Mini Cooper graphic

inmotion, originally uploaded by fresh pOPcOrn-.

Toyota MR2

Ooh arty, originally uploaded by GIANTDOG.

Dancing Polish street cleaner

A dancing street sweeper has left Britain fearing for his life, saying he was beaten up by racist thugs.

Ziggy Dust, from Poland, told friends he was leaving because National Front members had attacked and threatened to kill him.

The London cleaner shot to public attention when YouTube clips showed him dancing as he collected rubbish in Chiswick.



Film crews descended on the borough to see the 47-year-old strut his stuff and one national newspaper used him in its advertising campaign.

But after three years in Britain, Ziggy - christened Zbigniew Colbecki - is now back in Poland.

Writing on a web forum, he said: 'I'm outside of England because someone wanted to kill me before New Year.

'I feel very sad. Not everyone was happy.

'Someone hated me very much and my dancing. I miss Chiswick. I left England without choice.'

Ziggy, a former circus juggler had also been DJ-ing in a Chiswick bar owned by Sam Harrison.

Mr Harrison said: 'Ziggy came to see me last week and collected his equipment. He had decided to leave for Poland the next morning.

'He told me that he had been attacked and threatened by a faction of the National Front and felt unsafe.

'He said that it had happened over the Christmas period and that he did not think the police could help him.

'Somebody had scared him. I could see the fear in his eyes.'

Chiswick resident Kieran Loughran, 39, said: 'It was extraordinary how famous Ziggy became but it didn't change him and he was always happy to show off his moves.'

Hounslow council said it had not been aware of any threats against Ziggy.

Truck Series Rules Changes Announced

NASCAR has made some interesting changes to the Camping World Truck series for 2009. Instead of beating around the bush, let's get right to the meat of the issue!

The race day performance impacting rules are:

• Teams will be limited to only five men over the wall.
• Pit crews will not be able to change tires and gas up during the same pit stop.

This post continued over at my new place, NASCAR Bits and Pieces, The New 2009 NASCAR Truck Series Rules.

Dover To Sell Memphis, But to Guess Who?

Dover Motorsports Inc is selling Memphis Motorsports Park. No 2009 race schedules are anticipated to be changed and the closing date of the $10 million sale is anticipated to be around April 30th, 2009.

The company purchasing the track is Gulf Coast Entertainment, L.L.C..

Gulf Coast is owned by an investment group. Members of the investment group include some race industry insiders, if you wanna call them that: Kelley, Kerry and Dale Earnhardt Jr..

As Earnhardt Jr. expands his impressive business portfolio*, I anticipate that the track won't be relegated to a test location, but will probably remain active in the series.

source: NASCAR Official Release

*Earnhardt owns an impressive number of companies, getting his affairs in order for whenever he decides to retire, he's got it sweet.

• Glacial Bear Racing,
• DEJ Realty,
• Hammerhead Entertainment,
• Whisky River bar,

Details about his new bar (April of '08) are here & his different companies (Reported in March of '08) here & Alabama Motorsports track back in January of '08.

People, keep up with me, I'll try to keep you informed with what inside info I can dig up!

Rc Nitro Gas Cars for Beginner Rc Hobbyist

Imagine driving an RC Gas vehicle 50+ MPH down the street, jumping over the curb or an obstacle course you created (because you have a lot of time on your hand), or even jump over your roof top (YouTube Bazooka Buggy and you’ll see what I mean). You’ll be the envy of many people.

Yes, we all want to relive or live our youth, and RC Nitro Fuel Gas Car can help us feel like a kid again. Nitro Cars is a safe and exciting hobby to get into, and with the influx of newcomers into the industry, RC’s are becoming extremely affordable in ready-to-run kits.

If you are an expert and have been in the hobby for many years, you may be investing $500+ in a U.S-branded gas car like Traxxas, HPI, etc. and paying a good penny for parts (you will need parts unless you drive 5 MPH).

For the rest of us who don’t have that deep of a pocket, but still want a car to have lots of fun with on the weekend, a beginner RC Car will suffice. Many Chinese-branded manufacturers such as HI-Speed, Himoto, Smartech, ACME-Tech are all great cars for beginners. For the most part, they can be purchased for under $200, and parts are readily available. If you have a good supplier, you are sure to enjoy your car and have spare parts available in case you “accidentally” crash.

How do you choose what is best?

It depends on the type of terrain that the car will be driven on.

On-Road Gas Car – These are perfect if you are looking to operate mostly in smooth surfaces; use the car around the block/parking lot, a park (smooth surface), or run laps on race tracks. Good Gas Cars include the Himoto Rapida Pro.
Off-Road Gas Buggy- Great if you are looking to perform jumps, and operate in rocky terrains, grassy area, or even smooth surfaces. The off-road gas buggies are versatile and can operate in all types of terrains. ACME-Tech provides RTR buggy kits that are fast and great for beginners.

Off-Road Truck- Similar to the off road buggy. More durable than the buggy, but generally a bit slower. Usually a bit more resistant to crashes, and easy to operate. 1/8 and 1/10 scales are the common scale, although 1/16 scales are becoming quite popular. The main difference is the ground clearance and size. RC Nitro Trucks are extremely popular and tend to be best selling.

What is needed?

All RTR kits come with almost everything you would need to get your vehicle running. All you would need is a glow plug Igniter and 20% glow fuel. These are usually 20% mixture of nitro methane and can be purchased at your local hobby shop. Your nearest HobbytownUSA is also a great resource.

It is important to adjust the carburetor settings once you receive your car. You would need to adjust the High/Low/Idle needle settings to prime your car. Please refer to your instruction manual or you can email us for settings and troubleshoot guides. In your initial stage of starting the car, make sure fuel is able to travel to the engine, and the glow plug is fully charged.

Once started with the loud rev of the engine, you’re good to go and ready to have lots of fun!

About the Author :

RCToyHouse.com is a reliable supplier of Nitro powered RC cars and RC gas trucks. Visit online store for Ready-to-Run RC kits - affordable and durable Nitro RC cars

Gambar modif suzuki swift pick-up

Figures 17 years may be very impressive for a new child gede. Age segitu usually be the most beautiful. But if 17 days to be feeling a hell Dadang Rachman. The big names as Dadang modifikator be staked. He must prove in 17 days is able to realize the Swift Pick Up order ATPM Suzuki."Slaphappy boss, but the name of belief must be maintained as well as possible," Dadang believe that the difficulty

MODIF EXTREEM BMW 318i

Review following the car also is a member of the club car Domino-R in the city of Medan. BMW 318i output in 1998 is owned by Budiman Candra, students IBI Medan. "The theme this car modification" Extreme ", in which ideas - idea influenced many of the modifications car - a BMW car on the internet, especially BMW Motor Sport," said the man berpostur gambot ini.Dengan budget approved spend about Rp

