A few days have past since Randy Bernard was let go by the board. And I still feel he got the shaft, he was wrongly fired by the board and people crucified him too quickly.
From reading Marshall Pruett's article, those within IndyCar viewed him as an outsider and after a minor hiccups, were ready to throw him overboard.
All the positive things done by Bernard are being scrutinized for not being picture perfect.
For example: We got new cars... but we wanted this new car.
We got turbocharged engines... but we don't Honda is getting special treatment.
We are looking to lower the tire bill for the teams... but it has to be Firestone.
I do think the decision about the new car should have been handled differently.
As for Honda's special treatment, Chevrolet won nine of the thirteen race after allowing Honda the larger cool air inlet, not to forget mentioning winning the manufacturer's championship, driver's championship and having seven of the top ten drivers in the final driver's table. What was the problem in the end?
As for the lower tire bill. Yes, Firestone has a great safety record, but the company originally did not plan on supplying tires for 2012, then worked out a deal for 2012 and 2013 with an increase in the tire prices. There are plenty of tire companies out their with fine history of safety. The teams backlash at the series looking for a substitute for Firestone is a conservative fear about potential tire failures. Yes, it is nice not having to worry about a blown tire in the corner at Texas or Indianapolis, but with proper testing, there are many companies capable of producing a safe tire.
I am going to see this through with IndyCar. Why? Because I love the sport, the drivers and the racing. However, I want the owners to have a better relationship with whoever is in charge. Whether he has a racing background or not. The tunnel is very dark as we move into the future.
Covering All Motorsports. From Indianapolis to Le Mans, Daytona to Monaco.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Goodbye Randy Bernard
For the first time, the first time in my life, I have lost all faith in the Hulman-George family. How Tony Hulman, one of essential figures in saving the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and forming USAC, is related to the current members of the board is beyond me.
The facts that the tracks brings in 250,000 people each Sunday Memorial Day weekend and has never, NEVER, asked the city government for any money, not even a money is gone. When running a business you put FAMILY aside and make decisions for the BUSINESS. The Hulman-George family clearly can no longer run a business with their decision to remove Randy Bernard as CEO of IndyCar.
The man who worked to save races at Milwaukee and most recently Baltimore, brought back Pocono and Fontana and GOT THE SERIES A NEW CAR AND ADDITIONAL ENGINE MANUFACTURES AFTER ALMOST A DECADE OF A SPEC SERIES. Not to forget mention that new car and the multiple engine manufactures put on some of the best racing since the mid 1990s.
The man turned IndyCar from hemorrhaging money to on the brink of breaking even. He has been doing his all with a less than ideal television package to get viewers to watch the races, including a very popular move of putting Texas and Iowa on ABC in 2013.
Despite not coming from a racing background, Randy Bernard work harder each and every year to better his knowledge and work better with the teams and drivers. He hired Beaux Barfield as chief steward, a popular decision with the fans, and Will Phillips has done a great job with the development of the DW12. Was the man perfect? No, nobody is and no one ever will be. But he was a damn fine man and he was better than his predecessor.
Despite all the positive things Randy Bernard did for IndyCar and the Hulman-George Family it is clear as day: Blood is thicker than water, but that is how you should run a business. The decision was made by a family who could not shut out one of their despite, despite the lack of competency of the one family member. Randy Bernard did more in 2010 than Tony George did from 1996-2009. Bernard has lapped Tony George 20 times as of today but sadly blood is thicker than water.
I am truly sorry Randy Bernard. You are going to be missed. No hard feelings. Don't be a stranger.
As for the Hulman-George family: Way to f@$k up IndyCar.
The facts that the tracks brings in 250,000 people each Sunday Memorial Day weekend and has never, NEVER, asked the city government for any money, not even a money is gone. When running a business you put FAMILY aside and make decisions for the BUSINESS. The Hulman-George family clearly can no longer run a business with their decision to remove Randy Bernard as CEO of IndyCar.
The man who worked to save races at Milwaukee and most recently Baltimore, brought back Pocono and Fontana and GOT THE SERIES A NEW CAR AND ADDITIONAL ENGINE MANUFACTURES AFTER ALMOST A DECADE OF A SPEC SERIES. Not to forget mention that new car and the multiple engine manufactures put on some of the best racing since the mid 1990s.
The man turned IndyCar from hemorrhaging money to on the brink of breaking even. He has been doing his all with a less than ideal television package to get viewers to watch the races, including a very popular move of putting Texas and Iowa on ABC in 2013.
