glennkellt

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Binder Scores 100% at Langley

After the wide open spaces of PIR, the iSCS returned to the short track environment with a visit to Langley Speedway.

Last season the iRacing.com Sprint Car Series featured the introduction of Langley Speedway to the schedule. A flat track featuring six degrees of banking and a very slippery surface for the sprints, only those with the proper mixture of practice, speed and talent can tame this .395 mile oval. While last season’s inaugural events were overshadowed by a seemingly inept flagman, drivers looked forward to the week’s races, as they were back to familiar short-track grounds.

Hot off of Week 1, five-time iSCS champion Alan Binder posted the fastest qualifying time of the week with a 14.337s fast lap. Right behind him was up-and-coming iSCS star Steve Linder with his qualifying lap of 14.372s. A total of 64 drivers entered into the week’s five online races. One thing was for certain – the red and yellow flames of Binder’s Beast were sure to lead the field to the green flag and be a contender all week long.

The week started with a bang involving David Muse (13) and Joey Mclaughlin (11).

The first green flag fell on Tuesday as a large 16 car field roared into Turn One, following Binder and Linder. However, on that same lap, the caution flag came out as the result of a pileup including Daniel Muse, Joey Mclaughlin, Marcus Dean, and Eddie Walczyk. When the field gathered itself up again and went back to action, Binder began to pull away from his pursuers. As the laps wound down, Linder found himself in a close battle for second place with series veterans Joe Quinn and PJ Stergios. When the checkered flag waved, it was Binder taking the win, and chalking up yet another impressive statistic – his 100th win in the sprint cars. Linder held-off his challengers to score second place, half a second behind Binder. Quinn rounded-out the podium with his third place ahead of Stergios and Garry Loney.

Thursday produced a split as the iSCS returned to Langley for Round Two. The top split featured the highest SOF rating of the week (3067) and featured a show of great driving and sportsmanship all the way through, as the race went caution-free for all 50 laps. Leading flag-to-flag was Binder once again, capturing his second win of the week after fighting-off the mean machine of Stergios. Steve Linder scored another podium finish with his third place result, while Vinnie Sansone crossed the finish line in fourth ahead of Michael Clement.

Binder kept Stergios at bay en route to the second of this three wins at Langley.

Finishing eighth place on Thursday, Fred Lampela exited the race advertising a new exercise program. “Had some good close racing with Garry and Leila [Wilson] towards the end; hardest eighth I have ever earned. [S]weat pouring off my head, sawing on the wheel trying to keep it going in the right direction… [It] was real work.”

In the second split of the night, Douglas Berryman led all 50 laps that were marred by three caution flags to take home the win. Joey Mclaughlin crossed the finish line very close behind Berryman for second place, and James Lamb scored his first podium finish of the week in third. Matt Berndt finished in fourth, and Brett Waldrep completed the top five.

“Hardest eighth I have ever earned. [S]weat pouring off my head, sawing on the wheel trying to keep it going in the right direction…” — Fred Lampela

Sunday brought two more races into the week’s standings. In the highest SOF race of the day, Fred Lampela raced to catch-up to polesitter Steve Linder for 11 laps. The unexpected happened when Linder lost control in Turn 2, spinning into the infield grass and relinquishing the lead to Lampela. Linder was able to save his machine from damage, and continued on to catch back up to Lampela. With one lap to go, Jonathan Sykes2 spun and brought out the caution, ending the race under the yellow with Lampela in first place. Linder finished second, and Berryman completed the podium with his third place. Anthony Roselli and Michael Willard2 rounded out the top five respectively.

Lampela finished-off his week with a win on Sunday.

The last race of the week produced another dominating performance by Binder’s Beast as he led all 50 laps and held-off Berryman yet again to take his third victory of the week. Aleksi Elomaa, Randal Robinson, and Glenn Cray completed the top five respectively.

Binder leads the championship standings over a fast crowd including Stergios, Linder, Lampela, and Elomaa. Will he continue to remain undefeated this season as the sprints roll into Iowa for Week 3? Stay tuned for the iSCS update on iRN!

iRacing.com Sprint Car Series Championship Standings
1. Alan Binder (346)
2. PJ Stergios (-38)
3. Steve Linder (-45)
4. Fred Lampela (-100)
5. Aleksi Elomaa (-108)

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/iracing-news/binder-scores-100-at-langley

William Ashton Lewis Jr Sterling Burton Marlin Mark Anthony Martin Jeremy Allan Mayfield James Christopher McMurray

Former Charlotte Motor Speedway exec Humpy Wheeler to be honored

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/12/04/2525415/former-charlotte-motor-speedway.html

Kurt Thomas Busch Kyle Thomas Busch Jeffrey Tyler Burton Richard Allen Craven Kerry Dale Earnhardt

Di Montezemelo hits out at Ecclestone

Luca di Montezemolo Bernie Ecclestone Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has hit out at Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, suggesting the Briton may be too old to be running the sport.

Ecclestone, 82, was critical of the controversy generated after Ferrari decided to write to the FIA asking for clarification on Sebastian Vettel’s pass on Jean-Eric Vergne during the season finale in Brazil.

Ecclestone said last week that Ferrari was too late to consider a protest, and labelled the situation a “complete joke”.

“In the rules and regs normally you have to protest. They [Ferrari] missed that time,” Ecclestone told the Telegraph.

“It’s a complete joke. What they are saying in that letter is wrong. I don’t think there needs to be any action taken. It’s completely and utterly wrong.”

Di Montezemolo, speaking during the Ferrari World Finals, was critical of Ecclestone, saying “old age” is often “incompatible with certain roles and responsibilities.”

Di Montezemolo’s comments on Ecclestone came after the Italian criticised the current lack of testing for younger drivers.

“We are constructors, not sponsors: I’m no longer happy that we can’t do testing on tarmac and that you can’t give any chance for young drivers to emerge,” he said.

“Since some people have used the expression ‘It’s a joke’ in recent days, I would like to say that this is the real ‘joke’.

“Yes, I’m referring to one of Ecclestone’s phrases: my father always taught me that you have to have respect your elders, above all when they reach the point that they can no longer control their words. So I will stop there.

“Certainly, old age is often incompatible with certain roles and responsibilities.”

