“Veteran Bayliss to be four-wheel rookie - ninemsn” plus 4 more |
- Veteran Bayliss to be four-wheel rookie - ninemsn
- Beverly School for the Deaf gets boost from Motorcycle champ Ashley ... - Beverly Citizen
- CPSIA Hearing Scheduled for Tomorrow - Cycle News
- Honda Takes Half The Fun Out of Riding - Wired
- Auto Racing Capsules: Juan Pablo Montoya moving closer to first Chase - Brownsville Herald
| Veteran Bayliss to be four-wheel rookie - ninemsn Posted: 09 Sep 2009 10:31 PM PDT Former World Superbike champion Troy Bayliss will have to adjust to rookie status when he lines up in this weekend's V8 Supercar long-distance race at Phillip Island. Bayliss will follow in the footsteps of former bike star Wayne Gardner when he gets behind the wheel of a Paul Morris Motorsports-prepared Commodore with Dean Fiore at the 500km classic. Since claiming his third World Superbike title less than a year ago, Bayliss has made the successful transition from two to four wheels with test days completed with TeamVodafone, Jack Daniels Racing and Paul Morris Motorsports. He then accepted an invitation to join Fiore for the island enduro and the Bathurst 1000 at Mount Panorama. After spending time with the Triple F Racing team and working on his fitness for the event, Bayliss said he felt prepared for this weekend's gruelling race. "I've been training a lot to prepare my body for the race and overall I am feeling ready and really looking forward to the weekend," Bayliss said. "While we haven't had any testing since last month, I have been using other methods to prepare for the event. "The guys have sent me DVDs from last year's race and I've also spent some time with the team practising our driver changes so overall I am feeling ready." Bayliss said that while he might be a V8 Supercar rookie he has vast experience at the Phillip Island circuit, where he has been a multiple winner in motorcycle racing. "I've raced at Phillip Island a lot on a bike and overall I definitely think my knowledge of the track will come in handy this weekend as I have a lot to learn throughout the course of the event," Bayliss said. Fiore will also be making his endurance debut at Phillip Island and said he was keen to partner Bayliss to observe a seasoned professional racer. "Given that Troy is a three time World Superbike champion there is a lot I can learn from him," Fiore said. "I'm looking forward to working alongside him and seeing how he approaches each race."  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Beverly School for the Deaf gets boost from Motorcycle champ Ashley ... - Beverly Citizen Posted: 09 Sep 2009 05:24 PM PDT The Beverly School for the Deaf was all revved up to meet Ashley Fiolek. Fresh off another gold medal victory while visiting the Bay State, the No. 1 ranked United States Amateur Women's Motorcycle champion made special a pit stop at the Children's Center for Communication/Beverly School for the Deaf for a two-hour demonstration, Aug. 31. The campus, which has been educating deaf and communication-challenged children since 1876, was a fitting backdrop for Fiolek, who has been deaf since birth. "The director from the school found out about me and thought it would be inspiring to the students if I came to the school and showed them what I do," Fiolek said. Overcoming personal handicaps has been nothing new for the 18-year-old speed demon. But it's never stopped her from quickly making a name for herself in the fast and furious cycling circuit. Over the past decade, Fiolek has racked up an impressive array of victories, while continuing to be an inspiration to the students as well as other people with disabilities. "Ashley was in Massachusetts for a race and graciously agreed to meet our students," said Judy Gansberg, of The Children's Center for Communication/Beverly School for the Deaf. "It was wonderful. The kids were thrilled to have a deaf heroine visit." Fiolek introduced her self to the students, let them handle her latest gold medal, signed posters and also held a question and answer session. One of the boys even got to sit on her motorcycle, wearing Fiolek's gloves and goggles. But it was Fiolek's performance on her motorcycle that really got the crowd buzzing. Jumping on her Honda CRF250R, the 18-year old rumbled around the grassy hillside pulling several wheelies along the way, while garnering loud cheers from the crowd. It was clear that Fiolek made quite an impression with the students. According to Fiolek, her favorite part of these type of events is her interaction with the students. "I explained to the kids about my riding gear and my motorcycle," she said. "[I liked] answering all the kids questions and seeing that they were really interested in what I did. I think it was very positive and I had a great time." Born and raised in Dearborn, MI, Fiolek started racing motorbikes at the age of 7. She won the Loretta Lynn Air Nautique Nationals in 2004 at the tender age of 13. She went on to capture 13 national amateur championships between 2004-07 and was the No. 1 ranked Women/Girl Amateur Racer of the Year in 2005. Fiolek also won the AMA/WMA Women's Motocross Championship in 2008, at the age of 17. Currently residing in St. Augustine, FL, Fiolek continues to drive all over the country sponsored by Red Bull and Honda Motorcycles, spreading her positive message along the way. "I just started [visiting] deaf schools," she said. "I have only done two this year, but I am going to do a big one in California [during] Deaf Awareness month. The mayor invited me." The Children's Center for Communication/Beverly School for the Deaf currently serves approximately 100 students from Essex, Middlesex and Suffolk Counties. Approximately 80 percent have a hearing or communication challenges and 60 percent have additional developmental issues. The Echo Avenue school is currently in an expansion phase since more and more students regionally need their educational services. The Beverly Citizen recently caught up with Ashley Fiolek to get the lowdown on her motorcycle career.
