h APRIL 17, 2017 autoweek.

com

EXCITE
BIKE!
Ryan Dungey rips.
How big can Supercross get?
 INSIDETHIS ISSUE
APRIL 17, 2017

16For Starters
A fuel-cell vehicle is the first of
three Clarities for Honda, which
wants to make sure it has all of
its alt-fuel bases covered
BY MARK VAUGHN

S TA R T DRIVES 28 F1: THE RETURN

06 TAKING A PEEK 18 OH, HOW UTE Vettel and Ferrari let
We get a look at McLarens Mazdas CX-5 stands out Hamilton and Mercedes

ONLY ON
new 720S, which packs from other crossovers know theyre for real
BY JOE SAWARD
over 90 percent new parts BY BEN STEWART

AUTOWEEK.COM
BY BEN BARRY 32 RICK MEARS Q&A
20 READY TO RUMBLE
Looking back at winter, with 34 DAVID LETTERMAN
an eye on spring, in our long- 36 THE WIRE
CARLIFE term Jeep Wrangler
38 RACING ON TV A RITE OF SPRING
12 DESERT WARRIOR BY JAKE LINGEMAN
The prim-and-proper Rolls- Its time for another Easter
21 ESSENTIALS Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah:
Royce Silver Ghost showed
its gritty side in battle
2017 Mini Countryman; DEPTS/ bit.ly/aw-safari17
BY BRENDAN MCALEER
2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF COLUMNS
NOT SO FAST!
08 DUTCH MANDEL SCCA Pro Racing prezs
14 MARKET
Hey, remember me? wife faces 20 years for wire
2012 Bugatti Veyron COMPETITION fraud: bit.ly/aw-busted
16.4 Grand Sport 08 UNDER THE HOOD
24 DIRT MONSTER
Meet Ryan Dungey, the face 10 REVVED UP
of AMA Supercross 47 BUT WAIT, THERES
BY MIKE BRUDENELL MORE... COVER PHOTO BY CHRIS ARACE

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TRUTH & BEAUTY

FORMULA NEW
DAMS racing team driver Oliver
Rowland tests his car ahead of the FIA
Formula 2 race in Bahrain. Previously
known as GP2, the F1 support series
was rechristened for the 2017 season.
PHOTO BY LAT PHOTOGRAPHIC
S TA R T



\\ 2017 MCLAREN 720S ITS OUR FIRST
glimpse of the new

RADICAL McLaren Super

Series and chief test driver
Chris Goodwin is at the wheel,
lapping assembled journalists

REINVENTION
BY BEN BARRY
like a shark circling a diving
cage. Were inside a dark
hangar 70 miles north
of McLarens U.K. headquar-
ters, spotlights flashing over
the dramatic new teardrop
shape, and three things leap
out: The new Super Series
looks almost sneakily subter-
ranean, the absence of visible
side vents gives a sinewy mid-
riff and the display-only license
plate reads 720S.
To follow recent McLaren
logic, this means the new Super
Series is not only named 720S,
it also produces a turbocharged
720PS, or 710 hp. Its 650S
predecessor made 641 hp;
Ferraris 488 GTB produces
661 hp. Its a huge increase,
one that makes the apparent
absence of cooling side vents
more perplexing.
Despite regular launches, the
720S is the first time McLaren
has replaced a car. Now, six
years and 7,000 Super Series
units since the MP4-12C
in retrospect, the first Super
Series, which became 650S
the British company has opted
for radical reinvention: 91
percent of 720S parts are new.
We wanted to revolutionize
the supercar segment by com-
bining performance, emotion,
refinement and efficiency in
a single, beautiful, functional
whole, says Mark Vinnels,
McLaren product development
director. You have to recali-
brate your understanding of
performance with the 720S,
particularly of road-car perfor-
mance on-track.
Rob Melvilles design takes
recalibration, toothe Brit
describes unpeeling the 720S
to create layered elements
and a lightweight look. Made
from super-formed aluminum
panels, the bodywork looks

6 AUTOWEEK APRIL 17, 2017

crisp, muscled and incredibly
edgy; a 650S appears globular
in comparison.
Aerodynamics and cooling
are key, with a double-skinned
door explaining the perceived
air-intake oversight. We want-
ed to take a step in our design
language and decided early on
to have no visible side intakes,
explains Melville. We knew
from P1, 570S and Can-Am
cars that taking air from over
the shoulder is most efficient;
it was just being brave enough
to remove the side vent.
At the front of the 720S,
the eye socket combines
headlights with an intake that
flows air to the low-tempera-
ture radiators before being
vented into the wheel arch and
evacuated down the side of the
scalloped door. Its a design in-
spired by Formula 1 sidepods.
Air also flows over the hood
and around the A-pillars; it
carves down a channel at the
top of the door like wind rasp-
ing away at sandstone, and you
reach down into this channel
to grab the door handle.
The air flows through the
doors, passing to intakes on
either side of the engine to
cool high-temperature radia-
tors. At the rear, a full-width
air brake and pencil-thin LED
lights provide free space to
vent hot air. Its like glimps-
ing the machine beneath a
cyborgs skin, a touch clearly
inspired by the P1.
A carbon-fiber monocoque,
dubbed MonoCage II, lies
beneath the shrink-wrapped
skin. Where previous Super
Series used a MonoCella
carbon tub that stopped below
the glasshousethe 720S
takes inspiration from the P1
hypercars MonoCage: The
structure now also comprises
the upper section, taking in
the A-, B- and C-pillars for
a genuine passenger cell. It
contributes to a dry weight
of 2,829 pounds, 40 pounds
lighter than the 650S.
A twin-turbo V8 again
nestles behind the driver,
powering the rear wheels via a
seven-speed dual-clutch. But
its 6 inches lower (though the
crank height is unchanged)
and capacity increases from
3.8 to 4.0 liters, with 41 per-
cent of components replaced.
This includes pistons and
crankshaft for a longer stroke,
along with new cylinder heads,
electronic wastegates and, cru-
cially, new twin turbochargers
featuring titanium-aluminide
turbines. Lighter, faster to
spool and capable of 145,000
rpm, its the same material
youll find on Ferraris lag-less
488 GTB. The idea is to max-
imize throttle response, says
Vinnels. Thats music to our
earsresponse hasnt been a
McLaren forte since the F1.
The chassis, naturally, is up-
rated to cope. The concept of
hydraulically linked dampers
with no antiroll bars is familiar,
but the double wishbones and
uprights are re-engineered
to save 35 pounds, and the
geometry is new. So, too, is the
brain that processes it all, and
a claimed 6 percent additional
mechanical grip from the Pire-
lli P Zeros, equivalent to previ-
ous track-focused Trofeos.
Again featuring three driv-
er-adjustable modescom-
fort (replacing normal), sport
and trackthe promise is of
the widest breadth of ability
of any McLaren, a car thats
significantly more compliant
than the already-cushy 650S
and almost as sharp as the
track-focused 675LT.
The result is a supercar with
710 hp and 568 lb-ft that
accelerates from 0-60 mph in a
blistering 2.9 seconds, to 124
mph in 7.8 and hits 213 mph.
And it points to where Mc-
Laren is going. The develop-
ment isnt always very strate-
gic, says Goodwin. Were a
bunch of highly competitive
individualscomputer guys,
calibration guys, dynamics
guysand thats quite power-
ful. During development, its
hard to imagine how all those
parts will work together until
later. It was the same with the
675LT, which was faster than
we were expecting. Vinnels is
really bad for ithe just says,
Push, give it everything!
Sounds like the hardcore
version of the 720S will give
Vinnels and his team quite a
challenge. For now, were des-
perate to see if the 720S lives
up to the hype. More on that
when we drive it late spring. A
APRIL 17, 2017 AUTOWEEK 7
UNDER
THE HOOD
\\ DIGITAL \\ CULTURE \\ EVENTS
EDITORS PICK
This Model Needs to
Reach Production, Stat
 THE TOY WORLD DEMANDS
more cool car models, and this
Peugeot Group B rally car is a
perfect example. Lego Ideas builder
AbFab1974 built this particular racer,
the 205 Turbo 16 Evolution 2the car
that dominated FIA World Rally until
Group B was disbanded in 1986. The
Turbo 16 Evolution 2 won the 1985
and 86 drivers and constructors
titles and 16 WRC rounds in total.
A project needs 10,000 votes
before Lego reviews it for pro-
duction feasibility. If youd like to
see the Peugeot built, vote here:
ideas.lego.com/projects/171007
JAY RAMEY
Stay on Track with
Autoweeks 2017
Racing Schedule

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RacingSched17 today!
8 AUTOWEEK APRIL 17, 2017
OFFSIDE UNDO
BY DUTCH MANDEL
Lifetime Membership

