Axis Of Oversteer

Rolex 24: Getting Ready

2012-01-27T16:10:00.004-05:00

Nothing is left to chance at TRG. The team goes through more than an hour of driver change practice.

In the video Carlos Gomez hops out and Damien Faulkner comes in the Axis of Oversteer Porsche GT3. Target time is 30 seconds.

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Daytona Day 2: Back in action.

2012-01-27T12:03:00.003-05:00

Big props to the TRG mechanics for rebuilding number 68 overnight. Turned out the damage was even more severe than it first appeared at first.

Kevin Estre was P2 in final practice. It will be nice, in the next 5 years, when Kevin becomes a superstar, to say his first Rolex 24 was with Axis of Oversteer! .

Daytona Day 1: rough start.

2012-01-26T18:37:00.004-05:00

We arrived at the Daytona Speedway after our epic M5 trip just in time to find the Axis GT3 being transported back to the garages...oh oh...not good. An unexpected brake lockup at the "bus stop" sent the car towards the wall.

It was a glancing blow but it did quite a bit of damage. Right side front and back suspensions, bent shocks, subframes, possibly damaged fuel cell... big job. The guys at TRG stripped the car, engine, suspension, all came out. As I write, night practice has started and the car still sits. There is a small chance it will be ready but in any case, it will be good to go for tomorrow's practice sessions.

We missed qualifying but we are in good company, the engine failed on the Chip Ganassi DP of Joey Hand/Scott Pruett and they will be starting from the back as well. 24 Hours is a long time.

2012 Rolex24 at Daytona qualifying results

Live Timing and Scoring

UPDATE: as of 7:30 PM, the engine, transmission and fuel cell are back in the car, Suspension is going in next. TRG Mechanics are doing an awesome job for Axis!
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Hooning the Pace Car

2012-01-25T23:13:00.006-05:00

We drove 500 miles today getting the BMW M5 from Charlotte North Carolina to Daytona.

We've been good along the way, traveling at (cough) reasonable speeds and not burning too much rubber, so good we had to give ourselves a treat: a detour to the BMW Performance Center in Spartanburg South Carolina for some light hooning.

It was the first time the new M5 was at the Performance Center and all the instructors there came to check the car out.

The three of us spent about an hour on the 300 foot skid pad playing with the new M5 and the outgoing e60 M5. A wet skidpad made is so we could hoon to our heart's delight and still have Michelins left on the car for its pace car duties in this friday's Continental 200 at the Speedway.

Enough about the ridiculous amount of fun we had...I think the video will give you a better idea. But yes, with tips from the guys the the Performance Center we were all able to go three times around in a full uninterrupted drift.

Suffice it to say skid pad training should be required study matter for everyone, period.

Supreme...

2012-01-24T19:18:00.000-05:00

We're driving the pace car!

2012-01-24T07:16:00.000-05:00

The Freep, Styles and I are off to Daytona in style, driving 1000 miles in what will be the pace car for the Grand Am BMW Performance 200 race later this week: a new F10 BMW M5.

More updates from the road, stay tuned!

King of Turini: Loeb makes it six in Monte Carlo

2012-01-23T08:32:00.000-05:00

Granted not a huge surprise at this point but the accomplishment is titanic, twice as many wins as rally heroes Makinen and Aurion and two more than Rohrl. Behind Loeb and Elena, the MINI JCW of Dani Sordo followed by the Ford Fiesta of Peter Solberg.

You can read details elsewhere, enjoy these awesome highlight clips. After the jump, more clips and onboard of Sebastien Ogier's scary crash after his mistake early in the rally.

Turini

2012-01-21T14:00:00.000-05:00

Pierre Campana and Sabrina de Castelli, Mini JCW WRC. Photo: Agence S Press/Andre Lavadinho.

The first part of the video below says all that needs to be said about the Monte Carlo Rally and the Col de Turini.

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Monte Carlo Rally Day 3: just sounds

2012-01-20T18:27:00.002-05:00

Daytona 24: TRG is ready!

2012-01-19T23:44:00.001-05:00

Remember, Cheer for Number 68!

A look behind the scenes of TRG, one of the most successful teams in American sports car history, as they prepare for the 50th anniversary of the GRAND-AM Rolex 24 at Daytona. They return with 23 drivers in five cars as defending champions to this historic event. TRG has celebrated four Rolex 24 wins, including an overall victory in 2003.

With 45 other GT competitors and a field about as strong as any in the history of the sport, the race is sure to be intense.

Will TRG take home its fifth win at one of the worlds most challenging races?

Stay tuned for a TRG 2012 Rolex 24 at Daytona feature video.

Catch the race on SPEED, January 28th at 3:30pm est.

Cars: 2011 & 2012 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup

No. 64
Drivers: Gaetano Ardagna, Eduardo Costabal, Emilio Di Guida, Eliseo Salazar.

