1.
Los Angeles
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Los Angeles, officially the City of Los Angeles and often known by its initials L. A. is the cultural, financial, and commercial center of Southern California. With a census-estimated 2015 population of 3,971,883, it is the second-most populous city in the United States, Los Angeles is also the seat of Los Angeles County, the most populated county in the United States. The citys inhabitants are referred to as Angelenos, historically home to the Chumash and Tongva, Los Angeles was claimed by Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo for Spain in 1542 along with the rest of what would become Alta California. The city was founded on September 4,1781, by Spanish governor Felipe de Neve. It became a part of Mexico in 1821 following the Mexican War of Independence, in 1848, at the end of the Mexican–American War, Los Angeles and the rest of California were purchased as part of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, thereby becoming part of the United States. Los Angeles was incorporated as a municipality on April 4,1850, the discovery of oil in the 1890s brought rapid growth to the city. The completion of the Los Angeles Aqueduct in 1913, delivering water from Eastern California, nicknamed the City of Angels, Los Angeles is known for its Mediterranean climate, ethnic diversity, and sprawling metropolis. Los Angeles also has an economy in culture, media, fashion, science, sports, technology, education, medicine. A global city, it has been ranked 6th in the Global Cities Index, the city is home to renowned institutions covering a broad range of professional and cultural fields, and is one of the most substantial economic engines within the United States. The Los Angeles combined statistical area has a gross metropolitan product of $831 billion, making it the third-largest in the world, after the Greater Tokyo and New York metropolitan areas. The city has hosted the Summer Olympic Games in 1932 and 1984 and is bidding to host the 2024 Summer Olympics and thus become the second city after London to have hosted the Games three times. The Los Angeles area also hosted the 1994 FIFA mens World Cup final match as well as the 1999 FIFA womens World Cup final match, the mens event was watched on television by over 700 million people worldwide. The Los Angeles coastal area was first settled by the Tongva, a Gabrielino settlement in the area was called iyáangẚ, meaning poison oak place. Gaspar de Portolà and Franciscan missionary Juan Crespí, reached the present site of Los Angeles on August 2,1769, in 1771, Franciscan friar Junípero Serra directed the building of the Mission San Gabriel Arcángel, the first mission in the area. The Queen of the Angels is an honorific of the Virgin Mary, two-thirds of the settlers were mestizo or mulatto with a mixture of African, indigenous and European ancestry. The settlement remained a small town for decades, but by 1820. Today, the pueblo is commemorated in the district of Los Angeles Pueblo Plaza and Olvera Street. New Spain achieved its independence from the Spanish Empire in 1821, during Mexican rule, Governor Pío Pico made Los Angeles Alta Californias regional capital
2.
Melbourne, Florida
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Melbourne /ˈmɛlbərn/ is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 76,068, the municipality is the second-largest in the county by both size and population. Melbourne is a city of the Palm Bay – Melbourne – Titusville. In 1969 the city was expanded by merging with nearby Eau Gallie, evidence for the presence of Paleo-Indians in the Melbourne area during the late Pleistocene epoch was uncovered during the 1920s. Loomis found a second elephant, with a large rough flint instrument among fragments of the elephants ribs. Loomis found in the same stratum mammoth, mastodon, horse, ground sloth, tapir, peccary, camel, at a nearby site a human rib and charcoal were found in association with Mylodon, Megalonyx, and Chlamytherium teeth. A finely worked spear point found with these items may have displaced from a later stratum. In 1925 attention shifted to the Melbourne golf course, a crushed human skull with finger, arm, and leg bones was found in association with a horse tooth. A piece of ivory that appeared to have been modified by humans was found at the bottom of the stratum containing bones. Other finds included a spear point near a mastodon bone and a scraper and blade found with bear, camel, mastodon, horse. After the Civil War, pioneer families arrived, and Melbourne was founded in 1867 by former slaves, the first settlers arrived after 1877. They included Richard W. Goode, his father John Goode, Cornthwaite John Hector, Captain Peter Wright, Balaam Allen, Wright Brothers, and Thomas Mason. The city, formerly called Crane Creek, was named Melbourne in honor of its first postmaster, Cornthwaite John Hector and he is buried in the Melbourne Cemetery, along with many early residents in the area. The first school in Melbourne was built in 1883 and is on permanent exhibit on the campus of Florida Institute of Technology, by 1885, the town had 70 people. The Greater Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church was founded in 1885 and is still active, in the late 1890s, the Brownlie-Maxwell Funeral Home opened and it is still in business. The oldest black-owned business in the county is Tuckers Cut-Rate plumbing, in the early 1900s, houses were often built in the frame vernacular style. In 1919, a fire destroyed most of the downtown along Front Street. At the time, it was rebuilt west of US Hwy 1, during the Jim Crow years, black people were required to enter movie theaters via a different entrance from whites and sit in the balcony
3.