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/di-montezemelo-hits-out-at-ecclestone

Mike Harris Cuth Harrison Brian Hart Gene Hartley Masahiro Hasemi

2014 Nissan GT-R Gets Updated Engine Internals, Suspension Tweaks [2012 L.A. Auto Show]

Yes, it’s that time of year again—and, no, we don’t mean the holiday shopping season. It’s time for Nissan to announce a handful of tweaks for the new year’s GT-R. But, like many of us these days, Nissan is feeling the pinch. So while in years past we may have gotten 15-hp increases, or 45-hp increases, this year we’ll have to make do with some slightly altered internals—that provide no gains in output or torque—a revised suspension, and a new interior package.

Under the hood, the GT-R’s twin-turbo 3.8-liter V-6 gets new fuel injectors that increase throttle responsiveness—and therefore the feeling of available torque—between 4500 and 6000 rpm. The six-cylinder also is fitted with an oil pan baffle to stabilize oil pressure during aggressive maneuvering. Oh, and all GT-R engines now come with an aluminum nameplate to signify which single technician hand-assembled the mill, à la AMG. The suspension also comes in for a couple of subtle upgrades. Repositioning some front bushings and swapping in a new anti-roll bar are said to have lowered the roll center, while altered springs and shocks claim to lower the car’s center of gravity.

The most tangible of upgrades is the new Premium Interior package. This consists of new Red Amber semi-aniline leather adorning the seats, instrument panel, steering wheel, door trim, armrests, and shift knob.

The 2014 Nissan GT-R with these new features will go on sale in January. Pricing hasn’t been announced yet, but we wouldn’t be surprised if the base sticker rises from 2013′s $97,820 figure to nuzzle $100K.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/68WjwRSS0qM/

Horace Gould Jean Marc Gounon Emmanuel de Graffenried Lucas di Grassi Cecil Green

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Toyota Racing 2012 NSCS AdvoCare 500 at PIR Post-Race Recaps

Toyota Racing Logo

Denny Hamlin (second) was the first Toyota Camry driver to the checkered flag in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) race at Phoenix International Raceway.

Hamlin led the field twice for 46 laps (of 319).

Kyle Busch, who led the field four times for a race-high 237 circuits, crossed the finish line third.

Busch started from the pole after setting a track record qualifying speed (138.766 mph).

Camry driver Mark Martin (10th) also recorded a top-10 finish on the one-mile speedway.

Other Camry drivers in the field included Bobby Labonte (15th), Travis Kvapil (20th), Landon Cassill (25th), Joey Logano (27th), Clint Bowyer (28th), David Stremme (34th), Mike Bliss (41st) and Martin Truex Jr. (43rd).

Following the ninth of 10 races in the ‘Chase’ championship playoff, Camry drivers in the standings include Bowyer (fourth), Hamlin (fifth) and Truex (11th).

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing Finishing Position: 2nd

How was your race today? “The track is just so slick. We’re running on such hard tires. You can’t get a grip on it and it makes for exciting racing like we saw today. I’m proud of our FedEx Ground Toyota Camry team. We felt bad — wish we could have pulled off the sweep here. But, still one-two is pretty good.”

Can you describe today’s run? “Treacherous. The race track is extremely treacherous. You can’t — with these hard tires — you just can’t get a grip on the race track. I did a tire test with Goodyear here not too long ago on 2013 car. I think they got some ideas that’s going to make it a little bit better, but right now — holy cow, it’s a mess. What’s happening is everyone’s just sliding around and sliding into each other. Of course, it makes for excitement on TV, but obviously it also makes for championship implications as well.”

KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 M&M’s Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing Finishing Position: 3rd

How was your race today? “Great day. Guys gave me an awesome car. Just gave it away at the end. Just didn’t pick the right lane. It’s my fault. So, it seems to be the way the year goes.”

Were there any issues on the final restart? “No. Kevin (Harvick) got out a little bit on me. Denny (Hamlin) got alongside of me. Just made me really loose trying to battle with the 11 (Denny Hamlin) so I couldn’t even drive forward at all. We just basically handed the race on a silver platter to the 29 (Kevin Harvick).”

Did the paper on your grill midway through the race cause any problems? “No. It didn’t cause a problem. We got it off there and temps stayed fine.”

How good was your race car? “Great car. M&M’s guys gave me an awesome piece. Unfortunately there, I gave the race away. I hate it for my guys. They work so hard and they dug hard this weekend. Obviously, having a car that’s the class of the field — you expect to win and you’re supposed to win. I guess I just didn’t know how to win it today.”

Do you think the official’s calls during the last few laps were correct? “I saw the yellow lights flickering before (Kevin) Harvick got to the start-finish line, so I believe they called it right. And, there on that last one, I mean there was oil and everything on the exit of turn four and we all about — well the front of us about crashed. So, I can’t imagine what was going on behind me. Evidently, there was more carnage going on back there. I’m not sure if they had time to react to all of that. But, granted you would expect that they would see all of that and see the oil slick. It wasn’t small by any means. It was three feet wide.”

MARK MARTIN, No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing Finishing Position: 10th

How was your race? “Wow what a wild day. I’m fine but that was a pretty hard hit. We’ll take a top-10 finish. My team worked like heck throughout the weekend to get us this top-10. I couldn’t be more proud.”

BOBBY LABONTE, No. 47 Vektor Vodka Toyota Camry, JTG-Daugherty Racing Finishing Position: 15th

TRAVIS KVAPIL, No. 93 Burger King/Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry, BK Racing Finishing Position: 20th

LANDON CASSILL, No. 83 Burger King/Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry, BK Racing Finishing Position: 25th

JOEY LOGANO, No. 20 Dollar General Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing Finishing Position: 27th

CLINT BOWYER, No. 15 5-hour ENERGY Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing Finishing Position: 28th

What happened between you and Jeff Gordon? “I mean the racing — it’s just a shame. The last person in the world you want to get into anything with is Jeff Gordon on the race track. I mean, you’re down there racing, the track’s extremely slick, we’re all on tires — I didn’t even need to pass him. That’s the thing. All I was doing is riding around biding my time. The only thing I had to do is keep the 5 car (Kasey Kahne) within reach, so for him to act like that — I mean, I barely touched him and then I feel him get into turn three and try to turn me and he missed and then next thing I know Brett’s (Griffin, spotter) telling me on the radio that he’s trying to — he’s waiting on me. It’s pretty embarrassing for a four-time champion — and what I consider one of the best this sport’s ever seen — to act like that is just completely ridiculous.”

