In celebration of this exciting milestone, Office Depot® (NYSE: ODP), the Official Office Products Partner of NASCAR and co-primary sponsor of Tony Stewart and the No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevy, announced the launch of its all-new OfficeDepotRacing.com website. The site is designed as an interactive destination for millions of loyal Tony Stewart fans and as a showcase for the new No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice race team.

According to his team’s publicist, Lusk died at 11:03 p.m. on Monday at the Calderon Hospital in San Jose, Costa Rica with his family by his side.

He is survived by his wife, Lauren, and his mother and father, Chuck and Gina Lusk. His in-laws and fellow Metal Mulisha riders Brian Deegan, Ryan Hagy, Cameron Steele and Erik Apple were also at his bedside.

Now, selected backstretch reserved seats will be available at a special value price for the 16th Allstate 400 at the Brickyard on Sunday, July 26, offering NASCAR fans great action at a great price. These seats are at the end of the back straightaway entering Turn 3 of the historic 2.5-mile IMS oval.

Seats in Sections 41 through 50 of the Northeast Vista Backstretch, including the Northeast Vista Backstretch Platform (wheelchair-accessible seating), will sell for $45 each, a $30 savings.

"We understand that these are difficult economic times for everyone, and we want to help our loyal fans continue to enjoy their favorite sport at the greatest racetrack in the world," said Joie Chitwood, IMS president and chief operating officer. "These are great seats and an excellent value, especially since they provide an ideal view of one of the true action spots on the track."

Dan Gurney drove Mickey Thompson's car at Indy in 1962

Who was Mickey Thompson? What made him more than just another victim of violent crime in America? Mickey Thompson was one of the most influential figures in early American motorsports. While he did have loyal and longtime friends, Mickey always did things one way . . . his way. And he did it with speed . . . he did everything with speed.

From his 1950s adventures in the Carrera Panamericana, ending with five dead and dramatic pictures in Life Magazine in 1953, through making a one-way run of 406.60 miles per hour at the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1960 in his famed Challenger, through multiple trend-setting entries in the famed Indianapolis 500 and into the creation of some of the most popular off-road racing series and motor sports stadium shows, Mickey’s life was full of “firsts.” And in a world that seems to be moving faster than even Mickey Thompson could have imagined, the complete story of this true American legend is one worth slowing down for.
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Mickey Thompson's book cover

About the Author, Erik Arneson
Former motorsports reporter for USA Today, Erik Arneson is now a bestselling author with the success of his book, John Force. Now Arneson embarks to tell a new story of a racing legend, Mickey Thompson. When not writing books, Erik Arneson is the Vice President of Media Relations at SPEED TV. Arneson lives in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Philipp Eng

Eng took part in a test with the BMW Sauber F1 Team in December last year after competing in selected rounds of the 2008 Formula BMW Europe Championship.  He also raced in the German Formula 3 Cup during the same season, taking a pole position and podium finish in just four races.

The 18-year-old’s F1 experience was a reward for his hugely successful 2007 campaign.  Eng finished third in the Formula BMW ADAC series before entering the highly competitive Formula BMW World Final at the Circuit de Valencia. After starting from pole position, Eng dominated the race to win the World Final and a Formula One test drive with BMW Sauber as part of the prize.

Tomorrow, it will be a case of one car and two drivers: Vettel is due to do the bulk of the driving over these four days, but tomorrow morning Mark Webber will get his first taste of RB5, not just to assess the car's potential, but also to see how he feels physically in the cockpit, as he continues his remarkable recovery after  breaking his leg, back in November.

The store can be found at http://www.barkerstores.com/atlanticracing/Welcome.aspx or by clicking the merchandise link from the front page of the Atlantic Championship website. Items currently being offered are hats, t-shirts, sweatshirts and jackets carrying the series logo. The online store was the brainchild of Cooper Tire Director of Motorsports, Chris Pantani.

“The new online store provides a great opportunity for the fans to show their support of the Atlantic Championship,” Pantani said. “It’s great to see the fans have the ability to buy Atlantic Series merchandise, like the limited edition 2009 series hat that the teams and drivers wear.”

