F-1 Jealous Of Nascar?
February 21, 2004
At least of the cash coming from all corners of the country to the sport. The Boys at NASCAR HQ may be worried about some teams having difficulty with sponsorships, but the F-1 lads are green with envy. Listen to McLaren head honcho Ron Dennis:
“You know one single thing that really, really upsets me?,” he said last month when the talk turned to Formula One’s commercial future.
“It’s every time that I read about NASCAR. It’s just amazing. I mean they are just full up. Every race is full up, they’ve got more income, more television revenue and it’s boring as hell.
“That machine is working and yet we’ve got a much better show,” he added.
Hey Ron, you want to know whats boring? Watching your superstar drivers hide from the public as if they were anthrax carriers. And the way teams are constantly sniping at each other, and trying to find ways to bankrupt the competition instead of beating them on the track.
You want greater fan attendance in Europe and here in the USA? If you ever get to that NASCAR race, extract that oversized pumkin of a head from your butt, and look around. If you let the fans have a closer look at the teams,(Oh my god!) cars, (too many secrets!!) drivers, (too good to mingle!!!) and garages (no room dear boy!), you too may get better fan attendence. As far as sponsorship, NASCAR major sponsors pay between 8-10 million for a 36 race season. In your series, for 17 races, that won’t buy a minor decal on a wing end plate. Reduce costs or you will not survive.
hindustantimes.com: F1 casts envious eyes at NASCAR
Ryan Newman on Subway 400 Pole
February 20, 2004
Rockingham, NC - Ryan Newman just pipped fellow Dodge driver Jamie McMurray for his first pole of the 2004 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season. Running a lap of 23.398 sec/156.475 mph on the 1.017-mile track, Newman beat McMurray by 0.165sec. This is the second time Ryan Newman has beat out Jamie McMurray for pole at Rockingham. McMurray “complained” in the Media Center after qualifying ended.
Friday Qualifying Rained Out At Pomona
February 20, 2004
Picking up where the rain-soaked 2003 NHRA season left off, Friday qualifying was rained out. Last season’s Top Fuel Champ Larry Dixon passed the time in his hauler…
“The most exciting thing that happened today was a thrilling game of three-card in the lounge of my Miller Lite transporter with the crew guys. I walked away with $26.”
The Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Pro-Stock classes all need to complete two more qualifying rounds before Sunday’s final eliminations…
DragRaceCentral.com: Rain Ends Friday Qualifying
RûSPORT Moves Up to Champ Car
February 20, 2004
Fresh off winning the 2003 Toyota Atlantic Championship in its first attempt, RûSPORT will take its champion American driver A.J. Allmendinger and move up to the Champ Car World Series in 2004. I don’t think anyone will be unhappy that some fresh American talent is on deck in Champ Car for 2004, but I think it is even better that he’s bringing his whole Toyota Atlantic team up with him. This is an interesting team. It’s no simple task for a brand new race team to win a championship in its first season out, but these guys did it. I hope they are competitive in Champ Car…
Crash.net: RûSPORT to enter 2004 Champ Car World Series
ToyotaAtlantic.com: 2003 RûSPORT Team Profile
I also hope that the team does well for the sake of team manager Jeremy Dale. You might recall that Jeremy Dale was a brilliant sports car racer who was severely injured in a 1995 wreck with Fabrizio Barbazza while racing IMSA at Road Atlanta. If you remember seeing that wreck from the in-car, you probably still feel for Jeremy and hope this next phase of his team management career takes off.
RûSPORT Moves Up to Champ Car
February 20, 2004
Fresh off winning the 2003 Toyota Atlantic Championship in its first attempt, RûSPORT will take its champion American driver A.J. Allmendinger and move up to the Champ Car World Series in 2004. I don’t think anyone will be unhappy that some fresh American talent is on deck in Champ Car for 2004, but I think it is even better that he’s bringing his whole Toyota Atlantic team up with him. This is an interesting team. It’s no simple task for a brand new race team to win a championship in its first season out, but these guys did it. I hope they are competitive in Champ Car…
Crash.net: RûSPORT to enter 2004 Champ Car World Series
ToyotaAtlantic.com: 2003 RûSPORT Team Profile
I also hope that the team does well for the sake of team manager Jeremy Dale. You might recall that Jeremy Dale was a brilliant sports car racer who was severely injured in a 1995 wreck with Fabrizio Barbazza while racing IMSA at Road Atlanta. If you remember seeing that wreck from the in-car, you probably still feel for Jeremy and hope this next phase of his team management career takes off.
