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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.
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 testUPDATE
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.
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 FoundationUPDATE
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:
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.
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.
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.
A story previously broke here on
AutoRacing1.com, a multi-Emmy award winning production company
called Betelgeuse will do all the TV production work.
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.
The crispness and quality of all
formats, including regular TV, will be better because high
definition cameras are being used for everything.
The wide-format of HD will allow
additional graphics and statistics to be shown to the viewer.
24 one-half hour shows will be produced
to show pre-race and at other times.
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 500UPDATE
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 do more TV advertising for
now. However, the team is still very hopeful of landing
them as a sponsor, possibly for a third car at some point.
Press Release: Leading global food service retailer
McDonald's® and four-time championship winning team Newman/Haas
Racing announced today that McDonald's would become primary
sponsor of the car to be driven by Sebastien Bourdais
in the 2004 Champ Car World Series. In 2003, McDonald's
appeared three times as co-primary sponsor of the No.
2 Ford-Cosworth/Bridgestone race car of then-rookie Bourdais.
"I'm delighted that McDonald's has extended the family
relationship to include not only Newman's Own salad
dressings but to also embrace our Newman/Haas Racing family
that competes in the Champ Car World Series," said Paul
Newman, who with racing entrepreneur Carl A. Haas, co-own
Newman/Haas Racing, the winningest active team in the Champ
Car World Series which will hold events in five different
countries this season.
"As our relationship with Newman's Own continues to expand
in our restaurants, this sponsorship with Newman/Haas gives
us another exciting extension to support our partnership,"
said John Lewicki, Director, Alliances, McDonald's USA.
McDonald's is the world's leading foodservice retailer, with
more than 30,000 restaurants serving nearly 46 million
people in more than 100 countries each day. Approximately 80
percent of McDonald's U.S. restaurants are owned and
operated by independent local businessmen and women.
Newman's Own is an all-natural line of food products created
by Paul Newman. Paul Newman donates all his profits, after
taxes, from the sale of these products for educational and
charitable purposes. Paul Newman has donated over $125
million to thousands of charities since 1982.
Both Paul Newman and Carl Haas are confident the Team is
well positioned to win the 2004 Champ Car title. Newman/Haas
Racing, owned by actor/race car driver Paul Newman and
racing entrepreneur Carl A. Haas, is the most successful
team competing in the Champ Car World Series. The team will
begin their 22nd season in Champ Car competition in 2004 and
will attempt to score their fifth overall title after
winning 73 races and 77 pole positions. Current drivers
Bruno Junqueira and Sebastien Bourdais were preceded at the
team by Mario and Michael Andretti, Nigel Mansell, Paul
Tracy, Christian Fittipaldi and Cristiano da Matta. For more
information log on to
www.newman-haas.com,
www.brunojunqueira.com,
www.sebastienbourdais.com or
www.champcarworldseries.com.
3/9/04
Fernández loses Tecate backing,
gains replacement Fernández Racing revealed their new
Champ Car for 2004 and the big change is the loss of Tecate
sponsorship. It has been replaced with "Visit Mexico"
and as we understand it is paid for by the Mexico tourism
industry. We were told that Tecate is going to do more
Champ Car race sponsorship and track signage instead.
3/9/04
Summary of Champ Car rules
changes A press conference was held today in Long
Beach to discuss all the rules changes for 2004. Here is a
summary:
Push-to-pass
- to help eliminate boring follow-the-leader racing
on tight street circuits, each driver will have 60
seconds of total time per race with 50 additional
HP (equivalent to 2.5 inches of boost pressure).
System will start working at 85% throttle and stop
working when the throttle drops below 85%. Simulations
show that the longest straight, Mexico City, would
use up 17 seconds of the 60 allotment if the driver
were to use the button the entire straight.
Therefore, each driver will have more than 5 pushes
per race to use the button, except Mexico City perhaps.
A question was asked during the conference, isn't
this like a video game? The answer is this is
no more artificial than drafting to make a pass on
an oval that requires almost zero driver talent.
Data will be sent back to the pit crews and to the
fans on TV so they can monitor how a driver uses his
button historically as well as how much he has used
it for the race they are watching up to that point.
A lot of various strategies will come into play.
The first on-track test of the push-to-pass button
will be this week at Firebird.
Races will be about 12% shorter this
year to make sure there is time to finish a race and interview the
top-3 afterwards.
They
discussed the 2 or 3 green flag pit stops that was
covered in a previous press release. Should
further eliminate fuel economy runs. If driver
is entering pits when a full course yellow flies,
whatever the track is (green or yellow) when he crosses
the pit line will determine if the stop is a green
flag stop or yellow flag stop. Green flag stops
must be completed prior to 15 min. before the end
of the race.
One
extra set of tires (use them or lose them) will be
given to teams to encourage more running on Fridays.
Points were changed per previous press
release and the reasons why as outlined at that time.
Aero changes - teams will have more
areas on the car that they can develop to gain an advantage.
Still can't touch underside of the car.
Timing line will be placed before the
pit entrance so drivers car pit right after a hot lap in practice or
qualifying without the need for a cool down lap. S/F will
still be at the flag stand to determine the positions at the end of
a race.
Pole sitter will control start of race
as outlined in previous press release. He must cross the start
line first. If he misses a shift, the arguments will start.
Safety team will service four series
this year - Formula BMW, Trans-Am, Atlantics and Champ Cars.
Extricating a driver out of a car with a roof over their head will
be new for the Champ Car team.
Officials now will have new video system
to record all 20 cameras around the track to review video and make a
call on a penalty situation. They won't have to go back to the
TV guys to ask for a video.
Race control will have their own private
frequency that can't be monitored by anyone with a scanner.
Fans can still hear officials talking to teams, corner workers and
the safety crews.
The next generation Champ Car will be
2006 at the earliest.
Standing starts - won't happen as we
previously reported, not until Champ Car eliminates its antiquated
mechanical throttle linkage and replaces it with fly-by-wire.
