AUTO & AUTO RACING NEWS
William Oldecam Hoehne Joyce Notaspringchick Chow
Big 3 UAW workers give us a video response Its politically correct to own a hybrid Car maintenance part 1 Maintaining your car part 2 Jeep Compass review with Oldecam and Notaspringchick
Saturn Vue 2009 Chevy Aveo Smart Cars Coming to America! Smart Car part 2 The Chevy Cobalt Can America's Big Three Automakers Survive Its politically correct to own a hybrid
Notaspringchick with news from Goodwood festival of speed Ford Flex Green cars from the big 4 auto makers Smart Car with Notaspringchick 2009 Chevy Aveo
Ford Flex at West Coast Customs - 1 Ford Flex at West Coast Customs -2 Ceo Brian of West Coast Customs Ford Flex preview Courtney Hansen, Cars and the Women in Racing
Cirbin 3 Wheel Roadster Alternative Fuel Cell Vehicles and Q&A Notaspringchick 5-15 stretching your dollar Scott Pruett in the Lexus IS F Test Drive at SEMA
Jamie Little and Mike Skinner in the Winners Circle Danica Patrick at the Toyota Grand Prix Long Beach - Part 2 Danica Patrick at the Toyota Grand Prix Long Beach - Part 1
Oldecam And Notaspringchick at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Oldecam And Notaspringchick at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach
The Future of Auto Racing and ALMS at Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Smart Car Test Drive NASCAR Racer Erin Crocker at Chasing Baja Premiere Mini Cooper Clubman Debut
BMW1 Series Debut Cadillac Provoq World Premiere at CES 2008 John Schneider's General Lee GM's Update on Chevy Volt Concept Car
CES 2008 - GM's Wagoner on Technologies 2009 Ford Flex2 by Funkmaster Flex Unveiled at SEMA and the Expedition Funkmaster Flex Chip Foose 2009 Ford Flex Unveiled at SEMA
Women Trade in Your Motorcycles Ford's CEO Mulally on UAW Agreement Ford Motor Company's CEO at the LA Auto Show 2009 Corolla and Matrix Unveiled at SEMA
Yada Yada Yada at SEMA Mercedes Benz E320 Bluetec Runway Debut at MB Fashion Week DUB Show Alpine's IMPRINT Car Orange County Choppers Peavey Guitar Unveiling
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Nick Hogan and Dan Pina Drifting Nopi Drift Drivers Meeting with Dan Pina Drifting - What It's Like From the Inside 1925 Rolls Royce Phantom at the LA Concours d'Elegance
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Formula DRIFT Round 5: Breaking Point;
Rhys Millen Takes the Victory in the First Rain Event in Series History Long Beach, Calif. – August 11, 2008 – Formula DRIFT entered Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Washington for Round 5: Breaking Point and former Formula DRIFT Champion Rhys Millen takes home his 2nd victory this season. Samuel Hubinette takes over the lead in the chase for the Castrol SYNTEC Power Cup with a second place finish at the first rain event in Formula DRIFT history. Entering the Pacific Northwest at Evergreen Speedway rain was not a big surprise as showers in the morning and during the Top 16 competition created the first ever rain event in Formula DRIFT history. The track became wet and the drivers had to adjust to the new conditions. The competition was exciting as the drivers proved complete car control on the banked oval and tight technical turns. “The rain made for one of the most exciting events in the history of Formula DRIFT,” said Jim Liaw, President and Co-founder of Formula DRIFT. “The fans from Pacific Northwest are some of the most dedicated fans and despite the wet weather they stayed glued to their seats for the entire event. These conditions definitely showcased the skillfulness of Formula DRIFT’s pro drivers.” All 3 previous Formula DRIFT champions remained in the Final Four. Third place finisher Robbie Nishida and the Hankook / Peak Performance Nissan 350Z found the podium for his first time since his debut in 2005 by defeating current champion Tanner Foust in a very close consolation round. The final battle pitted 2-time Formula DRIFT Champion Samuel Hubinette in his Nuformz / Mopar Dodge Viper against former Formula DRIFT Champion Rhys Millen in the Red Bull Pontiac Solstice. The two faced off and Millen took home the victory for his second win this season and moved him up to the fourth place overall in the Castrol SYNTEC Power Cup point standings. Hubinette with this second place finish takes the top spot over Tanner Foust by 12 points. The competition is as fierce as ever with less than 45 points separating the top 3 drivers. The action continues on at Round 6: Locked and Loaded on September 13 at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California. Castrol SYNTEC Power Cup 2008 Point Standings
Tires.com
Triple Crown 2008 Point Standings
|
Formula DRIFT Round 5: Breaking
Point Event Results
| 1. Millen 2. Hubinette 3. Nishida |
Red Bull Pontiac Solstice Nuformz Racing / Mopar Dodge Viper SRT10 Hankook / Dynamic Autosport Nissan 350Z |
101 Points 96 Points 83 Points |
Full official standings available on:
www.formuladrift.com
ABOUT FORMULA DRIFT
Entering its fifth season, Formula DRIFT is recognized as the North American
professional drifting championship series. Established on the streets of Japan,
drifting has involved into a worldwide competitive sport that challenges each
racer's driving ability and vehicle control. Formula DRIFT provides a forum for
North American professionals to demonstrate their skills against the world's top
drifters. As the first official series in North America, Formula DRIFT has taken
competitive motorsports to the extreme attracting fans and car enthusiasts from
all walks of life. For a race schedule and ticket information, visit:
www.formuladrift.com.
