V8 Chain Saw

One of the attractions at the Island County Fair weekend before last was the Logging competition, where loggers climbed poles, chopped, threw axes, set chokers, rolled logs, and ran chain saws against the clock.

In the "Hot Saw" class was this V8 Buick powered monster called the Predator. One guy stood at each side of it to lift it up and saw through the log. It didn't take very long! The day before the saw chain broke while sawing the log and a piece of it hit a buddy's truck tailgate, denting the tailgate and gouging out a piece of metal. Not too surprising, except that the truck was a dump truck.....

The year was 1997, and two phenomenon’s were underway. The first of these was a 1997 movie that was wildly promoted called Batman and Robin, and the second was a new technology that revolutionized roller coasters. This new technology was Linear Induction Motors introduced in Paramount Parks' rides Flight of Fear in 1996 made by Premier Rides, changing the definition of launched rides and making Schwarzkopf and Arrow Dynamics' launch systems obsolete.

In the movie Batman and Robin, Mr. Freeze was one of the two villains. Six Flags thought it would be unique to theme a coaster after the villain at two of its parks for the 1997 season. One would go to Six Flags over Texas, the other to Six Flags St. Louis. The St. Louis park lacked newer thrills and considered by enthusiasts to be one of the ‘neglected’ Six Flags parks. The blue structure rose on an island in the middle of the park's Thunder River rapids ride and a new themed section, DC Comics Plaza, came along as well. Everything seemed to be going smooth until one major snag delayed the ride by one year.

As with any new technology, it was prone to breakdowns and glitches; the LIM motors had glitches which pushed the rides opening to April, 1998. When it finally did open, Mr. Freeze certainly became ‘The Coolest Coaster on the Planet’ since the ride breaks a number of records, smashing records for shuttle looping height, speed, track length, duration, and capacity. Another unique charm for this cool coaster would be the sliding station. Two tracks would be side by side; one side would be used for boarding while the other side would be used for the launch section. The tracks slide when a train is ready to launch and another needs to be loaded or emptied. This unique charm would be helpful as it cut waiting times for the ride. Then, in 2002, Mr. Freeze got more chilling with the replacement of the rides’ shoulder restraints with simply lap and leg restraints.

Soon-to-be-frozen-riders go through the park to DC Comics Plaza and encounter Snow's Ice Cream Factory for factory tours. There, they go through the twisted queue entering under a head and encountering warehouses and various other teeming before it gets colder inside a blue-lit station. Then visitors encounter the two-across, ten-rowed trains, board them, and pull down their lap bars to brace the sudden launch of Mr. Freeze. The train then zooms out of the station at speeds rushing over seventy miles per hour in a mere three and a half seconds. Rushing out through a 190-foot-long tunnel after LIM motors blasted them out of the station, riders go up the Top Hat inversion. The Top Hat is a rare element, only found on this ride, the Batman side of Batman and Robin: the Chiller at Six Flags Great Adventure and the other Mr. Freeze at Six Flags over Texas.

The Top Hat twists riders up to the right and inverts them upside-down. After flipping, passengers then go down vertically and twist to the left. Following the Top Hat is an over banked turnaround. Rising and turning around, passengers then encounter the reversing spike of the ride. The spike takes them up vertically 225 feet toward the sky before gravity takes control again and sends the train through the entire course again, this time backwards. After going through the course backwards, the tour at Snow's Ice Cream Factory is completed and guests have survived the wrath of Mr. Freeze.

MOTOR SPORT supreme Tony Cochrane, the man who turned V8s into one of the country's most lucrative sports, is headed for a showdown with influential team owners who want him axed as board chairman.

Mr Cochrane, 54, is under pressure from former Liberal leader John Henson to step down as V8 Super cars chairman because of simmering tensions over television coverage this year and Mr Cochrane's outspoken criticism of Network Ten.

In two weeks, when the V8 board meets in Darwin before the next round of the championship, Dr Henson is expected to champion a move to replace Mr Cochrane as chairman.

The move against Mr Cochrane comes from a number of team owners who are critical of Mr Cochrane's public comments denigrating former V8 Super cars broadcaster Network Ten.

