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Said Sings in the Road Atlanta Rain

By
Official Release
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Takes 18th Trans Am win after getting past defending Champ Francis Jr

BRASELTON, GA (28 March 2021) – A drying track played into Boris Said’s favor on Sunday, with the veteran passing Ernie Francis Jr. with seven laps remaining to win the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli Atlanta SpeedTour at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

A deluge soaked the 2.54-mile circuit 30 minutes before the start. Francis took the lead on the ninth of 40 laps in the No. 98 Future Star Racing/ Breathless Pro Racing Ford Mustang, with the 23-year-old seven-time champion building up a seven-second lead despite the treacherous conditions.

Undaunted, Said fought back in the No. 2 Weaver Racing Technologies/SRI Dodge Challenger. The rain let off and the track began drying at the midway point, with Said gradually cutting into the lead. Said caught Francis on lap 27, and then bided his time before making his move on the 34th circuit.

“The race was a lot of fun in the rain, I love the rain,” commented Said, who recorded his 18th career Trans Am victory. “Ernie went by me quickly, in the beginning, he had a lot of speed. I was being careful because we can’t afford to wreck. It’s really fast here. I learned a little bit in the first half and then I started to catch up to him. By the end, I was flying. It was a riot flying around like that, it’s more fun than you could ever have.”

Francis has now finished second in both 2021 races to take the lead in the championship. His early pass of Said earned him the Chill Out Move of the Race Award.

“The track started to dry out and we just ran out of rear traction,” Francis said. “It was really good in the wet but once it started drying out, we just didn’t have anything for him (Said). I did the best we could. It’s good points, and we will just go on to the next one.

“It’s been tiring!” Francis Jr. about the multi-formula weekend, which will have him drive in a second race in FR later on Sunday. “A lot of driving between Trans Am and the FR car. A lot of new stuff for me to be in the FR car, it is a totally different driving style. It’s interesting to make the switch back and forth, but it is a fun one. The cars make similar lap times, but in completely different ways.”

Justin Marks had a pair of off track slides in the No. 99 Coca-Cola/Ave Motorsports Corvette, but fought back to take third at the finish. David Pintaric placed fourth in the No. 57 Kryderacing Ford Mustang, holding off Chris Dyson, who came all the way from 23rd-starting position to place fifth in the No. 20 Plaid Ford Mustang.

The caution waved on the opening lap for the spinning No. 22 Davini Plastic Surgery/Pinnacle Aston Martin Vantage V8 of Steven Davidson, who aquaplaned in the Esses and hit the Turn 4 wall backwards, with the impact hard enough to move the barrier. The field was briefly red-flagged to accommodate repairs.

Tomy Drissi started on the Motul Pole in the No. 8 Lucas Oil Chevrolet Camaro, but was passed by Said on the opening lap. After the green flag waved, Francis caught Said and needed four laps to take command.

Drissi ran a steady fourth before his day came to an early end when he experienced engine problems on the 16th lap and pulled off into a safe location.

“We’re in the running for the championship, and there are a lot of cars out here,” Drissi said. “This is devastating for the championship.”

Adam Andretti pitted on the opening lap in the No. 43 ECC/Anchor Bolt & Screw Dodge Challenger, and then followed Dyson up through the field. He finished seventh, behind Charlotte Pro-Am Challenge winner Oscar Teran in the No. 3 Ford Mustang.

The SGT race also saw the early leader lose his advantage on the drying track, but with a different result in an exciting finish.

Mark Brummond pulled away in his No. 24 Garage Door Doctor/DynamicAuto Tune BMW M4 GT4 in the early going.

Meanwhile, pole winner Mike Phillips in the No. 97 F.A.S.T. Auto Racing Corvette fell back to fourth, behind Brummond, Lou Gigliotti in the No. 28 G2 Motorsports Park Corvette and defending champion Lee Saunders in the No. 84 Landsearch LLC Dodge Viper.

Phillips took second with 12 laps remaining, and then gradually cut into Brummond’s advantage. He caught the struggling BMW on the final lap, with the two going back and forth before Brummond held off his foe by a mere 0.114-seconds short at the finish line.

“I had a good race,” said Brummond. “It was fun. We had a little battle at the end, and he got me in five, I got him in six and seven, then he got me in 10, and I took him in 10b. It was an exciting battle with good driving and a great crew.”

It was Brummond’s third Trans Am victory. He won in his debut last year at Mid-Ohio, and also won the 2020 season finale at Road Atlanta.

Phillips had a career-best finish in his second Trans Am start after finishing third in his debut in the Sebring season opener.

“The weather was everything, it was my first time using the Pirelli wets,” Phillips said. “It’s a really good tire, and I was really impressed. I felt a little lost at first with the big TA cars. We had a little bit more mid-corner speed but they have all the power in the world so it took me a bit to find my place out there. Towards the end of the race, we almost pulled it off; we were down by 22-seconds and ended up being right at the line. It was a really good race.”

Gigliotti rounded out the SGT podium, while Saunders spun before start/finish with only two laps remaining and could not continue with a broken drive line.

Milton Grant finished fourth, earning Masters honors in SGT. It was the 499th career race for the 72-year-old Germantown, Tenn., driver, who finished one position ahead of his son, Carey Grant.
BMW also won in the GT class with Jason Merck in the No. 51 OG Shark BMW M3.

“I’ve had a lot of fun,” said Merck, winning in his first Trans Am appearance. “It’s been a great experience. All we wanted to do was cut our teeth in Trans Am this weekend, and it’s been awesome.”

