Automotive

By Christopher A. Randazzo

Trucks are the in-thing these days, there’s no doubt about it. And with the truck market being so big, it is starting to spawn off little markets in itself. One of those being the rugged off-road market. We’re not just taking about trucks that can go off-road, we’re talking about trucks that offer the ultimate in off-road capability, like the Ford Raptor, Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 and Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro. But now, if we take a step back and ask – who makes one of the best off-road vehicles, well that’s a no-brainer, it’s Jeep with its Wrangler. So, it would seem fitting for Jeep to add its two cents into this new ultimate off-road truck market. And it has, and it’s called the Gladiator.

One can best think of the new 2020 Jeep Gladiator as a Jeep Wrangler with a 5-foot cargo bed in place of its normal rear cargo area. To be more specific, the Gladiator is a four-door Wrangler Unlimited with a longer wheelbase. This isn’t the first time Jeep has built some sort of Jeep-truck. Flashback nearly 30 years and you might recall the Scrambler.

Jeep will offer this all-new model in four different trim levels. The base Sport is bare bones with steel wheels, 5-inch central display and crank windows. Post-Millennials probably have never seen crank windows, so they may want to look at the Sport S which adds power windows and door locks along with 17-inch alloy wheels. The Overland model dresses the Gladiator up in 18-inch wheels, LED lighting and a 7-inch infotainment system. At the top of the food chain is the Rubicon. Much like the Wrangler Rubicon, the Gladiator Rubicon gets many off-road goodies such as locking front and rear differentials, an electronically disconnectable front stabilizer bar, Fox shock absorbers, and body-protecting rock rails and skid plates. And just like the Wrangler, the Gladiator comes with a soft top that can be removed for open-air driving, with a hard top available as an option.

Currently the only engine available in the Gladiator is the 3.6-liter V6 making 285 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque routed through a standard six-speed manual transmission or an optional eight-speed automatic. Jeep will eventually offer a diesel 3.0-liter V-6 that develops 260 horses and an impressive 442 lb-ft of torque, but we will have to wait until 2020. Like the Wrangler, every Gladiator is four-wheel drive.

The Gladiator that Jeep had me in last week was a silver Sport S model. Decked out with plenty of features including the larger infotainment center screen, a soft top and roll up toneau cover, it came with a $48,915 MSRP. The base Sport model starts at just under $33,600.

Those familiar with the Wrangler’s interior will feel right at home in the Gladiator. The Wrangler’s upright dashboard, window controls in the center and padded roll over bars are all present in the Gladiator. Being it’s a Jeep, the controls are easy to use and within reach. The cloth seats in the test vehicle are fitting for this type of vehicle, but leather seating surfaces are available.

Of course, the main thing about the Gladiator is that it’s got a decent size bed that allows you to toss things into. But the Gladiator can also tow. When equipped with the Max Tow Package (which includes a 4.10 Axle Ratio with the automatic transmission), the Gladiator can tow up to 7650 pounds. That’s a good size boat.

And let’s not forget that the Gladiator’s DNA originates from the Wrangler, meaning we know it can go off-road.

For the off-road pick-up truck junkie, the Gladiator seems to check all the boxes. Capable off-road? Check. Good size pickup bed? Able to tow? Check and check. Throw in the feature that you can drop it’s top, and not only does the Gladiator sound good – it stands apart from the rest.

By The Numbers:

2020 Jeep Gladiator Sport S 4×4

Base Price: $33,545.00
Price as Tested: $48,915.00
Layout: front-engine / four-wheel drive
Engine: 3.6 liter V6
Transmission: 8 – speed automatic
Horsepower: 360 hp
Torque: 390 ft/lb
EPA Fuel Economy: 17 city / 22 highway mpg

[Visit me at www.carsbycar.blogspot.com or email me at autocran@gmail.com]

By Christopher A. Randazzo

As the current Ford Expedition enters its second year of production, it still remains a sight to see and drive, especially when it’s in the form of the Expedition Max, which is the subject of this week’s auto-review.

The Expedition, all-new last year, is huge. Unlike most SUVs these days that use a unibody construction (like most cars), the Expedition remains an old-school body-on-frame SUV. But the new sheetmetal, which is now made from aluminum, makes the enormous Expedition lighter than the previous, smaller model.

Coming in at a few inches longer than the last model, this fourth-generation Expedition continues to be available in two sizes – its regular form or as the Expedition MAX. As the MAX, the Expedition is nearly a foot longer than the regular version, allowing it to compete with Chevrolet and it’s Suburban.

With the MAX, those extra 12 inches go a very long way. Passengers benefit most as nine of those inches are in the wheelbase, which translates into more cabin room, slightly larger rear doors and easier access to the third-row seats.

Since 2015, a V8 could no longer be had in the Expedition. Instead, the Expedition and Expedition MAX get by with Ford’s 3.5 EcoBoost V6. I still find it hard to image a vehicle this size being powered by only six cylinders, but the numbers are quite impressive: 375 horsepower and 470 lb. ft of torque. It gets better if you move up to the top of the line Platinum trim level where the same motor is tuned to 400 hp and 480 lb ft of torque.

Every Expedition uses a 10-speed automatic transmission and is available in either two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive.

As a people mover, the Expedition seats eight – 2 up front, 3 in the second row, and 3 in the third-row seat. If you opt for the captain’s chairs in the middle row, the total count falls by one. As a cargo hauler, the regular Expedition can transport up to 108 cubic feet of cargo. But go with the MAX and that jumps to 131 cubic feet. On top of that, the Expedition is capable of towing up to 9,200 pounds. No doubt, the Expedition is a worker, whether to haul people, cargo or a trailer.