What did NASCAR say when you met them after the race? “I don’t know. There’s nothing you can do to fix it now. It’s over with. You’ve got to go on to Homestead (-Miami Speedway). I’ve got to try to beat the 5 car (Kasey Kahne), but I mean that was my opportunity to try to get myself back in the championship hunt. When you’re disrupting a championship run like that, it’s too bad. They asked us not to do that in the driver’s meeting and there’s usually a lot of respect there. Like I said, it’s crazy — I didn’t even need to pass him. I was plenty content riding behind him and he slipped up down there, I get under him and here he comes back. I just barely touched him. I literally barely rubbed him and then all the sudden I feel him trying to retaliate and — I don’t know — missed or something and hit the wall and made himself look like a fool.”

Will you retaliate? “We just have to see.”

Did Jeff Gordon say anything to you in the meeting with NASCAR after the race? “Not really — it’s pretty soon to be talking to him (Jeff Gordon).”

Should NASCAR penalize Jeff Gordon? “You guys have been covering this sport a long time. Same circumstances happened — what was it, last year or year before and disrupted a championship and I don’t understand how that’s any different. Like I said, it’s over with and done and have to go to Homestead (-Miami Speedway) and do the best we can.”

MICHAEL WALTRIP, owner, No. 15 5-hour ENERGY Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing

What did you see happen between Clint Bowyer and Jeff Gordon? “I’ve never seen anything like what Jeff Gordon did to a guy racing for a championship. Cowardly, chicken sh** move by someone that has raced for championships before, and knows how important every position is. They barely brushed on the back straightaway and he waits — he purposely waits and tells everybody he’s waiting and wrecks our car and our hopes for racing for a championship. I’m beside myself. I can’t believe that he would get involved in the championship battle.”

What happened in the garage after the incident? “We’re just trying to keep everybody calm. It’s just a lot of emotion — a lot of guys that have way more time and effort invested than the act that Jeff Gordon took to take care of a problem. What a — I just don’t know what to say. I’m beside myself to think that that could happen.”

After Jimmie Johnson’s ‘issue’ did you believe your team was racing for a championship? “Yeah, we were in there still.”

Did you expect NASCAR to issue any penalties? “I don’t know what to expect. I can’t believe that someone would purposely wait and crash a guy racing for a championship. Everything else was just pushing and shoving and wasn’t any big deal. If you focus on what happened on the track, that’s where the story is — not someone trying to make something out of some guys pushing each other.”

Why did the No. 15 crew react the way they did after the incident? “It’s just boys venting, showing their frustration trying to express their feelings. The men and women that work on these cars have way more invested in what goes on than people realize and people appreciate and when a coward makes a move like that on the race track they just see all their hopes and dreams go up in flames, literally — they’re going to be frustrated.”

BRIAN PATTIE, crew chief, No. 15 5-hour ENERGY Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing

What caused the incident between Clint Bowyer and Jeff Gordon? “I don’t know. All I know is we were running top-five there and 24 (Jeff Gordon) kind of went up there. I don’t know. We must have got into him and he retaliated — so we’ll see what happens here. Post-race got a little exciting. Obviously, it doesn’t look like there’s too many Christmas cards going back and forth from the 15 (Clint Bowyer) and the 24.”

How do you expect NASCAR to react? “Well, if they’re consistent, they’ll park him. They parked the 18 truck (Kyle Busch) at (Texas) — when they retaliated. We’ll see what happens. I like to be consistent. I try to be as fair as I can, so hopefully they are too.”

DAVID STREMME, No. 30 Inception Motorsports Toyota Camry, Inception Motorsports Finishing Position: 34th

JOE NEMECHEK, No. 87 AM/FM Energy Wood & Pellet Stoves Toyota Camry, NEMCO Motorsports Finishing Position: 39th

MIKE BLISS, No. 19 Plinker Tactical/Value Place Toyota Camry, TriStar Motorsports Finishing Position: 41st

MARTIN TRUEX JR., No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing Finishing Position: 43rd

What happened to send you to the garage? “Just something in the engine. It’s a shame. We had an awesome race car this weekend. I felt like we had a shot at challenging for a win, but it wasn’t meant to be. I can’t say enough about TRD (Toyota Racing Development) and what they’ve been able to do for us this year — their engines have been incredible. This is the first problem we’ve had all year long and they’ve done an awesome job at giving us really good horsepower. Last year, we struggled on the engine side of things as far as power goes and this year they’ve done such a great job. It’s a shame it always happens when you have a really good race car, but at the end of the day they’ve done awesome. And, this is just a small little thing and I’m sure it’s a parts failure or something like that.”

When did you realize you had an ‘issue’? “Well, the engine started laying down on like the second lap and something broke in the top end and just started eating itself up, so we’re done for the day. It’s just a shame. We’ve had such a good race car all weekend long and really felt like we were going to have a shot at maybe challenging for the win today. It wasn’t meant to be. The NAPA Toyota was really good all weekend. The guys did a great job. I also have got to say all the guys at TRD (Toyota Racing Development) — they’ve done such an incredible job all year long with our engine program. This is the first problem we’ve had and we’ve had great horsepower all year long. Really struggled with that last year and they really stepped it up, so I want to thank all those guys. Just one of those deals — probably a parts failure or something.”

Source: Toyota Racing, Press Release

The post Toyota Racing 2012 NSCS AdvoCare 500 at PIR Post-Race Recaps appeared first on Catchfence.

VIDEO: MX - Behind The Machine, Pt. 8

Red Bull and KTM have released the final part of 'Behind the Machine,' an eight-part webisode series on KTM's quest for the AMA Motocross title.

Source: http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/video-mx-behind-the-machine-pt-8/

Lewis Hamilton David Hampshire Sam Hanks Walt Hansgen Mike Harris

McLaren set to power Formula E racing

WOKING, SURREY, UK - 12th November 2012 - McLaren Electronic Systems Limited today announced that it will provide the electric engine, transmission and electronics for cars that will participate in the FIA's exciting new Formula E race series.

