(Photos courtesy of Porsche)
Old friend Jeff Zwart is running Pikes Peak again for Porsche. In 2010, Zwart, from Corona del Mar, Calif., made Pikes Peak history and shook up the sports car establishment by running a road racing car – the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup - at the world’s most famous hill climb, smashing the Time Attack class record and winning his seventh championship. In 2011, Zwart drove his Porsche 911 GT2 RS turbo street car – not only up the Mountain, but on the Interstate from L.A. to Colorado Springs - and sliced 24-seconds off the record for a street-legal car, but was edged for the class title by an all-out race car. This year, Zwart is combining the best of both worlds – the great race car he had in 2010 with the turbo power he had in 2011 to seek his eighth class title at the 91st Running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, which starts Wednesday with practice sessions and will end Sunday, June 30, with the event itself. “Our decision to run the 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, the most balanced car I have ever run at Pikes Peak, in conjunction with the Porsche 911 Turbo motor, the best power I have ever felt at the Mountain, was based on the data that showed the turbo delivered the most even power at both the bottom and the top of the mountain. This solved the high elevation horsepower starvation that occurs in normally-aspirated cars,” said Zwart. The 12.42-mile course, which used to be all gravel, is now fully paved, making the race car right at home. Pikes Peak is the second oldest auto race in America (right behind the Indy 500), and Zwart will give the course plenty of respect. The low-ratio sequential gear box means he is busy through the 156 turns, but it makes the car very quick. A detailed map of the course is available here.

A commercial film director, Zwart will be entering his 14th Pikes Peak Hill Climb in his tenth different Porsche as his Luminox Watch Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race car – prepared by BBi Autosport in Huntington Beach, Calif. - saw some testing time earlier in the month. Watch it here.

Zwart has won his class at Pikes Peak – all in Porsche Turbo street cars – in 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2002, and 2004, setting new class records three times, before winning with the Cup car in 2010. He co-drove a Porsche Cayenne with Pikes Peak veteran Paul Dallenbach at the challenging TransSyberia Rally (Moscow to Mongolia) in 2007. He also has an SCCA PRO Rally Championship (1990) and a SCORE Baja 100 class win (2004) to his credit. Ironically, it is Dallenbach in his full-blown Hyundai Genesis race car – the same car which holds the overall record at Pikes Peak - which will be the strongest challenger for Zwart this year in the Time Attack class. The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb To Broadcast Live Stream of The 91st Race To The Clouds To Viewers Around The World on RedBull.TV

Driver/Owner and Multi-Time Pikes Peak Hill Climb Winner, Jeff Zwart

(Audi Motorsport)
Tom Kristensen (Denmark), Loïc Duval (France) and Allan McNish (Scotland) (No. 2 Audi R18 e-tron quattro) won the 24 Hours of Le Mans, giving Audi its twelfth win in fifteen attempts. For Duval, who had clinched the pole position on Wednesday, it was the first success at the French endurance classic. It was the third for Allan McNish. Tom Kristensen, who has been the sole record holder of the race since 2005, triumphed for the ninth time, an incredible achievement. Duval/Kristensen/McNish took the lead at 21:43 on Saturday night and would not relinquish it, maintaining a one-lap advantage except for a series of late stops for tires prior to the final restart with 30 minute to go, which saw the No. 8 Toyota TS030 Hybrid of Sebastien Buemi briefly get back on the lead lap. Kristensen, however, would overtake Buemi on the second-to-last lap, ensuring a one-lap victory for the German manufacturer, its fourth consecutive in the world's greatest endurance race. The No. 8 Toyota (co-driven by Stephane Sarrazin and Anthony Davidson) finished second, delivering the first 24-hour race finish and podium for Toyota with its gasoline-powered hybrid prototype. The No. 3 Audi R18 e-tron quattro of Lucas di Grassi (Brazil), Marc Gené (Spain) and Oliver Jarvis (Great Britain) finished third after Nicolas Lapierre (No. 7 Toyota TS030 Hybrid) went off in damp conditions at the Porsche Curves. The Frenchman limped his No. 7 TS030 Hybrid back to the pits and managed to finish fourth overall. Due to a last-minute change in the regulations that gave the Toyota gasoline-fueled prototype machines a competitive advantage, Audi had its most difficult challenge and one of its most hard-fought wins.  The three Audi R18 e-tron quattro turbo-diesel hybrid machines were able to do two laps less on one tank filling - on average - than the Toyota. The Audi drivers had to compensate for the additional pit stops by going flat out during the race in weather conditions that at times were extremely difficult. Waves of rain showers and the subsequent incidents because of them resulted in a total of eleven safety car deployments. The field ran for more than five hours under caution while the track was cleared and repairs were performed. The 90th anniversary of the race was marred by the tragic death of Allan Simonsen, who was killed in his Aston Martin GT class machine not long after the start of the race. "Obviously, this horrible incident dampens the joy about another great Le Mans victory for Audi in which our team and our drivers were under extreme tension for 24 hours and couldn’t make any mistakes,” commented Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. “We were all completely shocked by the news of Allan Simonsen’s death. During his career, he also contested races in the Audi R8 LMS. Our sympathy primarily goes to his family and friends but to the team of Aston Martin as well. It shows that you must never stop doing whatever is possible for safety in motorsport. This is the first fatal accident we’ve had to witness in 15 Le Mans years. I hope it’ll remain the last.”

(Audi Motorsport)
Tom Kristensen, Loïc Duval and Allan McNish.

(Audi Motorsport)

(Porsche AG)
Works drivers Romain Dumas (France), Marc Lieb (Germany) and Richard Lietz (Austria) won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the fiercely competitive GTE-Pro class in their No. 92 Porsche AG Team Manthey Porsche 911 RSR against strong opposition from Aston Martin, Ferrari and Chevrolet. It was the first Le Mans class win for Porsche since 1998, the last time the German manufacturer had a full works effort at the La Sarthe circuit. Joerg Bergmeister (Germany), Timo Bernhard (Germany) and Patrick Pilet (France) finished second in GTE-Pro in their No. 91 Porsche AG Team Manthey Porsche 911 RSR. In the GTE-Am class, the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR run by the customer team IMSA Performance Matmut clinched victory with Frenchmen Raymond Narac, Jean-Karl-Vernay and Christophe Bourret.

(Porsche AG)

(Porsche AG)
The GTE-Am class-winning Porsche 911 GT3 RSR run by the Porsche customer team of IMSA Performance Matmut and driven by Frenchmen Raymond Narac, Jean-Karl-Vernay and Christophe Bourret at Le Mans.

(Photo by Chris Jones/INDYCAR)
James Hinchcliffe (No. 27 Andretti Autosport GoDaddy Chevrolet) dominated the Iowa Corn Indy 250 presented by DEKALB at Iowa Speedway. Hinchcliffe, who led 33 total laps on ovals in his previous two IZOD INDYCAR Series seasons, led all but 24 laps on Sunday to win his first oval INDYCAR race. He's the only three-time winner this season and seventh different winner through 10 of 19 races. Hinchcliffe led teammate Ryan Hunter-Reay (No. 1 Andretti Autosport DHL Chevrolet) across the finish line by 1.509 seconds for the second consecutive Andretti Autosport 1-2 sweep on the .875-mile oval.

(Photo by Chris Jones/INDYCAR)
James Hinchcliffe and Ryan Hunter-Reay after the Iowa Corn 250. Hinchcliffe advanced five positions in the championship standings and is 66 points behind front-runner Helio Castroneves (No. 3 Team Penske Hitachi Chevrolet) heading into the second half of the season that starts with the Pocono INDYCAR 400 Fueled by Sunoco on July 7 at the 2.5-mile Pocono Raceway.

(Photo by Chris Jones/INDYCAR)
Tony Kanaan (No. 11 Sunoco "Turbo" KVRT-SH Racing Chevrolet), here running next to Tristan Vautier (No. 55 coastal.com/Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda), finished third in Iowa. "We had a good car.  We got into a little bit of a problem with some heat temperature so we had to lose a few spots in the pits trying to pull an inlet out of the side pod so the engine could breathe a little bit better.  It was a good race.  We had a podium finish and we will take it.  I like when people race you hard and it is what it is."

(Photo by Shawn Gritzmacher/INDYCAR)
Sage Karam (No. 8 Schmidt Peterson with Curb Agajanian) took control of the Firestone Indy Lights point standings after winning the Sukup 100 at Iowa Speedway on Satruday. Karam started fifth and held off the repeated charge of Gabby Chaves (No. 7 Schmidt Peterson c/w Curb Agajanian) to win by .2660 of a second in a caution-free race on the .875-mile oval. Jack Hawksworth (No. 77 Schmidt Peterson c/w Curb Agajanian) completed the podium sweep for the team co-owned by Sam Schmidt and Ric Peterson. It was the second consecutive victory for Karam, who supplanted Carlos Munoz atop the standings by nine points. Munoz, the pole sitter for the fourth time this season, finished eighth (three laps down) in the No. 26 Dialy-Ser car for Andretti Autosport. 

(Brian Czobat/LAT Photo USA, Courtesy of Toyota Racing)
Martin Truex Jr. (No. 56 Michael Waltrip Racing NAPA Auto Toyota Camry) came through for his first win in Sprint Cup in six years - 218 races - in the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway on Sunday. It was a hugely popular win for the talented driver who has persevered for many, many long and tough years while finishing second six times and finishing in the top five 24 times over the stretch. Truex fought back tears in the press conference after his win, reminded of the support shown from family, friends and his Michael Waltrip Racing team during the long road: “My support group, Sherry (Pollex, his girlfriend), my team, my family ... all the people that are special to me,” Truex said, pausing as he spoke. “It's difficult. There's been days when I was like, this sucks. This isn't any fun anymore. But again, the past couple years have just been great, and I just owe so many people thanks. Just proud to be able to work with this group of people and thankful for the opportunity. “We're all very lucky to do what we do, to do this and to get to do what we do, and to get the opportunity to win races at this level, I've already accomplished more than I ever thought I would. It's just a lot of fun to be able to run good and try to win races. And I think that for us, we're just really starting to come into our own. There's no limit to what we can do.” Juan Pablo Montoya (No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Target Chevrolet SS) was running second but ran out of fuel. Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet SS) finished second and Carl Edwards (No. 99 Roush Fenway Racing Aflac Ford Fusion) was third. Watch videos from the race here.

(Brian Czobat/LAT Photo USA, Courtesy of Toyota Racing)
Martin Truex Jr., his girlfriend Sherry Pollex, and the entire Michael Waltrip Racing crew whoop it up in Victory Lane in Sonoma.

(NASCAR)
Written-off and left for dead by everyone but Roger Penske, A.J. Allmendinger (No. 22 Penske Racing Discount Tire Ford Mustang) won the Johnsonville Sausage 200 presented by Menards Nationwide race at Elkhart Lake's Road America on Saturday, proving that he's very much alive and a winner. It was the first win of the 31-year-old's NASCAR career and he did it on America's premier road course. “Even after what happened last year, Roger Penske didn’t give up on me,” Allmendinger said during a post-race press conference (Allmendinger was suspended by NASCAR and lost his Sprint Cup ride with Penske in 2012 for the use of a banned substance). “He just kept making sure I was OK. I wouldn’t have thought twice about it if he wrote me off. But he didn’t. I want to say that Roger never looked down on me, or put me aside or treated me differently,” Allmendinger said. “He kept checking on me, kept checking on me. When I came back, I felt like they wanted me back.” Justin Allgaier (No. 31 Turner Motorsports Brandt Chevrolet) was second and Parker Kligerman (No. 77 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota) was third. Watch videos here.

(Courtesy of Motor Racing Legends)
The Le Mans 2013 Historic support race once again treated racing fans to a show before the 24 Hours of Le Mans. A huge, 60-strong grid of 1949-65 Le Mans cars competed in the race, including a Daytona Cobra Coupe and a Maserati 151 Coupe (driven by Derek Hill, son of the late Phil Hill). Pole-sitter Alex Buncombe (No. 60 Lister-Jaguar Costin) led the field at the start and went on to the win.

(Porsche Archive, Brumos Porsche & Vic Elford Collection)
Brumos Porsche is introducing its own YouTube channel and homepage feature known as Brumos Porsche TV on Monday, July 8th with a special film by Frazer Spowart. The film features a recent visit to Brumos' Jacksonville, Florida, showroom by Porsche racing legend Vic Elford (that's him in the long tail 917, above). The film includes Brumos' Executive Vice President, Hurley Haywood and is hosted by Founder & Chairman of The Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, Bill Warner.

(Classic Motor Cars)
The first works Jaguar D-Type, OKV 1, which finished second at Le Mans in 1954, was back at the circuit for the 90th anniversary of the race last weekend to pay homage to all Jaguars that have competed in the famous event. OKV 1 (restored by Classic Motor Cars in 2000) was invited by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), who created and organized the first “24 Heures du Mans” in 1923, and was part of a select group of just eleven original Le Mans cars with great history that drove two parade laps around the circuit prior to the start of the race.  Under a grey sky, the extraordinary cars that joined the D-Type ranged from the 1930 Speed Six Bentley that finished second in that same year to an Alfa Romeo 8C from the Alfa Museum, the rarely seen winning GT40 and a present day Audi. Watch a wonderful video here.

(Images courtesy of Peugeot)
Sébastien Loeb and the Peugeot 208 T16 Pikes Peak are ready for the 91st ‘Race to the Clouds’ on Sunday, June 30th. The bespoke 875-horsepower Peugeot 208 T16 Pikes Peak passed technical scrutineering for the Unlimited class, which means both the car and driver’s equipment met specific safety standards. The nine-time World Rally Champion and his bad-ass Peugeot are now all set for their attempt to become ‘Kings of the Peak’, exactly 25 years since Peugeot last broke the record with Ari Vatanen and the legendary 405 T16. Sébastien shook down his car at the Pikes Peak International Raceway, where the Peugeot Sport team is basing itself in preparation for the race. Following some tests on the mountain over the past two weeks, Peugeot’s mechanics stripped down and rebuilt the 208 T16 Pikes Peak from top to bottom. Today, Sebastien’s job was to check that all the systems were working properly. The team does not now plan to change the set-up for the race unless they have to. The 150 or so competitors – including 13 in the Unlimited class – will get the chance to practice the route during four early morning sessions from Tuesday to Friday this week. On Wednesday, qualifying takes place for the Unlimited runners to determine in which order the competitors start the race on Sunday. This Sunday’s action, which can be followed live from the inside of the 208 T16 Pikes Peak on redbull.tv, is scheduled to start at 08:00 (local time), with the motorbike section leading the way.


Sébastien Loeb is ready to rock Pikes Peak.