About IMG
IMG is the world's premier Sports, Entertainment and Media Company. IMG is a
diversified global business with two major business segments: IMG Sports &
Entertainment, and IMG Media. IMG employs over 2,500 people in 30 countries.
Forstmann Little & Co. purchased IMG in 2004.
IMG Sports & Entertainment includes: consulting services; event ownership and
management; fashion events and models representation; licensing; golf course
design; client representation in golf, tennis, broadcasting, European football,
rugby, cricket, motorsports, coaching, Olympic sports and action sports. In
addition, IMG Academies are the world's largest and most advanced,
state-of-the-art, multi-sport training and educational facility, delivering
world-class sports training experiences to over 12,000 junior, collegiate, adult
and professional athletes each year.
IMG Media, which includes our content production subsidiaries TWI, Darlow
Smithson Productions (DSP) and Tiger Aspect Productions (TAP), is recognized as
a global leader in the delivery of traditional and new media content and
services, with Internet, broadband and mobile expertise, transforming how
audiences access and interact with content.
IMG Media produces and distributes over 10,000 hours of sports, documentary,
drama, comedy, entertainment, popular factual and children's content annually,
over multiple platforms across 200 countries, including award-winning television
and radio programming. It also represents the broadcast rights to many of the
world's premier sporting events and has the world's biggest sports archive with
more than 200,000 hours of footage.
More information about IMG is available at
www.imgworld.com.
Formula DRIFT Holdings, LLC | 200 Pine Avenue, Suite 615 | Long Beach, CA 90802
|
Formula
DRIFT Round 4: High Stakes;
Toshiki Yoshioka Takes Win at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Long Beach, Calif. – July 15, 2008 – Formula DRIFT entered Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the first time for Round 4: High Stakes and rookie Toshiki Yoshioka took home the victory. This event also marked the 2nd event of the Tires.com Triple Crown bonus prize with Rhys Millen holding the lead over teammate Daijiro Yoshihara. Entering Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the first time the Formula DRIFT Championship presented by Circuit City came back to the West Coast. The course became the fastest on the circuit with multiple drivers topping the high 90 mph range with their initial drift through the challenging track. The competition was as tough as ever with many new faces and vehicles entering the competition. The event showcased one of the most diverse fields in Formula DRIFT history with the world’s best drivers from around the world participating at the event. Drivers such as Toshiki Yoshioka from Japan, Christian Pickering from Australia, JT Wharerau from New Zealand, and world renowned Japanese racing star Manabu “Max” Orido made his Formula DRIFT debut. Japan came out on top with both Daijiro Yoshihara in his Bridgestone / RMR Pontiac Solstice GXP and Toshiki Yoshioka in his ASpec / Works Bell Toyota Sprinter Trueno making it to the finals. After a hard fought battle, Formula DRIFT rookie, Toshiki Yoshioka took home top honors in only his 2nd Formula DRIFT appearance. “The diversity of the series was proven with drivers coming from around the world to compete in Formula DRIFT competition,” said Jim Liaw, President and Co-founder of Formula DRIFT. “You never know who will come out on top as we had a different winner each round so far. It was also proof of our diversity with three pre-1986 Toyota Corollas making it to the head-to-head round and upsetting some of the higher horsepower vehicles.” At the halfway point of the season the competition for the Castrol SYNTEC Power Cup is as tight as ever with 2007 Formula DRIFT Champion Tanner Foust and his Rockstar / AEM Nissan 350Z leading the way and with less than 15 points separating Foust from 2-time Formula DRIFT champion Samuel Hubinette in his Nuformz Racing / Mopar Dodge Viper SRT10 is 2nd in points and top contender Daijiro Yoshihara in his Bridgestone / RMR Pontiac GTO following in 3rd, it will be a hard fought battle to the end. This event also marked the 2nd event for the Tires.com Triple Crown bonus prize and Rhys Millen leads the way by 4 points over teammate Daijiro Yoshihara. Formula DRIFT action continues on August 9 at the Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, WA. Castrol SYNTEC Power Cup 2008 Point Standings
