“It’s been working its way through Congress for years, but according to Car and Driver, an event recorder mandate could soon become law. The Senate has already voted to adopt a transportation bill that would make the so-called “black boxes” mandatory by the 2015 model year. According to the report, the House of Representatives is also expected to pass a similar statute.
While the specifics of the bills are “vague” – to use C/D’s words – they’re also likely to change before becoming law. What probably won’t, according to the report, is the standard data set that the Department of Transportation has set forth, 15 measurements that include direction of acceleration, throttle position, and time that the airbags fired, among others.
This raises the specter of government snooping, of course. The Senate version at least specifies that the data contained in the little electronic box is actually owned by the owner of the vehicle, according to the report. Johnny Law can still come around with a warrant to gain access to it, however, and first responders and paramedics would be able to do so without the warrant, provided they needed the information to respond to the emergency.”
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Speaking of NASCAR and car design… Here is the first image of the 2013 Ford Fusion CUP car in team colors. This is a full scale clay model that will tour the country, visiting select NASCAR markets for the remainder of the 2012 season. I like a lot of things about this (versus the current car) but there are the glaring irregularities between this and the production model available to the public. (I don’t know why they still insist on calling it STOCK CAR racing). All in all, It’s a step in the right direction.
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Mercury M5 tilt flatbed hauler. For sale on Ebay
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I experienced a near knee-buckling feeling last year when I happened upon Bill’s 1985 Winston Million car at Darlington. I nerded out, all alone in that museum for way too long.
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Oh my shittles. My favorite stock car of all time is for sale on Ebay. $59,900 takes it home. OH. MY. SHITTLES. 1988 Bill Elliott/Melling Racing Coors Ford Thunderbird. This is THE Aerobird. This car was built in Dawsonville, Ga by Dan & Ernie Elliott. It baffled NASCAR techs. The Aerobird AVERAGED 212.809mph around Talladega speedway. ON BIAS PLY TIRES. Those tires are so archaic they don’t even make them anymore! Bill was lifting the throttle at the biggest track on the circuit. This car was fully capable of going 230+mph twenty-five years ago. This car was so ahead of its time. NASCAR tried to outlaw every facet of this car without bluntly outlawing the car itself but the Elliott brothers stayed one step ahead of them each week, eventually taking home the championship at season’s end. Now it is for sale! It’s not a roller like most of these old cars, it has a dyno’d Ernie Elliott engine under the hood. Oh my god, what I would give to take this for a spin down Prince Avenue. You know what? I would give a testicle. I swear to God. I wouldn’t even do anesthesia. I’m that serious.
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Senate OKs Mandatory Black Boxes in Cars for 2015 & Beyond
This is kind of a big deal. -
VW Passat R-Line. Sadly unavailable in the states.
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Leaving for Darlington in a few hours. I’m so excited I’m shaking! I’ll be sitting on the start/finish line for the Nationwide race tomorrow night (ESPN2, 7:15pm). I’ll be standing on the track with the drivers for driver intros Saturday night (FOX, 6:30pm) and sitting at the start/finish line again for the CUP race. I’m thrilled! THRILLED! This is my favorite track on the circuit. It’s my first CUP race at Darlington. 11 year old me is totally jealous right now. Weeeeeeeeeeee!
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Oh gosh y’all. The internet is stupid.
I don’t have anyone to talk NASCAR with so I talk about it on the internet. In forums. I know I know. Internet forums are often the worst place to carry on a decent discussion. This specific forum is mostly old white dudes. They have a lot of wisdom and great old stories about the way stock car racing used to be. Many of them were drivers, crew members, track officials, etc.
Anyway, they seem to collectively have a big grief with Danica Patrick. If you aren’t familiar, she’s this superstar female driver who has major financial backing via GoDaddy.com (they have their own issues with women, that’s a totally different post). Anyway, Danica grew tired of Open Wheel Racing (Indy Car). She wanted to try her hand at stock car racing. Her sponsors agreed to support her efforts. She called friends and business partners and set this thing up. 2012 is her first year driving stock cars full-time. She’s a rookie in a series with different rules, tracks, handling characteristics and physics than her old racing series. She’s learning. She’s not perfect. She’s confident, calm, collected and focused. She’s not a good ‘ol boy style southern country gal. She’s all business at the track. Anyway, these guys (and a lot of drivers) are intimidated by her presence. They bite and chew at her in the garage, in media outlets, and on track. She is facing LONG odds to succeed because no one will be her ally (besides her race team). It’s really dumb to see someone who is trying to achieve their dream coming so close to that realization only to be belittled for her efforts by her professional colleagues. So anyway, I blew up on those dudes. It’s been two years coming and I finally had enough today. Dear lady followers, please tell me if I did the right thing, tell me where I am wrong/skewed/ ignorant/whatever. Help me be a better person :)
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Ebay always has the right stuff. Hi there 1991 Bill Elliott “Georgia State Bird” team Coors jacket. Oh hey 1992 Bill Elliott Budweiser flag. If I had a camper trailer that would be my driving jacket and I would hang that flag above my camper with pride.
true stories:
That blue car won the first stock car race I attended. Daytona ‘91.
That red car won the second stock car race I attended. Atlanta ‘92.
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Well gee, I’ve never wanted a handbag before.
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I took a ton of pictures at the truck race last year and made a lot of nerdy posts about my first visit to Darlington. I’ll spare you this year. I made some super freakout videos while I was there but the public will never see them because I’m acting like a hyperventilating nine year old with a $100 bill in Toys R Us.
My posts from 2011:
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That right thur is my pre-race pass for driver introductions, my Nationwide Series race ticket for Friday and my CUP series race ticket for the Southern 500 Saturday night. I’ll be standing ON the race track for driver intros, high-fiving Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and all the other drivers as they make their way onto the track. I am thrilled. to. bits. I’ve been quiet about racing this year because the season is rather ho-hum. The Daytona 500 was such an embarrassing thing to witness. Anyway, the Southern 500 is sure to thrill. I need to find an air mattress to make my pickup bed a real bed. I’ll be sleeping there for two nights in a field.
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