MODIFIKASI MITSUBHISI GALANT

Event ABT Medan 2008 event can be spelled "come back" to its owner's car this one. "Two years ago I came down in ABT Medan. While years ago I had a follow-up, because the task is outside the city, "said Santo, owner Mitsubishi Galant following the release in 1998. Men who joined the club in the Domino-R car in the city of Medan this mengusung theme "touring car" in the modified car. "In the event

Honda Civic Street Fashion

There are two Civic that inhabit the area display New-D (Dimension Club) in the event Djarum Black Autoblackthrough 2008 series Medan. If the one (green) mengusung concept JGTC (Japanesse touring the Grand Championship), another case with the Civic this one. Attend the third time in the same place, some changes disetting back for pursuing the concept of "Street Fashion" as the flow of diusungnya

Modifikasi Grand Vitara “Dub City”

Modifikasi Grand Vitara “Dub City”Not only modified car show imut as KARIMUN ESTILLO, Swift or SX4. But Suzuki also build Konsen roll back its Grand Vitara. As one of the gacoan Suzuki dikelas Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), the flow of modifications Dub City is considered fit for bongsornya body. The concept is the result of the selected Modifikasi Grand Vitara “Dub City” parties with the Suzuki

machine V6 Overview mazda

The V6 configuration appears in 1.8, 2.0, 2.25 and 2.5 litre displacements. - 2.25V6 - worlds only Miller-Cycle (MC) as opposed to Otto-Cycle engine, using an 8 to 1 compression ratio with 10 to 1 power ratio for improved power to fuel consumption ratio. The MC uses a twin-intercooled Lysholm-screw Autorotor supercharger (the worlds most compact & most efficient) to deliver 210-230lb/ft at

MAZDA ENGINE LIST

List of Mazda enginesMazda makes both piston and Wankel "rotary" engines. This page summarizes the various engine families and variations.Contents* 1 Piston Engineso 1.1 V-twino 1.2 Straight-4o 1.3 V6* 2 Wankel enginesPiston EnginesEven though Mazda is better known for their Wankel "rotary" engines, the company has been manufacturing piston engines since the earliest years of the Toyo Kogyo

Nationwide Series Driver: Alex Garcia

ALEX GARCIA is the NASCAR Nationwide Series driver of the No. 98 Transnet Racing Chevrolet.

The team has been a part time team in '07 and '08. He thought they had a full time sponsor this year, but things are up in the air right now. He's hoping to debut at California though if they skip Daytona.

we should be able to debut. So I'm looking at the possibility of skipping Daytona and starting with California on. And we'll see how it goes. But that's where I'm at. It's just been interesting, a little bit of up and down. I was very excited about the opportunity to go full time, and now it's a little bit up in the air.

But we're hoping that it'll come together for us.

Even a sponsor that has been with him for six years is having a tough time committing to what they agreed to initially, and it's understandable.

Getting creative to stay in a car, he has an opportunity to do the road courses in the Cup Series.

Despite the issues abound, he's got a great attitude as he looks at any opportunity to go full time, regardless of the series. A real racers heart if you ask me.

His team will be similar to what he's had in the past. Despite his opportunistic eye, his focus is on the Nationwide series if that is what in the cards for him in '09.

Good luck Alex.

Image: Getty Images for NASCAR

Nationwide Driver: John Wes Townley

In a recent interview, John Wes Townley, a Nationwide driver who will be competing for Rookie of the Year this year.

He'll be competing in the ARCA Race at Daytona, being that he's currently not approved to drive in the Nationwide Series Race at Daytona but he will be starting his season at California.

Some inside info is that he just went through some LASIK surgery and is recouping from the process. His outlook on the year is a good one. After the ARCA race, all his other official events will be in the Nationwide series, starting at California.

From moving up in the ranks, he credits the ARCA series for his developing skills that are applicable to NASCAR because they race on a lot of the same tracks NASCAR does. That's valuable track time.

He realizes this year will be a big learning curve. The process will involve keeping the car out of trouble while he competes for the Raybestos Rookie of the Year.

In addition to his NASCAR schedule, he'll be running one or two ARCA Races and maybe some late model races.

He thinks they have a fair chance to be competitive for the rookie award. He'll be driving for RAB Racing in the Zaxby's sponsored No. 209 car.

Good luck this year John.

Finding the line! RC Car Racing To Win!

What's the point of practicing from a racers perspective? I mean, why waste all this time and car wear? Yeah, right! Practicing is one of the core components to becoming a good driver. This is the time where you get to discover how your car, and your driving style adapt to a new track or layout. Take the first few laps slow, think of your car going from corner to corner hitting your target spots. We will call them targets because it's a target that you will want to place the inside front tire of your car on every lap. These targets are normally a few inches from the edge of the board at each corner. The distance out from the board where you aim to target is dependent on your skill level. Remember: the goal is to drive such that your inside tire passes directly over all of these target points every lap. The more confident you become of your targets location and the better you get at judging these targets, the more your lap times will drop. Tip: Always remain on or outside your targets. If you find yourself going inside your target then two scenarios will have happened: 1. You are finding that you crash a lot, or 2. You may have become a better racer and need to set your standards higher (or targets closer to the board). It is important to remain outside your target to ensure you are hitting your target well (not dodging in or mistakenly missing your target). The best line to drive on entirely depends on finding the best set of targets to hit on each corner. During those first practice laps, don't even try to go fast but simply concentrate on accurately placing the car within a foot of your targets. With each lap you will develop confidence of the location of these targets and a feeling of how to place your car near them. You will begin to drive a tighter line with the eventual goal of consistently hitting every target point on every lap. The most important thing to take away from this sort of practicing is to commit to memory all of these targets so you can make judgments and alternative routes when there are pile ups, lap traffic or corner marshals in the way.Your trying to get a feel for the line you want to take. Get comfortable with the targets locations and then you can start to build on your driving skills. When you drive through a corner decide how well you took it in accordance with your target and speed. Pay close attention to the sticky section of the track and then branch out. Focus on the ares of the track that require the most attention. While you are practicing, spend your time thinking about the two or three corners that you need the most help with and only worry about those corners until they feel comfortable. It's a good idea to constantly evaluate your performance in each corner while you're racing, and with each lap try to get closer to your target while carrying as much corner speed as possible. It is important to use your race heats and main to improve upon your target/speed strategy. Use these races, just like you do practices, as tools to help you become a better driver overall. Even evaluate your lap times with the heat posts to see how consistent you where.

About The Author
Todd Levi of TeamDogFight.com has been racing RC cars for years. Visit our new RC site at http://www.teamdogfight.com.

