Episode 170 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download Mr. Whitesell has the plague, so the show this week was left in the hands of Kevin Neely, Doug Patterson, and Mike Shaw. Without adult supervision, we run amuck and start talking about all kinds of motorsport including Grand Am, ALMS, SCCA, Formula 1, IndyCar, Rally, and the AMA Supercross opener! Hell, we even talk a little NASCAR!! Kevin leads us through the results of the Roar Before the 24, and the new classification for the American Grand Le Mans American Series League…

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F1 – Sauber Launch 2 February

Sauber has announced that its Ferrari powered C32 will be released to the public on the 2nd of February. The team’s new driver pairing will also be together in public for the first time. Nico Hulkenberg and Mexican rookie Esteban Gutierrez will be looking to put Sauber on the top step of the podium after a 2012 season that seen four podium finishes. I really look forward to this launch. I thought the Sauber was one of the sharpest looking cars in 2012 and certainly proved to be one of…

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F1 – “Continuity” Helps Grosjean Keep Lotus Ride

Lotus Renault team boss Eric Boullier says that continuity is the reason Romain Grosjean will stay on with the team for 2013 according to an article at Speedtv.com. In what appears to be a solid endorsement from the man calling the shots at Lotus, I think the team actually had to settle on Grosjean for a couple reasons. Now don’t get me wrong, Grosjean showed very quick pace when he was actually on track. The Lotus Renault was one of the best cars on the grid for 2012. Taking that…

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F1 – McLaren Announce 2013 Launch Date

McLaren has announced today that it will launch its 2013 challenger on the 31st of January. This gives us now two confirmed launch dates as we get ready for the holidays and the frenzy that follows. Think back to last season, McLaren was the only team that opted to not run a step nose on its machine. The car was one of the better if not the best looking one in the paddock because of it. The interesting point of this launch will be the start of the Button/Perez era.…

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F1 – Force India to Launch 1st of February 2013

Force India has announced they will launch their 2013 challenger on the 1st of February. The Indian team is the first to make such an announcement. Paul di Resta is thought to be the primary driver for 2013. However, the team has not officially confirmed its lineup with one seat still available. It is thought that Pedro de la Rosa is in the mix as well as newly cleared to drive Adrian Sutil. Regardless, I look forward to the launch of the 2013 cars. It will be very interesting to…

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F1 – Driver Market News

It has been a busy couple of days for the Formula 1 paddock this week. Two more drivers have confirmed their seats while another has given up on his 2013 race seat. Here is a quick look at the news. Romain Grosjean Confirmed at Lotus Renault – The French driver is having a great start to his holiday. After winning the Race of Champions gala race, the 2012 King of Crash (pictured airborne right) was confirmed to partner with Kimi Raikkonen yet again at the Lotus Renault team. Grosjean has…

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Pro Mazda – Brabham Signs With Andretti Autosport for 2013

The 2012 Copper Tires Presents the USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda Championship Class champion (that’s a lot of championing!), Matthew “Matty Brabs” Brabham, has signed with Andretti Autosport to drive the #27 machine in the 2013 Cooper Tires Presents the Pro Mazda Championship. In 2012, Brabham raced Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing’s #83 Van Diemen in the USF2000 Championship Class, narrowly beating out his teammate, Spencer Pigot, by only seven points. 2012 was Brabham’s first season of racing in the United States after starting his career back in 2001…

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Pro Mazda – Cooper Tire Replaces Goodyear for 2013

Dan Andersen’s influence is already being felt in the new Pro Mazda Championship as Cooper Tire replaces Goodyear as the official tire and presenting sponsor for the second step on the Mazda Road to Indy. Cooper Tire has been the official tire and presenting sponsor for the USF2000 National Championship since its return in 2010, and Andersen Promotions’ recent acquisition of the Star Mazda Championship has convinced the tire manufacturer to expand it’s involvement in INDYCAR’s Mazda Road to Indy development program. Cooper Tire has been a strong partner for…

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MRTI – Star Mazda Becomes Pro Mazda Under Andersen Promotions

We’ve known for a bit now that the Star Mazda Championship was to see a change in ownership. We also knew that this wasn’t something to be overly concerned about. Right from the start of all this, it was pretty clear that Mazda and INDYCAR both wanted the series to continue in some form, and that it was just a matter of finding the right group to take over. Turns out that the right group was already at hand, Andersen Promotions. Dan Andersen and his group were responsible for the…

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Indycar-Fuzzy’s Triple Crown announced

Indiana based Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka has announced they are sponsoring the revival of Indycar’s Triple Crown. If a driver can win the Indianapolis 500 Mile race, Pocono Indycar 400 and the MAVTV 500 at Auto Club Speedway, that driver is set to take home a $1,000,000 bonus from Fuzzy’s. If a driver can take two of the three events, the prize is $250,000.  Fuzzy’s has previously been committed to the Indycar series as the official Vodka of Indycar and sponsor of Ed Carpenter’s racing efforts. The expansion of Fuzzy’s…

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