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DATE
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News (chronologically)
|
5/3/02
|
IRL slaps Scheckter with suspension
Tomas Scheckter was suspended for the first three days of Indianapolis
500 practice because of unsportsmanlike conduct at the Firestone Indy
225. Scheckter was suspended from all on-track activity through
Tuesday, fined an undisclosed amount and placed on probation for the
rest of this season, the Indy Racing League said Friday. During the
April 22 race in Nazareth, Pa., Scheckter tried to pass Jaques Lazier,
and the wheels of their cars touched, sending both crashing into the
outside wall. Scheckter, who was driving his fourth Indy car race,
already was on probation and had been warned to temper his aggressive
driving, IRL spokesman Ron Green said. Sources say Scheckter may
be looking to move to CART in 2003. |
5/3/02
|
Two
for one deal on opening day The Indy Speedway has a full
page ad in the Indy Star which includes a coupon for 2 for 1 admission
to the Speedway this Sunday for opening day. |
5/3/02
Industry News |
Kansas City in no hurry to go soft
According to this Kansas City Star
article, don't expect to see "soft walls" in place for racing
anytime soon at Kansas Speedway. Jeff Boerger, president of Kansas
Speedway, said he will wait and see how the walls perform at
Indianapolis Motor Speedway before making any decisions on use at his
track. "I guess just like everybody else, we're waiting to see what
happens in Indy," Boerger said.. |
5/3/02
 |
Da Matta comments on upcoming F1 test
"This is my fourth season of working with Toyota and we have a very
good relationship. I am thankful that they are giving me the
opportunity to test their F1 car and I am also thankful that
Newman/Haas Racing is allowing me to accomplish one of my goals. I've
driven almost every kind of open-wheel race car and testing an F1 car
is a great opportunity for me. There is a break in the schedule this
month and we are only running two tests so the timing is good. I'm
looking forward to the experience." NHR |
5/3/02
|
IRL and Milwaukee taking look at each
other According to this Milwaukee Journal newspaper
report,
once seen as an improbability because of Milwaukee Mile promoter Carl
Haas' ties to the CART series, the likelihood of the Indy Racing
League coming to State Fair Park now stands stronger than ever.
"Probably right now the biggest issue would be finding a date that
would work for them and for us," Mile general manager Jim Melvin said
Thursday. "I can't speak for Carl, but . . . he didn't want to be the
first to break ranks, the first CART promoter and team owner to have
an IRL race. I don't think that he's as adamant (any more)." |
5/3/02
|
Rain washes Fittipaldi chances away
A large thunderstorn washed out NASCAR Busch Series qualifying
for Friday's Hardee's 250 putting Christian Fittipaldi's #30 mike's
hard lemonade Chevrolet Monte Carlo on the hauler and heading back
home to Charlotte. This was to be Fittipaldi's 2002 Busch Series debut
and so the car was without car owner points and thus left off the
grid. One of five cars to not make the field, it would not have been
so disappointing had practice not gone so well. The two hour
pre-qualifying practice started in the sun and with warm temperatures.
Fittipaldi and the mike's hard lemonade crew began with a baseline
set-up that came out of the test session they conducted at Richmond
International Speedway just three weeks ago. Fittipaldi ended up with
the 23rd fastest time in the session traversing the .75-mile D-shaped
oval in 21.707 seconds (124.384 mph) just .390 seconds off the fastest
car driven by Winston Cup regular Johnny Benson. Certainly showing
that Fittipaldi, a regular in the CART FedEx Championship series,
would qualify solidly on time for the Friday night race. Just 30
minutes before qualifying was to begin, the heavens opened up and
delayed the session. The track drying began as soon as the rain
stopped but just as the crews reported to the cars to begin the final
qualifying preparations, the rain began again. NASCAR waited as long
as they could but seeing that the rain was not going to let up
cancelled qualifying just after 7:00pm. The field was set by car owner
points not by previous practice session times as they do in CART.
"This was an up and down day for sure," said Fittipaldi. "We started
with a set-up from our test and went from there. We worked well
together and each time we made a change the car just kept getting
better. We would have qualified in the top 25 and raced even higher.
But now we have to look forward to Charlotte." "It is a major
disappointment but we can't control the weather," said Fittipaldi. "I
am very happy with the way we worked together and the way the car was
working. I can't wait for Charlotte in three weeks. I am confident
that if the weather cooperates this time we will get the job done."
Fittipaldi will once again be behind the wheel of the #30 mike's hard
lemonade Chevy for the Car Quest Auto Parts 300 at Lowe's Motor
Speedway on May 25. NHR |
5/3/02
AR1 News |
Time-out changed to 10-minutes
Based on requests received from our users, we have changed the server
timeout from 5 minutes to 10. Now, if you have no activity in a
window for a 10-minute period after you log onto AR1, the server will
timeout your session and you will have to log back in. As long
as you are browsing around from page to page, you will not be logged
out. MC |
5/3/02
|
Injury forces Kenseth pit crew change
Car chief and jackman for Matt Kenseth's No. 17 crew, Jeff Vandermoss,
sustained a lower back injury that requires immediate surgery to
repair. While recovering, Russ Strupp, crew chief of the Reiser
Enterprises No. 17 Busch Series car, will fill in as jackman and
assist crew member Dave Smith with car chief duties. Vandermoss is
expected to resume his car chief duties approximately two weeks after
his surgery, but will be unable to function as jackman for at least
two months. Andy Ward, pit coach for all four Roush Cup teams, says
that Strupp is definitely up to the task. "Russ has been at the shop
all week working on the car," said Ward. "And he's been practicing
with the guys. From my standpoint, everything seems to be working out
well. Russ has plenty of experience jacking and did a great job at the
California race when he stepped in as jackman. |
5/3/02
Industry News |
Class Action lawsuit against Ford and
Firestone denied
This Detroit Free-Press
article
reports that a federal appeals court decision Thursday was a
victory for Ford Motor Co. and Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. that may
save both companies hundreds of millions in legal fees. The U.S. 7th
Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago overturned a November ruling by a
district court judge in Indianapolis that would have allowed millions
of claims involving defective Firestone tires to form a class action.
The decision means that more than 3 million owners of Ford Explorers
and the buyers of 15 million Firestone tires will have to file
individual lawsuits instead of joining a consolidated case. . |
5/3/02
Industry News |
Ford turns a profit
This Bloomberg News
article
says that Ford has once again turned profitable. |
5/3/02
 |
Reynard exec jumps to Lola
We reported about two weeks ago that Dan Partel had left Lola.
Lola Cars International announced today that Jeff Swartwout has joined
the Lola Group as Vice President of Lola for North America. Jeff will
be responsible for sales and customer relations in the United States,
Canada and Mexico, based out of offices in Indianapolis and working
closely with his new colleagues at Lola’s headquarters in Huntingdon,
Cambridgeshire UK. Jeff, aged 49, was previously President of Reynard
North America, having worked in many series of open wheel racing in
the United States, including a chief mechanic role in winning IndyCar
teams in the 1980’s. After a spell away for the industry, he became a
founder member of Reynard North America in 1993, and helped build that
company’s US sales and distributors across North America. I have
competed against Lola in the recent past and know them to be great
competitors – now I look forward to working with everyone at Lola to
build upon what has been achieved already". |
5/2/02
|
Castroneves completes 2-day test at TMS
Defending Indianapolis 500 champion Helio Castroneves is ready - ready
for this month's 86th running of the "500" and for the June 8 Boomtown
500 at Texas Motor Speedway. Marlboro Team Penske Indy Racing League
driver Castroneves completed a successful two-day test of over 350
miles Thursday at Texas Motor Speedway in preparation for the Boomtown
500. Castroneves' test included laps under the lights Wednesday night
to prepare for the Saturday night June 8 race. The test was conducted
in a wide variety of conditions. Wednesday's afternoon session saw
temperatures in the mid-90s while Thursday's laps were run in the
70-degree range. "We came here to try to run at night, like we did
yesterday," said Castroneves. "It is the first time here with this
equipment, the second time (for me) after last year when we came with
CART. "It's always good to get ready, to have a good base setup to
start the race weekend. Normally we don't have much time to practice,
that's why we wanted to come over here and start out with something we
know is going to work. "I enjoyed the experience of running at night,"
continued Castroneves who is third in the Indy Racing League point
standings. "The weather seems to be very close to what we might have
during the month of June. We accomplished our goals so far. Hopefully
when we come back here we will have a good crowd and I'm sure it is
going to be a good show." Indy Racing League point leader Sam Hornish
Jr. and Castroneves' teammate, Gil de Ferran, will join the 2001 Indy
500 winner at the Boomtown 500. Tickets are available daily at the
speedway, by calling (817) 215-8500, online at
www.texasmotorspeedway.com
and at Ticketmaster locations
TMS |
5/2/02
 |
Imperial Tobacco opening new
headquarters
Imperial Tobacco Canada Limited (Players brand in CART) will open a
new head quarters in Montreal this weekend. There will be a
media event (only) with CART drivers Patrick Carpentier and Alex
Tagliani present. |
5/2/02
 |
Shell income falls, but stock price
rises
This AP
article says that Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Cos. (Team Rahal
sponsor) on Thursday announced a 48 percent drop in first quarter net
income, a better-than-expected result in difficult conditions.
Earnings fell to $1.99 billion from $3.86 billion, reflecting lower
oil and gas prices. The company's first-quarter profit decline was
significantly less than that of its main rivals BP PLC and ExxonMobil
Corp., both of which reported a 57 percent drop in comparable income.
