A former NASCAR employee filed a $225 million dollar sexual harassment, racial discrimination and wrongful termination lawsuit against NASCAR today. Mauricia Grant, a thirity-two year old African American Woman, worked for NASCAR from January 2005 to October 2007.

The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and lists twenty-three incidents of sexual harassment and thirty-four incidents of racial and gender discrimination.

Since 1984 Formula One teams have been required to build the chassis in which they compete, and consequently the terms “team” and “constructor” are more or less interchangeable.

This requirement distinguishes the sport from series such as IRL, Champ Cars, and NASCAR, which allow teams to purchase chassis, and “spec series” such as GP2, which require all cars be kept to an identical specification.

In its early years, Formula One teams sometimes also built their engines, though this became less common with the increased involvement of major car manufacturers such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Renault, Toyota, and Honda, whose large budgets rendered privately built engines less competitive (and redundant).

Early manufacturer involvement came in the form of a “factory team” (that is, one owned and staffed by a major car company), such as those of Alfa Romeo, Ferrari (FIAT) or Renault. Companies such as Climax, Repco, Cosworth, Hart, Judd and Supertec, which had no direct team affiliation, often sold engines to teams who could not afford to manufacture them. As the manufacturers’ deep pockets and engineering ability took over, almost all engines are now produced by major manufacturers.

After having virtually disappeared by the early 1980s, factory teams made a comeback in the 1990s and 2000s, and now form half the grid with Toyota, Ferrari (FIAT), Honda, Renault and BMW either setting up their own teams or buying out existing ones. Mercedes-Benz (DaimlerChrysler) owns 40% of the McLaren team and manufactures the team’s engines. Commercial engine supplier Cosworth exited the sport at the end of 2006. Thus all the teams will run on factory supplied engines from 2007.

The sport’s 1950 debut season saw eighteen teams compete, but due to high costs many dropped out quickly. In fact, such was the scarcity of competitive cars for much of the first decade of Formula One that Formula Two cars were admitted to fill the grids. Ferrari is the only still-active team which competed in 1950, and as of 2006 eleven teams remain on the grid, each fielding two cars. Although teams rarely disclose information about their budgets, it is estimated that they range from US$66 million to US$400 million each.

Entering a new team in the Formula One World Championship requires a £25 million (about US$47 million) up-front payment to the FIA, which is then repaid to the team over the course of the season. As a consequence, constructors desiring to enter Formula One often prefer to buy an existing team: B.A.R.’s purchase of Tyrrell and Midland’s purchase of Jordan allowed both of these teams to sidestep the large deposit.

Each car is assigned a number. The previous season’s World Drivers’ Champion is designated number 1, with his teammate given number 2. Numbers are then assigned according to each team’s position in the previous season’s World Constructors’ Championship. There have been exceptions to this rule, such as in 1993 and 1994, when the current World Drivers’ Champion (Nigel Mansell and Alain Prost, respectively) was no longer competing in Formula One. In this case the drivers for the team of the previous year’s champion are given numbers 0 (Damon Hill, on both occasions) and 2 (Prost himself and Ayrton Senna - replaced after his death by David Coulthard and occasionally Nigel Mansell - respectively). The number 13 has not been used since 1974, before which it was occasionally assigned at the discretion of individual race organizers.

Before 1996, only the world championship winning driver and his team generally swapped numbers with the previous champion – the remainder held their numbers from prior years, as they had been originally set at the start of the 1974 season. For many years, for example, Ferrari held numbers 27 & 28, regardless of their finishing position in the world championship. As privateer teams quickly folded in the early 1990s, numbers were frequently shuffled around, until the current system was adopted in 1996.

Michael Schumacher holds the record for having won the most Drivers’ Championships (seven) and Ferrari holds the record for having won the most Constructors’ Championships (fourteen). Jochen Rindt became the only posthumous World Champion after a fatal accident at the 1970 Italian Grand Prix.

Racing has taken a number of different forms, including foot, dog, horse, airplane, boat, car, motorcycle and bicycle. The object in any form of racing is to win. Being the fastest is what makes a champion. Coming in second rarely counts.

