Op-Ed – Daytona 500 isn’t about the fastest car or driver

As many of you that listen to our podcasts know, we are not too big on NASCAR and it’s primarily left turn only championship.  However there are always exceptions and the Daytona 500 with its historical significance is one of of those.  The “Great American Race” isn’t what it used to be though.  With the advent of restricter plates, template car bodies, and other strict regulations, it doesn’t matter if your car is a little bit faster than the other guy anymore.  The draft more than makes up for most…

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The Missed Shift – Running a Marathon

I know I’m not the one that reveres the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend as a holy day. It is the single greatest day of racing, encompassing the Monaco Grand Prix, Indianapolis 500 Mile Race and Coke Zero 600. I love all three races for what they are, and each is a challenge that is unique with their genre. Monaco is antiquated and woefully ill-suited for the style of racing that is modern Formula 1.  But it’s history, it’s glamor and the money keep the circus coming back. Indianapolis is… …

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From the Pocono Pulpit: Spare me the praise of Kurt

So this view is mine, and only mine. It is not on behalf of all of Open Paddock. With that being said, let me unload.     A few months ago, some IndyCar fans got rather upset on some of my views. I was called a, “jerk” among other things. Lots of snide remarks were made about me on backchannels to others from the world of IndyCar. I guess they never thought I would hear that.   I now can’t help but laugh. When some of these very same people…

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INDYCAR – The Core Audience: YouTube is King

(Note: Numbers used in this article were retrieved on the afternoon of February18, 2014) A conversation between Matt Archuleta (@Indy44 get on twitter… follow him now), Steve Jarzombek (@sejarzo) and myself about YouTube, subscribers, the NASCAR behemoth and IndyCar uncovered something interesting. We all know that NASCAR far and away exceeds INDYCAR in popularity in all aspects of the word. But a curious little tidbit came to light when looking through social media numbers. The oft quoted social media count to determine who is watching is twitter. The official IndyCar…

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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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OP-Ed – You Wanted Old-School NASCAR?

Editor’s Note: John Olsakovsky is becoming quite the regular contributor of op-ed pieces to OpenPaddock.net! This week, he shares a careful-what-you-wish-for piece concerning the recent craziness in the NASCAR world. Do you have a rant or rave you’ve been itching to share with the world? Send it to Shaun at wfp@openpaddock.net or to Doug at doug@openpaddock.net and we’ll get it posted here at OpenPaddock.net for all to read and enjoy. After all, we are all about motorsports commentary for the fans, by the fans! You Wanted Old-School NASCAR? Michael Waltrip…

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Episode 203 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadShaun, Mike W, Kevin, and Doug talk about the Singapore-ish shenanigans in NASCAR (yes, we talk a bit about NASCAR), the punishment of Scott Dixon in IndyCar, more chatter about the IMS road course, and we look at potential changes in the 2014 schedule, Doug recaps the USF2000 races at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and congratulates the MidWest Division SCCA drivers who brought home hardware from the SCCA Solo Nationals. In Formula 1, Massa is out and Kimi is in, tires are still up…

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IndyCar – Former IndyCar/NASCAR Driver Jason Leffler Killed in Sprint Car Crash

BRIDGEPORT, NJ (June 12, 2013)– Former IndyCar and NASCAR driver Jason Leffler was killed at Bridgeport Speedway in New Jersey when his Sprint Car flipped during a 412 Sprint race. Leffler was transported from the scene via helicopter, where he was later pronounced dead. Leffler’s upper level racing career began in USAC, where he was a three time National Midget Champion and the 1998 Silver Crown Champion. He made 4 Nationwide Series starts for Roger Penske in 1999 while also pursuing an IRL career. He made his first IRL start…

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Spike Day: Wag of the Finger, and Vegas predictions

Carpenter taking after practice. Photo via INDYCAR.com

So this week allow me to steal a bit from Stephen Colbert, Tip of the Hat/Wag of the Finger! First, Wag of the Finger to: Dollar General! So we got a great treat two weeks ago from Ed Carpenter, Sarah Fisher Racing (SFR) is for real. Then we got the worst news minutes later from owner Sarah Fisher, Dollar General is leaving to just focus on NASCAR. I can’t say I am shocked by this move, it has NOTHING to do with SFR. It has everything to do with the…

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iRacing – Daytona 500 Wrap-up

So nearly a week after the Daytona 500 via iRacing, I have finally calmed down enough to put my thoughts on a post. For those asking, yes the race was in fact 500 miles and I spent a good three weeks prepairing for NASCAR’s crown jewel event. This particular event was not as easy as one would think. While we are turning left and the draft effects the way you drive, the setup is crucial. I started with picking a setup off of the iRacing forum and giving it a…

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