AutoWeek articles from December 2003

AutoWeek archives from December 2003

BMW Down Home in Carolina.(BMW factory in Spartanburg County, South Carolina)(Column)
December 1, 2003... Byline: Matt Davis Nissan builds trucks in Mississippi, Mercedes-Benz in Alabama, and Toyota has been cranking out vehicles in California for a while. This is a great trend for all involved. I've just visited what may be the coolest...

SPORTS TRUCK? With the Ram SRT-10, Dodge aims to build a Viper with a truck body.
December 1, 2003... Byline: JOE KOVACH Numbers play a big role in the new Dodge Ram SRT-10. We'll start with 500, which the truck's engineers reached or exceeded four times: in hp (500 at 5600 rpm), torque (525 lb-ft at 4200 rpm), engine displacement (505...

Driver's Log.(News)(2004 Ford Freestar)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 1, 2003... 2004 Ford Freestar Date in fleet: Oct. 3-17 As-tested price: $33,715 Powertrain: 4.2-liter V6; fwd, four-speed automatic Output: 201 hp @ 4250 rpm, 263 lb-ft @ 3500 rpm Curb weight: 4406 pounds FLOYD: There's a lot new here, much more...

Holiday Auction Items Really Worth Having.(News)
December 1, 2003... Byline: Dutch Mandel This time of year our job is to unearth exceptional, one-of-a-kind items we'd like under the tree with our name on it. You know: goodies not found on eBay or the Home Shopping Network. We've done it again, and we share...

MANUFACTURER INFO.(Auto File)(Directory)
December 1, 2003... Nissan North America 18501 South Figueroa St. Gardena CA 90248 Customer assistance: (800) 647-7261 Internet address: nissanusa.com Country of origin: United States Number of dealers: 1000 (est.) sticker Base...

Fast Poll.(News)
December 1, 2003... Power takes precedence over style at SEMA, as most readers who follow the annual automotive aftermarket heaven were more impressed with the go than with the show. Give me lightweight, powerful, rear-wheel-drive cars any day. The Focus RS8,...

QUICKEST CAT ON THE STREET; the JP1 is, by all definitions, a street-legal race car.(News)(Palmer Jaguar JP1)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 1, 2003... Byline: MIKE DUFF Shock and awe: The concept works. At least, it seems to in the overtaking lane of Britain's traffic-clogged A1(M) motorway, where what appears to be a Le Mans-bound prototype closes in at speed in the rearview mirror of...

owners say...(Auto File)(Nissan Quest)
December 1, 2003... The Quest is smooth even on rough roads and it hustles around corners without any drama. It brakes well, but it isn't as responsive as our Mitsubishi Montero was. After embarking on a long road trip with the Quest loaded up, it was very...

Events.(Calendar)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
December 1, 2003... Jan. 29-Feb. 1, 2004 Michigan International Auto Show Grand Rapids, Mich. For more information on this new vehicle show at De Vos Place visit showspan.com/mia/news.html. Jan. 29-Feb. 1, 2004 Nashville International Auto...

Book Review.(Review)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
December 1, 2003... Byline: MARK VAUGHN Corvette Thunder, 50 Years of Corvette Racing, 1953-2003, by Dave Friedman, hardcover, 393 pages, Guldstrand Motor Productions, (818) 567-1600, corvettethunder.com, $75 plus shipping It is very likely you will get...

Pedal Your Way into Nostalgia.(News)(Pedal to the Metal: A History of Children's Pedal Cars exhibition)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Byline: MIKE COVELLO What was the spark that ignited your automotive passion? For many who grew up in the '40s, '50s or '60s, it was the first time they got behind the wheel and steered a car on their own. We're not referring to...

TV.(Calendar)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
December 1, 2003... Friday, Dec. 5 * NASCAR Past Champions, 6:30 p.m., Speed Channel (T) * Summer Shootout from Concord, N.C., 7 p.m., Speed Channel (T) * Motorsport Mundial, 8:30 p.m., Speed Channel (T) Saturday, Dec. 6 * SCCA Runoffs from...

AUTOWEEK'S FAST FIVE: GARY MEADORS.(News)(Goodguys Rod and Custom Association founder)(Interview)
December 1, 2003... The 58,000 members of the Goodguys Rod and Custom Association celebrated the organization's 20th anniversary this year. Its founder, Gary Meadors, has always been a hot rodder, and we might add, a good guy. AW: What's your favorite hot...

