Category: INDYCAR

The latest news from the IndyCar Series, Indy Lights, Pro Mazda, and USF2000!

Pocono Pulpit – IndyCar Board Is Too Happy To Be #1 In One State

Mike Shaw

Well, It has been already far too long since the final IndyCar race of the 2013 season. Let alone, how long it has been since I have written about the series. So now I sit here in the Poconos, we missed yet another major snow storm–but the extreme cold has yet to miss us this off season. It is just two  above zero Fahrenheit as I write this first installment of 2014. The temperature outside is not the only thing getting ice cold. National marketing is bit on the polar…

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The Missed Shift – SCORE Scores! IndyCar Snores?

John Olsakovsky

  I came across an article that SCORE inked a contract to run the San Felipe 250 for the next three years. I think desert racing is insanely fun, for spectators and competitors alike.  I’m sure part of the appeal for me comes from growing up in the desert, and running dunes or rock-crawling were commonplace. I knew who Ivan Stewart was long before his name was on a video game. So this was pretty cool news to me. For those that don’t follow off-road racing, SCORE is the sanctioning…

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INDYCAR – How Did We Get Here? Pt. 2 When Did It Go Sideways?

Mike Shaw

(Note: Part one can be found here) Welcome back to the weird and wonderful world that is AAA and INDYCAR history. Racing through the 20’s was political, but more or less straight forward in its execution. The late 20’s bring a whole different problem. Instead of making history, AAA was finally interested in documenting its history correctly and accurately. You can decide how successful they eventually were. In 1926/1927, AAA Assistant Secretary Arthur Means, for reasons unknown, created false season tables for 1909-1915 and 1917-1919 and reworked the 1920 season …

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INDYCAR – How Did We Get Here? Pt. 1 When Did We Start?

Mike Shaw
PD-US

The prospect of American open-wheel racing is a fractured endeavor at best, and has been for nearly the entirety of its history. How long is that history, and how do we differentiate between the massive gaps in execution, ideology and technology that has graced the dusty roads of North America for over 100 years? We can at least agree that what we watch now can trace its history back a very long time. But how long depends on who you ask. The first race in the US was held in…

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MRTI – Champion of the Future Contest

Doug Patterson

Our good friend, Peter Portante, is participating in the Champion of the Future contest and needs your help! Champion, you know, the spark plug people, are holding a contest to find the racer they will back for the 2014 season with a $50,000 scholarship. Right now, the contest is in Phase 2, meaning that all the participants have uploaded a two-minute video entry and are now looking for your vote! You can cast your vote for Peter at Champion’s website, http://alwaysachampion.com/search-for-a-champion/entry/1568560#.UsxSJvRDvT8 With your vote, Peter will make it to Phase…

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INDYCAR – One Final Dance with 2013

Mike Shaw

Eric Hall here, you may remember me from such word-hack outlets as anotherindycarblog and Podium Magazine. After the tragic passing of Mr. Kevin Neely, I have been tapped to continue his fantastic work here at OpenPaddock.net. There is no way I, nor anyone, will be able to fill Mr. Neely’s shoes, but I do promise to keep spreading the love of IndyCar to the best of my ability. 2013 was another historic year for IndyCar, with the highest of highs and nearly the lowest of lows experienced at different times…

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Episode 213 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Doug Patterson

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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…

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Episode 212 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Doug Patterson

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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…

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IndyCar – Young F1 Talents Seeking Refuge

Shaun

The motorsports world is a vicious place. It is a cut throat business that has only become worse since the economic recession. The fight for top level seats and pay drives is reserved for a handful of seats per series. Drivers are increasingly reliant on board room talent versus driving talent. Formula 1 is a series that has benefited from a great crop of young talent recently. Drivers like Sergio Perez, Paul di Resta are just a couple of names that standout as brilliant talents that may not have a…

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Episode 211 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Doug Patterson

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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…

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