Home Blog Page 2222

Aidan Fassnacht Pulls Lessons From Challenging Opening Event In Mazda MX-5 Cup At Daytona

By
Official Release
-

Fassnacht’s No. 15 Sword Performance Mazda MX-5 Persevered Through Doubleheader Weekend Featuring Multiple Condition Changes

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (January 30, 2022) – Aidan Fassnacht passed his first test as a professional racing driver this week at Daytona International Speedway in the 2022 Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich Tires, taking a season full of lessons away from a challenging week in the No. 15 Sword Performance Mazda MX-5 Cup.

Both Thursday and Friday’s 45-minute races were run in weather conditions that included a wet track but were dry enough to remain on BFGoodrich Tires slicks for the run. Those difficult conditions and a competitive 30-car field left Fassnacht in 17th and 23rd at the race finishes, respectively.

“We didn’t get the results we really wanted, but I looked at this weekend to get the rust out and get used to the series,” the 18-year-old said. “I think this is probably going to be the craziest weekend, maybe of my career, with these conditions, this track and these cars. I’m hoping that calms down a little bit and we can settle in and show our pace because I didn’t feel like we got to do that this weekend. It’s frustrating, but it’s also good to get my feet wet a little bit.”

Fassnacht qualified and started the first race 11th, and spent the race in a pack of cars five deep and battling for the top 10 before a full course yellow with 13th laps to go eliminated that battle and brought more into the mix.

Fassnacht started Friday’s race even further up the grid in ninth and was already moving forward on the opening lap before contact brought out a full course caution and sent the Sword Performance MX-5 to pit lane for repairs and a front right tire change. That left him one lap down from the field but able to finish the caution-filled race.

“It was one of those things where every time you went out there, you weren’t sure what you were going to get,” Fassnacht said of the weather. “We went out expecting it to be pretty dry in Friday’s race, and then we saw the two leaders go way wide going into Turn 1 because it was wet. It cleared up by the end, but it just added a new variable for the tires and threw a wrench in the whole operation. But I’m glad the way it worked out because it’s such a valuable experience for me. I saw everything you could see in terms of conditions this weekend, and that’s something you might not get in two or three years. I’m glad I got it here, and it familiarized me with the car and I got a feel for it in every situation which was nice. Hopefully that plays to my advantage going into Saint Petersburg in the next race.”

The Daytona weekend was the motorsports debut for Sword Performance and its series of performance hydration beverages, built around a system of proprietary electrolyte replacement products and heat stress subject expertise. Fassnacht not only carried the logo on the side of his McCumbee McAleer Motorsports team car, but used the Sword Performance products to hydrate between sessions.

“It’s really great to be working with Sword Performance this season,” Fassnacht said. “They’re a really great brand and it’s such a fit, with them being in the hydration industry and us in motorsports. I’m drinking 20-plus bottles of water a day, so if I can make that efficient with a clean and clear hydration product like Sword provides, it’s perfect and it’s just great to have their support.”

With a race under his belt, Fassnacht returns to action on the 1.8-mile street course on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, February 25-27. The street circuit doubleheader will mark another first for the series rookie, and is unique as the only temporary street circuit on the 2022 calendar.

“I think we’re going to come out on the back end really strong for learning all of this,” Fassnacht said. I learned a lot, and I couldn’t be more excited to get to St. Pete because I think we’re going to be really strong there.

About Sword Performance:

Sword Performance, Inc. is an American manufacturer of performance hydration beverages, built around a system of proprietary electrolyte replacement products and heat stress subject expertise. Sword Performance Inc. was founded with a purpose: to provide great-tasting, effective hydration to hard-working men and women everywhere. From stadium lights to job sites, Sword Performance hydration products are designed to work with the body to battle dehydration and fatigue. More information can be found at www.SwordPerformance.com.

About Aidan Fassnacht:

A second-generation professional racecar driver, 18-year-old Aidan Fassnacht is conducting the 2022 Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup for McCumbee McAleer Racing (MMR) in the No. 15 Sword Performance Mazda MX-5 Cup. Fassnacht, a freshman at Boston College, raced a Spec Miata in Regional and National Sports Car Club of America events for two seasons before taking on the Spec MX-5 Challenge in 2021, earning a slot in the prestigious Mazda Shootout before signing with MMR for his 2022 rookie campaign.

RISI COMPETIZIONE 18-HOUR RACE REPORT

By
Official Release
-

ROLEX 24 AT DAYTONA – 2022
Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo No. 62:
James Calado (GBR)
Alessandro Pier Guidi (ITA)
Davide Rigon (ITA)
Daniel Serra (BRA)

(Daytona Beach, Fla., January 30, 2022)… At the 18-hour mark of the 2022 running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona, the No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 GT3 EVO holds second position in the GTD Pro class with top four cars all on the same lap.

James Calado had just entered the car at the halfway point of the 24-hour enduro. The Brit kept the Prancing Horse in second place in the GTD Pro class through some clean racing before the 12th caution of the race in just under 13 hours of racing took place.

He held the second position in class for a bit before another full course caution flag was waved, which shuffled him around the top three positions. Just before the 14-hour mark he brought the No. 62 in while in the lead for a full pit stop and driver change to Davide Rigon on Lap 395.

(L-R): Risi Competizione Team Principal Giuseppe Risi and driver Davide Rigon
Rigon was relegated back to sixth in class after the stop and climbed back a couple positions before pitting just after the 15-hour mark in P5 for a standard stop after another caution flag flew at 4:49 a.m. The Risi team took advantage of the yellow with a brief stop just 12 minutes later. Rigon remained for a third stint and had a fairly clear drive and stop an hour later. He eventually pitted around 6:37 a.m., just before the 17-hour mark for a driver change to Daniel Serra and standard pit stop.

