Racing Re-cap

Hey, folks. Sorry I wasn't around yesterday, but I hope you enjoyed the photos posted by my better half.

Well, the racing this weekend at Pukekohe (pronounced "pooh-kee-koh-ee") was absolutely fantastic. All three Australian V8 Supercar races were won by a Kiwi, Gregg Murphy, driving a Holden Commodore. The "Puke," as it's known among some of the locals, is Murphy's home track and it shows - He has won the last 4 out of 5 rounds held there.

V8 Supercar racing is all about factory wars, just like in the US (except here they turn left and right), and it is the classic Ford vs. GM contest- with a twist. While Ford has chosen to remain "Ford" all over the world, GM does business in Australia and NZ as Holden, after having acquired the Aussie brand and bringing it further into the GM fold. These cars are amazing performers. Weighing around 2800 lbs, developing 600-650 hp with fuel injected 5.0 liter V8's (rev limited to 7500 RPM), and 6-speed gear boxes, they hit zero-to-60 in just under 4 seconds and can hit top speeds of 185 mph, depending on the track. At Pukekohe they were hitting about 175-180 MPH on the back straight. And they stop and turn pretty well, too.
***************************
In motorcycle racing news, Brazilian Alex Barros on a Honda won the MotoGP from Estoril, Portugal, defeating defending series champion, Valentino Rossi from Italy, on his factory Yamaha. MotoGP is the premier class of motorcycle road racing in the world, the motorcycle equivalent of Formula 1 for cars: These riders and machines are the best of the best. They ride special, purpose-built machines that weigh a bit more than 300 lbs. and make over 230 HP at the rear wheel. They hit 100 MPH in under 3 seconds, then they shift into second gear...and they have 5 left, allowing them to hit well over 200 MPH at many tracks. You folks in the US can watch a replay today at 10AM EDT, 1pm PDT on Speed TV if you have cable. Did I mention they stop and handle like mere mortals as ourselves can't imagine? And, no, you can't buy one. Life just isn't fair. But, then again, fare is what you pay to ride the bus...