Shell's shares rose 9 cents to $7.27 after the results were published. |
5/2/02
|
Dunlop to sponsor Team Ascari
Team Ascari has confirmed that Dunlop Tires has become an
official partner for the teams 2002 race program. With the 24 Hours of
Le Mans now the main focus of attention for the worlds leading
sportscar manufacturers, the agreement, to provide a full test and
development program for the British marque, is a major boost to the Le
Mans aspirations of the Ascari KZR1 and is already making a
significant impact. The team has recently undergone a series of test
days in the UK and Europe, culminating in last week's sessions at Paul
Ricard where, on a new Dunlop inspired compound, the Judd V10-powered
Ascari KZR1 ran quicker with increased durability. Team Ascari |
5/2/02
|
BAR to strengthen Honda ties
This Autosport
article talks about the special test team BAR will setup with
Honda to improve their performance. |
5/2/02
|
DEI to run Nemechek in The Winston Dale
Earnhardt Inc. (DEI) announced that it would team up with driver Joe
Nemechek to field a fourth DEI race car in The Winston on Sat., May
18th at Lowe's (N.C.) Motor Speedway. DEI will enter the #81 race car
- which will be driven by Nemechek - as well as supply the engines,
race cars and technical support. In a co-operative effort, DEI and
NEMCO Motorsports will share personnel duties. NEMCO Motorsports
employee Brian Pattie will serve as crew chief. Pattie is also NEMCO's
crew chief for the #87 race car in the NASCAR Busch Grand National
Series. "I'm very excited about working with DEI," said Nemechek, who
earned an entry to this year's all-star event with a win in the 2002
fall Rockingham Pop Secret 400 while driving an Andy Petree Racing #33
race car. "With DEI and NEMCO working together, we should be very
competitive for this race. We expect to contend for the checkered
flag." As of today, a sponsor for the race has not been secured.
Nemechek and the #81 race team will test for The Winston at Lowe's
Motor Speedway next week, May 6-7. DEI will also be represented in The
Winston with Dale Earnhardt Jr., Michael Waltrip and Steve Park. All
three DEI drivers became eligible by winning a Winston Cup race in
2001. DEI |
5/2/02
|
Craven wins first quarter voting Since
1998, Ricky Craven has played host to hundreds of snowmobile riders
that eagerly participate in the Ricky Craven Snowmobile Ride for
Charity. It’s because of this annual event and his generous behavior
in aiding charities that he has been named the First Quarter True
Value Person of the Year. True Value, the Official Hardware Store of
NASCAR, is in its third consecutive year of the NASCAR True Value
Person of the Year program. The award is designed to honor drivers,
not only for their accomplishments on the track, but for their
community service contributions and charitable efforts. On January 21,
2002, Craven, driver of the No. 32 Tide Ford Taurus, made the trek to
his home state of Maine to help raise $114,600. In the event’s
five-year history, a total of $381,500 has been raised. The charitable
organizations that have benefited from this include: The Marrow
Foundation, The Travis Roy Foundation, Make-A-Wish, Children’s Miracle
Network and Give Kids The World. “When I started this ride, I wanted
to give back to my New England roots, while raising money and
awareness for various charities,” said Craven. “This project is
something I can do with my family and other families can take part in
as a group. I’ve been pleased with the results we’ve gotten. “This
year was the first time I was able to take my daughter Riley on the
ride and will go down as one of my highlights for the year.” |
5/2/02
|
Two new awards announced Westward
Tools, the Official Tools of the Trans-Am Series for the BFGoodrich
Tires Cup, will sponsor a pair of awards designed to recognize teams
that face the most adversity during the 2002 Trans-Am season. The
“Tough Tools/Tough Team Award” will recognize the four teams that show
the most improvement from start to finish at each 2002 Trans-Am Series
event. A total credit of $1,500 worth of Westward products will be
divided among the four teams who advance the most combined places
during each race. Each position gained, or point, will be worth a
dollar amount to be determined by adding the total number of positions
gained by the four teams who improve the most, then dividing that
number by $1,500. At the conclusion of the season, Westward will award
credits of $5,000 and $2,500, respectively, to the two teams who have
scored the most points over the course of the campaign. Westward Tools
will also sponsor the “Tough Tools/Tough Times Award,” which will
award a $500 credit to the team that is deemed to have faced the most
hard luck during a given Trans-Am event. Nominations for the “Tough
Tools/Tough Times Award” will be posted on the Westward Tools website
( www.westwardtools.com )
through a link on the Trans-Am Series website, at
www.trans-amseries.com .
All fans that vote for the team that wins the “Tough Tools/Tough Times
Award” will be entered into a drawing for a 14.4-volt cordless drill,
as well as other Westward Trans-Am tools. The program also includes a
season-ending “Tough Tools/Tough Times Award” which will reward a
$2,500 credit to the Trans-Am team that is deemed to have had the most
bad luck during the season, by vote of the fans. |
5/2/02

|
Fittipaldi to get 2nd NASCAR start Christian
Fittipaldi of Sao Paulo, Brazil will attempt to make his second career
NASCAR Busch Series start this coming weekend in the Hardee's 250 at
Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, Virginia. Fittipaldi will
be driving the #30 mike's hard lemonade, Chevrolet Monte Carlo for
Innovative Motorsports who will also field cars for veteran Kenny
Wallace and rookie Shane Hmiel. Fittipaldi is a two-time winner in the
CART FedEx Championship driving for Newman/Haas Racing where he
currently pilots the No. 11 Lilly Toyota-Lola-Bridgestone combination.
He is taking advantage of gaps in this season's CART schedule to
compete in a total of six NASCAR Busch Series events. He will also
compete at Charlotte on May 25 before returning to the helm of his
Lilly sponsored Lola chassis powered by Toyota that fans from all over
the world have become accustomed to seeing him drive at speeds
reaching 240 mph. This weekend, the pace on the track will be a bit
slower but he expects the competition to be just as fierce. "I am
really looking forward to my first Busch race of the season," said
Fittipaldi. "I tested at Richmond earlier this year and I like the
race track. It really requires a lot of driver skill for a fast lap.
Lots of throttle and brakes makes it a driver's track and I like that
kind of a challenge. And with it being a night race it will make it
interesting because I have not raced at night in a stock car before." |
5/2/02
|
Gatorade pulls NASCAR sponsorship Gatorade
will no longer be an 'official' sponsor of NASCAR. "We are faced
with a changing landscape in the sport of racing," said Tom Fox, vice
president of sports marketing for Gatorade. "Rights we once enjoyed
through our NASCAR sponsorship are now held by teams and drivers. Fans
of the sport are passionate about the drivers, teams and races and
that's where we're going to direct our resources." Gatorade will
continue to sponsor the Gatorade 125s, the qualifying races for the
Daytona 500. The company will also continue to sponsor drivers Matt
Kenseth and Mark Martin. |
5/2/02
|
Turkey GP getting closer?
This Planet F1
article says that since the Russians are hedging on signing a
deal with Bernie Ecclestone that would give Moscow an F1 Grand Prix in
2004, Turkey is stepping up its efforts to host a race just a year
later. |
5/2/02
Industry News |
Volkswagen enters luxury car market
As this Detroit Free Press
article
states, Volkswagen has begun U.S. sales of its Passat W8 luxury sedan,
which boasts a 270-horsepower, eight-cylinder engine, all-wheel drive
and a $37,900 base price -- a package that would have been
unimaginable for the producer of so-called people's cars a decade ago.
Perhaps a VW badged Ilmor engine for CART? |
5/2/02
Industry News |
Price war erupts in China car market
As this Reuters
article states, a price war is raging in China's automobile
market, one of the fastest growing in the world, as carmakers slash
prices and launch new lines to challenge cheaper imports following
Beijing's entry into the World Trade Organization. "The post-WTO
membership auto market in China faces a great deal of consolidation
and re-pricing," Morgan Stanley analysts Jerry Lou and Henry Ho said
in a report seen on Thursday. Imported automobiles are expected to
gain 20 percent of the market in China this year versus 13 percent in
2001, mainland-backed brokerage ICEA said in a recent report. |
5/2/02
|
It's not really a soft wall
The new SAFER Wall installed at Indy is not a 'soft' wall
like CART installed in RIO. The SAFER wall is a stiff wall
(as it should be) that moves backward in one piece as the Styrofoam
energy absorbent layers behind it crush. The facing of the wall
must be stiff so it does not create a 'pocket' when a race car hits
it. It was this pocket-effect that everyone was always concerned
with a soft wall. If a pocket were formed, it might catch a car
and cause it to bounce back into other race cars. This wall
combines all the positive aspects of a concrete wall with the positive
aspects of a soft wall. MC |
5/2/02
|
Indy's SAFER Wall System easy to manufacture
UPDATE The sections of
SAFER wall
installed at the Speedway are straight sections (chords) because the
radius of the turns is large enough, and the sections of wall short
enough, that there are no noticeable 'kinks' where the wall sections
meet. However, on smaller tracks where the radius is tighter,
the steel tubing that makes up the face of the wall, will have to be
rolled to form an arc and ensure a 'smooth' wall face. This will
increase the cost only slightly. On higher banked tracks, the
installation will be slightly more complicated because it's harder to
get equipment up on the banks to work. This will also increase
the cost slightly. 5/1/02 - This Indy Star News
article
says, The energy-absorbing soft-wall system that will be unveiled
today at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway could revolutionize driver
safety in high-speed racing accidents. But the actual manufacturing of
the padding configuration that covers the concrete outside walls in
the track's four corners is relatively easy, project director Brian
Barnhart told The Star on Tuesday. Barnhart also said the
company that did the Speedway's work, the Jack K. Elrod Co., of
Mooresville, Ind., does not have an exclusivity agreement with the
soft-wall system. Once again, here at AR1, we tip our hat to
Tony George and his IRL staff for taking this major step forward in
making soft walls a reality. |
5/2/02
|
Indy Racing league owns rights to SAFER
Wall System
The IRL owns all rights to the new SAFER Wall System
developed by the University of Nebraska and installed at the Indy
Motor Speedway. The University holds all rights to the use of
the barrier on real public roads. The IRL will make the barrier
available to any track owner that wants it, and they claim they are
not looking to profit from the rights to use the barrier design.
MC |
5/2/02
|
Barber Dodge drivers visits PWR Racing By invitation of top CART FedEx Championship
Series competitors PWR Championship Racing, the entire Formula Dodge
National Championship field will tour the Champ Car team's shop
complex on the Northwest side of Indianapolis Thursday, May 9. The
tour coordinates with Rounds 5 & 6 of the FDNC at Putnam Park
Motorsports Complex, about 25 miles west of Indianapolis.
