Steve Parker Motoring / The Car Nut

FAA APPROVES "VLJs"; JUST IN TIME FOR HONDA'S NEW JET

We told you recently about the all-new HondaJet for business users. Now, these new light, cheap and fast jets are expected to be certified for flight Thursday, August 3rd. Eclipse Aviation's E500 will be the first "very light jet," or VLJ, to receive a provisional certification by the Federal Aviation Administration. Thousands more are expected to take wing over the next decade. The announcement, at the annual AirVenture air show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, is one of the biggest things to happen to general aviation in years.

Eclipse's "500" model is on-sale and commercially available. The price is $1,295,000.

The NBAA (National Business Aviation Association) defines VLJs as single-pilot jets that weigh 10,000 pounds (4,500 kilograms) or less. They generally have two engines, five or six passenger seats, electronic cockpits and cost half as much as the most inexpensive business jet now in service. (Photo above: Eclipse Aviation expects its E500s to be used as air taxis or flying limousines for corporate travelers).

Six other very light jets are in the process of being certified by the FAA. Honda Motor Co. announced Tuesday (July 25th) at Oshkosh that it will start accepting orders for another VLJ, the HondaJet, this fall.

The FAA officially predicts that 4,500 VLJs will be in service 10 years from now. FAA chief Marion Blakey has called that a conservative estimate. Eclipse alone has orders for nearly 2,500 of the little jets.

The big question surrounding VLJs is who will use them and where they will fly.

Vern Raburn, the founder of Albuquerque-based Eclipse Aviation Corp., predicts VLJs will be used as air taxis: for-hire limousines-with-wings that will take off and land at thousands of small airports. Businesspeople, he says, will be attracted to them because they will get where they need to go faster and with less hassle than on a commercial flight -- and cheaper than on a chartered business jet. (Photo: HondaJet).

VLJs can land on runways as short as 3,000 feet (900 meters), compared with the 4,000 (1,200 meters) or 5,000 feet (1,500 meters) required by the smallest jets now being flown. The FAA says there are more than 5,000 small, underused airports in the United States.

Two other companies hope to have similar jets certified by the end of the year: Englewood, Colorado-based Adam Aircraft and Wichita, Kansas-based Cessna Aircraft Co.

Cessna considers its Citation Mustang an inexpensive business jet, not a VLJ, said Doug Oliver, company spokesman. But, Oliver said, "If the air taxi market comes along, the aircraft is perfectly suited for high utilization." Cessna, which has produced more than 4,500 business jets for the global fleet, has about 250 orders for the Mustang, Oliver said. (Photo: HondaJet engine).

The other VLJs seeking FAA certification, or FAA validation of their home countries' certification, are:

Javelin, by Aviation Technology Group, Inc.;

Phenom, by Embraer, or Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica SA;

G180 SPn Utility Jet, by Grob Aerospace;

Spectrum 33 by Spectrum Aeronautical LLC.

A Spectrum 33 crashed in a test flight Tuesday, July 25th, in Spanish Fork, Utah, killing both pilots aboard. The cause of the crash is unknown. (Thanks to CNN.COM for this story).

LOTUS TO BUILD TESLA EV SPORTS CAR

According to a report on EDP24.com, (the Norfolk Eastern Daily Press website), Group Lotus' involvement with the Tesla Roadster project is now very much official: the Roadster will be built by Lotus at its Hethel facility.

The move is part of Lotus chief's Mike Kimberley's announced ongoing plan to increase the company's involvement in outside design and engineering projects. It comes on the heels of Lotus' new deal with Nanjng Automotive to aid in the development of new MG vehicles, which will be assembled in Nebraska (you got that?).

Kimberly had been one of the bosses at Lotus over two decades ago, and he absolutely understands that companies such as his (for instance, Porsche) make much, if not most, of their monies from doing R&D work for other car companies, and even other manufacturers, outside of the car business. (Photo: California Governor Arnold "happened" to show-up at the unveiling of the Tesla EV on July 26th in very-ultra-hip-and-trendy Santa Monica --- Apparently the luckiest break the Tesla folks may ever have!).

MEL GIBSON: DUI, RESISTING ARREST AND ANTI-SEMITIC TIRADE; LA SHERIFF COVER-UP ALLEGED

8-3-06 - Latest On Gibson: LOS ANGELES TIMES (Tribune Corporation; they also own KTLA/TV5 in Los Angeles) and TMZ.com (which is owned by AOL Entertainment) both report that Gibson was traveling over twice the legal speed limit when he was stopped by the Sheriffs' officers (86mph in a 40 zone) and he had an OPEN BOTTLE OF TEQUILA with him in his Lexus LS430. (Photo: Mel after a tough night at "Moonshadows", a tourist hangout in Malibu --- "The Official Mugshot").

Anyone who has had any dealings with the LA County Sheriff knows that if it were 'you or me' stopped at 2am in Malibu doing twice the legal speed limit on PCH, extremely drunk and obnoxious to boot, and with open liquor bottle in the car, then calling a female Deputy "Sugar tits" at the station house: We would NOT have been freed on $5,000 bail that same evening! In fact, it would take you or me a week or so to recover from the BEATING we would have gotten! My latest prediction: Gibson (after completing "Celebrity Rehab") will soon visit either the Holocaust Museum in Los Angeles or Washington, DC, where he will write a large check, or Israel, to pray at the Western Wall to ask forgiveness. And he will still be full of shit. These guys never change ... Not at his age! I do feel some sympathy for Mel: Gibson's father needs to be held responsible for raising his son with these sick, disgusting concepts. Gibson needs to publicly reprimand his father for teaching him to hate the Jewish people. Then BOTH of them should retire to the shadows, where they belong, to meditate and pray about their sick, hate-filled lives. And, here's something I never thought I'd say (though I am a big fan of "People's Court"): Thank goodness for Harvey Levin, who exposed this entire episode! Latest from TMZ.com ... Gibson has been stopped by officers in Malibu at least two other times when he exhibited erratic driving, and both times was let go without receiving a ticket or being arrested. Also, Gibson was driven by the SHERIFF in a patrol car to the impound lot where his car was being held. And, finally, it was originally reported that Gibson was freed on $5,000 bail --- Turns out, he was released on OR (own recognizance) ... There was NO bail. Gibson has also been formally charged with two misdemeanors, including the open bottle of liquor in the car and driving above the alcohol breath limit of 0.08%. Why he has not yet been charged with speeding, reckless driving (typical in these cases) and attempt to escape is not yet known. (photo: Mel in make-up for his new film, "My Buddy Saddam").

(Saturday, July 29th): We all know Gibson's film, "Passion of the Christ", was one of the most filthy, disgusting and anti-Semitic pictures made before, during or since Hitler. We also know that Gibson (and his father, who is a world-known "Holocaust Denier"), belong to a Catholic "cult" which disavows any Pope they disagree with ... Such as Pope John Paul II, who ordered the church and its followers to stop any hatred towards the Jewish people, and made it clear that the Jewish population had nothing to do with Christ's death. Gibson's movie told another story, the same old story which Jew-haters have told for 2,100 years. This film was shown to literally millions of young, impressionable Christians around the world who now think that Gibson's view of Christ's death is the 'true' one.

Well, thanks to our tenacious and free American media, the entire world knows for certain and without question tonight that Mel Gibson is a dyed-in-the-wool, common, obnoxious, drunken Jew-hater who over the years lucked into enough money and financiers to tell his version of the "truth". Thank goodness he has been stopped before running for political office in our country.

And now, thanks to TV producer and reporter Harvey Levin and the website tmz.com, we get the REAL story of Gibson's arrest the other night: His attempted escape, his profane insults to the Sheriff's Deputies, the complete original and official on-scene report which the arresting officer was told to "re-do" by his superiors.

He also says in his mea culpa that he has battled alcoholism all his life (now there's a real shock, huh?), is ashamed of his "relapse" (yeah, like his first drink in years was this past Friday night ...) and said things he "does not believe to be true". I bet he'll be in rehab in Malibu (or somewhere else 'secret') by Monday, July 31st. Guaranteed. At the least, he should be taken off the streets.

Hollywood gave Gibson a huge "pass" on "Passion of the Christ", because he has made that industry SO much money over the years. Hollywood heavyweights figured the less anyone said about the film, the better, and it did come and go pretty quickly. With no awards or nominations.

Well, those 'accepting' days are officially over. Mel Gibson is 'persona non grata' for any decent person. And he does not get another chance. Let him love Jesus, retire to the church he has on his Malibu land and wait to go to heaven. That's a good plan for him, I think. (Photo: Mel Gibson in a calmer moment, or getting worked-over by the LA Sheriff).

Now where will Gibson get the money to finance any future productions? Will some Hollywood buddies use him as an actor in their films to someday (and soon) show how far Mel has come in his social "rehab"?

There is plenty of anti-Semitic money of all kinds in this world, so he can always find financiers; but will Gibson want to be publicly associated with those people? Well, I suppose it won't bother him too much: He IS one of "those people". Maybe he can get some Al Queda cash or get a taste from Hezbollah or the "Palestinians".

As Gibson's statements and actions and films have gone totally OVER the line, it's time for Mel to not bother apologizing --- Our world has ,sadly, seen his kind come and go with with a disgusting regularity. Just hope the DMV takes his license and gets him off the road permanently. Or out of the country. Anyone check his immigration papers lately?

And the less said about the LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT at this point, the better.

Mel Gibson: True American Scumbag! 

