Journauto.com » Racing

Insight Racing CTSCC liveries for Forza 4

journauto — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 02:17:11 +0000

Hey Forza fans! Following Insight Racing’s solid start to the CTSCC season in Daytona last week, I’ve made virtual replicas of both BMW race cars for road racing and Forza fans alike to drive and enjoy in Forza Motorsport 4.

To show my support for the Ohio-based team, I’ll be giving away these designs for free for the duration of the 2012 Continental Tires Sports Car Challenge season. That’s right, free!

Driven by 2011 CTSCC rookie of the year Ryan Ellis and Tyler McQuarrie, the real #18 car scored its first top 10 of the season in round one of the 2012 CTSCC. The faster #19 car, driven by Jeff Westphal and Martin Jensen, finished the BMW Performance 200 at Daytona in 15th position.

To download the liveries, load up your copy of Forza and search the ‘STOREFRONT’ for the designs to download yourself. You can find my storefront by searching gamertags for “journauto”.

For the #18 car, search for “BMW 135i” designs with any of these keywords: #18 INSIGHT RACING BMW 128i COUPE ST CLASS REPLICA 2012 CONTI TIRES CHALLENGE

For the #19 car, search for “BMW E92 M3″ designs with any of these keywords: #19 INSIGHT RACING BMW E92 M3 COUPE GS CLASS REPLICA 2012 CONTI TIRES CHALLENGE

There is no 128i model in the game, so the #18 car uses a 2009 BMW 135i Coupe, which you can get in the game or online auction house, with HRE 445R wheels* painted black to match. The #19 GS racecar requires you to have the 2008 BMW M3 Coupe E92 with black HRE 546R wheels*.

Insight Racing will also compete in the 2012 Blancpain Endurance Series in Europe this year with a new Ferrari Italia 458 GT3. It doesn’t yet have a livery…

*Purchase in wheels section of Forza Motorsport 4 “Upgrade Shop”.

Xbox Live Gold subscription, video game and internet connection required.

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2011 Targa Newfoundland coverage

journauto — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 19:49:10 +0000

For the past week-and-a-half I have been in Newfoundland, Canada competing in the 2011 Targa Newfoundland. This is a week-long 2,200-kilometre tarmac rally held annually throughout eastern and central portions of the province of Newfoundland.

The route is made up of approximately 40 competitive Targa stages where the road is closed to public traffic. The stages are linked by non-competitive Transit sections where provincial vehicle traffic laws apply. It is one of three internationally recognized Targa events and quite possibly Canada’s most-grueling motorsports event.

The car, owned by Kia Canada, features a 2.4-litre four-cylinder 16V DOHC engine, six-speed manual transmission, high performance exhaust, cross drilled and vented brakes, Toyo R1R tires and an interior roll cage that puts us in the Targa Modern division.

I have assembled a section here based on my original day-by-day articles on Autonet.ca. I have also uploaded every photo that I personally shot while in Newfoundland on this great adventure. I just wish there were more.

After the provisional results for Targa Modern were made official (after Brian O’Kane/Andrew Comrie Picard’s car disqualification was overturned) on September 26th, we placed 11th overall in the division. And, sixth in our division. Not bad for a $21,000 Kia. For more results, visit the Targa Newfoundland website.

Targa Newfoundland here I come!

journauto — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 22:20:59 +0000

It is finally official!

This Keenan and that Kia are headed to the Rock along with my fellow Autonet.ca journalist and CTCC driver Jacques Deshaies. And, beginning next week, you can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and, of course, Autonet.ca.

I’ll post again when I have some links for you to follow our progress day by day. I’ve even signed up for a Twitter account that I hope to send updates from from right inside the action!

This is one event worth staying tuned in for. Check out the full press release after the jump…

PRESS RELEASE

Kia Canada participating in 2011 Targa Newfoundland Rally, unveils new national partnership with MADD Canada

Mississauga, ON, September 2, 2011 – Kia Canada is participating, for the second year in a row, in the Targa Newfoundland rally and putting MADD Canada in the driver’s seat by sponsoring their school assembly program implemented to reduce impaired driving among youth.

For the occasion, a race-prepped Kia Forte Koup donated by Kia Canada will be driven by a team of two members from Autonet.ca: pro-driver Jacques Deshaies will be at the wheel and Shaun Keenan as co-pilot. Both will represent team “Designated Drivers,” racing under number “99″ which references the year in which Kia Canada was established.

For the 2011 edition, the team is racing with the goal of promoting their partner, MADD Canada, thus raising awareness of the dangers of impaired driving and reinforcing the need to always drive responsibly.

To reinforce this message the Kia Koup has been specially wrapped to debut its “I Pledge to drive safe and sober” campaign. With every stop during the rally, spawning across wide sections of Newfoundland, local youths will be exposed to the cars and drivers and will be encouraged to pledge to this important cause by signing the Koup race car.

