Busy motorsports weekend from the oldest street circuit in the United States to the premier road course in the United States, the stars from two-wheel and four will be on display this weekend. First, we will start with Indianapolis 500 news.
Curt Cavin of the Indianapolis Star is eye-balling the possibility of 35 cars entering the Indianapolis 500 next month. Just thought I'd remind everyone I predicted 35 cars was possible two months ago but admitted it was very, very, very, very early and very, very, very, very optimistic to predict 35 cars would enter.
Of course a few of my original predictions (Dragon, Panther, 3rd RLLR) have been replaced (a possible 2nd Dreyer & Reinbold, Stefan Wilson's ride and a 2nd Carpenter).
Let's all get on the same page when it comes to the entry list. It includes the 23 cars entered this weekend for Long Beach, Martin Plowman (AJ Foyt Racing who will drive both Indianapolis races), Jacques Villeneuve (Schmidt Peterson), Alex Tagliani (Fisher Hartman), JR Hildebrand (Ed Carpenter), Kurt Busch (Andretti) and Buddy Lazier (Lazier). That's 29 entries with the one qualifier being the #18 Coyne Honda, being driven by Carlos Huertas at Long Beach likely featuring another driver on ovals (I predict it's Pippa Mann).
Townsend Bell and KV are that couple at the party that we all know are a couple but they keep denying they're a couple. That's 30.
Ganassi is pussyfooting running Sage Karam. If he does, that would be 31.
Stefan Wilson's ride intrigues me because the team's only description is it's Indianapolis-based, so not his brother Justin's team as Dale Coyne Racing is based in Illinois. I was thinking Fan Force United but they sold their DW12 chassis to Buddy Lazier last year. Still not sure who Stefan drives for but he would be 32.
Dreyer and Reinbold will have a car and James Jakes is the leading candidate. That's 33.
Here is where it gets interesting.
The second D&R isn't really a D&R. It's another team but that team will run out of the D&R shop and bought equipment from Panther Racing, who are now as good as dead and buried. Where to start speculating. Robby Gordon is a car owner and was reportedly interested in returning to Indianapolis. Could he be the individual? I don't know, throwing it at the wall thought.
EJ Viso was interviewed during IndyCar first practice today and was trying to make an IndyCar comeback, especially for the Indianapolis 500. Viso had Venezuelan money behind him and when he lost his ride with KV after the 2012 season, reports were out their he was looking to start his own team. Late last year, Marshall Pruett reported 8Star Motorsport owner, Venezuelan Enzo Potolicchio was interested in running the Indianapolis 500. Could this 2nd car of the D&R shop be Potolicchio making his attempt at Indianapolis?
Either way, that second car out of the D&R shop would be 34.
Finally Cavin lists a third Coyne, which I also saw as a possibility. That would be 35.
There were some rumors of Bryan Herta running a second car and likely for Luca Filippi. That would be 36 but Cavin said that ride likely won't happen.
I have decided to list drivers who could be considered for either the 2nd D&R and/or the 3rd Coyne and reasons why and why not they will be in a car come May.
Katherine Legge
Why: Made last minute appearance last year for Schmidt and put it in the field.
Why not: Out of sight, out of mind.
Jaques Lazier
Why: Been interested in reporting.
Why not: Been out of a car since 2010.
Buddy Rice
Why: Former Indianapolis 500 winner. Enough said.
Why not: Doesn't want to have to bring money for a ride and he is right for feeling that way.
Paul Tracy
Why: Gives him one, final shot and another Canadian to increase ratings North of the Border.
Why not: Been out of a car since 2011.
Bruno Junqueira
Why: Give him five practice laps and he will post one of the ten fastest times of the month.
Why not: Out of sight, out of mind and doesn't want to bring money.
Conor Daly
Why: Young man with speed who wants to race.
Why not: May be tied up with GP2 duty at Monaco.
Bryan Clauson
Why: Was quick in 2012 with Sarah Fisher.
Why not: Lack of funding and USAC guys don't get respect. Unfortunately.
Wade Cunningham
Why: Three-time Freedom 100 winner, always been quick at the Speedway.
Why not: Lack of funding.
Tristan Vautier
Why: Young driver with talent.
Why not: Lack of funding.
Luca Filippi
Why: Talented driver with speed.
Why not: Would likely only drive a 2nd BHA and lacks oval experience.
James Davison
Why: Young driver with talent.
Why not: Lack of funding and oval experience.
Tomas Scheckter
Why: Always quick and willing to make a move on the outside.
Why not: Been out of a car since 2011.
Alex Lloyd
Why: Quick in inferior equipment and success at Indianapolis.
Why not: Been out of a car since 2011.
Ana Beatriz
Why: Has run the last four years.
Why not: Average results, running Stock Car Brasil, out of sight, out of mind.
Peter Dempsey
Why: Indy Lights journeyman pulling together the funding for one shot at Indianapolis.