I found the third-row seats in the Expeditions very comfortable – probably the best in the business (both versions offer the same amount of room for third row passengers). These are vehicles that are made to have people sitting in the third-row, and you can tell that Ford went to great lengths to accommodate them. In fact, one Ford engineer told me that they made it so passengers over six feet tall could sit back there in comfort.

My family had the privilege of taking the Expedition MAX on a 1300-mile road trip across the state of Texas and into New Mexico. With just three of us, the MAX easily swallowed up all out luggage, coolers and even a bicycle – and left us with plenty of room to spare. The back-seat climate control was a life saver in the Texas heat and the three of us were always comfortable. Add to that a second-row seat that can recline, and traveling down the interstate hardly gets better.

On the road, the turbocharged V6 really makes the Expedition move – far better than any V8 ever did. Just a little tip into the gas pedal causes the big SUV to smoothly lunge forward. While we didn’t see the 21 mpg EPA rating that the Expedition is given, we did manage to get an average of 19.6 mpg.

Like all Expeditions before it, the current Expedition feels as big as it looks. Parking it takes careful planning and changing lanes needs to be done well in advance. It’s a little much to use everyday to go back and forth from the office, especially if you’re driving solo, but for a trip vehicle, the Expedition continues to be the one for that journey.

By The Numbers:

2019 Ford Expedition MAX Limited 4X4

Base Price: $68,825.00
Price as Tested: $75,680.00
Layout: front-egine / rear-wheel drive
Engine: 3.5liter twin turbo V6 EcoBoost
Transmission: 10 – speed automatic
Horsepower: 375 hp
Torque: 470 ft-lbs
EPA Fuel Economy: 16 city / 21 highway

[Visit me at www.carsbycar.blogspot.com or email me at autocran@gmail.com]

By Chris Randazzo

The cute little Toyota RAV4 is no more. No, no – Toyota didn’t discontinue their best-selling vehicle. But what was once described as a “cute-ute”, the loveable RAV4 is now more tough than cute as Toyota has redesigned it for 2019.

The all-new RAV4 remains a five-passenger crossover and is slotted above the subcompact C-HR and below the Highlander and features styling cues that are more inline with the 4Runner, with it’s hard creases and edges taking over the previous RAV4’s soft smooth lines.

Available in five different trim levels, the RAV4, which stands for Recreational Active Vehicle, sports a chunky, squarish look, in a way demonstrating that the RAV4 is all-new. Go with the Adventure trim (as the tester is), and the RAV4 gets some exterior cladding making me wonder if the designers have been hanging out with the folks from Subaru a bit much. The RAV4s good looks makes it fit in with the attractive crowd it competes in, which includes the likes of the Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5 and the Ford Escape.

The cabin of the new RAV4 is quite impressive. Base LEs, XLE and XLE Premium get 7-inch touchscreens while the Adventure and the Limited get 8-inch touchscreens. All RAV4s are Apple CarPlay ready. The controls and switches are easy to use – and big – so using them with gloves on shouldn’t be an issue. The thick steering wheel is perfectly sized and there is a good solid feel to the shifter, both of which assist in a better driving experience.

With no third-row seat to contend with, space for the five passengers becomes the RAV4’s biggest asset. Driver and passenger have plenty of room up front, and in the back a pair of adults will have nothing to complain about on short trips thanks to a reclining second-row seat. Sure – squeeze three in the back, and things get a little too close for comfort – but if that is going to be a common occurrence, a mid-size SUV would better suited.

Powering all RAV4s is an all-new 2.5 liter four-cylinder engine. Rated at 203 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque, this new engine makes 27 more horses and 12 more lb-ft of torque than the previous model’s engine – which was the same size. Not only that, fuel economy gets a boost – to 26 city / 35 highway (from 24/31) for front-wheel drive models. My All-Wheel Drive RAV4 Adventure is rated at 25 mpg city and 33 mpg highway. All RAV4s use an eight-speed automatic trans axle.

It should be noted that the Adventure trim level is not just cosmetics. Besides the cool cladding and 19-inch wheels, it also gets an upgraded all-wheel-drive system that includes torque-vectoring technology. This can disconnect the rear axle at times, allowing the torque to be independently distributed to the left or right rear wheels depending on driving condition. The Adventure trim level is also rated to tow up to 3,500 pounds, while all other RAV4 trim levels can only pull 1,500 pounds.

As a utility vehicle, Toyota has done their homework by giving the RAV4 a large cargo bay and a low load floor. There is about 38 cubic feet of storage behind the rear sear, but when folded down (its folds nearly flat), that jumps to nearly 70 cubic feet.
In my time with the new RAV4 I discovered it to be quite an enjoyable vehicle. It looks great, feels solid, and it’s fairly roomy for its size. It is even fun to drive and sure appears to be quite practical. The RAV4 has come a long way from being a little ‘cute-ute’ and has turned into fully functional crossover SUV – topped off with Toyota reliability.

By The Numbers:

2019 Toyota RAV4 Adventure AWD

Base Price: $32,900.00
Price as Tested: $37,949.00
Layout: front-engine / all-wheel drive
Engine: 2.5 liter 4-cylinder
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Horsepower: 203 horsepower
Torque: 184 ft/lbs
EPA Fuel Economy: 25 city / 33 highway mpg

[Visit me at www.carsbycar.blogspot.com or email me at autocran@gmail.com]

By Rick Minter / Andrews McMeel Syndication

The final laps of Sunday’s Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway showed that Kevin Harvick’s nickname, “The Closer,” still applies.

Harvick took the lead during the final caution period with 35 laps remaining by staying on the track while Denny Hamlin, who had led the previous 113 consecutive laps, went to pit road for two new right-side tires.

