MRTI – MidOhio in Photos

WHEW! Finally done editing and posting the photos from the Mid-Ohio weekend. The day job can really get in the way sometimes. With the entire Mazda Road to Indy racing last weekend, it was a busy three days. I’ll have a recap of the action and a look at how the championships are shaping up soon. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the photos. Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires Firestone Indy Lights Series

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Episode 199 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadWe are joined this evening by Mid-Ohio race winner and driver of the #83 Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing DW12 in the IZOD IndyCar Series Charlie Kimball! Shaun, Kevin, Mike, and Mike talk with Charlie about his first win and about the photo he has of him standing on the podium a step above Vettel in his early days of racing. The crew offers condolences and best wishes to Smoke, looks at the politics of IndyCar racing at COTA, and the implications of USCR’s…

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SCCA US Double Majors Tour – Gateway Motorsports Park

Editor’s Note: We’d like to extend a warm welcome to the newest member of the OpenPaddock band of misfits, Josh Tons. Josh is the manager of Poor Boys Racing, a rally team out of St. Louis running in select Rally America and regional rallies in the Midwest. Josh is also an accomplished motorsports photographer, owner of Josh Tons Photography, covering many of the events held at Gateway Motorsports Park. Moving forward, Josh will be photographing many of the SCCA, Grand-Am, and rally events around the MidWest. During rally events, he…

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IndyCar – Tuesday Talk

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadTuesday Talk is a segment featuring random news and notes from the world of IndyCar. All opinions expressed are mine, meaning they are inherently correct. Disagree? Well, I’ll pray for you. First off, congratulations to Charlie Kimball for his first career win. I don’t think anyone has worked harder for a victory in the last few years than Charlie. He came up from the Euro F3 ranks into Lights with PBIR and Andretti. Back in 2011, Charlie got his break into the IZOD IndyCar Series…

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IndyCar – Updates to the 2013 Rulebook

INDYCAR has made the following updates to the 2013 rulebook, effective immediately. 7.6.1.2–Restarts On restarts within 15 laps of the finish of a race, all lapped cars will be moved to the back of the field. 9.2.2–Race Procedure Penalties If circumstances do not permit a penalty to be served during a race, the Race Director shall declare the results provisional and officials shall review the penalty. The review is independent of  technical inspection. (Basically, time penalties can be issued.) 14.14.6.6.5–Tires If a car receives tire damage during a race, the…

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Episode 198 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadThis week, Doug and Shaun recap their duel at the Kansas City Region SCCA Solo Event #8, Neely shares news and rumors from around the IndyCar Paddock as we all look forward to Mid-Ohio, Doug gives us the latest from the Mazda Road to Indy, Shaw reviews the New England Forest Rally and previews Rally Finland, and Whitesell leads us through the sad circus of Formula One as we head into the summer break. Show Notes: OpenPaddock.net Podcast – Episode 198, July 30th 2013…

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IndyCar – Tuesday Talk

Tuesday Talk is a new segment featuring random news and notes from the world of IndyCar. All opinions expressed are mine, meaning they are inherently correct. All signs point to Alex Tagliani being out at Bryan Herta Autosport. Even though the entry list for Mid-Ohio hasn’t been released yet, looks for Luca Filippi in the #98 Barracuda Networks ride. Tag started the season with a 10th at St. Pete and 11th at Barber, but has only managed one Top Ten finish over the balance of the season. Over a seven…

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Indy Lights – Thoughts on the New Chassis Direction

Many were quick to post Andersen’s announcement, and by now I’m sure you’ve read the release that we’ve included below. I wanted to spend some time mulling over the implications of Andersen’s direction for the evolution of the Firestone Indy Lights chassis, a platform that is over a decade old. As I read and reflect on the announcement, there’s a couple of things that strike me: first, there isn’t really any new information that we didn’t have after the Toronto weekend, second, chassis applications have been made once already and…

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Inside the Helmet – Matthew Brabham

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadWe had the great pleasure of speaking with Matthew Brabham, driver of the #83 Pro Mazda machine for Andretti Autosport and destroyer of the 2013 Pro Mazda championship so far. Matthew shares with us his story of how he chose open-wheel racing over sportscars, how he came to race in the Mazda Road to Indy program, what it was like to race at the Circuit of the Americas, and why his favourite MotoGP rider is not his countryman Casey Stoner, but Valentino “The Doctor”…

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IndyCar – Twin Turbo mandatory for 2014

INDYCAR announced today that all engines supplied to IZOD IndyCar Series teams will utilize only twin turbocharger systems beginning with the 2014 season. The decision, which was confirmed after consultation in an INDYCAR Engine Committee meeting, will further strengthen engine parity. It also dovetails with the manufacturers’ first homologation update cycle for the 2.2-liter, direct-injected V6 engines supplied by Chevrolet and Honda. “In an effort for parity throughout the turbocharger range, mandating only a twin turbo system simplifies our efforts to ensure even closer competition,” said Derrick Walker, president, competition…

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