MODIFIKASI EXTREEM NEKAT

By the modifications an extreme, the automotive willing to pay hundreds of millions of rupiah. For people like this, the car is not as a means of transportation, but has become a symbol of prestige and achievement.Every human being has the character and enjoyment different, so the car modification to the extreme. Budiman Parin, modifikator Auto Design explains, so that's going harmony between car

modifikasi mobil extreem

Standard Mazda 3 is already well regarded. The withdrawal peragawan that have athletic body, grooming enggak need only have a lot of cock. In addition, because a good body, wear any clothes model also looks cool. But of course the program should be adjusted to get reasonable. This theory is applied by Eddy Kurniawan H 3 on the 2007 Mazda own. "Because the more often used for daily, the body kit

Barrett-Jackson-the clasic car

In the January 16, 2009 edition of the Scottsdale Republic, Gary Bennett of Barrett-Jackson suggested that their auction "appears to be isolated with what else is going on in the world." Oh, really? Meanwhile, the rest of the country feels differently about the economy, and car nuts waited with baited breath to see how the auction - somewhat of a barometer of the hobby - would fare. The amount of

Porsche 911 GT3 RSR

911 GT3 RSR, originally uploaded by jarapet.

Choosing the Right Glow Plug for Your Nitro Rc Car

The glow plug is one amazing piece of engineering, the closest anyone has ever got to a true perpetual motion machine, you radio controlled cars engine will run without anything apart from fuel, no spark plugs or electrical ignition, these babies run on the glow.

Selecting the correct glow plug is not that difficult you just have to understand how they work. Truth be told they are not exactly perpetual motion machine, they still require a little kick with a 1.5V battery to start the glow, after that they will keep glowing as long as the engine is running.

Turbo or Standard

A turbo plug will only work in a turbo engine, these do not have tiny 1:10 Scale fans blowing air into the engine like there full sized counter parts, the turbo plug is tapered at the end to create a tighter fit to the engine head, this in turn increases power slightly, you can't use a turbo plug in a standard engine, these require standard plugs.

The Glow Plug Temperature Rating

You need to find the right temperature glow plug for your engine, a hotter plug will work better when the engine is a little short of heat, while you should use a cooler glow plug if you have a large engine that produces a lot of heat.Hotter glow plugs also make it easier to start your engine, while the colder glow plugs will give you slightly better performance during you run.

There is no right or wrong setup, everything needs to be taken into account, from the temperature of the air to the hight above sea level these all affect they way the glow plug will perform.

Quality over quantity.

When buying a radio controlled glow plug it's always, as so many things in file, worth your while to get the slightly more expensive glow plug, these generally have a more consistent tune and heat and will often outlast the cheaper plugs by several runs, which makes up for the extra cost.

Reading your glow plug

Using a few simple methods it's easy to find out how close you are to a perfect tune by inspecting the glow plug, if there is a surplus of oil on the head then they are running to rich and need to lean up your mixture, if your glow plug is a grey color with a small amount of oil then your spot on with your tune, likewise if there is little to no oil and your glow plug filament is bent or thinning where it connects to the base of the glow plug then you are too lean and need to richen your mixture.

Some general points about glow plugs

Never touch the filament, this is very fragile and doing so can break the filament and ruin a plug.

Protect your engine by only buying good glow plugs from decent hobby shops

Keep your glow plugs in a cool dry place, they don't like moisture

Always select the right glow plug

Follow the recommended break in procedures for your engine.

When Breaking in an engine chances are that the plug you use will be ruined.

Keep your engine in tune

Never tighten a glow plug too much, it doesn't need to be as tight as you think

Watch out for nitro detonation, this means your using the wrong plug or your tune is way off.

Use the right glow starter

Ask other racers for help, the RC community is an awesome one and someone will always be willing to help you

About the Author :

Gregory Alexander is a lead member of Karnage RC Drift and Race Team, and competes at racing and drifting radio controlled cars every chance he gets. Once a beginner he now shares his experiences with who-ever will listen. To find more tips and tricks like the one in this article please visit my site : The Ultimate RC Resource Site

Allmendinger Gets Eight Chances

A.J. Allmendinger will be driving the No. 44 car for Richard Petty Motorsports for the first 8 races of the 2009 season.

He'll also be competing in the July Cup race at Daytona.

Sounds like good news for the 'Dinger fans out there!!!

MODIFIKASI TRUCK JEPANG KEREN

the leading destination for online car shoppers, calculates which vehicles are “most American” based on production location, percentage of domestic parts content, and American sales volume for each vehicle. Cars.com creates a list of the “Ten Most American Cars” twice a year. Evidently, Chevrolet had to increase truck production in Mexico due to a strike at one of their U.S. axle plants. Because

MODIFIKASI TOYOTA YARIS

Toyota Yaris S Sedan is designed to appeal to buyers looking for sporty styling. Side rocker panels, front and rear under bumper spoilers, 15-inch steel wheels and available aluminum alloy wheels give the Yaris S a more aggressive appearance. Spacious and Practical Interior The Yaris Liftback interior provides unexpected roominess and a comfortable cabin. The upscale interior provides

Did You Know: Some Competition Numbers

• That 29 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers had at least one top-five finish in 2008.

• That 37 NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers had at least one top-10 finish in 2008.

• That NASCAR Sprint Cup races averaged 11 leaders and 21 lead changes in 2008.

• That a series-record 89.6% of the cars were running at the finish in 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.

• That 43 NASCAR Nationwide Series drivers had at least one top five in 2008.

• That 49 NASCAR Nationwide Series drivers had at least one top 10 in 2008.

• That 60 NASCAR Nationwide drivers led at least one lap in 2008.

• That 28 NASCAR Camping World Series drivers had at least one top five in 2008.

• That 43 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series drivers had at least one top 10 in 2008.

• That 20 of the 25 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races had a margin of victory under one second in 2008.

• That more than 2,000 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series chassis have been inspected at the R&D Center since Nov., 2006

• That the No. 22 Toyota team raced the same car at 11 different NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events in 2008 – or nearly one third of the schedule

• That the No. 1 Chevrolet team raced the same car at 10 different NSCS events in 2008, as did the No. 29 Chevrolet and No. 21 Ford teams.

source: NASCAR media

The Great Esssssssscape: Snake eats snake - but then victim slithers back out again

A snake that was swallowed alive by another snake has pulled off what must be one of the greatest escapes in the animal kingdom.

Determined to survive, the would-be snack managed to turn itself around inside the other snake's belly - and slither its way back out to freedom.

At least, that's what Australian Tony Barton claims he witnessed in his garden.

And he snapped these images as proof.




'When you tell these stories, no-one believes you,' said Mr Barton, who lives in the small rural town of Gundagai, south west of Sydney.

'But I have the pictures to prove it.'

The images, he says, show how the toxic red-belly black snake got its fangs around the far more poisonous eastern brown snake and began to swallow it.

It took almost 15 minutes for the 5ft.6in brown snake to disappear down the black snake's throat. The shape of the victim could be seen in the bulge in the body of the attacker.

The black snake, its lunch totally consumed, then slid away, very sluggishly, to a spot of shade 'for a snooze,' said Mr Barton.

A little later Mr Barton decided to have another careful look at the black snake.



What he saw next left him stunned.

'The black snake opened its mouth a little bit and I spotted this beady eye and the head of the brown snake peering out at me from the mouth,' he said.

'So I got my camera ready again and took a picture as the brown snake came out a few inches. Then it fastened itself onto the black snake's lower jaw and pulled itself completely out.