McLaren will be a key partner of Spark Racing Technology, which is led by Frédéric Vasseur and is dedicated to the creation and assembly of the electric cars participating in the FIA World Championship Formula E.

McLaren and Spark Racing Technology will work together to design and assemble high performance, highly efficient electric cars which will soon be racing around cities across the globe.

The FIA Formula E Championship will be launched in 2014. It will solely feature electric powered cars, will run exclusively in major international cities and it has all the assets needed to reach a worldwide audience. As well as being an exciting new urban race series, it will facilitate the development of important new electric car technology which could one day feature in mainstream road cars and be of significant benefit to the environment.

Martin Whitmarsh, CEO McLaren Group and Team Principal of Vodafone McLaren Mercedes: "I'm a passionate believer in the role that motorsport can play in showcasing and spearheading the development of future technologies, and regard the Formula E concept as an exciting innovation for global motorsport. McLaren has worked with Frédéric Vasseur for many years, and our association has been very successful. Working together in Formula E, McLaren's world-class technology and Spark Racing Technology's expert knowledge will combine to allow both companies to stay at the forefront of technical innovation and hopefully open up great opportunities for the racing cars of tomorrow."

Frédéric Vasseur: "I am proud and happy to give birth to this project that is innovative and extremely rewarding for a company both technically and philosophically. Personally, I can write a new chapter, regardless of my other ventures in motorsport. Confidence and commitment from our partner McLaren is a guarantee of quality and reliability without which this project would not have been possible. The association with a globally recognized car manufacturer is definitely the right way to go. Sport and society are evolving and Spark Racing Technology is proud to be the pioneer and leader in the new field of electric cars that will revolutionize the motor racing industry and attitude."

Whether it be in the construction of the innovative and highly efficient McLaren Technology Centre or the use of lightweight carbon fibre structures in the 12C sports car, McLaren has developed and implemented a range of innovative technologies that improve environmental performance. This commitment to innovation and the environment enabled Vodafone McLaren Mercedes to be the first Formula 1 team to retain the Carbon Trust Standard and to be declared 'carbon neutral'.

Source: http://www.motorsportsjournal.com/archives/2012/11/mclaren_set_to_power_form.php

Christian Goethals Paul Goldsmith José Froilán González Oscar González Aldo Gordini

HRT fails to find buyer before deadline

Narain Karthikeyan, HRT, Interlagos 2012 The HRT Formula 1 team looks set to officially close down after failing to find a buyer before the FIA’s deadline for 2013 entries on Friday.

The squad was absent from the 22-car entry list published by the governing body on Saturday.

HRT had been put up for sale by owner Thesan Capital just before the United States Grand Prix.

Attempts were made to find a buyer before the entry deadline. AUTOSPORT understands that Chinese company Cherry Automobile among those involved in talks to save HRT.

Sources indicate that the team is now working to pay its creditors. The plan is for the team to shut down without unpaid debts.

HRT was originally launched as Campos Meta by former F1 driver Adrian Campos when the FIA invited new entries for the 2010 season.

But its first reconstitution happened before it even made the grid, as former Jordan/Midland boss Colin Kolles was parachuted in to lead a last-minute rescue when the project hit funding problems.

Kolles saw the renamed Hispania team through to the middle of the 2011 season, when it was bought by Thesan.

It was relocated to a Madrid base in an attempt to revive the Spanish team image that Campos had originally planned, with Luis Perez-Sala installed as team boss.

Designing its own car for the first time after adapting a Dallara-produced chassis in its early years, HRT hinted at progress in 2012 as it briefly closed on Marussia.

But it drifted away at the tail of the field by the end of the year, with its funding problems clearly apparent as tales of parts shortages dominated what turned out to be its final races.

HRT had beaten Marussia to 11th spot in the constructors’ championship in its first two years, before falling to last in 2012.

It is the first F1 team to close down since Super Aguri‘s mid-2008 exit.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/hrt-fails-to-find-buyer-before-deadline

Denny Hulme James Hunt Jim Hurtubise Gus Hutchison Jacky Ickx

Salminen, Ehnström Lock Horns for the CTC Drivers Crown

Week Three brought the CTC to the Finger Lakes region of New York and fabled Watkins Glen. (Kalle Ruokola image)

With a third of the Classic Teams Championship season gone the inter-team battles are settling down, the front runners are becoming clearer and the understanding of the revised car is improving . . . but there is still plenty for drivers to fight for.

Round Three of the championship took the drivers to the famous former grand prix venue of Watkins Glen for 25 laps of the Boot Course. Watkins Glen is always popular and this proved the case once again with a season record 234 sim-racers putting in at least one appearance during the course of the 29 online races during the week.

Renault’s Jan Beyer finished with a 138 point haul from his four wins and seven days as he took the most wins of anyone around this high speed circuit. Once again Roland Ehnström logged a 100% start/win ratio as he stormed to a solid 266 point score with Ferrari’s Henri Salminen continuing to do his best to challenge the Swede’s rapid Brabham with 252 points.

On the track and in the points race, it’s Salminen v Ehnström. (Kalle Ruokola image)

Alfa’s Barry West was the most prolific starter, putting eight of them in the books with one top five and a total of 95 points to show for his efforts, while 23 drivers maximized their points scoring with four starts.

Once again Ferrari put in a dominating performance at The Glen, then repeated it the following week as the field moved back to Europe and the classic Spa Franchorchamps circuit. This time Ferrari established a season’s record performance with 75 points but Gernot Fritsche continued to be slightly off the pace compared to the championship leaders and the rapid Ehnström.

“I think the new Lotus is a good step forward,” Fritsche said. “The low speed behavior has improved a lot, just as the potential to recover from slides by countersteering. It´s really fun to drive and to me it seems much more believable – I won´t say realistic, as we all can´t compare it to the real thing. I´m sure the NTM will continue to improve even more in the near future. I´m not sure how big the grip fall off due to overheating is in real life. At Suzuka I often ended-up in trouble after the esses because my rear tires got too hot. I´m not sure if this should be such a big issue.”

