PLUG-IN PLAY // MISSION MOTORS 150MPH ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLE

Received an email from Mission Motors Founder and President, Edward West, with a bit of info on their Mission One motorcycle. A zero emission, all electric platform, the Mission One can reach top speeds in excess of 150mph and produces over 100 lb/ft of torque. Power is produced thanks to a high energy lithium-ion battery pack in conjunction with a liquid-cooled, 3 phase AC induction motor. So what does all that mean? How about a flat torque curve, allowing riders access to all 100 lb/ft of torque from a standstill through freeway speeds!

The Mission One will run for more than 150 miles on a single charge and with the absence of a tailpipe, is the fastest way to 'go-green.' Designed by a group of engineers that includes the former CFO of Ducati North America as well as engineers from Ford, Tesla, Google, IDEO, Intel, and Agilent, Mission Motors will release fifty Limited Editions of their Mission One, with deliveries starting in 2010. For more info on Mission Motors and their Mission One electric motorcycle, click here // 02.17.2009

EYE CANDY // AN AUDI S1 AT SILVERSTONE CLASSIC

A bit of Eye Candy from CTD photographer, Jake Yorath. Shot at the Slowly Sideways demonstration during last seasons Silverstone Classic, Jake managed to capture this Audi S1 as it rounded a pylon at speed. Great capture.

For more of Jake Yorath's photography, click here // 02.17.2009

PATRICK DEMPSEY TO JOIN 'TEAM SEATTLE' AT LE MANS

We just received news that Dempsey Racing principal, Patrick Dempsey, will be joining Team Seattle as they take on the world at this years 24 Hours of Le Mans (June 13-14). Dempsey, an avid race car driver and star of ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy, will join a team of seasoned endurance racing drivers, to include sports car racer and instructor Don Kitch, Jr. as well as the 2008 Grand Am Koni Challenge Champion, Joe Foster.

When asked about his involvement with Team Seattle and his continued Grand-Am Rolex Series efforts, actor and race driver Patrick Dempsey had this to say: “while we remain 100% committed to our Mazda-powered Rolex Series program this opportunity to ally with Team Seattle and enhance its efforts to drive funding to Seattle Children’s Hospital and their Team France partner is an opportunity that Dempsey Racing is honored to accept.”

Team Seattle will enter a Ferrari 430 GT, which has been prepared by the FIA GT Championship winning team at Advanced Engineering, into this years running of the 24 Hours. When asked about the addition of Patrick Dempsey to the race team, Team Seattle founder and driver Don Kitch, Jr. had this to say: “I am absolutely elated to have Patrick Dempsey and Joe Foster supporting Team Seattle. In and out of the car, these two will make excellent teammates. Patrick is by no means new to the Team Seattle campaign as he has been very supportive of the effort since we first met at the Daytona 24 Hour, he commented then that he loved what we were doing and wanted to help in any way he could.”

A 12 year effort to utilize sports car racing as a way to increase awareness and generate support for Seattle’s Children’s Hospital, Team Seattle, in addition to competing in this years 24Hours of Le Mans, hopes to donate one million dollars to Children’s Hospital before leaving for France.

Click here for additional information on Team Seattle and their 2009 Le Mans effort. Be sure and stay tuned, as ColdTrackDays will bring you continued coverage of the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans.

AUDI'S R15 TDI // 2009 LE MANS CHAMPION?

Audi has unveiled their R15 TDI LMP1 entry ahead of it’s formal launch at this years Sebring 12 Hours. Said to be a highly developed and technically advanced version of their R10 TDI, a car that went undefeated in Le Mans competition, the R15 has completed it’s first round of tests and according to Wolfgang Ulrich, Head of Audi Motorsport, "the R15 TDI has performed as we expected. Now it must also prove itself in race conditions. Sebring is a particularly hard race and is therefore perfectly suited to reveal even the smallest of weaknesses.”

We like what we see so far, and are eagerly awaiting the Sebring 12 Hour, as ColdTrackDays correspondent Phil Woodard will be live at Sebring to capture all of the action. Stay tuned

Images and information come courtesy of Racecar-engineering.com // 02.16.2009

AUDI LMP1 + GROCERY GETTER // TOUAREG TROPHY TRUCK

When looking into the 2009 Baja 1000, we came across a few stock photos of the VW Motorsport Touareg TDI Trophy Truck. Powered by the same 5.5L V12 turbodiesel that can be found in Audi's R10 Le Mans prototype, the TDI Touareg produces 550 bhp and 627 lb/ft of torque, and managed to finish 13th overall (18:58:12) in last years SCORE Baja 1000.

