Part III of IV on the ALMS Rocked by a sour economy, decimated by manufacturer defections and a TV deal that has been panned by fans and the media (“It’s About the Content Not the Medium”) the American Le Mans Series is in damage control mode. Yet the biggest blow to the ALMS may end up being the one thrown by its partner, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest. The ACO are the organizers of the 24 Hours at Le Mans, and partners with the European Le Mans Series (LMS) and North America’s…
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Indy Hump Day Report: Who will be on the Pole this weekend?
So we are just days away from Pole Day at IMS. I myself will be driving out to finally experience Pole Day in person. I will be doing everything from; obsessively searching the venue for every possible Tim Richmond related item, to seeing how Indy fans party compared to Pocono fans, and all while working on new exclusive material for INDYCAR Nation and Open Paddock. The next week will have a great increase in exclusive coverage here at Open Paddock, so keep checking in often. Are you crying?!?! There’s no…
Read MoreWhere Do We Go Now, O’Sweet Child of Mine
The original working title of Part II of this series on the ALMS was “Out Manuvered and Out in the Cold.” Following a couple of press releases, one on the 2013 Oklahoma City race (exactly what we need, another processional street race, but that’s another story) and the return of “a” P1 team at Lime Rock, I kept wondering where are they going. What better theme for the ALMS today than Axel Rose and Slash “Sweet Child of Mine.” We all know the chorus, “Where do we go, Where do…
Read MorePart 1 Season of Discontent
“The best we get is fuzzy internet and (a) highlight show at the same time as an Indy broadcast. Come on man, that’s (expletive) shit” says one ALMS Team Manager on condition of anominity. A business/media manager for a front-running GT team tells me “you can’t sale it, none of us can now, they (expletive) tied are hands”. The “can’t sell” is there’s no high-dollar sponsor value for the current ESPN3.com and ESPN2-ABC offers. “We’re already studying GrandAm for next year. We may not finish this season. We can’t resign…
Read MoreIndy Hump Day Report: Do they want another Pace Car crash 40 years later? Plus when are aero-kits coming?
How much of a “buzz” is a bad thing?: While having a buzz generating for the Indianapolis 500 could be a good thing. The current situation with Donald Trump has quickly become a “bad buzz” not seen in the series since the days of Scott Harrington. Even Harrington’s three DUI arrests in eight months did not cause as much outrage as the current choice for driving the pace car. Trump, since being named has quickly become a highly polarizing figure. I honestly found it in poor choice to pick a…
Read MoreIndy Humpday Report: Que up some Adoniran Barbosa*
Short column this week since I am about to start finals week, and the overwhelming subject still dominating discussions is Helio. (Will he punt someone yet again?) I would just like to point out that Helio has plenty of eyes on him this week. Not only are the fans in America and the Series officials watching Helio closely—the fans in Brazil are really watching. Should Helio do anything to Tony Kanaan, be ready for a borderline riot in the streets of Brazil. Also should Will Power be “shafted” due to…
Read MoreOP-Ed – Pennywise and Pound Foolish: Why delaying the aero kits is a bad idea
There’s been a significant rumbling from the owners, most notably from Jimmy Vasser, co-owner of KV Racing Technologies. What they see is the $75k price tag on new aero kits and rate that as a cost they’d rather not pay. Truth is, they DON’T have to pay it. The Dallara chassis that they’ll need to buy in order to compete in the IZOD IndyCar Series in 2012 come with the Dallara aero kit. If they have a relationship with another engine manufacture such as Chevrolet or Lotus, they’ll of course…
Read MoreOP-Ed – David Uhl’s “In The Beginning”
Artist David Uhl should be a name familiar to attendees of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race, or at least his work should be. His piece “Glorious Failure” was selected for the cover of the official 2008 Indianapolis 500 program. This year, he was one of the three artist chosen to create cover art for this year’s 100th Anniversary Edition program. The piece he submitted is called “In The Beginning” and is a tribute to that very first epic Indianapolis 500 Mile Race held back in 1911. “After viewing hundreds of…
Read MoreIndy Hump Day Report: Race Control, we make things up as we go
Where are the rules and procedures written?: Ah yes consistency, an act the men of INDYCAR Race Control seem to be lacking of late. One has to wonder if the reason rule books are so hard to find, is they write every seasons rules on an “Etch A Sketch”. Only to find parts missing when ever Helio has committed a violation. What really gets me is the excuses they have been giving today on why Helio did not get the same treatment as Tracy. According to Al Jr.; Helio was…
Read MoreOpenPaddock Joins Forces with the IndyCar Garage
As some of you have pointed out to us, we don’t have a forum any longer. As you further pointed out to us, you want us to have one! Instead of us trying to reinvent the wheel, we’ve joined forces with one of the more innovative IndyCar fan sites on the web, the IndyCar Garage. We have always claimed and have striven to be “Motorsports commentary for the fans, by the fans” and I believe we have succeeded in that, and our new partnership with the IndyCar Garage will only…
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