A quick update after a day of taking in stick-and-ball sports ...
What is Dario doing?
Dario Franchitti was initially going to run next weekend's ARCA race in Talladega for Chip Ganassi, but AGR said Dario must honor his contract and stay with AGR through December (and run the ALMS Petit Le Mans race for AGR). Now, it appears Chip is trying to negotiate with AGR to get Dario out of that contract and into a tintop ASAP.
Says Chip of Dario: "The plans are there for him to race this year. We have him signed and sealed; he's just not delivered. We're working through some things to get him in the car this year. We're working feverishly to get him in the ARCA race at Talladega. That's the plan."
Speaking of Dario, the Indy 500 and IndyCar Champ was named the Driver of the Year quarterly winner for the second straight quarter.
Sarah Fisher Racing?
Robin Miller mentioned it as a possibility a few weeks back, but Curt Cavin also brings up the possibility of Sarah Fisher starting her own team (with a built-in crew chief, of course). Sarah has no current plans to go back to D&R next year. Right now, Sarah doesn't have the $$ to run the full season, but Cavin also mentions it as an Indy-only possibility. (Also notable in this notebook, speaking of $$, Cavin mentions the IRL's purse structure is pretty similar to what it was in 1996. It's undergoing a big change next week). Sarah is also being featured in national Honda ads, leading everyone and their brother to believe she'll be in the IndyCar Series in some capacity next year.
News & notes
A press conference is being held Tuesday to discuss the new revenue sharing plan.
Lots of IRL items in this notebook from the St. Pete Times, including 55-year-old former IPS driver Tom Wieringa trying to earn an IRL license, and notes that Sam is NOT participating in next week's test at Iowa.
Next week, three teams (AGR, Penske, Ganassi) will test at Iowa. On Oct. 12, some more teams will be at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama, testing road-course modifications, including the "enhanced" steering and paddle-shifters.
Those are also mentioned in the official IRL news & notes.
Chicagoland is getting lights. The IRL race is still slated for the day, but the track president would love to see a night race with the title on the line. Problem is, of course, that NASCAR's Richmond race is already scheduled for that night (and it's one of their best races of the year).
And finally ...
Did Scott Sharp, and Infineon TK, go to NASCAR? If they did, there's no Brian Barnhart equivalent to punish him.
And, while this story is often overplayed, the Detroit Free Press' Mike Brundell plays the "NASCAR is where everyone wants to go" story, using extensive J.J. Yeley quotes. FYI, Yeley told me in 1998 that NASCAR was where he ultimately wanted to be. Mike is one of the better motorsports journalists.
Robin Miller tries to see what the oldtimers would say about the state of the Indy 500 today.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Sept. 26 newsstand: Lots o' stuff
Catching up on a few days' worth of stories ... a few things going on in the world of IndyCar racing.
Season redux
ESPN's John Oreovicz gives out his Oreo Awards for the 2007 season
Take with a grain of salt -- note the source is an ex-Gang of Four member. Among the awards: Best Choreography goes to ... not Helio Castroneves, but Ashley Judd, the Like Father Like Son award to Marco Andretti, and Dan Wheldon is Least Popular Among His Peers.
While we're on the subject of opinions, ESPN's Terry Blount says the IRL's schedule needs fixing -- namely, don't end the season on the same weekend as the Richmond NASCAR race and NFL opening weekend, shorten the Month of May by a week to add another race, and do everything possible to keep Eddie Gossage happy.
Indy purse growing
The Indy 500's purse is set to grow when the new financial plan is revealed next week, according to the Indianapolis Star. How much, we don't know?
Testing at Iowa
The IRL will be testing next week at Iowa Speedway to get the aerodynamic package right after the wreckfest this year. AGR, Penske & TCGR will be doing the testing. The test will be Oct. 3-4 and it appears it might be open to the public. AP Story Des Moines Register SpeedTV
Says Brian Barnhart: Iowa Speedway is like nothing else currently on our circuit. It combines the characteristics of a short oval with those of a banked superspeedway. We want to make sure we're providing the best possible on-track product for our drivers and our fans when we return to Iowa Speedway next season.''
The IRL will not have too much company at Iowa, as NASCAR is keeping its big series away from Rusty's track.
Other notes: Chicagoland, Buddy & Sarah
A couple of nuggets in this TSN notebook. First, Chicagoland Speedway is getting lights (for its NASCAR date). Buddy Rice is running his first A1GP race this weekend, and Sarah Fisher is being featured in Honda ads (I get the sense this means Sarah is going to be in a car somewhere next year).
The IRL's official notebook has a Dancing with the Stars update, Ethanol's first season in IndyCars, Aaron Godnai has been named director of sales for the IRL, and Greenwood, IN karting standout Kyle Wiegand is going to test an IPS car for SWE.
IndyCar.com also has the Kyle Wiegand story.
The Gary Post-Trib also notes Chicagoland's addition of lights, as does the Chicago Tribune. The IRL race will stay in the daytime.
Auto Racing Daily notes Buddy Rice's A1GP run at Zandevoort.
Says Buddy: "We’ve developed some good, reliable information on what the ‘We The People’ car likes in our tests and the challenge we face at Zandvoort is finding the optimum performance during a race weekend."
Other off-season notes
Danica Patrick has gotten to drive some really cool cars for Motor Trend.
Speaking of Sarah
Her wedding was better than any podium finish. Read her diary on ESPN.com.
Says Mrs. O'Gara: "One of the neater parts of the ceremony was actually at the end, when our recessional played "Back Home Again in Indiana." It was cool to hear everyone's reaction to it."
Dario's defection ...
Scotsman.com notes that Dario Franchitti is nearing a switch to NASCAR. Chip Ganassi has admitted that he's trying to sign Dario.
Before he goes to NASCAR, Dario will join Tony Kanaan at the Petit Le Mans race in the ALMS.
... and Sam's
AutoWeek notes that Penske is not giving up on Sam's NASCAR career.
The Dancing with the Stars beat
Curt Cavin notes that Helio's fancy footwork might help him and the IRL, and then says Helio shined in his first night on the show. The San Jose Mercury-News also gave a thumbs-up to Helio's performance. The Palm Beach Post said Helio is as comfortable dancing as he is in the Indy 500. IndyCar.com notes that the judges were impressed with Helio's performance.
Helio talks about it in his diary on IndyCar.com.
Possible IRL stuff
It's a Champ Car story, but John Oreovicz notes the future whereabouts of those running for Best in Show in Champ Car (better known as the guy who gets to finish a distant second to Bourdais this year). Among the notes from Oreo is a note that Justin Wilson and CDW might be coming over next year. Says Oreo: "With Champ Car canceling or relocating races with alarming frequency, there are reports that CDW is unhappy with the series, and speculation has the driver and his sponsor moving to Newman/Haas/Lanigan to replace Bourdais, or leaving Champ Car altogether in favor of the IndyCar Series or sports cars."
Speculation from Herr Miller
Check out Robin Miller's SpeedTV chat
Among the items:
*-Robin thinks the 17th IRL event might still happen in Southern California.
*-Sarah might start her own team (he's thrown that one out before) and Rahal may want Rice back.
*-SAMAX's owner has told Robin that he'd like to run two cars in 2008. Milka has to be in one of them to get Citgo's sponsorship, however.
*-Scheckter, RHR, Mutoh, Rice and Justin Wilson all possibilities for the 4th AGR seat.
*-Some wild rumors that Sharp & Patron are leaving RLR, but they seem to be very wild.
*-Piggybacking on the Wilson story above, Robin says CDW is likely out of CC and headed to ALMS, but Wilson is looking at the IRL.
*-Mixed emotions on revenue sharing.
*-Anticipate the worst crowd ever for CC at Mexico City (where the website isn't even up yet).
Non-IRL stuff
Colin McRae's funeral drew 200 mourners, including Dario Franchitti & Jackie Stewart.
And finally ...
Donald Davidson is offering his "History of the 500" class on four Tuesday evenings in October.
Season redux
ESPN's John Oreovicz gives out his Oreo Awards for the 2007 season
Take with a grain of salt -- note the source is an ex-Gang of Four member. Among the awards: Best Choreography goes to ... not Helio Castroneves, but Ashley Judd, the Like Father Like Son award to Marco Andretti, and Dan Wheldon is Least Popular Among His Peers.
While we're on the subject of opinions, ESPN's Terry Blount says the IRL's schedule needs fixing -- namely, don't end the season on the same weekend as the Richmond NASCAR race and NFL opening weekend, shorten the Month of May by a week to add another race, and do everything possible to keep Eddie Gossage happy.
Indy purse growing
The Indy 500's purse is set to grow when the new financial plan is revealed next week, according to the Indianapolis Star. How much, we don't know?
Testing at Iowa
The IRL will be testing next week at Iowa Speedway to get the aerodynamic package right after the wreckfest this year. AGR, Penske & TCGR will be doing the testing. The test will be Oct. 3-4 and it appears it might be open to the public. AP Story Des Moines Register SpeedTV
Says Brian Barnhart: Iowa Speedway is like nothing else currently on our circuit. It combines the characteristics of a short oval with those of a banked superspeedway. We want to make sure we're providing the best possible on-track product for our drivers and our fans when we return to Iowa Speedway next season.''
The IRL will not have too much company at Iowa, as NASCAR is keeping its big series away from Rusty's track.
Other notes: Chicagoland, Buddy & Sarah
A couple of nuggets in this TSN notebook. First, Chicagoland Speedway is getting lights (for its NASCAR date). Buddy Rice is running his first A1GP race this weekend, and Sarah Fisher is being featured in Honda ads (I get the sense this means Sarah is going to be in a car somewhere next year).
The IRL's official notebook has a Dancing with the Stars update, Ethanol's first season in IndyCars, Aaron Godnai has been named director of sales for the IRL, and Greenwood, IN karting standout Kyle Wiegand is going to test an IPS car for SWE.
IndyCar.com also has the Kyle Wiegand story.
The Gary Post-Trib also notes Chicagoland's addition of lights, as does the Chicago Tribune. The IRL race will stay in the daytime.
Auto Racing Daily notes Buddy Rice's A1GP run at Zandevoort.
Says Buddy: "We’ve developed some good, reliable information on what the ‘We The People’ car likes in our tests and the challenge we face at Zandvoort is finding the optimum performance during a race weekend."
Other off-season notes
Danica Patrick has gotten to drive some really cool cars for Motor Trend.
Speaking of Sarah
Her wedding was better than any podium finish. Read her diary on ESPN.com.
Says Mrs. O'Gara: "One of the neater parts of the ceremony was actually at the end, when our recessional played "Back Home Again in Indiana." It was cool to hear everyone's reaction to it."
Dario's defection ...
Scotsman.com notes that Dario Franchitti is nearing a switch to NASCAR. Chip Ganassi has admitted that he's trying to sign Dario.
Before he goes to NASCAR, Dario will join Tony Kanaan at the Petit Le Mans race in the ALMS.
... and Sam's
AutoWeek notes that Penske is not giving up on Sam's NASCAR career.
The Dancing with the Stars beat
Curt Cavin notes that Helio's fancy footwork might help him and the IRL, and then says Helio shined in his first night on the show. The San Jose Mercury-News also gave a thumbs-up to Helio's performance. The Palm Beach Post said Helio is as comfortable dancing as he is in the Indy 500. IndyCar.com notes that the judges were impressed with Helio's performance.
Helio talks about it in his diary on IndyCar.com.
Possible IRL stuff
It's a Champ Car story, but John Oreovicz notes the future whereabouts of those running for Best in Show in Champ Car (better known as the guy who gets to finish a distant second to Bourdais this year). Among the notes from Oreo is a note that Justin Wilson and CDW might be coming over next year. Says Oreo: "With Champ Car canceling or relocating races with alarming frequency, there are reports that CDW is unhappy with the series, and speculation has the driver and his sponsor moving to Newman/Haas/Lanigan to replace Bourdais, or leaving Champ Car altogether in favor of the IndyCar Series or sports cars."
Speculation from Herr Miller
Check out Robin Miller's SpeedTV chat
Among the items:
*-Robin thinks the 17th IRL event might still happen in Southern California.
*-Sarah might start her own team (he's thrown that one out before) and Rahal may want Rice back.
*-SAMAX's owner has told Robin that he'd like to run two cars in 2008. Milka has to be in one of them to get Citgo's sponsorship, however.
*-Scheckter, RHR, Mutoh, Rice and Justin Wilson all possibilities for the 4th AGR seat.
*-Some wild rumors that Sharp & Patron are leaving RLR, but they seem to be very wild.
*-Piggybacking on the Wilson story above, Robin says CDW is likely out of CC and headed to ALMS, but Wilson is looking at the IRL.
*-Mixed emotions on revenue sharing.
*-Anticipate the worst crowd ever for CC at Mexico City (where the website isn't even up yet).
Non-IRL stuff
Colin McRae's funeral drew 200 mourners, including Dario Franchitti & Jackie Stewart.
And finally ...
Donald Davidson is offering his "History of the 500" class on four Tuesday evenings in October.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Sept. 23 newsstand
A new driver coming from the other side?
Some interesting news: Autosport catches up with displaced Champ Car driver Ryan Dalziel. In the story, Dalziel is quoted as saying he is considering a return to Grand Am or a move to the IRL. He has driven GA races for SAMAX Motorsports, which fielded an IRL team for the terrifyingly slow Milka Duno this year. If Milka gets booted, could SAMAX continue with Dalziel (or Tomas Enge)?
Going to the other side: Buddy Lazier
A Q&A (looks like from a press conference) with Buddy Lazier was posted on PaddockTalk.
Says Buddy: "I think everyone has a little different reasoning and I know my reasons are a little different than others, but its NASCAR. There is a lot of opportunity with the different divisions, there are a lot of seats. Its also just good hard racing and its something I have always wanted to do." ... (on the alleged "exodus") "I know some guys say they have been there and done that and want to move on to something different. You know, everybody wants to round their career around something different. So you know, obviously there is a lot of money with NASCAR and they have really got everything together so I can see the appeal from across the board as anybody that has got the opportunity to do it."
Going to the other side: Chip on Dario
Motorsport.com catches up with Chip Ganassi. Here's what he has to say:
"The background of open-wheel drivers does not represent a free pass to NASCAR and the Chase."
"We are trying to get Dario in there but there are still a few hurdles to be addressed before an announcement can be made. We are confident that we are going to be able to put something together for him."
Also, Chip says Dario will NOT be bringing sponsorship with him if he does come, and he expects Dan Wheldon to stay in the IRL "for a while."
More on going to the other side
I'm adding one that I missed a couple of days ago, and it was picked up by My Name Is IRL: a defection-to-NASCAR story that has a clue, from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Venue stuff
Speaking to the Salt Lake Tribune, Mario Andretti would like to see either the IRL or CC run at Miller Motorsports Park in Utah (which is a great track, but another parade).
Dancing with the Stars ... back in ink
The Charlotte Observer has five reasons why Helio Castroneves will win Dancing with the Stars.
And finally
A.J. Foyt IV was running a Late Model in Houston tonight.
Some interesting news: Autosport catches up with displaced Champ Car driver Ryan Dalziel. In the story, Dalziel is quoted as saying he is considering a return to Grand Am or a move to the IRL. He has driven GA races for SAMAX Motorsports, which fielded an IRL team for the terrifyingly slow Milka Duno this year. If Milka gets booted, could SAMAX continue with Dalziel (or Tomas Enge)?
Going to the other side: Buddy Lazier
A Q&A (looks like from a press conference) with Buddy Lazier was posted on PaddockTalk.
Says Buddy: "I think everyone has a little different reasoning and I know my reasons are a little different than others, but its NASCAR. There is a lot of opportunity with the different divisions, there are a lot of seats. Its also just good hard racing and its something I have always wanted to do." ... (on the alleged "exodus") "I know some guys say they have been there and done that and want to move on to something different. You know, everybody wants to round their career around something different. So you know, obviously there is a lot of money with NASCAR and they have really got everything together so I can see the appeal from across the board as anybody that has got the opportunity to do it."
Going to the other side: Chip on Dario
Motorsport.com catches up with Chip Ganassi. Here's what he has to say:
"The background of open-wheel drivers does not represent a free pass to NASCAR and the Chase."
"We are trying to get Dario in there but there are still a few hurdles to be addressed before an announcement can be made. We are confident that we are going to be able to put something together for him."
Also, Chip says Dario will NOT be bringing sponsorship with him if he does come, and he expects Dan Wheldon to stay in the IRL "for a while."
More on going to the other side
I'm adding one that I missed a couple of days ago, and it was picked up by My Name Is IRL: a defection-to-NASCAR story that has a clue, from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Venue stuff
Speaking to the Salt Lake Tribune, Mario Andretti would like to see either the IRL or CC run at Miller Motorsports Park in Utah (which is a great track, but another parade).
