DATE

News (chronologically)

3/11/04

Champ Car statement on Fernández loss  The following is the statement of the Champ Car World Series regarding the retirement from Champ Car racing of Adrian Fernandez. Champ Car President Dick Eidswick said,  “We were disappointed to hear of Adrian Fernandez retirement from the Champ Car World Series. Adrian has been a top contender in the series and a favorite among our strong Mexican fan base. We wish him the best of luck in his future racing endeavors.”

3/11/04

Champ Car Fan Fest a big hit  Tuesday night’s Fan Festival portion of the 2004 Champ Car Season Premiere in Long Beach drew a number of the staunch Champ Car supporters that the series has enjoyed in Southern California since the thoroughbred racing machines made their debut in the west coast classic in 1984. The fan-driven event began with 1996 Long Beach winner and series champion Jimmy Vasser (#12 NII Holdings Ford-Cosworth/Lola/Bridgestone) laying down some serious rubber in a pit stop demonstration outside the Long Beach Convention Center with the assistance from members from his PKV Racing squad– a team in which Vasser will join as both owner and driver in 2004.

Following a run in which the veteran Champ Car pilot blazed through the drill three times with spirited doughnuts at each end of the mini-course, the fan’s attention turned to the adjacent Convention Center where a number of Champ Car drivers awaited for autograph and question and answer sessions.

After announcements regarding the exciting future of Champ Car racing poured out of Long Beach the two previous days during the media portion of the Season Premiere, fans were given access to the drivers and proved they were up to date on such issues as the recently released 2004 schedule, television package and driver lineups.

“Being at the Fan Fest with all of those race fans really added to all of the excitement I have heading into my first Champ Car race at Long Beach next month,” said 2003 Toyota Atlantic Champion and American rookie pilot A.J. Allmendinger. “It’s been like a dream and hadn’t really sunk in, but when the fans knew my name and knew about my career, it started to hit me. They were all so supportive and enthusiastic, that it makes me want to get in that RuSPORT car and give them a real show and not let them down. I can’t wait to get back here for them.”

The crowd was also given the opportunity to walk home with a myriad of Champ Car, Ford and Bridgestone-related merchandise through an ongoing raffle during the festival, where ticket packages for the 30th Anniversary of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach were among the many prizes.

The 2004 Bridgestone Presents The Champ Car World Series Powered By Ford opens up on the streets of downtown Long Beach, Calif. April 18th when 2003 Defending Champion Paul Tracy (#1 Indeck Ford-Cosworth/Lola/Bridgestone) of Canada leads Americans Vasser and Allmendinger, Mexican owner/driver Adrian Fernandez, 2003 Champ Car Rookie of the Year Sebastien Bourdais of France and Team Rahal’s Michel Jourdain Jr. of Mexico in the fight for the Vanderbilt Cup.

3/11/04

Darlington just got narrower  Darlington Raceway workers are in the process of installing SAFER barriers in the track's turns.  The SAFER (Steel and Foam Energy Reduction) situation is different at Darlington, however. The current preferred groove through the track's turns is within an arm's width of the outside wall. With the installation of SAFER barriers on the inside of those walls, about 30 inches of that space has been lost. Suddenly, the track that had little room in which to play has even less. "Darlington is an odd track as it is, and we've just made it odder," said Chad Knaus, crew chief for driver Jimmie Johnson. The change will make practice for the track's Nextel Cup and Busch races much more interesting than in recent seasons. Maybe too interesting. "It will change the line, and drivers will notice it," Johnson said. "It seems like there are only a couple of inches between the wall and the right side of the car. We'll find out how much of the track we really need. ... It's going to catch some people off guard."

3/11/04

Altran renews with Renault  On the evening of Wednesday, 10 March, in Paris, Renault F1 Team Deputy Managing Director Bernard Dudot officially signed an extension of the Renault F1 Team's relationship with Altran, the European leader in innovation consulting.

In the context of their relationship with the Renault F1 Team, Altran scientists and technical experts work in close collaboration with the engine team at Viry-Châtillon south of Paris in key areas of the F1 project.

"We are delighted with our relationship with Altran," commented Managing Director Flavio Briatore. "They have played an important role in our progress in recent seasons, and we look forward to their continuing to do so in the future."

Deputy Managing Director Bernard Dudot added: "Over the last two years, our work with Altran has brought real benefits and allowed us to learn a large amount. Altran give us access to expertise in extremely specialized areas that we do not possess within the company, and which are crucial for the development of our F1 engines to the standard required today."

3/11/04
Formula BMW

Red Bull driver lands BMW ride  2003 Red Bull Driver Search winner Matt Jaskol of Las Vegas, NV, has signed with Team Autotecnica to contest the 2004 Formula BMW North America Championship this season. Jaskol is one of three drivers to have won backing from Red Bull after emerging as a star in the making after two days of testing in British F3 cars at Estoril in Portugal last October.

Jaskol is the only Red Bull Driver Search winner who will be chasing his Formula One dreams stateside, as his fellow winners, Dominique Claessens, Colin Fleming and Scott Speed, will do battle this season in Europe in the Formula Renault Eurocup.

“For me, starting in this series in the United States is like a home run and it is a great challenge to be among the favorites in this series,” enthused Jaskol, who scored three wins on his way to third place in the Formula Dodge National Championship last season.

Team Autotecnica, based near West Palm Beach, Florida, was selected based on the excellence of their preparation, and the character of the team, which is young spirited and has a history of developing up and coming talent, both of which appealed to Red Bull. The team is looking forward to bringing the young talent on board, and has high expectations for the season.

The inaugural Formula BMW USA season will comprise fourteen races, held on seven race weekends, and will be sanctioned by Champ Car. Race venues will include the Canadian Grand Prix, the United States Grand Prix and four Champ Car events. The series debut will take place at Lime Rock Park, CT, on 31 May, with the series finale slated to take place at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on 12 September.

In 2004, the Red Bull Driver Search is continuing in its quest to discover and support the "diamond in the rough," lacking the knowledge and contacts needed to embark on a career in racing, as well as talented young drivers already in racing. The long-term goal is to have a steady group of three to six American drivers racing in Europe, groomed to break into Formula 1 and compete for the World Championship.

3/11/04

Penske makes some crew changes  Penske Racing South has some personnel changes that will be in effect this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Bill Wilburn, who served as driver Rusty Wallace's crew chief last season and moved into the role of shop foreman this season for the No. 77 Dodges and driver Brendan Gaughan, will return to his old role changing tires for Wallace's team, sources confirmed Wednesday. In addition to Wilburn's change, Aaron Oakley, an aerodynamics specialist with Ryan Newman's No. 12 Dodges, will move into the spotter's role for the team this weekend, replacing Penske Racing South general manager John Erickson in that position, sources said.

3/11/04

Quote of the week  Jimmie Johnson, when asked to compare the four 1.5-mile oval tracks on the Nextel Cup circuit between now and May: "Atlanta is rough and kind of coarse. It's a little bumpy. It's pretty scary for the drivers to drive at times. Texas is just plain old fast. That's all there is to it. It's just a fast, silly-fast place to go. It's smooth. You have very low shock velocities. It's a quick race track and an awesome facility. Fontana is a long, wide, and flat track. It's a neat race track. Where Atlanta and Texas are real high-banked and aggressive, Fontana is more of a rhythm race-track. It has a lot to do with the way you get on and off the throttle as to how the car is going to handle. Lowe's Motor Speedway is home base for us, and a track that I love. But that is an evil place. It's nothing but bumps and bruises and cracks in the pavement. Your tires are going to fall off. But you go to some of these places with a smaller spoiler and softer tire, and you're going to fly in qualifying. It's going to be pretty exciting."

