So I know what you are thinking…”Shaun, rally is by far NOT manufactured results like some of our other favorite series.” I agree to you 100% minus the sly tactics the teams pull on occasion. I am talking about the grand scheme of things to be honest and my point is that rally is a sport of manufacturers…or at least it used to be! Audi, MINI, Lancia, Porsche, Peugeot, Ford, Subaru, Mitsubishi, and all the rest were at one time battling it out through the history of rally as full…
Read MoreTag: 2012
Rally – Hyundai to US Rallycross?!?
Some interesting photos have surfaced this past week in regards to a Hyundai Veloster rally car with Red Bull sponsorship down the side of it. While many have no idea exactly what the deal is with this picture, a look at the windshield banner makes the intent clear. On 9 Feb, it would appear that Hyundai will announce its entry into the new US RallyCross championship. The new RallyCar project series held three exhibition rounds at New Jersey Motorsport Park last year and is looking to up the number of…
Read MoreRally – Tire War in 2012?
It would appear as though a year away from the WRC is all Pirelli needed. The Italian manufacturer has indicated that they would like to rejoin rally’s top flight as soon as 2012 after a one year break. The intent of the return is to attack Michelin and have a battle amongst top teams in 2012. “I want us to be back in the WRC in 2012, once those regulations are out, we will study them carefully and begin – if the conditions are right – to prepare ourselves. We…
Read MoreVideo – State of INDYCAR Music Video
Episode 70 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast
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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadJoin Shaun, Kristi, and Doug as we make something out of nothing. The week in motorsport was slow because of the holidays, so what better time than now to take a look back at what has happened so far this offseason. The crew breaks down all the information to this point on the two disciplines and projects forward somethings that could be around the corner. Sit back and enjoy the last show of 2010! We will see you next year!
Read MoreOpEd – The Knob
Throughout the past several years in IndyCar racing, the fuel knob has been a contentious point for fans, teams, drivers, and league officials. The cars had been run without the luxury of a fuel mixture knob until 2008, when it was reinstated. That lasted two years until in 2010 the league removed the knob in favour of a system where the cars could run full-rich, or leaned down for yellow-flag conditions. This ultimately put the job of fuel conservation into the hands (and feet) of the drivers. Those of us…
Read MoreIndyCar – 2012 Chevrolet Engine Announcement
IndyCar – Chevy is Back! Momentum Baby!
This past week has been a mounting crescendo of articles coming out from increasingly reliable sources making the claim that GM would be back in IndyCar for 2012. Autoextremist, Autoblog, Speed, Autosport and now Curt Cavin at the venerable Indianapolis Star have all weighed in. The rumor can be put to bed. There will be an announcement made at the IMS Hall of Fame Museum on Friday at 10am EST welcoming Chevy back into the fold for 2012. Other parts of this rumor have indicated that Chip Ganassi will be…
Read MoreEpisode 63 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast
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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadJoin Mike, Shaun, and Doug as they look at the world of motorsport. We cover the race in Brazil as well as look forward to a 4 way battle for the F1 WDC. We look at the latest from both Le Mans as well as Rally. We also put our opinion together about GM and Fiat rumors that are running everywhere! Sit back with your favorite beverage and enjoy the show!
Read MoreIndyCar – I Love the Smell of Speculation in the Morning!
It smells like… PROGRESS! If you’re a fan of IndyCar, then you likely have already heard about Peter De Lorenzo’s article on his blog, The Autoextremist, where he claims that General Motors will make a return to the IZOD IndyCar Series in 2012 along with an increase in motorsports across the board. You also likely are already aware that SpeedTV’s Marshall Pruitt and the Indianapolis Star’s Curt Cavin are both claiming extreme skepticism of the announcement. So where does this leave us fans? It leaves us in a whirlwind of…
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