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Exactly 12 years ago, Alex Zanardi suffered a nearly fatal crash during a CART race at the Lausitzring in Germany. After losing control of his car at the end of the pits, he was violently struck by Alexandre Tagliani's car, which came flying at more than 320 km/h.

Upon impact, Zanardi's legs were crushed and he lost a lot of blood. Rushed to the hospital, the lucky-to-be-alive driver underwent double amputation at knee level.

His passion for racing, however, was never damaged.

In 2003, using a specially modified race car, Zanardi symbolically completed the final 13 laps at the track which had nearly killed him in 2001. Amazingly, he reached speeds that would have earned him fifth place had he been qualifying for the race that weekend.

Since then, Zanardi has taken part in the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, where he won three medals including two golds, and recently secured the H4 World Championship.

Alex Zanardi, London 2012 (Photo: London 2012)

Model: 2011 to 2013 Ford Fiesta

Vehicle Type: Compact Sedan / Hatchback

The Verdict: Owners of the 2011 to 2013 Ford Fiesta loved sporty handling, solid build quality and youthful styling -- not to mention affordable hatchback flexibility on five-door models. The model looks like a solid used-car buy so far, though shoppers are advised to check for transmission issues for maximum confidence.

Price: Fiesta pricing in the used marketplace starts around $8,000 for a basic, higher-mileage unit, with plenty of selection in the low-to-mid teens. Expect to pay close to $18,000 for a new, higher-grade, low-mileage unit.

Photo: Luc Gagné

What Owners Like: Owners tend to speak most highly about the Fiesta's fun-to-drive character, styling, and flexibility -- especially on hatchback models. Solid build and ride quality, as well as great fuel mileage, are also noted.

What Owners Dislike: Cramped rear-seat legroom, modest performance and a tight cabin for larger drivers are among the most common complaints. On models with a manual transmission, some driving enthusiasts complain of a “mushy” clutch.

Photo: Luc Gagné

History/Description: The Ford Fiesta hit the Canadian market in its most recent iteration for the 2011 model year and has just been redesigned for 2014. Shoppers can check the entry-level Ford out in hatchback or sedan configurations, with trim grades including S, SE, SEL, and Titanium representing the ascension from basic to loaded, respectively.

All models featured a 1.6L 4-cylinder engine sending 120 horsepower sent to the front wheels. A 5-speed manual or 6-speed dual-clutch automatic were available.

Feature content included Bluetooth, 16” wheels, heated seats, exterior thermometer, Ford SYNC, fog lamps, USB audio inputs, cruise control, ambient interior lighting, capless refueling, and more --depending on the model selected.

Photo: Luc Gagné

Continue reading 2011-2013 Ford Fiesta Pre-Owned

NASCAR officials unveiled a new set of technical regulations on Saturday aimed at preventing teams from manipulating the points payoff of races.

Last Saturday night Clint Bowyer, who drives for Michael Waltrip Racing, spun his car causing a caution which resulted in his teammate gaining a better finish thus earning enough points to earn an entry in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

Because NASCAR officials didn't have enough proof that the spin was intentional they pointed to an unusual pit stop by third teammate, Brian Vickers which ensured Truex's playoff spot.

NASCAR fined the team $300,000 and indefinitely suspended MWR competition director, Ty Norris.

Then a proposed deal came to light between Penske Racing and Front Row Racing, for David Gilliland to permit Joey Logano to overtake him although the Penske driver was far behind. Because of the caution Gilliland didn't have to do anything.

NASCAR officials put both organizations on probation because of the intent even though nothing questionable was done on the track.

On Saturday, leading team members and drivers met with NASCAR officials who announced the new regulations aimed at ending the manipulation of points.

NASCAR's bulletin said, in part:

“Today's technical bulletin addresses the subject of team(s) artificially altering the outcome of a race and the level of reaction that this will receive from NASCAR,” said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR Vice President of Competition.

“We reinforced this issue to the teams in our meeting earlier today and conveyed what is considered unacceptable in our officiating of the event.”

Photo: NASCAR

Initial officiating revisions that were announced and will take effect Sunday are:

• Spotters only on spotters' stand (one per team)
• Spotters' stand limits: Two analog radios, scanners, Fan Views
• Video camera will be installed on spotters' stand

And a new rule was announced:

"NASCAR requires its competitors to race at 100 percent of their ability with the goal of achieving their best possible finishing position in an event.  Any competitor who takes action with the intent to artificially alter the finishing positions of the event or encourages, persuades or induces others to artificially alter the finishing position of the event shall be subject to a penalty from NASCAR.