“I think the new Lotus is a good step forward . . . it´s really fun to drive and to me it seems much more believable.” — Gernot Fritsche

With Ferrari running away with the championship and 98 points ahead of second placed Williams, it seems like winning the CTC will be a formality for the Prancing Horse team. In response to this Fritsche said “Ferrari is a dream-team at the moment, we´ll be hard to beat which I agree takes out the competition.

Poster by Erik Nixon

“Just as someone proposed in the forums, I believe a good solution for the future would be to let the top (let´s say five) guys choose a team for next season according to their standings and then randomly assign the next five or 10 as their teammates (probably 10, as we´ll need three drivers per team). Then continue with the lower ranked teams in the same manner. This should result in more equally-matched teams, but still we´ll have a realistic distribution of drivers and teams in a race grid.”

While the battle for the lead in the CTC is effectively over, there are plenty of other battles which will probably go down to the virtual wire.

Williams Racing, aided by new signing Juan Luis Martinez, put in an excellent score of 55 at Spa, solidifying their second place position, but still a massive 20 points shy of the galloping, Prancing Horse.

Amongst the Aurora teams Graham Eden had a poor Week Four, only scoring 12 points, but retaining 12^th overall although now under pressure from RAM Ultramar and Melchester racing. The former team have had two excellent weeks with solid 30+ points score scorching up to 13^th overall and 9 places alone in Week Four.

Other big climbers include Ehnström’s Brabham Racing team with a strong 51 points surging them six places up the championship and establishing the marque as favourites to battle Williams for second over the rest of the season.

Another legendary marque, McLaren Racing, also showed a season’s best performance and were rewarded with a seven place climb to 11^th overall.

Spa-Francorchamps: daunting — and majestic — as ever. (Eric Miller image)

While Ehnström continues to surge up the championship board after having missed Week One, biggest climbers of the week were Aurora driver Kevin Law with a staggering 32 place climb to 22^nd overall after 134 points at Spa, and Berker Barutcu whose 31 place climb took the Ligier driver to 24^th overall.

Ferrari may have the lead ‘locked out’ but there is still plenty to fight for as the field moves to the altogether different challenge of Sonoma (formerly Infineon) Raceway for Round Five of the championship.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/iracing-news/salminen-ehnstrom-lock-horns-for-the-ctc-drivers-crown

Randy Joseph Lajoie Kevin Paul Lepage William Ashton Lewis Jr Sterling Burton Marlin Mark Anthony Martin

Stewart Finishes 19th in Wild, Wild West

Tony Stewart - Photo Credit: Todd Warshaw/Getty Images

Mobil 1/Office Depot Driver Grabs Top-20 in Raucous Race at Phoenix

Date: Nov. 11, 2012
Event: AdvoCare 500k (Round 35 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Location: Phoenix International Raceway (1-mile oval)
Start/Finish: 9^th/19^th (Running, completed 318 of 319 laps in a green-white-checkered finish)
Point Standing: 9^th (2,284 points, 87 out of first)
Winner: Kevin Harvick of Richard Childress Racing (Chevrolet)

Tony Stewart had a potential top-10 result deteriorate in much the same way as the ending of the AdvoCare 500k NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway. In a crash-marred finish at the 1-mile oval, Stewart crossed the stripe in 19^th.

After starting ninth for the 312-lap contest, Stewart charged to sixth. Then, as varying pit strategies played out, Stewart hung within the top-15. Crew chief Steve Addington directed smart chassis adjustments to the No. 14 Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevrolet of Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), and Stewart kept his eyes fixed on the front of the field.

But Stewart’s race got derailed during a charge from a lap-274 pit stop where his crew put on only right-side tires, which took a few seconds longer as crew members also inserted a rubber into the right-rear spring.

While running in 14^th and looking to grab 13^th on lap 282, Stewart spun off turn two. The left-front corner of his Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevy smacked the inside retaining wall, which required a prolonged stop on pit road to repair the damage.

Stewart lost a lap in the process, but his pit crew bandaged the No. 14 machine enough for Stewart to finish the race.

And the finish of the race is what many will be talking about.

A four-car accident on lap 312, triggered by Jeff Gordon intentionally wrecking Clint Bowyer, brought out the red flag and set up a green-white-checkered finish. And as a brouhaha between the teams of the two feuding drivers made the garage area crazy, the race’s final restart made things even crazier.

Jeff Burton spun Danica Patrick on the penultimate lap, sending Patrick into the outside retaining wall between turns three and four. After running well in 13^th, Patrick’s No. 10 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet limped off the wall and down to the apron of the track and then along the frontstretch, all the while leaking oil from an oil line that ruptured during the crash.

But the caution flag was never thrown. The leaders raced down the backstretch and into turn three, only to discover, as race winner Kevin Harvick said, “There was more oil than there was asphalt.”

Harvick tip-toed off turn four and crossed the finish line first to take the win. Denny Hamlin followed, with polesitter Kyle Busch – who led four times for a race-high 237 laps – in third. Behind the trio was calamity, as cars spun in the oil and careened off each other.

Patrick’s car served as a proverbial ping-pong ball, and the No. 39 Quicken Loans/U.S. Army Chevy of SHR’s Ryan Newman was seemingly hit on every side as he slid to a fifth-place finish.

Smoke billowed. Tempers flared. Crewmen loaded up a host of busted racecars. It was a wild, wild race in the wild, wild West.

Newman’s fifth-place run was his fifth top-five finish of 2012 and his eighth top-five in 21 career Sprint Cup starts at Phoenix. And Patrick, who is piloting the No. 10 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet for Tommy Baldwin Racing via a collaborative agreement with SHR, finished 17^th to score her career-best Sprint Cup finish in just her 10^th Sprint Cup start, in spite of the late-race nudge from Burton.

Harvick’s win in the AdvoCare 500k was his 19^th career Sprint Cup victory, his first of the season and his third at Phoenix.

Hamlin finished .580 of a second behind Harvick in the runner-up spot, while Busch, Kasey Kahne and Newman rounded out the top-five. Brad Keselowski, Greg Biffle, Kurt Busch, Paul Menard and Mark Martin comprised the remainder of the top-10.

There were eight caution periods for 38 laps, with 15 drivers failing to finish the 319-lap race, which was extended seven laps by a green-white-checkered finish.

