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Tag: racing

  • Formula One Sets Minimum Age For Aspiring Racers

    Formula One is the premier racing league. Racers from all over the world have aspirations to compete in the Formula One, but some racers won’t be able to compete come 2016.

    Reuters reports the Formula One racing league will impose an age limit of 18 starting in 2016. The age limit isn’t the only thing the International Automobile Association has changed. The Association is also changing the requirements necessary to obtain the super license which is required when wanting to participate in Formula One races.

    To obtain a super license, the driver in question must be over 18-years-old and have knowledge of driving regulations. Both requirements seem like they would already be in place, but that wasn’t the case. One example would be Max Verstappen, a 17-year-old signed to the Toro Rosso team. He’ll be 19 when the new rules come into effect so it won’t have any effect on him. The rules will have the unique effect, however, of ensuring he’s the youngest Formula One racer to ever live.

    The more specific rules require the racer in question to spend two years in minor Formulas while accruing a certain amount of points during those years. There’s no word yet on if the FIA is going to increase the cost of the Super License. The current price is $12,800 for the basic license plus an extra $1,280 for each world championship point.

    For younger racers turned off by the new rules, there will always be the Formula Junior, Formula Three and GP2 racing leagues. Success in these leagues will almost assuredly ensure that young racers will get into Formula One once they hit 18-years-old.

  • Danica Patrick Continues to Drive Pink Car For Breast Cancer Awareness

    Danica Patrick will once again race in a pink Chevrolet SS as she heads to Martinsville Speedway in Virginia this weekend for the Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500 race. Patrick also drove the pink version of her number 10 GoDaddy car at the Charlotte Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway the past two weekends.

    The car is painted pink to raise awareness for breast cancer. October is breast cancer awareness month and the paint job is part of GoDaddy’s “Put the Brakes on Breast Cancer” program.

    This week a new twist on the paint job will be seen in Martinsville. As part of the GoDaddy program fans were encouraged to donate at least $10 to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Fans who did so were able to place their name or a loved one’s name on the car. The car now has hundreds of names of people affected by breast cancer featured on it, including some that Patrick herself donated for.

    “GoDaddy has done a lot to raise awareness about breast cancer,” said Patrick. “For this week we have a lot of names on the car of people that are affected by breast cancer. I know I put a few on there, including Holly Cain. I know the Gibson’s donated and put some names on there as did others from SHR (Stewart Haas Racing), GoDaddy, and of course the fans. It’s just a good way to raise awareness and remember the people affected by this terrible disease.”

    Holly Cain is a NASCAR.com reporter who has been diagnosed with breast cancer.

    As for the race itself, Patrick has only had three starts at the short Martinsville track. She finished 32nd during her last outing at Martinsville this past March. Despite that recent history Patrick this week stated that she and crew chief Tony Gibson are hoping to “put together a good run” for the names featured on the side of the car.

  • Danica Patrick Closes Out the Season at Richmond

    Following an impressive showing at the Atlanta Motor Speedway over Labor Day weekend, Danica Patrick finished up the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup regular season in Richmond, Virginia on Saturday. Patrick finished in 16th place during the Federated Auto Parts 400 held at the Richmond International Raceway.

    “It was a good day,” said Patrick. “Everyone on the GoDaddy team worked hard; we had good night. I’m proud of where we have been the last two weeks, and tonight was by far our best run at Richmond. It was a good job by the team.”

    Patrick started the race in 13th and ran between 10th and 20th during the entire race. On lap 330 Patrick was in 16th and one lap down when the caution flag was raised due to a fan that had scaled a retaining fence on the track. The caution allowed Patrick to gain a lap via the beneficiary rule (also known as the “lucky dog” rule), though she remained in 16th for the rest of the race.

    “If we could have got one more caution, it would have been nice,” said Patrick. “But it didn’t happen. Still, I’m proud of these guys and for GoDaddy. It’s our best run here by far. We’ve been testing a lot, so hopefully everyone can wind down on Sunday before we get ready for Chicago.”

    Saturday’s race was the final race of this year’s Sprint Cup regular season. Next weekend will begin the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Sixteen drivers will compete in ten races to determine the series winner. The drivers were selected to compete in the Chase based on their wins and point totals during the regular season.

    Patrick is not part of the Chase, but the sixth seed going into the series is Patrick’s Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kevin Harvick. Harvick won two races during the regular season and finished fifth at Richmond this past weekend.