Such penalties may include but are limited to disqualification and/or loss of finishing points and/or fines and/or loss of points and/or suspension and/or probation to any and all members of the teams, including any beneficiaries of the prohibited actions.

"Artificially altered shall be defined as actions by any competitor that show or suggest that the competitor did not race at 100 percent of their ability for the purpose of changing finishing positions in the event at NASCAR's sole discretion."

From press release

Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso has confirmed a collection of items from his racing career, including his first F1 car, would be on display at a Madrid Exposition, from December to May.

Visitors of the exhibition will journey, via a route in the Centro Arte Canal hall in Plaza Castilla, through the sporting career of Alonso, starting off with his first overall which was hand sewn by his mother for his first competition at the age of 3, and finishing off with the last trophy that the driver will achieve from here to the end of 2013.

Many of the cars that the Spanish driver has raced with throughout his career will be on display; from his first kart to his racing cars from 1999 to 2011, a period in which Fernando raced for Minardi, Renault, McLaren and Ferrari, his current team.

Also, amongst cars, overalls, boots, helmets or gloves, visitors will have an opportunity to get to know other interesting aspects of the Spanish driver and the sport he lives in.

Besides, children and youths will have the chance to test their knowledge on road safety thanks to various activities programmed in the same hall. With this initiative, the Fernando Alonso Foundation joins forces with the Canal de Isabel II Management to continue with its work of raising awareness and educating younger people regarding this subject.

The tickets can be purchased at www.fernandoalonsocollection.com.

From press release

At Oschersleben, Brazilian Augusto Farfus (BMW) wins the 400th race in history of the DTM from points' leader Mike Rockenfeller and Jamie Green (both Audi).

After errors by the opposition, this means that 30-year old Farfus is the only challenger to keep Rockenfeller from winning the 2013 title. Reigning DTM champion Bruno Spengler (BMW), Christian Vietoris and Robert Wickens (both Mercedes-Benz) all finished the race without scoring points and thus are no longer in contention for the title in the two remaining rounds of the season.

Prior to the next round at Zandvoort on September 29th, Rockenfeller is leading with 124 points, clearly ahead of Farfus, who has 91 points. Even in case of another victory for the BMW driver at the circuit in the Dutch dunes, a second place would be enough for 'Rocky' to become DTM champion for the first time.

Augsto Farfus, BMW M3 DTM

Farfus scored his second victory of the season after his success in the season opener at Hockenheim.

“My great start was the key to success. I overtook Jamie Green right away and I was in front. The stops were perfect, too. I am overjoyed. We still have a mathematical chance of winning the title and that is what we will be fighting for,” the Brazilian said.

Rockenfeller was also happy with second place. “Today, Augusto was in a class of his own,” he said. “Of course, I want to win the DTM title, preferably already at Zandvoort. But when that doesn't work out, I will be more than happy to wait until Hockenheim as well.”

Mike Rockenfeller, Audi RS 5 (Photo: Audi Motorsport)

About the collision between his pursuers Spengler and Wickens on lap 38, after which both Canadians had to park their cars, the points' leader said: “Everyone knows that you have to finish the race in order to score points.”

Jamie Green having lost in the duel with Farfus after the start, he only had to let Rockenfeller past as well. Third place is the Brit's best result since his transfer to Audi prior to the start of this season. “I had to wait for this result for a long time and I am very happy,” Green said.

The team result of the brand from Ingolstadt was impressive: in total, eight Audis finished in the top ten at Oschersleben.

Gary Paffett was the best-placed Mercedes-Benz driver. The Brit started his 100th DTM race from twelfth place on the grid and moved up to finish sixth. “Actually, I am not that unhappy with the race. The opposition was strong, but not unbeatable. One could say that I lost my race in qualifying already,” the 2005 DTM champion said.

For his fellow-Mercedes-Benz driver Christian Vietoris, championship hopes were reduced to a minimum after qualifying on Saturday as well. Vietoris started the race from 20th place and was classified 18th.