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
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The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. It is named for the current sponsor, Monster Energy, but has been known by names in the past. The series began in 1949 as the Strictly Stock Series, in 1971, when the series began leasing its naming rights to the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, it was referred to as the Winston Cup Series. A similar deal was made with Nextel in 2003, and it became the Nextel Cup Series, Sprint acquired Nextel in 2005, and in 2008 the series was renamed the Sprint Cup Series, which lasted until 2016. In December 2016, it was announced that Monster Energy would become the new sponsor starting in 2017. The championship is determined by a system, with points being awarded according to finish placement. The season is divided into two segments, after the first 26 races,16 drivers, selected primarily on the basis of wins during the first 26 races, are seeded based on their total number of wins. They compete in the last ten races, where the difference in points is greatly minimized and this is called the NASCAR playoffs. The series holds strong roots in the Southeastern United States, with half of the races in the 36-race season being held in that region, the current schedule includes tracks from around the United States. Regular season races were held in Canada, and exhibition races were held in Japan. The Daytona 500, the most prestigious race, had an audience of about 16 million U. S. viewers in 2009. Cup Series cars are unique in automobile racing, the engines are powerful enough to reach speeds of over 200 mph, but their weight coupled with a relatively simple aerodynamic package make for poor handling. The bodies and chassis of the cars are strictly regulated to ensure parity, in 1949, NASCAR introduced the Strictly Stock division, after sanctioning Modified and Roadster division races in 1948. Eight races were run on seven dirt ovals and on the Daytona Beach beach/street course, the first NASCAR Strictly Stock race was held at Charlotte Speedway on June 19,1949. Jim Roper was declared the winner of race after Glenn Dunaway was disqualified for having altered the rear springs on his car. The division was renamed Grand National for the 1950 season, reflecting NASCARs intent to make the more professional. It retained this name until 1971, the 1949 Strictly Stock season is regarded in NASCARs record books as the first season of GN/Cup history. Martinsville Speedway is the track on the 1949 schedule that remains on the current schedule
4.
NASCAR
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The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is an American family-owned and operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto-racing sports events. Bill France Sr. founded the company in 1948 and his grandson Brian France became its CEO in 2003, NASCAR is motorsports preeminent stock-car racing organization. The three largest racing-series sanctioned by this company are the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, the Xfinity Series, the company also oversees NASCAR Local Racing, the Whelen Modified Tour, the Whelen All-American Series, and the NASCAR iRacing. com Series. NASCAR sanctions over 1,500 races at over 100 tracks in 39 of the 50 US states as well as in Canada. NASCAR has presented exhibition races at the Suzuka and Motegi circuits in Japan, the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico, NASCAR has its official headquarters in Daytona Beach, Florida, and also maintains offices in the North Carolina cities of Charlotte, Concord, and Conover. Regional offices are located in New York City and Los Angeles, with offices in Mexico City. Owing to NASCARs Southern roots, all but a handful of NASCAR teams are based in North Carolina. NASCAR is second to the National Football League among professional sports franchises in terms of television viewers, internationally, its races are broadcast on television in over 150 countries. In 2004, NASCARs Director of Security stated that the company holds 17 of the Top 20 regularly attended single-day sporting events in the world, fortune 500 companies sponsor NASCAR more than any other motor sport, although this sponsorship has declined since the early-2000s. By the time the Bonneville Salt Flats became the location for pursuit of land speed records. Drivers raced on a 4. 1-mile course, consisting of a 1. 5–2. 0-mile stretch of beach as one straightaway, the two straights were connected by two tight, deeply rutted and sand covered turns at each end. Stock car racing in the United States has its origins in bootlegging during Prohibition, bootleggers needed to distribute their illicit products, and they typically used small, fast vehicles to better evade the police. Many of the drivers would modify their cars for speed and handling, as well as increased cargo capacity, the cars continued to improve, and by the late 1940s, races featuring these cars were being run for pride and profit. These races were popular entertainment in the rural Southern United States, most races in those days were of modified cars. Street vehicles were lightened and reinforced, mechanic William France Sr. moved to Daytona Beach, Florida, from Washington, D. C. in 1935 to escape the Great Depression. He was familiar with the history of the area from the speed record attempts. France entered the 1936 Daytona event, finishing fifth and he took over running the course in 1938. He promoted a few races before World War II, France had the notion that people would enjoy watching stock cars race
5.