    The first race of the Chase for the Sprint Cup, the MyAFibStory.com 400, will take place on September 14 at the Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois.

  • Danica Patrick Sets Record At Atlanta Motor Speedway

    Seemingly coming from nowhere, Danica Patrick of Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) finished in sixth place at the Oral-B USA 500 leg of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series over the Labor Day Weekend. The race was held at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, and Patrick now holds the record for a woman at the track, since Janet Guthrie had finished 10th on it in 1978.

    The race has been Patrick’s best finish for the season as well as a career-best, toppling her seventh-place finish at Kansas Speedway earlier this year. This finish also comes after six consecutive races for Patrick where she couldn’t break into the top 15, making her an unexpected force to be reckoned with on the track.

    Patrick started the race in 27th place out of 43, but methodically made her way closer to the front, fighting her way back up twice from a lap down. She credited her progress to key adjustments that SHR crew chief Tony Gibson made that improved her car’s performance and made her more comfortable in the driver’s seat. “The car was really good. I had one lap where I felt like I was playing a video game out there. I was just driving around the top side of everybody. It was a little more human-like after that. Gibson and everybody did a good job,” she said.

    What gave her the final edge was a great last pit stop that set her up on the preferred line at the track for restarts, seventh on the inside. “Obviously the pit stop at the end that was 11 seconds was so good. There were a couple of rough ones in the beginning but that one made up for it because it put us seventh on that restart, and we had a good line on the inside and didn’t get caught up on the outside,” said Patrick.

    Although she wasn’t able to hold her lead in the last two laps, Patrick is still high on the result of the race, as she’d only been hoping to get into the top 15. “I am just so happy for the team,” she said.

    Despite it not being her favorite track, she is reportedly ready and looking forward to racing in the regular-season finale at Richmond International Raceway on September 6.

  • Danica Patrick Gears Up For the Oral-B USA 500

    Hot off of her 27th-place finish in the Irwin Tools Night Race last weekend at the Bristol Motor Speedway, Danica Patrick is now preparing for a big Labor Day weekend at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Instead of one last 2014 cookout, Patrick will be entertaining NASCAR fans at this year’s Oral-B USA 500.

    The 325-lap event on the Atlanta Motor Speedway’s 1.5-mile track is the 25th race in this year’s Sprint Cup Series. Patrick considers the oval track one of the fastest in the series – and one of the most challenging.

    “The first time I raced there was in 2012 and I did both Nationwide and (Sprint) Cup,” said Patrick. “That seems like a long time ago and that was only my fifth Cup start, so I feel a little more confident and knowledgeable than I did then. It’s a fast place. The tires definitely go off with the surface and the line moves around a lot. It’s a big weekend with a lot going on for GoDaddy, Coke Zero, and Chevrolet, so there’s a lot off the track, as well. But I’m looking forward to it.”

    Patrick drives the number 10 GoDaddy Chevrolet car for the Stewart-Haas Racing team.

    According to Patrick, she will be leaning heavily on her crew chief, Tony Gibson, during this weekend’s race. Gibson logged two wins at the Atlanta Motor Speedway during the three years he was crew chief for Jeff Gordon.

    Patrick finished 21st in last year’s AdvoCare 500 race at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Though disappointing, Patrick considers that race a “good” one and an overall improvement for her crew.

    “I remember that we weren’t good in the first practice,” said Patrick. “Tony Gibson and the guys worked really hard and we qualified well and then continued to get better throughout the weekend. It was a good race for us. It was a little tight at the end but, overall, we improved. The pit crew was really good and they were quick on each stop.”

  • Tony Stewart Hits and Kills Race Car Driver [VIDEO]

    NASCAR driver Tony Stewart hit and killed another driver during a 25-lap race at Canandaigua Motorsports Park in New York on Saturday night. Police are investigating the incident and report that Stewart is being completely cooperative.

    The incident that took the life of 20-year-old Kevin Ward Jr. occurred about halfway through the sprint car race. Following a collision with Tony Stewart that took Ward out of the race, Ward exited his car and began walking up the track while other cars were approaching. It was then that Stewart clipped Ward, which resulted in the young man’s death.

    View a video of the incident below. Warning: the below video is graphic; view at your own discretion.

    In an interview with Sporting News, sprint car driver Tyler Graves gave his version of the incident.