Teens and young adults are at particularly high risk for impaired driving. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among 15- to 25-year-olds and alcohol is a factor in 45% of those crashes. The combination of drugs and driving is also a major concern; Canadian youth between the ages of 14 and 25 have one of the highest rates of cannabis use in the world.

“Kia Canada is excited to renew its participation with Targa Newfoundland and to have pro driver Jacques Deshaies and Shaun Keenan represent as team ‘Designated Drivers” said Maria Soklis, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) Kia Canada Inc. “As an automotive company, Kia is proud to support MADD Canada in their quest to educate Canadians on the importance of driving responsibly.”

As the new Presenting Sponsor of the 2011-2012 School Assembly Program, Kia Canada Inc. is also donating the use of eight vehicles to MADD Canada: four vehicles will be dedicated for use by field representatives who travel from school to school to deliver the program. The remaining four vehicles will be used by Chapters across the country to promote local activities and events. All vehicles will be adorned with MADD Canada’s logo and messaging for maximum visibility and awareness.

In addition, each vehicle will be wrapped in the “I Pledge” special finish similar to the Kia Koup race car which will allow students to sign the vehicle as a way of showing their commitment to never driving under the influence.

“Kia Canada Inc. is making an impact,” said MADD Canada National President Denise Dubyk. “With Kia’s assistance, we will deliver our important message to more than one million students across this country, helping them to understand the dangers of impaired driving and reinforcing the need to always drive responsibly. It’s a message that will save lives.”

After competing in the Targa rally, the vehicle will tour the vast majority of auto shows in Canada and will be seen at the Kia Canada display for the 2012 auto show circuit.

Kia was among the earliest corporate supporters of Targa, fielding a then-new Kia Rio for the media team of auto writer Bob English and local radio personality Ken Ash in the inaugural Targa Newfoundland in 2002. Over the next three years, Kia cars won class honours for the company several times.

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Kia Canada Inc. (www.kia.ca – www.facebook.com/kiacanada), a maker of quality vehicles for the young-at-heart and a subsidiary of Kia Motors Corporation (KMC) in Korea, was founded in 1999. It sells and services high-quality class-leading vehicles like the Soul, Forte and Sorento through its network of 172 dealers nationwide. Kia Canada Inc. employs 141 people in its Mississauga, Ontario headquarters and four regional offices across Canada. Kia Motors Corporation continues to showcase the company’s global commitment to surpassing customer expectations through continuous automotive innovation.

MADD Canada (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) is a national, charitable organization that is committed to stopping impaired driving and supporting the victims of this violent crime. With volunteer-driven groups in more than 100 communities across Canada, MADD Canada aims to offer support services to victims, heighten awareness of the dangers of impaired driving and save lives and prevent injuries on our roads.

Porsche Sport Driving School – USA

journauto — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 21:04:56 +0000

I was in Birmingham, Alabama last week to attend the Porsche Sport Driving School – USA at George Barber’s Barber Motorsport Park (no relation to Skip Barber). My schooling starts with a lead follow lapping session in a Carrera S 6MT with myself trying to stay with Hurley Haywood, a six-time 24 Hours of Daytona champion.

Following a southern-style lunch, it’s back to the big track for three more lapping sessions…

First, it’s back in the manual transmission Carrera S, which, besides getting up to speed, doesn’t require anything but third and fourth gear to get around here. I’d been lucky up until now to not have any other drivers in my session, but somebody had been thrown in with me this session. After a couple laps, however, it was clear that he just couldn’t (or didn’t want to) keep up with the instructor and I, and thankfully sat bowed out of the next sessions.

With Zippy the Wonder Slug back in the paddock, it was time to try out the PDK gearbox and do away with manual shifting. The PDK is so good that, if I’d been in max attack mode with both cars, this one would be three or four seconds faster than the manual tranny.

Next up is the 911 Turbo with PDK. This feels faster than the Carrera, however, has a bit of lag getting back on the throttle when too much speed is scrubbed in the trickier, tighter turns. It takes only a few laps to make the correction permanent though.

With my track sessions complete, I pair up with another writer from Brazil and take to the street in a 911 GT3. What better place is there for a racecar built for the road? I digress, but I enjoy the drive nonetheless.

An hour later I arrive back at the track. Though I’ve depleted my driver’s seat time credits, the fun isn’t quite over.

The day ends similar to how it begins. But, instead of chasing Haywood in a Porsche, I’m riding shotgun with him in one of the 500 911 GT2 RS models that exist, while he tries to shake the camera I’m holding out of my hands.

Fortunately, my grip was strong enough… And I’ve got this video as one killer souvenir. Watch it below!