Langhorne Speedway
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Langhorne Speedway was an automobile racetrack in Middletown Township, Bucks County, near the borough of Langhorne, Pennsylvania, a northern suburb of Philadelphia. Spencer Riggs, With all other courses up to that time being fairground horse tracks, high-profile American racing clubs like the American Motorcyclist Association, American Automobile Association, and United States Auto Club made Langhorne one of the stops on their national circuits. The USAC races featured notable racers such as A. J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, Al Unser, Bobby Unser, Gordon Johncock, Lloyd Ruby, Langhorne was also featured prominently in NASCARs early years and hosted at least one NASCAR-sanctioned race every year from 1949 to 1957. The speedway was built by a group of Philadelphia racing enthusiasts known as the National Motor Racing Association, freddie Winnai of Philadelphia qualified in 42.40 seconds, a new worlds record for a one-mile track, and went on to win the 50-lap main event. The NMRA operated Langhorne through the 1929 season, staging 100-lap events on Labor Days, difficulties in track preparation, management disputes, and poor attendance drove the speedway to the brink of bankruptcy until noted promoter Ralph Pappy Hankinson took over in 1930. Pappy brought in AAA Championship 100-lap races and continued to stage shorter Sprint car racing on the circular track. One of the first stock car races in the northeastern U. S. was held at Langhorne in 1940, Roy Hall of Atlanta, in 1941, Hankinson sold the track to stuntman Earl Lucky Teter after a falling out with the AAA. However, Teters tenure only lasted until July 5,1942 when he was killed while attempting his Rocket Car leap stunt in Indiana State Fairgrounds. That very same month, the U. S. Government banned all forms of racing due to Americas involvement in World War II. As a result, the Speedway sat idle and did not host a race of any kind until 1946. Less than a month after the ban was enacted, Pappy Hankinson. With a huge void created in the management, ownership of Langhorne Speedway was passed on to John Babcock. Then in 1951, Irv Fried and Al Gerber became promoters, however, as suburban growth engulfed the speedway, the offers from developers became too tempting to refuse. Fried and Gerber announced the sale of the property to developers in 1967. The final race held at Langhorne occurred on October 17,1971, the landscape of the once-famous racetrack was dramatically altered after that last race over 40 years ago. Almost immediately after Langhornes closure, the property was razed in order to make way for a new shopping development, the current space features a Sams Club and a Restaurant Depot warehouse where the pits and grandstand were once located. A heavily overgrown wooded area has completely enveloped the infield and backstretch, while a small grocery store, as a result, no physical remnants of the track itself remain. It hosted a NASCAR inaugural race in 1949, notable drivers Doc Mackenzie, Joie Chitwood, Rex Mays, Lee Petty, Dutch Hoag, A. J
6.
1952 NASCAR Grand National Series
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When the 1952 NASCAR season was concluded, driver Tim Flock was crowned the Grand National Champion after winning 8 of the 33 events that he competed in. This was the first year that NASCAR scheduled its events to avoid the conflicts of having two races, at two different tracks, on the same day. The only exception was on June 1, when races were held at both Toledo Speedway in Ohio, and Hayloft Speedway in Augusta, Georgia, Herb Thomas finished second to Flock after competing in 32 races, and Lee Petty finished third in the standings that year. Throughout the 1952 season, a total of 261 drivers entered at least one of the 34 events, virtually every American car manufacturer had at least one of their cars start that season. The 1952 NASCAR Grand National season was dominated by Hudson automobiles, no other make won more than three times. The reason the Hudson Hornet was so successful, winning over 80 NASCAR races between 1951 and 1955, has attributed to its low center of gravity, mono-built body. The center point steering system contributed to the superior handling and cornering abilities. Palm Beach Speedway in West Palm Beach, Florida was a half-mile, the 100 mile event was slowed by two caution flags, and was won by driver Tim Flock. 6,000 fans flocked, to see Flock, capture his first of 8 victories in the 1952 season, Flock started on the pole, and drove his #911951 Hudson, sponsored by Ted Chester, to victory. He claimed his $1,025 winnings with only five drivers still running at the end of the race, Flock captured the pole position for the race in 27.78 seconds, with an average speed of 64.79 mph. The second event of the 1952 season took place on the famed 4.1 mile road course of Daytona Beach Speedway, Herb Thomas led the first lap of the event, but Teague managed to lead laps 2 to 37. 20,000 spectators witnessed 61 drivers start the event, but at the end of the scheduled 200 mile race, the race was eventually halted on lap 37 due to the incoming tide which encroached on the beachfront straight of the track. The third event of the season took place at the dirt track of Speedway Park in Jacksonville. Marshall Teague won his race in a row in the 200 lap,100 mile contest. On June 29, NASCAR traveled to the US auto manufacturing center in Detroit Michigan for a scheduled 250 mile event, the race was held at the Michigan State Fairgrounds Speedway, a one-mile dirt oval built in 1899. NASCAR offered its first 5-figured purse of $11,675 to the contestants, fans watched as Flock led laps 88 –110, until driver Buddy Shuman took the lead for one lap on the 111th circuit. Flock retook the fourth and final change on the next lap. Shuman finished the event in place, capturing a total of $2,225
7.
Martinsville Speedway
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Martinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Henry County, in Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At 0.526 miles in length, it is the shortest track in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, the track was also one of the first paved oval tracks in NASCAR, being built in 1947 by H. Clay Earles. It is also the race track that has been on the NASCAR circuit from its beginning in 1948. Along with this, Martinsville is the only NASCAR oval track on the entire NASCAR track circuit to have asphalt surfaces on the straightaways, the track is often referred to as paper clip-shaped and is banked only 12° in the turns. The combination of long straightaways and flat, narrow turns makes hard braking going into turns, the track was paved in 1955 and in 1956 it hosted its first 500 lap event. By the 1970s, a combination of high-traction slick tires and high speed were putting excessive wear on the asphalt surface, in 1976 the turns were repaved with concrete. By 2004, the then 28-year-old concrete had shown significant wear, on April 18,2004 a large chunk of concrete had become dislodged from the tracks surface and caused severe damage to the body of Jeff Gordons car. In reaction to this, the track was repaved with new concrete. Until 1999, Martinsville was notorious for having two pit roads and this was rectified when pit road was reconfigured to extend from the entrance of turn 3 to the exit of turn 2. This move allowed for a garage to be built inside the track, the first NASCAR sanctioned event was held on July 4,1948. In 1951, only 4 cars were running at the finish, in 1960, Richard Petty became the youngest winner at Martinsville, at 22 years,283 days, to date Petty has the most wins. In 1991, Harry Gant became the oldest winner at 51 years,255 days and it was Gants fourth win in a row, earning him the nickname Mr. September. In 2004, the track was sold exclusively to the France family for over $200 million as a result of an estate sale following the death of Weatherford. Plans had existed to add an additional 20,000 seats along the back stretch, from 1982 until 1994, and again in 2006, the speedway hosted Busch Series events. This occurred first with 200- and 150-lap features, then 300 laps from 1992 until 1994 as part of a Late Model/Busch Series doubleheader, the venue was dropped from the Busch Series schedule for 2007 and a race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal was run on the open date. Winners of the NASCAR Cup Series, Truck Series, and Whelen Modified events receive a clock as a trophy. This tradition started in 1964, when Earles decided he wanted to present a trophy that would reflect the Martinsville area and he chose clocks made by a local company, Ridgeway Clocks. The clocks presented as trophies are valued at around $10,000
8.
