After weeks of speculation, the replacement for Dario Franchitti has been announced.
Ryan Briscoe will return to Chip Ganassi Racing and will drive the #8 NTT Data Chevrolet which was previously announced to be the car for Tony Kanaan in the 2014 season. Kanaan will move to the #10 Target Chevrolet.
Briscoe last raced for Ganassi at the 2013 Indianapolis 500, where the Australian started twenty-third and finished twelfth. Briscoe made six more starts in the 2013 IndyCar season, all driving for Panther Racing. His best finish with Panther was a thirteenth at Belle Isle. Briscoe also competed in the American Le Mans Series in 2013, driving for Level 5 Motorsports in the LMP2 class. He scored six class victories including the 12 Hours of Sebring and Petit Le Mans. He also made his debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans where his team finished unclassified. Briscoe ended his 2013 season driving in the endurance rounds of the V8 Supercar championship, pairing with 2005 V8 Supercars champion Russell Ingall. The pairing scored a 3rd and 5th at Surfers Paradise and a 9th place at the Sandown 500.
In Briscoe's only full season driving for Ganassi, he had three top tens with his best finish being an eighth at Nashville. Briscoe would finish tenth in his first Indianapolis 500. He scored his first career pole at Sonoma but retired from that race after an accident with Danica Patrick and Helio Castroneves. Briscoe's season would be cut short after an accident at Chicagoland broke both his clavicles, bruised his lung and left him concussed.
Briscoe was previously believed to be heading to Panther Racing in 2014 but uncertainty over the future of their National Guard sponsorship ended those plans.
With Briscoe signing with Ganassi, that leaves the mock 2014 IndyCar starting grid at twenty confirmed teams.
Joining Briscoe and Kanaan at Ganassi are defending champion Scott Dixon and Charlie Kimball.
Penske Racing will have three cars with Juan Pablo Montoya joining Will Power and Helio Castroneves after seven seasons in NASCAR.
Andretti Autosport will have four cars with Ryan Hunter-Reay, Marco Andretti and James Hinchcliffe all returning and Carlos Muñoz being promoted from Indy Lights.
Sam Schmidt's team will field two cars with Simon Pagenaud returning and being joined by Russian Mikhail Aleshin.
Ed Carpenter and Mike Conway will split the #20 Fuzzy Ultra Premium Vodka Chevrolet with Carpenter running ovals and Conway on road and street courses.
Sébastien Bourdais will head to the rebranded KVSH Racing, driving the #11 Mistic e-Cigs Chevrolet.
Graham Rahal is slated to return to Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, while Justin Wilson signed a multi-year deal with Dale Coyne Racing at the start of 2013. Josef Newgarden is signed with Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing for 2014.
It is believed Takuma Sato will return to AJ Foyt Racing for 2014 and the Bryan Herta Autosport entry will be filled by either Luca Filippi or JR Hildebrand.
If IndyCar maintains a grid of twenty-four cars for 2014, that leaves four open seats for 2014. Despite their sponsor issues, Panther Racing is still likely to return, Dale Coyne Racing always seems to find a way to field a second car, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing should have a second entry especially if they land the National Guard sponsorship from Panther and a second entry could return at KVSH Racing.
Dragon Racing is believed to be cutting back on IndyCar activities as they will focus on participating in FIA Formula E later in 2014. The teams is reportedly still planning on running the Grand Prix of Indianapolis and the Indianapolis 500.
With possibly no-more-than four seats remaining, the likes of James Jakes, Simona de Silvestro, EJ Viso, Sebastian Saavedra, Oriol Servià, Alex Tagliani, Sage Karam, Tristan Vautier, Conor Daly, Sam Bird and even Bruno Senna are still looking for rides in IndyCar in 2014.
Covering All Motorsports. From Indianapolis to Le Mans, Daytona to Monaco.
Friday, December 13, 2013
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
The Apron Should Be For Everyone
A decision was made yesterday that many have been waiting for twenty-years: The apron is returning to Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The strip of asphalt that played into the duels of Johncock and Mears and Mears and Andretti returns but by the wording of the release, it's return is circumstantial and is not returning for the race it forever will be attached to.
