Source: http://thefinallap.com/2012/06/22/nascar-points-leaders-no-road-course-win-for-you/
Yves Giraud Cabantous Ignazio Giunti Timo Glock Helm Glöckler Paco Godia
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Harvey dominates final Brands F3 race
Harvey got a strong start to pull a small gap on points leader Jazeman Jaafar. Although the Malaysian kept the pace hot in the early stages, he began making a few mistakes and Lincolnshire man Harvey was able to pull away to an eventual nine-second win from his Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen team-mate.
“Jazeman was so fast yesterday that it required us to make some changes,” said Harvey. “The team have worked so hard again. It would’ve been easy for us to rest on our laurels after our Rockingham win, but this has been our best weekend overall. I’m really pleased to have made good starts in all three races.”
Harry Tincknell was third, completing a Carlin 1-2-3 and satisfied to return to the podium in a non-reversed-grid race. The Devonian suffered a sticking throttle in the last few laps and began to come under pressure from Alex Lynn, but the Essex man ran out of time to put in a serious challenge in his Fortec Motorsport Dallara-Mercedes.
A collision at the first corner, involving Carlin’s Carlos Sainz Jr and Fortec’s Felix Serralles, left Pipo Derani (Fortec) with nowhere to go. Both Sainz and Derani were out, while Serralles pitted to replace a puncture under the resultant safety car.
That allowed Pietro Fantin to take a lonely fifth for Carlin, while the T-Sport Dallara-Nissan of Nick McBride kept Fortec’s Hannes van Asseldonk at bay throughout for sixth.
Geoff Uhrhane led the Double R Racing charge in eighth, as Fahmi Ilyas scooted through the gravel at Clearways on the penultimate lap and was just pipped to the line by the recovering Serralles.
Adderly Fong completed a hat-trick of National Class wins on his F3 return with his CF Racing Dallara-Mugen Honda. T-Sport’s Spike Goddard put him under pressure this time
before losing it in a big way exiting Hawthorns.
Meanwhile, Tincknell had his fastest lap in race two taken away for exceeding track limits, but seeing as his next best lap was quicker than anyone else’s he was not too bothered and keeps his point after going through the ‘ordeal’ of what must be a contender for most academic penalty ever awarded in British F3.
Results – 30 laps:Pos Driver Team/Car Time/Gap
1. Jack Harvey Carlin Dallara-VW 40m32.384s
2. Jazeman Jaafar Carlin Dallara-VW + 9.574s
3. Harry Tincknell Carlin Dallara-VW + 19.246s
4. Alex Lynn Fortec Dallara-Merc + 19.806s
5. Pietro Fantin Carlin Dallara-VW + 30.700s
6. Nick McBride T-Sport Dallara-Nissan + 40.541s
7. Hannes van Asseldonk Fortec Dallara-Merc + 41.400s
8. Geoff Uhrhane Double R Dallara-Mugen + 51.096s
9. Felix Serralles Fortec Dallara-Merc + 1m02.228s
10. Fahmi Ilyas Double R Dallara-Merc + 1m02.261s
11. Adderly Fong CF Dallara-Mugen + 1m15.091s
12. Duvashen Padayachee Double R Dallara-Mugen + 1 lapRetirements:
Spike Goddard T-Sport Dallara-Mugen 22 laps
Pipo Derani Fortec Dallara-Merc 0 laps
Carlos Sainz Jr Carlin Dallara-VW 0 laps
Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/harvey-dominates-final-brands-f3-race
Bruce Johnstone Alan Jones Tom Jones Juan Jover Oswald Karch
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Report: New owners still struggling to secure rights to use Saab name
Filed under: China, Europe, Government/Legal, Japan, Plants/Manufacturing, Saab
Not to state the obvious, but if you're going to buy an automaker, it's probably advisable to secure rights to use the name.
That's what the new owners of Saab are trying to work out after buying the iconic Swedish automaker earlier this month, Automotive News reports.
National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS), the Chinese-Japanese conglomerate, acquired the company's physical assets, including its factory in Trollhättan, but didn't get rights to use the Saab name and logo. Truckmaker Scania and defense company Saab AB maintain the name and logo rights, and will need to sign off on NEVS using it, according to the publication. The parties are in discussions.
Saab, which made its first cars in 1947, was acquired out of bankruptcy earlier this month. The new ownership group, led by ex-Volvo Trucks chief Karl-Erling Trogen, is planning on turning the company into an electric vehicle maker and will likely start with a battery-electric powered 9-3 in 2014.
New owners still struggling to secure rights to use Saab name originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Jun 2012 16:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/27/new-owners-still-struggling-to-secure-rights-to-use-saab-name/
Bruce Halford Jim Hall Duncan Hamilton Lewis Hamilton David Hampshire
Harvey dominates final Brands F3 race
Harvey got a strong start to pull a small gap on points leader Jazeman Jaafar. Although the Malaysian kept the pace hot in the early stages, he began making a few mistakes and Lincolnshire man Harvey was able to pull away to an eventual nine-second win from his Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen team-mate.
“Jazeman was so fast yesterday that it required us to make some changes,” said Harvey. “The team have worked so hard again. It would’ve been easy for us to rest on our laurels after our Rockingham win, but this has been our best weekend overall. I’m really pleased to have made good starts in all three races.”
Harry Tincknell was third, completing a Carlin 1-2-3 and satisfied to return to the podium in a non-reversed-grid race. The Devonian suffered a sticking throttle in the last few laps and began to come under pressure from Alex Lynn, but the Essex man ran out of time to put in a serious challenge in his Fortec Motorsport Dallara-Mercedes.
A collision at the first corner, involving Carlin’s Carlos Sainz Jr and Fortec’s Felix Serralles, left Pipo Derani (Fortec) with nowhere to go. Both Sainz and Derani were out, while Serralles pitted to replace a puncture under the resultant safety car.
That allowed Pietro Fantin to take a lonely fifth for Carlin, while the T-Sport Dallara-Nissan of Nick McBride kept Fortec’s Hannes van Asseldonk at bay throughout for sixth.
Geoff Uhrhane led the Double R Racing charge in eighth, as Fahmi Ilyas scooted through the gravel at Clearways on the penultimate lap and was just pipped to the line by the recovering Serralles.