    “Tony pinched him into the frontstretch wall, a racing thing,” Graves said. “The right rear tire went down, he spun on the exit of (Turn) 2. They threw the caution and everything was toned down. Kevin got out of his car…He was throwing his arms up all over the place at Tony for most of the corner.”

    “I know Tony could see him,” Graves continued. “When Tony got close to him, he hit the throttle. When you hit a throttle on a sprint car, the car sets sideways. It set sideways, the right rear tire hit Kevin, Kevin was sucked underneath and was stuck under it for a second or two and then it threw him about 50 yards.”

    Even though Graves believes Stewart was angry with Ward (image below), he doesn’t believe that Stewart hit the other driver on purpose. “You never mean to do something like that,” Graves said. “Kevin was pissed and he let Tony know. And Tony was trying to give the message back that he wasn’t happy either. He went over the line with it.”

    No charges have been brought against Tony Stewart so far, but police are investigating the incident. The fact that Stewart hasn’t been charged has angered many racing fans, many of whom believe that something like this was bound to happen because of the driver’s infamous temper.

    Despite a spokesperson saying that Sunday’s NASCAR race would be “business as usual” for Tony Stewart, it has now been announced that Stewart won’t participate in Cheez-It 355 at Watkins Glen International.

    Image via YouTube

  • Jeff Gordon Gets New Panasonic Sponsorship Deal

    The Hendrick Motorsports auto racing team this week announced a new, expanded multi-year sponsorship deal with Panasonic. The deal includes primary sponsorship of Jeff Gordon‘s number 24 car in two Sprint Cup races each year through 2016 and an associate-level sponsorship for other races. Panasonic and Hendrick Motorsports have had a technology partnership deal since 2007.

    Jeff Gordon is a four-time Sprint Cup Series winner and one of the most recognizable faces in NASCAR.

    The sponsorship also means a new paint job for Gordon’s number 24 car. The car, complete with a blue Panasonic paint job, will debut this weekend at the Sonoma Raceway in California. The car will also make an appearance on August 31 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. A die cast model of the new car and a new t-shirt featuring the same style are already available for pre-order through Gordon’s website.

    “We’re looking forward to working with Panasonic in a new way, and I can’t think of a better place for their debut with the number 24 team,” said Gordon. “This is the next step in what’s already been a successful partnership, and it’s going to be fun to take it to another level. We hope to kick it off with a win this weekend for Panasonic and Toughbook.”

    For Panasonic, the upside of the deal is promoting its cameras, computers, and displays. Panasonic’s “Toughbook” notebook brand will appear on the number 24 car’s quarter panels.

    “To maximize the value of a NASCAR sponsorship, you need to partner with proven teams and drivers that exemplify your brand,” said Rance Poehler, president of Panasonic System Communications Company in North America. “Hendrick Motorsports and Jeff Gordon have a record of excellence that is a perfect fit for Panasonic and its Toughbook brand. We’ve been a technology partner of Hendrick Motorsports for many years, and as our business evolves to solutions and deeper partnerships with our customers it is an excellent time to extend our relationship from behind the scenes to the car on the track.”

    Image via Twitter

  • Jimmie Johnson Snagged His Second Consecutive Win Of 2014 At Dover

    Jimmie Johnson prevailed, yet again. After participating in 12 races, he finally got his first win of the year. And it seems as if there is nothing stopping him. He managed to add another championship to his name, just a mere week after his victory in the Coca Cola 600, by snagging his ninth win at the Dover International Speedway for the FedEx 400.

    Johnson, who was criticized for not winning any titles in 2014 until the Coca Cola 600, celebrated with his family after his victory at Dover. There are still a few months before the Chase for the Sprint Cup begins, but Johnson’s recent winning streak will certainly make him the big threat come race day.

    The racer started to seriously question himself about his losing streak at the begining of the season. Some speculate that his hernia surgery in December of 2013 may have contributed to a decline in his performance. However, this got resolved when Johnson started racing at his favorite tracks again, waking up his inner fire.

    Jimmie Johnson is well known for being the six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion. He drives the No. 48 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. Because of the losing streak he had earlier this year, skeptics started to doubt him, as Johnson already had 11 races with no wins—something that hasn’t happened since the beginning of his racing career. However, he silenced his critics by snagging the Coca Cola 600 on May 25th, and now the FedEx 400 on Sunday. It appears that he is now back to form.

