Still sporting its matching-numbers 289/306 HP engine, this 1965 Shelby GT350 Mustang is a feature attraction at the Mecum Auctions Original Spring Classic sale. Get all the latest auto industry news in the Executive Briefing.
Today’s headlines:
+ Citing strong sales in North America, Toyota posted a record $18.1 billion in earnings for the fiscal year through March, up 19 percent from last year. More at The Detroit News.
+ Ford has discharged or disciplined multiple employees at its Chicago assembly plant, including a plant manager and a human resources official, following a sexual harassment lawsuit brought by female workers. More at the Chicago Tribune.
+ Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah, opened in 2006 by the late Larry Miller, car dealer and Utah Jazz owner, will cease operations on October 31. More at The Salt Lake Tribune.
+ Superior Industries, a leading supplier or aluminum wheels to the automakers, will relocate its headquarters from Van Nuys, California to the Detroit suburb of Southfield. More at Crain’s Detroit Business.
+ Toyota Motor Corp. and Mazda Motor Corp. are in discussions to expand their technology partnership in hybrid, diesel, and fuel-cell vehicles. More at Yahoo! News.
+ Advisory firm ISS has recommended that BMW shareholders vote against the appointment of outgoing chief executive Norbert Reithofer as chairman of the carmaker’s supervisory board. More at Reuters.
+ Tesla’s acquisition of Michigan-based Riviera Tool LLC caused a run on the stock of an unrelated but similarly named company, leading regulators to halt trading. More at Autoblog.
+ The 28th annual Mecum Auctions Original Spring Classic sale in Indianapolis will feature more than 2000 cars offered over six days, May 12 through 17. More at Sports Car Digest.
+ Ford of Venezuela will sell cars in dollars to alleviate a shortage of greenbacks that has limited imports and paralyzed ts assembly plant. More at Bloomberg.com.
+ A fire at Leavine Family Racing, which fields the no. 95 NASCAR Sprint Cup Ford with driver Michael McDowell, damaged four race cars and caused structural damage to the race shop. More at Fox Sports.
For the previous Executive Briefing from May 8, click here.
Testing. (My comments aren’t going through.)
OK, that time it worked. On Friday’s Executive Briefing, I meant to post a small tribute on Ms. McCluggage, who will not soon be forgotten. My father was lucky enough to chat with her trackside at some point long ago, and once I started reading her in Autoweek, was sure to let me know how classy and friendly she was.
The linked obituary paints her as modest, and I’m sure she usually was. But I recall reading an incident about her that happened probably a couple decades ago. She was at some sort of karting facility and told some young men that she could beat their pants off. Secretly, they probably laughed to themselves, not knowing who this old lady was or what she was capable of. They weren’t laughing later.
All apologies. For some unknown reason the spam filter took a dislike to you and held up your messages. Sorry about that.
I raced Denise in karts at media events. Once at an Indoor track in Indy, I got under her and rooted her out and she spent the rest of the stint trying to do the same to me, but of course I would not show her a millimeter inside. It was just a dumb trait of those sealed concrete indoor tracks. She was very gracious about it but it was my bad. She was always kind and generous to me, for which I am not worthy.
Thanks. I know spam filters are a bit finicky.
What a blast it must have been to race her!