On TourGT Live 2006 Tour Details AnnouncedGT Live, the automotive theme park experience that hosted the JGTC (now Super GT) race series not too long ago, has finally announced further plans for the US market in 2006. Sadly, the Super GT race series will not be coming over to the States in '06 to race. No low down, wicked carbon-fiber 350Z's, Supra's, or NSX's banging doors and rubbing tires. But all hope is not lost, because GT Live still has plenty in store for us.
From May 12-14, GT Live visits Phoenix International Raceway, and from October 6-8, it touches down at Virginia International Raceway. Unlike the last GT Live at the end of 2004, this year's events will not feature a Super GT race, instead showcasing the races from the Grand American Road Racing Association. The Grand-Am series parallels the JDM Super GT series with multiple car classes battling it out on the same track, and with racecars that inspire legendary manufacturer battles. The closed cockpit, all-out Grand-Am Daytona Prototypes go head to head with the GT class tube-frame GTO-R, M3, and three-rotor RX-8's in some of the closest racing in the US today. In the Cup series ST class, near stock RX-8's, RSX Type-S's and SRT4's, just like your car, battle it out with professional drivers behind the wheel.
Although there is no race, the Super GT cars will still be making an appearance at Phoenix and VIR during the GT Simulation Race. Selected contest winners will be given the opportunity to ride shotgun in a variety of Super GT, Super Taikyu, Grand-Am, and Time Attack cars at full tilt around the racetrack, an experience that has to be tasted at least once in a lifetime. We hear rumors of certain GT300 cars confirmed to make it over, such as the Cusco Advan Subaru Impreza. Completing the theme park experience, there will be a car show and time attack competition, with the brand new addition of a motorcycle stunt exhibition by the XDL stunt team. With more than enough attractions, events, races, and cars on hand to entertain even the most attention deficient Super GT fan, GT Live is shaping up to be the motorsports racing attraction of the year. Grab your tickets now before they've all been sold to the scalpers: www.gtlivetour.com
Pioneer Sweeps Best Of CES AwardsShowcasing their vast lineup of navigation, entertainment, and mobile audio products at the 2006 Consumer Electronics Show, Pioneer Electronics was awarded with three CNET Best of CES Awards. Presented and selected by CNET, an online-based consumer electronics information website, Pioneer took awards home for their Blu-ray Disc player, AVIC-Z1 hard drive-based navigation head unit, and Inno portable satellite radio/MP3 player. The Blu-ray Disc format is an upcoming type of disc that packs more than five times the space of a DVD in a single disc, and promises to deliver the clearest, loudest, most detailed home theater experience to date. If you thought DVDs were clear, just wait until you try to make out Eva Mendes' naked butt in Training Day on Blu-ray high definition discs. The AVIC-Z1 is a unit we saw debuted at the SEMA show, which uses a built-in 30GB hard drive to give you the most detailed, up to date, "learning" navigation system that you can pack into your ride. The Z1 can control an iPod, play DVDs and MP3s, accept voice commands, and re-route you if it detects an accident up ahead. In short, it's everything you could possibly want inside your car. www.pioneerelectronics.com