Danica’s “Beaver” ad get the thumbs down for Super Bowl
January 25, 2008
[youtube:http://youtube.com/watch?v=2H-CeS8FT7k]
Way back when, Primus had a song called “Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver,” and, well, it got a lot of attention. Web site service provider GoDaddy.com is getting attention for the same unlikely use of the little brown castor canadensis. What do beavers have to do with web sites? That’s exactly what Fox TV wanted to know when it rejected GoDaddy’s Super Bowl ad titled “Exposure.”
GoDaddy, which is making a yearly habit of getting more press because of its “edgy” ads than it does with the actual ads, employs racer Danica Patrick that featuers “supermodels with short skirts and furry creatures emerging from vehicles” for the spot. At some point, somebody calls the beaver a beaver in the commercial. Fox told GoDaddy if it wanted the commercial run, it would need to omit the reference to nature’s most skilled gnawers because of that certain part of the female anatomy to which the ad was referring. Adhering to its strict principles, GoDaddy told Fox something along the lines of ‘no beaver, no deal’.
Instead, GoDaddy’s Super Bowl ad won’t actually feature Danica Patrick nor advertise GoDaddy. It will feature GoDaddy characters Jack and Dougie and advertise the uncut version of the Danica Patrick commercial that will be available to view on the company’s website. Hey, you got a hundred million people on your doorstep, might as well give them a reason to come in.
[Source: AutoBlog/Winding Road]
Indy Cars’ First Latin Female Racer Milka Duno to Drive the Number 11 Vois.com Car at the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona January 26-27, 2008
January 22, 2008
Vois Inc. (http://www.vois.com) (pronounced “Voice”) (OTCBB: VOIS) (OTCBB: VOISW), one of the faster growing, global social networking communities for people ages 25 to 50, announced today that it has sponsored the Number #11 Vois.com Pontiac Riley Daytona Prototype with SAMAX Motorsport. The car is to be driven by world renowned drivers Milka Duno and co-drivers Ryan Dalziel, Tomas Enge and Harold Primat. Milka Duno was the first woman to win a major international sports car race in North America. Milka entered the IndyCar Series in 2007, racing alongside Danica Patrick, and became the first Latin women to qualify and race in the Indianapolis 500. Milka has competed in racing series including Panoz GT, American Le Mans Series and Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series. 2008 sees Milka racing in her fifth consecutive season in the Rolex Sports Car Series and last year Milka and her co-drivers came in 2nd place at Daytona. Milka Duno can also be seen in the May 2008 live-action movie “Speed Racer,” based on the classic anime series of the 1960s, where she has been set to play the role of Gearbox. The film, written and directed by the creators of “The Matrix” trilogy, will follow the adventures of young race car driver Speed in his quest for glory. For more on Milka Duno see http://www.vois.com/index.php/profile/index/mysession/dXNlcmlkPTczMjE3. At the 46th anniversary of the Rolex 24 at Daytona, fans will see many of the biggest names in motorsports to compete in the toughest and most prestigious sports car race in America. The Rolex 24 is attracting racing stars from across the world to compete. Helio Castroneves, who drives the No. 3 Penske Racing Dallara/Honda in the IndyCar Series, made his Rolex 24 debut last season. The 32-year-old won back-to-back Indianapolis 500s in 2001 and 2002 and recently captured the “Mirrorball Trophy” as the 2007 champion of ABC-TV’s reality series “Dancing With The Stars.” Another major name to commit in the upcoming Rolex 24 is Jimmie Johnson, who was just crowned the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series champion for the second straight year. The kickoff event is also attracting actor Patrick Dempsey, the star of the hit ABC show “Grey’s Anatomy.”
SPEED and FOX Sports will offer 17 hours of team coverage from the 46th running of the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona on Jan. 26-27, beginning at 1:00 p.m. EST on FOX with the first 90 minutes of the event simulcast on the 1,400-square-foot screen at One Times Square in New York.
About SAMAX Motorsport
SAMAX Motorsport, based in Pompano Beach, Florida, is in its third year of competition in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series. More information on SAMAX Motorsport is available at www.samaxmotorsport.com.
About Vois, Inc.
Vois.com (pronounced “Voice”) is one of the faster growing, publicly traded global social networking communities for people ages 25 to 50. Vois was just awarded Favorite Photo Sharing Website and was a finalist for Favorite Large Scale Social Network at the 2007 Open-Web-Awards. — http://www.vois.com
Safe Harbor Act Disclaimer: This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934 that are based upon current expectations or beliefs, as well as a number of assumptions about future events.
