Top Gear America

Finally got off the ground.  Although considering it's on a commercial network I doubt that they will be able to go after the car companies as much as the British series does.

NASCAR wants to kill somebody

Edwards receives probation for 3 races  No points lost, no races missed.

Carl Edwards needs to sit

Atlanta?  You try to get payback at Atlanta!

He Crashed Me So I Crashed Him Back: The True Story of the Year the King, Jaws, Earnhardt, and the Rest of NASCAR's Feudin', Fightin' Good Ol' Boys Put Stock Car Racing on the Map by by Mark Bechtel

He Crashed Me So I Crashed Him Back: The True Story of the Year the King, Jaws, Earnhardt, and the Rest of NASCAR's Feudin', Fightin' Good Ol' Boys Put Stock Car Racing on the Map by Mark Bechtel that certainly is quite the title isn't it? It's actually somewhat of a misnomer. Most of the text is taken up with the Daytona 500 "fight". That's probably the most widely played and famous 10 second clip in North American auto racing. The major players are given biographies that are occasionally rather witty. Current fans will find many familiar names including most of the current TV commentators. There is an attempt to link the season with wider cultural themes. I thought this didn't work as well. The snowstorm and relationship with Ronald Reagan have been repeated ad nauseam enough. When the book discusses racing it is extremely good.

Recommended!

Note:This book was provided through Librarything's early reviewer Program.

Luge accident and F1

Was wondering when Jackie Stewart was going to say something.  Mildly surprised to see Mosley quoted....  It is the Times I suppose.

Quotation [occasional]

"Any driver who says he loved the 'Ring was either lying, or not driving quickly enough."
Jackie Stewart

Danica Patrick to the Nationwide series

I could make a joke about Daisy Dukes...

Flying on the ground by Emerson Fittipaldi and Elizabeth Hayward

Flying on the ground by Emerson Fittipaldi and Elizabeth Hayward biography of the Brazilian F1 world champion. This was published in 1973 so his exploits in North America are not covered. The text is frustrating at times Hayward a South African journalist includes explanatory information randomly throughout the first person narrative of Fittipaldi's descriptions. There's quite a bit on Lotus and the technical challenges of the cars and circuits. If you can look past the disjointed narrative this is an excellent book for the auto racing fan of the 1970s.

Recommended.

It's back

Canadian GP secures new deal. Well looks like I have to eat my own words on this one.

Bob Griese jerk enough said

Griese apologizes for joke about Montoya

I stopped being surprised by the FIA a long time ago

The laughable punishment for Renault just makes me mad. Suspended ban.

Quotation [occasional]

"This kid, if it was up to me, wouldn't be allowed to walk blind people on the sidewalk. It's such yobbish behaviour from which he has also benefited, because, like he says in his sworn statement, he did it so he would get a contract renewal for 2009, and he will be paid until the end of the year. [...] He is a silly kid who doesn't know if he has pushed the throttle or not, because it's no coincidence that he's had 17 accidents since he's been at Renault."

Carlos Gracia

Eddie Irvine still out to lunch

So what if Renault fixed a race and endangered lives? This is war! Ummm pathetic just pathetic. If races are being fixed I wonder how many sponsors will stay in ever think about that Eddie?

Pleasant surprise

I didn't think it would be back however I'm happy to be wrong. Canadian GP back on the F1 calendar for 2010.

Socialists in NASCAR?

Before going to bed I had to post this. Considering the brouhaha over the socialist indoctrination that is supposedly going to take place in America's schools. Here's a public service announcement that makes up part of the package.

Danica Patrick nude in ESPN mag?

Oh just do it already!

Back on the calendar?

Canada close to 2010 race deal

Henry Surtees dies after F2 crash

Henry Surtees dies after F2 crash. Going by description of the accident it sounds like the wheel didn't stay with the car. I'm not sure if F2 cars have the tether that other open-wheel cars do.

Update:F2 does use wheel tethers.

Barrichello's whining

Team made me lose race. I don't think they sabotaged the fuel rig on purpose...

Hitler's Motor Racing Battles: The Silver Arrows under the Swastika by Eberhard Reuss

Hitler's Motor Racing Battles: The Silver Arrows under the Swastika by Eberhard Reuss you may remember my grumbling during Memorial Day coverage of the Coca-Cola 600 that Americans don't seem to understand just who else has liked racing historically. So I picked up this book. This is a decent look at Auto Union and Mercedes during the 1930s including the NAZI support for the race teams. They competed both in Grand Prixs [where they were nearly unbeatable] as well as hill climbs. There was also an attempt to take the land speed record. There are pictures on nearly every page as well as posters and the like. There's some discussion of the different drivers their personalities. As typical for books like this there's a section on post-WWII fudging of the historical record.

Highly recommended.