Since my visit to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in mid June I have been struggling with a new direction for FulTrot.
I am happy to announce that we have set up a new FulTrot over on www.fultrot.com. Though the writing style will remain the same, we will reduce the quantity of topics covered in the new magazine format. A selection of posts of the old FulTrot will be brought over to the new one.
As usual, tips and comments are welcome and appreciated. Thanks for all the support and kind words of encouragement received!!
October 12, 2015
June 9, 2015
2015 24 Hours of Le Mans
Today we are leaving on vacation. The destination is not the usual tourist hot spots one would expect, instead we're visiting the world's oldest active sports car race in endurance racing. Yes, we are going to the 83rd running of the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans. Though we won't be professionally covering the race I will be providing an overview of the overall experience for future reference. Call it a first step. Of course, we will be tweeting as well.
About our 8.500+ km journey to Circuit de la Sarthe:
So first a nine hour Trans-Atlantic flight will take us from Curaçao to Schiphol, Amsterdam, where a connecting flight will bring us to Charles de Gaulle airport in France. From here a 90 minute train ride and we should be in Le Mans. Hopefully all will go as planned.
In Le Mans we have secured from Wednesday through Monday lodging at a house that's pretty close to the center of town. This was reserved through ACO as early as August 2014.
Our tentative schedule is as follows:
WEDNESDAY:
Free practice 16:00-20:00, free practice Porsche Carrera Cup 20:30-21:30, followed by qualifying practice session 22:00-00:00.
THURSDAY:
Group C qualifying practice 16:00-17:00, qualifying practice Porsche Carrera Cup 17:30-18:30, followed by another qualifying session till 24:00.
FRIDAY:
Visiting the pit and the track, 10:00-18:00, Visage on Mulsanne 10:00-17:00, and the driver's parade through town center 17:30-19:30
SATURDAY:
Race warm up 09:00-09:45, group C race (Le Mans Legends) 10:05-10:50, Porsche Carrera Cup Race 11:15-12:00, Pit walk 12:15-13:15, 24 Heures du Mans - beginning of starting procedures 14:22, START of the race 15:00. Here we go!
SUNDAY
Happy Hour, depending at what time we wake up, race end 15:00, podium celebration 15:10.
Our main vantage point will be from grandstand Bernato - T14 which is on the main straight across from pit out. However, we will also visit all the important corners, especially Terte Rouge, the end of the Mulsanne straight, Arnage, Porsche curves, Ford chicane and the famed Dunlop curve.
Though I have been to the 24 Hours of Le Mans before (in 1998 when Porsche last won here) we have poured a great deal of time and effort in preparing for the race week. Loads of research and getting the rights contacts in place, and preparing access to the necessary documentation. From all of this, one thing stands out. Just how meticulous this race is organized. The Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) have done a terrific job in constantly improving this event over the years, which draws some quarter of a million fans and spectators to the Circuit de la Sarthe. To illustrate just how meticulous this race is run click here to visit the 28 page long press information - media kit. It is well worth your time.
List of entries to the 83rd running of this classic endurance race:
LMP1 (14 entries):
1. Toyota Racing, Toyota TS040 Hybrid - Anthony Davidson
2. Toyota Racing, Toyota TS040 Hybrid - Alexander Wurz
4. ByKolles, CLM P1/01 AER - Simmon Trummer
7. Audi Team Joest, Audi R18 e-tron quattro, Marcel Fassler
26. G-Drive Racing, Ligier JS P2 Nissan, Roman Rusinov
27. SMP Racing, BR01 Nissan, Mikhail Aleshin
28. G-Drive Racing, Ligier JS P2 Nissan, Gustavo Yacaman
29. Pegasus Racing, Morgan Nissan, Leo Russel
30. Extreme Speed Motorsports, HPD ARX 04b, Scott Sharp
38. Jota Sport, Gibsob 015S Nissan, Simon Dolan
39. Team SARD-Morand, Morgan EVO SARD, Christian KLien
40. Krohn Racing, Ligier JS P2 Nissan, Tracy Khon
41. Greaves Motorsports, Gibson 015S Nissan, Johnny Mowlem
42. Strakka Racing, Strakka-Dome S103 Nissan, Nick Leventis
43. Team SARD-Morand, Morgan EVO SARD, Pierre Ragues
47. KCMG, Oreca 05 Nissan, Matthew Howson
48. Murphy Prototypes, Oreca 03R Nissan, Greg Murphy
GTE-Pro (9 entries):
51. AF Corse, Ferrari F458 Italia, Gianmaria Bruni
63. Corvette Racing GM, Corvette C7.R, Jan Magnussen
64. Corvette Racing GM, Corvette C7.R, Oliver Gavin
71. AF Corse, Ferrari F458 Italia, Davide Rigon
91. Porsche Team Manthey, Porsche 911 RSR, Richard Lietz
92. Porsche Team Manthey, Porsche 911 RSR, Patrick Pilet
95. Aston Martin Racing, Aston Martin Vantage, Marco Sorensen
97. Aston Martin Racing, Aston Martin Vantage, Darren Turner
55. AF Corse, Ferrari F458 Italia, Duncan Cameron
77. Dempsey Proton Racing, Porsche 911 RSR, Patrick Dempsey
83. AF Corse, Ferrari F458 Italia, Francois Perrodo
88. Abu Dhabi Proton Racing, Porsche 911 RSR, Christian Rien
96. Aston Martin Racing, Aston Martin Vantage, Roald Goethe
98. Aston Martin Racing, Aston Martin Vantage, Paul Dalla Lana
For the spotters guide, click on the images below. These will automatically expand to a larger readable size on your screen.
Should you wish to follow us on Twitter:
@dekodanny
@priscillajoy18
Source: Speed, FIA WEC, ACO, Wikipedia
Photo credit: ACO, FIA WEC, Jalopnik, crank&piston.com
 |
| view from pit out towards start line |
About our 8.500+ km journey to Circuit de la Sarthe:
So first a nine hour Trans-Atlantic flight will take us from Curaçao to Schiphol, Amsterdam, where a connecting flight will bring us to Charles de Gaulle airport in France. From here a 90 minute train ride and we should be in Le Mans. Hopefully all will go as planned.
In Le Mans we have secured from Wednesday through Monday lodging at a house that's pretty close to the center of town. This was reserved through ACO as early as August 2014.
Our tentative schedule is as follows:
WEDNESDAY:
Free practice 16:00-20:00, free practice Porsche Carrera Cup 20:30-21:30, followed by qualifying practice session 22:00-00:00.
THURSDAY:
Group C qualifying practice 16:00-17:00, qualifying practice Porsche Carrera Cup 17:30-18:30, followed by another qualifying session till 24:00.
