Episode 281 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Mike Shaw

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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadEpisode 281 for Wednesday September 23rd 2015 Mike, John, and Doug start off with rally and discuss the good and the bad from the world champion manufacturer and we bring up night stages again, this time in regards to spectator safety.  In F1 news, we review the Singapore GP and the Renault, Red Bull, VW schamozzle.  IndyCar news is a little sparse but the tests at Road America look pretty awesome.     And for your viewing enjoyment, check out this video of Reliant Robins racing in the…

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Episode 280 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Mike Shaw

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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadPodcast #280 for Wednesday, September 16, 2015 It’s a rally heavy episode, as that’s where all the action was last weekend.  We review Rally Australia and give our reasons why night stages should stay in the WRC.  We also review the Red Bull Global Rallycross double header in Los Angeles and hope for a better track in Barbados.  John reviews the Italian GP and other F1 news including word that an American might be back behind the wheel.  And we finish with the commencement of the…

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Op-Ed – Ogier Thinks Night Stages Should be Eliminated

Mike Shaw

Soon to be crowned 3 times consecutive World Rally Champion in his dominant VW Polo R WRC, Sebastien Ogier told  organizers at the end of  Day 2 of the Coates Hire Rally Australia that “night stages increased risk for drivers and provided little for spectators.” He then asked Rally Australia organizers not to include a night stage again as nobody benefited and he said this supposedly on behalf of all WRC drivers. (Thanks to Gary Boyd @KiwiWRCfan for this excerpt)   This is interesting coming from Sebastien Ogier who has been the ongoing…

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PR – Preview: Red Bull GRC Los Angeles presented by Subaru Tecnica International

Mike Shaw

Red Bull GRC Race Preview: Los Angeles presented by Subaru Tecnica International IN BRIEF: Red Bull GRC returns to Los Angeles with a brand new course layout and one of the largest fields of the season. This year’s doubleheader at the Port of Los Angeles will go a long way towards determining this year’s Supercar champion, as Ken Block looks to extend his points lead over Sebastian Eriksson. TUNE IN INFORMATION: Sunday, September 13, 4PM ET on NBC and liveextra.nbcsports.com NBC Sports will have a broadcast of this weekend’s Global…

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Riding in a 600 HP Red Bull GRC Beast

Mike Shaw

By Matt Kalish of Matt Kalish Photography   Red Bull Global Rallycross is in LA this weekend and that means two things for for the Long Beach waterfront – fast cars and fast driving. But just how fast is fast? I got to find out last month at Red Bull GRC’s Washington D.C. round.   I was just a lowly photographer planning on going to the D.C. GRC round to scavenge some work and wax poetically on the nature of burning dinosaurs for sport. Is that writing too heavy handed?…

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Red Bull GRC Returns to LA and the Track Looks Awesome

Mike Shaw

The Red Bull Global Rallycross Championship returns to the Port of Los Angeles for this weekend’s Subaru Tecnica International sponsored double header.  Traditionally LA has been the best of the worst as it is yet again another parking lot track.  However, in Red Bull GRC’s continuing effort to make better racing in these temporary locations they have steadily improved track design.  This year’s new tracks have been longer, all but eliminated turn 1 red flag incidents, have higher top speeds, and more passing opportunities.  Both drivers and fans alike have been…

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Episode 279 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Mike Shaw

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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadPodcast #279 for Tuesday, September 1, 2015 This week is our IndyCar Season Finale Extrava-Rant-Ganza show.  Our good friend Doug Patterson helps us kick things off with rally and a review of the happenings from Rally America’s penultimate round at the Ojibwe Forests Rally.  If David Higgins had challenges, you know full well most everyone else did too.  After a few bits of WRC and F1 news we focus our attention on IndyCar where we have the return of Open Paddock’s venerable ranter, Shaun Pechin.  We…

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Episode 278 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Mike Shaw

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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadPodcast #278 for Tuesday, August 4, 2015 After a bit of a summer break, Mike and John are back to cover all the action of rally, rallycross, F1, and IndyCar.  In rally, Mike reviews WRC Germany; the entry list for this weekend’s upcoming Ojibwe Forests Rally; and a short review of Red Bull GRC in DC.  In F1 John takes us through all the action of the Belgian Grand Prix at the famed Spa Francorchamps circuit and the tire controversy.  In IndyCar Doug Patterson joins the team to review the strange…

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Justin Wilson – The Big Man of IndyCar

Mike Shaw

It is always with a heavy heart whenever we have to write about the tragic loss of a racing driver.  I think our friend and colleague Doug Patterson said it best “I love this sport for the greatness and awesomeness it can bring out in competitors and fans. I hate this sport for the unbearable price it on occasion demands.”  That pretty much sums it up.   Justin Wilson was truly one of the great ones, both in skill and stature.  At a commanding 6’4″ he was a tight fit in most…

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Red Bull GRC Returns to DC

Mike Shaw

This weekend is round 7 of the Red Bull Global Rallycross Championship and again takes place at the AFK Stadium in Washington D.C.  Open Paddock’s Matt Kalish is at the event getting all the behind the scenes info and periodically sharing posts on our Facebook page.  Thanks Matt!     This year’s DC track thankfully is nearly twice the size as last year’s track.  I like the design, except the dirt (what there is of it) once again is located on a boring straight leading up to and extending after the jump and not…

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