From the pantry in my house, I've eaten some chocolate truffles for the first time ever. I had a box of truffles initially for my sister-in-law from Morris National. She didn't want them, and the truffles basically rested in the pantry for months and months... until just last night. After having some of these chocolate truffles, I've gotten to taste what makes these candies so sweet and indulgent. The pack of truffles I've had consisted of about ten truffles. There were four different kinds of truffles from this pack- Mississippi Mud, peanut butter, french vanilla, and raspberry. I only know one of them from my taste-test. One was DEFINITELY peanut butter. I think the ones I liked most were Mississippi Mud truffles. I just want to say that those truffles were very good! Dark chocolate and gourmet chocolate can be delicious and healthy. So this can help.
These aren't the truffles I've had, but an idea of what chocolate truffles look like:
I named this blog entry as chocolate truffles because most people know of truffle fungi. In addition to chocolate truffles, there are even chocolate truffles with liquor. I am not a smoker or a drinker, so it's VERY rare I discuss tobacco or liquor.
So if you get a chance to eat some chocolate truffles, go try some out! Here are some chocolate truffles on Amazon (please read "An Important Amazon Note" in the sidebar for more information on all Amazon products featured in my blog):
Thanks for reading my blog entry! Enjoy some truffles! :)
MSR Houston is a competitive racing facility south of the greater Houston area. The 17-turn road racing facility is over 2.38 miles (3.38 kilometers) long. This facility can be found in Angleton, Texas, USA. It's really the only great road course in the Houston area. That is, unless you want to race at Texas World Speedway's road course in College Station. Also, I don't know of the status of Liberty Motorsports Park up in Cleveland, Texas. The track was created in 2007 and has served as a test track for the former Champ Car World Series. It is a great track for amateur racing and for testing. While the course may be flat just about all the way around, it's a competitive course. This is a tough flat course.
LATEST UPDATE(S)/REVISION(S):
APR 23 2012 - updated look of post and added Search Description
Here is a look at this track: ^ from: speedsportlife.com - aerial view of Motorsport Ranch Houston.
I love the configuration to this course. It can be run clockwise or counterclockwise/anti-clockwise. The normal direction (counterclockwise) is the lap I'll try to describe in this blog entry. This course really has an international circuit feel as its configuration suggests. Yes, while this track is about as flat as most of Houston, it's still as intense a challenge as you'll ever find. I've even downloaded MSR Houston for rFactor. That's where I came to grips to what this course has to offer.
Speculation (Commentary).
This track is awesome as it is. It has the feel of an international-style racing track by way of its configuration. The track has a world-class style layout to it. But with many of the open spaces and almost featureless settings, the track doesn't really feel complete or proper as a racing course (at least to me). If the people at MSR Houston wanted to invest and spend a lot of money to make this course look the part of an FIA or FIM race track, or if they want this track to look as lovely as courses like Barber Motorsports Park, I wonder what changes or additions would be made to make this course look like a true international racing circuit. Here are a few talking points:
• I would wonder if you have to drag out the pit lane. Or maybe perhaps... would there be proper pits along the front stretch? When I say "proper pits," I'm talking about garages that can be accessed on pit road, like on a number of mostly European circuits. Would you probably have a few sets of proper pit garages along the pit straight and on the right side of the front straight?
• Where would you put grandstands if you wanted to grow and expand this course? The front straight and back straights would be great places for big grandstands. How would you lay everything out is the real question.
• Do you change the starting point away from the pit straight to somewhere on the front straight? Standing starts would be fun on the front stretch. And honestly, I think having the whole diamond edge as the first complex of turns would be much more interesting than having Let it Rip as the first corner.
• I also become a bit uneasy about the little stream that runs through the front straight and back straight because of how rainy southeast Texas can be (especially in the warm weather months).
These are just my own opinions. Still, it's a great racing track.
One Lap Description.
Remember that this lap description is based on the COUNTERCLOCKWISE configuration.
The first corner is called "Let it Rip," and it is somewhat of a moderate left-right chicane. The Carousel (Turn 2) is a very long sweeping right that leads to the front straight. Turns 3 through 5 comprise the Diamond's Edge. You go full speed into Turn 3, but consider Turn 3 an appetizer to having to slow down hard heading into Turn 4 and escaping Turn 5. A left-handed sweeper at Turn 6 follows out of the Diamond's Edge. Floor the gas (or twist the throttle for you bike riders) hard as you blast down the back straight. Turn 7 is a smooth left-hand sweeper that gives way to the sharp left-right complex at Turns 8 and 9, called the Bus Stop. Turns 10 and 11 lead to the Keyhole. Turn 10 is a very sharp right-hander followed by a sharp left-hander at Turn 11. The radius of the corner increases to the left as you exit the corner. Turn 12 is a moderate right-hand kink that leads to a very smooth Turn 13 (called "Launch"). Turns 14 and 15 make up the Gut Check. Turn 14 is a very easy right-hand kink that leads to an easy Turn 15. Turns 16 and 17 make up "Sugar & Spice." Both corners are sharp left-hand corners that lead onto the Pit Straight. And there- a lap is complete!
Here is a video lap of this course:
^ counterclockwise direction
^ clockwise direction
I did a search on Trackpedia for lap times around this course, and here is a look at what actual lap times were recorded around this course. I will feature only a few of them.
I think this is an excellent race course. Thanks for reading this blog entry of mine. Learn more about Motorsport Ranch Houston by visiting MSR Houston's Official Homepage or by Becoming a Fan of MSR Houston on Facebook. Thank you for reading! Have a great day! :D
Music has always been a hobby for both myself and my brother. I have always been a piano and keyboard person while my brother is a guitar person. I can remember having a toy piano in my youth. I always dreamed of having a proper piano. However, it wasn't like I wanted to attend any piano classes or whatever. So I've taught myself how to play piano and the keyboard. What you're going to see in this blog entry is a personal look at keyboards that I have used before and what I remember most about each of them.
There have been a number of people I've talked to that hate MIDI music. Thing is, when you can't make your own music with real instruments, MIDI is a worthy alternative. You can easily piece together different keyboard strokes to make various sounds. The real magic to MIDI is in putting everything together. Think of turning keystrokes into instruments. You have to find the right kinds of instruments to make the best-possible music.
SoundFonts. One beautiful thing about MIDI is that you can use things like wavetable synthesis to replace the MIDI sounds with that of decent instruments. Another lovely thing is that you can replace the boring MIDI sound effects with more interesting sounds by way of SoundFonts. SoundFonts take your regular MIDI sounds and replaces them with very realistic sounds. This can even be used in various applications that allow for SoundFonts to be used in making music. This includes any music-making programs that allow for VST and VSTi implementation. Some SoundFonts are free to download, but you'll have to pay for some SoundFonts.
--- Keyboards I Have Used ---
Here are a look at keyboards I have used before.
