TROPHYLITE Class To Make It's TORC Debut

The Traxxas TORC Truck Series Presented By AMSOIL
Media Alert: TROPHYLITE CLASS TO MAKE ITS DEBUT AT TORC SEASON FINALE

Corona, CA (August 3rd, 2009)-The Traxxas TORC Truck Series presented by AMSOIL is proud to announce the addition of a new race class, TROPHYLITE, to make it's debut under the lights at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

"This will be the first time that TROPHYLITES will be participating in a true national short course series, and I could not be more ecstatic about it," stated Greg Foutz, owner of TROPHYLITE. "TROPHYLITES are a cost-effective, fun class and I believe that bringing them into the TORC Series is the next step in taking the TROPHYLITE class to the next level."

Ricky Johnson, co-owner of TORC echoed these sentiments. "Don't be fooled by the "lite" name. Steve Barlow and I have both raced these trucks and had a blast! The addition of the TROPHYLITE class is a great way to bring new talent to TORC, not only is the class affordable, but they are easy to drive and make the transition into the PRO classes much easier. We are excited to add them to our series and bring a fresh new breed of drivers to short course off road racing."

TROPHYLITE is an affordable spec racing concept focused on providing the average off-road enthusiast the chance to step from the sidelines into the driver's seat of state of the art purpose built off-road race trucks. TROPHYLITE offers not only a very affordable high performance spec race truck, but also the chance to compete against other TROPHYLITE drivers for prize money and points towards a year end championship. Through TROPHYLITE and its generous supporters, there is no question that the next big thing in off-road has arrived. Get off the sidelines and turn your dreams into dust!

The Traxxas TORC Series- The Off Road Championship, presented by AMSOIL is the world's premier short course off road series. TORC drivers push the limits with 900 horsepower, action-packed fender pounding on challenging natural terrain racetracks. The 2009 season schedule includes stops in Texas, California, Nevada, Michigan, and Wisconsin. For more information on TORC please visit www.torcseries.com.

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F1: Schumacher training hard

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(ANSA) - Rome, August 4 - Seven-time Formula One champion Michael Schumacher said Tuesday he is continuing to train hard for his return to racing, well aware that physical fitness will be key to any comeback success.

The 40-year-old Schumacher agreed last week to come out of retirement to substitute Felipe Massa at Ferrari after the Brazilian had a life-threatening accident July 25 while qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Pirx.

The German said his return to Ferrari was out of loyalty to the team which helped him win five of his seven titles and where he continued to work as a consultant after he retired at the end of the 2006 season.

F1’s Sebastian Vettel Has Sights Set on WRC

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Red Bull Racing Formula 1 driver Sebastian Vettel has expressed a desire to follow Kimi Raikkonen’s lead and tackle a round of the World Rally Championship.

Vettel travelled to Finland this weekend and met up with Citroen Total World Rally Team drivers Sebastien Loeb and Dani Sordo, before heading out to the stages to witness the action of the fastest round of the WRC.

“This is my first time at the World Rally Championship and it’s been fascinating,” said the German.

Schu will put on a clinic – Ecclestone

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Bernie Ecclestone reckons Michael Schumacher will teach his younger rivals a thing or two when he returns to the Formula 1 grid in Valencia later this month.

Schumacher is set to race for Ferrari while Felipe Massa continues his recuperation from head injuries, and at 40 will become the oldest driver to compete in a grand prix since Nigel Mansell in 1995.

Schumacher hasn’t raced in F1 since 2006, but Ecclestone is convinced the sport’s most successful driver will be a force to be reckoned with.

“I think he’s going to give one or two of them a driving lesson,” Reuters quoted him as saying on Tuesday.

“He obviously wouldn’t have decided to come back unless he thought he was going to be competitive and Michael is a competitive guy.”

Canada back in F1 in 2010 - Ecclestone

Formula 1 surpremo Bernie Ecclestone says Canada will host a GP in 2010 despite being dropped from the 2009 calendar.

A race in India, however, is still below the horizon.

The Canadian GP, last raced in 2008 at the Gilles-Villeneuve circuit in Montreal, was shelved for 2009 after Ecclestone and the race's organisers couldn't agree on money.

"We will return to Canada in 2010 - I know everybody connected with F1 loves this GP," Ecclestone told German magazine Motorsport Aktuell in comments published on Tuesday

TORC Media Alert: TORC 2009 Season Finale Date Change

The Traxxas TORC Truck Series Presented By AMSOIL
Media Alert: TORC 2009 Season Finale Date Change
Corona, CA (August 4th, 2009)-The Traxxas TORC Truck Series presented by AMSOIL announces a date change for the 2009 season finale event that will be held at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The October 30th -November 1st race weekend will now be held the week prior, October 23rd- 25th, with racing action taking place on Friday and Saturday evening.

"We made the decision to change the date based on scheduling conflicts with other races happening during that weekend at the speedway," said Ricky Johnson co-owner of TORC. "The new date also allows teams needing attending the SEMA Show November 3rd a larger window to have their trucks in top display condition."

Various TORC Championships will be crowned in a number of classes at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The PRO Trucks will be vying for the Oakley Bomb Run Season Award, given to the driver in each class with the most Oakley Bombs for 2009. Oakley will also be awarding a specially designed TORC 2009 Championship Watch to all eleven of the class champions.

The final round of The Traxxas TORC Series presented by AMSOIL will be aired on ABC November 8th, 2009 at 1:30PM EST.

The Traxxas TORC Series-The Off-Road Championship, presented by AMSOIL is the world's premier short course off road series. TORC drivers push the limits with 900 horsepower, action-packed fender pounding on challenging natural terrain racetracks. The 2009 season schedule includes stops in Texas, California, Nevada, Michigan, and Wisconsin. For more information on TORC please visit www.torcseries.com.

Piquet confirms Renault release and hits back

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In a strong statement confirming the cessation of his relationship with the Renault F1 Team, Neslon Piquet has hit back, describing his time with Renault as 'the worst period' of his career coming to an end and also declaring a 'sense of relief' that it has passed.

"I have received notice from the Renault F1 team of its intention to stop me from driving for them in the current F1 season," began Piquet's long statement. "It is obviously with great disappointment that I receive such news. But, at the same time, I feel a sense of relief for the end of the worst period of my career, and the possibility that I can now move on and put my career back on the right track and try to recover my reputation of a fast, winning driver.

"I am a team player and there are dozens of people I have worked with in my career who would vouch for my character and talent, except unfortunately the person that has had the most influence on my career in Formula 1," he added, referring to Renault Team Principal Briatore.

F1: McLaren Prepared To Grant Schumacher

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MERCEDES-BENZ MOTORSPORT Vice-President Norbert Haug said his team is prepared to allow Ferrari legend Michael Schumacher to participate in a one-day test ahead of the German’s much anticipated return at Valencia.

Speaking to Autosport, Haug said McLaren and Mercedes would do all that is possible to assist Schumacher’s return to Formula 1.

“Whatever we can do to support him we will do. I just think it is fair. This is an exception. If Michael had said he would come back under the condition that he could test, everybody would have said yes,” he said.

“His team-mate has thousands of kilometres in this car, and he has nothing. As we are fair players, why should he not get some testing? I would be very open to that.”