Thursday, April 11, 2013

NASCAR Hall of Fame 5th Class Finalist - Red Byron, Driver

(b. 3/12/15 – d. 11/11/60) Hometown: Anniston, Ala. Competed: 1949-51 Starts: 15 Wins: 2 Poles: 2 Robert "Red" Byron was there at the outset, to say the least. Byron won the sanctioning body’s first race in 1948, on the Daytona beach-road course. He went on in ’48 to win NASCAR’s first season champi ... Continue reading

NASCAR Hall of Fame 5th Class Finalist - Richard Childress, Owner

(b. 9/21/45) Hometown: Winston-Salem, N.C. Competed: 1969-Present Starts: 2,289 Wins: 101 Poles: 43 Long before he became one of the preeminent car owners in NASCAR history, Richard Childress was a race car driver with limited means. Still, he persevered, which is what you do when you purchase your first race car for $ ... Continue reading

NASCAR Hall of Fame 5th Class Finalist - Jerry Cook, Driver

(b. 6/20/43) Hometown: Rome, N.Y. Competed: 1963-82 Starts: 1,474 Wins: 342 Poles: 26 Jerry Cook made his name in modifieds, winning six NASCAR Modified championships, four coming consecutively from 1974-77. All the while, he was vying with another driver from his hometown of Rome, N.Y., nine-time champion Richie Evans ... Continue reading

NASCAR Hall of Fame 5th Class Finalist - H. Clay Earles - Promoter

(b. 8/11/13 - d. 11/16/99) Hometown: Martinsville, Va. One of the original pioneers of stock car auto racing, H. Clay Earles played an integral role in the early years of NASCAR's development. Earles built and opened Martinsville Speedway in 1947, and the short track remains the only facility to host NASCAR Sprint Cup ... Continue reading

NASCAR Hall of Fame 5th Class Finalist - Tim Flock, Driver

(b. 5/11/24 – d. 3/31/98) Hometown: Fort Payne, Ala. Competed: 1949-61 Starts: 187 Wins: 39 Poles: 38 A two-time series champion of the NASCAR premier series, Flock was one of the sport’s first dominant drivers. Flock had 39 victories in only 187 starts. His victory total still ranks 18th on the all-time wins ... Continue reading

NASCAR Hall of Fame 5th Class Finalist - Ray Fox , Engine Builder/Owner/Race Official

(b. 05/28/1916) Hometown: Daytona Beach, Florida Competed: 1962-1974 Starts: 200 Wins: 14 Poles: 16 A New England native, Ray Fox saw his first automobile race at the 2-mile board track at Rockingham Park near Salem, N.H. Following service in the U.S. Army in World War II, Fox moved to Daytona Beach, Fla. to work as an ... Continue reading

NASCAR Hall of Fame 5th Class Finalist - Anne B. France

(b. /1904 d. 01/02/1992) Hometown: Nathan’s Creek, N.C. Behind every great man… The rest of that old adage applies perfectly to Anne Bledsoe, as she was known until she married a Washington, D.C. native named Bill France. They met at a dance at Children's Hospital in the nation's capital, and were married in ... Continue reading

NASCAR Hall of Fame 5th Class Finalist - Rick Hendrick, Owner

(Credit ISC Archives/Getty Images) (b. 7/12/49) Hometown: Palmer Springs, Va. Competed: 1984-Present Starts: 3,139 Wins: 212 Poles: 190 The founder and owner of Hendrick Motorsports, Rick Hendrick’s organization is recognized as one of NASCAR’s most successful. A longtime racing enthusiast and driver himself, ... Continue reading

Nascar Hall of Fame 5th Class Finalist - Jack Ingram - Driver

(b.12/28/36) Hometown: Asheville, N.C. Competed: 1982-91 NASCAR Busch Series Starts: 275 NASCAR Busch Series Wins: 31 NASCAR Busch Series Poles: 5 The NASCAR Nationwide Series has had a variety of incarnations through the years but when considered collectively, an argument can be made that Jack Ingram is the series†... Continue reading

Strativity announces new employee engagement tool IMCO Model customized for the automotive market

Strativity Group, Inc. announced today the release of its Automotive IMCO Model for assessing automotive dealership employee engagement. The new product is being deployed to 30,000 employees at over 450 auto dealerships, representing manufacturers such as Toyota, Hyundai, Audi, Ford and Mercedes Benz. The IMCO Model el ... Continue reading

