CLASHPRODUCTION // REDBULL TEASER

Fearful that we may be overdoing it with the RedBull drift content, we cautiously direct you to the latest from our friends at Clashproduction's. As always, a well edited, well shot video, accompanied by a stunning soundtrack, is available for your viewing pleasure. So, with the simple click of a mouse and the twist of a volume knob, forget those remarks your co-worker made about your tie (ed note - who wears ties anymore?... no really, anyone?) and enjoy the sideways action of the RedBull Drifting World Championship as presented by Clashproduction // 12.01.2008

HEFFNER & CAMILO PARDO // SPECIAL ED 'GT'

Like a double shot over ice, Heffner Performance and Ford designer Camilo Pardo have teamed up to create the ultimate Ford GT. Dubbed the Camilo Pardo Special Edition, this one-off supercar comes equipped with the now infamous, Heffner twin-turbo upgrade (good for 900bhp), and can hit speeds in excess of 150mph during a quarter mile pass. Force fed GT’s are no new thing, and the diffrences between a factory Ford and the Pardo special are subtle (minus the extra 350bhp of course).

A concept-style rear bumper as well as aluminium seat grommets are but a few of the changes, with the most obvious being the modified color scheme. A favorite of the ColdTrackDays staff, the Ford GT embodies everything we think Ford should be doing, where as this, is a shining example of what they should not. With the fate of FoMoCo very much uncertain, maybe financing for a GT will be within our reach... Hey, a guy can dream can't he // 12.01.2008

HYUNDAI RALLY BEAST // THEY MAKE AWD?

Really? A Hyundai rally car? A competitive one? Wow. Ok. Courtesy of our friends at FOC, check out this well sorted highlight reel of Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard, as they compete on both sides of the border in the only (that we know of) Hyundai rally entry for 2008. Enjoy // 12.01.2008

WHAT DO YOUR SHOES SAY? // SAEBELT'S LATEST

We at ColdTrackDays are firm believers that a gentleman’s footwear, like his choice of automobile, says a lot about his personality. A freshly polished cap-toe dress shoe suggests a classic and well cared for man, all business, with time for pleasure only on the weekends. A pair of high-top Converse All-Stars suggests a gentleman that probably works from home, or calls Tuesday his ‘Friday.’

So, what do these Saebelt - Aston Martin Racing ‘DBR9’ sneakers say about their wearer? Maybe, ‘I choose function over form, unless of course function and form coincide,’ or ‘I find pleasure in subtly informing my co-workers that when I leave the office, I NEED a pair of driving shoes, as heel-toe shifting my Aston is a bit difficult in the above mentioned cap-toes.’ Whatever the case, and whatever your lifestyle, we are sure you can appreciate the appeal of Saebelt’s latest driving shoe. Click here for more info // 12.01.2008

OFFICIALLY OFFICIAL // AUDI'S R8-LMS

As expected, the race-ready R8-LMS saw it official unveiling at this years Essen Motor Show. The R8-LMS (aka the Audi R16) is a GT-3 spec car aimed at privateer race programs looking to compete in the highly competitive GT-3 Le Mans class, with a rear drive version of Audi’s R8 supercar. Word has it, Audi will not field a team of its own, but a handful of R8-LMS cars are expected to compete in a number of European race series beginning next year.

At €260,000 , the R8-LMS is a bargain as far as we are concerned. 500bhp comes courtesy of Audi’s mid-mounted V10. A six-speed sequential gear box sends power to the rear wheels. Carbon fiber bits, to include a front splitter and massive rear wing, reduce weight and increase downforce. Cheap? Well, that is relative... Competitive? Let’s just say our money is on Audi for a GT-3 title in 2009 // 11.29.2008

AUDI TO UNVEIL LATEST PROTOTYPE // R15-LMP

Audi’s R10 TDI Le Mans champion is dead. The LM Prototype that defined a transition to force-fed diesel power and dominated it's field will be succeeded by Audi’s latest dino-powered ride, the R15. Expected to debut at this years 12 Hours of Sebring, the R15 will feature a smaller, lighter, more efficient TDI motor, and most importantly, will not retain its open top appearance. So, why change what has been so successful? Well according to Audi Motorsport head Wolfgang Ullrich, "It was clear to us that we must develop a new car if we wanted to continue to be successful in Le Mans." In other words, Peugeot had our number, we were lucky, and there is no need to take any chances...