CHAMP CAR'S 2007 PANOZ SPEC CAR UNVEILED

June 29th, and the public unveiling of the Panoz spec chassis for the "Bridgestone Presents the Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford and Malted Milk Service Available" has happened in Indianapolis! The DP01 will serve as the exclusive chassis of the series in 2007, becoming the first American-built chassis to compete in the series since 2000. Replacing the fabled Lolas that have dominated Champ Car in recent years, the Elan Motorsports-built DP01 chassis features the latest in aerodynamic technologies and has allowed the design team to reach its goal of providing a car that runs better in traffic while allowing for closer racing and more passing opportunities. Now the BIG question remains: How compatible will this DP01 be with whatever the Indy Racing League specs call for in 2007, or will the race car be a "one-year wonder", with other manufacturers already working on the spec chassis for 2008 and beyond, when Champ Car and IRL unite? (Photo: Click on the photo to see the car and the crowd at the unveiling in a larger format).

Here's the PR release from Champ Car:

"Aerodynamically we have broken away from various existing Champ Car features, which have been a product of the existing regulations," said Elan Motorsports Chief Designer Simon Marshall. "We have to create the downforce in a sensible manner that is not as setup critical, and which is less affected by traffic turbulent wakes. (Chief Aerodynamicist) Nick (Alcock) has produced a superb underbody for this car, and an awesome looking topside which should keep the fans (and drivers) excited."

The design incorporates a number of changes to the existing car, including paddle shifters, additional 'sharkfin' elements as well as wing improvements, and a change of the seat angle for the drivers designed to improve driver safety. The Elan Motorsports design team, working in conjunction with Champ Car officials, has created a car that represents the latest in vehicle technology while still featuring the sleek silhouette unique to the Champ Car World Series.

"We were able to maintain the Champ Car look," said Champ Car Technical Director Scot Elkins. "There's a lot of F1 elements to it but it still looks like a Champ Car. The exposed roll hoop, the slope of the engine cover, it's low to the ground, it's a look that the fans will recognize as a Champ Car. One of the key design elements for us was that it look like a Champ Car."

But there is far more than flash to the DP01. More than 20,000 man hours went into the design and construction of the new chassis, which is designed to be faster, lighter and safer than the current Champ Car. The chassis is more than 100 pounds lighter than the current car, but features a number of safety innovations, including a collapsible fuel cell, that will provide even more protection to the drivers. (Photo: Kevin Kahlkoven, co-owner of Champ Car, in the car, with driver Mario Dominguez).

The DP01 also features such improvements as the addition of an on-board starter, which is designed to lessen caution periods for stalled cars, and paddle shifters replacing the gear shifter. The semi-automatic paddle shifter system is also tied into the throttle system of the turbocharged Ford-Cosworth engine, allowing drivers to downshift without lifting off the throttle, something that is not possible in the current car.

The sharkfin look in the rear of the car aids in downforce, benefiting from a change in the air induction system designed into the DP01. The sidepod radiator inlet allows air to flow completely through the sidepod, providing the airflow that makes the sharkfin more effective.

"It creates downforce without the penalty of drag." Elkins said. "The air would get all bottled up in the current design. We like the feature and feel that it will really help the car."

But while given the chance to create a world-class car from the ground up, Elan and Champ Car also tasked themselves with building a chassis that provided more affordable entry into the series. The cost savings has already attracted new interest in the series, and Elan will be ready to handle the demand.

"One of the requirements for this project was not necessarily to make things cheaper to make, but faster and easier to produce in higher volume and at a higher rate," Marshall said. "Design thinking started around production techniques. The design is still evolving as we move through the prototype and testing phase."

"The 2007 Champ Car was designed with three objectives in mind," said Champ Car co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven. "First, to increase the excitement for the fans by allowing closer racing and more overtaking. Second, to level the playing field for all teams, which will also increase fan excitement. Third, to make a dramatic decrease in the costs for the teams thereby allowing new teams to join the series. This car achieves all three objectives." (Photo: 2007 Champ Car chassis; paint by Troy Lee, famed helmet artist).

$2 MILLION PRODUCTION CAR HAS PRE-SOLD 1O UNITS

The Bugatti Veyron EB16 is currently priced at $1.6 million and the company (owned by Volkswagen), claims to have sold 40 units as of press time. Not to be outdone, a southern California entrepreneur with a background in building some well-known instantly-classic and -collectible automobiles, has thrown his hat in the "Big Money" ring with the "Natalia SLS 2". A Las Vegas development company now says they have already placed orders for 10 of these "World's Most Expensive Cars", which are slated to be outfitted with all-American-made engineering and serve as a running laboratory and showcase of the best American hardware and software. The company is headquartered in Palm Springs, California --- Famed in the auto world for being the place where Raymond Loewy designed the original Studebaker Avanti in only three weeks, with his design team using a home designed by Albert Frey as their base camp.

Luxury Resort Villas, which owns at least 10 luxury resort estates around the world, says they have ordered a fleet of 10 Natalia SLS 2s from DiMora Motorcar. These handcrafted super sedans will be built in Palm Springs, CA, and feature a 1,200-horsepower "Volcano" V16 engine. A Natalia will be available for use by luxury resort home owners in Las Vegas, Hawaii, Tuscany and Dubai, among others locales.

The Natalia SLS 2 Sport Luxury Sedan has too many features to list, but some of the more outrageous and impressive ones include video screens and a video projector housed in the headlights that enable the car to project a video while parked, rear-seat massagers, heat-sensitive color-changing paint, biofeedback sensors that measure the driver's physical condition, a night vision heads-up display, and a $12,000 limited-production Natalia lady's purse and bottle of Natalia wine that features a self-uncorking system that comes with the car. The DiMora Motorcar website is still a little unfinished, though Luxury Resort Villas claims that it's taking delivery of its Natalia fleet in 2008.

Palm Springs and modernistic styling have gone together since the town became the "Playground of Presidents" and "The Rat Pack" hung out there, starting in the 1950s. Here's what one Avanti site says about the place: "Hollywood legends built world class residences in the Modern Style designed by architects now recognized as modern masters. Studebaker's startling Avanti coupe looked perfect beside houses designed by architects Richard Neutra and John Lautner and locals like William Cody, Stewart Williams, and Albert Frey. In the late nineties, Frey's house for Avanti designer Raymond Loewy, with its amoeba-shaped indoor/outdoor pool and its view-framing trellis, was restored by metalware manufacturer Jim Gaudineer. Loewy kept a 1963 Studebaker Avanti parked at the Frey house. Palm Springs architect Stewart Williams, designed a house for Avanti owner Frank Sinatra complete with a piano-shaped pool in which Ava Gardner, Greta Garbo, and Lana Turner splashed."

HONDA JETS AIRBORNE; TOYOTA IS NEXT

Toyota beats Honda into NASCAR, but Toyota teams might be using HONDA JETS to fly their teams to the tracks! For several years, Toyota has owned a hangar at the Long Beach, (CA) Airport, just a few minutes drive south on the 405 Freeway from their USA corporate headquarters complex in lovely Torrance. Toyota has an air division in Japan, but it's been only a small secret that Toyota has for several years been working on their own version of a corporate jet for not only their home market, but for the US as well and other countries where they think they can find an audience. In fact, Toyota has stated that their intention is to make an airplane for the average commuter which will be as easy and simple to fly as a modern car is to drive! Because there is little commercial air traffic in Japan, compared to other countries of its size and wealth, and while the Japanese public is "encouraged" (exhorted, really, with affordable fares for most and to-the-second reliability) to use the nation's excellent train system, Toyota still sees a need for their executives to get to and fro quickly and safely. For instance, Toyota is one of the very few large Japanese corporations which do not have their headquarters in Tokyo; Toyota's HQ is located in Toyota City (yep, their own city --- pretty cool, huh?) just outside Nagoya, a couple of hundred miles from Tokyo. In spite of all this, it appears Honda has beat Toyota to the punch in the US market, as their announcement the week of July 25th makes clear.

Honda has announced that after using (and, you can bet, secretly testing, de-constructing and reverse engineering) various versions of small business jets for about nine years, the company has decided to enter the very light jet market with its airborne equivalent of the Honda Civic.

Honda has now partnered with established American aircraft manufacturer Piper to bring the innovative small jet to market. Honda will establish a new U.S. company for the venture, with production likely to start in 3-4 years, after the lengthy FAA testing and certification process is completed. Eager buyers will be able to place orders by the fall of 2006.

The 7-seat HondaJet features, as Honda-watchers might expect,  innovative aerodynamics for increased fuel efficiency and performance, and a new jet engine designed and developed by Honda (shown at right).

NEW MAZDA WATER-PRESSURE TESTING

Most of you have probably seen the scary photos of the Mitsui-OSK Lines ship "Cougar Ace" (which sounds like a bad NASCAR movie starring Burt Reynolds and his toupee) listing, well, pretty badly in waters off the Alaska coast. What you didn't see was what is inside the ship: Almost 5,000 Mazda vehicles bound for the Canadian port of Vancouver, the Washington state port of Tacoma and the California port of Hueneme (just south of Ventura, for you map freaks). What follows is the official Mazda press release, probably from their "Disaster" department. What we especially enjoy is how Mazda terms the ship's predicament as having "run into trouble". Well, like-a yeah --- We guess!

[Sources: Mazda,  Alaska Report, Photos: US Coast Guard)


PRESS RELEASE:

Mazda Vehicles Aboard
Stricken Car-Carrying Vessel, Cougar Ace

On July 24, 2006, Mazda was advised that the Mitsui OSK Lines' Cougar Ace had run into trouble off the Alaskan coast. Although it is reportedly still afloat, the vessel is on its side,

What caused this incident or the extent of the damage to the vehicles is currently unknown. Just over 4,700 Canadian- and U.S-bound Mazdas were on board. Approximately 60 percent of the cars are MAZDA3s and close to 30 percent are Mazda CX-7s. The vehicles were headed to the ports of Vancouver (Canada), Tacoma and Hueneme in the USA.