'It was covered in mucus, as you might expect, but seemed to be completely undamaged. Then the two of them parted ways, slithering off into the bush in different directions.

'I must admit that at first I thought someone was playing a practical joke on me because what I'd first noticed was what I thought was a very long snake with two tails - before I realised that one snake was swallowing another.

'There's only one explanation for what happened - having been swallowed head first, the brown snake must have been able to turn itself around inside the other snake's body for it to be able to emerge head first.'

As he admits, his story is going to take some believing.

But he has the photographs - and he hopes they will silence all the critics.

Why you should race RC cars, and not just bash

For those of you who have been racing your RC cars for years, and have a friend or two who you have been trying to get out to the RC tracks, this article is for you. Feel free to forward it to them.
For those of you who are fanatical bashers, and have avoided racing your rc cars at the local track, hear me out, because I have 5 great reasons you should take a run at it.
1) Hanging out with other RC car enthusiasts- You will absorb new ideas on how to keep your RC cars running at peak performance, just by hangin' out in the pits. Not all of them will be good, some could even do more harm than good. but if you are careful who you listen to, you can learn some terrific stuff that will make your ride handle better, run faster, and be more durable.
2)The game within the game- Its not just about racing, and being first in the heats (altho, that is a huge thrill) but its also about pushing the limits of your RC cars, and fighting agianst the track itself in a measureable way. When your bashing, you don't really get a precise way of knowing how fast your vehicle is. When you race, you will actually know to the millisecond what your vehicle, limited by your driving skills, can do.
3)By being at the tracks, you get to see the latest RC technology in action- You can go to the hobby stores and look at boxes of RC cars and buggies all you want. But if you really want to see what a Hot Bodies Lightning Pro or an XRAY T1'FK05 can do, there is no better, and cheaper, way to do it than hang out at the tracks. You get an even better idea when you race against them.
4)Making new friends- Not that you need new friends, but it's great to have a friend who knows RC cars tips and tricks. Someone you can ask questions, or bounce ideas off of. Or catch rides to the track when your full scale car is in the shop.
5) Just like when your bashing and you finally nail that jump you set up in your backyard, mastering a track is a total rush- Everyone will tell you when you first start racing rc cars, just try to do crash free laps. Isn't that essentially what you are doing in your backyard?
Why not take your Monster truck to the track, and do some racing, and see if you can handle the track's jumps and rhythm sections? I bet it will be months before you have a crash free lap. Howse that for a challenge?
If you have put off racing rc cars because it looks intimidating, your worried you will make a fool of yourself, or smash up your car or buggy, or piss off someone by smashing THIER car up... well, your right!! All of that can happen!
In fact, when I first started racing my RC cars, I made every racing mistake there is. I embarassed myself, I smashed my poor little car up, I was totally confused. Frankly, I didn't have much fun.
But, I fought through it, learned from my mistakes, got some great advice, and now I enjoy every weekend at the track. I strongly suggest you give racing a chance. I think it's the best way to enjoy your RC cars hobby.

About The Author
J.P. Turner, is the author of "The RC Insider's Unfair Advantage Radio Controlled Car Secrets Guide", at http://www.rccarsecretsguide.com and also runs an RC blog, RC Smackdown, at http://www.rcsmackdown.com.

Bentley will take a large share of the spotlight with the vehicle you see above. It has no name yet, and no technical specifics have been released, but what Bentley has revealed is that this will be the marque's fastest, most powerful production car yet.And while the fuel price is increasing from one day to another day,this Bentley Supercar will runs on biofuel. Visually, the grilles all have a blackout treatment, and sizable vertical intakes occupy the front bumper's outer edges. The hood also sports a pair of vents, presumably to help extract engine heat.

Given that the 600-horsepower/553-lb-ft Continental GT Speed currently owns the "most powerful production Bentley" title, look for more extreme ratings on this new, obviously Continental-based monster. As for the biofuel half of the equation, we expect to see an ethanol-drinking version of the twin-turbocharged W12 that propels the rest of the Continental range.

Source: Bentley

Enhanced Lamborghini

Enhanced Lamborghini, originally uploaded by Digital Canvas λ.

Changes Are Comin', More That Is

OK, change is inevitable.  Take how the Nationwide and Truck series got their own versions of restrictor plates.  When the COT came on board, suddenly, when all three series were at the same track, the Cup Series was the slowest of the bunch due to the modifications to the car.  Can't have the premiere series being the slower of the three, now can we?  Nope.  So in with the restrictor plates on everyone else.

I don't care what they really call them, they are what they are.

With the idea of change in the air, get ready for this one:  NASCAR is looking at other ways to save cost and one of them is some form of elimination of pit stops in the Truck Series.

Right now they only have 15 full time commitments and they're trying to get more teams to jump on board.  One way is to somehow eliminate costs would be to have competition pit stops.  You would not longer have to pay so many guys to pit a truck, and then, the truly best TRUCK would be the contender.

As it is, a driver could have the best equipment, but if Mickey Mouse is your pit crew member, you're coming out close to last!

I've always pondered the idea.  It would make pit road safer, but this won't eliminate the issue during green flag pit stops unless they truly are looking at making this series a bunch of trophy dashes.  Kind of like Indianapolis was last year in the Cup Series.  (Oh that was painful.)

Ron Hornaday like the idea, but then eliminating the harried, team coordinated pit stop might eliminate the entertainment value.  I can see that, indeed.  Then again, without pit stops, would Homestead have had the tension and excitement it could have had last year?

Food for thought, but one this is for sure - There probably will be changes coming down the pipe to help save costs.  What?  We'll just have to wait and see.

source:  scene daily

JEFF BURTON Preseason Thunder Interview

Here's some insider news from one of the many press interviews held at Preseason Thunder at Daytona last week:

Jeff Burton will be driving the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing racing this year.

They're pretty excited about the upcoming year though like everyone else, still holds a bit of reservation with the no testing rule. Despite that, they feel their engine program has improved and they feel good about coming to Daytona, despite the unknowns.

He touched on how though we've been hearing about the proving grounds in relation to questions about the testing ban, it's was interesting to hear that the proving grounds are nothing new to the major players (teams) and that teams are headed to Rockingham and anything else they can do to get some testing under their belts.

And as I've observed and about to mention, he put out there that this is not a literal testing ban, but it's more a testing restriction. So teams will still be testing, but it's just seems so much more apparent due to the lack of track time the fans are used to seeing at Daytona.

Burton also noted how other facilities are looking to update their tracks with the intent of now being usable as a testing area.

The one thing Jeff sees as to what the team needs to improve on is speed. They need to lead more laps and be in the position to win more races.

He added it's not just about throwing money at the car, but it's also in the hands of the driver as "The drivers have a huge play in how fast our cars go, so we have to be willing to look at ourselves and try to find a way to be better, as well."

