April 06th, 2010

Will the Ladies Prevail in the Toyota Celebrity Race?

On April 17th Hollywood types will experience real adrenaline. No they’re not running from paparazzi, they’re running in the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race.

Adam Carolla, host of the (unaired) US Top Gear, has been picked by Vegas to win. At the bottom of the Vegas odds are the ladies: Tika Sumpter from One Life to Live and Megyn Price from Rules of Engagement. The last woman to win the race was olympic swimmer Dara Torres in 2002.

On the pro side drivers include: fellow (unaired) US Top Gear host Tanner Foust, Jimmy Vasser and Keanu Reeves. Yes, Mr. Matrix is included in the pro section, we surmise it’s because he won last year.

Whatever happens, it’s all good because a lot of money will be raised for charity. Toyota donates $5,000 to Racing for Kids in the name of each celebrity and another $5,000 to the charity of the winning racer’s choice.

Racing for Kids is a nonprofit organization that benefits children’s hospitals in California. To date Toyota has donated more than $1.8 million to various children’s hospitals since 1991. Go Toyota!

April 05th, 2010

More Women Taking the Wheel to Love

We all know chivalry is dead, you can debate among yourselves whether this is a good thing. According to Leasetrader.com, it seems as if more women are driving on dates as opposed to being picked up.

They found that in 2009 33% of women who were not in a relationship drove when on a date. This is up from 24% in 2008 and less than 14% in 2005.

Ethan Goldman, the spokesperson for Leasetrader.com said he started the poll after one of his customers said she was driving on a first date.

Personally we feel we could come to a chivalrous compromise, we’ll drive and you can still open the door for us.

April 02nd, 2010

April Fools Auto Roundup

The car industry has a sense of humor, go figure.

Autoblog.com did a great roundup. Some of our favorites include:

Auto Windscreens launching a new prescription windscreen. “Constantly having to swap your glasses or remember to bring along a pair for driving?  Do away with the hassle, as Auto Windscreens, innovators in automotive glazing, has successfully launched its first prescription windscreen.”

Paddocktalk.com released the breaking news that the President would bail out USFI in order to create jobs and GM providing funding until 2015.

But somehow they missed our favorite: Ferrari coming out with a new SUV! The story from Sympatico.ca reads: As part of this new direction the company plans to cease all Formula 1 activity and compete, instead, in off-road racing events around the globe.”

April 01st, 2010

New Car TV Show with Equal Female Participation

We never thought we’d be writing about a reality television show but here we go. Reinvent the Wheels is a new online reality show. Each contestant builds a car along with their mentor and then the judges choose the best one as the winner.

Of the 6 contestants 3 are women. They all come from non-car backgrounds: Samantha Ashcraft is a special effects make-up artist, Karen Beck is a DJ and Christine Daniels is a pastry chef. The winner gets $30,000 and the car.

Not sure if they’re going to find the next Christina Rodriguez here but we like the concept.

Watch the first episode and see what you think.

March 30th, 2010

Australia’s Racy New Ads to Keep Drivers Safe

We have shown you some hysterical commercials from First for Women, an insurance company for women in Australia. Well, those crazy Australians are at it again.

Victoria’s highway department, VicRoads, came out with an ingenious campaign to encourage safety on the road. Their slogan: “Don’t be a dickhead.” Yes, we’re serious.

Click here to watch more ads…

Read More

March 29th, 2010

Butler-Henderson to Return to Fifth Gear

The UK television show Fifth Gear, which airs across Europe, had been dropped due to poor ratings, but it will be returning in April of this year.

The show will have some changes though. First, we’re happy to hear that Vicki Butler-Henderson will be returning along with Jonny Smith, Tiff Needell and Jason Plato. However, Tom Ford and Tim Shaw are out.

The UK’s Times Online reports the show will be a “back-to-basics car show that will ditch the live studio format in favour of more time spent on the track and road-testing cars.”

March 26th, 2010

Shea Holbrook, Teen Racer Goes Pro

When Shea Holbrook was 16 her dad got her a drive along at the Richard Petty driving school, little did he know that would become her career. Shortly thereafter, while still 16, she earned her racing license.

In 2007, she earned the Talent of the Year award from Sobre Rodas Racing Media Association. This honor had also been awarded to three-time Indy winner Helio Castroneves. In 2009, she was the SCCA Central Florida Region Champion.

Now at 19, Holbrook is getting ready to make her pro debut at the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in Florida with her father as her crew chief. She’ll be driving a Acura Integra in the touring class. She’s also raised money for several charities including: Susan G. Komen “For the Cure”, and Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy, which battles Duchenne muscular dystrophy (two of her cousins have the disease).

Currently, her sponsors are listed as MD&F, mom dad &friends as she has no corporate sponsors. Something tells us this young talent won’t go unsponsored for long.