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DATE
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News (chronologically)
|
6/30/02
 |
Biela and Pirro win at
Mid-Ohio Frank
Biela and Emanuele Pirro took victory in Sunday’s American Le
Mans Series race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course after their
Audi team car driven by Tom Kristensen and Rinaldo Capello ran
out of fuel on the last lap of the event. Kristensen, who did
not pit during the final caution period in the two-hour,
45-minute race and therefore inherited the lead, was
approximately two seconds ahead of Pirro when he started the
final lap. However, the Audi R8 Prototype’s engine sputtered
entering turn 3, allowing Pirro to catch and pass. With the
engine stopping and starting, Kristensen managed to coast
around the 13-turn circuit and finish second, 6.248 seconds
behind Pirro. “I was very surprised when Tom did not pit on
the final yellow flag,” said Pirro, who teamed with Biela and
Kristensen to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the third
straight year two weeks ago in the same car. “I thought that
Frank and I had the fastest car, but the other car would have
won had it pitted.” David Brabham and Jan Magnussen finished
third in a Panoz LMP-1, the car suffering damage late in the
race when Magnussen was battling with Pirro for second place. |
6/30/02
 |
Marco and Michael Andretti to
compete together for first time Marco and Michael
Andretti will compete for the first time together at the same
venue when the CART series visits Road America in August for
the Motorola 220. Marco will compete in the CART Stars
of Tomorrow go-kart race while father Michael competes in the
CART Champ Car race. MC |
6/30/02
 |
Mario Andretti switches to
Chevron Spotted on Mario Andretti in Chicago - a
Chevron insignia on his shirt, rather than the Texaco Havoline
Insignia he normally wears. Cristiano da Matta's car has
switched insignia's, as well, depending on the market. |
6/30/02
 |
Ryan Hunter-Reay wins again
The 2002 CART Toyota Atlantic Championship season is now
officially half-way over and who the Champion will end up
being is no clearer now than it was when the season started.
With temperatures hovering in the upper 90’s, Ryan Hunter-Reay
(Hylton Motorsports/Medlock Ames Winery/Autobytel/U.S. Print
Swift 014.a) scorched the 1.029-mile Chicago Motor Speedway
for his second win of the season. “It’s great to give Keith
(Hylton) a 1-2 finish,” beamed Hunter-Reay. “It is also nice
to get a win in front of our new sponsors, Autobytel, who are
on board with us here and in Denver. I knew I had a car
capable of winning the race. It was just a matter of biding my
time through the early yellows and being patient.”
Hunter-Reay, Roger Yasukawa, who was 2nd today, and the Hylton
team have quickly made their mark on the Toyota Atlantic
series, and looking at the scale of their operation, they
certainly are Champ Car material, though we hear they will
still run the Atlantics series in 2003. |
6/30/02
 |
Tony George's nephew moves up
to Toyota Atlantics Kyle Krisiloff, son of former
CART driver Steve Krisiloff, and nephew of Indianapolis Motor
Speedway President Tony George, announced today that he will
compete in the CART Toyota Atlantic series beginning at the
Molson Indy Toronto. Steve Krisiloff was married to
George's sister Josie. Krisiloff will drive for the 21st
Century Technology team with sponsorship from the USGP and
Patrick Racing. The team will be managed by his father
Steve, with associated support from Patrick Racing. He
is expected to run the remainder of the season.
Krisiloff most recently competed in the SCCA National Formula
Atlantic series where he captured two pole in just three
races, setting track records each time and finished on the
podium all three times, including two wins. The native
of Indianapolis, Indiana began racing at the age of three on
BMX bicycles. He competed in the six and under division until
he was four. Moving to inline speed skating he was also
competitive, but after being introduced to Quarter Midget
racing he quickly found a home. Over a four-year period
Krisiloff earned over 320 Feature wins, nine Grand National
Championships and posted 20 track records. Graduating from
Quarter Midgets he moved into 80cc Shifter Karts where he
acquired a taste for road racing. Krisiloff competed for KLS
Racing as a factory driver finishing tenth in the 1999 SKUSA
World Finals. In 2000 he won two SKUSA races taking the pole
twice. |
6/30/02

 |
Danica Patrick to make Barber
Dodge Pro debut at Toronto Team Rahal, a franchise
member of Championship Auto Racing Teams (“CART”), announced
today that Danica Patrick, who signed a multi-year driving
contract with the team earlier this month, will make her
Barber Dodge Pro Series debut at next week’s Molson Indy
Toronto. Patrick, a rising star in open-wheel racing, will
make her debut in the CART Ladder System with the race.
Patrick will drive for Team Rahal’s newly formed Toyota
Atlantic team in 2003. She was originally slated to run three
Barber Dodge races in August, but her success in testing a
Barber Dodge car last week at Sebring International Raceway in
Florida has accelerated that timetable. She is now scheduled
to run five Barber Dodge events this season. “A million things
are going through my mind right now,” said Patrick, a
20-year-old native of Roscoe, Illinois. “Obviously the test
went well enough that everyone felt I was ready to compete in
the series now. By starting now I get a chance to run on a
couple of street courses this year which will better prepare
me for the opportunity next season. This is something I have
been working towards for a long time and obviously I am
excited, but I have a lot of work ahead of me in the next week
to be ready to race. I have never seen the track in person,
only on TV so I will spend some time trying to become familiar
with the circuit. This is a great opportunity, an opportunity
that probably wouldn’t be happening if it wasn’t for the CART
Ladder System and for Bobby Rahal.” “Danica has worked very
hard to get to this point,” said Rahal, a three-time CART
champion. “I have had the chance to help a number of young
drivers over the years and it is rare to come across a driver
that has her determination and abilities. Certainly there has
been a lot of attention focused on her because she is a young
lady in racing, but the bottom line is she has to be
competitive as a driver. I feel she has the talent to get to
Champ Car racing and she has proven again and again that she
is just plain fast.”
Team Rahal |
6/30/02
 |
IRL Richmond attendance down
Last year attendance for IRL's Richmond race was publicized to
be 50,000 (though we questioned that). This year some
Richmond newspapers were saying the attendance was 35,000,
which of course is quite optimistic given the track seats
99,000 and it was perhaps 25% full. Attendance was off at
least 25%, possibly more. More accurate estimates put
this years attendance at 25,000, 6,000 of which were Marlboro
giveaways. CART will have similar mediocre results today
in Chicago as interest in open wheel oval racing wanes. |
6/30/02
Contest |
AutoRacing1.com contest
The first 25 people to identify 1) who drove the car shown in the
pictures below from the AutoRacing1.com archives, 2) what year
the pictures were taken, and 3) where the car is going, will
win four (4) free tickets to this weekends CART race at
Chicago Motor Speedway, courtesy of Simple Green and
AutoRacing1.com. You only need to get 1 of 3 questions
correct to win. Hint - the car is a Champ Car.

Answer: The car is a 1963 Hotel
Tropicana Novi owned by Andy Granatelli being loaded at LAX
and headed to the Indy 500 where it was driven by Bobby Unser.
He crashed on lap 2 and finished last. Congratulations
to the following winners who had one or more answers
correct and won four free tickets: Eric Zehnbauer, John
Downing, Chris Brown, Steve Fisher, David Smith, Michael
Panosh, Michael Crane, Mike Jablo, David Martin, Ken Morris,
Amy Schroeder, and Stuart Tiller. |
6/29/02
 |
Leitzinger wins
Rookie Butch Leitzinger of Tom Gloy Racing refused to
wither under oppressive heat and the determined challenges of
his three closest pursuers Saturday, and as a result, he
claimed his first career Trans-Am Series victory in the
Trans-Am Buckeye 100 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
Leitzinger (#88 Tommy Bahama Chevrolet Corvette) started from
the pole and led 41 of the race’s 45 laps, but his victory was
not as dominant as that might suggest. Following a late-race
restart necessitated by an off-course excursion by Craig
Shafer (#39 Somerset Door and Column Chevrolet Camaro) in the
Mid-Ohio carousel, Leitzinger was forced to hold off the
victory bids of a trio of Trans-Am veterans, headed by
three-time and defending series champion Paul Gentilozzi, also
the winner of the past three Trans-Am races contested on
Mid-Ohio’s 2.238-mile permanent road course. The final three
laps saw Leitzinger, Gentilozzi, series points leader Boris
Said and Johnny Miller – who entered the day second in the
championship – run nose-to-tail through several of Mid-Ohio’s
13 turns before Leitzinger finally generated enough breathing
room to finish 0.540 seconds ahead of Gentilozzi. Said
finished third, 0.975 seconds back, while Miller was fourth,
1.441 seconds off the pace. |
6/30/02
 |
F1 Birthdays: Schumacher
turns 27 Today, German ace Ralf Schumacher
celebrates his 27th birthday. Born in Kerpen, Ralf hit Formula
One in 1997 for Eddie Jordan's Silverstone based team, at the
tender age of 21. The feisty but unrefined talent took a few
years to mature, but a move to Williams sees him today a
highly-rated, established name in the current world
championship. Brother to quadruple world champion Michael,
Ralf Schumacher has netted 4 career wins, the first of which
at the Grand Prix of San Marino, last year. On this day, we
remember Nino (Emilio Giuseppe) Farina, the Italian driver
killed 36 years ago after a six year Grand Prix career. Born
in Torino, Farina contested 37 races for Alfa Romeo and
Ferrari. The last day of June also saw Lotus score their tenth
win - 39 years ago. Jim Clark notched up the accolade, in the
1963 Grand Prix of France. |
6/29/02
 |
TMS date to move According
to this Dallas Fort Worth
article,
Texas Motor Speedway's lone Cup race date on the 2003 schedule
apparently is on the move from its early-April slot. TMS'
combined BGN and Cup races occupied the April 6-7 slots on the
series' 2002 schedules. But fans who attended the Busch/Cup
weekend at Talladega April 20-21 received a letter from track
officials this week inviting them to renew their tickets, at
the same prices, for NASCAR events scheduled on April 5-6,
2003. The offer came with the advisory that dates for the BGN
race and the Cup race at Talladega are subject to change.
While NASCAR traditionally releases its full Cup and Busch
schedules in late summer, individual tracks increasingly have
been allowed to announce dates during the season to drum up
ticket interest in each market. Texas Motor Speedway's BGN/Cup
weekend could be moved back to March 29-30, the track's
traditional spot since opening in 1997. Eddie Gossage, TMS'
executive vice president and general manager, could not be
reached for comment Friday. |
6/29/02
 |
Irvine to quit F1 if new Jag
bad According to reports on
the BBC, Britain's Eddie Irvine warned he would quit Formula
One racing if Jaguar's new car is not competitive. The
36-year-old is disappointed the Jaguar car has languished near
the back of the grid all season, with Irvine's three points in
Australia their only success in this year's campaign. "If the
car comes out and it flies then I am going to want to stay in
Formula One," said Irvine, who is the oldest driver on the
circuit. "If it doesn't then it doesn't bode well for the
future. I am thinking that this package is going to be good.
We are going to turn up there and surprise people and we are
going to enjoy that. But the race is going to be one of the
defining factors in my future. It is going to let me know what
to do.” |
6/29/02
 |
Hylton
announces Autobytel sponsorship Hylton Motorsports,
the 2001 CART Toyota Atlantic Champions are pleased to
announce that Autobytel Inc., the leading Internet automotive
marketing Services Company, has become a primary team sponsor.
Autobytel’s sponsorship will adorn the #1 Autobytel/Medlock
Ames Winery/Toyota/Swift driven by Ryan Hunter-Reay for Round
6 of the 2002 CART Toyota Atlantic Championship at Chicago
Motor Speedway and Round 12, the series’ final event, the
inaugural Grand Prix of Denver.
