In the span of one Q and A session (2-28-08) on PantherRacing.com the following gems were tossed out for consumption:
-In no particular order of preposterousness-
The team has a standing offer to Dale Earnhardt Jr. for him to run a car in the Indy 500.
If you don't like the coverage (or lack thereof) the team gets in the local media, feel free to email the Indy Star's Curt Cavin @ curt.cavin@indystar.com to voice complaints.
And finally, in response to the obligatory Paul Tracy is now available question: "you never know what could happen."
February 28th kind of covered a lot of bases.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Allmendinger, rideless?
Let the "A.J. Allmendinger makes a triumphant return to a unified open wheel series" rumors begin. According to a sentence in the Indy Star, Allmendinger could be parked by Red Bull Racing after going 0-fer in making the first three Sprint Cup events of the year. Maybe A.J. should try to hook up with his former karting boss Paul Tracy to start their own IRL program. But only if A.J. brings back his fade-cut.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Varsha gets lost
Don't get us wrong here, Ridebuyer loves Bob Varsha. His F1 play-by-play is truly something to behold. His motorsports knowledge is vast and his enthusiasm for the sport shows through. Which is why this clip is all the more awesome. Things start to go wrong for Varshy at the 1:03 mark.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Bourdais states the obvious; Andretti calls Tracy old
American open-wheel ex-pat Sebastien Bourdais points out that the transition for former Champ Car teams to the newly merged IRL Indy Car series will be difficult.
“We had all been waiting for it for a long time, but obviously didn’t expect it 30 days before the start of a season,” he declared. “It’s not a merger, it’s the death of Champ Car and the IRL taking over—the schedules, cars, everything. It’s the cars (the IRL teams) have been running around with for five years, so what are the Champ Car teams going to be able to do? Nothing.
“They had no time to prepare over the winter, because the winter is over. It’s a disaster for Champ Car teams, obviously.”
"I wasn't surprised," Andretti said. "I assumed that (Forsythe not
fielding an IRL team) was going to happen. It was just a gut feel. He's a proud man. There has to be a reason he was doing the things he was doing (in Champ Car), and I just didn't see him caving in to come over here."
“We had all been waiting for it for a long time, but obviously didn’t expect it 30 days before the start of a season,” he declared. “It’s not a merger, it’s the death of Champ Car and the IRL taking over—the schedules, cars, everything. It’s the cars (the IRL teams) have been running around with for five years, so what are the Champ Car teams going to be able to do? Nothing.
“They had no time to prepare over the winter, because the winter is over. It’s a disaster for Champ Car teams, obviously.”
Stop the presses, Sebastien. You mean this was not the most equitable of deals for Champ Car teams? That is like saying Scuderia Toro Rosso will not be the class of F1 this year.
-Also-
Michael Andretti manages to toss a few barbs at former-rival (and now ride less, Paul Tracy). Upon hearing the news that Tracy's Champ Car ride has hit the bricks, Andretti says he knew it all along:
"I wasn't surprised," Andretti said. "I assumed that (Forsythe not
fielding an IRL team) was going to happen. It was just a gut feel. He's a proud man. There has to be a reason he was doing the things he was doing (in Champ Car), and I just didn't see him caving in to come over here."
Andretti also quickly discarded the thought that Tracy may windup in a race seat with Andretti-Green.
"Paul is great and all, but he doesn't have any experience in these cars and he's getting a little old," Andretti said."We're looking at 19- and 20-year olds, and he's almost 40..."
Andretti twists the knife one last time by saying Tracy would be a great fit with Tony George's habitually mediocre Vision Racing. Wherever Tracy winds up, he will be in the IRL this season, and will be waiting for Andretti in the parking lot after the Homestead race. Ding...round one.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
UAW-Dodge 400 preview
Each week Ridebuyer delves deep into the misunderstood, oft terrifying, world of American saloon-car racing known as NASCAR. This week: Las Vegas.
