Tag: track

Tori Praver Creates the Greatest Racetrack in History

I hope everyone is enjoying Valentine's Day.  I am sure most people are enjoying roses, chocolates, cards, e-cards, and… well doing you know what!

If you didn't know the 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition went on sale today.  The stunning Kate Upton made the cover.

Another stunning model, among many, in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition is Tori Praver.  Her curvaceous body will make men go crazy.  Lexus has smartly capitalized on this in a very interesting way for the ad campaign for the all-new 2013 GS sedan.

In a new Youtube video Lexus features the TORI 500, showcasing a real racetrack that was inspired by the design of Tori Praver's body.  Supermodels curves are finally being put to good use.

The video shows the process of taking the pictures and making the racetrack.  Two professional race-car drivers are tasked with going around the track, in a Lexus GS of course.  They compete for a special prize, a victory lap with Tori Praver.  Winning feels great, but driving on the racetrack inspired by a supermodel with the supermodel riding shotgun, priceless!

The luxury car company also has four-page spread in the latest issue of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit magazine.  As we all know guys from 13-113 go bonkers for this magazine.  Since it features some of the world's most beautiful women.

Lexus, this is genius!  Actually I would say that the Tori Praver inspired racetrack is the greatest racetrack designed in history. Please give us more supermodel racetracks!

If you want to drive the track, you can with a Tori 500 game for the iPhone.

 

Baltimore Grand Prix Economic Benefit Press Conference

The Mayor, ALMS President, IndyCar Commissioner, and lots of people I don't know!

Yesterday there was a press conference regarding how Baltimore's economy benefited from the Baltimore Grand Prix.  I was invited and attended to hear what they had to say and even got to ask a question.  Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, the Mayor of Baltimore, and Jay Davidson, president of Baltimore Racing Development were in attendance.  To my surprise Terry Angstadt, the Indycar Commissioner, was in attendance as well as Scott Atherton, president of American Le Mans series.

The early numbers look good.  Hotel revenue taken from 11 hotels around the track had a 44% increase in revenue from last Labor Day weekend.  City parking garages showed a 119% increase in revenue.  (No shit!  They charged $40 for a parking spot.)  The media coverage is valued at 3.5 million, which I am not sure how that is tallied.  Jay Davidson said, “We spent more than 3 million dollars on local vendors.” which included D&T welding and Sparks Fencing.  So obviously a lot of money was spent with Maryland businesses to put on the event.

I thought there would be more numbers on how the weekend went.  More comprehensive numbers will be released by Forward Analytics on October 1st after Baltimore's Mayoral election on September 13th.  Mmm… I find that very interesting.  Don't you?  Rawlings-Blake, “I don't have any preliminary numbers.  As soon as I do I will make them available.”  It's early but with computers you can't come up with numbers faster?

After leaving and talking with several of the PR and Marketing bigwigs of the city, I realized this press conference was mainly to applaud the people who put on the Baltimore Grand Prix.  Nothing is wrong with that, since it did take a leap of faith.  I was expecting some better numbers though.  We will wait and see.