Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Somthing to brighten your humpday!
You've probably seen this maniac at MAM before, but this video still cracks me up.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Not what they meant
Pretty sure this is not what the factory manual meant by initial "break"-in period.
That's why there are Ferrari drivers and Ferrari owners.
That's why there are Ferrari drivers and Ferrari owners.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
As Matt would say, "oh SNAP!"
Chris van der Drift is lucky to be alive after this huge shunt at Brands Hatch. Hard to imagine flying through the air at 157mph and hitting a bridge and not getting more than a few broken bones and a badly lacerated finger. Chris plans to be back for round 9 of the Superleague series but was apparently a bit pissed about missing out on his upcoming holiday with his girlfriend. Also, WTF was the driver in front thinking?!?!? I hope that it was a blind spot and he did not see Drift come up on the right, otherwise what he did was criminal.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
Indy Molson Toronto
Great IndyCar race on Sunday (although its no longer called the Molson Indy, I wish it was). Some highlights below. But my highlight prior to the race was getting a question re: Milka DuNOT on ESPN chat with John Oreovicz. John does a great job with ESPN's IndyCar coverage, which is a blessing among ESPN's significant NASCRAP coverage. Plus, he lives by Putnam Park in Indiana. Here is what I asked John.
CJ (Minneapolis (via Indiana))
How many laps do you think Milka will complete this year before she is asked to stop due to "handling problems" (e.g. her pace is a danger to others)?
Oreo
(3:34 PM)
John:
She was slower than the entire Indy Lights field here. She's 8.5 seconds slower than Hunter-Reay[fastest at that time], 6.4 seconds slower than her teammate (who was 22nd of 26) and 6.0 seconds slower than the next slowest driver. She is especially dangerous on a tight street circuit like this, where, let us not forget, a death occurred during the 1996 CART race. If they let her start, I expect her to be parked within 10 laps. They'll let her get lapped once then pull her off.
John could not have been more correct. As soon as the leaders caught her the stewards parked her on...wait for it...LAP 10!! Well done. You can read the whole chat here.
Will Power is both lucky and fast. Also a great result for Graham Rahal and a big disappointment for Justin Wilson.
Also announced last week were the plans for the 2012 car. Enough has been written about that so I am just going to say that I am cautiously optimistic, but think they would have been better off with multiple chassis makers.
CJ (Minneapolis (via Indiana))
How many laps do you think Milka will complete this year before she is asked to stop due to "handling problems" (e.g. her pace is a danger to others)?
Oreo
(3:34 PM)
John:
She was slower than the entire Indy Lights field here. She's 8.5 seconds slower than Hunter-Reay[fastest at that time], 6.4 seconds slower than her teammate (who was 22nd of 26) and 6.0 seconds slower than the next slowest driver. She is especially dangerous on a tight street circuit like this, where, let us not forget, a death occurred during the 1996 CART race. If they let her start, I expect her to be parked within 10 laps. They'll let her get lapped once then pull her off.
John could not have been more correct. As soon as the leaders caught her the stewards parked her on...wait for it...LAP 10!! Well done. You can read the whole chat here.
Will Power is both lucky and fast. Also a great result for Graham Rahal and a big disappointment for Justin Wilson.
Also announced last week were the plans for the 2012 car. Enough has been written about that so I am just going to say that I am cautiously optimistic, but think they would have been better off with multiple chassis makers.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Head Work
The M3 has had an extended stay in the garage on stands thanks to an earlier issue at BIR this year and I had not had time to tear into it until last week. It's getting fixed now and also getting a fancy new valve job.
As soon as I have some video, I will update the events at the 24 Hours of Iowa Speedway event.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
BIG Racing Weekend
This weekend brings us both the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Canadian GP. Here are some videos to get you excited or at least for me to entertain myself.
Some classic onbaord video with one M. Schumacher.
Glad to see the Canadian GP back on the schedule. Will be very interesting to see how the Red Bulls do this weekend given the McLaren's straight line advantage and the long back straight before the "Wall of Champions" (Axis of Oversteer had some great video of this here). Also be nice that the race will be on at a decent time of day in the States.
The main event this weekend has to be the 24 Hours du Le Mans. The first qualifying session is in the books and it looks like rain for today so the grid may be set.
In LMP1, Peugeot looks to repeat on home soil and was extremely fast in the first session of qualifying - swept the top 4 spots. Can Audi rebound after last years disaster?
In LMP2, the Acuras look like the cars to beat and hopefully Brabs and the Patron Highcroft team (ALMS regulars and champs) can give the Euro teams a run for their money.
In GT1, can't say I really care or have any idea. An Aston or a Vette will probably win and an Aston is on pole. Also, Roman Grosjean crashed a Ford GT during practice.
GT2. This is going to be where the real battle is. BMW vs. Porsche vs. Ferrari vs. Corvette vs. Aston vs. Jaguar. Ferrari set the fastest lap on the first qualifying session but were closely followed by two Vettes. The top 9 cars are covered by 4 seconds; not much on a 4 minute lap. I will be rooting for the Hankook Farnbacher Ferrari, which it turns out my friend from high school engineers and is the lead mechanic (finished second at the Nurburgring 24). As always I will be rooting for the M3s too (being run by Schnitzer).
In typically Le Mans fashion, the weather may end up being the big story on race day. Good teams make their own luck though and this one will feature the best endurance racers in the business. Since my next race is a 24 hour race too, I will be even more interested than usual to watch the strategies play out and watch how the teams react to changes and setbacks.
Finally, if you have not seen "Truth in 24", I highly recommend you hop over to iTunes and download it (it was free). Outstanding production revolving around the 2008 race and it's narrated by Jason Statham (which is awesome of course). If you are one of the 7 people that reads this though, you probably have either already seen it or don't care.
Some classic onbaord video with one M. Schumacher.
Glad to see the Canadian GP back on the schedule. Will be very interesting to see how the Red Bulls do this weekend given the McLaren's straight line advantage and the long back straight before the "Wall of Champions" (Axis of Oversteer had some great video of this here). Also be nice that the race will be on at a decent time of day in the States.
The main event this weekend has to be the 24 Hours du Le Mans. The first qualifying session is in the books and it looks like rain for today so the grid may be set.
In LMP1, Peugeot looks to repeat on home soil and was extremely fast in the first session of qualifying - swept the top 4 spots. Can Audi rebound after last years disaster?
In LMP2, the Acuras look like the cars to beat and hopefully Brabs and the Patron Highcroft team (ALMS regulars and champs) can give the Euro teams a run for their money.
In GT1, can't say I really care or have any idea. An Aston or a Vette will probably win and an Aston is on pole. Also, Roman Grosjean crashed a Ford GT during practice.
GT2. This is going to be where the real battle is. BMW vs. Porsche vs. Ferrari vs. Corvette vs. Aston vs. Jaguar. Ferrari set the fastest lap on the first qualifying session but were closely followed by two Vettes. The top 9 cars are covered by 4 seconds; not much on a 4 minute lap. I will be rooting for the Hankook Farnbacher Ferrari, which it turns out my friend from high school engineers and is the lead mechanic (finished second at the Nurburgring 24). As always I will be rooting for the M3s too (being run by Schnitzer).
