Feel free to slot this under “what the hell are they thinking”, but it appears through some reporting out of England that Lotus may be set to go rally. I should say ahead of time that I don’t see this happening whatsoever. The level of involvement Lotus has put forth in GT/Le Mans/INDYCAR makes sense. The British company has a circuit racing pedigree with their tiny and very nimble cars. Taking them off road onto the gravel is a business era of mammoth proportions in my mind. Stick to what…
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Episode 98 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast
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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadJoin Shaun and Mike this week as they talk everything motorsport. We recap the German Grand Prix as well as Edmonton. Are we harsh this week like we were with the Toronto show? We also prepare for Rally Finland and the high speed/crest a plenty event as Ford looks to rebound and assert themselves back into the title hunt. As always, sit back and enjoy the show….Episode 99 next week….
Read MoreINDYCAR – $5Million Contenders…So Far
It looks like Randy Bernard has achieved a portion of what he has set out to do with the Las Vegas $5 Million challenge this fall. The aim was to bring in some big names from outside of INDYCAR to compete against the sport’s best for a shot at a big payoff. Travis Pastrana has thrown his name in the hat as has BMW Le Mans ace Joey Hand. So we have a Rally/NASCAR/action sports icon and an ALMS star that has been untouchable thus far in 2011. While the…
Read MoreEpisode 97 – OpenPaddock.net podcast
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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadJoin Shaun and Doug as they recap this past weekend’s rally action as well as rumors surrounding Subaru and the WRX. Doug has all of the Firestone Indy Lights news from the week as well as a look ahead to Edmonton. We cover Foyt and Honda as well as who else will pick what. As always, sit back and enjoy the show!
Read MoreRally – L’Estage Wins New England Forest Rally
From: RallyCar – NEWRY, ME (July 17, 2011) — One of the most spectacular seasons in Rally America Championship history came to an end at the New England Forest Rally with Antoine L’Estage and co-driver Nathalie Richard atop of the NEFR podium for the second consecutive year. The privateer Rockstar Rally Team took the lead from the start and held it for the entire duration of the event, winning eight of the eleven special stages. L’Estage finished 48 seconds ahead of Subaru Rally Team USA driver David Higgins. Higgins and…
Read MoreRally – MINI Withdraws from Estonia
The MINI WRC team has withdrawn their car driven by Kris Meeke for Rally Estonia. While not a World Rally event, the national rally will be used as a test bed for some teams heading into the legendary round in Finland. The entry list has a lot of talent as Markko Martin looks to defend last year’s title. Mads Ostberg will also be participating in a Ford Fiesta WRC. The team was forced to withdraw the entry after a testing crash caused severe damage to the John Cooper works machine.…
Read MoreEpisode 96 – Openpaddock.net Podcast
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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadJoin the crew for a heated discussion on all things Toronto. Needless to say this cast is rated T for teen given some rather strong language. Shaun and Mike strongly disagree with the Dario/Power situation. Shaun calls out Will Power for being a crybaby but explains he is frustrated that Penske does all he can to lose himself the title (that is the context…save the hate mail). Doug talks Mazda Road to Indy and we also get into the British Grand Prix. Sit back…
Read MoreF1 – Mercedes GP Losing in Development
The signs at the end of winter testing all seemed positive. Both Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg were topping the time sheets as it looked like Mercedes GP had finally found its rhythm. Once the season began in Australia however, it all came apart at the axle. While many could imagine that Red Bull would be the car to beat, you would have to think that Mercedes would at least be able to challenge Ferrari or McLaren at some point. We are now half way through the season and that…
Read MoreINDYCAR – Toronto Street Fight
This weekend marked the first of two Canadian rounds on the championship as the IZOD IndyCar Series traveled to the streets of Toronto. The circuit has always been known for passionate fans and chaotic races that usually end with a decent attrition rate. Well this weekend went over the top as all hell broke loose Sunday afternoon. Not only did Dario further his title lead, but a lot of drivers let their feelings hang out more than usual and that has fans buzzing. While I would love to do a…
Read MoreInside the Helmet – Martin Plowman
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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadWe sit and chat for a moment with Martin Plowman who just signed on with AFS/Sam Schmidt for the remainder of the road courses this season!
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