Inside the Helmet – Jason Penix Looking Ahead to Mazda Road to Indy in 2014

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadWe chat with Jason “King of the Mazda Road to Indy” Penix, Director of Grassroots Initiatives at INDYCAR about the progress made in the MRTI program in 2013 and where USF2000, Pro Mazda, and the newly retitled IndyLights Presented by Cooper Tires are headed in 2014.

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MRTI – 2014 Event Schedules Are Here!

The 2014 schedules are out for the entire Mazda Road to Indy: USF2000, Pro Mazda, and Indy Lights. This will be the fifth year for the Mazda Road to Indy Program and for the Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda, the second year of operation under Andersen Promotions for the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires, and will be the first year for the newly retitled Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires. Firestone, who had been a long-standing supporter and title sponsor of the Indy…

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Episode 208 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadThis week Doug, Mike, and Mike review the IndyCar and IndyLights finales at Fontana and begin looking at the silly season news and rumors. Mr. Whitesell leads us through the news in Formula 1 and we preview the final Indian Grand Prix. Wrapping up the show, Mr. Shaw recaps the glorious event that was LSPR and gives us a preview of the WRC Rally de Espana. OpenPaddock.net Podcast: Episode 208 – Tuesday, October 22nd, 2013 IndyCar Fontana Review IndyCar title rivals get grid penalties…

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Missing Our Friend Kevin Neely

As some of you may already have heard, IndyCar Reporter, Podcast Host, and most importantly our friend Kevin Neely passed away Tuesday morning from medical issues. Kevin joined the OpenPaddock crew in the Spring of 2012 as our primary IndyCar guru. When Shaun was deployed, he stepped up and brought his remarkable skills as an audio artist to the OpenPaddock.net Podcast hosting and coordinating the show in Shaun’s absence and creating the new intro theme for the show. His insight into what was happening in IndyCar was astounding as was…

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Question of the Week – What New Driver Will Most Help IndyCar?

A new feature that we’re hoping to make a regular part of our off-season coverage is a round-table style of Q&A. Regular op-ed contributor John Olsakovsky will pose a question to those of us here at OpenPaddock, and we’ll all with our own style, option, and perspective provide a response. Once compiled, we’ll post those responses and the debate will begin! Agree with any one of us? Think we’re all off our nut? Share your opinion with us in the Comments section below! QUESTION OF THE WEEK We’re all aware…

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SCCA – Autocross at Ft. Riley

At least once a year, the Salina Region of the Sports Car Club of America holds a Driving School and Solo Racing event on the huge landing pad for the 1st Infantry Division’s Combat Air Brigade. On Saturday of the two-day event, soldiers and the public are invited to participate in a Solo Novice School in which the students learn the basics of the sport of Solo Racing, vehicle dynamics, and how to identify proper racing lines. Students are paired up with experienced veterans of SCCA Solo Racing, and, while…

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Episode 207 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadOpenPaddock.net Podcast: Episode 207 – Tuesday, October 7th, 2013 IndyCar Houston Review Standings Local viewer video of Grand Prix of Houston crash Franchitti ruled out of Fontana race Fontana Preview 2014 IndyCar schedule set to be revealed Penske confirms Allmendinger for Fontana Alex Tagliani tabbed to replace Dario Franchitti in IndyCar season finale National Guard switches IndyCar allegiance to Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing from 2014 – Racer.com Chip Ganassi Racing confirms Kanaan and Chevrolet engines for 2014 Honda: IndyCar needs third supplier MRTI Lights…

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From The Cockpit – Michael Epps’ Thoughts on Texas, Tango’s, and Flying Tyres

Editor’s Note: In our continuing From the Cockpit series, Belardi Auto Racing’s Michael Epps offers the following recap of his race weekend on the rolling hills of the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. We thank Belardi Auto Racing and their drivers for their support and the excellent insights their drivers have offered us through this series of articles. At the end of the article, you’ll find links to Belardi Auto Racing’s and Michael’s social media connections. Be sure to follow them on Facebook and Twitter. Well, well, well. Actually I’m not…

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Episode 206 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadKevin Neely and Mike Shaw are joined by special guests John Olsakovsky, regular Op-Ed contributor to OpenPaddock.net, and USF2000 pilot for Belardi Auto Racing and friend of OpenPaddock.net Peter Portante. The boys hash out all the news in IndyCar as everyone including all of the MRTI head to Houston, the details of the Indianapolis GP opening the Month of May, and the driver swaps and additions in Indy Lights. Formula 1 heads to Korea as the WRC heads to France, and Shaw wraps things…

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ALMS – International Sports Car Racing Weekend at Circuit of the Americas

Editor’s Note: Regular contributor, John Olsakovsky, was at the Circuit of the Americas for the ALMS weekend and gives us his thoughts on the experience and a recap of the racing action. I thoroughly love working from home. It affords me flexibility to attend practice and qualifying sessions on Fridays while still on the clock, which exactly how I worked this past weekend to see ALMS & WEC race at CotA. All went well until a customer’s server crashed about 4:00 pm Friday afternoon, but that’s another story. Mother Nature…

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