The Firestone Indy Lights series is a dangerous time for young drivers. Many come to the series after having experienced success in the lower formula, be it in Europe, South America, or in the USF2000 and Pro Mazda championships that are part of the Mazda Road to Indy. When they get to compete in the Firestone Indy Lights series, they are so close to their goals of being an IZOD IndyCar Series driver, that bravado and excitement can often take control of their thoughts, pushing rational thinking and all the…
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IndyLights – Peter Dempsey Blog: St. Petersburg and Barber Motorsports Park Review
Hello everyone and welcome to my first blog entry for OpenPaddock.net! My name is Peter Dempsey and I am competing in the Firestone Indy Lights series this season driving for Belardi Auto Racing in the #5 car. I will be writing weekend review blogs after each of my FIL races this season. With a busy start to 2013, this first blog consists of both my St. Petersburg review and my Barber Motorsport review. The Streets of St. Petersburg The first race of the year is always one of the most…
Read MoreEpisode 184 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast
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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadIt’s Rally Week! Mike Shaw gets top billing this week with his review of Rally Portugal and some news from Rally America. Jeremy Salenius joins us to talk about the Kansas City SCCA Solo season, and Kevin and Doug wrap up the show with all things open-wheel including a wrap-up of the Chinese GP, and a preview of the IZOD IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights races on the Streets of Long Beach. Pace Notes Lead-In Ogier and VW win 3rd straight rally Kansas…
Read MoreIndyCar – Round 3: Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Preview
What: 39th Annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Where: Streets of Long Beach, California Who: Defending race winner Will Power of Verizon Team Penske looks to get back to his winning ways despite early season dominance by Andretti Autosport drivers Ryan Hunter-Reay and James Hinchcliffe. Scott Dixon of Target Chip Ganassi Racing leads the Honda charge along with impressive rookie Tristan Vautier and the much-improved Chip Ganassi Racing Teams driver, Charlie Kimball. When: 1:45pm Pacific Daylight Time (4:45 Eastern Daylight Time) on Sunday, April 21. Storylines Ryan Hunter-Reay is…
Read MoreEpisode 183 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast
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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadWe review the amazing weekend of open-wheel racing at Barber Motorsports Park, Doug gives a quick recap of the KCRSCCA’s first event of the year, Mike Shaw previews Rally Portugal, and Mike Whitesell previews the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix. Open Paddock – Monday, April 8th, 2013 Preview IndyCar – Barber wrap up and all the indycar news MRTI – ? Rally – wrc protugal preview F1 – China preview, mocking Mr. E IndyCar Barber Quali Race Results – Standings Next race – Long…
Read MoreEpisode 181 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast
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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadIt’s “We love Canada night” on Open Paddock! Hinch and Hargrove mount Canadian invasion in St. Pete. Kevin and Mike2 talk about the IndyCar season opener, the full gambit of Mazda Road to Indy races at St. Pete as well as the SCCA Pro Pirelli World Challenge. Mr. Whitesell leads us through the chaos that was the F1 Malasian GP, and Mr. Shaw closes out the show with all things rally. Sit back, crack open a ice cold Labatt Blue, and enjoy! Oh, and…
Read MoreEpisode 180 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast
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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadMike Whitesell takes the reins as Kevin is swept off to Oz by the tornados and gives us a review of F1’s season opener in Melbourne and a preview of IndyCar’s opener at St. Pete. Doug reviews the USF2000 season opener at Sebring, and Mr. Shaw points and laughs at us for starting our seasons so darn late as he recaps the week’s news from the world of rally.
Read MoreMRTI – St. Pete Preview and Schedule
This coming weekend represents the IZOD IndyCar Series’ and Firestone Indy Lights’ season opening event, although it will represent the second race weekend for both the Pro Mazda Series Presented by Cooper Tires and the Cooper Tires USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda. This will also be one of four weekends over the season in which all four INDYCAR-sanctioned series race at the same venue on the same weekend. Maybe call it four and a half with Indianapolis even though the USF2000 and Pro Mazda drivers will be at Lucas…
Read MoreInside the Helmet – Sage Karam
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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadIn this episode of “Inside The Helmet” we talk with Sage Karam, driver of the #8 Comfort Revolution Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Dallara in the Firestone Indy Lights series, about his move from Andretti Autosport to Schmidt Peterson Motorsports. We also discuss the upcoming 2013 Firestone Indy Lights season, his relationship with his former Star Mazda rivals and now teammates, and how to overcome the deficit of tracktime experience he and his teammates will face as compared to competitors such as Andretti Autosport’s Carlos Munoz…
Read MoreEpisode 179 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast
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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadWith rednecks revving their engines outside Mr. Neely’s hotel room and the soft, but ominous, purring of what sounds like a velociraptor every now and then in the background, we present Episode 179 of the OpenPaddock.net Podcast! Kevin Neely and our photographer Brian McKay report from Day 1 of the IndyCar pre-season open test at a very wet and soggy Barber Motorsports Park. Mike Shaw gives us a recap of this weekend’s WRC Rally Mexico in which Ken Block put in a surprising performance.…
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