“AUTO RACING PACKAGE: Auto Racing Glance - ESPN.com” plus 4 more |
- AUTO RACING PACKAGE: Auto Racing Glance - ESPN.com
- CARS is CRAP: Cash for clunkers program wasteful, poorly planned ... - San Francisco Examiner
- Cheapest Cars To Drive - Forbes
- Frost & Sullivan Finds Changing Consumer Behavior Toward Automotive ... - PR Newswire
- Earl Scheib Launches New Ad Campaign - Market Wire
| AUTO RACING PACKAGE: Auto Racing Glance - ESPN.com Posted: 05 Aug 2009 07:28 AM PDT All Times EDT NASCAR SPRINT CUP Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips At The Glen Site: Watkins Glen, N.Y. Schedule: Friday, practice (Speed, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.), qualifying (ESPN2, 3-5:30 p.m.); Saturday, practice (Speed, noon-1 p.m.; ESPN2, 1:30-2:30 p.m.); Sunday, race, 2 p.m. (ESPN, 1-5:30 p.m.). Track: Watkins Glen International (road course, 2.45 miles). Race distance: 220.5 miles, 90 laps. Last year: Kyle Busch completed a Sprint Cup road-course sweep, holding off Tony Stewart for his eighth and final victory of the year. Busch also won at Sonoma. Last week: Denny Hamlin won the rain-delayed Pocono race Monday, snapping a 50-race winless streak with his third victory in eight career starts at the Pennsylvania track. Juan Pablo Montoya was second. Fast facts: Stewart tops the season standings with 3,188 points with five races to go before the 12-driver Chase for the championship. Three-time defending champion Jimmie Johnson (2,991) is second, followed by Jeff Gordon (2,989), Kurt Busch (2,751), Hamlin (2,713), Carl Edwards (2,665), Kasey Kahne (2,642), Montoya (2,631), Ryan Newman (2,627), Mark Martin (2,622), Matt Kenseth (2,564) and Greg Biffle (2,563). Kyle Busch, a three-time winner this year, is 13th, 101 points behind Biffle. ... Stewart and Gordon each have a track-record four Sprint Cup victories at Watkins Glen. ... Kahne won the first road-course race of the season June 21 at Sonoma. ... Marcos Ambrose won the Nationwide race last year at the track for his first NASCAR victory, then finished third the next day in the Sprint Cup race. Next race: Carfax 400, Aug. 16, Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn, Mich. On the Net: http://www.nascar.com --- NATIONWIDE Zippo 200 at The Glen Site: Watkins Glen, N.Y. Schedule: Friday, practice (Speed, 1:30-3 p.m.; ESPN2, 5:30-6:30 p.m.); Saturday, qualifying (ESPN2 10 a.m.-noon), race, 3 p.m. (ESPN2, 2:30-6 p.m.). Track: Watkins Glen International (road course, 2.45 miles). Race distance: 200.9 miles, 82 laps. Last year: Tasmania's Marcos Ambrose raced to his first NASCAR victory, easily holding off Kyle Busch. Matt Kenseth was third. Last week: Brad Keselowski passed Busch with eight laps left and held on to win the inaugural Nationwide Series race at Iowa Speedway. Keselowski also won at Dover in May and took the Sprint Cup race at Talladega in April. Fast facts: Busch, a six-time winner this year, has nine consecutive top-two finishes, tying the series record set by Jack Ingram in 1983. Busch leads the season standings with 3,471 points, followed by Carl Edwards (3,264) and Keselowski (3,099). ... Road racers Ron Fellows and Boris Said are entered. Next race: Carfax 250, Aug. 15, Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn, Mich. On the Net: http://www.nascar.com --- CAMPING WORLD TRUCKS Next race: O'Reilly 200, Aug. 19, Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, Tenn. Last week: Ron Hornaday Jr. raced to his series-record fifth straight victory, beating Brian Scott in a green-white-checker finish at Nashville Superspeedway. The 51-year-old Hornaday has six wins this year for Kevin Harvick Inc. to push his series-record total to 44 in 239 career starts. He also has a record three season titles. On the Net: http://www.nascar.com --- INDYCAR Honda Indy 200 Site: Lexington, Ohio. Schedule: Friday, practice; Saturday, practice, qualifying (Versus, 6-7 p.m.); Sunday, race, 1:45 p.m. (Versus, 1-4 p.m.). Track: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (road course, 2.258 miles). Race distance: 191.25 miles, 85 laps. Last year: Ryan Briscoe raced to the second of his two 2008 victories, taking advantage of team owner Roger Penske's decision to pit out of sequence of the other contenders. Teammate Helio Castroneves finished second. Last week: Briscoe won the Kentucky 300 for his second victory of the year, slipping past Ed Carpenter yards from the finish and winning by 0.162 seconds. Briscoe took the lead in the season standings. Fast facts: Briscoe, also the winner of the season-opening race in St. Petersburg, Fla., has 416 points in the championship standings. Scott Dixon is second with 408, followed by Dario Franchitti (405), Castroneves (341) and Danica Patrick (309). ... Dixon won the 2007 race at Mid-Ohio. Next