auto racing news

Mitsubishi i Could Be The Greatest Vehicle For The Living Green Movement

December 27, 2011

Prepare for the next era in driving with Mitsubishi’s all new electric car. This particular car won’t emit any poisonous gas or will require any fossil fuel. An electric powered motor this really is clean and efficient, has totally replaced the internal combustion gasoline engine, so it doesn’t even need a tailpipe. The ground breaking technology of the drive train produces no emissions that would affect the air.

The Mitsubishi i has been engineered to look the part of eco-friendly driving and also to perform the part as well. The first thing you’ll detect about the car is the futuristic styling. You wouldn’t normally expect this vehicle to be anything Mitsubishi would probably design. Mitsubishi’s commitment to preserving the environment is undoubtedly shown in this EV from the efficient LED tail lamps, and also the aerodynamic front end. It is great to own a car like this where it isn’t just high-tech but also environmentally responsible. The velocity may possibly surprise you, together with the three drive modes. The drive modes are typically eco-mode for far better energy efficiency, B-mode for recharging the car from the brakes and drive mode for better roadway performance.

The handling on corners and turns is very responsive due to the car’s low center of gravity and rear-motor design. The starts and stops while in traffic are remarkably smooth. If you are driving on the interstate, you will enjoy the electric power and its pure silence. Just like other electric cars on the market, the Mitsubishi i may not be ideal for long drives. This car is ideal for driving around town as well as running errands. You should be expecting roughly 62 miles of standard driving on a single full charge. This automobile never was intended to be created for cross country road trips. This is the best solution for the environmentally conscious, who would like to maximize their green miles.

The 100% Mitsubishi i possesses a hundred components less than a gas-powered car, so over time, there will be less maintenance, and less cost. There is almost certainly a potential price savings on fuel costs as well. Motoring 15,000 miles in a year, the electrical power will be as little as $541 on electricity. When it comes to the same mileage, an efficient car can use as much as $1980 worth of gas. Besides the savings on fuel, the IRS will even give you $7500 in tax credits when you buy an electric. Chances are you’ll also discover additional incentives in your state or local county.

It can save you not only the environment but money as well with the Mitsubishi i.

This particular material has been made to convey information about eco-friendly cars. Head over to transmission repair cost web page for additional details on many of these automobiles and approaches to execute regular maintenance tasks if you have it.

Do You Pay Attention When Your Vehicle Is Trying To Tell You Something?

December 26, 2011

A car can merely function as a means of getting around, or it can also be a lot of fun. The joy of driving a vehicle can easily be lost in dense traffic areas. Something else that places a damper on driving is usually when your car makes noises but you don’t understand what it is trying to say. A car that did not wear or break down would definitely make for more enjoyable driving.

Having your windows wound down to let in the warm aroma of Spring can also have the unsettling side-effect of letting in the previously unheard noises your car is making. You start to question if most of these noises have been around for long, and whether they mean anything serious is wrong with the car. Having a reliable auto mechanic will do wonders for your peace of mind and the life of your car. When it comes to the repairs and maintenance of your car, you often need a good partnership with a mechanic or be one yourself. Since a lot of people need to know a lot about vehicles, and do not want to spend any time working on one, for them it will be important to know a mechanic and follow his advice.

When getting out from a auto parking space, determine whether there are any fluid drops that look fresh. Because you can’t really tell whether the fluid came from your car or another, you need to also check for stains on your own driveway. If you find fluid stains, examine the color. Dark brown or black is going to mean an oil leak. A yellow or green color will be easily identified as antifreeze, which also has a singular odor. Any time the substance color is red, it most likely is either power steering fluid or transmission fluid. The way your car handles while driving also gives you an indication of whether something may be faulty. You could need to have the front end alignment performed if your car pulls to one side when you brake.

Always check up on your tire pressure, since under inflated tires can cause lowered gas mileage, and your tires wearing out quicker. You should take your car to your auto technician when the brakes start making a squealing noise. In the event you postpone, you may wind up replacing the rotors as well as the brake pads. How about acceleration? Is your car or truck still as quick as it used to be, or is it a bit lazy? It could be time for a tune up, or maybe a gasoline filter. The very best piece of advice you can find is to change the oil every three thousand miles.