Dancing with the Stars ... back in ink
The Charlotte Observer has five reasons why Helio Castroneves will win Dancing with the Stars.
And finally
A.J. Foyt IV was running a Late Model in Houston tonight.
Sept. 21-22 newsstand
It's been reported in several places already, but Cavin reports it again, that Ryan Briscoe is the leading candidate to replace Sam Hornish Jr. at Penske, should Sam go south.
Speaking of Sam, he's now 0-for-2 in Cup qualifying.
More on revenue sharing
The Indianapolis Business Journal checks in with the revenue-sharing story.
As usual, the IBJ comes through with a great, well-researched story that analyzes the revenue-sharing issue in extreme detail. The story says the IRL could pay out $36 million in $$ to teams next year, about $10 million more than this year, with the profits from the MotoGP race at IMS possibly paying for it. The story also says there will be "significant" bonus money for the top five in each race and the top five in the series standings.
It also says "industry experts" (who they are, we don't know) said several former IRL teams and some who have never been part of the series have expressed interest in joining the league.
Milwaukee bliss?
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Dave Kallman say the IRL wants more from The Milwaukee Mile.
The feeding frenzy, part XVIII
There are few more syncophatic groups than the NASCAR media, who are always happy to parrot the party line and, while supposed to be unbiased, refer to NASCAR as "our sport" a lot. And, as we've seen, the last few weeks have been a feeding frenzy for them. It's interesting -- almost like 10 years ago again. Back then, we endured the CART people telling the world that the IRL was a minor-league series full of hack drivers. Now, it's the NASCAR crowd. A couple more people check in ...
Ed Hinton says Big Bill France finally got his revenge for the 1955 incident in which he got tossed out of IMS, with a few gratuitous shots at the IRL in the process.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch's Bob Lipper says the IRL is racing into oblivion without stars. Uh, yeah. Dan Wheldon & Danica Patrick were hotter commodities than Dario Franchitti before the end of May this year, and suddenly the world is coming to an end for the IRL. My only question is ... would this feeding frenzy have started if Dario had gone to ALMS, if planned, instead of NASCAR?
Meanwhile, David Allen from the Chicago Sun-Times says the "help wanted" sign is out, and mentions A.J. Allmendinger might be angling to come back into racecars.
Other stuff
This week's official IRL news & notes deals with John Lewis' move to VP of Marketing, ABC Supply extending its sponsorship of the Milwaukee race, IPS testing and a few other items.
The "other side"
Robin Miller explores how Champ Car sold out a couple of drivers, including Oriol Servia, to try to keep its Mexico event afloat.
Speaking of Sam, he's now 0-for-2 in Cup qualifying.
More on revenue sharing
The Indianapolis Business Journal checks in with the revenue-sharing story.
As usual, the IBJ comes through with a great, well-researched story that analyzes the revenue-sharing issue in extreme detail. The story says the IRL could pay out $36 million in $$ to teams next year, about $10 million more than this year, with the profits from the MotoGP race at IMS possibly paying for it. The story also says there will be "significant" bonus money for the top five in each race and the top five in the series standings.
It also says "industry experts" (who they are, we don't know) said several former IRL teams and some who have never been part of the series have expressed interest in joining the league.
Milwaukee bliss?
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Dave Kallman say the IRL wants more from The Milwaukee Mile.
The feeding frenzy, part XVIII
There are few more syncophatic groups than the NASCAR media, who are always happy to parrot the party line and, while supposed to be unbiased, refer to NASCAR as "our sport" a lot. And, as we've seen, the last few weeks have been a feeding frenzy for them. It's interesting -- almost like 10 years ago again. Back then, we endured the CART people telling the world that the IRL was a minor-league series full of hack drivers. Now, it's the NASCAR crowd. A couple more people check in ...
Ed Hinton says Big Bill France finally got his revenge for the 1955 incident in which he got tossed out of IMS, with a few gratuitous shots at the IRL in the process.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch's Bob Lipper says the IRL is racing into oblivion without stars. Uh, yeah. Dan Wheldon & Danica Patrick were hotter commodities than Dario Franchitti before the end of May this year, and suddenly the world is coming to an end for the IRL. My only question is ... would this feeding frenzy have started if Dario had gone to ALMS, if planned, instead of NASCAR?
Meanwhile, David Allen from the Chicago Sun-Times says the "help wanted" sign is out, and mentions A.J. Allmendinger might be angling to come back into racecars.
Other stuff
This week's official IRL news & notes deals with John Lewis' move to VP of Marketing, ABC Supply extending its sponsorship of the Milwaukee race, IPS testing and a few other items.
The "other side"
Robin Miller explores how Champ Car sold out a couple of drivers, including Oriol Servia, to try to keep its Mexico event afloat.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Silly Season update, Sept. 20
2008 lineup
Andretti Green Racing (4)
7-Danica Patrick (Motorola, 3rd-year FT driver, 1st year with AGR). Under contract through 2009.
11-Tony Kanaan (7-11, 5th year FT driver, all with AGR, 2004 champ). Under contract through 2008.
26-Marco Andretti (NYSE Group, 2nd year FT driver, all with AGR). Staying with AGR.
27-TBA ... possible drivers Jaime Camara (AGR IPS driver), Tomas Scheckter (free agent). According to Curt Cavin (Sept. 10), the short list also possibly includes Vitor Meira, Darren Manning and possibly Alex Lloyd.
**-Many published reports have longtime No. 27 driver Dario Franchitti going to Chip Ganassi's NASCAR team. Dario will test an ARCA car at Talladega soon. Dario has been mum on his future, but the ARCA test gives us a pretty good idea of what is going on.**
Team Penske (2)
3-Helio Castroneves (Team Penske, 6th-year FT driver, all with Penske, 2-time I500 champ). Under contract to Penske through 2008.
6-TBA. Likely to be either a return of Sam Hornish Jr. (Team Penske, 8th-year FT driver, 4th with Penske, 3x ICS champ). or Ryan Briscoe (Penske ALMS driver).
**Hornish DNQed last week at New Hampshire, but is testing the NASCAR waters this fall and will make a decision. Tim Cindric has been quoted as saying Briscoe is the frontrunner to replace Hornish. Briscoe finished fifth in the Indy 500 this year for Penske satellite Luczo Dragon Racing.
Target Chip Ganassi Racing (2)
9-Scott Dixon (Target, 5th-year FT driver, all with TCGR, 2003 champ). Under contract for 2008.
10-Dan Wheldon (Target, 5th-year FT driver, 2nd with TCGR, 2005 champ). Under contract through 2008, not much beyond. There are whispers that Wheldon might be jumping teams, upset that Chip Ganassi would keep him in the IRL but hire Dario Franchitti for a NASCAR job. Wheldon has been eyeballing NASCAR.
Possible 3rd entry ??-Alex Lloyd??: A lot of directions could go with this one. Lloyd has said a lot that he's working something out and will be in the ICS next year with a frontrunner team. Lloyd drove Ganassi's Grand Am car at Infineon and tested a TCGR IndyCar at Sebring a couple of weeks before. Another possibility has Lloyd driving this car on the ovals and Dario Franchitti on road courses & in the Indy 500.
Rahal Letterman Racing (2)
8-Scott Sharp (Patron, 12th-year FT driver, 1st with RLR, 1996 champ). Has a strong sponsor and part-ownership in the team.
17-Ryan Hunter-Reay (Ethanol, rookie, former CC driver). Mid-season replacement was the IndyCar Rookie of the Year.
**Sept. 8 update: RHR would like to be back in the IRL next year. Ethanol car requires an American driver, and Rahal seems happy with him.**
Panther Racing (2)
4-Vitor Meira (Delphi, 6th-year FT driver, 2nd with Panther). Confirmed for 2008, although Vitor could be on AGR's short list, according to Curt Cavin.
55-Hideki Mutoh (Panasonic, 1st-year FT driver). Mutoh had a nice run in the final season race, and this ride has always been reserved for a Japanese driver. Kosuke Matsuura said at Chicago that he isn't sure what he's doing this year, and Mutoh's one-off with Panther at Chicago seems to indicate he'll be in this car next year.
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing (1-2)
15-Buddy Rice (RollCoater, 6th-year FT driver, 1st with D&R). Has had a lot of success this season, given the fact that D&R generally has struggled.
TBA: 5-Sarah Fisher (AAMCO, 6th FT season, 2nd with D&R). Has sponsorships from AAMCO and AAA. But Fisher has said she has a lot of options for 2008, and has also been quoted as saying D&R is going down to one car next year, and that there were communications issues with D&R this year. Robin Miller threw out the possibility of Fisher owning her own team next year.
Vision Racing (1-3)
20-Ed Carpenter (Hitachi Power Tools, 4th-year FT driver, 3rd with Vision). Confirmed for 2008. The only confirmed Vision car for 2008.
The other two cars are unconfirmed ...
TBA: 2-Tomas Scheckter (Joost, 6th-year FT driver, 2nd with Vision). Has been mentioned in connection with the open AGR ride, and TG has turned him loose in case Vision goes to two or one cars.
TBA: 22-A.J. Foyt IV (Indy Vision, 4th-year FT driver, 1st with Vision). Free agent until funding can be found. Again, has been turned loose by TG.
**Sept. 8 update: Scheckter rumored to be talking with AGR, which might be more likely given the possible exit of Dario Franchitti from the 27 car. Both Scheckter and Foyt said they don't know what their plans are for 2008.**
A.J. Foyt Racing (1)
14-Darren Manning (ABC Supply, 3rd-year FT driver). Contract extended through 2008.
**Foyt is exploring the option of adding a second car, pending funding.**
**Part-Time or New Entries**
SAMAX Racing (1)
23-Milka Duno (Citgo - rookie). Duno will be invited back only if she satisfactorily completes off-season testing. Spent the last half of the season on probation.
Roth Racing (2)
25-Marty Roth: Plans to run 2 full-time cars next year.
76-P.J. Chesson: Would like to stay with Roth if things go well, according to comments at Chicago.
**Roth Racing is planning to run the full 2008 schedule as a two-car team, according to a team press release.**
Racing Professionals (1)
Jon Herb: As for the future, it's probably part-time at best.
Beck Racing (1)
TBA: Although Beck ran some early-season events, the Beck machine hasn't been seen since Indy.
Fernandez Racing (1-2?)
From Curt Cavin's blog (8/8/2007), Adrian Fernandez's team still has its IndyCar equipment and Tom Anderson is apparently interested in a return to the IRL, but things "haven't been worked out." Sept. 8: Cavin said funding isn't there yet for this team, but it would like to get back in. Cavin says on Aug. 13 that he knows of two individuals to keep an eye on for new 2008 teams, but hasn't seen any sign of $$ backing them.
Kingdom Racing announced its plans to field a team for 2008 on Aug. 16. Led by Houston businessman George Del Canto, the team plans to be based on a Christian philosophy, with several pastors and Christian leaders on the board of directors.
PDM Racing would like to run a partial season of ovals in 2008 and become full-time in 2009. It would be more than good to see this longtime program back in the ICS full-time.
Unlikely for next year, but keep it in the file ...
Steve Horne: Curt Cavin said on 9/8/2007 in his blog that Horne has been considering starting a team for 2008, but funding isn't there. Horne was involved with the Tasman team in the past. Horne said this is NOT a possibility to Robin Miller, and pretty much shot down the idea of doing anything besides an Indy one-off.
Cheever Racing ... the Aug. 28 IRL press release quotes Eddie's nephew Richard Antinucci as looking to get into the ICS (and get the team back into the ICS) long-term, if, of course, the $$ comes together.
2009 schedule news
The 2009 schedule may expand to 20 races, according to IRL brass. Michigan has already been mentioned as a possible re-addition to the schedule, in a Detroit News story. The upcoming Rusty Wallace track in Sacramento is also an option for the more distant future.
Confirmed for 2009: Indianapolis (signed forever), Texas (signed through 2009), Iowa (signed through 2009), Milwaukee (signed through 2009), Detroit (signed through 2011).
Andretti Green Racing (4)
7-Danica Patrick (Motorola, 3rd-year FT driver, 1st year with AGR). Under contract through 2009.
11-Tony Kanaan (7-11, 5th year FT driver, all with AGR, 2004 champ). Under contract through 2008.
26-Marco Andretti (NYSE Group, 2nd year FT driver, all with AGR). Staying with AGR.
27-TBA ... possible drivers Jaime Camara (AGR IPS driver), Tomas Scheckter (free agent). According to Curt Cavin (Sept. 10), the short list also possibly includes Vitor Meira, Darren Manning and possibly Alex Lloyd.
**-Many published reports have longtime No. 27 driver Dario Franchitti going to Chip Ganassi's NASCAR team. Dario will test an ARCA car at Talladega soon. Dario has been mum on his future, but the ARCA test gives us a pretty good idea of what is going on.**
Team Penske (2)
3-Helio Castroneves (Team Penske, 6th-year FT driver, all with Penske, 2-time I500 champ). Under contract to Penske through 2008.
6-TBA. Likely to be either a return of Sam Hornish Jr. (Team Penske, 8th-year FT driver, 4th with Penske, 3x ICS champ). or Ryan Briscoe (Penske ALMS driver).
**Hornish DNQed last week at New Hampshire, but is testing the NASCAR waters this fall and will make a decision. Tim Cindric has been quoted as saying Briscoe is the frontrunner to replace Hornish. Briscoe finished fifth in the Indy 500 this year for Penske satellite Luczo Dragon Racing.
Target Chip Ganassi Racing (2)
9-Scott Dixon (Target, 5th-year FT driver, all with TCGR, 2003 champ). Under contract for 2008.
10-Dan Wheldon (Target, 5th-year FT driver, 2nd with TCGR, 2005 champ). Under contract through 2008, not much beyond. There are whispers that Wheldon might be jumping teams, upset that Chip Ganassi would keep him in the IRL but hire Dario Franchitti for a NASCAR job. Wheldon has been eyeballing NASCAR.
Possible 3rd entry ??-Alex Lloyd??: A lot of directions could go with this one. Lloyd has said a lot that he's working something out and will be in the ICS next year with a frontrunner team. Lloyd drove Ganassi's Grand Am car at Infineon and tested a TCGR IndyCar at Sebring a couple of weeks before. Another possibility has Lloyd driving this car on the ovals and Dario Franchitti on road courses & in the Indy 500.
Rahal Letterman Racing (2)
8-Scott Sharp (Patron, 12th-year FT driver, 1st with RLR, 1996 champ). Has a strong sponsor and part-ownership in the team.
17-Ryan Hunter-Reay (Ethanol, rookie, former CC driver). Mid-season replacement was the IndyCar Rookie of the Year.
**Sept. 8 update: RHR would like to be back in the IRL next year. Ethanol car requires an American driver, and Rahal seems happy with him.**
Panther Racing (2)
4-Vitor Meira (Delphi, 6th-year FT driver, 2nd with Panther). Confirmed for 2008, although Vitor could be on AGR's short list, according to Curt Cavin.
55-Hideki Mutoh (Panasonic, 1st-year FT driver). Mutoh had a nice run in the final season race, and this ride has always been reserved for a Japanese driver. Kosuke Matsuura said at Chicago that he isn't sure what he's doing this year, and Mutoh's one-off with Panther at Chicago seems to indicate he'll be in this car next year.
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing (1-2)
15-Buddy Rice (RollCoater, 6th-year FT driver, 1st with D&R). Has had a lot of success this season, given the fact that D&R generally has struggled.
TBA: 5-Sarah Fisher (AAMCO, 6th FT season, 2nd with D&R). Has sponsorships from AAMCO and AAA. But Fisher has said she has a lot of options for 2008, and has also been quoted as saying D&R is going down to one car next year, and that there were communications issues with D&R this year. Robin Miller threw out the possibility of Fisher owning her own team next year.
Vision Racing (1-3)
20-Ed Carpenter (Hitachi Power Tools, 4th-year FT driver, 3rd with Vision). Confirmed for 2008. The only confirmed Vision car for 2008.
The other two cars are unconfirmed ...
TBA: 2-Tomas Scheckter (Joost, 6th-year FT driver, 2nd with Vision). Has been mentioned in connection with the open AGR ride, and TG has turned him loose in case Vision goes to two or one cars.
TBA: 22-A.J. Foyt IV (Indy Vision, 4th-year FT driver, 1st with Vision). Free agent until funding can be found. Again, has been turned loose by TG.
**Sept. 8 update: Scheckter rumored to be talking with AGR, which might be more likely given the possible exit of Dario Franchitti from the 27 car. Both Scheckter and Foyt said they don't know what their plans are for 2008.**
A.J. Foyt Racing (1)
14-Darren Manning (ABC Supply, 3rd-year FT driver). Contract extended through 2008.
**Foyt is exploring the option of adding a second car, pending funding.**
**Part-Time or New Entries**
SAMAX Racing (1)
23-Milka Duno (Citgo - rookie). Duno will be invited back only if she satisfactorily completes off-season testing. Spent the last half of the season on probation.
