Category Archives: Racing

SRT Viper to Compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans

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04-viper-gts-r-alms-debut

SRT Racing has accepted an invitation to run two SRT Viper GTS-Rs in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June. The race will be held June 22 – 23 at the historic track. The cars will be driven by Marc Goossens, Tommy Kendall, Kuno Wittmer, Dominik Farnbacher and Jonathan Bomarito. Other drivers and team members will be announced in the future. The 2013 entries will be a part of the LM GTE Pro Class. 

The Viper has a winning history at Le Mans with both cars finishing at the top of their class in 1998, 1999, and 2000. The new Viper GTS-R made its debut last season in the American Le Mans Series. Both cars are also scheduled to run the full 2013 ALMS season.

See the full announcement from Chrysler/SRT below:

De Retour! Viper set for Return to 24 Heures du Mans With SRT Motorsports

Two factory-supported SRT Viper GTS-Rs will compete in famous 24-hour endurance race in France in June

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Feb. 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — It’s official: Viper will return this year to the stage of some of its most impressive past road racing performances – the historic 24 Hours of Le Mans in France.

SRT Motorsports today accepted an invitation from the ACO (Automobile Club de l’Ouest) to field two SRT Viper GTS-Rs in the LM GTE Pro class of the 2013 24 Heures du Mans, June 22-23, officially returning the Viper sports car to one of the most prestigious automobile endurance races in the world.

The Viper finished one-two at the 24 Heures du Mans in GTS class competition three consecutive years – 1998 to 2000.

“Racing is truly a part of the illustrious history of Viper and a proving ground for the SRT brand,” said Ralph Gilles , President and CEO – Street and Racing Technology Brand and Motorsports, Chrysler Group LLC. “Historically the Viper GTS-R has enjoyed great success at Le Mans, so we couldn’t be more excited and proud to accept the challenge to return to France and continue composing the next chapter in the history of Viper racing at such an historic venue.”

Beth Paretta , Director of Marketing and Operations – SRT Brand and Motorsports, and SRT Motorsports driver Marc Goossens were on hand at today’s press conference in Paris to officially accept the invitation.

“The new SRT Viper GTS-R represents a rebirth for us in road racing by bringing an elevated level of technical sophistication to the track,” Paretta said. “The invitation to return to the 24 Heures du Mans gives SRT Motorsports and the SRT Viper GTS-R the opportunity to compete on a stage with the best sports car teams from around the world.”

SRT Motorsports teamed with Riley Technologies, based in Mooresville, N.C., on the design-and-build process of the SRT Viper GTS-R. Two identically prepared cars returned to competition last year at Mid-Ohio, the first of four test-and-tune races in preparation for a full 2013 schedule in the GT class in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) presented by Tequila Patron .

In addition to Goossens, drivers returning to the SRT Motorsports lineup for 2013 will be Tommy Kendall , Kuno Wittmer , Dominik Farnbacher and Jonathan Bomarito . Additional team announcements will be revealed at a later date.

The Viper’s successful racing heritage began in 1996 with its first racing entry, the original GTS-R, which earned five international GT championships and the 1997 to 1999 FIA GT championships in addition to the three consecutive one-two finishes at the 24 Heures du Mans in the GTS class.

The Viper posted an amazing overall win at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona in 2000 – the first for a production-based American car. Viper also captured GTS class and driver’s championships in ALMS competition in 1999 along with the series’ class, manufacturer’s and driver’s championship in 2000 before retiring from the series.

About SRT and SRT Motorsports
The Chrysler Group’s SRT (Street and Racing Technology) brand uses a successful product development formula featuring five proven hallmarks: awe-inspiring powertrains; outstanding ride, handling and capability; benchmark braking; aggressive and functional exteriors and race-inspired and high-performance interiors to remain true to its performance roots.

