finance
Honda Racing Team BTCC Preview
Article source: http://www.performance-car-guide.co.uk/honda-btcc-racing-team.html
Honda Racing Team BTCC Preview Rounds 10-12, Oulton Park, 4/5 June, 2011
Honda Racing Team star Matt Neal is aiming to consolidate his points lead in the 2011 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at Oulton Park this weekend as the series nears its halfway stage.
Neal currently sits on top of the points after nine races in his two-litre turbocharged Civic but he says running at very front will be a tough task because he has to carry an extra 45 kilogrammes for the first of three races in Cheshire because he is the pacesetter.
“The rules say that if you are leading the points, you have to have success ballast and that is going to be a real penalty around somewhere like Oulton Park,” says Neal. “It is a fast, flowing circuit with lots of undulations and plenty of points where you have to accelerate hard – which is where the success ballast is going to hold me back. Despite that, I love the track because it is a real challenge and you have to be very committed.”
Despite the weight handicap, Neal says the 2.26-mile track will also play to some of the Honda’s strengths. “One thing that we do have up our sleeve is that Oulton is about handling and we know that the Civic has a brilliant chassis,” adds Neal. “If we can exploit that and then maybe shed some of the success ballast later on then we will have a real shot at big points. I am looking to protect the advantage that I have in the standings and then reap the rewards in races two and three. I am expecting my main opposition to come from my team-mate ‘Flash’ Gordon Shedden and I will be trying to hang on to him.”
Flash comes into the fourth meeting of the year with only a small amount extra weight on his car and he will be able to exploit the hatchback to its maximum.
A win and a second place last time out at Thruxton has thrust the Fife Flier back into contention and he is in fifth place in the points table. His results this year have helped Honda to the top of the manufacturers’ standings and the Honda Racing Team is also leading the teams’ contest.
Like Neal, Flash rates his chances highly going into the meeting. “It will be wins that I am after,” said Shedden. “I am not that far away from second in the points behind Matt and the best way to achieve that is to win races at Oulton Park.
“I have traditionally gone well there and the Civic is a great car for getting around the sweeps and the dips at the track so I am going to the races in a very optimistic frame of mind. I only have nine kilogrammes of success ballast and that puts me in a good position to capitalise while the others are loaded up. There is lots of racing to be done and they have changes the rules again ahead of this meeting so I am expecting the competition to be strong but I am confident that we will be right in the mix as well.
The first race at Oulton Park takes place at 12.15pm, and all three of the races will be broadcast live on ITV4 and ITV4 HD.
6 Basic Maintenance Tips to Keep Your Car in Good Condition
:: Buying a car costs a significant amount of money and it also requires proper knowledge of basics car maintenance to keep it running well. Properly maintaining your car will help you save on costly car repairs and keep yourself from getting stuck in the middle of the road at the wrong time. Here are some tips on making sure your automobile is in great working order:
As a safety measure and to maximize your car’s mileage, it is important to check the condition of your car’s tires weekly. Refer to your manual for the recommended tire pressure and check that yours are sufficiently inflated. Look out for possible damages and tears, and replace your tires when the tread is worn. Occasional rotation of certain tires may also help prevent wear and tear. Remember to include your spare tire during checkups so that it will be in good condition when you need it.
Consistently monitoring the levels of your car’s engine oil, brake fluid, windshield washer fluid, coolant and power steering fluid will keep you from spending so much on repairs and will help keep the vehicle run smoothly. To help keep your engine in top-notch shape, fluid levels should be kept at the recommended levels indicated in the manual, so be sure to refer to it. You can do the regular checkups yourself or go to your nearest and trusted service center. For added convenience, some prestigious car service centers such as peugeot service center will pick up vehicle from your home or workplace.
Have oil and filter changes at 3,000-mile intervals
To ensure you don’t drive an engine that isn’t working properly, have your oil and filter changed regularly. Car companies recommend that oil and filter changes for diesel engines should occur every 6 months or every 3,000 miles, while gasoline engines can have it every 7,500 miles or annually. However, for better protection, changing oil every six months is recommended. Failure to change oil regularly may cause increased smoke emission, wear, and other engine troubles. To increase the service life of your engine, you need to change oil filters regularly as metal particles can accumulate on it.
The warning lights in your dashboard may indicate something faulty with your car so it is a basic precaution to always take notice of it. The lights may remind you when your car fluids get dangerously low.
Inspect the lights in your interior and exterior to make sure they are functioning properly. Make sure all the components of your car’s lighting system are working well. In order to avoid accidents and traffic tickets, replace any defective bulbs right away. Be careful to closely follow the directions to guarantee appropriate replacement of the bulbs.
Windshield wipers are vital because they allow you to see clearly during different weather conditions. At least twice a year, check your wipers in front and at the back. If you see any wear in the rubber, change the blades as soon as possible.
Some other tips you can do to keep your car in good working order is to get minor problems fixed promptly, use only original parts for your vehicle, and undergo a routine evaluation of your car by a mechanic every year.
Source: http://www.submityourarticle.com/articles/Patricia-Strasser-6828/peugeot-service-163407.php