Autoblog

Nissan GT-R dominates 2012 One Lap of America

Chris Paukert — Mon, 14 May 2012 18:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Nissan, Racing

After eight days, 3,300 miles, nine tracks and untold bloody knuckles and zip ties, the song remains the same: Leh Keen and the No. 3 TopSpeed Motorsports Nissan GT-R emerged victorious at the 2012 Tire Rack One Lap of America on Sunday. Keen, his co-drivers Doug Wilks and Lawrence Richard, and their 2010 GT-R put on a clinic, remaining atop or near the top of the leaderboard of every event, from road courses to ovals to drag races and autocrosses.

If Keen's name sounds familiar, it's either because you follow racing - the Georgia native is a multiple Grand Am Rolex GT series champion, currently campaigning a Porsche 911 GT3 with Brumos Racing - or because you follow One Lap (this is the third victory in a row for Keen and his second victory in a row at the wheel of the gray and green GT-R). In fact, the top three spots this year were all occupied by Nissan's heavyweight, with the No. 4 2009 GT-R of Todd Treffert and Tyson Timperley and the No. 7 2012 GT-R of Hugh Bate and Craig Kahle rounding out the podium. A total of seven GT-Rs entered this year's One Lap, though none were officially sanctioned Nissan efforts.

Of course, for most competitors and fans, Brock Yates' One Lap isn't actually about winning - there's no prize money doled out and trophies are modest. The event is more about the camaraderie among driving enthusiasts that inevitably results from one of the most unique and challenging tests in motorsports - a week-long pressure-cooker test of man and machine. For more results, photos, videos and tall tales, check out One Lap of America on their website or Facebook page.

Nissan GT-R dominates 2012 One Lap of America originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 May 2012 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 One Lap Of America starts today

Chris Paukert — Sat, 05 May 2012 07:02:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance

Yes, it's spring time in Indiana, and although Jim Nabors won't be singing ahead of the drop of the green flag, it's time for another One Lap of America.

Having been part of the timing and scoring team for well over a decade, we tend to see a lot of the same faces and sheetmetal year in and year out, though there's always a steady stream of newcomers. Every few races, however, there seems to be a bumper crop of new cars that show up as old ones get tired and drivers find something different to play with. This is clearly one of those times, perhaps brought about by the dominance of the Nissan GTR over the last several years. As a result, there are a glut of the Japanese supercars in the fold, along with other noteworthy new models including an Audi TT RS, a BMW M5 and 1 Series M Coupe, not to mention a factory-prepped Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8. As ever, there's a brace of Porsche 911 and Chevrolet Corvette models of various vintages, along with a Dodge Viper or two and a Ferrari 430. There's even an E-Series ambulance and an incredible sounding Honda Odyssey, also running with factory support.

Unfortunately, one key classic will be notably absent from the paddock this year: Brock Yates. Father of One Lap Of America and the legendary Cannonball Run that spawned it, Yates' health has been deteriorating due to Alzheimer's. Yates' son, Brock Jr. has been ably running the event for many years, but this is the first time that Senior won't be in attendance.

As has become the usual, this year's event kicks off in South Bend, Indiana at title sponsor Tire Rack's massive headquarters with a wet skidpad event. The motley crew of madmen and their motors will then jog down the road a few miles to the South Bend Motor Speedway (a paved oval) before hoofing it over to Autobahn Country Club's road course in Illinois. After that, it's off to a string of road courses starting with scenic Pacific Junction, Iowa, for the Mid America Motorplex, then on to Oklahoma's Hallett Motor Racing Circuit before heading to High Plains Raceway in Colorado. After that, it's off to Motorsports Park Hastings in Nebraska followed by a trip to Brainerd International Raceway in Minnesota. Then it's over to Wisconsin's legendary Road America before the sleepless and bedraggled horde stumble back into South Bend next Saturday, May 12 for a final dry skidpad event. Got all that? If you don't, you can check out a map here.