Adderly Fong completed a hat-trick of National Class wins on his F3 return with his CF Racing Dallara-Mugen Honda. T-Sport’s Spike Goddard put him under pressure this time
before losing it in a big way exiting Hawthorns.
Meanwhile, Tincknell had his fastest lap in race two taken away for exceeding track limits, but seeing as his next best lap was quicker than anyone else’s he was not too bothered and keeps his point after going through the ‘ordeal’ of what must be a contender for most academic penalty ever awarded in British F3.
Results – 30 laps:Pos Driver Team/Car Time/Gap
1. Jack Harvey Carlin Dallara-VW 40m32.384s
2. Jazeman Jaafar Carlin Dallara-VW + 9.574s
3. Harry Tincknell Carlin Dallara-VW + 19.246s
4. Alex Lynn Fortec Dallara-Merc + 19.806s
5. Pietro Fantin Carlin Dallara-VW + 30.700s
6. Nick McBride T-Sport Dallara-Nissan + 40.541s
7. Hannes van Asseldonk Fortec Dallara-Merc + 41.400s
8. Geoff Uhrhane Double R Dallara-Mugen + 51.096s
9. Felix Serralles Fortec Dallara-Merc + 1m02.228s
10. Fahmi Ilyas Double R Dallara-Merc + 1m02.261s
11. Adderly Fong CF Dallara-Mugen + 1m15.091s
12. Duvashen Padayachee Double R Dallara-Mugen + 1 lapRetirements:
Spike Goddard T-Sport Dallara-Mugen 22 laps
Pipo Derani Fortec Dallara-Merc 0 laps
Carlos Sainz Jr Carlin Dallara-VW 0 laps
Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/harvey-dominates-final-brands-f3-race
Bobby Grim Romain Grosjean Olivier Grouillard Brian Gubby André Guelfi
Jimmie Johnson – Championship Blue
HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (June 27, 2012) – It is not a stretch to say that the blue featured on Jimmie Johnson’s No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet has some championships associated with it. That blue is, of course, the iconic blue associated with primary sponsor Lowe’s. However, there may be some crossover basketball fans who claim otherwise this weekend when the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series visits Kentucky Speedway in Sparta.2012 NSCS Jimmie Johnson in Car - Photo Credit: Tom Pennington/Getty Images
That’s because blue is also associated with the University of Kentucky Wildcats, who won the 2012 NCAA men’s national basketball title by defeating the University of Kansas Jayhawks, who are also associated with blue and national championships.
Championships aside, race fans, no matter where they are from, will get a chance to see the iconic Lowe’s blue Chevrolet in action at the 1.5-mile tri-oval. This time, however, it’s with a somewhat different look. The base color for Johnson’s car this weekend is called “Dover White” with blue racing stripes. It’s the second in a series of new color combinations for the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet in a tribute to the American muscle car. Johnson ran a “Mountain Green” paint scheme at Kansas in April. These special schemes play off the primary paint schemes for the Lowe’s and Kobalt Tools cars that were inspired by the first-generation Chevy Camaros with racing stripes.
While the new scheme is sure to be popular with the Kentucky-area fans, Johnson is hoping the result is much like the one the Wildcats enjoyed the first Monday in April – a win. It would take him one step closer to one of his goals, winning at every track on the Sprint Cup circuit. Kentucky is one of five tracks where Johnson has failed to visit victory lane. Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill., Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International and Homestead-Miami Speedway are the others.
The five-time Sprint Cup champion did come close during the series’ first visit to Kentucky in 2011, when he earned a solid third-place run. He says he is looking forward to his second visit to the “bumpy, rough” track. And while adding to his current run of five top-five finishes in six races or, better yet, a visit to victory lane, if possible, fans of the No. 48 car will have to wait until November to see if the Lowe’s blue turns out to be championship blue once again this year.
Johnson’s Kentucky Sprint Cup Race Notes of Interest:
- · Started fifth and finished third in the series’ inaugural visit to Kentucky in 2011.
- · Sprint Cup’s second-best driver rating (119.8 average of a possible 150 points).
- · Johnson remains fourth in the driver standings after his fifth-place finish last weekend on the road course in Sonoma, Calif. He reduced his points deficit to 25 points behind series leader Matt Kenseth after starting the season at a career-tying low of 37th at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.
News and Notes – Kentucky:
Paint Scheme:
- · Johnson will pilot the No. 48 Lowe’s “Dover White” Chevrolet at Kentucky.
Ø Chevrolet owners may have the same color car as the one Johnson is driving at Kentucky. The color “Dover White” was used by Chevrolet for one model year – 1969. The same color was used by Chevrolet from 1971 to 1978 but under the name “Antique White.”
Sixth Annual Jimmie Johnson Foundation Golf Tournament
- · The Sixth Annual Jimmie Johnson Foundation Golf Tournament and Dinner Auction held last week in the San Diego area raised more than $650,000. Money raised goes toward funding the Jimmie Johnson Foundation/Lowe’s Toolbox for Education Champions Grants that are awarded to K-12 public schools in the areas where Chandra and Jimmie Johnson grew up (Muskogee, Okla., and the San Diego, Calif., area, respectively) and currently reside (Charlotte, N.C.).LiveNation.com
Ø The tournament has raised more than $500,000 each year and has awarded more than $2 million in grants. The tournament also funded construction of four houses for Habitat for Humanity in El Cajon, Calif.
Fans Can See Johnson at Upcoming Races
- · Fans celebrating the July 4 weekend at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway can see Johnson on race day. The “48 Experience” includes a fan forum prior to the race on July 7. The adult package is $48, with kids 12 and under only $10. For more information, visit www.
daytonainternationalspeedway. .com/48
- · The “Jimmie Johnson New Hampshire Motor Speedway Ticket Package” includes two free tickets (one adult, one child) for the events on July 14, the day before the race, as well as two $48 tickets for the LENOX Industrial Tools 301 on July 15, including access to a pre-race question-and-answer session with Johnson. Visit http://bit.ly/KR6gE1l for more information.
JIMMIE JOHNSON, Driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s “Dover White” Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports:
www.twitter.com/jimmiejohnson, www.twitter.com/lowesracing and www.twitter.com/teamhendrick
What is the most challenging part about racing at Kentucky?