THE WEIRD AND THE WONDERFUL; Nissan's Quest for the perfect minivan.(Auto File)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 1, 2003... When we were kids we didn't have no dad-blumbed DVD players with infrared headphones at all seating positions! Didn't have no ding-gummit collapsible captain's chairs with faux-reptilian tree bark upholstery! And we managed to get along fine...

SEEING Red.(News)(Saturn launches Red Line )
December 1, 2003... Byline: ROGER HART Saturn, the car company that we're told begs to be different, is making a double-barreled assault on the performance market with a couple of products that are, well, different for Saturn. They're real performers. ...

GRAND SPORT NO MORE.(News)(Grand Sport Corvette )
December 1, 2003... Byline: WILLIAM JEANES Sixth racing Vette likely ended up as a puddle of molten aluminum AutoWeek's search for the rumored sixth Grand Sport Corvette has borne fruit yet again-in unexpected fashion. When we suggested the existence...

CAUGHT ON CAMERA:.(News)(2005 Corvette )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... 2005 Corvette uncloaked in san francisco Chevy took a chance when it rolled out the 2005 Corvette to shoot some advertising footage in San Francisco recently-and lucky for us an intrepid photographer snapped a few shots before the car was...

2004 DODGE RAM SRT-10.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... On sale: Late December Base price: $45,795 Powertrain: 8.3-liter, 500-hp, 525-lb-ft V10; rwd, six-speed manual Curb weight: 5150 pounds 0 to 60 mph: 5.3 seconds (est.)

2004 SATURN ION RED LINE; Saturn turns sporty with two new models.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... On sale: Spring Base price: $20,000 (est.) Powertrain: 2.0-liter, 205-hp, 200-lb-ft supercharged I4; fwd, five-speed manual Curb weight: 2915 pounds (est.) 0 to 60 mph: 6.3 seconds (mfr.)

2004 SATURN VUE RED LINE.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... On sale: Late December Base price: $24,530 Powertrain: 3.5-liter, 250-hp, 242-lb-ft V6; fwd, five-speed automatic Curb weight: 3552 pounds 0 to 60 mph: 6.9 seconds (mfr.)

2003.5 PEUGEOT 206 RC.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... ON SALE: Now in France BASE PRICE: $22,500 POWERTRAIN: 2.0-liter, 175-hp, 149-lb-ft I4; fwd, five-speed manual CURB WEIGHT: 2555 pounds 0 to 60 MPH: 7.4 seconds (mfr.)

Flash.(Briefs)
December 1, 2003... Oh Canada! F1 race lives Canadian brewer Labatt has a check in hand to pay almost $4 million for the naming rights to the 2004 Canadian Grand Prix, on the Gilles Villeneuve Circuit in Montreal. The race is expected to be confirmed on the...

Gibbs signs USAC standout Yeley.(News)(Joe Gibbs Racing signs J.J. Yeley to multiyear contract)
December 1, 2003... Joe Gibbs Racing, winner of two NASCAR Winston Cup Series championships and 40 Winston Cup races since its inception in 1992, signed United States Auto Club star J.J. Yeley to a multi-year contract. Beginning next year, Yeley will run an...

PALMER JAGUAR JP1.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... On sale: Now in the U.K. Base price: $87,000 (est.) Powertrain: 3.0-liter, 277-hp, 230-lb-ft V6; rwd; six-speed sequential transmission Curb weight: 1520 pounds 0 to 60 mph: 3.6 seconds (mfr.)

Likes & Dislikes.(Auto File)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
December 1, 2003... likes * Good powertrain * Good use of fwd platform * Big, big doors dislikes * What's that? Styling? * Interior controls too funky * Electric doors too slow

REAR-WHEEL DRIVER.(News)(11th Annual AutoWeek Design Forum to feature Ralph Gilles)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
December 1, 2003... Ralph Gilles knows a thing or two about changing directions and breaking molds. As director of design for DaimlerChrysler, Gilles' most recent assignment involved walking away from Chrysler's entrenched cab-forward front-wheel-drive lineage to...

BWTM.(briefs)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... "We invite them to racetracks. Ford says, `If you race your car, you void the warranty.' But [to us] this is not abuse: This is what the cars were made for. My attitude [about warranty claims] is to give the customer the break. But I'll say...

