Kyle Larson again wins at Las Vegas to keep Chevrolet undefeated on NASCAR season
Kyle Larson won his second consecutive race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday to keep keep Chevrolet undefeated and give Hendrick Motorsports its second victory in the first three NASCAR Cup Series races of the season.
Toyota urges owners of old Corolla, Matrix and RAV4 models to park them until air bags are replaced
Toyota and General Motors are telling the owners of about 61,000 older Corolla, Matrix, RAV4 and Pontiac Vibe models to stop driving them because their Takata air bag inflators are at risk of exploding and hurling shrapnel.
Toyota is not advising people to park recalled RAV4 SUVs outdoors despite reports of engine fires
Toyota is not advising owners of 1.9 million recalled RAV4 SUVs to park them outdoors, even though U.S. safety investigators have four complaints about engine fires that can start with the vehiclesโ ignitions turned off.
15-year-old runs red light in stolen car; 1 dead, 6 injured in Orange County crash, FHP says
A Palm Coast man is dead and six teenagers were hospitalized after a crash Sunday morning that forced the temporary closure of a section of Dean Road, according to Orange County Fire Rescue and the Florida Highway Patrol.
๐ Passed gas? This hybrid car will pay for itself in 2 years with average price at pump in Florida
With gas prices at or near record highs, if youโre in the market to buy a car right now, fuel efficiency might be high on your wish-list! Consumer Reports explains there are lots of other good reasons, including fuel economy, to consider buying a hybrid vehicle.
Motorcycle rider killed in crash in Daytona Beach
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. โ A 39-year-old New Hampshire woman was killed Sunday in a motorcycle crash in Daytona Beach, according to the Daytona Beach Police Department. Officers responded to the crash on International Speedway Boulevard and U.S. 92 around 5:30 a.m.A 2000 Toyota Rav4 and a 2013 Harley Davidson Softail motorcycle were involved in the crash, according to police. Police said the crash happened as both vehicles were stopped on the road. The riders of the motorcycle were not wearing helmets at the time of the crash, according to police. Officers said the driver of the Toyota agreed to have his blood dawn after officers noted possible signs of impairment.
Martin Truex Jr. wins NASCAR Cup race at Phoenix Raceway
AVONDALE, Ariz. โ Joey Logano has won a few times at Phoenix Raceway and knows a good restart when he feels one. Truex blew past Logano on the final restart and pulled away for his first NASCAR Cup Series victory of the season and 28th overall. Logano โ who led 143 laps โ won the second stage after leading the final 35 laps during a long stretch of green-flag racing. But he couldn't hold back Truex, who won his ninth race with JGR. Hamlin was fast early in the race, leading for 31 laps until the competition caution midway through the first stage.
Ticket to be dismissed for driver who swerved to avoid couch on Florida interstate
Jake Singer says he and his girlfriend were on Interstate 95 when they had to swerve to avoid a falling couch. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. โ A driver who crashed her car while swerving to avoid a couch falling from a truck on Interstate 95 may get a reprieve from the Florida Highway Patrol. Lt. Yanko Reyes told the South Florida SunSentinel that the agency will recommend dismissing the $166 traffic citation that a trooper issued to the driver on Feb. 20. His girlfriend, who didn't want to be identified, lost control of the car when she swerved to avoid the tumbling sofa. โHe gave us a ticket for basically swerving lanes while trying to avoid a couch that was flying at us on the highway,โ Singer recalled.
Driver ticketed for swerving to avoid falling couch on Florida interstate
Jake Singer says he and his girlfriend were on Interstate 95 when they had to swerve to avoid a falling couch. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. โ A couple driving home from Florida flipped and wrecked their car while swerving to avoid a couch that fell off a truck. And though both escaped serious injury, there was no avoiding a $166 traffic ticket dropped off at the hospital where they were treated. Jake Singer told the South Florida SunSentinel that his girlfriend was driving Feb. 20 on Interstate 95 as they returned to Washington, D.C., after a monthlong visit with family in Boca Raton. โHe gave us a ticket for basically swerving lanes while trying to avoid a couch that was flying at us on the highway,โ Singer told the newspaper.