Bruno Spengler, Robert Wickens (Photo: DTM.com)

Race results - Oschersleben (DTM)
1 - Augusto Farfus (BMW M3) - RBM - 51 laps 1.11'40"894
2 - Mike Rockenfeller (Audi RS5) - Phoenix - 6"298
3 - Jamie Green (Audi RS5) - Abt - 6"912
4 - Filipe Albuquerque (Audi RS5) - Rosberg - 10"837
5 - Timo Scheider (Audi RS5) - Abt - 13"325
6 - Gary Paffett (Mercedes AMG-C Coupé) - HWA - 14"707
7 - Mattias Ekstrom (Audi RS5) - Abt - 21"980
8 - Miguel Molina (Audi RS5) - Phoenix - 22"692
9 - Adrien Tambay (Audi RS5) - Abt - 23"109
10 - Edoardo Mortara (Audi RS5) - Rosberg - 23"977
11 - Pascal Wehrlein (Mercedes AMG-C Coupé) - Mucke - 24"136
12 - Marco Wittmann (BMW M3) - MTEK - 29"004
13 - Dirk Werner (BMW M3) - Schnitzer - 36"997
14 - Roberto Merhi (Mercedes AMG-C Coupé) - HWA - 38"620
15 - Timo Glock (BMW M3) - MTEK - 48"244
16 - Joey Hand (BMW M3) - RBM - 48"756
17 - Daniel Juncadella (Mercedes AMG-C Coupé) - Mucke 49"751
18 - Christian Vietoris (Mercedes AMG-C Coupé) - HWA - 58"626
19 - Andy Priaulx (BMW M3) - RMG - 1'10"973
20 - Martin Tomczyk (BMW M3) - RMG - 2 laps

Fastest lap of the race:  1'21"255 by Joey Hand

Retirements
Lap 40 - Bruno Spengler
Lap 38 - Robert Wickens

Championship standings
1.Rockenfeller 124; 2.Farfus 91; 3.Vietoris 71; 4.Wickens 70; 5.Spengler 67.

GM and Canada's Unifor union reached a tentative settlement on a new labor agreement that covers employees at the company's CAMI assembly plant in Ontario.

From a nondescript building in a quiet industrial park in suburban Detroit, General Motors has shipped nearly 40,000 hand-built engines for some of the automaker's fastest cars.

Online shopping sites that offer customers guaranteed prices on new vehicles and trade-ins are growing more popular with dealers.

Online shopping sites that offer customers guaranteed prices on new vehicles and trade-ins are growing more popular with dealers.

Mercedes is mounting a comeback, fueled by one of the biggest makeovers in the auto industry.

Mercedes is mounting a comeback, fueled by one of the biggest makeovers in the auto industry.

From a nondescript building in a quiet industrial park in suburban Detroit, GM has shipped nearly 40,000 hand-built engines for some of the automaker's fastest cars.

The spectacular crash that brought Kris Meeke's Rally Australia to an end didn't help his chances of signing a deal to extend his stay at Citroën in the Word Rally Championship (WRC).

Meeke, who was only entering his second event with Citroën on a one-off basis, rolled his DS3 during the Nambucca stage.

"I went into a second gear corner and I arrived five or ten kph too fast," he recalls in a interview with WRC.com. "I thought I'd got away with it, but the car just slipped off the road.

Kris Meeke, Citroën DS3 (Photo: Citroën Racing)

"It nearly stopped, but unfortunately there was a very steep bank down into a field and it just kept tumbling."

British magazine Autosport revealed Meeke's Citroën rolled over a total of six times.

When asked what were Meeke's chances of staying at Citroën, team principal Yves Matton replied the crash "will not help". Although he expressed his wish to talk with Meeke before jumping to conclusion, Matton added: "For sure it was not what I ask him to do."

DTM champion Bruno Spengler has lost his pole position for Sunday's eighth season round at Oschersleben, Jamie Green (Audi) will start first on Sunday's race as a result.

Because the BMW driver had used a tyre that was only admitted for the fourth heat during the third qualifying heat already, the stewards of the meeting dropped him five places on the grid.

While Spengler will be starting from sixth place into the race on Sunday at 13.30 hrs, Audi driver Jamie Green moves up into first place. For the Brit, it is his first pole since his transfer to Audi at the start of the 2013 season and his seventh in the DTM. Points' leader Mike Rockenfeller also benefited from Spengler's grid penalty.

The Audi driver moved up from fourth to third place on the grid.

Bruno Spengler, BMW M3 DTM (Photo: DTM.com)

Before his penalty, Bruno Spengler, fourth in the drivers' standings, showed a dominant performance in qualifying and claimed pole position. With his BMW M3 DTM, the reigning DTM champion completed his lap in the decisive fourth qualifying heat in 1:20.140 minutes.

