OpEd – The Potential Future of the Delta Wing
I think most of us here at OpenPaddock share the same opinion regarding the Delta Wing concept that was proposed by a group of team owners lead by Chip Ganassi. Its a hideously ugly car, but the engineering philosophy behind it is brilliant. While I’m happy that it was not selected as the direction for the 2012 IndyCar chassis, not that I’m entirely please with the direction that was selected, I would be very interested in seeing this... [Read More...]
TV – Weekend racing schedule for Aug 21 and 22.
Formula 1 is still on holiday, but the ALMS is back and at Road America! That should a great event! The IZOD IndyCar Series also returns to the track, but at Sonoma. Personally, I’d love to drive this track or even watch a race there in person, but let’s be honest; its not produced the greatest racing in the world. Unfortunately, MotoGP is also in an off-week, so there’s not much other than IndyCar and ALMS on this weekend, and... [Read More...]
Fan Guides – OpenPaddock Needs YOU!
Over the coming weeks and months as our various motorsport series wind down and take the winter off, we thought it would be a good time to start getting ready for the 2011 season. Trying to be true to our moto “For the fans, by the fans” we thought we’d put some effort into developing a set of fan guides for the various venues and events that we attend and cover. Certainly, three hacks from the Midwest can’t cover it all,... [Read More...]
OpEd – Blocking in Modern Motorsports
The Blocking Problem Blocking is certainly nothing new in motorsports, or racing in general for that matter. As soon as two people raced each other on foot, I’m sure that the leader blocked the person behind and probably violently. In various types of horse racing, we see blocking and crowding a competitor against the rail, and given that automobile racing is simply an extension of horse racing, its no surprise that we see blocking in modern... [Read More...]
OpEd – Lessons Learned: Attending a Race at Mid-Ohio
This year was my third year attending the ALMS and IndyCar races at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, and for the third year in a row I had a blast. Each year, I’ve picked up a little bit more insight about how to attend, what to avoid and what to enjoy. This year, it was a little different for me in that in addition to a spectator ticket I also had a photo badge which gave me great access to the track and the pits, but it also limited my spectating... [Read More...]
OpEd – Selling 2012 IndyCar aero kits, can it really be profitable?
Ever since the Indy Racing League’s much anticipated announcement sketching out the strategy for the 2012 IndyCar chassis last Wednesday, the IndyCar community has been split. …again. …still. …whatever. There have been many that claim that the recipe of having a spec rolling chassis from Dallara and open development of the aerodynamic elements of the body work by teams and third-party manufacturers would lead to great innovation... [Read More...]
OP-Ed – The future is in Ogier’s hands
By Alasdair Lindsay The WRC Silly Season may not be as buzzing with action as the F1 equivalent – but arguably it has one mover that can change the entire shape of the sport for years to come, simply by choosing between two teams. It’s not just Sebastien Ogier who’ll be affected by his own decision between Citroen and Ford, the implications will change the careers of many around him as well. From Ogier’s perspective, you’d expect the choice... [Read More...]
IndyCar – It’s the fans, stupid!
Randy Bernard gets what no one else is the sport has for decades. To paraphrase James Carvalhal’s famous 1992 campaign slogan, “Its the fans, stupid!” For so long, the league participants and its leadership have been focused so much on pleasing sponsors and team owners, that fans and the on-track product has suffered. One great thing about having new blood in the leadership of the league is the lack of respect for how things have... [Read More...]
Op-Ed – Indy Downforce
Back in 2007, I became a card-carrying member of Indy Downforce, the official fan club of the IZOD IndyCar Series. Ever since, I’ve been more involved with the league than I ever thought possible. Downforce originally came about by a group of fans who followed the series from oval to oval and decided to form up a fan club. Eventually, the league took note and now the fan club is official and offers members fantastic access to drivers, officials,... [Read More...]
IndyCar – Pole Speed Predictions: We Set the Line
For the past three years, the race at the Kansas Speedway has preceded the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race. I started to notice a trend, and thought I’d explore it further. Yes, I hear you statisticians out there, three data points does not make a statistically significant sample. Well, I’m running with it anyway. I thought I’d look back at the races since 2001 and see if there was a relationship between the speeds we see at Kansas... [Read More...]
