Friday, September 30, 2011
Richard Petty 50th Anniversary
This weekend marks the 50th anniversary of Richard Petty's first race, which occurred on July 12, 1958. In celebration of his half-century of involvement in NASCAR, here is a reproduction of a Petty Enterprises race report...
Official USGP Race Date Confirmed & Recent COTA News
It’s now REALLY official!� The Austin Formula 1 USGP race will take place on November 18, 2012.� Here’s the official� FIA confirmation of the 2012 Formula One calendar showing the US F1 Grand Prix to take place in Austin on November 18th. 31 Aug 2011 FIA confirms 20-race calendar for 2012 The FIA has released [...]
From the gotta be different file?HEMI FORD Follow-Up
If you had a chance to read the prior post for this information – CLICK HERE – you know that�Bill DenBeste, owner and founder of�DenBeste Motorsports was quoted after being asked where will this wild FORD/HEMI�Shelby/DenBeste 427�motor would end up? ?In a Cobra of course? DenBeste said. After months of�development and hard work the result [...]
Another Mustang Funny Car Mystery
Who built the notch-back Mustang funny car that appeared briefly at North Brother's Ford in 1967? What happened to it? Help solve a 44 year mystery.
David Ragan Earns Pole in Indy!
David Ragan and the UPS team claim the top spot for Sunday's race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
BUILD >>> Travis Clark ? DMCC ISIS Sponsored Drive
Hey everyone, wanted to share my 93′ 240sx vert I have been building for the last seven months.
Here the car is in its earlier stages. Caged and gutted:
Braced up the rear subframe suspension arm tabs to add some stiffness and strength:
Also went with the parts shop max spindle kit. Ran it the last
Here the car is in its earlier stages. Caged and gutted:
Braced up the rear subframe suspension arm tabs to add some stiffness and strength:
Also went with the parts shop max spindle kit. Ran it the last
Thursday, September 29, 2011
All systems still go for 2012 US GP at Austin
Last month, the Austin City Council officially endorsed the already-on-the-calendar United States Grand Prix and approved a commitment for up to $25m per year for 10 years.
This was a big, and hopefully last, major hurdle for the event, its promoters, the new Circuit of the America's track and their collective future. And I'm looking forward to it because Uncle Sam needs something good to happen regarding our deserved place on the international motorsports stage. An all new, state-of-the-art track facility successfully introduced to the world with an F1 race on June 17, 2012 could be it.
From 1961 through 1980, the US GP was held at Watkins Glen in upstate New York before moving to Long Beach, Las Vegas, Detroit, Dallas, Phoenix and finally Indianapolis, where its last hurrah was in 2007 after eight unremarkable races at the Brickyard.
Formula 1 has never been all that popular here, always overshadowed by Champ Car/IndyCar and later NASCAR. But 'here' is very popular with both the automobile manufacturers and myriad global sponsors who are heavily invested in the world's biggest racing series.
Three years ago, when it was announced F1 was leaving Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Tevo Hellmund, the man behind the now-under-construction track along the SH130 corridor in southeast Austin, saw an opportunity, called Bernie Ecclestone and started a dialogue.
Ecclestone took the call because he was friends with Hellmund's father, who was also a race promoter, and has known Tevo since he was a very young boy.
And surprise, surprise. In March of 2010 the shocking news broke about a new US F1 race in Austin, Texas of all places, not in or around one of our populous coastal metropoli, starting in 2012.
Considering the time frame, economy and impossible dream logistics at the time of that announcement, it?s no wonder many pundits pooh-poohed the race's chances for ever being run. And after the USF1 team fiasco, who could blame them.
An F1 race? In Texas? In June?
But now, only 11 months before the inaugural United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas, it appears those pundits and nattering nabobs of negativism were wrong as all systems appear go -- despite the last minute government funding hiccup.
That challenge was not a surprise. The subsidy agreement negotiated between Hellmund, partner Red McCombs, and the taxpayers created a firestorm of controversy in a state where education, health care and other services were being eliminated due to budget cuts.
So an opposition was organized, paperwork was filed, social media streams caught fire, hearings were held and a final vote passed five to two; which means as always, Bernie is going to get paid.
But nothing slowed down or stopped during the challenge process; there was no time. Construction of the 3.4 mile Tilke track (with a 130 ft. elevation change), plus the permanent buildings and landscaping and everything else continues on schedule.
As does the enhancement of the track's menu. Full Throttle Productions, Hellmund's promotions company, has also announced a 10-year contract to host MotoGP (including the standard support Moto2 and Moto3 races) plus the Australian V8 Supercar series, both beginning in 2013.
Per the standard entertainment model, the track will feature visitor attractions like driving or riding experiences, a kart track, welcome center and group facilities and a private motorsports club.
What Circuit of the Americas really needs though, and will eventually get, is more big races.
IndyCar is out as long as F1 is on the schedule and yes, SMI wants no competition for its NASCAR Cup, Nationwide or truck dates at Texas Motor Speedway. But the Rolex, ALMS and /or the new FIA World Endurance Championship series will undoubtedly race there eventually.
A fun suggestion seen on a discussion board: A NASCAR 'home track' invitational that would include NASCAR Canada, NASCAR Mexico and the K&N Pro Series entrants. I'm not sure about equipment equivalency but sure, I'd but a ticket to see that kind of race.
For now though, I'm just patiently waiting. From now until next summer I'm optimistic I'll be seeing occasional Circuit of the Americas progress updates and sponsorship announcements but I expect no warning or disaster notices.
I plan on reading about the track passing the various inspections and tests, seeing video features on the SPEED Report and Dave Despain's Wind Tunnel and then witnessing a great F1 race in Austin, Texas next June. In sweltering heat. With completely expected parking and traffic problems which will eventually be fixed.
And American's next F1 era will have begun.
In Austin, Texas of all places.
Read More of Bill Tybur at his website: https://fmfl.net
This was a big, and hopefully last, major hurdle for the event, its promoters, the new Circuit of the America's track and their collective future. And I'm looking forward to it because Uncle Sam needs something good to happen regarding our deserved place on the international motorsports stage. An all new, state-of-the-art track facility successfully introduced to the world with an F1 race on June 17, 2012 could be it.
From 1961 through 1980, the US GP was held at Watkins Glen in upstate New York before moving to Long Beach, Las Vegas, Detroit, Dallas, Phoenix and finally Indianapolis, where its last hurrah was in 2007 after eight unremarkable races at the Brickyard.
Formula 1 has never been all that popular here, always overshadowed by Champ Car/IndyCar and later NASCAR. But 'here' is very popular with both the automobile manufacturers and myriad global sponsors who are heavily invested in the world's biggest racing series.
Three years ago, when it was announced F1 was leaving Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Tevo Hellmund, the man behind the now-under-construction track along the SH130 corridor in southeast Austin, saw an opportunity, called Bernie Ecclestone and started a dialogue.
Ecclestone took the call because he was friends with Hellmund's father, who was also a race promoter, and has known Tevo since he was a very young boy.
And surprise, surprise. In March of 2010 the shocking news broke about a new US F1 race in Austin, Texas of all places, not in or around one of our populous coastal metropoli, starting in 2012.
Considering the time frame, economy and impossible dream logistics at the time of that announcement, it?s no wonder many pundits pooh-poohed the race's chances for ever being run. And after the USF1 team fiasco, who could blame them.
An F1 race? In Texas? In June?
But now, only 11 months before the inaugural United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas, it appears those pundits and nattering nabobs of negativism were wrong as all systems appear go -- despite the last minute government funding hiccup.
That challenge was not a surprise. The subsidy agreement negotiated between Hellmund, partner Red McCombs, and the taxpayers created a firestorm of controversy in a state where education, health care and other services were being eliminated due to budget cuts.
So an opposition was organized, paperwork was filed, social media streams caught fire, hearings were held and a final vote passed five to two; which means as always, Bernie is going to get paid.
But nothing slowed down or stopped during the challenge process; there was no time. Construction of the 3.4 mile Tilke track (with a 130 ft. elevation change), plus the permanent buildings and landscaping and everything else continues on schedule.
As does the enhancement of the track's menu. Full Throttle Productions, Hellmund's promotions company, has also announced a 10-year contract to host MotoGP (including the standard support Moto2 and Moto3 races) plus the Australian V8 Supercar series, both beginning in 2013.
Per the standard entertainment model, the track will feature visitor attractions like driving or riding experiences, a kart track, welcome center and group facilities and a private motorsports club.
What Circuit of the Americas really needs though, and will eventually get, is more big races.
IndyCar is out as long as F1 is on the schedule and yes, SMI wants no competition for its NASCAR Cup, Nationwide or truck dates at Texas Motor Speedway. But the Rolex, ALMS and /or the new FIA World Endurance Championship series will undoubtedly race there eventually.
A fun suggestion seen on a discussion board: A NASCAR 'home track' invitational that would include NASCAR Canada, NASCAR Mexico and the K&N Pro Series entrants. I'm not sure about equipment equivalency but sure, I'd but a ticket to see that kind of race.
For now though, I'm just patiently waiting. From now until next summer I'm optimistic I'll be seeing occasional Circuit of the Americas progress updates and sponsorship announcements but I expect no warning or disaster notices.
I plan on reading about the track passing the various inspections and tests, seeing video features on the SPEED Report and Dave Despain's Wind Tunnel and then witnessing a great F1 race in Austin, Texas next June. In sweltering heat. With completely expected parking and traffic problems which will eventually be fixed.
And American's next F1 era will have begun.
In Austin, Texas of all places.
Read More of Bill Tybur at his website: https://fmfl.net
David?s Blog: Visiting UPSers with Ned Jarrett
David Ragan and Ned Jarrett made a special stop at the 16th Street Hub in Indianapolis ahead of the weekend's events
Eric?s 2011 SCCA SOLO Nationals Challenges
Once again, Eric, my Contributing Blogger Extraordinaire, has come through with his honest & humble musings of SCCA Nationals SOLO competition notes & pix from Lincoln, NE. Last week, my codriver Jay and I made our first trip to Lincoln, NE for the 2011 SCCA Solo National Championships.� Unfortunately, the long tow was made even [...]
It?s Like A Car Museum You Can Buy From!
Classic Cars to Drool Over & Actually Buy I was able to travel back in time, in an automotive history sort of way.� It was an emotional experience.� On I-35, just south of New Braunfels, TX, is this large warehouse type of building, with big plate glass windows in front.� They are A&E Classic Cars.� [...]