More |
6/29/02
 |
Fogarty wins pole for Toyota
Atlantics race Alex Figge (Worldspeed
Motorsports/Northern Trust Redline Wine Country Motorsports
Ironclad Swift 014.a) posted the fastest times all day during
practice at the Chicago Motor Speedway and was the favorite to
win his first career pole for Round 6 of the CART Toyota
Atlantic Championship. But it was points leader, Jon Fogarty
(Dorricott Racing/Thomas Fogarty Winery & Vineyards Swift
014.a), who stole the show and in turn, won his first career
Atlantic pole on Saturday afternoon. Fogarty’s time of 26.978
seconds (137.312 mph) barely edged Figge’s time of 26.986
seconds (137.271 mph) earning him his first $1000 Toyota “Pole
Award” and earned Dorricott Racing’s its third pole of the
season. Teammate, Luis Diaz (Dorricott Racing/Telmex Swift
014.a) won poles earlier this season at Monterrey, Mexico and
Portland. Most importantly, Fogarty earned one more point in a
tight Championship battle. Fogarty now leads Michael Valiante
by three points heading into tomorrow’s race set to start at
high noon. Valiante will line up right behind Fogarty in third
after posting a time of 27.355 seconds (135.419 mph). CART |
6/29/02
 |
Biela and Pirro win pole at
Mid-Ohio Audi
driver Frank Biela, two weeks after winning the 24 Hours of Le
Mans for the third straight year, set a track record to take
the pole position Saturday for Sunday’s American Le Mans
Series event at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The German driver,
who will co-drive in Sunday’s sports car race with Emanuele
Pirro of Italy, turned the 2.258-mile circuit in 1:14.169
(109.598 mph), beating the record lap of 109.057 mph that was
set last year by Tom Kristensen. The Audi R8 Prototype that
Biela and Pirro are using is the same car that won Le Mans.
More... |
6/29/02
 |
Kanaan leads opening practice
at Chicago Tony Kanaan had the fastest time to pace
Saturday morning practice for Sunday's CART Grand Prix of
Chicago. The race is Round 7 of the 2002 CART FedEx
Championship Series. Driving the Pioneer/WorldCom Honda/Lola,
Kanaan had a top time of 23.326 seconds around the 1.029-mile
Chicago Motor Speedway oval, good for an average speed of
158.810 miles per hour. Tora Takagi was second fastest in the
Pioneer/Denso Toyota/Reynard and Patrick Carpentier was third
in the Player's/Indeck Ford-Cosworth/Reynard CART |
6/29/02
 |
Sigma out for season
We confirmed today that Sigma won't e back in Champ Cars in
2002, but would try to come back for 2003. |
6/29/02
 |
CART needs to look after Max
Papis A reader writes, Dear AutoRacing1.com, I see
all that CART is doing for next year and that's great! BUT
they have a great team in trouble with one of CART's most
popular drivers in Max Papis! The board needs to get together
and vote on a rescue package so Max doesn't become one of the
IRL's most popular drivers. This is a team that wants to be
racing in all aspects of CART and coming out with some form of
emergency help so they can make it to next year would be smart
for CART especially now. You can not afford to let Max Papis
race some where else , especially now that the elsewhere is
now been officially designated "THE ENEMY". CART should try to
assist in finding emergency loans to this team and also help
find some form of international sponsor. Sigma is a team that
will win ( if they can stay )and should be turned into a two
car effort for next year, with all the new deals coming up and
people like Memo Gidley still looking for a ride!!! CART needs
to recognize this team with it's Atlantic effort as well is
vital to CART in it's long term goals and in light of what
more bad press can do. The IRL waits for moments like this and
you can be 1000% sure Tony George will pay to get Max signed
if he can get Max to hold a nail for him. Don't forget how
upset Max was at Portland! Bottom line Sigma stays CART looks
even better and more positive press will come of it. Max goes
and another nail goes into the coffin by way of Mr. George's
hammer, and it is May all over again. Brian Defreese |
6/29/02
 |
Tracy - more convinced now that
he won Indy 500
This Chicago Sun Times
article, says -
Tracy and Green are more convinced than ever that Tracy won
the Indy 500. In their most detailed effort yet to prove that
Tracy passed Castroneves before a yellow flag came out with
less than 1-1/2 laps to go, they made their case last week
before IRL officials. For Tracy, who hadn't seen the evidence
because Green wanted him focused on the busy stretch of CART
racing that followed Indy, seeing the videotape and other data
Team Green compiled rekindled the frustrating feelings he had
when Castroneves was handed the Borg-Warner Trophy after the
race. "It's been harder for me lately, sitting around and
thinking about it now that I've seen everything,'' Tracy said.
"I felt that I'd won. I felt that I was ahead of him, but I
didn't really get the opportunity to see all the video and
photography stuff that Barry put together until the day of our
hearing. I've been on pins and needles, but our presentation
went really well. All we can do now is wait.'' Green remains
confident Tracy will be named the Indy 500 winner. "To me,
it's so clear Paul won that race that I'd be devastated if
it's not turned over,'' Green said. "I can't think of a good
reason for Paul not to get the win.'' |
6/29/02
 |
Tony George - "I'm best suited
to do it" In this Indy Star
article Tony George promised to provide "a summation"
of the facts when his ruling is made public. But George said
he stands by his decision to hear the case himself. He had the
option to hand it over to someone else. "That would have just
added (unnecessary) time," he said. "Besides, I'm best suited
to do it." |
6/29/02
 |
Sarah Fisher complaining about
Team Penske In this Indy Star
article Sarah Fisher says if we had a $20 million
budget like Team Penske and was testing every week we would be
running 168 MPH too, but we only have a $3 million budget!
There's a clear separation between the haves (Team Penske) and
the have-nots (the rest of the IRL field). |
6/29/02
 |
More F1 Hot News
The FIA Want Your
Help
Team Orders Are 'Rational'
F1 Teams To Discuss Calendar
Safety Fears At Albert Park
Jaguar Play Down New Package
Jaguar Impressed With Webber
Ferrari Sold To Investment Bank
Pre-Silverstone Testing Update
Renault Pay-Cut For Jenson?
F1 News In Brief (Saturday)
F1 Birthdays (Saturday) |
6/28/02
Fran-AM

 |
Fran-Am teams with CART and F1
in Montreal
Fran-Am Sport, organizers of the Fran-Am 2000 North American
Pro Championship Series sponsored by Michelin International,
today announced that the series will participate in both the
Canadian Formula One Grand Prix and CART FedEx Championship
weekends at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal, Quebec,
Canada, beginning with this August's Molson Indy Montreal. The
five-year agreement positions the Fran-Am 2000 series
sponsored by Michelin International as a leading support event
at two of Canada's premier races through 2007. "Competing at
both the Formula One and CART weekends in Montreal is a
natural extension of our worldwide championship philosophy,"
said Arden Weatherford, Fran-Am Sport's Director of
Operations. "These are two of the premier motorsports events
in North America and we're certain that both dates will
attract a number of the finest aspiring drivers in the world
to our series, as well as showcase our product to some of the
greatest racing fans around. We're looking forward to a
long-term future with Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve and the
promoters of these two outstanding events." "We couldn't have
asked for anything more than to join with the Molson Indy
Vancouver and now, the Molson Indy Montreal and Canadian Grand
Prix," said Andrew Field, President of Fran-Am Canada. "For
many years to come, Fran-Am will be bringing some of the most
exciting motor racing in the world to Canada and having three
of the greatest events in North America provides a tremendous
opportunity for Canadian drivers and spectators to experience
our series." The Fran-Am 2000 race car features a
spec-Tatuus carbon-fiber monocoque chassis, sealed
2.0-liter/186-horsepower motor (capable of running an entire
season without a rebuild), 6-speed sequential gearbox, and
spec-Michelin Sport racing tires. The spec nature of the
series has proven to keep operating costs to a minimum, while
providing a level playing field to all competitors. Since gear
sets are pre-determined, race weekend adjustments are
basically limited to wings, spring rates, ride height, castor,
camber and tire pressure. When permitted, races begin with a
standing start and run for a 50-mile duration. |
6/28/02
 |
IRL speed jump through the roof
Marlboro Team Penske never ran at Richmond before. They
were at a disadvantage going into Richmond this year.
However, an oval is an oval, not to worry. De Ferran
blew away the year-old track record by more than 8 mph,
winning the pole with a 168.705 mph lap. The 8-mph
increase in one year raised more than a few eyebrows up and
down pit road. With no turbocharger to turn back HP, the
IRL will definitely need to reduce RPM in 2003 to keep speeds
from running out of control. It's strongly rumored next
year they will be at 10,300, down from 10,700 this year.
And 2004? Perhaps we'll see the RPM down to
9,900.....Winston Cup pushrod, 1950's technology territory. |
6/28/02
 |
Cracks starting to show in
Hornish armor Sam
Hornish was the latest IRL super hero, or so he was made out
to be. However, with Team Penske now on the scene
fulltime, all of a sudden Sam isn't looking so super and Team
Penske has begun to dominate everyone. Is Sam succumbing
to the pressure of a top CART team and Brazilian drivers like
Team Penske?

Hornish crashes again, this
time in practice at Richmond, wiping out his left front
suspension
Photo Credit: Ron McQueeney/IMS |
6/28/02
 |
New
Jaguar slowest again in Barcelona
F1 testing, Barcelona - day 4
(unofficial timesl)
Pos Driver Chassis-engine Tires Time Laps
1 Alexander Wurz McLaren-Mercedes M 1m17.60s n/a
2 Heinz-Harald Frentzen Arrows-Cosworth B 1m18.25s 63
3 Jenson Button Renault M 1m18.68s 62
4 Kimi Raikkonen McLaren-Mercedes M 1m18.69s 29
5 Antonio Pizzonia Williams-BMW M 1m18.77s 101
6 Marc Gene Williams-BMW M 1m18.96s 140
7 Pedro de la Rosa Jaguar M 1m19.69s 64
8 Mark Webber Jaguar M 1m19.72s 56
Photo of new
Jag Courtesy
Getty Images/Mark Thompson |
6/28/02
 |
CART stock watch
A big day for CART today . . .
MPH closed at $9.85, + $1.15 on volume of 173,500 shares.
$8.68 Bid - $9.80 Ask on close.
Session Low/High $8.60/$9.85
MPH Value Change + 13.22%
END
Courtesy of C3I.AndersonGroupe, Chicago |
6/28/02
 |
Kristensen and Audi fast at
Mid-Ohio Picking
up where he left off two weeks ago at Le Mans, Tom Kristensen
set the fastest lap of the day Friday as American Le Mans
Series teams practiced for Sunday’s event at Mid-Ohio Sports
Car Course. Kristensen, who was part of the
winning team for the third straight year in the 24 Hours of Le
Mans, turned the 2.258-mile circuit in 1:15.410 (107.795 mph),
fastest of the 30 cars that practiced Friday. The Dane piloted
an Audi R8 Prototype that he will co-drive in the race with
Rinaldo Capello of Italy.
More... |
6/28/02
 |
Pook talks about non-turbo gasoline engines (V-10?) for
CART Ed Hinton writes in today's
Chicago Tribune that Chris Pook has a long-range
engine plan that should regain favor with some of the world's
top automobile manufacturers. By 2005, Chris wants a
normally-aspirated engine instead of a turbo-charged engine.
"And in all probability, it will be gasoline-fueled," he says,
"because that's what the world's automobile manufacturers
understand." In doing so, CART cars will then use the same
fuel as is used NASCAR and Formula 1. He's also doing this to:
a.) reduce costs to stop teams from leaving the CART series;
and b.) stop trying to create engine rules that are compatible
with the IRL, which the IRL has rejected anyway |
6/28/02
 |
Payton was Jourdain's mentor In this Chicago
Tribune
article, Michel Jourdain Jr. talks about his mentor,
Walter Payton, whom he met when Michel drove for the
Payton-Coyne Racing team in the 1990's. "I had the best
relationship with him. He was the best guy ever," Jourdain
recalls. "I miss him a lot. He was a big influence in my life.
