News for February 13th 2010
Planning is Key to memorable Vacation
So are you looking for a family vacation getaway that you can take during the weekend? You might consider a Bed and Breakfast for the unique and personal touch. Of course, I would be remiss not to meantion Treasure Island Bed and Breakfast. Or do you want to take a vacation of a few weeks with your family so that you can enjoy and relax away from your daily chores as well as the hustle and bustle of the city? The first thing that you plan for your family vacation getaway is the place that you would like to spend your vacation at. Decide with your family members where you would like to go. In case your vacation is just a weekend getaway then you can travel a few hundred miles away from the city and select a good vacation spot. You can take a family vacation getaway in the mountains or at the beach. How about some exotic or unusual places with rich cultural history? In case you have many days in your hands then you can fly to a beautiful vacation getaway thousands of miles from your residence.
Once you decide on the place for your family vacation getaway, you should start making arrangements for the same. Decide how you will go to the vacation spot. In case you have selected a place that is just a few hundred miles from your residence then you can hire a vehicle. In case you can drive on your own, then you can take your won vehicle. In case you are flying to a foreign land then you should make your reservations well in advance. Visa processing as well as air ticket reservations along with hotel bookings and car rental reservation should be made well in advance. This is because in peak season bookings tend to get full and you would be disappointed in case you are not able to make your reservations due to full bookings.
Do not wait till the last minute to do your packing. Start at least 3 days in advance to do your packing. This is because we tend to forget things at the last minutes. When we do packing in advance we may remember things and so put them in the baggage well in advance. In case you are going abroad then see to it that you are carrying your visas as well as passports as well as travel insurance. Do not forget to carry other documents as well like credit cards, etc.
One last bit of advice. Leave all your work at home as much as you can when you are leaving for a family vacation getaway. This is because you are going on a vacation leaving all your daily chores behind. You want to just relax and enjoy your vacation with your family members. So all work should be left behind at home.
Edited: February 13th, 2010
Olympic Luge Death May Have Been Prevented With NASCAR Safety Techniques
Ford Racing, along with Roush Yates Engines, officially decided this afternoon that three Ford Fusions will have the new FR9 engine for Sunday’s Daytona 500.
Matt Kenseth, Elliott Sadler and Bill Elliott will all be racing with the FR9 while the other 10 Fords in the field with have the previous 452 model.
“We’re pleased that we’ll be able to put the FR9 in a couple extra cars for the Daytona 500,” said Dave Simon, the Ford Racing engine engineer who worked with Doug Yates on the development of the FR9. “Based on completing the mileage on one of the engines, looking at wear condition on some of the others, and based on the performance of the engine during the qualifying races, we felt that providing additional FR9 engines will help give us additional boost for the 500. ”
This will mark the second straight restrictor plate race that Kenseth will run the FR9. He debuted Ford’s first purpose-built NASCAR engine at Talladega last fall in the Amp Energy 500. Kenseth was in position to win the race as he was running second until being forced to pit for fuel in the closing laps.
The only other time FR9 competed last year was in the season finale Ford 400, where David Ragan finished 34th.
Edited: February 13th, 2010
Brad Keselowski hopeful for win at Daytona
Brad Keselowski has been to Daytona International Speedway several times, but Sunday will be the first time he’ll be competing in the Daytona 500.
Keselowski, who turned 26 Friday, earned a full-time ride in the Sprint Cup series with Penske Racing. The Rochester Hills native is excited with the opportunity to get in the seat of the No. 12 Dodge and compete in NASCAR’s prize event.
“The Daytona 500 is the biggest race in the country,” Keselowski said Friday while taking a break from practice. “It is definitely exciting to be a part of. I’ve been coming to Daytona for years, but the first 500 that I will see in person will be from the seat of my No. 12 Penske Dodge Charger. That’s pretty cool.
Advertisement
“We have a strong car. I think we showed that by getting out front and leading some laps in the Duels (Thursday). This team has won before so there is no reason that we can’t do it again.”
Keselowski’s teammate, Kurt Busch, won twice last year and finished fourth in The Chase.