Casio Rapman. ^ from: synthmania.com - The Casio Rapman was the first-ever rap keyboard. It came complete with three drum beats, a microphone, and a wheel for scratching sounds.
While hip-hop and rap were MUCH different back in the early 1990s compared to today, at least this keyboard gave you the chance to mix your own music. Its 31 keys didn't give you too many options to make anything really spectacular. For what it was, however, it was the first keyboard that I've used and enjoyed. Maybe my finest moment was playing an actual song. I actually did "Three Blind Mice" with this keyboard! I don't do real songs. Instead, I mostly make my own material.
Casio CTK-500. ^ from: lahore.olx.com.pk - I go from a 30-something key keyboard to a 61-key keyboard. Quite an upgrade from the Rapman, I'd say!
The mid-1990s was when me and my family moved to a new house (which is our current house). After we won the lottery, we went ahead and bought some things for the new house. One of those was a keyboard I wanted to get and play. The keyboard was great in trying my hand at more advanced music. I've made a few songs with this keyboard, but mostly used it to play the different rhythms. I felt like I could do MUCH more with this keyboard than with the Rapman because it had 61 keys for which to make music with.
A key point for me was in the fact that I wanted to make MIDI music. Unfortunately, neither keyboard I've used previously has MIDI capabilities. That was, until my brother got me one keyboard to where I could totally practice my MIDI ability...
Casio CTK-671. ^ from: forum.muzikant.org, by way of imageshack.us - the Casio CTK-671 is my current keyboard. It is well-known for being able to upload rhythms and instruments to it, but many have criticized it for a lack of being able to load and save MIDI files to it from some external storage device (like a floppy disk).
The Casio CTK-671 is my current keyboard since about 2003. Its biggest feature is that you could add some extra rhythms and instruments to it. The most important feature was the fact this keyboard was MIDI-compatible. This was a chance for me to make some of the dream songs I've wanted to make from my keyboard and translated into MIDI music. I've made a good number of MIDI music songs for personal use.
These days, I'm trying to utilize my keyboard to make tracker music.
--- My Next Keyboard? ---
I am very satisfied with Casio keyboards. Despite this, if I wanted a new keyboard, I want to go from Casio... to Yamaha. The big reason why is two letters- XG. XG MIDI from Yamaha delivers amazing quality instruments, not to mention a broader array of instruments. I don't think I'd want a digital piano or even a real piano. I am not sure if XG is still alive and well in this day and age, but XG is surely solid and powerful even to this day.
--- Keyboard and MIDI Resources ---
My way of thanking you for reading is by offering you resources in case you loved my material.
Online Resources. More will be added in the future. Keep checking for updates.
* TiMIDIty ^ I mostly just use the SoundFonts for TiMIDIty. They sound very close to a set of SoundFonts I once had when I previously had the Creative Audigy SE sound card installed on my PC. Best thing is, TiMIDIty is free, as are the SoundFonts you can use for it!
* synthfont.com ^ SynthFont is a great program to use in listening to your MIDI files with any set of SoundFonts you may have. That's even if you don't have a sound card that supports SoundFonts.
Remember- more resources will be added in future blog edits.
MIDI and Keyboard Resources on Amazon. NOTE: This section contains links to Amazon products. You are welcome to click on images and links to learn more about each item. You are free to order any items featured in this section or in any widget if you choose. Please see "An Important Amazon Note" in my blog's sidebar to see more information on any Amazon items shown.
(3 feet long) (5 feet long) (10 feet long) (15 feet long) ^ This is a standard MIDI cable from HOSA good for all MIDI operation. All of the graphics indicate the various lengths of MIDI cable available based on my Amazon search. Pick one that will best suit you and your needs.
^ When I got my current PC for Christmas back in 2005, the one thing I missed more than anything was being able to make MIDI music. I had to purchase a USB-driven MIDI cable for which to make MIDI music. Mine is from Turtle Beach, but the one above is fairly basic if you want to make MIDI music to be played/recorded on your computer. This is a very inexpensive USB-driven MIDI cable. Consider getting this if you don't have a traditional MIDI jack to your computer. This is good for both Windows and Mac computers. For Windows, this is good for Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7. No AC adapter is required.
^ Because I sit on my bed to play my keyboard, I don't need to use a proper keyboard stand or a keyboard bench. Get this for your large portable keyboards. The stand can be adjusted to certain positions to rest your keyboard on as you play, so it's very adaptable.
^ Heavy keyboards need heavy keyboard stands. Try this one for your larger keyboards! It will be sure to keep your larger keyboard from winning the fight on being too heavy for any average stand. This is good for big older keyboards as well.
^ A keyboard stand and a keyboard mean nothing if you don't have something comfortable to sit on. This is a keyboard bench from Yamaha that will give you something comfortable to sit on as you play. Just make sure not to lean back too far or anything.
^ Keyboards that have sustain pedal effects can get this pedal. I have no experience using pedals for proper pianos or keyboards, so I can not explain this any further.
^ This is my current keyboard. If you just want a more-than-decent keyboard for which to make great-sounding music, you can't really go wrong with this keyboard. Okay, so it's not a professional keyboard. But if you want a pro keyboard, you can always find one from Casio (or somebody else). The keyboard is maybe seven years old. This is still more than decent of a keyboard to use. You can still jack in a MIDI cable for which to enjoy MIDI music. You want to make great keyboard music or not? If your answer is yes, please give this keyboard a try!
I want you to be able to enjoy making MIDI music. So what I've done is include a number of other Amazon resources to help you out. Click on items in the widget to find something that may interest you.
For keyboards and keyboard accessories:
For MIDI software:
For books on MIDI:
If you're looking for mroe resources on Amazon, but none of my widgets were of any help, then just click on the graphic below to begin your search for ALL things music instrument on Amazon!
That concludes this blog entry. Now you have some insight on my past with music keyboards. Please let me know how I'm doing by posting comments. Don't forget also to purchase some material I've posted from Amazon if you see ANYTHING that you like. I'm doing this for YOU so that YOU can get things based on relevant material in my blog and blog entries. Subscribe to me on FeedBurner to keep up with all of my blog entries and to be in the know for when I post something new. Until next time, take care!
A lighter variety of electronica can be found with lounge and chill music. This is where you hear music with an electronica-style beat, but it is mixed in with some smooth instruments and vocals. Think of this as a softer alternative to more pulsating electronica songs. For those knee-deep in electronica culture (especially trance), this kind of music can usually be the kind of cool down music to help you ease up after hearing some trance or some hard trance. It may even get you into the mood when waking up or just starting your day.
I love what one YouTube channel has done in educating people on electronica. Learn about the kind of music I'll be discussing by following this video:
It was for this reason that I replaced my "Electronica" blog label with "Electronic Music." It may lead to some gray areas as to what is really considered true electronic music, but I want to be as professional with my blog material as possible. I don't want to be cursed out by people just by providing some inaccurate and questionable facts. I also don't want to be that person who gets hated on just for taking a stand that's against what most others believe in. I still interchangeably refer to all electronic music as "electronica," but I want to keep as many readers/viewers happy with my content.
