First race of the sportycar season... wrapped.

KONI: Auberlen, Bell Win Grand-Am KONI Sports Car Challenge Opener

To the victors go the spoils. The spoils in Bill Auberlen's case? His wife, of course. (She's the one on the right. Like it matters.)

Go get some rest racing faithful. Tomorrow is a big day.

Daytona update

Youtube helps out with some fresh updates from the 47th Rolex 24 At Daytona. Below you will find updates from both the Farnbacher Loles and TRG GT efforts. (It was Sylvain Tremblay in GT quals who captured the pole. That's the two in row for his Mazda RX at the 24.)

David Donohue put the No. 58 Brumos Porsche DP on pole. Timo Bernhard was p2 in the newly formed Penske Porsche DP program.

Donohue Captures Rolex 24 At Daytona Pole 40 Years After Father's Victory.

Session one qualifying results.

Session two qualifying results.

The Koni Challenge race will run at 1:45 PM ET this afternoon. Live timing and scoring can be had here.

Race cars make the world happy.

Stolen from the interwebs

-Rolex 24 edition.

Official entry list.

Event schedule.

TV schedule:

Jan 24, 3:00 PM ET, FOX
Jan 24, 4:30 PM ET, SPEED
Jan 25, 7:00 AM ET, SPEED

Completely extraneous montage of 80's IMSA machinery at Daytona:

Damn it, we're getting fired up.

Welcome back

Rb editors, staff, our droves of freelancers, and the little Filipino boy who makes us coffee would like to officially welcome you to the 2009 motor racing season. This past month has been a welcome reprieve from the pressures and stress associated with operating the finest motor racing weblog on the intertubes. But the vacation is over. Sporty cars will be turning wheels in anger this weekend at Daytona. Will we be there? No. Will have access to any insider news from the event? Doubtful. Will we cherry pick links and embed youtube video with little discretion? Hell yes. We're back, baby.

Let us all have a great race year.

Return of the Partyboy

Al Unser, Jr.'s name seems to be intrinsically linked with booze and domestic violence. You can now add "sex tape blackmail victim" to that list. Take it away local Action News Team:

Unser is mentioned in counts 72 and 73 of the indictment. The DA's office said McMullin told Unser he had video of the racing legend in a "compromising position." McMullin allegedly asked Unser for $750,000, or he would release the tape to the public.

Now, according to this story Little Al is nothing but a victim. He did allegedly pay some cash to this skeeze (McMullin) to keep something under wraps. That could point to a sex tape actually existing. Just food for thought. Food for disgusting thought, but still.

Can we now call this the year of the motor racing sex tape? First Max Mosley, now Little Al. We advise A.J. Foyt to keep the old High-8 under lock and key.

DA: Unser a victim of blackmail scheme (KOB 4)

Unser Pays Pimp to Hide “Compromising” Video (SbB)

Al Unser Victim Of Prostitution Ring Blackmail Plot? Let's Go To The Videotape (Deadspin*)

*We love Deadspin more than anyone, but come on guys, tagging this story 'NASCAR'? You're better than that. Really, you are.

According to GrandPrix.com (via Jalopnik) Honda's F1 outfit could be on the market. No word has come from Japan. Mark Cuban's checkbook is MIA. Coincidence?

Maybe they are not selling as many Accords as we all thought.

Honda Rumored To Be Selling F1 Team

Stolen from the interwebs

Its been called the laziest post in blogging, link dumps, shit clicks, the list goes on... Occasionally we like to get in on the act, because we are lazy as shit. Where's the harm in that? So, here is our latest iteration of the motor racing-themed, Stolen From the Interwebs. We'll take credit for the name. +1 us.

The fast approaching NASCAR awards banquet is quite the social gathering of roughnecks. We always found it slightly odd that NYC, specifically the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, is the chosen locale for the event. Wouldn't an Arthur Treacher's in the Charlotte area be more fitting? How about the Cracker Barrel in the parking lot of Daytona International? They probably have a room that could be reserved for larger parties. Alas, 301 Park Ave has been the home of NASCAR's tuxedo night for almost 30-years. During that time some pretty interesting/entertaining moments have occurred. Ryan McGee counts them down at the WWL. Here's a sample:

Worst Toast

In 2006, Kyle Busch thanked his girlfriend Eva for her support … then remembered that her name was actually Erica.

The big question on awards night: Are those tuxedos fireproof? (espn.com)

The price of a visor strip on Lewis Hamilton's helmet? Rather high. Like $22 million, high. Diageo (the hooch company behind Guinness, Smirnoff, and Johnnie Walker) is forking over that amount for their Johnnie Walker brand to be prominently displayed on the new champs helmet and suit. Of course, this is not a new deal for walking man scotch brand as they have been associated with McLaren for some time. But, $22 million? We thought you were supposed to hunker down in these trying times. Ah, unless you provide the world with the one thing that can take minds off of the horrendous economic situation... High powered booze. Let us all toast the demise of our retirement funds.

Johnnie Walker Pays $22 Million For Visor Sticker (TIMES ONLINE via SbB)

If there is one thing that racing journalism Czar Gordon Kirby hates, it's spec car racing. Every two weeks or so he pens a scathing article on the demise of racing and the culprit (cars that look alike). Here is his latest piece, published moments before he nailed it to Tony George's door.

The Way It Is/ Fighting the great spec car plague (gordonkirby.com)