Keselowski is a rising star in Sprint Cup, and he gained valuable seat time in the series last season while driving part-time for the top team: Hendrick Motorsports.
Keselowski won at Talladega for owner James Finch, competing in Hendrick equipment.
So how has the transition been from running a Chevrolet for Hendrick to a Dodge with Penske?
“Both organizations build great cars so the transition has not been that big,” Keselowski said. “The biggest difference is working with new people. Communication is such a large part of this sport and it doesn’t come overnight.”
So what type of expectations does he have for his team? Nate Ryan of USA Today picked Keselowski to be one of the 12 drivers to make The Chase.
“I think making The Chase is the overarching theme this year,” Keselowski said. “That should be our goal, but we really just want to show continued progress throughout the year. I think we’re off to a good start after leading laps in the qualifying race. Hopefully that means good things for the 500.
“I’m new to Penske. Jay Guy, my crew chief, is new to Penske. There will be a few growing pains as we get up to speed, but we have all the resources to do great things at Penske Racing.”
The aggressive, hard-charging Keselowski led 15 of 60 laps in the second Gatorade Duels Thursday before finishing 12th. He likes the rule changes that allow more contact — such as bump-drafting at Daytona and Talladega — and encourages the drivers’ personalities to come out.
That shouldn’t be a problem for Keselowski, who was involved in a late-season feud with Denny Hamlin. Ironically, Keselowski will start Sunday’s race 26th, alongside Hamlin in Row 13.
“For me, the best part of the rules changes is that I don’t have to change,” Keselowski said. “Everything they are allowing us to do or asking us to do is what I’ve been doing my whole career. I’m not going to be more aggressive, but it does free your mind a little bit because you don’t have to worry about getting called to the (NASCAR) trailer.”
Also, wings on the rear of Sprint Cup cars will be replaced by rear spoilers.
“Going back to the spoiler will give the cars a more traditional look, even though they still look nothing like a car that you could buy in a showroom,” said Keselowski. “Hopefully all of these things (rule changes) will help bring back some fans who feel they have been alienated over the years. Those core fans are very important to the health of this sport.”
Yes, and so is having a star who wins on the track and isn’t afraid to speak his mind. Keselowski is a throwback to Dale Earnhardt Sr. and he can’t wait to show his skills come Sunday.
Patrick to start 15th
? Danica Patrick’s preparation for her NASCAR debut in today’s Nationwide series race at Daytona International Speedway involved studying film and getting coached up.
?Patrick watched replays of last year’s race, noting trends and tendencies. She will start the Drive4COPD 300 in 15th based on owner points, since qualifying was rained out.
?”I did some in-car camera and race footage from last year,” Patrick said.
Edited: February 13th, 2010
Drivers talk Crashes
A tap, a blown tire, a gust of wind and suddenly a race car is on an unpredictable collision course at over 190 miles per hour.
“There’s nothing you can do,” says Juan Pablo Montoya, who has experienced crashes in all types racing vehicle from go-karts to Formula One machines. “You just go from driver to passenger. One minute you’re in control and the next you’re not. There’s nothing you can do, you just enjoy the ride – relax, hang on and know it will be over with. That’s it.”
Although car engines are restricted at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway to decrease the horsepower on these high-banked tracks, part of the attraction these two venues are the phenomenal crashes that occur in a split second and change the course of history forever.
Certainly, that was the case in the 2001 Daytona 500 when Dale Earnhardt lost his life on the last lap. And that loss triggered the greatest safety initiative in NASCAR history. While some drivers – particularly in open wheel series – were already using HANS (head and neck safety devise), development on seats, energy absorbing protection for walls and sturdier race cars.
“The SAFER barriers, certainly in some of the wrecks that we’ve seen over the last two years, have saved some lives,” said Clint Bowyer, who slid across the finish line upside down in flames after hitting Casey Mears at the 2007 Daytona 500. “There’s no question. That car does make you feel maybe not invincible, but safe. The seats are safe. That’s the biggest thing they’ve done with the new car is to make it safe.