"The addition of an apron in the four turn of the IMS oval to used in NASCAR events, enhancing competition."
That is what the press release read yesterday as the track announced the Indiana Motorsports Commission approval of upgrades to the track at 16th and Georgetown, such as refurbishing the catch fence, seat improvements, new video screens, new scoring pylon, modernized restrooms and increasing concession choices.
Taking the quote above you could generalize that the apron is for NASCAR but it doesn't say it is exclusively for NASCAR and IndyCar will not be using it. It is heavily implied but not stated. With that said, the apron should be used by everyone.
The removal of the apron after the 1992 Indianapolis 500 has always been linked to reducing the angle of impact during an accident to prevent injuries to drivers such as broken backs. However in the last twenty years, safety developments throughout motorsports have reduced the risk of injury. Without a doubt the SAFER barriers have saved numerous lives at many different ovals since first being install at IMS in 2002. The HANS device has emerged in the last twenty years reducing risk of head injuries. Race cars are more safe now than ever but should that mean IndyCars should also get the chance to use apron once it returns in the Indianapolis 500?
It isn't an easy question to answer but at the same time the question of how do you stop IndyCars from using the apron is just as tough. Is a double-yellow line painted around the track and a rule similar to the one NASCAR uses at Daytona and Talladega used for the Indianapolis 500? Does temporary field turf get put down during the month of May?
The easiest decision would be to just allow IndyCars to use the apron. The Indianapolis 500 doesn't need an "out-of-bounds" but what about safety? Even with all the safety improvements, drivers are still prone to injury and are still prone to back injuries. Exhibit A: Justin Wilson, who suffered a broken in the 2013 IndyCar season finale at Fontana but that injury occurred after being t-boned by Tristan Vautier, not by sliding up into the wall.
While the apron would allow for more room for passing, the last two Indianapolis 500s had plenty of passing. If 68 lead changes this year wasn't enough for you, then I think you should lower your standards. Believe it or not, this year's race may have seen too much passing. Would the return of the apron see a further dilution of the racing? While that is possible, we do know the officials at IndyCar aren't afraid to play with the levels of downforce and they could adjust them to make passing more difficult at Indianapolis while not making it impossible. In that case, the apron could be welcomed to give the drivers more room to race side-by-side into and through a corner.
The apron should be used for all races at IMS. IndyCar, NASCAR, sports cars, Indy Lights, everyone should be allowed to dip down if they want to. We don't know need the Indianapolis 500 being decided because a driver accidentally dropped two tires below the painted lines. Let them race as they did from 1911 to 1992. We should keep an eye though toward driver safety and make sure even with the additional safety measures of the SAFER barrier, HANS device and DW12 chassis, there is not a rise in injuries from accidents with the return of the apron.
The strip of asphalt that played into the duels of Johncock and Mears and Mears and Andretti returns but by the wording of the release, it's return is circumstantial and is not returning for the race it forever will be attached to.
"The addition of an apron in the four turn of the IMS oval to used in NASCAR events, enhancing competition."
That is what the press release read yesterday as the track announced the Indiana Motorsports Commission approval of upgrades to the track at 16th and Georgetown, such as refurbishing the catch fence, seat improvements, new video screens, new scoring pylon, modernized restrooms and increasing concession choices.
Taking the quote above you could generalize that the apron is for NASCAR but it doesn't say it is exclusively for NASCAR and IndyCar will not be using it. It is heavily implied but not stated. With that said, the apron should be used by everyone.
The removal of the apron after the 1992 Indianapolis 500 has always been linked to reducing the angle of impact during an accident to prevent injuries to drivers such as broken backs. However in the last twenty years, safety developments throughout motorsports have reduced the risk of injury. Without a doubt the SAFER barriers have saved numerous lives at many different ovals since first being install at IMS in 2002. The HANS device has emerged in the last twenty years reducing risk of head injuries. Race cars are more safe now than ever but should that mean IndyCars should also get the chance to use apron once it returns in the Indianapolis 500?
It isn't an easy question to answer but at the same time the question of how do you stop IndyCars from using the apron is just as tough. Is a double-yellow line painted around the track and a rule similar to the one NASCAR uses at Daytona and Talladega used for the Indianapolis 500? Does temporary field turf get put down during the month of May?
