If you’re planning on buying an Audi R8 and wondering about factory delivery options in Germany, the Audi R8 LMS Experience can offer you a lot more than a factory tour, a cup of coffee and a road map.

As part of the Audi Driving Experience now available to U.S. customers, you can access the full racing experience through one of five different programs that include driving instruction in your own R8 as well as seat time in an R8 LMS racecar and instruction from Audi’s Le Mans winning race driver lineup. Want to see how much taller (and slower) you are compared to Allan McNish? Here’s your chance, but you’ll need a passport.

First stop is the individual training, with the only requirement being some prior race track experience. The training takes place at Groß Dölln in Germany is the spot where you’ll first discover the wonders of the Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro and the Audi R8 LMS pictured above.

If you already have a racing license, you can also experience the Audi R8 LMS in an exclusive training course with only four participants, each with their own Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro, and two instructors to prepare you for the Audi R8 LMS experience on the Eurospeedway Lausitz. Dies ist gut!

If you don’t have a race license yet but would like to acquire one, there’s also the option to qualify for a pro license. Again using the R8 LMS, German participants who pass the training course can apply to the German Motor Sports Federation (DMSB) for a German National A License. Non-German participants need to make arrangements with the national race licensing federation from their own country in order to secure accreditation from Audi R8 training course, but the extra effort is well worthwhile if you’re looking for the most unique way possible to qualify for a pro license.

The Audi Driving Experience doesn’t have to end there either. Packages exist for intensive race driver training in the R8 LMS and there’s even the opportunity to drive an R8 LMS with the Audi works team Joest-Racing, where you’ll take part in a race as a driver in a VLN Endurance Championship event on the Nürburgring Nordschleife. However, to participate in a VLN race at the Ring Audi does require you have adequate knowledge of the Nordschleife and we’re guessing Xbox360 Forza2 laps won’t count.

All in all, Audi has certainly offered buyers of their awesome R8 a wide range of options as a part of their Driving Experience program. Once we’ve saved enough for an R8 of our own (in 2019), we’ll let you know how the program is firsthand.

[Source: gtspririt.com]

One of the toughest and most prestigious endurance races in the world, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, has officially begun, with the third and final qualifying session running last night. Peugeot and their diesel-powered 908′s put on a dominating performance, claiming the top four spots on the grid and leading the way amongst the LMP1 group that was once owned by Audi.

Frenchman and former Indy Car champ Sebastien Bourdais led the way for Peugeot, claiming pole position for the French manufacturer and no doubt delighting the home town crowd in the process. Local fans were probably just as pleased to see Frenchman and former F1 driver Olivier Panis’ independent ORECA Team Peugeot Matmut qualify 4th just behind the three factory Peugeots.

Audi, who’ve owned Le Mans with their LMP1 machines over the last decade, claimed the next three spots on the starting grid with their trio of R15 entries, giving diesel-powered cars the top seven spots. Audi’s Allan McNish made a late charge during the final qualifying session to close the Audi-Peugeot gap to 2.5-seconds a lap, but over a 24 hour period Audi has to hope for superior fuel and tire economy if they’re to have any chance at defeating the quicker Peugeots.

Get the rest of the qualifying results after the jump:

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Endurance racing fans are no doubt getting geared up for this weekend’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, but German videographers Tim and Nick Hahne have just released this stunning HD video from this year’s Nurburgring 24 Hour race. Rather than focusing on the racing action out on the track, the Hahne’s instead provide an intriguing and artistic viewpoint from pit lane.

All 19500 frames of HD video were captured using Canon’s amazing 5D Mark II, a DSLR camera designed primarily for capturing still images but is also a growingly popular choice amongst amateur and professional videographers. With extremely high quality HD video capabilities and a wide range of high quality zoom and fixed lenses, it’s easy to see why automotive journalists (including some of us at AutoGuide) are partial to the 5D Mark II.

’24 Hours in 19500 Frames’ isn’t your typical 3-minute fast-paced internet motorsports video. There’s no tire smoke, no dudes wearing crooked baseball caps flashing the bull horns hand symbol, and no heavy metal sound track. Instead, the Hahne’s have taken a far more artistic approach that provides a real sense of atmosphere at this legendary endurance race, all 13-minutes and 19500 frames of it feeling strangely hypnotic, like a night out at a German motorsports rave. It’s certainly not designed for the Attention Deficit Disorder generation, but regardless of your age we highly recommend you sit back and soak in the ambience and style of the Hahne’s creation, available after the jump.