Motorsport in Illinois
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There has been auto racing in Illinois for almost as long as there have been automobiles. Almost every type of motorsport found in the United States can be found in Illinois, both modern and historic tracks exist in Illinois, including NASCARs Chicagoland Speedway and Gateway International Speedway. Notable drivers from Illinois include Danica Patrick, Tony Bettenhausen, asphalt stock car racing is more prevalent in the northern part of Illinois with such tracks as Rockford Speedway or Grundy County Speedway. These tracks hold weekly racing programs, with Rockfords racing sanctioned by NASCARs Weekly Racing Series, regional to nationally-known touring series, such as ARTGO and Mid American Stock Car Series have held special events these at both of these tracks. Drag racing is popular throughout Illinois, with both 1/4 and 1/8 mile tracks being found in the state. There are several National points events held in Illinois, as well as local weekly drag racing, off-road racing can be found at temporary tracks at Route 66 Raceway to the permanent facilities at Lincoln Trail Motosports park. Motorcycle racing is held on permanent road-courses in northern Illinois, as well as motocross, one of the most well-known motorcycle races in the U. S. can be found at the Illinois State Fairgrounds 1-mile oval track. Several tracks host sports car racing in Illinois, although it is not prevalent with few road courses such as Blackhawk Farms Raceway, dirt track racing on oval circuits is probably one of the most prevalent forms of motorsports in Illinois. Track sizes vary from the short and tight 1/5 mile Macon Speedway to the 1-mile ovals at Springfield, the Illini Racing Series races midget and dwarf cars at various tracks in northern Illinois plus Angell Park Speedway in Wisconsin. Kart racing can be found throughout Illinois on both dirt and asphalt, the one mile dirt Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack in Springfield has had a long and varied past. Since before the inception of USAC, there have been Midgets, Sprints, the first incarnation of the track ran East-West. It now is raced North-South orientation, the Allen Crowe Memorial 100, named in honor of the Springfield resident, is held there every year during the Illinois State Fair. The race originated following the drivers death in 1963. USACs Stock Car division sanctioned the race from 1963, until they ceased operations in 1984, the 1983 and 1984 races were co-sanctioned between ARCA and USAC. ARCA now sanctions this popular race, until recently, the mile has hosted the United Midwestern Promoters UMP Fall Nationals for UMP Late Models. In the past, the mile has hosted races sanctioned by the World of Outlaws. Many notable names have raced and won here, including Mario Andretti, A. J. Foyt, Davey Allison, the Monster Mile also hosts some of the most well-known flat track motorcycle races in the U. S. The AMA sanctioned races are held every May and September, Chicagoland Speedway is Illinois only Superspeedway
9.
Pole position
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In motorsport the pole position is the position at the inside of the front row at the start of a racing event. This position is given to the vehicle and driver with the best qualifying time in the trials before the race. This number-one qualifying driver is referred to as the pole sitter, historically, the fastest qualifier was not necessarily the designated pole-sitter. Different sanctioning bodies in motor sport employ different qualifying formats in designating who starts from pole position, often, a starting grid is derived either by current rank in the championship, or based on finishing position of a previous race. In contrast to contemporary motorsport, where only a participant is designated pole-sitter, prior to World War II. The term has its origins in horse racing, in which the fastest qualifying horse would be placed on the part of the course. Originally in Grand Prix racing, grid positions, including pole, were determined by lottery among the drivers, prior to the inception of the Formula 1 World Championship, the first instance of grid positions being determined by qualifying times was at the 1933 Monaco Grand Prix. Since then, the FIA have introduced many different qualifying systems to F1, between 1996 and 2006, the FIA made 6 significant changes to the qualifying procedure, each with the intention of making the battle for pole more interesting to an F1 viewer at home. Traditionally, pole was always occupied by the fastest driver due to low-fuel qualifying, the race-fuel qualifying era between 2003 and 2009 briefly changed this. Despite the changing formats, drivers attempting pole were required between 2003 and 2009 to do qualifying laps with the fuel they would use to start the race the next day. An underfuelled slower car and driver would therefore be able to take pole ahead of a better, in this situation, pole was not always advantageous to have in the race as the under-fueled driver would have to pit for more fuel before their rivals. With the race refueling ban introduced, low-fuel qualifying returned and these decisions are no longer in play. Since the reintroduction of the rule in 2011, this applies to the quickest first session time. Since 2014, the FIA has awarded a trophy to the driver who wins the most pole positions in the season, indicates that the driver won the World Championship in the same season. IndyCar uses four formats for qualifying, one for most oval tracks, one for Iowa Speedway, one for the Indianapolis 500, and another for road and street circuits. Oval qualifying is almost like the Indianapolis 500, with two laps, instead of four, averaged together with one attempt, although with just one session. At Iowa, each car takes one qualifying lap, and the top six cars advance to the race for the pole position. The result of the race determines positions 1–10
10.