Serra managed some solid racing for his first stint and brought the No. 62 into second place in GTD Pro by his first full stop right at the 18th hour.

QUOTES:

James Calado, driver No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 GT3 EVO:
“It’s difficult and we know the reasons why. It’s difficult to kind of persuade the guys to listen to what we want to do going forward. There’s obviously a fine balance between safety and performance. I know the others have got a better chance to win when they turn up the engines. I’ve seen it; they press a button. Obviously, we are flat out. So, the only way to win is to risk. For me, that’s the way forward going into the morning. We need to keep position because we don’t have straight line speed, but we have good lap times. So, that’s the only way we can stay ahead if we can pull a gap to the guy in second. Fingers crossed. From experience and many 24-hours (races), trying to persuade the guys to listen and then we might have a chance.”

Davide Rigon, driver No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 GT3 EVO:
“It was a long stint but sometimes in the night it’s best to just keep driving and stay in a rhythm. It was a pretty smooth stint for the most part. You must just keep a good watch for other cars, but the car is good.”

Rolex 24 At Daytona U.S. Broadcast Schedule:

Sunday, January 30, 2022:
USA Until 12:00pm ET
NBC 12:00-2:00pm ET

Flag-to-Flag Coverage: Live on Peacock

IMSA Radio will have live coverage throughout the weekend on imsaradio.com, RadioLeMans.com and SiriusXM Radio. See www.imsa.com for live timing and scoring.

For more information and social media, please see www.risicompetizione.com and follow us on Facebook/RisiCompetizione and Twitter @RisiComp and on Instagram @RisiComp.

Cadillac Racing 3-4 in Rolex 24 after 18 hours

By
Official Release
-

CADILLAC RACING 18-HOUR RACE REPORT
IMSA WEATHERTECH SPORTSCAR CHAMPIONSHIP
ROLEX 24 AT DAYTONA
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
JAN. 30, 2022

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 30, 2022) – Cadillac Racing DPi-V-R entries were running in the top four 18 hours into the 60th Rolex 24 At Daytona.

The No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R, with Richard Westbrook at the wheel, was running smoothly in third place. Close behind in fourth was Mike Conway in the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R.

The Rolex 24 At Daytona race lap record has changed hands four times among three Cadillac DPi-V.R entries.

Earl Bamber returned to the track following time in the garage in the 16th hour to replace a fuel pump in the No. 02 Cadillac Accessories Cadillac DPi-V.R to set reset the record with a lap of 1 minute, 33.811 seconds on the 3.56-mile, 12-turn Daytona International Speedway road course.

Bamber took the line in the record book from Loic Duval (1:33.834) in the No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R. Earlier, Kevin Magnussen (1:34.000) in the No. 02 Cadillac Accessories Cadillac DPi-V.R and Renger van der Zande (1:34.02) in the No. 01 V-Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R broke the record.

In the 13th hour, the No. 48 Ally Cadillac DPi-V.R returned to the garage to replace a the rear suspension after being bumped into the grass by an LMP3 car. Minutes later, the No. 01 V-Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R – the overall leader – pitted for fuel and tires with Sebastien Bourdais behind the wheel. The call was made to head to the garage to replace the alternator belt.

Gary Nelson, Action Express Racing team manager (Nos. 31 and 48 Cadillac DPi-V.Rs)
“It is nice to be this close to the lead of the race after going all night. It was really a dogfight all night and now we are just a few seconds from the lead. So, we’re pretty happy. (What have you been telling your drivers?) The same thing we have told them all along. Stay on the lead lap, and we pretty much have had to run flat out to do that. I think we are going to have a good finish.”

Tristan Nunez, No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R
“Six hours is still a long way to go. This is when every second counts. The race is going to be fierce all the way to the end. I think we have a good car to challenge for the win. I have another double stint and get ready for the end. It’s challenging out there with how cold it is. It can get away from you quickly.”

Richard Westbrook, No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R
“We’ve been running consistently well. It’s been a really good performance but still a long way to go – a Watkins Glen six hours to go. We’re taking nothing for granted but we’re doing everything right so far and just have to hang in there to take the fight in the last couple of hours.”

Earl Bamber, No. 02 Cadillac Accessories Cadillac DPi-V.R
“I got the car from Alex (Lynn) in fifth and made our way up to second. Everything was going well and just cruising around. I think we had a car to vie for the win and are really happy with what the (Chip Ganassi Racing) guys have done in the short preparation time they had with the second car. We’re gutted, obviously. We’ll repair, get back out there and finish the race.”

Cadillac running order in the DPi class (overall in parentheses) at 18 hours:

  1. (3) No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R, Tristan Vautier, Richard Westbrook, Loic Duval, Ben Keating
  2. (4) No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R, Pipo Derani, Tristan Nunez, Mike Conway
  3. (13) No. 48 Ally Cadillac DPi-V.R, Jimmie Johnson, Kamui Kobayashi, Mike Rockenfeller, Jose Maria Lopez
  4. (19) No. 02 Cadillac Accessories Cadillac DPi-V.R, Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn, Kevin Magnussen, Marcus Ericsson
  5. (33) No. 01 V-Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R, Renger Van Der Zande, Sebastien Bourdais, Scott Dixon, Alex Palou

The race is being telecast on NBC and its associated channels USA and Peacock, and available on XM 202, SiriusXM Online 972, and IMSA.com.
Cadillac Racing high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.