[Source: Autoblog]

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Don Panoz, the mastermind behind the production of hand-built exotic sportscars like the Panoz Esperante and 24 Hours of Le Mans GT2 class winning Esperante GTLM (2006), has outdone himself with this latest creation, the Abruzzi ‘Spirit of Le Mans’.

Built and named to pay tribute to what Panoz considers the world’s greatest motor race, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Abruzzi is both a technological marvel and a uniquely delivered ownership experience, with every one of the planned 81 examples being delivered to their European owners at the famed Circuit de La Sarthe racing circuit where the day-long mid-summer classic takes place each year.

The link to Le Mans will go deeper still, with each Abruzzi’s chassis number containing the date of the Le Mans race it was delivered on. Each delivery will also include professional driving instruction on the Bugatti Circuit at Le Mans and all service and repair work will be done at the ACO facilities at the Circuit 24 Hours Le Mans.

The uniqueness of the Abruzzi buying experience doesn’t end there. Panoz will give each new owner the VIP treatment during the 24 Hours of Le Mans race weekend including access to the ACO hospitality facilities and a parade lap of the full 8.3-mile La Sarthe circuit. There will also be a ‘Spirit of Le Mans’ reception held at the clubhouse of the famed 24 Hours golf club in the historic town of Arnage, where new Abruzzi owners can rub elbows with past Le Mans winners including Derek Bell and Jacky Ickx.

Although the Abruzzi will be road legal and available for purchase in Europe and parts of Asia, this front-engine rear-wheel drive very bespoke sports car will not be seen on North American roadways. But if you can afford one, chances are you’ve got a villa in the south of France where you can enjoy this 600-hp piece of rolling art work. And if you do buy one, you’ll have to let us know how its Recyclable Energy Absorbing Matrix System (REAMS) body works out, since its multi-layer composite construction is apparently lighter than carbon fiber and just as strong while also being dent-resistant, shatter-proof and completely recyclable.

A video interview of Don Panoz speaking about the creation of the Abruzzi ‘Spirit of Le Mans’ is available after the jump.

[Source: American Le Mans Series]

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The 2010 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR-X is an even more hardcore version of the street-legal ACR, the X being a track-only special edition built specifically for Viper racers who want even more power and less weight.

There is, however, one small problem. No matter how serious a Viper racer you may be and no matter how much your most recent Goldman & Sachs bonus check may have been, Dodge has already sold all 25 ACR-X examples they plan to build, so you can’t have one.

So why are we posting about the ACR-X if they’re already all spoken for? Because come on, look at the thing! It’s outrageous! Not only is it powered by a SRT-developed 8.4-liter V10 engine that’s been equipped with high performance headers and a low-restriction exhaust system for a neck-snapping 640 horsepower (40 more than the production model) and 605 ft-lbs of torque (45 more than the production model), it’s also been put on a 160 lb diet. Combine that with a suspension that’s been tuned and upgraded specifically for on-track usage with unique springs, two-way adjustable shocks and adjustable sway bar links and you’ve got one serious super snake. The ACR-X has also seen some aerodynamic revisions including quad-dive planes and underbody ducts to improve downforce while enhancing stability and significantly improving grip in high-speed cornering.

Unlike the street-legal ACR, the ACR-X includes safety equipment such as a factory-designed roll cage, fire suppression system, fuel cell and race seat. Additional racing components including a transmission cooler, rear differential cooling system, unique front rotors with larger surface area and improved brake cooling via scoops in the front fascia have also been added to meet the significant durability and reliability requirements for on-track competition.

Although it’s too late for you to buy one, if you want to see a Viper ACR-X in action, many of them have been sold to Dodge Viper Cup Series competitors. This newly developed spec racing series, which will be sanctioned by the existing Viper Racing League, has two races per weekend for five weekends. The spec part means every car racing in the Cup Series will be a Viper ACR-X, so show up at the track on any of these dates and you’ll likely see most of the 25 sold in action all at once.

• July 9-11 at Virginia International Raceway (VIR) in Alton, Va.
• Aug. 14-15 at Hallett Raceway in Jennings, Okla.
• Sept. 11-12 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa.
• Oct. 1-3 at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah
• Oct. 22-24 at Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch, in Pahrump, NV

For more information on the Dodge Viper in all its forms, check out the new website viperheadquarters.com.

GALLERY: Dodge Viper ACR-X

Redline Time Attack isn’t just the premier Time Attack racing series in the United States, it’s also a great place for novice track drivers to get their feet wet and receive some top notch instruction.