    There are still a lot of races left before the Sprint Cup, but Johnson seems poised to defend his title for a seventh time. Overall, Jimmie Johnson gave a dominant performance at this year’s FedEx 400. He led with a race-high 272 of 400 laps, and had no real threat from his competition. Can he pull off a win for the Sprint Cup? Fans will just have to wait and see what he has in store for the rest of the season.

    Image via YouTube

  • Courtney Force Makes History By Scoring 100th Female NHRA Win

    Courtney Force may be most well-known as the daughter of 16-time NHRA Funny Car national champion John Force, but she’s an accomplished NHRA racer as well. In fact, she just accomplished something that most NHRA racers never see.

    NBC reports that Courtney became the 100th female driver to score a win in the NHRA over the weekend. In a race with Cruz Pedregon on Sunday, she finished in 4.148 seconds scoring her first win of the season. While it may have only been her first win of the season, it was a defining moment for women in motor sports.

    “This is for all the girls out there in any type of sport, any motorsport,” said Force. “It’s an exciting day for us. It’s an honor to be number 100 on a list of the legends like Shirley Muldowney, Angelle Sampey, Melanie Troxel, Erica Enders-Stevens, Shelly Payne, Ashley (Force Hood, sister), Alexis DeJoria, there are so many great names. … It’s an honor to be a part of it. We’ve hit 100, but there’s 100 more to go.”

    To commemorate the event, the NHRA gave Force a special trophy complete with pink faceplate and design. She came close to winning the trophy last week when she barely lost to Robert Height at the Spring Nationals in Commerce, GA. Despite that loss, she still came back and won it this week for all the women in sports:

    “There’s just a lot of emotion right now,” Force said. “I am happy to win this for all of the girls who have won races in NHRA over the years. They know how to win, and this win is for them.”

    Speaking of female NHRA drivers, all of this started in 1976 when Shirley Muldowney became the first female to win a national event. It may have taken over 30 years for female drivers to score 100 wins, but it’s long been impossible to question their contributions to the sport. Force’s win only cements the fact that women are here to stay in motorsports.

    Image via nhra/YouTube

  • Jeff Gordon Raced In Coca-Cola 600 Despite Back Spasms

    Despite experiencing intense back spasms, Jeff Gordon was determined to take part in the Coca-Cola 600 Nascar race on Sunday.

    On Saturday, the Sprint Cup points leader had to cut his practice short, after only 11 laps. He tried to continue, but the pain was too much and he told his crew that he simply couldn’t continue.

    Gordon then climbed out of his car and was escorted off the track to receive treatment. Crew chief Alan Gustafson explained that they would not be participating in the final practice session, but would instead be focusing on getting ready for Sunday night’s race.

    “It’s unfortunate,” Gordon said. “‘I’ve had some spasms in the past, but this one, it was a little bit different. And so I just want to really be cautious and take care of it. It doesn’t do me any good to be in the car right now.”

    Gordon first started feeling the pain after qualifying on Thursday night. “Thursday night after qualifying was when he was feeling the worst. … He did all he could as far as treatment and rest, and whatever is required with hopes today (he’d) be good to go,” Gustafson said.

    Gordon had hoped that the pain would subside before Saturday’s practice sessions, but, unfortunately, the pain continued and Gordon explained that it was “everything I could do” to finish the 11 laps. ”Luckily, we had a good 11 laps there and we’ve got our teammates and information that we’re going to be able to gather from them,” Gordon said. ”It’s all coming together very fast right now.”

    “It’s really about getting prepared for 600 miles tomorrow,” he continued. “I have no doubts that I can be in this car and be competitive if I just take it easy over the next 24 hours.”

    Gordon qualified number 27 for the race that he was won three previous times. The crew hoped that Gordon would at least be able to start the race, and had Regan Smith on standby in case Gordon had to bail out. “He’s extremely tough and extremely dedicated,” Gustafson said on Saturday night. “I know tomorrow he’ll do everything he can to get in and go. … The plan is for him to race.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Mark Cuban To Serve As Starter At Indy 500

    The Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced yesterday that Mark Cuban, the owner of the Dallas Mavericks, will be serving as the honorary starter at the 98th Indy 500, waving the green flag to start the field of 33 drivers, on Sunday, May 25.

    “Whether it’s winning an NBA Championship or the honor of waving the green flag to start the Indianapolis 500, there are certain sporting events that are monumental for any true sports fan,” the Shark Tank star, and investor, said. “I am excited to come back to Indiana, not just to attend, but actually participate in this historic race.”

