SBE Breaking News

Danica Patrick is set to make her NASCAR Nationwide Series debut today in the Drive4COPD 300, and it’s hard to figure out where she’ll finish.

You can’t turn on ESPN lately without hearing about Danica Patrick, and the former Indy Car driver is finally set to make her debut into the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Patrick was the biggest underdog of the field when the betting odds were released earlier this week, but she has gained some momentum since encouraging reports were released concerning her car and her ability to learn about the new style of racing.

Danica Patrick is currently listed as the 15/1 underdog to take home a victory in the Drive4COPD 300 after opening at 35/1 odds earlier in the week. The only driver with longer odds in today’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race is Jason Leffler at 35/1, according to BoDog Sportsbook.

It will definitely be an uphill battle for Patrick, and the early learning curve is likely to be too much to overcome in the early stages of her NASCAR development. That being said, Patrick obviously knows how to drive and the car her sponsors have provided is supposed to be amongst the best in the Nationwide Series.

Danica had made mention of making her NASCAR Sprint Cup debut later in the month, but for now she’ll stick with the Nationwide Series and hope to pick up a win or two before making the jump.

BoDog Sportsbook has Kyle Busch as the 3/1 favorite in today’s Drive4COPD 300, while Tony Stewart at 7/2 and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. at 5/1 are considered to be the main competition. Check out the odds to the Drive4COPD 300 and tomorrow’s Daytona 500 before making bets on your favorite NASCAR driver.
source=http://www.theonlinewire.com

For a brand that prides itself on quality, this could be a crippling blow.

In an unprecedented decision, Toyota Motor, the world leader by sales, Tuesday said it was suspending sales of eight of its most popular models in the U.S. due to potential accelerator problems. The extraordinary step follows a recall last week of 2.3 million vehicles in the U.S. and an earlier recall of 4.2 million vehicles — both due to similar issues.

These are heavy blows for a company aiming to become profitable again and raise factory operating ratios by bolstering sales. In the past two years, Toyota’s losses totaled $7.1 billion, and its stated aim is to return to profitability in the year that starts in April.

That goal is now in doubt.

The company will also halt production of the eight models for a week from Feb. 1 at several North American plants. The models represented 57% of Toyota’s 2009 sales in the U.S. — its No. 2 market by volume.
[TOYOTAHERD]

The duration of the sales suspension isn’t clear, which indicates the fixes may not be quick. Questions also remain over whether the accelerator problem extends beyond the U.S. Toyota shares dropped over 4% Wednesday in Tokyo.

In the U.S., the longer term, and potentially more onerous, problem is the damage that Toyota’s woes could cause to its strong reputation for quality and safety. That led to higher resale values and brand loyalty compared with many other Japanese and U.S. makes — factors that feed into each other to create a virtuous cycle. Once that cycle is broken, restoring it is both time-consuming and expensive.

In terms of customer loyalty, Toyota was No. 1 last year in the U.S., according to R. L. Polk & Co. That means lower advertising and marketing costs — and free word of mouth promotion.

The full impact of Tuesday’s news may not be felt until owners sell or trade in their Camry or Corolla. Toyota also may have to put aside more reserves if the residual values of cars coming off leases declines. And Honda Motor and Hyundai Motor, which compete with Toyota in making fuel-efficient, quality cars in the U.S., will be more than willing to poach its customers.

Much will depend on whether Toyota handles its latest problem well. If it stumbles, the car maker will be known not just for lean manufacturing but also lean profits.

The Honda Civic is one of the cars most reliable and popular economy compact in its class. For years he set the quality and performance standards for the affordable, compact car market.
Available in sedan or coupe bodies, but all GX and trims were powered by a 140 horsepower, 1.8-liter inline four cylinder with a standard five-speed manual transmission and optional five-speed automatic. The performance-oriented Si, comes with a 197 hp, 2.0-inline-4 liters bolted to a six-speed manual, while the GX is powered by a dedicated natural gas version of the 1.8-liter gas engine and a five -speed automatic. Safety features standard on all Civic includes ABS, six airbags, active front head restraints and tire pressure monitoring

The five-passenger CR-V is available in both front-wheel and all-wheel drive configurations, each with a choice of three trim levels: LX, EX and EX-L. All trim levels are powered by a 180-hp 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder engine, paired with a five-speed automatic transmission. The LX is equipped with 17-inch styled steel wheels, a CD player with MP3 capability and air conditioning. The EX adds alloy wheels, a power moonroof and a six-disc CD changer, while the EX-L is further outfitted with heated front seats, leather upholstery, automatic climate control and satellite radio. Standard safety features on every CR-V include anti-lock disc brakes with brake assist, Vehicle Stability Assist with traction control, front seat-mounted side airbags, front and rear side curtain airbags, active front head restraints and a tire pressure monitor.