Tires.com Triple Crown 2008 Point
Standings
|
Formula DRIFT Round 4: High Stakes Event
Results
| 1. Yoshioka 2. Yoshihara 3. Hubinette |
Aspec / Works Bell Toyota
Sprinter Trueno Bridgestone / RMR Pontiac GTO Nuformz Racing / Mopar Dodge Viper SRT10 |
104.25 Points 308 Points 313 Points |
Full official standings available on:
www.formuladrift.com
For more information contact:
John Pangilinan
The ID Agency
562.491.7503
john@theidagency.com
ABOUT FORMULA DRIFT
Entering its fifth season, Formula DRIFT is recognized as the North American
professional drifting championship series. Established on the streets of Japan,
drifting has involved into a worldwide competitive sport that challenges each
racer's driving ability and vehicle control. Formula DRIFT provides a forum for
North American professionals to demonstrate their skills against the world's top
drifters. As the first official series in North America, Formula DRIFT has taken
competitive motorsports to the extreme attracting fans and car enthusiasts from
all walks of life. For a race schedule and ticket information, visit:
www.formuladrift.com.
About IMG
IMG is the world's premier Sports, Entertainment and Media Company. IMG is a
diversified global business with two major business segments: IMG Sports &
Entertainment, and IMG Media. IMG employs over 2,500 people in 30 countries.
Forstmann Little & Co. purchased IMG in 2004.
IMG Sports & Entertainment includes: consulting services; event ownership and
management; fashion events and models representation; licensing; golf course
design; client representation in golf, tennis, broadcasting, European football,
rugby, cricket, motorsports, coaching, Olympic sports and action sports. In
addition, IMG Academies are the world's largest and most advanced,
state-of-the-art, multi-sport training and educational facility, delivering
world-class sports training experiences to over 12,000 junior, collegiate, adult
and professional athletes each year.
IMG Media, which includes our content production subsidiaries TWI, Darlow
Smithson Productions (DSP) and Tiger Aspect Productions (TAP), is recognized as
a global leader in the delivery of traditional and new media content and
services, with Internet, broadband and mobile expertise, transforming how
audiences access and interact with content.
IMG Media produces and distributes over 10,000 hours of sports, documentary,
drama, comedy, entertainment, popular factual and children's content annually,
over multiple platforms across 200 countries, including award-winning television
and radio programming. It also represents the broadcast rights to many of the
world's premier sporting events and has the world's biggest sports archive with
more than 200,000 hours of footage.
More information about IMG is available at
www.imgworld.com.
|
| Final | Pts/Bonus | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Kyle Busch (18) | 195/10 |
| 2. | Jimmie Johnson (48) | 175/5 |
| 3. | Kevin Harvick (29) | 165/0 |
| 4. | Greg Biffle (16) | 165/5 |
| 5. | Tony Stewart (20) | 160/5 |
| 6. | Brian Vickers (83) | 155/5 |
| 7. | Matt Kenseth (17) | 151/5 |
| 8. | David Ragan (6) | 142/0 |
| 9. | Martin Truex Jr. (1) | 143/5 |
| 10. | Ryan Newman (12) | 134/0 |
July 2, 2008
Formula DRIFT Announcement;
Judge Alex Pfeiffer to Step Down as Drifting Judge to Pursue Driving
LONG BEACH, Calif. – July 2, 2008 – Formula DRIFT Judge Alex Pfeiffer will
officially be stepping down as judge and make his return to driving. Pfeiffer’s
return to competition will begin at Formula DRIFT Round 4: High Stakes on July
11-12 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
After 2 years of contributing to develop the current standard in judging, Alex
Pfeiffer will be returning to his roots behind the wheel of a drift car. His
official return to Formula DRIFT competition will begin in Round 4: High Stakes
on July 11-12 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Pfeiffer will be working on
developing a full time team for the 2009 Formula DRIFT Championship Series.