More Ladder series
news... |
5/2/02
Russell Racing
|
Carmody wins opener, Speed third
Chris Carmody won the first race of the 2002 Russell/USAC Triple Crown
Pro Series presented by Yokohama Tires in the 60 lap main event at the
Irwindale half-mile oval beating Victor Hugo Queiroz by 1.918 seconds.
Pole-sitter, Scott Speed was third. Starting from the front row
Carmody lost a position to Queiroz after the first lap. On lap six he
was past the Brazilian driver and started pressuring Speed for the
lead as they started to close on the back of the 12 car field. The
top-three drivers circled the half- mile oval at times equivalent to
the Super Late Modified cars. "I was fortunate - my car got better and
better as the race went on," stated Carmody, the youngest driver in
the field at just 17. Carmody's best lap in the Pitts Performance, Red
Head Clothing, My-Chron, Momo sponsored car was a 18.569. On lap 13
Carmody made his move on Speed going down low entering Turn 1 and
never looked back increasing his lead to just over a full second. The
race ran uninterrupted until lap 53 when Speed touched wheels with
Chris Nelson going into Turn 2. Nelson glanced the wall bringing out
the yellow flag so they could clear his car from the front straight.
With only two laps to go, the green flag waved and Carmody took off.
"On the restart I focused on getting a good start to stay ahead of
Scott." He didn't have to worry, as Speed's car was not up to the
pace. "I wasn't sure what was up with the car, so I took the first two
corners to see what the car felt like," said Speed who is racing in
the series a part of his prize for winning the 2001 USAC Formula
Russell Championship. "With only two laps to go, I knew I would have
to go for it right away, but I wanted to be sure I still had a safe
car to race." The pack came around for the white flag. Queiroz was
right on Speed's gearbox looking for a way around. He took a shot as
the two entered Turn 3 diving to the low side. His No. 2 Formula
Russell stepped out and then turned up into Speed catapulting Speed up
and over Queiroz and into the wall. The checkered flag came out as
Carmody completed the lap with Queiroz limping his way across the
Start/Finish in second. Speed was scored third having completed 59th
lap ahead of Jason Bowles who finished fourth. John Knudsen was fifth.
Russell Racing |
5/2/02
|
Mazda Raceway gets wired
Eight miles of electrical, phone, television and data conduit is
currently being installed as part of Phase IA of Mazda Raceway Laguna
Seca’s $15 million improvement project. These lines will carry power
and phone service to hospitality suites and garages being built in the
Paddock along pit lane. The pre-cast concrete garages are currently
being built in Antioch, California by Kie-Con, while Medford
Construction is pre-fabricating the steel structures in their
Bakersfield, California, yard for the new hospitality suites. The
hospitality suites will sit atop ten, double car garages. Foundation
work for the new garages and hospitality suites, which are part of
Phase IA, is scheduled to begin next week. Progress also continues on
the sewer line that will carry waste away from the Paddock hospitality
areas and restrooms. Paving over of the sewer line trenches in the
Paddock should be finished this week. Work will begin next week with
the extension of the sewer line down "B" Road. Construction crews
previously bored under the track near turn 3 and under the perimeter
road in order to run the sewer line to a new holding tank. This is the
latest in a continuing string of construction activity at Mazda
Raceway since ground was broken on the project February 8. In its
entirety, Phase I includes a new pit area, garages, hospitality
suites, restrooms, and sewer system and is slated to cost $7.8
million. Mazda Raceway |
5/2/02
|
Penske will automatically lose his CART numbers after 2002
All CART race car numbers are assigned by the Director of Technology
and Competition or his designee. Race car number one (1) will be
awarded to the CART Champ Car Series champion driver for use in all
CART FedEx Championship Series races during the reigning champion
driver's season. Numbers two (2) through ninety-nine (98) will be
assigned on a permanent basis. Thirteen (13) will not be assigned. As
a tribute to his participation and in recognition of his outstanding
record of performance as an Indy car driver, number fourteen (14) will
be reserved for CART Champ Cars driven by or entered by A. J. Foyt,
Jr. so long as his personal involvement in racing continues, and will
be permanently retired upon his retirement from this sport. In
recognition of the lifetime achievements of race car driver Greg
Moore, car number 99 is forever retired from Champ Car competition.
Numbers may be voluntarily released at the end of a season by the
holder, declaration of non-participation, or reassigned if not used
for one complete season. Numbers released will be reassigned using the
Championship positions earned by teams during the previous season with
preference given to franchise entrants. Use of number one (1) is not
cause to relinquish the competitor’s permanently assigned number.
CART Rule Book 9.32.1 |
5/2/02
|
Japanese newspaper speaks out about
CART race
The Asahi Shimbun is one of the top three newspapers in Japan.
In an April 29th editorial, they wrote - "F1 and other European type
car racing so far has been the extent of racing in Japan. Oval racing,
originated in the U.S., is new for Japan. Quite a lot of fans (over
100,000 this past weekend) visit Motegi to enjoy this friendly and
open atmosphere and a fierce competition of CART racing at 350km/h or
more. In Japan, we need a long term strategy and vision for American
motorsports to become even more popular. So far HONDA has contributed
much to the growth of the sport. Japanese fans wish for two things.
One is continuation of CART racing in Japan and the other is for Honda
to stop talking about withdrawing from CART racing." |
5/1/02
|
Furr to Assist Ultra/Evernham
Motorsports in Richmond Ray
Evernham, co-owner of Ultra/Evernham Motorsports, today announced that
Tony Furr would be assisting the No. 7 Sirius Satellite Radio Dodge
Intrepid R/T during this weekend's race at Richmond International
Raceway. Furr, former crew chief of the No. 25 Winston Cup team, will
be consulting with the team, assuming the role of crew chief. "I've
known Tony for a long time, and I have a lot of respect for him as a
leader and a crew chief," Evernham said. "He's stepping in to help us
out this weekend at Richmond. He will be a tremendous asset to the
team." "Ray and I have the same winning vision for this team," said
Jim Smith, co-owner Ultra/Evernham Motorsports. "We think Tony will
make a strong contribution this weekend." |
5/1/02
IROC
|
IROC testing rained out Bad
weather put a halt to IROC testing on Tuesday, but Wednesday, IROC
began a four-day private test session to prepare for the IROC 100 that
will take place before the NASCAR Busch Series Tropicana Twister 300
on Saturday, July 13 at Chicagoland Speedway. IROC reports lap times
nearing 33.87 seconds, which calculates to approximately 160 mph. But
according George Signore, director of public relations for IROC, speed
isn't the issue at this test session. "We're not as much concerned
with speed as we are with handling. It's more important for us, with
this series, to get the cars comfortable for the drivers so they can
put on a good show." "I'm certainly working hard on these race
cars. My goal is to get them as comfortable as possible for these
(IROC) drivers", said Marcis. Despite weather slowing the start of the
test session, Marcis is pleased with how the first day of testing
went. "All-in-all I think it's going good. Lap times are going down
and speeds are going up each time we make a change." |
5/1/02
|
Ernie Cope Named Crew Chief for Donlavey Racing Donlavey
Racing has hired Ernie Cope to serve as crew chief on the No. 90
Donlavey Racing Ford and driver Rick Mast. "I'm real excited about the
opportunity with Donlavey Racing and Rick Mast," Cope said. "I spoke
with Junie and Rick before I decided to make the move. I felt this is
an opportunity I could not pass up." Cope's first race will be this
weekend at Richmond International Raceway. |
5/1/02
|
Commemorative Pole Night ticket Lowe's Motor Speedway has
produced a limited-edition commemorative pole-night ticket featuring
the return of the #3 car to Lowe's Motor Speedway. The ticket for CTC
Pole Night on Thursday, May 23rd is the 20th in a series of
commemorative CTC Pole Night tickets and will feature Dale Earnhardt,
Jr. and the #3 Nilla Wafers/Nutter Butter Chevrolet Monte Carlo,
scheduled to appear in the NASCAR Busch Grand National CARQUEST Auto
Parts 300 on Saturday, May 25. This race marks the first time the #3
car was appeared at Lowe's Motor Speedway since the death of Dale
Earnhardt in the 2001 Daytona 500. Pete McCole |
5/1/02
|
Record purse at Lowe's Lowe's Motor Speedway annouced a record
purse of $10,961,324 in posted awards, plus a potential $1 million
dollar bonus,for the five divisions competing during the Month of May
activites at the facility. The events include the running of the
Pennzoil World Of Outlaws series, Goody's DASH series, ARCA RE/MAX
series, NASCAR Busch Grand National Series and NASCAR Winston Cup
series. Pete McCole |
5/1/02
|
Fans to vote on running of Winston Fans will vote on how to
invert the field for the final segment of The Winston on Saturday, May
18 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. NASCAR fans can go to
www.nascar.com and vote on how
many cars to invert for the final 20-lap segment. Fans can vote on
whether to invert four, six, eight or the entire 10 car field for the
final segment. Voting begins May 3 and ends at the conclusion of the
first 40-lap segment of The Winston. Kiosks will be available at
Lowe's Motor Speedway for fans to vote on site at The Winston. Pete
McCole |
5/1/02
|
CART in Germany to oversee F3 test
UPDATE AR1 has learned more. The purpose of this test is
to get a German driver into a ChampCar for the two European CART races
with the goal of forming a German CART team for the 2003 season. Of
course, a German driver in the "German 500" would dramatically
increase ratings and attract sponsors. CART planned to bring a Champ
Car to the test with the F3-guys so that these guys can get the
feeling of driving an actual Champ Car. However, we don't know if they
changed plans, but that was the original idea. 5/1/02 -
The Eurospeedway will host the first ever F3 test on their oval this
coming Monday and Tuesday. Three selected teams from the German F3
Championship have been selected. Five drivers will participate. CART
will run this two days test/oval instruction session in cooperation
with DMSB and Eurospeedway. From CART's side, in attendance will be
Lee Dykstra, Gary Barnard, Chris Kneifel and Roberto Moreno. Mark
C. |
5/1/02
|
Toys "R" Us to sponsor Cup team NASCAR team owner Rick Goodwin
announced Saturday a six race 2002 Winston Cup sponsorship agreement
with his current BGN sponsor Toys "R" Us. The first of those six races
will be next Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway, the
hometown track of driver Kevin Grubb. The team will continue to
compete in the remaining BGN races as well. The Toys "R" Us Chevrolet
Monte Carlo will maintain the # 54 and continue with Grubb behind the
wheel and veteran crew chief Tony Lambert calling the shots. Andy
Petree Racing, a leading NASCAR Winston Cup team, will provide the
Monte Carlos along with additional track support. .The Richmond race,
the Pontiac Excitement 400, will be the first career Winston Cup start
for the 24-year-old Grubb. Camp and Assoc PR |
5/1/02
|
Eurospeedway puts together strong support race slate
Eurospeedway has put together a fantastic support race program for
their CART weekend in September. There will be two German F3
Championship races, 2 Formula BMW ADAC Championship races, and 1 ASCAR
race. Roland Rehfeld, a Berliin Germany citizen, has signed a
year-long contract with an ASCAR team. Mark C |
5/1/02
|
Minardi wing failure cause identified
"This is the toughest decision a team owner has ever to
make and we are withdrawing our cars from the race," stated Paul
Stoddart in a statement on Sunday morning in Spain. "Technically we
can race our cars, but it would be totally irresponsible of me to put
those cars in the race. "Had it happened yesterday, we would have been
able to do something about it, the only thing we don't have at the
moment is time. What we are going to do now is take the parts back to
the factory and totally analyse the parts." This analysis has taken
place, and the team today released another statement reporting their
conclusions. The outfit is satisfied that the rear wing failure was a
one-off problem related to a specific component fitted to Webber's car
alone. "We now know that the failure on Mark's car was a one-off
problem with that component, but further strengthening will be
incorporated in all of our rear wings, purely as an added precaution".
