plus 4, Dixon fastest in Top Fuel qualifying for ninth time - CBS Sports

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• Dixon fastest in Top Fuel qualifying for ninth time - CBS Sports
• Rick's Crossroads home in Breeders Prep - Harness Link.com
• MOTOR RACING: Edwards on verge of driving title - San Gabriel Valley Tribune
• Dixon's track-record time holds up - ESPN.com
• Ron Hornaday Jr. Wins Copart Challenge of Champions - Yahoo Finance

Dixon fastest in Top Fuel qualifying for ninth time - CBS Sports Posted: 31 Oct 2009 08:11 PM PDT LAS VEGAS -- Larry Dixon earned his ninth No. 1 Top Fuel qualifying position of the year Saturday in the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals. Dixon's track-record time Friday of 3.805 seconds at 318.24 mph that held up Saturday in the second-to-last event of the season. Schumacher, who qualified fourth with a 3.839 at 313.07, holds a 41-point lead over Dixon in the Countdown to 1 championship chase. Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Mike Edwards (Pro Stock) and Hector Arana (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also topped their divisions at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In Funny Car, Ashley Force Hood survived a scare, qualifying 14th at 4.197 at 292.52 in a Ford Mustang on her final run to set up a first-round elimination matchup with series leader Robert Hight, her brother-in-law and teammate. Force Hood is a close second behind Hight in the season standings. Edwards won all four qualifying rounds in his Pontiac GXP to grab his 15th No. 1 start this year, posting a track record of 6.623 at 207.75 on Friday to inch closer to his first Pro Stock championship. He needs to advance one round farther than Greg Anderson to claim the season title. Arana's 6.979 at 192.03 on a Buell stood up from Friday to give him his seventh No. 1 qualifier this season in Pro Stock Motorcycle. Andrew Hines, fifth in the standings, moved up into second place with a 6.990 at 192.25 on a V-Rod. This content has passed through fivefilters.org.

Rick's Crossroads home in Breeders Prep - Harness Link.com Posted: 31 Oct 2009 07:21 PM PDT The 3-year-old Dream Away gelding broke stride at the start and was buried almost thirteen lengths behind at the opening quarter. Charlie Meador cut the opening panel in :26 3/5 over a good track, then continued his assault with a :56.0 half and a 1:26 1/5 third quarter. Driver Jason MacDougall rallied Rick's Crossroads though to within five lengths of the leader coming out of the turn, then stormed past seven frontsteppers in the stretch to nip fast closing Nicota by a neck at the wire in 1:55 2/5. Rick's Crossroads, who earned his first win of 2009, is trained by Fran Raia II for the Richie Pat Bonvie Stable of Florida. Betting favorite Richie's Place took third. In other Virginia-bred 3-year-old action, Charlie Dunavant's Blue Motorcycle captured the colt & gelding trot in 2:00.0, John Wagner's Sadie Eden took the filly trot in 1:59.0 and Don Milby's Tidewater Misty won the filly pace in 1:54 4/5. All 2- and 3-year-old divisions will be decided in next Saturday's "Day of Champions" card at Colonial. The track will host a ten-race card Sunday afternoon beginning at 1:00 PM. Katie PAINTER This content has passed through fivefilters.org.

MOTOR RACING: Edwards on verge of driving title - San Gabriel Valley Tribune Posted: 31 Oct 2009 08:11 PM PDT LAS VEGAS - As the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series winds down, the Upland-based Mountain View Pro Stock team is just hitting its midseason stride. There are two national events remaining on the 2009 schedule, beginning with today's Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The 24-event season will conclude Nov. 11 at the Auto Club Finals at Pomona Raceway. Among all the big hitters at the conclusion on qualifying on Saturday was the Dodge Stratus belonging to the Mountain View team owned by Nick Mitsos, perhaps the most shocking development of the week. On Friday night, in cooler weather, Vinnie Deceglie recorded the second quickest run in the class, a 6.660-second run at 206.23 mph that trailed only Mike Edwards on the charts. Edwards was light years ahead of Deceglie and the others by posting a track-record 6.623 at 207.75 run that pushed him to the threshold of his first NHRA driving title. But Deceglie, a Rancho Cucamonga driver who missed six events this year to be with his ailing wife, finished ahead of the likes of Ron Krishner, former champion Greg Anderson and Johnny Gray. Joining Edwards as the top qualifiers were Larry Dixon in Top Fuel dragster, Matt Hagan (4.030 at 313.88) in Funny Car and Hector Arena (6.979 at 192.03) in Pro Stock Motorcycle. Dixon, locked in a points battle with five-time defending champion Tony Schumacher, led the 25 entries with a run of 3.805 at 318.24 in 1,000 feet. Steve Torrence was second with Antron Brown and Schumacher trailing. If all goes according to the seeding, Dixon and Schumacher could meet in the semifinals. The Funny Car story line was Ashley Force Hood's struggles - second in the championship race to brother-in-law Robert Hight. Force Hood finally made the 16-car field on her fourth and final qualifying pass. "Man, this is stressful," Force Hood said. "I don't know how my dad (13-time champion John Force) has done it for 30 years. But we got into the show and that's all that matters." In what will highlight the first round, Force Hood will face points leader Hight, who was third to Hagan and Ron Capps. "It's kind of a bummer," Hight said. "But with the (bonus) points for qualifying, we got a lead of more than a round so if we lose, it's still not over. May the best Ford Mustang win." San Dimas' Jeff Arena made the Funny Car field on his last pass, joining the Chino Hills' duo of Tony Pedregon (No. 4) and Del Worsham (No. 7). Still, the buzz in the pits was the surprisingly strong performance of the Mountain View team, a medium-funded team. It didn't matter Deceglie couldn't post a number in two passes Saturday. He will start today's final eliminations against Rickie Jones in the No. 2 spot, a career best for driver and crew. "It's pretty awesome," Mitsos said. "It was like winning the World Series. We've been getting better since Brainerd (in August). This is a culmination of all that. "And Vinnie is driving better than before, it's all a matter of seat time." Deceglie, in his second season in the class, fingers the Allen Johnson engine package as making the difference for the Mountain View effort. "It just gives us a lot of power," said Deceglie, who also noted the team had found a new balance. "We run a Haas chassis and Allen runs a RJ Race Car," Mitsos said. "So they've been working on making the adjustments to the shocks and chassis." It was quite a treat for Deceglie and his crew. "This is pretty good," he said, "not bad at all." louis.brewster@inlandnewspapers.com (909) 483-9363 This content has passed through fivefilters.org.

Dixon's track-record time holds up - ESPN.com Posted: 31 Oct 2009 06:52 PM PDT LAS VEGAS -- Larry Dixon earned his ninth No. 1 Top Fuel qualifying position of the year Saturday in the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals. Dixon's track-record time Friday of 3.805 seconds at 318.24 mph that held up Saturday in the second-to-last event of the season. Tony Schumacher, who qualified fourth with a 3.839 at 313.07, holds a 41-point lead over Dixon in the Countdown to 1 championship chase. Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Mike Edwards (Pro Stock) and Hector Arana (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also topped their divisions at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In Funny Car, Ashley Force Hood survived a scare, qualifying 14th at 4.197 at 292.52 in a Ford Mustang on her final run to set up a first-round elimination matchup with series leader Robert Hight, her brother-in-law and teammate. Force Hood is a close second behind Hight in the season standings. Edwards won all four qualifying rounds in his Pontiac GXP to grab his 15th No. 1 start this year, posting a track record of 6.623 at 207.75 on Friday to inch closer to his first Pro Stock championship. He needs to advance one round farther than Greg Anderson to claim the season title. Arana's 6.979 at 192.03 on a Buell stood up from Friday to give him his seventh No. 1 qualifier this season in Pro Stock Motorcycle. Andrew Hines, fifth in the standings, moved up into second place with a 6.990 at 192.25 on a V-Rod. Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press This content has passed through fivefilters.org.