A plan for salvaging the vessel is being developed and will be executed by Mitsui OSK Lines as soon as possible.

Mazda will wait until the situation has been fully evaluated and understood, before disclosing further information.

And here's the story as covered by the ALASKA NEWS REPORT:

Coast Guard says Cougar Ace is stable and listing 60 degrees near Aleutian Islands, Alaska

7/25/06

Adak, Alaska

The Cougar Ace maintains its position 240 miles south of Adak in the North Pacific Ocean. As of noon Tuesday, the ship is listing 60 degrees to port. The keel and the propeller are out of the water.

It is stable, and does not appear to be sinking.

After accomplishing the primary mission of safely evacuating the stranded crewmembers, the Coast Guard continues to monitor the vessel for possible environmental threats and hazards to navigation. For this purpose, the Coast Guard cutter Rush is on scene with the Cougar Ace. A small boat crew, deployed from the Rush to more effectively observe the Cougar Ace, described the oil sheen around the vessel as "very light".

No one will be permitted to board the Cougar Ace at this time.

The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation is monitoring the situation, and has offered their help if it becomes necessary.

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, the vessel's owners, have contracted a commercial salvage company. The salvage company is expected to arrive on scene within a week.

Mitsui O.S.K. will also be responsible for further transportation of the rescued crew members.

The Coast Guard is actively engaged with state, local and tribal officials in making preparations in case the salvage company requests to tow the vessel into Alaskan waters.

WORST SECRET IN F1 REVEALED; TOYOTA TO POWER WILLIAMS

It's ALL finally official! Danica Patrick goes to Andretti/Green racing for 2007 in the IRL (unless her father can pimp her up a NASCAR ride for some real money), Juan Pablo Montoya will drive for Chip "Biggie" Ganassi in NASCAR starting this season (and perhaps get Chip to drop a few, uh, kilos), and now the last best-known secret in motorsports (this week, at least) is revealed: Toyota will supply engines for WilliamsF1 in 2007.

Toyota Motor and WilliamsF1 announced Thursday, July 27,  that Toyota will supply engines to the WilliamsF1 team for the next three years, beginning in 2007. The agreement explicitly states that WilliamsF1 will use "the same specification of engine as Panasonic Toyota Racing," ensuring a level playing field for all concerned, and putting even more heat on Toyota's "factory" team to produce race wins, after years of big budgets and mediocre results.

Toyota will continue at least for the next year with their own in-house F1 team, constructing their own engines and race chassis. However, this deal leaves Toyota with a convenient exit strategy if they do decide to abandon their underperforming factory team in favor of a support deal with WilliamsF1. (Photo: Frank Williams).

And Sir Frank Williams gets access some of the best engines in all of Formula 1, and at a considerable saving over his outright purchase of engines from Williams' current engine supplier Cosworth.

The announcement also means Cosworth may be without a team for 2007, although the engine plans of the other "non-factory" teams, Red Bull Racing, Torro Rosso and MF1 (Midland) are yet to be finalized, and David Richards' new Prodrive team is also a potential customer.

BENNY PARSONS, NASCAR CHAMP, NBC COMMENTATOR, RECEIVING LUNG CANCER TREATMENT

Sad news from the world of motorsports. Benny Parsons, NASCAR's 1973 driving champion, chosen as one of "NASCAR's FIFTY GREATEST DRIVERS" in 1998 and NBC's color commentator for their NASCAR broadcasts, is suffering from lung cancer. Treatment began Wednesday, July 19. Parsons is receiving chemo and radiation therapy; no surgery was announced nor talked about publicly, which may not be a good sign for Parsons, as it might mean the cancer is "inoperable". Parsons came to NASCAR after stints as a taxi driver in Detroit, a story which only adds to his legend.

Parsons, known as "BP" to almost everyone and humorously as "Buffet Benny", a nod to his large girth, says he'll continue with his NBC work as long as the treatments allow him to stay healthy enough to do so. Parsons is one of the most-honored NASCAR racers of all time, with a tough exterior belying the warm human being beneath the "wall" which is necessary of champions in almost any sport.

Though Parsons says he stopped smoking in 1978, his years of heavy cigarette smoking, second-hand smoke from friends in the garage area, and the fumes of the many chemicals, fuels, burning rubber and other expected parts of the "NASCAR racer's lifestyle", appear to have sadly done their damage. Looks like WINSTON has nailed another one.

Here is the complete story courtesy Associated Press:

Benny Parsons has beaten the odds before, rising up from the foothills of North Carolina to a job driving taxis and then all the way to the top of NASCAR.

Now he'll try to win an even bigger battle - this time with cancer.

Parsons, the 1973 champion and current NASCAR commentator on NBC and TNT, was diagnosed with cancer in his left lung and began treatment Wednesday.

"It is winnable," said Parsons, affectionately known throughout NASCAR as "BP."

"But positive attitude is very important in this - you need to think you can win before you will win, and I will do it. I've got races to see won and champions to see crowned, and I've got granddaughters to see raised."

Parsons said he'd never really been sick before, but began having trouble breathing a few months ago. It led him to the family physician, who diagnosed the cancer two weeks ago.

"The first thing everyone asks me is, 'Are you a smoker?' The answer is that I smoked my last cigarette way back in 1978, and since then I've hated being around smoking. I don't even allow anyone in my foursome to smoke on the golf course."

The 65-year-old Parsons will undergo chemotherapy three days a week for three weeks, and also will receive radiation five days a week. He's seeing Dr. Steven Limenpani, who treated NASCAR car owner Rick Hendrick during his battle with leukemia in the late 1990s.

Parsons was in good spirits and said he felt fine after his first treatment on Wednesday.

"It's only in the left lung. It's not spread to any other organs. This is a small-cell cancer that is no place else," he said. "I am assuming these are all good things."

Parsons, who lives in Concord, plans to remain in the booth during his treatments.

"One of Benny's greatest qualities is how unconditionally supportive he is to the racing community," said Dick Ebersol, chairman of NBC Sports. "Now it's our turn to provide that support to him. I ask all of his friends and fans to put him in their prayers tonight."

Named one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers in 1998, Parsons made 526 starts from 1964 until his 1988 retirement. He won 21 races, including the 1975 Daytona 500, and 20 poles.

He also had 283 top-10 finishes, led at least one lap in 192 races and finished no lower than fifth in the points from 1972 to 1980 while earning more than $4 million. He also won back-to-back ARCA titles in 1968-69 when he lived in Detroit, before getting his shot at NASCAR.

Parsons said he's been overwhelmed by the outreach from the NASCAR community and fans, and had a short conversation earlier Wednesday with former chairman Bill France Jr., who had his own successful battle with cancer.

"We talked for five minutes and we never mentioned the word racing or NASCAR," Parsons said. "We talked about friendship and cancer."

NASCAR chairman Brian France, Bill's son, said the entire organization was praying for Parsons.

"As one who has seen this battle fought head-on in my own family, I am confident that with the support of his family and the entire NASCAR community, Benny will show all of us, once again, why he is a true champion," he said.

Parsons was born at his parents' rural home in Wilkes County and eventually moved to Detroit, where he worked at a gas station and a cab company owned by his father. After winning back-to-back ARCA titles in 1968-69, he returned to North Carolina in Ellerbe to become a full-time racer, often listing "taxicab driver" as his occupation on entry forms.

He was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1994, and the National Motorsports Press Association's Stock Car Racing Hall of Fame in 1995.

Parsons began his broadcasting career in the 1980s as a pit reporter for ESPN and TBS, when he was still racing a partial schedule. He moved into the booth for good in 1989 for ESPN and won a Cable ACE Award for best sports analyst.

He said he hoped to remain in the booth for years to come.

On March 17, 2006, longtime NASCAR driver Bobby Hamilton Sr. announced that he had been diagnosed with neck cancer. On June 7, he finished his chemotherapy treatments and radiation. His son, Bobby Hamilton Jr,. has been filling-in in the driver's seat for his father until the Senior Hamilton recovers. (Photo: Bobby Hamilton at press conference announcing his neck cancer).

NEW VW SUV IS "TOUCAN", UH, WE MEAN "TIGUAN"

Volkswagen has picked another tongue-twister name for an SUV. The VW Touareg's baby brother will be called the Tiguan ---pronounced "tih-gwan."  The moniker was chosen by 350,000 readers of Germany's gigantic Auto Bild Magazine and its affiliate publications in 10 European countries. Tiguan was the choice from among five candidates. The others: Nanuk, Namib, Rockton and Samum.

What's a Tiguan? VW marketers made up the word, a combination of tiger and iguana. (Photo: VW Tiguan 'spy shot' cover of Auto Bild magazine).

I like "Nanook", though VW can't seem to spell it correctly (if "Nanook of the North" is the word they are aiming for). "Rockton" sounds like a shoe for people like me with fat, wide feet. Namib sounds like it must have African roots (as did Touareg) --- And isn't Samum a North Korean radio-making company which has fallen on hard times?

But "Tiguan"?

There are marketing companies, and, even more specifically, "naming" and "branding" companies which come up names like Acura, Lexus, Infiniti, Scion (a real word, but a ton of "focus group" work went into figuring out if it was right for a car) ... And sometimes, the car company people themselves simply "create" a new word to name one of their products.