The easiest decision would be to just allow IndyCars to use the apron. The Indianapolis 500 doesn't need an "out-of-bounds" but what about safety? Even with all the safety improvements, drivers are still prone to injury and are still prone to back injuries. Exhibit A: Justin Wilson, who suffered a broken in the 2013 IndyCar season finale at Fontana but that injury occurred after being t-boned by Tristan Vautier, not by sliding up into the wall.
While the apron would allow for more room for passing, the last two Indianapolis 500s had plenty of passing. If 68 lead changes this year wasn't enough for you, then I think you should lower your standards. Believe it or not, this year's race may have seen too much passing. Would the return of the apron see a further dilution of the racing? While that is possible, we do know the officials at IndyCar aren't afraid to play with the levels of downforce and they could adjust them to make passing more difficult at Indianapolis while not making it impossible. In that case, the apron could be welcomed to give the drivers more room to race side-by-side into and through a corner.
The apron should be used for all races at IMS. IndyCar, NASCAR, sports cars, Indy Lights, everyone should be allowed to dip down if they want to. We don't know need the Indianapolis 500 being decided because a driver accidentally dropped two tires below the painted lines. Let them race as they did from 1911 to 1992. We should keep an eye though toward driver safety and make sure even with the additional safety measures of the SAFER barrier, HANS device and DW12 chassis, there is not a rise in injuries from accidents with the return of the apron.
Monday, December 9, 2013
Formula One Goes Three for Four On Rule Changes
Today was a busy day for Formula One. Four rules changes/proposals were made public and F1 went three for four except their one miss is terrible.
It has been approved that the final race of the season will be worth double points. That's right. 50 points to the winner of the 2014 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, 36 for second, 30 for third, all the way down to tenth which will receive two points.
My problem is they are changing it to make more drivers eligible for the championship. If you enter Monaco down twenty-six points back of the championship leader, the best you can do is get within one of the lead. That should be the same for every race of the championship. The bar should not be lowered for the season finale. If you can't be within twenty-five points after eighteen or nineteen rounds, you shouldn't be mathematically eliminated from the world championship. You shouldn't be given a second chance because this race is going to be special and everything is double. The points should be consistent from race one through the season finale.
A few weeks ago I threw out the idea of the final race of the NASCAR season be winner-take-all, meaning the winner earns the regular point for a win but second through last get nothing. The difference with my idea and what Formula One is doing is the amount of championship eligible drivers does not change going into the season finale, only the objective does. The points leaders couldn't ride around only needing to finish a certain position to clinch the title. Rather the only way the points leader could guarantee the championship becoming theirs would be by winning the final race. The same for the other mathematically eligible drivers trailing entering the season finale. If they want to win the championships, the objective would be simply: win.
Don't get me wrong, the winner-take-all season finale idea has it's problems but the double points season finale is much worse.
The other three changes are appealing.
Let's start with five-second penalties for on-track infractions. If it limits the amount of "to be investigated after the race" alert we get during races I am all for it. I'm all for a driver being held for five seconds after a pit stop and then released. It's quick, easy to enforce and less controversial.
Budget caps are a good idea but remember back in 2009 when they tried budget caps? How did that go?
On paper it is a great idea. Limit these teams from spending a gargantuan amount of money and hopefully decrease the amount of ride buyers with talent becoming more important when making a hire. To be honest, ride buyers will always exist. If a team is limited to a $50 million budget, they will take a driver who is bringing $30 million and 7th in GP2 over a guy who has $10 million and 2nd in GP2 eight days a week.
With that said it would stop teams from spending money they don't have. Multiple times through out 2013 we heard Lotus didn't have any money. Sauber didn't have any money. Räikkönen isn't getting paid. Hülkenberg isn't getting paid. How long can you really last when you aren't paying your drivers? If that's the future of F1 then count me out. Save the teams from themselves before it is too late.
Finally their is permanent driver numbers and I am intrigued by the idea. Personally, I'd rather they return to permanent team numbers because the constructors' championship decides who gets paid what earnings when the season is all said and done and it'd be less individualistic and would be easy to follow (Ferraris are #27 and #28. Lotus are #5 and #6 and so on).