“Really, how rough the track is. My first laps there from the test session last year when we went, I felt like the bumps were going to make the car lose grip and spin out and be out of control. But there is so much grip there that, even with as rough and as bumpy as it is, you stand on the gas and carry a ton of speed and just bounce around. Those are the things I had to overcome when I got on the track last year.”
Is that what sets it apart from other 1.5-mile tracks?
“Yes. It’s the roughest and fastest track we go to. Well, Atlanta is fast, but there are big swells and I still don’t feel like we’re driving as hard at Atlanta as we are at Kentucky. At Kentucky, you’re driving it like a freshly repaved track. You have high frequency bumps and banking doing weird things. It’s a fun track for those reasons and it has a lot of character to it.”
How do you think the track is going to change from last year to this year?
“Well, the track was already really bumpy and rough. They haven’t resurfaced it or anything and I hope they don’t because we like those types of tracks. I would assume those bumps will get a little bit bigger and the grip will go down just a touch.”
Jimmie Johnson NASCAR Sprint Cup Career Statistics:
BestBuy.com
- · Johnson has 57 wins in his Sprint Cup career, his most recent coming June 3 at Dover (Del.) International Speedway.
- · El Cajon, Calif., native Johnson is eighth on NASCAR’s all-time wins list.
- · He is second in total wins among active drivers behind Jeff Gordon (85).
- · Johnson needed only 296 starts to hit the 50-win mark. Only three drivers have reached 50 victories sooner – Gordon (232), Darrell Waltrip (278) and David Pearson (293).
- · Of the 23 tracks on which the series competes, Johnson has won Sprint Cup races at all but five – Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill., Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International, Homestead-Miami Speedway and Kentucky Speedway in Sparta.
- · Johnson’s 10 wins in 2007 was the highest number recorded in a single season since Gordon posted 13 victories in 1998.
Career Poles:
- · Johnson has collected 25 poles in his Sprint Cup career.
- · He earned at least one pole a year in the first 10 years (2002-2011) of his full-time career.
- · He had a career-high six poles in 2008.
- · Johnson’s most recent pole position was at Dover on Sept. 24, 2010.
Career Starts:
- · Johnson has finished in the top-10 in the Sprint Cup Series point standings each year since his first full-time season in 2002 and in the top-five in nine of those 10 years.
- · Johnson is the only driver to qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup every year since the format was adopted in 2004.
- · In 379 Sprint Cup starts, Johnson has posted 157 top-five finishes and 236 top-10s.
- · He has led 12,901 laps of a possible 109,213 for 145,766.6 miles and has finished on the lead lap 295 times.
- · He has a top-five finish at every track on the Sprint Cup circuit.
Career Recognition
- · Johnson was named by Forbes in 2011 and 2012 as its Most Influential Athlete in the U.S.
- · In 2009, Johnson became the first and only racecar driver to be named Male Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press in its 80-year history.
- · Voted Driver of the Year four times in his career (2006, 2007, 2008 and 2010), joining Gordon as the only other four-time winner of the prestigious honor.
- · Johnson has won an ESPY for Best Driver four times – 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011.
Source: True Speed Communication for Team Lowe’s Racing, Press Release
The post Jimmie Johnson – Championship Blue appeared first on Catchfence.
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Oscar González Aldo Gordini Horace Gould Jean Marc Gounon Emmanuel de Graffenried
Auctions: Prince of Monaco auctioning some of dad's collection
Filed under: Classics, Auctions, Celebrities
Prince Rainier III of Monaco spent years amassing a collection of classic, rare and collectible automobiles. It was an eclectic assortment of makes, models and eras. A 1939 Simca 5 shared the same display area as a 1980 Citroën CX2400 and a 1928 Hispano Suiza.
But his son, Prince Albert II, wants to take the collection in a different direction. We don't know for sure, but perhaps he wants a more focused group of autos. So Prince Albert II is putting 38 of the cars up for auction.
A few of the more interesting lots are the aforementioned 1939 Simca 5 expected to go for between 8,000 and 10,000€ (about $12,500) and a rare 1973 Camaro export model with 43k kilometers on the odo. It's described as being in very good shape, but its inline six keeps the expected sale price to between 8,000 and 12,000€ ($15,000).
On the high end is a 1924 Panhard & Levassor X47 limo with a Weymann body. Weymann, the auction catalog reads, was known for making lightweight, aviation-inspired bodies by stretching imitation leather across wooden frames. This car's rarity and superb condition could push the top bid to and estimated 35,000€ ($44,000).
The auction takes place on July 26 in Monaco. All the cars to be sold can be seen on the auction house's website or you can download a PDF of the catalog here.
Prince of Monaco auctioning some of dad's collection originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Jun 2012 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/27/prince-of-monaco-auctioning-some-of-dads-collection/
Bruno Giacomelli Dick Gibson Gimax Richie Ginther Yves Giraud Cabantous
BMW: Honda, Yamaha ‘killing’ MotoGP
BMW Motorrad Motorsport is currently focusing on the Superbike World Championship, although the Forward Racing MotoGP team is using its engines in it Suter CRT chassis.
Godmayer told Motosprint that MotoGP’s current path was off-putting for BMW.
“It’s a complex issue. However, to put it succinctly, we can say that the technological level in MotoGP nowadays is extremely high and the investments required in order to be competitive are immense,” he said.
“So, if the situation doesn’t change, then BMW won’t be interested in entering MotoGP. If, by contrast, the rules change…”
He feels Yamaha and Honda are to blame for MotoGP’s present shape.
“I say that Honda and Yamaha are killing MotoGP,” said Godmayer.
He added: “It’s the truth. The Japanese have a vision of racing different from ours. All they can think of is reaching technological leadership. Their objective is to beat the rivals: if this sports war ruins the show, it doesn’t matter.
“Instead, we believe that the races must be several things: a show, a business, and a way to entertain the crowd.”
Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/motorcycles/motogp/bmw-honda-yamaha-killing-motogp
Richie Ginther Yves Giraud Cabantous Ignazio Giunti Timo Glock Helm Glöckler
Hannah Newhouse is Real Deal Behind the Wheel of a NASCAR Race Car
“15-year old is Setting the Standard and Raising the Bar in NASCAR Whelen All American Series”
Hannah Newhouse
Through eight races at Magic Valley Speedway in the Commercial Tire Super Stock division, the feature NASCAR Whelen All American Series class at the speedway, Newhouse has eight top ten finishes including three victories, one second place finish, three third place performances, and a ninth place effort. She has also set the fast qualifying mark on four occasions making a statement that her performance thus far is for real.