Stalling at the start is the biggest issue. Safety is the
concern. In our discussions with Cosworth Engineers, we
devised this possible future scenario - If fly-by-wire is
implemented then engines can be programmed with a "standing start"
steering wheel mounted button that will hold the cars at a high
enough RPM so that engines would not stall on the grid. Driver
might get too much wheel spin if he engages clutch too quickly, but
he should not stall it. Once driver engages clutch and/or
applies full throttle standing start computer routine would return
full control to the driver. By the way - the Formula BMW
drivers will do standing starts. We guess the youngsters can
be trusted to do standing starts, but not the more experienced Champ
Car drivers. A sad commentary indeed.
3/9/04 Industry News
Photographer Flores found deadUPDATE
The memorial will be Sunday from: 2:00 - 4:00
At Starry Plough (Irish Pub) in Berkeley
3101 Shattuck Ave. Berkeley, CA 94705 ( Between Ashby and
Alcatraz )
Ph.(510) 841-2082
For directions - go to:
http://www.starryploughpub.com and click on MAP
3/8/04 - Racing
photographer Art Flores was found dead in his home in
Alameda, California, today by his sister and brother-in-law.
"It's not yet clear when or how he died. That's all we know
so far," said Brooke Disbrow, a friend of Flores. Flores was
the Photo Steward for the American Auto Racing Writers &
Broadcasters Association, and a well-known photographer in
both the Champ Car World Series and the Indy Racing League.
He was also the Executive Vice-President of the Motor Sports
Press Association, a northwestern U.S. organization of
writers and photographers. "He championed the rights of
photographers through many years as a member of AARWBA and
the American Racing Press Association," said Racing
Information Systems Editor Michael F. Hollander. "His work
has appeared in many, many magazines over the years. His
voice for reason and freedom to shoot will be missed."
3/9/04
Fernández team files first 500
entry Super Aguri Fernandez Racing filed an
entry for the 2004 Indianapolis 500-Mile Race on March 4,
becoming the first team to officially enter the 88th running
of the world's greatest auto race. Indy Racing League(R)
IndyCar(R) Series rookie Kosuke Matsuura was named as the
driver on the entry. The 88th Indianapolis 500 is
scheduled for Sunday, May 30 at the Indianapolis Motor
Speedway. Entries must be postmarked by midnight March 31.
Qualifications for the 33-car starting field begin on Pole
Day, Saturday, May 15. Matsuura, from Aichi, Japan,
will drive the No. 55 Panasonic ARTA Panoz G
Force/Honda/Firestone in the event after completing the
Rookie Orientation Program. A backup car also has been
entered. Steve Ragan is the chief mechanic, with Tom
Anderson the team manager. Open-wheel veteran Adrian
Fernandez and former Formula One driver Aguri Suzuki own the
team. Roger Yasukawa finished 10th last year in the team's
inaugural Indianapolis 500 entry. Matsuura finished
11th in the season-opening Toyota Indy 300 on Feb. 29 at
Homestead-Miami Speedway. He was the top-finishing rookie in
his series debut.
3/9/04
Champ Car lights the wrong race
A reader writes, Dear AutoRacing1.com, I think OWRS made a
mistake. They should have kept Cleveland as a night
race, not Milwaukee. It is so darn hot and humid in
Cleveland in July last year's night race was a welcome
relief. In Milwaukee, because the race is in early
June, we nearly froze to death at night. OWRS would be
wise to make Milwaukee a day race and spend their money on
lighting for Cleveland. It might cost a bit more in
Cleveland, but if they don't do this attendance will drop
back off again this year. Anthony Steele, Mansfield
3/9/04
Indy 500 could see reduced
fields [Editor's
note: Because of the IRL engine rule change, we
hear the manufacturers have put Tony George on notice there
won't be more than 28 cars this year, and if a lot of
engines blow during the month of May, even less. We
recall Tony George distinctly saying when he created the IRL
one of his reasons was that he wanted to ensure full fields
for the 500, that CART was getting too expensive to do that.
Now that the sport is all but destroyed by creating the IRL,
he is faced with an even bigger problem.] Two of the
Indianapolis 500's most time-honored traditions could be
changed after this year's race, Indianapolis Motor Speedway
president Tony George said Monday.
George said the May schedule could be shortened for 2005 and
the number of cars allowed to start future 500s also might
be reduced.
The size of the field is being driven by dwindling
participation in the Indy Racing League, which sanctions
this year's 16-race season that includes the Indy 500. Only
19 cars were at this year's season-opening race Feb. 29 at
Homestead-Miami Speedway. That's three fewer cars than
regularly participated in IRL races in 2003.
George said he expects the IRL to struggle to get 33 cars at
the Speedway this year. Just 33 participated last year. That
number was reached only when several teams stepped forward
late in the month.
"It's getting harder and harder to put a lot of cars on the
track," George said. "I think we'll get there (to 33) this
year, but there's no reason why we have to force it in the
future."
The Indy 500 adopted its 33-car lineup in 1934 based on a
formula that included the average speed of the cars --
approximately 115 mph -- and the size of the track.
George said other Speedway employees are more concerned with
the traditional 33-car field than he is. He noted that most
forms of motorsports, including NASCAR's Nextel Cup
division, are struggling to attract teams in a tight
economy. NASCAR officials have talked about cutting back on
the number of starters, too.
"I asked myself, if we change (the starting number) up or
down, what does that really do?" George said. "Whether it's
33 (cars) at Indy or 43 at a NASCAR race, it's just a
number. There have been races where I was uncomfortable with
the quality of some of the cars, and they were there just
for the sake of hitting some number.
"I actually think we should reduce it; that's how I feel
today. But that might change next week, next month or next
year."
Indy Star
3/9/04
Chevy teams looking for help the
GM camp is quietly lobbying NASCAR for a new nose for their
one-year old Chevrolet Monte Carlo. The very same nose that
led to a near panic in ‘03 when its odd shape seemed to
give the Monte a lot of bang for the buck. Ford Racing
3/9/04
HSBC signs $18 million F1 deal British
global banking giant HSBC Group has inked an 18-million US
dollar deal with Formula One organizers to sponsor
Shanghai's first- ever Grand Prix, Chinese official press
reported Tuesday. "An agreement was finalized on February 27
between HSBC and All Sports," the Shanghai Daily quoted a
source close to the negotiations as saying. "The deal is
worth more than 10 million pounds (18.4 million dollars),"
the source said.