One of the top execs at Daihatsu told me during a trip to one of their plants in Osaka, Japan, when asked about the sort-of strange name "Charade" for one of their most important USA-market cars, "Oh, yes, well --- The President of our company is a big Audrey Hepburn fan". Hepburn starred with Cary Grant in the movie "Charade". "Charade" is as poor a car name as "Mirage" --- They both refer to "trickery" and "invisible sights". Worst car name of the modern age has to be "Precis": It was the name for a 1990 - 1994 Mitsubishi-badged version of the second-generation US-market Hyundai Excel, and meant absolutely nothing, but sounds way too clincially frightening.

Funny, but I was told essentially the same thing when talking at the 2005 TOKYO MOTOR SHOW with Tsunehiro Kunimoto, Project Design Director for the upcoming Nissan Skyline GT-R, when I asked him about the original name for their Z-cars, which are still known in Japan as "Fair Lady Z". Basically, the story goes that while Katsuji Kawamata, then-President of Nissan Motors Ltd., was visiting the United States in 1958 he attended a Broadway performance of the hit musical "My Fair Lady".  However, true automotive trivia freaks will note that Audrey Hepburn starred in the film version of the show, while Jule Andrews played "Eliza Doolittle" on Broadway. And the stories continue ...

                          Anyway, AUTOMOTIVE NEWS reports that the Tiguan will be based on the Concept A, a small SUV unveiled at the Geneva auto show in March. It will be built in Wolfsburg, Germany, and will go on sale in the United States in 2008. (Photo: VW Touareg). Volkswagen has picked another tongue-twister name for an SUV. The VW Touareg's baby brother will be called the Tiguan -- pronounced "tih-gwan."

The moniker was chosen by 350,000 readers of Germany's Auto Bild weekly car magazine and its affiliate publications in 10 European countries. Tiguan was the choice from among five candidates. The others: Nanuk, Namib, Rockton and Samum.

In a press release, VW says, "Not only the vehicle but also the decision on the name is a brave journey into new terrain." Wolfgang Bernhard, head of the VW brand, says the name is evidence "of how Volkswagen is opening up."

Well, I don't know about that. VW did get everyone tongue-tied with their "Touareg", a word which actually had a meaning. At least if you were talking about a specific nomadic North African tribe ...

And no word yet on whether Porsche (which recently purchased another 20% of cousin's VW stock) will bring out their own version of the Tiguan (which is thankfully easier to spell and type than Touareg).

Porsche's Cayenne is selling as fast as they can make them, and with a gas-electric hybrid version of Cayenne due in 2008, that vehicle will gain some real media attention as the first environmentally-sound Porsche (though the cars have also achieved relatively high mileage and low emissions). Audi's all-new Q7 is also closely related under the sheetmetal to both Touareg and Cayenne.

(Photos: Top, Porsche Cayenne Turbo S, priced at $123,000; easy price to remember! Below, Audi Q7, one of the best-looking cars to come down the pike in quite some time).

FIRST SHOTS OF MERC'S CL63 AMG!

Our friends at Autblog and eMercedesBenz have made available the first photos of the CL63 AMG. This barn-burner probably will not be sold in the USA, but it is still an amazing sight to behold.

By now, you all know how to break down the nomenclature. This is the hot rod version of the swank new CL-Class, and is powered by AMG's purpose-built 6.3 liter V8. Power will be in excess of 500 horses, but we'll have to wait for Mercedes to release the official specs to know exactly how much the new mill pumps out in this application.

The AMG body kit adds visual muscle, while prominent "6.3" badging aft of the front wheels announces the goodness underhood. Open-spoke AMG wheels complete the makeover.

Now here's MY story about how I met the founder of AMG (and a little history of Beverly Hills Motoring Accessories):

One rainy night many years ago in Beverly Hills, I met Hans Werner Aufrecht, the "A" in AMG, at a small reception at Andy Cohen's "Beverly Hills Motoring Accessories" (BHMA). Andy, though semi-retired, still has a hand in that business is also kept busy promoting the Malibu Car Show which was held just last weekend (July 22-23). Andy was always and remains ahead of his time.

Andy was born and raised in Beverly Hills, and with friends including Jim DeFrank (with whom Cohen started a successful drag racing team, DeFrank & Cohen's SS/AA Hemi Cuda, and it wasn't uncommon for that car to bomb the NHRA National Record on any given Sunday; DeFrank was from Pennsylvania, and became Andy's original partner in BHMA; Andy bought him out eventually through proceeds from the sale of a much-loved Ferrari; DeFrank started California Car Cover, and his son Jimmie is an NHRA Super Stock drag racer in his own right),  Bruce Meyer (whose family owns the world-famous gift store GEARY'S OF BEVERLY HILLS), Peter Mullin (who created a line of children's furniture which allowed him to become one of the world's greatest collectors of French automobiles) and others, Andy's Beverly Hills-based company became the sole outlet for AMG accessories in the USA. (Photo: A 1990 BHMA calendar)

Aufrecht, from AMG, came in from out of the heavy nighttime autumn California rain. He was tall, with graying hair and sharp features. He was wearing a black leather raincoat, and I'd swear he had a monocle in one eye! But his appearance at Cohen's relatively small showroom (which was backed by a giant worldwide mail-order business with more than 4 million catalogues sent out annually) was the first indication that AMG had come to town --- Beverly Hills, in fact; and every wealthy and celebrity patron of BHMA wanted to be the first to have any AMG parts on their car! Andy Cohen, as always warm and friendly, but just arrogant and discerning enough to appeal to the sensitivities of the Beverly Hills shopper (though away from them he is as down to earth as the next guy) made their AMG dreams come true.

Today, AMG, which was started by three Mercedes-Benz engineers who wanted their own business, was then a separate company from M-B; today, AMG is an in-house division of gigantic Daimler-Benz.

Just one question: When will AMG and MOPAR meld into one outfit providing everything from high-performance Dodge ashtrays to nitrous systems for the soon-coming-to-the-USA SMART cars? (Photo: Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG ghost view).

                                                       

                                                            

-30-

NISSAN SLUMPS, BUT JUST PRODUCED 100,000,000th VEHICLE

Nissan might be in a sales slump at home in Japan and internationally, but most Westerners don't think of "Nissan" when the talk turns to "The first Japanese car company...". Most people assume that gigantic Toyota, which started out life as a loom works in the then-booming pre-WW II world of garment- and kimono-making, was also the first big Japanese car-maker. Nissan begs to differ. I have been to Toyota's and Honda's museums in Japan, but not Nissan's so can not speak from first-hand experience as to "who was first". But here's something interesting: Toyota already has a museum in the United States!

A look at the car pictured, a "Datsun 12", and it's easy to see why the Japanese "drive on the wrong side of the road", as Americans say. It's because the initial cars and trucks produced in Japan were made from what are today called 'CKD', a three-letter acronym that stands for Complete Knocked Down, which is a type of car kit including all parts. These kits, bought from and shipped from the UK, when assembled in Japan, had the vehicles completed with their steering wheels on "the right" side of the passenger compartment. Many of these CKD cars were from the UK's Morris car-maker, hence the similarity between early UK and Japanese cars.

According to Nissan's Public Relations official release (which follows): Nissan has announced that this past June marked an important milestone in the company's 73-year history: 100,000,000 vehicles built.

It all started in 1933 when Nissan, under the name "Jidosha-Seizo Co., Ltd" (Automobile Manufacturing Co., Ltd), manufactured its first automobile, a Datsun 12. The following year, the company name was officially changed to Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. In 1935, the Yokohama Plant became the first facility in Japan to mass-produce automobiles. The rest, as they say, is history.

Today, Nissan produces cars and trucks in facilities worldwide, and aims to continue improving quality and productivity as it sets its sights on future milestones. 100,000,000 is a lot of cars. Many of them were and are basic transportation devices used by the masses. Some of them, like the Fair Lady Z, have become icons in their own right, and today there are future stars, like the future 2009 Skyline GT-R, on the horizon, demonstrating that as fun as it can be to reflect on the past, Nissan continues to look forward. Congratulations are in order.

ASK DR. Z? WHY?

Only two car companies have ever gotten it right using their own executives as their on-camera TV spokespeople: Chrysler and Nissan. And we mean the old Chrysler, not the new-fangled German corporation called "DaimlerChrysler" (DCX). That all-American company called Chrysler did it first with their 'intrepid' leader, Lee Iacocca. At the time Lido (true first name) did the TV spots, he was already well on his way to becoming an industry and American icon. In those days, he had a book running for months at #1 position on every Best-Seller list, he was head of the commission raising funds to refurbish the Statue of Liberty and there was a serious movement to draft him to run for either the Democratic Senator from Michigan, or, if that didn't work, President of the United States of America. Nissan had a great spokesperson, too. Only thing was, as opposed to Lido, he didn't say anything.

Let's start with "Dr. Z".

"Dr. Z's" real name is Dieter Zetsche and he is on the "Board of Management" of DaimlerChrysler and also is President and CEO of that company's American division, The Chrysler Group. By the way, anyone who is anyone in Germany is at minimum "Dr". Or "Doctor Professor". They are addressed as "Herr Doctor Professor" ... I am not kidding. Most any automotive engineer you meet goes by that title. (Would you buy a new car from this man? "Dr. Z", above and below).

He is responsible for the worldwide operations of Chrysler, Jeep® and Dodge, as well as Mercedes-Benz USA, Canada and Mexico. Born in Istanbul, Turkey, and raised and educated in Frankfurt, Germany, he received his master's degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Karlsruhe in 1976 and was awarded his doctoral degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Paderborn Technical University in 1982.

Now he is starring in all the DCX ads on American TV. The problem? He has a TV presence which is exactly the opposite of Lee Iaccoca's, which we will get into below. You can call him "UN-TV", if that makes sense. He seems to have little of an outgoing personality; he comes across as cold, impersonal and even unfriendly. The spot he does with the little school kids is almost frightening! You're thinking one of the kids, at least, is going to call the cops any minute if this strange old guy doesn't leave them alone ...