Goings on at Amy?s Bad Groove
Here are a couple of excerpts from Amy’s Bad Groove this week: In I Have Stupid (NASCAR) Questions, I laments over the fact that she has questions about NASCAR she is afraid to ask…for fear of looking stupid: Anyway I have been a NASCAR fan for years (as in since childhood)?and I have a couple [...]
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
New Hampshire Weekend Review
There is never any way, in the US at least, Formula One is going to steal NASCAR’s thunder. The racing world was amazed as 21 year old Sebastion Vettel became the youngest driver ever to win a points Grand Prix race in the history of that series. He did it at Monza in Italy, driving [...]
New Hampshire Weekend Review
There is never any way, in the US at least, Formula One is going to steal NASCAR’s thunder. The racing world was amazed as 21 year old Sebastion Vettel became the youngest driver ever to win a points Grand Prix race in the history of that series. He did it at Monza in Italy, driving [...]
Kenseth?s wife taken to hospital after car crash
The wife of NASCAR driver Matt Kenseth was taken by ambulance to a local hospital Monday night after she crashed during practice for an exhibition race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. View full post on NBCSports.com: NASCAR / Motors addthis_url = 'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nascarpitstopblog.com%2Fnascar-racing%2Fkenseths-wife-taken-to-hospital-after-car-crash'; addthis_title = 'Kenseth%26%238217%3Bs+wife+taken+to+hospital+after+car+crash'; addthis_pub = ''; Technorati Tags: after, crash, hospital, Kenseth's, taken, wife
Seventh Annual Dale Earnhardt Day Set for April 29th
Dale Earnhardt Inc. will host the seventh annual Dale Earnhardt Day at its corporate headquarters in Mooresville, N.C. on Tuesday, April 29th.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Video: Jay Walking, Memphis Style
Big Willie from Comp Cams hit the blues- and tourist-rich environment of Beale St. in Memphis, Tennessee, to test the public with some automotive trivia in a format similar to Jay Leno’s “Jay Walking” segments from the Tonight Show. The results are somewhat expected, but no less entertaining. If anything, Big Willie proves that you [...]
Hamlin turns to sports psychologist
NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin says he’s been working with a well-known sports psychologist in an attempt to improve his attitude and outlook. View full post on NBCSports.com: NASCAR / Motors addthis_url = 'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nascarpitstopblog.com%2Fnascar-racing%2Fhamlin-turns-to-sports-psychologist'; addthis_title = 'Hamlin+turns+to+sports+psychologist'; addthis_pub = ''; Technorati Tags: Hamlin, psychologist, sports, Turns
MODJOBS: YOU Vote WE Build YOU Win
Follow Dennis from Hot Rod Magazine Live and his team of builders as they customize a Ford Mustang to create a one-of-a-kind, street machine that’s sure to turn heads and inspire envy. The final extreme machine will be auctioned for charity on eBay to�benefit�the Patriot Outreach program at this years SEMA. Watch new episodes HERE [...]
Battle in Bristol; Ragan Finishes 20th
David Ragan and the UPS team battled in Bristol. They started 24th and finished 20th.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Jack Thorton and the Southern Style Dodge Funny Car
Jack Thorton competed in both the UDRA and NASCAR circuits with Southern Style Dodge Funny Car during the 1967 season,
Video: 19 Minutes of Pure Drag Week 2011 Goodness From Topeka
In case you’re a newcomer, Hot Rod magazine’s annual Drag Week competition is open to all sorts of street-legal drag cars and daily drivers, and tests the durability of the cars by racing five times on five consecutive days at four dragstrips. The catch is that each car has to be driven the entire route [...]
Hobart Brothers Welding Tips Poster
Hobart Brothers offers the cure to common stick welding troubles. The poster illustrates common weld defects, their causes and solutions and is available free of charge in Spanish and English.
Hot Rod/Car Craft Cruise Night: Now With Nitro!
We had a feeling that the people on staff at the Automobile Driving Museum love cars as much as we do, but when they suggested we get a pair of nitro-burning, front-engine dragsters to fire up at this month’s cruise, we knew they were true gearheads. The two blown Jr. Fuel Hemi dragsters were campaigned [...]
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Ragan Finishes 28th in Watkins Glen; Walks Away from Violent Crash
David Ragan and the UPS team started 16th and finished 28th at Watkins Glen International on Monday
NASCAR Remains a Conundrum for Fans Who Love Racing Technology
By John Oreovicz
For many racing fans who appreciate technology and innovation, NASCAR remains an infuriating conundrum.
On the one hand, American stock car racing persists with old-school solutions like steel tube frames instead of carbon composite safety cells; solid rear axles instead of independent suspension; and of course, carburetors as opposed to fuel injection.
In the last 15 years, many NASCAR teams have embraced a level of engineering and development that arguably rivals Formula 1. Yet the rules dictate that all the computer number crunching in the world must still be applied to what other forms of racing consider ancient technology.
Now, some sixty years after fuel injection was put into widespread use in Indy car and F1 racing, NASCAR is finally embracing fuel injection for 2012 and beyond. Sprint Cup Series cars will utilize standardized Electronic Control Units (ECUs) produced by England?s McLaren Electronic Systems, in conjunction with Texas-based Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. Fuel injectors and other hardware will be supplied by Bosch.
?For decades, most of the parts and equipment on NASCAR race cars have been highly customized for racing, but at the same time relevant in standard automobiles,? stated a NASCAR press release. ?This move to fuel injection brings back an important synergy between these two vehicle types.?
NASCAR fans are unlikely to notice anything different about the way stock cars look or perform. Drivers are likely to observe improved drivability, or throttle response, and the cars will probably achieve slightly better fuel mileage.
?NASCAR race cars go through many different operating conditions at every race, and fuel injectors give the engine builders greater flexibility in setting up their engines for each track,? remarked Wolfgang Hustedt, Motorsports Manager for Bosch in North America.
?This change will give NASCAR drivers greater control over their vehicle performance, as well as control of fuel consumption.?
Five fuel injected cars, including representation from all four manufacturers competing in the Sprint Cup Series (Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford and Toyota), recently participated in a NASCAR open test at Kentucky Speedway. Although the injected cars lapped 1-2 mph slower than their carbureted counterparts, no major problems were reported.
?Most of the issues that I think we we?re going to have we?ve sorted through either on the dyno, or in private testing, and we were able to make way so far,? observed Toyota Racing Development President Lee White. ?It?s been a matter of logging laps and some minor changes to adjust the drivability issues around the garage area more than anything. There?s nothing that we?ve seen in terms of performance on the racetrack that worries us at all
?We?re really just logging laps,? White added. ?We?re in an environment here we can?t duplicate on the dyno - which is heat and vibration associated with coming into the garage area, idling around, parking, shutting it down, letting it heat soak, firing it back up, and all the things that are really impossible to do on a dyno. Frankly, I think we?re still trying to catch up for the carburetors. The carburetors are so highly evolved and do certain things so well, so at this point I think we?re still a few horsepower behind where the carburetors are.?
Andrew Randolph, Engine Technical Director for ECR Engines, which supplies powerplants for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing and Richard Childress Racing, addressed concerns about additional costs the switch to fuel injection might bring.
?We are actually quite happy with the system because it has considerable room for invention or for science,? Randolph stated. ?Certainly there is room for people to do it better than other people. You can look at costs in two ways. You can look at the dollars that it costs to implement the technology. But then you also have to look at the benefits that you derive from it and make a value judgment on whether it is a good thing or a bad thing to do.
?We are certainly in full support of it being a good thing,? he noted. ?It adds technical relevance to these engines compared to what is in production on the street now. Every small block engine that is on the street is fuel injected and these are going to be fuel injected small blocks as well.?
?We knew there would be some added cost to this,? added NASCAR Vice-President of Competition Robin Pemberton. ?Anytime you have a rule change, there are added upfront costs. But it?s something we need to do for our sport, for our competition, and to be relevant out there. We knew this moving forward when we decided to take this on. Everybody knew the challenges. That?s why the timeline (more than two years) was as long as it has been.?
A Roush-Fenway Racing Ford driven by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Greg Biffle turned the fastest lap of the Kentucky test.
?We had a test plan coming in, and we were able to move through the test plan without any issues,? said Ford Racing engineer Dave Simon. ?We did a lot of testing on the dyno so we pretty much knew what to expect. It?s been a positive day and there haven't been any unexpected issues due to fuel injection.
?I think from a racing standpoint the competition is going to be the same,? he continued. ?There will be big changes for us on how we tune at the track and how you prepare for each race. There are more knobs you have to turn and more work you have to do as far as calibration is concerned. Behind the scenes, it?s big. But on the track, you really won't notice a difference.?
The big question for NASCAR is: After not embracing fuel injection technology for more than half a century, why now?
?This is our first year in competition that we?ve had all four manufacturers competing with the engine architecture that was prescribed five years ago,? responded NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition director John Darby. ?You build the foundation of the house first, right?
?Now we?ve finally gotten to the point where the engine architecture is where we want it. It?s much easier to advance to the next level of engine now.?
- John Oreovicz is a veteran writer and historian who writes for a variety of motorsport publications.
For many racing fans who appreciate technology and innovation, NASCAR remains an infuriating conundrum.
On the one hand, American stock car racing persists with old-school solutions like steel tube frames instead of carbon composite safety cells; solid rear axles instead of independent suspension; and of course, carburetors as opposed to fuel injection.
In the last 15 years, many NASCAR teams have embraced a level of engineering and development that arguably rivals Formula 1. Yet the rules dictate that all the computer number crunching in the world must still be applied to what other forms of racing consider ancient technology.
Now, some sixty years after fuel injection was put into widespread use in Indy car and F1 racing, NASCAR is finally embracing fuel injection for 2012 and beyond. Sprint Cup Series cars will utilize standardized Electronic Control Units (ECUs) produced by England?s McLaren Electronic Systems, in conjunction with Texas-based Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. Fuel injectors and other hardware will be supplied by Bosch.
?For decades, most of the parts and equipment on NASCAR race cars have been highly customized for racing, but at the same time relevant in standard automobiles,? stated a NASCAR press release. ?This move to fuel injection brings back an important synergy between these two vehicle types.?