“Formula DRIFT would like to thank Alex for his sacrifices and contribution to
the Series and the sport of drifting,” said Jim Liaw, president and co-founder
of Formula DRIFT. “We are excited to see him come back as a competitor in the
Series.”
| Final | Pts/Bonus | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Kurt Busch (2) | 190/5 |
| 2. | Michael Waltrip (55) | 170/0 |
| 3. | J.J. Yeley (96) | 165/0 |
| 4. | Martin Truex Jr. (1) | 160/0 |
| 5. | Elliott Sadler (19) | 155/0 |
| 6. | Reed Sorenson (41) | 150/0 |
| 7. | Casey Mears (5) | 151/5 |
| 8. | Denny Hamlin (11) | 142/0 |
| 9. | Jimmie Johnson (48) | 138/0 |
| 10. | Bobby Labonte (43) | 134/0 |
| Final | Pts/Bonus | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Kyle Busch (18) | 195/10 |
| 2. | David Gilliland (38) | 170/0 |
| 3. | Jeff Gordon (24) | 165/0 |
| 4. | Clint Bowyer (07) | 160/0 |
| 5. | Casey Mears (5) | 155/0 |
| 6. | Juan Pablo Montoya (42) | 150/0 |
| 7. | Ryan Newman (12) | 146/0 |
| 8. | Matt Kenseth (17) | 142/0 |
| 9. | Carl Edwards (99) | 143/5 |
| 10. | Tony Stewart (20) | 134/0 |
ATLANTA, Georgia – June 12, 2008 – Effective immediately, NOPI Motorsports is
forced to cancel two upcoming NOPI Events located in Colorado (Drag Race and Car
Show) previously set for June 21st and 22nd as well as the Utah event (Drag
Race, Drift and Car Show) previously set for July 18th and 19th of 2008. NOPI
Motorsports has faced extreme weather at their past 8 events, which has affected
NOPI events in a great way. Each event the NOPI staff has pushed through these
adversities to accommodate all of its sponsors, racers and fans in the best way
possible given the circumstances. Many times events have been postponed and made
up at a future event due to weather shutting down tracks and making it unsafe to
run on.
This unfortunate turn of events has placed a major financial burden on NOPI
Motorsports, which already faces an extremely challenging economy. With fuel
costs at a record high, people are watching all of their extracurricular
activities, and taking a chance at attending an event that would possibly be
affected by weather plays a negative roll. “We have been running top notch
events for years now,” said Michael Meyers, President of NOPI Motorsports. “I
have never been faced with anything like this. We are having incredible support
from racers and fans this year, in fact some of the best action we’ve ever seen
has taken place here in 2008. There was no way to forecast any of this. We are
working through all of it to see how we can make these events up. I apologize
for the inconvenience this has caused to everyone. This is a major setback for
NOPI Motorsports and new territory for all of us.”
Makeup events have not been announced for the two cancelled events located in
Colorado and Utah. The NOPI Motorsports staff is working on the possibility of
makeup rounds, as well as determining points towards the 2008 championships.
Each of these issues will be addressed here shortly.
The next NOPI event will take place at the New England Dragway on August 2nd and
3rd
Best Buy 400
|
|
|
|
K. Busch (18) |
C. Edwards (99) |
G. Biffle (16) |
| Pos | Driver (No.) |
| 4 | Matt Kenseth (17) |
| 5 | Jeff Gordon (24) |
| 6 | Martin Truex Jr. (1) |
| 7 | Jimmie Johnson (48) |
| 8 | Jeff Burton (31) |
| 9 | Dave Blaney (22) |
| 10 | Jamie McMurray (26) |
| Order | Driver (No.) | Car | Pts/Bonus | Laps | Laps Led | Winnings | Lap Progress |
| 1 | Kasey Kahne (9) | Dodge | 190/5 | 400 | 66 | $422,766 | |
| 2 | Greg Biffle (16) | Ford | 175/5 | 400 | 2 | $248,600 | |
| 3 | Kyle Busch (18) | Toyota | 170/5 | 400 | 61 | $240,700 | |
| 4 | Jeff Gordon (24) | Chevrolet | 160/0 | 400 | 0 | $197,011 | |
| 5 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. (88) | Chevrolet | 165/10 | 400 | 76 | $152,925 | |
| 6 | Jeff Burton (31) | Chevrolet | 155/5 | 400 | 1 | $167,433 | |
| 7 | Matt Kenseth (17) | Ford | 151/5 | 400 | 1 | $163,341 | |
| 8 | Elliott Sadler (19) | Dodge | 147/5 | 400 | 3 | $147,695 | |
| 9 | Carl Edwards (99) | Ford | 138/0 | 400 | 0 | $160,425 | |
| 10 | David Reutimann (44) | Toyota | 134/0 | 400 | 0 | $116,375 |
Gilbertson looking to turn his season around at IHRA Suzuki Motor City Nationals
Bob Gilbertson, owner/driver of the Tradicion Azul Tequila nitro Funny Car, is on a mission and is looking to rebound at this weekend's IHRA Suzuki Motor City Nationals at Milan Dragway.
