Category Archives: Celebrity Auto News

Danica Patrick crashes in her final spring NASCAR race

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Posted in Celebrity Auto News, Chevrolet, Dodge - DO NOT USE

On Saturday, racing superstar Danica Patrick wrecked in her third and final NASCAR race before she will head back to the IndyCar Series.

Patrick, who has had an unceremonious beginning to her NASCAR career, collided with Michael McDowell on lap 83 of this weekend’s Sam’s Town 300 Nationwide Series race.

After getting fresh tires, Patrick quickly caught up to McDowell’s slowing Dodge that had lost its rear end in a previous accident. Outside of turn one, Patrick tried to pass McDowell on the inside, but he drifted low into her path, causing her number 7 Chevy to wreck. The accident ended the day for both drivers.

“I tried to give the outside, I saw her coming into it and I closed the door,” said McDowell. “It was completely 100 percent my fault. I hate it for everyone at JR Motorsports. Like I said, I take 100 percent responsibility.”

The crash was especially unfortunate for Patrick, who was having her best race of the season and even found herself in third place after a strategic pit stop.

The media darling will now head to the IndyCar Series for four months before coming back to NASCAR for a few races at the end of the summer. Veteran driver Kevin Harvick took the checkered flag on Saturday after leading 83 of the 200 laps.

Autographed Chrysler 300 raises $100,000 for Haiti

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Posted in Celebrity Auto News, Chrysler - DO NOT USE

On Saturday, the Leake Auction House in Oklahoma City helped raise money to benefit earthquake relief efforts in Haiti by auctioning off a Chrysler 300 autographed by over 250 celebrities.

Two car aficionados, Richard Freeman, owner of Elite Motorsports, and Marty Robertson, proprietor of Evolution Custom Auto, together made the winning $100,000 bid to take home the custom piece of automotive memorabilia, according to NewsOK.com.

Leake Auction also offered to donate their $10,000 commission fee to the American Red Cross in order to do their part.

“People have really opened their hearts to help Haiti,” said the auction house’s president Richard Sevenoaks, quoted by the news source. “[We are] honored to do our part.”

The event also raised an additional $2,400 in cash donations.

The special edition Chrysler 300, which is currently one of the more popular options in the large sedan segment, was autographed by hundreds of big-name celebrities at last month’s Golden Globe awards. The American automaker donated the car last month to the Stars for a Cause foundation, a non-profit that hosts a celebrity charity event every year.

Tiger apologizes for extra-marital affairs

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Posted in Cadillac - DO NOT USE, Celebrity Auto News

On Friday, nearly three months after crashing his Cadillac Escalade outside of his home in Windermere, Florida, golfing superstar Tiger Woods made his first public appearance, apologizing for his long history of extra-marital affairs.

In front of approximately 40 friends and select members of the media, Woods read a 14-minute prepared statement. He apologized to his fans, children who looked up to him as a role model and his wife Elin, who did not attend the press conference.

“I was unfaithful. I had affairs. I cheated,” Woods said. “What I did was not acceptable.”

The world’s number one golfer took no questions from the media and indicated that he would not respond to future inquiries about the specifics of his past relationships.

After reading his statement, which was nationally syndicated on every major network, Woods headed back to Mississippi where he will reenter a sexual rehabilitation clinic.

As for golf, Woods suggested that he could return to the course by the end of the year, but made no promises.

“When I do return, I need to make my behavior more respectful of the game,” he concluded.

Hulk Hogan settles with son’s crash victim

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Posted in Celebrity Auto News, Toyota

On Friday, professional wrestling superstar Hulk Hogan settled a lawsuit with the family of John Graziano, who was critically injured in an automobile accident caused by the television personality’s son Nick.

In 2007, the 25-year-old Graziano was a passenger in Hogan’s Toyota Supra when the 19-year-old reality TV star lost control of the vehicle, smashing into a nearby palm tree. While Nick was left with minor injuries, Graziano, who is an Iraq war veteran, sustained severe brain injuries, leaving him in a minimally-conscious state and requiring full-time care.

Last year, the younger Hogan pleaded no contest to felony reckless driving involving great bodily harm. He was eventually sentenced to eight months in prison, but only served five.

Exact terms of the financial settlement were not released, although the victim’s family said it will take millions to care for him over the years, according to the Associated Press.

“We are very happy because our goal all along was to ensure that John was provided with the appropriate care for the rest of his life,” Graziano’s family attorney Kim Kohn told Entertainment News. “And the settlement will do that.”

Tiger Woods to make prepared statement on Friday

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Posted in Buick- DO NOT USE, Cadillac - DO NOT USE, Celebrity Auto News

Nearly three months after crashing his Cadillac Escalade outside of his home in Windermere, Florida, Tiger Woods has resurfaced. The world’s number one golfer will address select members of the media on Friday to deliver a prepared statement regarding his highly publicized extramarital affairs.

Woods has taken immediate criticism for the decision because he will be speaking in front of a hand-picked group of reporters and will not be taking any questions.

“Of course he’s not going to take any questions,” said celebrity image consultant Michael Levine on the Early Show, responding to the widespread abhorrence regarding Wood’s decision. “Nor should he. If I represented him, I wouldn’t allow him to take questions either. The potentiality for salacious questions is just too great.”

Meanwhile, General Motors vice chairman Bob Lutz recently recalled the automaker’s good fortune in severing all ties with their former spokesman before the scandal erupted, according to USA Today.

