Tag: Justin Wilson

Episode 278 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Mike Shaw

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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadPodcast #278 for Tuesday, August 4, 2015 After a bit of a summer break, Mike and John are back to cover all the action of rally, rallycross, F1, and IndyCar.  In rally, Mike reviews WRC Germany; the entry list for this weekend’s upcoming Ojibwe Forests Rally; and a short review of Red Bull GRC in DC.  In F1 John takes us through all the action of the Belgian Grand Prix at the famed Spa Francorchamps circuit and the tire controversy.  In IndyCar Doug Patterson joins the team to review the strange…

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Justin Wilson – The Big Man of IndyCar

Mike Shaw

It is always with a heavy heart whenever we have to write about the tragic loss of a racing driver.  I think our friend and colleague Doug Patterson said it best “I love this sport for the greatness and awesomeness it can bring out in competitors and fans. I hate this sport for the unbearable price it on occasion demands.”  That pretty much sums it up.   Justin Wilson was truly one of the great ones, both in skill and stature.  At a commanding 6’4″ he was a tight fit in most…

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OpEd – What’s the Cost for Victory

Doug Patterson

So how much does it cost in addition to the normal operating expenses associated with running a team and fielding equipment to win an IZOD IndyCar Series race? Apparently, only a mere $7500 and five entrants points. There should be a giant bonanza of feel-good stories after the great racing at the Texas Motor Speedway, first 1.5-mile high-banked oval the series has run since last year’s race in Las Vegas, and race which culminated in victory for the small operation of Dale Coyne Racing and fan-favorite driver Justin Wilson. Wilson…

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IndyCar – Firestone 550 Had it All, and Then Some

Shaun

On Saturday we were treated to the second of our five ovals on the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series schedule, and man was it awesome! This was truly a race that had it all! We had great racing that did not require cars to be all over each other for the full race, and we had mechanical failures, meaningful passes, and some drivers a little hot under the collar when it was all said and done. INDYCAR was able to do something though that I have been preaching for the last…

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The Spike has returned…to Indianapolis!!! Can you smell what The Spike…is cooking???

Mike Shaw

Well I am back—not that I really left Open Paddock. Yes, I will return for another season of Op-Ed columns for Open Paddock. Where did I go? Well, toward the end of last season I was being paid by another website to write for them. (My name not attached to the articles, but when you get paid that’s fine).   I won’t name the site for the moment, it is up in the air if the site will be back. It was funded and created by a company that was…

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IndyCar – Barber Motorsports Park Preview: The Track and Story Lines

Doug Patterson

Pre-Season Testing: Although this is the first time the IZOD IndyCar Series will actually compete at Barber Motorsports Park, it won’t be the first time drivers have seen the track. The league has been there several times for testing since their first visit in October of 2007. The drivers and teams have raved about the beauty of the circuit and grounds and facilities, and the drivers are quick to mention how much fun the course is to drive with its high-g corners and elevation changes. With the narrow width of…

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IndyCar – St. Petersburg Practice 3

Doug Patterson

Despite a rocky start, the Timing and Scoring on IndyCar.com finally came online, although the video was more of a slideshow than smooth video. Here’s hoping that the online coverage improves over the season. The ontrack action, however was pretty dicey. Ryan Hunter-Reay narrowly avoided being hit by Duno, Viso, and apparently just about everyone else on the grid. Once again, Will Power showed that he has the measure of this circuit, although the other drivers have caught up a bit. The surprise performer this session was EJ Viso rising…

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IndyCar – St. Petersburg Practice 2

Doug Patterson

The second practice session for the IZOD IndyCar Series offered some surprises and some similarities to the morning practice. Once again, Will Power was at the top of the time sheets, throwing down a blistering 1:02.3200 sec lap time! That’s close to the 1:02.1355 sec ICS record time he set in 2008 in his first IndyCar race in 2008. To put it more into perspective, the closest person to Power was Scott Dixon and he was seven tenths off of Will’s pace with a best lap of 1:03.0298 sec. While…

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