FRIDAY:
Visiting the pit and the track, 10:00-18:00, Visage on Mulsanne 10:00-17:00, and the driver's parade through town center 17:30-19:30
SATURDAY:
Race warm up 09:00-09:45, group C race (Le Mans Legends) 10:05-10:50, Porsche Carrera Cup Race 11:15-12:00, Pit walk 12:15-13:15, 24 Heures du Mans - beginning of starting procedures 14:22, START of the race 15:00. Here we go!
SUNDAY
Happy Hour, depending at what time we wake up, race end 15:00, podium celebration 15:10.
 |
| just before the start of the 24 hr race |
Our main vantage point will be from grandstand Bernato - T14 which is on the main straight across from pit out. However, we will also visit all the important corners, especially Terte Rouge, the end of the Mulsanne straight, Arnage, Porsche curves, Ford chicane and the famed Dunlop curve.
Though I have been to the 24 Hours of Le Mans before (in 1998 when Porsche last won here) we have poured a great deal of time and effort in preparing for the race week. Loads of research and getting the rights contacts in place, and preparing access to the necessary documentation. From all of this, one thing stands out. Just how meticulous this race is organized. The Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) have done a terrific job in constantly improving this event over the years, which draws some quarter of a million fans and spectators to the Circuit de la Sarthe. To illustrate just how meticulous this race is run click here to visit the 28 page long press information - media kit. It is well worth your time.
List of entries to the 83rd running of this classic endurance race:
LMP1 (14 entries):
1. Toyota Racing, Toyota TS040 Hybrid - Anthony Davidson
2. Toyota Racing, Toyota TS040 Hybrid - Alexander Wurz
4. ByKolles, CLM P1/01 AER - Simmon Trummer
7. Audi Team Joest, Audi R18 e-tron quattro, Marcel Fassler
8. Audi Team Joest, Audi R18 e-tron quattro, Lucas di Grassi
9. Audi Team Joest, Audi R18 e-tron quattro, Filipe Albuquerque
12. Rebellion Racing, Rebellion R-One AER, Nicolas Prost
12. Rebellion Racing, Rebellion R-One AER, Nicolas Prost
13. Rebellion Racing, Rebellion R-One AER, Mathias Beche
17. Porsche Team, Porsche 919 Hybrid, Timo Bernhard
18. Porsche Team, Porsche 919 Hybrid, Romain Dumas
19. Porsche Team, Porsche 919 Hybrid, Nico Hulkenberg
21. Nissan Motorsports, Nissan GT-R LM Nismo, Tsugio Matsuda
22. Nissan Motorsports, Nissan GT-R LM Nismo, Harry Tincknell
23. Nissan Motorsports, Nissan GT-R LM Nismo, Olivier Pla
About the LMP1 entries:
Manuf., Layout, Engine, ERS class, ERS, MGU
Toyota, Mid, AWD, 3.7 L V8, 6MJ, Supercapacitor, Kinetic
Audi, Mid, AWD, 4.0 L V6 TDI 4MJ, Flywheel Accumulator, Kinetic
Porsche: Mid, AWD, 2.0 L V4 Turbo, 8MJ, Ion-Lithium Battery, Kinetic & Heat
Nissan: Front, FWD, 3.0 L V6 Twin Turbo, 2MJ, Mechanical Flywheel, Kinetic
LMP2 (20 entries):Manuf., Layout, Engine, ERS class, ERS, MGU
Toyota, Mid, AWD, 3.7 L V8, 6MJ, Supercapacitor, Kinetic
Audi, Mid, AWD, 4.0 L V6 TDI 4MJ, Flywheel Accumulator, Kinetic
Porsche: Mid, AWD, 2.0 L V4 Turbo, 8MJ, Ion-Lithium Battery, Kinetic & Heat
Nissan: Front, FWD, 3.0 L V6 Twin Turbo, 2MJ, Mechanical Flywheel, Kinetic
26. G-Drive Racing, Ligier JS P2 Nissan, Roman Rusinov
27. SMP Racing, BR01 Nissan, Mikhail Aleshin
28. G-Drive Racing, Ligier JS P2 Nissan, Gustavo Yacaman
29. Pegasus Racing, Morgan Nissan, Leo Russel
30. Extreme Speed Motorsports, HPD ARX 04b, Scott Sharp
31. Extreme Speed Motorsports, HPD ARX 04b, Ed Brown
34. Oak Racing, Ligier JS P2 Nissan, Ho-Pin Tung
35. Oak Racing, Ligier JS P2 Nissan, Jacques Nicolet
36. Signatech-Alpine, Alpine A450b Nissan, Nelson Panciatici
37. SMP Racing, BR01 Nissan, Maurizio Mediani38. Jota Sport, Gibsob 015S Nissan, Simon Dolan
39. Team SARD-Morand, Morgan EVO SARD, Christian KLien
40. Krohn Racing, Ligier JS P2 Nissan, Tracy Khon
41. Greaves Motorsports, Gibson 015S Nissan, Johnny Mowlem
42. Strakka Racing, Strakka-Dome S103 Nissan, Nick Leventis
43. Team SARD-Morand, Morgan EVO SARD, Pierre Ragues
45. Ibanez Racing, Oreca 03R Nissan, Jose Ibanez
46. Thiriet by TDS Racing, Oreca 05 Nissan, Pierre Thiriet47. KCMG, Oreca 05 Nissan, Matthew Howson
48. Murphy Prototypes, Oreca 03R Nissan, Greg Murphy
GTE-Pro (9 entries):
51. AF Corse, Ferrari F458 Italia, Gianmaria Bruni
63. Corvette Racing GM, Corvette C7.R, Jan Magnussen
64. Corvette Racing GM, Corvette C7.R, Oliver Gavin
71. AF Corse, Ferrari F458 Italia, Davide Rigon
91. Porsche Team Manthey, Porsche 911 RSR, Richard Lietz
92. Porsche Team Manthey, Porsche 911 RSR, Patrick Pilet
95. Aston Martin Racing, Aston Martin Vantage, Marco Sorensen
97. Aston Martin Racing, Aston Martin Vantage, Darren Turner
99. Aston Martin Racing, Aston Martin Vantage, Fernando Rees
GTE-Am (13 entries):
50. Larbre Competition, Corvette C7.R, Gianluca Roda55. AF Corse, Ferrari F458 Italia, Duncan Cameron
61. AF Corse, Ferrari F458 Italia, Peter Mann
62. Scuderia Corse, Ferrari F458 Italia, William Sweedler
66. JWM Motorsports, Ferrari F458 Italia, George Richardson
67. Team AAI, Porsche 911 GTE RSR (997), Jun-san Chen*
68. Team AAI, Porsche 911 GTE RSR (997), Han-chen Chen
72. SMP Racing, Ferrari F458 Italia, Viktor Shaitar77. Dempsey Proton Racing, Porsche 911 RSR, Patrick Dempsey
83. AF Corse, Ferrari F458 Italia, Francois Perrodo
88. Abu Dhabi Proton Racing, Porsche 911 RSR, Christian Rien
96. Aston Martin Racing, Aston Martin Vantage, Roald Goethe
98. Aston Martin Racing, Aston Martin Vantage, Paul Dalla Lana
For the spotters guide, click on the images below. These will automatically expand to a larger readable size on your screen.