Formula One
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Formula One is the highest class of single-seat auto racing that is sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de lAutomobile. The FIA Formula One World Championship has been the form of racing since the inaugural season in 1950. The formula, designated in the name, refers to a set of rules, the F1 season consists of a series of races, known as Grands Prix, held worldwide on purpose-built F1 circuits and public roads. The results of each race are evaluated using a system to determine two annual World Championships, one for drivers, one for constructors. The racing drivers are required to be holders of valid Super Licences, the races are required to be held on tracks graded 1, the highest grade a track can receive by the FIA. Most events are held in locations on purpose-built tracks, but there are several events in city centres throughout the world. Formula One cars are the fastest road racing cars in the world. Formula One cars race at speeds of up to approximately 375 km/h with engines currently limited in performance to a maximum of 15,000 RPM, the cars are capable of lateral acceleration in excess of five g in corners. The performance of the cars is very dependent on electronics – although traction control and other driving aids have been banned since 2008 – and on aerodynamics, suspension, the formula has radically evolved and changed through the history of the sport. F1 had a global television audience of 425 million people during the course of the 2014 season. Grand Prix racing began in 1906 and became the most popular internationally in the second half of the twentieth century. The Formula One Group is the holder of the commercial rights. Its high profile and popularity have created a major merchandising environment, since 2000 the sports spiraling expenditures and the distribution of prize money favoring established top teams have forced complaints from smaller teams and led several teams to bankruptcy. On 23 January 2017 it was confirmed that Liberty Media had completed its $8 billion acquisition of Delta Topco, the Formula One series originated with the European Grand Prix Motor Racing of the 1920s and 1930s. The formula is a set of rules that all cars must meet. Formula One was a new formula agreed upon after World War II during 1946, the first world championship race was held at Silverstone, United Kingdom in 1950. A championship for constructors followed in 1958, national championships existed in South Africa and the UK in the 1960s and 1970s. Non-championship Formula One events were held for years, but due to the increasing cost of competition
11.
United States
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Forty-eight of the fifty states and the federal district are contiguous and located in North America between Canada and Mexico. The state of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America, bordered by Canada to the east, the state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean. The U. S. territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean, the geography, climate and wildlife of the country are extremely diverse. At 3.8 million square miles and with over 324 million people, the United States is the worlds third- or fourth-largest country by area, third-largest by land area. It is one of the worlds most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, paleo-Indians migrated from Asia to the North American mainland at least 15,000 years ago. European colonization began in the 16th century, the United States emerged from 13 British colonies along the East Coast. Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the following the Seven Years War led to the American Revolution. On July 4,1776, during the course of the American Revolutionary War, the war ended in 1783 with recognition of the independence of the United States by Great Britain, representing the first successful war of independence against a European power. The current constitution was adopted in 1788, after the Articles of Confederation, the first ten amendments, collectively named the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791 and designed to guarantee many fundamental civil liberties. During the second half of the 19th century, the American Civil War led to the end of slavery in the country. By the end of century, the United States extended into the Pacific Ocean. The Spanish–American War and World War I confirmed the status as a global military power. The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 left the United States as the sole superpower. The U. S. is a member of the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Organization of American States. The United States is a developed country, with the worlds largest economy by nominal GDP. It ranks highly in several measures of performance, including average wage, human development, per capita GDP. While the U. S. economy is considered post-industrial, characterized by the dominance of services and knowledge economy, the United States is a prominent political and cultural force internationally, and a leader in scientific research and technological innovations. In 1507, the German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller produced a map on which he named the lands of the Western Hemisphere America after the Italian explorer and cartographer Amerigo Vespucci
12.
