StreetFire live from the Georgia Tech Auto Show

We had a great time at the Georgia Tech Autoshow, a special thanks to the organizers and sponsors of the event. Hopefully we will have video from the show in the coming weeks!

StreetFire developer API, take all you want!

Noticed a lot of "" icons all over the site? Guess what? The StreetFire developer API is now available! This means that search results, featured videos, recent uploads, folders, heck even a single user's favorite videos all generate RSS feeds (RSS explained). What does this mean for you? Well, if you have a browser like Firefox or Safari, you can now make "live bookmarks" of your favorite StreetFire video selections. Better yet, if you know how to program, you can use our RSS feeds to build a widget that will display search results, recent videos, or even show latest comments for the latest videos. Here are some examples.

Latest uploads by Slick
Search results for the word "Camaro"
Featured Videos
Latest "Direct Download" Videos
Shinkaze's "Favorite Videos"
Shinkaze's Comments

So, what can you do with this? Well, if you run a Mitsubishi Website you can show a feed of recent WRX videos . Better yet, why not mix together feeds with WRX , Subaru , EVO , STi , and Rally ? Now if you're a real HTML ninja, you can crack open some AJAX programing and really get inventive... How about a Mash-Up of a classified web site, with StreetFire car videos to show examples of the car? How about a Google Maps mash up showing videos from various tracks? Chances are, you guys can dream up better ideas than I can.

[RSS-API Technical Support and Discussion]
[General Comments]

Steal Big! Jack a race car

If you've never checked out the Jalopnik "Hoon of the Day" you're missing a daily dose of great funny clips. Occasionally we manage to get one or two StreetFire vids up there, and today might be our lucky day, thanks to soujiroseta.

Ever had a crazy desire to run out to victory lane, hop in the winning car and take off? Yea, me too, but apparently this fan lacked that little part of the brain that controls such silly urges. Watch the video to see what happened.

[Dude, Where's my Race Car?]

New Civic Type R

Here's a little something something for you Honda guys out there.... I'm a bit of a Honda guy myself, but my Honda pops wheelies and has a 16,000 RPM redline, so I've been hard pressed to get behind the Hondas with more than two wheels. Still though, I have to grudgingly admit the new Civic coupe has grown on me quite a bit, pretty good looking car actually. Hope this new Type R is half the car of the old one, it at least looks the part.

[Video, Civic Type R]

Sweet Porsche Music

Few sounds are as smooth and silky as the Porsche Carrera GT, and here is a nice video to prove it. Looks like Spyder from Car-Parazzi.com is at it again, but this time from the passenger seat. Thanks for the video guys, love hearing that V10 wail!

[Spyder's ride in a Carrera GT]
[Car-Parazzi.com]
[More Videos by VRAlexander]

Porsche bangs an S2000 around

First, I had no idea an S2000 sounded so sweet running around a track, very impressive sound track. Second, I would be pissed if some guy oversteering out of a corner tagged my car like that... oh well, I guess Rubn' is racing, but man that's got to hurt.

[Porsche tags an S2000 at the track]

New NISMO enhancements for the 350Z

I'm digging it from the front, but not feeling the love in the rear. Full Story after the jump.

[Forum Discussion: 2007 NISMO 350Z]

StreetFire talks to the Chairman of Eibach Springs

Last year we met the folks at Eibach Springs at NOPI, and formed a great partnership when they decided to help our little community grow by becoming one of our sponsors. This gave us a chance to see behind the curtain, visit their factory in Corona California, and meet some of the people that help shape this company. One such person we met was Wilfried Eibach, Chairman of Eibach springs and son of the founder of the company. Wilfrief told us a bit of the history of the company and how today his family extends to everyone that works for Eibach Springs.

[Watch Video interview with the Chairman of Eibach Springs]
[Direct Download High Quality Version on iTunes]

Today Eibach Springs is celebrating an incredible 2006 Motorsport Season, and an anniversary as well. Just to give you an idea of their commitment to our Sport, here is a list of their 2006 Motorsport achievements.

2006 Team winners using Eibach Springs

Formula 1
Nearly 100% of all the teams that use coil springs—use only Eibach! (Including the Champion)

World Rally Championship
1st Manufacturer Championship, Ford – M-Sport.

