Author Topic: Official Racing Thread (Read 139010 times)

RatBastich · « **Reply #600 on:** June 18, 2008, 11:59:00 PM »

Kanaan trying to adjust after most recent driver shakeup at Andretti Green

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Except maybe at Andretti Green Racing.

The IndyCar Series team co-owned by Michael Andretti, Kim Green and Kevin Savoree is fielding its fourth different driver lineup in the past four years, and to the outside world, it appears the chemistry and camaraderie that were the team's longtime calling card have gone up in smoke.

The odd man out increasingly looks like Tony Kanaan, who was Andretti's personal choice to anchor AGR when he took an ownership interest in Team Green and shifted the renamed team from the CART championship into the IndyCar Series prior to the 2003 season.

JFC · « **Reply #601 on:** June 19, 2008, 01:37:24 AM »

^
I'm still surprised that Herta left to go do the LeMans series and that Franchitti left to do NASCAR, considering how well they had been doing (particularly) over the last couple of seasons. TK's blowups at Marco (at least, IMO) were rather justified, given the incidents in question and Marco's inexperience. Sure he might be racing for his father's team, but that doesn't/shouldn't mean that he has a guaranteed ride. Marco has to work just has hard, if not harder (considering the circumstances) to be a good, SMART racecar driver. TK should still be the "go to" guy for AGR, IMO. He's the only one there with a proven, winning track record.

EDIT:

Quote from: BarrieV on June 15, 2008, 07:29:41 PM

Le Mans wasn't really interesting this year.. Peugot did pretty good, i think they'll be able to beat Audi eventually.

Yeah, close but no cigar for Jacques Villeneuve, who was trying to become one of the few drivers to get a "triple crown" (i.e. winning an F1 championship, the Indy 500, and the 24-Hr LeMans). He would have only been the 3rd driver to do so, I hear.

RatBastich · « **Reply #602 on:** June 19, 2008, 04:14:22 AM »

Second man dies after being hit by truck outside NHRA race in Kansas

MUSKOGEE, Okla. -- A Muskogee man who was struck by a pickup truck outside an NHRA race in Kansas has died.

Kristi Pankratz, a spokeswoman for the Topeka, Kan., police, confirmed Tuesday that James C. "J.J." Jenkins, 52, was the second person to die from injuries sustained when a truck hit several pedestrians who were walking back to their car following the NHRA Summer Nationals in Topeka on June 1.

Jenkins' wife, Joy, told the Muskogee Phoenix her husband suffered a major brain stem stroke Saturday and died at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan.

Judy Brewster, 55, of Muskogee, died at a Kansas hospital shortly after the accident.

RatBastich · « **Reply #603 on:** June 19, 2008, 04:59:52 PM »

In a word, Mr. Versatility Jeg Coughlin Jr. is simply 'amazing'

ESPN.com recently conducted a poll amongst a select group of motorsports journalists and personalities to determine who should be included on the list of the 25 greatest race car drivers of all time.

The racer who was named No. 1 was -- not surprisingly -- A.J. Foyt, and the reason given most frequently for his first-place finish was his uncanny ability to win in a variety of machines and in a plethora of major league racing venues. To almost all of those responding to the poll, possessing the talent necessary to be victorious in just about any vehicle on wheels put A.J. miles ahead of his peers.

NHRA POWERade drag racing has its equivalent.

Jeg Coughlin Jr. has won three Pro Stock championships, the most recent last year, and an NHRA sportsman title in the Super Gas category in 1992. Those credentials all by themselves would be sensational by any method of measurement, but Coughlin's driving achievements -- and the manner in which he has accomplished them -- are without question the stuff of legends.

RatBastich · « **Reply #604 on:** June 20, 2008, 01:01:22 AM »

Bourdais comfortable with rookie role as home French GP set

MAGNY-COURS, France -- Sebastien Bourdais has no chance of winning his home Grand Prix of France this weekend.