Q. How long have you been riding? A. I have been racing for almost 12 years.
Q. What was it that drew you to the sport? A. My dad used to race so he kind of got me involved in it.
Q. How long have you been racing competitively? A. Since I was 7 I have been racing competitively so 11 years.
Q. What are some of the titles you have won recently? A. I won a gold medal at X Games and I won the Women's Motocross Association Series last year in my rookie year
Q. What's been your most memorable moment on the bike? A. Well, I think being invited to join the Honda Red Bull race team is one of my most memorable moments I am the first girl to do that.
Q. As a deaf cyclist, what are the challenges you face whenever you hit the road? A. Not really many challenges. I had to learn how to shift when I was younger by vibrations instead of sound and when I race I have to hold my lines because I don't hear the people behind me.
Q. What is next for you? A. Competitions. I have one more final race this weekend for this year in Delmont, PA. I'm excited about finishing up my series.
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| CPSIA Hearing Scheduled for Tomorrow - Cycle News Posted: 09 Sep 2009 03:50 PM PDT Federal lawmakers have scheduled a hearing for Thursday, Sept. 10, to receive an update on the status of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) that essentially banned the sale of kids' dirtbikes and ATVs, the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) reports. The AMA is urging all concerned motorcyclists and ATVers to contact their federal lawmakers to exempt motorcycles and ATVs from the law, which took effect in February. The law stopped the sale of dirt bikes and ATVs designed for children age 12 and under, although the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) subsequently issued a stay of enforcement of the measure until May 2011. Under the law, all youth products containing lead must now have less than 300 parts per million by weight. The CPSC has interpreted the law to apply to various components of youth-model motorcycles and ATVs, including the engine, brakes, suspension, battery and other mechanical parts. Even though the lead levels in these parts are small, they are still above the minimum threshold. The Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection of the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce will hold Thursday's hearing, titled: "Consumer Product Safety Commission Oversight: Current Issues and a Vision for the Future." CPSC Chairwoman Inez Tenenbaum will be the only testifier. This hearing is the first one sponsored by this subcommittee since the CPSIA passed 13 months ago. It is important that motorcyclists and ATV riders let Congress know that they are concerned about the lead-content requirements of the CPSIA, and that they want youth-model off-highway vehicles excluded from those requirements. Riders should contact their U.S. representatives and let them know how the CPSIA has created a severe and unwarranted disruption to families who ride together responsibly, and a deleterious effect on youth amateur racing. Because the fastest way to permanently address this issue is through legislation, riders should urge their representatives to support H.R. 1587, introduced by Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-At Large-Mont.), to exempt youth-sized motorcycles and ATVs from the CPSIA. You can find contact information for your elected officials at AmericanMotorcyclist.com. From the homepage, click on "Rights," then "Issues & Legislation," and enter your zip code in the "Find your Officials" box. Additionally, a prewritten e-mail is available for you to send to your representative immediately by following the "Take Action" option and entering your information. ATV riders can do the same by going through the Rapid Response Center on ATVAonline.com. It is particularly important to contact members of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection. They are U.S. Reps.: Bobby Rush (D-Chicago-Tinley Park, Ill.), chairman  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Honda Takes Half The Fun Out of Riding - Wired Posted: 09 Sep 2009 03:29 PM PDT
Honda has developed a dual-clutch automatic gearbox for motorcycles, which seems to us like a perfect way to make canyon-carving a lot less fun. This is the first time anyone's bolted a dual-clutch transmission to a production sportbike, and Honda says it will arrive on our shores in 2010 aboard the venerable VFR Interceptor along with the incumbent anti-lock brakes and VTEC engine. If you're wondering whether next year's VFR will have more technology than the car in your driveway, the answer is yes, it probably will.