Roth Racing (2)
25-Marty Roth: Plans to run 2 full-time cars next year.
76-P.J. Chesson: Would like to stay with Roth if things go well, according to comments at Chicago.
**Roth Racing is planning to run the full 2008 schedule as a two-car team, according to a team press release.**
Racing Professionals (1)
Jon Herb: As for the future, it's probably part-time at best.
Beck Racing (1)
TBA: Although Beck ran some early-season events, the Beck machine hasn't been seen since Indy.
Fernandez Racing (1-2?)
From Curt Cavin's blog (8/8/2007), Adrian Fernandez's team still has its IndyCar equipment and Tom Anderson is apparently interested in a return to the IRL, but things "haven't been worked out." Sept. 8: Cavin said funding isn't there yet for this team, but it would like to get back in. Cavin says on Aug. 13 that he knows of two individuals to keep an eye on for new 2008 teams, but hasn't seen any sign of $$ backing them.
Kingdom Racing announced its plans to field a team for 2008 on Aug. 16. Led by Houston businessman George Del Canto, the team plans to be based on a Christian philosophy, with several pastors and Christian leaders on the board of directors.
PDM Racing would like to run a partial season of ovals in 2008 and become full-time in 2009. It would be more than good to see this longtime program back in the ICS full-time.
Unlikely for next year, but keep it in the file ...
Steve Horne: Curt Cavin said on 9/8/2007 in his blog that Horne has been considering starting a team for 2008, but funding isn't there. Horne was involved with the Tasman team in the past. Horne said this is NOT a possibility to Robin Miller, and pretty much shot down the idea of doing anything besides an Indy one-off.
Cheever Racing ... the Aug. 28 IRL press release quotes Eddie's nephew Richard Antinucci as looking to get into the ICS (and get the team back into the ICS) long-term, if, of course, the $$ comes together.
2009 schedule news
The 2009 schedule may expand to 20 races, according to IRL brass. Michigan has already been mentioned as a possible re-addition to the schedule, in a Detroit News story. The upcoming Rusty Wallace track in Sacramento is also an option for the more distant future.
Confirmed for 2009: Indianapolis (signed forever), Texas (signed through 2009), Iowa (signed through 2009), Milwaukee (signed through 2009), Detroit (signed through 2011).
Sept. 20 newsstand: Sarah gets hitched
The IRL makes the gossip column
Check out the Indianapolis Star for photos from Sarah Fisher's wedding.
"Back Home Again in Indiana" was played on the church bells as they left (just like at the 500 this year, without Jim Nabors," guests got IndyCar cookie-cutters (so, if you get IndyCar-shaped cookies at Christmas, you know who was on the guest list), and Lyn St. James, the Carpenters & the Georges were on hand for the wedding.
Now, they're asking for Indy to be earlier
Why doesn't NASCAR just move the Fizzy Pop 600 back an hour, instead?
This guy is insinuating that Buddy Lazier is going to run Nextel Cup next year. Uh, yeah. Suddenly, Lazier became an Open Wheel big shot last week when Franchitti, Villeneuve & Hornish all started popping up in the news and OW racing became the flavor of the day. Lazier IS an OW big shot, but he hasn't driven full-time in a couple of years, something these Southern writers might figure out if they actually picked up the media guide.
Dario on Colin McRae
A horrible story to come out of the weekend was Colin McRae's death. It hit very close to home for Dario Franchitti, says John Oreovicz.
Dario says he got into flying a helicopter because of McRae. Says Dario of his friend: "He lived life. He was always doing something, and he was always flat-out on it. You could see that in the way he drove his rally car, the way he would pitch the thing in sideways. He was always spectacular, where nowadays most people drive those things like road cars. I always thought he was bulletproof; he came out of some scrapes in a rally car and motorbikes and he was a real-life action man. That's why this is so shocking."
The IRL working with colleges
Check out this IndyCar.com story about future racing leaders
Outside of the IRL: F1 stuff
Apparently, a $100 million penalty and losing all of the owner points isn't enough for Ferrari, which says McLaren got off light in F1 spygate.
And finally
The New Zealand media had a bad time trying to watch Scott Dixon sputter toward the championship
Check out the Indianapolis Star for photos from Sarah Fisher's wedding.
"Back Home Again in Indiana" was played on the church bells as they left (just like at the 500 this year, without Jim Nabors," guests got IndyCar cookie-cutters (so, if you get IndyCar-shaped cookies at Christmas, you know who was on the guest list), and Lyn St. James, the Carpenters & the Georges were on hand for the wedding.
Now, they're asking for Indy to be earlier
Why doesn't NASCAR just move the Fizzy Pop 600 back an hour, instead?
This guy is insinuating that Buddy Lazier is going to run Nextel Cup next year. Uh, yeah. Suddenly, Lazier became an Open Wheel big shot last week when Franchitti, Villeneuve & Hornish all started popping up in the news and OW racing became the flavor of the day. Lazier IS an OW big shot, but he hasn't driven full-time in a couple of years, something these Southern writers might figure out if they actually picked up the media guide.
Dario on Colin McRae
A horrible story to come out of the weekend was Colin McRae's death. It hit very close to home for Dario Franchitti, says John Oreovicz.
Dario says he got into flying a helicopter because of McRae. Says Dario of his friend: "He lived life. He was always doing something, and he was always flat-out on it. You could see that in the way he drove his rally car, the way he would pitch the thing in sideways. He was always spectacular, where nowadays most people drive those things like road cars. I always thought he was bulletproof; he came out of some scrapes in a rally car and motorbikes and he was a real-life action man. That's why this is so shocking."
The IRL working with colleges
Check out this IndyCar.com story about future racing leaders
Outside of the IRL: F1 stuff
Apparently, a $100 million penalty and losing all of the owner points isn't enough for Ferrari, which says McLaren got off light in F1 spygate.
And finally
The New Zealand media had a bad time trying to watch Scott Dixon sputter toward the championship
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Sept. 19 newsstand: Schedule & more
Lots o' schedule stories today, plus a few other things.
First, the schedule redux from ...
Indianapolis Star
Miami Herald
Detroit Free Press
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (Dave Kallman's blog)
Kallman says the pressure is on for The Milwaukee Mile to put on a show to retain its traditional date, thanks to Eddie Gossage's ramblings.
Notable about the Homestead event, from the Miami Herald story: Last year's race conflicted with the PGA Tour event at Doral. That has been fixed this year.
Says Curtis Gray, the president of Homestead Speedway: ''That's indicative of South Florida hosting events of this type and we're excited to kick off the IndyCar season. The speeds and the sparks flying, the color, everything, the drama - the Indy cars at night are just fabulous. At night, everything just seems magnified.''
Looking ahead
Eternal optimist Mike King (and the best motorsports play-by-play announcer in the country) sees the glass as three-quarters full looking toward 2008 on IndyCar.com.
Says the man with the golden pipes: "At least two, and possibly three, existing IndyCar Series operations could be expanding next year, and there is talk that we might see two brand new teams in the paddock. ... Helio Castroneves, Marco Andretti, Danica Patrick, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Buddy Rice and Tomas Scheckter could all be in the running for their first IndyCar Series championship next September. Tony Kanaan might finally get the respect and attention he is owed as, not just a champion, but as one of the world's finest drivers. He might also win his second IndyCar Series title."
While you're at IndyCar.com, check out the photo of Tony Kanaan with newborn son Leonardo.
Uh, haven't we read this before?
The Jacksonville Times-Union piles on with the OW-to-fenders story.
Says Jacques Villeneuve about oval stock-car racing: "It's really hard to explain for the European fans, because in their mind, it's only two corners, and it looks like it's easy driving and flat out, and that's it. What they don't realize is there is a lot of fine-tuning to do on the car to gain that extra stability in the car. And also driving in traffic, and all that happens during a race, it happens on the track - a lot more than in open-wheel racing like in Europe, where a lot of it happens in the start, and that's about it." Finally, something I agree with in this story -- both me and JV agree that street/road racing is rather unwatchable and oval racing is more intricate than meets the eye. Of course, there is an OW option for oval racers, Jacques ...
IRL drivers running elsewhere
Ryan Hunter-Reay wins Grand Am race
Dario Franchitti running Petit Le Mans
Other news
IRL names John Lewis VP of Marketing & League Development
Lewis is an in-house promotion, responsible for brand development of the IRL.
No, not another street parade
An organizer for the non-starter San Antonio GP is now considering a parade for Corpus Christi, Texas on a 1.2 mile street course. Then again, the story cites the success of making it a grand prix success story along the lines of Long Beach, Denver and Vancouver. I always want to aspire to be as good as races that got canceled from a dying series' schedule. The promoter is looking at bringing Mexican OW series in (my first question ... what Mexican OW series?) and running back-to-back weekends.
First, the schedule redux from ...
Indianapolis Star
Miami Herald
Detroit Free Press
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (Dave Kallman's blog)
Kallman says the pressure is on for The Milwaukee Mile to put on a show to retain its traditional date, thanks to Eddie Gossage's ramblings.
Notable about the Homestead event, from the Miami Herald story: Last year's race conflicted with the PGA Tour event at Doral. That has been fixed this year.
Says Curtis Gray, the president of Homestead Speedway: ''That's indicative of South Florida hosting events of this type and we're excited to kick off the IndyCar season. The speeds and the sparks flying, the color, everything, the drama - the Indy cars at night are just fabulous. At night, everything just seems magnified.''
Looking ahead
Eternal optimist Mike King (and the best motorsports play-by-play announcer in the country) sees the glass as three-quarters full looking toward 2008 on IndyCar.com.
Says the man with the golden pipes: "At least two, and possibly three, existing IndyCar Series operations could be expanding next year, and there is talk that we might see two brand new teams in the paddock. ... Helio Castroneves, Marco Andretti, Danica Patrick, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Buddy Rice and Tomas Scheckter could all be in the running for their first IndyCar Series championship next September. Tony Kanaan might finally get the respect and attention he is owed as, not just a champion, but as one of the world's finest drivers. He might also win his second IndyCar Series title."
While you're at IndyCar.com, check out the photo of Tony Kanaan with newborn son Leonardo.
Uh, haven't we read this before?
The Jacksonville Times-Union piles on with the OW-to-fenders story.
Says Jacques Villeneuve about oval stock-car racing: "It's really hard to explain for the European fans, because in their mind, it's only two corners, and it looks like it's easy driving and flat out, and that's it. What they don't realize is there is a lot of fine-tuning to do on the car to gain that extra stability in the car. And also driving in traffic, and all that happens during a race, it happens on the track - a lot more than in open-wheel racing like in Europe, where a lot of it happens in the start, and that's about it." Finally, something I agree with in this story -- both me and JV agree that street/road racing is rather unwatchable and oval racing is more intricate than meets the eye. Of course, there is an OW option for oval racers, Jacques ...
IRL drivers running elsewhere
Ryan Hunter-Reay wins Grand Am race
Dario Franchitti running Petit Le Mans
Other news
IRL names John Lewis VP of Marketing & League Development
Lewis is an in-house promotion, responsible for brand development of the IRL.
No, not another street parade
An organizer for the non-starter San Antonio GP is now considering a parade for Corpus Christi, Texas on a 1.2 mile street course. Then again, the story cites the success of making it a grand prix success story along the lines of Long Beach, Denver and Vancouver. I always want to aspire to be as good as races that got canceled from a dying series' schedule. The promoter is looking at bringing Mexican OW series in (my first question ... what Mexican OW series?) and running back-to-back weekends.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Sept. 18 newsstand: 2008 schedule & NHIS up for sale?
The 2008 schedule is out ... unfortunately, nothing exciting. The "big" event that was supposed to materialize is about as big as the Hawaiian Super Prix.
Michigan wasn't replaced on the schedule, leaving a one-race in four-weeks gap in a key point of the schedule. No new races added, so the docket is down to 16 races for 2008.
The only other change is that Homestead was pushed back a week to March 29, eliminating the week off between Homestead & St. Pete.
The schedule
March 29: Homestead (1.5 oval)*
April 6: St. Petersburg (1.8 street)
April 19: Motegi (1.5 egg)
April 27: Kansas (1.5 tri-oval)
May 25: Indianapolis 500 (2.5 rectangle)
June 1: Milwaukee (1.0 oval)
June 7: Texas (1.5 quad-oval)*
June 22: Iowa (0.875 tri-oval)
June 28: Richmond (0.75 tri-oval)*
July 6: Watkins Glen (3.37 road)
July 12: Nashville (1.33 tri-oval)*
July 20: Mid-Ohio (2.258 road)
Aug. 9: Kentucky (1.5 tri-oval)
Aug. 24: Infineon (2.4 road)*
Aug. 31: Belle Isle (2.096 street)
Sept. 7: Chicagoland (1.5 tri-oval)
*-Night race (5 total)
Ovals (11)
1.0 or less = 3 (Richmond, Iowa, Milwaukee)
1.01-1.5 = 7 (Nashville, Homestead, Motegi, Kansas, Texas, Kentucky, Chicagoland)
1.6-2.5 = 1 (Indianapolis)
Twisties (5)
Natural-terrain road courses = 3 (Watkins Glen, Mid-Ohio, Infineon)
Street courses = 2 (St. Pete, Belle Isle)
Quickie stories
Indianapolis Star
AP
SpeedTV
IndyCar.com
Quote from IRL commercial guru Terry Angstadt: "As we look beyond 2008, we will develop new races as opportunities permit and we will keep a healthy balance of oval, road and street circuits as part of our schedule."
What I can foresee ... it seems the IRL has been put into a bit of a bind with the current schedule with the "compact schedule" put together by ABC/ESPN (thanks for screwing up Michigan with the BY400 switcheroo, BTW). It conveniently finishes just before ABC picks up the "Chase for the Cup." It appears there are very limited TV windows available, which is why it's difficult to, say, move the start of the season forward a bit and pick up Phoenix and/or California in late February or early March (and California is open to the IRL, if the dates can be arranged).
The best bet for filling that Michigan vacancy would've been Montreal last year, but that didn't materialize, thanks to NASCAR refusing to allow anyone to run after the Saturday Busch race at CGV and claim "headliner" status, even in a de facto state. However, the IRL has been known to announce races after the schedule has been put together. However, wtih ABC/ESPN's contact up in 2009, the status quo might continue for another year or two, and then, hopefully, the front end of the schedule will open up for maybe a southwestern tour (and possibly the back end slightly) in a renegotiated deal.
There's also a full load of other stories from the past few days ...
NHIS being bought by Kentucky's Jerry Carroll?
According to the Manchester Union-Leader, Kentucky Speedway's Jerry Carroll is a potential suitor to buy the on-the-block New Hampshire International Speedway. Carroll reportedly offered NHIS owner Bob Bahre $360 million to buy the track. He wants at least one of NHIS' Cup dates. With Carroll in charge, is it possible the IRL could nose into one of the vacant dates at NHIS, a track it once tried (and failed miserably at, but the product is much different than it used to be)? Anyway, Red Sox owner John Henry (also a partner in Roush Fenway Racing in the fendered leagues, is also mulling an offer for the Loudon track). The track was valued at $240 million last year.
A great read from Kirby on Rick Mears
Gordon Kirby tells Rick Mears' story
Says Derrick Walker: "I don't think I ever heard, or thought, or anybody ever said that Mears was having a bad day. He gave the same effort, regardless, every time he was in the car. He might drive a little more conservatively when he was trying to do something that didn't require him to be on the edge. But he never gave a bad day."
Danica's everywhere
Even Young Money Magazine.
We learn a lot about the business of Danica ... her brand image, making money.
Says the three-time Most Popular Driver: "It's important to stay true to yourself and have companies and brands around you that are glimpses of you. But (it's) also finding sponsors that are really into the program, who will really activate it and go out there and market you and use you, because it's a dead-end street if a sponsor doesn't advertise and use you. How can they really benefit if they don't?"
As far as brand image, I don't think we'll be soon seeing the Danica action figure -- guaranteed to do a half-spin when you turn into the driveway and then automatically begin wildly flailing its arms until you give it attention.
Dario's going to run some ARCA stuff
... says Robin Miller. He's planning to test a car later this month and run at Talladega Oct. 5 .
Buddy's driving a truck, too
Curt Cavin notes that Buddy Lazier is slated to run a NASCAR truck in the Indy Star.
Says Buddy Lazier, who is going to run in the NASCAR Senior Tour (uh, I mean the Truck Series), "That's it, more seats (available in NASCAR's divisions than in the IRL). I don't know the intentions of other people, but I just want to go racing." Note to team owners ... even at 40, Buddy can flat-out drive a racecar with wings.
Off-season sojurns
Buddy Rice prepares for the A1GP race at Silverstone
Racing is art ... or is it?
