IndyCar – Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Recap

By: Kevin Neeley Will Freakin Power. What does it take to keep him in the back of the grid? Not even a ten grid spot penalty for the mass unauthorized engine change for all Chevrolet teams could keep the Terror from Toowoomba down. For the second race in a row, Power overcomes qualifying woes to take the win. This time, it just happened to be on the Streets of Long Beach. The Top Ten was an interesting mishmash of names, but the real thrill was right at the front for…

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Episode 133 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadJoin Shaun and Doug as they discuss the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach coming up this weekend as well as Formula 1 and the Chinese Grand Prix. We talk about the FiA and its decision to run in Bahrain and the implications of doing so. We look back at Rally Ireland for the IRC and talk about Dani Sordo entering in the French round of the IRC with John Cooper works MINI Super Production. As always, enjoy the show and thank you for…

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Constable’s Corner: Parties at Long Beach, and Pocono?

Yes, it has been a long time since I last wrote to you, the fans of Open Paddock. You can thank; warrants being served, people being sued, moves involving protections from abuses being supervised, my lady friend moving (not related to the item before in any way), numerous college research papers, training at the pistol range, countless law enforcement meetings, a bad virus, locus, volcanoes, lions, tigers, bears, and a tendency to put things off as a short list of reasons why the lack of posts.   One thing I…

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IndyCar – IZOD IndyCar Series Power Rankings

By: Kevin Neely After 2 of 16 Rounds 1. Helio Castroneves #3 Team Penske Chevrolet In two races, Helio has a win, two podium finishes, a pole and two top five starts. After a dismal 2011 season, Castroneves has really turned things around by leading the Penske charge. He’s blazing quick on streets and roads this year, but can he finally get that 4th Indy 500 win? Can Helio win the championship which has eluded him for his entire career? 2. Scott Dixon #9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Honda He’s…

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IndyCar – Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Preview

By: Kevin Neely The Questions What? Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Where? Streets of Long Beach, California When? April 15 3:30pm EDT Who? IZOD IndyCar Series Why? Why not! The Circuit The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach circuit is a 1.968 mile street course running through the Long Beach community near Los Angeles. The circuit consists of eleven turns surrounding the Long Beach Convention Center. The frontstretch and pit area are located on Shoreline Drive, falling right after the iconic hairpin turn, Turn Eleven. The current circuit used…

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IndyCar – Indy 500 speculation

2012 Dallara DW12 rear wing and endplate

The grapevine says that Townsend Bell will soon announce his intent to race in the Indy 500 for Schmidt-Hamilton Motorsports. I haven’t heard a word about Paul Tracy. Maybe he’s having trouble finding funding to rent a ride after failing to qualify a GEICO car at Indy in 2010. His prior sponsors have migrated to other teams; Wix filters sponsors Lotus DRR (Oriol Servia), and Motegi Racing (wheels for street cars) insignia are seen on Dragon Racing’s cars and Will Power’s helmet. You may remember that Tracy was incensed 13…

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IndyCar – Beatriz to Andretti Autosport

Firestone Firehawk

Is blood thicker than water? Even if it is, money talks. Andretti Autosport apparently will not enter a car for Michael Andretti’s cousin Jeff Andretti in the Indy 500, as it will enter three cars for its regular IndyCar pilots, adding A.A.’s Indy Lights standout Sebastian Saavedra in a fourth Ilmor-powered car, and announcing Ana Beatriz in a fifth car. ‘Bia’ Beatriz intends to race car #25  in her ‘hometown’ race in São Paulo at the end of this month, then in the Indianapolis 500 as a Conquest Racing/Andretti Autosport collaboration.…

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Episode 132 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadJoin Shaun, Mike, and Doug as they recap an awesome Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama. Full rundown of all the action and some analysis regarding the teams and strategies. Also, we talk about the Mazda Road to Indy and Rally de Portugal. It was a wild one for the WRC and we have the rundown! Thanks for listening and as always, enjoy the show!

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Star Mazda – New Faces on the Podium at Barber

While a little moist at times, the Barber Motorsports Park featured some great racing in the Star Mazda Championship Presented by Goodyear, and a bit of a mixup in regards to who we saw on the podium and especially on the top step. Unfortunately, Barber gets a bad wrap for a course that doesn’t permit much in the way of passing. I think every series there this weekend proved that Barber could support some great racing action. Rain on Friday delayed Race #1 for the Star Mazda Championship, after Team…

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IndyCar – Massive Momentum Post Barber

Will Power was not the only guy smiling after the race at Barber Motorsports Park yesterday. I am sure the smile on Randy Bernard’s face was probably even bigger. He too had won on Sunday as the IZOD IndyCar Series delivered one of the best road races in a very long time. Barber Motorsports Park is easily one of, if not the best looking facility on the schedule. I have never really had a problem with the on track product either, but yesterday was something that truly fit the bill…

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