With an official unveiling expect sometime before the Sebring race, we anticipate an Audi press-release will hit our inbox in the very near future. Until then we can only speculate... Image comes courtesy of Fourtitude.com // 11.29.2008

KEN BLOCK // AT IT AGAIN...

Join Ken Block and Alex Gelsomino as they run the ‘Concord Pond’ stage of the 2008 New England Forest Rally. The way they put together the picture-in-picture video, with the stage GPS on the left and pace notes on the right, makes for some of the best in-car rally footage we have seen this season. Watch as Block and navigator Gelsomino go on to tie last year's stage record in their 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI, just another example of Ken Blocks skill behind the wheel... Click here or above and enjoy // 11.29.2008

BMW // MARKETING AT IT'S FINEST

BMW is famous for well shot ad campaigns. Remember this one. Well I clearly remember watching endless hours of SPEED (cause I don’t do that anyhow...) just to see the latest short film BMW released. Here, yet again, is a fine example of what BMW's marketing department, a few good videographers and one hell of a dog trainer can accomplish. Enjoy // 11.29.2008

ONE LESS TEAM? // BERGER SELLS TORRO ROSSO

RedBull has reportedly bought back Gergard Berger’s 50% stake in the Torro Rosso F1 team. Berger had purchased the majority share in Torro Rosso from RedBull owner Dietrich Mateschitz in 2006, after the Austrian billionaire had purchased the Minardi F1, re branding it with his dueling bulls.

Berger apparently wanted out, before his Torro Rosso program fell to the back of the pack. Berger is quoted as saying: “The new rules leave no room for improvement for a small team as STR. Also, Dietrich’s interest will focus on Red Bull Racing, therefore the support for STR will become smaller and prevent the team from improving further from sixth.”

It is unlikely that Mateschitz can maintain two successful F1 programs, leading us to believe he purchased the team with the sole intent of re-selling it. Looks like Sebastien Vettel left at just the right time... More when we know more // 11.29.2008

NEWMAN'S OWN // CAR COLLECTION AT AUCTION

The late Paul Newman, Academy Award winner and successful race car driver, noted in his will that his collection of cars and airplanes should be sold at auction with the proceeds to go to his estate. Details are limited at this time, with no date set for auction, or a catalog of items available, but an assortment of race-ready Datsun’s (Newman had a long standing relationship with the Japanese automaker) as well as a Cosworth V8 powered Volvo 950 (said to make somewhere around 400bhp at the rear wheels), are but a few items expected to see the auction block.

Newman’s interest in motorsports begun shortly after he completed his 1969 film, ‘Winning.’ He reportedly found the feeling of control and responsibility while piloting a race car, to be an intoxicating experience. After a handful of seasons in SCCA sanctioned racing, Newman went on to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1979, where he managed a second place finish overall.

Paul Newman, philanthropist, playboy, icon, race car driver. Our kind of guy... // 11.29.2008

ONE OF A KIND // TJIN EDITION SOLSTICE

We came across this on the 0-60 Magazine website and thought we’d share. Now, those truly dedicated to motorsports often find themselves the butt of a few jokes. Driving a Miata and getting away with it, is no small task. But a Solstice, now that's nearly impossible (unless your Rhys Millen), or so we thought.

What you are looking at is the handy work of Neil Tjin, a man known for his transformational Pontiac's (see Tjin Edition G8). So, when Neil got his hands on the Solstice, he took what was once a mild mannered two seater (a little on the girly side we might add), and added a little muscle. Neil's Solstice sports a fresh coat of Ninja Green PPG paint, a Hahn Racecraft stage two turbo kit, full Magnaflow cat-back exhaust, roll cage and is said to make some 284bhp.

If you have ever driven a force fed Miata, you are well aware what a little recycled air can do for a two seat drop top that weighs next to nothing. By far the best (ed note- the only) example of a well equipped, well sorted Pontiac Solstice we have seen thus far. Well done. For more info and pics, click here // 11.27.2008

LEXUS LF-A // WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!