--- The Lighter Side ---
None of the music I'll be discussing in this blog entry will be anything uplifting or with intense beats or intense instruments. Instead, this is all about electronica that can still be great to listen to without anything severely uplifting. The kinds of music you will hear in these YouTube videos shows that you can still listen to quality electronic music without necessarily have to listen to the most uplifting trance songs.
Chill, lounge, and downtempo represent the lesser extreme of electronica. I think there are elements that make these genres what they are. I'll express how I perceive these three sub-genres in this blog entry. While my mind is fixated on more pulsating music for Saturday nights, I sometimes find myself listening to lighter electronic songs usually after midnight or after 2:00 AM. This is the music that is made for dialing it down after enjoying some pulsating electronic dance music. However, these songs can also be enjoyed during the day. You can wake up and listen to this music. You can read a book at Barnes & Noble listening to this music, and all the while, enjoying a double chocolate chip mocha frappuccino at the Starbucks within the store. You can probably even study with this music. If you don't feel like listening to any kind of extreme music, you can opt to listen to this style of electronic music. That's if you still want to listen to electronica without having to listen to any other kind of music. Or think about it like this- this is soft rock or acoustic rock for the electronic music fan.
It's the lighter side of electronic music, but electronic music nonetheless. You still enjoy songs that still have a good beat to them. And really (with all due respect), you're getting a style of electronic music that is more dependent on instruments and vocals than any extreme beats. That is perhaps the key to the kind of music expressed here in this blog entry. So get ready to enjoy some great music here.
WARNING: This blog entry features a lot of YouTube videos. In fears that this blog will not completely load properly, I've included a Page Break that will allow you to view the entire blog entry as it was meant to be shown.
Click "Read More" to view the rest of this blog entry (or disregard this paragraph if you are reading the full version).
--- Chill ---
I think of Chill music as music that remains as powerful as most usual electronica songs, only much softer with softer vocals. A combination of smooth instruments and smooth vocals usually make up most chill songs. What you're getting is music that is both smooth and powerful at the same time.
The following two videos demonstrate chill electronica. Have a listen:
^ (some kind of chill trance mix featuring five songs)
--- Lounge ---
The best way to think of lounge music is a blend of jazzy and funky sounds. Some lounge-type electronica features a lot of sexy vocals joined with some groovy music. This is the kind of music you'd probably hear at a lounge nightclub that's spinning some hot music. Think of this style of music as jazz for fans of electronic music.
Two songs in the realm of lounge can be found in these two videos below:
^ "Amerimacka" by Thievery Corporation (I'd be foolish to pass up on Thievery Corporation for this blog entry).
^ "Spirit of Summer" from Gazzara
I think Lounge has more of a groove to it than Chill. So that's why I've nicely and kindly regarded this style of electronic music more than Chill.
--- Downtempo ---
In its purest sense, downtempo is electronica that doesn't have high bpms (beats per minute) or any intense instrumentals. Instead, you're talking about funky songs that have been slowed down with some hot beats. This is the kind of music I think you should check out if you are big on R&B and hip-hop and want to hear some electronica. I don't recommend or encourage this, but some of these songs have been popular with people who smoke. Downtempo songs have that "day after" effect.
Here are some downtempo videos for you:
^ This song is also in the realm of trip-hop, which is more a blend of electronic music and hip-hop.
^ "Still" by Woodblue, a Japanese downtempo song.
Bonus Video (Honorable Mention!) Here is a bonus song I have for you all that has a real lounge feel to it. Enjoy "Backfired" by India, as remixed by Masters at Work (MAW):
^ "Backfired" by Masters at Work (MAW) featuring India
It's not the exact re-make that I wanted to feature, but this is still a great song.
I don't usually listen to lighter varieties of electronic music unless I'm just not really in the mood for listening to harder electronica. Even I just listen to a few light dance songs to get me ready.
Thanks a lot for reading this rather brief blog entry of mine. I just wanted to get these sub-genres of electronica some face time on my blog. Subscribe to me on FeedBurner, and thank you for reading!
At their very core, karts are the most basic pure race cars. These machines are among some of the most fun (and sometimes dangerous) machines to drive. Those who ride in karts for fun just love the thrill of driving these machines around a certain neighborhood or on some makeshift tracks. Kart racing can be enjoyable ranging from childhood to far into adulthood. The thrill of kart racing is incredible and enjoyable. Those who just want some thrills mostly do go-kart racing at family fun centers. Those who really take karting more seriously compete in various leagues ranging from local racing leagues to major championship karting series. Where do most kart racers usually anticipate going in the future? Many aspire for racing in major series such as NASCAR, the IndyCar Series, the American Le Mans Series, or that kind of racing you might have heard of before- Formula 1. A variety of races and race series help to enhance the profile of kart racing.
This blog entry concerns kart racing. It may be updated based on how much traffic I can get to this blog or if I simply wanted to add some extra content.
LATEST UPDATE(S):
NOV 8 2011 - made several updates (useful old posts need new life)
PERSONAL NOTE: Thanks to everyone for continuing to support my work. This is a popular blog post thanks to people like yourself. Please show me your support by subscribing to John's Blog Space and by Following my blog here if you enjoy my work. Love John's Blog Space? If so (and if you haven't yet subscribed or followed), Subscribe and/or Follow!
--- Karts and Kart Racing in General ---
The original premise of this thread is on kart racing, but I've decided just to talk about karts in general. Here are some random pictures to set the mood:
^ from: indykarts.com.au - a racing kart in Australia.
^ from: thegrid.co.uk - Tony Kart is one of the best kart racing teams in the world. They also make some exceptional racing karts.
^ from: karting.co.uk - Superkarts can lay down laps at or past the time of much larger, much expensive, much advanced race cars. This even with no suspension!
The appeal of kart racing comes in racing something so low to the ground but pretty fast for its size. Many people see go-karts as slow machines that aren't as fun as being in big cars. Some others just see go-karts as being only good for charity events and family fun centers... and not much else. However, considering how many racers started out in karts, you begin to appreciate just what kart racing can do in the development of a driver and his/her racing career. So kart racing can be quite a big deal. It is something you do not want to sell short under any circumstances.
Now that you have a look at karts, let's continue on with karting.
--- Basic Thoughts on Karts and Karting ---
Nothing can be more enjoyable than driving or racing a kart. I know having done some karting at a family fun center (no longer with us) and at a proper indoor kart track. The family fun center deal was fun. It was back in 1997 or so as I raced around this course shaped like a capital "G." I felt like I was flying on such a small course! That's the beauty of karting- driving fast without needing a license. I did about two different sessions of racing on this course in that one night. Today, that course is now just a big parking lot for some business.