Ron Hornaday Jr. Wins Copart Challenge of Champions - Yahoo Finance Posted: 31 Oct 2009 07:35 PM PDT FAIRFIELD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Copart, Inc. (NASDAQ:CPRT - News), a leading online vehicle auction, is proud to announce that Ron Hornaday Jr. has won the Copart Challenge of Champions and been awarded $5,000 to donate to his favorite charity – Victory Junction, a camp for chronically or terminally ill children. "I want to thank Copart for their support this season and their generosity for providing $5,000 to Victory Junction," Hornaday said. "My wife Lindy and I have chosen to give the money to Victory Junction because kids are a passion of ours. They are the future of our sport and anything that I can do on or off the race track to help raise money for sick children I am more than willing to do." Hornaday won the Challenge against fellow Camping World Truck Series Driver Todd Bodine with a final score of 642 to 594. Copart sponsors two Truck Series champions – the No. 33 Copart truck driven by Hornaday, the 2007 champion, and the No. 30 Copart Tundra driven by Bodine, the 2006 champion. The two champions have raced Copart-sponsored trucks three times each over the course of multiple truck series events in the Copart Challenge of Champions, and raced a fourth time today in Copart trucks in Talladega. Hornaday, who accumulated the most points while driving a Copart truck during the specified races, was named the winner today and presented a trophy along with $5,000 for his charity. Hornaday came into the Talladega race 106 points ahead of Bodine and clinched his victory with a 17th-place finish today in Talladega. Bodine finished third in Talladega, but it wasn't enough to catch Hornaday. Hornaday's win also was a win for Sheryl Montavan of Rockford, Illinois, who was chosen to receive a VIP race weekend in Talladega to cheer on Hornaday after voting for him at www.copart.com in the Copart Challenge of Champions Sweepstakes. Because Hornaday won the Challenge, Montavan also received autographed memorabilia from Hornaday and a lifetime status as a Copart member. "I want to thank Todd Bodine for being a great competitor. It was fun to compete against him and he gave me a good race and helped put on a good show for the fans," said Hornaday. Copart President Jay Adair congratulated both drivers on their competitiveness. "They are both champions to me, and Copart has been proud to have both such outstanding competitors represent us this season," Adair said. "Congratulations to Ron for wining the Copart Challenge of Champions!" Copart sells more than 1 million cars per year and has more than 50,000 vehicles each day to choose from including classics, early and late model cars, trucks, SUVs, motorcycles, boats, snowmobiles, jet skis and recreational vehicles. Copart sells vehicles in an online auction, in which people bid against each other to get a great deal. The highest bidder wins the auction, and just like in the Copart Challenge of Champions, winning is awesome! For more information about Copart, visit www.copart.com. For more information about Ron Hornaday visit www.KevinHarvickInc.com. For more information about Todd Bodine visit www.GermainRacing.com. Fans can also get all the latest Copart Racing news at www.facebook.com/copartracing or at www.twitter.com/copartracing. About Copart Copart, founded in 1982, provides vehicle sellers with a full range of remarketing services to process and sell salvage and clean title vehicles to dealers, dismantlers, rebuilders, exporters and, in some states, to end users. Copart remarkets the vehicles through Internet sales utilizing its patented VB2 technology. Copart sells vehicles on behalf of insurance companies, banks, finance companies, fleet operators, dealers, car dealerships, the general public and others. The company currently operates 147 facilities in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Salvage vehicles are either damaged vehicles deemed a total loss for insurance or business purposes or are recovered stolen vehicles for which an insurance settlement with the vehicle owner has already been made. For more information, or to become a member, visit www.copart.com. Cautionary Language Regarding Forward-looking statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws, including statements regarding our expectations with respect to our Copart Challenge of Champions and our sponsorship involvement with Germain Racing and Kevin Harvick, Inc. In particular, we can provide no assurance that our racing sponsorships or racing sweepstakes as described in this press release will result in an increase in our brand awareness, customer base, sales volumes, or revenues. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or implied by our statements and comments. For a more complete discussion of the risks that could affect our business, please review the "management's discussion and analysis" and the other risks identified in Copart's latest Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We encourage investors to review these disclosures carefully. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time on our behalf. This content has passed through fivefilters.org.

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plus 4, Dixon leads Top Fuel qualifying at NHRA Las Vegas Nationals - Everett Herald

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• Dixon leads Top Fuel qualifying at NHRA Las Vegas Nationals - Everett Herald
• Dixon leads Top Fuel qualifying - USA Today
• Kawi Slaps Honda with Lucha Libre Mask - Motorcycle USA
• Earnings Preview: BMW 3Q results - Yahoo Finance
• 2010 NHRA schedule (Revised) - Motorsport.com

Dixon leads Top Fuel qualifying at NHRA Las Vegas Nationals - Everett Herald Posted: 30 Oct 2009 08:55 PM PDT LAS VEGAS -- Results Friday after the first two of four rounds of qualifying for the Ninth annual NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, 23rd of 24 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. Qualifying will continue Saturday for Sunday's final eliminations. Top Fuel -- 1. Larry Dixon, 3.805 seconds, 318.24 mph; 2. Steve Torrence, 3.831, 314.17; 3. Tony Schumacher, 3.839, 313.07; 4. Shawn Langdon, 3.855, 313.29; 5. Thomas Nataas, 3.859, 307.65; 6. Cory McClenathan, 3.860, 315.86; 7. Antron Brown, 3.860, 314.09; 8. Brandon Bernstein, 3.863, 315.27; 9. Doug Kalitta, 3.863, 311.34; 10. Bob Vandergriff, 3.881, 304.60; 11. Spencer Massey, 3.884, 309.84; 12. Urs Erbacher, 3.927, 301.33. Not Qualified: 13. Lex Joon, 3.933, 270.16; 14. David Grubnic, 3.978, 301.74; 15. Mike Strasburg, 3.996, 305.91; 16. Steven Chrisman, 3.998, 291.95; 17. Del Cox Jr, 4.032, 252.61; 18. Troy Buff, 4.043, 262.23; 19. Terry McMillen, 4.097, 276.52; 20. Morgan Lucas, 4.389, 276.29; 21. Scott Palmer, 4.998, 147.02; 22. Stig Neergaard, 5.494, 121.56; 23. Rob Passey, 6.132, 109.10; 24. Tim Cullinan, 6.582, 100.10; 25. Chris Karamesines, 11.805, 44.72; 26. Ron August, 15.323, 49.30. Funny Car -- 1. Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 4.030, 313.88; 2. Ron Capps, Charger, 4.041, 310.55; 3. Robert Hight, Ford Mustang, 4.065, 308.71; 4. Tony Pedregon, Chevy Impala, 4.098, 309.20; 5. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.107, 307.02; 6. Cruz Pedregon, Toyota Solara, 4.114, 305.98; 7. Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.116, 297.22; 8. Jack Beckman, Charger, 4.118, 305.01; 9. Mike Neff, Mustang, 4.128, 302.62; 10. Jim Head, Solara, 4.132, 305.84; 11. John Force, Mustang, 4.144, 302.28; 12. Del Worsham, Solara, 4.155, 306.12. Not Qualified: 13. Ashley Force Hood, 4.163, 303.23; 14. Gary Densham, 4.167, 290.76; 15. Jerry Toliver, 4.241, 279.15; 16. Grant Downing, 4.323, 245.32; 17. Jeff Diehl, 4.439, 221.13; 18. Bob Bode, 5.621, 126.74; 19. Jeff Arend, 7.608, 87.49. Pro Stock -- 1. Mike Edwards, Pontiac GXP, 6.623, 207.75; 2. Vinnie Deceglie, Dodge Stratus, 6.660, 206.23; 3. Ron Krisher, Chevy Cobalt, 6.668, 206.92; 4. Greg Anderson, GXP, 6.670, 207.56; 5. Johnny Gray, Stratus, 6.677, 206.20; 6. Allen Johnson, Stratus, 6.679, 206.61; 7. Rodger Brogdon, GXP, 6.680, 206.10; 8. Larry Morgan, Stratus, 6.681, 205.72; 9. Jason Line, GXP, 6.683, 206.86; 10. Warren Johnson, GXP, 6.685, 206.23; 11. Jeg Coughlin, Cobalt, 6.688, 206.35; 12. Greg Stanfield, GXP, 6.693, 206.07. Not Qualified: 13. Kurt Johnson, 6.695, 206.45; 14. Matt Hartford, 6.699, 205.54; 15. Ronnie Humphrey, 6.708, 206.54; 16. Rickie Jones, 6.720, 204.98; 17. Ryan Ondrejko, 6.726, 204.29; 18. Steve Spiess, 6.729, 204.35; 19. V. Gaines, 6.750, 203.68; 20. Danny Gruninger, 6.815, 203.06; 21. Gordie Rivera, 6.824, 202.39. Pro Stock Motorcycle -- 1. Hector Arana, Buell, 6.979, 192.03; 2. Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 6.990, 192.25; 3. Matt Smith, Suzuki, 7.000, 190.48; 4. Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 7.029, 190.97; 5. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 7.035, 190.43; 6. Junior Pippin, Buell, 7.043, 187.96; 7. Michael Phillips, Suzuki, 7.051, 189.47; 8. David Hope, Buell, 7.061, 189.76; 9. Craig Treble, Suzuki, 7.075, 190.06; 10. Douglas Horne, Buell, 7.075, 188.86; 11. Shawn Gann, Buell, 7.076, 188.33; 12. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 7.106, 186.38. Not Qualified: 13. Freddie Camarena, 7.111, 190.30; 14. Larry Cook, 7.127, 186.36; 15. Jim Underdahl, 7.132, 188.75; 16. Mike Berry, 7.165, 186.05; 17. GT Tonglet, 7.239, 184.12; 18. Bailey Whitaker, 7.252, 182.26; 19. Redell Harris, 7.286, 182.77; 20. Joe DeSantis, 7.291, 184.57; 21. Katie Sullivan, 7.452, 176.74; 22. James Surber, 7.457, 180.55. -30- This content has passed through fivefilters.org.