As we'll be working the event, we won't have the ability to give you daily updates on the rally's progress, but if you're interested in keeping tabs on the action, check out One Lap Of America's official website and Facebook page, both of which figure to have live updates as the race gets underway this morning. In the meantime, you can check out our massive gallery above. It doesn't have every one of the roughly 75 that are scheduled to race, but if you are new to One Lap, it'll give you a good idea of the automotive diversity on display.

We'll see you in 3,300 miles or so, if not sooner...

2012 One Lap Of America starts today originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 05 May 2012 07:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motor Press Guild honors Senna documentary and Brock Yates, among others

Michael Harley — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 09:57:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Etc.

The Motor Press Guild (MPG), the largest automotive media association in North America, held its 17th annual Dean Batchelor Award banquet at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles this week. The association's awards honored those with outstanding automotive contributions in the areas of writing, audio/visual, photography and lifetime achievement.

Dean Batchelor Award: Senna, by Asif Kapadia and Manish Pandey.

Best Book: Elva, The Cars, The People, The History by Janos Wimpffen

Best Article: "Questor Grand Prix" by Tom Stahler

Best Photography: "Everybody's a Photographer" by Reinhard Klein

Lifetime Achievement Award: Brock Yates was honored for his many contributions to both the automotive and entertainment industries. Not only was Mr. Yates the longtime executive editor of Car and Driver, but he reported for television motorsports, wrote numerous books, was the screenwriter for Smokey and the Bandit II (1980) and The Cannonball Run (1981) and he founded the famed coast-to-coast Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash (better known as the Cannonball Run), along with its eventual offshoot, One Lap of America.

Pictured is Brock Yates and his wife Pamela, with Laura Burstein, president of the Motor Press Guild. The full press release is below.

Continue reading Motor Press Guild honors Senna documentary and Brock Yates, among others

Motor Press Guild honors Senna documentary and Brock Yates, among others originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 09:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 One Lap of America: No. 3 Porsche 911 GT2 outlasts all comers

Chris Paukert — Mon, 10 May 2010 16:55:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Porsche, Racing

2010 One Lap of America - Click above for high-res image gallery

This year's running of the One Lap of America wrapped up this weekend after a tidy 3,480 miles, and after a one-year absence from the top spot on the podium, a Porsche 911 has emerged victorious. The No. 3 GT2 (shown above) of Doug Wilks and Leh Keen outlasted all comers, including the No. 4 Nissan GT-R of Catesby Jones and Jose Collado that finished in second place, and the No. 5 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 of Danny Popp, Todd Rumpke and Jeremy Herzberg.

As you may recall, a GT-R took the checkered flag last year, but persistent spark plug issues in the orange-and-gray #1 prevented a repeat performance in 2010. The massively tuned No. 39 BMW 325is of Anthony Magagnoli and Kevin Kreisa was impressively consistent, coming through in fourth place after the carbon fiber-bodied #23 Corvette Z06 of Danny and Kyle Corcoran suffered catastrophic engine failure on a transit stage to drop out of the top five. The failure was particularly unfortunate for Danny Corcoran, known as "Mr. One Lap" to his fellow competitors, as he was participating in his 20th - and likely final - event.

Other standout performances included the heavily modified #54 Honda Civic Si of Jonathan Weir and William Chan, with that car beating out far pricier machinery to finish eighth overall, winning the Econo Car class in the process. Also posting solid results was the No. 124 Mazda5 of Richard Fisher and Jason Saini (ringing up in 15th place) and the No. 20 Porsche Panamera Turbo of Bill and Todd Treffert. The bone-stock Panamera was but a couple of weeks old and barely broken in, yet it turned in a robust performance, including a launch-control aided quarter-mile time of 12.08 seconds in Tulsa, the sixth quickest time among all cars.

