http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/AllCars/236832/

This is fantastic news. Atkinson will be driving a car just like Sebastion Loeb's in Rally Ireland.

http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/news/172924-0/content.html

Solberg signed a contract with Subaru in 2006 that runs through 2009. This article says that Subaru has given him permission to drive another brand of car. In other words, they'd rather not pay him to stay home.

http://tinyurl.com/7xuy7j

Chris Atkinson earned five podiums this season in a car that clearly was not competitive. Subaru has him under contract for next year, but now will not be fielding a team. Obviously, Subaru's decsion to pull out of WRC was not part of a long-term plan. They were reacting in haste. It's probably the right decision for their business, as much as I want to see them in WRC.

http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssConsumerGoodsAndRetailNews/idUSSP20627520081215

Suzuki had been mounting a very respectable effort in WRC. It's sad to see them pull out because of the "global economic crisis". Unfortunately, it will be repeated across motorsports.

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/SPORT/12/05/f1.honda/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

Here is another example of how the economy is affecting motorsports.

Sad to see two very talented drivers (Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello) without a ride.

http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=315052

The Le Mans 24-hour race is sanctioned by the Autombile Club de l'Ouest. The ACO has canceled a scheduled test day, which cuts out a week of travel and accomodation expenses.

In other words, at one of the highest levels of motorsports, they're trying to cut costs. Expect it at all levels, and also from manufacturers. Get ready for fewer models with fewer choices of trim on each model. 

HOW ABOUT PUTTING SOME NEW IN YOUR MAGAZINE THAT HAS MORE SINCERETY THAN WHO I WANT TO DRIVE WITH. PAUL NEWMAN WAS A GREAT MAN AND HE HELPED MANY PEOPLE NOT ONLY IN HIS CAMPS FOR DYING CHILDREN WHERE THEY WERE GIVEN DIGNITY BUT ON THE RACE CIRCUIT WHERE HE HELPED AND GAVE OF HIMSELF.

During the recent spike of gas prices, I opted to change from 93 octane to a lower 87 octane, knowing that the engine sensors would adapt and that there would be no knocking or pinging as a result of this dramatic change.  I read that in 1982, with the advent of on board computers, all cars would adjust for octane changes and that any car that only "recommends" premium octane would be safe to use a lower octane.  Vehciles where premium is "required" are another story. Those vehicels are the supercharged or turbo charged types.  For GM people that means the GTP with i

http://money.cnn.com/2008/08/18/news/companies/gm_employee_price/index.h...

As last year's cars languish on the lots, GM is hoping "employee pricing" will clear them out. This CNN article says that's typically 10% below invoice.

http://online.wsj.com/article_print/SB121685880778279315.html

Stephen Moore explains the economic cost of a 55mph speed limit.

Whether it's the effect on "just in time" inventory, or the extra hours wasted, the cost is extreme. 

http://www.bangkokpost.com/040708_Motoring/04Jul2008_motor009.php

What is Matt Kenseth's first car memory (hint: it's not a Ford)? His lifelong dream? Click here to find out from our recent Driver Evaluation interview.

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We generally take for granted that we’ll be safe when we get behind the wheel. Most of us will be; others won’t. Take Porsche racing driver, Rick Bye. On January 29, 1998, he was transporting his race-car hauler to the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona. Rick was behind the wheel of his Ford F-350 pickup. As he crested a hill on Interstate 77 in North Carolina, he saw the back ends of two tractor-trailer rigs that were stopped and waiting for traffic to clear. There was no way he could stop in time. The cab of Rick’s truck plowed into one of the trailers, and his tragedy began. Fortunately, one of his race crew, Rob, walked away with only a few bumps and scratches. Another one of those strange instances when one person walks away from a horrific accident and the other needs to be cut out of the vehicle and airlifted to the hospital. Rick was given a two percent chance to live and Crash Test tells the story of what it took to beat those odds – from the phone call about the accident to the day Rick left the rehab center.