This in my mind would equate to how aggressive or not one would be hitting the corners, coming out of the corners, the meticulous approach to ones line. They all play a factor. It's been my experience that the less aggressive one is at the front of a fuel run, and you get to run without a yellow interrupting your fuel run, then there is a slight reward at the end of the fuel run as far as how much your tires have fallen off. It's not the most aggressive approach, but it has it's merit. This is just one example I can think of off the top of my head.

On Carl Edwads winning the championship this year: "The question is from a competition standpoint, have other people narrowed the gap, have they become complacent? Carl is going to drive hard and drive very effectively, but this sport is a moving target. You know, it's hard to go into a year and pick a team, but if you had to pick a team, the 99 team would certainly be one of those that you would pick."

Another insightful conversation with Jeff Burton folks.

source: nascar media; photo: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images

Did You Know?: NASCAR Milestones

• That Jimmie Johnson will attempt to become the first driver in NASCAR history to win four consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships (Well, OK, maybe you put that one together already.)

• That for the first time in his 11-year NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career, Tony Stewart will be driving for a different team other than Joe Gibbs Racing. Stewart is the new driver/owner of Stewart-Haas Racing and will drive the No.14 Chevrolet in 2009. (Gotta wonder how the temper will fare? Probably OK.)

• That Joey Logano will be the youngest driver ever to run the Daytona 500. He’ll be 18 years, 8 months and 22 days on February 15. The previous youngest was Clark Dwyer in 1983. He was 19 years, 1 month and 8 days old.

• That Jeff Gordon needs to lead 89 laps to reach 20,000 career laps led. (That's a lot of clean air!)

• That Richard Childress Racing teammates Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer look to extend an all-time record this season. Harvick has run 80 consecutive races without a DNF. Clint Bowyer is second with 73. (Ohhh, media curse!)

• That as long as Jeff Gordon makes each of his starts this year, he’ll move into the sixth spot for most consecutive starts. He now has 545. By season’s end, he’ll have 581.

• That with two poles, Ryan Newman will move into the top 10 on the all-time poles list. Newman enters this season with 43 career poles. (I hope he and his new team can do it!)

• That Bill Elliott will make his 800th career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start with his fourth start of 2009.

• That Ron Hornaday Jr. needs one win to become the first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver with 40 career wins.

• That there have been back-to-back first-time race winners in each of the last four NASCAR Nationwide Series seasons. Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano did it last year, winning their first races at Nashville and Kentucky.

• That the Atlanta Motor Speedway event on March 8 will be the track’s 100th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.

• That three tracks will be celebrating their 80th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race this season:
Dover, Michigan and Talladega.

source: NASCAR media

Why you Should Drive Nikko Rc Cars

Believe it or not, Nikko is the manufacturer of the largest radio-controlled vehicles in the whole world.

What Nikko is

Nikko is the manufacturer of radio controlled toys and is a global producer of high quality RC products. Due to the fact that Nikko has its own factories, they effectively control, ensure and monitor quality in every product they produce.

Quality, quality, quality

Nikko is also one of the very few manufacturers of radio-controlled vehicles that provide customer service to its consumers. Every product that Nikko produces is tested individually for durability and quality in order to assure one hundred percent satisfaction to its customers. Also, Nikko RC products are covered with a warranty for sixty days.

Nikko product awareness

As much as possible, buyers should also be wary and aware of products that are mere imitations prior to purchasing. Believe it or not, Megatech spends sufficient time in ensuring that consumers receive the best and durable highly-performing products.Nikko products are generally tested carefully and the packages are specifically sealed with the Megatech quality seal.

Warranties etc.

There have been changes made lately; products by Megatech that are bought on the internet, (Yahoo or eBay etc.), are actually void of warranties. Also, any Megatech products that are purchased from hobbytron.com do not offer any repair warranty.

An example of a Nikko product

One product of Nikko is the RC Nissan 1/10th z turner with battery and charger. This particular product is able to steer exceptionally well and in a responsive manner; in the right or left direction, as well as back and forward easily. This Nissan as made by Nikko is orange in color and has windows that are tinted. A 9.6 volt battery pack is included as well as a nine-volt battery.

Nikko product features

Other features of this Nissan RC vehicle is its turbo extra boost that allows it to drive in a speed that is faster. It also has four drifting bonus tires included. It has working headlights, spinning wheels, front adjustable wheel alignments, suspension in the rear and front. Believe it or not, it also has a body that resists impact and a gear differential much better traction.All in all, Nikko remote-controlled cars and products are oriented towards quality and in efficient and consistent service to its various consumers.

About the Author :

The above article was written by Nicole Steffanson on behalf of Baby Gift Station, a Pet Gifts, Personalized Pet Gifts, Paw Prints Gifts for Pet Lovers and other pet gifts and baby gifts store.

Aston Martin to challenge for overall Le Mans win

In conjunction with the 50th anniversary of its only overall win in the Franco Enduro, Aston Martin is set to tackle the 2009 24-hours of Le Mans in this - a pair of Gulf liveried LMP1 race cars.
Racing the cars will be Jan Charouz, Tomas Enge and Stefan Mucke along with Darren Turner who was part of the team that raced the DBR9 GT1 crew in 2007 and 2008. Harold Primat is the newest addition to the team and one other driver will be announced shortly. Unfortunately, Aston won’t be campaigning in the GT1 class in bid to focus all its efforts on its LM

The new car which is based on the 2008 Charouz Racing System Lola will be powered by the same production-based Aston Martin V12 engine which, last year, helped Aston Martin secure its second successive Le Mans GT1 title with the DBR9. It also powered the Charouz car to a new La Sarthe lap record for a petrol car.

Aston Martin Racing is developing the car in conjunction with Lola, Michelin, Koni and BBS and continues its relationship with major partner Gulf Oil and official clothing partner Hackett.
In 2009, the ACO is introducing new regulations aimed at balancing the performance of petrol and diesel engined prototypes making the LMP1 category more appealing and relevant to Aston Martin.

To focus maximum energy on the LMP1 programme, the Works team will not defend its GT1 title at Le Mans. However, Aston Martin Racing will support any of its official partner teams and customers competing at the race.

The Le Mans 24 hour race will be held over the weekend of 13-14 June.

The land that health and safety forgot:workers ignoring the rules

Hot Rod

Hot Rod, originally uploaded by TOB Terror.

1934 Ford

Wiesmann Roadster

Wiesmann Roadster , originally uploaded by Stefanstolk.

CARL EDWARDS Preseason Thunder Interview

CARL EDWARDS
Photo Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images

He was last year's NASCAR Sprint Cup series runner up who will be driving the No. 99 Aflac Ford. He feels that coming into the Daytona 500, they'll pick up right where they left off. Realistically though, no one really knows where they stack up with out any in-depth testing.

LADIES, you may want to sit down for this, but Carl got married over the break. Sorry. On the bright side, he thinks that being married will help ground him and having Kate in his life with that grounding affect will make him a "better race car driver or able to do my job better, focus more."

He was asked to toss out some odds on how everyone stacks up, but like myself, he echoed that it takes up to ten races to see how everyone stacks up over the different tracks.