WEVE GOT IT GOOD,
you and me, because the
love of cars runs deep within us.
Makes me sorry for those who
dont have such an affliction.
My dad once gave a talk at the
inaugural Rennsport Reunion
on this very subject. It was at
Lime Rock Park, and the Pangea
of Porschephiles settled in for
the gospel. As only he could,
Leon cast a spell with his words,
sharing how as a college senior
at Cornell he came into a small
inheritance. With the money
he received, he could have
bought stock shares in a then-
newfangled company called
IBM or put a down
payment on a house.
Instead, as he confided
in the crowd, he
bought a Porsche asking car-centric
and got a life.
Its a favorite story questions, they come
that those who were
in attendance like
to share with me. It
resonates not because
it involved a Porsche,
but because the very
deep-seated love for
cars is in me, and its in all of us.
When friends come asking
car-centric questions, they
come to all of us. Your aunt
seeks counsel on whether she
that is the quest! We, you and
me, are forever Car Guys and
Gals with The Knowledge.
And The Knowledge, like
any muscle, must be exercised
and stretched so as not to dimin-
ish. It remains part and parcel of
who we are. Like Michael Phelps
or Tiger, Peyton or the Hotel
California, you can never leave.
My whole car-loving life has
been with a view from the inside
looking out. As a child, it shone
on racetracks like Cotati and
Lime Rock, Bridgehampton and
Vacaville, meeting people named
Follmer, Donohue, Savage, Shel-
by, Gurney, Penske and Revson.
It got only brighter when I chose
to become a professional Car
Guy. Once an insider, always an
insider with a micro-view. But
I have come to learn and under-
stand that the broad lens is clar-
ifying and insightful.
These daysor better said and
more accurately, these evenings
my Thursdays are spent around a
fire pit, a cigar in one hand while
kibitzing about life in general and
life in specifics with guys who
gather for this Chautauqua.
When friends come
to all of us ... To
hybrid or not, that
is the quest!
Occasionally, I dispense some
car-smart knowledge that is ac-
cepted or discounted, but it is
always appreciated.
I still lean on many of the re-
sources available at One Auto-
week Tower, but now I do it with
a freshness thats more consumer-
centricI did, after all, buy (!)
a daily driver, the first time thats
happened in nearly 30 years.
This perspective is only going
to be good for meand good
for you. A
Autoweek Executive Editor
At Large Dutch Mandel is
on Twitter. Reach him
@Dutch_Mandel
 I f Yo u K n o w Yo u K n o w . c o m
Dodge is a registered trademark of FCA US LLC.
 REVVED
UP
FURTHER FEEDBACK:
CASUALTIES ON THE HOME
FRONT, CARLIFE, NORMAN
MAYERSOHN, MARCH 20
I read with great interest
and appreciation Norman
Mayersohns fine story,
Casualties on the Home
Front: Japanese-American
Hot-Rodders and Executive
Order 9066. I am a longtime
subscriber to Autoweek. My
family and I were incarcerated
at the Relocation Center at
Topaz, Utah. Especially during
these times, but of course
always, we must learn from
past mistakes and never forget
that those that fail to learn from
history are doomed to repeat it.
Robert Akamatsu, Detroit
Kudos, you documented some
of these forgotten memories
and how individuals pursued
their passions under Executive
Order 9066. I say this because
I am a third-generation
Japanese-American, now
middle-aged, who remembers
hearing stories about not only
the internment camps from my
father, but also stories of the
442, MIS and the Nisei hot rods.
My fathers family was interned
at Gila River, Arizona, and he
mentioned how cold and hot
it got there and how there was
absolutely no privacy. He, along
with my uncles, joined the MIS
and served in both WWII and
Korea. What really hits home
is how Mr. Mayersohn coupled
the tragic events of the past
to pay homage to the Nisei
hot-rodders, which my dad was
one of, as well. Thank you again
for writing this article.
Mark Ito, Redmond, Washington
W H AT G E T S YO U R E V V E D U P ?
Check us out on social media. Send comments, questions to awletter@autoweek.com
10 AUTOWEEK APRIL 17, 2017
What an appropriate reminder
of this dark period of American
history, when baseless fear and
hysteria resulted in the U.S.
confining so many of its citizens
because of their ancestry! I
had a ranch next to the Heart
Mountain Relocation Center
in Wyoming, and every day
seeing the remnants of
this tragedy brought a feeling
of shame. I thought that
this could never happen
again!? This was a loss not
only to some of our finest
citizens, but to the nation as
a whole when we needed
their talents the most.
Thanks for the wake-up!
Rol Hamelin, Vail, Colorado
I am a 20-year-plus subscriber
to Autoweek. Unfortunately,
I have been considering not
renewing my subscription
because of a vague feeling that
the magazine has lost its mojo
... and then the March 20 issue
showed up in my mailbox with
the stunning article Casualties
on the Home Front by Norman
Mayersohn. Youve got my
subscription for years to
come. Thank you and Mr.
Mayersohn for the article.
Bruce A. Boeder,
Wayzata, Minnesota
Your recent story Casualties
on the Home Front about the
Japanese-American hot-rodders and
Takeo Hirashima was one of your
best. You need to do more of these!
That one article was worth a years
subscription! Wayne Wachtell, Cleveland
Easily the best AW article ever
composed and published. SOCIAL CALL
Being a native SoCal car guy,
I pass by Manzanar 30 or so
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS/ANSEL ADAMS; ONLINE ARCHIVE OF CALIFORNIA/CHARLES E. MACE
@AutoweekUSA
times each winter. A few years VIA TWITTER
past, it caught my eye because ICYMI: 75 years later,
a replica 40-foot lookout tower, a more important
complete with spotlight, story than ever:
was erected adjacent to U.S. bit.ly/aw-HomeFront
Route 395. I briefly checked its
history and stopped in for the
proclaimed self-guided tour.
It all came together exiting
Manzanar, when I noticed
a bronze plaque that was a
gut-wrenching official apology
to the interned from our
government. Mr. Mayersohn,
I wasnt yet born during this
era. However, Im a bit rattled @scottkilleen
and somewhat ashamed. An excellent
Thank you very much. article.
Denny Valdez, via email
@ilmorcars
Dont get involved
in politics.
 autoweek.com
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CARLIFE

Chariots Spitting lead

and f lame,

of War
armored Silver
Ghosts ruled
the deserts
of Arabia
BY BRENDAN MCALEER

12 AUTOWEEK APRIL 17, 2017

 On one sortie, Samsons team came across
Opposite: Riding shotgun in a German staff car, which they promptly
Blue Mist, Lawrence arrives in machine-gunned the hell out of. No doubt
Akaba in 1917; the Mk1 1914 spurred on by this victory, they swept into
Pattern armored Rolls-Royce occupied Lille, where an unhappy civilian
threw a ginger beer bottle through the
windshield, badly cutting Samsons face.
Even so, Samsons successes and the use of
an armored Minerva sedan by the Belgian
army convinced the British war office of the
effectiveness of the armored car in combat.
They ordered Rolls-Royce to prepare chas-
sis to be fitted with armor-plated bodies;
all civilian chassis were requisitioned, and
by October 1914, all Rolls-Royce civilian
production had ceased. The Silver Ghost
was now a chariot of war.
The 1914 pattern cars used by Lawrence
had chassis essentially identical to those

J
of an earlier four-car factory rally team
ordan, 1918Night in the desert. In a small known as the Alpine Eagles. The successful
encampment beneath the jutting outcrop they completion of the grueling Austrian Alpine
Trials in 1913, held high in the Italian and
call Tooth Hill, the raiders gather around their Austrian Alps, cemented Rolls-Royces
campfires, warmed by rations of rum and nourished already excellent reputation. Commentators
declared them the best cars in the world.
by salt-cured beef. One lean officer stands apart, watching Power came from a straight-six engine
sparks from the brushwood soar toward the myriad stars. displacing 7.5 liters, with a four-speed
gearbox, single axle up front and double
His gaze falls on the khaki flanks of looming steel-clad in the rear. Armored cars received heavier-
behemoths flickering in the firelight, and a smile crosses duty rear springs but were otherwise the
same underneath as the civilian models.
his face. More valuable, he will later write of the beasts, The steel plate armor was arsenic-treated
Than rubies in the desert. for strength, and, at 0.47 inch in thickness,
it was bulletproof to standard rifle rounds.
Cars were fitted with a high-mounted re-
volving turret and armed with a navy-issue
For more than a year, T.E. Lawrence customer might desire, but the cars success .303 water-cooled Vickers machine gun.
Lawrence of Arabiahad been knifing came from its bones. In one example of its With just 80 hp on offer to haul around
across the flint-strewn planes of the Arabian durability, a British entrepreneur sealed the more than 4 tons of steel, the Mk1 1914
Desert to destroy and disrupt the forces hood of a Silver Ghost 40/50, removed the Pattern armored Rolls-Royce was some-
of the Ottoman Turks. He was sometimes toolkit, then drove it 620 miles through the what ponderous. As fighting on the Western
supported by Arab irregulars, often guided difficult mountain passes between Bombay front devolved into the muddy stagnancy
by spotter aircraft; his style of fast-moving, and Kolhapur. As a publicity stunt, it was of trench warfare, armored cars were of
hit-and-run desert warfare was familiar to a triumph, and soon every potentate in the relatively little value.
everyone from field marshal Erwin Rommel area had to have one. But in the desert, they struck like iron-
to Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf. Initially The use of the Ghost as a fighting vehicle tipped spears. In one of the most romantic
involved in intelligence gathering, the came as a result of its association with no- actions of the war, Hugh Grosvenor, second
young British officer gained status when he bility and the British Navy. At the begin- Duke of Westminster, mounted a daring
attacked and overwhelmed the garrison at ning of World War I, Wing Cmdr. Charles raid against superior forces, rescuing ship-
Akaba. His superiors were impressed: They Rumney Samson was in charge of Royal wrecked sailors trapped in Northern Africa.
expected the siege to fail but now found Navy aircraft engaged in strafing zeppelins One of the wealthiest landowners in
themselves with a new northern foothold in occupied territory. This being the early Britain, Grosvenor raced motorboats in the
with which to press into Syria and Jordan. age of aviation, the planes were constantly 1908 Olympics and served in South Africa
Lawrence asked for, and received, a force of crashing with pilots needing rescue. Samson in the Boer War. Always interested in motor-
nine battle-ready Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts. brought over several of his personal auto- ized pursuits, he aided in the development
Launched in 1906, the Silver Ghost re- mobiles for just such duties, and he had the of a prototype armored Rolls-Royce and
mains the definitive Rolls-Royce. Coach- bright idea of strapping a Maxim machine commanded a squadron of nine vehicles in
builders could fit in every possible luxury a gun on the back of his open tourer. Egypt during the 1916 campaign. Raiding

