances on a circuit with such a long straight, and against rivals who had made good race set-up choices after practice.


The question that Checa is obviously keen to avoid, but that others are keen to ask repeatedly, is will he be able to continue his strong form all the way to the championship win itself?


Checa currently has a 62-point advantage over last year's champion Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia) and at this stage in 2010 (nine rounds gone and four left) Biaggi had an advantage of 68 points. In 2009, eventual champion Ben Spies (Yamaha Sterilgarda) had a 15 point deficit at a similar stage (albeit with five rounds left), while in 2008 eventual champion Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) was 79 points ahead of second place (also with five rounds left).


Checa, more than anyone, realizes that that there is a lot of hard racing left, re-starting at the tenth round of the year at the N�rburgring on September 4.

Dodge Larry McClure Morgan-McClure Motorsports

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Beta Racing Update Chris Bach

Beta Racing Update Chris Bach

Beta Racing Press Release

PASO ROBLES, CA (August 24, 2011) - Factory Beta racer Chris Bach had some bad luck at this last weekends OMA race in Winterset, Iowa. The race started out good with Bach running in the top three positions on his Factory 450 RR. After the race went on, Bach made a charge to the front ahead of Paul Whibley. About halfway through the race, Bach's fuel tank began to dump fuel which ultimately ended his race. After the race, it appeared a rock had hit the petcock causing it to break in half.
 
Bach's next event will be the GNCC at Unidilla on September 11th. 

chris bach, chris bach front view dirt bike, dirt rider magazine,


Bach on his Factory Beta 450RR
 
Chris Bach's sponsors include Factory Beta Racing, Ride PG.com, FMF, Fly Racing, Maxxis, Kal Gard Lubricants, DC Shoes, Fasst Company, WMR Racing, Hammer Nutrition, SIDI Boots, CV4, Scott, Dirt Tricks, Regina Chains, and Concept 2. 
 
American Beta is the sole US importer of high quality Beta motorcycles. Beta motorcycles are handcrafted in Florence, Italy offering a complete range of Off Road competition, Dual Sport as well as class-leading Mototrial motorcycles.
For more information go to www.americanbeta.com



SEAN HAMBLIN MATT WALKER IVAN TEDESCO

Busch Busted, But Not by NASCAR

Kyle Busch was pulled over for doing 128 miles per hour in a 45 mile per hour area in North Carolina in a yellow Lexus sports car. He was cited for careless and reckless driving and speeding. Who wants to bet he was going faster than that right before they got him, 128 in a [...]

BAM Racing Chad Chaffin Buffy Waltrip

Tying up a piece of news: Danica to NASCAR is official

For those of you waiting with baited breath for Danica Patrick to make her move to NASCAR official, time to let it out. She did. It is. She’s NASCAR bound. “We are pleased Danica Patrick has chosen to race full time in NASCAR in 2012,” NASCAR’s chairman and CEO Brian France said in a statement. [...]

RBR-Renault McLaren-Mercedes Ferrari

Hopkins to miss Caldwell Park BSB round

Hopkins to miss Caldwell Park BSB round
Hopkins to miss Caldwell Park BSB round - Sport Rider Magazine
American John Hopkins will be forced to miss the final regular season round of the British Superbike Championship at Caldwell Park this weekend due to finger injuries sustained in the Brno MotoGP practice crash

American John Hopkins will be forced to miss the upcoming Caldwell Park round of the British Superbike Championship this weekend due to the finger injuries he suffered in a crash during practice for the Brno MotoGP event two weekends ago. Hopkins had a seemingly inconsequential fall during a wet Saturday morning practice, losing the front end under braking and low-siding off the track. Unfortunately his right hand dug into the gravel in the runoff area, and he sustained fractures to three fingers to his right hand, including a dislocation/fracture to his third finger that required external pins to aid the healing process. Even though the pins will hopefully be removed on Wednesday, Hopkins and the Samsung Crescent Suzuki team have decided it would not be healed sufficiently enough by this weekend to handle riding a superbike over the notoriously tricky layout of the Caldwell Park circuit, which includes the “Mountain”, where the riders frequently get launched several feet into the air at more than 70 mph (although the quickest riders have found that the loss of time from being in the air isn’t worth it, and usually sacrifice a little speed on the approach in order to keep their bikes’ wheels on the ground and driving over the hill).

