Next Exit Observations: 02/16/16

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

They See Me Rollin' - Nissan Edition

(SpeedHunters.com)

I Want A Pair Of These

Nike releases successful Flyknit Chukka line to golf

(GolfDigest.com)

2016 Masters field list - Published: Sunday, February 14, 2016

CATEGORY 1: Masters Tournament Champions

Angel Cabrera (1), Argentina
Fred Couples (1)
Trevor Immelman, (1), South Africa
Zach Johnson (1, 3, 16)
Bernhard Langer (1), Germany
Sandy Lyle (1), Scotland
Phil Mickelson (1)
Larry Mize (1)
Mark O’Meara (1)
Jose Maria Olazabal (1), Spain
Charl Schwartzel (1), South Africa
Adam Scott (1, 12), Australia
Vijay Singh (1), Fiji
Jordan Spieth (1, 2, 13, 14, 15, 16)
Bubba Watson (1, 15, 16)
Mike Weir (1), Canada
Tiger Woods (1, 5)
Ian Woosnam (1), Wales

CATEGORY 2: U.S. Open champions (Five-year exemption)

Rory McIlroy (2, 3, 4, 11, 15, 16), Northern Ireland
Webb Simpson (2)
Justin Rose (2, 11, 14, 15, 16), England
Martin Kaymer (2, 5), Germany

CATEGORY 3: British Open Champions (Five-year exemption)

Darren Clarke (3), Northern Ireland
Ernie Els (3), South Africa

CATEGORY 4: PGA Champions (Five-year exemption)

Keegan Bradley (4, 13)
Jason Dufner (4)
Jason Day (4, 13, 15, 16), Australia

CATEGORY 5: Players Championship Winners (Three-year exemption)

Rickie Fowler (5, 11, 16)

CATEGORY 6: Current U.S. Amateur champion and runner-up

Bryson DeChambeau
Derek Bard

CATEGORY 7: Current British Amateur Champion

Romain Langasque (7), France

CATEGORY 8: Current Asia-Pacific Amateur Champion

Jin Cheng (8), China

CATEGORY 9: Current Latin America Amateur Champion

Paul Chaplet (9), Costa Rica

CATEGORY 10: Current U.S. Mid-Amateur Champion

Sammy Schmitz (10)

CATEGORY 11: First 12 players (including ties) in previous year's Masters

Paul Casey (11, 16), England
Bill Haas (11, 16)
Charley Hoffman (11, 16)
Dustin Johnson (11, 12, 16)
Hunter Mahan (11)
Hideki Matsuyama (11, 16), Japan
Ryan Moore (11)
Kevin Na (11, 16)
Ian Poulter (11), England
Kevin Streelman (11)

CATEGORY 12: First 4 players not otherwise eligible (including ties) in previous year's U.S. Open

Cameron Smith (12), Australia
Louis Oosthuizen (12, 13, 16), South Africa
Branden Grace (12, 14), South Africa

CATEGORY 13: First 4 players not otherwise eligible (including ties) in previous year's British Open

Marc Leishman (13), Australia

CATEGORY 14: First 4 players not otherwise eligible (including ties) in previous year's PGA Championship

No additional qualifiers

CATEGORY 15: Winners of non-opposite PGA Tour events from previous Masters to current Masters

Steven Bowditch (15, 16), Australia
Jim Furyk (15, 16) (unlikely to play because of wrist surgery)
Fabian Gomez (15), Argentina
Emiliano Grillo (15), Argentina
Smylie Kaufman (15)
Chris Kirk (15)
Russell Knox (15), Scotland
Danny Lee (15, 16), New Zealand
David Lingmerth (15), Sweden
Davis Love III (15)
Shane Lowry (15), Ireland
Graeme McDowell (15), Northern Ireland
Troy Merritt (15)
Vaughn Taylor (15)
Justin Thomas (15)

CATEGORY 16: Qualifiers for previous year's season-ending Tour Championship

Sang-moon Bae (16), South Korea (will miss due to military service)
Daniel Berger (16)
Harris English (16)
J.B. Holmes (16)
Kevin Kisner (16)
Brooks Koepka (16)
Matt Kuchar (16)
Scott Piercy (16)
Patrick Reed (16)
Brandt Snedeker (16)
Henrik Stenson (16), Sweden
Robert Streb (16)
Jimmy Walker (16)

CATEGORY 17: Top 50 on final Official World Golf Ranking for previous calendar year

Byeong-hun An (17), South Korea
Kiradech Aphibarnrat (17), Thailand
Jamie Donaldson (17), Wales
Victor Dubuisson (17), France
Matthew Fitzpatrick (17), England
Sergio Garcia (17), Spain
Billy Horschel (17)
Thongchai Jaidee (17), Thailand
Soren Kjeldsen (17), Denmark
Anirban Lahiri (17), India
Andy Sullivan (17), England
Lee Westwood (17), England
Bernd Wiesberger (17), Austria
Danny Willett (17), England
Chris Wood (17), England

CATEGORY 18: Top 50 on Official World Golf Ranking published week prior to current Masters

To be finalized on March 28, 2016

(PGA.com)

Power Rankings: Ducks mighty - ESPN.com

3. Anaheim Ducks

last week: 3
record: 28-19-8
If they are thinking of selling goalie Frederik Andersen ahead of the deadline, they should probably put him on the market ASAP. The Danish Destroyer is 8-0-1 in his past nine decisions. Captain Ryan Getzlaf is heating up, too, with 15 points in his past 11 games.