Jamie Green ended up second fastest with his Audi RS 5 DTM. Brasilian Augusto Farfus (BMW) will be starting from third place into the 400th race in history of the DTM, just ahead of point' leader Mike Rockenfeller (Audi).

With second place on the grid, Audi driver Green claimed his best qualifying result of the season to date, which became later on his first pole position of the season, and also his first with Audi.

Jamie Green, Audi RS 5 (Photo: Audi Motorsport)

Rockenfeller, who is 35 points clear in the drivers' standings, made it into the final qualifying heat as the fastest driver, but then only ended up fourth, third after Spengler's penalty.

Mercedes-Benz drivers Christian Vietoris and Robert Wickens retired early and thus failed to claim better starting grid positions. Canadian Wickens will be starting from eleventh position as the best-placed Mercedes-Benz driver, Vietoris will be starting from 20th place into the race on Sunday.

For Gary Paffett and Daniel Juncadella (both Mercedes-Benz), there had already been bad news before qualifying. After they had used unmarked tyres in free practice, they were dropped five places on the grid by the stewards. Paffett, who had been fastest driver of a DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé on the track, will therefore start from twelfth place, Juncadella will start from 22nd position.

Prior to the race on Sunday, Rockenfeller is leading in the drivers' standings with 106 points from Vietoris with 71 and Wickens with 70 points. In fourth place, defending champion Spengler has 67 points, Farfus has 66.

Huge blow to the IndyCar Series as Andretti Sports Management announced that the Baltimore Grand Prix would not return to the IndyCar schedule in 2014 after all parties involved failed to agree on a date.

IndyCar racing in the streets of Baltimore (Photo:facebook.com/BaltimoreGP)

Race On, the owner of the Grand Prix of Baltimore, was unable to coordinate a workable date for the 2014 event with the multiple entities involved in scheduling, although it appears that Race On's decision took both the IndyCar Series and Andretti Sports Management by surprise.

With the loss of Baltimore, IndyCar forfeits its only event on the eastern seaboard. The race drew its biggest (paying) crowd to date, attracting approximately 150,000 fans over the three-day event.

From press release

Sebastien Ogier proved unbeatable in Coates Hire Rally Australia today as he won all six speed tests to more than double his lead to 45.9sec with one day remaining in this 10th round of the FIA World Rally Championship.

The Frenchman won all four country stages in his Volkswagen Polo R before rounding the day off with victory in both arena tests in downtown Coffs Harbour. He has won 14 of the 16 stages to date.

Ogier started the day with a 20.0sec advantage over Mikko Hirvonen's Citroen DS3 but nobody got close to him on the roads south-west of Coffs Harbour, which included two passes over the monster 50km Nambucca test. 

Sébastien Ogier, Polo R WRC (Photo: volkswagen-motorsport.com)

A thick coating of gravel made conditions slippery during this morning's first pass of the stages. The roads were cleaner this afternoon and Hirvonen was untroubled as he widened the gap over third-placed Thierry Neuville to 25.5sec.

Neuville took no risks, checking his pace notes at rally pace this morning before upping his speed this afternoon to set top three times. Kris Meeke was on course to retain fourth until he crashed in the second pass through Nambucca, his Citroen DS3 rolling seven times.

The beneficiary was Jari-Matti Latvala, who came out on top of a three-car fight with Andreas Mikkelsen and Mads Ostberg. He punctured the rear right tyre on his Polo R after hitting a bank this morning but the Finn was more settled than yesterday.

Mikkelsen lies fifth, 23.2sec behind his Volkswagen colleague, but was caught out by the same bend as Latvala. He ended the test with a tyre partly off the rim in his Polo R but held off Mads Ostberg by 2.5sec tonight.

Ostberg was only a second behind Latvala until a high-speed spin into a ditch in the final country stage cost the Fiesta RS driver 20 seconds.

Evgeny Novikov lies seventh in a similar car, despite losing more than two minutes with a left rear puncture. However, the Russian has a comfortable 2min 34sec advantage over Nathan Quinn's Mini John Cooper Works, Quinn delighting his home town fans on his World Rally Car debut.

Tomorrow's final leg leaves Coffs Harbour at 08.00 and heads north for two identical loops of three tests covering 125.14km before the afternoon finish back in the town.

