Autoblog

Jeff Gordon fined $100k, docked 25 points for crashing Boyer [w/video]

Zach Bowman — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 18:29:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Government/Legal, Videos, Celebrities, Racing

NASCAR officials handed out a stack of fines and penalties following Sunday's race in Phoenix. Jeff Gordon suffered the brunt of that wrath with a $100,000 fine and the loss of 25 points in the Sprint Cup Championship for his involvement in a crash that doused Clint Bowyer's chances of taking a points lead. Gordon was also put on probation through the end of the year.

Following the crash, Bowyer's pit crew ran to Gordon's area of the garage where the driver was climbing from his car. One of the crew members grabbed Gordon from behind, and a brawl ensued as Gordon's pit team jumped in to defend their driver. Gordon was then escorted to his trailer.

Not wanting to be left out, Bowyer ran to the Dupont truck only to be held back by NASCAR officials. Bowyer's crew chief, Brian Pattie, was penalized $25,000, while points leader Brad Keselowski saw himself fined for $25,000 and put on probation through December 31 for having a cell phone in the vehicle with him. TV cameras spotted the phone while Keselowski sat waiting for a red flag to lift. Check the video below for another look at the brawl and the crash.

Continue reading Jeff Gordon fined $100k, docked 25 points for crashing Boyer [w/video]

Jeff Gordon fined $100k, docked 25 points for crashing Boyer [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Nov 2012 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Watch NASCAR racers Clint Bowyer and Jeff Gordon make like it's WWE in Phoenix

Jeffrey N. Ross — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 12:43:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Racing

The NASCAR Sprint Cup always gets a little more exciting this time of year as it prepares to name its champion at the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, but racers Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer made sure there was a little extra action at the penultimate race over the weekend in Phoenix. Looking like a mix of a demolition derby and a World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) brawl, Gordon and Bowyer traded paint a few times during the race before members of their pits crews traded blows.

Following a few frustrating run-ins with Bowyer during the year (including one earlier in the race that sent him back to 20th place), Gordon appeared to get even with Bowyer by slowing down and purposefully clipping his rear fender as he passed, sending both cars up into the wall. After Gordon got out of his car, a ruckus ensued between pit crews of both teams. Gordon was quickly removed from the fight and can be seen at the bottom of the image below being ushered away. ESPN said it's too early to speculate on punishments for either driver or anyone from their respective teams, but the report did point out that Kyle Busch was suspended for intentionally causing an accident last year.

At the time, Bowyer was in third place in the Chase for the Championship, just 28 points behind leader Brad Keselowski with just two laps and one race to go, but the crash with Gordon all but knocked him out of the championship race, dropping him to fourth place, 52 points behind the lead. The crash happened right in front Keselowski, who managed to squeeze through the melee, but Joey Logano and Aric Almirola were not as fortunate.

Scroll down to watch ESPN video footage of the ensuing chaos both on- and off the track.

Continue reading Watch NASCAR racers Clint Bowyer and Jeff Gordon make like it's WWE in Phoenix

Watch NASCAR racers Clint Bowyer and Jeff Gordon make like it's WWE in Phoenix originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Nov 2012 12:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tekked-Out Prius, Rowdy Camry round out Toyota's SEMA offerings

Jeffrey N. Ross — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 19:29:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA Show, Toyota

From the same Dream Build Challenge that brought the DragQouia to the SEMA Show, NASCAR stars Clint Bowyer and Kyle Busch also got involved with the competition hoping to win $50,000 for their respective charities. Instead of building trucks like their NHRA counterparts, Bowyer had a Prius built for the contest while Busch stuck with a car he's very familiar with, the Camry.

Bowyer's Tekked-Out Prius is probably about as cool-looking as a Prius can get with its lowered stance, custom body kit, side cameras replacing the door mirrors and black-and-blue paint job matching the car's techie persona. Inside is where most of the mods took place with a totally redone interior including new fabrics throughout (including leather and Alcantara) and plenty of cabin tech such as the 17-inch touchscreen computer built into the passenger side of the instrument panel. Bowyer's charity of choice is the Emporia Community Foundation which goes to benefit Bowyer's hometown of Emporia, Kansas.

