There was thought to be assurance that Pirelli would remain in the WRC after its announcement regarding Formula 1 was made. We thought that the Italian manufacturer would support both FiA series and that multiple suppliers would also be in the mix (for rally). That has not proven to be the case as Pirelli has pulled out as a supplier to the WRC. This particular decision is not as huge as when Bridgestone pulled out of F1 however, because the regulations already indicated that multiple suppliers would be allowed in…
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Rally – Meeke to MINI
Intercontinental Rally Champion Kris Meeke will once again compete in the WRC. Stories this morning have the star signing with MINI’s WRC efforts and while nothing has come out of the Meeke camp, all things are in motion for this to take place. Kris is the second name mentioned with program as it is heavily rumored P-G Andersson is also in line for a seat. It does not stop there however. Marcus Gronholm is also in the mix as he is set for a Portugal test of the new Countryman.…
Read MoreEpisode 54 – Openpaddock.net Podcast
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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadJoin Mike and myself as we review Chicago and a great race at Spa! We also have PT at DRR and Sarah Fisher taking Graham Rahal for Kentuckey, as well as a number of manufacturers wanting to go rally. So as always, sit back with a beverage of your choice and enjoy our humble ramblings on all things motorsport…and some things not!
Read MoreIndyCar – Paul Tracy Back In The Saddle
Paul Tracy will be back in the #24 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing car at Kentucky and Motegi in replacement of the still convalescing Mike Conway. Tracy had ran at Watkins Glen for DRR earlier this year, and had driven for KV Racing Technologies in the two Canadian races. With as dodgy as the action was at Chicago, this weekend’s race at Kentucky could get extremely interesting with PT in the mix. I say this for a couple of reasons. First, because PT is …well… because he’s PT. Let’s face it,…
Read MoreEXCLUSIVE: Inside the Helmet – Takuma Sato Interview
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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadWelcome to our first installment of Inside the Helmet! A new audio source at Openpaddock.net that talks to your favorite drivers from any of the series we cover. Our first interview in this series is Takuma Sato. The KV Racing Technology driver was gracious enough to answer some of my questions as well as some of yours! The volume may be a little loud so scale back the volume a bit, and realize that we were outside in the Honda hospitality area during Firestone…
Read MoreIndyCar – Chicagoland: That’s a Wrap, Folks.
Saturday night, we saw an epic Firestone Indy Lights race and equally epic IZOD IndyCar Series race. The racing action was top notch and we saw some people running at the front that we haven’t seen there in a long time. Sarah Fisher even had a good run up front for a while, leading several laps and holding off some of the best drivers in the league. Shaun was there and will have some thoughts for us later in the week including an interview with Takuma Sato of KV Racing…
Read MoreRally – Thoughts on the RallyCross Circuit at NJMP
I’ll cut to the chase: RUBBISH! Seriously, take a look at the preview video below. This isn’t rally so much as it is a touring car race with some predefined offs. There are a couple of spots where the car is sent off wide into the dirt, only to rejoin the circuit in short order. The vast majority of the racing is done on the standard tarmac circuit. I had very high hopes for the new rallycross exhibition races the RallyCar Series (formally Rally America) had planned for this late…
Read MoreRally – One Lap of the NJMP Rallycross Circuit
TV – Weekend Racing Schedule for August 27, 28, and 29th
FORMULA 1 RETURNS! MOTOGP RETURNS! INDYCAR OVAL RACING RETURNS! Its a great weekend to be a racing fan with access to cable TV. At long last, the Formula 1 returns from holiday to compete at one of the most epic racing circuits on the planet: Spa-Francorchamps! Spa is always a good show, especially if the rains come as forecasted. The shorter MotoGP break is also over and the riders return to Indianapolis. Sadly, I will be watching on TV this year, rather than being at the track. I’m gutted about…
Read MoreEpisode 53 – Openpaddock.net Podcast
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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadJoin the whole crew this week as we get into Sonoma, Germany, and Road America. I will go on record as saying there is a lot of comical bits in the show as Mike gets jealous of Dario and accuses me of subliminal messaging. We also discuss Sordo maybe to Ford, a whole list of laughable F1 issues and also prepare for Spa…finally a real race track! Grab a beverage and sit back and enjoy the show!
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