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Sunday, August 17, 2014

Top Five Best Lamborghini's Ever

Because I couldn't think of anything else to write about, here's a list of what I think are the top five best Lamborghini's if all time.

Number 5-The Gallardo, which was introduced in 2003, is Lamborghini's all-time best selling car.  It served as sidekick to both the Murcielago and the Aventador, but despite its lower status, it could still move, both itself and people's heads.  With it's 5.0L V12 (Later 5.2L), which produced 552 horsepower, the Gallardo could hit 201 miles per hour.  But with a Lamborghini, specs mean nothing.  The Gallardo felt alive, despite using Audi parts (Later donating its engine to the Audi R8), and, especially in Spider form, looked fantastic.  In my opinion, the Gallardo is the best all-around car Lamborghini has ever made, though the new Huracan looks quite promising.



Number 4-The Murcielago was Lambo's flagship model from 2001 to 2010.  This car replaced the aging Diablo, and in terms of technology, speed and power, was miles ahead of it's predecessor.  In fact, the reason I include the Murcielago at all is because it brought Lamborghini into a new era.  At launch, it's 6.2L V12 produced 572 horsepower.  At the end of its nine-year tenure, the Murcielago's 6.5L V12 produced 670 horsepower.  And, thanks to all-wheel drive and its light body, cornered decently as well.



Number 3- The LM002.  Most of you will be surprised to see it in this list at all.  In fact, I planned on the Miura being in this place.  But then I remembered this, Lamborghini's first and so far only SUV, also its first all-wheel drive car.  The Rambo Lambo was introduced in 1986, and just 328 were made.  This car is in this list solely because I think it embodies all that is great about Lamborghini.  It's purpose was to be a tool for the oil exploration industry's elite, kind of like the rich baddies you'd see in a Bond film.  Ordinarily, it came with the V12 from the Countach, but you could spec it with a 7.2L V12 you'd normally see inside Class 1 Offshore power boats.  Find one of those in a Jeep Wrangler.  I love the LM002, and it embodies the spirit of Lamborghini's lunacy.




Number 2-The Aventador, Lamborghini's current flagship, is just utterly awesome.  It produces 700 horsepower and is good for 217 miles per hour.  Famously, Lamborghini said that its order of priorities with the Aventador was 1. Handling, 2. Acceleration, 3. Top Speed.  As for their new #1 priority, it is an incredible car to drive, still a big car but light and fun, as well as easy to control (relatively).  As for acceleration, well 0-60 takes just 2.9 seconds.  And for there new bottom priority, well it does 217.
The reason the Aventador is here is simple.  Its the best car Lamborghini has ever made.  Not the best all-rounder like the Gallardo, but just the best car for being an undiluted speed machine.




Number 1-The Countach.  Some will be surprised not to find the Miura in this spot.  And even more surprised to know I haven't even included it.  In fact, I'd rather include one of Lamborghini's original tractors from the 1940s.  No, the Countach is simply the best Lamborghini ever.  I said the Gallardo is Lambo's greatest all-rounder, and the Aventador their best car.  But the Countach is the best Lamborghini they've ever made.
In fact, the Countach isn't even necessarily a very good car.  It's steering was heavy, the gearbox was uncooperative and the ride was awful.  But the Countach made an excellent poster.  It was the most outlandish looking supercar the world had ever seen in the 1970s, and it still is today.  Lamborghini is best known for making cars young kids love to look at and dream about owning one day.  And while most kids today will look at a Pagani Huayrayayyahayhauahhjia and want to own that, i still look at Countach with awe and astonishment.
 











Tuesday, August 12, 2014

A Witness' Account of the Incident at Canandaigua Motorsport Park

Now, I realize its a bit late to offer my input on this story, especially seeing as I'm just a teenage blogger, but I can offer more insight than most, because I was at the Canandaigua Motorsports Park when Kevin Ward Jr. was struck by the car of NASCAR racer Tony Stewart.
The mood at the track towards Stewart before the race wasn't exactly overjoyed, much to my surprise.  To many people there, the accident last year involving 19-year old Alysha Ruggles, Stewart and 13 others is still fresh in their minds.  In fact, when the PA announcer casually mentioned the fact that Tony Stewart had arrived, there were more boos than cheers.
I was sitting in Turn 4 that night, which meant my view of the incident was blocked by barriers etc.  I did see the spin that caused Ward to be upset at Tony.  Essentially, Stewart and Ward were side by side going down the front stretch.  I didn't see any contact, and when they began the exit of the corner Stewart pushed wide, forcing Ward into a spin.  Being a racer myself, I would also be quite angry, despite the absence of any obvious contact.
I'm not going to place blame on either driver, because of my respect for both, but there are some things I would like to put an opinion on.  Firstly, many people are saying that the track was dimly lit and dusty, which, coupled with the dark suit worn by Ward, could have meant Stewart couldn't clearly see.  I would say, though, that I could clearly see Ward from my seat in Turn 4, an entire track away.
I also found it odd that Stewart didn't stop until the end of the backstretch after coming in contact with Ward in turn 2.  I'm not an expert in sprint cars by any means but I'm fairly certain I would notice if I hit somebody and immediately stop.  Adding to this is the fact that Stewart couldn't have been going more than 45 MPH, and in those cars it doesn't take a whole back straight to go from 45 to 0.  I'm not placing blame, I'm just saying its something to think about, perhaps he didn't stop because he thought stopping in the middle of the track under caution was dangerous (Plausible but not probable).
Regardless, the eeriest part of all was the crowds reaction.  After the red flag came out, I didn't know Ward had been struck, all I knew was he had gotten out of the car.  However, only one car had been involved (Ward's) and it had little to no damage, and all of the safety crew were surrounded around something on the ground.  I head the occasional scream and gasp, and soon police car after police car rolled in.  I counted 12 emergency vehicles by the time I left the track.  For about 20 minutes following the incident, the crowd was silent.  The announcer was silent.  None of the emergency crews went anywhere.  And when we were told the nights activities were canceled and everybody was ushered out, the fans still remained silent.  Only when I saw the crew members and drivers and family members in the paddock standing around in a circle solemnly, I knew the racing community had lost somebody.






I would like to send my thoughts to all those affected by the loss of Kevin Ward Jr.