About Cadillac
A leading luxury auto brand since 1902, Cadillac is growing globally, driven by an expanding product portfolio that features distinctive design and technology. More information on Cadillac appears at www.cadillac.com. Cadillac’s media website with information, images and video can be found at media.cadillac.com.

TR3 Racing Charges to Rolex 24 Lead ahead of Halfway Point

By
Official Release
-

Daytona Beach, Fla. (30 January 2022) – In their IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship debut, TR3 Racing has raced to the halfway point of the 60th Anniversary running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona.

The team has made a strong first impression, taking the win in the qualifying race last weekend to score the GTD Pro pole for Saturday’s race start with the No. 63 Lamborghini of Miami Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo – GTD Pro.

Starting on the pole position, Marco Mapelli in the No. 63 Lamborghini led the field of GT entries to the green flag. Mapelli maintained the race lead through the opening laps when the first full course caution appeared. The Lamborghini team decided to amend their strategy bringing Mapelli to pit lane for a driver change to Rolf Ichenin.

On lap 98, quick handling by Ichenin kept the No. 63 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo from being collected in a multi-car incident. Unfortunately, the maneuver did result in slight body work damage that would require repair on the next pit stop on lap 139. Mapelli took over the controls of the GTD Pro entry and returned to the course two laps down but the team has fought back to the lead lap and is currently leading the race with 12 hours to go.

The sister No. 19 Piloti Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo – GTD of Jeff Segal, Bill Sweedler, John Megrue, Giacamo Altoe started the race from 17th on the grid, with Sweedler manning the controls from 51st overall at the drop of the green.

Making his IMSA debut, Megrue battled door-to-door on lap 89 through the international horseshoe before contact with a fellow GTD competitor spun the No. 19 Lamborghini. Megrue rebounded to complete his 36 lap stint before handing the car over to 2014 Rolex winner Jeff Segal as the entry raced back up the order to move to the lead.

At the seven hour mark, the TR3 Racing crew utilized pit stop strategy to extend the lead of the No. 19 in the GTD category by a full lap as the field returned to green flag racing.

That advantage was reduced when the No. 19 Lamborghini was issued a penalty resulting in a stop plus 3 minute, 30 second hold. Altoe resumed racing in 10th running next to the sister No. 63 entry, with the foursome pushing up to 8th as the race hit the halfway mark.

“So far the race has had some setbacks for us, but we’ve been able to fight back from everything and are ready to keep in contention here through the night,” said TR3 Racing’s Arther Romanelli. “We just need to keep executing as a team and then we can focus on going for a result at the close of the race. So we’re happy with where we are and just looking forward to keeping a good rhythm going with both of our Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo entries and be there at the end.”

Broadcast Schedule:

12:00-3:00am – USA Network
6:00-12:00pm – USA Network
12:00-2:00pm – NBC

Commercial free coverage available via Peacock in the United States. International coverage available on IMSA.tv

About TR3 Performance:

TR3 Performance was founded by Arthur, Oliver, and Gregory Romanelli in August 2012. Frustrated with the rising costs and plummeting quality from local shops, the brothers saw an opportunity to establish a shop of their own that would live up to their high standard of excellence, where they could hold themselves to the caliber of workmanship they had sought out in the marketplace as enthusiasts. In 2015, TR3 Racing was established as the team stepped into racing at the professional level. What started out as a modest 2,300-sq.ft. enterprise has now exploded into the premier performance shop in South Florida.

About Lamborghini Miami:
Lamborghini Miami was founded in 1988, as a franchise under Prestige Imports. Founder Irv David quickly grew Lamborghini Miami to be one of the leading franchises North America. Importing the last Countach ever made and importing the first Diablo into the US market, Irv David quickly set Lamborghini Miami to be a leader in the supercar market within North America. The franchise continued to expand and grow successfully and in 2007, the franchise opened their new showroom to achieve greater heights. Tragically in the same year, on January 20th, Irv David suddenly passed on his 56th birthday. His son, Brett David, overcame the tragic loss and to cold as CEO at the age of 19. Since then Lamborghini Miami has gone to become a global phenomenon, delivering Lamborghini’s most coveted hypercars and dominating the south Florida market. In 2022, Lamborghini Miami continues their World renowned legacy with record-breaking sales and recently recognized group 4 title as one of the nation’s most successful service departments.

About Canoe Studios:

Like our studio space, our devotion to our clients and their unique visions is limitless. Exceptional customer service is the framework for how our entire business operates. We welcome everyone into our event venue studio as a valued guest and prioritize their comfort and creativity above all. The incredible studio space and creative agency we’ve established is a direct reflection of that dedication. Warm, natural light pours into every inch of our space to ensure you feel enlightened and at home. And each studio features a glass-paneled entrance so we can continue to inspire one another.

Cadillac Racing drivers rave about 2023 Cadillac Escalade-V

By
Official Release
-

Renger van der Zande, Earl Bamber enjoy the drive at Daytona International Speedway

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 29, 2022) – TV viewers got a peek of the 2023 Cadillac Escalade-V during coverage of the 60th Rolex 24 At Daytona.

They likely noticed the enthusiastic impressions of the Escalade-V during its introduction to the V-Series family at Daytona International Speedway from Cadillac Racing Daytona Prototype international (DPi) drivers Renger van der Zande and Earl Bamber.

“The Escalade is awesome; what a vehicle to come to the track in,” said Bamber, co-driver of the No. 02 Cadillac Accessories Cadillac DPi-V.R. “As soon as you get on the throttle, the noise that it makes is insane. We both had a smile on our face the whole time and we had a heap of fun driving around Daytona International Speedway.”

