Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon Part of Hendrick Crew Chief Swap

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Mark Martin, Chase for the Sprint Cup, Crew Chiefs, Sprint Cup, Hendrick Motorsports, NASCAR

Hendrick Motorsports may have won its fifth-straight championship just last Sunday, but it took only a matter of days for the organization to make some of its biggest changes in years.

"This will improve us as an organization, across the board," team owner Rick Hendrick (right) said Tuesday.

Save for champion Jimmie Johnson, each of the three other drivers in the Hendrick stable will have new crew chiefs for the 2011 season.

Steve Letarte, the crew chief on Jeff Gordon's No. 24 since the end of the 2005 season, will now oversee Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s No. 88 team. Meanwhile, Gordon will now have Alan Gustafson managing his team in Daytona.

Gustafson leaves the No. 5 team and driver Mark Martin, who will now have Lance McGrew in his ear for the 2011 season. McGrew has spent part of 2009 and all of 2010 as Earnhardt Jr.'s crew chief.

 

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Source: http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2010/11/23/earnhardt-gordon-part-of-major-hendrick-crew-chief-swap/

Kyle Eugene Petty Floyd Anthony Raines Scott Russell Riggs Hiroshi Fushida Beppe Gabbiani

McAnally Tabs Champs For All-Star Showdown

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. ? Championship-winning car owner Bill McAnally has increased his odds of seeing one of his drivers in victory lane in next month?s NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown as three 2010 NASCAR titlists will be racing out of the Bill McAnally Racing fold for the special event

Source: http://www.inracingnews.com/nascar-news/nascar/mcanally-tabs-champs-for-all-star-showdown/

Mike Hawthorn Boy Hayje Willi Heeks Nick Heidfeld Theo Helfrich

Goodyear wraps up successful two-day tire test of the new Daytona racing surface

Goodyear Tire Test Day 2 - Daytona International SpeedwayDAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The two-day Goodyear tire test in advance of the 53rd annual Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 20 wrapped up on Thursday and the new racing surface of Daytona International Speedway continued to receive positive reviews from the drivers. Eighteen NASCAR Sprint Cup Series...more»

Source: http://www.catchfence.com/2010/sprintcup/12/16/goodyear-wraps-up-successful-two-day-tire-test-of-the-new-daytona-racing-surface/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=goodyear-wraps-up-successful-two-day-tire-test-of-the-new-daytona-racing-surface

Willi Heeks Nick Heidfeld Theo Helfrich Mack Hellings Brian Henton

Coulthard will not take top Mercedes

Mercedes has admitted that the possibility of David Coulthard being promoted to a top car in the DTM is not being discussed for 2011. Both the manufacturer and the 13-time grand prix winner have said they are keen for their relationship to continue into next season

Source: http://www.inracingnews.com/other-news/miscellaneous/dtm/coulthard-will-not-take-top-mercedes-2/

Lucas di Grassi Cecil Green Keith Greene Masten Gregory Cliff Griffith

Hirschman Lands Whelen Modified Tour Ride

Matt Hirschman (Adam Fenwick Photo) DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. ? Matt Hirschman will return to the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour next season as the pilot of the Boehler Racing Enterprises ?Ole Blue? No. 3 modified next year.

Source: http://www.inracingnews.com/nascar-news/nascar/hirschman-lands-whelen-modified-tour-ride-2/

David Hampshire Sam Hanks Walt Hansgen Mike Harris Cuth Harrison

Rosberg confident of stronger 2011

Nico Rosberg has full confidence that Mercedes GP has all it needs to deliver at the top in Formula 1 - as it seeks to bounce back from a disappointing 2010 campaign. The Brackley-based outfit had gone into the season hoping to fight for world championship glory, but its car did not live up to expectations and the team's best results were podium finishes.

Source: http://www.inracingnews.com/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/rosberg-confident-of-stronger-2011/

Heikki Kovalainen Kevin Harvick Armour Vienna Sausage Kroger Chevrolet Clint Bowyer Zaxby s Chevrolet

Andretti: Attracting Fans Is The Key

Mario Andretti (IndyCar Photo) CONCORD, N.C. ? Many in the auto racing industry realize the sport has a lot of older racing fans and attracting younger spectators is a priority

Source: http://www.inracingnews.com/nascar-news/nascar/andretti-attracting-fans-is-the-key/