“We’ve seen some horrific accidents – Carl Edwards’ wreck at Talladega, my teammate Jeff Burton and Jeff Gordon at Watkins Glen. There’s been some hard hits that people have walked away from and I think it’s because this car and that wall.”
There’s no doubt that diminishing the potential for danger will increase the longevity of drivers’ careers. But have the safety advances also created a false sense of security among the younger generation of drivers?
Brad Keselowski will make his Daytona 500 debut on Sunday. The newest Penske racer, who turned 26 on Thursday, scored his first Sprint Cup win at Talladega in just his fifth start. However, with Carl Edwards’ car vaulting into the stands in Keselowski’s mirror, the rookie’s victory was somewhat overshadowed.
Keselowski himself has endured several bone-jarring incidents in his short career including a multicar crash in Fontana, Calif., which ended with the driver being airlifted out of the racetrack.
“That was one of the biggest wrecks anyone could conceive,” Keselowski said. “Then I had a couple of wrecks like that in the truck series and in Late Models. Over time, with the (current race car) and all the safety devices we have, I’ve gotten to the point where I just feel invincible.
“Nobody is invincible. The important fact is to feel that way otherwise you can’t drive a race car and be on the edge. You need to get in that race and feel like you’re the baddest mother to ever step inside one and that nothing is going to touch you. That’s what it takes to get the job done.”
For young guns that receive that big break, the bottom line is to make the most of the opportunity – whatever it takes.
That was the case for Michael McDowell at Texas Motor Speedway in 2008. McDowell was qualifying for his second career Cup start when he hit a patch of speedy dry on his second lap and barrel rolled through Turns 1 and 2, before shooting head on into the SAFER barrier and moving the concrete wall behind before his flaming car came to a stop.
As the accident went into motion, he wasn’t considering the impact.
“For me, it was more flames when it first hit because the motor obviously being in the front, caught on fire,” McDowell said. “I’m not a tough guy, but I wasn’t really worried about getting hurt or any of that. When it finally stopped rolling, I was really afraid for my job. It was my second Cup race, I was a rookie and obviously at that point in your career you always hear of guys that were really good before they had that big wreck. You hear that all the time in our sport. And I did not want to be that guy, there was just no way.
“If I was hurt, I wasn’t going to show it and I would just jump back in the car like I had to. My deal was that I was getting back in the car and I was not even letting fear get in the way of it because I didn’t want to be one of the statistics. I didn’t want to be one of the guys that had a good career going and then had that big wreck. That was really the only thoughts that I was thinking about and just getting back in the car.”
Miraculously, McDowell did walk away. Like any determined racer, he won’t let that moment haunt him. But every time he drives around Texas Motor Speedway the remnants of rubber on the track he’s reminded how fortunate he was that day.
“It was important to (drive) the next day and luckily I wasn’t injured so I could,” McDowell added. “That part of it was good, but I don’t really think about it a whole lot. We still talk about it a lot and I’m sure we still will for a long time. For me, I moved on the next day. I was ready to go.
“No matter what, with or without that crash, every weekend you still have to prove yourself.”
With 43 drivers competing for the top spot this Sunday, there is no foolproof way to completely stay out of harm’s way on the racetrack – no matter what the venue. However, with the necessity to draft in tight packs on a track where the surface has seen better days, Daytona is treacherous at every turn.
Drivers and their decisions will make the difference between green flag runs and caution filled delays.
“You always have to think ahead of your moves – that you’re clear to the inside, that you’re clear to the right side and that no one is looking there and will clip rear bumper when things happen,” said former Cup champion Kurt Busch. “You always have to stay a step ahead. When you’re not a step ahead, that’s when you’re vulnerable for getting wrecked.
“Even if you get passed and find yourself running fourth and there’s a lap and a half left, that means there are six straightaways that things can happen on with different things that you need to prepare for. You might think two straightaways ahead on what you’re going to do the next time around. So, it is like a chess game.”
Veterans such as Busch can almost anticipate when the dynamic of the race begins to change. Drivers have an intuition that fine tunes over time.