AutoWeek: The art students do their thing in designing the "car of the future"
Says Honda's Robert Clarke: “We can pick bits and pieces. It’s all very thoughtprovoking. The project accomplished what it was supposed to accomplish.”
Also, they designed tracks of the future, some of which included inverted portions. Hey, it's a place you'd never have to worry about being overshadowed by NASCAR.
Looking back
Scott Goodyear talks about what it takes to win a championship on IndyCar.com.
The ABC analyst and guy who almost won the 500 three times looks back on the season.
IPS stuff
IndyCar.com catches up with Alex Lloyd.
Sayeth Alex: "I'm looking at the big picture. For that, I'd be happy to take a partial-year deal if it meant that things were going in the right direction for the future rather than take a one-year deal in a less-competitive environment. ... Hopefully, we can get something done in the next few weeks so we can get a program underway and figure out what the plans are going to be." (Wild speculation based in nothing but my synapses: Lloyd may be running part of the year for Ganassi, possibly sharing the car with Franchitti?).
Is Ryan Briscoe a candidate for this team, too?
Steve Luczo, the name behind Luczo Dragon Racing (the team that fielded Penske's third car ... uh, I mean, the "independent, but related to Penske" I500 one-off team), has entered the world of indoor lacrosse.
And finally
In the wake of spy-gate in the NFL, ESPN.com looks at spying in the world of racing, where it's high art.
Says Eddie Cheever: "If you really sat down and thought about all the looking over one's shoulder that takes place in racing, you'd become a bit of a paranoid basket case. In the digital age, one might think it would be harder to obtain sensitive information, but in reality it might be easier."
Also, congrats to Tony & Daniela Kanaan on the birth of their baby boy, Leonardo, who was born today!
Michigan wasn't replaced on the schedule, leaving a one-race in four-weeks gap in a key point of the schedule. No new races added, so the docket is down to 16 races for 2008.
The only other change is that Homestead was pushed back a week to March 29, eliminating the week off between Homestead & St. Pete.
The schedule
March 29: Homestead (1.5 oval)*
April 6: St. Petersburg (1.8 street)
April 19: Motegi (1.5 egg)
April 27: Kansas (1.5 tri-oval)
May 25: Indianapolis 500 (2.5 rectangle)
June 1: Milwaukee (1.0 oval)
June 7: Texas (1.5 quad-oval)*
June 22: Iowa (0.875 tri-oval)
June 28: Richmond (0.75 tri-oval)*
July 6: Watkins Glen (3.37 road)
July 12: Nashville (1.33 tri-oval)*
July 20: Mid-Ohio (2.258 road)
Aug. 9: Kentucky (1.5 tri-oval)
Aug. 24: Infineon (2.4 road)*
Aug. 31: Belle Isle (2.096 street)
Sept. 7: Chicagoland (1.5 tri-oval)
*-Night race (5 total)
Ovals (11)
1.0 or less = 3 (Richmond, Iowa, Milwaukee)
1.01-1.5 = 7 (Nashville, Homestead, Motegi, Kansas, Texas, Kentucky, Chicagoland)
1.6-2.5 = 1 (Indianapolis)
Twisties (5)
Natural-terrain road courses = 3 (Watkins Glen, Mid-Ohio, Infineon)
Street courses = 2 (St. Pete, Belle Isle)
Quickie stories
Indianapolis Star
AP
SpeedTV
IndyCar.com
Quote from IRL commercial guru Terry Angstadt: "As we look beyond 2008, we will develop new races as opportunities permit and we will keep a healthy balance of oval, road and street circuits as part of our schedule."
What I can foresee ... it seems the IRL has been put into a bit of a bind with the current schedule with the "compact schedule" put together by ABC/ESPN (thanks for screwing up Michigan with the BY400 switcheroo, BTW). It conveniently finishes just before ABC picks up the "Chase for the Cup." It appears there are very limited TV windows available, which is why it's difficult to, say, move the start of the season forward a bit and pick up Phoenix and/or California in late February or early March (and California is open to the IRL, if the dates can be arranged).
The best bet for filling that Michigan vacancy would've been Montreal last year, but that didn't materialize, thanks to NASCAR refusing to allow anyone to run after the Saturday Busch race at CGV and claim "headliner" status, even in a de facto state. However, the IRL has been known to announce races after the schedule has been put together. However, wtih ABC/ESPN's contact up in 2009, the status quo might continue for another year or two, and then, hopefully, the front end of the schedule will open up for maybe a southwestern tour (and possibly the back end slightly) in a renegotiated deal.
There's also a full load of other stories from the past few days ...
NHIS being bought by Kentucky's Jerry Carroll?
According to the Manchester Union-Leader, Kentucky Speedway's Jerry Carroll is a potential suitor to buy the on-the-block New Hampshire International Speedway. Carroll reportedly offered NHIS owner Bob Bahre $360 million to buy the track. He wants at least one of NHIS' Cup dates. With Carroll in charge, is it possible the IRL could nose into one of the vacant dates at NHIS, a track it once tried (and failed miserably at, but the product is much different than it used to be)? Anyway, Red Sox owner John Henry (also a partner in Roush Fenway Racing in the fendered leagues, is also mulling an offer for the Loudon track). The track was valued at $240 million last year.
A great read from Kirby on Rick Mears
Gordon Kirby tells Rick Mears' story
Says Derrick Walker: "I don't think I ever heard, or thought, or anybody ever said that Mears was having a bad day. He gave the same effort, regardless, every time he was in the car. He might drive a little more conservatively when he was trying to do something that didn't require him to be on the edge. But he never gave a bad day."
Danica's everywhere
Even Young Money Magazine.
We learn a lot about the business of Danica ... her brand image, making money.
Says the three-time Most Popular Driver: "It's important to stay true to yourself and have companies and brands around you that are glimpses of you. But (it's) also finding sponsors that are really into the program, who will really activate it and go out there and market you and use you, because it's a dead-end street if a sponsor doesn't advertise and use you. How can they really benefit if they don't?"
As far as brand image, I don't think we'll be soon seeing the Danica action figure -- guaranteed to do a half-spin when you turn into the driveway and then automatically begin wildly flailing its arms until you give it attention.
Dario's going to run some ARCA stuff
... says Robin Miller. He's planning to test a car later this month and run at Talladega Oct. 5 .
Buddy's driving a truck, too
Curt Cavin notes that Buddy Lazier is slated to run a NASCAR truck in the Indy Star.
Says Buddy Lazier, who is going to run in the NASCAR Senior Tour (uh, I mean the Truck Series), "That's it, more seats (available in NASCAR's divisions than in the IRL). I don't know the intentions of other people, but I just want to go racing." Note to team owners ... even at 40, Buddy can flat-out drive a racecar with wings.
Off-season sojurns
Buddy Rice prepares for the A1GP race at Silverstone
Racing is art ... or is it?
AutoWeek: The art students do their thing in designing the "car of the future"
Says Honda's Robert Clarke: “We can pick bits and pieces. It’s all very thoughtprovoking. The project accomplished what it was supposed to accomplish.”
Also, they designed tracks of the future, some of which included inverted portions. Hey, it's a place you'd never have to worry about being overshadowed by NASCAR.
Looking back
Scott Goodyear talks about what it takes to win a championship on IndyCar.com.
The ABC analyst and guy who almost won the 500 three times looks back on the season.
IPS stuff
IndyCar.com catches up with Alex Lloyd.
Sayeth Alex: "I'm looking at the big picture. For that, I'd be happy to take a partial-year deal if it meant that things were going in the right direction for the future rather than take a one-year deal in a less-competitive environment. ... Hopefully, we can get something done in the next few weeks so we can get a program underway and figure out what the plans are going to be." (Wild speculation based in nothing but my synapses: Lloyd may be running part of the year for Ganassi, possibly sharing the car with Franchitti?).
Is Ryan Briscoe a candidate for this team, too?
Steve Luczo, the name behind Luczo Dragon Racing (the team that fielded Penske's third car ... uh, I mean, the "independent, but related to Penske" I500 one-off team), has entered the world of indoor lacrosse.
And finally
In the wake of spy-gate in the NFL, ESPN.com looks at spying in the world of racing, where it's high art.
Says Eddie Cheever: "If you really sat down and thought about all the looking over one's shoulder that takes place in racing, you'd become a bit of a paranoid basket case. In the digital age, one might think it would be harder to obtain sensitive information, but in reality it might be easier."
Also, congrats to Tony & Daniela Kanaan on the birth of their baby boy, Leonardo, who was born today!
Friday, September 14, 2007
Sept. 14 newsstand
An array of stories tonight ... revenue sharing, analysis, uninformed writers, and Sam DNQing in his first Cup attempt.
Revenue-sharing redux
The Indianapolis Star now checks in on the revenue-sharing story.
The plan laid out here is largely similar to what Robin Miller reported a couple of days ago. It's the lead of Cavin's weekly Pit Pass column, which also mentions the IPS race would've been declared a tie if timing wasn't carried out to the fourth decimal point (which it has been since 2001), instead of the traditional third digit past the decimal.
New driver?
I don't know this source, so I'll put this in the intriguing-but-as-good-as-Yellow Ribbon Racing file. This website says A.J. Allmendinger might be considering getting out of his NASCAR deal and coming to the IRL next year. (thanks to MyNameIsIRL for the link ... make sure you check out his fine blog).
Looking back
IndyCar.com's Dave Lewandowski looks at the diverse array of courses Dario had to do well on to win the championship.
Says Dario: I think the direction the series has been taking and going to different types of tracks, short oval, one‑and‑a‑half milers, the big tracks, street courses, road courses, that makes it more difficult to kind of do a good job on all of those. It leaves me and definitely my guys with a sense of satisfaction, a big smile on our faces."
Some good driver news
NZ Herald: Dixon confident he'll be back
And no mention of NASCAR, too.
Sam's southern sojurn
Sam Hornish Jr. fails to qualify for his first NASCAR Nextel Cup race.
Says Sam: "I went to Indy for the first time with a team that took a car on a flat-bed trailer into the track while everybody else was pulling in transporters. I've been in this situation before and overcame it. It's just today wasn't the day for it."
NASCAR.com checks in with its story.
Says Sam: "If you don't make any of the races, that would make it pretty hard for me to come back. But I've said all along that I want to run the Daytona 500 and I want to run the Brickyard 400. Those are two things that I've had on my priorities list for a long time, that I've wanted to do."
JV isn't the only Indy winner running trucks
Buddy Rice has had a sojurn in the trucks. Jacques Villeneuve is running them now. Scroll down in this story, and find out that Buddy Lazier is going to try them. He's going to run the NCTS race at Vegas next weekend. Good for Buddy, who shows every year in the 500 that he still deserves a ride in the ICS.
Other driver stuff
TK, Dario to run LMP2 at Petit Le Mans
I love ill-informed writers ...
... like this guy, who now trots out the "Danica-to-NASCAR" rumors, and lumps IndyCar in with Champ Car as "heading for a dismal failure." IndyCar hasn't exactly been F1 or NASCAR of late, but the TV ratings were up this year, attendance grew at several events and things seem to be getting better. Now, that other series, well ...
Revenue-sharing redux
The Indianapolis Star now checks in on the revenue-sharing story.
The plan laid out here is largely similar to what Robin Miller reported a couple of days ago. It's the lead of Cavin's weekly Pit Pass column, which also mentions the IPS race would've been declared a tie if timing wasn't carried out to the fourth decimal point (which it has been since 2001), instead of the traditional third digit past the decimal.
New driver?
I don't know this source, so I'll put this in the intriguing-but-as-good-as-Yellow Ribbon Racing file. This website says A.J. Allmendinger might be considering getting out of his NASCAR deal and coming to the IRL next year. (thanks to MyNameIsIRL for the link ... make sure you check out his fine blog).
Looking back
IndyCar.com's Dave Lewandowski looks at the diverse array of courses Dario had to do well on to win the championship.
Says Dario: I think the direction the series has been taking and going to different types of tracks, short oval, one‑and‑a‑half milers, the big tracks, street courses, road courses, that makes it more difficult to kind of do a good job on all of those. It leaves me and definitely my guys with a sense of satisfaction, a big smile on our faces."
Some good driver news
NZ Herald: Dixon confident he'll be back
And no mention of NASCAR, too.
Sam's southern sojurn
Sam Hornish Jr. fails to qualify for his first NASCAR Nextel Cup race.
Says Sam: "I went to Indy for the first time with a team that took a car on a flat-bed trailer into the track while everybody else was pulling in transporters. I've been in this situation before and overcame it. It's just today wasn't the day for it."
NASCAR.com checks in with its story.
Says Sam: "If you don't make any of the races, that would make it pretty hard for me to come back. But I've said all along that I want to run the Daytona 500 and I want to run the Brickyard 400. Those are two things that I've had on my priorities list for a long time, that I've wanted to do."
JV isn't the only Indy winner running trucks
Buddy Rice has had a sojurn in the trucks. Jacques Villeneuve is running them now. Scroll down in this story, and find out that Buddy Lazier is going to try them. He's going to run the NCTS race at Vegas next weekend. Good for Buddy, who shows every year in the 500 that he still deserves a ride in the ICS.
Other driver stuff
TK, Dario to run LMP2 at Petit Le Mans
I love ill-informed writers ...
... like this guy, who now trots out the "Danica-to-NASCAR" rumors, and lumps IndyCar in with Champ Car as "heading for a dismal failure." IndyCar hasn't exactly been F1 or NASCAR of late, but the TV ratings were up this year, attendance grew at several events and things seem to be getting better. Now, that other series, well ...
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Sept. 13 newsstand
We'll probably be moving into off-season mode, which means more sporadic (e.g., not every day) posts, whenever there's news to print.
We'll try to follow the SillySeason news as it happens, and also follow some of the drivers as they run in the off-season -- Sam in NASCAR, Buddy Rice in A1GP, RHR in sports cars, et al ...
NASCAR stuff
AP: NASCAR watching with interest the move over by open-wheel champs
Says former IRL champ Tony Stewart: "It shows how strong NASCAR is, how much fun the series is and where these guys really want to be."
Says Jeff Gordon, who should've been in IndyCar racing ... "A guy like Dario, I think it's ambitious and so I applaud him for taking that step. I think he's got a lot of talent, so he can pull it off."
Autosport: Hornish worried about qualifying
Says Sam, about Dario and qualifying on time: "The good thing about Dario's position is that if he goes to the No. 40 car, he's top-35 in the points, he doesn't have to worry about qualifying for the first couple of races ... That's a thing that if we decided to go full time racing, we would have to basically start from scratch and qualify our way in."
IndyCar drivers this year
IndyCar.com catches up with the DownForce party
And Danica says she's going to rehab. Is it "in lap" rehab, perhaps?
AP: Danica Patrick wins third straight Most Popular Driver award
I wonder what the odds were on Milka Duno winning this?
IndyCar.com: Jack Arute catches up with AGR tactician John Anderson
Speaking of female drivers, a 7-year-old catches up with Sarah Fisher
Easton (PA) Express-Times: Andretti's season comes to a crash
Marco with the understatement of the year: "The season did not go anything like we thought or hoped it would go."
IndyCar drivers running in the off-season
IndyCar.com notes the drivers running this weekend: Darren Manning is running a LeMans LMP2 at Silverstone. Entered in the Grand Am race at Miller Motorsports Park is ICS driver Ryan Hunter-Reay, along with IPS drivers Brad Jaeger and Richard Antinucci and former ICS drivers Max Papis, Tomas Enge & Memo Gidley. Buddy Rice is slated to make his A1GP debut Sept. 30 at Zandevoort, Holland, running for Team USA.
KSL-TV reports on the field running in this weekend's Grand Am race at Miller Motorsports Park. Among the drivers are Buddy Rice, Ryan Hunter-Reay, ex-IRL driver Tomas Enge and CC's Justin Wilson.
For your entertainment
Read Robin Miller's latest chat at SpeedTV.com.
Non-IRL news
Cheating isn't cool ... and F1 has caught McLaren spying on Ferrari, stripping the team of all of its owner points for this season. ESPN.com also checks in.
Meanwhile, ESPN.com's John Oreovicz lets us know about CC's change in direction (exactly which 5-year plan are they on now?)
We'll try to follow the SillySeason news as it happens, and also follow some of the drivers as they run in the off-season -- Sam in NASCAR, Buddy Rice in A1GP, RHR in sports cars, et al ...
NASCAR stuff
AP: NASCAR watching with interest the move over by open-wheel champs
Says former IRL champ Tony Stewart: "It shows how strong NASCAR is, how much fun the series is and where these guys really want to be."
Says Jeff Gordon, who should've been in IndyCar racing ... "A guy like Dario, I think it's ambitious and so I applaud him for taking that step. I think he's got a lot of talent, so he can pull it off."