To be more competitive, some things have to improve, or get changed up. With that in mind, Carl says that one of the ingredients for getting a stronger teams was adding Pierre Kuettel as the car chief on the 99, replacing Jason Myers. Myers hasn't left the team and is applying his own skill sets elsewhere within the No 99 team. Carl thinks it's going to as head mechanic. (Don't quote him though) Carl feels that they are back in the same form the team was in during the 2005 season but with the added talent of Keuttel.

One person he seems worried about this year is Mark Martin. Carl feels that if Martin makes it to the chase, in the equipment he'll be in, "... it's going to be tough. You're going to have to beat Mark Martin to win the championship."

Having come so close to winning the Cup last year, his team is hungry for another shot at it. As he put it, "It's no fun to watch somebody celebrate the championship when you're second, but it was a little easier from victory lane."

Regardless of how well anyone can plan, unknowns still come at that team. As a driver, Carl can plan out how to approach the season, but team wide planning also has to be responsive to so many things throughout the year. It's great to have a plan, but from what he said, it comes down to having a great "plan B", as I put it.

When asked about contending for another Nationwide Series championship and if his rivalry with Kyle Busch will spill over into the Cup side, Carl said, "Yeah, I think it's going to be fun."

He clarified it by defining rivalry as akin to the points battle like Clint and he did at the end of the year. Me, I was thinking more of a fender, paint exchange kind of rivalry!

~

For me, I think one of the biggest things Carl has to work on is his patience in restrictor plate racing. It was his level of patience that took him out of the contention for the Cup at Talladega. If he truly is more grounded, it might just add one more complex layer of patience to his entire set of driving tactics. If that's true, then Johnson will definitely have his hands full this year trying to take back the Cup.

source: nascar media

ARIC AMIROLA Preseason Thunder Interview

ARIC ALMIROLA enjoys coming to Daytona since he grew up Tampa. Like everyone else, Aric says Daytona holds a special place in his heart and many a Daytona 500s and Firecracker 400.

He's excited about coming back and running the 8 car and he has hopes to "run full time in the 8 car and stuff like that. We're working through all that stuff. It's definitely interesting to say the least." Basically, he's a bit confused on the 8 car and his status for the year, as it's made him a "basket case of emotions" as things are sorted out.

As far as he knows, EGR is looking to run 4 cars in '09, but the finances will be the final determination on that issue.

Aric works out throughout the year, so getting back into driving form isn't a big change of conditioning for him. (Yes, it takes some serious muscle to turn left all day folks. I can personally attest to that!!!!)

Now that the test ban is in place, he is looking at chatting up some buddies and possibly looking at a few nights maybe at New Smyrna during Speedweeks. He says he's always up for getting in a late model, modified, sprint car, whatever it is. If it's got four wheels and engine, count me in.

When Aric was asked if EGR promised him the ride for Daytona, you can tell that he's not totally in the loop in the issue of the car that was to be his ride... His reply was "Yeah. I mean gosh, I don't know. I mean, I think so, yes." and further added to his response that "But as far as I know, yes, I'm going to race in the Daytona 500 in the No. 8 car. Now, whether that changes or not, that's beyond my control."

On an enlightening side, when someone asked him about his status, for the umpteenth time, Aric's response was rather to the point with "You are beating a dead horse."

From his side of things, he says it's been brutal trying to find a sponsor and said that in regards to cost effectiveness and a sponsor putting their logos on cars, that "... sponsors are not , stupid; they know how bad the economic times are, and they know that they're going to be able to buy more for their dollar right now. So they're shopping around."

As it stands, in regards to drivers' salaries, and specifically his in particular Aric said that right now "It's not a time anymore to where you can just say, oh, the hell with it and I'm going to go get a job somewhere else." and quoted that he knows of at least a thousand people in the North Carolina that don't have the NASCAR jobs they are qualified for.

This, to me said a lot. If that's on his mind, my take is maybe he's thought about the short straw he's gotten and pondered the idea of moving teams... it seems he's the king of short straws these last few years, but the economy has pretty much tied him to EGR. At least he has a job for the moment and can probably count on a few rides this year!

source: nascar media,
image: Sam Greenwood/Getty Images.

Sprint / NEXTEL News

It's just been reported on my TV that Sprint / NEXTEL is cutting 8,000 jobs.  They noted that they've been struggling ever since they've absorbed NEXTEL.  Subscribers have been bailing for AT&T (Hello Jeff Burton of old!) and falling for the gadget cool iPhone.

At first this makes me nervous for the state of the sport, but if they've laid most of their money upfront, then they're really just along for the ride and their rights monies will keep them in the advertising loop and in our faces during the tenure of their contract.

But if they put up a down payment and then promised to make payments over the x number of years they've got the contract for, then this might be a different story, even if they're legally obligated to maintain their contract.  Did 8,000 people get let go to maintain a NASCAR title sponsorship?  Gads, I hope not.  (Probably not just for NASCAR) but this present market is definitely threatening everyone.

We'll just have to wait and see if they try to modify their contract on our side of the game at this point.

Polar bears floating past the Houses of Parliament

It looks like a scene from a surreal post-apocalyptic film - a polar bear and her cub stranded on an iceberg float past the Houses of Parliament.

But the creatures floating down the Thames today were sculptures launched in the river to raise awareness of climate change.

The polar bear stranded on the ever-receding icecaps has become the iconic image of the effects of global warming.



The 16ft-high structure was launched in Greenwich, south east London and travelled upstream to Tower Bridge and the Houses of Parliament.

A team of 15 artists spent two months working on the piece which aims to draw attention to climate change and its effect on the Arctic mammal.



The work was commissioned by Eden, a new digital television channel devoted to natural history programming.

Wildlife broadcaster Sir David Attenborough said: 'The melting of the polar bears' sea ice habitat is one of the most pressing environmental concerns of our time.'



'We need to do what we can to protect the world's largest land carnivores from extinction.'

The sculpture will travel to other UK cities including Birmingham and Glasgow.

NASCAR The Sport: Did you Know

• That NASCAR is the #1 spectator sport as 17 of 20 highest attended U.S. sporting events in 2008 were NASCAR races.

• That NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events averaged nearly 120,000 fans in 2008.

• That NASCAR remains strong as the #2-rated regular season sport on television.

• That NASCAR is televised weekly in more than 100 countries and in more than 30 languages.

• That more than 400 unique corporate sponsors are involved in NASCAR.

• That NASCAR has the most Fortune 500 involvement in all of professional sports.