Fear and loathing on an intermediate track
TV: Fox 3:30pm EST
Location: Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Las Vegas, NV)
Distance: 400 miles/267 laps
2007 Vegas winner: J. Johnson
Location: Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Las Vegas, NV)
Distance: 400 miles/267 laps
2007 Vegas winner: J. Johnson
*What to know:
People who screw up on the Strip find themselves baking in grandstands overlooking a race track in the middle of a barren desert wasteland. You are one of these people. Your eventful Sin City Saturday has ended, and you haven’t the faintest clue as to how you arrived at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. You are rather confidant it is no longer Saturday, yet pinning yourself to a specific date to indicate otherwise is impossible. Here is how things transpired:
Your last cognizant thought took place 30-hours previous. You were outside of O’Sheas Casino (across from the Bellagio) on the Strip. It was you, one of the Baldwin brothers (Billy, you think), and two strippers from the Crazy Horse. You were drinking those cocktails that Puerto Ricans sell on the city side streets (you know the ones… they are sold by the foot). You are also thoroughly twasted on a homemade methamphetamine-barbiturate combo that Baldw
in brewed in his suite at the Luxor. This was some potent shit, you recall. More memories begin to saunter back into your conscience as you fade in- and -out whilst perched in the stands overlooking turn one. Lost money, at least five-grand you think, and the frightening realization that the probability of a contracted variety of venereal-related diseases is astronomical (Certainly from the Crazy Horse girls… But, Baldwin? Well, only perhaps).
It is the sun that makes you come to your senses, although you wonder why the oppressive noise didn’t wake you hours earlier. You know you are alone (this you can see), it is loud and unbearably hot. The strippers are nowhere to be found, and at this point you’d be a fool to believe Baldwin is still alive. It hits you like a dump truck: you are at a NASCAR race. Fuck this.
The stands at Sunday’s UAW-Dodge 400 will be packed full of people dealing with the same (or at the very least similar) situations. Fans who find themselves in this quandary should by all means not attempt to fight the situation. No, just relax. Let the booze and drugs work their natural courses and try to enjoy the race.
*Who to watch:
Jimmie Johnson: The defending points champ (2X) has won this race for three consecutive years. The Hendrick team knows what to expect at 1.5 mile tracks. There is no reason to think Johnson can’t make it four in a row.
Kyle Busch: the Toyota cars will show much speed. Busch is a local guy as well. Don’t discount the home field advantage, he is the best bet to debunk Johnson’s streak. He is also the series point’s leader (two top five finishes in both of this season’s races).
Carl Edwards: Coming off of a victory last weekend, Edwards doesn’t need an excuse to finish at the top. He also is pretty sorted at 1.5 mile tracks. Roush has won at Vegas in the past (Kenseth, twice). Don’t put stock in the fact the average finish for Edwards at Vegas is 15.3. It’s called an outlier, fucker.
Matt Kenseth: The last man to win a Cup race at Las Vegas whose name wasn’t Jimmie Johnson? Matt Kenseth. He went back- to- back in 03 and 04. His average finish is 7.6. That is not an outlier, fucker.
For the fans going to the track on purpose:
Here is all your tailgating information. Just to let you know, by tailgating in a parking lot at a NASCAR event, you are perpetuating all sorts of stereotypes. That’s just a heads-up. Also note, you cannot bring booze into the track (in a town where you can drink on the sidewalks and have two midgets blow a donkey for a $100 Monte Carlo chip, do you find it odd that you can’t BYO into a bloody NASCAR race? Me too). Oh, and the answer is yes… you can get married at the track.
Series Points to date:
Kyle Busch
Ryan Newman
Tony Stewart
Kurt Busch
Carl Edwards
Kasey Kahne
Kevin Harvick
Jimmie Johnson
Greg Biffle
Jeff Burton
Brian Vickers
Martin Truex Jr.
Next Race, Hotlanta.
