2010: ROLEX

This very name brings meaning to many, from those that are wealthy elite who wear the iconic brand on their wrists all around the world, to those that are teams, drivers, and motorsports fans, officials, and enthusiasts. Today, we focus on the latter, as today is the start of the 2010 motorsports season in North America, with the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona . This race will feature many drivers from many different disciplines of motorsport, and pro am drivers from all walks of life. This is the race that not only tests the physical and mechanical toughness of the machine, but also the physical and mental toughness for the drives who suffer from the limits of darkness, fatigue, weather, mechanical failure, and all other sorts of hurdles that can stop teams from winning the coveted Rolex Oyster Perpetual Daytona watch, leaving them dead in their tracks. In today's edition - this true international race of champions, there's 4 time NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson, 2008 & 2009 Indy Car Series Champions Scott Dixon, Dario Franchitti, 5 time Rolex 24 winner Hurley Haywood - in his last start of this great race, 2 Time Rolex 24 Winner Max Papis, and Multiple Rolex winner Scott Pruett all running in the Daytona Prototype class. In the GT class, there's former NASCAR Champion Bobby Labonte in the The Racer Group Porsche, Jordan Taylor - son of Rolex 24 Winner and 2010 participant Wayne Taylor, and television star Patrick Dempsey in his Mazda RX8. On top of that, the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro is making its famed return to motorsports in the U.S. Considering all these facts, it looks like it will be a very exciting race..only time will tell how the race unfolds, and I a for one am looking very forward to it.

Racing News & Notes - March 9, 2008...

French manufacturer Peugeot getting ready to run the 12 Hours of Sebring - March 15, 2008



NASCAR

Sprint Cup:

Today's race for the is the Kobalt Tools 500, from Atlanta Motor Speedway, and Jeff Gordon is on the pole position for today's race

Craftsman Trucks:

Friday Night, kyle Busch pulled away from Ron Hornaday to win the American Commercial Lines 200, at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Busch is currently at the top of the points standings for the second consecutive week

Nationwide Series:

Matt Kenseth wins the Nicorette 300, from Atlanta Motor Speedway , holding off Kevin Harvick in a green-white-checkered finish

Indy Racing League / Champ Car

A little more than a week since the merger between the IRL and Champ Car was made infamous, teams went out to Sebring, FL from March 3-6, 2008 to do some testing of the new road course version of the Indy car. new additions were made to the cars, some of which are: paddle shift gearboxes, collapsible steering columns, & etc. Ryan Briscoe of Team Penske lead the session with a time of 52.42 seconds (114.689 mph) on the final day of testing. The Indy Racing League season begins @ Homestead Miami Speedway for the Gainsco Indy 300, March 29, 2008

American Le Mans Series / Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series

The countdown to the 56Th annual Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring is less than a week away, and all the teams are ready. for the first time this year, French manufacturer, Peugeot, will race in the 12 hours, most likely as a preparation race for the 24 hours of Le Mans. I personally expect Audi to take the win, like they have done in years past, but other teams, like the Team Penske Porsche's, as well as Peugeot themselves (they finished second to the Audi's at Last year's Le Mans 24 Hour), may make the race a little challenging for them to do so. The race begins on March 15, 2008, and is the season opener to the American Le Mans Series

The Rolex Sports Car Series ends their 4 week long break with some testing taken at the Homestead Miami Speedway, last week. their season continues on March 29, 2008 @ Homestead, on the same weekend as the Indy Racing League Indy Car Series

Formula One

The 2008 Formula One World championship Begins on Sunday - march 16, 2008 in Melborune, Australia, at the Albert Park Circuit. All teams, such as McLaren, Ferarri, BMW Williams, and Renault and the Middle East. It should be an exciting season, especially after the amazing season we had last year, with teams having brand new chassis to start, and since they have concluded their testing at tracks in Europe and the Middle East, as well. It was a great season in F1 last year, as well as a controversial one on and off the track - with McLaren's Lewis Hamilton almost winning the championship as a rookie - missing out to Kimi Raikkonen of Frearri, which has never been done in the history of the world championship, and ended up being the closest points race in history - by a single point. Hopefully, McLaren and Ferarri will keep their noses clean this year

Newman Gets The Gold.....

To be honest I thought Tony Stewart was going to win Sunday's Daytona 500, but boy, was I wrong...Here's the tale of the tape:


Tony lead on the last lap, went down low on the inside, after blocking Newman for several laps, Kyle Busch didn't draft Tony, and Kurt Busch bump drafted with teammate Newman, to take the win. As sad as I am for Toyota, coming so close, but to end up falling short of recieving their firt ever NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points victory ,but they do have a podium finish at least.....

but I'm happy for Roger Penske, Newman's Car owner, and a man that has won the Indianapolis 500 a record 14 times as a car owner (the last driver was Sam Hornish, Jr. who also ironically started in this 500), who has made a little bit of history here , by having first victory, as well as a 1-2 finish at the Daytona 500. So at least a litte bit of history was made during the golden anniversary, after all. Could this be the start of another record attempt at another 500? Anything's possible in motorsports






Photos: Courtesy of Reuters.Com

Starting Lap

Hello There,

This is Jessen St. Hilaire- Owner of The Hot Lap. This blog will be on the subject of motorsports, motorsports news...just about anything relating to the one thing I've been passionate about for most of my adult life - Motorsports & Racing. Since living near racetracks Like Homestead-Miami Speedway, Moroso Motorsports Park, & Daytona International Speedway, and being a corner worker on these tracks for the Sports Car Club of America, it helps out quite a bit. I'll try to cover as much as I can, on series like these mostly, if not more:

NASCAR
American Le Mans Series
Grand Am Rolex Series
Indy Racing League
Champ Car
Formula One

And since this is a blog, you're more than welcome to post your opinions as well...good or bad, on any series you can find, anywhere in the world - the Internet, and this blog, isn't only limited to America. And with that, I leave you with this tidbit of me. its a photo of me attending my very first race - an Indy car event @ Homestead Miami Speedway from 2001. Peace.