So excited we have been with uber Porsche vs. tuner Nissan lap time battles, that we nearly forgot Toyota promised us a front engined supercar by years end. Well, tick tock, and no LF-A in sight... until today. Seen here at Toyota’s Motorsports Festival at Fuji Speedway, this was the first we had heard from our super Lexus since it raced at the Nurburgring 24 Hours (where it finished 7th in class and 121st overall). This time however, the LF-A not only made an appearance, but with Akio Toyoda, executive VP of Toyota behind the wheel. Still no word on specs, no price or performance figures, but if we had to guess, we’d say 500bhp, 500 built and a price tag right around a quarter million. What do you think? // 11.27.2008

THE PORSCHE OF PHONES // P'9522

Been a while since we featured a mobile device, and with an undoubtedly large number of iPhone’s and G1’s making xmas lists this year, we thought we’d offer an alternative. Say hello to the Porsche Design P’9522. Wrapped in a solid aluminium bezel and featuring a scratch proof mineral glass cover, the Porsche of phones (literally) also features a OLED touch screen display, GPS, Wi-Fi, 5.0 megapixel camera, and all the other bits and pieces we have come to expected from high end do-it-all phones. Oh, and did we mention, the P’9522 has a fingerprint scanner to help stave off noisy girlfriends... We’ll take two // 11.27.2008

WRECKED MAGAZINE // REDBULL RECAP

Check out Wrecked Magazines video recap from this month’s inaugural RedBull World Drift Championship. Though we were there to capture all of the sideways craziness via some amazing photography (see Kinod’s Sunday Set) we were unable to put together any worthwhile video. So, without further adue, we leave you in the hands of Wrecked for some highlights from the RBWDC. Enjoy // 11.27.2008

SKUSA SUPERNATS // A VIDEO PERSPECTIVE

Following our coverage (if you can call it that) of the SKUSA SuperNationals in Las Vegas, we thought we’d post a bit of video from last weekends event. Unfortunately, we were unable to capture any worth while video ourselves, so we had to utilize the ethernet for the above film. Shot during Thursdays practice session, the video gives you an idea of track layout and class size, however, it does not do justice to the skill, speed and intensity of the biggest karting event of the season. That my friends, you have to experience for yourselves. Video comes courtesy of RealKarting.com. Enjoy // 11.26.2008

BROWN IS BACK // AND WE LOVE IT

When I think of brown automobiles, my grandfathers ‘79 Chevy quad-cab pickup comes to mind, or the 1981 Porsche 911SC that I recently parted with. I cannot however, think of a single late-model car lucky enough to come adorned from the factory, in a doo-doo brown finish, not one. That is, until today. This particular Porsche Turbo drop-top just does it for me (ed note-us) and though I may doubt Porsche’s decision making as of late (see Panamera), this brown Turbo is a move in the right direction. Agreed? // 11.26.2008

SNAP-ON BOX // XMAS GIFTS FOR GT-R OWNERS

I suppose this is only relevant to those that pre-ordered Nissan’s new GT-R, but the guys at Snap-On tools have just released a special edition toolbox with a GT-R graphic smeared across the front. The box will be sold at authorized Nissan dealerships and only 635 examples will be produced. But the real question is, how many GT-R owners will actually be wrenching on their new ride? // 11.26.2008

HAVING A GO // ROSSI DRIVES AN F2008

What is going on?! Just yesterday we reported on WRC champ Sebastien Loeb doing a bit of testing behind the wheel of a RedBull F1 ride, and now Valentino Rossi?! According to GridCrasher.com, the reigning MotoGP champion found himself behind the wheel of Ferrari’s F2008 at the Mugello Circuit, and this is what the GP jockey had to say about it: “The times we did in Fiorano, here and in Valencia have been analysed and with some good hard work and lots of effort I could become a good Formula One driver,” said Rossi. “It’s difficult to say whether or not I would win, but the potential is definitely there.”

