As Texas witnessed a Formula 1 race that rocked the world, Las Vegas witnessed a NASCAR race as the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs continued with the South Point 400. The last spurt to Phoenix begins.
As the green flag waved, the first of three fights for the Championship 4 has begun. Stage 1 saw Daniel Hemric collide with Austin Dillon on Lap 64. As Tyler Reddick won Stage 1, Stage 2 saw Martin Truex Jr. and Chase Elliott make contact, triggering a multi-car mess that sent Tyler Reddick flipping. As Christopher Bell won Stage 2, the final stage saw Ty Gibbs spinning on Lap 194.
Screengrab from NASCAR
After madness in Sin City, Joey Logano wins the South Point 400 of the NASCAR Cup Series! He earned the right to be in the Championship 4.
The next race is at Homestead-Miami for the Straight Talk Wireless 400 this October 27th, 2024.
Formula 1 hosted an exciting race at the heart of Texas with the Pirelli United States Grand Prix. The clash between McLaren, Red Bull, and Ferrari is proven to be bigger than Texas itself.
Screengrab from Formula 1
Ferrari delivered a 1-2 finish on US soil with Charles Leclerc the winner and Carlos Sainz the second placer. Max Verstappen got promoted to 3rd place after Lando Norris got penalized over his conflict with Verstappen. This result puts Verstappen in the lead with 354 points, 57 points ahead of Norris.
McLaren is 40 points ahead of Red Bull in the team standings, 544 v 500. Meanwhile, Haas jumped to sixth place, overtaking the Visa Cash App RB team by two points, 38 v 36.
The next race is the Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico this October 26, 2024.
The third-generation Toyota Soarer showcased to the world that a Japanese carmaker can jump onto the GT bandwagon by offering drivers a sensible grand tourer worth enjoyable to drive. The same goes for its so-called spiritual successor, the Lexus LC.
The Toyota Soarer and Lexus LC are both grand touring cars that offer drivers a sensible and enjoyable driving experience. When you compare these two cars, you'll discover that they have a lot in common. So, how well do we know these two?
The third-generation Toyota Soarer is a luxury coupe that I won from Forza Horizon 5's Back to the 90s Summer Season Playlist. Launched in 1991, the third-generation Soarer eschews the muscular shape of its predecessor in favor of a rounder design. This is the first Soarer that was sold overseas as the Lexus SC. In the US, it won the 1992 Import Car of the Year. Engine choices include a 1UZ-FE 4.0L V8 engine, a 2JZ-GE 3.0L 6-cylinder engine, and seen here is the 1JZ-GTE 2.5L six-cylinder twin-turbo engine. Depending on the engine choices, the Z30 Soarer is mated to either a 4-speed AT or a 5-speed MT.
Now, let's talk about the Lexus LC 500, one of the last remaining V8-powered JDM cars. Although the design is heavily inspired by the LF-LC Concept, the LC is the first Lexus to use Toyota's TNGA platform. It's powered by the 472HP 5.0L naturally-aspirated V8 engine mated to a Lexus-first 10-speed AT.
The Lexus LC became the last Lexus vehicle to compete in the Super GT's GT500 class before it was replaced by the Toyota GR Supra for the 2020 season. In its three-season tenure from 2017 to 2019, the LC 500 emerged as the two-time champion with the #37 KeePer TOM'S and the #6 WAKO'S 4CR LC500 bagging the titles.
To see how much progress the LC has gained compared to the Z30 Soarer it draws inspiration from, I went outside the Horizon Rush site to conduct this sensible experiment. Roll the tape.
And now, the results...
Lap Times:
Soarer Z30 - 1m12.606s
LC500 - 1m06.834s
The V8-powered Lexus LC 500 is a formidable machine. In a side-by-side race, it outperformed the Toyota Soarer Z30 by six seconds quicker than the latter's time. This result is especially impressive considering that the Z30 Soarer is a formidable machine in its own right.
The Lexus LC is a grand touring car that offers drivers a sensible and enjoyable driving experience. It's a Happy Set of performance, comfort, and style that you would expect from the company behind the last V8-powered JDM sports cars. Just like the Toyota Soarer Z30, it really is "for mind cruising".