3/11/04

Why Bob Jenkins?  A lot of readers have written us questioning the choice of Bob Jenkins as a TV anchor for Champ Car in 2004. Most were shocked that the voice of the IRL, many said an IRL shill, would be in the Champ Car booth.  As far as we are concerned, Bob Jenkins is a true professional who was only doing his job.  There is no question he loves the Indy 500, it was a part of him all his life.  However, we have no doubt that Jenkins will do an equally professional job for Champ Car now that he has won the position against some pretty good competition who applied for the position.  Jenkins and Kendall in the booth should be excellent with Jenkins doing play-by-play and Kendall as an analyst. The most significant question to ask is why Bob Jenkins, after being in such a key role with the IRL, has decided to join Champ Car.  That may be a telling sign.  Mark C.

3/11/04

Gascoyne reflects on Toyota performance  It was a very disappointing race for the Panasonic Toyota Racing team down under last weekend, with their two drivers, Olivier Panis and Cristiano da Matta struggling to fight with the Ford powered Jordans at the back of the grid. Here, the team’s technical director, Mike Gascoyne, looks back over round one and gives his analysis.   More....

3/11/04

Access team gets veteran engineer  Veteran engineer Mike Colliver has joined Access Motorsports as the team's new race engineer. Colliver, who worked most recently with Kelley Racing and driver Al Unser Jr., replaces Jeff Britton, who left Access Motorsports last week to join Mo Nunn Racing. "Mike has been in racing for many years and is very highly rated," said Greg Ray, owner/driver of the No. 13 Access Motorsports Panoz G Force/Honda/Firestone. "Although we've never worked together before, I've conversed with him over the years, and we've always talked about working together provided the right opportunity." Prior to joining Kelley Racing in 2002, Colliver worked as a mechanic for Patrick Racing, served as chief mechanic at Hemelgarn Racing winning the 1996 Indianapolis 500 with Buddy Lazier, and was race engineer for Treadway Racing. "It's not the way we would have started if we had planned it, but I look forward to working with him," Ray said. "He has a passion for motorsports, and he'll be an asset in moving our program forward. "We still have to build the all-important at-track relationship, but we'll hit the ground running at Phoenix and start working through the process."

3/11/04

The hypocrisy of it all, IRL has morphed in CART  This Indy Star article calls a spade a spade as it says, Ten years ago today, Tony George shook the open-wheel racing world by announcing the formation of a new Indy-car series. The Indy Racing League, as he labeled his multimillion-dollar project, remains the most controversial series in motorsports. Proponents insist it has maintained the integrity of the Indianapolis 500. Critics argue it has become everything George despised about the former Championship Auto Racing Teams, the series from which he severed ties. The IRL now has teams with extravagant budgets and engine manufacturers that wield major power through expensive lease programs. Expected next year are races on road courses and temporary street circuits. Gone is virtually everything that has to do with the U.S. Auto Club, which George wanted as the IRL's base. Even the tradition of the Indy 500, the hallmark of the IRL's founding, has been modified. Jimmy Vasser, who won CART's championship in 1996, doesn't begrudge George for creating the IRL. But he doesn't like how it morphed into CART. "It's the hypocrisy of it all," Vasser said. "There wasn't anything wrong with Indy-car racing in 1994 and 1995. Now all of a sudden we're supposed to believe that the IRL is the best thing going."

3/11/04
British FF

D'Agostino to British Formula Ford   [Editor's Note:  D'Agostino's father is a key person in the Formula BMW USA program.  We spoke to him on Tuesday and it's clear he wants his son to have a real go at F1. ]   American Joe D’Agostino will replace Mareks Stolcermanis at reigning British Formula Ford champion outfit Team JLR for the coming season.   The 18-year-old, the winner of the 2003 Barber-Dodge Pro Series scholarship, has landed the seat after Latvian Stolcermanis suffered serious injuries in a car accident.  D’Agostino, who is currently recovering from a broken arm sustained in a New Zealand FFord winter series crash,  joins countryman Charlie Kimball and Briton Daniel Clarke in the squad.   “I have wanted to come overseas for some time now, because I know if I am to make a name for myself and have a shot at Formula 1, this is where I need to be,” said D’Agostino.   Team boss Richard Dean said: “Joe has won a championship every year he has been racing, but is recovering from injuries, so it will be tough for him to make up for lack of circuit knowledge and get back to full fitness before round one.”

3/11/04

What about Univision?  A reader writes, Dear AutoRacing1.com, I am still wondering why Champ Car does not have a deal with the biggest Spanish tv network in the US. Have you talked to them about putting the races on Univision?  I'm sure UVN would even pay them instead of the other way around. Not only that but many Univision stations are over the air stations, and I get it on Cable.  Though I would prefer univision since it's the only Spanish TV I get, I would not mind if they use Telemundo. But they should have a Spanish TV network.  Marco Clark  Dear Marco, We suspect you will see something regarding Spanish TV when Champ Car announces their international TV package.  Mark C.

3/11/04

Latest F1 news in brief  

Bridgestone Has Improved Hot-Weather Tire
Toyota Redesign Flawed TF104
Korea Steps-Up F1 Quest
Williams Clueless On Schumacher Saga
Dennis Faces-Down Retirement
McLaren Form Is Not End Of World: Wurz
Jordan Braces Fans For 'Tough' Season
BAR Set Pace At Drizzly Valencia
Schu Supports Condemned Qualifying
Mercedes-Benz To Go It Alone In F1?

Ferrari Is Bad For Formula One
Kiesa To Revive F1 Flirt?
Webber Expects Problems In Malaysia
BAR Won't Abandon Britain
Wurz Shrugs-Off Quali-Concern

3/10/04

Testing wraps up at Firebird  After two full days of testing at Firebird International Raceway, the teams and drivers of the 2004 Toyota Atlantic Championship Presented by Yokohama now set their sights on the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, which opens the season on the weekend of April 18. It was a scorcher for the second consecutive day at Firebird, with a midday ambient temperature of 93 degrees Fahrenheit and a track temperature of 108 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Yokohama Tire Engineers. However, the temperatures were slightly cooler than yesterday, and with additional rubber on the track, all of the drivers were able to find a bit more speed today. Ryan Dalziel, who posted the second-fastest lap in Tuesday's first test day, ended the session with a best time of 51.8 seconds unofficially, to top the list. Dalziel's Sierra Sierra Enterprises teammate, rookie Andrew Ranger, was second quickest at 52.2 sec., followed by Lynx Racing pilot Bryan Sellers at 52.5 sec. according to team stopwatches. Danica Patrick reported the fourth quickest time at 52.6 sec., followed by Brooks Associates Racing rookie Ronnie Bremer at 52.8 sec., and the Pacific Coast Motorsports duo of Jon Fogarty and Alex Figge, who both clocked best laps at 52.9 sec. Alex Garcia and rookie Chris Festa each reported best times at 53.3 sec. As is always the case in preseason testing, all times are unofficial. While most of the teams will turn a few more testing miles before Long Beach, today's session marks the final time they will be together as a group before the season gets underway. CORRECTION: In Tueday's report, Ronnie Bremer's unofficial best time was incorrectly listed at 53.8 seconds. The correct time was 53.3 sec., which was set late in the running. Toyota Atlantic public relations regrets the error.