Why not: Not hearing much from him.
I got to admit, after listing these drivers, who is the sexy name? Sure, there are some names we'd like to see competing but the past race winners listed above have made a combined one start in the DW12 chassis (Junqueira subbing for Newgarden at Baltimore 2012). Filippi and Daly are the only drivers who could have realistic careers in IndyCar. Everyone else would be a one-off until they either move on or until the next group of drivers are relegated to the one-off only category. And dream one-offs of AJ Allmendinger and Sam Hornish, Jr. are just that, dreams. Maybe I will be surprised though. You never know.
Staying with IndyCar for a second. Only one and third race weekends into 2014 and the radio announce team of Paul Page and Pippa Mann works. My question is was Mike King and Davey Hamilton a package deal where one goes, so does the other? If so, why couldn't Marty Reid, Scott Goodyear and Eddie Cheever been a package deal? Maybe it's just because Page and Mann are a fresh change from the past but practice is covered with information that is pertinent while the last radio crew had a tendency to go on tangents and ignore the session.
Gene Haas' F1 Bid Accept
Businessman and NASCAR team owner Gene Haas has been granted a spot for his American team on the 2015 Formula One grid by the FIA.
Fool me once (USF1), shame on you. Fool me twice (Haas Racing Developments), shame on me.
I am a little gun-shy getting excited about this after what happened four years ago. I would like to see it happen but I will believe it when I see it. Not to mention the 8-ball Haas is behind. Look at Marussia and Caterham. Both have yet to score and are in their fifth season on the grid. Not to mention HRT closed their doors after three seasons. I still think Marussia and/or Caterham will finally break through for that elusive first point in 2014 but would Gene Haas accept waiting over four years to get results?
The good news is Haas isn't going to try and run this team out of the United States like USF1 was planning on doing and instead base the team in Italy. It doesn't make any sense to run a team in the States. Plenty of F1 teams are based in countries that different from the flag they fly. Most notably, Red Bull, the Austrian team based out of Milton Keynes. Force India is based in Silverstone. Caterham is the Malaysian team in Leafield and the Russian Marussia F1 is based in Banbury. Mercedes-Benz isn't even based in Germany rather Brackley, the former home of Japan's own Honda F1.
See? Nearly half the teams aren't based in the country they represent and to just go back to the not so distant past when Toyota F1 ran out of Cologne and Super Aguri was run out of Leafield.
As for the never-ending quest to get an American on the grid, the top two candidates are Alexander Rossi and Conor Daly. Does Haas run both? No. Does Haas run one? Hopefully. You need a veteran to help develop a car.
I'll be honest, there is part of me deep down that would like to say to Mr. Haas, "hey, for a fraction of the budget you could run a two-car IndyCar team with Chevrolet engines and give the likes of JR Hildebrand, Conor Daly, Bryan Clauson, Townsend Bell, Luca Filippi, Sam Bird and/or Martin Plowman a full-time ride." Of course the the allure of IndyCar isn't the same as F1. Just remember all that glisters is not gold.
MotoGP in Austin
Marc Márquez enters Austin as the points leader and is miles ahead of everyone. He was 0.887 seconds ahead of Forward Racing Aleix Espargaró in first practice and 1.005 seconds ahead of Andrea Dovizioso in second practice. Márquez's Honda teammate Dani Pedrosa was third in second practice with Italians Andrea Iannone and Valentino Rossi rounding out the top five.
The big news of the weekend was Colin Edwards announcing he will retire at the end of 2014. The Texan won two Superbike World Championships before moving toe MotoGP in 2003. Unfortunately, Edwards never found the top step of the podium in MotoGP and likely never will barring an upset of a lifetime. He was always a fun guy to watch and all good things must come to an end. He was 16th in second practice. 3.390 seconds back of Márquez. Fellow American Nicky Hayden was 14th, 2.698 seconds back.
There aren't many Americans in the pipeline on their way to MotoGP. Ben Spies retired after his body got torn up. Edwards is retiring and Nicky Hayden isn't getting any younger or shots on factory bikes.
Josh Herrin is in Moto2. Maybe we should give him more time to develop. He's only 23. He was 30th fastest out of 34 bikes in Moto2 practice. Once again, maybe we should give him time to adjust but who is that rider coming out of AMA?
AMA is holding on for dear life. AMA Superbike is down to six race weekends and their next race isn't until May 30-June 1 at Road America. They opened the season at Daytona a month ago. Cameron Beaubier is 21. Chris Clark is 22 and there are teenagers Jakes Lewis and Garrett Gerloff in Daytona Superbike. Maybe they are the future and we don't even know it yet.
What really doesn't make sense to me is, why isn't AMA running as an undercard to MotoGP at Austin like they were at Laguna Seca? The same can be said for Indianapolis. AMA has shrunk considerably since Daytona Motorsports Group took over in 2009 and that trend has to be reversed.
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