The way he was, the way he was with people, he was just the
best. He was so famous, he was the best ever at what he did,
and still he was so good with people, so down to earth, very
smart." When Michel entered the CART series in 1996 with
Payton-Coyne, he was only 19 years old, the youngest person
ever to complete in the series. Michel has used his
relationship with Walter and his experience at Payton-Coyne to
propel him to a position where he's now driving for a
front-running team, Team Rahal. |
6/28/02
Industry News |
Penske - the $11 billion man Did
you know that the Penske Corporation reports annual revenues
of more than $11 billion. The company employs more than 35,000
people worldwide in several automotive-related ventures,
including car dealerships, truck leasing and auto service
centers. |
6/28/02
 |
CART stock watch
An interesting open in MPH this morning.
By 11:10AM EST MPG was up $0.50 per share to $9.20.
22,100 shares already traded. Session low is $8.60..
END
Courtesy of C3I.AndersonGroupe, Chicago |
6/28/02
 |
New sponsor for Barrichello
Formula One driver Rubens Barrichello will be sponsored by the
technology recovery firm Neverfail Group. As part of the deal,
the Neverfail logo will appear on both sides of Barrichello's
visor. The Neverfail Group is the first software company to
sponsor a Ferrari driver. |
6/28/02
Industry News |
Microsoft makes major China
investment USA companies continue their march
to China. Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer on Thursday
announced an investment of 6.2 billion yuan (about $743
Million USD) in China's software industry. After his arrival
in China on Wednesday, Mr Ballmer met premier Zhu Rongji and
other government officials to discuss information technology
co-operation. Microsoft and the State Development Planning
Commission (SDPC) agreed to the 6.2 billion yuan software
project, which will cover investments in education, training,
manufacturing, outsourcing, exports and domestic software
companies. Microsoft chairman Bill Gates and SDPC chief Zeng
Peiyan will head a joint committee to oversee the investment.
The plan was announced yesterday as the firm signed an
agreement with the Chinese Ministry of Education and five
major universities to further software education in China and
boost its image after a decade of increasing competition.
Microsoft's Great Wall Plan calls for spending 200 million
yuan over the next three years for basic funding, equipment,
internships and instruction, including 150 lecturers. The
company also pledged to invest four million yuan to set up a
software college at Shanghai's Jiaotong University, one of the
five beneficiaries. |
6/28/02
 |
Fiat sells part of Ferrari
Fiat has sold a 34 percent share of Ferrari to investment bank
Mediobanca instead of going public with the company. According
to the Financial Times, the deal, worth around £500 million,
will allow Fiat to receive a vital injection of cash earlier
than anticipated. Mediobanca plans to float the stake in the
first half of 2003, according to the Financial Times. The bank
has already placed 12.5 percent of Ferrari with a syndicate of
investors and is in talks for another eight percent. The sale
is likely to have some effect on Ferrari's Formula 1 team
given how much money they spend on the program and how many
cars they have to sell to make back the money. |
6/28/02
 |
More F1 Hot News
Minardi Paid Prost
Money
Team-Order
'Working Group' Set Up
Jordan: We'll
Always Be Here
Ferrari: Team
Orders Will Continue
Work Commenced On
F2003
Pre-Silverstone
Testing Update
New Jaguar: Too
Early To Say
Ferrari-driver
World Cup Showdown!
Montoya Hits Out
At Ralf
F1 News In Brief
|
6/28/02
 |
Mexico City ticket news
So far, tickets have not gone on sale to the general public.
The only people who can buy tickets are Mexican Banamex VISA
card holders right now. 7,000 3-day tickets have been
sold. Soon the floodgates will open when sales to the
general public begin. |
6/28/02
 |
Bad week in Chicago for CART
Looks like CART just ran into some incredibly bad luck in
being in Chicago this weekend and the end result is lack of
exposure, especially in the newspapers. Between the NBA draft
- where the Bulls drafted second and chose the NCAA Player of
the Year in Jason Williams, and now the Cubs vs. the White Sox
this weekend in inter-league baseball, space for racing has
been hard to come by. In talking with local TV, it will be a
chore on Sunday as well because local TV stations generally
only have 1, possibly 2 cameras to go to sporting events/non
news events.....Cubs-Sox will get one, Taste of Chicago will
get one.... To date, the two major dailies have done four
stories between them on the race -- three questioning CART's
future, and the one today about Tracy, which largely consisted
of talk of him going to NASCAR or IRL if CART goes under. The
Tribune writer submitted 2 or 3 major driver features, but has
been caught up in a lack of space with baseball, the draft and
World Cup going on. |
6/27/02
 |
IRL Hot Laps Hot
laps: Indy Racing League rookie Anthony Lazzaro will team up
with NASCAR Winston Cup Series veteran Jerry Nadeau to drive
the No. 7 Nissan-powered Lola fielded by Rand Racing in the
Jani-King Paul Revere 250 sports-car race on July 4 at Daytona
International Speedway. Lazzaro has driven Rand’s No. 8
Nissan-Lola with Terry Borcheller at selected Grand-Am
sports-car races this season … Indy Racing League points
leader Helio Castroneves is featured in the July/August issue
of Sports Illustrated for Women as part of the magazine’s
“Sexiest Men in Sports” issue. Castroneves joins such athletes
as basketball player Rick Fox, skateboarder Tony Hawk and
boxer Roy Jones Jr. in the swimsuit pictorial, available now.
Castroneves also is featured in the June edition of Latina
Magazine’s “Hot Issue,” which highlights the hottest
celebrities in the Latin community. IRL |
6/27/02
 |
Delphi extends Chicagoland
sponsorship Delphi Corp. has extended its title
sponsorship of the annual Indy Racing League event at
Chicagoland Speedway through 2003, company and track officials
announced June 27. The second annual Delphi Indy 300 is
scheduled for Sept. 8 on the 1.5-mile oval at Chicagoland
Speedway, located in Joliet, Ill. Jaques Lazier won the
inaugural Delphi Indy 300 last September. “The extension of
our partnership with Delphi for the Indy Racing League event
at Chicagoland Speedway speaks volumes about our facility and
the overwhelming support of the race fans in the Chicago
metropolitan area for the IRL brand of open-wheel racing,”
said Joie Chitwood III, Chicagoland Speedway vice president
and general manager. “The Indy Racing League put on a great
show during the inaugural Delphi Indy 300. “To sit in a
world-class facility and witness two- and three-wide racing at
speeds over 215 mph is unbelievable, and that is what the race
fans and motorsports marketing partners in this area are
looking for.” Said William A. Lafontaine, Delphi director of
marketing and customer development, “Our sponsorship of the
Delphi Indy 300 not only stresses our belief in motorsports as
a proving ground for future Delphi innovations, it also is a
valuable opportunity to build the Delphi brand.” Delphi has
been involved in open-wheel racing since 1988. Earlier this
year, the company announced an extension of its sponsorship of
Kelley Racing’s driver Scott Sharp and the No. 8 Delphi car
through 2005. IRL |
6/27/02
 |
Four lucky IRL fans
Four winners were selected for a chance to earn $50,000 along
with an Indy Racing League driver this weekend at Richmond
International Raceway in a special promotion conducted by
SunTrust Bank. The four lucky fans are paired with one of the
four IRL drivers – Robbie Buhl, Eddie Cheever Jr., Airton Dare
and Robby McGehee – for the SunTrust Indy Challenge on June 29
at RIR. If one of the four drivers wins the race, both the
driver and fan will take home $50,000, courtesy of SunTrust
Bank. If none of the four drivers wins the race, the driver
with the best finish of the group still will win $1,000 for
his fan. The pairings:
Contestant, Hometown (IRL Driver):
Paul Mayle, Bethesda, Md. (Robbie Buhl)
Bob Harman, Williamsburg, Va. (Eddie Cheever Jr.)
Kathy Short, Baltimore (Airton Dare)
Jennifer Cadden, Baltimore (Robby McGehee)
All four winners will receive a VIP Race Experience on race
day, including a meeting with their driver, a garage tour, a
gift pack and lunch at the Indy Racing League hospitality
pavilion. The winners were selected from entries filled out at
SunTrust branches in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. |
6/27/02
 |
Rudd decides to retire According
to this WSLS
article, Ricky Rudd has decided to hang up his helmet
at the conclusion of the 2002 season. |
6/27/02
 |
Mexico
City construction update
At the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, work continues to prepare
the track for the closing race of the 2002 FedEx CART series,
the Gran Premio Telmex-Gigante which will take place November
17th at this historic track. A new layout will be used,
including a couple of turns that will take the track through
the Foro Sol baseball field, in an unique experience for the
racing fan.
More..... |
6/27/02
 |
CART stock watch
MPH closed at $8.70, + $0.25 on
volume of 34,600 shares.
$8.05 Bid - $9.15 Ask on close.
Session Low/High $8.25/$8.70
MPH Value Change + 2.96%
END
Courtesy of C3I.AndersonGroupe, Chicago |
6/27/02
 |
New Jaguar fails to impress
From Autosport.com - Jaguar's updated version of the R3 failed
to shine on its first day of testing at Barcelona in Spain,
with Eddie Irvine propping up the times of the nine drivers
present. The Ulsterman started the day in the standard car and
set his best time of the day, before switching over to the new
version at 14.30 in the afternoon. He completed about 15 laps
altogether, but never managed a representative time with the
modifications in place. Both team principal Niki Lauda and
Irvine gave very brief statements after the test. "It's too
early to say, but it is encouraging," said Lauda. Irvine
echoed his sentiments: "It's very difficult to say anything,
because it's a different car. I never got much running in it
today, so we've got a lot of work to do."
1. Räikkönen - McLaren - 1:17.755
- 93 laps
2. Wurz - McLaren - 1:17.857 - 54 laps
3. Pizzonia - Williams - 1:18.069 - 94 laps
4. Frentzen - Arrows - 1:18.851 - 68 laps
5. Button - Renault - 1:18.880 - 103 laps
6. Fisichella - Jordan - 1:19.291 - 51 laps
7. Massa - Sauber - 1:19.334 - 92 laps
8. Gene - Williams - 1:19.448 - 80 laps
9. Irvine - Jaguar - 1:19.912 - 51 laps |
6/27/02
 |
Andy Petree announces new
sponsor Andy Petree Racing announced today they
have signed a one-race deal with 1-800-CALLATT to sponsor
driver Mike Wallace in the APR #33 Chevrolet for the NASCAR
Winston Cup Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway on
July 6th. The car’s colorful paintjob will feature
1-800-CALLATT spokesperson and comedian Carrot Top and his
trademark red locks on the hood. "It's an exciting opportunity
for APR," Petree said. "To be involved with a brand like
1-800-CALLATT in a situation that puts Mike behind the wheel
on a Superspeedway - we're certainly playing to our strength.