Gilbertson, who hasn't had a great start so far this year, is optimistically confident about his chances in Michigan as he made his best run so far this year last weekend at Bristol Dragway, a 4.847 at 318.77 MPH backed up by a 4.96 and it gives him and his team momentum going into the third stop on the IHRA circuit.
"It's no secret that we've been struggling this year but I think we've turned the corner and the whole team is looking for big numbers this weekend at Milan Dragway," Gilbertson said. "My crew chief Nicky (Boninfante) and the guys have been working really hard to give me a car I can win with and I believe that we're now ready to rumble."
Boninfante is as equally as excited about the team's chances at Milan.
"We've had a tough time so far this year with little gremlins haunting us but now that we've hopefully ironed all of them out I think we'll be a threat at Milan," Boninfante added. "Bob's been doing a great job driving the car and he's been cutting great lights, all we have to do is make sure everything is right and the car goes to the end of the track under power and we'll be in good shape. We've got a lot of catching up to do in the points chase and our goal is to go there and get every point we can."
NOPI Englishtown
May 3-4th 2008
Englishtown, NJ May 7, 2008 - This weekend for the first time NOPI came to Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in English Town, NJ. For the first time out NOPI definitely pulled of an outstanding event. This season hasn't been the best for NOPI when it comes to weather and this weekend was no different. Saturday the weather was cold and misty for most of the day which means the event and action wasn't as packed full as it could have been. The forecast looked much better for Sunday though and by 11AM the skies had cleared up and the event was filling with spectators. There were over 21,000 people in attendance to check out all the things NOPI has to offer. English Town is known for great racing action and this weekend didn't disappoint. Racers from all over the country and Puerto Rico came out in full force to see who would take home top honors this weekend. NOPI had 201 drag racers show up to compete this weekend and had 25 drifter show up to compete. Car competitors came from all over to see who had the hottest cars. There was every type of car for any individuals taste, from old school Honda’s to supercharged Hummer’s. In total there were 550 entrants that showed up to register for the car show. This just shows how great an event NOPI puts on seeing most of these numbers were just from Sunday.
There were some incredible drag racing going on all weekend long. Here are the drag race results from this weekend.
All Motor
Name Car ET
1st Jeremy Lookofsky 2006 Honda Civic 9.253
2nd Norris Praayoonto 2004 Honda Insight 9.455
Extreme Dragster
1st Dean Karns 1998 C&F Dragster 6.626
2nd Brian Fitzpatrick 2000 Spitzer Dragster 6.788
Hot Rod
1st Kenny Tran 2006 Scion Tc 8.012
2nd Bryan Jimenez 2008 Chevy Cobalt 8.302
Modified
1st Brent Rau 1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse 7.086
2nd Boris Rojas 1988 Mazda RX-7 22.060
Power Street
1st Ben Frieman 1994 Honda Civic 10.440
2nd Stephen Lockett 1996 Dodge Neon 10.671
Pro FWD
1st Marty Ladwig 2007 Chevy Cobalt 7.167
2nd Gary Gardella 2007 Chevy Cobalt 7.397
Pro RWD
1st Carlos Montano 2007 Nissan 350Z 6.953
2nd Jorge Lazcano 1996 Mazda MX6 7.061
Quick 16
1st Hector Suarez 1982 Toyota Corolla 8.501
2nd Brenda Paddock 1983 Camaro 8.722
SCTuned Pure Street
1st Loan Nguyen 1995 Honda Civic 10.961
2nd Time Grey 1994 Honda Civic 11.165
Turbo Street
1st Brian Ballard 2006 Chevy Cobalt 9.527
2nd Kevin Van Natten 2004 Dodge Neon 9.882
Unlimited Street
1st William Thomas 1986 Ford Mustang 8.786
2nd Dan Dixon 1993 Toyota Supra Broke
This was the first time NOPI Drift came to the famed road course as
Englishtown. The drifters showed up and really put on a great show this weekend
letting it all hang out.
