Alltel, owner and operator of the nation’s largest wireless network, announced the launch of its innovative motorsports Podcast, which will be available weekly throughout the 2006 NASCAR season. Matt Borland, crew chief for the No.12 Alltel Dodge, will be featured on the weekly Podcast each Tuesday following a race. With Purdue University engineering graduate Ryan Newman at the wheel, the No.12 Alltel Dodge team has remained on the cutting edge of technology and is the first NASCAR Cup Series team to debut a team Podcast.

Podcasting, a method of publishing audio broadcasts via the Internet, allows users to subscribe to an online feed of mp3 audio files. Once registered, subscribers can receive Real Simple Syndication (RSS) reminders when a new Alltel Racing Podcast is available. Upon downloading the Podcast, subscribers can save the audio file and listen to it at their convenience on their computer, digital music player or mp3-enabled wireless device. The Alltel Racing RSS feed is: http://feeds.feedburner.com/alltelracingpodcast. [PRWEB]

Who is Fast Freddie and why is he causing such a commotion at Volkswagen? Fast Freddie is actually Volkswagen salesperson and GTI enthusiast, Ken Nix. Nix’s new Website, myfastgti.com caused quite a stir lately at Volkswagen.

According to Volkswagen’s press conference, Nix debuted a Website about the GTI and the little creature called a “Fast” just 3 days after their site. Volkswagen said this was a little embarrassing because it took them weeks to design and build a site and along comes an enthusiast and he does it in just 3 days. This doesn’t seem to surprise Volkswagen, as VW enthusiasts are known to be fanatical about their vehicles and their VW clubs.

So, what is a “Fast”? Well according to Volkswagen it is a little creature that lives in every one of us, thirsting for speed. Speed to a Fast is as water is to a fish. He has to have it. Each person who purchases a new 2006 GTI will receive a “Fast” to live in his or her GTI.

It seems the Fast also lives on eBay with the little GTI icon easily maintaining bids over the $300.00 mark. The GTI allows its owners to “make friends with their fast”. So how does the fast tie into Nix’s Website?

My Fast GTI is actually an online community for MKV GTI enthusiasts, but what is so unique, is that Nix wants to know what makes your fast tick. What does your fast drink? What does it crave? How does it get you into trouble? Nix hopes to use this information to tell Volkswagen exactly what the GTI enthusiasts crave.

You can also find Exclusive GTI video, images, a place to show off your GTI on the net and of course the latest Volkswagen GTI commercials at myfastgti.com. Have you seen them? Now, I wouldn’t advise telling your girlfriend to stop yapping so you can hear the GTI’s engine, but the commercials have sent a wave of enthusiasm across the country selling GTI’s as fast as, well, little black Fast icons on eBay. [PRWEB]

tagTRAX: volkswagen gti | ebay | nix | vw enthusiasts

30 BMW X5 Hockey Edition vehicles will be up for auction on eBay Canada (www.ebay.ca) to benefit the SickKids Foundation and to Variety – The Children’s Charity.

“This is a unique auction where BMW and its GTA retailers have brought together professional hockey heroes like Tie Domi, Mats Sundin, and Darcy Tucker,” says Gary Okla, Regional Manager, Central Region, BMW Group Canada. “BMW wants to give back to the community which is why the proceeds will go to Variety - The Children’s Charity and SickKids Foundation.”

The BMW GTA Retailers are participating in raising funds by selling the Sports Activity Vehicles on eBay Canada. The BMW GTA Retailers generously agreed to completely donate 100% of the funds raised from auctioning two of the limited edition vehicles to charity. These funds are committed to the support of two leading children’s charities, with proceeds going to the SickKids Foundation and to Variety - The Children’s Charity. A portion of the proceeds of the remaining 28 vehicles will also be given to both charities. [PRWEB]

The W. Virginia House voted overwhelmingly 88 - 3 to ban both red-light and speed cameras, but motorists concerned about unjust tickets in neighboring states are resorting to self-defense.

A growing number of West Virginia drivers are using PhotoBlockerâ„¢ spray because of news reports that innocent drivers are getting tickets they do not deserve. The time off from work, and the bureaucratic challenges required to prove a ticket was issued in error are the primary motivation for many drivers to resort to use of the spray.

“We compliment the elected officials in W. Virginia for having the wisdom to ban enforcement cameras, but we continue to receive increasing numbers of sales from motorists there who tell us they are concerned about cameras in nearby states,” said Joe Scott of PhantomPlate, Inc., maker of PhotoBlocker spray.

PhotoBlocker is an aerosol spray that does not change the appearance of the plate to the naked eye, but the flash picture from a red-light camera or speed camera makes the number on the plate unreadable because the light reflects back similar to the effect of taking a flash picture into a mirror.