Nothing was as exciting as doing kart racing at a place once known as Davy Jones Kartzone. This was a facility based near Ferrari of Houston. I use the past tense because this track is also no longer operational. The appeal of this place was in how this track was so adaptable for both adults and kids. It was an indoor track that had some electronic limiters to regulate speeds. The track was exceptional! It was a tough track with some tough racing. I mostly raced against my brother and his friends, one of those friends would later become my sister-in-law.
For the one looking to go up the motorsports ladder, kart racing is usually the premier outlet of future racing talent. For the recreational kart driver, karts provide the thrill of going full speed (in karting terms) on a set track. It's a fun way to get around whether you have a driver's license or not (I don't have one). A number of cities have a lot of different kart courses ranging from family fun centers to dedicated kart tracks. Kart tracks can be held at family fun centers, indoor kart tracks, temporary kart courses (such as a custom-built race course around city streets or in parking lots), and even kart courses within major race tracks. There are also proper kart tracks made for racing. For faster karts, the full track is open for kart competition.
--- Types of Karts and Racing Karts ---
Types of karts in pictures.
Recreational Karts.
^ from: motopowersports.com - a two-seater recreational kart.
Recreational karts are made for just that- recreation. They weren't meant to be machines to really drive or race hard. These are usually enjoyed by children. Besides children, there are mostly recreational karts at various kart facilities. Most of them probably have six or 12 horsepower engines. Some recreational karts have off-road tires for which to enjoy some recreational off-roading.
Racing Karts.
^ from: kartsportnews.com - a kart made for racing. ^ from: house.25u.com - Shifter karts can literally be a handful to race. You'll have to keep the kart in its paces while also making timely shifts.
The majority of this blog entry has been about racing karts. A number of these karts either have or don't have their own transmissions. Shifter karts are capable of higher speeds. As you can imagine, trying to keep a kart on the track while also making timely shifts can be pretty challenging. Some racing karts have about 80cc engines, but you may see some powerful ones with 125cc engines. Some of these racing karts even come with digital readouts on the steering wheel similar to what you might see in most advanced race cars.
Speedway Karts.
^ from: - one variety of speedway karts, karts specifically made and tuned for racing on short ovals. Much like you have flat track ovals for motorcycles on short ovals, there are karts specifically made for racing on short ovals. These can be tarmac or non-tarmac ovals these karts race on. Dirt tires for karts are usually installed to handle dirt roads.
Superkarts.
^ from: mskart.cz - a superkart made by Czech kart maker, MS Kart. Superkarts have aerodynamic bodywork and are insanely fast.
Superkarts are the ultimate karts. These are karts that have aerodynamic bodywork and can lay down lap times as easily (and I use this word loosely) as some elite race cars. I mostly know superkarts for having 250cc engines, but I've heard of some that have 125cc engines. According to Road and Track Magazine, Eddie Lawson (4-time 500cc World Champion) lapped Laguna Seca in superkart at 1:23.875 about five or six years ago. Let's compare this with some other times:
Machine
Lap Time
Eddie Lawson in a 250cc superkart
1:23.875
Formula Mazda
1:25.069
480hp ALMS GT2 Ferrari F430 GT
1:23.611
250cc Honda motoGP Motorcycle
1:22.823
Audi R8 LMP Race Car
1:15.392
2007 Panoz DP-01 with Sebastien Bourdais
1:05.880 (lap record)
^ (all times courtesy of trackpedia.com)
Dirt Oval Racing Karts.
^ from: hazelwoodracing.com - a common saying is that dirt is for racing. Well, here's some kart racing on dirt.
If you love your kart racing on dirt, you have some options. The least of which includes racing on some dirt ovals and some other dirt tracks. This is where you see karts equipped with dirt tires racing on dirt ovals.
Recreational Karting.
^ from: brownsguides.com - Karting is a great destination for many people. For many others, there are always family fun centers with kart tracks, such as thie Andretti Indoor Karting and Games facility in Alpharetta, Georgia, USA. And yes- THE Andretti family has their name lent to this place.
So you have an idea as to how fast they can go compared to some more capable machines.
--- Kart Racing Videos ---
You've done enough reading. Now, it's all about seeing the pros go to work! Here are a few YouTube videos for your enjoyment:
Shifter kart racing:
Superkart racing (from 1990):
Speedway Karts: (tarmac) (non-tarmac)
Just for Fun:
--- Kart Racing Resources ---
(added: April 10, 2011) I want to thank all of my readers for finding this blog post! I want to thank you by adding this section. The resources you will find here are all items to help you to begin or maintain your kart racing. I hope to add more resources in the future.
--- Resources: Kart Manufacturers --- If you are looking to shop for karts from varying kart makers, I can help you here. Feel free to visit these manufacturers to find a kart from a manufacturer. Click on the headings to each manufacturer to visit their official websites and to perhaps build a kart for you to order.
Shockwave Karting is an American maker of various kart chassis and other products for kart racers. There are dealers for Shockwave Karting across the United States, in Canada, and even a dealer in New Zealand. Learn more about Shockwave's racing team from their website as well.
TONY KART is an Italian kart manufacturer with a multitude of success in kart racing. The familiar white color with green and red accents are iconic and distinctive of TONY KART. You can shop for both kart chassis
Kosmic Racing Kart is yet another kart manufacturer with a good deal of experience. Their karts are noted color-wise by their white colors with navy blue and magenta accents. They offer racing karts for a variety of applications. You can also learn more about the Kosmic Kart Racing team by visiting their website.
Exprit Racing Team is a brand launched by TONY KART in 2009. No karts are offered for sale, but you can see some of their karts offered from this Italian make by visiting their website.
Zip Kart is a British maker of kart chasses. Their experience and heritage goes for over 40 years. They have a variety of karts and kart teams in a variety of different classes of road racing karts. Zip Kart has been responsible for being the kart manufacturer that helped launch the careers of championship-winning races. Drivers that have raced with Zip Karts include the likes of Lewis Hamilton, David Coulthard, and Martin Hines among others. From their website, you can check out their karts, purchase parts and accessories, racing gear, tires, and more. You can actually order karts from their website (currency in British pounds oe in Euros)
--- Resources: Kart Dealers --- These are kart dealers you can visit to shop for or learn more about kart chassis.
This is the BRP Rotax link for kart engines. Power your kart proper with their engines.
(More material may be added in future edits.)
I salute all of you kart racers out there and fans of karts. I had initially planned on showing you some stuff on Amazon to offer kart resources to you, but I can't find enough to help compliment this blog entry. So instead, I'll end it here. However, I may edit this blog entry to include more material. This may even depend on how much traffic I get for this blog entry.