We've got a competitive team and a wild paint scheme for one
of the most exciting races of the season - our goal is to put
Carrot Top at the front of the field under the lights in
Daytona." APR has been without a full-time sponsor for the #33
car since the end of last season. Wallace and the #33 team
have run just four races this season with using one-race deals
with various sponsors. Wallace had some success ay Daytona. He
has posted victories in the ARCA series in 1994 at Daytona and
won the inaugural Craftsman Truck Series race in 2000. Wallace
qualified 9th quick and started 17th in the 2002 running of
the Daytona 500 back in February, and posted a career-best
finish of 6th in 2001. “Daytona has been a racetrack that I
really enjoy a lot, I understand the draft there. I like
racing there, so anytime I have the opportunity to go there
with a car that’s capable of winning the race, that’s very
exciting for me and I feel that’s the position with the #33
APR car and this sponsorship. “We’re hoping that we can taker
the 33 car to Daytona, and run well enough to convince ATT
that they need to be involved longer.” APR has made its mark
over the past two seasons at restrictor plate tracks. Bobby
Hamilton, driver of APR’s #55 Square D/Schneider Electric
Chevy, earned Petree his first Winston Cup victory as an owner
in the final Superspeedway race of 2001 in Talladega. The team
has been the focus of much attention concerning a partnership
with Jerry Jones, owner of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, who
recently purchased a controlling interest in APR’s two-car
operation. “It’s still a work in progress, we’re working on
it, it is something we want to do,” said APR executive vice
president and general manager Steve Barkdoll of the
partnership with Jerry Jones. “Hiring drivers is part of it,
just putting the whole program together. We’re not there yet,
hopefully we’ll be close soon. We’ve been talking to them
since last October, and it’s not done yet, but it is something
we’re pursuing.” APR also rumored to be making a switch from
Chevrolet to Ford, and recently purchased several Penske Fords
at an auction earlier this month. The team is also pursuing a
full-time sponsor for the #33 car as well as re-signing
Schneider Electric/Square D as sponsor of the #55 car. “We’re
not set for next year, whether it be the Cowboys, ATT, Square
D, we’re not set.” Barkdoll said, “Schneider Electric/Square D
is signed until the end of this year, and we’re currently
negotiating with them to extend that. They’ve been a great
partner of ours and we hope to continue working with them.”
Pete McCole |
6/27/02
 |
Montoya slams Ralf
Juan Pablo Montoya has slammed his team-mate Ralf Schumacher
for a start-line incident in last weekend's European GP that
he claims cost him the race. As the Williams duo headed into
the first corner they banged wheels leaving Montoya's steering
bent and effectively ruining his race after just a few hundred
meters. "If I had not moved off line it's possible both of our
races would have ended there," says Montoya in British
magazine Autosport. "I went and had a word with the team about
it after the race," he adds. "Because if you are racing with
your team-mate then you have got to think a little bit about
the other guy. "If the situation was not like that then I
could have gone out wide, pushed him into the gravel and spun
him out," adds the Williams F1 star. Uncannily this isn't too
dissimilar from what happened later in the race when Montoya
clashed with McLaren's David Coulthard at the same corner. |
6/27/02
 |
Scheckter has is eye on F1
Tomas Scheckter has gone on record that F1 is his ultimate
goal, but it's likely he will have to leave the IRL soon and
move up to CART or another road racing series before his
reflexes are permanently dulled on oval racing. |
6/27/02
 |
Ladder Series news
Toyota Atlantic Championship contenders Hylton Motorsports and
Lynx Racing will open their doors to the first CART Mentor
Program and Barber Dodge Pro Series participants AJ
Allmendinger and Marc Breuers this weekend at the CART Grand
Prix of Chicago. Current Pro Series point leader Allmendinger
will team up with defending Atlantic champions Hylton
Motorsports and drivers Ryan Hunter-Reay and Roger Yasukawa.
Currently sitting third in Pro Series points, Breuers will
join two-time Atlantic champion Lynx Racing and its drivers
Michael Valiante and Grant Ryley.
More.... |
6/27/02
 |
Earnhardt on Sports Illustrated
cover This week's edition of Sports Illustrated
Magazine (cover date: July 1, 2002) features Dale Earnhardt
Jr. on the cover. The prestigious sports weekly shines the
spotlight on "The NASCAR Nation" -- and how the explosive
growth of the sport is being fueled by Earnhardt Jr's fame and
success. The extensive cover story was written by Jeff
MacGregor, who, along with his wife, is traveling the entire
Winston Cup circuit in a RV to experience as much of the
NASCAR phenomenon as possible NASCAR |
6/27/02
 |
NASCAR sponsors cashing in The
NASCAR television package, consisting of FOX, NBC, FX and TNT,
has proven to be extremely beneficial to car sponsors in terms
of exposure. Joyce Julius and Associates has calculated the
on-camera time by car sponsors in the NASCAR Winston Cup
Series and translated it into monetary value of comparable
advertising. Through the Michigan event (race 15 of 36), the
big winner was Budweiser (Dale Earnhardt Jr.) with $81.2
million in comparable advertising. Joining Budweiser among the
top five were Lowe's (Johnson) at $47.6 million; UPS (Dale
Jarrett) at $43 million; NAPA Auto Parts (Michael Waltrip) at
$42.7 million; and Coors Light (Marlin) at $39.7 million.
Who's watching? - The NASCAR Winston Cup Series continues to
maintain its position as the No. 2 sport on television. The
season kicked off in stellar fashion as the Daytona 500 became
the highest-rated (10.9 rating/26 share) and most-viewed
broadcast (35 million viewers) in NASCAR history. Every NASCAR
Winston Cup Series race has been the most-watched motorsports
event of each weekend, including Memorial Day weekend, and
consistently ranks among the most-viewed sports programs each
weekend. NASCAR Winston Cup Series races have attracted an
estimated 132,750,000 viewers so far this season, dwarfing its
open-wheel rivals NASCAR |
6/27/02
 |
Hello Chevy, where have you
been? Chevy put
out the following press release today, touting the wonders of
their new 7-post shaker rig. To which we ask, where have
you been the last two decades, CART and F1 have been using
them for a long time? - - Like secret agent James
Bond, who preferred his martinis shaken instead of stirred,
Chevrolet teams are shaking things up in the Indy Racing
League. The shaker they use can't be found in any bartender's
kit, however. They rely on an instrumented seven-post rig that
accurately simulates the stresses and strains of oval-track
racing in a laboratory environment. Information generated on a
seven-post rig can be invaluable on a challenging track like
Richmond International Raceway's tight .75-mile oval, the site
of Saturday night's 250-lap SunTrust Indy Challenge. Like wind
tunnels and dynamometers, the seven-post rig is another tool
in GM Racing's race car development kit. While a wind tunnel
gauges aerodynamic performance and a dyno measures engine
output, the seven-post rig puts the chassis and suspension to
the test. "A seven-post rig allows a racing team to recreate
the vehicle's behavior on the track in a controlled
environment," said Kevin Bayless, a chassis and aerodynamics
consultant for GM Racing who works closely with Chevrolet IRL
teams. "The device is called a 'seven-poster' because there
are typically seven hydraulic actuators that work on the car."
Unlike a paint can shaker at the local hardware store, the
seven-post rig's hydraulic plungers and rams are precisely
controlled by a computer to reproduce the loads encountered on
the track. Similar systems are used to evaluate the ride and
handling of GM production vehicles. "The race car sits on four
wheel actuators that simulate a variety of road inputs,"
Bayless explained. "Three additional actuators simulate the
aerodynamic downforce produced by the wings and ground
effects, as well as the suspension loads produced on a banked
oval. These actuators also provide a means to roll the vehicle
to evaluate cornering performance. "The seven-post rig allows
us to analyze the effects of various suspension settings on
the race car's wheels loads and ride height," Bayless
continued. "It permits a team to work through a variety of
spring, damper and roll bar packages quickly to develop an
optimum combination." Like any laboratory tool, the seven-post
rig has limitations, however. "After we develop a package on
the seven-post rig, it still must be tested and proven on the
track," Bayless noted. "Setups that look promising on the
seven-poster don't always work in the real world. "Chassis and
suspension development on a seven-post rig is still in its
infancy, and we're continuously learning more about the
process," he explained. "The interactions between the
suspension, the chassis, the aerodynamic loads and the track
are extremely complex. Of course, the driver must also feel
confident and comfortable with the setup, and that's something
that can't be evaluated on a test rig. However, the
seven-poster does allow us to identify potential gains in
performance that warrant further testing." With the
introduction of sophisticated tools like the seven-post rig,
there's a whole lotta shakin' goin' on in the world of Indy
car chassis development. Chevy |
6/27/02
 |
Hinton continues assault
against CART In this
article that appeared in today's Chicago Tribune, Ed
Hinton points out how the perception between the CART and the
IRL has changed dramatically. The IRL was created to cut costs
but is now facing increased costs, while CART had the image of
high-cost and high-tech is now embarking on an austerity
program next year. However, in general Hinton is
critical of CART and their 'spec' engine program, saying CART
won't be a major factor in motorsports going forward....to
which we respond.....This quote from the new Nigel Roebuck
column at Autosport reiterates one of our salient talking
points remarkably well....he also digresses in another answer
on the CART Cosworth decision: Recently, when I was in the
USA, someone-in-the-know murmured to me a few facts and
figures about the company's different motor sport programs.
"In the States," he said, "we're in NASCAR, CART and NHRA
dragsters - and the whole lot together costs less than the
World Rally Championship program." He paused. "Add all those
together - and they cost less than the F1 program..."
Interestingly, it appears that the amount spent on a
particular program is inversely proportional to the success
that program achieves! Ford does very well in NASCAR, CART and
NHRA, reasonably well in rallying - and appallingly in F1 |
6/27/02
 |
Chris Pook speaks out
In this
article that appeared in today's Chicago Tribune,
Chris Pook had this to say about what CART needs to do to get
the word out about its future: "There are two avenues to
public relations now," said 61-year-old Chris Pook, who last
December took over as the latest president and CEO of CART.
"Public relations that deal with the sport . . . and political
spin stuff. . . . We are going to have to get a political-spin
person to guide us through this storm. Some have been writing
factually about our numbers and the good attendance we have.
Others have been deciding to ignore that, dealing with doom
and gloom. At the end of the day, the facts are going to be
the facts." There was more speculation that Barry Green,
who runs three cars in CART, would follow Penske's lead to the
IRL. But, Green recently said, "There is a lot of exciting
news Mr. Pook cannot talk about today." |
6/27/02
 |
Ferrari starts work on 2003 car
According to Ferrari's technical director Ross Brawn, the
Ferrari team have begun work on their 2003 car already. Brawn
revealed that almost all of the design department was working
on the car to get ahead of schedule. "Naturally we have been
able to start work on next year's car," Ross Brawn said. "We
are not getting complacent, but you are always looking to try
and divide your resources between the current program and
future programs, and obviously we can now put more emphasis on
the future," Brawn told Autosport. "Although we have to
maintain reliability and performance so we don’t have a
performance shortfall. There will be tough races this year,
but we have been able to start the new car and put more
resources into it far earlier than we did last year.” |
6/27/02
Industry News |
Mazda and Ford China effort It
seems most racing engine manufacturers are increasing their
business in China......If CART goes to China, will Mazda go to
CART?
According to this Reuters
report, Japan's fifth-largest automaker, Mazda Motor
Co is exploring opportunities in China with partner Ford Motor
Co., new president Lewis Booth said on Thursday. "We are
looking at further opportunities in China both in terms of
vehicles and in terms of component sourcing," he told
reporters. "I know that Ford is doing just the same thing. We
are looking together to see if there are any areas of mutual
benefit in China," he said. Ford owns 33.3 percent of Mazda --
still a very small player in China but which like other
automakers is eager to strengthen its presence in the world's
most populous nation. The lowering of tariffs and the lifting
of restrictions on models sold that have come with China's
entry into the World Trade Organization last December have
lured Japan's car companies to plunge deeper into the market.