Despite not coming from a racing background, Randy Bernard work harder each and every year to better his knowledge and work better with the teams and drivers. He hired Beaux Barfield as chief steward, a popular decision with the fans, and Will Phillips has done a great job with the development of the DW12. Was the man perfect? No, nobody is and no one ever will be. But he was a damn fine man and he was better than his predecessor.
Despite all the positive things Randy Bernard did for IndyCar and the Hulman-George Family it is clear as day: Blood is thicker than water, but that is how you should run a business. The decision was made by a family who could not shut out one of their despite, despite the lack of competency of the one family member. Randy Bernard did more in 2010 than Tony George did from 1996-2009. Bernard has lapped Tony George 20 times as of today but sadly blood is thicker than water.
I am truly sorry Randy Bernard. You are going to be missed. No hard feelings. Don't be a stranger.
As for the Hulman-George family: Way to f@$k up IndyCar.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
To Randy Bernard
Dear Randy Bernard,
Where shall I start? The current situation you are in is not ideal for anybody. The constant rumors of you being terminated from your current position is just wrong.
The job you have done as CEO of IndyCar has been very fulfilling and a change that this fan has welcomed. Things will never be perfect for everyone but you have clearly been trying to better the series and bring back the many fans lost over the past 17 plus years. You got Milwaukee back on the schedule after financial struggles killed the race for one season. Fontana came back and was a fantastic season finale, better than many expected. Pocono is coming back next year and as someone who lives ten minutes from the Pennsylvania-New Jersey state border during the summer, you can bet your house I will be there and do all I can to bring a few people to their first IndyCar race. Sure, there are other tracks the hardcore fans (including myself) want on the schedule but it is not as simple as clapping your hand and it will magically appear.
You are trying new things. Some fans are not sure about doubleheaders but I look at it this way, IT IS MORE RACING! WHO IS AGAINST THAT? Heat races were popular at Iowa and I hope they return and are added at other ovals. The new car provided really good racing. Removing downforce from the cars turned Texas from two hours of holding your breath and saying the Rosary to probably the best race of the year and that is very tough to say because both Indianapolis and Fontana featured a lot of passing and great battles for the win. The USAC National Driver's scholarship bridges the gap for the American dirt track drivers. Hopefully it can expand and give more USAC drivers a shot in the IndyCar ladder system.
Ratings may be less than desired but the product is great. Eventually people will have to see how great the racing is and watch. NBC Sports Net has a great broadcast crew that is engaging with one another and are truly excited when calling the race. Next year looks good for ABC as they have arguably the top races and will show Texas in prime time.
It is disappointing all of this is being over looked. The media cannot stop spreading the same gossip. No talk about the season we just had, or the championship race we just saw (by the way, Ryan Hunter-Reay won the championship for all those who forgot), or the what is ahead for 2013. A man that has worked as hard as you is constantly being shown the door by those on the outside looking in. The past keeps getting in the way of the future and that is not good for the sport.
No matter what happens Mr. Bernard, I would like to thank you for all that you have done for IndyCar and, if you are let go, I apologize for your untimely end as CEO. You will be missed by all and I hope there are no hard feelings between you and the fans, who are grateful for everything. But until the board of directors come forward with their decision, we can only hope and pray for the best.
Sincerely,
For The Love of Indy
Where shall I start? The current situation you are in is not ideal for anybody. The constant rumors of you being terminated from your current position is just wrong.
The job you have done as CEO of IndyCar has been very fulfilling and a change that this fan has welcomed. Things will never be perfect for everyone but you have clearly been trying to better the series and bring back the many fans lost over the past 17 plus years. You got Milwaukee back on the schedule after financial struggles killed the race for one season. Fontana came back and was a fantastic season finale, better than many expected. Pocono is coming back next year and as someone who lives ten minutes from the Pennsylvania-New Jersey state border during the summer, you can bet your house I will be there and do all I can to bring a few people to their first IndyCar race. Sure, there are other tracks the hardcore fans (including myself) want on the schedule but it is not as simple as clapping your hand and it will magically appear.
You are trying new things. Some fans are not sure about doubleheaders but I look at it this way, IT IS MORE RACING! WHO IS AGAINST THAT? Heat races were popular at Iowa and I hope they return and are added at other ovals. The new car provided really good racing. Removing downforce from the cars turned Texas from two hours of holding your breath and saying the Rosary to probably the best race of the year and that is very tough to say because both Indianapolis and Fontana featured a lot of passing and great battles for the win. The USAC National Driver's scholarship bridges the gap for the American dirt track drivers. Hopefully it can expand and give more USAC drivers a shot in the IndyCar ladder system.