(Stadium SUPER Trucks)
SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks™ will run two unprecedented street course races on July 13 and 14 in conjunction with the Honda Indy Toronto INDYCAR weekend. Round No. 7 of SST competition will take to the temporary street course at the conclusion of Saturday’s IZOD INDYCAR Series main event while Round No. 8 will roll off Sunday just prior to the green flag of the IZOD INDYCAR Series® finale. It has been a longtime vision of series President Robby Gordon to redevelop and continue this unique form of off-road racing that was immensely popular more than 20 years ago - known then as the Mickey Thompson Off-Road Championship. “Toronto is going to be something insane,” said Gordon. “Imagine these 600 HP machines drifting around corners and hitting metal jumps, flying over 50 feet through the air on the famous street course that has seen legendary names such as Andretti and Unser compete on it. To run our Stadium SUPER Trucks Series here is a great thing for us, as we get to bring even more fun and excitement to the IndyCar event of Toronto, showing race fans what off-road trucks can really do on asphalt.” Gordon, who himself made seven starts on the streets of Toronto in the early and mid-1990s with CART/Champ Car scored a track best fifth in 1995, will be gunning to capture his first win on the legendary street course. Race fans are in for a treat as the SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks go door-to-door and airborne (over specially constructed metal ramps) on the 11-turn, 1.75-mile street course circuit for the pair of unique races.

(Porsche AG)
Porsche is lining up its drivers for 2014. Mark Webber, the 36-year-old Australian Formula 1 pilot, who will retire from F1 at the end of this season, has signed a contract with Porsche that extends over several years. He will compete in Porsche’s new LMP1 sports prototype at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and in the sports car World Endurance Championship (WEC). Webber has already raced at Le Mans twice. In 1998, he finished runner-up in the FIA GT Championship at the wheel of a sports prototype. Over the course of his Formula 1 career from 2002 until today, Webber has achieved 36 podium places, nine race victories and has started from pole position eleven times. “It’s an honor for me to join Porsche at its return to the top category in Le Mans and in the sports car World Endurance Championship and be part of the team. Porsche has written racing history as a manufacturer and stands for outstanding technology and performance at the highest level,” says Mark Webber. “I’m very much looking forward to this new challenge after my time in Formula 1. Porsche will undoubtedly set itself very high goals. I can hardly wait to pilot one of the fastest sports cars in the world.” Competing in the new LMP1 car alongside Mark Webber are the two long-standing Porsche works drivers Timo Bernhard (Germany) and Romain Dumas (France) as well as the ex-Formula 1 test driver Neel Jani (Switzerland).

(Infiniti)
Nico Rosberg (No. 9 Mercedes) won the frenetically stirring British Grand Prix on Sunday at Silverstone. Mark Webber (No. 2 Red Bull Racing-Renault, above) finished second in his final Grand Prix race in Britain. Fernando Alonso (No. 3 Scuderia Ferrari) took third place. Current point leader Sebastian Vettel retired on Lap 3 with gearbox issues, but still leads the Drivers’ Championship with 132 points. Vettel's lead over Alsonso has been cut from 36 to 21, however.

(Photo by Russell LaBounty © 2013 LAT Photo USA, courtesy of Toyota Racing)
Matt Kenseth's (No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Dollar General Toyota Camry) dream season continues as he delivered his fourth victory of the season to Joe Gibbs Racing in Sunday's Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway, a race postponed from Saturday because of rain. It was the 28th victory of his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career. Jamie McMurray (No. 1 Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Hellman's Chevrolet SS) finished second but was closing on Kenseth in the final laps. Clint Bowyer (No. 15 Michael Waltrip Racing 30th Camry Anniversary Toyota Camry) finished third. Watch all of the NASCAR videos from the weekend here.

(Photo by Russell LaBounty © 2013 LAT Photo USA, courtesy of Toyota Racing)
Crew Chief Jason Ratcliff and Matt Kenseth celebrate in Victory Lane. Ratcliff's call to forgo tires on the last pit stop was pivotal to Kenseth's win.

(Russell LaBounty, © 2013, Autostock)
Brad Keselowski (No. 22 Penske Racing Discount Tire Ford Mustang) makes a pit stop on his way to the victory in Friday night’s Feed the Children 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Kentucky Speedway. The race was cut short 30 laps before the scheduled finish due to rain. Watch a highlight here.

(Photo by Brian Cleary for Chevrolet Racing)
Christian Fittipaldi (No. 5 Action Express Racing Corvette DP) held off a last-lap charge from Michael Valiante (No. 3 8Star Motorsports Corvette DP) to give Action Express Racing its second consecutive GRAND-AM Rolex Series victory Sunday in the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen at Watkins Glen International. Fittipaldi was treated and released from the infield care center for dehydration following the event. Valiante (co-drivers Stephane Sarrazin and Enzo Potolicchio) deleted most of a five-second deficit to Fittipaldi throughout his final stint, eventually finishing just 0.265 seconds behind. Brendon Hartley finished third in the No. 8 Starworks Motorsport Ford/Riley (co-drivers were Scott Mayer and Pierre Kaffer).

(Photo by Brian Cleary for Chevrolet Racing)
Robin Liddell led the final 11 laps of the race to win in the GT class at The Glen, the fourth win in five races for Liddell and co-driver John Edwards in the No. 57 Stevenson Automotive Group Chevrolet Camaro GT.R. With the win, Liddell and Edwards move to within six points (199-193) of John Potter and Andy Lally in the standings. “There were probably five or six cars easily that could have won this race in GT,” Liddell said. “Everybody played a key part in terms of strategy and pit stops... I thought John (Edwards) showed great maturity to just hang on.” Leh Keen (No. 69 AIM Autosport Team FXDD Ferrari 458) finished second (with co-drivers Emil Assentato and Anthony Lazzaro), with Lally and Potter finishing third in the No. 44 Magnus Racing Porsche GT3 they shared with co-driver Richard Lietz.

(Grand-Am)
Joel Miller, Tristan Nunez and Yojiro Terada gave Mazda and SpeedSource its fourth consecutive victory in the GX class in the No. 00 Visit Florida Racing Mazda6 after mechanical issues hit the No. 38 BGB Motorsports Porsche Cayman and No. 70 MAZDASPEED /SpeedSource Mazda 6 (above) earlier in the event.

(BMW)
Bryan Sellers (No. 46 Trim- Tex/BCKSTGR BMW M3) passed Matt Plumb at the beginning of the final lap and held on to win Saturday’s Continental Tire 150 at The Glen – a race marked by changing weather conditions that led to several multi-car incidents. Sellers and co-driver Mark Boden scored their first career victories. It was a big day for Boden’s Fall-Line Motorsports BMW M3, with the team cars finishing first, third and fourth. Plumb finished second in the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche 997 started by Nick Longhi, who was involved in an opening-lap incident. His brother Hugh Plumb took third in the No. 45 Eagle Tech/B+ Foundation BMW M3 (below), followed by Fall-Line’s No. 48 Safecraft BMW M3 driven by Charles Putman and Charles Espenlaub.

(BMW)

(Grand-Am)
Stevan McAleer took the ST lead when Pierre Kleinubing and Ryan Eversley (No. 75 Compass360 Racing Honda Civic Si) drove through the gravel trap in Turn 8 prior to the final caution in Saturday’s Continental Tire 150 at The Glen. McAleer held on to win by .764 seconds over Eversley, giving himself and Marc Miller their second victory of the season in the No. 5 modSpace/Construct Corps Mazda MX-5, and the second triumph for CJ Wilson Racing.

(Hyundai)
Paul Dallenbach set a new world record in the Time Attack class at the 2013 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on Sunday in the same Hyundai RMR Genesis Coupe that Rhys Millen used to set the all-time world record last year. Dallenbach turned a time of 9:46.001 on his run to the summit. 

(Honda Racing)
INDYCAR driver Simon Pagenaud drove a competition-modified Honda ‘Pikes Peak Odyssey’ minivan up the hill over the weekend. Pagenaud powered up the 12.42-mile course to a second-place finish in the Exhibition Class. Pagenaud’s "minivan" included a 500+ horsepower, turbocharged and intercooled Honda V6 engine – similar to that used in its ALMS LMP2 HPD-ARX prototype – competition suspension and brakes, high-performance tires and a full competition roll cage. “It was amazing – Pikes Peak was always a dream for me,” reported the Frenchman. “Honda prepared a great car. Really ‘unique’, I have to say. I’d like to come back again next year, with something even more crazy!”

(Hyundai)
Taking second place in the Unlimited class at the 91st "Race to the Sky" at Pikes Peak this year was former record-holder Rhys Millen in his all-new Hyundai RMR PM580-T, 49 seconds behind Sébastien Loeb with a time of 9m02.192s. The New Zealander beat his own record, but says that he’s determined to break the nine-minute barrier next year. “I think it’s fair to say that we were racing for second place today,” said Millen. “Myself and Romain Dumas had been really close throughout practice, but then I heard that his engine had unfortunately broken at the start. I knew I wasn’t going to beat Sébastien's time, so I just decided to take no risks. You have to hand it to Loeb and Peugeot Sport: they were unbeatable. That time they set was simply incredible. When will it be beaten? It might never be…”

(Ford)
Toomas Heikkinen (right) finished first in the second of two Global Rallycross races last weekend and picked up his first gold medal in Munich in the Bluebeam OlsbergsMSE Ford Fiesta ST. Tanner Foust (left) earned his first podium of the season, finishing third at the second Global Rallycross race at X Games in Munich in the Rockstar Energy OlsbergsMSE Ford Fiesta ST. Heikkinen and Foust earned Ford its sixth and seventh podium appearances at the Global Rallycross events at X Games this season. For Heikkinen, it was his first gold medal and his third podium in GRC this season. The Bluebeam OlsbergsMSE Ford Fiesta driver finished with a gold and bronze in two races over the weekend.

Toomas Heikkinen won his first career X Games gold medal at the Global Rallycross event in Munich on Sunday driving his No. 57 OlsbergsMSE Ford Fiesta ST. Watch a video clip here.

(Bentley Motors Inc.)
The Goodwood Festival of Speed - one of the most momentous events on the automotive calendar- takes place this year on July 12th-14th in Sussex, England. With Bentley's return to the racetrack later this year, the new Continental GT3 makes its global debut in front of the crowds at Goodwood on Friday, July 12th. And celebrating the 10th anniversary of the company's famous 1-2 finish at Le Mans in 2003, the Bentley Speed 8 racers that crossed the finish line first and second ten years ago will also appear. They will be piloted up the hill in formation by the same pair of drivers – Guy Smith in Number 7, and David Brabham in Number 8. The appearance of the gorgeous machines commemorates the last British victory at Le Mans, where the cars covered 3,196 miles (5,146 km) over the course of the event, recording an average speed of 133 mph (214 km/h).
(Bentley Motors Inc.)

(RenaultSport)
Sebastian Vettel (Infiniti Red Bull Racing-Renault) won his very first home German Grand Prix Sunday. Incredibly it was Vettel's 30th Grand Prix win - at the age of 26! Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus F1 Team-Renault) was second and Romain Grosjean (Lotus F1 Team-Renault) was third, giving Renault power a sweep of the podium. Infiniti Red Bull Racing leads the championship by 67 points over Mercedes, with Ferrari third and Lotus F1 Team fourth. Sebastian Vettel extends his championship advantage with 157 points over Fernando Alonso’s 123 and Kimi Raikkonen’s 116.

(John Thawley  ~  Motorsports Photography @ www.johnthawley.com  ~ 248.227.011)
Lucas Luhr and co-driver Klaus Graf (No. 6 Muscle Milk Pickett Racing Honda Performance Development ARX-03c) captured last Saturday’s American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park, the team’s third consecutive victory in 2013 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón. Luhr and Graf also won the MICHELIN^® GREEN X^® Challenge for the prototypes. John Edwards and Dirk Muller (No. 56 BMW Team RLL Crowne Plaza BMW Z4 GTE) teamed to win in GT. Muller held off a late charge by Antonio Garcia (No. 4 Corvette Racing Compuware C6.R, co-driven by Jan Magnussen) to secure the victory by .905 seconds. Ryan Briscoe bumped his way past Guy Cosmo with 3:30 remaining and held on to win his second race of the season in the No. 551 Siemens/Alpina Watches/Ohiya Casino Resort HPD ARX-03b started from the pole by co-driver Scott Tucker. After the contact, Cosmo returned to finish second with Scott Sharp in the No. 01 Extreme Speed Motorsports Tequila Patrón HPD-ARX-03b. Briscoe and Tucker remain the class winners, but IMSA officials penalized the duo seven points, equal to the points earned for a third-place finish (13), where the car would have finished if it served a stop-plus-60-seconds penalty for avoidable contact. Bruno Junqueira (No. 9 RSR Racing ORECA FLM09, co-driven by Duncan Ende) gave the team its first victory in the Prototype Challenge presented by Continental Tire class. Spencer Pumpelly scored his fifth career victory, joining first-time winner Nelson Canache Jr. in the No. 45 Flying Lizard Motorsports Venezuela/eSilicon Porsche 911 GT3 Cup in the GT Challenge class. Next up for the ALMS will be the Mobil 1 presents the Grand Prix of Mosport at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in Bowmanville, Ontario, on Sunday, July 21. Check out another set of scintillating images by John Thawley from Lime Rock Park here.

(Photo by Bret Kelley/INDYCAR)
Scott Dixon (No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) led a first-ever Chip Ganassi Racing podium sweep to win INDYCAR's return to Pocono Raceway after a 24-year absence. It was Dixon's first victory since Mid-Ohio last August. Charlie Kimball (No. 83 Chip Ganassi Racing NovoLog FlexPen Honda) tied his career high of second, and four-time series champion Dario Franchitti (No. 10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) finished third. Dixon, who earned his 30th Indy car victory (his first was at Nazareth, Pa.), is the eighth different winner in 11 IZOD IndyCar Series races this season. He crossed the finish line .4572 of a second ahead of Kimball in a race slowed by only two cautions for 12 laps. The average speed of 192.864 mph bested Danny Sullivan's Indy car record 170.720 mph in the 1989 race on the 2.5-mile tri-oval. The last 1-2-3 team finish was by Team Penske (Will Power, Helio Castroneves and Ryan Briscoe) at Sonoma Raceway in August 2011.

(Photo by Bret Kelley/INDYCAR)
Charlie Kimball receives congrats from Chip Ganassi after finishing second, tying his career-best IZOD IndyCar Series result. He also finished second in 2012 at Toronto. After an engine change in the Ganassi team cars late Saturday, Honda power came up big in Pocono, delivering exceptional fuel mileage to outdistance the Chevrolet-powered machines.

(Photo by Bret Kelley/INDYCAR)
Dario Franchitti finished third, his first podium finish and third top-five finish of what has been a fairly miserable season so far. He also finished fourth at Long Beach and fifth at Belle Isle 2. The first half of the INDYCAR season has been forgettable for both Ganassi Racing and Team Penske. Will the second half be a different story? We'll see.