In typically Le Mans fashion, the weather may end up being the big story on race day. Good teams make their own luck though and this one will feature the best endurance racers in the business. Since my next race is a 24 hour race too, I will be even more interested than usual to watch the strategies play out and watch how the teams react to changes and setbacks.
Finally, if you have not seen "Truth in 24", I highly recommend you hop over to iTunes and download it (it was free). Outstanding production revolving around the 2008 race and it's narrated by Jason Statham (which is awesome of course). If you are one of the 7 people that reads this though, you probably have either already seen it or don't care.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Friday, May 28, 2010
Indy 500 Forecast
Sunday
Partly cloudy. Scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 80s. South winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of thunderstorms 40 percent. (Weather Underground)
Looks like the storms may stay away until after the race though. Fingers crossed.
Also, welcome to the readership Nodler.
Partly cloudy. Scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 80s. South winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of thunderstorms 40 percent. (Weather Underground)
Looks like the storms may stay away until after the race though. Fingers crossed.
Also, welcome to the readership Nodler.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Indy 500 - SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY!!!
Although keeping track of the festivities and ongoing is much harder from the North Star state than it was from the Crossroads of America, the Indy 500 is just a few days away. Did I mention I once met Ludacris in the VIP at the Indy 500? But I digress (as I so often do).
Helio is on pole along with most of the usual suspects, but keep an eye on Tags (starting 5th)and the impressive new FAZZT team and Graham Rahal starting 7th for his Dad's team that didn't even have a car ready until about 2 weeks ago. Both are great stories and hopefully one of them will keep the Capatin's drivers and the Target Chippy guys from drinking the milk come Sunday. If you are one of the 6 people that reads this blog then you probably already know that there will be kegs, cornhole, bbq and racing in HD at my place on Sunday. If you show up you better know the words to "Back Home Again in Indiana" or I will sick Jim Nabors on you (video below should help).
To see how far this great race has fallen, read this series of articles from ESPN writer Ed Hinton and curse Tony George's name with me.
Bring Plenty of Caffeine to Austin
Because assuming there ever is a USGP it will be a snooze-fest. Wort Fears Realized: Hermann Tilke will be designing the new track (from Racer Magazine).
"The new Formula 1 track in Austin, Texas, which is scheduled to host the U.S. Grand Prix starting in 2012, is to be designed by Hermann Tilke, race organizers have announced.
Shortly after revealing its 10-year deal to hold the U.S. event, Austin race promoters Full Throttle Productions have now earmarked a site for the circuit and confirmed that Tilke will be involved. The exact location of the venue has not been disclosed, but Tavo Hellmund, managing partner of Full Throttle Productions, told the Associated Press that the site was "more than 700 acres."
Hellmund also ended speculation about who would design the track by confirming that Tilke, the man behind all the most recent F1 track designs at Istanbul, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Shanghai, and Sepang, will be involved.
Race promoters said the track would be "one of the finest permanent road course facilities in the world. Fans should expect the craftsmanship Tilke is famous for, with a priority placed on green building and a track similar to the great grand prix tracks of previous generations.""
If you have seen a race at any of the tracks listed in the above article then you know that they are boring, boring, lifeless, cold designs that are all mostly the same. Am I being too much of a Debbie Downer about this whole Austin GP thing?
"The new Formula 1 track in Austin, Texas, which is scheduled to host the U.S. Grand Prix starting in 2012, is to be designed by Hermann Tilke, race organizers have announced.
Shortly after revealing its 10-year deal to hold the U.S. event, Austin race promoters Full Throttle Productions have now earmarked a site for the circuit and confirmed that Tilke will be involved. The exact location of the venue has not been disclosed, but Tavo Hellmund, managing partner of Full Throttle Productions, told the Associated Press that the site was "more than 700 acres."
Hellmund also ended speculation about who would design the track by confirming that Tilke, the man behind all the most recent F1 track designs at Istanbul, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Shanghai, and Sepang, will be involved.
Race promoters said the track would be "one of the finest permanent road course facilities in the world. Fans should expect the craftsmanship Tilke is famous for, with a priority placed on green building and a track similar to the great grand prix tracks of previous generations.""
If you have seen a race at any of the tracks listed in the above article then you know that they are boring, boring, lifeless, cold designs that are all mostly the same. Am I being too much of a Debbie Downer about this whole Austin GP thing?
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Epic E36 Video and Sadness
This video was posted on bimmerforums and it is AWESOME!! E36 FTMFW!
Sadly, my E36 is out of commission after it's first weekend of the year at Brainerd. The radiator decided to stop flowing which caused the engine to quickly overheat. Although it only ran in the red briefly it appears that it was enough to toast the head gasket. Thankfully Hardflip saved BIR weekend #2 with NASA by bravely allowing me to drive his car - 99 M Coupe (pics to follow). What a great friend. Thankfully there was only one off during weekend number #2 and I'm not talking about that or even who was behind the wheel when it happened (one hint: think Massa at Silverstone in the wet).
Although my car is out of commission for a little while, the ChumpCar effort is in high gear and the first race is only weeks away. Pics of the completed car and details of Race #1 of our inaugural campaign will hopefully be coming to you in the near future.
Sadly, my E36 is out of commission after it's first weekend of the year at Brainerd. The radiator decided to stop flowing which caused the engine to quickly overheat. Although it only ran in the red briefly it appears that it was enough to toast the head gasket. Thankfully Hardflip saved BIR weekend #2 with NASA by bravely allowing me to drive his car - 99 M Coupe (pics to follow). What a great friend. Thankfully there was only one off during weekend number #2 and I'm not talking about that or even who was behind the wheel when it happened (one hint: think Massa at Silverstone in the wet).
Although my car is out of commission for a little while, the ChumpCar effort is in high gear and the first race is only weeks away. Pics of the completed car and details of Race #1 of our inaugural campaign will hopefully be coming to you in the near future.
USGP 2015 is more like it
No site
No track design
No indication of funding for the $500MM facility (Texas Speedway cost $250MM in 1996!!)
24 months til raceday
City of Austin and Chamber of Commerce have no idea an F1 race is coming
These are the facts and why I am one of the many skeptics that Austin will host the USGP in 2012. I'm not alone either...
http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/f1-austin-promoter-still-looking-for-site/
http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/f1-us-gp-news-draws-mixed-reaction/
If you want to see an F1 race in North America in 2012, I would recommend you consider booking for Montreal. Although they might not have a race either - like last year. Too bad as Austin sounds like a helluva good time and the pic above makes it look nice too.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
US GP at Austion Officially Official...
If Bernie says it is, then I guess it is:
Austin, Texas, from the east. The Austin skyline by night, Texas. Austin hill country, Texas. The Austin skyline by day, Texas.
Formula One World Championship Limited and Formula One Administration Limited (together, the F1 Commercial Rights Holder) and Full Throttle Productions, LP, promoter of the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™, announce that a historic agreement has been reached for Austin, Texas to serve as the host city of the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™ for years 2012 through 2021.
“We are extremely honoured and proud to reach an agreement with the F1 Commercial Rights Holder. We have been diligently working together for several years to bring this great event to Austin, the State of Texas and back to the United States. All parties involved have a great amount of trust and confidence in each other and are committed to establishing the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™ in Austin, Texas as a prestigious global event,” stated Tavo Hellmund, Managing Partner of Full Throttle Productions, LP.
