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James Buescher, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion of 2012 will be returning with Turner Motorsports (TMS) wheeling the No. 31 Chevrolet Silverado.

The team also announced that Buescher will also continue run in select Nationwide Series events in 2013.

Buescher has his sights set on becoming the first back-to-back Truck Series Champion and is running a minimum of fifteen races for new Turner Motorsports sponsor, Rheem Manufacturing Company.

Rheem is the only North American manufacturer that produces a comprehensive line of advanced, energy efficient heating, cooling and water heating solutions for homes and businesses throughout the world. A long time, loyal sponsor throughout NASCAR and other racing series, Rheem is one of the few sponsors in the sport today that has visited victory lane in each of the NASCAR's national series, including the Daytona 500.

James Buescher, winner of the 2012 Daytona 500. (Photo: NASCAR)

Buescher broke out of the pack to record four wins in the Truck Series, 10 top-fives and 14 top-10's, en route to his and Turner Motorsports' first NASCAR Championship. Ironically he also won the Nationwide series' opening race at Daytona International Speedway in February before wining in the Truck Series.

"Last season was a dream come true for me. I had always dreamt of winning a NASCAR championship. I am most excited about the opportunity to compete to become the first driver to win the NCWTS championship in back-to-back seasons. I look forward to working with the entire Turner Motorsports organization and Rheem on our quest to keep the NCWTS championship at Turner Motorsports "said Buescher.

"Everyone at Turner Motorsports is excited to have James [Buescher] return to Turner Motorsports and the seat of the No. 31 NCWTS ride. And, to have a company like Rheem with such a long standing relationship in the sport of NASCAR come on board is an honor. To have Rheem join us is just the icing on the cake," said Turner Motorsports team owner, Steve Turner.

The team also announced in addition to Buescher returning to the NCWTS, 2012 Champion crew chief, Michael Shelton will return to his previous role serving as Crew Chief for Buescher and the No. 31 Rheem Chevy Silverado in 2013.

Disabled US and british veterans will take part to the Dakar Rally driving Bowler Wildcat.

Instigator of the project, UK Captain Tony Harris said: "Basically, I was looking for a sport in which he would not be included in an 'invalid' class. And I also wanted to implicate a whole team, for both the preparation and the race. For example, we developped some technical elements in order to minimize our handicap. But I know that the lack of sleep or the heat won't be a problem for us. Anyway, our goal is to reach the finish at Santiago, not to beat Peterhansel."

Photo: Race2Recovery

His codriver will be the Corporal Tom Neathway, a triple amputee. Team Race2Recovery will also include Mark Zambon, who lost his legs in Afghanistan in January, Matt O'Hare, who suffered serious arm injuries, and Philip Gillespie, who lost his right leg.

The whole team contains about twenty people, including the technical crews.

Extreme sports legend, Travis Pastrana, will move to a full schedule in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, for Roush Fenway Racing.

RFR had the back-to-back 2011-12 series championships with Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

“I am extremely excited about making the move into full-time NASCAR competition in 2013 and equally thrilled to have the opportunity to make that move with Jack Roush and the team at Roush Fenway Racing,” said Pastrana, a four-time rally champion, motocross champion and multiple X Games gold medal winner.

“I am very serious about making this move, running competitively and ultimately winning races in NASCAR,” added Pastrana in a team press release. “No team can claim the success in the Nationwide Series that Roush Fenway has, and I know driving an RFR Ford will provide me with the maximum opportunity to develop my skills behind the wheel of a stock car.”

Roush Fenway drivers, Carl Edwards and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (Photo: NASCAR)

Pastrana had started his NASCAR career with Michael Waltrip Racing. He will have 2011 Daytona 500 winner, Trevor Bayne, as a teammate. In nine races in NASCAR last year Pastrana's best finish was 13th at the Nationwide race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Pastrana, who is sponsored by Red Bull in X-Treme sports, will team up with veteran NASCAR crew chief Chad Norris and will be partnered with a variety of sponsors during the season.