For 2009, Mark Miller and Ryan Arciero will again pilot VW's TDI Trophy Truck, and with Miller fresh off a second place finish at this years Dakar Rally, the team looks to do well come November // 02.14.2009

LUNCH BREAK VIDEO // JUHA KANKKUNEN & SOME FOUL WEATHER

Check out Finish rally driver, Juha Kankkunen, as he shows us how it’s done in the wet. Talk about ‘The Art of Racing in the Rain,’ I am not sure who is crazier, Kankkunen and his co-driver or the Finish rally fans... Enjoy // 02.14.2009

THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS // USF1 SET TO UNVEIL... SOMETHING

USF1 has just placed a countdown clock on their webpage, set to end on the 24th of February. With rumor of a US based F1 team circulating the interweb, we can only speculate on what might be announced when the clock strikes zero... Click here for a look // 02.14.2009

EYE CANDY // A FORD GT @ FORMULA X-TIME ATTACK

A bit of Eye Candy from our man in the Northeast, Kyle Crawford. Taken at the New Jersey Motorsports Park during last years Formula X: Redline Time Attack, click through for a few more shots // 02.13.2009

WHAT WE'RE READING // LINHBERGH FEATURED IN IMPORT TUNER

ColdTrackDays correspondent and Kinod.net photographer, Linhbergh Nguyen, is being featured in the April issue of Import Tuner magazine.

Back in November, Linhbergh headed out to Willow Springs for the inaugural Miata Challenge. The first all Miata time attack, the Miata Challenge offered drivers the chance to compete against the clock in a number of classes. A great event with a substantial turnout, Linhbergh was there to capture all of the action.

For a look at Linhbergh's photos from the inaugural Miata Challenge, click here // 02.13.2009

SIDEWAYS UP THE HILL // THE 2009 RMR HYUNDAI GENESIS COUPE

2009 should be an interesting year for motorsport. With an economic down turn that has nearly every automaker on their knee’s, somehow Hyundai has managed to keep their heads above water, producing what appears to be the car of 2009.

The Hyundai Genesis, even in saloon trim, is an exceptional automobile. Affordable, attractive and with a warranty certainly able to put even the most skeptical at ease (hell, they’ll even take the car back within a year if you lose your income), the Genesis is just what the auto industry needs. So when RedBull Drifting World Champion and Pikes Peak record holder, Rhys Millen, chose the 2009 Genesis Coupe as his ride for ‘09, we were’nt at all surprised.

Powered by a 4.1-liter Turbocharged V6, producing upwards of 550bhp, Millen’s Genesis will compete in both the 2009 Formula Drift Championship as well as the 2009 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Unveiled at this years SEMA show, the RMR Genesis had not been seen outside of a convention hall until this video was released. Shot at Willow Springs, watch as Millen lays a bit of smoke while testing his new ride...

Stay tuned for coverage of both the 2009 PPIHC and Formula D. Video comes courtesy of GenCoupe.com // 02.13.2009

YOUNG GUNS // 2009 JETTA TDI CUP - DRIVER LINEUP

Volkswagen has just released theIR driver list for the 2009 Jetta TDI Cup. With an abundance of young talent, the Jetta TDI Cup is intended to promote not only VW’s Clean Diesel technology, but the drivers enlisted in the series.

Take for instance last years champion, Josh Hurley. Since being crowned the inaugural Jetta TDI Cup champion, Hurley has been signed by the APR Motorsports team and will pilot the APR Volkswagen GTI in the 2009 Koni Challenge.

Certainly looking to emulate Hurley’s succes, the new fleet of TDI Cup drivers will compete in ten races stretching from Mosport, Ontario to Braselton, Georgia.