SIR HENRY ROYCE MEMORIAL FOUNDATION COLLECTION (2)

CARLIFE
the enemy at Bir Asiso, the armored Rolls
squadron swept in, terrifying the enemy and
destroying their encampment. It is reported
that camels laden with munitions exploded
when fired upon. Then, hearing that sailors
of the HMT Moorina and HMS Tara were
being held prisoner at Bir Hakeim, the Duke
gathered together his forces and sped across
the desert, 120 miles into enemy territory.
Confronted by the steel elephants, the
enemy forces turned and ran; the sailors
were rescued.
Lawrences war was less straightforward
than the charging Duke of Westministers.
Not only were subterfuge and insurgency
central elements of the campaign, but
Lawrence was deeply troubled by the
promises he was making. He suspected,
correctly, that the European powers had no
intention of granting the Arab states sweep-
ing independence once the war was over.
Still, he took fierce joy in striking out
against Ottoman fortifications and trans-
ports. The Hejaz Railwaythe Turks only
supply lifeline to Medinastretched for
800 miles; Lawrences forces constantly
sabotaged it. The speed and reliability of
his five armored Rolls and four tenders was
without fault, despite the rugged terrain.
Or nearly so. In one event, Lawrence had
just blown up a railway bridge and was
retreating with Turkish forces in hot pursuit.
Suddenly, the rear leaf spring of his personal
tender, known as Blue Mist, snapped in two.
The car was stranded. Lawrence and his
driver (the improbably named S.C. Rolls)
worked feverishly to repair it with a board.
Lacking a saw, Lawrence pulled out his
pistol and shot the board in two. They
roped things together, escaped the Turks,
and spent the next few weeks racing around
the desert with a half-wooden suspension.
14 AUTOWEEK APRIL 17, 2017
Armored Rolls-Royces were used in var-
ious fields of battle into the 1950s. Almost
none remain, their armored bodies removed
and chassis sold back into civilian life. A
few are scattered throughout the world in
museums. Most of these are static displays.
The exception is Sliabh na mBan, one of \\ MARKET
13 1920 pattern Rolls-Royces that played a
2012 BUGATTI VEYRON
pivotal role in the Irish Civil War. Present
16.4 GRAND SPORT
at the death of Gen. Michael Collins, it is
fully restored but still bears bullet strikes RM Sothebys Amelia Island Sale
from the conflict. Because it is owned Amelia Island, Florida
and serviced by the Irish Army, budget March 11, 2017
requirements mean that it must perform all
duties of any other armored vehicle in the Black and red over dark tan leather
motor pool. It is driven by specially trained interior. 1,001 bhp, 7,993cc quad-
enlisted soldiers, and it fires its Vickers .303 turbocharged DOHC 64-valve W16
at least once a year at the range. engine, seven-speed dual-clutch
After the war, Lawrence returned to transmission. In stunningly good
England, first serving the Foreign Office, original condition, this car has traveled
then later joining the RAF. He wrote prolif- only 538 miles; its essentially a brand-
ically, his major work being Seven Pillars of new car minus the warranty.
Wisdom, a semi-autobiography of his expe-
riences in the desert. In 1935, while riding SOLD AT $1,650,000
his Brough Superior SS100, he crested a hill Countless pages have been written
at speed to see two boys playing in the road. about the Veyron and its different
He swerved, crashed and died six days later. variants and special editions. Intro-
Four years ago, a small team of British duced at the 2008 Pebble Beach
archaeologists discovered Lawrences Concours dElegance, the Grand Sport
camp beneath Tooth Hill. Working from reinforced the chassis and windshield
photographs, they scouted the location and to maintain structural rigidity as an
uncovered fragments of navy-issue rum jars, open (or targa-top) vehicle. In addition
spent shell casings and ancient spark plugs. to the hardtop, theres a low-speed
It is said that T.E. Lawrence carried a copy soft top for sudden rainstorms.
of Thomas Malorys Le Morte dArthur In all, 450 Veyrons were produced,
with him on the battlefield. For a man and 150 of them were open-top
tormented by the half-truths of guerrilla models (including Grand Sports
warfare, its tales of knights, chivalry and and the more powerful Grand Sport
conflicted honor may have provided some Vitesses). Of all the Grand Sports,
comfort. Camped in the pure and empty only 11, including this car, were built
desert, he surely found clarity: just his mis- to U.S. specifications. Although this
sion, his troops and their armored steeds. A car has moved less than 600 miles
under its own power, its surprisingly
well-traveled. Sold new in Beverly
SIR HENRY ROYCE MEMORIAL FOUNDATION COLLECTION
Hills, California, it was then shipped
First of the breed: Wing Cmdr.
via Brussels to Nigeria, making it one
Samsons armored Rolls-Royce.
of the few Bugatti Veyrons to make it
to the African continent. It was then
shipped back to Europe in mid-2016,
where it registered only 424 miles.
From there, it headed to a new owner,
the consigner for this auction, in the
UnitedStates.
Sold at the middle estimate for
$1,650,000, call this a good point of
entry into a hypercar that was an
instant automotive milestoneand
an instant collectible, to boot.
DAVE KINNEY
DRIVES

\\ 2017 HONDA CLARITY FUEL CELL NO ONE KNOWS

THE FUTURE,
what the future holds,
so Honda is covering
all its alt-fuel bases with
one vehicle: the Clarity. The Clarity

AT WHAT COST?
car you see here, the Clarity Fuel
Cell, is the first of three, and its been
in showrooms since last December.
By the end of the year, there will also
be a Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle
Honda will offer three electrified Clarity and a Battery Electric Vehicle Clar-
ity. Honda is ready with a flexible
powertrains by years end manufacturing plan that will allow it
to build more of the drivetrains cus-
BY MARK VAUGHN
tomersor government officials
decide they want.
Like all larger car manufacturers,
Honda is required by the Califor-
nia Air Resources Board to sell
zero-emission vehicles in the state.
Cynics call cars like these com-
pliance cars because theyre built
specifically to meet the states ZEV
mandate. Carmakers will tell you that
outlook is too cynicalthat they
believe in clean air, green fields and
happiness for all puppies. Whatever.
For now, just note that the new
Honda Clarity Fuel Cell is far more
efficient than the previous-model
Clarity wasand that one was
pretty darn efficient.
A quick refresher: A fuel cell is
basically a stack of membranes
through which hydrogen is forced.
The membranes separate electrons
that go to a battery, which then pow-
ers an electric motor that turns the
wheels. The only byproduct of this,
as Honda loves to point out, is water.