But that individualistic part intrigues me. What number will each driver choose? It's the same characteristic that I love about MotoGP. Valentino Rossi is #46. Nicky Hayden is #69, Colin Edwards #5, Dani Pedrosa #26, Casey Stoner was #27, Jorge Lorenzo is #99, Loris Capirossi was #65, Carlos Checa was #7. You can easily name the rider with the number. Same with IndyCar and NASCAR. What number will Fernando Alonso choose? What about Lewis Hamilton? Will anyone choose an uncommon number like #47, #53 or #62? What will the backstory behind a number selection be? Could it be a lucky number from karting or the year of a parent's birth? It will gives a slim view of who a driver is in an uncommon avenue.
As for the debate about retiring numbers, such as #27, famously association with Gilles Villeneuve and Ferrari, I say no. I've never been for retiring numbers. I don't see it as an honor. I think it can be used as a tool to get the best out of a competitor. If you are a young Canadian and pick the #27, don't you pick in honor of the legendary Villeneuve and in hopes you can live up to what it means? That will get more out of a driver than if it was to be never used again.
Formula One did well. Three for four is a great day at the plate. The one miss is awful though and should be reversed.
It has been approved that the final race of the season will be worth double points. That's right. 50 points to the winner of the 2014 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, 36 for second, 30 for third, all the way down to tenth which will receive two points.
My problem is they are changing it to make more drivers eligible for the championship. If you enter Monaco down twenty-six points back of the championship leader, the best you can do is get within one of the lead. That should be the same for every race of the championship. The bar should not be lowered for the season finale. If you can't be within twenty-five points after eighteen or nineteen rounds, you shouldn't be mathematically eliminated from the world championship. You shouldn't be given a second chance because this race is going to be special and everything is double. The points should be consistent from race one through the season finale.
A few weeks ago I threw out the idea of the final race of the NASCAR season be winner-take-all, meaning the winner earns the regular point for a win but second through last get nothing. The difference with my idea and what Formula One is doing is the amount of championship eligible drivers does not change going into the season finale, only the objective does. The points leaders couldn't ride around only needing to finish a certain position to clinch the title. Rather the only way the points leader could guarantee the championship becoming theirs would be by winning the final race. The same for the other mathematically eligible drivers trailing entering the season finale. If they want to win the championships, the objective would be simply: win.
Don't get me wrong, the winner-take-all season finale idea has it's problems but the double points season finale is much worse.
The other three changes are appealing.
Let's start with five-second penalties for on-track infractions. If it limits the amount of "to be investigated after the race" alert we get during races I am all for it. I'm all for a driver being held for five seconds after a pit stop and then released. It's quick, easy to enforce and less controversial.
Budget caps are a good idea but remember back in 2009 when they tried budget caps? How did that go?
On paper it is a great idea. Limit these teams from spending a gargantuan amount of money and hopefully decrease the amount of ride buyers with talent becoming more important when making a hire. To be honest, ride buyers will always exist. If a team is limited to a $50 million budget, they will take a driver who is bringing $30 million and 7th in GP2 over a guy who has $10 million and 2nd in GP2 eight days a week.
With that said it would stop teams from spending money they don't have. Multiple times through out 2013 we heard Lotus didn't have any money. Sauber didn't have any money. Räikkönen isn't getting paid. Hülkenberg isn't getting paid. How long can you really last when you aren't paying your drivers? If that's the future of F1 then count me out. Save the teams from themselves before it is too late.
Finally their is permanent driver numbers and I am intrigued by the idea. Personally, I'd rather they return to permanent team numbers because the constructors' championship decides who gets paid what earnings when the season is all said and done and it'd be less individualistic and would be easy to follow (Ferraris are #27 and #28. Lotus are #5 and #6 and so on).
But that individualistic part intrigues me. What number will each driver choose? It's the same characteristic that I love about MotoGP. Valentino Rossi is #46. Nicky Hayden is #69, Colin Edwards #5, Dani Pedrosa #26, Casey Stoner was #27, Jorge Lorenzo is #99, Loris Capirossi was #65, Carlos Checa was #7. You can easily name the rider with the number. Same with IndyCar and NASCAR. What number will Fernando Alonso choose? What about Lewis Hamilton? Will anyone choose an uncommon number like #47, #53 or #62? What will the backstory behind a number selection be? Could it be a lucky number from karting or the year of a parent's birth? It will gives a slim view of who a driver is in an uncommon avenue.
