 Richard Childress and Glen Wood have both been nominated. (RacingOne/Getty Images)
In something called the First Class, a television program on the SPEED Channel hosted by Ken Squier -- a racing announcer who defines the sport -- NASCAR announced the first 25 nominees for its new Hall of Fame on Thursday night. More than merely naming the names of the sports' immortals who are in the running for the first induction, in May of 2010, the show was a history lesson that paid homage to an honest, home-grown sport that rose in the American South and now ventures across the broad continent from New Hampshire to California, from Michigan to Florida . . . and on to the red clay country of Georgia and the city that will house the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Charlotte. As you can see by the photos here, the nominees include drivers, owners and the key people who began the sport. In the beginning, stock car racing took place at ovals, sort of a pick-up game with cars in the late Thirties. Then, on December 14th, 1947, 35 men gathered in Daytona to start something called the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing . . . and NASCAR was born at the urging of Bill France, who had moved from his gas station in Washington, D.C., to that broad beach city in Florida.
And, the names of those who are in the running include Big Bill France, Rick Hendrick, Richard Childress, Glen Wood, Cale Yarborough, Lee and his son, Richard Petty, Junior Johnson, Bud Moore, Bobby Allison, David Pearson, Benny Parsons, Buck Baker, Tim Flock, Dale Earnhardt, Darrell Waltrip, Ned Jarrett, Fireball Roberts, Joe Weatherly, Curtis Turner . . . and Richie Evans, whose No. 61 -- worn on his NASCAR Modified -- became the first and only number to ever be retired. At one point in this historic program, the current leader of NASCAR, Brian France, said, "The fans are the lifeblood of NASCAR. Without them, there is no NASCAR." As a consequence, fans can vote on the nominees by going to www.NASCAR.com/hall But this is only the start . . . see the full listing in the Racing News Section. Click here!  In addition, Lee Petty and Cale Yarborough are also on the list! (RacingOne/Getty Images)
The strange story of a racecar driver being banned indefinitely continues -- on Wednesday a judge cleared Jeremy Mayfield to compete this weekend at Daytona International Speedway. Please see the Racing News Section for details. Or, click here!  In any case, this from NASCAR: "We are disappointed, but we respect the judge's ruling," NASCAR Managing Director of Corporate Communications Ramsey Poston said. "This is only a temporary injunction. The legal case continues beyond this point, and we will continue to make our case." Jeremy Mayfield missed the deadline to enter his car for Saturday night’s race at Daytona International Speedway, so that removes a major question mark for the weekend. Mayfield had a Thursday afternoon deadline to get his No. 41 Toyota to the track, and it passed with no sign of Mayfield or his race team. While his car can't race, he could still race if he can find another ride . . . which is unlikely.
Tony George, the guy who created the Indy Racing League and split Indy Car racing, only to unify the sport just over a year ago, has been shuffled out of the top position at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. For the full story, click here. Here's what Senior Editor Johnny McDonald thinks!  And, more: Okay, we know BS when we hear it . . . but the Indianapolis Star had a story that Tony George's resignation as chief executive officer of the Indy Racing League this week came as a surprise to his boss, Mary Hulman George -- who happens to be his mother . . . and chairman of the board for Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corp. In any case, she said that she was surprised that Tony -- after being replaced as president and chief executive officer of Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corp. and Hulman & Co. -- had said goodbye to the IRL. "I was surprised, and I'm still surprised," Mary said. "I don't really understand. I'm disappointed that he didn't want to continue." And, what sayeth Tony George? He declined to comment until he posts a statement next week on Vision Racing's Web site. He co-owns the IndyCar Series team with his wife, Laura. More, we're sure, will be coming on this!  This is the Fisker Karma, a new car that can get 100 miles on a gallon of gasoline!
Too much! Just got outta the Mazda3 5-door, which is nice. But the real story is that on Tuesday night the Western Automotive Journalists gathered in South San Francisco to listen to Henrik Fisker talk about his new car company, Fisker Automotive . . . and his new car, the Karma. Not only does it look fast . . . but get this, it's supposed to get 100 miles per gallon. We'll have lots more on this as fast as we can get to it! This car uses advanced technology to get the job done, and is dubbed a plug-in hybrid, using electric motors and a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine out of the Pontiac Solstice. The car will have a top speed of 125, with photo-electric panels on the roof to help generate additional electricity, even when sitting still under a hot sun. The cost will be about $87,000, and 1,300 have already been sold. The interesting thing here is that people bought the car based on its shape, and were stunned to hear about the fuel economy. Production is supposed to start in May of 2010, with first deliveries in June of that year. For additional info, immediately, click here. Our only question: How long before we can get into one for a test drive?  Even in white, the Mazda3 5-door is a good-looking automobile. (Bill Moore Photo)
Oh, about that Mazda3 5-door. It's a spunky, spacey car that continues Mazda's ongoing theme of raciness. It has good acceleration, enough room inside to go camping over a long holiday weekend and gets 22 to 29 miles per gallon from its 2.5-liter inline four cyclinder engine. The version we drove, with an automatic and shift-on-the-fly console-mounted shifter, has a total price of $25,760. Now, if we could only get a Mazda in some other color . . . than white!  Jenson Button: Was he a flash in the Formula One pan? (Paul-Henri Cahier Photo)
Yes, we have opinions. And, Jorge Briones II has just written a nice piece that helps put the ongoing wrangling in Formula One into perspective. You can see it in the Racing News Section. Just click on the Menu to the left.
Oh, and scroll down to see more of Paul-Henri Cahier's great F1 photography!