As if to emphasize this point, Redline’s latest video from Las Vegas Motor Speedway showcases the full gambit of competitors, from a total novice in his completely unmodified Volkswagen Golf GTI who took advantage of the in-car instruction available at these events, to a seasoned racing veteran like Dave Lemon in his newly developed Street Tire class Mazda RX-8, to one of the fastest Unlimited class Time Attack machines in the world, the FX Motorsports Development Acura NSX.

The cool part about participating in a series like Redline’s is that you don’t have to be a pro driver with a big budget and a fancy race car, but you still get to hang out with and learn from some of the fastest drivers and best prepared teams in the country. It may not be a free education since it costs a bit to register for these events (typically in the $350/weekend range if you pay in advance), but it’s still the cheapest way to rub elbows with pro drivers like FXMD’s Billy Johnson and GST Motorsports’ Gary Sheehan (both very approachable guys who’ll give you some free tips on the fast line around the track if you ask nicely).

So if you’ve been thinking about taking your car to the track but aren’t too sure where to start, check out the video after the jump and take a look at Redline Time Attack’s website.

[Source: Redline Time Attack]

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The boy geniuses from ‘Keep Drifting Fun‘, Will Roegge and Josh Herron, have just released their latest video, an up close and personal account of the Formula Drift Atlanta weekend from the perspective of defending champ Chris Forsberg.

Forsberg, who’s NOS energy drink sponsored Nissan 350Z roadster is among the most recognizable machines in the wildly popular Formula Drift series, tells the tale of an action-packed weekend of drifting including a little NASCAR-style bumping and a bent suspension. But as the video shows, Forsberg battles through adversity like a true champion to finish on the podium, moving him into 5th place in the 2010 championship standings heading into Round 3 at Wall Speedway in New Jersey this coming weekend.

The dynamic duo of Roegge and Herron definitely have a genuine passion for drifting, traveling the country in their 1974 Volkswagen Westfalia van while documenting the action at all seven rounds of the Formula Drift championship as well as visiting many grassroots drift events as part of their ‘Keep Drifting Fun’ documentary effort.

Check out the video after the jump and be sure to visit keepdriftingfun.com for more info on their cross-country adventure and video-making. And if you happen to bump into these bearded drift hobos at an event, give them an air high-five for us!

[Source: Keep Drifting Fun]

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Mercedes-Benz Financial, in a move designed to quicken credit approval and allow sales personnel to check available promotions without leaving the showroom floor, will be equipping 40 select dealers with Apple iPads. It will then make the necessary changes to the mobile device before potentially switching over all dealerships to the system later this year.

A first in the industry, the iPad announcement should come as no surprise given Mercedes-Benz’s highly successful introduction of their iPhone app, which lets customers make car payments via their mobile phone. Since its introduction last October, this iPhone app has been downloaded over 13,000 times.

As for Mercedes-Benz’s new iPad program, the company says the use of this highly versatile new device will also cut the amount of time it takes to process a returned lease vehicle by allowing the task to be done wirelessly in front of the customer without leaving the parking lot or showroom floor.

“We see the iPad providing wireless mobility, information and flexibility on the showroom floor. The iPad will provide a competitive advantage to our dealers by increasing their service levels through a more flexible financing process,” said Andreas Hinrichs, vice president of marketing for Mercedes-Benz Financial.

Having sold over 2 million iPads since its launch on April 3rd, the consumer and corporate interest in Apple’s latest and greatest device appears to know no bounds at the moment. If we were the gambling types ($20 on Lewis Hamilton to win the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix!), we’d wager good money that the iPad will soon be making similar appearances in other luxury brand showrooms, if for no other reason than to appear as hip and tech-savvy as the early adopters from Stuttgart.

[Source: Inside Line]

A Florida-based dealer of airplanes, helicopters, and all manner of rare and exotic vehicles called Aero Toy Store Collection has recently listed Jean Alesi’s 1991 Formula 1 ride for sale, this chassis no. 126 Ferrari F1 Scuderia Tipo 642.

It may not have the race-winning pedigree of a Schumacher era Ferrari, but at “just” $700,000 it’s a relative bargain and would still make a nice conversation piece for a well-heeled Ferrari collector. Alesi did manage a third place finish at the ’91 Monaco Grand Prix, and in general the Tipo 642 is considered the beginning of Ferrari’s F1 resurgence.