On the restart, Harvick held the lead while Hamlin quickly moved from his fourth starting position to second place. Despite the fresher tires, he never got close to Harvick until the final lap, when he bumped him in Turn One and pulled alongside.
The two ran essentially side by side down the backstretch, with Hamlin on the outside. As Hamlin moved to the outside of Harvick off Turn Four, Harvick turned right to protect his position, and Hamlin could not overcome the move.

That allowed Harvick to scoot away and get his first win of the season and his first since last fall at Texas Motor Speedway. It also was the first win of the season for his four-driver Stewart-Haas Racing team.
Harvick said he expected both bumps from Hamlin and moved to the inside of the track, where he hadn’t been running, to keep Hamlin from knocking him out of the way.

“I knew [Hamlin] was going to take a shot,” Harvick said. “I would have taken a shot. I just stood on the brakes and tried to keep it straight. I just didn’t want to get him back on the inside and let him have another shot. I at least wanted to be in control of who was going to have contact in [Turns] Three and Four.

“It was a heck of a finish, closer than we wanted.”
Harvick said he wasn’t sure his crew chief, Rodney Childers, was making the right call when he left him on the track with old tires with more than 30 laps left to run.

“I was really questionable about how that was going to go, and the thing took right off,” he said. “The only thing that was not good for us was we got the traffic and my car started pushing. … [The no-pit-stop call] was our only chance. I would have never done it, but that’s why [Childers] is on the box and not me.”

Hamlin, who was smiling afterward despite coming up short, said he was willing to bump Harvick but not outright wreck him.
“I wanted to just tap him there, but I didn’t want to completely screw him,” he said. “I at least wanted to give him a fair shot there. Down the backstretch, I kind of let off, and I’m like, ‘All right, well, I’ll just pass him on the outside and kind of do this thing the right way,’ and once I had that big run, he just turned right. But I would do the same thing. It was a fun race, and congratulations to him and his team. They made a great [no-pit-stop] call there at the end.”
Hamlin also lamented the fact that his primary car, which he wrecked in practice on Friday, was much faster than the backup, which he nonetheless drove from the rear to lead 113 laps, second only to Kyle Busch’s 118. “This is nowhere near the car I wrecked on Friday,” he said.

Erik Jones finished third, giving his playoff hopes a major boost, while Ryan Blaney took fourth over Matt DiBenedetto, who scored an impressive top-five finish for his underdog No. 95 team. It was the second top-five of his Cup career and his second in the past five races, the first being a fourth-place at Sonoma Raceway.
“I reiterate it, but it took a lot of people for me to get this deal,” DiBenedetto said. “I’ll never go a day without appreciating it. It’s awesome. Great day for the team.”

PHOTO CAPTION:Kevin Harvick and his son, Keelan, celebrate Harvick’s victory with a live, but restrained, lobster following Dad’s win at New Hampshire on Sunday.Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images for NASCAR

By Christopher A. Randazzo

When the Hyundai Tucson was launched back in 2004, it appeared to me as the ugly-duckling in the Hyundai lineup – it just was not an attractive SUV. Things got better five years later when the second-generation Tucson came out – as the Tucson started to look more attractive and appealing. Then in 2015, the current Tucson debuted – and I said it was one of the best-looking small SUV’s around. For 2019, the little Tucson gets a mid-cycle makeover that keeps it competitive as well as looking sharp.

The 2019 Hyundai Tucson receives some new styling changes upfront where it gets an updated grille and headlamps. There are also some new wheel designs along with a few new exterior colors to choose from. Inside, the cabin gets a new dashboard design, incorporating the new “iPad glued to the dash” look.

Under the hood, the turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder is gone. The base engine (found in the SE and Value models) continues to be a 2.0 liter four-cylinder that makes 164 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque. Replacing the turbo engine is a 2.4 liter four-cylinder that makes 181 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque. Horsepower is up from the turbo engine (175 to 181), but torque falls (from 195 to 175).

Step inside the Tucson and a spacious cabin hosts a very nice, yet simple interior. The iPad-looking display is 7-inches except on the top-of-the-line Limited model where an 8-inch display is used. Also standard on every Tucson is Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Smartphone integration. Getting comfortable in the Tucson is easy as passenger seating in both front and back is very spacious – with the back seats being able to accommodate 6-footers with ease.

When put to work, the Tucson can carry 31 cubic feet of cargo behind the rear seats. Fold the rear seats down, and that space increases to almost 62 cubic feet. Not bad, but still behind the bench-mark Honda CR-V than can handle 39 cubic feet behind the back seat and 75 cubic feet when the back seat is down.

The test car that I was in was decked out in the top-of-the-line Ultimate trim level. Being the Ultimate, the Tucson was fitted with a panoramic sunroof, vented front seats, adaptive cruise control along with the larger engine and a few other high-tech luxury features. It carried a price tag of just $32,730.

On the road, the Tucson proved that its good looks are not for waste. The Tucson is a fine driving machine. The drivetrain is assertive despite the small size and the Tucson feels and handles nicely. Power is adequate – the torque from last year’s turbocharged engine is missed – but it’s not a deal breaker. Taking it through the paces, I found the Tucson to be quiet and comfortable, delivering a composed, sporty drive without being the least bit uncomfortable. Besides the shortage of power, the only other drawback I experienced with the Tucson with the below average fuel economy it delivers. Rated at 22 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway, the Tucson isn’t as fuel efficient as one would expect.

Still, with its stylish exterior, touched off by some sharp 18” wheels, the looks of the Tucson continue to be its greatest asset. Likewise, the cabin is equally inviting and a great place to be. Add in the fact that the Tucson easily undercuts its rivals in price and offers the longest powertrain warranty in the business, and it’s easy to see why the Tucson remains a very popular and attractive compact SUV.