Bernie Ecclestone, President and CEO of the Formula One Group stated: “For the first time in the history of Formula One in the United States, a world-class facility will be purpose-built to host the event. It was thirty years ago that the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™ was last held on a purpose-built permanent road course circuit in Watkins Glen, NY (1961-1980), which enjoyed great success. Since then, Formula One has been hosted by Long Beach, Las Vegas, Detroit, Dallas and Phoenix all on temporary street circuits. Indianapolis joined the ranks of host cities in 2000 when they added a road course inside the famed oval. Lewis Hamilton won the last Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™ in 2007, signalling the end to eight years at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This however, will be the first time a facility is constructed from the ground up specifically for Formula One in the US.”
Mr. Hellmund added: “This is a case of the right timing in the right place. As many Americans know, Austin has earned a reputation as one of the ‘it’ cities in the United States. Austin features that rare combination of ideal geographic location and beauty. Its fine dining, world-renowned hospitality and excellent transportation infrastructure make Austin ideally suited to host and manage an event of this magnitude. Few cities if any in America could rival the connectivity of all the key elements needed for hosting a Formula 1 event as well as Austin. Now, many people around the world will have the opportunity to experience a world-class event, facility and city.”
“We are pleased Texas has the opportunity to be involved with Formula 1 and that an event of this magnitude is coming to Austin,” said Susan Combs, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. “It has been a pleasure working with Full Throttle Productions, LP and Mr. Hellmund on this project. Their tradition of producing successful major events coupled with a thirty year relationship with Mr. Ecclestone has us looking forward to this worldwide event and the benefits it will bring, including local job creation, increased tourism and a significant economic impact added to our state economy. The visibility and prestige of this event will spotlight our state on an international stage.”
Texas Governor Rick Perry conveyed his enthusiasm for the project, explaining “Texas’ relatively strong economy continues to draw both national and international attention and I commend Comptroller Combs for her work in bringing this exciting event to the Lone Star State.”
City of Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell continued the positive sentiments, adding "The City of Austin will be proud to host this magnificent event and I look forward to welcoming the participants and fans of Formula One to our City."
Full Throttle Productions, LP acknowledges with great appreciation the efforts of all parties involved including Bernie Ecclestone, President and CEO of the Formula One Group, and the local and state officials of Texas.
“It has been a shared vision and monumental task to reach this agreement. We realize that over the last 30 years there have been one or two missing pieces from the previous editions of the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™. We have a tremendous opportunity at hand to do it right - to feature Austin as the backdrop and produce the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™ as one of the great sporting events in the world,” stated Hellmund.
In addition to the State of Texas being the 11th strongest economy in the world, it has more Fortune 500 company headquarters than any other state. Key features of Austin include:
- State capital nicknamed ‘Silicon Hills’ for being one of the most important regions in the US for the Technology Industry;
- USA’s 15th largest city and is located 145 miles from Houston (4th largest US city), 70 miles from San Antonio (7th largest US city), and 180 miles from Dallas (8th largest US city), population in this triangle is over 22 million;
- perfectly located geographically for North, South and Central American visitors;
- over 130 daily departing international flights within 180 miles;
- over 250,000 hotel rooms within 180 miles;
- desirable year-round climate, with an average annual temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 Celsius);
- geographically located in the Texas Hill Country, easily the most beautiful city in the State, and considered one of the most in the US;
- hotels/downtown/Formula 1 circuit/airport located within close proximity of each other, which is nearly impossible for any other large city in the US;
- world class night life entertainment along renowned ‘Sixth Street’; and
- large film industry presence - many movies filmed in the area.
Austin’s National Recognition
- Known as “The Live Music Capital of the World”
- Voted “Greenest City in America” (MSN)
- Voted “Least Stressful Large Metro” in the United States (Forbes)
- Voted Top Two “Best Cities” in the United States (Money Magazine)
- Voted Top Three “Hippest Cities” in the United States (Forbes)
- Voted Top Five “Safest Cities” in the United States (Forbes)
- Voted Top Ten “Sports & Fitness Cities” in the USA (Sports Business Journal)
Full Throttle Productions, LP is an Austin, Texas, special event and sports production company that provides event conception, event project management, day of event oversight, staffing and volunteer services, venue planning and logistics support.
More information on the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™ will be forthcoming shortly. In the meantime, all queries should be directed to info@fullthrottleproductionslp.com.
Austin, Texas, from the east. The Austin skyline by night, Texas. Austin hill country, Texas. The Austin skyline by day, Texas.
Formula One World Championship Limited and Formula One Administration Limited (together, the F1 Commercial Rights Holder) and Full Throttle Productions, LP, promoter of the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™, announce that a historic agreement has been reached for Austin, Texas to serve as the host city of the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™ for years 2012 through 2021.
“We are extremely honoured and proud to reach an agreement with the F1 Commercial Rights Holder. We have been diligently working together for several years to bring this great event to Austin, the State of Texas and back to the United States. All parties involved have a great amount of trust and confidence in each other and are committed to establishing the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™ in Austin, Texas as a prestigious global event,” stated Tavo Hellmund, Managing Partner of Full Throttle Productions, LP.
Bernie Ecclestone, President and CEO of the Formula One Group stated: “For the first time in the history of Formula One in the United States, a world-class facility will be purpose-built to host the event. It was thirty years ago that the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™ was last held on a purpose-built permanent road course circuit in Watkins Glen, NY (1961-1980), which enjoyed great success. Since then, Formula One has been hosted by Long Beach, Las Vegas, Detroit, Dallas and Phoenix all on temporary street circuits. Indianapolis joined the ranks of host cities in 2000 when they added a road course inside the famed oval. Lewis Hamilton won the last Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™ in 2007, signalling the end to eight years at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This however, will be the first time a facility is constructed from the ground up specifically for Formula One in the US.”
Mr. Hellmund added: “This is a case of the right timing in the right place. As many Americans know, Austin has earned a reputation as one of the ‘it’ cities in the United States. Austin features that rare combination of ideal geographic location and beauty. Its fine dining, world-renowned hospitality and excellent transportation infrastructure make Austin ideally suited to host and manage an event of this magnitude. Few cities if any in America could rival the connectivity of all the key elements needed for hosting a Formula 1 event as well as Austin. Now, many people around the world will have the opportunity to experience a world-class event, facility and city.”
“We are pleased Texas has the opportunity to be involved with Formula 1 and that an event of this magnitude is coming to Austin,” said Susan Combs, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. “It has been a pleasure working with Full Throttle Productions, LP and Mr. Hellmund on this project. Their tradition of producing successful major events coupled with a thirty year relationship with Mr. Ecclestone has us looking forward to this worldwide event and the benefits it will bring, including local job creation, increased tourism and a significant economic impact added to our state economy. The visibility and prestige of this event will spotlight our state on an international stage.”
Texas Governor Rick Perry conveyed his enthusiasm for the project, explaining “Texas’ relatively strong economy continues to draw both national and international attention and I commend Comptroller Combs for her work in bringing this exciting event to the Lone Star State.”
City of Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell continued the positive sentiments, adding "The City of Austin will be proud to host this magnificent event and I look forward to welcoming the participants and fans of Formula One to our City."
