Seeing as how today is the second to last day of 2008, we decided to run a sort of ‘Best Of’ from this years Eye Candy feature. All of the shots come courtesty of the 'CTD Media Collective,' and we are proud to say that we now have an international cast of photographers and videographers.
Be sure and stay tuned to ColdTrackDays, as we will be utilizing our international media collective to bring you loads of original content from the 2009 motorsport season. We have a busy schedule ahead of us, and we look forward to showcasing our hard work right here on CTD // 12.31.2008
12.30.2008
EYE CANDY // A FEW FAVORITES FROM '08
REITER ENGINEERING // RACE PREPPED GALLARDO
What’s better than a race prepped Lamborghini? A race prepped Lamborghini for the street!
Reiter Engineering has made this dream a realization with the release of their Gallardo GT3 Strada. Based on the Lamborghini Gallardo expected to appear in next years FIA GT Championship, the Gallardo GT3 Strada is a stripped down, no frills version of our (my) favorite Lamborghini.
FIA rules dictate that all GT class cars are powered by only two wheels, so the race sanctioned Gallardo will run on a rear drive platform. However, it seems someone forgot to mention this to the gentlemen at Reiter, as their GT3 Strada retains the AWD system that comes standard on the Gallardo. Oh well. Looks like the GT3 Strada you just ordered will be confined to track day and canyon run duty... shame. More info here // 12.30.2008
FERRARI + BLONDE // MY XMAS GETAWAY
When forced into a terribly awkward family in-law situation, poked and prodded about ‘what do you do?’ and ‘what do you mean you work for a website?,’ I decided to drowned my sorrows in Youtube videos (it would have been Scotch, but these folks don’t drink much...)
Having snuck into the spare bedroom of ‘Nana’s’ house, I proceeded to search the YouTube social network for post worthy video. This is what I found. High heeled hottie, red Ferrari, proper manual gear box, t
RUMOR // NISSANS RETURN TO LE MANS?
We saw the Nissan GT-R make it’s race debut in the 2008 Japanese Grand Touring Championship. A dominating race car in a very competivive field. But what you are looking at now come courtesy of the blogosphere rumor mill, and honestly, little to nothing is known about it. But that doesnt stop us from speculating... So here it goes;
The above car is a race ready Nissan GT-R, wrapped entirely in carbon fiber, stripped down to the bear essentials, reduced to rear wheel drive (for FIA GT Championship homologation), powered by an ungodly amount of twin turboed horsepower and has its sights set on not only GT Championship domination, but 24hr of Le Mans glory. Ok, so none of that is known for sure, but what the hell else would Nissan and Motul be up to? More info here // 12.30.2008
12.28.2008
EYE CANDY // AE86'S DOWN UNDER
This weeks piece of Eye Candy comes courtesy of the latest edition to the CTD media collective, Matthew Mead. A Sydney based photographer, Mead is known for the quality of his images and the diversity of his content. We look forward to working with him, and will be featuring plenty of his photo work in the months ahead // 12.29.2008
PRICELESS // UNFINISHED '65 MIURA CHASSIS
A group of LA based auto collectors have unearthed an original 1965 Lamborghini Miura Turin Salon chassis. The company’s first attempt at a mid-mounted, transverse V12, this unfinished Miura was originally designed by Gian Paolo Dallara and has been been privately stored in Cyprus since 1978. The Miura and it’s papers have since been trasnported to the US where a complete restoration is in the works // 12.29.2008
EVOLV-INGS // NEW EVO X 'AERO KIT'
Ings, the notorious Japanese tuning house, has prepared a new aero kit for the Lancer Evo X. Consisting of a front bumper cover and Z-Power Wing, the Ings kit is the first of many aero packages expected for the latest Evoloution. The new front bumper houses a modified upper intake, a set of carbon fiber canards, and both brake and intercooler ducting. Expected in either fiberglass or ‘hybrid aero’ (a combination of fiberglass and urethane), the kit wont be available for a few months, but a sneak peak is available above // 12.29.2008
SIDEWAYS FOX BODY // YVVES FABERS MUSTANG
