I don't have much time to write up this report as I have to meet the Speedhunters team in the hotel lobby shortly, before heading out to the track.
The race is starting today at 2 in the afternoon…
… and will continue until the same time on Saturday.
So I'm sure by this time tomorrow I'll be feeling like a bit of a wreck! We're planning to stay at the circuit for the entire 24 hours.
Anyway… let me show you a few more odds and ends from the paddock area at the Dubai Autodrome.
One element I'm enjoying at the event, is the wide breadth of machines from the corners of the globe. This is the Team 930 Rush Porsche running out of Japan. I wonder if Mike has ever shot this car at Tsukuba in previous years…
It turns out that NASCAR superstar Michael Waltrip will be racing this Ferrari today. I haven't seen him, to ask what the story is behind this drive though. Any interest for us to follow up on that? Or do you want us to chat with Orido and Taniguchi some more?
Hey I want to introduce Swedish racing driver and life-long video game junkie, Patrick Soderlund to you. I shot this photo just he was just finishing a run around the track. Nutter….
What is interesting about Patrick is that not only does he race in GTs but he also recently took over the running of the entire Need for Speed gaming franchise at EA.
This effectively makes him my new boss, which I think is pretty cool. He's a hardcore car nut which in my mind makes him the perfect guy to oversee our gaming, sponsorship and media projects.
Not only will we be collaborating with Patrick on all sorts of new racing, drift and street car programs this year, but we'll also be interlinking these elements back into future Need for Speed titles. I can't wait to get started!
If you have any requests or thoughts you want me to pass to Patrick just holler…
Patrick's new involvement also means that Speedhunters.com in 2010 will be stepped up to a whole new level. Watch this space for more details. We've got some plans that will be making some big waves in the scene when they get announced.
Here Patrick's demonstrating a HANS device to Miss Formula D 2009, Miki Taka. She's going to be appearing in the new Will Roegge Dubai 24H film we've been shooting here. Should be interesting to see how this new film style we're developing for 2010 turns out!
One car that I think you guys would like check out is WRC Developments factory supported EvoX. This car has shown up on Speedhunters a few times, but it's worth another look.
It's a beautifully constructed racing machine.
Check out the intercooler setup…
I don't have enough of an eye for build details to compare this setup, to say one of the AMS time attack Evos…
But the quality seems to be top notch.
Last night as we left the circuit, the team had the engine laid out in bits across the garage floor.Valve problems…
We'll see if the Evo X makes the start today!
Ok time to get ready for breakfast and the drive out into the desert… ttyl!
:R
OFFICIAL SPEEDHUNTERS SUPPLIERS
Too cool to see this coverage trickle in RC1 - great work snappin' that shutter while bravin' the UAE.
The 24hrDubai live site has a good breadth of moment2moment action: http://live.24hseries.com/
And the video channel already has some solid clips of the NFS porsche in the first pic running qualifying rounds: http://www.youtube.com/24hnfs
awesome ......
dubai ready to roll
love the last photo..
wish i was there =[
That would be awesome if you guys could talk to Waltrip! It's always great hearing from guys like him. NOB is also always a lot of fun to hear from as well.
Wall paper photo 1. Or Miki Taka, you're call!
"Speedhunters.com in 2010 will be stepped up to a whole new level." as long as Speedhunters doesn't lose any of it's current greatness and still includes content like we're seeing at the moment, I'll be happy!
Great post Rod !
Congrats guys, looking forward to a great 2010 with Speedhunters! Good work boys
Id like to see more on Waltrip is possible. Its awesome to see the diversity of drivers at this event.
Tell patrick we need a GOOD drifting game, I would buy that in an instant!
I'd defintiely be interested in finding out more about Michael Waltrip being there. I'm not a huge NASCAR fan, but any interest in sportscar racing from such a well-known, well-monied and well connected guy has to speak well towards a possible future involvement in ALMS or similar. I bet he could run a 2-car GT2 program for 5 years for the amount of money his NASCAR team spends in 1!
Perhaps a switch of series is in the cards for Michael?
To Patrick Soderlund.
Don`t remove stuff from car games, add more.
Pro street had drag race, shift does not
Its fun because you can run over and over and over and perfection the setup and your technique.
@Golf_RSR
Waltrip & Ambrose are racing in Dubai because of a business connection between AF Corsa and Michael Waltrip Racing. Rob Kauffman (one of the Co-Drivers) is the Co-Owner of AF Corsa & a Co-Owner of Michael Waltrip Racing. JTG Daugherty Racing (Ambrose's NASCAR team) has technical partnership with Waltrip Racing.
Tho I wouldn't mind seeing either one of them with AF Corsa at Sebring this year, the ALMS could definitely use the shot in the arm for 2010.
Man, this is incredible. Really looking forward to this..
Love it! Thank you guys! Enjoy Dubai and everything that awesome place has to offer. Go Porsche!
Great post! Tell Patrick that I beat him in FIFA 10 anytime! GL HF....
Can you tell Patrick if they can create a Need For Speed similar to High Stakes or Hot Pursuit, with tons of exotic cars from the 90's, cops and beautiful tracks that run along a coast with a big forest on the side? Really, I miss that style. Since NFS Underground came out everything changed. I'm not the only one with this way of thinking... plenty of members from the NFS community would like this. Please, consider this suggestion.
Thanks.
Awesome coverage Rod.. Lets hear more about the American drivers there.. Are there any US prepped cars?
Great coverage as usual..
And your new boss sounds like a great asset to the EA team.. Sounds like 2010 will be an interesting year..
im very glad speedhunters is growing
im also glad ive been a part of it for a while now
you guys should definitely continiue the underground franchise with all the same chararcters from most wanted, underground 2 and 1 and carbon together in the same game, plus all the different elements of racing you guys have discovered...a mess of a great game
rod
can you tell patrick great to see a hardcore porsche driving car nut head of the franchise, can we have more shift oriented games plese i like shift but i would love to see oulton park,oschlaben and many other real life tracks please thats what it needs, and don't continue the underground franchise, street racing is so last decade, make games for the hardcore fans not the street racers please