Here is a breakdown of how the drivers fared in this weekend’s great
competition.
Top 3
1st Ryan Tuerck
2nd Nathan Brasz
3rd Forest Wang
Round 3
Top 4
Nathan Brasz 1990 Nissan 240SX Winner
Stewart Leask 1998 Nissan 240SX
Ryan Tuerck 2007 Pontiac Solstice GXP Winner
Forrest Wang 1995 Nissan 240 SX
Round 2
Top 8
Stewart Leask 1998 Nissan 240SX Winner
Matthew Waldin 1992 Nissan 240SX
Nathan Brasz 1990 Nissan 240SX Winner
Kenji Yamanaka 1993 Nissan 240 SX
Ryan Tuerck 2007 Pontiac Solstice GXP Winner
Ali Aljibouri 2007 Pontiac Solstice
Forrest Wang 1995 Nissan 240SX Winner
Aaron Loset N/A
Round 1
Top 16
Sammy “ Tiger” Sritongkham 1992 Nissan Skyline
Matthew Waldin 1992 Nissan 240SX Winner
Stewart Leask 1998 Nissan Skyline Winner
Tyler Cox N/A
Nathan Brasz 1990 Nissan 240 SX Winner
Shawn Milone 1991 Nissan 240SX
Doug Sobolewski 1993 Nissan 240SX
Kenji Yamanaka 1993 Nissan 240SX Winner
Ryan Tuerck 2007 Pontiac Solstice GXP Winner
Evan Tuerck 1990 Nissan 240SX
Ali Aljibouri 2007 Pontiac Solstice Winner
Ron Ewerth 1990 Nissan 240SX
Forrest Wang 1995 Nissan 240 SX Winner
Dennis Mertzanis 1995 Nissan 240 SX
Aaron Losey N/A Winner
John Wagner N/A
Next Stop - May 17th and 18th Maryland International Raceway
| Final | Pts/Bonus | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Denny Hamlin (11) | 190/5 |
| 2. | Jeff Gordon (24) | 175/5 |
| 3. | Jeff Burton (31) | 170/5 |
| 4. | Jimmie Johnson (48) | 165/5 |
| 5. | Tony Stewart (20) | 155/0 |
| 6. | Dale Earnhardt Jr. (88) | 160/10 |
| 7. | Casey Mears (5) | 146/0 |
| 8. | Jamie McMurray (26) | 142/0 |
| 9. | Carl Edwards (99) | 138/0 |
| 10. | Clint Bowyer (07) | 134/0 |
Scion Joins Forces with NOPI Motorsports
ATLANTA, GA, March 28, 2008- NOPI continues to add to its partnership
portfolio by teaming up with Scion Corp for the Xplod NOPI Drag Racing Series
Sanctioned by the NHRA. Racing is something that Scion does not take lightly and
it shows. During the 2007 season Scion not only took home the Pro RWD
championship but also set two world records while doing it. Being the first car
in NHRA Sport Compact history to blast through the quarter mile in less than
seven seconds while clocking in at over 200 mph is something that will
definitely put you on the racing world’s radar. In the 2008 season, Scion Racing
has entries in four out of five classes running in the Xplod NOPI Drag Racing
Series Sanctioned by the NHRA
"The momentum for Scion drag racing has been building over the last few years
and we expect it to increase as we continue our participation in NOPI
Motorsports," said Steve Hatanaka, Scion auto shows and special events manager.
"Drag racing is an exciting motorsport. It was thrilling to see our tC sports
coupe speed down the track and take the championship last season. It's also a
great opportunity for Scion owners and enthusiasts to engage with our brand,
experience the cars, get close to the track and meet the drivers."
“It’s exciting to see Scion step up and become a great partner with NOPI
Motorsports this year. It just makes sense. They have great products and an
amazing backing from their owners who attend NOPI events. We are excited to see
the competition through racing that Scion is going to bring. This is not only
good for them and for NOPI, but great for all fans attending NOPI events.” said
Michael Meyers, President of NOPI Motorsports.
Racing is not the only thing Scion and NOPI are about though. Style is a big
part of the Scion lifestyle so for the Scion guys form matters just as much as
function. Scion is helping their owners show off their form this season by
holding Scion events at NOPI events across the country for owners to meet each
other and share in the Scion experience. Scion was a big part of the NOPI scene
last year, bringing fully built Scions to all the shows that showcased just how
a Scion could be decked out. Scion brings an enthusiasm and excitement to every
NOPI event and NOPI looks forward to making the 2008 season one the best one ye
Gilbertson to join NHRA tour at Houston
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Funny Car racer Bob Gilbertson announced that he's filed an entry for the O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals in Houston March 28-30 and will drive his new Trick Tank Monte Carlo to do battle with the best drivers out there for his first NHRA start of the year.