Cadillac recently announced it is expanding its V-Series lineup to include the Escalade-V, which will be the first SUV to don the high-performance V-Series badge. With nearly two decades of racing-inspired prowess, the Cadillac V-Series is an elevation of Cadillac design, performance and technology, and the purest expression of the passion that exists at the core of the Cadillac brand. More information about the 2023 Cadillac Escalade-V, including full vehicle specs, will be revealed in spring 2022.

Both drivers had the opportunity to briefly drive the Cadillac CT5-V and CT4-V Blackwings, too, at the racetrack.

“The power of these cars is phenomenal,” Bamber said.

The V-Series Blackwings were developed to be track-capable straight from the factory. Featuring a hand-built 6.2-liter supercharged V8 delivering 668 horsepower paired with a 6-speed manual transmission, the CT5-V Blackwing is refinement rooted in racing performance.

“I’ve been driving (the CT5-V) around the Nurburgring, I’ve been driving it around some other tracks, and now in Daytona and it’s pretty impressive,” said van der Zande, who co-drives the No. 01 V-Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R. “And the nice thing is you can still cruise around in it if you want to, but once you need the go, go, go time, it’s alive.

“It’s an awesome car to go on the track with. I’ll order one if they don’t give me one.”

Added Bamber: “I’d like to have one but I’m afraid I’d get myself in big trouble with how fast they are. It’s a bunch of fun.” 
Cadillac Racing high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.

About Cadillac
A leading luxury auto brand since 1902, Cadillac is growing globally, driven by an expanding product portfolio that features distinctive design and technology. More information on Cadillac appears at www.cadillac.com. Cadillac’s media website with information, images and video can be found at media.cadillac.com.

Everything You Need to Know About Helmet Head Shapes

By
SM
-

Wearing a motorcycle helmet is a good practice to help ensure maximum safety in the event of an accident. It is as important as fastening seat belts when driving a car. A helmet covers your face and head, especially your eyes, when riding a motorcycle or scooter. 

Just wearing a motorcycle helmet is not sufficient to ensure your full safety.  You have to wear a helmet that is the proper shape and size for your head. Otherwise, you will face different problems while riding a motorcycle. And the problem will not be limited to the accident; dust, wind, and smoke from other cars can get into your eyes.

For that, it is crucial to wear a helmet with a perfect fit that provides the highest protection while riding a motorcycle. For your convenience, we will explain different aspects of a helmet’s head shape in this context.

Why You Need to Wear the Right Head Shape Helmet

A helmet is a crucial gear while riding a motorcycle that helps to prevent head injuries. Typically, helmets are designed to have a skull-shaped structure to make sure the perfect fitting. When you fall in an accident or your head tends to hit the ground, the helmet prevents your head from being hurt too much. And the shape of a helmet is the most important factor in getting a perfectly fitting one. In case of serious incidents, consulting the best accident lawyers can also help riders understand their legal rights and options after a crash.

In that case, the shape of the rider’s head plays an essential role in selecting a suitable helmet. Motorcycle helmets are designed to fit a particular head shape. According to the riders, helmet head shapes are divided into three primary designations: long oval, intermediate oval, and round oval. 

Although we all generally have a round or oval-shaped head, it is crucial to wear the actual shape. For example, if you have an oval skull, you may need to wear a round-head helmet. Now you may consider where you will find this particular type of helmet. Well, you will find the best motorcycle helmet for round head at both online and offline motorcycle gear stores. You will also find oval and intermediate head shape helmets as well. 

What You Need to Know About Helmet Head Shapes

Getting the right motorcycle helmet is challenging from a wide range of collections. Also, it is crucial to choose the right helmet that fits you so that you feel comfortable while riding a motorcycle. Otherwise, a poorly fitted helmet increases the risk of serious injury. That’s why below we have described some important things about helmet head shapes.

Measure your Head

Measuring your head size is the first significant thing in getting a fit helmet size. If your helmet is too large, it may loosen up in the event of an accident which will put you at total risk of a head injury. To measure your head, see the steps below:

  • First, take a soft measuring tape and enfold it around your head about half an inch outside your ears and eyebrows. Take the tape on the back of your head at the biggest point. This measurement will be difficult to do alone, so get someone to help.
  • After measuring the size of your head, compare this size with the size of the specific motorcycle helmet manufacturer. Each manufacturer provides different-sized charts for their helmets. So, you just have to compare the size of your head and the size of the brand.

Determine the Head Shape

After measuring the size of your head, you will need to determine the shape of your head. One of the easiest ways to determine the shape of your head is to ask someone to look you in the head or take a selfie from the top of your head. Although most people have an oval head shape, some people also have long and slender heads as well as wide heads. However, helmet manufacturers divide the size of the helmet into three main categories. Below we have briefly discussed these.

Long Oval

The shape of the long oval head is long and slender. If your head looks like a wide football, your head is probably a long oval in shape. A regular head shape rider can feel quite loose on the side but very tight on the front and back. So try to choose a helmet that feels much tighter and makes less pressure on your forehead and the back of your head.

Intermediate Oval

Most riders’ heads will fit this category. Although most people’s heads are oval, which is taller, the difference between them is not so great. Instead of a wide soccer ball, it looks like a squash soccer ball with an intermediate oval shape. Since this shape is very common, you will probably find numerous helmets that will give maximum comfort. So you should go for an intermediate instead of a round or long oval.

Round Oval

The shape of this head is almost as long as wide. A round-oval shape probably looks like a soccer ball. Since the round-oval head is wider than average, the regular head shape can put pressure on the side of your head. So, if the shape of your head is wide, then choosing a round-oval helmet is the best choice.