We know from painted pottery that the foot race was a popular event with the ancient Greeks. Today there are both indoor and outdoor forms of foot racing. The most common forms of racing are sprints, hurdles and relays. Distances of the races vary. The first marathon race in modern times was organized in 1896. It was approximately 22 miles in distance. Today, the marathon is around 24 miles. The first Olympic marathon for women was held in 1928. Today, there are many different marathons, usually organized by a specific charity, such as breast cancer, within a city.

Horse racing has also been around for centuries. The ancient Romans and Egyptians had a fascination for chariot racing. It continues to this day, although it is referred to as horse and buggy racing. There is also thoroughbred racing, with a trained rider (jockey) on a saddle on the horse’s back. One of the most popular forms of horse racing in the United States is the Triple Crown, made up of three separate races in different locations: The Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes. There are also races in which the horse must jump over obstacles set up on a measured track.

Bicycle racing is an Olympic sport today. The first known race was held in Paris in 1865. There are many forms of bicycle racing today, including on and off road, mountain bike, track, BMX and cycle speedway. One of the best known races is the Tour de France. American cyclist Lance Armstrong has won this event seven times.

Automobile racing began in 1894 and has continued in various forms until the present. The races usually depend on the distance travelled in particular types of cars. There is stock car, drag, rally, off road, sports car racing, Formula One (NASCAR) and other forms of racing. While distance is a factor in racing, speed is usually still the most important factor. The fastest speed recorded at the Indianapolis 500 was achieved by Eddie Cheever in 1996 when his race car reached 236.103 miles per hour.

Motorcycle racing is an enormously popular sport, and, like automobile racing, it comes in a variety of forms, including drag, sidecar, and supercross. There is also motocross racing, an amateur level sport. WERA is the national organization for the advancement, operation and sanctioning of motorcycle road racing. WERA sponsors sprint and distance races.

The first aircraft race was held in 1909, six years after the Wright Brothers flew the first airplane. It was held in Reims, France, and covered the distance from France to England. A race from England to Australia was instituted later, with most of the entrants being commercial airliners. It was discontinued after the outbreak of World War Two. In the United States, the National and Cleveland Air Races were initiated in the 1920s. In 1929, the Women’s Air Derby was created as part of the National Air Races. Today the Red Bull Air Race World Series is held annually. It features 11 pilots who compete against time on two passes over the designated course.

Ships and boats have long been used as racing vehicles. There have been some unusual races as well. Even bathtubs have been used in racing events. Depending on the type of propulsion used, aquatic races vary in time and speed.

A popular joke in the 1960s at full service gas stations was "filler up with Ethel and change the air in my tires." Today with the price of gasoline approaching $3.00 per gallon, why not replace the air in your tires. Not with air but with nitrogen. Filling your tires with nitrogen rather than air will improve gas mileage, help maintain correct tire pressure, keep tires 25% cooler, improve handling and performance and prolongs the life of your tires. NASCAR drivers use nitrogen in their tires for safety reasons, you can too.

Why should you stop putting air in your tires! Compressed air you find at tire shops, gas stations and the compressor you use at home have a high concentrations of water vapor. Compressing air concentrates the water in it and unless really efficient air dryers are used chances are there is water vapors in your tires. Water vapor absorbs and holds heat. This wet air plus heat can increase the pressure in your tires, causing highway blow outs, and is one of the reason you should check your tire pressure when they are cold.

This article is not about the nitrogen. It’s really about reducing oxygen and water vapor in your tires. The air in our tires is composed of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and about 1% water vapor and other gases. When pure dry nitrogen is used to replace the air in your tires it improves fuel efficiency, handling and it will extend the life of steel rims or custom wheels and tires. By reducing oxygen and water vapor in your tires from 22% to less than 7%, your tires will maintain pressure three to four times longer. Plus it will keep you safer on the highway.

How does oxygen and water damage my rims and tires? Oxygen, especially at high temperatures and pressures, corrodes aluminum, steel wheels and rubber. This process is called oxidation. When oxidation occurs small particles of rust and aluminum oxidization in your steel or aluminum wheels can clog valve stems, causing them to leak. The oxidation can cause the surfaces of your wheel flange and tire beads not to seal properly causing another leak point.

Oxygen can also age the thin layer of rubber called the inner liner or radial ply. As the inner liner ages, more and more air migrates through the rubber, causing additional pressure losses. As oxygen migrates through rubber it can come in contact with steel belts and the steel bead causing them to rust.

