Author: Doug Patterson

Motorsports enthusiast since ...well... always. Grew up watching Mario and AJ, took my first lap around IMS in the tour bus in 1977, fell in love with anything that went fast. Currently, I work as a professor of astronomy and physics at a college in the suburbs of Kansas City, http://staff.jccc.edu/dpatter/, and own a photography business, Patterson Prints, with my wife. http://www.pattersonprints.com/

Episode 213 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Doug Patterson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadMike, Mike, and Doug make one last appearance in 2013 and talk about the few bits of motorsport news that’s around. Formula E seems to have a lot more traction that we expected, Ganassi and Briscoe are reunited, as is Paul Page and IMS radio. Fan Force United returns to Indy Lights, Sutil safe at Sauber, and Kubica confirmed at M-Sport. In each category, we also look back at the best and worst from each segment we cover. It’s been another great year, and…

Read More

Episode 212 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Doug Patterson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadIn our penultimate show of 2013, Mike, Doug, and Mike continue to be stunned at the enthusiasm shown for the new Formula E all-electric racing series, Panoz sues Nissan (who didn’t see that coming?), and TUSCAR has aero and tire issues with the prototypes. Whitesell leads us through the news in IndyCar and Formula 1, Patterson brings us up to speed on Indy Light’s new chassis and engine for 2015, and Shaw shakes his head at the T&S errors in the WRC and takes…

Read More

Thankful for the Time We Had

Doug Patterson

Editor’s Note: John Olsakovsky, frequent contributor to OpenPaddock.net and brother-in-law to Kevin Neely, has offered up this tribute to Kevin. This Thanksgiving Day, we remember our colleague, fellow motorsports fan, and most importantly our friend. We’re thankful for the time that we had to share. It’s taken me a month to be able to compose this. I’ve started a number of times and stopped, either because work got in the way, I became overwhelmed with emotion or simply ran out of words. Open Paddock readers are probably aware that Kevin…

Read More

Episode 211 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Doug Patterson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadDoug, Mike, and Mike debate who should fill the #10 seat at TCGR, and review a bevey of driver signings and tests. Doug gives us a MRTI silly season summary, Whitesell leads us through a recap of the USGP, and Shaw brings us up to speed on Rally GB. OpenPaddock.net Podcast – Episode 211, Tuesday, November 19th, 2013 IndyCar IndyCar legend Dario Franchitti retires from racing who replaces him? #10 or #8 car? Penske, Sam Hornish part ways after decade together IndyCar Series outlines…

Read More

Episode 210 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Doug Patterson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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,…

Read More

Episode 209 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Doug Patterson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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…

Read More

Inside the Helmet – Michael Epps

Doug Patterson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadMichael Epps, driver of the #44 UNATION Van Diemen for Belardi Auto Racing the Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda joins us in this off-season episode of Inside the Helmet. Michael talks to us about his early days in karting and the challenges of transitioning from club racing to pro-level racing. He also shares with us the driving style changes necessary when moving up from a kart to a winged car like the Formula Renault that he ran in 2012.…

Read More

IndyLights – Dallara to Make 2015 Indy Lights Chassis

Doug Patterson

Yesterday, INDYCAR released word that the manufacturer for the 2015 Indy Lights Chassis would be none other than Dallara. Surprise! …or not. As regular listeners to our podcast know, we’ve been expecting as much since the announcement that there would be a new Indy Lights chassis. The series solicited bids in 2012 when it was expected that a new chassis would roll out in 2014. Proposals were made by many of the same companies that had gone through the bid process for the new IndyCar chassis including Swift and Lola.…

Read More

SCCA – The KCRSCCA Halloweenie Event in Photos

Doug Patterson

Well, the 2013 Solo Season for the Kansas City Region of the Sports Car Club of America is finally at an end. The club closed out their autocross adventures this past Sunday in grand fashion combining a solo race with a Halloween party, a charity fundraiser, and a giant picnic. Many of the members came in costume, and several even crafted costumes for their cars. The Event Chair, James Cahill, wrote up a nice summary of the event over at the Kansas City Region’s newly refurbished website. It’s been wonderful…

Read More

SCCA – Drifting in the Dirt at the SCCA Rallycross Nationals

Doug Patterson

Editor’s Note: Mark Hill is a member of the Kansas City Region SCCA and a regular competitor in the Region’s Solo racing events in his Evo IX. He also competes in Rallycross in his Subaru Impreza RS. Mark was kind enough to give us the following report from this season’s SCCA Rallycross National Championship held at Tulsa Raceway Park in Tulsa, Oklahoma. We thank Mark for his contribution, and look forward to seeing him at the upcoming Solo and RallyX events. If the SCCA Solo National Championships in Lincoln take…

Read More