The most powerful Official F1TM Safety Car of all time: The new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG takes its place at the head of the Formula-1 field

• Gullwing model for motor racing’s top flight
• Unique super sports car concept
• Two monitors for keeping a close eye on the race
• C 63 AMG Estate once again Official F1^TM Medical Car

When the new Formula-1 season gets underway in Manama/Bahrain (12-14 March 2010), it will mark the debut of the most spectacular and powerful Official F1^TM Safety Car of all time. The job of the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, which will be launched on 27 March 2010, is to ensure maximum safety in Formula 1. The “gullwing” model replaces the SL 63 AMG, which was used as the Official F1^TM Safety Car in 2008 and 2009. As in the last two years, the C 63 AMG Estate will be used as the Official F1^TM Medical Car for the coming season.

“Together with the entire AMG Team, I am very proud that the new SLS AMG is the official F1 safety car. I’m sure all Mercedes and AMG fans will be excited to see the gullwing model together with the new Mercedes GP Petronas Team at the F1 circuits,” says Volker Mornhinweg, Chief Executive Officer of Mercedes-AMG GmbH.

From March 2010, the Official F1^TM Safety Car will be deployed whenever hazardous situations such as accidents or bad weather endanger normal racing. The SLS AMG, piloted by Bernd Mayländer (38, from Germany), will be on standby in the pit lane throughout the entire race. When radioed by Race Control, the former DTM driver and his co-driver, FIA man Pete Tibbetts (44, from the UK) will take to the track at the head of the field in order to guide the Formula-1 race cars safely around the circuit.

BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team Unveils Livery for 2010 ALMS Season

Woodcliff Lake , N.J. – February 22, 2010… Today, the BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team began the 2010 American Le Mans season with a new livery on both BMW M3 racing cars, helping to tell BMW’s worldwide Story of Joy. The 2010 BMW M3 GT debuted at the traditional pre-season ALMS Winter Test in Sebring, Florida. The new livery features words and phrases emblematic of the spirit of the campaign, which was launched in North America on February 12th during coverage of the Opening Ceremony of the XXI Winter Olympic Games.

“Story of Joy” introduces a new creative aesthetic characterized by strong, colorful images often conveying people and their experiences with the subtlest of references to BMW products punctuated by various three-word headlines leading off with “Joy Is…”

“These days, there isn’t much chance for a winter break but our crew certainly earned what little vacation time they got,” said Martin Birkmann, BMW of North America Motorsport Manager. “Now, since the turn of the new year we’ve been getting ready to start what we expect will be a great second season. Car construction is complete, testing has begun, and everyone is excited. We look forward to giving BMW fans a good show at the Winter Test and of course the legendary 12-Hour event next month. For 2010, we have created the Joy livery as a special tribute to our most enthusiastic fans, as they have helped us define the joy of driving and racing in the US for 35 years.”

Hyper PRO Racer. Bryant Park – 2 laps

Mopar® Announces 2010 Dodge Challenger Drag Pak Program For Grassroots Racers

• Dodge Challenger Drag Pak built for sanctioned NHRA Stock, Super Stock and Comp Eliminator configurations
• Priced at $39,999, production to start this summer
• Applications now available at http://www.mopar.com
• First-year build program in 2009 sold out

Auburn Hills, Mich., Feb 22, 2010 – Following a first-year sell out of 100 factory-built program vehicles in 2009, Mopar announced its 2010 Dodge Challenger Drag Pak program.

For 2010, the non-street legal V-8 powered, rear-wheel drive Dodge Challenger is available with the 6.1 liter HEMI® that may be set up with a 5-speed automatic or 6-speed manual transmission.

“We’re proud of our drag racing heritage at Mopar and we will continue to support our drag-race customers where they compete,” said Pietro Gorlier, President and Chief Executive Officer – Mopar Service, Parts and Customer Care, Chrysler Group LLC. “The Dodge Challenger Drag Pak program was a success last year, and we’ll be carrying that momentum into our 2010 build.”

Loose NHRA dragster tire kills woman

An unidentified spectator was killed after being struck by debris from the car of Antron Brown after a crash during an NHRA Top Fuel race in Chandler, Arizona

Porsche Museum supports special exhibition at the High Museum of Art – First Ancestor of All Porsche Sports Cars on Show in America for the First Time

Stuttgart. The Museum run by Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, Germany, is sending its legendary Type 64 Berlin-Rome Car on a long journey. Befitting the 60th anniversary of Porsche in America, the aluminium body of Type 64 will be presented from 21 March to 20 June 2010 at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia (USA), taking the first and most prominent exhibit at the Porsche Museum in Zuffenhausen to a new location outside of Germany for the first time.

The High Museum of Art is one of the world’s leading art museums. In its special exhibition “The Allure of the Automobile”, the High Museum of Art is expressing its recognition of outstanding automotive developments in the period 1930 to 1960, focusing on differences in the development of American and European design. Type 64 will be presented next to other icons in the world of the automobile from Bugatti, Duesenberg, Jaguar, Ferrari, Pierce Arrow, Packard, Cadillac and Tucker as a synthesis of innovative construction and design, supreme craftsmanship, and exceptional design.

RACING STYLE AND SUBSTANCE – INTRODUCING THE B12/00 and B12/01 LOLA INDYCARS

Lola USA today reveals;

Delivering advanced technology and capturing the legendary IndyCar spirit with practical affordability, Lola USA today announce additional detail and present the first images of the proposed Lola B12/00 and B12/01 IndyCars for the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series.

The ‘total solution’ package will deliver two attractive and aero performance balanced racecars that will deliver a return to close and gladiatorial racing. Safety, efficiency, styling and affordability have been at the forefront of the Lola special projects team that have been working on this project throughout 2009 to date.