How to tell if your $600 Craigslist Subaru has bad struts

There is no excuse for this Subaru's suspension. There are so many ways to check for bad struts bounce on the bumper, feel the tires for cupping, or just note the nautical motions as you go down the road.

Whoever owned this Impreza before rally racer Brianne Corn picked it up for $600 completely ignored all the signs of impending suspension doom. Or, like any normal person might do when your Subaru starts doing random donkey kicks, they just put the thing up for sale.

In spite of the danger, or perhaps because of it, this old boxer looks like a hoot in its own right. Keep reading to see the video.

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Red Bull releases re-edit of F1 car in Lincoln Tunnel with only engine sounds

Just like any vacation, Red Bull Racing had plenty of fun last month when it did a little sightseeing in New York City and New Jersey. First, the team stopped and got a photo op with the New York skyline while playing The Star-Spangled Banner and then it took to the streets of New Jersey driving along the proposed route of the 2014 Grand Prix of America (you know, if it actually happens). Every good trip must come to an end though, so the team heads to the Lincoln Tunnel for the final video of Red Bull's trip, which is just as fun to watch as it is to listen to.

Red Bull Racing teased us with this video last month, but now we finally get to see its RB7 Formula One racer tearing through the tunnel connecting New Jersey and Manhattan. The 1.5-mile long tubes usually see daily traffic of well over 100,000 vehicles, and we're sure there's never been such a powerful car (or so little traffic) commuting underneath the Hudson River. The best part is that the car's engine provides the only soundtrack.

Check out the video below to see and hear what it's like to let a Formula One car loose in the Lincoln Tunnel.

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Peugeot 208 Type R5 rally car looks fast sitting still

Last week, we were able to bring you all of the details regarding Peugeot's new 208 Type R5 rally car, but there was only a shadowy teaser image with which to illustrate the pre-production rally titan.

Thankfully, with our meticulous shooters combing the floor, we now have a good long look at the Peugeot 208 R5, which the French automaker confirms will race next year in series like the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, European Rally Championship and the National Championships.

The 208 R5 is, of course, just as racy as we'd hoped, with a wheels-at-the-absolute-corners stance, huge white shoes wearing hometown Michelin rubber, a sizable rear wing and sporty graphics as far as the eye can see. Don't get used to seeing it in quite so gleaming a shade of white, however, as this one little guy is destined to get dirty, fast.

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Remembering legendary motorsports journalist Chris Economaki [w/video]

Legendary motorsports journalist and racing commentator, Chris Economaki, died late on Thursday evening at the age of 91.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1920, Economaki began working for National Speed Sport News at the tender age of 13, selling copies of the magazine. He worked for the publication in jobs as diverse as delivery boy, correspondent and publisher, and was named Editor in 1950. Economaki's column for the magazine, "The Editor's Notebook" was published for more than 50 years.

In later years the journalist began a career in broadcasting, serving as a commentator for ABC's Wide World of Sports and covering such racing highlights as the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500, among many others. Economaki also appeared as a commentator for CBS Sports, ESPN's Speed Week, and Motorweek Illustrated on TBS. In total, his massive career covered every corner of motorsport, across the globe and spanned eight decades.

Brian France, CEO of NASCAR, said this of Economaki, "The passing of Chris Economaki is a tough loss for me on both a personal and professional level, having known Chris throughout my life. Many people consider Chris the greatest motorsports journalist of all time. He was, indeed, 'the Dean.'"

Scroll down to see a few videos of Economaki at home on the racetrack. In the first, Economaki talks with Dave Despain about the best driver he ever saw, and in the second, he adds insight to a special presentation about the 1965 12 Hours of Sebring. Good stuff, all.

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Hyundai ready to jump back into rallying with i20 WRC

At virtually the same moment that it was revealed Hyundai was exiting all motorsports activities here in the States, the Korean automaker was on stage at the Paris Motor Show making a major commitment to one of the most exciting and costliest racing series the globe has to offer, the World Rally Championship. Showing this i20 WRC racecar mockup (note the lack of an interior), Hyundai announced it is poised to return to the gravel-spitting, sideways-sliding yumpfest in short order.

Return, you say? Yes even before its meteoric rise as an automaker, Hyundai was toiling away in the series' F2 class back back in the late 90s. The team then graduated to the premier series in 2000, campaigning an Accent hatchback until 2003, at which point it ceased motorsports activities.

Specs for the rallygoing i20 haven't been disclosed, but in order to meet regulations, this Hyundai will need to rely on a 1.6-liter engine, presumably turbocharged to around 300 horsepower. All-wheel drive and a sequential gearbox are givens as well.

Hyundai has not yet announced when the i20 WRC will compete, nor has the FIA governing body granted it official entry into the series, though one is surely coming.

After a few lean years in terms of manufacturer support, the WRC is poised for a bit of a rebirth, with new teams to be fielded from Mini with its Countryman racer and a Toyota entrant based on its Yaris subcompact.

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PPNMC NOAO is a poorly named but still awesome electric race car [w/video]

It reportedly took Pole Performance Nevers Magny-Cours just six months to develop this electric race car before it set an official record on the Grand Prix track at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours in France.

Known as the NOAO, which is supposedly pronounced "Know How," this car boasts twin electric motors capable of pushing out 227 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. There is also a 1,000cc three-cylinder range extender hidden inside to keep its three lithium ion battery packs charged up.

All in, this race-ready machine weighs in at just 2,182 pounds, which isn't particularly heavy considering its two powerplants, three battery packs and all their associated hardware. Check out our live image gallery above and then scroll below to watch a video showing the NOAO recording its record-setting run.

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Hamilton in, Schumacher out at Mercedes F1 in $100M deal

In 1995, a 10-year-old Lewis Hamilton walked up to McLaren team principal Ron Dennis and declared "I want to race for you one day." That fateful moment began a relationship between Hamilton, Dennis, and McLaren which culminated in the 2008 Formula One Championship. A relationship that, at least professionally, has come to an end.

Word from the UK's Telegraph is that Hamilton has left McLaren for the Mercedes-Benz factory team in a three-year deal that could be worth as much as $100 million. The departure of the 27-year-old driver from McLaren marks one of the biggest driver transfers in motorsport in recent memory. Though the German F1 team has won only a single race since returning to the sport in 2010, Hamilton and Mercedes both appear to be betting heavily on the turbocharged 1.6-liter V6 engine specifications for 2014.