Below a couple of snaps of the Pesage, Day 1 of the 2015 Le Mans 24 Hours endurance race:
What's interesting is that this endurance race is growing. Pierre Fillon, ACO President, has informed that at some point in the future the field will go up from 56 cars up to 60. The new pits are expected to be built at pit out. Phillipe on the growth: "..there seems to be a bigger field at Le Mans every year".
 |
| Grandstands |
Should you wish to follow us on Twitter:
@dekodanny
@priscillajoy18
Source: Speed, FIA WEC, ACO, Wikipedia
Photo credit: ACO, FIA WEC, Jalopnik, crank&piston.com
June 8, 2015
The racing weekend that was - Wk 23
In Formula One, at the Canadian Grand Prix:
Pole sitter and Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton (pictured on the right celebrating his victory) led from start to finish to secure his fourth win of the season. Team mate Nico Rosberg rarely ran more than a couple of seconds behind for the 70 lap long race. Hamilton now leads Rosberg by 17 points in the World Championship. Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel sits in third place and trailing by massive 43 points.
The highlights of the race were the dual performances of Felipe Massa, who powered his Williams-Mercedes from 17th place on the grid to sixth, and of Sebastian Vettel, who outperformed his team mate Raikkonen by moving up 14 places to finish in 5th position. Another poor outing by Raikkonen, who ran a strong third all through the race only to spin all by himself coming out of the hairpin. He would drop behind fellow countrymen Valtteri Bottas who finished on the podium in third place. Pastor Maldonado also ran a great race to finish in seventh, his best finish in F1 in 46 races.
Though Max Verstappen had qualified in P12, penalties incurred from the Monaco race and penalties due to engine change meant he would start towards the back of the grid. However, the young Dutchman would drive a good race to finish in 15th place.
One team that looks like it has started to come apart is McLaren-Honda (pictured on the right) as both cars dropped out of the race. Unfortunately, neither car was competitive enough and the strain on the drivers is starting to show, though they have very capable drivers in Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button (both are past world champions). And to think Alonso left Ferrari last year.
The top five:
1. Lewis Hamilton, GBR, Mercedes-Mercedes
2. Nico Rosberg, GER, Mercedes-Mercedes
3. Valtteri Bottas, FIN, Williams-Mercedes
4. Kimi Raikkonen, FIN, Ferrari-Ferrari
5. Sebastian Vettel, GER, Ferarri-Ferrari
The next race in the GP of Austria on June 19-21 next.
The N.H.R.A. at Englishtown, New Jersey:
The women in N.H.R.A. drag racing keep exerting pressure on the men. Whilst Pro Stock driver Erica Enders won the last round, this time she had to press in the clutch to soon and lost in the first round of eliminations. Not to worry for second generation Top Fuel driver Brittany Force stepped up her game and went all the way to the finals. However, she would loose to Antron Brown who ran 3.849 second pass at 318.47 mph.
In Funny Car, the final race also came down between the two genders. Alexis DeJoria (pictured on the right) put up a valiant effort but came up short against Matt Hagan who ran a 4.132 at 299.53 mph and is the defending series champion.
In Pro Stock, KB Racing's Greg Anderson powered his bow tie Chevrolet to a win over Allen Johnson (Dodge) to earn his 76th career victory and take over the series lead. The winning run was a 6.504 at 214.31 mph.
In Pro Stock Bike, Louisiana native Jerry Savoie earned his second career victory when Jimmy Underdahl gave him an easy win by red lighting in the final round. Red lights are fairly common as the bikes react oh so quickly of the staring line.
The next round will be held at the New England Dragway on June 12-14 next.
On a side note, during the Top Fuel qualifying at the Winternationals down under, 39 year old Phil Lamattina suffered a major chassis failure which resulted in a horrendous crash. Though Lamattina seemed unhurt he was transported to the hospital where doctors confirmed he had suffered a shattered vertebrae in the incident. He is expected to make a full recovery. Get well soon Phil.
It is not often that we see a chassis failure like this. See picts below.
Source: crash.net, dragracingconnection.com, dragnews.com.au
Photo credit: Formula One, GP Update, Crash pictures' owner unknown,
Pole sitter and Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton (pictured on the right celebrating his victory) led from start to finish to secure his fourth win of the season. Team mate Nico Rosberg rarely ran more than a couple of seconds behind for the 70 lap long race. Hamilton now leads Rosberg by 17 points in the World Championship. Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel sits in third place and trailing by massive 43 points.The highlights of the race were the dual performances of Felipe Massa, who powered his Williams-Mercedes from 17th place on the grid to sixth, and of Sebastian Vettel, who outperformed his team mate Raikkonen by moving up 14 places to finish in 5th position. Another poor outing by Raikkonen, who ran a strong third all through the race only to spin all by himself coming out of the hairpin. He would drop behind fellow countrymen Valtteri Bottas who finished on the podium in third place. Pastor Maldonado also ran a great race to finish in seventh, his best finish in F1 in 46 races.
Though Max Verstappen had qualified in P12, penalties incurred from the Monaco race and penalties due to engine change meant he would start towards the back of the grid. However, the young Dutchman would drive a good race to finish in 15th place.
 |
| Alonso had hoped for a much faster car |
The top five:
1. Lewis Hamilton, GBR, Mercedes-Mercedes
2. Nico Rosberg, GER, Mercedes-Mercedes
3. Valtteri Bottas, FIN, Williams-Mercedes
4. Kimi Raikkonen, FIN, Ferrari-Ferrari
5. Sebastian Vettel, GER, Ferarri-Ferrari
The next race in the GP of Austria on June 19-21 next.