People who screw up on the Strip find themselves baking in grandstands overlooking a race track in the middle of a barren desert wasteland. You are one of these people. Your eventful Sin City Saturday has ended, and you haven’t the faintest clue as to how you arrived at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. You are rather confidant it is no longer Saturday, yet pinning yourself to a specific date to indicate otherwise is impossible. Here is how things transpired:
Your last cognizant thought took place 30-hours previous. You were outside of O’Sheas Casino (across from the Bellagio) on the Strip. It was you, one of the Baldwin brothers (Billy, you think), and two strippers from the Crazy Horse. You were drinking those cocktails that Puerto Ricans sell on the city side streets (you know the ones… they are sold by the foot). You are also thoroughly twasted on a homemade methamphetamine-barbiturate combo that Baldw
in brewed in his suite at the Luxor. This was some potent shit, you recall. More memories begin to saunter back into your conscience as you fade in- and -out whilst perched in the stands overlooking turn one. Lost money, at least five-grand you think, and the frightening realization that the probability of a contracted variety of venereal-related diseases is astronomical (Certainly from the Crazy Horse girls… But, Baldwin? Well, only perhaps).It is the sun that makes you come to your senses, although you wonder why the oppressive noise didn’t wake you hours earlier. You know you are alone (this you can see), it is loud and unbearably hot. The strippers are nowhere to be found, and at this point you’d be a fool to believe Baldwin is still alive. It hits you like a dump truck: you are at a NASCAR race. Fuck this.
The stands at Sunday’s UAW-Dodge 400 will be packed full of people dealing with the same (or at the very least similar) situations. Fans who find themselves in this quandary should by all means not attempt to fight the situation. No, just relax. Let the booze and drugs work their natural courses and try to enjoy the race.
*Who to watch:
Jimmie Johnson: The defending points champ (2X) has won this race for three consecutive years. The Hendrick team knows what to expect at 1.5 mile tracks. There is no reason to think Johnson can’t make it four in a row.
Kyle Busch: the Toyota cars will show much speed. Busch is a local guy as well. Don’t discount the home field advantage, he is the best bet to debunk Johnson’s streak. He is also the series point’s leader (two top five finishes in both of this season’s races).
Carl Edwards: Coming off of a victory last weekend, Edwards doesn’t need an excuse to finish at the top. He also is pretty sorted at 1.5 mile tracks. Roush has won at Vegas in the past (Kenseth, twice). Don’t put stock in the fact the average finish for Edwards at Vegas is 15.3. It’s called an outlier, fucker.
Matt Kenseth: The last man to win a Cup race at Las Vegas whose name wasn’t Jimmie Johnson? Matt Kenseth. He went back- to- back in 03 and 04. His average finish is 7.6. That is not an outlier, fucker.
For the fans going to the track on purpose:
Here is all your tailgating information. Just to let you know, by tailgating in a parking lot at a NASCAR event, you are perpetuating all sorts of stereotypes. That’s just a heads-up. Also note, you cannot bring booze into the track (in a town where you can drink on the sidewalks and have two midgets blow a donkey for a $100 Monte Carlo chip, do you find it odd that you can’t BYO into a bloody NASCAR race? Me too). Oh, and the answer is yes… you can get married at the track.
Series Points to date:
Kyle Busch
Ryan Newman
Tony Stewart
Kurt Busch
Carl Edwards
Kasey Kahne
Kevin Harvick
Jimmie Johnson
Greg Biffle
Jeff Burton
Brian Vickers
Martin Truex Jr.
Next Race, Hotlanta.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Looking beyond the merge... from stupid to awesome
The 2008 IRL season will be weird. From a competition standpoint, it may very well suck. Think of it as a means to an end. Champ Car ex-patriots will struggle mightily to get up to speed with the IRL’s engine and chassis package. Only two former Champ Car teams (still just rumored to be making the switch) have the funding, resources and personnel to be competitive against the likes of Penske, Ganassi and Andretti-Green this season. Newman/Hass/Lanigan and Forsythe are capable of top-five finishes on both road courses and ovals, and will prove such as the season kicks-off next month. I doubt either team will win a race on sheer speed alone, instead may be backdooring a victory with fuel strategy or the like. But, still a huge longshot. Aside from those two outfits, don’t expect the Champ Car refugees to set the world on fire. PKV will show flashes of speed with Oriol Servia , but that will about do it. The rest of the Champ Car ex-pats will have to claw with Marty Roth Racing for also ran status.
It will not be an easy thing to watch for those that thought the Champ Car of the last three or so years was home to the greatest teams and drivers in American open-wheel racing. Some truly poor souls will be so distraught with this new development they will refuse to watch the newly restored series. These folks will focus on F1 or sports car racing and never look back. One should feel no pity for these exclusionists; they are the same people who voted for Ross Perot because he “made the most sense.” Blind faith and tunnel vision are two alarming qualities that should be coveted by none.
