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DATE
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News (chronologically)
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6/5/03
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Chevys perfect at TMS There are
six Chevrolets entered at Texas this weekend and they qualified right
together as a group - dead last in succession 16-17-18-19-20-21.
This proves beyond a doubt that HP is everything in the IRL and on the
ovals. Chevy has little HP and driver talent means almost
nothing on ovals, so they can't overcome the deficit to the superior
Japanese engine powered cars.. It's 100% throttle racing, may the best
engine win.
16. Sam Hornish Jr., Chevrolet, 212.498
17. Vitor Meira, Chevrolet, 212.142
18. Robbie Buhl, Chevrolet, 211.726
19. Buddy Lazier, Chevrolet, 211.565
20. Buddy Rice, Chevrolet, 211.476
21. Sarah Fisher, Chevrolet, 210.915 |
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6/5/03
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Dare
crashes hard at TMS, rushed to hospital 2nd
UPDATE Airton Dare suffered a broken right femur (upper
leg) and broken right humerus (upper arm). We have updated our
IRL vs. CART
injury chart.
So far in 2003, the IRL is leading CART in every injury category by a
wide margin and the season is young. Just when the IRL said they
were making their cars safer, the injury toll in the IRL continues to
mount. 6/5/03 - To the right is a photo (courtesy of US
News) of Dare's crash (click on photo to be taken to US News website
for larger image). It was a nasty hit - all part of oval track
racing. Dare had to be cut out of the car with the jaws of life
and was in grimacing pain as soon as they took his helmet off.
It appears the right front wheel crushed the right side of the tub and
we would be surprised if he does not require orthopedic surgery.
Welcome to oval track racing. Stay tuned for updates.
6/5/03 - It isn't funny anymore. This is serious.
As the first practice session got underway, we are sad to report
possible more broken bones for an IRL driver. At 7:35 p.m.
(EDT), Airton Dare made contact with the outside retaining wall in
Turn 4 with the right side of the No. 5 Conseco/A.J. Foyt Racing Panoz
G Force/Toyota/Firestone at Texas Motor Speedway. The car slid from
Turn 4 into the grass portion of the infield between pit lane and the
racetrack and was facing backward. There was heavy damage to the right
side of the car. Dare was helped from the car by Indy Racing League
safety team members and transported via air to Parkland Hospital in
Dallas. 2000 IRL IndyCar Series Rookie of the Year Dare is awake and
alert and in stable condition, said Dr. Henry Bock, Indy Racing League
medical services director. Dare will be evaluated for a possible
fracture of his upper right arm and upper right leg. A further update
will be provided when available. How can AJ Foyt afford to
replace all these damaged cars this year? |
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6/5/03
 |
Takagi fastest in opening practice at
TMS Tora Takagi led the opening practice for the
Bombardier 500 this evening at Texas Motor Speedway, as Panoz G
Force/Toyota/Firestone combinations swept the top three spots at the
high-banked, 1.5-mile oval. Takagi was fastest at 23.8465 seconds,
219.655 mph in the No. 12 Pioneer Mo Nunn Racing Panoz G
Force/Toyota/Firestone. Tomas Scheckter was second at 23.8687, 219.451
in the No. 10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Panoz G
Force/Toyota/Firestone, while teammate Scott Dixon was third at
23.9086, 219.084 in the team's No. 9 entry. MBNA Pole Qualifying
is next tonight under the lights at Texas, scheduled to start at 10
p.m. (EDT). [Editor's Note - CART's Champ Cars were up at 237
MPH when the G-Forces were just too much for the drivers. At
below 220 MPH, driver should be OK] |
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6/5/03
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Night race brings CART improved TV
rating
Although still dismal, The Centennial 250 CART Champ Car race from the
Milwaukee Mile turned in a 0.4 rating (230,000 households) on SPEED
Channel last Saturday night. This compares with previous SPEED
ratings in the 0.15 and 0.21 range. CART is probably going to
put a series of 7 or 8 races on prime time next year (Saturday or
Sunday evening), some tape delayed, but this proves that prime time
brings more eyeballs and more value to the sponsors. |
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6/5/03
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Scheckter accuses Cheever of
telling him to pull over This Seattle Times
article says, Tomas Scheckter earned the first pole of
his IRL career one year ago at Texas Motor Speedway. He also
had his teammate and his boss — Eddie Cheever — starting next
to him on the front row. Therein lies the problem. Scheckter
claims he was under orders from Cheever to pull over and let
Cheever by him. "I was told to lose the race," Scheckter said.
"It's great to know I can start the race this weekend without
being asked to finish second to somebody on purpose."
Scheckter, an IRL rookie last season with Cheever's Red Bull
team, now drives for Target/Chip Ganassi Racing. Cheever is
not driving this year, concentrating on running his team and
helping his new protégé, Buddy Rice. When told of Scheckter's
comments, Cheever had a quick response: "Absolute rubbish," he
said. "The only request I ever asked of him was to stop
crashing." Crashing was a problem for Scheckter last season,
failing to finish six races because of accidents. But he said
that subject wasn't addressed last June at TMS. "We had team
orders," Scheckter said. "After I qualified on the pole, I was
told whenever Eddie and me were racing together, I should let
him by. It was very disappointing to hear, but after 10 laps,
he was sixth and I was leading, so it wasn't much of a
problem." |
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6/5/03
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Herdez not standing still
Grupo Herdez has long been a standard bearer in the CART Champ
Car World Series among Hispanic companies, with their brands
having been prominently displayed on the high-speed cars of
the open-wheel racing series for many years. The team has
expanded to a two-car outfit for the 2003 Bridgestone Presents
The Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford season and is
enjoying one of its best seasons in 2003, with driver Mario
Dominguez earning a pair of podium finishes in the year’s
first five races. The Herdez squad is moving just as quickly
off the track as well, as the team’s #55
Ford-Cosworth/Lola/Bridgestone Champ Car and Dominguez showed
last week when they participated in the National Hispanic
Corporate Council (NHCC) reception Tuesday evening at Ford
Field in Detroit. The NHCC, of which the Ford Motor Company is
a member, is a nonprofit organization that is centered around
increasing business opportunities for Hispanic companies
around the world. After racing at Milwaukee on Saturday night,
Dominguez journeyed to Detroit and spoke at the reception
about getting his start in major-league auto racing and
extolled the virtues of sponsorship and the role that Herdez
played in his career. He then signed autographs for many of
the attendees and posed for pictures with his Champ Car.
“Grupo Herdez and the team have done quite a lot with Ford
this year in helping them publicize their Hispanic initiative
and this was a very important function for us,” said Herdez
Competition Business Director Kevin Lee. “Ford has done a lot
for the series this year and anything that we can do to help
them, obviously helps us and the rest of the series.” |
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6/5/03
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More feedback on Milwaukee yellows
UPDATE A reader responds,
The REAL question is why did it take ten laps to "cleanup"
after Tracy's wheel came off? No liquids, no debris, except
for the wayward wheel. Gary Shell Dear Gary, It's
hard to argue that point, but in general, the Simple Green
team does an admiral job, the best in the business. CART
needs to be going back to green as soon as the trucks pull
back into position. If someone is caught in the pits,
tough luck, they blew their strategy. Mark C.