If you will be sure you do this, no matter if your car is new or even a used one, you will have a much better running car. For those who wish to have many fear free years with your car, make sure you listen to what it is telling you.

To get more detail trouble shooting tricks for your vehicle, you could click that link and browse transmission fluid amount website. It all covers various common recognition plus signs like automatic transmission slipping along with considerations on replacing and transmission fluid flushing.

Scott Tucker and the Level 5 Motorsports team take one another great year

December 23, 2011

There are things different regarding this year’s Mazda Laguna Seca race. For all those drivers, weather conditions has been uncharacteristically chilly through the week’s practice runs and system checks. For Level 5 Motorsports, weather conditions is hardly noticeable-at least not when compared to totally new metal vessel they’ve been wheeling around at triple-digit speeds.

The team recently partnered with Wirth Research to debut an HPD ARX-01g chassis at the American Le Mans Series race tomorrow. A week ago, drivers Christophe Bouchut, Joao Barbosa and Luis Diaz, along with team manager David Stone, visited the Wirth Research team to meet up with their new team member. However, giving it the once-over means nothing once behind the wheel.

Initial practice runs recently were promising; the drivers emerged off their seats optimistic. Team owner Scott Tucker was a man of few words after his first practice run. “It’s good,” he said. “We’re going through the normal systems checks. We’re just going through the motions.”

The motions really needs to be enough for Level 5, if this past year is any suggestion. The team won the 2010 American Le Mans Series championship, and Tucker won both 2010 Rookie of the Year and Champion Driver. Still, with a brand new car, it will be crucial to find the team’s sweet spot in order to make the podium once more.

“Right now, it’s more about finding the balance,” said Luis Diaz after his practice run earlier this week. “If you have a good balanced car, you’ll have a good car in qualifying and race. We’re focusing on having a decent car, good balance front to rear, and then we’ll start to focus on having that ultimate lap.”

Even though drivers are now being diplomatic of their answers, team manager David Stone offers a bit of insight. “Everybody left last night feeling pretty optimistic about the car,” he said. “The initial performance indicators were really good. This is really a test race for us getting ready for Petite le Monde.”

The team has been utilizing a simulator in London in order to prepare for the newest car’s debut. The automobile is really new that no spare parts have arrived yet, that makes this weekend’s race a risky one for Level 5. “We don’t have any spare parts, so we need to be really good with the car today,” Stone mentioned. The team rushed the new car to the raceway in order to be ready for Petite le Monde next weekend, so it’s clear their eyes are to the horizon.

Changing cars is nothing new for the Level 5 team. Tucker, who began his career at age 44 in 2006, raced in two cars for his first season: the No. 55 Oreca FLM09 and the No. 95 Oreca FLM09. This coming year, the team entered the LMP2 class and changed cars again. Following a year of outstanding success, which included two podium finishes just four races in the season, the team made an announcement: it would finish the year with yet another car. They will pair their existing Honda motors with the Honda LMP2 chassis to end out the race calendar.

True to his history, Tucker is prepared for and positive about the change. “We’ve seen gains with the engine all year and the good thing is that there’s still room for development,” he says. “The HPD engine and chassis combination has proven to be the best over the years. We feel very comfortable and confident in making this unprecedented and decisive move in the middle of the season.”

As the race kicks off tomorrow, the new car will weather it’s first true road test. End result of tomorrow’s race will be a telling indicator on the weekend to come.

Check out more about Scott Tucker Scott Tucker

How You Can Upgrade Your Timing Belt By Yourself

December 21, 2011

Everyone having ever owned a car knows what it is like to have to come up with money for repairs. All of us become accustomed to the regular events like tuneups and changing the oil, but from time to time unexpected events catch us unprepared, like belts that need replacing.

The timing belt will be at least one, but knowing what it is, is no grounds for knowing whether it needs to be changed. One place you shouldn’t be when the timing belt snaps is somewhere out on the highway. You might well be forcing the envelope if you have had your car or truck for some time. Generally a timing belt lasts anywhere from 60,000 miles up to 100,000 miles, which is a pretty wide gap. It is possible to learn this information from the owner’s manual, but who ever looks through it before something occurs. While a timing belt can fail at any time, you are able to keep from being stranded by staying on top of things.