Billy Griffin failed to make the start in the No. 14 Griffin Auto Car/Sheehan’s Towing Mustang. The 2020 GT champion damaged his steering rack in an incident during Saturday’s qualifying, and the team could not replace the part by the start of the race.

Dry conditions are forecast when Sunday’s TA2® event is set to take the green flag for 40 laps (100 miles) of racing at 4:05 p.m. (ET).

Hamilton prevails over Verstappen to win the Bahrain Grand Prix

By
Andrew Kim
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Sir Lewis Hamilton commenced the 2021 Formula One World Championship season in epic fashion by holding off a late challenge from Max Verstappen to win the 17th running of the Bahrain Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit.

The reigning seven-time Formula One champion started on the front row alongside Red Bull Racing’s Verstappen, who won his fourth career pole position in F1 a day prior to the main event. Through the pit stops and the on-track battling, Hamilton and Verstappen took turns dominating the event over one another and the field. By Lap 40 of 56, though, Hamilton was out in front by more than eight seconds over Verstappen.

On Lap 53, Verstappen, who was able to methodically decrease his deficit to Hamilton, drew himself alongside Hamilton’s Mercedes on the outside lane through Turn 3 and entering Turn 4. Though Verstappen was able to reassume the lead from Hamilton, he went wide and off the track during the process. In doing so, he had to relinquish the lead back to Hamilton to avoid a penalty.

Despite keeping the pressure on Hamilton, the Dutchman was unable to gain another run to close back towards Hamilton, who had enough power to claim the checkered flag in first place by 0.745 seconds over Verstappen.

The victory was Hamilton’s fifth at Bahrain and the 96th of his Formula One career as Hamilton begins his quest for a record-setting eighth F1 World championship. Hamilton also recorded his 75th victory with Mercedes and the 300th Grand Prix victory for a competitor from the United Kingdom. Prior to his victory at Bahrain, Hamilton established another record in the history books by surpassing Michael Schumacher’s record for the most laps led in F1 history with 5,126.

“I’m so happy,” Hamilton said. “I really, really am absolutely over the moon just to see the response from the team, knowing how difficult today really was. It was so tough. For the first race, I was not expecting to be in that position, being able to keep up with [Verstappen] in the first stint. I was really grateful for that…We knew this weekend and through testing that we were gonna be on the back foot and there’s been a lot of worrying in the team, but we pulled it through…I knew [Verstappen] was catching me massively. I couldn’t do the laps he was doing and I guess in my mind, I was thinking, ‘OK, if I can just hold on to these tyres, make no mistakes, maybe just keep him at harm’s length out of my DRS, which wasn’t necessary in this case,’…it was so hard.”

The runner-up result was one that left Verstappen with mixed emotions, disappointment in not winning the season-opening event but pleased and confident in challenging Hamilton and Mercedes for this year’s championship.

“It is what it is,” Verstappen said. “I gave the position back and then, I tried again, but I didn’t have the tyres anymore. Of course, I had newer tyres, but as soon as you get within one and a half seconds, it also degrades very quickly and it’s super hard to follow with these cars, especially with how the wind was today. It was really not helping out of Turn 1, Turn 2 and all critical corners where you want to stay close. It was hurting even more. Of course, I’m disappointed about today, but last year, we would be super happy with a race like this. It also shows how much we have grown. It’s still a positive start to the season and it’s still a long season ahead. I see it as only seven points dropped, and we’ll try to do better next time.”

Rounding out the podium in third place was Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas, who trailed teammate and race winner Hamilton by more than 37 seconds to claim his 57th career podium result in F1 despite encountering a slow pit stop past the midway point of the event. Bottas also recorded the fastest lap of the event.

McLaren’s Lando Norris finished in fourth place while Sergio “Checo” Perez, who started the race on pit lane after losing engine power during the formation lap, recovered to record a strong fifth-place result in his first start with Red Bull Racing. With his recovery and stellar drive back to the front, Perez was voted Driver of the Day.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc crossed the finish line in a decent sixth place followed by Daniel Ricciardo, who completed his first event with McLaren, and Carlos Sainz Jr., who completed his first event with Ferrari.

Yuki Tsunoda, one of three newcomers in this year’s Formula One season, finished in ninth place driving for AlphaTauri while Lance Stroll completed the points-awarded results on the track in the top 10 by finishing 10th, thus recording a single point for the newly formed Aston Martin Cognizant F1 Team.

The first competitor to finish outside of the points in 11th place was Alfa Romeo’s Kimi Räikkönen followed by teammate Antonio Giovinazzi, who finished a lap behind the leaders.

Esteban Ocon settled in 13th place following an on-track incident with Sebastian Vettel on Lap 46, where Vettel, who had been overtaken by Ocon entering Turn 1, locked up his tires and ran into the rear of Ocon’s Alpine machine in Turn 1, sending both competitors around. Vettel finished in a disappointing 15th place in his first race with Aston Martin Racing and right behind Williams driver George Russell.

Mick Schumacher, another newcomer in F1 this season driving for the Haas F1 Team, finished 16th after spinning early followed by Pierre Gasly, who damaged his front wing early in the race following contact with McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo and never recovered.

Nicholas Latifi, the second Williams Racing competitor, settled in 18th place after retiring just shy of the finish due to a boosting system issue.

In his return to F1 competition since retiring in 2018, Fernando Alonso, who had a decent run in the making with Alpine, retired in 19th place due to brake issues.

Nikita Mazepin, the second Haas F1 competitor and the third F1 newcomer of this season, ended his race in 20th place and as the first retiree of the event after being involved in an opening lap wreck in Turn 3, where he slid sideways entering the turn while running at the rear of the field and made hard contact against the barriers, thus sustaining heavy damage to his Haas machine.

