THE LINE - FEBRUARY 20, 2013
Monday, February 18, 2013 at 04:44PM 
(Photo by Christa L Thomas for Chevrolet)
Danica Patrick (No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Go Daddy Chevrolet SS) is congratulated by Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet SS) after capturing the first Pole by a woman in NASCAR history during qualifying for the Daytona 500. Gordon qualified second.
(Photo by Harold Hinson for Chevrolet)
Danica was fast in practice leading up to Coors Light Pole qualifying and then she made it stick when it counted.
(Photo by Christa L Thomas for Chevrolet)
Danica Patrick's Pole was the proverbial shot heard around the world in major media outlets on Sunday and Monday, and a needed boost for NASCAR's flagging fortunes. See more on Daytona in "Fumes." The Daytona 500 will take place on Sunday, February 17, at Daytona International Speedway.
(GM)
The Chevrolet SS will be the first V-8, rear-wheel-drive performance sedan from the Chevrolet brand since 1996. The 2014 Chevrolet SS will debut at the Daytona International Speedway as the SS racer makes its NASCAR debut during the Daytona 500. See more about the new SS in "On The Table."
(BMW)
BMW will replace the BMW M3 GT with the new BMW Z4 GTE in the American Le Mans Series for 2013. BMW Motorsport and BMW Team RLL presented the car and drivers for the new season last Tuesday. BMW Motorsport also announced the driving pairs for the coming season. Car No. 55 will be driven by Bill Auberlen (US) and ALMS rookie Maxime Martin (BE). Dirk Müller (DE) will contest all the races in the No. 56 car. Joey Hand (US) and John Edwards (US) will alternate as the two-time ALMS GT champion’s driving partner. Edwards will stand in for Hand when he is unavailable due to his parallel commitment in the DTM. Jörg Müller (DE, No. 55) and Uwe Alzen (DE, No. 56) will bolster the squad at the endurance races at Sebring (US) and Road Atlanta (US). Why the switch? The BMW Z4 GTE is considerably more compact than its successful predecessor, the BMW M3 GT, for starters. And oh, by the way, the Z4 GTE will have a BMW V8 racing engine in it, something that you can't get in the production version. Check out the new BMW Z4 GTE in this video.
(McLaren Automotive images)
The McLaren P1™ will have the combined force of two highly-efficient powerplants, according to the automaker, "offering the optimum mix of superb throttle response, day-to-day drivability and top speed." A mid-mounted 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 gasoline engine and a highly effective electric motor give a combined output of 916PS (903 bhp) and a maximum torque figure of 900Nm, ensuring instantaneous throttle response through the rev range, more akin to a naturally aspirated engine, says McLaren. Emissions of less than 200g/km on the combined cycle are reduced to zero in full electric drive mode, while the Formula 1-derived DRS (Drag Reduction System) and IPAS (Instant Power Assist System) technologies offer an increase in straight-line speed and an instant boost of power. The 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 in the McLaren P1 is a new version of the M838T unit that has been significantly upgraded to optimize cooling and durability under the higher loads. The engine block has a unique casting to incorporate the electric motor. The V8 produces 737PS (727 bhp) at 7,500rpm, and 720Nm of torque from 4,000rpm. To optimize efficiency of the petrol engine, extensive testing and development work has always been carried out with McLaren Automotive technology partner Mobil 1 on lubrication and hydraulic fluids
The lightweight electric motor, developed by the McLaren Electronics arm of the Group, produces 179PS (176 bhp), and is unique to the McLaren P1. The motor produces maximum torque of 260Nm instantly from a standstill, greatly increasing the throttle response of the P1, and peak combined torque of 900Nm is delivered from just 4,000 rpm. In addition to this, the McLaren-developed "boost" system, IPAS, provides up to 179PS instantly. The instant response of the electric motor provides a sharper throttle response more associated with a normally aspirated engine, and the significantly enhanced air-charging system enables the McLaren P1 to have more top-end power – the perfect combination for high performance, according to McLaren. The electric motor is mounted directly onto the engine, and all drive is channelled through the dual-clutch seven-speed gearbox to drive the rear wheels. A further benefit is that the e-motor can provide faster upshifts. This is achieved through the application of instant negative torque at the point of shift, making the engine revs drop as quickly and efficiently as possible to the required engine speed for the upshift.