The IndyCar folks are at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this month, getting ready for the 99th running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 24. Between now and May 24, the teams are practicing – working on setups, seeing how fast they can get their cars to go around the infamous oval, etc. Today was…well, interesting. And […]
Category Archives: Videos
August
22
My Rogue Protege
posted by Motorista
Ah, Auto Buddy – up to no good. My littlest reader challenged me to participate in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. What could I do but accept?? This young man’s already out of my hands… And there’s a little tease of the Red MINI, for those of you who have not met her yet. What say […]
July
27
The Roomba as Transportation Device
posted by Motorista
Met Max-Arthur, possibly the coolest cat in existence, and certainly cooler than the Poet and Felix. Max-Arthur rides a Roomba. In costume. Yes, this really has nothing to do with cars. I am hereby making it relevant by pointing out that Max-Arthur has cleverly adapted the Roomba for personal transportation. Thereby tying this all together. […]
July
12
I Love This Guy
posted by Motorista
Congratulations to my favorite IndyCar driver, Josef Newgarden, on his podium finish tonight at the Iowa Corn Indy 300! Josef is a young up-and-comer who has had mixed luck this season, but he is a mature and intelligent driver and, by all accounts, a wacky and fun-loving part of the IndyCar paddock. Take a look […]
May
17
Speed Sisters – A Story That Should Be Told
posted by Motorista
Have you heard about the only female motor racing team in the Middle East? You’re about to. Director Amber Fares’ documentary about five Palestinian women who compete against men on makeshift tracks in the West Bank is currently in production and seeking funding to reach the finish line. Regardless of your feelings on the Israeli-Palestinian […]
May
10
The Mad Skills of the Scion xB
posted by Motorista
My dad sent me this video, possibly as a cautionary tale, but I laughed so hard I almost spontaneously combusted. And then I had to share it. Who knew the Scion xB had such handling prowess? Think what this woman could do in NASCAR… Image source: Cargurus.com
May
06
The Corkscrew
posted by Motorista
Ah, the Corkscrew. One of the most famous turns in racing, at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in California, a quasi-blind turn into a six-storey drop. Woo hoo! I’ve seen it through on-board cameras, but have never watched a race at Laguna Seca. On Sunday, I watched two! The TUDOR United SportsCar Championship held its Monterey […]
May
01
Senna
posted by Motorista
Ayrton Senna was more than a race car driver. He was a poet behind the wheel, a relentless perfectionist, one of the fiercest competitors in any sport, ever. He was very religious and passionate, and tended to talk about racing in spiritual terms. He was maddening and exhilarating and a true champion. He was one […]
April
27
Why Sports Car Racing is the Best
posted by Motorista
A bold claim, you say? Consider this: Ferraris, Audi R8s, Aston Martins, McLarens, Lamborghinis, Porsches, Mercedes, Vipers, etc., etc. tearing around a road course, occasionally on two wheels, their bumpers separated by the width of an eyelash. Sounds pretty sweet, amiright? IndyCar traveled to Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama this weekend, and brought the […]
April
25
Why Jean Jennings Rocks (Also More NY Auto Show)
posted by Motorista
I’ve talked plenty about Jean Jennings, including how she inspired me and how I’ve gotten to do such cool things with her Jean Knows Cars team (including writing about the 2014 Detroit Auto Show – here and here!). But now you have a chance to see for yourself why Jean is so good at what she […]
April
21
Swoon: Porsche 918 at Circuit of the Americas
posted by Motorista
Remember this car? Remember this track? How about we put them together, and throw in Patrick Long, a fabulous Porsche factory driver and all-around good-looker. Let the swooning commence. If only we could see Patrick’s face… And, HEY, did you notice he’s got the $1,800 seatbelt??
April
18
Formula 1: Red, White and Blue?
posted by Motorista
Heard the news? FIA, the governing body of Formula 1, accepted Gene Haas’ application to enter F1. In real-person-speak: a NASCAR team owner just got the go-ahead to form an American Formula 1 team. Yeehaw, y’all! We’re goin’ Formula 1! ‘Merica! There have been American F1 teams in the past, but not since the mid-eighties. […]
April
14
Watch Long Beach Right Here!
posted by Motorista
God bless the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship and the Pirelli World Challenge for making their race broadcasts available on YouTube. So here, race fans, I present to you this past weekend’s races, right here, right now! Enjoy!