The N.H.R.A. at Englishtown, New Jersey:
The women in N.H.R.A. drag racing keep exerting pressure on the men. Whilst Pro Stock driver Erica Enders won the last round, this time she had to press in the clutch to soon and lost in the first round of eliminations. Not to worry for second generation Top Fuel driver Brittany Force stepped up her game and went all the way to the finals. However, she would loose to Antron Brown who ran 3.849 second pass at 318.47 mph.
 |
| Alexis doing her burn out |
In Pro Stock, KB Racing's Greg Anderson powered his bow tie Chevrolet to a win over Allen Johnson (Dodge) to earn his 76th career victory and take over the series lead. The winning run was a 6.504 at 214.31 mph.
The next round will be held at the New England Dragway on June 12-14 next.
On a side note, during the Top Fuel qualifying at the Winternationals down under, 39 year old Phil Lamattina suffered a major chassis failure which resulted in a horrendous crash. Though Lamattina seemed unhurt he was transported to the hospital where doctors confirmed he had suffered a shattered vertebrae in the incident. He is expected to make a full recovery. Get well soon Phil.
It is not often that we see a chassis failure like this. See picts below.
Source: crash.net, dragracingconnection.com, dragnews.com.au
Photo credit: Formula One, GP Update, Crash pictures' owner unknown,
June 5, 2015
Sending you off into the weekend
With the weekend on our doorstep I am sending you off with a couple of bite sizes pieces.
The first comes from Haskett Bros. Racing who are always happy to share great pictures and insights into their alcohol powered Funny Car. On the right one can appreciate the beauty of the alcohol blown engine, which powers one of the fastest sanctioned categories of drag racing with speeds exceeding 300 miles per hour. This beast of an engine is loosely based on the second generation Chrysler 426 Hemi "Elephant Engine" made from 1964 and 1971. Besides the roots type supercharger, these engine derive their shear horsepower from its fuel system which can funnel some 57 liters of alcohol in a single run (starting, burnout, backing up, 1/4 mile). A ballistic blanket (Stroud) covers the supercharger since this part of the engine is prone to massive explosions.
The second is this Sunday's Formula One race at the wonderful city of Montreal. This will mark the first race for rookie sensation Max Verstappen after his ill-fated Senna-esque "going for the opening" move at Monte Carlo. There has been a lot of negative remarks about his aggressive over taking maneuver, which I applaud, but he has not backed down from his initial position, which is "if I see an opening, I am going for it". Hopefully he will keep driving like that and bring some much needed action to the troubled sport. So looking forward to the seventh round of the 2015 Formula World Championship.
Photo credit: Hasket Bros. Racing, Noble F1
The first comes from Haskett Bros. Racing who are always happy to share great pictures and insights into their alcohol powered Funny Car. On the right one can appreciate the beauty of the alcohol blown engine, which powers one of the fastest sanctioned categories of drag racing with speeds exceeding 300 miles per hour. This beast of an engine is loosely based on the second generation Chrysler 426 Hemi "Elephant Engine" made from 1964 and 1971. Besides the roots type supercharger, these engine derive their shear horsepower from its fuel system which can funnel some 57 liters of alcohol in a single run (starting, burnout, backing up, 1/4 mile). A ballistic blanket (Stroud) covers the supercharger since this part of the engine is prone to massive explosions.
The second is this Sunday's Formula One race at the wonderful city of Montreal. This will mark the first race for rookie sensation Max Verstappen after his ill-fated Senna-esque "going for the opening" move at Monte Carlo. There has been a lot of negative remarks about his aggressive over taking maneuver, which I applaud, but he has not backed down from his initial position, which is "if I see an opening, I am going for it". Hopefully he will keep driving like that and bring some much needed action to the troubled sport. So looking forward to the seventh round of the 2015 Formula World Championship.Photo credit: Hasket Bros. Racing, Noble F1
June 4, 2015
The FIAT S76 is back.
The other day I got a great tip from fellow petrol head and Secretary of the WABI club, Clifford Muskus. He pointed us to two video clips of what is affectionately called "The Beast of Turin". They are mentioned below as separate links:
- the 28.5 liter FIAT runs for the first time
- the Beast of Turin featured at this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed.
As I spend countless hours a week on FulTrot I wonder sometimes why it is I do it. Most fellow islanders are unaware of its existence. Then I get to see videos like these and I am immediately reminded as to the WHY. I absolutely love seeing these old cars come to life again. Just incredible.
What's funny is that fire spewing race cars have existed for more than 100 years, but modern day import car racers seem to think it is their thing!
Source: Goodwood.
Picture credit: Wikipedia.
- the 28.5 liter FIAT runs for the first time
- the Beast of Turin featured at this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed.
 |
| FIAT built it in 1911 specifically to beat the land speed record. 1.730 cubic inches |
As I spend countless hours a week on FulTrot I wonder sometimes why it is I do it. Most fellow islanders are unaware of its existence. Then I get to see videos like these and I am immediately reminded as to the WHY. I absolutely love seeing these old cars come to life again. Just incredible.
What's funny is that fire spewing race cars have existed for more than 100 years, but modern day import car racers seem to think it is their thing!
Source: Goodwood.
Picture credit: Wikipedia.
May 27, 2015
Cool off-the-radar automotive events
As I enjoy motorsports a great deal, I often combine my vacationing overseas with famous motoring or motorsports events, such as the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Occasionally we travel solely to attend a great race, such as is the case this year with the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
However, there are many lesser known events around the world that are just as great as the big ones. The other day I stumbled upon a list compiled by the folks at Jalopnik named: "The Ten Best Automotive Events No One Knows About", of which I have selected the most interesting ones:
At #10. The Hangover 150
Somewhat similar to our "Fuikdag", this race is run every New Year's Day at the Ransomville Speedway, in upstate New York. It is kinda run-what-you-brung and is known as a complete shitshow of old rear wheel drive beaters. Talk about starting the New Year with a BANG! See the picture on the right and to watch a 2014 video, click here.
At #8. Giant's Despair
It's one of the oldest hill climbs in America, run on an amazing road in Wilkes-Barre, PA. What's cool about this is that racing legends, such as Roger Penske and Carrol Shelby, have raced here. So many like to compare their times to those of their favourite drivers.
At #7. Rally For The Lane
Over the last decade or so vintage car rallies have surged in popularity. What sets this one apart is that you don't have to bring your own car, instead you pay to drive one of the Lane Motor Museum's interesting cars. Though it is not cheap by any means, it does allow one to drive incredibly different and rare cars. For our American residents, where else would you be able to drive a Renault R5 Turbo? To look at this year's list, click here.
At #6. The Goblin 250
As this weird circle track race is considered terrifying for most participants it is fitting that it be run on halloween weekend. Run in Rockford, IL, mostly with junk yard cars, some 200-300 cars start on the tiny oval track which makes for a very congested track. What makes this an interesting race is how the participants are fed into the race..... by means of forced induction....some call it. This year will be its 34th running. For more info, click here and to watch a video here.
