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Defying the best Las Vegas Motor Speedway odds, Matt Kenseth on older tires held off Kasey Kahne on fresher ones to get his first victory with a Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing.

The icing on the cake was it was his own birthday present to himself as the Wisconsin native drove to his 25th Sprint Cup victory in his third race for JGR.

"I was real nervous all day. (Kahne) had the best car. I was getting too tight and killing the right front, but I just had to stay in front of him,” said the race winner.

Matt Kenseth holding off Kasey Kahne. (Photo: NASCAR)

Jason Ratliff, Kenseth's crew chief said “well, three weeks in, I mean, I knew this day would come, but to do it just in our third race is really special obviously. The hard work that these guys have put in over the winter, we've just got a great group here, and we've got Matt and we're going to win a lot of races, I think.  He'll probably get mad at me for saying that because he doesn't like that. But anyway, like I said, I knew that we would get to victory lane at some point, and to do it this early in the season is great, and I'm looking forward to the rest of the season.”

The penultimate pit stop, at the mile-and-a-half oval, set up the challenge to Kenseth. With 43 laps to go, in the 267-lapper Kenseth took fuel only. Kahne's Chevy took two right-side tires and fuel. Pit stops wouldn't be an issue, but, another restart gave an opportunity to Kahne but he couldn't close the deal.

“I felt really confident, that when I got to him I'd be able to do that again like I had raced with Kyle (Busch) and Jimmie (Johnson) earlier in the race,” said Kahne.  “And when I got to Matt I couldn't do it, so I was trying to brake in and mess with anything that I could, lift early, lift late, try it all, and just couldn't find a way past him. So he just did a really good job of keeping his momentum up, keeping his speed. He was cutting across me off the corner.  We were kind of tight, loose, and he just put up a great battle and pulled it off on told tires, did a good job.”

Despite having his third straight top-four finish third place Brad Keselowski wasn't pleased. “It is a different perspective because I'm not happy with top 5s; I want to win.  You know, the last three weeks, really the last two weeks, and I'm sure when I get home tonight I'm going to go home and throw around some pillows and punch some things because we've had a shot at winning all three races and come up short, whether it's circumstances or bad luck or today just a little bit of execution.”

Photo: NASCAR

As to the winning strategy there was no real debate between driver and crew chief.

Kenseth explained “Honestly, I was grinning inside as I was leaving pit road.  All I said on the track, I was like ‑‑ I knew we had to pit, I was like, try to keep me up front if you can.  I didn't say anything when he came on pit road and said that we only needed fuel.  I had him counting under his breath. I thought oh, I thought he was filling it up.  I left pit road, and I was like, ‘that's what you like.'"

Ratliff agreed “Well, we were talking about it, my two engineers and myself, we were like, okay, how much fuel do we need?  We're going to pick up about a little over a second if we don't take tires, or we can take right side tires if there's going to be some more cautions later in the race that's probably going to be the right call.  And then when Matt came on the radio ‑‑ I wasn't sure how you'd feel about it, he said, ‘man, just keep me up front', I said, ‘okay, game on.'”

That and some great driving put Kenseth back in Victory Lane.

General Motors of Canada is investing $250 million the CAMI Assembly Plant in Ingersoll, Ontario. The money will be used to install flexible body shop equipment and tooling to support future vehicle production.

“Conversion of the CAMI Assembly Plant to a flexible manufacturing facility will provide CAMI with the ability to produce multiple global architectures and body styles,” said Kevin Williams, President and Managing Director of General Motors of Canada.

As a result, CAMI will be able to build a higher variety of differentiated products, on multiple platforms, at much lower costs. This also gives GM the ability to launch new products at a faster pace.

This is all part of the automaker's increasing efforts to develop more flexible vehicle architectures and increase plant efficiencies.

Construction is expected to begin this spring.

Sébastien Ogier (Volkswagen) dominated rally Mexico, much the same way he did in Sweden, in the end winning by 3.28 minutes over Mikko Hirvonen (Citroën).

Ogier led throughout the event, from Friday to Sunday, to eventually score his second consecutive win of the season.

Julien Ingrassia and Sébastien Ogier (Photo: VW Motorsport)

Mikko Hirvonen (Citroën) won the first stage of the last day, which helped him secure a first podium this year, albeit a long way behind Ogier.

Thierry Neuville (Ford) took his first WRC podium, in third position 4.23 minutes adrift.

Dani Sordo (Citroën) and Nasser Al Attiyah (Ford) take fourth and fifth positions. Chris Atkinson (Citroën) managed sixth position for his WRC return, just ahead of US driver Ken Block (Ford) in his only world rally outing this season.

Jari-Matti Latvala (Volkswagen) was forced into retirement after hitting a rock on Friday. Mads Ostberg (Ford) too didn't see the end of the rally, for a faulty alternator on Saturday. He was running second before retiring.