Although missing the last round theoretically will cost him points in the championship, Hopkins is already locked in to become a “Title Fighter” in the three-round “Showdown” portion of the BSB title run, by way of the NASCAR-like convoluted rules that pit the top six riders at the end of the regular “Main Season” championship in a three-round (seven races) finale. Each rider in the Showdown will start anew with 500 points, plus any “Podium Credits” (three points for a win, two points for second, one for third) they’ve earned during the regular season. The standard points-scoring tabulation will then resume for the final seven races.

“Been flat out every day with Hyperbaric/Laser treatment and have doctor appointment on Wednesday to hopefully have external pins removed,” wrote Hopkins on his Twitter page. “I just want to send my sincere apologies to the team and of course the fans for having to miss Caldwell this weekend!”

"Unfortunately Hopper's hand is not healed enough to race this weekend and while this is disappointing to us and the fans it is the right decision when we consider the upcoming Showdown phase of the Championship,” said Samsung Crescent Suzuki team manager Jack Valentine. "Hopper's been in daily contact as he's undergone intensive laser treatment and hyperbaric chamber sessions. He's explained the external pins are expected to be removed on Wednesday, but of course the weekend is too soon after that for his hand to be sufficiently healed.

"We will, we suspect, lose a few podium points to our rivals in the Showdown, but to race a Superbike at a track such as this when you don't have 100% strength in your throttle and brake hand is simply too dangerous both to the rider and his competitors and would only stand to slow Hopper's recovery from the injury.”


Photo Gallery: Hopkins to miss Caldwell Park BSB round - Sport Rider Magazine


BROCK SELLARDS DAMON HUFFMAN STEPHANE RONCADA

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Ferrari, Mercedes take to the streets of Rotterdam

The Ferrari and Mercedes Formula One teams both had cars in action over the weekend at Rotterdam City Racing in the Netherlands. The annual motorsport festival, in its sixth year, took place in the middle of the Dutch city along a curved route between the Willemsbrug Bridge and the Hofplein square

ERNESTO FONSECA NATHAN RAMSEY MICHAEL BYRNE

Jeremy Mayfield?s lawsuit against NASCAR to remain in federal court

Jeremy Mayfield’s lawsuit against NASCAR will remain in federal court, U.S. District Judge Graham Mullen ruled Tuesday. The case, stemming from a drug test last May that NASCAR says was a positive for methamphetamine but Mayfield says was a mix of over-the-counter and prescription medication, has been at a virtual standstill since January in order [...]

Kenny Wallace Dietrich Mateschitz Team Red Bull

Remembering Glen Wood?s first win

Throughout its history, the NASCAR series now known as Sprint Cup has parked its cars on Easter Sunday. But back in the day they did run at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C., on Mondays, including the day after Easter, and it was on one of those post-Easter Monday races that Glen Wood scored his [...]

Sakon Yamamoto Nick Heidfeld Michael Waltrip Racing

2011 Brno MotoGP Test Final Times: Stoner Fastest 1000, Lorenzo Fastest 800

Casey Stoner was the fastest of the 1000cc riders at the end of the one-day test at Brno, the Repsol Honda rider putting in a fast lap at the end of the day to get close to the pole record of the circuit, but coming just a couple of hundredths short. Stoner was expected to be fast - this is his third day of testing on the 2012 Honda RC213V - but the big surprise came from the Yamahas, both Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies getting within a couple of tenths of Stoner's time on their first outing on Yamaha's 1000cc MotoGP machine. Dani Pedrosa was the slowest of the 1000cc riders, setting a time not much faster than the time he set during the race. The feedback from all of the 1000cc riders was positive, with the Spies and Lorenzo being especially impressed by the work that Yamaha had done to make the bike so competitive so early. 

Jorge Lorenzo was the fastest of the 800cc riders, the Yamaha riders sharing their time between the new 1000 and the 800cc bike with an uprated engine. Ben Spies finished just under half a second behind his teammate on the 800, but Spies did only limited testing, still suffering with the pinched nerve in his neck. The new engine was an improvement, both riders said, boosting power throughout the rev range, though Lorenzo was at pains to point out it as just a small step.

Race Details
2011

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ROGER DECOSTER STEVE LAMSON BUDDY ANTUNEZ

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Circuit of the Americas will be ?old-school? track | F1 video

David Coulthard drives the Circuit of the Americas which its promoter says will have "old-school" appeal.

