Auto Racing

Street Racing Dangers | Uncover The Dangers Of Street Racing Today! by M. Adler

noreply@blogger.com (AWSGroup) — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 13:47:00 +0000

Are you looking for facts and specific data on street racing dangers? This article provides honest information on the dangers of street racing. Beware...

Street racers and street racing fans typically conduct their activities in an underground fashion to avoid attracting the attention of authorities. The Office of Community-Oriented Policing Services -- a division of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) -- lists the following problems most frequently associated with street racing:

"Vehicle crashes (deaths and injuries to drivers, passengers, onlookers, or innocent bystanders; and property damage);
Noise (from racing vehicles and crowds);
Vandalism and litter at racing locations (including businesses where racers commonly gather);
Loss of commercial revenue (if racing crowds obstruct or intimidate potential customers);
Excess wear and tear on public streets (painted street markings commonly are damaged by the burning rubber of vehicle tires)."

It's crazy to think about all the street racing dangers associated with this particular activity, yet so many people continue the legacy. The problem (depends on how you look at it) is that now, national sporting agencies and motorsport sponsors have idolized the racing scene and given it marketshare and space to establish itself on the growing motorsport market.

So yes even though there are plenty of risks associated with street racing, it all boils down to your ability to decide right from wrong and if you personally feel no harm in racing, then by all means live it up. This article was geared towards those of you who are seeking honest facts about street racing dangers.

For me, one of the worst dangers of street racing is being caught by the cops. I mean if you aren't a pro signed to a major league drifting company, then any street racing you do off the track is illegal. If you get caught, trapped or stopped by the cops, jail time should be the least of your worries.

How do fines of up to $10,000 sound? Plus 6 months behind bars... Not good!

Important Street Racing Information That You Must Know! by M.C.

noreply@blogger.com (AWSGroup) — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 13:46:00 +0000

If you are looking for street racing information you have come to the right place. This article provides random bits and pieces about street racing and offers specific data you may have not previously known.

For starters I thought we'd roll out basic street racing terminology. I mean everyone in motorsports should know this but for those of you particularly interested in street racing, this lingo is a must:

A dig may refer to all participants toeing a line, aligning the front bumper of the vehicles, after which all vehicles race from a stop to a pre-arranged point (typically a quarter mile in the United States, but may vary by locale).

A roll generally refers to a race which starts at a non-zero speed, and continues until all but one participant have stopped racing. This may be accompanied by three honks which would be analogous to a countdown.

To be set out lengths is a system of handicapping that allows a slower car to start their race a number of car lengths ahead and requiring the faster car to catch up and pass the slower car. There are often heated negotiations to determine a fair number. This would be analogous to the bracket racing handicap start format used where one car has a head start over the other on the Christmas Tree.

To get the jump, break, hit, kick, or move is to start the race without the flagger. This is another system of handicapping that requires one car to wait until they see the other car start to move before they are allowed to leave their starting line. In Pinks, to jump is analogous to a red light foul.

You know, after looking over this article I didn't realize how much terminology exists in street racing talk. I guess we are almost out of time so here a few pieces of street racing information you should know:

A community generally springs up around the street racing "scene", providing social interaction among the participants and cliques therein. Street races are sometimes wagered on, either by the participants or observers. This is the origin of the term "racing for pink slips" (which means that the winner keeps the opponent's car), which inspired the 2005 Speed Channel series Pinks.

New Formula One Regs Don't Work Well by Mark Warner

noreply@blogger.com (AWSGroup) — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 13:46:00 +0000

The 2010 Formula One season is underway with the Bahrain Grand Prix being completed this weekend. It was supposed to be the start of a glorious season with some big teams all looking competitive and no less than four world champions on the starting grid. As is often the case, the race did not even closely live up to the hype.