Andy Granatelli -- of STP Turbine fame at the Indy 500 -- needs your help. He needs items for his Hall of Fame Museum that's opening later this year in Auburn, Indiana. He says, "I need information on speed equipment or cars built by Grancor Automotive Specialists (Granatelli Corportion) like Ford Flathead motors, heads, manifolds, etc. Also, looking for any racecars I owned or built, including Indy Cars, street rods, Bonneville cars or a Fordillac. I would like to have any information on the whereabouts of any of the above. I will consider a loan, a donation or I will purchase the items. No matter what, I would like to know what's out there." Contact him at
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 It can't get better than this -- the roar, the color of racing at Laguna Seca! (Butch Noble Photo)
We've got a lot of weekend racing for you, starting with Northern California, where we've got racing of the two-wheel kind: motorcycles. MOTOGP bikes, AMA Superbikes -- will be roaring down the Corkscrew at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca as the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix takes place. Let's start of by giving you something on a few of the local riders who will be competing, click right here! And, for some solid background info on the motocycle racing at Mazda Raceway over the years, the meaty history of the place, try this.  A full weekend, starting Thursday, is coming to Mazda Raceway. (Jorge Briones II Photo)
On Friday at 8:30, the Manufacturer Parade Laps take place . . . and things get a lot more hectic from that point on. The Ducati Track walk takes place at 5:30. On Saturday, 7:30 marks the track walkover moment . . . with AMA American Superbike practice and qualifying at 11:05-11:25 and 1-1:30. MotoGP bikes hold court from 1:55 to 2:55 p.m.  Sitting On His Lap: Here, we get up close and Personal with Nicky Hayden. (Butch Noble Photo)
Don't say we didn't tell ya! In the world of NASCAR racing (and sports cars, too), all roads will lead to Daytona, Florida, to the Speedway that Bill France built just a few miles away from the broad beach where they first raced on the sand.
In fact, there's going to be a lot of racing at Daytona International Speedway this coming weekend, with everything from Sprint Cup cars to Grand-Am Rolex Series sports cars running the high banks. See the Racing News Section for more info. Just click here.
Basically, what we're talking about is a Nationwide Race on Friday night (See it on ESPN at 8:19 Eastern) and a Sprint Cup Race on Saturday (8:19, on TNT).  Yes, Kyle Busch and Scott Speed will share a car like this -- but not together! (Bill Moore Photo)
with share a Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Waste Management Lexus Riley sports car with Scott Speed on Saturday afternoon. Kyle will have to remember that there are no real bumpers on those Daytona Prototypes! The race, the Brumos Porsche 250, will run the 3.56-mile, 12-turn road course at the Speedway. The race can be seen on the SPEED Channel starting at 2 p.m. (Eastern).
 Dave Schaub will run this roadster around the U.S. for a good cause! (Photo by Roger Rohrdanz)
Southern California is renowned for its cars, its Ferraris, its Rolls-Royces, the Bentleys, the Lambos, the Jags -- but nothing says car quite the way a roadster from the Thirties does. And, once a year, on Father's Day weekend, the cars all gather at the Fairplex in Pomona for the L.A. Roadsters Show. Hot Rod Editor Roger Rohrdanz made a run through the place, shooting as he went . . . and Richard Parks has come up with some good words to give everyone a solid look at this iconics car show and swap meet. See the the basic story in the Events Section. Migrate there, or just click here! And, for Richard's and Roger's take on things, see it here!
 L.A. Roadster Show: Great cars for as far as the eye can see in Pomona! (Roger Rohrdanz Photo)
, especially his Australian Pontiac GTO (Rest in Peace, Pontiac) -- but he also writes about global powerboat racing for us . . . and you can find his latest report in the Racing News Section. Esoterica: For Those of you who watch the BBC's TOP GEAR on BBC America, the following will surprise and amaze you. Some of you have had the fun of watching TOP GEAR live and can guess what the fuss is about. Go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifrtlC4NTys. We won't get the show on BBC America for quite some time.  Germany's Sebastian Vettel is one of the rising new stars in F1. (Paul-Henri Cahier Photo)
, which should make the hard-charging Sebastian Vettel happy. He is currently third in the standings behind the Brawn GP boys, Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello. We'd welcome a Vettel victory in front of his countrymen because it would suddenly make the 2009 F1 season a whole lot more interesting. For a while there, Button was running away with the championship, winning six races. And, and -- thanks to Paul-Henri Cahier, the ace F1 photographer, we get to show you some fantastic pictures. If you'd like to check out his whole gallery, maybe order up a print, click here!  With this photo, you can imagine yourself in the car with Sebastian! (Paul-Henri Cahier Photo)
 The new Nissan 370Z is the ultimate car in a long line of superb sports cars. (Bill Moore Photo)
The new car comes with either an automatic or a 6-speed manual transmssion. We strongly suggest the 6-speed. And the 3.7-liter V-6 comes equipped with a Kentucky pastureland of 332 horses. My, what a lovely automobile!  This Infiniti G37x is a very stylish coupe with a most lovely 3.7-liter engine. (Bill Moore Photo)
Right after getting out of the 370Z, we got into its high-zoot cousin, the Infiniti G37x Coupe. The two cars use the same engine, but there's a world of difference in the cars. The Z is an elemental car, made comfortable to suit the masses. The Infiniti is all spacious luxury car, with lotsa oomph. Now, we can tell you something -- we like BMWs. And the Infiniti is very BMW-like.  This is the Pebble Beach star Bentley, belonging to Peter and Robin Briggs of Australia.
Besides new cars, we also like old cars -- and the classiest old cars in the world always show up at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. This year the show takes place on Sunday, August 16th, and there are a bunch of Bentleys being honored. For the story, click here.Gil Bouffard has been around the world, chasing down stories of racecars and the folks who drive 'em. (We saw him at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca this weekend!) He has a site filled with opinion and smart remarks -- all of it worth your time. Give him a click at Bouffard. |