Dixon leads Top Fuel qualifying - USA Today Posted: 30 Oct 2009 09:24 PM PDT Dixon, second in the championship standings, powered his dragster to a performance of 3.805 seconds at a track-record speed of 318.24 mph at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. If his time holds through Saturday's two qualifying sessions, it will be his ninth No. 1 qualifier of the season and 40th of his career. Series leader Tony Schumacher, who holds a 45-point lead over Dixon, was third overall with a 3.893 at 313.07. Matt Hagan, Mike Edwards and Hector Arana also led their categories at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event, the fifth of six races in the Countdown to 1, NHRA's championship playoffs. Rookie driver Hagan paced the Funny Car order with his track-record performance of 4.030 seconds at 313.88 mph in a Dodge Charger. Series leader Robert Hight was third with a 4.065 at 308.71 in a Ford Mustang, while second-place Ashley Force Hood was 13th in her Mustang, clocking a 4.163 at 303.23. In Pro Stock, Edwards moved into position to earn his 15th No. 1 qualifying effort of the season and trimmed his magic number for clinching his first world championship title to 19 points, or less than one round over three-time champ Greg Anderson. Edwards had a track-record run of 6.623 at 207.75 in a Pontiac GXP. Series leader Arana was first in Pro Stock Motorcycle with a 6.979 at 192.03. Second-place rider Eddie Krawiec, the defending series champion, was fourth after two rounds, posting a 7.029 at 190.97 on a Buell. This content has passed through fivefilters.org. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Kawi Slaps Honda with Lucha Libre Mask - Motorcycle USA Posted: 30 Oct 2009 06:53 PM PDT Kawaski has assembled the Baja 1000 Dream Team - Team Blue C Wahoo's Monster Energy Kawasaki. It's a big mouthful of a team, but that's exactly what they'll be serving anyone who follows them in Baja, a mouthful of roost! For all intents and purposes, Kawasaki has been MIA from Baja on the factory level since Danny Hamel died tragically in 1995. This year we may once again see a big-bore Kawasaki dirt bike top the Baja 1000 results. Bruce Penhall has put together a team of go-fast desert rats. Young veteran and reigning Baja 1000 champion, Robby Bell, made a big career move away from factory Honda this year to sign with Team Green and race a Northland Motorsports/Precision Concepts Kawasaki. Bell is at the heart of this team. What other current racer could Penhall find to make the effort stronger? How about five-time 1000 champ Steve Hengeveld, who also left Honda (and whose father owns Northand Motorsports in Flagstaff, Arizona, are you putting it together yet?). And while they're at it, they went ahead and invited fellow off-roader and factory Monster Energy Kawasaki Hare and Hound champion, Destry Abbott. Are you serious!!? Those three alone would be enough, but Penhall's sons, Ryan and Conner, will also don their desert racing gear and straddle a KX450F. Racers alone don't make a successful Baja effort. It takes a lot of support before, during and after the race. Funding and pit support during the 673-mile loop will be critical. Pay attention and watch these guys. Could this spark the return of Kawasaki to Baja racing again? Is it a flash in the pan or will the tide once again start to turn green for another decade of Mexican dominance. If so then how will mighty Honda respond – return Kawi the favor by withering away - or throw on a Lucha Libre mask and fight back? The 2009 Baja 1000 takes place Nov. 20 and will be televised on NBC Sports December 19, 2009 from 2-3p.m. ET. This content has passed through fivefilters.org.

Earnings Preview: BMW 3Q results - Yahoo Finance Posted: 30 Oct 2009 05:35 PM PDT FRANKFURT (AP) -- German carmaker Bayerische Motoren Werke AG reports earnings for its third quarter Nov. 3. The following is a summary of key developments and analyst opinion related to the period. OVERVIEW: BMW, based in Munich, is the world's biggest luxury carmaker by revenue, and one of the worlds leading motorcycle brands. Besides its namesake cars and motorcycles, the company builds Mini and Rolls Royce brand cars. The company is expected to report lower net income and revenue for the July-September period as car companies have seen sales slip in the downturn. Car sales in September began to show signs of recovery. BMW said earlier this month it sold almost 1,000 more cars in September than it had for the month in 2008. Provided there are no economic setbacks, BMW said it should continue to make sales gains for the rest of the year. BY THE NUMBERS: Three analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expect BMW to report net income of euro146 million ($216.1 million) for the quarter. Meanwhile, nine analysts expect the company to report revenue of nearly euro12 billion in the July-September period. In the third quarter of 2008, BMW reported a net income of euro298 million on revenue of euro12.6 billion. ANALYST TAKE: Autos analyst Tim Urquhart at IHS Global Insight in London said he thinks the company is on top of things and has done a good job at "cutting their cloth" and reacting to the lower demand of recent months. He said the company's strategy of developing environmentally friendly power trains while keeping with luxury and sporty traditions is also smart. Quitting the Formula One racing circuit should also save the company around euro200 million a year, he said. BMW said in late July it would leave the sport and that the team's funding would be routed to sustainability projects. WHAT'S AHEAD: Observers will continue to look at the severity and duration of the economic downturn which has cut sharply into nearly all product sales in Germany -- the world's largest exporter. Also, observers will be looking forward to the group's new models including a Mini coupe and a new Rolls Royce model called the Ghost. The company has said the order book on the new Ghost -- which is a step below the top of the line Phantom -- is developing well. It hopes to start selling the new car next year. STOCK PERFORMANCE: Shares of BMW were trading at euro33.55 Oct. 30, 8 percent below their 52-week high of euro36.45 earlier in the month. The stock's 52-week low of euro17.29 was set in the first quarter 2009. http://www.bmw.com This content has passed through fivefilters.org. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

2010 NHRA schedule (Revised) - Motorsport.com Posted: 30 Oct 2009 02:50 PM PDT | News | Magazine | Photos | Statistics | Directory | Compete | Forums | | Contact | Ad info | Corporate | Join us | | Newsletters | Copyright © 1994-2009 Motorsport.com, Inc. All rights reserved. Please read our Disclaimer, Trademark and Privacy policy. This content has passed through fivefilters.org. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

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plus 4, Senna signs F1 deal with Campos - USA Today

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• Senna signs F1 deal with Campos - USA Today
• Goodman Wins ATV EDT Pro Lites Title - Motorcycle USA
• Yoshimura Suzuki QuadRacer R450 Review - Motorcycle USA
• WSBK: Shinya Nakano Retires - Superbike Planet
• Shinya Nakano Announces Retirement From Professional Racing - RoadracingWorld.com