Newhouse grew up at the racetrack watching her championship winning father (John Newhouse) compete. While she is not much different then most girls her age, what is different is that she is an accomplished racer and a proven winner at only fifteen years old. Her racing climb started in go-karting where she won countless races and championships. She made the transition to the ASA Pro Truck Series a couple of years ago, and this season she competes in the feature NASCAR division at MVS. Later this summer she will make the jump to the CarbonX Rocky Mountain Challenge Series, a high-profile regional Late Model touring series.
This past week much has been made of Title Nine and women in sports. ESPN, SPEED TV, and others profiled women in racing and much has been made of Danica (Patrick) Mania in the racing world. Hannah Newhouse is creating a buzz all her own and her prowess, poise, and professionalism will take her to the highest levels of the sport.
Newhouse has had her own impact on the local racing scene this season. While track attendance has been declining nationally, attendance is up at Magic Valley Speedway. Pictures of the speedway with full grandstands tell the story. Whether the economy is moving in the right direction or people are intrigued by a 15-year old female racer making her mark in the sport, people are coming out to see.
Newhouse currently leads the point standings in the NASCAR All American Series at Magic Valley Speedway where her best 18 finishes will place her in the national rankings at the end of the season in September. She has already established historical records becoming the first female to win in the feature class at Magic Valley and is firmly in the NASCAR record books as the youngest ever female feature event winner in the NASCAR Whelen All American Series.
“Our goal is to win the track championship,” Newhouse said. “We have already accomplished two goals by setting fast time and winning a race. If we can continue what we have done so far we will achieve our third goal, and that is win the track championship.”
Newhouse may be one of the most talented young racers behind the wheel in America but she also drives for a world-class racing team. Thompson Motorsports, owned by Rich Thompson a successful business entrepreneur in Jerome and managed by Brett Thompson a veteran of NASCAR competition, fields and maintains the Chevrolet Camaro that Newhouse drives.
“Hannah is certainly one of the best young drivers I have seen in a while,” offered Brett Thompson. “She listens really well, provides good feedback to the crew, and is very poised behind the wheel. She does not seem to get rattled at all. We definitely want her to succeed and have an opportunity to compete at the highest level of the sport.”
“The Thompson team is amazing,” Newhouse said. “They have done so much for me supporting my racing career this season. The car is always perfect and it has been great to be at the shop and help them where I can.”
Newhouse is back on track this Saturday, June 30 for the ninth race of the season and her budding rivalry with Kris McKean begins anew. Newhouse leads McKean by 14-points and thus far this season she has not been intimidated by the two-time track champion.
For the latest news and to follow Hannah Newhouse all season, log onto her website at www.hannahnewhouse.com.
The Thompson Motorsports team will also be back in action in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series July 14 at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, WA with 18-year Braeden Havens behind the wheel of the #61. Havens has spend the past several weeks competing in regional Late Model action in Washington, Idaho, and Montana.
Havens has made three starts for the team this season and has proven himself making the transition to the much heavier cars in the ultra-competitive series. Havens has been running at the conclusion of each race with a career best finish of 8th.
About Thompson Motorsports
Thompson Motorsports is a premier racing organization based in Jerome, Idaho providing complete race car preparation and fabrication supporting the local grassroots racer and experienced professional driver. TMS prepares and fields race vehicles in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, NASCAR K&N Pro Series, CarbonX Rocky Mountain Challenge Series, Intermountain Pro Truck Series, and entries at local area short tracks. TMS has corporate partnerships with Rich Thompson Trucking Inc. (RTTI), Jerome Truck Service Inc., Eibach Springs, Earnhardt Technologies Group, Mothers Polishes and Waxes, Schroeder Torsion Bars, United Oil, Speedbear Fasteners, and Hagerman Valley Spring Water. For all the latest news and information about Brett Thompson and Thompson Motorsports, log onto www.brettthompsonracing.com or NASCAR Hometracks. For all the latest west coast racing action, log onto www.racingwest.com.
- Thompson Motorsports Press Release
Related Stories:
- Iowa Speedway up Next for Thompson Motorsports
- Thompson Motorsports Weekend Recap
- Crown Royal Poker Room is the real deal
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Bruce Kessler Nicolas Kiesa Leo Kinnunen Danny Kladis Hans Klenk
Report: Bellwether California market sees share growth for Detroit automakers
Filed under: Car Buying, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Ford, GM, Honda, Toyota
Ask any sales and marketing executive from Chrysler, Ford or General Motors what their company's greatest challenge is and they will unequivocally reply, "California." The Golden State accounts for 12.5 percent of all new car sales in the United States, but even more importantly, it is seen as a bellwether for the nation. As the home of the entertainment and consumer electronics industries, California has an outsized reach into our nation's popular culture - but Californians have historically been among the least receptive to domestic products.
There's some evidence that trend may be changing, as domestic market share has been improving in the recent years, according to Forbes. Ford has seen its Blue Oval brand improve from seven percent in 2008 to over nine percent last year. Chevrolet topped six percent last year after three years of growth. Even Chrysler, which had a market share of less than four percent in 2010, has seen growth - to five percent in 2011 and almost six percent so far this year.
Still, those numbers are a pittance compared to the import brands. According to The Detroit News, domestic automakers have a combined 30.8 percent share in California, well below their 44.3 percent national average. The domestics' recent growth in California - the Japanese and Korean manufacturers' "home turf" - has certainly been helped by supply shortages at Honda and Toyota, companies beset by natural disasters last year.
If domestic automakers are going to continue to take share from foreign competition, they're going to have to have more success stories like the recent surge in Chevrolet Volt sales, a phenomenon spurred by the availability of High Occupancy Vehicle lane stickers for GM's plug-in hybrid. There's also an inevitable demographic shift that could benefit Detroit, as domestic-hating Baby Boomers give way to younger buyers with no memory of Detroit's dark decades in the 1970s and 1980s.
