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!
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