“Travis is a champion,” said Roush Fenway co-owner Jack Roush. “It takes a great deal of drive and determination to reach that level of greatness in any field. He is serious about this move to NASCAR and we are committed to doing everything we can to see his career develop in NASCAR. We would certainly expect to see a great level of excitement brought to the table as he progresses within our sport.”

Roush Fenway's No. 60 entry boasts the most wins in NNS history, having been driven to victory lane a grand total of 90 times by celebrated drivers Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards and Mark Martin.

From GMM

Niki Lauda has admitted he admires his Austrian compatriot Dr Helmut Marko.

Triple world champion Lauda is Mercedes' new non-executive chairman.

The German business newspaper Handelsblatt on Thursday reported that he is stepping down from the board of the airline Air Berlin.

"The 63-year-old wants to dedicate his future to his role in the formula one team Mercedes," the report said, adding that Air Berlin has confirmed the news.

Lauda's task is to steer Mercedes in the right direction after the three-year period of Michael Schumacher's unsuccessful return to F1.

He sees Red Bull's Marko - the outspoken, brusque character who like Lauda is the link between the main company and the F1 team - as a role model.

Dr Helmut Marko, Red Bull Racing. (Photo: Red Bull)

"He's the tough dog," Lauda told Austrian television Servus TV, "holding everything together and ensuring no one works against the other."

"When you have this harmonious effect from the smallest mechanic to the head designer all pulling together, you can have this outstanding result," he said, referring to Red Bull's three year domination of the sport.

"This applies to many companies in the world," Lauda continued. "If all worked as Red Bull do in formula one, then they would all be much more successful."

David Bensadoun will take part to his second Dakar rally in-a-row, one year after becoming the first canadian to reach the finish of the event in the cars category.

Bensadoun, president of ALDO Group, made its Dakar debuts in 2012 with Patrick Beaulé, from Québec, as a navigator. Driving a Desert Warrior 4x4, the canadian pair reached the finish in Santiago, Chile, a took the 40th position in the overall classification.

For his second Dakar rally, 42 year-old David Bensadoun aims to set an even better performance. He will be driving a last specification of the Desert Warrior 4x4, and will be joined by british navigator Paul Round, while Patrick Beaulé will enter the event riding a bike.

David Bensadoun. (Photo: Groupe ALDO)

"Every single day, I think about my first experience on the Dakar," Bensadoun said. "Everything was amazing: the landscapes, the atmosphere, the people. We were astonished by the magnitude of the event. We saw there how important it was to stay in the top third of field to avoid the dust and trucks overtaking. The day the rally ended, I knew I was going to come back."

"This time, I'll be driving a high-performance machine," he added. "Now I really have to be careful. Our goal will be to make it in the Top 30. With less mistakes and driving just 5% faster, I believe it's possible. I've prepared physically during the summer, competing in the bike enduro championship. I've even lost 5 kilos but I still believe I'm the biggest competitor of the Dakar !"

BMW has released a video of the i3 Concept Coupé, which made its debut in Los Angeles a few weeks ago. In it are further details about the performance and range of the small electric car that will go on sale in late 2013.

The BMW i3 Concept Coupé can cover 160 kilometres on a full charge and recharge to 80% in less than 30 minutes (100% in six hours). With a 125 kW electric motor and a light weight of 1,250 kg (vs. 1,535 kg for the Nissan LEAF), it sprints from 0-60 km/h in four seconds.

The clean interior is accented with premium wood and leather, while the large side windows offer exceptional visibility from all seating positions. The controls are mounted on the steering wheel, and a unique display shows the driver the location of nearby charging stations.

Watch:

From GMM

With his new Mercedes tenure having now officially begun, Lewis Hamilton says he wants to turn the Brackley based team into a F1 frontrunner.

After six years with McLaren, the 2008 world champion has joined the famous German marque in legend Michael Schumacher's place.

"Doing better than Schumi?" he is quoted by the Italian broadcaster Mediaset.

"I don't look at it that way. He is a legend, unattainable. Looking to the future, I would be very happy if I can help Mercedes to compete with the top teams," said Hamilton.