NASCAR fans are unlikely to notice anything different about the way stock cars look or perform. Drivers are likely to observe improved drivability, or throttle response, and the cars will probably achieve slightly better fuel mileage.
?NASCAR race cars go through many different operating conditions at every race, and fuel injectors give the engine builders greater flexibility in setting up their engines for each track,? remarked Wolfgang Hustedt, Motorsports Manager for Bosch in North America.
?This change will give NASCAR drivers greater control over their vehicle performance, as well as control of fuel consumption.?
Five fuel injected cars, including representation from all four manufacturers competing in the Sprint Cup Series (Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford and Toyota), recently participated in a NASCAR open test at Kentucky Speedway. Although the injected cars lapped 1-2 mph slower than their carbureted counterparts, no major problems were reported.
?Most of the issues that I think we we?re going to have we?ve sorted through either on the dyno, or in private testing, and we were able to make way so far,? observed Toyota Racing Development President Lee White. ?It?s been a matter of logging laps and some minor changes to adjust the drivability issues around the garage area more than anything. There?s nothing that we?ve seen in terms of performance on the racetrack that worries us at all
?We?re really just logging laps,? White added. ?We?re in an environment here we can?t duplicate on the dyno - which is heat and vibration associated with coming into the garage area, idling around, parking, shutting it down, letting it heat soak, firing it back up, and all the things that are really impossible to do on a dyno. Frankly, I think we?re still trying to catch up for the carburetors. The carburetors are so highly evolved and do certain things so well, so at this point I think we?re still a few horsepower behind where the carburetors are.?
Andrew Randolph, Engine Technical Director for ECR Engines, which supplies powerplants for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing and Richard Childress Racing, addressed concerns about additional costs the switch to fuel injection might bring.
?We are actually quite happy with the system because it has considerable room for invention or for science,? Randolph stated. ?Certainly there is room for people to do it better than other people. You can look at costs in two ways. You can look at the dollars that it costs to implement the technology. But then you also have to look at the benefits that you derive from it and make a value judgment on whether it is a good thing or a bad thing to do.
?We are certainly in full support of it being a good thing,? he noted. ?It adds technical relevance to these engines compared to what is in production on the street now. Every small block engine that is on the street is fuel injected and these are going to be fuel injected small blocks as well.?
?We knew there would be some added cost to this,? added NASCAR Vice-President of Competition Robin Pemberton. ?Anytime you have a rule change, there are added upfront costs. But it?s something we need to do for our sport, for our competition, and to be relevant out there. We knew this moving forward when we decided to take this on. Everybody knew the challenges. That?s why the timeline (more than two years) was as long as it has been.?
A Roush-Fenway Racing Ford driven by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Greg Biffle turned the fastest lap of the Kentucky test.
?We had a test plan coming in, and we were able to move through the test plan without any issues,? said Ford Racing engineer Dave Simon. ?We did a lot of testing on the dyno so we pretty much knew what to expect. It?s been a positive day and there haven't been any unexpected issues due to fuel injection.
?I think from a racing standpoint the competition is going to be the same,? he continued. ?There will be big changes for us on how we tune at the track and how you prepare for each race. There are more knobs you have to turn and more work you have to do as far as calibration is concerned. Behind the scenes, it?s big. But on the track, you really won't notice a difference.?
The big question for NASCAR is: After not embracing fuel injection technology for more than half a century, why now?
?This is our first year in competition that we?ve had all four manufacturers competing with the engine architecture that was prescribed five years ago,? responded NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition director John Darby. ?You build the foundation of the house first, right?
?Now we?ve finally gotten to the point where the engine architecture is where we want it. It?s much easier to advance to the next level of engine now.?
- John Oreovicz is a veteran writer and historian who writes for a variety of motorsport publications.
Limelight Dodge: the Jack-Knife Funny Car
The front clip tilted forward, gasser style. The rest of the Limelight's body however, was hinged at the rear and could be titlted up like a typical funny car.
Seventh Annual Dale Earnhardt Day Set for April 29th
Dale Earnhardt Inc. will host the seventh annual Dale Earnhardt Day at its corporate headquarters in Mooresville, N.C. on Tuesday, April 29th.
Video: 7-second Run As Seen By The Wheelie Bar
Videographer Clint Stringfellow strapped a Replay camera to Joe Barry’s Unlimited Class ’56 Chevy at Drag Week day 4 in Tulsa to capture a blistering 181mph run down the dragstrip. Combine the rear-facing Replay with an in-car GoPro shot of Joe grabbing gears on his Lenco and you’ll get an idea of just how quickly [...]
This Weekends Race?
I just got this email through NASCAR.com Due to inclement weather from Tropical Storm Hanna, tomorrow?s Chevy Rock & Roll 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway has been postponed until 1 p.m. Sunday. The Nationwide event will now be run at 7 p.m. Sunday.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
CFRC 02/19/2012
Florida checking in with some good media from some of our local photographers Kayla and Brice. This event was a lot of fun, too many crashes, but a lot of good driving. Just keep an eye out for the next event on the 6th, Matt Petty and John Wagner are coming down for
This Week in the NASCAR Blogosphere
By the end of the race at Lowe’s Motorspeedway the Chase will be half over. When the heck did that happen? I don’t know. Last weekend’s race at Talladega provided Tony Stewart with his first win of the season, his first win there in a sprint cup car and ended his 43 race winless streak. [...]
Dick Mack?s Satisfaction Chevelle versus Bob DuBrock?s Mustang
Dick Mack ran a full bodied Chevelle funny car with a shortened wheelbase approaching that of a fuel altered. The Satisfaction, running out of Ohio, garnered runner-up honors in the fuel category.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Truck Series Trouble
The 2011 Truck Series season started on a high note in Daytona with 46 trucks on the entry list and an emotional win by Michael Waltrip on the 10th anniversary of his Daytona 500 win. In the weeks and months that followed, the field began to thin. First, Randy Moss Motorsports shut down it’s second [...]TheNASCARInsiders.com
Follow the Insiders on Twitter or be a fan on Facebook!
Follow the Insiders on Twitter or be a fan on Facebook!
Replacing And Correcting Auto Fuses By Your Self
The people who drive their vehicle regularly are well aware of the term fuse. As the name indicates, fuse is a key part of your car?s electronic system. This is a small equipment that blows or fuses when something in your car goes wrong. The fuse can be replaced when it stops working. The fuse [...]
Engine Compression Check Made Easy
Keep tabs on your engine's compression ratio and performance with this cool new compression tester from Katech Performance...
Thursday, September 22, 2011
A bit more of tarmac, forests, and vineyards for Daniel Oliveira
The Alsace region will be the venue for the Rallye de France, 11th round of the WRC Daniel Oliveira and Carlos Magalhaes have just left behind Rally Australia, a kind of parenthesis in a tougher mini season with plenty of tarmac stages scheduled for the reminder of the calendar and which will continue next week [...]
Seventh Annual Dale Earnhardt Day Set for April 29th
Dale Earnhardt Inc. will host the seventh annual Dale Earnhardt Day at its corporate headquarters in Mooresville, N.C. on Tuesday, April 29th.
A New Can-Am Series? Can it Match Up?
By Larry Edsall
Once upon a time, boys and girls -- and this is no fairy tale, because I was there and I saw it with my own eyes -- there was road racing in America that was so spectacular, so intriguing, and with such a cast of characters that there were more spectators in the grandstands and on the hillsides than there were participants in the paddock and pits. Honest! If you don?t believe me, you can look it up in the history books.
It was the heyday of pro racing sanctioned by the Sports Car Club of America, and believe it or not, it was every bit as big a deal as NASCAR stock car racing, which was still running on, ahem, red dirt tracks, and almost as big a deal as U.S. Auto Club Indy car races, except, of course, for the Indy 500, which was, I know this may be hard for youngsters to believe, but Indy was the biggest race not just in the United States but on the entire planet Earth.
I know, I know, this is all very hard for many of you to accept, but it is true.
Oh, and not only was there one road racing series of such stature, but, count ?em, three such series:
* Can-Am, with Group 7, open-cockpit (and pretty much an open rule book), big-block sports-racers from McLaren, Chaparral, Porsche, Shadow and others, with a who?s who of motorsports behind the wheel -- Bruce McLaren, Denis Hulme, Dan Gurney, Mario Andretti, Phil Hill, Jackie Oliver, Jo Siffert, Jackie Stewart, Jack Brabham, John Surtees.
* Trans-Am, with factory-backed pony cars -- Mustangs, Camaros, Challengers, Javelins, etc. -- prepared by the likes of Roger Penske, Dan Gurney and Bud Moore, and driven by guys named Mark Donohue, Parnelli Jones, Swede Savage, Sam Posey, Peter Revson, George Follmer.
* Formula 5000, with five-liter American stock block engines mounted in open-wheel Formula A racers to create a sort-of all-American grand prix for drivers such as Jody Scheckter, Brian Redman, David Hobbs, Derek Bell and Tony A2Z Adamowicz.
Why, you wonder, am I bringing this up now? It?s because the web was all atwitter recently with news of a ?new? Can-Am series, to be launched in 2012 by the American Le Mans Series.
?The new series that will save auto racing in America,? one website proclaimed the news of the ?Heritage? series for new Unlimited Racing Championship cars that look like the classic Can-Am racers. The ?Heritage? series will be open to owner-drivers who can spend $485,000 on what is basically an arrive-and-drive spec series.
The ALMS press release said the NuArt Can-Am cars are ?reminiscent of the ?glory days? of the Canadian-American Challenge Cup from the 1960s-70s.?
Photo courtesy of the American LeMans Series
I have nothing against ALMS, which has succeeded the SCCA and the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) as the source of what remains of professional road racing in the U.S. And I?ll even grant you the Unlimited Racing Championship cars may be terrific vehicles.
But while they may look like real Can-Am racers, they and their series are cubic zirconia to the diamonds of the real Can-Am.
To paraphrase Sen. Lloyd Bentsen during his 1988 vice-presidential debate with Dan Quayle: ?I covered the Can-Am series. I knew the Can-Am series. You, sirs, are no Can-Am.?
You can read more of Larry at www.izoom.com.
Once upon a time, boys and girls -- and this is no fairy tale, because I was there and I saw it with my own eyes -- there was road racing in America that was so spectacular, so intriguing, and with such a cast of characters that there were more spectators in the grandstands and on the hillsides than there were participants in the paddock and pits. Honest! If you don?t believe me, you can look it up in the history books.
