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…
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Episode 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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IndyCar – The Texas Two-Step: Cool, Gimmick, or Both?
Last night, sandwiched between two lengthy NASCAR announcements, Texas Motor Speedway President and promoter extraordinaire Eddie Gossage announced plans for the 2011 IndyCar event at his facility in Dent County, TX. The good news is that Texas will again be the first event after the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race but with a week break between them. This is a much needed break for both the teams and the fans as the Month of May as exciting and enjoyable as it is, is also very exhausting. The questionable aspect of the…
Read MoreFan Guides – OpenPaddock Needs YOU!
Over the coming weeks and months as our various motorsport series wind down and take the winter off, we thought it would be a good time to start getting ready for the 2011 season. Trying to be true to our moto “For the fans, by the fans” we thought we’d put some effort into developing a set of fan guides for the various venues and events that we attend and cover. Certainly, three hacks from the Midwest can’t cover it all, though, so we need your help. If you have…
Read MoreIndyCar – Welcome Back, Mr. Cotman
This past weekend, the Indy Racing League officially hired Tony Cotman to be the league’s technical director in charge of developing all of the rules and regulations pertaining to the construction and operation of the new chassis and engine packages for 2012. It’s certainly not a new role for him. He was Vice-President of Operations of the Champ Car World Series where he oversaw the development and production of the extremely competitive and cost-effective Panoz DP-01 chassis. Can he do the same thing here in the Indy Racing League? Probably,…
Read MoreOpEd – Lessons Learned: Attending a Race at Mid-Ohio
This year was my third year attending the ALMS and IndyCar races at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, and for the third year in a row I had a blast. Each year, I’ve picked up a little bit more insight about how to attend, what to avoid and what to enjoy. This year, it was a little different for me in that in addition to a spectator ticket I also had a photo badge which gave me great access to the track and the pits, but it also limited my…
Read MoreMid-Ohio Weekend Review – Openpaddock.net Podcast
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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadA day early on this one as we welcome Mike back to the fray. We take a look back at the weekend that was Mid-Ohio. We talk IZOD IndyCar as well as ALMS. We tell the haters to shut up as well. Thankfully there is not much in the realm of F1 to talk about but there is some rally. We talk potential of Saab as well as Sordo splitting with his co-driver. So sit back with your favorite beverage and enjoy the show!
Read MoreIndyCar – Kansas Gets 2nd Cup Date, IndyCar Certainly Out
Well, its officially official. The Kansas Speedway has been approved for a second NASCAR Sprint Cup race for 2011. In addition to their early October date, the Kansas Speedway will also feature a race the first week of June. Its not official that Kansas is off the 2011 IndyCar schedule, but this announcement really makes it unlikely that open-wheel racing will return to Kansas City any time soon. Kansas Speedway and International Speedway Corporation (ISC) announced today that NASCAR has approved ISC’s request for realignment and beginning in 2011, Kansas…
Read MoreIndyCar – Photos from the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Here are some of the better pics from this weekend’s Firestone Indy Lights and IZOD IndyCar Series events at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. I ended up with a TON of pics from the weekend, and these are just the ones that I picked out after a first cursory glance. Keep checking our photo gallery throughout the rest of the year, and especially during the off-season. One of the things that keeps me going through the winter is going back through my photo archives and searching for images I missed…
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