People Who Share a Passion

NASCAR and the Automobile Racing Club of America (”ARCA”) started at about the same point-that is towards the middle of the last century. ARCA has not been able to match the scorching growth of NASCAR, but it does have a devoted following. Why is this?

Firstly, ARCA, like the Nextel Series of NASCAR, promotes racing with stock cars. ARCA fans delight in knowing that the skills on display at an ARCA event are with cars that they can buy and drive in real life. The engineering sophistication of F1 auto racing may produce incredible acceleration, but the heroes behind the wheel may do poorly in your own car! Real car racing fans appreciate the authenticity of ARCA auto racing. Some ARCA events use cars discarded by NASCAR, and it is fascinating in auto racing terms to find out how such old machines can be driven by people with top skills.

ARCA is also a valuable stepping stone in an auto racing career with NASCAR in sight. Many drivers have started their careers in ARCA events before going on to exploits on the NASCAR circuit. ARCA plays an important supporting role in providing training grounds and exposure for future champions. You should spend time at ARCA races if you want to be the first to spot future NASCAR drivers!

There are technical aspects of car racing, in which many people believe that ARCA sets the standards for even more popular bodies such as NASCAR. ARCA’s system of awarding points for participation, consistency, and duration, are exemplary. Drivers and teams gain when they commit to race. They are rewarded in terms of points proportional to how they perform. You gain if you do especially well in a lap, and even more if you can hold on to your own performance level for more than one lap. Finally, there are bonuses for continuous participation over the course of a season. You have to work hard to move ahead in ARCA, and that is just what is required to raise NASCAR standards in turn.

You can add to your auto racing pleasure by including ARCA in your race attendance calendar for the year! ARCA includes truck racing as well for your benefit.

Corvette’s New Releases

2007 will be a grand year for Corvette as fans of the brand will certainly be impressed with the newest special-edition models. These are the Ron Fellows ALMS GT1 Champion Corvette Z06 and Indianapolis 500 Pace Car Replica Corvette Convertible. These two exceptional vehicles have been designed with unique exterior and interior features. Only a limited number of these special edition Corvettes will be manufactured for sale to the public.

Ron Fellows, well-known in the auto racing fraternity, has a long association with the Corvette Racing team. In fact, it was Ron Fellows who was part of the development team for the championship C5.R car which took the title at the American Le Mans Series GTS-class back in 2002. The long-lasting and beneficial relationship between Ron and Corvette has been celebrated with the creation of the all-new Corvette Z06, the first ever special edition Corvette to be signed. The stunning Ron Fellows Corvette Z06 is painted an exquisite Arctic White, with two distinctive red racing fender stripes and the signature of Ron Fellows. This fine red and white color scheme is reminiscent of Canada- Fellows’ homeland.

Also noticeable on the exterior of the Corvette Z06 is the racing spoiler, full-width and the windshield banner inscribed with the word “Corvette”. Chrome wheels finish off the unique style. Just as much care has been devoted to the exterior design of the Z06 as its interior. The seats, door panels, center console and instrument panel are red. Its leather armrest is red and marked with the corvette cross flags logo.

Corvette is scheduled to produce only 399 Z06s with only 300 cars headed for the United States. Only 33 cars will be sold in Canada and the remaining 66 cars will be for sale in other countries.

The base price for the Ron Fellows Corvette Z06 is $77,500. If you include the OnStar and navigation options the vehicle price tag comes can exceed $80,000.

Also introduced in 2007 is the Indianapolis 500 Pace Car Replica. This fine Chevrolet Corvette convertible is set to head up the pace on 27 May 2007 at the Indianapolis 500. This Corvette convertible is easily distinguished by its Atomic Orange color with golden graphics. A few of the great cars will be produced as official pace cars with an additional 500 cars manufactured as replicas and made available for the public.

