Force, Densham & Auto Club Stay Together For 2004
January 14, 2004
John Force racing has announced that it has signed a sponsorship deal with the Automobile Club of Southern California through 2007. Veteran pilot Gary Densham will also remain as driver to compete in his fourth season as a Force driver. Gary won’t stay with Force as long as the Auto Club has agreed to however. After the 2004 season Densham hopes to once again start his own team…
JohnForceRacing.com: Densham Returns!
NHRA.com: Auto Club and Force ink multi-year deal; Densham to return as driver
NASCAR Drivers Sold Short In Europe
January 14, 2004
It doesn’t surprise me as much as it apparently surprises David Poole of the Charlotte Observer that English racing rag AutoSport has drastically sold NASCAR talent short on its latest list of the greatest race car drivers in the world. The first NEXTEL cup driver (Ryan Newman) ranks 26th.
Charlotte.com: Magazine sells NASCAR talent short
Tuesday’s Daytona Testing Speeds
January 13, 2004
Here are today’s NEXTEL Cup testing speeds from Daytona…
Daytona International Speedway – Testing Tuesday 1/13/2004
Results of Tuesday morning’s testing:
1. No. 1, John Andretti, Chevrolet, 48.117 seconds, 187.044 mph
2. No. 49t, Ken Schrader, Dodge, 48.201, 186.718
3. No. 21, Ricky Rudd, Ford, 48.251, 186.525
4. No. 41t, Casey Mears, Dodge, 48.271, 186.447
5. No. 48a, Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 48.285, 186.393
6. No. 24a, Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 48.481, 185.640
7. No. 2a, Rusty Wallace, Dodge, 48.493, 185.594
8. No. 25b, Brian Vickers, Chevrolet, 48.505, 185.548
9. No. 18b, Bobby Labonte, Chevrolet, 48.510, 185.529
10. No. 10b, Scott Riggs, Chevrolet, 48.538, 185.422
11. No. 91a, Bill Elliott, Dodge, 48.541, 185.410
12. No. 31a, Robby Gordon, Chevrolet, 48.573, 185.288
13. No. 5, Terry Labonte, Chevrolet, 48.605, 185.166
14. No. 45b, Kyle Petty, Dodge, 48.616, 185.124
15. No. 4a, Kevin Lepage, Chevrolet, 48.625, 185.090
16. No. 40, Sterling Marlin, Dodge, 48.637, 185.044
17. No. 50a, Derrike Cope, Dodge, 48.639, 185.037
18. No. 16a, Greg Biffle, Ford, 48.683, 184.869
19. No. 12a, Ryan Newman, Dodge, 48.712, 184.759
20. No. 38a, Elliott Sadler, Ford, 48.714, 184.752
21. No. 7b, Jimmy Spencer, Dodge, 48.828, 184.320
22. No. 30a, Johnny Sauter, Chevrolet, 48.958, 183.831
23. No. 99, Jeff Burton, Ford, 48.962, 183.816
24. No. 23a, Dave Blaney, Dodge, 49.043, 183.512
25. No. 09a, Joe Ruttman, Dodge, 49.370, 182.297
26. No. 74, Tony Raines, Chevrolet, 49.439, 182.043
27. No. 84, Norm Benning, Chevrolet, NT, NS
New And Old Teams Search For Sponsors
January 13, 2004
Derrike Cope and team owner Don Arnold have announced that they will combine efforts and try to qualify for some NEXTEL Cup races this year. Last year saw Arnold’s team attempt to qualify at 5 events and didn’t make a single show. But that’s not the interesting part of this article. The interesting part is regarding Arnold’s search for a sponsor…
“A guy like Jack Roush is asking for $18 million, where all I need is $6 million,” Arnold reflected. “I don’t have to make money with my race team. I can run a full season first-class with $6 million.”
Yeah…but you see Don, Jack Roush will actually get some TV airtime for the $18 million a company pays him to put their name on his car (Jeff Burton’s currently unsponsored mount for example). Whereas they would pay you $6 million to get pit passes and hospitality tents at a few events for their best clients. Those are two completely different value propositions…he’s comparing apples and oranges here…
RPM.ESPN: Team still looking for sponsorship
Sullivan’s Team Submits Entry For Sebring 12 Hours
January 13, 2004
BRASELTON, Ga. - The new Barron Connor Ferrari racing team, with former Indianapolis 500 winner Danny Sullivan as a driver, has submitted the first official entry for the 52nd annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.