Ratings may be less than desired but the product is great. Eventually people will have to see how great the racing is and watch. NBC Sports Net has a great broadcast crew that is engaging with one another and are truly excited when calling the race. Next year looks good for ABC as they have arguably the top races and will show Texas in prime time.
It is disappointing all of this is being over looked. The media cannot stop spreading the same gossip. No talk about the season we just had, or the championship race we just saw (by the way, Ryan Hunter-Reay won the championship for all those who forgot), or the what is ahead for 2013. A man that has worked as hard as you is constantly being shown the door by those on the outside looking in. The past keeps getting in the way of the future and that is not good for the sport.
No matter what happens Mr. Bernard, I would like to thank you for all that you have done for IndyCar and, if you are let go, I apologize for your untimely end as CEO. You will be missed by all and I hope there are no hard feelings between you and the fans, who are grateful for everything. But until the board of directors come forward with their decision, we can only hope and pray for the best.
Sincerely,
For The Love of Indy
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
The Dark End to An Even Darker Week
Last week, we reflected on the life of Dan Wheldon, one year after his fatal accident at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. One year ago today, we lost not one, but two souls.
October 23, 2011: It had been one week since the accident at Las Vegas. The funeral had just happened yesterday and a memorial service for Dan was schedule for later that after noon at then Conseco Fieldhouse. Thanks to NBC Sports Net (then Versus) and ESPN3, I was going to be able to watch the service but I had set my alarm for 4am. The MotoGP race was going to be on from Malaysia and it was the first major race since Las Vegas. I was slow and a little groggy as a rolled over to find the remote. I turned my television on just in time for the first replay and it the first 30 seconds of my Sunday I could not believed it had happened again.
Marco Simoncelli is a name many American race fans, let alone average Americans would not know. The Italian rider was one you could notice from a mile away with his massive afro but on the track, he was fast and extremely talented. After winning the 250cc title in 2008, Simoncelli debuted in MotoGP in 2010, where he was consistent all year long scoring points.
2011, Simoncelli stole the show at times. Fast and up front but with one flaw. He had a tendency to lose the bike when he was in a great position to win or get a podium. At Jerez he high-sided while leading, the following race at Estoril he started second and had an accident on lap one. He won poles at Catalunya and Assen but at Assen he got caught up with Jorge Lorenzo in a lap one accident. The race before Assen, he fell while running third at Silverstone, granted in the wet. And he was doing all this on a customer bike. Imagine how fast he would have been on a factory Honda.
Towards the end of 2011, he had reigned in more control. Got a podium at Brno, three consecutive fourths before a second at Australia. Everything looked to be up heading into the final two rounds of 2011 and all of 2012. Malaysia, Marco ran wide while running fourth, did all he could to save it, and came across right into Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards. Just as in Vegas, the race was cancelled, everybody went home. Unlike IndyCar, MotoGP went back to racing at Valencia just a few weeks later. Instead of a minute of silence for Super Sic, they had a minute of noise. That was his personality.
The other soul was that of Iron Man Michael Wanser, son of Target Chip Ganassi Racing's team manager Barry Wanser. Michael was only six year's old when he lost his year long battle with leukemia. All of IndyCar supported Iron Man Michael in his battle and his death, shortly before Dan's Memorial Service was the final sucker punch to end what had been a dark week.
October 23, 2011: It had been one week since the accident at Las Vegas. The funeral had just happened yesterday and a memorial service for Dan was schedule for later that after noon at then Conseco Fieldhouse. Thanks to NBC Sports Net (then Versus) and ESPN3, I was going to be able to watch the service but I had set my alarm for 4am. The MotoGP race was going to be on from Malaysia and it was the first major race since Las Vegas. I was slow and a little groggy as a rolled over to find the remote. I turned my television on just in time for the first replay and it the first 30 seconds of my Sunday I could not believed it had happened again.
Marco Simoncelli is a name many American race fans, let alone average Americans would not know. The Italian rider was one you could notice from a mile away with his massive afro but on the track, he was fast and extremely talented. After winning the 250cc title in 2008, Simoncelli debuted in MotoGP in 2010, where he was consistent all year long scoring points.
