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/

Mazda Road to Indy – 2011 Night Before the 500

Doug Patterson

I know this is rather tardy, but give a fella a break. Last weekend was extremely busy!! Keep in mind that first and foremost, we’re fans. Perhaps we have delusions of being media-types, but we do all have real jobs and real families and friends. We love what we’re able to do here at OpenPaddock, but on a holiday weekend such as Memorial Day, you’ll forgive us if we put our family and friends at the top of the schedule priority. Getting back to business, the Mazda Road to Indy…

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IndyCar – Motegi Is Back On But With Some Twists

Doug Patterson

The Tohoku earthquake and subsequent tsunami near the Honshu Prefecture in Japan certainly caused serious devastation throughout the entire country, and continues to be a source of chaos and disruption. Takuma Sato has been working very hard all season long to bring awareness and raise money for those who are suffering as a result, and recently on Bump Day in Indianapolis, he was signing t-shirts sold for a fundraiser for the children of Japan. You can learn more about Takuma’s and KV Racing Technologies efforts to help at http://kvracingtechnology.homestead.com/2011/2K11_About_WithYouJapan.html. Of…

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IndyLights – 2011 Firestone Freedom 100 Recap

Doug Patterson

Carburetion Day brings with it the final day of practice prior to the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race, thus its name. Yes, I know the engines have been injected for a long time, but its still a cool name and we like tradition, here. For the past eight years, this year being the ninth, in addition to the traditional final practice session for the IndyCars, its also been the day of the Firestone Freedom 100 Indy Lights race, a 40-lap sprint race around the 2.5 mile circuit. The Firestone Freedom 100…

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Mazda Road to Indy – Preparing for the Ovals

Doug Patterson

All of the various series that are part of INDYCAR and the Mazda Road to Indy program have opened their seasons with road and street courses. Beginning next weekend, though, everyone switches to oval tracks! Racing on an oval is not as easy as going fast and turning left as those who attended the USF2000 Oval Clinic earlier this month learned. This past weekend, the Star Mazda Championship, in preparation for their coming sequence of three oval races, held an open test at the Milwaukee Mile. For many drivers in…

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Inside The Helmet – Rusty Mitchell

Doug Patterson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Podcast: Play in new window | Download In this episode of Inside The Helmet, we talk with Rusty Mitchell about his beginnings in motorsports racing karts and SCCA Formula Enterprise and how he then moved up into the Star Mazda Championship. Rusty recently signed a two-race deal with Team E Racing to drive their Firestone Indy Lights car on the Streets of Long Beach and at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Firestone Freedom 100 to be held on Carburetion Day, May 26. Last Friday, Rusty ran in the first…

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IndyLights – WillyT Returns to IMS!

Doug Patterson

For you old school fans, you remember Willy T Ribbs as the first African-American driver to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race in 1991, exactly 20 years ago today, with Walker Racing and funding from comedian Bill Cosby. Those of you who are newer to the sport may only know Willy T as the straight-speaking analyst on Versus coverage of the Firestone Indy Lights Series. Mr. Ribbs now returns to competition at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, not as a driver, but as a team owner. In a partnership with…

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