Results:

1. Lewis Hamilton, 27 laps led, 25 points

2. Max Verstappen, 29 laps led, 18 points

3. Valtteri Bottas, 16 points

4. Lando Norris, 12 points

5. Sergio Perez, 10 points

6. Charles Leclerc, eight points

7. Daniel Ricciardo, six points

8. Carlos Sainz Jr., four points

9. Yuki Tsunoda, two points

10. Lance Stroll, one point

11. Kimi Räikkönen

12. Antonio Givinazzi, +1 lap

13. Esteban Ocon, +1 lap

14. George Russell, Williams Mercedes, +1 lap

15. Sebastian Vettel, +1 lap

16. Mick Schumacher, +1 lap

17. Pierre Gasly, AlphaTauri Honda, DNF

18. Nicholas Latifi, Williams Mercedes, DNF

19. Fernando Alonso, Alpine Renault, DNF

20. Nikita Mazepin, Haas Ferrari, DNF

Following the first Grand Prix event of the 2021 season, Hamilton leads the drivers’ standings by seven points over Verstappen, nine over Bottas, 13 over Norris and 15 over Perez. In addition, Mercedes leads the constructors’ standings by 13 points over Red Bull Racing, 23 over McLaren and 29 over Ferrari.

With the 2021 Formula One season underway, the next event on the schedule is Imola Circuit for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on Sunday, April 18.

Kody King Second In Limited Late Model Debut

By
Official Release
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Kody King finished second during his debut racing a limited late model on Saturday at Tri-County Motor Speedway. (MPM Marketing Photo)

HUDSON, N.C. – (March 28, 2021) – Kody King turned in an impressive performance in his limited late model debut for Lee Faulk Racing and Development Saturday at Tri-County Motor Speedway, coming up a few feet short of earning a trip to victory lane.

King, 13, started the 40-lap feature from the third position and was able to work his way to the race lead on lap 15. King was able to remain at the front of the field until lap 38, when he found himself challenged by Zack Franks.

Franks and King would race side-by-side during the final three laps of the race, with Franks just edging King at the finish line to win the race. Despite falling just short, King was thrilled with his finish after track officials decided the team needed to switch to a smaller carburetor just prior to qualifying.

“I’m disappointed we didn’t win, but for my first race in a limited late model I’m really happy to finish second,” King said. “We had to change to a different carburetor just before qualifying and we didn’t have any time to tune it, but my team at LFR did an amazing job and we had a chance to win. I’m still learning, but that was a great race.”

Lee Faulk Racing and Development’s Michael Faulk, who served as King’s crew chief Saturday night, was impressed with King’s performance in his first limited late model start.

“I was really impressed with how well Kody performed under pressure,” Faulk said. “He ran at the front, led laps and was able to finish second in his first start for us in a limited late model. This young man has a lot of talent and he showed it with that performance. I have no doubt he’ll win some races for us this year if he keeps performing like that.”

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About McCallister Precision Marketing

McCallister Precision Marketing (MPM) focuses on assisting up-and-coming race car drivers with career advancement and promotion. McCallister Precision Marketing helps drivers build confidence in front of and behind the camera, giving them the tools they need to advance to the next level. The company also provides companies with a strategic plan for their sales, marketing and promotional needs. We believe in building positive relationships with our clients so that we may provide them with the most professional, yet personal guidance they need, in order to achieve their racing goals. Our clients include race car drivers, race team owners, companies and racing series’. We also work closely with charities and charity events. For more information on McCallister Precision Marketing, visit www.MarketWithMPM.com, email TonyaMac44@MarketWithMPM.com or call 803-361-6199.

Drissi, Mayer capture Trans Am Poles at Road Atlanta

By
Official Release
-

First-ever Trans Am Motul Pole Awards awarded after tight qualifying

BRASELTON, GA (27 March, 2021) – Tomy Drissi captured the Motul Pole Award for Sunday’s Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli Atlanta SpeedTour event in a shortened session at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

Drissi turned a best lap of 1:20-458-seconds on the 12-turn, 2.54-mile circuit in the No. 8 Lucas Oil Chevrolet Camaro for his eighth career pole but his first since Mid-Ohio in 2015. He edged Boris Said in the No. 2 Weaver Racing Technique/SRI Dodge Challenger by 0.062-seconds.

“I was trying to ring the neck out of it and I just didn’t see that in the times,” said Drissi. “I am really proud of the Burtin Racing Lucas Slick Mist guys, this is fantastic for the No. 8 car. We got P1, and we’re going to celebrate tonight and enjoy it until tomorrow.”

Drissi pulled over to let Said by late in the session, unaware that Said was looking to remain in his draft in hopes of a faster lap.

“I thought I got out of the way of Boris when he was trying to do that last lap on me, and he’s pretty upset,” Drissi said. “I’m pretty sure I moved way out of the line, but you know Boris, he’s a competitor.”

“The Technique/SRI Dodge Challenger was really fast today, and we were really close to Tomy (Drissi),” explained Said. “I cooled my tires off for one lap to go for it on the last lap. The first half of the lap I was really flying. Going into Turn 6 Tomy was going really slow on the in lap and was right in my line so it destroyed my lap. I was pretty mad after because I think these Weaver Racing guys really deserved the pole today, and I let them down. I should have spaced myself out a little better.”