2009 Jetta TDI Cup Driver Lineup:

Joey Atterbury – Renton, WA
Andy Lee – Maricopa, AZ
Nicky Boulle – Dallas, TX Timmy Megenbier – Melrose Park, IL
Taylor Broekemeier – Fort Collins, CO
JD Mobley – Castle Rock, CO
Nelson Canache – Norcross, GA
Eric Morse – Pittsburgh, PA
Christopher Castagna – Boston, MA
AJ Nealey – Pasadena, MD
Devin Cates – Broad Run, VA
Evan Pflock – Redondo Beach, CA
Theresa Condict – Lexington, MA
Mark Pombo – Duluth, GA
Andrew Cordeiro – Woodbridge, ON
Perry Richardson – Los Gatos, CA
Michael DeNino – Gaithersburg, MD
David Richert – Winnipeg, MB
Ryan Ellis – Ashburn, VA
Juan Pablo Sierra Lendle – Puebla, Mexico
David Heinz – Bethel Park, PA
Kerstin Smutny – Bothell, WA
Chris Holman – Burlington, ON
Jake Thompson – Vancouver, BC
Derek Jones – Philadelphia, PA
Rhett Tucker – Cumming, GA
Caleb Kenney – Berkeley, CA
Donny Warren – Winchester, VA
Adam Kretschmer – Brampton, ON
Kyle Wharff – Miramar, FL

Stay with ColdTrackDays for continued coverage of the 2009 Jetta TDI Cup // 02.13.2009

USF1 // KEN ANDERSON AND THE FATE OF HONDA'S F1 PROGRAM

Following the news that American engineer Ken Anderson intends to acquire the now dead Honda F1 team, we decided a bit of research into Honda's F1 history was in order.

In terms of Formula One, Honda's connection with the United Stated can be traced back to their earliest days in F1. During the 1965 season, Richie Ginther piloted Honda’s RA272 (pictured above) to a surprise win at the Mexican Grand Prix. In only their second year of Formula One competition, Honda had claimed their first GP win.

Honda's next F1 victory came shortly thereafter, when in 1967, John Surtees beat Jack Brabham by 0.2 seconds to win the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. A stunning victory, many thought Honda had a chance at the World Constructors' Championship for 1968. But after a disappointing start (retiring from five of the first six races), Honda removed themselves from Formula One competition at the end of the 1968 season, not to return until 2006.

Since their return, Honda has seen only limited success, finishing 4th overall in 2006, 8th in 2007 and a disappointing 9th overall in 2008. Having competed in 99 Grand Prix's over the course of 44 years, Honda has managed to capture only three Grand Prix victories (a number that may have played a role in their recent decision to once again remove themselves from F1).

As unfortunate as it may be that Honda will no longer participate in Formula One, we cannot help but speculate on what a US based F1 team might provide for us stateside fans... (hmm, I see GP cars running the streets of Long Beach). Whether it's the return of the US Grand Prix, or simply added television coverage, as of right now, Anderson's USF1 project will not see the light of day until some time in 2010.

Be sure and stay tuned to ColdTrackDays.com, as we continue to follow Ken Anderson and the USF1 team // 02.12.2209

NINE // SOFIA LOREN, DANIEL DAY LEWIS AND A VINTAGE ALFA

January 25th, 2009 - Rome, Italy. While filming their forthcoming movie, Nine, Sofia Loren and Daniel Day Lewis spend the afternoon touring around Rome in a vintage Alfa Romeo spider. A followup to Federico Fellini's 1963 film 8½, Nine is expected to hit the silver screen some time in 2009.

Photo comes courtesy of Bauer Griffin // 02.11.2009

THE 1967 DODGE VIPER?! // A RAFAEL RESTON DESIGN

When asked to create a rendering of what a mid-sixties Dodge Viper might have looked like, had it been built, designer Rafael Reston was happy to oblige. After a bit of research into period correct construction methods as well as Chrysler’s own fleet of sixties concept cars, Reston unleashed his 1967 Dodge Viper concept onto the blogosphere.

With styling ques borrowed from a number of European and Domestic production cars, Reston’s ‘67 Viper, as far as we are concerned, is an example of where modern ingenuity and classic styling comfortably meet.