The SRT lineup in the 2013 model year features five vehicles that are world-class performance contenders and bring the latest in safety technologies and creature comforts. The Chrysler 300 SRT8, Dodge Challenger SRT8 392, Dodge Charger SRT8 and Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 are joined by the SRT flagship Viper and Viper GTS models, which are making their highly anticipated return to the high-performance sports car market.

The engineering expertise within SRT extends well beyond its high-performance street vehicles. Technical support for the Chrysler Group’s various racing programs is provided by the astute engineers at SRT Motorsports, where lessons learned on the race track directly translate to improved vehicles for the company’s customers.

Formula 1 Race-Car Release Schedule

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The 2013 Formula 1 season will begin in March and the manufacturers will begin to unveil their new cars in the coming weeks. This image shows the schedule for the release of the 2013 cars. There are a few manufacturers missing from this list because their release date is unknown. One late addition is Lotus which is expected to release its car on February 5. Be sure to tune in to Formula 1′s website and the websites of the individual manufacturers for the latest on all the new cars.

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Budweiser and Harvick Team-Up with Blippar App

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Use the Blippar app to scan this image to begin the Blippar/Budweiser experience

The innovation of the smart phone and phone apps has brought about a variety of unique user experiences. Advertisers are taking advantage of these platforms in a variety of ways. Whether they advertise through apps, iAds, or QR codes, there are a number of ways for companies to get their products to the end user. When advertising meets the smartphone, users are given a unique experience.

Blippar, a smartphone app company based in the UK, has created a unique advertising experience for fans of NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick and Budweiser Racing. When you use the Blippar smartphone app on your iOS or Android device to scan the Budweiser logo or either images on this page, you will enter an exclusive world. As the video illustrates, Blippar uses augmented reality to deliver exclusive content.

Use the Blippar app to scan this image to begin the Blippar/Budweiser experience

Blippar has created a world filled with exclusive content from Budweiser and Richard Childress Racing. After scanning a Budweiser logo or banner, users are presented with a menu (pictured below) with a variety of options. Under “Experience the Bud 29,” users can access a 360 degree view of the Budweiser 29 car or view two exclusive videos from the RCR race shop. When “Away from the Track” is selected, three videos are presented. These videos show Kevin Harvick away from the track racing g0-karts and pulling pranks. The final option of having your picture taken with Harvick is like a number of apps that allows you to insert yourself into an image. Blippar gives users three different picture options – at the bar, at the track, and just hanging out.

Blippar has created a unique form of advertising that goes far beyond QR codes and banners. But Budweiser is not the only company taking advantage of Blippar’s creative advertising. Blippar experiences are also available for Cadbury, Heinz, Kit Kat, Dominos Pizza, Wrigley’s Gum, and several other companies. Blippar’s unique form of advertising may not be mainstream, but it is a unique way for users to interact with their favorite brands and for companies to interact with potential customers.

So, as Kevin Harvick hits the track today at Watkins Glen, grab a Bud, your smartphone, and the Blippar app to enjoy a unique Harvick experience.

Harvicks Welcome Son

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Kevin and DeLana Harvick welcomed their son earlier today. Keelan Paul (pronounced Keylan) weighed 6.8 lbs and was 19.5 inches. DeLana and Keelan are doing well.

“Waiting on Keelan was the longest nine months of my entire life,” Kevin Harvick said.  “But time literally stood still when I held our baby for the first time.  I’ve accomplished a lot in my life that I’m proud of, but those moments don’t hold a candle to becoming a father and seeing that little face looking up at you.  DeLana and I are just amazed by how special and rewarding this is.”

For the last several months, Kevin and DeLana have referred to their son jokingly as “Baby Otis.” DeLana was in Daytona this weekend for the race, but left early yesterday and returned home to North Carolina. Driver Kenny Wallace was on stand by in case Harvick had to leave the race to return as well.

Congratulations to the Harvicks! I know they will be great parents!