Senna signs F1 deal with Campos - USA Today Posted: 29 Oct 2009 02:58 PM PDT The 26-year-old nephew of three-time world champion Ayrton Senna finalized a deal to race for the Spanish team last weekend, said the Brazilian racing official, who was involved in negotiations. The official offered no other details and spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to discuss the move, which he said Campos planned to announce following this weekend's race in Abu Dhabi. After hours calls to Campos' Madrid office were unanswered. Senna said this month while attending the Brazilian Grand Prix that he was negotiating a deal with three teams, including Campos. The deal returns the legendary Senna name to F1 for the first time in 15 years, since Ayrton Senna's death in a crash at the San Marino GP in 1994. Before his death, Ayrton lauded his then 8-year-old nephew's driving skills, which he witnessed on the Senna family farm near Sao Paulo. Shortly after Ayrton's death, Bruno's father was killed in a motorcycle accident -- which combined with Ayrton's death meant racing was off limits for young Bruno. "It was kind of a taboo. I just had to respect the pain and the family, I just had to cope with it," Senna told the Associated Press last year. Senna's mother, Viviane, refused to let auto racing enter her son's life for the decade after his father's death, even if her brother had seen promise in Bruno as he tore around the family farm. But when his mother asked him what he wanted to do with his life -- he was 18 and working at a car dealership to stay close to wheels -- the answer was simple: He wanted to race. In 2005 he was invited to test a Formula 3 car in Valencia, Spain, before eventually competing in the series. Senna jumped to GP2 for 2006. Last year he finished second in driver standings in the F1 feeder series. He then left to focus on finding a seat on the F1 grid. Earlier this year, Senna tested a Brawn GP car, but was passed over for fellow Brazilian Rubens Barrichello. ___ On the Web: www.brunosenna.com.br This content has passed through fivefilters.org. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Goodman Wins ATV EDT Pro Lites Title - Motorcycle USA Posted: 29 Oct 2009 02:23 PM PDT ATV racer Harold Goodman took his Honda ATV to the Extreme Dirt Track Pro Lites Championship, after winning five rounds of the six-race series on his quad fitted with Öhlins TTX shocks. And, Goodman backed up this championship by earning second place the Extreme Dirt Track Pro Championship, with three wins in that class. Goodman said, "It's harder to tune an ATV as compared to a motorcycle. On a bike you only have 4 inches of track to worry about, but an ATV forces you to tune for 50-inches of track, and two contact patches. Öhlins USA built me a set of shocks for the dealer show, I put them on my 'bike' and won. I had never used them until I went out and won on them." As a privateer racing against Factory teams in the ATV MX Series, Harold Goodman has been mixing it up with the top riders. Goodman took his Team Harold Goodman ATV to 11th overall in the 2009 AMA PRO ATV MX Championship, finishing the season a mere 4 points from the coveted top ten. All season long Goodman scored points in every race, with a best finish of sixth at the Muddy Creek National. Goodman was also recorded with the second-fastest time at Red Bud, Michigan, in the Sunday morning qualifying session. Goodman said, "I pulled five holeshots this year. I get out front and I try not work my way too far back." Öhins USA congratulates Goodman on his championship season. This content has passed through fivefilters.org. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Yoshimura Suzuki QuadRacer R450 Review - Motorcycle USA Posted: 29 Oct 2009 12:14 PM PDT You don't earn a national championship title in the most competitive ATV MX racing series on the continent without building something special. Suzuki not only built a title-worthy machine for Dustin Wimmer, but the Japanese OEM has formed a platform of racing technology over decades of development that culminated in the 2009 championship. Wimmer has been able to put his Yoshimura Suzuki QuadRacer R450 to good use and is now the two-time defending AMA ATV Pro Motocross champion. In 1985, Suzuki shocked the powersport industry by unveiling the world's first high-performance four-wheeler. Up until that point, it was all about the three-wheelers. The Quadracer 250 helped lay the groundwork for where we're at now. It wasn't long before people were racing and dominating at the local level, as well as National and Mickey Thompson events. In 1986, Gary Denton took his first National title aboard a new high-performance quad. Fast forward to 2010 and Suzuki has virtually swept all forms of racing, so when Suzuki called us to see if we wanted to take Dustin Wimmer's championship-winning QuadRacer R450 for a spin, we literally jumped at the opportunity. Suzuki's premier sport ATV has served as an industry standard for motocross-specific equipment. The QuadRacer is bad enough in stock trim, but the chance to ride the best bike in the country for two years running wasn't something we'd ever pass up. The MotoUSA team headed to Milestone Raceway in Riverside, CA to meet up with Yoshimura team manager Kory Ellis. Ready to go with a fresh set of plastic and new tires, we could hardly wait to put in a few motos in on the champ's bike. One of the first things we noticed was just how low to the ground the R450 was. The bike has only 9.4 inches of ground clearance stock but before even riding it, we knew that this thing would handle like it was on rails. Letting our eyes devour this exotic ride in a very unsavory way, it's apparent that the 22-year-old Wimmer needs some added components to pull off his title-winning aggression. Pro Armor provides nerf bars and the front bumper while skidplates on the front and rear frame sections are made by Quad Tech. The same goes for the nosepiece, seat foam and cover, shock cover and wiring guard – all QT products. Crack the throttle and instantly the boost generated by the four-valve engine gives it away as a serious moto weapon. No electric start here. Yoshimura installed a kick starter to shave off seven pounds, plus the added benefit of less spinning weight on the flywheel for quicker engine response. On the first kick, the champ's bike came to life with a serious growl and we made our way to the entrance to the track. It was game on! The acceleration of the Yoshimura-tuned 450 was, to say the least, impressive. Yosh uses its Stage 3 porting and cams. Hinson noted that it's very calm in the low rpm but was amazed with the level of tractability and pull throughout the rev range. The fuel-injected motor never stopped pulling and Wimmer uses the Yosh Peripheral Interface Module (PIM2) to ensure perfect fueling throughout the powerband. Of course, Yoshimura is known for its exhaust pipes, and the QuadRacer has the titanium RS-5 muffler with custom Ti head pipe. To handle the abuse of high-temp riding, CV4 radiator hoses are clamped on and Hinson Clutch Components are stuffed inside the right-side cover. A basket, pressure plate, inner hub and BTL slipper-clutch kit are all installed underneath the virtually indestructible clutch cover. Combine the hard-charging, smooth motor with pillow-top suspension and it's difficult to know just how fast you're going until it's time to slow down for a turn. Squeeze the front brake lever mounted on the oversized CR-mid bend ProTaper handlebars and steel-braided Galfer lines channel fluid to Galfer pads and rotors held in stock calipers. The brakes are strong enough to do the job, but our testers were more focused on other aspects of the bike, like the suspension. Contributing to the aggressive stance are long-travel JB Racing A-arms. The Yosh team powdercoats them black to match the color scheme, but they do much more than add good looks. Mated with Fox Racing Shocks' top-of-the-line Float X Evol suspension, the front end garnered rave reviews from our tester, Bryan Hinson. Extremely planted in the corners, the front half of the bike never gets out of sorts. The dual air chambers are masterful at handling small chop, uneven stutters and ruts. Equally as impressive are their ability to soak up jump faces and landings regardless of how hard or uneven they are. A Precision Pro model steering stabilizer helps further separate the rider from track nasties. The result is a machine that not only has the ability to go fast anywhere on the track, but makes the rider confident to attack every obstacle. "Suspension-wise this bike is awesome," said Hinson. "It soaked up everything I made a mistake on... It made up for every inconsistent part of my riding style." The Fox Podium X rear shock kept the center of gravity low while maintaining travel. Again, the suspender was excellent on all areas of performance. The Podium X uses dual-speed compression, a remote reservoir and a 47mm steel shock body to ensure compliance at all times. It bolts to stock linkage and a JB Racing swingarm which has the same length as stock. As with any race bike, weight saving was an important goal for the factory Suzuki squad. All of the parts used on the Number 1 machine are as light as possible while offering the strength and durability required for the most brutal motocross conditions. Titanium wheel hubs and studs on the rear are a good example. Even with the added protection, extended A-arms, beefier tires and nerf bars, the team says Wimmer's R450 is lighter than a stocker. The Maxxis RAZR MX tires spooned on DWT Rok-Out wheels with rear beadlocks combined with perfect dirt at the Milestone track, the QuadRacer was hooking up so hard it felt like your arms were going to come out of their sockets. Jumping was very relaxed; the center of gravity was amazing. The quad did everything we wanted it to do - flying straight and level, powering hard but not overly aggressive from corner to corner and supplementing rider skill with exceptional suspension. It's not hard to see how Wimmer has taken back-to-back championships with equipment like this at his disposal. Yoshimura Suzuki QuadSport R450 Specs: Quad: 2009 Suzuki QuadRacer R450 Frame: Stock with black powdercoat Subframe: Stock Engine: 2009 LT-R450 With Yoshimura Stage 3 porting and cams Valves: CV4 Staring: Yoshimura kick start Fuel delivery: Stock fuel injection with Yoshimura programmable PIM 2 Airbox: Stock modified by Yoshimura Racing Air filter: Stock Exhaust: Yoshimura RS-5 Titanium race team system  Clutch: Hinson - Cover, Basket, Pressure plate, Inner hub, BTL system Transmission: Stock, Yoshimura REM treated Chain, sprockets: ProTaper Gearing: 13/37 Hubs: Stock front, Titanium rear with Ti studs  A-arms: JB Racing long-travel powdercoated black Front shocks: Fox Float X Evol Steering stem: JB Racing Titanium Steering stabilizer: Precision, pro series  Swingarm: JB Racing, stock linkage, stock length Rear axle/carrier: Stock lightened carrier Rear shock: Fox Podium  Tires: Maxxis RAZR MX Wheels: DWT ROKOUT with rear beadlocks  Brake calipers: Stock, rear is lightened Brake pads, rotors: Galfer Steel-braided lines: Galfer  Handlebars: ProTaper fat bars CR mid bend Hand guards: ProTaper Clutch lever, cables: Stock Grips: ProTaper Tether kill switch: Pro Armor Nerfs: Pro Armor Front bumper: Pro Armor Footpegs spuds: JB Racing Skidplates: front frame, Quad Tech; rear frame, Quad Tech Seat: Quad Tech cover and foam Nosepiece: Quad Tech Rear fender extension: Quad Tech Shock covers: Quad Tech Wiring guard: Quad Tech This content has passed through fivefilters.org. 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WSBK: Shinya Nakano Retires - Superbike Planet Posted: 29 Oct 2009 10:12 AM PDT This just in, former 500 and MotoGP rider Shinya Nakano has decided to retire from racing: To everyone who have supported me, I send this news on a short notice, but I have decided to retire from racing at the end of this season. I've concentrated on treatment after breaking my collarbone during Round 3 in Spain and straining my neck in Round 11 in Germany, but by missing a few races, I've been a burden to my team as well as to others involved. If feel that as a professional rider, it's time to stop racing if I'm not in a perfect condition to do so. I've given this a lot of thought the past few weeks, and I've come to this decision through my own will. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the motorcycle manufacturers who believed in my potential and offered me contracts, to the sponsors supporting the race, and to the fans that have always supported me. Because of your support, I've been able to ride professionally for 13 years and participate in the World Championships for 11 years, and I have had many precious experiences. From now on, if I can use such experiences to good use, I would like to keep contributing to the motorcycle world. I am looking forward to seeing you all in racing circuits in the near future, under different circumstances from now on. Thank you very much for your support. Shinya Nakano 28th October 2009 This content has passed through fivefilters.org. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Shinya Nakano Announces Retirement From Professional Racing - RoadracingWorld.com Posted: 29 Oct 2009 10:05 AM PDT Oct 29, 2009, ©Copyright 2009, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc. From a press release issued by Aprilia: Editorial Note: The following is the English translation of an open letter issued by racer Shinya Nakano announcing his retirement from professional racing. To everyone who have supported me, I send this news on a short notice, but I have decided to retire from racing at the end of this season. I've concentrated on treatment after breaking my collarbone during Round 3 in Spain and straining my neck in Round 11 in Germany, but by missing a few races, I've been a burden to my team as well as to others involved. If feel that as a professional rider, it's time to stop racing if I'm not in a perfect condition to do so. I've given this a lot of thought the past few weeks, and I've come to this decision through my own will. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the motorcycle manufacturers who believed in my potential and offered me contracts, to the sponsors supporting the race, and to the fans that have always supported me. Because of your support, I've been able to ride professionally for 13 years and participate in the World Championships for 11 years, and I have had many precious experiences. From now on, if I can use such experiences to good use, I would like to keep contributing to the motorcycle world. I am looking forward to seeing you all in racing circuits in the near future, under different circumstances from now on. Thank you very much for your support. Shinya Nakano More Breaking Headlines | Next Article | Home This content has passed through fivefilters.org. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