NASCAR
Nextel Cup
1st Jimmie Johnson # 48 Hendrick Motorsports
2nd Matt Kenseth #17, Roush Racing
3rd Denny Hamlin #18, Joe Gibbs Racing

Busch Series
1st Kevin Harvick #21, Richard Childress Racing
2nd Carl Edwards #60, Roush Racing
3rd Clint Bowyer #2, Richard Childress Racing

ARCA ReMax Series
1st Frank Kimmel #46, Tri-State Motorsports

USAR Hooters Pro Cup
1st Clay Rogers #44
2nd Shelby Howard #20
3rd Woody Howard #55

USAC
National Midgets
1st Jerry Coons Jr, Greg Wilke Racing
2nd Josh Wise, Tony Stewart Racing

National Sprints
1st Josh Wise, Tony Stewart Racing
2nd Levi Jones, Tony Stewart Racing

Western Sprints
1st Tony Hunt, Alan Kaiser Racing

Champ Car World Series
1st Sebastien Bourdais, Newman Haas Racing.
2nd Justin Wilson, RuSPORT
3rd A.J. Allmendinger, Forsythe Championship Racing

Indy Racing League
1st Sam Hornish Jr., Team Penske Racing
2nd Dan Weldon, Chip Ganassi Racing
3rd Helio Castroneves, Team Penske Racing

Grand American - Rolex Series GT
1st Andy Lally and Marc Bunting, The Racers Group

SCCA Speed World Challenge - Touring Car
1st Pierre Kleinubing, RealTime Racing
3rd Peter Cunningham, RealTime Racing

NHRA Drag Racing
Pro Stock
1st Jason Line, KB Racing
1st Greg Anderson, KB Racing Pontiac

FIA GT1 Manufacturers Cup
1st Aston Martin

British GT Series
1st Tim Mullen, SCUDERIA ECOSSE

SCSA
1St Olie Payne, Team West-Tec

British Pickup Racing Series
1St Nic Grindrod, Vitac Transmission

Recaro Formula-3 Cup
1st Ho-Pin Tung, JB Motorsport

Seat Leon Supercopa
1st Florian Gruber, Team LogiPlus powered by Konrad Motorsport
2nd René Rast, GAG Racing Team
3rd Fredy Barth, Fischer Racing

Ford Fiesta ST Cup
1st Carsten Seifert, Racing Team East

ADAC Rallye Masters
1st Hermann Gassner/´Siggi Schrankl, Gassner Motorsport

Deutsche Rallye Series Group N
1st Hermann Gassner/Karin Thannhäuser, Gassner Motorsport

HJS Diesel Rallye Masters
1st Markus Moufang/Hartmut Walch, BMW 120d

Australia Fujitsu V8 Supercars Series
1st Adam Macrow, Howard Racing

Australian Sport Sedan Series
1st Dean Randal

Australian F3 Championship
1st Ricky Ochipinti

Australian Formula Ford Championship
1st John Martin

Australian Rally Championship
1st Simon & Sue Evans, Toyota

SCORE/Tecate Baja 1000
1st Overall 4-Wheel Robbie Gordon/Andy McMillan, Red Bull Chevrolet Trophy Truck

Congratulations to the entire Eibach team!

[StreetFire.net Racing Forums]

Nice little burn out to get the day started

Ever since we went to the PRI show last December I've found a new appreciation for front engine dragsters. Here is a nice taste of what these monsters are like up close and personal.... brutal acceleration off the line.

[Bockman's Dragster testing at Ennis Motorplex] uploaded by KnowItHauls

More Geneva 2007 Coverage from UnitedPictures

[Geneva 2007: Lamborghini Special]
[Geneva 2007: Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe]
[Geneva 2007: Audi S5]

Fantastic video coverage, I particularly like how the host says "Lamborghini Superleggera"... women speaking Italian is a weakness of mine. MAybe if I'm lucky I will be able to make this show next year. Anyhow, a warm thank you to the production crew of UnitedPictures for providing us with this fantastic video coverage of the event.

[View All UnitedPicturesTV Videos]

Eric Medlen succumbs to injuries suffered in recent testing accident

This is turning into a hard weekend for enthusiasts. I just posted earlier today that Hot Rod magazine founder Robert Peterson passed away, but I was just informed the sport has has suffered another loss in the untimely death of Eric Medlen. This is a loss for the sport, the fans and most of the all the Medlen Family. Our prayers are with you all.

