Category Archives: racing

Milestones: 100 Millionth Chevy Small Block to be Built in 2011

Posted on 18 August 2011 by Ken Zino

From 1929 and 1955, Chevrolet only offered six-cylinder engines – in spite of Ford Motor’s runaway success with the Flathead V8 introduced in 1932, and Oldsmobile’s Rocket V8 of 1949. Chevrolet chief engineer Ed Cole set out to design a V8 that was powerful, lightweight and affordable. Continue reading →

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Porsche Returns to Le Mans in 2014. Will VW Group Spend Millions to Compete Against Itself with Audi in the Top Class?

Posted on 30 June 2011 by Ken Zino

Some potentially contentious racing and marketing budget allocation debates are ahead, and they will last longer than 24 hours. Will Volkswagen really spend hundreds of millions of dollars to run multiple factory teams to compete against itself? Continue reading →

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Milestones: the BMW 328 Turns 75 Years Old

Posted on 14 June 2011 by Ken Zino

Henne set a lap record for all sports cars during the race, and won the non-supercharged class in the rain. It was the debut of what became one of the most successful sports cars on the track. The win was to be followed by more than 200 others with factory sponsored and privateers running 328s into the 1950s. Continue reading →

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Audi R18 TDI on Pole at Le Mans, Peugeot Third in Qualifying

Posted on 10 June 2011 by Ken Zino

The fastest six cars were running within just five tenths of a second – meaningless in the world’s oldest endurance race, but exciting nonetheless. It looks like there will be 24 hours of intense racing for an estimated 250,000 fans, which because if the web millions of people can track real time at home. Continue reading →

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Corvette ZR1 Cuts 6 Seconds from Nürburgring Lap Time

Posted on 9 June 2011 by Ken Zino

A Porsche 997 GT2 RS posted a 7:18 lap time last year, but the Porsche at $350,000 in Germany is roughly three times more expensive than the ZR1, which begins with an asking price of more than $110,000 in the U.S. Continue reading →

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Honda Reveals Indy Car Refueling Interlock System

Posted on 25 March 2011 by Ken Zino

American Honda has revealed a refueling safety interlock system designed to reduce the potential for pit fires and injuries caused by drivers pulling out with the hose still attached. An accident that resulted in serious injuries during an American Le Mans Series race in 2008, prompted Honda Performance Development (HPD) to start development of a safety system that prevents engagement of first gear while the car is still refueling. Continue reading →

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Infiniti to Go F1 Racing Via Renault – Branding Nightmare?

Posted on 1 March 2011 by Ken Zino

Nonetheless, Renault’s presence continued after 35 years of competition in what boosters maintain is the preeminent motor racing series in the face of financial and sex scandals that rival the antics of Hollywood personalities and the imaginations script writers. Continue reading →

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National Hot Rod Association Tax-Exempt Status Attacked

Posted on 24 January 2011 by Ken Zino

The IRS has received a complaint challenging the tax-exempt status of the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) from the Washington law firm of Caplin & Drysdale. The complaint alleges that the drag racing organization’s activities mimic those organized by for-profit automobile entertainment companies. Continue reading →

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Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible to Pace Indianapolis 500

Posted on 21 January 2011 by Ken Zino

A Chevrolet Camaro Convertible will serve as the pace car of the 2011 Indianapolis 500. Chevrolet and Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials made the announcement at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale classic auto auction yesterday, where a bidder will have the opportunity to purchase the first of 50 Indianapolis 500 Festival Committee cars this Saturday night.

The 2011 Camaro Convertible is the 22nd Chevrolet chosen to pace the race, and the seventh Camaro. Both the 100th anniversary of the first Indianapolis 500 and Chevrolet occur in 2011. Chevrolet. Arthur, Louis and Gaston Chevrolet all competed at the Brickyard. Continue reading →

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GM Donates First LSX454R Crate Engine to Charity

Posted on 18 January 2011 by Ken Zino

GM Performance Parts (GMPP) will auction the first production LSX454R crate engine at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale event this Friday, with the proceeds going to the American Heart Association. Over the years, GM and the GM Foundation have contributed more than $1 … Continue reading →

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Porsche 918 RSR Debuts in Detroit. Latest Flywheel Technology Fantasy or a Serious Le Mans Contender?

Posted on 11 January 2011 by Ken Zino

Porsche AG returned to the Detroit Auto Show for the first time in several years with a delicious 918 RSR single-seat racing car that uses a flywheel mounted on the passenger side to capture some of the energy normally wasted by converting kinetic energy to heat under braking. Continue reading →

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Colonel Shoup’s Sleigh Ride! North American Aerospace Defense Command Still Tracks Santa Claus

Posted on 20 December 2010 by Ken Zino

This sleigh ride started with a misprint: In 1955 a Sears Roebuck & Company advertisement asked kids to call Santa at what was a wrong phone number. The Santa Claus number was actually the hotline for the Commander-in-Chief of  the … Continue reading →

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Cadillac Returns To SCCA GT Racing With CTS-V Coupe

Posted on 13 December 2010 by Ken Zino

Cadillac today announced that it will return to racing in 2011 with a version of its CTS-V Coupe competing in the Sports Car Club of America World Challenge.

The return to SCCA sanctioned tracks sees Cadillac rejoin a series where it successfully competed from 2004 to 2007, capturing the Manufacturer’s Championship in 2005 and 2007, the Driver’s Championship in 2005. Continue reading →

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