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Andretti completely cleared of any wrongdoing

2012-02-04T17:47:00Z

IndyCar. Bethlehem police have cleared Marco Andretti in the case of the broken parking garage gate, saying video evidence shows the renowned racer had no role in the incident. A witness told police investigating damage to the North Street garage gate Thursday night that three men had broken the gate and driven away. The license number provided by the witness belonged to Andretti's car.

IndyCar rides now part of Super Bowl festivities

2012-02-04T14:51:00Z

IndyCar. The NFL tried something new with this year's Super Bowl: It used another sport to help promote the big game. And the partnership with IndyCar has drawn plenty of notice. And now, visitors can even take a ride in an IndyCar this weekend.

Darlington race to start earlier

2012-02-04T14:35:00Z

NASCAR Sprint Cup. Darlington Raceway has the only change in start time in the 2012 Sprint Cup Series schedule as its race will start at 7 p.m. Eastern instead of 7:30 p.m. as it did in 2011.

Buying her way into Daytona 500 makes Danica a gimmick

2012-02-04T14:19:00Z

NASCAR Sprint Cup. A free ride into the Super Bowl of Stock Car racing makes Danica Patrick into a gimmickYou prove yourself through hard work, courage, success. There is glory in making the climb to the top, not through cutting in line. Danica Patrick, with the help of her team owner, Tony Stewart, bought her way into the Daytona 500.

F1 test lineup this coming week

2012-02-04T14:14:00Z

Formula 1. The countdown to F1 2012 begins proper next week, with the first pre-season test at Jerez getting under way on Tuesday, February 7. All the teams, except Marussia (formerly Virgin) will be at the Spanish circuit, with nine - including Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari - planning a four-day program. HRT, however, will only be in action on the opening two days, while Mercedes, who will use their old car, will skip the final day.

Danica to appear in two Super Bowl ads

2012-02-04T10:02:00Z

TV News. On Sunday, NASCAR will benefit from Danica Patrick's popularity when she appears in two GoDaddy.com Super Bowl commercials, giving her the unofficial distinction of being in more Super Bowl ads (10) than any other celebrity. You won't see Patrick in a stock car, but the sport will benefit because she's associated with driving in the Sprint Cup and Nationwide series as much as she is with those edgy, sexy commercials. "Any time our sport is presented to new audiences on a broad scale, it is great for NASCAR," said Steve Phelps, NASCAR's chief marketing officer.

UPDATE #2: Marco Andretti cleared of Garage Gate caper

2012-02-04T06:56:00Z

IndyCar. UPDATE #2 Garage Gate Express-Times Photo MATT SMITHLate Friday night, Bethlehem police confirmed that surveillance footage cleared Andretti of ever touching the gate. Bethlehem Parking Authority Executive Director Tom Hartley said an authority maintenance worker witnessed the gate being broken and recorded a car’s license plate. “Apparently somebody sat there probably two and half, maybe three minutes and couldn’t get the credit card to work,” Hartley said.

Ford Racing reveals new 2.0L race engines for 2012

2012-02-04T06:48:00Z

Racing News. 2.0 Liter Ford Crate EnginePart of the expanded crate engine lineup that Ford Racing Performance Parts has announced for 2012 includes a naturally aspirated, 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder "Crate Engine Concept." This engine is the precursor for a range of production-based I-4 offerings. With the introduction of several all-new B- and even C-Segment Ford cars and small utilities now powered by Ford's latest global 2.0-liter I-4 engine architecture, Ford Racing will be making a variety of these new four-cylinder powertrains available to enthusiasts as part of its FRPP Crate Engine program.

ACO to push Asian presence

2012-02-04T06:46:00Z

World Endurance Championship. Jean-Claude Plassart, President of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, and the ACO Steering Committee have entrusted Rémy Brouard, the ACO General Manager since 2008, with a new strategic mission. In order to devote himself fully to this task, Brouard has asked to be relieved of his general management duties. Since 3rd January 2012 he is responsible for the development of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest on an international basis, especially in the Asian zone.

Grand-Am management changes

2012-02-04T06:43:00Z

Grand-Am. The Grand-Am Road Racing Association promoted Dave Spitzer to the post of managing director of Manufacturer and Series Development, and Race. Spitzer was appointed GARRA’s vice president of Competition in March 2008 and is credited with the aesthetic revamping of the Daytona Prototype class as well as attracting new manufacturers – Audi and Ferrari - into the GT category. Before joining GARRA, Spitzer was part of the General Motors Motorsport group where he worked on various programs including the Oldsmobile Aurora Indy engine, the Cadillac Le Mans Prototype and Cadillac CTS-V World Challenge car.

