Autoblog

Watch Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda drive the new NASCAR Camry

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 28 May 2012 12:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Toyota, Racing

When Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda wanted to give his company's 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Camry a shakedown run, Kyle Busch was chosen to ride shotgun. Even though Busch has won 85 races driving Toyotas in three NASCAR series, it was Toyoda who took the driver's seat for a spin around Daytona International Speedway.

The redesigned Camry stocker is expected to be submitted for approval this summer, and you can watch Akio Toyoda put it through its paces in the video below.

Continue reading Watch Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda drive the new NASCAR Camry

Watch Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda drive the new NASCAR Camry originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 May 2012 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota aims to put more "stock" into stock cars with 2013 NASCAR Camry

Noah Joseph — Tue, 22 May 2012 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Sedan, Toyota, Racing

NASCAR may have once been a form of motorsport in which only domestic automakers competed. And that's largely still the case, with one notable exception: Toyota. The Japanese automaker faced some difficulty breaking into the Good Ol' Boys racing series, but though some purists may still malign it, Toyota is in NASCAR to stay. And this is its latest car.

"Based", in design anyway, on the latest Camry, the new stock car from Toyota Racing Development is set to compete in the Sprint Cup next season, alongside the new Ford Fusion (among other competitors from Dodge and Chevy). The result of "an aggressive redesign", the new racer was developed with input from the company's Calty Design studio to look more like the road-going Camry than ever before.

Yes, it does bear a resemblance to its road-going cousin, especially in the fascia. That said, it's still a composite body over a tube frame powered by a V8 engine driving the rear wheels. In other words, this is a Camry in name only.

Of course it doesn't hurt Toyota's case that the Camry is built in America with more American components than most "domestic" vehicles, and now the stock car looks more stock, too. Keep reading below for the full press release.

Continue reading Toyota aims to put more "stock" into stock cars with 2013 NASCAR Camry

Toyota aims to put more "stock" into stock cars with 2013 NASCAR Camry originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 May 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevrolet to replace Impala in NASCAR for 2013, new production model hinted

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 19:28:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Chevrolet, GM, Racing

According to Chevrolet, the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will kick off without an Impala on the starting grid. That's news itself, considering how intertwined the Impala is with Chevy's NASCAR presence, earning 70 wins since 2007.

Even more intriguing, though, is that Chevy says it "will be racing a vehicle based on a new nameplate to the brand's lineup." That means the 2013 racer won't be a Malibu or Cruze. Whatever it may be, Chevrolet says that both the race version and the production version will be debuted "in the coming year."

As far as speculation goes, it's hard not to point a finger in the direction of the Chevrolet Caprice, which is currently available in the United States for police duty only. Will everyday consumers finally get another crack at a high-performance rear-wheel-drive Chevy sports sedan? If so, what will it be called, and will it wear the coveted SS nomenclature?

We have no idea. What we do know, however, is that Jim Campbell, vice president of Chevrolet Performance Vehicles and Motorsports, says the automaker is testing camouflaged vehicles and that the production version will be "just like" the race car. We'll just have to wait and see about that... In the meantime, see the complete press release below.

Continue reading Chevrolet to replace Impala in NASCAR for 2013, new production model hinted

Chevrolet to replace Impala in NASCAR for 2013, new production model hinted originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Mar 2012 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 NASCAR Dodge Charger Sprint Cup car unveiled in Las Vegas

Alex Nunez — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 15:15:00 EST

Filed under: Dodge, Racing

Dodge has officially unveiled the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Charger, and as you can see, it follows in the footsteps of the 2013 Ford Fusion Cup car, with styling and detailing that's more true to the street car than the generic silhouettes being run by all teams this season.

SB Nation's Jeff Gluck reports that at the ceremony, SRT CEO Ralph Gilles was upbeat about the new race car's prospects for next season, saying that there's already a lot of interest from different Cup outfits, and that he expects to announce which team or teams will be running the car in 2013 by mid-summer.

