Dodge targets road racing enthusiasts with 2010 Viper SRT10 ACR-X
Dodge pulled the cover off the newest special-edition model of the 2010 Viper SRT10 lineup. The Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR-X is a turn-key, non-street legal race car that is slated to make its on-track debut in the summer of 2010. (video)
“The Dodge Viper ACR-X takes the performance attributes of Viper to an even higher level for a wide range of drivers starting with the grassroots racer all the way up to the professional,” said Ralph Gilles, President and CEO, Dodge Brand. “This project is a result of many years of performance engineering expertise from our SRT team, combined with the passion and dedication of Viper Nation, to keep the Viper racing tradition going strong on tracks around the country and the world.”
Combining the best performance attributes of the record-setting, street-legal Dodge Viper ACR (American Club Racer) and the safety equipment of championship-winning Viper Competition Coupe, the Viper ACR-X is powered by the SRT-developed 8.4-liter V10, equipped with factory headers and a low-restriction exhaust system, that produces 640 horsepower (40 more than production model).
The suspension also is tuned and upgraded specifically for on-track usage, while the weight is lightened by a full 160 pounds (versus the standard production Viper) to take on even the most challenging road course. Additional aerodynamic upgrades improve downforce, while enhancing stability and significantly improving grip in high-speed cornering.
Similar to the Dodge Viper Competition Coupe, the Viper ACR-X contains factory-installed safety equipment such as a factory-designed roll cage, fuel cell and race seat. Additional racing components are added to meet the significant durability and reliability requirements for on-track competition.
In what will be the final year of production for the current generation Viper, the ACR-X is the third limited, special-edition model to be introduced by Dodge. “We’re going to make 2010 the most exciting year for Viper yet with specially developed cars for the street and the track,” added Gilles. “The ACR-X is targeted at road-racing enthusiasts who want to successfully compete in our ultimate American sports car.”
Last month, the SRT team used a testing session at Laguna Seca raceway to shake down the Viper ACR-X for the first time. Behind the wheel was professional driver Kuno Wittmer from the SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge Touring Car Championship series, who was able to run consistent 1:31.00 lap times around the 2.238-mile, 11-turn course. Wittmer’s lap times were more than 3 seconds faster than the street-legal Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR that holds the production car track record at Laguna Seca raceway.
“The Dodge Viper ACR-X is incredible,” said Wittmer. “After a short warm up, I was running lap times as quick as exotic GT race cars. I was blown away by the power and acceleration, and even more surprised at how the ACR-X navigated the challenging Laguna Seca corners and how friendly it was to drive at the limit.
“All aspects of the car work together perfectly to plant all that horsepower and torque without issue,” Wittmer added. “This will be a great package for someone coming out of grassroots racing with a desire to step-up to GT level competition. Dodge nailed it with this one!”
The Viper SRT10 ACR-X is designed to compete in the Viper Racing League, Sports Car Club of America and National Auto Sport Association events.
Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for the Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR-X will be approximately $110,000. Production is slated to begin in Spring 2010.
www.viperheadquarters.com
Source: Chrysler Group LLC
McDonald’s Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games
As a Worldwide Partner of the Olympic Movement, McDonald’s is preparing to once again feed the athletes and share the excitement of the Games with millions of customers around the world during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, Canada.
Feeding the World’s Best Athletes
– As the Official Restaurant of the Olympic Games and the only branded foodservice retailer, McDonald’s is building three new Olympic venue restaurants: one in the Olympic Village in Vancouver, one in the Olympic Village in Whistler, and one in the Main Media Center in Vancouver.
– McDonald’s Olympic Champion Crew, made up of more than 300 top performing restaurant employees from across Canada, will serve menu favorites to the world’s best athletes, coaches, officials and media at McDonald’s on-site Olympic venue restaurants.
– Spectators will be able to share in the Olympic Spirit and enjoy McDonald’s quality and variety at any of the more than 40 McDonald’s restaurants located in the Vancouver and Whistler areas.
McDonald’s Champion Kids(TM)
– The McDonald’s Champion Kids program debuted at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games as part of McDonald’s ongoing commitment to children. The program provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for kids from across the globe to experience the Games first hand.