The merchandise is being manufactured by Barker Specialty Company in Cheshire, Conn., and is being sold exclusively through the online store. All of the merchandise carries the Atlantic Championship logo, and Atlantic Championship teams also have the option of adding their logo to the right sleeve of the track jacket.

While the Formula 1 teams testing in Jerez saw their day being interrupted with rain the four-day test in Bahrain was delayed by nearly two hours due to poor visibility. Once the fog went away though the sun came out and the teams of Ferrari, Toyota and BMW could start their day of testing.

At the end of the day Robert Kubica was satisfied with his day of testing. "It was the first time I was able to drive the new car in warm weather. We learned a lot about the car's behavior in these conditions, so overall it was a good day."

Sheltra was running third when he got tagged from behind by Justin Lofton. The collision sent Sheltra's car into the wall. As it slid back down Daytona's steep banking, Hollenbeck sped through the turn and a cloud of smoke and slammed into the side of Sheltra, sending Sheltra's car spinning several times across the track.

It took safety workers about 20 minutes to get Sheltra out of his battered car. There was no word on the extent of their injuries.

Daytona's bumpy surface causes many wrecked race cars and sends drivers to the hospital.

AMA Racing officials determined today that actions taken by Lawrence at the San Francisco round of the series violated the terms of his existing probationary status, on June 12, 2008. Lawrence was suspended for the next two rounds of the 2009 AMA Supercross Lites West Championship Series.

Specifically, Lawrence was found to have violated Appendix A, section A2.3j, of the AMA Supercross, and FIM World Championship, Rulebook, which states that the following offense is subject to disciplinary action:

"An attack on a Racing official and/or engaging in a fight. This includes any person who attacks or is involved in a fight anywhere on the premises prior to, during, or after an AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship meet. There will be no maximum fine or suspension period for this offense."

It was determined that Lawrence was involved in an incident off the track involving certain Supercross class riders. As a result of that violation, Lawrence has been suspended for the next two rounds of the 2009 AMA Supercross Lites West Championship Series, including the Feb. 7 round in Anaheim, Calif., and the Feb. 14 round in San Diego, Calif.

Is there no justice in America?  Tracy or a loser.  Monster chose a loser.  Let's hope they come to their senses and back Tracy in a full-time ride.

These difficult actions are necessitated by a severe drop in vehicle sales worldwide and by the need to restructure GM for long-term viability. GM outlined the need for the reductions in its restructuring plan submitted to Congress on December 2, 2008. The announcement this week begins implementation of this aspect of the plan.

Despite his countryman Vijay Mallya running the Force India operation, the Indian billionaire for a second consecutive season will field a German and Italian driver combination, even though Indians Chandhok, 25, and Narain Karthikeyan, throng the international racing scene.

"Finance is one thing," said Chandhok, who has previously tested for Red Bull Racing.

"For a formula one drive, you are looking at 10-15 million dollars.  That's a significant amount of money when you convert it into rupees," he said in Delhi during a sponsor press conference.

Chandhok also believes the departure from the scene of the Honda-powered Honda and Super Aguri teams has complicated the task for F1 hopefuls.

"Like I said it is four less seats, which has made it more difficult," he confirmed.

He refused to criticize Mallya for so far failing to hire an Indian driver.

"This is something which only Vijay Mallya can answer.  It's his team.

"He has had a contract with Fisichella which is only for two years," Chandhok said.  "And it is a commonly known fact that Sutil comes with a fairly good financial package and that explains it."

Bill Elliott

Elliott, who has won “The Great American Race” twice (1985 & 1987), and Eddie Wood, co-owner of Wood Brothers Racing, spoke about making this year’s field.

UK newspaper The Guardian reports that one of the two principals in the team, Ken Anderson, confirmed to the Charlotte Observer newspaper and the ThatsRacin.com website that recent reports in those publications about the impending announcement of the team, due to begin competing in 2010, are true. The Guardian says that reports surfaced about the proposed team this week, and that some sources have said it has already won approval from Formula One officials.