The VFR — that stands for V-Four Racing — also is known as the Interceptor, and it is renowned for the V4 engine based on the Honda RC30 racer that lapped the Isle of Man. The Interceptor was, once upon a time, designed to compete but evolved into a sport-tourer in the mid to late 1990's following the release of the new generation supersport Suzuki GSX-R. It has been Honda's sport-touring and technological benchmark ever since, which is why Honda chose it for the premier of its dual-clutch transmission. This new addition features a "light, compact design that allows it to be combined with existing engines without substantial layout modification." But what of extra rotational mass introduced by the dual clutch design? That's the kiss of death when power is priority, which might explain why Honda says the gearbox debut on "a new VFR large-displacement sport bike." That's undoubtedly the VFR1200 we're expecting next year. The transmission includes three ride settings allowing the rider to select from a regular "D" mode, a sporty automatic "S" option and a conventional six-speed manual mode for traditionalists who want to be reminded that they are in fact riding a motorcycle. We called Honda so we could feed your voracious appetite for details like how much it'll cost, how fast it'll do and when we might see it on other models, but Honda says you can starve. It isn't saying anything more until later this fall. As for Honda's competition, there's nothing on the horizon with a dual-clutch box on a sportbike. Yamaha offers clutchless shifting on the FJ1300AE to minimize clutch-hand fatigue on continent-crossing rides, and Aprilia offers the Mana 850 with a continuously variable automatic transmission. We're just waiting for the end-of-days when the pilot is riding bitch. The way we see it, one of the greatest joys of riding is feeling completely at one with the bike mentally and mechanically. We'll withhold final judgment on Honda's dual-clutch box until we've thrown a leg over a VFR that's got one, but until then we still think automatic transmissions are for scooters. Renderings of the dual-clutch transmission and photo of a 2002 VFR: Honda, which really ought to update its photo archive.
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| Auto Racing Capsules: Juan Pablo Montoya moving closer to first Chase - Brownsville Herald Posted: 09 Sep 2009 02:32 PM PDT HAMPTON, Ga. — Juan Pablo Montoya climbed out of his car after his third-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday night and immediately began his search. He was in a rush to find an updated list of the Sprint Cup points leaders heading into the race in Richmond on Saturday night. Montoya quickly found the standings, and the news was good: He had moved up one spot from ninth to eighth. But one look wasn't enough. Back in the media interview room, Montoya walked straight to a computer for another look at the standings. When his interview session was over, he went back to check the names and numbers again. It's crunch time and it's clear by watching Montoya that the real NASCAR racing to watch this weekend will be the battle for the final spots in the group of 12 drivers who will qualify for the Chase for the championship. Montoya had good reason to check and recheck the standings. With one race remaining before the field is set for NASCAR's postseason, only 122 points separate fifth-place Carl Edwards (3,162) and 14th-place Kyle Busch (3,040). Only four drivers have clinched spots: Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin. Montoya has 3,145 points, and by the time he reached the interview room, he already had figured out the math: He is only 88 points ahead of Brian Vickers, who is 13th with 3,057 points. Matt Kenseth is 12th with 3,077 points, only 20 ahead of Vickers. Kasey Kahne moved up five spots to sixth by winning on Sunday night. He called the big jump "pretty awesome," but said he couldn't assume he's in the Chase. "Something could happen early in the race at Richmond," Kahne said. "You could lose a lot." Kahne said he remembers barely missing the cutoff for the Chase in 2004 and then making the cut in the final race of 2006. "It's a lot on the line," Kahne said of the last race before the Chase. "You're just going to that race trying to focus as hard as you can, do