The move has major ramifications for both teams. At McLaren, team principal Martin Whitmarsh said they had "no plan B" for their lead driver, however, it has already announced Mexican driver Sergio Perez as Hamilton's replacement in 2013.

The more controversial fallout is that Hamilton now replaces Michael Schumacher for next season. The seven-time World Champion first retired from Ferrari at the end of the 2006 season, returning to the sport in 2010 with Mercedes, where he has struggled. In reaction to the announcement, Schumi said that he would concentrate on the remaining races this season, and that he wished Hamilton well.

Hamilton's recent history with McLaren has been highlighted by salary disputes and comments on team tactics. Telegraph writer Tom Cary openly ponders the influence of XIX Entertainment The London-based firm represents Hamilton, and stands to make more money from the new contract. As for Schumacher, there is no word on his plans after the current Formula 1 season.

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Hyundai pulls out of all motorsports in North America [UPDATE]

Following word from Rhys Millen Racing that its main sponsor, Hyundai, is withdrawing support from its Formula Drift and Global RallyCross Championship campaigns, the Korean automaker has confirmed to Autoblog that it is ceasing all motorsports support programs in North America.

With Hyundai building sales and financial momentum not just in NA but in virtually all markets in which it competes, the timing of the pullout from racing seems curious, but Hyundai reportedly wants to focus on new marketing strategies. Hyundai never really attempted to crack mainline motorsports series here in North America like NASCAR or IndyCar, instead preferring to get a toehold in racing via edgier (and less costly) extreme-sports-style forms of competition like rallycross, hillclimbs and drifting.

Millen's operation says it is looking for new sponsors and partners for next season, but Hyundai's support of the team will evidently remain until the conclusion of its 2012 seasons.

Hyundai will continue motorsports programs elsewhere in the world indeed, is debuting a new i20 racecar concept at today's Paris Motor Show with which it plans to return to the World Rally Championship, a series it exited back in 2003.


UPDATE: Hyundai spokesperson Jim Trainor has provided us with the following statement:

"Hyundai Motor America has made a decision to step back and re-evaluate its motorsports strategy in order to determine what is best for the brand following the conclusion of the 2012 Global Rallycross and Formula Drift seasons. We are also reconsidering our continued involvement in Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, having achieved the world record in a Hyundai Genesis Coupe this year."

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Hyundai pulls out of all motorsports in North America

Following word from Rhys Millen Racing that its main sponsor, Hyundai, is withdrawing support from its Formula Drift and Global RallyCross Championship campaigns, the Korean automaker has confirmed to Autoblog that it is ceasing all motorsports support programs in North America.

With Hyundai building sales and financial momentum not just in NA but in virtually all markets in which it competes, the timing of the pullout from racing seems curious, but Hyundai reportedly wants to focus on new marketing strategies. Hyundai never really attempted to crack mainline motorsports series here in North America like NASCAR or IndyCar, instead preferring to get a toehold in racing via edgier (and less costly) extreme-sports-style forms of competition like rallycross, hillclimbs and drifting.

Millen's operation says it is looking for new sponsors and partners for next season, but Hyundai's support of the team will evidently remain until the conclusion of its 2012 seasons.

Hyundai will continue motorsports programs elsewhere in the world indeed, is debuting a new i20 racePGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cDovL3RoZWJlc3RjYXJpbnRoZXdvcmxkei5ibG9nc3BvdC5jb20vDSIgdGFyZ2V0PSJfYmxhbmsiIHJlbD0ibm9mb2xsb3ciPmNhcjwvYT4= concept at today's Paris Motor Show with which it plans to return to the World Rally Championship, a series it exited back in 2003.

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Bentley unveils Continental GT3 racer [w/video]

Ten years after unveiling the concept car that ultimately became the Bentley Continental GT, the iconic British company is back at the Paris Motor Show, with another high-performance "concept" car. The newest member of the Bentley family, this Continental GT3 is a concept in name only, as the company is explicit about the fact that its debut marks a return to motorsports for the brand.

The last time we saw the flying B on a racecar, it was when Bentley was claiming honors at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2003. The GT3 seeks to take up that mantle, as well as the storied history of road-going Bentleys being transformed into competent racing machines.

Though technical details are nonexistent in the Bentley press release, the company has given us something to work with, in terms of the racecar that will ultimately result from this program. The GT3 will, naturally, build on the very strong performance of the Continental GT Speed, adding a rear-drive chassis, a massive aero package (the wing seen here in no joke) and "state-of-the-art motorsport hardware."

Bentley's return to the track isn't so far off, either. The company claims that the FIA supported racer will be in the pits by the end of 2013; capable of competing in multiple series and events, including endurance racing. If the final product doesn't end up at Le Mans, we'll eat our hat.

Pictures of this Bentley beast not enough for you? Well, follow this link for a Continental GT3 video, you speed freak.

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Ecclestone claims contract torn up for Grand Prix of America

Another day, another drama with Bernie Ecclestone at the center. This time, it appears that the the Formula One CEO and the series' top brass have "torn up" the contract for New Jersey's Grand Prix of America. In a new report from The Guardian, Ecclestone claims that the race's organizers have missed deadlines, leading to the scrapping of the race.

The main concern since the announcement of the New Jersey race in October of last year has been its financials that is, the ability for event organizers to raise the necessary funds to put on the race. While construction has begun on the circuit, a motorsports industry insider told the Guardian in the report, "pricing for sponsorship etc. is unrealistic and not obtainable in the current market."

Such high pricing could be motivated by the massive fees associated with hosting an F1 race. The ten-year contract for Grand Prix of America would have been for 150 million ($193.9 million USD) and an annual estimated fee of 15 million ($19.3 million). The 2013 provisional calendar for F1 showed the New Jersey race as subject to confirmation, and a lack of commitment to the race may have also scared away sponsors.

The Guardian says dissolution of the contract is a "big blow to F1." Ecclestone is reportedly moving on, looking for new suitors including a GP in Mexico. Ecclestone tells the Guardian, "After Mexico, we want to go to South Africa."

The Grand Prix of America, which was to take place on a 3.2-mile street course on the New Jersey side of the Hudson river was set for June of 2013. It appears that now that the United States Grand Prix is locked in for in Austin, Texas, New Jersey may well be passed over altogether.

