Episode 108 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Shaun

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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadJoin Shaun and Mike as they talk about Formula 1 from Suzuka and Vettel’s title. They break down the race that was the always amazing Japanese Grand Prix. The boys also look ahead to the INDYCAR World Championship from Las Vegas and ask the question…will this be a real race? How will race control influence all of the events that will be going on? Is race control positioned for world domination? Where they the ones who secretly plotte dthe assasination of the Saudi ambassador?…

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Episode 107 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Shaun

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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadJoin Shaun and Mike as they recap the events from WRC France and the IndyCars from Kentucky. We talk a bit about the 2012 schedule or lack there of and look ahead to the season finale in Las vegas. As always, thank you for the download and enjoy the show!

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IndyCar – Kentucky Weekend in Photos

Doug Patterson

Our IndyCar photographer, Joe Ferrall, was at the Kentucky Speedway and brought back some really great shots of both the IZOD IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights events. Enjoy! You can view the rest of our IndyCar photos from this year and back to 2009 by clicking on the Photo Galleries tab above and selecting IndyCar.

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Spike Day: IndyCar has a problem, and its name is Brian Barnhart (Part 2)

Mike Shaw

So where to even begin this week? Okay, for starters—penalties for open and frank views. The IZOD IndyCar Series has had a well documented problem in Race Control—it is run by a bumbling buffoon.  Brian Barnhart ( TGBB for Robin Miller fans), has done just an awful job at his role this season. His right-hand man (Tony Cotman) has had some questions of his integrity with the O2 debacle in the Firestone Indy Lights Series earlier this year. What has been consistent in 2011 is not the rules enforcement during…

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IndyLights: Jensen MotorSport Adds Serious Engineering Muscle

Doug Patterson

Jensen MotorSport has already been showing some strength in the latter half of this season, but now they’ve grabbed another gear and are shooting for significant improvement. Today, the team announced the hiring of veteran GP2 engineer Raul Prados! Mr. Prados’ experiences includes working with top-shelf European open-wheel such as Carlin and iSport, and he engineered the winning car in the 2010 GP2 Asia series. Most of all, I love Mr. Prados’ comments and optimism in regards to open-wheel racing in North America: “This is an exciting new chapter of…

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OP-Ed – Does INDYCAR’s “Faux-vertaking” Rule Encourage Avoidable Contact?

Doug Patterson

Comparing the number of accidents in Formula 1 and other open-wheel series and in IndyCar in the past couple of years has me wondering if the INDYCAR overtaking rule (faux-vertaking as @MikeOpenPaddock would call it) doesn’t in fact encourage avoidable contact rather than discouraging it. There has been a lot of talk about INDYCAR’s overtaking rule on road and street courses that demands that a driver leave open the inside line in approach to a corner, and usually not in happy tones. This rule comes from Tony Cotman and the…

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Episode 106 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Shaun

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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadJoin Mike and Shaun as they hit a couple points from Motegi. They also talk 2012 IICS schedule and all of the weeks hot INDYCAR news. We also look back at a dominating performance from Sebastien Vettel during the Singapore Grand Prix. The title is all but concluded and Jenson Button is making the claim to McLaren’s number one seat for 2012.

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IndyLights – Rusty Mitchell, Horses, and Horsepower

Doug Patterson

A curious thing crossed my virtual desk here at OpenPaddock this week, a press release. …no, that’s not especially unusual, but its content sure was. Normally, teams and drivers issue a release previewing their thoughts and expectations for the upcoming event, but this was a bit more than the simple “we hope to roll off the transport fast and win” type of hype and blase quotes. This was a nice little background piece on Rusty Mitchell, with whom we spoke prior to his running the Firestone Freedom 100 back in…

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