“There’s really no prepared moment when you know you’re wrecking, you just hope not to put yourself in the position to get wrecked,” Busch said. “When you feel like you’re in too hostile of a draft, those are the moments before you go, ‘oh, something might happen.’”
When the lap evolves from racing to wrecking, there’s very little a driver can do to stop the motion or protect himself. Most drivers have a routine, but there’s very little control over the situation.
As Carl Edwards says, “you’re just along for the ride.”
“Once I realized that I am not going to be able to gather this thing back up then you go into a breathe out, relax, put your hands and feet in and wait for the impact because all you can do at that point is get hurt so you just want to make sure to minimize the risk of that,” Edwards said. “Mentally you’re just like, ‘Well, here we go.’”
Ryan Newman was highlight reel fodder at Daytona in 2003 – five years before he won the 500. Newman ran just 56 laps before flipping on the frontstretch and landing on his lid. Newman had a similar experience at Talladega last fall and admits there was still grass in his hair when he showered following the race.
Newman refuses to obsess about past mishaps.
“You think about it, you learn from the experience and you move on,” Newman said. “At the end of the day you just need to push the gas pedal and turn left.”
Edited: February 13th, 2010
You want to do what to Talladega??
Jimmy Johnson says he wants the track destroyed and an “safer” aka easier track built. If racing was safe everyone would do it and no one would watch it. I don’t hear bull riders asking for tamer bulls. Nascar has gone to crazy extremes to make racing as safe as possible without downright killing the sport. Johnson should not be complaining! Instead the wreck should be an example of something done right. Allison had the exact same wreck and didn’t live to complain about it. Johnson wasn’t even in that wreck but he thinks he needs to whine about it. Maybe he needs to stop worrying about other drivers and focus on his own driving. Each nascar track has it’s own unique challenges if officials agreed to doze Talladega what’s to stop the next whiny racer from killing their own problem track? If Johnson hates dega so much why does he race there? Nobody forces him he can always opt out. No great loss in my opinion. At least that’s what I think.
What do you think about his comment about destroying Talladega?
Edited: February 13th, 2010
Vickers Says He Didn’t Hit Earnhardt Jr.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. was upset during Thursday’s Gatorade Duels at Daytona, when he accused Brian Vickers of running into him several times, damaging the Daytona 500 pole-winning No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet enough to render it uncompetitive.
Earnhardt blasted Vickers over his team’s radio, claiming the No. 83 Red Bull Toyota driver was “drifting up and knocking the [expletive deleted] out of both of us. Just BS.” Earnhardt finished 21st in the second Gatorade Duel, while Vickers finished in 10th.
On Friday, Vickers said any problems with Earnhardt were news to him.
“I’m not sure exactly what he’s referring to, to be honest with you,” Vickers said of Earnhardt. “I was only around him twice. One time, we were running third I think and he had a big run, he passed us on the outside and then went on. The other time, I was side-by-side with him and (Matt) Kenseth put us three-wide and that was pretty much it. Those were the only two times we were next to each other so I’m not sure what he’s referring to. I was only around him twice. One time he went by me and one time I went by him. That was pretty much it. There was no real altercation, I’m not sure what he’s talking about.”
Vickers and Earnhardt, of course, have a little bit of history at Superspeedways.
At Talladega in the fall of 2006, Earnhardt was leading on the last lap, with Jimmie Johnson second and Vickers running third. Heading down the backstretch for the final time, Johnson pulled out to pass Earnhardt, but was struck from behind by Vickers’s car. The contact shot Johnson into Earnhardt, those two wrecking at the entrance to Turn 3 as Vickers drove by for his first Sprint Cup victory of the season.
The roles were reversed in last year’s Daytona 500, when Earnhardt went below the yellow line on the backstretch, came back up and made contact with Vickers, causing a multi-car pileup that took out some of the top contenders in that race.
Vickers bristled noticeably when asked to compare last year’s Daytona 500 and the contact with Earnhardt in the Duels on Thursday. “Last year he (Dale Earnhardt Jr.) ran below the yellow line and then he turned up and wrecked me so how is that similar to last year?” Vickers said Friday.