For Mind Cruising...that's what it said during the commercials for the Toyota Soarer Z30 while in the backdrop of Eric Carmen's All By Myself. Anyway, with the LC500 proving its worth, it's time for a little one-car show performance. But first...
My Lexus LC500 now has the striking image of a Kansai stagegirl we all love. I kinda miss her. I even fitted it with the LBWK kit to make it look like a Super GT racer. Touche...
Prepped for the Revue Act, my Lexus LC is prepared to take on a rather good EventLab creation that deserves no introduction. It's a circuit setting with a touge taste to it. A chance to flex some Japanese muscles on the corners. Anyway, let's roll the tape.
Nearly perfect but that's my highlight.
Lexus is the only Japanese car brand that still offers V8 engines in its sports coupes, such as the RC F and LC 500. However, as the world moves toward electric vehicles, these gas-guzzling machines are likely to become extinct. Although it sounds cruel, this is the new normal we live in but their legacies will be forever in our hearts and minds.
Just like last time, domo arigato. You made us proud.
This is where DTM's 40th-anniversary celebrations must end as Hockenheimring is the venue for the season finale. Mirko Bortolotti currently leads the driver standings. Will he be crowned champion?
Screengrab from DTM
The penultimate race of the season saw Kelvin van der Linde take the checkered flag, with Lucas Auer finishing second and Ayhancan Guven rounding out the podium in third place. In the finale, Luca Engstler is the winner but Mirko Bortolotti, who finished 2nd in this race, is crowned the DTM 2024 Champion.
Congratulations, Mirko Bortolotti, for winning the DTM 2024 Championship! This is a fitting end to DTM's 40th anniversary celebration. From dramatic overtakes, accidents, and victories, this is what the 2024 season is all about.
This is the end of the DTM 2024 season. See you next season.
The 2024 World Rally Championship continues with the Central European Rally, a rally weekend that stretches across Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic.
Ott Tanak had a promising pre-event shakedown, but Sebastien Ogier took an early lead in the opening stages. Thierry Neuville then took the lead to maintain his title hopes, but crashed out of the race on Saturday, leaving Tanak in the lead.
Screengrab from WRC
Ott Tanak's recent victory in the Central European Rally saw the gap between him and Neuville, who finished in 3rd place behind Elfyn Evans, narrowed to 25 points, 225 v 200. This victory puts Tanak in a strong position to challenge for the championship lead.
Who will be crowned the WRC 2024 champion? Find out as this season ends with the FORUM8 Rally Japan this November 21-24, 2024. Don't miss it!
Round 7 of the Autobacs Super GT 2024 Series took place at the Autopolis circuit. Drivers endured three hours of intense driving action, during which even slight mistakes can have painful consequences for their title fight.
Screengrab from SUPER GT
The #39 DENSO KOBELCO SARD GR Supra trumped the two Zs, the #23 MOTUL AUTECH Z, and the #3 Niterra MOTUL Z, to win the seventh round of this season. The GT300 class saw the #88 VENTENY Lamborghini Huracan GT3 emerge victorious while the #2 muta Racing GR86 GT finished 2nd and the #96 K-Tunes RC F GT3 finished 3rd.
After Round 7, the #36 car is leading in the GT500 class while the ##65 car leads the GT300 class.
This is where it all ends, as the 2024 Formula DRIFT Pro Championship's season finale, the TITLE FIGHT, will decide whether James Deane has the right to be crowned this season's champion amid heated competition with Aurimas Bakchis.
Will James Deane maintain his lead and win this season's title or will Bakchis steal his thunder and have the last laugh? Let's find out...
Screengrab from Formula DRIFT
James Deane's victory against Fredric Aasbo by unanimous decision in the Formula DRIFT Pro Championship's season finale made him the first four-time champion in Formula Drift history. Conor Shanahan came in third.
Congratulations, James Deane, for becoming the first-ever Formula Drift 4-time champ!
This concludes the 2024 Formula DRIFT Pro Championship. See you next season!