BULLISH ON AMERICANS; In its second year, the Red Bull Driver Search is trying to put fresh Yanks on Euro tracks.(News)
December 1, 2003... Byline: MATT DAVIS When the six teenage hopefuls arrive in Portugal the morning of Oct. 12, it's postcard-perfect weather. From the airport, they throw their things into their hotel rooms and hustle over to the Circuito do Estoril, home of...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2003... Judgments on a corporate hot rod If there's any way to take back the American sedan market, it will be with a car like Ford's 427 hot rod (Cover Story, Nov. 10). I'm encouraged by what I read and saw. I would gladly put my 5 Series out to...

STILL DIGGIN' IT.(News)(Nissan 350Z)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 1, 2003... Byline: WES RAYNAL The second quarter with our long-term Nissan 350Z came and went with a ton of fun behind the wheel. The Z remains quick and tight, and looks great on the road. Tires were the biggest issue during the quarter,...

Chrysler reveals concepts, Crossfire SRT-6.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Byline: -BOB GRITZINGER Move over SRT-4 and Ram SRT-10. Those hot Dodge models from Chrysler's Performance Vehicle Operations shop are about to be joined in the showroom by PVO's first stab at a souped-up Chrysler: the 2005 Crossfire...

BIG HYPE FOR HOT WHEELS.(News)
December 1, 2003... Byline: MARK VAUGHN Mattel celebrates the 35th anniversary of its cool little cars with a hot new exhibit ]]]] They shut down two lanes of Wilshire Boulevard and one lane of Fairfax in Los Angeles right about rush hour, then made...

GOTTA LOVE THE FRENCH; Peugeot gives its hot 206 compact some RC appeal.(News)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 1, 2003... Byline: MATT DAVIS Yes, the French exited North America some 20 years ago leaving a trail of rusted and busted cars. Yes, Jacques Chirac has not recently helped his country's case with the American people. And yes, probably 95 percent of...

No Poseurs along the Back Roads; we take GM's new small trucks on a true off-road adventure.(News)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 1, 2003... Byline: LARRY EDSALL With few exceptions, an invitation from an automaker to "come drive our newest 4x4'' usually trans-lates into a cruise along some gravel road, with perhaps a quick detour to climb a hill steep and rocky enough that you...

Swede Emotions.(News)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 1, 2003... Byline: NATALIE NEFF The first quarter living with our long-term Volvo saw the vehicle put to good use, both in everyday tasks and family road trips. Most found the XC90 to be a great vehicle for light hauling, from flats of plants to...

Flash.(New briefs.)
December 1, 2003... Ford vacuum, Part 1 Ford's Special Vehicle Team will suffer through at least a year with no new product-and won't offer an SVT Focus when the performance brand emerges from dormancy in 2005. SVT chief John Coletti says plans call for...

FAST CAT IN THE HAT; Dave Steele wins the 2003 Turkey Night Midget Grand Prix.(News)
December 8, 2003... Byline: PATRICK C. PATERNIE J.J. Yeley was hoping to celebrate Thanksgiving night at Irwindale Speedway by topping his hat trick. Yeley had wrapped up the 2003 USAC National Midget championship the week before at Tucson to go along with...

Flash.(Competition)(briefs)
December 8, 2003... Cadillac reunion Former Cadillac prototype driver Max Angelelli will spearhead two General Motors race programs in 2004. Angelelli has signed with Wayne Taylor's new SunTrust Racing team for an attack on Grand-Am's Daytona Prototype...

McLAREN TESTS NEW CAR.(Competition)(MP4-19 )
December 8, 2003... Piloted by David Coulthard, the new-for-2004 Formula One McLaren was fastest at a three-day Michelin test at the Valencia circuit in Spain. Unveiled Nov. 25, the MP4-19 is an evolution of the MP4-18, which tested this past season but never...

A Beautiful and Legitimate Legend.(Escape Roads)(Ferrari Dino 246)
December 8, 2003... Byline: MIKE COVELLO While some may question the Ferrari lineage of the Dino 246, it's doubtful any would disparage its stunning beauty. Spend some time behind the Momo steering wheel of this voluptuous gem, and you will certainly fall in...

2004 BMW X3 3.0i.(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... On Sale: Now Base Price: $36,995 Powertrain: 3.0-liter, 225-hp, 214-lb-ft I6; awd, six-speed manual Curb Weight: 4023 pounds 0 to 60 mph: 7.6 seconds (mfr.)