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Today's 'Race Car Driver Freaking Out His Wife On A Track' is BMW's Augusto Farfus

Augusto Farfus isn't even 30 years old yet, but he already has a certain commanding precision on many of the world's greatest racetracks, including Germany's famed Nrburgring. In the latest installment of the "Scare Your Wife At The Track" internet video meme, the BMW DTM driver takes his wife, Liri, for a high-speed tour of the Nrburgring in a BMW M3 Coupe.

When Liri agreed to hop in the passenger seat for a hot lap with her husband, we have a feeling the two had different meanings of "slow" and "exciting" driving. While most of us would have a hard enough time just staying on the challenging track, Farfus tackles the Green Hell while explaining elements of the track and dealing with his wife screaming in fear for most of the nearly 10-minute video. At one point (around the 5:02 mark) it looks as if Mrs. Farfus even starts to pass out a little just before saying that she's going to be sick, but she still handles the ordeal better than the respective wives of Riccardo Patrese and Joo Barbosa, the reigning queens of the Scare Your Wife meme.

Farfus, who we learn early in the video has a nickname of "Ninho" from his wife, is having fun the entire video commenting on a classic Mercedes-Benz as they blow past it, an Audi driver who Farfus comments "probably thinks he knows the track" as they pass it in a turn and numerous other cars and motorcycles.

Check out the video below to see whether or not Ninho will end up in the dog house for his antics.

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Mercedes E63 AMGs will race in Australia's V8 Supercar series next season, Holden debuts new Commodore race car

Ford and Holden have, just the two of them, been holding down the V8 Supercars fort for years now. The introduction of the Car of the Future regulations, which puts carmaker body panels on top of a generic chassis, induced Nissan Australia to join the party in 2013 with four of its Altima sedans. Chrysler Group Australia recently said it would not be lining up. So did Mercedes-Benz Australia, but an acquisition and an international agreement between Erebus Motorsports, Stone Brothers Racing and AMG's Customer Sports Program run by HWA means E63 AMGs will be on the starting line for the first race of 2013.

SBR has been in V8SC since 1998, the entire time with Ford, and won three championships with The Blue Oval, while Erebus runs SLS AMG GT3 coupes in the Australian GT Championship. Erebus bought SBR and its two licenses and grandfathered the rights to the third license that SBR has a lease on, then worked out a deal with AMG to get factory support. That support will come via HWA, the company run by AMG co-founder Hans Werner Aufrecht, that also preps Mercedes DTM cars.

As with Nissan, which shrunk the displacement of its Nissan Motorsport VK56DE V8 from 5.6 liters to 5.0 liters to satisfy V8SC regs, the E63 AMG motor will be a 5.0-liter iteration of the 6.2-liter V8 from Erebus' SLS AMG GT3 racer. Final parity spec for the AMG engine is still being sorted out with the governing body, and even though other makers' cars have been unveiled and on the track, the AMG engine still hasn't made it to the dyno. Even so, the privately funded team has been provided the necessary millions to make it to the starting gate by Erebus owner Betty Klimenko, and SBR has proved that it knows how to build a car.

Swallowed up in all the changes coming to the sport had been Holden, but not anymore. The Holden Racing Team took the hullabaloo of the Erebus-SBR as an excuse to unveil its new matte black and gold Commodore, and you can watch the covers pulled back in the video below.

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2012 Singapore Grand Prix lights up the night [spoilers]

Though you might call the Singapore Grand Prix one of the newer expansion races on the Formula One calendar, its roots actually trace back to 1966 when it was run as part of the (long since defunct) Formula Libre. It came back in 2008 as part of the Formula One World Championship, though, and its first night race at that.

In the four years it's been run prior to today, Fernando Alonso won twice, and Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel each won once under the massive flood lamps at Marina Bay. Would one of these champions win it again, or would a new race winner be crowned? Keep reading to find out.

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F1 2012 [w/video]

Racing Franchise Reboot Is Powerfully Fun, But Flawed



Codemasters is back with a follow-up to its successful some might go so far as to say genre defining Formula One franchise, with F1 2012. This season's iteration of the racing title is every bit as beautiful, challenging and engaging to the racing-obsessed gamer as last year's version, though it's far from perfect.

If you can get by the oddly cartoonish and badly cropped image on the front of the box, you'll quickly find that the level of graphical detail in F1 is quite impressive. The cars are clearly the stars of the show here, with every one of the five driving vantage points (ranging from right in the cockpit of the car to a "far chase" position that puts the entire exterior of your vehicle in view) renders the racecar in elegant detail. Reflections and the play of light are evident on the car's bodywork; slick tires are easily differentiated from intermediates and intermediates from full-wets; gravel, grass and dirt all mar the surface of the rear rubber if you go off-track at all; and passing competitor cars are just as vibrant as your own, with high enough frame rates to avoid pixilation or blur.

On the downside, the stuff surrounding your racecar is far less detailed than the machine itself. Each event begins with some flyover shots of the track you're competing on those higher effort, short cut scenes are fairly nice looking, if still less detailed than the racecars themselves. Pay close attention to the off-track scenery while you're driving, however, and you'll notice that the backgrounds are pretty flat and free of complex surfacing. That's okay, as the overall difficulty of gameplay dictates that you focus on the track, not the grandstands, but it does make the F1 2012 world feel less rich than it might otherwise. One exception to this, though kind of a big one, is the rendering of the sky and the weather seen therein. The Codemasters team has done an exceptional job mimicking the rapidly changing heavens that play such an important part in any real race weekend, with lifelike color and drama, as well as fluid movement.

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Peugeot teases Paris-bound 208 Type R5 rally car

Peugeot's Paris Motor Show stand will need to make room for yet another addition, with the pre-production 208 Type R5 rally car slotted in for an appearance. The successor to the 207 Super 2000 that has won six Intercontinental Rally Challenge titles, Peugeot calls the tubular-framed 208 R5 a "true competition wildcat" for asphalt and gravel stages that will go on sale toward the end of 2013, to teams competing in IRC and national rallies.

Many of the specs carry over due to category requirements of the S2000 class, so the 208 Type R5 will have a five-speed sequential gearbox putting power through two locking differentials but no center diff, to all four wheels and supported by a long travel suspension. The 1.6-liter THP engine from the 207 S2000 also makes the jump, but the four-cylinder, 16-valve motor will output 280 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Four-pot calipers are mounted at all four wheels, hiding behind 18-inch wheels for tarmac stages and 15-inchers on gravel, while minimum weight for any setup on the Type R5, as per FIA regulations, will be 1,200 kilograms.