• That NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races at 100 tracks across more than 30 U.S. states, Canada and Mexico.


source: NASCAR media

Rc Car Hobby

The world of the RC car, can be an exciting one indeed, and it seems more people than ever are enjoying the power, speed and excitement that only radio controlled cars and trucks can provide. Many of us of course may remember those radio controlled cars and trucks we played with as children, and we may have fond memories of running those vehicles through the house, perhaps chasing the family dog, or the kid sister. For one thing, hobby quality radio controlled cars and trucks are quite a bit faster than those toys you may remember from childhood. Many electric powered radio controlled cars can reach speeds of 40 mph or more, while some of the best nitro powered RC cars boast top speeds of 70 mph or more right out of the box. With speeds like this it is easy to understand why RC car and truck racing has become such a wildly popular sport. For many enthusiasts, racing RC cars provides all the fun and excitement of racing full size cars, without the significant risk and expense of the more dangerous sport.Many RC car enthusiasts also love the fact that radio control cars and trucks are nearly infinitely customizable and upgradeable. Many manufacturers feature parts which are easily swapped out between models, making it easy to upgrade the engine, the transmission, the suspension and other important parts very quickly. Radio controlled cars and trucks come in two basic varieties – electric powered and nitro powered. The electric models are powered by an electric motor, while the faster and more powerful nitro powered models feature internal combustion engines which are designed to run on specially formulated fuel. It is these nitro powered monsters that are able to achieve those blazing fast speeds.

About the Author:

Big surprise.www.flashlightcool.comFind 100's of different flashlights at flashlightcool,cheap rc helicopterRcroll has all kinds of rc helicopter, rc airplane in stock to meet various needs of RC hobby fans. cheap video gamesgame4box.com has all kinds of Video Games and Accessories to meet various needs of Video Game fans

A Ferrari SUV might take some getting used to. The idea to produce SUV actually has been around for some years and this is the freshest artist rendition. It’s an SUV by the definition of a vehicle with four doors, raised ride height, mostly fitted with a 4WD system and takes the shape of a station wagon/ tourer.

Ferrari give codename “Ferrari FS 599 Fuoristrada” .The SUV will be constructed out of aluminium and carbon fiber composites for weight-efficiency. Engines come from the naturally aspirated V8 found in the California and the 599 GTB’s V12 powerplant. They produce in excess of 400hp and 600hp each respectively.

Renderings of a Ferrari SUV have appeared before based on speculation that the Italian company was working on its first ever SUV. At the time Porsche was riding high with the great success of its Cayenne and premium brands like Mercedes-Benz and BMW had been building MLs and X5s for years before.

As the world's economy is still under recession, there’s no clear direction as to whether the project is still going ahead or not. However,with the recent announcement of an alliance with Ferrari parent Fiat and Chrysler LLC of America new possibilities have arisen. Such possibilities include a common SUV platform that can be shared with Jeep, Alfa Romeo and Ferrari itself. Product assembly could even be in the US just like Mercedes with the old ML and BMW with the X5 and X6.

Source:zerotohundred

Working on the Lodge

We drove up to the Bradley Lodge to install some new lighting and a new garage door opener this weekend. In addition to those fun projects, we got a few inches of snow on the deck! I'm looking forward to going back in two weeks for skiing (Bear Valley got 26 inches of new snow) and hanging out with friends and family.

Ford GT700

Ford GT700, originally uploaded by Mr.Awenec.

Camping World Truck Series Bits and Pieces

NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES

The Truck Series: New Look, Same Tough Trucks

After 14 years with Craftsman, 2009 has the new title sponsor in Camping World. It's a shame. We've gotten used to the Sears brand leading the way for the trucks, but now we have RV's holding down the fort!

New Team for Defending Champ

Johnny Benson managed to edge Ron Hornaday Jr. by a mere seven points for the 2008 Truck Series title in the second closest championship battle in series history.

Benson will be defending his title with a new team, as he and crew chief Trip Bruce made an off-season move to Red Horse Racing.

He will also compete to become the series first back-to-back champion in series history but can he do it in a new team? Why the heck did he jump ship in a team that got him to the championship? I firt thought he had it with racing and was looking for something else to do, or was that just noise to help his transition. These team moves just don't happen. They develop over a long period of time. You and I go for a job interview and that's that. Drivers have an intricate series of issues to negotiate. Product, sponsor, image, purse share, salary, diecast etc., etc.. What I'm saying is that I suspect he was working on this move all last or most of last year.

Count On Ron Hornaday For 2009

Three-time series champ Ron Hornaday Jr. will probably be a threat for 2009. I'm sure Hornaday would like to add a fourth title to his resume as he drives the No. 33 Camping World/Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Chevrolet team with crew chief Rick Ren.

I think he'll have a chance, but the on thing I've noticed in him is that he tends to overdrive his equipment. It showed most prominently in the "Nationwide" series when he ran there. Whether he just gets too excited or it's just his go-get-'em nature, it does gel well in the trucks. Yet patience is still key. I think he's got that chance, regardless. The Truck Series suits his style of driving. I used to watch him when he ran at Saugus Speedway. Wha? Where? Small track in So. Cal when he ran that big yellow modified many, many moons ago.

Bodine Looks to Become First Daytona Repeat Winner

Todd Bodine, the 2006 Truck Series champ is hoping to be a repeat winner in Daytona with his No. 30 Germain Racing team at Daytona International Speedway. If he does repeat the win on February 13, he would become the first repeat winner in the series at Daytona.

Do you think he can pull it off? If the last few years are any clue, I think he has a pretty good chance of making this milestone, barring the usual noise that happens with tires or other wayward facing (wrecking) trucks.

Braun Racing For A Golden First

Colin Braun, the 2008 Raybestos Rookie of the Year, faces a bit of pressure in 2009. The 20-year-old Roush Fenway Racing sophomore has two goals in his sights -- his first career win and Roush's 50th victory in the series.

No pressure there!

source: NASCAR media

Off-road Rc Cars

by : Shareen Aguilar

There are already two choices available for your RC car. You can either run it on or off road but if you want to go the extra mile and add a few rush of adrenaline to your racing experience, you can opt for the off road car, truck or buggy. We all know that RC cars are the most common type among all other RC toys. RC cars are ideal for a typical racer or those who love speed even from just little cars.But then again, there are still the off-road type of RC vehicles you can try just in case off-roading became a sudden curiosity and interest to you; there are off-road trucks and buggies available. Don’t worry, if you think that off-road RC trucks are limited to electric engines, better think again because these babies are also available in nitro fueled engines. It doesn’t stop there, if you’re a first timer in handling off-road RC trucks, don’t worry, there are ready-made merchandise available in the market as well.Next are the buggies. What are these things anyway? These are little RC vehicles that can run up to 60mph. Compared to off-road trucks; they are much reliable to be handled by beginners. But that doesn’t make trucks less than any better. The only difference with this type of RC vehicle is that they are only available in nitro kits.With an off-road RC, you’ll be able to race your car/truck/buggy just about anywhere. These vehicles can still run fast on sand, hills or uneven terrain and will also be able to jump on anything without fuss. Also, if you feel like running a two-wheel RC car, you can easily find off-road RC toys in this version.

For More Article Visit :: http://www.thearticleinsiders.com/

Ford Motor Company announced today it will introduce an advanced dual-clutch PowerShift six-speed transmission in North America in 2010 for the small-car segment.

The new gearbox will deliver the fuel efficiency of a manual gearbox with the convenience and ease of a premium automatic transmission,making it a key enabling technology as Ford targets best-in-class or among-the-best fuel economy with every new vehicle it introduces in North America.