(Photo by Bret Kelley/INDYCAR)
Will Power charges out of the pits in his No. 12 Team Penske Verizon Chevrolet. He finished a very racy fourth, his third top-five finish this season.

(Photo by Bret Kelley/INDYCAR)
Marco Andretti (No. 25 Andretti Autosport RC Cola Chevrolet) almost had a memorable weekend, taking the pole and dominating the first half of the race, but the fuel mileage in his Chevrolet-powered machine came up short, forcing him to stop three laps sooner than the Honda-powered entries. It was a bitter day for Andretti. "Oh, man, I mean we knew early (about our fuel mileage), but not early enough, " Andretti said. "I think we should have responded quicker, but it's so hard to be reserved right now. I'm so frustrated for RC Cola and everybody. We were just so dominant, and I'm just absolutely gutted."

(Photo by Chris Jones/INDYCAR)
Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi, Charlie Kimball and Dario Franchitti celebrate in Victory lane. It was a memorable day at Pocono for Chip Ganassi, his racing team and Honda. It was the 100th win in all forms of motorsports for Chip Ganassi Racing and the 200th in Indy car competition for Honda. "When I got out of bed this morning, I wouldn't have guessed this," Ganassi said after the race. "I actually forgot that the next win would have been our 100^th; it's been so long since we've had a win. It's a really great place to do it. In Pennsylvania, in my home state. It's great for the series to have a 1-2-3 (finish) and Honda. You know, Honda needed a boost, and they stepped up and did a great job. The drivers did a great job, and the team did a great job."

(Photo by Bret Kelley/INDYCAR)
Carlos Munoz (No. 26 Andretti Autosport Dialy-Ser) reclaimed the Firestone Indy Lights championship points lead by cruising to victory by 16.2247 seconds in the Pocono 100. It was the third victory of the season for Munoz and fifth overall (second on an oval). He's led all the race laps in the victories. It also was the third victory in five starts from the pole this season for the 21-year-old from Colombia. Including bonus points for the Sunoco Pole Award and leading the most laps on the 2.5-mile tri-oval, Munoz takes a four-point lead over Sage Karam into the race next week on the streets of Exhibition Place in Toronto. Karam (No. 8 Schmidt Peterson with Curb-Agajanian) finished second ahead of teammate Gabby Chaves. Karam and Chaves traded second place four times over the final ten laps in the caution-free race, with Karam overtaking Chaves' No. 7 car in Turn 1 on Lap 39. Chaves crossed the finish line .7280 of a second behind Karam.

(Photo by Harold Hinson for Chevrolet)
Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Lowe’s Dover White Chevrolet SS) celebrates his win in the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway Saturday night. Johnson extended his lead in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings to a 49 point advantage. Tony Stewart (No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Bass Pro Shops/Ducks Unlimited Chevrolet SS) finished second, and Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Richard Childress Racing Budweiser Folds of Honor Chevrolet SS) was third. Johnson became the first driver to record the season sweep of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at the 2.5-mile tri-oval since Bobby Allison accomplished the feat in 1982. Watch the videos from NASCAR here.

(Honda)
Honda plans to put on quite a show at the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed, with legendary riders and drivers taking to the wheels of vehicles old and new, including Freddie Spencer, three-time World Motorcycle Grand Prix champion, and John Surtees (above, behind the wheel of the RA300 at the 2005 Goodwood Fesival of Speed), the only man to have won both the F1 world championship and the Motorcycle Grand Prix world championship.
(Honda)
1985 Honda NSR500.

(McLaren)
An unprecedented collection of McLaren models will be featured at the Goodwood Festival of Speed as part of the brand’s ongoing 50th anniversary celebrations. The display will include some of the most significant McLaren models including championship winners from Formula 1, Can-Am and Le Mans. The McLaren P1™ will also make its debut. McLaren claimed five back-to-back titles in the Can-Am championship between 1967 and 1971 with Bruce McLaren, Denny Hulme and Peter Revson all claiming the coveted title. In tribute to the team’s glorious past, McLaren will be running the 1970 championship-winning M8D of Denny Hulme up the Hill during the course of the weekend. In addition, Peter Revson’s title winning M8F from 1971 has been kindly loaned for the display by the Louwman Museum in The Hague, Netherlands, and will be part of the brand’s ‘McLaren House’ display.

Editor-in-Chief's Note: Watch a very cool video (brought to you by Luminox and Michelin) of my friend Jeff Zwart's excellent adventure at Pikes Peak this year here. - PMD

(Courtesy of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca)
Chevrolet has assembled a collection of historically significant Corvettes that have remarkable pedigrees for a special exhibition at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion August 16-18. The annual event on the Monterey Peninsula this year celebrates the rich 60-year history of the Chevrolet Corvette. Some of the special Corvettes on display include the 1960 Cunningham No. 3 Corvette (Courtesy of Lance Miller) driven by John Fitch and Bob Grossman that won its class and placed eighth overall in the grueling 24 Hours of Le Mans; the 1967 No. 9 Corvette (Courtesy of Harry Yagey) raced by Corvette legends Dick Guldstrand and Bob Bondurant at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The duo actually had driven the race car from the airport near Paris all the way to Le Mans, to the delight of locals; and the 1968 Owens Corning L-88 Corvette (Courtesy of Rick Hendrick) made famous by Tony De Lorenzo. This L-88 Corvette is the most victorious Corvette in history. For more information on the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion or to purchase tickets, call 800-327-7322 or visit MazdaRaceway.com.

(McLaren Automotive)
McLaren is producing a new high performance variant of the 12C, named the 12C GT Sprint. With handling and aero tweaks, the track-only model bridges the gap between the 12C and the all-out racing 12C GT3 and 12C GT Can-Am Edition models, in case you just happened to be aching for something in-between. It has been designed and developed by McLaren GT, the race car building arm of the McLaren Group, and retains many of the unique systems from the 12C road car, on which it is based.

(Images courtesy of the BMW Group)
BMW won't be left out of the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The German manufacturer will bring a total of nine extraordinary BMW racing cars and motorcycles to Goodwood. BMW will be celebrating two very special anniversaries: the founding of BMW Motorrad 90 years ago and Nelson Piquet’s Formula One World Championship win with the Brabham BMW BT52 30 years ago. Piquet (above) piloted a Brabham BMW to the Formula One World Championship crown, the first driver in Formula One history to win the title in a car powered by a turbocharged engine. The 1983 World Championship-winning Brabham BMW BT52 has been comprehensively restored by BMW, and Piquet will be driving it at Goodwood. The 24 of Le Mans-winning BMW V12 LMR (below) will also appear, to be driven by its original drivers, Marc Surer and Steve Soper.

(SCCA)
West Coast SCCA Racers. The Sports Car Club of America, Inc. today announced the locations of the next three SCCA® National Championship Runoffs®, including a long-awaited trip to the West Coast and return appearances to two historic venues. National Champions will be crowned at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in 2014, Daytona International Speedway in 2015 and Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in 2016. The return to the West Coast and Monterey’s Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca comes 50 years after the inaugural event at Riverside in 1964. The event alternated between Riverside and Daytona for six years. Once again, Daytona will follow a West Coast event. Mid-Ohio was the Runoffs host from 1994-2005. The annual rotation, a break from recent tradition, came from lengthy discussion among members of the SCCA Board of Directors – as did the trip to the West Coast. Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca becomes just the seventh track to host the Runoffs in the event’s 50-year history, and marks the first time a National Champion will be crowned west of the Rocky Mountains since 1968 at Riverside International Raceway, in Riverside, Calif. The road course at Daytona International Speedway hosted the Runoffs previously in 1965, 1967 and 1969. The Runoffs will utilize the 12-turn, 3.56-mile infield and oval circuit. Of the three venues, Mid-Ohio has the most recent Runoffs records. With 12 previous engagements, only Road Atlanta, with 24, has seen the Runoffs more. The 50th Runoffs will be held September 16-22, 2013 at Road America for the fifth consecutive year. The SCCA National Championship Runoffs has crowned Club Racing National Champions in a winner-take-all, single race format since 1964. Through 24 separate races over three days, the 2013 edition will crown champions in 28 Runoffs-eligible classes.

Editor's Note: Watch Niki Lauda take Ron Howard around the  Nordschleife in the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class here. - WG

(Photo by Shawn Grtizmacher/INDYCAR)
Scott Dixon (No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) dominated the Honda Indy Toronto INDYCAR weekend, winning both Saturday and Sunday's races. This makes it three in a row for the talented Dixon - who won the week before at Pocono - and it served notice to the competition that when Dixon gets hot like he is right now, things will get very interesting from here on out. Dixon streaked away from the first standing start in IZOD INDYCAR Series history in Race 2 on Sunday and led 81 of the 85 laps, which is as dominant as it gets. Dixon, who won Race 1 of the Honda Indy Toronto by 1.7 seconds over Sebastien Bourdais, won Race 2 under caution because of a late accident to sweep the weekend doubleheader and earn the $100,000 SONAX Perfect Finish Award. "It's been a long time since I've had such a dominant day," said Dixon, a two-time series champion who will celebrate his 33rd birthday July 22. Dixon also earned his 32nd Indy car victory to overtake Dario Franchitti, Bourdais and Paul Tracy for seventh on the all-time list.

(Photo by Chris Jones/INDYCAR)
Toronto was a huge weekend for Sebastien Bourdais (No. 7 Dragon Racing Chevrolet) and car owner Jay Penske. Bourdais, the four-time Champ Car champion, finished second on Saturday in Race 1, and third on Sunday in race 2, the best-ever result for the Jay Penske organization.

(Photo by Shawn Gritzmacher/INDYCAR)
Helio Castroneves (No. 3 Team Penske Hitachi Chevrolet), here spraying the obligatory champagne on Sunday, finished sixth on Saturday in Race 1 and second on Sunday in race 2. Castroneves may have been celebrating Sunday, but the writing is on the wall with Dixon's surge. Castroneves entered the weekend with a 39-point lead over Ryan Hunter-Reay (No. 1 Andretti Autosport DHL Chevrolet) in the INDYCAR championship standings, now he leads Dixon by 29. And next up for INDYCAR? Mid-Ohio, where Dixon is damn-near unbeatable. Here's what Chip Ganassi said after Sunday's race: "Not bad, three in row. We were 92 points out in Pocono, and now we're 29 out of the lead. That's pretty fired up there. The kid is on a roll. It means a lot to us. It's good for Honda. It's good for the team, every employee we have in Indianapolis and Charlotte. It pumps everyone up. We're looking good for Mid-Ohio."

(Photo by Shawn Gritzmacher/INDYCAR)
2013 Indianapolis 500 Chase Rookie of the Year Carlos Munoz replaced Ryan Briscoe as the driver of the No. 4 National Guard Panther Racing Chevrolet for Race 2 after Briscoe suffered a broken right wrist during Race 1 on Saturday. Munoz, 21, from Bogota, Colombia, started dead last and finished in seventeenth position in his first outing in an Indy car on a road course. Another impressive outing for the kid, who stayed out of trouble and didn't do anything stupid, which is half the battle on street circuits. "It was a long race and a hard race for me," Munoz commented afterward. 'It was basically my first time in an Indy car on a street course, and I didn't know what to expect to be in a race here with so many cars out there. We continued to drop lap times and I got more and more comfortable with each lap, and by the end we put together quite a good lap, which are all positive things. It's good work from the National Guard crew and my goal was to finish, and I finished, and I'm very happy to have this opportunity today." That Munoz will find his way into a full-time INDYCAR ride next year is no surprise, but with whom?

(Photo by John Cote/INDYCAR)
Jack Hawksworth (No. 77 Schmidt Peterson c/w Curb-Agajanian) earned his second victory of the season, winning the Firestone Indy Lights' Toronto 100 from the pole. With bonus points attached for the pole and leading the most laps to the victory and championship points front-runner Carlos Munoz placing fourth, Hawksworth slid into title contention through eight of 12 rounds. Peter Dempsey (No. 5 Belardi Auto Racing), overtook Gabby Chaves (No. 7 Schmidt Peterson with Curb-Agajanian) on Lap 46 for second and finished 14.4 seconds back.

(Photo by Lesley Ann Miller, ©2013, LAT Photo USA)
Brian Vickers (No. 55 Michael Waltrip Racing Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota Camry) stunned everyone to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway Sunday. Vickers, running a very limited program with MWR, finished ahead of Kyle Busch (No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry) by .582 seconds in a green-white-checkered-flag finish to win the Camping World RV Sales 301. The victory was especially sweet for Vickers, who endured blood clots in his legs and lungs that threatened his life and sidelined him for the second half of the 2010 season. After recuperating, Vickers ran a full Cup season for Red Bull Racing in 2011 but lost his ride when Red Bull left the sport. The third victory of Vickers’ career was his first since August 2009 at Michigan. Jeff Burton (No. 31 Richard Childress Racing Caterpillar Chevrolet SS) came in third, his first podium finish since July 2012 at Daytona. "It was difficult not to think about that those last 50 laps or 30 laps or whatever it was," Vickers said. "I just tried to live in the moment as much as possible, turn by turn and not think about the past or the future or what could or couldn't happen. But once it was over, it was… I think it was a sigh of relief with everything that had happened, to finally, clinch another victory after so long and after so much, and it was a lot of thankfulness. I don't know if that's the best… that's definitely the feeling I have. I just don't know if that's the right word to articulate it. Just thankful for everything that had happened and everything that didn't happen; that I was able to get back into a race car, and that I had the support of family and friends to get through everything and to get back in the car." Watch all of the video highlights here.

Editor-in-Chief's Note: My colleague Gordon Kirby corrals Scott Atherton at Lime Rock Park and gets him to talk about the United SportsCar racing series. I'm in total agreement with Gordon's summation although I will be even more emphatic  - it is the last chance for big time sports car racing in America to get it right. - PMD

(John Thawley  ~  Motorsports Photography @ www.johnthawley.com  ~ 248.227.011)
Reigning ALMS GT champions Tommy Milner and Oliver Gavin (No. 4 Compuware Chevrolet Corvette C6.R) claimed a narrow GT class victory over Dominik Farnbacher and Marc Goossens in the No. 91 SRT Motorsports SRT Viper GTS-R in Sunday’s Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix, a race in the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (Mosport). Milner had Farnbacher’s Viper on his ass throughout the closing minutes on the 2.459-mile, 10-turn Canadian road circuit but held on to win by just 0.267 seconds. It was the 10th victory at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park for Corvette Racing. “I had to do whatever I could do to hold him off without getting a penalty,” said Milner. “Our car wasn’t quite as good as theirs. He could really close the gap in Turn 8. I told myself going into Turn 8 on that last lap that I was either going to spin myself out or it was going to stick and I was going to keep the lead. I threw it in there and I here I am." Check out John Thawley's impeccable photographic work from Mosport here.