    “Mark Cuban brings Indiana ties, a passion for sporting events, and a diverse following of fans around the globe to the flag stand at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway,” Indianapolis Motor Speedway president J. Douglas Boles said in a statement.

    “His successes and personality are well known in the business and entertainment world and we look forward to watching him wave the green flag to start the 98th Indianapolis 500.”

    Cuban is one of the most successful men of our time. Shortly after graduating from Indiana University, in 1995, Cuban and his good friend Todd Wagner developed AudioNet, which streamed audio over the internet so people could listen to sporting events online.

    Four years later, Cuban and Wagner sold AudioNet, which is now Broadcast.com, to Yahoo for $5.6 billion. Cuban took control of the Mavericks in 2000, and joined ABC’s popular television series Shark Tank, as an investor or “shark,” in 2010.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Wes Welker: Should He Pay Back The Money?

    Wes Welker: Should He Pay Back The Money?

    Denver Broncos wide receiver Wes Welker was one of the thousands of people to attend the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs this year, and was seen handing out $100 bills to strangers after winning a bet.

    Welker sent a friend to collect his winnings. He was supposed to receive $42,295.35 but instead was given $57,193.90; that is a difference of $14,000.

    “An individual believed to be a member of Wes Welker’s group on Kentucky Derby day was the beneficiary of an overpayment north of $14,000 on a wager due to a tote malfunction,” Darren Rogers, the Churchill Downs spokesman, said in a statement. “In turn, a letter has been sent to that individual in an attempt to resolve the error.”

    Even though it was not Welker’s fault, many people think he should return the money. However, according to Kentucky administrative regulations, he is not required to. The regulations state that if there is an overpayment, the track is responsible and the patron is not required to repay the money.

    “It is our mistake and we are not worried about the recovery of the money,” Rogers said. “We hope they come back to Churchill Downs and wager that $14,000 next year.”

    Welker revealed that he did not realize that he had been overpaid. He said he could have been underpaid and he never would have known the difference. And, as for the $100 bills, he said that he handed them out rather than signing hundreds of autographs.

    “People wanted autographs and pictures coming down, so I was like, ‘Hey, wouldn’t $100 be nicer?’” Welker said. “And they were like, ‘Yes.’ I was like, ‘Perfect. So, here you go.’”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Dale Earnhardt Jr. Responds To Wedding Rumors

    On May 1, Dale Earnhardt Jr. got quite a surprise when he read the latest article on the National Enquirer.

    Apparently, Dale and his girlfriend Amy Reimannis, an interior decorator, are to be spending $2 million on a lavish wedding by the end of the year; however Dale says that is news to him.

    According to Fox Sports, Dale isn’t even engaged yet, and there are already rumors regarding his wedding. “We just skipped the engagement, I guess. Just went right to the wedding,” Dale said.

    The article quoted a “family pal”, and gave many details of the fictional wedding.

    Dale’s done his share of partying, and he’s finally ready to settle down. When he won his second Daytona 500 (in February), he took it as a sign that this was the year to get hitched.

    His wedding ceremony will be at the Speedway – led by a procession around the track in racing-themed cars and end­ing with a checkered flag at the finish line!

    They even revealed intimate details about the proposal that has yet to happen.

    She [Amy] was beginning to feel that Dale was stringing her along. But he was just looking for the right mo­ment, and his second Daytona win was it. After the race, Dale whispered in Amy’s ear that he want­ed to get married this year.

    Dale’s “wedding” will spare no expense. According to the source, Dale plans on having 2,000 guests and will be serving a dinner that costs $500 a head. The musical line-up is pretty impresive also as Sheryl Crow, Ala­bama, Brooks & Dunn and Kenny Chesney are supposedly performing at the event.

    Thankfully, Dale has a sense of humor and just laughed the nonsense off. He says that if and when he and Amy wed, they will more than likely have a small ceremony in the backyard. “I definitely had a hard time writing that check,” Dale said. “I wouldn’t force everyone to go down to Daytona for my wedding. I’d probably just have it right there in the backyard, whatever is easiest. But that was funny. I read that and I just was – it was a roller coaster of an article.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Hoppertunity Out of Kentucky Derby Due to Injury

    With just days to go before the “Run for fhe Roses,” Kentucky Derby contender Hoppertunity was withdrawn from the big race. According to a Brisnet report, Hoppertunity will not run in the 140th Kentucky Derby due to an injury to one of the horse’s front feet.

