Eric McClure, the Nationwide Series driver injured in Saturday's race at Talladega, was released from University of Alabama Birmingham Medical Center, on Monday.
Emily Brandt, a team spokesperson wrote, on Facebook “Eric McClure, driver of the No. 14 Hefty/Reynolds Wrap Toyota, was released this evening from the UAB Medical Center in Birmingham, Alabama, where he was airlifted Saturday afternoon following a racing incident at Talladega Superspeedway.
He suffered a concussion and mild internal bruising and is expected to make a full recovery. This week he will follow up with specialists regarding his injuries.
McClure has said he will make himself available to the media in the Jim Hunter Media Center at Darlington Raceway on Friday, May 11, time to be announced.”
In the closing stages of the Nationwide race McClure's car slammed into a SAFER barrier, on the inside of the track, after being struck from behind.
The impact caused such damage to his car that the roof had to be cut away to release him and there was a 19-minute red flag stoppage for safety and medical crew operations. McClure was awake and alert at the track, but, he was removed to the hospital nonetheless.
In an effort to take some distance with Toyota and some customers from BMW and Mercedes, Lexus has redesigned its GS model.
Lexus estimates that 30% of their present customer base will leave, sooner rather than later, to buy from the two German manufacturers - that's why they need to do something.
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| Photo: Lexus |
"We want people to stop thinking we're just offering Toyota by-products," explains Kiyotaka Ise, head of states at Lexus since 2007. "We want to be known as a brand of its own, with character, luxury and comfort."
At the moment, however, BMW cars overshadow similar Japanese ones in that respect: Lexus has a lot of catching up to do, and they hope the GS is the solution to their problems. They hope it will redefine their image.
Such a feat is a big task for one model, especially if you are trying to please everyone.
"A design loved by everyone quickly becomes dull," Kazuo Ohara, another Lexus head of states, believes.
So don't expect the new GS to please everyone, because its design is bold.
Source: Automotive News
From TOYOTA Racing
TOYOTA Racing announced that Hiroaki Ishiura is unable to take his place in the driver line-up of the No. 8 TS030 HYBRID at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
During the first tests of the TS030 HYBRID, Hiroaki experienced discomfort in his back due to the higher g-forces experienced in an LMP1 car.
After taking medical advice, Hiroaki informed TOYOTA Racing of his decision to withdraw from the team for this year's Le Mans 24 Hours and concentrate on regaining full fitness ahead of the 2013 season.
TOYOTA Racing is evaluating a potential replacement and will confirm its decision as soon as the change has been ratified by the ACO.
From GMM
Nineteen years of Formula 1 did not prepare Brazilian veteran Rubens Barrichello for his first taste of driving an IndyCar on a high speed oval.
The former Ferrari driver, who switched categories for the 2012 season after losing his Williams race seat, tested at the Texas Motor Speedway on Monday.
"Last night I went to sleep thinking about it and when I woke up I was on the other side of the bed, so I already was ovaling in my dreams," Barrichello said with a laugh.
"It was bloody fast," he is quoted by the Associated Press, "and very, very much different than anything I have ever tried.
"I've had places that in formula one that they say 'Oh, it's almost flat and it's a big corner and it's a big challenge'. But the walls were never so close," the 39-year-old Brazilian enthused.
Barrichello's teammate Tony Kanaan admitted it was "fun" and a rare sight to see his close friend "nervous" prior to getting into a racing car.
"It was quite exciting to see how excited he got, and how happy he got out of the car saying how awesome it is," he said.
Texas Texas test
Ganassi's Scott Dixon was the fastest driver on hand at the IndyCar Series' oval test held at the Texas Speedway on Monday.
Actually, it was an all-Ganassi front line as Dixon was only one of three teammates to lead the timesheet as the series had set this practice in order to further development of the DW12 on a 1.5-mile high-banked oval
Charlie Kimball was second fastest, 0.121s slower than Dixon, while defending series champion Dario Franchitti was third.
In the first of the Chevrolet-powered car was Will Power in fourth followed by Ed Carpenter (Carpenter), Graham Rahal (Ganassi) and his teammate Helio Castroneves.
From GMM
Getting the set-up right is a challenge Formula 1 teams are grappling with in 2012.
So far this season, four different cars have won the four Grands Prix, with Pirelli's difficult tires credited or blamed for the unbalance of power.
The key, according to Mercedes team boss Ross Brawn, is car set-up.
"We can't modify the setup between qualifying on Saturday and the race on Sunday," he is quoted by Brazil's O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper. "And they are very different challenges, especially with this year's tyres.
"It's one thing to get the car to be fast on one lap and quite another to make it fast and consistent over 70.
"Whoever can anticipate what will be required for the race and come to a compromise - maybe to the detriment of grid position - should have a decisive advantage in the race.
"But it's not easy to anticipate what happens on Sunday," insisted Brawn.
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| Photo: Mercedes AMG |
The number of people killed on U.S. highways fell in 2011 for the sixth straight year, the longest streak of declines in the nation's history. Crash fatalities dropped 1.
Two Detroit 3 automakers are among the top 10 in Fortune magazine's ranking of the 500 largest U.S. companies released today. More than 23 auto-related companies made the list. GM rose three spots to No. 5 and Ford rose one place to No. 9.
Toyota's profit may climb to a five-year high and exceed GM's earnings this year, signaling Asia's biggest automaker is close to full force after reeling from natural disasters and a recall crisis.
Toyota Motor Corp. unveiled the production version of its
Toyota today unveiled the production version of its RAV4 electric vehicle, which carries a battery pack and electric motor system developed in collaboration with Tesla Motors.
For the first time in six months, used-vehicle prices in April stopped their upward trajectory and showed signs of easing, according to a closely followed gauge released today. The Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index in April stood at 126.
A former Acura dealership employee who stole $10.2 million from the Pittsburgh-area store where she worked could face six years in prison, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported today.
There is much to be said for the sound of a high-performance engine with the reins off, screaming in all its glory.
Pressure is increasing on Ally Financial and its government overseers to find a solution to its festering financial problems that date back before its government bailout in 2009.
The 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 officially joined the 11-second club.
Chrysler is recalling almost 120,000 Dodge Charger and
Chrysler Group will voluntarily recall 127,346 2011 and 2012 Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 sedans in the United States and Canada to fix a fuse problem that could disrupt the vehicles' antilock brakes and electronic stability control systems.
Jaguar is joining BMW by offering a taxi service at the Nürburgring. But these
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