Full Throttle Productions, LP acknowledges with great appreciation the efforts of all parties involved including Bernie Ecclestone, President and CEO of the Formula One Group, and the local and state officials of Texas.
“It has been a shared vision and monumental task to reach this agreement. We realize that over the last 30 years there have been one or two missing pieces from the previous editions of the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™. We have a tremendous opportunity at hand to do it right - to feature Austin as the backdrop and produce the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™ as one of the great sporting events in the world,” stated Hellmund.
In addition to the State of Texas being the 11th strongest economy in the world, it has more Fortune 500 company headquarters than any other state. Key features of Austin include:
- State capital nicknamed ‘Silicon Hills’ for being one of the most important regions in the US for the Technology Industry;
- USA’s 15th largest city and is located 145 miles from Houston (4th largest US city), 70 miles from San Antonio (7th largest US city), and 180 miles from Dallas (8th largest US city), population in this triangle is over 22 million;
- perfectly located geographically for North, South and Central American visitors;
- over 130 daily departing international flights within 180 miles;
- over 250,000 hotel rooms within 180 miles;
- desirable year-round climate, with an average annual temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 Celsius);
- geographically located in the Texas Hill Country, easily the most beautiful city in the State, and considered one of the most in the US;
- hotels/downtown/Formula 1 circuit/airport located within close proximity of each other, which is nearly impossible for any other large city in the US;
- world class night life entertainment along renowned ‘Sixth Street’; and
- large film industry presence - many movies filmed in the area.
Austin’s National Recognition
- Known as “The Live Music Capital of the World”
- Voted “Greenest City in America” (MSN)
- Voted “Least Stressful Large Metro” in the United States (Forbes)
- Voted Top Two “Best Cities” in the United States (Money Magazine)
- Voted Top Three “Hippest Cities” in the United States (Forbes)
- Voted Top Five “Safest Cities” in the United States (Forbes)
- Voted Top Ten “Sports & Fitness Cities” in the USA (Sports Business Journal)
Full Throttle Productions, LP is an Austin, Texas, special event and sports production company that provides event conception, event project management, day of event oversight, staffing and volunteer services, venue planning and logistics support.
More information on the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™ will be forthcoming shortly. In the meantime, all queries should be directed to info@fullthrottleproductionslp.com.
We're Goin to Texas Y'all! YEE HAW!!!
Yep, the F1 Circus is coming back to the New World. And its gonna be in Texas...
The United States Grand Prix will return to the Formula 1 calendar in 2012 after a deal was struck for a race to be held in Austin, Texas.
Following weeks of speculation about the potential return of a race in America, F1 commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone announced on Tuesday that the event will take place from 2012 to 2021 on a new purpose-built facility in Austin.
Ecclestone said: "For the first time in the history of Formula 1 in the United States, a world-class facility will be purpose-built to host the event.
"It was 30 years ago that the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix was last held on a purpose-built permanent road course circuit in Watkins Glen, NY (1961-1980), which enjoyed great success. Since then, F1 has been hosted by Long Beach, Las Vegas, Detroit, Dallas and Phoenix all on temporary street circuits. Indianapolis joined the ranks of host cities in 2000 when they added a road course inside the famed oval.
"Lewis Hamilton won the last F1 United States Grand Prix in 2007, signaling the end to eight years at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This however, will be the first time a facility is constructed from the ground up specifically for F1 in the U.S."
The deal with Ecclestone has been put together by promoters Full Throttle Productions, and its managing partner Tavo Hellmund.
Speaking about the deal, which comes after speculation of events in New Jersey and New York State, Hellmund said: "This is a case of the right timing in the right place. As many Americans know, Austin has earned a reputation as one of the 'it' cities in the United States.
"We are extremely honored and proud to reach an agreement with the F1 commercial rights holder. We have been diligently working together for several years to bring this great event to Austin, the state of Texas and back to the United States. All parties involved have a great amount of trust and confidence in each other and are committed to establishing the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas as a prestigious global event."
No details have yet emerged about the track layout, or whereabouts in Austin the venue will be built.
This article originally appeared in Autosport.com
The United States Grand Prix will return to the Formula 1 calendar in 2012 after a deal was struck for a race to be held in Austin, Texas.
Following weeks of speculation about the potential return of a race in America, F1 commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone announced on Tuesday that the event will take place from 2012 to 2021 on a new purpose-built facility in Austin.
Ecclestone said: "For the first time in the history of Formula 1 in the United States, a world-class facility will be purpose-built to host the event.
"It was 30 years ago that the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix was last held on a purpose-built permanent road course circuit in Watkins Glen, NY (1961-1980), which enjoyed great success. Since then, F1 has been hosted by Long Beach, Las Vegas, Detroit, Dallas and Phoenix all on temporary street circuits. Indianapolis joined the ranks of host cities in 2000 when they added a road course inside the famed oval.
"Lewis Hamilton won the last F1 United States Grand Prix in 2007, signaling the end to eight years at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This however, will be the first time a facility is constructed from the ground up specifically for F1 in the U.S."
The deal with Ecclestone has been put together by promoters Full Throttle Productions, and its managing partner Tavo Hellmund.
Speaking about the deal, which comes after speculation of events in New Jersey and New York State, Hellmund said: "This is a case of the right timing in the right place. As many Americans know, Austin has earned a reputation as one of the 'it' cities in the United States.
"We are extremely honored and proud to reach an agreement with the F1 commercial rights holder. We have been diligently working together for several years to bring this great event to Austin, the state of Texas and back to the United States. All parties involved have a great amount of trust and confidence in each other and are committed to establishing the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas as a prestigious global event."
No details have yet emerged about the track layout, or whereabouts in Austin the venue will be built.
This article originally appeared in Autosport.com
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Wow, time flys....
So, I have been extremely neglectful in my blogging duties as of late. But work, travel, weddings, work, cars, driving, etc. have put some strains on my time.
The ChumpCar is now fully operational and had its first shake-down at BIR (Donnybrooke configuration) last weekend with North Star BMWCCA. It had no problems and might not be super fast, but is entertaining. Sadly, the same cannot be said about the M3. Overheating has me fearing the worst and a couple of late nights are on tap before I hit the track again next week on the BIR competition course.
At least one other BMW had a great weekend though. The E92 M3 GT2 took an impressive win after the Audis and Porsches broke. The 911 GT3 Hybrid looked like it might take the win until late in the race. Some highlights for you below.
Anyway, its back to work and then back to the track next weekend. Keep your fingers crossed that the M3 is all set and has not problems this weekend or it will be another long tow home from Brainerd...
The ChumpCar is now fully operational and had its first shake-down at BIR (Donnybrooke configuration) last weekend with North Star BMWCCA. It had no problems and might not be super fast, but is entertaining. Sadly, the same cannot be said about the M3. Overheating has me fearing the worst and a couple of late nights are on tap before I hit the track again next week on the BIR competition course.
At least one other BMW had a great weekend though. The E92 M3 GT2 took an impressive win after the Audis and Porsches broke. The 911 GT3 Hybrid looked like it might take the win until late in the race. Some highlights for you below.
Anyway, its back to work and then back to the track next weekend. Keep your fingers crossed that the M3 is all set and has not problems this weekend or it will be another long tow home from Brainerd...