What’s interesting (and perhaps a bit distressing for a potential buyer) is that the dealer lists the engine as turbocharged, yet turbos were banned from Formula 1 in 1989. But at least the dealer got the 3.5-liter V12 part right. To be more specific, the engine is Ferrari’s 035/5 65° V12 giving 660 hp at 13,000 rpm.

Perhaps this oversite on the engine’s specification can be forgiven when you consider that Aero Toy Store, founded by Morris Shirazi and located in six hangers at the Ft. Lauterdale Executive Airport, specializes primarily in selling or leasing customized private jets and helicopters as well as luxury vehicles. Still, Shirazi made his fortune dealing in Ferraris, so listing this ’91 Tipo 642 as “the last of the turbocharged Formula One cars” is a mistake you wouldn’t expect.

If you’ve got the cash to invest in this Ferrari, then you’ve also got the means of calling the dealer to clarify its history and engine configuration. Also keep in mind that we’re available for test drives once you buy it. In the meantime, check out the extra pictures after the jump.

[Source: Aero Toy Store Collection]

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A first in the tire industry, Toyo Tires has just released an online tire fitment guide that’s compatible with the iPhone and iPod Touch. The guide includes information on proper tire sizes, inflation pressures and premium replacement products.

The Tire Finder program — located at http://tirefinder.toyotires.com/ — recognizes an iPhone or iPod Touch and formats viewing for the mobile device screen. To search the comprehensive database of vehicles, fitments and premium replacement tires, users simply select vehicle year, make, model and options from drop-down menus.  The result is a list of Toyo brand tires in sizes appropriate for the selected vehicle, ranging from the original equipment size to plus sizes.

“As a company that prides itself on technology and innovation, we are pleased to be the first tire manufacturer in the world with a mobile fitment guide,” said Steve Hutchinson, vice president of marketing, Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp.  “Consumers and dealers alike want fast, easy access to information. The Toyo Tire Finder meets this demand and places our extensive line of replacement products in their hands.”

[Source: Toyo Tires]

The Redline Time Attack series — where man and machine compete against the clock to post the fastest lap time in Street, Modified, and Unlimited classes — attracts many of the biggest name tuner shops in the country, but it has also attracted Paul Walker, star of the film ‘Fast & Furious’.

Walker has made appearances at West coast Time Attack events in the past in a variety of cars including a R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R and a Porsche 911 GT3 RS, but this year he’s driving an E92 BMW M3 in the Street tire class. On March 26th at Buttonwillow Raceway (100 or so miles north of Los Angeles), Walker posted a best lap time of 2:08.407, good for 12th in class (out of 16 competitors). This was 10-seconds off the pace of class winner Mike Bonnani in the Berk Technology BMW 135i, but Bonnani is a veteran of the series and a professional driving instructor.

Walker’s M3, modified to the limit of the Street tire class, has been prepared by AE Performance of Chino, CA. Modifications include a gutted interior and full roll cage, as well as bigger brakes, wider and lighter Volk Racing TE37 wheels and Hankook Ventus RS-3 tires (which meet the 140 UTQG or higher requirement for this class). Curb weight has been reduced from the factory 3704 lbs down to a comparatively svelte 3567 lbs and a carbon fiber wing has been added to give the M3 some added rear grip.

If you’re a diehard Walker and F&F fan and need an autograph to go with your signed Vin Diesel ‘The Chronicles of Riddick’ action figure, chances are you’ll find Walker at a west coast Redline Time Attack event. Just don’t tell him we sent you.

[Source: Redline Time Attack, AE Performance]

After an action-packed weekend at Eastern Creek International Raceway near Sydney, Australia, Tarzan Yamada and the HRS Garage/Cyber Evo team persevered through an engine failure to claim the title of World Time Attack Challenge champion with their legendary Mitsubishi Evolution 8.

As one of the pre-event favorites, it may come as no surprise that Tarzan and the Cyber Evo took the win, but things were looking very grim for this Japanese-based team the afternoon before the Time Attack finals on May 22nd at Eastern Creek. A blown engine during practice meant they had to scramble to source a replacement  unit locally, working at fever’s pitch to install it and remap the engine control unit overnight on Australian ECU specialist Haltech’s dynamometer.

A testament to hard work and determination, the HRS Garage/Cyber Evo posted a mind-blowing lap time of 1:30.587, breaking the long-standing track record set in 1999 by Mark Skaife in a Australian V8 Supercar. Tarzan celebrated the win in typical flamboyant style, much to the delight of the local crowd and his international fan base.