Booth, who became Mazda's new President on Tuesday, said any
new deal would have to respect Mazda's and Ford's existing
relationships with their Chinese partners but declined further
comment on details. The Chugoku Shimbun, a regional newspaper
covering the Hiroshima area where the Japanese automaker is
based, has reported that Mazda and Ford are considering a
joint venture in China that would build at least 150,000
vehicles per year. It has also reported that Mazda is in talks
with First Automotive Works (FAW), China's biggest auto group,
to build its new mid-sized sedan, the Mazda6 in Changchun in
northeast China. |
6/27/02
 |
Hornish to try his hand at
NASCAR This Indy Star News
article says, Ty Norris, executive vice president for
high-profile Dale Earnhardt Inc., confirmed Wednesday plans
are being finalized to have the defending Indy Racing League
champion compete in "some" stock car races next season.
Hornish likely will drive in the Busch Grand National
division, although John Barnes, general manager of Hornish's
IRL team, Panther Racing, said the deal could include a
Winston Cup program for the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400.
"We're two or three weeks away from knowing our entire lineup
for next year," Norris said. "But Hornish is something we want
to do if we can get the details worked out." NASCAR officials
became interested in Hornish after his second-place finish in
his first stock car race, the International Race of Champions
event at Daytona in February. Hornish, who turns 23 next week,
emphasized he will remain a full-time IRL driver, in part
because he's locked in to Panther through next season. The
Indianapolis-based team officially exercised its third-year
option on Hornish in January and is negotiating an extension
through 2005. Both sides hope to sign the contract by season's
end. "There is no buyout clause (for Hornish) and we're not
interested in selling his contract for any amount of money,"
Barnes said. "We love him, and he's a big part of Panther
Racing. And we hope Panther Racing is a big part of his life." |
6/27/02
Industry News |
WorldCom woes UPDATE
The media center at Indy is named the WorldCom center.
The Indy Speedway will also lose out if WorldCom files for
bankruptcy, which appears all but certain now.
6/26/02 -
Mo Nunn Racing sponsor WorldCom spiraled toward the brink of
bankruptcy after the communications giant reported it had
disguised $3.8 billion in expenses. The company's disclosure
reveals one of the largest in a series of accounting scandals
that have shaken faith in corporate America. WorldCom, which
owns the nation's No. 2 long-distance carrier MCI, said
Tuesday that more than $3 billion of expenses in 2001 and $797
million in the first quarter of 2002 were wrongly listed on
company books as capital expenses, thus not reflected in its
earnings results. That means the company may have actually
lost millions of dollars when it reported profits. The
Clinton, Miss.-based company said it will restate earnings for
all of 2001 and the first quarter of 2002. ''Our senior
management team is shocked by these discoveries,'' said CEO
John Sidgmore, who was appointed in April to replace Bernard
Ebbers amid questions about the company's growth and finances.
WorldCom also announced Tuesday that its chief financial
officer, Scott Sullivan, has been fired. In addition, the
company said it would lay off 17,000 workers beginning Friday.
The news could be the final blow to WorldCom, which is reeling
from a low stock price, a crumbling telecommunications market
and an ongoing Securities and Exchange Commission
investigation. |
6/27/02

 |
NASCAR needs to follow F1's
lead One reason there is so much cheating going on
in NASCAR is because the fines they hand down are chump change
to most of the teams. They are so small, in the 10's of
thousands range, it's worth the risk of cheating because the
consequences are meaningless. Compare NASCAR's paltry
fines to what the FIA charged Ferrari yesterday just because
the wrong driver stood atop the podium - $1 million.
Perhaps NASCAR does not want to discourage cheating so when
they catch the perpetrators they can get more media coverage.
NASCAR hands down more fines in one month than all other major
sanctioning bodies hand out in one year....combined. One
has to remember that NASCAR was started by a group of
moonshine running hillbillies, who would break the law by
running homegrown alcohol from place to place in their 'souped
up hot rods.' That cheating mentality has been with
NASCAR from Day 1 and it's been with them ever since. In
fact cheating is part of their folklore. Many stories
are still told to this day about how the rules have been
broken in NASCAR. It's time for NASCAR to start handing
down $1 million fines. That will get the potential
perpetrators attention and nip this cheating mentality in the
bud. Anything less is clear evidence that they don't
want cheating to stop. |
6/27/02
 |
More F1 Hot News
Asiatech 'Mystery'
Revealed
New Jaguar 'Night
And Day' Difference
Irvine's Football
Fever
HANS Compulsory
For 2003
Ecclestone:
Michael Panicked
2003 F1 Calendar
Released
Pre-British GP
Testing Update
F1 News In Brief
F1 Birthdays |
6/26/02

 |
Team Green displays Indy 500
evidence
Autoracing1 and Champweb have learned that evidently Barry Green has taken the displays that he used in
pleading his Indy 500 case before Tony George last week
(regarding his claims that Paul Tracy was leading when the
yellow lights first came on), and has mounted them in the Team
Green cafeteria for all their employees to see. The time
synchronized, frame-by-frame blowups show Paul Tracy clearly
ahead of Helio Castroneves for a distance of 90 to 100 feet
before the yellow lights first flashed on. Apparently the
Penske side didn't bring any displays to the hearing. Perhaps
Roger already knew his friend Tony George would not rule
against him (even though the evidence appears as, we
understand it from various sources, to point to Paul Tracy as
the real Indy 500 winner), so why bother. Green has shown
evidence that the yellow lights on the fence came on after the
pass. Apparently, again as we understand it, the other side
has no concrete evidence that the dash lights came on before
the pass, only Helio's claim that they did. Everyone else says
they didn't. In the heat of action, without even thinking,
Paul Tracy's immediate reaction to his crew over the radio was
"Yahoo, we won it".....i.e. Paul knows he was ahead when the
yellow came out. Based on the evidence presented to us, it
would seem to us that Tony George can only rule one way, that
Paul Tracy won the Indy 500, though we will be the first to
admit we are not attorneys, and are not certified to render a
legal opinion (then again, Tony isn't an attorney either). The
longer Tony George delays the ruling, the longer Team Green
and their sponsors get cheated out of the benefit of the
advertising value that goes along with an Indy 500 win, if
they did indeed win. We expect the ruling to be that Green's
evidence was not 100.00% conclusive (i.e. Green did not prove
that the dash lights were not on), therefore, Helio, keeps the
win. Pundits say the light Helio saw was his low fuel
pressure light. We can't comment as to whether that is
true or not. We find it hard to believe that the amount
of data presented was that voluminous that it could take so
long to render a decision. Either TKG wins their plea or
they don't, let's get this show on the road! |
6/26/02
 |
NASCAR puts the screws to Dodge
teams
Starting July 3rd, the cylinder width or "bore" of every
Winston Cup engine can be no more than 4.185 inches. In the
past, teams could choose if they wanted their engines to have
wide, short cylinders or long, narrow cylinders. Shorter
strokes means you can turn higher RPM. Many Dodge teams,
including Marlin's team, used the short, wide cylinders. Those
cylinders won't meet NASCAR's new mandate. That means about 60
engines built for Marlin and teammate Jimmy Spencer are
useless and new engines have had to be built. Is NASCAR going
to pay the team for these junk engines since they decided to
make this mid-season whimsical rules change? It's not like
Dodge built an illegal engine, they did not. "Probably the
biggest thing that's hurt us is the time it's taken to build
the [new] motors up and to start getting a new fleet of
engines," said Andy Graves, team manager at Chip Ganassi
Racing. "One thing it has cost us is development time. "I
think that from the beginning of this season up to this point,
a lot of teams have made gains in horsepower and, basically,
we've done zero. Our cars are making the same power as it has
because we've been spending so many man-hours getting our new
fleet of engines built up." |
6/26/02
 |
CART sponsors get behind
Chicago race When
Championship Auto Racing Teams signs a deal to have a race at
one of the 20 venues on its schedule, its main focus is to
tend to the business of racing, while assisting the tracks
where needed in the promotional duties. But this weekend's
CART Grand Prix of Chicago is a different beast as the series
went to bat in a move to keep one of the nation's biggest
markets on its schedule, taking over promotional duties for
the event to be run on the 1.029-mile Chicago Motor Speedway
oval. CART is responsible for everything from selling tickets
to finding sponsor opportunities at the track in preparation
for this weekend's event - a task that is a deviation from the
norm, but one that is being handled with aplomb by the race
organizers. "The Chicago market is very important for any
sports organization and CART is no different," said CART
President and CEO Christopher R. Pook. "I am very pleased with
the spectacular effort put forth by our people as well as our
sponsorship and marketing partners in helping build a
successful event." CART set up its own satellite office in
Chicago to ensure that its staff would be in touch with
everything that needed to be done for the race, having to take
over the promotional task after the owners of the track
decided that they were not going to hold any auto races this
season. CART announced that it was taking over promotional
duties on March 4, meaning that tickets have only been
available for three months, but the sales have been steady
ever since the box office opened. Sponsors have seen the
opportunities presented in Chicago, taking steps to put their
names not only in front of the fans that come out to the
track, but also to the nationwide audience tuning in on CBS
for Sunday's race (3:30 p.m. ET) as well as SPEED Channel for
Saturday's live qualifying coverage (2:30 p.m. ET). Series
title sponsor FedEx, tire supplier Bridgestone, wireless
equipment provider Motorola and safety team sponsor Simple
Green are just some of the companies that have chosen to
support the event, along with Toyota, which has supplied many
of the track vehicles. Simple Green is also doing a promotion
with local ACE Hardware Stores for the race. Shell is offering
an incentive plan for its customers with race tickets as a
reward in its 170 Chicagoland area stores. Customers will have
the chance to pick up one free Sunday race ticket with any
three purchases of $15 or more. In addition, customers will
have the opportunity to purchase up to three additional race
tickets at a 25-percent discount. Miller Brewing Company and
Pepsi are also putting forth promotional efforts to help draw
fans to the event.
-
Craftsman is involved in a number
of racing events over the weekend, but has chosen the Chicago
race to showcase its Craftsman Pit Crew Challenge program,
which rewards teams for their quick work in the pits with a
season-ending competition worth $50,000. The program, which
pits the four quickest teams over the 2002 season against each
other in a season-ending shootout, will have a Wild Card entry
available at the Chicago event with the fastest team on race
day earning a pass as the fifth team to enter the shootout to
be held at California Speedway on Nov. 3.
-
SPEED Channel will have a major
presence at the popular Taste of Chicago event, setting up a
trailer that will be on hand for 10 days, with CART-based
giveaways for fans including 'CART Lives On SPEED' posters. A
show car will be on display along with a 53-foot CART mural. A
24-foot television screen will be part of the display, showing
all of the action from Chicago Motor Speedway including SPEED
Channel's CART Friday Night program, which will take place at
the festival in Chicago's Grant Park.
-
A total of six hours of original
programming and nine hours of total coverage will emerge from
this weekend's CART Grand Prix of Chicago, including a
same-day showing of the CART Toyota Atlantic race that opens
action on Sunday afternoon (SPEED Channel, 9 p.m. ET).
-
Broadcast times for the events of
the CART Grand Prix of Chicago are as follows: CART Friday
Night, (SPEED Channel, Friday 10:30 p.m. ET); CART Friday
Night re-air (SPEED, Saturday 3:30 a.m. ET); CART Friday Night
re-air (SPEED, Saturday 2:00 p.m. ET); CART Qualifying,
(SPEED, Saturday 2:30 p.m. ET, live); CART Grand Prix of
Chicago (CBS, Sunday 3:30 p.m. ET, live); Toyota Atlantic race
(SPEED, Sunday 9:00 p.m. ET); Atlantic race re-air (SPEED,
Monday 2:00 a.m. ET).
|
6/26/02
 |
Foyt to help Grandson
While most high-school students are enjoying their summer
vacation, A.J. Foyt IV actually is looking forward to
furthering his education. Of course, 18-year-old Foyt’s summer
“classroom” doesn’t contain books or blackboards, and the
curriculum is slightly unconventional. Instead of writing
essays or analyzing equations, Foyt, from Hockley, Texas, will
apprentice one of the greatest race drivers of all time: his
grandfather, four-time Indianapolis 500 champion A.J. Foyt.