Chevrolet ends BTCC program

2012-02-04T06:42:00Z

British Touring Car, WTCC. Chevrolet has confirmed that its factory backed team, run by the Wellingborough, UK based RML organization, will not take part in the 2012 British Touring Car Championship. The partnership will, however, continue to race in the World Touring Car Championship. Between 2009 and 2011 RML entered Chevrolet Lacettis and Cruzes won 24 BTCC races and secured the drivers championship in 2010.

Grad Dad Robert Sciglimpaglia Scores A Touchdown With Chevy Superbowl

2012-02-04T06:40:00Z

Automotive. Chevy has hit the playing field hard with their hilarious 2012 Superbowl commercial, titled “The Happy Grad”. The showcasing of two parents, which the starring father figure being actor Robert Sciglimpaglia, revealing a graduation present to their son who is played by comedian Brett Sidell. In the commercial Sidell fails to realize that his parents gift is simply a small dorm sized refrigerator and instead only sees the yellow Chevy in front of him once his blindfold is removed.

Caterham signs Giedo van der Garde as reserve driver

2012-02-04T06:28:00Z

Formula 1. Giedo van der Garde gets Caterham seat fittingCaterham F1 Team has today confirmed that Dutch driver Giedo van der Garde will be the team's official Reserve Driver in 2012. Giedo will participate in the pre-season tests and will take part in a number of FP1 sessions throughout the season as a core part of the team's driver line-up. Tony Fernandes, Caterham F1 Team Principal, said: "We are delighted to welcome Giedo into the family as Reserve Driver.

Sutil not axed due to Lux assault affair - Force India

2012-02-04T02:00:00Z

Formula 1. A despondent Adrian Sutil(GMM) The assault charge had nothing to do with Adrian Sutil losing his race seat, Force India has insisted. Prior to the German being convicted of grievous bodily harm by the Munich courts, his Silverstone based employer decided to replace him for 2012 with Nico Hulkenberg. But Sutil's pending hearing "never even came into our thinking" when the decision was taken, Force India's deputy boss Bob Fernley is quoted by the BBC.

Williams has not run 2012 car yet

2012-02-04T01:59:00Z

Formula 1. (GMM) Contrary to reports, Williams has not yet debuted its 2012 car. It was said the British team ran the unlaunched FW34 at the Idiada facility near Barcelona, with tester Valtteri Bottas at the wheel. In fact, "the shakedown could not take place due to bad weather conditions," a spokesperson is quoted as saying in the German press.

UPDATE: Technical Director James Key leaves Sauber

2012-02-04T01:58:00Z

Formula 1. UPDATE James Key(GMM) Sauber's technical director James Key has left the Swiss team. In a media statement, the Ferrari-powered outfit said Key, a Briton who switched from Force India in 2010, has accepted an unspecified "new role" in his native UK. Sauber's design and development will now be handled by "the department heads for aerodynamics, design, performance and operations", the team added.

Honda enters Civic in WTCC

2012-02-04T00:46:00Z

WTCC. Honda today announced that the Honda Civic will race in the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC). For this project, Honda has formed a joint partnership with Mugen and J.A.S. Motorsport.

Casino opens at Kansas Speedway

2012-02-04T00:40:00Z

Track News. Kansas Casino, the latest France Family shrineCheck out this website of the new Hollywood Casino that opened at Kansas Speedway Friday. The visionaries who breathed life into Kansas Speedway more than a decade ago dreamed that the racetrack would give rise to a surrounding megaplex of retail chains and restaurants as well as sports and entertainment options. Only, no one expected the transformation to happen so quickly.

Ferrari wants to do faster pitstops

2012-02-03T23:52:00Z

Formula 1. Ferrari is keen to increase the speed of its pit-stops this year as the Italian outfit strives to find time in all areas of its operation. The new F2012 was revealed online on Friday. “With pit-stops I think we were third quickest on average last year,” says Ferrari Technical Director Pat Fry.

Nissan joins Grand-Am

2012-02-03T23:45:00Z

Grand-Am. Nissan has joined Grand-Am Road Racing as an Official Promotional Partner, becoming the 10th participating original equipment manufacturer. Nissan will support teams in both the Grand Sport and Street Tuner classes of the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge. The auto manufacturer will also participate at four Grand-Am events with its Nissan consumer display.