16 AUTOWEEK APRIL 17, 2017

 Here, Honda made the fuel-cell
stack itself 1.5 times more efficient,
so theyve been able to reduce the
number of cells by 30 percent, mak-
ing the powertrain assembly small-
er than a V6 gasoline engine. Its so
much smaller that the stack, motor
and controller now all fit under the
hood (the previous model had the
fuel-cell stack located between the
front seats).
The 1.7-kWh lithium-ion battery
sits under the front seats, while two
hydrogen tanks are under and be-
hind the rear seat, tucked in between
the frame rails (or something that re-
sembles a frame rail since this is still
technically a monocoque). Pressure
in the tanks goes up in the new mod-
el from 5,000 to 10,000 psi, which
gives you a 366-mile EPArange.
All this compact efficiency means
the Clarity offers seating for five
andclass-leading luggage space
but said class consists of only the
Toyota Mirai and Hyundai Ioniq.
That efficient system produces 174
hp and 221 lb-ft of torque, up 30
percent and 17 percent, respectively,
over the previous Clarity. Maximum
motor speed is also up by 500 rpm,
to a peak of 13,000 revs. Just tell your
buddies your car redlines at 13,000
rpm. Thatll freak them out. Then
change the subject.
Thanks to everything from acous-
tic glass to sound insulation pretty
much everywhere, the Clarity is one
of the quietest cars around. I was on
hand 25 or so years ago when car
manufacturers started giving rides
in early fuel cells. Those ancient
mules were packed with reform-
ers, computers and engineers who
advised against messing with wires
(No! Dont touch!). Those early topay for hydrogen.
ON SALE: Now science experiments were loud and
BASE PRICE: $369/ complex. The Clarity is quiet and
month lease
DRIVETRAIN:
simple. You get in, push a button to
Hydrogen start it, push a transmission button
fuel cell, AC to select a gear and off you waft, glid-
synchronous ing down the highway in peaceful,
electric motor for angelic serenity. Ahhhhh.
103 kW, 174 hp,
221 lb-ft; FWD, Sadly, all this serenity is reserved
single-speed, for only a handful of buyers in
direct-drive the greater Los Angeles and San
transmission Francisco Bay areas and one or two
CURB WEIGHT:
guys in Sacramento, though we hear
4,134 lb
0-60 MPH: theyre having a little trouble with
9.2 sec (est) their hydrogen station in Sac. Even
FUEL ECONOMY if you do live in those metropolises,
(EPA/OBSERVED):
366-mile range/ you cant buy a Clarityyou can
254-mile range only lease one, which was the case
with the Honda Fit EV a few years
ago (another compliance car).
Clarity leases are $369 a month, with
$2,868 due at signing. But you can
still get a $5,000 government rebate,
and Honda gives you 20,000 miles
on the lease, plus another $15,000
During our drive, we fill up at a
hydrogen station and find the stuff
costs $16.47 per kilogram. If it takes
5 kilograms to fill up, thats $82.35
to go those 366 miles. But nobody
goes the full EPA range on a tank
of anything. We start out with a full
tank and an indicated range of just
254 miles, which is, um, nowhere
near the EPA number of 366. After
driving 11 miles, we top off the tanks
and get an indicated 258 miles of
range. We then drive 65.6 miles,
having used up 64 miles of indicated
range. So the upshot is that no one
matches EPA numbers in any kind
of vehicle, but our difference is over
100 miles of EPA versus indicated
range. Crazy, man.
There are many points to argue
about alternative fuels. If you look
at well-to-wheel analysisthe
total efficiency of using something
like hydrogen to make your car go
down the roadthere are plenty
of points at which hydrogen falters
as a fuel. You could argue that pure
electric cars, with no hydrogen
fuel-cell loop, are cleaner, assuming
you charge them directly from solar
panels on your roof. Carmakers are
all waiting to see which alternative
fuel wins outif any of them do. We
might be driving gasoline-powered
smog-blasters the rest of our lives.
We dont know. But with the Clarity,
Honda is ready for whichever inevi-
tability comes. A
APRIL 17, 2017 AUTOWEEK 17
DRIVES
\\ 2017 MAZDA CX-5
RIGHT MOVES
The CX-5 benefits from thoughtful, thorough improvements
BY BEN STEWART
ENTHUSIASTS
typically greet each
newly launched
crossover SUV with an eye roll
at best and, at worst, complete
revulsion. After all, these things
are replacing passenger cars in
American garages at a rapid pace.
And these station wagons on
stilts just dont handle as well
as cars. Plus, they weigh much
more than they should. Right?
Mazdas utes are different.
When it launched the original
CX-5 in 2012, the company
made sure this was a Mazda first
and a crossover second. In other
words, it was a lively, sharp-
handling machine that, for its
class, was actually fun to drive.
While the major mechanical
components remain for the
17 edition, they were not left
untouched. In order to both
smooth out and silence the
suspension, Mazda added new
low-friction struts up front with
unique springs on each side. To
restore steering crispness, the
rack is now solid-mounted. To
reduce vibrations in the steering
column, hydraulic bushings have
been added to the subframe.
Vehicle development engineer
Dave Coleman says the aim is,
ultimately, a smoother ride.
It's a series of somewhat subtle
changes, but the point is, Mazda
actually cares about how this
utilitarian-by-design vehicle feels
and handles. And speaking of
handling, the CX-5 gets Mazdas
new G-Vectoring Control, which
uses electronics to subtly transfer
weight to the front tires.
We watch the steering
wheel speed and reduce
engine torque in proportion
to that, says Coleman. That
tiny reduction in torque will
shift a couple of extra pounds
of force on the front tire and
makes the tire respond more
linearly. It actually makes the
car react more sharply.
Every model now uses the
2.5-liter four-cylinder mated
to a six-speed automatic. It only
makes 3 more hp, but Mazda
says, in the real world, theres
quicker engine response.
Perhaps the most noticeable
upgrade is the design. The new
one really looks like a mini-
CX-9not a bad thing. The
more chiseled nose and the
wider hips at the rear make it
more aggressive, and because
the whole vehicle was basically
reskinned, it gave the engineers
a chance to hunt down noise
everywhere. Where, for exam-
ple, road roar was traveling up
through the suspension, engi-
neers added dynamic sound
dampers on the struts, tuned to
cancel out certain frequencies.
Similarly, the bodies of those
struts are now built from a dif-
ferent material to reduce noise.
ON SALE: Now
BASE PRICE: $24,895
DRIVETRAIN: 2.5-liter,
187-hp, 185-lb-ft
I4; FWD, six-speed
automatic
CURB WEIGHT: 3,527 lb
FUEL ECONOMY (EPA
CITY/HWY/COMBINED):
24/31/27 mpg
A dynamic damper was added
to the rear subframe, too.
All that refinement inside and
out adds up to an AWD CX-5
that weighs only 76 pounds
more than the old one.
The first thing youll notice
as you slide behind the wheel
is just how much more upscale
the interior looks: Everything
you lay your eyes or hands on
is reminiscent of the larger and
more expensive CX-9; almost
all the materials on our test
vehicle are just as soft and
just as impressive. Of course,
we are riding in top-spec,
leather-lined Grand Touring
models (which come standard
with Mazdas suite of safety
technology bundled under
the i-Activsense banner).
Trimmings aside, it only takes
a few blocks trundling through
the streets of downtown San
Diego to learn that life in the
17 CX-5 is a far more serene
experience than any before it.
The outside world is largely
silenced, and the suspension
now rounds off the sharp edges
on bumps both big and small.
That hollow, tinny sound of
the old CX-5 pounding over
imperfections is gone.
The engine isnt a power-
house, but it does deliver its
output responsively. Still,
when compared to the more
powerful turbocharged engines
that have infiltrated the class,
the Mazda can feel a little poky.
Our fantasy? Drop the CX-9s
turbocharged 227-hp 2.5-liter
in the nose of the CX-5 and call
it a Mazdaspeed. Predictably,
Mazda says that engine swap
is unlikely. But it has con-
firmed there will be a 2.2-liter
turbodiesel arriving in about six
months that should match the
CX-9s torque.
The redesigned CX-5
still delivers the same rewarding
experience as the old one,
with sharp steering response
and agile handling. The manda-
tory sport mode livens up
the transmission, holding
gears longer and quickly
dropping one or two when
you floor it.
Downsides beyond output?
The center console lid should
slide fore and aft to accommo-
date various drivers elbows.
And Mazda needs to upsize
and modernize its infotainment
systemits 7-inch screen is
on the small side, and the hard-
ware doesnt yet support Apple
CarPlay or Android Auto.
The crossover game is
ridiculously competitive.
Mazda created one of the
most rewarding compact
models with the original
CX-5. This new one is so
much smoother, quieter and
thoughtfully developed, it
should help the brand cut
through the clutterand thats
before the diesel and its deep
torque reserves arrives. A
APRIL 17, 2017 AUTOWEEK 19
LONGTERMER

SECOND-
QUARTER UPDATE
MILES DRIVEN
(QUARTER/YEAR):
\\ 2016 JEEP WRANGLER RUBICON 3,114/8,477

BIDING TIME
FUEL MILEAGE
(QUARTER/YEAR):
15.8 mpg/16.2 mpg
FUEL COST
(QUARTER/YEAR):
Winter was fun, but soon well $399.99/$989.67
really test this Jeep off-road DAYS OUT OF SERVICE
(QUARTER/YEAR):

BY JAKE LINGEMAN 0/1

MAINTENANCE: None

HALF A YEAR IN AND THE WRANGLER

still drives like the day it got here, said one editor.
That means the gearbox is slushy, the steering will get

STEPHEN PHAM (2)

around to changing direction eventually and the ride
bounces you all over the place. Its a big box going down
the road, so the wind noise and buffeting are consider-
able. Youll find yourself checking to make sure all the
windows are up. All that said, I love it!
The problem with Jeepseven one as capable as the
2016 Wrangler Rubicon, which has been under our
stewardship for six monthsis that you can only really
do fun Jeep things at certain times. The rest of the time,
its just commuting.
It doesnt really do road trips. Well, it can, just not well.
When the chance came to drive to Toronto and back to
Detroit in a day, we picked our long-term Genesis G90
over this noisy, inefficient rumbler. The cargo area isnt
big enough for real construction jobs, and the passenger
area isnt quite equipped for coddling your grandparents.
What it does do well is winter. When the snow started
falling, the keys got a lot scarcer. One inch or 10, the Jeep
eats it for breakfast while keeping the cabin warm, even
with the breezy soft top. Giant, 32-inch BFGoodrich
tires can tackle any slush, puddle or snowbank, even if
theres a parking block lurking within. And thats really
the best thing about a Jeepyou never have to worry.
Steaming hot? Freezing cold? Ice on the road? Rocks?
No road at all? The Wrangler can handle that.
Its actually more fun when things get a bit messy. Even
in four-wheel drive, itll kick the back tires loose in the
snow or gravel. And if that sweeping drift ends up in the
parking lot next door? Not a problem.
We put about 3,000 miles on the Wrangler this quarter,
a little less than the last, and used about 190 gallons of
fuel at a cost of $400. Our average mileage was 15.8 mpg,
with a high of 17.3 and a low of 13.8.
Next quarter, were seriously planning to go off-road.
Michigan has a handful of great spots for Jeep-centric
work, and were going to find them. A break from the
winter weather will make things easier, and we should
probably add some equipment built for the task. But
until then, when we need a punching bag to take blows
for us, its Jeep or nothing. A

20 AUTOWEEK APRIL 17, 2017

DRIVESESSENTIALS

2017 Mini
Countryman
THE INTENT: The 2017 Mini Country-
man takes back the dubious crown
of biggest Mini ever from the
latest Clubman. The compact
crossover is 8.1 inches longer, 5.4
inches wider and 0.3 inch taller
than the outgoing model. The size
bump comes from it now sharing
a platform with the BMW X1.