Richard Childress Richard Childress Racing Ray Evernham

Team Ohlins USA Saves Fuel at Unadilla Motocross National

Team Ohlins USA Saves Fuel at Unadilla Motocross National
ohlins usa, ohlins usa logo, ohlins, ohlins logo, dirt rider magazine,

Ohlins Press Release

Hendersonville, North Carolina: At Round Nine of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Series, taking place at Unadilla MX outside New Berlin, New York, the highest ranked rider for Team Ohlins USA was Garret Toth slotting in at the 44th fastest position of the 89 riders competing for a gate. Meanwhile, teammates Michael Clarke was 50th fastest and team points leader A.J. Catanzaro, who was under the heavy weather of a respiratory illness, managed to set the 51st fastest time of qualifying. Lessons learned, lives lived, all is good. 


Garret Toth said, "This past weekend wasn't the best for the team but we're recouping this week and heading down to the Ohlins USA shop to swap out bikes so that we're ready to race at Southwick. First practice was good. I was in the B group so I had a lot more traffic to deal with. At the end of that practice I was sitting at around 26th overall and was feeling really good. The Second practice didn't go as smoothly. There seemed to be a lot more traffic and I couldn't manage to get a good time. Unadilla is my favorite track out of all the tracks but I just couldn't manage to make it happen this weekend."


A.J. Catanzaro said, "Last Monday night I came down with some sort of flu or virus. I was trying to fight it off all week but it didn't let up. The doctors suspect it might be either mono or Lyme disease. 


"Saturday was actually the first day that I walked all week. I had zero energy, and my goal was just to see if I could make a few laps around the track in practice. Riding turned out to be about as hard as I expected. With my vision blurry, and my fatigue at such a high, there was no possible way I was going to be racing. 


"There's a weekend off before Southwick, so I'm going to use it to my advantage to rest as much as possible and get rid of whatever I have. It's frustrating, because I'm never sick, and it's such bad timing. But everything happens for a reason, and I have a positive outlook coming into Southwick."
Michael Clarke said, "I learned a lot this weekend and it's really made me determined to work on things and really improve myself. While walking the track I was really pumped about the layout. It's a very high-speed track with many big jumps. The dirt looked good and we had no rain the whole week, so the track was perfect for practice.


"I felt really good in practice and was pushing myself. I got over all the jumps right away so that when the green flag waved I could moto hard to put in my best possible lap time. Being on the track was like being on a highway. It's very fast and probably the fastest track that's been on the circuit so far. I made very few mistakes and was sitting 44th after 1st practice. In Practice Two I set a faster lap time and was pushing myself. I made little mistakes here and there but still felt really good. The track was getting rougher but all the while getting that much better. I didn't make the Mains but it taught me a lot about what I need to improve.


"I'm going back to the drawing board to work a lot on corners and charging and definitely on how smooth I am. I had a good time though and got the chance to watch the race up close, really getting to study the top guys to work on applying what they do to benefit myself."


Team Ohlins USA's manager, Stacey Berger, said, "This was a tough weekend for the team. We had health issues come up early in the week. The riders are all working hard so it's tough to see them so disappointed. Garret and Michael will be coming to North Carolina this week for some testing to get ready for Southwick. A.J.'s seeing a doctor to see what he needs to do to get well and be ready for the next round. We're still a young team and every week we learn something new. Sometimes it's good and sometimes it's tough but we learn nevertheless. This weekend was just another tough lesson."


The next round of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Series is scheduled for August 27th at Southwick, Massachusetts. All three Team Ohlins USA riders plan on qualifying for the Southwick Mains. Would anything less make sense?
Team Ohlins USA is sponsored by: Triangle Cycles of Danville, Virginia; Yamaha; GYTR; MX1 West; Acerbis; Ariete; Yoshimura; Kenda Tire; No Toil; Shoei Helmets; Gaerne; Leatt; Langston Racing Academy, which has been instrumental in providing top-level training for the riders; HIT Center (High Intensity Training) of Jacksonville. www.ohlinsusa.com



IVAN TEDESCO DANNY SMITH DONNIE SCHMITT

Monster Energy Kawasaki EnduroCross Team Wraps Up Round 2 in Everett

Monster Energy Kawasaki EnduroCross Team Wraps Up Round 2 in Everett
justin soule, taylor roberts, gary sutherlin, destry abbott, ex pro race, ex pro points, ama geico powersports, endurocross series, round 2, comcast arena, everett, washington, monster energy kawasaki, news release, dirt rider magazine