– For the Vancouver Games, one child from each province and one child from the territories in Canada will join kids from around the world to attend Olympic events, meet athletes, visit the Olympic Village, tour the cultural sites of Vancouver and Whistler, and receive their own gold medals from Olympic champions.
– The children will also have the chance to serve as special youth correspondents to share their experiences with their hometown news outlets.
Giving Back
– As part of McDonald’s Olympic tradition of giving back to the host country, Ronald McDonald House Charities® will make a lasting contribution to Vancouver that will live beyond the Games.
– Ronald McDonald House Charities of Canada, in cooperation with The Province of British Colombia, the Rick Hansen Foundation and 2010 Legacies Now, is funding three world-class accessible playgrounds.
– These playgrounds – located in the three venue cities of Vancouver, Richmond and Whistler – will meet the needs of children with disabilities and enable these children to play side by side with their siblings, families and friends.
– The Richmond playground and the majority of the Whistler playground are planned to be completed in time for the 2010 Games; the Vancouver playground will be finished in the summer of 2010. More information to come on playground celebrations that will take place during the Games.
Environment
– In keeping with a green Olympic Games, McDonald’s three new Olympic venue restaurants will be fitted with energy-efficient lighting and equipment.
– The equipment from these restaurants will be reused and recycled at McDonald’s restaurants in Canada after the Games have ended
McDonald’s Canada
– As host country, McDonald’s Canada is activating a wide variety of programs and promotions leading up to and during the Games to celebrate Canada’s Olympic Spirit nationwide.
Activities include:
– Flying Olympic flags at select McDonald’s restaurants across Canada to celebrate their role as host country
– Exciting restaurant promotions such as Olympic-themed McDonald’s Vancouver 2010 Olympic Sport Water Bottles featuring graphics of athletes participating in popular winter sports
– Alliances with top Canadian athletes such as speed skater Cindy Klassen, figure skater Patrick Chan and Cassie Campbell, former caption of the Canadian Women’s Ice Hockey Team
– Celebrating the importance of family and community on the journey to the pinnacle of sport through McDonald’s 2010 Hopefuls, a grant program that supports the Olympic aspirations of 26 Canadian athletes and recognizes the efforts of their parents by allocating a portion of the funding to the family
– Canada holds a special place in McDonald’s history as the first country outside of the U.S. to open a McDonald’s restaurant in 1967.
McDonald’s Olympic Games History
McDonald’s became an Official Sponsor of the Olympic Games in 1976 and has a long-standing commitment to the Olympic Movement, which first began more than 40 years ago. At the 1968 Olympic Winter Games, McDonald’s airlifted hamburgers to U.S. athletes competing in Grenoble, France, after they reported being homesick for McDonald’s food. Since then, the company has served its menu of choice and variety to millions of athletes, coaches, their families and fans. The Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games mark McDonald’s seventh Olympic Games as a Worldwide Partner and eighth as the Official Restaurant of the Olympic Games. McDonald’s current sponsorship will continue through the 2012 Games in London.
Source: McDonald’s
Barging Into 2010 – Red Bull: New Year. No Limits.
Action Sports Icon Travis Pastrana Aims to Shatter World Record for Longest Distance Jump in a Rally Car On New Year’s Eve, Live from Long Beach on ESPN
With four consecutive Rally America championships, nine X Games gold medals, the first double backflip on a motorcycle and a hit television series under his belt, it is safe to say that Travis Pastrana has reached the pinnacle of his career – and yet he’s showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. In fact, on New Year’s Eve at Red Bull: New Year. No Limits., the action sports superstar will step on the accelerator and ring in 2010 by adding yet another jaw-dropping feat to his already impressive resume: the world record for longest distance jump in a rally car. Add a healthy dose of the Pacific Ocean to clear, and now you have a party!
Red Bull: New Year. No Limits. will be televised live on ESPN/ESPN HD on Thursday, December 31, immediately following the Chick-Fil-A Bowl (approx. 11:00 p.m. ET / 8:00 p.m. PT). Viewing of Pastrana’s jump will be free to the thousands of revelers in downtown Long Beach.
