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5dollarpromo_160x600 Simcraft

February 2012

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M T W T F S S
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iRacing TV

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The Team

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  • David Phillips
    Editor and Chief
    David Phillips is a long-time contributor to print and electronic publications in the U.S. and abroad, including Racer, Autosport, AutoWeek, Motor Sport and SPEEDtv.com, oversees the daily updating of news stories and assigns, edits and contributes feature material for inRacingNews.com.
  • Chris Hall
    iRacing.com Series Writer
    Chris Hall has been writing since the nineties and moved into motorsports reporting in 2005, covering series such as ALMS, British GT, FIA GT, Le Mans and 2CV racing for Full Throttle magazine, Motorsport.com, The-Paddock.net, GTGateway.com, L' Endurance and, of course, inRacingNews. During 2008 and 2009, he worked with the RSS Performance Porsche Carrera Cup Team (and former British GT(C) champions) as a data engineer for a variety of drivers and models of 997s.
  • Jameson Spies
    Contributing Writer
    19 years old, Jameson Spies lives in Quartz Hill, California. He grew-up surrounded by racing. His mother raced late models throughout Southern California while his father built and setup the car. Not surprisingly, Jameson began racing go-karts at the age of 13, and is now racing Spec Trucks at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale. He has a passion about all forms of racing and hopes to make a career out of it.
  • Jason Lofing
    iRacing.com Series Writer
    Jason is 21 years old and was born and raised in Elk Grove. California. A big time NASCAR fan, he hasn’t missed a race on Sunday in years. Lofing is also a huge San Fransisco Giants fan and tries to take in at least a couple games a year. Other than sim racing, his biggest (and far more expensive!) hobby is photography. Although he is rather new to sim racing, Lofing has already accomplished some pretty impressive results, qualifying for the 2011 iRacing Oval Pro Series in Season 1, 2011, winning the inaugural Landon Cassill Qualifying Challenge and finishing runner-up in the second one.
  • Ray Bryden
    Technical contributor
    Ray grew up in Nova Scotia, which means he’s a hockey nut, but in Nova Scotia’s two non-winter months he had to find other diversions, which meant watching F1 racing on weekends with his dad and brothers. Without the resources to get started in racing, he gravitated to computer versions of racing – first Atari games like Pole Position, followed by PC racing games like Indianapolis 500: The Simulation. Dozens of others came and went, until Grand Prix Legends came along and he decided sim-racing was his official hobby. Years were spent enjoying this both offline and online until a few years of fatherhood took priority. When free-time reappeared he heard about iRacing and signed up in 2008 and became so involved in the service that he wrote one of the first books on the subject of sim-racing, iRacing Paddock. When not writing for inRacingNews.com, his main occupation is as a research associate with Saint-Gobain working on advanced ceramic materials.
  • Patrick Atherton
    Contributing Writer
    Patrick Atherton, originally from Adelaide in the state of South Australia, currently resides just outside of Melbourne, Victoria with wife of 17 years and 3 kids. A business manager by profession, but also dabbles with blogging, cartooning and fine art, having been published both as a writer in a short-lived South Australian motorsport yearbook and later as a cartoonist in a niche trade magazine. At the age of 19 he competed in club circuit events in an Austin Healey Sprite, later indulging in sprint karts between 1994 and 2000. Following the move to the State of Victoria he raced Road Race Karts (“Superkarts” as they are known in Australia) in the popular Rotax class, competing at Phillip Island, Oran Park, Mallala, Wakefield Park, Eastern Creek, Calder Park, Sandown and Winton. It was during this time he met former Australian F2 champion and inventor of Australia’s first, and most prolific race simulator rig, Jon Crooke. This culminated in an introduction to Papyrus’ legendary NR2003 simulation, and the subsequent sim racing addiction which brought him to iRacing.
  • Tim Terry
    Contributing Writer
    Tim Terry, aka the voice of Maritime stock car racing, fell in love with sim racing in 2004 after he joined the Sim Racing Network crew as a pit reporter. From October 2004 to SRNtv’s closure in June 2007, he’s covered prestigious races and leagues such as the Online 500, FLM Fall 400, Real Racing Online and the DMP Racing League – each as the lead broadcaster for the company. At the same time the wheels started to turn in another direction as he began announcing stock car racing locally. Terry became the assistant announcer at Scotia Speedworld in May 2007 and took over full duties in May 2009 when long-time voice Mike Kaplan retired from the track. Terry also became the series voice of the Parts For Trucks Pro Stock Tour in ’09 and continues to hold down both posts in 2011. He has also announced races for the Pro All Stars Series, Atlantic Open Wheel and Maritime League of Legends tours and has called races at six different Atlantic Canadian tracks. Terry can be heard online at WebRacingNetwork.com, RLMtv.com and OLRtv.com covering sim races. He also makes occasional appearances on PSRtv.com. In addition to inRacingNews, his articles and columns can be read on ScotiaSpeedworld.ca, MaritimeProStockTour.com and his own website at timterryonline.com.
  • David Allen
    Contributing Writer
    North Carolina born and raised with over 15 years of computer/IT experience, I combine two of my biggest hobbies -- racing and technology -- here at inRacingNews. In my spare time I run a Nascar fan site and cure my own need for speed riding atvs. If it involves technology or racing I'll be there, but combine the two and I'll be looking a front row seat. Stop by and say hello anytime!
  • Allen Krier
    Contributing Writer
    Allen was born in West Palm Beach, Florida but grew up in Atlanta and attended Georgia College and State University where he received a BS in Information Systems. Currently a resident of Albany, GA, he started sim racing in 2008 while in college when iRacing was first released to the public. Since then, Krier has been a two time iRacing Pro Series driver (2009 and 2010), picking up one Pro Series win at Daytona in ‘09. Besides sim racing, Allen’s other hobbies include RC Car racing as well as “attending and watching any sporting event that I can including going to the local dirt track.