As for the debate about retiring numbers, such as #27, famously association with Gilles Villeneuve and Ferrari, I say no. I've never been for retiring numbers. I don't see it as an honor. I think it can be used as a tool to get the best out of a competitor. If you are a young Canadian and pick the #27, don't you pick in honor of the legendary Villeneuve and in hopes you can live up to what it means? That will get more out of a driver than if it was to be never used again.
Formula One did well. Three for four is a great day at the plate. The one miss is awful though and should be reversed.
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Champions Crowned In Asia-Pacific
As mentioned yesterday, two championships were wrapping up their 2013 season this weekend and one champion tied a significant record.
With a third place finish in the V8 Suerpcars season finale Jamie Whincup locked up his fifth championships in the series, tying Ian Geoghegan, Dick Johnson and Mark Scaife for the all-time lead in championships. This is Whincup's third consecutive title, a feat only bested by Geoghegan who won four consecutive titles from 1966 to 1969.
Shane Van Gisbergen won the final race of the season from pole position. It's his first win since the opening round of 2013 at Adelaide. Jason Bright finished second with Whincup making it back-to-back days of Holden sweeping the podium. Ford driver David Reynolds gained thirteen positions from his starting position on the grid to finish fourth. Whincup's Red Bull Racing Australia teammate Craig Lowndes finished fifth ahead of the Pepsi Max Fords of Mark Winterbottom and Will Davison. Alex Davison finished eighth ahead of Chaz Mostert and Russel Ingall who finished tenth in his final V8 Supercar race. Ingall gained fourteen positions to crack the top ten. He ends his career with the honor of 2005 V8 Supercars champion as well as 27 race wins, 40 podiums and one pole position.
Tim Slade was the top Mercedes-Benz in eleventh with Todd Kelly the top Nissan in seventeenth.
With 3094 points, Jamie Whincup wins the 2013 championship by one-hundred and twenty-eight points over his teammate Craig Lowndes. Alex Davison holds off his teammate Mark Winterbottom by six points for third in the standings. With his win today, Shane Van Gisbergen cracks the top five in points ahead of Fabian Coulthard. Jason Bright finishes behind his teammate Coulthard in seventh ahead of the 2007 V8 Supercars champion Garth Tander. David Reynolds and Scott McLaughlin round out the top ten in points.
The 2014 V8 Supercars season begins March 1-2nd at the Clipsal 500 around the streets of Adelaide.
In Malaysia, the 2013 Asian Le Mans Series season wrapped up with the #24 OAK Racing Morgan-Judd of Ho-Pin Tung and David Cheng taking the victory over the #18 KCMG Morgan-Nissan of Tsugio Matsuda and James Winslow. The #27 Craft Racing Oreca-Nissan of Richard Bradley, Dan Polley and Jun Jin Pu rounding out the podium.
The #33 Clearwater Racing Ferrari 458 GT3 of Toni Vilander and Weng Sun Mok defeated the #77 AF Corse Ferrari of Michele Rugolo, Andrea Bertolini and Steve Wyatt to win the GTC class. The #007 Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT3 of Stefan Mücke and Keita Sawa rounded out the GTC podium. The #70 Team Taisan Ken Endless Ferrari 458 GTE of Akira Iida, Naoki Yokomizo and Syougu Mitsuyama won the GTE class with the #69 Team Primemantle Aylezo Lamborghini Gallardo of Zen Low, Dilantha Malagamuwa and Giorgio Sanna winning the GTC Am class.
OAK Racing takes the LMP2 team championship by two points over KCMG with David Cheng winning the drivers' championship by two points over James Winslow. AF Corse takes the GTC championship with Bertolini, Rugolo and Wyatt taking the GTC drivers' championship. Team Taisan Ken Endless and their drivers Iida, Yokomizo and Mitsuyama take the GTE team and drivers' championship.
The 2014 Asian Le Mans Series season begins July 6th at the Inje Speedium in South Korea.