US probing engine fires in nearly 1.9M Toyota RAV4 SUVs
The U.S. government is investigating complaints of engine compartment fires in nearly 1.9 million Toyota RAV4 small SUVs. (AP Photo/Francois Mori, File)DETROIT โ The U.S. government is investigating complaints of engine compartment fires in nearly 1.9 million Toyota RAV4 small SUVs. In documents posted Monday, the agency says fires start on the left side of the engine compartment. Most of the fires happened while the vehicles are being driven, but four owners complained that fire broke out with the engine off. The agency says the RAV4 has a higher number of fire complaints in the battery area than comparable vehicles.
Rights groups target sponsors like Airbnb for Beijing Games
(AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)In one corner are the 15 leading Olympic sponsors, many household names like Airbnb, Coca-Cola, Visa, Toyota, Samsung and General Electric. They have branded these the โGenocide Gamesโ and are pressuring sponsors, the IOC and world sports federations to investigate. AdThousands of Olympic athletes are caught in the middle. โOnce again athletes are being used as pawns,โ said Rob Koehler, director general of Global Athlete, an advocacy group for Olympic athletes. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian responded to Blinken: "The most important thing should be repeated three times: China has no genocide; China has no genocide; China has no genocide, period.โAdPolak pointed out that the United Nations Genocide Convention spells out much of the behavior taking place in China.
Bubba Wallace becomes first Black driver to lead lap at Daytona 500
Bubba Wallace checks his helmet before the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Sunday, Feb. 14, 2021, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. โ Bubba Wallace ran into trouble early and late in his first Daytona 500 driving for Michael Jordan. He still came out of NASCAR's marquee race with another milestone, becoming the first Black driver to lead a lap in the Daytona 500. Wallace dipped to the low line late in the second stage to grab the lead on lap 129 in the No. Wallace got caught up in a fiery, chaotic last lap and finished 17th in a race won by Michael McDowell. Wallace had a solid first two-thirds of the rain-delayed race at Daytona International Speedway after a tumultuous start in Jordan's debut race.
Semiconductor shortage forces automobile production cuts
A widening global shortage of semiconductors for auto parts is forcing major auto companies to halt or slow vehicle production just as they were recovering from pandemic-related factory shutdowns. Ford had scheduled down time next week at its Louisville, Kentucky, assembly plant, but moved it ahead to this week. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)DETROIT โ A widening global shortage of semiconductors for auto parts is forcing major auto companies to halt or slow vehicle production just as they were recovering from pandemic-related factory shutdowns. Ford had scheduled down time next week at its Louisville, Kentucky, assembly plant, but moved it ahead to this week. "This will minimize the impact of the current semiconductor shortage while ensuring we maintain production at our other North American plants,โ Fiat Chrysler said in a statement.
US factories grew in December at fastest pace since mid-2018
FILE - In this June 24, 2019, file photo machines work on a Ford vehicle assembly line at Ford's Chicago Assembly Plant in Chicago. American factories expanded at a faster pace last month, continuing a rebound from the coronavirus recession. (AP Photo/Amr Alfiky, File)WASHINGTON โ American factories grew in December at the fastest pace in more than two years as manufacturing continued to weather the pandemic better than the battered services sector. Toyota, which has U.S. plants in Georgetown, Ky., Blue Springs, Miss., San Antonio, Texas, and elsewhere, said sales spiked 20% in December. The worry is that a resurgent virus could hit manufacturers where they have been thriving.
Body of man found at Seminole County park; woman still missing
SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. โ The body of a missing man was located Saturday in Seminole County, but a search continues for a missing woman with whom he was last seen, officials said. According to the Seminole County Sheriffโs Office, the body of 26-year-old Trodarius Rainey was discovered in Lake Jesup Park. Rainey and Church were last seen Wednesday and had been in a black Toyota Camry with the Florida tag JKMN34, deputies said. The same vehicle was found at 1980 Cameron Avenue in Sanford early the next morning, according to deputies. Deputies said there was evidence inside the car that indicates the coupleโs disappearance was suspicious, therefore they were considered โendangered.โAnyone with any information on the whereabouts of Church is asked to contact the Sheriffโs Office or Crimeline at 800-423-8477.
Florida woman, 26, killed when car strikes tree in Orange County
A Florida woman is killed in a crash in Orange County. A 26-year-old Tampa woman was killed early Monday when her car struck a tree in Orange County, the Florida Highway Patrol said. The fatal single-vehicle wreck was reported around 2:45 a.m. on Winter Garden Vineland Road at Jacaranda Boulevard near Orlando. The FHP said the woman was driving a 2013 Toyota Corolla north on Winter Garden Vineland Road when the vehicle left the road for an unknown reason and collided with a tree. The woman, who was wearing a seat belt, was pronounced dead at the scene, the FHP said.