THE EXECUTION: In base Cooper trim,

a 1.5-liter turbo I3 sends power to
either a six-speed manual or a six-
speed automatic, which becomes
an eight-speed auto in AWD trim.
Despite only 134 hp and 162 lb-ft of
torque, the linear acceleration and
wide torque curve makes for a fun
combo until you hit the higher gears.
In Cooper S trim, the 2.0-liter turbo
I4 sends its 189 hp and 207 lb-ft
through a six-speed manual, eight-
speed auto or eight-speed paddle-
shift sport automatic.
Nestled inside the massive
illuminated circle on the center of
the dash is Minis latest infotainment
system. Borrowed from BMW, the
ON SALE: Now BASE PRICE: $26,950 DRIVETRAIN: 1.5-liter, 134-hp, 162-lb-ft turbocharged I3;
AWD, six-speed manual CURB WEIGHT: 3,300 lb
media controller can spin to select
letters for typing an address into the
nav system, or you can write with
your finger on the dial like its a tiny
chalkboard (easier said than done).
THE TAKEAWAY: This Mini could entice
buyers with its size. Its more fun
than most other compact crossovers
but isnt as off-road friendly as, say,
a Subaru. WESLEY WREN

Mazdas classic roadster, the Miata,
bucked that trend. Last year, Mazda
moved nearly 10K of the new sports
car (best year for Miatas since 08).
Yes, everyone loves the Miata.
But Mazda wants you to want
one even more: The old hardtop
shared the same profile with the
soft top. This time we decided,
says Mazdas Dave Coleman,
lets make it look unique.
THE EXECUTION: To combat the roofs
and the experience is mostly like
an open-air Miata. Top up and the
RF becomes more civilized than the
ragtop. And that new hardtop adds
stiffness to the structure, solidifying
the chassis and erasing the slight
wiggle in both the steering column
and windshield frame.
THE TAKEAWAY: The RF is everything
we liked about the soft-top Miata in
an easier-to-live-with package. Do
note: The least expensive RF is more

2017 Mazda ON SALE:

MX-5 Miata RF
THE INTENT: The market for sports
cars has eroded recently, and nearly
every two-seat convertible sports
machine has taken a big hit. But
BASE PRICE:
Now added heft, Mazda installed firmer
springs and new dampers. Driving
than $6,500 more than the least
expensive soft top. Still, if I had
$32,390
DRIVETRAIN:
this car quickly is not only easy, its
so much damn fun. The slickness
to drive an MX-5 daily, the RF would
be the one. BEN STEWART
2.0-liter, 155-hp,
148-lb-ft I4; RWD, of the Miatas manual trans is the
six-speed manual benchmark for how manuals should FOR MORE PHOTOS, IMPRESSIONS
CURB WEIGHT: AND INSIGHT, CHECK OUT ALL
feel, as the one in the RF proves. OF OUR NEW-CAR DRIVE REVIEWS AT
2,455 lb
Put the new retractable roof down AUTOWEEK.COM/REVIEWS

APRIL 17, 2017 AUTOWEEK 21

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BY MIKE BRUDENELL

CHAMPION ATHLETES HATE
losing. But its the way they deal with
defeat and adversity that separates the
best from the rest.
Take AMA Supercross/Motocross
great Ryan Dungey, for example. He was beaten com-
prehensively by archrival Eli Tomac at the Monster
Energy AMA Supercross event at Lucas Oil Stadium in
Indianapolis on March 18 in front of a crowd of more
than 60,000. Dungey, a seven-time AMA champion
and two-time defending champion in Monster Energy
AMA Supercross, finished third after he was passed by
his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Marvin
Musquin in the 450SX main feature.
Consistent winning has been one of Dungeys trade-
marks over the course of his racing career, but again
he finished third behind winner Tomac and runner-up
Musquin at the Supercross stop in Ford Fieldanother
huge event that boasted an attendance of more than
46,000 peopleone week later. Still, Dungey left
Motown seven points ahead of Tomac in the champ-
ionship, with just four races left in the season.
FELD ENTERTAINMENT INC. (2)
I fell off the pace, plain and simple, said Dungey after
the Indy match. But Im happy with the day. We are
going to give it our all. Its just a race. There are bigger
things in life.
The 27-year-old Dungey burst onto the Supercross
scene in 2010, winning 33 Supercross 450 races, tying
him for sixth all-time. Hes second place all-time in 450
motocross victories with 39.
If Ricky Carmichael is considered the greatest of all-
time in dirt-bike racing and Jeremy McGrath the King
of Supercross, Dungey is regarded as a role model in the
sport: a fine technical rider revered by fellow competi-
tors and loved by fans for his work on and off the track.
Racing is what we do, its my job, but its not every-
thing, said Dungey. He was born in Belle Plaine, Minne-
sota, in 1989, to a racing family that includes his father,
Troy, and brothers, Jade and Blake, amateur racers. Its a
balance. Racing can override everything. But there is life
after racing. We are human. We all have a heart.
Dungey is not afraid of his feelingshis grandmother,
Barbara Dungey, died from cancer in 2005, which shook
him to the core but helped shape his worldview.
I was 14 years old, angry and upset, said Dungey.
My grandmother was supportive of me and what I
wanted to do. She motivated me to be a better person.
To want to help other people. Thats the most important
thing in life. My grandmother taught me that.
Together with his wife, Lindsay, Dungey has become
a fierce AMA competitor and even fiercer advocate
for charity organizations, including for the St. Jude
Childrens Research Hospital.
With support from longtime partner Target, Dungey
began his association with St. Jude in 2012 and now
heads the annual MN Major River-to-River Ride in
Hastings, Minn., benefiting the hospital.
Dungey, right, And Dungeys support hasnt es-
is joined on the caped the notice of Richard Shadyac
Detroit podium Jr., president and CEO of ALSAC, the
by Marvin fundraising and awareness arm for St.
Musquin, left, Jude Childrens Research Hospital.
and winner
I am proud of the way he is living
Eli Tomac.
his legacy, and we appreciate his
dedication to making a difference in
the fight against cancer as an ambassador for St. Jude
Childrens Research Hospital, said Shadyac of Dungeys
participation. I am a huge fan of Ryans. He has person-
ally donated tens of thousands of dollars to St. Jude
every year, recruited his sponsors and peers to engage
with us and wears the St. Jude logo on his gear.
Ryan has a full plate as a professional athlete. Yet he
is doing everything he can in his spare time to recruit
the communitys help to continue our mission of find-
ing cures and saving children.
Nick Wey of DeWitt, Michigan, competed for 18
years on the AMA circuit before he retired in 2015. He
admires Dungey not only for his riding skills, prowess
and unmatchable consistency over the years, but for
hisethics.
The involvement with family his Midwest up-
bringing his passion to make his career work out
Ryans impact has been awesome for the sport, said
Wey, who is still coaching riders. He is a cordial guy
who has had a terrific career.
Ryan is efficient. He gets the job done. He minimizes
risks. He has a blue-collar work ethic. Ryans bad races
are pretty minimal.
Tim Ritchie and his family have known Dungey
since he was a teen. Ritchies parents, Gene and Nancy,
founded the now-world-famous RedBud MX motocross
track in Buchanan, Mich., on the west side of the state,
APRIL 17, 2017 AUTOWEEK 25
COMPETITION

in 1973. Tim and his sister, Amy, now operate RedBud, To stand out, the two-time defending AMA Super- Clockwise,
following Genes death in 2016. cross champ has surrounded himself with the best from top:
Dungey has raced at RedBud numerous times. coaches available, including renowned trainer Aldon Riders battle
through heats
I really think Ryans grandmother taught him how Baker, and hes mentored by Red Bull KTM team
and last-chance
to live, said Tim. Ryan gets way more satisfaction in manager and former Belgian world motocross champ
qualifiers for
giving than receiving. He is the face of the sport, a really Roger De Coster. 22 spots in the
good person. One of the most intelligent riders ever. Theres so much preparation and practice needed to final; Dungey
Always in the title hunt. Ive never heard a bad thing win (these days), said Dungey. There are a lot of guys proves that
about this guy. in this series within a tenth (of a second) of each other. theres more
Dungey doesnt mind being called the face of AMA Its incredibly competitive. than one way
Supercross, though he knows hes not the only one. Baker has provided Dungey with invaluable counsel. to get to the
The Supercross field is full of talented riders such as Aldon has made life better for me, said Dungey. The finish line.
Tomac, Musquin, Cole Seely, Blake Baggett, Chad Reed, knowledge and wisdom he has shared with my wife and
Ken Roczen, Davi Millsaps and Broc Tickle, who are all I, the help and understanding, its been amazing. Aldon
as big a hurdle to Dungey as the jumps and bumps he pushes the limits, but he stresses good choices. You must
sees on the course every week. take risks, but you got to be smart.

SUPERCROSS: As for ratings, the series

SUPER-POPULAR
Its loud. Its fast. Its dirty.
And its more popular than you
might imagine.
Monster Energy AMA
Supercross stopped at Ford
Field in Detroit on March 25
and put on a show before more
than 46,000 fans. Thats about
15,000 more fans than turned
out for the Verizon IndyCar
Series Sunday show at near-
by Belle Isle last summer.
The figures werent unusual
for the 17-race seriesactually,
it was one of the slower nights.
Atlanta and Indianapolis stops
each topped 60,000 fans, while
the series drew 57,800 in Dallas
and 54,200 in Phoenix.
The live event has seen
consistent and steady
season-high 813,000 viewers
growth over the years, said
Dave Prater, senior director
of operations, 2 Wheel, at
Feld Entertainment, the
series owner. I believe the
mainstream media is starting
to take notice.
March 18 show from
Indianapolis attracted a
on Fox.
We were definitely happy
with those television numbers,
but I dont think we were
surprised, Prater said. We
believe Supercross should
be drawing those type of
numbers. Its just a matter of
exposing the sport to more
people. Once youve witness-
ed it live or on television, were
confident youll be a fan.
MIKE PRYSON

26 AUTOWEEK APRIL 17, 2017

 Racing is
what we do,
its my job,
but its not GET
everything, YOUR
its a balance.
RYAN DUNGEY TIRES
RIGHT
This season has been up and down for Dungey, despite
his lead in points standings.
We move forward, said Dungey. KTM is committed
to the season. We will keep turning it up. Gosh, the last
CHRIS ARACE; FELD ENTERTAINMENT INC. (3)

three, four years of the series have been incredible. The

fans have been so great. Its been amazing in the pits,
the stands. Its like NASCARmaybe even more so.
The sport takes a huge toll on the body and mind
Dungey has overcome serious injury, including a
cracked C6 vertebrae that sidelined him for six weeks
in 2016but he wont talk retirement. When the time
comes to hang up the helmet and take off the chest pro-
tector, though, what does he want to leave behind?
A good legacysomeone who never gave up and
made the most of it all, said Dungey. I look forward
to helping the next generation who want to go racing. n