Additionally, word has it Rossi completed over 30 laps before inclement weather forced him to retire, and that he was a mere two seconds off the pace of Ferrari drivers Massa and Raikkonen. Now, two seconds in terms of F1 is nothing to brag about, but it definitely suggests an inherent go-fast ability, one that might afford Rossi a few wins in say, Formula BMW or Formula 3? // 11.26.2008

SKUSA SUPERNATIONALS // A WEEKEND IN VEGAS

I just got back from the SUKSA Super Nationals in Las Vegas, and I have to say, I was surprised by what I saw. No, not the skill level or the dedication, the time (and money) invested or the advanced nature of the karts themselves, all of that I expected. What I was surprised by, was the turnout. Drivers from around the world came to Las Vegas to compete in what has become the premiere karting event of the season. Over 400 drivers entered into ten classes, with ages ranging from elementary to senior. The Italians took over one corner of the paddock, while a large turnout of both French and Brazilian drivers were there to show the stateside crowd what the international karting scene has to offer.

The track was setup in the parking lot of the Rio, and the karting crowd in attendance effectively took over the hotel. Large trailers, teams of ten or twelve drivers, tents that rival those seen at Formula car events. The whole thing was somewhat visceral. The smell of race fuel filled the air. Engines howled as they were being warmed pre-race. Father/son teams waited patiently for their turn on track. Long lines for tech inspections, tires and fuel. Mechanics moving quickly through the paddock, a ever present urgency as to ensure all of the drivers saw an opportunity to qualify, to race, to win.

I was on track nearly all day. I watched as the different classes saw their turn to qualify, with pole positions being treated like gold. The track was fast, with three long straightaways, a handful of hairpins and one very quick chicane on the backside. The SuperPro’s proved the most impressive, with more than half the drivers coming from international locations. The field was made up of the best talent the world had to offer, and I was there to see it. 125cc, water cooled, six-speed sequential gearbox karts with a who’s-who of international drivers, the SuperPro’s were the class to watch. Running nose to tail, not giving an inch, the SuperPro’s eat track like I ate my continental breakfast's. Quickly. The karts screamed down the back straight, lifting only slightly as they passed through the chicane. A long sweeping right-hander, and then onto another straightaway. The up shifts are fast, their line, perfect. All in all, what I saw did not surprise me, it inspired me.

With but a few weeks until my own karitng debut, the SKUSA SuperNationals proved one thing to me. Karting is not for the faint of heart, nor is it for the untrained driver. Our misconceptions of karting here in the US may prove to be our biggest downfall in terms of motorsports. Karting has, and will continue to, produce some of the biggest names in racing. What I saw in Vegas was the skill, the talent and the dedication necessary to have a successful career in motor racing. My hat is off to the karting community.

For complete results from the SKUSA SuperNationals, click here // 11.25.2008

SEBASTIEN LOEB // FORMULA ONE TESTING

Recent WRC champion Sebastien Loeb (ed note-make that five time WRC champ), just had the opportunity to pilot a RedBull Formula One car for a few laps of practice. Coming after news (rumor) that Kimi Raikkonen might try his hand in the WRC following a disappointing season with Ferrari, Loeb's practice time raised a few questions. Was this a promo deal? A little bonus for his success under the RedBull flag? Or is there a bit more to it...

Rally racing has produced a number of transitional drivers over the years, coming from one of the most demanding forms of auto racing can make the move into other motorsports an easy one. But Loeb in F1?! Can the skills acquired behind the wheel of a 2.0-liter, AWD rally car garner him a spot in the worlds fastest form of motorsport? And without someone telling him where to go? Well, if this video is any evidence, we have to say, he looks pretty good... Your thoughts? // 11.25.2008

SUPREMACY? // VEYRON @ TOP GEAR TEST TRACK

The question: can the Bugatti Veyron run a faster lap than any other car at the infamous Top Gear test track? Well, with ‘The Stig’ behind the wheel, and 1,001bhp, quad-turbos and an all-wheel drive traction system at his disposal, it would seem a small task for the Veyron... right? Watch and see // 11.25.2008

