Rumors and reports have surfaced that show Subaru may be keen to return home in the WRC. The Japanese rally icon has been absent for the last few years after the economic downturn forced many companies to halt motorsport operations to ensure financial security. Subaru was one such brand that chose to withdraw its machine due to what some called financial issues and what others called lack of competitiveness. It is no secret that Subaru looked really really bad towards the end of their time in WRC. However, now it…
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Rally – 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The MINI WRC team has withdrawn their car driven by Kris Meeke for Rally Estonia.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!
Read MoreINDYCAR – AFS/Schmidt Driver Speculation
It was announced today via IndyCar.com that Sam Schmidt had secured AFS as a primary sponsor for a second full time car in the IZOD IndyCar Series. There have been a number of names tossed around looking for a full time effort, so let the speculation begin! Here are a few people with a shot at the ride as well as our pick for the second seat. Katherine Legge: Former Champ Car/DTM driver Katherine Legge has been mentioned a few times this year already in her search for a ride.…
Read MoreINDYCAR – California Dreamin
All the leaves are brown and the sky is gray when it comes to INDYCAR and the ISC. The bridges have been damaged but not completely burned as many of the ISC tracks found their way off of the 2011 IZOD IndyCar schedule. However, a little ray of California sunshine has perhaps given us an opportunity to repair some of the damage and the dream of having a more robust calendar and better ISC relationship going forward. The Auto Club Speedway and INDYCAR announced on Tuesday that a night race would…
Read MoreEpisode 95 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast
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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadJoin Shaun, Mike, and Doug as we take a look at the week in motorsport. We talk Valencia (sorta) and all of the news from Formula 1. Pikes Peak and Climb to the Clouds went off here in the States and we talk Ypres and the IRC. A race recap for the IICS at Iowa along with the usual Mazda Road to Indy and some spirited debate on Simona as well as an Iowa double header (terrible idea).
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