Young Foyt, a teen-age karting sensation who graduated from
high school earlier this month, will drive for his famous
grandfather in the Indy Racing Infiniti Pro Series, a new
development series designed as the training ground for future
Indy Racing League champions. “My grandpa is going to be
helping me a lot, but I’m not expecting anything different
from how he treats his drivers,” said Foyt, whose car will
carry the No. 14 synonymous with “Super Tex.” “I know
everything he tells me – or hollers at me – will be just for
the good. “I’ve got a lot of people behind me that have been
around for a while and really know what’s going on, so I think
we’ll be in good shape. We’re starting to get things ready for
our first race July 7 at Kansas Speedway. It’s really going to
be big to drive an Indy-type car with the No. 14 on it. I’m
looking forward to it.” In addition to his driving duties,
young Foyt is a member of the pit crew for his grandfather’s
Indy Racing team. Foyt will be at Richmond International
Raceway for this weekend’s SunTrust Indy Challenge, where his
responsibilities will include changing the right front tire on
Airton Dare’s No. 14 Harrah’s/A.J. Foyt Racing
Dallara/Chevrolet/Firestone. “Being a tire changer is good for
me because it makes me realize what the guys have to go
through, how much work it is and how difficult it is,” Foyt
said. “It’s definitely good for when I get into the car. I’ll
respect those guys more for what they do.” Dare, an Indy
Racing veteran at 24, will serve as young Foyt’s driver coach.
It’s a role he welcomes. “I’m going to try to help him as much
as I can because A.J. helped me a lot,” said Dare, the 2000
Indy Racing League Rookie of the Year. “I’m just trying to
give back the favor he gave to me.” Other up-and-coming
drivers joining Foyt in the Infiniti Pro Series include Arie
Luyendyk Jr., son of two-time Indianapolis 500 champion Arie
Luyendyk, actor/racer Jason Priestley, short-track standouts
Aaron Fike and Ed Carpenter and Native American Cory
Witherill. The inaugural, seven-race Infiniti Pro Series
season begins July 7 at Kansas Speedway. The 100-mile
“sprints” will take place at the same track and on the same
day as Indy Racing League events except for the Texas race,
which will be conducted the day before the IRL’s season-ending
Chevy 500. |
6/26/02
 |
New Hampshire surface cracking
According to this New Hampshire Citizen
report, an upcoming NASCAR Winston Cup test session
was canceled at the New Hampshire International Speedway after
it was learned that hairline fractures were found in the newer
portions of the track. There will now be no testing prior to
next month’s Winston Cup event which is slated to begin July
19. NASCAR rules do not allow testing to be done seven days
prior to a race. That means Winston Cup teams will not be able
to practice on the newly reconfigured track before the race
weekend. In April, both of the lower turn areas on the
superspeedway were widened by 12 feet between Turns 1 and 2,
and Turns 3 and 4 on the 1.058-mile oval, with the hopes of
adding the second groove. The goal was to create more racing
excitement with cars having more room to pass and opening the
possibility of side-by-side racing. In recent years, NASCAR
drivers had complained that it was too difficult to pass on
the one-groove speedway. After May’s Busch Grand National
Series event, most drivers sung the praises of the changes.
Fans were also treated to a more exciting brand of racing on
the "Magic Mile" as cars were able to race side-by-side. But
the hairline cracks were found recently in the newer racing
groove between Turns 3 and 4, perhaps as a sign of stress or
from an inferior mix of asphalt. In order to remedy the
situation, Pike Industries of Belmont will repave the areas of
the track in question in order to fix the cracks. Hopefully
three weeks time will be adequate for the new pavement to cure
before the 600 miles of racing scheduled for the traditionally
busy July NASCAR weekend. In addition to the 300 mile Winston
Cup event, NASCAR’s Craftsman Truck, Busch North, and
Featherlite Modified Series will be in action. |
6/26/02
 |
CART stock watch
MPH closed at $8.45, + $0.25 on
volume of 40,200 shares.
$7.78 Bid - $8.81 Ask on close.
Session Low/High $8.10/$8.45
MPH Value Change + 3.05%
END
Courtesy of C3I.AndersonGroupe, Chicago |
6/26/02

 |
Miami Promoter looking for more
money, ISC still trying to undermine race According
to this Miami Today
article, Promoters of an October auto race in downtown
Miami are still looking for co-investors and on Monday will
ask the Miami Sports & Exhibition Authority for a $1.5 million
loan. Raceworks, owned by architect and developer Willy
Bermello, attorney Peter Yanowitch and racing legend Emerson
Fittipaldi, has plans to stage the first Grand Prix of the
Americas here Oct. 4-6. Still, the group is trying to raise
funds for marketing and staff and to help build a course
starting in Bayfront Park, continuing south on Biscayne
Boulevard and circling back to the park. In an effort to raise
capital, the group expects to sell up to 60% of Racework's
controlling interest to Championship Auto Racing Teams, or
CART, said Lucia Dougherty with the law firm of Greenberg
Traurig representing the promoter. Raceworks is looking for
investors to buy controlling interests in the event, Ms.
Dougherty said Tuesday. "They are selling shares," she said.
Event organizers last week asked Miami commissioners to amend
the city-issued revocable license to reflect CART and a
Delaware-base limited partnership as new partners. But the
city administration Monday said the change was unnecessary
until an ownership transfer took place. Raceworks has the same
owners it did when the license was granted, said Assistant
City Manager Frank Rollason. Mr. Bermello owns 33.33%, Mr.
Yanowitch 63.67% and Mr. Fitipaldi 3%. While still not a
partner, CART - which owns, operates and markets the CARTFedEx
Championship Series - is committed to participating in the
three-day event, she said. The American Le Mans will also take
part in the Grand Prix. The race falls under the purview of
the city's Sports & Exhibition Authority, which reports to the
Miami City Commission. The group, with some city commissioners
sitting on its board, is in charge of marketing, funding or
underwriting sports and community events. |
6/26/02
 |
FIA Statement on Ferrari
The FIA issued the following statement following today's World
Council Meeting: 'Having studied the observer’s report and
heard the three parties concerned, Rubens Barrichello, Michael
Schumacher and Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, the World Motor
Sport Council resolved as follows. The race The WMSC
deplored the manner in which team orders were given and
executed at the Austrian Grand Prix. Nevertheless the Council
finds it impossible to sanction the two drivers, because they
were both contractually bound to execute orders given by the
team. The Council also recognized the long-standing and
traditional right of a team to decree the finishing order of
its drivers in what it believes to be the best interest of its
attempt to win both world championships. In the circumstances,
the Council decided; with some reluctance; that it could take
no action over the team orders given by Scuderia Ferrari
Marlboro at the Austrian Grand Prix. The podium The
podium procedure was not followed. Having finished second,
Rubens Barrichello, who is a Brazilian national, stood on the
top step while the German national anthem was played for
Michael Schumacher. Michael Schumacher then ascended the top
step and both drivers, rather than just the winner, stood
there while the Italian national anthem was played. Michael
Schumacher took the trophy for first place from the Austrian
Chancellor, did not acknowledge him, handed the trophy to
Rubens Barrichello and then took the second place trophy from
the Austrian Deputy Chancellor. It is the duty of each team to
ensure that its contracted drivers observe the podium
procedures and do not in any way embarrass the national
authorities of the country where a grand prix takes place. The
World Motor Sport Council held that Rubens Barrichello,
Michael Schumacher and Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro were each
guilty of failure to observe Article 170 of the Formula One
Sporting Regulations. The World Motor Sport Council imposed a
fine of $1 million (USD) on Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, Michael
Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello jointly, half to be paid
immediately and half to be suspended for one year. The fine
will become payable immediately should a similar offence occur
within the next twelve months.' |
6/26/02
 |
Provisional 2003 F1 calendar
same as 2002
March 9, Australia (Melbourne)
March 23, Malaysia (Sepang)
April 6, Brazil (Interlagos)
April 20, San Marino (Imola)
May 4, Spain (Barcelona)
May 18, Austria (A1-Ring)
June 1, Monaco (Monte Carlo)
June 15, Canada (Montreal)
June 29, Europe (Nurburgring)
July 6, France (Magny-Cours)
July 20, Britain (Silverstone)
Aug. 3, Germany (Hockenheim)
Aug. 17, Hungary (Hungaroring)
Aug. 31, Belgium (Spa)
Sept. 14, Italy (Monza)
Sept. 28, USA (Indianapolis
Oct. 12, Japan (Suzuka) |
6/26/02
 |
Most Popular Driver votes top 1
million
Shattering all previous vote totals, the 2002 Grands!®
Biscuits National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) NASCAR
Most Popular Driver Award poll has surpassed 1 million fan
votes in only four months of online voting. The highest vote
total previous recorded for the award is 400,000. Dale
Earnhardt, Jr., who has led the poll since voting opened in
March, continues to be the top vote recipient with nearly
300,000 votes to date. Bill Elliott is currently in second
place followed in the top 10 by Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart,
Bobby Labonte, Mark Martin, Kyle Petty, Rusty Wallace, Kevin
Harvick and Michael Waltrip. NASCAR Winston Cup fans can
continue to vote online once per day at
www.nascarpopulardriver.com through Nov. 10. |
6/26/02
 |
Danica Patrick hits the track
Young American female driver Danica Patrick continued her
learning process on U.S. racing circuits this past week by
testing an open-wheel car and a stock car. Patrick, the petite
20-year-old from Roscoe, Ill., who signed with Team Rahal
earlier this month for the 2002 and 2003 seasons, took her
racing helmet and uniform to the South and drove two of the
most diverse racing machines on two completely different race
tracks. Patrick, who impressed many open-wheel racing experts
on European road circuits as a teenager, spent a day at the
Greenville-Pickens (S.C.) Speedway at the controls of a Busch
Grand National stock car, the Ford Taurus normally driven by
Scott Riggs. “The stock car is a completely different animal
than anything I have driven in the past,” said Patrick, who
placed second in the “Formula Ford Festival” in England in
2000. “Plus driving on a small half-mile oval with a big car
is a different experience too. But once I got used to the car
and the track I think I ran some pretty good laps. The Ford
folks were very helpful in letting me test the stock car. That
test added to my learning experience in racing.” A few days
later Patrick headed to the famed Sebring (Fla.) International
Raceway for two days of testing in the Barber Dodge Pro Series
open-wheel car. Patrick is scheduled to race in three Barber
Dodge Pro Series races later this year beginning at the
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in August. “The Barber Dodge car
was more familiar to me after my experience in rear-engine
cars,” said Patrick, who won the pro division in the Toyota
Pro/Celebrity Race at Long Beach, Calif., last April. “The
cars are really fun to drive and I was able to develop the
chassis setup on the second day. I’m anxious to the race these
cars this year. The CART Ladder System is a great program and
the Barber Dodge cars help a driver gain the needed
experience. I think these cars give you a good sense of
developing your driving abilities.” Patrick, who also tested a
Toyota Atlantic car, an Indy Lights car, a Ford-powered Midget
and a BMW sports car this year, will also test a Toyota
Atlantic car for Team Rahal later this year as she prepared
for a full season in the Toyota Atlantic Championship in 2003
for the Ohio-based team headed by three-time CART champion
Bobby Rahal and entertainer David Letterman |
6/26/02

 |
CART attendance growth keeping
pace with F1 in Australia
UPDATE We have added additional statistics to the
table below. Also, with V8 Supercars getting equal
billing with CART in Surfers this year, we are told to expect
a weekend crowd of over 300,000, up from a phenomenal 286,810
last year. Also, the V8 Supercars race in Adelaide drew
between 1999 and 2001, 158,000, 164,000, 166,400 respectively.
As we stated in this article titled, 'Should
CART race at Adelaide?' CART teaming with V8 Supercars
at that venue is a no-brainer. There is no question that
with CART and V8 Supercars, Adelaide can draw numbers equal to
Surfers. The market certainly can support another CART
race. 6/26/02 -

3-day
Attendance |
1997 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
F-1 (Melbourne) |
289,000 |
297,000 |
345,300 |
359,500 |
369,500 |
CART (Surfers) |
226,000 |
245,553 |
250,817 |
269,890 |
286,810 |
F-1 vs. CART (diff) |
63,000 |
51,447 |
94,483 |
89,610 |
82,690 |
% difference |
28% |
21% |
38% |
33% |
29% |
F-1 Annual Growth |
|
8,000 |
48,300 |
14,200 |
10,000 |
Percent |
|
3% |
16% |
4% |
3% |
CART Annual Growth |
|
19,553 |
5,264 |
19,073 |
16,920 |
Percent |
|
9% |
2% |
8% |
6% |
|
6/26/02
 |
Asiatech looks to team up with
car manufacturer According to this Reuters
article, Formula One engine builders Asiatech, a
secretive company with publicity-shy Asian backers, are
designing their own car and hoping to team up with a
manufacturer. Currently supplying Minardi free after a similar
one-year deal with Arrows, Asiatech said at the weekend it was
time to reveal some plans. "Asiatech has been a mystery now
for the two years that we have been on the circuit and we are
finally talking," Japanese-born financial director John Gano
said at the Nuerburgring. "Our philosophy has always been to
keep our mouths shut, keep our heads down, do the work. "We
have come to the point where, using the generous seed money
that I was able to raise in Japan, we want to link with a road
car manufacturer. "The future of Formula One is road car
companies," said Gano, whose company has spent some $150
million investing in their program for a total reward to date
of just three championship points. "We are talking to a couple
of manufacturers now but we don't want anyone to feel like
they've been left out. That's why we are sending the signal
around. We don't want people to come to us and say 'Why didn't
you contact us?' "We want everyone to know: Don't miss your
chance. The time to talk to us is now." |
6/26/02

 |
CART vs. NASCAR - it's a matter
of taste This Chicago Sun-Times
article makes some interesting comparisons between
CART and NASCAR, the least of which is their vast differences
in popularity right now, NASCAR being the hands down winner.
On the other hand, CART brings speed, technology and driving
skill that makes NASCAR look like it's stuck in second gear.
It's a subtler art; with no fenders to protect them,
open-wheel drivers must avoid the kind of contact that makes
NASCAR so fun. But that adds to the watchability for
sophisticated race fans. You won't see any NASCAR-style,
middle-aged drivers in CART, where reflexes really count.
Beauty is a matter of taste, but it's hard to argue against
CART's sleek racing machines. In another CART plus, its points
system is set up to encourage drivers to win races, rather
than be content with merely finishing them. |
6/26/02
 |
Ferrari, Schumacher and
Barrichello fined $1 million Ferrari, Michael
Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello have been jointly fined one
million dollars by the FIA over the controversial finish to
last month's Austrian Grand Prix. The fine came after
Schumacher, who was handed the race after teammate Barrichello
was ordered to let him pass near the end of the race,
responded to jeers from the crowd by pushing his teammate to
the top of the podium to accept the winner's trophy. There was
no point deduction or ban. The FIA views their well
orchestrated podium ceremony sacred. The fine is $500,000, with the remaining $500,000 to paid if it happens
again. |
6/26/02
 |
Coulthard job secure at McLaren
McLaren driver David Coulthard has let slip that he is
contracted to the Woking team 'for the foreseeable future',
ending weeks of speculation that the return of Mika Hakkinen
may leave the Scot without a home. ' You never know what the
future holds', he said, 'But I see no reason to change. We
have all the ingredients here; we're a well funded, well
organized team with a proven history of winning - so why
move?'
|
6/26/02
 |
New Jag hits the track
Jaguar Racing have explained that their heavily revised
Formula One contender, dubbed R3b, was tested at the Belgian
Lommel circuit yesterday to 'Check that the downforce data we
are getting from the load cells in the wind tunnel is correct.
We tested the R3 first and then the newer car so that we can
check the same data on the same day in the same conditions'.
Once verified, the new car will join the majority testing
action at the Barcelona track where Eddie Irvine and Pedro de
la Rosa will take the wheel. Aussie charger Mark Webber will
drive the older Jaguar on Friday. |
6/26/02
 |
Minardi and Coloni F3000 deal
opens up test drives F3000 outfit Coloni
Motorsport's new links with European Minardi should see
Italian drivers Giorgio Pantano and Enrico Toccacelo granted a
Formula One test in 2002. An arrangement was signed at the
Nurburgring event which will see the two F3000 teams join
forces in various technical and commercial capacities,
allowing the struggling junior Minardi team to conclude the
season. 'This will provide a route for our young drivers to
have their first taste of Formula 1,' said team principal
Paolo Coloni. 'This is a very good arrangement because it will
benefit everyone concerned.'
|
6/26/02
 |
More F1 Hot News
Ferrari's Date With
The FIA
Sauber Eyeing Up
Drivers?
Bridgestone: Our
Tires Were Better
McNish Fighting
Fit
Pre-Silverstone
Testing Update
Team Orders 'Part
Of Ferrari'
Williams Promise
To Improve
Fisichella: Jordan
Is Less Demanding
A Bit Of Fun With
Coulthard
F1 News In Brief
F1 Birthdays:
June 26 |
6/25/02
 |
New China site emerges
According to this GrandPrix.com
article,
Shanghai has said that it wants an event but a visit a few
weeks ago to
Wuhan, China by members of the Australian GP
Corporation, led by John Harnden apparently came home very
impressed with what they saw. |
6/25/02
Industry News |
Lola to cut jobs despite
expanded business According to a Autosport magazine
report, Racing car constructor Lola is planning to
slim down its workforce, despite its continued expansion in
and away from motorsport. As exclusively revealed in this
week's AUTOSPORT magazine, the British company is to supply
chassis next season to Japan's top single-seater championship,
Formula Nippon, for the first time in six years. Lola will
build heavily modified versions of its Formula 3000 racer,
filling the void left by former rival Reynard, which went out
of business earlier this year. The project adds another
single-seater program to its business, which already includes
Champ Cars, F3000 and a planned Formula 3 car. |
6/25/02
 |
Pay-per-view does well in debut
According to a Joyce Julius and Associates
report, NASCAR's
much-anticipated foray into enhanced television, NASCAR In Car
On iN Demand, was unveiled during the Sirius Satellite Radio
400 from Michigan, and one of the corporate entities taking
advantage of the subscription coverage was Dale Jarrett's
primary sponsor, UPS, which collected more than $120,000 in
"bonus" exposure. According to research conducted by Joyce
Julius and Associates, Inc. - which specializes in
documentation and analysis of exposure received by corporate
sponsors -from the single digital cable channel dedicated to
Jarrett's car, UPS reaped one hour, 36 minutes, 57 seconds
(1:36:57) of clear in-focus exposure time and a value of
$121,115. Three cameras carried on-board Jarrett's car -
in-car (48:19/$60,355), bumper (45:21/$56,660) and roof
(3:17/$4,100) - accounted for all of UPS' exposure. Exposure
value was calculated by comparing the on-screen time to an
estimated cost of a commercial spot during the subscription
telecast. The estimated commercial rate was determined by
taking a percentage of the Fox over-the-air ad rate, based on
a projected viewership for the subscription telecast. NASCAR
IN CAR On iN DEMAND was provided free to all digital cable
subscribers. The package consists of seven sequential
channels, including the live network program, five dedicated
in-car camera channels with virtual dashboards, and a
statistics channel. Also benefiting from the in-car cameras
carried by Jarrett were "The Muppets", as a logo pertaining to
a current promotion with UPS was viewed on the dashboard for
45:07 ($56,350). Additionally, the race title sponsor, Sirius
Satellite Radio, enjoyed 10:06 of graphics during the coverage
of Jarrett, for a value of $12,635. Beginning with this past
weekend's Dodge/Save Mart 350 from Sears Point Raceway, the
NASCAR IN CAR On iN DEMAND service is being offered as a $99
package available for the remaining 22 events on the 2002
NASCAR Winston Cup Series schedule. |
6/25/02

 |
No sponsor for IRL race at MIS,
where's the AP article? The Associated Press, having
nothing better to write about, published a story recently that
the upcoming CART race in Denver as of yet does not have a
title sponsor. The IRL's upcoming race at Michigan
International Speedway is before the Denver race, and we're
still waiting for AP to write their story about that race not
having a title sponsor either. Of course they won't,
because like vultures circling the dying lamb, some
journalists go on a feeding frenzy and look for any angle they
can to turn up bad news about CART. Talk about cutting
off ones nose to spite ones face. If CART dies, some of
these same journalists will be out of a job. Newspapers
where CART races have also published anti-CART stories
before, during and after a CART race in their town. If
CART dies, their town loses their race. Talk about not
being able to see the forest through the trees. |
6/25/02
 |
RPM2Night to be broadcast from
MIS ABC and ESPN continue to show their support for
the IRL by announcing that RPM2Night will be broadcast live
from Michigan International Speedway the week leading up to
the IRL race on July 28th. They never did this when CART
was racing there, so it's become quite evident they are doing
everything they can to help the IRL succeed. We hear
ticket sales are not going so well and to expect plenty of
empty seats. |
6/25/02
 |
CART stock watch
MPH closed at $8.20, - $0.29 on
volume of 51,000 shares.
$7.50 Bid - $8.46 Ask on close.
Session Low/High $8.12/$8.50
MPH Value Change - 3.42%
END
Courtesy of C3I.AndersonGroupe, Chicago |
6/25/02
 |
CART expands global reach with
more TV deals
The exciting action of the CART FedEx Championship Series will
have an even larger audience throughout the world beginning
with this weekend's CART Grand Prix of Chicago as series
partner Octagon CSI has finalized a deal with FOX Sports
International to broadcast live races in five more regions of
the globe. Octagon CSI has secured non-exclusive rights for
CART events through FOX Sports International and will
broadcast events in Latin America, the Middle East, Israel,
Hungary and the Czech Republic. The remainder of the 2002 CART
season will be shown live to those regions through the new
deal with this weekend's event from the Chicago Motor Speedway
serving as the springboard. Brazil is not covered under this
new agreement, but does have live CART coverage through a
previously-announced broadcast deal. |
6/25/02
 |
CART clarifies wing package
Correcting a statement from CART's pre-race release concerning
this weekend's CART Grand Prix of Chicago, Championship Auto
Racing Teams, Inc. confirmed that it will use the same
aerodynamic rules that were in effect for the June 2 Miller
Lite 250 at the Milwaukee Mile. The last short oval race on
the CART calendar, Milwaukee is a similar distance to Chicago
(1.032 miles to 1.029) prompting the series to use the package
that it ran at the Wisconsin State Fair Park event - a race
eventually won by Paul Tracy after four different drivers took
their turns leading the 250-lap battle. The wing package is
the single-element 'Euro Spec' rear wing, designed to cut
turbulence behind the cars and promote tighter racing. The
package was introduced last season for use at the German
Lausitzring in Round 15 of the 2001 CART FedEx Championship
Series. |
6/25/02
 |
Fisher to race rest of IRL
Season with Dreyer and Reinbold
Fan favorite Sarah Fisher will race the rest of the 2002 Indy
Racing League season for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, starting
with the SunTrust Indy Challenge on June 29 at Richmond
International Raceway, team officials announced June 25.
Fisher competed in the Firestone Indy 225 in April at
Nazareth, Pa., and in the Indianapolis 500 in May with
Indianapolis-based Dreyer & Reinbold Racing as a teammate to
driver/co-owner Robbie Buhl. Fisher will continue as Buhls
teammate for the remaining seven races of the 2002 IRL season.
Its no secret that weve had an interest in getting Sarah
back in the car, Buhl said. We want to make sure shes
competing. The best way to grow our professional relationship,
and present her to new sponsorship opportunities, is to have
her compete on the track. Fishers primary sponsor for
the Richmond race will be SunTrust Bank. Old World Industries
brand SmartBlade premium wiper blades will become the primary
sponsor for the remainder of the season, starting at the
Ameristar Casino Indy 200 on July 7 at Kansas Speedway.
Associate sponsors include Allegra and Purex, both of which
will continue their support from the Fishers earlier run at
Indianapolis. Other new associate sponsors include Jack K.
Elrod Company and Old World Industries brands Splitfire Spark
Plugs and Peak Antifreeze. IRL |
6/25/02
 |
Team Players and Pizza Hut
Partner Up
Today, Pizza Hut Canada and Team Players announced a two-year
partnership deal to promote Pizza Huts 310-10-10 delivery
service hotline across Canada. We couldnt think of a better
partnership than racing, or a better team than Canadas own
Team Players, to help bring the message of 310-10-10 to
Canadians, said John Bitove, Chairman and founder, priszm
brandz, operator of the majority of Canadas Pizza Hut
restaurants. In the pizza business, its all about delivering
a hot, fresh, great tasting pizza quickly to our customers
door. The Pizza Hut / Team Players partnership was announced
today at a press conference. Millions will see Pizza Huts
310-10-10 hotline this summer, as it will adorn the racecar of
Team Players drivers, Alex Tagliani and Patrick Carpentier.
The Pizza Hut / Team Players sponsorship package includes
in-car camera TV coverage of Canadas three Indy races:
Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal. Team Players will provide
name and racing imagery to Pizza Hut for use in merchandising,
advertising and in-store P.O.P. Continuing to link sports to
its marketing strategy, Pizza Hut will launch an in-store
racing-themed 310-10-10 summer promotion beginning July 1. In
announcing the agreement, Mark Thorne, Marketing
Communications Manager for Players, reinforced the strong
partnership. Pizza Huts promotion of Team Players, our
drivers and the sport overall strengthens our connection with
Canadian sports fans. We think its a great alignment and hope
to see the partnership grow in future years, stated Thorne. |
6/25/02
Industry News |
Broadband boom in the USA
Demand for sports highlights online is set to soar after a
report (Pew Internet and American Life Project.) reveals that
24 million Americans, or 21 percent of all web users in the
US, now have access to high-speed internet connections.
Up to 37 percent said their internet use has cut down on TV
time...and you wonder why TV ratings are down? Are you
still using dial-up? If so, you don't know what you are
missing. Get a cable-modem or DSL! |
6/25/02
 |
Toyota to NASCAR trucks - not
yet! According to this Autoweek
article,
Despite claims to the contrary from sources inside NASCAR, and
consistent claims from Dodge, Chevy and Ford truck teams,
Toyota says it is not entering the NASCAR Craftsman Truck
Series in 2003. "Its true that we are working with NASCAR in
a study to determine if its a desirable thing for NASCAR and
Toyota to do, its been ongoing for almost a year, said Lee
White, group vice president and general manager of Toyota
Racing Development (TRD). Were in our third year in the
[NASCAR Touring] Goodys Dash now. The next logical step is
the truck series. But not in 2003 and not necessarily even in
2004. White says the decision about Tundras in NASCAR would be
made before the end of calendar year 2002. Part of the delay
would come from building an engine, which would have to be
done from a clean sheet of paper. White says Toyota would
likely approach engine development the way Dodge did, building
a race engine unlike anything in trucks sold on dealer lots.
For instance, production Tundras have dual overhead cams while
Craftsman Trucks have pushrods. |
6/25/02
 |
SPEED Channel to air Zanardi
special
Two-time CART champion Alex Zanardi, who lost both legs in a
tragic racing accident last September while leading the
American Memorial 500, has granted SPEED Channel's Bob Varsha
his first American television interview since the near-fatal
crash. An extended segment of this Sunday's SpeedNews (7 p.m.
ET) will be dedicated to this candid conversation, recorded at
Zanardi's home in Monaco just last week. From the interview:
Varsha: "You have always been a very positive, upbeat
person -- were you able to stay positive in the first days of
your recovery?"
Zanardi: "... I felt destroyed but I am a very
optimistic person because I always had this little star
shining and telling me 'you will walk again. It won't be with
your own legs, it will be with your prosthetic legs, but you
will walk again.' "
The interview then will be expanded into a SPEED Channel
special on Zanardi to be aired at a later date. In addition to
the in-depth conversation, this half-hour program also will
include a reunion between the driver and the CART medical team
credited with saving his life. "Alex talks very openly about
his injury, his recovery and his future," said SPEED Channel
Coordinating Producer Frank Wilson. "It is amazing to see how
far Alex has come in just nine months. His recovery and bright
outlook will be an inspiration to anyone watching this
interview." |
6/25/02
Industry News |
Lola and Dome join forces
Huntingdon, UK based Lola Cars International and leading
Japanese race car manufacturer, Dome, announce today a joint
venture to design and build Formula 3 single seater race cars
for the European and Asia Pacific markets. In an historic
agreement the two companies - which successfully compete
head-to-head within many international race series - have
finalized plans to enter into F3 for the 2003 season, aiming
to compete in Formula 3 in the UK, German, French and Japanese
Series for this increasingly popular category of motorsport.
Design for the Lola-Dome 2003 F3 car will principally be
undertaken at Dome Co., Ltd headquarters in Japan, in
collaboration with a visiting team of on-site Lola engineers,
as well as items of detail design being on the grids for
2003." Lola Cars, with a 45 year history of producing winning
racing cars, is well placed to take on this new joint venture.
The company has an enviable record of success with single
seater racecars produced for the prestigious US based ChampCar
Series, international and national F3000 series, in addition
to many winning years with sportscars. In 2001, the companys
cars won three Sports Car Championships; FIA Sports Car (SR2
class), American Le Mans Series (675 class) and Grand-Am (SR2
class). David Bowes, Managing Director, Lola Cars
International, explains the decision to build the new car
saying, "This move into Formula 3 racecar production with Dome
is a significant one, not only for our company but also for
the industry. Sharing our capabilities and facilities will
optimize performance, costs and service to benefit our
customers and the F3 category. I look forward to seeing the
first car out on track in early November." "We are delighted
and privileged to be joining with Lola Cars in this unique
agreement. We have enormous respect for the company and its
achievements over the past five decades. Dome has unrivalled
expertise within the Asia Pacific F3 marketplace which, added
to Lolas vast experience, will create a powerful force not
only in our home territory, but also on a global level. I am
looking forward to F3 2003." The joint venture agreement will
be for an initial two-year period, until the end of the
current F3 technical regulations, with an option for a further
three years. Lola |
6/25/02
 |
Burton does not sign contract
According to this Roanoke Times
article, Car owner Bill Davis says it's fair to
consider the car with Ward Burton as driver to be open for
next season after Burton didn't sign a contract extension
before the team's deadline. "He had a 30-day window to sign a
contract and he chose not to do it," Davis said. Burton, this
season's Daytona 500 winner, said he had planned to sign it
but family matters came up and he missed the deadline. Either
way, the contract was not signed and Burton's status at Bill
Davis Racing - a place Burton has been since late in the 1995
season - is cloudy. |
6/25/02
 |
Richmond race to reach 190
million homes The Richmond Times Dispatch writes -
The Indy Racing League invades Richmond International Raceway
on Saturday night and brings with it a worldwide audience.
ESPN International will beam the race to more than 140
countries, with access to 110 million TV households. In
addition, the event will be sent on a delayed basis to another
90 million homes. ESPN International will have its own set of
announcers here, not to be confused with Bob Jenkins, Paul
Page and Scott Goodyear who will call the action on ESPN,
starting at 7:30 p.m. |
6/25/02



 |
SPEED Channel growth on target
This Charlotte Business Journal
article talks in-depth about SPEED Channel's growth,
and the fact that it is very much on target. Advertising
sales should triple last year's, says Jim Liberatore, Speed
Channel president. Industry experts estimate the network will
generate revenue of $60 million to $70 million in 2002. Just
as important, the network now reaches 52 million households,
up from 30 million two years ago. Prime-time ratings are up
23%. The ambitious gains will be merely a start if Liberatore
has his way. He hopes to reach 70 million to 80 million homes
within the next few years. Revenue, in turn, will grow as the
audience becomes bigger. By comparison, ESPN reaches 86
million households. Last month, Liberatore, 39, found himself
in Los Angeles at News Corp. headquarters. He was there to
make a presentation on Speed Channel's new direction. All the
top executives were there, including Chairman Rupert Murdoch.
Thirty seconds into Liberatore's presentation, Murdoch nodded.
"You guys have a great business, you know what you're doing,"
he told the group. "I've got to go to another meeting."
Network executives have discussed a future home closer to
NASCAR race-team shops in Mooresville. For now, VP of
Programming Rick Miner and Liberatore want to develop more
original programming. Among their ideas: a reality-based
NASCAR show pitting competitors from the sanctioning body's
lower-level regional series. Another possibility: a NASCAR
wives program. The article also mentions that "staffers refer
to the bitter rivalry between Formula 1 aficionados and NASCAR
fans as a battle of Nigels and Bubbas." Liberatore says the
network's commitment to Formula 1 and other non-NASCAR series
remains firm. Still, the biggest gains -- among viewers as
well as advertisers -- will come from stock cars. As you look
for unique ways to grow, this is an area where we have a lot
of potential," says Paul Brooks, NASCAR VP of broadcasting.
"Now we have to deliver." |
6/25/02
 |
German ace to get first crack
at new Jag German ace Andre Lotterer will be the
first man to try the heavily evolved R3b Jaguar this week in
Belgium, the Milton-Keynes team testing privately at Ford's 'Lommel
Proving Ground' before joining the majority testing action at
Barcelona. Our sources indicate, however, that the new car may
not make it to Barcelona or the British Grand Prix if it does
not meet certain 'minimal standards'; such as going
'immediately quicker' than its dismal predecessor, the R3. |
6/25/02
 |
Minardi sells 1/2 of F3000 team
European Minardi, Paul Stoddart's F3000 venture, has been
part-sold to series rivals Coloni Motorsport. In a move which
secures the mid-term future of the outfit, the agreement will
see both teams co-operate on a range of commercial and
technical issues. Paolo Coloni said: 'It is a well-organized,
well-run team, and I am sure by working closely with them in a
number of key areas, both teams will become stronger.' Richard
Salisbury, who runs the Minardi F3000 team, adds 'During the
course of the Nurburgring weekend, we were able to confirm
that European Minardi will complete the full 2002 F3000
championship'. |
6/25/02
 |
Tauranac talking with Asiatech
Veteran F1 designer Ron Tauranac has been spotted emerging
from Asiatech's UK factory in Didcot after a meeting with
Enrique Scalabroni. Scalabroni and a team of designers are
reportedly working on a chassis development program, which
forms part of the outfit's resolve to launch a works Formula
One team. Tauranac, in his late seventies, most recently
worked as a consultant for Japanese manufacturer Honda. |
6/25/02
 |
More F1 Hot News
Ferrari Deny
Political Motivation
Coulthard Turns
Focus To '03
Work Continues At
Hinwil
Cosworth Engines
To Minardi?
'Two Or Three' New
Grands Prix
Crunch Time For
Jaguar And Irvine
F1 Birthdays |
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