THE LINE

August 4, 2010

(Photo©2010, Nigel Kinrade, USA Autostock)
Greg Biffle (No. 16 Roush Fenway Racing 3M Ford Fusion) won the Sunoco-Red Cross Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway Sunday. Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot Chevrolet) finished second and Carl Edwards (No. 99 Roush Fenway Racing Aflac Ford) was third. It was Biffle's 15th career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race win and first since winning at Dover in September of 2008 (a span of 64 races). It was also the first points race win for Ford and its new  FR9 engine since Kasey Kahne won the non-points Gatorade Duel 150 at Daytona at the beginning of the season. And with team owner Jack Roush laid-up in the Mayo Clinic recuperating from his airplane crash injuries sustained last week, it was extra special for everyone involved. “Greg Erwin and those guys just never gave up," Biffle said afterwards. "This 3M Ford Fusion, it was mostly engine. This engine ran so good. I abused the crap out of it all day and this one is for Jack. We know he’s watching and we’re thinking about him. I need to thank Sprint and the fans and 3M and everybody for not giving up on this team. We’ve been really tough and answered all the questions about the Ford and there it is. Ford is running really good. I just wish I would have won last week, too.” Jamie Allison, Director, Ford North America Motorsports, had this to say: "Greg Biffle earned it. That was no fluke. I just talked to Jack on the phone and there's no question this is a great, feel good moment for him that takes away a little of the physical pain he's been feeling this week.  So this win is for Jack first and Ford second."

(Ford)
Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila (BP Ford Abu Dhabi Ford Focus RS WRC) won Rally Finland by 10.1sec - the eighth round of the FIA World Rally Championship - for the first time joining a long list of Finnish greats who have triumphed in their home event. Latvala and Anttila were mobbed by their fellow countrymen as they took to the podium in Jyväskylä after the event.  Twenty-five-year-old Latvala, already the youngest driver to win a world rally, became the youngest winner of Rally Finland since the WRC started in 1973.  It was Ford's second consecutive victory in the legendary event and the manufacturer's fourth win in five years. The World Rally Championship returns to asphalt next month when drivers tackle vineyard tracks and military roads in Rallye Deutschland in Trier, on August 19-22.

(Photo©2010 - Paul Webb)
Tanner Foust soars in his ROCKSTAR Ford Fiesta on his way to a gold medal in the Super Rally finals at X Games 16 in Los Angeles last weekend.

(Photo©2010 - Paul Webb)
The start of the Super Rally final, ROCKSTAR Ford Fiesta teammates Tanner Foust (left), and Brian Deegan (2nd from left), battle for the lead into the first turn. Foust prevailed, and Deegan would end up in second at the checkered flag.

(Photo©2010 - Paul Webb)
Tanner Foust kicked some serious ass in his ROCKSTAR Ford Fiesta at the Super Rally finals at X Games 16 in L.A.

(Photo©2010 - Paul Webb)
Foust (left) just would not be denied going into Turn 1 at the start of the Super Rally final. Here he noses ahead of Fiesta teammate Brian Deegan right before the corner. Foust won the Gold, Deegan the silver.

(Photo©2010 - Paul Webb)
ROCKSTAR Ford Fiesta teammates Tanner Foust (r), and Brian Deegan won the gold and silver medals respectively for the Super Rally event at X Games 16.

(Roush Yates Engines)
Roush Yates, one of racing’s premier designers and constructors of high-performance engines, announced Friday that it is joining the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón in 2011 as an engine supplier in LMP2. Its initial offering will be the Ford V6 EcoBoost Turbo for installation in a variety of prototype chassis. Lola has announced that it will offer the Roush-prepared EcoBoost as a standard installation in its open-top and coupe prototypes. Roush Yates joins a number of committed engine suppliers for LMP competition in 2011 including Honda, AER and Judd. With next year’s LMP2 regulations specifically targeting production-based engines with reduced horsepower and increased efficiency, other manufacturers such as BMW, Ford, Jaguar, Nissan and Toyota have each been actively rumored as potential suppliers next season as well. IIn addition to the V6 EcoBoost Turbo, Roush Yates also is evaluating its Mustang V8 for LMP competition. Both the engine constructor and Lola are investigating the potential for LMP1 cars in the future, perhaps as early as next year.

Editor-in-Chief's Note: If you really must keep up on all of the latest F1 developments and the potential U.S. GP in Austin, Texas, go here. - PMD

Editor-in-Chief's Note: Check out Michelin's racing website - "Michelin Alley" - and get in on all of the behind-the-scenes buzz. Go here. - PMD

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