LA Auto Show Design Challenge Won by Mazda
Whenever the LA Auto Show Design Challenge takes place, motoring enthusiasts keep an eager eye out to see who the winner is. This year it was the Mazda R&D team who has managed to beat some rather stiff opposition with their creative and innovative design.
The theme for the 2008 design challenge was posed in the form of a question, namely: “How will auto racing look in the year 2025?” The resulting entries were amazing, but none quite as impressive as the Mazda entry. The team created a super-skinny, super-slick, three-wheeled vehicle that uses a patented electronic tire system to power it. The system makes use of an electro-conductive road surface from which the tires draw their energy. The concept is not new and has already been proposed for commercial roads as part of the Mazda Blue-Sky initiative. It is capable of enabling the vehicle to achieve speeds of up to 250 mph with absolutely no harmful emissions. Environmentally-friendly, fast and innovative – this is exactly the sort of thing that judges were looking for.
The Environmentally-friendly Mazda Kann definitely takes auto racing to a whole new level. Not only does it propose an entirely new way for a vehicle to be supplied by efficient power, but it also looked into the way that motor racing is typically done. The Mazda Kann team suggested that the sport could possibly change with up to thirty team members racing at the same time instead of just having one or two individuals. The idea is that the team could work together, using certain formations to give them an aerodynamic advantage and increase their speed.
The LA Auto Show Design Challenge saw a number of excellent entries from big auto manufacturers such as Mercedes Benz, Toyota, GM, Honda, Mitsubishi, Volkswagen and Audi. However in the end it was the Mazda concept that won the 2008 design challenge. According to the director of Design Los Angeles and partner in The Design Academy Inc., Chuck Pelly, “The scope of entries this year was very impressive and in the end it came down to which team had the most innovative and artistic design that could go beyond the expectations and challenges of racing today. Mazda’s designers created an optimistic vision of 2025 and ultimately brought unique styling back to motor sports.” When one looks at the finished design, it is easy to see why the Mazda R&D team was the final winner.
A1: Switzerland Wins in Malaysia
It was a hot and humid race, but that didn’t stop Switzerland’s Neel Jani from running a good race and finishing first at the sprint race held at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia this weekend. The win marks the fifth different team to win a race so far this season. It seems that despite the hot weather, it all came down to cool, calculated decisions.
A1 Team Switzerland can be very proud of themselves as it was quite an interesting race. Things got a little complicated right at the start of the race. The various cars were traveling in formation towards the starting grid, steadily picking up pace. But then Marco Andretti (USA) and Felipe Guimarães (Brazil) both managed to end up climbing over the back of Narain Karhtikeyan’s (India) car, which resulted in debris being scattered across the pit straight. The unfortunate incident brought out the red flag and suddenly cars that had been speeding up comfortably had to slow down, with the result that the cars at the back of the field ended up being somewhat concertinaed as they tried to cope with the backlash of the accidents without being involved in further accidents. John Martin (Australia) only narrowly escaped an accident by shooting left onto the grass at the last moment. The incident led to a 30-minute delay in the race and by the time the remaining contenders were all lined up for a restart behind the Safety Car, Danny Watts (GB) found himself being forced to head to the pits with a car that simply couldn’t’ be changed out of first gear.
Finally it seemed the race could continue. A1 Team Switzerland held the lead, but David Garza (Mexico) lost out on seventh place to Jeroen Bleekemolen (Netherlands). As South Africa tried to make a grab for eighth place from Mexico who’d now lost seventh, the two were both overtaken by Fairuz Fauzy (Malaysia) who swooped inside to take the much coveted position. Unfortunately it didn’t last long as South Africa accidentally touched wheels with Malaysia as it attempted to once again get into eighth position. The result was a puncture for Fauzy which sent Malaysia to the pits. The day ended with Neel Jani (Switzerland) in first place, Loïc Duval (France) in second and Earl Bamber (New Zealand) in third.
