Jim Clark Would Be Proud // Lotus Type-25

In memory of the fabled Jim Clark and his untimely death at Hockenheim in 1963, Lotus has created this special edition Elise. Titled the Lotus Elise Type-25 Special Edition, after the Type-25 Lotus Formula One car that Clark raced in 1963, as well as in recognition of the 25 F-1 wins he had, this new edition of the Elise offers supercharged power and a 60's vintage appearance. British racing green meets bold yellow racing stripe, and not straying too far from the standard supercharged Elise, the Type-25 will offer more in the way of aesthetic appeal and collector value than bang for your buck performance. Only 25 will be produced, and there is no word on any being shipped stateside as of yet // 06.06.2008

Proper Use // Improper Execution

Here in lies the problem with lifting off the throttle at the wrong time. At least the owner had it in him to take his recently purchased Audi R8 out on the track. So a high five for effort, but we are going to have to dock a few points for the improper landing. Without intention, we have somehow managed to cover a multitude of automobile accidents in these last few posts. So in an attempt to avoid angering the car gods, we offer this video as a learning lesson. Watch and cringe! // 06.06.2008

Like Father // Not Like Son

Fortune and fame has not tainted the young Hamilton! It has tainted his father... On an evening out with the misses, Anthony Hamilton, father to Formula One superhero Lewis Hamilton, took his son's Porsche Carrera GT out for a spin, litterally. Mr.Hamilton, 48, lost control of his son's Porsche, spinning into a hedge and an empty childrens playground near his home in Hertfordshire, England. The accident left the young Hamilton's ride in shambles and gave rise to questions of whether his father shared some if any of his young son's skills behind the wheel. The Porsche, worth an estimated $350,000 USD was the only bit of damage done, as both Mr.Hamilton and his wife walked away unscathed // 06.06.2008

Is Peugeot Testing Airplanes?

With Le Mans looming in the future, the LMP teams are out in force testing their highly advanced rides. Marc Gene, driver for French auto manufacturer Peugeot, lost control of the #7 Peugeot prototype on June 1 and took to the skies. The video is startling, with the prototype overcoming the forces of gravity and catching air, then going MIA from the cameras view, leaving us to wonder if it truly did launch into space. The crash sent Gene to the hospital, where he was later released and deemed fit to compete. The Peugeot Prototype on the other hand will not be fit to race, and the Peugeot team is in the process of petitioning the Le Mans brass, to allow for a replacement chassis to be used for the June 14-15 race // 06.05.2008

ColdTrackDays Exclusive // Al Unser Sr.

You are not likely to find another blog with an opportunity such as this. The great people at SOVREN (www.sovren.org) have managed to wrangle Al Unser Sr. himself as their celebrity guest for this years Children's Hospital - Northwest Historic. They have given us here at ColdTrackDays an opportunity of a lifetime, a chance to sit down and speak with the Indy legend himself on July 2nd, just two days before the SOVREN event. Born May 29, 1939 in Albuquerque New Mexico, Al Unser Sr. is one of only three men to have won the Indianapolis 500 four times. He is also the only man to have both a sibling (Bobby Unser) and a son (Al Unser Jr.) to win the Indy 500 as well. Beginning his racing career at the age of 18, Unser began in modified midgets and sprint cars, but by 1965 he was racing in his first Indy 500 (in A.J. Foyt’s backup car), where he finished ninth overall. Winning his first Indy 500 in 1970, just two years after his brother Bobby, Unser Sr. lead for all but 10 of the 200 laps, averaging a speed of 155mph. Winning again in ‘71, Unser looked to be well on his way to a three time sweep of the famous 500 miles. But it would not be until 1978 that Unser was to see the checkered again at Indy. Starting in the fifth position, he was the underdog. But after battling his way through the pack, Unser took the lead on lap 75 and went on to win. His fourth victory did not come until 1987, when he bested a field of skilled young talent, in a year old car that had been relegated to showroom duty at the Penske Racing display, in the Sheraton hotel in Reading, Pennsylvania. Unser’s racing career is a storied one, filled with family tradition and inspiring moments. So with our coming opportunity to speak with the Sr. legend himself, we would love to hear from you, the reader. Email us at sales@coldtrackdays.com with a few suggested questions for our interview with Al Unser Sr. For more info on the Unser family, visit www.unserracingmuseum.com // 06.05.2008