1950 Formula One season
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The 1950 Formula One season was the fourth season of the FIAs Formula One motor racing. It featured the inaugural FIA World Championship of Drivers which commenced on 13 May and ended on 3 September, as well as a number of non-championship races. The championship consisted of six Grand Prix races, each held in Europe and open to Formula One cars, plus the Indianapolis 500, Giuseppe Farina won the championship from Juan Manuel Fangio and Luigi Fagioli. All of the Formula One regulated races in the championship were run in Europe, the Indianapolis 500 was run to American AAA regulations, not to FIA Formula One regulations and none of the regular drivers who competed in Europe competed in the 500, and vice versa. Alfa Romeo drivers consequently dominated the championship with Italian Giuseppe Nino Farina edging out Argentine teammate Juan Manuel Fangio by virtue of his place in Belgium. Championship points were awarded to the top five finishers in each race on an 8,6,4,3,2 basis,1 point was awarded for the fastest lap of each race. Points for shared drives were divided equally between the drivers, regardless of how many laps each driver completed during the race, Only the best four results from the seven races could be retained by each driver for World Championship classification. The Alfa Romeo team dominated the British Grand Prix at the fast Silverstone circuit in England, with King George VI in attendance, Giuseppe Farina won the race from pole position, also setting the fastest lap. The podium was completed by his teammates Luigi Fagioli and Reg Parnell, while the remaining Alfa driver, the final points scorers were the works Talbot-Lagos of Yves Giraud-Cabantous and Louis Rosier, both two laps behind the leaders. Scuderia Ferrari made their World Championship debut around the streets of Monaco, polesitter Fangio took a comfortable victory, also setting the races fastest lap, a whole lap ahead of Ascari, with the third-placed Louis Chiron a further lap back in the works Maserati. Villoresi, although delayed by the accident, had made his way through the field to second place, Fangios win brought him level with Farina in the points standings. The race was stopped after 138 of the scheduled 200 laps due to rain, Alfa Romeos dominance continued when the World Championship returned to Europe for the Swiss Grand Prix at the tree-lined Bremgarten circuit just outside Bern. Fangio, Farina and Fagioli locked out the front row of the grid for Alfa, while the Ferraris of Villoresi, Fangio was the initial leader, starting from pole position, but he was passed by Farina on lap seven. Ascari and Villoresi were both able to compete with the third Alfa of Fagioli in the stages, although both had retired by the ten-lap mark. Farina took the win and the fastest lap, finishing just ahead of Fagioli, while Rosier, in place as a result of Fangios retirement. Farinas second win of the season put him six points clear of the consistent Fagioli, the Alfas were once again untouchable at the start of the race, but when they stopped for fuel, Sommer emerged as an unlikely race leader. His lead, however, was short-lived and he was forced to retire when his engine blew up, Fangio ultimately took the victory, ahead of Fagioli, who again finished second. Rosier again made the podium in his Talbot-Lago and he had been able to pass the polesitter Farina when the Italian picked up transmission problems towards the end of the race
13.
1956 Formula One season
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The 1956 Formula One season featured the tenth season of FIAs Formula One motor racing. It featured the seventh World Championship of Drivers as well as numerous non-championship races, the championship series commenced on 22 January 1956 and ended on 2 September after eight races. Juan Manuel Fangio won his third title, the fourth of his career. Until the 2006 season this was the last season during which no British constructor won any championship race, Fangio joined Ferrari after Mercedes-Benz, with whom he had won the 1954 and 1955 titles, withdrew from the sport. Ferrari acquired the folded Lancia teams D50 cars and put together a team containing Fangio, Eugenio Castellotti, Luigi Musso. Fangio won the race after commandeering Mussos car after his own car had broken down. Collins and Fangios team-mate at Mercedes, Stirling Moss – now driving for Maserati provided the biggest challenge to his title defence, in an open season the British Connaughts, Vanwalls and BRMs also showed some signs of promise. Going into the race of the season, Fangio had an eight-point lead over Collins. The only way he could lose the title would be to no points with Collins winning and setting fastest lap. Fangio retired, and with Musso unwilling to share his car with Fangio, Collins, in a remarkable act of sportsmanship, instead chose to hand his car over to Fangio to allow the Argentine to finish second in the race and win his third title in a row. The following races counted towards the 1956 World Championship of Drivers, the following teams and drivers competed in the 1956 FIA World Championship. The above list does not include competitors in the 1956 Indianapolis 500, Championship points were awarded at each race on an 8–6–4–3–2 basis to the first five finishers, with an additional point awarded to the driver setting the fastest lap of the race. Points for shared drives were divided equally between the drivers, regardless of who had driven more laps, Only the best five round results were counted. Italics indicate fastest lap Bold indicates pole position † Position shared between more drivers of the same car Only the best 5 results counted towards the Championship, numbers without parentheses are Championship points, numbers in parentheses are total points scored. The following non-championship races for Formula One cars were held in 1956,1956 World Championship race results
14.
1960 Formula One season
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The 1960 Formula One season was the 14th season of the FIAs Formula One motor racing. It featured the eleventh FIA World Championship of Drivers, the third International Cup for F1 Manufacturers, the World Championship commenced on 7 February 1960 and ended on 20 November after ten races. Jack Brabham won his second title with his Cooper team defending its constructors title. The last year of the 2.5 litre formula produced repeat victories for Jack Brabham and Cooper, and saw Lotus, Porsche, lance Reventlows Scarabs, like the Aston Martins, were front-engined and outclassed. Stirling Moss Rob Walker Lotus gave Colin Chapman his first Grand Prix win at Monaco, all other Grands Prix went to Cooper, except for the Italian which was boycotted by the British constructors since the Italians were using Monzas banked circuit. The points-scoring system was changed with the point for fastest lap being dropped, the best six scores counted towards the championship, increased from five from the previous season. It was the last World Drivers Championship to include the Indianapolis 500, three drivers died in this season of Grand Prix racing. American Harry Schell in a race at Silverstone, and Britons Chris Bristow & Alan Stacey. Stirling Moss was severely injured in an accident at this event. The Moroccan Grand Prix, originally scheduled for 1 October, was cancelled for another year for monetary reasons, the following teams and drivers competed in the 1960 FIA World Championship. Points were awarded on an 8–6–4–3–2–1 basis at each round, with only the best six round results retained, only the best placed car from each manufacturer at each round was eligible to score points. Bold results counted to championship totals, other Formula One races also held in 1960, which did not count towards the World Championship. 1960 World Championship race results and images at f1-facts. com
15.