VW Uses L.A. Auto Show To Showcase Diesel Technology
German Automotive manufacturer Volkswagen recently took advantage of the 2008 L.A. Auto Show to showcase its entire range of diesel powered technology. It debuted at a news conference at the event with the all-new Touareg V6 TDI clean diesel SUV which is compliant with the regulations of 50 states. It also showed off the new purpose-built VW Red Bull Baja Race Touareg TDI Trophy Truck which will be used at the 2008 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000.
The impressive Touareg V6 TDI clean diesel was the talk of the show with its 3.0 L, turbocharged, six-cylinder engine. The engine is capable of producing407 lbs-ft of torque and 221 horsepower. It combines technology with more conventional systems, making use of the most advanced catalytic convert system on the planet, as well as ordinary rail injection. In designing the vehicle, developers worked hard to ensure that it met the very strict emission requirements enforced by the state of California, making it a viable option for all 50 states.
The new Touareg V6 TDI is part of Volkswagen’s commitment to developing clean diesel technology and it sets a new standard for SUVs by making them extremely economical and ensuring that they have lower emission rates than previous SUVs. It appears that there is a general feeling that diesel is one of the most sensible alternative fuels available and using clean diesel technology can greatly reduce the impact that vehicles have on the environment. The innovative developments put into practice in the new Touareg V6 TDI also help to reduce fuel costs quite drastically. In fact, the engine is seen as being one of the most advanced diesel engines of our times. The fuel tank of the Touareg V6 TDI has a 26.4 gallon capacity and drivers will find that they can get about 600 miles to a tank!
The race version of the vehicle revealed at the show, the Race Touareg TDI Trophy Truck, will be taking part in the 41st Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 desert race. It will be racing in the SCORE Trophy Truck class, where its 5.5 liter V-12 clean diesel engine and incredible fuel economy will no doubt prove to be of benefit.
NHRA Champions Crowned
A number of NHRA POWERade Series world champions were crowned at the official awards ceremony at the Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City in California earlier this week. The most notable winner was Tony Schumacher who enjoyed his fifth consecutive trip to the stage to pick up his championship trophy.
Tony Schumacher has certainly become the guy to beat when it comes to the NHRA Top Fuel world championship. In accepting his fifth consecutive Top Fuel championship trophy, he became the first Top Fuel driver in the history of the NHRA to enjoy five consecutive wins. Schumacher has six titles overall and managed to pilot his Alan-Johnson-tuned U.S. Army dragster to 15 victories during the course of the season – another record! His unprecedented skill behind the wheel, good team and great vehicles all combined to ensure that Schumacher dominated the 7,000 horsepower category from beginning to end. Schumacher also picked up a check for $500,000, which was presented by the NHRA and POWERade, when he received his newest trophy.
But Schumacher wasn’t the only person at the ceremony to receive an award – Cruz Pedregon, Eddie Krawiec and Jeg Coughlin were also at the ceremony on Monday, November 17, to pick up their prizes. Cruz Pedregon was there to pick up his second Funny Car series crown. He last received the honor in 1992 and since seemed to have always run out of luck during the course of the season. This year he managed to take his Rahn Tobler-tuned Advance Auto Parts Toyota Solara to the head of the pack in the final three races of the season, which ultimately saw him taking home the winner’s trophy. He also received $500,000 from NHRA and POWERade.
Coughlin was at the ceremony to receive the Pro Stock World Championship title. Coughlin is also not a newcomer to the stage, as this was his second consecutive win and his fourth win overall. His Jegs.com Chevy Cobalt enjoyed a critical win in Las Vegas that went a long way to giving him the title. He received a check of $250,000 from NHRA and POWERade. Krawiec was the NHRA POWERade Series Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion of 2008. It seems that fortune favored Krawiece and his Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley Davidson this year as he became the second driver in the history of the NHRA to win a series title without actually winning a race during the season. He was gifted $75,000 from NHRA and POWERade.
Mike Neff was given the Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future award, while the U.S. Army Top Fuel team, the Castrol GTX Ford Mustang Funny Car team, the ACDelco Chevy Cobalt Pro Stock team and the Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Prot Stock Motorcycle team all got the NHRA Full Throttle Pit Crew Challenge season award. Chevrolet accepted the NHRA Manufacturers Cup for their seventeenth time while Don Schumacher, Cruz Pedregon and Victor Cagnazzi were given NHRA Pro Owner’s Cups. The late Scott Kalitta was also given a video tribute.