Stewart is representing SHR in this year’s Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and came into the ninth race of the 10-race Chase in eighth place among the 12 Chase drivers, 80 points behind Chase leader Jimmie Johnson. Stewart leaves Phoenix ninth in the standings, 87 points behind new Chase leader Keselowski and 25 points behind fifth-place Hamlin.

Newman maintained 14^th place in the standings. He has 1,009 points, 82 back of 13^th-place Kyle Busch.

Just one race remains before a champion is crowned following the Ford 400 on Nov. 18 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Heading into the season finale, the top-12 Chase drivers rank as follows, with only Keselowski and Johnson eligible for the title.

1. Brad Keselowski (2,371 points) +1 position(s)

2. Jimmie Johnson (2,351 points, -20) -1

3. Kasey Kahne (2,321 points, -50) +1(mathematically eliminated from championship contention)

4. Clint Bowyer (2,319 points, -52) -1(mathematically eliminated from championship contention)

5. Denny Hamlin (2,309 points, -62) +2 (mathematically eliminated from championship contention)

6. Matt Kenseth (2,297 points, -74) -1 (mathematically eliminated from championship contention)

7. Greg Biffle (2,293 points, -78) +3 (mathematically eliminated from championship contention)

8. Kevin Harvick (2,285 points, -86) +3 (mathematically eliminated from championship contention)

9. Tony Stewart (2,284 points, -87) -1 (mathematically eliminated from championship contention)

10. Jeff Gordon (2,281 points, -90) -4 (mathematically eliminated from championship contention)

11. Martin Truex Jr. (2,260 points, -111) -2 (mathematically eliminated from championship contention)

12. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2,211 points, -160) +/-0 (mathematically eliminated from championship contention)

The Ford 400 begins at 3 p.m. EST, with live coverage provided by ESPN beginning with a pre-race show at 2 p.m.

Source: True Speed Communications for Stewart-Haas Racing, Press Release

The post Stewart Finishes 19th in Wild, Wild West appeared first on Catchfence.

Horner: Vettel ignored gamesmanship

Christian Horner Sebastian Vettel Red Bull boss Christian Horner admits he was impressed by the way Sebastian Vettel managed to keep his focus and rise above the ‘gamesmanship’ of rival teams.

The German decried the use of ‘dirty tricks’ in the aftermath of clinching his third straight Formula 1 World Championship crown.

Red Bull and Vettel were embroiled in several rows across 2012, including technical disputes and speculation linking him to Ferrari.

Horner praised Vettel for not allowing such gamesmanship to affect his focus.

“I think there have been several of his opponents that have tried to [get under his skin]. It is part of sport isn’t it,” Horner said during a media event in Milton Keynes.

“Sebastian showed the true strength of his character because he has not got involved.

“In many respects I’d suggest [it was] gamesmanship, but he’s never allowed it to distract him, he’s always maintained his focus.”

Asked whether it had ever gone too far, Horner replied: “I think that everybody has their own way and their own character…

“The success we have had sometimes does not sit too easily with some of our more established colleagues, [but] we don’t allow it to distract us. We focus on ourselves; on what we can do.”

Horner believes Vettel’s 2012 triumph is his best yet, particularly because he and Red Bull had significant ground to make up across the second half of the season.

In contrast to 2011, when Vettel racked up 11 wins and clinched the title with four races to go, he had to overcome a 39-point deficit to Fernando Alonso in order to clinch this year’s crown.

“I think in many respects this championship is his best,” Horner said.

“He’s had to work so hard for it. His mental strength has always been very, very impressive, but this year again he’s stepped it up another level.

“He’s never given up, he’s never allowed himself to get distracted no matter whether people have tried to get under his skin or not.

“He has never allowed his focus to wane, and almost the more the pressure he has been under the better he has delivered.

“He knew coming out of the summer break 39 points behind that he needed to start delivering and he put a string of four race wins together which was hugely impressive.

“But beyond that his drive back in Abu Dhabi was massively impressive and the mental strength he has – on Sunday [in Brazil] a lot of lesser drivers would have wilted under that pressure.”

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/horner-vettel-ignored-gamesmanship

Oscar Alfredo Gálvez Fred Gamble Howden Ganley Frank Gardner Billy Garrett

Wittmann gets BMW DTM race seat

BMW will promote test driver Marco Wittmann into a race seat as it expands to eight cars for the 2013 DTM.

Wittmann finished second in the 2011 Formula 3 Euro Series before switching to his BMW role this year.

BMW motorsport boss Jens Marquardt said the 23-year-old German had proved he was worthy of a race chance.

“Marco spent the 2012 season preparing intensively for this opportunity,” Marquardt said.

“He was a permanent part of the team throughout the entire year and was present in every meeting. He knows the processes just as well as the other drivers.

“Furthermore, his tests in the BMW M3 DTM showed he is more than capable of coping with the DTM. As such, he fully deserves a DTM seat in 2013.”

BMW also confirmed that it would retain all six of its current drivers, although it did not specify which teams champion Bruno Spengler, Dirk Werner, Martin Tomczyk, Andy Priaulx, Augusto Farfus and Joey Hand would line up for.

New squad MTEK will join Schnitzer, RMG and RBM as BMW entrants next year for the team’s expansion to eight cars.

Click here for AUTOSPORT’s full review of BMW’s title win in its DTM comeback season

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/miscellaneous/dtm/wittmann-gets-bmw-dtm-race-seat

Hiroshi Fushida Beppe Gabbiani Bertrand Gachot Patrick Gaillard Divina Galica

Report: BMW unsure over fate of V12 in 7 Series

Filed under: Sedan, BMW, Luxury

BMW, only recently celebrating 25 years of V12 engines in its 7 Series sedan and releasing a special 25 Years Anniversary Edition, has put the future of the top-flight execu-barge in question. A BMW product and pricing manager told Australian site Car Advice that a decision on putting a 12-cylinder in the next-generation car, due in 2016, hasn't been made yet.

It appears that this decision isn't due exclusively to emissions (that V12 is quite a guzzler, after all), since the current 760Li sells in such low numbers - at $140,200 in the US, it's the most expensive offering we have from The Roundel, beating the Alpina B7 by nearly $13,000. It sounds like the emissions issue, along with other issues like design and technology, are dominating considerations for the line in general.