VW to run Abbring, Mikkelsen

January 13th, 2012

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VW to run Abbring, Mikkelsen

Volkswagen Motorsport has confirmed that it will run Kevin Abbring and Andreas Mikkelsen as official junior drivers in this year’s World Rally Championship. The pair, who were both part of last year’s inaugural FIA Institute Young Driver Excellence Academy, will alternate drives in the sister Skoda Fabia S2000 to VW team leader Sebastien Ogier. Abbring will drive the car on next week’s Monte Carlo Rally, while reigning Intercontinental Rally Challenge champion Mikkelsen gets his first outing of the season on round two, Rally Sweden, in February

Richards steps back from Mini role

January 13th, 2012

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Richards steps back from Mini role

Prodrive chairman David Richards will step down from the role of team principal in the firm’s Mini World Rally Championship programme, with technical director Dave Wilcock taking his place. Wilcock will be both team boss and technical chief in the Mini team from 2012, with assistance from team manager Campbell Roy.

Eurosport will cover Monte Carlo

January 12th, 2012

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Eurosport will cover Monte Carlo

The Automobile Club de Monaco has confirmed Eurosport will cover the Monte Carlo Rally, round one of the World Rally Championship. The ACM issued a statement explaining the decision on Thursday, stating that Eurosport will produce television and internet coverage for the event which starts from Valence on Wednesday. The statement said: “A few days before its start, the 80th Monte Carlo Rally is confronted with the non-fulfillment of the services which should have been provided by North One Sport, former promoter of the WRC.

Eurosport on verge of WRC TV deal

January 12th, 2012

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Eurosport on verge of WRC TV deal

The FIA’s World Rally Championship television agreement with Eurosport is expected to be revealed later today. AUTOSPORT’s sources have confirmed contracts were signed late last night for a three-year agreement between the governing body and the French firm. The deal is believed to center on television coverage and distribution, while the promotion of the sport is expected to be taken care of the FIA itself.

Mini granted full manufacturer status

January 11th, 2012

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Mini granted full manufacturer status

The FIA has confirmed Mini World Rally Team will contest this year’s series as a full manufacturer. As revealed by AUTOSPORT on January 4, the British-based team will run Dani Sordo in a John Cooper Works WRC , with paying drivers taking the second seat in place of Kris Meeke due to a shortfall in the budget.

WRC timing firm to miss Monte Carlo

January 11th, 2012

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WRC timing firm to miss Monte Carlo

The World Rally Championship’s expert timing firm Stage One Technology will not be in Monte Carlo for next week’s season-opener after it was unable to find agreement with the administrators of North One Sports. After working for two days to try and ensure continuity in the timing and tracking systems used in the WRC, Stage One Technology managing director Simon de Banke has this evening confirmed to AUTOSPORT that he and his firm will not be going to the Monte Carlo Rally.

Citroen loses team manager to VW

January 11th, 2012

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Citroen loses team manager to VW

Citroen team manager Sven Smeets has departed the French team for Volkswagen, mirroring the move made by driver Sebastien Ogier. Smeets was unavailable for comment on the move, but AUTOSPORT’s sources have confirmed the Belgian will be switching to the Hannover-based VW team in the coming weeks. Smeets, who was a long-time World Rally Championship co-driver for Freddy Loix, joined Citroen in 2006 and became team manager in 2008.

North One: WRC crisis unavoidable

January 11th, 2012

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North One: WRC crisis unavoidable

North One Television CEO Neil Duncanson has admitted the current World Rally Championship crisis was unavoidable. Duncanson, who sold North One Sport to Convers Sports Initiatives, said the due diligence run on CSI and its primary backer Vladimir Antonov couldn’t have been more rigorous.