3/10/04

Quotes from testing at Firebird  RYAN DALZIEL: "It went really well. I'm glad to be back for another year. We've been working on some stuff for the past couple of days, so we pretty much had a goal to go out and put a time down this morning while the track was good and we put down a pretty good lap. We spent the rest of the day, from like 10 o'clock onwards, just trying some development work. We learned a fair amount of stuff, so we're pretty confident going into Long Beach that we're going to have a good car this year."
CHRIS FESTA: "We made a lot of good adjustments over the last two days. We started off with a baseline package and made some improvements. We made some changes that went backwards a little bit, but that's going to happen. For me as a driver, it was just a really good two days to see how I measure up compared to the other drivers, and just to really work on the driving aspect as well as tuning the car."
BRYAN SELLERS: "I think so far, so good. The team has really started to come together. I think we're actually a little behind a lot of the head teams right now, being as they've all worked together for at least a season it would seem. In some cases, maybe more. Today we made some pretty big progression with the car, and so far, so good."
RONNIE BREMER: "For me, it's okay. We had the whole day yesterday to sort out things and get used to the car and the circuit. The car's a little bit smaller inside than what I'm used to, so you sit a little bit different. The rpm limit is 10,000 and I'm used to 7,000, so it sounds totally different. In the beginning, I'd go through the corner with too low revs, because normally you don't see the light, you just go by the ears and what the sound is. But we worked that out and I think we did a pretty good time yesterday, and today a pretty good time as well. I didn't really get the last run on new tires like I wanted to, and I feel we can go at least a couple tenths (of a second). But all in all, it went better than I expected, and I think it was better than the team expected so I'm quite happy. I have good people around me, so I think it's good. If I can find the money, I'll definitely be in the series this year, but time is getting closer. I hope I can get the money and get started. The others are already testing, and testing more days than I am. This is the first year for me as a rookie, so I really need to test more than they do. I need to bring up the speed. But for me, I think it's okay. If I can get the money, I'm sure I can get up to the pace before the first race. I'm pretty positive about it."
DANICA PATRICK: "I think this serves as a good refresher for everyone, mainly just simple things of driving and tuning a race car. It's been a while. We've had the longest off-season I can think of, and things are rusty, so you're just kind of getting back in the groove of things. This is a tricky track, conditions are always changing, and for no apparent reason sometimes you're off and sometimes you're on. It gets really hot here, you have inconsistency in tires, and we're finding out about engine things and what kind of distances they can run, which is important for the season. I think, mainly, it's just a good refresher for the team working as one again. We all know what we're doing, we just need to get back into a rhythm. I feel good that I'm back in the car, and everything's more fresh in my mind, and that's important. It's a matter of weeks before the first race. with another day here, and more, we'll be ready."
ALEX GARCIA: "We feel pretty strong about it. We had couple good days at Buttonwillow, came out here and just built on that. We went backwards a little bit today and ended up pretty good. We're happy with a 53.3 (second lap) on pretty used up tires, so I think we're not that far from the top guys. We're right there in the group, so we're pretty pleased."
JON FOGARTY: "We actually learned quite a bit today, and didn't struggle with a lot of the problems we had yesterday, which I'm really happy about. We've definitely gone forward in that regard. At the end of the day, it was the best car we've had, so it's going to carry over well again into the next test.(Teammate) Alex (Figge) had a little problem, and we didn't get as many miles as we would have liked, but we do have a few more days."
ALEX FIGGE: "I think we got some work done both mornings. Unfortunately, (engineer) Burke (Harrison) and I got hit with some bad luck in the afternoons. Yesterday, we were chasing some brake problems and stuff like that, and it took a while to get to the bottom of it, and today we blew the motor right after lunch. The guys got it back together as fast as they could, but we just weren't left with enough time to end up where we wanted on the balance. But we learned a lot, and we're not racing here, and I think what we learned is going to transfer over and it'll be good."

3/10/04

JeanRichard watches joins ALMS  JeanRichard watches, a collection of fine SWISS timepieces intended for a clientele seeking original and exclusive products, has joined the American Le Mans Series in a new sponsorship and awards program that will begin with the 52nd annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, the opening event of the 2004 season Mar. 17-20.

JeanRichard will present watches valued at $3,950 to the winning drivers in all four classes of the American Le Mans Series in the Sebring event, America's oldest and most prestigious professional sports car race. In addition, watches will be presented to the winning drivers in Chevy presents Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta, a 1,000-mile endurance event that will be held Sept. 25.

JeanRichard will also present watches to the championship drivers and team owners for the 2004 American Le Mans Series season, with the presentations to be made at the series awards banquet.

As another aspect of the sponsorship agreement, JeanRichard will be designated as the Official Watch and Timing Sponsor of the American Le Mans Series. JeanRichard will also be a sponsor of the American Le Mans Series Radio Web, and there will be a JeanRichard logoed clock at the start/finish line for all American Le Mans Series races to track the elapsed time during the event.

"We are very excited to begin a long term partnership with the American Le Mans Series," said Ronald Jackson, President of JeanRichard Watches North America. "I am confident that the passions and expertise we bring to fine Swiss watch making will be appreciated by the winning drivers and fans alike."

"We enthusiastically welcome the participation of JeanRichard in the American Le Mans Series," said Scott Atherton, President and CEO of the ALMS. "The upscale demographics of our audience are a perfect fit with JeanRichard's clientele. We look forward to a long and mutually-beneficial relationship."

3/10/04

What about international TV?  A reader writes, Dear AutoRacing1.com, I live in Europe and was wondering if there is going to be any live TV coverage of Champ Car races in 2004?  I saw no mention of it anywhere. Michael Salvatore, Milan, Italy  Dear Michael, OWRS will be announcing their international TV package soon.  We are led to believe most people around the world be able to get Champ Car broadcasts.  Certainly the internet for $9.95 per month (in US dollars) will be an option for you.  Mark C.

3/10/04

What happened to CBS?  A reader writes, Dear AutoRacing1.com, I want to be as positive as possible about the upcoming 2004 ChampCar year -- but, with the announcement that all races will be on cable's Spike TV, how bad do you think it will hurt the series not to have any races on network television this year? What happened to the 8-10 races that were announced to be on CBS during the season last year? It is good that Spike TV reaches more homes than Speed Channel -- I guess 2004 will have to be a rebuilding year for the series in many aspects. I just hope that the lower TV ratings that the series will undoubtedly get on cable, don't hurt ChampCar in terms of attracting much needed new sponsors. I'm sure that Mr. Gentilozzi, et al are working very hard to get some races back on network TV for the 2005 season. Thanks, Jeff Broadstreet, Los Angeles, A loyal fan of ChampCar (I have watched every televised ChampCar and Formula One race since 1993).  Dear Jeff, OWRS must walk before they run.  The series blew $31 million on TV buys and production in 2003 and there is no way the new owners were going to do that again.  They are going with a bold move to break out of the rut that Indy Car style racing has been in for years.  They have hired an impressive production company with fresh new ideas who recognize that the personalities and drama are what matter most in building loyal fans.  As they say, it's the drivers stupid.  Once the series has proven to Viacom, the parent company of both CBS and Spike TV that they deserve to be on network TV, they will be.  Will it be 2005?  2006?  Hard to say, but certainly the sooner the better because teams have a harder time selling sponsorship with low TV ratings.  The most important aspect to come out of this new deal is that Viacom is supposedly going to really market the series.  That more than anything is what will turn the ratings around.  It will be interesting to see what the cumulative ratings will be between Spike TV, HD Net and the internet viewers.  Perhaps the numbers will surprise. Mark C.