Emphasis is being put on making sure the 7 Series is more differentiated from every other car in BMW's lineup, and while anything is possible, you can count us surprised if the next 7 Series shows up without a V12. There is no indication that the competitors are giving up on the biggest engines in their biggest sedans, and as the BMW executive says, there will always be a market for such cars - certain buyers need to be able to stress the word "ultimate" in "Ultimate Driving Machine."

BMW unsure over fate of V12 in 7 Series originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 Dec 2012 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/03/bmw-unsure-over-fate-of-v12-in-7-series/

Dan Gurney Hubert Hahne Mike Hailwood Mika Häkkinen Bruce Halford

Monday, December 3, 2012

Tesla Bumping Model S Prices by $2500 at Start of New Year

2013 Tesla Model S

Tesla is raising prices on its all-electric Model S sedan by $2500, despite not having yet rolled out the entire Model S lineup. (Until now only the expensive Signature launch-edition model has been shipped to customers.) The increase applies to every Tesla Model S ordered after December 31, 2012. Tesla says that buyers with outstanding orders—and any placed before the end of 2012—will still pay the Model S’s current prices.

The company gave no reason for the price increase, which isn’t atypical—most manufacturers incrementally increase prices year-over-year. In its announcement of the price bump, Tesla outlines how it hasn’t increased prices since the figures were first announced in 2009. That’s all well and good, but the Model S just went on sale this year; it’s easy to not raise prices on a car for which money didn’t trade hands until recently. With the increase, the base Model S with a 40-kWh battery pack starts at $60,890 before factoring in the available $7500 Federal tax credit. The 60-kWh Model S now costs $70,890, the 85-kWh version starts at $80,890, and finally the top-dog Model S Performance rings in at $95,890—all pre-credit, of course.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/01jHuPrcB_Y/

Cecil Green Keith Greene Masten Gregory Cliff Griffith Georges Grignard

Gregor Grant Award: Jimmy McRae

Jimmy McRae has been honoured with a Gregor Grant Award in recognition of his achievements in motorsport at this year’s AUTOSPORT Awards in London.

The father of 1995 World Rally champion Colin and former British champion Alister, Jimmy was also a highly-successful and accomplished driver in his own right. Despite his sons’ accomplishments, he remains the most successful British Rally Championship competitor of all time

He won the BRC five times from 1981-88, finished runner-up in the European Rally Championship in ’82 and also competed in the WRC.

He has continued to compete in occasional events including historic rallies, the Lungan Park Rally and, in 2008, on the Colin McRae Forest Stages Rally, held in memory of his son.

McRae was presented with his award by M-Sport boss Malcolm Wilson.

“The British Championship back in the 1980s was like World Rallying now. It was a fantastic era, I’m glad I didn’t miss it,” McRae said.

“I had some fantastic battles with Russell Brookes and Malcolm [Wilson] as well, and we also had [Stig] Blomqvist, [Ari] Vatanen as well. It was very special. Most of the time I was a match for them…

“I still do a bit now and then again in historics. In the first half of this year I had an injury, but I went to Ypres Rally in Belgium this year and finished sixth. When I phoned [wife] Margaret she said ‘oh my God, he’s not going to retire yet.’”

It wasn’t until the relatively late age of 31 that Jimmy turned his attention to the sport, but he met with success rapidly.

In addition to his 1981, ’82, ’84, ’87 and ’88 British Rally Championship crowns – scored at a time when WRC regulars like Henri Toivonen, Blomqvist, Hannu Mikkola and Vatanen would make the crossover – he also won the 1980 and ’81 Irish Tarmac Championships and was a seven-time Circuit of Ireland winner.

On the international scene, highlights included finishing third on the Lombard RAC Rally in 1983 in his Opel Manta 400, and again in ’87 in his Ford Sierra RS Cosworth.

In European competition he was victorious in Rally Cyprus, Rally Halkidikis, Rally du Var and the Ypres Rally, while he also scored numerous successes in the Middle East and in South Africa.

Adding to such accomplishments was Jimmy’s versatility, expressed not only in the variety of cars he drove but also in the surfaces he conquered and the co-drivers he did so with. From Ford Escort to the tail-happy Opel Manta and the Sierra Cosworths, and from different surfaces to three different co-drivers across his British Rally titles, Jimmy made a habit of winning.

When Colin embarked upon his own career Jimmy set up McRae Motorsport, which in turn helped Alister and, later, Kris Meeke.

In recent years he finished as top privateer in the 2003 Rally GB, won his class of the 2004 Killarney Historic Rally by over four minutes and, for the 60th anniversary of the Scottish Rally, entered the event alongside Colin and Alister in 2005. Alister beat Jimmy by 11 seconds, with Colin losing time after his gearbox stuck in sixth.

He has also won in the MSA British Historic Stage Rally Championship and the Roger Albert Clark Rally, and has competed in the Lurgan Park Rally.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/gregor-grant-award-jimmy-mcrae

Jacky Ickx Yuji Ide Jesús Iglesias

Speedworks to test Newsham, Wood

British Touring Car race winner Dave Newsham and privateer Lea Wood will test with Speedworks Motorsport tomorrow as they assess their 2013 options.

Newsham took two wins on his way to ninth in the 2012 standings in an ES Racing S2000 Vauxhall Vectra, while Wood was 14th in his self-run car.

Now both will test Tony Hughes’s NGTC Toyota Avensis at Donington Park.

Speedworks boss Christian Dick said there was a chance one of them could race for the team in 2013, alongside a planned entry for Paul O’Neill.

“In both instances we’re looking to put something together for next year,” said Dick.

“Either one would be a good proposition – they’re both quick drivers.

“They’re both easy to work with. This is to get them in the car and both are keen to try NGTC.”

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/touring-cars/btcc/speedworks-to-test-newsham-wood

Dan Gurney Hubert Hahne Mike Hailwood Mika Häkkinen Bruce Halford

John Wes Townley Finishes 13th at Phoenix International Raceway

John Wes Townley (Zaxby's) - Photo Credit: Andy Lyons / Getty Images

AVONDALE, Ariz. – John Wes Townley and the Zaxby’s Racing Team were able to overcome an incident that limited their time on-track in Thursday’s dual practice sessions, and then managed to avoid numerous multi-truck incidents in Friday’s 150-lap race at Phoenix International Raceway to bring home a 13th-place finish.