A. J. Watson
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A. J. Watson was a car builder and chief mechanic from 1949 through 1984 in the Indianapolis 500, winning the race six times as a car builder. His first win as a car came in 1956 when Pat Flaherty drove the John Zink entry to victory in that years Indy 500. Watson had won the year as a crew chief for Bob Sweikert. A native of southern California, Watson came to Indianapolis in 1948 and he returned the following year with a home-built car that failed to qualify. For the next 11 years, his cars not only qualified but were leaders in many years, from 1955 to 1958 he was associated with the John Zink team, and from 1959 on with Bob Wilke. His cars dominated the race through 1964, although he continued entering cars for another two decades, he was never able to regain the commanding position of his heyday. In 1964, with many teams following Lotuss example and moving to rear-engined funny cars and these worked reasonably well but could not reproduce the success he had with his front-engined roadsters. He built monocoque rear-engined cars in 1966 and 1967 with ever-decreasing success, from 1969 until 1977, Watson ran Eagles and then built a small series of highly derivative new Watson cars in 1977,1978 and again in 1982 based on Lightning and March designs before retiring. He is frequently listed on the Indy 500 entry sheet as the race strategist for PDM Racing and he died on May 12,2014 at the age of 90. He was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1993 and he was inducted in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1996. Legendary Mechanic Celebrating 50th Year at Indy
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Kurtis Kraft
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Kurtis Kraft was an American designer and builder of race cars. The company built cars, quartermidgets, sports cars, sprint cars, Bonneville cars. It was founded by Frank Kurtis when he built his own midget car chassis in the late 1930s, Kurtis built some very low fiberglass bodied two-seaters sports cars under his own name in Glendale, California between 1949 and 1955. About 36 cars had made when the licence was sold to Madman Muntz who built the Muntz Jet. In 1954 and 1955, road versions of their Indianapolis racers were offered, Kurtis Kraft created over 550 ready-to-run midget cars, and 600 kits. The Kurtis Kraft chassis midget car featured a version of the Offenhauser motor. The National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame describes the combination as virtually unbeatable for over twenty years, Kurtis Kraft also created 120 Indianapolis 500 cars, including five winners. Kurtis sold the midget car portion of the business to Johnny Pawl in the late 1950s, Frank Kurtis was the first non-driver inducted in the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame. Zeke Justice and Ed Justice of the Justice Brothers both worked at Kurtis-Kraft after World War II, zeke Justice was the first employee at Kurtis-Kraft. The FIA World Drivers Championship included the Indianapolis 500 between 1950 and 1960, so many Kurtis Kraft cars are credited with competing in that championship, One Kurtis midget car was also entered in the 1959 Formula One United States Grand Prix driven by Rodger Ward. It was not designed for European-style road racing and with an engine it circulated at the back of the field for 20 laps before retiring with clutch problems. From 1950 to 1960, the Indianapolis 500 was part of the FIA World Championship
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1950 Indianapolis 500
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The 34th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Tuesday, May 30,1950. The event was part of the 1950 AAA National Championship Trail, the race was also included as the third round in the inaugural 1950 World Drivers Championship, and paid points towards the World Championship. The event, however, did not attract any European entries for 1950, giuseppe Farina originally planned to enter, but his car never arrived. The Indianapolis 500 would be included on the World Championship calendar through 1960, the race was originally scheduled for 200 laps, but was stopped after 138 laps due to rain. A rumor circulated in racing circles during and after this race that Johnnie Parsonss team discovered a crack in the engine block on race morning. The discovery supposedly precipitated Parsons to charge for the lap leader prizes, presumably, he set his sights on leading as many laps as possible before the engine inevitably was to fail. Furthermore, the race ending early due to rain supposedly saved Parsonss day allowing him to secure the victory before the engine let go. However, the engine block crack was proved to be a myth, and it was said to be a very minor but acceptable level of porosity. Despite the 500 being his only race in the 1950 World Championship, during the month, Clark Gable and Barbara Stanwyck were at the track to film scenes for the film To Please a Lady. Stanwyck was on hand in victory lane after the race for the traditional celebratory kiss to the winner, time trials was scheduled for six days. Saturday May 13, Walt Faulkner won the position with a record run of 134.343 mph. Sunday May 14 Saturday May 20, The third day of time trials saw six cars complete runs, Bayliss Levrett was the fastest of the afternoon. Charles Van Acker was ruled physically disqualified, after a crash he suffered at the Speedway from 1949, sunday May 21 Saturday May 27, The day began with 11 spots open in the grid. Sunday May 28, Only one driver managed to bump his way into the field, johnny McDowell bumped Cliff Griffith, while 15 other cars failed to make the field. The two Novi entries failed to qualify – Chet Miller had engine trouble in one of the cars, rain and two crashes cut the track time to less than three hours. Points for 5th position were shared between the drivers, henry Banks and Fred Agabashian Bayliss Levrett and Bill Cantrell First win for Firestone in the World Championship. World Drivers Championship standings Note, Only the top five positions are listed, Only the best 4 results counted towards the Championship. The race was carried live on the Mutual Broadcasting System, the precursor to the IMS Radio Network, the broadcast was sponsored by Perfect Circle Piston Rings and Bill Slater served as the anchor
18.