3/9/04
Malaysian elections clash with
GP The Malaysian general elections will take
place on the same day as the Formula 1 Grand Prix, but the
race organizers say that this should not present any
problems despite the fact that voters have to go back to
their hometowns to vote and thus visitors from outside the
Kuala Lumpur may have to choose between watching the race or
voting.
Grandprix.com
3/9/04
Seoul
track revealedUPDATE We spoke to the
Seoul promoter, Yong Kim, on Monday. We learned that
the 2004 track in Seoul is about 1.4 miles long, which is
rather short in our book (think Miami). The track is
planned to be lengthened to 2.0-miles in 2005. The
government wanted to monitor the environmental impacts this
year before putting down more asphalt in the park. A
big attendance is expected from this city of 20-million
people. 3/6/04 - In an AutoRacing1.com
exclusive, we reveal the soon to be announced Seoul, South
Korea GP Champ Car circuit. The promoter for the Seoul
race will be in Long Beach next week for the formal
announcement. See our previous
article
on this race. Related
image showing view of area around track.
Champ Car announces 2004 16 race
scheduleUPDATE
Hearing that the Durban, South Africa race won't happen in
2004 (look for it in 2005) and we are, therefore,
speculating that the Champ Car Series will run on Sunday
September 26th at Road Atlanta, the day after the 6-hour
Petit LeMans race which ends Saturday night at Road Atlanta.
If our speculation is right, it will be a road racing
doubleheader of major proportions and sure to excite ALMS
and Champ Car fans alike. If our speculation is wrong
on Road Atlanta, a number of other possible venues exist.
3/8/04 -
April 18 – Long Beach, California – Street Course
May 23 – Monterrey, Mexico – Road Course
June 5 – The Milwaukee Mile – Oval
June 20 – Portland International Raceway – Road Course
July 3 – Cleveland, Ohio - Road Course
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
September - TBA (Road Atlanta?)
October 17 – Seoul, South Korea – Street Course
October 24 – Surfers Paradise, Australia – Street Course
November 7 – Mexico City, Mexico – Road Course
November – TBA (Las Vegas)
3/8/04
Tagliani reveals number change
on Rocketsports car Rocketsports Racing
driver, Alex Tagliani, will take the No. 8
Rocketsports/Johnson Controls Lola to the track for the 2004
Champ Car World Series. Tagliani dropped the number 33,
which he was given at the start of his Champ Car career, for
the favorable single digit and explained, “eight was the
number I chose for the first kart I raced as a kid. I’ve
wanted to change my number for some time and I’m glad the
opportunity has come.” Tagliani revealed the Lola bearing
his new number at the Champ Car Season Premiere. The Champ
Car also carried the names of returning associate sponsors
Microchip, Futaba and Montreal-based, Saputo. In addition to
a new number, Tagliani welcomed his new teammate, Nelson
Philippe, who will be driving the No. 17 Rocketsports/LeasePlan
Lola. Tagliani looks forward to working with the French
rookie, and benefiting from the strength of a two-car
outfit. Earlier this season Rocketsports also welcomed
engineer Brian Ma to take the lead on Tagliani’s Lola and
engineer Alain Clarinval to Philippe’s No.17 car. In
addition to adding a full new crew for the second car, the
reputable, Robin Hill, joined Rocketsports to serve as Crew
Chief for both cars. The second year Rocketsports team heads
into the 2004 season armed with a year of experience and the
desire to compete that’s stronger than ever. Rocketsports
drivers, Alex Tagliani and Nelson Philippe head to the first
Champ Car event, the Long Beach Grand Prix, on April 16-18,
2004 in southern California.
3/8/04
We
speak to Dan Pettit We had the chance to
speak to Kevin Kalkhoven's partner Dan Pettit today in Long
Beach. Dan is very well grounded and it was
interesting to hear how many venture capital businesses they
are involved with together. Dan admitted his
background is on the financial end of the business, but he
is excited about getting involved with the Champ Car
program. He has a Gulfstream 500 on order, the same
plane that Kevin bought last year. Gulfstream is an
associate sponsor on both cars.
3/8/04
BMW joins Champ Car seriesUPDATE
Here is the official press
release from BMW. 3/8/04 -
Formula BMW was announced today as an official rung on the
Champ Car World Series ladder system. There is no
question that this program is well funded and here to stay.
Champ Car will sanction the series. 2004 Schedule
4/12-13 Official test - Sebring
4/22 Official test - Putnam Park
5/12-13 Official test Mid-Ohio
5/28-31 Race 1, 2 Lime Rock
6/11-13 Race 3, 4 Canadian GP
6/18-20 Race 5, 6 USGP at Indy
7/1-3 Race 7, 8 Cleveland w/Champ
Car
8/6-8 Race 9, 10 Road America
w/Champ Car
8/13-15 Race 11, 12 Denver w/Champ
Car
9/10-12 Race 13, 14 Laguna Seca
w/Champ Car
3/8/04
Nextel International Holdings sponsors
2-car PKV Racing program
PKV Racing announced a 2-car team with drivers Jimmy Vasser
and Roberto Gonzalez as drivers and Nextel International as
the primary sponsor. Nextel International is the
holding company of all Nextel brands, including the USA arm
that sponsors the NASCAR series. The Champ Car deal is
with the holding company NI Holdings formerly Nextel
International Holdings. To avoid confusion with Nextel
in the USA, the cars carry the NI logo and not the Nextel
International name in the USA. Outside the USA they
will carry the Nextel name. That may change when the
holding company figures out how they want to market the
Nextel name with both now being involved. Gulfstream
Jets is an associate Sponsor. The cars have a
beautiful paint scheme, and as all Champ Car teams should be
- both cars carry the identical paint scheme.
3/8/04
Highlights of OWRS conference
16-race schedule was announced
Will have 18 cars for Long Beach,
guaranteed
Cleveland back to day race for now
No more CART, now officially known
to all as Champ Car World Series
Champ Car and Road America have
mended the fences according to Paul Gentilozzi
Last race of 2004 will be 11/14 or
11/21. Will be a domestic race
Very much would like to be in South
Africa
Looking at adding a race in the NE
and SE USA in the future
Motorock is on hiatus for this year,
but it is not dead
Building for 2005. Look for a
lot of changes by 2005.