5. Los Angeles Kings

last week: 7
record: 33-19-3
Have to think GM Dean Lombardi will be busy working the phones for the next two weeks after waiving defenseman Christian Ehrhoff and losing forward Marian Gaborik to a lower body injury. The Kings are close enough to contending for the Stanley Cup that Lombardi can't afford to leave anything to chance.

9. San Jose Sharks

last week: 8
record: 29-20-5
They couldn't buy a win at home earlier this season. Now they can't lose in the Shark Tank. San Jose picked banked three of four points to improve to 6-0-3 in its past nine games at SAP Center. More impressive though was that 2-0 win in Chicago. The Sharks may not be serious Cup contenders, but if they keep playing like this they might just knock one off.

(SI.com)

14 Incredible Automotive Industry Superlatives

Here's a definitive list of all the extremes of the automotive industry. We've got the lightest cars, most powerful engines, widest tracks, and tallest trucks - the list makes for fascinating reading

Longest car ever: 2016 Mercedes-Maybach Pullman (6.5 metres)

Widest car currently on sale: Lamborghini Aventador (2.0 metres)

Heaviest car currently on sale: Rolls-Royce Phantom Extended Wheelbase (2745kg)

Biggest engine in a car currently on sale: Dodge SRT Viper (8.4-litre V10)

Most powerful N/A petrol engine: 2013 Ferrari LaFerrari (6.3-litre V12)

Highest top speed for an N/A engine: 1992 McLaren F1 (243mph)

Best selling model: Toyota Corolla (Over 39 million sales since 1966)

Complete list (CarThrottle.com)

Lexus Is Trippin'

Is Lexus Setting Itself Up For FAILURE? Forecasts BIG Numbers For LC500 Sales #s — Do YOU Think This Goal Is Possible?

When the new LC 500 sports coupe goes on sale in spring 2017, Lexus plans in the first full sales year to deliver 4,000 units in the U.S. and 6,600 globally.

(AutoBlog.com)

Cambridge Must Have Been Really Bored 1 Weekend

Survey Says Nissan Drivers Are Relationship Material

According to Cambridge University research into customers' personalities, Nissan owners happen to be some of the most generous, loyal and friendly of all car drivers.

The study, using data from a cross-section of 824 drivers, also revealed that Nissan owners are much more likely to think of others before themselves and be more interested in economic welfare and social justice.

"Personality assessment and automotive design are a perfect match", argued Dr Richard Mills, Doctor of Psychometrics at Cambridge University's Psychometric Center. "Our research shows that Nissan drivers are generally seen as trusting, soft-hearted, generous and sympathetic. They are considerate and friendly, and think other people are honest and decent, as opposed to competitive and self-interested."

Dr Mills added that "Psycho metrics allows Nissan to shape the customer journey and build cars that owners can fall in love with, in much the same way as they do with other people. Nissan owners clearly recognise and value having close and personal relationships with loved ones, making them the perfect partner."

Nissan is using psycho metrics (personality profiling) in an effort to improve the experience behind the wheel of their cars, online, in showrooms as well as in service centers across Europe.

The survey also uncovered the fact that the vast majority of the owners are already in long-term relationships, which means you may have to wait some of those out.

(CarScoops.com)

Hopefully The Brand Re-Invents Its Image, And Quickly

DRIVEN: Lexus RC-F - Has Boring Been Banished From The Brand?

Fortunately for everyone’s inner Speed Racer, Toyota President Akio Toyoda is demanding more passion from his luxury division. And lo, the engineers have delivered the RC F. With plenty of oomph from its 5-liter V8 engine, rear-wheel drive, all wrapped in a two-door coupe, the RC F ventures into territory defined by the Camaro SS and Mustang GT. To find 467 horsepower and 389 pound-feet of torque throbbing under the aluminum hood of a Lexus is heartening.

(AutoSpies.com)

Did You Know - Super Bowl Rings Edition

The NFL allocates $5,000 per ring to the Super Bowl-winning team for the franchise to contract a jeweler to make up to 150 rings for the players, coaches and other personnel in the organization, according to Bankrate.com. Any cost incurred beyond that amount and the team has to foot the bill, which they usually do.

(CavemanCircus.com)