He has little if any charisma, at least as far as the TV camera is concerned. This guy is probably a genius engineer and one of the most capable people in the world of automotive manufacturing, marketing and product planning; but none of that comes across your TV screen. He is very uninteresting and I find myself 'clicking' the remote as fast as possible when he comes on, now that I have seen his "act".

With "Dr. Z", there's nothing to "hang around" for; no reason to see if the latest spot is something new and interesting. Based on what we have all seen so far, we can't expect anything which might capture our attention and/or imagination.

And let's face it: With his stoic, Teutonic appearance and especially that accent (the reason more love songs are not written in German), dress him in a black leather coat, put a monocle over one eye and place him in a train car in a B-movie, and the next thing out of his mouth could easily be, "Ze papers, please? You have ze papers?"

Soon after Daimler bought Chrysler, a good friend of mine who worked "near the top" at Chrysler, said, "Let me tell about these Germans. Chrysler has been a pretty loose and fun company the past 20 years; that's how we've come up with all the great, new products! The Germans are different. To them, for example, in the company cafeteria on "Informal Friday", the German executives take note of the special day by sitting down to lunch and removing their sport coats. No Hawaiian shirts, no sandals, no fun, definitely no "no tie", nothing special ... 'Sans' sport coat is as "casual" as they can get!"

Now, "Mr. K" was Nissan's silent spokesperson (played by actor Dale Ishimoto, shown below, who was usually decked-out in a baseball cap and a small dog as an accessory). Those in-the-know understood that "Mr. K" was fashioned after Yutaka Katayama, the man who essentially started Nissan in the USA and put together the basis for their entire dealer network, starting in the 1950s. Katayama became more of an American than Japanese-style executive during his years away from Japan (which did not always sit well with his bosses in Tokyo).

In fact, Katayama became so American-ized, that after his tenure, most Japanese car companies insisted their executives would not stay in the US any more than 3-5 years, and their kids would attend special Japanese schools. Many of them live near each other on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, a luxury area overlooking the Pacific, in company-owned homes, not far from their company headquarters buildings in what is called the "South Bay" area of Los Angeles. No Beverly Hills or Hollywood for these guys (and their families!).

"Mr. K", as he was respectfully and lovingly known by his USA staff, fought the top Datsun/Nissan executives in Tokyo and won the fight; not only to bring the "Z" car to the USA in the early '70s, but also to change its name from what is was known as in its home market: "Fair Lady Z". Why "Fair Lady"? It was explained to me once in Japan by a top Datsun/Nissan executive: "One of our big bosses is an Audrey Hepburn fan". That actress starred in the popular movie "My Fair Lady" ... Interestingly, I once got the same answer when I asked a vice-president of Daihatsu why they named a car "Charade" ... So much for paying outside marketing firms millions of dollars to develop new names for cars, trucks and motorcycles ...

The "Mr. K" in the TV commercials would appear in a variety of situations, dressed sometimes like a baseball umpire (?), working at times in his "Dream Garage" (the name of the initial 2-minute long TV spot featuring the character) and never spoke a word. He was there, apparently, to impart some sort of Eastern-style wisdom (and directions on which car to buy).

These mid-'90s ads were strange and not successful (much like Nissan's other division, Infiniti, which ran their now-infamous "rocks and trees" ads when the division first started in 1990), but they did endear the "Mr. K" character to millions of American TV viewers. Ask any Car Nut who Mr. K was and they might know the entire story, but the will remember the ads. However, they might not remember which cars he was selling. (Photo: Original 1970 Datsun Fair Lady 240Z).

The real Mr. K had been "retired to a window office" in Japan by 1980, a Japan Inc. euphemism for being removed from decision-making. He was also given authority over one of Nissan's suppliers, another sign of forced retirement. Datsun/Nissan's products from 1980 through almost 1995 were, for the most part, quite lackluster and unexciting, reflecting to Nissan employees and enthusiasts how important and far-thinking Katayama had really been. He is over 90 now and still active; we attended his 80th birthday party at the Petersen Auto Museum in Los Angeles. I last spoke with him at the 2006 TOKYO MOTOR SHOW, when Katayama lamented Nissan's chief Carlos Ghosn's move of the company's USA headquarters from Gardena, in southern California to, of all places ... Nashville?!?

The Nissan buildings have over many years become beacons to southern California drivers, monuments and landmarks at the area surrounding the San Diego and Harbor Freeways, just blocks from the last location of the infamous Ascot Park race track. More than 40% of Nissan-USA's top people have already left the company, rather than make this move, which I predict will do terrible harm to the company's ability to "stay on top" of southern California and even Japanese automotive trends. (Photo: The REAL Yutaka Katayama presents the keys to the Datsun pace car to Parnelli Jones at Ontario Motor Speedway).

Lee Iaccoca, and "you gotta love 'em!",on the other hand, never shut up, and he had it all, everything the TV cameras demanded: Charisma, presence, power, projecting integrity and righteousness, when he said "Buy a car, get a check!", you damn well seriously thought about it!

By the way, those spots were done initially by Joe Garagiola, who once hosted "NBC's TONIGHT SHOW" one night when Johnny Carson was on vacation and the guests were John Lennon and Paul McCartney ... but THAT is another story. And also a great trivia question and topic!

Iaccoca literally invented car-buying incentives with those ads, something which will forever put Iaccoca in the hearts of consumers and on the sh*t-list of all other car-makers. Sales of Iaccoca's K-cars zoomed, the minivan continued on a hot streak, and Chrysler's PR office, which was the best the  auto industry had ever seen, continued pounding the drum for their "future products", which, when they appeared as the daring "LH" cars, sold like the proverbial hot cakes. (Photo: Iacocca on one of his several TIME covers).

                                                 -30-

DCX DIESEL/ELECTRIC HYBRID BUS DELIVERED IN USA

San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency accepted on June 1, 2006, the first of 56 diesel electric hybrid Orion VII low floor buses from DaimlerChrysler Commercial Buses. The vehicle represents California’s first series production diesel-electric hybrid bus in transit service. After the official roll-out in fall 2006, San Francisco will feature the third largest hybrid bus fleet in the country.

(News and photo courtesy DaimlerChrysler) The selection of new diesel-electric hybrid buses capped an effort that began with MUNI’s Alternative Fuel Pilot Program of 2001-2003. Thereafter, MUNI worked extensively with the California Air Resources Board to obtain changes in the regulations, unanimously adopted in 2006, that enabled the acquisition of these buses.

The Orion VII hybrid bus, which is powered by BAE Systems’ HybriDrive® series propulsion technology, is proven to reduce emissions and is significantly more fuel efficient. With over 10,000,000 miles logged in highly demanding urban cities such as New York and Toronto, the Orion VII hybrid bus has demonstrated in an independent study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to achieve up to 45 percent better fuel economy compared to conventional diesel buses. Additionally, the Orion VII greatly reduces emissions: 90 percent less particulate matter, 40 percent less NOx, and 30 percent fewer greenhouse gases.

The benefits extend to those driving and riding the buses as well. Drivers will enjoy faster acceleration while customers will experience a quieter, smoother ride free of the frequent transmission shifts encoun-tered in conventional buses. The 35-seat low floor buses allow for easier access for all riders and can accommodate up to two wheelchairs.

After the delivery of the full order, electric-hybrid buses will comprise 11 percent of MUNI’s bus fleet. In conjunction with other buses such as trolleys, MUNI will then feature an electric fleet of well over 50 percent.

(Photo: Audi-built diesel-powered race cars won the "24 Hours of LeMans" this past June, 2006).

CHAMP CAR TO OPEN SEASON IN LAS VEGAS?!?!

It's been officially announced that the "BRIDGESTONE PRESENTS THE CHAMP CAR WORLD SERIES POWERED BY FORD AND LAWN MOWER REPAIR" series will open 2007 on a temporary street circuit in Las Vegas. The race will be held the weekend of April 8th and the Long Beach Grand Prix, the season-opener for the former-CART racers the past three years, gets moved back to the weekend of April 15th. The big question on all of this: WHY?

And while we are at it, why not take a look at some very cool F1 photos from the past ... From a very cool website I found called F1-Grand Prix ... ALL their photos are in the public domain (which means you don't have to pay for them), so please visit them by clicking here!

We like the idea of one open-wheel series running on a combo of some natural road courses, a few temporary street circuits and some large dedicated oval and road course race tracks.

But with Champ Car and the Indy Racing League finally on their way to rapprochement (that means getting back together), why would Champ Car add this particular event?

First, Chris Pook, the man who brought racing to Long Beach in the first place, no longer owns that event. The Long Beach street race is owned by the same people who own the Champ Car series itself, to wit: Kevin Kalkhoven and Gerald Forsythe. The Las Vegas event is owned by a co-owner of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Phoenix Suns, Dale Jensen, and some guy named Bradley Yonover. If Kalkhoven and Forsythe don't mind putting off Long Beach to the series' second event of the season, then that is their choice.

Las Vegas will not take anything away from Long Beach, which is really a 72-hour long beach party with some wet T-shirt contests thrown-in for fun. Occasionally, a race or two takes place, too. If the races weren't even there, a good portion of the crowd wouldn't even notice. It certainly has become the biggest event of the Champ Car season.

But Champ Car has some rotten temporary street circuits, especially this year. The race in San Jose was nothing more than a Demolition Derby, with the 800-horsepower, 1,500-pound Champ Cars literally FLYING over RAILROAD TRACKS on the course and crashing back down to earth. Many, many race cars lost their transmissions, the part of the car which took the brunt of the  every-lap fly-over.