To see who rounded out the podium (plus some Time Attack video action), check after the jump:

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As we reported earlier today, this weekend’s World Challenge action at Mosport International Raceway saw Corvette Racing legend Ron Fellows take the GT class win in the Cragar Wheels C6 Vette on Sunday, but that wasn’t the only glory claimed in the name of the General’s all-conquering sports car. Retired Director of GM’s Performance Division and SCCA Runoffs dominator John “The HeinRocket” Heinricy won both rounds of the Mosport double header in his GTS class Torvec/Phoenix/Hawk C5 Chevrolet Corvette.

Ron Fellows may have retired from full-time racing duties with Corvette Racing and the American Le Mans Series, but he proved this weekend that he’s still the Mayor of Mosport in a Corvette.

The Mississauga, Ontario native and Corvette Racing legend has always been hard to beat around his home track, Mosport International Raceway, so it should come as no surprise that he claimed the top step on the podium during Sunday’s World Challenge event from behind the wheel of the Carlisle Companies/Cragar Wheels Chevrolet Corvette. The win didn’t come easy though, starting 2nd to Randy Pobst in the K-Pax Volvo S60 and having been passed off the start by Kuno Wittmer’s Dodge Viper.

Fellows quickly battled back against Wittmer, passing his fellow Canadian in Turn 10 before turning his sights on race leader Pobst. Running down the K-Pax Volvo, Fellows turned a record fastest race lap of 1:23.828 (105.602 mph), a feat that thrilled the hometown crowd. On lap 15, Fellows and Pobst went side-by-side down the front straight and through Turn 1, splitting the Touring Car Mazda RX-8 of Eric Meyer between Turns 1 and 2. Fellows managed to take the inside line for the downhill left hander and slowly pulled away from Pobst from that point on.

According to Fellows, ”I got a terrible start, but other than that it was just a matter of being patient. Even though I hadn’t raced here much lately, it comes back to you. To be honest, the slick conditions may have helped. I was hoping it stayed overcast, but our car is lighter than the Volvos and that was probably better. It was a lot of fun, and feels good.”

Having spent the day before at Laguna Seca for Corvette Racing’s 50th anniversary of racing at Le Mans, Fellows’ win at Mosport might not have happened if he’d missed his connecting flight from San Francisco to Toronto, having literally made the connection with 3 minutes to spare. As Fellows reported on his personal website, he was very pleased to have been able to race at Mosport on this historic weekend for Corvette Racing and because he hadn’t raced at his home track since 2007.

Pobst’s runner-up finish in the Volvo, combined with his Saturday race win at Mosport, extended his point lead to 47 over Wittmer and the Dodge Motorsports Viper (541 to 494), followed by Crescentini in the Centric Parts/Stoptech/GMG Porsche 911 GT3 (420), Andy Pilgrim (383) and Daskalos in his Daskalos Developments Dodge Viper (379). Volvo also extended its point lead in the Manufacturers’ Championship to seven (35 to 28) over Porsche. Dodge is third with 26.

[Sources: World Challenge, Ron Fellows]

Clash Productions just posted this highly entertaining in-car video on YouTube, featuring world-class Touring and GT racing driver Tom Coronel in the Lammertink Racing Toyo Tires Porsche GT3 Cup car at the start of this year’s Nurburgring 24 Hour endurance race. We particularly enjoyed the start, where Coronel mixes it up with one of the Gazoo Racing Lexus LFA’s as well as a few other Porsches.

Coronel then shows some amazing pace through the higher speed sections of the Ring before being passed by a Ferrari on the impossibly long main straight. But like the crafty veteran he is, Coronel (whose name you may recognize as the driver from the record-setting lap he did around the Ring last year in a Dodge Viper ACR) ducks in behind the Ferrari and slipsteams it down the straight, slingshotting past just before the insanely quick lefthander that leads down the hill towards the GP portion of the circuit.

Back on the GP track near the end of the lap, the Ferrari and the LFA make another appearance as they pass Coronel’s Porsche. The fact that the SP8 class Lexus was able to hang with the quicker SP7 class Porsche GT3 Cup and Ferrari F430 GTC machines says a lot about just how good the LFA really is.

Enjoy the video after the jump.

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The World Time Attack Challenge, held at Australia’s Eastern Creek International Raceway near Sydney, has attracted a deep field of local and international competitors including top American teams Sierra Sierra Enterprises and their Mitsubishi Evo 8 and Factor X Motorsports Development and their awesome Acura NSX.