The FIA has played around with different regulations in an attempt to make Formula One more exciting with more passing. One idea that was focused on for the 2010 season was to eliminate passing in the pits. This would occur when one car would run longer than the other and then "pass it" when it needed less time to take on fuel and get back on track.

To eliminate such passes, the FIA announced there would be no refueling this year. Cars would have to pit once for tires, but that was it. The basic idea was this would force the drivers to be aggressive and make passes on the track. Bahrain showed just how misguided this idea was. There was a lot of passing in the first lap, but then almost none except for back markers. The only passing late in the race occurred when leader Sebastian Vettel lost power with an engine problem and was passed repeatedly.

There are two problems with F1. The first is the tracks. Bahrain is a perfect example. The track only has one or two places were passing can occur. The new section added was bumpy and included something like nine sweeping turns in the new mile long section. It is impossible to pass in these turns as there is simply not a wide enough grove and no where to go. The tracks need to be designed with more areas for passing automatically built in.

The second problem is the aerodynamics on the car. The regulations have not dealt with this issue. The problem is the cars are still so aero sensitive that they can't pull up behind each other. If they do at any speed at all, the car in front disturbs the air and the car behind loses grip. This creates the proverbial train around the track with slower cars holding up fast cars. This is exactly what we saw with Lewis Hamilton spending half the race behind the obviously slower Nico Rosberg.

I am not the only one who thought this was a problem. Michael Schumacher complained immediately afterward and Martin Whitmarsh who leads McLaren called for immediate rule changes. I agree with both of them. If none are made, this highly anticipated season could become one of the more boring on record. That would be unfortunate.

F1 - What The Bahrain Grand Prix Tells Us About The 2010 Season by Mark Warner

noreply@blogger.com (AWSGroup) — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 13:43:00 +0000

The Formula One season is now well under way with the running of the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 14, 2010. The first race of the season is always a tell tale sign for what the season will look like. Let's take a look at what we learned.

There are two top teams once again. Whereas it was Brawn and Red Bull last year, it looks to be Ferrari and Red Bull in 2010. The Scuderia came up with a 1-2 finish, but only after the Red Bull of Sebastian Vettel started having engine problems. Before this, however, it was clear that both teams were well ahead of the others on the track and were simply marking time while trying to save the tires. The fact Fernando Alonso said he had more speed after the race means there fight between Red Bull and Ferrari should be a good one. That being said, the flimsy Red Bull has to stay together from a reliability stand point or Vettel's championship hopes will be ruined.

What of McLaren? Well, we learned the car performs much better of a race distance then it does on the one lap qualifying. While that is generally good news, it also does not provide much hope for the season. This appears to be another season where passing is going to be difficult. If Hamilton is qualifying in the fourth through sixth position each race, it is asking a lot for him to somehow catch and pass the Red Bull and Ferrari cars. His teammate, Jenson Button, appears to still be enjoying the 2009 championship and does not look like much of a threat to anyone.

And what of the king? Michael Schumacher returns to Formula One after a three year retirement. He had an uneventful race. He didn't make a charge, but he also didn't fall back into the field. It could be a frustrating year for him as the Mercedes just doesn't look very fast. Of the four big teams, it currently seems to rank a distant fourth. Things should improve since it is only the first race, but Red Bull and Ferrari appear to be well in front which makes it a large hill to climb.

This was also the first race where we saw the prodigy of Max Mosley. He pushed hard to get rid of the manufacturer dominance so privateers could join the field. As expected, they were terrible. Of the six cars from the three new teams, only two made it to the finish line - the Lotus cars. This is a good development for Formula One? I think not.

So, what can we predict for the 2010? Well, Red Bull seems to be the fastest car, but also very iffy on reliability. The Ferrari is also very fast, but much more reliable based on the history of the team. Given this, I would think the driver's championship will come down to the end between Alonso and Vettel. I'll pick Vettel, but Ferrari for the constructor's championship since Massa appears to be a much more consistent driver than Webber and is thus likely to rack up far more points. It will be interesting to see how things play out over time.

