Here's some news that I hope doesn't repeat itself as it did with JPM and lead to another defection from the F1 ranks...


Lewis Hamilton To Run NASCAR Stock Car In Watkins Glen Exhibition

GMM Newswire staff | Posted February 27, 2011 / GMM Newswire

Former World Champion Lewis Hamilton will try his hand at the wheel of a NASCAR stock car. He is set to drive a premier NASCAR Sprint Cup stock car for the first time later in 2011.

American sports network ESPN reports that the McLaren driver will swap his Formula One car for two-time Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart's Chevrolet.

The exhibition, organized by mutual sponsor Mobil 1, is set to take place some time in the summer at the famous Watkins Glen road course in New York.

The car provided by McLaren for the swap will be the British team's 2010 model MP4-25, the report said.

Stewart-Haas Racing spokesman Mike Arning confirmed the report.


Just a reminder... 25 days till the opener in Australia!

 

Should be a fun event! Depending on what the date is I may try and attend.. Hope Tony can fit in the F1 car!!

Quick look at the NASCAR schedule has the Cup boys at Pocono on August 7th and WGI on the 14th.., and then to Michigan the following weekend.

 

So is Bernie insane, proposing making tracks wet to add excitement?

IMO, the stupidity of that proposal is beyond comprehension.

Make better rules governing the cars and the racing will come.

 

That won't happen. JPM ended up there because he had no F1 ride and his old boss Chip Ganassi lured him back.

 

I personally think JPM was/is lazy and couldn't keep up with the demands of F1.

I hope they don't run this exhibition on the same weekend that the stockers are at Watkins Glen. NASCAR doesn't run the boot and it would be a shame if the McLaren didn't run the whole track.

 

I didn't know what you were referring to until I found this:

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/030320...a-laughed.html

And the answer is, yeah, he's doing a Charlie Sheen--either drugged or manic...

 

This is just a repeat of the Jeff Gordon and JPM swap at Indy several years ago.
NASCAR will do anything to attract viewers or attendance.
Bernie will do anything for money.
I remember when Bernie was a tire changer for Brabham in the early 60's.
He was an AH then to.

 

Interesting articles:

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/030320...cter-slur.html

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/030320...pendix-op.html

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/020320...liability.html

 

Thanks deb for the clarification on this one... astrochex had me a bit stumped as to what he was referring to.

Yup, it looks like Bernie is trying to pull another rabbit out of his hat... Just another cheap "magic trick" to try and create more drama and attract those viewers who watch racing for the accidents!

The man is nefarious and will stoop to anything if he feels that he can line his pockets with even more $$$$$$.

I have but three words for Bernie (and Charlie for that matter)... Seek professional help.

 

So what is in a name?

Apparently plenty to the guys behind the blue oval.

Ferrari changes the Name of their F1 Car

Adam Cooper | GMM Newswire | Posted March 04, 2011 Balen (BEL)

The 2011 Ferrari has changed its name for a second time, and will henceforth be known as the Ferrari 150° Italia.

Ford has withdrawn its legal action, and the second change for the car that started life as the F150 appears to be part of the deal.

The latest change was explained in a sarcastic message on the Ferrari website today: “In order to avoid the slightest risk of anyone confusing a Formula 1 car with a pick-up truck, for their part, the men from Maranello have decided that the car will lose the F that precedes the number 150 and which stands for Ferrari, as it has done on numerous occasions when it’s come to giving a car a code name, be it for the race track or the road.

“It appears that this could have caused so much confusion in the minds of the consumer across the Pond that, at the same time as losing the F, the name will be completely Italianised, replacing the English “th” with the equivalent Italian symbol.

“Therefore the name will now read as the Ferrari 150° Italia, which should make it clear even to the thickest of people that the name of the car is a tribute to the anniversary of the unification of our country. Let’s hope the matter is now definitely closed and that we can concentrate on more serious matters, namely ensuring that our car that already seems to be pretty good out of the box, becomes a real winner.”

Ironically Ferrari is usually on the other end of trademark legal actions...

Though this may be considered trademark infringement, I find myself agreeing with the Prancing Horse... No way is anyone going to confuse the F1 car for a pick-up!

 

Agreed. And I'm glad they ridiculed Ford in their statement!

 

Ford owns the rights to F150. Done deal, end of story. If Ford wanted to call a new SUV, the "Enzo," would that have been ok? How could anyone possibly confuse the two?

 

And I respectfully disagree good sir. A NASCAR race is totally meaningless including the last lap.

 

Bravo, well said.

 

Yes, you're correct Gromit... Ford does own the rights BUT it seems rather a trivial thing to dispute IMHO.

The F150 designation on an F1 car (which in no possible way competes for a niche in the marketplace with the truck) is a fleeting thing. One vehicle is not for sale, the other is marketed to the public and there is no way that anyone could confuse the two. With the expiration of the 2011 F1 season, the F150 moniker is gone to be replaced with another numeric designation on a new F1 car.

Now if Ford chose to market an SUV called an "Enzo", even though you could not confuse one (SUV and an Enzo model Ferrari) for the other they would still be offered for purchase to the public and therefore, theoretically, they would be competing in the same marketplace. If that were so, then I can see the possiblility of trademark infringement silly as it seems.

This reminds me of an incident where the Walt Disney Company sued a Florida daycare because one of their staff had done a rendition of Mickey & Co. on a outdoor wall that fronted their playground area. Yes Disney is the sole proprietor of Mickey and friends but it was a heavy handed action by a large corporation over something that could have been rectified easily enough with a note requesting that the daycare cease and desist using the images involved rather than going to court.

This is somewhat similar with Ford v. Ferrari in that the legal action taken by Ford seems rather superfluous considering the nature of the vehicles involved...

Such is the world of business and its legal machinations. Done deal, end of story.

 

Every manufacturer will protect it's trademarks. If not, then they're wide open. Say Ford does nothing, and next time around, maybe GMC wants to use F150, and makes a case in court that Ford did not protect it's trademark. Business can't afford to allow the thin edge of the wedge in the door.

 

This fake rain proposition is ridiculous. Races in the rain are so much fun because of all the strategy that could make or break just about anyone. If they can plan for rain, you can expect the same parade that happens in every race.

 

You think Ford is bad--you ought to see Porsche's trademark protection. Not only is the designation Porsche 356 trademarked, but they also claim they own the rights to the SHAPE. I know people who have losely drawn a profile of a 356 and have paid dearly for attorney's fees.

 

Not only that, but they needlessly endanger the drivers because F1 only rarely calls races on account of rain.

 

I think sometimes Bernie makes these idiotic suggestions just to keep his face on the front of the tabloids.

 

There's that or Bernie is off his medication again...

 

25 years ago Harley Davidson tried to "patent & trademark" the sound of a 45 degree V twin engine.
Their lawyers drew up all the paperwork and submitted it to U.S. Patent Office.
They were escorted out of building followed by the laughing of the staff.

In 64, when Ford was trying to buy Ferrari, part of the talks were about putting Ford's logo on street Ferrari's.

The world goes round & round.

 

I'm ready for race season! Are we in Melbourne yet??

Especially excited with Webber's great results in test runs

 

Also looking forward to seeing F1, but looking even more forward to the 12 Hours of Sebring next week. There are currently 56 cars entered, and it should prove to be a classic. We're leaving Tuesday morning to drive down.

 

While shopping for a recliner last year, a salesman at the Lazy Boy store told me the sound of the recliner was patented. I can believe the racheting mechanism, but the sound? Sounds like another Harley story...