By The Numbers:

2019 Hyundai Tucson Limited FWD

Base Price: $31,550.00
Price as Tested: $32,730.00
Layout: front-engine / front-wheel drive
Engine: 2.4 liter four-cylinder
Transmission: six-speed automatic
Horsepower: 181 hp
Torque: 175 ft-lbs
EPA Fuel Economy: 22 city / 28 highway mpg

[Visit me at www.carsbycar.blogspot.com or email me at autocran@gmail.com]

By Rick Minter / Andrews McMeel Syndication

Sunday’s rain-delayed, rain-shortened Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway ended with the unlikeliest of winners — 20-year-old Justin Haley, an Xfinity Series driver making just his third start in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and driving for a No. 77 Spire Motorsports team that operates on a shoestring budget compared to the top teams in the circuit.

Haley inherited the lead late in the 400, which was scheduled to be run Saturday night but was pushed to Sunday because of rain, just after an 18-car crash on Lap 120 that eliminated many of the top teams and drivers.

As the drivers still in the race circled the track under caution, NASCAR officials informed teams that the green flag would be displayed one lap later.
Race leader Kurt Busch led a parade of drivers down pit road for fresh tires and fuel, but Haley stayed on the track, taking the lead and hoping that for some reason the race would not be restarted.

Haley got his wish in the form of a lightning strike seven miles from the track, which led to a 30-minute delay as per NASCAR’s weather procedures.
After two hours of delays due to lightning, rain, more lightning and more rain, NASCAR ended the race at that point with Haley, who was running 27th prior to the multi-car crash, scoring one of the biggest upsets in NASCAR history.

Haley, who led only the 127th and final lap, is the 20th driver to get his first Cup win at Daytona, and the 10th to do so in the July race. He’s also the track’s second-youngest Cup winner at 20 years, 2 months and 9 days.

Trevor Bayne won the 2011 Daytona 500 when he was 20 years and 1 day old.
Completing the top five on Sunday were William Byron, Jimmie Johnson, Ty Dillon and Ryan Newman.
Haley, from Winamac, Indiana, was running the 400 mostly to gain experience and wound up seeing a racing dream come true.

“It’s absolutely a blessing,” said Haley, who finished second in Friday’s Xfinity Series race at Daytona and crossed the finish line first in Xfinity a year ago, but was penalized for going below the double yellow line. “It’s pretty incredible that I have so many great people around me that have given me this opportunity to come to this level and the stage that we’re performing on. …
“I never even saw myself running a Cup race until I got a call a few months ago to do Talladega, and it’s just unreal. I don’t know how to feel.”
Haley’s crew chief, the veteran Peter Sospenzo, said his strategy of staying on the track during the final caution period wasn’t much of a gamble because his team didn’t have a chance to win otherwise.

“My thought process was even if we had four flat tires we weren’t going to pit,” said Sospenzo, who hadn’t won a Cup race since 2003 in a rain-shortened race at Richmond with Joe Nemechek as his driver. “We were going to ride out the weather. It was our only option to steal a win, if you want to call it that. We were not going to come in, and I was actually a little surprised a couple guys in front of us did.

“We just wanted to have a decent finish, not get caught up in any wrecks, and it just worked out.”
The multi-car crash that put into play the series of events that led to Haley’s win began when Austin Dillon and Clint Bowyer wrecked at the head of the lead pack.
Bowyer blamed Dillon for a failed attempt to block him.

“I guess he didn’t want me to pass him,” Bowyer said. “I got under him and he blocked, and we got together. I got off of him — moved down and got off of him — and here he comes back down even more and just finally wrecked us all.”

Dillon explained his aggressive driving by saying he knew the race wouldn’t run to the advertised distance.

“We lost the lead, and I really felt it was kind of urgent to get back into the lead because of the lightning and rain coming,” he said. “I got turned a little bit left and then it shot me down left. It’s just part of this kind of racing.”

Among the more interesting comments on social media about Haley’s win was one from fellow driver Daniel Hemric, who visited with Haley and his family in Hemric’s motorcoach at Daytona the night before the race.

“[Haley] told me he felt like the world of racing is stacked against him,” Hemric wrote on Twitter. “I wonder how he feels about that now??”

PHOTO CAPTION: This 18-car crash on Lap 120 of the Coke Zero Sugar 400 was triggered when Austin Dillon, in the No. 3 Chevrolet, and Clint Bowyer, in the No. 14 Ford, collided while racing for the lead. Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images for NASCAR

By Rick Minter / Andrews McMeel Syndication

Sunday’s Camping World 400 at Chicagoland Speedway showcased the story of a onetime journeyman driver, Alex Bowman, who persevered through some tough times in his career to finally end up in Victory Lane following a Monster Energy Cup Series race.
Bowman, 26, spent the early part of his 134-race Cup career driving for underfunded teams and eventually found himself without a job. He got his big break in 2016 when he was hired by Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motorsports for a limited Xfinity Series schedule.

Through that team’s affiliation with Hendrick Motorsports, Bowman was hired to run several Cup races in the No. 88 Chevy when Earnhardt suffered a concussion. He nearly won at Phoenix that year, starting from the pole and leading 194 laps before falling to sixth place at the finish.

He remained in the employ of Hendrick in 2017 as Earnhardt returned to the No. 88, although that meant Bowman wouldn’t be racing in Cup. He did win one of his two Xfinity starts for JR Motorsports and was later announced as the full-time driver of the No. 88 beginning last year.
Since then, he and his Hendrick Motorsports team have struggled to match the team’s performances of seasons past, but this year Bowman has emerged as a contender to win races.