It was the heyday of pro racing sanctioned by the Sports Car Club of America, and believe it or not, it was every bit as big a deal as NASCAR stock car racing, which was still running on, ahem, red dirt tracks, and almost as big a deal as U.S. Auto Club Indy car races, except, of course, for the Indy 500, which was, I know this may be hard for youngsters to believe, but Indy was the biggest race not just in the United States but on the entire planet Earth.
I know, I know, this is all very hard for many of you to accept, but it is true.
Oh, and not only was there one road racing series of such stature, but, count ?em, three such series:
* Can-Am, with Group 7, open-cockpit (and pretty much an open rule book), big-block sports-racers from McLaren, Chaparral, Porsche, Shadow and others, with a who?s who of motorsports behind the wheel -- Bruce McLaren, Denis Hulme, Dan Gurney, Mario Andretti, Phil Hill, Jackie Oliver, Jo Siffert, Jackie Stewart, Jack Brabham, John Surtees.
* Trans-Am, with factory-backed pony cars -- Mustangs, Camaros, Challengers, Javelins, etc. -- prepared by the likes of Roger Penske, Dan Gurney and Bud Moore, and driven by guys named Mark Donohue, Parnelli Jones, Swede Savage, Sam Posey, Peter Revson, George Follmer.
* Formula 5000, with five-liter American stock block engines mounted in open-wheel Formula A racers to create a sort-of all-American grand prix for drivers such as Jody Scheckter, Brian Redman, David Hobbs, Derek Bell and Tony A2Z Adamowicz.
Why, you wonder, am I bringing this up now? It?s because the web was all atwitter recently with news of a ?new? Can-Am series, to be launched in 2012 by the American Le Mans Series.
?The new series that will save auto racing in America,? one website proclaimed the news of the ?Heritage? series for new Unlimited Racing Championship cars that look like the classic Can-Am racers. The ?Heritage? series will be open to owner-drivers who can spend $485,000 on what is basically an arrive-and-drive spec series.
The ALMS press release said the NuArt Can-Am cars are ?reminiscent of the ?glory days? of the Canadian-American Challenge Cup from the 1960s-70s.?
Photo courtesy of the American LeMans Series
I have nothing against ALMS, which has succeeded the SCCA and the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) as the source of what remains of professional road racing in the U.S. And I?ll even grant you the Unlimited Racing Championship cars may be terrific vehicles.
But while they may look like real Can-Am racers, they and their series are cubic zirconia to the diamonds of the real Can-Am.
To paraphrase Sen. Lloyd Bentsen during his 1988 vice-presidential debate with Dan Quayle: ?I covered the Can-Am series. I knew the Can-Am series. You, sirs, are no Can-Am.?
You can read more of Larry at www.izoom.com.
New Backpack Cooler Keeps Cold-Ones Close By
An innovative backpack cooler from TrackPack chills and dispenses 20 beverage cans with the flick of a wrist, complies with most public venues and tracks and is easy for one person to carry. Drink up!
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
NASCAR Drivers Pre Watkins Glen
Ryan Newman, Kyle Busch and Paul Menard look ahead to this weekend’s race at Watkins Glen. addthis_url = 'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nascarpitstopblog.com%2Fnascar-drivers%2Fnascar-drivers-pre-watkins-glen'; addthis_title = 'NASCAR+Drivers+Pre+Watkins+Glen'; addthis_pub = ''; Technorati Tags: drivers, glen, nascar, watkins
Formula 1 KHP Consultant Learns Austin?s Influence
A few weeks ago, I received an interesting request to be interviewed regarding my thoughts on Formula 1 in Texas.� This contact came via LinkedIn from KHP Consultant to Formula 1, Michael Cox. He asked: “I see that you’re a fellow F1 enthusiast.� I’ve scheduled a trip to Texas in August to meet with F1 [...]
David?s Blog: Charlotte Event & Off to The Glen
David Ragan took part in an event with Charlotte Motor Speedway before heading up to Watkins Glen for road course racing!
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Ghostface Killah-Daytona 500 Instrumental
GFK man addthis_url = 'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nascarpitstopblog.com%2Fnascar-tracks%2Fghostface-killah-daytona-500-instrumental'; addthis_title = 'Ghostface+Killah-Daytona+500+Instrumental'; addthis_pub = ''; Technorati Tags: Ghostface, Instrumental, KillahDaytona
Ned Jarrett on UPS and Hall of Fame Tribute
Ned Jarrett shares his thoughts after unveiling the UPS/Hall of Fame Tribute Car
You Too Can Be Fast And Fabulous!
Hey race fans- just wanted to let you know that you can win a $25.00 BP gas card from TheFastandTheFabulous.com. Just fill out the form located here. And while you are there poke around- it’s a great racing blog!
Monday, September 19, 2011
The NASCAR Week That Was: Sept. 11-17
Paul Menard and Richard Childress Racing led the chatter this week as the two were the subject of rumors about an intentional spin to help RCR driver Kevin Harvick last weekend at Richmond. The team denied the accusations and NASCAR said this weekend they found no evidence to suggest it occurred. In other news, rumors [...]TheNASCARInsiders.com
Follow the Insiders on Twitter or be a fan on Facebook!
Follow the Insiders on Twitter or be a fan on Facebook!
Ned Jarrett on UPS and Hall of Fame Tribute
Ned Jarrett shares his thoughts after unveiling the UPS/Hall of Fame Tribute Car
Mid America Motorworks Corvette Funfest Last Day Images
The 2011 Mid America Motorsports Corvette Funfest is over but I still have 100′s of images of Corvettes. I thought I would give some of the die hards that came out on Sunday some glory as they are�truly the heartbeat of this great event.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
David?s Blog: Charlotte Event & Off to The Glen
David Ragan took part in an event with Charlotte Motor Speedway before heading up to Watkins Glen for road course racing!
MWR talking to Clint Bowyer about joining team
Michael Waltrip said Friday he’s had discussions with both Clint Bowyer and a potential sponsor for the driver. View full post on NBCSports.com: NASCAR / Motors addthis_url = 'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nascarpitstopblog.com%2Fnascar-racing%2Fmwr-talking-to-clint-bowyer-about-joining-team'; addthis_title = 'MWR+talking+to+Clint+Bowyer+about+joining+team'; addthis_pub = ''; Technorati Tags: about, Bowyer, Clint, joining, talking, team
Enjuku Pro-AM driver finishes 3rd @ FD Palm Beach, 1st in points!
Our driver Pat Goodin finished 3rd place this past weekend at FD Palm Beach.
He is now 1st in points for the Street Wise Drift Series.
Ryan Kaufman took 2nd, and Doug Van Den Brink took 1st.
Our photographer Kayla Montgomery was there to catch all the action.
Congrats to all the pro-am drivers, and keep up the
He is now 1st in points for the Street Wise Drift Series.
Ryan Kaufman took 2nd, and Doug Van Den Brink took 1st.
Our photographer Kayla Montgomery was there to catch all the action.
Congrats to all the pro-am drivers, and keep up the
Bad Luck in Atlanta; Ragan Finishes 35th
David Ragan and the UPS team had a solid run going at Atlanta Motor Speedway before a mechanical issue ended their day early
Coming Soon From Hot Rod, Tach Testing
Ever wonder what you’re getting when you buy an expensive tach, or a cheap one for that matter? Next week Finnegan is headed to Westech with a whole heap of tachometers to test their accuracy. If you’ve got any other tach questions you’d like answered, send them our way and we’ll see what we can [...]
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Episode 6 ? Nascar
Once again no affence to Nascar fans addthis_url = 'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nascarpitstopblog.com%2Fnascar-fans%2Fepisode-6-nascar'; addthis_title = 'Episode+6+%26%238211%3B+Nascar'; addthis_pub = ''; Technorati Tags: episode, nascar
Matt Kenseth wins pole for 1st Chase race
The opening round in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship won’t decide the NASCAR champion. View full post on NBCSports.com: NASCAR / Motors addthis_url = 'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nascarpitstopblog.com%2Fnascar-racing%2Fmatt-kenseth-wins-pole-for-1st-chase-race'; addthis_title = 'Matt+Kenseth+wins+pole+for+1st+Chase+race'; addthis_pub = ''; Technorati Tags: chase, Kenseth, Matt, pole, race, wins
Ask The Insiders Wednesday #142
Thanks to Tropical Storm Lee, we’ve got a very short week ahead. �The Cup teams only have a few short days to get everything turned over and be on their way to Richmond for a Saturday night race. �And, don’t forget that Richmond is the last race before the Chase! �If you don?t know what [...]TheNASCARInsiders.com
Follow the Insiders on Twitter or be a fan on Facebook!
Follow the Insiders on Twitter or be a fan on Facebook!
Build Update >>> Travis Clark
ISIS Performance Canadian Driver, Travis Clark, had a successful DMCC Round 1 outing with his convertible S13. After qualifying 12th at DMCC Round 1 in Calgary, Alberta, Clark competed in Top 16 tandem at the first event of the season. Clark’s S13 is equipped with a variety of ISIS Performance products including:
ISIS Stainless Steel Downpipe
ISIS
ISIS Stainless Steel Downpipe
ISIS
Friday, September 16, 2011
34 down, 2 more to go
That’s right the 2008 season is winding down. �With only two races left, it’s Jimmie’s championship to lose. �Carl did cut down some of Jimmie’s lead in Texas, but Jimmie and Chad have been here before. �I have to admit since Talladega I haven’t been all that excited about the racing. �I guess it’s because [...]
Can't Compare Johnson's Three to Cale Yarborough's Three
So Jimmy Johnson won his third championship in a row yesterday. Good for him. But it can't be considered the same as when Yarborough did it in the '70s. Keep with me after the jump for more...
Pit Stop USA Announces New Retail Store and Catalog
Pit Stop USA, a leading online retailer to the circle market, will be opening a new retail showroom in March and also announced the release of their 2011 catalog.
Replacing And Correcting Auto Fuses By Your Self
The people who drive their vehicle regularly are well aware of the term fuse. As the name indicates, fuse is a key part of your car?s electronic system. This is a small equipment that blows or fuses when something in your car goes wrong. The fuse can be replaced when it stops working. The fuse [...]