M-Cars // Seattle's Only BMW Motorsport Dealer

Tired of the minivan? A bit bored with the Prius? It may be time to upgrade! As true motorsport fans, we here at ColdTrackDays feel that any place specializing in high end performance cars is right down our alley. Enter M-Cars. Locally owned, M-Cars of Seattle is the only BMW Motorpsort dealer in the area. Offering a plethora of M cars, from the fire breathing M-Coupe to the seductive M5, M-Cars of Seattle is a one stop shop for go fast Bavarian Motor Works. Located in the South Seattle warehouse district, they are soon to be the neighbors of none other than BMW of Seattle itself. With an ever growing inventory, owner Matt LaCross is always on the prowl for top end BMW Motorsport cars. Selling only those that he deems fit and being adamant about not purchasing cars at auction, M-Cars offers 100% disclosure on all their cars, and makes sure each car goes through a third party inspection of both body and mechanical. Offering consignment as well as direct sales, browse their website to get an idea of their inventory. Founded around the idea that BMW Motorsports is the pinnacle of driving pleasure, and that no matter the vintage, a BMW Motorsport car will always provide a bit of thrill in an otherwise average day. M-Cars represents all that we love about the M badging and has continued to surprise us, with an extensive inventory and the soon to be introduced P-Cars. What is the P representative of you wonder? Why Porsche of course. So if you are in need of something a bit more thrilling than your daily driver, or simply looking to fill the gap between boring ride to work and weekend track car, M-Cars of Seattle can provide all of that, and then some // 06.03.2008

Gigi Galli // Acropolis Rally 2008

In recognition of our upcoming trip to Italy (more on that later), Italian Gigi Galli is going to take us for a spin in his WRC car. Though he was forced to retire three stages prior to the finish (broken suspension arm on his Focus), Galli appeared strong at the Acropolis Rally in Greece. Winning the first ever Colin McRae Trophy, presented to the driver with the fastest average speed through a stage, Galli may have been headed to the podium were it not for mechanical failure. This video showcases Galli's skill and ability to maintain speed, as he averaged 62.7mph // 06.03.2008

Garth Stein // On Being Optimistic

With a lack of opposable thumbs and a improperly fashioned tongue, Enzo's frustrations seem justified. But then again, what can a dog expect out of life? A lab terrier mix, Enzo is the faithful companion of one Denny Swift. Husband of Eve and father to their daughter Zoe, Swift is hanging it all on the line in order to pursue a racing career, and Enzo is riding shotgun. Rough patches are in the future and Swift will find Enzo to be his most steadfast supporter, though a bit silent. While waiting for his life as a dog to draw to a close, Enzo reflects on his life and the life of his friend Swift, all while waiting to be reborn a man. A brilliant piece of fiction, put to paper by a Seattle native, The Art of Racing in the Rain takes you on a philosophical journey through purpose and pleasure. A great companion for us here in the Northwest, as we may find more rainy days at the track then sunny, author Garth Stein provides a bit of comedy in an otherwise dreary situation. The staff here at ColdTrackDays devoured this book from cover to cover and look forward to future works by our fellow Seattle resident // 06.03.2008

Going Once, Going Twice // McQueen's Spyder

What better an addition to our "Gear" section then a piece of Steve McQueen himself. The Porsche 908/2 Spyder that Mr.McQueen himself drove in the 1970 12hrs of Sebring (the race in which much of the in-car footage for Le Mans was shot), will be appearing on the auction block and is expected to fetch a cool $2 million. The three liter, flat eight, 350bhp Porsche Spyder, will be auctioned at Bonham's Quail auction this August in California. Accompanying the Spyder will be the Jaguar E2A (bottom photo), the prototype that competed in the 1960 24hrs of Le Mans. While the Spyder's price tag may have seemed a bit steep, it pales in comparrison, as the E2A is expected to sell for over $7 million //

