NEWS // ACTION EXPRESS & SPEEDSOURCE WIN @ DAYTONA

Joao Barbosa, at the weel of the #9 Action Express Racing Riley Porsche, managed to hold off Scott Pruett by 50.494 seconds to win today's 48th running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona. Sharing the victory with Barbosa was Terry Borcheller, Mike Rockenfeller and Ryan Dalziel. This was Action Express Racings first visit to the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

In the Grand Touring class, Sylvain Tremblay, Nick Ham, Jonathan Bomarito and David Haskell took the #70 SpeedSource Castrol Syntec Mazda RX-8 (above) to its second Rolex 24 victory in three years.

Follow the link for complete results from the 2010 Rolex 24 at Daytona... [read more]

2010 Rolex 24 at Daytona // Complete Results:

1 9 DP 1 Barbosa / Borcheller / Dalziel / Rockenfeller Action Express Racing / Porsche Riley
2 01 DP 2 Papis / Pruett / Rojas / Wilson Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates / BMW Riley
3 95 DP 3 Bouchut / Hunter-Reay / Luhr / Tucker / Westbrook Crown Royal/NPN Racing / BMW Riley
4 75 DP 4 Braun / Jonsson / Krohn / Zonta Krohn Racing / Ford Lola
5 60 DP 5 Frisselle / Negri / Pew / Wilkins Michael Shank Racing / Ford Riley
6 10 DP 6 Angelelli / Lamy / Taylor / Taylor SunTrust Racing / Ford Dallara
7 6 DP 7 Allmendinger / Frisselle / Patterson / Valiante Michael Shank Racing / Ford Riley
8 70 GT 1 Bomarito / Ham / Haskell / Tremblay SpeedSource / Mazda RX-8
9 67 GT 2 Bergmeister / Long / Neiman / van Overbeek TRG/ Flying Lizard Motorsports / Porsche GT3
10 66 GT 3 Ballou / Collins / Flanagan / Henzler / Lally TRG / Porsche GT3
11 57 GT 4 Davis / Liddell / Magnussen Stevenson Motorsports / Camaro GT.R
12 44 GT 5 Bleekemolen / Lietz / Potter / Stanton Magnus Racing / Porsche GT3
13 40 GT 6 Dempsey / Espenlaub / Foster / Maxwell Dempsey Racing / Mazda RX-8
14 43 GT 7 Nonnamaker / Nonnamaker / Nonnamaker / Sahlen Team Sahlen / Mazda RX-8
15 94 GT 8 Auberlen / Dalla Lana / Hand / Said Turner Motorsport / BMW M6 Riley
16 71 GT 9 Bernhard / Dumas / George Jr / Labonte / Pumpelly TRG / Porsche GT3
17 97 GT 10 Bell / Borkowski / Refenning / Schaldach Stevenson Motorsports / Camaro GT.R
18 32 GT 11 Finlay / Hyatt / Merrill / Westphal Corsa Team PR1 / BMW M6
19 23 GT 12 Baldwin / Burtin / Farnbacher / Pagerey / Ragginger Alex Job Racing / Porsche GT3
20 22 GT 13 Bentley / McIntosh / Nierop / O'Young Bullet Racing / Porsche GT3
21 99 DP 8 Fogarty / Gurney / Johnson / Vasser GAINSCO/ Bob Stallings Racing / Chevrolet Riley
22 41 GT 14 Gue / Keen / Kitch Jr / Lacey Dempsey Racing/Team Seattle / Mazda RX-8
23 55 DP 9 Bouchut / Bourdais / Collard / Maassen / Tucker Crown Royal/NPN Racing / BMW Riley
24 77 DP 10 Gidley / Gollin / Jaeger / Johnston Doran Racing / Ford Dallara
25 14 GT 15 Friedman / Gatlin / Graeff / Thomas / Yarab Jr. Autometrics Motorsports / Porsche GT3
26 59 DP 11 Donohue / Haywood / Law / Leitzinger / Matos Brumos Racing / Porsche Riley
27 7 DP 12 Forest / James / Lester / von Moltke Starworks Motorsport / BMW Riley
28 69 GT 16 Assentato / Lazzaro / Longhi / Segal SpeedSource / Mazda RX-8
29 88 GT 17 Baker / Cosmo / Mowlem / Papadopoulos / Willsey Orbit Racing / Porsche GT3
30 48 GT 18 Hines / Ludwig / Miller / Roush Miller Barrett Racing / Porsche GT3
31 18 GT 19 Doyle / Ledoux / Quinlan / Sheehan / Watkins TRG/ Guardian Angel / Porsche GT3
32 90 DP 13 Garcia / Manning / Menard / Rice Spirit of Daytona Racing / Porsche Coyote
33 63 GT 20 Brown / Dean / Richard / Thomas / Villeneuve TRG / Porsche GT3
34 2 DP 14 Beyer / Cameron / Kapudija / Lueders / Wagner Beyer Racing / Chevrolet Crawford
35 19 GT 21 Breslin / Breslin / Romagnoli / Romanini / Vinkemulder MCM/Black Flag Racing / Corvette
36 20 GT 22 Lapierre / Menten / Palttala / Slingerland Matt Connolly Motorsports / Porsche GT3
37 02 DP 15 Dixon / Franchitti / McMurray / Montoya Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates / BMW Riley
38 07 GT 23 Edwards / Jones / McCutchen / Reese / Russell Godstone Ranch Motorsports/Corvette
39 21 GT 24 Briody / Lassally / Rosa / Steuer / Trenery Matt Connolly Motorsports / Pontiac GTO.R
40 46 GT 25 Collins / Ianetta / Lewis / Zahn Autohaus Motorsports / Pontiac GXP.R
41 52 GT 26 Castellano/Michaelian/Michaelian/Safina/Schmidt/Swartzbaugh Wil Mar Racing/Ferrari 430
42 64 GT 27 Lowe / Lux / Pace / Sugden / Walker JLowe Racing / Porsche GT3
43 30 GT 28 Bocchino / Buford / Edwards / Lamb / Taylor Racers Edge Motorsports / Mazda RX-8
44 42 GT 29 Nonnamaker / Nonnamaker / Nonnamaker / Sahlen Team Sahlen / Mazda RX-8
45* 08 GT 0 Poordad / Sigal / West / Yasukawa Sigalsport / Ferrari 430 Challenge