Ron Fellows testing in Pahrump

journauto — Mon, 10 May 2010 19:39:09 +0000

Today is my birthday, but my present came early this year…

About a month ago, I was back in Pahrump, Nevada to attend the 2010 Canadian AMG Performance Tour at the Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch. I’d first come here to drive the Nissan 370Z coupe when it launched.

So, while I was here to drive an exclusive collection of current AMG models, including the 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, on the facility’s most technical 1.5-mile race track, Canadian-born racecar driver Ron Fellows was out testing his yellow #2 Cragar Wheels Corvette on a longer section of the same tarmac ribbon.

Spring Mountain is actually home to the Ron Fellows Corvette Racing School where average Joe’s can learn to tame the ZR1, C6 Z06 and C6 Z51 with the man himself. Rest assured, the only thing getting schooled in these photos is the car itself.

At the end of the day, before my group’s chartered shuttle delivered us back to the Las Vegas strip and our hotel, a small group of enthusiasts (myself included) stood in wonderment behind the wall near this turn.

The supercharger on this thing is just beastly and the car can be heard loud and clear from quite a distance away. It screams like a Star Wars X-wing fighter under braking in this tight right-hander. At first, I wasn’t sure if this was Ron or not, but if you look closely above the door, you’ll see his John Hancock plain and clear.

If you’re looking for something to do on the May two-four long weekend this year, why not check out the World Challenge GT, GTS and Touring Championship race at the Mosport International Raceway? Ron will be there.

More info on Spring Mountain can be found on its website.

PHOTO GALLERY

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Dubbing it in the QC

journauto — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:30:02 +0000

Last week I was in freezing c-c-c-c-o-old Quebec to test drive the new 2010 VW Golf family. And, after driving up north to Ste. Jovite in a three-door 2.5-litre gas powered model and the new 2-litre turbo clean diesel wagon with DSG auto and tush warming, it was time for some fun and fast laps to get the blood circulating.

It gets better.

Not only do I get to do this on the Circuit-Mont Tremblant in the new VW GTI Mk6, here to help me eek out every last morsel of performance and learn the track are professional Canadian race drivers Richard Spenard and Patrick Carpentier. Nice!

2010 VW Golf GTI Launch - The Whole Gang

I’ve been a Carpentier fan back since before the Greg Moore days (people have even said I look like Moore actually), so I was quite taken aback by his presence. Pretty sure I met him once very briefly in the Molson Indy Toronto paddock area.

2010 VW Golf GTI Launch - Patrick Carpentier

I’ll get back to him in a second.

Besides getting to drive on this very cool and technical circuit for the very first time, one of the most interesting things I saw on this day was a 2.0-litre turbo engine blow a rod through the block of the car in front of me.

2010 VW Golf GTI Launch - GTI Mk6 Expires

This car was third in a line of GTIs following Spenard during some track orientation laps and only the third lap. Coming out of turn 10 down into the gulch, I was riding shotgun in the car behind when it went ‘poof’ and then pulled off to the grass with smoke spewing from the engine compartment through every available orifice. Not sure what happened and after snapping this photo and heading into the pits, the car was never seen or heard from again.

Spenard is a several time Formula Ford 2000 and Porsche 944 Cup Canadian champ and after I familiarized myself with autocross course not far away, I took advantage of some one-on-one time with him on the North Loop. (There’s a track map at lecircuit.com) Didn’t get any pics (I was driving of course) and besides getting me to brake a bit earlier and smoother in a couple places and turn later into number four, he thought I did pretty well.

I shot the next few photos while Carpentier drove the heck out of this GTI while trying to fend off a super-quick Spenard on the full circuit’s two back straightaways.

2010 VW Golf GTI Launch - Carpentier

Drafting and passing Spenard before turn 10, Patrick got passed coming out of the corner. Most of the time I was hanging on to the holy-shit handle with one hand while trying to hold the camera steady in the other with a five-time CART winner, IRL vet and current NASCAR hopeful seemingly trying to knock me off. He, while I’m hanging on like a monkey, is laughing and giggling inside his helmet so hard it’s tickling me.

2010 VW Golf GTI Launch - Passing Games

It really was a fun day. I hope you enjoy the photos. Oh, and for the record, no other V-Dub’s were harmed on this day.

My preview of the 2010 Golf Family is coming soon to a Sun Media outlet near you. I’ll let you know where and when.

Rollerman insane in the membrane

journauto — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:49:33 +0000

I stumbled upon this in a VODcars video today. The quality sucks, soundtrack questionable and I’ve no idea when this was filmed. I think the Grimsel Pass is in the Swiss Alps and, before today, I’d never heard of Jean Yves Blondeau. A.k.a. Rollerman, he is certifiably, one crazy badass crazy mofo!!! And, if I didn’t see this with my own eyes?!?!?!

