History: An Interview with Kansas City Sprint Car Legend Luther Brewer: Open-wheel racing has always been a major part of the motorsports scene in Kansas and Missouri. After WWII, motorsports throughout the country exploded in popularity, and the MidWest was the center of sprint and midget car racing. That rich tradition hasn’t faded. Every week, you can find winged and wingless sprint cars doing battle on dirt ovals across the Kansas City area. I thought about trying to piece together a review of the sprint car history from around the…
Read MoreTag: 2010
IndyCar – Kansas Preview: An introduction to open-wheel racing around Kansas City
Introduction: The IZOD IndyCar Series has been coming to the new Kansas Speedway since its opening in 2001. This year with be their 10th race at the 1.5-mile D-shaped oval track, and for the second time in a row it will be the first oval race of the season, and since 2007 it will be the lead-in event to the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race. So far this season, we’ve seen three street races and one road race, two of which were outstanding, one was still pretty good, and the last…
Read MoreIndyCar – The Race Fan’s Guide to Kansas City
Of all of the 1.5-mile cookie-cutter ovals, the Kansas Speedway is by far the best, offering great racing and a great location. Some of the closest finishes and best races in the IndyCar Series have happened at the Kansas Speedway. To be sure, Texas Motorspeedway and Chicagoland Speedway also produce great racing action, but the Kansas Speedway has the added benefit of being located on the western outskirts of town where access from the airport is a snap and traffic is at a minimum, yet right around the track is…
Read MoreEpisode 35 – Open Paddock Podcast
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadThis week Mike and I jump into the results from Turkey, China, and Long Beach as well as offer our opinion on Formula 1 stewards, the lack of tactics in Turkey as well as the awesomeness that is Ryan Hunter-Reay. We also discuss offer some conspiracy theories on Tony George and Bernie Ecclestone paling around China with…wait for it…investors??? As always, sit back with your favorite beverage and enjoy…and in the words of Lewis Hamilton…this was the best episode ever!
Read MoreRally – Olympus Rally Preview
It has seemed like a lifetime since the OP crew came back from the 100 AW Rally in Salem MO, but this weekend the Rally America championship finally restarts with round 3 in Washington. Antoine L’Estage and co-driver Nathalie Richard will look to extend their overall championship lead with an overall victory in Washington this weekend. The stages will be tough for Canadian duo as the event will see the cars running up and down the coast for what promises to be a Kodak moment. The stages also house a…
Read MoreRally – Gymkhana 3 Teaser
Rally – Latvala Rolls
Rally – Turkey Day 2 Wrap
Day 2 of the grueling Rally Turkey has ended and as we said yesterday, don’t be surprised if Sebastian Loeb charges to the front. That is exactly what the Frenchman has done, but it is still wide open heading into the third day. The day started with Sebastian Ogier holding first position on the road. Usually that means road sweeping and with the large rocks on the road he would surely yield his position quickly right? Wrong…the junior ace was a rocket today as the cars hit the tarmac/gravel stages…
Read MoreRally – Turkey Proving Tough
Rally Turkey would be the first mixed surface rally of the year and many drivers have called the event tough. To further the difficulty, none of the drivers would have pace notes going into the event. The event has also seen the return of Ken Block and his Monster Energy/DC Ford Focus. After a very impressive run in Mexico, the pressure would be on to perform in Turkey as Ken continued to fact find ahead of next year’s championship. The day would come to a very early end however. Sebastian…
Read More