2011, Simoncelli stole the show at times. Fast and up front but with one flaw. He had a tendency to lose the bike when he was in a great position to win or get a podium. At Jerez he high-sided while leading, the following race at Estoril he started second and had an accident on lap one. He won poles at Catalunya and Assen but at Assen he got caught up with Jorge Lorenzo in a lap one accident. The race before Assen, he fell while running third at Silverstone, granted in the wet. And he was doing all this on a customer bike. Imagine how fast he would have been on a factory Honda.
Towards the end of 2011, he had reigned in more control. Got a podium at Brno, three consecutive fourths before a second at Australia. Everything looked to be up heading into the final two rounds of 2011 and all of 2012. Malaysia, Marco ran wide while running fourth, did all he could to save it, and came across right into Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards. Just as in Vegas, the race was cancelled, everybody went home. Unlike IndyCar, MotoGP went back to racing at Valencia just a few weeks later. Instead of a minute of silence for Super Sic, they had a minute of noise. That was his personality.
The other soul was that of Iron Man Michael Wanser, son of Target Chip Ganassi Racing's team manager Barry Wanser. Michael was only six year's old when he lost his year long battle with leukemia. All of IndyCar supported Iron Man Michael in his battle and his death, shortly before Dan's Memorial Service was the final sucker punch to end what had been a dark week.
Friday, October 19, 2012
IndyCar Drivers Racing, ALMS Schedule Release, New Jersey Postponed And More
IndyCar Drivers Racing This Weekend
From the United States to Australia to Brazil, IndyCar drivers are keeping busy. Let's start at Road Atlanta for Petit Le Mans. The last two champions are competing but in different classes. Ryan Hunter-Reay is driving the SRT Viper in the GT class with co-drivers Dominik Farnbacher and Kuno Wittmer, while Dario Franchitti will drive an HPD ARX03-b for Level-5 Motorsports with his brother Marino and Scott Tucker in the LMP2 class. Townsend Bell is also competing in the GT class for Alex Job Racing in a Lotus Evora. The DeltaWing is making its second appearance of 2012 with Lucas Ordonez and Gunnar Jeannette as co-drivers.
Other past drivers from American open-wheel racing at Petit Le Mans are Neel Jani (Rebellion Racing/LMP1), Bertrand Baguette (Oak Racing/LMP2), Martin Plowman (Conquest Racing/LMP2), Luis Diaz (Level 5/LMP2), Scott Sharp (Extreme Speed/GT), Bruno Junqueira (RSR/PC) and Ryan Daziel (CORE Autosport/PC).
In Australia, nine IndyCar drivers from the 2012 season will compete in the Armor All Gold Coast 600 from Surfers Paradise. In the final practice for international drivers, Ryan Briscoe led all IndyCar driver and was second overall behind German sports car driver Marc Lieb. Simon Pagenuad was second amongst the IndyCar crowd (3rd overall) and Sebastien Bourdais was third from IndyCar (8th). The remaining IndyCar drivers looked like this, Will Power (12th), James Hinchcliffe (14th), Justin Wilson (17th), Mike Conway (21st), Graham Rahal (22nd) and Marco Andretti (26th). Other Americans in the field are Ricky Taylor (23rd) and Boris Said (24th). Former IndyCar driver Max Papis was 28th overall.
In Brazil, Rubens Barrichello will take part in the StockCar Brasil series from Curitiba. This is the first of three StockCar Brasil races Barrichello will being running in.
2013 American Le Mans Schedule
Released last night, the American Le Mans series will run 10 races next season starting with Sebring March 16 and ending with Petit Le Mans October 19. New to the schedule will be Austin on September 21, one day before the World Endurance Championship round at the track. ALMS and IndyCar will run the same weekend at Long Beach and Baltimore. Mid-Ohio will not be returning to the schedule.
New Jersey and F1 Postpone Race Until 2014
The Grand Prix of America has been pushed back one year. Bernie Ecclestone confirmed it. Delays in construction have caused the one year delay. SPEED's Will Buxton came up with a good idea for New Jersey. Instead of canceling the race weekend all together, why not run it else where? Buxton mentioned tracks such as Sonoma, Laguna Seca, Road America, Road Atlanta and Watkins Glen as possible replacements. Sadly, Buxton is not in charge and making a educated decision such as that are not common in Formula One.