Crazy downhill body..?..don’t know but I see bodyt

The love tap

journauto — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:13:46 +0000

In motorsports, the love tap is usually administered by the competition to let you know you’re going too slow. Well, not this time. In this video, he’s clearly trying to tell the guy in front, I love you, which is when it all goes to hell. See for yourself here. Hugs. (Big LOL!!)

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journauto — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 23:00:59 +0000

Pre-round four action in the Castrol Drift Mania Canadian Championship at Downsview with BFG Drift Team mates Ryan Lanteigne and Claude Poirer showing how to rock it in tandem. A very nice exhibition run for both pros!!

Forza Motorsport 3 four months away

journauto — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:34 +0000

Despite the fact my Xbox 360 has been resting-in-pieces in a wooden box under my TV since it suddenly red-ringed itself on me out of warranty in February [ironically, a loaner PS3 sits atop that wooden box for now (no joke!)], today I’m excited about returning to XBL as the rumour veil is lifted off Forza Motorsport 3 at E3 2009 in L.A.

Only hours ago, Microsoft made the official announcement during a two-hour press conference that was chock full of other nuggets, including news that Facebook, Twitter, last.fm and a revamped Netflix coming to Xbox Live along with other improvements. The Beattles Rock Band also sounds likes fun, but since playing nished playing MGS4 on the Playstation 3 and loved it so much, I’m now excited this Sony gaming series is coming to the 360 in the form of Metal Gear Solid: Rising.

Getting back to the meat and potatoes of this post, Forzamotorsport.net site has got new digs with the official FM3 news. The will be 400 cars from 50 different manufacturers all fully tunable, 100 tracks existing and new, a in-car cockpit view, new stunning graphics engine, video replay editor and full roll-over crashes.

Enough already. I can tell you’re excited… the official Forza Motorsport 3 Fact Sheet after the jump. Enjoy and see you online soon!

I’ve been playing a little bit of Gran Turismo Prologue lately, which is a retail demo for the franchise’s upcoming GT5 release, and honestly, with today’s FM3 announcement, I’m really confident in saying that FM3 will be far superior to anything Polyphony Digital has shown. I can’t wait to get a new 360 and rip up all those tracks in FM3.

RS Spy(der)ed in Toronto

journauto — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 23:46:34 +0000

Porsche RS Spyder

Today I found myself at Downtown Porsche in Toronto’s Distillery District getting up close and personal with this incredible LMP2 Porsche RS Spyder racecar.

In town for the ALMS race this Sunday at the legendary Mosport International Raceway northeast of the city, Porsche factory drivers, Sascha Maassen (Germany) and Patrick Long (USA), and members of the 2007 ALMS championship-winning Penske Team were on hand to answer questions from local Porsche aficionados, motorsport junkies and the media alike.

The RS Spyder was a dominant vehicle in the 2007 American Le Mans Series (ALMS). It won 11 of 12 races, including eight overall wins. But, in order to exploit the scope provided by the LMP2 (Le Mans Prototype 2) class regulations to the fullest, Porsche had to completely revamp the RS Spyder for the 2008 season. The result is a design that ensures the engine, transmission, chassis, suspension and aerodynamics all combine to produce a harmonious overall package.

So far this season it’s been working as the red and yellow road rocket has won four of the six ALMS races run this year with the same engine that helped win the championship in 2006 and 2007.

Hoping to three-peat, Porsche recently installed direct fuel injection on the potent 3.4-litre V8 motor that sees power output rise from 476 to 503 hp at 10,000 rpm. Maximum torque also rose from 273 lb.-ft. at 7,500 rpm to 284 lb.-ft. at 8,500 rpm.

Timo Bernhard (Germany) and Romain Dumas (France) travel to Canada as title defenders and current points’ leaders in their #7 Porsche RS Spyder.

The highly successful team of Roger Penske fields a second RS Spyder in Mosport with the starting number 6, piloted by Sascha Maassen and Patrick Long, who presently rank third in the championship.

The Penske Team hopes to extend its points lead in round eight. Porsche also holds the points’ lead in the manufacturers’ classification (chassis and engine) with Penske Racing leading the team classification.

During the event, Patrick Long said he’s looking forward to this weekend’s race. He also said the toughest competition this year is coming from the Acura-powered LMP2 cars of Andretti Green and, interestingly enough, Patron Highcroft Racing (see post below).

The 4.102-kilometre-long Mosport circuit is one of the quickest and most difficult on the ALMS calendar and drivers rightfully treat it with respect. Check your local listings or head on out to watch the action unfold in person.

Links [External]:

American Le Mans Series
Downtown Porsche
Mosport International Raceway
Penske Racing (ALMS)