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AmericanCars RACING THIS WEEKEND!
January 22, 2012 by tom · Leave a Comment
The Continental Tire Series, the second level of Gand Am Racing, starts the 2012 racing season this Friday, 1/27/12. The race is a 2.5 hours race on the sports car track of The Daytona Speed Way. The race will not be televised until 2/04/11. The race is just a prelim for the Rolex Grand AM 24 hour at Daytona. The Grand Am Rolex 24 Hours starts Saturday 01/28/12.
The big boys in The Continetal are the GS (Grand Sport) cars. A list of the AmericanCar teams are below. The remainder of the GS cars are a host of BMWs, Porsches, with a mix of a few other brands.
52 GS Rehagen Racing / Mustang Boss 302R
51 Gs Roush Performance / Mustang Boss 302R
49 GS Roush Performance / Mustang Boss 302R
61 GS Roush Performance / Mustang Boss 302R
9 GS Stevenson Motorsports / Camaro GSR
17 GS BTE Sport / Mustang Boss 302R
62 GS Mitchum Motorsports / Camaro GS.R
6 GS Mitchum Motorsports / Camaro GS.R
7 GS Starworks Motorsport / Mustang Boss 302R
15 GS Starworks Motorsport / Mustang Boss 302R
158 GS Miller Racing / Mustang Boss 302R
87 GS Vehicle Technologies / Dodge Challenger GS.R
48 GS CKS Autosport / Camaro GS.R
49 GS CKS Autosport / Camaro GS.R
54 GS Jim Click Racing / Mustang Boss 302R
50 GS Jim Click Racing / Mustang Boss 302R
The Roush #61 team co-driven by Jack Jr. was the most successful AmericanCar team in 2011.
This is Ashley McCalmont, a CanadianGirl, who will be codriving the CKS Racing Camaro.
The less powerful cars in the Continental series are the ST (Street Tuner). The lone AmericanCar in the ST is the Ford Foucus. The ST division is dominated with BMWs, Hondas, and VWs. 
There was no AmericanCar entry in this division last year.
2013 MUSTANG SHELBY GT500 — 650hp
In response to the 580 hp Camaro ZL1, Ford has developed the 2013 Mustang Shelby GT500. The 2013 Ford Shelby GT500, which goes on sale late 2012, sports a supercharged 5.8-liter V8 and a new optional Performance package. Ford says the aluminum engine, which is rated at 650 horsepower and 600 pound-feet of torque, is “the most powerful production V8 engine in the world.” The 2013 Shelby GT500
Ford said it has reworked virtually every key component of the driveline, fitting a larger, more-efficient TVS supercharger, new cross-drilled engine block and cylinder heads, updated cam profiles, a new carbon-fiber driveshaft and upgraded clutch, transmission and axle. To handle the additional torque while still delivering reasonable fuel economy, the six-speed manual transmission was regeared and beefed up. The optional Performance package bundles SVT-designed Bilstein electronic adjustable dampers and a Torsen limited-slip differential. An optional Track package adds an external engine oil cooler, rear differential cooler and transmission cooler. Among the additional features on the 2013 Shelby GT500 are a new launch control system, Brembo brakes, revised aerodynamics and new forged-aluminum wheels measuring 19 inches in front and 20 inches in the rear, all with Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperCar G: 2 tires.
The Mustang will have 70 more hp and a slightly lower curb than the Camaro. The Camaro will have advantage in some electronic driving stablity gadgetry. Estimated pricing for the two cars Mustang GT500:$60,000, Camaro ZL1:$47,000
WRONG AGAIN — MILKA DUNO IS BACK FOR 2012
January 17, 2012 by tom · Leave a Comment
We’ve followed Milka Duno for a while and I perdicted she would not have a 2012 ride. I was so wrong again and I’m so happy I was so wrong. Please see the press release below:
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Dec 19, 2011) – Milka Duno and her #63 Ford Fusion Sheltra Motorsports team left a solid impression after three days of ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards testing at Daytona International Speedway last weekend. Setting fast time in two separate sessions, Duno and her Sheltra Motorsports team often found themselves atop the speed charts at the famed 2.5-mile oval, proving they will be a team to watch when the ARCA Racing Series makes their return to Daytona in February 18th, 2012 for the season opening event. The event is scheduled to be televised live on SPEED.