(John Thawley  ~  Motorsports Photography @ www.johnthawley.com  ~ 248.227.011)
In P2 Scott Sharp and Guy Cosmo (No. 01 Tequila Patrón HPD ARX-03b) finished second to the  No. 551 Siemens/Alpina Watches/Ohiya Casino Resort HPD ARX-03b co-driven by Marino Franchitti and Scott Tucker. Franchitti passed Tucker – who drove Level 5 Motorsports’ No. 552 entry to the checkered flag after starting the race in the No. 551 – with 26 minutes remaining to earn the P2 class victory and second overall.

(John Thawley  ~  Motorsports Photography @ www.johnthawley.com  ~ 248.227.011)
Lucas Luhr and Klaus Graf (No. 6 Muscle Milk Pickett Racing HPD ARX-03c) took the easy overall win in P1. It was their fifth consecutive win at the track for Luhr and Graf, who led every lap Sunday en route to their fourth victory of the season.

(John Thawley  ~  Motorsports Photography @ www.johnthawley.com  ~ 248.227.011)
Colin Braun and Jon Bennett (No. 05 CORE autosport Composite Resources ORECA FLM09) combined to win the Prototype Challenge presented by Continental Tire (PC) class. It was the second win this season for the duo. The No. 9 RSR Racing team of Duncan Ende and Bruno Junqueira led much of the early part of the race, but finished fifth after the car would not fire after a mid-race pit stop. In the GT Challenge class, Jeroen Bleekemolen held off a last lap charge from Spencer Pumpelly to earn the victory alongside Cooper MacNeil in the No. 22 WeatherTech Porsche 911 GT3 Cup for Alex Job Racing.

(John Thawley  ~  Motorsports Photography @ www.johnthawley.com  ~ 248.227.011)
Next up for the AMLS is the Orion Energy Systems 245 at Road America on August 11. The race is part of a highly anticipated doubleheader weekend alongside the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series.

(Global Rally Cross)
Toomas Heikkinen (No. 57 OlsbergsMSE Ford Fiesta ST) became the first driver to win three consecutive Global Rallycross events when he took the checkered flag in the Sylvania Silverstar zXe Global Rallycross at Bristol Motor Speedway, beating Ken Block (No. 43 Hoonigan Racing Division Ford Fiesta ST) and Brian Deegan (No. 38 OlsbergsMSE Ford Fiesta ST).

(MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS)
Lewis Hamilton (No. 10 Mercedes AMG F1 W04/04) won the Grand Prix of Hungary at the Hungaroring on Sunday, his 22nd career victory in Formula 1. Kimi Räikkönen (No. 7 Lotus-Renault) was second and Sebastian Vettel (No. 1 Red Bull Racing-Renault) was third.

(MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS)

(Harold Hinson for Chevrolet)
Ryan Newman, driver of the No. 39 Stewart-Haas Racing Quicken Loans/The Smurfs Chevrolet SS, won the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway Sunday. He's shown with his wife, Krissie, and his children, Brooklyn Sage, left, and Ashlyn Olivia, right. Ryan Newman joined his team owner, Tony Stewart, as the only Indiana natives to win a NASCAR Sprint Cup race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, holding off second-place finisher Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Lowe's Chevrolet SS) by 2.657 seconds. Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Great Clips Chevrolet) finished third, while two-time Brickyard winner Stewart (No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Mobil 1/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) was fourth. Matt Kenseth rounded out the top five in the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Dollar General Toyota. Hendrick Motorsports (Stewart-Haas Racing uses Hendrick-built engines and chassis) and Chevrolet power dominated the race. But it was also readily apparent that the top Chevy teams' chassis development paid huge dividends at The Speedway on Sunday. Chevy has won 11 consecutive Sprint Cup Series races at IMS. Watch the videos from NASCAR here.

(Photo by Russell LaBounty courtesy of Toyota Racing, LAT 2013)
Kyle Busch (No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Monster Energy Toyota) flat dominated the Indiana 250 Nationwide race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway last Saturday, leading 92 of 100 laps. It was the record 59th NASCAR Nationwide Series race win for Busch in 259 starts. This was Busch's fifth victory from the pole this season, breaking a single-season record for wins from the pole. Busch did face a strong challenge late in the race from Brian Scott in the No. 2 Shore Lodge Chevrolet, who passed Busch in Turn 2 on a Lap 95 restart. Busch fell to third place on Lap 96 when he was passed by Joey Logano (No. 22 Penske Racing Discount Ford). Busch got around Logano for second place on Lap 97 before overtaking Scott on the back straightaway for the lead on Lap 98. Busch extended his lead in the final two laps winning by 2.142 seconds over Scott, with Logano finishing third. "It's Indianapolis," Busch said. "It's pretty awesome to be able to win here. It's cool to win at this place with the history, with all the automobiles that have raced on this surface."

(Grand-Am)
Ryan Dalziel (No. 2 Starworks Motorsport Soloson BMW Riley Daytona Prototype) teamed with Alex Popow to win the second annual Brickyard Grand Prix GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series race Friday, July 26 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was the second consecutive Brickyard Grand Prix triumph for Starworks Motorsport in the three-hour race on the 13-turn, 2.534-mile IMS Grand Prix course.

(Grand-Am)
Indianapolis 500 veteran Scott Pruett and teammate Memo Rojas finished second Friday in the No. 01 TELMEX BMW Riley fielded by Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, 3.438 seconds behind the winners. With their performance, Pruett and Rojas clinched the North American Endurance Championship presented by VISITFLORIDA.com in the Daytona Prototype class, earning a $100,000 bonus. The NAEC consists of the Rolex 24 At Daytona, the Sahlen's Six Hours at the Glen and the Brickyard Grand Prix.

(Grand-Am)
Alex Gurney and Jon Fogarty finished third in the No.99 GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing Corvette DP at The Speedway on Friday.

(Grand-Am)
Jeff Segal and Max Papis (center) teamed in the No. 61 R. Ferrari/AIM Motorsport Ferrari 458 Italia to give Ferrari its first GT victory of the season. John Edwards and Robin Liddell (left) finished second in the No. 57 Stevenson Auto Group Chevrolet Camaro, giving Stevenson Motorsports the NAEC GT title. Sylvain Tremblay and Tom Long combined to give SpeedSource its fifth consecutive victory in the GX class, scoring their second triumph of the campaign in the No. 70 MAZDASPEED/Speedsource Mazda6. SpeedSource also won the NAEC title for the class. Dr. Jim Norman finished second in the No. 38 BGB Motorsports Porsche Cayman to secure the GX NAEC driver title. GRAND-AM returns to action at Road America as part of a combined event with the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón. The Rolex Series will join the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge on Saturday, August 10, with the ALMS competing on Sunday.

(QBA/QNIGAN.com)
Global Rallycross will see no fewer than 18 entrants—a season high—at X Games Los Angeles this week, the final X Games event of the 2013 schedule.

(Grand-Am)
Fall-Line Motorsports co-drivers Mark Boden and Bryan Sellers (No. 46 BMW M3) grabbed a second consecutive Grand Sport victory in the 2.5-hour Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race, finishing .870 seconds ahead of the No. 61 Mustang driven by Jack Roush Jr. and Billy Johnson. Third place went to Bill Auberlen and Paul Dalla Lana in the No. 96 Turner Motorsport M3.

(Grand-Am)
The Street Tuner class in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race was a 1-2-3 BMW sweep with Terry Borcheller and Mike La Marra (No. 23 Burton Racing BMW 128i) taking their second victory of the season and moving the duo back to the top of the ST driver point standings. Jesse Combs and Jeff Mosing (No. 56 RACE EPIC/Murillo Racing BMW 328i) finished second. Mosing set the fastest ST race lap with a time of 1:40.945 minutes on lap 51. Last year’s Brickyard Sports Car Challenge winners, the No. 82 BimmerWorld Racing BMW 328i of Daniel Rogers and Seth Thomas finished third.

(Photo by Chris Jones/INDYCAR)
Charlie Kimball (No. 83 NovoLog FlexPen Chip Ganassi Racing Honda/Dallara) slipped past Simon Pagenaud at the end of the long backstretch on Lap 73 of 90 and went on to win the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio for his first IZOD IndyCar Series victory. The Camarillo, Calif., native is the ninth different winner in 14 races this season and the fourth first-time winner.

(Photo by John Cote/INDYCAR)          
"It's nice when the team gives you such a great car," said Kimball, who started fifth on the 2.258-mile, 13-turn road course. "All I needed to do was to hit the lap times they needed me to." Kimball led a field-high 46 laps in the caution-free race (the first since Mid-Ohio last year). Through his previous 44 starts, he led a total of 15 laps (12 this season).

(Photo by John Cote/INDYCAR)
Simon Pagenaud (No. 77 Schmidt Hamilton HP Motorsports Honda/Dallara) was 5.533 seconds behind Kimball to record his first podium finish since winning Race 2 of the Detroit doubleheader weekend in early June. "I've got to say, Charlie (Kimball) did a fantastic job today," Pagenaud commented after the race. "I gave it all.  Just him and Ganassi were stronger.  Charlie was bold enough to stick it on the inside and I didn't think he would make it but he did so congrats to him.  Congrats to Honda.  It's 1-2-3.  It's a Honda track so it's important for us to bring a 1-2-3 home.  But I've got to say, congrats to Charlie because I gave him hell."

(Photo by John Cote/INDYCAR)
Dario Franchitti (No. 10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing GE Honda/Dallara) finished third to provide Honda a podium sweep. Will Power (No. 12 Team Penske Verizon Chevrolet/Dallara) finished fourth and pole sitter Ryan Hunter-Reay (No. 1 Andretti Autosport DHL Chevrolet/Dallara) was fifth.

(Photo by Chris Jones/INDYCAR)
Helio Castroneves (No. 3 Team Penske PPG Chevrolet/Dallara) finished sixth - three-tenths of a second ahead of Scott Dixon (No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Honda/Dallara) - to increase his championship points lead over the two-time series champion to 31 with five races remaining. Hunter-Reay is third (65 points back) heading to the Aug. 25 GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma.

(Photo by John Cote/INDYCAR)
Also on Aug. 4 at Mid-Ohio, pole sitter Gabby Chaves (No. 7 Schmidt Peterson with Curb-Agajanian) led all 40 laps to win the Firestone Indy Lights Mid-Ohio 100 for his first victory in the series. Chaves had three second-place finishes and three third-place finishes in the eight previous races. Peter Dempsey finished second in the No. 5 Belardi Auto Racing car.

(Rusty Jarrett for Chevrolet)
Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet SS) won Sunday in the GoBowling 400 at Pocono Raceway in Pocono, Pennsylvania. He blew by his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon going into Turn 1 with two laps left and pulled away for the win. Gordon (No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet SS) was second and Kurt Busch (No. 78 Furnitute Row Racing - Denver Mattress Chevrolet SS) was third in another excellent performance for the limited-budget team. Watch the NASCAR videos from the Pocono race weekend here.

(Acura)
Acura trotted out a prototype of its NSX sports car at the Mid-Ohio INDYCAR event over the weekend in Lexington, Ohio. The car turned laps just prior to the running of the Honda Indy 200. The Acura NSX prototype lapped the 2.4-mile winding road course, driven by a member of the Ohio-based engineering development team. The NSX prototype sported custom graphics that "speak to Acura's intention to go racing with the new NSX," according to the Acura release. We don't know how draping the car in butt ugly clown car graphics speaks to racing it, but whatever. The Acura NSX will be powered by a mid-mounted, direct-injected V-6 engine mated to Acura's Sport Hybrid SH-AWD® (Super Handling All-Wheel Drive) system. Acura says that its Sport Hybrid SH-AWD® is an all-new, three-motor high-performance hybrid system that combines torque vectoring all-wheel drive with advanced hybrid efficiency through the use of three electric motors – one motor integrated with the V-6 engine and its all-new dual-clutch transmission (DCT) driving the rear wheels, and two independent motors driving the front wheels. The system enables instant delivery of negative or positive torque to the front wheels during cornering "to achieve a new level of driving performance unparalleled by current AWD systems," according to Acura's PR minions. We'll see about that, won't we? Global development of the NSX is being led by engineers at Honda R&D Americas, Inc., in Raymond, Ohio. The next-generation Acura sports car will be produced in nearby Marysville, Ohio, using domestic and globally sourced parts, at the newly established, state-of-the-art Performance Manufacturing Center, now under construction.

(Audi Motorsport)
Mike Rockenfeller (Audi Sport Team Phoenix) and Mattias Ekström (Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline) finished one-two at the first Russian DTM race in history over the weekend at Moscow Raceway, the new DTM race track around 80 kilometers north-west of Moscow. With his second win of the season Rockenfeller extends his lead in the overall standings to 27 points.

(Ford Racing)
Toomas “Topi” Heikkinen (Bluebeam OlsbergsMSE Ford Fiesta ST) landed his fourth consecutive series victory to win gold while Tanner Foust (Rockstar Energy OlsbergsMSE Ford Fiesta ST) claimed silver at X Games Los Angeles on Sunday as Ford Racing clinched the Global Rallycross manufacturers’ championship. Heikkinen became the first driver in X Games history to win two RallyCross gold medals while also increasing his lead in the championship point standings. Foust took home the gold medal on Saturday night in the inaugural Gymkhana Grid competition and followed it up with another strong effort in the RallyCross race. The track at Irwindale Speedway was slightly different from other GRC courses in that it did not include a jump in the joker lap, which is a shortcut all drivers can use once per race.

(Ford Racing)

Editor-n-Chief's Note: Check out Nico Rosberg driving the Mercedes-Benz W196 racer at the Nordschleife. here. - PMD

(John Thawley  ~  Motorsports Photography @ www.johnthawley.com  ~ 248.227.011)
The American Le Mans Series and the Rolex Grand-Am Sports Car Series put on quite a show at Road America last weekend. Brendon Hartley and Scott Mayer (No. 8 Starworks Motorsport BMW/Riley) won the VISITFLORIDA.com Sports Car 250 on Saturday, the first victory for both drivers. The duo completed 70 laps in the two-hour, 45-minute race on the 4.048-mile circuit, averaging 102.974 mph. Bill Auberlen prevailed over Patrick Long to join Paul Dalla Lana in winning GT in the No. 94 Turner Motorsport BMW M3, their third victory of the season.  Joel Miller led the final four laps to take his fourth GX victory in the No. 00 Visit Florida Racing/SpeedSource Mazda 6, joined by three-time winner Tristan Nunez. In the ALMS portion of the weekend - the Orion Energy Systems 245 which ran on Sunday - Dominick Farnbacher and Marc Goossens won a tight GT battle in the No. 91 Viper GTS-R. It was the 17th victory in the ALMS for Viper, and the first victory for a Viper in thirteen-and-one-half years. Scott Tucker scored his fourth consecutive P2 victory for Level 5 Motorsports, joining guest driver Simon Pagenaud in the No. 551 Siemens//Alpina Watches/Ohiya Casino Resort HPD ARX-03b. Bruno Junqueira and Duncan Ende captured their second Prototype Challenge presented by Continental Tire victory of the season, finishing third overall in the No. 9 RSR Racing ORECA FLM09. Spencer Pumpelly recorded his sixth career victory in GTC, joining second-time winner Nelson Canache Jr. in the No. 45 Flying Lizard Motorsports Venezuela/eSilicon Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, and of course Lucas Luhr and Klaus Graf (No. 6 Muscle Milk HPD ARX-03c) rolled to their fifth consecutive American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón overall win. Read more about last weekend's racing in this week's "Fumes" and see John Thawley's scintillating images for Grand-Am and ALMS here and here.
(John Thawley  ~  Motorsports Photography @ www.johnthawley.com  ~ 248.227.011)

(John Thawley  ~  Motorsports Photography @ www.johnthawley.com  ~ 248.227.011)
Action Express Racing finished second and third in the Daytona Prototype class on Saturday. Joao Barbosa finished 4.290 seconds behind Hartley in the No. 5 Corvette DP started by Christian Fittipaldi. Brothers Brian and Burt Frisselle took the final podium position in the No. 9 Corvette DP.