the best job you can. But it's tough. It's kind of like you're racing for some kind of championship right now." Being eighth gives Montoya confidence. The former Formula One and IndyCar star from Bogota, Colombia, knows a smart, safe race in Richmond will send him to his first Chase. "They've got to have a very good day and we've got to have a terrible day," he said of Kenseth and Vickers. "It still can happen. "In the position we are in right now, it's just about (Richmond). We have a great car for there. Just be smart. Get a top-10." Montoya says he feels good about the things he can control. The worries come from factors beyond his control: A crash he can't avoid, mechanical problems or flat tires. "Every restart you kind of go 'Please, nobody don't slide into me,"' he said. Flats were his undoing in August. Montoya was seventh in the standings before flat tires at Michigan and Bristol led to finishes of 19th and 25th, respectively. "You think if not for those two flat tires, we'd be in the Chase right now," Montoya said, shaking his head. "In the last week at Bristol, I thought we had a chance of winning, but we had a flat tire and it actually cost us a lot of points," he said. "That's two races with flat tires. It always worries me." Montoya rebounded nicely in Sunday night's Pep Boys 500 at Atlanta. He likes to drive high on the Atlanta Motor Speedway track, and the strategy led to one big scare. He tapped the wall and soon found himself coming off turn three sideways. What happened? "I ran out of talent," he said with a smile. "Once the car slides, I'm like 'This is not going to be good."' But he recovered quickly and somehow his car handled better the rest of the race. "It's good," he said. "I didn't hit it that hard. Made the car a little tighter. "We had a great points day. We've got to go to the next race and be smart about how we race and see what happens." Montoya is eighth in points despite being held without a Sprint Cup win this season. The third-place finish in Atlanta was only his second in the top five. He has 12 top-10 finishes. But he's closer to the Chase. "It just makes life easier," Montoya said of his move up one spot in the standings. "If you really look at the bigger picture, we're pretty good. We're in good shape right now." IndyCar Tweet Up! Fans, drivers connect, in person, too JOLIET, Ill. — Hours before the race, under a large white tent in the midway at Chicagoland Speedway, things are already moving along briskly at Vision Racing's "tweetup." A fan has a question for Tony Kanaan. "When are you going on Dancing with the Stars?" she asks. Another wonders what Ed Carpenter would do if one of his young children decided to become a driver. On and on it goes, the questions coming in rapid succession. There's laughter and a few groans after the occasional playful tweak from the drivers. None of the 150 fans at this event before the IRL PEAK Antifreeze and Motor Oil Indy 300 last month are tweeting their questions. After getting connected through Twitter, they're now meeting each other and some drivers in person. "It's really fun to have the IndyCar community come and embrace Twitter as a tool to have that contact, and we didn't have that before," says Pat Caporali, Vision's media and public relations director. "We'd have autograph sessions and that's great, but it doesn't give a chance to have a dialogue and be able to kid around." Now, the fans are getting a peak at the workings of the team and at the drivers that wasn't available in the past. There's a dialogue that simply didn't exist. An interaction that an autograph session or other brief encounter couldn't provide. "Not to this extent, where it's personal," Caporali says. Vision Racing started tweeting at the beginning of the year as an experiment "because we weren't certain that we would have enough sponsorship funding to do a brand new Web site," Caporali says. So they started a Twitter site before the season to connect with fans, update them on the team and drivers, and they also turned to Facebook, creating a synergy between their pages. When photos go up on the latter, for example, a tweet goes out, and during races, fans can receive tweets from Vision that provide information they might not get from the TV broadcast. "People are at home in front of their TV sets, and