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plus 4, Southern California's M1GP Announces 2010 Mini Schedule - RoadracingWorld.com

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• Southern California's M1GP Announces 2010 Mini Schedule - RoadracingWorld.com
• Auto Racing Capsules: People's choice, Mark Martin, showing softer ... - Brownsville Herald
• Fly Racing's Team Faith Claims UTV Lites Championship - ATV Rider Magazine
• More info on the electric superbike coming soon from Mavizen - Examiner
• Chad Reed Racing for Monster Kawasaki - Motorcycle USA

Southern California's M1GP Announces 2010 Mini Schedule - RoadracingWorld.com Posted: 28 Oct 2009 10:16 PM PDT Oct 29, 2009, ©Copyright 2009, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc. From a press release issued by M1GP M1GP announces its race schedule for 2010 with an eight sprint-race series championship with at least one night race. Races will vary from 2-heat/6-lap events and 1-main/12-lap events. Two new classes will be featured regularly for 2010: Terminator youth class and the Road Warrior class. Three endurance races are also scheduled. - The 3rd Annual 8 Hours at Grange (8H3) @ Grange Motor Circuit, Apple Valley, Ca. - Mini 2 hour-enduro @ Willow Springs International Raceway, Rosamond, Ca. - The Inaugural M1GP-24 Hour Super Endurance Race @ Willow Springs International Raceway, Rosamond, Ca. All dates are as follow and have been reserved with the respective race venues. (P)=Practice, (Q)=Qualifying, (R)=Race,(GMC)=Grange Motor Circuit (WSIR)=Willow Springs International Raceway FEB. - 20th (Q), 21th (R) -------------------- (GMC) Round 1 CCW MAR. - 27th (P+Q), 28th (R) ---------------- (WSIR) 2 CW APR.- 23rd (P), 24th (R) --------------------- (GMC) --- 8H3 (8 Hours at Grange) CW MAY. - 22nd (P+Q), 23rd (R) ---------------- (WSIR) 3 CCW JUN. - 26th (Q, 27th (R) ---------------------- (GMC) Round 4 CCW JUL. - 24th (P+Q + 2 Hr R), 25th ---------- (WSIR) 5 + 2 Hr Enduro CW AUG. - 21st (R) NIGHT RACE -------------- (GMC) Round 6 CW SEP. - 10th (P),11th (P + R), 12th (R) ------ (WSIR) 24 Hour Super Endurance Race CW OCT. - 16th (Q), 17th (Re) ------------------- (GMC) Round 7 CCW NOV. - 13th (P + Q), 14th (R) --------------- (WSIR) Round 8 FINALE CCW There will be practice dates exclusively for motorcycles on Saturdays at Willow Springs for our racers and new riders. Some current model street bikes are eligible for some of our race classes. Please see our classifications for more details. Racers from all racing organizations are invited to come race our sprint and endurance races. We regularly have racers from WSMC, WERA, USGPRU, AMA as well as other mini-road-racing organizations including some from abroad. - M1GP uses pro-level timing equipment (AMB) at all of our events (required for all racers). Racers, new riders, kids and adults, family and friends...all are welcome. For membership and registration details, please visit m1gp.us Thank you and see you at the races! More Breaking Headlines | Next Article | Home This content has passed through fivefilters.org. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Auto Racing Capsules: People's choice, Mark Martin, showing softer ... - Brownsville Herald Posted: 28 Oct 2009 08:57 PM PDT MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Mark Martin senses that this is going to be a good week for him as he continues chasing Jimmie Johnson and the NASCAR season championship he so covets. If he's right, it would only add to what has been an emotional ride for the 50-year-old Martin, who has largely discarded his curmudgeonly shell in his return to full-time racing with Hendrick Motorsports and shown a softer, even somewhat sappy side on a regular basis. "It's because I'm not tired, I'm not burned out, not frustrated," he said at Martinsville. "I'm enjoying the opportunity and I appreciate it more than I ever did before." Johnson gained 28 points on the final short track of the season to extend his lead to 118 over Martin with four races to go, but the series shifts to Talladega Superspeedway, the last wild card on the schedule, where one big wreck could really shake things up. "I have a feeling that I'm going to have a great Talladega race," Martin said. "I don't know if our competition will or not. But I wrecked on lap five last time there. I've got a feeling that just isn't going to happen this time. The law of averages is going to get you sooner or later and I think I've got some good karma going in there. I'm very optimistic. "It could be a great equalizer." It would be a development that would be widely celebrated among NASCAR fans, who have embraced Martin as the sentimental favorite — a stature that can stop him in his tracks. "That's an incredible honor," he said. "And it's also a little bit of pressure. It means so much to me that they feel that way that I desperately don't want to disappoint them." Without a doubt, Martin stands as the best driver never to win a championship, and his close calls are well documented. He's finished second four times, losing out by 26 points to Dale Earnhardt in 1990, and by 38 points to Tony Stewart in his last close call in 2002. In 1990, his team incurred a 46-point penalty after a race at Richmond for using an illegal carburetor spacer, even though NASCAR agreed it had not enhanced his performance. Martin has also finished third four times, and in the top five another five times. His return to full-time racing this season came after he landed a ride with Hendrick, joining a stable of teams that includes Johnson, who is seeking his record fourth consecutive series championship, and Jeff Gordon, who has already won four, but none since 2001. What has happened since is fairy tale stuff: Five victories, one behind Johnson for the series lead, and his first since 2005. Seven poles, 12 top-five finishes and 19 top-10s. "It's amazing, and beyond my expectations," he said. "It's really an honor. I've said all that all year long. People may be getting tired of hearing that, but it's the truth." In the Hendrick shop, it's a story that even Johnson and Gordon are caught up in. Johnson is viewed in some circles as the villain who could deny Martin a title, and said even though he roots for his teammates, he's not letting up in his own drive to win again. "I certainly root for him if I'm not having the day, and the same for Jeff," Johnson said. "I have not thought about being the guy who could take away someone's opportunity." Gordon, who beat Martin for the title by 364 points in 1998, thinks all the drivers and teams are watching with interest, and that several are rooting for Martin to win. "I don't think there is anybody more deserving than Mark Martin," he said. "But (Johnson's) team, they've earned the position they're in," he added. "They've worked hard at it. They're a great, great team and I think they're in a position to make history. "I think there is something very special about that." Martin finished eighth at Martinsville, a disappointing finish considering he ran near the front for much of the race, but heads to Alabama with no intention of changing his approach. Revered for the way he races, he's not given to trying desperate measures. The suggestion that he would brought out his old drill sergeant-like persona. "I am racing with everything I got, and if I could find a way to be better, I would," he said. "And I will continue to look and search for anyway I can, going forward, to find a way to be better yet, but all I can do is put it out there. That's all I can do. I will put it out there and race with every bit of fire. Because I don't cause a lot of stink on the racetrack doesn't mean I don't race without a lot of fire. ... I race with everything I've got." And when it's not enough, he no longer lets his disappointment consume him. "I still get disappointed, OK?" he said. "I still get disappointed, and we have met with many disappointments this year, but I don't dwell on the disappointment and I revel in the opportunity. ... It's less about me, and that comes with age and maturity. What I'm doing today is a lot less about me and a lot more about the people that I care about. "I'm trying as hard as I ever did. I'm just not frustrated about it." A glance at the 12 drivers in the Chase A glance at the 12 drivers competing in NASCAR's Chase for the Sprint Cup championship heading into this weekend's race at Talladega Superspeedway (in order of points): DRIVER: Jimmie Johnson CHASE POINTS: first, 6,098 CAR: No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet TEAM: Hendrick Motorsports POSITION CHANGE: None CAREER TALLADEGA STARTS: 15 AVERAGE TALLADEGA FINISH: 17.7 (won in 2006) LAST WEEK: All this and manners too? Johnson finished second at Martinsville and passed up a chance to bump eventual winner Denny Hamlin out of the way over the final laps, a move he used to win at the track during the spring. CHASE CHATTER: "I wasn't just going to come in with the second-place car and take a cheap shot and pass him that way," Johnson said. "If I felt like I had a car to win the race, I would have been up there leaning on him some." DRIVER: Mark Martin CHASE POINTS: second, -118 CAR: No. 5 Carquest/Kellogg's Chevrolet TEAM: Hendrick Motorsports POSITION CHANGE: None CAREER TALLADEGA STARTS: 43 AVERAGE TALLADEGA FINISH: 16.1 (won twice) LAST WEEK: Martin refused to crack, finishing eighth at Martinsville, but still lost 28 points to Johnson. CHASE CHATTER: "You know, eighth- and seventh-place finishes, it doesn't look like that's going to be enough to go out here and win this championship," Martin said. "But there's still some racing left and a lot of things can change at Talladega." DRIVER: Jeff Gordon CHASE POINTS: third, -150 CAR: No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet TEAM: Hendrick Motorsports POSITION CHANGE: None CAREER TALLADEGA STARTS: 33 AVERAGE TALLADEGA FINISH: 16.4 (won six times) LAST WEEK: Spent part of the day trading paint with Juan Pablo Montoya and led 36 laps before a late-race caution cost him on a short run and finished fifth. CHASE CHATTER: "We had the long