Ernie Francis Jr. took third in the No. 98 Breathless Pro Racing Ford Mustang, 1:20.693-seconds, followed by Justin Marks in the No. 99 Ave Motorsports Coca-Cola Corvette, 1:21.727-seconds; Amy Ruman in the No. 23 McNichols Co./Cornertech CNC Solutions Corvette, 1:22.239-seconds; and Simon Gregg in the No. 59 Peter Gregg Foundation Camaro, 1:22.262-seconds.

The TA session was black-flagged early for Chris Dyson, who got stuck in gear on a downshift and spun the No. 20 Plaid Ford Mustang into the gravel trap in Turn 1 before any of the drivers took a flying lap. Dyson was able to drive back to the pits, but did not return to the track as the team worked on the shifting problem, which is expected to be fixed for the race. Qualifying resumed with nine minutes remaining of the scheduled 15-minutes.

Sam Mayer nipped Franklin Futrelle by 0.009-seconds to capture his second career pole in four TA2® races The 17-year-old driver from Franklin, Wis., who drives for JR Motorsports in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, turned a lap of 1:23.923-seconds in the No. 8 M1-SLR/Fields Chevrolet Camaro.

“I pulled in early and was sweating watching the clock tick down,” said Mayer. “The top two of us were separated by nine-thousandths of a second so it was really close so i was really anxious about that. It’s awesome to get the pole. This opportunity is awesome at TeamSLR. They put together a good piece for us and hopefully I will go out tomorrow, lead every lap and take the win tomorrow.”

Mayer won the pole for his second TA2® start at Daytona in 2019. He finished second and won the TA2® class in last weekend’s debut of the Trans Am Pro-Am Challenge at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Futrelle, who turned heads at Road Atlanta a year ago by qualifying third for his TA2® debut, came close with a lap of 1:23.932-seconds in the No. 58 Innoviv Ford Mustang.

“I am pretty happy with how we are doing, the B2 Motorsports guys prepared a good Ford Mustang this weekend,” Futrelle said. “It’s hard to be upset about second when the times were that close over a 2.54-mile track. The biggest difference between this weekend to when we were here in November is that we switched to a whole new shock package with JRI Shocks and have a new engine program with KTech and that’s probably good for at least a second on our time.”

Defending series champion and two-time 2020 Road Atlanta winner Mike Skeen was third, 1:23.949-seconds in the No. 1 Liqui-Moly/Turn 14 Distribution Camaro. He was followed by 2021 Sebring winner Thomas Merrill, 1:24.087-seconds in the No. 81 HP Tuners Mustang; Scott Lagasse Jr., 1:24.114-seconds in the No. 92 SLR-Fields Ford Mustang; and Rafa Matos, 1:24.158-seconds in the No. 88 3-Dimensional Services Mustang.

Michael Phillips won the SGT pole for his second start in the No. 97 F.A.S.T. Auto Racing Corvette, turning a lap of 1:27.112-seconds.

“We’ve been fighting pace all session,” said Phillips, who spun at start/finish late in the session. “We were trying to push things a little bit and I pushed it over the limits in T12 and spun, but I am thankful that the car seems alright. We may have spotted a tire, but other than that we got lucky today.”

Lou Gigliotti was second (1:27.312-seconds) in the No. 28 G2 Motorsports Park Corvette, followed by Lee Saunders in the No. 84 Landsearch LLC Dodge Viper (1:28.988-seconds).

Billy Griffin, the 2020 GT champion making the move to GT, impacted a tire wall midway through the session in the No. 14 Griffin Auto Care Ford Mustang GT4. While the damage was cosmetic, the team is working on issues with the steering rack that it hopes to correct for the race.

Jason Merck captured the GT pole in for his Trans Am debut, with a lap of 1:35.262-seconds in the No. 51 OG Shark BMW M3.

“I’ve been doing club racing at various levels for the last few years,” said the San Antonio driver. “I came to Trans Am because I wanted something more serious. This is my first time at Road Atlanta – it’s a awesome track. I’m building a new BMW M3 and hope to start racing it in SGT later this summer, and we hope to do a full year in 2022.”

To watch all the action live from the Atlanta SpeedTour weekend starting with qualifying, download and subscribe to the Trans Am by Pirelli Racing App

Advantages of Custom Headlights You Should Know About

By
SM
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Photo by Venu Gopinath Nukavarapu on Unsplash

Installation of custom headlights has various features and advantages that guarantee style and effortlessness at your vehicle’s front finish. 

Various kinds of custom headlights are accessible for multiple vehicles. Hence, you need to choose the best one that suits the model of your car impeccably. 

Guarantee that it is very upscale and significant that mirrors your vehicle’s genuine worth at its best. 

Here we have talked about a portion of the noticeable advantages of introducing custom headlights in charge.

It has a focused dispersion of light. 

One of the huge advantages of utilizing custom headlights is that it has a decent length of light that scatters effectively with a point of convergence. Also, these highlights facilitate the rider to drive securely and watch out for the contrary vehicle. 

It comprises a good measure of curved reflectors that help recuperate the deficiency of dispersing and concentrate colossally for a great involvement with its best. 

You can look online to get top-notch, custom car light installation services that celebrate your vehicle’s model and design and give a significant methodology for intensive understanding.

It represents elegance and sophistication. 

It has been seen that with a correct establishment of custom headlights, the look and feel of your vehicle will, in general, increase. 

Alongside that, it will upgrade and improve the vibe of your vehicle with a particularly grand impression well beyond. Additionally, you would cherish its entrancing radiance and class that gives you refinement in charge. 

Ensure you think about your vehicle’s model and afterward search for its establishment to get a coordinated standpoint.

It offers different choices and features. 

The process of installation of custom headlights is very helpful. Also, it is accessible in different designs, styles, structures, shapes, colors, toughness, and then some. 