we're not always at the front," Caporali said. "So to kind of let our fans know what was going on with our team, when we were coming in for a pit stop, what our strategy was, what Ed was saying on the radio, what was going on behind the scenes." Fans responded and the following grew. Now, Vision has about 2,400 followers on Twitter, and drivers are in on it, too, posting comments and responding to questions. Carpenter is part of this community. So are Sarah Fisher and Kanaan, and they're here even though they're not driving for Vision. The tweetups grew out of a small gathering early in the season, when Vision invited followers who were in the garage area before a race to stop by. Then in May, Vision offered followers a few tours of its headquarters in Indianapolis. And at Watkins Glen in July, 40 to 60 people showed up for the first true tweetup with Carpenter and Andretti Green Racing's Kanaan, who had just started tweeting. "It was like a happy hour," Caporali said. "It was at the end of the day, and everybody seemed real keen on it. It was kind of neat to meet the people we had been talking to, face to face, for the first time. We didn't think we would do it every single race, but word of mouth, people started asking for it." So they had another at Sonoma the week before Chicagoland and they're planning to do it again for the final race at Homestead-Miami on Oct. 10. "It's nice to see something small build," says David Craske of Indianapolis. "It's different. And it's fun." Megan Martin of Portage, Ind., created her Twitter account a few months ago "just to follow the drivers." They're both part of the crowd at Chicagoland. The format here is relaxed, though there are a few rules for the fans. One is they need to give their Twitter ID before asking questions. When he's done cringing at the thought of his young daughter and son becoming drivers, Carpenter mentions that his kids are big and tall for their age, and says, "I'm hoping they just grow themselves right out of it." The crowd laughs. "That's Plan No. 1 right now," he says. "Plan No. 2 is probably just to say no." A few minutes later, Kanaan says he wouldn't pass on a chance to show the world his dancing skills. If Helio Castroneves can do it, then why not? "We'll prove once again that Brazilians can dance," Kanaan says. The crowd laughs. Kanaan smiles. On and on it goes. -- Andrew Seligman Formula 1 Fisichella, Liuzzi lead Italian GP charge MONZA, Italy — Italian drivers Giancarlo Fisichella and Vitantonio Liuzzi will be looking to impress at the Italian Grand Prix, and overall Formula One leader Jenson Button badly needs to rebound from a poor run to keep his championship hopes on track. When Fisichella gets into his car for Friday morning's practice, it will be the culmination of a 14-year dream to drive for Ferrari. The 36-year-old will be replacing Luca Badoer, who finished last in both races for the Italian team since taking over for the injured Felipe Massa. "It will be an incredible weekend, with lots of pressure, but it's pressure that will give me a push forward," said Fisichella, who got the opportunity after finishing second at the Belgian GP for Force India. "The goal is to obviously score a lot of points. It would be a dream to get on the podium." Force India handed Fisichella's seat to Liuzzi, who returns to the F1 grid for the first time since 2007 with a realistic shot at victory following results in Spa, where the Indian team picked up its first-ever points and showed it could run at the front of the field. The last Italian driver to win at the Italian GP was Ludovico Scarfiotti for Ferrari — in 1966. "I am confident I can carry on our progress," Liuzzi said. "I'm very motivated, I'm in good shape and hungry to get some more points on the board." The Autodromo Nazionale di Monza is the last stop on the European leg of the calendar and boasts the season's fastest track, where four long straights enable cars to reach top speeds of 211 mph. Button is sorely in need of a victory after the Belgian GP, where he finished out of the points for the first time this season. The Brawn GP driver's lead has dwindled from 34 points over teammate Rubens Barrichello to 16 since a victory in Turkey. Red Bull rivals Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber are also within