PR – Andretti Autosport announces Global Rallycross lineup with VW

Volkswagen of America, Inc. and Andretti Sports Marketing today announced the details of its 2014 rallycross program at the Chicago Auto Show. Volkswagen will partner with Andretti Autosport to form the Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross team, running two cars in the series for drivers Tanner Foust and Scott Speed. The team will initially compete this season with modified Polo rally cars, built on the chassis that won the 2013 World Rally Championship for drivers and manufacturers, and will switch during the season to the fearsome GRC Beetle. This all-wheel-drive rallycross car…

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Episode 210 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadWhitesell, Shaw, and Patterson are at it again! Not much news this week in IndyCar, but we talk about some driver announcements in MRTI and announce that OpenPaddock and Belardi Auto Racing will continue their partnership in 2014. Max is back in the news while the new 2014 F1 regulations result in a near obscene nosecone. Kimi is out and Alonso is in for the support race to the Longhorns football game. In rally, Shaw previews Rally GB, gives Gymkhana 6 a “meh” rating,…

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Episode 209 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadWhitesell, Patterson, and Shaw examine the news from INDYCAR and the organizational changes surrounding IMS and INDYCAR, and we’re agog at the stunning revelation that Dallara will produce the 2015 IndyLights chassis. Whitesell leads us through the news from Formula 1, the Kimi drama, and we review the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Shaw wraps up the show with all the news from the WRC, Rally America, and the Global Rallycross including a discussion of Kubica’s future, a recap of the Perryville Farms Rally, a…

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Episode 204 – OpenPaddock.net Paddock

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadNASCAR imitates Formula One as Bowyer scratches an itch, Montoya will make an encore appearance in open-wheel racing, Kimi is confirmed at Ferrari as the 2014 calendar takes shape, and we recap the WRC Rally Australia and ERC Rally Poland. OpenPaddock.net Podcast: Episode #204 – Tuesday September 17, 2013 The continuing NASCAR saga NASCAR changes rules to deter race manipulation Jeff Gordon added to NASCAR’s Chase field IndyCar Montoya turns down Andretti IndyCar offer Juan Pablo Montoya’s return will give IndyCar a villain Munoz…

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Episode 200 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadIt’s our 200th episode!!! …and in true OpenPaddock style, I’m late getting the show posted. Big thanks to Kevin for taking care of the editing process for me this week. Classes start on Monday, so this week has been chaotic to say the least. Sadly, Pechin was absent from this week’s show. He was off being a responsible dad or something. The OPEN PADDOCK 200th episode EXTRAVAGANZA! (or something like that) for Tuesday, August 13th, 2013 Presented this evening without Shaun interruption, for your…

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Episode 199 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadWe are joined this evening by Mid-Ohio race winner and driver of the #83 Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing DW12 in the IZOD IndyCar Series Charlie Kimball! Shaun, Kevin, Mike, and Mike talk with Charlie about his first win and about the photo he has of him standing on the podium a step above Vettel in his early days of racing. The crew offers condolences and best wishes to Smoke, looks at the politics of IndyCar racing at COTA, and the implications of USCR’s…

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Global Rallycross Returns to the USA – Quick Recap Before X-Games LA

The Global Rallycross Championship has returned to the USA and they wasted no time in stacking the events.  3 weeks ago they went to the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and a week later were racing on the high banks at Bristol.  After a short break, the 500+ HP “angry bees” (as Tanner Foust has been quoted) are back at it again with X-Games LA this weekend.   The Courses so far: The organizers are quickly figuring things out.  For GRC to be viable, they needed proper rallycross tracks.  They got…

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Episode 198 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadThis week, Doug and Shaun recap their duel at the Kansas City Region SCCA Solo Event #8, Neely shares news and rumors from around the IndyCar Paddock as we all look forward to Mid-Ohio, Doug gives us the latest from the Mazda Road to Indy, Shaw reviews the New England Forest Rally and previews Rally Finland, and Whitesell leads us through the sad circus of Formula One as we head into the summer break. Show Notes: OpenPaddock.net Podcast – Episode 198, July 30th 2013…

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Episode 197 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadWhile Whitesell dukes it out with AT&T, Shaun, Doug, Kevin, and Shaw take a look at the newly released USCR classings, the upcoming Grand-Am/NASCAR weekend at IMS, news and scuttlebutt from IndyCar, and Doug recaps the Pro Mazda weekend at Mosport. In the Formula 1 circus, Bernie lawyers up and Pirelli tells the FIA and the F1 teams to suck it. Shaw and Pechin wrap up the show with previews of New England Forest Rally and Rally Finland. Show Notes for OpenPaddock.net Podcast, Episode…

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GRC – Overseas Recap

The Global Rallycross Championship returned to the United States this weekend.  Before I get into the drama of New Hampshire, here’s a quick recap of what happened overseas. First of all, I have been quite critical of the GRC organizers and their track designs, at least until now.  The first event was at X-Games Brazil, and the track consisted of 90% clay dirt and a single concrete slab used as the start / finish.  In Brazil the dust was a huge issue, so to combat that they added water to…

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