With a third place finish in the V8 Suerpcars season finale Jamie Whincup locked up his fifth championships in the series, tying Ian Geoghegan, Dick Johnson and Mark Scaife for the all-time lead in championships. This is Whincup's third consecutive title, a feat only bested by Geoghegan who won four consecutive titles from 1966 to 1969.
Shane Van Gisbergen won the final race of the season from pole position. It's his first win since the opening round of 2013 at Adelaide. Jason Bright finished second with Whincup making it back-to-back days of Holden sweeping the podium. Ford driver David Reynolds gained thirteen positions from his starting position on the grid to finish fourth. Whincup's Red Bull Racing Australia teammate Craig Lowndes finished fifth ahead of the Pepsi Max Fords of Mark Winterbottom and Will Davison. Alex Davison finished eighth ahead of Chaz Mostert and Russel Ingall who finished tenth in his final V8 Supercar race. Ingall gained fourteen positions to crack the top ten. He ends his career with the honor of 2005 V8 Supercars champion as well as 27 race wins, 40 podiums and one pole position.
Tim Slade was the top Mercedes-Benz in eleventh with Todd Kelly the top Nissan in seventeenth.
With 3094 points, Jamie Whincup wins the 2013 championship by one-hundred and twenty-eight points over his teammate Craig Lowndes. Alex Davison holds off his teammate Mark Winterbottom by six points for third in the standings. With his win today, Shane Van Gisbergen cracks the top five in points ahead of Fabian Coulthard. Jason Bright finishes behind his teammate Coulthard in seventh ahead of the 2007 V8 Supercars champion Garth Tander. David Reynolds and Scott McLaughlin round out the top ten in points.
The 2014 V8 Supercars season begins March 1-2nd at the Clipsal 500 around the streets of Adelaide.
In Malaysia, the 2013 Asian Le Mans Series season wrapped up with the #24 OAK Racing Morgan-Judd of Ho-Pin Tung and David Cheng taking the victory over the #18 KCMG Morgan-Nissan of Tsugio Matsuda and James Winslow. The #27 Craft Racing Oreca-Nissan of Richard Bradley, Dan Polley and Jun Jin Pu rounding out the podium.
The #33 Clearwater Racing Ferrari 458 GT3 of Toni Vilander and Weng Sun Mok defeated the #77 AF Corse Ferrari of Michele Rugolo, Andrea Bertolini and Steve Wyatt to win the GTC class. The #007 Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT3 of Stefan Mücke and Keita Sawa rounded out the GTC podium. The #70 Team Taisan Ken Endless Ferrari 458 GTE of Akira Iida, Naoki Yokomizo and Syougu Mitsuyama won the GTE class with the #69 Team Primemantle Aylezo Lamborghini Gallardo of Zen Low, Dilantha Malagamuwa and Giorgio Sanna winning the GTC Am class.
OAK Racing takes the LMP2 team championship by two points over KCMG with David Cheng winning the drivers' championship by two points over James Winslow. AF Corse takes the GTC championship with Bertolini, Rugolo and Wyatt taking the GTC drivers' championship. Team Taisan Ken Endless and their drivers Iida, Yokomizo and Mitsuyama take the GTE team and drivers' championship.
The 2014 Asian Le Mans Series season begins July 6th at the Inje Speedium in South Korea.
Saturday, December 7, 2013
Plenty of Racing in the Asia-Pacific
While many motorsport series have already gone into hibernation in North America and Europe, the V8 Supercars and Asian Le Mans Series are wrapping up their seasons as they enjoy much warmer conditions.
In Malaysia, the 2013 Asian Le Mans Series season wraps up at Sepang with a 14 car grid. The #18 KCMG Morgan-Nissan driven by former Indy Lights driver James Winslow and two-time Super Formula (formerly Formula Nippon) champion Tsugio Matsuda is on pole after beating the #24 OAK Racing Morgan-Judd of Chinese driver Ho-Pin Tung and Chinese-American David Cheng by a little more than a quarter of a second. The #27 Oreca-Nissan of Jun Jin Pu, Dan Polley and Richard Bradley will start third.