Horse Racing Tournaments: Kentucky Derby by Dania fortner

noreply@blogger.com (AWSGroup) — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 13:43:00 +0000

Kentucky has a very unique and special history of horse racing. It dates all the way back to the late eighteenth century when Lexington got its very first race course. From that time in 1789 to 1875 when the Churchill Downs first officially opened, there were races held in different courses throughout the country. Once the Churchill Downs opened, it became the home of the Kentucky Derby and has been most widely known as that. To give a little history on the Churchill Downs is to go back to 1872 when Col. M Lewis Clark created a Louisville Jockey Club to hold racing meets. Clark then went on to visit a number of other racing leaders in Europe and learn from the best. When he returned to America he began the development of a new Kentucky racetrack to house the best horses in the breeding industry. This new track would become known as the Churchill Downs by 1883 when a news article posted an excerpt about the track. The name stuck and was finally incorporated into the Churchill Downs name in 1937. The first time that the track was publicly established was in May of 1874 and it was posted in the edition of the Courier-Journal. The construction of the truck was debated by a few different organizations but it was finally funded and construction was started. Clark rose over $30,000 dollar by selling membership subscriptions. He sold the subscriptions at $100 a pop and leased over 80 acres of land. The whole track, when it was completed, had a clubhouse, porter's lodge, grandstand, and a number of different stables that all were complete for the opening race of the track. Clark designed three different major races, the Clark Handicap, the Kentucky Oaks, and the Kentucky Derby. This mimicked the three main races in England and was thought to bring prestige and class to the US version of it. Ever since the Kentucky Derby, Clark Handicap, and Kentucky Oaks debuted in 1875, they have continued to be held at the Churchill Downs. Over the course of the years some of the best horses and jockeys have raced on the Churchill Downs and it has become one of the most prestigious racing venues in all of horse racing. There have been a lot of different renovations over the years, the biggest and most recent in 2002. The track went through a $121 million renovation. This phase of the renovation would include large new balconies, an updated grandstand with meeting areas and suites. This phase was finished by 2003 and the second phase expanded the Turf Club and added even more boxes, seats and suites. The whole renovation added 404,000 square feet to the stadium and increased seating by over 50,000. The Churchill Downs racetrack continues to be one of the best tracks on the horse racing circuit will continue to showcase some of the best horses in the world. It has had a long history of incredible races, and will continue to add to that history as time goes on.

Modified Street Racing | Better Known As Drifting For Enthusiasts! by M. Adler

noreply@blogger.com (AWSGroup) — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 13:42:00 +0000

Motorsports is a big market. Street racing is a niche within that market. Drifting is a form of modified street racing, creating an even smaller niche of drivers, enthusiasts and fans. Let's talk about it...

According to Wikipedia.com, usually, drift cars are light to moderate weight rear-wheel- drive coupes and sedans over a large range of power levels. In Japan and worldwide, the most common drift vehicles are the Nissan Silvia/180SX/200SX, Toyota AE86, Mazda RX-7, Mazda RX-8, Infiniti G35 Coupe, Nissan A31 Cefiro, Nissan C33 Laurel, Nissan Skyline (AWD versions are developed into a RWD platform), Nissan 350Z, Toyota Altezza, Toyota Chaser, Toyota Mark II, Toyota MZ20 Soarer, Honda S2000, Toyota Supra (MKIV), Ford Mustang and Mazda Miata/MX-5. US drift competitions usually use the same cars, plus Chrysler LLC's Dodge Charger, and Dodge Viper SRT-10, and General Motors's Chevrolet Corvette, and Pontiac Solstice.

This exciting form of modified street racing has practically taken over. I'm sure drag racing will go on forever but the more and more I hear about racing events, the Drifters are never left out. In present day, Drifting has evolved into a competitive sport where drivers compete in rear wheel drive cars, and occasionally all wheel drive cars, to earn points from judges based on various factors. At the top levels of competition, the D1 Grand Prix from Japan and now with a full series in the US have pioneered the sport.