Bellwether California market sees share growth for Detroit automakers originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Jun 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/26/bellwether-california-market-sees-share-growth-for-detroit-autom/
André Guelfi Miguel Ángel Guerra Roberto Guerrero Maurício Gugelmin Dan Gurney
Alex Bowman Wins Second in a Row for Cunningham Motorsports at Winchester Speedway
Alex Bowman Wins Herr’s Chase the Taste 200 At Winchester Speedway
During both of the Saturday practice sessions, Bowman and his Paul Andrews-led team posted the 6th fastest speed. With Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell on the schedule next, Bowman put the Cunningham Dodge 5th on the starting grid.
With future funding uncertain, once Bowman strapped on his helmet and the green flag flew, he was able to focus on the task at hand –winning the race. Immediately Bowman realized how difficult passing would be on the .5-mile high-banked track. By lap 36 he had made adjustments to his line and was in fourth. With spotter Richard Coleman reminding him regularly, “Patience, Bud, patience –we gotta conserve those tires,” Bowman started to get in his rhythm. As the first caution of the race came out on lap 42, crew chief Paul Andrews kept the third place #22 on the track. As the green waved again, Bowman continued his march forward, picking off second four laps later. That is when the real race began, as the current leader, Brennan Poole and Bowman put on quite a show for the fans, running many laps side by side and making three-wide passes around lapped cars. Bowman took the point for the first time at lap 92, before swapping the lead again on the next lap with Poole. As Bowman once again took the leap on the following lap, the yellow came out for a blown tire. Andrews called his young driver to pit road for right side tires and fuel, re-starting second, one lap shy of the halfway mark. Bowman dropped back to third as one of the cars that pitted for four tires during caution passed him. All the while spotter Coleman is repeating, “Patience, patience” to his driver. As the next caution came out, Andrews kept Bowman on track to maintain track position. Though there were only eight on the lead lap, Andrews wanted to wait until the most beneficial time to pit for those 4 fresh Hoosiers waiting in the pits. When the caution came out on lap 147, Andrews decided it was time to put new rubber on the Dodge.
The pit crew performed flawlessly on what they call “the money stop”. With a lightning quick stop, that got Bowman out ahead of Poole, Bowman lined up seventh for the re-start. (All of the cars in front of him either took only two tires or didn’t pit during the caution.) Two laps after the green, on lap 153, Bowman was fourth. With 40 laps remaining, he had worked his way to second. As the benefits of the 4-tire stop began to prove itself, Bowman took over the point with 31 laps remaining in the race. As Bowman and Poole completed the final laps, weaving in and out of lapped cars, Poole could never catch Bowman, giving the 19 year old from Tucson, AZ his second victory of 2012. The Winchester victory is Bowman’s fourth ARCA Racing Series win in 11 starts. In addition to the 2 wins in the 2012 season, Bowman has 5 top-3 finishes and 6 top-10 finishes in 9 races. The victory moved Bowman into third in the championship points battle.
“I didn’t win that race; the pit crew guys did,” said Bowman, who started fifth. “I’ve just got to thank everybody at Cunningham Motorsports. It’s awesome to get St. Jude’s (Children’s Research Hospital) back in Victory Lane, and it’s really cool to have the Impellizeri family here. It means a lot to me. Losing Scott was pretty tough. He was one of my really good friends, so I’ve got to dedicate this win to him again.
“We were so evenly matched with the 25 (Brennan Poole) that I kept trying to get around him. I got somewhere around him one time when the caution came out. From there, their guys beat us off pit road, but our guys made up for it with that four-tire pit stop and I’ve got to thank Briggs Cunningham, Penske engines, Paul Andrews, Kerry Scherer, my grandma, God.”
Bowman and the Cunningham team have a hectic five days, with a test session scheduled for Wednesday in preparation for the All-American Race Weekend by Global Barter at New Jersey Motorsports Park on Sunday. The road course will be Bowman’s first experience on a road course in a full-bodied stock car.
Teams will practice on the challenging Thunderbolt Raceway 2.3-mile road course from 11:20 a.m. to 12:50 p.m. and 1:40 to 2:40 on Saturday, June 30, with Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell following at 4:30. The 67-lap, 150-mile race – the fifth for ARCA on the New Jersey course – will start at 1 p.m. Sunday, with live timing and scoring and live audio coverage presented by the ARCA Racing Network available at ARCARacing.com. All on-track activity will be covered on twitter @cunningham_race.
Follow Alex on twitter @AlexBRacing
- Cunningham Motorsports Press Release
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Duncan Hamilton Lewis Hamilton David Hampshire Sam Hanks Walt Hansgen
Official: 2012 Zero XU approved for use in MSF training courses
Filed under: Etc., Technology, Motorcycle, Electric
The Motorcycle Safety Foundation has officially approved the electric Zero XU for use in the organization's rider training courses. The electron-powered XU offers a number of advantages for novice riders, including a low seat height, quiet operation and a direct-drive system that eliminates additional learning barriers like clutch and gearbox operation. The bikes are also extremely lightweight, tipping the scales at a mere 221 pounds with the battery pack in place.
Speaking of batteries, the XU features a swappable pack and a quick charging system to help in endure hours of cone dodging. Then there's the fact that XU is a zero-emission machine. As such, courses could theoretically operate indoors in a large warehouse. Pretty cool.
We're absolutely down with anything that makes it easier for new riders to learn how to get on two wheels, though we worry about riders receiving their certification solely on the XU. After all, one of the big benefits of the MSF system is that it familiarizes new riders with every aspect of a motorcycle, from basic operations like opening the fuel system and starting the bike to safely operating the clutch and transmission in a variety of conditions. While learning on an XU would be an excellent way to solidify basic handling skills, it would seem to do little to prepare a rider for actually throwing a leg over most motorcycles.
2012 Zero XU approved for use in MSF training courses originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Jun 2012 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/26/2012-zero-xu-approved-for-use-in-msf-training-courses/
Ukyo Katayama Ken Kavanagh Rupert Keegan Eddie Keizan Al Keller
Razia wins thrilling GP2 sprint race
Luiz Razia scored a sensational victory in Sunday morning’s sprint race at the Valencia street circuit, the 12th round of the GP2 Series, taking the lead with only seven corners remaining from longtime leader James Calado.
Calado (Lotus GP) led the majority of the race, which was punctuated by two early safety cars. But he was chased hard early on by Carlin duo Rio Haryanto and Max Chilton.