“Drivers in all states are worried about the cost in time and money to defend themselves against unjust tickets. It is easier and less expensive to just use PhotoBlocker spray,” said Scott.

The decisive vote in West Virginia was reported in the press to be a message of disapproval to neighboring Steubenville, Ohio where W. Virginia drivers have fallen victim to enforcement cameras. The Ohio cameras are so controversial that a law suit has temporarily shut them down.

PhotoBlocker has been tested by media from around the world, as well as by a number of police departments. The published results show that the spray works as advertised. Out of all the many states where enforcement cameras are used, Illinois and New York are the only ones that outlawed the spray — giving further testimony that the spray actually works.

“We want our roads to be safe, and we do not encourage anyone to break the law. But we know how frustrating it is to get a ticket you do not deserve,” explained Scott. “Most drivers are good people who want to obey the law. If they have time to either stop or clear the intersection they will, but as long as cities use short yellow lights to generate more tickets motorists will resort to PhotoBlocker spray to protect themselves,” said Scott.

The company reports sales of over 500,000 cans in 23 countries. Information about the product is available on the Internet at http://www.PhotoBlocker.com. Many links to news stories and media reports are posted on the site.

“We get calls, e-mails and letters from journalists, doctors, lawyers, firefighters, teachers, judges, politicians, and police officers themselves have resorted to using PhotoBlocker spray to avoid entrapment,” said Scott. [PRWEB]

tagTRAX: virginia drivers | photoblocker spray | west virginia | innocent drivers | cameras

A car purchase is the second largest expense for most consumers and is regarded as one of the most challenging sales experience’s you will encounter. Time after time, dealers take charge of the transaction and often create an intimidating atmosphere for the purchaser.

Buying a second hand car is almost always a difficult experience and surprises frequently occur. In order for a sale to go smoothly, the majority of buyers rely solely on dealerships expertise. Unfortunately, not every dealer on the market is honest with their customers. For this reason, having a third-party testimonial and knowing a dealer’s reputation is crucial to purchasing a car.

DealershipRatings.com is a unique consumer advocacy organization that offers the public the opportunity to write testimonials about their automobile purchases. Featuring a database with over 40,000 dealerships, DealershipRatings.com helps customers purchase a car by providing awareness, and avoiding hassle.

“You spend days, weeks and even months researching which car is right for you and your hard earned dollars. Why not spend a few extra minutes to find the right dealer for you and your family?” Chris Contessa says.

Chris is the founder of DealershipRatings.com, the first consumer guide of dealerships on the Internet. He has created a community for consumers to share their positive or negative experiences with different dealerships. This is done with unbiased, real world reviews written by visitors and a unique discussion forum in which people interact and can express their opinion in real time.

“DealershipRatings.com wants to be a community for the average consumer to finally level the dealership playing field and make sure that dealers are doing their jobs and helping customers” he added. [PRWEB]

tagTRAX: consumer advocacy organization | consumers | community

A&J Racing Enterprises Inc. announced the premiere of Speed Talk Live a weekly syndicated NASCAR radio program that make its debut this week.

The show will be taped in front of a live audience at the ESPN Club on the Boardwalk at the Walt Disney World resort in Lake Buena Vista Florida; Tuesdays from 6:30 to 7:30.

Hosted by the editor of the Cup Scene Daily Website, Greg Engle, the show promises to be an action packed look at the world of NASCAR racing.

Engle a former stand-up comedian and currently a working NASCAR journalist looks forward to the weekly tapings in front of a live audience.

“I’m in my own element,” Engle said. “In front of 500-1000 people each week, preaching the gospel of NASCAR to the masses is an experience I’m excited about.”

The hour-long show will highlight the past weeks race, the news of the week from the track and rumors. In addition there will be Fantasy Racing news, a preview of the upcoming race and call in guests from around the world of NASCAR, along with Engle’s own unique brand of NASCAR humor. [PRWEB]

tagTRAX: nascar racing | nascar humor | nascar radio | walt disney world

MINI & MINI Cooper S owners of all generations have an opportunity to fulfill their dreams by entering to “shop” in-store, or on-line at Mini Mania’s 2006 Shopping Spree giveaway. Winners of the drawing can select from performance, accessory, maintenance and restoration auto parts for their Classic Mini Cooper or New BMW MINI Cooper.

Prizes include one $500, one $200, and one $100 shopping spree, as well as one $200 gift certificate for the Mini Club with the highest percentage of registrants. Mini Mania Shopping Spree winners chose from the largest stock in the USA of performance and accessory parts dedicated to the Classic Mini & BMW MINI Coopers. Entry is free via the www.minimania.com Website or by mail. The drawing will take place Saturday, August 19, 2006 coinciding with the 33rd Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California.