Conquest Racing car is on display
with Mi-Jack sponsorship. Mario Haberfeld is here and is
hopeful of landing a ride.
Look for some softer Bridgestone
tires later in year to mix things up
Champ Car promoting Portland and
Cleveland. IMG out of promoting business.
More later.....
3/8/04
Nelson Philippe confirmed at
Rocketsports
Rocketsports Racing announced
today that it has signed young French driver Nelson Philippe
to compete in the 2004 Champ Car World Series. The
announcement was made at the Champ Car World Series Season
Premiere in Long Beach, California. The personable 17 year
old will take the wheel of the No. 17 Rocketsports/LeasePlan
Lola, making him the youngest driver to enter the Champ Car
championship. Philippe competed in the Barber Dodge Pro
Series last season and has been testing with several Champ
Car teams since September, 2003. He is delighted to secure a
drive with one of the most competitive outfits in the
series. “We have been in talks with several teams, but
Rocketsports with team owner Paul Gentilozzi was the most
appealing,” explained Philippe. “Paul has an impressive
racing record of his own and his professional approach to
racing was a very important element to me. I feel privileged
to be part of the team.
“During a meeting with the crew earlier this year I felt
they had strong team values. I can’t wait for the season to
start, to get to know them better and become part of the
family,” added Philippe. Philippe, a Miami resident, will
partner Canadian Alex Tagliani in Rocketsports’ two-car
assault in the 2004 Champ Car championship. “Alex is someone
I respect a lot for his achievements and I am looking
forward to learning as much as I can from his extensive
experience in racing,” said Philippe about his new teammate.
Team owner, Paul Gentilozzi welcomed the young gun, saying:
“We have followed Nelson’s career development and monitored
his testing sessions. When we got in touch with him we were
impressed by his personality, which fits with our team
philosophy, and we were glad to be able to sign him.
“We now have a very competitive line-up for this season,
with Alex, who will be competing for regular podium
positions, and Nelson, who can aim for a top-three finish in
the rookie standings,” concluded Gentilozzi. Philippe is
sponsored by LeasePlan, a leading global vehicle leasing and
fleet management company, who have supported him since his
early days in racing. “We have helped Nelson from a very
young age when he was racing karts from Europe to South
America to the United States,” said Bryan Calloway,
LeasePlan USA’s Senior Vice President of Marketing, “and we
are pleased to have watched him accomplish his many racing
goals at such a quick pace. “LeasePlan felt supporting
Nelson in the Champ Car World Series was our next logical
step. We are very proud to be associated with such a young,
driven and dedicated driver, and the Champ Car World Series
is the perfect stage to showcase our unique partnership,”
determined Calloway. Philippe will begin his journey as part
of the Rocketsports team at the Champ Car World Series
Season Premiere Fan Fest on March 9th from 5-8 PM at the
Long Beach Convention Center Arena. He will then join the
Rocketsports crew for testing in Phoenix, Arizona on March
11th.
3/8/04
John Andretti to testify on
Senate panel
John Andretti, a NASCAR driver who understands commitment to
the cause, will wear a different suit March 10 when he
testifies before the full Senate Judiciary Committee in
support of a constitutional amendment to return to the
people their right to protect the American flag. Andretti,
40, of Mooresville, N.C. joins Medal of Honor recipient
retired Army Maj. Gen. Patrick H. Brady and Harvard
University law professor Richard Parker before the panel
urging passage of Senate Joint Resolution 4. Andretti is
joining with the Citizens Flag Alliance in the ongoing
effort to see the will of the vast majority of Americans
heeded by their elected lawmakers. Andretti, a family man,
is concerned about the increasing tempo of activist judges
in eroding the core values of the nation. Married with three
children, Andretti represents well people with
‘middle-America values’ and they overwhelmingly support the
return to Congress of the right to protect the American
flag. Surveys consistently reveal more than 70 percent of
Americans believe it is right to protect the American flag.
The greatest support for the constitutional amendment is
found among the youngest and oldest age groups. In a survey
conducted for the Citizens Flag Alliance in 2003 80 percent
of 18-24-year-olds favored the amendment and 85 percent of
those above age 65. The Citizens Flag Alliance, Inc., is a
coalition of more than 140 organizations, most of which are
national in scope, that have come together for one reason:
to persuade the Congress of the United States to propose a
constitutional amendment to return to the people the right
to protect the Flag of the United States from acts of
physical desecration and send it to the states for
ratification. For more information visit: www.cfa-inc.org.
3/8/04
Highlights of Forsythe Racing
conference
Gerald Forsythe is committed to the
series, and they are hopeful to close their sponsorship
announcements soon.
Rodolfo Lavín announced as new
driver, Corona backing to be announced
Patrick Carpentier was up on the
podium with the rest of the team. He told AutoRacing1.com
that Gerald Forsythe informed him Friday night that he is still
a Forsythe driver but there is not enough funding to run him
right now. There are rumors he might drive for PK Racing,
possibly funded by Forsythe.
Peter Davies: "In past were
sponsored by a single company, so now they have to look for a
whole compliment of sponsors."
Team is committed to seeing three
drivers run full time in 2004. May not all run with
Forsythe Racing.
3/8/04
Herdez team prepares for 2004
season
Coming off the best season in their three-year history,
Herdez Competition has spent the off-season expanding and
improving for the 2004 Champ Car World Series. The team grew
to a two-car effort in 2003 and enjoyed a successful
transition, earning a one-two sweep at Miami; four podiums
and Mario Dominguez’s sixth place finish in the series
championship.
Since its inception in 2000, when it purchased the assets of
Bettenhausen Motorsports, Herdez Competition has focused on
building a race team that is centered on sound business
principles. Managing Director/Co-Owner, Keith Wiggins, has
targeted growth both on and off the track, “ 2003 was a
pivotal year for the team in moving into a front-running
position. By closely integrating the technical, operational
and commercial aspects of the team, we are developing a
solid business like organization in which each department
understands and compliments each other’s objectives”.