Pedregon Wins Funny Car Title For Second Time
After a season of exciting, nail-biting Funny Car racing, Cruz Pedregon has emerged as this year’s winner. This is the second time he has won the NHRA Funny Car championship and it is the first time in 16 years that he has been able to enjoy such a victory. His championship victory was sealed on Sunday when he took home the Southern Californian Auto Club NHRA Finals trophy.
It has been a long and eventful season for Pedregon. First he won his first-round meeting with Jerry Toliver. Things then went on to look even better for him when Tim Wilkerson, the driver who’d been leading all season long, fouled against John Force. Another top competitor, Robert Hight, lost to Tony Pedregon. Both losses meant that the drivers were now out the running for the title and so Cruz’s title hopes were secure. Pedregon then went on to win his third straight event in his Advance Auto Parts Toyota Solara. His victory over Ron Capps and other competitors in the NHRa Playoffs gave him his 26th career win. It was also the second time that he’d managed to win on his home track. Just moments after he found out that his brother had beaten the last competitor to pose a threat to his overall victory, Cruz commented: “I’m stunned. It’s awesome Tony got that win right there because I’m standing here thinking of my dad (Frank) and that I hope he’s proud of his sons. I was eighteen when he died and Tony was sixteen and now we each have two world championships. We’ve come a long way for a couple of Hispanic kids from Chino.”
Meanwhile Eddie Krawiece, who was competing in Pro Stock Motorcycle, took home his first POWERade Series crown. Amazingly enough he managed to do so without winning one race during the season. He is now one of only two drivers in the history of the NHRA to win a season title without earning an actual individual race victory, showing just how advantageous consistent good placements can be in the long-run when it comes to competing in a championship series.
Freescale And McLaren Electronics Team Up To Save Energy
McLaren Electronic Systems (MES) and Freescale Semiconductor recently announced the decision to collaborate in their efforts to develop next-generation kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) technology. The technology will serve to enhance performance in motor racing and should be used in the highest levels of the sport from 2010 onward.
The new collaborative initiative works hand in hand with the FIA’s recent commitment to not only reducing development costs, but also to supporting increased fuel efficiency, better energy recovery and enhancing competition. It is hoped that more efficient, smaller and lighter hybrid systems will be developed as a result of the initiative in the long run. According to Steve Wainwright, the sales and marketing and general manager as well as vice-president of Freescale EMEA, the “joint KERS development project with McLaren Electronic Systems is on the cutting edge of automotive technology.” Wainwright further went on to say that “As the leader supplier of automotive semiconductors, Freescale can help MES make a difference in their quest for advanced power train control technology and energy-efficient systems. Formula 1 is one of the most exciting and fastest moving laboratories for automotive technology. We will work hard to help ensure that the technologies developed in concert with MES will rapidly find their way into mainstream cars to the benefit of consumers and our automotive customers eager to receive energy-efficient solutions.”
The KERS system is a hybrid braking system that makes use of the kinetic energy produced during the car braking system by storing that energy and making it available for use in accelerating at a later point. This stored energy is released by means of a ‘boost’ button which allows the driver to choose when he may need an extra burst of power for a short period. So, for example, a competitive driver may hit the boost button when they are trying to overtake or if they are defending their position. It is hoped that such technology will not only be more efficient, but that it will also make Formula 1 racing events even more competitive and exciting. Each member of the collaboration will be bringing their expertise to the table in refining this technology. MES will be using its unmatched experience with regards to electronic control unit development as well as years in the motor racing industry. Freescale will be making use of its microcontroller, motor control and power system design expertise.
NASCAR Trying To Make Racing More Affordable
NASCAR CEO Brian France recently discussed the dilemma facing most budding auto racing teams – finances. It’s a dilemma that is currently affecting the entire industry and NASCAR seems set on finding ways to cut costs and making racing more accessible so that the sport stays afloat in this time of economic hardships.