Peugeot hasn't revealed the price, but again, per the FIA, the maximum price allowed is 180,000 ($232,807 U.S.) before taxes. There's a press release below with more details, click on the photo above for a high-res glimpse, and we'll be sure to find out more once we get to Paris.

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Tour BMW's Art Car collection with EVO

The last time we heard from EVO magazine's Henry Catchpole he was drifting a Caterham Supersports through the snow up the side of a French mountain.

There's more to the Scotsman than mad antics, it seems. After studying philosophy and art history, the final hurdle to getting his degree was writing his dissertation, the subjects of which were the BMW Art Cars. So, who better to take us on a tour of some of the works in the Art Car collection while it was in London for the Olympics?

Starting with the BMW 3.0-liter CSL dressed up by Alexander Calder and raced at Le Mans, and alighting on various models right through to the BMW M3 GT2 by Jeff Koons that was recently spotted in a fjord, the trip down art history lane is smart and entertaining. There are even background digressions to add to the fun. For instance: Warhol painted the M1 in just 28 minutes so quickly that the camera crew hired just for the purpose didn't have time to film him painting it.

You can take the full tour with Catchpole in the video below, and the EVO site has photos of the cars when you want to slow things down.

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Watch a horde of mopeds ride the Alps

Red Bull, patron of all things slightly mental, has organized a gathering of moped enthusiasts in Switzerland for the past three years. The attendees don't just sit around and gawk at each other's machines, though. The Red Bull Alpenbrevet is an 82-mile rally, and the course forces participants to use their mix of human and internal combustion power to tackle a total of three 7,000-foot passes. This year, 770 riders came out to compete for the gold. There was more than one way to go home a winner, however. The Alpenbrevet also features a "style" competition, and many riders gussy up both their classic mopeds and themselves for the day.

You can check out some footage from this year's event below or head over to the Alpenbrevet site for more information. Just be sure to have your handy German translator at the ready.

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Porsche claims 7:14 lap time for 918 Spyder on Nrburgring [UPDATE]

Porsche has just updated its Facebook page with new information regarding how quickly its upcoming 918 Spyder can go around the famed Nrburgring in Germany. According to its maker, the 770-horsepower hybrid supercar can lap the 'Ring in seven minutes and 14 seconds.

Unfortunately, Porsche didn't provide the tenths of a second needed to determine exactly where the 918 Spyder falls on the unofficial list of production car lap times for the 'Ring, but even without that, we can say that it lands in the company of the Lexus LFA Nrburgring Package (7:14:64) and Donkervoort D8 RS (7:14:89), but falls behind the Dodge Viper ACR (7:12:13), Gumpert Apollo Sport (7:11:57) and a pair of Radicals that hardly meet our criteria for being called production cars, but nevertheless can tame the 'Ring in under seven minutes.

Porsche also didn't divulge other salient details like which 918 Spyder achieved this feat and what sort of tires it was fitted with. Our guess is that the car was a test mule, as that's all we've seen on the 'Ring so far, but as for tires, that's a big question yet to be answered. The time as it stands will be all the more impressive if Porsche reveals it was achieved on street tires meant for the production car.

UPDATE: Porsche has issued an official press release confirming that the 918 Spyder's lap time was achieved on "standard tires," and that the car began the lap from a standing start. Porsche also says the car was fitted with the optional "Weissach" package that improves driving dynamics, but didn't elaborate further.

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Paralympic gold medalist Zanardi trying to get BMW DTM ride

Alex Zanardi just can't get racing out of his system. Despite losing both of his legs in a CART crash back in 2001, Zanardi has stayed competitive in auto racing (as well as Paralympics cycling), and according to Auto123.com, the Italian racer is now looking to join BMW in the DTM racing series.

BMW has confirmed that Zanardi is interested in the series, but it was vague as to the possibilities of him joining the team. The report says that nothing is likely to happen for this season, and even after that, there is plenty of variables that will play into whether this becomes a reality... especially safety.

This wouldn't be Zanardi's first stint behind the wheel of a BMW racecar as he won four races between 2004 and 2009 for the automaker in the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) using a car with hand-controlled brakes and throttle.

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Porsche claims 7:14 lap time for 918 Spyder on Nrburgring

Porsche has just updated its Facebook page with new information regarding how quickly its upcoming 918 Spyder can go around the famed Nrburgring in Germany. According to its maker, the 770-horsepower hybrid supercar can lap the 'Ring in seven minutes and 14 seconds.

Unfortunately, Porsche didn't provide the tenths of a second needed to determine exactly where the 918 Spyder falls on the unofficial list of production car lap times for the 'Ring, but even without that, we can say that it lands in the company of the Lexus LFA Nrburgring Package (7:14:64) and Donkervoort D8 RS (7:14:89), but falls behind the Dodge Viper ACR (7:12:13), Gumpert Apollo Sport (7:11:57) and a pair of Radicals that hardly meet our criteria for being called production cars, but nevertheless can tame the 'Ring in under seven minutes.

Porsche also didn't divulge other salient details like which 918 Spyder achieved this feat and what sort of tires it was fitted with. Our guess is that the car was a test mule, as that's all we've seen on the 'Ring so far, but as for tires, that's a big question yet to be answered. The time as it stands will be all the more impressive if Porsche reveals it was achieved on street tires meant for the production car.

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AJ Allmendinger completes 'Road to Recovery' program, reinstated by NASCAR

AJ Allmendinger did the crime when he took a pill offered by a "buddy" that was found to contain an amphetamine banned by NASCAR, then he did the time losing his Penske drive and spending roughly two months in a Road to Recovery program and now he's earned his way back into NASCAR society. The sport's governing body reinstated Allmendinger on Tuesday, so now the ex-IndyCar and NASCAR driver is waiting to figure out where he's going to go.

Roger Penske has taken a very kind view of the situation, saying he's open to hiring Allmendinger again and that there's no reason Allmendinger shouldn't be an option for other teams in either series. The driver was Penske's guest at the IndyCar series final at California's Auto Club Speedway, but it was just a social call after six years away from open-wheeler paddock. Allmendinger says he has no idea where he'll end up yet, but as he notes, "I also don't want this to be the end of NASCAR. I don't want to leave like that. I don't want to feel like I failed."