This year featured a robust crop of first-time One Lappers, suggesting that, despite America's continued difficult economy, America's toughest road car challenge has a bright future ahead of it.

For full race results, check out OneLapOfAmerica.com, and for event-by-event coverage, visit our friends at MotorTrend.com.

Gallery: One Lap 2010: The Weekend That Was

Gallery: One Lap of America 2010: Day One

2010 One Lap of America: No. 3 Porsche 911 GT2 outlasts all comers originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 May 2010 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Lap 2010: The Weekend That Was

Chris Paukert — Tue, 04 May 2010 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

One Lap of America 2010 - Click above for high-res image gallery

We're still purring along on One Lap of America in our BMW Performance School-provided 335d and 550i sedans, but while there have been zero mechanical issues for the timing and scoring crew, the event is starting to take its toll on competitors' cars, as well as their drivers.

The returning #1 Nissan GT-R of Steven Rankins wasted no time staking its claim to the lead once again, posting the best results at Friday's wet skidpad event (a startling .962 g) at the Tire Rack in South Bend. After negotiating some overachieving thunderstorms on the way through Wisconsin, the #1 GT-R (above) would follow up that performance with the second-best time at Road America in the first event, trailing only the #3 Porsche 911 GT2 of Leh Keen and Doug Wilks. Dan "Mr. One Lap" Corcoran finished third on the 4.1-mile circuit in his carbon fiber-bodied Chevrolet Corvette Z06.

In the second Road America event, the #3 Porsche GT2 again mopped up, with the #4 Nissan GT-R of Catesby Jones and Jose Collado taking second and the #5 Corvette of Danny Popp rounding out the top three.

The racers noted above may be the lead sled dogs, but everyone at Road America spent the day talking about Howard LaFever and his #69 2010 Cadillac CTS-V. LaFever managed to walk away from a massive rollover crackup in the first event after overcooking the car in Canada Corner. The longtime One Lapper bounced across Turn 12's gravel trap at triple digit speeds, through a catch fence and over a concrete barrier, where the car landed in a crumpled heap on its roof (pics here). Miraculously, LaFever escaped uninjured, only to leave the track in search of a replacement vehicle. He would turn up shortly thereafter in a newly purchased white Chrysler Crossfire, a car in which he can run the rest of the event but not accrue further points. By the day's end, other cars were claimed by Road America too, although not as violently as LaFever's CTS-V. Mechanical maladies befell a Mitsubishi Evo, the sweet 1968 Dodge Charger (fuel pump), as well as a Corvette Z06 and a Mustang GTS. Thankfully, most are not permanently hobbled, showing up further down the road.

Click through to the jump to continue reading.

Gallery: One Lap 2010: The Weekend That Was

Continue reading One Lap 2010: The Weekend That Was

One Lap 2010: The Weekend That Was originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 May 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Lap of America 2010: The warm-up

Chris Paukert — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 14:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

One Lap of America 2010: Day One - click above for high-res image gallery

Spring has sprung and we're at the Tire Rack in South Bend, Indiana, which can only mean one thing: the start of another One Lap Of America.

Every year we tell ourselves we're crazy for embarking on another one of these eight-day 'round-the-country exploits, and for over ten years now we've been signing on to help run the event on the timing and scoring crew. And could you blame us? Every year, a great bunch of people gather together at the behest of none other than Brock Yates, and they bring with them all manner of machinery to compete on race tracks across the nation.

This year's event starts off as usual, with a wet skidpad event at the Tire Rack, with the racers moving on to Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin for stints around Road America, one of the country's most historic and challenging roadcourses. After the time trials at RA, it's off to Mid America Motorplex, a fine 2.2-mile long roadcourse off in the middle of ~~nowhere~~ Pacific Junction, Iowa. On Monday, the racers will visit the surprisingly quick and engaging Hallett Motor Racing Circuit in Oklahoma, followed by some drag racing at Tulsa Raceway Park. The next day will find the competitors at Gateway International Raceway near St. Louis for a 1.6-mile road circuit. From there, it's on to Mid Ohio on Wednesday, a circuit that needs no introduction. The increasingly bedraggled competitors will then make the drive to New Jersey Motorsports Park on Thursday and then jog back to Ohio's Nelson Ledges for the last roadcourse events on Friday. After that, the teams will filter back to the Tire Rack in South Bend for the final event, a dry skid pad (weather permitting) and to unwind at the awards banquet on Saturday.