Monster Energy Kawasaki News Release

Irvine, Calif. (August 15, 2011) - Monster Energy Kawasaki's EnduroCross team wrapped up the second point scoring round of the 2011 AMA EnduroCross Championship series in Everett, Wash. After the team arrived at Comcast Arena they surveyed the course, and their first impression was that the course did not appear too difficult. However, once they started racing they found it to be much more difficult than expected. Justin Soule' fought hard all night, but never found his groove and finished in eighth place. Taylor Robert got off to a good start in both of his heat races, but a few crashes prevented him from advancing into the main event.

justin soule, taylor roberts, gary sutherlin, destry abbott, ex pro race, ex pro points, ama geico powersports, endurocross series, round 2, comcast arena, everett, washington, monster energy kawasaki, news release, dirt rider magazine

Rolling With the Punches
Soule' came to Comcast Arena feeling confident after grabbing a bronze medal in Round 1 of the EnduroCross series at the X Games. Although he came prepared, the course in Everett proved more challenging than he had anticipated. Soule' finished the event in eighth place which left him in fifth place overall in the points standings.

"Every rider has an off weekend, and this was mine," said Soule'. "My KX(tm)250F was running great, but I was never able to find my groove. There was a lot of moisture on the track, everything was slippery, which made it really difficult. The track was also more compact than the last round at the X Games, which made it harder to get around people. By the second lap of the main event I was hitting lappers stuck in the rocks and fire wood sections. I felt the toughest feature was the long firewood section. Once you got in that firewood it was impossible to get through without walking your bike. I am happy I made it out of this round healthy, so I'm just going to clear my head and focus on to the next round."

justin soule, taylor roberts, gary sutherlin, destry abbott, ex pro race, ex pro points, ama geico powersports, endurocross series, round 2, comcast arena, everett, washington, monster energy kawasaki, news release, dirt rider magazine

Good Starts
Robert got great starts all night. Although he was one of the fastest off the line, he got hung up in the obstacles which cost him valuable time. Robert grabbed the holeshot in the semi final, but the challenging rock piles prevented him from qualifying for the main event.

"The night started off good, but I just ran into some bad luck," said Robert. "When we first walked the track it didn't look too bad. Once we started riding everything got really slick and rutted. I got a good start in my heat race, and came around the first turn in second. I was putting in some good laps, but Mike Brown got inside me on a turn and punted me out. I ended up finishing third in the first heat race. I grabbed the holeshot in the semi final, and was trying to pull away, but got jammed up in a rock turn. The rock piles were really slick and had a lot of holes that made it easy to get stuck and hard to get out. Once I recovered I was able to work my way back up to second, and was pushing for first, but crashed in another rock pile which ended my night. I'm going to put this race behind me and am looking forward to the upcoming WORCS race in Washougal."

justin soule, taylor roberts, gary sutherlin, destry abbott, ex pro race, ex pro points, ama geico powersports, endurocross series, round 2, comcast arena, everett, washington, monster energy kawasaki, news release, dirt rider magazine

Double Booked
This weekend the Monster Energy Kawasaki off-road team switches gears, going from EnduroCross back to the World Off Road Championship Series (WORCS). Since the team just finished racing in Everett, Wash., they won't have to travel far for Round 7 of the WORCS series in Washougal, Wash. Back in the U.S. after earning a gold medal from the International Six Days Enduro, Destry Abbott will be reconvening with the team in Washington for the WORCS series.

Results
AMA Geico Powersports EnduroCross Series - Round 2
Comcast Arena - Everett, Wash.
August 13, 2011

EX Pro Race Results
1. Taddy Blazusiak, KTM
2. Geoff Aaron, Honda
3. Cody Webb, Beta
4. Mike Brown, KTM
5. Graham Jarvis, Husaberg
6. Colton Haaker, KTM
7. Kevin Rookstool, KTM
8. JUSTIN SOULE', MONSTER ENERGY KAWASAKI
9. GARY SUTHERLIN, KAWASAKI

10. Wallace Palmer, KTM

EX Pro Points Standings
1. Taddy Blazusiak, KTM, 60
2. Mike Brown, KTM, 43
3. Geoff Aaron, Honda, 41
4. Cody Webb, Beta, 34
5. JUSTIN SOULE', MONSTER ENERGY KAWASAKI, 34