BMW PERFORMANCE // HAS ARRIVED

BMW Performance accessories is officially doing business. With 32 upgrades available, from carbon fiber dress up bits, to six-piston calipers and cross-drilled rotors, form fitting racing seats, short throw shifters and even a steering wheel equipped with an LED display that shows lap times, acceleration and top speed. BMW will offer their performance accessories for both the 3 and 1 series, with later body styles expected soon. They even put together a very Top-Gearish video to highlight their new performance parts division. Enjoy // 11.25.2008

EYE CANDY // KINOD PHOTOGRAPHY'S SUNDAY SET

Following up on O'Connell's recap of the RBWDC, ColdTrackDays.com and Kinod Photography would like to present: The 2008 RedBull World Drift Championship 'Sunday Set.' Click through above and enjoy // 11.23.2008

PREVIEW // SKUSA SUPER NATIONALS

A little teaser from the 2008 SKUSA Super Nationals. The premiere karting event of the season, this years 'SuperNats' not only took over the Rio Hotel and Casino, but saw over 400 drivers and every level of karting from Jr’s to SuperPro thoroughly represented. Stay tuned to ColdTrackDays for a post-race report come Monday. Until then, enjoy a few shots from Friday’s qualifying // 11.23.2008

CTD.COM POLL // FAVORITE '08 F1 DRIVER?

We thought we could conduct a little poll. No, not a click here and vote, but be sure and leave a mailing address and date of birth kind of poll. We were just hoping to hear from the collective, your thoughts on who stood out most during the 2008 Formula One season.

Now, if you had asked us this question four or five months ago, the consensus in the CTD office would have probably leaned in favor of Lewis Hamilton. His age, natural ability and star power combined for one hell of a Formula One driver, or so we thought. But funny how things change. As we watched the drama unfold in Brazil, we couldn’t help but feel a bit sympathetic for Felipe Massa. The comeback alone should’ve garnered him our top spot, not to mention his nearly perfect pole to checkered win at the Brazilian GP.

A few mistakes withstanding, Massa showed great character, composure and skill, as he took the spotlight away from his 2007 F1 champ teammate, and made a run for the crown. But those mistakes, they were the key. The mishap in Shanghai, the engine failure, all of which lead to his eventual demise. A Formula One champion is nothing without his team. So, our hat is off to Lewis for becoming the (luckiest) 2008 F1 champ, but if we had to pick a favorite, someone who exemplified all that we love about F1, someone that surprised, that showed true skill and brought a little humility back to a sport sometimes overwhelmed with ‘show,’ we’d pick Fernando Alonso. Your thoughts? // 11.23.2008

STORY TIME // THE FIRST E-TYPE

Another bit we missed at the LA Auto Show. Say hello to the 1961 Jaguar E-Type (XKE) that made its debut at the Geneva Auto Convention. Great car, even better story...

For plenty of E-Type info, well shot photography and an otherwise great blog, be sure and check out chuch.goolsbee.org // 11.23.2008

WHAT WE MISSED // 2008 LA AUTO SHOW

First of all, we would like to apologize for the brief lack of posts. We were in Las Vegas covering the SKUSA Super Nationals (more on that later) and were without consisten internet throughout the week. That being said, what we missed, and therefor what you missed, was coverage of the 2008 LA Auto Show. Not that auto shows offer much of anything (with the exception of SEMA), we did however feel we should post a sort of re-cap, highlighting a few automobiles that made their ‘official’ debut in Los Angeles. So, without further adue, the CTD staff picks for ‘wish we could have seen it’

1 // Spyker C8 Aileron - And we thought our cup was full with this. Well, say hello to the Aileron. Updates over the ‘standard’ C8 include a 40% increase in structural rigidity, the wheelbase has been stretched 4.5in and the front end widened to create a ‘square’ car. Oh, and she still sports the Audi sourced, 400bhp, 4.2-liter V8 and an interior that looks like this. We know, you want one

2 // Lotus Evora - the Lotus formerly known as the Eagle, this is teh second time the 2+2 Lotus has made an auto show apperance this season (first being London) and we are just as escited to see it now as we were then. Mid-mounted V6 power, a back seat, killer looks, sounds like a recipe for fun. Count us in

3 // Nissan 370Z - This being the ‘offically official’ unveiling of Nissan’s newest Z car, the 370Z does look a bit better than expected. We were however hoping for more drastic changes for the latest incarnation of Nissan’s sports car, but this will due

4 // Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spider - Really, is there any thing not to like? That 560 stands for horsepower, and the 4, well that would hint at all four wheels putting the power to the pavement. Oh, and the Spider bit, well that means this cool Italian is topless, and you know we like topless...