Then there was Houston. Another lousy street circuit, consisting of the now-standard concrete barriers turning the driver's point-of-view into nothing more than a lap-after-lap tunnel. Changes in the Houston "track" surface hurt the cars and the drivers, making for a fairly uninteresting, but dangerous race.

Champ Car is also slated to run temporary street circuits this coming season (the official schedule has not been released yet) in: Denver, Toronto, Edmonton, and Surfer's Paradise, AU, as well as the aforementioned Long Beach, Las Vegas, San Jose and Houston.

That means, tentatively for 2007, no fewer than 8 temporary street courses on a schedule of  15 events (and Champ Car has plans for South Korea this coming year, too, but on an established race course).

Having worked closely with Mickey Thompson in bringing Baja-style off-road racing to the masses through the first "OFF-ROAD CHAMPIONSHIP  GRAND PRIX" (I got a $1,000 bonus from MT for naming the event) at the Los Angeles Coliseum in 1979, I know a bit about trying to "bring the action to the people".

MT's races were wonderful, hilarious, action-packed, dueling, sweating circuses which no has topped for excitement and drama to this day in a stadium. Big Baja trucks racing around the seats of the LA Coliseum's world famous Peristyle!

The best live event announcer in the world, "Supermouth" Larry Huffman, driving the 50,000-strong fans crazy! And this only the first event, ever, anything like it, and it drew near 50K!

With bathrooms and concessions nearby, it was great for the fans ... And the racers! With those big crowds, some of the Baja racers got their first taste of BIG money, too.

My point is that promoters who want to bring events "to the people" have to obey some basic rules, rules which in fact Mickey Thompson invented.

One of the first is: If there is a race track, nearby, WHY have a street course race, which generally are disliked by the drivers and their teams? They usually tear the hell out of race cars and are generally more tiring for the drivers than  "natural" road courses like Road Atlanta or Mid-America.

Mickey knew there was no venue where people could witness Baja-style racing in any sort of comfort. And no one claimed the Coliseum events were "real" Baja racing. They were called BAJA-STYLE races. And people got it, they understood what they were seeing. And MT managed to jam all the thrills and chills of a 1,000 mile off-road race down the Baja Peninsula into just a few hours' worth of qualifying and quarter-finals, semi-finals and then a lengthy run for the championship title and money. And running different classes on the track at the same time guaranteed lots of passing and paint-swappin'. Mickey Thompson was the automotive PT Barnum of the late 20th century.

In Denver, San Jose, Las Vegas, Phoenix (where Champ Car is trying to get a street event going), Houston and even Long Beach, there are race tracks within a day's drive or closer.

I use Houston as an example though the closest major track is at Dallas/Fort Worth, called Texas Speedway. That's where the Champ Car pilots refused to race a few years ago, saying they were passing out from the G-forces generated by the combination of their car's high speeds and the track's high, tight banking. The IRL drivers seemed ok on the track and they now have an annual event there (as does NASCAR).

I don't think that Champ Car should be angling for more temporary street races. Las Vegas and Denver are probably the best examples of cities that do not need street races. They both have great race tracks nearby!

Clearly, Las Vegas Mayor Oscar B. Goodman is always looking for ways to promote his city worldwide. Formula 1 would seem to be a better answer if the town is really interested in worldwide coverage, but F1's experience there was so bad (as you'll see below) that F1 "Supremo" Bernie Ecclestone has said he would NEVER go there again (with his series, at least --- On his own, yes).

The race is planned, at least at this time, for a 2.4 mile 14-turn course north of the world-famous Strip. Let's say that the specific area of Las Vegas where the race is planned for, is where the TV show "COPS" tapes a lot of their stories when they visit Las Vegas.

PHOENIX AND LAS VEGAS RACING HISTORIES-

Both of them held FORMULA ONE races in the 1980s and 1990s which were abject failures on every level. In fact, the Phoenix race ran for three years (1989 through 1991) and the final event drew just 18,000 spectators. An ostrich race that same weekend in Phoenix drew MORE people. I am not kidding!

One of my best friends is currently the host of the #1-rated radio talk show in Phoenix (Joe Crummey on KFYI), and when I was a guest with him a few weeks ago, he asked me about the possibilities of a future Grand Prix there. Honestly, I was not aware that the Champ Car people were serious  about staging another race in Phoenix ... Where it's usually over 100 degrees, like Las Vegas...

The potential Phoenix Champ Car race is planned for the same area where the F1 race was held, in a pretty seedy downtown location.

Sports promoters of all kinds are forever taking advantage of politicians who are trying to improve a sleazy downtown area. We all know the stories of how promoters and stick-and-ball team owners and conned and/or blackmailed cities into paying for new stadiums.

The only place where a street race has helped an area improve is Long Beach, and even there it took more than 20 years before even moderate changes happened, and the race was part of a larger civic improvement plan. Even today, after more than 30 years of F1, F5000, CART, and many other races in downtown Long Beach, I still would not go on the street after dark anywhere in that neighborhood, save for a single gentrified block on Pine Avenue where some clubs, restaurants and movie theaters have opened in the past 20 years.

The Las Vegas race was held in triple-digit heat in Las Vegas (when is it not triple-digit heat in Las Vegas?) in the parking lot of the Caesar's Palace Hotel. Both races, 1981 and 1982, drew probably fewer spectators than that final Phoenix street event. Final attendance numbers were never released; usually not a positive sign.

Here's another BIG  problem in Las Vegas: There are a few other distractions catching people's attention there other than a car race in a parking lot. Anyone think of that?

What DO you think? Let us know...Post your comments about Champ Car, IRL, NASCAR ... Whatever your racing pleasure!

CORVETTE ZO6 ROAD TEST - 2006

America’s love affair with the Chevrolet Corvette will strengthen with the 2006 Corvette Z06. A street version of the Corvette C6R, which won its class at the “12 Hours of Sebring” and the “24 Hours of LeMans”, its massive LS7 7-liter (427 cubic inches) V8 pumps out 505 horsepower, and produces a factory claimed top speed of 198 miles per hour. Corvette Z06 is base-priced at $64,890; our tester totaled $71,485 with all available options. Specific body parts set Z06 apart visually from a stock C6. Here's Steve's recent road test of the 2006 Chevy Corvette Z06, which he also tested for ABOUT.COM.

Every Corvette stirs the blood, the new Z06 even more. Enzo Ferrari said “Corvette is the only real sports car made in America”, and he knew a few things about sports cars. Z06 features a unique-to-the-car front fascia and upper air inlet, specific grille, fenders, quarter panels and rear spoiler, setting Z06 apart from stock. Z06 looks low, mean, powerful, purposeful and all its body panels fit as well as any in the industry. Aluminum, magnesium, and carbon fiber front fenders and wheelhouses have Z06 weighing- in just below the stock car; 3,132 of Z06 pounds versus 3,179 for the two-door hatchback and 3,199 for the convertible. ‘Vette is no longer the “plastic pachyderm”. Chevy will build about 4,000 Z06 models a year (and a like number of Cadillac XLRs at GM’s Bowling Green, KY, plant). Chevrolet makes about 35,000 Corvettes annually, making Z06 an instant-collectible. Those shopping the lower-end of the supercar market will find Z06’S safety, comfort, performance, overall quality and price a tough combination to beat. Someone’s ego might demand a fancier nameplate, but Z06 delivers without the over-$100K price tag. Competition for Z06 is Dodge’s Viper and Ford’s latest Mustang Shelby Cobra GT500. The power driver’s seat and steering wheel will make almost any driver comfortable. Passengers reported plenty of legroom; stiff seat backs kept driver and passenger alert and engaged. Getting in Z06 is easy: Open the door, fall backwards into the car; climbing out is another, less simple, matter. Main gauges are large, bright, easy-to-read and smack in front of the driver. Analog instruments (speed, rpm, fuel level, oil pressure, coolant temp and amperes) keep drivers informed. Push-buttons check other systems via a digital read-out below the speedo. Air pressure on the four pricey run-flat tires is monitored; there’s no spare. A heads-up display (HUD) projected on the windshield has three different modes and is easily positioned in (or out) of driver vision. There’s a small glove box and a slight bit of console storage; the rear hatch covers a surprisingly large storage area. A weekend’s worth of luggage for two is easily stowed, or a couple of golf bags. The gear lever is canted towards the driver; clutch pedal is easier to engage then you’d expect. A Z06 is probably the closest thing most will ever have to the experience of sitting in a race car; Z06 just has a lot more gauges, buttons and switches fighting for your attention. Engage the clutch, push a button and Z06 roars to life (doors are button-operated, too). The car is immediately thrilling and intimidating; four pipes burble and rumble from the rear, body panels provide a smooth but low-key noise and vibration throughout the cabin. Z06 makes you feel on start-up that something is about to happen. A six speed manual tranny is the only one available; an automatic option might be welcome. A moderately strong push is necessary on the clutch pedal to change gears; might dissuade those planning to use Z06 daily. Steering tracks like a slot car. The Z06-specific fully-independent four-wheel suspension is tuned to “sport”. A ride on a smooth surface can be pleasant, but bumpy roads and railroad tracks have their shakes transmitted, it seems, directly to the seats. Brakes are four-wheel, anti-lock, massive cross-drilled discs and never faded in a week of testing. Like race cars, Z06 acceleration is brutally efficient, but braking is even more impressive. Overall, a tamer in-cabin experience than one might expect. Z06’s traction control makes the drive more predictable; turn it off and the driver can whip out the rear-end with a simple blip on the throttle. Z06 is a surprising all-around visceral pleasure. Z06, magnificent as it is, might be eclipsed in ‘08 or ’09 by a semi-secret Chevrolet project called “Blue Devil” and/or “Sting Ray”. But Z06 seamlessly melds horsepower, electronics, safety and appearance in a single package like no other car at this price. Racing technology abounds: Balsa wood and carbon fiber make-up the floorboard, a race-bred “dry sump” oil system allows engine placement much lower between the rails, and cures “oil starvation” under heavy acceleration or high ‘g’ cornering. Steel rails on the car are shaped by “hydroforming”, using water jets to bend the metal, a more exacting and precise way to make lighter cars. Oil, transmission and axle coolers are standard, as are front airbags; side airbags are an option but should be standard. Why nickel and dime buyers at these prices? We managed 14.5 miles per gallon combined city/highway mileage, and 91 octane fuel is necessary; the sticker says an average of 21 is possible (16 city, 26 highway) but, frankly, using fifth or sixth gears at highway legal speeds had the engine lagging uncomfortably. Z06 is comfortable, luxurious, but serious fun. Drivers need to exhibit self-control. Z06 should not be a teenager’s first car, unless their last name is Unser or Andretti.