striking distance with five races remaining. "At the start of the season everything was nice, everything was easy. (Button) was in a new team winning six out of the first seven races. That's different to fighting hard for the championship. Now he has a different kind of pressure," said Massa, who continues to recover from life-threatening head injuries. "If he does not cope with the pressure he will not win the championship." Ferrari, Force India, Red Bull and even McLaren are all expected to contend, while Renault has returned its KERS overtaking boost system to the car for an extra advantage. "It's been a season full of surprises, so it's impossible to predict what the weekend will bring, but I hope that we can have a good one," said the 37-year-old Barrichello, who has picked up momentum since a victory in Valencia, Spain on Aug. 23. Ferrari is hoping to secure third place in the constructors' series — it holds a 12-point lead over McLaren. Brawn GP leads Red Bull by 23.5 points. Practice is Friday and Saturday before qualifying for Sunday's 53-lap race. -- Paul Logothetis Williams, Force India welcomed back into FOTA MADRID — The Formula One Teams Association has welcomed back Williams and Force India into the fold after a rule spat. Williams, one of F1's most storied teams, and Indian team Force India were thrown out by FOTA this summer. They lodged official entries to race next season while the leading teams discussed forming a breakaway series because of controversial 2010 regulations. Governing body FIA has since amended those regulations to the satisfaction of FOTA teams, which include Ferrari, McLaren, Renault, Red Bull, Toro Rosso, Toyota and Brawn GP. At least three new teams will enter next season. BMW Sauber is looking for a buyer after the German manufacturer said it will withdraw from the sport after this season. Auto Racing Glance SPRINT CUP Chevy Rock & Roll 400 Site: Richmond, Va. Schedule: Friday, practice (Speed, 11-12:30 p.m.), practice (ESPN2, 2- 2:30 p.m.), qualifying (ESPN2, 5:30- 6 p.m.); Saturday, race, 6:30 p.m.(ABC, 6-10:30 p.m.). Track: Richmond International Raceway (oval, 0.75 miles). Race distance: 300 miles, 400 laps. Last year: Jimmie Johnson raced to his second straight win and the fourth of his seven 2008 victories, holding off Tony Stewart in the regular-season finale. Johnson went on to win his third straight season championship. Last week: Kasey Kahne won at Atlanta Motor Speedway to jump from 11th to sixth in the season standings. Kahne has two victories this year and 11 overall. Kevin Harvick finished second, and Juan Pablo Montoya was third. Fast facts: Points leader Stewart, Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Denny Hamlin have clinched spots in the Chase for the championship, leaving 11 drivers to fight for the final eight spots in the 10-race playoffs. Only 217 points separate fifth-place Carl Edwards — racing with a broken right foot — from 15th-place David Reutimann. Matt Kenseth is 12th — 20 points ahead of Brian Vickers, 37 in front of Kyle Busch and 132 ahead of Reutimann. Tenth-place Mark Martin is 69 points ahead of Vickers, while No. 11 Greg Biffle has a 68-point lead over 13th. Kurt Busch is seventh, followed by Montoya and Ryan Newman. ... Kyle Busch swept the Cup and Nationwide races at Richmond in May. He's tied with Mark Martin for the series victory lead with four. Next race: Sylvania 300, Sept. 20, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon, N.H. On the Net: http://www.nascar.com NATIONWIDE Virginia 529 College Savings 250 Site: Richmond, Va. Schedule: Friday, practice (ESPN2, 9 a.m.- 11 a.m.), qualifying (ESPN2, 4- 4:30 p.m.), race, 7 p.m.(ESPN2, 7- 9 p.m.). Track: Richmond International Raceway (oval, 0.75 miles). Race distance: 187.5 miles, 250 laps. Last year: Carl Edwards won the fourth of his seven 2008 victories, passing Clint Bowyer for the lead with 28 laps to go, then pulling away through three restarts. Scott Winner finished second, and Bowyer was third. Last week: Kevin Harvick won at Atlanta Motor Speedway, passing Dale Earnhardt Jr. with two left to go and holding off points leader Kyle Busch. Earnhardt finished third. Harvick led 131 of the 195 laps en route to his second series victory of the year. Fast facts: Busch has a series-high six victories this season. He swept the Nationwide and Cup races at Richmond in May. ... Edwards is second in the standings, 221 points behind Busch. Edwards drove in the Nationwide and Sprint Cup races last week in Atlanta after breaking his right foot playing Frisbee. ... Kenny Wallace is making his 800th start in NASCAR's top three series. He has nine victories — three at Richmond — in 444 career Nationwide races. Next race: Dover 200, Sept. 26, Dover International Speedway, Dover, Del. On the Net: http://www.nascar.com CAMPING WORLD TRUCKS Copart 200 Site: Madison, Ill. Schedule: Saturday, practice, qualifying (Speed, 10 a.m.