IndyCar racer Danica Patrick says no way to ‘Dancing with the Stars’
January 17, 2008
Danica Patrick would presumably love to join Helio Castroneves in the Indianapolis 500 winner’s circle, however the female IndyCar racer apparently has no plans to join the Dancing with the Stars fifth-season celebrity champ as a mirror ball trophy recipient.
“No way,” Patrick told The Indianapolis Star about the possibility of participating in ABC’s Dancing with the Stars. “I’m telling you, no way.”
Castroneves had recommended Patrick as a possible Dancing with the Stars participant to the show’s producers, as well as ABC broadcaster Jamie Little and Detroit Tigers catcher Ivan Rodriguez, according to The Star.
Castroneves — a two-time, back-to-back Indianapolis 500 champion who won the IndyCar race in 2001 and 2002 — was crowned the most recent Dancing with the Stars champ with professional partner Julianne Hough during the show’s Fall 2007 fifth-season finale broadcast.
“His personality is so infectious,” Patrick told The Star as to why Castroneves did so well. “He smiles all the time, he plays to the camera, and he loves [the attention]. I’m a little too serious. People at home would be going, ‘What’s wrong [with her]?’”
Since Patrick — who joined the IndyCar Series in 2005 — has yet to nab her first win behind the wheel, she said the expectations Castroneves created on the dance floor would also be too much to overcome.
“It won’t be enough to do [Dancing with the Stars] now; you’ll have to win it,” she told The Star.
While Castroneves is currently participating with Hough on Dancing with the Stars - The Tour — he’s also preparing for the upcoming IndyCar season, which is when he’ll presumably have to hang-up his dancing shoes.
“I would have never thought I’d say this, but I miss dancing,” he told The Star.
[Source: realitytvworld.com]
Jennifer Jo Cobb is ready to race
January 15, 2008
Jennifer Jo Cobb began racing in 1991, and despite some up-and-downs in her career she has proven to be a tough competitor in the world of auto racing. She has numerous victories, and finished in the top ten championship standings for every season she competed full-time in the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series. In June 2002, Jennifer debuted in the ARCA RE/MAX Series at the Kansas Speedway, finishing 16th position. In just her second national race, she finished ninth on the lead lap.
She continued to do well in ARCA and other series, but in 2006 decided to divest her interests and start a clothing line specifically for female race fans called Driver Boutique.
Jennifer continues to hone her driving skills by testing at many tracks and working at the Richard Petty Driving Experience where she logs over 1,000 laps per weekend at many NASCAR-sanctioned racetracks, such as Daytona Int’l Speedway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway, California Speedway, Michigan International Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway and many others.
Off of the track, Jennifer is a business professional and has a decade of marketing and advertising experience. She holds an Associate’s degree in Pre-Journalism is currently working on her broadcasting degree. She has been a co-host for a television program on Time Warner Cable’s Metro Sports TV Channel called Inside Motorsports. In addition to appearing on the cover of the national racing magazine, Stock Car Spectacular, she has been featured on local and national radio programs and has headlined in newspapers across the country.
Jennifer’s love of auto racing began with her father, Joe Cobb’s, racing career. He has hundreds of victories and awards, including a track championship and most popular driver award.
Jennifer’s future ambitions include competing full time in the NASCAR Busch Series, and eventually racing in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series.
How did you get into auto racing?
I attended my first race when I was two weeks old. My dad was a crew member for my cousin. My dad started racing when I was three so I grew up in the sport. For the most part, I was a girly girl, but I loved being in the garage and would often fall asleep in my dad’s racing seat. I changed my first tire when I was 11 and I enjoyed learning to work on the cars at a young age.
What has been the biggest highlight of your career?
The biggest highlight of my career is the fact that I do not come from money, my dad is not a big national name and I am figuring out how to race in the big leagues the hard way! I raced for 10 years in the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series where the best highlight was almost winning the points championship at I-70 Speedway in 2000. My first ARCA race at the Kansas Speedway feels like a milestone in my career, where I finished 16th and of course, qualifying 28th out of 55 cars for my first NASCAR Busch race felt pretty cool. Right now, I just can’t wait to go out and reach another milestone (like a good Busch, er, Nationwide Series win!)
Racing plans for 2008?
Find sponsors, go racing… it’s hard to solidify a schedule without funding, but I believe I will be able to run some ARCA, Nationwide and maybe even some NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races. There is more momentum and sponsor interest this year than maybe any other year so I am hopeful! Providence Medical Center and Saint John Hospitals will sponsor me for the Kansas races and we will continue to try to solidify Major Primary sponsors for those and other events in 2008.
Tell AskPatty about your public speaking career?