Autosport: Hornish worried about qualifying
Says Sam, about Dario and qualifying on time: "The good thing about Dario's position is that if he goes to the No. 40 car, he's top-35 in the points, he doesn't have to worry about qualifying for the first couple of races ... That's a thing that if we decided to go full time racing, we would have to basically start from scratch and qualify our way in."
IndyCar drivers this year
IndyCar.com catches up with the DownForce party
And Danica says she's going to rehab. Is it "in lap" rehab, perhaps?
AP: Danica Patrick wins third straight Most Popular Driver award
I wonder what the odds were on Milka Duno winning this?
IndyCar.com: Jack Arute catches up with AGR tactician John Anderson
Speaking of female drivers, a 7-year-old catches up with Sarah Fisher
Easton (PA) Express-Times: Andretti's season comes to a crash
Marco with the understatement of the year: "The season did not go anything like we thought or hoped it would go."
IndyCar drivers running in the off-season
IndyCar.com notes the drivers running this weekend: Darren Manning is running a LeMans LMP2 at Silverstone. Entered in the Grand Am race at Miller Motorsports Park is ICS driver Ryan Hunter-Reay, along with IPS drivers Brad Jaeger and Richard Antinucci and former ICS drivers Max Papis, Tomas Enge & Memo Gidley. Buddy Rice is slated to make his A1GP debut Sept. 30 at Zandevoort, Holland, running for Team USA.
KSL-TV reports on the field running in this weekend's Grand Am race at Miller Motorsports Park. Among the drivers are Buddy Rice, Ryan Hunter-Reay, ex-IRL driver Tomas Enge and CC's Justin Wilson.
For your entertainment
Read Robin Miller's latest chat at SpeedTV.com.
Non-IRL news
Cheating isn't cool ... and F1 has caught McLaren spying on Ferrari, stripping the team of all of its owner points for this season. ESPN.com also checks in.
Meanwhile, ESPN.com's John Oreovicz lets us know about CC's change in direction (exactly which 5-year plan are they on now?)
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Sept. 12 newsstand: Championship banquet & lots of rumors
Championship celebration
Did Scott Dixon let the cat out of the bag last night when he welcomed Dario Franchitti to Ganassi's team? Anyway ...
Indianapolis Star: Franchitti celebrates title season
Says Curt Cavin: "An Andretti Green Racing teammate has said Franchitti won't return to the team's No. 27 Indy car, and there are strong indications he will drive for Ganassi Racing in some sort of NASCAR-based stock car program, perhaps a combination of series that allows him to continue part time in Indy cars, including defense of his Indianapolis 500 victory in May."
AP: Indy champion Dario Franchitti unsure of move to NASCAR
Says Dario: "NASCAR would be something different ... something I haven't done. Apart from Formula One, it's probably one of the few things I haven't driven. So that would be one of the reasons to look at that." ... "Regardless of what I do or what Sam does, the IndyCar Series, I've noticed in the last couple of years, (has had) an increase in interest from fans, from TV numbers, crowds and the track, interest from outside. I've been pleasantly surprised by that, so regardless of what any driver does, the series is bigger than any driver."
A NASCAR writer from the Arizona Star says Dario is still indecisive.
Says Dario: “We just won the championship and we’re in sort of the celebration stage of that. I’m not going to really think about my future until the end of this week or the start of next week at the earliest.”
ESPN.com's John Schwarb mentions the separation anxiety in the Penske camp, as Sam & Helio appear to be headed separate ways for 2008. Says Helio: "I was kind of thinking about it, running with him (when they were 1-2 Sunday). We work so well together -- he's so incredible on the ovals. He'll be missed." Says Sam, about running NASCAR and taking Fizzy Pop 600 day off to run Indy: "That'd be about the best match for me, but we'll see what happens."
NASCAR writer David Poole of the Charlotte Observer does an analysis of the changing face of that sport, which isn't the series Uncle Cletus grew up with. Says Mr. Poole: "Now it appears someone has yelled "FIRE!" in a crowded open-wheel drivers' lounge and drivers are scurrying toward NASCAR as if they're running from a green car full of peanuts."
Another NASCAR nut from Rocky Mount, NC says Franchitti's world will only get better in NASCAR. The column is full of gratuitous shots at the IRL (my favorite: "In case you don't follow the IRL – and judging from the ever-improving but still disappointing Nielsen Ratings and attendance, you don't – Franchitti won four races this season in 17 starts, including a rain-shortened Indianapolis 500, and wrapped up his first championship Sunday. Problem is, almost nobody heard about the win because of the IRL's infrequent television appearances. ... uh, yeah, like the race that was on ABC Sunday afternoon, or the fact that the IRL has been on either ABC or ESPN virtually every weekend since the last week of April ... very "infrequent" indeed).
Another well-informed quote from the NASCAR prism -- the safety card, which we'll hear more and more as time goes on: "Though traditionalists will howl more even than they did this season, the COT is already a boon for drivers' safety, and it will only continue to improve. Those open-wheel cars, meanwhile, are largely of the same design driven by Alex Zanardi in 2001 – just a few months after Earnhardt died – when he crashed and lost both of his legs." Uh, the IRL Dallara is quite a bit different design than the Lolas and Reynards CART was using in 2001 ... and Zanardi's accident was certainly a freak accident, not a "racing accident." The current-spec Dallara has a pretty good track record, despite its penchant for flying. Next thing you'll tell me is that IndyCars get all spread out and put on boring races because the leaders are six laps ahead of everyone else.
SportsTicker: Wheldon at center of IndyCar speculation
Says Bruce Martin: "Wheldon would be a prime choice to either take over Franchitti's vacated ride at AGR or Hornish's No. 6 at Team Penske. ... Ryan Hunter-Reay, who clinched the IndyCar Rookie of the Year title on Sunday for Rahal Letterman Racing, could be a candidate at Ganassi if Wheldon leaves. And A.J. Allmandinger recently signed with Ganassi's NASCAR team to drive the Busch car in several races. ... 2007 Indy Pro Series champion Alex Lloyd is confident he will get a decent IndyCar ride next season."
Briscoe to Penske?
Australia's Herald-Sun catches up with Ryan Briscoe.
Among the quotes ... Tim Cindric's quote about Briscoe being next in line to replace Hornish are rehashed, plus this from the Flying Aussie himself: "There's nothing written in stone. It's Sam's choice. Penske is giving him all the tools and possibility to move to NASCAR, so it's whether he is comfortable enough to do it."
Commentaries
The Anderson (IN) Herald-Bulletin's Ken De La Bastide says the IRL would be well-off putting a big-name USAC driver in one of its seats. Hey, I like the sentiment, but the USAC guys have to look at the IRL before running South when they get out of diapers, like so many of them seem to be doing.
A.J. Foyt says Chicagoland was a tough finish to a solid season in his USA Today blog.
Says A.J.: "I'm really looking forward to next year when we can capitalize on all the work Darren and our ABC Supply team has done this past season. There were frustrating times but there were a lot of good times, too. We knew this would be a building year and it has been. Now I understand his English (most of it) and he understands my Texan, so I believe we can come out swinging in 2008."
"Other Side" news
I dig the Silly Season, whether or not they come from our side. There's lots of Champ Car rubbernecking to do today ... mostly fallout from the loss of the San Jose GP.
The San Jose Mercury-News says "If the sanctioning Champ Car organization and chief race backer Don Listwin had wanted the San Jose Grand Prix to continue, it would have. ... Listwin and his Canary Foundation grew tired of losing tons of money over the past three years, even with the city subsidy."
Columnist Mark Purdy takes a few shots at CCWS: " Three years ago, when I cautiously endorsed the grand prix, I also warned the city about becoming too heavily involved with America's third-string racing circuit. The flak I received from Champ Car supporters and loyalists was enormous. They were insulted by my "third-string" description, saying it was unfair to rank the circuit behind both NASCAR and the Indy Racing League. In retrospect, those folks were correct. I should have called Champ Car a sixth-string circuit - placing it behind NASCAR, the IRL, drag racing, hydroplane racing and that cute little kiddie-car ride at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk."
Meanwhile, the SJ race is being moved back to Laguna Seca. The hometown Monterey Herald says Laguna fits CC's business model. Key news here: It's running May 18, the week before the Indy 500 (and during second-weekend Indy quals). At least there won't be any merger talk this year, or talk of CC teams invading Indy.
The Long Beach Press-Telegram's Bob Keisser says the LBGP would do better if it shed Champ Car. Says the author: "The racing series is once again beset by problems and gaffes, operated by directors who seemingly can't read a map, which is not a good thing if auto racing is your game. The people who run the Grand Prix look at this mess, shrug their shoulders yet again, and move on with its usual purpose." Says one of the race organizers: "We want Champ Car to have a strong North American presence, and we want a schedule where there aren't so many bloody long periods without races. And we want American drivers and American teams that we can promote."
A lot of the rest of the story is opinion masquerading as fact, but the author points out a few things ... Justin Wilson is considering a move to the IRL, and it's only a matter of time before Graham Rahal joins his dad's team (or maybe not ... if Graham wanted an IRL ride, he'd have one).
And finally
ESPN.com catches up with Cristiano da Matta, who is attempting a comeback. Best of luck to Cristiano, who suffered a horrendous accident at Road America last year. He hopes to be cleared to drive in six months.
Did Scott Dixon let the cat out of the bag last night when he welcomed Dario Franchitti to Ganassi's team? Anyway ...
Indianapolis Star: Franchitti celebrates title season
Says Curt Cavin: "An Andretti Green Racing teammate has said Franchitti won't return to the team's No. 27 Indy car, and there are strong indications he will drive for Ganassi Racing in some sort of NASCAR-based stock car program, perhaps a combination of series that allows him to continue part time in Indy cars, including defense of his Indianapolis 500 victory in May."
Says Dario: "Any driver from open wheel who goes to NASCAR is in for a big challenge. That would be the attraction."
IndyCar.com: $4 million man of the hour
Says Dario: "The championship mean a lot. It's been kind of elusive. I've been over here 10 years and I've won a lot of races, but to finally win it means a lot. I'm just so happy. To do that and the 500 in one year, I'm really proud." The story also lists all of the award winners for the year.
IndyCar.com also has a piece on Alex Lloyd's season in the IPS.
Says Dario to Lloyd: "You did a great job this season. You deserve a ride (in the IndyCar Series)." Has all of the IPS award winners.
Season retrospective
Indianapolis Star: Series waits to see if its stars depart
Curt Cavin looks back & ahead.
Among the notes:
*-16 races confirmed, the 17th race is a street run around Dodger Stadium, if it can be finalized. My commentary here: Can we all thank the Frances for moving the BY400 date and causing the conflict that ran the IRL out of the France-owned Michigan track?
*-AGR, Penske & Ganassi are committed to a total of 8 cars, though we don't know who will be driving a few of them.
*-Wheldon & Scheckter were mentioned as candidates for the open AGR seat.
*-Milka will need to do some off-season testing if she is to return.
*-Honda, Firestone & ESPN are all signed through 2009.
AP: Franchitti wins first IndyCar title after up and down season
A season retrospective from the AP.
Dario's (and Sam's) Southern Sojurn? IndyCar.com: $4 million man of the hour
Says Dario: "The championship mean a lot. It's been kind of elusive. I've been over here 10 years and I've won a lot of races, but to finally win it means a lot. I'm just so happy. To do that and the 500 in one year, I'm really proud." The story also lists all of the award winners for the year.
IndyCar.com also has a piece on Alex Lloyd's season in the IPS.
Says Dario to Lloyd: "You did a great job this season. You deserve a ride (in the IndyCar Series)." Has all of the IPS award winners.
Season retrospective
Indianapolis Star: Series waits to see if its stars depart
Curt Cavin looks back & ahead.
Says Brian Barnhart about Sam & Dario: "I don't know if it's fair to speculate. But we've made it clear to them we want them to stay, but ultimately it's not in our control."
Among the notes:
*-16 races confirmed, the 17th race is a street run around Dodger Stadium, if it can be finalized. My commentary here: Can we all thank the Frances for moving the BY400 date and causing the conflict that ran the IRL out of the France-owned Michigan track?
*-AGR, Penske & Ganassi are committed to a total of 8 cars, though we don't know who will be driving a few of them.
*-Wheldon & Scheckter were mentioned as candidates for the open AGR seat.
*-Milka will need to do some off-season testing if she is to return.
*-Honda, Firestone & ESPN are all signed through 2009.
AP: Franchitti wins first IndyCar title after up and down season
A season retrospective from the AP.
AP: Indy champion Dario Franchitti unsure of move to NASCAR
Says Dario: "NASCAR would be something different ... something I haven't done. Apart from Formula One, it's probably one of the few things I haven't driven. So that would be one of the reasons to look at that." ... "Regardless of what I do or what Sam does, the IndyCar Series, I've noticed in the last couple of years, (has had) an increase in interest from fans, from TV numbers, crowds and the track, interest from outside. I've been pleasantly surprised by that, so regardless of what any driver does, the series is bigger than any driver."
A NASCAR writer from the Arizona Star says Dario is still indecisive.
Says Dario: “We just won the championship and we’re in sort of the celebration stage of that. I’m not going to really think about my future until the end of this week or the start of next week at the earliest.”
ESPN.com's John Schwarb mentions the separation anxiety in the Penske camp, as Sam & Helio appear to be headed separate ways for 2008. Says Helio: "I was kind of thinking about it, running with him (when they were 1-2 Sunday). We work so well together -- he's so incredible on the ovals. He'll be missed." Says Sam, about running NASCAR and taking Fizzy Pop 600 day off to run Indy: "That'd be about the best match for me, but we'll see what happens."
NASCAR writer David Poole of the Charlotte Observer does an analysis of the changing face of that sport, which isn't the series Uncle Cletus grew up with. Says Mr. Poole: "Now it appears someone has yelled "FIRE!" in a crowded open-wheel drivers' lounge and drivers are scurrying toward NASCAR as if they're running from a green car full of peanuts."
Another NASCAR nut from Rocky Mount, NC says Franchitti's world will only get better in NASCAR. The column is full of gratuitous shots at the IRL (my favorite: "In case you don't follow the IRL – and judging from the ever-improving but still disappointing Nielsen Ratings and attendance, you don't – Franchitti won four races this season in 17 starts, including a rain-shortened Indianapolis 500, and wrapped up his first championship Sunday. Problem is, almost nobody heard about the win because of the IRL's infrequent television appearances. ... uh, yeah, like the race that was on ABC Sunday afternoon, or the fact that the IRL has been on either ABC or ESPN virtually every weekend since the last week of April ... very "infrequent" indeed).
Another well-informed quote from the NASCAR prism -- the safety card, which we'll hear more and more as time goes on: "Though traditionalists will howl more even than they did this season, the COT is already a boon for drivers' safety, and it will only continue to improve. Those open-wheel cars, meanwhile, are largely of the same design driven by Alex Zanardi in 2001 – just a few months after Earnhardt died – when he crashed and lost both of his legs." Uh, the IRL Dallara is quite a bit different design than the Lolas and Reynards CART was using in 2001 ... and Zanardi's accident was certainly a freak accident, not a "racing accident." The current-spec Dallara has a pretty good track record, despite its penchant for flying. Next thing you'll tell me is that IndyCars get all spread out and put on boring races because the leaders are six laps ahead of everyone else.
SportsTicker: Wheldon at center of IndyCar speculation
Says Bruce Martin: "Wheldon would be a prime choice to either take over Franchitti's vacated ride at AGR or Hornish's No. 6 at Team Penske. ... Ryan Hunter-Reay, who clinched the IndyCar Rookie of the Year title on Sunday for Rahal Letterman Racing, could be a candidate at Ganassi if Wheldon leaves. And A.J. Allmandinger recently signed with Ganassi's NASCAR team to drive the Busch car in several races. ... 2007 Indy Pro Series champion Alex Lloyd is confident he will get a decent IndyCar ride next season."
Briscoe to Penske?
Australia's Herald-Sun catches up with Ryan Briscoe.
Among the quotes ... Tim Cindric's quote about Briscoe being next in line to replace Hornish are rehashed, plus this from the Flying Aussie himself: "There's nothing written in stone. It's Sam's choice. Penske is giving him all the tools and possibility to move to NASCAR, so it's whether he is comfortable enough to do it."
Commentaries
The Anderson (IN) Herald-Bulletin's Ken De La Bastide says the IRL would be well-off putting a big-name USAC driver in one of its seats. Hey, I like the sentiment, but the USAC guys have to look at the IRL before running South when they get out of diapers, like so many of them seem to be doing.
A.J. Foyt says Chicagoland was a tough finish to a solid season in his USA Today blog.
Says A.J.: "I'm really looking forward to next year when we can capitalize on all the work Darren and our ABC Supply team has done this past season. There were frustrating times but there were a lot of good times, too. We knew this would be a building year and it has been. Now I understand his English (most of it) and he understands my Texan, so I believe we can come out swinging in 2008."