Precisely what a timing belt is needed for is to turn the camshaft at exactly 50 percent the speed of the crankshaft. The camshaft results in the intake and exhaust valves to open up and close up when the pistons go up and down in the cylinders. Without the timing belt, your vehicle’s engine will never work. Frequently a bad timing belt means extensive damage to the engine. Commonly it is only after the timing belt has failed that people think about it. That might be a real problem when you are miles from some place that can help. You should replace the belt right after it has done a recommended maximum number of miles, because you cannot check how much longer it will last.

Since it entails a lot of duplication of labour, some mechanics recommend that the water pump be changed at the same time as the timing belt. A water pump lasts as long as your car, or fail any time. If it has to be replaced by itself the repair bill can be expensive, and the car out of commission for a few days. Updating the timing belt isn’t a big problem for most weekend mechanics. With a dependable auto maintenance and repair manual to look through, you could change out the timing belt in no time. You will discover web based wholesalers, like Timing Belt Pros, who insure that it is easy finding the product right for your car. You can perform parallel shopping at many different outlets, and by doing the job yourself, save a lot of money.

If you can do the work, you will save the money you would have had to pay a repair shop or the dealer’s repair shop. Naturally you do need to have the required tools, or be prepared to rent or borrow them, plus have the ability to do the job. However you decide to do it, you need to keep up on the repairs needed on your vehicle.

With the general skill of doing a few basic trouble shooting. You will save on the cost for labor, and the single thing you will buy would be the pieces that is to be replaced. For lots more troubleshooting advice, have a look at transmission slipping problems site.

Good To Know Strategies For When Your Car or Truck Unexpectedly Dies

December 18, 2011

In case you are like most individuals, your car is something you drive from one place to another, but how it does it is another question. A lot of people recognize how their car sounds when it’s running normally, but that’s about all they know about the mechanics, so when different noises ring forth these can sound quite ominous and scary. This is a fact for older cars and brand new cars. Not even the price you paid matters.

Your car or truck is subject to the parts all working properly, so if one fails your car could stop running, just like that. Imagine some weird sound suddenly emanating from beneath your car as you drive along the highway. It might well come to pass that the noise then stops, like someone threw a switch. At this point you might be divided between wanting to get to the safety of home versus heading for the local mechanic, just in case. The sound has gone, therefore more than likely it was just something that got trapped under the car and then got worked free, you think. Maybe you reach your garage before the engine sputters and dies. It is what can happen as soon as fuel pump dies, but in most cases it doesn’t happen in your driveway. Ordinarily it would be on a Sunday afternoon meander together with the family in the countryside.

A fuel pump might fail just about anywhere, without any warning at all, leaving you stranded. This is when it can be a relief to know that in the family you have a mechanic who can both recognise and repair the problem. Weekend mechanics usually won’t have difficulty with replacing a fuel pump, but they would need the replacement part and of course the right tools. There’s no need for propping up the car, since the gas tank does not need to be dropped down. If perhaps you had been wondering, you will find the fuel pump in the gas tank. Your neighborhood parts shop will be able to supply you with a replacement pump.

Be cautious about connecting generic parts, since they may not work as well or last as long as the original branded parts. Setting up a generic to save money may lead you to regret it later. You can go online to look for your replacement part, but by placing your order online to save money, you will have to wait for the part to be shipped. This may be fine, if you have access to some other vehicle to use. Considering time is oftentimes more important as opposed to the money, you end up paying a high price at your local mechanics shop. And, of course, people don’t save money in fear of repairs when they buy a vehicle.

There are many parts in your car aside from a fuel pump that can stop working with not a moment’s notice. To save yourself some money, it would be smart to learn how to do the repairs yourself, or at least find yourself a mechanic you can trust.

Is is fairly a substantial advantage to be familiar with some basic troubleshooting as well as replacement concerning certain components an typical individual is able to do. Stop by transmission repair cost cooler line to know more trouble shooting helpful hints. Doing the simple job can definitely save a little money over the long haul.