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C O MP
Lessons of
Melbourne
Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari usher in
new aero era with F1-opening win
BY JOE SAWARD
SO WHAT DID WE LEARN
from the Formula 1 Australian
Grand Prix in Melbourne? Ferrari
won, fairly and squarely, with Sebastian
Vettel able to beat Mercedes Lewis Hamil-
ton and Valtteri Bottas.
The cars were certainly quicker than
before, but perhaps not as quick as some
had predicted they would be. In itself,
this is not a great problem because you
cannot see much of a difference with the
naked eye.
What is important is that the drivers are
excited about driving the new cars, and
they are the fastest Formula 1 cars ever
seen: faster than the mighty turbo cars of
the 1980s, faster than all the screaming
V10s. The new cars look better, too. In
this respect, they have been successful.
They are at the cutting edge of technology,
theyre fast and they look good.
But there is no question that overtaking
is not as easy as it used to be. People have
been saying this would happen since the
new regulations were agreed to, and it was
28 AUTOWEEK APRIL 17, 2017
clear from Melbourne that the cars behind
need to have an appreciable performance
advantage to be able to overcome the dis-
rupted air flow from cars ahead of them.
Ross Brawn, the man in charge of sport-
ing matters for the Formula One Group,
says he is aware of the problem and that it
needs to be sorted out, but that cannot be
done overnight.
If we want cars as quick and as spec-
tacular as this, then we cant just turn the
aerodynamics off, he says. We should
embrace aerodynamics, but in a different
way. We should work out how we can
make the aerodynamics as benign as
possible so cars can still race each other.
And thats never really been done before.
Were putting a team together within F1
to look at these areas.
For the moment, Brawn will say no more
about F1s new group, but Pat Symonds,
until recently the chief technical officer
of Williams F1, will be part of it. He and
Brawn go back a long wayto Benetton,
where they worked together in the 1990s.
LAT PHOTOGRAPHIC
We have to be a bit careful, Brawn says,
because we dont want to be seen to be
poaching people from the F1 teams. They
wouldnt like that.
If all goes to plan, the group will not
simply be dealing in concepts and theories
but will have the money and equipment
to do proper testingnot just simula-
tionsto ensure that changes work
before they are introduced. That will
take time, of course, but it will be a big
step forward.
The good news for this year is that while
overtaking may not be easy, we are at least
in a situation where Mercedes and Ferrari
should be in close competition. Its only
one race, but it looks like Mercedes will
be quick at some tracks, Ferrari at others.
Red Bull seems to be a little behind at the
moment, but the development race is
going to be intense all season.
We were all pretty close in practice,
said Red Bulls Christian Horner, but
then in the (qualifying) sessions, you
-continued on page 30
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C O MPETITION

That does not mean it will be the same

SPEED CHECK at the races to come. Its not that simple.
When it came to the race, Bottas was

The new aero again unable to match Hamiltons pace,
kits were meant
but he felt he had done a decent job
to help the cars go
faster. How they
under the circumstances.
did in the opener: Sure, it could have been better, Bottas
says, but it was a good starting point.
My qualifying was not as great as it could
Australian F1 pole: have been, but the race was good. Ferrari

2016
was quicker today. I struggled a bit on
the ultra-softs early, but on the soft tires
1 minute, it went well. I scored points and we can
23.837 seconds look forward to doing better next time.
Was it good enough? The team seemed
2017
1:22.188
-continued from page 28 Above, from left:
to be happy-ish. F1 is not easy, and there
is a huge amount to learn when a driver
could see Mercedes turned up the Runner-up Lewis switches teams. And, of course, if your
engines and, whumpf, they were gone. Hamilton, race- teammate is Lewis Hamilton, it is going
Australian GP We cannot do that, but in the races we winner Sebastian to be tough. But thats the challenge.
fastest race lap: can be stronger. Vettel and third- What was clear, farther back in the field,
place Valtteri Bottas

2016
Ferrari was lucky to get second on the is that the battles are going to be intense
in Melbourne.
grid, to some extent, because Mercedes among the second tier of F1 teams. The
1:28.997 newbie Bottas did not have a good run cars are very evenly matched. There is
and could not match Hamilton when plenty to look forward to.

2017
1:26.538
he needed to in qualifying. In the race,
however, it was clear that Vettel had the
faster car. In the first section of the race,
he was able to stay with Hamilton but not
Previous record
overtake; once he was ahead after the pit
in Australia for stop, he pulled away. Thus, there is no
fastest lap: argument that, in racing trim, the Ferrari
1:24.125, Michael was quicker than the Mercedes on that
Schumacher, 2004 particular day, in those circumstances.
You cannot really judge how the
season will turn out after just one race,
says Mercedes boss Toto Wolff. We
are all working all the time, and things
will change from one track to the next.
There are a lot of variables: temperature,
tire choices, strategies. So we will see,
but I think we are in for a really exciting
seasonand a lot of hard work. A

Just One Race
Sebastian Vettel says dont read too
much into Ferraris win in Australia
THE AUSTRALIAN
Grand Prix was the
60th Formula 1 event to
be run under the 1.6-liter
hybrid turbo Formula 1
regulations, which were
first introduced at the start
of 2014.
Leading up to Melbourne,
Mercedes AMG Petronas
had won 51 of the past
59 F1 races, with Red Bull
claiming five and Scuderia
Ferrari three.
Now Ferrari has won four.
Ferrari had looked threat-
ening after preseason
testing, and race-winner
Sebastian Vettel emerged
as the fastest man in Albert
Park. But even he admitted
you should not read too
much into the result. Vettel
made it clear he does
not see the Ferrari as a
dominant force.
This is just one race, he
said. We were fast, but we
have to do the same thing
at every event and we have
to keep ahead.
Runner-up Lewis
Hamilton of Mercedes
(pictured, above) seemed
energized by the event
despite coming up short.
Were going to have
a fight on our hands this
year, Hamilton said.
But we are very happy
to have that.
Ferraris Kimi Rikknen, Ricciardo were not on
meanwhile, drove a strange
race, unable to match his
teammate or challenge
for a podium. All things
considered, it was a pretty
feeble effort.
Rikknen was at the win this year? Nothing is
wheel of a car capable of
winning and yet finished
the race in fourth place, 22
HAAS F1: NICE START,
DISAPPOINTING
FINISH IN AUSTRALIA
THE HAAS F1 TEAM HAD A
decent run in Melbourne, with
Romain Grosjean qualifying sixth
on the grid.
Unfortunately, that was the
highlight of the season-opening
race for the American team led by
businessman and Monster Energy
LAT PHOTOGRAPHIC (5)
NASCAR Cup Series co-owner
Gene Haas.
Grosjeans teammate, Kevin
Magnussen, was less fortunate on
Saturday, qualifying 17th, but he
admitted his errors.
The race
seconds behind his itself was
winning teammate. forgettable:
What was even more Grosjean
telling, however, was the retired early
fact that in the closing with an engine
stages of the race, the problem and
veteran came under
pressure from Red Bulls
Max Verstappen (below)
ended up
last, in 20th.
Magnussen
and woke up sufficiently to exited with
set the races fastest lap. suspension Grosjean
The Red Bulls of trouble and
Verstappen and Daniel finished 15th.
Last year, Grosjean opened
the pace. Is it therefore a in Australia with a sixth-place
two-horse race this year race finish, earning eight of
between Mercedes and the 29 points he would score
Ferrari? Perhaps. in 2016.
Will anyone other than So Haas moves on with no
Ferrari and Mercedes even points from Melbourne. Haas
F1 Team principal Guenther
impossible in F1, but on Steiner says early work on the
the surface it does not 2017 season should help stop any
seem likely. JOE SAWARD extended slumps.
I have been in teams like
that before, so we deliberately
switched a lot of our resources to
2017 earlier than normal last year,
Steiner said in Melbourne. The
new rules meant that we needed
to do a lot more preparation, so we
sacrificed better results at the end
of last year to make sure wed have
a stronger showing this year.
We had the world cham-
pionship points we needed (to
qualify for F1 prize money) quite
early last year, so there was no real
pressure to focus our resources at
the 2016 cars. JS
APRIL 17, 2017 AUTOWEEK 31
COMPETITION
C AT C H I N G
UP W I T H...
Rick
Mears
BY MIKE HEMBREE

