Tag: World Challenge

Episode 225 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Doug Patterson

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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadShaun, his co-host Mike, and his other co-host Mike (yeah, that joke never gets old) lead you through our first big open-wheel weekend with IndyCar and the Mazda Road to Indy in St. Petersburg, and Formula 1 in Malaysia. Mr. Shaw reviews the news in rally and previews WRC’s Rally Portugal and looks with excitement to his time this week down in LA with the GRC. OpenPaddock.net Podcast: Episode 225 – Tuesday, April 1st, 2014 Misc. Talk that Formula E could replace F1 in…

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SCCA – NBCSN Adds the Pirelli World Challenge to its Line-Up

Doug Patterson

NBC Sports Network is now the home of nearly every motor racing series we love! The newly arrived network which was the evolution of the old Versus network after NBC acquired ComCast has quickly established itself as the new home for motorsport. When Fox’s SPEED channel became Fox Sports 1 (or 2 or the Foxy Ocho…whatever) it ceased being a racing-centric channel, although many would argue that it already had when the old Speedvision died. NBCSN which already had the IndyCar Series acquired the rights to Formula 1, they aired…

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SCCA – World Challenge Participation Booms

Doug Patterson

Whitesell and I have been saying for a number of years now that the SCCA Pro Racing’s Pirelli World Challenge series is some of the best racing you’re ever going to see. It’s one of the things we look forward to the most when we go to Mid-Ohio. For a time, the World Challenge series suffered from small grid sizes and perinnial teams like Bimmerworld Racing moving from the SCCA’s World Challenge to Grand-Am’s Continental Tire SportsCar Championship. As the series retooled, redefined their classes, and took a close look…

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SCCA Pirelli World Challenge Guest Ride-Along

Mike Shaw

SCCA Pro Racing’s Pirelli World Challenge treated some writers and photographers to rides on Saint Petersburg’s temporary race track in two K-Pax Racing Volvo S-60s, driven by Randy Pobst and Alex Figge (above), Cadillac CTS-V.R race cars, and a few street-legal CTS-Vs. I was chauffeured by a SCCA World Challenge series racer for two laps on Saint Petersburg’s downtown streets and a runway of Albert Whitted Airport in a Cadillac CTS-V street car. Its acceleration was impressive (pressed me into the seat), but the braking for Turn 4 really wowed…

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OpenPaddock Podcast – Episode 165

Doug Patterson

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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadThis week on the OpenPaddock Podcast, we have a packed show and a full house! Mike, Doug, and Kevin are joined by our new Rally reporter Mike Shaw and friend of the show John Olsakovsky. We begin with analysis from Mike Shaw on Petter Solberg’s future in rally and the sad sorry state of M-Sport. Whitesell and Patterson get excited about the addition of GT3 cars in the SCCA Pirelli World Challenge, for our money, some of the absolute best sports car racing to…

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USF2000 and Pirelli World Challenge Are Solid with Green-Savoree

Doug Patterson

While I thoroughly enjoy the IZOD IndyCar Series and American Le Mans Series races at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, I must admit that my favourite parts of the weekend are the USF2000 and World Challenge races. The USF2000 races this year have seen a huge increase in participation level, with grid sizes routinely in the high 20s and sometimes in the 30s. The SCCA World Challenge has also seen a high level of participation in its three classes. The variety of machines, Championship, Formula Continental, and Formula Enterprise cars…

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ALMS and SCCA Photos from MidOhio

Doug Patterson

In addition to the IZOD IndyCar Series and the USF2000 National Championship, the American Le Mans Series and the SCCA Pro Racing Pirelli World Challenge were at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course last weekend. As always, the Cadillac CTS-Vs in the PWC sounded absolutely amazing! Robertson Racing’s FordGT were missed this week, but the new SRT Viper made it’s debut. I must admit that although it looked cool, it’s sound and performance were underwhelming compared to the Corvettes. MidOhio was their first event, however, and given that, I can cut…

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The Mid-Ohio Weekend in Photos

Doug Patterson

One of the magnificent things about a road course event, and the ALMS/INDYCAR weekend at Mid-Ohio especially, is that there is NEVER a quiet moment on the track. There’s always something buzzing around the circuit. This year was no exception as we has the Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Championship, the SCCA Pro World Challenge, the American LeMans Series, the US F2000 National Championship, and the IZOD IndyCar Series taking to the circuit from 0800 to as late as 1900! That also means that is photog was one busy dude! I…

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IndyCar – I Love the Smell of Speculation in the Morning!

Doug Patterson

It smells like… PROGRESS! If you’re a fan of IndyCar, then you likely have already heard about Peter De Lorenzo’s article on his blog, The Autoextremist, where he claims that General Motors will make a return to the IZOD IndyCar Series in 2012 along with an increase in motorsports across the board. You also likely are already aware that SpeedTV’s Marshall Pruitt and the Indianapolis Star’s Curt Cavin are both claiming extreme skepticism of the announcement. So where does this leave us fans? It leaves us in a whirlwind of…

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TV – Weekend Racing Schedule for August 27, 28, and 29th

Doug Patterson

FORMULA 1 RETURNS! MOTOGP RETURNS! INDYCAR OVAL RACING RETURNS! Its a great weekend to be a racing fan with access to cable TV. At long last, the Formula 1 returns from holiday to compete at one of the most epic racing circuits on the planet: Spa-Francorchamps! Spa is always a good show, especially if the rains come as forecasted. The shorter MotoGP break is also over and the riders return to Indianapolis. Sadly, I will be watching on TV this year, rather than being at the track. I’m gutted about…

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