Hirvonen to compete in Rally Finnskog

January 11th, 2012

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Hirvonen to compete in Rally Finnskog

Mikko Hirvonen’s first taste of loose-surface competition in the Citroen DS3 WRC will come on Rally Finnskog in Norway early next month. The Finn will drive the February 4 snow rally as part of his pre-event preparation for Rally Sweden, an event Hirvonen himself admits brings more pressure than the season-opening Monte Carlo Rally

Atkinson returns for Rally Sweden

January 11th, 2012

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Atkinson returns for Rally Sweden

Former Subaru star Chris Atkinson will return to the World Rally Championship, driving a Subaru Impreza R4 on next month’s Rally Sweden. The Australian hasn’t competed in the WRC since finishing fifth in a one-off Citroen C4 WRC outing on Rally Ireland in 2009. Atkinson collected six WRC podiums in his three years with Subaru, but switched to Proton for last season – just missing out on the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship title.

Timing system dispute threatens Monte

January 10th, 2012

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Timing system dispute threatens Monte

Further concerns have been cast over the World Rally Championship and next week’s opening round, after it emerged that essential timing and tracking equipment might not be available for use on the Monte Carlo Rally. Stage One Technology, the firm which provides timing and tracking systems, has sent the hardware to Valence for the start of the event

FIA: North One gave no assurances

January 8th, 2012

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FIA: North One gave no assurances

The FIA has issued a damning statement regarding the termination of North One Sport’s contract as promoter of the World Rally Championship, saying the firm could give no assurances that it would receive the investment required to continue in its role. Yesterday, AUTOSPORT revealed the governing body had terminated the agreement on Friday evening, despite NOS believing it had an investor ready to buy the company and safeguard its future

Ostberg sticks with Ford for 2012

January 7th, 2012

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Ostberg sticks with Ford for 2012

Mads Ostberg has completed a deal to stay in the Ford stable for the 2012 World Rally Championship. The Norwegian raced in M-Sport Stobart colours last season, driving a Ford in the WRC’s top class for the first time after starting his career in private Subarus.

Eurosport set for WRC promoter deal

January 7th, 2012

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Eurosport set for WRC promoter deal

Negotiations for Qatar to invest in the World Rally Championship have broken down, leaving Eurosport set to step in and take over the television and promotion of the series. While no official announcements have been made, AUTOSPORT has seen internal correspondence from WRC promoter North One Sport confirming that the potential deal with Qatar is off. The Qatar deal, which was reckoned to have been worth millions of pounds over the coming years, was North One Sport’s only hope of continuing as the promoter

WRC close to promoter solution

January 6th, 2012

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WRC close to promoter solution

The situation regarding the promotion of the World Rally Championship is close to being resolved, AUTOSPORT has learned.

Citroen appoints new team principal

January 5th, 2012

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Citroen appoints new team principal

Citroen has announced that Yves Matton will replace Olivier Quesnel as team principal in its World Rally Championship team. Matton, who had been tipped to take the position in 2007, when Guy Frequelin departed, will start the job immediately. Quesnel will remain as Peugeot Sport director

Citroen duo hail Monte Carlo return

January 4th, 2012

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Citroen duo hail Monte Carlo return

Citroen driver Mikko Hirvonen has admitted he is pleased to see the Monte Carlo Rally back in the World Rally Championship – despite his love-hate relationship with the event. Hirvonen is a former winner of the Monte, having taken the French Alpine classic on its second season in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, when he was driving a Ford Fiesta S2000.

Mini confirms 2012 WRC entry

January 4th, 2012

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Mini confirms 2012 WRC entry

The Mini World Rally Team has confirmed its entry in the 2012 World Rally Championship, according to AUTOSPORT’s sources. The British-based team missed the original December 19 entry, but an announcement is expected this week to clarify Mini’s position, joining Ford and Citroen as full manufacturers in the series. As confirmed by the Monte Carlo Rally entry list – and revealed by AUTOSPORT – the team will only run one of its two factory drivers full-time in this year’s WRC.

Hirvonen relieved Ford is staying

January 1st, 2012

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Hirvonen relieved Ford is staying

Citroen driver Mikko Hirvonen has talked of his relief at seeing Ford commit to the World Rally Championship until the end of 2013. Hirvonen departed Ford at the end of last season, partly due to the lack of resolution between Ford and M- Sport, the team which builds the Fiesta RS WRC. But the Finn, who has driven for the Ford factory team for seven years – tackling 104 of his 124 world championship rounds in an M-Sport-built car, admitted he will always have a soft spot for the British team

Volkswagen praises Sainz legacy

December 31st, 2011

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Volkswagen praises Sainz legacy

Volkswagen Motorsport director Kris Nissen has praised double world rally champion Carlos Sainz for raising the level of competitiveness of the team. Sainz won Dakar in a VW Race Touareg in 2010 and remains part of the VW setup as it moves into the WRC. Nissen said it was the Spaniard’s professionalism which helped establish VW as such a dominant force on the Dakar, where it took three back-to-back victories.