race: Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma, Aug. 23, Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, Calif. On the Net: http://www.indycar.com --- FORMULA ONE Hungarian Grand Prix Next race: Grand Prix of Europe, Aug. 23, Streets of Valencia, Valencia, Spain. Last race: McLaren's Lewis Hamilton won the Hungarian Grand Prix on July 26, the defending series champion's first victory of the year. Ferrari's Felipe Massa was seriously injured in qualifying when he was hit in the helmet by debris and crashed into a tire barrier at 120 mph. He had surgery to repair multiple skull fractures, and returned home to Brazil this week. On the Net: http://www.formula1.com --- NHRA FULL THROTTLE Next race: Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals, Aug. 13-16, Brainerd International Raceway, Brainerd, Minn. Last event: Antron Brown swept the NHRA's Western swing, beating Cory McClenathan on July 26 in the Top Fuel final at Infineon Raceway. Tim Wilkerson (Funny Car), Jason Line (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won. On the Net: http://www.nhra.com --- OTHER RACES AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES: Acura Sports Car Challenge, Saturday (NBC, Sunday, 2:30-4:30 p.m.), Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio. On the Net: http://www.americanlemans.com FIRESTONE INDY LIGHTS: Mid-Ohio 100, Sunday (Versus, Monday, 4-5 p.m.), Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio. On the Net: http://www.indycar.com GRAND-AM ROLEX SPORTS CAR SERIES: Crown Royal 200 at The Glen, Friday (Speed, 8-10 p.m.), Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, N.Y. On the Net: http://www.grand-am.com WORLD OF OUTLAWS: Sprint Car: Friday-Saturday, I-55 Raceway, Pevely, Mo. Super Dirtcar: Friday, Brewerton Speedway, Brewerton, N.Y.; Saturday, Canandaigua Speedway, Canandaigua, N.Y. On the Net: http://www.worldofoutlaws.com U.S. AUTO RACING CLUB: Silver Crown: Thursday, Oswego Speedway, Oswego, N.Y. Sprint Car: Sunday, Knoxville Raceway, Knoxville, Iowa. On the Net: http://www.usacracing.com
This story is from ESPN.com's automated news wire. Wire index  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| CARS is CRAP: Cash for clunkers program wasteful, poorly planned ... - San Francisco Examiner Posted: 05 Aug 2009 10:34 AM PDT CARS is CRAP: Cash for clunkers program wasteful, poorly planned bailout supplement for the Big Three I do not want any of the big three to fail. Auto manufacturing is a part of American culture and we would be a shell of a country without it—in a sense, the way Detroit has become a shell of a town without it. The United States without a competitive auto industry is a country without dignity and without a heart, and allowing this to happen would be unconscionable. Giving people a credit to turn in their inefficient older model cars for a credit towards a new vehicle seems like a sound concept that could have significant environmental benefits and give the struggling auto industry the push that it needs. The CARS cash for clunkers program has been a booming success for the Big Three, with Ford seeing their first increase in sales in over five years. But the problem with cash for clunkers is in the fate of the cars that are turned in, not in the benefit for automakers. What happens to cars that are "recycled"? They make it sound oh so pleasant. "We'll recycle your car for you! Bring it on in and we'll make it into a bunch of trees and little birds that sing show tunes to squirrels!" Even if it cannot be expected to be quite so pretty, there is an expectation that a "recycled" car's parts will have a new lease on life in the form of replacement parts. This expectation is a false one, as 99% of the car will be shredded, crushed into a cube and junked. The Specialty Equipment Market Association continually warns that this type of scrappage program is not only bad for the environment; it significantly impacts the auto repair, restoration and customization industries. "This industry provides thousands of American jobs and generates millions of dollars in local, state and federal tax revenue. It is time to help the entire auto industry with programs that focus the incentive on the purchase of new vehicles, not destroying valuable old cars and parts," said Steve McDonald SEMA president of government affairs. The big sticking point for me is the engines and transmissions in all cars turned in for this BS recycling program must be "disabled" (read: destroyed), reducing the car's scrap value to almost nothing. Why can't the engines be disassembled and sold for parts? What is the compelling reason to destroy the most valuable and useful part of the car? Check out this instructional video that shows dealers how to disable an engine. Yes, it is painful to watch, but it demonstrates the wastefulness of this program in graphic detail: (Note, this involves replacing the engine oil with sodium silicate (glass) and water mix and running the engine at 2,000 rpm until it dies a slow and painful death)
