This Just In: New On The Net

Paul Newman, racer, actor, and philanthropist, died at home on Friday at the age of 83, following a protracted battle with cancer. He’ll be deeply missed by the automotive community, though we’re glad that he got out to the track last month for what he probably knew would be his last laps. Rest in peace, man. Here’s the news:

• The Detroit automakers got their $25B in federal loans approved, so expect much gnashing of teeth from TTAC. But don’t worry, they’ll get the vindication they’ve been hankering for: Wall Street’s mega-bailout plan was rejected, so the automakers will surely be screwed by proxy. Freep.
• Why is Kyle Busch’s Toyota such junk? Why? Following a heim joint failure at New Hampshire and a grenaded engine at Dover, the former JGR wunderkind suffered more hope-destroying mechanical demons this weekend at Kansas when his engine started sputtering with a fuel-pressure problem. This makes Busch’s mechanical failure rate in the Chase so far three for three, in what Rowdy.com’s Buck and Bass are calling the worst Chase start, for any driver, ever. At this point, I’m almost starting to feel kind of sorry for the guy. NASCAR.com.
• The NICE (for No Internal Combustion Engine) "MyCar" has won the electric car of the year at the 2008 GreenFleet awards. Nope, I’d never heard of ‘em either. The Auto Channel.
• In the UK, an amputee was issued a ticket for parking in a handicap spot. The attending officer felt the woman’s prosthetic leg didn’t carry as much weight as one of those little blue wheelchair badges. APP.