(John Thawley  ~  Motorsports Photography @ www.johnthawley.com  ~ 248.227.011)
The DeltaWing ran up front for the first time ever in ALMS competition – leading twice for 16 laps – as Katherine Legge put the No. 0 DeltaWing LM12 into the overall lead on lap 20, and then paced eight laps before giving way to Luhr’s No. 6 Muscle Milk HPD ARX-03c. Co-driver Andy Meyrick regained the lead during pit stops, and also led eight laps before being passed by Graf in the Canada Corner with 51 minutes remaining. Legge and Meyrick took third in class and placed fifth overall – the first finish for the team this season.

(John Thawley  ~  Motorsports Photography @ www.johnthawley.com  ~ 248.227.011)
The SRT Viper Team celebrated the marques' first win since 2000 with its win in GT at Road America.

(John Thawley  ~  Motorsports Photography @ www.johnthawley.com  ~ 248.227.011)
It was the third career ALMS victory in Prototype Challenge for Bruno Junqueira - all for RSR Racing - and the sixth career triumph for Ende.

(Grand-Am)
Matt Plumb and Nick Longhi (No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche Carrera ) scored a dramatic victory in Saturday’s Road America 200 – along with a huge step toward their first Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Grand Sport driver championship. Plumb passed Spencer Pumpelly for the lead when the latter pitted for fuel with four minutes remaining, and then nursed his Porsche for two more laps to the checkered flag. Nick Mancuso – looking to give Aston Martin its first CTSCC victory in the No. 15 Multimatic Motorsports Vantage started by Frank Montecalvo – made up 10 seconds in the closing two laps but came up 1.932 seconds shy at the checkered flag.

(Grand-Am)
Tom Dyer (No. 196 RSR Motorsports Honda Civic Si, started by Andrew Novich) ran out of fuel in the Street Tuner race on the final lap and Gregory Liefooghe went on to win in the No. 81 BimmerWorld BMW 328i started from the pole by Tyler Cooke. Both the Rolex Series and Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge return to action next weekend with GRAND-AM’s first visit to Kansas Speedway for Saturday’s SFP Grand Prix.

(© 2013, Brian Czobat LAT Photo USA)
Kyle Busch (No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing M&M's Toyota Camry) won the Cheez-It 355 NASCAR Sprint Cup race at the 2.45-mile Watkins Glen International road course by .486 seconds over runner-up Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Penske Racing Miller Lite Ford Fusion). Martin Truex Jr. (No. 56 Michael Waltrip Racing NAPA Auto Parts Toyota Camry) finished third. The flow of the race was totally screwed-up by multiple caution periods. Watch the videos here.

(© 2013, Brian Czobat autostock USA)
Brad Keselowski (No. 22 Penske Racing Hertz Ford Mustang) leads teammate Sam Hornish Jr (No. 12 Penske Racing Penske Truck Rental Ford Mustang) in the Zippo 200 Nationwide race at Watkins Glen International on Saturday. Keselowski won by 1.418-seconds over Hornish Jr. Brian Vickers (No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Dollar General Toyota Camry) was third. It was Keselowski's fourth Nationwide win this season and the 24th of his career. Watch a video here.

(Ford)
Toomas Heikkinen followed up his X Games Los Angeles gold medal by making Global Rallycross history on Saturday night at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Heikkinen, driver of the Bluebeam OlsbergsMSE Ford Fiesta ST, won his fifth straight series event in dominating fashion as he earned the top seed before winning both of his heat races and then beating fellow Ford driver Tanner Foust to the checkered flag in the GRC Round 7 main event. Heikkinen extended his advantage in the point standings to 43 over teammate Foust, who denied Heikkinen from clinching the overall championship by finishing second.

(Ford)
The runner-up finish was the second straight for Tanner Foust in the Rockstar Energy OlsbergsMSE Ford Fiesta ST and third podium appearance in Global Rallycross this season.

(GM/Corvette Racing)
Editor-in-Chief's Note: A good time was had by all at Laguna Seca (Mazda Raceway) for the annual Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. I saw a lot of old friends and a lot of exquisite machines, but then again, that's always the case at this singular event. Kudos go out to Chevrolet for its outstanding display celebrating 60 years of the Corvette, which matched significant production cars with their equally significant competition-prepared counterparts throughout history, along with many other interesting cars, including the new 2014 Corvette Stingray. An added bonus for the Corvette faithful was an unexpected glimpse at the company's new 2014 Corvette Racing C7.R racer that will compete beginning next year in the United SportsCar Racing series in the top GT category. Tommy Milner made a fast-lap pass in the camouflaged machine as the crowd went wild. Camouflage or no, it's going to be a hot-looking racing machine. - PMD

(Ford Racing)
Joey Logano (No. 22. Penske Racing Shell/Pennzoil Ford Fusion) captured his first NASCAR Sprint Cup win of the season at Michigan International Speedway Sunday. The win was also the first of the season for Penske Racing since switching to Ford at the end of last season. The win also gave Ford the first Michigan Heritage trophy, awarded to the winning manufacturer at MIS. Watch the videos here.

(Ford Racing)
Joey Logano celebrates winning the inaugural Michigan Heritage Manufacturers' Trophy at MIS.

(Alan Marler for Chevrolet Racing)
Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Richard Childress Racing Rheem Chevrolet SS) finished second in the Pure Michigan 400 at MIS on Sunday. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports National Guard Youth Foundation Chevrolet SS) finished 36th after shredding a tire and hitting the wall.

(Brian Lawdermilk for Chevrolet Racing)
Kurt Busch (No. 78 Furniture Row Racing/Serta Chevrolet SS) had another strong run to finish third at Michigan International Speedway. Busch is combining the sheer force of his will and his prodigious talent to put the Furniture Row car up front and consistently in the mix. Busch is currently ninth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings.

(Ford Racing)
AJ Allmendinger (No. 22 Penske Racing Discount Tire Ford Mustang) charges to victory at the Mid Ohio NASCAR Nationwide Series race last Saturday. Michael McDowell (No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing K-Love Toyota Camry) was second, and Sam Hornish Jr. (No. 12 Penske Racing Alliance Truck Parts Ford Mustang) was third. Watch the video here.

(Photo by Brian Cleary for Chevrolet Racing)
Jordan Taylor and Max Angelelli (No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing Velocity Worldwide Corvette Daytona Prototype) were victorious in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series SFP Grand Prix in Kansas City, Kansas. Taylor and Angelelli regain the lead in the DP championship with the win, their third of the season. Taylor won by .568 seconds over Scott Pruett (No. 01 Ganassi Racing Telcel/TELMEX BMW/Riley, co-driven by Memo Rojas). Ozz Negri and John Pew recovered from an accident in Friday’s opening practice to finish third in the No. 60 Michael Shank Racing Ford/Riley.

(GRAND-AM)
Alessandro Balzan took his first Rolex Series victory in GT, joining Leh Keen in the No. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia. Balzan led the final 30 laps, holding off Patrick Long in the No. 73 Park Place Motorsports Porsche GT3 (co-driven by Patrick Lindsey). Emil Assentato and Anthony Lazzaro finished third in the No. 69 AIM Autosport Team FXDD Ferrari 458.

(GRAND-AM)
John Edwards (No. 9 Stevenson Auto Group Chevrolet Camaro) held off Matt Plumb in a three-lap sprint to the checkered flag Saturday at Kansas Speedway, joining Matt Bell in winning their second race of the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge season. Bell took the checkered flag 0.425 seconds ahead of Plumb in the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche 997 started by Nick Longhi. Shelby Blackstock went from ninth to third in the final 30 minutes to score his first GS podium finish in the No. 51 Starstruck Ford Mustang Boss 302R. The car was started from the back of the grid by Joey Atterbury due to a technical infraction after qualifying fourth.

(GRAND-AM)
Taylor Hacquard and Derek Jones (No. 32 i-Moto/Cybernation Mazda Speed 3) won their first CTSCC victories in the Street Tuner (ST) class after race leader Michael Valiante (No. 93 HART Honda Civic Si started by Chad Gilsinger, above) was penalized for manipulating the final restart. When Valiante failed to answer the black flag following the final restart, he was given a time penalty that dropped him to an 11th-place finish. Terry Borcheller finished second in the No. 23 Burton Racing BMW 128i started by Mike LaMarra. Ryan Eversley and Kyle Gimple placed third in the No. 75 Compass360 Racing Honda Civic. The Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge returns to action at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca with the Continental Tire Sports Car Festival powered by Mazda on Sunday, Sept. 8.

(Infiniti)
Sebastian Vettel (No. 1 Red Bull Racing-Renault RB9) powered to a commanding win at the Belgian Grand Prix to extend his lead in the Drivers’ Championship to 46 points over Fernando Alonso (No. 3 Ferrari), who finished second ahead of pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton (No. 10 Mercedes). Vettel finished 16.8 seconds ahead of Alonso to claim his fifth win of the season. “I don’t think we expected to be dominant here, and it surprised all of us actually; it's a great result,” said Vettel after the race. “I think we knew going into the race that our race pace, compared to Mercedes, maybe gave us a little in hand, but we didn't know where we were compared to the others, especially Ferrari, and Lotus looked very quick in dry conditions also. “It wasn't clear if the rain was going to come at the end of the race, so we kept pushing, but the gap we had by that stage meant we were able to control the race from there and the last couple of laps weren't too stressful.” In the Constructors’ battle, Red Bull Racing has 312 points, Mercedes has 235 and Ferrari has 218.

(Infiniti)

(Matthew T. Thacker ©2013 LAT Photo USA)
Matt Kenseth (No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Dollar General Toyota Camry) held off Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Farmers Insurance Chevrolet SS) over the last 27 laps to win the Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway Saturday night, his fifth NASCAR Sprint Cup victory of the year. The win guaranteed Kenseth at least a Wild Card spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Watch the videos here.

(Rusty Jarrett for Chevrolet/GM Racing)
Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Farmers Insurance Chevrolet SS) didn't close the deal Saturday night in Bristol but he drove an excellent race. Dale Earnhardt, Jr., (No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Diet Mountain Dew Chevrolet SS) finished 10th. Kahne is 8th and Earnhardt Jr. is 7th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings.

(Rusty Jarrett for Chevrolet/GM Racing)
After being told his contract wouldn't be renewed for 2014, Juan Pablo Montoya (No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Target Chevrolet SS) finished a strong 3rd Saturday night. Montoya may go back to INDYCAR if Michael Andretti can secure sponsorship for the deal. Paul Menard (No. 27 Richard Childress Racing Schrock/Menards Chevrolet SS) finished 6th.

(Lesley Ann Miller ©2013 LAT Photo USA)
Kyle Busch (No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Monster Energy Toyota Camry) flat dominated Friday night's NASCAR Nationwide Series Food City 250 at Bristol Motor Speedway leading 228 of 250 laps. Busch started from the pole (his sixth of the season) and pulled away from runner-up Brad Keselowski (No. 22 Penske Racing Discount Tire Ford Mustang) over a green-flag run for the final 72 laps. It was the sixth win for Busch in a NNS event at the .533-mile short track. The victory was also his ninth of the season and the series-record 60th of his career. Busch has won 15 times at Bristol across NASCAR's top three series. Watch a video here.

(Photo by Phillip Abbott for Chevrolet/GM Racing)
Will Power (No. 12 Team Penske Verizon Chevrolet/Dallara) led the final 16 laps to win the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma at Sonoma Raceway Sunday. Power won at the 2.385-mile, 12-turn road course for the third time in four years. He also became the 10th different winner in 15 IZOD IndyCar Series races in 2013. Power inherited the lead on Lap 70 when Scott Dixon (No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Honda/Dallara) was issued a drive-through penalty by INDYCAR officials for a pit safety infraction on his final stop. Dixon and Power were running 1-2 when they pitted on Lap 64, with Power's pit stall directly in front of Dixon's. As Dixon accelerated out of the pits, he clipped the right-rear tire carried by Penske crew member Travis Law, which knocked Law into airjack man Damon Lopez. Both Law and Lopez, along with crewman Jeremy Baker, who was hit by an airgun, were evaluated and released by INDYCAR Medical without injury. It was a highly questionable call, as it appeared as the Penske crewman deliberately put himself in harm's way. It cost Dixon the race as he clearly had the measure of Power.

 (Photo by John Cote/INDYCAR)
After the penalty, Scott Dixon (No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Honda/Dallara) charged from 20th to finish 15th. He picked up three bonus points, two for leading the most laps (27) and one for leading a lap, but the race was costly for Dixon. He now trails Helio Castroneves (No. 3 Team Penske Hitachi Chevrolet/Dallara) by 39 points heading to the Sept. 1 Grand Prix of Baltimore. Dixon entered the race 31 points back of Castroneves, who finished seventh for his 11th consecutive top 10.

(Photo by Richard Dowdy/INDYCAR)
Justin Wilson (No. 19 Dale Coyne Racing Honda/Dallara) placed a season-high second at Sonoma.

 (Photo by John Cote/INDYCAR)
Verizon P1 Award winner Dario Franchitti (No. 10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Honda/Dallara) finished a very racy third, recording his fourth podium finish in the past five races.

(Photo by Richard Prince for Cadillac Racing)

Andy Pilgrim, (No. 8 Cadillac Racing Cadillac CTS-V Coupe) won the GT Class of the Pirelli World Challenge Cadillac Grand Prix of Sonoma, California, on Sunday. Cadillac clinched the 2013 manufacturer’s championship during qualifying.