Kansas Speedway adding road course

2012-02-03T20:26:00Z

Track News. Kansas Road Course and repavingThere are more changes in the works at Kansas Speedway. Officials received the final layout from their design team this week for a proposed road course through the infield, and construction is scheduled to begin after the April race. Track president Pat Warren also said Friday that he hopes one of the two Sprint Cup races at Kansas Speedway will be run at night in 2013.

Super Bowl events put spotlight on IndyCar

2012-02-03T16:22:00Z

IndyCar. "Speedway Girl" greeted guests at the media party Tuesday night. (IBJ Photo/Perry Reichanadter)With its season-opening Daytona 500, NASCAR usually dominates auto racing headlines in February. But this year—because the Super Bowl is being played in open-wheel country—the IndyCar Series has taken center stage.

UPDATE: Sato signs with Rahal-Letterman Racing

2012-02-03T09:33:00Z

IndyCar. UPDATE We had Sato as 'fact' for the Rahal team months ago on our 2012 IndyCar Silly Season pageIn evaluating the numerous prospects campaigning for a seat in the Rahal Letterman Lanigan Honda-powered Indy car for the 2012 season, the Indianapolis-based team was searching for the right balance of speed, success and experience to lead it into the new era of IZOD IndyCar Series competition. With his glittering Formula 1 resume and strong recent results demonstrating his continuing climb up the IndyCar Series grid, Takuma Sato proved to have all of the tools for the job, as the team named the Japanese veteran to pilot the team’s #15 Dallara/Honda/Firestone - one of its two Indy cars in 2012.

Honda loses small-claims case over Civic hybrid mileage

2012-02-03T08:24:00Z

Automotive. Honda was ordered to pay $9,867 in a Los Angeles Small Claims Court lawsuit to a woman who says her Civic hybrid didn't get the fuel mileage that was advertised, according to Bloomberg News. “I am absolutely thrilled at the reports that I won, even though I won't see the actual judgment until it comes in the mail,” Heather Peters said in an e-mailed statement on Wednesday to the wire service. “It's a victory for Civic hybrid owners everywhere.” Peters opted out of a class action and filed her own case in small-claims court, where plaintiffs and defendants represent themselves.

UPDATE: Latest F1 news in brief - Friday

2012-02-03T07:52:00Z

Formula 1. UPDATE Updates shown in red below. 02/03/12 Note the step on the nose of the new FerrariFerrari to beam launch live on Friday morning Sutil deserves to stay in F1 - Hulkenberg Force India needs more staff for F1 tilt - Szafnauer 'Friday' driver plan not for top teams - Szafnauer Button wants to avoid retiring too soon Karthikeyan completes 2012 grid with HRT deal Ferrari lament ugly nose on new car Ferrari deliver Massa warning New Ferrari, Force India have 'ugly' noses Whiting to attend Jerez amid legality rumors New Hamilton 'pathetic' says Sutil's angry father New Santander extends Ferrari deal through 2017 New Williams shakedown cancelled due to bad weather New

Ganassi team partners with TSOVET

2012-02-03T06:34:00Z

Racing News. Chip Ganassi Racing Teams, Inc. and TSOVET TIMING GAUGES, announced today they are launching the new TSOVET “Limited Edition” Chronograph watch that commemorates the team’s 14 championships and 145 wins. TSOVET has been a team partner since 2011 with logo placement on 2008 Indianapolis 500 Winner Scott Dixon’s No.

Auto GP welcomes Kumho Tires

2012-02-03T06:06:00Z

Auto GP. Kumho tires on Auto GP carKumho Tires will be the sole tire supplier for the next season of the Auto GP Championship, after an agreement between the Series organizer and the Korean manufacturer has been signed. And that isn't all, because Kumho's arrival in the Championship will bring along another interesting bit of news: the introduction, for the first time in Auto GP history, of two different specs of compound. In the same way as it happens in Formula One, the Auto GP teams will have two different tire compounds at their disposal, a "prime" and an "option" that will be different both in performance and durability.

Marussia Manor Racing GP3 Confirms Dmitry Suranovich

2012-02-03T05:32:00Z

GP3. Dmitry SuranovichMarussia Manor Racing GP3 is pleased to announce that Russia’s Dmitry Suranovich will drive for the team in this year’s GP3 Series. Dmitry tested with Marussia Manor Racing in Valencia and Jerez at the end of last year, showing great promise. This will be his first season in the Championship.