Fiat 500 will go to Mexico

Critics of Detroit’s carmakers could play a real game of gotcha with Chrysler. News reports today say the company will build the Fiat 500 subcompact at Chrysler’s plant in Toluca, Mexico, which builds the Chrysler PT Cruiser and Dodge Journey. Since Fiat owns 20% of Chrysler, the Italians can call the shots. Critics of the auto industry bailout and the government’s 8% ownership stake in Chrysler might say that we spent a few billion dollars to save Chrysler and guarantee Mexican jobs. But build that car here and the same critics could say that the government and the United Auto Workers, which owns 55% of Chrysler, swayed management to keep the jobs in the U.S.

Forget all of that. Building the 500 in Mexico makes good business sense. First of all, it’s tough to make a buck on compacts and tiny cars like the 500. With the exception of BMW’s Mini brand, those cars just don’t fetch fat sticker prices. So margins are usually thin. Mexican wages can help.

There’s another good reason to build in Mexico, especially a car that has international appeal like the 500. Mexico has some nice trade agreements with the European Union, Brazil and Asian countries like Thailand that keep import taxes low for cars, says Michael Robinet, vice president of CSM Worldwide. If you want to build cars in one plant and have access to the U.S., Mexico, Brazil and some Asian markets, going south of the border is sensible. Fiat-Chrysler can sell more of those cars globally and stand a better chance of making money if they can max out the plant with sales around the globe.

READ MORE - Fiat 500 will go to Mexico

IndyCar Series Releases 2010 Schedule, Adds Two New Venues

Sparta, KY (My Sportsbook) - Indy Racing League officials released the 2010 schedule on Friday, with two new venues added and two dropped. The schedule features nine road/street courses and eight ovals.

Brazil and Birmingham, AL will host first-time IndyCar events next year.

The season-opener will run March 14 on a series-designated circuit in Brazil. The IRL expects to announce the Brazilian venue at a later date.

Brazil hosted American open-wheel racing as recently as 2000, but it will be the first for the IndyCar Series in the South American country. The series currently features Brazilian drivers Helio Castroneves, Tony Kanaan, Raphael Matos, Vitor Meira and Mario Moraes.

Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham has also been added to the schedule, with the Indy Grand Prix of Alabama running on the 2.38-mile, 17-turn circuit on April 11. The series has conducted two test sessions there, with the most recent one held in March.

"We couldn't be more pleased with the diversity of the schedule as it will help us maintain a championship tradition that has been exciting for both competitors and fans," Brian Barnhart, president of competition and operations for the IRL, said. "The 2010 schedule keeps in-line with our goal to create a championship that requires drivers and teams to master a variety of tracks over the course of the season, and hopefully once again see our title battle come down to the final race of the year."

The series will not run at The Milwaukee Mile and Richmond International Raceway next season.

Milwaukee had been scheduled between the Indianapolis 500 and Texas Motor Speedway dates the past three years, but the series will take a week-off after the May 30 Indy 500 before running at Texas on June 12.

Richmond hosted an IndyCar event from 2001-09.

There will be other significant changes in next year's schedule compared to 2009. Kentucky Speedway will shift from its early August date to Labor Day weekend. An exact date for Kentucky has not been announced. The temporary circuit races in Toronto and Edmonton will be held on consecutive weekends in July. The two Canadian events were separated by two weeks this year.

St. Petersburg, FL will host the U.S. opener for the series on March 28.

Race dates at Long Beach, CA., Kansas Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway, Iowa Speedway, Watkins Glen International, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Infineon Raceway, Chicagoland Speedway, Twin Ring Motegi (Japan) and Homestead-Miami Speedway remain at the approximate same time as their 2009 dates.

The 2010 IndyCar Series schedule:

Sunday, March 14 Brazil (site TBA) TBA

Sunday, March 28 Streets of St. Petersburg 1.8-mile street course

Sunday, April 11 Barber Motorsports Park 2.38-mile road course.

Sunday, April 18 Streets of Long Beach 1.968-mile street course

Sunday, May 1 Kansas Speedway 1.5-mile oval

Sunday, May 30 Indianapolis Motor Speedway 2.5-mile oval

Saturday, June 12 Texas Motor Speedway 1.5-mile oval

Sunday, June 20 Iowa Speedway .875-mile oval

Sunday, July 4 Watkins Glen International 3.37-mile road course

Sunday, July 18 Streets of Toronto 1.721-mile street course

Sunday, July 25 Edmonton City Centre Airport 1.97-mile airport course

Sunday, August 8 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course 2.258-mile road course

Sunday, August 22 Infineon Raceway 2.245-mile road course

Saturday, August 28 Chicagoland Speedway 1.5-mile oval

Labor Day weekend Kentucky Speedway 1.5-mile oval

Saturday, September 18 Twin Ring Motegi 1.5-mile oval

Saturday, October 2 Homestead-Miami Speedway 1.5-mile oval

READ MORE - IndyCar Series Releases 2010 Schedule, Adds Two New Venues

Massa 'Feeling Very Well' On Eve Of Trip Home

Felipe Massa crashed after being hit by a spring from Ruben's Barrichello's Brawn.

SAO PAULO (AP) — Ferrari driver Felipe Massa is on the mend with only some swelling near his left eye and will fly home to Brazil on Monday, nine days after fracturing his skull in a high-speed crash in Hungary.

He will travel on a medical plane with his wife, Raffaela, who is six months pregnant with their first child, and family doctor Dino Altmann. They are expected in Sao Paulo on Monday night. Massa's parents and his brother flew back Sunday.

"Thank God, I'm feeling very well," Massa said Sunday in a statement. "I only have a bit of swelling in the region of my left eye. I'm anxious to return to Brazil and continue the recovery process."

Massa will be transported by helicopter from the Sao Paulo airport to a hospital, where he is expected to have further tests. He will probably stay there about two days before going home.

The 28-year-old Brazilian has said he was thinking about returning to Formula One as early as the next race, the European Grand Prix on Aug. 23 at Valencia, Spain. But he said Sunday his return might be some time away.

"It is important to be fully recovered before returning to the track," he said.

Massa underwent surgery on multiple skull fractures after he was hit in the helmet by a loose part from another car. He crashed into a tire barrier during qualifying at the Hungarian GP on Aug. 25.

He will be replaced at Ferrari by seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, who visited Massa on Saturday at his Budapest hospital.

READ MORE - Massa 'Feeling Very Well' On Eve Of Trip Home