Musician?s Blueprint to Getting Heard ? Bestselling Blueprint Series!
It’s Here! The Next Exciting Product in the “Easy Home Recording Blueprint” Series. From Award Winning Major Label Recording Artist! Step-By-Step Method For Musicians to Get Their Songs Heard by Thousands. Affiliates = RecordingHomeStudio.com/affiliates Musician’s Blueprint to Getting Heard – Bestselling Blueprint Series! addthis_url = 'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nascarpitstopblog.com%2Fnascar-fans%2Fmusicians-blueprint-to-getting-heard-bestselling-blueprint-series'; addthis_title = 'Musician%26%238217%3Bs+Blueprint+to+Getting+Heard+%26%238211%3B+Bestselling+Blueprint+Series%21'; addthis_pub = ''; Technorati Tags: Bestselling, [...]
1959 Daytona 500 Part 2 Of 3
Start Of The Race Daytona, Florida February 22, 1959 Margin Of Victory: Measured 2 Feet Full results and other facts here: www.racing-reference.info addthis_url = 'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nascarpitstopblog.com%2Fnascar-tracks%2F1959-daytona-500-part-2-of-3'; addthis_title = '1959+Daytona+500+Part+2+Of+3'; addthis_pub = ''; Technorati Tags: 1959, daytona, Part
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Busch can't do no wrong
Busch again was in the right place at the right time to claim victory in the pepsi 400
Key Pit Crew Changes Could Shape Championships
Pit road has played a big roll in the outcome of races this season, and as the Cup and Nationwide Series search for their 2011 champions, an even bigger emphasis will be placed on the crews. �Those drivers with the strongest pit crews will have a serious advantage as we come into the home stretch. [...]TheNASCARInsiders.com
Follow the Insiders on Twitter or be a fan on Facebook!
Follow the Insiders on Twitter or be a fan on Facebook!
The Early Luxury Automobile Products
The gorgeous and massive cars shown in the classic movies might have succeeded in grabbing your attention. But have you ever think that who manufactured them? Who were they? These cars were made by the Italian company Isotta Fraschine. Although these cars were not highly luxurious cars of their times but still they were gaining [...]
Palm Beach FD 2011
What a great crowd this year in Palm Beach!
This was the first time Formula Drift has ever come to Florida, and it was a great event.
We’re looking forward to many more seasons of FD at PBIR!
Great coverage again by Kayla Montgomery
more of her pictures can be seen here: Palm Beach FD
This was the first time Formula Drift has ever come to Florida, and it was a great event.
We’re looking forward to many more seasons of FD at PBIR!
Great coverage again by Kayla Montgomery
more of her pictures can be seen here: Palm Beach FD
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Equip Your Car With The New Accessories
A car comes with different accessories, but still some people equip their car with new accessories in order to give it a new look, according to their style. Companies selling automotive accessories know the choices of people and they develop and design accessories according to the demand of the people. Below are given some products [...]
Tips For Free Repairs With Automotive Recalls
You may have heard about the automotive recalls from the internet, newspaper or the nightly news. The amazing fact is that every 12th car running over the road had to face this recall in 2003 for one reason or other. The fact that was highlighted from this recall is that only one third of the [...]
Miller to Unveil Revolutionary TIG Welder at 2008 SEMA Show
Get hands-on experience and expert demonstrations of MIG welding, TIG welding and plasma cutting. Test Miller TIG and MIG welders that make it easier to learn to weldperfect for enthusiast-level motorsports applications.
Ask The Insiders Wednesday #142
Thanks to Tropical Storm Lee, we’ve got a very short week ahead. �The Cup teams only have a few short days to get everything turned over and be on their way to Richmond for a Saturday night race. �And, don’t forget that Richmond is the last race before the Chase! �If you don?t know what [...]TheNASCARInsiders.com
Follow the Insiders on Twitter or be a fan on Facebook!
Follow the Insiders on Twitter or be a fan on Facebook!
LS Fest 2011 Drag Racing Gallery
At Holley’s 2011 LS Fest, Friday was only for test and tune runs down the strip, but competitors still had a lot of fun. Track officials were hard at work making the track safe and fast, while at the same time getting in as many passes as possible. Check out this gallery to see a [...]
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Richard Petty's 50th Anniversary Celebration
Hard to believe it's been 50 years since Richard Petty made his first start racing in NASCAR, in what was then the Grand National division (later to become Winston Cup)...
BUILD >>> Travis Clark ? DMCC ISIS Sponsored Drive
Hey everyone, wanted to share my 93′ 240sx vert I have been building for the last seven months.
Here the car is in its earlier stages. Caged and gutted:
Braced up the rear subframe suspension arm tabs to add some stiffness and strength:
Also went with the parts shop max spindle kit. Ran it the last
Here the car is in its earlier stages. Caged and gutted:
Braced up the rear subframe suspension arm tabs to add some stiffness and strength:
Also went with the parts shop max spindle kit. Ran it the last
Video: Vaughn Gitten Jr.?s RTR-X Mustang
Team Need For Speed released a video of the making of Vaughn Gitten Jr.’s 1969 RTR-X Mustang. Between the drift expo at LS Fest and this video, it’s a wonder we have any tread left on any of our tires. You can find more on the RTR-X on the Speedhunters website or on Autoblog.
?69 Camaro vs ?70 Chevelle in Best Chevy of All-Time Final
To celebrate its 100th anniversary, Chevrolet created a single-elimination 16-car bracket and asked Chevy fans to vote for their favorite Chevrolet of all time. The ’70 Chevelle defeated two generations of Corvette fiberglass and the Camaro took down the venerable ’57 Chevy to enter the finals, so who’s gonna be the winner? Visit the voting [...]
Car Care And Diagnostics- The Smell [Part 3]
It is a good idea to learn more about how to care your vehicle. It will allow a person to stay alert if some unscrupulous mechanic tries to gouge on your repairs. It stops a person from unnecessary repairs and saves your money. Also, it helps to locate a problem and fix it early. We [...]
Monday, September 12, 2011
Video: Ford?s Jim Farley Laps Laguna Seca in a Shelby Cobra
Jim Farley, Ford Motor Company’s group vice president of global marketing, sales and service, is a car guy. Here’s proof: a hot lap at Laguna Seca in a bare-bones Shelby Cobra U.S. Road Racing Championship car during the Monterey Historics weekend. Two in-car video cameras captured the action while an accelerometer measured G-forces. The resulting [...]
Build Update >>> Travis Clark
ISIS Performance Canadian Driver, Travis Clark, had a successful DMCC Round 1 outing with his convertible S13. After qualifying 12th at DMCC Round 1 in Calgary, Alberta, Clark competed in Top 16 tandem at the first event of the season. Clark’s S13 is equipped with a variety of ISIS Performance products including:
ISIS Stainless Steel Downpipe
ISIS
ISIS Stainless Steel Downpipe
ISIS
Richard Petty's Driver Search is On
If you are an aspiring racer looking to develop your skills and advance your career, Richard Petty’s Driver Search is the program for you.
David?s Visit to the Campus of ESPN
David made a trip to the campus of ESPN following his win at Daytona
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Merry Christmas To All
Cross Posted from Rev’Jim’s RantsnRaves Santa didn’t forget We almost let Christmas slip by without offering a wish list for some of our favorite drivers, teams, and NASCAR personalities. I’m not going to let that happen. Silly season never really ended. Bobby Labonte was released from Petty Enterprises even after avowing his loyalty to that [...]
Wrecking A Teammate Is Always Tough To Explain
With the Cup Series delayed until at least Tuesday, I figured we’d take a look at an incident that took place during Saturday night’s Nationwide Series race at Atlanta. �Late in the going, Justin Allgaier got into Turner Motorsports teammate Reed Sorenson in turn two, causing a wreck that ended the night for Sorenson and [...]TheNASCARInsiders.com
Follow the Insiders on Twitter or be a fan on Facebook!
Follow the Insiders on Twitter or be a fan on Facebook!
Saturday, September 10, 2011
LA Times Look at Vortech Superchargers
The LA Times has a great article about Vortech Engineering in their business section that includes an interview with the president of the company, Jim Middlebrook and some history on the company. Check out the article here.
David Wins Daytona!!
David Ragan and the UPS team earned their first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series on Saturday night in Daytona!
Knowing About Recalls
People usually do not respond to the recalls because they do not have proper knowledge about the process involved in recalls. It is the responsibility of NHTSA National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration, to highlight the complaints and problems faced by the customers regarding to their vehicles. If so many similar complaints are launched about [...]
Friday, September 9, 2011
Are We Watching The Demise Of Kevin Harvick Inc?
It was announced on Wednesday that starting in 2012, Kevin Harvick Inc.’s Nationwide Series program would be “merged” with Richard Childress Racing. �Effectively, what this “merger” means, is that KHI’s #2 and #33 NNS teams will now be run out of RCR’s shop in Welcome, NC. �Elliott Sadler will continue piloting the #2 and a [...]TheNASCARInsiders.com
Follow the Insiders on Twitter or be a fan on Facebook!
Follow the Insiders on Twitter or be a fan on Facebook!
34 down, 2 more to go
That’s right the 2008 season is winding down. �With only two races left, it’s Jimmie’s championship to lose. �Carl did cut down some of Jimmie’s lead in Texas, but Jimmie and Chad have been here before. �I have to admit since Talladega I haven’t been all that excited about the racing. �I guess it’s because [...]
Tough Ending in Indy; Ragan Finishes 23rd
The UPS team brought the field to green in a special UPS/NASCAR Hall of Fame tribute car and finished 23rd after a sweltering race in Indy
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Solid Top-10 Finish in Kentucky for Ragan and UPS
David Ragan and the UPS team started eighth and finished eighth at Kentucky Speedway
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Greenhouse heading to New York for Black River Stages
Defending three-time RallyAmerica Central Region Group 2 Champion Chris Greenhouse is going to New York later this month to compete at Black River Stages. The event, sanctioned by NASA RallySport, will be held in Harrisville, NY on September 23-24. Joining Chris in the codriver seat will be veteran codriver Brian Johnson. "This will be a [...]
F1 German GP Watch Party Fun at Wild Bubba?s
Today, Wild Bubba’s Wild Game Grill hosted a Formula 1 Watch Party to enjoy the German Grand Prix of Nurburgring. I motored up from San Antonio, TX to Elroy,TX – almost 90 miles away.� It’s just about 3 miles south of the Austin Bergstrom International Airport.� Before I arrived I went off to the side [...]
