motor sports

Filed under: Motorsports, Motorcycle

Reigning MotoGP champion Casey Stoner is just 26 years old, but has been riding in the FIM series since 2001 when he joined the 125cc ranks. Five years later, the Australian was in the headlining formula series with Honda, the year after that, in 2007, he won the title astride a Ducati. Last year, Stoner won it again with Honda, and even battling an issue with his arm this year, he’s atop the standings and leading his rivals in practice sessions for this weekend’s French GP at Le Mans.

But Stoner used yesterday’s GP press conference to announce his retirement at the end of this year. The Australian says the sport had gone in a direction that doesn’t interest him and that he simply isn’t enjoying it enough to continue the sacrifices necessary to be competitive at the top level. Speculation is that he wants to spend time with his wife and daughter, and perhaps that he plans to drive in the Australian V8 Supercar series.

Fellow Aussie and MotoGP legen Mick Doohan said he doesn’t believe just yet that Stoner will actually ride off into farm life. Even so, the fact that the current World Champion is unhappy enough to publicly announce the end of his career is a shock to the MotoGP world. Have a look below for a video news report on Stoner’s announcement.

Continue reading MotoGP champ Casey Stoner stuns with retirement announcement [w/video]

MotoGP champ Casey Stoner stuns with retirement announcement [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 May 2012 13:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Mitsubishi, Electric, Racing

No, that’s not a Mitsubishi i-MiEV in a fat suit, it’s the automaker’s brand-new all-electric race car, and it’s set to take on the 2012 Pike’s Peak International Hill Climb in July. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen an EV enter the Pike’s Peak challenge – Nissan commissioned a Leaf for battle last year, a car that set the bar for all future electric racers.

Mitsubishi says that its race car, dubbed i-MiEV Evolution, uses the same motor, drive battery and other major components as the standard, bean-shaped electric car that we haven’t quite grown to love. Aside from the additional bodywork, the chassis has clearly been lengthened and widened, and the race car now uses an all-wheel-drive configuration rather than the rear-wheel drive of the standard i-MiEV.

To give you an idea of just how big the racer is, a quick glance of Mitsubishi’s specs show that the i-MiEV Evolution’s dimensions are within a few inches of the stock Lancer Evolution. We wouldn’t be surprised if the all-wheel-drive system was sourced from the Lancer, as well.

Mitsubishi will also be bringing two more of its EVs to the Pike’s Peak event, including an i that has been updated with a more aerodynamic front bumper and new safety equipment, as well as a bone stock model. Scroll down for the official press blast.

Continue reading Mitsubishi previews bonkers i-MiEV Evolution for Pikes Peak

Mitsubishi previews bonkers i-MiEV Evolution for Pikes Peak originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 May 2012 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, SUV, Bentley, Off-Road, Racing

Bentley is an automaker not without its own racing pedigree, but the bulk of that is anchored in the 1920s and at Le Mans, to which it returned in winning form in the earlier part of the new millennium with the Speed 8. The latest development could, however, see the Flying B marque enter into another class of motorsport competition altogether.

That opposite end of the endurance racing spectrum is the torturous Dakar rally. We first published rumors of Crewe’s consideration of the possibility back in November, but according to CAR Magazine, those rumors are apparently kicking into high gear.

That much is owed largely to the emergence of the above-pictured EXP 9 F program, Bentley’s concept SUV currently under development. Well, sorta. Bentley’s parent company Volkswagen recently withdrew from the Dakar rally after winning it three times in a row – ostensibly to focus on its new World Rally Championship effort, but spurring rumors all the same of it transferring the team to another brand.

Given that the EXP 9 F is based (or would be, anyway) on an architecture related to the Touareg – the race model of which is what the VW team used to dominate the event – the facilitation of Bentley’s take-over of the program could prove even more straight-forward than the manner in which Audi successfully supported Bentley’s Le Mans team.

To wit, the boys from Crewe are said to be in the process of buying back all the Race Touareg rigs – complete with their 2.5-liter twin-turbo diesels producing 300 horsepower and 442 lb-ft of torque – that Volkswagen sold to privateer teams upon its departure, suggesting rather poor planning and perhaps only a passing resemblance to the eventual production EXP 9 F (which, incidentally, isn’t expected to look like the concept above).

