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• Totally Radical Racing: Formula 1 and Rally in the 1980s [Video]

  In Fast Forward / By Tom Anderson / 4 April 2013

  

  Although most motorsports historians like to wax poetic (or not-so-poetic) about the barnstorming between-the-World-Wars era, or the glamorous 1950s, the 1980s was a damn good period for racing in its own right. Advancements in design and engineering led to major advances in speed and safety, and increased manufacturer and sponsor involvement – not to mention improved and expanded TV coverage – increased awareness of the sport exponentially. Oh, and the fact that rule makers still gave manufacturers and constructors a long leash with regard to creativity certainly didn’t hurt.

  With this in mind, Finnish YouTuber Antti Kalhola made this video tribute to this remarkable decade. Yes, we wish there were clips from series besides Formula 1 and the World Rally Championship (namely Indy car and IMSA/Group C sports cars), but we’re guessing F1 and WRC were the only two series from which Antti had suitable footage to work. Besides, no one can begrudge him choosing a track from Jan Hammer (Specifically “Crockett’s Theme” from Miami Vice.). No one!

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• Nissan and Nismo Look Back at Racing through the Years [Video]

  In Fast Forward / By Tom Anderson / 1 March 2013

  

  Although Nissan isn’t quite as synonymous with racing as, say, Porsche, Ferrari or BMW, the Japanese company does have a long, generally proud history in motorsports. From the pre-World War II Datsun Racer (which looked a lot like an American midget car) to last year’s groundbreaking DeltaWing, Nissan (and its motorsports arm, Nismo) has been competing – and often winning – on some of the racing world’s most prestigious stages.

  To celebrate this illustrious history (and look ahead to the future, with Nismo’s recently-opened new world headquarters and this week’s announcement of a program to enter an electric car in next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans), Nissan and Nismo made this very cool video. Granted, it glosses over some notable success stories (BRE’s Trans-Am title-winning Datsun 510 program chief among them), but we definitely get a kick out of seeing the evolution of not just Nissan racing, but the evolution of racing itself. Also: Mr. K. You can’t front on that. Yes, you could try, but you would fail miserably. After all, even if you are 103 years old like he is, you still didn’t sire the Z-car or the aforementioned 510.

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• VIDEO: Ten Minutes of Crazy Rally Crashes in Finland with Pure Engine Sounds & Audio

  In Car Videos / By Ari Cox / 5 December 2009

  

  We love rally crash compilations and this is one of the best we’ve come across this year. This video is set deep in the forests of Finland, where crazy drivers go all out on curvy gravel and dirt roads weaving through thick brush. Finnish rally teams are always top contenders if not all out champions and now we see why – they have so much practice crashing that nothing scares these guy. They go harder and choose more treacherous and faster lines because they are fearless!

  In any case, here is over ten minutes of amazing rally-car wreck footage from the 1990s through the present, culled from various sources on the net. Check out the video after the jump.

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• VIDEO: Ken Block Vintage Rally Car Practice with WRC Driver Chris Atkinson

  In Car Videos / By Ari Cox / 15 September 2009

  

  Ken Block is a man who likes to go fast, go sideways and have fun… Lately his escapades have escalated with the release of Gymkhana 2.1 with Rob Dyrdek and his recent antics at the launch of DiRT2. Now, we have some footage of Ken and WRC pro Chris Atkinson at Team O’Neal’s Rally School in New Hampshire having a blast ripping up roads in an old school Euro-only-spec 1978 Ford Escort MK2.

  No surprise here, but Block actually owns this ride, which he uses for practice and will be showcasing at various events such as Rally Defi. This vintage Ford features a 4 pot Millington engine putting out 280 BHP mated with a sequential gearbox operated by paddle shifters. The Escort was converted over from right-hand drive to left.

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• Freak Accident at Argentinean Rally Between Driver Villagra and a Pack of Horses (VIDEO)

  In Car Videos / By Ari Cox / 18 August 2009

  

  This past weeking during the famous race “Vuelta de la Manzana” (rally round the block) in the province of Neuquen, Argentina, there was a freak accident between WRC driver Federico Villagra and a pack of horses. As “El Coyote” was coming around a corner and over a hill, a group of three caballos crossed in front of his Mitsubishi Lancer. One of the horses was hit hard and hurled into the air. The other two managed to escape serious harm. Even though the windshield was not damaged, only the front of the car, Villagra who frequently led, had to leave the race. The Argentinean Rally Championship eventually was won by Nicolás Madero. Warning: this video is graphic and disturbing.

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