Fernando Alonso’s highly anticipated return to McLaren F1 has begun with a thud.
On the advice of his doctors, the two-time World Driving Champion will sit-out the 2015 season-opening Australian Grand Prix on March 15 after suffering a concussion in a crash while testing at Barcelona, Spain, on Feb. 22.
Alonso’s McLaren/Honda will be handled at Albert [...]
By Jim Pedley | Managing Editor
RacinToday.com
Kevin Harvick arrived at Daytona International Speedway for Speedweeks this month as The Man. After 14 years and 502 Sprint Cup starts, the driver with the built-in smirk finally got to walk the grounds at stock car racing’s grandest stage as a champion.
One of his first duties was to put [...]
By Jim Pedley | Managing Editor
RacinToday.com
The thing that strikes you as you watch Media Day at Daytona International Speedway in February is the deja vu of it all.
It’s like they have this hat containing slips of paper upon which the same questions that have been asked every year since the Streamline Hotel meetings are written [...]
An interview with Jason Line two weeks ago began with an ice-breaker question that didn’t result in an ice-breaker answer. No, the two-time NHRA Pro Stock champion said, waving off standard answer of something ike “absolutely”, he was not ready for the 2015 season to begin. He and his team needed more time to do [...]
By John Sturbin | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Shawn Langdon and Alan Johnson served-up the proverbial knuckle sandwich – or was it a middle finger? – to any and all doubters Sunday with a victory in the Top Fuel final of the 55th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals.
Operating on a limited budget after team-owner Johnson lost his primary [...]
Reigning NHRA Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher and crew chief Mike Green have had their marching orders re-issued for the 2015 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season: Install six-disc clutch…hit throttle…rule the world.
It’s a formula that carried Schumacher, Green and the U.S. Army dragster to victories in three-of-six Countdown to the Championship playoff races [...]
By John Sturbin | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Former world champion Shawn Langdon, whose 2015 season was placed in financial jeopardy one month ago, raced to the quickest Top Fuel time in NHRA history Saturday during a rain-shortened day of qualifications for the 55th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals.
The fourth and final round of qualifying was cancelled due [...]
By John Sturbin | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Tommy Johnson Jr., Doug Kalitta and Jason Line rolled into historic Auto Club Raceway in Southern California rust-free Friday, each emerging as provisional No. 1 qualifiers after the opening two rounds of time trials for the 55th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals.
Johnson Jr. (Funny Car), Kalitta (Top Fuel) and Line [...]
By John Sturbin | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Matt Hagan begins defense of his 2014 NHRA Funny Car world championship this weekend armed with his typical optimism and a new body, courtesy of his manufacturer.
Hagan’s offseason included a visit to the Fiat Chrysler Automotive headquarters in Auburn Hills, Mich., where the 2015 Dodge Charger R/T carbon-fiber body he [...]
During a telephone interview earlier this week, Jason Line sounded as though he knew exactly what question he was going to be asked first and he had an answer loaded and ready – probably because he had been asked the question more times than he would prefer in recent months.
Thoughts about the last run of [...]
By John Sturbin | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Dave Connolly’s door-slamming days are so-over, as the one-time Pro Stock prodigy breathes-in the rarified nitro air synonymous with driving an NHRA Top Fuel dragster.
Connolly is scheduled to make his competitive debut in the C&J Energy Services dragster fielded by Bob Vandergriff Racing Friday during the first two of four [...]