No. 65
Drivers: Spencer Cox, Mike Hedlund, Jack McCarthy, Jim Michaelian.

No. 66
Drivers: Dominik Farnbacher, Ben Keating, Patrick Pilet, Allan Simonson.

No. 67
Drivers: Steven Bertheau, Marc Goossens, Wolf Henzler, Spencer Pumpelly.

No. 68
Drivers: Chris Cumming, Kevin Estre, Damien Faulkner, Carlos Gomez, Ben Keating.

Interviews:

Kevin Buckler, TRG Founder and CEO
Jens Walther, President Porsche Motorsports North America

Thanks to our friends at Yaer Productions for the great work! YaerProductions.com

Monte Day 2: Loeb in control, Ogier crashes hard!

2012-01-19T23:23:00.000-05:00

(Photo: AGENCE S PRESSE/Andre Lavadinho)

The Monte Carlo Rally used to be a snow race but global warming has pretty much turned into a straight tarmac rally.

Thursday, Sebastien Loeb consolidated his lead while Mini's Dani Sordo, who Spanish papers say took a 30% pay cut in order to get the seat, moved into 2nd followed by Petter Solberg in a Ford.

Sebastien Ogier crashed his Skoda hard, a scary accident that luckily resulted in just a minor injury to his navigator, Julien Ingrassia.

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Cut...

2012-01-19T12:08:00.000-05:00

Dani Sordo finding his line... want to see what it looked like from below?

No, he's not just parked there.

It's Monty time again...

2012-01-18T18:56:00.004-05:00

How fast do you drive on black ice when there's a 300 foot cliff on your left and jagged granite on your right?

Ford's Jari-Matti Latvala got it a bit wrong today in the hills around Monaco today, but he got lucky.
No big surprise, leading after day 1 is Sebastien Loeb in the Citroen DS3 followed by Delacour in a Ford Fiesta RS and Danni Sordo in a Mini JCW.

(photo: Best of Rally Live)

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6 Million Dollar Spider: Ferrari F1 Simulator

2012-01-18T01:27:00.000-05:00

That Darth Vader looking thing you see is Ferrari's Formula 1 simulator, the real one not the rFactor Pro powered one they will build for special clients for 350000 Euro...if they like you.
No, that's the famous 5 Million Euro simulator built for the 2010 season. I had never seen pictures of it until these.

A 5 million simulator of course is the result of Formula One cost cutting measures with the elimination of most testing. That's why we love F1: Why $6M simulator? Because cost savings!

In any case, simulation is now fully a part of racing, be it Sebastien Buemi getting a job as a Red Bull Racing reserve driver based on his simulator skills or the Gran Turismo 5 gamer team scoring a podium finish at the recent 24 Hours of Dubai.

Driving a fully professional simulator is no easy task and not for everyone, Autosprint, who published these pictures, tells how Ferrari test driver Luca Badoer was not able to do it because he would get nauseous. But before you laugh at Badoer again, consider even Schumacher is said to get queazy in motion sims.

Inside the 4000lbs sphere suspended 15 feet above the ground, is an actual 2010 Ferrari F150 just without engine and wheels. The driver is blasted by a massive sound system and facing a 180 degree 3D high definition projection.

I don't know if Maranello's Moog actuated carbon fiber spider is still the best, I believe that honor goes to Toyota Gmbh but the fact pictures are available and Ferrari has invited a journalist to drive the big machine tells me that perhaps there is something new around the corner.

2012-01-17T05:00:00.000-05:00

Photo by Stijn Sioen
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Ciao Momo

2012-01-16T09:41:00.000-05:00

Like many of you, the first thing I see when I get into my track car is a Momo Mod. 78, it's perfection.

Gampiero "Momo" Moretti has passed away, sadly just before the 50th anniversary of the Rolex Daytona 24 Hour, a race he won in 1998 in a Ferrari 333 SP. He had been invited by the organizers to celebrate the milestone and will be missed by all on pit lane there.

Moretti was born in 1940 and by the early 60s became a supplier for Ferrari, John Surtees first shuffled a MOMO wheel to a championship in his Ferrari 158. The rest, as they say, is history.

An icon in the world of endurance, "gentleman driver" Moretti was a very active in IMSA racing and instrumental in convincing Ferrari to return to sports car competition with the 333 SP program. The program culminated with his win at the Florida classic along with Mauro Baldi, Didier Theys and Arie Luiendyck.
(photos: MOMO and Autosprint)
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Shocker: John Hopkins gives a finger

2012-01-14T14:55:00.000-05:00

John Hopkins twitter photo

I don't know why people keep harping on that old fool Chuck Norris when we have motorcycle racers around. Suzuki rider John Hopkins opted to have one of his fingers amputated rather than risk not being able to race when the 2012 Superbike season starts at Philip Island.