Petit Le Mans will mark Scott Tucker’s anniversary of professional driving debut

December 5, 2011

The pinnacle of the 2011 American Le Mans series will happen on Oct. 1 with the 14th annual Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta. For Scott Tucker, driver and owner for Level 5 Motorsports, the race marks the start of his sixth year of professional racing. In 2006, he made his professional debut at Petit Le Mans, and following that, his career took off.

“There are not many Americans that get to race there, first and foremost, so I feel very privileged to be among that group,” he stated. “This year, we’re the only American prototype team there. We feel very fortunate we were selected to race there.”

The Petit Le Mans race is definitely an endurance race modeled after the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which is its equivalent for the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup series. Road Atlanta owner Don Panoz founded it, and the first iteration ran on Oct. 10, 1998-and Panoz must have had a thing for tens, since the race covers no more than 1,000 miles or a no less than 10 hours, whichever comes first. Class winners of Petit Le Mans automatically qualify for the following year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Tucker has increasingly centered on the American Le Mans Series as his career has progressed. After he founded Level 5 Motorsports in 2008, his main actions have included drafting talented veterans known for incredible precision even at maximum speeds. This year’s Petit Le Mans has unofficially been the holy grail in Tucker’s eyes: Mid-season, he announced the switch from the team’s Nos. 55 and 95 Microsoft Office-sponsored LMP2 cars to a brand-new, right-off-the-line HPD ARX-01g chassis, the result of a partnership between Honda Performance Development and Wirth Research. Tucker pushed hard to get the vehicle finished in the shortest time, needless to say with out sacrificing quality. While making the transition between cars, Tucker even withdrew from ALMS races in Lime Rock Park and a huge one at Silverstone in Great Britain, choosing instead to target the all-important Petit ahead.

Now, Tucker has added a 4th elite driver to his already well-stacked team. Marino Franchitti will join the team as well as its new car-which Tucker marks as best in the class-for this year’s race at Road Atlanta. Franchitti has extensive experience with the HPD prototype family, having taken part in the initial year of development of the ARX-01a with Andretti Green Racing before spending some LMP2 time with Dyson Racing. Incorporating Franchitti to the lineup is surely an obvious sign that Tucker is headed for the win at Petit Le Mans, though that’s never not the case when Tucker enters a race track. He’s a three-time national driving champion. Level 5 Motorsports’ performance in 2010 during its debut year in the American Le Mans Series sent them to the top of the podium and bumped them to the LMP2 category.

Tucker has made giant strides since his Petit Le Mans professional debut in 2006, and this year he’s probably the most prepared he’s been. A victory means another addition to Tucker’s unbelievable record in the past several years, and moving to the LMP1 category means Tucker has made it to the top class in the sport he seemingly was born to compete in. No matter what results end up meaning for Level 5 Motorsports, the work they’ve already put in this year make it clear that the team is one of the most prolific, aggressive racing organizations worldwide.

Learn more about Scott Tucker Scott Tucker

Stunning New Lotus Exige High Performance Sports Car Finally Unveiled

March 27, 2011

The Exige range of cars from Lotus have been said by many to look less than friendly, appearing proficient at demoralizing and obliterating other competitors with ease. Impressive adrenalin inducing power combined with expert traction have provided this car with a winning track-beating formula.

The subsidiary of Lotus Cars for North America, Lotus Cars USA displayed for the first time in public the brand spanking new MY2007 Lotus Sport Exige Cup. Staged at the Los Angeles International Auto Show, this 252 hp, intercooled and supercharged sports beast has had all of its components targeted at maximizing performance for some of the finest race circuits in North America. Based on the road-going Exige S, the Lotus Sport Exige Cup has increased standout appeal with its visually striking standout appeal.

With a super low weight of 1800 lbs the already superb power to weight ratio has been yet further improved moving the output of power from 243 hp to 252 hp. This car is as light as possible due to only the bare essentials remaining. Careful consideration of cutting edge lightweight materials alongside the removal of the front mudflaps, bulkhead trim, central locking and carpets have all played their part. Standard equipment consists of uprated 4-piston front breaks, an up-to-date SCCA-compliant roll cage, track-specific slick tires, adjustable anti-sway bar, adjustable dampers, FIA approved Lotus Sport branded driver’s seat that has six-point driver harness (there is no passenger seat) and a ultra-light rear screen (no glass). Efficiency is yet further improved with the Roots-type Eaton M62 supercharger running without using the cars oil thanks to its ‘sealed-for-life’ internal mechanism. An air-jack system and level two stainless steel exhaust with de-cat pipe, FIA approved 70 liter fuel cell and plate type limited slip differential and Star Shield complete this cars unnerving racing bias.