You will get endless alternatives on the off chance that you learn about different brands and their assortments, so you select the most moving one to recognize the style patterns in engaging feel at standard. 

Search on the web and analyze the designs and costs so you can buy them at financially savvy rates.

It offers an engaging impression. 

You can visit a website online and look at their extra items such as more embellishments, wiring, gatherings, projectors, HID, LED, RGBW and Switchback, and some vehicle-specific items. 

These items will give your vehicle an independent impression with a hint of sophistication. 

It has a great measure of perceivability as an amazing help to travel even in far-off areas with security and defensive measures.

Final Conclusion:

Custom lights are a great way to enhance your vehicle’s look and feel overall. It also provides you with the extra benefits of correct light length and dispersion, which are very useful in far-off areas to provide you with the proper vision to drive at night.

There is a wide variety of custom lights to choose from that match your vehicle’s design layout; therefore, always look online to gather some information about the type available for your particular car model before going yourself in the market to make some purchases.

Car Maintenance: One of The Easiest Ways to Prevent a Car Accident

By
SM
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Photo by Patrick on Unsplash

What is the easiest way to prevent a car accident? It may surprise you to learn that the best and easiest way to prevent car accidents is to get regular car maintenance. Not only is it a great way to stay safe on the road, but it’s also really easy to do. Getting regular car maintenance and a checkup takes just a few hours once every 3-6 months and it could be lifesaving. 

Although a well-maintained car may be one way to prevent a car accident, a poorly maintained car is not necessarily one of the most common causes of car accidents. Still, worn breaks, rusty shock absorbers, tires low on air, can all contribute to the effectiveness of your car’s ability to react properly in the event of a dangerous situation. 

I mean, if you’re slamming on the break and your break are worn, your shocks are rusty and your tires are low on air, you’re not going to stop as effectively as you could have if you had regular car maintenance. 

So where do you get started? 

“I Know Nothing About Car Maintenance.”

Ok no need to panic. Listen, car maintenance is no big deal. Do a search for mechanics in your area and start with the chain stores near you. Take your car in for a regular checkup. These stores have to follow protocol and will look at your oil, your fluids, your brakes, and your tires. For the most part, mechanics will ensure that your car is in good enough shape to travel the road well (though they are not legally required to ensure your car is road worthy). 

If you are tight on money, you can find lots of cheap local car shops and mechanics that will happily take care of the work for you. 

The Lincoln Test On Your Tires

Mr. President, I am sorry I have to use your head this way, but it is so effective. Take a penny and place it headfirst into the grooves of the tread of your tires. If you can always see the top of President Lincoln’s head, then your tire tread is worn too low and your tires need to be replaced. 

If part of President Lincoln’s head is visible, then you are ok but consider replacing your tires soon! Reciting The Gettysburg Address while doing this, makes no difference “Four score and seven years agoooo”. Yep, makes no difference to the tires or the tread. 

Oil Be There For You 

Checking your oil is pretty simple. Just use a paper towel or rag to completely clean the dipstick, make sure that your oil is not overfilled or underfilled. You can top up your oil if it is a little low. And if your oil is a little on the darker side, consider changing it. 

Why would changing your oil prevent a car accident? Oil cools, lubricates, and cleans the moving parts in your engine block. Think of the oil in your car like the blood in your heart, it’s vital to the entire system. But more than that, your car is just like your body and doesn’t function correctly without its heart funning properly. 

Don’t Abuse Your Brakes And Rotors

Spend too much time slamming on your brakes and you’ll wreak havoc on your car rotors, and they are not cheap to replace. 

Once your brakes and rotors begin to give away, you are really playing a dangerous game on the road. Because your break and your rotors are probably the 2 most important tools in your vehicles for preventing car accidents. 

If you begin to feel your car slow down, as if it’s driving in mud, and if your breaks begin to squeal, you may need to have your brakes and rotors looked at. To prevent excess wear and tear on your breaks and rotors, don’t abuse them! Use them gently and they will last much longer, keeping you safe, keeping your passengers safe, and just being all slowing things down on your terms.  

Final Thoughts

The easiest way to prevent car accidents is to get some regular maintenance on your car. Spend the extra few hours every month giving a little TLC back to the four wheels that get you to work every day, that take you to visit loved ones, that carry your groceries. Take your car to the spa, to the mechanic, this weekend.

2021 Formula One season preview

By
Andrew Kim
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With new names on the grid, new stakes on the line and a new start on the horizon for all teams, the 2021 FIA Formula One World Championship season is hours away from commencing.

Formula One is coming off one of its bizarre seasons to date, a season that was delayed until July and featuring a total of 17 Grand Prix events in 14 circuits due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. With multiple Grand Prix events across several countries being canceled, the sport took on a new approach to the 2020 season by competing in familiar circuits like Silverstone Circuit and Bahrain International Circuit twice in two weekends while returning to historic circuits like Mugello Circuit and the Nürburgring. In the midst of a scrambling season, the highs and the lows experienced for every team and competitor during race weekends and the rivalry sparked between the teams both on and off the track, the sport was able to etch another season in the record books when the final checkered flag flew at Yas Marina Circuit in December.

Now with 23 Grand Prix events slated on the 2021 schedule, featuring the return of many countries, the Formula One teams and competitors strive to display every amount of power, speed and competitiveness towards one another to win it all and complete the entire season as scheduled.

