auto racing

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Freak Accident Nearly Kills Grand Prix Racer

Car part bounces off track, fractures Felipe Massa's skull

(Newser) - A Brazilian auto racer is in “life-threatening,” though stable, condition after a spring from another car bounced off the track and hit the driver in the helmet, knocking him unconscious as he drove into a barrier, the Independent reports. Felipe Massa’s surgery for multiple skull fractures was...

Castroneves Wins 3rd Indy 500
 Castroneves Wins 3rd Indy 500 

Castroneves Wins 3rd Indy 500

(Newser) - Helio Castroneves won his third Indianapolis 500 today, beating 2005 winner Dan Wheldon by 1.981 seconds and leaving Danica Patrick in third, the best finish by a woman at Indianapolis. With 10 laps to go, Castroneves' lead was 1.38 seconds, and he continued widening the gap the rest...

Two Crash on Lap 1 of Indy 500
 Two Crash on Lap 1 of Indy 500 

Two Crash on Lap 1 of Indy 500

(Newser) - Today's Indianapolis 500 had barely started when Mario Moraes drifted to the outside and made contact with Marco Andretti, sending both cars into the wall going into the second turn. "The kid doesn't get it, and he never will," Andretti said, blaming Moraes for the crash. "He's...

In NASCAR, the Secret Weapon Is Motor Oil

Forget the engine; ex-NASA techs search for perfect lubricant

(Newser) - How do you make a race car go faster? For NASCAR teams, one of the only options is to attempt to concoct the perfect motor oil. With technology restricted across the sport, engineers can't tinker too much with the hardware, but better oil actually helps. The Wall Street Journal looks...

Kenseth Wins Rainy Daytona 500

(Newser) - Rain that had threatened today's season-opening race finally rolled in moments after Matt Kenseth slid past Elliott Sadler for the lead, the AP reports. Then the former NASCAR champion was forced to sit out a 20-minute delay before claiming victory in the Daytona 500 after 152 of 200 laps. It...

Electric Motorcycles Closing Gap on Speed

Brit creates all-battery bike for the racetrack

(Newser) - An English entrepreneur is developing an all-electric motorcycle he says can compete on the racetrack, Wired reports. Well, in the near future. His prototype—the bike is expected to be for sale next year and will be legal for street use—can go from 0 to 60 in 3.8...

Honda Cuts F1 Racing Team
 Honda Cuts F1 Racing Team 

Honda Cuts F1 Racing Team

Attempting to cut costs, Japan's No. 2 carmaker axes racing program

(Newser) - Honda, facing economic drag as the financial crisis sharply curtails demand for automobiles, is withdrawing from Formula 1 racing, at least until global markets turn the corner, the Guardian reports. Honda's CEO once pledged to spend “a trillion yen” to secure an F1 title, but shareholders have pressured the...

Detroit's Woes Become a Drag for NASCAR

Tanking economy likely to hit NASCAR harder than most

(Newser) - The gloomy economic outlook is putting the brakes on sporting sponsorships everywhere and NASCAR is one of the hardest-hit, the Washington Post reports. Sponsorship cash makes up around 80% of the average racing team's budget, but long-standing partnerships with Detroit’s auto giants and other major backers are running out...

Newman a Man for All Seasons
 Newman a Man for All Seasons 
APPRECIATION

Newman a Man for All Seasons

Whether racing cars, making pasta sauce, or helping sick children, acting was just one of Paul Newman's talents

(Newser) - Paul Newman was one of our most legendary actors, but his life and legacy went far beyond the movies, the New York Times writes. From his rare long-lived Hollywood marriage to Joanne Woodward (they lived in Connecticut) to his tireless philanthropy on behalf of sickly kids, Newman did more than...

Little Teen Angst for Rising NASCAR Star

Joey Logano, coming off first Nationwide win, could be in big leagues this season

(Newser) - Joey Logano has an extra reason not to drink and drive: The winner of last week's NASCAR Nationwide Series race is just 18. Called the future of racing before he had a license, Logano has the attitude of champion—and a teenager, notes Richard Durrett in the Dallas Morning News....