One of the fastest cars to be found on a racing circuit, the Lotus Sport Exige Cup is highly aerodynamic and is capable of in excess of 90 pounds of downforce when traveling at 100mph, ultimately improving traction and safety whilst at top speeds.

Capable of reaching almost 160 mph and a catapulting acceleration of zero to 100 mph in just under 9.8 seconds, a 0-60mph of 3.9 seconds, this sports machine is the ideal partner for a track day nut.

At $84,990, with extra options available, delivery charges and taxes to be paid these cars will amass a large queue of enthusiastic buyers, receiving their car on a purely first come first serve basis.

Alex Rider
http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/stunning-new-lotus-exige-high-performance-sports-car-finally-unveiled-84152.html

Fullerton Personal Injury Lawyer’s Top Ten Ways Lawyers Avoid Personal Injury Auto Accidents

March 10, 2011

1. Listen to police scanners.

2. Drive the opposite direction of ambulances.

3. Drive clunkers that no one in their right mind would think a lawyer owns.

4. Watch out for people doing all the things you read about in police accident reports.

5. Avoid high school parking lots.

6. Leave the street racing to street racers.

7. Don’t tailgate police cars.

8. Avoid high speed chases.

9. Enough horsepower to avoid people out of control.

10. Eat at fast food joints where they don’t serve alcohol.

Here are ten actual tips of advice from a personal injury lawyer to follow if you have been in an accident. You can also learn more about how to handle a personal injury in Fullerton, or any city, by calling the Law Offices of R. Sebastian Gibson at any of the numbers which can be found on our website at http://www.SebastianGibsonLaw.com and learning how we can assist you.

Obviously, if you have had an accident, and you are reading all of this advice, it may have been a few hours since the accident. However, if you ever have another accident, or if it’s only been a few hours since you were hurt, here’s what you should do from the start.

First, take a look around and determine if you or anyone, are hurt. If so, taking steps like trying to prevent further injury or loss of blood are the most important thing you can do. Even if some other driver caused you to be injured, it’s just good manners to help the other driver if they are hurt. They may even be so thankful that they admit their fault to you. The worst thing you can do is get angry or start a fight.

Second, make sure everyone is safe from being injured further. If you are in the middle of traffic, and you are dizzy, sit down away from traffic. If your vehicle is a traffic hazard and you have accident warning devices like flares or triangles, put them out on the road to warn other drivers and get away from the car. Let the police an other emergency personnel investigate the scene with the vehicles in place and move them more safely at a later point.

Third, call the police. Accident reports are extremely helpful if the police will do such a report. Let the police know you are injured immediately. Answer the police questions honestly. But if you are dazed or confused, let them know you need medical treatment and answer only what you feel sure about. Remember, your statements can and will be used against you if you admit fault, and it will be too late and too fishy to later say you didn’t know what you were saying at the scene. Police know that your best recollection is immediately after an accident.

Fourth, get the other driver’s information including their names, addresses, driver’s license numbers, make and model of their vehicles, license plate numbers, and their insurance company name and policy number. If there are witnesses, get their names, addresses and telephone numbers as well. If the other driver makes any admissions of fault, write those down as well.

Fifth, if you have a camera on your cell phone or in the car and you aren’t too injured, take some photos of the vehicles and the scene. If you can’t do it right away, do it after you are released from the hospital.

Sixth, if you are hurt, obtain medical treatment. Don’t decline the ambulance or hospital examination to save your insurance company money or to be stoic. Take your valuables out of your car if you can and get checked out at the hospital. If you are not hurt, don’t get treatment you don’t need. However, remember, after an accident, you may feel a rush of adrenaline that causes you to only start feeling symptoms of pain a few hours later. If you have a health plan that requires you to obtain permission first, call them and find out where you are allowed to seek treatment.