(Mark Weber/SCCA)
The 50th SCCA National Championship Runoffs begins at Road America on Monday, September 16, with practice for all 28 classes. Qualifying takes place Tuesday through Thursday, with a National Champion crowned in 28 class races on Friday, Sept. 20 through Sunday, Sept. 22. The SCCA National Championship Runoffs has crowned Club Racing National Champions in a winner-take-all, single race format since 1964. Two major attendance records are being threatened for the 50th SCCA National Championship Runoffs as marks for both the total starters for an event and the total starters for one class are within reach. The 50th celebration of the crown jewel of amateur road racing currently has 717 drivers on the entry list to compete in 28 classes. The current record saw 709 cars take a green flag at the 2004 Runoffs, held at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. In addition to the thrill of joining a prestigious group of SCCA National Champions, the 2013 entry list is boosted by the 50th running of the prestigious event, a champions provisional extended to past SCCA National Champions, and the conclusion of a five-year run at Road America. Beginning in 2014, the event will travel to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Daytona International Speedway and Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in successive years.

(John Thawley  ~  Motorsports Photography @ www.johnthawley.com  ~ 248.227.011)
Klaus Graf and Lucas Luhr (No. 6 Muscle Milk Pickett Racing HPD ARX-03c) combined to clinch their second consecutive American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón P1 championship with a victory in the Grand Prix of Baltimore presented by SRT, their sixth consecutive victory of the 2013 season. The race - conducted on the "joke" of a circuit utilizing the streets of Baltimore - was shortened to one hour, 13 minutes after a multi-car crash completely blocked the front straight seconds after the green flag was waved. It was the shortest race in ALMS history. Jan Magnussen (No. 3 Corvette Racing Compuware C6.R) made a third-to-first move to take the GT lead shortly after the final restart, holding off teammate Tommy Milner (No. 4 Corvette Racing Compuware C6.R) by .457 seconds in a 1-2 finish for Corvette Racing. Marino Franchitti took his fourth P2 victory of the season in the No. 552 Siemens/Alpina Watches/Ohiya Casino Resort HPD ARX-03b, joined by new Level 5 Motorsports teammate Guy Cosmo. Tristan Nunez went from third to first in the closing minutes to win in Prototype Challenge presented by Continental Tire (PC) in the No. 18 VisitFlorida.com/Ric Man/Signature ORECA FLM09. And Dion von Moltke and Seth Neiman led most of the way in GTC in the No. 44 PR Newswire/eSilicon Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. Check out John Thawley's wonderful images from Baltimore here. The next ALMS event will be at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas on Saturday, Sept. 21.

(John Thawley  ~  Motorsports Photography @ www.johnthawley.com  ~ 248.227.011)
The aftermath of the multi-car pileup at the start of the ALMS race in Baltimore.

(Photo by Nigel Kinrade © 2013 LAT Photo USA, courtesy of Toyota Racing)
Kyle Busch (No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing M&Ms Toyota Camry) won the AdvoCare 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway Sunday night, beating Joey Logano (No. 22 Penske Racing Shell/Penzzoil Ford Fusion) to the finish line by .740 seconds. The win was Busch’s fourth of the season, second at Atlanta and the 28th of his stellar career, tying him with Rex White for 23rd on the career victory list. Busch also locked-up a top-10 spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, adding three bonus points to his Chase-opening total. Busch struggles with his car early, labeling it "a joke" over the radio. "It was at first," Busch said frankly. "That’s why we race 500 miles, I guess. Man, I don’t know where it came from but these guys - (crew chief) Dave Rogers - the guys never gave up. They made some really good calls, and I commend them. It was their race today."
Watch NASCAR videos from Atlanta here.

(Photo by Matthew T. Thacker ©2013 Autostock, courtesy of Ford Racing)
Joey Logano (No. 22 Penske Racing Shell/Pennzoil Ford Fusion) is putting together an impressive season for Penske Racing in 2013. He finished second in Atlanta Sunday night and is now eighth in The Chase for the Sprint Cup standings going into Richmond, the last race before The Chase begins.

(Photo by Nigel Kinrade © 2013 LAT Photo USA courtesy of Toyota Racing)
Martin Truex Jr. (No. 56 Michael Waltrip Racing NAPA Auto Parts Toyota Camry) finished third in Atlanta Sunday night. Short of a win at Richmond, his chances for a Wild Card berth in The Chase are tenuous.

(Photo by Brian Czobat © 2013 LAT Photo USA courtesy of Toyota Racing)
Kevin Harvick (No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Bad Boy Buggies Chevrolet Camaro) won Saturday night’s Great Clips/Grit Chips 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway over Kyle Busch (No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Monster Energy Toyota Camry, above). Harvick beat Busch to the finish line by .579 seconds after passing Busch with five laps left. Watch NASCAR videos here.

(Photo by Bret Kelley/INDYCAR)
Simon Pagenaud (No. 77 Schmidt Hamilton HP Motorsports Honda-Dallara) survived ahead of Josef Newgarden (No. 67 Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing Honda-Dallara) and what was left of the 24-car field to win the Grand Prix of Baltimore presented by SRT. It was the second IZOD IndyCar Series victory of the season for the 29-year-old Pagenaud, who has now risen to third in the INDYCAR standings with three races left. Editor-in-Chief's Note: Conducted on a absolute joke of a "track" jury-rigged on the streets of Baltimore - one barely suited for passenger vehicles let along high-strung - and fragile - Indy-type cars - the INDYCAR "race" last Sunday was a kaleidoscope of carnage and a mind-boggling exercise in futility, with the team owners and those in attendance watching as drivers slowly but surely turned their cars into junk. The fact that there's talk of actually extending the contract for INDYCAR to continue running there is a perfect example of why team owners - Michael Andretti's race promotion company is in charge of the event - should not be in the business of promoting races. The ALMS and the soon-to-be United SportsCar Racing series have had enough of the Baltimore "track" and they won't be back next year, under any circumstances. Too bad INDYCAR apparently isn't smart enough to do the same. See more of my thoughts about this in this week's "Fumes." - PMD

(Photo by Bret Kelley/INDYCAR)
Josef Newgarden (No. 67 Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing Honda-Dallara), 22, the 2011 Firestone Indy Lights champion, finished 4.1 seconds back of Pagenaud in Baltimore after giving him a real run, securing a career-best runner-up finish after starting a season-best fifth. Here Josef is dealing with the "track" in the Sunday morning warm-up. There were six full-course cautions, with almost every car sustaining some damage during the 75 laps on the 2.04-mile, 12-turn temporary street circuit in downtown Baltimore.

(Photo by Phillip Abbott courtesy of Chevrolet Racing)
Sebastien Bourdais (No. 7 McAfee Dragon Racing Chevrolet-Dallara), stands on the podium after finishing third at the Grand Prix of Baltimore.

(Photo by Bret Kelley/INDYCAR)
Sunoco Pole Award winner Jack Hawksworth (No. 77 Schmidt Peterson c/w Curb-Agajanian, shown here in practice on Saturday) led all 35 laps on Sunday to win the Firestone Indy Lights Grand Prix of Baltimore. Sage Karam (No. 8 Schmidt Peterson c/w Curb-Agajanian) was second and Gabby Chaves (No. 7 Schmidt Peterson c/w Curb-Agajanian) finished third. The championship points chase tightened significantly with two races remaining as Carlos Munoz (No. 26 Dialy-Ser/Andretti Autosport), the front-runner entering the race on the 2.04-mile, 12-turn street circuit, made contact on Lap 6 and finished ninth. Hawksworth, who entered the race 39 points behind, won his third street course race of the season and returned to title contention. "It was the perfect weekend for us from start to finish," he said. "We rolled off the truck, we were quick straight from the off. When it's like that it makes your life a lot easier."

(Porsche)
The countdown to the 2014 sports car racing season has begun for Porsche. Following its successful launch in June on the company’s test track in Weissach, near Stuttgart, Germany, the Porsche LMP1 sports prototype racing machine – which has been completely redesigned – is working its way through a series of functional tests at hand-picked international racing circuits.

(Porsche)
In the most recent test drives, Neel Jani (Switzerland) took the wheel for the very first time. The former Grand Prix test driver has been part of the pool of regular LMP1 drivers supporting Timo Bernhard (Germany) and Romain Dumas (France) with the testing duties since July 1st of this year. The fourth driver is Australian Grand Prix ace Mark Webber, who will fortify the Porsche LMP1 team in 2014. The new Porsche LMP1 racing machine will debut in the 2014 World Endurance Championship (WEC) and contest the 24 Hours of Le Mans next June.

(Porsche)
"The current test drives are enabling us to collect huge amounts of vital data; every single kilometer driven is important. However, in order to develop the highly complex LMP1 racing car so that it is fit to compete by the start of next year's season, many more kilometers of testing are required," said Fritz Enzinger (above), vice president of the LMP1 program. "We are pleased with the progress being made with each test."

(Porsche)
A new set of rules applies to the WEC for 2014, which are clearly focused on efficiency and require the use of the latest hybrid drive technology. The aim of the new rules is to significantly reduce fuel consumption of the participating racing cars. The new Porsche LMP1 will need to balance optimum efficiency while delivering maximum performance, which coincides with the development of the next-generation Porsche road cars. The development of each and every future Porsche will benefit from the developmental breakthroughs derived from the motorsports program, according to Porsche. As most enthusiasts know, the company has been pursuing this transfer of technology from the field of motorsport to the road since the launch of the 550 Spyder in 1953. From dual ignition, disc brakes, optimized suspension, aerodynamic spoilers, turbocharged engines, double-clutch transmissions to powerful hybrid drives — all of these forms of pioneering road car technology were initially tested by Porsche in racing cars. "After 16 years, we once again want to be a works team in the top category with the LMP1 in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2014. It is also our aim to contest the entire WEC season", said Wolfgang Hatz, Member of the Porsche AG Executive Board responsible for Research and Development. "The Porsche legacy of success in long-distance races really spurs us on, but also increases the level of expectation placed on us. However, we are happy to rise to this challenge." You can follow the preparations of the LMP1 team ahead of its appearance in the 2014 WEC and the 24 Hours of Le Mans at www.porsche.com/mission2014.

(McLaren Automotive)
Bruce McLaren Motor Racing Limited was formally incorporated on September 2 1963, when the 26-year-old New Zealander mustered together a small crew of committed individuals to design, build and race cars bearing his own name, while operating from a small, cramped workshop in New Malden, Surrey. From that tiny base the team migrated through various premises in Colnbrook and Woking before settling upon its current site at the McLaren Technology Center, in Woking, England, home to all of the team’s businesses and workplace to more than 2000 people. In celebration of the team’s 50 years, McLaren staff joined together at the McLaren Technology Center in Woking to celebrate a half-century of race winning by one of the most successful names in motorsport. The celebrations were marked by current Vodafone McLaren Mercedes drivers Jenson Button and Sergio Perez, who took part in the display in the two latest models from McLaren Automotive. Perez arrived in the 3,000th production 12C – a 12C Spider finished in striking Volcano Yellow - while 2009 Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button showcased the McLaren P in front of the entire McLaren Group staff, dressed in Rocket Red T-shirts to honor the landmark occasion.

(McLaren Automotive)

(McLaren Automotive)
With first deliveries scheduled in the coming weeks the testing program for the McLaren P1™ continues, with the development team pushing the limits of the car to further extremes across North America in some of the hottest and most arid conditions on the planet. Finished all in Carbon Black, the McLaren P1 is captured on the road undisguised for the first time, working through a number of final durability tests before the first of the limited run of 375 models is delivered to customers. The extreme temperature testing saw the McLaren P1 pushed to the limits, experiencing heat in excess of 52°C / 126°F through Arizona, California and Nevada, as the western coast of America experienced some of the hottest temperatures on record. September is the 50th anniversary of McLaren, and the company will see the first deliveries of the McLaren P1 commencing in the coming weeks as celebrations continue. This final extreme test can be viewed at the official McLaren Automotive YouTube channel – http://youtu.be/yV2pEXK_zIM.

(McLaren Automotive)

The Street Giveth and The Street Taketh Away.

By A. J. Morning

Baltimore. Ten years ago, while working a stint for the Mayor’s Office in Baltimore, the thought occurred to me as I was driving home through the streets, “It sure would be cool to see a sports car race through here some day.” Of course, I’ve probably said that about three-fourths of the cities I’ve driven through over the years – and who would ever think of doing a race on the streets of Baltimore, anyway? In those days, the city was known nationally as little more than the backdrop for HBO’s The Wire, a show sometimes criticized for being too true to life. Too gritty. Too brutal. Too real. If Los Angeles has a polar opposite, it’s covered in Old Bay seasoning, hon. Baltimore is a picture of working class hard times, and not unlike Detroit has suffered economically for decades. The city’s got scars, ugly ones, and they’re front-and-center.

Of course, there was no way a major race could ever happen. Baltimore, for all its picturesque aerial shots of the Inner Harbor, has way too many counts against it. It’s one thing to whip-up a concrete canyon in a city where snow is something you only see on TV (that’s you, Long Beach & St. Pete), but here? With streets in such characteristically mid-Atlantic shape, they’ll turn a new car’s suspension into crab cake mush in a few months. It’ll never work.

Except that, for the last couple of years, it mostly did.

In the face of local media trashing the race weekend at every turn, and mixed support from the surrounding community (some businesses won, others lost), the first two years of the Grand Prix of Baltimore at the very least showed some promise. That is, literally the promise that much of the hazardously bumpy street surface at the rail tracks would be remedied. Hastily-poured chicanes on the Pratt St. front stretch were problematic in 2011 and 2012, but assurances had been made from all sides that “next year” the chassis-crunching curbs and rail gulleys would be tamed and the track would be so much better.

This year, all hell broke loose. Every series that showed-up – Indy Lights, ALMS, and IZOD Indycar – saw critical damage to numerous cars in every class, the chicanes and tire-barriers turning the circuit into a stunt course more worthy of “Ironman” Ivan Stewart’s off-roader than Patrick Dempsey's Porsche. Starting with a massive crash at the beginning of Saturday’s ALMS race before the field could even take the green flag (resulting in an hour-long delay that shortened the race duration from 2 hours to 1 hour 15 min), and Race Control for each series that seemed to be watching a NASCAR race somewhere, nearly everything that could go wrong, did. For every driver on every team, the ALMS race was hardcore penance for all sins real or imagined that have ever been committed in the name of competition.

As long as we’re complaining, even the humidity was awful. Again.

Sunday’s Indycar race may not have seen half the field turned into a carbon fiber modern art sculpture before it could even get started, but was yet another carnage-laced crash fest. With virtually no suspension travel, the Indy cars simply launched off the chicane curbs – and sometimes plowed into the tire barriers, keeping pit crews at the ready with new nose-pieces. On the dramatic side, the ongoing soap opera between Scott Dixon and Will Power added another chapter, courtesy of Power’s brain-fart which crashed-out Dixon’s car. It wasn’t good racing, but it was still a better story than Twilight.