Only the ignorant will argue that this reunion was not completely necessary for single-seat racing in this country to have any hope of becoming relevant or even sustainable in the years to come. With that said, (and true of any project retarded by procrastination) the devouring of Champ Car by the IRL will have short term outcomes that span from “good,” to “damn,” to “what the hell is this?”
If the published reports are true, Motegi and Long Beach will happen as scheduled. Two races, two different specs of car competing, both races awarding IRL points. This will fall under the “what the hell is this?” category. This will surely not be the only time this season the strange becomes commonplace in the new-IRL.
Next week's press conference will shed light on further such scenarios. But, all can be forgiven in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. If nothing else this merge should be seen as a last-ditch effort to save the 500. The highs and lows will be forgotten and a great event will make up for any flubs between now and then.
Make no mistake, this year will be one for Ripley's, making many scratch their heads. The sooner this season comes to an end, the quicker the next will start and the improvements made to the schedule, spec and overall future of the sport will be in place. Give it time, the best is yet to come.
It will not be an easy thing to watch for those that thought the Champ Car of the last three or so years was home to the greatest teams and drivers in American open-wheel racing. Some truly poor souls will be so distraught with this new development they will refuse to watch the newly restored series. These folks will focus on F1 or sports car racing and never look back. One should feel no pity for these exclusionists; they are the same people who voted for Ross Perot because he “made the most sense.” Blind faith and tunnel vision are two alarming qualities that should be coveted by none.
Only the ignorant will argue that this reunion was not completely necessary for single-seat racing in this country to have any hope of becoming relevant or even sustainable in the years to come. With that said, (and true of any project retarded by procrastination) the devouring of Champ Car by the IRL will have short term outcomes that span from “good,” to “damn,” to “what the hell is this?”
If the published reports are true, Motegi and Long Beach will happen as scheduled. Two races, two different specs of car competing, both races awarding IRL points. This will fall under the “what the hell is this?” category. This will surely not be the only time this season the strange becomes commonplace in the new-IRL.
Next week's press conference will shed light on further such scenarios. But, all can be forgiven in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. If nothing else this merge should be seen as a last-ditch effort to save the 500. The highs and lows will be forgotten and a great event will make up for any flubs between now and then.
Make no mistake, this year will be one for Ripley's, making many scratch their heads. The sooner this season comes to an end, the quicker the next will start and the improvements made to the schedule, spec and overall future of the sport will be in place. Give it time, the best is yet to come.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Auto Club 500 preview
Each week Ridebuyer delves deep into the misunderstood, oft terrifying, world of American saloon-car racing known as NASCAR. This week: California.
Boogity, boogity, boogity, lets go drinking
TV: Fox 3:30pm EST
Location: California Speedway (Fontana, CA)
Distance: 500 miles/250 laps
2007 CA winners: M. Kenseth (early race); J. Johnson (late race).
*What to know:
Historically NASCAR’s trip to SoCal usually transpires in one of two ways. The race is either wrought with three-wide, fender-banging, hockey on pavement action (real Days of Thunder shit), or is a single file, follow-the-leader, sleepy hollow, snooze fest (real 4th of July parade in Paducah, Kentucky shit). Watching 500 miles of the latter will test the will of the most hardcore, leather-assed, Dixie-whistling Gomer this side of Concord. Watching 500 miles of the former will cause the super speedway to resemble a screenshot from Death Race 2000. Destruction and mayhem will flow from the coast, the blood only tapering as it reaches the foothills of Chino. In short, neither option is terribly appealing for those looking for to kill their Sunday afternoon/evening couch-side.
No, the sporting fan should hope for a race that draws from a happy medium… Bursts of three-wide with sensible motoring betwixt. The Fontana track has the width to let the pack fan into three and four-wide, but the relatively flat banking in the corners should keep the bedlam in check.
*Who to watch:
Kyle Busch: Kurt’s brother has won at Fontana before and is looking to avenge a Daytona race where he had the fastest car all day yet still avoided victory lane.
Matt Kenseth: Won this event last year, and Roush-Fenway also has speed at Fontana (and the nearly identical Michigan track).
Jimmie Johnson: The two-time defending champ will rebound from the brutal-bastard showing that was his Daytona 500.