Brian France recently commented: “It’s very difficult. It’s on our whole industry. And there are always some unfunded teams. Now, that’s not anything new. One of my goals and one of our goals is to have a system where you don’t need $26 million to put a competitive team forward. So that is one of the things NASCAR has a lot of influence on and we’re working all the time to figure that out.” So far the organization has been kept afloat by sponsorship deals that had already been put in place long before the global economic meltdown began. NASCAR is also incredibly lucrative as a spectator sport, with television contracts raking in some $600 million each year. Pre-arranged contracts should enable the organization to stay afloat until around 2014. So then, where’s the problem?
NASCAR is struggling to keep afloat at team level. Sponsors have dropped off, leaving teams struggling to get what they need to make it through the next racing season, let alone the next couple of years. The teams that are still managing to make the cut are currently discussing possible mergers. This involves noteworthy teams such as Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Petty Enterprises. Mergers mean less cars on the track, which means less excitement, less chance of a long-shot and less crowd pull. Driver Denny Hamlin summed up the situation nicely. He said: “Ultimately the sponsors are going to look to the teams that perform well. If it kind of gets where the smaller teams can’t do it, it’s going to be tough for them to go out there and race with the guys that have four cars each and every week.”
The current economic crises also crosses into the manufacturing sector, with longtime NASCAR supports such as General Motors, Ford and Chrysler now facing a never-before-seen financial crises. This means that even if these manufacturing companies continue to support NASCAR – as they most likely will – their support will be greatly reduced, adding to the financial plight of the NASCAR organization. A lot of teams will probably be laying off some of their employees at the end of this year’s racing season, leaving a lot of people with uncertain futures. One of NASCAR’s only ways of trying to counter all this, is to make racing cheaper and more affordable so that less money is needed to run a team. One possibility currently being looked into is reducing or eliminating test runs before races. All eyes are now waiting to see exactly what strategies NASCAR implements to try and slow down this very worrying trend.
Johnson’s Lead Becomes Virtually Unstoppable
Until now, there’s always been a question of “what if?” when it comes to the Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards scenario. Though Johnson has been in the lead for some time now, a couple of bad races and interesting finishes have put a stop to any claims that he is completely unbeatable this racing season – until now that is.
When the cars crossed the finish line at Phoenix International Raceway on Sunday, any possibilities of Edwards beating Johnson in the series were put to an end. Jimmie Johnson absolutely dominated the Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500, taking the checkered flag and enjoying his 40th career victory. He led for 217 of the possible 313 laps in his No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet. The win was his third straight triumph on the track and his seventh so far this season. It gave him a commanding 141-point lead over his chief rival, Carl Edwards. Johnson is so far ahead now, that he’d have to finish below 36th in the big season finale next weekend in order to lose it. For someone who has been dominating the track since the beginning of the season, that’s very unlikely. So many people now consider Johnson winning the series to be just a formality. When he takes to the Homestead-Miami Speedway in just one week’s time, he’ll not only be winning the championship, he’ll be clinching his third championship so far. If everything goes according to plan, Johnson will become the second driver in NASCAR’s history to win three straight titles, after Cale Yarborough.
But Edwards and his team haven’t given up just yet. Mathematically speaking, Edwards still has a sliver of a chance if Johnson runs into some bad luck and ends up at the back of the pack. Edwards remarked: “It’s possible, not real probable, but I guarantee that’s not going to change the way we do business. We’re going to go to Homestead with everything we’ve got and be aggressive and try to win the race.” During the course of Sunday’s race, Kurt Busch had as many as five opportunities to challenge Johnson’s lead. Instead he ended up watching Johnson’s skill in awe. He remarked: “It was unbelievable to watch that type of display and it’s something pretty special.”
Whincup Pulls Hat-Trick At Bahrain
When Jamie Whincup arrived at the Bahrain International Circuit for the Gulf Air Desert 400, no one knew that he’d be ending the weekend with three victories under his belt. His cumulative hat-trick of victories helped him to win the Gulf Air Desert 400 and will go a long way in helping with his pursuit of the V8 Supercars Australia driver’s title.