Images and info come courtesy of SeriousWheels. Click here for additional images // 02.11.2009

RED BULL RACING'S RB5 // 2009 F1 ENTRY

Red Bull Racing just released their 2009 Formula One entry, the RB5. With an aero package similar to that of Toyota's and Ferrari power, Red Bull's RB5, with Vettel and Webber at the wheel, is expected to do well heading into the 2009 F1 season. For a few more shots of the RB5, click here // 02.10.2009

PROMO VIDEO // SEBASTIEN VETTEL INTRODUCES THE RB5

Red Bull Racing just released their 2009 Formula One entry, the RB5. The above video, narrated by Red Bull driver Sebastien Vettel, not only introduces the new Red Bull F1 entry, but covers the rule changes imposed for the 2009 season. A great bit of promotional work from the folks at Red Bull, watch and enjoy // 02.10.2009

WHAT WE'RE READING // OCTANE - ISSUE 68 (FEBRUARY 2009)

I picked up a copy of Octane Magazine's february issue the other day and have thumbed through it several times now (hmm, does that say something about the value of print advertising...?). A publication that never fails to satisfy, Octane covers both vintage and modern motorsports, collector cars and automotive culture.

In this particular issue, the Octane staff looks at ‘The 25 Most Valuable Cars in the World,’ ranking them in order according to their last known sale price. They also have a look at ‘The Greatest Racing Car of All Time,’ a feature sure to spark a bit of debate.

A great publication, Octane is certainly suggested reading. Click through for a look at Octane’s official website // 02.10.2009

LUNCH BREAK VIDEO // CLASHPRODUCTION 'UK TIME ATTACK'

Yet another great piece from Stephane Benini and Clashproduction. Shot at this years UK Time Attack series, ride with Tarzan Yamada in his R32 GT-R as he laps the Silvertsone raceway at speed.

Stunning cinematography, great sound, and certainly a way to make your lunch break a bit more interesting. Enjoy! // 02.09.2009

LOCAL RIDE // CHRIS' ALFA ROMEO MILANO 2.5

Parked amongst the precious metal lining the front of Group 2 Motorsports, Chris’ late-eighties Milano is anything but vintage. An edgy design with a cult like following, you either love or hate the Alfa Romeo Milano.

With that said, Chris’ Milano is certainly a labor of love. A stock (save the cams and exhaust) 2.5-liter V6 resides beneath the hood and while the power isn’t absurd, the grip is spectacular. Chris, a technician at Group 2, has reworked the suspension, allowing the Milano to make good use of what little power it has. But it isn’t the Milano that deserves credit, it’s Chris’ ability behind the wheel that makes this Alfa Romeo a bit different from most.

At a Northwest Alfa Club meet late last season, I had the opportunity to ride with Chris around Pacific Raceways. The conditions could not have been better, we hadn’t seen rain in days and though Chris had been on track all afternoon taxing wide eyed Alfa fans around the 2.3-Mile road course, he was more than happy to take me for a spin.

As we entered the track, the Milano sprang to life, quickly gaining speed. We powered down the front straight and into the sweeping left that lies at the end of the track. Clutch in, brake hard, turn-in late. Chris' ability to maintain control on the edge was astonishing. The Milano wanted to swing out from beneath us, it’s weight shifting to the outside as we neared the apex. But Chris maintained control, adjusting as needed with slight movements of the wheel. Out of the sweeper and down the hill, the Milano nosed in slightly as Chris braked hard and turned into the esses. It was this point that Chris decided to mention to me, that not only was this Milano his track toy, but it was his daily driver and had served him well, day-to-day, for a number of years... My heart beat a little faster.

We managed a handful of laps before a stranger noise (later discovered to be a wheel bearing) brought us into the pits. Chris’ Milano, after a hard day at the track, was in need of some R&R.

A great piece of machinery, tuned by one of the Northwest's finest shops, I look forward to hanging out with Chris and his Milano this coming season. For more photos from my visit to Group 2 Motorsports, click here // 02.09.2009

'09 A1GP // NEIL TOZER REPORTS ON SEPANG (NOV.23 - 2008)

Following Neil Tozer's report on the A1GP’s eighth round at Taupo, New Zealand, we thought we’d offer a bit of outdated coverage from rounds six and seven at Sepang, Malaysia (November 23rd, 2008)

This was an especially poignant race for Team USA, as the 21year old Marco Andretti scored his first podium, finishing in third for Team USA in the Feature Race.
 
Andretti started the Sprint Race from 11th but was involved in a major startline crash, as he ran up and over the back of the Team India car driven by Narain Karrthikeyan, and was eliminated on the spot.
 
However, for the weekends Feature Race, Andretti, who started from the eighth position, put in his best drive to date coming home on the podium for the first time with a thrid place finish. The two remaining podium steps for the weekends Feature Race were claimed by Adam Carroll for Team Ireland and runner up Felipe Albuquerque in the Portuguese Car.