*Wild Cards:
Robby Gordon: Hometown guy, coming off a great finish at Daytona. Also, don’t discount his desire to shit on the dinner plate of NASCAR for their (most) recent penalty against the owner/driver.
Casey Mears: Another Homer. Watch him for no particular reason (other than the fact he has the same equipment as Jimmie Johnson and co.)
*What to do instead of watching a 4+-hour stockcar race:
-Shovel your driveway:
There is no reason to pay the Sullivan kid down the street to do it. He uses the cash to buy pot, you know?
-Empty the grease catch on your Foreman Grill:
That thing took a beating from Saturday’s pork chop special. Christ.
-Watch CNBC for episodes of “Mad Money with Jim Cramer”:
One word, “plastics.” Oh, and another, “ diversify.”
-Edit Match.com profile:
No explanation needed.
*For those going to the race:
Here are the guidelines for your pre-race celebrations. What will you fill your clear-plastic bags with?
*For those thinking about going to the race:
You live in LA for christsakes. There is plenty of bump drafting to be seen on the 405. And who needs Tony Stewart v. Kurt Busch? You have the Crips v. Bloods. Stay at home, listen to Sublime, and re-truck your skateboard or do whatever fucking Californians do. Wouldn’t you rather go on star tour anyway?
Next race: Vegas, baby.
TV: Fox 3:30pm EST
Location: California Speedway (Fontana, CA)
Distance: 500 miles/250 laps
2007 CA winners: M. Kenseth (early race); J. Johnson (late race).
*What to know:
Historically NASCAR’s trip to SoCal usually transpires in one of two ways. The race is either wrought with three-wide, fender-banging, hockey on pavement action (real Days of Thunder shit), or is a single file, follow-the-leader, sleepy hollow, snooze fest (real 4th of July parade in Paducah, Kentucky shit). Watching 500 miles of the latter will test the will of the most hardcore, leather-assed, Dixie-whistling Gomer this side of Concord. Watching 500 miles of the former will cause the super speedway to resemble a screenshot from Death Race 2000. Destruction and mayhem will flow from the coast, the blood only tapering as it reaches the foothills of Chino. In short, neither option is terribly appealing for those looking for to kill their Sunday afternoon/evening couch-side.
No, the sporting fan should hope for a race that draws from a happy medium… Bursts of three-wide with sensible motoring betwixt. The Fontana track has the width to let the pack fan into three and four-wide, but the relatively flat banking in the corners should keep the bedlam in check.
*Who to watch:
Kyle Busch: Kurt’s brother has won at Fontana before and is looking to avenge a Daytona race where he had the fastest car all day yet still avoided victory lane.
Matt Kenseth: Won this event last year, and Roush-Fenway also has speed at Fontana (and the nearly identical Michigan track).
Jimmie Johnson: The two-time defending champ will rebound from the brutal-bastard showing that was his Daytona 500.
*Wild Cards:
Robby Gordon: Hometown guy, coming off a great finish at Daytona. Also, don’t discount his desire to shit on the dinner plate of NASCAR for their (most) recent penalty against the owner/driver.
Casey Mears: Another Homer. Watch him for no particular reason (other than the fact he has the same equipment as Jimmie Johnson and co.)
*What to do instead of watching a 4+-hour stockcar race:
-Shovel your driveway:
There is no reason to pay the Sullivan kid down the street to do it. He uses the cash to buy pot, you know?
-Empty the grease catch on your Foreman Grill:
That thing took a beating from Saturday’s pork chop special. Christ.
-Watch CNBC for episodes of “Mad Money with Jim Cramer”:
One word, “plastics.” Oh, and another, “ diversify.”
-Edit Match.com profile:
No explanation needed.
*For those going to the race:
Here are the guidelines for your pre-race celebrations. What will you fill your clear-plastic bags with?
*For those thinking about going to the race:
You live in LA for christsakes. There is plenty of bump drafting to be seen on the 405. And who needs Tony Stewart v. Kurt Busch? You have the Crips v. Bloods. Stay at home, listen to Sublime, and re-truck your skateboard or do whatever fucking Californians do. Wouldn’t you rather go on star tour anyway?
Next race: Vegas, baby.
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