As for the Daytona 500, Vickers said he welcomed NASCAR’s new and relaxed attitudes about driver behavior.
“As far as the bump drafting and the rule, I think it’s great that it’s back in our hands — it should be,” said Vickers. “We don’t need to be babysat. I think we looked like a bunch of pansies at Talladega. With someone telling us that we’re not allowed to bump each other. Having more flexibility in that area, I think you’re going to see more passing because of it as well. It’s not going to change a lot. It’s not like we’re going to run down into Turns 3 and 4 and just start hitting each other because if we do then we’re just going to crash. I don’t think you’re going to see a huge difference there.”
Edited: February 13th, 2010
Ford’s New Nascar Engine Faces First Big Test in the Daytona 500
Jimmie Johnson has dominated stock-car racing in his blue No. 48 Chevrolet lately, winning an unprecedented four straight Nascar Sprint Cup championships. But a new engine developed by Chevrolet’s most bitter rival, Ford, has begun to propel winners at the track.
On Thursday afternoon, Johnson won the first of two 150-mile qualifying races for the Daytona 500 on Sunday — hardly a surprise — but the second race was won by Kasey Kahne in the No. 9 car owned by Richard Petty Motorsports and powered by Ford’s new FR9 engine.
Kasey Kahne, driver of the No. 9 Budweiser Ford, after winning Thursday’s second Nascar Sprint Cup Series Gatorade Duel at Daytona International Speedway. Ford’s first purpose-built Nascar racing engine had its debut at a 500-mile race last fall at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama, in cars driven by Matt Kenseth and David Ragan. Bill Elliott will use the FR9 engine in Sunday’s race. Kenseth and Elliott Sadler are likely to drive cars with the new engine.
Doug Yates, the engine builder who developed the FR9 with David Simon, an engineer with Ford Racing, said in a telephone interview on Thursday that he was “really encouraged” with the new engine. Kahne’s victory was the first for a Ford in a Daytona qualifying race since 2006.
“In Nascar racing, one of the most important things other than power is durability,” Yates said. “Reliability is the number one priority with the point system we have.”
Yates, who builds all kinds of engines, said Ford Racing was sticking to its plan to use the FR9 “across the board” by June. The engine had done well in tests on track and in a dynamometer at Roush Yates Engines that simulates racing conditions.
One of the FR9 engines that was used in Thursday’s races was shipped back to Roush Yates Engines in North Carolina and was to be put on the dynamometer for a 650-mile test Friday night. If there are no setbacks, Kenseth and Sadler will also use the engines Sunday.
Kenseth, the 2003 series champion, won the Daytona 500 last year in a Ford and the Sprint Cup race at Fontana, Calif., but he crashed at Las Vegas the following week and later failed to qualify for the 12-driver, 10-race Chase for the Sprint Cup.
Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards were the only Ford drivers to qualify for the 2009 Chase, and Ford’s streak without a championship in Nascar’s highest profile series reached five years. But Yates and Simon, handed a clean sheet of paper to design the engine, were well under way.
“It’s really an engine-builder’s dream,” Yates said.
The FR9 was not used by drivers last weekend in the Budweiser Shootout, a nonpoints race at the Daytona International Speedway, primarily because Yates said that Ford wanted to build an inventory of engine parts. But the Fords ran well using the “452? engines, or the “old” engines.
Nevertheless, the FR9 will soon be the way for all Fords. Simon said last fall in a Ford news release that the FR9 was “designed to improve manufactuability and serviceability, offering the engine builders savings in labor and cost.”
The induction-exhaust, valve-train, cooling, lubrication and sealing systems were improved. Because the cooling system was better, Yates said, the openings in the front ends of the cars can be taped up more often, reducing drag.
“In our racing, that is a real key, making power,” Yates said.
Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt Jr., both driving Chevrolets, will be at the front of the 43-car field Sunday. Kahne is the only Ford driver in the first five rows at the start. But Yates, among others, is hoping that the Fords will catch up — if not Sunday, then as soon as possible.
Edited: February 13th, 2010