The Tricky Triangle Shows No Love for UPS team
David Ragan and the UPS team started 15th and finished 34th at Pocono Raceway
The Early Luxury Automobile Products
The gorgeous and massive cars shown in the classic movies might have succeeded in grabbing your attention. But have you ever think that who manufactured them? Who were they? These cars were made by the Italian company Isotta Fraschine. Although these cars were not highly luxurious cars of their times but still they were gaining [...]
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Formula 1 KHP Consultant Learns Austin?s Influence
A few weeks ago, I received an interesting request to be interviewed regarding my thoughts on Formula 1 in Texas.� This contact came via LinkedIn from KHP Consultant to Formula 1, Michael Cox. He asked: “I see that you’re a fellow F1 enthusiast.� I’ve scheduled a trip to Texas in August to meet with F1 [...]
Video Preview of Black Air: The Buick Grand National Documentary
We’ve always had a soft spot for Buick Grand Nationals. With a turbo V6 that was a monster in its time wrapped in plebeian G-body guise, the only thing keeping the GN from being a sleeper was its sinister look. It was the black sheep at GM, and challenged the vaunted Corvette for top dog [...]
Cadillac Ciel Could Be Approved For Production By Year?s End
Thanks to an overwhelming positive response to Cadillac’s Ciel drop-top that debuted in August during the week-long festivities surrounding the Concours d’Elegance, Cadillac seems likely to approve the Ciel for production. With bold style, luxury amenities, and a twin-turbo RWD platform, dubbed Omega, we thought it would have been obvious that the public would love [...]
Monday, September 5, 2011
Petty Holdings Announces Richard Petty's Driver Search
Training Camp & Competition Will Award Opportunity in ARCA Racing
Series and Marcos Ambrose and Randy LaJoie have joined the staff of
Richard Petty's Driver Search.
Series and Marcos Ambrose and Randy LaJoie have joined the staff of
Richard Petty's Driver Search.
CFRC 02/19/2012
Florida checking in with some good media from some of our local photographers Kayla and Brice. This event was a lot of fun, too many crashes, but a lot of good driving. Just keep an eye out for the next event on the 6th, Matt Petty and John Wagner are coming down for
Build Update >>> Travis Clark
ISIS Performance Canadian Driver, Travis Clark, had a successful DMCC Round 1 outing with his convertible S13. After qualifying 12th at DMCC Round 1 in Calgary, Alberta, Clark competed in Top 16 tandem at the first event of the season. Clark’s S13 is equipped with a variety of ISIS Performance products including:
ISIS Stainless Steel Downpipe
ISIS
ISIS Stainless Steel Downpipe
ISIS
Sunday, September 4, 2011
PIERRE CAMPANA TAKES SECOND RALLY VICTORY WITH DRIVE-PRO IN RALLYE MONT-BLANC
Pierre Campana has continued his impressive debut with the MINI John Cooper Works WRC car and Team Drive-Pro by securing victory in the 63rd Rallye Mont-Blanc Morzine this afternoon. The 26-year-old Corsican, with his long-time co-driver Sabrina de Castelli, can now boast two victories out of the three rallies he has contested in the MINI [...]
Canon Mecsek Rallye preview
The PROTON Motorsports team arrives in Hungary for the start of the latest Intercontinental Rally Challenge on Friday (September 9), with the sole aim of building on the solid results achieved on last month?s Barum Czech Rally Zlin. PROTON drivers P-G Andersson (Sweden) and Giandomenico Basso (Italy) are both on top form and match-fit after [...]
Pink Camaro Pace Car, At Least It?s Not A Camry
Last month’s news that a Camry will be pacing the 2012 Daytona 500 left many NASCAR fans with a sour taste in their mouths. We’d bet that they would prefer this Camaro SS, despite it’s shocking pink paintjob. The pink color and ribbon on the car draw attention to the Camaro’s special purpose, raising money [...]
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Part Time Sponsorships: Band Aid or Brand Fade?
Remember when race cars were still called "specials" and always looked the same, every race, every season, according to what colors, personal obsessions and/or hand lettering styles the team owner, long time sponsor or the primary check writer's wife (or girlfriend) liked? They didn't know it at the time but those early team owners and sponsors were participating in the development of what the marketing folks now call 'Branding' -- something entirely different from the kind of branding that Rowdy Yates, Gordon Johncock and A.J. Foyt used to do to cows. A company's brand is its personality, image and reputation; it?s the consumer's perception of the company and its values. Using motorsports to promote a company brand has always been an efficient, reasonably cost-effective, but not inexpensive means of advertising. But as noted in The Right Stuff, "No bucks, no Buck Rogers." The current economy, still wheezing along as it tries to avoid hospice, has had a major impact on motorsports sponsorships and race teams have had to make equally major adjustments. Full season and especially multi-season sponsorships, which benefit and build the team and sponsor brands best, are becoming extinct. So to keep doing what they do, race teams are slicing up their primary sponsorship packages to allow more companies to benefit from NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide and IZOD IndyCar Series brand building. That's why Cousin Carl, Juan Pablo, Kyle Busch and so many other NASCAR superstars now find themselves racing two, three, four or more different looking cars each season. Why Helio, Dario, Scott Dixon, etc. in IndyCar run different paint schemes at different races. Everyone from Roush Fenway, Andretti Autosports and Richard Childress to Team Penske, Hendrick Motorsports and Chip Ganassi have had to adopt the new break-it-up-and-sell-it-in-pieces model in order to keep their doors open and all their teams racing. Unfortunately the all-powerful branding value of primary sponsorship in racing, as a whole, is no longer the sum of its parts because partial race sponsorships mean diminished reach and frequency per sponsor. Partial sponsorships surrender and waste the opportunities for long term, loyalty over time relationships that come from default consumer connections. Exclusivity and its rewards are going away. The almost subconscious association between the consumer and a driver, team, primary sponsor and series, where a special paint scheme is part of the sponsor's branding strategy, not some other company's, is fading.
For instance: Matt Kenseth has been driving a No. 17 Ford for 11 years. From his rookie year through 2009, DeWalt Power Tools served as his team's primary sponsor and every partner's branding efforts benefitted. A successful, popular driver was associated with a strong team and a popular consumer product manufacturer and all three were presented to the consumer, week after week, with the same face, the same voice, the same 'look and feel' on the biggest stage in American racing.
DeWalt left after 2009 and the No. 17 car became the Crown Royal Ford. But just last week we found out that Crown Royal, Matt's "primary primary" sponsor is leaving at the end of this season. And this past Saturday night, when Kenseth pushed teammate David Ragan's No. 6 UPS Ford to the win at Daytona, the No. 17 was black instead of Royal Crown purple; the rear quarter panel displaying the name and logo of a company called Affliction Clothing -- even thought you won't find that name and logo on Roush Fenway's sponsor page at www.roushfenway.com yet. The brand partnership that was so strong for so many years has splintered. So as a result of rotating sponsorships and car colors and well-intentioned consumer promotions, primary motorsports sponsorship as a branding investment strategy is slowly being devalued. The No. 1 racing-related brand in history remains STP thanks mainly to its decades-long support of Richard Petty and the No. 43 car, and earlier support of the Novi, then turbine -powered, the Mario Andretti -driven Indy 500 race cars. Year after year, with relentless repetition, STP's hope-in-a-bottle message was exposed to a larger and larger audience because the marketing campaign didn't just help STP; it also helped NASCAR, Richard Petty, Andy Granatelli and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was the epitome of that old, 'a rising tide lift all boats' deal. And now, like the price of gas, motorsports sponsorship is in a recession -created slump that no one can really do anything about. Part-time sponsors are certainly better than no sponsors but there will be consequences to the realistic prognosis that season-long primary sponsorships will soon be the exception instead of the rule. For we-the-non-invested, part-time sponsorships will be fine and we'll hardly notice any difference between Jimmy Johnson in the always Lowe's -liveried car and Jeff Gordon and his No. 24 car that switches between DuPont, Pepsi and AARP paint schemes. We'll follow our favorite teams and drivers like always, barely aware of the rotating wraps. We won't really care that sometimes Carl Edwards's car and driving suit is green or red for Scott's or Ortho; or black, blue and green for Aflac or yellow and green for Subway or blue and white for Fastenal. But the corporate bean counters, media researchers and impressions junkies will care. Because slicing up a season long primary race car sponsorship makes it less of a branding bargain, not more. When the economy recovers, today's NASCAR, IndyCar, NHRA, etc. teams may find that the selling prices of real, effective, build-your-brand, activate-like-crazy primary race car sponsorships won't come close to where they were before the recession. Too many get-what-you-sell-for partial sponsorships will have diluted the primary sponsorship ?brand?, changing the funding model forever. Let hope that works out for everyone.