He finished second three straight times — at Talladega, Dover and Kansas — before scoring the win on Sunday at Chicago.
Bowman, who led a total of 88 laps in Sunday’s race, which was interrupted for more than three hours because of rain, held the top spot as the laps wound down. But another driver who has finished second a frustratingly large number of times, Kyle Larson, ran him down and took the lead with eight of 267 laps remaining.
Just as it looked as if Larson would finally get a Chicago win after several disappointments there, Bowman summoned some speed that few suspected he had and retook the lead for good from Larson with six laps remaining.

Larson held on to finish second, with Joey Logano, Jimmie Johnson and Brad Keselowski completing the top five.
Bowman’s victory, coupled with the strong finishes by Larson and Johnson, were a big boost for Chevrolet, which has been overshadowed this year by the Toyotas from Joe Gibbs Racing and the Fords of Team Penske. Chevy’s only other victory this year came at Talladega Superspeedway, where Chase Elliott won in his No. 9 Camaro.
Bowman said in his frontstretch interview — held in the grass after he got stuck in the rain-soaked trioval — that he willed his way past Larson at the end.

“I was just tired of running second,” he said. “I don’t want to do that anymore. I feel like this is the last box, aside from going and chasing a championship, that I needed personally, for myself, to validate my career.
“I feel like, obviously, there’s a lot more left to accomplish, but this is always what I hear is, ‘You haven’t won a race.’”
In Victory Lane, Bowman was interviewed by Parker Kligerman, another talented young driver who has spent most of his career driving for underfunded teams and now divides his time between driving and TV work.

If anyone could fully appreciate what the win meant to Bowman, it was Kligerman.
“You know how it is,” Bowman said to Kligerman in comments carried on NBCSN. “We were both in the same boat and had a different set of circumstances. I can’t believe it. …
“I didn’t change anything from running 35th every week. I might work out a little harder and study a little harder, but I didn’t change much, and to go from doing that to doing this is pretty incredible.”

Earlier this season, it was announced that one of the No. 88 team’s main sponsors, Nationwide, is not returning next year. Bowman said the Chicago win should make the sponsor search a little easier.

“Finding a partner is really important to us, and I’m glad we have a really good team of people upstairs at Hendrick Motorsports to work on that,” he said. “I’m confident that we’ll make it happen.”
He said he’s been told his job is secure going forward. “I’m going to be driving the car next year,” he said. “I’m not worried about that. [Team owner Rick Hendrick] has told me I’m good there, so that’s all I need to hear.
“We just need to go win some more races and maybe go chase a championship, and I’m confident the rest will take care of itself.”

PHOTO CAPTION: Alex Bowman holds the hardware that came with his breakthrough Cup Series victory, in the Camping World 400 at Chicagoland Speedway.Andrew Coppley/HHP for Chevy Racing

Ever since it came out in 2003, the Mazda 3 has always been on my favorite list. Sporty-looking, practical, fun-to-drive and inexpensive, the Mazda 3 hits all the high notes for what is needed to be a great car. For 2019, Mazda has totally redesigned the 3 – and recently I was given the opportunity to use one for a week to see if this new 3 will continue to be a favorite of mine.

As it has always been, the Mazda 3 is available in both hatchback and sedan body styles, the latter being what I was assigned. While I have always preferred the hatchback, with the new 3, I must admit, the sedan now looks just as good, if not better than the hatchback. The one advantage the hatchback holds is that it is the only body style that gets either a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic; sedans are limited to the automatic only. While even though most hatchback buyers will opt for the automatic transmission, I applaud Mazda for still allowing buyers the option of manual on the 3.

The transmission is hooked up to Mazda’s 2.5liter Skyactiv four-cylinder – which is a carryover from last year. Power is rated at 186 hp and 186 lb-ft of torque. The smaller 2.0 liter four-cylinder is no-more. The EPA rates the 3 at 25 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway.

One of the things that always made the 3 such a great car is its interior – and this new one continues that trend. An intuitive, driver-oriented dashboard and console not only makes the 3 feel very sporty, but places all the controls within easy reach and are simple to use. And it’s all done in a clean, uncluttered fashion, which adds a sense of elegance to the cabin. In traditional Mazda fashion, the volume knob and all other radio controls continue to be mounted on the center console area between the seats – where your hand naturally falls on them without having to reach. My tester was equipped with Mazda’s Commander dial-button control interface. While at first it may look like a version of BMW’s iDrive, it’s far easier to use – and reminds me a lot like Audi’s MMI interface. Included in the Premium Package, which the tester also had, was an impressive heads-up display. Not only does it show you how fast you’re traveling, but when a vehicle is in your blind spot, it will show up in the heads up display as well. Impressive stuff that you rarely see in other cars, regardless of their price range.

When it comes to comfort, the 3 provides plenty of space both upfront and in the back seat – and with some of the nicest seats in the business, the cabin of the Mazda 3 a very pleasant place to be. Compared to the old 3, the new 3 has an additional inch in wheelbase, providing better rear-seat room than the outgoing model.

But my favorite feature of the Mazda 3 has always been how enjoyable it is to drive. The engine is responsive, smooth and fairly quiet. And the 3 handles extremely well with precise steering and a firm – but not jarring – suspension, making it a real joy to take into turns. While 186hp may not sound like much power to play with, it’s plenty for the 3, as it feels quick on its feet.

Being a compact car, the 3 has always faced some stiff competition especially with the likes of the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Ford Focus. All of them make for great commuter cars, but with the 3 there is something that just makes it more fun than the others. Maybe it’s that zoom-zoom factor that Mazda injects into their vehicles.

Whatever it is, the new Mazda 3 still has it – meaning it’s still one of my favorites.