“We are looking at a couple of buildings in Charlotte, including one in the University [City] area,” The Guardian reports Anderson as saying.

Earnhardt Jr. and Eddie Gossage have buried the hatchet

"Dale Jr. is doing all he can and we're doing all we can," Gossage said. "I talked to Junior's representatives [Saturday] and learned some things they were doing that most people don't know about." One of those things is lowering prices on some of Junior's merchandise items. Gossage said Friday that Earnhardt should be willing to reduce prices on his souvenir products after insisting speedways reduce tickets prices, which most have done.

"I want to commend Dale Jr. for taking that step," Gossage said. "That shows a real commitment on his part, and I respect him for it. I learned they already had reduced prices on merchandise, just as we have reduced ticket prices and concession prices."

During the NASCAR media tour in Charlotte two weeks ago, Gossage and other speedway executives suggested some Cup drivers should do more to help promote the sport. On Thursday, Earnhardt pointed out to my colleague, Ed Hinton, several examples of how he does more than his fair share, and said other drivers also go the extra mile. But he suggested speedways needed to do more. So Earnhardt and Gossage were accusing each other of not doing enough. But Gossage said they both have a new understanding now of their respective positions.

"Earnhardt and I realize everyone has to do more to get through this," Gossage said. "He's setting an example for others to follow and being a true leader in the sport." ESPN

The event, the sport's first night race, attracted more than 40,000 foreign visitors and generated 168 million dollars (112 million US) in tourism revenue, S. Iswaran, Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry, told parliament. A copy of his remarks was posted on the ministry website late Monday.

Officials had estimated the race would generate 100 million Singapore dollars annually in revenues.

Iswaran said that more than 110 million worldwide television viewers watched the Grand Prix.

Chinese vehicle sales have surged fivefold over the past decade as export-fueled economic growth above 10 percent made General Motors Corp. and Volkswagen AG cars affordable to more people. This year, demand has fallen less than in the U.S. as a 4 trillion Yuan ($585 billion) stimulus package helps the country avoid the worst of the global recession.

• Glitch halts new Red Bull's debut
• French government gives Renault 3bn euros
• Donington denies debt reports
• New helmet design for Vettel
• Bourdais confirmed for Le Mans, Sebring
• Vettel gained weight ahead of 2009 season
• Vettel plays down fears of driver 'strike'
• Hockenheim dilemma leaves Bernie 'unhappy'

Glitch halts new Red Bull's debut
(GMM)  A gearbox problem limited the track debut of Red Bull's newly-launched RB5 single seater to just 14 laps on Monday.

At Jerez, Sebastian Vettel was at the wheel for a series of mostly installation laps before the car broke down.

A statement issued by the energy drink-owned team confirmed that the gearbox was the culprit, despite car designer Adrian Newey on Monday revealing that the gearbox internals were the only major carry-over components from last year's RB4.

"We stopped the car as a precautionary measure because the gearbox oil temperature was beginning to rise," team boss Christian Horner confirmed, on the same day that it was revealed that the French company Total is Red Bull's new lubricants supplier.

Again in German Vettel's hands, the RB5 will be back in action at the Spanish venue on Tuesday morning.

Monday's curtailed shakedown, however, was also interesting in light of speculation about the RB5's rear diffuser, amid the controversy surrounding Toyota and Williams' designs.

Every time Vettel returned to the Jerez pits, a mechanic covered the rear of the car with a custom wing-diffuser sheath.

French government gives Renault 3bn euros
(GMM)  The French carmaker Renault, who contest the formula one world championship with a team based at Enstone (UK), will receive a government cash injection amid the global financial crisis.

As well as Peugeot-Citroen, Renault is to receive 3 billion euros, in exchange for the manufacturers' pledge to keep factories open and workers in jobs, French president Nicolas Sarkozy announced.

Mark Webber

Mark Webber: A little bit tender mate, yeah.


Q: Is it a struggle?

MW: It’s still healing. We’re very much focusing on Melbourne.