As part of the team’s growth, the race shop has expanded by
more than 60% since the end of the 2003 season, bringing all
team facilities and equipment housed indoors, under one
roof. The new facilities include a modern paint shop and a
dedicated area for pit-stop practice and an area for the
hospitality operations. Both Herdez Competition transporters
and the team’s hospitality unit are now kept in-doors. “The
expansion of the race shop allows us to manage all facets of
the race-team under one roof and gives us more flexibility
in development as a Championship contending race team” said
team manager, Vince Kremer.
The engineering department, led by Technical Director Tom
Brown has also transitioned during the off-season. Further
staffing improvements have been made and the wind tunnel and
seven-poster rig testing programs have continued. Brown was
pleased with the gains the team made in 2003 but feels they
will be even stronger in 2004. “2003 was a very critical
year for our engineering department. We had a completely new
structure and new organizational methods that enabled us to
expand to two cars. With further improvements in that
structure during the off-season, we are now exploring
developments and improvements that were just dreams for us
in the past,” said Brown.
The preparations continue for the 2004 Champ Car World
Series, Herdez Competition has a rigorous test schedule
planned prior to the season opener at the 30th running of
the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. For more information
please visit www.TeamHerdez.com
3/8/04
Ferrari team announces more
drivers The Barron Connor Racing team has signed former
Le Mans class winner Jean-Denis Deletraz, GT star Mike
Hezemans and the reigning European Ferrari 360 Champion Ange
Barde to drive one of the two Ferrari 575 GTC cars that the
team has entered for this year’s Sebring 12 Hours, the Le
Mans 24 Hours and all the Le Mans Endurance Series races.
Barron Connor co-founder and driver John Bosch said: “After
signing Thomas (Biagi) to join me and Danny (Sullivan), we
spoke to over 30 drivers, so making a decision took time. We
are happy with the result, for both cars now have a strong
driver line up, with a good mix of experience and success.
Jean-Denis brings a lot of endurance racing success with
him, including wins with the Ferrari 550, while Mike is
arguably one of the best GT drivers around. I also know how
good Ange is, having raced against him in the Ferrari
championship. He won that title in 2001 and last year, while
I won it in 2002. I think it is also great for Ferrari to
have its 360 champions move up like this. In addition,
Jean-Denis, Mike and Ange have all raced in the Le Mans 24
Hours, which is very important.”
3/8/04 SCCA
Champion Audi team returns with
changes The Champion Racing Audi RS 6 team returns to
the SPEED World Challenge GT Series to defend last years
Drivers’ Title (awarded to Randy Pobst) and Manufacturer’s
Title. Teammates Randy Pobst and Michael Galati will reunite
with Champion Racing (Pompano Beach, FL) in their quest for
more victories sporting a new look and a new sponsor, Audi
Certified pre-owned. The team will officially be called the
Audi Certified Champion RS 6 Team. Supporting the winning
efforts of the two car team is new sponsor Audi Certified
pre-owned. Audi Certified pre-owned vehicles are fast
becoming the most sought-after European import pre-owned
vehicles. This comes as no surprise when you consider that
German luxury cars, and Audis in particular, are engineered
to be among the most innovative and exciting vehicles on the
road. “My customers are the race fans, especially the young
people who share the same emotional tie of passion for
motorsports,” said Reinhard Fischer, Audi Certified
pre-owned Corporate Sales Team Leader. “We want to capture
those young people and let them know there is an affordable
way to drive an Audi.”
3/8/04
ALMS gains oversees TV coverage All
American Le Mans Series races will be televised live in
Europe for the first time in 2004, beginning with the 52nd
annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, in a new television
arrangement between the series and MotorsTV, a European
television channel dedicated to the world of motorsports.
MotorsTV, which is distributed throughout Europe by both
satellite and digital cable, in both English and French, and
is one of the fastest-growing channels in Europe, will
feature live coverage of all nine rounds of the American Le
Mans Series (ALMS), marking the first time in series history
that the full season of racing will be televised live in
Europe.
"This is a tremendous milestone for the American Le Mans
Series," said Scott Atherton, President and CEO of the ALMS.
"The roots of the ALMS are in Europe with the 24 Hours of Le
Mans, and many of our participating teams, manufacturers and
sponsors are based there and can now watch the races live as
they happen in North America.
"Equally important is that that fans of our series in Europe
will have the benefit of live coverage instead of tape delay
as it has been in the past," he said. "This new MotorsTV
arrangement for Europe, coupled with the already-outstanding
television coverage for the series in North America, vastly
improves what was already the best television package for
any sports car racing series in history."
"The American Le Mans Series is a wonderful championship,
and an extraordinary addition to our program line-up," said
Frederic Viger, MotorsTV Head of Programming. "It's
endurance racing at the highest level, with mythic tracks
and official involvment from the biggest manufacturers. The
series has proved to be more and more successful over the
years and we hope we'll be part of their future success for
a long time. America and Le Mans are both dream-words for
motorsports enthusiasts, and the dream will now be over 40
hours live on MotorsTV."
As part of the arrangement between MotorsTV and the American
Le Mans Series, websites MotorsTV.Com and AmericanLeMans.Com
will be linked in order to provide more information and
entertainment value to respective audiences, and the ALMS
and MotorsTV are in the process of exploring other
synergies, including programming and promotional
opportunities.
The American Le Mans Series will debut on MotorsTV with live
coverage of the 52nd annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring,
America's oldest and most prestigious sports car race, on
March 20. Motors TV will have 11 hours of live coverage from
Sebring, beginning at 15h00. After another scheduled
two-hour motorsports telecast at 18h00, MotorsTV will return
to live Sebring coverage at 20h00 through the conclusion of
the event, including post-race coverage. Live updates from
Sebring will be included during the two-hour breakaway. (All
times UK)
MotorsTV is available on digital cable in many European
countries, including the United Kingdom (SKY Digital and
Wight Cable), France (Canal Satellite, TPS, Noos, France
Telecom and France Citevision, along with Canal Satellite
Reunion, Canal Satellite, Nouvelle Caledonie, Canal
Satellite Caraibes and Canal Horizon Afrique in Dom-Tom et
Afrique) and Germany (Ish and Kabel Baden Wurttenberg).