While both nitrogen and oxygen can migrate through rubber, nitrogen does it much slower. It might take six months to lose a couple of pounds of nitrogen, compared to less than a month with wet compressed air. Dry nitrogen does not cause rust and corrosion on steel rims or aluminum custom wheels, and it does not degrade rubber like wet compressed air.

Where can I get nitrogen for my tires? Nitrogen is becoming very popular with long haul trucking. Some truck stops have nitrogen available for these big rigs either free or by paying a small fee. They use the same type pay stations that you see at gas stations except they are marked "Nitrogen". These nitrogen stations are then connected to large nitrogen cylinders near by.

You can also buy your own small inexpensive Nitrogen Tanks and have them filled at welding supply stores in your area. Another source for small nitrogen tanks is Paint Ball supply stores either local or on the internet. eBay is a good source. These small nitrogen tanks can be filled at welding supply stores and then easily plumbed to fill your tires. Use caution when handling these small nitrogen tanks as they can be filled to as much as 3000 psi. Also make sure the nitrogen tank you purchase has a regulator attached and it is set for about 50 psi.

Filling your own new tires with nitrogen is a simple process. Jack up one tire until it just clears the ground, remove the tire valve stem and allow the air in your tires to escape. Once all the air escapes install a new valve stem. Then simply fill your tires with nitrogen from your small nitrogen tank. Repeat the process with the other 3 tires. Do not forget your spare! Your tires should now have about 95% dry nitrogen and you have significantly reduced all the hazards and oxidation problems mentioned above.

If you own a tire store and would like to provide nitrogen for your customers buy a Ingersoll Rand Nitrogen Tire Inflation System.

When my sister bought her first car by herself she paid the full sticker price. What she didn’t realize was that car prices are negotiable unlike the prices you pay for clothes in a Department Store. If AskPatty was online several years ago, she could have simply asked a question and without embarrassment get an honest and straight answer.

AskPatty is a Website where women (and men) can ask any automotive question and get an answer from a panel of automotive experts headed by NASCAR driver Deborah Renshaw.

As part of her automotive advisory role, Renshaw will respond online to questions from consumer women regarding their automotive needs. “Ask Patty is what consumer women have been waiting for - a safe online place to get advice before they visit their local car dealerships,” states Renshaw. [PRWEB]

While negotiating the price for a used car or getting a quotation by some advisor of AskPatty, the inclusion of car audio system, fittings of other accessories and any new installation of new switches must be taken into account. A used car can be easily jazzed up with the inclusion of the gadgets of your own choice. The addition of woofers and sirius satellite radios can give your driving experience a whole new feel.

Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) is giving NASCAR and NHRA fans a chance to own pieces of racing history and rare collectibles that have never before been made available to the general public, while helping various charitable organizations in the process.

JGR has teamed with the online collectibles auction website GoMotorBids.com to auction one-of-a-kind pieces of race-used memorabilia as well as ultra-rare pre-production prototypes and samples of diecast collectibles. A portion of the proceeds will benefit charities of Joe Gibbs Racing and its drivers.

JGR owns and operates three teams in both the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series and the NASCAR Busch Series with a driver lineup that includes two-time and reigning Nextel Cup champion Tony Stewart and rookies Denny Hamlin and J.J. Yeley.

Collectors will now be able to bid on the ultimate collectibles for these drivers, as well as drivers and teams from JGR’s storied past, such as 2000 NASCAR Cup Series champion Bobby Labonte, various JGR entries in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and Busch Series, plus the NHRA Top Fuel and Funny Car teams campaigned by JGR in the 1990s.

Some of these items have been warehoused within JGR for more than a decade, but now the vault has been opened to race fans and collectors who are clamoring for authentic race-used driver uniforms, crew uniforms, helmets, race car sheet metal, artwork and one-off prototypes of diecast collectibles that are truly unique and highly valuable.

Dave Alpern, vice president of marketing for JGR, said, “We are pleased to now be partnered with GoMotorBids.com. What excited us was the opportunity to raise money for charitable causes, while offering our fans legitimate collectibles from a trusted source.”