Check out this short film highlighting Yves Fabers fox bodied Mustang drift car. Yet another great piece of motorsport media your sure to enjoy from the gentlemen at Clashproduction // 12.29.2008
12.24.2008
VANTAGE POINT // KINOD SHOOTS AN ASTON
A few weeks back, the guys at Kinod Photography had the opportunity to shoot an Aston Martin Vantage V8. A stunning car shot in an outstanding environment, the above images are nothing more than a small sample of the great work these guys are capable of. For the complete gallery from their Vantage shoot, click here // 12.24.2008
CLASHPRODUCTIONS // UK TIME ATTACK '08
Yet another fine piece of work from the boys at Clasproduction. As promised some months ago, here is their complete film from the 2008 UK Time Attack series. Enjoy // 12.24.2008
12.23.2008
SLR 'STIRLING MOSS EDITION' // WHAT A TEASE
We reported on McLarens one-off ‘SLR Stirling Moss Edition’ earlier this week, posting a few photos and listing specs on the Mercedes/McLaren love child. Though it is expected to make an appearance at the Detroit Auto Show, rumor has it the new Moss edition SLR will never see American shores.
That said, we thought we’d post this short video we came across just to piss you stateside millionaires off (seeing as how the new SLR will run you a cool million). Sort of a promo spot meets Mercedes racing retrospective, its worth a few moments of your time // 12.23.2008
IMPORT TUNER'D // CTD'S LINHBERGH NGUYEN
ColdTrackDays photographer Linhbergh Nguyen will have a photo featured in the March issue of Import Tuner magazine. This is big news for Linhbergh and we couldn't be happier for him. So to all of you CTD fans out there, support CTD and Linhbergh by picking up a copy of Import Tuners March issue. For more of Linhbergh's photos, click here // 12.23.2008
12.21.2008
CLASHPRODUCTIONS // REDBULL DRIFTING
The guys at Clashproductions have just released their movie from last months RedBull Drifting World Championship. Following a handful of short teaser videos that had everyone anxiously awaiting its release, expect some well edited, well shot content, attached to a killer soundtrack and HD viewing options. Great stuff guys, keep it up // 12.22.2008
PLAYING IN THE DIRT // PORSCHE AND PIKES PEAK
After posting our revised schedule for 2009, we started getting excited about our plans to attend the 2009 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Accommodations and accreditation's are being sorted out as I type, and we are anxiously looking forward to our time on the mountain.
Shortly after the decision to attend the PPIHC was made, a few CTD staff members, myself included, started google messaging Pikes Peak in-car videos around the office. One such video came after a visit to Axis of Oversteer, and though the video chronicles Porsche’s off-road racing efforts in a few different rides, and is not entirely PPIHC footage, we felt it deserved a post // 12.22.2008
POWERED BY TATA? // FERRARI'S NEW SPONSOR
Word has it that at the start of the 2009 Formula One season, the Grand Prix cars of Ferrari will be emblazoned with the logo of Indian automaker, Tata Motors. The Tata group has purchased rights to sponsor Ferrari’s F1 efforts through the ‘09 season, and will provide some much needed financial support for the Italian automaker.
The news does not come as a surprise, considering Fiat (who owns Ferrari) is currently tangled up with Tata in a handful of joint ventures. It is however big news for Tata, as having their corporate logo affixed to a Ferrari F1 car openly associates them with one of the most prestigious supercar manufacturers in the world. And for a company looking to make a global mark, that can't hurt. As for the 'powered by Tata' bit... we were only kidding // 12.22.2008
LOCAL RIDE // SNELL'S V6 MIATA AUTOX'ER
As seen in the Summer ‘08 issue of Forever MX-5 magazine, check out this video of Puyallup native Mark Snell’s V6 powered Miata. A 2.5-liter V6 courtesy of a Mazda MX-6 is fitted between the fenders, while a handful of suspension, braking and safety upgrades make the Miata more than track ready. Snell claims the car was purpose built for autocrossing, however we have a sneaking hunch he spends a bit of time with it on public roads... we would // 12.22.2008
12.20.2008
CTD'S NEW SCHEDULE // TAKING WEEKENDS OFF?
