Autoblog

Seven-time Formula 1 racing champion Michael Schumacher will be racing this weekend on a Honda CBR1000RR at the IDM International German Motorbike Championship. There are rumors that he'll be racing under a false name, Marcel Niederhausen. Now that the cat is officially out of the bag, so to speak, he may as well skip the alias. Schumacher will race alongside current champion Martin Bauer for Holzhauer Racing.

With this announcement, all of the previous events which Schumacher took part in start to make more sense. Superbike racing is very hotly contested, and the bikes feature nearly two-hundred horsepower in race trim. Therefore, it would have been an exceedingly bad idea to race in this series without a few warm-up runs. According to event organizers, the thirty-seven year old Schumacher has been testing for the last few weeks with members of his new team and "he surprised many experts with fast times." We can only hope that our "retirements" will be so enjoyable.

[Source: Motorcycle News]

Dodge Challenger Super Stock shown from 2006 SEMA Show

Fans of going as fast as possible in a straight line, which includes some of us at Autoblog, have reason to rejoice. Chrysler has officially announced that the drag package for its upcoming Challenger, initially shown at SEMA in late 2006, will be released on an unsuspecting public. Previous rumors have the drag pack getting hi-po versions of the 5.9-liter Magnum and Hemi V8's, while jettisoning around eight-hundred pounds of dead weight unnecessary for mass-acceleration. The National Hot Rod Association is said to be going through the package as we speak in order to certify it for racing duty. After all of the necessary paperwork is complete, the Challenger is expected to race in the Stock Eliminator class. According to Chrysler spokeswoman Patricia Georgevich, Chrysler is looking at a possible introduction in July.

[Source: Inside Line]

There's no arguing that the Caterham R500 is an amazing piece of four-wheeled machinery. In fact, it may just be the quickest way around a race track short of a Formula 1 car. We're equally as certain that the Ducati Hypermotard is an awesome motorcycle, so putting both of these performers on the same track and letting them have at it is certain to entertain. Autocar must have thought so, too, and udging by the video posted after the break, the event didn't let anybody down. As is usually the case when a bike is put up against a car, the race was close. In the longer straight sections of the track, the Duck's power-to-weight ratio allows it to pull away from the Caterham. The Caterham, with twice the number of contact patches, easily out-brakes the Ducati rider and can carry more speed throughout the turn. So, is the race that will finally put an end to the age-old question about which is faster around a given course? Probably not, but it sure is fun to watch. Want to know who won? Hit the jump, and be sure to pay attention as the Caterham goes airborne.

[Source: Autocar]

Photo by Mary Seelhorst

Slightly over shadowed by all the drama surrounding the Vanishing Point Dodge Challenger, Car and Driver competed in the 2008 One Lap of America event behind the wheel of a stock Nissan GT-R. Typically a magazine editor going for an extended joy ride in a pre-production sports car isn't expected to severely push the vehicle's limits, which is why Tony Swan cruised to a decent 11th place overall finish in the event. Not a bad placement, but also apparently not good enough for some, as interested internet anti-fanboys have taken the opportunity to criticize the car based on its performance in the vent. However, the negative commentators neglected to take into account the seriousness of the top vehicles and their veteran drivers.

After spending one-on-one quality time with the GT-R, Mr. Swan also sings a slightly different song than some. He agrees that it is blistering quick, but maybe not as easy to drive as some have lead you to believe. The wide open track at Road America let Nissan's lovechild stretch its legs, but scaling down the venue did not directly translate. The Bridgestone run flat tires and inherent low speed understeer were a handful in wet and tight corner conditions. Perhaps it might have behaved the same way at the autocross venue, but lack of cone dodging experience (or more likely the lack of cones to dodge) led to a DNF for the car in the parking lot event. The drag strip also unveiled the GT-R electrical system's lack of launch control intuitiveness, as quarter mile staging methods interfered with the system's engagement. Despite a few difficulties, in the end the car was praised for its comfort level and ample luggage capacity for the week long journey. Thanks for the tip, Rexhavoc!

[Source: Car and Driver]

Click above for high-res gallery of the Fiat 500 Abarth Asetto Corse

Fiat is in attendance this week at the famous Mille Miglia in Brescia, Italy and it brought with it a whopper of a small car to impress the crowd. On hand is the Fiat 500 Abarth Asetto Corse, a full race version of the little iconic car that sports a screaming 200-hp turbocharged 1.4L four-cylinder that also produces 220 pound-feet of torque. Power is routed through a six-speed gearbox on its way to a set of 17-inch track white ultralight racing wheels that totally look the part. Make no mistake, this is a real race car and a special one-make championship series is being planned that will put it on the most famous race tracks across Europe next year. Only 50 will be made, however, so entry is exclusive.

While we don't know the price yet, your bag of Euros will get you a 500 that's kitted out with an aerodynamic package that adds a front spoiler, big rear wing, fender flares at all four corners and two new hood-mounted air intakes to feed the turbo. The interior has been stripped to save weight, which now stands at just 2,050 lbs., and a racing roll bar has been installed to protect the driver who now sits closer to the center of the car to improve weight distribution and driving feel. The Asetto Corse gets big Abarth badges all around and a pastel grey with red striping livery. The one on hand at the Mille Miglia is No. 00/49 and a pre-production prototype, so there are still plenty left for those who've always wanted a 500 race car.