Gilbertson, who has been testing recently to prepare for his 2008 debut, is anxiously waiting to get back on track.
"Testing is one thing but racing against somebody else is why I do this," Gilbertson said. "It's no secret that we don't yet have a marketing partner to help us pay the bills and we're actively looking for support, but if you're not out there to show what you can do it's tough to get anybody to notice you."
"I love racing at Houston Raceway Park as I won my first NHRA national event there in 2000 driving a Trick Tank car. To do well there this year would be a great start to our season. I would have loved to have kicked off the season at Gainesville this weekend but we're not quite ready just yet. We're going to test one more time and with the parts arsenal we've accumulated over the winter we should be in good shape to race competitively in Houston."
Gilbertson is also welcoming back his former crew chief Nicky Boninfante Jr. Boninfante spent the 2007 season tuning Bruce Litton's Top Fuel dragster to the IHRA Championship and he's returning to Trick Tank Racing to help get Gilbertson another NHRA victory.
"Having Nicky back is just what this team needed," Gilbertson added. "Most of the crew from last year is still here and with the addition of another returning crew member we've got a real experienced team ready to go at our first race of the year and with what we've learned during testing, and the confidence I have in Nicky, I'm optimistically confident that we'll be able to make some noise in Houston."
SPEC MUSTANGS COME HOME TO JIM CLICK RACING
Jim Click racing takes delivery of two FR500S Mustangs for new race series in ‘08
March 6, 2008 (Chandler, AZ) – Mike McGovern, Chief Instructor at the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving will race in one of the two new Ford Mustangs delivered to Jim Click Racing. The spec cars are slated for a new race series; the 2008 Ford Racing Mustang Challenge for the Miller Cup. Jim Click (Bondurant graduate and McGovern’s teammate) and Mike McGovern will race in the stock Mustangs on tracks across the country beginning May 1, 2008 in Atlanta.
Jim Click, owner of Jim Click Racing and Jim Click Automotive Team, purchased the vehicles for the series in red and blue paint schemes. Click and McGovern will race in the first event of the eight-race series May 1, 2008, at Road Atlanta. “Jim and I will race against one another in this series” said McGovern. Click has been a student at the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving where McGovern is the chief instructor.
Click and McGovern currently race in the Koni Challenge Grand Am series in a multi-matic Mustang. The multi-matic is a race specific car and different from the new FR500S. The multi-matic boasts output of 425hp.
NOPI Motorsports Contingency
Up To 250K A Year And Growing!!!
Vacation time is over, and the weather is starting to break in a lot of areas
around the country. You know what that means don’t you. That’s right race fans;
it’s time to hit the track for a new season of racing. Race teams all over the
U.S. are preparing for an amazing year and, from the sounds of it, you will be
excited to see some of these new racecars at NOPI Events across the nation.
So how does it feel to pay out $250,000 dollars to racers? Michael Meyers,
President of NOPI Motorsports said, “Nothing feels better than giving back. I
have been so excited about the new season. NOPI has gone through some great
transformations that are going to be exciting for the racers and fans. It makes
me happy when I think about the fantastic sponsors that have come on board to
support NOPI Motorsports and their racers. These young teams deserve this
attention. They deserve payouts like this and, from the sounds of it, $250,000
is just the start. We are having more sponsors call everyday.”
Special thanks goes out to our NOPI Motorsports Contingency Partners.
Rope Pumps - RoperPumps.com
ACT - Advancedclutch.com
Spec Clutch & Flywheels - Specclutch.com
Autometer - Autometer.com
Clutchmasters - Clutchmasters.com
Exedy - ExedyUSA.com
SC Tuned - SCtuned.com
US Marines - Marines.com
Powertrain Control Solutions - powertraincontrolsolutions.com
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Boyd Coddington Hot
Rod Icon, Automotive Innovator and Star of TV's American Hot Rod Dies at 63 Boyd Coddington was the man who made hot rodding and custom cars a household hobby |
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Anaheim, CA- February 27, 2008- Boyd
Coddington, the creative visionary who took hot rodding to an art form and
custom wheels to a new level dies at 63. Coddington who was a long-time
diabetic died from complications that were brought on from a recent surgery.