"Wind tunnel testing has also verified that the modification will not
result in any loss of vehicle performance. The work will be completed
prior to the Austrian Grand Prix." On Monday Minardi conducted a
series of structural checks on two identical rear wing structures. One
of these wings was tested to in excess of 2.5 times the known maximum
loading attained at any current Grand Prix circuit without any
failure. Minardi |
5/1/02
|
Atlantics: Hunter-Reay test For the first time in his racing
career, Ryan Hunter-Raey drove his #1 Medlock Ames Winery/u.s.
print/Toyota/Swift at Portland International Raceway. Hunter-Reay ran
220 trouble-free miles on the scenic 1.969-mile road course and was up
to speed immediately, setting the fastest times throughout the day.
Breaking the 1:07 second barrier and solidly setting times in the
mid-1:07's throughout the day, Hunter-Reay proved he had no problem
learning the road course which consists of a series of fast turns and
long straights, "Today was my first time running here at Portland, and
I was up to speed very quickly, so that allowed us to get right to
work on developing an ideal set-up." He continued, "I really like this
track, especially the high-speed corners. There is a fifth gear corner
that you take almost flat and it leads into a right-hander, it's
insanely quick and lots of fun. The grip the Atlantic car gives makes
this track a blast." New to the CART Toyota Atlantic schedule for
2002, Tuesday was the first time the Hylton Motorsports team had
tested at Portland International Raceway. "My engineer and of course
Derek Higgins and a few of the guys have run here before with an Indy
Lights car, but this is the first time with the Atlantic car. We
really worked hard to develop the set-up this morning, we experimented
with a lot of different settings looking for a perfect set-up and I
think we found it, or at least we came close because we were the
quickest in the afternoon," said Hunter-Reay. Hunter-Reay and his crew
will return to PIR Wednesday to wrap up their two-day test, before
returning to their Irvine, California headquarters to prepare a test
next month at the Milwaukee Mile. Round three of the 2002 CART Toyota
Atlantic Championship will take place at the historic Milwaukee Mile
on June 2nd. Skip Barber |
5/1/02
|
Denver GP gets sponsor The Grand Prix of Denver announced
that the Colorado Central Station Casino has signed a three-year
agreement to be an Official Sponsor of the new auto racing event
through 2004. With the agreement, Colorado Central Station Casino
becomes the official casino of the Grand Prix of Denver event, and its
sponsorship program encompasses several elements including a special
ticket promotion. Colorado Central Station Casino, located 50 miles
west of Denver in Black Hawk, Colo., is noted as "Where The Winners
Play" and paid out over $1.2 billion to its clientele last year alone.
The casino has over 750 slot, video poker, video reel and keno
machines, six live poker tables, nine Blackjack and Poker tables and
fine food and drink at four different dining locations and three pubs.
The casino also boasts over 500 self- and valet parking spaces, and
customers can also enjoy live entertainment every day, afternoons and
evenings. "Colorado Central Station Casino is happy to be a part of
the rebirth of the Grand Prix of Denver," said Bill Vincent, director
of marketing. "We hope this will be a long relationship that will grow
every year. We believe the Grand Prix of Denver will benefit the city
and the Rocky Mountain region for years to come." The Grand Prix of
Denver will take place August 30 - Sept. 1 on a 1.65-mile, nine-turn
temporary race circuit on the streets around Pepsi Center adjacent to
Denver's Lower Downtown. For tickets or race information, call (888)
82-SPEED, or visit the official race Web site at
www.grandprixofdenver.com.
GP Denver |
4/30/02
Industry News
|
Italian Fiat to become 100% America
Remember - Fiat owns Ferrari and Maserati. According to this
Reuters
article, analysts say the 103-year-old company is likely
to sell its core car business to Americans, and sooner rather than
later. General Motors Corp. took a 20 percent stake in loss-making
Fiat Auto two years ago, giving Fiat the option to sell the rest of it
from mid-2004. On Monday, Honorary Chairman Gianni Agnelli repeated
that Fiat "believed in Fiat Auto's development," but others hear the
bell tolling for a car business spluttering in a shrinking market and
say Fiat will focus on making money elsewhere. "The generally accepted
view is that Fiat will exercise its put option sooner rather than
later," says Xavier Gunner, an industry analyst at UBS Warburg in
London. We here at AR1 suspect Ferrari and Maserati would be
spun off as separate companies should GM buy Fiat. BTW, GM has
also bought all remaining shares of Daewoo too. |
4/30/02
Industry News
|
Martha Stewart to help Chrysler
Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc. unveiled a marketing deal on
Tuesday in New York with Chrysler (Dodge - NASCAR) that will promote
the entire range of Chrysler vehicles on a multi-media platform,
including her daily television show, magazine, radio and on her
website. Chrysler is of course the US arm of the German car
giant DaimlerChrysler (Mercedes - F1) |
4/30/02
Industry News
|
DHL boosts Deutsche Post but profits
fall 22%
Deutsche Post, the German postal and logistics group, reported a 22
per cent drop in net profit for the first quarter, but gathered global
strength from last year's acquisition of express postal group, DHL
International, the Jordan teams sponsor. |
4/30/02
|
Two can play that game Now we know why the IRL contingent
was in Motegi last weekend, it's called 'two can play that game.'
Chris Economacki reports spotting John Lopes, Steve Fusek and Adam
Saal trolling the IRL paddock and garage area at the Nazareth IRL race
the previous weekend. We wonder if they were handing out
business cards to IRL sponsors like the IRL folks were doing to CART
sponsors at Fontana last year? Ya gotta love this war. |
4/30/02
|
Pepsi stage set at Indy
Live music by talented local and national acts will mix
with the roar of Chevrolet and Infiniti engines at the Indianapolis
Motor Speedway during the month of May, as Pepsi has once again teamed
up with the Speedway to bring live entertainment to the Pepsi Stage.
The Pepsi Stage is located in the Pagoda Plaza directly behind the
Speedway's landmark Bombardier Pagoda control tower, offering fans an
opportunity to enjoy live music while relaxing or ordering concessions
or souvenirs in the Pagoda Plaza. All concerts are included in the
price of admission to the Speedway grounds each day. Acts will perform
on key event days from Indianapolis Star Opening Day on May 5 through
Race Day on May 26. The highlight of Pepsi Stage activities for the
month will be the Coors Carb Day concert at 3:30 p.m. (EST) May 23,
featuring pop-rock recording artists Better Than Ezra, known for hit
songs such as "Good," "Desperately Wanting" and "Extra Ordinary," and
Nine Days, known for their recent breakout hit "Absolutely (Story of a
Girl)." IMS |
4/30/02
|
Pook confirms China on radar screen for 2004 In an article
by Steve Mayer in the April 24th edition of National Speed Sport News,
CART President Chris Pook once again reiterates that CART will not be
going to China in 2003, but it's definitely on his radar screen for
2004. "We've got to get our house in order first, then we'll
look forward. So, China is probably on the 2004 radar screen, if
we do it. But we've got a lot of people to talk to. We've
got to talk to sponsors. We've got to talk to our manufacturers.
We've got to talk to our teams. The groups representing China
are approaching us, are talking to us, and are asking us for a
sanction, but there are many things to consider." There
are apparently three groups approaching CART - Auto Racing Legends who
are pushing a Shanghai street race, Garden Grove, CA - based
Sino-American Entertainment (SAEI), formerly China Motor Sports who
are pushing the Zhuhai circuit, and the group building the natural
terrain F1 road course outside of Shanghai. |
4/30/02
|
Pepsi stage set at Indy
Live music by talented local and national acts will mix
with the roar of Chevrolet and Infiniti engines at the Indianapolis
Motor Speedway during the month of May, as Pepsi has once again teamed
up with the Speedway to bring live entertainment to the Pepsi Stage.