“I’m looking forward to being part of Red Bull: New Year. No Limits.,” said Pastrana. “Long Beach will continue the tradition of a fun and festive environment for this New Year’s celebration and flying over the water in a car and landing it onto a floating barge will push the limits of anything that I have ever executed in my career. Live events are always difficult and more entertaining, both for the fans and the participants, and so many factors play into the success of this jump. I live for this kind of excitement.”
Joan Lynch, ESPN vice president, content development, added, “We are thrilled to team again with Red Bull to televise this live and exciting event on ESPN for a third year. ESPN is dedicated to bringing live and compelling programming to the viewer and no New Year’s show delivers more unique suspense and action than Red Bull: New Year. No Limits.”
NOT SINCE THE JETSONS WILL A CAR FLY SO FAR
Before the clock strikes midnight on the East Coast on December 31, Pastrana will attempt to accomplish the first ever ramp-to-ramp car jump over water, a feat that will test the laws of physics and take his career to yet another level. With the world-famous Queen Mary docked in the background, Pastrana will jump his rally car off the Pine Street Pier onto a floating barge anchored in Long Beach’s Rainbow Harbor, aiming to shatter the existing mark of 171 feet and establish a new world distance record, live on ESPN.
Jumping a car takes guts enough, but add water between the ramps, and Pastrana will feel what most, if not all, golfers feel when faced with hitting a ball over water – stay out of the water! On New Year’s Eve, Travis is not only the golfer, but also the golf ball!
THREE’S COMPANY
Pastrana will follow in the footsteps of fellow motorsports athletes Robbie Maddison and Rhys Millen, who rang in the last two New Year’s Eve celebrations by pushing their physical, mental and technical limits to break boundaries and records, in front of thousands of fans in Las Vegas and millions of viewers on ESPN.
For Red Bull: New Year. No Limits. event details, visit www.redbullnewyearnolimits.com, and for information on Pastrana, visit www.travispastrana.com.
Microsoft reveals Office Winter Games Contest
Two bloggers will win a trip to cover the Vancouver Games using Microsoft Office 2010
One female blogger and one student blogger will be sent to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games as winners of an online contest announced today by Microsoft Corp. and the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC). The winning bloggers will use the latest Microsoft technologies to report daily from the Games alongside members of the credentialed press corps. Starting today, qualified bloggers may enter the contest at http://www.officewintergames.com/.
The Microsoft Office team will award the winners a seven-day trip to Vancouver, British Columbia, and the technology and press access needed to report from the Games. The top-of-the-line technology includes Microsoft Office 2010 Professional and the Acer Aspire 4810 laptop that, thanks to its high performance and more than eight hours of battery life, is the winners’ ideal hardware companion.
“Microsoft Office will give bloggers the reporting, editing and communication tools they’ll require across the PC, mobile phone and browser,” said Janice V. Kapner, senior director of Information Worker Group Communications at Microsoft. “Because blogs and online reporting are an increasingly popular way for sports fans to consume news about their favorite events, Microsoft will equip the two talented bloggers with Microsoft Office 2010 Professional to help them report with ease right from the sidelines.”
Ten contest semifinalists will be chosen by a panel of celebrity judges, including five-time Olympic gold medalist Bonnie Blair and online video stars Jake Hurwitz and Amir Blumenfeld from CollegeHumor.com. The public will then vote for their favorite semifinalists online, and the winners will be selected based on the number of votes they receive.
“As an Olympic gold medalist, I know the passion and excitement of being behind the scenes at the Winter Games,” Blair said. “We’re excited to give these two bloggers the chance to experience the thrill of this time-honored event as well.”