Friday, April 16, 2010
Look Mom, No Wheels!!!
Now, THAT is a suspension failure. Sebastian Buemi had a bit of a suspension issue during practice for this weekend's Chinese GP. Thankfully Sebastian and the camerguy who nearly got taken out by one of the wheels were both OK. The other wheel apparently cleared the spectators and ended up in a creek in Mongolia (or something). Toro Rosso has decided to stop using their new suspension design. Yeah, that's probably a good idea.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Finally!
It's finally here. The 2010 Formula 1 World Championship began in earnest today in Bahrain. What a boring, lifeless, stupid track. Herman Tilke tracks suck. There, I said it.
The good news is a certain 7-time world champ is back and this could be one helluva season! Made being up at 5:45 far more tolerable.
The good news is a certain 7-time world champ is back and this could be one helluva season! Made being up at 5:45 far more tolerable.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
ChumpCar Cage Design
[Link to picture broke]
I found this cage design and think it may be what we should use for the ChumpCar. It's a bolt-in too. Thoughts?
I found this cage design and think it may be what we should use for the ChumpCar. It's a bolt-in too. Thoughts?
Monday, February 22, 2010
Nostalgia: Formula 1 Championship 1983
The Brabham BT52The first Formula 1 practice session of the 2010 season at Bahrain is less than 18 days away. To tide me over until the start of the season I have been watching some classic F1 highlights. In the next few weeks I will attempt to relive some of the epic past battles that took place in this new feature I call "Nostalgia." Who knows, we may make it all the way from 1983-2009 (but I doubt it). First up, the 1983 season. 1983 featured far less controversy than the 1982 season (reviewing 1982 will require a far lengthier post than I have time for today), but was still epic.
///Motorsports Stripe on the BT52's front wingThe turning point in the season though likely came at the Dutch GP at Zandvoort where Prost made a somewhat optimistic attempt to pass Piquet at the Tarzan corner and the two collided. Both went out of the race. This was a rare mistake for "Le Professeur" as Prost was regarded as a calculated racer and an excellent overtaker. Prost left Zandvoort with an 11 point lead over Rene Arnoux and a 14 point lead over Piquet with 3 rounds to go. Prost, however, would not finish in Italy or South Africa and come second in the European GP and Piquet would win both the Italian and European GP and come 3rd in South Africa to take the Championship by 2 points. Arnoux (Prost's teammate the prior year at Renault) driving a Ferrari finished 9th at the European GP and did not finish in South Africa to see his title chances slip away. Ferrari would win the constructors championship as they had in 1982.
Prost would move back to McLaren, the team he began his F1 career with, for 1984 but a similar fate awaited him (more on that later this week...probably).
Fun fact: Bernie Ecclestone (yep, the same one) owned and ran Brabham F1 in 1983.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Big Thanks
Dear OL Readers,
You may have noticed that the site got a bit of polishing a few weeks ago. The fancy new header and formatting are courtesy of Stelly and brought to you in part by Pabst Blue Ribbon and Pet Project Rescue (adopt Cora).
Thanks Stelly!
The OL Czar
You may have noticed that the site got a bit of polishing a few weeks ago. The fancy new header and formatting are courtesy of Stelly and brought to you in part by Pabst Blue Ribbon and Pet Project Rescue (adopt Cora).
Thanks Stelly!
The OL Czar
ChumpCar Update - The Teardown Continues
Welcome back boys and girls. It's time (or perhaps past time) for an update on the ChumpCar project. The team got together last weekend with the goal of installing the cage and making further progress on the teardown. At least past of this was accomplished.
We continued to strip the insulation from the interior. All the insulation must be removed per the rules (I believe), which makes sense since its flammable (Inflammable means flammable! -- What a Country!!" - Dr. Nick). We had an air chisel this time which made much quicker work of the remaining insulation.
Then we started getting the cage in to see how it fit. We are using an Autopower 6-point bolt-in roll cage. Obviously we will be adding some SFI padding later to protect the driver. We will also need to reposition the headlight switch as the cage is directly in its way.
The biggest issue we tried to figure out was the fact that the drivers on the team are very different sizes yet we all need to fit in the car and be able to see over the dash, but the tall drivers also must be at least 2 inches below the top of the cage. In order to make it so that the shorter drivers (See, me) be positioned to see over the dash yet keep the taller drivers below the cage we had to remove the sunroof cassette
In the old E3os the sunroof cassette (which has all the mechanics of the sunroof) are held into the roof with metal brackets and then glued in for additional strength. Our soultion: Cut the Damn thing OUT!!! Wish I had more pics of cutting the sunroof out of the roof from inside the care, but honestly I spent a good bit of the time with the grinder cutting it out, so was unable to multi-task. Eventually we also had to cut the sunroof out from above (see top pic)
After that we did some further trimming to get the cage up as high as possible. We finally got it so that I can see over the dash and the taller drivers will meet the clearance requirements.
Looks like we will need to do some welding to get the cage where we want it and I hope to bring that to you next time. We also need to get the seat brackets and slider fabricated. The seat will need to move so that I can reach the pedals and the taller drivers wont be squished against the wheel. They challenges of team endurance racing...
Still a lot of work to do before the first race in June. We will also be raising money for charity so stay posted for updates on that as well.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
And now for something completely different
In the immortal words of Monty Python I present the DeltaWing race car concept for the IndyCar series. A design team led by one of Chip Ganassi's engineers created this concept that is one of several concepts that have been unveiled this week for the new 2012 IndyCar chassis. An, well it's...different. Part soapbox derby, part jet fighter, part race car, part spaceship, it is vastly different than the current IndyCar chassis that dates back to 2003 (and looks like $h*t).
Current Dallara chassis.Not sure what else to say at this point. Being somewhat of a traditionalist I'm not sure how I feel about this drastic departure from conventional open-wheeled cars. At this point, I think I like the Swift chassis the best, but am thrilled that there are some people in IndyCar who can have a creative idea. I look forward to seeing the next car, assuming the series can survive that long. But that rant is for another day.
Swift Concept
Thursday, February 4, 2010
C'est Beau de BMW
First, my French is not very good at all. Second, there is quite a lot that I have failed to post the last few days that I had hoped to (Daytona results, F1 testing and car reveals, etc.) but I am afraid I have just been a bit too tired and busy. But thought I would at least post the GT2 entry list for the 2010 24 Heures du Mans.
#63 Corvette Chevrolet Corvette C6.R Magnussen, O'Connell, Garcia
#64 Corvette Chevrolet Corvette C6.R Gavin, Beretta, TBA
#75 Prospeed Porsche 997 GT3 RSR van Splunteren, TBA, TBA
#76 IMSA Porsche 997 GT3 RSR Narac, TBA, TBA
#78 BMW BMW E92 M3 Muller, TBA, TBA
#79 BMW BMW E92 M3 Priaulx, TBA, TBA
#80 Flying Lizard Porsche 997 GT3 RSR Neiman, TBA, TBA
#81 Jaguar RSR Jaguar XKR GT2 Pruett, Goossens, Gentilozzi
#82 Risi Ferrari F430 GT2 Jonsson, Krohn, TBA
#83 Risi Ferrari F430 GT2 Melo, TBA, TBA
#84 Modena Ferrari F430 GT2 Rusinov, TBA, TBA
#85 Spyker Spyker C8 Laviolette Coronel, TBA, TBA
#89 Farnbacher Ferrari F430 GT2 Farnbacher, Simonsen, TBA
#92 JMW Aston Martin Vantage Bell, TBA, TBA
#96 AF Corse Ferrari F430 GT2 Perez-Companc, Russo, TBA
#97 BMS Ferrari F430 GT2 Malucelli, TBA, TBA
The big news, as far as I am concerned, is that BMW will be entering two E92 M3 GT2s driven by some of BMWs WTCC drivers. At this point the teams need only announce one driver. More updates to come as this race is far too long from now.