Sébastien Ogier, VW Polo R WRC (Photo: VW Motorsport)

Rally Mexico - Final classification :
1. Ogier-Ingrassia (VW Polo Wrc) in 4.30'27”0
2. Hirvonen-Lehtinen (Citroen DS3 Wrc) + 3'28”89
3. Neuville-Gilsoul (Ford Fiesta RS Wrc) + 4'23”8

4. Sordo-Del Barrio (Citroen DS3 Wrc) + 6'06”7

5. Al Attiyah-Bernacchini (Ford Fiesta RS Wrc) + 8'34”5

6. Atkinson-Prevot (Citroen DS3 Wrc) + 11'28”0
7. Block-Gelsomino (Ford Fiesta RS Wrc) + 11'48”3
8. Guerra-Rozada (Citroen DS3 Wrc) + 12'49”8

9. Prokop-Ernst (Ford Fiesta RS Wrc) + 14'29”0

10. Novikov-Minor (Ford Fiesta RS Wrc) + 17'15”3
Etc.

Championship :
1. Ogier 74 points, 2. Loeb 43, 3. Hirvonen 30, 4. Neuville 25, 5. Ostberg 24, etc.

BMW regained the top spot in global luxury auto sales from Audi last month on demand for the 3 series and X1 SUV, while the Mercedes-Benz brand fell further behind its German rivals.

ROAD TEST EDITOR JONATHAN WONG: It is slim pickings if youand#8217;re looking for a compact SUV with a manual transmission these days. You have the

Tesla CEO Elon Musk took another swipe at The New York Times on Saturday, calling the newspaper's critical review of his Tesla Model S electric car a "low-grade ethics violation."

Sébastien Ogier (Volkswagen) is now the lonesome leader of rally Mexico, his main rival Mads Ostberg having retired after a mechanical failure.

Ostberg, who showed potential winning form on Friday, was the only driver capable of matching Ogier for the win in Mexico. Unfortunately, the Norwegian driver was forced to retire by an alternator issue Saturday.

Ostberg's retirement relieved Ogier from any pressure. The championship leader now being more than a minute ahead of second place man Mikko Hirvonen (Citroen).

Thierry Neuville (Ford) lost time with a damaged steering, and his now in third position, 2.44 minutes behind Ogier

Three special stages remain Sunday in rally Mexico.

From GMM

Lewis Hamilton has revved up his rivalry with former teammate Jenson Button by saying the idea of beating his countryman "doesn't excite me".

The Britons were paired together at McLaren between 2010 and last season, but Hamilton has switched camps over the winter to Mercedes.

Button seems happy with what most pundits are describing as 'de-facto' number 1 status alongside team newcomer and youngster Sergio Perez.

"It's unbelievably different," he beamed, according to the Guardian.

"I'm really loving my job at the moment."

But over at Mercedes, Hamilton shrugged at the suggestion beating Button at the wheel of a different silver car is an exciting prospect.

"The rivalry between me and Fernando (Alonso) excites me more," he is quoted by the Daily Mail.

"You also want to beat Seb(astian Vettel), as they are the ones with the most titles.  But Alonso's the fastest driver I can see."

Whether Hamilton has the most respect for him or not, 33-year-old Button is happy with his lot, insisting he won't be following Hamilton in the chase for a fresh challenge.

"I feel very at home.  I feel like I'd like to end my career here," he said.

Jamie Green stated that even in his first season with Audi, his goal remains to win the championship.

The Brit transferred from Mercedes, where he had been since starting his DTM career in 2005, to Audi this winter. This means a new car, a new team, so a new environment altogether.

None of which seems to bother him.

"Being at the training camp in Ofterschwang helped me a lot (to bond with the team). We did a lot of sport together and spoke a lot to each other," he revealed in a team interview.

"This helped me to become part of the Audi family more easily."

Which is why maybe the 30-year-old is aiming so high in 2013.

"Winning the championship remains my big goal," he admits. "Even though Audi din't live up to its own expectations in 2012, I start the new season completely impartially and hope we can fight for the title this year.

"I'm happy that I can compete for Audi in one of the most successful DTM teams."

From GMM

Michael Schumacher has ruled out returning to the formula one paddock as a television pundit.

It is an occupation now enjoyed by a number of the seven time world champion's rivals, like former teammates Martin Brundle and Johnny Herbert, and even his title nemesis Damon Hill.

But, although now returning to retirement after three final years with Mercedes, Schumacher is not coming back to occupy a microphone.

"That would not be my thing," he told Bild newspaper.

"First, things move so fast in formula one that even I am already a long way behind, and that is not my style," said the 44-year-old legend.

"Secondly, once again I would be away from my family, and not even having the fun of driving."

So, asked what he will be doing when the cars line up on the Melbourne grid without him next weekend, Schumacher answered: "At home, watching TV."

From GMM

Red Bull is not ruling out rebranding its Renault engines in future.

French supplier Renault, although complaining its recent successes have not been well enough recognised, is regarded as Red Bull's 'works' partner.

Brand ambassador Alain Prost admitted one of his goals is to talk up Renault's contribution.

"How many people out there know that Renault has won the last three world championships?" he rhetorically asked Germany's Auto Motor und Sport.

"We have to sell ourselves better.  People should know what we do and why we do it," added Prost.