Wear Your Chosen Helmet

Before purchasing a helmet, you should always try it yourself to check whether the hamlet fits perfectly. Although most people prefer to buy online stores, reliable helmet stores offer a return or exchange policy if a helmet is not perfectly fit. Your chosen helmet should be fitted snugly without causing any discomfort or pain. A poorly fitted helmet will leave red marks on your head when you remove it. Besides, rotate the helmet and move it up and down to check whether it is too loose on your head. In this case, your helmet is too loose if you feel no discomfort doing so.

What Are Different Helmet Styles?

Motorcycle helmets come in numerous styles, and each of them provides particular advantages to address the rider’s need. Some riders like to wear full-around protection-type helmets, whereas others like slim helmets. Below we have provided some information about the different styles of helmets.

Full Face Helmets

All types of riders widely use this style of helmet for road riding. It is designed to offer the highest protection and coverage from the head to the neck portion. Full-face helmets are an excellent choice for long or unpredictable riders. Chin bar is one of the most useful features of this helmet, typically made of materials like fiberglass, carbon, and plastic. It helps to prevent injury to your chin and jaw during an accident. In addition, many full-face helmets are designed with good ventilation that helps to circulate air during the warmer months.

Half Helmets

You may understand this helmet style by its name. Half helmet shields the top portion of your head. This type of helmet doesn’t protect your face making it less appropriate to wear on challenging terrain or in bad weather conditions. Unlike full-face helmets, a half helmet doesn’t offer any chin bar to protect your chin and jaw. This helmet enables riders to wear face shields, goggles, or other masks. As a result, riders can protect their eyes from sunlight, dust, insects, and raindrops. Half helmets are very popular among scooter riders, cruisers, and vintage riders.

Open Face or ¾ Helmets

As the name implies, open-face helmets don’t provide enough protection on the front. This type of helmet offers less protection to your face. This is because open face helmets cover only the forehead down to the bottom of the skull. Besides, it also doesn’t offer any chin bars to protect your chin and jaw in accidents. The good thing about this helmet is riders can communicate, drink, eat, smoke without removing the helmet. As this helmet is DOT-approved, it is an ideal choice for cruisers, scooter riders, trousers, and racers.

Modular or flip-Up Helmets

Modular helmets are designed with combined features of open-face and full-face helmets. This helmet style offers a chin bar so that you can rotate your head up or down as required. The good thing is some versions of modular helmets offer a detachable chin bar. This helmet also has a flip-up visor to protect the rider’s eyes. Some models of this helmet style also offer a secondary visor for additional protection against the sun’s rays. For that, these types of helmets are perfect for everyday riding styles.

Off-Road Motorcycle Helmets

Off-road helmets are suitable for those whose riding is rough and strenuous. This helmet is made with a chin bar and elongated peak. Its extended chin bar allows riders to breathe easily and better get circulated air. For that, an off-road helmet offers maximum protection even in harsh biking conditions. Typically, this helmet protects riders from obstacles like dust particles, flying debris, as well as low-hanging branches.

Conclusion

We have tried our best to provide you with adequate information about motorcycle helmet head shape in this context. As a wide range of helmets in styles and shapes is available on the marketplace, you should choose suitable ones. If you read the entire article, you might have understood three different head shapes that you should consider before having a helmet. 

Whether your head shape is round oval, long oval, or intermediate oval, you have to find one that tightly fits on your head. And also doesn’t make you feel discomfort while riding. However, you will also find several helmet styles but check out the section above to get the right style.

7 Signs You Need to Replace Your Motorcycle Helmet

By
SM
-

Your motorcycle helmet is arguably one of the most crucial gear ensuring maximum safety. So, you have to wear the right helmet to prevent possible injuries whenever you ride a motorcycle. Sometimes it may seem like you have reliable safety gear, but helmets aren’t built to last. 

Helmets will degrade over time because of various causes, including helmet age, usage duration, becoming loose, involved accidents, and many more. A damaged helmet can’t ensure maximum safety when you’re riding a motorcycle. You should wear a helmet that will offer the highest protection even if you have a dangerous accident. 

That’s why you have to immediately replace your helmet if you find any signs of degradation. In this context, we will let you know some significant signs that you need to know when replacing your helmet. So stay tuned by reading this article.

Do Motorcycle Helmets Need To Be Replaced?

Professionals suggest replacing a helmet worn frequently every three years or so. The main reason is that the helmet’s foam degrades because of heat, sun, salty sweat, and other environmental factors. These factors make the foam unable to give complete safety during accidents. 

Besides, a helmet can be damaged in a crash or even dropped on a hard surface. Some experts said that a helmet would be protective until it is damaged, no matter its age. There is no arguing that replacing a regularly used helmet every three years will help to keep you comfortable and safe. 

If we talk about purchasing helmets, several helmet brands are available on the marketplace. You should choose the best brand helmet that provides the highest protection while you’re riding. Remember, not all helmet brands offer maximum safety while riding a motorcycle. There are some motorcycle helmet brands to avoid if you don’t want severe injuries during accidents.

How to Quickly Inspect Your Motorcycle Helmet

Checking your helmet every day before and after usage is a good habit. You should pay attention to the following:

Exterior

Sometimes the helmet exterior gets large scratches or cracks from storage conditions, the circumstance’s environment, or rubbing against a rough surface. Using good polish small scratches can be removed easily. But for large cracks or splitting in the shell, you have to replace the helmet.

Visor

The helmet’s visor provides vision to the rider while protecting their eyes from dust and wind. If your visor has a large number of micro-scratches that may obscure your vision.