We’ll see how we go here, see what it feels like to drive. There’s no need to go bananas, but see what it feels like – we’ve still got another four tests after this.


Q: As far as you’re concerned, is it a given that you will be racing in Melbourne?

MW: Yes. I’ve raced with fractures before that people didn’t even know about!


Q: We’ve read that you’ve been using this cryogenic chamber – tell us a bit about what that involves…

MW: Really simple. You go from normal room temperature into a chamber of -50C for 30 seconds and then into -130C for two or three minutes.

Peugeot and Audi will go head-to-head at Sebring and LeMans this year

Peugeot Sport suffered a huge disappointment in 2008 after coming so close to winning the Le Mans 24 Hours with the 908 HDi FAP which, even so, demonstrated its competitive potential with a score of four wins from five races in last year’s Le Mans Series.

Ghosn announced plans to slash 20,000 jobs, cut production by 20 percent, scale back model launches and delay new factories. Nissan may also seek government bailout loans, Ghosn said.

The 265 billion yen ($2.91 billion) net loss Ghosn now predicts for the fiscal year ending March 31 would be his first loss since taking charge of Nissan in 1999. The outlook wipes out an earlier forecast for net income of $1.76 billion.

Ghosn has put on hold the Nissan GT 2012 mid-term business plan announced last year and its target of achieving 5 percent revenue growth through 2012. That plan was introduced after the earlier Value-Up initiative missed its unit sales goal.

The top priority now is preserving cash as Nissan and Japanese rivals struggle against collapsing global demand, a surging yen and shrinking access to credit. Of Japan's six biggest automakers, only Honda Motor Co. and Suzuki Motor Corp. are still predicting profits.

"Nissan is operating in an environment in which we are hit with three challenges at one time: the credit crisis, economic recession and strengthening yen," Ghosn said in Tokyo while announcing fiscal third-quarter results. "Systematically, the worst scenario happened." AutoWeek

Is the RB5 a Newey masterpiece?
With the major changes to the regulations, it’s interesting to see the different approaches taken by the various teams. Adrian’s brief was simple: to build the best and fastest race car he can. We decided on the strategy of spending a bit more time in the wind tunnel and we always planned to get the car on track around this date. I think Adrian and the team have done a stunning job. The car looks excellent and hopefully that will be translated into good lap times. The packaging strategy we have adopted is different to that of other teams and we won’t see until Melbourne where the teams are in the pecking order.

The second round of Top Fuel and Funny Car eliminations will open Tuesday's racing, starting at 11:30 a.m., and will be followed by the continuation of the first round of Pro Stock.

Tickets will be available for Tuesday's racing for $26. Fans holding tickets for any of the rain-delayed days (Thurs., Fri., Sun. or Mon.) may redeem those tickets on Tuesday for entry.

ESPN2 coverage for the race now will be televised in a 30-minute show tonight at 9:30 p.m. (ET) and another 30-minute highlight show on Sunday, Feb. 15 in a yet to be determined time slot.

Monday's announcement puts an even brighter spotlight on the front of the grid. The two 908s will go up against four brand new P1 entries - Acura's two ARX-02a and a pair of Audi's R15 TDI prototypes.

Government does not think Castroneves is as innocent as he may think

The famed Brazilian driver, who gained greater celebrity after winning the reality TV show Dancing With the Stars in 2007, is charged with failing to pay taxes on more than $5 million in income. His sister, Katiucia Castroneves, and his Michigan lawyer, Alan R. Miller, are accused of assisting the Coral Gables resident in the alleged tax-evasion scheme between 1999 and 2004.

After the court hearing, Castroneves said that the more he sees of the government's evidence in the complex case, the more confident he is about the outcome.

''They're trying to show something that doesn't exist,'' Castroneves, 33, told reporters. ``We're ready. Kati and I are innocent.''

The end-of-season price review was waived, and the service charge for the Assisted Gearchange System (pneumatic paddle shift system) has been cut by more than half. Further savings will be forthcoming with an extended AGS service life and the ’09 software update at no cost. The AGS enables gearshifts to be made to Xtrac’s gearbox by using shift paddles mounted on the rear of the steering wheel.