Seventh, call a good personal injury lawyer as soon as you have had your initial treatment, so the attorney can gather other important evidence and prevent the insurance company from taking advantage of you and obtaining such things as recorded statements that you feel fine, when many of your symptoms have yet to manifest themselves. A good personal injury lawyer can save you from making a great deal of mistakes and can shoulder much of the hassle of knowing what to do about car repairs, car rentals, medical treatment, witness statements and the like. If you think you will save money by not having an attorney, think again. A good personal injury lawyer can almost always obtain much higher settlements, obtain reductions of medical bills and insurance liens and prevent you from making costly mistakes. Also, most personal injury attorneys advance costs of obtaining police reports, medical records and the like and are paid and reimbursed for these costs only out of any settlement.

Eight, you will need to report the accident to your insurance company, but since they will want to take a recorded statement from you, just like any other driver’s insurance company, it’s good advice to retain an attorney first. And if the other driver did not have insurance, remember that it is your own insurance company that will be your adversary. You will also need to report the accident to the Department of Motor Vehicles and your lawyer can give you the form for this.

Ninth, do not agree to settle your claim privately with the person at fault for the accident. This almost never works out to your advantage. Don’t agree not to call the police. Police reports that determine the fault for an accident are golden. Your agreement to not involve the police only affords an opportunity for the other driver to change his story and blame you when the police will no longer investigate the accident.

Tenth, don’t pay a traffic ticket without a fight if you weren’t at fault or agree to accept a small payment for your vehicle repairs without knowing that the amount will in fact cover the cost of all the repairs.

If you’ve had a personal injury accident in Orange County, Newport Beach, Anaheim, Irvine, Huntington Beach, Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach, Santa Ana, Orange, Fullerton, costa Mesa, Westminster, Buena Park, Mission Viejo, Garden Grove, Laguna Niguel, San Clemente, Chino Hills, or anywhere in Southern California, we have the knowledge and resources to be your Fullerton Personal Injury Lawyer and your Orange County Personal Injury Attorney. Be sure to hire a California law firm with auto, motorcycle, truck, bicycle, pedestrian, car, bus, train, boat and airplane accident experience, wrongful death experience and insurance law expertise who can ensure you are properly represented and get the compensation you deserve.

If you have a personal injury legal matter, a dog bite or if you’ve lost a loved one in a wrongful death accident, call the Law Offices of R. Sebastian Gibson, or visit our website at http://www.SebastianGibsonLaw.com and learn how we can assist you.

R. Sebastian Gibson

Ford’s Trio of Vehicles to Hit New York Auto Show

February 17, 2011

The Ford Motor Co. will launch three new limited-edition models – the Shelby GT500KR, the F-150 Foose Edition and the Ford Expedition Funkmaster Flex Edition – and all of which are making their official debut at this year’s New York International Auto Show (NYIAS). The automaker’s trio of vehicles showcases how Ford is leveraging crucial partnerships to build thrilling and more functional new products.

“Marrying great Ford products like Mustang, F-150 and Expedition to strong partners like Shelby, Foose and Flex creates vehicles that are irresistible to customers who want to make the boldest statement they can,” said Cisco Codina, the group vice president of the company’s North America Marketing, Sales and Service. “We are seeing more demand for special wheels and accessories and, of course, from-the-factory packages like the new Eddie Bauer Taurus X and Harley F-150s.”

According to Ford’s research, 62 percent of full-size pickup truck purchasers buy accessories for their vehicles, and 73 percent acquire auto parts through their dealer. In addition, truck buyers spend an average of $1,700 in accessories. About 30 percent of crossover utility vehicle purchasers buy accessories, and they are more likely to make these accessory purchases at the dealership.

The Dearborn-based automaker announced that its overall customization business rose by 50 percent in the previous year and could potentially double its business again in the next two years. The anticipated growth is anchored on the development of factory-customized products and a hard stress on wheels, appearance packages, and electronics such as DVD players and navigation systems contained in the updated repair manuals.

“This is really a fashion industry,” said Peter MacGillivray, the vice president of Marketing and Communications for the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA). “Consumers want to put their personal stamp on everything they buy – from personalized rings to build-a-teddy-bear – and everybody knows that ‘you are what you drive.”