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Glickenhaus considering LMP1 for P4/5 Competizione

According to new reports, James Glickenhaus has more big plans for his P4/5 Competizione, eying an entry in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2014 with an LMP contender. That year there will be a slate of new regulations that refocus cars around around the amount of energy they use per lap (instead of displacement and air restrictions) and that open up the possibilities for design and privateer competitors.

Providing sketches of a highly stylized version of what an LMP version of the P4/5C M (M is for Modificata, indicating the kinetic energy recovery system fitted this year) could look like, Glickenhaus would only say that "we do not exclude the possibility of building a P4/5 LMP" car for 2014. The project would need partners and backing, so Glickenhaus has cautioned that nothing is assured. In the meantime, while his team contemplates that challenge, he wants the P4/5C M to finish first in its class in the year's FIA World Championship Alternate Energy Cup series, and he wants to head back to the Nrburgring to beat the 6:51 lap time set earlier this summer, which is still a record for a car under Ferrari power.

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Nissan DeltaWing headed back into the fray, will race at Petit Le Mans [w/video]

The racing world has not seen the last of the DeltaWing. Nissan's dart-shaped moldbreaker was last seen at Le Mans in June, where the prototype racer was accidentally taken out of competition by a Toyota prototype. Driver Satoshi Motoyama famously tried in vain to resuscitate his damaged racer for 45 minutes, a struggle that has since been labeled by many as one of the most heroic and touching "agony of defeat" moments in motorsports history.

Addressing what it says is "unfinished business," Nissan has confirmed that GT Academy vet Lucas Ordonez and ALMS PC class champ Gunnar Jeannette will race the car at Petit Le Mans, the ALMS series finale, at Road Atlanta on October 17-20.

The Nismo team trio that fielded the DeltaWing at Le Mans Satoshi Motoyama, Marino Franchitti and Michael Krumm are apparently otherwise committed, so the driving duties for the 10-hour, 1,000-mile enduro will fall to Ordonez and Jeannette.

Better still, Nissan reports that the DeltaWing could return to race as part of the ALMS in 2013. As we previously reported, the ALMS and Grand-Am racing series are merging for 2014, and Nissan says "provision will be made" for the DeltaWing in the combined series new regulations, opening the door for it to compete for points.

To watch a video of Nissan talking about the DeltaWing's return to competition and check out the official press release, scroll down.

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Watch Kyle Petty sing a ballad about Danica Patrick

There are undoubtedly many male NASCAR fans who have become smitten with Danica Patrick, but Kyle Petty might be one of the oldest. Petty, 52, serenaded Patrick, 30, on Speed Channel's NASCAR Trackside show before her appearance as a guest.

In the video, Petty is seen sitting on a bed wearing GoDaddy.com attire with other Patrick memorabilia in the room including a cardboard cutout of her face, and in stripped-down his country ditty, he sings "Danica, you're the girl that drives my dreams." Being a good sport to Petty's creepy antics, Patrick showed up on the show with a 1995 picture of a long, wavy-locked Petty (which he referred to as his "Yanni years") that she asked him to sign.

This video stands in stark contrast to Petty's December, 2009 video about Patrick where he sarcastically congratulates her and says she will be taking a seat away from someone who "potentially coulda been a great race car driver." We've posted that video, as well as Petty's ballad, for you below.

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Corvette Museum hires architect for upcoming motorsports park, seeks sponsors

The pride and joy of Bowling Green, Kentucky, is about to get a lot bigger.

The National Corvette Museum is planning to build a motorsports park and has already hired Steve Crawford, the architect behind Thunderhill Raceway Park in Willows, California, and The Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, Washington.

But the museum hasn't raised enough money to pay for the multimillion dollar facility, which it hopes to have running by 2014. It has $3 million cash for the land and another million for the facility. But it is currently seeking sponsors for the track, up to a $750,000 annual commitment to service the debt on a $10 million debt.

The park, complete with racetrack if all goes as planned, will serve a number of purposes including "education, recreation and training for Corvette enthusiasts," according to reporting website Corvetteblogger.com.

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Top Fuel drag racing is a perfect application for high-speed cameras

Watching a Top Fuel dragster hurl down the quarter mile in the low four-second mark is exciting enough, but watching the action with a high-speed camera is car porn for gear heads. Finnish magazine Tekniikan Maailma (English translation: "Technology World") embedded one of its writers with the race team, and while there is plenty of great footage of what seems to be an average race weekend, the meat of this video is from around the 2:05 mark until about 3:30.

The video was shot in such slow motion that as the cars sit in the staging area, one can actually see the firing order of the engine via the exhaust. The driver's reaction time to the green light is also easily evident, as we see that he actually gets on the throttle as the staging lights are still on. When the tree goes green, fire emerges from the exhaust pipes and the side walls of the Goodyear tires wrinkle from the enormous amount of torque exerted from the nitro-powered V8.

The most impressive view in the video is when the car is passing through the finish line. The rear tires have an interesting deformation and we can actually see the aerodynamics in action as air trails off the rear wing.

At about 40 seconds in length, this video's view of the car's takeoff is actually 10 times longer than the team's complete run which took just 4.19 seconds at around 278 miles per hour. The car's takeoff and acceleration are definitely the highlights of this video, but there are plenty of other interesting things to watch, such as the parachutes being packed before the race, to the fast-motion engine rebuild as the team prepares for the next run.

An interesting side note: the driver of this car is former Finnish ski jumper Janne Ahonen who has a pair of silver medals under his belt from the 2002 and 2006 Olympic Winter Games.

Scroll down to see the video, but be prepared to watch it over and over.

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IndyCar finale sees Hunter-Reay victorious, Conway absent

In the age-old argument between NASCAR and open-wheel racing, one of the main points of contention has been oval track versus road course. IndyCar happens to be at the cross-section of this debate, with one-third of its fifteen races run on oval tracks, including the season finale at Auto Club Speedway (formerly California Speedway).

Going into the race, Will Power carried a 17-point lead in the overall standings. The championship was his to lose, and lose it he did. While running in 12th place, Power "caught a seam," which sent the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske car into a barrier, and seemingly out of the race. The championship was now in the hands of Ryan Hunter-Reay, who needed to finish in sixth in order to claim the championship by just one point. The crash left Power helpless; the driver could only watch the race from his team's transporter and hope that Hunter-Reay would finish worse than sixth.