Townley maintains the 15th position in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver point standings with just one race remaining in the 2012 season.

Early in Thursday’s first practice session, Townley was involved in a single-truck incident that saw the Zaxby’s Toyota Tundra make heavy contact with the outside retaining wall in Turn 1. The RAB Racing machine sustained heavy damage that resulted in the No. 09 team pulling out their backup truck. The lengthy process to get their truck set up and through inspection resulted in the team spending several hours in the garage area but, fortunately, Townley was able to take part in the evening’s final practice session, where he recorded the 27th-fastest lap time.

Wanting to play it safe, the Chris Rice-led crew employed a strategy that would see the No. 09 Tundra stay at the rear of the field after the green flag was displayed. Seeing drivers towards the front of the field racing hard for position and crashing often evoked memories of a superspeedway race. The cautious approach would pay off for Townley later in the evening as the events continued to unfold.

Rice made the call to fill the fuel cell several times over the course of the race, which would see the 22-year-old driver racing safely. Townley took advantage of other competitors misfortunes, allowing him to advance to the 13th position when the checkered flag waved.

Next weekend, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series drivers and crews head to Homestead-Miami Speedway for the final event of the 2012 season. SPEED’s live television coverage of the season-ending 200-miler begins Friday, November 16 at 8 p.m. EST. The event will also be broadcast live on MRN Radio and SiriusXM Satellite Radio.

Source: RAB Racing with Brack Maggard Press Release

The post John Wes Townley Finishes 13th at Phoenix International Raceway appeared first on Catchfence.

Chevrolet unveils 2013 Sprint Cup car

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/11/29/2515128/chevrolet-unveils-2013-sprint.html

Dale Arnold Jarrett Jimmie Kenneth Johnson Kasey Kenneth Kahne Matthew Roy Kenseth Alan Dennis Kulwicki

Aston returns to ALMS with TRG

Aston Martin Racing has joined forces with The Racer’s Group to field a factory-supported team in the American Le Mans Series in 2013.

The Vantage GTE that will be used to compete in the series will be unveiled at the ALMS annual winter test on February 7-8.

The partnership will be the first time a factory-supported Aston team had competed in the full ALMS since Prodrive’s 2006 GT1 campaign.

The Racer’s Group, which competed in NASCAR from 2007 to 2011, has been competing in the ALMS’ one-make Porsche GTC class in recent seasons.

“Aston Martin Racing, as a factory-supported entity, has truly arrived in North America,” said TRG boss Kevin Buckler. “This programme is massive and far-reaching.

“What we have crafted with Aston Martin Racing is the ability for TRG-AMR North America to compete in all the major race series with multiple teams.”

Alongside its ALMS effort, TRG will also run Astons in Grand-Am and a new one-make series.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/aston-returns-to-alms-with-trg

Leo Kinnunen Danny Kladis Hans Klenk Peter de Klerk Christian Klien

Rookie of the Year: Matheo Tuscher

Formula 2 runner-up Matheo Tuscher has been named as the AUTOSPORT.com Rookie of the Year at the AUTOSPORT Awards in London.

The 15-year-old Swiss denied Formula 1 drivers Daniel Ricciardo, Jean-Eric Vergne and Romain Grosjean to win the award, which is voted for by readers of AUTOSPORT.com.

Tuscher joins a list of winners that includes former F1 world champions Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button, and the late Dan Wheldon.

Red Bull F1 team principal Christian Horner presented Tuscher with his award.

“When my manager called me and said I’d been nominated for an AUTOSPORT Award, I asked him ‘What’s an AUTOSPORT Award?’”

“I went to AUTOSPORT.com and saw the other nominees, F1 drivers, IndyCar and it was just incredible.

“My heart is going so fast right now. It’s been an incredible season in F2 and we did a super job. Thanks to everyone that’s supported me.”

Tuscher stepped up into F2 after winning the 2011 Formula Pilota China championship, in which he claimed eight wins and nine podiums from 12 races.

After taking a sensational pole position for his series debut at Silverstone, Tuscher jumped into second place in the drivers’ standings when he claimed a brace of second-placed finishes at the Algarve circuit.

He finished on the rostrum again at the Nurburgring, Spa and Brands Hatch, paving the way for a superb run-in. Over the final six races he won twice, claimed two second places and only once started lower than third.

He outscored all of his rivals over the final three events, and ended the year just 21.5 points shy of eventual champion Luciano Bacheta.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/rookie-of-the-year-matheo-tuscher

Ernst Klodwig Kamui Kobayashi Helmuth Koinigg Heikki Kovalainen Kevin Harvick

Today’s Headlines

Bloomberg: Don’t Spend Money on Subway Storm-Proofing; Use It for Expansion Instead (CapNY, SAS)
Toll Increase in Effect for Port Authority Crossings Despite AAA Lawsuit (TransNat)
Siena Poll: 59 Percent Say MTA Has Handled Sandy Recovery Well (News)
Post: “Taking On More Debt Is In No Way a Free Lunch” for MTA Sandy Recovery
Driver Crashes Onto Bowery Sidewalk, Injuring Pedestrians (Bowery Boogie)
For Some Bushwick Community Board Members, It’s Either a Bike Corral or More Street Lights (DNA)
Manhattan Gridlock Even Slows Down Traffic on the Tolled Queens Midtown Tunnel (Post)
R Train Returns to Lower Manhattan, But Will Not Cross River to Brooklyn Until End of Year (SAS)
Staten Island Railway Begins Restoring Some Express Service (Advance)
Push for Temporary South Shore Ferry Service to Be Made Permanent (Advance)
Contract Awarded for Verrazano Deck Replacement and New HOV Lane (NY1)

More headlines at Streetsblog Capitol Hill

Source: http://www.streetsblog.org/2012/12/03/todays-headlines-1528/

Jackie Holmes Bill Homeier Kazuyoshi Hoshino Jerry Hoyt Nico Hülkenberg