More
Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters season ends this weekend at Hockenheim. Three drivers are contending for the title. Mercedes driver Gary Paffett leads BMW's Bruno Spengler by three points with Mercedes' Jamie Green eighteen points behind. In Friday first practice, Spengler was fastest with defending DTM champion Martin Tomczyk and the Audi's of Mike Rockenfeller and Mattias Ekström rounding out the top four. Paffett and Green were sixteenth and seventeenth respectively. American Joey Hand was twelfth fastest.
MotoGP returns to Malaysia this weekend, almost one year removed from the fatal accident of Italian rider Marco Simoncelli. Jorge Lorenzo leads Dani Pedrosa by 28 points with three races remaining. Pedrosa was fastest on Friday ahead of his Honda teammate Casey Stoner and Lorenzo. The Americans were sixth (Ben Spies), eighth (Nicky Hayden) and fifteenth (Colin Edwards). Valentino Rossi was eleventh. The Gresini Honda, Simoncelli's former team, of Alvaro Bautista was ninth.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Oh, Danny Boy, The Pipes, The Pipes Are Calling
To be honest, I do not know where to begin. I have many feelings. Sadness, confusion, curiosity.
One year later, I still miss Dan Wheldon.
It was going to be an exciting day. A championship battle, an interesting wager, the final race of the season. I still feel the prize Randy Bernard had create was worth it. It was a side story for the championship battle. It put the Indianapolis 500 winner in the field, after unjustly missing all but two races of the season.
After Dan won Indianapolis last year, I was adamant with my friends that Dan had to be in a car full-time. I was mad that a proven winner was not handed a ride in victory lane. He earned it, he should not have had to buy a ride.
After the accident, I cried. I did not want to do a damn thing. The following morning, I did not want to go to school. I just wanted to cry. The week slowly went by. I really sat down and thought about racing. What it meant to me, if my heart was still in it. After thinking for a couple of days, I determined my love for racing was just as strong as ever. Death is apart of racing. It's there, just as it follows us in everyday life. We don't think about it, we'll never know when it is coming or how it will get us but it is there.
What do I miss most about Dan? His smile. It is the first thing I think of him as a human being. As a racer, it is clear. Two Indianapolis 500 victories, an IndyCar championship and an impressive career nonetheless. I remember Richmond 2004. He started 20th and going in was not fully comfortable with short ovals. He ended up winning the race after nearly falling one lap down. Looking back, it is hard to believe Dan struggling on any oval during the his career. I remember the golden days for Andretti Green Racing. Four teammates, four different nationalities, but all acting as if they were all brothers. The reign they had during 2004 and 2005 where they were the best team and nobody came close.
What do I miss most about Dan? His smile. It is the first thing I think of him as a human being. As a racer, it is clear. Two Indianapolis 500 victories, an IndyCar championship and an impressive career nonetheless. I remember Richmond 2004. He started 20th and going in was not fully comfortable with short ovals. He ended up winning the race after nearly falling one lap down. Looking back, it is hard to believe Dan struggling on any oval during the his career. I remember the golden days for Andretti Green Racing. Four teammates, four different nationalities, but all acting as if they were all brothers. The reign they had during 2004 and 2005 where they were the best team and nobody came close.
After the season we just had, I cannot help but think about what it could have been like with Dan's presences. His would have been teammate, Ryan Hunter-Reay won the championship, James Hinchcliffe was competitive all year. We will never know what the results would have been, what races he would have won, if any. The car that Dan had a major hand in developing though, did not let us down. And I am sure, Dan is happy about that. We owe him thanks for the great racing produced, even though he is no longer with us.
I miss Dan, but the memories of him racing will remain, the joy he brought many fans, including myself will never go away. He has a special place in history.
As bad as I feel, I cannot begin to imagine how his widow Susie feels today. God bless her, Sebastian and Oliver and the rest of the Wheldon family.
Coming up this weekend, twenty-eight drivers, including nine from IndyCar, will compete in V8 Supercars at Surfers Paradise for the Dan Wheldon International Driver Trophy. Is there any better way to honor Dan than racing? I do not think so and I am sure Dan approves.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
NASCAR, WEC, Formula One Weekend Review
Bowyer Wins at Charlotte
Clint Bowyer stretched his fuel mileage to take his third win of 2012. He held off Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Greg Biffle and Kyle Busch.
With the victory, Bowyer jumps to fourth in the standings, 28 points behind the points leader Brad Keselowski. Keselowski led a race high 139 laps, only to come home 11th. His points lead is now only four over Johnson and fifteen over Hamlin. Kasey Kahne came home eight and is fifth in the points (-35 back). The points go as follow from sixth to twelfth, Biffle (-43), Martin Truex Jr. (-49), Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon (-50), Kevin Harvick (-58), Matt Kenseth (-67) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (-86).