With another pair of championships added to the team’s stable, the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team enters the 2021 season with a continuous goal to extend their on-track dominance and leave their rivals in the dust for an eighth consecutive season. Having recorded the seventh drivers’ and constructors’ title for Mercedes, Sir Lewis Hamilton also made history on the track in 2020 by winning 11 Grand Prix events, becoming the all-time Grand Prix wins leader at 95 and tying Michael Schumacher for the most F1 championships in history with seven. While Hamilton sets his sights on winning his record-setting eighth F1 title in his 15th season in competition, teammate Valtteri Bottas, who won twice in 2020 and concluded the season in the runner-up position, aims to overtake Hamilton and leap into the spotlight with his first F1 title in his ninth season in competition. The 2021 F1 season will mark the fifth consecutive season where Hamilton and Bottas will represent Mercedes’ driver lineup as both fight with and against one another for the top spot on the grid and in the championship standings.

After concluding the 2020 Formula One season as victors in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and as the championship runner-up in the constructors’ standings, Red Bull Racing Honda enters the 2021 season with a simple goal of dethroning Mercedes from their dominance and reclaim their glory as champions since 2013. Leading the way for the team is Max Verstappen, who won twice in 2020 and concluded the season in third place in the final standings. Entering his seventh season in F1, Verstappen will continue his ongoing pursuit to intimidate his fellow competitors and become the next F1 champion. New to the team for this upcoming season is veteran Sergio “Checo” Perez, who is coming off a career-best season in F1 competition where he claimed his maiden Formula One victory at Bahrain in December 2020 and became the first Mexican F1 winner in five decades. Having been released from Racing Point despite a productive 2020 season that nearly brought his racing career to a halt, Perez was picked up by Red Bull Racing, replacing Alexander Albon, and has been given an opportunity to extend his on-track momentum and become a potential championship contender in his 11th season in competition.

Another team on the rise following a productive, consistent 2020 season is the McLaren F1 Team. With a third-place result in the constructors’ standings, their highest since 2012, McLaren aims to return as race winners for the first time since 2012 and as world champions since 1998. Returning for a third full-time season with the team and of his career is Lando Norris, who claimed his maiden podium result in the 2020 season-opening Austrian Grand Prix and went on to finish in ninth place in the drivers’ standings, though he strives to become the 20th competitor from the United Kingdom to win in Formula One this upcoming season. Like Red Bull Racing and a majority of teams on the grid, McLaren will feature a new face to its stable, this season being veteran Daniel Ricciardo, who spent the previous two seasons with Renault and recorded two podium results in 2020. Entering his 10th full-time season in Formula One, Ricciardo aims to return as a race winner for the first time since 2018.

Coming off a season surrounded with controversy off the track but an abundant of success on the track, Aston Martin Cognizant F1 Team, rebranded from Racing Point, aims to take the next step from their fourth-place result in the 2020 constructors’ standings by becoming a regular contender for victories and the overall title in years to come. After claiming two podium results and a career-best 11th-place result in the drivers’ standings in 2020, Lance Stroll returns for a fifth full-time season in Formula One as he strives to become the third Canadian competitor to win in Formula One. New to the team is Sebastian Vettel, four-time F1 champion who spent the previous six seasons with Ferrari. After finishing 13th in the drivers’ standings in 2020. Vettel, who enters his 14th full-time season in Formula One, looks to rejuvenate his career and return to the top of the competition since winning his last title in 2013.

Next is the Alpine F1 Team, rebranded from Renault, a team that earned three podium results and concluded the 2020 season in fifth place in the constructors’ standings. Returning for a second full-time season with the team and fourth of his career is Esteban Ocon, who claimed his maiden podium result in the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix and finished in 12th place in the drivers’ standings, though he aims to become the 14th French competitor to win in Formula One. Joining Ocon as a teammate at Alpine this season is two-time champion Fernando Alonso. Regarded as one of the sport’s well-accomplished competitors, Alonso will also be making a triumphant return to the sport since retiring in 2018 and to Alpine, the team where he claimed his two Formula One championships in 2005 and 2006.

Following their worst recorded season in nearly four decades that was highlighted with on-track issues with speed and capped off with a sixth-place result in the 2020 constructors’ standings, the Scuderia Mission Winnow Ferrari team enters the 2021 season with a return to the top of the competition being the central focus. Remaining at Ferrari for a third full-time season is Charles Leclerc, who won his first two F1 career races in 2019 but only recorded two podium results in 2020. With Leclerc returning, Ferrari welcomes Carlos Sainz Jr. to its stable for the 2021 season. A rising star in Formula One, Sainz enters his seventh full-time season in F1, having spent the previous six seasons competing for teams like Toro Rosso, Renault and McLaren, and will attempt to become the second competitor from Spain to win in Formula One.

The Scuderia AlphaTauri Honda team is coming off its first full-time season since being rebranded from Toro Rosso, where the team emerged victorious in the 2020 Italian Grand Prix and settled in seventh place in the final constructors’ standings. The competitor who recorded the team’s first victory since being rebranded was Pierre Gasly, who became the first French winner in Formula One in over two decades and notched a 10th-place result in the 2020 drivers’ standings. The 2021 season will mark Gasly’s fourth full-time season in the sport as he aims to repeat the on-track success he experienced the previous season. New to the team and in F1 for this season is Yuki Tsunoda, a 20-year-old native from Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan, who settled in third place in the 2020 Formula 2 standings while competing for Carlin and replaces Daniil Kvyat as a rookie Formula One competitor.

Ending up in eighth place in the constructors’ standings last season and for a second consecutive season was the Alfa Romeo Racing Orlen team, which was rebranded from Sauber since 2019. Despite standing as a bottom mid-field team, Alfa Romeo is one of three teams retaining its driver lineup from the previous season for this upcoming season, featuring Kimi Räikkönen and Antonio Giovinazzi. Räikkönen, the 2007 Formula One champion, will enter his 21st season in F1 competition in 2021 while Giovinazzi will be making his third full-time season start in Formula One.