    Hoppertunity’s trainers reportedly noticed a bruise on the horse on Wednesday before the horse’s pre-race training. The same injury was noticed on Thursday and Hoppertunity’s owners the decided to pull the horse from the race. According to Brisnet, Hoppertunity is now being examined at an equine hospital in Lexington, Kentucky.

    Hoppertunity’s trainer, Bob Baffert, said that the decision was made to ensure the horse is ready for the Preakness Stakes later this month. He believes that the injury might have been sustained during training on Monday, when the horse worked out on a very wet track at Churchill Downs. He also stated that Hoppertunity is “fine” and that the vet check-up is simply a precaution to make sure the injury isn’t anything more serious than a foot bruise.

    Baffert’s stables are well-known for training winning thoroughbreds. Baffert-trained horses have won three Kentucky Derby races over the past two decades and five Preakness Stakes races.

    Owned by Karl Watson, Mike Pegram, and Paul Weitman, Hoppertunity was one of the favorites going into Saturday’s big race. The horse was seeing 6 to 1 odds on Wednesday, the second favorite behind California Chrome, the horse that beat Hoppertunity by over five lengths in last month’s Santa Anita Derby.

    Wicked Strong will now be the second favorite among Kentucky Derby contenders on Saturday with current odds of 6 to 1. Other horses favored as strong contenders include Samraat, Danza, and Intense Holiday.

    Hoppertunity’s removal from the race allows Pablo del Monte to enter the Kentucky Derby. If Pablo del Monte’s owners enter the horse into the race, it will run at 50 to 1 odds.

    Image via NDN

  • Erica Enders-Stevens Wins Pro Stock Race

    Erica Sanders-Stevens brought home the trophy last Sunday at the NHRA O’Reilly Auto Parts Spring Nationals held at the Royal Purple Raceway.

    Almost 40,000 people were there to witness the event. Stevens was able to beat her rival, Allen Johnson, while driving a Chevy Camaro. According to the race records, Stevens clocked in a 6.594-second pass finishing with a speed of 210.60 mph, while Johnson had a speed of 210.28 mph and clocked in at 6.588. Stevens was able to cross the finish line first even though Johnson had a faster elapsed time.

    After winning, Stevens said that her win was due to the fact that she had a consistent racecar. “My team’s been really awesome,” she said. With her recent win, Stevens is currently leading in the Pro Stock point standings, and is the first woman in history to  accomplish this feat.

    Stevens had an early start in the sport. She started racing when she was just 8 years old. In her career as a junior dragster, she won 37 times.

    The 30-year-old racecar driver was especially happy about winning at Royal Purple Raceway, where she began her career. “To win here in Houston at my home track is very special,” she said. She is planning to keep her momentum in order to remain at the top of the Pro Stock.

    Enders began the event as the second qualifier and made her way up the ranks by beating Matt Harford during the opening round. She was able to beat Jason Line in the second event, and she also beat Jeg Coughlin Jr. at the semi-final round.

    Johnson, on the other hand, started the event as the top qualifier and reached the final round by beating Greg Stanfield in the first round, Jonathan Gray in the second event, and Vincent Nobile in the semi-final round.

    Image via Erica Enders Racing, Facebook

  • Kentucky Derby 2014 Kicks Off on Saturday

    Kentucky Derby 2014 Kicks Off on Saturday

    The 140th running of the Kentucky Derby will take place this Saturday. At 6:24 pm EDT some of the best racehorses from around the world will compete to take home the rose blanket.

    Derby hopefuls have already begun arriving at Churchill Downs in Louisville Kentucky in preparation for the race. As of today 23 horses are set to run the race, with plenty of runner-up candidates ready to take their place should the unforeseen occur.

    The current Derby favorite is California Chrome, a 3-year-old thoroughbred that won this year’s Santa Anita Derby by over five lengths. California Chrome has won his last four races in a row and is scheduled to have Derby-winning jockey Victor Espinoza on his back during the Derby.

    California Chrome is currently on it way to Louisville from California – a state the horse has never left. Chrome’s trainer, Art Sherman, believes that the horse will weather the long flight just fine.