Oracle says it will move HQ from Silicon Valley to Texas
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. โ Tech giant Oracle Corp. said Friday it will move its headquarters from Silicon Valley to Austin, Texas, and let many employees choose their office locations and decide whether to work from home. The business software maker said it will keep major hubs at its current home in Redwood City, California, and other locations. This month, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, one of the early companies in Silicon Valley, said it will move to the Houston area and build a campus with two five-story buildings by 2022. In 2018, Toyota shifted its U.S. headquarters from Southern California, to Plano, Texas, a Dallas suburb. In its most recent fiscal year, which ended May 31, Oracle reported earnings of $10.1 billion on revenue of about $39 billion.
GM flips to California's side in pollution fight with Trump
DETROIT โ General Motors says it will no longer support the Trump administration in legal efforts to end California's right to set its own clean-air standards. Toyota, one of the big automakers in the coalition favoring the Trump standards, said Monday it is reconsidering its position. In September of 2019, Trump announced his administration would seek to revoke Californiaโs congressionally granted authority to set standards that are stricter than those issued by federal regulators. The move came after Ford, BMW, Honda and Volkswagen signed a deal with the California Air Resources Board, which had been at odds with the Trump administration for months. The Trump administrationโs plan increased fuel economy by 1.5% per year, backing off an earlier proposal to freeze the requirements at 2021 levels.
Mazda No. 1 in Consumer Reports 2020 auto reliability survey
DETROIT โ Mazda beat traditional winners Lexus and Toyota to win top honors as the most dependable auto brand in Consumer Reports' annual reliability survey. Mazda took top honors for the first time in the survey, which this year included Consumer Reports organization members who own more than 300,000 vehicles from model years 2000 to 2020. Consumer Reports said that the Ford Explorer SUV, redesigned for the 2020 model year, is among the lowest-scoring models of any manufacturer with transmission, electronic, and engine issues. Only the company's Model 3 small car was rated as reliable and recommended by Consumer Reports. Nearly half of the new models have much worse than average reliability, Consumer Reports said.
Wisconsin trooper stops driver hauling snowmobile atop car
CLAYTON, Wis. โ The Wisconsin State Patrol had a little advice for a guy who transported a snowmobile by strapping it to the roof of his Toyota Corolla: Bad idea. A trooper pulled over the driver on Highway 63 in northwestern Wisconsin on Sunday afternoon after seeing the snowmobile perched sideways on top of the sedan. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation tweeted a photo of the car with the Polaris topper on Monday with a message: โFolks, don't try this at home.โThe 23-year-old driver was issued a warning about the hauling technique and cited for failing to buckle up, according to DOT spokeswoman Christena OโBrien. The driver, Matthew Schmit, of Clayton, told the trooper he had just bought the snowmobile and was driving it over to a friendโs house to show him, the Star Tribune reported. โI know it looks sketchy, but we had it strapped down and shook it,โ he said.
Toyota adds 1.5M US vehicles to recalls for engine stalling
DETROIT โ Toyota is adding 1.5 million U.S. vehicles to recalls from early this year to fix fuel pumps that can fail and cause engines to stall. The company says the latest recall brings the total to 5.8 million Toyota and Lexus brand vehicles that need to be repaired worldwide. The recall affects more than 40 vehicles in the U.S. dating to the 2013 model year, covering much of the Toyota and Lexus model lineup. Toyota said in a statement Wednesday that the fuel pumps can suddenly stop operating, and that can cause the vehicles to stall. Toyota began recalling the vehicles in January with about 700,000, and added 1.2 million in March.
Suarez on the move again after parting with Gaunt Brothers
CHARLOTTE, N.C. โ Daniel Suarez, who landed a ride two weeks before the season-opening Daytona 500, will not return to Gaunt Brothers Racing next season and is seeking a new team for the third time in three years. Gaunt Brothers said Tuesday it was a mutual decision for the Mexican driver to leave the team. โIโm extremely thankful to my entire Toyota family for everything they have done for me, especially this year," Suarez said. โI will always be grateful to them for having my back.โSuarez has struggled with Gaunt Brothers, which is in its first full season of Cup competition. His long relationship with Toyota helped Suarez get the job with Gaunt Brothers, a team that began in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series in 2010 and the Canada-based NASCAR Pintyโs Series.