[Eric Medlen passes away complete story]
[Comments and well wishes]

Garage decoration by Comp Cams

I've always been a bit of a sucker for nostalgic metal signs... typically old oil companies and coke button signs. Kudos to Comp Cams for keeping the tradition alive with their new Thumpr Cams metal sign (32"x10" high). I would love to see more companies make fun pieces like this. Anyhow if you want one call them at 1-800-999-0853 and tell them the guys from StreetFire sent ya.

[Comp Cams Website]
[Thumper Sign by Comp Cams]

edit: 3.26 added link to comp cams site.

Even More Rally Norway

And the hits from Norway keep coming! Thanks again to RallyNorway for another great video compilation. This one comes with a hit of 80's pop which I find to be a fun contrast to the intense racing.

[Rally Norway Compilation]
[View all RallyNorway videos]

UnitedPicturesTV presents the 2007 Geneva Motorshow

Click a Thumb to watch a vid.

Factoy 5 GTM car in motion!

My Favorite Kit cars are the ones that use the LSx motor... why? Because you can big cubes and even bigger power from a small lightweight block, that makes it ideal for cars like this. We talked to Factory 5 at the SEMA show last year and Chris fell in love with this car.... though I think for some Factory 5 is better known for their Cobra kit car, I think this new GTM racer with it's mid-engine mounted LSx motor will become a new favorite.

[Video 1]
[Video 2]
[Video 3]

Robert E. Petersen Dies at age 80.

Folks like Mr. Peterson helped make the aftermarket industry what it is today, and I know I for one started my love of the sport within the pages of Hot Rod Magazine and Motor Trend. So a moment of silence for one who has helped shaped and define a sport that touches us all.

-Adam

Robert E. Petersen, Founder of Hot Rod, Motor Trend Magazines and Benefactor of the Petersen Automotive Museum Passes On at 80

Robert E. Petersen, an entrepreneur who single-handedly created the largest special-interest publishing company in America, was instrumental in the evolution of the hot-rodding culture, and who, with his wife Margie, realized his dream of establishing an educational museum to pay tribute to the automobile, died on Friday, March 23, at St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica, Calif. after a short but valiant battle with neuroendocrine cancer. He was 80.

"Mr. Petersen helped create and feed the American obsession with the automobile, delivering gasoline-powered dreams to the mailboxes of millions," said Dick Messer, Director of the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. "He understood the thrill that an average person could get from seeing and reading about horsepower as an art form."

A native of Southern California, Mr. Petersen's mother passed away when he was 10, leaving him with his Danish-immigrant father, who worked as a truck and equipment mechanic. As a young man he picked up his father’s skills, learning to weld, de-coke engines, and hone his fascination with cars.

After graduating from Barstow High School in the mid-1940s, he moved to Los Angeles, working at MGM studios as a messenger boy. Following service in the Army Air Corps toward the end of Word War II, Mr. Petersen, now an independent publicist immersed in the burgeoning customized auto culture of California, was instrumental in creating the first hot-rod show at the Los Angeles Armory. To help establish the event, in January 1948 he launched Hot Rod Magazine, and hawked the magazine at local speedways for 25 cents a copy. Motor Trend, a more upscale publication for production car enthusiasts, and dozens of other titles aimed at specialty automotive segments soon followed.

Mr. Petersen spent decades as Chairman of the Board of Petersen Publishing Company, which was at one time America’s leading publisher of special-interest consumer magazines and books before its sale to private investors in August 1996. Among its other diverse successful titles are Teen, Sport, Rod & Custom, and Guns & Ammo. He also headed a wide variety of other businesses including ammunition manufacturing, real estate development and aviation services that each reflected another passion he shared.

Firmly established as an American success story, Mr. Petersen had one lasting vision: an educational museum to pay tribute to the automobile. On June 11, 1994, the lifelong dream of Robert E. Petersen was fulfilled with the opening of a 300,000-square-foot automotive museum named in his honor, made possible by his $30 million endowment.

Today the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles stands as the nation’s premiere automotive museum, serving thousands of visitors each year. Its mission remains to educate and excite generations of auto enthusiasts with the fascinating stories, vehicles and people that have influenced the American love affair with the automobile - a mission that has been a resounding success thanks to the generosity of its main benefactor.

In addition to his noted auto collection, Mr. Petersen also developed a keen interest in sport shooting. He served as Shooting Sports Commissioner for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games, where he was responsible for building that venue from an old dairy farm within six months.

Mr. Petersen served as president and chairman of the board of the Boys' and Girls' Club of Hollywood, and was a member of the National Board of Directors for the Boys’ and Girls' Club of America. He was active in support of numerous children’s charities and also served as a member for the Los Angeles City Library Commission.