ITS ALMOST HARD TO
believe it has been 25 years
since Rick Mears last climbed
into the cockpit of an Indy car.
The four-time Indianapolis 500 winner
suffered a broken wrist during an Indy 500
practice session in 1992. He fought his
way through just a handful of races during
the season before closing out his career at
Michigan that year.
Michigan International Speedway was
also the site of Mears final win, in 1991.
Mears retired at age 41 with 29 victories
in major open-wheel racing (22 in CART,
seven in USAC) and three Champ Car titles
(1979, 1981 and 1982). He is tied with
current Team Penske teammate Hlio
Castroneves on the all-time wins list.
Today, Mears, 65, works as a jack-of-all-
trades for Roger Penskes IndyCar operation.
Mears recently sat down with Autoweek to
talk a little racing:
32 AUTOWEEK APRIL 17, 2017
Autoweek: Whats your role with the team?
Rick Mears: Whatevers needed. Thats the Hlio Castroneves, left, and Rick Mears,
way its been since I got out of the car. Differ- right, are tied with 29 career victories.
ent days, different times, different yearswe
need different things. In earlier days, it was
a lot of setup help. With time and telemetry
and engineers and the way we developed with
technology, that part of the role has slowly
subsided. Now its more spotting and working
with drivers. As we get different drivers
coming in, its whatever I can do to speed up
that jelling process. When Will (Power) came
in, he had a lot of road-course experience but
not a lot of oval experience. I worked more
closely with him on the oval stuffsetup,
driving styles, lines, relaying information to
the team. A lot of people talk team concept
but never really utilize it. We do. I try to teach
young drivers that and how they should work
with media, promoters, sponsors. And some-
times I have to put on the striped shirt and be
a referee between the drivers.
AW: How do you see the competition level
now versus during your career?
RM: Competition now is the best its ever
been in the history of the sport. When it
comes to Indy, the good teams always come
to the top. It usually boils down to the same
ones that are always there (at the front), but
that group is getting bigger. I think IndyCar
is going in the right direction. Its always
striving to make the equipment a level
playing field. I think today its as level as
ever. With the single-manufacturer chassis,
you can purchase the equipment, lease
the engines, hire an engineer and get good
people to wrench on the car and youre
competitive. You have all the blocks. Its
just a matter of how you stack the blocks.
AW: Are drivers today as good as A.J. Foyt,
Mario Andretti, the Unsers, the Mearses?
RM: To me, the mark of an exceptional
driver is being able to drive anything he
gets in. The talent level we have in IndyCar
is as deep as its ever been. That level has
risen over the years. But you still have the
exceptional guys, ones who just have a little
edge. Its usually due to their work ethic,
focus, attention to detail, sitting with the
engineers to figure the best package. The
cars are so close, its down to the very fine
detail. Great drivers with just a little better
seat-of-the-pants feel do better. Whether
theyre as good as Foyt and the Unsers,
until you put them all in the same equip-
ment on the same day at the peak of their
career, well never know.
AW: You didnt run any major NASCAR
events. No interest?
RM: None. I ran some early USAC stock-
car races and some local short-track stock
cars in Bakersfield (California) and mini-
Get the bright
stock stuff. I always enjoyed stock cars. I white look of
got to run a lot of the International Race of
Champions races, and those cars were sim- Xenon HID
ilar in style and driving to NASCAR. I en- with Philips
joyed that, but you cant step in somebodys
backyard where they do it every week and CrystalVision ultra
expect to do well. I had some opportunities
over the years, but the only way I was going By night, Philips CrystalVision
to do that was to get out of the Indy car and ultra headlight bulbs deliver
get in (a NASCAR) full time and with the the look of Xenon HID with
right people and equipment. It boiled down bright white 4000 K light,
to what I enjoyed the most. To me, the Indy while their blue-capped bulb
car was the most fun to drive. The biggest
creates a cool blue effect
challenge in stock cars was slowing down
in the daytime.
enough. I felt like the Indy car was much
more of a challenge to drive. In stock cars, Take your look to the
things happen so slow that I had to wait. next level with Philips
Its making yourself wait and let the car do upgrade headlights.
its thing. You do similar things in an Indy
car, but it happens faster. Im not belittling To learn more, visit
the Cup car at all; its just different. I had an www.philips.com/automotive
opportunity to run Formula 1. I did tests
and found out it was a race car like all the
others. But it was a different car, and it talks
differently. All you have to do is listen to it
and do what it wants. But where am I going
to have the most fun? What made our
series great was I got to drive everything:
ovals, road courses, street courses, high-
banked, flat tracks. And I didnt want to
leave Penske. It was the right decision. w
LAT PHOTOGRAPHIC (2)
C O MPETITION

NO SLOWING
DOWN DAVE
Late Night legend Letterman
is still chasing IndyCar wins
BY MIKE HEMBREE

DAVID LETTERMANS BEARD

arrives at his destination a second or
two before he does.
Yes, Lettermans post-television beard is long.
And bushy. And mostly Santa-white.
A minority owner of the Rahal Letterman Lanigan
IndyCar team since 1996, Letterman is a crowd magnet
whenever he decides to pop in on race day and watch
his team run. For those who enjoy the game of celebri-
ty-spotting at sports events, hes now even easier to pick
out of the paddock crowd.
Long a fan of the sport, Letterman met Bobby Rahal
after the driver won the 1986 Indianapolis 500, and they
became fast friends. A decade later, Letterman joined
the team ownership group.
Hes a nice guy to be affiliated with, even if we
were selling snow cones, said Letterman, famous
wit still intact.
Although it isnt common for major television
personalities to follow IndyCar racing, Letterman
has a good reason. He grew up about 20 miles from
Indianapolis Motor Speedway and never lost his
love of racing.
Without the geographic connection, Letterman
admitted, he might not have been bitten by the racing
bug. Probably if I had been born in Denver, it would
not have happened, he said.
No matter where hes been since, Lettermans IndyCar
connection is as strong as ever.

He truly loves the sport and is a student of the
sport, Rahal said. Hes very knowledgeable about
whats going on. Hes not one who says hes interested
and doesnt follow it. I dont see his passion for it having
subsided at all.
Lettermans Indianapolis peak was reached in 2004
when Buddy Rice drove the Rahal teams car to victory
in the 500. It was an unusual day at the Brickyard: Rain
plagued the race, and an advancing thunderstorm
which later produced a tornado near the trackshort-
ened it. The winners raced away from victory lane to
find cover in the track pagoda.
A tornado was going through the south end of Indi-
anapolis at the time, and we were all hunkered down
inside the pagoda, Rahal said. We didnt get the great
shots in victory lane. But we ran for cover and had our
own party.
Dave always seems to know what to say at the right
time, but he was really speechless that day. I think the
INDYCAR MEDIA
enormity of the win and what it meant to him as a guy Everyone knows
who grew up in Indy and hung out at the track made it a Letterman is
dream come true. As we were celebrating, he was really a late-night
legend. But
kind of dumbfounded by it all. It was a tremendous
some might be
moment for the two of us. The Indy 500 is something
surprised by
he has treasured for many years. the RLL owners
After Rahal won the 500 in 86, he was a guest on love of racing.
Lettermans television show. They built a friendship,
and Letterman now watches Rahals son, Graham, carry
the Rahal Letterman Lanigan colors.
Having a guy like Graham drive for me, I couldnt
ask for any greater return on my investment, Letter-
man said. d

34 AUTOWEEK APRIL 17, 2017

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C O MPETITION

Harvick Says Larson 

 YOUD BE CASHING
in if youd bet Kyle
Larson as NASCARs series
Crown victories on dirt and
asphalt, and he was a winner at
the 2015 Rolex 24 at Daytona.
is NASCARs Best leader after the first six Monster
Energy Cup races. The 24-year-
Past NASCAR champion
Kevin Harvick predicts great-

Since ... Jeff Gordon old Californian has a victory

and three other top-fives in a
Chevrolet for Ganassi-Sabates
Racing. He led Chase Elliott
by four points after the STP
500 at Martinsville Speedway,
where Brad Keselowski beat
Kyle Busch and Elliott in team
owner Roger Penskes 1,000th
NASCAR Cup race.
Larsons brief stock-car
rsum is impressive: 16 com-
bined Monster Cup, Xfinity,
Camping World, K&N East,
K&N West and ARCA victo-
ries. He was the 2012 K&N
East champion and Rookie
of the Year, and also the 2013
Xfinity and 2014 Monster
Rookie of the Year. But wait,
theres more: He has countless
sprint-car, Midget and Silver
ness: Hes the best driver to
come in this sport since Jeff
Gordon, he said after Larson
swept the March Fontana
weekend. Hes that good, and
hes just a kid that not enough
people know about. Hes won
and he wins in everything hes
ever driven. Hes a racer whos
going to win a ton because hes
that good.
Seven-time champion Jimmie
Johnson agrees. I see a ton of
potential (because) hes a great
talent, he said at Martinsville,
where Larson was top 10 until
slipping to 17th in the final laps.
Weve all known hes highly
talented, and we were waiting
for him and the team to get to
their winning ways. It looks like
theyre there. AL PEARCE

\\ THE WIRE

Antron Brown defeated Tony Schu-

macher in the Top Fuel finals of the
Denso Spark Plugs NHRA Nationals at
The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
on April 2 to become the first Top Fuel
driver in history to win at least one race in
10 consecutive seasons. Brown defeated
Tanner Gray became the NHRAs youngest
pro winner on April 2 when he piloted his Gray
Motorsports Valvoline Chevrolet Camaro to a
6.681 pass at 206.61 to defeat Bo Butner in the
Pro Stock final at Las Vegas. Gray, who turned 18

LAT PHOTOGRAPHIC; RON LEWIS

Scott Palmer, top qualifier Steve Torrence
and two-time 2017 winner Leah Pritchett
on his way to the final against Schumacher.
Browns win was his first of the season and
his 46th in Top Fuel competition.
Lucas di Grassi of the Renault E.Dams
team won the Mexican ePrix Formula
E race on April 1 from the 15th starting
position. Former Formula 1 driver Jean-
ric Vergne finished second, and Sam Bird
completed the podium in Mexico City. The
victory pulled di Grassi to within five points
of points leader Sebastian Buemi through
four rounds of the 12-race 2016-17 season.
Pole sitter and Monster Energy NASCAR
Cup Series regular Chase Elliott held off
defending NASCAR Camping World Truck
Series champion Johnny Sauter after a
restart with 12 laps left and pulled away
to win the Alpha Energy Solutions 250 at
Martinsville by 1.865 seconds on April 1.
on April 15, is the son of Pro Stock veteran Shane
Gray and grandson of retired Funny Car racer
Johnny Gray.
Tanner Gray eclipsed the previous record of
Jeb Allen, who was 18 years, 1 month when he
won in Top Fuel in 1972. Vincent Nobile won in
Pro Stock at the age of 19 years, 6 months in 2011.
Tanner Gray left Las Vegas fourth in the points.
Three-time Monster Energy NASCAR racer Dave Steele, who died at age 42
Cup Series champion Tony Stewart from injuries suffered in a sprint-car
made it back to victory lane as a driver race at Desoto Speedway in Florida
four months after retiring as a driver on March 25.
in the Cup seriesearning his first win Stewart, 45, had struggled in his first
since returning to dirt sprint-car racing couple of sprint-car starts this season.
for the 2017 season. This is our eighth night this year
The triumph came in the United Sprint weve run, and the first seven, we havent
Car Series Spring Xplosion at Bubba been very stellar, Stewart told series
Raceway Park in Ocala, Florida, on April announcer Wesley Outland after his win.
1. The feature race in the Outlaw Thunder But its just been awhile since Ive been
Tour event was 33 laps in honor of veteran in a car.N