According to what Auto123.com has learned, Juan Pablo Montoya won't be joining the Andretti Autosport squad or any other IndyCar team for that matter as the Colombian is expected to continue on driving in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Even though, Andretti Autosport officials had made important progress in securing financial backing in order for Montoya to return to open wheel racing in 2014, the 1999 CART champion informed the team that he will not be part of the team after all.

Juan Pablo Montoya, CART series (Photo: jpmontoya.com)

As we had reported earlier, this means that Andretti will more than likely open the door for Montoya's country man Carlos Munoz who has been on the team's wish list for quite some time now. 

With the Ganassi Racing expected to fill its fourth seat with a current IndyCar driver -believed to be Canadian James Hinchcliffe - and with no real interest showed by other teams for the former Formula One driver, NASCAR would appear to be his best option. 

It is expected that an announcement could be made as early as this week-end, confirming that Montoya could join the Furniture Row Racing Sprint Cup team to replace departing Kurt Busch.

Joey Logano shrugged off the news that his Penske Racing Team was put on probation for the remainder of the year and beat teammate, Brad Keselowski to win the pole for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Chicagoland.   

Logano who turned a lap of  28.509 seconds (189.414 mph) around the 1.5 mile oval was one of 14 drivers who broke Jimmie Johnson's eight year-old record of 188.147 mph. He beat Keselowski (189.248 mph) by .025 seconds for his second pole of the season and seventh in his career.

The first year Penske Racing driver said that, despite the controversy circulating around NASCAR and his team's predicament, he was able to put all that out of his mind and drive.

“No, it didn't impact my preparations at all” Logano said. “I felt like I did a good job being able to stay focused in here and focused on doing what we have to do.  There wasn't any worry in my mind that we weren't going to be in the Chase.”

Despite failing to qualify for NASCAR's playoffs Keselowski was in good spirits. “Absolutely, this is a track that has been good to us in the past,” said the 2012 champion.

“Certainly starting out front, with the way track position is, is very very helpful, pit stall selection, all those good things that come with it.  So I'm happy for that. But, obviously, we've still got to run a race, still got to work hard and find speed to be up at the front.

Columbia's Juan Pablo Montoya was third quickest at 189.062 mph. “Kind of disappointed we didn't get the pole,” said the IndyCar and Formula One veteran.

“Our car was really, really good in practice.  Looking at it, I was losing a little on one and two, and I nailed one and two in qualifying.  I went into three, thinking I know what I got to do, and I lifted and never turned.  I got back to the garage, and I was like, oh, oh great, you know?  I know that feeling. So, yeah, I was actually surprised we finished third. 

“But when it bogs down like that and you still got to make it to the start/finish line, normally that's not a good sign.  But it was okay. We ran pretty good the last few weeks.  Around Indy they decided to bring in new cars and better things, and we've been running a lot better so it makes it more fun.”

Kasey Kahne was fourth fastest at  188.785 mph and rookie Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was fifth fastest at  188.772 mph.

Kimi Raikkonen, the 33-year-old world champion form Finland, is currently fourth in the championship standings, and coming off two consecutive finishes outside the points.

The return to a high downforce track at the Singapore Grand Prix should help him score a good result.

"After these two weekends with zero points it's nice to get back to a circuit we expect to be more suited to our car," he is quoted saying on Formula1.com.

But the layout of the Singapore street circuit is not the only reason why Raikkonen is looking forward to next weekend. Indeed, racing in Singapore also means racing at night, and not getting up so early, which is a good point for the inimitable Finn who likes to speak his mind.

"I really like going to Singapore. It's a great place to be, I love the local food, and I don't mind the unusual times we run in the car as it means I don't have to get up so early. "

Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus E21 (Photo: Lotus F1 Team)

As previously reported, Tesla CEO Elon Musk plans to take a 6-day, cross-country road trip with his five sons at the end of the year. He said it will be “an adventure, kind of like those Chevy Chase movies.”

As they make their way from Los Angeles to New York, the Musk family will rely solely on Tesla's supercharger network, which is able to charge a Model S in 20-25 minutes only, the equivalent of stopping for a quick meal. This operation will provide a range of about 240 kilometres.

Musk said they'll need a little more than 20 stops to cover the 5,150 kilometres that separate the two cities. The route is now finalized, but remains undisclosed.

Tesla expects to have hundreds of superchargers cover about 98% of the U.S. population as well as parts of Canada by 2015.

Source : money.cnn.com

Photo: Tesla