Also, I hope to do a recap of all the f1 team launches and the first test that took place earlier this week. Stay tuned to OL.
Monday, February 1, 2010
De la Rosa and Kobayashi Wed
The ceremony was conducted in Valencia, Spain by the new Ferrari-powered BMW-Sauber C29. Most on hand said it was a beautiful ceremony.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Rolex 24 Updates - AND WE'RE RACING
Going to try and do some regular updates during the race today. Have Mr. No-Fly-List coming to watch the race with me but I am also taking care of our our new foster puppy (Cora, named for Ralf Schumacher's wife who also drives the occasional race car) that we just picked up from Animal Control and that is taking a bit of my attention away from the race.
PRE-RACE UPDATE: It's wet and wetter in Daytona. Rain coming down hard and there are likely to be lots of puddles in the infield. Should make for some exciting opening hours. I think Scott Pruett said it right by stating that they teams need to survive the opening hours if they are to have any chance at a win. Pruett also said that the rain is only supposed to last a few hours and the weather channel backs this up
PRE-RACE UPDATE: It's wet and wetter in Daytona. Rain coming down hard and there are likely to be lots of puddles in the infield. Should make for some exciting opening hours. I think Scott Pruett said it right by stating that they teams need to survive the opening hours if they are to have any chance at a win. Pruett also said that the rain is only supposed to last a few hours and the weather channel backs this up
Rolex 24 Pre-Race Video Fun
I may have mentioned that the Rolex 24 starts today. I also may have mentioned that I am excited about this. Ride along with Ozz Negri in his Riley-Ford DP car in the video to get ready for today's action. I'll try and post updates during the race today and tomorrow, but that may be slightly impacted by the fact that I have a bunch of work to accomplish this weekend for a Monday presentation. Enjoy!
Or you can just watch an engine do a lap...
Or you can just watch an engine do a lap...
Friday, January 29, 2010
Racing on TV 1/30-2/1
SPEED thankfully will be covering the Rolex 24 Live:
Saturday: 2pm-9pm CST
Sunday: 6am-3pm CST
Also, DTM and BTCC start at 11am CST on Saturday also on SPEED.
For those of you still in college or in the Navy or something, next Monday you can relive the 2009 German GP on SPEED at noon CST.
Saturday: 2pm-9pm CST
Sunday: 6am-3pm CST
Also, DTM and BTCC start at 11am CST on Saturday also on SPEED.
For those of you still in college or in the Navy or something, next Monday you can relive the 2009 German GP on SPEED at noon CST.
Daytona - Live Video and Updates
Well, it's finally here! The first day of the 2010 racing season. Today we have the Continental Sports Car Challenge Fresh from Florida 200 from Daytona International Speedway and thanks to Turner we can watch some live streaming video. Also cruise over to grandam.com to catch the live scoring. The race starts at 12:45CT.
Fall-Line motorsports beat out a stable of Mustangs to take pole in GS for the 200 in their E92 M3 with Andy Pilgrim at the wheel. Talk about a ringer! Andy was apparently going to Brazil for vacation but that fell through and he ended up getting a call from Fall-Line. Turner's E92 M3 will start in 10th. In ST, Bimmerworld managed to put the car 3rd on the grid and look to have a real chance in their Conti debut. Another BMW to watch is the #18 RRT car which is starting 26th.
UPDATE: Turner cars ran 8th and 16th in the morning practice for the FF200. Espenlaub in one of the other Fall Line M3s ran second to the Jack Roush Jr. car that set the pace in the session. Pole-sitter Pilgrim only ran the 24th best time. Race starts at 12:45CT so make sure to tune-in to the Turner feed and check live timing at grandam.com.
UPDATE - Lap 30: The #96 E92 M3 from Turner is out with an engine issue, but Andy Pilgrim and Fall Line were leading before their first pit-stop. Still a few cars left to stop. Have already had 3 yellows. Follow along on twitter at http://twitter.com/CT_Challenge.
UPDATE - Lap 35: Apparently Any Pilgrim in the #46 M3 pulled in to the wrong pit box during the pitstop and has fallen to 11th in ST - Mark Boden now driving. The #48 Fall Line M3 driven by Charles Espenlaub is running second behind the Reagan Mustang. In ST, RRTs 330 has moved up to fourth after running as high as second, although there is some thought they made need another stop for fuel. James Clay is now in the #80 Bimmerworld car and is running 6th.
UPDATE - F**k SPEED: SPEED is showing a NASCAR race replay instead of broadcasting this race live BTW.
SPOILER ALERT: BMWs had a good showing today. And since I dont want to spoil it too much, let's just say that a BMW M3 won GS and there was also a BMW on the podium in ST. Sounds like it was a great race and wish I did not have to wait two weeks to see it (see, F**k SPEED) although I guess at least we get to see it at all (See IndyCar, DirecTV subscribers with no Versus).
Online video chat by Ustream
Unfortunately, the race is not being broadcast on SPEED (aka the NASCAR talk show channel)until Feb. 13 at 6pm CT. Enjoy the broadcast today and make sure to root for Fall-Line, Turner, Bimmerworld and the other BMW teams. At least the Rolex 24 will be broadcast live. Happy Friday and Happy Start of the 2010 Race Season!
Fall-Line motorsports beat out a stable of Mustangs to take pole in GS for the 200 in their E92 M3 with Andy Pilgrim at the wheel. Talk about a ringer! Andy was apparently going to Brazil for vacation but that fell through and he ended up getting a call from Fall-Line. Turner's E92 M3 will start in 10th. In ST, Bimmerworld managed to put the car 3rd on the grid and look to have a real chance in their Conti debut. Another BMW to watch is the #18 RRT car which is starting 26th.
UPDATE: Turner cars ran 8th and 16th in the morning practice for the FF200. Espenlaub in one of the other Fall Line M3s ran second to the Jack Roush Jr. car that set the pace in the session. Pole-sitter Pilgrim only ran the 24th best time. Race starts at 12:45CT so make sure to tune-in to the Turner feed and check live timing at grandam.com.
UPDATE - Lap 30: The #96 E92 M3 from Turner is out with an engine issue, but Andy Pilgrim and Fall Line were leading before their first pit-stop. Still a few cars left to stop. Have already had 3 yellows. Follow along on twitter at http://twitter.com/CT_Challenge.