The new car's unveiling puts a more upbeat spin on an otherwise down week for Doge and SRT's motorsports arm, which absorbed a punch to the gut when Penske Racing announced that it was ending its relationship with Dodge after this season to campaign the new NASCAR Ford Fusion in the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

After all the pre-race ceremonies concluded, the new racer hit the track to lead the field on the pace lap for today's Kobalt 400 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Continue reading 2013 NASCAR Dodge Charger Sprint Cup car unveiled in Las Vegas

2013 NASCAR Dodge Charger Sprint Cup car unveiled in Las Vegas originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 11 Mar 2012 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dodge teases 2013 Charger NASCAR Sprint Cup car

Jonathon Ramsey — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 16:02:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Dodge, Racing

Dodge has teased its 2013 Charger car for the Sprint Cup series, and perhaps it goes farthest with NASCAR's switch to bodies at its top level that look more like their street counterparts. In the deep red and shadows above you can make out the same greenhouse and character lines from the Charger in the showroom.

It will be revealed in full on March 11, just before the Sprint Cup race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. While we'll know what it will look like then, we probably won't know who'll be driving it in the aftermath of Roger Penske's announcement that he's switching his team to Ford.

The Charger body, however, has already been revealed accidentally. Scale modeler Randy Ayers paid a visit to Roger Penske's shop to get details on liveries for other modelers, and while he was there in the public area, two shop employees wheeled the new body across the floor. If it's any conslation to Dodge, we agree with Sam Hornish: it does look good.

Follow the jump for Dodge's press release on the new car.

Continue reading Dodge teases 2013 Charger NASCAR Sprint Cup car

Dodge teases 2013 Charger NASCAR Sprint Cup car originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 03 Mar 2012 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Penske switches NASCAR team from Dodge to Ford

Jonathon Ramsey — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 15:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Dodge, Ford

Roger Penske has run a NASCAR operation off and on since 1972, and continuously since 1991. In that time his drivers have piloted cars from AMC, Mercury, Pontiac, Chevrolet, Ford and, for the last nine years, Dodge. Penske announced this week, though, that 2012 would be his team's last year with Dodge and that 2013 would inaugurate a new partnership with Ford. There's another Dodge in the Sprint Cup field driven by Robby Gordon, but Penske has been Dodge's marquee and development team.

Autoweek reports that the move isn't over money, but Penske's desire "to 'benchmark' his team's position against some same-brand competition, and that the association with Ford would make that possible. To us that sounds like excessive chivalry. Had Penske Racing been winning with Dodge, would it really swap makers just to make closer comparisons? In the last eight years Penske took the Nationwide series in 2010 with Brad Keselowski, but in the Sprint Cup, the team has won just 18 times in 764 starts.

The 2013 Dodge Charger Sprint Cup car is set to be revealed next week at the race in Las Vegas. The question now is, who will run the new car?

Both Penske and SRT CEO Ralph Gilles say they're focused on winning this year, and in a statement Gilles added, "We do value our NASCAR program and will be evaluating the opportunities available moving forward."

Follow the jump for the press releases from Dodge and Ford on the latest events.

Continue reading Penske switches NASCAR team from Dodge to Ford

Penske switches NASCAR team from Dodge to Ford originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 03 Mar 2012 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford reveals fresh new face for its 2013 Fusion NASCAR racer

Noah Joseph — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Ford, Design/Style, Racing

Win on Sunday, sell on Monday. It's a marketing motto nearly as old as racing itself, but while today's NASCAR stock cars may have about as much in common with the cars they represent as a Halloween superhero costume from Walmart will actually give your kid superpowers, NASCAR remains the biggest spectator sport in America. So you can imagine that participating automakers would think themselves foolish to pass up the opportunity to make the connection in fans' eyes to cars they can actually buy at their local dealership.

That's why the "stock cars" packing Chevrolet engines carry the name and tacked-on fascia of the Impala SS, Dodge racers that of the Charger, while Toyota models are made to look like the Camry and Ford makes its racers resemble the Fusion. The Blue Oval has gone with the Fusion since 2006, but before that it was the Taurus, and for the better part of two decades prior, the Thunderbird. Now that Ford has released a radically redone Fusion, however, it has updated its NASCAR racer to reflect its new look.

Unveiled today at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the 2013 Ford Fusion NASCAR Sprint Cup car is the product of a year's worth of design and aerodynamics work, and it's intended to bridge the widening gap between production and race car. It will undergo what you can bet will be rigorous testing throughout this year in preparation for its race debut at the Daytona 500 in February 2013, but you can check it out now in our high-res image gallery and the pair of press releases after the jump.