Microsoft Office is the premier productivity solution across PCs, mobile phones and browsers. From broadcast and video editing in Microsoft Office PowerPoint to co-authoring and the ability to post directly to blogs in Microsoft Office Word, Microsoft is delivering technology to help people work smarter and faster from virtually any location using almost any device. Microsoft Office 2010 will deliver innovative capabilities and provide new levels of flexibility and choice that will help people do the following:
– Work anywhere with Office Web applications — the online companions to Word, PowerPoint, Excel and OneNote — that help provide access to documents from virtually anywhere and that help preserve the look and feel of a document regardless of device
– Collaborate better with co-authoring in Microsoft Word 2010, Microsoft PowerPoint 2010 and Microsoft OneNote 2010, as well as advanced e-mail management and calendaring capabilities in Microsoft Outlook 2010, including the option to “ignore” unwanted e-mail threads
– Bring ideas to life with video and picture editing, broadcast capability in Microsoft PowerPoint 2010, easy document preparation through the new Microsoft Office Backstage view, and new Sparklines in Microsoft Excel 2010 to visualize data and spot trends faster
Contest Eligibility and Rules
Contestants must be at least 18 years of age and have written a blog for at least three months at time of entry. Contestants must be United States residents and either a female blogger or a currently enrolled full-time undergraduate or graduate student in good standing at a U.S. college or university. Winners will be announced at the International CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas Jan. 7-10. Complete contest details can be found at http://www.officewintergames.com/. Microsoft Office 2010 will be available in the first half of 2010; for more information visit http://www.microsoft.com/office.
Source: Microsoft Corp.
Running a marathon – The realbuzz.com Beginner’s Guide
With 120,000 runners recently finding out whether they have successfully got a ballot place in the 2010 Virgin London Marathon, a buzz of activity is surrounding next year’s iconic race.
The results of the ballot have been announced and those lucky enough to have secured their ‘own place’ will be jumping for joy. And those unlucky in the official ballot this year, will be scouring through the hundreds of charities offering ‘Gold Bond’ places, and running for a cause close to their heart. Once a place is assured – everything is focused on training and finding a suitable training plan, to ensure that the 26.2 miles is achievable, regardless of experience, age, and speed.
So, if you’re one of those lucky people planning to run on 25th April 2010, here are few tips to help you get started, and help you to answer the question that’s no doubt hovering around in your head…
Can I really train for a marathon?
- If you haven’t exercised in a while, get a check up from the doctor to ensure you’re fit enough to do the training, as well as the final race.
- Evaluate your fitness levels; you need to know where you are before you can progress, so sit down, and honestly assess your fitness levels.
- Select a training plan. Trying to prepare for a marathon without a training plan is like trying to find a new town, without map. To successfully set off on this journey towards marathon success, you need to follow a structured training plan that is right for your fitness levels.
- Get the right gear. Quite simply to start with you need basic shorts and t-shirt (and for the ladies a fitted sports bra). But as you progress with the training you will undoubtedly want to get clothing that won’t chafe, and will suit the season you’re training in. However, you should really invest in a pair of trainers that suit your running style. There are many running shops which can assess your ‘gait’ and give advice on the correct shoes.
- What should you eat, and drink whilst training? Correct nutrition andhydration are vital to ensure that your body is capable of doing the longer runs. Paying close attention to your diet is essential. To get you thinking as a runner, you need to be consuming plenty of ‘slow-release’ carbohydrate to provide energy, so a meal of pasta would be ideal. Don’t neglect your fluid intake, because your requirements will increase both for storing fuel in your muscles and because you will lose more through sweating.
- How much training do I need to do? Up to a point, the more training youdo the better. However it is vital that you allow for rest and recovery too. Your training plan should comprise a careful blend of long runs, recovery sessions, and faster-paced training as you build up your marathon specific endurance. For more information on training plans visit: http://www.realbuzz.com/shop/category/pdfs/
- How long will the race take me? That all depends on you, your fitnesslevels, your injuries, and your speed. It can take runners from anything from 2 1/2 to 7 1/2 hours to finish the race. Remember that most races nowadays have timing chips, so you can ensure you measure your timing successfully.
So can I really do it? The answer to that question is YES! After all, over 600,000 finishers have completed the London Marathon. Progressing from non-runner to marathon finisher is always a real success story, and one that is genuinely achievable by following a correctly structured training plan that will help you towards your marathon goal. Preparing for, and completing a marathon is a great accomplishment and a thoroughly enjoyable and rewarding experience. And, as well as achieving your goal, there is the great spin-off benefit too: improved health and fitness. So, if you are thinking of taking the plunge, then do it – realbuzz.com guarantee that it will be the experience of a lifetime.
Source: realbuzz.com