3/10/04

What about qualifying?  A reader writes,  Dear AutoRacing1.com, For those of us without HDNET, will the qualifying and practice be on Spike TV as well? Tim Shaw, Wheaton, IL  Dear Tim, No, but for $9.95 per month you can watch every single minute live on the internet from the start of practice Friday, through Sunday, including practice, qualifying, interviews, support series stuff, the races etc.  That goes for anyone in the world.  We suggest you get rid of dial-up and get DSL or a Cable Modem for broadband access.  If you are still on dial-up you should get with the program.  Mark C.

3/10/04

BAM Racing crewperson turns down Playboy  Angie Mesimer has rejected overtures from a nationally-known men's magazine. The 32-year-old fabricator for the #49 Schwan's Home Service Dodge of BAM Racing and driver Ken Schrader said she has no interest in Playboy magazine's proposed "Women Of Racing" photo feature. "I am in racing because I love racing, I love working on race cars and I love the competition," Mesimer said. "I have no interest in a magazine like Playboy anyway, unless they want to talk about building and working on race cars." Mesimer, a single mother of two, said she would much rather work her way to the top in motorsports. "Everyone involved in NASCAR racing has been working to get away from the old stereotypes of 'good ol' boys,' and this supposedly 'mainstream' publication comes up with an idea that I think most people in the garage would find offensive," said BAM Racing general manager Eddie Jones, a veteran of NASCAR racing stretching back to the 1970s. "We're all working to increase our reach and to bring more general consumers into our camp. New fans are great," Jones said. "I completely agree with Angie, though. This is not the way to bring new fans to our sport. She is a good worker and she is learning a lot about racing. She doesn't make a lot of waves but pitches in and works hard," Jones said. "This is like a national publication doing a 'wolf whistle,' and everyone involved with our race team finds that pretty offensive. I am proud to say BAM Racing is not going to be a part of it. I guess there is a place for men's magazines; just not with our race team," he added.

3/10/04

Budweiser renews with Earnhardt  Budweiser and Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI) officials announced today at Anheuser-Busch's annual national sales convention that NASCAR Nextel Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. has renewed his sponsorship agreement with Budweiser through a multi-year extension. "Budweiser's sponsorship of Dale Jr. gives us a proven winner on and off the track with a celebrity who is easily connected to Budweiser and highly recognizable among adult beer drinkers," said Tony Ponturo, vice president, Global Media & Sports Marketing, Anheuser-Busch, Inc. "Dale Jr.'s popularity reaches a great number of racing fans including many of our wholesalers, brewery workers and retailers through his winning record, contemporary appeal and confidence as a driver." Earnhardt Jr., the winner of the Daytona 500 on Feb. 15, has driven the #8 Budweiser Chevrolet since 1999. That season, he appeared in a limited schedule of five NASCAR Winston Cup Series events while racing full-time in the NASCAR Busch Series. "It's really cool to be sponsored by Budweiser because of the great history they have in motorsports," said Earnhardt Jr. "Anheuser-Busch has supported my career since I drove in the Busch Series where I won a couple of titles, and they've been with me every step of the way since then."

3/10/04

Booster shot for Champ Car series  This Orange County register article (in Long Beach race's backyard) talks about some of the changes announced in Long Beach the last two days.  You must register for free to read.  It says in the article that Gentilozzi hinted about a possible September race in South Africa, but as reported here elsewhere, not in 2004 (per Kevin Kalkhoven talking to Autoracing1 and Autosport Magazine)

3/10/04

Champ Car rides on Spike TV in 2004  Spike TV is the new cable television home for the Champ Car World Series for the 2004 season, it was announced today jointly by Champ Car President Dick Eidswick and Kevin Kay, Executive Vice President, Programming and Production, Spike TV. The network will telecast the entire 16-race schedule of one of the most popular racing circuits from venues all over the world, from Long Beach, CA. to Seoul, South Korea.

Spike TV will carry all 16 of the 2004 Bridgestone Presents The Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford races, kicking off with the season-opening Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday, April 18 (4:00-6:00pm ET/PT) from Long Beach, CA.

Spike TV will also telecast 24 episodes of a Champ Car lifestyle-themed series as part of its successful automotive programming on Sunday afternoons.

"Champ Car racing has a great fan base and the addition to our weekend lineup will broaden our scope with sports and racing fans." noted Kay. "This is an ideal partnership between two evolving brands looking to expand its audience base."

The Spike TV partnership will give fans a consistent time slot in which to follow the Champ Car World Series, airing the races in a two-hour block from 4:00-6:00pm ET/PT on Sunday afternoons.

"Our millions of fans nationwide will now have a network to call home to catch all the excitement of Champ Car World Series Racing," stated Eidswick. "This partnership will increase our television exposure and bring the thrilling racing of Champ Car to a whole new audience."

The Spike TV broadcasts will be produced by Betelgeuse Productions and will feature veteran play-by-play man Bob Jenkins in the booth along with popular color analyst Tommy Kendall. Derek Daly will be the lead pit color analyst while Bronte Tagliani, wife of Rocketsports Racing driver Alex Tagliani, will serve as a roving reporter to capture the excitement and lifestyle aspects surrounding Champ Car events.


Spike TV, the first network for men, is available in 87 million homes and is a division of MTV Networks. MTV Networks owns and operates the cable television programming services MTV: Music Television, MTV2, Nickelodeon/Nick at Nite, TV Land, VH1, CMT: Country Music Television, and Spike TV, as well as The Digital Suite from MTV Networks, a package of thirteen digital services, all of which are trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks also operates and offers joint ventures, licensing agreements and syndication deals whereby its programming can be seen worldwide.

3/10/04
F3000

Van der Merwe eyes F3000 after Durban loses Champ Car race  Autosport Magazine reports that South African Alan van der Merwe is targeting a drive in International Formula 3000 this year. The reigning British Formula 3 champion is one of a number of drivers in talks with Super Nova. “We’re working hard to put a deal together,” he said. “With GP2 coming, it seems like the place to be.” Van der Merwe is in contact with Mercedes regarding a DTM drive, but his hopes of a Champ Car ride have faded after South Africa failed to land a slot on the calendar.

3/10/04

Mobil 1 extends sponsorship  ExxonMobil and Sebring International Raceway today announced the extension of Mobil 1's title sponsorship of America's premier sports car race, the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, through 2006. The 52nd Annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring will take the green flag at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 20. This opening race of the 2004 American Le Mans Series will feature a starting field of 50 world-class teams competing in four different classes.

3/10/04

New point system adopted  In keeping with the recently-announced Champ Car World Series points system, officials from the Toyota Atlantic Championship Presented by Yokohama today announced that the series has adopted a similar system for the 2004 season.

Under the new system, a race winner will earn 31 points, followed by 27 points for second place. Positions three through 10 will be separated by two points per position, with third place being worth 25 points, fourth paying 23 points, fifth getting 21, and so on down to 11 points for a 10th place finish. Positions 11 through 20 will be separated by one point per position, with 10 points going to the 11th place finisher, nine points for 12th, down to one point for the 20th place finisher.   More......

3/10/04

Quotes from Toyota Atlantic test  ANDREW RANGER: "I had a great day today. I was a little rusty this morning, because I hadn't been in a race car in a while. In the winter, I race motorcycles, so I had to re-adapt myself to the car again. After a few laps, I got comfortable and starting putting out quick times. The team gave me a great car, so I was able to perform really well. I've got bruises here and there, but I had a lot of fun out there today."

