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June 24, 2009

"That Which You Manifest is Before You."




I recently had a chance to read "The Art of Racing in the Rain" by Garth Stein on a flight to Boston from Florida. As both a racing fan and dog lover I found the book very enjoyable. It is an engaging, easy read that can be appreciated by everyone regardless of whether they like racing or not.

The book is currently listed #7 on the New York Times bestseller list and has gotten many excellent reviews. Here's the synopsis:

"Enzo knows he is different from other dogs: a philosopher with a nearly human soul (and an obsession with opposable thumbs), he has educated himself by watching television extensively, and by listening very closely to the words of his master, Denny Swift, an up-and-coming race car driver. Through Denny, Enzo has gained tremendous insight into the human condition, and he sees that life, like racing, isn't simply about going fast. Using the techniques needed on the race track, one can successfully navigate all of life's ordeals.

On the eve of his death, Enzo takes stock of his life, recalling all that he and his family have been through: the sacrifices Denny has made to succeed professionally; the unexpected loss of Eve, Denny's wife; the three-year battle over their daughter, Zoe, whose maternal grandparents pulled every string to gain custody. In the end, despite what he sees as his own limitations, Enzo comes through heroically to preserve the Swift family, holding in his heart the dream that Denny will become a racing champion with Zoe at his side.

A heart-wrenching but deeply funny and ultimately uplifting story of family, love, loyalty, and hope, The Art of Racing in the Rain is a beautifully crafted and captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life...as only a dog could tell it."



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June 22, 2009

Better Than Coffee!


Early Monday morning normally calls for a few cups of joe to get that day started and the blood pumping. Lucky for me I got this link in my email and didn't need to brew a pot. Why bother when you can have Maranello's finest?

I can't afford it and I'm not skilled enough to really drive it the way you see here but I still want one. That's Schumacher behind the wheel as a "guest" stig by the way. What a lucky bastard!



Enjoy!



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May 19, 2009

Tokyo Mater!




What car nut doesn't love Pixar's movie Cars?

I can't tell you how exactly many times my son and I watched that movie but it has got to be at least in the hundreds He went through a whole Cars phase when the movie was first released and still plays with the toys to this day. It is the one movie that I actually don't mind watching over and over.

Logically, a sequel is in the works. Disney is teasing our appetite for more Cars hilarities in the interval by offering a series of shorts entitled Mater's Tall Tales. They are every bit as creative and entertaining as the original film. The latest one named Tokyo Mater has got to be my all time favorite spoof on the Fast & the Furious.

These guys at Pixar undoubtedly have the greatest jobs on earth. I truly envy them.

Enjoy!



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May 6, 2009

12 Cylinder Symphony




I believe there are very few objects in this world that are pure poetry in motion. A Ferrari V12 is surely among them. The soulful wail of all twelve cylinders near redline substantiates the existence of man made perfection. This video elegantly portrays the inherit art of the process that defines the very soul of Ferrari. It stirred my soul as I'm sure it will yours.

Enjoy!



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April 30, 2009

Singing in the Rain




Ferrari F430 Scuderia in the rain at Monza.

Need I say more?



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April 23, 2009

Going once, going twice!!!



Have a few million laying around and can't find the perfect gift? Don't feel safe leaving your hard earned money in Wall Street? No need to worry, the RM Maranello auction is just around the corner.

Browse through their stunning list of lots for sale and find the Ferrari of your dreams for you or your favorite (hint, hint) artist. Even for the majority of us who can only dream of owning such priceless works of art it's fun to look through and put together the ultimate collection.

Put me down for lot #204, #209, #213, #216 for starters.



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April 6, 2009

Your Ferrari Is Waiting...



I recently discovered that Ferrari updated their web presence. The Scuderia's new updated web site dramatically improves all of the graphics and visuals as well as a plethora of new content.

The best new feature of the Ferrari.com site is an unbelievably cool car configurator that lets you create your own personalized dream machine. Now all of the world's tifosi can pass countless hours each day configuring our fantasy Ferrari. Productivity be damned!


The harsh reality that I can't buy my prancing online creations at this point in time is no deterrent. This new tool is so much fun I don't care if I don't have enough green to buy today's Nero Daytona 430 Scuderia! Configuring a different car each time is so much fun I can't stop doing it. The allure here is the dream of owning such an incredible work of art and the temptation of how much fun it would be to sit down and order it exactly the way you'd like. I think I'll put together a 599 during lunch and then another 430 before dinner.

How much is the Powerball up to now anyways?



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September 23, 2008

iPhone Dyno



I love my iPhone more with each passing day and it's apps like Dynolicious that make it even better.

Despite the ridiculous name, Dynolicious is an incredible "pocket dyno" app that any car nut will appreciate. Dynolicious utilizes the accelerometer built in to your iPhone or iPod Touch to sense the motion of your vehicle. This data is sampled as many as one hundred times per second, developing a detailed picture of the car's acceleration. This information is then used to determine the speed of the vehicle and the distance travelled.

Additional features include:
*0-60 MPH
*Other Speed Tests (0-10 MPH through 0-100 MPH in 10MPH increments)
*Quarter Mile Elapsed Time
*Quarter Mile Trap Speed
*Elapsed Time and Trap Speed for standard intervals (60', 330', 1/8 Mi, 1000')
*Lateral G's (current and peak)
*Braking G's (current and peak)
*Wheel Horsepower
*Estimated Engine Horsepower
I can't wait to see what this baby says after a few laps in a shifter kart. Dynolicious is available for download to your iPhone for $12.99 through the Apple iTunes App Store.