PK Racing Rumors
February 20, 2004
ChampWeb.net has a few rumors posted regarding the PK Racing Team’s personnel roster. Team owner Craig Pollock may be out the door effective immediately. Does this guy stay anywhere long? Is the damage he did to Villeneuve’s career may be careening over into his own?
Also, as previously rumored, the Jimmy Vasser deal will be announced soon in conjunction with the news that the second team driver will be Roberto Gonzalez with NEXTEL sponsorship. Of course Jimmy will be sponsor less, unless PK can find him something…
ChampWeb.net: Rumor: Vasser & Gonzalez at PK
ChampWeb.net: Rumor: Pollock Out at PK
Schumacher, Medlen, Anderson Top Charts On First Day At Pomona
February 20, 2004
At long last the season-opening K&N Filters Winternationals at Pomona Raceway got underway on Thursday. Following right through from the end of last season, the usually fast cars were at the top of the charts. I say fast “cars” because in Funny Car, the car that is at the top of the chart is last year’s championship mount - the John Force Racing Funny Car formerly driven by Cruz Pedregon. However, rookie driver Eric Medlen was able to put up the best time on Thursday in his very first run. The rookie looks set to deliver on what are high expectations…
CompetitionPlus.com: SCHUMACHER, MEDLEN AND ANDERSON LEAD AFTER FIRST DAY OF K&N FILTERS WINTERNATIONALS
NHRA.com: Rookie Medlen No. 1 on first run; Schumacher, Anderson also No. 1
DragRaceCentral.com: 1st Round Funny Car Notes
Webber & Jaguar Making Gains
February 19, 2004
Mark Webber and the new Jaguar turned an impressive lap time at Valencia, a mere .098 seconds behind new lap record holder Kimi Raikkonen. Wasn’t Kimi just complaining about how slow the MP4/19 has been all during testing? Did someone just say “Sand Bagger”?
eurosport.com: Webber chases the Ice Man
Ralf Reckons He Can Shade Montoya
February 19, 2004
If Ralf doesn’t get his ego in check and re-sign with Williams, the only shading he’ll be doing is under a tree beside the track. Dear boy, unless Juan gets totally stupid on the track, there is NO WAY you will out perform him this year. You may out qualify him, and you may be given pit lane preference, but in race conditions he will consistently out pace you.
f1-live.com: Ralf reckons he can shade Montoya
Sponsors Slowly Coming Around For Burton, Andretti
February 19, 2004
Two of NASCAR NEXTEL Cup’s sponsor-less racers got some good news today. Pennzoil, Jeff Burton’s Busch series sponsor, will also sponsor his NEXTEL Cup ride for the March 7th race at Las Vegas. Additionally, John Andretti and the DEI #1 car have been entered in this weekend’s race at Rockingham. A DEI spokesman says a full-time sponsor for the organization’s original team may not be far off.
Maybe there is a method to this. I’ve heard it rumored that Roush is asking for something in the neighborhood of $12 million to 18 million from a primary sponsor on the #99 car. However, the season has now started, and the Daytona 500, surely a major component of the value a sponsor would draw from the relationship, is over. Maybe these major sponsors are just waiting for the season to tick a few races deep before signing any agreements, thus getting the primary sponsorship rights for a lower price.
This could be a smart move on their part…
FOXSports.com: VODA: Burton, Andretti find sponsors
RacingOne.com: Pennzoil Backs Burton at Vegas
DaleEarnhardtInc.com: No. 1 car will run Rockingham
RoushRacing.com: Pennzoil Named Primary Sponsor on No.99 Ford for Las Vegas