Below this picture is the story we did on Milka early in 2011 including the video of Milka and Danica’s run in.
Milka Duno is a Venezuelan born model and race car driver. Her racing career is unusual because of her late start. She was introduced to the sport when she was invited to a driving clinic by a car club in Venezuela and did not start racing until she was 24. Prior to racing her background was primarily academic. Duno holds master’s degree in Organizational Development, NavalArchitecture, Maritime Business, and Marine Biology, and she has prior experience working as a naval engineer.
Milka currently competes in the ARCA Racing Series and formerly in the Indy Racing car Series. She is the highest finishing female driver in the history of the 24 hours of Daytona.
However, Milka is best known for her cat fight with Danica Patrick. SEE VIDEO. The incident took place after a practice session at the 2008 Mid-Ohio IRL race, where Milka was clearly not practicing good judgment or just a lack of driving skills. Danica had a legitimate argument.
Milka was technically banned from the IRL in 2010. In a release, the IRL stated that “Duno requires immediate and substantial improvement to her driving during the remaining events on the 2010 schedule,” adding “if the improvements are not met, the league may impose other penalties at its discretion”. The ban was issued after the cat fight and after Ashley Judd, movie star and wife IRL driver Dario Franchitti, complained that Milka was danger to the other drivers. I’m thinking that Danica and Ashley were getting tired of watching their husbands ogling Milka and took proactive measures.
Sheltra Motorsports has signed Milka Duno to run the full 2011 ARCA Racing Series season. The 2010 championship winning team will aim to defend their title in 2011 while making history with the first female driver to win a major motorsports championship. The Venezuelan-native Duno, will also look to pilot her orange and blue No. 63 CITGO SUPERGARD Dodge to ARCA Racing Series Rookie of the Year honors in 2011. After the first two races of the season Milka is in 19th place in the ARCA points standing. The next ARCA race of the 2011 season is May 1st
NEW CHEVY ENGINE FOR THE 2012 INDY CAR (IRL)
Chevrolet is jumping back into the IndyCar game with a new purpose-built V6 engine.
Rules changes for 2012 are what opened the door. Previously the IRL series was dominated by Honda power. The new Chevy engine is an aluminum-block-and-heads’ turbo charged, direct injection, V-6 that will displace 2.4 liters and perform double duty as a stressed member of the chassis.
Chevy will provide the engine to any teams that wish to purchase it, though Team Penske is already signed up. The engines will slot into the new-for-2012 Dallara chassis. Honda will continue to provide engines. IRL still hopes for a third engine manufacturer, such as Fiat, wearing either the Alfa Romeo or Ferrari brand.
For me this puts a whole new meaning to the 2012 Indy Car season.
Below we have General Motors vice chairman Tom Stephens, Team Penske owner Roger Penske and Team Penske driver Helio Castroneves on the front straight of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, prior to announcing that Chevrolet will compete in the 2012 IndyCar Series with a new twin-turbocharged, direct-injection V6.
THIS GERMAN HAS BECOME AN AMERICAN CITIZEN
January 6, 2012 by tom · Leave a Comment
I was reading the 12/11 issue of Grass-roots Motorsport magazine and ran across this great article about a company called Renegade Hybrids. They are quite possibly the coolest, spit in their face company that I have ever ran across. They install Chevy LS series engines into 911/930, 914, 928, 944/951/968 and 996 Porsches. Why? Because the Prosche engines are so expensive to replace. The LS series engines are not only less expensive but have proven more reliable and given better performance than the Porsche engines they have replaced. I love it!!
Once again I site the Immigration law of 1968 that states that if a foreign car has a tranplanted Chevy, Ford or MOPAR engine that car is classified as an AmericanCar.
The lead picture is a Renegade Hybrid 911 Porsche.
Their web site is www.renegadehybrids.com . Go look for yourself but please come back.