It's crazy to think that what once was illegal is now sponsored by major league motorsport associations and major corporations.

Drifting competitions are judged based on line, angle, speed, and show factor. Line involves taking the correct line, which is usually announced beforehand by judges. The show factor is based on multiple things, such as the amount of smoke, how close the car is to the wall, and the crowd's reaction. Angle is the angle of a car in a drift, speed is the speed entering a turn, the speed through a turn, and the speed exiting the turn; faster is better.

INTRODUCING FUEL DOCTOR USA's FD-47 by Megan Palmer

noreply@blogger.com (AWSGroup) — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 13:41:00 +0000

New Device for Motor Vehicles Saves Gas, Money & the Environment

CALABASAS, CA - According to the U.S. Congress's Office of Technology Assessment (OTA), "Older cars generally are much less fuel efficient than new ones, they burn a disproportionate share of gasoline and thus are responsible for a similarly large share of the environmental, economic, and national security effects of gasoline use." Just in time, a new auto device is sweeping the nation that addresses these issues; Fuel Doctor USA's FD-47. Simply plugged into the lighter socket/power port, the FD-47 is saving the environment (and consumers' money) one car at a time. The FD-47significantly changes the rate of fuel consumption of an automobile, saving consumers money with each tank of gas. The FD-47'scutting-edge technology increases fuel economy, which thereby creates less CO2 released into the environment. Fuel Doctor USA has officially joined the ranks of new companies using science and technology to effectively lessen environmental damages. While the technology of Fuel Doctor USA's FD-47 is intricate, the process is quite simple. The FD-47 is a Fuel Efficiency Booster that increases a vehicle's miles per gallon (MPG) through power conditioning of the electrical systems. Conditioned and clean power allows the vehicle's electronic control unit (ECU), fuel injection and engine timing equipment to operate more efficiently. When the vehicle's engine runs more efficiently it will require less fuel, produce more power and have reduced exhaust emissions (reduced CO2). As a vehicle matures, the power systems tend to generate and experience more electrical noise or electrical interference. This noise can have many detrimental effects on the vehicles systems and decrease their efficiency. The FD-47 simply plugs into the cigarette/power outlet and the power conditioning qualities of the FD-47 help to reduce and remove this noise and to restore a vehicle's efficiency. While on a business trip in Asia, Mark Soffa, CEO of Fuel Doctor USA, was introduced by a business associate to an item he hailed as "the greatest product in the world...it actually saves gas." Soffa decided to conduct his own preliminary test, and brought the product to a friend who has lab and field testing equipment. Soon after, Soffa received an exciting call from his friend whose tests showed an 18% increase in fuel efficiency. Soffa decided to put the product through rigorous independent testing, which were done in three different continents. To ensure the product complied with regulatory rules, he brought the FD-47 to Southern California's Automotive Research Center, an EPA-certified testing center for CARB (California Air Resource Board). "We firmly believe it is important to provide our customers with complete details about our product as well as our testing procedures, so they may see the effectiveness of the FD-47 first-hand," Soffa states. "The results were excellent on cars, trucks, and SUVs 24-months and older," Soffa states. "The FD-47 can now be considered one of the most important and effective after-market auto accessories available in the marketplace today," he concludes. To the consumer, this translates to more mileage (less money) per tank of gas and less CO2 emissions. The savings average $7 per fill-up, depending on type of car and gas prices. Additionally, the Fuel Doctor's FD-47 can save thousands of pounds of CO2 per driver per year, which means that for roughly every ten FD-47 users, an entire car is taken off the road. Soffa explains, "Our goal at Fuel Doctor USA is to produce user friendly and environmentally safe products for our future." He continues, "Through my promotion and import business, we started to see the demand for green products growing at a rapid pace and wanted to be part of it." In September of 2009, Soffa used his production-trained eye to give the original product a trendier appearance, and the FD-47was launched on the Fuel Doctor USA website as well as with the popular mid-west catalogue, Heartland America. The Heartland America launch was so successful that the company tripled their next order size weeks later! Since October, thousands of FD-47 units have been sold, and Soffa has personally taken a majority of customer calls so he could experience the excitement first-hand. These calls range from technical questions to NASCAR questions, and everything in between. As of February 28th, the FD-47 was launched at the nation's largest electronic retailer, Best Buy. To learn more about Fuel Doctor USA please go online to www.fueldoctorusa.com. ### Media Contact: Megan Palmer AMG PRWorks megan@amgwagency.com 305.856.8004 x304