However, Renault could be set to sink further into the background at Red Bull at some point in the future.

Team owner Dietrich Mateschitz has admitted the team's Renault engines could be rebranded, as the title sponsorship with new title partner Infiniti is further ramped up.

"Yes, at some point there could be a Red Bull-Infiniti," the Austrian billionaire told Salzburger Nachrichten newspaper.

Model: 2007 to 2012 Nissan Sentra

Vehicle Type: Compact Sedan

The Verdict: Other than a few fairly minor problems, a used, last-generation Sentra appears to be a relatively safe bet -- so long as it gets a mechanical thumbs-up ahead of your purchase.

Price: Standard Sentra models tend to be priced from around $8,000 for a 2007 model with some miles to $18,000 for an “almost new” 2012 model with a few thousand clicks. Shoppers should expect no problem finding a decent model towards the lower end of that spectrum.

Photo: Justin Pritchard

What Owners Like: Commonly, Sentra owners report good ride quality, a relatively roomy interior and decent-size trunk. In fact, more than one owner taking to the web to share his/her experience said that the Sentra will surprise folks who don't like driving small cars. Storage space on board(as well as styling) was also highly rated.

What Owners Dislike: Dull orange instrument illumination is a big complaint here, as is the wide turning radius. Some owners wish for better fuel economy and easier-to-clean seats, too.

History/Description: Standard versions of this sixth-generation Sentra got a 2.0L 4-cylinder engine with 140 horsepower and a 6-speed manual transmission. Nissan's CVT gearbox was available. All models were front-wheel drive.

Sentra 2.0 was the base model, while the 2.0S and 2.0SL amounted to mid- and top-range models, respectively. Sporty, up-powered SE-R and SE-R Spec V models were available as well.

On higher-end models, look for available heated mirrors, Bluetooth, leather seating, a power sunroof, Rockford Fosgate audio, and more.

Photo: Justin Pritchard

Continue reading 2007-2012 Nissan Sentra Pre-Owned

We won't lie: We were a bit disappointed to find out that we wouldn't be able to drive the 1910 Benz 21/80 Prinz Heinrich car at the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance.

NEWS EDITOR GREG MIGLIORE: The Dart has made Dodge a player in an ultra-competitive segment.

Tony Stark, the fictional superhero in Walt Disney's "Iron Man" films, will park the Acura supercar he drove last year in favor of a battery-powered Audi when his latest motion picture opens May 3.

European sales fell by 8 percent to 12.5 million units last year, but that didn't diminish buyers' appetite for premium compact vehicles.

Adapted from GMM

When asked if he is disappointed that those he beat last year in GP2 - Luiz Razia, Esteban Gutierrez, Max Chilton and Giedo van der Garde - were all offered race seats before him, Valsecchi smiles.

"No" is the answer. He is enjoying is job at moment.

"Last year I won the GP2 title, now I'm making the first steps in F1," he told Russian website f1news.ru.

Davide Valsecchi performing for Lotus in F1 (Photo: WRi2)

Then again, the 26-year-old Italian has no choice but to be content with his reserve role at Lotus. Struggling with fewer sponsors, he could not have matched the biddings of his former GP2 rivals in the race to the few backmarker seats available.

Still, the Eupilo-native is adamant had money not been an object, he would have gone down the same route.

"If the question is whether it is better to be chasing with one of the last teams or to be a backup driver with Lotus, maybe opening up something really worthwhile for the future, I would have chosen the second option in any case."

Eighth cities feature on the first preliminary calendar of the Formula E championship - a series for electric-powered single seater racing cars set to kick off next year.

The eight cities are London, Rome, Miami, Los Angeles, Beijing, Putrajaya, Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro.

Ultimately, the calendar could boast up to 12 races.

Boris Johnson, the mayor of London, said he was "hugely keen" to help with the project.

Italy's famous chassis comapny Dallara is already working on the first Formula E cars. Meanwhile McLaren, together with Spark Racing Technology (SRT), is developing the powertrain.

The World Rally Championship (WRC) presents you these highlights from Friday, of Rally Guanajuanato México, round three of the 2013 season, led so far by Sébastien Ogier, in his Volkswagen Polo R WRC.


Source: WRC Youtube channel

The Alpine name will return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans this year, with Signatech.

The formerly Nissan-badged engines of the Oreca LMP2 prototypes will support an Alpine livery, to satisfy Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn's wish.

Commercial ties between the Renault-Nissan group and the Caterham-owned Alpine made it all possible.

Alpine's glorious past (Photo: Alpine)

The Signatech's Oreca-Alpine LMP2 will also run the European Le Mans Series, driven by young Frenchmen Nelson Panciatici and Pierre Ragues.

Created in 1955 by Jean Rédélé, Alpine successfully competed in rally (with the famous Alpine Berlinette A110 and the Renault 5 Alpine), in single seaters and in endurance between the 60's to the early 80's.

The company's success peaked in the 1978, in the form of a win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the A442B prototype, driven by Didier Pironi and Jean-Pierre Jaussaud.