“We weren’t too lucky with Tiger Woods for Buick,” said Lutz, adding that GM’s relationship with Woods did little to help sell Buick brand vehicles.

It is still unclear when Woods will return to professional golf.

McMurray wins Daytona 500 despite multiple delays

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Posted in Celebrity Auto News, Chevrolet

After numerous delays and cautions, NASCAR veteran Jamie McMurray finally took home the checkered flag at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, more than six hours after the season-opening race began.

NASCAR officials were left blushing after their hallmark race due to their failure to properly fix a pothole that developed during the competition. Attempts to mend the break in the concrete took a total of 2 hours and 23 minutes – “equivalent to the NFL halting the Super Bowl in the fourth quarter because a goalpost collapsed and taking two hours to right it,” the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

“We’re the world center of racing,” said Robin Braig, the Daytona track president. “This is the Daytona 500. This is not supposed to happen, and I take full responsibility.”

The unfortunate racetrack conditions overshadowed a thrilling 45-lap finish that featured five drivers swapping the lead nine different times. Race champion McMurray only led the final two laps, a record low for a Daytona 500 winner, according to Auto Week. A total of 21 competitors led the race at some point, also a record.

NASCAR’s slumping superstar Dale Earnhardt Jr finished second to McMurray after successfully passing several cars down the stretch.

Danica Patrick crashes in her NASCAR debut

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Posted in Celebrity Auto News, Chevrolet

Indycar superstar Danica Patrick had a rough start to her NASCAR career on Saturday, finishing 35th out of 43 drivers after being caught up in a 12-car wreck at the 4COPD 300 Nationwide Series race at Daytona International Speedway.

Patrick, who started the race in 15th position in her number 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet, had a difficult time adjusting to the bumper-to-bumper racing that sets NASCAR apart from open-wheel competition.

After Patrick dropped to 33rd place after a mere 40 laps, her crew chief, Tony Eury Jr, got on the radio to try to talk the media darling into driving more aggressively so that she could stay in the draft with the other cars, the Village Daily Sun reports. Just a few minutes later, Patrick stalled out while trying to leave the pits, dropping her even farther back.

On lap 69, several competitors in front of Patrick became involved in a large wreck, forcing her high up into the wall, ending her day.

“This is a lot more difficult racing,” she said following the wreck. “It’s never fun to crash up a perfectly good race car when it’s not your fault.”

NASCAR veteran Tony Stewart won his fifth Nationwide Series race in six years at Daytona International Speedway.

Sesame Street’s Loretta Long doing well after being hit by car in New Jersey

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Posted in Celebrity Auto News

On Tuesday evening, longtime Sesame Street star Loretta Long was struck by a car while walking near her New Jersey home.

The veteran actress was crossing Route 130 at Dutch Neck Road when she was hit by a vehicle and carried approximately 70 feet on the hood of the car until falling onto the pavement. She was taken to Fuld Hospital in Trenton, New Jersey where she was treated for head injuries and a broken shin.

“I never saw the guy and I guess he never saw me,” Long told The Trentonian. “I have no idea what happened. I was crossing the street going to the Rite-Aid, and when I opened my eyes, I thought, ‘Am I doing an episode of ‘ER’?’ Because I was already in the ambulance.”

Long, 71, who played the character Susan on Sesame Street for 40 years, is still in the hospital but is said to be doing much better.

The East Windsor Police Department has questioned the motorist involved in the incident, although the matter remains under investigation.

Martin and Earnhardt Jr snag the pole positions at Daytona

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Posted in Celebrity Auto News, Chevrolet

On Saturday, NASCAR veterans Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt Jr posted the two fastest qualifying times for this weekend’s Daytona 500, guaranteeing them both front row starting spots in the 43-car field.

Martin, who is the oldest driver to win the pole at Daytona, was the only competitor to turn in a lap topping 191 miles per hour. His number 5 Chevrolet will start alongside the 88 Chevy of Earnhardt Jr, who had a disastrous 2009 when he did not win a race. He finished 25th in the points race and failed to qualify for the season-ending championship playoff, according to the LA Times.

“Hopefully we can get the ball rolling,” said the 2004 Daytona 500 champion after his qualifying run.

Martin and Earnhardt Jr are the only drivers to have solidified their starting positions in Sunday’s race. Although the top 35 drivers from last season’s points race are guaranteed positions, their starting spots will not be decided until Thursday’s 150-mile qualifying races, the Mercury News reports.

The final eight spots in the field will also be handed out on Thursday.

Charlie Sheen’s Mercedes found at the bottom of a cliff

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Posted in Celebrity Auto News, Mercedes-Benz

The Mercedes sports utility vehicle belonging to actor Charlie Sheen was found early this morning at the bottom of a steep ravine near his home in Sherman Oaks, California.

According to the Associated Press, the Los Angeles Police Department received a 911 call early Friday morning regarding a vehicle that was found lying face down at the bottom of a cliff near Mulholland Drive. Shortly after 4 AM, Sheen called to report that his $160,000 Mercedes SUV had been stolen.

After searching the area, local authorities found no evidence that anyone was in the vehicle at the time of the crash. The LAPD is treating the incident as an auto theft.

Sheen, who was recently arrested after a domestic incident involving his wife Brooke, jokingly told The Insider this morning that “it was nice to have police come to my house and for once and I didn’t have to leave with them.”

Meanwhile, the celebrity gossip website TMZ is reporting that the 44-year-old TV star is going to be charged early next week with felony menacing and misdemeanor assault for allegedly putting a knife to his wife’s throat several weeks ago.