New Car Shoppers Would Rather Get A Better Deal On A Current Model Than Delay Purchase For A Redesign

How important is it to shoppers to get the latest redesign of a new vehicle? According to recent data from the AutoTrader.com Trend Engine, the answer among a majority of shoppers is: not very important. An online survey conducted by AutoTrader.com revealed that 57 percent of shoppers do not feel that it is important t ... Continue reading

U. S. Steel CEO: New Steel Grades Will Play Leading Role In Achieving Future Fuel Economy Requirements

What material will lead the way in helping automakers achieve future fuel economy requirements? According to John Surma, chairman and CEO of United States Steel Corporation, the clear answer is steel. During an Automotive Press Association Luncheon held today at the Detroit Athletic Club, Surma discussed how new steel ... Continue reading

Nascar Hall of Fame 5th Class Finalist - Bobby Isaac, Driver

IMAGE(Credit ISC Archives/Getty Images) (b. 8-1-32 - d. 8-14-77)Hometown: Catawba, N.C. Competed: 1961-76 Starts: 309 Wins: 37 Poles: 49Bobby Isaac knew one speed: Fast.His uncanny skill at qualifying a race car proves that. His 49 career poles ranks tied for eighth all-time. Maybe more impressive: Isaac captured 19 po ... Continue reading

Families of Children Killed in Car Backover Incidents and Safety Groups Urge Obama Administration to Take Action on Rearview Cameras in Cars

Parents of children killed in backover incidents and safety groups today joined Representatives Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Peter King (R-NY) at a Capitol Hill press event to urge the Obama Administration to release a rear visibility rule for motor vehicles. With strong bipartisan support Congress required this safety ru ... Continue reading

NASCAR Hall of Fame 5th Class Finalist - Dale Jarrett, Driver

( (b. 11/26/56) Hometown: Hickory, N.C. Competed: 1984-2008 Starts: 668 Wins: 32 Poles: 16 Dale Jarrett was at his best on NASCAR’s biggest stages. Jarrett is a three-time Daytona 500 winner and twice won the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. His 32 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victories – 21st all-ti ... Continue reading

NASCAR Hall of Fame 5th Class Finalist - Fred Lorenzen, Driver

(b. 12/30/34) Hometown: Elmhurst, Ill. Competed: 1956-72 Starts: 158 Wins: 26 Poles: 32 Fred Lorenzen was one of NASCAR’s first true superstars even though he was a "part-time" driver never running more than 29 of the season’s 50-plus races. Lorenzen got his start in NASCAR as a mechanic with the famed Holman ... Continue reading

NASCAR Hall of Fame 5th Class Finalist - Raymond Parks, Owner

(Credit ISC Archives/Getty Images) (b. 6/5/14 – d. 6/20/10) Hometown: Dawson County, Ga. Competed: 1949-55 Starts: 18 Wins: 2 Poles: 2 Raymond Parks is one of stock-car racing’s earliest – and most successful – team owners. Funded by successful business and real estate ventures in Atlanta, Parks beg ... Continue reading

T3 Motion Prepares to Launch New T3 Vision Series Personal Electric Vehicle

T3 Motion, Inc. the dominant leading provider of EV technology to law-enforcement and government markets, today announced their upcoming launch into the consumer and related markets with the development of a new personal EV, the T3 Vision Series, which will launch in the coming weeks. The T3 Vision Series, after comple ... Continue reading

NASCAR Hall of Fame 5th Class Finalist - Benny Parsons, Driver

(b. 6/12/41 – d. 1/16/07) Hometown: Detroit, Mich. Competed: 1964-88 Starts: 526 Wins: 21 Poles: 20 Benny Parsons, a Wilkes County, N.C.-native who called Detroit home after driving a taxi for a living during his years in the northern city, won the 1973 NASCAR premier series championship in one of the most dramati ... Continue reading

NASCAR Hall of Fame 5th Class Finalist - Maurice Petty, Engine Builder,

(b. 3/27/39) Hometown: Randleman, N.C. Championships: 1964, '67, '71, '72, '74, '75, '79 If Richard Petty is NASCAR’s king, his younger brother Maurice certainly bears the title of prince. The chief engine builder at Petty Enterprises, Petty becomes the fourth member of the dynasty to be nominated for membership i ... Continue reading