Named after Busch's apparent alter-ego (Rowdy Burns from Days of Thunder), the Rowdy Camry shows how mean a midsize Toyota can look with styling upgrades like a wide body kit, rear diffuser with integrated exhaust outlets and a ram air hood. The blacked-out Camry also has a lowered suspension and rides on staggered-width 18-inch wheels, and it was was built for the Kurt Busch Foundation. Scroll down for more information about both of these cars.

Continue reading Tekked-Out Prius, Rowdy Camry round out Toyota's SEMA offerings

Tekked-Out Prius, Rowdy Camry round out Toyota's SEMA offerings originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Nov 2012 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Custom Toyota Tundra pickup raises $100,000 for charity at Barrett-Jackson

Drew Phillips — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 21:06:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Auctions, Toyota

If you take just a quick glance at this 2011 Toyota Tundra you might think that it's had a pretty hard life, but a closer look reveals that the rusty appearance is actually a custom paint job from Sherwin-Williams. Built by NASCAR driver Clint Bowyer as a tribute to America's Heartland, the truck features many classic design cues including a vertical bar grille, a wood bed floor and vintage looking 20-inch wheels. Much of the paint job is hand-painted including the white pinstripe to the lettering on the doors, and the interior has a vintage appearance as well, with a set of custom cloth seats.

Toyota graciously donated the truck for the auction here at Barrett-Jackson in Orange County with the goal of raising money for the Emporia Community Foundation, a charity that benefits the citizens of Emporia, KS. Bidding for the truck started out slowly, sticking at $30,000, but after Bowyer added a driver suit and a trip to next year's Daytona 500 the price tag skyrocketed to a final price of $100,000.

You can see detailed photos of the custom 2011 Toyota Tundra at Barrett-Jackson in the gallery above.

Custom Toyota Tundra pickup raises $100,000 for charity at Barrett-Jackson originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 23 Jun 2012 21:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Old timey Toyota Tundra being auctioned for charity in Orange County

Jeff Sabatini — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Auctions, Etc., Event Alert

No, your eyes do not deceive you, that's a 2011 Toyota Tundra masquerading as a vintage pickup. Not an awesome old Toyota Hilux pickup, but something decidedly more domestic. Of course, a new Toyota doesn't look anything like a 1950's truck. Neither does a modern Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado or Ram, for that matter, which is why this whole enterprise is so bizarre.

If you're wondering where to place the blame, the truck is the product of the apparently fertile imagination of one Clint Bowyer, Toyota-sponsored NASCAR driver and seemingly all-around good guy. Bowyer will be auctioning off the custom truck at the Barrett-Jackson Orange County auction, to be held June 22-24 in Costa Mesa, CA, with the proceeds going to charity. That lucky organization is the Emporia Community Foundation, based in Emporia, KS, Bowyer's hometown.

While Bowyer said in a statement that he, "wanted to take a brand new Toyota Tundra and make it look like it had been sitting, working on a farm for 50 or 60 years," in reality the pseudo-patina is the creation of custom painter Jason Jewett.

Scroll down to read the full press release.

Continue reading Old timey Toyota Tundra being auctioned for charity in Orange County

Old timey Toyota Tundra being auctioned for charity in Orange County originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Five NASCAR drivers turn down invitation to meet Obama at White House

Aaron Richardson — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 16:03:00 EST

Filed under: Racing

Five NASCAR drivers invited to meet President Barack Obama at the White House aren't going to show, citing "scheduling conflicts." Nobody's sure whether "scheduling conflicts" means "political views," but thanks to stereotypes associated with NASCAR, nobody's ruling that out.

The president invited 12 drivers from the 2010 Chase to celebrate their successes. The drivers bailing include Greg Biffle, Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, and Carl Edwards. Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch (who had initially declined), Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton and Matt Kenseth all plan to attend.

While the absentees may indeed have scheduling conflicts, we'd expect that if that were the case, it'd hold true for the majority of those invited. Also, passing on the chance to meet the sitting U.S. president, regardless of one's views, seems like an odd move.

Five NASCAR drivers turn down invitation to meet Obama at White House originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 04 Sep 2011 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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