So today, Curt Cavin broke the news on Twitter, and the press release from IndyCar followed not too long after, that the new chassis that we’d been expecting in 2014 will have to wait a little while longer. The current chassis and engine spec was originally laid out in 2002 when the series was reincarnated as the Menard’s Infinity Pro Series after the CART version of Indy Lights terminated at the end of the 2001 season. The series at the time was designed to provide a platform to develop drivers…
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IndyLights – Does the Signing of Gabby Chaves Cinch the Title for SPM?
That giant groan of despair that you heard was the rest of the Firestone Indy Lights grid finding out that they’re all just competing for 2nd in the championship this year as Schmidt Peterson Motorsports (SPM) signs Gabby Chaves to join his formal Star Mazda rival Jack Hawksworth for 2013. With Chaves and Hawksworth as teammates on the outfit that has won six Indy Lights championships, more than any other team, including winning the championship for the past three years running, the rest of the field is looking at pretty…
Read MoreEpisode 175 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast
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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadThe whole crew, save for Shaun as we await his safe return from deployment, are on this episode of the OpenPaddock.net Podcast. Mike Shaw recaps the amazing Rally Sweden and the dominance Sebastian Ogier in his new Volkswagen Polo, and one of the best photos ever in the history of the WRC (of course it’s of Petter). Kevin Neely and Mike Whitesell share their opinions on the latest news from IndyCar, including the proposed tax incentive the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is seeking from the…
Read MoreIndycar-Mugello added to schedule
The website for the Mugello Circuit in Mugello, Italy confirms a much rumored date for the IZOD Indycar Series has indeed come to fruition. It appears that American Open Wheel Racing returns to Europe for the first time in a number of years on September 15. There are currently no other details available. Keep checking back with us at OpenPaddock.net for more details as they become available. Information on the Mugello Circuit is available on their website, Mugellocircuit.it
Read MoreMRTI – USF2000 and ProMazda Get A New Driver Coach
The first two steps on the Mazda Road to Indy now have a new driver coach, Joel Miller. Joel has been involved open-wheel racing since 2004 when he moved from karts to the Pacific F2000 series. In 2008 and 2009, Joel raced with JDC Motorsports in Star Mazda, finishing in 2nd and 5th in the championship, respectively. He moved up to drive part-time in the Firestone Indy Lights series in 2010 for Andersen Racing and in 2011 for Team E Racing. Needless to say, he knows the cars the young…
Read MoreEpisode 174 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast
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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadKevin Neely, Mike Shaw, and Doug Patterson review the week’s news in IndyCar, the Mazda Road to Indy, Rally, and Formula 1. Kevin keeps trying to throw AMA Supercross into the mix, but so far he’s not found much traction. The USF2000 Winterfest has started! Doug leads us through Tuesday’s activities and looks at the results as a foreshadowing of how the regular season will shape up. Kevin leads us through the silly season news in IndyCar and how Jay Penske may have pissed…
Read MoreUSF2000 – Winterfest Sebring Wrap-up
The racing season is upon us! The Cooper Tires USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda ran the first three races of it’s six-race Winterfest series at Sebring International Raceway this past Tuesday and Wednesday. On Tuesday, twenty-two new and returning drivers to USF2000 took to the famously bumpy Sebring circuit for a morning practice, an early afternoon qualifying, and a late afternoon race. Races 2 and 3 were held on Wednesday following an early morning warm-up session USF2000 Winterfest – Tuesday Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing looked strong right…
Read MoreIndycar-Silly Season 2013 Update
For once, the lineup for the IZOD Indycar Season seems to be pretty much set well before the first race. Usually we find teams scrambling around just prior to the green flag in St. Pete looking for drivers with funding to fill out the field. This year, there have already been plenty of lineup announcements with only a handful of possible seats remaining. Here’s how things currently shape up. Team Penske Helio Castroneves and Will Power are both confirmed for the 2013 season for all events. Penske filed an application…
Read MoreEpisode 173 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast
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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadIn this week’s OpenPaddock.net Podcast, Kevin, Mike, and Mike recap an exciting Rolex 24 at Daytona and the opening round of the Rally America National Championship, the Sno*Drift Rally. They also go through the week’s news in Formula One and IndyCar including a look at the recently released 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series rule book. If you haven’t done so already, be sure to like us on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/OpenPaddock, and follow us on Twitter, http://www.twitter.com/OpenPaddock, for a chance to win some sweet swag from MAZDASPEED…
Read MoreEpisode 172 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast
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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadIt’s rally time!! Mike Shaw takes us through a recap of the opening round of the World Rally Championship, the legendary Monte Carlo Rally, and gives us a preview of the opening round of the Rally America series, the always slippery Sno*Drift Rally. Kevin, Doug, and Mike Whitesell finish out the show with news from Formula 1, IndyCar and a brief look at the upcoming 24hrs of Daytona. We’re also giving more stuff away this week! To one of our Twitter followers, we will…
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