Tradition looms large at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home to the race as big as any in the sport and marking a key milestone.
Reporting from Indianapolis — In 1958, a budding race-car driver named Mario Andretti first laid eyes on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
His family, which had arrived from Italy three years earlier, had driven from its Pennsylvania home so that Andretti could watch the Indianapolis 500.
After the race, the 18-year-old made it to the infield to walk on the famed 2.5-mile track, which includes a narrow front straightaway lined with grandstands on both sides.
“It was …Â Details
Are you like me? Did you grow up dreaming of power, the open road and individual automotive freedom? Of course you did. But the dream is over. President Obama has smashed it into a million little Tata Nano-shaped pieces.
The new fuel economy and emissions regulations proposed by the Obamanation on Tuesday won’t save much fuel and won’t save the planet, but they will crush the life out of the car business. From here on out, cars are going to shrink in size, shrivel in power and grow more expensive.
With a goal of a corporate fleet average of 39 mpg for cars by 2016 model year it’s not just V8s that are dead, but V6s and decent-size fours. Of course all the SUVs and the Camaro, Mustang and Corvette as we know them are doomed, that’s obvious, but so are reasonably size minivans, midsize sedans like the Accord and Camry, and anything fun. Think …Â Details
Daimler AG has announced the acquisition of almost 10 percent of fledgling Californian EV producer Tesla. The deal, which should help Tesla meet its planned 2011 launch date for the Model S sedan, is the latest news in an ongoing relationship between Tesla and the German automotive giant which also includes a previously announced agreement to supply lithium-ion battery packs in the first 1,000 units of Daimler’s electric smart car.
Daimler’s acquisition will see further collaboration on battery systems, electric drive systems and in individual vehicle projects…Â Details
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In an unsurprising turn of events, Chrysler has pulled its sponsorship of Sam Hubinette’s drifting team as part of the company’s restructuring plan. The bankrupt automaker’s Formula Drift program was run by Shaun Carlson’s NuFormz Racing, which began with Mopar in 2002, competing in the NHRA Sport Compact division. The team eventually made their way into drifting in 2004, where Hubinette captured the championship behind the wheel of a Dodge Viper during Formula D’s inaugural season. Hubinette went onto several podium finishes, placing second overall in 2006 and claiming runner-up finishes in both 2005 and 2008.
Although the team’s last sideways outing will be at the New Jersey Speedway on June 5 and 6…Â Details
