NASCAR officials and representatives of the four participating manufacturers plan to meet next week in Detroit.

It's all informal, of course. NASCAR President Mike Helton likened the meeting with representatives from Dodge, Ford, General Motors and Toyota to the many town hall sessions with teams and drivers over the last few years.

"The idea was for us to be better communicators with the stakeholders — the broadcast partners, the tracks, the teams, the drivers," Helton said.

"Obviously, the manufacturers are stakeholders and now we're kind of catching up to tell them the same information we're telling all the other stakeholders." - AP

As the cost of gasoline continues to climb, one Bradford resident must be more and more thankful for his hobby.

George Voll, who makes a living as manager at Mister Hardware in Edwardsville, spends considerable time working on his Chevrolet Metro four-door sedan with his team, BITW Technologies, and recently surpassed the team's goal of 100 miles per gallon at the Green Grand Prix in Watkins Glen, N.Y.

After failing to win in a $5 million competition at Michigan International Speedway in September, the car had a fuel mileage, at an average speed of 45 miles per hour, strong enough to place first in the diesel division and fourth overall out of 45 entrants at Watkins Glen.

"George drove the Vincitore 1000 (the team's name for the vehicle) competition car from our home in Indiana all the way to Watkins Glen, N.Y., won the diesel class Friday, April 15 ... ," said Bob Voll of Greenville, George's father and teammate. "He then drove home with no mishaps in the entire 1,500-mile trip."

The car has served as George Voll's daily transportation for about 1-1/2 years. It's a small car, but it can still seat four people comfortably. He uses it to take his kids to and from school and other activities.

The team, consisting of the Volls, Dan Boyd of Indianapolis and his son, Robert Boyd of Pekin, reached its goal of being able to travel 1,000 miles on one 10-gallon tank of gas, actually surpassing 100 miles per gallon by six miles.

Drivers of alternateg fueled vehicles, hybrids and traditional gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles gathered at the New York event earlier this month to celebrate and demonstrate fuel efficiency.

During the competition, George Voll drove the first 50 miles and Robert Boyd the last 50.

In September, the car competed in the Progressive Insurance Automotive contest, with a grand prize of $5 million to the winning team. Just prior to the competition, Bob Voll said the car lost a 10-cent rubber part.

"We didn't realize it at the time and are still wondering how the part could have disappeared since it had stayed in place for the previous 17,000 miles," he said.

The car was not disabled and did not quit, Bob Voll said. In fact, he said, it was not hurt in any way. It finished every event in the two-day period. Due to competition rules, the team could not monitor the miles-per-gallon until after the event ended.

The team has no thoughts of quitting now that it has achieved getting 100 miles per gallon.

"We believe we can squeeze even more miles per gallon out of the car before we call it quits and move on," Bob Voll said. "Therefore, we intend to continue serving as a champion for those like us who believe it isn't necessary to completely revamp the entire fuels infrastructure of the U.S. in order to cut our addiction to OPEC oil."

He said 150 actual miles per gallon with a four-door family sedan is obtainable.

"The economy measures we have learned with our car could help improve just about any mode of transportation," Bob Voll said. "So, we think we are doing something important for all of us."

Bob Voll said the hybrid and electric vehicles which claimed much higher miles per gallon than the Vincitore 1000 all have one thing in common: a financial connection with the federal government.

"Our car, by comparison, was modified in a home workshop in Harrison County with no help from the government," he said.

For more information about the team, which was honored by U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar as a "Lugar Energy Patriot," visit bitwtech.blogspot.com. - Ross Schulz - www.corydondemocrat.com

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Toyota will race a Camry in the Sprint Cup Series in 2013, but it won’t be the same Camry you see on the track today, Toyota Racing Development president Lee White told Sporting News on Sunday at Daytona International Speedway.

Expect Toyota to unveil a new-look Camry for the 2012 model year, one that will be incorporated into Cup racing for 2013, when all four manufacturers will introduce their new cars.

 “We’re right there, pushing ahead,” White said. “There’s potentially a new car coming, a new Camry -- it’s still going to be a Camry -- but at some point that look will be put into the new vehicle, and certainly for the ’13 car.

 “I think it’s a ’12 model that you’ll see in the showrooms this fall, but the new car (for NASCAR) isn’t coming ’til ’13, so it’s really how we deal with that -- if we do it with a decal package on the current car for ’12 and then the whole new car which everyone’s looking out for ’13.”

 All four manufacturers have been working on their designs for the 2013 cars in consultation with NASCAR. As is the case with the other carmakers, White expects the 2013 Camry to display more brand identity as well as a new look.

 “It’s pretty sporty looking, I’ll give you that, in my opinion,” White said. - by reid spencer - www.sportingnews.com

DAYTONA BEACH -- Ferrari, a power in Formula 1 and other international racing series, began a major step toward a resurgence in American-based Grand-Am Road Racing.

The Italian manufacturer -- which has four overall Rolex 24 At Daytona wins but none since 1972 -- announced Friday it is building a version of its new Ferrari 458 Italia specifically for the Rolex Series, making it easier for teams to race the car in the series.