Johanna Long Earns Career Best Finish at Daytona

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NASCAR driver Johanna Long scored her Nationwide Series career best finish tonight at the Subway Jalapeno 250 at the Daytona International Speedway. The nineteen-year-old sustained minor damage in a wreck but was able to dodge a few more wrecks and a Green-White-Checker finish to finish 12th. After qualifying 11th, Long worked with a number of driver to stay in the top-25 for the majority of the race. Her strong finish was overshadowed by the wreck of Danica Patrick, but it is certainly a great accomplishment for the entire #70 team.

Congratulations to Johanna and her ML Motorsports team. Keep up the good work and finishes will continue to improve. Johanna will be back in the #70 at Chicagoland Speedway on July 22.

What Kevin Harvick Sees

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This past week, Kevin Harvick and the #29 Budweiser/Rheem/Jimmy Johns team spent a day testing at Virginia International Raceway. During the test, Harvick had a camera mounted to the lower part of his helmet and it gives a unique view inside a NASCAR. In honor of raceday, I hope you enjoy the video.

Johanna Long’s Entry into NASCAR is only the Beginning

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Long (center) and her #70 team

The majority of the NASCAR news in 2012 has focused on Danica Patrick’s full-time run in the Nationwide Series. It is becoming more and more difficult to avoid articles and discussion of her entry into the sport. But there is another driver gaining attention and chances are you have never heard of her. Her name is Johanna Long, and she is also competing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Sports Illustrated‘s Tim Tuttle asked in 2010, “Could Johanna Long be NASCAR’s next Danica Patrick?” While the comparisons between Long and Patrick are inevitable, there are some major differences. Long has had a successful career that propelled her into the Nationwide Series. Patrick seems to have chosen to move to the Nationwide Series because her career in IRL was not materializing. While all the focus has been about Patrick, Long has been working to improve as a new driver and as the lone driver for a new race team.

Johanna Long is from Pensacola, Florida and began racing go carts at age 8. A the age of 13, she began to race Legend Cars at Sunny South Speedway in Mobile, Alabama. A year later, Long was racing Pro Late Models. In her second season racing Pro Late Models, Long won a number of races and become the first female, and youngest ever, Pro Late Model track champion at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola. In 2009, still only 16, Long ran a season of 38 races and racked up 5 wins, 18 top five finishes, and 27 top tens leading her to the Blizzard Series Champion in the Super Late Model cars at Five Flags Speedway. Long also made two ARCA series starts in 2009, preparing her for the next level of competition and an introduction to the NASCAR circuit. In 2010, Long won the famed Snowball Derby in Pensacola and made seven starts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. In 2011, Long ran 17 races in the truck series securing a career best 11th place finish at Texas Motor Speedway.

Long on track in Daytona

In the Nationwide Series in 2012, Long plans to run 21 races for ML Motorsports based in Warsaw, Indiana. The team, owned by Mary Louise Miller, is famous for its cars in the ARCA series, has not completed in the Nationwide Series for a few years. Long’s sponsors for the season include Foretravel Motorcoach, Race Fuel Energy Drink, Keen Parts, Inc., Biomet, Flexaust, and Wish for our Heroes. She is the youngest female driver to compete in the Nationwide Series. As she faces a number of Nationwide Series regulars and Sprint Cup Series drivers, Long has set goals for herself in 2012. Like her 2007 run in the Pro Late Models, this year is about seat time, experience, and patience. In a recent interview, Long expressed this sentiment, “I feel like getting more experience is going to make us better as a team. And we’re going to start getting those better finishes, but I feel it’s all about progression. I feel like if we progress each and every week, it’s going to be a good year. We just gotta keep on doing that. Yeah you want some top-15 finishes, and you wanna do better each weekend, but it’s gonna come.”

As one of two female drivers in the series, Long has been overshadowed by Danica Patrick, but this is actually good for Long and ML Motorsports. As Patrick continues to struggle to adjust to the Nationwide Series, Long and her team can quietly improve each week with the help of former Nationwide Series Champion David Green. So far, she has been very consistant, with an average finish of 23rd after eight races. Johanna’s next race will be June 16 in Michigan.

