Dave Purdy and Co. have released version 3.0 of their McLaren F1 Challenge rFactor mod. The latest version includes some nice changes and improvements to what I think is one of the best car add-ons for rFactor.

Here's a summarized list of what's new in 3.0:

• User selectable dash for both the GTR or LM cars.
• Driver change possible though upgrade.
• GTR lap times will be competitive against a certain unmentionable mod.
• LM laptimes will be competitive with some other quick cars around.
• New tires with new curves.
• Totally new and original suspension design.
• Adjusted engine heating, cooling and fuel parameters.
• New skins courtesy of Frank Amend, Dai and others.

For a more complete list of fixes and changes along with full credits for the mod, check out the readme included in the archive or visit this thread over at Race Sim Central.

Download the McLaren F1 Challenge Mod v3.0 for rFactor (68MB):
rFactorCentral
Rapidshare
MegaUpload
MediaFire
Local Mirror

Previously available only to premium Race2Play members, the official ISI Panoz car add-on for rFactor can now be downloaded by the unwashed masses. The mod includes four configurations of the Panoz including the GTS, the Esperante, the ALMS GT2, and the Panoz GTR-1. You'll find a list of download mirrors below. For Panoz setups, head over to rFactorCentral. The guys did a great job with this add-on and it's nice to see an officially licensed car like the Panoz make its way to rFactor.

"By acquiring the Esperante license, we're able to bring rFactor players the thrilling experience of driving this acclaimed auto with a level of accuracy not found anywhere else," said Gjon Camaj, Vice President of Product Development at ISI.

rFactor Panoz Addon Download Mirrors (96MB):
rFactor.net
Rapidshare
Mediafire
RacingFR
Local Mirror

The Live for Speed devs have released Patch W for their impressive racing sim. After taking it for a spin, the first thing I noticed was the much improved sound. The audio is like night and day compared to the previous version and it's a welcome change in my opinion. There's also plenty of other changes and improvements included with the patch such as being able to set up different views for specific cars, improved 2D graphics, interface enhancements and more. Check out this thread at the LFS forum for a complete list. If you are currently running Patch V, just fire up LFS and go to the "Display Games List" and you will be given the option to receive the auto-update. It's a quick download and only took about 30 second on a broadband connection. The full version of the sim is also available in the Live for Speed downloads section. If it's been a while since you've checked out LFS, now would be a good time to give it another go. The devs are continuously improving this already excellent sim and their efforts are worth supporting.

2009 Update: Acura is footing the bill once again for live streaming video from the 12 Hours of Sebring. You can view the feed at SpeedTV. You may need to use Internet Explorer to see the video and I'm not sure if it will work for those of you outside of the US. Of course you can also see most of the race on TV via the Speed Channel but they'll be breaking away for a couple of hours to cover Nationwide Series qualifying and Sprint Cup practice at noon EST. We wouldn't want to miss that would we?

Just a quick note for you sports car fans. SpeedTV is providing free streaming video from the 12 Hours of Sebring via their Onboard Pass service. It's normally a premium service but Acura is picking up the tab today so it's available to everyone. Most of the race will be broadcast on the Speed Channel itself but there will be a 3 hour break mid-day for some NASCAR Busch Series coverage (don't get me started ...) so this will be a nice option for the non-NASCAR fans. Here's a link to the Speed Onboard Pass page where you can view the feeds. You will have to register (it's free) and if you have trouble getting the site to work in FireFox, switch to Internet Explorer and you should be fine.

I just noticed that NASCAR is providing a live video stream of the Busch Series road course race at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez this afternoon. The green flag drops at approximately 2:00PM EST but the online broadcast starts at 1:30. Of course it will also be available on ESPN.