UPDATE - Lap 35: Apparently Any Pilgrim in the #46 M3 pulled in to the wrong pit box during the pitstop and has fallen to 11th in ST - Mark Boden now driving. The #48 Fall Line M3 driven by Charles Espenlaub is running second behind the Reagan Mustang. In ST, RRTs 330 has moved up to fourth after running as high as second, although there is some thought they made need another stop for fuel. James Clay is now in the #80 Bimmerworld car and is running 6th.
UPDATE - F**k SPEED: SPEED is showing a NASCAR race replay instead of broadcasting this race live BTW.
SPOILER ALERT: BMWs had a good showing today. And since I dont want to spoil it too much, let's just say that a BMW M3 won GS and there was also a BMW on the podium in ST. Sounds like it was a great race and wish I did not have to wait two weeks to see it (see, F**k SPEED) although I guess at least we get to see it at all (See IndyCar, DirecTV subscribers with no Versus).
Online video chat by Ustream
Unfortunately, the race is not being broadcast on SPEED (aka the NASCAR talk show channel)until Feb. 13 at 6pm CT. Enjoy the broadcast today and make sure to root for Fall-Line, Turner, Bimmerworld and the other BMW teams. At least the Rolex 24 will be broadcast live. Happy Friday and Happy Start of the 2010 Race Season!
MP4-25
McLaren has now introduced its 2010 title contender the MP4-25. Anybody know what the over-under for the number of races before Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton start feuding and Button starts whining like a little girl? I put it right around Monaco.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
I Spy with my little eye...a 2010 Williams F1 Car
Williams has also (though inadvertently) unveiled its 2010 car. This photo was captured during a shakedown run at Silverstone by Autosport.
It's heeeeere...
Well, the first of the 2010 cars has finally arrived (the Mercedes launch was still the 2009 car). This, boy and girls, is the 2010 Ferrari F10. Kind of a weird designation as last year's car was the F60 and the year before that the car was the F2008. Whatever. I am also struck by the fact that the Italian national team now enjoys backing from a Spanish banking giant and an Abu Dhabi business conglomerate. The car was launched from Ferrari's HQ in Maranello as is its custom. Expectations are high for this machine as the Scuderia started work on it midway through last season...only a few more days til it hits the track for the first time.
Check this out for some great side-by-side comparison photos of the new f10 and the F60.
McLaren is next to drop the cover on their new MP4-25, which is apparently displayed in the above spy shot (source: autoevloution).
Monday, January 25, 2010
F1 Launches and News
Big week! Not only does the racing season begin down in Florida, but we will also see many of the 2010 cars for the first time this week including the new Ferrari. Mercedes F1 (formerly Brawn GP) unveiled its livery for 2010 on one of last year's cars already. Mercedes also announced that they signed Nick Heidfeld to be their test/reserve driver.
Ferrari has also (though not officially) unveiled its 2010 livery. The Ferrari is...wait for it...yep, that's right, it is RED. The new Santander livery is not too garish though.
The 2010 Ferrari will be unveiled on Thursday (Jan. 28), the McLaren on Friday (Jan. 29) and both Sauber and Renault will launch their 2010 cars on Sunday (Jan. 31). Williams, Torro Rosso and Mercedes will all launch their cars next Monday (Feb. 1). The first day of official testing is also next Monday in Valencia.
Current launch line-up at a glance (from f1.com):
January 28 - Ferrari, Maranello, Italy
January 29 - McLaren, Newbury, UK
January 31 - BMW Sauber/Renault, Valencia, Spain
February 1 - Mercedes GP/Williams/Toro Rosso, Valencia, Spain
February 10 - Red Bull/Force India, Jerez, Spain
Early February - US, Barber Motorsport Park, Alabama, USA
February 12 - Lotus
USF1 is scheduled to hold a press conference today to announce the signing of its first driver, Argentine Jose Maria Lopez. It apparently is only going to cost JMP a cool $8 million to drive the first USF1 toaster.
In other f1 news, the teams have agreed to a further tweaking of the F1 points system. The old points system scored the top 8 finishers at: 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1, respectively. A new system was to be implemented this year would have awarded the top 10 finishers the following points 25-20-15-10-8-6-5-3-2-1. However, a revision to that system has been made that will provide a larger reward for victories 25-18-15-12-10-8-6-4-2-1.
Friday, January 22, 2010
BMW Billboards FTW
BMW may have lost its way a bit with some of its recent product decisions, but thier Ad guys certainly are good...
A Very Expensive Tent Problem
There have been very bad storms moving through Arizona the last few days (headed for the great Midwest eventually) and unfortunately, both Russo and Steele and Barret-Jackson are holding large collector car auctions in Scottsdale this weekend. The became a significant problem for Russo & Steele last night....ouch!
Rolex 24 and Conti Sports Car Series
As those of you (all 3 of you at last tally) that follow this blog know I have a bit of a thing for sportscar racing. We are only a week away from the start of the racing season when the Continental (formerly Koni) Sports Car Series kicks-off at Daytona followed by the Grand Am Series Rolex 24 at Daytona (Jan. 30-31).
There is plenty to be excited about this year if you are a BMW fan in both series.
GRAND AM: In the Grand Am Series, Dinan-BMW engines will power several new Daytona Prototype (DP) teams including multiple-time series and Daytona 24 champion Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. Ganassi will sport an impressive driver lineup that includes 3 Indy 500 champions (Dario Franchitti, Scott Dixon and JP Montoya) all in the same car! There is also a BMW presence in the GT category as Turner racing will be running a Riley developed tube-frame M6 (see video below). The action starts next Saturday at 2pm CT live on SPEED but you can catch a special behind the scenes show "GRAND-AM: 24 Hours at Dayton" tonight at 11pm CT (that's midnight for you Hardflip so set the DVR).
There is plenty to be excited about this year if you are a BMW fan in both series.
GRAND AM: In the Grand Am Series, Dinan-BMW engines will power several new Daytona Prototype (DP) teams including multiple-time series and Daytona 24 champion Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. Ganassi will sport an impressive driver lineup that includes 3 Indy 500 champions (Dario Franchitti, Scott Dixon and JP Montoya) all in the same car! There is also a BMW presence in the GT category as Turner racing will be running a Riley developed tube-frame M6 (see video below). The action starts next Saturday at 2pm CT live on SPEED but you can catch a special behind the scenes show "GRAND-AM: 24 Hours at Dayton" tonight at 11pm CT (that's midnight for you Hardflip so set the DVR).
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Chump Car Update
I promised that I would update the status of the Chump Car if I got home before 8. I got home at 7 tonight and am a man of my word. The team got together last Saturday for the first day of work on the car and set to the task of stripping the interior to prep it for the installation of the roll cage. The car the team has acquired is a 1984 318i. It screams speed doesn't it. The 318 is from Arizona and is thus free of rust although it is severely sunbaked. It also has a curious Dept. Of Defense sticker on the windshield.
Unfortunately the day did not get off to a good start as the car's owner and team organizer may have mailed the key to the 318 to New Hampshire where his 2002 is being restored. Once we cleared the snow of the car we then had to maneuver it to go into the garage and push it up the icy hill. Once we got the car in the garage I decided it was about time for a beer and a donut. Thus I am not pictured here. We then set to the task of removing the seats
Removing the seats was a little trickier than expected as there was all sorts of interesting detritus that had gathered around the seats in its 25 years of service. Found some interesting things between those seats...Eventually we got them out and then began removing the rear seats and the other interior bits. We also had to remove the awesome 80s CD changer that even had a wired, yes wired, remote.
