FIA clarifies commercial rights stance
Oct 9, 2008 WRC
The FIA has moved to clarify its position on with the World Rally Championship’s commercial rights holder, International Sportsworld Communciators (ISC), and the tendering process for the role of global rights holder.
Scott Speed Rewrites A Classic This Weekend: A Tale of Two Cities
Oct 9, 2008 NASCAR
The (Scott) “Speed Demon” will have a busy but exciting race in weekend; he’ll be traveling back and forth between Toledo, Ohio and Concord, North Carolina over the next four days.
Scott Speed will be attempting to compete in the season finale of the ARCA Re/Max Series, the Hantz Group 200 presented by Belle Tire and Federated Car Care at Toledo Speedway. He will then make his NASCAR Sprint Cup debut in the Bank of America 500 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
He will need to qualify on time on Thursday night, when qualifying is held for Saturday’s race. If it rains, his Cup debut will have to wait.
I did check the weather for the Charlotte/Concord area, it’s supposed to rain all day with scattered thunder storms Thursday night.
On Saturday, the Speed Demon will be qualifying his No. 2 Red Bull Toyota Camry for the ARCA race at Toledo Speedway at 3:30PM eastern time.
He will have a helicopter sitting across from the speedway, which will take him to Metcalf Field Airport, to a waiting private jet. That flight will get him, on time, to Lowe’s Motor Speedway for the 7:25 p. m. start time for the Cup race.
Then Speed will repeat the process flying back to Toledo, Ohio on Sunday morning in time for the 2 p. m. start time of the Arca race .
It’s a 200 Lap/100 mile race on a .5 oval and the final event of the 2008 ARCA Re/Max Series and part of ARCA’s Championship Weekend at the Speedway and Speed TV will broadcast it on Sunday.
Entering the race, the Speed Demon holds a 85 point lead over Roush Fenway Racing’s Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
All Speed needs to do is finish 13th or better on Sunday and he will the Arca title, regardless of where Stenhouse finishes.
Here’s a few others doing double duty running in ARCA and NASCAR this weekend.
Both Ken Schrader and David Regan will also have the same schedule as Speed.
Also, up and coming star John Wes Townley and his RAB Racing Team will be running the Nationwide race Friday night and the ARCA race Sunday afternoon.
(Source:arcaracing.com)
Kyle Petty, Scott Speed Show How Nascar Mirrors Fashion
Oct 9, 2008 NASCAR
One of the most popular shows on television today is Project Runway. The premise of the show is taking up-and-coming fashion designers, having them meet crazy design challenges, and then sending that fashion out on their models to walk the runway.
Project Runway is hosted by supermodel Heidi Klum. Her job, in addition to looking spectacular each and every show, is to share with the designers “who is in and who is out”.
If you are in, you get to continue on to the next fashion challenge, ultimately showing your fashion in Bryant Park during Fashion Week in New York City. And if you’re out, you get the famous kiss off on both cheeks and “auf Wiedersehen” (German for farewell) from Klum.
In a recent interview, while announcing their next Victory Junction Camp undertaking in Kansas, Patty Petty revealed that her husband Kyle is addicted to Project Runway. She shared that Kyle watches every episode and then calls his friends to debrief on “who is in and who is out.”
Patty also revealed that Kyle is a real “fashionista.” Even when times were toughest for her family and they could barely make ends meet at racing, Kyle would still make sure he had the latest clothes and shoes for the best look possible.
Unfortunately, Petty Enterprises seems to be giving Kyle Petty the Heidi Klum treatment. Executive Vice President Robbie Loomis said that Petty’s future is still under discussion for 2009 and Petty is free to explore other opportunities.
Can the double kiss and the “auf Wiedersehen” be far behind for Kyle Petty?
AS Petty’s future is questioned, there is another driver may be “in”, or at least coming into the sport. This driver is also riveted by fashion and certainly sports his own style.
While not off the pages of GQ, up-and-coming stock car driver Scott Speed certainly has his own fashion sense. In addition to painting his toenails (he has a “rocking” nail salon that he frequents), Scott also proudly wears the latest fashion.