Team Mercedes AMG F1 at work. (Photo: WRi2)

The 27-year-old Briton has had an up-and-down F1 career so far: acknowledged as among the very best, but often embroiled in personality scandals.

"Each of us has a personality and so you have to be yourself and ignore what people say," said Hamilton.

"The important thing is to be consistent," he added. "Sometimes you worry, sometimes you don't. What I'm looking for now is stability in my life."

As for on-track exploits, Hamilton said: "The pass I like the most is Hakkinen on Schumacher at the end of the straight at Spa (in 2000). But I've also done some that I'm proud of," he smiled.

Avis Budget Group Inc., which specializes in vehicle rental, will buy Zipcar for $500 million US, the company announced Wednesday.

The boards of management on both sides unanimously approved the transaction, which must still get the green light from shareholders and market authorities. Avis and Zipcar hope to finalize everything by this spring.

''We see carsharing as highly complementary to traditional car rental, with rapid growth potential and representing a scalable opportunity for us as a combined company,'' said Ronald Nelson, CEO of Avis.

Zipcar currently has more than 760,000 members in Canada, the U.S. and Europe.

Source: Business Financialpost

The completely redesigned 2014 Mazda6 will hit the market in a few weeks and offer three models: GX at $24,495, GS at $28,395, and GT at $32,195.

All of them boast an impressive list of standard features including keyless entry and push-button start, a 5.8" colour touch screen audio display, 17" alloy wheels, and LED taillights, just to name a few. Moreover, buyers will have a choice of six exterior colours.

The 2014 Mazda6 is powered by a new 2.5L four-cylinder SKYACTIV-G engine that produces 184 horsepower and 185 lb-ft of torque. Fuel consumption amounts to 5.3L/100km on the highway and 8.1L/100km in the city when paired with the standard 6-speed SKYACTIV-MT manual transmission, or 5.1/7.6 with the optional 6-speed SKYACTIV-Drive automatic transmission.

Photo: Mazda

Two designers at Yanko Design have just come up with a clever way to tell if your tires are too worn out to drive -- just look at their colour!

The idea is simple: A layer of bright orange rubber is inserted into the compound so that at the end of the tire's useful life (when the tread wears out), drivers get a clear visual reminder to go and buy new ones.

Why didn't anyone think of this before?

Photo: Gao Fenglin & Zhou Buyi

Photo: Gao Fenglin & Zhou Buyi

Source: Yanko Design

From GMM

Bernie Ecclestone has admitted he would be happy if Red Bull's recent domination ends in 2013.

With his friend Sebastian Vettel at the wheel, the energy drink-owned team has secured every drivers' and constructors' title for the past three seasons.

"It wouldn't be too bad a thing if we were to have a change at the top of the sport, perhaps with Ferrari leading the way again," the F1 chief executive told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.

Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull, triple world champion, 2010-2011-2012. (Photo: WRi2)

As for his relationship with Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo, which after a recent spat appeared irreparably damaged, Ecclestone insisted: "Montezemolo is still a friend and I'm convinced that he didn't really intend to say the things he said about me.

"I'm happy -- it's just role-playing!" he exclaimed.

Bernie Ecclestone denies he has made a strategic decision to side politically with Red Bull over Ferrari.

"All I said was that they (Red Bull) deserved to win the titles again and that I didn't agree with the stance Ferrari were taking with the appeal against the alleged rule infringement by Vettel at Interlagos," he said.

As for Red Bull, "They have done a lot for the reputation of our sport," Ecclestone insisted.

Meanwhile, Ecclestone admitted recently that, if he is charged by German prosecutors over the Gribkowsky bribery affair, he could be forced to step down.

But he now insists: "I would be (worried) if I was guilty! Are they trying to entrap me? I don't know and I don't care. All I know is that people try anything when money is involved."

Bernie Ecclestone denied he fears formula one would fall apart if he is no longer in charge.

"I have said that formula one would have been different without me. I don't think it would be better," he said.

"Is there a new Ecclestone on the horizon? No, I don't see one," added the 82-year-old Briton.

He concluded by saying that his 'dream team' in F1 would feature Vettel and Lewis Hamilton as teammates.