— Christopher A. Randazzo

By The Numbers:

2019 Mazda 3 with Premium Package

Base Price: $27,900.00
Price as Tested:$30,930.00
Layout: front-engine / front-wheel drive
Engine: Skyactiv 2.5 liter 4-cylinder
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Horsepower: 184 hp
Torque: 185 ft/lb
EPA Fuel Economy: 25 city / 33 highway mpg

[Visit me at www.carsbycar.blogspot.com or email me at autocran@gmail.com]

By Rick Minter / Andrews McMeel Syndication

As part of its 50th anniversary celebration, Sonoma Raceway will be joining the throwback weekend movement with the return of the track’s original layout.
By adding “The Carousel” back to the track layout, the race now will have 12 turns over a 2.52-mile course, upping the lap distance from the 1.99 miles of recent races. The race laps will be reduced from 110 to 85, keeping the overall race distance of 350 kilometers.

The Carousel, which was used from 1968 through 1997, begins at Turn 4 and passes through three more corners [Turns 5, 6 and 6a] before rejoining the most recent layout at Turn 7.

The Carousel was the site of many significant passes back in the day, including one by the late Dale Earnhardt Sr. in 1995, when he drove by Mark Martin en route to his first road-course victory.
Clint Bowyer, who won at Sonoma in 2012 and has eight top-five finishes in 13 starts on the 1.99-mile layout, said he expects it will take drivers some time to adapt to the Carousel.

“It is going to be a game changer, no question,” he said in a recent media session. “I don’t know what to think about it. For the last several years, I have looked at that track to be the go-to track. The Car of Tomorrow really woke up certain tracks, and Sonoma and these road courses have been some of our best products of racing.”

Kevin Harvick, who won the Cup race at Sonoma in 2017 and finished second there last year, said in a recent media session that the change in layout is significant.

“I was in the simulator [recently] and got lost a couple times; forgot where to turn,” said Harvick, who ran the old course before he joined the Cup circuit in 2001. “It is a lot different than I remember it from 1995.”
Harvick said he suggested adding back the Carousel in discussions with Marcus Smith, the president of Speedway Motorsports Inc., which owns multiple tracks, including Sonoma.

“An hour later he told me he talked to his guys and they were looking into it,” he said. “Next thing you know, we are running the Carousel. I love the fact they are changing it up. I think Watkins Glen could do the same thing.”
Harvick said the changing of the road course is another sign that Speedway Motorsports is willing to try new things with its track to gin up interest in the sport. SMI recently added the Roval, a road course, to Charlotte Motor Speedway, and has been leading the way in adding traction compounds to racing surfaces.

“It seems like SMI is more aggressive in these types of situations with changing things up and trying new things and doing things more on the edge of not knowing what the outcome is going to be,” Harvick said, adding that NASCAR’s other major track owner, International Speedway Corp. has not appeared to be as willing to take risks with its tracks.

PHOTO CAPTION: Multiple tight turns are a hallmark of road courses like Sonoma. Jared C. Tilton/Getty Imageds for NASCAR

By Rick Minter/ Andrews McMeel Syndication

Joey Logano and his No. 22 crew from Team Penske had one of those days at Michigan International Speedway on Monday that racers and race teams dream of.

They started from the pole and led 163 of the 203 laps of the rain-delayed FireKeepers Casino 400. His spotter, T.J. Majors, was spot-on in his guidance to Logano in a race that, due to the current higher downforce/lower horsepower handling package, bore a significant resemblance to those at Daytona and Talladega, where drivers generally have to work together to make passes.

As the laps wound down and the green flag continued to fly, crew chiefs were forced to make strategy calls for their final pit stops. Some took four tires, some opted for fuel only, while others like Logano’s crew chief, Todd Gordon, took two tires and fuel.
That decision led to Logano retaking the lead once the pit stops cycled through, while others languished in mid-pack. Among those was Kevin Harvick, who had come back from being a lap down and was running second to Logano when the pit stops started. The time lost on his four-tire stop dropped him out of contention for the win and he finished seventh.

Logano saved his best move for last. A spin by Erik Jones set up an overtime run to the checkered flag. Logano led the pack to the green flag, with Martin Truex Jr. alongside and the second row occupied by the Busch brothers, Kyle and Kurt.

While many expected Logano to be vulnerable to others working together behind him, he blasted out to an early lead and cruised the final two circuits to take his second win of the season and the 23rd of his career. Kurt Busch finished second ahead of Truex, Daniel Suarez and Kyle Busch.

“A day like that, you don’t get those days all the time,” Logano said. “The best car, the best team. We executed perfectly all the way through. … We’ve been so close this year getting into Victory Lane multiple times and coming up short, mainly because of execution.

“[Monday] everything was cleaned up perfectly and we did a great job. This is what we get. Hopefully, we can start stacking up some more.”
Kurt Busch said it would have taken a big break to overtake Logano.

“Logano’s car was tough,” he said. “I really wanted it to go green at the end with Truex. I was going to push him straight through the 22 (Logano). My best shot at it.”
But Busch said he enjoyed the late-race battle.

“I had a blast,” he said. “Tightest I ever put my belts at the end of a race. … It gives us reason to smile and be happy.”
Truex said he thought Logano started before he reached the restart box on the final restart.
“The 22 went like a whole car length before the restart zone,” he said. “I don’t know how you get away with that. Aside from that, great day.”

There were only two drivers who did not finish Monday’s race. One was Kyle Weatherman, making his first start of the season and the 10th of his career. The other, ironically, was the race’s defending winner, Clint Bowyer.
Bowyer wrecked on Lap 130 after some three-wide racing with the No. 20 of Erik Jones and the No. 3 of Austin Dillon.
“The 20 got loose, and I tried to basically make an evasive move to get under him,” Bowyer explained in a TV interview. “The 3 was there and got loose under him, and then I got into him and ran out of real estate. It was a pretty frustrating day.”