GO GREEN WITH FUEL DOCTOR USA by Megan Palmer

noreply@blogger.com (AWSGroup) — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 13:40:00 +0000

Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day by Saving Gas Money While Going Green

CALABASAS, CA - March 15, 2010 - A famous frog once said "It's not easy being green," well it actually is rather easy - and inexpensive - to be green, Kermit just never met the Fuel Doctor USA. The revolutionary Fuel Doctor USA's FD-47 allows eco-conscious consumers to save gas and money while helping the environment by reducing the pollutants emitted into the air.

Fuel Doctor USA's FD-47 is the fuel efficiency booster. The FD-47 increases a vehicles miles per gallon (MPG) through power conditioning of the vehicles electrical systems. Conditioned and clean power allows the vehicles electronic control unit (ECU), fuel injection and engine timing equipment to operate more efficiently. When the vehicles engine runs more efficiently it will require less fuel, produce more power and have reduced exhaust emissions (reduced CO2). As a vehicle matures, the power systems tend to generate and experience more electrical noise or electrical interference. This noise can have many detrimental effects on the vehicles systems and decrease their efficiency. The FD-47 simply plugs into the cigarette/power outlet and the power conditioning qualities of the FD-47 help to reduce and remove this noise and to restore your vehicles efficiency.

Fuel Doctor USA's FD-47 was tested by The Automobile Club of Southern California's Automotive Research Center. This U.S. EPA and CARB recognized independent test laboratory states, "The majority of the Carbon (99%) coming out of an engine is in the form of CO2. This means that improvements in fuel economy result in reduced CO2 emissions". Other tests were conducted on the FD-47 by superior automotive and engineering authorities including BOSCH (Ledico), TestCar, and Kett Engineering. These testing results found that the FD-47 increases fuel economy (up to 25%), which results in fewer CO2 emissions.

Each year, by using the FD-47, under normal driving conditions consumers will reduce the CO2 pollutants their vehicles emit into the air by thousands of pounds. It's a truly effortless yet rewarding act, "JUST PLUG IN and keep it in" states Fuel Doctor USA CEO, Mark Soffa, "it's really that simple, and maintenance free."

Best Buy, the nation's largest electronic retailer, officially launched Fuel Doctor USA's FD-47 in their stores last month.

Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day this year, all year with Fuel Doctor USA and reduce your carbon footprint.

About The Fuel Doctor USA: The Fuel Doctor USA's FD-47 will significantly change the rate of fuel consumption for consumers, saving them money and the environment one car at a time. FD-47's cutting-edge technology increases fuel economy which results in decreased CO2 emissions. Fuel Doctor USA has officially joined the ranks of new companies using science and technology to effectively lessen environmental damage. To learn more about Fuel Doctor USA please go to www.fueldoctorusa.com.

###

Media Contact: Megan Palmer AMG PRWorks 305.856.8004 x304 megan@amgwagency.com

Racing Go Karts - An Overview by Onic Roster

noreply@blogger.com (AWSGroup) — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 13:39:00 +0000

Kart racing is gaining momentum on the professional and amateur circuit. The features of kart racing are similar to other variants of open motor sports except for the size of the vehicle. The kart is a relatively small open vehicle with four wheels. These racing go karts are also known as shifter karts or go carts deemed in accordance with their style and design. For enthusiasts who enjoy the thrill of open motor sport, kart racing can be used as a platform to reach higher ranks of other variants of open motor sport.