It may be an easier commute for the Japanese tuners, but it’s no less impressive that world-class Time Attack machines like the Sun Cyber Evo, Tomei/Cusco Subaru Impreza STI, and both the PanSpeed and R-Magic FD Mazda RX-7s will also be in attendance at Eastern Creek this weekend.

Hoping to put home field advantage to good use are top Australian teams Hi-Octane Racing and their stunning R34 Nissan GT-R, APC Racing’s Evo 8 MR, and Notaras and their lightweight 590-hp Mitsubishi Evo.

With an intriguing mix of the best Time Attack teams and drivers in the world, all vying for the title of World Time Attack Challenge champion, we’ll be following the action this weekend very closely and will report back on Monday with a full account of all the on-track action. In the meantime, wet your Time Attack whistle after the jump with a video of Mark Berry piloting Australian favorite Hi-Octane Racing’s GT-R around Eastern Creek in preparation for the WTAC.

[Source: World Time Attack Challenge]

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Ok, so we busted out the pun bazooka on the title of this post, but we think you’ll forgive us once you watch the video (after the jump). Driver Saeed AlMouri may not have the smooth at-the-limit control of Jensen Button or the flawless heel & toe downshifting ability of Ron Fellows, but he scores full marks for aggression and courage from behind the wheel of his Radical SR3 around the sandy Zain Reem Circuit in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

To be fair to AlMouri, apparently there was a serious sandstorm prior to the race, so his early spin off into the sand was no doubt aided by the traction-destroying grit blowing around on the track surface. And to his credit he does a very entertaining job of working his way back through the field after the off-track excursion, where you can see some of the sand blowing around in the wake of the cars ahead of him.

All in all, a very entertaining ride-along in the desert in one radical machine!

See the video after the jump:

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Having failed to complete the grueling Nürburgring 24 Hour endurance race last year, Gazoo Racing took home the SP8 class victory (18th overall) at this year’s around-the-clock race at the 12.9-mile Nordschleife in the #50 Lexus LFA.

In a field of over 200 cars including privateers and full-on factory efforts and with some very stiff competition from Aston Martin, the Gazoo Racing LFA’s battled heavy traffic and the constantly changing weather conditions the Nürburgring is famous for on their way to taking the checkered flag and the SP8 class win. Based in Japan and with a driver’s lineup drawing from the Japanese Super GT series, Gazoo Racing has certainly done Toyota and the Lexus brand proud with their performance at the Green Hell this past weekend, which leads us to wonder if/when we’ll start to see the LFA popping up in other racing series. We’d love to see Lexus enter the fray in the FIA GT1 World Championship, a series Nissan seems to be getting some very good value from with their GT-R entries.

Coming in second in the SP8 class was the Aston Martin Rapide, which even topped the V12 Vantage in 3rd.

For a full photo gallery go to Gazoo Racing, but in the meantime enjoy a few photos of the LF-A at the Ring after the jump.

[Source: Gazoo Racing]

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The 2010 One Lap of America – an 8-day cross-country motorsports bonanza covering 3500 miles (at legal speeds) with time trial competitions at some of America’s most famous racing circuits including Mid-Ohio and Road America – always attracts an eclectic mix of motorheads and machines. This year’s event, sponsored by Tire Rack and Motor Trend, was particularly intriguing, with some high dollar high horsepower beasts battling for top spot overall and some amazingly quick yet low budget teams cracking the Top 10.

Some might have expected a Nissan GT-R to claim the overall victory again this year, but German honor has been at least temporarily restored thanks to the rock solid effort of Douglas Wilks and professional racing driver Leh Keen in their 2003 TopSpeed-sponsored Porsche 911 GT2.

Wilks and Keen led from start to finish, followed closely by One Lap veterans Catesby Jones and Jose Collado in their Forged Performance/Alegra Motorsports/tangerine associates 2010 Nissan GT-R, finishing with 5980 points to Wilks and Keen’s 6040 points.

Third overall in their 2008 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 with 5745 points was Jeremy Herzberg, Todd Rumke, and well-known hotshoe Danny Popp (and yes, we’re wondering how three dudes fit into a Corvette too).

Although the Top 3 cars might seem fairly predictable given that they’re three of the highest performance sports cars money can buy, there were also some old school and less obvious choices running near the front. See how the rest of the competition fared after the jump:

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Although Diajiro Yoshihara is hardly a newcomer to the world of drifting, it was something of a surprise to see this series veteran take home the victory at Road Atlanta this past weekend given that he hadn’t won a Formula Drift event since 2007 and was driving a freshly built Discount Tire and Falken sponsored Nissan 240SX.