"Other Side" news
I dig the Silly Season, whether or not they come from our side. There's lots of Champ Car rubbernecking to do today ... mostly fallout from the loss of the San Jose GP.
The San Jose Mercury-News says "If the sanctioning Champ Car organization and chief race backer Don Listwin had wanted the San Jose Grand Prix to continue, it would have. ... Listwin and his Canary Foundation grew tired of losing tons of money over the past three years, even with the city subsidy."
Columnist Mark Purdy takes a few shots at CCWS: " Three years ago, when I cautiously endorsed the grand prix, I also warned the city about becoming too heavily involved with America's third-string racing circuit. The flak I received from Champ Car supporters and loyalists was enormous. They were insulted by my "third-string" description, saying it was unfair to rank the circuit behind both NASCAR and the Indy Racing League. In retrospect, those folks were correct. I should have called Champ Car a sixth-string circuit - placing it behind NASCAR, the IRL, drag racing, hydroplane racing and that cute little kiddie-car ride at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk."
Meanwhile, the SJ race is being moved back to Laguna Seca. The hometown Monterey Herald says Laguna fits CC's business model. Key news here: It's running May 18, the week before the Indy 500 (and during second-weekend Indy quals). At least there won't be any merger talk this year, or talk of CC teams invading Indy.
The Long Beach Press-Telegram's Bob Keisser says the LBGP would do better if it shed Champ Car. Says the author: "The racing series is once again beset by problems and gaffes, operated by directors who seemingly can't read a map, which is not a good thing if auto racing is your game. The people who run the Grand Prix look at this mess, shrug their shoulders yet again, and move on with its usual purpose." Says one of the race organizers: "We want Champ Car to have a strong North American presence, and we want a schedule where there aren't so many bloody long periods without races. And we want American drivers and American teams that we can promote."
A lot of the rest of the story is opinion masquerading as fact, but the author points out a few things ... Justin Wilson is considering a move to the IRL, and it's only a matter of time before Graham Rahal joins his dad's team (or maybe not ... if Graham wanted an IRL ride, he'd have one).
And finally
ESPN.com catches up with Cristiano da Matta, who is attempting a comeback. Best of luck to Cristiano, who suffered a horrendous accident at Road America last year. He hopes to be cleared to drive in six months.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
The North is gonna rise again ...
A decade ago, when this IRL thing was a fledgling operation trying to get off the ground, I used to wonder where the "stars" were going to come from -- who was going to be the next Rick Mears or A.J. Foyt -- the next household name that would bring fans back to open-wheel racing?
Would it be Billy Boat? Buddy Lazier?
Well, Tony Stewart was right there -- the next A.J. Foyt, for sure. But he didn't last long, and now he's inventing Helio Castroneves' moves and terrorizing catch fences everywhere in the South.
A couple of years later, when Sam Hornish Jr. came along, he was undoubtedly the next Rick Mears -- smooth, unbelievable on ovals, always there at the end (well, except at Indy), and the master of the high-side pass. He'd be the next open-wheel star for sure, especially when he finally wins an Indy 500.
But the only reason they've garnered major interest is when they've been considering making a run for the border. The border being the Mason-Dixon line, of course.
IndyCar fans used to worry about CART -- worry about them taking taking IRL drivers, taking the top teams, taking attention away from the Indy 500 (until they waved the white flag and started coming over in 2000). Pole day 2000 left a stunning pit in the stomach, when Juan Montoya's warmup lap was good enough for the pole speed, and many in the media center were openly high-fiving each other at the embarrassment the CART "professionals" had laid on Tony George's hacks.
Of course, we all know what happened. IndyCar didn't lose people to CART -- the opposite happened. Suddenly, all of the top CART teams (minus Newman-Haas) were in the Indy camp -- Ganassi, Penske, Green (with Michael Andretti), Rahal, even Fernandez. What the heck was left of CART? Well, they did hork one driver/team combo from the Indy world -- Oriol Servia and Conquest Racing -- but that was about it. CART went away, but the CART-centric national open-wheel media still continued to beat the drum of "the split" and the competition between the IRL and the series that was awarded the remnants of CART.
But "the split" we needed to worry about was never CART. It was NASCAR -- which had slowly begun to become the 800-pound gorilla of the motorsports world in the early 1990s. NASCAR has been great for racing, in that its rise has helped bring the sport from having a niche following to being a cultural phenomenon and a mainstream sport.
However, there's a catch. NASCAR was happy to split the pie when racing was a niche sport -- they took the Southerners, IndyCar was the domain of Midwesterners and West Coasters. Now, it's mainstream, and NASCAR doesn't want to share the stage with anyone but themselves.
The series running in CART's shadow is of no consequence to the IRL nowdays -- other than a few owners who could help boost the car count. They're losing races all over the place (San Jose, Denver, Phoenix, China, Korea, and possibly Portland and Vegas in the last year alone), and are looking overseas to Europe to be their savior.
However, NASCAR is.
NASCAR has been a decent partner at a few places -- the Richmond, Kansas and Chicago races on France-owned ovals have been successes -- but they've produced a ton of damage in other areas. Nazareth & Pike's Peak -- two strong IndyCar oval venues and great tracks -- were lost because the Frances bought them and shut them down, one in an attempt to build a NASCAR-centric track up the street.
But NASCAR also gobbles up whatever talent is available. We used to have to worry about every top American driver going south -- the Hornish-to-NASCAR rumors have been ongoing for years, and a lot of talented young open-wheel racers -- such as Kasey Kahne, J.J. Yeley, Tracy Hines, Bryan Clauson and Josh Wise -- have begun looking south before even giving top-level open-wheel racing a shot. That begun in earnest with Jeff Gordon, but the pipeline from USAC to the south has never really stopped. J.J. Yeley told me back in 1998 that NASCAR was his end goal, because "that's where it's at, and you want to be where it's at."
Once Chip Ganassi put JPM in a Cup car, the barn door was opened. Now, NASCAR isn't an American-only series, and the door is now open for Villeneuve, Franchitti, and presumably Wheldon & others, to go South.
That's frustrating, but it's not invincible.
IndyCar racing could come out in better shape, even despite losing its stars.
Losing Tony Stewart was a blow, but the IRL recovered, cultivating new stars such as Sam Hornish Jr.
And Sam has stayed in the league 8 years, won 3 titles, an Indy 500 and loves OW racing. Even if he ventures south, I can't see him venturing too far away from open-wheel cars.
When the CART migration began in 2002, IndyCars found new stars -- Helio Castroneves, Tony Kanaan, Dario Franchitti -- the latter not really a superstar until this year. It cultivated its own, such as Dan Wheldon, Danica Patrick and Marco Andretti. Buddy Rice and Scott Sharp are there to be the pipelines to the "old days," as well as being strong veteran American racers in the series.
Now, it seems that several of those guys are looking elsewhere -- Wheldon reportedly wants to check out NASCAR. Patrick has looked, but then come back. Mario Andretti wants to get his grandson into F1-world, and Sharp isn't getting any younger.
But the IndyCar Series will survive. It survived the loss of Stewart, and cultivated a host of new stars, even if they didn't necessarily get the cache that Mark Martin and Carl Edwards get in the south.
It survived the retirements of Michael Andretti & Al Unser Jr. It will survive the loss of Hornish & Franchitti -- the latter was going to go anyway, to ALMS if this Ganassi deal hadn't come up. There will be new talent, new stars. Marco & Danica & Dan & Scott & Helio & Tony are all still around. So are Tomas & Buddy. Even with those two defections, the IRL has one of the most stable driver lineups in any form of racing -- to the point where Milka Duno was the only rookie this year until RHR (another young, talented American driver) showed up.
Not to mention, NASCAR's sudden fascination with foreign racers (and the large number of Busch double-dippers & Truck Series seats filled by washed-up Cup vets) means fewer seats available down there for up-and-coming Americans. IndyCars might be seen as a way to run big-time racecars AND get noticed by NASCAR, which is better than trying to schlepp through the Busch Series for several years and then being too old to do anything else.
The IPS has given us knowledge of some of those guys -- Mutoh, Lloyd & Cunningham for the near future, Logan Gomez & friends for the more distant future -- but all in all, the racing will still be top-notch. It will still feature the side-by-side battles. The fields will likely be bigger than what we've seen the last couple of years. And the IndyCar Series will move on.
It got stronger after Tony Stewart's defection. Don't be shocked if that keeps happening, even without Dario & Sam.
Would it be Billy Boat? Buddy Lazier?
Well, Tony Stewart was right there -- the next A.J. Foyt, for sure. But he didn't last long, and now he's inventing Helio Castroneves' moves and terrorizing catch fences everywhere in the South.
A couple of years later, when Sam Hornish Jr. came along, he was undoubtedly the next Rick Mears -- smooth, unbelievable on ovals, always there at the end (well, except at Indy), and the master of the high-side pass. He'd be the next open-wheel star for sure, especially when he finally wins an Indy 500.
But the only reason they've garnered major interest is when they've been considering making a run for the border. The border being the Mason-Dixon line, of course.
IndyCar fans used to worry about CART -- worry about them taking taking IRL drivers, taking the top teams, taking attention away from the Indy 500 (until they waved the white flag and started coming over in 2000). Pole day 2000 left a stunning pit in the stomach, when Juan Montoya's warmup lap was good enough for the pole speed, and many in the media center were openly high-fiving each other at the embarrassment the CART "professionals" had laid on Tony George's hacks.
Of course, we all know what happened. IndyCar didn't lose people to CART -- the opposite happened. Suddenly, all of the top CART teams (minus Newman-Haas) were in the Indy camp -- Ganassi, Penske, Green (with Michael Andretti), Rahal, even Fernandez. What the heck was left of CART? Well, they did hork one driver/team combo from the Indy world -- Oriol Servia and Conquest Racing -- but that was about it. CART went away, but the CART-centric national open-wheel media still continued to beat the drum of "the split" and the competition between the IRL and the series that was awarded the remnants of CART.
But "the split" we needed to worry about was never CART. It was NASCAR -- which had slowly begun to become the 800-pound gorilla of the motorsports world in the early 1990s. NASCAR has been great for racing, in that its rise has helped bring the sport from having a niche following to being a cultural phenomenon and a mainstream sport.
However, there's a catch. NASCAR was happy to split the pie when racing was a niche sport -- they took the Southerners, IndyCar was the domain of Midwesterners and West Coasters. Now, it's mainstream, and NASCAR doesn't want to share the stage with anyone but themselves.
The series running in CART's shadow is of no consequence to the IRL nowdays -- other than a few owners who could help boost the car count. They're losing races all over the place (San Jose, Denver, Phoenix, China, Korea, and possibly Portland and Vegas in the last year alone), and are looking overseas to Europe to be their savior.
However, NASCAR is.
NASCAR has been a decent partner at a few places -- the Richmond, Kansas and Chicago races on France-owned ovals have been successes -- but they've produced a ton of damage in other areas. Nazareth & Pike's Peak -- two strong IndyCar oval venues and great tracks -- were lost because the Frances bought them and shut them down, one in an attempt to build a NASCAR-centric track up the street.
But NASCAR also gobbles up whatever talent is available. We used to have to worry about every top American driver going south -- the Hornish-to-NASCAR rumors have been ongoing for years, and a lot of talented young open-wheel racers -- such as Kasey Kahne, J.J. Yeley, Tracy Hines, Bryan Clauson and Josh Wise -- have begun looking south before even giving top-level open-wheel racing a shot. That begun in earnest with Jeff Gordon, but the pipeline from USAC to the south has never really stopped. J.J. Yeley told me back in 1998 that NASCAR was his end goal, because "that's where it's at, and you want to be where it's at."
Once Chip Ganassi put JPM in a Cup car, the barn door was opened. Now, NASCAR isn't an American-only series, and the door is now open for Villeneuve, Franchitti, and presumably Wheldon & others, to go South.
That's frustrating, but it's not invincible.
IndyCar racing could come out in better shape, even despite losing its stars.
Losing Tony Stewart was a blow, but the IRL recovered, cultivating new stars such as Sam Hornish Jr.
And Sam has stayed in the league 8 years, won 3 titles, an Indy 500 and loves OW racing. Even if he ventures south, I can't see him venturing too far away from open-wheel cars.
When the CART migration began in 2002, IndyCars found new stars -- Helio Castroneves, Tony Kanaan, Dario Franchitti -- the latter not really a superstar until this year. It cultivated its own, such as Dan Wheldon, Danica Patrick and Marco Andretti. Buddy Rice and Scott Sharp are there to be the pipelines to the "old days," as well as being strong veteran American racers in the series.
Now, it seems that several of those guys are looking elsewhere -- Wheldon reportedly wants to check out NASCAR. Patrick has looked, but then come back. Mario Andretti wants to get his grandson into F1-world, and Sharp isn't getting any younger.
But the IndyCar Series will survive. It survived the loss of Stewart, and cultivated a host of new stars, even if they didn't necessarily get the cache that Mark Martin and Carl Edwards get in the south.
It survived the retirements of Michael Andretti & Al Unser Jr. It will survive the loss of Hornish & Franchitti -- the latter was going to go anyway, to ALMS if this Ganassi deal hadn't come up. There will be new talent, new stars. Marco & Danica & Dan & Scott & Helio & Tony are all still around. So are Tomas & Buddy. Even with those two defections, the IRL has one of the most stable driver lineups in any form of racing -- to the point where Milka Duno was the only rookie this year until RHR (another young, talented American driver) showed up.
Not to mention, NASCAR's sudden fascination with foreign racers (and the large number of Busch double-dippers & Truck Series seats filled by washed-up Cup vets) means fewer seats available down there for up-and-coming Americans. IndyCars might be seen as a way to run big-time racecars AND get noticed by NASCAR, which is better than trying to schlepp through the Busch Series for several years and then being too old to do anything else.
The IPS has given us knowledge of some of those guys -- Mutoh, Lloyd & Cunningham for the near future, Logan Gomez & friends for the more distant future -- but all in all, the racing will still be top-notch. It will still feature the side-by-side battles. The fields will likely be bigger than what we've seen the last couple of years. And the IndyCar Series will move on.
It got stronger after Tony Stewart's defection. Don't be shocked if that keeps happening, even without Dario & Sam.
Giving this its own post: Revenue-sharing plan
Brian Barnhart & Terry Angstadt discussed the "flatter, wider" payout system for 2008 and beyond.
Robin Miller gives us the details of a revenue-sharing plan.
The skinny:
*-Indy purse goes to $2mm for the winner and $300k to start.
*-No other race purses besides the Indy 500.
*-Instead, $1.3mm will be given to all cars that commit to running the full season.
*-Points fund eliminated, except the $1mm bonus for the champion.
Most of the team principals seemed to be in favor:
Greg Beck, who hasn't been able to run FT since 2001 (he fielded a car for Alex Barron at a couple of early races this year): "It has the potential to get us back full-time because it provides a financial anchor and it makes it easier to go back to old sponsors when you’re already to X point. It makes it more equitable for a smaller team."
Mike Hull of TCGR: "Increasing revenue to the teams is vital to the long-term success of the series and it’s a big step forward in a series that already pays good prize money. If you know coming in you’re guaranteed $1.3 million, then a smaller team can work backwards and go out and find somebody to support the rest of the program."
Robbie Buhl of D&R: “I think it’s a good thing for the health of the series. We need to have 20-plus cars and we can’t be short-sighted – we need to be stronger."
And, of course, there's that opinionated guy who won the Indy 500 four times ... A.J. Foyt, always ready to offer the counterpoint: "I think I’d prefer to keep the purses because they’re decent. That’s how drivers get paid."
My not-so-humble opinion: This can be a great idea to guarantee some $$ to the smaller teams, and possibly allow some of the one-car operations to run more cars. It at least covers the cost of the engine lease & tires, with the I500 purse being able to cover a bit more. Obviously, this only covers about 25-30% of the budget for the smallest operations. One of the big things the IRL has lost since 2003 has been the small privateers running along with the big boys -- in part because they couldn't hack it financially once Honda/Toyota got involved & AGR/TCGR/Penske/RLR came over. But it's always good to do something to bring the privateers back -- especially as they're getting squeezed out of that to-be-nameless stock-car series. Beck sounds interested -- and tried to run a few races this year (and probably would have run some more if the $$ could have been found). PDM has posted on their website that it wants to run the full schedule by 2009. Roth wants to run two cars the full season next year.
There's a baseline, now ...
The top teams will lose purse $$ in this arrangement, but they'd like to have more teams to beat (of course), and they can usually finance their operations via the added sponsorship dollars they get from the exposure of being up front.
Economies of scale should allow teams to field more cars -- which is more palatable to TCGR: putting out 2 cars and getting $2.6mm in guaranteed money, or putting Alex Lloyd in a chassis they already have and getting $3.9 mm in guaranteed money, with a sponsor paying Lloyd's salary and the crew? The structure is already there, and teams already have a handful of Dallara tubs (heck, if Roth can end up with two, it can't be all bad).
