Kalivoda Lands Bill Miller Engineering Ride
January 18, 2004
Long-time NHRA campaigner Bill Miller has named Brady Kalivoda as the driver of his Bill Miller Engineering Top Fuel dragster. The group will attend 15 of 23 events in 2004 and will debut a new Don Long chassis at the Phoenix test session in early February. Miller, who manufacturers and supplies parts to many of the top teams on the circuit, will serve as crew chief….
NHRA.com: Kalivoda lands Bill Miller Engineering ride
Gary Scelzi Will Sport Hot New Paint In 2004
January 18, 2004
I’ve always loved the insane paint jobs that the Oakley sponsored funny cars have carried, but the folks at Don Schumacher Racing have really out done themselves on Gary Scelzi’s 2004 ride…
Motorsport.com: DSR announces Scelzi new Dodge look
NHRA.com: First photo of Scelzi’s Hemi Oakley Dodge
Rahal On The IRL And CART
January 17, 2004
One unified series would be the answer to all of American road racings problems. True Bobby, but without Cart to keep the pressure on for road racing, would the IRL even consider road courses in its series? And more then just Long Beach and Road America or Watkins Glenn? Road racing needs more then a couple of circuits to satisfy the demand of the fans.
lasvegassun.com: Rahal all for IRL, CART merging into one series
More Ways To Skin The CART Cat
January 17, 2004
The St. Petersburg Champ Car race has been rescheduled (tentatively) for May 16. If the IRL is not able to buy CART’s assets and kill it off that way, an alternative approach would be to get their own road racing efforts off the ground, and steal the jewel of American road racing venues; Long Beach. Dover Motorsports controls the rights to not only Long Beach, but Denver AND St. Pete.
If the boys at Champ Car can’t commit in time to get St. Pete on the calendar this year, Mr. George and the IRL would be remiss in not trying to scoop up all three races for 2005. Without Long Beach on the schedule Champ Car racing would take a serious hit.
sptimes.com: New race date set, but not in stone
Driver Line Up for 2004
January 17, 2004
As the story says, you will need a score card to keep track of the driver changes for the 2004 IRL season. With winter cabin fever in full grip of my psyche, I just wish the season would start sooner then Feb. 29 at Miami.
indyracing.com: IRL IndyCar Series Welcomes New, Familiar Faces
Team Orders vs. Trust?
January 17, 2004
Will the new 10 race run-off system foster team orders that will make the F1 team orders concept seem like childs play? Team orders in F1, with two cars in every team, has always been a source of controversy. To the point where the F1 sanctioning body has banned the use of team orders.
If Nascar doesn’t clearly regulate and prohibit the idea of team mates helping each other, or blocking the competition, the last 10 races will truly turn into the WWF on wheels.
shns.com: Trust an issue for new NASCAR
‘04 Toyota TF104 Breaks Cover
January 17, 2004
Toyota unveiled the new evolutionary TF104 today at Cologne Panasonic Toyota Racing headquarters. The front wing configuration seems especially interesting with compound curves in every direction.
f1-live.com: Toyota mounts the challenge with TF104
planetf1.com: Toyota Target First Podium
planetf1.com: Panis Predicts ‘Big Step Forward’
Interview: John Force & Eric Medlen
January 17, 2004
Eric Medlen and John Force Comment on Plans for 2004
John Force Racing has proven to be the team to beat in NHRA Funny Car competition, winning the last 11 championships in a row and 13 of the last 14 overall. John Force personally piloted 12 of the championship-winning Funny Cars, and his former teammate, Tony Pedregon, took the title last season. This off-season Force had the difficult task of replacing Pedregon, and he is doing so with a rookie. Eric Medlen, having spent the last eight years with John Force Racing as a crew member, will jump into the seat in 2004 and try to keep the championship streak alive for JFR.
Interview: Whit Bazemore
January 17, 2004
Don Schumacher Racing’s Funny Car teams are preparing for the 23-event 2004 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, which officially begins at Pomona Raceway in Southern California Feb. 19-22, by attending pre-season tests at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Jan. 28-31) and Firebird Raceway in Chandler, Ariz. (Feb. 6-8).
In the following interview, Matco Tools Iron Eagle Dodge Stratus Funny Car driver Whit Bazemore reflects on his 2003 championship-chasing season and talks about the team’s 2004 quest for the Funny Car crown.
Long Live The French Grand Prix
January 17, 2004
The 2004 French Grand Prix at Magny Cours will take place after being reinstated into the calendar by the FIA, motorsport’s governing body…
BBC: French GP saved