When word got out on the street that I was a racecar driver, a lot of Kansas City companies, groups and schools asked me to come speak to them about my racing career. I would find myself racing Friday and Saturday nights and sharing the story with people throughout the week and they really got a kick out of what I was saying (at least they told me they did!) So, I had a friend tell me that I was going to have to start charging for these speaking appearances because I was getting so many requests. I visited with a speaking bureau, Five Star Speakers, who helped me put a value to my speeches and a new, parallel career was born! I have been speaking professionally for about seven years and I have had the pleasure of gaining new clients, nationwide, every year.
You’ve attempted to make several NASCAR Busch Series races — is it hard to compete at that NASCAR level? What are the biggest disadvantages you face in racing in NASCAR?
My biggest disadvantage in NASCAR is that I do not have the national sponsors and resources of the teams I compete against. It is extremely competitive and very difficult… however, every time I attempt a NASCAR Busch Series race I get better, learn more and become more determined to break into the series as a top contender. I think a lot of people get up to that level, try it, find out how hard it really is and decide it may be smartest to drop down a level or two. That makes sense, but I am so determined to find a national sponsor and make it into this series that I will keep trying. I would race anything, anywhere, so I will continue to go where opportunities present themselves.
Was there added pressure trying to race Busch cars last season, because there were no other female drivers in either top series?
It actually made it a little easier sponsor sell – after Kansas we went into The Annexus Group and www.VisitMyrtleBeach.com and said, look, this sport is so tough but we want to have an opportunity to try in Phoenix and Miami. Other female drivers (myself included) have had opportunities and lost them and we just want to stay out there and give it a chance. There is no additional pressure being a woman, just additional criticism, which I can handle and I prepare my sponsors to expect.
Have you ever raced against your Dad, Joe Cobb? Who won?
I haven’t! That would be fun… my dad has raced both asphalt and dirt but is mainly a dirt racer. I have never raced dirt, so if we were to compete on dirt, I’m sure he’d win. If we were to compete on asphalt, I’d win but I’m sure he’d do his best to try to prevent that!
Legge denies Audi deal.
January 10, 2008
Katherine Legge has played down speculation suggesting that she has decided to switch from single-seaters to touring cars, after rumours linking her to an Audi seat in this year’s DTM surfaced on the internet.
Although she does not deny testing with the German giant, which is seeking to fill the seat vacated by Vanina Ickx, Legge is adamant that nothing has been agreed and that her options for 2008 remain as open as ever.
“I won’t deny that I am in talks with Audi,” she told Crash.net, “but I am also in talks with several other people and, at the moment, I am not contracted to anyone. I am still weighing up my options for the coming season, and will make an announcement when the time is right to do so.”
Despite enduring a disappointing 2007 Champ Car campaign with Dale Coyne Racing, Legge is keen to remain in the open-wheel series should the right opportunity present itself, and is in negotiation with various parties within the Champ Car family. However, she makes no secret of the fact that she enjoyed the chance to test a DTM car with Audi, and adapted well to the car, running fastest of all during her outing in Spain.
Rumours on several websites have suggested that a deal to run with the privateer TME operation has been inked, with the team also contracting Finland’s Emma Kimiläinen, albeit to a development deal that would see her running in the Italian Superstars series.
[Source: gokatherine.com]
Lisa Klassen signed by Kaaz for ‘08 Drifting Season
January 7, 2008
Kaaz
Kaaz Press Release
Lisa’s Personal Website
http://www.kaazusa.com/news2.html
ASHLEY FORCE NAMED 2007 AUTO CLUB ROOKIE OF THE YEAR WINNER
January 7, 2008
“Castrol GTX Ford Driver Joins List That Includes Bernstein, Line, Hight and Todd ”
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Ashley Force, 24, applied a measure of positive energy to a difficult season Monday when she accepted the Automobile Club of Southern California’s 2007 Road to the Future Award as the professional Rookie-of-the-Year in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.
The daughter of injured icon John Force accepted a check for $20,000 from the Auto Club before crediting her father, her family and her team, especially crew chiefs Dean “Guido” Antonelli and Ron Douglas, for a history-making first season at the wheel of the Castrol GTX Ford Mustang.
Although she missed two races, one following the death last March of teammate Eric Medlen and the other after her father suffered the most serious crash of his 32-year career, the graduate of Cal State-Fullerton made history last month at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway where she became the first woman to race in a Funny Car final in a national series.
In addition to her performance at LVMS, where she was beaten in the money round by newly-crowned series champion Tony Pedregon, she went to the semifinals on three other occasions, qualified No. 2 three times and finished No. 10 in the driver standings, insuring her a position, on stage, with her father and brother-in-law (Robert Hight) during Monday’s NHRA award ceremonies at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel.
The elder Force, who is recovering from multiple injuries suffered in a Sept. 23rd crash at Dallas, Texas, finished seventh in points even though he missed the season’s last three races. Hight, driver of the Auto Club Ford, insured his second consecutive No. 2 finish by winning Sunday’s Auto Club Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.