Remember when race cars were still called "specials" and always looked the same, every race, every season, according to what colors, personal obsessions and/or hand lettering styles the team owner, long time sponsor or the primary check writer's wife (or girlfriend) liked? They didn't know it at the time but those early team owners and sponsors were participating in the development of what the marketing folks now call 'Branding' -- something entirely different from the kind of branding that Rowdy Yates, Gordon Johncock and A.J. Foyt used to do to cows. A company's brand is its personality, image and reputation; it?s the consumer's perception of the company and its values. Using motorsports to promote a company brand has always been an efficient, reasonably cost-effective, but not inexpensive means of advertising. But as noted in The Right Stuff, "No bucks, no Buck Rogers." The current economy, still wheezing along as it tries to avoid hospice, has had a major impact on motorsports sponsorships and race teams have had to make equally major adjustments. Full season and especially multi-season sponsorships, which benefit and build the team and sponsor brands best, are becoming extinct. So to keep doing what they do, race teams are slicing up their primary sponsorship packages to allow more companies to benefit from NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide and IZOD IndyCar Series brand building. That's why Cousin Carl, Juan Pablo, Kyle Busch and so many other NASCAR superstars now find themselves racing two, three, four or more different looking cars each season. Why Helio, Dario, Scott Dixon, etc. in IndyCar run different paint schemes at different races. Everyone from Roush Fenway, Andretti Autosports and Richard Childress to Team Penske, Hendrick Motorsports and Chip Ganassi have had to adopt the new break-it-up-and-sell-it-in-pieces model in order to keep their doors open and all their teams racing. Unfortunately the all-powerful branding value of primary sponsorship in racing, as a whole, is no longer the sum of its parts because partial race sponsorships mean diminished reach and frequency per sponsor. Partial sponsorships surrender and waste the opportunities for long term, loyalty over time relationships that come from default consumer connections. Exclusivity and its rewards are going away. The almost subconscious association between the consumer and a driver, team, primary sponsor and series, where a special paint scheme is part of the sponsor's branding strategy, not some other company's, is fading. For instance: Matt Kenseth has been driving a No. 17 Ford for 11 years. From his rookie year through 2009, DeWalt Power Tools served as his team's primary sponsor and every partner's branding efforts benefitted. A successful, popular driver was associated with a strong team and a popular consumer product manufacturer and all three were presented to the consumer, week after week, with the same face, the same voice, the same 'look and feel' on the biggest stage in American racing. DeWalt left after 2009 and the No. 17 car became the Crown Royal Ford. But just last week we found out that Crown Royal, Matt's "primary primary" sponsor is leaving at the end of this season. And this past Saturday night, when Kenseth pushed teammate David Ragan's No. 6 UPS Ford to the win at Daytona, the No. 17 was black instead of Royal Crown purple; the rear quarter panel displaying the name and logo of a company called Affliction Clothing -- even thought you won't find that name and logo on Roush Fenway's sponsor page at www.roushfenway.com yet. The brand partnership that was so strong for so many years has splintered. So as a result of rotating sponsorships and car colors and well-intentioned consumer promotions, primary motorsports sponsorship as a branding investment strategy is slowly being devalued. The No. 1 racing-related brand in history remains STP thanks mainly to its decades-long support of Richard Petty and the No. 43 car, and earlier support of the Novi, then turbine -powered, the Mario Andretti -driven Indy 500 race cars. Year after year, with relentless repetition, STP's hope-in-a-bottle message was exposed to a larger and larger audience because the marketing campaign didn't just help STP; it also helped NASCAR, Richard Petty, Andy Granatelli and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was the epitome of that old, 'a rising tide lift all boats' deal. And now, like the price of gas, motorsports sponsorship is in a recession -created slump that no one can really do anything about. Part-time sponsors are certainly better than no sponsors but there will be consequences to the realistic prognosis that season-long primary sponsorships will soon be the exception instead of the rule. For we-the-non-invested, part-time sponsorships will be fine and we'll hardly notice any difference between Jimmy Johnson in the always Lowe's -liveried car and Jeff Gordon and his No. 24 car that switches between DuPont, Pepsi and AARP paint schemes. We'll follow our favorite teams and drivers like always, barely aware of the rotating wraps. We won't really care that sometimes Carl Edwards's car and driving suit is green or red for Scott's or Ortho; or black, blue and green for Aflac or yellow and green for Subway or blue and white for Fastenal. But the corporate bean counters, media researchers and impressions junkies will care. Because slicing up a season long primary race car sponsorship makes it less of a branding bargain, not more. When the economy recovers, today's NASCAR, IndyCar, NHRA, etc. teams may find that the selling prices of real, effective, build-your-brand, activate-like-crazy primary race car sponsorships won't come close to where they were before the recession. Too many get-what-you-sell-for partial sponsorships will have diluted the primary sponsorship ?brand?, changing the funding model forever. Let hope that works out for everyone.
Remember when race cars were still called "specials" and always looked the same, every race, every season, according to what colors, personal obsessions and/or hand lettering styles the team owner, long time sponsor or the primary check writer's wife (or girlfriend) liked? They didn't know it at the time but those early team owners and sponsors were participating in the development of what the marketing folks now call 'Branding' -- something entirely different from the kind of branding that Rowdy Yates, Gordon Johncock and A.J. Foyt used to do to cows. A company's brand is its personality, image and reputation; it?s the consumer's perception of the company and its values. Using motorsports to promote a company brand has always been an efficient, reasonably cost-effective, but not inexpensive means of advertising. But as noted in The Right Stuff, "No bucks, no Buck Rogers." The current economy, still wheezing along as it tries to avoid hospice, has had a major impact on motorsports sponsorships and race teams have had to make equally major adjustments. Full season and especially multi-season sponsorships, which benefit and build the team and sponsor brands best, are becoming extinct. So to keep doing what they do, race teams are slicing up their primary sponsorship packages to allow more companies to benefit from NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide and IZOD IndyCar Series brand building. That's why Cousin Carl, Juan Pablo, Kyle Busch and so many other NASCAR superstars now find themselves racing two, three, four or more different looking cars each season. Why Helio, Dario, Scott Dixon, etc. in IndyCar run different paint schemes at different races. Everyone from Roush Fenway, Andretti Autosports and Richard Childress to Team Penske, Hendrick Motorsports and Chip Ganassi have had to adopt the new break-it-up-and-sell-it-in-pieces model in order to keep their doors open and all their teams racing. Unfortunately the all-powerful branding value of primary sponsorship in racing, as a whole, is no longer the sum of its parts because partial race sponsorships mean diminished reach and frequency per sponsor. Partial sponsorships surrender and waste the opportunities for long term, loyalty over time relationships that come from default consumer connections. Exclusivity and its rewards are going away. The almost subconscious association between the consumer and a driver, team, primary sponsor and series, where a special paint scheme is part of the sponsor's branding strategy, not some other company's, is fading. For instance: Matt Kenseth has been driving a No. 17 Ford for 11 years. From his rookie year through 2009, DeWalt Power Tools served as his team's primary sponsor and every partner's branding efforts benefitted. A successful, popular driver was associated with a strong team and a popular consumer product manufacturer and all three were presented to the consumer, week after week, with the same face, the same voice, the same 'look and feel' on the biggest stage in American racing. DeWalt left after 2009 and the No. 17 car became the Crown Royal Ford. But just last week we found out that Crown Royal, Matt's "primary primary" sponsor is leaving at the end of this season. And this past Saturday night, when Kenseth pushed teammate David Ragan's No. 6 UPS Ford to the win at Daytona, the No. 17 was black instead of Royal Crown purple; the rear quarter panel displaying the name and logo of a company called Affliction Clothing -- even thought you won't find that name and logo on Roush Fenway's sponsor page at www.roushfenway.com yet. The brand partnership that was so strong for so many years has splintered. So as a result of rotating sponsorships and car colors and well-intentioned consumer promotions, primary motorsports sponsorship as a branding investment strategy is slowly being devalued. The No. 1 racing-related brand in history remains STP thanks mainly to its decades-long support of Richard Petty and the No. 43 car, and earlier support of the Novi, then turbine -powered, the Mario Andretti -driven Indy 500 race cars. Year after year, with relentless repetition, STP's hope-in-a-bottle message was exposed to a larger and larger audience because the marketing campaign didn't just help STP; it also helped NASCAR, Richard Petty, Andy Granatelli and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was the epitome of that old, 'a rising tide lift all boats' deal. And now, like the price of gas, motorsports sponsorship is in a recession -created slump that no one can really do anything about. Part-time sponsors are certainly better than no sponsors but there will be consequences to the realistic prognosis that season-long primary sponsorships will soon be the exception instead of the rule. For we-the-non-invested, part-time sponsorships will be fine and we'll hardly notice any difference between Jimmy Johnson in the always Lowe's -liveried car and Jeff Gordon and his No. 24 car that switches between DuPont, Pepsi and AARP paint schemes. We'll follow our favorite teams and drivers like always, barely aware of the rotating wraps. We won't really care that sometimes Carl Edwards's car and driving suit is green or red for Scott's or Ortho; or black, blue and green for Aflac or yellow and green for Subway or blue and white for Fastenal. But the corporate bean counters, media researchers and impressions junkies will care. Because slicing up a season long primary race car sponsorship makes it less of a branding bargain, not more. When the economy recovers, today's NASCAR, IndyCar, NHRA, etc. teams may find that the selling prices of real, effective, build-your-brand, activate-like-crazy primary race car sponsorships won't come close to where they were before the recession. Too many get-what-you-sell-for partial sponsorships will have diluted the primary sponsorship ?brand?, changing the funding model forever. Let hope that works out for everyone.
For instance: Matt Kenseth has been driving a No. 17 Ford for 11 years. From his rookie year through 2009, DeWalt Power Tools served as his team's primary sponsor and every partner's branding efforts benefitted. A successful, popular driver was associated with a strong team and a popular consumer product manufacturer and all three were presented to the consumer, week after week, with the same face, the same voice, the same 'look and feel' on the biggest stage in American racing.
DeWalt left after 2009 and the No. 17 car became the Crown Royal Ford. But just last week we found out that Crown Royal, Matt's "primary primary" sponsor is leaving at the end of this season. And this past Saturday night, when Kenseth pushed teammate David Ragan's No. 6 UPS Ford to the win at Daytona, the No. 17 was black instead of Royal Crown purple; the rear quarter panel displaying the name and logo of a company called Affliction Clothing -- even thought you won't find that name and logo on Roush Fenway's sponsor page at www.roushfenway.com yet. The brand partnership that was so strong for so many years has splintered. So as a result of rotating sponsorships and car colors and well-intentioned consumer promotions, primary motorsports sponsorship as a branding investment strategy is slowly being devalued. The No. 1 racing-related brand in history remains STP thanks mainly to its decades-long support of Richard Petty and the No. 43 car, and earlier support of the Novi, then turbine -powered, the Mario Andretti -driven Indy 500 race cars. Year after year, with relentless repetition, STP's hope-in-a-bottle message was exposed to a larger and larger audience because the marketing campaign didn't just help STP; it also helped NASCAR, Richard Petty, Andy Granatelli and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was the epitome of that old, 'a rising tide lift all boats' deal. And now, like the price of gas, motorsports sponsorship is in a recession -created slump that no one can really do anything about. Part-time sponsors are certainly better than no sponsors but there will be consequences to the realistic prognosis that season-long primary sponsorships will soon be the exception instead of the rule. For we-the-non-invested, part-time sponsorships will be fine and we'll hardly notice any difference between Jimmy Johnson in the always Lowe's -liveried car and Jeff Gordon and his No. 24 car that switches between DuPont, Pepsi and AARP paint schemes. We'll follow our favorite teams and drivers like always, barely aware of the rotating wraps. We won't really care that sometimes Carl Edwards's car and driving suit is green or red for Scott's or Ortho; or black, blue and green for Aflac or yellow and green for Subway or blue and white for Fastenal. But the corporate bean counters, media researchers and impressions junkies will care. Because slicing up a season long primary race car sponsorship makes it less of a branding bargain, not more. When the economy recovers, today's NASCAR, IndyCar, NHRA, etc. teams may find that the selling prices of real, effective, build-your-brand, activate-like-crazy primary race car sponsorships won't come close to where they were before the recession. Too many get-what-you-sell-for partial sponsorships will have diluted the primary sponsorship ?brand?, changing the funding model forever. Let hope that works out for everyone.