Nordschleife // German for Dangerous

All this Nurburgring news and so little information about "the ring" itself. Built in the 1920's around the castle of Nurgurg in the Eifel, which is about 120km Northwest of Frankfurt, "the ring" has been a staple of the racing world sinces its completion.The course originally consisted of four track configurations, however the Nordschleife, nick named "the green hell" by Jackie Stewart, is often considered the most grueling and intense road course in the motorsport world, and by far the most daring of the four configurations. It was the main track for the German Grand Prix beginning after World War II, consisting of 22km of bumps, bruises, elevation changes and high speeds. After a fatal crash in 1970, the Formula One drivers of the time decided to protest their upcoming race at "the ring" until safety meassures were taken. F-1 returned in 1971, but called it quits in 1976 due to increasing demands on safety, and the Nurburgring's inability to stay updated. The German Grand Prix moved to Hockenheim, where it was run until 1984. After the completion of the GP-Strecke (a more safety concious race course, incoporating only a portion of the original course), Formula One retuned to the Nurburgring, and as of 2007 the German Grand Prix will alternate between the Nurburgring and Hockenheim. This video was taken in 1967, with a camera car following a Formula One car as it laps the 22km of the Nordschleife //

Bio-Diesel Le Mans Prototype // Audi R10-TDI

Shell Oil, the official fuel provider for Audi's Le Mans effort, has announced that this years prototypes (the R10-TDI's) will run on a mixture of standard diesel and bio-diesel. Running what is know as Gas-To-Liquid (GTL) diesel for the past few years, Audi will now run what they call a Biomass-To-Liquid (BTL) diesel in this years Le Mans cars. We are unsure the exact mixture rate, nor the formula for the bio-fuel, only that it will be produced using wood chips and other natural materials and will make its racing debut staring June 1, when the R10-TDI's begin their Le Mans testing. Audi's efforts are similar to Mazda's LMP1 Le Mans car, which is slated to be run off of E85 Ethanol during this years race. It appears that bio-fuels are not just for the environmentalist, and will hopefully find themselves well accepted in the racing community //

VW Scirocco // Nuburgring Debut

Here is video of the '08 Scirocco race car. Built, shipped, tested and prepped. A car not intended to be shipped stateside, the new VW Scirocco is still turning heads. Making its racing debut at the 24hr Nurburgring race, we are impressed and so is much of the automotive community. Now why is VW reluctant to bring this thing to the U.S.? Competition with their Golf GTI? Slow sales across the board? A trend of mid-sized SUV, over performance hatchbacks? Whatever the case, nothing is in stone, and with a little coercing I am sure VW may change their minds //

Gear Up // ColdTrackDays T-Shirts

They are here! The official ColdTrackDays T-Shirt! Small, Medium, Large and Extra Large sizes are available and the price is cheap, real cheap. $10 a piece (plus shipping if needed) and you will receive a free ColdTrackDays sticker with every order as well! Email // sales@coldtrackdays.com to place an order, or pick one up at our booth at the SOVREN Northwest Historic Race over the July 4th weekend!

24 Heures Du Mans // June 14-15, 2008

You thought your commute was a long one. Try 24hrs of nonstop, wheel to wheel, fender to fender to fender racing! One of the most prestigious events in all of motorsports, the 24hrs of Le Mans has created legends and broken heroes. Beginning with live coverage at 6pm June 14th on Speed TV, and concluding at 6:30am on June 15th, we at ColdTrackDays have another long night ahead of us. Being held near the town of Le Mans, Sarthe, France, the 24hr endurance race has been run annually since 1923. The Le Mans Start, as it came to be known, had cars line up along the pit wall, with drivers making a mad dash for their cars in order to jockey for position. This proved a dangerous practice, as many drivers would forgo the safety harnesses in order to take off quickly. Porsche, to help their success at Le Mans, placed the ignition switch on the left of the steering wheel, so that a driver could start the car with their left hand while putting it into gear wit their right. The Le Mans start saw many fatalities associated with improper safety equipment being in place at the start of the race, and was done away with in 1971. It has since been replaced with a rolling “indy styled” start. If your up as late as we are, in a caffeine fueled Le Mans frenzy, be sure and stop in at ColdTrackDays for some late night reading //