Continue reading Ford reveals fresh new face for its 2013 Fusion NASCAR racer

Ford reveals fresh new face for its 2013 Fusion NASCAR racer originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kurt Busch lands ride with Phoenix Racing for 2012

Zach Bowman — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Chevrolet, Celebrities, Specialty, Racing

Kurt Busch has landed with Phoenix Racing after parting ways with Penske following a particularly rough season, even by Busch family standards. Busch drew the ire of fans, teammates and team leaders alike this year after cursing at an ESPN reporter and making a habit of demeaning his crew over the radio during races. Busch's long-time crew chief Steve Addington left the Penske team after the end of the season, reportedly thanks in part to Busch's toxic attitude. While Addington is headed to a new position with series champion Tony Stewart, Busch has joined forces with Phoenix Racing.

According to USA Today, Busch will helm the number 51 Chevrolet for Phoenix. The 33-year-old racer has previously campaigned under both the Dodge and Ford banner at various points in his career, and Busch says he's excited to get back to "old-school" racing. While Phoenix Racing team owner James Finch has been critical of Busch in the past, he likes the racer's track record. Busch has had 24 victories in 400 Sprint Cup starts. A.J. Allmendinger, meanwhile, will take Busch's spot with Penske.

Kurt Busch lands ride with Phoenix Racing for 2012 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASCAR Sprint Cup season ends in nail-biting climax at Homestead [spoilers]

Noah Joseph — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 09:31:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

Ties don't typically happen in racing. Other sports, sure, but not motorsports. Because while the issue can sometimes come down to a fraction of a second, someone always crosses the finish line first. And when it comes to championship points, someone always comes out ahead. Well, almost always.

In a stunning, nail-biting end to the NASCAR Sprint Cup season, Tony Stewart clinched his third title. But it sure didn't come easy.

Entering this weekend's season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway three points behind his chief rival Carl Edwards, Stewart was at a big disadvantage, starting from 15th place on the grid. He then suffered some major setbacks over the course of the race, dropping one, two or even three laps behind his rivals as flying debris caused damage to the front end of his Chevrolet Impala, causing him to pit an extra two times.

However, Stewart overcame the odds, pulling off 118 passes to catch up with and then pass Edwards for the lead. Over 267 laps, the lead changed a record 26 times, but it was Stewart who took the checkered flag. The win itself, however, wasn't enough to decide the title, as it left Stewart and Edwards tied for points. The decision came down to race wins, as Stewart's five wins in the Chase trumped Edwards' single regular-season win. And that, ladies and gentlemen, was all she wrote.

NASCAR Sprint Cup season ends in nail-biting climax at Homestead [spoilers] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 Nov 2011 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Danica Patrick making NASCAR Sprint Cup debut at Daytona 500

Noah Joseph — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Celebrities

It's official, ladies and gents: IndyCar starlet Danica Patrick is moving up to the big leagues in NASCAR. The official announcement came in over the weekend that Patrick will be making her Spring Cup debut at no less lofty a race than the Daytona 500 come February 26, where she'll be driving for Stewart-Haas Racing.

The move to America's premier closed-wheel series comes after several lower-level stock car races in the ARCA and Nationwide series, efforts that saw Danica leading five times at the Subway Jalapeno 250 back in July.

In starting the Daytona 500, Danica will be only the third woman to contest the iconic race, joining the likes of Janet Guthrie (who finished 12th in 1977 and 11th in 1980) and Shawna Robinson (24th in 2002). You'll find more details in the press release after the jump.

Continue reading Danica Patrick making NASCAR Sprint Cup debut at Daytona 500

Danica Patrick making NASCAR Sprint Cup debut at Daytona 500 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Nov 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Watch the crash that got Kyle Busch banned from racing this weekend

John Neff — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 22:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Safety, Videos

We know there's lots of drama in NASCAR, and for some reason, Kyle Busch often finds himself in the middle of it. Back in June, Busch found himself in a headlock after a race courtesy of a fellow driver who felt the 26-year-old driver had intentionally bumped him during a cool down lap. Busch also recently lost his drivers license for 45 days after being caught by police doing 128 miles per hour in a Lexus LFA. Fortunately for Busch, NASCAR doesn't require its drivers to have a valid drivers license to race.

Maybe they should, as Busch has again dove headlong into a heap of trouble after intentionally putting Ron Hornaday's truck into the wall during Friday night's Camping World Truck Series race at Texas Motor Speedway. The incident happened after the two drivers made contact on lap 13, which brought out a caution flag. At that point, Busch aimed his truck at the back of Hornaday's and accelerated, sending his competitor - who happened to be competing for the series championship - into the wall and out of the race.