RYAN DALZIEL: "We had an excellent day. It's our first test of the season, and I think we got through a fair amount of stuff. I think all day we were consistently the quickest car on the track, and we got through a lot of productive stuff that we wanted to work on last year and didn't have time. It's been a good day and we'll build on it the rest of the week. The heat just effects the cars. You have four or five hours in the middle of the day where it's kind of too warm to productively ramp anything up, but between four and five in the afternoon and between nine and 11 in the morning you can shoot for a time. It's kind of frustrating, but that's why it's racing."

ALEX FIGGE: "It was pretty good. We ran into a lot of mechanical problems from about 11 o'clock on, and we just got them sorted out at the end of the day. I think we have a good place to start for tomorrow."

JON FOGARTY: "It was good. It was certainly warmer than anything we've experienced thus far this year, so we had to accommodate that in a lot of different ways. But I feel good physically, and we're ending the day on a positive note and we have quite a few days up in front of us. We're looking forward to carrying it into tomorrow and the next couple of days after that."

BRYAN SELLERS: "I think it was a good day today. We started out kind of rough, but I think we made big progressions with the car. Today is actually the first day in testing where we've made big gains with the car, and I think we're getting closer. Hopefully, tomorrow we'll make the same gains."

3/10/04

Canadian youngster Andrew Ranger tops key Toyota Atlantic test  UPDATE After a whirlwind tour through Long Beach for "Season Premiere," 2004 Toyota Atlantic Championship Presented by Yokohama competitors took to the track at Firebird International Raceway today for the first of two days of preseason preparations on the 1.2-mile East circuit. A total of nine cars turned laps during the incident-free session, and drivers participating were Sierra Sierra Enterprises teammates Ryan Dalziel and Andrew Ranger, Transnet Racing's Alex Garcia, Danish rookie Ronnie Bremer, Lynx Racing driver Bryan Sellers, the Team Rahal duo of Danica Patrick and Chris Festa, and the Pacific Coast Motorsports pairing of Alex Figge and 2002 Toyota Atlantic champion Jon Fogarty. Under what the locals describe as "unseasonably warm" conditions (Yokohama Tire engineers reported the ambient temperature of 97.2 degrees Fahrenheit and a track temperature of 113.7), Ranger clocked the unofficial quickest time of the day at 52.4 seconds after putting on "sticker" tires just prior to the lunch break. Dalziel and Sellers were second-quickest, turning in best laps at 52.7 sec. each, followed by Fogarty at 53.1 sec., Patrick and Figge at 53.5 sec., Garcia at 53.6 sec., and Bremer at 53.8 sec. No time was reported for Festa, although the rookie turned several laps throughout the day. All times are unofficial. In addition to testing, all of the drivers had head and car shots taken, and those photos will be released to the media shortly. Testing at Firebird continues on Wednesday.   3/9/04 - Canadian sensation Andrew Ranger was the fastest of 10 Champ Car Toyota Atlantic drivers testing at Firebird East today. It was his first test on the track with other drivers. His fast lap was 52.4 sec followed by Ryan Dalziel at 52.6, Jon Fogarty at 52.9 and Bryan Sellers 53.3 sec.  Keep your eye on Ranger.  We have watched him race.  He's a future Canadian hero in the making.

3/10/04

Latest F1 news in brief  

Renault Deny Schumacher Link
Montoya Refuses To Give-Up Fight
Ferrari Won't Run Away With Title: Renault
McLaren Quickest At Valencia Test
Senate Urges Government To Butt-Out Ads
Schu Sets-Off On Holiday
BAR-Honda Is Not Jumping For Joy
Williams Expects Closer Race In Malaysia
Grumpy Da Matta Hopes For More
'F1' Number-Plate Up For Sale  

FIA Rule-Out Qualifying Shake-Up
Coulthard Plays Down 'Crisis' Talks
News Shorts: Twice As Many F1 Tickets

3/9/04

Scenes from Durban, South Africa  Some say we are everywhere, some say it's our spy satellites.  Be it as it may, here are photos taken of a lap around the proposed Durban, South Africa circuit.  This should give you a general sense of what the roads and area look like today.  A 2005 Champ Car race is being eyed.

3/9/04

PacifiCare renews with Newman/Haas  After a successful 2003 season both on and off the track, PacifiCare Health Systems Inc. (NYSE: PHS) announced it will continue to sponsor Newman/Haas Racing (NHR) and racecar driver Bruno Junqueira for the 2004 Champ Car World Series season.  NHR, co-owned by acclaimed actor Paul Newman and legendary racing entrepreneur Carl A. Haas, is a four-time champion in the Champ Car World Series (1984, 1991, 1993 and 2002). Junqueira was runner-up in the title hunt in 2003 after winning two races and two pole positions.  PacifiCare, one of the nation's largest consumer health organizations, entered motor sports in 2003 with its sponsorship of NHR as well as Champ Car World Series races in Long Beach, Denver and Milwaukee. This year, PacifiCare will serve as associate sponsor of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach (April 1) and as official sponsor of the Centrix Financial Grand Prix of Denver (August 15).   In addition, PacifiCare will extend its role as the exclusive and "Official Health Care Provider" for the entire 2004 Champ Car World Series season by offering health insurance benefits and related services to Champ Car drivers and NHR employees nationwide.

3/9/04

Marco Andretti enters Formula Dodge National Series  Marco Andretti, the 16-year-old son of Michael and grandson of Mario, will compete in his first professional auto racing championship as he has officially entered the 2004 Skip Barber Formula Dodge National Championship Presented by RACER . The 14-race, $190,000 open-wheel championship begins its fifth season with a doubleheader March 16-19 at the 52nd Annual Mobil1 12-Hours of Sebring. Andretti last year won the Skip Barber Eastern Region Race Series amateur championship, with eight victories in 14 starts, and finishing on the podium five other times to earn his first crown. He's currently leading the 2004 Southern Region Race Series points standings, with four races remaining. Said his dad Michael, "We're excited to get Marco going in the Skip Barber National Series for '04. He proved he could be a great competitor in the Regional Series -- a great training ground -- and that has set him up well for the National." Mario had this to say: From what I see, Marco's making a natural transition from the two Regional series to the pro National, which of course is even more competitive. He'll see a broader spectrum talent and competitive styles. I think this is a great way to introduce all these kids to the higher levels of motorsport." "We have extraordinary depth of talent in the 2004 field," said Senior V.P. of Racing Divina Galica, Marco among them. I expect we'll see some of the best racing in North America, and continue to be the proving ground for future champions."

3/9/04

Champ Car selects Betelgeuse for TV production  The Champ Car World Series will have a different look and feel to its television broadcasts in 2004 after contracting with New York industry stalwarts Betelgeuse Productions to produce its television package.

A strong force in the television production industry with 23 years of experience, Betelgeuse has won more than 40 Emmy Awards for its work. One of the most respected post-production studios in television, Betelgeuse Productions has a long-standing sports pedigree, having done production work for the NBA and the NFL including producing the opening for Super Bowl XXVIII. The Manhattan-based company produces the long-running hit Inside the Actors’ Studio with Jim Lipton for NBC’s Bravo Channel and has worked with all of the major broadcast networks.

“This is a very exciting step for Champ Car and we believe that our fans will enjoy the new innovations that Betelgeuse will bring to the broadcasts,” said Champ Car President Dick Eidswick. “We are very much looking forward to an entirely new television package, one which will greatly increase our exposure and introduce many new fans to Champ Car racing.”