IMPALA LT 2006 ROAD TEST

Chevrolet's Impala has been greatly improved and enhanced for 2006 with new sheet metal, a new interior and a new family of engines, including an available 5.3 liter V8 with cylinder deactivation for fuel-savings on the open road. This is the first Chevy which truly can stand up to the Accord and Camry, traditional class sales leaders (we're talking 400,000 a year, each), and Ford's all-new Taurus replacement, Fusion. Here's Steve's recent road test of the 2006 Chevy Impala, which he also tested for ABOUT.COM

Chevrolet has done a face-lift on the 2006 Impala, and also offers a new family of engines, including a powerful V8. Our Impala LT, one of five trim levels available, had an all-new pushrod V6. With an EPA-promised average of 26 miles per gallon and a price of $22,225 with almost every bell and whistle, the window sticker was as good-looking as the car. Starting at $20,830, Chevy’s 2006 Impala LT and its new 3.5 liter 211 horsepower V6 engine made big promises, so we went looking for the facts.

There is no more important nor meaningful name in the Chevrolet lexicon than “Impala”. After reading the press material and doing a walk-around of the vehicle, it’s obvious that Chevy is taking all they know and finally making a car aimed right at the heart of the family sedan market, dominated for several years by imports. Approaching the new 2006 Chevrolet Impala LT, its new sheet-metal gives it the look of a more expensive sedan, and it was hard to immediately pinpoint: Detroit, Tokyo or Stuttgart? Hip reflector headlamps in front give Impala a modern, hungry look. The high rear trunk deck implies muscle under all the bling. All four doors are wide enough to make entry and exit easy, and their “stop points” make sense. Impala LT utilizes pricey piston rods to hold open not only the engine hood, but also the trunk, deep-sixing cheap-looking, inconvenient and room-robbing hinges. That shows Chevy is listening to what buyer’s want, and checking the competition. Impala, for generations the car of choice for millions of American families, goes up against tough competition in the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, even Ford’s all-new Fusion, gaining popularity in NASCAR. Will it be up the task? We’d soon find out.

Inside, “power everything” in an all-new interior. Standard power features include: 8-way power driver’s seat, power windows, door locks and trunk latch, even a remote starting system; a touch of the key fob from many feet away starts Impala LT and gets that heater or A/C running (dual zones standard). Informative trip and condition read-outs are available from an easy-to-read screen; dash buttons allow the driver to program everything from the volume of warning chimes to the driver’s language to how long interior lights stay on after you close the doors. Not only is the driver’s seat comfortable and supportive, but the passenger seat and two outboard rear seats are good for long drives as well. The front center storage console can be folded up to create a sort-of-comfortable bench seat for a third person in a pinch; the rear seat holds three easily and can be folded open in an 80/20 split to handle long trunk-based loads. All gauges are bright, large and familiar to anyone who’s ever driven an American sedan. The audio system was adequate, not special. Drivers over 40 will feel instantly right at home; the transmission shift lever is a stalk exiting the right side of the steering column, just like dad’s car. And grand dad’s, too.

Impala LT provided an immediate, pleasant surprise: The new (and base) 211 horsepower V6, mated with a four-speed automatic (the only tranny available in all ’06 Impalas) makes the car a threat at the “stop light Grand Prix”, an event held daily, millions of times worldwide. With that take-off spunk, the 3.9 liter 242 horse V6 and 303 horse 5.3 liter V8 would be even more useful and enjoyable, even confidence-inspiring, as when getting up to speed on the open highway from a slow on-ramp, or passing a big rig or any slower driver. There was virtually none of the dreaded “torque steer” (“push” for you NASCAR fans) from the front driving/steering wheels. Steering felt well-connected to the road, response from input was crisp and predictable. Four-wheel disc brakes were powerful, but anti-lock brakes are not standard (available as a $600 option, including traction control) on Impala LT, but side curtain airbags are standard. Impala LT showed off its four-wheel independent suspension on bumpy highway on-ramps to an advantage, and the front coil-over strut/rear strut/coil springs suspension kept Impala LT on even keel. Impala LT was extremely quiet at triple-digit speeds, and runs through a car wash revealed no leaks. It’s well built.

There’s a short list of “cars I would buy”. Considering I thoroughly test a minimum of 50 cars annually, it’s tough to get a place on it. But this Impala LT for 2006 makes the grade, even with its base engine and lower trim level. The new engine made the car go better (and more quietly) than we expected, the large four-wheel disc brakes made it stop like a champ, the new interior, including all gauges and controls, is as comfortable, useful and intuitive as any other on the market, even better than most. Impala LT is terrifically quiet for a vehicle in this price range at speeds above rational, able to seat up to 6 adults when necessary and, at around 3,400 pounds, Impala LT delivered a real-world city/highway combo 24 miles per gallon, driven hard and pushed at times to the max. Words of high praise. But you might want an aftermarket audio system. Chevy still has some things to learn in that department. Impala, for the first time in too long a time, seriously challenges Accord, Camry and the new Fusion. We’d say Dodge Charger, but that’s a rear-driver, and another ball of twine altogether. Family-size sedan shoppers now have a great reason to visit their local Chevrolet dealer, just like their dad, and their grand dad, too.

SATURN VUE REDLINE ROAD TEST - 2006

A road test of the 2006 Saturn VUE V6 AWD Red Line talks about vehicle performance, safety, crash tests, all-wheel drive (AWD), anti-lock brakes (ABS), fuel mileage economy and more. There’s a face lift and upgrades for 2006 Saturn all-wheel drive VUE Red Line with a Honda-built V6 engine. This midsize crossover SUV Saturn VUE is from General Motors. Competitors include Sonata/Sorrento, Escape/Mariner/Tribute, RAV4, CR-V. A Saturn VUE Green Line hybrid appears late in ‘06.  Here's Steve's recent road test of the 2006 Saturn VUE Red Line, which he also tested for About.com.

The facelifted 2006 Saturn VUE ($17,390 to $23,050) has some mostly appearance-related upgrades inside and out. My VUE Red Line AWD V6 featured a new integrated step pad, headlamps and hood and grill, all for a smoother look. Inside, new seats, chrome-and-wood accents and a new center console. VUE Red Line AWD V6 ($26,705) with a Honda 250-horsepower V6 is second only to Toyota’s RAV4 as most powerful in class. Good crash tests and mileage that rivals some hybrids, VUE’s a solid package.

It’s easy to tell the boxy VUE is built on the same “Theta” platform which is the basis for the Pontiac Torrent and Chevrolet Equinox. VUE is as bland-looking as most Saturns have been since the supposed import-fighting Division was created by GM’s then-CEO Roger Smith in 1990. Even Red Line VUE models, such as my AWD V6 model, do not stand out in a crowd. With appearance cues like a front and rear spoilers, one-inch-lowered suspension, 18-inch wheels and unique grille trying to look trendy, it might have housewives swooning but not the tuner crowd. In spite of VUE’s stylists attempts to sex things up, it remains “as boring as it wants to be”. If one of your criteria in buying a midsize SUV is avoiding car-jackings, vehicle thefts and break-ins, VUE fits the bill. It’s the American-made version of the prototypical Japanese “car as appliance” that goes and goes without drawing attention. This year’s VUE keeps Saturn’s highly-regarded plastic body panels; most future Saturns will discontinue them as production moves from the original Spring Hill, TN factory. The next-generation VUE may be built in Europe. The PreVue concept is a copy of the Opel Antara GTC seen at Euro auto shows last year; look for it in 2009.

The Red Line package on my VUE provided a six-way leather power driver’s seat with manual lumbar support. It’s almost impossible to not get comfortable for any driver. For passengers, VUE was rated differently by my official tester (my wife), who said she simply could not find a fully-comfortable seating position. But you should put your butt in the seats to be sure they fit you (and those in your extended clan). Large, bright gauges are right in front of the driver. Most controls are now on the new center console; Heat/vent/air conditioning is controlled with large knobs that ‘snap’ into position nicely. Standard are cruise control, power windows, door locks and mirrors and a security system with remote keyless entry. The XM-equipped radio had a small screen, difficult to read and it’s red coloring washed-out easily in bright light. Radio controls are also on the steering wheel but are not well-illuminated (so what use are they at night?). Rear seats easily fold 70/30 and rear stowage bins have bag hooks. Curtain side airbags are standard; anti-lock brakes are optional on four-cylinders (a buyer’s insult in 2006). Body panel fit and finish outside is not the best, but VUE’s interior appears to be as good as any competition.