The 12-hour sports car endurance race at Sebring (Fla.) International Raceway will open the 2004 season for the American Le Mans Series Mar. 17-20. Up to 60 cars will be allowed to start the event on the 3.7-mile road racing circuit and the IMSA Selection Committee will choose the 60 starters from all entries that are received by the January 28 deadline. ALMS events include four classes of race cars, all competing at the same time for class wins and the overall win.
Sauber Launch New Car - Ferrari Copy
January 13, 2004
Giancarlo Fisichella helped unveil the 2004 Sauber on Monday - and said he hoped to use it as a stepping stone for a move to one of the top teams. “One of the top teams?” Why who ever could he mean? Giancarlo will be doing some testing with Ferrari (with whom the Sauber squad is closely affiliated) as well as racing with Sauber this year.
About the car…well…compared to the splash that Williams’ FW26 made, this puppy is decidedly plain…essentially a copy of last years Ferrari. But hey, being a smaller team, Sauber doesn’t have the budget or the ability to take design risks like the big boys…
BBC: Sauber launch new car
PlanetF1.com: Sauber Unveil Cunning Ferrari
F1-Live.com: Sauber presents C23
Play-off System Anger
January 12, 2004
Try reading this quote without raising your eyebrows.
What’s more, almost to a man, the drivers themselves said with various degrees of tact they hated the playoff idea. (Well, except Michael Waltrip of course. Waltrip has become such a mouthpiece of NASCAR that if Brian France shoved a stick in a frozen turd and called it a poopsicle, within five minutes Waltrip would find a way to appear on TV eating one, telling people it was delicious, and urging fans to stock their freezers full of them.) Oh, and the talking heads that work at NBC seem to love the idea. There’s a surprise.
Or this one.
If you ask me, and I ain’t saying anyone did, this whole playoff idea is Nothing But Crap. And you can abbreviate that NBC.
racingone.com: Open Up and Say Ah
The first story I read about Nascar “officially” going to a play-off system was on Friday, 1-9-04, and I was wondering how long it would take for some angry reactions to evolve.
Matt, I might not agree with every thing you say, but I sure do admire the way you say it!
The full Jim Hunter announcement, to keep Matt’s comments in perspective.
nascar.com: NASCAR will use playoff-style points system
IRL Confirms Interest In Buying CART
January 12, 2004
Indy Racing League officials confirmed the rumor the league is looking at entering a competing bid to buy CART’s assets. “We’re a racing company, and they have racing equipment for sale,” an official said. He added that a decision will be made on or before the Jan. 23 deadline for alternative bids…
AutoWeek.com: IRL could buy CART assets
Yahoo! Sports: IRL mulls bidding on CART assets
Howard Dean Goes After NASCAR Dads
January 12, 2004
Democratic Presidential hopeful Howard Dean is going after the hot new “NASCAR Dads” demographic…
“Friends of Howard Dean have decided that the NASCAR Busch Series is the perfect vehicle by which to enhance the popularity and exposure of Howard Dean during his run for the Presidency. A presence in this series will also give his army of supporters a media forum to use to connect with the millions of race fans who are also potential voters. “
As if I don’t see enough of these guys on the news. Now I’ve got to watch his name flying around a race track too…
“No Bullshit Motor Homes…”
January 12, 2004
…says Mr. Richard Parry-Jones, for the Jaguar racing team this year. Don’t have the money, says he. They are so broke, they have to take Christian Klien and his 4 million dollar Red Bull sponsorship and let him drive a green cat this year.
It’s actually a voice of reason in an insane sport trying to point out the degree of lunacy of funding an F1 team. Couldn’t agree with you more Richard. Besides cutting out the bullshit motor homes, any other bright, constructive ideas on how to reduce spending?
planet-f1.com: Ford: ‘No More Bullsh*t Motorhomes For Jaguar’