PHOTO CAPTION:Kevin Harvick in the No. 4 Ford was battling eventual winner Joey Logano at Michigan on Monday before a four-tire pit stop dropped him out of the top five. Logan Riely/Getty Images for NASCAR

By Rick Minter / Andrews McMeel Syndication

Fourteen races into the 2019 Monster Energy Cup Series season a familiar pattern is emerging.
Joe Gibbs Racing driver Kyle Busch scored a dominating win in Sunday’s Pocono 400 at Pocono Raceway for his league-leading fourth victory of the season and the ninth for the Gibbs team, equaling the team’s win total for all of 2018.
Team Penske is next with four victories, three by Brad Keselowski and one by Joey Logano. Chase Elliott, who won at Talladega in a Hendrick Motorsports Chevy, is the only driver not from Gibbs or Penske to win this season.
Kyle Larson won the non-points All-Star race in his Ganassi Racing Chevrolet, but his best finish in points-paying Cup races is a third-place a Dover International Speedway four races ago. Larson finished 26th at Pocono after bouncing off the wall late in the race as he competed aggressively while running in the top 10. He was fast early on and won the first two stages.
The four-driver Stewart-Haas contingent has not performed up to expectations so far. The team’s top driver, Kevin Harvick, won eight races last year, but so far hasn’t finished better than fourth. He was 22nd at Pocono after suffering a broken steering box on his No. 4 Ford. Clint Bowyer led the SHR group at Pocono with a fifth-place finish, his fifth top-five this season. Aric Almirola and Daniel Suarez are 12th and 13th, respectively, in the points standings, with one top-five finish apiece.
At Gibbs, three of the four Cup drivers have multiple wins, with Martin Truex Jr. taking three and Denny Hamlin two in addition to Busch’s four. Only Erik Jones is winless, but he has three third-place finishes, including his latest on Sunday at Pocono.
Jones said his Toyota Camry was fast, but not fast enough to overtake Busch.
“It would have really had to be a perfect scenario for us to win, but we had a good car,”
Jones said, adding that his car was fast all weekend. “We’ve been doing it every week — we’ve just got to have things go our way and have a little luck on our side.
“We had some good luck [at Pocono] and some things play out the way we needed them, so hopefully that trend keeps rolling here the next couple of months.”
Busch, who now has 55 career Cup wins and is tied with the retired Rusty Wallace for ninth place on the all-time list, said his win on Sunday was due to a combination of all the strengths of his Joe Gibbs team.
“Certainly thanks to [crew chief] Adam Stevens and all my guys … everybody that does such a good job working on my stuff,” he said. “It’s fun to be able to come down pit road and know you’re going to pick up spots and then to also have good race cars on the racetrack.”
Then there were Busch’s usual daring moves on the track, like an outside maneuver on Clint Bowyer for the lead midway through a race in which Busch led a race-high 79 circuits, including the final 21.
“I felt like once I got alongside of [Bowyer], then he and I could race it out on exit [of Turn Two],” Busch said. “That was what got us to lead. That’s what got us the track position. That’s what got us out front to be able to control the rest of the race.”
Bowyer wound up fifth behind runner-up Brad Keselowski, Jones and Chase Elliott.

PHOTO CAPTION:Kyle Larson, on pit road at Pocono, won two stages but once again came up short of victory, bouncing off the wall and finishing 26th. Credit Alan Marlar/HHP for Chevy Racing

By Rick Minter/ Andrews McMeel Syndication

After a relatively slow start to the 2019 season, his first in the No. 19 Toyota at Joe Gibbs Racing, Martin Truex Jr. has come on strong in recent weeks. His win in Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway was his third in the past five points-paying Monster Energy Cup Series races and the second of his career in NASCAR’s longest race.

Truex, who also has wins this year at Dover and Richmond, didn’t have an easy night. On Lap 73, while leading the race, he blew a right-front tire and hit the wall, then had another dented fender from an incident with Chase Elliott later in the race.

The damage turned out to be repairable and Truex’s team, led by wily crew chief Cole Pearn, adjusted his car and he was back out front again at Lap 131. He wound up leading a race-high 116 laps and was cruising toward the checkered flag as the laps wound down when Brad Keselowski spun, bringing out the race’s 16th caution flag.
That set up a five-lap dash to the finish line. David Ragan, who was having a great run, stayed on the track and took the lead, forgoing a pit stop because his team had already used the 12 sets of tires each team was allotted.
Ryan Newman took over second place by just taking two tires and Truex lined up third.
Just after the green flag flew, Truex went four-wide to the inside to begin his march forward and quickly sped into the top spot, followed by Joey Logano. Truex then motored away to his 22nd career win, with Logano taking the runner-up spot over Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
“I just basically knew that whoever got out front first with four tires was probably going to win with a [five]-lap shootout,” Truex said in his winner’s interview. “You don’t have enough time to get around somebody if it gets single file at all.”
He said his first move was to push his pal Newman.

“I was just pushing Ryan, pushing Ryan, pushing Ryan, trying to get him going, and we came off of [Turn] Two and somehow they got three wide on that front row, and at that point, those three guys just kind of stalled out, and I had just enough momentum,” he said. “I just yanked it left and said, ‘Here’s my chance.’
“There was a hole to go there, and I had just enough of a run to clear a few of them getting into [Turn] Three and then off of Four I was just able to sneak up in front of [Logano], I mean, by like a quarter of an inch. … .Barely, barely fit there, but it just worked out.”
Truex said the before the blown tire, he felt like he had as good a car as he had in the 2016 Coca-Cola 600, when he led all but eight laps en route to a win.
The blown tire, one of several that occurred in the early going, forced crew chief Cole Pearn to raise air pressures on the right-front tire, which meant other changes were needed to adapt to the higher tire pressures.