In addition, MotorsTV is available in Holland (UPC and
Essent), Turkey (Digiturk), Monaco (Monaco Cable), Belarus
(Cosmos TV), Bulgaria (Super Max and Georgiev 58), Latvia (Telia
Multicom), Estonia (AS Levi Kaabel, AS Talinna Kaabel,
Telset, AS Starman and AS STV), Spain (ONO Digital),
Portugal (Cabo Visao) and Romania (Astral, UPC, SC CRD,
Televiziunea Cable Moreni, Telemac and Imagine Cablu).
3/8/04
Juan blames Ralf Juan
Pablo Montoya has blamed Ralf Schumacher for their collision
during the Australian GP. Just a few laps into the
season-opening race at Melbourne the duo touched wheels
as Montoya went to pass Ralf . Although neither
drivers' FW26 sustained any damage Montoya wasn't charmed by
his team-mate's antics. "I overtook five cars today and Ralf
was the only one I hit," said Montoya. "He changed direction
when he saw me coming through. It was not clever - it could
have taken both of us off."
3/8/04
Kenseth benefiting from
Yates/Roush work
Jack Roush thanked fellow engine man Robert Yates for
helping pump up his engines, by perhaps as much as 40
horsepower. "We've had a chance to put together the best
elements of both programs, and we're about 80 percent of
having everything together," Roush said. "There was more
improvement by marrying these two programs than in the new
cylinder heads. I think we'll have the new cylinder heads
ready for the California race (May 2), possibly by Texas
(April 7)."
Winston Salem Journal
3/8/04
Drivers concerned about SAFER
barrier
Drivers have expressed concern that the newly installed
SAFER barriers at Darlington, a 1.366-mile, egg-shaped oval,
will eliminate the existing groove. The barrier juts out 30
inches into the track. Jeff Gordon is in favor of the SAFER
barriers, but he says moving the walls before installing the
barriers would have been a better option. "But I'd rather
have it than not have it, so we'll just deal with it,"
Gordon says. "We do brush the wall there, which I don't
think is a real issue. I wouldn't mind it being a little bit
softer when I rub up against it." The narrower groove will
make racing tighter and passing more difficult. Because the
racing conditions are expected to change so dramatically,
NASCAR president Mike Helton says the organization is
considering allowing teams to come in a day early to test.
FoxSports/Sporting News
Long Beach construction photos
Long Beach just gets more beautiful each year we visit, and
this year is no different. The new mall is open,
including some fine restaurants. New condos are
sprouting up everywhere.
3/7/04
Thieves strike Long Beach
Supported by Toyota, in 1996 Long Beach created a walk of
Champions display of all past winners of the Long Beach
Grand Prix, from the first year as a F5000 race in 1975, to
F1 from 1976 through 1983 and 1984 to now as a Champ Car
race. As can be seen in the left photo below, thieves
have stolen the plaques of the first three F1 winners, Clay
Regazzoni (1976), Mario Andretti (1977) and Carlos Reutemann
(1978). We didn't show you photos of all the drivers,
but there is a lot of history there - some great drivers.
3/7/04
Long Beach musings - III
Teenage Frenchman Nelson Philippe is here in Long Beach
looking happy, which means the rumors of him having a Champ
Car ride must be true. Heard that a race in Germany
was in play for awhile, but that isn't going to happen.
Road Atlanta was in play to replace St. Petersburg, but we
were told by a Champ Car employee that deal did not
materialize....though we shall see because if South Africa
also did not materialize as some are speculating, then the
series is looking at 14 or 15 races. We shall know for
sure on Monday.
3/7/04
More on McLaren woes Kimi
Raikkonen is not happy with the pace of his McLaren after
the first F1 race of the season. "We were not expecting 10th
place on the grid. It's very disappointing. We shouldn't be
in that position, we should be fighting for first place.
Nobody's happy."
Teammate David Coulthard, who finished eighth, said: "Given
our performance in the event, it's what we deserve." The
Scot added: "We weren't quick enough in any of the sessions.
Even when I was trapped behind [BAR driver Takuma] Sato, he
wasn't holding me up that much and the others were just
gone. We have the pace at times, but it's not there on the
first lap and we're not consistent."
Coulthard said he expected McLaren to struggle in Melbourne.
"I've been realistic all winter. The reality is we've been
in among the field in all our running [over the winter], and
we've got to improve the car. We've had our first reality
check on our performance. We are going to improve, but I
can't honestly say we are going to be running at the front.
But we'll do our best. If we knew exactly what was the one
problem you would be working flat out on that. But I think
generally we're not making the most of the tires on one lap,
the car's difficult to position, and our race pace, although
closer to the pace than in qualifying, isn't good enough."
Team boss Ron Dennis said: "To say it was a difficult
weekend for the team would be somewhat of an understatement.
Our poor performance was amplified by the low ambient
temperatures which certainly didn't favor any of the
Michelin runners. It's the first race, there's a long way to
go yet. It's early in the season, one race, and we know what
our weaknesses are, and they'll be addressed as speedily as
possible. This circuit and climatic conditions play heavily
into the hands of Ferrari. Hats off to them, they've done a
great job this weekend, but we're not going to stand and do
nothing, we'll fight back.
3/7/04
Long Beach musings - II
The Toyota Atlantic Series has 13 committed cars so far with
the hope of as many as 16. The series is being
affected by the Formula BMW series, which is well funded and
the Renault V6 series in 2005........Fernández Racing is not
announcing a 2nd car, at least not yet. We spotted
Rodolfo Lavín talking to the Forsythe folks, lending more
credence to the rumors he will drive for the
team........Some drivers were seen wearing uniforms with new
sponsors, but we won't spoil their announcement by saying
who the companies are until they make it official.
3/7/04
Long Beach musings-
I Champ Car teams have brought a total of ten cars
to Long Beach to be unveiled over the next two days.
We assume those ten have sponsorship deals that are ready to
be announced. We hear ticket sales for the Toyota
Grand Prix of Long Beach are on par with other years, but
down ever so slightly because of all the uncertainty
surrounding the series. Spotted so far were AJ
Allmendinger, Mario Dominguez, Jimmy Vasser, Alex Tagliani,
David Clare, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Dick Eidswick, Bruno
Junqueira, and a whole host of PR folks. Along with
the successful Saturday concert, the Grand Prix Association
is adding a Friday concert as well.