Indycar may be comparable to vampires vs. werewolves, but for 2014 USCR is taking the shape of a hastily-cobbled together Frankenseries. As yet, teams and suppliers are still awaiting crucial specifications, schedules, pretty much the whole framework they should expect to be working with… and it’s not there yet. Memo to the offices in Daytona Beach: You’re late, and it looks bad.

Back to Baltimore: For all its faults, the city known for gritty TV shows, Super Bowl champs, and white marble steps, still has something to work with. Other circuits have gone through growing pains, and the harsh reality is that more of them are consigned to the scrapheap of history than on an active schedule.

We’ll know, soon.

That’s it for now; I’ll see you at the next pit stop.

(Photo by Rainier Ehrhardt/NASCAR via Getty Images, courtesy of Ford Racing)
Carl Edwards (No. 99 Kellogg's/Cheez-It Ford) celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway on Saturday night. He's in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship, but the race itself was a kaleidoscope of controversy. Read more about it in Fumes, and watch the NASCAR videos here.

(Photo by Alan Marler, courtesy of GM/Chevrolet Racing)
Kurt Busch (No. 78 Furniture Row Racing/Beautyrest Chevrolet SS) races to a second-place finish on Saturday night in Richmond during the Federated Auto Parts 400. Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Lowe's/KOBALT Tools Chevrolet SS) finished out of the running at Richmond but will be one of the favorites in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Busch topped-off a tremendous season by finishing second at Richmond and qualifiying for the Chase by finishing solidly in the top-ten in points.

(Photo by Alan Marler, courtesy of GM/Chevrolet Racing)
Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet SS) captured the pole with a track record qualifying lap of 20.674 seconds and fastest speed of 130.599 mph in qualifying for Saturday night's Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway. Gordon finished in eighth place in the race, but the MWR shenanigans cost him a place in the Chase.

(Photo courtesy of Ford Racing)
Brad Keselowski (No. 22 Penske Racing Hertz Ford Mustang) won the Nationwide Race Friday night in Richmond, but the fact that he didn't make the Chase was a big blow to him and his Penske Racing team.

(Photo by Brian Cleary, courtesy of GM/Chevrolet Racing)
Jordan Taylor and Max Angelelli (No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing Velocity Worldwide Corvette Daytona Prototype) held off Scott Pruett (No. 01 Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Telcel/TELMEX BMW/Riley, co-driven by Memo Rojas) to win the Rolex GRAND-AM race at Laguna Seca in Monterey, California, on Sunday afternoon. Taylor and Angelelli lead in the driver's point standings heading into the season finale at Lime Rock Park. Scott Dixon and fellow IndyCar driver Dario Franchitti finished third in the No. 02 Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Cessna BMW/Riley.

(Grand-Am)
In the other race within a race in Sunday’s Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Festival powered by Mazda, at Laguna Seca, Andy Lally led the final 26 laps in the No. 44 Magnus Racing/Flex-Box Porsche GT3 started by John Potter, giving the team its first victory of the year and the lead in the class standings. Lally held off Billy Johnson (No. 93 Turner Motorsport BMW M3 started by Michael Marcel) by .0940 seconds. Eric Curran and Boris Said were third in the No. 31 Marsh Racing Corvette.

(Grand-Am)
Tom Long and Sylvain Tremblay (No. 70 Mazdaspeed/SpeedSource Mazda 6) took their third GX victory while Jim Norman scored his eighth consecutive second-place finish, co-driving with Spencer Pumpelly in the No. 38 BGB Motorsports Porsche Cayman.

(Photo by Brian Lawdermilk, courtesy of GM Racing/Chevrolet)
Juan Pablo Montoya is coming back to open-wheel racing in 2014. Montoya will join Will Power and three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves in Team Penske's IZOD INDYCAR Series lineup, driving the No. 2 machine. Montoya, 37, is a native of Colombia and is one of the most talented and accomplished drivers in the world. He has won in Formula One, NASCAR and the CART Indy Car Series. Montoya earned 11 IndyCar wins over two seasons as he captured the CART Series title in his rookie season of 1999 followed by a victory in the Indy 500 in 2000. He is the only driver to win the Indianapolis 500, the 24 Hours of Daytona and the Monaco Grand Prix. "I am really excited to join this legendary team beginning next year," said Montoya. "I have had the opportunity to drive for some of the best racing teams in the world and I have always admired Roger Penske and his organization. I consider it an honor to be offered the opportunity to drive for Team Penske." "Juan is a proven winner at all levels of motorsport," said Roger Penske. "He has won a lot of races and championships and he has an extremely passionate fan base. We look forward to building on his successes together and we believe he will be a great addition to Team Penske." Roger Penske has a record 15 Indianapolis 500 victories as a car owner.

(Photo by Russell LaBounty/LAT Photo USA © 2013, courtesy of Toyota Racing)
Matt Kenseth (No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Dollar General Toyota Camry) won the rain-ruined GEICO 400 at Chicagoland Speedway last Sunday night. Kenseth, the top seed in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, got a big push from Kevin Harvick after a restart on Lap 245 of 267 and pulled away to beat Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch (No. 18 Doublemint Toyota Camry) to the checkered flag by .749 seconds, keeping Busch from the second three-series (Truck, Nationwide, Sprint Cup) weekend sweep of his career. It was was Kenseth's sixth win of the season - the most for any Sprint Cup competitor in 2013 - and his most ever in a single season. It was Kenseth's 30th win in NASCAR's premier series. “I’ve always wanted to win here in Chicago,” said Kenseth in Victory Lane after a very long day. “It’s only a couple hours from where I grew up - up in Wisconsin. So it feels great to finally get the win here. We’ve been close a lot.” Find NASCAR videos here.

(Photo by Brian Czobat/LAT Photo USA © 2013, courtesy of Toyota Racing)
The pack of Sprint Cup cars race on into the night, led by Matt Kenseth (No. Joe Gibbs Racing Dollar General Toyota Camry). Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Lowe's Chevrolet SS) finished in fifth. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Time Warner cable Chevrolet SS) suffered a blown engine on Lap 226.

(Photo by Brian Lawdermilk courtesy of GM Racing/Chevrolet)
Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Richard Childress Racing Budweiser Designate A Driver Chevrolet SS) came home third, followed by Kurt Busch (No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Serta Chevrolet SS), who battled back from a lap down after a pit road speeding penalty early the race to finish fourth.  Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet SS) stormed back to finish sixth after a flat left rear tire on Lap 173. Chase drivers claimed the top six spots in the finishing order and 10 of the first 12.

(Photo by Russell LaBounty/LAT Photo USA © 2013, courtesy of Toyota Racing)
Kyle Busch (No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry) flat dominated the Dollar General 300 powered by Coca-Cola Nationwide race at Chicagoland Speedway last Saturday. Busch won his 10th NASCAR Nationwide Series race in 20 starts this season, leading 195 of 200 laps in claiming the record 61st victory of his career. Joey Logano (No. 22 Penske Racing Discount Tire Ford Mustang) ran second and Sam Hornish Jr. (No. 12 Penske Racing Wurth Ford Mustang) finished third and extended his lead in the series standings to 17 points over Austin Dillon (No. 3 Richard Childress Racing AdvoCare Chevrolet Camaro) , who came home fourth. Watch videos here.

(Photo by Russell LaBounty/LAT Photo USA © 2013, courtesy of Toyota Racing)
It was the Kyle Busch show last weekend in Chicago. He and his wife Samantha celebrate in Victory Lane after Busch (No. 51 Kyle Busch Racing Dollar General Toyota) held off Brad Keselowski (No. 19 Brad Keselowski DrawTite Racing Ford) in the closing laps of Friday night’s EnjoyIllinois.com 225 Camping World Truck Series race at Chicagoland Speedway. It was Busch's 34th win in the series. Ryan Blaney (No. 29 Brad Keselowski Racing Cooper Standard Ford) finished third. Watch the finish here.

(Toyota Racing)
Toyota Racing visits the United States for the first time for the inaugural Six Hours of Circuit of the Americas, the fifth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship. Anthony Davidson, Sébastien Buemi and Stéphane Sarrazin will drive the No. 8 Toyota TS030 HYBRID in Austin. High-downforce aerodynamic updates to the TS030 HYBRID performed well at Interlagos, Brazil, and is expected to help the team this weekend. The weekend schedule at the 5.515km Circuit of the Americas begins with a test day on Thursday and two official practice sessions on Friday. After Saturday’s final morning practice, qualifying takes place at 3:35 p.m. in the afternoon. The race begins at 11.00 on Sunday.

(IMSA)
The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) announced on Thursday, September 12, that TUDOR has been named entitlement partner for the next five years of what now will be known as the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. The IMSA announcement preceded TUDOR’s official U.S. launch during New York Fashion Week. The TUDOR United SportsCar Championship extends ties of the prestigious Swiss watchmaking market to premier U.S. sports car racing dating back to 1959, when NASCAR Founder and IMSA Co-Founder Bill France Sr. and Rolex formed their initial relationship. Rolex will continue to serve as Title Sponsor of the annual Rolex 24 At Daytona and the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh From Florida. Rolex will also continue as Official Timepiece at Sebring International Raceway. In 1926, Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf registered “The Tudor” brand and established Montres Tudor SA in 1946. From 2009 to 2011, TUDOR had a partnership with Porsche Motorsports as Timing Partner, and two years later, it began its collaboration with Ducati as global Timing Partner. Its affiliation with the FIA World Endurance Championship — which includes a race in Austin, Texas, alongside the American Le Mans Series race later this month — commenced this year. The inaugural TUDOR United SportsCar Championship will debut next January with the 52nd Rolex 24 At Daytona. The complete 2014 schedule will be announced at a later date.

Editor-in-Chief's Note: INDYCAR has just announced (9/13) that it will not be returning to Baltimore next year. Expect the same decision from the new Tudor United SportsCar Championship series - Baltimore will not be on their 2014 schedule. - PMD

(John Thawley  ~  Motorsports Photography @ www.johnthawley.com  ~ 248.227.011)
The GT action was an intense, flag-to-flag battle in the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón race during the International Sports Car Weekend at the Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, last Saturday. Antonio Garcia (No. 3 Corvette Racing Compuware Corvette C6.R, started by Jan Magnussen) prevailed in a race that ran start-to-finish under green, holding off high-pressure challenges by Dirk Muller (No. 56 BMW Team RLL Crowne Plaza BMW Z4 GTE, started by John Edwards) and Jonathan Bomarito (No. 93 Pennzoil SRT Viper GTS-R, started by Kuno Wittmer) over the closing 30 minutes to take the GT class victory. Muller got side-by-side with Garcia several times but couldn’t make the pass, then Bomarito passed Muller for second with five minutes remaining and closed to within .854 seconds of Garcia at the checkered flag. It was the third triumph of the season for the factory No. 3 Corvette, giving the driving duo the lead in the championship with just two races remaining. Tommy Milner and co-driver Oliver Gavin (No. 4 Corvette Racing Compuware Corvette C6.R) entered the race with a two-point lead in the GT standings, but Milner began experiencing transmission trouble as early as Lap 4, and pulled off and retired shortly before the one-hour mark with no points awarded. As a result, Magnussen and Garcia now unofficially lead Muller by 13 points (112-99), with Milner and Gavin at 94. Lucas Luhr and Klaus Graf (No. 6 Muscle Milk Pickett Racing HPD ARX-03c) cruised to their seventh consecutive overall victory in the ALMS, completing 83 laps over the two-hour, 45-minute race. Luhr extended his ALMS-leading career victory total to 48. Level 5 Motorsports rebounded from an early challenge by Extreme Speed Motorsports to place 1-2 in the P2 class. Scott Tucker won for the sixth time this season, co-driving with Ryan Briscoe in the No. 551 Siemens/Alpina Watches/Ohiya Casino Resort HPD ARX-03b. Marino Franchitti and Guy Cosmo placed second in the team’s No. 552 entry, 5.279 seconds behind at the finish. Kyle Marcelli and Chris Cumming scored their first Prototype Challenge presented by Continental Tire (PC) victory of the season in the No. 8 BAR1 Motorsports Evident Capital/MBRP Performance Exhaust Merchant Services ORECA FLM09. With the GT class leaders lapping their GTC counterparts right at the end of the race, GTC class leader Sean Edwards (No. 30 NGT Motorsport MOMO Porsche 911 GT3 started by Henrique Cisneros) was bumped wide by Garcia as he went by. That move opened the door for Damian Faulkner to take the lead and win for the first time in the No. 66 TRG Porsche 911 GT3 Cup he shared with Ben Keating. Edwards held on for second in GTC. The next ALMS event will be the Oak Tree Grand Prix at Virginia International Raceway on Oct. 5, the last race before the season-ending Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta on Oct. 20. Check out John Thawley's terrific images from Austin here.

(Infiniti/Red Bull Racing)
Sebastian Vettel (No. 1 Infiniti Red Bull Racing-Renault RB9) dominated the Singapore Grand Prix, his third win in a row at the Marina Bay street circuit. It was Vettel's seventh win of the 2013 season and the 33rd win of his illustrious Formula 1 career. Fernando Alonso (No. 3 Scuderia Ferrari F138) finished second and Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus-Renault) was third. Vettel now leads Alonso in the Drivers’ Championship battle by 60 points (247 to 187) with six races to go in the season. Infiniti Red Bull Racing now has 377 Constructors’ Championship points, followed by Ferrari (274) and Mercedes (267). Next stop for F1 is the Korean Grand Prix in Yeongam.

(Photo by Brian Czobat, © 2013 LAT Photo USA/Courtesy of Toyota Racing)
Matt Kenseth (No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Home Depot Husky Toyota Camry) and Joe Gibbs Racing are smokin' hot at exactly the right time. Kenseth notched his second straight victory in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship by winning the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Speedway Sunday, finishing .533 seconds ahead of his JGR teammate, Kyle Busch. Greg Biffle (No. 16 Roush Fenway Racing 3M Ford Fusion) finished third. Kenseth, the 2003 Sprint Cup champion, was making his 500th start in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He led a race-high 106 laps in winning for the seventh time this season, for the first time in New Hampshire and for the 31st time in his career. Kenseth leads Kyle Busch by 14 points in the Chase. Watch NASCAR videos here.

(Photo by Brian Czobat, © 2013 LAT Photo USA/Courtesy of Toyota Racing)
Kyle Busch (No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing M&Ms Toyota Camry) emphasized the strength of Joe Gibbs Racing at the moment by finishing a close second to Matt Kenseth in New Hampshire. The mercurial and supremely talented Busch has displayed a new calmness and discipline, allowing him to focus on his racing. He is very much in the thick of the race for the Sprint Cup championship.

(Photo by Russell LaBounty,© 2013 Autostock/Courtesy of Ford Racing)
Nineteen-year-old Ryan Blaney (No. 22 Penske Racing Discount Tire Ford Mustang) won his first NASCAR Nationwide Series race in fifteen starts in the Kentucky 300 at Kentucky Speedway Saturday night. Austin Dillon (No. 3 Richard Childress Racing AdvoCare Chevrolet Camaro) finished second, followed by Matt Crafton (No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Rheem/Menard's Chevrolet Camaro). Watch the video here.