The Pepsi Stage is located in the Pagoda Plaza directly behind the
Speedway's landmark Bombardier Pagoda control tower, offering fans an
opportunity to enjoy live music while relaxing or ordering concessions
or souvenirs in the Pagoda Plaza. All concerts are included in the
price of admission to the Speedway grounds each day. Acts will perform
on key event days from Indianapolis Star Opening Day on May 5 through
Race Day on May 26. The highlight of Pepsi Stage activities for the
month will be the Coors Carb Day concert at 3:30 p.m. (EST) May 23,
featuring pop-rock recording artists Better Than Ezra, known for hit
songs such as "Good," "Desperately Wanting" and "Extra Ordinary," and
Nine Days, known for their recent breakout hit "Absolutely (Story of a
Girl)." IMS |
4/30/02

|
CART and F1 tire supplier Bridgestone on a roll According
to this USA Today
article, Bridgestone/Firestone, left for dead a year ago after
a massive Firestone tire recall, is coming back, mostly because of its
Bridgestone brand. Bridgestone last year gained a full point of market
share — to 5% — in the U.S. replacement tire market and a full point
of share — to 3.4% — in sales to automakers. Some of the gain has come
from picking up lost Firestone sales. In fact, Bridgestone/Firestone
President Shu Ishibashi says Bridgestone will pass Firestone in the
U.S. replacement market for the first time this year. That will take a
big year for Bridgestone. |
4/30/02
Industry News
|
BAT says
earnings on track as volumes slip
CART and F1 sponsor British American Tobacco, the world's
second-largest quoted tobacco company, said on Tuesday that volumes
were running slightly below expectations, but that it saw no reason to
change its earnings projections. See full story in this Financial
Times
article. |
4/30/02
|
Lazier released from hospital
Jaques Lazier was released April 30 from Methodist Hospital in
Indianapolis. Team Menard driver Lazier, from Alta Loma, Calif.,
suffered an acute fracture of the T12 vertebra in a two-car accident
during the Firestone Indy 225 on April 21 at Nazareth Speedway. “I’m
very anxious to start my rehab,” said Lazier. “At the same time, I’m
very excited about the second chance I’ve been given with the
incredible work done by all doctors involved, including Dr. Henry Bock
and CART Dr. (Terry) Trammell.” Lazier could be out of competition for
up to six months after surgery April 24 to repair a spinal fracture,
said orthopedic surgeon Trammell, who performed the surgery at
Methodist Hospital. “I appreciate all the fan support,” said Lazier.
“I will always bleed Menard blue.” Lazier will wear a brace for eight
to 12 weeks, Trammell said. Cards for Lazier and his family may be
sent to:
Indy Racing League
Attention: Jaques Lazier
4565 W. 16th Street
Indianapolis, IN 46222 |
4/30/02
|
Cialis
still can't go on Fittipaldi's car Eli Lilly, sponsor for
Christian Fittipaldi said it had received an approvable letter for
Cialis from the Food and Drug Administration, but the drug watchdog
needed more clinical data on Cialis, which is now scheduled for launch
in 2003. The news hit shares in Lilly and ICOS, the biotechnology
company behind Cialis. Lilly was down 5.5 per cent at $64.55 in
pre-market trading. ICOS fell 18 per cent to $31.70. The delay
of Cialis is good news for Pfizer, whose celebrated impotence drug
Viagra (Mark Martin's sponsor) will remain lightly challenged by
competitors for longer. |
4/30/02
Industry News
|
ABC loses ESPN architect
First it was Ted Koppel and now Steve Bornstein. At least CART fans
know that Rupert Murdoch will run Fox until he dies, that is if he
dies. From the Wall Street Journal - ABC President Steven Bornstein,
who was one of the chief architects of the ESPN cable networks, is
leaving the network. His position will not be filled. The announcement
was made by Robert Iger, president of Walt Disney Co., which owns ABC.
Mr. Bornstein is leaving the network "to pursue other interests,"
according to Disney, Burbank, Calif. "I have had the good fortune of
having some very challenging and rewarding positions with ESPN, ABC
and the Walt Disney Company," Mr. Bornstein said in a prepared
statement. "There are other interests I wish to pursue and now is an
appropriate time to do this." ABC has been struggling in the ratings
race and trails rivals CBS and NBC. WSJ |
4/30/02
|
Atlantics: Team owner Bob Dorricott dies
UPDATE Remembering Bob
Dorricott.
4/29/02 - Bob Dorricott, owner of
Dorricott Racing which competes in the CART Toyota Atlantic
Championship, died of a long bout with cancer Friday in California. A
memorial service is planned for Wednesday at 1 p.m. in Los Altos,
California, at a location to be announced later. The Dorricott Racing
operation is fielding a three-car effort in the Toyota Atlantic series
this season with Jon Fogarty, Alex Gurney and Luis Diaz. Fogarty won
the season-opener at Monterrey, Mexico, and currently leads the point
standings. The Dorricott team enjoyed considerable success in the
now-defunct Dayton Indy Lights Series in recent years, winning the
final title with Townsend Bell in 2001 and scoring an unprecedented
1-2-3 sweep of the standings in 1999 with Oriol Servia, Casey Mears
and Phillip Peter. CART |
4/30/02
|
Marsh and IMS sign 3-year deal
Marsh Supermarkets and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway have signed a
three-year contract expanding their relationship, giving Marsh a
greater presence at the two largest-attended sporting events in the
world, the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and the Brickyard 400 NASCAR
Winston Cup Series event. Under terms of the new contract, Marsh is
designated the “Official Supermarket” of both motorsports events and
is the provider of the “Official Box Lunch” for both events. Marsh
also will be the presenting sponsor of the Plaza Chalets, an infield
hospitality complex with a capacity of approximately 1,800 persons
used for both events. It is the first time presentation-naming rights
have been assigned to the Plaza Chalets. “We are excited about the new
opportunities this partnership with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
creates for both our customers and our store locations,” said Don E.
Marsh, chairman and CEO, Marsh Supermarkets, Inc. “Marsh, being the
hometown grocery retailer since 1931, feels honored to align with the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Hulman-George family hosts three of
the greatest auto racing events in the world, and we look forward to
being their partner for exciting Indiana traditions: the Indianapolis
500, Brickyard 400 and the United States Grand Prix.” The growing
relationship also calls for a major marketing presence associated with
both the Indianapolis 500 and the Brickyard 400. |
4/30/02
Industry News
|
WorldCom CEO resigns Bernard
J. Ebbers, who built WorldCom Inc. into a global telecommunications
giant but then saw its fortunes and stock price crumble amid fierce
industry competition and questions about the company's finances, has
resigned as its chief executive and president. WorldCom is a
CART sponsor. See full
AP story. |
4/30/02
|
The Glen opens up to fans The start to the 2002 season at
Watkins Glen International is just around the corner and to kick
things off, the track is once again opening its gates to allow fans to
drive the historic road course on Opening Day, May 5. Fans wishing to
get in the driver's seat and follow the tire marks of their favorite
drivers around The Glen's NASCAR course can do so for just $15 per car
on May 5. Gates open at 10:00 a.m., with the first group of cars going
out on the track at 10:15 a.m. and the last group going at 4:30 p.m. A
portion of the proceeds will be donated to the March of Dimes, Genesee
Valley/Finger Lakes Division. If fans don't feel like driving, rides
in Official Pace Cars, including cars from the Pace Car Club of
America, will also be offered for just $15 per person. Opening Day
also marks the final day of advance sale prices for all 2002 racing
events at The Glen, which includes tickets for the Sirius Satellite
Radio at The Glen NASCAR Winston Cup Series race August 8-11.
The Glen |
4/30/02
|
As expected, Russian GP delayed yet
again We will be surprised if this race ever happens, the
economy in Russia just can't support such an endeavor, and will always
be wrought with financial problems. The Russian news agency
Interfax quoted a Moscow deputy mayor as saying the signing had been
put off because the structure of the planned deal had changed. "We
want to lift the burden from the city budget and put responsibility
for financing the project completely on the investor," Interfax quoted
Iosif Ordzhonikidze as saying. Ordzhonikidze said the construction
project was valued at $1.5 billion, while the purchase of promotional
and television rights for a seven-year period from 2004 to 2011 would
call for another $250 million. At those numbers, forget about
it. |
4/30/02
|
Dale Earnhardt Jr. appearance Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be
making an appearance for the InterAct company at the Electronic
Entertainment Expo on May 22, 2002 at the Los Angeles Convention
Center. Earnhardt Jr., who endorses InterAct's line of racing wheels,
is a self-proclaimed gaming fanatic who has been known to use video
games as a training mechanism to familiarize himself with certain race
tracks. InterAct |
4/30/02
Industry News
|
Bob Akin dies Bob Akin died
late Monday night of complications from injuries suffered last
Thursday during a testing accident for a historic sports car race at
Road Atlanta.
More |
4/30/02
|
Burti escapes injury in Monza crash
Ferrari's test driver Luciano Burti crashed at Monza in Italy. He was
driving an F2001 chassis when he ran wide and crashed into the
barriers on his 19th lap. The team described the shunt as a "minor
incident". |
4/30/02
Industry News
|
Now in the WTO, here comes China
China is now been accepted into the World Trade Organization, and
already things are happening toward it becoming a big world power.
China continues to be the driving force for the personal computer (PC)
market in Asia and is poised to shift up a notch to become the world's
second-largest market by 2003, research firm IDC said on Monday.
It's not a matter of if USA companies will do business in China, for
those few who don't already, it's just a matter of when. |
4/30/02
|
Team Ascari announces Le Mans drivers
Team Ascari has today announced that Britain's Ben Collins (27)
will drive with South African Werner Lupberger (26) at this years 24
Hours of Le Mans as the British sportscar marque makes its final
preparations for the weekends Preliminary Practice Sessions in France.
The decision underlines the teams intention to present the best
possible line-up for its one-car assault on the French Classic and
ends weeks of speculation as to whom, from an original team of six
drivers, would pilot the Ascari KZR1. The announcement of the third
driver will be made shortly. Last week the car completed more than
1000km in testing at the Paul Ricard circuit, proving competitive
against Bentley, Courage and Dallara and further demonstrating the
potential of Team Ascari to take on the might of the establishment at
Le Mans. Team Ascari |
4/30/02
|
And you wonder why F1 costs are so
high? While other series
are limiting testing to reduce costs, F1 teams keep pounding away at
the pavement, as if they didn't already do enough testing this year.