Possible winners are, of course, the Ferrari duo of Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa as well as Vodafone McLaren Mercedes teammates Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen. As Robert Kubica proved in Canada, he and BMW Sauber teammate Nick Heidfeld have a shot at victory as well.

Wild-card winners include Fernando Alonso in his Renault, Nico Rosberg in his Williams Toyota and Mark Webber or David Coulthard in their Red Bull Renaults.

But Bourdais in a Toro Rosso Ferrari? At most, he can hope for a point or two if he can finish in the top eight.

JFC · « **Reply #605 on:** June 20, 2008, 03:36:46 AM »

^
Yeah, Toro Rosso's still a fairly inexperienced team compared to the likes of Ferarri, McLaren, Renault and Williams. Combine that with the fact that Bourdais is still a rookie on the F1 circuit, and yeah, expecting a win is a bit much.

RatBastich · « **Reply #606 on:** June 20, 2008, 09:55:34 PM »

Iowa crashfest of 2007 could be turned up a notch with more cars on the track

This weekend's Iowa Corn Indy 250 could potentially be summed up as a big traffic jam on a small track.

Barring an incident in practice or qualifying, 27 cars will line up Sunday afternoon (1:00 p.m. ET, ABC) on the second-shortest track on the IndyCar Series schedule. Measuring just under 0.9 mile, Iowa Speedway is undercut only by Richmond International Raceway in terms of length and lap time.

Last year, the inaugural IndyCar race at Iowa Speedway turned into a wreckfest -- and that was with only 19 entries. The track looked like a bullring, but the drivers were able to run flat-out. In other words, it raced like a superspeedway and a number of factors combined to make passing nearly impossible. When desperation ensued -- especially on restarts -- tempers flared and cars came together.

RatBastich · « **Reply #607 on:** June 21, 2008, 02:58:30 AM »

Massa's practice time beats race lap record at French Grand Prix

MAGNY-COURS, France -- Ferrari's Felipe Massa set the pace in free practice for the French Grand Prix on Friday with a time inside the circuit's race lap record.

The Brazilian, who started on the pole at Magny-Cours last year but has yet to win in France, lapped fastest in the morning with a time of 1 minute, 15.306 seconds.

Renault's Fernando Alonso, preparing for the car company's home race on Sunday, topped the timesheets in the afternoon with a lap of 1:15.778. Massa was second, a mere 0.076 seconds slower.

RatBastich · « **Reply #608 on:** June 21, 2008, 06:08:10 PM »

F1 drivers angry about fee increase, but not talking about strike

MAGNY COURS, France -- Formula One drivers are angry about a large license fee hike, but dismissed suggestions that they would strike at the upcoming British Grand Prix.

Governing body FIA has increased the fee drivers have to pay by more than 400 percent this year, leading to reports Friday that drivers were considering a strike. However, Grand Prix Drivers' Association chairman Pedro de la Rosa said Saturday that such a measure had never been discussed.

"One thing that is clear is that we never suggested a strike," De la Rosa told The Associated Press. "We're just not happy about the way it was implemented. All of this talk of strike has just been rumors."

RatBastich · « **Reply #609 on:** June 23, 2008, 03:14:22 AM »

Wheldon celebrates birthday victory, then donates winnings to Iowa flood relief

NEWTON, Iowa -- Sunday was Dan Wheldon's 30th birthday. His rivals provided plenty of gifts.

Under glorious sunny skies at Iowa Speedway, Scott Dixon had a rare off day (he finished fourth), Tony Kanaan crashed, and Helio Castroneves faded.

And the rest of the IndyCar field, led by rookie Hideki Mutoh, simply didn't have the speed to beat Wheldon. It all added up to victory in the second running of the Iowa Corn Indy 250, Wheldon's second win of the season and the fifth for Target Chip Ganassi Racing in 2008.

JFC · « **Reply #610 on:** June 23, 2008, 07:37:06 AM »

^
That's a classy move by Wheldon.

