The FIA is due to make a decision on Friday regarding whether it will grant a 2015 Formula One entry to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team owner Gene Haas -- or to the Romanian project fronted by Colin Kolles. The FIA on Dec. 12 announced a "call for expression of interest," and noted that it would make its decision on Feb. 28. However, when the decision will be announced to the public remains to be seen. Haas, who co-owns Stewart-Haas Racing with Tony Stewart, is tied to Ferrari, and if granted an entry would be able to take advantage of the fact that the FIA is relaxing the rules on technology sharing between teams next season. Haas would be able to buy almost everything he needs for an F1 program from Maranello. However, he has to own the intellectual property of his chassis and bodywork. The Romanian project is believed to involve state-funded backing and is in theory closer to being realized than its American rival. Lotus LMP1/LMP2 sports-car constructor Kolles, who ran the now-defunct HRT F1 team from his base near Munich, could provide existing race team and manufacturing facilities. The two candidates paid the FIA a $130,000 fee and went through a vetting process which culminated in a meeting with key FIA figures on Tuesday of this week.(Autoweek)(2-28-2014)
The Daytona 500 Win Version of Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s National Guard Chevy is predicted to be the best-selling die-cast car since Lionel Racing became The Official Die-Cast of NASCAR in 2010. Just 12 hours after Earnhardt took the checkered flag in the sport's biggest race of the season, sales of the die-cast were more than double the first full day's sales of any previous win car - including Earnhardt's "The Dark Knight Rises" Michigan Win car from 2012. The Monday after the Daytona 500, Lionel Racing was selling Earnhardt's Raced Win car through its direct-to-consumer channel at a rate of more than 100 per hour. The company's distributor and dealer orders are also trending at record levels.(.Lionel Racing Collectibles)(2-28-2014)