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS.(Competition)(Jeff Gordon)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... ]]]] Jeff Gordon 61 Winston Cup victories 2001: Winston Cup champion 1999: Daytona 500 winner 1998: Winston Cup champion 1997: Winston Cup champion 1997: Daytona 500 winner 1995: Winston Cup champion ]]]]...

Events.(Calendar)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
December 8, 2003... Jan. 31-Feb. 1, 2004 Performance Auto Swap Meet Gray, Tenn. Check out raceproductions.net or call (423) 968-7150 for details on this parts bonanza. Jan. 31-Feb. 8, 2004 Philadelphia International Auto Show ...

2003 MASERATI SPYDER.(News)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... ON SALE: Now (2004 models also available) BASE PRICE: $90,972 POWERTRAIN: 4.2-liter, 390-hp, 333-lb-ft V8; rwd, six-speed paddle-operated sequential manual CURB WEIGHT: 3814 pounds 0 to 60 MPH: 4.9 seconds (mfr.)

X3 Times 3; BMW'S X3 SETS THE STANDARD FOR COMPACT UTES.(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 8, 2003... Byline: ROGER HART America's seemingly insatiable appetite for sport/utes has car companies staying up late trying to fill that need. Case in point: BMW's new X3. What had the Muncheners staying up late was just how were they going to...

But Wait There's More.....(BWTM)
December 8, 2003... On the podium at the NHRA's SEMA breakfast were drag racing legends John Force, Warren Johnson, Don Prudhomme and Darrell Gwynn. Gwynn rightfully asked the crowd, "Where else but Vegas could you find on stage Elvis (Force, a big Elvis fan), a...

2004 Chrysler Pacifica introduction.(News)
December 8, 2003... pricing & options Base (includes $680 delivery): $29,525 As tested price: $35,640 Options: Customer preferred package, with power seats, front and side-curtain airbags, traction control, automatic headlights, fog lamps, auto-dim...

SPEED FREAKS.(Column)
December 8, 2003... Everyone knows the freaks come out at night. Freaky machines with ungodly wings affixed to the rear, coated with an endless assault of stickers and vinyl. Under the carbon fiber hoods lurk impossibly high-revving engines with the NOS juice...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
December 8, 2003... Serious about the 6 Series For the new 6 (Cover story, Nov. 24), BMW has traded a harmonious flow of lines for an angry clash. Chris Bangle's statement that, "The rear end of this car looks this way because it has to look this way'' is a...

Tire rumbling has Z owners grumbling.(The 350Z.)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... Byline: MAC MORRISON Faced with owner complaints and a raging online debate about unusual tire wear on its popular 350Z sports car, Nissan has dispatched a team of engineers to investigate the problem. Here's what we know: A...

IN THE DRINK part 1of 2; The amazing story of the 1955 Monaco Grand Prix.
December 8, 2003... Byline: EOIN YOUNG ]]]] The 1955 EUROPEAN motor racing season was rife with excitement mixed with tragedy. Stirling Moss won the Mille Miglia for Mercedes in June, but the following weekend Mercedes failed to win its only Grand Prix of the...

Driver's Log.(News)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 8, 2003... 2004 Cadillac SRX Date in fleet: Oct. 29-Nov. 5 As-tested price: $58,140 Powertrain: 4.6-liter V8; awd, five-speed automatic Output: 320 hp @ 6400 rpm, 315 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm Curb weight: 4442 pounds GRITZINGER: This is a really, really,...

About That Gift List...(Column)
December 8, 2003... Byline: Rich Ceppos Holiday time is upon us, and you're no doubt vexed by the annual conundrum of what to get for me. I know, I know, I'm hard to buy for. Just when you think you've got the perfect gift figured out, it doesn't seem, well,...

Fast Poll.(News)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... Some wished for a driving school or subscription to AutoWeek, but for most, the perfect automotive stocking stuffer fits only in the garage. For that smoker who knows it was never good to start: an ashtray made from a Yugo piston. ...

Flash.(Briefs)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... Buick built for two A Buick racer? A prototype built by Bertone in Turin? Yes, says retiring GM design chief Wayne Cherry. At the 2004 New York auto show, Buick plans on making a huge splash with a Mercedes CLK convertible-fighting concept...

Results.(News)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... Irwindale Speedway 0.5-mile oval Nov. 27 Sprints: 1. Michael Lewis; 2. Aaron Pierce; 3. A.J. Fike; 4. Tom Hessert; 5. Jason Leffler; 6. Dave Steele; 7. Jeff Gardner; 8. Rick Hendrix; 9. Tyler Walker; 10. Jim Waters; 11....

Minivans no more.(News)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... No, General Motors isn't quitting the minivan market. But the company is renaming its refreshed entries in the segment "crossover sport vans'' and is adding Buick and Saturn models to expand GM's share of the 1.1 million minivans sold annually....

FRESH FACE; We add Chrysler's Pacifica to our long-term fleet.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Wes Raynal The chance at a yearlong evaluation of Chrysler's all-new Pacifica was just too good to pass up. We were curious about just how much Mercedes-Benz influenced the Pacifica, whether it helps, and how a Pacifica would hold...

MASTERING MASERATI MAYHEM.
December 8, 2003... Byline: MATT DAVIS Can it get much better than this for lovers of all things Latin? One or two days of controlled and purposeful foolery on the track down the road from Dallara, accompanied by thoroughly remarkable Romagnolo cuisine by...

Fun factor: VW's Oliver Stefani.(News)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... When we saw the flashy, chrome-laced mid-engine Volkswagen Concept-R roadster at the Frankfurt motor show in September, and subsequently voted it our Most Fun vehicle of the Germany show, there was one more item of business to wrap up: signing...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
December 8, 2003... Correction Our Dec. 1 story on the 2004 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon should have said the inline five-cylinder Vortec 3500 engine produces 220 hp.

IN THE DRINK part 2 of 2; The amazing story of the 1955 Monaco Grand Prix.(Competition)
December 8, 2003... Byline: EOIN YOUNG Ascari moved into third place ahead of his argumentative young teammates and the race settled down. Fangio set fastest lap of the race and Neubauer signaled him to ease up. The running order at lap 40 was Fangio...

Lean, green performance machine.
December 8, 2003... Byline: NATALIE NEFF Who said green couldn't be fun? With the nationwide fall introduction of Ford's Partial Zero Emission Vehicle Focus, consumers can feel better about the nastiness spewing from their tailpipes without having to give...

GRAND TOURING; Maserati's Spyder marches on in finest Italian GT form.
December 8, 2003... Byline: NATALIE NEFF Stunning in its attention to design detail, the Maserati Spyder delights the senses with its pitch-perfect proportions and an interior so sinfully laden in leather that it's easy to imagine cows martyring themselves...

COLIN WOULD APPROVE (part 2 of 2); Lightweight Elise aims to revive Lotus in America.(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 15, 2003... Byline: MATT DAVIS The double-wishbone suspension front and rear better cushions abrupt lateral movements upon impact, thanks to modified bushings, resulting in more isolation from bumps and holes-a very necessary thing if you drive...

Corrections.(Correction)(Correction Notice)
December 15, 2003... Corrections The Dodge Ram SRT-10 (Cover Story, Dec. 1) is powered by a non-Hemi V10. The 2004 Saturn Vue Red Line (AW, Dec. 1) is powered by a 3.5-liter Honda-built V6 with 24 valves, contrary to General Motors' press material. ...

Out of business.(News)(Stefan Johansson's American Spirit )(Brief Article)
December 15, 2003... Whatever happens to CART, it won't matter much to Stefan Johansson's American Spirit race team. The team made good use of limited resources most of the season, but those resources have run out. As expected, American Spirit has closed its shop....

But Wait There's More...(BWTM)(briefs)(Column)
December 15, 2003... Sign the end of the auto world is nigh Isn't this like giving Roseanne Barr's backside collagen injections? Champion Motorsports has just introduced a "Wide Body'' conversion kit for Porsche's Cayenne sport/utility. Included are side...

The Highs and Lows of Riverside.(Review)(Riverside Raceway )
December 15, 2003... Byline: MARK VAUGHN The track itself was a racer's dream: nine turns, 3.7 miles long, elevation changes, short turns, long turns, leaps, dives and the famous esses. From 1957 to 1988 Riverside Raceway hosted some of the greatest series...

CADILLAC WILL TRY IT AGAIN.(News)(racing)
December 15, 2003... The Cadillac Le Mans prototype program concluded its three-year run after the 2002 racing season without a podium or a race win to show for GM's investment, just a lot of experience. Cadillac racing wasn't idle in 2003, though it was invisible...

A CADILLAC CUNNINGHAM?(News)(Bob Lutz looks to put Cadillac back on top of luxury cars)(Brief Article)
December 15, 2003... Byline: ROGER HART, WES RAYNAL One of General Motors vice chairman Bob Lutz's goals is to return Cadillac to the top of the luxury car heap. Not necessarily in terms of sales, Lutz told AutoWeek, but certainly in terms of prestige. The...

JUST THE THING TO REEL 'EM IN.(Escape Roads)(1928-30 Auburn Boattail Series I Speedster )
December 15, 2003... Byline: Mike Covello E.L. Cord may not have invent- ed the halo car, but he did a good job of perfecting it. The 1928-30 Auburn Boattail Series I Speedster was a car that demanded shoppers come to showrooms to gaze upon its beauty. But,...

Flash.(Briefs)
December 15, 2003... Sullivan will drive at Sebring Indy 500 winner Danny Sullivan will drive a Ferrari 575 GTC at Sebring, part of a two-car entry by Barron Connor Racing of the Netherlands. The cars, which are the first purpose-built road-race cars from the...

2005 LOTUS ELISE.(News)(Brief Article)
December 15, 2003... On sale: June 2004 Base price: $39,995 (est.) Powertrain: 1.8-liter, 187-hp, 138-lb-ft I4; rwd, six-speed manual Curb weight: 1965 pounds 0 to 60 mph: 4.8 seconds (mfr.)

THAT AMAZING CHASSIS.(News)(Brief Article)
December 15, 2003... Byline: Matt Davis ]]]]]] At this point in its history (i.e., as used on the federal Elise), the chassis goes by the codename 121 and has not altered a lot since the dawn of the Lotus Elise Series 1 at the 1995 Frankfurt motor show. The...

A.J. TAKES IT.(News)(winners of 2003 Toyota Atlantic races)(Brief Article)
December 15, 2003... Byline: WES RAYNAL A.J. Allmendinger's 2003 Atlantic season was like a dream, a record-breaking dream. Allmendinger (left), an Atlantic rookie, won seven times in 12 races, and led 168 of a possible 458 laps for the year. Just as...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
December 15, 2003... That's racin' For what it's worth, I picked up Grand Sport chassis No. 2 from Zora Duntov in Detroit at the mentioned "shadowy Corvette Racing headquarters'' (AW, Dec. 1). It was a roadster then, painted a bluish silver. That was the car I...

AH, YOUTH; The young guns made their mark in the '03 Cup season.
December 15, 2003... Byline: AL PEARCE There can be little doubt 2003 marked the long-anticipated changing of the NASCAR guard. Alas, as the late Irish dramatist George Bernard Shaw so famously penned, "Youth is wasted on the young.'' Talk about youth. ...

VICKERS IS THE MAN.(News)(Brief Article)
December 15, 2003... Byline: AL PEARCE How good is Busch Series champion Brian Vickers? He's young, but Rick Hendrick was impressed enough to give him Winston Cup veteran Joe Nemechek's ride for the last seven races of 2003 and all of 2004. That, even as the...

CONTROVERSIAL ENDING.(News)(Brief Article)
December 15, 2003... Byline: AL PEARCE The most controversial finish to a NASCAR season kept Travis Kvapil in limbo for 10 minutes after the Craftsman Truck Series finale at Homestead. Kvapil didn't start celebrating until officials certified the results. ...

CLASS OF THE FIELDS.(News)
December 15, 2003... Byline: WES RAYNAL Frank Biela and Marco Werner teamed up to take the 2003 American Le Mans Series drivers' title in the LMP900 class, piloting a Joest-prepared Audi. The duo won Sebring in March, finished second in the next round at Road...

Driver's Log.(News)(opinion on Chevrolet Monte Carlo)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 15, 2003... 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS DATE IN FLEET: Nov. 18-Dec. 1 AS-TESTED PRICE: $31,055 POWERTRAIN: 3.8-liter supercharged V6; fwd, four-speed automatic OUTPUT: 240 hp @ 5200 rpm, 280 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm CURB WEIGHT: 3606 pounds...

Fast Poll.(News)(Brief Article)
December 15, 2003... Most agree GM's attempt to barge into the sport compact spotlight with the Saturn Ion Redline is in the right direction, but they aren't so sure if Saturn has the right map. Saturn is going into a very competitive market where there are...

2003 motorsports season in review.(News)(Brief Article)
December 15, 2003... Looking back at the 2003 motorsports season you can see several almosts that made the various series interesting to watch right down to the last race. In F1 Kimi Raikkonen and Juan Pablo Montoya almost beat Michael Schumacher, but in the end...