NASCAR pulled Busch from Friday's race and then followed up by also suspending him for this weekend's Nationwide Series and Sprint Cup races, as well. The governing body has said more penalties are possible and will be considered on Monday.

Busch has already released an open letter apologizing for the crash, which can be read after the jump.

Continue reading Watch the crash that got Kyle Busch banned from racing this weekend

Watch the crash that got Kyle Busch banned from racing this weekend originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 05 Nov 2011 22:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASCAR could test fuel injection as early as July

Chris Shunk — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Technology

Chances are that just about every car you've ever owned featured some form of fuel injection, but the long-standard engine tech remains foreign territory in NASCAR. The sport has used carburetors since the racing series began in 1949, but that looks set to change later this year.

NASCAR reports on its website that fuel injection testing could happen as soon as July 7 at Kentucky Speedway. The date has been singled out due to the fact that this is the first time the Cup Series has raced there, and NASCAR has given racing teams an extra four hours of testing on the Thursday before the race.

Danny Lawrence, chief engine builder for Earnhardt-Childress Racing Engines, is hoping NASCAR comes up with specifications so the teams can prepare, adding "I know they're working on it really hard, and hopefully, they'll have it figured out in a few days."

NASCAR is working with McLaren and Freescale Semiconductor to develop and manufacture engine control units to manage fuel and ignition systems. A wiring harness has reportedly already been developed, and the fuel-injector specification will be the next step. Teams are still wondering at this point if they'll receive a specification for the fuel injection system or if NASCAR will provide systems that everyone must use. Hat tip to Pawager!

[Source: NASCAR | Image: Todd Warshaw/Getty]

NASCAR could test fuel injection as early as July originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ESPN: Ford submits Mustang for 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup approval

Jeff Glucker — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 13:29:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Ford, Racing

Ford Mustang NASCAR Nationwide Race Car - Click above for high-res image gallery

Forget the Fusion, Ford is making a move to bring the Mustang to Nascar's Sprint Cup Series. Ford has informed NASCAR decisionmakers that it wishes to begin racing the Mustang in the highest level of left-turning motorsports.

Replacing the Fusion is a process that could take all year, and Ford is required to show that the Mustang is a competitive equal to the cars it will race against. The reason behind the move is that Ford wants to show fans they can buy a car right off the showroom floor that mimics the one they watch every weekend on TV.

As fans of the roundy round are already aware, the Blue Oval already races a Mustang stock car in NASCAR - in the Nationwide Series. The pony car shown above made its competition debut last July during the Subway Jalapeno 250 at Daytona International Speedway.

We understand you can't purchase the same exact Mustang that will be hunting down rival racers around the county. In fact, we already know that you won't be able to purchase anything like a Sprint Cup Mustang for street use. But Ford knows that millions of people tune-in and show up to support their favorite drivers and brands. At least on some level, adding the Mustang to the mix makes more sense since the production car provides real driving thrills for its owners. Besides, unlike the Fusion, it's actually available in a coupe bodystyle like those used in NASCAR.

Now... if we can get Chevrolet to bring in the Camaro and Dodge to show up with the Challenger, we could be on the cusp of something special. Thanks for the tip, JR!

Gallery: 2010 Ford Mustang NASCAR Nationwide Series race car

[Source: ESPN]

ESPN: Ford submits Mustang for 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup approval originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Scott Speed sues Red Bull for $6.5 million

Noah Joseph — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 09:27:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Government/Legal, Earnings/Financials

For most racing drivers, landing a deal with an outfit like Red Bull would be a dream. The energy drink company has one of the most advanced driver development programs in the world, and is responsible for (among countless other feeder series champs) newly crowned Formula One World Champion Sebastian Vettel's ascension. Scott Speed, however, apparently doesn't feel the love.

The F1 and NASCAR driver has been with Red Bull for seven years, entering F1 as the first American driver in years before returning Stateside to race stock cars, still under Red Bull's auspices. And now, according to SceneDaily, he's suing his patron and employer to the tune of $6.5 million.

The reason? Breach of contract. According to the suit filed in North Carolina Superior Court, Red Bull significantly cut Speed's salary - by some half-million bucks, according to the complaint - and further failed to provide the budget his team needed to mount a competitive challenge.