Haryanto actually took the lead on lap 15, after lunging alongside Calado at Turn 25 on the previous lap, but Calado clung to the inside line as they surged around Turn 1, and claimed his lead back at Turn 2.
The next flashpoint in the lead battle occurred at Turn 12 on lap 20, when Haryanto’s lunge down the inside turned sour, and he clattered into the side of Calado.
Haryanto was out of the race on the spot, and although Calado continued, his car was damaged in the impact and the following pack quickly caught him as he clearly lost pace.
The chase was now led by Fabio Leimer (Racing Engineering), who passed Chilton just as the top two were colliding. With four laps to go, Leimer was right with Calado, and piled on the pressure, but Calado stood firm and put up a brilliant defence, despite struggling with his ill-handling car.
It all came down to the final lap: Leimer lunged around the outside of Calado at Turn 12, but locked up and straightlined the chicane. Leimer now led, but was forced to give the place back to Calado, while Razia – who had been down in eighth on the opening lap – emerged as the real threat. Razia had passed Giedo van der Garde’s Caterham entry when he ran wide at Turn 2 on the penultimate lap, and then quickly passed Chilton at Turn 12 too.
Razia had all the momentum into Turn 17, as Calado clung to the inside line, defending hard from Leimer. But Razia grabbed the lead by driving around the outside of both at Turn 17 and claiming the inside line for the next left-hander.
Calado and Leimer then clashed, sending Leimer way wide at the right-handed sweeper that follows, and they crossed the finish line in the order Razia, Calado, Leimer and Chilton.
Nathaneal Berthon finished fifth for Racing Engineering, passing van der Garde on that oh-so-eventful last lap.
Saturday’s race winner, Esteban Gutierrez of Lotus GP, was eliminated in a second-corner crash. That was sparked when Marcus Ericsson of iSport rocketed from seventh to third at Turn 1, but his attempt to go around the outside of Berthon at Turn 2 ended with him being run into the tyrewall.
Behind him, Gutierrez was similarly shoved wide by Leimer, with whom he clashed yesterday, and piled into the back of Ericsson. Stefano Coletti (Coloni) followed suit, as did points leader Davide Valsecchi (DAMS), the only one of these who was able to rejoin.
Valsecchi made two pitstops but still finished 10th. He still leads the points, but only by one point from Razia.
A second safety car period was required when Monaco winners Johnny Cecotto Jr and Jolyon Palmer clashed on the exit of the final corner after the first restart. Each blamed the other.
Pos Driver Team Time/Gap
1. Luiz Razia Arden 46m07.255s
2. James Calado Lotus + 1.179s
3. Fabio Leimer Racing Engineering + 1.587s
4. Max Chilton Carlin + 2.425s
5. Nathanael Berthon Racing Engineering + 2.957s
6. Giedo van der Garde Caterham + 4.969s
7. Simon Trummer Arden + 8.415s
8. Julian Leal Trident + 9.501s
9. Daniel de Jong Rapax + 13.591s
10. Davide Valsecchi DAMS + 17.564s
11. Josef Král Addax + 21.005s
12. Tom Dillmann Rapax + 34.565s
13. Nigel Melker Ocean + 46.929s
14. Luiz Felipe Nasr DAMS + 50.083s
15. Rodolfo Gonzalez Caterham + 51.366s
16. Giancarlo Serenelli Lazarus + 57.490s
17. Fabio Onidi Coloni + 1’03.342s
18. Victor Guerin Ocean + 1’03.439sRetirements:
Rio Haryanto Carlin 19 laps
Stephane Richelmi Trident 5 laps
Jolyon Palmer iSport 3 laps
Johnny Cecotto Jr. Addax 3 laps
Stefano Coletti Coloni 0 laps
Esteban Gutierrez Lotus 0 laps
Marcus Ericsson iSport 0 laps
Fabrizio Crestani Lazarus 0 laps
Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/formula-cars/gp2/razia-wins-thrilling-gp2-sprint-race
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
High Anxiety: Good Parents and Bad Parents on the Road
America’s roads have suddenly become dangerous places for America’s children. At least, that’s what’s suggested by a flurry of viral stories involving kids and cars.
We can all agree this is a bad idea, right? A Colorado police officer snapped this picture. Photo: Jalopnik
In May, an inebriated Florida couple made news when they took their granddaughter for a joy ride, pulling her behind their SUV in a toy car. Then came the story of an Indiana dad, arrested after strapping his four children to the car hood to get them home from a quick liquor store stop. Next, it was the stoned Arizona mother who secured her weeks-old baby in its car seat, popped the seat on top of her vehicle, and drove off. The latest item grew out of a snapshot, taken by a Colorado police officer, of a diapered toddler restrained only by a seat belt while his child safety seat, buckled in next to him, cradled a can of gas.
While the nation may be experiencing a statistical rise in stupidity, substance abuse, or child neglect, more likely we’re just enjoying better access, through cable news and social media, to tales of bad parenting, tales we can take perverse pleasure in consuming and sharing. It’s simple and satisfying to stand in judgment of these “horrible parents” whose choices were so obviously wrong. Here are selfish people who put loved ones into terrible danger, something we would never do. Their evil, then, becomes our good.
Why, though, would we need these object lessons to highlight our own good parenting? Perhaps such high-contrast, black and white stories help quell the anxiety of transporting our children through the problematic gray area that is modern American car culture.
Cars — equipped with safety seats or not, piloted by sober drivers or not — present real danger to kids. Despite improved auto and traffic safety, they remain the number one killer of young people aged 5-34. Yet many new parents relocate to car-dependent suburbs, and many towns resist expanded transit lines or walking and biking paths, theoretically to protect their families from crime. Feeling children are safer in remote communities, these parents end up driving them everywhere, often to school, despite the fact that they would be about 20 times safer taking the bus. Seeking to protect them from the horrors of climate (but not climate change), moms and dads drive their young ones to school in inclement weather or idle at bus stops to shuttle them, warm and dry, a short block home.
Especially in more affluent suburbs, “good” parents can achieve that status by continually running up the odometer on their children’s behalf. Driving Jessica from taekwondo to soccer practice one day and from play date to math tutoring the next says Mom values her child’s developmental opportunities more than she values her own time. To wit, Subaru’s “Hockey Mom”, whose love for her athletic triplets is measured in miles — and, naturally, her choice of vehicle.