Making Dai’s win in Hotlanta even more impressive was his performance in the final pairing against current overall points leader Vaughn Gittin Jr. in his insanely powerful Ford Mustang GT.

The 2010 Formula Drift championship is shaping up to be the most competitive season yet, with Gittin and Yoshihara leading the standings, followed closely by three former series champions, Rhys Millen, Tanner Foust, and defending champ Chris Forsberg. The cream already appears to be rising to the top and the challenge ahead for Falken stablemates Gittin Jr. and Yoshihara is clearly a monumental one.

Still, drifting is an inherently unpredictable motorsport and with so many strong contenders among the top 32 drivers, it’s still anybody’s guess who will come out on top at season’s end. Conrad Grunewald finally finds himself in a competitive machine, the Atlanta crowd pleasing Hankook Tire sponsored Chevrolet Camaro, and after a strong weekend in the dirty south we expect to see him continue to rise through the ranks. Former champ Samuel Hubinette is also driving a new machine this year, the “love it or hate it” Dodge Challenger that seems to polarize drift fans just as strongly as his Dodge Viper and Charger did in previous years.

The quality of the drifting this season has been higher than ever too, exemplified by Tanner Foust’s amazing tail-first entry into a high speed lefthand turn at Road Atlanta, a track he’s always been among the fastest and most aggressive drivers at.

Check out the video after the jump.

[Sources: Speedhunters, Formula Drift]

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After an understandably slow start to the season, Lotus Racing appears to be discovering some added pace during testing prior to this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix thanks to the Lotus Cosworth T127′s updated aerodynamics package. Jarno Trulli pumped in 26 practice laps and was 19th fastest during his second session, while Heikki Kovalainen completed 17 laps and ranked 18th during the first practice session.

After testing Trulli stated, “First day back in the car in Europe and I’m really happy with how we have progressed with the car. Obviously it’s still too early to assess it properly, but as soon as I got out on track I could feel that we had taken a major step forward. We have solved a number of the issues we had and we’re definitely in the right direction, so I’m really pleased for everyone in the team as they’ve put in a great effort to get us here. This afternoon we continued with the program and everything went really smoothly, on both the hard and the soft tyres. I must admit that I’ve been really pleased with the speed gain we’ve seen in the car and, again, that’s down to the work the team have put in with the car – all I need now is a little bit of luck, and a trouble free weekend!”

Kovalainen added, “I’ve been really looking forward to being back in Europe and particularly here in Barcelona. It’s been great to see the grandstands already busy, and I’ve seen a load of Finnish flags out there. On track, this morning was a really good session and I’m very encouraged by the updates – they’re immediately working like we’d hoped. The car feels better to drive, the high-speed stability especially is better, and that’s what you get when the aerodynamics of the car improve.”

Chief Technical Officer Mike Gascoyne reported: “Basically it was a good day’s work. The drivers have been very happy with the updates and we’ve been making adjustment to the improvements on the cars throughout the day to help us fine tune the updates. There’s a fair bit more time to come from the new package, and everyone in the team has worked very hard to get us to this point, so it’s great to hear such positive feedback from the drivers. Now we’re looking forward to building on this performance tomorrow and seeing where we are in qualifying.”

Of course practice lap times don’t always reflect the true pace of the car in Formula 1, but it’s encouraging to see Lotus making progress and we look forward to seeing how the aero updates translate during qualifying and the race during this weekend’s Gran Premio de Espana Telefonica 2010. Meanwhile, for you Lotus fans out there, the video after the jump may help to get you pumped up before this weekend’s action.

[Source: Lotus Racing]

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News that Liberty State Park in Jersey City, NJ, directly across the Hudson River from downtown Manhattan, was being considered as a potential site for a 2012 U.S. GP emerged yesterday, but Jersey City mayor Jerramiah Healy announced today that the Formula 1 proposal was no longer being considered.

The story of a possible NYC GP emerged after documents obtained by opposition group ‘Friends of Liberty State Park’ showed plans for a 3.6-mile track within the 1200 acre park providing “the least impact to city functions.”

Jersey City mayor Healy issued a statement yesterday clarifying that the city was approached by F1 and that discussions were very much in the exploratory phase. Today Healy released the following statement, dashing any hopes of a US GP with NYC’s amazing skyline as a backdrop:

“After a review of the draft proposal prepared by the City’s Tourism Office, I have come to the conclusion that this type of event is not suited for Liberty State Park. While we work to attract national and international events to our city, we must ensure that they are appropriate and will have the least impact upon the quality of life of our residents and our community.”

