BAD NASCAR CRASH

CraigB uploads another look at the Michael McDowell wreck that occurred Friday during NASCAR qualifying at Texas Motor Speedway. McDowell, a relatively unknown rookie at the time of the accident, was qualifying for his second Sprint Cup Series race. There is no way a person walks away from a wreck like that unless it's on a Hollywood set, but, McDowell not only walked away, he finished 26th in NASCARS Samsung 500 Sunday.

A tip of the cap goes to engineers who continue to bring new safety technology to NASCAR. Since the death of Dale Earnhardt in 2001, safety restraints for drivers and barriers on race track walls that are stiff yet energy absorbent have been implemented.

View the Michael McDowell Crash video.

Top Crashes of 2007

As 2007 slowly winds down, we get all those sappy VH1 specials about what made 2007 so great. For us it was the great videos, and we all know the most popular category is our "Boom!" Category with all the crash footage. In our ongoing evil plot to steal market share for TV, we decided to do our own awards pick for the year. So here are our choices for the Top Crashes of 2007.

#5.) Porsche GT3 wrecks while running from the cops

Porsche GT3 crash. Dutch police chase.

Props because of the obvious expense of the car combined with bowling ball sack it takes to continuing to run when your GT3 is throwing the hood over the windscreen.

#4.) TV reporter catches it on video!

Two cars collide right behind a TV reporter as he talks about the dangerous intersection. Not a very good place to stand.

This one gets good 30 seconds in when some local residents decide to demonstrate for the camera.


#3.) Saudi style Drifting gone wrong

some accidents while drifting in Saudi ;(

The Saudi's take drifting to an extreme form, but by raising the stakes they get some pretty spectacular crashes. This compilation dropped my jaw, doesn't get crazier than this.

#2.) Clint Bowyer upside down and on fire finishing 18th

Daytona 500 NASCAR race and Top Gear bagging on Americans,... why do they hate us so much? Because Jeremy Clarkson is too proud to admit how cool this is. Only in an America are race cars finishing upside down and on Fire ;-)

Best crashes of 2007 wouldn't be complete without one NASCAR crash, I mean seriously, thats why we all watch, right? This one takes honors as being especially cool, because Clint Bowyer finished the Daytona 500 upside down and on fire. The only way he could have been more manly is if his car was sponsored by Jack Daniels...wait a sec, it was.

#1.)WRC Rally Crash

Rally Accident - Underwater

This one is terrifying. I don't know if it's the rush of water flowing in, or the panic breathing from the driver, but you simply cannot watch this video without getting a cold chill down your spine.

Crashes are fun to watch when no one gets hurt, but that's not always the case. Please drive safe and keep the accidents online and off the streets in 2008!

Discuss our 2007 Picks here, and let us know what your favorites are as well!

Lenay in a NASCAR

Lenay takes the Red Bull First Person team from the dirt track to the ovals of NASCAR. Watch as she takes a ride with AJ Allmendinger and his #84 Red Bull car.

Gentlemen she is beautiful and loves cars, what more do you want?

Watch Lenay's NASCAR Video.

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]

Upside down and on fire, NASCAR shows Top Gear how it's done

Top Gear had a pretty lame episode last week. Normally their cross country challenges are very funny with brilliant comments, funny satire and good nature jabs. Last week's TG episode was just one long America-bashing joke, no cool cars, no tests, no exotics, just one long tired southern joke. I mean seriously guys, we give you such great material and all you can come back with is fat Stig and we're going to get murdered?

I can only think this dearth of good content was due to Richard's tragic wreck that nearly took his life and the pressures that placed on the shooting schedule. The Episode would have felt lest scripted and smarter had it been cut down to 20 minutes.

At any rate, at one point they sort of bag on NASCAR, which is fine were it not for last night's spectacular finish of the Daytona 500. Even the TG team has got to admit that finishing 18th in a race upside down and on fire is the height of cool. I can think of no better Jack Daniels ad myself than just showing this car sliding across the finish line on it's hood......on fire.... Anyhow....

Spoiler Warning shows the finish of last night's race
[Click to Watch Video]
[Discuss]

Daytona 500 Racing Art Webcast

One of our PhotoChoppers is lucky enough to be doing a live webcast of Daytona this weekend and he's invited us to check out his site as he makes art work real time from the race.

From the horse's mouth:

"This is what we at stingsrays studio do to celebrate the 2007 racing season, all year long we do "Live Race Art" during many NASCAR, Grand Am, IndyCar, CART, & NHRA race events that feature live links to race leaderboards and results as well as news related to each event or series. During each event we post new artworks that depict the events that happened at the race !..within minutes of it happening !!"

Sounds cool, be sure to check it out today, and all weekend long!

[Check out the Site]
[Comment Here]

New Forum Section: Racing News and Talk

As we move back into the season, the Auto News section has been filling up with all sorts of racing announcements. The solution? New section! So for you racing fans out there, you now have a section all your own on StreetFire Forums.

Some recent threads

• Le Mans: Porsche delivers first RS spyder
• Diesel in F1? Ferrari driver thinks so
• Schumacher offered open invitation to drive a NASCAR
• NASCAR finds illegal substance in a Toyota
• F1: BMW Testing results in Barcelona
• Nissan shoves a V8 into their SuperGT Fairlady

[Go to the Racing News and Talk Forum]