The 2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR, which will be launched next spring, features a 5.4-liter supercharged V-8 engine unit with a Ford Racing Power Upgrade Pack that improves the engine output to an estimated 540 horsepower. It is also given distinct exterior badging, a one-of-a-kind interior with Carroll Shelby-signature embroidered seats, a unique striping and a 40th Anniversary numbered dash plaque. The coupe version is also complemented by a custom carbon composite hood, stainless steel twist-down hood pins, a lower front air dam with functional brake ducts, a modified suspension, and 14-inch Brembo front brakes.

The all-new Ford F-150 Foose Edition, a rugged boulevard cruiser, is scheduled to hit the roads early next year. The Ford F-150 Foose Edition is penned by custom street rod designer Chip Foose. It features 22-inch wheels, the special Foose F-150 sports bold racing stripes, a new grille, and the 450-horsepower supercharged Triton V8 that produces 500 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm. By far, it is the most powerful F-150.

The 2008 Ford Expedition Funkmaster Flex Edition, the limited-production SUV, will hit showrooms this fall. The concept of the car was created by hip hop DJ Funkmaster Flex. Its offers 20-inch aluminum wheels, a 340-watt Audiophile™ Sound System, an MP3 player audio jack, a Powerfold™ third-row seating, heated and cooled front seats, an optional navigation system, a custom front fascia, a power liftgate, and a rear-seat DVD entertainment system. Rounding out the package is the SIRIUS satellite radio and an exclusive numbered dash plaque signed by Funkmaster Flex.

Joe Thompson
http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/fords-trio-of-vehicles-to-hit-new-york-auto-show-126333.html

Local Stock Car Short Track Nostalgia

January 12, 2011

What was your earliest memory of auto racing? I remember watching a weekly TV show called “Jalopy Races From Hollywood”. This was my earliest memory of having interest in following the sport of auto racing.

One of my most favorite memories when growing up in the 50′s and 60′s was being able to hear the auto racing action [stock cars and open cockpit midget] at Freeport Speedway in Freeport New York, from two [2] towns away. They ran races during the summer on Tuesday night, Friday night, and Saturday night. Going to the races as a spectator was also a rush for me.

I loved everything about it, the smell of racing fuel, burning rubber, sawdust and hot dogs from the food concessions. During the late 50′s and early 60′s the racing drew large crowds of spectators. I can see in my minds eye to this day, all the activity, the vendors selling race collectibles, the sound and smell of the concession stands [pop corn, hot dogs and the like. I can still hear the beer vendor as his went up and down the stands yelling out the familiar phrase of "Get Ya Cold Beer Here" Of course I was too young to become one of his customers. Other vendors sold copies of Speedway News, programs, hot dogs, replica racing flags and many more items.

Some of the great racers that ran a Freeport Stadium are Les Ley, Jim Lacy [One of my favorites], Bruno Brackey aka the Flying Mailman due to his day job, George and Ed Brunnhoelzl, George Brunnhoelzl Jr. [George Jr. built the famed Brunnhoelzl jack used by many NASCAR Winston Cup teams today.], Axel Anderson, Richie Evans, Jerry Cook, Charlie Jarzombek, Gary Winters, Fred Harbach, George Wagner, Bill Spade, Tom Baldwin, Red Raynor, Reinhardt and many more.

Freeport Stadium had gone through a series of different promoters over the years. This list included the names Kedenburg, Larry Mendelsohn, Duke Donaldson, and Don Campi. Duke Donaldson was well know as the voice of Freeport Speedway. As the track announcer, Donaldson for many years opened a race event with announcing, “Ladies and Gentlemen. Welcome to Freeport Stadium, the oldest continuously-run racetrack in the United States” and thanking everyone for visiting “Freeport Speedway in tropical Freeport.” His style did much to create a feeling of great action and professionalism for any given race event.

The second half of the 60′s began a decline in the popularity of stock car racing in Freeport. There were still many promotions being done but paid attendance declined.

Racing at Freeport took a final curtain in 1983 after 50 years of continuous operation.

Bill Wallmuller
http://www.articlesbase.com/classics-articles/local-stock-car-short-track-nostalgia-86410.html