These "turnkey" Ferraris will be introduced into the GT class later this season.

"It's pretty exciting because this is a segment of the motorsports world that Ferrari had not addressed previously," said Grand-Am managing director of competition Mark Raffauf. "There's quite a bit of interest in seeing these cars race sooner than later."

Ferrari has competed in 46 of 48 Rolex 24s, but the last of its four overall victories came 39 years ago with Mario Andretti and Jacky Ickx. The manufacturer also has a pair of class wins, the last in 1998.

Only one Ferrari competed in last year's Rolex 24, completing just 112 laps and finishing 41st of 44 entries, and three Ferrari F430s are entered in this year's 50-car field.

The difference between these current Ferrari 430s and the new 458s that are expected to debut by April are that the current models are built and modified by individual entities, whereas the new models are specifically designed for the Rolex Series.

The announcement came in conjunction with the European unveiling of the new Ferrari F150, which Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro will compete with in Formula 1 this season.

"When you have a brand like Ferrari come and compete in Grand-Am, it puts a big 'open for business' sign for your European and other manufacturers to come and race in the States," said Eddie Cheever, the 1998 Indy 500 winner and a driving force behind Ferrari's push to join the Grand-Am ranks. "The feeling we got from Ferrari is they understand that NASCAR and Grand-Am have a very large footprint in North America.

"It is called Grand-Am Road Racing and Ferrari understood that and they wanted to make sure that they found a way to participate in that." - By BUDDY SHACKLETTE -  www.news-journalonline.com

The 2011 Daytona 500 is less than five weeks away, but 2013 is very much on the minds of designers and managers at Chevrolet. Work already is under way on a complete bodywork and chassis redesign that should be ready two years from now.

For Chevrolet, that means more closely aligning what fans will see on the track to what they manufacture for the street.

"I think what we all learned with the 2011 Nationwide car is that you can balance looks and performance," said Mark Kent, director of racing for General Motors. "The cars are distinctively different. So each of us was able to get more manufacturer identity. And I think what we saw on the track showed that it could be done.

"So as we go forward toward the 2013 Cup car, we're working to push that envelope even farther. Each of the manufacturers wants to get more identity into the car. And NASCAR, based on what they learned, is a lot more open to help us work collaboratively in 2013 to meet all of our objectives."

For Chevrolet, those objectives are the use of biofuels, relevant technologies that take cost into consideration and a distinctive design that allows the manufacturer to market and promote its products.

"For the series we compete in, in motorsports, we're looking for series that run on biofuels," said Jim Campbell, U.S. vice president for performance vehicles and motorsports. "We want to use relevant technologies that don't push the costs up so high that it's unaffordable. Then we want the vehicle to be distinctive in a way that it can be associated with us.

"In the case of NASCAR, they've moved on to biofuels. They're going to go to an E-15 ethanol. I'm very pleased about that. And with the other two, we're working very closely with NASCAR on that. ... For NASCAR, the car on the tracks looks like the car we sell."

What that car might be, Campbell didn't say.

"We are working on a car for 2013 that will look like a production car that will be in the market at that time," Campbell said.

In any case, the manufacturers believe they are getting more of a say as to the style details of the next generation Cup car. Campbell said NASCAR chairman Brian France, president Mike Helton and vice president of competition Robin Pemberton are working together with carmakers to return the sport to its "race on Sunday, sell on Monday" roots.

"Brian, Mike, Robin and the folks who support them have been very collaborative," Campbell said. "To me, that's the winning formula -- the collaboration between us, the sanctioning body and the team owners to put the best product on the track, that's exciting to watch, and can deliver on our joint objectives. I think that can be a winning formula."

"But it's hard work. You can't let up for a minute. While things like 2013 seem like a long ways away, they're really not. A lot of the work has to be under way, and it is."

France has spoken about the possibility of eliminating carburetors in favor of fuel injection, a move that Campbell wholeheartedly supports.

"We would love to see that step," Campbell said. "Then we've got to look further. What are the next elements of technology we can bring in? It's about relevant technologies that don't drive the cost so high that you can't get a return on investment, where the costs of competing become unaffordable.

"That's a delicate balance. That's almost a technology-by-technology decision we have to make in conjunction with the sanctioning body. In the end, they set the rules. What we need to do is make sure we're being clear with them on what the priorities are."

At the same time, Campbell supports NASCAR's due diligence when it comes to keeping drivers safe.

"We are an advocate of safety, for sure," Campbell said. "That's been a high priority, and Chevrolet and General Motors have often consulted on safety issues with a lot of different series. Because what you learn on safety, you want to share. You don't want to keep that as something just to yourselves."

Even though attendance and television ratings for Cup events have eroded in recent years, General Motors still sees value in participating in NASCAR, according to Campbell.