Stay tuned for additional images from the Rolex 24 at Daytona, courtesy of Curtis Creager

Photo: SpeedSource
Editorial: Justin W. Coffey
Info: GRAND-AM

NEWS // RENAULT'S R30 UNVEILED

Renault's 2010 Formula One entry, the R30, was unveiled this afternoon at Valencia. As expected, the French automakers latest F1 car will feature Renault's classic yellow and black livery, similar to the one used by their first F1 team from 1977-1985.

Additionally, Renault has announced that Russian Vitaly Petrov will race for the team alongside Robert Kubica. The 25 year-old, who spent the last three years racing in GP2, will be Russia's first Formula One driver.

Follow the link for additional images of Renault's R30... [read more]







Images and Info: Renault F1
Editorial: Justin W. Coffey

VIDEO // GROUP A SKYLINE GT-R @ SPORTSLAND SUGO

Enjoy a bit of onboard footage in this Group A Taisan Skyline GT-R as it laps the Sportland SUGO circuit in Murata, Japan // [comment]

NEWS // BMW SAUBER C29 UNVEILED

BMW Sauber has unveiled their 2010 Formula One entry, the C29. And while the team is no longer run by BMW, in fact, they are now powered by Ferrari, they will retain the German automakers name in their title, however the car will carry the Sauber model designation, C29, which was used by the Sauber team until 2005 when they raced the C24.

Follow the link for additional images and information... [read more]

Willy Rampf, technichal director for Sauber described a few of the changes to the car:

"The increased length of the fuel tank means the car has grown longer overall. And because they are slimmer, the front tyres will be more heavily worked, requiring weight to be shifted further towards the rear of the car."