General Motors has issued a recall on 6,310 GMC, Chevrolet and Cadillac pickup trucks and SUVs from the 2013 model year (see table below) due to a fractured park lock cable or defective steering lock module that may have been installed at the assembly plant.

This could allow the driver to shift out of PARK with the key in the OFF position or removed from the ignition. Also, the transmission may be shifted out of PARK without first depressing the brake pedal. In other cases, the key may be turned to the OFF position and removed while the shifter is not in PARK.

Since these issues could result in unintended vehicle movement and possibly a crash, GM dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the steering column assembly on all affected vehicles.

Make	Model	Model year(s) affected
CADILLAC	ESCALADE	2013
CADILLAC	ESCALADE ESV	2013
CADILLAC	ESCALADE EXT	2013
CHEVROLET	AVALANCHE	2013
CHEVROLET	EXPRESS	2013
CHEVROLET	SILVERADO	2013
CHEVROLET	SUBURBAN	2013
CHEVROLET	TAHOE	2013
GMC	SAVANA	2013
GMC	SIERRA	2013
GMC	YUKON	2013
GMC	YUKON XL	2013

Source: Transport Canada

From GMM

Michael Schumacher's comeback would have been successful at the wheel of a top car, according to Bernie Ecclestone.

"If he had had a Red Bull or a Ferrari, Michael would have won again," the F1 chief executive told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.

"He should have demanded more guarantees, because it was his (Mercedes) car (to blame) and now his reputation has been tainted," added Ecclestone.

In a new interview with Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, Schumacher - who turns 44 on Thursday - didn't want to say he would have definitely won races in a Red Bull.

Sebastian Vettel's Red Bull RB8. (Photo: WRi2)

The seven time world champion said: "I would agree that if I was in a car like that, I would be running with those (top) guys. Whether I would win races in the current Red Bull or McLaren is a good question."

"You don't just get in a car and win immediately. Could I go as fast in a custom Vettel car as I could in a custom Schumacher car? Probably not," admitted Schumacher, who won a record 91 races in his ultra-successful first career.

SAN FRANCISCO, California -- If the hoary adage that people and their pets eventually come to resemble one another rings true, then perhaps the same can be said for folks and their cars.


My elderly neighbours, quiet and frugal and eminently respectable, own a Nissan Sentra that looks exactly the way it did when they brought it home back in 2006. Beige and unassuming, it sits on the blacktop beside their nondescript yet perfectly maintained two-storey, only venturing out on Monday afternoons to get groceries and Sundays, promptly at nine, for church. As a four-wheeled appliance, it couldn't fit more seamlessly into their well-ordered lives.

In the six years since Nissan last remade their top-selling compact sedan, the segment has gone through some major changes. It's a market that's growing, with empty-nesters and young marrieds realizing that they really don't need a full-size sedan, or giant crossover. Newly overhauled offerings from all major players in this increasingly competitive segment feature more sophisticated styling and improved interiors -- on top of the requisite low fuel consumption.

The release of the 2013 Nissan model marks seven generations of Sentra since its introduction 30 years ago, a car that has sold 320,000 units in Canada alone.

According to Tim Franklin, Nissan's Sr. Manager of Product Planning, the top purchase requirements of buyers in this category are value --without being cheap -- fuel economy, worry-free quality, and durability.

"[Sentra is] a premium vehicle for the compact segment," says Franklin. "Sophisticated styling doesn't cost extra."

For 2013, the Sentra trades its nerdy-cute, jelly-bean looks for a more grown-up and polished exterior, featuring the familial trapezoidal front grille. A lower roofline, and beltline give it a more forward-moving appearance, while standard LED head and tail lamps add an upscale touch. Its new streamlined appearance is more aerodynamically slippery, too. And while the new Sentra is slightly larger overall, it's 68 kg lighter than the model it replaces due to the use of high-strength steel, and a smaller gas tank made possible by its improved fuel economy.