From children to adults, racing go karts is fun for all age groups. The carts used in amusement parks or public areas have restricted speed limits whereas the ones used in scaled down circuits are hi speed carts. The karts vary in terms of speed. Some of the superkarts are capable of reaching top speeds of 240 kilometers per hour. Although quite a few individuals indulge in kart racing as a recreational activity, serious enthusiasts take part in go carting events held the world over. Kart racing which originated in the United States has now has now become a popular variant of motor sports in other parts of the globe.

The tires and wheels of the racing go karts are smaller than the ones on a normal car. Most drivers prefer alloy and magnesium rims on the wheels of karts. The tires used, are in accordance with the track condition of various competitions held around the world.

Slick tires that consist of no tread patterns are used for competitions held where weather conditions are dry. Wets are tires, which consist of treads, and grooves that give a better grip on a slippery surface. These are preferred in racing go karts competitions where wet weather prevails.

There are several associations such as IKF, (International Kart Federation) MSA, (Motor Sports Association) WKA, (World Karting Association) and several other go kart associations and leagues that organize competitions for kart racers. The racing go karts come in various two stroke and four stroke engines. In recent times, the 125cc TAG and KF1 engines are extensively used the world over.

Buddy Baker, The Gentle Giant by Richard Poulin

noreply@blogger.com (AWSGroup) — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 13:38:00 +0000

Buddy Baker had a legendary career in NASCAR and is honored and respected by all who know the sport. Buddy retired in nineteen ninety four at age 52 after thirty six years at the wheel in a career that began in 1959. Buddy can be proud of his career statistics. Baker had nineteen career first places in a total of 699 starts . Add to this 43 runner-up finishes and 58 third-place finishes. His good friend Richard Petty was very sure that with any luck Buddy would have won 50 races. Baker's career winnings exceeded $ three,500,000 in an era when the purses were small by today's standards. Baker ended his career at age 52 and then said "there comes a point when you simply got to say 'Hey it's been fun'".

Buddy Baker, son of the legendary Buck Baker didn't have a single win in stock- automobile until his ninth season. It was at Charlotte in 1967 that he had his first win in a Dodge prepaired by Ray Fox. there was a point after eight seasons where Baker questioned if he would ever have a win. He would race more than 200 times before winning his first race.

nineteen victories may not seem like much to some yet if you consider where those victories occurred then the exploit is quite impressive; four at Charlotte, four at Talladega, two each at Daytona, Darlington and Atlanta and wins at Michigan, Texas and Ontario.

Baker's favorite season was 1980. He won the Daytona 500 driving an impressive Olds prepared by Waddell Wilson that year. That black and gray impressive Olds was driven so fast by Baker that it came to be known as the "Grey Ghost" because it seemed to blend into the asphalt. Baker had averaged nearly 178 mph in winning that 500 and that is still the record today for this great event. That year, with the help of Waddell Wilson and the owner Harry Rainer he finished in the top ten ten times in only nineteen races.

As for his most memorable race, Baker would probable choose his win of the Winston 500 again in 1980 were he made up a 19 second shortfall to Dale Earnhardt whom he passed with just two laps to go. He earned the esteem of all other drivers at that Winston 500. They were all amazed at his skills at drafting behind leading cars passing them all to gain a victory that had seemed elusive. Baker was modest in victory. He was certain that Dale Earnhardt could have beaten him if he had a little more experience at the time. Years later Baker estimated that in his eyes Earnhardt was the best that ever was behind the wheel.