They have one week off between races, and where are the teams?
In Valencia, Spain, McLaren, Williams, Renault, Jaguar and Sauber will
testing from Tuesday to Friday. Toyota test driver Ryan Briscoe
will test in Estoril, where he will be joined by BAR's Anthony
Davidson this week. Mika Salo, Allan McNish, Olivier Panis and
Jacques Villeneuve are expected to join them from Wednesday. Ferrari
will test at Mugello and Fiorano. Arrows will be at Silverstone, while
Jordan will be testing at Elvington airfield in Yorkshire with Marcel
Lasee driving. Giancarlo Fisichella will join Arrows at
Silverstone for one day on Wednesday. |
4/30/02
|
Jack Roush rescue, the whole story
We encourage you to read this Montgomery Advertiser
article for the whole story behind Jack Roush's rescue.
It just wasn't his time to go. MC |
4/30/02
|
2002 Indy 500 information
The month of May is upon us, and that means the 2002 Indy 500 is right
around the corner. Below are links to data you may find handy as
you follow the happenings at the Brickyard throughout the month.
The TV schedule is extensive.
TV and Radio Schedule
| On-Track
Schedule |
Fast Facts |
4/29/02
|
Hollywood studios may put an end to F1
pay TV According to this Financial Times
article, executives from the main Hollywood studios are due in
Munich Monday to discuss a debt-for-equity deal aimed at saving
Premiere, the heavily lossmaking pay-TV arm of Germany's Kirch Gruppe,
from imminent bankruptcy. We doubt very much that the people in
Hollywood have the time or desire to continue it as a pay-TV service.
Since when is Hollywood into pay-TV? They're not. If this
were to happen, F1 would lose any revenue it now enjoys from the
German market. F1 TV ratings are very high in Germany because of
the Schumacher brothers. |
4/29/02
|
Boomtown 500 at TMS Casino Magic is about to go "Boom!" The
Bossier City, Louisiana casino, which has sponsored the June Indy
Racing League event at Texas Motor Speedway since 2000, will
officially change its name to Boomtown Casino & Hotel on July 1, 2002.
The June 8, 2002 IRL event will now officially be known as the
Boomtown 500. "The Boomtown 500 has become one of the signature events
of the Indy Racing League," said speedway general manager Eddie
Gossage. "As 'America's Original Nighttime Indy Car Race,' the event
is a highlight. It has prospered under the name Casino Magic 500 but
will now boom as the Boomtown 500." TMS |
4/29/02
|
Jones to replace Lazier Former
CART driver and open-wheel veteran PJ Jones, son of 1963 Indianapolis
500 winner Parnelli Jones, joined Team Menard on April 29 as an
interim replacement for injured driver Jaques Lazier in the Indy
Racing League, starting with the Indianapolis 500. Jones, from
Torrance, Calif., will attempt to make his first Indy 500 start in the
No. 2 Menards/Johns Manville Dallara/Chevrolet/Firestone at Indy as a
teammate to fellow California native Robby Gordon, who will drive the
No. 31 Menards/Childress/Cingular Dallara/Chevrolet/Firestone. Jones
replaces Lazier, who suffered a fractured vertebra in an accident
during the Firestone Indy 225 on April 21 at Nazareth Speedway. “To
have the opportunity to jump into this seat for my first run at the
Speedway is fantastic,” said Jones, 33. “But you do hate to take it at
someone’s expense. I feel for Jaques; he’s one of the good guys, and
he certainly deserved to be here in this car. Right now, I’m just
going to keep the seat warm for him and hopefully carry the torch
while he’s out. Jones, a veteran of 59 CART starts, will not be
required to take a rookie test to participate in the Indianapolis 500
due to his high-speed oval experience in CART. He also has the
advantage of relying on his father for advice about the Speedway.
“The Indy 500 has always been a part of our family; I grew up here on
16th Street,” Jones said. “We’ve had the same room at the Speedway
motel forever, and I honestly can’t remember a May where I haven’t
been here. It’s going to be quite a rush to finally suit up for
practice and show what I can do. I want to thank John Menard for
giving me this opportunity. I plan on making the most of it.”
IMS |
4/29/02
|
98,000 for Spanish GP 98,000
spectators attended the Formula One Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit
de Catalunya Sunday, a record-breaking figure for the Catalan venue.
Over 85,000 spectators gathered on Saturday and 47,000 on Friday,
totaling over 230,000 spectators throughout the whole Grand Prix,
another attendance record. |
4/29/02
Industry News
|
Rob Walker dies
It is with great sadness that we have to report that Rob Walker has
died at the age of 84 from pneumonia. He ran a privateer F1 team
during the late 1950s and 1960s. Between '58 and '68, his team scored
a total of nine F1 world championship GP victories. He was also one of
the most engaging personalities we had the pleasure to meet.
Walker partnered Stirling Moss to score maiden victories for both
Cooper and Lotus, beating the factory teams to do so. Our
sincere condolences to Rob's family and friends. |
4/29/02
|
Jaguar illegal fuel Jaguar
Racing have launched an investigation into the fuel infraction in
Spain that led FIA officials to bump Eddie Irvine to the back of the
starting grid for the Spanish Grand Prix. "FIA has penalized Jaguar
racing for a discrepancy between the two samples and not because of
any perceived performance advantage gained," said Jaguar in a
statement this weekend. “We have 46 50-litre drums here, so 2300
liters is the total amount,” said team boss Niki Lauda. “And out of
this 46, three drums were found to be wrong. "The issue here is that
we have to comply with the regulations that say the fingerprint that
you send at the beginning of the season has to match. “It’s not that
we have an illegal fuel, it’s just that we couldn’t match the
fingerprint of three barrels out of 46. We don’t know why, or what
Castrol did for this to happen, but really it’s a quality control
problem on their side. "We’re going to find out this week.” |
4/29/02
|
Bob Akin seriously injured
2nd UPDATE Bob Akin remains
in critical condition today. 4/27/02 - Bob Akin’s condition
was upgraded to Critical Saturday as he remained in the neurological
intensive care unit at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta recovering
from injuries suffered Thursday during a testing accident at Road
Atlanta. Akin, 66, had been listed as “critical and extremely
unstable” Thursday following the accident at turn four. His condition
stabilized somewhat overnight Friday. Akin suffered a “complete
disruption” of the C5/C6 vertebrae, but doctors do not expect to be
able to conduct any further tests until the swelling subsides,
hopefully by Monday. Akin also suffered third-degree burns on 15% of
his body (hands, face and left shoulder), has a broken left leg,
broken right arm, broken left shoulder and multiple lacerations.
4/26/02 - Bob Akin was listed in “critical and extremely unstable”
condition Friday after suffering serious injuries in a historic sports
car testing session at Road Atlanta Thursday. Akin, 66, suffered a
“complete disruption” of the C5/C6 vertebrae. Doctors at Grady
Memorial Hospital in Atlanta said it would be at least Monday before
any additional tests could be done, due to the swelling. Akin also
suffered third-degree burns on 15% of his body (hands, face and left
shoulder), has a broken left leg, broken right arm, broken left
shoulder and multiple lacerations. Akin was driving a 1988 Nissan GTP
ZX-Turbo during testing for this weekend’s Walter Mitty Challenge at
Road Atlanta. The Mitty is sanctioned by the Historic Sportscar Racing
association and features vintage and historic cars from a wide variety
of racing series. Akin, who won the prestigious 12 Hours of Sebring in
1979 and 1986, was a standout in sports car racing in the
International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) during his professional
driving career. He also made six starts in the 24 Hours of Le Mans
with a best finish of fourth in 1984. Akin started racing in
1957 in dragsters, then switched to road racing in 1959. He retired
from driving in 1961 to concentrate on his business, Hudson Wiring,
but returned to racing in 1973. Akin retired from professional racing
in 1991. Since then, he has remained active in vintage and historic
car racing and runs a racing company in Ossining, N.Y. ALMS |
4/29/02
Industry News
|
Soft wall installation starts at IMS UPDATE
Representatives from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Indy Racing
League, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing and the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln will make a major announcement on the
use of these soft walls on Wednesday, May 1 4/27/02 - The Indianapolis Motor
Speedway have been approved and the installation is under way,
The Star
confirmed Friday. A tour of the track revealed the outside wall of
turn four has been lined with the absorptive padding developed over
the past three years by Indy Racing League officials and engineers at
the University of Nebraska. The third turn was receiving the same
treatment Friday. |
4/29/02
|
Earnhardt banged up, but OK
"I hit hard as hell, and you know about as much as I do about the
rest of it," Earnhardt said after Kevin Harvick blew a tire while
running on the outside of him in Turn 4. The blown tire caused
Harvick's car to turn down into Earnhardt. The contact spun
Earnhardt in front of Harvick and both hit the outside retaining wall
with the front of their cars. The left front of Earnhardt's car hit
the wall. Luckily for him, he only had the wind knocked out of him and
his right ankle was "swollen and bruised," he said. "It's as hard as
I've ever hit the wall." |
4/29/02
|
Spanish GP lap chart For those of
you who care to download a high-resolution version of a lap chart from
this past weekend's Spanish GP,
click here to
download a 1.5 MB PDF file. We have the lap chart for the San
Marino GP (click here)
and Brazil GP (click
here) as well. |
4/29/02
|
Eddie Irving calls Schumacher a Racing
Genius “In every sport,
someone suddenly comes along who is a genius and it just happens that
Formula One is currently saddled with Schumacher,” Jaguar driver Eddie
Irvine told The London Sun newspaper this weekend. "I marvel at
the power and the aggression" Tiger Woods puts into his tee shots, or
"the delicate touch of his short game". "His (Wood's) art is there for
all to see, but the trouble with most people watching Schumacher in
action is they cannot fully appreciate his skills. “Michael's mastery
behind the wheel can only be studied in detail when it is shown in
slow motion. Only then can the untrained eye capture his extraordinary
car control while driving on the limit or his precision during a
qualifying lap." |
4/29/02
|
Why doesn't CART freeze the engines too? Dear
AutoRacing1.com, It brought me great joy to hear that CART has decided
to freeze the current chassis at the end of this year and carry it
over for one or more years. It's sure a heck of a lot more
attractive than those IRL cars. But why did they stop
there? All three engines are about equal right now. Why
not freeze the engines at the end of 2002 and allow no further
development, except perhaps software upgrades? Only allow
rebuilds. This has several advantages and just two
disadvantages. First the advantages - 1) It allows CART to keep
the wonderful turbo engines longer, 2) it allows Honda to stay in the
game in 2003 rather than have to sit out a year because they can't be
ready with a N/A engine that fast, and risk losing all their teams, 3)
it corrects the injustice the Franchise Board created by changing it's
rules earlier than everyone expected, catching most off-guard, 4) the
current engines will fit in the current chassis better than the big
IRL motors, 5) the cost to just rebuild the existing frozen motors
will be no more than the $2.7 million each car will be charged in 2003
for the N/A motor, 6) Honda and Cosworth have already said they would
supply half the CART field in 2003 with N/A engines. The only
disadvantages I see are: 1) Toyota has said it won't build both a
turbo engine for CART and a N/A engine for the IRL. However,
Toyota still hasn't committed to CART for 2003 with N/A engine, and
they have been clear on that - no decision has been made. They
may elect to opt out at the last minute leaving CART holding a wet bag
full of nothing. If they see value in CART, it's just as easy to
rebuild the existing frozen engines as it is to rebuild the new 3.5 L
N/A. Won't take anymore staff. 2) As for MG and Judd and
their 2003 commitment, well they are coming in the game awful late to
be ready for their 2003 with a new N/A engine anyway. Ditto for the
other manufacturers Chris Pook has promised in the next six weeks.
