U.S. BASKETBALL & THE LONDON, U.K. OLYMPICS-2012 // FORMULA ONE GRAND PRIX MOTOR RACING SEASON-2012.

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                “SPORTS NOTEBOOK” posts its columns Tuesday and Friday of every week---Ed. & Publ., Marvin Leibstone.

            SPECIAL OLYMPICS SUMMER GAMES, COLORADO: for more information: specialolympicsco.org

USOC BASKETBALL---         THE London Olympics (2012) will be from July 27 through August 12, and the U.S. men’s basketball team will be crafted from the below-listed 20 finalists (10 Forwards & 10 Guards) out of 14 NBA teams, four of the 14 with two or more players chosen as finalists:

            Head Coach: Mike Krzyzewski (Duke University)

                  LaMarcus Aldridge, Forward/Center (Portland Trail Blazers)

                  Carmelo Anthony, Forward (New York Knicks)

                  Chauncey Billups, Guard (Los Angeles Clippers)

                  Chris Bosh, F (Miami Heat)

                  Kobe Bryant, G (L.A. Lakers)

                  Tyson Chandler, Center (N.Y. Knicks)

                  Kevin Durant, G (Oklahoma City)

                  Rudy Gay, F (Memphis Grizzlies)

                  Eric Gordon, G (New Orleans Hornets)

                  Blake Griffin, F (L.A. Clippers)

                  Dwight Howard, F/C (Orlando Magic)

                  Andre Iquodala, G/F (Philadelphia 76ers)

                  LeBron James, F (Miami Heat)

                  Kevin Love, F (Minnesota Timberwolves)

                  Lamar Odom, F (Dallas Mavericks)

                  Chris Paul, G (L.A. Clippers)

                  Derrick Rose, G (Chicago Bulls)

                  Dwyane Wade, G (Miami Heat)

                  Russell Westbrook, G (Okla. City)

                  Deron Williams, G (New Jersey Nets)

           

FORMULA ONE  --- THIS month begins the Formula One Grand Prix Motor Racing season for 2012, which will continue into November and include 20 races hosted by 19 countries, starting with this Friday’s Australian Grand Prix. Noteworthy is that Formula One racing is returning to the United States, with a Grand Prix event at Austin, Texas, during weekend, November 16-18. Race number 20 will be the Brazilian Grand Prix, at Sao Paulo, November 23-25.

Key races between the Australian and U.S. events will occur at the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Hungary, China, Japan, Korea, India, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Malaysia, and Singapore. 

Second to world soccer, F1 racing is the world’s richest and most popular sport, but not as popular in the U.S. as is Nascar and the Indy racing circuit. Here’s a quick review: think two amazingly sleek and light racing cars per 12 teams competing upon circuits combining roads + tracks that are indeed maverick in style, that is, the roads are winding and in places narrow, and the tracks only partially elliptical, with most go-rounds for the cars more than 1.5 miles, the state-of-the-art aerodynamically-designed cars capable of reaching 220 mph from 18,000 rpm’s, accepting 5G pull at corners.

Last year's champion driver---Sebastian Vettel, team: "Red Bull-Renault." Here are the 12 teams as they finished last year---

1. (first place, yes, the energy drink:) "Red Bull-Renault" (Renault vehicle + engine)
2. McLaren-Mercedes (Mercedes engine)
3. Ferrari (Farrari + Ferrari engine)
4. Mercedes (Mercedes & Mercedes Engine
5. Renault (Renault Car + engine)
6. Force India-Mercedes (Mercedes + Merc. engine)
7. Sauber-Ferrari (Sauber car, Ferrari engine)
8. STR-Ferrari (Ferrari engine)
9. Williams-Cosworth (Wms car, Cosworth engine)
10. Lotus-Renault (Lts. car, Ren. Engine)
11. HRT-Cosworth (Cosworth engine)
12. Virgin-Cosworth (Cos. Engine)

The first six F1 Grand Prix races are as follows. Several will be shown live or taped on TV’s Speed Channel:

1. Australian Grand Prix, Mar 16-18 (Melbourne)
2. Malaysia GP, Mar 23-25 (Kuala Lumpur)
3. Chinese GP, April 13-15 (Shanghai)
4. Gulf-Bahrain GP, Apr 20-22 (Sakhir)
5. Spain GP, May 11-13 (Catalonia)
6. Monaco GP, May 24-27  

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