Remember when race cars were still called "specials" and always looked the same, every race, every season, according to what colors, personal obsessions and/or hand lettering styles the team owner, long time sponsor or the primary check writer's wife (or girlfriend) liked? They didn't know it at the time but those early team owners and sponsors were participating in the development of what the marketing folks now call 'Branding' -- something entirely different from the kind of branding that Rowdy Yates, Gordon Johncock and A.J. Foyt used to do to cows. A company's brand is its personality, image and reputation; it?s the consumer's perception of the company and its values. Using motorsports to promote a company brand has always been an efficient, reasonably cost-effective, but not inexpensive means of advertising. But as noted in The Right Stuff, "No bucks, no Buck Rogers." The current economy, still wheezing along as it tries to avoid hospice, has had a major impact on motorsports sponsorships and race teams have had to make equally major adjustments. Full season and especially multi-season sponsorships, which benefit and build the team and sponsor brands best, are becoming extinct. So to keep doing what they do, race teams are slicing up their primary sponsorship packages to allow more companies to benefit from NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide and IZOD IndyCar Series brand building. That's why Cousin Carl, Juan Pablo, Kyle Busch and so many other NASCAR superstars now find themselves racing two, three, four or more different looking cars each season. Why Helio, Dario, Scott Dixon, etc. in IndyCar run different paint schemes at different races. Everyone from Roush Fenway, Andretti Autosports and Richard Childress to Team Penske, Hendrick Motorsports and Chip Ganassi have had to adopt the new break-it-up-and-sell-it-in-pieces model in order to keep their doors open and all their teams racing. Unfortunately the all-powerful branding value of primary sponsorship in racing, as a whole, is no longer the sum of its parts because partial race sponsorships mean diminished reach and frequency per sponsor. Partial sponsorships surrender and waste the opportunities for long term, loyalty over time relationships that come from default consumer connections. Exclusivity and its rewards are going away. The almost subconscious association between the consumer and a driver, team, primary sponsor and series, where a special paint scheme is part of the sponsor's branding strategy, not some other company's, is fading. For instance: Matt Kenseth has been driving a No. 17 Ford for 11 years. From his rookie year through 2009, DeWalt Power Tools served as his team's primary sponsor and every partner's branding efforts benefitted. A successful, popular driver was associated with a strong team and a popular consumer product manufacturer and all three were presented to the consumer, week after week, with the same face, the same voice, the same 'look and feel' on the biggest stage in American racing. DeWalt left after 2009 and the No. 17 car became the Crown Royal Ford. But just last week we found out that Crown Royal, Matt's "primary primary" sponsor is leaving at the end of this season. And this past Saturday night, when Kenseth pushed teammate David Ragan's No. 6 UPS Ford to the win at Daytona, the No. 17 was black instead of Royal Crown purple; the rear quarter panel displaying the name and logo of a company called Affliction Clothing -- even thought you won't find that name and logo on Roush Fenway's sponsor page at www.roushfenway.com yet. The brand partnership that was so strong for so many years has splintered. So as a result of rotating sponsorships and car colors and well-intentioned consumer promotions, primary motorsports sponsorship as a branding investment strategy is slowly being devalued. The No. 1 racing-related brand in history remains STP thanks mainly to its decades-long support of Richard Petty and the No. 43 car, and earlier support of the Novi, then turbine -powered, the Mario Andretti -driven Indy 500 race cars. Year after year, with relentless repetition, STP's hope-in-a-bottle message was exposed to a larger and larger audience because the marketing campaign didn't just help STP; it also helped NASCAR, Richard Petty, Andy Granatelli and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was the epitome of that old, 'a rising tide lift all boats' deal. And now, like the price of gas, motorsports sponsorship is in a recession -created slump that no one can really do anything about. Part-time sponsors are certainly better than no sponsors but there will be consequences to the realistic prognosis that season-long primary sponsorships will soon be the exception instead of the rule. For we-the-non-invested, part-time sponsorships will be fine and we'll hardly notice any difference between Jimmy Johnson in the always Lowe's -liveried car and Jeff Gordon and his No. 24 car that switches between DuPont, Pepsi and AARP paint schemes. We'll follow our favorite teams and drivers like always, barely aware of the rotating wraps. We won't really care that sometimes Carl Edwards's car and driving suit is green or red for Scott's or Ortho; or black, blue and green for Aflac or yellow and green for Subway or blue and white for Fastenal. But the corporate bean counters, media researchers and impressions junkies will care. Because slicing up a season long primary race car sponsorship makes it less of a branding bargain, not more. When the economy recovers, today's NASCAR, IndyCar, NHRA, etc. teams may find that the selling prices of real, effective, build-your-brand, activate-like-crazy primary race car sponsorships won't come close to where they were before the recession. Too many get-what-you-sell-for partial sponsorships will have diluted the primary sponsorship ?brand?, changing the funding model forever. Let hope that works out for everyone.
Remember when race cars were still called "specials" and always looked the same, every race, every season, according to what colors, personal obsessions and/or hand lettering styles the team owner, long time sponsor or the primary check writer's wife (or girlfriend) liked? They didn't know it at the time but those early team owners and sponsors were participating in the development of what the marketing folks now call 'Branding' -- something entirely different from the kind of branding that Rowdy Yates, Gordon Johncock and A.J. Foyt used to do to cows. A company's brand is its personality, image and reputation; it?s the consumer's perception of the company and its values. Using motorsports to promote a company brand has always been an efficient, reasonably cost-effective, but not inexpensive means of advertising. But as noted in The Right Stuff, "No bucks, no Buck Rogers." The current economy, still wheezing along as it tries to avoid hospice, has had a major impact on motorsports sponsorships and race teams have had to make equally major adjustments. Full season and especially multi-season sponsorships, which benefit and build the team and sponsor brands best, are becoming extinct. So to keep doing what they do, race teams are slicing up their primary sponsorship packages to allow more companies to benefit from NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide and IZOD IndyCar Series brand building. That's why Cousin Carl, Juan Pablo, Kyle Busch and so many other NASCAR superstars now find themselves racing two, three, four or more different looking cars each season. Why Helio, Dario, Scott Dixon, etc. in IndyCar run different paint schemes at different races. Everyone from Roush Fenway, Andretti Autosports and Richard Childress to Team Penske, Hendrick Motorsports and Chip Ganassi have had to adopt the new break-it-up-and-sell-it-in-pieces model in order to keep their doors open and all their teams racing. Unfortunately the all-powerful branding value of primary sponsorship in racing, as a whole, is no longer the sum of its parts because partial race sponsorships mean diminished reach and frequency per sponsor. Partial sponsorships surrender and waste the opportunities for long term, loyalty over time relationships that come from default consumer connections. Exclusivity and its rewards are going away. The almost subconscious association between the consumer and a driver, team, primary sponsor and series, where a special paint scheme is part of the sponsor's branding strategy, not some other company's, is fading. For instance: Matt Kenseth has been driving a No. 17 Ford for 11 years. From his rookie year through 2009, DeWalt Power Tools served as his team's primary sponsor and every partner's branding efforts benefitted. A successful, popular driver was associated with a strong team and a popular consumer product manufacturer and all three were presented to the consumer, week after week, with the same face, the same voice, the same 'look and feel' on the biggest stage in American racing. DeWalt left after 2009 and the No. 17 car became the Crown Royal Ford. But just last week we found out that Crown Royal, Matt's "primary primary" sponsor is leaving at the end of this season. And this past Saturday night, when Kenseth pushed teammate David Ragan's No. 6 UPS Ford to the win at Daytona, the No. 17 was black instead of Royal Crown purple; the rear quarter panel displaying the name and logo of a company called Affliction Clothing -- even thought you won't find that name and logo on Roush Fenway's sponsor page at www.roushfenway.com yet. The brand partnership that was so strong for so many years has splintered. So as a result of rotating sponsorships and car colors and well-intentioned consumer promotions, primary motorsports sponsorship as a branding investment strategy is slowly being devalued. The No. 1 racing-related brand in history remains STP thanks mainly to its decades-long support of Richard Petty and the No. 43 car, and earlier support of the Novi, then turbine -powered, the Mario Andretti -driven Indy 500 race cars. Year after year, with relentless repetition, STP's hope-in-a-bottle message was exposed to a larger and larger audience because the marketing campaign didn't just help STP; it also helped NASCAR, Richard Petty, Andy Granatelli and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was the epitome of that old, 'a rising tide lift all boats' deal. And now, like the price of gas, motorsports sponsorship is in a recession -created slump that no one can really do anything about. Part-time sponsors are certainly better than no sponsors but there will be consequences to the realistic prognosis that season-long primary sponsorships will soon be the exception instead of the rule. For we-the-non-invested, part-time sponsorships will be fine and we'll hardly notice any difference between Jimmy Johnson in the always Lowe's -liveried car and Jeff Gordon and his No. 24 car that switches between DuPont, Pepsi and AARP paint schemes. We'll follow our favorite teams and drivers like always, barely aware of the rotating wraps. We won't really care that sometimes Carl Edwards's car and driving suit is green or red for Scott's or Ortho; or black, blue and green for Aflac or yellow and green for Subway or blue and white for Fastenal. But the corporate bean counters, media researchers and impressions junkies will care. Because slicing up a season long primary race car sponsorship makes it less of a branding bargain, not more. When the economy recovers, today's NASCAR, IndyCar, NHRA, etc. teams may find that the selling prices of real, effective, build-your-brand, activate-like-crazy primary race car sponsorships won't come close to where they were before the recession. Too many get-what-you-sell-for partial sponsorships will have diluted the primary sponsorship ?brand?, changing the funding model forever. Let hope that works out for everyone.
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