Bentley plotting Dakar effort with used VW Touareg racers? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 May 2012 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports

Drifting’s been off the front pages for a while, the latest reports having more to do with turmoil than tire shredding. As with most things, though, just because it’s not headlining doesn’t mean it’s disappeared. NOS energy drink sent one of our favorite filmic chroniclers, Will Roegge, across the country to survey the drifting world. The result is a mini-documentary called Keep Drifting Fun.

And we do mean the word “documentary” – it’s 30 minutes long. Although there’s plenty of smoke and wall-kissing, its length gives us an opportunity to hear from drifters and organizers to find out what’s behind the sport, as well as their own motivations, where drifters come from and why they drift. It looks at venues beyond the track, like tree-lined back roads in Houston and alleys in late-night El Paso, and we dig that it starts off with the protagonists themselves admitting, “Drifitng is so stupid,” “It’s pointless,” and “When you boil it all down it’s pretty silly.”

The movie, on the other hand, isn’t. Scroll down to check it out.

Continue reading NOS energy drink presents the mini-doc Keep Drifting Fun

NOS energy drink presents the mini-doc Keep Drifting Fun originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 May 2012 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Technology, Ford

When you’ve got the most powerful factory V8 in the world, even the best driver can struggle with getting that power to the pavement. The 662 horsepower and 631 pound-feet of torque the 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is packing can easily turn its rear tires into expensive clouds of smoke. That’s why the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 is the first Shelby Mustang to be factory-equipped with launch control. “With so much more power and torque on tap from the new 5.8-liter V8,” says SVT senior engineer John Pfeiffer, “launch control makes it easier for drivers to take advantage of the performance.” What’s different about the Shelby GT500s launch control is that drivers can engage it by just pressing a single button, and it’s also capable of being fine-tuned for the best reesults.

Launch control is by now a familiar technology, with systems operating by holding engine RPM at a set point to help facilitate clean, repeatable launches. “Launch control is essentially a special mode of the traction control system that integrates the brake and engine management systems to keep the tires balanced on the peak of the mu-slip curve,” explains SVT’s Pfeiffer. In plain English, it’s designed to send as much torque to the tires as they can handle. What’s different about the system in the 2013 GT500 is its flexibility. “Most of our competitors’ launch control systems have a fixed engine launch speed,” says SVT Engineering supervisor Eddie Khan, but since “not every driver has the same style, and surface, tire, and climate conditions vary,” he points out, “we’ve given Shelby GT500 drivers the ability to adjust the engine speed to achieve the best and most consistent performance.”

Drivers can use TrackApps through the instrument cluster or tap a switch to the left of the instrument panel to enable the system. Through TrackApps, the engine launch rpm can be adjusted between 3,000 to 4,500 rpm with steps of 100 rpm. There are other tricks up the GT500s sleeve, too. Extinguish the traction control while using launch control and you’ll get an rpm-only mode that keeps the brakes out of the picture to avoid sacrificing any possible speed. Launch control also works with the different stability control modes to allow some wheelspin when that’s the fastest way out of the hole. “It’s not as intrusive as some TC systems have been in the past,” said SVTs Khan. “We’e given our drivers the ability to exert control over all the power and torque this Mustang can produce.”

Continue reading 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 features clever variable-RPM launch control

2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 features clever variable-RPM launch control originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 May 2012 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Earnings/Financials, UK, MISC

Lola may not be a name recognized by the average consumer, but racing fans will know it well. The British concern has built and continues to build race cars that have spanned an enormous variety of series and disciplines since its founding in 1958, including (but not limited to) Formula One, Le Mans, CART and just about every formula feeder series you could think of, including Formula Two, Formula 3, Formula 3000, Formula 5000 and A1GP. Now, unfortunately, the company is filing for bankruptcy protection.

The reasons are pretty simple: too many expenses and not enough revenue, although tax credits it was due from the British government are also said to be partially to blame. As a result, the outfit responsible for – among numerous other accolades – five LMP2 titles at Le Mans since 2000 alone is entering financial administration as it seeks new investors.