I personally never understood what makes this even remotely fashionable. Let me set the mood- you see someone wearing dark-colored tights or socks with light-colored shoes. It is good to emphasize bright-colored garments to cause a diversion, but I've never understood or liked wearing dark tights/socks/stockings with light (usually white) shoes. I make reference to tights, so let me please note what kind of tights I'm talking about... I'm talking about an average pair of tights with feet to them. I'm not talking about the footless tights or leggings that have been "it" fashion deal for most of today's femmes.
Here is an example:
^ from: chictopia.com - dark tights with white sandals. Fashionable to some, but I just don't get this look.
Wearing black leggings or tights can add an immense slimming effect. However, when pairing black tights/leggings/stockings with light-colored shoes... I just don't get it. Plus, it just looks wrong to me. Why have dark tights with light shoes? I think black tights/socks/stockings with mahogany-colored shoes is okay. Most other combinations are just wrong to me. Here is another example:
^ from: chicisimo.com - black tights with peach-colored pumps.
I've never understood this look, especially black tights with bright-colored shoes. But then again, I thought I knew fashion until I've gotten a rude awakening from a number of people online. It's one of those '80s styles I've just so despised. The '80s are as dead as the dinosaurs, yet someone has to keep going back to the '80s as if we need to keep being re-reminded of this overrated decade. And since getting a bad rap from certain people who know much more about fashion than I do, this only reassures why I've taken any spirited fashion commentary to my blog because I am happy to know that I am responsible for me, rather than someone watching over my comments and crying foul over my comments.
Even more of a "why?" fashion look is the look of black socks or tights with white or bright-colored peep-toe shoes or sandals. I think just wearing black or dark socks with light-colored open-toe shoes or sandals is equally wrong.
The exception to this would be certain shoes that aren't very bright or loud. For example: black tights with mahogany boots, black socks with brown oxford pumps, or black stockings with dark-colored velvet pumps.
What makes this look so fashionable to most femmes anyway? I just don't get this look at all. What do you make of this look that I've discussed?
PERSONAL NOTE: I try to offer my own opinions on things, but I'm also mindful on if I've offended anyone. I apologize to anyone whom I might have offended if you like this look I've discussed. These are all just my opinions. I try to express things without making any insensitive comments. So I'm sorry to anyone whom I might have offended in this blog entry.
If the Nintendo 64 had a decent challenger to Gran Turismo, it was World Driver Championship, a game featuring fantasy cars racing around on a variety of mostly street courses. The premise of this game is through the intense realm of GT racing. You race GT2-spec cars across a variety of cities around the world (otherwise, why call it WORLD Driver Championship?). The cars are all fantasy, but car fans will be able to easily identify what each car even remotely resembles. You can race with much faster cars by improving your rank in the game.
This blog entry is about "World Driver Championship" and how I feel about it as a whole.
--- World Driver Championship at a Glance ---
^ from: taringa.net (it was the best I could find) - World Driver Championship, perhaps the most beautiful racing game on the Nintendo 64.
World Driver Championshipis about full-speed racing on mostly city streets with GT2-spec cars. GT2 is defined as a class of cars that are modified for racing, but not extremely modified to where they bear no resemblance whatsoever to their road-going counterparts. Up to eight cars can race at once on each track. You begin racing on a few different courses at a time. With progress through the tournaments, you can race the more powerful and faster cars. You can also race on some of the tougher courses with progress. Your racing adventures take you to places such as Hawaii, Rome, Sydney, Kyoto, Las Vegas, the Black Forest, and more. This game was created and developd by Boss and published by Midway.
That's really it to the basics of this game.
To help you learn more about this game, here are some YouTube videos to give you a preview of what to expect for this game:
^ Introduction and a little look at some of the cars and tracks available.
^ Racing sample- Kyoto B.
Maybe the most enticing element of this game was the enhancement in graphics by going with a widescreen format. It comes at the expense of, however, a letterbox screen.
--- My Thoughts on World Driver Championship ---
This was a game I remembered renting long ago. It was a great racing experience, but not really enough to make me want to consider getting it. The sounds may be weak for a system like this, but it is still very manageable. The music is mostly generic rock music. It can be terrible at times. As for the graphics, there's no way you can deny this is a gorgeous game (even for the N64). The amount of challenge in this game is very acceptable. It is an intense experience. All the tracks are in lovely detail as well as with how the cars all look. It's a beautiful game.
If you enjoyed this review and if you have a Nintendo 64, I encourage you to buy this game if you want to get this game. Buy from Amazon:
What is the greatest racing game ever? In the 1980s, you'd be tempted to say Pole Position. Pole Position was a generational leap in racing games when the first game was released in 1982. No other racing game of its time scratched the surface of what Pole Position had to offer. Any gamer that truly loves racing games seriously needs to offer respect to a game series like Pole Position.
--- Why Should You Care About the Pole Position Series? ---
People in today's culture will likely fall in love with games and game series like Blur, Split Second, Burnout Paradise, the GTR series, and games like that. Before any of those games came along, Pole Position was king. The greatest element of Pole Position was the fact that this was one of the first racing games that had an emphasis on qualifying. If you failed to qualify on your hot lap, your race is basically over as you won't have enough time to get a second lap completed. It was a racing game series that exemplified the importance of qualifying for a race. Before you can race, you must qualify. I think this is the greatest emphasis on the Pole Position series and for racing games in general. It was also a Manual/Standard transmission game. We have the luxury of Automatic transmission these days, but the two-speed Manual is what a number of old racing games have had.
In addition, it was an elaborate progression in making realistic 3D-style graphics. Race tracks have never been more believable when Pole Position 1 came out. That Chase Cam view would be used in VARIOUS future racing games. Even details such as crashes were pretty realistic in the violent explosions after hitting something.
This game has brought too much to racing games for most people to negate or disregard. Pole Position was the Gran Turismo of the '80s. And if you're not at least respectful of what this game has brought to racing game history, then you aren't a true racing game fan. Plain and simple.
--- Pole Position 1 ---
^ from: fraserking.co.uk - Pole Position went a long way in changing racing games forever.
"Prepare to Qualify!" The woman saying this gets you ready to qualify. Pole Position has only one track, called the Namco Circuit, but is basically the Fuji Internetional Speedway. The track is fairly simple. The real key to good and bad laps is how you handle the super-sharp left-hander at about the halfway point of the course. It's possible to just let off the throttle or quickly downshift to clear the corner successfully. Also learn to properly find you way around rivals while not crashing into them.
GOLDEN RULE OF CLASSIC RACING GAMES: Avoid crashing at all costs! Allow yourself one crash. But if you crash more than once, you will NOT finish. Guaranteed!
--- Pole Position 2 ---
^ from: fraserking.co.uk - Pole Position 2 offered up three more courses in addition to the course from Pole Position 1.
Pole Position 2 continued where Pole Position 1 left off. This game let you choose from the track in the previous title, but also included three more courses. The tire squealing was now a bit more realistic in accelerating and in braking. Three new challenges await. And just like the previous title, it's all about qualifying.