    “I think he’ll walk on that airplane tomorrow morning and think nothing of it,” said Sherman. “He’ll just get on and go. And when he gets to Churchill Downs, he’ll look around and know he’s at a racetrack and feel right at home. That’s the way he is.

    “I guess there are things I should be concerned about given our situation, but one thing I’m not is how this horse is going to handle his trip down there. Chrome will deal with it just fine. I’m not worried about that at all.”

    While California Chrome leads the betting pool, other favorites such as Wicked Strong, Hoppertunity, Samraat, and Danza are also contenders for the Derby title. At the other end of the spectrum horses such as Vinceremos, Pablo Del Monte, and Harry’s Holiday are longshots to win the race.

    As the horses and trainers work feverishly to prepare for the race, horse racing fans across the country are making their own preparations for Derby day. Social media is full of fans who are watching the contenders closely while preparing their Mint Juleps:

    Post by Better Recipes.

    Image via Kentuckytourism.com

  • Here’s Danica Patrick’s ‘At Google’ Talk

    Race car driver and “GoDaddy girl” Danica Patrick recently spoke in an “At Google” talk as part of the Women at Google series. Google has now made the discussion available for all.

    “As a woman in a male dominated field, Danica will share her story on how she succeeded against the odds,” Google says in the description. “She hopes that her story will encourage others to reach high and achieve their goals.”

    Google also notes that Danica is the most searched for athlete.

    More recent At Google talks here.

  • Daytona 500: Dale Jr. Wins “The Great American Race”

    The Daytona 500 was slated to start at 1:00 pm EST on Sunday. If one does some quick math, the race should have finished somewhere around 4:30 pm. (It being 500 mile race with an average speed of 200 mph, adding some extra time for wrecks and caution laps.) “The Great American Race” would wind up taking nearly 11 hours to complete, though, following a massive rain delay of over 6 hours. While this wait may have taken its toll on some of NASCAR’s finest drivers, there was one driver who would not be perturbed – Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    While Dale Jr. may have not had the most impressive car in the first 38 laps before rain delayed the race, his performance was nigh dominant after the race restarted at 8:53 last night. Out of the next 154 laps (the race restarted at lap 46), Junior would lead 54 – more than any other driver in the field: “Tonight it was just all about not giving an inch, not running fifth, not sitting there in fifth-place all night and being okay with it. I wanted to lead every lap, I wanted be in first every lap,” stated Earnhardt. While Junior would not be in first every lap, he was most certainly the leader at the end of the most important lap – the final one.

    Dale Earnhardt’s 2014 Daytona 500 victory marks his second victory at “The Great American Race,” coming an entire decade after his first victory at Daytona in 2004. The victory also marks an end to Junior’s 55-race winless streak – a phenomenon that has plagued Earnhardt over his NASCAR career. Before this most recent 55-race drought, Junior achieved a winless streak of epic proportions, going a whopping 143 races without a win. In fact, since 2005, Earnhardt has only won 5 races (Teammate Jimmie Johnson won 6 races in 2013 alone).

    For some reason, though, Earnhardt has felt that 2014 is going to be a special year: “Let’s be honest, where I am as a driver I feel like I’m on the verge of breaking through and having possibly one of my best seasons… We ran second a lot last year, and that felt great. It was a statement to us that what we’re doing is working. Maybe, this is the year we turn the corner. It doesn’t wear on me mentally, but it motivates and ticks me off,” stated Junior in a pre-season interview.

    And what better way to start the season than winning NASCAR’s biggest race and also sealing a position in NASCAR’s Chase for the Sprint Cup post-season championship (Due to a new rule change which ensures that drivers who win at least one race will contend for the championship): “I feel uncomfortable sitting here bragging my ass off or saying that I run the best race of my life, but it was a unique race. We were all really pushing the envelope out there, really asking a lot of each other,” Earnhardt voiced following his victory.

    “We’re going for the jugular this year,” Junior declared – a statement his father, The Intimidator, would most certainly be proud of.

    Image via Dale Earnhardt Jr., Twitter

  • ‘Project CARS’ Studio Announces Free-to-Play Racing MMO

    Slightly Mad Studios, the developer behind the upcoming Project CARS, today announced that it will be releasing a free-to-play racing MMO later this year. Titled World of Speed, the game is being described as a “AAA massively multiplayer online arcade racing” game.