(Image courtesy of Audi Motorsport)
Audi remains unbeaten in the current WEC season as Loïc Duval/Tom Kristensen/Allan McNish (No. 2 Audi Sport Team Joest Audi R18 e-tron quattro) celebrated their third WEC victory this year on the demanding "Circuit of the Americas" in Austin, Texas. The trio finished with a 23.617-second advantage in front of the No. 8 Toyota TS030 HYBRID driven by Anthony Davidson, Sébastien Buemi and Stéphane Sarrazin. This marked the fifth victory for Audi in five WEC rounds this year and the sixth LMP win in succession, if the triumph at the Sebring 12 Hours in March is included in the tally. It also marked the 100th overall victory in LMP for Audi. Marcel Fässler/André Lotterer/Benoît Tréluye (No. 1 Audi Sport Team Joest Audi R18 e-tron quattro) came back to finish third after a number of problems. The sixth of eight rounds in the FIA World Championship (WEC) will take place at Fuji, Japan, on October 20. Overview of Audi’s 100 LMP overall victories: Audi R8 (2000-2006) - 63 victories; Audi R10 TDI (2006-2008) - 22 victories; Audi R15 TDI (2009-2011) - 3 victories; Audi R18 TDI/ultra/e-tron quattro (since 2011) - 12 victories.

(Aston Martin The Americas)
Aston Martin Racing won both GTE classes at the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) Six Hours of Circuit of the Americas. The GTE Pro race-winning No. 99 Aston Martin Vantage GTE of Bruno Senna and Fred Makowiecki started from the front and finished 15 seconds clear of the second place car. Stuart Hall and Jamie Campbell-Walter (No. 96 Aston Martin GTE) won the GTE Am class with Nicki Thiim, Christoffer Nygaard and Kristian Poulsen (No. 95 Aston Martin GTE) finishing 1.7 seconds behind.

(Aston Martin The Americas)

(Global RallyCross Championship)
Scott Speed (OMSE 2 Ford Fiesta) won his second race of the Global RallyCross season at Charlotte Motor Speedway last weekend. Brian Deegan (Rockstar Energy OlsbergsMSE Ford Fiesta ST) claimed his second runner-up of the season. And after five consecutive wins, a third place by Toomas Heikkinen (Bluebeam OlsbergsMSE Ford Fiesta ST) was enough to claim the 2013 Global Rallycross Championship. “This is such a great moment for us,” said Heikkinen, who was the first to driver to win back-to-back X Games gold medals this year. “It is a very good feeling to have done so well and be on the podium once again. The race here was definitely the toughest so I was happy to be able to finish third. Winning the GRC Championship was really a dream for me so it’s quite good to have won it one race before the last race of the season,” said Heikkinen, who made history by clinching the championship before the final race. Unlike 2012, this year’s Charlotte race took place on the Dirt Track facility and was primarily comprised of dirt. The track included multiple obstacles including an exit out of the oval and onto to the tarmac, which then lead the cars to a long jump that lead back into the dirt. The sweep at Charlotte’s Dirt Track was the fourth for Ford and the OlsbergsMSE team this season. A Ford won five of a possible six heats and accounted for the two fastest cars after the seeding session. Ford had five cars in the nine-car final and has now claimed 20 out of a possible 24 podium finishes through eight races, including seven victories.

(Mark Weber/SCCA)
SafeRacer polesitter Sedat Yelkin (No. 75 Everclear Swift 014a Toyota), of Canfield, Ohio, drove flag-to-flag to capture his first-career Formula Atlantic national title at the 50th SCCA National Championship Runoffs® at Road America. Keith Grant, of Germantown, Tenn., finished second, while Michael Mallinen, of Liberty Lake, Wash., finished third.

(Mark Weber/SCCA)
Andy Wolverton (No. 86 Raw Racing/Hoosier/Angry Sheep moto Chevrolet Corvette C5), of Papillion, Neb., won his second-career Touring 2 National Championship at the 50th SCCA National Championship Runoffs® at Road America. Kurt Rezzetano, of Phoenixville, Pa., finished second. Matthew Pullano, of Endwell, N.Y., finished third. Wolverton set the Hawk Hot Lap (2:24.128, 99.911 mph) en route to the win by 5.950-seconds.

(Mark Weber/SCCA)
Pole-sitter Andrew Aquilante (No. 36 Phoenix Performance/Hoosier/Hawk Chevrolet Corvette), of Chester Springs, Pa., dominated the Touring 1 National title race at the 50th SCCA National Championship Runoffs® at Road America for his second victory of the weekend. Jerry Onks, of Murfreesboro, Tenn., and Michael Pettiford, of Louisville, Colo., completed the podium.  Aquilante weathered the race’s three-lap caution to win by 34.182-seconds, at an average speed of 83.542 mph. Aquilante also turned the Hawk Hot Lap with a 2:15.216 (106.496 mph).

(Mark Weber/SCCA)
Mark Mercer (No. 34 Ferenco/Hoosier Tires Lola 90/91 Ford), of Aurora, Colo., earned his third Sports Car Club of America National Championship, winning Sports 2000 at the 50th SCCA National Championship Runoffs at Road America. Bart Wolf (No. 8 Goodyear/Lake Street Carbir CS2.8 Ford), of Elkhart Lake, Wis., and David Doran, of Cincinnati, Ohio, completed the podium. With planned changes in the Sports Racing category of SCCA, it marked the 34th, and final, Sports 2000 race as a class, with Mercer becoming its second-most decorated driver, tying Bob Lobenberg with his third title. Mercer started from the SafeRacer Pole Position and held the lead from start to finish in the 40-minute limited, 10-lap race around the 4.048-mile circuit. His win did not come easy, though, as Wolf was charging at the finish, challenging for the position through Canada Corner and into Turn 13 on the final lap.

(Mark Weber/SCCA)
Darryl Wills (No. 23 Hillenburg Motorsports/Hoosier Tire Star Formula Mazda) of Houston, Texas, earned his third Formula Mazda victory in four years Saturday in the 50th SCCA National Championship Runoffs® at Road America. He was followed by Brian Lift of Crestwood, Ill., and Robert Noell of Cary, N.C. Wills moved from third to first with a series of moves on the third of 10 laps. Wills’ winning move came when he passed SafeRacer polesitter Doug Peterson, who had led the opening two laps, on the outside of the Carousel, which earned Wills the Go-Pro Hero Move of the Race. His margin of victory over Lift was 14.363 seconds.

(Mark Weber/SCCA)
Tim Kautz (No. 88 Braeburn/Two Dogg/Hoosier/Euroquipe DF3D Honda), of Geneva, Ill., narrowly beat Reid Hazelton (No. 01 Hoosier/LMI Averill Stuff/Farley Engine Van Diemen RF92 Ford), of Burlington, Wis., by 0.100-second Saturday to capture the Formula F title at the 50th SCCA National Championship Runoffs® at Road America. Jeff Bartz, of Plymouth, Wis., finished third. Kautz, the Saferacer polesitter, and Hazelton treated SCCA race fans to the closest race finish of the weekend so far and they did it in grand fashion. Both drivers swapped the top spot several times throughout the 13-lap race. Leading on the final lap, Kautz drove hard into Turn 1 and slid wide, allowing Hazelton to take the lead. Now leading, Hazelton did everything he could to keep Kautz behind him, but Kautz broke late in Turn 5 and retook the lead. But the two weren’t done. Hazelton passed Kautz in Canada Corner and held the lead coming out of the final corner up the hill. At the stripe, Kautz passed Hazelton for the final time – securing back-to-back Formula F National Championships and his third career FF title. Kautz’s pass at the line earned him the GoPro Hero Move of the Race.

(Mark Weber/SCCA)
SafeRacer polesitter Peter Portante (No. 24 Hoosier Tire/Innercity Lines Van Diemen RF01 Ford) of Plainville, Conn., emerged from an early battle with David Grant to win the Formula Continental® race Sunday at Road America, part of the 50th SCCA® National Championship Runoffs ®. It was the maiden Runoffs race for the 17-year-old Portante, who averaged 102.997 mph after leading nine of 13 laps. Christopher Miller, of Edina, Minn., finished second, ahead of Robert Allaer, of Lithia, Fla. Portante spent the first half of the race challenging Grant, as they swapped the lead several times around the 4.048-mile, 14-turn track. They pulled away from Miller by several car lengths after five laps, and on Lap Six, Portante made the final lead change. He quickly established a six-car length lead, and never looked back. Editor-in-Chief's Note: Thank you to the SCCA for providing the race reports and photos from the Runoffs. We really appreciate it. - PMD.

(IMSA)

The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) announced on Thursday, September 12, that TUDOR has been named entitlement partner for the next five years of what now will be known as the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. The IMSA announcement preceded TUDOR’s official U.S. launch during New York Fashion Week. The TUDOR United SportsCar Championship extends ties of the prestigious Swiss watchmaking market to premier U.S. sports car racing dating back to 1959, when NASCAR Founder and IMSA Co-Founder Bill France Sr. and Rolex formed their initial relationship. Rolex will continue to serve as Title Sponsor of the annual Rolex 24 At Daytona and the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh From Florida. Rolex will also continue as Official Timepiece at Sebring International Raceway. In 1926, Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf registered “The Tudor” brand and established Montres Tudor SA in 1946. From 2009 to 2011, TUDOR had a partnership with Porsche Motorsports as Timing Partner, and two years later, it began its collaboration with Ducati as global Timing Partner. Its affiliation with the FIA World Endurance Championship — which includes a race in Austin, Texas, alongside the American Le Mans Series race later this month — commenced this year. The inaugural TUDOR United SportsCar Championship will debut next January with the 52nd Rolex 24 At Daytona. The complete USCC 2014 schedule:

Jan. 25-26: Daytona International Speedway

March 15: Sebring International Raceway

April 12: Long Beach (with INDYCAR)

May 4: Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

May 31: Detroit Belle Isle (with INDYCAR)

June 29: Watkins Glen International 

July 13: Canadian Tire Motorsport Park 

July 25: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Aug. 10: Road America

Aug. 24: Virginia International Raceway 

Sept. 20: Circuit of The Americas 

Oct. 4: Road Atlanta

*With three circuits (Long Beach, Detroit Belle Isle and Virginia International Raceway) on the 2014 schedule not having all four TUDOR United SportsCar Championship classes competing, each class (Prototype, Prototype Challenge, GT Le Mans and GT Daytona) will race 11 times next season. In addition, preseason test sessions have been set for Nov. 16-17 at Sebring International Raceway and Nov. 19-20 at Daytona International Speedway. The test sessions will be open to all four classes of cars that will compete in the new championship: Prototype, Prototype Challenge, GT Le Mans and GT Daytona.

Editor-in-Chief's Note: According to the press release: "Following a four-hour steering committee meeting at Circuit of The Americas between officials from the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) and the Automobile Club l’Ouest (ACO), both organizations today confirmed a collaborative decision that cars eligible for the Prototype class in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship and the LM P2 category internationally will remain so through the conclusion of the 2016 season." This means that the former GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series’ DP class, as well as the P2 cars from the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón (ALMS) will be eligible for two more seasons beginning in January. (It also includes the DeltaWing DWC13.) This is a cost-efficient move, especially for the American teams who choose to stick with running the GRAND-AM DP cars. “This is outstanding news for prototype teams all over the world,” said IMSA Chairman Jim France. “This addresses long-term on-track competitive stability, along with the economic realities of today’s business climate that face everyone wanting to compete at sports car racing’s highest level." In other words, Jim France gets his way and his beloved DP cars survive to be (somewhat) relevant for a couple more seasons. And all the parties involved get to hand-wring for another two years while trying to come up with a rules package that's relevant and somewhat cost-efficient for prototype racing. This passes for progress when it comes to major league road racing in this country in this day and age. I guess we're all supposed to go along to get along and get used to it. We'll see. - PMD

Editor-in-Chief's Note: My friend Jeff Zwart passed along his new video for Forza Motorsport - "FilmSpeed." As Jeff commented: "Our latest, enjoy something done totally in camera… no special effects." Watch the visual awesomeness here. - PMD

(Photo by John Cote/INDYCAR)

Helio Castroneves (No. 3 Team Penske Shell Pennzoil Chevrolet) had a disastrous weekend in the Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston at Reliant Park, finishing eighteenth on Saturday and suffering a DNF on Sunday with a broken gearbox housing on Lap 12. That cost him the championship points lead. Scott Dixon now takes a 25-point lead over Castroneves heading to the season finale at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., on October 19th. Even if Castroneves scores the maximum number of points in Fontana, Dixon will win the title by finishing sixth or better. Not only that, Dixon has the tiebreaker too.

(Image courtesy of Ford Racing)

Twenty-year-old Colin Braun drove a Riley Technologies Daytona Prototype powered by the new 3.5-liter, V-6 Ford EcoBoost racing engine, to a new Daytona single lap speed record of 222.971 mph during a special record run attempt on Wednesday, October 9th, which topped the 26-year-old speed record of 210.364 mph set by Bill Elliott in a Ford Thunderbird during qualifying for the 1987 Daytona 500. Braun and the Michael Shank Racing team also set new world speed records for 10 miles from a standing start (210.018 mph average), and 10 kilometers from a standing start (202.438 mph average). All times from today’s session are subject to Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA).

(Image courtesy of Ford Racing)
“This is an engine project we started probably two years ago,” said John Maddox, road racing program manager, Roush Yates Engines.  “There has been a lot of hard work by a lot of people to get it to where it is today, but this EcoBoost engine is relevant, state-of-the-art production technology in racing, and it brings with it power and high efficiency in the same package."“It’s a very proud day for all of us at Ford,” said Jamie Allison, chief of Ford Racing.  “To take a Ford EcoBoost race engine that is basically production technology, and to beat speed records that have been on the books for decades really says something for our new engine and the program we launched last week. It’s a great way to kick off a new era of EcoBoost and sports car racing for Ford in the 2014 United SportsCar Championship, and we couldn’t have done it without Shank and his team, and the team at Roush Yates.”

(Image courtesy of Ford Racing)

Continental Tires did a special tire for the run that was lighter and had less rolling resistance than the standard race tire, along with a harder compound than the tire used for a typical road course race. Preparation for the 2014 USCC season began almost immediately after the record run.  After switching the car over from the oval configuration, the MSR team took to the Daytona road course for the first test of the new car and EcoBoost engine on the track where it will debut in the 2014 TUDOR United SportsCar Championship that kicks off with the Rolex 24 at Daytona in January.

 

 

Editor-in-Chief's Note: Check out Porsche's quest to return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2014 - and win. A new page has debuted with images, films, background information and even a multimedia journey through Porsche's motorsports history.- PMD