Got all that? Said another way, it's another action-packed week that's sure to test the racers' mechanical, mental and intestinal fortitude.

Click through to the jump to read on.

Gallery: One Lap of America 2010: Day One

Continue reading One Lap of America 2010: The warm-up

One Lap of America 2010: The warm-up originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Apr 2010 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan GT-R wins 2009 One Lap of America

Chris Paukert — Mon, 11 May 2009 19:29:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Nissan, Porsche

2009 One Lap of America - Click above for a high-res image gallery

For the first time in the modern incarnation of One Lap of America, a Japanese car has claimed the top spot. After a grueling 3,400+ mile, nine racetrack odyssey around the United States, veteran "Lap Dog" Steve Rankins and "Lap Puppy" Will Taylor captured the overall trophy in their 2009 Nissan GT-R this weekend. The victory marks the first for a Nippon car since the event's 1986 running, when rallyist Karl Chevalier's Toyota Celica beat out fellow racer John Buffum's Audi 5000S wagon. OloA's timing and scoring procedures were markedly different at that point, however, as from 1985 to 1991, One Lap was essentially a time-speed-distance (TSD) rally.

With five-time defending champion Mark Davia and Drew Wikstrom taking the year off in their Porsche 911 Turbo, a new winner was assured, but for quite a while, it looked like another Stuttgart powerhouse would take the podium, as the 996 GT2 of Peter Lier and Ian Stewart held down the top position for much of the event. In the end, the consistency of the #3 Team Cannonball GT-R outlasted all comers - including the green #2 GT-R of Derek Whitis, Tom Long and Mark Pombo, which fell by the wayside when it was beset by gremlins (faulty boost controller pushing the ECU into limp mode, overheating, etc.). Along the way, the #3 GT-R was a consistent performer all week long, setting OloA's best-ever wet skidpad performance, a tidy 0.953g and winning events at Turfway Park, Talladega Grand Prix Raceway, Daytona International Raceway, Carolina Motorsports Park, and the BMW Performance Center. While stockpiling that many victories may make this year's race sound like a walk-off, tight competition from Lier and Stewart's 996 GT2 and the aforementioned #2 GT-R meant that the issue was in doubt almost until the very end.

Check out the high-res gallery below for more shots from this year's event, the full results here, and comprehensive wrap-up coverage courtesy of Motor Trend here.

Gallery: 2009 One Lap of America - Wrapup

[Sources: One Lap of America; Motor Trend]

Nissan GT-R wins 2009 One Lap of America originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 May 2009 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Lap of America 2009 - The flag drops...

Chris Paukert — Sat, 02 May 2009 18:33:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

2009 One Lap of America - Day 1 - Click above for a hi-res gallery

Greetings from Joliet, Illinois, home of the Autobahn Country Club. We're on board with Brock Yates' One Lap of America, one of America's toughest motorsports challenges. Over the course of eight days, 63 drivers of all talent and experience levels will take to a range of motorsports facilities across the country in a wide variety of machinery. There's something for everyone here, from mainstream American performance iron (a passel of Chevrolet Corvettes and Camaros, along with a Mustang or two) to niche exotics (Ultima, Lotus Exige) to Japanese cars (including a nifty Mitsubishi Galant VR4), a gaggle of Porsches, and more BMW M cars than you can shake a stick at. Heck, there's even a GMC Jimmy, a stunning Nissan Altima Hybrid SEMA entrant and a Fifties rat rod.