Ahead of Hunter-Reay was Tony Kanaan, who crashed on lap 241, resulting in a red flag. Upon the lap 244 restart, the 31-year-old Floridian was running in third, and lost two positions in those final laps. However, a crash by Takuma Sato ensured a 4th place finish for Hunter-Reay, and a three point lead in the final season standings. In winning Hunter-Reay became the first American to win the IndyCar Championship since Sam Hornish, Jr. in 2006.

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Caterham offers teaser of new supercharged track car

Caterham has teased the image above on its website, with more information promised in October.

Although we're inclined to start the CSI routine when teasers appear, the tag line appended to the picture would seem to make short work of it. Caterham's mention of "Britain's most exciting race series" would lead us to the Superlight R300 series, and combined with the fact that the car in the photo looks a dead ringer for the R300 we'd surmise that the new car is a supercharged version of that machine.

Whatever it may actually be, it is pretty obviously not the luxurious, up-level sports car we've recently been told is in the planning stages, nor the all-new sports car teased about six months ago.

Currently, the R300 is powered by a naturally-aspirated 2.0-liter, four-cylinder bought from Ford. That basic package is given tweaks like the installation of a dry sump system, and then called the Caterham Duratec Motorsport engine. It's good for 175 horsepower, so if we're correct so far, the addition of a supercharger should make for an even more frenetic racer of a car that now weighs just 1,133 pounds.

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Le Mans-winning Aston Martin DBR1/2 offered for sale at princely sum

If you're well-off your interest might have been piqued a few weeks ago by Evanta's 1:1 scale model of the Le Mans-winning Aston Martin DBR1/2. The AirFix-like art work, 20.8 feet long, 11.3 feet high and weighing over half a ton, will be auctioned during the Goodwood Revival Weekend with pre-sale estimates as high as 30,000 ($46,929 U.S.).

If you're wealthy like Goldman Sachs has you on speed dial, wealthy you might be interested in the real thing and not the model. Talacrest, a British concern that focuses on classic Ferraris, is selling the genuine DBR1/2 on the open market and asking 20 million ($32M U.S.).

Valued by Talacrest as one of the top five cars in the world, receipt of the asking price would definitely put the DBR1/2 among the top five public sales in the world and make it the most valuable Aston Martin ever sold. And since this isn't an auction, you don't need to wait for the privilege; you can give Talacrest a call from the 24-karat gold throne in the office at the back of your bullion vault, at your leisure.

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F1's 'Professor' Sid Watkins, dead at 84

Neurosurgeon Dr. Sid Watkins, always known as "The Professor" in the Formula One paddock, has died at the age of 84.

Before he became the face and the leader of F1's on-track medical response team and made a massive push to increase safety, Watkins spent nearly two decades in motorsport, including working in the medical facilities at Brands Hatch and Watkins Glen. After meeting F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone at Watkins Glen in 1978, at time when 13 drivers had died on track since 1968, Ecclestone offered him the job of medical delegate for the series. Not long after taking the job, Ronnie Petersen would die in another on-track accident.

Watkins served in the role for 26 years, the first responder to accidents suffered by drivers like JJ Lehto, Mika Hakkinen, Rubens Barichello, Martin Donnelly and Gerhard Berger. Watkins was involved in helping Williams team principal, Frank Williams, after a car accident in France.

Following the horror of the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix at Imola, where Roland Ratzenberger and his friend Ayrton Senna both lost their lives, Watkins lead in the creation of the FIA Expert Safety Advisory Committee. The doctor can justifiably be credited for helping to lead the way in increasing the sport's safety overall. Watkins retired as the head of the organization, by then renamed the FIA Institute for Motor Sport Safety, in 2004. He carried on as the first president of the institute until 2011, then took up an honorary position. In 2002, Car and Driver did an in-depth piece on "the doctor to the drivers" and his effect on safety in F1, noting that The Professor's legacy includes zero on-track fatalities since Senna's death in 1994.

Autoblog sends its condolences to the Watkins family.

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Watch John McGuinness lap Le Mans in the dark on his CBR1000RR

The famed 24 hours of Le Mans is not the only endurance race that lasts a full day at the iconic French track. The final round of the Endurance FIM World Championship motorcycle race series took place at Le Mans last weekend with its very own 24-hour race.

The bikers do not race the full Circuit de la Sarthe, but rather battle it out on the Bugatti Circuit, which only incorporates the Dunlop Curve and Dunlop Chicane before turning toward the infield for the next eight turns and rejoining the main track just before the pits.

This explanation is a necessary prompt to the video above. John McGuinness took to the track in a Honda TT Legends CBR1000RR race bike. He has been known for some wild on-board videos, but tearing through Le Mans any part of Le Mans at night is worth watching.

McGuinness and the Honda TT Legends team finished fifth at the 24 Hours of Le Mans this year and fourth overall for the season. Scroll below for the video of McGuinness on this historic track.

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Codemasters' F1 2012 demo now available... watch it here

While many gaming fans fawn over Forza and Gran Turismo, those with a thirst for all things Formula One have been quenched by the folks over a Codemasters. The video game maker has announced a demo version of F1 2012 for Xbox Live, Playstation 3 and PC.

To celebrate, Codemasters has released a new video trailer, highlighting more hi-res realistic gameplay. If you are the type of gamer that can master a demo like this in less than a day, the full version of the game will be out on Tuesday, September 18.

Check out the body damage, onboard camera angles, and real-world weather conditions that players will experience in the full version by watching the video below.

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Taming Monza at the 2012 Italian Grand Prix [spoilers]

F1 tracks come and F1 tracks go, but F1 wouldn't be F1 without Monza. It's one of the oldest circuits on the grand prix calendar, and also one of the fastest. It has the chicanes and hairpins and long straights that make it one of the most exciting tracks in the sport. It's also the spiritual home of motor racing in Italy, which despite a dearth of drivers currently in the series, remains one of the most ardent fan bases for Formula One in the entire world. So with twelve out of twenty races completed thus far this season, the circus rolled in to Monza for the 2012 Italian Grand Prix. Read on to see how it went.

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FPR debuts Falcon Car of the Future for V8 Supercars series

Usually, shaking down a new race car can be full of agony and heartaches, so it's surprising how positive Ford Performance Racing's (FPR) feedback was after its first tests with the Ford Falcon Car of the Future (COTF). This new racer is being tested in preparation for the 2013 Australian V8 Supercars season.

In total, the Falcon COTF ran 20 laps around Winton Motor Raceway, and based on the initial tests, FPR said the car performed better than expected during a short session. The car will perform its first full day of testing on Monday ahead of the Dick Smith Sandown 500.