1960 Indianapolis 500
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The 44th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana on Monday, May 30,1960. The event was part of the 1960 USAC National Championship Trail and it would be the final time World Championship points would be awarded at the Indy 500. Often regarded as the greatest two-man duel in Indianapolis 500 history, Jim Rathmann and Rodger Ward battled out nearly the entire second half. Rathmann took the lead for good on lap 197 after Ward was forced to slow down with a worn out tire, Rathmanns margin of victory of 12.75 seconds was the second-closest finish in Indy history at the time. The inaugural 500 Festival Open Invitation was held at the Speedway Golf Course in the four leading up to the race. Time trials was scheduled for four days, but the day was rained out. Saturday May 14 – Pole Day time trials Eddie Sachs set a record of 146.592 mph to win the pole position. Sunday May 15 – Second day time trials Saturday May 21 – Third day time trials The third day of trials was rained out. Sunday May 22 – Fourth day time trials Jim Hurtubise nearly broke the elusive, hurtubises four-lap qualifying average of 149.056 mph featured a new one-lap record of 149.601 mph, to establish himself as the fastest qualifier in the field. After Carburetion tests, Dempsey Wilson replaced Jimmy Daywalt as the driver for the #23 entry, the race started out with four contenders in the first half. Rodger Ward took the lead on lap 1 from the outside of the front row, two laps later, Ward was back in the lead, and the record-setting number of lead changes was already under way. Troy Ruttman and Jim Rathmann also took turns at the front, the first caution came out on lap 47, after Duane Carter spun in turn 3. He did not hit the wall, came to a rest in the infield grass, later, Jim McWithey came into the pits without any brakes. He brushed the inside pit wall trying to slow the car down, later in the race, Eddie Russo and Wayne Weiler also suffer single-car crashes. Rodger Ward stalled his engine twice during his first pit stop, after getting back on the track, he started charging to catch up to the front of the field. Shortly after the point, Eddie Sachs and Troy Ruttman would both drop out of the race, ultimately leaving Rathmann and Ward to battle it out in front. On about lap 124, Tony Bettenhausen came in for a pit stop. He complained of an engine, but returned to the track
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Auto racing
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Auto racing is a sport involving the racing of automobiles for competition. Almost as soon as automobiles had been invented, races of various sorts were organised, by the 1930s specialist racing cars had developed. There are now numerous different categories, each with different rules and it was won by the carriage of Isaac Watt Boulton. Internal combustion auto racing events began soon after the construction of the first successful gasoline-fueled automobiles, the first organized contest was on April 28,1887, by the chief editor of Paris publication Le Vélocipède, Monsieur Fossier. It ran 2 kilometres from Neuilly Bridge to the Bois de Boulogne, on July 22,1894, the Parisian magazine Le Petit Journal organized what is considered to be the worlds first motoring competition, from Paris to Rouen. One hundred and two competitors paid a 10-franc entrance fee, the first American automobile race is generally held to be the Thanksgiving Day Chicago Times-Herald race of November 28,1895. Press coverage of the event first aroused significant American interest in the automobile, brooklands, in Surrey, was the first purpose-built motor racing venue, opening in June 1907. It featured a 4.43 km concrete track with high-speed banked corners, One of the oldest existing purpose-built automobile racing circuits in the United States, still in use, is the 2. 5-mile -long Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. It is the largest capacity venue of any variety worldwide, with a top capacity of some 257. NASCAR was founded by Bill France, Sr. on February 21,1948, the first NASCAR Strictly Stock race ever was held on June 19,1949, at Daytona Beach, Florida. From 1962, sports cars temporarily took a seat to GT cars. From 1972 through 2003, NASCARs premier series was called the Winston Cup Series, the changes that resulted from RJRs involvement, as well as the reduction of the schedule from 48 to 31 races a year, established 1972 as the beginning of NASCARs modern era. The IMSA GT Series evolved into the American Le Mans Series, the European races eventually became the closely related Le Mans Series, both of which mix prototypes and GTs. The best-known variety of racing, Formula One, which hosts the famous Monaco Grand Prix. In single-seater, the wheels are not covered, and the cars often have aerofoil wings front, in Europe and Asia, open-wheeled racing is commonly referred to as Formula, with appropriate hierarchical suffixes. In North America, the Formula terminology is not followed, the sport is usually arranged to follow an international format, a regional format, and/or a domestic, or country-specific, format. In North America, the used in the National Championship have traditionally been similar though less sophisticated than F1 cars. The series most famous race is the Indianapolis 500, the other major international single-seater racing series is GP2
American