36 AUTOWEEK APRIL 17, 2017

C O MP RACING ON TV

KURT BUSCH: BACK FRIDAY, APRIL 14 Verizon IndyCar Series Monster Energy
WHERE HE BELONGS F1 Bahrain Grand qualifying, Birmingham, NASCAR Cup practice,
Prix practice; 11 a.m., Ala.; 4:30 p.m., NBCSN (S) Richmond, Va.; 9 a.m.
BY MIKE PRYSON NBCSN (L) ARCA Racing Series; and 11:30 a.m., FS1 (L)
MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP 9 p.m., MAV TV (T) NASCAR Xfinity
Series driver Kurt Busch knows all about SATURDAY, APRIL 15 Monster Energy AMA qualifying, Richmond, Va.;
cleaning out the garage. F1 Bahrain Grand Prix Supercross, Salt Lake 10 a.m., FS1 (L)
Signing on with a new manufacturer qualifying; 12:30 p.m., City; 10 p.m., FS2 (L) NASCAR Xfinity Series
means getting some new wheels. After NBCSN (S) Toyotacare 250, Richmond,
all, everybody knows its not cool for a NASCAR K&N Pro SUNDAY, APRIL 23 Va.; 1 p.m., FS1 (L)
Ford NASCAR driver to be seen in the Series East, Easley, S.C.; NHRA Mello Yello final Monster Energy
latest GM or Toyota offering. 7 p.m., NBCSN (T) qualifying, Houston; AMA Supercross, East
Well, Busch is back home at Ford 2 a.m., FS1 (T) Rutherford, N.J.; 5 p.m.
Performancewhere he started his Cup SUNDAY, APRIL 16 Monster Energy Fox (L)
career with car owner Jack Roush in F1 Bahrain Grand Prix, NASCAR Cup Series Food F1 Russian Grand Prix
2000 and won the Cup title in 2004after 10:30 a.m.; CNBC (L) City 500, Bristol, Tenn.; qualifying, Sochi, Russia;
extended runs with Dodge and Chevrolet. WEC 6 Hours of 2 p.m., Fox (L) 6 p.m., NBCSN (S)
Busch raced from 2006-11 with Dodge and Silverstone, Silverstone, Verizon IndyCar Series Verizon IndyCar Series
Roger Penske. From 2012-16, it was Chevy England; 7 a.m., FS1 (L) Grand Prix of Alabama, qualifying, Phoenix;
and Stewart-Haas Racing. WEC 6 Hours of Birmingham, Ala.; 3:30 7:30 p.m., NBCSN (S)
Oh, and dont forget the pit stop with Silverstone, Silverstone, p.m., NBCSN (L) Verizon IndyCar
Honda at the Indianapolis 500 in 2014. England; 9 a.m., FS2 (L) NHRA Spring Series Phoenix Grand
Its great to Nationals, Houston; Prix, Phoenix; 9:30 p.m.,
be back, Busch THURSDAY, APRIL 20 5:30 p.m., FS1 (S) NBCSN (L)
told Autoweek F2 Series, Bahrain; NHRA Mello Yello final
on a late-March 4:30 p.m., NBCSN (T) WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26 qualifying, Charlotte, N.C.;
trip to Ford HQ Indy Lights, midnight; FS1 (S)
in Dearborn, FRIDAY, APRIL 21 Birmingham, Ala.; Red Bull Global
Michigan. Its Monster Energy midnight, NBCSN (T) Rallycross qualifying,
changed a little NASCAR Cup practice, Memphis; midnight,
since 05, but all Bristol, Tenn.; 11:30 a.m., THURSDAY, APRIL 27 NBCSN (S)
for the better. FS1 (L) NASCAR K&N Pro
LAT PHOTOGRAPHIC

It was a great NASCAR Xfinity Series East, Bristol, Tenn.; SUNDAY, APRIL 30
program before, practice, Bristol, Tenn.; 1 11 p.m., NBCSN (T) Red Bull Global
when they were p.m. and 3:30 p.m., FS1 (L) Rallycross, Memphis;
with Roush Monster Energy FRIDAY, APRIL 28 midnight, NBCSN (T)
primarily. With the NASCAR Cup qualifying, F1 Russian Grand Prix F1 Russian Grand Prix
infrastructure and Bristol, Tenn.; 4:30 p.m., practice 2, Sochi, Russia; qualifying, Sochi, Russia;
the people and the quantity of bodies at FS1 (L) 1 a.m., NBCSN (L) 6 a.m., NBCSN (T)
the track now, its impressive to see Ford NHRA Mello Yello Monster Energy F1 Russian Grand Prix,
Performances commitment. Series qualifying, NASCAR Cup practice, Sochi, Russia; 7:30 a.m.,
And a return to Ford means its back to Houston; 7 p.m., FS1 (S) Richmond, Va.; 11:30 a.m., NBCSN (L)
talking up dad Toms car collection. FS1 (L) Red Bull Global
My dad, when I was growing up, had SATURDAY, APRIL 22 NASCAR Xfinity Rallycross, Memphis;
his 32 Ford, Busch said. He put a ton Monster Energy practice, Richmond, Va.; 1 1 p.m., NBC (T)
of time into it. With racingand its gone NASCAR Cup practice, p.m. and 3 p.m., FS1 (L) Monster Energy
well the last couple of years for Kyle and Bristol, Tenn.; 8:30 a.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Toyota
Imy dad is now up to seven 1932 Fords. FS1 (L) NASCAR Cup qualifying, Owners 400, Richmond,
Hes got some extreme top, chop top, five NASCAR Xfinity Richmond, Va.; 4:30 p.m., Va.; 2 p.m., Fox (L)
windows, three windows, roadsters. Hes qualifying, Bristol, Tenn.; FS1 (L) F1 Russian Grand Prix,
got em all. 9:30 a.m., FS1 (L) NHRA Mello Yello Sochi, Russia; 4:30 p.m.,
As for the 2017 Daytona 500 winner, he NASCAR Monster qualifying, Charlotte, N.C.; NBCSN (S)
says he is a car guy through and through. Energy Cup final practice, 7 p.m., FS1 (S) NHRA Four-Wide
I would say we have majority Ford hot Bristol, Tenn.; 11 a.m., Nationals, Charlotte, N.C.;
rods. Weve got Mustangs; Ive got a 65 FS1 (L) SATURDAY, APRIL 29 5:30 p.m., FS1 (S)
Shelby Cobra. My favorite sports car is NASCAR Xfinity Series F1 Russian Grand Prix
an 05 Ford GT. Fitzgerald Glider Kits qualifying, Sochi, Russia; L = live, S = same day,
Its nice to have that Blue Oval feel 300, Bristol, Tenn.; 1 p.m.; 8 a.m., CNBC (L) T = tape delay
again as the primary manufacturer. n FS1 (L) *All times Eastern

38 AUTOWEEK APRIL 17, 2017

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46 AUTOWEEK APRIL 17, 2017

 B U T W A I T, T H E R E S M O R E

IMMORTAL GLASSY-EYEDS

FLOYD WYLDE
MOVING MISCUE

THIS ONES FOR THE BABIES

Your beleaguered beloved back-page editors received the above photo and
following letter recently. We had no idea there were babies reading, so we
cooked up a couple features just for them:

I had to send you this picture of our 14-month-old grandson (Tyler) checking
out the latest issue of Autoweek. When he spotted it on the coffee table, he went
crazy. Then he wanted to look at it while he was having his lunch!
Hes a huge fan of anything with wheels and has many of the car sound effects Saw this joker on the way to my local sandbox
down. Hmmm cant imagine who taught him that. Dave Salerno ... cant believe they didnt just rent a Tonka!

PARKING VIOLATION PHOTO WITHOUT CAPTION SPOILER ALERT

B. STERN

BART MANONE

SIGN OF THE TIMES

JOHN STEINMETZ

Got a BWTM submission? Mail it

M. OLIVER

to Autoweek, 1155 Gratiot Ave.,

Detroit, MI 48207, Attn: BWTM; or
email us at bwtm@autoweek.com

APRIL 17, 2017 AUTOWEEK 47

LEAVE A MARK

Options shown. LC arriving May 2017. 2017 Lexus

THE LEXUS HIGH PERFORMANCE LINE
The 2017 GS F, RC F and the all-new 2018 LC 500 have arrived, with the unmistakable sound of 5.0-liter V8 engines
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lexus.com/performance | #Lexus
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T H E C A D I L L A C AT S - V C O U P E 4 6 4 H P, 1 8 9 M P H T O P S P E E D O N T H E R A C E T R A C K .
T R A C K- R E A D Y B R E M B O B R A K E S A N D A V A I L A B L E R A C E - I N S P I R E D R E C A R O S E AT S .
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