WRC2008 // Acropolis Rally Footage

We just reported on the debut of the new 2008 WRX STi Rally Car, officially named the WRC2008. Photos were nice, but how about some video footage of the new rally car, running live at the Acropolis rally in Greece! Enjoy //

Will the Golf Clubs Still Fit? // Hardtop California

The sun does not always shine. California may provide a bit better weather than here in the Great Northwest, but where we lack in sunny days we make up for in clean air and a plethora of outdoor activities. So what does all this have to do with Ferrari? And why have we been posting so much Ferrari stuff? Well, they are making moves and we are following closely behind, in a meager attempt to keep our readers informed and up to date. So here it is, the new Ferrari California hardtop convertible. With a rear folding hardtop and previously mentioned, front engine V-8 performance, the California is a new favorite. For those of us absent of elongated sunny periods, the hardtop comes as a welcome surprise. In a automotive world where hardtop convertible means mild performance (think Lexus SC430, Mercedes SLK320) the California will return the convertible to its rightful place atop the cool factor scale. Thanks Ferrari, and keep up the good work! //

RWD // Under $20,000?

We at ColdTrackDays are not trying to offend, we are just more fond of RWD cars than FWD cars. Personal preference, fueled by bad experiences in one and pleasurable experiences in the other. So what is someone to do these days? What is available under $20,000? Certainly a used BMW will suffice, but what about brand new. Yearning for that new car smell, we have hunted down some information on what Subaru and Toyota have been cooking up. While Toyota has released concept photos of a car they hope can replicate their success with the 1985-87 Corolla GT-S, Subaru has released this. Slated to be a RWD performance car for under $20 grand, what Toyota is working on will remain in Japan, while Subaru will release their creation worldwide. It's about time. Utilizing the performance standards of the Honda Type-R lineup, Subaru's creations should come in under 2,800lbs with power in the range of 220bhp from a 2.0L boxer engine. No specs yet, but if the production models looks anything like this concept, American buyers should be excited //

Lexus LF-A // Super Luxury Car

Thanks to Laurent Mercier of endurance-info.com, for the hard work and vigilant photography. We are now able to have a clear view of what Lexus is up to. The LF-A Concept, luxury supercar turned racecar, real deal performance meets a demanding market. Where had all the good Japanese supercars gone? As soon as we uttered these words, Nissan shows up with a GT-R, Subaru introduces a double wishbone rear end in their WRX STi and Toyota returns with the LF-A. Our previous shots of this car were blurred to say the least, offering no more than a glimpse of what the LF-A was. Here is a clear shot, and we can only assume the specs will be just as impressive //

The 2010 Ferrari F430?

The new Ferrari F430 ? No, not yet. This concept was created by Italian industrial designer Luca Serafini. Known for his work on the Lamboghini Embolado concept, Serafini has rendered this replacement for the current F430 Ferrari with inspirations from past Ferrari models. Looking a bit more aggressive than much off what Ferrari is producing, we are still up in the air here at ColdTrackDays, as to whether this is deserving of the Ferrari badge. We will leave it up to our readers to decide //