Does destroying things just so we can buy new things make us more American? How does promoting wasteful consumerism help the environment? I am well aware that most Americans have long since lost the resourcefulness and desire to repair anything, and that has been replaced by a false need to have new everything, all the time. For a few fleeting moments, it looked like people were wising up, realizing it is more cost effective to hold on to their cars and run them out to 100k before it needs to be turned in. Instability slapped consumers out of a spending, buying and wasting stupor and back into a routine of maintenance and repair. Why the hell take on payments when a five-year-old car runs just fine? Well, America has snapped out of that moment, and like so many dreams that are lost in a disturbed slumber, this one may be gone forever. COMING SOON: CARS is CRAP II: What cash for clunkers should have looked like.
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| Cheapest Cars To Drive - Forbes Posted: 05 Aug 2009 01:33 PM PDT Japanese automaker Nissan has announced plans to sell an all-electric sedan, likely similar to its Versa, in Japan by 2010. The car will use a compact lithium-ion battery to achieve a driving range of more than 100 miles per charge, making driving about as cheap as it can possibly get. For those looking to save money, there's no need to sit idle until such vehicles arrive stateside. There are plenty of fuel-sipping cars available today that are cheap to drive off the lot--and even cheaper to drive over the long term. In Depth: Cheapest Cars To DriveThere's a gaggle of options, but narrowing down the choices purely in terms of cost is relatively easy: Think foreign, and steer clear of hybrids. Except for Pontiac's G3 hatchback and Chevrolet's Cobalt sedan, all of the cheapest cars to drive are made by non-U.S. automakers: Honda ( HMC - news - people ), Hyundai, Nissan ( NSANY - news - people ), Scion and Toyota ( TM - news - people ). And none have hybrid-electric engines. Behind the Numbers Topping our list are the Toyota Yaris, Nissan Versa and Scion xD, all of which cost around $15,000 or less, are relatively cheap to insure and maintain, and get no less than 30 mpg in combined fuel efficiency. All three cars are also small. In fact, size has a lot do with the expense of driving a car. Smaller cars cost less to insure and usually require less maintenance than SUVs or luxury cars, which tend to have more options, features and technology--all of which can and do break down. Furthermore, small cars use less gas and tend not to require expensive premium or diesel fuel. "If you're a commuter and you're driving 50 miles a day, that's going to have a big impact on your decision of what kind of vehicle you buy," says James Clark, the general manager for Automotive Lease Guide, a residual-value data center in Santa Barbara, Calif. The $16,380 Chevrolet Cobalt, for instance, has a combined fuel efficiency of 31 mpg; drivers can expect to spend $6,050 on the fuel it'll use over five years. Interestingly enough, though, that higher-than-average fuel efficiency isn't helping the car fly out of dealerships this summer (it sold 6,847 units last month, down 67% from June 2008). On the other hand, sales of larger sedans and crossover SUVs have leveled off--and in some areas of the country, even gained a point or two--thanks to fuel prices averaging $1 per gallon less than a year ago. Chevy's larger Malibu and Impala sedans were down just 16% and 10% last month, respectively. Its Corvette, which guzzles gas at 16 miles per gallon in city driving, was down a middling 33%. Still, the minute gas prices jump, consumers will flock back to fuel-sippers like the Cobalt, says Jack Nerad, executive editorial director and market analyst at Irvine, Calif.-based Kelley Blue Book. "That's what we see very typically," he says. "It just depends on how precipitous the rise is, how drastic the increase is." Hybrid Hype It should also be noted that without hybrid technology, eight vehicles on our list equal or exceed the 30-mpg combined fuel economy of the $21,605 Chevrolet Malibu hybrid, which costs at least $5,000 more than any car on our list. In short, though it tends to get the most attention from consumers who want to be more earth-friendly, hybrid technology isn't necessarily the answer for fuel-efficient but cheap transportation. "We've got to be careful not to overstate the hybrid issue, because it's still a relatively small part of the whole total," says Dave Sargent, the vice president of automotive research at J.D. Power and Associates. "Although