- 11:30 a.m.); race, 12:30 p.m.(Speed, 2-5 p.m). Track: Gateway International Raceway (oval, 1.25 miles). Race distance: 200 miles, 160 laps. Last year: Ron Hornaday Jr. raced to the fourth of his six 2008 victories, holding off Dennis Setzer by 0.646 seconds. Hornaday led 113 of the 160 laps. Last week: Mike Skinner won the first Trucks race at the Iowa Speedway, dominating the field for his second victory of the year and 27th overall. Fast facts: The 51-year-old Hornaday leads the points race and has a series-high six victories, including a series-record five in a row earlier in the season. He has a series-record 45 wins and a record three season titles. ... Matt Crafton is second in the standings, 225 points back. Skinner is third, 281 points behind Hornaday. Next race: Heluva Good! 200, Sept. 19, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon, N.H. On the Net: http://www.nascar.com FORMULA ONE Italian Grand Prix Site: Monza, Italy. Schedule: Friday, practice (Speed, 7-8:30 a.m.); Saturday, practice, qualifying (Speed, 7-8:30 a.m.); Sunday, race, 7 a.m.(Speed, 6:30-9 a.m., 3:30-6 p.m.). Track: Autodromo Nazionale di Monza (road course, 3.6 miles). Race distance: 190.8 miles, 53 laps. Last year: Renault's Fernando Alonso won Formula One's first night race, beating Williams' Nico Rosberg after starting 15th on the grid. Last race: Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen held off Force India's Giancarlo Fisichella on Aug. 30 in the Belgian Grand Prix, the Finn's fourth victory at the track in five years. Raikkonen, the 2007 world champion, won for the first time this year. Fast facts: Brawn's Jenson Button, a six-time winner this year, leads the season standings with 72 points. Teammate Rubens Barrichello is second with 56, followed by Red Bull drivers Sebastian Vettel (53) and Mark Webber (52). ... Fisichella left Force India last week to join Ferrari for the rest of the season. Luca Badoer ran the last two races in place of the injured Felipe Massa. Next race: Singapore Grand Prix, Sept. 27, Marina Bay, Singapore. On the Net: http://www.formula1.com INDYCAR Next race: Indy Japan 500, Sept. 19, Twin Ring Motegi, Motegi, Japan. Last race: Points leader Ryan Briscoe won the fourth-closest finish in series history, beating Scott Dixon by 0.0077 seconds Aug. 29 at Chicagoland Speedway. Briscoe has three victories this season for Penske Racing. With two races left, he has a 25-point lead over Dario Franchitti and a 33-point advantage over Dixon. On the Net: http://www.indycar.com NHRA FULL THROTTLE Next race: NHRA Carolinas Nationals, Sept. 18-20, zMax Dragway, Concord, N.C. Last week: Tony Schumacher raced to his eighth victory at O'Reilly Raceway Park on Monday in the U.S. Nationals, tying Don Garlits for the most Top Fuel wins at the historic Indiana track. Schumacher beat Larry Dixon in the final for his fourth victory of the season and 60th overall. Ashley Force Hood (Funny Car), Jeg Coughlin (Pro Stock) and Hector Arana (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won in the regular-season finale. On the Net: http://www.nhra.com OTHER RACES ARCA RE/MAX SERIES: South Jersey Building Trades 150, Sunday, New Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville, N.J. On the Net: http://www.arcaracing.com WORLD OF OUTLAWS: Sprint Car: Thursday-Saturday, Silver Dollar Speedway, Chico, Calif. Super Dirtcar: Friday, Lernerville Speedway, Sarver, Pa. On the Net: http://www.worldofoutlaws.com U.S. AUTO RACING CLUB: Sprint Car: Saturday, Terre Haute Action Track, Terre Haute, Ind. On the Net: http://www.usacracing.com  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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