At #4. Concours d'Lemons
Made famous by Jay Leno, this car show features oddballs like you've never seen. And since it's run at the same time as the Pebble Beach Concours (week) it is often referred as its opposite.
At #3. Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix
Again, another vintage rally. However, this one is run on "closed" public roads in Pittsburgh where the beautiful classics can really let it all hang out. What's also great about this rally is all the other bunch of rallies and shows leading up to it.
At #2. The Race Of Gentlemen
This one is pretty simple for it consists of hot rods drag racing on the beach. And though most would think it takes place in Daytona Beach, Fla, it actually takes place in New Jersey! So if you happen to own an American hot rod that's pre-1934 or a bike that's pre-1947, than this is your event. For more please click here.
At #1. Mongol Rally
What's odd about this rally are its three main rules. First, it's restricted to small engined cars or bikes, 1000CCs or 125 CCs respectively. So in order to make it from the UK all the way to Mongolia, one would have to be a small engine expert and/or mechanic. Second, you'd have to raise GBP 1,000 for charity. Third, you must complete the rally on your own without the help of a support team.
Adventurous youths often look to this rally as the ultimate summer vacation on wheels. And as depicted on the picture on the tight (top) they have fun as well. And since the route is not pre-set, there are limitless variations. To watch a promotional video, click here.
Source: Jalopnik
However, there are many lesser known events around the world that are just as great as the big ones. The other day I stumbled upon a list compiled by the folks at Jalopnik named: "The Ten Best Automotive Events No One Knows About", of which I have selected the most interesting ones:
At #10. The Hangover 150
Somewhat similar to our "Fuikdag", this race is run every New Year's Day at the Ransomville Speedway, in upstate New York. It is kinda run-what-you-brung and is known as a complete shitshow of old rear wheel drive beaters. Talk about starting the New Year with a BANG! See the picture on the right and to watch a 2014 video, click here.At #8. Giant's Despair
It's one of the oldest hill climbs in America, run on an amazing road in Wilkes-Barre, PA. What's cool about this is that racing legends, such as Roger Penske and Carrol Shelby, have raced here. So many like to compare their times to those of their favourite drivers.
At #7. Rally For The Lane
Over the last decade or so vintage car rallies have surged in popularity. What sets this one apart is that you don't have to bring your own car, instead you pay to drive one of the Lane Motor Museum's interesting cars. Though it is not cheap by any means, it does allow one to drive incredibly different and rare cars. For our American residents, where else would you be able to drive a Renault R5 Turbo? To look at this year's list, click here.At #6. The Goblin 250
As this weird circle track race is considered terrifying for most participants it is fitting that it be run on halloween weekend. Run in Rockford, IL, mostly with junk yard cars, some 200-300 cars start on the tiny oval track which makes for a very congested track. What makes this an interesting race is how the participants are fed into the race..... by means of forced induction....some call it. This year will be its 34th running. For more info, click here and to watch a video here.
At #4. Concours d'Lemons
Made famous by Jay Leno, this car show features oddballs like you've never seen. And since it's run at the same time as the Pebble Beach Concours (week) it is often referred as its opposite.
At #3. Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix
Again, another vintage rally. However, this one is run on "closed" public roads in Pittsburgh where the beautiful classics can really let it all hang out. What's also great about this rally is all the other bunch of rallies and shows leading up to it.
At #2. The Race Of Gentlemen
This one is pretty simple for it consists of hot rods drag racing on the beach. And though most would think it takes place in Daytona Beach, Fla, it actually takes place in New Jersey! So if you happen to own an American hot rod that's pre-1934 or a bike that's pre-1947, than this is your event. For more please click here.At #1. Mongol Rally
What's odd about this rally are its three main rules. First, it's restricted to small engined cars or bikes, 1000CCs or 125 CCs respectively. So in order to make it from the UK all the way to Mongolia, one would have to be a small engine expert and/or mechanic. Second, you'd have to raise GBP 1,000 for charity. Third, you must complete the rally on your own without the help of a support team.Adventurous youths often look to this rally as the ultimate summer vacation on wheels. And as depicted on the picture on the tight (top) they have fun as well. And since the route is not pre-set, there are limitless variations. To watch a promotional video, click here.Source: Jalopnik
May 25, 2015
The racing weekend that was - Wk 21 updated
In Formula One, Monaco:
In what turned to be a very exciting race, a spectacular team order blunder gives the race to Nico Rosberg, though Lewis Hamilton had led from the start and had a 15 second lead. Despite the track known for tight racing quarters, the action was relatively good. What stood out for me were the passing maneuvers attempts and the drama of breaking under pressure!
Race highlights:
Rookie sensation Max Verstappen driving for Scuderia Toro Rosso, passes Pastor Maldonado in his Lotus for P8 but looses a lot of positions during a pit stop due to a problem with the right rear. After a good stint he switches to super softs and comes in p11 right behind third place driver Sebastian Vettel. Max decides to duck under the German's rear wing to make use of any blue flags given to Vettel. However, Romain Grosjean (Lotus) doesn't fall for the trick and quickly closes the door after letting Vettel pass. Hereafter Max exerts a great deal of pressure on the Lotus of Grosjean for the final points paying position (P10) and finally takes a gamble going into Ste Devote. The Dutchman went for a small opening but touched Grosjean's right rear tire breaking his own wing and suspension before vaulting the Torro Rosso over the kerb into the barriers. This racing incident, though penalized by the race stewards, shows that the seventeen-year-old is not afraid to attack when he sees an opening. Good for F1!
With the "virtual" safety car out for Verstappen's crash and with 14 laps to go, the Mercedes team decides to pit p1 driver Lewis Hamilton for supersoft. This was done before picking up the safety car and when Lewis resumes the race he realizes he has come behind team mate Nico Rosberg and Sebastian Vettel and into third place. With ten laps to go Lewis' camp realizes they have gambled for no reason and lost it as well. Just 3-4 laps before the end of the race, Lewis radios in that it is impossible to pass Vettel.
Daniel Ricciardo made a aggressive move on Raikkonen going into Mirabeau. The Australian carefully nudged Kimi out of the way by clipping his right rear tire and sending him wide.
Kimi on team radio after the pass, "that was not nice". Really Kimi? I think Kimi's wings have been clipped for good.
Lewis Hamilton after the race: "The team has been amazing all year long - we win together and lose together."
To read the live commentaries on the race, please click here.