Maybe next year we will force ourselves to hit up the LA Auto Show. Until then... // 11.23.2008

SING IT! // LEXUS IS-F PROMO VIDEO

Following this years Seattle Auto Show, we became a bit more interested in the Lexus IS-F. Some 425bhp, V8 muscle under the hood, those flared fenders, looked good in the flesh. So, when we came across this ‘IS-F music video,’ we had to share it with you. A bit trippy, maybe even confusing at first, but give it a minute, and turn it up! (ed note- just maybe not at your desk) // 11.23.2008

ALMS TESTING // RAHAL-LETTERMAN M3

Back in April we received a press release hinting that BMW may return to the American Le Mans series for the 2009 season. A few leaked images later, and we were convinced. Then a dry spell. No news, no testing videos, no specs, nothing. Until today (well Friday to be exact, but we were stuck in Vegas without Internet). According to our most recent press release, Team Rahal Letterman has been testing at Road Atlanta (seen above) and have announced that Bill Auberlen and Joey Hand will be the first two drivers for their pair of GT2 class M3’s. With BMW retuning to ALMS, the GT2 class, once dominated by Chevrolet's Corvette (now in GT1), should see some exciting races this coming season.

Here is what Bobby Rahal had to say about it: “With all due respect to our prototype friends, GT2 will truly be one for the ages. We are part of BMW returning, you have Corvette moving from GT1 and GT2 plus Panoz, Porsche and Ferrari. It will be extremely tough, competitive racing.” Fore more info, click here // 11.23.2008

NO THEY DIDN'T // PANAMERA IS OFFICIAL

May the car gods have mercy on our friends from Stuttgart. What you are looking at is the Porsche Panamera sports-sedan, and if you cant tell, we’re not fans. Pre-production images had leaked to the blogosphere a few months back and the initial impression at the CTD office was mild optimism and a heavy dose of ‘what the..’ Well, the months have passed and Porsche has (officially) unveiled their Panamera... and our opinions have yet to change. A 911 with two extra doors, that just sounds like a bad idea. Your thoughts? // 11.23.2008

2008 REDBULL WDC // O'CONNELL RECAP

RUSSELL O’CONNELL RACE RECAP //

The air was filled with smoke, and ash was everywhere from brush fires burning to the North. Many people were walking around with handkerchief's and dust masks, but a steady breeze from the ocean cleared the air on Sunday and kept the temperatures bearable. Formula D did a terrific job converting a dusty pier into the site of a world class event. There were some minor issues with the contracted staff services such as not enough trash cans but at least there were way too many port-o-potties!

This event had several changes to the judging format and the FD staff went out of their way to make sure the competition was run in a way, as to avoid any appearance of being rigged in favour of the FD drivers. Qualifying order was determined by a random drawing via the 'draw party' on Friday night. Saturday's qualifying session determined the pairs for the 'Dirty 32' brackets for Sunday's final competition.

Drifting is a full contact sport. Last weekend saw the tow truck get plenty of use with drivers hitting walls (and each other) at regular intervals. The judges mercilessly ask the drivers to drive as close to the walls and their competitors as possible, which is a recipe for destruction that would put NASCAR to shame. The walls did not discriminate, taking out drivers like Vaughn Gittin JR and Samuel Hubinette. Most initiations were in the high 90 mph range but several of the drivers managed the promised 100 mph entry speeds, with the highest speed clocked at 103.6 mph!

Sunday's finals saw the international competition slowly get eliminated by the FD drivers through superior driving and machinery. The only non FD driver in the Great 8 rounds was Mad Mike Whiddett from New Zealand and the legendary Katsuhiro Ueo of Japan. Whiddet was a little too aggressive and ravaged the wall on both runs, handing the round to Tanner Foust. The Great 8 battle between Dai Yoshiara was THE battle of the night, that took a ‘one more time’ round to settle.