Mini Mania Shopping Spree winners will “shop” from the extensive warehouse inventory of 10,000+ unique performance, accessory, maintenance and restoration auto parts at our warehouse in Nevada City, CA, or by shopping on-line at minimania.com. Performance products are among the most popular upgrades. An extensive inventory of accessory, maintenance and restoration parts are also available. [PRWEB]

Taking the dog for a ride in the car? Better think twice about your four-legged passenger. According to a recent American Automobile Association study, pets and loose objects are rated as the third worst driver distraction, next to cell phone usage and unruly children.

The reality behind these statistics is not pretty for drivers or pets:

• A pet is propelled with force equal to 30 times its weight in a 30 mile-per-hour accident.
• A 30-pound dog can be sent flying with the equivalency of 900 pounds of force behind it - energy enough to kill it, and anything in its path. At faster speeds, the force is even greater.

In the event of a collision, pets are not only flying objects within the car, but can also be killed through their own impact with a windshield or any other hard surface within the vehicle. Pets are especially vulnerable in the front seat, where they can be injured by airbags, windows, windshields, or from distracting the driver by getting between him and the controls.

So buckle up the pet passengers in your vehicle with the Canine Auto Safety Harness created by Watson’s Senior Pet Products. Available in four different sizes, each harness conforms and adjusts to your pet’s specific proportions to ensure their comfort — and safety. The Canine Auto Safety Harness slips easily onto existing seat belts, and is guaranteed to fit any automobile.

For the sake of passengers, pets, pedestrians, and other drivers, it is important that pets be restrained at all times while riding in vehicles. Unrestrained pets can be a serious threat to both drivers and passengers, creating distractions or impairing the driver’s ability to drive. Without restraint, pets can be seriously injured during quick stops, sharp turns, and accidents. [PRWEB]

tagTRAX: american automobile association | pets | drivers | safety harness

Insurance.com, the nation’s largest online auto insurance agency, announced today that car insurance quote requests on its Website increased by more than 20% in 2005.

“During the past five years we have seen a tremendous growth on our site as a result of customers’ increased confidence level with the Internet,” stated Insurance.com President Lou Geremia. “We’ve embraced this new growth by adding over 100 licensed insurance agents to our sales center and have extended our sales center hours to 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Eastern Standard.”

Currently, over a dozen insurance carriers offer instant, competitive car insurance quotes through Insurance.com’s Website. Customers are able to view multiple quotes and perform side-by-side comparisons to identify the best car insurance policy for their needs. In addition, customers have the option to purchase their policy online or through a licensed agent via Insurance.com’s toll-free number (1-800-639-9201).

Presently, Insurance.com offers consumers comparative car insurance quotes in every state except Massachusetts, Alaska and Hawaii.

[PRWEB]

tagTRAX: car insurance quotes | online auto insurance | auto insurance agency

Scott Mansell, one of Britain’s most promising young drivers, launched milliondollarmansell.com as a unique method of allowing his supporters to achieve a high profile coupled with low-cost advertising. “Companies and individuals are able to advertise from just fifty dollars, which includes an image and link on www.milliondollarmansell.com and an image on my racecar” say’s Mansell.

A hundred dollar ‘block’ allows supporters to display a 20 x 50 pixel image on Mansell’s homepage and also a 1 x 2.5 inch image on his racecar. Companies can purchase as many ‘blocks’ as required, to ensure greater visibility.

Mansell’s idea is similar to that of Alex Tew’s very successful Million Dollar Homepage, with a slight twist. “My idea is an evolution of the Million Dollar Homepage, with added benefits at a lower cost. There is a massive ‘buzz’ around the site and people are excited about getting their name on an actual high-profile race car. My website is getting lots of traffic and this will only grow with my career profile.”

The Indy Racing League are fully behind Mansell’s imaginative idea. The IRL’s Media Relations Coordinator, Tim Harms says, “Scott’s idea is very simple and the good ideas always are. We are giving him full support and everyone is talking about this radical idea. We wish Scott and his team the very best for this season.”

Motorsport sponsorship at this level costs hundreds of thousands of dollars and the young racer may well have hit on a great idea. Mansell is allowing any firm to advertise in a very large arena, at a very affordable price. With large amounts of traffic being directed from his site, Mansell is confident that companies will instantly see the benefit. “Once they have paid their initial fee, traffic directed at their site will cost them nothing.” [PRWEB]

tagTRAX: mansell | indy racing league | imaginative idea | radical idea | pixel image