Top ten:
1. Nico Rosberg, GER, Mercedes-Mercedes,
2. Sebastian Vettel, GER, Ferrari-Ferrari,
3. Lewis Hamilton, GBR, Mercedes-Mercedes,
4. Daniil Kvyat, RUS, Red Bull-Renault,
5. Daniel Ricciardo, AUS, Red Bull-Renault,
6. Kimi Raikkonen, FIN, Ferrari-Ferrari,
7. Sergio Perez, MEX, Force India-Mercedes,
8. Jenson Button, GBR, McLaren-Honda,
9. Felipe Nasr, BRZ, Sauber-Ferrari
10. Carlos Sainz Jr, ESP, Toro Rosso-Ferrari.
NHRA at Topeka, Kansas:
On a race Sunday that had the NHRA Safety Safari working flat out trying to get the race in amidst the occasional rain showers, the e.t. God's were looking on and smiling. Whereas in the entire 2014 season 19 three-second runs were recorder, on Sunday a whopping 15 were set, with 5 of those going to the funny car winner. Chalk it all down to ideal air conditions...for the nitro cars.
In Top Fuel, Brittany Force ran pretty good and got all the way to the semi's where Crampton send her packing. He then laid down a 3.738 at 318.09 to hold off Larry Dixon.
In Funny Car, Jack Beckman used a pair of sub four second passes to outrun Courtney Force and John Hale in earlier rounds and then outran Del Worsham in a close semi. In the final Jack beat none other than 16-time world champ John Force by running a 3.984 at 316.45 mph. He also took the 250th victory for his boss Don Schumacher. Get well soon, Don!
Beckman on racing Force, "I have all the respect in the world for John Force. It makes a difference when you race him. You're getting a chance to play against babe Ruth. It's so unique in our sport, that a guy [who is] the best there has aver been in this sport, can still mix it up with us. I've said it before, I can't wait to tell my grandkids I got to compete against John Force. This throphy will be extra special because it was John Force we beat in the final."
In Pro Stock, the Chevy's were charging hard to the semi's. In the final round of eliminations, KB racing's Greg Anderson ran a 6.591 at 209.14 but it wasn't quick enough to beat the red Camaro of Erica Enders, who herself was the quickest all day long.
Next the NHRA series will head June 4-7 to Englishtown, New Jersey.
Source: Crash.net, Drag Illustrated, Wikipedia
Photo credit: Getty Images, Autosport.com, Drag Illustrated
Race highlights:
Rookie sensation Max Verstappen driving for Scuderia Toro Rosso, passes Pastor Maldonado in his Lotus for P8 but looses a lot of positions during a pit stop due to a problem with the right rear. After a good stint he switches to super softs and comes in p11 right behind third place driver Sebastian Vettel. Max decides to duck under the German's rear wing to make use of any blue flags given to Vettel. However, Romain Grosjean (Lotus) doesn't fall for the trick and quickly closes the door after letting Vettel pass. Hereafter Max exerts a great deal of pressure on the Lotus of Grosjean for the final points paying position (P10) and finally takes a gamble going into Ste Devote. The Dutchman went for a small opening but touched Grosjean's right rear tire breaking his own wing and suspension before vaulting the Torro Rosso over the kerb into the barriers. This racing incident, though penalized by the race stewards, shows that the seventeen-year-old is not afraid to attack when he sees an opening. Good for F1! |
| Lewis at a loss for words |
Daniel Ricciardo made a aggressive move on Raikkonen going into Mirabeau. The Australian carefully nudged Kimi out of the way by clipping his right rear tire and sending him wide.
Kimi on team radio after the pass, "that was not nice". Really Kimi? I think Kimi's wings have been clipped for good.
Lewis Hamilton after the race: "The team has been amazing all year long - we win together and lose together."
To read the live commentaries on the race, please click here.
Top ten:
1. Nico Rosberg, GER, Mercedes-Mercedes,
2. Sebastian Vettel, GER, Ferrari-Ferrari,
3. Lewis Hamilton, GBR, Mercedes-Mercedes,
4. Daniil Kvyat, RUS, Red Bull-Renault,
5. Daniel Ricciardo, AUS, Red Bull-Renault,
6. Kimi Raikkonen, FIN, Ferrari-Ferrari,
7. Sergio Perez, MEX, Force India-Mercedes,
8. Jenson Button, GBR, McLaren-Honda,
9. Felipe Nasr, BRZ, Sauber-Ferrari
10. Carlos Sainz Jr, ESP, Toro Rosso-Ferrari.
NHRA at Topeka, Kansas:
On a race Sunday that had the NHRA Safety Safari working flat out trying to get the race in amidst the occasional rain showers, the e.t. God's were looking on and smiling. Whereas in the entire 2014 season 19 three-second runs were recorder, on Sunday a whopping 15 were set, with 5 of those going to the funny car winner. Chalk it all down to ideal air conditions...for the nitro cars.
In Top Fuel, Brittany Force ran pretty good and got all the way to the semi's where Crampton send her packing. He then laid down a 3.738 at 318.09 to hold off Larry Dixon.
In Funny Car, Jack Beckman used a pair of sub four second passes to outrun Courtney Force and John Hale in earlier rounds and then outran Del Worsham in a close semi. In the final Jack beat none other than 16-time world champ John Force by running a 3.984 at 316.45 mph. He also took the 250th victory for his boss Don Schumacher. Get well soon, Don!Beckman on racing Force, "I have all the respect in the world for John Force. It makes a difference when you race him. You're getting a chance to play against babe Ruth. It's so unique in our sport, that a guy [who is] the best there has aver been in this sport, can still mix it up with us. I've said it before, I can't wait to tell my grandkids I got to compete against John Force. This throphy will be extra special because it was John Force we beat in the final."
In Pro Stock, the Chevy's were charging hard to the semi's. In the final round of eliminations, KB racing's Greg Anderson ran a 6.591 at 209.14 but it wasn't quick enough to beat the red Camaro of Erica Enders, who herself was the quickest all day long.
Next the NHRA series will head June 4-7 to Englishtown, New Jersey.
Source: Crash.net, Drag Illustrated, Wikipedia
Photo credit: Getty Images, Autosport.com, Drag Illustrated
May 22, 2015
Golden era of racing - videos
 |
| Danny de Kort |
Just love restoring old stuff, as long as it powered by an internal combustion engine (see pict on the right). Of course, love watching them live at events or concours de elegance too. But being stuck on the paradise island of Curaçao means that I often have to rely on videos for my daily fix.
Luckily, the other day the folks at Petrolicious posted a piece that contained several old videos on the golden age of racing. It has old footage of, amongst others:
- the Targa Florio, naratted by the legendary Vic Elford,
- the Mille Miglia (both in English and Italian)
- Road America in 1963,
- the Porsche 908 at Nurburgring in 1971 (in German)
To watch any of the videos, please click here.