6/5/03 - A reader writes, Dear AR1, I have read with interest your reader
feedback on Milwaukee regarding race yellows. The comparison to
CART with F1 and NASCAR is laughable. They race under totally
different conditions and track surface mentality. I work in
motorsports safety and I can tell you CART is the best at making sure
the race track surface is good to go before launching drivers out
there at 200mph. The reader feedback reminds me of the guy at the
scene of a house fire watching it burn and then criticizing the fire
department for taking too long to get there. How long should it take
to clean up an incident that requires a driver extrication, fluid /oil
clean up, and gathering up the numerous pieces of carbon fiber and
metal frags. The Simple Green Safety Team is the best in
the world and hustle their ass off to save precious TV time and green
flag racing. Ask the drivers what kind of track condition they want at
200 mph plus? NASCAR says let em run through it, and F1 leaves
cars on track and makes them part of the course hazards. How many 240
mph ovals does F1 run on? And have your readers looked closely
at the track surface and the crap left out there on the racing
surface? B. Kinsey Kingman, AZ. |
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6/5/03
 |
Papis in, Vergers out in ASCAR
Max Papis, a three-times Champ Car race winner in America and
ex-Formula One racer, gets his first taste of ASCAR Days of
Thunder in the HTML team’s McDonald’s-sponsored Ford Taurus as
the Italian sets his sights on becoming king of the Rockingham
oval this weekend. ‘Mad Max’ begins testing tomorrow in the
car he hopes will give him the perfect start to his ASCAR Days
of Thunder career when the green flag drops for the next round
of the Days of Thunder racing series at the 1.5-mile banked
oval on Sunday. While Papis was joining the series for the
first time, in a dramatic turn of events the championship race
has been turned on its head with points leader Michael Verger
forced to sit out this weekend’s races through injury. The
Flying Dutchman was involved in a road accident on his motor
bike last Sunday, badly injuring his shoulder. “Michael
dislocated his shoulder, pushing it backwards and it did some
damage to the muscles” said West-Tec Commercial Director
Dennis Klein. “He went to see a specialist who deals with
professional sports injuries and was told that there was no
way he could race. He’ll still be at the track over the
weekend, though.” Vergers is now sidelined for at least the
next two rounds of the championship, wrecking his chances of
winning the Days of Thunder series. Vergers’ demise has handed
his closest rivals, Roland Rehfeld – Papis’ new teammate – and
Deuce Racing RML’s Ben Collins an opportunity to take over at
the head of the pack. Rehfeld won the second race at
Rockingham last month for HTML and will be hoping to notch up
another victory on Sunday. A replacement driver for Vergers in
the West-Tec car will be announced tomorrow. |
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6/5/03
 |
Boris Said to drive Pontiac at
Sonoma
Road course specialist Boris Said has been named by MB2
Motorsports to drive the No. 01 U.S. Army Pontiac in the June
22 NASCAR Winston Cup race at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma,
Calif. Said, 40, will be substituting for Jerry Nadeau, who is
recovering from injuries sustained in a May 2 accident at
Richmond (Va.) International Raceway. Mike Wallace, who has
been the team's substitute driver, will continue in the same
role at the oval races. One of the leading national and
international sports car drivers, Said has competed in seven
career Winston Cup races. Six of his seven starts have come at
NASCAR's two road courses -- Infineon Raceway (2000, 2001,
2002) and Watkins Glen (1999, 2001, 2002). His other start was
at Homestead Miami Speedway in 1999. "Just like Jerry, Boris
has established a reputation as a NASCAR road racing expert,"
said Jay Frye, general manager of MB2 Motorsports. "We are
excited that he has agreed to fill in for Jerry at Infineon
Raceway. Boris' experience as a sports car racer will give us
an excellent opportunity to have a competitive weekend at the
first road course of the season." Said, of Carlsbad, Calif.,
has enjoyed success at Infineon Raceway. As a NASCAR driver,
he finished 11th in the 2001 Winston Cup race and won the 1998
Craftsman Truck event. As a sports car racer in the American
Le Mans Series, he won at Infineon in 2000 and was runner-up
in 2001. |
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6/5/03

 |
Alex Yoong staying busy
2nd UPDATE Malaysia's ex-F1
racer is back in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia enjoying family life with his
wife Arianna and 5-month-old son, Alister, after racing successfully
in four Champ Car races which spanned four countries in Mexico, USA,
England and Germany over a period of eight weeks. Yoong indicated that
his time off from racing is a blessing in disguise as the time spent
with the family is priceless. "When you are always on the road you
miss out on spending time with family and I have been enjoying this
period getting to know my son. Although not racing is frustrating, I
thoroughly value the time I have with the people who matter to me
most," said Yoong. As to when Yoong will be getting into a race car
again, he said he's not in too much of a hurry to chase down a ride,
although definite offers have been made. "It was really disappointing
when the champ car drive ended; especially as we were doing so well.
There was a real possibility to race at the front over there which
made it very enjoyable. My first race at an oval in Germany was also
an incredible experience. To race side by side at 200 mph for an
entire race is something I would like to do again. In the meantime,
there are a few other possibilities on the table to go racing again
soon. I have always wanted to do some of the other great races like
the Lemans 24 hrs. and Bathurst in Australia. So we are still working
towards going racing, but for now, I will be spending a little time at
home after so many years on the road," intimated Yoong. Meanwhile,
Yoong is still training daily and busy meeting his numerous PR
commitments in the month ahead with the Malaysian Sports Ministry and
the Malaysian media. Amongst these commitments are TV and radio
program appearances and a possible visit to Kota Kinabalu in East
Malaysia. This will be Yoong's first visit to East Malaysia since he
first started racing 12 years ago. |
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6/5/03
 |
Turkey eyes 2005 F1 race
2nd UPDATE Mumtaz "Mike"
Tahincioglu, the chairman of the Turkish Automobile and Motorsports
Federation (TOMSFED) has announced that there will be a groundbreaking
ceremony for a Formula 1 specification track at Kurtnoy, near Istanbul
on July 9th. It is expected that the Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan will attend the ceremony as will Bernie Ecclestone and
almost certainly Max Mosley. The new track, which has been designed by
Hermann Tilke, will be finished by the end of 2004 and it is
anticipated that Turkey will be bidding for a Grand Prix in 2005. The
3.3-mile track is expected to cost something in the region of $60m.
3/30/03 - Turkey is
believed to be closer to announcing a deal to host a Grand
Prix at a completely new circuit near Istanbul. The new
facility will be close to the new Pendik-Kurtkoy Airport, on
the eastern side of Istanbul. The Sabiha Goksen Airport is
built on 1600 acre site close to the main highway from
Istanbul and within easy reach of the city and Istanbul's
population of 15m should mean that big crowds will be
attracted to the event. The logic behind the location is
similar to that in Malaysia as there will no issues with
noise. The only major flaw in the project is that the track
will be in one of the most earthquake-prone regions.
11/21/03 -
Turkey has moved one step closer to landing a round of the
Formula One World Championship.
The nation's motorsports federation issued a statement this
week in which it claims that F1 impresario Bernie Ecclestone
has selected Istanbul for a Grand Prix in 2005 and beyond.
72-year-old Ecclestone toured Turkey and three potential
Formula One sites earlier this year; Istanbul, Izmir and
Antalya.
Turkey's motorsports federation, TOMSFED, say that Bernie has
chosen Istanbul for its logistics and global stature and will
now push ahead with penning a commercial agreement.
'Now we need to finalize the commercial issues and the TV
rights,' TOMSFED quoted Ecclestone as saying in a letter.
TOMSFED has acquired some land on Istanbul's eastern front,
close to the city's newly-completed second airport, and said
it expected a track designer to visit within a week to start
plans for a Grand Prix style circuit.
Ecclestone was quoted as saying: 'Not only is it a major city
known throughout the world, but what swayed me was the
logistics for the teams.'
Turkish anti-smoking lobbies, however, stand opposed to the
plan to bring Formula One to the country. Rumblings inside the
country suggest that F1 might compel Turkey to exempt its
sport from a total ban on cigarette advertising.
German circuit designer Hermann Tilke, most recently
responsible for Malaysia's Sepang facility and the new Bahrain
and China projects, will reportedly add Turkey to his imminent
plans.
2005 is being tipped as an inaugural date for the Grand Prix
of Turkey.
'We sincerely believe that this organization, which will
provide a great opportunity for our country, will also benefit
tourism and sports in Turkey,' the TOMSFED statement
continued.
China (Shanghai) and Bahrain (Sakhir) will be added to the
2004 Formula One schedule to make up an 18-strong Grand Prix
calendar.
But, even despite Spa-Francorchamps' removal from next year's
championship, one or two more existing European races could
face the chop to make way for F1's new wave of international
tracks. |
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6/5/03
 |
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Crash
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Thursday |
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6/5/03
 |
More feedback on NASCAR/Toyota article
Readers write (a sample few), Dear AR1, The Insider Racing
News “article “ calling on NASCAR to ban foreign, especially, Japanese
manufacturers from the sport(sic) is one of the most racist and
disturbing peaces of garbage I have ever read on a motorsports site.
This person says she speaks for the majority of NASCAR fans. No wonder
our war mongering leaders are so popular right now! Hey lets go back
and bomb ‘em all again...after all they owe us an apology!!! Not only
do NASCAR race with equipment from a past life their fans carry decade
old grudges and an archaic belief that the USA is the only truly
civilized nation in the world. Xenophobes all! She says that these
“foreigners” will destroy the “sport” but I think the France family
and their unabated greed will do that without any outside help! I hope
that the author and her ilk continue feeling this way, you can rest
assured that they will not be accepted outside of their Homeland and
NASCAR will wither and die like the outmoded ideals which flame it’s
existence. Ray Masters, Hawaii Another reader writes, I
certainly hope AR1, by posting this vitriol without comment, doesn't
condone the opinions of the author. I also hope that the author
doesn't truly represent the majority of NASCAR fans. This is pure
bigotry and narrow-mindedness. Does the existence of "foreigners" in
baseball or basketball make those sports any less American? And what
about Daimler-Chrysler being owned by Germans, the United States'
other WWII enemy? She discounts this by saying Dodge is an American
make. This seems to be veiled anti-Asian thinking. It's acceptable to
be in NASCAR if they are Europeans, but not if they are Asians? As a
fan of CART and F1, I find that the international, cosmopolitan
element of these brands of motorsports are a key part of their appeal.
It's a shame that the author doesn't recognize this. How else will her
beloved Southern drivers claim to be "the greatest in the world" if
they don't compete against the best international manufacturers and
drivers? Sincerely, Jason Bredimus, Scottsdale, Arizona
Another writes, Please ask your NASCAR writer to prepare a proper
response to this vile piece of trash. I realize that these kind of
people do exist, but hatred, bigotry and ignorance are certainly not
traits shared by most of us, NASCAR fans or not. I think we've all had
enough of this kind of "thinking" from the Eric Rudolphs of the world.
I know it'd be easy to make light of this as stereotypical NASCAR
thinking, but we know that's not true, and there's nothing funny about
it. Thanks. Robert Kachel Are most NASCAR fans ass backwards? I
consider myself to be a fan of motorsports in general, NASCAR being
one, but for Ms. Thompson to deny Toyota entry into NASCAR because of
Pearl Harbor and the history of the South seems a little hypocritical
to me. I assume the US still hasn’t apologized for Hiroshima and
Nagasaki and did he mention the history and tradition of NASCAR as it
correlates to the South, if we kept in line those traditions, I don’t
think we would see Shawna Robinson or Bill Lester in a car let alone
at the track. Maybe Ms. Thompson doesn’t realize that the components
that make up the Fords, Chevys, and Dodges we drive around either come
from oversees, down south (Mexico), or up North (Canada). These cars
are not Made in America, they are Assembled in America. The world has
become a small place and business is business, so either evolve or get
the hell out of the way. And please Ms. Thompson, if you are
representing the majority of NASCAR fans, it is better to remain
silent and be thought of as a fool, than it is to speak and remove all
doubt. Anonymous |
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6/5/03
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Toyota gaining notoriety as NASCAR's
"Great Satan"
This Racing Press
article says, the Dodge lawsuit stipulates that Bill Davis
"broke a clause in [his] contract that says neither Davis nor his
employees can 'represent, endorse, or otherwise promote the vehicles,
parts or service of a DaimlerChrysler competitor.'" But what really is
the issue is not competing decals or branding issues -- it is Dodge's
worry that Toyota is getting access to valuable and confidential data
that Davis compiled from Dodge as a factory team in the Winston Cup
Series. This kind of backroom gamesmanship amounts to corporate
espionage, and if true the allegations could open Davis up to some
heavy legal penalties. And, in truth, Dodge has every right to be
nervous about Toyota getting its hands on their data, especially
considering how successful Dodge has been in the short time it has
been back in Winston Cup racing. What a very few are wondering right
now is whether Ford and GM are sitting back in their corporate
boardrooms snickering about how the worm has turned against Dodge,
since the latter was the beneficiary of the same "unofficial technical
exchange" when the automaker was being seduced back into NASCAR after
leaving the sport in the early 1970s. Some feel that if Toyota wooed
Davis to turn over his data store, they were simply taking a page out
of a playbook that has been in circulation for decades among the other
automakers. Interestingly, though, that viewpoint is not widely shared
because of the ridiculous paranoia and bad sentiment surrounding
Toyota's pending entry into NASCAR racing. It seems as though most in
stock car racing are participating in a different form of gamesmanship
to turn NASCAR against the Japanese -- that of manipulating the court
of media opinion. Toyota is notorious in motorsports for -- gasp!
horrors! -- spending its budgets freely in order to win races and
championships. Their reputation is one of throwing a seemingly endless
supply of cash into whatever series they run and bringing
unprecedented technology to bear in order to pummel their competition
into submission. And I suppose I would like to know... what in the
world is wrong with that? Isn't auto racing supposed to be about
winning? Hasn't everybody and their dog been whining about there not
being enough money these days to be competitive?......NASCAR fans may
not like the idea of Toyota invading their sport (it's only been
recently that they've been able to swallow guys like Bill Lester,
Carlos Contreras, and Christian Fittipaldi dipping their toes in the
stock car water), but the drivers and teams that have a shot at
running Toyota equipment love the idea. And that's not because they
think NASCAR is going to be gifting the Japanese automaker a bunch of
wins and a championship right out of the box. The guys who will run
Toyota equipment have seen in other forms of racing how dedicated TRD
is to helping their teams win. "Factory support" for Toyota means more
than slapping decals on a car, awarding a budget, and supplying
cylinder heads. It means expending whatever it takes in terms of time,
money, and manpower to make their teams competitive and
victorious......If anyone wants to know the real reason why Toyota's
NASCAR competitors are afraid, they only need to look at the Indy
Racing League this year. For seven years, Chevrolet had the run of the
IndyCar series, coasting along without any real opposition (sorry,
Nissan/Infiniti, but it's the truth). But when Toyota came in, the GM
powerplant immediately looked and performed like a weak sister in
comparison to the new Japanese-built powerplants. Lest anyone believe
that Toyota "out-technologied" General Motors, let it be clearly
understood that Toyota had to work within the same very strict engine
guidelines that other manufacturers must adhere to. Toyota's IRL
engine met the same standards as Chevrolet's -- but obviously Toyota
did a better job in development, because they are making Chevy look
really, really bad. The result is that Chevrolet has to step up its
game in order to compete in the IRL. And if Toyota comes in and lays
waste to the competition in NASCAR, then Ford, Dodge, and GM will have
to step up their games as well to stay on equal footing. |
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6/5/03
 |
Doran-Lista team updates Dallara for
Road Atlanta The Doran-Lista Racing Dallara-MG
Prototype is receiving updating and refreshing before the Chevy Grand
Prix of Atlanta at Road Atlanta. Didier Theys and Fredy Lienhard Sr.
will co-drive the car in the next round of the American Le Mans
Series. "We did a fair amount of work on the sub-assemblies since
Sebring, and they’re all finished,” said team owner Kevin Doran. “The
gearbox is ready. Most of the bodywork is ready too. We’re repainting
a tail and some small crash damage that required some bodywork from
Sebring, but all of that is partially done to completely done. And
we’re building a brand-new spare tail too.” A successful professional
sports car racing team for many years, the Doran Lista team returned
to American Le Mans Series competition for 2003 after several years
away from the series. The team plans to contest as many of the nine
rounds of the series as possible this season. |
|
6/5/03
 |
Biela blown away by Nordschleife American
Le Mans Series driver Frank Biela was thrilled this past weekend when
he had the opportunity to drive an Audi R8 Prototype on a ceremonial
lap around the famous Nordschleife circuit in Germany prior to the
start of a 24-hour touring car race at the Nurburgring. Biela, a
German who now lives in Monaco, described the lap around the
26-kilometer circuit as “mind-blowing.” The last sports car race on
the Nordschleife was held in 1983, and Biela’s lap in the most
successful sports car of current times led a mini-revival. Some
194,000 spectators on hand for the race witnessed the demonstration.
“Up to now I’ve driven the R8 many thousands of kilometers on the most
different race circuits,” said Biela, co-winner of the Mobil 1 Twelve
Hours of Sebring in March. “But the lap around the Nordschleife was
something very magical.” Biela will co-dive with Marco Werner for
Infineon Team Joest in the remaining events on the American Le Mans
Series schedule this season. He will drive for Audi Sport UK in an
Audi R8 in the 24 Hours of Le Mans June 14-15 as he seeks his fourth
consecutive win in the famed French endurance racing event. |
|
6/5/03
 |
SPEED live at LeMans American race
fans will be able to watch live coverage of more than half of next
weekend’s running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans on the SPEED Channel
cable television channel. There will be 19 American drivers in the
field at Le Mans, and 21 racing teams from the American Le Mans
Series. The American Le Mans Series, founded in 1999 and based on the
24 Hours of Le Mans, has helped Americans regain interest in the
classic French endurance sports car racing event, with growth each
year since the formation of the series. ALMS Founder Don Panoz has
been named Grand Marshal for this year’s Le Mans event as a gesture of
appreciation by the event organizers. SPEED Channel’s coverage will
begin at 9:30 a.m. (EDT) on Saturday, June 14, with a 30-minute
pre-race show and then three hours of live racing. SPEED will then
return to Le Mans several times throughout the race for updates and
live coverage, ending with three hours and the finish of the race
starting at 7 a.m. on Sunday, June 15. A complete SPEED Channel
broadcast schedule for the 24 Hours of Le Mans is available online at
www.speedtv.com
* 9 - 9:30 a.m. - Qualifying special
(taped)
* 9:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. - Pre-race and live first-day race coverage
* 2:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. - Live evening race coverage
* 7 p.m. - Live segment part of SpeedNews
* 7:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. - Live 30-minute update
* 12:30 a.m. - 4 a.m. - Live race coverage (dawn at Le Mans)
* 4 a.m. - 7 a.m. - Bonus 'insomniac" coverage (morning thru midday at
Le Mans)
* 7 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. - Live race coverage (the finish) |
|
6/5/03
 |
IRL and IMS websites hit big numbers Indy
Racing Online (www.indyracing.com) and indy500.com attracted nearly
230 million hits from May 1-26 as Web users flocked to the official
sites of the Indy Racing League and Indianapolis 500, respectively,
for information on the 87th Indianapolis 500. There were 200.5 million
hits and 50.3 million page views at indyracing.com from May 1-26, with
53.4 million hits and 16 million page views alone on Race Day, May 25.
Indy500.com attracted 29.2 million hits and 4.2 million page views
from May 1-26, with 3.1 million hits and 360,710 page views on Race
Day. Web research data also showed the continued global appeal of the
Indy Racing League and the Indianapolis 500, as indyracing.com
attracted viewers from around the world. The list of the top 10 locals
attracting the most visits to indyracing.com during May:
1. Indiana
2. California
3. Japan
4. Illinois
5. Texas
6. New Jersey
7. Ohio
8. Florida
9. Sweden
10. Michigan |
|
6/4/03
 |
Toyota tests new engine
Panasonic Toyota Racing continued its dual three-day test at
Silverstone and Monza today with race drivers Cristiano da Matta and
Olivier Panis both completing substantial mileage during the day.
Panis conducted the Italian leg of the session and totaled 91 laps,
whilst testing a new engine specification that the team plans to use
at next week's Canadian Grand Prix. Da Matta carried out general
set-up work and tire testing in Silverstone and clocked the fastest
time of the day over his 75 laps. "We had another decent day of
running and got through most of the long job list we had today,
despite rain in the morning and early afternoon," said da Matta. "We
made some good improvements to the TF103's set-up overnight and did a
bit of tire testing. Overall it has been a highly productive two days
for me in Silverstone with over 150 laps completed. I am handing the
car over to Ricardo for the final day tomorrow, as I am going to Belo
Horizonte before the Canadian Grand Prix to acclimatize myself to the
time difference in Montreal, which is the same as in Brazil." |
|
6/4/03
Industry News |
Big losses at Chrysler
Socked by having to give big incentives to sell its cars,
DaimlerChrysler has warned they will lose $1.1 Billion in the second
quarter. The German firm has already made it clear that Chrysler will
not meet its full year operating profit target of $2 Billion." |
|
6/4/03
 |
Bernie - 16 races and no plans to
retire
Just recently Bernie Ecclestone was talking about expanding the F1
calendar to 20 races but now he told the German news agency DPA that
"we found out some time ago that 16 is a good number, maybe one more.
That is the kind of limit we want. I suspect Europe will have a third
world economy within the next decade anyhow. I think the European
politicians have taken the wrong direction in their thought processes.
Maybe we won't have to cut the races, maybe some European Grands Prix
will disappear all on their own." Ecclestone told DPA that he has no
plans to retire. "I have a rich wife," he said, " so I don't have to
do the job. I do it simply because I like what I do. |
|
6/4/03
 |
Sore back sidelines Villeneuve
Jacques Villeneuve was testing today at Monza but he will miss
tomorrow's testing day because of his back problem. "Today I really
needed to make an extra effort to go until the end of the day to
prepare for my home Grand Prix," said the Canadian driver. "But tomorrow,
I will not be able to continue the testing program." BAR decided to
ask Anthony Davidson to do an additional day of work to replace
Villeneuve tomorrow at Monza. |
|
6/4/03
 |
Dare to drive for Foyt at TMS [Editor's
Note: Once again AJ Foyt hires another foreigner to replace Shigeaki
Hattori. Why no American USAC Sprinter AJ? Isn't that what
you bad-mouthed CART for not doing? Isn't that what the the IRL
was supposed to be all about? His actions speaks far louder than
his words] Airton Dare will drive an A.J. Foyt Racing entry at
the Bombardier 500 on June 7 at Texas Motor Speedway, according to a
team news release. Dare will drive the No. 5 Conseco/A.J. Foyt Racing
Dallara/Toyota/Firestone as a teammate to regular Foyt driver A.J.
Foyt IV. Dare replaces Shigeaki Hattori. “I think it’ll be good to
work with A.J. IV, because we have a good relationship from when he
used to change my right front tire last year,” Dare said. “We’ll be
able to exchange information, and I think that will help both of us
out a lot.” Dare, 25, drove the entire 2002 season for Foyt. He earned
his first career victory in July 2002 at Kansas Speedway and finished
third last year at the Bombardier 500 in Foyt’s car. This will be
Dare’s second start of the season. He finished 24th in a third Foyt
car in the Indianapolis 500 on May 25 after being eliminated in an
accident on Lap 127. |
|
6/4/03
 |
Dodge sues Bill Davis Racing,
Davis responds 2nd UPDATE
Bill Davis responds - Bill Davis Racing is surprised by the decision
of Daimler Chrysler's notification to terminate their agreement with
Bill Davis Racing and to file suit alleging that Bill Davis Racing has
breached its agreement with Daimler Chrysler. Bill Davis Racing firmly
believes that it has not breached the Daimler Chrysler agreement and
that there is no justifiable reason for Daimler Chrysler asserting a
claim that it has breached such an agreement. Bill Davis Racing is
confident that it will prevail in the litigation and that the court
will agree that is has not breached its agreement with Daimler
Chrysler. Bill Davis Racing will continue racing the Dodge Intrepid in
NASCAR's Winston Cup Series. Bill Davis Racing PR
6/3/03 - This USA Today
article sheds more light on this nasty situation.
We suspect you will see all the American manufacturers
protecting their turf just as strongly as the Japanese try to
invade NASCAR. It might turn out to be NASCAR's little
version of Pearl Harbor followed by Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
6/3/03 - According to Autosport, DaimlerChrysler, which has terminated
the contract between its US-based Dodge automobile brand and
Bill Davis Racing, has now filed a lawsuit against the NASCAR
Winston Cup team. DaimlerChrysler alleges that BDR has broken
its contract by building and testing a prototype Toyota in
preparation for that company's entry into the Craftsman Truck
series in 2004. |
|
6/4/03
 |
IRL trying to fill empty
grandstands with free tickets A reader writes, Dear
Autoracing1.com, First I love the work you do. I joined last
year, but due to a lack of funds saving for a wedding I can
not renew right now, but I wanted to share with you something
I got in the mail today from Marlboro. Dear Fred, You and a
friend are invited to be our guests at the SunTrust Indy
Challenge at Richmond International Raceway on Saturday June
28th, 2003 There's nothing to buy. Just bring the enclosed
ticket voucher to the track and enjoy the day. Participation is
limited to smokers 21 years of age or older and a guest 21
years of age or older. It's our way of introducing you to the
exciting world of Marlboro Team Penske racing. The enclosed
ticket voucher includes directions to the track location where
you'll pick up your free tickets. In addition if you are one of
the first 1,500 eligible attendees, you and your guest will
receive garage passes, which permit access to the infield. So,
show up early and watch the Marlboro Team Penske crew prepare
the racecars. Race day is... Come join us as we take on the
competition at one of racing's most exciting tracks. For more
information, please call 1-877-20-RACING We'll see you at the
track. --Your friends at Marlboro Team Penske. This direct
marketing promotion that I received makes me wonder just how
many of these went out. Now, I am not a smoker, but I have
always signed up for the freebies at the track just to see if
I can get anything "Kool" in the mail--and this is not
"Kool!". I know what I'll do with this, toss it in the trash
and save my money up so that hopefully next summer I can get
to a CART race! Sincerely, Fred Bloch Dear
Fred, We have heard of similar free ticket giveaways by
Marlboro, Honda and Toyota at other events as well. One
has to wonder if anyone would show up if not for the freebies.
Certainly when word gets out to the few hundred that bought
tickets so far, they won't buy any tickets in the future, and
go with the free tickets next year. Free ticket
giveaways kill the market. This is a false economy with
no hope of ever making money in that market in the future.
It's toast. Mark C. |
|
6/4/03
 |
Andretti & Patrick step down
from CART Board
Racing legends Mario Andretti and CART Champ Car co-founder
U.E. “Pat” Patrick will relinquish their positions as members
of the Championship Auto Racing Teams, Inc. Board of Directors
next month, although both plan to stay involved in the sport
they have helped define for five decades. Andretti is stepping
down to enter into a more defined business relationship with
CART Champ Car and the Bridgestone Presents The Champ Car
World Series Powered by Ford. He is currently a spokesperson
for the open wheel racing sanctioning body in which he won his
fourth and final Champ Car title in 1984. Most recently
Andretti served as liaison for CART Champ Car and Road
America, helping reinstate the longtime Champ Car race in
Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, which resulted in the renaming of the
August 3rd event as the “Mario Andretti Grand Prix at Road
America Presented by Briggs & Stratton.” “I’ve very much
enjoyed serving on CART’s Board of Directors and I’ll continue
to be a very active and vocal supporter of CART and Champ Car
racing,” said Andretti. “CART’s unique mix of road, street
courses and ovals continues to be the best challenge in racing
and a true test of a race car driver, and I will always
support that challenge.” Patrick, one of the most respected
names in Champ Car racing and CART’s first president, will
also not stand for re-election. Patrick will continue to
pursue his many business interests in addition to his role as
owner of Patrick Racing, one of the most successful teams in
Champ Car racing history with past drivers, including
Andretti, Gordon Johncock, Emerson Fittipaldi, Scott Pruett,
Adrian Fernandez, Roberto Moreno, Jimmy Vasser, and in 2003,
Oriol Servia. Patrick and Andretti will formally step down
from the board at next month’s annual meeting of stockholders
at the company’s Indianapolis headquarters, where respected
businessman Robert D. Biggs will be up for election to the
board. Biggs retired from the accounting firm of
PricewaterhouseCoopers in October 1999, where he served as the
managing partner of the PricewaterhouseCoopers office in
Peoria, Illinois from 1984 through 1990 and the managing
partner of the Indianapolis office from 1992 to 1999. Biggs
has been the responsible partner for accounting services for a
variety of New York Stock Exchange listed companies throughout
his career. |
|
6/4/03
 |
More on NASCAR and Toyota -
Gunfight at the OK Corral
This SPEED TV
article says, Don Miller, general manager of Penske
Racing South, touched a little on that during Dodge's
customary weekly press conference Tuesday. I quote: "I'd say
when Toyota comes in, they're not going to come in to run 10th
or 20th," said Miller, a 30-year veteran of Penske's stock-car
operations. "That's not how they operate. These guys are going
to be playing for keeps. "I'm telling you right now when it
happens it's going to be the gunfight at the OK Corral. You
wait and see. The guys that aren't paying attention [will die
in the gunfight]. This is something I think you can see on the
horizon. "You don't want to carry a squirt gun to a gunfight.
You want to go in there with a shotgun. "They're going to be
real serious about what they do, and we're going to have to be
just as serious about beating them. I think it'll be tougher
and tougher on smaller teams, because the technology advances
that are being made as I watch them and develop them and work
with our people to keep us on that same plain, it's become
more and more difficult." Miller went on to commend NASCAR for
keeping "the playing field" level, but you can sense the
wariness, the sense of Pearl Harbor on the horizon. So there
is the idea that the DC suit against Davis is the first
pre-emptive shot in an international war far beyond NASCAR's
traditional theater—a war you wonder if NASCAR is prepared
for. Penske, of course, just signed on with Dodge last fall,
jumping over from Ford in a move Roger typically termed "a
business decision." Penske also last year transferred his
engine allegiance in IRL IndyCar from GM to Toyota; in
addition, he is one of the leading Toyota dealership operators
in the U.S. Moreover, there's Chip Ganassi, who also runs
Toyota engines in the IRL. Chip entered NASCAR in 2001 with
Dodge. Just about everyone believes one or both of those will
get first crack at Toyota's major-league stock-car program, at
whatever time the fruit begins to fall. Toyota has announced
it will enter the Truck series next year, with a generally
accepted date of 2006 or 2007 for a Winston Cup debut. |
|
6/4/03
 |
It's time to tell NASCAR how we feel
about Toyota
UPDATE A reader responds,
Dear AR1, Toyota in NASCAR. American cars, though still
inferior in most respects to Japanese cars, would not be
nearly as good as they are today if not for competition from a
superior Japanese product. Please don't try to argue that
point before picking up the 100% American publication called
Consumer Reports. We Americans perpetrated the most horrendous
and destructive single attack in the history of warfare upon
the Japanese. They don't appear to hold grudges in that
regard, so I think you might want to extend them the same
courtesy. Keep in mind also that NASCAR fans are not the only
ones who have relatives or family from the big wars. You do
not have an exclusive on that one. I am a die-hard CART and F1
fan, and my grandfather was a decorated WWII bomber pilot and
POW. He owned Chryslers, Buicks, Oldsmobiles, Fords,
Volkswagons, Volvos and Toyotas. He was an engineer, and a
very intelligent man that understood that these things that
are history...are mostly just history. The future is our
future. There are Toyotas made in this country that have more
American made parts than American made vehicles. Yes, I would
agree that Toyota coming into NASCAR is a threat. It is a
threat to the status quo. It is a threat to the American
manufacturers that don't really even make the so called "stock
car" in any fashion. The cars on the track have almost nothing
in common with the cars you buy from the showroom except for
four wheels and a steering wheel. When was the last time you
could buy a V-8 stick shift carbureted Monte Carlo? Or a two
door Taurus or Intrepid? All NASCAR is about, is taking the
hard earned money of those fine people you describe, by
fashioning a form of entertainment that appeals to them, that
really bears little resemblance to the sport you describe, or
the purist sense of what racing is about. This is, in my
opinion, made evident by their failure to adopt a medical and
safety team. It's expensive and they simply don't want to spend
the money. Its about fashioning an efficient means of profit.
Also, I hate to break the news to you, that NASCAR is only a
distant relative of that type of racing which you describe,
which is admittedly a cherished part of American heritage and
history. However, I would oppose your position on how things
should stay the same. Progress and evolution is unstoppable
and undeniable. We went to the moon, we have cured many forms
of cancer and other diseases, and technology has had far
reaching benefits to the human race. The automotive industry
has been an example of this, with amazing developments in
power, efficiency and safety in the 100+ years of automotive
history. So for NASCAR to stay the same would be both
un-American and incongruent with the path of the auto industry
itself...right? It is human nature to press forward and
onward. In fact, this is the very core of racing itself.
Better, faster...etc. Toyota will come into NASCAR, they will
do very well, and it will put the manufacturers on notice that
they are going to have to sing for their supper. Somebody
please remind me what difference it makes to run a Dodge,
Chevy, Ford or Toyota. The only difference is who is going to
pay more money to put the brand name on the car. I do agree
with you that NASCAR is ignoring its audience, and that its
audience is not going to readily accept Toyota. Maybe this is
a strategy for NASCAR...to bring in an new rival to keep the
on track battle interesting and exciting. Keep in mind also
that NASCAR, with its known existence as one of the most
dictatorial bodies in sports and business, could very easily
fall under fire if it doesn't give Toyota a chance to compete.
I could see a very expensive court case with a serious and
substantial constitutional argument on discrimination and
equal opportunity. If NASCAR typifies America, then they must
allow Toyota to compete. America is an open capitalistic
society. If NASCAR were to shut out Toyota, it would be like
the United States eliminating all imported goods, and closing
the ports and borders completely. That begins to sound much
more like the elements of other forms of government, not a
democracy, and certainly not America. I think it is
interesting that NASCAR is America's Sport, but really displays
nothing that is American except the token American vehicle
manufacturer involvement, and good old boys from the south. Oh
wait...Ryan Newman is a Yankee with an engineering degree from
Purdue. Hmmm...should we keep him from racing? He might just
be too smart, and present a threat to the other drivers. Of
course not, that's silly. NASCAR makes the rules, they dictate
everything, and you follow or pay the consequences. It is much
more like a Totalitarian Dictatorship or Monarchist
government...not like America. Even Don Hawk, formerly one of
Dale Earnhardts key people said "NASCAR is not a democracy, it
is a benevolent dictatorship". And he said that as if it were
a good thing, because his team was the recipient of such
benevolence. These are all things you might want to think
about. Consider all the facts, and then argue your case. Lets
not keep things the same. Let's push forward, and onward.
Toyota in NASCAR is a good thing. Scott Morris, Orlando FL Another
reader writes, I have to make a comment on Denise Thompson’s
xenophobic comments that were reprinted on AR1 – that such an
attitude exists in 2003 is extremely disturbing. If this
spells out the way the average NASCAR fan feels, then this
country is in serious trouble. Take a look on the back of a US
Quarter, on which is written: "E Pluribus Unum" - the Motto of
the United States of America, which in Latin means "One,
composed from Many" My father fought in the Pacific theater in
WW2, and is happy that I’ve made a good living - working for,
among others, two Japanese auto manufacturers. He has forgiven
and forgotten. To make a reference to WW2 in relation to
NASCAR is demeaning to those men who gave their lives. Look no
further than CART’s recent trip to Dresden for an example of
forgiveness at its finest – the people of that area welcomed
us, despite the fact that America joined the British in
firebombing the city as a way to break the German peoples’
spirit at the end of the war. The city has still not
recovered. America was founded on the principles of fair play
and equal opportunity for all – and I do believe that includes
immigrants of all types, including Japanese automobile
manufactures. If you can’t stand the heat (or the
competition!), Denise, get out of the kitchen. Diane
Swintal
6/4/03 - This Insider Racing News
article
says, There are two reasons why most of the fans don't want to see
Toyota in NASCAR. The first reason: During World War II, not only did
some of these fans lose a grandfather, husband, dad, uncle, brother,
cousin and or a dear friend, while other fans may have a loved one
that is or was permanently injured, as losing their eyesight or even
a limb if not two, during the sneak attack on our American troops,
that fateful day on December 7, 1941 known as "The Attack at Pearl
Harbor." The Japanese brutally killed our boys on the March to Bataan,
on Mount Suribachi in Iwo Jima, as well as the P.O.W. camps, our
American soldiers were brutally murdered and dismembered. It's not
that we Americans hold a grudge, it's just the Japanese have never
apologized to the United States for any of these cowardly acts. Don't
get me wrong, we realize that the Dodges are now a German vehicle
(Daimler owns 51% while Chrysler owns 49%), and we don't mind having
foreign cars in NASCAR such as the Dodge, but it was first an American
manufactured vehicle. The fans just don't want to see any foreign made
cars in NASCAR. Secondly: Traditionally this sport was based in the
south and has traveled throughout the United States. Drivers like Ned
Jarrett, Lee Petty, Ralph Earnhardt and Curtis Turner, just to mention
a few, began this sport on the beaches of Florida and North Carolina,
as well as dirt tracks in North Carolina. This sport has been passed
from generation to generations of American families. What happened to
the tradition of this sport? This is what the fans are asking. Why
does Mike Helton or even Bill France have the right to change that?
Looking at the whole picture, if Toyota is allowed to race in NASCAR,
what's next? Are we going to open the door to Italy, France, Russia,
China, or the rest of the world. Where does it end? Does this sport go
International? Will we be actively looking for foreign drivers? Will
NASCAR be building tracks in other countries? No longer will NASCAR be
an American sport. Like so many other things we have lost, it's time
for the fans to stand up and fight for this by letting NASCAR know how
we feel about it. I am speaking on behalf of the majority of the
NASCAR fans, We do not want Toyota or any other foreign made car in
the sport of NASCAR. We want to keep the tradition and we want to keep
NASCAR the way it is right now, today. Many fans have fallen in love
with the sport. Don't let NASCAR or anyone else take it away from us. |
|
6/4/03
 |
F1 looking into lowering HP
Whereas CART's current 2.65 L turbo engine has been in use for
over 25 years, any racing series that uses normally aspirated
engines that are not severely restricted, must do a wholesale
engine redesign every 3 to 5 years to keep speeds in check.
The IRL went from 4.0L to 3.5 L quickly. The F1
Technical Group are reportedly in the process of working on a
project designed to limit the performances of future engines.
Ron Dennis has said to Motorsport News: “The Technical Group
is looking into the possibility of reviewing the lowered
cylinder capacity, or even of reducing the number of
cylinders.” The best engines now have 900
horsepower, and over 19,000 rpm. AR1 has long maintained
that the most economical, long-term engine platform is a 1.8 L
turbo, be it a V-10 or a V-8. However, that likely won't
happen. The V-10 is sexy, and the scream runs chills
down your spine. It's here to stay for a while. If
they had any brains, they would restrict the engines such that
the cost was low enough that CART and F1 could share the same
engines. This would bring value to the manufacturers by
opening up the entire NAFTA market to them. Mark C. |
|
6/4/03
 |
BAR court case this month
British American Racing did not have their cars impounded after the
Monaco Grand Prix despite previous reports that a court injunction,
issued by France Corbeil on behalf of ex-sponsor Teleglobe, gave them
permission to. A team spokeswoman exclusively told
F1-Live that although a representative did arrive at Monaco
after the race, the cars were not seized and a court hearing will take
place on June 26th. “A representative of France Corbeil did arrive at
the track after the race. The paperwork he presented had no substance
and the cars were not seized,” she said. “A hearing with the court
will take place on 26 June and we anticipate that this will clarify
the whole situation.” The claim stems back five-years and the current
management was not aware of this fact until earlier this year.
However, the team expects the matter to be solved within the next four
weeks. |
|
6/4/03
 |
Renault and Clearswift join forces
The Mild Seven Renault F1 Team is pleased to announce a new
partnership with Clearswift, the world's leading provider of software
for managing and securing email. The team will install ES ClearEdge &
ES ClearPoint PMI in Summer 2003 to enforce e-policy management for
inbound and outbound email communications. "The Renault F1 Team
operates in an environment where confidentiality and protection of
copyrights are absolutely paramount. The team's success is heavily
dependent on technological advancement and using the best available
technology to help us in that quest. Clearswift ES is best of breed
software and will provide the team with the protection they need",
said Graeme Hackland, IT Manager, Renault F1 Team. "We operate in a
sector which gets tremendous media attention", Hackland added. "It is
also a sector where sensitive information is handled throughout our
departments. As a result, we need to protect ourselves and our
employees, in those areas of communication that could be potentially
vulnerable to malicious attacks." "ES will help to protect our
operations in France and in the UK against this by filtering and
monitoring the content of all email communications going into and out
of the Renault F1 Team," Renault |
|
6/4/03
 |
Meyer joins IRL Veteran
IRL IndyCar Series engine builder and team manager Butch Meyer has
joined the Indy Racing League as technical director for the IRL
Infiniti Pro Series, league officials announced June 4. Meyer will
work closely with Brian Barnhart, senior vice president of racing
operations for the Indy Racing League, and Roger Bailey, executive
director for the IRL Infiniti Pro Series. “We’re delighted to have
Butch join us,” Bailey said. “He brings a wealth of experience not
only in the engine world, but in team management. He will be a great
asset to the Infiniti Pro Series as we continue to expand.” Meyer, who
is the grandson of three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Louis Meyer and
the son of legendary engine builder Louis “Sonny” Meyer Jr., began his
career in Indy-style racing in 1965 working for his father at Louis
Meyer, Inc. He worked on the double-overhead cam Ford engine that was
one of the most successful engines in the late 60s and early 70s and
powered Mario Andretti to victory in the 1969 Indianapolis 500. |
|
6/4/03

 |
Updated times for Montoya/Gordon
SPEED Channel will strap in with Jeff Gordon and Juan Pablo Montoya as
the pair swap hot rods for the afternoon on June 11 at Indianapolis
Motor Speedway. Gordon/Montoya Tradin' Paint will air live from
1:00 to 2:30 p.m. ET. A special one-hour edition will replay Friday
night, June 20th at 8:30 p.m., immediately following Winston Cup
Qualifying. |
|
6/4/03
 |
NASCAR on cable even beats Indy 500
How popular is NASCAR? Consider this, The MBNA Armed Forces
Family 400 on FX garnered a 4.7 rating on Sunday (vs. a 4.6 for the
Indy 500 on network TV ABC). 4.7 is equal to last year's rating for
the Dover race on FX. Of course a rating point on cable means
a different number of households than on network TV. The race reached 3,807,000 households (5,377,000
viewers). Although the rating was lower, the Indy 500 actually
garnered more households than Dover, but to think that NASCAR can pull
that high a rating on FX no less, and that number of
households, speaks volumes for the popularity of
NASCAR. Mark C. |
|
6/4/03
 |
Latest F1 Hot News items
Montoya's Monaco Win In Doubt?
Cris Can't Wait For Canada
Six Teams At High-Speed
Monza
More F1 Testing Kicks Off
Ferrari Push Schu Decision
Takuma Was Left At Home
Jenson Thanks F1 Safety
MP4-18 Shows Teeth In
Spain
Sauber Unveil New Ferrari
V10
Ferrari Rattled By
Challenge
McLaren Still Furious At
JV |
|
6/3/03
 |
Ralf tops Silverstone test times
There were only two drivers in action today at Silverstone, Ralf
Schumacher for WilliamsF1 and Cristiano da Matta for Toyota. The
German topped the timesheets completing 52 laps on his way to posting
a 1:22.613. "Despite intermittent rain throughout the day, we have had
quite a productive session in terms of mileage," Sam Michael told the
team's website. "We managed to make some progress with the aero
testing as well doing some work on the electronics of the car before
ending the day with engine endurance running." Cristiano, who had a
great race in Monaco at the week-end spent the day re-acquainting
himself with the circuit working on general set-up and aero tests. "I
haven't driven at Silverstone since F3000 in 1996," he said, "it's
good to be back. I like the track a lot and I have missed driving
here. The weather wasn't great today with some rain, but that's what
Silverstone is all about isn't it?" |
|
6/3/03
 |
American Team Spirit shuffle
American Spirit Team Johansson has shuffled a few positions
within the team, in efforts to maximize the potential of the
#12 entry driven by Jimmy Vasser, the #31 entry driven by Ryan
Hunter-Reay and its team members. Graham Taylor will now hold
the title of team manager, while Robin Hill will serve as the
team’s crew chief. Taylor, a veteran of Formula One will
oversee the day-to-day running of American Spirit, while he
will no longer race engineer Ryan Hunter-Reay, he will
continue managing the technical aspects of American Spirit.
Hill, the 1997 championship winning crew chief with Alex
Zanardi will return to the role of crew chief, a new position
within American Spirit. Paul Burgess recently joined American
Spirit Team Johansson, he will race engineer the #31 entry
driven by Ryan Hunter-Reay. A native of Kenley, England,
Burgess’s background includes Formula One and the Indy Racing
League. |
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6/3/03
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CART Town Meeting transcript
w/Chris Pook, Jim Liberatore, Patrick Carpentier, Bid Stanner,
Joey Hand. Chris Pook had a lot to say. Enjoy...
Transcript |
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6/3/03
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Jennifer Lopez doesn't come
cheap
KROQ 106.7 FM Los Angeles reported this morning that Formula 1
asked JLo (Jennifer Lopez) if she would make an appearance at
the Monaco Grand Prix to the apparent 'benefit' of both
parties involved. JLo's apparent demands were that she
be paid $400,000 (!), she bring her 'entourage' and that they
all be put up in the best hotel and have all their 'expenses'
paid for! Whew! Formula 1 refused her demands. By the way,
Bono (from U2) was a guest of the Jordan team and was paid
nothing to attend. Kenneth Holland, Los Angeles, CA |
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6/3/03
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Junqueira fit, but sorry after
crash This crash.net
article says that Newman-Haas Racing's Bruno Junqueira
was lucky to escape serious injury after crashing out of the
Milwaukee Mile Centennial 250 and making a quick visit to a
nearby hospital as doctors checked over his neck. "I'm very
sorry that I couldn't run a good race for the PacifiCare
team," said Junqueira who made hard contact with the outside
wall in turns one and two of the historic one-mile oval on
just the fourth lap of Saturday night's chilly 250-lap affair.
The race marked the coldest temperatures the
Bridgestone/Firestone motorsports program has faced since it
entered CART competition in 1995, and the field was warned to
proceed with caution. Despite running three green/yellow flag
laps at the start in order to help the drivers get their tires
up to temperatures, they were still too cold for Junqueira,
whose spinning car also collected those of Roberto Moreno and
Patrick Lemarie. "We were three wide on the start and I was in
the middle going into the corner and I had to back off the
throttle," explained Junqueira, who entered the sixth round of
the 2003 Bridgestone Presents the Champ Car World Series
Powered by Ford tied with Paul Tracy at the head of the
standings. "I got on the throttle after that and lost control
of the car." CART's Simple Green Safety Team was on the site
immediately and he was carefully removed from his car and
initially taken to CART's infield Medical Centre for
evaluation. Due to tenderness in his neck he was then taken
via ambulance to Froedert Memorial Lutheran Hospital for
precautionary x-rays and a CT Scan, both of which proved
negative for damage. He was released from the hospital shortly
before 1am local time and traveled back to his Miami base
later on Sunday. With no lasting affects from the crash
Junqueira will be fit to compete in the next two rounds of the
Championship, which take place on consecutive weekends
starting on June 14/15 at Laguna Seca. "I was really excited
to race here because I like the one-mile ovals. I'm looking
forward to Laguna Seca and Portland." On the strength of
earning his first CART victory on Saturday night, Team Rahal's
Michel Jourdain Jr jumped from third in the pre-race point
standings to the lead with 77. Tracy only earned one-point for
his 12th place finish after he ran in the top three prior to
losing a wheel late in the race meaning Junqueira fell to
third place, only 11 points out of the lead and one behind
Tracy. |
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6/3/03
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Herta to make first IRL start
at TMS Open-wheel racing veteran Bryan Herta
will make his Indy Racing League (IRL) IndyCar™ Series debut
Saturday night in the #27 Archipelago/Motorola
Dallara/Honda/Firestone at Texas Motor Speedway. Herta was
tabbed in May as the replacement driver for Dario Franchitti,
who is recovering from injuries suffered in an off-track
accident. The 33-year-old Herta is no stranger to Texas as he
tested there with the Archipelago/Motorola crew in late May.
It was Herta’s second test with the team, having already
completed two days of running at Pikes Peak International
Raceway. Herta also was at Texas in 2001 with CART, posting
the fourth fastest time in qualifying before the race was
cancelled. “I’m very excited to be getting back into an
open-wheel car,” said Herta. “This is going to be my first
open-wheel race in about a year-and-a-half, but I feel very
prepared. I’ve been working with the Archipelago/Motorola team
since the beginning of May and we’ve been able to log a lot of
miles. This is a race of firsts for me -- my first IndyCar
Series race and my first night race. I’ve seen some of the
Texas races on TV and there is a lot of close competition and
exciting racing.” The Michigan native posted two wins and
seven poles in an eight-year CART career. He also claimed the
1993 Indy Lights championship and 1991 Barber Saab Pro Series
titles. In 2002, he was behind the wheel of the Panoz LMP 01
in the American Lemans Series where he finished 10th in the
drivers’ standings. “This is going to be a whole new
experience for our team,” said Kyle Moyer,
Archipelago/Motorola team manager. “This is our first ever
night race and we are looking forward to it. Texas has always
been an exciting race. We have been quick everywhere we’ve
gone, but at the same time Bryan is going to be the fourth
different driver we’ve had in four races. We’ve tested a
couple of times with him and he is getting more and more
comfortable in the car.” |
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6/3/03
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No testing at Homestead
In an unprecedented move, NASCAR announced yesterday that
testing at Homestead has been cancelled for the rest of the
year. The ban on testing applies not only to the Winston Cup
teams, but also the Busch and the Craftsman Truck series .
With Homestead undergoing major reconstruction, namely
increasing its banking from six to 18 to 20 degrees, the ban
on testing should make for a wild and unpredictable NASCAR
Championship weekend in November. |
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6/3/03
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Jones to sub for Foyt
Road course racer, P.J. Jones will driver the #14 Harrah's
Dodge at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA on the road course
there on June 22nd, in place of regular driver, rookie Larry
Foyt. Fox Sports Net's Totally NASCAR |
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6/3/03
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Has NASCAR peaked?
This
article asks the question many are asking, has NASCAR
peaked? The answer is quite simple, it has peaked in the
USA, or is close to it, hence why NASCAR is beginning to look
outside the USA borders. |
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6/3/03
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Tag & McLaren strengthen ties
AG Heuer and McLaren International are delighted to announce a
further strengthening of their Partnership. The TAG Heuer
brand will now appear on all the West McLaren Mercedes
drivers’ helmet visors. This is in addition to TAG Heuer’s
role within West McLaren Mercedes as both Official Watch
Supplier and Time Keeper, the latter of which sees the test
team utilize TAG Heuer’s latest precision timing equipment.
“TAG Heuer is extremely proud today to announce the
strengthening of its partnership with McLaren International. A
deep friendship and mutual respect have developed over the
years thanks to this shared passion for motor sports. That is
what now leads TAG Heuer to deepen the nature of our
relationship with McLaren, with the famous TAG Heuer brand now
appearing on the helmets of David Coulthard, Kimi Raikkonen,
Alexander Wurz and Pedro de la Rosa”, commented Jean-Christophe
Babin, President and CEO of TAG Heuer SA. “The partnership
with the McLaren team has enabled us to gain access to and to
develop new technologies and materials. Through the close
co-operation with the team's drivers and engineers, it has
given rise to extremely innovative watch models such as the
Kirium Ti5 or the 1/1000th second Microtimer. Extending and
broadening this partnership will enable our watchmakers and
designers to find new sources of inspiration in terms of
prestige and performance, the two most characteristic
dimensions of TAG Heuer, which are also integral values held
by McLaren. The announcement underscores TAG Heuer's
commitment and involvement to McLaren and Formula 1, a sport
where the brand has been Official Timekeeper for the World
Championship since 1992.” “We are very proud to be announcing
a further development to our relationship with TAG Heuer, who
next year will enter their 20th year of association with
McLaren International, making TAG Heuer one of our longest
serving Partners. It is also particularly pleasing as TAG
Heuer is now no longer part of the TAG Group, but LVMH Luxury
Group”, said Ron Dennis, Chairman and CEO of the TAG McLaren
Group. Tag Heuer |
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6/3/03
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Milwaukee feedback
UPDATE Another reader writes, As
one of those peop | | |