NASCAR Hall of Fame 5th Class Finalist - Larry Phillips - Driver

(b. 7/3/42 - d. 9/21/04) Hometown: Springfield, Mo. Competed: 1989-2001 Starts: 308 Wins: 226 The legend of Missouri’s Larry Phillips can’t be measured in wins alone. That’s because nobody can say for sure how many victories there were. He raced here, there and everywhere on dirt and asphalt and in place ... Continue reading

NASCAR Hall of Fame 5th Class Finalist - Les Richter - Executive/Promoter

(b. 10/6/30 - d. 6/12/10) Hometown: Riverside, Calif. Les Richter achieved extraordinary success as both a NASCAR executive and a National Football League defensive star. After becoming an All-American and All-Pro as a hard-nosed lineman and linebacker, Richter, a native of Fresno, Calif., brought an incomparable work ... Continue reading

NASCAR Hall of Fame Finalist 5th Class - Fireball Roberts, Driver

(b. 1/20/29 – d. 7/2/64) Hometown: Daytona Beach, Fla. Competed: 1950-64 Starts: 207 Wins: 33 Poles: 32 Glenn Roberts, who got his legendary nickname from his days as a hard-throwing pitcher in high school, is perhaps the greatest driver never to win a NASCAR title. He was arguably stock car racing’s first su ... Continue reading

NASCAR Hall of Fame Finalist 5th Class - T. Wayne Robertson - Promoter

(b. 8/27/49 – d. 1/14/98) Hometown: Winston-Salem, N.C. T. Wayne Robertson is renowned for taking R.J. Reynolds’ sponsorship of NASCAR’s premier series – then called NASCAR Winston Cup, now NASCAR Sprint Cup – to a new level of success. Robertson held dual roles of senior vice president at R.J. ... Continue reading

NASCAR Hall of Fame Finalist 5th Class - Wendell Scott, Driver/Owner

WENDELL SCOTT – Driver/Owner (b. 08/29/21 – d. 12/23/90) Hometown: Danville, Virginia Competed: 1961-1973 Starts: 495 Wins: 1 Poles: 1 Wendell Scott wasn’t the first African-American to compete in NASCAR’s premier division. But the Danville, Va. native, whose career on wheels began as a taxi driver, ... Continue reading

NASCAR Hall of Fame Finalist 5th Class - Bruton Smith - Executive/Promoter

(b. 3/3/27) Hometown: Oakboro, N.C. O. Bruton Smith, chairman and chief executive officer of Speedway Motorsports Inc., bought his first race car at the age of 17 and a year later promoted his first stock car race in Midland, N.C. Smith’s early endeavors included operating the National Stock Car Racing Association ... Continue reading

NASCAR Hall of Fame 5th Class Finalist - Curtis Turner - Driver

(b. 4/12/24 – d. 10/4/70) Hometown: Roanoke, Va. Competed: 1949-68 Starts: 184 Wins: 17 Poles: 16 Called by some the "Babe Ruth of stock car racing," Curtis Turner was among the fastest and most colorful competitors in the early years of NASCAR premier series racing. Turner posted his first of 17 career victories ... Continue reading

AIAG Partners with Georgia Automotive Manufacturers Association to Offer Membership Benefits

AIAG, the not-for-profit, member-supported organization that helps automotive companies operate at peak performance, announced today it is collaborating with the Georgia Automotive Manufacturers Association (GAMA) to help the Georgia automotive manufacturing industry provide training to the workforce, increase quality ... Continue reading

NASCAR Hall of Fame 5th Class Finalist - Joe Weatherly - Driver

(b. 5/29/22 – d. 1/19/64) Hometown: Norfolk, Va. Competed: 1952-64 Starts: 229 Wins: 25 Poles: 18 Joe Weatherly won two championships (1962-63) and 25 races in NASCAR’s premier series. But that’s only part of his story, which is long on versatility. A decade earlier in 1952-53, he won 101 races in the NA ... Continue reading

Inaugural Altair Enlighten Award to be Presented on Day One of Upcoming 2013 CAR Management Briefing Seminars

The inaugural Altair Enlighten Award competition will announce its winner on the first day of the 2013 CAR Management Briefing Seminars (MBS), Altair announced today. The Enlighten Award, presented in collaboration with the Center for Automotive Research (CAR), is the automotive industry's first award program created s ... Continue reading