"An eye-catching feature of the C29 is its highly intricate raised nose. Also very distinctive is an extremely long undercut at the transition from chassis into underbody. These and other aerodynamic measures also help to ensure optimum airflow to the double diffuser. Further changes were required to integrate the Ferrari engine and, in particular, the Ferrari gearbox."

BMW Sauber has also released the complete spec sheet for their C29...

Chassis: Carbon-fibre monocoque
Suspension: Upper and lower wishbones (front and rear), inboard springs and dampers, actuated by pushrods (Sachs Race Engineering)
Brakes: Six-piston brake callipers (Brembo), carbon pads and discs (Brembo, Carbon Industries)
Transmission: Ferrari Seven-speed quick shift gearbox, carbon, longitudinally mounted, carbon-fibre clutch
Chassis electronics: MES
Steering wheel: BMW Sauber F1 Team
Tyres: Bridgestone Potenza
Wheels: OZ
Length: 4,940 mm
Width: 1,800 mm
Height: 1,000 mm
Track width, front: 1,495 mm
Track width, rear: 1,410 mm
Weight: 620 kg (including driver, tank empty)

Be sure and stay tuned, as there are a handful of 2010 Formula One cars expected to make their debut in the coming week...

Images and Info: BMW Sauber
Editorial: Justin W. Coffey

VIDEO // ASTON MARTIN DB2/4 @ LE MANS CLASSIC

In the video featured below, ride shotgun in an Aston Martin DB2/4 as it mixes it up with Masers, Allards and Jaguars at the 2008 Le Mans Classic. Included in the video is the infamous 'Le Mans start,' which in 1970 was done away with in favor of an in-car start. The following year, to the dismay of many fans, a rolling start was introduced and has been used ever since... [read more]



Video: The Chicane
Photo: Dan Trotter
Editorial: Justin W. Coffey

HIGHLIGHTS // FIRST SIX HOURS OF ROLEX 24 @ DAYTONA

For those of you without cable, or those unable to watch yesterdays SPEED broadcast, here is a highlight reel from the first six hours of the 48th running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona // [comment]

NEWS // PASTRANA COLLECTS WIN @ 2010 SNO*DRIFT RALLY

This weekends Sno*Drift rally, the opening stage of the 2010 Rally America Championship, saw motocross champion turned rally driver, Travis Pastrana, collect his first win of the 2010 season. Pastrana, aided by co-driver Christian Edstrom, has now won the Snp*Drift rally four yeras in a row. Antoine L'Estage and co-driver Nathalie Richard managed to finish second behind the Subaru of Pastrana, while Ken Block in his new Ford Fiesta was forced to retire after just seven stages due to suspension failure... [read more]

The conditions in Northern Lower Michigan were anything but optimal. With an abundance of rain and temperatures falling below freezing leading up to the rally, drivers, who are not allowed to use studded tires, were forced to race along the frozen roads using nothing more than standard gravel tires and their wits to keep them on track. This of course lead to a number of offs, to include Pastrana's teammate, Dave Mirra, who limped across the finish line dragging his front bumper and headlights thanks to a late-stage mishap.

Stay tuned for more photos and video from the 2010 Sno*Drift as it becomes available.

Photo: SpecialStage
Editorial: Justin W. Coffey

ROLEX 24 @ DAYTONA // THE GREEN FLAG HAS WAVED

We are now some four hours into the 2010 Rolex 24 at Daytona, and as of a few moments ago, Dario Franchitti was leading the DP class in the #85 Chip Ganassi Racing BMW, while Wolf Henzler leads the GT class in a TRG Porsche GT3.

Meanwhile, ColdTrackDays correspondent, Curtis Creager, is trackside and will be providing us with images from the race as often as he can. So while we wait for Curtis to take a break from shooting and send us an update, be sure and catch the last two hours of televised coverage on SPEED, and when they revert back to NASCAR updates and World of Outlaws coverage, check the links below for live timing and scoring courtesy of GRAND-AM and Team Seattle.