Mr Cochrane stitched up a $175 million five-year deal with the Seven Network last year, replacing long-time host broadcaster Network Ten.

There are widespread reports in motor sport circles that the deal has already been done and Dr Henson will take over as chairman `sooner rather than later'.

Mr Cochrane, one of the Gold Coast's wealthiest men, is understood to have met with his lawyers at the weekend.

In a statement released yesterday, V8 Super cars said: ``Widespread reports that the chairman of V8 Super cars Australia Tony Cochrane has been removed from his position are incorrect.

``Mr Cochrane continues as chairman of V8 Super cars Australia. The board of V8 Super cars Australia did not meet at the Eastern Creek round of the championship in Sydney at the weekend, as reported.

``Only this board has the power to make such a decision, if it were to be made. This is the position of V8 Super cars Australia in all matters on this issue.''

Right now It's time to me to wake up the mountain king
It's time to road again and that's all I need
I put my lather jacked on and
start the engine the sound of this big block scream for gasoline
I'm getting on road again I'm blasting like a atom bomb
I'm getting on the freedom now
A big v8 rules the road
From town to town I pass trough faster than I can see
I never full myself to run faster than other cars
For all the people who looking we with terror
I'm break the law scrum the system , cost's don't play games.

Sunday he will share his ride with talented young Melbourne driver Luke Yourdon, who helped him achieve his 2005 championship with consistent co-driver performances at both Sandown and Bathurst. Last year the pair finished fourth by less than 0.1 of a second to their Stone Brothers Racing teammates James Courtney and Glenn Seton.

In gall had his first Bathurst start with Kevin Bartlett back in 1990 and the pair finished 17th. He had his next start with Wayne Gardner in 1994 and the following year he came back from Europe and he won the race in a Holden with Larry Perkins. The result was good enough for Perkins to offer In gall a full-time ride in 1996 and one year later the pair teamed up to win the race again.

Since 1994 he has started 13 consecutive races and finished all of them in the top 11. Over that period his finishing average is an amazing 4.9.

His 13 consecutive finishes is a record and ironically Perkins is second in line with 12.

In gall has 14 V8 Super car starts at Bathurst for 14 finishes and the closest driver to him in regards to percentages is Ray Gilson who had 21 starts for 19 finishes for a rate of 90.4%. In gall's only non-finish at Bathurst came in a 2-litre race when he crashed his Vector after a car in front dumped oil all over the track.

In fact, In gall's Australian endurance record is pretty impressive when you consider he also won the Sandown 500 with Perkins in 1998 and the inaugural Queensland 500 the following year. He also won his first championship event for Ford at the single-driver Queensland 300 in 2003.

In gall's consistency is not something just confined to endurance events. He is also the only driver to have finished in the top 10 every year of the V8 Super car championship and has an amazing championship average of 4.6 – including wins in 2005 and runner-up efforts in 1998, 99, 01 and 04.

He currently sits ninth in this year’s championship and knows a big result this Sunday will help maintain his impressive Bathurst and championship records.

Cortex-backed pair Craig Lowndes and Jamie Windup are the defending Bathurst Champions and will debut a brand new Team Vodafone Falcon this weekend. On the strength of their more recent Just Car Insurance 500 win at Sandown they’ll be looking to snare an elusive endurance race double.

If successful the duo will also become the first drivers to have successfully defended their Bathurst title since Greg Murphy and Rick Kelly won back-to-back races in 2003 and 2004.

This is my 1995 Lexus SC400 Coupe 4.0L GET V8. I enjoy every minute in my car and its pretty quick. A little about me, I am 16 and love driving. I have been driving since I was 8. I love cars like no other...even though I don't know everything. My car was previously my dads car and he passed on the greatness. I have been driving a 350z and have to admit I like my car that's 10 years older, more. My car has Two 18 inch Elemental Designs (very expensive, custom subwoofers) with a 2,500 watt Tsunami amplifier. I also have an IPO setup in my car equipped with an 80gb Black IPO Classic. The car is black and needs a paint job, but that is coming after the turbo. I have big plans for my car including installing my 14829 Megaflops.