[Source: SceneDaily.com | Image: Jason Smith/Getty]

Report: Scott Speed sues Red Bull for $6.5 million originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 Dec 2010 09:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dodge slaps new Charger nose on NASCAR body

Noah Joseph — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 14:27:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Dodge, Racing

2011 Dodge Charger stock car - Click above for high-res image

Boy, they ain't kiddin' when they call a stock car a stock car. You can call it a Ford, a Chevy, a Dodge or even a Toyota... they all look pretty much identical. Except the nose. That's where on "manufacturer" differentiates its cars from the others and lets you know what's sittin' under the hood.

For Dodge's part, they label theirs as a Charger. And with NASCAR introducing a slightly lower nose on the Sprint Cup racers for next season, Dodge found a perfect opportunity to bring the look of their stock cars in line with the new production Charger. The work was carried out in conjunction with Penske Racing, one of only two teams racing Dodge engines this season.

You can check out the solitary image of the 2011 Dodge Charger stock car - whose new mug our own John Neff likens to the grimace that follows a sip of unsweetened lemonade - by clicking here or on the image above, and the statement after the jump, but don't blink or you just might miss it.

[Source: Dodge]

Continue reading Dodge slaps new Charger nose on NASCAR body

Dodge slaps new Charger nose on NASCAR body originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Nov 2010 14:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Offspeed Pitch: Richard Petty joins Ken Block, AJ Allmendinger in marketing Ford Fiesta?

Zach Bowman — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Budget, Sedan, Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Hatchback, Ford, Celebrities

Brace yourself, race fans. Things are about to get a little weird. Ford has decided to meld the seemingly unmeldable worlds of NASCAR and rally to help promote the 2011 Fiesta. Ken Block, Richard Petty and AJ Allmendinger have joined forces as an unholy trifecta of motorsports action, unified by their common love of the number 43. We don't need to tell you that Petty famously campaigned old four-three in the heyday of NASCAR, netting 200 Sprint Cup wins and a total of seven championships in the process. Meanwhile, Block has established himself as one of America's flashiest rally drivers, while Allmendinger has inherited Petty's 43 throne in the current NASCAR series.

The three unlikely amigos will be campaigning for the Blue Oval's new '43 Fiestas' sweepstakes, where entrants will have the opportunity to lay their hands on a bevy of prizes. A total of 43 first-place prize winners will walk away with a 40-inch LED-LCD HD flat-screen television, while another 43 grand-prize winners will receive airfare, lodging and tickets for two to the Ford 300 Nationwide series and the Ford 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. If that wasn't swank enough, one of the 43 grand-prize winners will drive home in a 2011 Fiesta.

But wait, there's more. Should Allmendinger happen to take the checkered at the end of the race, all 43 grand-prize winners will win their very own Fiesta. Head over to the 43 Fiestas site to enter for you chance to win. You can also hop the jump for the full press release.

Gallery: Review: 2011 Ford Fiesta SES

Photos copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: Ford via 43Fiestas.com]

Continue reading Offspeed Pitch: Richard Petty joins Ken Block, AJ Allmendinger in marketing Ford Fiesta?

Offspeed Pitch: Richard Petty joins Ken Block, AJ Allmendinger in marketing Ford Fiesta? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Unlikely Pacer: Ford Fiesta to lead the field at CarFax 400

Zach Bowman — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:33:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Budget, Sedan, Ford

Sure enough, the upcoming Sprint Cup Carfax 400 will be paced by none other than the Blue Oval's tiny 2011 Fiesta Sedan. With less than a third of the displacement of the tube-frame beasts lapping Michigan International Speedway, we wouldn't quite expect lightning-quick pace laps, but hey - safety first. While pace cars are typically some sort of performance product, manufacturers aren't past parading less than muscular new hardware in front of the captive audiences of the raceway.

If Ford was looking for a way to bring its marketing for the Fiesta out of the social media realm and into a more mainstream American venue, they could have hardly done better than the Sprint Cup. On average, the series races net 7.9 million viewers. On Sunday, August 15, each and every one of those souls will get to watch a maroon four door fiesta lead the pack, complete with a massive Blue Oval decal down the side. Talk about cheap advertising. Check out the gallery for a few shots from the car's unveiling.