Source: Petrolicious.
May 21, 2015
Just to prove a point!
 |
| Bill ablaze at Indy, May 14, 1987 |
So, one day, he did the unimaginable and set himself ... on fire...just to prove his point. Below follows an excerpt of his recollection of how things went down.
 |
| The suit on display at Simpson HQ |
"So off we went and of course everyone followed along. Well there I sat, on a metal chair and they poured gas on me. Chip Ganassi threw the match in. Now I'm on fire and the next thing I see is George Snider or someone standing there sticking a hot dog into the fire!"
"Pretty soon after that everyone of those guys was wearing my stuff."
To be continued.
Source: Museum of American speed.
May 20, 2015
Mind blowing car action movie
At FulTrot we usually do not cover "block buster" movies, but what I saw yesterday prompted me to make an exception. Mad Max: Fury Road is a two-hour long assault on once's senses. And taking into consideration that almost all of the stunts were real, makes it so much more interesting to watch. Think about guys swinging around on poles fixed to moving cars, massive explosions, guitar player/fire thrower, just to name a few of the stunts.
Should you still need convincing, please watch this 18 minute raw behind-the-scenes Mad Max footage by clicking here. I walked away from the movie in awe of it all for it seems no limit was set on the resources used to create George Miller's Australian post-apocalypse.
Of course, Charlize Theron (Imperator Furiosa) looked good too!
For completeness sake, the movie got a pretty decent review from Rotten Tomatoes ... just in case!
Source: Jalopnik. Rotten Tomatoes, IMDb, Wikipedia
Should you still need convincing, please watch this 18 minute raw behind-the-scenes Mad Max footage by clicking here. I walked away from the movie in awe of it all for it seems no limit was set on the resources used to create George Miller's Australian post-apocalypse.
Of course, Charlize Theron (Imperator Furiosa) looked good too!
For completeness sake, the movie got a pretty decent review from Rotten Tomatoes ... just in case!
Source: Jalopnik. Rotten Tomatoes, IMDb, Wikipedia
May 19, 2015
The racing weekend that was - Wk 20 UPDATED
In MotoGP at Le Mans:
Le Mans turned out to be a sensational race, with loads of passing, bumping and falling. Though Vale put on a great ride, he could not reel in team mate Jorge Lorenzo who led from start to finish. This was the Spaniard's second race win in a row. And though phenom Marc Marquez did not do well at the start, by overshooting more than once, he did manage to save his race by separating the Ducati riders, in spite of a valiant effort by Iannone at the end.
The race marked Dani Pedrosa's (Honda) return to action after mission three events due to arm pump surgery. Towards the mid point he went down but manage to get back on the RC213V and finished the race in 16th place.
Fifth place finisher Andrea Iannone dislocated his left shoulder in a Tuesday testing fall at Mugello but come race day dug deep down to still ride a great race.
Lorenzo on winning: "...But you know myself, Marc, Valentino, we have talent and we have to wait for all the circumstances to be on the right way and Marc is going to come back. He is going to win races and be competitive in the future. Obviously we have to try to keep this [championship] points advantage."
However, Andrea Dovizioso thinks differently from Jorge Lorenzo regarding Marc's pace.
"It is always difficult to understand details if you are not on the bike, but my opinion is that the talent of Marc hides some limit of the Honda. Because he is the only one who is able to go fast. Also last year and especially this year. So I believe Honda at the moment does not have the right balance."
Top five:
1. Jorge Lorenzo, ESP, Movistar Yamaha
2. Valentino Rossi, ITA, Movistar Yamaha,
3. Andrea Dovizioso, ITA, Ducati
4. Marc Marquez, ESP, Repsol Honda
5. Andrea Iannone, ITA, Ducati
Next MotoGP will head to the Gran Premio d'Italia, at Mugello on May 29-31
V8 Supercar from Winton Raceway, Australia:
One of the editions of arguably the most thrilling racing series South of the equator was run last Sunday down under. If you haven't seen a race yet, be sure to look one up.
Chaz Mostert led most of the race after having started from pole. However, towards the end his team mate Winterbottom took over first place when Mostert slammed his Falcon FG X rearwards into the tire wall. For more on the race, including a short video, please click here.
Top five:
1. Mark Winterbottom, Prodrive Racing, Ford Falcon,
2. Fabian Coulthard, Freightliner Racing, Holden Commodore,
3. Craig Lowndes, Red Bull Racing, Holden Commodore,
4. Michael Caruso, Nissan Motorsports, Nissan Altima,
5. Garth Tander, Holden Racing Team, Holden Commodore
Next V8 Supercar race, SKYCITY Triple Crown in Darwin, June 19-21
NHRA at Atlanta for the Summit Race.
A bit late with our review for I just finished watching it delayed coverage. It turned out to be a great race for a couple of racers, namely Leah Pritchett, Tim Wilkerson, Hector Sr. and Greg Anderson.
In Top Fuel, Leah Pritchett (pictured on the right) qualified in the number three spot (her best ever) and later went all the way to the finals. In doing so she won over "The Greek", J.R. Todd and none other than Larry Dixon. Unfortunately Antron Brown got the better of her. Still, an outstanding performance by the Dote racing Team Gumout Dragster. Brown's winning time was a 3.887 at 310.48 mph.
In Funny Car, Tim Wilkerson kept focusing on his rounds and made it all the way to the finals. He kept his cool and outran Ron Capps with a 4.318 at 260.31 mph, and in doing so made it to the winner's circle for the first time since 2011 (Seattle). This was Wilkerson's 18th career win and his first at Atlanta. Great job Tim and crew!
In Pro Stock, Summit Chevy racer Greg Anderson experienced a stuck WOT during the burnout of the first round of elimination. Thinking he must have hurt the engine he immediately moved the car out of the groove. But when his crew chief Rob Downing radioed him that all seemed ok, they hurriedly pushed the car back to the starting line. Forced to stage right away they barely got the wheelie bars adjusted. Funny thing is that his opponent had to lift off early and had to watch Anderson make a good pass and earn the win. Moral of the story is to "never give up".
Anderson would meet his team mate Jason Line in the final who took home the "Wally" for the Summit KB Racing Team.
In Pro Stock Motorcycle, the four women rode good but kept loosing by red lighting. In the end, it was Hector Arana Sr. who got a emotional win. This was his first win since 2009 and seventh overall.
Arana on his final round at Atlanta: "I knew I could keep winning, but I had to believe in myself. In the final, the bike jumped like a Bronco. It pulled to the right, but I was not going to give up unless he [Eddie Krawic] was way in front of me. As long as I had control of the bike, I was staying with it."