run that we needed and drove all the way up (to the front) and then had the caution that we really didn't need," Gordon said. DRIVER: Tony Stewart CHASE POINTS: fourth, -192 CAR: No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet TEAM: Stewart/Haas Racing POSITION CHANGE: None CAREER TALLADEGA STARTS: 21 AVERAGE TALLADEGA FINISH: 13.8 (won in 2008) LAST WEEK: Salvaged a ninth-place at finish at Martinsville, but has been unable to find the magic he had during the regular season and is almost out of it. CHASE CHATTER: "Everything didn't fall the way we needed it to," said crew chief Darian Grubb. "It wasn't what we wanted. I think we had a top-four or five car." DRIVER: Juan Pablo Montoya CHASE POINTS: fifth, -200 CAR: No. 42 Target Chevrolet TEAM: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing POSITION CHANGE: Plus 1 CAREER TALLADEGA STARTS: 5 AVERAGE TALLADEGA FINISH: 18.6 (best finish: second in 2008) LAST WEEK: Ran third at Martinsville, but biggest headline may have been ABC football analyst Bob Griese's slightly off-color comment that Montoya was "out having a taco" the day before the race. CHASE CHATTER: "I could say I spent the last three hours eating tacos, but I was actually driving a car," Montoya said. "But that's OK, I don't care." DRIVER: Kurt Busch CHASE POINTS: sixth, -240 CAR: No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge TEAM: Penske Racing POSITION CHANGE: Minus 1 CAREER TALLADEGA STARTS: 17 AVERAGE TALLADEGA FINISH: 12.1 (best 3rd, four times) LAST WEEK: An error on pit road cost Busch dearly about halfway through the race at Martinsville and he was never able to recover, finishing 17th to end any hopes of catching Johnson. CHASE CHATTER: "I had to get too close to the wall to squeeze into our pit box and that really did us in," Busch said. "We lost about 15 spots and got caught up way back in the pack." DRIVER: Ryan Newman CHASE POINTS: seventh, -312 CAR: No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet TEAM: Stewart/Haas Racing POSITION CHANGE: Plus 1 CAREER TALLADEGA STARTS: 15 AVERAGE TALLADEGA FINISH: 18.5 (best finish: third in 2009) LAST WEEK: Qualified on the pole at Martinsville and led 23 laps before finishing seventh, his fifth top-10 finish in five Chase races. CHASE CHATTER: "It was a good run for us," Newman said. "We kept our nose clean the entire day and ran up there with those guys that are running for a championship." DRIVER: Greg Biffle CHASE POINTS: eighth, -350 CAR: No. 16 3M Scotch Brand Ford TEAM: Roush Fenway Racing POSITION CHANGE: Minus 1 CAREER TALLADEGA STARTS: 13 AVERAGE TALLADEGA FINISH: 23.8 (best finish: seventh in 2009) LAST WEEK: Limped to 25th at Martinsville, a performance Biffle blamed on a lack of practice time due to poor weather on Saturday. CHASE CHATTER: "We couldn't really do anything with our car," Biffle said. "With practice getting rained out yesterday it really hurt us. That happened in the spring, so that makes it tough. Someday when we get to test or practice here we'll be all right." DRIVER: Denny Hamlin CHASE POINTS: ninth, -352 CAR: No. 11 FedEx Toyota TEAM: Joe Gibbs Racing POSITION CHANGE: Plus 2 CAREER TALLADEGA STARTS: 7 AVERAGE TALLADEGA FINISH: 18.9 (best finish: third in 2008) LAST WEEK: A week after his dreams of a title vanished at Charlotte, Hamlin bounced back with a win at Martinsville as he held off Johnson to post his third victory of the season. CHASE CHATTER: "It's kind of a fun power position to be racing around guys that are racing for a championship, and you have nothing to lose and all you're doing is going for a race win," Hamlin said. DRIVER: Carl Edwards CHASE POINTS: 10th, -413 CAR: No. 99 Aflac Ford TEAM: Roush Fenway Racing POSITION CHANGE: None CAREER TALLADEGA STARTS: 10 AVERAGE TALLADEGA FINISH: 24.5 (best finish: fifth in 2005) LAST WEEK: Edwards' season in a nutshell? The final lap at Martinsville when his drive shaft broke, dropping him from 12th to 20th. CHASE CHATTER: "I was trying so hard at the end," Edwards said. "We're at a point with our Aflac team in the Chase with not a lot to lose, so the guys worked hard. It just wasn't meant to be." DRIVER: Kasey Kahne CHASE POINTS: 11th -439 CAR: No. 9 Budweiser Dodge TEAM: Richard Petty Motorsports POSITION CHANGE: Minus 2 CAREER TALLADEGA STARTS: 11 AVERAGE TALLADEGA FINISH: 23.5 (best finish, 2nd in 2006) LAST WEEK: Kahne's roller coaster Chase continued, as a pair of incidents and a blown right front tire left him seven laps down and in 32nd place at Martinsville. CHASE CHATTER: "This hasn't been a great track for us, so we need to work on that," Kahne said. "It was a pretty frustrating day." DRIVER: Brian Vickers CHASE POINTS: 12th, -530 CAR: No. 83 Red Bull Toyota TEAM: Red Bull Racing POSITION CHANGE: None CAREER TALLADEGA STARTS: 10 AVERAGE TALLADEGA FINISH: 19.7 (won in 2006) LAST WEEK: After five weeks of Chase agony, Vickers managed to finish 11th at Martinsville, easily his best performance in the playoffs. CHASE CHATTER: "It's no secret that it's not gone well for us lately in the Chase, and 11th at a tough place like Martinsville is a good start to getting back on track," Vickers said. "We could've run better and finished better, but we'll take it." -- Will Graves Sadler to drive a Ford as RPM finalizes 2010 plans CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Richard Petty Motorsports is finalizing elements of its 2010 program, beginning this weekend when Elliott Sadler will race a Ford at Talladega Superspeedway. Behind the scenes, the team is also shoring up its lineup. Team officials familiar with RPM's personnel moves told The Associated Press on Wednesday that sponsor Best Buy will move from Sadler's car next season to Petty's famed No. 43 with AJ Allmendinger as the driver. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because the changes have yet to be announced. Stanley will become the sole primary sponsor for Sadler. Both Best Buy and Stanley had shared Sadler's car this season. Sponsorship concerns have been one of the larger issues facing RPM as it prepares for 2010. The team is trying to complete a deal to merge with Yates Racing, and plans to move full time from Dodge to Ford next season. But its lineup has been a huge question as RPM fielded only two fully funded cars all season for Sadler and Kasey Kahne. The team has had to piece together funding for Allmendinger and Reed Sorenson, and both drivers have forfeited either salary or race winnings to help keep their teams afloat. Majority team owner George Gillett Jr. said earlier this month that RPM would field a minimum of three cars next season, but he would not discuss the potential lineup or sponsorship issues. By moving Best Buy to the No. 43, the team now has the far less difficult task of selling some individual races for Allmendinger and Sadler, as opposed to the daunting task of trying to secure a primary sponsor willing to spend $15 million or more to back Allmendinger. RPM could still be a four-car team, contingent on the merger with Yates and if driver Paul Menard and the sponsorship from his father's hardware store chain stay within the organization. The Menards could try to negotiate their way out of the contract and move the entire package to another team. Either way, all signs indicate the RPM-Yates merger will go through. "We do know that the negotiations are going very well with Yates Racing and RPM," said Brian Wolfe, director of Ford North America Motorsports. "Both sides are very excited about the opportunities, but the final I's dotted and T's crossed has not been completed yet. All parties are working together, assuming that there are no real hard rocks in the road yet, so we're just really excited about the opportunities going forward." The change to Ford will happen regardless of the merger, and Sadler will be the first RPM driver to race in the new model Sunday at Talladega. Allmendinger is expected to drive a Ford in the final three races of the season. In getting its drivers seat time now, RPM officials will get a head start on their 2010 planning. Giving Sadler the car for Talladega also gives the team a database to prepare for the season-opening Daytona 500, which is also a restrictor plate race. Sadler is the best plate racer at RPM, with two top-10 finishes in the three plate races so far this season. He's also led at least one lap in his last 13 starts at Talladega, has three poles and three top-10 finishes. Sadler also has a lengthy past relationship with both Ford (269 starts) and Yates (130 races). He won seven poles in Yates Fords, including one at Talladega in May 2006. "Since this is the final restrictor plate race of the season, we made the decision to run a Ford to get some work done in advance," Sadler said. "This will be our first time to practice and work on a Fusion under real race conditions. It should help us get ready to make a strong showing at Daytona and put us in the best position to start next season. Since it's important to start a season off on the right foot, we thought we'd try to get a head start." -- Jenna Fryer Longtime Martinsville Speedway PR man dies MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Dick Thompson, a pioneer in auto-racing public relations during nearly 40 years at Martinsville Speedway, died Wednesday, the track announced. He was 74. Thompson was working as a racing writer for The Roanoke Times in 1966 when the late Martinsville Speedway founder, H. Clay Earles, hired him to help publicize events at the track, said W. Clay Campbell, Earles' grandson and now the track's president. Thompson was the track's first public relations director and was only the second full-time public relations representative in NASCAR, the speedway said in a news release. Using innovative strategies and gimmicks to attract interest, Thompson helped usher the half-mile track — and NASCAR — into an era of sponsorships and other growth. When he retired in January 2005 after nearly 40 years, NASCAR was the fastest-growing sport in America, routinely drawing more than 60,000 people for races at Martinsville. "Dick Thompson was one of the pioneers in track public relations," Campbell said. The track's press box is named for Thompson. Thompson's funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church in Martinsville. Burial will be at Roselawn Burial Park in Martinsville. Formula One F1 eras to end at 2009 season closer in Abu Dhabi ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — As Formula One prepares to welcome its newest circuit this weekend, it will be the farewells that gain most of the attention. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, at the state-of-the-art Yas Marina circuit on a man-made island off the Abu Dhabi coast, is the final race of the 2009 season. With the drivers and constructors' championships already safely in the keeping of Jenson Button and his Brawn GP team, this weekend's race will be a reflection upon the passing of some eras, and further intense negotiations over driver moves ahead of 2010. Abu Dhabi will be the last race for BMW, which has pulled out of the sport to reduce costs, and also marks the final race for Fernando Alonso with Renault and Kimi Raikkonen with Ferrari. Alonso, after two world titles with Renault, will take Raikkonen's seat at Ferrari next year. "I would love to finish the season and my Renault career with a great result," Alonso said. "It will be an emotional race because I have enjoyed so many special memories with this team and I am leaving behind a lot of friends." The 2010 destiny of Raikkonen, who also won a world title with Ferrari, remains the source of much speculation. He is considered likely to return to his old team McLaren to partner with Lewis Hamilton — one of the few drivers who can be sure he will start the 2010 season with the same team he'll race for this weekend. Button is in the midst of contract negotiations with Brawn. The Briton accepted a cut-price deal for 2009 because of doubts about the viability of the team following Honda's withdrawal on the eve of the season. Now that he has won the world title and Brawn is on more solid ground, a much better deal is due. Button would be quite happy to let rumors about a move to McLaren swirl around — it can only strengthen his bargaining position. Should he stay with Brawn, Button seems certain to have a new teammate for 2010. Veteran Brazilian Rubens Barrichello has been holding talks with Williams, and a straight swap with that team's Nico Rosberg appears likely. However, Hamilton would welcome his old karting teammate Rosberg at McLaren, which seems certain to jettison the underperforming Heikki Kovalainen. One move that is signed and sealed is that of Robert Kubica moving from BMW-Sauber to Renault to replace Alonso. The future of the Swiss-based BMW-Sauber team remains in flux. With BMW pulling out, the team has won financial backing from a somewhat mysterious Qadback Investments group, but has no guarantee of a place on the grid. It has been designated the 14th team for 2010, meaning its place in next season's championship depends upon one of the 13 teams not going ahead with its 2010 entry. Given the uncertainty over the financial state of the sport in the midst of global economic difficulty, it would not be surprising if a team withdraws, giving BMW a reprieve. "There will of course also be a fair amount of sadness within the team as we set off for Abu Dhabi," BMW team boss Mario Thiessen said. "After all, this will be our 70th and final race with the BMW Sauber F1 Team. "With the exception of our fourth and unfortunately final season, I'm more than satisfied with what we have achieved since 2006." This weekend's grand prix will also be the last for mid-race refueling, which will be banned starting next season to reduce the high cost of transporting the fuel rigs around the world. That will mean an end to pit crews dressed like astronauts as a fire safety precaution. But the more important resulting cosmetic difference will be to the cars themselves. No refueling requires a bigger fuel tank and a redesign of the chassis to accommodate it. With the tank fitted between driver and engine, the cars should look a little more bloated in the tail end. Auto Racing Glance NASCAR SPRINT CUP AMP Energy 500 Site: Talladega, Ala. Schedule: Friday, practice (Speed, 1-2:30 p.m., 3-4 p.m.); Saturday, qualifying (Speed, 11-2 p.m.); Sunday, race, Noon(ABC, 11-4 p.m.). Track: Talladega Superspeedway (oval, 2.66 miles). Race distance: 500 miles, 188 laps. Last year: Tony Stewart ended a 43-race winless streak with his lone victory in his final season for Joe Gibbs Racings. Stewart blocked Regan Smith for the final three laps, forcing Smith to dip below the out-of-bounds line to make a last-ditch pass that NASCAR later ruled illegal. Last week: Denny Hamlin raced to his third victory of the year, holding off series leader Jimmie Johnson at Martinsville Speedway. Johnson won five of the previous six races at the 0.526-mile track. Fast facts: Johnson has a 118-point lead over Hendrick Motorsports teammate Mark Martin with four races left. Fellow Hendrick driver Jeff Gordon (-150) is third, followed by Stewart (-192) and Juan Pablo Montoya (-200). ... Johnson has six wins this season — three in the first six Chase races — and 46 overall. ... Brad Keselowski won the April race at Talladega for his lone Cup victory. He made contact with Carl Edwards on the last lap, sending Edwards airborne into the safety fence. Johnson was 30th. ... Gordon leads active drivers with six Talladega victories, one more than Dale Earnhardt Jr. ... Roush Fenway's Matt Kenseth and David Ragan are using Ford's new FR9 motors. Next race: Dickie's 500, Nov. 8, Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, Texas. On the Net: http://www.nascar.com CAMPING WORLD TRUCKS Mountain Dew 250 Site: Talladega, Ala. Schedule: Friday, practice, qualifying (Speed, 4-6 p.m.); Saturday, race, 3 p.m.(Speed, 2:30-5:30 p.m.). Track: Talladega Superspeedway (oval, 2.66 miles). Race distance: 250.4 miles, 94 laps. Last year: Todd Bodine won the race for the second straight year, taking the lead on the final turn and holding off Ron Hornaday Jr. and Kyle Busch. Bodine also won the 2008 season-opener at Daytona, NASCAR's other restrictor-plate track. Last week: Timothy Peters raced to his first career Trucks win, holding off Todd Bodine over three restarts at Martinsville Speedway. Peters stopped just once in the 200-lap race, after 33 laps, and led the final 84 laps. Fast facts: Mike and Chrissy Wallace are set to become the first father-daughter combination in a NASCAR national series event. The 21-year-old Chrissy made her series debut in March at Martinsville. ... Hornaday has a 224-point lead over Matt Crafton with four races left. The 51-year-old Hornaday won five straight races this summer and has a series-high six victories. He has 45 career victories and three season titles, both series records. ... Busch has five series victories this year. Next race: WinStar World Casino 350, Nov. 6, Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, Texas. On the Net: http://www.nascar.com NATIONWIDE Next race: O'Reilly Challenge, Nov. 7, Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, Texas. Last week: Brad Keselowski raced to his fourth victory of the year, holding off series leader Kyle Busch at Memphis Motorsports Park. On the Net: http://www.nascar.com FORMULA ONE Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Site: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Schedule: Friday, practice (Speed, 8-9:30 a.m.); Saturday, practice (Speed, 8-9:30 a.m.), qualifying; Sunday, race, 7 a.m.(Speed, 6:30-9 a.m., 3:30-6 p.m.). Track: Yas Marina Circuit (road course, 3.45 miles). Race distance: 189.8 miles, 55 laps. Last year: Inaugural race. Last race: Brawn GP's Jenson Button wrapped up his first season title in the next-to-last race of the season, finishing fifth in the Brazilian Grand Prix on Oct. 18. Brawn became the first first-year constructors' champion. Red Bull's Mark Webber won the race. Fast facts: The season-ending event is the last for BMW, pulling out of the sport to reduce costs, and also marks the final race for Fernando Alonso with Renault and Kimi Raikkonen with Ferrari. Alonso, a two-time season champion with Renault, will take Raikkonen's seat at Ferrari next year. ... Button is winless in the last nine races after winning six of the first seven. ... The 21-turn, Hermann Tilke-designed Yas Marina circuit sits on a man-made island. On the Net: http://www.formula1.com NHRA FULL THROTTLE NHRA Las Vegas Nationals Site: Las Vegas. Schedule: Friday, qualifying; Saturday, qualifying (ESPN2, 10:30 p.m.- 12:30 a.m.); Sunday, final eliminations (ESPN2, 6:30-9:30 p.m.). Track: The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Last year: Tony Schumacher raced to the last of his record 15 Top Fuel victories of the year after wrapping up his sixth season championship by qualifying. Cruz Pedregon won in Funny Car, taking the points lead en route to his second series championship. Jeg Coughlin (Pro Stock) and Chris Rivas (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won. Last event: Mike Edwards went wire-to-wire at the NHRA Virginia Nationals on Oct. 11, earning the maximum 150 points to nearly clinch his first Pro Stock title with two races left. Del Worsham (Funny Car) and Brandon Bernstein (Top Fuel) also won. Fast facts: Schumacher, a five-time Top Fuel winner this season, has a 47-point lead over Larry Dixon. Cory McClenathan (-68) is third, and Antron Brown (-81) fourth. ... Robert Hight tops the Funny Car standings, followed by Ashley Force Hood (-13), Tony Pedregon (-48) and Ron Capps (-63). ... In Pro Stock, Edwards has a 128-point lead over Greg Anderson. ... Hector Arana leads the Pro Stock Motorcycle standings, 28 points ahead of Ed Krawiec. ... Schumacher raced to his third straight Top Fuel victory at the track in April. Capps (Funny Car) and Coughlin (Pro Stock) also won. Next race: Automobile Club of Southern California Finals, Nov. 12-15, Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, Pomona, Calif. On the Net: http://www.nhra.com This content has passed through fivefilters.org.