Balance 

Check your helmet’s balance by tilting your head right and left a couple of times. Even after firmly securing the chinstrap, the helmet might have accumulated internal damage if it feels wobbly.

Signs You Need to Replace Your Motorcycle Helmet

Here we have demonstrated seven signs to look for that will assist in determining if you need to replace your helmet. So check out the below factors to know whether you need a new helmet.

Helmet Becomes Loose

A newly purchased helmet will hug your head firmly, but you will feel looseness after a few years of usage. Whenever you find your helmet doesn’t hug your head firmly and feels loose, you won’t get maximum protection in accident times. For checking your helmet looseness, shake your head while wearing the helmet. Your helmet is loosened if you knock your head around its corner smoothly. This type of helmet opens automatically when you face any accident that will not protect your head.

The Interior Starts Decaying

We know the outer shell of an object is most susceptible to corrosion from natural and elemental sources. However, helmets tend to deteriorate most from the inside rather than the outside. In most cases, you will find flakes in the lining of your shoulders or hair. Flakes exist not the main concern here; it indicates that the stability and integrity of your helmet have been compromised. It will be unable to absorb the hit properly in accident times. In that case, your current helmet would need to be exchanged for a new one.

The Exterior Starts Decaying  

If you use an object excessively, it will be exposed to extreme sunlight daily or for other reasons. For that, the outer surface of the helmet can become deeply brittle. As a result, the helmet shell can develop cracks which indicate signs of safety failure in your helmet. Also, the outer shell surface of your helmet can get large cracks, falling from your hands.

Broken or Compromised Visor

Numerous minors can occur when you’re riding a motorcycle on the road. For that, a visor is equipped with every helmet to cover the rider’s head and eyes, the most fragile piece of human. The core function of the visor is to protect riders’ eyes from dust and other small particles. On the other hand, the visor helps to provide a clean and better view. If your helmet’s visor gets damaged due to any cause, you have to change the visor or replace the helmet immediately.

Strap or Lock Failure

A chin strap is the most crucial component to keep the helmet lock tight on your head. For that, it is integrated into almost all types of helmets. Often chin straps become corroded and damaged because of weather and dirt. In case of breaks or damage, it is better to replace your strap chin with a new one. If your helmet has an inability to change the chin strap, you should replace the helmet with a new one.

Falling Into Accidents

Involved accidents are the most common cause of your helmet being damaged. For that, you should check the helmet thoroughly after falling into an accident whether it will still provide you with the needed protection. A damaged or broken helmet will not ensure the safety of your head in an accident. In that case, checking your helmet on an X-ray is the best way to find any damage. If you encounter any defect, you should replace the helmet.

Helmet Age and Usage

After wearing a helmet continuously, it will be more than likely weakened. This is because the helmet becomes exposed to weather, UV rays, dirt, and other elements that affect the helmet’s integrity. And ultimately lose the resins and glues that hold the helmet together. Different manufacturers offer their helmets with a three-year age expiration date. Several factors can influence a helmet’s lifespan, but three years is the recommended timeframe for replacing one.

How to Extend the Life Span of Your Helmet

You can easily significantly improve the lifespan of your helmet with proper maintenance and storage facilities. For your help, below, we have pointed out some crucial tips that can help you extend your helmet’s lifespan.

  • Always store your helmet at room temperature and away from any heaters or radiators that may be present in the garage.
  • Ensure your helmet is kept above ground level to prevent an unwilling contract while working in the garage.
  • Do not expose your helmet to chemicals, as this may damage the integrity of the helmet.
  • Clean your motorcycle helmet every 3-6 months at the latest. Avoid using any petroleum-based cleaning fluids that can damage your helmet.
  • If you find your helmet’s visor gets lots of scratches that barrier clear view, replace the visor to keep your helmet functional.   

Conclusion

Riders should be able to diagnose and analyze the condition of their helmets. This is because helmets are crucial gear that help provide maximum protection of your head during accidents. Apart from accidents, a helmet prevents your eyes from entering dust or small other particles. But with a damaged helmet, you will not get such advantages. 

That’s why you have to ensure you are wearing the right helmet. For that, you will need to keep track of when to replace your helmet. Through this context, we have presented some signs to replace your helmet. If you find a sign discussed above on your helmet, you will need to replace your helmet with a new one.

Motul Teams Charged Up for 24 Hours of Daytona

By
Official Release
-
  • 2022 IMSA SportsCar Championship to kick off with 24 Hour endurance at Daytona
  • Motul supporting GTD Pro teams Pfaff Motorsports and BMW M Team RLL
  • IMSA and Motul continue partnership for 2022 season

Singapore, Jan 28, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – The 2022 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is set to get underway with one of the most historic races of the calendar. The 2022 Rolex 24 at Daytona will mark the 60th running of the 24-hour endurance classic at Daytona International Speedway to be held on 29th and 30th January. Motul will be powering the efforts of 2 teams, Pfaff Motorsports and BMW M Team RLL with their range of high-performance racing-grade lubricants, in the newly introduced GT Daytona Pro (GTD Pro) category.

The 2022 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is set to get underway with one of the most historic races of the calendar. The 2022 Rolex 24 at Daytona will mark the 60th running of the 24-hour endurance classic at Daytona International Speedway to be held on 29th and 30th January. Motul will be powering the efforts of 2 teams, Pfaff Motorsports and BMW M Team RLL with their range of high-performance racing-grade lubricants, in the newly introduced GT Daytona Pro (GTD Pro) category.