Both he and his wife have been major contributors to the Music Center of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Additionally, he was a founding member of the Thalians social society, which raises money for the Mental Health Center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. His ongoing contributions to the community earned him numerous special citations from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and Los Angeles City Council.

Mr. Petersen was to be honored with both the ‘Automotive Icon’ and ‘Visionary’ awards at the Petersen museum’s annual gala on May 10. The ceremony will now be held as a tribute to Mr. Petersen and his contributions to the institution and community.

"What made him so special was that he gave every ounce of his energy and abilities to his dreams. He was a quiet man who truly became an American icon," the Petersen museum’s Messer said. "He made his living doing things he loved and he found success at every turn. The way he lived his life, always looking for ways to give back in return for the success he enjoyed, made you proud to count him as a friend. The museum is now his legacy."

He is survived by his wife, Margie. In lieu of flowers, the family asks donations be made to the Petersen Automotive Museum or the charity of the person’s choice in his honor. Funeral mass will be held Thursday, March 29, at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City.

[more on HotRod.com]

Hartge H33 puts M3 performance in a tiny package

Not really new news I know, and Hartge has moved on to bigger and better things (Like the v10 3-series Hartge H50 Part I, Part II and Part III), but I still love the idea of putting BMW's best motors in it's smallest lines. Take the 1 series for example, that thing is begging for theH50 treatment. Still the upcoming 135 will be a hoot with the twin turbo motor, but I guess on some level I am morning the passing of the Inline 6 M3 to the bigger badder V8.... In some ways this seams like a move up to M5 dynamics for the M3..... Anyhow enough wistful thoughts, here is the Hartge H33 uploaded by Lexx.

[Hartge H33]

Best wishes to Eric Medlen and family

Rather B.Blown just sent me a PM about this and I had no idea until just now. Funny Car driver Eric Medlen who drives the Castrol Syntec Mustang for John Force Racing has been critically injured in a test run. He was critically injured in testing Monday and his fate is up in the air. The whole StreetFire community is wishing you a speedy recovery and our thoughts and prayers are with you.


[Complete Story and Comments]
[Racing Forum]

DAX Rush on the BOS, Download it!

iTunes link
This video was too cool so we decided to go ahead and put it into our best of StreetFire podcast, which of course means a higher quality direct download is now available. As always, click the iTunes link, hint if you click the "" button in iTunes, you don't have to wait for me to make a blog post about it ;-)

[High Quality Direct Download]

[Dax Rush 1300T Streaming on StreetFire]
[More vids from SaladFingers]

Chrome Hayabusa from the frame-up

Good to see a company with a sense of humor about their own product. That said Busa-mods are all the rage now, and the local bike scene is swarming with 400+hp Hayabusas with extended swing arms and more money in them than anything you see on "American Chopper".

I'm more into the knee drag myself, but hats off to anyone that looks at a 9-second Hayabusa and thinks "great start, but can we make it faster?". Anyhow, this is a cool little video showing a Chrome-frame build up in stop motion. cool stuff!

[Watch Video]
[Check out MotoxSupport]

GT2 Finish at Sebring, Load of crap or rub'n is Race'n?

After 12 hours and 1000 miles of racing the GT2 class came down to a matter of inches between a F430 and the Flying Lizard Porsche 911 RSR.

from the ALMS web Site

"Undoubtedly the highlight of the day was the GT2 class finish. Risi Competizione's Jaime Melo beat Jorg Bergmeister of Flying Lizard Motorsports to the finish line by 0.20 seconds, the closest finish in Sebring's 55-year history and the closest finish ever in the American Le Mans Series' GT2 class.

Melo, who drove with Mika Salo and Johnny Mowlem, led by five seconds with 11 minutes left but by the final lap Bergmeister was tucked right behind his rear bumper. The two cars crossed the start-finish line just before Werner took the checkered flag. So instead of a one-second victory, Melo had to hold off the young Porsche factory driver for another full circuit.

Bergmeister, partnering with Johannes van Overbeek and Marc Lieb, finally caught up with Melo entering Turn 16 and on to the long backstretch. He pulled alongside Melo and barely moved past him as the two headed into the final turn. They remained door-to-door and made contact as Melo edged across the line."

The Flying Lizard Team protested the finish but it was overturned, watch the video and tell us what you think.

[Watch Video of GT2 finish]
[Comment]