Police ID man hit, killed by car while crossing road in Ormond Beach
ORMOND BEACH, Fla. Police have identified a man fatally struck by a vehicle while trying to cross a road in Ormond Beach earlier this week. The crash was reported in the area of West Granada Boulevard and North Yonge Street around 3:05 a.m. Wednesday. According to police, the driver of a black four-door Toyota was heading west on West Granada Boulevard when the pedestrian, identified as 62-year-old James Keyte, of Ormond Beach, tried crossing northbound across West Granada Boulevard at North Yonge Street. Police said the driver of the Toyota was not injured in the crash. Its unclear whether the driver will face charges as the investigation is ongoing, police said.
Japan's 'flying car' gets off ground, with a person aboard
This photo taken at the beginning of August, 2020 and released by SkyDrive/CARTIVATOR 2020, shows a test flight of a manned '"flying car" at Toyota Test Field in Toyota, central Japan. Japans SkyDrive Inc., among the myriads of flying car projects around the world, has carried out a successful though modest test flight with one person aboard. Japans SkyDrive Inc., among the myriads of flying car projects around the world, has carried out a successful though modest test flight with one person aboard. Tomohiro Fukuzawa, who heads the SkyDrive effort, said he hopes the flying car can be made into a real-life product by 2023, but he acknowledged that making it safe was critical. Of the worlds more than 100 flying car projects, only a handful has succeeded with a person on board, he told The Associated Press.
6-year-old Florida girl found safe after missing child alert
PASCO COUNTY, Fla. โ UPDATE: A 6-year-old Florida girl was located safe after she was reported missing. EARLIER REPORT:A missing child alert has been issued for a 6-year-old Florida girl who may be with a 39-year-old woman, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The child is believed to be traveling with 39-year-old Ashley Norsworthy in a 2017 gray Toyota Rav4 bearing license plate number 846LFD. Padilla has brown hair, hazel eyes and is 3 feet, 4 inches tall. Norsworthy has brown hair, brown eyes and is 5 feet, 5 inches tall.
China auto sales rise in July, as market regains momentum
The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers reported that sales of passenger cars jumped 8.5% from a year earlier to 1.67 million. Weakness in the China market has hurt global automakers that are looking to China to propel sales growth. Demand for electric vehicles weakened last year after Beijing reduced subsidies that helped to make China their biggest market, accounting for half of global sales. In the first seven months of the year, sales climbed 14.3% from a year earlier to 2.8 million. SUV sales in July rose 14% from a year earlier while sales of sedans rose 4.6%.
FHP: Golf cart driver rushed to hospital after crash, troopers say he ran a stop sign
THE VILLAGES, Fla. โ The Florida Highway Patrol said a 70-year-old man was rushed to the hospital with serious injuries after a golf cart crash in The Villages around 8:38 a.m. on Tuesday. Troopers said the crash happened in the area of Winifred Way and Sherwood Street. Investigators said Jack Cooper Snyder was driving a golf cart southbound on Sherwood Street approaching Winifred Way. Investigators said the front of the golf cart hit the right side of the Toyota. The crash caused the golf cart to overturn, according to investigators.
โMy driverโs side window imploded:โ 911 calls released in shootings on I-4, I-95
โI was driving on I-4 and my driverโs side window imploded on me,โ a woman driving a van said. A black BMW 528i driving on I-4 had its rear driverโs side window shot, a small dent above the window and two dents on the rear driverโs side door. A Chrysler Town & Country was traveling near mile marker 110 on I-4 when the driverโs window and two driverโs side rear windows shattered. A blue Toyota had its rear driverโs side window shot on I-4 near mile marker 108. A white SUV was on I-95 near mile marker 278 had its rear driverโs side window shattered and the lift-gate glass shattered.
Clermont man killed when car strikes tree on New Yearโs Day
LAKE COUNTY, Fla. โ A 31-year-old man was killed in a single-vehicle crash on New Yearโs Day in Lake County, the Florida Highway Patrol said. The fatal wreck was reported at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday on County Road 455 near Willo Pines Lane. The FHP said Daniel Silva Cabal, of Clermont, was driving a 2005 Toyota Camry south on C.R. 455 when he failed to negotiate a curve and traveled onto the shoulder before hitting a tree. Cabal, who was wearing a seat belt, was pronounced dead at the scene, the FHP said.