hybrid owners tend to be more satisfied with their [cars'] economy than other owners, sometimes they're not." The best way to a cheap ride? Choose something small, light, and--more often than not--foreign. In Depth: Cheapest Cars To Drive This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Frost & Sullivan Finds Changing Consumer Behavior Toward Automotive ... - PR Newswire Posted: 30 Jul 2009 06:59 AM PDT MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., July 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumers invest more in the maintenance and repair of their vehicles as they expect to own the vehicles longer in the wake of financial uncertainties, job loss fears, and uncertain fuel prices triggered by the economic slump. The demand for maintenance-related jobs is on an upswing in this economic slowdown. In some regions, automotive service centers and independent repair shop owners keep a constant eye on their customers' credit and acclimatize themselves to these changes. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081117/FSLOGO) New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (http://www.automotive.frost.com), Frost & Sullivan Speaks Candidly with U.S. Automotive Shop Owners, finds that there were over 240.9 million light vehicles in use in 2007 and that the repair industry sold over $70 billion in parts to support the industry. Repair shop owners are the front line of that industry and the first place where vehicle owner behavioral changes become evident. If you are interested in a virtual brochure, which provides manufacturers, end users, and other industry participants with a front-line insight into how shops cope with consumer behavior changes and the opportunities and challenges tough economic times provide for the repair industry, send an e-mail to David Escalante, Corporate Communications, at david.escalante@frost.com, with your full name, company name, title, telephone number, company e-mail address, company website, city, state and country. Upon receipt of the above information, an overview will be sent to you by e-mail. Though domestic vehicles account for the majority of shop traffic in the country, changes are evident in the vehicle brands that frequent the repair shops. Therefore, repair shop owners constantly monitoring their business to meet the needs of the evolving vehicle population. Repair shop owners consider the original equipment (OE) parts far superior than their private label counterparts in fit and functional quality, and continue to promote their value to their customers, despite the current focus on low-cost repairs. On the other hand, manufacturers, retailers, and warehouse distributors (WDs) patronize private labels, as they are economical, with better margins and revenues. The installers, though otherwise all right with the private labels, are unhappy with the inferior quality of the parts, as the reputation of their shop is at stake if their customers underrate their proficiency. "Despite the popularity of private label products in the aftermarket, shop owners delivered scathing reviews to aftermarket private label brands and their products," says Frost & Sullivan Global Program Manager Mary-Beth Kellenberger. "Complaints of poor quality, variable quality between part numbers within the line, and fit issues indicate that shop owners are unwilling participants in the growth of private label brands." The greatest challenge for independent repair shop owners is to find a way of providing quality service at a low cost. Many shop owners put their faith in the industry's understanding of operational expenses and job profitability as a means of avoiding price wars that could spiral the industry into premature despair. Repairers need to recognize the value of their services and set fair prices within that value range. An opportunity exists with the import vehicle owners as well. These customers have less faith in the untested private label parts but seek low-cost maintenance and repair services. "Gaining access to quality aftermarket import brand parts is extremely important as independents position themselves as a value alternative to dealers," says Kellenberger. "Winning the job at a price that supports each enterprise's financial structure is as crucial to the survival of the industry as smart management to prevent cost cutting that undermines repair quality and industry profitability." Frost & Sullivan Speaks Candidly with U.S. Automotive Shop Owners is part of the Automotive & Transportation Growth Partnership Service program, which also includes research in the following markets: strategic overview of the North American automotive aftermarket, vehicle accessories: the next generation of automotive aftermarket growth in the United States, strategic overview of the North American heavy duty truck aftermarket, private labeling in the North American automotive aftermarket. All research services included in subscriptions provide detailed market opportunities and industry trends that have been evaluated following extensive interviews with market participants. Interviews with the press are available. Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, enables clients to accelerate growth and achieve best in class positions in growth, innovation and leadership. The company's Growth Partnership Service provides the CEO and the CEO's Growth Team with disciplined research and best practice models to drive the generation, evaluation, and implementation of powerful growth strategies. Frost & Sullivan leverages over 45 years of experience in partnering with Global 1000 companies, emerging businesses and the investment community from more than 35 offices on six continents. To join our Growth Partnership, please visit http://www.frost.com. Frost & Sullivan Speaks Candidly with U.S. Automotive Shop Owners N51E Contact: David Escalante Corporate Communications P: 210.477.8427 F: 210.348.1003 E: david.escalante@frost.com http://www.frost.com SOURCE Frost & Sullivan Website: http://www.frost.com  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Earl Scheib Launches New Ad Campaign - Market Wire Posted: 05 Aug 2009 10:48 AM PDT SOURCE: Earl Scheib Paint & Body When Scheib Happens, Scheib Makes It Happen SAN DIEGO, CA--(Marketwire - August 5, 2009) - Earl Scheib Paint & Body (Earl Scheib), the country's largest privately-owned and operated auto paint and body repair service company, has launched a new ad campaign highlighting Earl Scheib as the economically savvy choice for car painting and car repair and using humor to alleviate the stress associated with car accidents and car repairs. Created by Earl Scheib's recently named advertising agency, Fishtank Brand Advertising of San Diego, the new campaign employs edgy comedy and a memorable tagline -- "Scheib Happens" -- to update the iconic slogan of years gone by. "The campaign speaks to the realities of what goes on out there on the road," said Fishtank Founder/Creative Officer Ryan Berman. "Accidents happen. No one likes it. But when accidents happen, or 'Scheib Happens,' Earl Scheib is there to help -- all at an economic-friendly price." The "Scheib Happens" tagline playfully runs through the integrated campaign including television and print -- in both English and Spanish -- in-store branding, collateral and digital, as well as street team outreach. The first television ad features a woman entering a bar to meet friends. Instead, she is surprised to find her boyfriend flirting at the bar with another woman. The slogan, "Scheib Happens," takes center stage when she takes to the parking lot and leaves her mark on his sports car. This ad is currently featured on YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VoX72t32oM. "Scheib Happens" strikes again in another ad where a young teenage boy dressed in a tuxedo anxiously waits for his prom date on the front porch of her house. After she opens the door, her smile quickly turns to a look of disgust when she sees his dented and discolored car in the background. She slams the front door and leaves him by himself. This "Scheib Happens" ad is also featured on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxsSNLpikU8. "Taking your car in to fix dings and dents is part of everyday life," continues Berman. "It's an unpleasant experience on all fronts -- you lose time, money and oftentimes the process is stressful and confusing. But, it doesn't have to be. When 'Scheib Happens,' Earl Scheib makes it happen." About Earl Scheib Earl Scheib Paint & Body is the country's largest company-owned and operated auto paint and body repair service and currently operates 86 locations across the country. For more information, visit www.earlscheib.com or call 800-NEW-EARL (800-639-3275). About Fishtank Fishtank Brand Advertising is a nationally recognized award-winning idea generation, advertising and brand building agency that specializes in creative business and problem solving. Fishtank has a proven track record of creating empathy with consumers, which ultimately has increased business for their progressive clients nationwide. Since the company launched in 2004, notable clients have included Aetna, Autism Society of America, London Olympics 2012, Nike, Olevia HDTV, Pony International, Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey, UNICEF and Vivitar. They are also the founders of gohangten.com, a weekly trendspotting underground report that helps clients look at marketing sideways. For more information, visit www.fishtankba.com.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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