King, who has anchored the IMS Radio Network’s coverage of the IndyCar Series since 1999, has been a pit reporter for Firestone Indy Lights telecasts on ESPN2 for the past two seasons.

Brabham (top) and his Peugeot 908 HDi FAP

The legendary Australian sports car ace, born in Britain, is one of nine drivers completing the Peugeot Sport line-up this year. In addition to Le Mans, Brabham will also contest the Spa 1,000 kilometers in May, all with the full approval of Patr¢n Highcroft Racing and Acura to take the drives alongside his American Le Mans Series commitments.

The prize for third place in the championship has doubled from what was awarded in 2008 to $200,000. Top finishers in each race will also see considerable increases in their payouts.

New Red Bull RB5

Christian Horner commented on the team’s first test with the new car: "Following a successful shakedown, we stopped the car as a precautionary measure because the gearbox oil temperature was beginning to rise. We ran with our KERS system fitted to the car, but it was not operational. We simply carried it to assess its impact on other elements of the package, such as weight distribution, and to study the effects on the system of vibrations and other forces."

Sebastian Vettel said: "The guys did a fantastic job to get the car here and ready for this first run. I was happy to be driving again, but don't ask me to comment on the feel of the car as it's far too early for that. With the shakedown out of the way, we can get down to developing the car starting tomorrow and over the next few days. Stopping early today was the right decision, as you really need to understand exactly what causes any problem on a brand new car."

In the shorter term, Renault will do everything it can to maintain jobs and skills, at production sites as well as research, engineering and test centers. It will not implement restructuring programs at its automotive plants in France in 2009.

Renault also says that its strategic goals are to produce high quality vehicles, grow the business in the international markets and work on sustainable mobility. Grandprix.com

What’s been the biggest challenge?
"The weight distribution has been a challenge, particularly in dealing with KERS. On the one hand, it’s clear that with the return to slick tires, you need to get a bit more weight on to the front axle, while on the other hand, KERS is putting more weight on the rear. This means you have very little scope to move ballast around. A driver’s weight also affects this equation. You can move the car through its wheelbase a bit, but this tends to carry an aerodynamic penalty."

Total, one of the World's largest oil and gas companies, will supply the team with all its fuel and lubricants for engines and gearboxes.

"We are delighted to welcome Total to Red Bull Racing," commented Team Principal Christian Horner. "Total will make a significant contribution to our technical performance. New rules require race engines to last longer than in the past and with the added strain on the work cycle caused by KERS, lubricants can play a vital role in ensuring reliability, not just for the engine, but also for the gearbox. Working closely with our engine partner, Renault, the right fuels and lubricants can also have a positive effect on power output and fuel consumption."

At 184cm, the slender Australian is among the tallest and therefore heaviest on the grid; a particular disadvantage in 2009 given the arrival of hefty KERS technology.

Kimi Raikkonen, Fernando Alonso, Nelson Piquet, Nico Rosberg and Rubens Barrichello have admitted to losing weight after the 2008 season, for fear of falling behind their lighter rivals who can this year place more of the 605kg minimum car-driver weight as strategic ballast.

But 32-year-old Webber, attempting to restore strength to his visibly diminished legs following his cycling crash last November, said he is not trying to lose weight.

"I'm 75 kilos," he said.

"I'm not going to try any harder to be any lighter, because that's how I am and that's what weight I need to be," said the Red Bull driver at the launch of the Adrian Newey-penned RB5.

"If someone wants me to be 70 kilos then get someone else to do it, because at 70 kilos I wouldn't look very clever," Webber added.

The Australian, who on Monday was without crutches but visibly limping as the new Red Bull was unveiled at Jerez, last Thursday had surgery to remove a pin from the injury, sustained in November in a high-speed mountain cycling crash.

He told reporters that, despite the surgery, his more badly shattered tibia injury is still carrying the medallions of his initial Tasmania operation -- a 10-inch rod, made of expensive titanium to reduce weight.