There's a new 130 hp/128 lb-ft 4-cylinder 1.8L engine in the 2013 Nissan Sentra that comes with either a "next-generation" continuously variable transmission (CVT) or a 6-speed manual (available on SV models only). When mated to the CVT, the smaller, lighter engine helps the Sentra achieve a combined fuel economy rating of 5.8L/100 km -- compared to the Toyota Corolla's 6.6L, Hyundai Elantra's 5.9L, Honda Civic's 6.2L and 6.0L/100 km for the Chevy Cruze Eco.

There's a new 130 hp/128 lb-ft 4-cylinder 1.8L engine in the 2013 Nissan Sentra (Photo: Lesley Wimbush)

Recently, we drove the newest 2013 Nissan Sentra over San Francisco's Golden Gate bridge and into the lush hills of Sonoma wine country. Our tester, a top-spec SL CVT worth $22,998 featured plenty of soft-touch surfaces, leather upholstery, a 5.8" touchscreen with nav, and an 8-speaker Bose premium sound system. There was a shopping list of tech gadgetry, including a rearview monitoring system, Bluetooth and "NissanConnect" which offers hands-free text and speech-to-text functions, Google POI and send-to-car, real-time fuel prices, weather on demand and speed warnings.

"Fine Vision" electroluminescent gauges in the 2013 Nissan Sentra look like they belong on a far more expensive European luxury sedan; however, the shiny wood trim (faux or not) just looks cheesy, although it's infinitely preferable to the silver-painted plastic that was once de-rigeur for this segment.

The 2013 Nissan Sentra boasts 950mm of rear legroom, more than the Corolla with 922mm, the Civic and Mazda3 with 920mm, but less than the VW Jetta with 968mm.

The suspension remains largely unchanged, up front is an independent strut set-up, behind is a simple beam axle layout with sway bars fore and aft.

Over the picturesque roads of the Napa Valley and the serpentine loops of the Sonoma Hills, the Sentra comported itself in a mannerly fashion; that is to say, it's no sports car, but it goes where you put it. The steering is light and numb as expected in this segment, but accurate throughout the tightly wound curves.

Over the picturesque roads of the Napa Valley , the Sentra comported itself in a mannerly fashion (Photo: Lesley Wimbush)

The 2013 Nissan Sentra's only real misstep is visible during highway passing where its rather modest power output coupled with the CVT causes the powertrain to moan in protest when the gas pedal is enthusiastically applied.

Overall, the 2013 Nissan Sentra is a well-behaved, utterly drama-free vehicle whose cushy leather seats were broad enough to accommodate more ample backsides than mine, and whose cabin is replete with all the available luxurious non-essentials that we tech-addicted Canadian drivers can't seem to live without.

While the new Sentra has considerably evolved from my neighbour's humble runabout, it's still impeccably understated: a nice looking, middle class compact that will no doubt become a familiar sight outside churches, PTA meetings and grocery store parking lots, wherever respectable people are found.

The EV revolution seems to be trickling on in fits and starts.

Also in this episode: Rental car company Avis will buy Zipcar, and College for Creative Studies academic chief

Trying to build momentum behind the midcycle freshening of its core compact car, Honda is launching the Civic with a new advertising campaign for the third time in 20 months.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has named the safest cars for 2013, including 13 midsize sedans that qualify for a new and#8220;top safety pick+and#8221; designation.

First Drive: 2013 Fiat 500 Turbo

A gentler Abarth comes stateside, sans scorpion badge.

Americans get one Fiat 500 Abarth model while Europeans get two: the 135-horsepower Abarth and 180-horsepower Abarth Esseesse. Fiat thought the lesser Euro-market Abarth was too wimpy for the States so it only sent the high-performance model here. However, that makes a major gap in horsepower (and in price) between our Abarth and the second, er, sportiest 500 sold here, the Sport. Porca vacca! But the solution was simple enough: send over the 135-hp Abarth from Europe, and market it as something that fills the space between Sport and Abarth.

Photo Gallery: First Drive: 2013 Fiat 500 Turbo - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: First Drive: 2013 Fiat 500 Turbo - Automobile Magazine

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David Munson, engineering dean at the University of Michigan, lets his hair down in this rap holiday greeting.