The Chevrolet Impala is a comfortable and convenient car, practical and enjoyable to drive. It is clean and clean lines, with a fresh style that is pleasing to the eye.
The Chevrolet Impala is a comfortable and convenient car, practical and enjoyable to drive. E ‘clean lines and clean with a fresh style that is pleasing to the eye.
The Impala is a full-size front-wheel-drive sedan capable of carrying up to six people. It ‘available in three trim levels: LS, LT and LTZ. The LS and LT include a 211-hp 3.5-liter V6 is also available in E85-capable version. The LTZ includes a 233-hp 3.9-liter V6-E85 grade. All finishes come with four-speed automatic transmission. Standard equipment includes front seats, StabiliTrak, and front, side and side curtain airbags.

The Chevrolet Impala is a comfortable and convenient car, practical and enjoyable to drive. It has neat and clean lines with a fresh style that is pleasing to the eye.
The Chevrolet Impala is a comfortable and convenient car, practical and enjoyable to drive. It is clean and clean lines, with a fresh style that is pleasing to the eye.
The Impala is a full-size front-wheel-drive sedan capable of carrying up to six people. It ‘available in three trim levels: LS, LT and LTZ. The LS and LT include a 211-hp 3.5-liter V6 is also available in E85-capable version. The LTZ includes a 233-hp 3.9-liter-V6 capable E85. All finishes come with four-speed automatic transmission. Standard equipment includes front seats, StabiliTrak, and front, side and side curtain airbags.

The Prius is available in four trim levels – Prius II Prius III, IV and V Prius Prius – Prius I trim with a base scheduled to arrive before the model year. All trim levels using Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive, a hybrid technology that combines a 1.8-liter Atkinson cycle engine four-cylinder gasoline engine with a powerful electric motor to generate 134 horsepower combined, coupled to a continuously variable transmission . Every Prius has a high level of standard equipment: Prius II trim features 15-inch alloy wheels, power heated mirrors, remote keyless entry with driver door Smart Key passive entry, automatic climate control, cruise control, MP3 functionality and height driver’s seat adjustment; Prius III trim add Bluetooth wireless connectivity, satellite radio and upgraded audio with 6-disc CD changer; Prius IV trim is also equipped with heated front seats and leather upholstery, while the Prius has V 17-inch alloy wheels and self – leveling LED low-beam headlights.

Ford Fusion
With a choice of four or six cylinders, in addition to front-wheel and four-wheel drive, the Fusion has something for everyone. The powerteams are a 175-hp 2.5L four-cylinder with a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission or a 240-hp 3.0L V6 is paired with six-speed automatic transmission. The addition of a 263-hp 3.5L V6 is paired with six-speed automatic transmission is new for this year. The Fusion is available in four trim levels, S, SE, SEL, and sports. Safety features include electronic stability control and traction, security system, six airbags, and a system for monitoring tire pressure.

The 2010 Malibu has three trim levels: LS, LT and LTZ. All models have 169 hp, 2.4-liters E85 compatible four-cylinder engine as standard equipment. The LS includes a four-speed automatic transmission. The LT and LTZ include a six-speed automatic transmission. Optional on LT and LTZ is a 252-hp, 3.6-liter V6, paired with a six-speed automatic. The Malibu comes with standard safety features such as seat-mounted thorax airbags, side curtain airbags, stability control, traction control, and antilock brakes. Bluetooth is standard on the LTZ, optional on the LT. New for 2010, power lumbar driver is standard on all finishes.

The RAV4 seats five and has an available third row of seats (that folds flat into the load floor) that increases its capacity to seven. The RAV4 is a four-door, compact sport utility vehicle, available in three trim levels: Base, Sport and Limited. All finishes are available with a new, more powerful 2.5-liter, 179-hp inline-4 and four-speed automatic transmission or a 3.5-liter, 269 hp, V6 and five-speed automatic transmission. All RAV4 V6 come with Downhill Assist Control and Hill-start Assist Control. All models are available with front-wheel drive or full-time all-wheel drive. Standard on all details of this year is an anti-theft system and active front headrests.