On hand were Mark Webber, not using crutches but limping noticeably, and his new teammate Sebastian Vettel, as well as team boss Christian Horner and car designer Adrian Newey.

Vettel was designated roll-out duties but the Renault-powered car's initial installation lap was delayed.

Photographers snapped the car from the other side of the pitlane, but some observers noted that team officials were careful not to allow the rear of the car to be seen -- perhaps in the wake of the controversy surrounding the diffuser designs of the new Toyota and Williams.

FIA president Max Mosley last week said he believes the designs are "okay" but could not rule out an official protest in Australia next month.

"The current FIA view is that Williams and Toyota have been clever and exploited the wording of the rules in a clever way," he said.

"The view on our technical people is that it is okay, we will wait and see if someone challenges it."

Reigning champion Switzerland has confirmed that FORDAHL-FOQ Group, involved in the timing components for telecommunication systems, and cp eyewear and helmets will join its team.

“As a leading company in its business area, FORDAHL-FOQ aims at communicating at the highest level,” said a team statement. “For two years, the group’s advertising strategy is based on motorsport sponsoring. The synergies are obvious: in both fields, speed and accuracy are key elements.

“Swiss brand cp stands for trendy, innovative and at the same time highly professional manufacturing of sun glasses, goggles and sports helmets.

A1 Team Monaco has announced ProTech of Monte Carlo has signed a three-year partnership agreement, to make an active commitment to become the first racing team in the world to embark on a 'Zero Carbon' program.

The company’s waterless washing product, developed by the ProTech research and development saves 200 liters of water for every car washed.

“By adopting the eco-technological aesthetic measures normally used in the context of everyday driving, developed in the ProTech research and development laboratory, to today's competitive scene, we have just taken a step in the right direction,” said Clivio Piccione, A1GP seat holder and A1 Team Monaco racer.

Current championship leader A1 Team Ireland has also hailed www.A1GP.com new facility, A1GP Dashboard.

A1 Team Ireland’s Mark Gallagher, David Kennedy and Teddy Yip were not travelling to the races in New Zealand but were able to enjoy enhanced coverage of their team’s successes in Taupo where Ireland extended its lead at the top of the championship table.

A1GP Dashboard, available on www.A1GP.com, allows users to watch a car’s progress around the track, together with that of its competitors, and to see speed, g-force, throttle, braking, gears and number of Powerboosts available for a driver to use. In effect, when combined with A1GP’s Live Timing facility, the user has the same information available to the drivers and teams.

“Since I was not travelling to New Zealand I used the Dashboard and Live Timing services on A1GP to see how the Team Ireland car was performing and it added a fascinating dimension to following the team,” said A1 Team Ireland Team Principal, Mark Gallagher. “It means that you can see what’s happening on your favorite car and those of its rivals, and when added to the TV coverage on race day it gives motorsport viewers an unparalleled experience. It shows once again A1GP’s commitment to innovation in making the series truly inclusive and accessible to fans all over the world.”

A1 Team Malaysia fans have always been known for their enthusiasm since helping the team win the A1GP.com Favorite A1 Team award which was presented at last season’s Gala Awards. A recent online competition on www.A1GP.com has again cemented the loyalty the team has from its fans.

Malaysia fans won three of the nine prizes on offer in an exclusive competition featured on the website in December.

In a new series of exclusive competitions this season, a host of A1 Team Malaysia goodies were on offer and all of them were very special “money-can’t-buy” prizes.

All the prizes, including 'Hear me Roar' exclusive T-Shirts and A1 Team Malaysia caps, were signed by Zandvoort Sprint race winner Fairuz Fauzy, and rookie driver Aaron Lim.

A1 Team Malaysia also features unique prize competitions in the Fanzone section of the team’s website. One of the team’s partners, JobStreet.com, is also running an exclusive competition with the ultimate prize for A1 Team Malaysia fans, a trip to the UK to watch the British round of the A1GP Series and join the team trackside. Fans can enter the A1 Team Malaysia JobStreet challenge at www.JobStreet.com .

The latest edition of the A1GP RACETALK Podcast is now ready to download. A1GP’s regular free audio podcast dissects all the action from A1GP Taupo with a panel of experts producing a lively debate on all the hot A1GP topics.