Dixon Nails Indy 500 Win
 Dixon Nails Indy 500 Win 

Dixon Nails Indy 500 Win

Patrick knocked out after one of many race mishaps

(Newser) - Quick crew work boosted Scott Dixon to victory at the Indianapolis 500 today, ahead of Vitor Meira and Marco Andretti, the AP reports. Danica Patrick, vying to be Indy's first female winner, got clipped with 29 laps left, snapped her suspension, and finished 22nd. Several other crashes and failures haunted...

'Danica Rule' Is Confusing, Controversial

Does move intended to even out drivers' weights even do that?

(Newser) - Danica Patrick will carry 35 pounds of ballast in her car in this weekend's Indianapolis 500 to make up for her tiny, 100-pound body. But even those who agree that ballasting is the fair way to account for differences in racers' body sizes aren't sure the IndyCar system is entirely...

Indy Champ Castroneves Considering NASCAR

Driver may follow previous open-wheel racers and bolt for stock cars

(Newser) - Two-time Indianapolis 500 champion Helio Castroneves is considering trading in his Indy car for a NASCAR stock car, reports the Los Angeles Times. "I won't deny that I'm thinking about it," Castroneves said. "It would be great to one day try the cars. But at this point...

Danica Ready to Make History at Indy 500

Racer 'really' likes her odds (and car) in next week's big race

(Newser) - No longer just a pretty face, Danica Patrick finally has a win, a winning team, and the fastest car she's ever raced. “I really, really like my chances" in next weekend's Indy 500, she tells Sports Illustrated. "And man, how huge would it be if I could win...

Kyle Busch Claims Another Win at Darlington

Unpopular driver wins his third Sprint Cup event of season

(Newser) - The crowd booed him. He called his car pathetic. His crew missed a lug nut, and he couldn't stay off Darlington Raceway's wall. Despite it all, Kyle Busch found Victory Lane once again. NASCAR's least popular driver raced to his third Sprint Cup Series victory of the season last night,...

Danica's Car Hits Crew Member
 Danica's Car Hits Crew Member 

Danica's Car Hits Crew Member

Mechanic has concussion after accident in pit row

(Newser) - Danica Patrick, racing's rising star, clipped a crew member yesterday during practice for the Indianapolis 500. Patrick—who became the first woman to win an Indy Car race last month—struck the 63-year-old mechanic in pit row with both left tires and sent him flying through air, the Indianapolis Star...

Kyle Busch Wins at Talladega Under Caution

Wreck on final lap allows him to cruise to first win at super speedway

(Newser) - Kyle Busch, the kid who couldn't conquer Talladega, finally won at the harrowing track Sunday, and in this, his breakout season, it was only fitting that he coasted to the victory. Busch came back from a lap down for his first win there, which came under caution when a 13-car...

Car Lovers Pay $5K for a Spin
 Car Lovers Pay $5K for a Spin 

Car Lovers Pay $5K for a Spin

140-mph ride is too much for one: 'I tossed my cookies,' he said

(Newser) - Car nuts are flying to Los Angeles and coughing up nearly $5,000 to drive a Porsche 997 Turbo. Why the numbing bill? Because Supercar Life, a fantasy camp, lets motorists spend all day driving a host of pricey cars at outrageous speeds. For many, the 140-mph thrill ride is...

Gamble Nets Johnson 1st Win of '08

No. 48 Chevrolet stays on track while everyone else pits down stretch

(Newser) - Jimmie Johnson gave Hendrick Motorsports its first NASCAR Sprint Cup victory of the year, winning a fuel gamble last night at Phoenix International Speedway. As leader after leader dove for the pits to take on gas in the waning laps, Johnson's No. 48 Chevrolet stayed on track and the two-time...

Edwards Races to 3rd Win of Season
Edwards Races to 3rd Win of Season

Edwards Races to 3rd Win of Season

Holds off Jimmie Johnson to take the Samsung 500 crown

(Newser) - As his interim crew chief headed toward inspection, Carl Edwards offered to lend him cash to bribe NASCAR's officials. Of course, Edwards was joking. But in making light of the severe penalties his team drew when its race-winning car failed inspection last month, Edwards showed his Roush Fenway Racing team...

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