THE LINE

July 20, 2011

(BMW Group)
BMW returns to the DTM next season with an M3-based (sort of) machine. The DTM regulations for the 2012 season stipulate all cars must use a certain number of standard components in order to guarantee that development costs remain reasonable and are considerably lower than in other top motorsport categories. In other words, welcome to the DTM CoT. BMW claims its Motorsport engineers "have been able to call upon the immense technical resources of the BMW Group and apply their innovation to establish performance advantages over their rivals in areas such as engine and aerodynamics." Uh-huh. The DTM M3's V8 is equipped with an air restrictor that limits horsepower to approximately 480. BMW claims the DTM M3 will accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in about three seconds and boasts a top speed of around 300 km/h. Three teams will compete in next year’s DTM for BMW: BMW Team Schnitzer, BMW Team RBM and BMW Team RMG.

(Tire Rack)
Tire Rack, America’s largest independent tire tester and consumer-direct source for tires, wheels and performance accessories has announced its partnership with the highly-anticipated film “25 Hill,” written, produced and directed by actor Corbin Bernsen, to help revive interest in a red, white and blue tradition, the All-American Soap Box Derby. “The Soap Box Derby has been called the ‘Greatest Amateur Racing Event in the World’ and the ‘Gravity Grand Prix.’ However they are known, soap box derbies have been popular among all generations of Americans since 1933,” said Matt Edmonds, vice president, Tire Rack. “We love the concept and message of the movie and believe it is important to help support and save a beloved tradition of one of the best demonstrations of American ingenuity.” To show Americans that the beloved pastime of staging soap box derbies in towns and cities across the nation is alive and well, TireRack.com is sponsoring the soap box racer driven by the main character Trey Caldwell’s nemesis, Kate Slater, in the recently premiered “25 Hill.” Tire Rack also plans to promote the movie and support its cause locally and nationally through its connection with automotive enthusiasts. Corbin Bernsen decided he could do something to save the nearly 75-year-old Akron-based youth racing league – after reading a USA Today article about the financial difficulties of the All-American Soap Box Derby. “This fantastic tradition has been with us for 75 years and is on the brink of extinction; we can’t let that happen,” said Bernsen. “The fact is, we are too young of a country to abandon the few traditions we have left and we must preserve our past. The All-American Soap Box Derby takes us back to a time, yes, perhaps ‘better days,’ where we still honored simple notions that we now take for granted.” For information about Tire Rack’s role in “25 Hill,” please visit www.tirerack.com. For information about “25 Hill,” including national and community initiatives, please visit www.25Hill.com.

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

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE AE STORE

See another live episode of "Autoline After Hours" with hosts John McElroy, from Autoline Detroit, and Peter De Lorenzo, The Autoextremist, and guests this Thursday evening, at 7:00PM EDT at www.autolinedetroit.tv.

By the way, if you'd like to subscribe to the Autoline After Hours podcasts, click on the following links:

Subscribe via iTunes:

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=311421319

Subscribe via RSS:

http://www.autolinedetroit.tv/podcasts/feeds/afterhours-audio.xml