Recorded after the dust had settled on the latest round of the series in New Zealand, the panel didn’t shy away from any of the big issues, ranging from what happened with some of the cars’ anti-stall devices to New Zealand’s driver-choice and the qualifying format. Current leader, A1 Team Ireland’s Adam Carroll and A1 Team Great Britain’s Dan Clarke were among those giving their opinions on the latest podcast which can be downloaded free from www.A1GP.com or iTunes now.

A1 Team South Africa has also come up with a different way of deciding which of its rookies will have the honor of representing his nation at the team’s home event later this month.

The three contenders for the position of A1 Team South Africa rookie driver in the fifth round of the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport at Kyalami on 22 February are to undergo comprehensive assessments at the Discovery High Performance Centre of the Sports Science Institute in Cape Town on today and tomorrow (9 and 10 February).

Racing drivers Gavin Cronje (29), Cristiano Morgado (29) and Wesleigh Orr (20) – all former Rotax Max world karting champions – will undergo aerobic, strength, stamina, visual skill and mental assessments over the two days.

“The information gained from these professional physical assessments will assist in the decision as to which of the three talented young drivers will represent their country in Friday’s (20 February) rookie practice session before A1GP Gauteng on Sunday (22 February),” said Mike Carroll, general manager, A1 Team South Africa.

Mosley and others are beginning to realize that the days of print media are numbered given high overhead costs and timeliness of material.

The sport's commercial rights holder is headed by 78-year-old chief executive Bernie Ecclestone, who is known for his uncertainty about the online phenomenon.

Internet-only journalists, for example, are not granted media accreditation, and fans often observe that the official F1 website does not embrace the full power of the internet.

"Bernie is skeptical about the internet, there is no doubt about it," Mosley, 68, is quoted as saying in the German press.

"But if we could overcome that there are great things that could be done because the potential is enormous," Mosley said.

"I would revolutionize the way we use the internet; it is the great neglected area of F1," he said.

Mosley raises the prospect of providing full fan access to pitwall computer information, and multi-channel online coverage with live video of the paddock, the public areas of the motor homes, and the pit garages.

"It would put the audience right in the middle of the action," he said.

Headed by leading team technical boffins Paddy Lowe (McLaren), Pat Symonds (Renault) and Rory Byrne (Ferrari), the group extensively tested their ideas - whose questionable aesthetics have been slammed by many F1 fans - in two wind tunnels and were ultimately rubber-stamped by the FIA.

But FIA technical consultant Tony Purnell said recently he suspects the changes have in fact not achieved the desired downforce reduction of 50 per cent.

According to Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, FIA president Max Mosley now reveals that if Purnell's fears are realized, the FIA will not be amused.

"If the desired effect does not occur," the 68-year-old Briton warned, "then that will be the end of the expert group."

The OWG was commissioned the task of improving overtaking after Mosley's own proposal - the 'split rear wing' - was voted down by F1's team-comprised technical working group.

"Giancarlo (Fisichella) will do four, and I (will do) the other four," said 26-year-old German driver Adrian Sutil, currently on a training vacation on the Spanish island of Majorca.

The Silverstone based outfit is the only team that has so far sat out the entire post and pre-season period, with the exception of the Barcelona test last November.

Designers and engineers at the Northamptonshire facility have instead been working in the wake of the announcement of the McLaren-Mercedes technical tie-up, with Sutil telling the Mallorca Magazin that he believes the 2009 package is better than its Ferrari-powered predecessor.

"It looks really good," he explained at the five-star Dorint wellness resort and hotel in Majorca.

2009 will be Sutil's third consecutive season in formula one, with his debut being made for Force India's earlier guise Spyker in 2007.

"We are working to have the car ready for the end of February," he said.  Team boss Vijay Mallya has said the VJM01's track debut will be at Jerez in March.

Sutil said his goal for 2009 remains the same; despite being a backmarker, to show strongly against his teammate.