That's not all the news happening for next year's V8 Supercar season. We already knew that Nissan is returning to the series for the first time since 1993, but now we know what'll be under the hood of its Altima racer: a Nissan Motorsport VK56DE V8 engine. Made in Tennessee, this aluminum V8 has been modified for race use by dropping its displacement from 5.6 liters down to 5.0 to comply with V8 Supercars regs.

Of course, we'll be able to see all of these cars in action in the U.S. next season when the V8 Supercars invade the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

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Kubica back behind the wheel after horrendous crash

It has been the trend for drivers departing F1 to enter some other road-racing series, with endurance racing, DTM, IndyCar and NASCAR the popular destinations. Kimi Rikknen went the other direction, leaving Ferrari for a stint with the development class of the Citron rally team, and former F1 driver Robert Kubica might be doing something similar. Kubica, remember, suffered career-halting injuries in a crash during the Ronde di Andora rally in early 2011 and hasn't been back in an F1 cockpit since.

While ex-rally punter Rikknen has taken Kubica's place as the top driver at Lotus/Renault F1 team, reports are that Kubica has been testing rally cars, including spending a day with the Ford World Rally Championship team and its drivers at a private test in France. Autosport reports that Kubica rented a Fiesta RS WRC car on his own before the outing with Ford, and a source told the magazine that Kubica "drove the car well."

The Ford WRC team won't even admit that Kubica was there (we had to use of Ken Block competing in France last year), so we wouldn't classify his return as imminent. But it's a good sign, and we'd just like to see him in a cockpit again, in some series, soon.

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eBay Find of the Day: Pikes Peak-winning racecar [w/video]

Ever wanted to own a winning Pikes Peak car? No, we're not talking about one of Monster Tajima's rides, but a class winner and fifth overall. The car is the 2012 Palatov D4 PPS. It's for sale on eBay and it won the Unlimited class at this year's Pikes Peak hill climb.

Usually, in an eBay descriptor, you learn about specifics like mileage, condition of the body, number of previous owners, etc. This descriptor included the following information: Chromoly TIG welded chassis, proprietary AWD system, 1,100 pounds, 1.3-liter Harley H2 engine, custom Hewland sequential gearbox; we could go on.

The seller points out that while many Pikes Peak cars are only optimal on that particular course, this vehicle could be easily used for track days. It is also noted that several photos show an application of a naturally aspirated V8. The model they are selling comes equipped with the turbocharged inline-four.

This year, the car ran Pikes Peak in 10 minutes and four seconds, which was good enough to take the Unlimited class. If you want a piece of history like this, bidding is at $50,000 and the reserve has not been met. The "Buy it Now" price is for $125,000. In the context of world-class hill climb performers, that is not a bad deal. Check out the video of their near-ten-minute run below.

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Bobby Rahal to chair U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Foundation

BMW has been responsible for some odd combinations over the years the 5 Series GT being one of the most obvious but now it's reported that the automaker has helped team up the U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation with none other than legendary open-wheel racer and team owner, Bobby Rahal. Rahal will be chairman and ambassador for the newly founded USA Bobsled and Skeleton Foundation nonprofit organization.

The USABSF was created to support its current athletes as well as fund youth programs and technological advancements, and Rahal's job is to help develop the sport, find new sources of fundraising and recruit new board members. Over the last three winter Olympic games, the U.S. bobsled and skeleton teams have amassed nine medals, and they are looking to continue their dominance in the 2014 games in Sochi, Russia with Rahal's help.

Rahal was introduced to the USBSF CEO Darrin Steele (shown on the left in the image above) at a race in Sebring, Fla. in 2011 and the two met again this year at the Indianapolis 500. The official announcement was made last week during the Baltimore Grand Prix weekend.

Curt Tomasevicz (on the right in the image above) is a two-time world champion in the four-man bobsled and he was also on the 2010 gold medal Olympic team.

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Wake Up to some high-flying Mountain action at Cadwell Park

We've brought you scenes from The Mountain at Cadwell Park before. And, if another great video comes to light showing off the launching skills of motorcyclists eking out as much speed from their raging machines (Wake Up!) as possible, we'll bring you scenes from The Mountain again.

Such is the case with the video below. Shot during the eighth round of the British Superbike Championship, the footage is edited and slowed down to offer a glimpse into what it's like to straddle a 200-horsepower race bike and leave the asphalt behind.

For those keeping track, both races during the Cadwell round were won by Swan Yamaha's Tommy Hill. But even if you couldn't care less about BSB, we suggest you take in the thrilling spectacle below.

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ALMS and Grand-Am make merger official, first joint race named

Earlier reports of a merger between the American Le Mans Series and the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series have proven to be well founded today, as representatives from both series have confirmed that the merger is indeed taking place.

Grand-Am founder Jim France and ALMS founder Don Panoz stated jointly this afternoon that the new sports car racing series, as yet unnamed, will kick off with its first joint race at the Rolex 24 at Daytona in 2014. The new series is likely to present a schedule of some 12 races per year, though each series will continue on independently for the 2013 season.

While no confirmation of the exact racing-class structure has been given yet, a continuation of the popular Prototype and GT classes seems likely. Evidence for this came in the form of some Grand-Am and ALMS cars on display for the announcement: a Corvette Daytona Prototype, SRT Viper GTS-R and a Lola B12/80 Judd, amongst others.

France (the son of legendary NASCAR founder, Bill France Sr.) will take on the role of Chairman for the new series, with Panoz serving as Vice Chairman.

Some larger support from NASCAR is seemingly in evidence, too, with three members of that series' executive structure serving as board members for the new sports car racing tie-up.

For their part, early response to the announcement on the part of participating automakers seems bullish. Jamie Allison, Director of Ford Racing, called the event an "epic moment for sports car racing in America." Echoing those sentiments, Ralph Gilles, President and CEO of SRT, said in a press release, "Congratulations to both leadership teams for unifying their efforts to create what will certainly be an amazing new series featuring outstanding sports car competition at some of the most legendary race courses."

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Ford builds sweet 1.0-liter EcoBoost-powered Formula Ford [w/video]

Ford has announced a new version of its spec racer that pushes the bounds of what small-displacement, turbocharged engines can do. Formula Ford, as the name suggests, is a single-seat, open wheel race car powered by a (you guessed it) Ford powerplant. As the cars are made of lightweight materials, the usual Formula Ford engine is a 1.6-liter mill, but this particular racer has been fitted with the 2012 International Engine of the Year, the 1.0-liter EcoBoost inline-three.

