Richard Lyons pounds around Sebring in the Rocketsports
car during off-season testing
Testing is in full swing now, as race teams worldwide
prepare for the upcoming ’06 racing campaign. Just another indication that this is
now a 12-month a year sport, with virtually no off-season. It’s been a few weeks
since I’ve been to the race track, and frankly I’m still unwinding. As we enjoy
the holiday period this is truly a time to take stock, count my many blessings,
and reflect on some of what we’ve seen in 2005, while preparing to kick off the
2006 racing year.
Formula One, Champ Car, Grand Am, teams in virtually every professional series
everywhere are getting their first laps in with what will be their ’06 packages in
the days leading up to Christmas and New Year’s. There’s action across the
spectrum of American LeMans Series teams as well, with several new cars coming to
the paddocks of ALMS next season. Support series everywhere are seeing teams
reloading quickly as well. Champ Car Atlantic series squads will have a
particularly busy winter, as the new-generation Atlantic machines won’t even be in
the hands of teams until March, just weeks before the opening race of the new year
in Long Beach.
There are many seats up for grabs heading into the new season. Much of the
off-season development work in Champ Car and elsewhere is devoted to figuring out
who gets the relatively small number of drives available. There are indications
that at least a few teams might run three cars in 2006, the final year for the
current Lola/Ford Cosworth combination. With all the talent available, it would
seem as though there will be far more quality drivers than front-line
opportunities available, which would seem to suggest that 3-car squads from
Forsythe, Newman/Haas, and PKV might be in the offing. Anything that gives drivers
like Ryan Dalziel, Ryan Briscoe, Giorgio Pantano, and others a serious chance to
win would have to be a significant plus.
Great to see drivers like Jimmy Vasser and, of all people, Ted Christopher, signed
up to drive in the Rolex 24 come next month. With Paul Tracy heading to Daytona to
test, and the RuSPORT twins of Justin Wilson and AJ Allmendinger on board, the
Rolex will have a decided Champ Car flavor. TC is another story. His name might be
unfamiliar to many here on AutoRacing1, but rest assured that Christopher is a terrific
racer.
His credentials are largely in the world of short-track stock car racing. He’s a
big winner in the NASCAR Modified and Busch North, soon to be Busch East, ranks.
TC has proven his skills throwing a big, heavy, NASCAR machine around the road
courses at Watkins Glen and Lime Rock Park in the past several seasons, and having
him in the Rolex field will surely make things interesting. They don’t call him
“Terrible Ted” for nothing.
It may well be that Grand Am and its proprietary Daytona Prototype rules package
hasn’t yet attracted significant fan interest. But from my perspective it’d be
hard to deny that the DP formula hasn’t created an arena where drivers from an
amazing number of disciplines can come together for at least one event and face
off.
I’ve always been a fan of drivers who don’t specialize, who are willing to match
their talents against the best from other series. One of my all-time career
highlights was getting to call the 2001 Rolex on television, when Dale Earnhardt
teamed with Dale Jr. and the other Corvette factory drivers in the Rolex. The
Intimidator was relaxed, focused, and interested in helping his team win. He was
racing for the pure enjoyment of it, which I think remains one of the charms of
Grand Am. I’m sure this winter’s renewal of the Rolex will give us plenty of
additional thrills.
Things are fairly relaxed for now across our sport, even though there are plenty
of questions still unanswered for 2006. For now, here’s hoping you and yours enjoy
the best of the Holiday Season. We salute 2005’s great champions, from Alonso to
Bourdais to Stewart and all the rest. I’ll look forward to seeing you here come
January.
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