For the remainder of the off-season, ColdTrackDays will revert back to a Monday-Friday posting schedule, allowing our editor, marketing director, correspondents and photographers a few well deserved weekends off. We will continue our normal posting schedule during the week, keeping you informed and entertained when it matters most, you know, like that Monday morning after a long weekend... However, with the lack of motorsport events scheduled over the next two months, we decided to take the weekends off (while we can) and work on a few projects of our own. So, with that said, we'll see you Monday // 12.20.2008
'RACING UNDER GREEN' // JETTA TDI CUP ON SPEED
Just a reminder, the Volkswagen ‘Jetta TDI Cup’ season long documentary entitled ‘Racing Under Green’ is set to air this Sunday (tomorrow) at 11am (PST) on the Speed Channel. With the Speed Channel having filmed everything from driver selection in early April, through the final championship clenching race of the season, ‘Racing Under Green’ certainly captures the spirit of VW Motorsports inaugural season of Jetta TDI racing.
The CTD staff was lucky enough to see a Jetta TDI Cup race this season (see our coverage from the Portland Grand Prix), and matter of fact, our editor even went for a spin with VW Motorsport driver Mark MIller in one of the TDI Cup cars. An interesting mix of bio-fuel driven performance and hard fought battles, the Jetta TDI Cup documentary should not be missed, an really, what else do you have to do this Sunday?! // 12.20.2008
12.18.2008
ROUNDABOUT // A FEW OF OUR FAVORITE THINGS
Three of our favorite things here at CTD; all-wheel drive wagons, roundabouts and drifting. Video comes courtesy of Top Gear. Enjoy // 12.19.2008
UNVEILED // MCLAREN'S 'SLR STIRLING MOSS'
Rumor has it, McLaren and Mercedes have a few more 'special edition' SLR's planned before their pet project sees retirement. One such SLR, just might be the 2009 'McLaren SLR Stirling Moss' you see above. Scheduled to make its debut at the '09 Detroit Auto Show, the Moss edition SLR comes fittingly appointed without a windscreen, packs a massive 650bhp (courtesy of the supercharged 5.5-liter V8 from the SLR 722) and will set you back a cool €750,000. A limited production run of 75 is rumored, so if the SLR Stirling Moss is on your wishlist, you'd better put your name in the hat asap // 12.19.2008
'09 SPEED WORLD CHALLENGE // HIGHLIGHT REEL
Courtesy of CTD correspondent Russell O'Connell, check out this season long highlight reel from the Speed World Challenge Touring and GT class. Be sure you have a minute, because when we say long, we mean looooong. Click here for the video. Enjoy // 12.19.2008
HELP US DECIDE // CHINA IS OUT FOR '09
A few staff members from ColdTrackDays were planning to cover the 2009 Chinese Grand Prix, initially scheduled for mid-October, 2009. But with the release of a new Formula One schedule, moving the Chinese GP to mid-April, it looks like China is out...
No need to worry however, as the 2009 CTD calendar is quickly filling up. The SOVREN 'Defrost' in April is a must, followed shortly thereafter by the IRL/ALMS - Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach in mid-April. May brings a bit of rally racing to the NW, and CTD will be at the 2009 Oregon Trail Rally to capture all the action. In June, we head back to Portland for the 2009 Rose Cup, where the SCCA Trans-Am class will be the marque. For early July, expect to see a few ColdTrackDays 'Track Girls' manning our booth at the 21st annual SOVREN Pacific Northwest Historics. Mid-July brings the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb and CTD will be live on the mountain, to capture the 'race to the clouds.' A handful of other local and national events are on the calendar as well, but first we have a question for you;
To replace our Chinese Grand Prix coverage, what late season F1 race should the CTD staff cover?