944 guy, the 928 conversion is much more difficult to do than the SBC conversion, renegade hybrids sells a kit with everything you need for the Chevy engine, and it can practically be just bolted up, while with the 928 engine, there is ALLOT more modifying to do, the firewall has to be moved, and an intermediate plate has to be custom made, but it has been done a handful of times, and worth the effort

GAP also announced that it would move the Formula One race to later on the Sunday afternoon but ruled out the idea of staging the race at night under existing circumstances.

"The current Formula One season is one of the best ever," Australian Grand Prix Corporation Chairman, Mr Ronald J Walker AC CUBE said. "There are a number of teams and drivers in contention for the championship and we’ve witnessed the emergence of a new superstar in Lewis Hamilton.

"Last night Australia’s Mark Webber won his first podium of the season with third place in the European Grand Prix.

"So we can look forward with great excitement to the 2008 race in Melbourne.

"I’m also delighted that the V8 Super cars are back," Mr Walker said.

"This is a great win for everyone and especially motor sport fans. The combination of the world’s most popular race cars in Formula One and the V8s – Australia’s number one national category - is unique to Albert Park."

V8 Super cars Australia Chairman, Mr Tony Cochrane, said he was delighted that the V8s would be back at Albert Park in 2008.

"While it has been a very difficult task to match our complicated race calendars, with a lot of goodwill from both sides, this is surely a win for our teams and fans alike," Mr Cochrane said.

Classic Cars at Baron's Craig Hotel

This glorious part of Scotland is renowned for its preserved beauty and of course those winding coastal roads, away from all the congestion of the city, a drivers paradise. Why not enjoy a weekend away at Baron's Craig Hotel, an ideal base from which to cruise the coast and forests which Dumfries and Galloway has to offer.

944/968 owners are a loyal bunch and you won’t hear many moans from them about their wagons. Well okay, perhaps bribe them with half a sandy and a Wagon Wheel, and they may admit a couple of failings.

Most owners agree that the normally aspirated versions - even in three liter S2 and 968 forms, could really do with a bit more grunt. Also if pushed most agree that the big four cylinder engines are not the most tuneful internal combustion engines on earth.

The owner of this rather unusual 944 certainly agrees with this attitude. He may work in the rather secretive and high tech world of Formula One (at his request for secrecy I will refer to him as Mr X), however he has rather a soft spot for 944’s and had a cunning plan to address the issues of engine note and extra power in order to create himself a fun and unique road and track day toy.

Mr. V8 202/3's progeny awards and honors:
1990 National Champion Get of Sire
1991 National Champion Get of Sire
1992 National Champion Get of Sire
1993 National Champion Get of Sire
1993 International Champion Get of Sire
1990 National Champion Female-Miss V8 725/3 "Amber"
1990 National Champion Bull-Mr. V8 666/3
1991 International Champion Female-Miss V8 725/3 "Amber"

Seven Network and V8 Super cars Australia today confirmed the signing of
a long-term partnership for broadcast television rights to the V8
Super car Championship Series.

Today's agreement sees Seven back in V8s - building on a rich history
and connection with the sport.

Seven's all-encompassing rights to V8s coverage will also see the
network return to Mount Panorama for coverage of the Super cheap Auto
Bathurst 1000 for the first time in a decade. Seven first broadcast the
Great Race 43 years ago and played a critical role in the iconic event's
rich history over more than three decades.

Seven invented the in-car camera technology that revolutionized
motor sports coverage and is recognized for innovation in its sports
television coverage. I went for a drive this afternoon I was driving for about 30min down port Wakefield road when I was stopped by a red light sitting there for a little over 30sec a Holden commodore pull's almond side me and started to do a burn out it went for around 40-45sec as tonight being a hot night I had my windows open so all of the smoke fill's my car (it was that bad I didn't see the light go green till the smoke had cleared). now I know this sounds like me just winging but what if his car had started to go side ways in to my car or some one that coo dent see throw the smoke just the green light went straight throw and hit me from behind. well that's about it has anyone else had this happen to them or something along thaws lines. Both the 2001 National Champion Brahman Female and the 2002 International Champion Female are in the donor herd at Double A Ranch, along with several other top females.

Predator Buick V8 Chain Saw

Classic Cars at Baron's Craig Hotel