At Richard Childress Racing, all the pieces seemed to be in place. After two years of qualifying three cars for NASCAR’s year-end playoff system — yet still left searching for that first championship since 1994 — there was hope in the preseason that they could finally close the deal. There was a strong, stable driver lineup. There was a solid business sense that left RCR as one of the few major Sprint Cup organizations that didn’t lay off anyone. And there was a fourth racing program, backed by another major sponsor, whose dollars just might put the team over the top.
That was the hope, at least. The reality is something quite different.
RCR, one of the steadier organizations on NASCAR’s premier level the past two seasons …Â Details
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Ferrari’s F430 is perhaps one of the most focused driving machines out there and bettering its capabilities will take some doing. But, with a wealth of F1-derived technology at its disposal, Ferrari looks set to do just that…Â
… The upcoming model has been tentatively dubbed “F450†due to strong indications that the new engine will be a V8 displacing 4,5-litres. Much of Ferrari’s F1 and GT racing know how will be ploughed into this model, including radiators ahead of the front wheels, an upgraded version of the F430 Scuderia’s traction control system, understeer-cancelling software, and a dual-clutch 7-speed transaxle transmission.
Although powerplant details are somewhat thin on the ground at present, it has been suggested that the new car’s engine will develop in the region of … Details
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Land speed record holder Dave McDonald of San Carlos can quickly provide a logical answer for almost any question about his hobby of choice — drag racing at Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats in his 1998 Pontiac Firebird.
He nonchalantly explained the parachutes on the back of the car with the fact that “brakes really don’t do you much good until you get down to about 100 (mph).” Nitrous oxide from the four 30-pound tanks in the car must be added to the fuel slowly in three stages to gain an extra 420 horsepower, he said, or the driver could “smoke the tires.”
“We’re shifting into fifth gear at about 280 (mph). You don’t want the car to get squirrelly at that speed,” he said.
The question, though…Â Details
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Welcome to one of the most popular trips on the circuit. Sonoma is unlike any other stop during the season. The culture and environment surrounding Wine Country drips in character—and scenery.Â
Acre after acre of vineyard sets the background. The road course in the Sonoma Valley is but one attraction of the must-visit stop on the schedule.Â
DID YOU KNOW? • Tribes first lived in the Sonoma Valley at least 12,000 years before Spanish, Mexican and Americans came to the region. According to the Sonoma Wine Country Web site, the term “Sonoma” stems from “noma,” meaning “town.” Â
• The California Republic was an independent government proclaimed on June 14, 1846, by settlers in the Sonoma region. The government formed when the settlers declared independence from Mexico. William B. Ide was named president. It lasted just 25 days—the United States took over the government on June 23 and … Details
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