In truth, we One Lappers assembled yesterday in breezy, chilly South Bend, Indiana at Tire Rack's massive facilities. The competitors met up to receive a driver's meeting, technical inspection, and a full slate of sponsorship decals, along with the usual final tunings and bench racing sessions. The actual racing didn't start until earlier this morning, however, where the competitors made use of the retail giant's 200-foot skidpad - with the sprinklers on. You can read all about what happened over Motor Trend (they're one of the event's main sponsors), but suffice it to say that one of the two Nissan GT-R entrants (not pictured) at this year's event stunned the assembled throngs by recording 0.953G, a handsome figure considering the soaked tarmac.

This year, competitors will travel some 3,265 miles between today and next Saturday before circling back to South Bend next Saturday. Along the way, the racers will take part in an autocross event at Turfway Park in Florence, Kentucky, then roll to Greenbrier, Tennessee to take on the Highland Rim Speedway oval. After that, it's off to Alabama's Talladega Gran Prix on Monday, with a long haul (over 600 miles) down to Florida's legendary Sebring International Raceway. After that, it's time for a bracket drag racing session at Gainesville Raceway, and then on to Daytona International Speedway. Come Thursday, there's a tidy 440 mile run to Kershaw, South Carolina, home of Carolina Motor Sports Park, and from there, the racers slip over to BMW Performance Center in Spartanburg. Doubtlessly looking a bit worse for the wear, the survivors will then motor 560+ miles to Pennsylvania's Beaverun Motorsports Complex. The bedraggled racers then make the final 240-mile transit back to South Bend for a final (hopefully) dry skidpad event and a final banquet and trophy award ceremony.

With just 60+ cars in the field this year (as opposed to the 80+ vehicles in years past), it's clearly a down year in terms of attendance - a development readily attributable to the economy (it's admittedly hard to ignore to overlook the substantial cost associated with mounting an entry). However, there are some ace new competitors here and a lot of interesting machinery. Further, with the absence of five-time reigning champion Mark Davia and his Porsche 996 twin-turbo (whose wife is expecting), there's sure to be a new winner this year.

Full Disclosure: Yours truly is part of one of the two timing and scoring crews (I have been participating as such since 1999), so while I will do my best to bring AB'ers closer to the action, as a crew member, I will only attend a bit more than half of the events as we hopscotch the country in order to get ahead of the competitors and prepare the timing equipment and post the scores ahead of their arrival. As such, it is recommended that you check out Motor Trend and the official One Lap Of America website for the rules and the latest updates on the races.

Well, the cars on the false grid are set to go green, so I'm gone... until next time, please check out the massive gallery of 70+ high-res images below featuring most of the competitors.

Gallery: 2009 One Lap of America - Tire Rack & Autobahn

One Lap of America 2009 - The flag drops... originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 02 May 2009 18:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brock Yates is back in the blogosphere

Damon Lavrinc — Thu, 01 May 2008 20:32:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

That's right people, the original gonzo-automotive journalist is back in the saddle, and judging by his first post on the One Lap website, he's still full of all the piss and vinegar we've come to expect. Hopefully, Yates' Engines With Attitude blog gives regular updates and editorials from its incredibly un-PC author, providing those of us with a thick skin and a disturbed sense of humor some gasoline-fueled thoughts for the day. His first rabid rambling is online and it's worth a read if you're a fan of the man and his ability to simultaneously irritate and amuse. Welcome back to the 21st century Mr. Yates! We anxiously await your next posting.

Thanks for the tip, Horst.

Brock Yates is back in the blogosphere originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 May 2008 20:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog Podcast #31

John Neff — Wed, 17 May 2006 17:02:00 EST

Filed under: Podcasts, Hummer

We're back from a short hiatus and Chris is all rested up from his week+ long trip across the country working on this year's One Lap of America. He and I talk about the event and some interesting autos that showed up to compete in Brock's baby. We also reveal the deal on Jason Vines taking issue with us (i.e. me) questioning his moves as a PR man in a post that went live yesterday. You can check out that post here for some background. Finally, we give our take on a proposal in Texas to up the speed limit to 80 mph in some areas, and say our piece on the soon-to-be-departed Hummer H1 that General Motors has announced will be cancelled next month.