Details of Ford Motor Company's April 24 Briefing on 2013 First Quarter Results

Ford Motor Company will release its preliminary 2013 first quarter financial results at 7 a.m. EDT Wednesday, April 24. The following briefings will be held after the announcement: At 9 a.m. EDT, Alan Mulally, president and chief executive officer, Ford Motor Company, and Bob Shanks, executive vice president and chief ... Continue reading

NASCAR Hall of Fame 5th Class Finalist - Rex White - Driver/Owner

(b. 8/17/29) Hometown: Spartanburg, S.C. Competed: 1956-64 Starts: 233 Wins: 28 Poles: 36 Consistency was the hallmark of Rex White’s NASCAR career. He finished among the top five in nearly a half of his 233 races and outside the top 10 only 30 percent of the time. White was a short track specialist in an era in w ... Continue reading

Mercedes-Benz Presents David Fay with William D. Richardson Award At Golf Writers Dinner

The Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA) Annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony had many winners last night including David Fay, who was presented with the William D. Richardson awarded by Mercedes-Benz. With a long-standing history in golf that spans 20 years and an ongoing commitment to support the game's future gro ... Continue reading

TRW Launches Camera Technology In The United States; Makes Further Investments

TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. today announced that it has launched production of camera systems in the US and is investing in its electronics facility in Marshall, Illinois, to support its growing video camera business worldwide. TRW's Scalable video camera (S-Cam) family can provide a range of safety functions includi ... Continue reading

Bridgestone Americas Announces Anniversary, Results Of "One Team, One Planet" Spent Tire Program

This week, Bridgestone Americas, Inc. announced progress toward the company's goal to eventually assure that for every tire Bridgestone Americas sells in the U.S., one spent tire (a tire that has been removed from use) will be used for a valuable purpose. The program, which falls under Bridgestone Americas' "One Team, ... Continue reading

Electric Bicycle Sales to Reach Nearly 38 Million Units per Year by 2020, Forecasts Navigant Research

Driven by intensifying urbanization, the increasing use of bicycles and other two-wheeled vehicles for everyday commuting, and the rise of new market entrants and more mature products, the market for electric bicycles has become well-established in some regions, particularly in Asia Pacific and Europe. According to a n ... Continue reading

Dana Earns National Recognition from Quality Council of India

Dana Holding Corporation announced today that its Spicer India Ltd. facility in Jodalli, India, earned the D.L. Shah Quality Award for excellence in manufacturing. The Shah Quality Awards recognize successful projects of an organization that have resulted in continuous improvement in delivery of products or services an ... Continue reading

TRW Launches Integrated Remote Keyless Entry And Tire Pressure Monitoring System

TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. the global leader in automotive safety systems, today announced it has launched its first integrated Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) and Direct Tire Pressure Monitoring system (TPMS) with a major Japanese vehicle manufacturer. The system delivers RKE and TPM functions with fewer parts. "Integra ... Continue reading

PennDOT Reduces State Vehicle Fleet, Saving $4 Million Annually

PennDOT today announced that efforts to better manage staff vehicle usage has resulted in a 30 percent reduction in staff-assigned vehicles and $4 million in savings on mileage reimbursements. By focusing its vehicle assignments to those employees who regularly log the highest number of business-related miles each year ... Continue reading

Statement by American Honda Regarding Passenger Front Airbag Inflator Recall: 2001-2003 Honda Civic; 2002-2003 Honda CR-V; 2002 Honda Odyssey

Torrance, CA April 11, 2013; Honda will voluntarily recall approximately 426,000 model-year 2001-2003 Civic vehicles, approximately 43,000 CR-V vehicles from the 2002-2003 model years and approximately 92,000 model-year 2002 Odyssey vehicles in the United States to replace the passenger front airbag inflator. It is pos ... Continue reading

Ford and AIA Join Forces to Explore Overlapping Worlds of Automotive and Architectural Design

"Design with a Conscience" panel brings together leading architects, innovators and automotive designers to push the boundaries of sustainable design Ford is collaborating with the American Institute of Architects (AIA) San Francisco Chapter to discuss common design trends between cars and buildings Vehicles and buildi ... Continue reading

FirstGroup America Supports Distracted Driving Awareness Month

FirstGroup America (FGA), North America's leading transportation company, joins with the National Safety Council (NSC) to recognize April as Distracted Driving Awareness Month and encourages all motorists to take the NSC pledge to drive cell free at www.nsc.org/pledge. This year's theme -- What were you thinking? -- fo ... Continue reading