Singapore - September 27th?
Japan - October 4th?
Brazil - October 18th?
Decisions, decisions... Post your response here // 12.19.2008
RHYS MILLEN // A QUITTER?... I THINK NOT
For Rhys Millen, a one-two finish at the RedBull Drifting World Championship and a class win in the Baja 1000 just isn’t enough. Last year, Millen had attempted to pull a backflip in one of his trophy trucks, but gravity had it’s way, and Millen landed wrong side up. Not one for defeat, Millen is at it again, and this time he intends to stick the landing. Scheduled to air on ESPN during RedBulls New Years 'No Limits' celebration, Millen will have another go, this time on live TV (8pm PST). Stay tuned // 12.19.2008
12.17.2008
THE RBDWC ON SPEED // SUNDAY PREMIERE
Last month's inaugural RedBull Drifting World Championship is set to air on the Speed Channel this Sunday at 1pm (PST). ColdTrackDays was there to cover the action (example) however we were unable to attain any decent video footage from the biggest drift event of... well, ever. However, when we were in Long Beach, we did notice the extensive amount of equipment that Formula-D had on hand in order to capture all the action. So a well shot, well edited piece is certainly expected, that or the helicopter film crew and zip line cameras were for nothing...
In a press release received this afternoon, Ryan Sage, VP of marketing and co-founder of Formula DRIFT had this to say about the RBDWC's upcoming debut on the Speed Channel, “With this level of technology and resources used for this event we were able to capture, cut, edit and deliver the single greatest drifting program ever. This is one episode of drift programming that fans will not want to miss.” Be sure to tune in this Sunday for the one hour television debut of the RBDWC // 12.18.2008
INSANE E30'S (PT.3) // REUTERS V8 POWERED M3
For part three of our ‘Insane E30’ bit, we bring you the Reuter Motorsport E30 M3. Powered by a third generation M5 V8, the Reuter M3 doesn't seem to have any understeer or nose dive issues... Matter of fact, it looks rather stable in the twisty’s and certainly sounds good. Note to self; E30+V8 good idea. Click here to see the videos // 12.18.2008
SHELBY & FERRARI // AN UNTOLD STORY
Ten years in the making, this documentary chronicles the efforts of Carroll Shelby and his team of So-Cal hot rodders, as they took on the likes of Enzo Ferrari in a handful of mid-60's races. Aside from post race interviews, little was known about the battle between Ferrari and Shelby, but now thanks to archived footage and some precise recreations, a little light has been shed on the subject. A must have for Ferrari and Shelby fans alike, ‘The Snake and the Stallion’ is well worth the £24.99 you will have to shell out. Click here for purchase information // 12.18.2008
THE FUTURE IS HERE? // HONDA FCX CLARITY
Ok, so it's no race car, but Honda’s FCX Clarity is certainly the future of motoring. Powered by a zero-emission electric/hydrogen motor, the FCX is obviously where Honda’s F1 dollars were being spent...hmm // 12.18.2008
TUNED BY 9ff // CARRERA GTT900
German tuning house, 9ff, have just released their tweaked and tuned version of the Porsche Carrera GT. For the meager sum of $635,000, the GTT900 can be yours, and with it comes an additional 288bhp over stock as well as a claimed top speed of 242-mph. A pair of new turbochargers are responsible for the power boost, and a chassis that is now completely made of carbon fiber as well as 19-in magnesium alloy wheels, a carbon ceramic brake and clutch setup and a carbon fiiber wing, all help to shed weight and take the GTT900 to sixty in a mere 3.2 seconds. Steal of a deal as far as were concerned // 12.18.2008
12.16.2008
WILL WE RALLY IN '09? // SUBARU IS OUT
We just received news that legendary rally team, Subaru, intends to withdraw from the 2009 WRC season. Citing, yes, you guessed it, ‘economic conditions,’ Subaru will no longer participate in the World Rally Championship, and will instead concentrate on strengthening the Subaru brand. In a statement made by Fuji Industries, parent company of Subaru, their intentions to withdraw were made clear; “In order to optimize the management resources and to strengthen further the Subaru brand, FHI decided to withdraw from WRC activities at the earliest timing.”