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November 23, 2007

Grand Prix


Undoubtedly one of the all time best racing movies. If you have any race fans to buy for this holiday season make sure Grand Prix is on your list.





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October 3, 2007

Put Him in the Wall






I can't help but laugh my ass off when I see these commercials. Instant classics! I especially love the whole Grand Prix vibe they put in it with the split screens and camera angles.



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March 23, 2007

Que Bella!




How can you not love this new Shell ad? I can't think of anything that sounds as beautiful as an F1 car.

Imagine how complicated and costly something like this was to film. When you take into consideration the logistics and red tape of shooting in so many different international locations you can't help but appreciate the ad even more.

For an even higher quality version click the image below and turn up your speakers.





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February 7, 2007

The Red Mist



There is an epidemic raging that inflicts the hearts and minds of car enthusiasts. It is a volatile and easily transmitted sickness that has no cure. Those who are stricken suffer from a euphoric state and demonstrate a passionate aversion to being cured.

This disease is known among Tifosi as the "red mist". The red mist is that uncontrollable feeling that strikes you deep down in your core whenever a Ferrari is near. It's the same stirring that ignited your soul the first time you kissed a beautiful girl. It's that same shot of adrenaline you felt the first time you deftly balanced speed, momentum, and traction into a four wheel drift.

Your pulse begins to race and your hands tremble. You are inexplicably overcome by the urge to write blank checks and sing Puccini. You are completely entranced and oblivious to the world around you. You are possessed.

There is hope.

For those of us who suffer from the red mist there is relief in the form of the Cavallino Classic. The Cavallino Classic is the premier Ferrari only event held every January in Palm Beach, Florida at the elegant Breakers Hotel and Resort.


It is here that myself and other proclaimed red mist addicts can gather in the the Florida sunshine and get our "fix" among endless rows of Maranello's finest creations. This year featured an incredible group of 166 Barchettas as well as several pontoon fendered Testarossas. It was, as it always is, simply breathtaking.

The event begins at the local track where you can see Ferraris driven as they were meant to be. Over the course of two full days you'll view every manner of vintage and modern Ferrari at speed. You name it, it's there. There is even a rally on the local scenic streets of Palm Beach that results in a sea of red meandering through palm lined avenues.

The highlight of the week is the magnificent concours that takes place Saturday on the lawn of the Breakers. The collection of Ferraris that are displayed here every year is unquestionably one of the greatest in the country and possibly even the world. I've had the fortune of attending both Pebble Beach and the Concorso Italiano and I can honestly say that there is no greater Ferrari focused event. The breadth and amount of vintage and modern Ferraris on hand is simply mind numbing.

If you suffer from the red mist like myself and so many others, you should seriously consider making the time to attend the next Cavallino Classic. Not only do you get to enjoy an incredible venue, you are guaranteed to get that rush that keeps us addicted to speed and cars for life.

Forza!



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January 10, 2007

You Can't Get There from Here



My name is Anthony and I'm a curveaholic. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't unabashedly fantasize about long, sensuous curves.

I'm not lusting after the curves found dangling from brass poles in dimly lit gentleman's clubs. (Although those aren't too bad either). I'm addicted to the sweeping, onyx ribbons of pavement that meander on for miles and undulate with the Earth.

There is nothing I love more than the experience of driving on an incredible road.

The dilemma is that I live in south Florida. South Florida curveaholics can't get their fix any easier than an alcoholic in Mormon territory. This is a dry town.

The irony of living here is that we have all the ingredients that make it an enthusiast's paradise except that one magical spice. Curves. We are blessed with gorgeous tropical weather year round and pot-hole free, billiard table smooth roads but they are straighter than the EKG of a corpse and equally full of life.

Driving enthusiasts such as myself are forced to get a little creative for their fix. Aside from the local autocross events and track days, I've found a unique solution for my Sunday drive. Thanks to modern technology and Google Earth's eye in the sky I've found several local "test tracks" in the most mundane places.

Business parks.

The over-commercialization of our area has spawned a boom of enormous business parks. These areas are simply a massive track of land littered with large tilt-wall constructed buildings. Fortunately for me, these monstrous aberrations of industry are interconnected with curvy sub-roads punctuated with massive, open parking lots.

Translation, I've found four wheel drift nirvana right in my backyard!

Of course this is no drive through Big Sur or the Tail of the Dragon but it will have to suffice. I'd love to walk the Earth like an automotive Kwai Chang Caine in search of the perfect road but it will have to wait until I win the lotto or go to the Mugello in the sky. (God is a tifoso of course so heaven's home track is Mugello!)

My business park version of Spa does have some perks. If you get your lap time in on the weekends there isn't a soul around. The police aren't hiding around the next bend to decrease your bank account. Unless someone complains you'll have the area to yourself. Another added bonus is the safety of not having any other traffic or pedestrians to worry about. The last thing any of us want to do in our quest for driving thrills is to put any innocent people at risk. If the area isn't dead as Macaulay Culkin's career come back another time.

So you see there is hope for suffering curveaholics. I know it's not the most idealic solution but it's better than leaving it in one gear and using the cruise control. If you are a fellow enthusiast who is in the same painful geographical predicament you might want to fire up Google's satellite to see what possibilities might be going undriven.



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