Betelgeuse Productions is concentrating its years of experience on improving the viewing experience for Champ Car race fans by focusing on developing compelling on-track action, better understanding of the drivers, the teams and their crews throughout the season. Even the fans will be getting in the act during this Champ Car World Series season.

“We are focused on creating a compelling television program that features great racing action,” said Executive Producer Rick Murphy. “To us, telling the stories that surround the event also includes a view from the inside. We are going to allow Champ Car fans to experience many things that they have never seen on a race broadcast. We believe that if you help fans understand why drivers and their teams compete and learn what goes into a race, they will care a lot more about who wins the race.

The company has already begun preparation for the 2004 season, and is already producing in-depth interviews with the Champ Car drivers at this week’s 2004 Champ Car Season Premiere in Long Beach. In addition to the race production, Betelgeuse will also assist in the production of post-session video news releases as well as the popular satellite media tour Sunday night at the track. The satellite media tour allows television stations from around the country to conduct live one-on-one interviews with the Champ Car race winner directly after the event for use on their local sportscasts.

3/9/04

Trans-Am announces GT-1 category   In order to better facilitate GT-1 involvement and development in the Motorock Trans-Am Series, the GT-1 program will be expanded in Trans-Am for 2004. The enhanced program, called the GT-1 Development Program, will continue to award a GT-1 Drivers’ Championship, presented for the first time in 2003, and will further recognize the importance of GT-1 involvement in Trans-Am competition.

“The Trans-Am GT-1 Development Program will address every facet of competition,” said Motorock Trans-Am Series Executive Director John Clagett. “From technical specifications, to more visibility, to financial help, the program is designed specifically to attract more GT-1 teams to Trans-Am.

“The key to the future of any racing series is creating and maintaining a vibrant driver and team development system,” added Clagett. “We believe that GT-1 participation is key to Trans-Am’s future. We recognize the symbiotic relationship between GT-1 and Trans-Am, and the GT-1 Development Program will further that bond in more ways than ever before.”

In order to create more visibility, the GT-1 Development Program will recognize the highest-finishing GT-1 competitor at each event during winner’s circle festivities. The top-finishing GT-1 driver will also be invited to take part in post-race media interviews, and, when possible, will participate in television interviews.

Also, those competitors winning GT-1 races at the SCCA Valvoline Runoffs at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, and the June Sprints at Road America, will be presented a GT-1 Trans-Am Series Support Package, which includes, among other things, free entries to Trans-Am Series races.

GT-1 competitors will continue to be eligible for regular Trans-Am championship points, contingency monies and race awards. Special GT-1 contingency awards are also being planned.

Clagett said a comprehensive rules package is being formulated to better address GT-1 teams’ unique needs and make participation in Trans-Am more financially feasible.

“We are researching specifications, including those governing engine displacement and compression ratios, to allow for a more seamless transition from GT-1 to Trans-Am,” said Clagett. “Certain rules regarding tire and wheel choices and safety will remain in force. However, other rules are being reviewed with a clean-slate approach in hopes of attracting a wider GT-1 field. We plan to release those rules in the near future.

“We recognize the importance of making GT-1 teams feel welcome in Trans-Am. This program is part of an overall effort to encourage that,” concluded Clagett.

3/9/04

Trans-Am announces 10-race schedule  

April 18, Long Beach, Calif., Temporary Street Course
June 19, Portland Int’l Raceway, Permanent Road Course
June 27, Infineon Raceway, Permanent Road Course
July 2, Cleveland, Temporary Airport Course
July 11, Toronto, Ontario, Temporary Street Course
Aug. 1, Trois-Rivières, Temporary Street Course
Aug. 7, Road America, Permanent Road Course
Aug. 14, Denver, Temporary Street Course
Sept. 11, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Permanent Road Course
Oct. 10*, Puerto Rico, Temporary Airport Course
*Pending FAA approval.

3/9/04

SCCA to sanction Trans-Am   The Motorock Trans-Am Series has signed a sanctioning agreement with SCCA Pro Racing for 2004, while Champ Car will take over operations of the Series this season. The agreements, which take effect immediately, were announced today by Motorock Trans-Am Series Executive Director John Clagett, SCCA Pro President Steve Johnson, and Champ Car World Series President Dick Eidswick.

The agreements continue a relationship between Trans-Am and SCCA dating back to 1966.

“This unique sanctioning and operations agreement allows the Trans-Am Series to have the best of both worlds,” said Clagett. “SCCA Pro, which owns the Trans-Am brand, is an integral part of the Series’ long history, and will continue its long-standing tradition of supplying the nation’s premiere corner workers and race-weekend staff. SCCA’s 109 proud regions can continue to take delight in being part of Trans-Am, North America’s leading form of sedan sports car racing.

“The addition of Champ Car will integrate Trans-Am with a great motorsports organization, known for its world-renowned safety team, its top-notch technology department, as well as its strengths in administration, insurance, public relations and marketing,” added Clagett. “The integration also allows for greater efficiency in terms of operations, making Trans-Am stronger, operationally speaking, than ever before.”

“It’s important for SCCA to remain involved with the series it started in the 1960s,” SCCA Pro Racing President Steve Johnson said. “We are happy to provide sanction to the Motorock Trans-Am Series, and look forward to the beginning of its 2004 season.”

“We are pleased to take over operations of Trans-Am in 2004,” said Eidswick. “The Trans-Am Series boasts a history unequaled in North American auto racing. I think this agreement will yield significant benefits to Trans-Am and Champ Car.”

3/9/04

Champ Car pilots get extra boost from push-to-pass button  In an effort to make for more competition on the race track and to increase passing opportunities for the drivers, the Bridgestone Presents The Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford and Cosworth Racing announced today that they have developed a ‘push-to-pass’ mechanism for the Ford-Cosworth XFE racing engines in 2004.

The innovation will give drivers a chance to increase their boost from 41.5 to 44 inches of mercury with the push of a button, a system that will give them an extra 50 horsepower per use. The drivers will have the ability to use the increased boost for a total of 60 seconds per race, a time that is equivalent to five applications on the average main straightaway of a Champ Car circuit.

“We wanted to put give our drivers more of an opportunity to make passes and compete for position and we think this will play a key role in that,” said Champ Car Technical Director Lee Dykstra. “Champ Car Director of Electronics Kevin Vander Laan and others in our organization have worked very hard to develop this new application and we expect it to make for more exciting racing.”

The normal 41.5-inch level of boost will be controlled by engine sensors that will measure the boost before it reaches the pop-off valve, with the maximum 44 inches of boost regulated by the pop-off valve. The pop-off valves will continue to be maintained by Champ Car and distributed to the teams at the track during race weekends.

“This gives us another opportunity to further develop our engines and we are very pleased with the progress to this point,” said Vice-President of Cosworth Racing Inc. Ian Bisco. “The Champ Car World Series gives Cosworth Racing the chance to be creative and that is a big reason why we are involved in the series.”

To allow fans and television viewers the opportunity to recognize how the drivers are using the new system, the Champ Car television production crew will monitor each time that the system is used, letting fans know how much time each driver has remaining in his boost reserve. The production crew will also track the tendencies of the drivers in helping fans determine when their favorite driver might be more apt to use his allotment.

“This new push-to-pass system when combined with the other competition rules in place for 2004 will make for very exciting racing,” said Executive Vice-President of Operations John Lopes. “We have developed all of our rules for 2004 with the racing fans in mind as well as the drivers and teams and we feel that we have come up with a package that will make for a great on-track product this year.”