Fuck, I totally forgot about the French GP today.

That fee increase is completely outrageous. An increase that large should never have been made without at least waiting for a chance to directly discuss it with the GPDA.

RatBastich · « **Reply #611 on:** June 24, 2008, 01:23:55 AM »

Ex-champ Stewart says FIA holds myopic view toward F1 drivers

PARIS -- Former champion Jackie Stewart has accused Formula One's governing body of being too hard on drivers and of singling out McLaren for punishment.

"We've seen a rash of penalties handed out by the FIA recently, both in the form of grid penalties and in fines," the Scot said on the Web site of Williams sponsor RBS on Monday.

"There rarely seems to be any compassion or any real attempt to see the driver's side.

RatBastich · « **Reply #612 on:** June 24, 2008, 07:47:39 PM »

Hight's tribute to Kalitta a moment to remember

ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. -- It is a most eerie and spine-tingling experience to watch something unfold before 30,000 drag racing fans that renders each and every one of them speechless.

And so it was as memorable a moment as ever witnessed in NHRA POWERade drag racing when on Sunday, Robert Hight, aboard his John Force-owned AAA Ford Mustang, rolled to the starting line in the opening round of eliminations at the 39th Lucas Oil SuperNationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park.

ctz · « **Reply #613 on:** June 25, 2008, 07:31:56 PM »

Kovalainen's penalty for blocking Webber sure is a bit questionable, especially because Webber made it to the next round anyway.

However, Hamilton's penalty for cutting a chicane was a right decision imo. Before the race, stewards had already pointed out that cutting the corner would cause penalty.

reina's eyes · « **Reply #614 on:** June 25, 2008, 09:23:45 PM »

Quote from: ctz on June 25, 2008, 07:31:56 PM

However, Hamilton's penalty for cutting a chicane was a right decision imo.

Also, that was a pass he could not have made without leaving the course!

RatBastich · « **Reply #615 on:** June 25, 2008, 10:44:52 PM »

Ecclestone denies breakaway plans; new feeder series planned

PARIS -- Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone downplayed on Wednesday the possibility that Formula One could break away from the series' governing body.

"I don't know anything about a breakaway championship to be honest with you, nobody's ever talked about one," Ecclestone said after what he said was a "good" meeting of the World Motor Sport Council.

RatBastich · « **Reply #616 on:** June 26, 2008, 08:24:30 PM »

With Dixon and Wheldon hitting the books, Target/Chip Ganassi gets an 'A'

It's a bit of a challenge to figure out just how many races are on this year's IndyCar Series schedule.

2008 started with a 16-race IndyCar slate, but the demise of the Champ Car World Series and its subsequent integration into the IndyCar Series resulted in the Champ Car Grand Prix of Long Beach counting as a points race in the IndyCar Series championship. That makes 17.

RatBastich · « **Reply #617 on:** June 28, 2008, 01:28:29 AM »

Danica back in the news, but spotlight shifts to Richmond

What was generally a big week for the IndyCar Series draws to a close Saturday night on its smallest track.

The SunTrust Indy Challenge at Richmond International Raceway (8 p.m. ET, ESPN) will put the focus back on the racing action after the past few days were dominated by talk of the series' future engine formula and -- surprise! -- Danica Patrick.

RatBastich · « **Reply #618 on:** June 30, 2008, 08:28:01 PM »

Herbert dedicates first Top Fuel win of season to two late sons

NORWALK, Ohio -- Doug Herbert raced to an emotional Top Fuel victory Sunday at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, a win he dedicated to the memory of his two young sons who were killed in a highway auto accident in January.

RatBastich · « **Reply #619 on:** July 05, 2008, 06:12:44 PM »

Hamilton looking forward to home GP despite rumblings

SILVERSTONE, England -- At the British Grand Prix a year ago Lewis Hamilton could do no wrong. A year ago he was the darling of the British fans and the British media.

The fans still adore him, but his relationship with the media has been a bit pricklier of late.