They will all have trouble being ready in time for 2003, and if they
are, I see a lot of blown engines due to lack of test time and CART's
new rules severely limit testing time next year, further complicating
the matter. CART will have egg on its face with all the blown
engines, and fans will not be happy. Jason Blount, Portland, OR.
Answer: Dear Jason, You make some good suggestions in
this well thought out letter. There is a real concern that there will
be a lot of blown engines in 2003 because everyone, except Toyota, is
scrambling to be ready in time. However, this proposal makes too much
sense so CART won't do it. Also, I would assume CART has signed
a contract with MG-Rover for 2003, so I'm not sure they would be happy
sitting out another year. I definitely see this as CART's
fallback position should Toyota leave CART holding a wet bag of
nothing as you suggest. Mark C. |
4/29/02
|
Learning
from the Japanese
Notice the sign behind Michael Andretti's pit box in Motegi,
Japan. It identifies for the fans the car number, drivers name
and nationality. A similar sign was behind each drivers pit box.
Where it's possible to erect a similar sign at other tracks, CART
should ask that it be done.
Photo credit: Motorola/Getty Images |
4/29/02
|
Real
racing
Notice the small rear wing on Michael Andretti's Lola at
Motegi, Japan this past weekend. Notice also how horizontal the
wing is laying. In a recent article titled 'Is
it real racing, or just P.T. Barnum showbiz?' we criticized the
IRL for making their cars so easy to drive, it wasn't a sport anymore,
just a circus. The wings on IRL cars are huge and create so much
downforce it's "easy flat." However, on a Champ Car, the
driver usually has to lift (far less downforce) keeping driver skill
part of the equation. Another aspect of the current Champ
Car is the sleek look, which will be destroyed when an airbox is added
for the normally aspirated engine. One has to think that CART's
version of the airbox will be more streamlined like the F1 version, or
low-level with air intakes on both sides of the drivers head ala the
Lotus 78. Photo credit: Motorola/Getty
Images |
4/28/02
|
Berger says World Championship is
decided BMW motorsports
boss Gerhard Berger says that F1 should just end the chase for the
world championship now after watching yet another Michael Schumacher
romp in the park in Spain. "Forget the drivers' championship.
There's just no chance. "I think we have an outside chance in the
constructors' championship, but not a real chance." |
4/28/02
Announcement
|
Logging into AutoRacing1.com
A number of people have written to us asking how to make
logging in easier. You can set your Microsoft browser to
automatically fill in the fields after you type just the first letter.
Follow these three easy steps:
1. Open your Microsoft browser
2. From the menu choose Tools>Internet Options>Content>AutoComplete
3. Check on all boxes to turn on auto complete |
4/28/02
F-3000
|
Pantano wins in Spain
Giorgio Pantano became the third different winner in this
season’s FIA International Formula 3000 Championship by taking this
weekends round in Barcelona, Spain. . Pole winner Sebastien
Bourdais led nearly the entire race and fended off repeated attacks
from Pantano, but with half a lap to go, Bourdais slid off the track.
He recovered to finish third behind Pantano and Tomas Enge. Ricardo
Mauricio, Mario Haberfeld and Enrico Toccacelo rounded out the top
six. |
4/28/02
|
MG Lola to test in preparation for
LeMans
KnightHawk Racing, in preparation for the Le Mans Practice
Session on May 5th, will be testing their MG Lola 675 LMP at Britain's
Snetterton circuit on Monday and Tuesday, April 29 and 30. The two
driver/owner's, Steve Knight and Mel Hawkins, will be testing in the
new car over a two-day period, after which the car will be transported
to Le Mans on Wednesday in preparation for Sunday's practice session.
Located on a former WWII US air base, the Snetterton circuit has two
of the longest straights in England and is an ideal venue for speed
trials - and for simulating Le Man's famed Mulsanne Straight. The team
has also secured the driving skills of Duncan Dayton for the Le Mans
race in June. Dayton is no stranger to the MG Lola, having helped
score a 1st in class and 7th overall in Intersport's MG Lola at this
year's Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring. Dayton is currently second in
Drivence to spend more time in the car," says Knight. "It will also
give the crew the chance to work on various set-ups - I know that
we're all looking forward to it." "I very much look forward to this
opportunity to drive KnightHawk's MG Lola at Le Mans," says Dayton. "I
think they are a great team, and driving together with Steve and Mel,
I think we have a very good chance for a strong finish." "This test
will be great for KnightHawk as a team," remarked Team Manager Mike
Johnson. "We had to put this effort together on such short notice to
make it to Sebring, and subsequently we experienced a few teething
problems. These test days will allow the team to come together without
race pressure. I feel confident that after the two days at Snetterton
both the team and drivers will be ready to press forward." ALMS |
4/28/02
|
Fontana a sellout As
it has every year, today's Winston Cup race at Fontana is a sellout
again this year - all 92,000 seats have been sold. |
4/28/02
|
Minardi withdraws from Spanish GP Minardi
has withdrawn both cars from the Spanish Grand Prix following Mark
Webber's rear wing failure in the morning warm-up. Team owner Paul
Stoddart said: "It's the hardest decision a team owner has to make but
we feel that it is the only responsible thing that we can do in the
circumstances. I really feel for the guys at the factory who put such
an effort into remanufacturing the front wings and getting them here,
but the safety of the drivers is paramount." "It was a stress failure
along a line of rivets and while it is true that Barcelona subjects
wings to greater loading than other places we have raced at so far, we
have stress-tested our rear wings to twice the projected loads at this
track. We calculated 450kgs and we have tested our wings to 900kgs. We
will be launching a full investigation before the Austrian Grand Prix
in a fortnight." Mark Webber - "I was actually making a change
to the engine mapping at the same time and I thought that a little
jink might have been down to that, but as soon as I went on the brakes
I knew exactly what the problem was. But this is F1, we are on the
edge, the guys have worked fantastically hard this weekend and I'm
still fully behind them." |
4/28/02

|
IROC gives open wheelers another black
eye In the latest in a long
line of IROC races dominated by NASCAR drivers, Saturday's round at
Fontana was another clean sweep by NASCAR drivers, leaving all the IRL
drivers at the back of the field. IROC is so lop-sided in favor
of the NASCAR drivers, the open wheel drivers may as well stay home.
IROC gives open wheel racing a black eye, because its drivers are made
to look inferior race after race. We find it amazing that the
IRL allows its drivers to participate. By participating and
always loosing, they put themselves in a position to look inferior,
hence building up NASCAR at the expense of open wheel racing.
Until such time as IROC is contested in equally prepared open wheel
cars, and run on both ovals and road courses, CART and IRL drivers
should boycott the series. MC |
4/27/02
|
Kyle Petty on MTV A
new MTV show, scheduled to debut in July, will feature the Sprint
Dodge driver along with a variety of top musical talents. The show,
"All Access," is a day-in-the-life type television show which follows
each talent through a key time period. Petty is the only driver, in
fact, the only person featured not because of his musical abilities.
"I did offer to sing a little bit for them," laughed Petty, who is
known for a singing voice which allowed him to open once for a Hank
Williams Jr. concert. "We’re still negotiating that part." For Petty,
that is this weekend at Fontana, Calif. An MTV crew began following
him and the Sprint Dodge team this week, beginning Thursday with
Petty’s appearances at a Sprint PCS store in the Los Angeles area and
at the Georgia-Pacific Teen Safety program at Los Angeles-area high
school. The crew stayed with Petty during practice and qualifying
Friday at California Speedway, and will remain with him through
Saturday’s practice and Sunday’s race. "It’s a little bit different
deal because of who they are but it’s pretty much the kind of thing
we’ve seen in this sport too," Petty said. "Getting our race team and
Sprint in front of the MTV audience is a good deal and it’s important.
This is something that is just good for the sport, just like it is
good for Petty Enterprises." |
4/27/02
|
What is Tony George thinking?
Dear AutoRacing1.com, I almost fell off my chair when I read the
report on your rumors page that Tony George and his entourage visited
Motegi, Japan during the CART weekend to see the track for his IRL
series. The IRL has failed miserably following CART into every
USA market they have gone to. Now he's actually thinking of
flying his cash-starved teams all the way to Japan to race in front of
Japanese fans who don't even know what an IRL is? He
underestimates the sophistication of the Japanese race fan.
NASCAR tried going to Japan, but they failed miserably and went back
with their tail between their legs. The Japanese don't buy
tickets for dumbed down race cars, and the IRL is just a NASCAR
version of open wheel racing that isn't catching on in America....let
alone Japan. I still can't stop laughing. Todd Bunyan,
St. Louis, MO |
4/27/02

|
ALMS
joins Toyota Atlantic at Trois-Rivières
UPDATE A Trans-Am race has also
been added to the weekend schedule.
4/26/02
- With series founder
Don Panoz, one of the most influential people in motor racing on hand,
Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières president Léon Méthot officially
announced at a news conference today that the American Le Mans Series
(ALMS) will be on the program for the 33rd edition of the event,
August 2-4. The North American series, which features the same cars
that compete in the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans, will be making its
first appearance in Quebec. The series boasts a number of high-profile
drivers, including Australian David Brabham (in attendance at the
media briefing), Johnny Herbert of Great Britain, Denmark’s Jan
Magnussen, Emanuele Pirro of Italy,
American Bryan Herta and Canadian
Ron Fellows. “Over the years, we’ve never been afraid to be innovative
in an effort to stand out from our competitors,” explained Mr. Méthot.
“The arrival of the American Le Mans Series will enable the Grand Prix
de Trois-Rivières to highlight the international nature of the event
even more, not only because many European teams will be competing but
also with the presence of several former Formula One and CART drivers
who are very popular on both sides of the Atlantic.” Besides the debut
of the American Le Mans series, this year’s event marks the return
after a two-year absence of the Trans-Am series. The series has
undergone significant changes (namely with the introduction of
mandatory pit stops) and the level of competition will appeal to
long-time racing fans, as well as newcomers to the sport. As the
rights-holder of both ALMS and the Trans-Am championship, Don Panoz is
delighted that these two major series will be running in
Trois-Rivières. |
4/27/02
|
No Indy 500, but busy May for Newman Haas Although the CART
race schedule shows no events for the month of May, Newman/Haas Racing
has a busy agenda in order to challenge for their fourth CART FedEx
Championship. On May 7-8 the team will test at the Milwaukee Mile oval
with Havoline driver da Matta behind the wheel. On May 13-14 both da
Matta and Lilly driver Fittipaldi will head to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car
course for a test on the road course. Fittipaldi will travel from the
Mid-Ohio test to Portland, Ore. for advance promotion of the G.I.
Joe's 200 which will take place on June 16. He scored his top finish
of 2001 in Portland with his dominating run to third place on a rain
soaked track. Round 4 of 20 in the CART FedEx Championship Series will
take place June 2 for the Miller Lite 250 at the Haas-promoted
Milwaukee Mile. NHR has won six events at the historic track. NHR |
4/27/02

|
2002 CART/IRL Attendance Meter (Updated
through CART race in Japan)
IRL |
1-Day |
3-Day |
CART |
1-Day |
3-Day |
Homestead |
24,000 |
25,000 |
Monterrey, Mexico |
95,000 |
236,000 |
Phoenix |
16,000 |
20,000 |
Long
Beach |
90,000 |
210,000 |
Fontana |
15,000 |
16,000 |
Motegi, Japan |
72,000 |
101,400 |
Nazareth |
10,000 |
13,000 |
|
|
|
Average |
16,250 |
18,500 |
Average |
85,667 |
182,466 |
Note: To date - IRL numbers are for oval
races. CART for 2 road course races and one oval. |
4/27/02
|
Bell sustained no injuries According to Dr. Steve Olvey,
CART Director of Medical Affairs, driver Townsend Bell (#20
Visteon/Patrick Racing Toyota/Reynard/Bridgestone) sustained bruises
and abrasions on both knees as a result of a single car incident in
Turn 3 on Lap 140. The CART Medical Staff performed x-rays in the
infield medical facility, which revealed that Bell did not sustain any
fractures in the incident. Bell will return to the United States as
scheduled. |
4/27/02
|
CART board approves rules changes The CART Franchise Board
has unanimously approved a significant rule change aimed at reducing
costs for the 2003 CART FedEx Championship Series season. The rule
change allows each team a total of eight days of testing for 2003, per
driver/car combination. Six of the test days must be used at
CART-sanctioned open test sessions, and if a team chooses not to use
the open test days, they will lose them. One open test will be Spring
Training which is likely to be held at Sebring International Raceway
in Florida, with the additional two-day open tests likely to be held
at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and a to-be-determined oval facility,
possibly The Milwaukee Mile, in May of 2003. The other two test days
allotted may be used for private testing at the team's discretion.
Previously, teams were allowed 14 test days for a one car team, 20
days for a two-car team, and ten additional days for each additional
team seasonal entry. The testing window for 2003 is open from January
3, 2003 until the first race of the season as well as the entire month
of May. The franchise board also approved an immediate rule change
limiting each entered race car with an assigned driver to a maximum of
24 rain tires per road or street course event weekend. The 24 tires
will consist of 16 tires brought to the event by the tire
manufacturer, and eight tires brought to the event by the entrant. |
4/27/02
Industry News
|
Ford establishes holding company for Mazda Ford Motor
Company announced Friday that it will establish a holding company to
own its 33.4 percent stake in Mazda Motor Corporation. The holding
company, Ford Automotive International Holding, will be established by
the end of May 2002. The holding company, owned 100 percent by Ford
Motor Company, represents only a change in the ownership structure and
will improve investment efficiency. There will be no effect on Ford's
financial reporting or its relationship with Mazda, which began in
1979. Mazda is still rumored to possibly be coming to CART in
2003. |
4/27/02
|
Will Villeneuve retire or come back to CART? 2nd
UPDATE Jacques Villeneuve says he is determined to stick
with his struggling British American Racing team until the end of his
contract in 2003. In an interview with Belgian daily Le Soir, the
31-year-old former world champion from Iberville, Que., denied rumors
that he would dump BAR and move to another Formula One team. "I have a
contract until the end of 2003. I don't see myself leaving,"
Villeneuve said. 4/26/02 -
Formula One newcomer, Toyota, has made it clear that Jacques
Villeneuve is not on its shopping list for 2003 (see related
article).
Villeneuve is likely to re-enter the driver market later this year,
but Toyota chief Ove Andersson has said that expensive drivers past
their prime do not fall in line with the squad’s manifesto. The Toyota
team is happy with its current driver lineup of Mika Salo and Allan
McNish who will more than likely remain on the team for next year.
Sauber Petronas has also expressed no interest in Villeneuve. With
Renault, Toyota, Sauber Petronas, and Renault expressing no interest,
Villeneuve's options to remain in F1 as a driver are indeed narrowing.
Although the French-Canadian has enjoyed past successes, his high
salary demands and lack of recent success may force him out of F1 and,
hopefully, back into CART.
4/24/02 -
It appears very likely that Jacques Villeneuve will leave BAR at
the end of the 2002 season. But where will he go in F1?
Most top teams have slots filled for next year, or drivers they are
already looking at. In this ITV/TV
article,
Renault has already said no to Villeneuve, and there is no way Jacques
will drive for another loser team. One has to wonder if
Villeneuve will take another look at CART now that CART is racing in
Montreal, his former hometown. |
4/27/02
 |
CART leads the way in racing safety
again CART and its
Medical Doctor Steve Olvey have come up with yet another industry
leading safety device. Well it's not exactly a device.
It's a computer program that measures how fast a driver can click a
mouse button and answer questions on a computer screen. It
measures the drivers biometrics. CART tests the drivers when
they are well and saves reaction times and how correct a driver
answers the questions. Then if a driver gets banged up in a
crash and loses consciousness, or sustains a concussion, CART can
measure just how good the drivers biometrics are compared to when he
was 100% well, and determine if they are ready to get back into a race
car. Whereas before, if a driver lost consciousness during a
race weekend, they were not allowed to race, now CART has a scientific
way of measuring whether they are well enough or not. Given how
often IRL drivers get banged up in their 100% oval track series, this
is one medical advancement they probably need to implement....now.
MC |
4/27/02
Industry News
|
Another American automotive company
signs China deal Diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton
Corporation (NYSE:ETN) today announced that it has signed an exclusive
distributorship agreement with Dandong Shuguang Axle Co. Ltd.
(Shanghai Stock Exchange:600303). This partnership establishes a
structure for Eaton mechanical locking differentials to be sold as
part of Dandong Shuguang Axle assemblies within the Peoples Republic
of China. The Eaton mechanical locking differential provides vehicles
equipped with Shuguang axles ultimate traction and mobility. Unlike
traditional open or limited slip differentials, Eaton's mechanical
locking differential automatically senses wheel slip and completely
locks the axle to transfer 100% of torque to the wheel with low
traction, and then automatically unlocks the axle. This innovative
Eaton technology has been successfully implemented on SUVs, pickup
trucks, vans and station wagons in North America and Europe. Eaton is
the global locking differential leader, producing over 1.2 million
locking differentials annually. Jake Hooks, Eaton Torque Control
Products Division's vice president and general manager, explained the
importance of this partnership: "Eaton Torque Control Products is
pleased to enter into the agreement with Shuguang Axle. We expect this
business relationship to significantly expand the Chinese market for
traction modifying differentials." Li Jin Dian, chairman of the board
and president of Dandong Shuguang Axle commented, "The incorporation
of Eaton's mechanical locking differentials into Shuguang's axles
introduces a whole new line of axle products into China's rapidly
growing SUV market. We are very excited about the cooperation between
Shuguang Axle Company and Eaton Corporation, which we anticipate will
expand into other areas in the future and prove to be mutually
beneficial." Shuguang Axle Company is the largest independent axle
manufacturer in China and one of the few publicly traded companies in
the Chinese automotive sector. It designs, manufactures and markets
axle assemblies and other driveline components. Its products are
widely used in the fast growing SUV, van, and pickup truck markets.
For more information about Dandong Shuguang Axle Co. Ltd, visit
www.chinasgaxle.com. |
|
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More...click on 2002 archives button below
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