2012 Stats

I encourage everyone to support Johanna Long. Shop in the ML Motorsports team store, root for her on race day, and let her know you support her. It is not easy to for any driver to make it into NASCAR, but it has been more difficult for female drivers. I believe that Long has the talent and patience to have a successful NASCAR career and will make a profound impact on the sport. As with many small teams, however, ML Motorsports has limited funds and sponsorship, and I would like to see Long run a full Nationwide schedule in 2013. As of right now, it appears her schedule will once again be limited, but as her profile increases, she will attract more sponsorship. Talented drivers are what make NASCAR exciting, and as this young woman continues to prove herself I will be eagerly watching.

Show your support for Long by join her Fan Club, following her Blog, following her on Twitter and liking her Facebook page.

Kevin and DeLana Harvick Expecting First Child

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I was surprised, and perhaps a little disappointed, when Kevin and DeLana Harvick announced they were shutting down their race team, Kevin Harvick Inc., at the end of 2011. The rumors were circulating as to why the couple would make such a sudden decision. Some speculated that the couple were planning to start a family, and they were absolutely right. Yesterday, Kevin Harvick announced that his wife was 14 week pregnant, and their baby is due in July.

“There were a lot of factors that went into the KHI decision, but when your wife tells you she’s not starting a family unless you get out of the race team business, that’s a pretty big factor in things that are going on,” Harvick said. ”You go through different phases of your life,” Harvick continued. “You sit down and do your estate planning and it’s just you and her. There’s nobody to carry on the things that we sat there and built. And how important are a bunch of race cars, 15 years down the road? Not really. It put a lot of things into perspective for us. We did a good job at running the race teams, we were competitive. And I think as you move down the road and I’m done driving, I think you can always fire that back up again.”

Part of Kevin’s decision to close KHI was to refocus on his career and driving the 29 Budweiser Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. With the stress of KHI out of thier lives, Kevin and DeLana can focus on being parents as well. Congratulations to them both!

For all the latest updates, you can follow Kevin and DeLana on Twitter. Or follow Kevin on Facebook.

UPDATE: DeLana is keeping a “Baby Blog.” You can follow the blog here.

Source: NASCAR,

2013 Ford Fusion Sprint Cup Series NASCAR Unveiled

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Just a few weeks ago, Ford unveiled the 2013 Ford Fusion. The Fusion is the current namesake of Ford Racing in NASCAR and when the redesigned Fusion was unveiled in Detroit on January 9, the new NASCAR could not have been far behind. Today, Ford unveiled the 2013 Ford Fusion Sprint Cup NASCAR. Ford says the 2013 Fusion NASCAR is a return to a true “stock car,” meaning that the car looks like the road version. Currently, NASCAR mandates the shape of the car and the fans are bored with the lack of design, but for 2013, they are allowing the manufactures to incorporate designs that are unique to their individual brand. This is exciting for fans of NASCAR and remember when the cars did look different. Over the next several weeks, we will certainly see the new cars from Dodge, Toyota and Chevrolet.

Ford, being the first, gives us an idea what to expect for the Sprint Cup Series in 2013. The Fusion is unmistakably a Fusion in shape and graphics. The flared fenders, the body lines are all very stylish, but will likely be slightly modified before it hits the track in February 2013. Ford is still testing the car and NASCAR will have to approve all the designs prior to competition. However, this model must be fairly close if they are spending the time to unveil it at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The fact that this is a concept is important to bare in mind, but if the car’s shape largely remains intact, and the other manufacturers take as much care with their design, the 2013 NASCAR season could be an important year for NASCAR and the auto manufacturers.

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Source: Ford

Happy 100th Chevrolet

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There have only been a few automakers who can say they have been around for a century.  Chevrolet has added itself to that list.  Or has it…When new GM was formed in 2009, old GM ceased to exist.  Should a 2 year old GM be allowed to celebrate 100 years of Chevrolet, which technically is only two years old as well?  It is an interesting question.  Nevertheless, they have released this video to celebrate: