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Penske calls for CART/IRL merger
On SPEED Channel's Wind Tunnel Thursday night Roger Penske sounded
pretty confident that the CART buyout will be successful. Once
in private hands, Roger says that will open the door for a possible
merger of the two series in the future. He emphasized that must
happen because there are not enough sponsors to support both series.
However, later he said the big oval tracks (read that ISC's oval
tracks) have a big investment to build them and they can't survive on
just one Winston Cup race per year. So what he was saying was
that these tracks need an Indy Car style race too. However, when
you race open wheel cars on high speed oval circuits drivers get
severely injured and some die, and you tear up a lot of very expensive
equipment. At some point the Indy Racing community has to
examine its conscience and ask itself whether it is humane to put a
driver in such a position to risk the injury (almost certain) or the
death? We think not. The idea of racing cars without
fenders on high speed ovals in such close proximity (caused by 100%
throttle racing) is a severely flawed concept (some would call it
downright irresponsible) which every IRL driver who lays in a hospital
bed realizes. The number of back injuries alone is alarming (the
list of injured drivers is long, very long). There have been an
enormous number of broken backs in the IRL and it's only by the good
grace of God that more didn't end up like Sam Schmidt. And you
wonder why the Europeans look down at their noses at American racing
and laugh? We just cry....and pray a lot. Mark C.
11/20/03 Formula 3
Mercedes renews with Spengler
The motor sport division of German car manufacturer
Mercedes-Benz announced today in Stuttgart, Germany that they
extended their contract with Canadian race car driver Bruno
Spengler. Therefore, Spengler will remain in 2004 a member of
the Mercedes-Benz Junior Team drivers development program.
In his maiden year in the hotly contested Euro Formula 3
Series, Spengler, now 20, stunned the experts and the fans by
finishing three times on the podium despite having missed most
of the pre-season testing because of a broken back. However,
despite the serious lack of seat time and having missed the
opening three rounds of the season, the young Canadian raced
hard, climbing on the podium in only his fourth Formula 3
race. He ranked 10th in the final standings of the series with
34 points.
“Because of my injury, it has not been an easy year for me,”
said Spengler. “Most circuits were totally new to me because I
missed some ten days of testing at the beginning of the year.
That forced me to work extremely hard during each race
weekend. I managed to finish three times on the podium and to
lead a race. When I returned in action in June, I immediately
ran at the front of the pack. I think the people at
Mercedes-Benz Motorsport fully understood that despite the
very difficult conditions I always gave my best. I am
delighted that they extended my contract and offer me the
chance to win races in the Euro Formula 3 Series.”
The Mercedes-Benz Junior Team provides seven international
drivers with the best chances to move up the motor sport
ladder and maybe reach the pinnacle of motor sport - Formula 1
- in a not too distant future. In 2003, the Euro Formula 3
Series attracted some 34 drivers from 14 different countries,
and staged 20 races over ten race weekends on famed road
circuits such as Hockenheim, Pau, Le Mans, Zandvoort and
Magny-Cours.
St-Hippolyte, Quebec’s Bruno Spengler began today in Europe an
intense winter testing program at the wheel of his Formula 3
car.
11/20/03
Bahrain GP Update
The Bahrain International Circuit at Sakhir, to the south of
Bahrain's capital Manama, is beginning to look more and more
like a Grand Prix circuit with every day that passes. With
construction engineers working around the clock to complete
the brand new circuit in time for next year's inaugural Grand
Prix, there was time for celebration this week as machinery
completed the first half of the all important track surface.
As the engineering team begin the 136-day countdown to the
Grand Prix all eyes are on the track surface on which drivers
such as World Champion Michael Schumacher, Juan Pablo Montoya,
Rubens Barrichello, Kimi Raikkonen, David Coulthard, Fernando
Alonso and Mark Webber will race for the coveted title of the
first driver to win a Grand Prix in the Middle East.
The track laying activities are vitally important not only
because the curing process is critical in terms of the final
racing surface, but also because it is a milestone on the road
to the circuit's completion. 04.04.04 will be a significant
date in the Kingdom of Bahrain - traditionally, hosting a
Grand Prix demonstrates a country's engineering, business and
organizational prowess. Bahrainis are immensely proud of the
Grand Prix and see it as the catalyst to promote awareness for
Bahrain while endorsing the Kingdom's standing within the Gulf
region.
The first layer of asphalt now covers over half of the new
circuit and work is on schedule to have the complete circuit
covered by early December. The construction team is laying an
average of 650 tons of asphalt per day.
Overall some 12,000 tons of stone will be used in the track
building exercise - four thousand tons of which comes from
Wales and the remainder from Malaysia.
The second layer of asphalt will be laid when all the racing
curbs and run-off areas have been completed in the middle of
January and the final layer in early February.
As the work on laying the all-important racing surface
continues apace, the engineering teams are continuing to weave
a magical spell on the construction of the buildings and the
landscaping of the area that will give the circuit its unique
Arabic appeal. Press Release
11/20/03
Tagliani to support karting
event
Rocketsports’ driver, Alex Tagliani will lend his support to
karting in Canada at the Mosport Kart Club 2003 Banquet of
Champions Saturday, November 22, 2003, at the Holiday Inn,
Oshawa. Tagliani will be on hand for the crowning of 11 club
champions in classes ranging from Junior and Senior Honda 4
Cycle, Junior and Senior Rotax to Junior and Senior Shifter.
In the spring of 1997, karting became an important and
permanent fixture at Mosport International Raceway, Canada's
foremost motorsport facility. With the addition of the Mosport
Kart Circuit, Canada's talented young racers can hone their
skills at the traditional home of Canadian motor racing.
Tagliani, who started racing karts at the age of ten, will
address over 150 driving members of all ages from across
Ontario.
“I’m all for supporting younger drivers because I appreciate
how competitive the sport is,” said Tagliani. “Whether these
club drivers want to reach a level like Champ Cars or race on
a recreational level, they need encouragement and direction to
progress and stay competitive. Kart racing is different from
mainstream sports, but clubs like the Mosport Kart Club make
it a safe and affordable sport for people to pursue.
Competitive racing is physically demanding and develops
skills, discipline and teamwork like traditional sports.”
Tagliani came up through the ranks of karting clubs like
Mosport, before entering the CART Toyota Atlantic
Championships in 1996, where he raced for four years prior to
entering the Champ Car World Series in 2000. This season, with
tremendous support from automotive interior supplier, Johnson
Controls, Tagliani led the first-year Rocketsports team to
three podium finishes and two pole starts. Tagliani battled
among the top teams all season, securing a tenth place finish
with 97 points in the Bridgestone Presents The Champ Car World
Series Powered by Ford championship.
Tagliani also supports the next generation of drivers by
personally mentoring Montreal drivers Pierre Luc Ouelette and
Jeffery Petriello. Tagliani joined the young kart drivers, his
father, Raymond Tagliani and the SRA Karting organization at
the SuperKartsUSA (SKUSA) SuperNations in Las Vegas last
weekend. In addition to his time and attention Tagliani
pleased the Vegas crowd with demonstration laps in his twin
125CC shifter kart and dominated a cast of drivers in the
pro-celebrity race. Watch for the SKUSA events and Tagliani’s
pro-celebrity victory to be broadcast in December on SPEED
Channel. For more information check out the following
sites;
http://www.mosport.com/karthome.htm
http://www.rocketsportsracing.com
http://www.skusaonline.com
11/20/03
Technical debrief with Bernard
Dudot
The wide-angle RS23 V10 benefited from frequent developments
during the 2003 season, to the point that the Renault F1
team’s R23B was fighting for regular podiums during the final
races of the championship. Here Bernard Dudot speaks about
life at Viry during 2003.
More.......
11/20/03 Industry News
Despite worldwide anti-tobacco
efforts, Imperial profits up
Imperial Tobacco Group, the world's fourth biggest tobacco
firm, has reported a 40 percent jump in annual profits and
outlined plans to expand in China and Turkey to fuel further
growth.
The company IMT.L , which makes West and Davidoff cigarettes
in Germany and Lambert & Butler and Embassy in Britain, saw
profits lifted by last year's takeover of Reemtsma and raised
its forecast on Monday for cost savings from integrating the
German company.
Imperial is expanding into the huge Chinese cigarette market,
where it plans to launch its West brand early next year to tie
in with West's sponsorship of the McLaren racing team at
China's first Formula One race in September in Shanghai.
"The Chinese market is huge, one third of the world market,
and the potential is huge," said Chief Executive Gareth Davis
in a conference call after full-year results.
The group said it had signed a 10-year deal with Yuxi Hongta
Group for the production and distribution of West cigarettes
in south west China, to sell to the world's biggest smokers,
the Chinese, who smoke 1.7 trillion cigarettes a year.
Reuters
11/20/03
***Reader Question***Will CART
survive?
A reader writes, Dear AutoRacing1.com, There have been no team
sponsor announcements, series sponsor announcements or really
any good news coming out of the CART camp as of late.
The only thing we hear is that the company will run out of
money mid-January and be forced to file for bankruptcy.
Stick a fork in CART, I think it's done. Scott
Morrison, Brooklyn, NY Dear Scott, From the outside
we have to agree that things look pretty bleak for CART.
However, when we talk to people in the paddock, they don't
appear the least bit concerned. Everyone seems to feel
things will improve quickly once Open Wheel takes over and
that they will have a series of positive announcements from
deals they have put together. We don't expect any major
announcements between now and December 19th. Assuming
the proxy vote passes on the 19th and there is a CART series
next year, the new owners will no longer be under an SEC gag
order to remain silent. If the proxy vote fails, CART
will go into receivership and we expect that Open Wheel will
work with the bankruptcy administrator to structure some sort
of deal whereby they buy the company at a price that would
probably be a fraction of the $0.56 per share they bid.
There is one interesting clause in the proxy that says if 16%
or more of the voting shares request an audit of the books,
Open Wheel has the right to withdraw their bid. From the
outside that would appear to be in there because they fear an
audit might reveal the company is worth more than is being
stated. We don't know for certain. However, if the
audit delays the takeover by even a few days, CART will almost
certainly fall into bankruptcy, meaning those that filed for
the audit will see their shares immediately become worthless.
Hopefully it does not come to that, the vote passes and CART
moves forward. Mark C.
11/20/03
***Reader Comment***CSI: Miami - How ironic
A reader writes, Dear AR1, How do you spell irony? CSI+ASTJ. It was a
great episode with a lot of technical explanation thrown in for the
non-race fan, which I think is a nice touch. What is ironic is the
sponsorship opportunities that were lost by ASTJ not having a main
sponsor. As you mentioned, with all of their exposure in the show, a
team sponsor would have made out great! At one point you could see,
barely, the Merlins logo on a front wing, but that was it.
ASTJ
is a great team, and truly the Cinderella of the series. I would hope
that their exposure, and their recent success, can assist them in
landing a great sponsor. J. Gonzalez, San Dimas, CA
11/20/03
Schumacher relaxes in home town
Michael Schumacher is spending time with his family back home.
‘Yesterday I was in Kerpen, the place where I was born,’ revealed
Michael. ‘I feel great when I am there and I have had a good day. We
went to see my father and some old friends and I had some time to
drive the karts and please some fans; the perfect combination!’
Michael has always enjoyed driving karts to relax ‘It’s true,’
confirmed the German champion, ‘above all when I can also spend a
pleasant time with my fans as happened yesterday during an event held
by one of Ferrari’s major sponsors, Vodafone.’
Giebler tests F3000 car for Coloni
Monza, Italy:American driver Phil Giebler ran in an FIA open F3000
test here yesterday with Coloni Motorsport. Even though the car
suffered a couple of failures including a right rear upright that held
Phil to under thirty total laps, he still ended the day third quick
overall. "The car was quick and the team was quite good, unfortunately
we ended up a bit short on track time due to a few problems outside of
all of our control, I feel certain we could have made it to the top of
the board with another session or two. I've never driven on this track
before, so regardless of the final outcome, it was most helpful to
have the chance to get to know the place. I am very grateful to Paolo
Coloni for the opportunity" stated Phil. Giebler has been offered
several opportunities in F3000 for the 2004 season.
11/19/03
Ferrari vs Eurofighter back on
With reports early on this month that the Eurofighter jet would be
grounded because of a brake problem it meant that Ferrari's publicity
stunt to race their F2003-GA against the jet was cancelled. But it's
all been sorted and the event will now go ahead as scheduled.
Builders of the Eurofighter said on Monday the fighter jets would be
cleared to fly again within days, allowing first deliveries to resume
less than a month after a surprise braking failure shook the program.
"Clearance for the DA (development aircraft) fleet to fly is being
finalized this afternoon and they should start flying tomorrow or on
Wednesday morning," said lan Bustin, spokesman for the Eurofighter
consortium. He said the next step would be to get approval from a joint
safety panel including industry and air force officials for production
aircraft destined for the air forces of Germany, Italy, Spain and the
UK.
"Everything is coming back on stream...it's a matter of days," Bustin
said referring to flight approval for production versions of the
plane. A braking failure on a test plane last month is being
attributed to an anomaly in a landing gear computer, he said.
11/19/03
CART announces special buyout meeting
Championship Auto Racing Teams, Inc. ("Championship") (OTCBB: CPNT)
announced today that it will hold a special meeting of its
stockholders, at which it will ask stockholders to vote to adopt the
previously announced merger agreement with Open Wheel Racing Series
LLC. The meeting is scheduled for December 19, 2003 at 10:00 am, local
time, at Championship's headquarters.
Championship Auto Racing Teams, Inc. and Open Wheel Racing Series LLC
announced previously they have signed a definitive merger agreement
providing for Open Wheel Racing Series to acquire Championship for
cash equivalent to $0.56 per share, based on the number of shares of
Championship common stock currently outstanding. The transaction is
subject to a number of closing conditions, including approval by
Championship's stockholders.
Open Wheel Racing Series is a newly formed holding company owned
indirectly by a group of investors including Gerald R. Forsythe, Kevin
Kalkhoven and Paul Gentilozzi. Open Wheel Racing Series currently has
beneficial ownership of 3,377,400 shares of Championship common stock,
which represent approximately 22.9% of the outstanding shares of
Championship. These shares will be contributed to Open Wheel Racing
Series by Mr. Forsythe or entities owned or controlled by him. Open
Wheel Racing Series has previously stated that, if the transaction is
completed, it intends to continue to operate the business of
Championship, including continuing to sanction the motorsports series
currently known as "Bridgestone Presents the Champ Car World Series
Powered by Ford."
11/19/03 F3000
Bell tests at Monza, prepares for Jag
test Townsend Bell was
back in an ARDEN F3000 race car yesterday in an FIA pre-season test
program at the Monza circuit in Italy and was happy to be back in the
seat...This was the beginning of a hectic three week program that
included testing in another F3000 car at Valencia in Spain tomorrow
(November 20), followed next week by the Jaguar F1 test (November
25-26) at Valencia, Spain.
Bell was at the Jaguar F1 team's headquarters in Milton Keynes,
England for a seat fitting today before catching a flight to Valencia.
The Spanish test in an Astromega F3000 car was arranged by ARDEN team
owner Christian Horner so that Townsend could learn a little bit about
the track before he will test the Jaguar F1 car there next week..."If
I can get in 15 or 20 laps in a F3000 car it will help me know the
corners, bumps and undulations I will encounter in the Jaguar F1 car",
said the young Californian who is so determined to break into the F1
championship series.
The Monza test for ARDEN yesterday was a part of the ARDEN team's
ongoing development work in preparation to defend their F3000
championship won this year by the Swedish driver Bjorn Wirdheim. Bell
noted, " It was cold in the morning but we managed to get in about 30
laps all together. I really wanted more time at Monza because of being
knocked out of the Monza F3000 race on the 2nd lap in September. I
finally got the time to better understand the circuit, which will help
me be faster there when I come back. I also had the chance to work
with Mick Cook at this test and that was very satisfying. Mick has had
a lot of success in F3000 - it shows in his confidence as we worked
through the setups for evaluating things". Cook is the man who
engineered the Wirdheim F3000 championship car in 2003.
Enrico Toccacelo, in a Coloni F3000 car was fastest at the Monza test
with a time of 1 minute, 38.7 seconds with Bell 2nd at 1 minute, 39.5
seconds. American Phil Giebler was 3rd quickest in another Coloni car
at 1 minute, 40.28 seconds, followed by Mathias Lauda (World Champion
Niki Lauda's son) at 1 minute, 40.29 seconds in an ARDEN test program.
The Jaguar F1 car seat fitting took about 3 hours and was handled by
Mark Webber's engineer Pete Harrison. The fitting was a bit easier
than the BAR-F1 fitting because Webber is taller than TBell and they
are used to tall drivers. Justin Wilson is the other driver at
Jaguar F1 and he is also very tall. After the seat fitting he climbed
back into his taxi for the hour ride back to Heathrow airport and then
to Spain.
The pressure changes from corporate offices to the racetracks of the
world. TBell has spent the short off-season talking to everyone
who will listen about the need and values in funding the American
challenge. Several companies are interested, and especially so if a
Formula One contract is committed. The young American is
optimistic that he will prove his pace in a race car and his business
influence on the commercial side. We will not have long to wait on a
next step in the Challenge.
11/19/03
Unser buys Lola for his museum project
Al Unser has found another prominent race car for his museum.
Four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Unser was one of the few
racers among 320 people who attended an auction Nov. 15 in Phoenix as
Vince Granatelli, son of Speedway Hall of Famer Andy Granatelli, sold
all of his racing equipment and his 38,500 square-foot shop and
private jet. Vince retired as a car owner in CART after the 1991
season yet maintained his equipment in spotless condition for the past
12 years.
The prize among the four Indy-type cars available was the 1991 Lola
that Arie Luyendyk drove to third place in the 1991 Indianapolis 500.
The car also won at Nazareth, Pa., and finished second at Michigan.
Unser purchased that car. He also bought benches, shelves and other
equipment and hauled them back to Albuquerque.
“All the cars were sold,” Granatelli said. “I have offers on the
building and jet. “I’m out of the racing business. Everything
was sold. I have mixed emotions. Al said, ‘I know how you feel.’”
When Unser was asked what he paid for his car, he laughed and said,
“Too much.” Then he laughed again and added, “More than a dollar.”
The Kruse International auctioneering firm of Auburn, Ind., handled
the sale. Greg Weld, who drove in the 1970 Indianapolis 500, purchased
a 1991 Lola backup car without an engine. Dean Kruse of Kruse
International bought the other two cars, the 1987 March that Roberto
Guerrero drove to second in the 1987 Indianapolis 500 and won with at
Phoenix and the 1991 Lola that Luyendyk won in at Phoenix and finished
second in at Detroit.
Roger Penske sent some representatives, but mostly the crowd was
comprised of people seeking memorabilia. Granatelli said many people
thanked him for keeping every piece in such immaculate condition.
The Luyendyk car joins about 30 that Unser and son, two-time
Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser Jr., have in their shop ready to
place in the museum when it is constructed.
Al Unser is enthusiastic about his museum project. “It’s for
kids and grown-ups to let them see what we did and see what cars are
all about,” he said. “I’d like to create something for the kids.”
Unser is dismayed that auto mechanics has been dropped from the
curriculum of most high schools. He wants his museum to be open to all
young people so they can get a hands-on feel for working with cars,
both passenger and race vehicles. “I want to get the kids
interested and get them off the street,” he said. Now the
tough part of the project is underway – finding funding.
“I thought racing was hard,” Unser said, “but raising money is really
hard. “I’ve just now started raising some money. We’re
talking large dollars.” The museum will be housed in an
already planned and designed 50,000 square-foot building.
“It’s a good project,” he said.
11/19/03 Industry News
Red
Bull names winners The Red Bull Driver Search
announced the winners of the 2003 program at the famed Madison
Avenue Sports Car Driving and Chowder Society’s monthly
meeting. The meeting was in conjunction with the International
Automotive Media Awards and Brock Yates of Car and Driver,
Jean Jennings of Automobile Magazine and Roger Werner of
SpeedVision fame were present among scores of automotive
industry and media representatives, and over 150 members of
the Chowder Society.
Danny Sullivan, head of the Red Bull Driver Search program
announced the four American members of the 2004 Red Bull
Junior Team, who will be rewarded with a Red Bull sponsorship
worth upwards of $500,000 for the 2004 racing season.
Three of the four drivers will be racing in Formula Renault in
Europe:
Dominique Claessens of Rolling Hills, CA will be
driving with the Italian team, JD Motorsports; Colin Fleming of North Hills, CA will be with
the Swiss team, Jenzer Motorsports; Scott Speed will be with the German team,
Motopark (Speed was unable to be present at the event); Matt Jaskol of Las Vegas, NV will be spending
the 2004 season in Formula BMW in the U.S.
Now, that finding sponsorship, the most difficult obstacle for
any racer has been overcome, it is up to these young drivers
to be focused and invest hard work and dedication to take
their careers to the next level. Ultimately, their goal is to
advance to the pinnacle of world motorsport, Formula 1, with
the support of Red Bull.
In his presentation, Sullivan outlined how a nationwide search
for America’s most talented race car drivers had culminated in
the selection of these promising stars. Sullivan also
discussed the format for the 2004 Driver Search highlighting
the extensive reach of the program and the emphasis on finding
the “diamond in the rough” from the grassroots of American
motorsport; the go-kart community. The 2004 program will kick
off in mid March.
11/19/03 Industry News
Stock Split for Johnson
Controls Johnson Controls Inc., the
fourth-largest U.S. auto parts maker and CART team sponsor
(Rocketsports), on Wednesday said its board approved a
two-for-one split of the company's shares and a 25 percent
increase in the dividend. The quarterly dividend was raised to
45 cents from 36 cents, bringing the annual payout to 90 cents
on a post-split basis. The increase marks the 29th consecutive
year in which Johnson Controls has boosted its dividend, which
it has paid since 1887. The dividend increase and two-for-one
stock split will be effective Jan. 2 for shareholders of
record Dec. 12.
11/19/03
Montoya: Why I am leaving for
McLaren
Juan Montoya told the Gazzetta dello Sport: “The
decision to change teams wasn’t dictated by a falling out with
Williams. As soon as I had signed with McLaren I went and told
Frank.
“I am happy here at Williams and for this reason I will honor
to the letter my contract, driving one more year with them.
“An offer was made to me, I spoke to Ron Dennis and the
Mercedes directors who I knew a little bit from having driven
their DTM car in 1996 and then I made my decision.”
Montoya said McLaren’s offer, which is believed to be worth
$9.5million per season, was simply too good to turn down.
He said: “In life you often find yourself at a crossroads –
take it or leave it. I decided to take it.
“My choice was dictated by considerations for the future and I
believe that in the long term I can achieve more with
McLaren.”
The timing of McLaren’s announcement, more than a year in
advance, has surprised many. However, Montoya is not worried
that it will jeopardize his 2004 championship chances.
He said: “The decision to make the deal public was taken by
Ron Dennis and I don’t believe it will do me any damage.
“Williams had been warned well ahead of time of my decision.
“I will continue to work as I always have with the objective
of winning the world championship and I am sure that this
season McLaren will be a very tough opponent.”
Montoya is due to test for Williams at Valencia next week,
alongside Ralf Schumacher and Marc Gene.
11/19/03
Brands Hatch confirms loss of
Champ Car race This Autosport.com
article says that UK company Brands Hatch Circuits Ltd
has formally confirmed that its Kent road circuit will not
host a round of the Champ Car World Series next year. "Brands
Hatch was making plans to hold the London Champ Car Trophy in
2004, but CART has informed us that it is no longer its
intention to hold a race here," BHCL's Andrew Waller told
Motorsport News. "We're adjusting our plans accordingly."
11/19/03
Photos of Bjorn Wirdheim's
Champ Car test F3000 sensation Bjorn Wirdheim
recently tested for Patrick Racing's Champ Car team at Arizona
Motorsports Park. Here is a
link to some photos from that session.
11/19/03
Champ Car-Themed CSI: Miami
Delivers For CART Sponsors, Teams
Last week’s episode of the CBS crime drama CSI: Miami, filmed
on location at the Grand Prix Americas Presented by
Sportsbook.com in late September, turned South Florida’s
streets into a 200 mph blur with thoroughbred Champ Cars
screaming through downtown as a high-profile Hollywood murder
mystery unraveled. After the show received the third-highest
rating in its history, supporters of the Bridgestone Presents
The Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford reached new levels
of sponsorship exposure for their involvement in the popular
show.
Exposure from the episode, which earned a 12.0 rating and a 19
share (12,960,000 households), provided series’ sponsors
Bridgestone and Ford a great return on their investment, along
with footage that featured the two-car team of American Spirit
Team Johansson. These ratings were parlayed into estimated
dollar values through sponsorship exposure, time and mentions
compared to the CBS network’s cost per 30-second commercial
rate of $265,000.
Respected industry leader in sponsor exposure analysis Joyce
Julius and Associates reported that Ford Motor Company racked
up $1,192,500 in value with the crime centering around one of
the 750hp engines that propels all the machines in the Champ
Car World Series, while the series’ presenting sponsor and
official tire manufacturer Bridgestone received $1,042,340 in
exposure for numerous placements throughout the show.
In addition, through specific mentions and logo placement
directly relating to the show’s storyline, CART Champ Car’s
exclusive engine manufacturer Cosworth received $618,335 in
value.
Champ Car-related signage and logos were displayed prominently
at the crime scene investigation based in the Champ Car
paddock, with American Spirit Team Johansson ($2,084,670),
Team Rahal sponsor Gigante ($106,000) and Mi-Jack Conquest
Racing ($530,005) most notably reaping the benefits from the
nationwide coverage. The series itself benefited with
$1,042,330 worth of exposure, while the CART brand
specifically enjoyed $706,670 in value for sharing the
episode’s spotlight.
11/19/03 Industry News
Michael Andretti featured
Michael Andretti, along with over 50 celebrity athletes, is
featured in a new charity book entitled “America’s Athletes,”
which was launched yesterday. The book includes photographs of
the sports stars along with a patriotic perspective written by
each athlete. All photos contain a patriotic theme and were
developed following the events of September 11, 2001.
America’s Athletes features Andretti along with other sports
superstars such as Marion Jones, Evander Holyfield, Tony
Stewart, Tim Duncan, Kurt Warner, Kristi Yamaguchi, Jeremy
Roenick and many more. America’s Athletes will be available at
select Borders bookstores and online at
www.andretti.com or
www.AmericasAthletes.com. Log onto Andretti.com for more
information on the book along with a complete list of the
sports figures featured in America’s Athletes and the
charities benefiting from this project. Proceeds from the sale
of America’s Athletes will be divided among charities selected
by the athletes featured. Michael Andretti’s selected charity
is the Michael Andretti Foundation. “After the events of
September 11th, the opportunity to get involved in a book of
this magnitude with so many other high-caliber athletes made
it impossible for me not to participate,” said Andretti.
“Knowing that a portion of the proceeds will not only benefit
my foundation, but all of the other athletes’ charities as
well, is just an added bonus.” America’s Athletes is a project
of the FairPlay Foundation, a Phoenix, Arizona-based
non-profit organization created by Sandra Tenuto to assist
professional athletes, celebrities and the affluent who want
to become more involved in enhancing the community in which
they live, play and serve. The Michael Andretti Foundation
supports a variety of charitable causes and initiatives that
promote children’s charities, educational purposes and
wellness programs. For more information about the Michael
Andretti Foundation, visit our website at
http://www.andretti.com.
11/19/03
Jaguar launch date set
Jaguar Racing will launch its 2004 challenger, the Jaguar R5,
at the Circuit de Catalunya (Barcelona), on Sunday 18th of
January.
11/19/03
Roush to bring a mob to NY City
Jack Roush employs over 300 people to maintain his five
Winston Cup entries. He intends to bring all 300 of them
to the NASCAR Awards banquet in December at the Waldorf
Astoria. It's Jack's first Winston Cup victory (Kenseth)
and since he's not sure if he will ever win one again (it took
him this long to win his first) he's going all out this year.
11/19/03
Team Rahal opens doors to CART
ladder hopefuls Bridgestone Presents The Champ Car
World Series Powered by Ford and CART Toyota Atlantic
Championship competitor Team Rahal recently announced that the
Hilliard, Ohio-based team will provide a full Toyota Atlantic
test to the ICC and ICA category winners of the 2003 Champ Car
Stars of Tomorrow competition. The two champions will have a
chance to show their skills in Team Rahal's Argent Mortgage
Toyota/Swift, December 10-11 at Carolina Motorsports Park in
Kershaw, N.C. Bobby Wilson of Dousman, Wis., will have his
dream shot in the Team Rahal machine usually piloted by Danica
Patrick in the top level of the Champ Car Driver Development
Ladder System, after capturing the 125cc ICC category
championship with five national Stars race wins. The
22-year-old was recently named the winner of the inaugural Jim
Trueman Scholarship Award for the 2003 Snap-on Champ Car Stars
of Tomorrow presented by RACER karting series, and received a
$25,000 prize to be used toward his 2004 racing program. "The
chance to test the Team Rahal Toyota Atlantic car is awesome,"
said Wilson. "I've always wanted to drive one of those cars
and it is great that the Stars of Tomorrow program gives a
karting racer the opportunity to get behind the wheel of that
kind of machine." Robbie Pecorari of Aston, Pa., captured the
100cc ICA category championship with five Stars national wins,
including four of the first five events of the season. For his
efforts, the 16-year-old was awarded a full season of
competition in the 2004 Skip Barber Formula Dodge National
Championship, the 13-race series that has produced many of the
top young racers in North America including 2003 Champ Car
rookie Ryan Hunter-Reay (#31 American Spirit
Ford-Cosworth/Reynard/Bridgestone), A.J. Allmendinger (#4
RuSPORT Toyota/Swift), the 2003 Toyota Atlantic champion, and
this season's Barber Dodge Pro Series titlist Leo Maia. "I am
really excited to drive that Toyota Atlantic car," said
Pecorari. "It has been one of my goals to get into one of
those cars and this chance should be a thrill. Now that I am
moving into cars next year, this opportunity will be very good
experience. I want to thank Team Rahal and the Stars program
for this chance." Both Wilson and Pecorari will be visiting
the Team Rahal race shop in the next few weeks for seat
fittings and final preparations before their early December
test. Team owner Bobby Rahal and representatives from the
team's Toyota Atlantic program will oversee the two-day test
session.
11/19/03
KKK wants a boycott on NASCAR
Ku Klux Klan members were apparently busy distributing a newsletter
and fliers as some local residents found them attached to their
mailboxes on Monday, Local 4 reported. The newsletter called "The
Flame," along with a flier, was attached by rubber bands to mailboxes
in Ypsilanti and Pittsfield Township. The materials reportedly called
for the boycott of McDonald's, NASCAR and Coca-Cola for what the KKK
says are the companies' tendency for discriminating against whites by
hiring blacks and Hispanics. Residents said the timing of the fliers
was perfect because Monday was trash day, Local 4 reported.
ClickOnDetroit.com
11/19/03
New Mercedes engine tested
The 2003 'P' specification of Mercedes-Benz V10 engine will not be
raced in a GP, but it is providing valuable information for the 2004
'Q' spec engine. Norbert Haug insists that the manufacturer has
learned a lot about its successor, the 'Q' spec, from tests in
McLaren's never-raced MP4-18 chassis. 'We ran the MP4-18 in a
variety of configurations to optimize the 19's design,' said team
principal and McLaren CEO Ron Dennis. Haug confirmed that the 'Q' spec
will debut at Melbourne's Albert Park next season, mounted in the rear
of an evolution of the 18, the MP4-19. 'What we learned from the
P certainly can be put into the Q,' the German added. 'The Q is not
completely different from P but it is a step.'
Honda snubs Rossi World
champion Valentino Rossi suffered an embarrassing snub on Sunday when
Honda, with whom he won three world motorcycling MotoGP championships,
refused him permission to practice with his new Yamaha employers.
Yamaha, who signed the Italian on a two-year deal after he wrapped up
this year’s title, wanted their new superstar to take part in an
official three-day test at Sepang in Malaysia from November 28.
However, Honda refused to grant their permission as their contract
with Rossi doesn’t expire until December 31. The approach was made by
Fortuna Yamaha Team Director Davide Brivio who spoke to his Honda
counterpart Carlo Fiorani last Wednesday but he rejected the request
admitting they did not want to hand an advantage to the world champion
and his new machine. “Despite our affection for Valentino Rossi and
respect for Team Yamaha, we cannot allow Rossi to test the M1 machine
before the 31st of December,” Fiorani told the championship’s official
website www.motogp.com. “We simply
cannot afford to concede advantages to our rivals. To allow Yamaha to
test with Valentino would be like giving a sixth card to an opponent
in a game of poker. “This is a game and you have to respect the rules.
I think Davide Brivio was right to ask our permission, and I think we
were right to turn him down.”
11/18/03
CART announces 2004 Toyota
Atlantic schedule Highlighted by the series'
first race in Vancouver since 2001, officials from the CART
Toyota Atlantic Championship Presented by Yokohama released
its 12-weekend 2004 schedule today. "The 2004 schedule,
once again, provides a solid mix of various racing venues that
assist in developing driver skill," commented Les Unger,
national motorsports manager for Toyota. "The CART Toyota
Atlantic Championship continues to provide fans throughout
North America the opportunity to watch 'tomorrow's stars'
display their racing talent."
More....
11/18/03
Sauber to present new car
January 12th
Team Sauber Petronas will present its 2004 F1 Championship
contender, the Sauber Petronas C23, on Monday, January
12, 2004 at Red Bull's Hangar-7 in Salzburg, in Austria.
11/18/03
Bernie orders changes to Australian GP
Bernie Ecclestone, Chairman of Formula One Management, announced today
that major changes to the format of the Australian Grand Prix would be
possible following the result of decisions taken at a recent meeting
of Formula One promoters and ratified by the F1 Commission.
Mr Ecclestone said the F1 Commission had approved an increase to the
pit lane speed limit. The limit, raised to 100kmh, will apply to all
FIA Formula One World Championship venues from the beginning of 2004.
In addition, Melbourne's Australian Grand Prix circuit has now
been instructed to straighten, and thus substantially shorten,
its pit lane entry, a move that will make its event a three-pitstop race for
competitors.
Mr Ecclestone also revealed that investigations were underway by
Formula One Management (FOM) and the world governing body of motor
sport, the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) that will
allow faster refueling of F1 cars during pit stops.
It is anticipated that the changes to Melbourne's pit entry and the
increase in the pit lane speed will cut three to five seconds off the
length of pit stops.
Quicker refueling could increase the emphasis on team strategy that
plays such a crucial and exciting role in Grand Prix racing today.
Time saving tactics such as faster refuelling stops will heighten the
strategic battle between the leading teams such as Ferrari, Williams,
McLaren, Renault and Jaguar and the world's top drivers, including
six-time world champion Michael Schumacher, Juan Pablo Montoya, Kimi
Raikkonen, Fernando Alonso and Australian star Mark Webber.
Traditionally the leading drivers and teams have made only two pit
stops during the Australian GP. The changes announced today could put
this up to three further adding to the excitement and drama of the
race.
The FIA and its Australian affiliate, the Confederation of Australian
Motor Sport, have approved the changes to the track layout.
Mr Ecclestone said new F1 rules introduced in 2003 had already made
the sport much more competitive and exciting to the fans and millions
of television viewers around the world. He added that the latest moves
demonstrated an on-going commitment to exciting racing. Press
Release
11/18/03
Ideas to fix the IRL's woes
This Valvoline.com
article paints a very bleak picture of the IRL.
Tony George split the sport in half and both CART and the IRL
are in a crisis. It's quite possible that one man's
actions will eventually destroy the sport. NASCAR is
getting stronger by the day, and pulling away. The only
thing increasing in the IRL are injuries and destroyed cars.
From a sport that was booming in 1995, we now have a sport in
crisis. Since its inception, his idea of what Indy Car racing
should be (all ovals, 100% throttle) has sent so many drivers
to the hospital we have lost count. Read the article - it lays it on the line about the IRL.
11/18/03
Still no answers to Renna's crash
This Indy Star
article talks about the fact that there still is no
determination as to why Tony Renna's IRL car took flight, went into
the fencing above the wall and fatally injured him. Joe Renna
and his family want to know. Brian Barnhart said he does not
expect major adjustments to the cars for next season, in part because
he thinks Renna's flip was an aberration. He said the other four cars
that went airborne this season got off the ground with help from
outside factors such as wheel-to-wheel contact with another car.
[Bingo - wheel-to-wheel contact, which is why the destruction will
continue].
11/18/03
Franchitti back at AGR
Veteran Dario Franchitti will return to Andretti Green Racing to drive
the No. 27 Dallara/Honda/Firestone in the 2004 IRL IndyCar Series
season, AGR officials announced Nov. 18.
Franchitti, who finished second in the 1999 CART championship,
competed in just three IndyCar Series events in 2003 due to a back
injury sustained in a motorcycle accident in April in his native
Scotland.
“Andretti Green Racing is really looking forward to having Dario back
full-time next season,” said Michael Andretti, co-owner of AGR along
with partners Kim Green and Kevin Savoree. “Dario will definitely give
Andretti Green and Honda another real shot at winning the series
championship because of his technical feedback, his team leadership,
and obviously, his proven ability to win.”
Franchitti competed in the first two races of the 2003 season at
Homestead and Phoenix before the back injury caused him to miss races
at Japan, Indianapolis and Texas. He returned to the cockpit in June
at Pikes Peak and finished fourth, but underwent back surgery in the
weeks following the Pikes Peak event, which caused him to miss the
remainder of the 2003 season.
“To say I’m eager to get going again would be a huge understatement,”
Franchitti said. “My recovery has been going very well, and I know I’m
not quite through the process yet, but I really can’t wait to get back
in an AGR car and work with my guys. I’m working very hard to regain
my fitness, and I feel like I’m a bit ahead of schedule. I am very
focused on getting back to 100 percent.”
Franchitti has been under the care of orthopedic surgeon Dr. Terry
Trammell, who performed the back surgery in July in Indianapolis.
“Dario is currently weaning out of his brace and is continuing to
increase his general physical conditioning,” Trammell said. “I would
anticipate his healing process to continue normally, in which case he
will be able to begin undertaking more vigorous activity in the near
future. Once he is healed, his risk of a spinal injury in the future
will be no greater than it was before he was injured.”
11/18/03
Canadian GP saved
According to ¨Le
Journal de Montreal¨ this morning, the Canadian GP is ON.
Labatt
matched Molson's offer (as a main sponsor) and Ecclestone agreed
to a $30M compensation, once, this year only and won't bother the
Canadian GP about tobacco laws again. Ecclestone will dig in his
own pocket to some extent and both Canadian and Québécois governments
will chip in as sponsors ($7M-$12M). A
recap of the entire saga.
11/18/03
China to ratify anti-tobacco treaty
The Shanghai Daily newspaper is reporting that the Chinese look set to
ratify its signature of the World Health Organization's Framework
Convention on Tobacco Control at the National Peoples' Congress when
it meets in March next year. But the country's huge tobacco industry
says that banning all cigarette advertising will be a disaster.
"It will deal a heavy blow to China's tobacco business," said Zheng
Fugang, the secretary-general of the China Tobacco Society. The
Chinese government supports the move but other agencies, notably the
city of Shanghai, which wants to have tobacco sponsorship allowed for
the inaugural Chinese GP.
Grandprix.com
More.....An agreement forcing the government to implement a series of
anti-smoking measures will have little impact even if it is ratified,
industry experts say. Under the agreement, signed by China's
ambassador to the United Nations, the country became the 77th nation
to endorse the World Health Organisation's Framework Convention on
Tobacco Control introduced earlier this year. This calls on all
signatories to introduce regulations and legislation to control the
production, sale and consumption of tobacco products. The
convention states that all cigarette packages must carry a health
warning covering at least 30 per cent of the box. At present,
cigarette packets in China carry the warning 'Smoking harms your
health'. But tobacco industry experts maintain the convention
will have little impact on smokers in China. 'Most of the items
included in the convention are already incorporated into the law in
China,' said Yuan Benli, director of the China Smoking and Health
Association. The convention also calls for legislation to
protect against exposure to tobacco smoke in public places, but the
government has shown little interest in complying. China is the
world's largest producer and consumer of tobacco. The industry employs
nearly 60 million people and contributes 145 billion yuan (HK$136
billion) in taxes. The industry is run as a state monopoly with
the central government controlling raw materials, production and
licensing. More than 2,000 people die of smoking-related
illnesses in China every day. The number is expected to reach to 8,000
a day in 2050.
US Army close to renewing with #01
Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal reports this week that the
U.S. Army is close to renewing its sponsorship with MB2 Motorsports
for the team's No. 01 Nextel Cup entry. Columnist Terry Lefton says
the Army spent more than $16 million on its NASCAR sponsorship this
year but says it generated 79 billion media impressions and 50,000
leads on possible Army enlistments. "That equates to $20 million in
advertising we didn't have to spend, so we're pretty happy," Col
Thomas Nickerson, director of Strategic Outreach of the U.S. Army
Accessions Command, told the weekly publication. Joe Nemechek is
scheduled to continue to drive while Jerry Nadeau continues to
recuperate from his May accident at Richmond International Raceway.
Winston Cup Scene Daily Newsletter
11/17/03 Industry News
Tickets to go on sale at Infineon
Raceway
Infineon Raceway is not only offering tremendous value for race fans
purchasing a season-ticket package for the 2004 motor racing season,
it is also giving them a coveted NASCAR Pit Pass for the NASCAR NEXTEL
Cup weekend.
It's all part of the upcoming 2004 Big O Tires Racing Season, which
kicks off in earnest on Friday, Nov. 21, as Infineon Raceway
officially opens its ticket windows to the public. The new season will
be headlined by the NASCAR Dodge/Save Mart 350, presented by Snap-On
Tools (June 25-27) and the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series FRAM
Autolite Nationals, presented by Supercuts (July 30-Aug. 1).
The biggest savings for 2004 will come with a season-ticket package,
which will cost $395, a $130 savings over the same package in 2003.
Plus, you'll get a NASCAR Pit Pass that will allow access to cold pit
lane at designated times over the weekend (this pass will not allow
entry into the NASCAR garage). In addition, you will receive premium
reserved seats to NASCAR and NHRA, tickets to the remaining five
major-event weekends planned for 2004, a raceway hard card, and
preferred parking.
Individual race tickets for all events on the 2004 major-event
calendar will be available beginning Nov. 21, including the AMA
Kawasaki Showdown (April 30-May 2), featuring the Supercuts Superbike
Challenge, and the Infineon Grand Prix of Sonoma American Le Mans
Series (July 16-18), presented by Napa Valley Marriott Hotel & Spa.
Infineon Raceway will also feature the best in vintage automobile
racing and the Team Superstores NHRA Division 7 Summernationals.
11/17/03 Industry News
This week's Wind Tunnel guests
The week will be the last LIVE week of SPEED Channel's Wind
Tunnel until next season and the show is closing out an
exciting debut season with a stellar guest list:
Monday -- Motor sports safety pioneer Bill Simpson (and a
little fun with Speed Racer)
Tuesday -- Motorcycle giants Jeremy McGrath
Wednesday -- Dan Gurney, one of the true legends of racing
Thursday -- Multi-race team owner, Roger Penske
Send your e-mail questions to
windtunnel@speedtv.com
or call 1-866-W-TUNNEL to be a part of the live call-in
portions of the show.
11/17/03
Team Rahal to provide test for
Stars champions
Team Rahal, one of the leading open-wheel racing teams in
North America, announced today that it would provide a
full-day Toyota Atlantic Championship test to the ICC and ICA
category winners of the 2003 Champ Car Stars of Tomorrow
competition. The two rising stars will each participate in a
full-day test in Team Rahal's Argent Mortgage Toyota/Swift
with Team Rahal's Toyota Atlantic team December 10-11 at
Carolina Motorsports Park in Kershaw, Sorth Carolina.
Bobby Wilson, a 22 year-old native of Dousman, Wis., captured
the 125cc ICC category championship with five national Stars
race wins in addition to a victory in the Grand Prix of
Windsor. The winner of the 2003 Jim Trueman Scholarship Award,
Wilson will be visiting the Team Rahal race shop in the next
few weeks for a seat fitting and final preparation for his
early December test. Wilson is already committed to running
the 18-race Formula Ford 2000 Zetec championship for Cape
Motorsports of St. Petersburg, Florida, as part of his 2004
racing program.
"The chance to test the Team Rahal Toyota Atlantic car is
awesome," said Wilson. "I've always wanted to drive one of
those cars and it is great that the Stars of Tomorrow program
gives a karting racer the opportunity to get behind the wheel
of that kind of machine."
The second recipient is Robbie Pecorari, a 16 year-old native
of Aston, Pa., who captured the 100cc ICA category
championship with five Stars national wins, including four of
the first five events of the season. Pecorari failed to finish
on the podium only once in nine events this season. Like
Wilson he will be visiting the Team Rahal race shop for a seat
fitting and additional preparations for the full-day Toyota
Atlantic test.
"I am really excited to drive that Toyota Atlantic car," said
Pecorari. "It has been one of my goals to get into one of
those cars and this chance should be a thrill. Now that I am
moving into cars next year, this opportunity will be very good
experience. I want to thank Team Rahal and the Stars program
for this chance."
"We at Team Rahal are pleased to present the testing
opportunity to Bobby and Robbie, an opportunity that they both
richly deserve," said Bobby Rahal, Team Rahal owner who won
the 1986 Indianapolis 500 and three Champ Car championships.
"They both had fantastic seasons in their respective divisions
and they both have a bright future ahead of them. I have
always been a big supporter of the Champ Car ladder system of
which the Stars of Tomorrow program is the inaugural step.
Team Rahal has been involved with the Stars of Tomorrow
program from the first year and we are proud to continue our
involvement in helping develop the next generation of racing
champions."
11/17/03
Toyota truck announcement press
conference
PARTICIPANTS: Jim Aust - Motorsports
Vice President, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. President and CEO,
Toyota Racing Development U.S.A. Les Unger - National
Motorsports Manager, Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Lee White -
Group VP and GM, Toyota Racing Development U.S.A. Alex Meshkin
- Owner and CEO of Bang Racing Larry McReynolds - VP of Bang
Racing George deBidart - Owner, Innovative Motorsports, Inc.
Mike Brown - GM of Bill Davis Racing Darrell Waltrip - Owner
of Waltrip Racing Inc.
Transcript
11/17/03
Schumacher injured playing
soccer/football
Michael Schumacher injured his knee playing football. He has
been ordered to rest for a couple of weeks after getting
injured playing for a local team near his Switzerland home.
The injury means that he will not be able to train with the
Manchester United squad on Wednesday, as planned. Schumacher
is not expected to climb back behind the wheel of an F1 car
until January so the injury should not affect his Ferrari
testing plans.
11/17/03 World Rally
Burns diagnosed with brain
tumor British rally star Richard Burns has been
diagnosed with a brain tumor, and will be forced to sit out
next year's World Rally Championship while he undergoes
treatment. The 32-year-old Burns was forced to skip Wales
Rally GB, the series finale at which he had been in with a
chance of winning the World Championship, after passing out at
the wheel of his road car while en route to the event. Tests
to determine the cause of his blackout revealed that Burns has
Astrocytoma. This is a form of tumor that develops on the
brain's Glial cells, which support and protect the nerve
cells. Burns will be treated for the condition through a
course of radiation therapy, and doctors are confident that
this will prove effective. "I would really like to thank
everyone for their continued support – it means a lot to me,"
said Burns. "My fans, the Peugeot WRC team and also everyone
at Prodrive and Subaru (where Burns was set to drive next
season) have all been tremendous. "The doctors have advised me
that I am unable to get back in a rally car for the 2004 World
Rally Championship and I have to accept that. I'm obviously
extremely disappointed, but I am feeling very positive and I
am determined to focus all of my efforts on getting back to
full fitness as soon as I can."
SPEED Channel
11/17/03
Juan Montoya goes to Skip
Barber school2nd UPDATE
We have added a more complete set of photos. The Skip
Barber instructor in some of the photos is Don Kutschall.
Juan and Frederico's father, Pablo, is seen in many of the
photos also. He has a white beard, and he's wearing a gray &
black shirt and a beige & black hat.
11/15/03 - We
have added images below. 11/14/03 - How would you feel if you enrolled in
a racing school, and one of the people there to give you
advice and encouragement was a CART Champ Car champion, an
Indy 500 winner and a three-time F1 race winner? That would be
pretty cool, don't you think? Well, that exact scenario just
happened at the Skip Barber Racing School in Sebring, Fla. A
16-year-old karter, making his first foray into racing cars,
took a Skip Barber Two-Day Advanced Racing course. According
to lead instructor Walt Bohren, the young karter did an
exceptional job, following a bit of apprehensiveness in the
beginning. And what famous racer was there to offer a hand?
None other than Juan Pablo Montoya. And who was he helping?
His little brother… Frederico Montoya, the younger brother of
Juan Pablo Montoya -- Barber Dodge race winner, CART-Champ Car
Champion, Indy 500 winner, three-time F1 race winner --
completed one of Skip Barber Racing's Advanced Two-Day Racing
Schools at Sebring International Raceway last week. Using the
same car as employed in the four Skip Barber Regional Series
as well as the Formula Dodge National Championship Presented
by RACER -- the two-liter, 140h.p., sequential gearboxed R/T
2000 -- the up-and-coming karting star lapped the Sebring
Modified circuit within a few tenths of what the front-runners
in the regional and national series do. Older brother Juan
Pablo was there to lend support, as well as observe the Skip
Barber teaching system. The F1 star said even he learned a few
things from the instructor corps in charge of the class: Walt Bohren, Don Kutschall, Todd Snyder and Keith Watts. The boys'
dad, Pablo, was also on hand during the two-day school and
said he was impressed by the curriculum, which included
sequential-gearbox technique, trail-brake practice, passing
exercises, full-course lapping, starts and re-starts. Final
note: Divina Galica, managing director of both the Formula
Dodge National Championship and the four regional Skip Barber
Race Series, had conversations with Frederico's father about
the youngster entering the Southern Region Race Series event
at Moroso Motorsports Park in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., Dec. 5-6-7,
with Juan possibly stopping by. Hmmm… that's the same race weekend
that Michael Andretti is guest coaching. And that would make for an
A-list pit lane, we would say.
11/17/03
Andretti ride contingent on
sponsor
According to this Indy Star
article, John Andretti appears to have done enough to
convince Dale Earnhardt Inc. he is deserving of a job next
season. Now it's up to DEI to convince a sponsor. The
Indianapolis native, who was fired in June after six years at
Petty Enterprises, has been in DEI's No. 1 car since the Sept.
6 race at Richmond, Va. The results have been mediocre, with a
42nd-place finish Sunday and best of 12th in 11 starts. But
Andretti and DEI executive vice president Ty Norris contend
the team has performed better than the results indicate.
"We've had some super-fast cars and for a lot of reasons
didn't get the results," Andretti said. "Sure, we've had some
struggles, but find somebody in this garage who hasn't."
Pennzoil won't be back as the team's sponsor in 2004. DEI is
one of several teams courting Kodak, which bought out its
contract with Morgan-McClure Motorsports and is shopping for a
new partner. Norris said he expects to hear something late
this week. "If we're able to land a sponsor, there's a good
chance John will stay in that car," Norris said. "It's
completely contingent on that."
11/17/03
McLaren signs Montoya for 2005
McLaren has confirmed that Juan Pablo Montoya will drive for
the team in 2005, ending months of speculation about the
Colombian's future. He is expected to team with Kimi
Raikkonen with David Coulthard being shown the door, or moved
down to test driver.
"I am thrilled to be joining West McLaren Mercedes," said
Montoya. "The team is consistently a strong World Championship
contender and has a fantastic heritage. It's a great
opportunity for me and I'm really looking forward to the first
time I will be able to drive one of their cars. To join them
is an amazing challenge and experience which I plan to fully
enjoy.
"However, my short term aim is to concentrate 100 percent on
winning the 2004 World Championship." The opportunity to
sign a talent like Juan Pablo was too good to miss
Ron Dennis.
"We want to win races and World Championships, and in order to
do so we have to plan for the future whilst applying every
effort in the short term," said McLaren boss Ron Dennis. "The
opportunity to sign a talent like Juan Pablo was too good to
miss, and there is already a considerable amount of
anticipation within our team about 2005. "We are
certainly looking forward to seeing what he can do in one of
our cars and I believe that it's a prospect that can't fail to
excite Formula 1 fans around the world."
11/17/03 Industry News
Saabs now 100% turbocharged
As supercharged and turbocharged passenger cars proliferate, the
entire 2004 Saab model line is turbocharged. Which manufacturer
will be next to follow suit?
Chevy steps up effort in Trucks
Already established as the most successful manufacturer in NASCAR
Craftsman Truck Series history, Chevrolet have reacted to strengthen
their preserve against the imminent onslaught of Toyota by increasing
its role to include primary sponsorship for two of its teams in 2004.
The #46 Chevrolet Silverado driven by Dennis Setzer for Morgan-Dollar
Motorsports will carry the divisional flagship vehicle line
“Silverado” as its primary sponsor. The #16 Chevrolet Silverado driven
by Jack Sprague for Xpress Motorsports will be branded “Chevy Trucks.”
This new level of activation by Chevrolet is yet another program
emphasizing the division's support of racing as a key marketing
platform for increasing sales. It also coincides with Toyota's arrival
on the NCTS scene with no less than six factory-backed teams,
including current Winston Cup outfit Bill Davis Racing.
“Chevrolet is committed to NASCAR and the Craftsman Truck series for
the long term,” said Jim Campbell, marketing director for Chevy
Racing. “We know from our research that racing fans are extremely
loyal and passionate in their support of racing, and we want to
reinforce our commitment to making the Chevy Silverado the ‘Right
Truck' for their needs. The Craftsman Truck series continues to
provide us with a strong platform for making that connection of
dependability and performance between Silverado, Chevy trucks and
consumers.”
In addition to the two primary sponsorships, several GM internal
associate sponsors will be featured on both trucks. These include: GM
Powertrain key equity brands Duramax Diesel, Vortec Engines, Allison
Transmission and key technology partners XM Radio, Quadrasteer by
Delphi and OnStar. The bedcover of both trucks will carry rotating
sponsorship from regional Chevrolet dealers linking with local race
venues.
These two teams will be joined the #75 Spears Motorsports Silverado,
driven by David Starr, and the new #6 GM Goodwrench Silverado, driven
by Matt Crafton, in receiving factory support from GM Racing.
“GM Racing is also stepping up its support in 2004,” said Pat Suhy, GM
Racing Oval Track manager. “We're moving from one to four teams
receiving factory support next year. Given this new group, GM Racing
will organize a Key Partners program similar to what we did in Winston
Cup. We will also create a new position within GM Racing for someone
to work exclusively on truck development and, we will also provide a
new dedicated shock specialist.”
Since the inception of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck series in 1995,
Chevrolet has won five of nine manufacturers titles and 104 of 216
races run, while Toyota bound Travis Kvapil clinched the closest Truck
Series title chase in history for the GM brand in Friday's Ford 200
season finale at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. Chevy PR
11/16/03 Industry News
Mitsubishi withdraws for all
motorsports for 2004 Mitsubishi Motors North America
announces today that it is withdrawing from motorsports in 2004 to
focus its resources on continuing to grow its brand and build retail
sales.
Mitsubishi Motors won both the 2003 Manufacturers and Overall SCCA
ProRally Championships. Racing enthusiasts saw the formidable
capabilities of the Lancer Evolution which brings a new North American
chapter to Mitsubishi’s impressive performance heritage.
Mitsubishi Motors would like to thank drivers David Higgins, Lauchlin
O’Sullivan, Daniel Barritt, Christian Edstrom and Mark Williams for
their dominating efforts that brought Team Mitsubishi Motor Sports
America seven victories out of nine SCCA ProRally events.
Mitsubishi Motors thanks Vermont SportsCar, Xtreme Autos and MEM
Racing for their impeccable preparation of the Lancer Evolutions with
their skill and leadership, Team Mitsubishi won every event that it
finished.
Further, Mitsubishi Motors thanks sponsors Michelin Tire, Mitsubishi
Fuso, Infinity Audio, Ralliart, HKS Engines, PIAA, and Motul for their
strong support and guidance during our 2003-championship season.
The company looks forward to a time when it can re-enter the
motorsports arena.
11/16/03
Homestead A+, Goodyear F The
redesigned banking and SAFER barrier walls at Homestead-Miami were a
huge success. The once single groove racetrack saw two wide and three
wide racing all weekend in all three divisions that competed on the
new surface. Everyone involved in the track’s redesign deserves an A+.
Goodyear on the other hand deserves a big fat F as in failure - as in
right front failure going into the turn and heavy contact with the
SAFER barrier wall. By the end of the day, much of the Winston Cup
field looked like demolition derby cars from contact with the wall
after experiencing blown tires. Johnny Benson and Rusty Wallace even
had right rear tires coming apart, but fortunately managed to get them
changed before they blew avoiding contact with the wall.
Speedway Media
11/16/03
EuroSpeedway in the news in Germany
The financially troubled EuroSpeedway has been in the news in Germany
today and earlier this week. Articles have appeared in the
Berliner Zeitung, the Berliner Morgenpost, and the
Lausitzer-Rundschau. From what we can understand from the
German language articles, a group is demanding that President Han-Jörg
Fischer be replaced. Apparently a regional initiative called "Veranstaltungs-GbR
am Lausitzring" is demanding changes at EuroSpeedway.
Spokesperson Diethelm Tinko sent a letter, signed by nearly 1000
people, to Brandenburg´s minister of economics Ulrich Junghans.
The letter demanded Fischer be forced under political pressure to
resign or to step down voluntarily. However, Fischer has some
supporters who say the track's troubles are not his doing. The
bankruptcy can be ended with a leasing contract to a new operating
company, stated Ulrich Junghans ( Brandenburg´s Minister of
Economics ) on Friday. Junghans met with 40 people from the "Veranstaltungs-GbR
am Lausitzring." He told them that the track's management is not to
blame for the track's financial woes. It's because of the bankruptcy
of the Berliner Bankgesellschaft (a bank that initially financed the
track). Junghans (the government) will sign a contract with
Fischer whereby they will lease the track for five years and take it
out of bankruptcy. The local government is going to give the track up
to 5.8 million Euros to stay afloat until 2008. Fischer
estimates the track will lose 500,000 Euros per year until 2008 and
the 5.8 million Euros by the government will be used to balance any
loses. However, 500,000 times 5 years = 2.5 million Euros.
Where would the other 3.3 million Euros go? That's around $4
million US dollars. Our guess is that EuroSpeedway offered to
pay CART at least $1 million per year, perhaps more, for five years.
Whatever the exact amount, CART turned it down.....for now. Why
do we say that? because the government is now supporting the
track but who will race there? It needs some big races.
The V8-Star series is gone for 2004 (A statement from series
organizers read: "To run the series is feasible only with
several strong partners. This circumstance is made worse by
the present economic conditions. V8STAR regrets this step,
however, we are convinced of the fact that this is the correct
way." The V8STAR organization will use next year to find
further partners in order to bring back the championship in
2005. Teams involved in the series were informed about the
decision on Friday. "I find this very unfortunate," said team
owner Sven Schnabl. "V8STAR represented a stage between DTC
and the DTM for teams and drivers and offered good sport."). So they have some minor races
plus the DTM. If CART does not come back in 2004 they will have no
"big" events capable of drawing big crowds. We think the government
will do whatever it takes to ensure the track turns around by 2008,
which starts with their flagship race - CART. Mark C.
11/16/03 Formula 3
Macau GP: Lapierre wins 5th Macau GPUPDATE Here is a
link to photos from the race. 11/16/03 - F3 Euroseries driver Nicolas Lapierre has won the 50th Macau Grand
Prix over two incident-packed races (Race 1: 10 laps, Race 2: 15
Laps). The Frenchman triumphed by winning the second of two races and
finishing 2nd in the first race. He was a bit fortunate to win,
however. Australian James Courtney won the first race but fell
out of race two with just five laps to go while heading to a seemingly
sure win. More,
including race results
11/16/03 Industry News
What Detroit's Big 3 are spending in
China Ford and its Chinese partner plan to boost current
production of passenger cars from 20,000 to 150,000 a year. Ford
Chairman Bill Ford said last month in China that the automaker would
invest more than $1 billion to expand production and build a second
plant. General Motors, trailing Volkswagen, is a market leader for
passenger cars in China, but its production facilities are strained by
the heavy demand. GM plans to boost capacity by 50 percent by 2006,
raising production limits from 510,000 to 766,000 units. The world's
top automaker has about 10,000 employees in China and operates five
joint ventures, totaling more than $2 billion in investment. GM
will start offering Cadillacs in China next year. It already sells
Buicks, Chevrolet Blazers and mini-trucks and minivans under the
Wuling brand name. DaimlerChrysler is the parent company of Beijing Jeep,
China's oldest automotive joint venture, dating to 1983. Beijing Jeep
has posted big losses in recent years, unable to harness the surging
demand for autos to its outdated product line. DaimlerChrysler
will invest about $1.1 billion in new production and begin offering
Chinese-made Mercedes-Benz sedans starting in 2005.
Detroit Free Press
11/16/03
Watch for this The Arete
Awards, a national recognition program for people showing
extraordinary courage in sports, includes a racing flavor this year.
Wheelchair bound Bootie Barker, a former NASCAR Winston Cup Series
crew chief, is one of several nominees for the 2003 Arete Awards. The
ceremony, which airs Sunday evening, Nov. 30, on CBS, is sponsored in
part by Nextel, which opens 2004 as the new title sponsor of NASCAR’s
premier series. Barker currently is on leave of absence from Jasper
Motorsports, which fields Dave Blaney’s No. 77 team. He will join Haas
Automation as the NASCAR Busch Series crew chief for driver Jason
Leffler.. NASCAR PR
11/16/03
15% increase for Rockingham ratings
With Matt Kenseth’s countdown to the NASCAR Winston Cup Series title
as a pivotal draw, the Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400, the NASCAR
Winston Cup race held last Sunday at North Carolina Speedway and
televised by TNT, enjoyed a significant viewership jump from 2002. A
total of 3,707,000 households tuned in, a 15% increase over last
season’s 3,229,000 households. An average of 5,422,000 viewers tuned
in to the Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400, a 13% increase over
4,805,000 viewers in 2002. For the Target House 200, the NASCAR Busch
Series event held last Saturday at Rockingham and televised by TNT, a
total of 769,000 households and 1,004,000 viewers tuned in.
NASCAR PR
11/16/03
Seen at Homestead
- Tracy & ChildressUPDATE
CART champion Paul Tracy said he would love to drive on the
Winston Cup circuit, but he doesn't think his chance will come
next year. Richard Childress hopes it does, but said he would
"cross that bridge when we come to it." As far as Tracy knows,
he said, CART's proposed buyout by Open Wheel Racing will be
completed in time to save the series, and he plans to honor
his contract with Forsythe Racing through its final year in
2004 if it does. Team owner Gerald Forsythe is one of the main
investors in Open Wheel Racing. "I feel like there will be a
series next year from what I'm hearing from my boss," said
Tracy, attending his first NASCAR races this weekend on a Ford
champions tour. "There's a schedule out and it looks good."
Tracy's presence in the garage area piqued curiosity that he
and other Champ Car drivers might be looking for employment
since CART announced it would run out of money and cease
operations if the deal was not completed in mid December. As
one of the most successful and recognized drivers in the
world, Tracy would not have to make contingency plans as much
as peruse offers. He doesn't think converting to stock cars
would be difficult. Childress said he would like to sign Tracy
for his team. "There's a good chance of it," Childress said.
"We spoke (Saturday). I'd like to see how he does in one. The
first thing we have to do is set up a chance." Childress said
no plans have been made for a test in one of his Chevrolets.
Tracy would seemingly be the perfect Winston Cup fit for an
owner who enjoys feisty competitors such as current drivers
Kevin Harvick and Robby Gordon. "I think he's the perfect
combination," Childress said. "He's a great driver and a great
personality."
St Petersburg Times11/16/03 - Spotted at NASCAR's Homestead event this weekend was CART champion
Paul Tracy in deep conversation with Chevrolet Team owner Richard
Childress, despite being there as a guest of Ford. NASCAR team
owners have been after Tracy for years. Perhaps someday they
will get him. After all, not able to pay decent salaries, CART
loses all its top drivers to F1, the IRL and even NASCAR.
11/16/03
Death of Renna makes Priestley
decide to give up racing
According to this Vancouver Sun
article, Jason Priestley has decided to give up auto
racing. Priestley suffered some horrific injuries in August 2002 when
his IRL Infiniti Pro race car crashed at 290 kilometers an hour at
Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Ky. He broke his nose, back and bones in
both his feet in the crash, and suffered a concussion. However, he had
been talking about going back to racing as recently as last month. "It wasn't
my accident that really made me give it up," Priestley said.
"[Racer] Tony Renna was a really close friend of mine, and he
just passed away a couple of weeks ago [in a crash at the
Indianapolis Speedway]. "You know, I've buried two of my
friends in four years [Renna and Greg Moore], and I don't want
to join that club." Priestley's father was surprised but
delighted that his son has decided to give up racing. "That's
the first time he's given that clear an answer," Lorne
Priestley said. "He's waffled with everybody else." Lorne
Priestley said the family had been adamantly opposed to Jason
racing after the accident. "I told him if he wanted to race
again he'd have to do it over my dead body," he said.
11/16/03
Biffle to run all Busch and Cup
races in 2004 Jack Roush intends to enter driver
Greg Biffle in both Winston Cup and Busch Series championship
races next season, with full sponsorships for both programs,
Roush said Friday. Like Kevin Harvick in 2001 with Richard
Childress, Biffle would run full seasons in both series, Roush
said. Grainger, the industrial supply company, will continue
to sponsor the Cup effort, with the sponsor for the Busch car
not declared. Also, Roush said, the company will continue with
the two Craftsman Truck teams for Jon Wood and Carl Edwards
and will have a second Busch car, which would be run by up to
four different drivers [The Pennzoil sponsorship]. The total
effort for Roush Racing would be the five Cup teams, two in
Busch and two in Trucks. Biffle, 2000 champion in Trucks, won
the Busch championship in 2002 and was graduated to Cup this
year, running second to Jamie McMurray in rookie points and
winning the summer race at Daytona. Since mid-year, he has run
part-time in Busch with Ed Evans's #7 team. The second Busch
team is interesting. Roush said he already has backing to run
three of his Cup drivers part-time, those being Mark Martin,
Jeff Burton and Matt Kenseth, in about 20 races. Sponsorship
may also be available to run one of the Truck jockeys in the
remaining races, bringing the team up to full-year status.
Roush also says the means may be available to do a third Truck
team with a driver to be named.
Speed Channel
11/16/03
Goodyear to run Wrangler brand
Goodyear Race Tires to Tout Wrangler Brand in 2004: The rising
popularity of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series combined with
the continuing growth of the consumer truck and sport utility
vehicle tire markets has prompted The Goodyear Tire & Rubber
Company to take its Wrangler brand to the track for the 2004
season. Although the truck series will race on Wrangler brand
tires Goodyear will provide a means of converting tires with
the Eagle name to Wrangler, and vice versa, at the company's
race tire warehouse facility in Concord, N.C. That will allow
truck teams to continue the practice of racing on tires that
are purchased by Nextel Cup and Busch series teams in 2004,
but not used by them. Goodyear PR
11/16/03
Stoddart would welcome back Wilson It
is rumored that Jaguar is looking for a funded driver for their 2nd
seat next year alongside the talented Mark Webber. Justin Wilson
might lose that ride because of that. Minardi team boss Paul
Stoddart has come to his rescue. “Jaguar would be well
advised to retain what I regard as an extremely powerful driver
line-up. With a full winter test program under his belt, Justin will
be in a position to demonstrate the natural talent that we know he
has,” Stoddart told Motorsport News. “I sincerely hope that he
won’t need a Minardi safety net, but if Jaguar elected not to retain
him he would definitely be at the top of my shopping list. The usual
commercial considerations apply of course, but we would welcome him
back with open arms.”
11/16/03 Formula 3
Macau: Yoong beats Kwan in Porsche race
A very determined Alex Yoong made it looked easy winning the Macau
Grand Prix's Porsche Carrera Cup Asia race from Hong Kong's Charles
Kwan and Britain's Matthew Marsh - or was it?
According to Yoong at the post race press conference, he didn't think
it was that easy as he had gear selection problems from lap 3 onwards
in the 10 lap race. "It was quite difficult in the hills as I kept
encountering difficulties in selecting second but the car was good
through the last two corners before the straight and that kept Charles
and Matthew behind."
Yoong who was driving a 2002 Porsche Carrera GT3 as opposed most of
the field who were in 2003 cars did not have the qualifying that he
preferred - "Pole would have been better than third," said Yoong
yesterday - had to count on his experience of making the cold tyres
work for him in the opening lap. Hoong starting from third on the
grid, made sure he had a good start and went alongside Marsh in turn
one as both after Kwan who was in second position at the start. At the
awesome flat-out turn 2 Mandarine corner, Yoong took Marsh from the
outside and never looked back after that.
In lap 4 the safety car was called out to remove Charles Nattavude's
car which crashed at Donna Maria. At the restart, Yoong used his Champ
Car experience to get a jump on Kwan and then held on at the end to
win from Kwan who was 1.186s behind Yoong. Marsh finished third ahead
of Nigel Albon with Hong Kong's Marchy Lee fifth.
11/15/03
CART & IRL to go back-to-back in
Colorado
This Denver Post
article says, Colorado, one of three states to host North
America's two premier open-wheel racing circuits in 2003, has become a
political hot spot in the CART-Indy Racing League war.
The Grand Prix of Denver announced Thursday that its 2004 CART street
race is scheduled for Aug. 15, a week before the IRL race at Pikes
Peak International Raceway.
The situation of staging back-to-back weekend races between rival
organizations could present a promotional problem for both events. But
being first figures to be an advantage, which is what PPIR thought it
had by changing its IRL date from mid-June to Aug. 22.
"Some people will choose our event, others will choose their event,
and some will go to both," PPIR president Rob Johnson said Thursday.
"They have an urban street race and we have a high-speed oval. We'll
do our best to market our product, as I'm sure they will."
The IRL's move to August at PPIR, announced a week before the second
Grand Prix of Denver on Aug. 31, infuriated Grand Prix general manager
John Frew. He called it a "sinister" attempt to take away interest and
promotional opportunities from his CART race, which has a 12-year
contract to compete around the Pepsi Center on Labor Day weekend.
Frew said Thursday the date change for his race wasn't about getting
even.
"Pikes Peak is not a factor in my thinking," he said of the 1-mile
oval in Fountain, which is south of Colorado Springs. "It's not part
of our market. It's in Timbuktu. Would we go head-to-head with them?
No, but only out of respect to Colorado motorsports fans."
Frew said CART officials and the prospective new CART owners gave him
four dates to choose from - Aug. 1, 8, 15 and 22. He settled on the
15th because Aug. 1 and 22 are race weekends at Pikes Peak, with the
NASCAR Busch Series and the IRL, respectively, and Aug. 8 is the final
day of The International at Castle Pines Golf Club.
"I'd rather they were a week before our IRL race than the same day as
our Busch race," Johnson said.
Frew no longer wants to compete with other major Denver-area events,
particularly during Labor Day weekend. In the first two years of the
race, the Taste of Colorado and the Colorado-Colorado State football
game at Invesco Field at Mile High stretched spending too far, he
said.
"We think our interest will be served with a stand-alone weekend, when
there isn't a lot of pressures downtown," Frew said. "And Labor Day
weekend is just too tough. School has started and for many people,
it's the last chance to go to the mountains. We need to race in the
summer."
11/15/03
Moreno admits to leaving Herdez team
Of course, the cancellation of the race at California Speedway was not
how any of us wanted to finish up the 2003 season. But we must
remember the impact the fires were having on the people of the San
Bernardino area – it was not the right time for us to be having a race
when people were being put out of their homes. I feel good about the
2003 season overall. I came to Herdez Competition to assist in the
development of Mario Dominguez and to help in the development of the
car. I feel that we have achieved those objectives. So my satisfaction
with the season is not related to one particular day or event, though
the 1-2 finish in Miami is a special memory. Simply put, my
satisfaction was in seeing the development of the team as a whole, day
in, day out. It gives me great pleasure to know that I am leaving the
team after being part of their graduation to the next level of
competitiveness and becoming one of the top teams in the Champ Car
paddock.
11/15/03
Mario Domínguez looks back on 2003
"I think overall, you have to say it was a good season for all of us
at Herdez Competition. We had some great results; the two podiums in
Europe, the 1-2 finish in Miami and the third place in Mexico City –
which felt like a win because of the incredible support from the
crowd! But we also had some races that other people might not realize
were important to us – I’d say the fifth place in Cleveland was one of
the hardest-earned results I’ve ever had; the conditions were so tough
that night. Also, the fifth place in Montreal was one we fought hard
for. They weren’t podiums but they felt like it because of the effort
we put in to get there. Everyone on the team can be proud of our
sixth place finish in the championship. We proved that we can be
competitive week-in, week-out. I was also very honored to receive the
Bosch Most Improved Driver Award, especially because it was voted on
by the other drivers. Of course there is always room for improvement
and development. We’ve come a long way in the last year and we need to
keep that momentum over the winter so that we can come back for next
season as contenders for the championship. I’m very motivated to train
as hard as I can over the off-season so I can be 100% ready for 2004."
Dominguez was voted Champ Car’s Most Improved Driver for 2003. The
award, sponsored by Robert Bosch Corporation, was presented at the
CART Champ Car Awards Celebration in Indian Wells, California.
11/15/03
Why Townsend Bell is just what F1 needs
This grandprix.com article
says that the news that Townsend Bell is to test for Jaguar Racing is
great news for Formula 1. The 28-year-old from San Luis Obispo in
central California has all the right credential for Formula 1 although
it would perhaps be better for him to have one more season in Formula
3000 in order to post a good result in that series. Bell's rise
through the ranks has been relatively rapid given that he did not do
much karting and was 22 before he began car racing in Formula Dodge. A
year later he was an instructor at the Skip Barber Racing School at
Laguna Seca and in 1999 won his first races. This led to a chance in
Indy Lights in 2000 and Bell rose to the job and finished second in
the series behind the more experienced Scott Dixon. In 2001 there was
no stopping him: Bell beat Dan Wheldon to the title with six wins,
becoming the first American driver to win the Indy Lights title since
Bryan Herta in 1993. At the end of the 2001 season he was signed up by
Patrick Racing to compete in CART. In 2002 he raced with Patrick
Racing but, despite some promising results for a rookie, the
relationship did not gel and Bell left the team in the mid-season. He
decided to head for Europe in 2003 and signed up with Formula 3000
Champions Arden International. More....
11/15/03
Forsythe increases stake in Rockingham
Now we know where the rumors came from that CART could possibly return
to Rockingham, England someday. CART team boss Jerry Forsythe
has bought more shares of the 1.5-mile UK oval. Forsythe has
bought a percentage of Chief Executive Ashley Pover and Chairman Joe
Dickinson. Dickinson had bought out former owner Guy Hands
earlier this year. A Rockingham spokesman said, "Jerry has
always been a prime shareholder. He has increased his stake, but
Ashley Pover remains the Chief Executive." Autosport
11/15/03
***Reader Opinion***Love your "ideal"
CART schedule A reader writes, Dear AutoRacing1.com, I
saw the ideal 2004 CART schedule that you suggested below. That
schedule makes a lot of sense, what do you think the chances are that
CART will do it? Ralph Paluzzi, Brooklyn, NY Dear
Ralph, CART would be foolish not to adopt it exactly as shown.
There are a couple of key points with the schedule we proposed.
CART and IMSA were most successful in Miami in the 90's when the race
ran in early March. The weather is more pleasant then and a lot
of vacationers are in town that time of year. Miami will never be
successful until it moves to either March, or the last weekend in
January, the week after the Super Bowl. The March date plugs the
big hole that CART had between St. Pete and Long Beach. St.
Pete's contract stipulates no other Florida CART races within months
of their date. That clause is simply not necessary, ridiculous,
and must be renegotiated. The two venues are geographically far
enough apart, and draw a completely separate winter-break crowd such
that neither will affect the other's attendance. More of an
issue for Miami would be the IRL's Homestead race the week after St.
Pete. If CART schedules Miami within one week of that event, it
could possibly put an end to that venue for the IRL. Attendance
is already weak, and having a downtown Miami race within a week or two
should drive the final nail in that IRL Homestead event....which is a
good thing because with the higher banks there now we anticipate big
crashes, lots of destroyed cars and, unfortunately driver injuries.
One last word on Miami. MTV has live shows from Florida during
Spring Break time. The college students flock to these events.
MTV will be a new TV partner with CART starting in 2004. MTV can
set up their stage right inside the race track and CART will have a
media bonanza like never before. Las Vegas has no business being
in May as CART published. Way too hot. It's the perfect
venue for a season finale in early November in conjunction with the SEMA show, which is a natural tie-in. Making Vegas the season
finale makes too much sense - - there are so many spectacular
Vegas casinos/hotels to hold their year-end banquet on Monday evening
following the race, and, Forsythe is working on a street race in
Vegas. It should be right around the Convention Center as shown
in our proposed track layout.
It's a proper 2+ mile long street course and note all the parking lots
for paddock area and to erect grandstands. You can write Fontana off
the CART schedule even though there is one year remaining on the
contract. It is obvious ISC does not want to do business with
CART any longer. If CART tries to make Miami their season finale
they will butt heads with ISC's NASCAR finale in Homestead and the
lawsuits in Miami will start again. Moving Vegas out of May
opens up two weekends for CART to return to Europe when it's ready (as
shown below). In 2005 we expect as many as three new venues to be
added, so weak ones like Portland and Laguna Seca are running on
borrowed time unless they can improve their attendance and their
facilities. Mark C. The Ideal 2004 CART Schedule
February 22 – St.
Petersburg, Florida –
Street Course
March 14 – Miami, Florida –
Street Course (with MTV's usual Spring Break shows)
April 18 – Long Beach,
California – Street
Course
May 2 - Brands Hatch, UK - Road
Course (Bank Holiday weekend)
May 9 - EuroSpeedway, Germany - Oval
May 23 – Monterrey,
Mexico – Road Course
June 5 – The Milwaukee
Mile – Oval (Night Race)
June 20 – Portland
International Raceway –
Road Course*
July 3 – Cleveland, Ohio
- Road Course (Night Race)
July 11 – Toronto,
Ontario, Canada – Street
Course
July 25 – Vancouver,
British Columbia, Canada
– Street Course
August 8 – Road America
– Road Course
August 15 – Denver,
Colorado – Street Course
August 29 – Montreal,
Quebec, Canada – Road
Course
September 12 – Mazda
Raceway Laguna Seca –
Road Course
October 3 – Mexico City, Mexico
– Road Course
October 17 – Seoul, South Korea
– Road Course
October 24 – Surfers
Paradise, Australia –
Street Course October 31 – California
Speedway – Oval (We doubt ISC wants this race to happen)
November 7 - Las Vegas, NV
Street Course around Convention Center w/SEMA Show
November 8 - Las Vegas, NV - Annual Awards Banquet
11/15/03
Cialis
to be approved According to this Seattle Times
article, expect Newman/Haas sponsor Eli Lilly to receive final
FDA approval of their Viagra beating drug Cialis. Cialis, has
that potential because it lasts up to 36 hours, works slightly faster
than Viagra and has similar side effects. The drug,
already on sale in dozens of countries, is expected to win U.S.
approval
soon. In its first nine months, Cialis has snapped up 25
to 30 percent of the impotence-drug market in key European countries,
and more than 1 million men have tried it. Many people struggle to
pronounce it, (See-AL-iss), but the drug has already gotten a catchy
nickname in Europe — "le weekend" pill - - and it's sure to bring the
same intense sexual satisfaction to men and women throughout the USA.
11/15/03
Enge & Keohane impress in Sebring test
A pair of up-and-coming European stars were impressive in their maiden
test in Champ Cars. Tomas Enge and Michael Keohane ran for two days in
two cars prepared by the Dale Coyne Racing team over the 1.6 mile
Sebring circuit.
Tomas Enge with his impressive background in Formula 3000 and Formula
1 ran 360 miles over the two days. “The cars are quite heavy and
require a little different driving style, but I am quite happy with
what I have learned.” Commented the 27-year-old Czech Republic native.
“I am very thankful to Mr. Dale Coyne for giving me this opportunity
to run a car I have always dreamed about driving.” The Prague resident
ran a flawless two days recording very competitive lap times given the
Florida track conditions.
Michael Keohane also ran a pleasantly surprisingly two days recording
over 260 miles. The Irish driver who spent most of the past two years
in British Formula 3 took to the powerful Champ Cars with amazing
ease. “These cars are really fun to drive.” Reported the County Cork
native. “You are never sure of how you will do until you get in one,
but I am very pleased with the performance of the car and the way the
whole team worked.”
Michael ran at Sebring for his first time at any American track.
“Michael went from a 170 horsepower F3 car to 750 horsepower champ car
and looked very natural and impressive in doing so.” Commented team
owner Dale Coyne. “Michael’s lap times were within a few tenths of
Enge’s best. Each driver showed that they have what it takes to be
highly competitive in CART.”
11/15/03 Industry News
US automakers rush to grab piece of
China market
[Editor's Note: This is why AutoRacing1.com was pushing hard for
CART to schedule a race in China. We saw it coming years ago,
but still no race in China for CART. CART seeks manufacturer
support. Racing in China would help their efforts.] This
Detroit Free Press
article says, Workers at the Shanghai General Motors plant
build new cars around the clock. They toil hard and work fast, but
they simply can't produce enough. Demand for cars in China is too
high. "It's just phenomenal," said Daphne Zheng, the
director of public affairs for GM operations in China. "The market is
growing explosively." Automakers are revving production as
hard as they can. Many plants run 24 hours a day, and virtually every
global auto producer is announcing a huge new investment in China.
China will overtake Germany this year as the world's third-largest
auto marketplace, and may surpass Japan within four or five years,
analysts say.
China cautiously welcomes the wave of foreign investment in the auto
industry, but clearly hopes that its own companies will snare a major
share of the business -- perhaps becoming global competitors.
Foreign automakers must ally with Chinese companies in joint ventures
to operate in China. Even so, they're pouring money into the country
at stunning rates, determined to get in on a passenger-car market
that's growing 50 percent to 60 percent a year. Top automakers worry
that they may slip in the global rankings of auto producers if they
fail to grab a significant share of business in China.
"This is like the gold rush in the United States or the diamond rush
in South Africa," said Jia Xinguang, chief analyst with the China
National Automotive Industry Consulting and Development Corp.
Demand is so great that Detroit automakers announced this week that
they will ship new cars to China to complement production from plants
that are unable to satisfy customer demand. Auto showrooms commonly
tell Chinese customers they must wait months -- or even up to a year
-- for their new cars. "There's only one show in town in
the world auto industry, and that's in China," said Michael Dunne,
founder of Automotive Resources Asia Ltd., a consultancy firm based in
Bangkok, Thailand. "Money is just gushing."
11/15/03
****Reader Question***Questions about sports cars
Dear AutoRacing1.com, I've been a subscriber to AR1 for the past
couple of years, and I think it's a great site. Thanks not only for
all the information on CART especially, but all the racing info you
guys provide. It's quick and timely. Now, to the crux of my question.
I'm a CART fan primarily, but also interested in sportscar racing
(ALMS in particular, and I follow Le Mans every year), and I have some
questions about the basics of sportscars and I don't know where else
to turn. I'm hoping you can help me. Why are there different
classes of cars on the track at the same time? LMP 900, 675, GTS and
GT can't compete head to head; it seems like a professional 400-meter
hurdler on the track with a high school JV team. I'm not saying the
GTS/GT cars are inferior by any means, but since they lack the power,
why put them on the track at the same time? My other question is
why do sportscars have only one windshield wiper, and why is it
straight up? I realize they can (and do) race in the rain, so that
part's obvious, but why only one? Do they keep it straight up for
aerodynamics? It seems as though it might block the driver's vision.
These questions may seem insignificant, but understanding the basics
of something leads people to appreciate the sport (whichever it is)
that much more and is a way to grow the fan base. Thanks for
your help, Rich McGuigan, AR1 Subscriber since 4/02 Dear
Rich, Sports car racing has already been run with different classes on
the track at the same time. There are of course individual class
winners. To run a separate race for each class would take too much
time. A weekend only has so many hours to get in practice, qualifying
and the race. Also, the challenge is like real-world conditions we
face on the highway everyday with cars moving at various speeds, I
like to call them moving chicanes. As for the wiper being
straight up, less wind force on the wiper arm and wind resistance from
the wiper arm if left straight up. As for why one - Mercedes cars have
only one on their passenger cars. The wiper is designed such that
rather than following a circular arc, it follows an oblong shape and
actually clears a larger percentage of the window. And with one blade
the entire mechanism is far simpler and less prone to mechanical
failure than one with two arms whereby each blade must be in-synch at
all times using a convoluted mechanical assembly. Mark C.
11/15/03
Sauber hoping Heidfeld lands a ride
After replacing him for 2004 for political reasons, Sauber is now
hoping that Nick Heidfeld will be able to find a drive for the 2004
season, possibly with Jordan who has an empty seat after Fisichella’s
defection. “Nick is in a very difficult situation right now and
I do hope that he can find a seat, maybe with Jordan," Sauber told
Autosport. "If he can’t find a drive, then it’s important for him to
search for a test drive in a team that doesn’t have two strong
drivers."
11/15/03
Testing will be crucial says Ralf
“You should always look ahead,” Ralf Schumacher said on the BMW
website. “Currently we are in a promising position and I want it to
stay like this. Successful testing in the coming four or five weeks
will be a key factor concerning the development of our new WilliamsF1
BMW FW26. Next year we want to be able to fight for top positions
right from the start, so we need to be already in January or February
at a level of competitiveness we had reached only in the middle of the
2003 season.”
11/15/03
The
Lizard is hatched
With perhaps one of the most unusual names and looks in racing, Flying
Lizard Motorsports will join the American Le Mans Series in 2004 and
will race a Porsche in the GT class.
The California-based team has five principals, including drivers Seth
Neiman of Burlingame, Calif., Lonnie Pechnik of Pacific Grove, Calif.,
and Johannes van Overbeek of San Francisco, along with chief engineer
Craig Watkins and crew chief Tommy Sadler.
Van Overbeek is a former winner in American Le Mans Series
competition, taking GT class honors in a BMW M3 in a race at Road
Atlanta in April of 1999 while driving for the PTG team. Neiman and
Pechnik will race in ALMS competition for the first time in 2004.
11/15/03 Industry News
Porsche leadership changes January 1st
Porsche, which has more wins in the American Le Mans Series than any
other manufacturer, will make important motorsports leadership changes
as Alwin Springer, 60, will hand his position as President of Porsche
Motorsport North America (PMNA) to his successor Uwe Brettel, 38, as
of January 1.
Since 1997, Springer, born in Essen, Germany, has directed the
activities of the Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG subsidiary based in
Santa Ana, Calif. Brettel, who holds a master's degree in mechanical
engineering, headed the Porsche Makes Cup Organization (Supercup and
Carrera Cup) until the end of 2002.
Springer, for whom the recent weekend at the final round of the
American Le Mans Series at Road Atlanta was the last in his current
position, shaped and promoted Porsche motorsport not only through
exclusive retailing and servicing of Porsche racing sportscars and
parts in the USA as well as Canada, but also played a central role in
US motorsport organizations and belonged to those who molded the sport
in the world's largest market for Porsche. His efficient working style
combined with strong ethics and distinctive originality made him - and
Porsche Motorsport North America - an institution.
Employed as a consultant to PMNA since 1990, Springer not only became
the principal to many race drivers but, most of all, became their
confidante and friend. His far-reaching connections earned him the
reputation as "Porsche's motorsport ambassador" to the USA.
Springer has been closely linked to Porsche motorsport in the USA
since 1969 when he took over the responsibility for Porsche racing
vehicles with the California dealer, Vasek Polak. In 1975 Springer
together with Arnold Wagner and Dieter Inzenhofer founded Andial, an
enterprise specializing in the preparation and running of Porsche race
cars and engines. In a five-year period from 1984, Porsche's 962 cars
won 50 IMSA races with engines tuned by Andial.
Under the direction of Springer, production-based Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
and GT3 RS cars have been successfully competing since the end of the
1990s with customer teams. In September of 2003, Porsche customers
supported by works drivers secured the GT championship of the American
Le Mans Series for the second year in a row and fourth time in five
years.
Since May 1, 2003, Brettel - a Porsche employee since 1995 - has held
the position of vice-president of PMNA. "Alwin is handing me a
well-established role. I hope to add a few new areas of emphasis,"
said Brettel.
Brettel took over as head of the international Porsche Michelin
Supercup in 1996 and one year later Porsche also gave him the added
responsibility of the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany. He successfully
managed both one-make series until the end of 2002 and furthermore
organized the factory entry at Le Mans in 1997 and 1998.
11/14/03
Hamilton wins truck race
Bobby Hamilton won the Ford 200 and
Travis Kvapil took the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship in a
wild day at the New Homestead-Miami Speedway. Hamilton, driving
the No. 4 Square D Dodge, held off Rick Crawford on the final restart
to take a .186 second victory and the $10,000 bonus from Craftsman for
winning from the pole. More....
11/14/03
CART in danger of collapse
[Editor's Note: This
story appeared in big headlines in the Sport's section of
today's LA Times] Championship Auto Racing Teams announced a
makeshift 2004 champ car schedule Thursday amid growing concerns that
it may not happen.
Coincidental with the CART schedule came a Securities and Exchange
Commission disclosure by CART that said it expected its cash resources
to be depleted by the middle of December, which puts the open-wheel
sanctioning body in peril of collapse. Already in default is a
$473,000 payment that was due Oct. 8.
The earliest date that a shareholders' vote can be taken on a buyout
offer by new owners is Dec. 18. The anticipated new owners, Open Wheel
Racing, plan to change the publicly owned company to private
ownership.
"Without sufficient financial resources, Championship will be required
to cease operations and cancel the 2004 season," CART said in its
filing. It announced losses of $77.9 million for the first nine months
of the year, including a $1.7-million payment to former CEO Joe
Heitzler to settle several lawsuits.
Open Wheel Racing, formed by CART team owners Jerry Forsythe, Paul
Gentilozzi and Kevin Kalkhoven, has offered 56 cents a share for
outstanding stock — about $7.4 million. The opening race on next
year's schedule is at St. Petersburg, Fla., on Feb. 22. Five of the 19
races, including one at California Speedway, have no date announced,
and another is "subject to final commercial terms."
The 2003 California Speedway race was canceled because of wildfire
conditions near Fontana last weekend.
11/14/03 Industry News
Road America holds prices
Road America will hold the line on ticket and camping prices in 2004,
according to George Bruggenthies, president and general manager.
Season Tickets, which include all major spectator events, are $250
until Dec. 15. Events included with the Season Ticket are CCS
motorcycle races April 23-25; SVRA vintage races May 14-16; AMA Suzuki
Super Bike Doubleheader, June 3-5; the Kohler/SCCA June Sprints®, June
17-20; vintage racing, the Brian Redman International Challenge
Presented by Jaguar, July 15- 18; the Grand Prix at Road America,
featuring Trans-Am (CART TBD); and the Road America 500 Aug. 19-22,
featuring the American Le Mans Series (ALMS). Camping remains $75 for
an unreserved RV, tent or pop-up space, or $275 for a reserved RV
space for the race weekend. Customers may order gift certificates,
tickets or camping by calling 1.800.365.7223 (RACE) or online by
visiting www.roadamerica.com
New for 2004, Road America is adding five Super Motard events on the
Briggs & Stratton Motorplex, one of which coincides with the Suzuki
Superbike Doubleheader June 3-6. Other Super Motard races will be held
April 25-25, May 22-23, July 10-11, Aug. 24-15 and Sept. 11-12. Super
Motards are a hybrid motorcycle that uses a dirt bike frame and
smaller street tires. Competitors race in more of a dirt bike, or
upright position. With the exception of the AMA weekend, the Super
Motard events will require a separate ticket and entrance will be
through Gate 4, on County Hwy. J, on the south side of the race track.
The 2004 Super Ticket and Sunday pricing follows; daily event pricing
on the web, www.roadamerica.com
Tickets include free parking, Road America's open paddock policy and
children 12 and under are free with paying adult. Online sales
represent some 10 percent of the race track's ticket orders, according
to Bruggenthies. "Our Internet sales have grown slowly but steadily as
we continue to develop our website as a business tool to communicate
with our customers." The track launched its website in 1995 and today
offers a secure website for transactions. Road America has been
accumulating e-mail addresses from race fans who wish to be contacted
via the Internet, and will e-mail ticket and other information to them
from time to time. At present, about 10 percent of the track's
customers have asked for information electronically. Race fans can opt
in for e-mailings on the website,
www.roadamerica.com The race track will put its entire 2004 ticket
brochure online when it becomes available after the first of the year.
Road America also uses its site for merchandising and has select items
from its store, the 4-Mile Merchant, online. Road America hosted its
first race in 1955 and today hosts top road racing series on the
original track and karts and Super Motards on the Briggs & Stratton
Motorplex.
11/14/03
Minardi to help Arab drivers
Minardi is aiming to be the first team to help an Arab driver
into Formula 1. The team today announced a link-up with
Algerian driver Nassim Sidi Saïd to evaluate a scheme to help
young Arab drivers into the sport's top flight. Saïd,
30, has raced extensively in Formula 3 in Europe, and still
plans to race in the Austria, French and German championships
next year. Under the agreement he will devise a training and
evaluation program to help other promising Arab drivers in
motor racing, and will also help Minardi's commercial
department source Arab sponsors. Minardi has a history
of unearthing talent from less traditional sources, most
recently by running Malaysia's Alex Yoong in Formula 1. The
team may give Saïd the opportunity to test in the future.
“To be involved with Minardi is an excellent opportunity,”
said Saïd. “My aim is to encourage activities related to motor
racing in the Arab countries, while taking in to particular
consideration emerging young talent who could make their
driving debut in F1 one day. “I would love to be
among the first of these F1 newcomers. I am looking forward to
the future co-operation with Minardi.” Gian Carlo
Minardi added: "This collaboration paces the way to the
frontiers of the Arab world, a relatively new geographical
area for Formula 1. It is clearly a market in search of new
commercial and sporting challenges, something that F1, as the
pinnacle of motor racing endeavour, is able to provide."
Autosport
11/14/03
Robby Gordon to run 2004 Busch
series Fruit of the Loom announced that it has
teamed up with three-time NASCAR Winston Cup Series race
winner Robby Gordon to compete in the NASCAR Busch Series in
2004. Beginning with the season-opening Hershey's Kisses 300
at Daytona International Speedway on February 14, Gordon will
drive the Fruit of the Loom-sponsored #55 Chevy in 24 NASCAR
Busch Series races. Robby Gordon Motorsports will own the
entry and will operate from its new facility in Huntersville,
NC.
Robby Gordon website
11/14/03
Statement from California
Speedway's Bill Miller on 2004 CART schedule
“We believe it was misleading for CART to include California
Speedway on its 2004 race schedule released on November 13,
2003. It is our position that there is no valid Official
Organizer/Promoter Agreement in place for a 2004 CART
Competition at California Speedway."
"Further, we are currently in litigation with CART as it
relates to the 2003 event regarding a “force majeure“ as
described in the Official Organizer/Promoter Agreement due to
the wildfires that were burning throughout San Bernardino
County and surrounding areas, which led to the cancellation of
the King Taco 500."
"Per the Official Organizer/Promoter Agreement, California
Speedway is due back the $2.5 million Organization and Rights
Fee previously paid to CART, less a mutually agreeable amount
for legitimate expenses reasonably incurred by CART in
preparing for the event. Until this matter is resolved, we are
unwilling to participate in discussions concerning future
relationships.”
11/14/03
Tracy to be Ford's guest at
Ford Champion weekend
2003 Bridgestone Presents The Champ Car World Series Powered
by Ford champion Paul Tracy will be a guest of Ford Motor
Company throughout Ford Championship Weekend at
Homestead-Miami Speedway, site of the 2003 NASCAR season
finale this weekend. Tracy will participate in question and
answer sessions, sign autographs, and race against fans in the
Ford Racing Simulator at the Ford product display area behind
the track's main grandstand at various times throughout the
weekend. On Saturday, the Canadian will watch the Ford 300
NASCAR Busch Series event from the ppc Racing pit area as the
team's drivers, Jason Keller and Scott Riggs, vie for the 2003
Busch Series title in the season finale. Sunday's Ford 400
race day festivities call for Tracy to meet and greet
executives from the Champ Car World Series sponsor and watch
the start of the race from the Ford Skybox before moving onto
the Ford corporate suite for the remainder of the race. The
2003 CART Champ Car champion will also be introduced to
several Ford-powered NASCAR drivers, crew chiefs, and owners,
as well as participate in media activities throughout the
weekend.
11/14/03
Newman/Haas to test IRL car at
Phoenix
Bruno Junqueira will test the Newman/Haas IRL car at Phoenix
next week when many IRL teams visit the desert track for some
post-season testing. There is much speculation as to
what this might mean for Newman/Haas next year, but from our
perspective it's quite simple. Carl Haas told our Mark
Cipolloni he had no plans to race in the IRL next year.
However, Haas is hedging his bets. Should the CART
buyout fail and CART go out of business, Haas wants to have
someplace to race in 2004. Hence he is preparing for the
IRL just in case CART is not around. At least that is
what AR1 is being told, but only Carl knows for sure.....
11/14/03
Williams to test Piquet and
Rosberg kids The
BMW Williams team will test Nico Rosberg and Nelson Piquet Jr
at Jerez de Frontera in the first week of December. Rosberg
had a very brief run with the team last year but Williams is
keen to give the pair (both sons of former Williams World
Champions) a proper run to see if they have the potential to
be test drivers with Williams in 2004. The team will retain
Marc Gene but may take on a second test driver as well.
Although the two youngsters are under consideration, it is
thought likely that if Williams does decide to take on another
tester that the job will go to Antonio Pizzonia.
GrandPrix.com
11/14/03
Judge rejects Brazilian GP
review The judge at the centre of the controversy
over the Brazilian Grand Prix has rejected an attempt to
review his decision into the Brazilian Grand Prix. The city's
sports secretary had gone to the judge with documentation to
show that the race produces a large amount of income for the
city but the judge said in a short statement that he would not
reconsider his decision. The city pays only for the upkeep of
the racing circuit and not for the fees for the F1 teams to
attend. Those are paid by TV Globo, which owns the right to
promote the race. TV Globo hires Tamas Rohonyi to run the
event on its behalf. The costs of upkeep are more expensive
than at most tracks because the circuit is built on unstable
ground and so subsidence is a big problem each year. The
investment made by the city in the track is not only used by
F1 as the track is used for the rest of the year by local
racers. The judge's rejection of a review is bad news for the
event, as there will now have to be an appeal against the
judge's decision to the appeal court of the state of Sao
Paulo. The problems will no doubt be solved by the time the
race takes place in October next year but it is not something
that Bernie Ecclestone needs happening with his only race in
Latin America.
GrandPrix.com
11/14/03
CART Champ Car pulls into
Monster Garage
If the California Department of Transportation had Jesse James
and his band of renegade car builders from the Discovery
Channel’s mega-hit series Monster Garage on their staff, every
highway line in the entire Golden State could be re-done in
about two days. James and his Monster Garage crew accepted the
challenge of turning a Champ Car into a working street-line
painter for an upcoming installment of the popular program,
which is the second-highest rated show of all cable series
among males 18-49. The crew took a former Walker Racing Champ
Car chassis and transformed it into the world’s fastest
street-line painter, successfully demonstrating it at the
Irwindale Speedway oval in Irwindale, California earlier this
week. The crew included Rocketsports Racing team owner and
potential Champ Car World Series owner Paul Gentilozzi, who
flew to James’ California shop last month to help oversee the
design and production of the car as well, while PK Racing
engineer John Ward was on hand to supervise the demonstration
phase of the project. The car ended up turning laps around the
half-mile Irwindale track at over 90 mph with James behind the
wheel, laying out perfect street lines. The Champ Car, which
squared off against a traditional RoadLazer street-line
painter during its demonstration, ran on short-oval racing
tires such as those used at this year’s Champ Car event at the
Milwaukee Mile, which were provided to the show by
Bridgestone. The Champ Car episode, which is broadcast on
Monday nights from 9-10 p.m. ET/PT, is slated to air November
24 on the Discovery Channel. CART
11/14/03
CART's Mid-Ohio run ends
[Editor's Note: We would not be surprised to see the IRL jump
at the chance to race at Mid-Ohio should they decide to go
road racing in 2005. However, with declining attendance
and a track that is difficult to pass on (too narrow) we don't
expect they will meet with much success. CART fans who
support CART really dislike the IRL and Mid-Ohio fans were
mostly die-hard CART fans.] All the petitions and all
the outcries on the Internet went for naught. The CART Champ
Car World Series will not be racing at Mid-Ohio Sports Car
Course in 2004. "It basically came down to it wasn't a
business plan that made sense for us and for them in their
transition and we needed to move forward," Mid-Ohio media
relations coordinator Reece White said.
CART released its 2004 schedule Thursday and Mid-Ohio wasn't
on it. "We have crafted a schedule that is challenging
for our teams and drivers, as well as enticing to our sponsors
and fans," CART CEO and President Chris Pook said. "This
schedule holds true to our philosophy of taking the racing to
the major urban markets of NAFTA while at the same time
embracing our ties to the rich history of Champ Car racing at
such places like Milwaukee, Road America and Long Beach."
Other than the Milwaukee Mile, no event on the CART schedule
had a richer and longer history than Mid-Ohio. The permanent
road course hosted Champ Car's first race under the
CART-sanctioning umbrella in 1980 and returned for a 21-year
run in 1983.
It was speculated before the 2003 Champ Car Grand Prix of
Mid-Ohio that it was going to be CART's last at the Lexington
track. Fans tried to rally with a petition drive during race
weekend, while others railed on open-wheel racing Web site
forums. A strong walk-up crowd on race day gave it a slight
attendance boost over the 2002 race, bringing both sides
together for talks about the future. "It was a
case where we exhausted every option," White said. "It's a
fine line between the emotions of what you want to do and what
you have to do."
So the 2003 race was indeed the Lame Duck Grand Prix.
"We weren't going to put ourselves in a place where we were in
jeopardy over one race, not that it got to that point," White
said of TrueSports' stance, the company that owns and operates
Mid-Ohio.
More....Mansfield News Journal
11/14/03
BAR team afloat in red ink
According to reports in Motorsports News, the British American
Racing team have recorded a deficit of $65 million in regard
to their operating costs in 2002. The team has been in Formula
One for six years now, starting up at the end of the 1998
season when they took over Ken Tyrell’s team and since then
they have reportedly lost almost $250 million.
11/14/03
Klien and Bell to test for
Jaguar Rising Austrian star Christian Klien and
American Townsend Bell will test for Jaguar Racing in Valencia
at the end of this month. The duo will join regular drivers
Mark Webber and Justin Wilson as the team continues its
on-going driver evaluation program for next season. All three
drivers are in with a chance of securing the role of Webber's
team-mate for 2004, but the result of the test will not be the
only factor. "This is not a shoot-out," said team spokesman
Nav Sidhu. "We know these guys well, but what we don't know is
how well they will go in a Formula 1 Jaguar." The test will
take place over three days on November 25-27. The team will
have two cars on hand, which Klien, Bell and Webber will share
over the first two days, with Wilson joining the Australian on
day three. Jaguar has not ruled out the possibility of testing
more drivers before deciding on its 2004 lineup.
Autosport Also, "On the subject of Justin Wilson, he
is under contract until December 31, 2003 and is in contention
for the 2004 race seat on level terms with others," said
Jaguar's Nav Sidhu. "He is here, as is Mark Webber, to
test the car as part of our development of the R5. We are not
testing him -- we know what he can do. He is not partaking in
a "shoot out" of any kind against Bell and Klien."
"Justin has done a good job in his short time at Jaguar
Racing. He fits in well with the team and is very well liked.
His application and focus are beyond reproach and he has
performed well, particularly at the U.S. Grand Prix in trying
circumstances where he scored his first championship point.
All these factors are positive for him but the decision for
2004 will be widely based."
11/14/03
CART files new SEC documentUPDATE CART has
filed two more documents related to the OWRS buyout, a form
13-D/A and a
13E-3. Both documents give updated and near-final
information with regard to the offer and to CART's status.
One interesting tidbit - the series expects to spend $13.4
million on TV each of the next three years and only realize
revenue of $4.8, 6.4 and 7.4 million over the next three
years, i.e. they expect to continue to lose money on TV.
However, they expect to lose less each year until such time as
the ratings become high enough to at least break even on TV,
or dare we say, make a profit. The Company's Forecast
estimates that they will have a negative cash balance of
($1.2) million as of December 31, 2003. The Forecast estimates
they will have a negative cash balance of ($14.7) million,
($17.4) million, and ($14.5) million as of the end of 2004,
2005 and 2006, respectively. The documents paint a fairly
bleak picture and attempt to make the $0.56 per share offer
look attractive. They also disclosed that CART was
already in default on some of its financial obligations.
11/13/03 - Today CART filed this SEC Form 8K.. Download PDF
file.
11/14/03 Formula 3
Final Macau GP qualifying times (Combined
from both days) Brazilian Fabio Carbone and Australian
Ryan Briscoe bumped Australian James Courtney off the
provisional pole and down to third starting spot for this
weekend's Macau GP in China. Other notables include a
5th starting spot for German Pierre Kaffer, rumored to be CART
bound in 2004, who will start a respectable 5th after being
out of open-wheel cars for quite some time. American
Richard Antinucci will start 6th, Nico Rosberg, son of former
F1 champions Keke Rosberg will start 7th and Nelson Piquet Jr.
will start 13th. The field is one of the strongest we
have seen in a long time, with any of the top 13 drivers being
future F1 or CART material.
Photos
1. Fabio Carbone BRA Signature Plus
Dallara F302 Renault-Sodemo 2m 13.016s
2. Ryan Briscoe AUS Prema Powerteam Dallara F303 Opel-Spiess 2m
13.223s
3. James Courtney AUS TOM's Dallara F302 Toyota-TOM's 2m 13.232s*
4. Nicolas Lapierre FRA Signature Plus Dallara F302 Renault-Sodemo 2m
13.270s
5. Pierre Kaffer GER Superfund TME Racing Dallara F303 Toyota-TOM's 2m
13.506s
6. Richard Antinucci USA Hitech Racing Dallara F302/3 Renault-Sodemo
2m 13.514s
7. Nico Rosberg FIN Carlin Motorsport Dallara F302/3 Honda-Mugen 2m
13.906s
8. Tatsuya Kataoka JPN TOM's Dallara F302 Toyota-TOM's 2m 13.910s
9. Paulo Montin ITA Three Bond Dallara F303 Nissan-Tomei 2m 13.958s
10. Robert Doornbos NED Menu Motorsport Dallara F302/3 Opel–Spiess 2m
14.146s
11. Alvaro Parente POR Carlin Motorsport Dallara F302/3 Honda-Mugen 2m
14.593s
12. Fairuz Fauzy MAL Promatecme Dallara F302 Honda-Mugen 2m 14.728s
13. Nelson Piquet Jr BRA Hitech Racing Dallara F302/3 Renault-Sodemo
2m 14.949s
14. Robert Kubica POL Target Dallara F302 Opel-Spiess 2m 14.965s
15. César Campanico POR Signature Plus Dallara F302 Renault-Sodemo 2m
15.001s
16. Danny Watts GBR Alan Docking Racing Dallara F302 Honda-Mugen 2m
15.050s
17. Narain Karthikeyan IND Carlin Motorsport Dallara F302/3
Honda-Mugen 2m 15.135s*
18. Lewis Hamilton GBR Manor Motorsport Dallara F302 Honda-Mugen 2m
15.160s
19. Hiroki Yoshimoto JPN Swiss Racing Team Dallara F302 Opel-Spiess 2m
15.189s
20. Ronnie Quintarelli ITA JB Motorsport/Inging Dallara F302
Opel-Spiess 2m 15.478s
21. Andrew Thompson GBR Hitech Racing Dallara F302/3 Renault-Sodemo 2m
15.515s
22. Pedro Barral ESP Swiss Racing Team Dallara F302 Opel-Spiess 2m
15.782s
23. Katsuyuki Hiranaka JPN Prema Powerteam Dallara F303 Opel-Spiess 2m
15.854s*
24. Ernesto Viso VEN Promatecme Dallara F302 Honda-Mugen 2m 16.006s
25. Rob Austin GBR Menu Motorsport Dallara F302/3 Opel-Spiess 2m
16.368s
26. Michael Ho MAC Superfund TME Racing Dallara F302 Toyota-TOM's 2m
16.877s
27. Naoki Yokomizo JPN JB Motorsport/Inging Dallara F302 Opel-Spiess
2m 18.183s*
28. Marco Bonanomi ITA Target Dallara F302 Opel-Spiess 2m 18.247s*
29. Lei Kit Meng MAC Manor Motorsport Dallara F302 Honda-Mugen 2m
20.537s
30. Joesph Merszei MAC Alan Docking Racing Dallara F302 Honda-Mugen 2m
24.503s
11/14/03
Kyle Busch to miss Cup debut Kyle
Busch will not make his Winston Cup debut this weekend at Homestead
after his car failed NASCAR inspection, more specifically the "X" body
test, the same test that Tony Stewart's car failed and NASCAR
confiscated the car. The X-measurement is taken from the
base of the car's rear window to the back corner of the
opposite rear fender. This is done in both directions and is
supposed to be the same, ensuring that the car body is
"square" and not angled.
Night races for CART
Given the Saturday dates for both Milwaukee and Cleveland in 2004, it
would appear that both venues will again be night races, though the
press release did not specifically say. What was once a 15-race
schedule appears to now have grown to a possible 18 or 19 races (19 if
Brands Hatch added....20 if EuroSpeedway added too). There is
room in the schedule to run both Germany and England on the same
weekends as 2003 - the last weekend in April and the first weekend in
May. This is what we feel CART should strive for as a final
schedule. Plug some of the gaps, move Miami to where it should
be in Mid-March and end the season in Las Vegas in conjunction with
the SEMA show. The Ideal 2004 CART Schedule
February 22 – St.
Petersburg, Florida –
Street Course
March 14 – Miami, Florida –
Street Course (with MTV's usual Spring Break shows)
April 18 – Long Beach,
California – Street
Course
May 2 - Brands Hatch, UK - Road
Course (Bank Holiday weekend)
May 9 - EuroSpeedway, Germany - Oval
May 23 – Monterrey,
Mexico – Road Course
June 5 – The Milwaukee
Mile – Oval (Night Race)
June 20 – Portland
International Raceway –
Road Course*
July 3 – Cleveland, Ohio
- Road Course (Night Race)
July 11 – Toronto,
Ontario, Canada – Street
Course
July 25 – Vancouver,
British Columbia, Canada
– Street Course
August 8 – Road America
– Road Course
August 15 – Denver,
Colorado – Street Course
August 29 – Montreal,
Quebec, Canada – Road
Course
September 12 – Mazda
Raceway Laguna Seca –
Road Course
October 3 – Mexico City, Mexico
– Road Course
October 17 – Seoul, South Korea
– Road Course
October 24 – Surfers
Paradise, Australia –
Street Course October 31 – California
Speedway – Oval (We doubt ISC wants this race to happen)
November 7 - Las Vegas, NV
Street Course around Convention Center w/SEMA Show
November 8 - Las Vegas, NV - Annual Awards Banquet
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