Wednesday, August 23, 2017

AUTOS: Noted Engineer Roy Lund Dies



Funny to Mwah that I instantly recognized the name whilst perusing the New York Times Obituaries section recently. As I'm guessin Y'all would need to be a Dyed in thee proverbial Wool "FoMoCo" Fanatic to know who that was, Eh?

Since although Roy Lunn didn't grab the umpteen million candlelight exposure of the Spotlights like 'Ol Shel' (Carroll Shelby) did. Nonetheless, Messer Lunn's referred to as the "Godfather of the GT 40!"

Whilst I knew of his Kar Kraft connection and the BOSS 429, I've somehow forgot his Mustang I involvement, and didn't know his roles in the Jeep Cherokee, AMC Eagle, etc.

Roy Lunn, Pioneering Engineer of Celebrated Cars, Dies at 92

HYDROS: Tate seeking Redemption



But will anybody in the Pacific Northwest SEE or HEAR ANY of the Detroit Hydro races?

If you follow along or read this No Fenders BLOB', as Thy late Awntie' Harriet christened it... Then you'll know that Andrew Tate aboard  the U-9 Les Schwab Tires has an extremely fast Hydroplane! HELL, he even ran down Jimmy Shane, the defending National High Points Championship winner aboard the U-1 Miss HomeStreet at Seafair! Before being penalized agonizingly late afterwards, handing the Albert Lee Cup over to rival Shane.


Although not exactly going out on a ledge, since Thar two of the series Top Contendahs', nevertheless, Karmically I did choose a picture of Jimmy Shane & Andrew Tate for my Seafair preview...

As it's somewhat hard  to remember that Tate's only in his sophomore season as a top flight Unlimiteds Pilote, with a grand total of less than a dozen final heat outings in the B-I-G BOATZ'


Thus, I'd expect Tate to learn from his mistake, as that's at least the second time he's clipped or dislodged a buoy - costing him victory, or is it Tres? As now I can recall him doing this at Tri Cities and Seattle, whilst think he also took himself out of the running in last year's Gold Cup finale...

Alas, I won't be shocked at all if he keeps his nose clean next time out at his Home race this weekend, where he'll be wishing to win the coveted Gold Cup, which his father Mark has won twice.


As Andrew's Dad leaves some pretty big shoes to fill, having won twelve Unlimited finals including those two Gold Cups, along with being only one of five drivers ever to win the APBA National High Points Championship four times!

As the Quartet the elder Tate joined are all legendous' names of the sport: being the late Bill Muncey, Chip Hanauer, the late Dean Chenoweth and Dave Villwock; four of the sport's biggest names!

And believe Mark Tate still holds the record for fastest lap ever, naturally set  on the Detroit River, with an astounding speed of 170mph-plus!

And ironically, as the APBA Gold Cup race has returned to its rightful home, and this year's format mimics the nearby Belle Isle where El Capitano' (Roger Penske) continues wielding his Double Header IndyCar weekend format.

With the return of the storied President's Cup coming out of Mothballs, the Detroit Riverfest looks to be on course towards it's glorious past, after becoming insolvent just two years ago, when Tri Cities played host to the Gold Cup on its 50th anniversary, in 2015...


2017 National High Points chase...
With Seafair's final results in the books, and two Championship rounds remaining, the Graham Trucking, the Miss HomeStreet and the Les Schwab are all very close in the national points standings, with only 354 points separating them. As the boats leave Seattle, Miss HomeStreet leads the national points race with 3,274 points, Graham Trucking is second with 3,265 points, and Les Schwab has 2,920 points. In fourth place is the Miss J&D’s with 2,113 points and in fifth is the Miss Rock with 1,704 points.
(Source: h1unlimited.com)

G-O ANDREW & U-9 LES SCHWAB TIRES!

Monday, August 21, 2017

The Price of being a MotoGP Team Owner...



Stumbled across this story in the London Telegraph's Cars section, albeit they've got a MotoGP section...

It's an interesting  article upon some of the costs involved in being a MotoGP team, interviewing Honda Satellite LCR Team's Chief Technician Christophe Bourguignon about what various bits range in price and what types of spares are needed...

MOTO GP: Meet the Rider Chasing Marquez for this year's Crown...



Although as Kevin Lee would say so eloquently; He'd better get on his Giddy Up! If he wants to overtake the fast disappearing Marquez...

Ran across this very enjoyable interview with Maverick "top Gun" vinales recently when perusing the London Telegraph's Cars section, with the story being buried inside the article about MotoGP costs.

As the 22yr old Spaniard rider was leading the  points table at the time of the interview, whilst his mercurial Countryman and triple MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez had slipped 37 markers adrift.


But that was Wayback in June, with Marquez subsequently having gone on a tear, leapfrogging Vinales for the top of the points table by 14 markers heading into Round 11 of 18 at 'Ol Deeter Majestik's Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Ja-Ja!

As Marquez started from Pole with Vinales directly behind on Row-2, whilst third place title protagonist Andrea Dovizioso, simply known here in Nofendersville as DOVY', was in-between, with the Italian atop his factory Duc' (Ducati) just 21-points adrift of Marquez.

Yet for some reason, the wheels seem to be coming off the Yamahoppers', as Maverick slipped back during the race to finish a dejected sixth, whilst his lauded team leader Rossi finished P7.

As Dovizioso won his third time this year, ahead of his lauded team leader Jorge Lorenzo,  with Marquez being the Bologna in thou Ducati Duos Sandwich! Before the Repsol Honda pair of Marquez and Dani Pedrosa pushed him back to fourth place at the finish.

Thus Marquez now leads Dovizioso by 16-points, with 176 vs. Dovy's 160. Vinales slides to third overall with 150 and his Movistar team-mate "the Doctor," nee Valentino Rossi languishes in fourth with 141 points, with six rounds remaining.


Meanwhile, although I'd never heard of him, unless I mentioned him in some long, lost Scooter Pilotes' prose? Sadly, the man  responsible for putting Motorcycle racing on Spain's radar, along with being friends with King Juan Carlos, has just perished at age 70.

As Angel Nieto who won five 50cc and seven 125cc championships, apparently a tad superstitious, never referred to his accomplishments as the number 13, but instead 12+1...

Wiping MotoGP Off the Planet...



Talk 'bout Censorship!

Ran across this story in the Reuters Sports section on my Daily NFB Telephone Newsline service. Having only paid Attenzione since that name beIN' sports was familiar to Mwah.

Oh yeah, that's right, Thar' the Television Provider DORNA sold the Broadcasting rights to cover MotoGP, for which I'm doubting anybody has? Hmm, Crickets? Bueller?


Although I sure DON'T mind NOT getting up at Zero Dark-30' to watch; Err listen to the races anymore, albeit think it's been a pretty good season which NO Ones seeing Stateside...