The Ferrari 458 GTE entry of Clearwater Racing and driven by Weng Sun Mok and Tonu Vilander lead all GT cars starting fourth followed by the Craft Racing Aston Martins of Frank Yu, Darryl O'Young and Tomonobu Fujii and Stefan Mücke and Keita Sawa.
The final round of the 2013 Asian Le Mans Series season will begin Sunday morning at 2:00 a.m. ET.
In Australia, Jamie Whincup is one step closer to winning his third consecutive V8 Supercars title and fifth in six seasons. Whincup picked up his eleventh win of the season on the streets of Sydney and benefitted from an unfortunate turn of events for his championship rivals Craig Lowndes and Mark Winterbottom. Entering only twenty points ahead of his teammate Lowndes, Whincup's victory in race one extends the margin to one hundred and ten points with one hundred and fifty still on the line in race two.
Winterbottom got into the back of Lowndes, knocking his Holden into the tires but Winterbottom would be hit from behind by fellow Ford driver and Surfers Paradise winner David Reynolds. All three would continue. The damage to Lowndes' Holden would prove costly as his crew would have problems fueling the car and would be forced to make an extra pit stop. Lowndes would finish fifteenth. Winterbottom day only got worse. Slight contract with Jason Bright would send Winterbottom into the wall, ending his race and his championship hopes.
Whincup would lead an all-Holden top four ahead of Jonathan Webb, Shane van Gisbergen and Bright. Will Davison was the top Ford in fifth and would jump his teammate Winterbottom in the standings. Tony D'Alberto finished sixth ahead of the Nissan of Michael Caruso who gained seventeen positions from his starting spot on the grid. The Mercedes-Benz of Tim Slade finished eighth with the Nissans of Rick and Todd Kelley rounding out the top ten.
The championship is a two horse race between the Red Bull Racing Holdens of Whincup and Lowndes. A win for Lowndes means he would need Whincup to finish twenty-second or worse. Should Whincup retire from race two, Lowndes would need to finish at least fifth.
The final race of the 2013 V8 Supercars Season will start tonight at 11:05 p.m. ET.
In Malaysia, the 2013 Asian Le Mans Series season wraps up at Sepang with a 14 car grid. The #18 KCMG Morgan-Nissan driven by former Indy Lights driver James Winslow and two-time Super Formula (formerly Formula Nippon) champion Tsugio Matsuda is on pole after beating the #24 OAK Racing Morgan-Judd of Chinese driver Ho-Pin Tung and Chinese-American David Cheng by a little more than a quarter of a second. The #27 Oreca-Nissan of Jun Jin Pu, Dan Polley and Richard Bradley will start third.
The Ferrari 458 GTE entry of Clearwater Racing and driven by Weng Sun Mok and Tonu Vilander lead all GT cars starting fourth followed by the Craft Racing Aston Martins of Frank Yu, Darryl O'Young and Tomonobu Fujii and Stefan Mücke and Keita Sawa.
The final round of the 2013 Asian Le Mans Series season will begin Sunday morning at 2:00 a.m. ET.
In Australia, Jamie Whincup is one step closer to winning his third consecutive V8 Supercars title and fifth in six seasons. Whincup picked up his eleventh win of the season on the streets of Sydney and benefitted from an unfortunate turn of events for his championship rivals Craig Lowndes and Mark Winterbottom. Entering only twenty points ahead of his teammate Lowndes, Whincup's victory in race one extends the margin to one hundred and ten points with one hundred and fifty still on the line in race two.
Winterbottom got into the back of Lowndes, knocking his Holden into the tires but Winterbottom would be hit from behind by fellow Ford driver and Surfers Paradise winner David Reynolds. All three would continue. The damage to Lowndes' Holden would prove costly as his crew would have problems fueling the car and would be forced to make an extra pit stop. Lowndes would finish fifteenth. Winterbottom day only got worse. Slight contract with Jason Bright would send Winterbottom into the wall, ending his race and his championship hopes.
Whincup would lead an all-Holden top four ahead of Jonathan Webb, Shane van Gisbergen and Bright. Will Davison was the top Ford in fifth and would jump his teammate Winterbottom in the standings. Tony D'Alberto finished sixth ahead of the Nissan of Michael Caruso who gained seventeen positions from his starting spot on the grid. The Mercedes-Benz of Tim Slade finished eighth with the Nissans of Rick and Todd Kelley rounding out the top ten.
