elle est bête

this weekend’s Daytona 24

by TopGear.com

Endurance racing fans will have already carved the 2014 Le Mans dates into their diaries, but to keep them tied over till June 14, over the weekend some Americans kindly put on their own 24-hour race. Welcome to the Daytona…

This season opener was the first race in the new Tudor United SportsCar Championship, formed from the merger of the legendary Grand-Am races and the American Le Mans Series. This means the field combines Daytona Prototypes (the fastest), Daytona GT-spec cars from Grand-Am, Le Mans Prototype 2 cars (the slightly weedier prototypes you see at La Sarthe), and Le Mans GT-spec cars. There are corners and everything.

Early stages of the race were dominated by a horrific crash between Memo Gidley’s DP car and Matteo Malucelli’s GT Le Mans Ferrari. Both drivers were rushed to hospital, where Gidley received surgery on his left arm and leg, and requires another operation for a fracture on his back. Malucelli escaped the incident without major injuries.

As you’d imagine, Daytona Prototypes claimed the first four overall places, the overall victory taken by the #5 Action Express Coyote-Chevrolet Corvette DP, followed by the #10 Wayne Taylor Racing Dallara-Chevrolet Corvette DP and #9 Action Express Chevrolet Corvette DP, 20 seconds later. That’s close racing in endurance.

The Prototype Challenge class win went to #54 CORE Autosport, Porsche won the GTLM class in a 911 RSR, just 2.8 seconds ahead of the works BMW RLL team in the #55 BMW Z4 GTE while the #91 Viper took third.

Controversy followed the GTD class as final results weren’t decided till an hour after the race. On the final lap the Level 5 Motorsports #555 Ferrari 458 was battling with the #45 Audi R8 LMS. The Ferrari, driven by Alessadro Pier Guidi moved towards the Audi, driven by Markus Winkelhock, who dove into the grass to avoid a collision.

Pier Guidi crossed the line first, but the race director issued him a 75-second penalty for avoidable contact, sending him down to fourth. Shortly afterwards, the IMSA reversed the decision, Pier Guidi’s first place was reinstated and Winkelhock was… a bit miffed.

Pictures: Deremer Studios 

It's Better In The Wind

Publication de Codcast Channel.

NORTHWEST CAFE RIDERS ROCKBOX

Not many people get given a custom motorcycle as a wedding gift, but this SR250 was built for exactly that purpose. Since 2011 Northwest Cafe Riders have built a few SRs into Street Trackers, Scramblers and Cafe Racers, but this street scrambler was the first to be commissioned as a present from childhood friends for a bride & groom. The Bike has been named Rockbox after the musical instrument shop run by the bike’s new owner.

The brief was to build a lightweight “comfortable bike for two” (it is a wedding gift, after all) with a retro look. It also had to be elegant but completely functional and easy to ride. With a keen focus on the ride, the front forks have been given more pre-load with new springs and thicker oil and the replacement rear gas shocks are adjustable. The handlebars are wide and low to give good cornering stability.

As you’d expect, everything that wasn’t required has been stripped with instruments and lighting replaced with smaller versions and the subframe and seat remodelled.  Super-short fenders are just enough to give some practical cover in the wet. The electrics were also thoroughly revised and simplified.

The engine has been given a good going over sorting out tolerances, grinding the valves, de-coking the cylinder, new rings, etc and it breathes more freely without the airbox, rejetted carbs and open megatron pipes. All this helps the bike spin-up more easily and rev higher = more speed. The tyres are Avon MKIIs.

These smaller SRs make great city bikes, and this build by Northwest Cafe Riders is a lovely example. We’d love to see more, from NCR, so thanks to Jose for sharing. See more at their Blog and Facebook.