Pfaff Motorsports secured the GTD Championship in 2021 after a dominant performance. Motul’s collaboration with the team began in 2020 and has been a fruitful one on and off the track. The #9 Motul Porsche 911 GT3 R concluded the previous season with 6 podiums and 4 unmatched class victories. They will be returning with the familiar “Plaid Porsche” livery and a brand new driver line-up featuring Porsche works drivers Matt Campbell (AUS) and Mathieu Jaminet (FRA) for the full season, along with 2-time IMSA DPi champion Felipe Nasr (BRA) for the seasons’ four endurance rounds. Pfaff Motorsports continues to place its trust in Motul lubricants for the 2022 season too.

Motul is also a long time partner of BMW M Team RLL, which will also be making its GTD Pro class debut at this event with the new and highly anticipated BMW M4 GT3. In 2021, BMW bid farewell to the M8 GTE at Petit Le Mans, which was racing in the now-defunct GT Le Mans class. Starting this season, the BMW team will be competing in the GTD Pro class with their refreshed 2-car line-up, the #24 Motul BMW M4 GT3 and #25 Motul BMW M4 GT3. The #24 will be driven by Philipp Eng (AUT), Marco Wittmann (DEU), Nick Yelloly (GBR) and Sheldon van der Linde (ZAF) whilst the #25 car will be piloted by Connor De Phillippi (USA), John Edwards (USA), Augusto Farfus (BRA) and Jesse Krohn (FIN). 6 of the 8 drivers racing at Daytona also contested in the M8 GTE last year, with the other 2 having plenty of previous experience in the series. Both teams look strong going into the season opener, which is gearing up to be an exciting race weekend.

Motul became the “Official Motor Oil” of the IMSA SportsCar Championship in 2018 to support the top teams on the grid with the highest quality of synthetic lubricants. Their proprietary 300V along with RBF 700 brake fluid and other critical lubricants are vital in a championship series that features a mix of long and short races. Motul is a major part of the series, being title sponsor for Motul Petit Le Mans along with established partnerships across seven venues and events on the calendar. The Rolex 24 at Daytona is guaranteed to showcase thrilling multi-class racing action as the teams gear up to tackle the constantly changing conditions. The round the clock race also presents Motul with the opportunity to understand how their products perform in different machinery and constantly improve formulation to bring similar performance to everyday customers.

60th Rolex 24 at Daytona Schedule (all times in GMT -5)

Race Start – 29 January | 1:40 PM | Saturday
Race End – 30 January | 1:40 PM | Sunday

About MOTUL

Motul is a world-class French company specialised in the formulation, production and distribution of high-tech engine lubricants (two-wheelers, cars and other vehicles) as well as lubricants for industry via its Motul Tech activity. Motul offers a whole range of products for everyday car use, including the 8100, H-tech, RBF series, ATF, CVTF and DCTF among others. Motul products ensure all parts of the car are kept in pristine condition to extract maximum performance and reliability.

Unanimously recognised for more than 150 years for the quality of its products, innovation capacity and involvement in the field of competition, Motul is also recognised as a specialist in synthetic lubricants. As early as 1971, Motul was the first lubricant manufacturer to pioneer the formulation of a 100% synthetic lubricant, issued from the aeronautical industry, making use of esters technology: 300V lubricant. In 2021, Motul launched the newest iteration of the 300V with revolutionary technology, setting a new benchmark for high-performance lubricants.

Motul is a partner to many manufacturers and racing teams in order to further their technological development in motorsports. It has invested in many international competitions as an official supplier for several championship winning racing teams.

Motul is committed to its growing business presence in Asia Pacific. Over the years, the company has expanded operations significantly. Currently it has 3 major manufacturing facilities and 2 R&D centres across the region to cater to the ever-growing demand. These centres focus on refining the lubricant technology for Asian climate and driving conditions, which are vastly different from Europe.

Leland Honeyman Joins Young’s Motorsports for 2022 ARCA East Season

By
Official Release
-

MOORESVILLE, N.C.: Young’s Motorsports confirmed today that Leland Honeyman Jr. will join the organization to pilot the No. 02 LH Waterfront Construction | Besecker & Maynard Group Chevrolet full-time in the ARCA Menards Series East this season beginning with the season-opener at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway on Tues., Feb. 15, 2022.

Honeyman, 16, aligns with the Mooresville, N.C.-based team after a successful 2021 season competing in the Carolina Pro Late Model Series, where he earned championship-runner up honors and picked up an astounding victory in the annual Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway Fall Brawl.

The Phoenix, Ariz. native began honing his racing skills at the tender age of two racing Quads. By four years old, he moved into Trophy Karts and then subsequently collected three series championships in off-road racing Trophy Karts.

After an instrumental tenure in Go Karts, he moved into Bandolero competition in 2015 and two years later was crowned a Bandolero National Champion. From there, he moved into Limited Late Models before graduating to the Carolina Pro Late Model Series division in 2021.

Set to turn seventeen next month, Honeyman is embracing the opportunity to race in ARCA.

“I’m so excited about this next chapter in my racing career,” said Honeyman. “The ARCA Menards Series East is going to teach me so much and allow me to showcase my potential in front of a more national platform.

“I cannot thank Tyler (Young, team principal) and my partners LH Waterfront Construction and Besecker & Maynard Group enough for the opportunity to chase a championship in the ARCA Menards Series East and I am devoted to putting the time and effort into making sure I can go to the track each week and put our Young’s Motorsports team in contention for the victory.”

For Tyler Young, he is happy to bring another young driver into the team’s portfolio for the 2022 season and is looking forward to seeing his family-owned operation have a more predominant presence in the ARCA Menards Series East this year.

