In one brief sentence, Curt Cavin just made my off-season! Ok, to be honest, the confirmation of the title sponsorship deal between IZOD and the IndyCar Series really made my off-season. This recent tidbit is just yummy gravy for me. It had been rumored, and still is, that Ryan Hunter-Reay, who has a personal services agreement with the new title sponsor IZOD, is close to a deal to drive for Andretti Green Racing. Its obvious that TK, Danica, and Marco aren’t going anywhere, which leaves my man Hideki Mutoh on…
Read MoreAuthor: 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/
IndyCar – Danica Goes Tintoppin’
An ESPN article posted today stated that Danica was close to a two-year deal with JR Motorsports, Dale Earnhart Jr’s Nationwide team. While I don’t think this is a good move for Danica, especially not committing to a two-year deal, at least she’s with a quality team. …as quality as you can get in a car that still uses a carburetor. The only thing that I own that still uses a carburetor is my lawnmower! hmmm…. Danica to Lawn Mower Racing? That could be highly entertaining. I digress, though. She…
Read MoreIndyCar – IZOD Becomes Title Sponsor
For at least a couple of years running, Terry Angstad has told us after each season that the IndyCar Series was close to inking a deal with a title sponsor. The problem is that deal never materialized. The rumor recently was that IZOD was being sought after to be the title sponsor for 2010 and beyond, and that they were close to inking a deal. Call me a skeptic, but I wasn’t buying it. Sure, I believed that the league was working towards a deal, but I wasn’t going to…
Read MoreOP-Ed – Rumors Rumors Everywhere!
…but where’s the actual announcements? As that cranky old lady from the Wendy’s commercials asked, “Where’s the beef?” For the past month, we’ve been bombarded with various rumors of things that might be happening in the IndyCar Series, but so far there’s been nothing of substance released on any front. Here are some of the outstanding issues: Danica – Andretti contract? NASCAR tests? Penske – Third car for Power? KVRT – Resign Moraes? 2nd Car? deFerran – Will he answer the bell? FAZZT – Hinch for some races? Tracy –…
Read MoreIndyCar – Penske to Field Three
Autoweek just ran an article quoting Team Penske President, Tim Cindric, as saying that he plans on running three cars in the IndyCar Series and not running Grand Am. “It’s not done yet, but we’re closer,” Cindric said. “I’m planning on running three cars full-time, but I don’t have the deal done yet.” This bodes well for Will Power who signed with Team Penske as a replacement driver while Helio Castroneves fought off charges of tax evasion and fraud. When Helio was exonerated, Will had to relinquish the seat to…
Read MoreIndyCar – IRL to Sanction a Revived F2000
Amidst the uncertainty surrounding many things involving the Indy Racing League (title sponsor, Brazil race, new engine/chassis specs), one more iron is added to the fire: F2000. The Indy Racing League has recently signed an agreement to be the sanctioning body for the U.S. F2000 National Championship. This is certainly an interesting move, and an uplifting one in some respects. If successful, the new F2000 series could provide a solid ladder sequence for young drivers to make their way to Indianapolis. Last year, the IRL supported the Snap-On Stars of…
Read MoreIndyCar – Newman Wachs Coming in 2010?
Newman Wachs Racing is set to take Altantics champion John Edwards to either GP2 or IndyCar. As of now, they’re leaning strongly towards IndyCar, and it would seem to be a good fit since all of their work and efforts thus far, and all of the experience of Edwards, has been in domestic open-wheel series. John Edwards has won consecutive championships in Star Mazda (2008) and the Atlantic Championship (2009). The latter was thanks to a fantastic drive on his part in the season finale at Laguna Seca enabling him…
Read MoreRally – Rally America 2010 Schedule
The Rally America series has released its 2010 schedule and there’s a mix of good and bad for rally fans. First of all the bad: there will only be six instead of nine events for the national championship. Ojibwe Forests Rally in Bemidji, MN, Rally Colorado in Steamboat Springs, CO, and the Lake Superior Performance Rally in Houghton, MI will remain as regional events, but they will not be part of the national championship. The six events that will be part of the national prize are Sno*Drift Rally in Atlanta,…
Read MoreA1GP – Surfers Paradise CANCELLED
The A1GP series announced today that it will be forced to cancel its first event of the season at Surfer’s Paradise. The announcement came just five days after the release of the entry list for the season opener, a list which contained no less than 19 entries. Sadly, it appears that this situation has arisen from the financial difficulties of the A1GP Operations Ltd facet of the series which went into liquidation over the summer. The A1GP cars are currently being held by the freight company Delivered On Time as…
Read MoreIndyCar – Homestead Review
The last race of the season was did not offer too much in the way of surprises. Like all of the 1.5 mile ovals this season, it was the Ganassi and Penske show. Right at the beginning of the race, Dario and Dixon provided some great side-by-side action as each of the TCGR drivers fought for lead. There wasn’t much change until Dario had to lift just a bit on Lap 10 which allowed Briscoe to take the position. Dario’s strategy then was one of fuel conservation. Dixon and Briscoe…
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