"The motorsports platform at Chevrolet accounts for over half of the leads we get from sales promotion platforms in general," Campbell said. "We still have amazing scale and reach in this sport. So we will not miss that opportunity to help us drive our business with that scale and reach." - by mark aumann -  www.nascar.com

Dale Earnhardt Chevrolet is proud to officially announce the production of the 2011 Intimidator Camaro.  Not since 2001 has this execution of style and speed been released into the hands of drivers nationwide.  Unlike other editions, which are out there mired in the middle of the pack trying to gain position, the Intimidator Camaro carries the name that is synonymous with charging to the front.  This car lives up to that name in every aspect.  This supercharged, production model makes great use of NASCAR style and speed.  Paying homage to the days when the NASCAR race car and the car you drove weren’t all that different.  With an expected first quarter release date, keep your fire suits ready and your pit crew on standby because this machine will be on track soon!

But we are not stopping with that!  Our second announcement is the reintroduction of the Dale Earnhardt Legacy Package.  Three different Dale Earnhardt cosmetic/performance packages will be available on most new vehicles.   You don’t have to spend thousands trying to take your run of the mill new car and make it something special anymore.  Now you have the opportunity to purchase your new vehicle with the style and performance that Dale Earnhardt himself would have been proud of.  The best thing about this package is it will just cost you a little over invoice price.  Dale’s fans were always the blue collar, working man and woman.  So this package is designed to be the E for all!

Thirdly we re-introduce the Dale Earnhardt Signature Series.  A collection of one off, themed vehicles to be built throughout the year.  Vehicles that blend innovation with creativity to produce machines that will blow your mind.  Much like our founder did for you every Sunday on the track.  These Signature Editions will be our testing grounds for new developments, new design angles and just pure, raw passion for racing and automotive all wrapped up in extremely valuable, collectible vehicles.

Finally, in the spirit of innovation, our last project of the year will be a highly sought out present for every truck enthusiast.  It is no secret that Dale Earnhardt was an avid outdoorsman.  Well his passion for the outdoors was passed along, in great amounts, to his firstborn son, and racing veteran, Kerry Earnhardt.  In a collaboration with Kerry Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt Chevrolet will be producing a history making truck series under the Kerry Earnhardt name.  These trucks will be equipped for the outdoorsman and will be like no other.  Keep an eye out for details on the Kerry Earnhardt project as the year progresses. 

With all of these announcements of our upcoming Earnhardt Series vehicles we have no other choice but to dub 2011 as Year E.  So keep your spotter on our websites, facebook, twitter, youtube and flickr accounts for released information, pictures or video.  And always remember, “Intimidate, don’t Imitate.” - www.earnhardtautomotive.com

New Braunfels, TX (December 7, 2010) –

Simpson Performance Products, the industry dominant brand in racing safety for more than 50 years and Safety Solutions, Inc., backed by 18 years of restraint engineering knowledge have joined forces. United by the common mission of making the sport of racing safer, the acquisition of Safety Solutions gives Simpson Performance Products a broader racing safety portfolio and enhances opportunities for future growth and development within the industry.

Trevor Ashline, President of Safety Solutions commented, “I am excited about the growth and opportunities that are ahead. I look forward to working with the Simpson team, pooling our resources and experience to continue bringing innovative safety technology and product choice to the sport of racing. Safety Solutions’ customers will continue to be able to get the same great product technology they are accustomed to, and more.

“Simpson has worked closely with Trevor Ashline and the team at Safety Solutions
since 2001. We are confident the product line fits well with our overall safety mission and extends our presence in the Motorsports industry as a one-stop partner for racing safety products. Safety Solution’s patents for head restraint devices have given the industry safety innovations that have proven to make racers safer. Additionally, Ashline’s dedication to extensive dynamic sled testing for head restraints has been exemplary.” states Chuck Davies, CEO of Simpson.

About Safety Solutions, Inc.

After receiving his engineering degree from Rochester Institute of Technology, Trevor Ashline began his career in the automotive industry in Detroit where he worked for 9 yrs. as a Restraint Engineer/Program Manager for restraint companies, such as Takata, Allied Signal and Autoliv. In 2001, after relocating to the Carolinas, Ashline started Safety Solutions and developed the first of many head restraints and other components for racing safety systems. Ashline is a sought after industry expert and has written numerous industry papers including SAE Paper 2008-01-2969: Occupant Compartment Updates for Side to Side Vibration in a Fuel Funny Car. In 2008, Safety Solutions won the NCMA Safety Innovation Award.

About Simpson Performance Products, Inc.

Since 1959, Simpson Race Products has been manufacturing products for racing safety, including drag parachutes, the flagship Simpson product. That is over 50 years as one of the most recognized brands in racing safety, protecting the driver and crew from head to toe with helmets, fire retardant racing suits, restraints, shoes and gloves. Simpson racing suits, team apparel and sublimated shirts are created at its 53,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility in Harbor City, CA. Helmets, restraints and parachutes are manufactured at its 80,000 sq. ft. headquarters in New Braunfels, TX. Simpson is the preferred safety gear of championship race teams such as John Force Racing, Stewart-Haas Racing,
JR Motorsports and Robby Gordon Motorsports. Simpson gives back to the racers through contingency sponsorships and trackside support in numerous sanctioning bodies, including NASCAR and NHRA. More information about Simpson Performance Products is available at www.teamsimpson.com. - www.simpsonraceproducts.com