Test. The first of the three new courses is the Test course. The Test course highly resembles the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in layout. This is where you can enjoy high-speed racing. It's still very important to use caution in the corners and make sure not to overlook any of the opposing racers blocking your line. No need to brake unless trying to avoid rival cars.
Wonder. If Wonder's layout seems familiar, that's because it is vastly based on the Suzuka Circuit. The ferris wheel at Suzuka even gives you a hint as to what track you are at. This is the most difficult track in the game with about two really critical zones. Completing this course will be difficult, let alone getting Pole Position here.
Seaside. Seaside is completely based on the Long Beach Grand Prix course. However, it has a structure similar to the Golden Gate Bridge in the background. This course is more tricky than difficult. The most important corner to get right is the final corner heading towards the finish line. This track
Namco. This is basically the same course from the first Pole Position. If you can complete this course in Pole Position 1, you should have no problem beating this course in Pole Position 2.
This blog entry concerned Pole Positions 1 and 2. I'm not even counting "Pole Position 64" for the Nintendo 64, which was basically a re-branded version of "Human Grand Prix: The New Generation." It wasn't very well-received. You can play "Pole Position 1" and "Pole Position 2" on console by playing games like Namco Museum. They may even be available for download for major game systems and even on mobile devices. No matter how you play these games, both aforementioned titles are classics that simply can't be forgotten (then again, since when do classics become forgotten?).
Thank you for reading! Don't forget to subscribe as well as comment!
Racing Modifications probably aren't likely for Gran Turismo 5. A long time ago, I had planned a YouTube video about the Racing Modification progress. So here is a little study I did on Racing Modifications. Racing Modifications from Gran Turismos 1 and 2 are based on taking a car from stock appearance to a real race car.
(NOTE: All pictures in this blog entry are my own work, and not stolen from any other image gallery):
LATEST UPDATE(S)/REVISION(S):
MAR 14 2012 - updated to include link to JGTS blog post related to this entry as well as a basic overall change of this post's appearance
This blog post may be incomplete. Future edits will complete this blog post. Also- this blog post is VERY old, and the information included before edits is as old as of the date of this blog's initial post. Later in this post, a link to my JGTS blog post has been included for people wanting more info on Race Modified cars in Gran Turismo 5.
--- Racing Modifications in General ---
So what are Racing Modifications? In a basic sense, it is a makeover for street cars to become proper racing cars. Look at the Dodge Viper GTS below. The top picture is a base Dodge Viper GTS, and the bottom picture is a Racing Modified Dodge Viper GTS.
^ TOP PICTURE: base Dodge Viper GTS. BOTTOM PICTURE: Racing Modified Dodge Viper GTS.
Enhanced bodywork and some other modifications are added to further enhance the race car image. The thing that interests me on past Racing Modifications is how incomplete most of them are. That incomplete factor relates to how certain cars don't have driver numbers and things like that. I sometimes wonder about properly placing sponsors and decals on cars. I think it's time to make this customization process the best ever.
The main deal about Racing Modification is that it's a top-to-bottom customization process primarily in lightening the car and making a paint scheme. For if Gran Turismo 5 brings back this level of customization, it needs a new sense of direction. I don't think you have to be required to go down to a Stage 3 Lightweight just to have a Racing Modification like in Gran Turismo 2.
What you will be reading is a certain study I've done on Racing Modifications that I've done in addition to thoughts on Racing Modifications for Gran Turismo 5.
--- Racing Modifications: Gran Turismo 1 ---
Have you 80K or 82K Credits? Any car can be given a racing makeover with a Racing Modification. They can range from simple paint jobs to complete race cars. Racing Modifications only allow you two different colors. Sometimes, the color choices were ludicrous. For example, everyone knows the Castrol colors are white with red and green accents. But when you choose a different color scheme, you could choose white with red and green accents... or white with red and BLUE accents. Also, I could never fathom the traditional Subaru blue replaced with a black color for the Impreza Rally Car in GT1.
Here is an example of a Racing Modification in Gran Turismo 1:
^ - Racing Modification for the mid-1990s Mitsubishi 3000GT/GTO.
Racing Modifications only granted you two color choices. Anyone who knows their Japanese race cars know that this design is based on the Mitsubishi 3000GT/GTO that raced in Super Taikyu back in the mid-1990s. The original car was green and white with Puma livery. Here is a sample:
^ from: chollian.net - the Mitsubishi 3000GT/GTO Puma as raced in Super Taikyu in 1996.
--- Racing Modifications: Gran Turismo 2 ---
Gran Turismo 2's facility for Racing Modifications is different. A Stage 3 Racing Modification is now required before going with a Racing Modification, granted a car has a Racing Modification available. What was different about Gran Turismo 2's model was that some Racing Modifications have different types. Let's take a look at GT2's facility.
Racing Modifications: Real Cars.
^ This is what you end up with if you give a Racing Modification to a late model (in GT2) Toyota Celica GT-Four. Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec would be the first GT to feature the proper Celica Rally Car.
Racing Modifications: Real Race Car, Fictitious Paintscheme. ^ - a Nissan 300ZX Racing Modification with a familiar certain paint scheme.
If you even remotely know your racing liveries, a yellow car with black accents is usually a Pennzoil paint scheme. Instead of the "Fairlady Z" graphics, there should probably be "Pennzoil" graphics.
Cars With Multiple Racing Modifications. ^ - a few cars in Gran Turismo 2, like the Volkswagen Golf, have multiple paintschemes.
An example of a car in Gran Turismo 2 with multiple Racing Modification types is the Volkswagen Golf above. This car comes in three different types. Some paintschemes for cars are basically a a single skin in multiple colors. The picture features every paintscheme in order as you select "Change Type." Another car with multiple paintschemes in GT2 is the Honda S2000 (among a few others).
--- Racing Modifications: M.I.A. in GT3 and GT4 ---
The only thing even remotely close to a Racing Modification is in GT4 (Gran Turismo 3 has nothing even remotely close to a Racing Modification):
^ my Ford GT in Gran Turismo 4 in Midnight Blue with White Stripes and a rear wing.
Adding a rear wing makes a car at least feel like a complete race car. However, it does little else to make a car really feel like a race car. I'm most disappointed in Gran Turismo 4 that there aren't a lot of races for road cars with Racing Tires. A street car (especially a fully-bred for racing car) handles terribly on Standard/Sports tires. The assumption that races requiring Standard/Sports tires disallows race cars. Of course, you can just slap on some Standard/Sports tires to enter race cars into these events (unless the event disallows Non-Production cars).
I'll show off MUCH more on this deal later in this blog entry using Gran Turismo 4.