Trouble for Hopper started last summer when he was called up by Suzuki to fill a wildcard shot in MotoGP for the Czech Grand Prix. What looked to be a simple fall in practice turned into a calvary of six operations with, apparently, the prospect for more.

Hopkins was remarkably upbeat as he posted a picture of his hand on twitter...

Ha ha?....awesome.

Ferrari F152 "caught" on film.

2012-01-14T10:28:00.000-05:00

A nice sound to hear on a Saturday morning but I love how these "spy" films appear just prior to pending releases of new cars!

I'm positive Ferrari, when they tasked a test driver to lap the Maranello roundabout over and over at walking speed were as surprised as a Kardashian would be to run into paparazzi after tweeting they would go commando for the day.

As you no doubt read by now, the 599 GTB Fiorano replacement, codenamed F152, is said to have a lighter aluminum chassis and a 725HP V12 derived from the FF's 6.3 unit. Styling will combine elements of the 458 and FF which can only be a good thing.

The F152 will be shown at the Geneva Auto Show where we will find out the model designation and if those rumors of a "HyperKERS" system tied to the front wheels are true or if that will be saved for the upcoming F70.

Time to put all those tired 599's in your garages on e-bay!

(video Auto Motor und Sport)
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Robby Gordon tells the French to kiss his ass

2012-01-13T18:42:00.000-05:00

(photo: Mauro Urrutia)

Robby Gordon is not taking his suspended disqualification from the 2012 Dakar peacefully. Gordon was found in violation of technical regulations, I believe 1P and 3P, which state that anyone getting too close to a winning French driver in a French run Rally will run afoul of article 1P and 3P.

Gordon was clearly guilty of getting too close to Stephane Peterhansel who in a bit of irony is driving for Mini who's notorious disqualification from the 1966 Montecarlo Rally was also due to running afoul of Article 1P and 3P!

To punctuate his salutation to the Dakar organizers, Gordon won today's stage by 15 minutes over his nearest rival.

Zut!

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Fast Hat

2012-01-13T17:13:00.000-05:00

Here is Carlos' new Daytona 24 Hour lid designed by Tyler Cenarrusa of Censport Graphics and photographed by James Kirkham for TRG
(How's that for getting everyone's link in?! :))

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Pure Entertainment

2012-01-13T12:18:00.000-05:00

Steve Nichols on Ayrton Senna

2012-01-13T11:57:00.000-05:00

I always chuckle a bit when my European friends say Americans don't know anything about Formula One yet forget one of the most dominant cars ever, winner of 15 out of 16 races in one season, was designed by a man from Utah!

Steve Nichols took the stage at what has to be THE autoshow after our own heart, the Autosport International race car show currently happening in Birmingham. You will love the next 15 minutes, it's a must see.

Also at the show today, Jonathan Palmer presented the new Formula 2 car for 2012

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24 Hours of Daytona: Team Axis' Carlos Gomez interviewed.

2012-01-13T06:00:00.000-05:00

(photos: James Kirkland/TRG)

How cool: our own CG, aka "the other Colombian" was interviewed by the pre eminent Latin American motorsport journalist Diego Mejia.

You may know Diego's work from Autosport where he covers NASCAR or for his racing coverage on SpeedTV.com (not to mention his recent karting induced visit to the emergency room, but that's another story.)

In any case, very nice interview, among other things Carlos explains how this will an especially interesting edition of the Rolex 24. While there is excitement for the new Daytona Prototypes, it's just 14 cars. In comparison there are 50 plus GT cars and for the first time in ages, Porsches are not the only "real" cars in the field.

Yes, Camaros and Mazdas are still tube frame Riley silhouettes but along with Porsche there are now factory supported Ferrari, Audi, BMW and even a lone Dodge Viper.

About the recent "Roar before the 24" test session, Carlos described it as a "festival of sandbagging" where teams pretty much all stuck to the 1:50 lap time and gave little away as to their true speed.

As for the number 68 Axis of Oversteer car, Carlos will be sharing duties with Porsche Supercup rookie of the year Kevin Estre, Supercup UK star Damien Faulkner, IMSA GT3 Challenge driver Chris Cummings and Viper Cup champ Ben Keating.

Carlos concludes saying that the key to winning the 24 is not so much about outright speed but the mental game and consistency over the planned double stints of approximately 55 minute stints the car is capable of. TRG has the experience and the strategic knowhow to give Carlos a top tier car with a legitimate chance.

Daytona will be awesome!

I know a fair chunck of our audience is from beyond the English speaking world and we love that so, here is the interview in it original form with thanks to Diego and Germán Mejia.

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2012-01-12T20:00:00.002-05:00

Axis of Oversteer/Capital Partners TRG Porsche GT3 in testing livery by James Boone

2012-01-12T19:49:00.001-05:00

Oryx Racing Audi R8 by James Boone .