The team worked amazingly well considering that you can only fit so many people in an E30 BMW. One set was stripping the doors, another pulled seats, another pulled stuff from the trunk, and another would be organizing the stuff so we could keep track of everything. We eventually got all the seats and trim out of the main cabin and then removed the carpeting. Big props to Colin for his work getting the carpet out.
Once the carpet was out we discovered that there was very little sound deadening under the carpet. In fact, the only insulation was under where the rear seat was and a little bit on the rear parcel shelf. The insulation under the rear seat was like concrete so I had some fun with a chisel getting it off. Was making progress before we had to wrap things up and head out for to tackle project #2.
Here is what the interior looked like at the end of phase 1. We had to put the driver seat back in so that it can be driven once we get/locate the key. We were then off to complete project #2. Project #2 was pulling the engine out of a 1991 318is for a fellow BMW club member(sorry no pics as my hands were both busy and filthy). We hope to grab a few spares off of the 318is to use on the race car.
Well, that's all for now. Stay tuned for the next update which I think will include more quality time with the chisel removing the sound deadening and hopefully the installation of the rollcage. Also, Go VIKES!
Opposite Lock Mascot!
The operators (ok just me) of the Opposite Lock (OL) blog are pleased to announce that they have formally signed a mascot for the 2010 racing season with an option to renew for the 2011 season and beyond. The OL Mascot is truly a racing and BMW fanatic as can be seen in the image below where he is wearing his Sparco racing harness while riding in an E36 M3.
Backstory: When the headliner in the M3 (aka Amber, aka Kay's Dirty Sister) started drooping, there was only one solution - rip it down and spend Spring Break 2009 reupholsterering it in my backyard in Indiana. This required the front seats and most of the other interior bits to be removed. As I was finishing the install of the various trim pieces, the front seats were still removed and it was at this point that the OL Mascot decided that he wanted to lounge on the beautiful German leather.
Backstory: When the headliner in the M3 (aka Amber, aka Kay's Dirty Sister) started drooping, there was only one solution - rip it down and spend Spring Break 2009 reupholsterering it in my backyard in Indiana. This required the front seats and most of the other interior bits to be removed. As I was finishing the install of the various trim pieces, the front seats were still removed and it was at this point that the OL Mascot decided that he wanted to lounge on the beautiful German leather.
BTCC is Awesome!
Some of you may have noticed that SPEED is broadcasting the ITV highlights from the 2009 British Touring Car Championship (and the DTM) on Saturday afternoons. This is some of the best racing you will see anywhere. So here is some classic BTCC racing to tide you over until Saturday.
Tardiness on Chump Car Update
At least one of you, yes you Hardflip, has been demanding updates on the recent work on the BMW 318 for the Chump Car races. As soon as I get home from work before 8pm, I promise to post an update - so you may get one by Sunday. Until then, please enjoy these videos.
Probably my favorite BMW The Hire films. It has Don Cheadle, Clive Owen, F. Murray Abraham and a guest appearance by Ray Liotta (is that Dennis Haysbert too? Yes, we are in Good Hands!)not to mention a Z4 and a plot twist. Epic stuff!
E39 M5 FTMFW! Madonna, not so much.
C
Probably my favorite BMW The Hire films. It has Don Cheadle, Clive Owen, F. Murray Abraham and a guest appearance by Ray Liotta (is that Dennis Haysbert too? Yes, we are in Good Hands!)not to mention a Z4 and a plot twist. Epic stuff!
E39 M5 FTMFW! Madonna, not so much.
C
There may be hope for BMW yet.
More Bimmer leakage: 2011 BMW 335is images outted
Video of future BMW M1 and a possible leaked photo
I have to say that the recent work of the nice folks at BMW and BMW Motorsport GmbH has left me a little bit disappointed (see, X6, X6M and X5M). But there may be hope yet. The announcement of the new 335is and the an M version of the 1 series has me feeling a bit giddy. Maybe I will eventually find one of the newer BMW products that is every bit as enjoyable and exciting as the E36 and E30 M3 are. Or at least I will have a reason to swing by the BMW dealer and BS my way into a test drive...
C
Friday, January 15, 2010
Proposed 2010 Racing/Driving Schedule
As it is very cold, salty and nasty outside right now the only thing I can do is dream about hitting the track again come spring. These are the events that I am considering right now for 2010, some are more certain than others:
May
15-16: North Star BMW CCA HPDE at Brainerd International Raceway (BIR - Donybrooke Course)
22-23: NASA HPDE/TT at BIR (Competition Course)
June
4-6: ChumpCar Races at BIR (2x 7 hour enduros on the Competition Course)
26-27: ChumpCar 24 Hour Race at Iowa Speedway, Newton, IA
July
17-18 NASA HPDE/TT at Autobahn Country Club, Joliet, IL
August
23-29 BMWCCA Oktoberfest HPDE at Road America, Elkhart Lake, WI
September
TBD
October
1-2 OktoberFAST with Badger Bimmers at Road America
TBA North Star BMWCCA at BIR
Here is a taste of some old action:
1st ever HPDE at Putnam Park
BIR in May 2009 (sorry for conversion errors)
May
15-16: North Star BMW CCA HPDE at Brainerd International Raceway (BIR - Donybrooke Course)
22-23: NASA HPDE/TT at BIR (Competition Course)
June
4-6: ChumpCar Races at BIR (2x 7 hour enduros on the Competition Course)
26-27: ChumpCar 24 Hour Race at Iowa Speedway, Newton, IA
July
17-18 NASA HPDE/TT at Autobahn Country Club, Joliet, IL
August
23-29 BMWCCA Oktoberfest HPDE at Road America, Elkhart Lake, WI
September
TBD
October
1-2 OktoberFAST with Badger Bimmers at Road America
TBA North Star BMWCCA at BIR
Here is a taste of some old action:
1st ever HPDE at Putnam Park
Putnam Park Finale from HaraM3 on Vimeo.
BIR in May 2009 (sorry for conversion errors)
How not to late brake
As you likely noticed this blog WAS called L8 Braking (late braking) and was a reference to the classic overtaking maneuver. Michael Schumacher is arguable the greatest driver of all time, but back in 1999 he had a late braking maneuver on then teammate Eddie Irvine go very wrong...
Welcome!
Not sure WTF I am doing exactly, but thought I would see if I could figure out how to post. This is my first attempt at this, so bear with me. I hope to use this blog as a venue to share my various car-related adventures (and misadventures) as well as autosport-related items that I just think are cool and that you should think are cool too.
On that note, please check out the BMWCCA ChumpCar Racing Team* webpage. I am quite pleased to be a member of this team and will keep you posted on our progress and whether we have any idea what we have gotten ourselves into.
Cheers,
C
* Team not actually affiliated with BMWCCA, just a bunch of BMWCCA members without the sense to know better.
On that note, please check out the BMWCCA ChumpCar Racing Team* webpage. I am quite pleased to be a member of this team and will keep you posted on our progress and whether we have any idea what we have gotten ourselves into.
Cheers,
C
* Team not actually affiliated with BMWCCA, just a bunch of BMWCCA members without the sense to know better.
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