Richard Dziak's Formula 1000

After a weekend at SCCA Double National, we are now scheming on ways to get our hands on a Formula 1000. Being produced here in the NW (Portland, OR to be exact) by a company called STOHR, you can get your hands on a brand new model somewhere in the mid-fifty range. This particular model is not of the Portland variety, and is owned by Richard Dziak of Las Cruces, New Mexico. This is a 2007 Phoenix F1K-07 model, and is powered by a Suzuki GSX-R 1000 motor. Racing in the FB class of SCCA, this Phoenix F1K-07 has powered Richard to a 1st place finish in the Arizona Region SCCA Saguaro Championship Series. Richard raced his 2007 Phoenix F1000 Formula car to six 1st place finishes and one 2nd place finish in the Arizona Championship Series. The series began in September ‘07 and ran until May of ‘08, with races being held at a number of tracks that included Phoenix International Raceway, and Firebird International Raceway in Chandler, Arizona. The FB is a new class of open wheel cars in SCCA, with car and driver weighing in at 1000lbs. All FB cars are powered by a 1000cc AMA Superbike engines, redlining at 13,000rpm, with 185bhp and consistently capable of 160mph top speeds. Set up much like a Formula One car, the FB’s run six speed paddle shift transmissions and enough downforce to make up for what they lack in raw horsepower. Check out STOHR (www.stohr.com) for info on the locally produced versions or keep your eyes on the Apex Speed Forums (www.apexspeed.com) for used ones coming on the market.

The New Ferrari F80 //

Just can’t get enough Ferrari? Red t-shirt, matching Ferrari hat and Enzo die-casts just don’t cut it? Plug one of these in and see if it rounds things out for you! The new Ferrari F80! No, not a new Italian stallion, more like a radio/cd player collaboration with audio guru Boothroyd and Stewart. Offering an 80 watt, 2.1 digital loudspeaker, CD and DVD playing capabilities and AM/FM tuning, the only thing missing is a hard drive loaded with Formula One sounds. Yours for the small sum of $2,995 (available in five colors) Heres where to get one // http://www.thef80.com/Buy.aspx

Ring Results // 24 hours later

We have been reporting on the Nurburgring 24hr race for a couple of weeks now, offering info on expected participants and updates on what's happening at the track. We posted a live feed, a place for our readers to watch the action live for the entire 24hrs. Well the results are in, the race is over and from the three or fours hours of streaming video that we saw, it was a good one. The new VW Scirocco made a good show and like always, our friends in the Porsche dominated the field. Here are the results as posted //

1- #1 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR 148 24:03:48.494
2- #23 Porsche 911 GT3-MR 147 24:02:48.469
3- #121 Porsche 997 145 24:08:35.834
4- #64 BMW Z4 M 144 24:06:12.670
5- #26 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup 144 24:10:16.619
6- #10 BMW M3 E46 GTS 143 24:06:13.430
7-#45 Porsche 997 GT3 Cup 141 24:01:01.629
8- #25 Porsche 911 GT3 141 24:03:48.711
9- #46 Porsche 997 GT3 Cup 140 24:10:39.837
10- #33 Porsche 997 Cup 139 24:00:26.188
11- #118 VW Scirocco 138 23:57:59.210
12- #27 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup 137 24:00:24.824
13- #261 BMW 320d 137 24:04:22.934
14- #69 BMW Z4 Coupe 137 24:07:50.774
15- #117 VW Scirocco 136 23:57:59.483

Hamilton on Top // A Wet Win at Monaco

We woke this morning a bit late, tuning in after nearly half the race had been run. Lewis Hamilton was leading, Masa and Kubica batteling for second, the track was wet and we were deathly tired. Nodding in and out, we managed to capture the end of the race. Raikkonen a slow 9th, Ferrari teammate Felipe Masa taking third and Robert Kubica placing a respectable second. Hamilton proved impressive all day, with track conditions being uncertain to say the least, he avoided accidents and held the lead for much of the race. With the win at Monaco, Hamilton has now pulled ahead of Kimi Raikkonen to take first place in the divers championship with a slim three point lead. It's on to Canada //

IMAX and Ferrari // A Suitable Couple

Ferrari is currently in the works with the IMAX crew, producing a film that is to be debuted at Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi next year. No word whether the IMAX film will hit American shores, but lets keep our hopes high, as nothing would be more impressive than 60 foot tall in-car Ferrari footage!