Get the podcast
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Hosts
John Neff and Chris Paukert

Producer
John Neff

Length
37:09

Autoblog Podcast #31 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 May 2006 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog Travelogue - Trailer Queens and Kings of One Lap of America

Chris Paukert — Wed, 10 May 2006 13:01:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Gadgets, Motorsports, Trends, Etc.

A few years ago, some enterprising One Lapper that was short on lebensraum and/or tool space sourced a small trailer and a hitch for their racecar. The next year, what was a mere curiosity became a major piece of pit gear overnight, quickly evolving into a game of 'one-upsmanship,' a common theme among gearheads. What started out with basic little U-Haul types and little flat-bed steel-frames begat a full-blow trailer war, with One Lappers showing up with custom trailers painted to match their racecars, rigs capable of hauling bicycles for track recon laps and trundling about the paddock, etc. A few years ago, a particularly quick early 90's Ford Thunderbird sported a 'mini-me' version of itself in tow, with South Park figures at the helm. Though some of the rental trailers post warnings about traveling above 55 mph, we have it on good authority that the little load luggers 'remain rock solid right up until around 110 mph... that's when things start to get a little spooky.'

This year, trailers are once again out in force, with setups attached to everything from Truck/SUV class entrants to bespoke hitches and trailers on the backs of Vipers, 911s, and even that Ultralite Lotus Seven knockoff, making for an odd scene for passers-by on America's roads. Some have built-in tool racks, while we've even spotted a rig with a wireless Internet workstation and vehicle diagnostic equipment. In years past, a 1960's Corvette GS even had a sizeable auxiliary fuel tank with some aircraft-grade hoses running to the racecar itself.

This year's selections have become a little tamer, but trailers remain a major component of One Lap paddock life, enabling a large amount of tools, parts and detritus to be shuttled around the country, and we thought you'd like a quick peak at some of this year's entrants.

Click through to the jump, and enjoy.

Continue reading Autoblog Travelogue - Trailer Queens and Kings of One Lap of America

Autoblog Travelogue - Trailer Queens and Kings of One Lap of America originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 May 2006 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog Travelogue: 2006 One Lap Of America

Chris Paukert — Tue, 09 May 2006 11:54:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Daimler, Dodge, Ford, GM, Honda, Jeep, Lotus, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mini, Mitsubishi, Pontiac, Porsche, Subaru, Volkswagen

Well, the fuse has been lit on the 2006 installment of the splendiforously-titled Tire Rack Cannonball One Lap of America presented by Car & Driver (better known as 'One Lap'), and as usual, your trusty Autoblog contact is on the scene. We had high hopes for 'live-blogging' the Cannonball Run offspring this year via daily updates, but circumstances have conspired against us. At any rate, for those not terribly familiar with the event, here's the (kinda-sorta) quick and dirty:

Brock Yates, patron saint of modern American automotive journalism and founder of the original 'Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash,' created a weeklong national road rally in 1984 for gearheads and their hangers-on. In its original incarnation, the event was a bleary-eyed run around the perimeter of these United States. In more recent times (1992-present), One Lap has evolved into a more sophisticated setup that sees racers drive from racetrack to racetrack around the country (the route changes each year), with stops at major and minor tracks along the way. The race is essentially a 'rung whatcha brung' event in which cars of wildly varying description and capability duke it out in different racing venues for overall and in-class wins. The beauty of One Lap is its simplicity-- if you can find a state willing to slap a license plate on it, it's okay by Brock. Racers must attend a couple of track day schools and meet certain rudimentary safety standards (helmets, SFI-rated firesuits, etc.) and run on tires purchased from title sponsor The Tire Rack, but everything else is essentially fair game.

