Today NASCAR announced that after several years of discussion, DTM-style racing (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters/German Touring Car Masters) is finally coming to North America by 2016. 

I first wrote of a tie-up between NASCAR, DTM and the Japanese SuperGT series in 2010 http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/19/report-super-gt-moving-closer-to-dtm-may-adopt-kers-grand-am/

What's interesting is that this is happening now following the merger between Grand Am (owned by NASCAR) and the American Le Mans Series to form United Sports Car Racing from 2014. The DTM rules are quite different from contemporary GT race cars. 

Like NASCAR, current DTM cars use a common chassis structure although it's a more sophisticated carbon fiber structure rather an a steel tube frame. The bodywork, suspension and engines are manufacturer specific. 

So how does DTM style racing fit with USCR?
Presumably, NASCAR will retain the same race format used in Germany where DTM races are 110 mile sprint races. These new races would make perfect support races on USCR race weekends running in the morning before the longer sports car race later in the day. 

+Audi USA has already indicated that it will bring its RS5 DTM car to America for this series. Presumably +Mercedes-Benz will run its C-Class and +BMW will bring the new M4. Hopefully, we'll also see some competition from Detroit. +Ford Motor Company Mustangs, +Chevrolet Camaros and even a potential SRT Barracuda from +Chrysler would be fun to watch against the Germans. 

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Posting this for marriage equality.  Also, for bacon. 

Mustang clubs around the world are planning celebrations for this, the 50th consecutive year of production for the pony car. Ford created a special logo just for merchandise like shirts, hats and jackets (but not for the cars).
http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=37863

The other huge difference is the front tires. The Rondeau had the tiny front tires that were also typical of the formula one cars of the era. In recent years, LMP1 cars have switched to using the same size wheels and tires on the front and rear of the car. 

Whether you are a hobbyist that just wants access to a great array of tools at an affordable price or a small scale manufacturer. Last year when I was working on a story about the opening of TechShop Detroit, I met a luthier that was actually doing his business out of TechShop. Anyone that wants to create stuff or just learn should check out TechShop.

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America's most important startup?

This is a really long video. More than an hour. Why is it so long? Because Techshop could be the most important startup to United States' manufacturing industry. Here we spend an hour with CEO Mark Hatch. 

What is Techshop? It's a place where you can make things. We get an in-depth tour. You can learn more here: http://www.techshop.ws

In this video you'll also meet several startups that call Techshop home. 

This is why Techshop is so important to our economy. It's providing a place for many other startups to get going, meet cofounders, and make the things that need to be made to startup companies.

Don't miss the discussion of 3D printing at about 36 minutes into the video: America's most important startup? as we visit one of the startups located at Techshop San Francisco, Type A Machines. Learn more about this 3D Printing Startup at http://typeamachines.com

At about 45 minutes into the video we meet SF Made, a non-profit that is helping the growing manufacturing sector in San Francisco America's most important startup?

At 54 minutes into the tour we meet ProtoTank, a startup that makes unique signs. America's most important startup?

At 62 minutes into it, the founder of ProtoTank shows me a cool wearable LED system he built. America's most important startup?

Reshared post from +The Verge

This means war