It was Coddingtons' ever forward-looking view at the design and art of the
hot rod and his unconditional desire to create the finest quality cars that
became the "Boyd Look". "It is a major loss for the automotive enthusiasts and hot rod aficionados around the world. Boyd Coddington did so much more than create automotive trends, he also built the finest hot rods. He was entertaining on his TV Show (TLC's- American Hot Rod) and an ambassador who educated.", said Harry Hibler, former publisher of Hot Rod Magazine. Coddington who grew up in Idaho was a car enthusiast from a young age. At age 12, young Boyd traded his prized shotgun for a Model A Ford, this began the legacy of the "Boyd Look". Moving to Southern California to chase his dreams of chrome and customizing, he first worked as a shop machinist at Western Gear. Then in the 1970's, Coddington found work as a maintenance repairman and machinist at Disneyland. Coddington would recount fondly his experience at Disneyland and the companys desire for perfection, a trait that he instilled in everyone who worked at his hot rod shops. Coddington's first major opportunity at developing the "Boyd Look" was when Vern Luce bankrolled a dream. The "Vern Luce Coupe" was Boyd's vision of what could be done to create the ultimate 1933 Ford hot rod. Boyd would refer to his look as getting rid of the bumps and allowing the lines of the car to show. Coddington removed door handles, hinges and massaged the body dynamics in a way that no one every had ever realized. To make the Vern Luce coupe even more dynamic was his trademark use of billet aluminum to create parts that were unique to ever hot rod. The result of his first creation was the prestigious "Sloanaker Award", the first of many. Over his thirty-year reign as the "King of Hot Rods", Coddington created dozens of hand-built hot rods and custom cars. Coddington has amassed numerous awards and was the first builder to ever win the America's Most Beautiful Roadster (A.M.B.R.) award six times. Collectively, Boyd created more respect for hot rods than ever thought possible, his hot rods have been in Museum exhibits and even the cover of Smithsonian Magazine. Coddington's innovations have become not just hot rodding touchstones, but influences that have helped the entire aftermarket industry flourish. Building cars that stand the test of time and have creative names such as CadZZilla, CheZoom, Aluma-Coupe, Smoothster, Boydster I and Boydster II set him apart from others. His client list also included ZZ Top, The Beach Boys, Van Halen's- Michael Anthony, Brad Penny of the LA Dodgers, Budweiser, White Cap, Sobe, Old Milwaukee Beer, O'Reilly Auto Parts and Hershey. Boyd Coddington was also an entrepreneur with a driven desire to build his company and see his goal become reality. In the 1980's, Boyd literally re invented the wheel by creating the billet wheel for hot rods. Coddington and long-time friend Lil' John Buttera found they could machine practically anything they needed from solid aluminum. It was Coddington who took the idea and made it commercially viable. In the 1990's, his hot rod shop and wheel company had grown and was so successful that he took the company public in an I.P.O. on NASDAQ. Boyd Coddington was less known as a father of five boys and a man who had an infectious laugh. To many he was the under-the-gun, deadline-stomping star of "American Hot Rod" a persona that led some to believe he was cantankerous. Actually, Coddington was a humble and somewhat shy individual who loved kids and was a true philanthropist. Coddington has continually employed those were mentally challenged and gave them a welcome environment to learn and work. Through his "Coddington Foundation", Boyd and his wife Jo gave to the community and an array of charities. Boyd Coddington was honored during his life as Hot Rod Magazine's "Man of the Year", he was inducted into numerous Hall's of Fame. His hit TV show "American Hot Rod" brought world wide notoriety and corporations sought his talents. The "Boyd Look" will live on and his spirit will forever remain the hot rodders inspiration. Survived by his wife Jo Coddington and his five sons Boyd Coddington Jr, Christopher Coddington, Thomas McGee, Gregory Coddington and Robert McGee. The family requests that in lieu of flowers donations be made to the Coddington Foundation to benefit a variety of Boyd's favorite charities. Please address your donations to: Coddington Foundation, 811 E. Lambert Rd., La Habra, California, 90631 Services will be held on Wednesday March 5, 2008, 9 a.m. at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, 900 West La Habra blvd., La Habra, California, 90631, (562) 691-0533. A reception will be held immediately following the service (Approximately 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.) at the Boyd Coddington Hot Rod's and Collectibles, 811 E. Lambert Rd., La Habra, California, 90631 |
Formula DRIFT Expands International