March
20
Tomorrow’s Google Doodle Explained
posted by Motorista
Tomorrow, if you go on the Google start page, you will see a drawing of a man. He will look like a fairly ordinary man – not an iconic profile like Gandhi or Mandela or Martin Luther King. But he is no ordinary man. March 21 would be Ayrton Senna‘s 54th birthday. May 1 will […]
March
18
Sweeeet Videos
posted by Motorista
Have to share some more videos with you, because they are awesome. First up, a fabulous pit stop for the Ferrari F1 team at the Australia GP in 2013 – 3 seconds total, which I believe was the record until Lotus beat it with 2.8. Correct me if I’m wrong. Isn’t this beautiful?? Next, the […]
March
11
360 Degree F1 Lap
posted by Motorista
I feel like the parent leaving their kid in front of the TV: busy work week, so I’ve gotta stick you with some videos to keep you entertained until I get back. Start with this one; I predict it will rock your socks off. http://www.mercedesamgf1.com/en/car/f1-w05-360-video/ This on-board lap with Nico Rosberg of the Mercedes F1 […]
February
02
Because, Doberhuahua! *UPDATED*
posted by Motorista
Updated…because, THIS: Maserati wins. (But you can still read the rest of this post. 😉 ) Updated again…because, THIS: Yes, it is Super Bowl Sunday. Or, rather, Super Bowl Commercial Sunday. There will be some football at some point, but the main event for most viewers is the multi-million-dollar commercials that make up the meat […]
February
01
Because, Tesla Drag Race
posted by Motorista
The title of this post is the answer to a question that doesn’t even need to be asked. Just watch the following video, and be amazed. Tesla is up to a lot these days, including cross country trips relying solely on Tesla “Supercharger” stations and $0 of gas. I previously expressed surprise that the industry […]
January
21
Do the Job You’re Doing
posted by Motorista
A little insight into GM’s new CEO, Mary Barra. And a useful perspective for all of us, no? P.S. If, for any reason, you can’t see the embedded video above, click here.
December
19
God Bless Texas. And John Hennessey.
posted by Motorista
All you need is John Hennessey and a Texas toll road to get the new Corvette Stingray to 200 mph. With the blessing of the Highway Patrol. Click here for the article and video about how Hennessey did it. Only in Texas, my friends. Although…it might have been a good idea for him to have […]
December
15
Auto Ballet
posted by Motorista
What you get when you put rally driver Ken Block in a Subaru on an old airfield, slow it down, and add music (“Runner” by Dustin O’Halloran, available on iTunes). One of my favorite videos of all time, this is the “director’s cut” of a segment filmed for Top Gear, and is an extra feature […]
December
07
“I’m not a driver, I’m a racer”
posted by Motorista
If you are at all interested in racing, take a few minutes to watch this video. It will give you chills!
November
08
F1 Countdown: Mark Webber Narrates a Lap at COTA
posted by Motorista
One week until the Formula 1 US Grand Prix! Now that I am such an old hand out at Circuit of the Americas, I keep expecting the F1 drivers to call me for advice. No, Sebastian Vettel has not called yet. But he does have approximately six days… Here’s a cool video that went up […]
November
02
Vintage Sunday: the Pace Car Edition
posted by Motorista
A weekend at the races will leave me in a good mood for at least the next week. I really don’t require any sweeteners. But add a pace car lap to the mix, and I’m pretty much guaranteed to be on a high for the next month. So if you notice me being extra chipper […]
October
21
A Lap (or Nine) with Cadillac Racing
posted by Motorista
Made a fantastic YouTube discovery this evening. Cadillac Racing has made several videos of their two drivers, Johnny O’Connell and Andy Pilgrim, taking practice laps around a variety of racetracks in North America. Even better, they have the guys narrate, essentially giving viewers a tour of each track from the driver’s point of view, with […]
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