Dale Earnhardt Jr. sat out this past race and will miss Kansas with a concussion. Regan Smith is substituting for Earnhardt Jr. AJ Allmendinger returned to racing, driving for James Finch's Phoenix Racing. He finished twenty-fourth, four laps down.
Toyota Beats Audi On It's Home Turf
The Toyota TS030 Hybrid, driven by Alexander Wurx, Nicolas Lapierre and Kazuki Nakajima, won the Six Hours of Fuji, holding off the Audis. This is the Toyota's second win of the year in the FIA World Endurance Championship, they won earlier this year at Sao Paulo. Both wins have come from pole position.
André Lotterer, Benoît Tréluyer and Marcel Fässler lead the Driver's World Championship by 16.5 points over their Audi counterparts and elder statesmen Allan McNish and Tom Kristensen. The final round of the 2012 WEC season will take place in two weeks time from Shanghai.
Also to note, the American Starworks Motorsport clinched the LMP2 class championship at Fuji. The entry has been split this year between Ryan Dalziel, Stéphane Sarrazin, Enzo Potolicchio and Tom Kimber-Smith.
Vettel Retakes Point Lead in Korea
With his third consecutive win and fourth of the season, Sebastian Vettel retook the points lead for Fernando Alonso. He leads by four points with four rounds remaining. The German held off his Australian teammate and pole sitter, Mark Webber for the win. Webber set fast lap. Alonso came home third, with his Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa finishing behind him in fourth. Kimi Räikkönen started fifth and finished fifth, ahead of Nico Hülkenberg. Romain Grosjean finished seventh ahead of the Toro Rosso teammates Jean-Éric Vergne and Daniel Riccardo. This is second race of 2012 in which both STR drivers have scored points, the other being Spa. Lewis Hamilton rounded out the points in tenth.
Formula One's next stop is the Indian Grand Prix in two weeks.
Clint Bowyer stretched his fuel mileage to take his third win of 2012. He held off Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Greg Biffle and Kyle Busch.
With the victory, Bowyer jumps to fourth in the standings, 28 points behind the points leader Brad Keselowski. Keselowski led a race high 139 laps, only to come home 11th. His points lead is now only four over Johnson and fifteen over Hamlin. Kasey Kahne came home eight and is fifth in the points (-35 back). The points go as follow from sixth to twelfth, Biffle (-43), Martin Truex Jr. (-49), Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon (-50), Kevin Harvick (-58), Matt Kenseth (-67) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (-86).
Dale Earnhardt Jr. sat out this past race and will miss Kansas with a concussion. Regan Smith is substituting for Earnhardt Jr. AJ Allmendinger returned to racing, driving for James Finch's Phoenix Racing. He finished twenty-fourth, four laps down.
Toyota Beats Audi On It's Home Turf
The Toyota TS030 Hybrid, driven by Alexander Wurx, Nicolas Lapierre and Kazuki Nakajima, won the Six Hours of Fuji, holding off the Audis. This is the Toyota's second win of the year in the FIA World Endurance Championship, they won earlier this year at Sao Paulo. Both wins have come from pole position.
André Lotterer, Benoît Tréluyer and Marcel Fässler lead the Driver's World Championship by 16.5 points over their Audi counterparts and elder statesmen Allan McNish and Tom Kristensen. The final round of the 2012 WEC season will take place in two weeks time from Shanghai.
Also to note, the American Starworks Motorsport clinched the LMP2 class championship at Fuji. The entry has been split this year between Ryan Dalziel, Stéphane Sarrazin, Enzo Potolicchio and Tom Kimber-Smith.
Vettel Retakes Point Lead in Korea
With his third consecutive win and fourth of the season, Sebastian Vettel retook the points lead for Fernando Alonso. He leads by four points with four rounds remaining. The German held off his Australian teammate and pole sitter, Mark Webber for the win. Webber set fast lap. Alonso came home third, with his Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa finishing behind him in fourth. Kimi Räikkönen started fifth and finished fifth, ahead of Nico Hülkenberg. Romain Grosjean finished seventh ahead of the Toro Rosso teammates Jean-Éric Vergne and Daniel Riccardo. This is second race of 2012 in which both STR drivers have scored points, the other being Spa. Lewis Hamilton rounded out the points in tenth.
Formula One's next stop is the Indian Grand Prix in two weeks.
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