It all started on Friday night when Jamie Whincup drove spectacularly to win the weekend opener. He returned the next day and stuck with his blistering pace, helping him to keep his Ford Falcon ahead of the pack for most of the day. He won the second race, going on to win the third before the day was over. While his second win didn’t seem too difficult, there was a moment of tension in the third race where he had a spirited battle for the top spot with Russell Ingall in the earlier stages of the race. Ingall rocketed away from the grid and took the lead from the pole-sitter on the first turn. But it seems that Whincup was not to be outdone and he regained first place on the second lap when he overtook Ingall on the Bahrain International Circuit’s long straight just before round three. But that wasn’t the end of it. Ingall wasn’t going to let Whincup have the race without a fight and so he managed to outsprint Whincup after the first safety car period. Unfortunately for him, Whincup managed to pull off a jaw-dropping maneuver as he overtook Ingall on the inside of turn one on their sixth lap. After that, Whincup seemed to decide enough was enough and he put plenty of space between himself and Ingall. Ingall lost a few places during the course of the race and after some brilliant driving initially, ended up in fifth place. Jamie Whincup’s weekend full of victories gave him the 11th round win. He came away from the event with 300 points.
From the podium, Whincup commented: “We weren’t quite sure what our pace was going to be here, but as it turned out we were one-two in qualifying and then one-two in the round results, so I’m pretty happy with that. I must admit I had a relatively easy job battling with a much better car today. I enjoyed the racing, and all I had to do was get into that number one position and get away.” Whincups Team Vodafone partner Craig Lowndes was the runner-up at the day’s race, finishing with 264 points overall with two third-place finishes. He added: “It’s a huge turn-around for us from last year when we struggled to be in the top ten. This year, we had a much better car and I’m delighted with the result.” Despite his disappointing finish in the third race, Supercheap Auto Racing’s Russel Ingall finish third in the overall standings with a second in race two and his fifth in race three, he tallied up 246 points.
Cobra Jet Mustang Drag Car
The Ford Mustang has always been a dream car to many. With popular models such as the FR500C, the FR500GT and the FR500S, it is hard to imagine that these models can be improved on. But on the fortieth anniversary of the Cobra Jet, Ford has produced a new FR500CJ drag racer, which will have every Mustang fan wishing they had one. The Cobra Jet Mustang Drag Car was created to be one of the most breathtaking factory built drag cars on the market. Attention to detail and creating raw power doesn’t just make the Cobra Jet Mustang Drag Car great, it makes it spectacular.
The Cobra Jet Mustang Drag Car was created to make a statement, and Ford is exceptionally proud of their latest member of the Mustang range. The Cobra Jet will have a six speed manual gearbox fitted, however a three speed automatic gearbox can be fitted on request, and will be powered by a 5.4L V-8 engine. A few features were changed from the previous models to enhance the performance of the Cobra Jet, such as an adjusted wheel and tire combination, so that the Cobra Jet will be better suited to drag racing.
Other features include a nine inch rear axle, larger throttle body, single hoop driveshaft loop with a one piece driveshaft, crankshaft dampener, long tube stainless steel headers, an anti-roll bar, cold air intake, drag race spring kit and specially designed rear control arms. The new Cobra Jet will produce four hundred horsepower and will comfortably fall within the ten second ranges.
Unfortunately, there is no hope of running off to purchase one, as only fifty Cobra Jet Mustang Drag Cars will be manufactured, of which all fifty have already been bought and will be dropped off at the respective dealerships for their new owners to collect. Even though Ford has said that there might be a chance of them manufacturing more Cobra Jets in the future, no definite plans have been made yet. There is still some light at the end of the tunnel, as the Cobra Jet will be manufactured from Ford performance parts that the public will be able to purchase. So with a little saving and patience, Mustang enthusiasts will be able to build their own Cobra Jet. Ford Racing Technology Director, Brian Wolfe, was quoted saying: “The 2008 CJ will get us more involved with the sportsmen racers in drag racing. Those Ford racers are among the most loyal Ford supporters and customers we have. The CJ makes a statement for our company that even in times as tough as these, we can introduce something as special as the Cobra Jet. As a guy who has tracked Ford history from the beginning and understands the significance of the CJ, this is by far the best factory drag car that we have produced.”
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