Compared to a majority of Formula One teams that will feature one change to a two-driver lineup, Uralkali Haas F1 Team will enter the 2021 F1 season with a completely new driver lineup with hopes of being competitive and becoming a top midfield team on the grid. Following a ninth-place result in the 2020 constructors’ standings, Haas dropped the hammer by releasing fellow competitors Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean. Replacing them for 2021 will be Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin, both of whom will also be making their inaugural presence in Formula One. Schumacher, the son of seven-time F1 champion Michael Schumacher, is coming off a Formula 2 championship-winning season with Prema Racing while Mazepin, the son of Dmitry Mazepin, Chairman of Uralchem Integrated Chemicals Company, won two 2020 F2 races with Hitech Grand Prix before settling in fifth place in the final standings.

After concluding the 2020 season with zero recorded points, the 2021 Formula One season will mark the first full-time season that Williams Racing will compete under Dorilton Capital and without founder/co-owner Frank Williams and deputy team principal Claire Williams. Despite a new ownership, the Williams team retains its driver lineup for the 2021 F1 season, featuring George Russell and Nicholas Latifi. This upcoming season will mark the third full-time season in F1 competition for both Russell and Latifi.

With 10 teams and 20 competitors on the grid, the 2021 Formula One season is set to commence on Sunday, March 28, at Bahrain International Circuit for the 17th running of the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Ford Performance NASCAR: Blaney Tops Final Practice at Bristol Motor Speedway

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Ford Performance Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Cup Series – Food City Dirt Race (Practice Quotes)
Bristol Motor Speedway | Friday, March 26, 2021

Ryan Blaney, driver of the No. 12 Advance My Track Challenge Ford Mustang, posted the fastest time in Friday’s final NASCAR Cup Series practice session at Bristol Motor Speedway. Blaney, who is going for his second straight win, participated in a post-practice media Zoom session to talk about today’s action.

RYAN BLANEY, No. 12 Advance My Track Challenge Ford Mustang — WHAT IS IT LIKE OUT THERE? “It’s rough, slick, really rough actually. The track is kind of coming up and just crazy big divots. It’s definitely not smooth. It’s rough, but you just run through things that you think will work and there wasn’t really much lane changing going on. Larson and Reddick could kind of run the top for a little while and then it kind of went away after a handful of minutes, but just seeing how straight and smooth you can be and trying to keep tires on it. We’re seeing a lot of tires getting corded pretty quickly, especially right-rears, even right-fronts started to go pretty quick, so that’s something that’s gonna come into play is saving your tires when the track is probably gonna be like this come race time.”

IF YOU HAD ANY SUGGESTIONS ON WHAT THEY COULD DO TO THE TRACK BETWEEN NOW AND SUNDAY WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? “I don’t know. When I looked at it today, granted it rained really hard here yesterday. There was a big storm, so maybe they couldn’t work on it as much as they wanted to, but it was like a really thin layer of flaky dirt on top of the black, hard-packed, rubbered down dirt when I walked on it this morning. Then that went off pretty quickly. The trucks run that off fast, so I’m not sure what they could do, unless you water it and till the whole thing and just kind of churn all the dirt over that you can to try to make it last a little bit longer, but you’re kind of handcuffed because we’ve got windshields in these things. You can’t make it super tacky to where mud is flying everywhere, so I’m not sure. I just wish it was a little bit smoother because there are so many ruts and things like that, but maybe they’ll be able to put their heads together and work on it.”

WHEN YOU HIT A RUT ARE YOU MORE CONCERNED ABOUT DAMAGE TO THE CAR OR SPINNING OUT OR IS IT JUST TEETH CHATTERING? “They’re just hard to get over and be smooth. You kind of try to set your car in there and it depends if you kind of hit one with your right-rear or your right-front first. It’s just really rough to kind of be smooth and hit your lane, so that part. Everyone kind of got their car’s travel to where they need to be to get over them, but it’s just hard to be smooth.”

WHAT WAS THE VISIBILITY LIKE? “It was better when the sun went down. Right before that it was pretty dusty and the sun was hitting it and it was hard to see, but not bad.”

YOU START 7TH IN YOUR HEAT RACE. IS THAT GOOD FOR PASSING POINTS OR BAD BECAUSE IT COULD BE CHALLENGING TO GET TO THE FRONT? “I don’t know. I don’t know how difficult it is gonna be to pass tomorrow when it comes time for our heat races. If it’s gonna be just like this today, it wasn’t impossible to pass. If someone missed the bottom and hit a rut wrong or something, you can kind of have forward bite and drive under them. It was tough, but it is what is. You can’t be happy or mad about it. You just try to make the most of it.”

WAS IT FUN? “I had fun, yes.”

WHAT WOULD YOU PUT THE OVER/UNDER AT FOR CAUTIONS AND WILL THERE BE MORE CAUTIONS OR ANGRY DRIVERS AFTER THE RACE? “I’m not really sure on that one. I don’t bet, so I can’t help you.”

WERE YOU ABLE TO TAKE ANYTHING FROM THE IRACING EVENT THE OTHER NIGHT? “No, I didn’t make the main the other night, so no. I still don’t know what the hell I’m doing, but I’m better than iRacing.”