Rolex 24 @ Daytona: live timing and scoring
Team Seattle on Twitter

VIDEO // BLOCK TESTING FORD FIESTA AHEAD OF SNO*DRIFT RALLY

Ahead of this weekends Sno*Drift Rally, known hooner, Ken Block, had the opportunity to test out his new Rally America ride, a 2011 Ford Fiesta prepared by Olsbergs Motorsports Evolution, on the icy roads of Gladwin, Michigan // [comment]

EVENT // THE 2010 FRESH FROM FLORIDA 200

Yesterdays Fresh From Florida 200, the first race of the 2010 Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, saw the BMW M3 of Rum Bum Racing take the win in the Grand Sport class. Finishing second was yet another BMW entry, the M3 coupe of Fall-Line Motorsports. In the Street Tuner class, Korean automaker KIA made their racing debut, while the Honda Civic Si of Compass360 Racing collected their first win of 2010, followed closely by the all-new Bimmerworld 328i.

Follow the link for additional images and complete results from both the GS and ST classes... [read more]





















Fresh From Florida 200 // Grand Sport Top Ten:

1 13 GS 1 Bacardi / Plumb Rum Bum Racing / BMW M3 Coupe 66 1:59.825 63 93.455
2 48 GS 2 Espenlaub / Putman Fall-Line Motorsports / BMW M3 Coupe 66 2:00.447 65 93.454
3 41 GS 3 Miller / Pumpelly TRG / Porsche 997 66 2:01.678 36 93.165
4 37 GS 4 Gue / Seafuse JBS Motorsports / Ford Mustang GT 66 2:02.463 15 93.113
5 6 GS 5 Bell / Bucknum Stevenson Motorsports / Camaro GS.R 66 2:02.552 55 93.098
6 45 GS 6 Borcheller / Hendricks Fall-Line Motorsports / BMW M3 Coupe 66 2:01.112 37 93.013
7 60 GS 7 Mason / Winchester Rehagen Racing / Ford Mustang GT 66 2:01.963 15 92.998
8 9 GS 8 Carter / Plumb Stevenson Motorsports / Camaro GS.R 66 2:02.651 44 92.938
9 59 GS 9 Caddell / Wilden Rehagen Racing / Ford Mustang GT 66 2:02.984 11 92.807
10 06 GS 10 Musser / Orr Momentum Race Group / Camaro GS.R 66 2:03.886 54 92.779

Fresh From Florida 200 // Street Tuner Top Ten:

1 Aschenbach / Thilenius Compass360 Racing / Honda Civic SI 63 2:10.345 34 88.937
2 Heumann / Thomas BimmerWorld/GearWrench / BMW 328i 63 2:10.281 51 88.920
3 Carbonell / O'Doski Freedom Autosport / Mazda MX-5 63 2:10.144 50 88.852
4 Theetge / Theetge Compass360 Racing / Honda Civic SI 63 2:10.647 14 88.794
5 Eversley / Lutz Compass360 Racing / Honda Civic SI 63 2:10.641 51 88.754
6 Gilsinger / Johnson / Schmitt HART / Honda Civic SI 63 2:11.271 54 88.751
7 Leroux / Leroux LRT Racing / Honda Civic SI 63 2:12.457 50 88.575
8 Battle / Dayton RRT Racing / BMW 328i 63 2:11.397 36 88.566
9 Schultz / Straus V-Pack Motorsport / BMW 330 63 2:10.978 25 88.498
10 Ellis / Hacquard Freedom Autosport / Mazda Speed 3 63 2:13.512 59 88.351