Are you reading the full post? If not, click "Read More" to see the rest of this post. Or more importantly, check out my blog post on "John's Gran Turismo Space" (JGTS) featuring this topic. Most of this material is mostly obsolete at this point. Click on the banner below to go to my JGTS post, or "Read More" to continue your reading of this post:
--- Reading Between the Lines: A Racing Modification Study ---
Being that kind of guy who tries to answer questions that were never asked, let's delve further into Racing Modifications and how I would modify the process. Have a look...
^ - a BMW (not sure which 3-series model) Racing Modification.
^ I'm not sure what BMW this is (only one or two BMWs can be Race Modified. Pay attention to the two callout points. Callout point "A" is the windshield visor. Imagine if you could replace that graphic with your name, the team name, another sponsor, or something like that. Callout point "B" is to the driver plate number. Imagine being able to change up the... (will be completed in future blog edits)
Racing Modification Study Using Gran Turismo 4: Street Car.
I will be using a 1998 Mitsubishi 3000GT/GTO to explain Racing Modifications for road-going cars in the game. To further express things, I've added a rear wing to this car to show the range of possibilities in painting up a car for Racing Modification. Four pictures are included with callout points to explain my ideas to all of you. A lot of these ideas come from "Tokyo Xtreme Racer Drift 2."
--- RM: Front ---
The front of the car features a handful of ways to customize with racing graphics. I've seen small sponsors below the headlights, so that's why you see "Small Sponsor Decal" below the lights. The "Front Hood Detail" can feature a long decal featuring a certain sponsor. Like you'd see on almost any race car, a primary sponsor is usually draped across the front bonnet of a car. Some have huge sponsor decals on them, and some others just have the big sponsor followed by the driver number (like on most Super GT cars). A lot of race cars have a visor decal draped across the top of the windshield. This is usually reserved for sponsors, team names, or in events such as the Pro Celebrity Race around Long Beach- driver names.
--- RM: Rear ---
A look from the rear yields a few more areas for sponsor placement. A few sponsors can be placed on the rear bumper on either side. That's why you see two Small Sponsor Decals called out to you. The top of the rear bumper can display the name of a certain sponsor. Let's say that I wanted to put on a long "Mitsubishi" decal. That would work perfectly fine here. At least in kart racing, I see these driver plates at the rear. How about this for a novel solution: rather than the license plate, imagine replacing this section with your driver number? It would make things interesting in feeling more like you have a car modified for racing rather than a vastly-tuned street car. Underneath the rear wing, you sometimes see a number of sponsors. Use this space to show off a certain sponsorship decal (usually a large one).
--- RM: Sides ---
Let's talk about the sides of the car now. The quarter panels often have some sponsors. Pretend this car was riding on Firestorm tires. I could put "Firestone" decals on the front quarter panels. Usually on race cars, the rear quarter panels are usually used for displaying smaller decals of a car's primary sponsor. That is what you can use to display on the rear quarter panels.
I have made a makeshift driver plate, and the reason is because I want street cars tuned for racing to actually FEEL like racing cars. I think for a race car, you should be able to choose almost any number ranging from 0 to 999. The majority of cars have one or two numbers, but think back to the Aston Martin DBR9's that had 007 and 008 for driver numbers. The only thing I'd be uncertain of is if you can choose numbers 1 through 4 in championships. It would probably depend on the series. As important as picking a number is, you should be able to choose a certain font. You may even have NASCAR-style numbers where you have big numbers emblazoned on the sides of the car and on the roof. That's also your call. The space above the driver number can be used for a number of purposes: title sponsor, championship sponsor, class name, nationality, etc.
I've also included sponsors on the doors and on the side skirts. Rather than sponsor placement, your nationality or the nationality of your team can be placed on the doors. A bunch of other small sponsor decals can be placed on the side skirts.
--- RM: Top ---
Finally, let's look at Racing Modifications for up top. Note that I've included two graphics for the windshields. I sometimes see rear windshield decals to compliment the front. Look on the driver window. I've included a graphic that has "NAT" and then "F. LastName." Use this space to put in your nation's flag and your name. There is also a "[NAT] F. LastName" on the roof of the car with space for extra teammates. Most racing cars have anywhere from two to four names on the car. I've seen an amateur-level endurance race that had six different drivers represented. Below the space for a rear windshield decal is where the name is placed on the back of the car in ToCA Race Driver 3. My name is John Marine, so this section would read either "J. Marine" or "Marine" if I were to fill that area. The final callout point is on the rear wing. This is where you put on a big sponsor decal on the rear wing. While I haven't mentioned it, you can also think of some small decals and designs to put on the endplates of the rear wing.
The thing to take away from this section is that street cars modified for racing shouldn't have to feel like just street cars. They can be Racing Modified to complete the look. We're not just talking about painting up cars. Instead, this is about painting up cars while also making them feel complete as race cars. Elaborate Racing Modification schemes may not be possible for Gran Turismo 5, but this is a different look at making this element come alive in a new way.
Racing Modification Study Using Gran Turismo 4: Racing Car.
Take a look at the Peugeot 206 WRC below.
There are three callout points: (1) - flag and name (2) - driver plate: championship sponsor (3) - driver plate: driver number
(CALLOUT POINT 1) - This was one of the first areas of concern for me. Imagine if you can replace the generic text with your name (and even the name of any extra drivers or a rally co-driver). This is one of the things that immediately comes to mind when seeing this section. The flag is quite self-explanatory. Just pick your nation's flag to represent yourself in Gran Turismo 5. There are different ways I've seen names displayed on cars. Consider this handle: "FirstName M. LastName." A name can be displayed with the first name as an initial and the full last name (such as "F. LastName"), the last name only (such as "LastName"), or even the first and last name (such as "FirstName LastName").
(CALLOUT POINT 2) - The "Gran Turismo" decal is pretty basic as it is. However, imagine putting the sponsor of a race or a championship here instead. Imagine you were doing the Honda Type-R Cup in a Honda S2000. Don't you want to have Honda Type-R decals with your driver plate? It would show some character and show a car meant specifically for a series like whatever you're racing in.
(CALLOUT POINT 3) - If you learn anything from Tourist Trophy, you'll know that you're able to customize your number. The number I usually prefer is 25. With the exception of a few motorsports, no one can use a number like 1 for a driver number unless that car and/or that/those driver(s) are the defending champions of a race or a championship. Tourist Trophy allowed you to change the rider number anywhere from 5 to 99(?). When you complete a championship, you can elect to change a rider number from your championship finish number. So if you win the championship, you can elect to switch to the #1 driver plate.
--- What Does the Future Hold Here? ---
It depends on how you look at Racing Modifications for Gran Turismo 5, should we get any. A proper suite for modifying cars' exteriors with sponsors and certain paint styles is a start. Whether or not taking hold of various sponsors will be the other deciding factor.
Aftermarket exterior parts will be of tremendous concern in how far the Racing Modification suite is extended and executed. In the future, I'll discuss sponsorship issues.