VUE’s basic engine/tranny package is GM’s Ecotec 2.2 liter 143 horsepower Inline-4 cylinder with either a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission (calling 1985!). For any fun with the I-4, order the 5-speed. That VUE is front-drive only, as is the base V6 with its Honda engine, 3.5 liters and churning out a near class-leading 250 horses. Only a five-speed automatic comes with the V6. That VUE can also be ordered with all-wheel drive, but it’s no off-roader; AWD offers extra margins of safety and control on wet pavement or dry, packed dirt roads, without driver input. It also increases turn radius and makes U-turns too much of an adventure. VUE’s steering is soft and felt disconnected from the road; braking was mushy until ABS kicked in during a test panic stop. Overall performance? Sluggish, except at highway speed with the V6. VUE weighs about 3,600 pounds (plastic body panels are not light weights) and has the top-heavy feel experienced when driving a midsized SUV; it takes some getting used to if you haven’t. My Red Line V6 AWD with the 250-hp engine was more fun to drive than baseline VUEs, but not by much. One high point: Saturn has discontinued use of the noisy and listless Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT).

Once Saturn dealers got their own SUV/crossover, they sold well (now up to over 100,000 annually). VUE is priced smack in the middle of the marketplace, has the smooth V6 250 horse engine and for 2006 improved appearance inside and out. Important: VUE scored a perfect “5” in NHTSA’s front and side impact tests, and an average “3” in their rollover tests. Mileage is a positive (especially these days) for VUE. Figuring all the engine/tranny combos available, VUE averages 27 miles per gallon, highway and in-town combined, relatively high in its class. There’s a huge amount of competition: Ford’s Escape (available as a gas/electric hybrid)/Mercury Mariner/Mazda Tribute, Kia Sorento/Hyundai Sonata, Honda’s CR-V and Toyota’s RAV4 along with Subaru’s Forester and the already-mentioned Torrent and Equinox are all in the fight. VUE gets a gas/electric hybrid version called Green Line late in 2006 (a 2007 model) and Torrent/Equinox are slated for a 3.9 liter V6 power package, but not VUE. Our VUE represented the end of its current product cycle and is one of GM’s best-selling vehicles. Our crossover drove smoothly (but loose and mushy-feeling at times) and was quiet, with no squeaks or rattles. Combined with its stowage space, clearly hits a sweet spot with buyers.

STOLEN AUTO PARTS HURTING EVERYONE

You go to a parts store or dealership because your airbag or HID headlamps have been stolen. Or your vehicle has been involved in a crash and it needs some replacement sheet metal parts. Everything seems on the up-and-up. But what you find might greatly surprise you.The following article was written by Steve Parker for Gannett's THE DESERT SUN newspaper in Palm Springs, CA.

     Auto theft is a huge problem worldwide, but stealing specific auto parts and their re-sale to crooked repair shops is more likely to affect the average car-owner.

     Keeping in mind that the majority of independent and dealership repair shops and parts stores, especially the national chains, are straight-as-an arrow, here’s what thieves are looking for these days (and nights):

  1) High-Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps, the ones with that “bluish glow”, long a part of the super-exotic world of BMWs, Porsches, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, have “dripped down” to the world of the average car-buyer.

Available as an expensive option on cars such as Maximas and Volkswagens, HID “kits” are also retrofit aftermarket items fitting most any vehicle.

As an option or kit, they range in price from $500 to $1,500 a pair. These easily-stolen lamps are sold just as simply by crooks to unscrupulous repair or parts shops for $200 to $500 or more.

2) Airbags have been a boon to car parts thieves, especially driver’s side airbags. They’re easy to remove and re-sell to shady parts stores or repair shops.

The odds are with the thief. It takes even a semi-skilled bandit about 30 seconds to get into almost any car or truck, then another 45 to 90 seconds to remove the airbag.

The thief sells the airbag to a crooked repair shop for $200 or so, and the victim (or their insurance company) pays anywhere from $800 to $1,200 for the replacement and repair.

The shops which buy these parts are just as guilty as the thieves, but, similar to companies hiring illegal immigrants, authorities rarely have time to go after these “end users”.

Another major problem plaguing the auto repair industry (and insurance companies and ultimately, consumers) involves corrupt firms spending much less to buy replacement body panels (fenders, door panels, trim parts, etc.) from low-quality overseas manufacturers.

They use these non-approved parts when a vehicle comes in for repairs. Industry officials say the majority of these parts come from Taiwan, China and Southeast Asian countries.

Today’s vehicles are built with “crush zones”, bearing the brunt of force generated by collisions, directing it away from occupants. Counterfeit parts create a serious safety problem; the next collision might result in passenger injuries which authentic parts could have prevented. Some warranty provisions (paint, rust) can also be voided by using these parts.

Non-genuine parts often will not fit correctly, their paint will sometimes not match and will wear much faster than on authentic parts.

Phony parts are easily purchased online, through catalogues, from salespeople who call at stores and dealerships, even at industry trade shows.

And the difference between their cost and the insurance payment or customer’s out-of-pocket expense is banked by the crooked store or repair shop. And the thief remains in business.

What can consumers do?

In the case of parts like HID lamps and airbags, demand to see the parts in their original, unopened packaging. Then tell the manager they plan to watch technicians pull the part from that box and install it.

In the case of sheet metal parts, demand to see that part’s order form and manufacturer’s shipping form to guarantee parts are coming from a legitimate source.

Also, there will be stickers on the metal which state “Genuine Toyota Parts”, or whatever make the vehicle might be.

With today’s easily-available, sophisticated packaging and printing machines, even serial numbers and shipping forms can not guarantee the customer is getting the factory part they are paying for and deserve.

But demanding to see all this paperwork, and watching the installation, will alert the repair shop or parts store that this customer “means business”.

USA WORKERS SPYING FOR CHINESE

Ex-Executives of one of Amercia's largest and most important suppliers to the worldwide automotive industry have been arrested by US Federal agents and charged with passing along secret technology to the Chinese.

Three former employees of Metaldyne Corp. have been indicted on federal charges of stealing trade secrets for Chinese competitors. Anne Lockwood, 53, her husband Michael Haehnel, 51, and Fuping Liu, 42, were charged with conspiracy, wire fraud, theft of trade secrets, computer fraud and other counts in the 64-count indictment unsealed on Wednesday, July 5th. The three were arraigned in U.S. District Court in Detroit, released on bond, and surrendered their passports.

Lockwood was Metaldyne's vice president of sales until February 2004. Haehnel was a senior engineer until February 2005. Liu worked as a metallurgist until April 2004, and then left for a job at GKN Sinter Metals. Liu then worked at GKN's Shanghai, China, office until February 2005.

The indictment says the three former employees worked with others to "steal confidential, proprietary, and trade secret information from Metaldyne and GKN and use it in order to benefit Chinese competitors ... so that defendants could earn commissions from the sales made by the Chinese competitors."

Metaldyne, based in Plymouth, MI, and GKN are both key players in the powdered metal parts industry, which includes parts such as connecting rods, tubular flanges and transfer sprocket casings.

Attorneys for all three other former employees said that the charges were unfounded.

Metaldyne ranks No. 69 on the Automotive News list of top 100 global original equipment parts suppliers with original equipment sales of $2.16 billion in 2005. GKN's parent company, GKN plc UK, ranks No. 26 with global original equipment sales of $4.82 billion in 2005.

AMERICA'S LAST F1 RACE HELD AT INDY

After a contract calling for seven F1 races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has run its course, Bernie Ecclestone, "F1 El Supremo", has stated, "We don't need the United States," and evidently America agrees with him.

Even the most ambitious and friendly reports from Indy said that "perhaps" 100,000 people attended the F1 race this year, 20,000 of those tickets purchased and distributed by Michelin, whose tire failures last year caused the most embarrassing and amateurish F1 event ever run in the modern history of the sport, with only six cars starting in the competition. (Photo of: Michael Schumacher)

This year, almost half the field (including the lone American, Scott Speed) was knocked out of the race at the first corner of the first lap by F1 racers driving way too anxiously for the first lap of a two-hour-long event. The race then unfortunately deteriorated into one of those typical F1 "parades" which American fans simply don't want to watch. And who can blame them? With no American manufacturer or American driver with a chance of winning the race, why should Americans care?

NASCAR star Jeff Gordon spoke to the media at Indy about his interest in F1 and his love of the F1 cars, the most exotic and expensive racing machines in the world, after having the chance to drive some, but it must be asked: Why would Gordon give up a guaranteed $40 million or so annually in NASCAR salary, prize money and endorsements, for an F1 contract with a salary of perhaps $15 million and very little in the way of endorsements and prize money the first several years.

  TV coverage of F1 at Indy showed near-empty grandstands which had been filled a few years ago. Attendance at the US GP has gone down dramatically each year since it started being held at Indy a few years ago. It appears that Tony George and Bernie Ecclestone, truly two peas of the same pod, have gotten what they deserve. George invested tens of millions in his legendary facility to meet the demands of F1 and Bernie. Bernie juggled the schedule to have the two North American F1 events just days apart from each other. (Photo of: Bernie Ecclestone)

What they can't guarantee is the quality of the race itself. Where other series, particularly NASCAR, understand that racing is first and foremost a SHOW and run their organizations that way, F1 runs an outfit with only two or three drivers and their cars capable of winning on any Sunday, and it's accepted that the rest of the field is simply "filler" or "cannon fodder", depending on your point of view.

The biggest mistake ever made in American racing was splitting CART into Champ Car and the IRL. The second biggest was ignoring F1 and halting the events which had been held successfully for many years at the fabulous Watkins Glen, NY track.

(Photo of: Scott Speed)