As children reach driving age, the role of “good” parent evolves from Chauffeur and Careful Consumer to Conscientious Mentor and Really Careful Consumer. And while educating teens about traffic laws and investing in car safety options is smart, we still fool ourselves that we can keep our children safe on the roads.
We fool ourselves that we can keep the youngest safe by always putting them in child-safety seats, though the majority of these seats are incorrectly installed. In a recent study, less than a quarter of vehicles tested made it easy to install them correctly.
We fool ourselves that we can keep teens safe with serious talks, such as that given by the father in the powerful “Baby Driver” commercial (also by Subaru), which doesn’t just tug at heartstrings but plays them like a virtuoso harpist. Nevertheless, the majority of high school seniors admit to texting while driving.
We fool ourselves that we can keep teens safe by buying the “right” car, a comforting and profitable fiction perpetuated by every ad like VW Passat’s “Crash” and each year’s “safest car for teens” guide. Meanwhile, new vehicles are loaded with enough infotainment and horsepower to tempt anyone to test the automatic stability control.
We fool ourselves that by preventing kids from walking and cycling, we protect them from other drivers, though streets are made safer when more cyclists and pedestrians share the road. And of course, putting young people behind the wheel instead of on a bike or on their feet puts them at risk of maiming or killing someone else.
Yes, parents can make multiple small efforts to make driving less dangerous to their children. But if our goal is to have dramatically fewer deaths and injuries, we must make it possible for children to travel fewer miles in vehicles. In a true culture of safety, parents would ask a different series of questions than which car to buy or which route to drive. They would ask: Does my child really need to take this car trip? Do I model taking some trips by other means? Does my teen really need a car? Can we live in an area with good transit? Can we make the area we live in more walkable? Until then, we can only hold ourselves so high above the “horrible parents” vilified in the news.
Anne Lutz Fernandez, a former investment banker and marketing executive, is co-author, with anthropologist Catherine Lutz, of Carjacked: The Culture of the Automobile and its Effect on Our Lives.
Source: http://dc.streetsblog.org/2012/06/26/high-anxiety-good-parents-and-bad-parents-on-the-road/
Karl Kling Ernst Klodwig Kamui Kobayashi Helmuth Koinigg Heikki Kovalainen
C.E. Falk III Joins Hillman Racing For NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race At Kentucky Speedway
Hillman Racing Logo
“To go to Kentucky is really awesome; I’ve never even been in the state. To go race is pretty sweet,” Falk said. “To be on a 1.5-mile [track], it’s going to be the biggest track I’ve ever been on and I’m really looking forward to going wide open in qualifying. It’s a huge opportunity for me to run well and run on speed. I just hope we have a lot of fun.”
The 24-year-old Virginia Beach, Va., native is no stranger to the national racing scene. He currently sits second in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national standings with nine victories. Falk has won multiple times on the three Virginia short tracks he’s competed on this season — his home track of Langley Speedway, South Boston Speedway and Motor Mile Speedway. Since the 2007 season when he joined the Late Model ranks on a full-time basis, Falk has won 45 times, recording 109 top-five and 128 top-10 finishes in 152 starts. He has made starts at most every NASCAR-sanctioned short track in Virginia.
“It’s all about gaining experience. You always learn something new every time you go race,” Falk said. “I think that’s why you see guys like Kyle Busch and some other ones who run so well all the time because they’re always in a car and they’re always learning. Just because we’re not racing a truck here at South Boston doesn’t mean I’m not going to take something I learn here and go take it to Kentucky with me. You always want to keep getting better as a driver; you’re always going to make mistakes.”
Falk gained his first taste of national recognition with his victory in the star-studded 2010 Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown at Southside Speedway outside of Richmond, Va. He outraced several of the top Sprint Cup Series drivers — host Denny Hamlin, three-time Cup Series champion Tony Stewart and others — to win the charity Late Model race.
“To run all these races and be in the position I am, I’m glad I’m not 18 and going into this race,” Falk said. “I’m glad I’m 24 and I’ve had this experience, I’ve been through the ups and downs of this sport. I just think it’s made me a better driver and we’ll get a better result. The truck race is going to be fun — you’ve got to race them hard. There’s a lot of guys out there young like me and a lot of veterans too who don’t want to give spots away. It’s definitely going to be give-and-take out there. It’s really huge and I can’t wait for next Thursday.”
Falk is racing the No. 27 Chevrolet for Hillman Racing. The organization, in its first season fielding a truck, sits 19th in the Truck Series owner standings after fellow Virginians Ward and Jeb Burton piloted the Silverado at the start of the season. Ward Burton, the 2002 Daytona 500 champion, finished eighth in the season opener at Daytona and Jeb followed with finishes of 19th or better in four of the next five races. The younger Burton finished eighth at the 1.5-mile Charlotte Motor Speedway, which gives the team something to build off of for Falk’s debut at Kentucky.
“I’ve followed C.E.’s racing career and I’m glad that we can provide him with the opportunity to showcase his talents in one of NASCAR’s national touring series,” said team owner Mike Hillman, Sr. “We’re all confident in C.E.’s ability and we’ve got a great group of guys at Hillman Racing that know how to work with young drivers to get them comfortable making the transition from Late Models. I’m looking forward to watching C.E. on Thursday and seeing him take the next step in his NASCAR career.”
About Hillman Racing:
Hillman Racing was established from the championship-winning assets assembled by team owner Mike Hillman, Sr. following the 2011 NASCAR season. Hillman, the architect of Germain Racing’s two NASCAR Championships, also has a NASCAR Nationwide Series championship to his credit. Hillman Racing is housed in a 22,000-square-foot facility in Mooresville, N.C., and will field the No. 27 Chevrolet Silverado in 2012. Additional information is available at: www.HillmanRacing.com, find us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/HillmanRacing and follow the team on Twitter @Hillman_Racing. For sponsorship inquiries, please contact Kevin Radvany at (704) 658-1505.
- Hillman Racing Press Release
Related Stories:
- Ricky Benton Racing; Clay Rogers making NASCAR Camping World Truck Series return at Kentucky Speedway
- Realtree and Bad Boy Buggies Partner with RCR for Ty Dillon’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Debut at Kentucky Speedway
- Toyota NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Kentucky Speedway Post Race Notes & Quotes
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Rumormill: Lamborghini working on four-seat Aventador GT?
Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Sedan, Performance, Lamborghini, Design/Style, Luxury
Lamborghini is keen to expand its product range with its upcoming Urus utility vehicle. But that doesn't mean the marque is done developing its top-of-the-line supercar. In fact, there are rumors flying around of numerous derivatives of the new Aventador. But few are as surprising as the speculation surrounding a possible four-seat version.
According to Motor Trend, the Bolognese automaker is preparing a concept version of the Aventador with a longer wheelbase, a pair of small rear-hinged suicide doors (think: Mazda RX-8) and an extra pair of seats in the back. It wouldn't be the first time Lamborghini has presented a four-seat model - there are, after all, several in its back catalog, including the aforementioned Urus, the LM002 SUV that preceded it and the Estoque concept as well - but a mid-engined 2+2 is still a bit of a rarity in the industry.
The anticipated Aventador GT concept is tipped to be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March, but that's not all Sant'Agata is said to have in the pipeline. A roadster version is tipped to debut this January at the Detroit Auto Show with a more usable form than the Aventador J one-off displayed in Geneva last March. And a hardcore SuperVeloce model is tipped to arrive within a couple of years with as much as 800 horsepower.
Getting away from the Aventador line, the lightweight, Sesto Elemento concept could be ready for (limited) production by next year. Lambo's volume model, the Gallardo, is reportedly due for another facelift scheduled to debut at September's Paris Motor Show before its replacement (based on the next-generation Audi R8) arrives at the Frankfurt Motor Show one year later.
Lamborghini working on four-seat Aventador GT? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Jun 2012 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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John James Jean Pierre Jarier Max Jean Stefan Johansson Eddie Johnson
Greetings From Walkable, Bikeable, Transit-Oriented Asbury Park, N.J.
The boardwalk in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Photo: Matthew Weinstein/NYT
Think of a place that you can reach by train, that is densely developed and easy to get around by walking or biking. You’re probably thinking of a center city, or perhaps an inner-ring suburb. But in older regions of the country, there’s another place that has the fundamentals for living car-free: the beach. Built over a century ago, many oceanside towns were designed to attract summertime urban visitors at a time when driving simply wasn’t an option. And with beachfront property going for a premium, it’s normal to see compact, even high-rise, urban-scale development lining the waterfront.
Network blogger Charley Ferrari, writing at City Theorist, argues that the Jersey Shore, in particular, can serve as an inspiration for a new model of smart suburban development:
All of these towns were developed and incorporated in the late 19th century, which partially explains why the form of the area east of Main Street are very compact grids, and in some areas the architecture is more Victorian. These are also of course vacation oriented beach towns, which should lend itself more towards a compact form since there’s an amenity everyone wants to be close to. (I’d love to see a study that actually explains this, it does seem to be true anecdotally!)
Throw in an NJT train with closely spaced stops, and you have an urban area that’s urban for every reason except proximity to the city. I think this sort of development is cool because it stands in stark contrast to more traditional transit oriented development. Instead of looking at the suburbs and trying to retrofit a series of centers around train stops, this is more of an urban sprawl similar to what one would find in the inner city.
Elsewhere on the Network today: Pedestrian Observations‘ Alon Levy explains why he doesn’t like downtown New Haven: “The parking. It hurts.” Urban Velo posts the first-place entry for a video contest at the University of Arkansas on the subject “Why Bike?” And the Architect’s Newspaper blog highlights an effort to kickstart stoop life in New Zealand with installation art.
Source: http://streetsblog.net/2012/06/26/greetings-from-walkable-bikeable-transit-oriented-asbury-park-n-j/
Kerry Dale Earnhardt Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr Carl Michael Edwards III William Clyde Elliott
Boehner Masks GOP Attack on Safe Streets By Opposing Flowers
House Speaker John Boehner spoke to reporters yesterday morning. His message: “Republicans Relentlessly Focused on Jobs.”
John Boehner says there will be no more flowers on his watch. Photo: Human Flower Project
“House Republicans want to get a highway bill done,” he said. “We want a bill, and our colleagues are working toward producing a bill. We just want to make sure it’s a bill that includes real reforms, to ensure that taxpayer funds are paying for legitimate projects that support economic activity – not planting more flowers and beautification projects around the country.”
Of course, Boehner is hiding behind the “no flower” argument to mask the House GOP’s real objective — dismantling the Senate transportation bill’s provisions for street safety programs, which are funded from the same pot as “scenic beautification” projects. The GOP’s true target — the Cardin-Cochran amendment — gives local agencies control over funds from programs to make streets safer for walking and biking, including Safe Routes to School and Transportation Enhancements. Those funds go toward transportation projects that save people money, reduce congestion, improve air quality, and combat obesity.
Not only does that money go a long way in terms of building infrastructure and getting results, it also produces more construction jobs per dollar than highway spending. So maybe Boehner is not really focused on jobs — “Relentlessly Focused on Fossil Fuels” is more like it. In his comments, Boehner added that the House GOP also supports “bipartisan, job-creating initiatives like the Keystone pipeline” — which is expected to create about 6,000 jobs. (Hardly enough to have a real impact on the nation’s unemployment, when last month’s job growth of 69,000 was considered extremely weak.) Soon after the speaker’s press conference, the House passed the Domestic Energy and Jobs Act, 248 to 163, to gut the Clean Air Act and open more public lands to oil drilling.
As we all anxiously await word of what will be included in the conference committee’s final report, Boehner’s veiled attack on street safety programs signals that the House GOP is also “relentlessly focused” on preventing local governments from reducing the death toll on their streets. The speaker’s remarks came just before Sen. Barbara Boxer and Rep. John Mica released a statement saying they’ve “moved forward” and hope to have a bill done by the June 30 deadline. Note the complete disregard for yesterday’s (admittedly non-binding) instruction to finish work by today.
Meanwhile, the House also voted 260-138 yesterday to insist on the inclusion of the coal ash deregulation provision in the final conference report — just another way House Republicans are putting their zeal to damage the environment before their interest in creating jobs.
Source: http://dc.streetsblog.org/2012/06/22/boehner-masks-gop-attack-on-safe-streets-by-opposing-flowers/
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