For complete results from the 2010 Fresh From Florida 200, click here

Photo: Curtis Creager
Editorial: Justin W. Coffey
Info: GRAND-AM

NEWS // FIVE FORMER STAR MAZDA DRIVERS TO RACE @ DAYTONA

Dane Cameron, winner of the 2007 Star Mazda Championship, is but one of five former Star Mazda drivers expected to race at this weekends Rolex 24 at Daytona. Cameron, who raced in the Grand-Am GT class last year, driving the Racers Edge Mazda RX8, will this year share driving duties in the #2 Beyer Racing/uberwürx Crawford Prototype with Jared Beyer... [read more]

Other Star Mazda series alumni expected to race this weekend include, 2008 series champion John Edwards (#30 Racers Edge RX-8 GT), 2005 series champion Raphael Matos (#59 Brumos Racing DP), 2002 winner Guy Cosmo and 1999 champion Joey Hand (#94 Turner Motorsport GT).  Also in the field are Colin Braun (#75 Krohn Racing DP), Brian Frisselle and Mark Patterson (#6 Michael Shank Racing DP) and John Pew (#60 Michael Shank Racing DP).

The 48th annual Rolex 24 at Daytona is scheduled to start at 12:30pm PST Saturday. Live SPEED coverage begins at 3pm and runs through 10pm, and resumes Sunday from 7am-4pm.

Images and Info: MAZDASPEED
Editorial: Justin W. Coffey

NEWS // 2010 FORMULA 3 EURO SERIES SCHEDULE RELEASED

The 2010 Formula 3 Euro Series schedule has finally been released, with eight races set to take place in five different countries this season. Seven of the 2010 season’s Formula 3 Euro Series events will once again be held in conjunction with DTM races, with the season finale to take place at Magny-Cours.

Follow the link for a look at the 2010 calendar... [read more]


The 2010 Formula 3 Euro Series Calendar:

April 23-25: Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg (D)
May 21-23: Valencia (E)
July 2-4: Norisring (D)
August 6-8: Nürburgring (D)
August 20-22: Circuit Park Zandvoort (NL)
September 3-5: Brands Hatch (GB)
September 17-19: Oschersleben (D)
October 15-17: Magny Cours (F)

GALLERY // McLAREN MP4-25 LAUNCH (W/VIDEO)

Following the launch of Mclaren's all new MP4-25 we thought a few more images and a bit of video from the ceremony at Vodafone in Newbury UK might be in order. Follow the link for a look... [read more]

EVENT // CURTIS CREAGER REPORTING LIVE FROM DAYTONA!

ColdTrackDays correspondent, Curtis Creager, is live at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Curtis made the cross country trip in order to cover both the Fresh From Florida 200, which starts later today, as well as the greatest endurance race in the country, the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona.

Curtis arrived in Daytona yesterday afternoon and spent the better part of the day trackside as the CTSCC ran practice and qualifying ahead of today's race. Amongst those racing in this, the inaugural CTSCC race, are Northwest natives Ted Anthony Jr. and Joey Atterbury. Both drivers will compete in the Grand Sport class in a pair of TC Motorsport prepared Chevrolet Camaros... [read more]

According to Curtis, "TC Motorsports had some trouble with car #55, the engine let go during practice, throwing a connecting rod through the block. A new engine was being installed today therefore leaving TC with just one car for the remainder of the day."

"Dr. Rick Edwards qualified car #54 26th out of 45 GS cars and a respectable 4th out of 6 Riley Camaros with a 2:03.757 lap time and an average speed of 103.557 mph. With a total of 81 cars between both classes, Fridays Fresh From Florida 200 is sure to be action packed."

For live timing and scoring of the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge GS and ST classes, click here
For live timing and scoring of the Rolex DP and GT classes, click here


Photo: Curtis Creager
Editorial: Justin W. Coffey

SIDE BY SIDE // McLAREN & FERRARI'S 2010 F1 ENTRIES

With both Ferrari and McLaren unveiling their 2010 Formula One entries this week, we thought a side by side comparison was in order. So with that said, follow the link for a look at how the Ferrari F10, McLaren MP4-25 and MP4-24 compare to one another... [read more]





Photo: Ferrari and McLaren
Editorial: Justin W. Coffey