Bring more cars back into the series ... it needs to get back to the 24-to-28-car fields it saw a decade ago. This should do that, even if it will lead to more of a financial outlay from the IRL.
Robin Miller gives us the details of a revenue-sharing plan.
The skinny:
*-Indy purse goes to $2mm for the winner and $300k to start.
*-No other race purses besides the Indy 500.
*-Instead, $1.3mm will be given to all cars that commit to running the full season.
*-Points fund eliminated, except the $1mm bonus for the champion.
Most of the team principals seemed to be in favor:
Greg Beck, who hasn't been able to run FT since 2001 (he fielded a car for Alex Barron at a couple of early races this year): "It has the potential to get us back full-time because it provides a financial anchor and it makes it easier to go back to old sponsors when you’re already to X point. It makes it more equitable for a smaller team."
Mike Hull of TCGR: "Increasing revenue to the teams is vital to the long-term success of the series and it’s a big step forward in a series that already pays good prize money. If you know coming in you’re guaranteed $1.3 million, then a smaller team can work backwards and go out and find somebody to support the rest of the program."
Robbie Buhl of D&R: “I think it’s a good thing for the health of the series. We need to have 20-plus cars and we can’t be short-sighted – we need to be stronger."
And, of course, there's that opinionated guy who won the Indy 500 four times ... A.J. Foyt, always ready to offer the counterpoint: "I think I’d prefer to keep the purses because they’re decent. That’s how drivers get paid."
My not-so-humble opinion: This can be a great idea to guarantee some $$ to the smaller teams, and possibly allow some of the one-car operations to run more cars. It at least covers the cost of the engine lease & tires, with the I500 purse being able to cover a bit more. Obviously, this only covers about 25-30% of the budget for the smallest operations. One of the big things the IRL has lost since 2003 has been the small privateers running along with the big boys -- in part because they couldn't hack it financially once Honda/Toyota got involved & AGR/TCGR/Penske/RLR came over. But it's always good to do something to bring the privateers back -- especially as they're getting squeezed out of that to-be-nameless stock-car series. Beck sounds interested -- and tried to run a few races this year (and probably would have run some more if the $$ could have been found). PDM has posted on their website that it wants to run the full schedule by 2009. Roth wants to run two cars the full season next year.
There's a baseline, now ...
The top teams will lose purse $$ in this arrangement, but they'd like to have more teams to beat (of course), and they can usually finance their operations via the added sponsorship dollars they get from the exposure of being up front.
Economies of scale should allow teams to field more cars -- which is more palatable to TCGR: putting out 2 cars and getting $2.6mm in guaranteed money, or putting Alex Lloyd in a chassis they already have and getting $3.9 mm in guaranteed money, with a sponsor paying Lloyd's salary and the crew? The structure is already there, and teams already have a handful of Dallara tubs (heck, if Roth can end up with two, it can't be all bad).
Bring more cars back into the series ... it needs to get back to the 24-to-28-car fields it saw a decade ago. This should do that, even if it will lead to more of a financial outlay from the IRL.
Sept. 11 newsstand
The southern exodus: Analysis pieces
AP: With Franchitti and Hornish going to NASCAR, IndyCar's future looks uncertain
The AP does a nice analysis piece.
Says Dario: "It's an exciting series, isn't it? It's the biggest racing series in America and I certainly would like to see what it feels like to drive one of those cars."
Says Dan Wheldon: "Why wouldn't you want to compete in a great series like NASCAR?"
Says Scott Sharp: "Losing two guys like that is pretty substantial for the series, and it's tough on the fans to be constantly have to learn new drivers. ... But, the competition in our series is great and, when somebody leaves a good ride, it can be a break for somebody else. And I think the competition will continue to be just as good because the teams that these guys are leaving are so good. Somebody else will step in and do a good job."
ESPN.com's Terry Blount says IndyCar's loss is NASCAR's gain
Says the author: "People are wondering why Franchitti, an open-wheel racer all his life and a man at the peak of his Indy-car career, would jump to NASCAR.Lots of reasons: more money, more attention, a new challenge. But one reason stands far above the rest for the classy Scotsman -- safety.It's really that simple. Driving a Cup car, especially the Car of Tomorrow that will race in every event next season, is much safer than racing an Indy car on high-speed ovals."
That said, the current spec Dallara has proven to be a pretty safe car, even with Dario's flying circus earlier this year. He also says Ashley was prodding Dario to get out of IndyCars after his flights at Michigan & Kentucky.
Championship redux
Scotsman.com: Franchitti's drama-fuelled triumph
Says Dario: "You know, I don't think it has totally sunk in yet. But I'll tell you one thing, it feels absolutely sensational. I felt brilliant when I won the Indy500 in May, but this is something completely different. ... I knew I'd feel good, but this is way out there on a different level altogether. The 500 is a bit like a (soccer playoff) cup final, but the championship is like winning the league. It's judged on your performances right through the season."
Daily Sun (UK): Franchitti has Scot the title up
Says Dario: "I don’t know what the reaction will be back home. There was a big reaction to the Indianapolis 500 win. I enjoy it when people appreciate us after we do a good job. But the main reason I do it is because I enjoy it, not because of what others think."
Detroit Free Press: Spirited Franchitti a deserving champion
An analysis piece from Mike Brundell, who does a phenomenal job covering racing for the Freep.
Says the author: "If Franchitti leaves open-wheel racing -- one can only hope he will defend his Indy 500 victory next year -- it will be a huge loss for the sport and to the IRL. But if he goes, few would wish him anything but good luck in his pursuits."
The Times (UK): Franchitti triumph to land riches
Dario has been offered a $30 million contract, but the story doesn't say from whom (Ganassi?)
The Edmonton Sun says Dario gets his just dessert, and so does the IRL for botching the championship celebration.
And, for the runner-up ...
NewsTalk ZB (New Zealand): Dixon likely to stay put
We've gotta get some good news in here. Dixon's ex-business manager says Scott is likely to stay put. Says the story: "(P.J. Johnston, former Dixon business manager) says he may end up in NASCAR or do something else later on in his career, but right now he is at the top of his game in the IRL. Johnston says Dixon enjoys America and he does he will go to Europe."
IndyCar.com: It stings, but ...
Says Scott: "Any championship is tough to win, no matter what formula, no matter what kind of cars," he said. "I think this is tougher now for sure. The key things to look at, you've got many different disciplines and road courses, street courses, short ovals, super speedways and in between. And on top of that everybody's got the same car; everybody's got the same engine. So I think this season is definitely tougher to win a championship."
Autosport: Dixon keen to secure title sooner
Says Scott: "I think you spend most of the season just trying to gain enough points so it doesn't make a difference at the end. And we had to do it the other way; we had made enough points to start with and we had to really dig deep in the latter part of the season and try and pull it through."
Says Scott about Dario: "I think Dario is a great competitor. To be honest, if anybody could win the championship out there, I'd like to see him win it. He's had to deal with a lot of stuff. And he has dealt with it very well. I think he's obviously done a superb job to win a championship and he doesn't let things get to him."
Silly Season stuff
Autosport: Mutoh looks ready to 2008 ride
Says Hideki Mutoh, fresh off an eighth-place finish at Chicagoland: "Nothing about next year has been decided, but hopefully I'll be able to step up into the IndyCar Series full time and start my new racing career here in this league."
Adds Alex Lloyd on a 2008 ride for himself: "We're working very hard on it and hopefully within the next two or three weeks we'll have something nailed down."
The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin has a note about the IRL trying to get back to Fontana
Says writer Lewis Brewster: "The IndyCar set would like to race at California Speedway once again, and the Speedway certainly needs another major event. The issue is the schedule: the track wants a spring date, and the IRL has none of those dates available. Both sides need to compromise a bit to bring back the most exciting series in Speedway history."
No kidding ... whaddaya mean no spring dates available? There's a two-week break before Motegi, Homestead could easily be moved back to its usual late Feb./early March date and California could easily be slotted in. If California wants/needs the IRL, the IRL NEEDS to be at California (and Michigan). Period.
Commentaries
Racer's David Phillips says "We don't need no stinkin' playoffs."
CBS' Pete Pistone discusses a desire to move the Chicago race to Labor Day
Gordon Kirby says Bill France had open-wheel's issues figured out 10 years ago.
GK uses the late Bill France to get a dig in at the IRL: ""You're really worried about Tony pulling the trigger on his new formula, aren't you?. You think it's going to end up destroying Indy car racing, don't you? ... Well, I agree with you. I think it will. You know my father and I always believed there's got to be one man in control and you can't have any competitors. You've got to have one series with a solid name and brand. Those guys are putting themselves in danger of losing all that."
Other stuff
Official IRL news & notes
IPS redux: Logan Gomez talks about the closest race in IRL/IPS history in his diary for the Times of Northwest Indiana.
Great history piece
The Associated Press catches up with the 88-year-old builder of the first rear-engined chassis for an Offy at the Indy 500, which he brought to the track in 1963. He now builds roadsters.
Interesting stuff from the "other series".
What had become the symbol of modern Champ Car -- the San Jose Railroad Track Jumping Circus -- appears to be kaput, according to the San Jose Mercury News. The race had been plagued by the fact that the local politicians realized that Champ Car grossly inflated its attendance (and it took two years for them to figure that out?) and the race subsidy became more than a bit controversial.
Also, Portland may or may not be on next year. Says Steve Johnson, graduate of the Saddam Hussein school of media spin, "But again, there are many dates there, and I can't race in all of them. I have to see how it all shakes out and do a final cut at that point. . . . There are a lot of cities there and not all of them are going to make it, obviously." Uh, yeah, Steve, I'm sure cities are falling all over themselves to host CC races. Especially the five that have canceled within the last year.
And finally
If you get bored this off-season, you can always catch up with Gene Simmons.
AP: With Franchitti and Hornish going to NASCAR, IndyCar's future looks uncertain
The AP does a nice analysis piece.
Says Dario: "It's an exciting series, isn't it? It's the biggest racing series in America and I certainly would like to see what it feels like to drive one of those cars."
Says Dan Wheldon: "Why wouldn't you want to compete in a great series like NASCAR?"
Says Scott Sharp: "Losing two guys like that is pretty substantial for the series, and it's tough on the fans to be constantly have to learn new drivers. ... But, the competition in our series is great and, when somebody leaves a good ride, it can be a break for somebody else. And I think the competition will continue to be just as good because the teams that these guys are leaving are so good. Somebody else will step in and do a good job."
ESPN.com's Terry Blount says IndyCar's loss is NASCAR's gain
Says the author: "People are wondering why Franchitti, an open-wheel racer all his life and a man at the peak of his Indy-car career, would jump to NASCAR.Lots of reasons: more money, more attention, a new challenge. But one reason stands far above the rest for the classy Scotsman -- safety.It's really that simple. Driving a Cup car, especially the Car of Tomorrow that will race in every event next season, is much safer than racing an Indy car on high-speed ovals."
That said, the current spec Dallara has proven to be a pretty safe car, even with Dario's flying circus earlier this year. He also says Ashley was prodding Dario to get out of IndyCars after his flights at Michigan & Kentucky.
Championship redux
Scotsman.com: Franchitti's drama-fuelled triumph
Says Dario: "You know, I don't think it has totally sunk in yet. But I'll tell you one thing, it feels absolutely sensational. I felt brilliant when I won the Indy500 in May, but this is something completely different. ... I knew I'd feel good, but this is way out there on a different level altogether. The 500 is a bit like a (soccer playoff) cup final, but the championship is like winning the league. It's judged on your performances right through the season."
Daily Sun (UK): Franchitti has Scot the title up
Says Dario: "I don’t know what the reaction will be back home. There was a big reaction to the Indianapolis 500 win. I enjoy it when people appreciate us after we do a good job. But the main reason I do it is because I enjoy it, not because of what others think."
Detroit Free Press: Spirited Franchitti a deserving champion
An analysis piece from Mike Brundell, who does a phenomenal job covering racing for the Freep.
Says the author: "If Franchitti leaves open-wheel racing -- one can only hope he will defend his Indy 500 victory next year -- it will be a huge loss for the sport and to the IRL. But if he goes, few would wish him anything but good luck in his pursuits."
The Times (UK): Franchitti triumph to land riches
Dario has been offered a $30 million contract, but the story doesn't say from whom (Ganassi?)
The Edmonton Sun says Dario gets his just dessert, and so does the IRL for botching the championship celebration.
And, for the runner-up ...
NewsTalk ZB (New Zealand): Dixon likely to stay put
We've gotta get some good news in here. Dixon's ex-business manager says Scott is likely to stay put. Says the story: "(P.J. Johnston, former Dixon business manager) says he may end up in NASCAR or do something else later on in his career, but right now he is at the top of his game in the IRL. Johnston says Dixon enjoys America and he does he will go to Europe."
IndyCar.com: It stings, but ...
Says Scott: "Any championship is tough to win, no matter what formula, no matter what kind of cars," he said. "I think this is tougher now for sure. The key things to look at, you've got many different disciplines and road courses, street courses, short ovals, super speedways and in between. And on top of that everybody's got the same car; everybody's got the same engine. So I think this season is definitely tougher to win a championship."
Autosport: Dixon keen to secure title sooner
Says Scott: "I think you spend most of the season just trying to gain enough points so it doesn't make a difference at the end. And we had to do it the other way; we had made enough points to start with and we had to really dig deep in the latter part of the season and try and pull it through."
Says Scott about Dario: "I think Dario is a great competitor. To be honest, if anybody could win the championship out there, I'd like to see him win it. He's had to deal with a lot of stuff. And he has dealt with it very well. I think he's obviously done a superb job to win a championship and he doesn't let things get to him."
Silly Season stuff
Autosport: Mutoh looks ready to 2008 ride
Says Hideki Mutoh, fresh off an eighth-place finish at Chicagoland: "Nothing about next year has been decided, but hopefully I'll be able to step up into the IndyCar Series full time and start my new racing career here in this league."
Adds Alex Lloyd on a 2008 ride for himself: "We're working very hard on it and hopefully within the next two or three weeks we'll have something nailed down."
The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin has a note about the IRL trying to get back to Fontana
Says writer Lewis Brewster: "The IndyCar set would like to race at California Speedway once again, and the Speedway certainly needs another major event. The issue is the schedule: the track wants a spring date, and the IRL has none of those dates available. Both sides need to compromise a bit to bring back the most exciting series in Speedway history."
No kidding ... whaddaya mean no spring dates available? There's a two-week break before Motegi, Homestead could easily be moved back to its usual late Feb./early March date and California could easily be slotted in. If California wants/needs the IRL, the IRL NEEDS to be at California (and Michigan). Period.
Commentaries
Racer's David Phillips says "We don't need no stinkin' playoffs."
CBS' Pete Pistone discusses a desire to move the Chicago race to Labor Day
Gordon Kirby says Bill France had open-wheel's issues figured out 10 years ago.
GK uses the late Bill France to get a dig in at the IRL: ""You're really worried about Tony pulling the trigger on his new formula, aren't you?. You think it's going to end up destroying Indy car racing, don't you? ... Well, I agree with you. I think it will. You know my father and I always believed there's got to be one man in control and you can't have any competitors. You've got to have one series with a solid name and brand. Those guys are putting themselves in danger of losing all that."
Other stuff
Official IRL news & notes
IPS redux: Logan Gomez talks about the closest race in IRL/IPS history in his diary for the Times of Northwest Indiana.
Great history piece
The Associated Press catches up with the 88-year-old builder of the first rear-engined chassis for an Offy at the Indy 500, which he brought to the track in 1963. He now builds roadsters.
Interesting stuff from the "other series".
What had become the symbol of modern Champ Car -- the San Jose Railroad Track Jumping Circus -- appears to be kaput, according to the San Jose Mercury News. The race had been plagued by the fact that the local politicians realized that Champ Car grossly inflated its attendance (and it took two years for them to figure that out?) and the race subsidy became more than a bit controversial.
Also, Portland may or may not be on next year. Says Steve Johnson, graduate of the Saddam Hussein school of media spin, "But again, there are many dates there, and I can't race in all of them. I have to see how it all shakes out and do a final cut at that point. . . . There are a lot of cities there and not all of them are going to make it, obviously." Uh, yeah, Steve, I'm sure cities are falling all over themselves to host CC races. Especially the five that have canceled within the last year.
And finally
If you get bored this off-season, you can always catch up with Gene Simmons.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Sept. 10 newsstand: Dario is the champ & more
Congrats to Dario Franchitti, the 2007 IndyCar champion. The season came down to the final corner of the final lap -- giving hints of the wild 2002 finish between Sam & Helio (only both drivers had fuel in 2002). Today's newsstand has a ton of Dario stories, obviously (and some really interesting ones), but also check out some of the Silly Season rumors below, and a great IPS finish.