It's not all bad news however, as recently announced changes to WRC regulations (see S2000 rule changes) will drive down ownership costs, allowing an influx of privately owned teams to remain competitive. It appears that the WRC will no longer be dominate by factory supported teams, and the future will in fact be in the hands of privately funded, grassroots race teams. Your thoughts? // 12.17.2008
A VALUED OPINION // CLARKSON ON THE TESSLA
Our opinions on electric vehicles aside, the Tessla Roadster certainly has a few things going for it. Lotus like performance and good looks, a reasonable entry cost and not to mention that warm and fuzzy feeling you will have every time you pass a petrol station. With that said, check out Jeremy Clarkson’s review of the Tessla Roadster. You might be surprised by his opinion of the electric two-seater... we were // 12.17.2008
CHANGES // FIA LAYS DOWN THE LAW
A handful of changes to Formula One have been announced by the FIA, and will be effective at the start of the 2009 season. Longer engine life, a ban on re-fueling, limited rev’s on engines are but a few of the changes. Has the FIA killed Formula One development? Will manufacturers continue to develop new technology via their F1 teams? Read on and give us your thoughts...
Changes for 2009 : :
Engine //
- Engine life to be doubled. Each driver will use a maximum of eight engines for the season plus four for testing (thus 20 per team).
- Limit of 18,000 rpm.
- No internal re-tuning. Adjustment to trumpets and injectors only.
- The three-race rule voted on 5 November remains in force.
- Cost of engines to independent teams will be approximately 50% of 2008 prices.
- Unanimous agreement was reached on a list of proposed changes to the Renault engine for 2009; all other engines will remain unchanged. Comparative testing will not be necessary.
Testing //
- No in-season testing except during race weekend during scheduled practice.
Aerodynamic research //
- No wind tunnel exceeding 60% scale and 50 metres/sec to be used after 1 January 2009.
- A formula to balance wind tunnel-based research against CFD research, if agreed between the teams, will be proposed to the FIA.
Factory activity //
- Factory closures for six weeks per year, to accord with local laws.
Race weekend //
- Manpower to be reduced by means of a number of measures, including sharing information on tyres and fuel to eliminate the need for “spotters”.
Sporting spectacle //
- Market research is being conducted to gauge the public reaction to a number of new ideas, including possible changes to qualifying and a proposal for the substitution of medals for points for the drivers. Proposals will be submitted to the FIA when the results of the market research are known.
Note: It is estimated that these changes for 2009 will save the manufacturer teams approximately 30% of their budgets compared to 2008, while the savings for independent teams will be even greater.
Changes for 2010 : :
Power train //
- Engines will be available to the independent teams for less than €5 million per team per season. These will either come from an independent supplier or be supplied by the manufacturer teams backed by guarantees of continuity. If an independent supplier, the deal will be signed no later than 20 December 2008.
- This same engine will continue to be used in 2011 and 2012 (thus no new engine for 2011).
- Subject to confirmation of practicability, the same transmission will be used by all teams.
Chassis //
- A list of all elements of the chassis will be prepared and a decision taken in respect of each element as to whether or not it will remain a performance differentiator (competitive element).
- Some elements which remain performance differentiators will be homologated for the season.
- Some elements will remain performance differentiators, but use inexpensive materials.
- Elements which are not performance differentiators will be prescriptive and be obtained or manufactured in the most economical possible way.
Race weekend //
- Standardised radio and telemetry systems.
- Ban on tyre warmers.
- Ban on mechanical purging of tyres.
- Ban on refueling.