Be sure and stay tuned, as CTD’s UK correspondent Neil Tozer will be on the ground for the ninth and final race of the ‘09 A1GP season, scheduled for March 5th at Brands Hatch.

For more shots from the A1GP's race in Sepang, click here

Editorial: Neil Tozer - Photo: Anas Zakaria // 02.09.2009

IN A THOUSAND WORDS // JOE'S ALFA ROMEO GTV

The Alfa Romeo GTV featured above belongs to Joe, the owner of Group 2 Motorsports in Ballard. Unfortunately, I neglected to get details on his GTV when I visited the shop earlier this week, so these pictures will have to speak a thousand words... for now.

For a look at all of the photos from our visit to Group 2 Motorsports, click here // 02.07.2009

THE BAVARIANS ARE BACK AT IT // ALPINA INTRODUCES THE B6 GT3

Alpina will introduce their B6 GT3 race car next month at the Geneva Motor Show. Powered by a supercharged 4.4-liter V8 making 520bhp and 535-lb/ft of torque, the Alpina B6 puts it’s power to the ground via an X-Trac sequential gearbox and is capable of hitting 62mph in just 3.9 seconds. Top speed is somewhere around 180mph, and at a featherweight 3000-lbs, the B6 is ready to compete with the likes of Aston Martin, Porsche and Ferrari on race circuits around the world.

For more shots of Alpina’s new B6 click here. Images and info courtesy of Autoblog // 02.07.2009

A1GP // NEIL TOZER REPORTS ON MARCO ANDRETTI AND TEAM USA

A1GP - 8th Round- Taupo New Zealand
 
Marco Andretti qualified for the Sprint Race in 17th place at the picturesque Taupo Circuit in New Zealand. He made steady progress up to 11th and for the final few laps fended off Dan Clarke in the Team GB car to come home just outside the top ten.
 
Adam Carroll for Team Ireland made the sprint race his own, followed across the line by Team Switzerland and Team Netherlands respectively.
 
Come the Feature race, where Marco was starting in the 8th position following a great Timed Session on Saturday, he held his position throughout the race, finishing in 8th. However, he was later penalized for crossing the pit exit line on his second stop and was given a 25 second penalty, dropping Team USA to 11th place.
 
After slowly recovering from his recent illness, Neel Jani took the victory for Switzerland, overtaking long time race leader Adam Carroll during the second pit stop.
 
Team USA now lies 11th overall with 16 points. The series now moves on to Gauteng in South Africa (The Former Kyalami Circuit) on the 22nd of February.

Be sure and stay tuned for continued coverage of Marco Andretti and the A1GP right here on CTD. Editorial courtesy of Neil Tozer // 02.07.2009

FINE TUNING // A VISIT TO GROUP 2 MOTORSPORTS IN BALLARD

This past Tuesday, after a sleepless weekend of blogging and post processing, I decided to take the afternoon and visit a few friends at Group 2 Motorsports in Ballard. It had been some time since my last visit, and with the sun out I thought it was a good time to drop in and see what they had in the shop.

Group 2 Motorsports is one of the Northwest's premiere tuning shops. Offering everything from general automotive services to suspension/chassis adjustments, roll-cage fabrication and race car preparation, I was not surprised by the diversity of metal parked in front of the shop.

Featured above are but a few of the cars currently being serviced by Group 2. Stay tuned for additional features on Group 2 and a few of the cars we spotted in their shop // 02.06.2009

A PROPER INTRODUCTION // NEIL TOZER @ THE '08 TEMPEST RALLY

As promised, here are a few shots from ColdTrackDays newest correspondent, Neil Tozer. Based in the UK, Neil is a well established motorsport photographer with an eye for rally and open wheel racing. Neil will be covering a number of motorsport events for us this coming season (to include the final round of the A1GP), and we look forward to featuring his photography and race reports here on CTD.

The above shots were taken at the 2008 Tempest Rally in Aldershot. Won by Marcus Dodd in the Hyundai Accent WRC car, the Tempest Rally is an annual rally race put on by Suzuki and features both two and four-wheel drive competitors from across Great Britain.

For a look at all of Neil Tozer’s 2008 Tempest Rally photos, click here // 02.06.2009