Three-Nation Race to World Cup of Motorsport Continues in Mexico City
March 11, 2008
Round Eight Promises Keen Fight to Finish
A1GP contenders Switzerland, France and New Zealand take their battle for the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport title to Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez this weekend (March 14th-16th) separated by a mere forty points in the championship race.
What to think of Walker’s fold?
March 11, 2008
It has been a couple day since Derrick Walker announced that his team will not answer the bell for the 2008 IRL season, and I am still in shock and disbelief. While I’ve not exactly been a fan of Walker, I’ve been a follower, having been a huge Robby Gordon fan in the mid 90’s.
The folding of Walker for 2008 has been something I’ve mulled for the last 24 hours. My thoughts on the subject have been a pendulum of ideas. As a Champ Car guy, Walker’s announcment has made me question the merger that I’ve been in favor of for some time. But then I wonder just how much longer Champ Car could have really continued with teams in such constant financial straits. Read more
Making A List: The Open Wheel Racing Season
March 10, 2008
With Sebring testing behind us, unification in process and the Homestead race approaching as fast as a lion, I scratched down a list of reasons why I am excited about the new season of … uh … it’s still called the IRL right?
11) More foreign-born drivers for Danica to argue with
10) The end of multi-channel TV schedules/No more races on ESPN Classic
9) The end of Helio’s “Dancing with the Stars” Press Releases. Please, no more!
8) Hearing people ask “What happened to Ashley’s husband?”
7) The beginning of the return of THE Indy 500
6) The return of Townsend Bell and Max Papis
5) Andretti, Ganassi, Haas, Lanigan, Letterman, Newman, Penske, Rahal all racing each other again (with a nod to Forsythe and Walker. Please come back.)
4) A balanced Road/Oval/Street course schedule … Hey, wait a second!
3) Four-lap qualifying at all oval tracks in ’08
2) Justin Wilson (possibly) beating everyone
1) Graham Rahal v. Marco Andretti
You excited yet? Why?
What are your reasons?
Fightin’ In Atlanta
March 10, 2008
Monday Morning Crew Chief
NASCAR got back to its roots in Atlanta, a place where the city’s first stock car race was won by the legendary Lloyd Seay on the dirt mile at Lakewood in 1937. There was plenty of dirt in the air at the Atlana Motor Speedway, too, where this time the fighting was among the upper echelon. Ford and Toyota executives exchanged unpleasantries on the subject of cheating and winning.
Nigel Stepney Proves It Is Possible To Be Half Pregnant.
March 9, 2008
At least according to the FIA. In another controversial non decision decision, the FIA have issued a verdict as to their investigation and hearing of Nigel Stepney’s involvement into the “Great Ferrari-McLaren Espionage Case” of 2007. Read more
Did anyone notice that NASCAR just massively expanded its empire?
March 8, 2008
A “corporate cousin” of NASCAR - the Daytona Motorsports Group - has just been selected by the AMA to manage all of their pro-series properties (Superbike, Motocross, all of it). The Daytona Motorsports Group (DMS) is part of the same business entity that controls Grand Am and is managed in part by Jim France, Vice Chairman/Executive Vice President of NASCAR.
Allmendinger Loses Seat: Open Wheel to Nascar Not So Nice
March 5, 2008
In light of my earlier post about Open Wheel drivers moving to Nascar, I’ve actually been paying more attention to the races – well, the box scores. Good move on someone’s part to attract this fan. That said, I cannot stand the overhyped TV coverage, but I have been paying attention. Read more
Silly Season: The Unified Schedule
March 4, 2008
As the ink dries on the IRL/Champ Car unification “agreement in principle”, it is still uncertain what will happen to two Champ Car venues that may or may not be added to the 2008 IRL schedule. It is clear that the Toyota Grand Prix of Long beach is going to happen, no matter how odd or strange it turns out to be with the “oval guys and gals” going to Motegi, and the “Champ Car guys” (probably no gal, Legge is in sports cars now) run their mothballed DP01’s for one last time. It is not clear, however, if the Rexall Grand Prix of Edmonton is going to take place or what a possible date will be. Likewise, the Indy 300 at Surfer’s Paradise is not a certainty either.
Grand Prix of Houston cancelled for 2008
March 4, 2008
The unification of open-wheel racing is going to be effecting ALMS and Atlantics series this spring. The Grand Prix of Houston announced the cancellation of their event today.
The Houston Chronicle reports today:
“The unification of Champ Car and IRL caught us by surprise, and we were informed that due to the last-minute nature of this unification the Houston date could not be accommodated for 2008,” said Michael T. Lanigan, owner and chairman of the Grand Prix in a press release today. “We are saddened and disappointed to have to make this decision, but we remain optimistic that we will have the opportunity to bring the American Le Mans Series and the Indy Racing League to Houston in 2009.”
Sportscar fans can’t be happy about this turn of events. The unintended consequences of a dead Champ Car World Series are going to be significant. The casualties are mounting up.
Monday Morning Crew Chief
March 3, 2008
World Stage Gives F1 Edge vs. NASCAR, IndyCar
One never knows the best time to bring up the state of racing in general. But given the upheaval in the last 12 months some changes in the scale, i.e. the balance of power, may be in the offing. So now’s as good a time as any to consider which type of racing stands where. Read more