“Leland is going to do an excellent job for us in the ARCA Menards Series East this season,” Young said. “He has been successful in everything he has raced and we don’t expect the ARCA Menards Series East to be any different. We know that he is going to go out there every week and put the team in a position to not only win but keep us in the hunt for the ARCA East championship.

“The East schedule is only seven races in 2022, but it’s stacked with tracks that offer some of the best racing in the country. We are looking forward to getting to New Smyrna and getting our season underway.”

In addition to the ARCA Menards Series East, Honeyman is also slated to make his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut with the Young’s Motorsports team in the fall of 2022.

For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com, like them on Facebook (Young’s Motorsports) and follow on Instagram (youngsmotorsports) and Twitter (@youngsmtrsports).

For more on Leland Honeyman Jr., please visit LelandHoneymanRacing.com, like him on Facebook (Leland Honeyman Racing) and follow on Instagram (@lelandhoneymanjr) and Twitter (@lelandhoneyman3).

The Race to Stop Suicide 200 presented by Place of Hope (200 laps | 100 miles) is the first of seven ARCA Menards Series East races on the 2022 schedule. A combined practice and qualifying session begins on Tues., Feb. 15 from 3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. The field will take the green flag shortly after 7:30 p.m. with live coverage on FloRacing.

Thomas Wins Incident-Filled Daytona Mazda MX-5 Cup Race

By
Official Release
-

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (January 28, 2022) – The non-stop excitement of Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires racing at Daytona International Speedway was slowed by three lengthy full-course yellows on Friday. But it was with Jared Thomas (No. 96 JTR Motorsports Engineering) taking the win in Round Two of the 2022 championship as the race ended under a full-course caution.

Despite a slight drizzle, all of the 31 Mazda MX-5 Cup cars were able to start on slick BFGoodrich tires. Leading them to the green flag was the latest MX5-Cup Shootout winner, Connor Zilisch (No. 72 Hixon Motor Sports).

Zilisch had no problem holding the lead through the first lap, but by lap two, Thomas had made his way into the lead with Chris Nunes (No. 32 Formidable Racing) hot on his heels. That’s when the first of three full-course cautions came out for Michael Carter (No. 08 Carter Racing Enterprises) who made contact with the wall in NASCAR Turn Four.

On the restart, defending series champion Gresham Wagner (No. 5 Spark Performance) moved into second and worked with Thomas to try and build a gap to the rest of the field. Making it to second so soon in the race was a remarkable accomplishment in itself for Wagner, who started 29th on the grid because of a crash in qualifying.

Thomas and Wagner didn’t even get a full lap of green flag before the full-course caution came out again, this time for a trio of cars that tangled at the entrance to the Bus Stop. When the cars were cleared, the return to green was just as short as the first restart as two cars came together in Turn Three and were unable to continue.

Less than 10 minutes remained on the clock when the third full-course caution was issued, which wasn’t enough time to clear the cars in Turn Three in time for a restart.

It was sweet redemption for Thomas, who nearly won at Daytona last year, but missed out because of a late full-course yellow.

“This feels great!” said Thomas. “I think we built off the momentum that we had last year. And it feels good to get one here at Daytona. Because, for one, you know, I felt like I had one taken from me last year with the caution. So to win one under caution like that, I’ll take it you know, you win and some you lose some.

“You know I’m from Indiana, so the Indianapolis 500 is always supposed to be the biggest race for you. But as a kid, watching the Rolex 24 every year was the thing I always looked forward to the most. So to finally come here to the top step of the podium is just awesome. I just tried to use my experience as far as putting the car in the right position. You know, sticking inside the corner on a slick track. You never want to be on the outside, so I kept it kept it on the inside and it paid off.”

After a crash in qualifying, and a drive-through penalty in Race One, a runner-up finish was a win as far as Wagner was concerned. The qualifying crash meant that Wagner started the race from 29th on the grid. His charge to second place also earned him the Hard Charger Award, which comes with a $1,000 check for him and a $1,000 check for his crew chief.

Earning his first Mazda MX-5 Cup podium finish was young Joey Antanasio (No. 43 Formidable Racing). The rookie came from 11th on the grid to third place and showed he was capable of a win had there been more green flag laps.

“I’ve got a lot of adrenaline running through me right now,” Antanasio said. “Yesterday in the rain I had a little trouble figuring out where the grip was, but today it was dry. I’m really proud of my team and my parents for helping me with all of this. I’m feeling great right now.

“When the first yellow came out, it was okay, but when two more came out it got a little frustrating.”

Antanasio was followed across the finish line by his teammate Chris Nunes (No. 32 Formidable Racing) who finished second in Thursday’s Round One race.

Sam Paley (No. 28 McCumbee McAleer Racing), the 2021 Mazda MX-5 Cup Rookie of the Year, finished fifth.

Selin Rollan (No. 87 Hixon Motor Sports) was third in Thursday night’s barn-burner finish, but made hard contact with the wall just after the finish line. Rollan went to a backup car for Round Two and started at the back of the field, but made his way up to sixth by the finish.

The Mazda MX-5 Cup stays in Florida for Rounds Three and Four. The Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is the only temporary street circuit on the series’ calendar and takes place February 24 – 26. Live coverage will be available on RACER.com and IMSA.com/TVlive.

Full Results

About: The Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires is the signature spec series for Mazda Motorsports. The series has been operated by Andersen Promotions since 2017 and is currently sanctioned by IMSA. Mazda-powered grassroots champions can earn Mazda scholarships for this pro-level series. The Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup champion is awarded $250,000 as the top rookie nets $80,000.

Find out more at http://www.mx-5cup.com.

1...2,2212,2222,223...6,743Page 2,222 of 6,743