[Source: World Car Fans, Italiaspeed]

James Garner was hospitalized last week after suffering a mild stroke at his home. Garner's publicist told the AP that the 80-year-old actor is doing well and should be home soon. While Garner's acting career has produced a lengthy and diverse body of work, for a lot of us here at Autoblog, it's hard to think of Jim Garner and not think of Jim Rockford and his gold Firebird Esprit. We're sure there's also no shortage of readers who instantly associate him with his starring role in John Frankenheimer's Grand Prix, hailed by many as the greatest racing movie of all time. Garner was also very active in motorsports in real life, owning American International Racing from 1967-69. He has raced on and off-road, and was inducted to the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame because of his role in elevating the stature of that particular branch of motorsport in the late sixties and early seventies. He's also driven the Indy 500 pace car three times. So, regardless of whether you know him best as Maverick or Jim Rockford, remember also that James Garner's historically a car guy. We wish him well and hope he has a speedy recovery.

[Source: AP via CNN, TV Squad]

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Lexus LF-A racecar.

Toyota is still prepping the LF-A for its assault on the 24 Hours of Nurburgring later this month, but it managed to campaign the Lexus supercar in the ADAC Rundstrecken Trophy Endurance, held on a 15.1-mile course that combines the Nordschliefe with the adjoining grand prix circuit. The LF-A placed 77th overall after completing 23 laps during the four-hour race, with its fastest lap coming in at 9:06. Just to reiterate so there's no confusion: this isn't the same course that the GT-R and ZR1 are lapping. That course is exclusively run on the Nordschliefe, so comparing times is like comparing apples and oranges... racing with traffic. Regardless, we've posted a video after the jump that shows the LF-A racecar up close and personal, along with some text from KGP to go along with the accompanying gallery.

Scott Dixon, racing for the Target Chip Ganassi IRL team, is your pole sitter for the upcoming Indy 500. Scott took the front spot with a 4-lap average of 226.366 MPH, about 0.5 MPH faster than last year's pole sitter. Slotting in behind Dixon is his teammate, Dan Wheldon, just a fraction slower at 226.110 MPH.

The first 22 slots in the 32-car field have been decided. Dixon and Wheldon will be followed by Ryan Briscoe, Helio Castroneves, Danica Patrick, Tony Kanann and Marco Andretti as the top six. The final 11 slots will be decided this Saturday and Sunday. The 92nd Indy 500 takes place on Sunday, May 25.

[Source: AP]

Photo: Gianna Babb

As the resident LeMons fanatic at Autoblog, it was tough to miss out on this year's first race at the Altamont. I live less than 20 minutes away, but prior commitments took precedence, so the team and I postponed our rat-rod run until later this year. Two of my LeMons teammates and I were driving through the Nevada desert on Sunday when we received word that a fellow racer had lost his life the day before. The mood turned somber in seconds. Details were scarce, but as our trek northward unfolded, we were able to get a few more details.

Court Summerfield, a 47-year-old resident of Alameda who worked with his wife, Vickie, at Ole's Waffle Shop, died of a heart attack while running the race. The preliminary investigation performed by the CHP confirmed that nothing was wrong with #39 Team Cant Am's Volvo 242 Turbo and that Summerfield was unconscious when he hit the wall.

Regardless of the circumstances, it was still an emotional blow to those of us that have followed the series since its inception, but one quote from Court's wife lifted our spirits immediately. Vickie said that, "It was really just something that he was happy doing. I'm sure the way he went, he was happy."

Jay Lamm, the man behind the 24 Hours of LeMons, informed us yesterday that a memorial fund has been set up in Court's honor, with all the proceeds going to his wife. You can make a donation by going to the 24 Hours of LeMons website and clicking the "Donate" button on the home page. I just donated what was left in my PayPal account after selling a few parts from my own track-day beater. It wasn't much, but it felt apropos of everything I'd like to think Court enjoyed.

Click to view the Ferrari A1GP car in hi-res

What you see above is the first rendering released of the upcoming spec racer that Ferrari is designing for the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport. If it looks familiar to racing fans, it should: the new car is based heavily on the Scuderia Ferrari F2004 grand prix car, which is a good place to start. The F2004 took the checkered flag at a dominant 15 out of 18 races in its epynumerous Formula One season, taking both the world championships (drivers and constructors), making it one of the most successful racing cars of all time.

We initially brought you news of the contract back in October '07, when at first it looked like Ferrari would "merely" supply the engines for the cars, later becoming evident that Ferrari was overseeing the entire design process as well, in conjunction with A1GP's own technicians. Instead of the V10 that powered the F2004, the new A1GP car will use a Ferrari-sourced V8 producing around 600 horsepower. The monoposto is scheduled to run its first laps this coming Friday, when we can expect A1GP to release some new images and data on the car that its teams campaign starting next season. Follow the jump for the press release.

[Source: A1GP]