3/7/04 Industry News
Kid goes for joyride at
Homestead A teenager stole a luxury sports
car, barreled through a security gate at Homestead-Miami
Speedway and then sped four laps at 100 mph before he was
arrested, police said. Feliphe Ramos, 18, stole the 2004
Infiniti G35 worth more than $30,000 from a hospital
construction site Wednesday after the driver left the keys
in the ignition, police said. The driver had been lent the
G35 by a dealership while his car was being repaired. Police
said Ramos then headed to the track, home of both NASCAR and
Indy car races. He sped past guards, crashed through a
security gate and then began doing laps. No other cars were
on the track. After doing four laps, Ramos either lost
control or stopped. Track workers held him for police. "He
must have wanted to get on the track pretty bad," speedway
president Curtis Gray said. "Nothing like that has ever
happened here before."
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
3/7/04
Heidfeld runs over mechanics Nick
Heidfeld bowled over his mechanics in Australia. The
incident occurred during the German’s second pit stop of the
Australian Grand Prix knocking three mechanics to the
ground. ‘What happened in the pit stop has never happened to
me before and I was pretty afraid for the mechanics,’ said
Heidfeld after the race. ‘Luckily they are fine and that is
the most important thing. It’s not a problem we have had
before but we noticed something wrong with the clutch and at
the pit stop it didn’t work at all so the car just kept
pushing whilst stuck in first gear. It was the same problem
that forced me to retire.’ The men were feeling nothing more
than a little sore and no serious injuries were sustained.
3/7/04
Coulthard says McLaren
performance woeful
David Coulthard did not mince his words after McLaren’s
difficult week in Melbourne came to a disappointing end at
the Australian Grand Prix. As Michael Schumacher and
Rubens Barrichello scorched clear for a Ferrari one-two,
Coulthard trailed home in lowly eighth place for one point.
His team-mate Kimi Raikkonen, who finished runner-up in the
world championship last season, retired after nine laps with
a blown engine.
“This is where you judge if you are fast and reliable,” he
said afterwards. “We had 50% reliability here and we are not
fast enough. The other guys just disappeared into the
distance. We just don’t have that sort of pace.”
Coulthard seems certain to be replaced at McLaren next year
after they took the unusual step of announcing early that
Juan Pablo Montoya had signed for the 2005 season.
That move dominated pre-season gossip and after watching the
Ferrari pair lead from start to finish in a procession round
Albert Park, Coulthard hinted it had had a bearing on
McLaren’s form heading into the new season. “You have
to take your hat off to them (Ferrari),” he said. “They kept
out all the politics during the winter, came here and
delivered. Well done to Ferrari. We have got to go away and
work a bit harder.”
3/7/04
Bridgestone surprises Michelin
runners
Bridgestone Motorsport and the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro
team started their 2004 campaign with an incredible display
of dominance in Australia as Michael Schumacher and Rubens
Barrichello led from their front row positions throughout
the 58-lap season-opening grand prix.
As the start lights went out, the pair leapt into action
skillfully overcoming their lack of launch control, which is
now banned in Formula One, and were not once threatened by
the chasing pack. The reigning champion soon began posting
fastest laps and by lap 29 had reduced the circuit record
even further to an incredible 1m24.125s.
In fact, by the end of the race, only four other drivers in
the entire field had not been lapped by the Bridgestone-shod
pair. Also making it into the top ten for Bridgestone was
Sauber Petronas’ Giancarlo Fisichella.
A consistent race from the Italian paid off well and we can
expect to see both him and his teammate Felipe Massa running
well this season. Jordan Ford’s Nick Heidfeld also put in a
spirited performance, often taking the fight to the Saubers.
Minardi’s Gianmaria Bruni and Zsolt Baumgartner, meanwhile,
had a luckless race but will return to fight another day.
“I’m delighted to see the Bridgestone shod Ferraris finish
first and second today. After all the hard work put into
winter testing it seems that for this weekend, everyone’s
hard work has paid off. Today’s victory was a good
indication that our development direction has been correct
over the past few months and we will continue our efforts to
make even better and faster tyres,” said Hisao Suganuma –
Technical Manager – Bridgestone Motorsport. “This is only
the first race but our target is to continue as we started.
Michael continually posted fastest lap times this afternoon
but this was not just a one-off performance: all weekend the
Bridgestone tyres have demonstrated excellent one-lap top
performance - as well as consistency - and I am very proud
of the tyres we brought here this weekend. And I’m sure that
the other Bridgestone teams, Jordan, Sauber and Minardi will
all gain momentum as the season progresses so I look forward
to assisting them achieve their potential.”
“It was a fantastic job and we seem to be getting stronger,”
added Ross Brawn. “The fact that the same team of people are
working even harder than they used to is a credit to them
and a credit to people like Bridgestone who are a part of
our team. The cars ran perfectly and the Bridgestone tyres
were fantastic today.”
3/7/04
More suspensions coming?
The timing of the suspension handed down to Busch Series
driver Kevin Grubb seems strange. Grubb, 25, apparently
tested positive for substance abuse when such a test was
demanded by NASCAR officials at Rockingham two weeks ago.
Oddly enough, Grubb wasn’t entered in that race and, in
fact, wasn’t even planning on competing in a race until
April 3. He was merely present at the track when officials
demanded that he submit a urine sample. According to several
garage-area sources, six drivers were tested at Rockingham,
and Grubb may not have been the only one to test positive.
NASCAR’s policy does not require uniform or even random
testing. Drivers are tested on the basis of “reasonable
suspicion.”
Gaston Gazette
3/7/04
New cameras to be installed
Crew chiefs, worried about new aerodynamics issues, are
upset with NASCAR's surprising decision yesterday morning to
order all teams to cut holes in the roof of their cars and
install 360-degree TV cameras, quickly dubbed submarine
cams.
Winston Salem Journal
3/7/04
Fitness is first for hope of
winning Champ Car title
This Toronto Star
article by Paul Tracy talks about the steps he took
last year to be better fit. He says that his weight loss and
workout regimen were key for winning the CART Championship.