Entrants test the durability of their rides, their backsides, and their mental states not only with long transit stages, but also a good cross-section of events -- everything from road courses to ovals to drag strips. Transit stages on public roads are not timed or scored events, though generally there is at least one passage control along the way to keep things 'on the level.' By way of example, a few years ago, One Lappers were treated to a dirt oval, proving once and for all that auto afficianados haven't lived until they've seen a Lamborghini Diablo spraying muddy roostertails up over the catch fence.

Click through to the jump for more One Lap of America, including dozens of photographs!

Continue reading Autoblog Travelogue: 2006 One Lap Of America

Autoblog Travelogue: 2006 One Lap Of America originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 May 2006 11:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cannonball Run returning to U.S. this summer

Chris Paukert — Fri, 28 Apr 2006 13:03:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Trends, Etc.

The Cannonball Run is returning to America. Named for the highly illegal (and surely equally entertaining) Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash founded by Car & Driver vet Brock Yates, this celeb and party-soaked cross-country run is actually an unsanctioned offspring of the franchise started by the aforementioned elder statesman of automotive journalism. Yates himself still presides over the One Lap of America, the original's heir operating in a toned-down format that keeps the points-scoring events to a changing cast of racetracks around the nation.

In the past, the Cannonball's route has been something of a secret until the green flag drops, largely in hopes of minimizing legal wranglings and a level playing field for competitors. The 2006 iteration will actually be run under the Great American Run banner for one week, beginning July 29.

In an unorthodox development, racers will actually start the event in their choice of four U.S. cities: Atlanta, Miami, New York, and Washington D.C., with 16 checkpoints punctuating the 3,000 mile drives. Either way, the cars will all wind up in Los Angeles for the traditional debauchery-laden afterparty.

Interested? Find yourself an amusing car (preferably a fast one) and the $10,000 entry fee, and sign up to be one of the 400 fun-loving scofflaws.

[Source: Mobilmag.com; Star-Collector.net; Cannonballworld.com; OneLapOfAmerica.com]

Cannonball Run returning to U.S. this summer originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Apr 2006 13:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog Travelogue: 2006 One Lap Of America

Chris Paukert

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Daimler, Dodge, Ford, GM, Honda, Jeep, Lotus, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mini, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Volkswagen

Well, the fuse has been lit on the 2006 installment of the splendiforously-titled Tire Rack Car & Driver Cannonball One Lap of America (better known as 'One Lap'), and as usual, your trusty Autoblog contact is on the scene. We had high hopes for 'live-blogging' the Cannonball Run offspring this year via daily updates, but circumstances have conspired against us. At any rate, for those not terribly familiar with the event, here's the (kinda-sorta) quick and dirty:

Brock Yates, patron saint of modern American automotive journalism and founder of the original 'Cannonball Run Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash,' created a weeklong national road rally in 1984 for gearheads and their hangers-on. In its original incarnation, the event was a bleary-eyed run around the perimeter of these United States. In more recent times (1992-present), One Lap has evolved into a more sophisticated setup that sees racers drive from racetrack to racetrack around the country (the route changes each year), with stops at major and minor tracks along the way. The race is essentially a 'rung whatcha brung' event in which cars of wildly varying description and capability duke it out in different racing venues for overall and in-class wins. The beauty of One Lap is its simplicity-- if you can find a state willing to slap a license plate on it, it's okay by Brock. Racers must attend a couple of track day schools and meet certain rudimentary safety standards (helmets, SFI-rated firesuits, etc.) and run on tires purchased from title sponsor The Tire Rack, but everything else is essentially fair game.

Continue reading Autoblog Travelogue: 2006 One Lap Of America

Autoblog Travelogue: 2006 One Lap Of America originally appeared on Autoblog on . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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