Ok, so he favors silk shirts that are more often found on women than men. And so he favors hot pink and purple as his color choices. He also is admittedly obsessed with shoes, which according to Nascar Scene, he even likes to pet and fondle at times.
Regardless of his fashion perversions, Speed appears to be the real deal. He is one race away from clinching the ARCA REMAX championship and will make his Cup debut this weekend at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
So, there are drivers that are in and those that are out. While Kyle Petty most certainly appears destined for the kiss off, Scott Speed seems to be fully on his way “in.” And in NASCAR, as in fashion, that’s all that matters.
Time is Running Out: Jeff Gordon Still Winless
Oct 9, 2008 NASCAR
OK, so Tony Stewart has finally broken his winless streak on one of NASCAR’s more controversial calls. Where does that leave Jeff Gordon?
Gordon, as of this coming race, will have gone one whole year without a win. Jeff Gordon has not gone for a winless season since his rookie year, so it leaves the whole nation wondering when things will look up again.
Has the Wonder Boy run out of luck? No one would call the bulk of his wins luck.
So what are the reasons? One is that when Dale Earnhardt Jr. came on, it put the team into an imbalance. Where people believed it would create a super team, it took two really good teams and forced them to give up stuff to create a third team.
When you line up the number of miles all of the drivers have led, he comes up ninth, having led only 452 miles out of several thousand.
Jimmie Johnson has led 2,019 and comes up second, while Junior has led almost 124 and comes up third.
This can’t all be coincidence!
Danny O’Quinn Will Drive No. 35 at Lowe’s
Oct 9, 2008 NASCAR
Kudos to the Rensi team for putting Danny O’Quinn in the #35 this week at Lowes Motor Speedway.
I found out that O’Quinn has been spotting for Jon Wood in the Truck Series, as this story indicates. He also made one Nationwide start this season, finishing 24th at Richmond last month.
He can still wheel a car; he beat John Andretti for Rookie of the Year in this series in 2006, despite missing two races, I’m dumbfounded as to why he can’t get anything lined up.
But, I’m still a fan, and I’m still hoping.
Show Danny some love on his website.
Hamlin cleared to race at Lowe’s
Oct 9, 2008 NASCAR
Denny Hamlin has been cleared to drive next weekend at Lowe’s Motor Speedway following a crash at Talladega that kept him in hospital on Sunday.
Kobayashi still on top in Shanghai
Oct 9, 2008 GP2 Series
Kamui Kobayashi continued with his impressive form after topping the times on the second day of GP2 Asia testing at the Shanghai circuit.
Formula 2 or Formula Poo?
Oct 9, 2008 Formula One
GP2…The unofficial Formula 2. The new official one is set to arrive next year.
Formula 2 will once again grace the circuits in 2009, since it was replaced by Formula 3000 back in the ’80s. But will this new and revived formula feel like those cheap two-striped track suits from the market?
1984 saw the final Formula 2 race, where diminishing grids were its demise. But it is being resurrected to inject some new talent into the sport and into Formula 1.
Why?
GP2 has provided F1 with most of its new generation. Nico Rosberg, Timo Glock, Heikki Kovalainen, Nelson Piquet, Lewis Hamilton and Lucas Di Grassi (Renault test driver) have all joined the sports elite since its first race at the San Marino GP on April 23, 2005.
The new generation are fast, with every single newcomer (except Di Grassi, who has yet to compete) from the series getting on the podium of a Formula 1 race at some point. It’s clear to see GP2 has produced some top quality racers.
I just don’t see why the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) thinks that we need another formula to fill the hopefuls’ heads with false hope, let alone another race series that pollutes the ever-declining climate.
With the FIA pushing for a cleaner F1 to clean up their planet-damaging image, wouldn’t it be better for them to develop a new Formula that is clean and environmentally friendly?
The way the cars will look is similar to that of the previous GP2 cars and the previous Formula Renault cars. This seems like a step backwards in terms of new and exciting things.
There is just no need for a series that runs like so many others, such as the World Series by Renault, Formula Renault, and Formula BMW. Why do we need another single-seater, single-manufacture formula?