3/9/04

RuSPORT announces two partnerships  RuSPORT driver A.J. Allmendinger announces today that he will join the Red Bull family of athletes beginning with the 2004 Champ Car World Series. Red Bull is the manufacturer and distributor of the well-known energy drink. As part of the new relationship, the distinctive Red Bull logo will adorn the helmet of the 2003 Toyota Atlantic Champion and Champ Car rookie. With this announcement, Allmendinger will join the diverse roster of Red Bull Athletes in North America, which includes AMA Superbike stars Eric and Ben Bostrom, U.S. Olympic alpine skier Daron Rahlves, and women’s mountain bike champion Marla Streb to name a few. “I’m really excited about joining the Red Bull family of athletes,” said the 21-year-old Allmendinger. “You don’t need to look hard to notice that I am in a pretty privileged group. They really are a family and I, along with the rest of RuSPORT, am looking forward to building that bond and representing them in the winner’s circle very soon.”

Champ Car World Series team RuSPORT today announced a new associate partnership with BG Products. As a new partner BG Products will be the official lubricants provider for RuSPORT. This relationship will include not only lubricants for the racecar and transporters, but also a variety of other products from the BG line. In addition, BG Products will offer technical support in the areas of lubricants and friction reduction. "BG Products is unwilling to settle for anything but the best in formulating its high quality products. In looking for the right partnership with the best opportunity in motorsports we found RuSPORT and A.J. Allmendinger," said Sherry Huxtable, BG Racing & Promotions Manager. "We believe our two teams have the same goals and the same high quality ideals. We are thrilled to partner with this fine organization and look forward to sharing many trips to victory lane, both on and off the track." “We are very pleased to have formed a partnership with BG Products,” expressed team owner Carl Russo. “The more we looked into BG the more impressed we became with the size and scope of their operation in particular their technical ability which we feel will be an invaluable asset to us in our first year of Champ Car. That coupled with their tremendous growth curve over the last 30 years led us to believe that we were two cultures very much in sync with one another. To that end we look forward to our respective contributions toward each others continued growth.” Founded in 1971 and based in Wichita, Kansas, BG Products, Inc manufactures and distributes a broad line of specialty lubricants, greases and chemicals throughout the United States, Canada, Central and South America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East using a network of independent distributors. BG Products are used extensively in automotive, marine, industrial, heavy equipment, trucking and fleet applications.

3/9/04

Champ Car series to sponsor the X Prize Foundation  UPDATE We added a photo of one of the X-Prize challengers.  3/8/04 - The Champ Car World Series announced today that they will be the presenting sponsor of the X Prize, an international $10 million prize to the first team to design and successfully fly a space plane that will take passengers into outer space and back.

3/9/04

Champ Car unveils new TV package  Champ Car unveiled their new TV package for 2004 today in Long Beach.  Here are some highlights:

1. All 2004 races on Spike TV, formerly TNN.  All races will be at 4:00 PM on a Sunday no matter where you live.  There will be a 1/2 hour pre-race show on Sundays as well.

2. All races, qualifying, practice, interviews, pre-race, etc. will be shown live on HD Net also.  Spike TV is in 86 million homes on basic cable.

3. Modeled after NASCAR, for $9.95 per month, All races, qualifying, practice, interviews, pre-race, etc. will be shown live on the internet anywhere in the world.  First month will be free.  Global Media Services, also out of NY City, will do the internet services.

4. A story previously broke here on AutoRacing1.com, a multi-Emmy award winning production company called Betelgeuse will do all the TV production work.

5. In the booth will be Tommy Kendall and Bob Jenkins.  Derek Daly will be the pit reporter.  Alex Tagliani's wife, Bronte, will do lifestyle reporting.

6. The crispness and quality of all formats, including regular TV, will be better because high definition cameras are being used for everything.

7. The wide-format of HD will allow additional graphics and statistics to be shown to the viewer.

8. 24 one-half hour shows will be produced to show pre-race and at other times.

9. Perhaps the most important aspect - Viacom will market the Champ Car series and the broadcast on all its properties, including CBS, MTV, etc.

3/9/04

Robby Gordon to run Indy 500  UPDATE Below are select quotes from Monday's Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain on SPEED Channel. NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series driver Robby Gordon talked exclusively with Despain about his plans to compete in "The Double" in 2004 -- the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600.

Gordon on his 2004 plans to run the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day: "We are going to drive for Meijer stores in a Chevrolet-powered Dallara that we are going to prepare in-house at Robby Gordon Motorsports. We've hired Thomas Knapp to engineer and manage the operation -- the guy I came close to winning the Indy 500 with in 1999. Tom prepares a very good race car and I've been very pleased with the cars he has prepared for me and helped me with in the past, and felt that he'd be the right guy to lead up this camp."

Gordon on whether or not he can compete with Penske and Ganassi at Indy: "We only go to Indianapolis to win. The first thing is to go there and be competitive and hopefully beat Penske and Ganassi. ... I think driving a Dallara last year was part of the decision to drive a Dallara this year. The car is the same spec for the next three, so that takes care of the chassis. Thomas Knapp is very experienced and has a car on the front row there four or five of the last seven or eight years."

Responding to Despain's question about what he would see if he walked into Robby Gordon Motorsports today and asked to see the IndyCar department: "At 12 o'clock today, you wouldn't have seen much of a race team. But at 6:30 we got our first Dallara. It arrived at the shop from Italy and we got it out of the crate. It came into the country today and was brought up from Atlanta. So, we do have the car on the stands in the shop in Huntersville (N.C.). We have not received our Chevrolet 3.0 engine yet. The 3.5 engine should be here real soon, so that we can get the car assembled, get it plum and get it up and running. Our first test is going to be 27th and 28th of April -- and we will have the 3.0 engine package by then."

On the Double-Double (Indy qualifying falls on the same day as the Richmond NEXTEL Cup Series race: "That does throw a little kink in the plans, but one thing about it is that I do drive for a very established NEXTEL Cup Series team that is well prepared. So, once we are done on Friday, I can hop over (to Indianapolis) because we don't have anything to do until five o'clock. ... With the program we have in place with the team at RCR and Thomas Knapp and the group over at our shop -- provided we work together and communicate - it should be OK."  3/8/04 - Robby Gordon will be an owner-driver in this May's 88th Indianapolis 500, racing a Chevrolet-powered Dallara chassis, with major support from traditional Indy team sponsor Meijer. Gordon, who will be in his 10th Indianapolis 500, is the only driver currently planning to compete in both the Indy 500 on May 30 and in that evening's Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR event in Charlotte, in the Cingular Wireless Chevrolet Monte Carlo for Richard Childress Racing. This will be the fourth consecutive year that Gordon will attempt what has come to be known as the "Double." The red-and-white Meijer Dallara-Chevy, and a backup, will carry No. 70 in celebration of Meijer stores' 70th year of business. The cars will be prepared at the Robby Gordon Motorsports headquarters in Huntersville, N.C., before setting-up shop in Indy's "Gasoline Alley" for the start of practice on May 9. Pole qualifying is May 15. Gordon also fields his own Fruit of the Loom Chevy in selected NASCAR Busch Series events, as well as a Chevrolet off-road racing truck. Thomas Knapp will be Gordon's engineer. They worked together in the 1999 Indy 500, when Gordon came within two laps of winning, but ran out of fuel and finished a career-best fourth.