--- An Update on Gran Turismo 5 Racing Modifications ---
(added Nov. 29, 2010)
PERSONAL NOTE: I want to thank everyone who have visited my blog on racing modifications! This post was supposed to be a look at Racing Modifications for Gran Turismo 5 (from a speculative standpoint), but I've since included info on cars that can be Racing Modified. Thanks again for your support.
According to what I've read on GTPlanet, only 15 cars can be Race Modified in GT5. It is disappointing that not every car can be Race Modified (then again, not every production car could be Race Modified in GT games. GT1 had only one car that could not be Race Modified- the Dodge Concept Car). Some cars are already Racing Modified and ready for you to unlock. Some cars, like the 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX GSR have Racing Modification available to fully bring out the absolute best in the car's performance. For a discussion on Race Modified cars from my friends on GTPlanet, check out Racing Modification Cars (GTPlanet). The full list of Race Modified cars can be read in this thread where someone says Race Modifications doesn't seem to have a purpose, or, you can read this list below to see cars that can be Racing Modified in GT5:
Cars That Can Be Race Modified in Gran Turismo 5:
Acura NSX RM '91
Chevrolet Camaro SS RM '10
Chevrolet Camaro Z28 RM '69
Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (C6) RM '06
Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 (C6) RM '09
Dodge Challenger R/T RM '70
Honda CIVIC TYPE R (EK) RM '97
Honda INTEGRA TYPE R (DC5) RM '04
Lexus IS F RM '07
Lotus Elise RM '96
Lotus Elise 111R RM '04
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX GSR RM '05
Nissan SILVIA spec-R AERO (S15) RM '02
Subaru IMPREZA Sedan WRX STI spec C Type RA RM '05
And for those who think that Racing Modifications serve no purpose, well... THEY DO! Do you want to complete your racing machine or not? It DOES serve a purpose if your answer to this question is yes. It is a great shame that so few cars can be Racing Modified, but at least it's better than none that can be Racing Modified.
JOHN'S GT SPACE NOTE: If you love the Gran Turismo series, check out my all-new blog called John's GT Space, complete with various resources of mine and commentary regarding the GT series.
(ADDED: May 25, 2011) I found a website showing off all of the cars in Gran Turismo 5 that can be Race Modified. You can also see how they look when Race Modified. Feel free to visit "Gran Turismo 5 Race Modification Car List" on granturismo5support.com to see all the cars in their Race Modified form.
--- GT5 Racing Modification Demonstration ---
(ADDED: Dec. 12, 2010)
Hi, everyone! I'd like to thank everyone who have taken the time to visit my blog post on GT5 Racing Modifications. This blog post was initially a speculative look at Racing Modifications in Gran Turismo 5 with insight from Gran Turismo 1 and Gran Turismo 2. That was the main point of this blog post. Now with GT5 released, I must continue to service my readers. And to do so, I want to show you Racing Modification in action.
This video below shows you a 2005 Subaru WRX STi Spec C Type RA (good grief, Subaru... that's a LONG name for a car!) being Race Modified. Watch it go from production to race car and listen to the roar of the engine. There may be only 17 or so cars that can be Race Modified, but you can enjoy one of those few RM cars here in the video below. Enjoy!
Cars that have been Race Modified have some of their parts unequipped after Racing Modifications have been complete. However, you can re-equip certain parts of cars previously bought for that car.
I am just going on what I've read online. I do NOT have a PlayStation 3 (as of Jan. 9, 2011), so I am going on impressions from other people.
What do you make of Racing Modifications, should there be any (regardless of whatever form they may come in)? Comment on my work!
Teemaree is a beautiful name. Teemaree herself is equally beautiful. The range of talent for her is like a diamond. And like a diamond, she sparkles in almost everything she does in every facet of a diamond. I first came across Teemaree online as she was one of many of hot go-go dancers I've seen as I first introduced myself to the mystique and allure of go-go dancing girls. Teemaree is more than a go-go dancer, though. She's also done acting, singing, DJ'ing, and more. I said that her range of talent is like a diamond. There's your evidence this beautiful lady is capable of almost anything.
Here's Teemaree in this picture: ^ from: shadoworldforever.com - Teemaree is a go-go dancer who also is a DJ and an actress, among other talents. (Picture was from my blog entry "Go-Go Dancing")
--- Teemaree: Go-Go Dancing ---
I briefly touched up on Teemaree in my blog entry simply called "Go-Go Dancing." Go-go dancing is my best memory of Teemaree because that has been what I've loved most about Teemaree. Go-go dancing brings out the sexy appeal of a young lady who dances to the beat while dressing up as eye-catching as possible. Teemaree is actually one of the first go-go dancers I've really admired and respected. That was even before coming across names like Sasha Singleton, Sunisa Kim, the beautiful Helen Su, Flo Jalin, or any other go-go dancer.
Where Teemaree really shines to me is in how she was the host of the first-ever reality series about go-go dancing, called "Sweat, Boots, and Booty Shorts." Teemaree basically shows what it's like go-go dancing the night away at various clubs with various beautiful women. It was a no-crap look at go-go dancing that I became a fan of watching on Myspace. I then started watching a few more of these episodes on YouTube. When seeing her dance in platform boots five inches off the ground (I've mentioned these boots in my "Go-Go Dancing" and "Platform Shoes, Sandals, Boots, and Sneakers" blog entries), I see a lady who is very talented and knows how to electrify any crowd. She's got some hot moves and wears some lovely outfits. Teemaree usually sports a hot bikini top, some cute bottoms or shorts, a handful of sweet accessories, and a sky high pair of patchwork platform boots. Teemaree is even athletic as she's built nicely. She has a nice belly along with a tattoo around her navel. With go-go dancing being one of the sexiest jobs as reported by E! once, Teemaree was featured go-go dancing in a brief segment.
--- Teemaree: Away from Dancing ---
Outside of dancing, I've seen Teemaree in a variety of other media. For one, I saw a YouTube video of Teemaree as she was a contestant on ABC's very popular "Wipeout" competition. I've seen other videos where she was doing a few commercials and spots. Another thing about Teemaree- I think she has a lovely speaking voice. She's also a singer and a model. I've heard a few of her songs on Myspace and seen a few of her DJ work in YouTube videos.
Here's a YouTube sample of her when not dancing or DJ'ing:
--- What I Would Say to Teemaree (if she read this) ---
Greetings! Keep up the great work with all that you do. I've been a fan of yours since seeing your go-go dancing pictures. Even more so when looking at the "Sweat, Boots, and Booty Shorts" videos. You are immensely talented and immensely beautiful. Keep up the great work! Much love and respect! :D
Would I Want to Meet Teemaree?
(ADDED: March 1, 2012) Absolutely! Why would you not want to meet someone you praise so much for their craft?
All in all, Teemaree is a diamond who sparkles in many ways with many levels of talent. A diamond also describes how her beauty sparkles with a lovely body, a lovely voice, and some lovely moves dancing.