Visteon and HVCC Experts to Present Automotive Electronics and Climate Topics at SAE 2013 World Congress

Visteon Corporation will be represented by two of its businesses in technical sessions at the SAE 2013 World Congress, April 16-18 at Cobo Center in Detroit. Visteon Electronics and Halla Visteon Climate Control Corp. (HVCC) experts will present technologies in the categories of Electronics and Emissions/Environment/Su ... Continue reading

Report Finds Growth of Natural Gas Vehicles (NGVs) Would Not Cause Spike in Natural Gas Prices

WASHINGTON--A new study from the American Clean Skies Foundation (ACSF) finds that a transition to natural gas-fueled heavy duty and light duty vehicles over the next decade will have a minimal impact on natural gas prices. “And the incremental rise in fuel prices for this high growth scenario was only approximate ... Continue reading

Ford Explorer Production Goes International as Iconic SUV Rolls Off the Line in Russia

DEARBORN, Mich., April 11, 2013 DEARBORN, Mich., April 11, 2013 -- Ford Sollers, Ford's joint venture in Russia, today launched the start of full production of the Ford Explorer, marking the first time the iconic SUV has been produced outside of the U.S. Explorer sales in the U.S. rose 33 percent in March. Ford exports ... Continue reading

Toyota Announces Voluntary Recall of Certain Vehicles for the Front Passenger Airbag

TORRANCE, Calif., April 11, 2013 – Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. today announced that it will conduct a safety recall involving approximately 170,000 front passenger airbag inflators installed in several vehicle models. The involved vehicles are equipped with front passenger airbag inflators which could have been ... Continue reading

Mazda Celebrates Kodo At Milan Design Week

Mazda seized the opportunity presented by Milan Design Week to demonstrate its passion for beauty, as mirrored in the award-winning 'KODO - Soul of Motion' design theme of its new generation of cars. ... Continue reading

Ford Fiesta EcoBoost Joins AA Driving School

The award-winning Ford Fiesta 1.0-litre EcoBoost will help thousands of new drivers onto the road as it joins the 2,000-strong fleet of the AA Driving School. ... Continue reading

Hyundai Motorsport Strengthens Team To Prepare WRC Campaign

Since the appointment of Team Principal Michel Nandan in January, the team has focussed not only on building its bespoke facility in Alzenau and getting the i20 WRC ready for intensive testing later in the year but also on consolidating technical, sporting, and marketing sides the team. ... Continue reading

New Nissan Leaf: More Affordable, More Flexible

The next generation of Nissan's all-electric LEAF has arrived - and for the first time, buyers can lease batteries for the 100% electric car and choose one of three trim levels. ... Continue reading

Citroen Reveals New Ds Wild Rubis Concept For Shanghai Motor Show

Citroen has unveiled the DS Wild Rubis, a unique and captivating concept which points to a future DS SUV. The concept will debut at the Shanghai Motor Show later this month. ... Continue reading

Hyundai Motor Reveals 'Fluidic Sculpture In Motion' Light Installation At Milan Design Week

Hyundai Motor Company has unveiled 'Fluidic Sculpture in Motion' - its innovative light sculpture inspired by the company's design philosophy - at Milan Design Week (9-14 April 2013). ... Continue reading

Nissan Says 'Friend-ME' At Auto Shanghai 2013 With New Concept Car

Nissan is set to excite Auto Shanghai 2013 with the global unveiling of their new concept car, Friend-ME, on April 20. ... Continue reading

Audi's New RS6 Avant on the Starting Blocks for Australia

Audi's all new RS 6 Avant has been launched internationally. This superlative sportscar is heading to Australia for a local launch in November 2013. ... Continue reading

The All New Audi S3 Sportback is Launched

Audi's all new S3 Sportback will arrive in Australia in December 2013. ... Continue reading

Kia Motors Global Sales Up 2.7% through First Quarter of 2013

Kia Motors Corporation has announced its global sales figures (export sales, domestic sales and sales from overseas plants) for passenger cars, recreational vehicles (RVs) and commercial vehicles through March 2013, recording a total of 653,361 units sold. ... Continue reading

SL's in the Spotlight at Shannons Sydney Sale

There are some very special European entries lining up for Shannons Sydney Autumn Classic Auction on May 6, topped by two very desirable early Mercedes-Benz SL models. ... Continue reading