"If I can show good results now, then at the end of the year I can hopefully secure a good cockpit, or stay for another year with Force India," he said.

Based in Stratford, Conn. U.S. Chrome has specialized in functional wear, corrosion and friction resistant coatings since 1946. The company has six plant locations -- in Connecticut, upstate New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois and Wisconsin. 

U.S. Chrome features new environmentally friendly electrocomposite coatings for the aerospace, agricultural, solar, automotive, firearms, machining, FAA aircraft repair, oil, gas, powersports and motorsports industries.

Racing will resume Monday at 10:30 a.m. with Stock eliminator. Round two of Top Fuel will follow at 11:30 a.m., followed by Funny Car and then the resumption of round one of Pro Stock.

Dr. Jerry Punch will be the lead announcer for ESPN2’s coverage, joined in the booth for analysis by 1999 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Dale Jarrett, one of the founding drivers of the NASCAR Nationwide Series, and two-time Cup Series champion crew chief Andy Petree. Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Shannon Spake and Vince Welch will report from the pits, while two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief Tim Brewer will be in the ESPN Craftsman Tech Garage.

Allen Bestwick will host NASCAR Countdown with analysis by 1989 NASCAR Cup Series champion Rusty Wallace, three-time champion crew chief Ray Evernham and Brad Daugherty, a winning team owner in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, in the ESPN pit studio.

The teams in the top 35 in 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup standings are split between the two races, with 18 of those drivers in one and 17 in the other.

The next four days will be nervous ones for the 17 drivers left vying for the four remaining spots in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Daytona 500.

The 150-mile qualifying races Thursday at Daytona International Speedway will determine those four.

The 29-year-old Frenchman, confirmed for the forthcoming season by the Faenza based team only last Friday, explained that the car he will test at Jerez this week will still be the 2008 model.

"It is clear that this is not ideal," he said, referring to the proximity to the Melbourne season opener on March 29.

"If the deadlines are met, the new car will be presented in early March," Bourdais added.

The basis of the STR4, Red Bull's RB5, will be unveiled and tested for the first time by the senior team at Jerez on Monday.

Bourdais' 2008 teammate, Sebastien Vettel, is scheduled to drive, before Mark Webber returns from injury on day two.

Budget cuts saved Sebastien Bourdais STR ride for 2009

The Frenchman said the situation swung back in his favor when the cost-cutting measures were announced, reducing STR's need for extra funding.

"The choice of driver was firstly linked to the need to find sponsors, then it wasn't, and then it was again," Bourdais told French newspaper L'Equipe.  "Originally it was in effect essential, but then when all the cost-saving measures were taken into account, it was clear that Red Bull would save 100 million dollars on its two teams. All of a sudden it became much less of a concern and I was back at the head of the queue compared to their initial preferences. Previously [manager] Nicolas Todt had looked everywhere for backers but it didn't go as he would've liked because of the difficult economic climate."

Bourdais admitted that it had been a stressful winter as he waited to hear if he would be retained.

"I've tried not to take it personally," he said.  "I fully understood that it was linked to the economic context – which was complicated for both the team and the wider economy. There was a moment when it was truly hard. The situation was just unbearable. It's taken time, quite simply.  From a competitive standpoint I saw that the team had a real wish for continuity and to do a second season with me – there was a certain investment made last year.  As far as I'm concerned, we didn't really have success and therefore it would've been a shame to end it there.  It was the wish of [team boss] Franz Tost, the engineers and the mechanics to ensure that there was a sequel to the story because we saw there was potential last year."

The final pre-qualifying practice for the Daytona 500 has ended. The #60 Dodge of James Hylton continued to be plagued with battery and carburetor issues. Per NASCAR rules, car's must run a practice lap above an average of 175mph in order to attempt to qualify on Sunday. Despite a valiant effort from the crew, who pushed the car up and down pit lane several times attempting to get it to fire, the car would not start. "We just got snakebit today," said James Hylton. EM Motorsports site

[Editor's Note:  A 74-year old attempting to qualify for the biggest stock car race of the year?  Is this that easy of a sport or is NASCAR just a circus?]