SLAM

[cameraman]

There is an article in the today's Wall Street Journal about the hybrid Corsa Zytek announcement. It contains the following gem:


Automobile racing has long been touted as a hotbed of research and development that eventually finds its way to cars consumers can buy. But today series like Nascar's Sprint Cup use technology that is crude compared with that found in the typical family car.

American Le Mans officials say companies that race in their series, including Volkwagen AG's Audi unit, General Motors Corp. and Honda Motor Co.'s Acura brand are developing systems that will appear in road cars within a few years. New diesel road cars from Audi and Volkswagen burn cleaner and have surprisingly high horsepower and fuel efficiency, in part because the fuel systems and engine-control electronics were developed on the track in Audi's diesel-powered R10 race cars.

Nice:rofl::rofl::eek::rofl:

The full article (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121995730442980913.html)

[pchall]

Nice.

There's been some rumbling out of Detroit that NASCAR is irrelevant to them technologically and decreasing in value as a marketing tool since they aren't racing anything close to the products that sell on Monday. I've read in a couple of places that Ford, Chevy, and Chrysler would love to race their pony cars with recognizable bodywork, DOHC engines, FI, modern electronics, and up-to-date chassis.

Not that any of the France Family third/fourth generation gene pool appears bright enough to embrace the needs of the manufacturers....:irked:

[Cam]

Nice.

There's been some rumbling out of Detroit that NASCAR is irrelevant to them technologically and decreasing in value as a marketing tool since they aren't racing anything close to the products that sell on Monday. I've read in a couple of places that Ford, Chevy, and Chrysler would love to race their pony cars with recognizable bodywork, DOHC engines, FI, modern electronics, and up-to-date chassis.

Not that any of the France Family third/fourth generation gene pool appears bright enough to embrace the needs of the manufacturers....:irked:

But then they would just be a 'merican version of V8 Supercars on (mostly) ovals. Can't have that. Ambrose would have way too much of an advantage. :gomer:

[pchall]

But then they would just be a 'merican version of V8 Supercars on (mostly) ovals. Can't have that. Ambrose would have way too much of an advantage. :gomer:

I'd probably watch more than a couple of NASCAR races a year, especially if the pony cars brought more road courses into the series. Of course, this will never happen and even if they went to pony cars the Frances and Helton would eff it up.

[Gnam]

What are the odds NASCAR would become the first race series to be exclusively powered by alternative engines? Jump from carbs straight to fuel cells, batteries, and hybrids.

[nissan gtp]

What are the odds NASCAR would become the first race series to be exclusively powered by alternative engines? Jump from carbs straight to fuel cells, batteries, and hybrids.

less than none

[cameraman]

What are the odds NASCAR would become the first race series to be exclusively powered by alternative engines? Jump from carbs straight to fuel cells, batteries, and hybrids.

About the same chances that I will win the Publisher's Clearing House Sweepstakes.

[SurfaceUnits]

one of the teams was bragging a while back that they just received the first new engine block design since 1959 :shakehead

[Indy]

There lies the real opportunity to build a series which could become the top level in America. REAL stock cars on road courses. Trans Am.

[oddlycalm]

There's been some rumbling out of Detroit that NASCAR is irrelevant to them technologically and decreasing in value as a marketing tool:
More than rumbling. Ford's racing director Dan Davis came right out and said that during a panel discussion on Autoweek recently. Read between the lines and these cash strapped companies may soon get to the place where they can't justify the expense based on return.

NASCAR may do a good job of selling breakfast cereal, candy and boner pills but the car companies aren't happy at all because they don't get to showcase their product. Seems like a signficant flaw in the business model.

oc

[cameraman]

Somebody answer me this, a cardboard cutout of Marcus Ambrose appeared next to the Lil Debbie display at the grocery store in downtown Salt Lake.

Does it really increase sales?

[Andrew Longman]

Somebody answer me this, a cardboard cutout of Marcus Ambrose appeared next to the Lil Debbie display at the grocery store in downtown Salt Lake.

Does it really increase sales?

Have you had a Lil Debbie? They aren't exactly going to sell themselves. ;)

[opinionated ow]

Somebody answer me this, a cardboard cutout of Marcus Ambrose appeared next to the Lil Debbie display at the grocery store in downtown Salt Lake.

Does it really increase sales?

What is a Little Debby? Sounds like a southern hooker or pornstar or something.

[cameraman]

Ahhh no.

http://www.littledebbie.com/Images/products/shortcake.gif
http://www.littledebbie.com/images/products/bananatwin.gif
http://www.littledebbie.com/Images/products/caramel.gif

They sell millions of them but something about them has always been off putting to me. I don't know what it is but my reaction to them has always been, "no thanks".

[oddlycalm]

They sell millions of them but something about them has always been off putting to me. I don't know what it is but my reaction to them has always been, "no thanks".
Ditto. There's something vaguely creepy. Then of course there's the fact that they amount to not much more than artificially flavored sugar and fat...

oc

[pchall]

Do I detect a certain bias towards Hostess products here?

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f146/cjmyers009/Twinkies.jpg

[Ankf00]

lil debbie sighting w/o dennis franchione in close proximity?


unpossible.

[Don Quixote]

you know, any of those little debbie products can be deep fried also. :thumbup:

[devilmaster]

you know, any of those little debbie products can be deep fried also. :thumbup: in bacon fat? :D