Along with it, Lola Cars is taking Lola Composites, however the effect this might have on its concerns in defense and aerospace (among other areas) remains to be seen. As is the future of the SP/300.R track car which Lola builds for Caterham, or the countless racing teams that continue to count on Lola to build and support their sports prototypes. But with so many racing programs at stake, we can hardly imagine the company’s considerable capabilities and expertise will go unclaimed for long. Scroll down for the official announcement.

Continue reading Lola files for bankruptcy

Lola files for bankruptcy originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 May 2012 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Etc., Europe, Lexus, Toyota, Racing

Toyota and Lexus are gearing up for this year’s Nüburgring 24 Hours. The two companies plan to take to the track with a total of five entries, including four Toyota GT 86 race cars and one Lexus LFA. Prepped by factory tuner Gazoo Racing, the LFA will compete in the SP8 class while two of the GT 86 models will go fender-to-fender in the SP3 class. Those will be joined by two more GT 86 racers built by Toyota Motorsport and competing under the Toyota Swiss Racing Team banner in the V3 class for production vehicles.

Gazoo Racing has already had a little fun at the Nüburgring this year. While competing at two shorter events at the legendary track, the LFA took home two wins. This year’s 24-hour endurance race kicks off this weekend, May 17-20. The even will be streamed online here and here. Scroll down for the quick press release.

Continue reading Toyota GT 86, Lexus LFA racers ready for Nürburgring 24 Hours

Toyota GT 86, Lexus LFA racers ready for Nürburgring 24 Hours originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 May 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Videos, Motorcycle

We officially have a new motorcycle hero. Genki Hagata rolled his Yamaha YZF-R6 out onto the track during the second AMA Pro Supersport qualifying session at Sears Point recently. Partway through his out-lap, the bike lost traction in the rear before abruptly regaining it. We likely don’t need to tell you that scenario almost always results in a one-way ticket off of the saddle in a not-so-glorious highside. But not for Hagata. The racer exhibited nothing less than super-human strength by clamping onto the handlebars and holding on for dear life.

Miraculously, it worked. After the bike settled down, Hagata managed to cling to the machine as it rode upright until he was able to fling himself back into the saddle. The guy’s efforts kept the Yamaha off of the asphalt, but cost him a spot on the grid. Hagata missed the cut-off by a few tenths of a second. Still, we haven’t seen heroics like this in a long spell. Scroll down to check it out for yourself.

Continue reading Watch Genki Hagata pull off the world’s greatest motorcycle save

Watch Genki Hagata pull off the world’s greatest motorcycle save originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 May 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Marketing/Advertising, Chevrolet, Celebrities

Diners, Drive-ins and Dives persona Guy Fieri is making more news with garages these days than kitchens. The Food Network host, who recently had his Lamborghini Gallardo stolen and then recovered in a teen’s storage container, has been selected to drive the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 pace car at the Indy 500 this year.

Guy’s an admitted car fan, and he should feel at home in the ZR1; he owns seven Chevrolet models that span the decades from 1968 to 2011, and a Cadillac Escalade ESV. He’ll be pacing the field in the 638-horsepower special edition Arctic White coupe on Sunday, May 27 at noon EST.

Guy Fieri to drive Corvette ZR1 pace car in Indy 500 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 May 2012 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Sedan, Videos, Saab, Racing

The sequel to Frankenstein is being written in Swedish, by Saab. The ostensibly former car company could teach the good doctor about life after death, having earned itself more good news by winning the inaugural race of the Swedish Touring Car series. Team Tidö’s black 9-3 racer was on pole and carried that lead all the way to the checkered flag. Driving it was Linus Ohlsson, whose past triumphs include taking third in the 2011 Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia series.

Just to be clear, all the cars in the series are silhouette racers, with Saab, Volvo, BMW and Citroën bodies placed over a spec chassis. Still, it was the body with the Griffin badge that beat the rest, and we all know Saab’s faithful could use something to cheer about these days. Scroll down for a video recap of the race; it’s in Swedish, so hit the CC button for English subtitles if you need ‘em.

Continue reading Saab victorious in inaugural Swedish Touring Car race

Saab victorious in inaugural Swedish Touring Car race originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 May 2012 09:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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