“Obviously, when you’re in those scenarios when they’re all popping, it’s probably too much camber and too low air,” Pearn said. “It’s not real rocket science when it comes to that, so we had to react and then rebalance the car around being higher on air.”
Pearn said the team’s recent string of success comes after he and the team worked with Truex to help him adjust to the new lower horsepower/higher downforce handling package that debuted this year.

“We just kind of refocused coming here with kind of a different game plan, and really took a positive attitude to it and try and figure out what Martin needed,” he said. “We worked on him a lot to embrace the package and drive in a different way, and he did perfect tonight, and we did better for him. When you can complement each other and both do better, it shows a sign of how good a team we have.”
Logano overcame a slow start to contend for the win at the end. “We just got thrown for a loop there the first few laps of this race, first two, three stages, just, boy, we were junk,” he said. “The guys did a good job adjusting on it and got it to where we were competitive at least. We weren’t fast enough to win, but circumstances could have played in the right way and maybe we could have done it.”
The 600 also saw several underdog drivers have strong runs. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. finished fifth, a career first top-five on an intermediate track. Chris Buescher finished sixth, while Corey LaJoie, who races for the small GoFas Racing team, finished 12th.

Buescher, who blew a tire, hit the wall and lost a lap midway through the race, said the crew of his No. 37 Chevy did a great job repairing the damage.
“We were able to come out there at the end and get an awesome finish,” he said. “We have to keep improving a little bit, but it was a pretty awesome night.”

PHOTO CAPTION: The Coca-Cola 600 featured 46 green-flag passes for the lead — exactly twice the number from last year’s race — and 30 official lead changes among 11 drivers. Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images for NASCAR

By Christopher A. Randazzo

Eight years ago, Ford pulled the Ranger from the North American market – but kept building and selling them in other parts of the world. During the absence of the Ranger here at home, the midsize pickup truck market changed dramatically. Midsize pickups have grown in size, have seen an increase in technological features, and are much more capable than ever before. Today, the Ranger is back, bigger and better than ever. Recently I had an opportunity to spend some time with one and to see how this new Ranger stacks up in a market it once dominated.

Although this Ranger is all-new, the styling is not so much. The 2019 Ranger looks very similar to the one developed by Ford Australia back in 2015 for foreign markets. It’s available as either an extended cab (SuperCab) or the larger crew cab (SuperCrew). Smaller cabs get a 6-foot bed while the larger crew cab gets a 5-foot bed. In typical Ford fashion the Ranger is available in base XL, mid-level XLT and top-of-the-line Lariat trim levels.

Powering every new Ranger is a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 270 hp and 310 pound-feet of torque. It’s paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. Two-wheel drive is standard with four-wheel drive being available as an option. On top of that there is an FX4 Off-Road Package (available on all three trim levels) that includes off-road tires, upgraded shocks and suspension, an electronically locking rear axle, front tow hooks, underbody skid plates, a terrain management system, and Trail Control – a low-speed crawl control system.

The Ranger that I was in was Lightning Blue with the Lariat trim level as well as the FX4 Off-Road Package.

Entering and exiting the Ranger is easily done thanks to nearly perfect ride height. It’s not too big where you have to climb into it, yet it’s not small where you fall into it. The front seats are supportive and there is plenty of leg and headroom. The backseat also has plenty of headroom and legroom, and most adults will find the Ranger quite spacious.

The rest of the cabin is a mixed bag. All the controls are easy to find and use but all of the trim and dash is decked out in cheap plastic, making the Ranger look dull and uninspired. The 8-inch touchscreen is easy to use and uses Ford’s Sync 4 and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

Take the Ranger for a spin and you’ll see that Ford got the powertrain right. The Ranger’s four feels plenty powerful, with the 10-speed swapping through ratios quickly and smoothly. Ford states the Ranger can hit 60 mph in under 7 seconds – and that feels about right. Steering, handling and braking all feel more than adequate in the Ranger. The ride does feel a little busy and choppy, but hey this is a truck, right?

When it comes to technology, the Ranger doesn’t fall short. The XLT, what Ford claims will be its volume-seller and the Lariat come with the latest driver-assistance features including lane-departure warning and assist, blind-spot monitors with trailer coverage, and automated emergency braking. Adaptive cruise control is optional on these two trim levels.

For those that are looking to the Ranger as a work truck, you’ll be happy to know that it’s capable of towing up to 7,500 pounds when fitted with the optional trailer tow package – quite an increase from previous Rangers we have had.

Pricing for the new Ranger starts at $24,300, with my fully loaded Lariat FX4 topping out at just under $45,000.

Since Ford left the midsize market, Toyota and GM filled the void left by the Ranger. Toyota with its Tacoma has been the sales leader with the Colorado/Canyon GM twins right on the Tacoma’s heels. Will Ford change that? Most likely, but by how much is the real question.

By The Numbers:

2019 Ford Ranger Supercrew 4×4 Lariat

Base Price: $38,395.00
Price as Tested: $44,960.00
Layout: front-engine / four-wheel drive
Engine: 2.3 liter turbocharged four-cylinder EcoBoost
Transmission: 10 – speed automatic
Horsepower: 270 hp
Torque: 310 lb-ft
EPA Fuel Economy: 20 city / 24 highway mpg

[Visit me at www.carsbycar.blogspot.com or email me at autocran@gmail.com]