Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[NASCAR turns right, headed to Road America in 2010]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/23/nascar-turns-right-headed-to-road-america-in-2010/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/23/nascar-turns-right-headed-to-road-america-in-2010/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/23/nascar-turns-right-headed-to-road-america-in-2010/#commentsFiled under:



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.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>motorsportsnascarNationwide SeriesNationwideSeriesroad americaroad courseRoadAmericaRoadCoursesprint cupSprintCupstock carstock car racingStockCarStockCarRacingWisconsinWed, 23 Dec 2009 16:56:00 EST<![CDATA[VIDEO: Crap Motorsports FTW! - Car Launching]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/19/video-crap-motorsports-ftw-car-launching/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/19/video-crap-motorsports-ftw-car-launching/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/19/video-crap-motorsports-ftw-car-launching/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Car Launching - Click above to watch the video

As the proliferation of LeMons events has proven, there's a fat vein of crap-box motorsports yet to be mined. Northwestern Wisconsin has its own unique brand of vehicular mayhem called Car Launching. The premise is simple: Jump something fetid and ridiculous off an earthen ramp, headed for certain destruction.

It's best to tow something that enhances the punchline. Like a dumpster. It's a much shorter lap than LeMons, but we suppose you could counter that by dragging more than one vehicle with you. Check out the video posted after the jump for the full impact. (We highly recommend clicking the "View Fullscreen" option.)

[Source: Notes from the Technology Underground]

Continue reading VIDEO: Crap Motorsports FTW! - Car Launching

VIDEO: Crap Motorsports FTW! - Car Launching originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>car launchingCarLaunchinglemonsLeMons Racelemons thunderhillLemonsRaceLemonsThunderhillmotorsportsracingwisconsinSat, 19 Dec 2009 20:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Bid to build new GM small car heats up: Orion reportedly offers $44M]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/15/bid-to-build-new-gm-small-car-heats-up-orion-offers-44m/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/15/bid-to-build-new-gm-small-car-heats-up-orion-offers-44m/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/15/bid-to-build-new-gm-small-car-heats-up-orion-offers-44m/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Towns in Tennessee, Michigan, and Wisconsin are all vying for a chance to keep their existing plants running by coming up with the most attractive package to woo assembly rights for a future unnamed General Motors small car. In the showdown, the first place plant will win the right to stay open, while the other two will be consigned to history. Last week, officials from Spring Hill, Tennessee said that The General was allegedly looking for over $200 million in upfront cash as part of any deal.

The state of Michigan and the Michigan Economic Development Growth Authority isn't talking about their GM enticement package, but according to The Detroit News, Orion Township is reportedly chiming in with over $44 million in incentives. The package includes 100% tax free machining costs for up to 12 years, with overall tax forgiveness of $44 million.

The goal for Orion is to preserve the remaining $2.7 million in annual taxes it receives from the plant, along with the additional taxes it receives from the 3,400 employees that work, eat and in many cases live in the area. The township is also offering to build a water treatment facility on-site at the plant, saving GM about $1 million. GM would have to donate the land for the facility, but it would receive an additional tax credit for the appraised value of the land.

GM has said that it would announce the winning facility within the month. The plant is slated to build up to 160,000 vehicles per year and add up to 1,200 jobs.

[Source: Detroit News | Image: Bill Pugliano/Getty]

Bid to build new GM small car heats up: Orion reportedly offers $44M originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>44mgeneral motorsGeneralMotorsgmjanesvilleorionorion townshipOrionTownshipsmall carSmallCarspring hillSpringHilltennesseewisconsinMon, 15 Jun 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wisconsin police use cardboard cut-outs to slow speeders]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/09/wisconsin-police-use-cardboard-cut-outs-to-slow-speeders/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/09/wisconsin-police-use-cardboard-cut-outs-to-slow-speeders/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/09/wisconsin-police-use-cardboard-cut-outs-to-slow-speeders/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Neenah, Wisconsin has such a speeding problem that it can't keep up. Even with a full court press of law enforcement, drivers continue to speed and have even sped by other motorists receiving their obligatory revenue-production invoice. In an effort to keep drivers on their toes while also leaving time to fight real crimes, the Neenah PD will post cardboard cutouts that look like an officer pointing a radar gun in strategic locations. Like something out of Weekend At Bernie's, the paper tigers will be rotated with living, breathing officers so that the ruse has a chance of effecting change. At this point, it's less about filling the coffers and more about quelling an epidemic of overly-velocitized drivers.

[Source: Winding Road, Photo: brentkmoore.blogspot.com]

Wisconsin police use cardboard cut-outs to slow speeders originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Jan 2008 07:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cardboardcardboard copCardboardCopcopfakefake copFakeCopneenahofficerpolicespeederspeedingtrafficwisconsinWed, 09 Jan 2008 07:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Chrysler to announce third plant to build new Phoenix V-6 engines]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/11/chrysler-to-announce-third-plant-to-build-new-phoenix-v-6-engine/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/11/chrysler-to-announce-third-plant-to-build-new-phoenix-v-6-engine/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/11/chrysler-to-announce-third-plant-to-build-new-phoenix-v-6-engine/#commentsFiled under: , ,



On Wednesday June 13 Chrysler will be announcing a third plant to build its new generation Phoenix V-6 engines. In recent weeks, Chrysler has already broken ground on a new plant in Trenton, MI and announced plans to build a second plant in Saltillo Mexico. The third plant will be the existing Kenosha, WI plant that they inherited when they bought American Motors.

The 1.9 million square foot Kenosha plant will be retooled to build the new engines. All the usual state and local politicos will be hand to take their share of the credit for keeping jobs in Kenosha. Production of the new engines should begin in 2009.

[Source: Chrysler]

Chrysler to announce third plant to build new Phoenix V-6 engines originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Jun 2007 14:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>kenoshaphoneix enginePhoneixEnginewisconsinMon, 11 Jun 2007 14:37:00 EST<![CDATA[GM to be focus of 60 Minutes tonight]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/02/gm-to-be-on-60-minutes-tonight/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/02/gm-to-be-on-60-minutes-tonight/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/02/gm-to-be-on-60-minutes-tonight/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Tonight, 60 Minutes will air a segment on Steve Kroft's interview with workers at General Motors' plant in Janesville, Wisconsin. Kroft, a correspondent for CBS, interviewed former and current employees of the plant at a nearby restaurant. He questions them about the automaker's past and current financial situations; and how it will affect Janesville and the United Auto Workers.

"Almost everyone in Janesville either works for GM or has a relative or family member that does," Kroft says in a voice-over during the program.

Information on what channels the segment will air can be found at the link.

[Source: Gazette Extra]

 

GM to be focus of 60 Minutes tonight originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 02 Apr 2006 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>interviewsJanesvilleSixty MinutesUAWWisconsinSun, 02 Apr 2006 16:00:00 EST