Category: OP-Ed

Check out the opinions of the guys on the site and you the fans!! Post your own article here!

Episode 259 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Mike Shaw

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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadFrom Tuesday December 30th, this is our final episode of 2014.  In rally we talk about the Rally America rumor mill, a bit of news regarding upcoming Rally Monte Carlo, preview the Dakar Rally (Daily Dakar updates on NBC Sports starting Monday Jan. 5th), and we finish up with the latest of a string of new American Rally Championships that just keep coming out of the woodwork.  This time it’s something called the Extreme American Rally Championship.  In F1 we talk about Haas purchasing…

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Episode 258 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Mike Shaw

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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadOne of the most fun OpenPaddock episodes in recent history!  In our first hour and headlining the show are our special guests, NASA Rally Sport’s East and West directors Anders Green and Kristopher Marciniak.  NASA is the place for grassroots affordable rally racing, and it has a number of advantages beyond the cost savings.  Anders and Kris tell us all the details of the NASA rally series and how NASAhas the the flexibility to experiment with new technologies like Android tablets for timing/scoring and new racing platforms such as…

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Episode 257 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Mike Shaw

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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadReturning after a week away, we finally review F1’s finale at Abu Dhabi and other F1 nonsense.  In rally we talk about the return of Sebastien Loeb, more WRC silly season, and a bit about N. American rally.  We finish up with IndyCar rules changes, and more teams coming to Indy Lights.

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Episode 255 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Mike Shaw

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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadThis episode shall be known a “Apocolyptico” as we battled power outages, communications issues, and I even had to step away to fix something at work in the middle.  We ended up with a rally-centric episode beginning with Chris Duplessis talking about his first time driving the Nameless Performance GT-86 in anger at Seed 9 Rally, then we shift to GRC Las Vegas review and preview WRC Wales Rally GB.  Unfortunately the multiple technical difficulties meant that we didn’t have time to talk F1,…

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Episode 254 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Mike Shaw

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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadThis week is our “Last Week Tonight” episode, because I’m just now posting the edited podcast almost a week late.  In rally this week I preview GRC Las Vegas, talk about Ken Block’s new Gymkhana beast, and discuss the version 2.0 of the Nameless GT86.  In our UMMMM section we talk about the Torque.tv streaming site, review F1 at COTA and more of Bernie’s madness.  Finally in IndyCar we talk about the new 2015 schedule which was unsurprisingly uninteresting, and the news from MRTI.

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Episode 253 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Mike Shaw

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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadThis week is an extended edition, because yours truly failed to edit last week’s podcast in a timely manner.  So sit back and enjoy as Mike and Jace review the Mt. Hood Rally, LSPR, and Rally Spain.  Then John joins in for some ranting of F1 (as usual) and finally finish with some good news coming to Indy Lights.

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OpEd – Expressing Your Fandom

John Olsakovsky

A fan of any sport at some point crosses a threshold from casual enjoyment into loyalty and support, sometimes to an unhealthy extreme. Fans show off pride in their favorite team or athlete in different ways, from t-shirts to stickers to flags and memorabilia. Sports merchandising is big business, as we all know. If you’ve been to any major racing event, the teams have merchandise for sale, as well as the venue and/or the event. As a fan, buying a t-shirt or ball cap helps connect you to the event…

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EPISODE 252 – OPENPADDOCK.NET PODCAST

Mike Shaw

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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadThis week in our first half hour Mike and John talk about the F1 race in Sochi with special guest Kevin Paige.  Kevin Paige is an artist that captures the essence of motorsport and showcases it on canvas.  Check out his collections at kevinpaigeart.com or on Facebook and even YouTube.  In our rally coverage Mike, John, and Jace discuss the Rally America Climb to the Clouds TV program that was, well, just okay.  And then we preview Lake Superior Performance Rally and the Mt. Hood Rally.…

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EPISODE 251 – OPENPADDOCK.NET PODCAST

Mike Shaw

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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadThis week Mike, John, and Jace kick off the first half hour with Kito Brielmaier a Pacific Northwest SCCA Rallycrosser who competed at nationals in Nebraska.  After we wrap up rally news John and Mike discuss the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka and the tragic events that occurred.  We finish up the show with IndyCar’s silly season and James Hinchcliffe’s big move.  

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