Fly Racing's Team Faith Claims UTV Lites Championship - ATV Rider Magazine Posted: 28 Oct 2009 05:16 PM PDT The final round of the Can-am Grand National Cross Country series took place this last weekend in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Being one point out of the lead at the final round, Fly Racing's Team Faith were ready for a fight to the finish to take home the Championship in the UTV Lites class. Starting from the second row, 20 seconds behind the first row, Team Faith grabbed the holeshot and a clear track but only for a short time. Passing was impossible in the trees, then coming into a field they saw the class points leader with a front tire flopping around. Taking advantage of their competition's bad luck, Team Faith continued on to the finish to take home third place for the round and the 2009 UTV Lites Championship! Congratulations to Team Faith from everyone at Fly Racing. About Fly Racing Established in 1996, Fly Racing began as a manufacturer of motorcycle handlebars and helmets and has quickly developed into one of the fastest growing off road riding apparel and hard part brands. Fly racing develops high-quality products for the competitive and demanding North American market and is distributed in 40+ countries. This content has passed through fivefilters.org.

More info on the electric superbike coming soon from Mavizen - Examiner Posted: 28 Oct 2009 05:08 PM PDT Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe Subscribe A minister from the Isle of Man government, the Honorable John Shimmin, will be on hand in Las Vegas on November 3 to help launch Mavizen's TTX02 electric superbike. This electric motorcycle is meant to be a bootstrap vehicle for teams wishing to compete in the TTXGP racing series. The specs have not been released but obviously it is meant to perform better than the TTXGP winning entry from Mavizen's collaborator, Team Agni. The TTXGP race is part of the TT race series held on the Isle of Man, and bikes competing in this race have to complete either one or two 38 mile laps over mountainous rugged terrain. (see TTXGP UK Championship 2010 agreement, and other TTXGP news) Until recently the all electric superbike class of motorcycles seemed to be occupied solely by Mission Motors. However over the last two months we have seen Lightning Motors run a prototype of their superbike at the Bonneville Salt Flats, they expect to sell production models during 2010. And now Mavizen is getting ready to sell the TTX02 in Q1/2010. Additionally other companies may enter the superbike market with Brammo, Electric Motorsports, and Zero Motorcycles being likely contenders. (See Lightning Motors has second fastest electric motorcycle, ahead of Mission Motors) Mavizen has been leaking a series of tease photo's prior to next week's launch. Obviously details will be revealed next week but that hasn't stopped informed speculation from trying to figure it out ahead of time. One of the teaser images is the usual blur job but with a bit of photoshop detective work a writer on Asphalt and Rubber found an unblurred thumbnail which indicates Mavizen is using a KTM RC8 as the frame of the TTX02. Installed in the frame is two Agni motors. The Mavizen announcement also claims the TTX02 will be "the first factory production vehicle to be delivered with a dedicated IP access and connectivity to the network". What this precisely means is yet to be seen as for example other vehicles have had data connectivity to some sort of network, e.g. the Tesla Roadster can phone home with data that Tesla turns into vehicle improvements. The Mavizen TTX02 will be unveiled on Tuesday 3 November at the SEMA show in Las Vegas (Press conference 13.00hrs in the Making Green Cool Zone). The bike will be unveiled by the Honourable John Shimmin, MHK, Minister for Local Government and Environment, Isle of Man Government. A full technical specification and high resolution photos of the bike will be available at the launch. TTXGP is developing a global programme of low-carbon motorsports events working with the Auto-Cycle Union, British Motorcyclists Federation and the Fédération Internationale de Motocylisme to provide a platform for competition to drive technology and innovation into the next generation of motorsports.   This content has passed through fivefilters.org.

Chad Reed Racing for Monster Kawasaki - Motorcycle USA Posted: 28 Oct 2009 05:16 PM PDT The racing action is a little slow this time of year so for those of you who need a fix, try keeping track of the Australasian Supercross Championship. This is the series started by Chad Reed and he continues to use his own star power to promote it. As the reigning champion, Reed is defending his title with a one-point lead over Dan Reardon in the SX Open class. The seven-race series known as Super-X is already two-deep so check out the website for more information – it's actually a pretty good site with lots of great highlight videos. The multiple formats seem interesting for riders and fans alike. Round 6 will take the series to New Zealand for the first time and James Stewart has committed to racing down under. Perhaps tired of seeing Reed pad his career stats, JS7 is slated to attend the final round at Brisbane on Dec. 5 using the omnipotent 2010 Yamaha YZ450F. Oh, did we mention that Reedy is competing for his new Monster Energy Kawasaki team? 2009 Super X Schedule: Oct. 17 – Aurora Stadium, Launceston Oct. 24 – Skilled Stadium, Geelong Oct. 31 – Burswood Dome, Perth Nov. 7 – Canberra Stadium, Canberra Nov. 14 – Parramatta Stadium, Sydney Nov. 21 – Waikato Stadium, New Zealand Dec. 5 – QSAC Stadium, Brisbane This content has passed through fivefilters.org.

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