As with every auction on GoMotorBids.com, the JGR items will all start with a bid of $1 and have no reserve prices, assuring that the highest bidder wins. This “no reserve policy” is quite contrary to industry standards, where many online sellers try and protect high-profile items with reserve prices or high starting bids. However, that technique is not practiced by GoMotorBids.com, as illustrated by The Home Depot uniform worn by Stewart that GoMotorBids.com auctioned for more than $20,000 to benefit the Jeff Gordon Foundation.

“We couldn’t be happier about opening the Joe Gibbs Racing Online Auction House,” said GoMotorBids.com president Patrick Rainey. “JGR is known as an organization with a lot of integrity in everything they do, so we’re honored they chose us as an outlet for their race-used items and collectible prototypes. Plus it’s great for the collectors, as they get the opportunity to add something to their collection that very few people ever get the chance to own.” [PRWEB]

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]

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

Allied Steel Buildings Inc is taking a next step in their NASCAR involvement by joining Bill Davis Racing Teams during this year’s events.

As a Proud Sponsor and Exclusive Steel Building provider for both Nextel Cup and Craftsman Truck Series Racing teams, Allied is expanding its NASCAR involvement after serving as a part-time associate and primary sponsor of the No. 50 Arnold Motorsports car during the 2005 season.

“Allied Steel is still fairly new to this sport, so it is an honor the company has chosen to come on board with us. It’s also an honor to get to carry the Allied Steel banner. It is a great company with great standards,” said Bill Davis, team owner and president.

For Allied Steel, this will be the first full NASCAR season and the company is looking forward to the ride ahead.

“We are really thrilled to be a part of NASCAR as a full-time sponsor for the new 2006 season,” said Allied’s President, Michael Lassner. “We really enjoyed working with Arnold Motorsports last year and wanted to get involved even more this season. We have planned some great things and are expecting amazing success from all the members of Bill Davis’s racing teams.”

As one of world’s leading, most trusted brands of Pre-Engineered Steel Buildings, Allied Steel offers building solutions for a wide variety of industries, including Agriculture, Churches, Automotive, Lumber, Airline, Office, and many more. Allied Steel Buildings currently delivers commercial, industrial and residential buildings from its six primary factories throughout the United States, and delivers them not only nationally but also all around Canada, the Caribbean, Africa and Latin America. [PRWEB]

“It’s such an honor to be affiliated with Bill Davis and his racing teams. They plan to be one of the best on the race track this year and we will do everything that we can to help them make that happen,” said Lassner.

tagTRAX: steel building | pre engineered steel | steel | allied | bill davis

Related Stories:

• NASCAR Leilani Munter New Driver for Konica Minolta
• NASCAR Stuart Kirby and Competitive Edge Motorsports Part Ways

The tarmac below us warms once again as the Redline Time Attack presented by Hawk Performance Brake Pads gets ready to bring its hot new racing series to one of Southern California’s fastest and most challenging road courses at California Speedway on March 4-5 in Fontana, California.

With spring just around the corner, tuners from the twistiest mountains and most harrowing road courses in the region are hard at work, preparing to battle once again in the second installment of Redline Track Events’ premiere time trial event. With such furious rivalries upon us–STI vs Evo, Imports vs Domestics, and more–the motorsports action will be intense for both driver and spectator alike.

For the first time since its inception in November 2005, the Redline Time Attack will open its doors to the public to watch the time trials unfold, in an event unlike any other in American motorsports. Admission is free to all spectators, including access to the paddocks where spectators can watch as teams tune and tweak to extract every last drop of performance from their fearsome modified machines.

Contenders will have full access to California Speedway’s covered paddocks, and with a carefully designed classing system created to keep the racing intense, tuners and drivers will have a unique opportunity to push their cars to the limit against tough competition without all of the risks inherent in wheel-to-wheel racing.

For those of you itching to research the latest in performance tuning and race preparation, a full Vendor Midway will be available with representatives from the world’s top tuners eager to answer questions and help you create the next Redline Time Attack champion. Modified Magazine, Redline Time Attack’s Official Promotional Partner, will also be on hand, providing full magazine coverage in an upcoming issue of Modified.

Whether you’re a driver or a motorsports enthusiast, coming March 4-5 at California Speedway in Fontana, the Redline Time Attack is one race series you won’t want to miss! [PRWEB]

tagTRAX: california speedway | fontana california | redline | performance brake pads