The next race is the 27th Annual NHRA Kansas Nationals, on May 22-24.
Source: Crash.net, V8Supercars.com, MotoGP, NHRA
Photo credit: V8 Supercars, MotoGP, Leah Pritchett
 |
| The always fun loving Italian on the podium |
The race marked Dani Pedrosa's (Honda) return to action after mission three events due to arm pump surgery. Towards the mid point he went down but manage to get back on the RC213V and finished the race in 16th place.
Fifth place finisher Andrea Iannone dislocated his left shoulder in a Tuesday testing fall at Mugello but come race day dug deep down to still ride a great race.
 |
| Jorge at Tertre Rouge |
However, Andrea Dovizioso thinks differently from Jorge Lorenzo regarding Marc's pace.
"It is always difficult to understand details if you are not on the bike, but my opinion is that the talent of Marc hides some limit of the Honda. Because he is the only one who is able to go fast. Also last year and especially this year. So I believe Honda at the moment does not have the right balance."
Top five:
1. Jorge Lorenzo, ESP, Movistar Yamaha
2. Valentino Rossi, ITA, Movistar Yamaha,
3. Andrea Dovizioso, ITA, Ducati
4. Marc Marquez, ESP, Repsol Honda
5. Andrea Iannone, ITA, Ducati
Next MotoGP will head to the Gran Premio d'Italia, at Mugello on May 29-31
V8 Supercar from Winton Raceway, Australia:
One of the editions of arguably the most thrilling racing series South of the equator was run last Sunday down under. If you haven't seen a race yet, be sure to look one up.
Chaz Mostert led most of the race after having started from pole. However, towards the end his team mate Winterbottom took over first place when Mostert slammed his Falcon FG X rearwards into the tire wall. For more on the race, including a short video, please click here.Top five:
1. Mark Winterbottom, Prodrive Racing, Ford Falcon,
2. Fabian Coulthard, Freightliner Racing, Holden Commodore,
3. Craig Lowndes, Red Bull Racing, Holden Commodore,
4. Michael Caruso, Nissan Motorsports, Nissan Altima,
5. Garth Tander, Holden Racing Team, Holden Commodore
Next V8 Supercar race, SKYCITY Triple Crown in Darwin, June 19-21
NHRA at Atlanta for the Summit Race.
A bit late with our review for I just finished watching it delayed coverage. It turned out to be a great race for a couple of racers, namely Leah Pritchett, Tim Wilkerson, Hector Sr. and Greg Anderson.
In Top Fuel, Leah Pritchett (pictured on the right) qualified in the number three spot (her best ever) and later went all the way to the finals. In doing so she won over "The Greek", J.R. Todd and none other than Larry Dixon. Unfortunately Antron Brown got the better of her. Still, an outstanding performance by the Dote racing Team Gumout Dragster. Brown's winning time was a 3.887 at 310.48 mph.In Funny Car, Tim Wilkerson kept focusing on his rounds and made it all the way to the finals. He kept his cool and outran Ron Capps with a 4.318 at 260.31 mph, and in doing so made it to the winner's circle for the first time since 2011 (Seattle). This was Wilkerson's 18th career win and his first at Atlanta. Great job Tim and crew!
In Pro Stock, Summit Chevy racer Greg Anderson experienced a stuck WOT during the burnout of the first round of elimination. Thinking he must have hurt the engine he immediately moved the car out of the groove. But when his crew chief Rob Downing radioed him that all seemed ok, they hurriedly pushed the car back to the starting line. Forced to stage right away they barely got the wheelie bars adjusted. Funny thing is that his opponent had to lift off early and had to watch Anderson make a good pass and earn the win. Moral of the story is to "never give up".
Anderson would meet his team mate Jason Line in the final who took home the "Wally" for the Summit KB Racing Team.
In Pro Stock Motorcycle, the four women rode good but kept loosing by red lighting. In the end, it was Hector Arana Sr. who got a emotional win. This was his first win since 2009 and seventh overall.
Arana on his final round at Atlanta: "I knew I could keep winning, but I had to believe in myself. In the final, the bike jumped like a Bronco. It pulled to the right, but I was not going to give up unless he [Eddie Krawic] was way in front of me. As long as I had control of the bike, I was staying with it."
The next race is the 27th Annual NHRA Kansas Nationals, on May 22-24.
Source: Crash.net, V8Supercars.com, MotoGP, NHRA
Photo credit: V8 Supercars, MotoGP, Leah Pritchett
May 16, 2015
The Mille Miglia is here
 |
| the course marker |
The classic car rally started in the city of Brescia in Northern Italy, and passes through the following cities: Verona, Rimini, San Marino, Macerata, Teramo, Rieti, Rome, and then back to Brescia through Ronciglione, Siena, Pisa, Lucca, Pama, and Bergamo.
First held in 1927, the annual race ran through 1957, and was reinstated as a regular event in 1977. This year it features 357 classic and vintage cars dating back to at least 1957.
A record that remains unbeaten is Sir Stirling Moss victory in a Mercedes-Benz 300SLR at the 1955 Mille Miglia. The 25 year old driver and his co-driver Denis Jenkins roared 992 miles in just a little more than 10 hours. Their average speed was 98.53 mph!! To commemorate this a video was made which can be seen by clicking here.One little known fact about this unique race is the car's numbering. Unlike modern day rallying, where cars are released at one-minute intervals with the larger professional class going before the slower cars, in the Mille Miglia the smalled displacement cars started first. And from 1949, cars were assigned numbers according to their start time. For example the 1955 Moss/Jenkins car, #722, left Brescia at 7:22, while the previous slower cars had started at 21:00 the previous day.
Video credit: Petrolicious/ Mercedes-Benz
May 15, 2015
You think your bad?
I must confess I'm a purist at heart -can't help it. A major burnout is something one does upon leaving a water box. A small burnout, leaving the house... ok...you wish to express you're happy. But to keep the car in one place while doing a burnout is just stupid if you ask me. Tons of folks do it. All over the world.
Then I saw a video posted by Underground Garage Cressida, Yeah this I could dig.
And if my friends here in Curaçao and Aruba thought they were bad, or innovative, think again. This Norwegian has everyone beat! To watch the video, please click here.
Source: Frederik Sorlie - on Youtube
Then I saw a video posted by Underground Garage Cressida, Yeah this I could dig.
And if my friends here in Curaçao and Aruba thought they were bad, or innovative, think again. This Norwegian has everyone beat! To watch the video, please click here.
Source: Frederik Sorlie - on Youtube
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