In the final round between Rhys Millen and Dai Yoshihara, the initiation and first corner were equal, however Millen’s smaller, faster car was able to pull away at the 2nd clipping point. On the second run with Yoshihara leading, Millen was all over him, putting huge pressure on Dai, just inches from his door. The pressure proved too much and Dai overcooked it and spun at the 2nd corner handing the first ever RedBull World Drift Championship to Rhys Millen.

The podium ceremony was held in the pits and accessible to the fans. RedBull put up a huge purse, with Rhys Millen taking home a check for $25,000. The single largest purse in drifting history. Dai Yoshihara is $15,000 richer and third place Tanner Foust took home a cool $10,000. When announcer Jarod DeAnda asked the crowed if they wanted RedBull to host the World Championship again next year, the stands erupted in a screaming, standing ovation. The City of Long Beach was also an integral part of the event providing fire trucks and crew, a sweeper truck, and unprecedented access to the port and city. Unfortunately the RBWDC site will be filled up with brand new Mercedes cars fresh off the boat and a return to the Port of Long Beach location is uncertain...

ColdTrackDays would like to thank Formula D, RedBull, and the city of Long Beach for a stellar event! Make it happen again, bigger and better! And be sure not to miss the RBWDC episodes on SPEED beginning December 21st. Video comes courtesy of Wrecked Magazine // 11.19.2008

UNVEILED // FORD'S 2010 MUSTANG

After what seemed like an endless campaign of teaser and spy shots (an you know how much we hate that), Ford has finally unveiled their 2010 Mustang design. Updates include an additional 15bhp (on GT models), fog lights that now come standard on both the base and GT model cars, a bulged set of rear fenders, and a choice of wheels that range from 17in (standard), all the way to 19in on certain models. We expect more info when Ford’s official press-release hits our inbox, so be sure and stay tuned. For the official site of the 2010 Mustang, click here // 11.19.2008

AUDI'S 'R16' // CAUGHT LAPPING 'THE RING'

A highly anticipated piece of machinery here at ColdTrackDays, the Audi R16 GT3 has shown itself (finally), and our friends at MotorAuthority managed to snap a few photos of the new Audi as it lapped the Nurburgring a few days ago. Coming after an August press-release that promised a GT3 entry for next year, the R16 is certainly what we were expecting. 500bhp is sent to the rear wheels (yeah, no AWD in GT3) via the R8's potent 4.2-liter V8, and Audi is stating the R16 will run on factory R8 suspension with the most notable changes coming in the aerodynamic form (i.e. the huge wing). Click through for MotorAuthority’s complete gallery // 11.19.2008

EYE CANDY // DESIRE, LUST AND ENVY

Words that come to mind when day dreaming of carbon-fiber individual throttle bodies. So when we came across this shot of the aforementioned carbon ITB’s, we decided what better a way to cure our lustful ways than to share our find with you, the reader. Few things can sum up our passion for motorsports more than a set of ITB’s. Each cylinder breathing on its own. Each tuned accordingly, with such love and care as to not upset its neighbors. No forced induction, no cold air ram intakes, just a simple, single cylinder breathing apparatus. Beautiful. We salute you ITB’s and all that you represent to us petrol heads. Photo comes courtesy of Kyle Lackey // 11.19.2008

'09 F1 TESTING // AERO CHANGES AND KERS

Testing for the 2009 Formula One season actually began some time ago, however this weekend saw a large turnout at the Barcelona test track. With the implementation of KERS as well as a handful of aerodynamic changes implemented for the ‘09 season, teams have been hard at work perfecting their new entries. The updated aero package could be seen most prominently on the ‘09 BMW, while both Ferrari and Honda ran cars with a fully operational KERS unit. In addition to rule changes, Honda saw both Bruno Senna (above) and Lucas di Grassi pilot their test vehicles, as well as Giedo can der Garde behind the wheel of the Renault. Stay with ColdTrackDays for more coverage of the Formula One off-season // 11.18.2008