"Thanks to Meijer and Chevrolet, we've been able to put together a very solid program for the Indy 500," said Gordon, 35. "Robby Gordon Motorsports has the experience, people and facilities to put a competitive car on the track and now we also have the right group of sponsors and technical partners. "As a racer, I love the challenge we'll face in May. Practice and qualifying at Indy, plus the NASCAR races at Richmond and Charlotte, will make for a very busy month but we know how to organize and coordinate all the details. I also want to thank Richard Childress and everyone at RCR for their help and for supporting me as I keep working to achieve all my career goals." Meijer, which operates 158 stores in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois and Kentucky, has been an Indy 500 sponsor for several years. Gordon has raced Chevrolets to all three of his career NASCAR Cup victories and also has been a Chevy driver in other series. "I feel it's a compliment that Meijer chose to continue its Indy 500 sponsorship with my team and we're committed to doing a good job representing Meijer," said Gordon. "Chevrolet has been very important in my career and its success at Indy and in NASCAR is respected by fans everywhere. We've all seen how good the current Chevy Indy V-8 is and I have no doubt my Meijer Dallara will benefit from lots of Chevy power."

3/9/04

No 2nd car for Team Rahal   At the Team Rahal press conference today, Bobby Rahal laid to rest any rumors that his team would expand to a 2-car effort in 2004.  "We were talking to some drivers earlier on but those deals did not materialize.  Now it's too late and we are going to focus on making Michel Jourdain the 2004 champion."

3/9/04

Kendall to drive for Gentilozzi   Four-time Motorock Trans-Am Series Drivers’ Champion Tommy Kendall will drive the full 2004 Trans-Am schedule for Rocketsports Racing. Kendall will compete in a Jaguar XKR powered by Jaguar’s stock-block, four-valve, fuel-injected engine debuted by Rocketsports last year. The announcement was made at a Trans-Am press luncheon, during the Champ Car Season Premiere in Long Beach, Calif.

Kendall, the Series’ only four-time titleholder, will attempt to surpass the win record held by late Trans-Am legend Mark Donohue. Kendall, who has 26 career victories in Trans-Am competition, needs just four more wins to eclipse Donohue’s mark.

“I’m very excited to return to Trans-Am with Rocketsports Racing,” said Kendall, who last competed in Trans-Am in 1997 and most recently worked as a television commentator on Champ Car World Series broadcasts. ”This came out of the blue. I’d been missing racing for several years. After the end of the TV season last year, I decided that it was time to dedicate myself to driving in 2005. My plan was to get in shape, get sharp and get ready for ’05. Then, low and behold, the phone rang and Paul (Gentilozzi) offered me the job. I had to jump at this tremendous opportunity.

“The car and team have always been the most important part of the equation for me,” added Kendall, who drove for Roush Racing from 1993-1997 and C&C Racing from 1989-90. He made his Trans-Am debut in 1987 as an owner/driver. “I understood the importance of a good team since early in my career, and that is part of the reason I’ve had so much success. I was never willing do it unless I had the equipment I needed to win. I’m very excited about being with a team of the caliber of Rocketsports Racing. I raced against them a lot. We were bitter rivals, making for more than a little bit of irony in this deal.”

Rocketsports Racing team owner Paul Gentilozzi echoed Kendall’s comments.

“We've been battling it out in Trans-Am for years, so for us to come together on the Rocketsports/Jaguar team seems ironic,” said Gentilozzi, a three-time Drivers’ Champion himself. “We were actually teammates once, in the 1993 Lime Rock IMSA race, but we've been rivals for so long, we're a bit of an odd couple.

“This will be an excellent season on the track,” added Gentilozzi, “and I do plan to give Tommy some competition whenever I can.”

The list of Kendall’s Trans-Am accomplishments is long and significant. Kendall is also the only driver to win three-straight Trans-Am titles, from 1995-1997. He also won the championship in 1990. His 11-race win streak in 1997 remains the longest in Series history. The streak also gave Kendall the most victories in one season, one more than Donohue.

Kendall also holds the Trans-Am pole record with 39 fast-qualifying efforts. In all, Kendall has 26 victories, 53 podiums, 63 top fives, 72 top tens and 23 fast race laps. Kendall has also competed in IROC competition six times and has made 11 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup starts.

In 1998, Kendall became the only SCCA driver since George Follmer, in 1972, to win the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association’s (AARWBA) Driver of the Year Award.

“We are delighted to welcome Tommy Kendall back to Trans-Am Series competition,” said Motorock Trans-Am Series Executive Director John Clagett. “No other driver can boast the success and excitement Tommy has generated during his Trans-Am career.

“This year, Tommy will have his sights set on the win record held by Mark Donohue; a mark many believed would never be broken,” added Clagett. “He is truly a living Trans-Am legend.”

Kendall said he is looking forward to competing this year. However, he knows he has a bit of a learning curve coming off his six-year retirement.

“Obviously, I’m here to win races,” said Kendall. “I have a great team behind me, and I know we’ll be in contention. But a lot has changed since I left. The tires are different, the aero package is different, the differentials are different, the overall weight of the cars is different, and the horsepower is up. There are also a lot of new competitors as well. I’m certainly not a rookie, but I have a lot of work to do. I’ll be a little hard on myself until I am back to where I was when I left.”

Through all of his accomplishments, Kendall still has one jewel missing from his crown: a Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach victory. Kendall came close to winning the Long Beach Trans-Am race in 1996, earning the pole and leading the most laps before falling out with ignition problems.

“Long Beach is the biggest race in my world,” said Kendall, who grew up and resides in Santa Monica, Calif. “I grew up going to the Grand Prix of Long Beach. I’ve been going since 1980. I’ve won the Pro Celebrity race there, but the Trans-Am race is what I’m all about.”  Photo by Mike Levitt/LAT.

3/9/04
World Series by Nissan

Camathias lands drive in Nissan series   The Swiss driver Joel Camathias has arrived at Jarama and tomorrow he will drive for Saulnier Racing, the French team of the World Series by Nissan. Camathias will be transferred to Barcelona where the Collective tests will continue. Saulnier Racing is looking forward to get an agreement with the driver and get him a ful job in the World Series by Nissan, as explains team-owner Serge Saulnier: “In fact we will work for the test but the Team and the driver himself would do the best to get an agreement for the current season” For Camathias, tomorrow will be quite a special day, as he doesn’t drive a single-seater since the last race disputed at Laguna Seca: “The most important thing tomorrow is to get confident with the car. We can still work during the test days at Barcelona. I hope that we go forward in our relationship with the Team Saulnier Racing”. The young Swiss driver has already participated in many single-seater competitions. After racing in the Formula Nissan two years (1999-2000), he took part in the F3000 International Championship (5th at Interlagos), and then he disputed 4 races of EuroF3000 in 2002 (1 pole). In 2003 he moved to the Champ Car Series where he took part in 7 races (9th in St. Petersburg).

3/9/04

Newman/Haas unveils 3-year McDonald's deal   The Newman/Haas team unveiled their 2004 cars today in Long Beach and announced a new full-time 3-year deal with McDonald's to sponsor Sebastien Bourdais. Recall last year that they only sponsored the car for a few races.  PacifiCare is the sponsor for Bruno Junqueira.  They are in the 2nd year of a three year deal.  We were told the McDonald's deal is very big and they are happy to be associated with Paul Newman. As for Cialis, they are gone for now. Why? Because their product was approved just when the CART bankruptcy was finalizing, and they had to move with their marketing immediately, they chose to