Frank Gardner Billy Garrett Jo Gartner Tony Gaze Geki

Travis Pastrana tests stock car, says he has the passion to race in NASCAR

Travis Pastrana, a fearless athlete known for going fast, began the process of learning how to go fast in a stock car this week. Pastrana turned his first laps in a stock car Monday and Tuesday as he tested a K&N Pro Series East car at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway. The supercross, freestyle motocross and...more»

Source: http://www.catchfence.com/2010/nationwide/12/15/travis-pastrana-tests-stock-car-says-he-has-the-passion-to-race-in-nascar/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=travis-pastrana-tests-stock-car-says-he-has-the-passion-to-race-in-nascar

Scott Russell Riggs Hiroshi Fushida Beppe Gabbiani Bertrand Gachot Patrick Gaillard

Vietnamese GP rumours played down

Speculation that Vietnam may be planning an attempt to secure a grand prix has been played down by circuit advisor Hans Geist.

Source: http://www.inracingnews.com/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/vietnamese-gp-rumours-played-down/

James Hunt Jim Hurtubise Gus Hutchison Jacky Ickx Yuji Ide

Virgin Racing signs D?Ambrosio for 2011 F1 season (PA SportsTicker)

Formula One team Virgin Racing says Jerome DAmbrosio has been signed to drive alongside Timo Glock for the 2011 season.

Source: http://www.nascarracinglive.com/nascar/virgin-racing-signs-dambrosio-for-2011-f1-season-pa-sportsticker.html

Jean Pierre Jarier Max Jean Stefan Johansson Eddie Johnson Leslie Johnson

Johnson claims fourth Gatorback championship (NASCAR.com)

Johnson claims fourth Gatorback championship

Source: http://www.nascarracinglive.com/nascar/johnson-claims-fourth-gatorback-championship-nascar-com.html

Eddie Keizan Al Keller Joe Kelly Dave Kennedy Loris Kessel

Report: Aston Martin to build Maybachs?

Filed under: Sedan, Aston Martin, Mercedes-Benz, Rumormill, Luxury

2011 Maybach range - Click above for high-res image gallery

Aston Martin and Daimler are apparently becoming chummy right now. According to The Financial Times, the two automakers are chatting about a possible relationship centered around Daimler's super-luxe Maybach sedan. Aston Martin is reportedly looking to glean some powertrain knowledge from the German automaker (for a possible Lagonda revival?) and Daimler could use help reviving a car that few are buying.

An exotic luxury sedan crafted as a joint venture between the Brits and the Germans sounds like an intriguing concept. As a matter of fact it should sound intriguing because Bentley and Rolls-Royce figured out the formula a few years ago. Though few out there can actually afford any automobile in this category, it would be nice to see new life breathed into the Maybach nameplate.

Gallery: 2011 Maybach range

[Source: Financial Times - sub. req.]

Report: Aston Martin to build Maybachs? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Dec 2010 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2010/12/24/report-aston-martin-to-build-maybachs/

Theo Helfrich Mack Hellings Brian Henton Johnny Herbert Al Herman

Key Motorsports Team Owner Curtis Key Reflects on 2010 Season

ORGANIZATION SENDS CHRISTMAS GREETINGS WITH WISHES FOR A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR Key Motorsports LogoWith 2010 nearing an end as the Christmas holiday rapidly approaches, Key Motorsports team owner Curtis Key reflected on the past twelve months and how much his Nationwide Series program has grown since making its NASCAR debut at Martinsville in...more»

Source: http://www.catchfence.com/2010/nationwide/12/18/key-motorsports-team-owner-curtis-key-reflects-on-2010-season/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=key-motorsports-team-owner-curtis-key-reflects-on-2010-season

Marc Gené Elmer George Bob Gerard Gerino Gerini Peter Gethin

The China Auto Show

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/12/22/877253/the-china-auto-show.html

Jim Hall Duncan Hamilton Lewis Hamilton David Hampshire Sam Hanks

Marcos Ambrose Is NASCAR Crash King With 19 Incidents

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Denny Hamlin, Elliott Sadler, Jimmie Johnson, Juan Pablo Montoya, Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., NASCAR Crashes, Sprint Cup, Joey Logano, FanHouse Exclusive, NASCAR

Marcos Ambrose, NASCAR's Aussie driver, did not let a mid-season surge in futility by Elliott Sadler deter him from capturing the season 'championship' in yellow-flag crashes and spins.

Coming on strong during the final eight races with seven spins or crashes, including a final spin (at right) during the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Ambrose easily outdistanced the competition in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series to post a season-leading 19 incidents and win the title by two.