Other exterior features of the replica Convertible Vette Indy sport a Z06 rear spoiler, sterling silver aluminum wheels and Indianapolis 500 fender badges. Its interior appointments will feature ebony seats with the Indianapolis 500 logo and atomic orange trim plate and pods. The price for the replica is set at just under $67 000. The pace cars of this Corvette convertible are kitted with standard safety equipment as well as strobe lights. Ideal for the role as pace car, this Corvette’s engine is pure power and boasts excellent handling for the track. Watch out for this special addition Corvette pace car on the track as well as on the city streets.

Abu Dhabi hosting 2009 F1 Grand Prix

The management of Formula 1, announced to a excited and large gathering of supporters and drivers, that Adu Dhabi will be included into the 2009 Formula One racing schedule. The chairman and CEO of the Formula 1 management, Bernie Ecclestone, said that he was pleased to have Abu Dhabi as part of the Formula 1 family, and went on to express his confidence in the new member of the racing schedule. Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates that offers a beautiful location surrounded by islands and spectacular beaches.

The crown price, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, said that hosting this amazing race should increase recognition of Adu Dhabi across the world and have a positive influence on the economy.

The new Formula 1 circuit that is to be built for the big event will be constructed in the Yas Island. Yas Island is situated east of Abu Dabi, is a natural island and is 2 550 hectares in size. This location was chosen due to its close proximity to the newly constructed international airport. Respected and famous track designer and architect, Herman Tilke, will be responsible for the design while the building and properties will be overseen by ALDAR Property Development Company.

The development of Yas Island, apart from the circuit, will include a Ferrari Theme Park for visitors to enjoy, world-class hotels, a water park, golf course, lagoon hotels, polo clubs, marinas, permanents residence such as apartments and villas and a 300 000 square meter retail area with shops, banks, restaurants, fast food outlets and stores.

The Formula 1 Grand Prix Circuit is planned to be one of the most demanding and exciting circuits in the world. The track is estimated to be 309 kilometers in circuit length, which will break the race down to approximately 56 laps. The outlay of the circuit should have an estimated lap time of 1 minute and 38 seconds, with twenty corners of various difficulty and will allow speeds of between 200 to 320 kilometers an hour. Spectators will be able to view the race from strategically placed grandstands, and will allow both the drivers and supporters to enjoy the most exciting sport in the world.

The Michigan International Speedway

This track is so full of the rich traditions of NASCAR that no devoted auto racing fan should fail to make a pilgrimage here at least once. Some of the best NASCAR events of all time have taken place at the Michigan International Speedway. The track and its owners have weathered some bad times, and emerged victorious, in the truly fighting spirit of all NASCAR competition!

The site has grown from humble proportions to a grand scale, with superb facilities for competitors and spectators alike. Dale Earnhardt, Bruce McLaren, and Richard Petty, are amongst the eternal NASCAR heroes who have raced here. Stirling Moss had a hand in the original design. There is no doubt that the Michigan International Speedway will spawn many new champions in the future, and that NASCAR events at this track will remain in the memories of fans forever. You simply must witness auto racing at the Michigan International Speedway!

A 2-mile oval track does not mean much and the banking is a relatively benign 18 degrees. However, it is the width of the track and the high-technology surface, which excites top drivers and enables them to perform to the very limits of torque and acceleration. The Michigan International Speedway uses a special blend of asphalt and an engineered plastic, which not only allows high speeds at turns, but events even in the face of the harshest weather dished out by the surrounding Irish Hills. Some half a million people watch NASCAR events and other auto racing at the Michigan International Speedway each year. The media covers both NASCAR and ARCA at this track with national fervor. The amenities are simply world class, and everything is on a grand scale when it comes to spectator convenience. It is difficult to imagine after seeing the amazing spectacle of auto racing here, that the Michigan Speedway was almost insolvent, but this historic fact only shows the intrepid nature of the organizers and owners in even better light.

Michigan’s array of tourist attractions blends nicely with the auto racing. The State has plenty of golf and a number of scenic outdoor locales, which are idyllic for camping and trekking. The area surrounding the race track abounds in shopping, fine dining, and museums as well. Have a whale of a time in Michigan as a bonus for your top auto racing experience at the Michigan International Speedway!