Ashley, who distinguished herself in the Top Alcohol Dragster class before moving up to the Funny Car division this year, was one of five rookie racers nominated for the award including Pro Stock drivers Justin Humphreys, Craig Hankinson and Matt Scranton. The fifth nominee was Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Barry Henson.
“For more than 100 years the Auto Club has represented integrity, commitment, and professionalism to our millions of members,” said president and CEO Tom McKernan. “The Road to the Future Award has come to symbolize these same attributes in the sport of NHRA POWERade Drag Racing.” ”
http://www.ashleyforce.com/
Gravel Girls 2007 Calendar
January 7, 2008
”
Former local rally driver, Barbara Armstrong from Castle Douglas, was normally known for competing in the British Rally Championship. Her major claim to fame has been twice British Ladies Rally Champion. Now, in support of a good cause; Barbara is taking part in a project which will reveal her to the world in a whole new light!
In the tough, dangerous sport of rallying it can be hard to tell the few female competitors from the men. Once they are kitted out in race suits, crash helmets and two layers of fireproof underwear there is little scope for femininity. Now the new “Gravel Girls” calendar will leave no doubt that Barbara and her fellow competitors are female. These fearless motorsport competitors have been persuaded to face a new challenge by revealing all for a project that’s sure to get male hearts racing all over the country. But Barbara and other “Gravel Girls” from all over the UK would not have agreed to strip off unless there was a very good reason.
Nicola Parker, an up-and-coming young rally competitor, suffered a severe head injury in a horrific rally accident last November. The powerful Subaru Impreza she was driving crashed off a gravel forest track and became stuck 30ft down a steep ravine. The crash could easily have proved fatal, but Nicola and her co-driver were rescued from the wrecked rally car by the Wales Air Ambulance. A reconstruction of the dramatic events has been made for a television documentary.
Nicola, 28, is now fighting fit again and well on the way to a full recovery. The “Gravel Girls” calendar was her brainchild, to raise funds for the Air Ambulance charity that literally saved her life. Nicola has received outstanding support from fellow competitors nationwide. Along with Barbara the calendar will feature reigning British Ladies’ Rally Champion Lorna Smith, along with 2 other previous holders of the title including rally driver and television presenter Penny Mallory. Many other female competitors from all levels of the sport joined them during two days of intensive photo shoots.
Barbara and the other “Gravel Girls” have rallied round because many rally teams from all over the UK compete in Wales on a regular basis. All motorsport can be dangerous and rally driving especially so. Far away from the relative safety of a race track with its gravel traps and crash barriers, rallying takes place on narrow forest tracks in remote locations. Rally competitors know that the gravel “rally stages” of Wales present a particularly hazardous challenge. With slippery surfaces and steep hillsides, a small mistake or mechanical problem could easily put any competitor in difficulties.
Knowing the risks of their sport only too well, Barbara and her fellow “Gravel Girls” are grateful for the important role played by the local Air Ambulance charity. The Wales Air Ambulance provides a life saving service without any government help or funding. About 40% of all incidents attended are Road Traffic Accidents. In the last 5 years they have responded to 5000 missions, and the air ambulance only works an 8 hour shift! This year they have been exceptionally busy and rescue missions have been double that of any other summer. Speed of rescue is paramount to the recovery of any casualty
The “Gravel Girls” project has already received financial sponsorship from major motorsport companies including Pirelli, Kumho, Speedline, Proflex, Geoff Jones Motorsport, VK, Prodrive and Demon Tweeks as well as the Sun newspaper. With such great backing, the girls are confident that their calendar will be a huge phenomenon. The combination of fast cars and the female form has become so popular that it’s almost a cliché, but Barbara and the other “Gravel Girls” are offering something truly unique. They are not airbrushed models, but real women who actually compete in the tough sport of rallying, and the high-performance cars they will be appearing in, on and under are their own.The “Gravel Girls” calendar aims to emulate both the fundraising success of the famous WI “Calendar Girls”, and also their fun style of presentation. Expertly-lit monochrome photos will give the calendar the same cheeky yet artistic look. The major difference is that Barbara and friends will have their modesty tantalisingly preserved by car parts, wheels, tyres maps and other rally paraphernalia instead of cakes, knitting and jam.
The 2007 “Gravel Girls” calendar will be available to purchase by visiting www.gravelgirls.co.uk, or from motorsport mail-order giant Demon Tweeks, price £10 with all proceeds going to the Wales Air Ambulance charity.
For an interview, please contact Barbara at b.armstrong@racingline.com for further information about “Gravel Girls” or to obtain publicity photographs please contact Nicola Parker on 07970971664, or email nicola.parker@virgin.net”
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