This particular Formula Ford has also been converted to road use and has been testing on Germany's famed Nrburgring. There, it recorded the 11th-fastest lap ever at the 'Ring. At 7 minutes, 22 seconds, it was faster around the famed German track than the Ferrari Enzo, Lamborghini Aventador and Pagani Zonda.

This particular 1.0-liter engine has been tuned to put out 202 horsepower, making this feat of beating the aforementioned supercars around the 'Ring even more impressive. The Formula Ford EcoBoost also has an unofficial top speed of 158.8 miles per hour, can get from zero to 60 mph in less then four seconds and can achieve 118 miles per gallon... at 35 mph.

Check out the press release and video below to learn more about this exciting vehicle and the other Ford models in which this powerplant may soon find itself.

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Off-road race truck crashes into Oregon crowd, injures 3 [w/video]

The grainy image above is a shot from a video taken just seconds before a truck barreled into a crowd during an off-road racing event in Harrisburg, Ore. on Saturday. With about 1,000 people in attendance at Monster Air 2012, this jacked-up 1970s Ford pickup lost control and veered off course into the nearby crowd injuring three adults.

According to The Register-Guard of Eugene, Ore., fans were separated from the track by a dirt barrier at least eight-feet tall, and after the truck lost control, it went over this barrier and into the area where spectators were watching from folding chairs. Fortunately, the truck had slowed to just 10 mph by the time it made contact with the three victims, none of whom had serious life-threatening injuries. There has been no official word as to what caused the accident, but one witness said he heard something on the truck break just before it headed for the fans.

The accident happened just 30 minutes after the event started on Saturday, but the rest of the three-day Labor Day weekend events continued on as planned. Some reports referred to the truck as a monster truck, but it appears to be just a normal truck with a big lift. The Register-Guard is reporting it was a 1975 F-Series truck with a 950-horsepower engine, and CNN says that it was riding on 48-inch tires. No mention was made of the driver's condition, but he was apparently uninjured as CNN reports he got out of the truck after the accident to check on those who were injured.

One person happened to record the incident on his cell phone so the video quality is low, but it does capture most of the frightening incident. Scroll down to watch the grainy and jumpy video.

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ALMS, Grand Am finally getting hitched

SPEED reports the American Le Mans Series and the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series are merging. Rumors have swirled around the marriage of the two series for years, but fired up in earnest two weeks ago. Though details are still scarce, SPEED says Grand-Am will likely take on sanctioning duties. The news comes courtesy of unnamed sources, including manufacturers and race participants, who indicate the championship may very well combine classes from both ALMS and the Rolex Series. ALMS President and CEO Scott Atherton has denied the merger, and SPEED says a spokesperson for the Rolex Series declined to comment.

Traditionally, the two race series have been spirited rivals, and while both saw widespread support from manufacturers and privateer teams over the years, entries in key categories have recently declined.

The two won't officially combine until 2014 at the earliest. ALMS recently signed a one-year licensing deal with the sanctioning body behind the Le Mans series in Europe, which means we'll continue to see racing under the ALMS banner for at least one more season. Look for officials to make an official announcement on Wednesday in Daytona Beach, Florida.

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Back from vacation and straight to the Spa for the 2012 Belgian Grand Prix [spoilers]

We know it's been barely over a month, but it sure seems like a lot longer since the last Formula One race. At the end of July, Fernando Alonso lead the standings ahead of Mark Webber, Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Raikkonen after eleven of twenty grands prix were completed this season.

By now the drivers and their teams should be well rested after a month-long summer break, but it's back to work as the championship resumed this weekend with the Belgian Grand Prix from the indispensable Spa Francorchamps circuit. Keep reading to see how round twelve went down.

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3D-printed electric car is inspired by swimsuits

Formula Group T, a group of Belgian engineering students, is all about racing. The intent behind its latest creation, the Areion (named for a mythological horse that's both immortal and fast), is to change the game in the Formula Student series.

The Areion takes a different approach from other Formula Student cars, as it's been created using using the latest 3D printing technology. The team had automotive fabricator Materialise employ its Mammoth Stereolithography process to create the car's bodywork.

Part of the design was to emulate the exterior texture of advanced Olympic-caliber swimsuits. Those suits, in turn, were inspired by shark skin.

According to Wired, the Areion is motivated by an 85-kilowatt motor getting juice from a 50-volt lithium polymer battery pack. The nimble (617 pounds) formula car can do zero to 100 kilometers per hour (62 mph) in 3.2 seconds and achieve a top speed of 88 mph. Wired makes a Back to the Future reference in its article, so we don't have to.

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Chevy unveils pink Camaro pace car to fight breast cancer

Ahead of this weekend's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, Chevrolet is once again introducing an official pace car that will do more than just lead the field under cautions. Just like last year, Chevy is fielding a bright pink Camaro SS for the AdvoCare 500, and it will also help raise money for the American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer program.

During the Sprint Cup race, Chevrolet will donate $200 for every lap run under caution. In the 2011 Atlanta race, it had a similar donation that ended up totaling $12,800 after 64 caution laps. As a bonus, this Camaro pace car spent Friday at the track as Chevrolet Racing hosted 30 breast cancer survivors who got rides around the track from Jamie McMurray and Ron Hornaday, Jr. as well as having the chance to meet Danica Patrick.

The car includes the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer logo, and the pink ribbon symbolizing National Breast Cancer Awareness Month is prominently featured on the hood. If you think this car is too pink, just check out last year's charitable pace car in Atlanta.

Scroll down for Chevrolet's press release.

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Lexus / Gazoo Racing Nrburgring video is a tribute to perseverance

It was a little more than four years ago that Lexus announced it would campaign an LFA in the Nrburgring 24-hour race. From 2008 with a black prototype that no one would talk about, the Gazoo Racing LFA has raced every year since and suffered breakdowns, fires, more mechanical issues and high-speed encounters with guardrails.

There were enough literal hard knocks that this year, of the team's drivers said that that they were still rookies. Even so, the five-year "novices" took SP8-Class honors ahead of two Aston Martins and an Audi A8, getting some silverware to go along with that scintillating exhaust note.

The team put together a video recap of its years on the 'Ring, and it's definitely worth a watch. You'll find it posted below.

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