Overall, Six-speed transmissions already have helped vehicles such as the 2010 Ford Fusion achieve best-in-class fuel economy, while at the same time allowing the Ford Flex and Ford Escape to achieve unsurpassed fuel economy in their respective segments.
Ford is leveraging six-speed transmissions, advanced internal combustion engines such as EcoBoost, hybrids, full electric vehicles, vehicle weight reduction and electric power-assisted steering to improve fuel economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions fleet-wide by 30 percent by the year 2020.

Compared to traditional automatic four-speed transmissions, PowerShift can help reduce fuel consumption by up to 9 percent depending on the application.

PowerShift provides the full comfort of an automatic with a more sophisticated driving dynamic, thanks to uninterrupted torque from the dual-clutch technology, which consists essentially of two manual transmissions working in parallel, each with its own independent clutch unit. One clutch carries the uneven gears – 1, 3 and 5 – while the other the even gears – 2, 4 and 6. Subsequent gear changes are coordinated between both clutches as they engage and disengage for a seamless delivery of torque to the wheels.PowerShift, unlike conventional automatic transmissions, does not need the heavier torque converter or planetary gears. In addition, the dry-clutch derivative eliminates the need for the weighty pumps, hydraulic fluids, cooling lines and external coolers that wet clutch transmissions require. As a result, the dry-clutch PowerShift transmission can weigh nearly 30 pounds less than, for example, the four-speed automatic transmission featured on today's Ford Focus.

Differentiating PowerShift even further in terms of its customer appeal is its shift quality, launch feel and overall drive dynamic, which are all facilitated by an expert blend of Ford-exclusive electro-mechanical systems, software features, calibrations and controls. These unique driving features include:

• Neutral coast down – The clutches will disengage when the brakes are applied, improving coasting downshifts and clutch robustness as well as reducing parasitic losses for increased fuel economy.

• Precise clutch control in the form of a clutch slip to provide torsional damping of the engine vibration – This function improves noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) at low engine speeds and enables lower lugging limits for improved fuel economy.

• Low-speed driving or creep mode with integrated brake pressure – This function simulates the low-speed control drivers are accustomed to from an automatic transmission. The amount of rolling torque in Drive and Reverse is precisely controlled, gradually building as brake pressure is released.

• Hill mode or launch assist – Prevents a vehicle from rolling back on a grade by maintaining brake pressure until the engine delivers enough torque to move the vehicle up the hill, providing improved driver confidence, comfort, safety and clutch robustness.

source:ford

MODIFICATION Honda Prelud 'Seharga' Rp 200 Juta

Jakarta - Modifications have been like for a middle name Willy Cahyadi. This man is very especial hobby work the car to switch the display. Not infrequently, the modification of old dirombak so it appears that a new idea. "Emotions to modify the cars that have continued, as if not more restrained," said Willy detikoto greet the first in the email.The latest is a collection dikerjakannya on the

Tren Modifikasi Mobil 2009

Jakarta - Dunia modifikasi roda empat di tahun 2009 nampaknya akan melakukan perubahan ke arah yang lebih ekonomis tapi tidak melupakan sisi dinamis.Yang sebelumnya para pengguna roda empat memodifikasi kendaraannya dengan tampilan ekstrim, namun di tahun 2009 ini kemungkinan gaya modifikasi seperti itu akan ditinggalkan oleh para pecinta modifikasi roda empat karena alasan esensial dari

Nitro Radio Cars Today

by Johnathon Frye

Another type of RC car is the nitro powered model cars. We all know thatnitro radio cars are fast and it's what most hobbyists' reason why nitro cars are often chosen over electric RC cars. But of course, this isn't an ideal car model for beginners. Compared to electric powered models too, nitro cars give the real feeling of how racing should be. Over the years, development has been improved for better and efficient running.
There are numerous disadvantages in using nitro cars and maintenance among them. Dirt is easily accumulated after a short run and the chassis of the car requires cleaning in a regular basis. Also, another requirement for maintaining nitro powered cars is how it should be properly tuned. Nitro cars need to perform in top condition and maximum speed without consuming much of the fuel. Through proper tuning, overheating of these types of cars is prevented.
Compared to electric powered cars, a battery-powered car can achieve a run of about 10 minutes tops and then the batteries need to be recharged again; whereas nitro cars can be driven for longer duration.
A nitro powered car has four distinct parts and it includes special nitro fuel, the high horsepower engine, the pipe for tune exhaust and the air filter can be replaced. These parts are important for cleaning and regular check up because if these materials are neglected; a possible mechanical wear could happen.
One safety precaution falls under collision. Nitro cars are more prone to collision with other nitro cars due to the speed and power during acceleration. It's important to be aware first of safety measures regarding nitro cars before putting them to the real test. Generally, nitro cars require more attention since it asks for a lot of maintenance; but you can guarantee its performance as well if handled with great care. Go ahead and try outnitro radio cars.

About the Author
Johnathon Frye writes regularly about sports related topics. I hope you enjoy this article.

Nationwide Bits And Pieces

NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES

Brad Keselowski Primed To Snag A Championship Of His Own

Last year in his first full-time season in the Nationwide series, Brad Keselowski posted his first two wins, first pole, 11 top fives and 20 top-10 finishes and was voted by the fans as the series' Most Popular Driver.

Keselowski ended the season third in the final standings.

Now with Brad in the mix, there will almost certainly be a repeat of the great late-season battle – with a seasoned Keselowski in that mix.

Do you think he can do it?


Do You Think 2009 Will Be The Best Owner Championship Battle Ever?

The series recently has become known for its split championships among drivers and owners and that streak could very well run to three consecutive shared championships in 2009. Over the last two seasons – and three times overall – there have been split titles.

The No. 20 GameStop Toyota of Joe Gibbs Racing, the present reigning owner champion, will have drivers Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin and Brad Coleman representing! Gibbs racing will also have Kyle Busch's No. 18 Z-Line Designs Toyota in the fray.

While Carl Edwards is determined to "unify" the title for the first time in three years, the No. 29 Holiday Inn Chevrolet, (2007 owner champion), is a big favorite. Jeff Burton will join forces with Bowyer and Stephen Leicht to try and bring Richard Childress his second series owner championship.


Now Introducing …

Full-time newcomers in 2009 include a pair of 22-year-olds.

Justin Allgaier moves from ARCA to Penske Racing.

Michael Annett is helming his first full-time opportunity with Germain Racing.

John Wes Townley, another ARCA alum who turned 19 on New Year's Eve, announced a full-time schedule with RAB Racing.

Erik Darnell and Brendan Gaughan, move to the NASCAR Nationwide Series from the Camping World Truck Series. Darnell will share the No. 6 Ford with David Ragan while Gaughan will join young veteran Steve Wallace as a teammate with Rusty Wallace Racing.

The series will have a new venue this season when it hits up Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa for the inaugural series event Aug. 1.

source: NASCAR Media