3/6/04
Budweiser extends sponsorship
of Williams team The BMW Williams Formula
One team has confirmed that after a successful debut season,
team sponsor Budweiser has extended its commercial
relationship for the forthcoming season. The Budweiser
identity will appear not only on the airbox of the FW26, but
also on the monocoque tops and on the driver gloves of Juan
Pablo Montoya and Ralf Schumacher. Budweiser joined the team
sponsor community at the British Grand Prix in July 2003.
Anheuser-Busch VP global media and sports marketing Tony
Ponturo reflected, "Our first season in Formula One has been
a great experience. The BMW WilliamsF1 Team continues to be
a valuable partner for Budweiser. The brand's increased
visibility on the cars and driver's gloves will reach even
more adult beer drinkers this season through Formula One's
worldwide viewing audience of more than 350 million.'
Budweiser is also making extensive use of its sponsorship
with the announcement of the 25 winners of the True Racing
promotion this month. Winners will be invited to contest a
simulator race off in the WilliamsF1 Conference Centre to
compete for 25 trips of a lifetime to international Grands
Prix in Australia, Malaysia, China, Japan, US, Spain, Italy,
Monaco and UK. Each winner will receive round trip flights,
four star accommodation and tickets for two.
3/6/04 Renault V6
Testing at Paul Ricard
Giorgio Mondini has been the fastest in the official Formula
Renault V6 tests at Paul Ricard circuit with the new
track-record of 1’21”55 and 1’19”38 on March 3 and 4. The
Italian driver, behind the wheels of #7 IPS/Grapeking/ACM/Cioe’/Boss/VIP/Eurointernational
2004 Tatuus, has dominated morning and afternoon sessions on
March 3, on the 3.847 Km configuration 3C, already used by
FRV6 last December with the new track official track record
of 1’21”55. “Has been a first good day for us “ said Mondini”
because the car has been good out of the box for the perfect
set up by our Technical Director Nicola Sgotto and the
fantastic work of my crew. We have worked on different
things and the several fastest laps have arrived without
push at the limit. The car with the 2004 kit, with carbon
brakes and new shocks is very different from last year, but
I think at Ricard we have confirmed our 2003 post season top
performances in Misano and Paul Ricard last November and
December”. Mondini has been the fastest of the 20
cars/drivers field, and is on pole for the third time in a
row during official Renault Sport test days for FRV6.
Stefano Proetto on #50 Rotter Invest/GNI Touch/Lista/Top of
Sports/Eurointernational 2004 Tatuus, with 1’22”36 has
posted the 8th fastest time the first day, running the first
real test in dry weather in FRV6. “I have taken time to
learn the use of the new carbon brakes and every lap I feel
more comfortable with the car” said Proetto” I can improve a
lot my times but today are more important the long run for
my testing program and at Albacete the rain and the snow
have limited my km on the new car and now I need to make the
best use of Ricard track and sun.”
In the second day of testing has been used the faster
configuration 2A of 4.087 km, with Mondini 5th with 1’19”90
and Proetto 6th with 1’19”93 at the end of the morning
session. Both drivers have dedicated the afternoon to
different test with brakes, shocks and aero packages. By
3.30 pm, Giorgio Mondini has reached the pole with 1’19”54,
followed to a 260 km spin at Signe corner, generating safety
concern at the track director for his running lines. Mondini,
despite the official warnings, has continued to run hard on
curbs and run off area, due to a very low drag aero package
used for compensate an engine low on power, ready for
rebuilt after Ricard test, with an un-official record pole
lap of 1’19”38. After protest from other Teams and for the
preview warnings received, the track Director has not
allowed further Mondini laps with 30’ left in the session,
and has disallowed all times recorded by Mondini in the
second day of test, non timing his laps after the third
warning. Eurointernational accepts Paul Ricard
decision but support Giorgio Mondini reasons behind his on
track activities, during tests of components, when he never
has been put in dangerous other drivers or track structures.
In the afternoon, Stefano Proetto has not being able to
improve his morning best time, due to increase gearbox
problems, ending 10th in the 20 cars/drivers field of the
second day. Eurointernational will complete the pre-season
tests in Valencia, Spain next March 13-14. Press
Release
3/6/04
Audi named pace car for Sebring
Audi has been named the Official Pace Car for the 52nd
Annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. America's oldest and
most prestigious sports car endurance race kicks-off the
2004 American Le mans Series (ALMS) on Saturday, March 20.
Audi will pace a field of 48 world-class sports car teams as
they tackle the historic 3.7-mile circuit that originated
from a WWII B-17 training base. "Audi has certainly proven
itself in recent years as the premier manufacturer in
international road racing," stated Sebring President and GM
Tres Stephenson. "We welcome them as an official sponsor."
Audi will be going for its fifth consecutive win at Sebring.
In addition, the manufacturer has won four consecutive ALMS
manufacturer championships. As part of its Sebring
sponsorship, Audi will be featuring its certified pre-owned
vehicle program.
3/6/04
Two Gems of racing world head
to Brazil He has won the Formula One World
Championship two times, two Indianapolis’ famous 500 miles
and one Indy Car title. His career is brimming with risks,
adventures and realized dreams. His smile is his best
business card and his name speaks for itself: Emerson
Fittipaldi.
Story
3/6/04
No champagne in Bahrain
After forcing the cancellation of the "immoral" reality TV
show Big Brother, Bahraini Islamists want to ensure there
will be no champagne-spraying and scantily-dressed women at
next month's Formula One grand prix. Bahrain won the deal to
stage the race despite competition from Dubai, Egypt and
Lebanon as part of its drive to attract tourists and foreign
investment. Building work on the Sakhir circuit, venue for
the April 4 race, is on schedule and organizers must now
contend with cultural and religious restraints.
"We have raised these issues with organizers and they have
promised there will be no naked women and no celebrations
with champagne," said Adel al-Moawada, deputy chairman of
Bahrain's parliament. "This is an Islamic country and
celebrations must conform to our traditions...I don't think
organizers would want to ruin such a big, costly event for
such a small thing," he said. Grand prix winners
traditionally spray champagne over the crowd after a race
and lightly-clad models are a feature of Formula One.
Champagne is expected to be replaced by non-alcoholic fizz
in Bahrain.
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Be it as it may, here are
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).
Photographer Flores found dead UPDATE
The memorial will be Sunday from: 2:00 - 4:00 
Much
More...click on 2004 archives button below
