MAY 8, 2024

(Formula1.com)

Lando Norris (No. 4 McLaren Formula 1 Team) added his name to the list of Formula 1 race winners with a sensational breakthrough victory in Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix, overhauling rival Max Verstappen (No. 1 Oracle Red Bull Racing) to take the checkered flag. Norris ran sixth in the early stages of the race, with fast-starting teammate Oscar Piastri (No. 81 McLaren Formula 1 Team) initially looking most likely to cause an upset, but a Safety Car at the midway point played perfectly into the Briton’s hands after he extended his opening stint. Norris emerged from that stop in the lead, with Verstappen demoted to second after pitting under normal racing conditions, and despite an initial attack from the latter at the restart, the Briton managed to maintain the position and then edge clear. A cool, calm and collected performance from there - with “terrible” balance problems hindering Verstappen - meant there was no stopping Norris from banishing the demons of his near-miss at the 2021 Russian Grand Prix and becoming a race winner in his 110th attempt. Verstappen settled for second amid his relative struggles behind the wheel, while Charles Leclerc (No. 16 Scuderia Ferrari) completed the podium ahead of teammate Carlos Sainz (No. 55 Scuderia Ferrari), who clashed with Piastri late on in an incident that sent the Australian back into the pits for a new front wing. Watch the Race Highlights here. (Thank you to Formula1.com)

(Formula1.com)

The Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix 2024 was super competitive right from the start. A welcome surprise.

(Indianapolis Motor Speedway images)

The 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray 3LZ coupe – the quickest production Corvette in history – will lead the field to the green flag for the 108th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, May 26 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Corvette E-Ray "is the only sports car pairing two separate propulsion systems to provide naturally aspirated V-8 power with electrified responsiveness powered by eAWD," according to Chevrolet PR minions. A 6.2L V8 is complemented by the electric motor that channels an additional 160HP and 125 lb-ft of torque through the front wheels for a combined 655HP. The addition of the electric drive unit helps the E-Ray achieve a zero to 60 mph time of 2.5 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 10.5 seconds. Stealth Mode enables the Corvette E-Ray to drive on electric power for up to 4 miles at speeds up to 45 mph. Corvette is the longest-running car nameplate in automotive industry history, so it’s no surprise Corvette has paced “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” more times than any car. The 2024 race marks the 35th time for Chevrolet to pace dating back to 1948 and the 21st time overall, since 1978 for America’s favorite sports car.

(Road America)

Road America is gearing-up to host its SVRA Vintage Festival Weekend from May 17-19. Renowned as a pivotal hub of motorsport history since 1955 and carved out of the beautiful rolling hills of Wisconsin's Kettle Moraine region, America's National Park of Speed attracts enthusiasts worldwide. The weekend will include the SVRA SpeedTour, which will spotlight competitions from the Formula 4 United States Championship (F4 U.S.), Formula Regional Americas Championship (FR Americas), and the Mazda Miata Heritage Cup Series. One of the festival's standout events, the Hagerty Cars & Caffeine showcase, allows vintage car and motorcycle owners to display their prized possessions on Saturday morning. In addition to the races, the Paddock Shop will offer a variety of merchandise, and Road America's iconic concession stands will provide delicious food and drinks. The beautifully landscaped Road America grounds feature several new enhancements, including scenic viewing trails both outside and now inside Turns 9 and 10 ('The Carousel'), the overlook at Turn 11 (now known as 'The Bluffs'), and a new pathway leading to Turn 12 (aka 'Canada Corner"). The Briggs & Stratton Motorplex will have public karting on Friday, with the Road America Karting Series on Saturday and the Road America Supermoto Series on Sunday. Disc Golf will also be available all weekend. As a token of appreciation for their service, Road America is offering FREE admission to all active, reserve and veteran military personnel with a valid ID for the SVRA Vintage Festival Weekend. The gates will open at 7 a.m. daily. Tickets for a 3-day weekend pass are $55, and day passes are available at $25 for Friday, $30 for Saturday, and $30 for Sunday. Children 16 and under can enter for free with a paying adult. The event will proceed rain or shine according to the scheduled program. For more details on the event schedule or to secure your tickets, visit www.roadamerica.com or contact the Road America Ticket Office at 800-365-7223.

(Alpine images)

The first rolling version of the Alpine Alpenglow prototype (named Hy4) will be presented at the Spa-Francorchamps Circuit on May 10, 2024 before it takes to the track for the first time on May 11 for the sold-out TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps endurance race. It will also make demonstration runs at the 92nd edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 14-15, 2024. Following on from the Alpine Alpenglow concept car presented at the 2022 Paris Motor Show, the Alpine Alpenglow rolling lab Hy4 proves by running on a racetrack that performance and sustainable development are compatible, with the added thrill of the sound of an internal combustion engine. Its name combines the notion of hydrogen 'Hy' and 'four' for 4 cylinders. Alpine is promoting environmental innovation and performance through its hydrogen combustion engine technology. This technology offers a new approach to decarbonizing motor racing and a possible avenue for sports cars. Alpenglow is currently fitted with a 4-cylinder development engine, a working phase before the presentation of an all-new V6 engine specifically designed to be powered by hydrogen, developed entirely by Alpine. It will be unveiled in a second rolling version before the end of the year.

Editor's Note: This is our dearly departed billboard, which we had at Road America for several years. Peter gifted the phrase "America's National Park of Speed" to the track, which now uses it proudly in all of its communications. -WG

Editor's Note: Click on "Next 1 Entries" at the bottom of this page to see previous issues. - WG