Gallery: Ford Fiesta Pace Car

[Source: Ford Racing via Facebook]

Unlikely Pacer: Ford Fiesta to lead the field at CarFax 400 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DTM champ Mattias Ekström swaps tin-tops for NASCAR

Noah Joseph — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 07:59:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

If we've said it once, we've said it a thousand times, but it warrants repeating - in context especially - that there exists an ocean of difference between stock car racing in America and touring cars overseas. And we're talking about more than geography here. The cars are different, the tracks are different, the drivers, the fans... and so too is the racing. But the two are about to take one step closer when two-time DTM champion Mattias Ekström takes on NASCAR.

Now Ekstrom wouldn't be the first European driver to test drive a stock car, but he's already done that. What we're talking about here is the full contest of an actual NASCAR race (made possibly by Red Bull, which sponsors his Audi A4 DTM and the #83 Toyota Camry he'll be driving Stateside). And not in a feeder series, either: the Toyota/Save Mart 350 is a full-fledged round of the top-tier Sprint Cup, not the Nationwide Series, Camping World Truck Series or ARCA junior league like some European drivers have started out with when making the transition.

Mind you, the race is being held at Infineon Raceway (formerly known as Sears Point) in Sonoma, California - one of only two road-courses on the series calendar - but the round at the Lausitzring EuroSpeedway (run partially on the banked tri-oval) ranks among the fourteen DTM races which Ekström's won, so he very well might stand a fighting chance on an American oval, too. In the meantime we'll be watching the weekend after next to see how Mattias fares in his auspicious NASCAR debut. Details in the press release after the jump.

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading DTM champ Mattias Ekström swaps tin-tops for NASCAR

DTM champ Mattias Ekström swaps tin-tops for NASCAR originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Jun 2010 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shell signs multi-series sponsorship deal with Penske Racing

Noah Joseph — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 08:29:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Marketing/Advertising

For years Marlboro has been nearly synonymous with Penske, its racing cars (in open-wheels especially) adorned with the tobacco company's red-and-white color scheme for decades, even if their name hasn't appeared on the cars since 2005. But after 19 years in racing together, Marlboro parent company Phillip Morris ended its sponsorship of the motor racing dynasty earlier this year. Now it appears that Shell Oil could be taking its place.

The deal, which comes into effect next season, encompasses Penske Racing teams in several series, including the Indy Racing League and both the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series in NASCAR, but does not appear to extend to Penske's American Le Mans Series team.

In the Sprint Cup, the Shell deal comes at the expense of Richard Childress Racing (pictured above), which brought in Shell to replace Jack Daniels sponsorship which it lost last year. The Shell and Pennzoil logos will instead adorn the #22 car of Penske's former champion Kurt Busch, while teammate Brad Keselowski's #2 Dodge will continue with Miller Lite sponsorship. In Indy, meanwhile, the sponsorship replaces Penske's longstanding deal with ExxonMobil.

[Source: Autosport]

Shell signs multi-series sponsorship deal with Penske Racing originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Apr 2010 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASCAR turns right, headed to Road America in 2010

Chris Shunk — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 16:56:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

Some motorsports fans take issue with the fact that the vast majority of NASCAR tracks are little more than a series of left turns. This is for you, roundy-round jokers. The official sport of the South is mixing in some right turns and working the brakes a bit more in 2010 with a pair of road courses. The first race, a June 20 Sprint Cup affair at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California, was already on the books, and now the truck racing series has added a second road course on June 19. The Nationwide Truck Series race will be held at Road America near Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, where a scenic 4.04 mile, 14 turn course awaits tailgate-loving NASCAR drivers.

We joke about NASCAR and right turns, but Wisconsin native Paul Menard thinks the biggest challenge will come courtesy of the brake pedal. "Braking will be the hardest aspect. Strategy will play a big part in this race." NASCAR hasn't run a national cup race at Road America since way back in1956, back when race cars ~~used carburetors~~ weren't as fast. Racing Road America will likely be a challenge for drivers who participate in both NASCAR Series, as a trip from Wisconsin to California inside of 24 hours sandwiched between a pair of tough races doesn't sound at all easy to us.

Whether you love NASCAR or you can't stand it, we're thinking middle America's racing sport of choice deserves hats off for mixing it up a bit this year.

[Source: NASCAR | Image: Road America]

NASCAR turns right, headed to Road America in 2010 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Dec 2009 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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