It seems to me that the cheapness is already showing through and it will be as successful as those two striped track suits you used to be able to get, not quite the three-striped brand…
Not quite GP2…
Green Tyre Introduced For Japan
Oct 9, 2008 Formula One
The latest gimmick in the FIA’s “Make Cars Green” campaign comes from Bridgestone.
A new Green tyre will be used by all 10 teams at the Japanese GP. It isn’t clear how the tyre is “green,” minus its lovely green stripes. The Hard compound will feature 4 green stripes, and the Soft compound will have 3 green and the usual 1 white stripe.
The tyre was unveiled by championship leader, Lewis Hamilton, and championship chaser, Felipe Massa. Both drivers heavily support the green stance taken by the FIA.
At the launch Lewis said “Since it first launched [FIA campaign], I’ve been happy to help promote the very positive messages of the ‘Make Cars Green’ campaign. It is a subject that goes far beyond racing.”
Massa added “As drivers in the public limelight, it is good that we can help spread these important environmental messages. Green technology is the future of Formula One and we can help ensure it will be the future on our roads as well.”
Is this latest gimmick going to have any effect on the “Make Cars Green” campaign?
At the last GP in Singapore, over 1,600 lighting projectors were used to light the track for the inaugural night race. So is releasing a new green tyre, a little contradictory?
Maybe, but anything which highlights the “Green” stance that the FIA has taken must surely be good. I just hope they don’t take things too far, and ban the current V8 engines, which has been briefly discussed in another article.
I look forward to seeing these tires zooming around the track; they’ll go very well with the Honda “Earth Dreams” car, but maybe not with the Ferrari or Mclaren.
Au Revoir Montreal, Salam Abu Dhabi on Formula 1 Calendar
Oct 9, 2008 Formula One
How rude of the FIA! How rude of FOM! They don’t even bother to give prior notice that Montreal was dropped.
Instead, they released a calendar of all the races that would take place, and the Canadian Grand Prix was not in its regular spot of June and it wasn’t elsewhere.
It’s very upsetting and frustrating to see a good track go, but unfortunately, that’s change for you.
Who or what is there to blame? We could say the current global economic crisis has done that job. We could say that it was the Arab shieks with all those petrodollars. We could say that it was Bernie Ecclestone, who wanted more money, or we could blame the government of Quebec.
We can blame, blame, and blame some more, but it doesn’t achieve anything apart from stirring bad blood and creating confrontation.
Fans have been very negative toward the axing of Montreal, and they have the right to be upset.
The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve has been a place of surprises, from the countless unfortunate kissings of the wall of champions to the first-ever win for Robert Kubica last year.
It has also been a place where we have seen the most interesting moves. It is also a great party city if you happen to live in English Canada.
We have also been to many Hermann Tilke-designed tracks. While some are great like Turkey, others are just dull and boring like Valencia.
Tilke-designed tracks are not an unwelcome edition, but there has to be a line drawn between the new and the old. Let’s not relegate racing history to the archives.
Overall, while it is disappointing to see Montreal go, I am hoping that next season provides a reality check for the people at FOM.
Without Montreal, they will have lost a significant chunk of fans. Like friends, fans take time to gain trust and to support you, but that trust and support can be lost in an instant.
Unfortunately, many Montrealers and Canadians in general will have lost that trust and support for Bernie et. al.
Still, now that Montreal has been taken off the calendar for a Grand Prix, there could be room for something new. A Red Bull Air Race, perhaps?
European Union to Impose Themselves On Formula One?
Oct 9, 2008 Formula One
We have all seen the financial ruin that is engulfing the planet as we speak, but slowly, more and more bail-out plans are emerging from countries around the world. We saw the U.S. Government announce their $700 billion package, and then the U.K., a nation the size of Florida, announced a $1 trillion plan.
Now the FIA is demanding gigantic financial cuts in Formula One, something that has been expected for many years now. However, it has also emerged that the EU (European union) may have role to play in the sport, with the environment their concern.
The EU set a target of every new road car emitting less than an average of 130g/km of carbon dioxide by 2012, something that all said was impossible. But, that will easily be achieved as more people move away from the gas-guzzlers.
But, the EU now wants to impose restrictions on Formula One, and engines to be specific. They don’t believe that they are undoing all the hard work done by the car industry, but want the g/km limit to be achieved by 2012.