Baker was badly hurt at the Charlotte Coca-Cola 600 in 1989. He suffered a serious blow to the head that caused a huge clot which was removed in surgery. Somehow he never fully recovered his driving skills after that. Baker recovered from this accident and started 17 more races, retiring after a final crash in Atlanta during a qualifying lap. He had realized that he no longer had the stuff of champions.

Baker still maintains ties to the sport as a consultant to Penske South Racing.

NASCAR: Sport or Farce? by Kevin Yu

noreply@blogger.com (AWSGroup) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:41:00 +0000

Is NASCAR a sport? To many people NASCAR falls somewhere in between being a sport and being simply entertainment. Over the years I can't count the number of people I have heard saying that NASCAR is not a sport because all that the guys do is sit in a car and drive for a few hours

I believe this view can only be held by those who are ill advised of the workings of NASCAR. I contend that the NASCAR has the following qualities that most definitely qualify it as a sport:

1 - It requires physical conditioning on the part of the driver and pit crew in order to succeed.

2 - It requires an intelligent coach, the crew chief, to make critical decisions at the appropriate times in order for the team to win.

3 - It requires domain specific mental toughness and intelligence on the part of the driver and the pit crew. Just because drivers are riding in cars does not mean that they are riding in the same comfort that you do when you take a long road trip.

NASCAR vehicles are built for weight, speed and safety, not comfort. Racing seats are small, thinly padded containers for the drivers not the same luxury seats with multiple comfort adjustments that you find in all cars sold in the production environment.

NASCAR suspensions are also built for maximum grip, not maximum rider comfort. Both of these things mean that the ride you get in a NASCAR vehicle is much more similar to the ride you would get on a piece of aged construction equipment than it is to your passenger car.

Sitting in these vehicles for hours is downright uncomfortable and for the average person would cause days of back pain and exhaustion. NASCAR driver must train in order to make it through the hundreds of miles they train and race each week. NASCAR teams have coaches just like more traditional sports.

These coaches are called Crew Chiefs, they call all of the shots during the race. They decide when a car will pit, how many tires, will be changes, how much fuel will be added, and what adjustments will be made to the tire pressure and suspension. Any one of these decisions could win, or lose, a race for a team. Much like any other sport the success of the team depends on the quality of the coach. Drivers and pit crews have to be mentally equipped to deal with the situations that arise during the race in the same ways that players have to deals with situations that arise during games. In football, it is important that a player not focus too much on their previous mistakes.

For example, if a receiver fumbles a ball on one play, it is important that he forget about and be ready to play well for the next set of downs. The same is true with drivers and pit crews. If a driver gets a bad restart or a crewman takes too long to change a tire, it is important that each of them have the mental toughness to not give up on their jobs for the remainder of the race. If even one person on the race team gives up, no matter how small their responsibilities, the team can fail and the race can be lost.

After taking these facts into consideration and learning more about NASCAR it should be fairly easy to classify it as a sport. While the physical side is less pronounced than most other major sports, NASCAR still has all of the components of a sporting event.

McLaren Gets Ready For Punishment for Lying to Stewards by Lemmy Gibson

noreply@blogger.com (AWSGroup) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:08:00 +0000

McLaren has put its foot in it again with "lie-gate". The news that team leader Whitmarsh has admitted to the affair in a letter to the FIA is another step towards trying to minimize the coming punishment.

Has a season gone by without McLaren making a major mistake? Yes, the FIA appears to be out to get the team, but McLaren deserves much blame for giving the FIA so many chances. Lie-gate is the latest ghastly mistake by McLaren. Lie-gate, of course, refers to Lewis Hamilton and Dave Ryan telling stewards one thing when the transcript of their radio conversation that went over the television broadcast to millions was completely different.

Caught red handed, McLaren has started to try to turn the page. Dave Ryan was made to fall on his sword and "resigned". Lewis Hamilton then blamed Ryan and apologized personally to anyone who has ears. Ron Dennis pulled the sword out of Dave Ryan and then fell on it himself. Finally, Martin Whitmarsh wrote a mea culpa letter to the FIA in a further attempt to minimize the damage.

