Following Sunday’s Malaysian Grand Prix, the world watched as Red Bull Racing suffered yet another implosion in inter team relations. Sebastian Vettel had done the unthinkable; he had passed Mark Webber after being told to hold position on the circuit. Mark Webber was clearly upset as he thought the race was over and had no idea why he was being challenged by Vettel. Almost immediately, fans took to the Twitter stream and the Facebook with comments regarding how dirty a move it had been on the part of Vettel. Mark…
Read MoreIndyCar-No Runoff Needed: Mayor Hinchcliffe Takes GP St. Pete
In an outstanding display of racecraft, James Hinchcliffe took his first IZOD IndyCar Series victory on the Albert Whitted Airport Circuit in St. Petersburg, FL today. Hinch managed to hold off defending race champion Helio Castroneves for over 20 laps near the end of the event, giving Andretti Autosport its first win in St. Pete. Completing the podium was Marco Andretti in the #25 RC Cola Andretti Autosport Chevrolet. After starting 4th, Hinch ran up near the front of the field all day. Helio Castroneves ended the day with most…
Read MoreFormula 1 – Webber Cuts Vettel Off + Podium Interview
SCCA Pirelli World Challenge Guest Ride-Along
SCCA Pro Racing’s Pirelli World Challenge treated some writers and photographers to rides on Saint Petersburg’s temporary race track in two K-Pax Racing Volvo S-60s, driven by Randy Pobst and Alex Figge (above), Cadillac CTS-V.R race cars, and a few street-legal CTS-Vs. I was chauffeured by a SCCA World Challenge series racer for two laps on Saint Petersburg’s downtown streets and a runway of Albert Whitted Airport in a Cadillac CTS-V street car. Its acceleration was impressive (pressed me into the seat), but the braking for Turn 4 really wowed…
Read MoreSports Car Wars Resume
. SCCA Pro Racing’s Pirelli World Challenge returns to the streets of downtown Saint Petersburg, Florida for two races, on Saturday and Sunday. Friday practices were followed by a late-afternoon race-qualifying session. . Alex Figge, driving one of K-PAX Racing’s Volvo S60s, set a qualifying-time record of 1 minute, 13.9 seconds, averaging 87.6 mph on downtown Saint Pete’s 14-turn, 1.8-mile course. Figge edged his teammate Randy Pobst, who will start race one alongside him on the front row. . Figge remarked, “On a street course, it’s nice to have the…
Read MoreEpisode 180 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadMike Whitesell takes the reins as Kevin is swept off to Oz by the tornados and gives us a review of F1’s season opener in Melbourne and a preview of IndyCar’s opener at St. Pete. Doug reviews the USF2000 season opener at Sebring, and Mr. Shaw points and laughs at us for starting our seasons so darn late as he recaps the week’s news from the world of rally.
Read MoreMRTI – St. Pete Preview and Schedule
This coming weekend represents the IZOD IndyCar Series’ and Firestone Indy Lights’ season opening event, although it will represent the second race weekend for both the Pro Mazda Series Presented by Cooper Tires and the Cooper Tires USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda. This will also be one of four weekends over the season in which all four INDYCAR-sanctioned series race at the same venue on the same weekend. Maybe call it four and a half with Indianapolis even though the USF2000 and Pro Mazda drivers will be at Lucas…
Read MoreIndyCar-2013 Social Media Guide
Here we are at the start of the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Season, so it’s time to make sure all your social media bookmarks and follows are up to date. I’ve put together this handy 2013 Season Social Media Guide to help you all Twitter your Facebook and Instagram your Pinterest. As always, you’ll want to start your Social Media bookmarking with us! Open Paddock on Facebook Open Paddock on Twitter And hows about giving me a follow on Twitter as well! Kevin Neely on Twitter Indycar Website Facebook Twitter YouTube Flickr…
Read MoreUSF2000 – Season Opener at Sebring Recap
The regular season for the Cooper Tires USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda has begun! The first rung of the Mazda Road to Indy held it’s first two races of the championship season last Thursday and Friday at Sebring International Raceway. The grid size was huge for the opener with 31 cars entered for competition. The odd thing that stood out to me is that only three of those entries were in the SCCA Enterprises National Class, the rest were in the Championship Class. I’m not sure whether this is…
Read MoreIndyCar-Round 1: Honda Grand Prix of St. Pete Preview
What: Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg Where: Albert Whitted Airport Circuit, St. Petersburg, Florida When: 12:30pm EDT on Sunday, March 24 (TV: NBC Sports Network) Who: Helio Castroneves, defending race champion, looks to defend his race title on the Streets of St. Pete against 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series Champion Ryan-Hunter Reay, four-time series champ Dario Franchitti, perrenial road and street course ace Will Power and the rest of the IZOD IndyCar Series field. Storylines Ryan Hunter-Reay begins his title defense on a very hit-or-miss track. Even though he finished…
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