Chicagoland recap
Post-race press conference
Daily trackside report
Race boxscore (PDF) and HTML
Lap chart (PDF) and Leader summary (PDF)
Final points standings and driver earnings
Hail to the champ!
Indianapolis Star: Good to the last drop
The best headline by far.
AutoWeek: The way to go
Says Dario after winning Indy & the title in the same season: "I don't think if I was on this earth for five lifetimes I could ever one-up Jim Clark. He's my hero."
AP: Franchitti captures race and IRL title
Says Dario: "It's been a crazy season. There were times when we thought we were looking really good and times when things just wouldn't go right. But we got some of our mojo back from the middle of the season, so I couldn't be happier."
Joliet Herald-News: Franchitti's day just perfect
Says Dario about the race-winning pass: "We came down the backstretch and I was drafting him trying to get a slingshot. Just as I pulled out I saw him slow down and I almost hit the back of him as I was just going out. ... It was some good fuel saving and some great strategy from my boys. They are the best team in the world."
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: Conservation fuels Franchitti
Says Scott Dixon about puttering to the finish: "We all had the same amount of fuel. But we didn't use it wisely."
Chicago Tribune: Franchitti drives like a million dollars
And he makes a million, too.
Chicago Sun-Times: Franchitti wins Cup
It's always great that print reporters, unlike their live TV compadres, can edit motorsports expert Ashley Judd's comments to ''I'm extremely proud. 'He really had to fight.''
Times of Northwest Indiana: Fuel control nets Franchitti win
Says Dario: "They were telling me I was close on fuel, close on fuel, but I didn't get a fuel pressure alarm until I drove the thing up onto the podium. I'd done an extra lap and a burnout and restarted the thing, so I think I was OK. We're certainly in better position than Scott was."
ESPN.com: Franchitti proves prophetic on way to first title
Says TCGR's Mike Hull: "I think Dario was in about the same position as we were, and he just worked the system a little better than we did today. We did everything we needed to do to try to win a championship, and that's just the way life is."
SpeedTV: Franchitti wins all in Chicago
Jeff Olson's race story.
IndyCar.com: 'I did my guys proud.'
"Funny thing, I was sitting there this morning thinking about what I had to do today. And the most important thing for me was that I drove a good race and I gave 100 percent, and I kind of did my guys proud. I did the job my guys would want me to do. That was more important to me than the result."
IndyCar.com: Franchitti wins it all
Queries Dario: "Was that enough excitement for you?"
Also, the best photo of Dario celebrating of the bunch.
Eurosport: Franchitti celebrates massive achievement
Says Dario: "When I came over to the IndyCar Series, the Indy 500 was a big goal. And the championships, to accomplish both those is massive."
Scotsman: Dario enters annals of racing history
Scotsman: Super Dario clinches title
An update from Dario's hometown. Says Grandmother Lina Franchitti: "I'm very, very proud of him. His mum phoned me up to tell me from America. I didn't get to sleep till four in the morning. I'm hoping to talk to him later today. ... We always thought he would do well. He was racing go-karts from a very young age. He was always very keen on anything to do with cars."
SportsTicker: Franchitti will leave IRL as champion
Sporting Life.com: Franchitti eclipses Clark with title win
Michigan City (IN) News-Dispatch: Splash of fuel decides Joliet race
Says Dario: "Most of the race I was sitting there and I couldn't do anything," said Franchitti, who lamented the fact he didn't have the help he needed to get by either of the Penske or Ganassi cars until late in the race when they pitted for fuel. ... They were running two by two and there just wasn't anywhere to go. When I saw that, I decided to just stay behind them for a bit and save fuel." Also includes a recap of the IPS race.
ESPN.com: Dixon can't believe final lap
Someone catches up with the runner-up. Says Scott: "When you look at it, we were really only a corner away from it. I think at that stage I was more worried that there wasn't any radio communication. Because when the radio is quiet there's something about to happen."
Silly-Season Stuff
SpeedTV.com: Looking back, looking ahead
Tomas Scheckter admits he'd like to be at AGR: “It’s one of the best teams in North America and that’s where I’d like to be next year. Says Robin Miller: "Champ Car’s Justin Wilson is also thought to be on AGR’s radar."
Also, from RM: "Sarah Fisher is looking into starting her own IRL team in 2008, which may be the only way the first female to score an Indy-car podium finish will have a ride."
RM addresses the Steve Horne rumors, from Steve Horne: ”First off, I wasn’t at Chicago and secondly, I have no plans to get back into the racing business right now. I would dearly love to run the Indy 500 again if it made financial sense, because I think it still owes me one."
Autoweek: Dario headed to NASCAR, Cavin gives AGR possibilities
Says Curt Cavin: "AGR will continue with four cars thanks to sponsorship from an energy drink company yet to be announced. The team’s short list of Franchitti replacements includes Tomas Scheckter, Darren Manning, Buddy Rice and Vitor Meira. ... As for his IRL program, Ganassi said Scott Dixon and Dan Wheldon will return to their cars next season, and there is an effort to give them a teammate. Ganassi recently tested Indy Pro Series champion Alex Lloyd, who is optimistic he will race in the IndyCar Series next season."
Indianapolis Star: AGR plans to remain a four-car team
Gene Simmons is behind AGR's new sponsor, too.
Joliet Herald-News: NASCAR next for IndyCar champ?
Says columnist Ron Kremer: "Dixon lamented the fact his gamble -- and that of the entire Ganassi team -- failed when he ran out of fuel going into Turn 3 and saw Franchitti roar past him. The gamble cost Dixon his share of the $1 million prize awarded to the Series champ. ... His Ganassi colleagues didn't shed a single tear. They got their man -- Franchitti."
Autosport: Franchitti won't decide future quite yet
Says Dario: "I'm not going to talk about next year. I won't think about the decision to be made, next week or the week after. I'm going to enjoy having won this championship. I'm going to have a good time and celebrate winning the IndyCar championship."
Autosport: Hornish set to make Nextel Cup debut
Driver/news stories/commentaries
SI.com: Sense of loss
Tim Tuttle describes how Dario became a star since Indy, and his loss will be felt by the IRL.
Indianapolis Star: Many 500 champs haven't defended title
An interesting story from Curt Cavin. Notes that Brack, JPM, de Ferran haven't come back to defend. It appears Dario might be next in the train.
Defiance (OH) Crescent-News: Hornish's frustrating season comes to an end
Says Sam: "It's been that kind of year ... we really wanted to go out on top and get win number 20 in Indy cars. I guess we'll get to work this week and see what we can do. ... I'm jumping right back into a race car tomorrow and Tuesday at Talladega and then we're going to Loudon ... Like I've said before, I'm very lucky to be in this position thanks to Roger. It's good to have options."
ESPN.com: Franchitti offers high point to messy AGR day
John Schwarb offers an analysis piece in his race notebook.
AP notebook: Judd grabs attention after "my husband's" victory
Racing Expert Ashley Judd offers her analysis. "You saw the Penskes work so well and the Target guys work so well, and my sweet little husband was just out there with the bloody sharks. They just sharked him all day. And he never gave up hope. He just hung in there and ... was in a great position. And I know that this is not very sportsmanlike, but they've got to get the 23 car (Duno) off the track. It's very dangerous. I'm tired of holding my tongue. When a car's 10 miles (an hour) off the pace, it's not appropriate for it to be racing. People's lives are at stake."
Me at the TV while this is going on: "Cut her mike, please!"
Chicago Tribune: Season went in reverse for young Andretti
Another race notebook.
Joliet Herald-News: Fans unite for race
Says one fan: "I feel like these (cars) go much faster and I like speed. It was awesome."
IndyCar.com has everything on Julianne Hough's day with Helio
IPS stuff
Times of Northwest Indiana: Crown Point teenager captures first victory
And in the closest finish in open-wheel history, too. 1.65" over teammate Alex Lloyd, with a great move in the final corner.
SpeedTV.com: Gomez beats Lloyd by .0005 of a second
IndyCar.com: Remember the name Logan Gomez
IndyCar.com: Adam Andretti has a full-season ride for 2008
And finally
The Arizona Star tells us Ashley Judd has a big mouth. Yeah, just ask Milka Duno.
Also, the Hartford Courant's racing writer discusses how NASCAR keeps trying to manufacture excitement, and the lemmings can't get enough of it, when they just need to look at the IRL.
One more really good one: A Paris, IL man builds historic racecars from scratch, including Barney Oldfield's famed 1917 Golden Submarine.
Chicagoland recap
Post-race press conference
Daily trackside report
Race boxscore (PDF) and HTML
Lap chart (PDF) and Leader summary (PDF)
Final points standings and driver earnings
Hail to the champ!
Indianapolis Star: Good to the last drop
The best headline by far.
Says Dario: "I'm happier than I thought I would be. I thought winning the Indy 500 was a great feeling, but this is different, I guess because it's a whole year rolled into one (day)."
AutoWeek: The way to go
Says Dario after winning Indy & the title in the same season: "I don't think if I was on this earth for five lifetimes I could ever one-up Jim Clark. He's my hero."
AP: Franchitti captures race and IRL title
Says Dario: "It's been a crazy season. There were times when we thought we were looking really good and times when things just wouldn't go right. But we got some of our mojo back from the middle of the season, so I couldn't be happier."
Joliet Herald-News: Franchitti's day just perfect
Says Dario about the race-winning pass: "We came down the backstretch and I was drafting him trying to get a slingshot. Just as I pulled out I saw him slow down and I almost hit the back of him as I was just going out. ... It was some good fuel saving and some great strategy from my boys. They are the best team in the world."
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: Conservation fuels Franchitti
Says Scott Dixon about puttering to the finish: "We all had the same amount of fuel. But we didn't use it wisely."
Chicago Tribune: Franchitti drives like a million dollars
And he makes a million, too.
Chicago Sun-Times: Franchitti wins Cup
It's always great that print reporters, unlike their live TV compadres, can edit motorsports expert Ashley Judd's comments to ''I'm extremely proud. 'He really had to fight.''
Times of Northwest Indiana: Fuel control nets Franchitti win
Says Dario: "They were telling me I was close on fuel, close on fuel, but I didn't get a fuel pressure alarm until I drove the thing up onto the podium. I'd done an extra lap and a burnout and restarted the thing, so I think I was OK. We're certainly in better position than Scott was."
ESPN.com: Franchitti proves prophetic on way to first title
Says TCGR's Mike Hull: "I think Dario was in about the same position as we were, and he just worked the system a little better than we did today. We did everything we needed to do to try to win a championship, and that's just the way life is."
SpeedTV: Franchitti wins all in Chicago
Jeff Olson's race story.
IndyCar.com: 'I did my guys proud.'
"Funny thing, I was sitting there this morning thinking about what I had to do today. And the most important thing for me was that I drove a good race and I gave 100 percent, and I kind of did my guys proud. I did the job my guys would want me to do. That was more important to me than the result."
IndyCar.com: Franchitti wins it all
Queries Dario: "Was that enough excitement for you?"
Also, the best photo of Dario celebrating of the bunch.
Eurosport: Franchitti celebrates massive achievement
Says Dario: "When I came over to the IndyCar Series, the Indy 500 was a big goal. And the championships, to accomplish both those is massive."
Scotsman: Dario enters annals of racing history
Scotsman: Super Dario clinches title
An update from Dario's hometown. Says Grandmother Lina Franchitti: "I'm very, very proud of him. His mum phoned me up to tell me from America. I didn't get to sleep till four in the morning. I'm hoping to talk to him later today. ... We always thought he would do well. He was racing go-karts from a very young age. He was always very keen on anything to do with cars."
SportsTicker: Franchitti will leave IRL as champion
Sporting Life.com: Franchitti eclipses Clark with title win
Michigan City (IN) News-Dispatch: Splash of fuel decides Joliet race
Says Dario: "Most of the race I was sitting there and I couldn't do anything," said Franchitti, who lamented the fact he didn't have the help he needed to get by either of the Penske or Ganassi cars until late in the race when they pitted for fuel. ... They were running two by two and there just wasn't anywhere to go. When I saw that, I decided to just stay behind them for a bit and save fuel." Also includes a recap of the IPS race.
ESPN.com: Dixon can't believe final lap
Someone catches up with the runner-up. Says Scott: "When you look at it, we were really only a corner away from it. I think at that stage I was more worried that there wasn't any radio communication. Because when the radio is quiet there's something about to happen."
Silly-Season Stuff
SpeedTV.com: Looking back, looking ahead
Tomas Scheckter admits he'd like to be at AGR: “It’s one of the best teams in North America and that’s where I’d like to be next year. Says Robin Miller: "Champ Car’s Justin Wilson is also thought to be on AGR’s radar."
Also, from RM: "Sarah Fisher is looking into starting her own IRL team in 2008, which may be the only way the first female to score an Indy-car podium finish will have a ride."
RM addresses the Steve Horne rumors, from Steve Horne: ”First off, I wasn’t at Chicago and secondly, I have no plans to get back into the racing business right now. I would dearly love to run the Indy 500 again if it made financial sense, because I think it still owes me one."
Autoweek: Dario headed to NASCAR, Cavin gives AGR possibilities
Says Curt Cavin: "AGR will continue with four cars thanks to sponsorship from an energy drink company yet to be announced. The team’s short list of Franchitti replacements includes Tomas Scheckter, Darren Manning, Buddy Rice and Vitor Meira. ... As for his IRL program, Ganassi said Scott Dixon and Dan Wheldon will return to their cars next season, and there is an effort to give them a teammate. Ganassi recently tested Indy Pro Series champion Alex Lloyd, who is optimistic he will race in the IndyCar Series next season."
Indianapolis Star: AGR plans to remain a four-car team
Gene Simmons is behind AGR's new sponsor, too.
Joliet Herald-News: NASCAR next for IndyCar champ?
Says columnist Ron Kremer: "Dixon lamented the fact his gamble -- and that of the entire Ganassi team -- failed when he ran out of fuel going into Turn 3 and saw Franchitti roar past him. The gamble cost Dixon his share of the $1 million prize awarded to the Series champ. ... His Ganassi colleagues didn't shed a single tear. They got their man -- Franchitti."
Autosport: Franchitti won't decide future quite yet
Says Dario: "I'm not going to talk about next year. I won't think about the decision to be made, next week or the week after. I'm going to enjoy having won this championship. I'm going to have a good time and celebrate winning the IndyCar championship."
Autosport: Hornish set to make Nextel Cup debut
Driver/news stories/commentaries
SI.com: Sense of loss
Tim Tuttle describes how Dario became a star since Indy, and his loss will be felt by the IRL.
Indianapolis Star: Many 500 champs haven't defended title
An interesting story from Curt Cavin. Notes that Brack, JPM, de Ferran haven't come back to defend. It appears Dario might be next in the train.
Defiance (OH) Crescent-News: Hornish's frustrating season comes to an end
Says Sam: "It's been that kind of year ... we really wanted to go out on top and get win number 20 in Indy cars. I guess we'll get to work this week and see what we can do. ... I'm jumping right back into a race car tomorrow and Tuesday at Talladega and then we're going to Loudon ... Like I've said before, I'm very lucky to be in this position thanks to Roger. It's good to have options."
ESPN.com: Franchitti offers high point to messy AGR day
John Schwarb offers an analysis piece in his race notebook.
AP notebook: Judd grabs attention after "my husband's" victory
Racing Expert Ashley Judd offers her analysis. "You saw the Penskes work so well and the Target guys work so well, and my sweet little husband was just out there with the bloody sharks. They just sharked him all day. And he never gave up hope. He just hung in there and ... was in a great position. And I know that this is not very sportsmanlike, but they've got to get the 23 car (Duno) off the track. It's very dangerous. I'm tired of holding my tongue. When a car's 10 miles (an hour) off the pace, it's not appropriate for it to be racing. People's lives are at stake."
Me at the TV while this is going on: "Cut her mike, please!"
Chicago Tribune: Season went in reverse for young Andretti
Another race notebook.
Joliet Herald-News: Fans unite for race
Says one fan: "I feel like these (cars) go much faster and I like speed. It was awesome."
IndyCar.com has everything on Julianne Hough's day with Helio
IPS stuff
Times of Northwest Indiana: Crown Point teenager captures first victory
And in the closest finish in open-wheel history, too. 1.65" over teammate Alex Lloyd, with a great move in the final corner.
SpeedTV.com: Gomez beats Lloyd by .0005 of a second
IndyCar.com: Remember the name Logan Gomez
IndyCar.com: Adam Andretti has a full-season ride for 2008
And finally
The Arizona Star tells us Ashley Judd has a big mouth. Yeah, just ask Milka Duno.
Also, the Hartford Courant's racing writer discusses how NASCAR keeps trying to manufacture excitement, and the lemmings can't get enough of it, when they just need to look at the IRL.
One more really good one: A Paris, IL man builds historic racecars from scratch, including Barney Oldfield's famed 1917 Golden Submarine.
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