At the moment this is all rumour. But, what is certain is that the V8 engine may not be in existence very soon, as the FIA look towards twin-turbo more economical, and more envornmentally friendly, V6 engines.
The question is this, do you want to see the tree huggers get their way in Formula One, or would you rather see a gradual downgrade in costs?
A Traditional F1 Calendar? We Won’t See That in the Future
Oct 9, 2008 Formula One
We all heard today that the Canadian Grand Prix will no longer be on the calendar for next season. I don’t know if it just for the 2009 season or if it will last longer. One of my two favorite writers Paul wrote nice article about that and I am very thankful to him for that.
Now, instead of traditional Canadian Grand Prix, we will be forced to watch Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Isn’t that too much? Don’t we have too many Asian races very close to each other and no driver or team from that part of the world?
Formula 1 was, a long time ago, a real World Championship. We had races on every continent, and of course, most of those races were in Europe, which is somehow natural because the most drivers and all the teams are located in Europe.
But unfortunately, some new times have come, and things in Formula 1 changed in just a few years. Fans suffer a lot because of that, drivers are not too much satisfied, but no one can change it. This situation is very good for Bernie Ecclestone and some other people very close to him, but it does harm fans.
See that picture above that I posted? In my dreams and imaginations how Formula 1 should look like in the future, I had exactly that picture. Nice, good old real racing circuits, that was destroyed for “safety reasons.”
In one way, that is correct. Some circuits were dangerous, but I don’t think it was a good solution to destroy them. On the other hand, it is not a solution to have such long tracks like old Nordschleifen.
The new circuits arrived, and all of them are designed by Austrian expert Hermann Tilke, and they all look similar to each other. I don’t think we don’t need that. We don’t need more races in Asia than we have races in Europe.
That is why I decided to give the list of races that I would like to see in one Formula 1 season:
1. Monaco - Monte Carlo (glamour, what can I say)
2. France - Magny Cours (France has always been good in F1)
3. Spain - Barcelona
4. San Marino - Imola (Ferrari’s second race track, specially this new design)
5. Italy - Monza
6. Austria - A1 Ring (nice track, very easy to drive and very fast)
7. Germany - Hockenheim (the old track, not this new one)
8. Europe - Nürburgring (not that one of 22 km, I am not that traditional)
9. Hungary - Hungaroring
10. Belgium - Spa Francorchamps (bring back the old bus-stop chicane)
11. Great Britain - Silverstone (Who needs Brands Hatch or Donnington because history has started here?)
12. Brazil - Interlagos (many Brazilian drivers are from Sao Paulo; Barrichello even grew up in one white building behind the start-finish line)
13. Canada - Montreal
14. Australia - Melbourne
15. Japan - Suzuka (who needs Fuji??)
16. South Africa - Kyalami (Lovely track on 2,000 meters from ground where engines lose from 20 to 50 hp, nice to watch)
17. USA - Indianapolis
I think that was it. I would also like to see the Swedish GP again, but it would be too much European races.
And I don’t think that Sepang is very attractive and it is not a well-visited race. But at the end of the day, this is just my fantasy, not Bernie’s.
Glock gets ‘joker’ engine change
Oct 9, 2008 Formula One
Timo Glock will get a penalty-free engine change ahead of this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix.
Force India, Mercedes in cooperation talks
Oct 9, 2008 Formula One
Mercedes-Benz and McLaren are in advanced talks with Force India about an engine supply and technical cooperation deal for next year, autosport.com has learned.
F1 teams working to reinstate Canada
Oct 9, 2008 Formula One
Formula One team principals are set to hold talks about ways to get the Canadian Grand Prix back on the calendar in 2009, autosport.com has learned.
Teams would welcome standard parts
Oct 9, 2008 Formula One
Formula One teams are ready to accept the use of standard parts as a way to make immediate cost reductions in the sport, but some think that a move to a single specification of engine is going too far.
Massa remains optimistic on title chances
Oct 9, 2008 Formula One
Ferrari’s Felipe Massa remains optimistic about his championship chances despite his gap to Lewis Hamilton.
(3.5 out of 5)