It’s unclear how seriously F1′s Bernie Eccleston took the Jersey City proposal since he’s made no comment on it thus far, nor is it know if he has other credible candidates in the U.S. lined up. The imagery of Formula 1 against the backdrop of NYC would have been incredible, but it looks like we’ll have to settle for a little Gotham City racing on the Xbox instead.

[Source: SPEEDtv.com]

What started out as a dominant performance by Aston Martin, crossing the finish line 1-2 during Round 2 of the FIA GT1 World Championship at Silverstone, unraveled after the race and promoted third place finisher Jamie Campbell-Walter and Warren Hughes in the Sumo Power Nissan GT-R to the top spot on the podium.

First came the news that the the #9 Hexis Racing DB9 of Frederic Makowiecki and Thomas Accary had covered more than three laps before serving a drive-through penalty, promoting Sumo Power to 2nd place. Then an hour later came the news that #7 Aston Martin of team Young Driver was being excluded for excessive plank wear. Post-race inspection showed that a few millimeters too much had been shaved off the #7 DB9′s belly plank from running too aggressively over the corner rumble strips. The Young Driver AMR team is appealing this ruling, but for now at least the official race victory belongs to Sumo Power‘s Campbell-Walter and Hughes.

This may not be the way Nissan or Sumo Power GT wanted to win their first race in the FIA GT1 World Championship, but it certainly does not take anything away from the impressive pace the Sumo Power GT-Rs displayed throughout the Silverstone weekend. Meanwhile, the Swiss Racing Team GT-Rs couldn’t quite match the pace of the Sumo Power Nissans, the #4 SRT GT-R finishing 9th and the #3 GT-R finishing 17th.

It will be interesting to see how the Aston Martin appeal unfolds in the days and weeks before Round 3 of the Championship, May 21-23 at Brno in the Czech Republic. For updates on the series and for live video feeds from each race, visit the official FIA GT1 website at http://www.gt1world.com

The complete Nissan press release from Silverstone and a collect of photos are available after the jump.

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Having started out in the early 1970′s as the infamous Cannonball Run from NYC to Redondo Beach, CA, in its current form Brock Yates’ One Lap of America is an 8-day 3500-mile endurance test that uses race tracks instead of public roads for daily tests of speed.

Starting out at title sponsor Tire Rack’s headquarters in South Bend, Indiana on April 30th, where all 68 teams, made up of street legal vehicles of all shapes and sizes along with 2 or 3 man teams, had their cars decalled up prior to the wet skidpad event that same night. After that it’s a mad dash across middle America for competition events at Road America in Wisconsin, Mid-America Motorplex in Iowa, Hallett Motor Racing Circuit and Tulsa Raceway Park in Oklahoma, Gateway International Raceway in Illinois, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, New Jersey Motorsports Park, Nelson Ledges in Ohio and finally back to Tire Rack for a dry skid pad test and the awards ceremony.

With the action currently at Hallett in Oklahoma, the overall and SSGT1 Big Bore class lead is held by Douglas Wilks and Leh Keen in their 2003 Porsche 911 GT2. In second overall is One Lap veteran Catesby Jones and Jose Collado in a 2010 Nissan GT-R. Seventh overall and 1st in the Mid-Priced Sedan category is Chris Wirth and Sean Caron in their 2008 Mitsubishi Evolution X. Running 11th overall so far is the highest ranked Econo Car team of Jon Weir and Will Chan in their Enmo Racing twincharged 1993 Honda Civic Si hatchback (pictured above).

One of the more interesting entries this year is the BMW Performance Driving School X6 M SUV driven by three instructors from the school. They’ve been posting daily videos from the hood of their big BMW to YouTube, one of which you can check out after the jump.

Another fascinating entry this year is the so-called Mazdaspeed5, a Mazda5 minivan with an engine transplant out of a wrecked 2008 Mazdaspeed3. Add to that a gutted interior, full roll cage, and World Challenge racing driver Jason Saini and you’ve got a perfect combination to take the win in the Truck/SUV category it competes in. So far they’re doing exactly that, leading their class while sitting in 13th position overall. That’s one quick grocery getter!

With official media partner Motor Trend covering One Lap with daily blog posts and AutoBlog covering it on a daily basis as well, you’ll have no trouble keeping up to speed on the action but we’ll hit you up with the final results when the 2010 event wraps up on Saturday.

[Sources: One Lap of America, Motor Trend, AutoBlog, Enmo Racing]

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