6. Kevin Rookstool, KTM, 25
7. Colton Haaker, KTM, 22
8. Joachim Lundgren, Husaberg, 18
9. GARY SUTHERLIN, KAWASAKI, 18
10. Graham Jarvis, Husaberg, 16
11. DESTRY ABBOTT, MONSTER ENERGY KAWASAKI, 15
14. TAYLOR ROBERT, MONSTER ENERGY KAWASAKI, 12 

justin soule, taylor roberts, gary sutherlin, destry abbott, ex pro race, ex pro points, ama geico powersports, endurocross series, round 2, comcast arena, everett, washington, monster energy kawasaki, news release, dirt rider magazine



RBR-Renault McLaren-Mercedes Ferrari

Canadian lingerie model Maryeve Dufault jumps to NASCAR [w/video]

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Maryeve Dufault

There are rules in racing. Like not passing under the safety car. You can't intentionally hit another driver to take him out of the race. And if you're going to make it as a female driver, you'd better be hot. Smoking hot.

There aren't a lot of women in motorsports, typically male-dominated as it is, but the few we've seen have mostly been pretty, well... pretty. The first example to come to mind, of course, is Danica Patrick, who moonlights as a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model. Jodie Kidd, meanwhile, is a model who moonlights as a racing driver. Natacha Gachnang and Susie Stoddart aren't hard on the eyes, either. Noticing a trend here? Now put it to rest, because the next up-and-coming talent in motor racing is a certified knock-out.

Her name is Maryeve Dufault, and she's making her NASCAR debut this weekend in Montreal in the Nationwide Series for the NAPA Auto Parts 200 on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, not far from her hometown of Sorel, Quebec. Until now, she's been working her way up in the ARCA feeder series. But before that, she made it as a model, showing up on the New York Euphoria team in the Lingerie Bowl and on The Price is Right, and even did some stunt driving on a b-movie called Fast Girl that might as well have been about her.

We'll be watching to see how Maryeve does on her NASCAR debut this weekend, and maybe enjoying perusing the photos just a little bit more for it. But for now, you're invited to view some interview footage of her after the jump.

Continue reading Canadian lingerie model Maryeve Dufault jumps to NASCAR [w/video]

Canadian lingerie model Maryeve Dufault jumps to NASCAR [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Aug 2011 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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JEFF STANTON JEFF WARD JEFF MATIASEVICH

Monday, August 22, 2011

Alan Cerwick Named President at VP Racing Fuels

Alan Cerwick Named President at VP Racing Fuels
Alan Cerwick Named President at VP Racing Fuels - Sport Rider Magazine
VP Racing Fuels, Inc., recently announced an agreement whereby over the coming months company owner Steve Burns will sell his interest in the company to Alan Cerwick, former executive at Valero Energy and 19-year veteran of the petroleum industry.

SAN ANTONIO, TX (August 18, 2011) VP Racing Fuels, Inc., recently announced an agreement whereby over the coming months company owner Steve Burns will sell his interest in the company to Alan Cerwick, former executive at Valero Energy and 19-year veteran of the petroleum industry. Cerwick will assume the position of President, while Burns will remain CEO and continue to direct all research and development for race fuel products.


Photo Gallery: Alan Cerwick Named President at VP Racing Fuels - Sport Rider Magazine


EZRA LUSK DAVID VUILLEMIN HEATH VOSS

Clement Desalle in MX1 and Ken Roczen MX2 win the GP of Czech Republic in Loket

Clement Desalle in MX1 and Ken Roczen MX2 win the GP of Czech Republic in Loket
Clement Desalle in MX1 and Ken Roczen MX2 win the GP of Czech Republic in Loket - Dirt Rider Magazine
Race Report: GP of Czech Republic - Loket

Clement Desalle in MX1 and Ken Roczen MX2 won the GP of Czech Republic in Loket. Clement Desalle and Ken Roczen were the MX1 and MX2 overall winners of the Casino Bonver GP of the Czech Republic this weekend in Loket. The rain was present during the first races, which made the track more muddy and technical, but in the second heats the sun came up and dried up all the mud.


Photo Gallery: Clement Desalle in MX1 and Ken Roczen MX2 win the GP of Czech Republic in Loket - Dirt Rider Magazine


Sebastien Buemi Pedro de la Rosa Jaime Alguersuari