So, is McLaren really interested in ending the war with the FIA? I doubt it. This has gone on too long for anyone to be showing common sense. So, why would McLaren make these moves? The answer is found in engine supplier and 40 percent team owner Mercedes. They say all publicity is good publicity, but one gets the feeling Mercedes is starting to doubt that. When your team is fine $100 million dollars for "borrowing" information from the Ferrari team, it doesn't look good. Throw lie-gate on top of it, and the Mercedes reputation is taking a beating.

McLaren is also under pressure for another reason. One need only look to the front of the grid to see something very interesting. Brawn GP looks mighty brilliant. The car is dominant and it is running a Mercedes engine. Mercedes is losing an estimated $1 BILLION dollars a month now in the economic recession. Might it be more interested in selling engines to teams instead of going all in with McLaren? The last vote at McLaren regarding whether to continue with McLaren was rumored to be 3-2 on the board of directors. That could easily change.

So, what happens to McLaren next week when the FIA renders a punishment? Rumors of a ban for the rest of the season are nonsense. McLaren has admitted the offense. They have moved to be remorseful. The FIA knows no team can afford to be banned from racing without sponsorship revolts. All and all, this suggests the FIA will fine McLaren a certain number of points. This will equate to a slap on the wrist since McLaren has no realistic chance of winning the constructor's title this year.

NASCAR: Kurt Busch Excels in Atlanta

noreply@blogger.com (AWSGroup) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 05:07:00 +0000

Once again one of the Busch brothers achieves excellence in the NASCAR Sprint Cup; this time was Kurt who obtained the glorious triumph in a spectacular way in Atlanta, at the Kobalt Tools 500. In the previous race in Las Vegas, it was Kyle, Kurt's younger brother, who was crowned as champion. This victory is without a doubt, a very positive aspect for Busch's older brother, who was losing its luster while being overshadowed by the continuing success of his brother.

Since the start of the competition, Kurt managed to maintain himself in the front for 232 of the 325 laps set with full control of his vehicle (a Miller Lite Dodge Penske), demonstrating his amazing skills to lead and thus surpassed the yellow flags that were shown during the first twelve laps. During this period, the leading position was occupied for four different drivers in a given moment, but in the midst of a successful maneuver, Busch was able to take the control of the race, getting ahead and moving away from Carl Edwards and Jeff Gordon, who were chasing him at a very close range.

As the competition progressed, the emotions were growing strong as well as the hard fight to achieve and maintain the leading position. In the middle of this battle, Mark Martin had some problems with his car again, similar to the last week, causing the yellow flags to appear once again. Because of this, Kurt Busch lost the lead, which was occupied during that moment by Jeff Gordon, while Kurt followed him very concentrated to never lose his sight because Jimmy Johnson was making pressure behind him.

Brian Vickers also managed to join to this battle for the first position, but he saw how his efforts dropped down after getting another yellow flag due to Robby Gordon's punched tire. This incident was the reason why most drivers had to enter the pits area and as they were going out of it, a new contest to get the best position in front of the race was restarted.

Carl Edwards was the one who took the lead and was placed at the top, where he stayed for a short time since Kurt made a display of his great talent, the same one that he shown when he achieved the NASCAR Sprint Cup2004 title. The efforts to reach Busch seemed worthless at this point of the race, as he increased his performance and controlled to perfection his car # 2, while maintaining his leading position until the end of the race.

In this worthy victory, Kurt Busch was able to lead a greater number of laps in a single competition that what he did throughout the entire last season, when he marked 164 laps overall. After this exciting competition in Atlanta, Kurt is placed in the third position at the overall standings with 588 points behind Clint Bowyer, who is ranked second with 591 points and both drivers remain a long way from Jeff Gordon, who owns the privileged position with 634 points. by Stephen Lars