Sadler, meanwhile, found uncommon consistency in the final stretch, chalking up only a single yellow flag in an incident at Martinsville Speedway during the last eight races. That brought his season total to 15, a number easily surpassed not only by Ambrose, but by hard-luck Sam Hornish Jr., who reached the second-highest total of 17 after the misfortune of four more incidents in the final eight races, including two in the Martinsville race.

Kyle Busch and Joey Logano were tied for fourth in our exclusive FanHouse crash and spin roundup, with 14 incidents apiece.

Drivers involved in 13 spins or crashes in the 36-race schedule, or one every three races, were Kurt Busch, Kasey Kahne, Brad Keselowski and Juan Pablo Montoya.

In our tally, we count an incident on a driver's tally if his car is listed as being involved in a spin or a crash that brings out a yellow flag. Caution periods caused by stalled cars, engine failures or debris do not count, unless a spin or crash was involved and a car number listed.

 

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Source: http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2010/11/28/marcos-ambrose-is-nascar-crash-king-with-19-incidents/

Joe James John James Jean Pierre Jarier Max Jean Stefan Johansson

Newmark New Roush Fenway President

CONCORD, N.C. ? Roush Fenway Racing has announced that Steve Newmark will succeed Geoff Smith, who is retiring at the end of December, as president of the multi-car NASCAR organization

Source: http://www.inracingnews.com/nascar-news/nascar/newmark-new-roush-fenway-president/

Eddie Irvine Chris Irwin Jean Pierre Jabouille Jimmy Jackson Joe James

Van der Garde sticks with Addax

Giedo van der Garde has decided to remain in GP2 with the Addax team for another year after losing out on the chance to move into Formula 1 for 2011. The Dutchman had been in talks with Virgin Racing about a seat for next season, but the team opted for Jerome d'Ambrosio instead

Source: http://www.inracingnews.com/other-news/formula-cars/gp2/van-der-garde-sticks-with-addax/

Bill Holland Jackie Holmes Bill Homeier Kazuyoshi Hoshino Jerry Hoyt

HANS Developing Safety Products For NASA

ATLANTA ? HANS Device inventor Dr. Robert Hubbard is working with NASA and NASCAR in an effort to improve crash restraints for astronauts

Source: http://www.inracingnews.com/nascar-news/nascar/hans-developing-safety-products-for-nasa/

Gary Hocking Ingo Hoffmann Bill Holland Jackie Holmes Bill Homeier

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Opens Up About Team Shake-Up and His Popularity

by Holly Cain

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Hendrick Motorsports, NASCAR

LAS VEGAS -- The only suspense in Thursday's announcement of NASCAR's 2010 Most Popular Driver Award rested with the winner. For the eighth consecutive year, Dale Earnhardt Jr. claimed the honor -- tops among the 1.5 million fan votes -- once again proving his popularity is soaring even if his on-track efforts have fallen flat.

"Oh yeah, I was surprised,'' Earnhardt claimed moments after accepting the award during NASCAR Champion's Week. "You just never know. There's the performance factor we've suffered from on the race track, there's the new guys coming into the sport all the time. You never take it for granted.''

The same could be said for winning.

Earnhardt hasn't won a race in nearly three seasons and hasn't even been consistently competitive in the No. 88 National Guard-Amp Energy Chevrolet, while his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson will be crowned champion for the fifth consecutive year in Friday night's lavish NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Banquet at the Wynn Las Vegas.

The juxtaposition isn't lost on the third-generation driver, son of the late seven-time champion, Dale Earnhardt. The 2004 Daytona 500 champ and 18-race winner is hoping a three-way crew chief swap at Hendrick will infuse new life into his career. And it can't happen soon enough.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Opens Up About Team Shake-Up and His Popularity originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 02 Dec 2010 19:47:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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Source: http://nascar.fanhouse.com/2010/12/02/dale-earnhardt-jr-opens-up-about-team-shake-up-and-his-populari/

Jim Hall Duncan Hamilton Lewis Hamilton David Hampshire Sam Hanks

Team Lotus unveils winning design

Team Lotus has unveiled the black-and-gold paint scheme that it would have based its 2011 design on if it had not decided to keep the colours it ran this year. The Hingham-based team launched a fans' competition in November to design its car's colouring for next year after announcing its intention to run in black and gold

Source: http://www.inracingnews.com/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/team-lotus-unveils-winning-design/

Elmer George Bob Gerard Gerino Gerini Peter Gethin Piercarlo Ghinzani