- Possible reduction in race distance or duration (proposal to follow market research).
Factory activity //
- Further restrictions on aerodynamic research.
- Ban on tyre force rigs (other than vertical force rigs).
- Full analysis of factory facilities with a view to proposing further restrictions on facilities.
Not at all shocking, as major changes were expected in Formula One since news of a KERS system leaked onto the ethernet a few months back. However, a handful of the changes will in fact drastically alter Formula One development, and in some ways hinder both the sport and the trickle down effect that Formula One racing and manufacturer development have had for decades. Your thoughts?
Information comes courtesy of F1Technical.net // 12.17.2008
EYE CANDY // AN EPIC ASTON
This weeks Eye Candy comes courtesy of CTD photographer Linhbergh Nguyen, and is just a little teaser of things to come. Enjoy // 12.17.2008
12.15.2008
2008 'ROC' // SEBASTIEN LOEB TAKES THE CROWN
Five time WRC champion Sebastien Loeb has won the 2008 ‘Race of Champions.’ Held in London’s Wembley Stadium, the ROC is a post-season event that brings together the best drivers, from a handful of countries, to compete in a head to head battle for some serious bragging rights. Taking down a veritable who's who of motorsport champions (to include seven time F1 champ Michael Schumacher), Loeb went on to win this years ROC after a hearty battle with now retired F1 champ, David Coulthard. For a post race re-cap courtesy of Axis of Oversteer, click here // 12.16.2008
COUNT 'EM OUT // NO PORSCHE IN ALMS FOR '09
Following in the footsteps of their countrymen, Porsche intends to cut its factory supported team from next years ALMS competition. Much like Audi’s decision to leave the ALMS’ LMP1 class, Porsche will continue to support the privately funded teams, however they will not be entering a factory backed LMP2 vehicle for the 2009 season. Citing limited funds and a lack of ALMS coverage, Porsche’s decision is a sad but necesssary one. Your thoughts? // 12.16.2008
ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST // NO WRC 'ZUK'S
More bad news from the world of motorsports, as Suzuki announced they intend to pull out of the WRC for 2009. Economic conditions spurred the ‘Zuk’s withdrawal, though a sad performance in 2008 (second from last in the manufacturers championship) certainly did not help. With Suzuki pulling out, the WRC is left with only three factory backed teams for ‘09; Ford, Citroen and Subaru. Dark days ahead motorsport fans... // 12.16.2008
GODZILLA AND COGNAC? // HENNESSEY TUNED GT-R
Hennessey and a Nissan GT-R might normally spell trouble, but when we are talking about Hennessey Performance and not the cognac, we get 700bhp of all-wheel drive Godzilla power. Fittingly branded as the 'Godzilla 700,' the gentlemen at Hennessey have bumped horsepower numbers to 700bhp and a rumored 630-lb/ft of torque. If you have been counting, that is 225bhp more than the stock GT-R. Internals remain untouched in the V6, but an upgraded turbo/intercooler setup along with a manual boost controller take horsepower numbers into supercar territory. So if you are bored with your new purchase and are looking for a little Hennessey treatment, expect to pay an additional $14,500 for the kit. 700bhp at all four wheels, hmm... sounds like a deal to us // 12.16.2008
12.14.2008
2008 NW TOY RUN // PHOTO GALLERY
The 2008 NW Toy Run was this past Saturday and CTD was their to cover it (and donate some toys of course). Over 600 cars were expected, however by our last count, more than 900 cars showed up (enough to fill the entire parking lot of Pacific Raceways).
After a brief meet and greet at the Federal Way park and ride, the seemingly endless convoy of cars made the short trip down the freeway to Pacific Raceways, where a few US Marines were collecting unopened toys for their 'Toys for Tots' organization. An amazing turnout for a wonderful cause, the NW Toy Run '08 was not only a success, but a great way to spend a (chilly) Saturday. Click here for our more pictures from this weekends donation run // 12.15.2008
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