DOES BEING AT THE TOP OF THE BOARD MEAN ANYTHING WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE TRACK COULD CHANGE AND CONDITIONS COULD BE DIFFERENT? “No, honestly I don’t think it means anything to be the top Ford. I think what means the most is how your car drives after 5, 10 laps as you’re trying to save tires, stuff like that. How does it drive when the track gets slicker? How did it drive at the end of practice because that’s probably what we’re gonna have in the race. We just cut a good lap there. I don’t think it really means much. You have to be good in the long run. That’s really what we worked on and we got OK at it, just need some more work to do.”

JOHNSONVILLE RETURNS AS LANDMARK SPONSOR AND OFFICIAL SAUSAGE OF ROAD AMERICA

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ELKHART LAKE, Wis., March 26, 2021 – Road America announced today that Johnsonville Sausage would return as a landmark sponsor of the well-recognized Turn 9 Bridge and as the official sausage of Road America.

“Johnsonville Sausage has supported Road America for years on many levels, and their products have been synonymous with the fan experience at Road America for generations,” said Mike Kertscher, Road America’s president and general manager. “Whenever they’ve seen an opportunity to support the local community, they have answered the call, and we’re delighted that they chose Road America to continue their efforts.”

Wisconsin-based Johnsonville Sausage is the No. 1 national brand of sausage, featuring: brats, Italian sausage, smoked-cooked links, breakfast sausage, and new Sausage Strips. Johnsonville products can now be found in over 45 countries across the globe. Johnsonville has been a longstanding partner of Road America and is proud to return in this prestigious capacity.

“Johnsonville is excited to return to Road America,” said Ryan Pociask, VP and General Manager at Johnsonville. “We’ve enjoyed a longstanding relationship with Road America, and we’re eager to welcome race fans to the new Johnsonville Marketplace this summer. The Marketplace is a retail store showcasing Johnsonville products, people, and history.”

Tickets for the 2021 race season are now available, and fans are welcome. Additional event details, ticket pricing, and camping information can be found at www.roadamerica.com or by calling 800-365-7223. Anyone 16-years-old and under is FREE with a paying adult at the gate. The Johnsonville Marketplace is located in rural Sheboygan Falls, Wis., on County Road J, just a 6-mile drive from Road America.

About Road America: Established in 1955, Road America is conveniently located between Milwaukee and Green Bay in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. The world’s best racers have competed at this legendary four-mile, 14-turn road circuit for over 65 years. Along with over 500 events held seasonally at the 640-acre facility, several major weekends are open to the public, which include the IndyCar Series, the MotoAmerica Series, three vintage racing events, numerous Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) events, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and NASCAR. Road America’s park-like grounds offer amazing viewing opportunities, numerous camping options, fantastic concessions, and high-speed excitement to hundreds of thousands of spectators each year. Fans can also stay and play in cabins conveniently on the grounds and find all sorts of souvenirs, collectibles, and apparel at the 7,500 sq. ft Paddock Shop. Affectionately known by many as America’s National Park of Speed, Road America can accommodate groups of all sizes, including weddings and corporate events in the Tufte Conference Center. In addition to public race weekends, Road America offers various group event programs, including geocaching, disc golf, and off-road adventure tours, karting, and the Road America Motorcycle and Driving Schools. For more information, visit www.roadamerica.com Follow Road America on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube or call 800-365-7223

Bush’s® Beans Back to their Roots with JTG Daugherty Racing

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A retail activation partnership 20 years in the making

HARRISBURG, N.C. (March 26, 2021) – – JTG Daugherty Racing and Bush’s® Beans have been partnering for 20 years, one of the longest running relationships in NASCAR. The No. 37 Bush’s Beans/Kroger Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE and driver Ryan Preece will be showcasing the new design for Bush’s as That Beautiful Bean Co.™ at Bristol Motor Speedway for the Dirt Race this Sunday.

Team owner Tad Geschickter said, “We’re excited to be celebrating our partnership with Bush’s and the new paint scheme of That Beautiful Bean Co. at every turn on dirt at Bristol Motor Speedway.”

Founded in Chestnut Hill, Tenn., Bush’s Beans calls Bristol Motor Speedway their home track and they are looking forward to the NASCAR Cup Series hitting the dirt for the first time in over 50 years.

“I have some history with Bush’s and Bristol. Back in 2015, I won the first Bush’s Beans 150 at Bristol and have that trophy sitting on a shelf at home. I hope some of that luck carries over to this weekend” Ryan Preece said. “Bush’s headquarters is only an hour and a half away so it’s no wonder Bristol is a special place for them. Because of all that, you do put more pressure on yourself. You want to do well for your partners in their house. It’s a big unknown going into this dirt race for a lot of us, but we’re going to go have some fun out there with the Bush’s Beans car and enjoy playing in the dirt.”

More than 20,000 cubic yards of dirt created the temporary dirt track surface. Everyone is anxiously awaiting first practice to kick things off for the NASCAR Cup Series on Friday at 4:05pmET on FS1 and here’s a look at the weekend schedule: NASCAR race times, TV, results for Bristol Dirt weekend | NASCAR.com

“This is one race you’re not going to want to miss, and I’ve been using the iRacing simulator to help prepare because I may have been 12 years old the last time I raced on dirt,” Preece said. “We raced virtually in the iRacing Bristol Dirt Race the other night and I won the Heat to transfer into the main event. I think I’ve probably logged a thousand of laps on that simulator to get ready. Ricky’s (Stenhouse, Jr.) has got a ton of experience dirt racing, so we’ve been leaning on each other a little bit. Let’s roll that beautiful bean footage!”

Live coverage of the Dirt Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday, March 28th begins at 3:30 PM ET live on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. The distance: 125 (250 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 75), Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 150), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 250).

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