    According to Slightly Mad, the game will feature dozens of cars and race tracks. Players will be able to race against each other through “clubs” or teams. Races will also feature missions and objectives to keep things interesting. In addition to the driving and racing, Slightly Mad stated that the game will see live events and player challenges. New cars, tracks, and modes are also promised for the future.

    “At the heart of World of Speed lies a unique massive multiplayer online experience which incorporates dynamic social elements and entirely new ways to compete in a racing video game – from an individual to a team level,” said Ian Bell, CEO of Slightly Mad. “World of Speed is an online game and will be continuously supported with innovative and fresh content to keep the competition furious well after its launch.”

    A release date for World of Speed has not been announced, though a closed beta has been scheduled for sometime this spring.

  • VW Beetle: New Super Beetle Will Race In RallyCross

    The Volkswagen Beetle has graduated from an era of driving hippies cross-country to racing RallyCross.

    A new super version of the classic car – the GRC Beetle – is being shown at the Chicago Auto Show and it’s gaining the attention of auto enthusiasts. All of the excitement is for good reason too – and it’s not just because there were two of them on display or that they look like Herbie’s steroidal adversary. Rather, the excitement came on Thursday when it was announced at the show that Volkswagen was joining forces with Andretti Autosport to compete in the Global RallyCross series. There, they revealed the early versions of the all-wheel-drive vehicle, complete with fitting nameplates: “Super Beetle”.

    As for the racers themselves, Tanner Foust and Scott Speed will be the two men manning said Super Beetles.Tanner Foust, a two-time GRC champion, will drive the Rockstar Energy Drink Beetle while Scott Speed, a former NASCAR and Formula 1 driver, takes the 7Up-sponsored car.

    Their RallyCross season adventure will span 10 races, beginning in Barbados on May 17. Because the actual competition cars aren’t yet completed, the finished product won’t be driven in those first races. In lieu, the ones that are going to be initially used will be the GRC-spec Polo models. The team’s goal, however, is to have the new Beetle racers ready to ride by June 7 – in time for the first United States race at the 2014 Summer X Games in Austin, Texas.

    A Beetle built to race might sound sort of unassuming…. but with 560 horsepower from a turbocharged custom-built racing engine, there’s reason enough for the competition to “bug out” a bit.

    Image via Youtube

  • Dale Earnhardt Jr. Optimistic About 2014 Season

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. is one of the best known NASCAR drivers in the world. Not only is he known for the skills he possesses on the track, he is also the son of Dale Earnhardt, the man who left a legacy on racing that will never be forgotten. While Earnhardt Jr. has not had the best past couple of years, he remains optimistic that the 2014 Sprint Cup Series will be his time to shine.

    “Let’s be honest, where I am as a driver I feel like I’m on the verge of breaking through and having possibly one of my best seasons,” Earnhardt Jr. said.

    Earnhardt Jr. has not won a restrictor-plate race since 2010, when he won the Daytona 500 and the Talladega’s fall race. While he seemed to be making a comeback in 2013, he always fell short, landing in the second place slot. He came in second five times last season finishing fifth in points, and has ranked second three times, during the Daytona 500, in the past four years.

    “We ran second a lot last year, and that felt great,” said Earnhardt Jr. “It was a statement to us that what we’re doing is working. Maybe, this is the year we turn the corner. It doesn’t wear on me mentally, but it motivates and ticks me off,” he continued. “When you see videos of last year, I see everyone else (Hendrick Motorsports teammates) in those videos holding trophies and celebrating wins. The only shots of me are those of me walking around pit road.”

    Earnhardt Jr.’s crew chief Steve Letarte also thinks that 2014 will be his year. “By no doing of his own, Junior has a persona that’s bigger than any one person you can ever meet,” Letarte said. “No one can live up to what the fans want him to be. He loves the sport, and he wants to win every week. It’s surprising that a guy that good hasn’t won at Daytona in 10 years. But I can think of some of the close runs we’ve had. If he continues to put himself in position, then he’ll break through.”

    Speaking of Letarte, he announced, in early January, that he would be leaving to take a job with NBC. Like he did last time, Earnhardt Jr. will be handing over the task of choosing a new crew chief to Rick Hendrick. Hendrick made the decision to hire Letarte back in 2010, after an unsuccessful year with crew chief Lance McGrew. “I won’t make any suggestions at all,” Dale Earnhardt Jr. said.

    “I’m ready to win races,” said Earnhardt Jr. “I think that the team is getting really close to being able to accomplish that.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons