Nascar

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley Gets Pulses Racing at Daytona 500

Our favorite blueblooded British stunner, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (above) turned heads and set pulses racing at the Daytona 500 recently where she put in an appearance as a Grand Marshall alongside her Transformers 3 colleagues Josh Duhamel and Michael Bay. The modified NASCAR stock cars of drivers Jimmie Johnson, Juan Pablo Montoya, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. – featured as characters in the film – made their first public appearance at the event as well leading the 43-car field during the pace laps of the kick-off event to the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. In 2009 the movie's director Michael Bay piloted the official pace car at a NASCAR Sprint Cup race to promote the DVD release of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and credits his vision to include NASCAR stock cars in the new Transformers film to the experience.

Tags: actress, British supermodels, celebrity, celebrity cars, Daytona 500, directors, Josh Duhamel, lingerie model, Michael Bay, motor racing, movies, NASCAR, race cars, racecar, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, supermodel, Transformers, Victorias Secret

NASCAR Driver Carl Edwards Turns Scent Spokesperson

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance, Sports

Champion NASCAR driver Carl Edwards is the face of Avon's latest fragrance, Turn 4XT. The rather confusing name comes from turn 4, the final curve on the track before the finish line. Edwards is a an American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series driver for Roush Fenway Racing and has earned 16 career Sprint Cup victories and a Nationwide Series championship. He's famous for the back flip he performs off the side of his car after a victory. He is also a member of the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition.

The scent is describes and being an "oriental wood fresh scent" with spicy pepperwood, java vetiver, mahogany, basil, cilantro, ginger, lavender, amber and sandalwood notes. The fragrance will launch in the U.S. in November 2010. Other celebrities in the Avon stable include Zoe Saldana, Fergie, Reese Witherspoon, Patrick Dempsey, Courteney Cox and Derek Jeter. Check out a video of Edwards after the jump.

[via Now Smell This]

Tags: carl edwards, celebrity fragrance, celebrity fragrance line, Celebrity Fragrances, nascar

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NASCAR Hall of Fame To Open On Tuesday

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Events

NASCAR fans are eagerly awaiting the opening of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina on May 11. The150,000-square-foot facility is a palace for fans of the sport that will showcase not only exhibits but also driving games and race simulators to give the fans a taste of real NASCAR action. Attendees can compete or take a turn announcing the race like a sports commentator. A replica track mimics the 33-degree bank at the Talladega speedway. The opening will include NASCAR greats in attendance including Richard Petty, Bobby Allison, Johnny Benson, Richard Childress, Brian France, Rick Hendrick, Dale Jarrett, Bobby Labonte, Rusty Wallace and Rex White. Tickets are $19.95 for adults and memberships start at $50 for adults.

Gallery: NASCAR Hall

[via NY Times]

Tags: car museum, charlotte, nascar, north carolina, Talladega Superspeedway, TalladegaSuperspeedway

Racecar Driver Tim George Jr. Makes the Cover of Social Life Magazine

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events, Sports, Men's Style

This past weekend in the Hamptons Social Life magazine celebrated with an exclusive fête in honor of their August Men's Issue featuring top racecar driver Tim George Jr. on the cover. The event, which took place at the Social Life Estate in the Hamptons, featured an exclusive guest-list of celebrities, socialites, jet-setters and taste-makers. So how did a racecar driver end up on the cover of a fancy Hamptons magazine? Turns out he's a Southamptonite by birth; his impressive motorsports career began while attending the University of Miami, where he participated in the Skip Barber Race Series and practiced with professional karts.

After graduating college, Tim drove in the Grand-American Koni Challenge Series and had a podium experience in his first season of professional motorsports. He quickly moved up to compete in one of the most elite races in the world, the Grand-Am Rolex Series with The Racer's Group, and earned the title of 2008 MESCO "Building for the Future" Rolex Rookie of the Year, finishing with an impressive fourth place in the Rolex GT Championship. This year, Tim is taking his first steps toward the top level of NASCAR by working hard in a number of stock car development venues; he currently drives for Eddie Sharp Racing.

Tags: Hamptons, Jr., magazine, NASCAR, racing, Rolex, Social Life, SocialLife, Tim George, TimGeorge

NASCAR Goes Glam Courtesy of CAVI

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Events, Sports, Men's Style

NASCAR is getting an injection of style this season courtesy of luxury menswear line CAVI. The brand, known for its distinctive designs as worn by the likes of Jay-Z, Ne-Yo and 50 Cent, has partnered with up-and-coming NASCAR star Chase Austin, outfitting Austin and his pit crew with stylish custom uniforms and adorning his Xxxtreme Motorsport No. 7 racecar with the fashion line's logo (above). Austin and the car debuted the new look the other day at Macy's in Indianapolis. From its signature crest to bold colors and prints, tailored fit and innovative design, CAVI has "re-conceptualized the standard for contemporary sportswear, developing a lifestyle fashion brand that embraces both luxury lifestyle and reflects class."

Tags: 50 Cent, 50Cent, Cavi, Chase Austin, ChaseAustin, Jay-Z, Nascar, racecar, racing, uniforms

NASCAR Champ Gets A New Plane

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings, Celebrity Shopping, Sports

NASCAR champ Clint Bowyer got an early Christmas present this week when he took delivery Monday of his Beechcraft Premier IA. Bowyer, a Kansas native, was in Wichita for the delivery. He toured the Hawker Beechcraft manufacturing plant and signed autographs for employees. Bowyer plans to use the single-pilot business jet to help him keep up with the demanding schedule of being a race car. Bowyer is a three-year veteran of NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series and drives a Chevrolet Impala for Richard Childress Racing (RCR) in both the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series. His new purchase doesn't sit well with everyone. Given the troubles plaguing NASCAR this season at least one blogger finds his extravagance to be in poor taste.

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Tags: beechcraft, nascar, plane, private plane, PrivatePlane

The Economy Of Sports

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Sports

So far most of the news I've heard about sports teams in this economy has been pretty positive. New stadiums are still being built and luxury suites are being filled. But Gary West writing in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram has a piece that points out that sports are going through their own cost-cutting measures. Attendance is down at professional baseball games. The NCAA is curbing spending on postseason travel and the Grand Prix du Canada, the only Formula One race in North America is struggling to find funding. And layoffs have even come to the NBA which is cutting their work force by 9%.

More than ever professional sports depend on revenue from advertising, sponsorships and naming rights but with many corporations in trouble those opportunities are drying up. As the Dallas Morning News reports the Cowboys have a new $1.1 billion stadium expected to be completed by next June and they are looking for a naming-rights deal that could be worth hundreds of millions. There are less and less companies now that would be interested in a deal of this magnitude.

And Nascar, which has risen to be one of the most popular sports in the U.S. is really feeling the pinch. General Motors, Chrysler, Sears Holdings and Chevron will cut or drop sponsorships next season. Perhaps more than any other sport this economy has a dramatic effect because it takes so much money to compete. Dario Franchitti, the 2007 Indianapolis 500 winner, was forced out of the series by a lack of sponsors and teams from names like Petty, Waltrip and Earnhardt may enter 2009 with unfunded cars. Nascar may even have trouble filling up their 43-car fields because so many teams have had trouble finding sponsors.

Certainly professional sports aren't going anywhere. Watching sports has always offered distraction and succor in tough times. Cheering for our teams lets us experience both joy and defeat in a way that doesn't impact our daily living. But in a time when companies are forced to cut back, sports teams, which are businesses too, will be forced to readjust. Some franchises may have to close. Teams that have relied on lucrative corporate suites deals may have to focus more on getting regular customers into seats.

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Tags: nascar, nba, nfl, sports

Denny Hamlin In North Carolina, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Celebrity Shopping, Sports

The Real Estalker Mama already ably skewered this one but let's take a look at the pictures for the home owned by Nascar driver Denny Hamlin. Hamin, a young driver on the circuit, has a rather large bachelor pad on Lake Norman in Cornelius, North Carolina. Hamlin bought the five-bedroom mansion in 2006 for $3.4 million and is said to have spent another $1 million decorating it to its current gaudy standard. The home includes lots of single guy-friendly features like a large home gym , bar area, and a dramatic red and black billiards room as well as huge plasma televisions mounted improbably high above fireplaces. It is clear that a lot of money was spent here on touches like the shiny golden home theater room, gourmet kitchen with adjoining domed breakfast room and the master bed and bath which looks a bit like a suite at the Bellagio. The property includes a pool/spa area, outdoor fireplace, basketball court, boat house and a long dock with a boat lift. This home is listed at $4.9 million.

Experience more lush living in luxury homes and mansions or see the stars living large with celebrity homes galleries at AOL Real Estate.

Gallery: Denny Hamlin in North Carolina

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Tags: celebrity real estate, CelebrityRealEstate, denny hamlin, estate of the day, EstateOfTheDay, nascar, north carolina, NorthCarolina

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Limited Editon Motorcycle for NASCAR's 60th

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

NASCAR fans this one's for you! In celebration of NASCAR's 60th birthday a limited edition of 60 motorcycles, specially created to reflect the spirit of NASCAR racing in both design and speed, will be available for purchase first to NASCAR insiders and then to the public. Each bike in the series will be numbered 1-60 and will come with a specially commissioned painting by NASCAR artist Sam Bass. The limited number of motorcycles available to the public will go on sale May 28th, while the 60th model will be designated for a charity auction this summer.

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Tags: Harley, harley davidson, harley-davidson, harley-davidson hog, Harley-davidsonHog, HarleyDavidson, motorcycle, motorcycles, NASCAR, wheels

Vrroom, Vrroom, Luxury Condos Planned Near Speedway

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Sports

More proof that Nascar is big business comes in the plans for a luxury residential tower in Concord, North Carolina near the Lowe's Motor Speedway. The Arcadian will include penthouses, corporate suites and one-, two-, and three-bedroom units as well as a parking garage,conference rooms, a putting green, theater, fitness center, terrace pool, concierge services, shops and a signature restaurant. According to a report in the Charlotte Observer, buyers have sign contracts on 30 units since sales began in late November. The goal is to have the building ready no later than fall 2012 but that depends on sales. One Charlotte, the 40-story luxury building planned for downtown Charlotte, which we covered last May, has now been delayed. The tower will have 13 stories with 151 units priced from $395,000 to $3 million.

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Tags: arcadian, charlotte, condominiums, condos, lowes motor speedway, LowesMotorSpeedway, luxury development, nascar, north carolina

Talladega Nights Race Car Among Red Baron Auction Items

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions, Celebrity Shopping

Some day I have to make a pilgrimage to a Red Baron auction in Atlanta, Georgia. Too bad I can't go this year for their auction on June 23-24 they have a wide variety of gawk-worthy items. The auction also features the usual Red Baron lots like massive fountains, stained glass windows and rare cars. One of the most interesting items is the Evinrude Heli-Bout, a one of a kind prototype, that has both an outboard motor and an electric propeller. Another hot lot will be a prop Nascar car used in the movie "Talladega Nights." The race car has a Ford 302 engine with SVO aluminum racing heads. And the car was driven by "Ricky Bobby" in the movie so this is a chance to plant your behind where Will Ferrell has sat.

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Tags: antiques, auction, cars, nascar, red baron, RedBaron, talladega nights

Bennett Lane, The Nascar Winery

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

We've talked before about the fusion between Nascar and fine living. Check out this article on Bloomberg about Nascar wines and the Bennett Lane Winery, the first winery to back a Nascar racing team. Former race car driver Randy Lynch is now a successful winery owner. He and his wife Lisa started off in th Napa Valley with a weekend house and a small vineyard but then picked up a nearby winery. The Lynches are part of an overall wine drinking trend in the Nascar crowd with the numbers of wine lovers rising steadily and wine now being sold at concession stands.

If you are looking for a light summer white wine the recently released 2006 Bennett Lane Maximus Feasting White wine is a nice choice. It is a blend of 87% Sauvignon Blanc, 11% Chardonnay, and 2% Muscat. It's a bit fruity but with a nice mineral snap to keep it crisp and refreshing. It sells for $28.

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Tags: bennett lane, maximus, nascar, white wine, WhiteWine, wine, winery

NASCAR, Champagne and Caviar: No, Pigs Aren't Flying Past My First Turn Condo

by Erin Mays (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Sports

It would seem that NASCAR isn't just for the Budweiser-drinking, pickup-truck-driving, blue collar folk the stereotypes would have you think.

It's a dream-come-true for any sports fan -- get picked up in a limo, shuttled to the venue by helicpter, led on tours before the event of the pit and garages, then maybe take a trip or two around the track yourself. Then you're rushed up to a private suite overlooking the track by some 80 feet, where you dine on professionally-catered food and drink, trying not to grin like an idiot as the rumble of the vehicles buzzes the floor beneath your feet. Only the best for those who can afford it.

And afford it they do. Not only are luxury boxes available, but several tracks have condominium suites, featuring 8' x 25' windows with a view of the track, complete with bedrooms and baths to the tune of just $23,000 per weekend. NASCAR teams and even drivers own a few of these condos, while corporations and well-to-do fans own the rest.

Even without the condo, life can be good for NASCAR fans depending on the location of the race. The Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, for example, offers up the perfect opportunity for a wine tour and spa package after the checkered flag falls.

[Source: MSNBC]

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Tags: luxury box, LuxuryBox, motorsports, nascar, racing, wine tasting, WineTasting

Seven Cycles IMX: a Titan in Titanium

by Anne Metz (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

I am grateful to the aerospace industry for so many things: Airbus, NASA, SkyMall magazine ...

But I am especially grateful to the aerospace industry for its use of titanium, the space-age metal that used in airplane construction. Simultaneously unbreakable, indefatigable, corrosion-proof and ultralight, titanium is also totally dope.

Equally dope is Seven Cycles of Watertown, Massachusetts, which has been making bicycle frames from titanium since 1997.

With summer around the bend, I've got a jones for the IMX, Seven's flagship titanium/carbon mountain bike. The frame alone is $3,395. Steep, yes. But think of it like the two-wheeled equivalent of a tailor-made suit.

That $3,395 includes custom sizing, yes, but it also includes dialed-in custom handling and ride characteristics (do you want Cadillac comfortable? Formula-1fast?). Decal choice is also part of the deal, as is making sure the frame is compatible with the exact components you choose.

In other words, the aerospace-quality bike frame you get is an honest-to-god one-of-a-kind.

Can you say that for a Boeing 747? I didn't think so.

Tags: 747, bikes, boeing, cadillac, custom, massachusetts, mountain bike, MountainBike, nascar, seven, seven cycles, SevenCycles, titanium, watertown

Ride and Fly Race Tours

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Luxury Cars & Autos

We've talked about the Ride & Fly’s Motorcycle tours before. The tours let you travel around on motorcycles and then jet to the next location if you choose. This summer's tours offer the chance to follow NASCAR and Formula One races. From May to October, Ride and Fly will offer seven motorcycle trips between NASCAR races. Bikers can also ride between Montreal and Indianapolis for the two North American Formula One races. A guide accompanies each tour, encouraging rider to take the scenic route. Riders’ amenities can include motor homes with drivers, security, child care and catering. Tours are limited to a minimum of four motorcycles and a maximum of six.

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Tags: formula one, motorcycles, nascar, ride and fly, RideAndFly, riding tours