The championship is a two horse race between the Red Bull Racing Holdens of Whincup and Lowndes. A win for Lowndes means he would need Whincup to finish twenty-second or worse. Should Whincup retire from race two, Lowndes would need to finish at least fifth.
The final race of the 2013 V8 Supercars Season will start tonight at 11:05 p.m. ET.
Thursday, December 5, 2013
IndyCar News: Television and More
Haven't talked much about IndyCar lately (unless you count matching drivers with Thanksgiving dishes) but there has been plenty of news in the past few days.
First, the IndyCar television schedule has been announced. Thirteen of the eighteen races will air on NBCSN with five rounds, including the season opener at St. Petersburg, inaugural Grand Prix of Indianapolis, Indianapolis 500 and Belle Isle doubleheader airing on ABC with ABC also providing Indianapolis 500 qualification coverage.
NBCSN's first race of the season will be the Long Beach Grand Prix and will show the following event at Barber Motorsports Park before ABC takes over for the month of May and the first day of June. NBCSN will then pick up coverage at Texas through the season finale at Fontana.
Once NBCSN takes over, majority of the races will air at 3:00 p.m. ET with all the ABC races starting at 3:30 p.m. ET except for the Indianapolis 500 which coverage will begin at 11:00 a.m. ET.
Here is a full list of races by start time (all times Eastern):
11:00 a.m: Indianapolis 500 (May 25).
Noon: Pocono 500 (July 7).
2:30 p.m: Barber (April 27).
3:00 p.m: Houston (June 28 and 29), Toronto (July 19 and 20), Mid-Ohio (August 3), Milwaukee (August 17).
3:30 p.m: St. Petersburg (March 30), Grand Prix of Indianapolis (May 10), Belle Isle (May 31 and June 1).
4:00 p.m: Long Beach (April 13), Sonoma (August 24).
8:00 p.m: Texas (June 7), Iowa (July 12).
9:00 p.m: Fontana (August 30).
Indianapolis 500 qualification coverage on ABC will begin at 4:00 p.m. Saturday May 17 with coverage continuing the following day (May 18) at 1:00 p.m.
Few things:
1. Interesting to see the schedule say Indianapolis 500 qualifications are day 1 and day 2, not pole day and bump day. I smell changes coming. Be prepared. Also, not sure how long ABC's coverage of qualifying will be. It isn't crazy to think they will do 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on "day 1" but five hours on "day 2" seems to be a stretch. Not sure how one will be able to see first few hours of "day 1" qualifications. The last couple of years any un-televised hours of qualifying have been available on IndyCar.com. I'd like to see ABC/ESPN step up and broadcast them on ESPN3.com but that's just me.
2. Houston at 2:00 p.m. local time is going to hot. Start hydrating now.
3. Overall, not a terrible schedule. There is one, count it one break of two weeks. There is no need to complain that there is too much off time between races. These teams will have three stretches of three consecutive races or more, one includes a doubleheader (Indianapolis, Belle Isle, Texas), another is bookended by doubleheaders. (Houston, Pocono, Iowa, Toronto) and the other ends the season (Milwaukee, Sonoma, Fontana).
A few IndyCar races go head-to-head with NASCAR:
March 30th, St. Petersburg and Martinsville go head-to-head.
Long Beach is the day after NASCAR at Darlington.
Barber is the day after NASCAR at Richmond but is the week before NASCAR heads to Talladega.
Grand Prix of Indianapolis is the same day as NASCAR at Kansas but Kansas is a night race.
Of course, Indianapolis 500 is the same day as NASCAR at Charlotte but Charlotte is a night race.
Belle Isle goes head-to-head with NASCAR at Dover, Nationwide on Saturday and Cup on Sunday.
Texas is the day before NASCAR at Pocono.
The first race at Houston is the same day as NASCAR at Kentucky but Kentucky is a night race.
Pocono is the day after NASCAR at Daytona.
Iowa is the day before NASCAR at New Hampshire.
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is off the Toronto race weekend. However the Nationwide Series will be at Chicagoland the same day as race one. However, Chicagoland could be a night race and not happen simultaneously.
Mid-Ohio will go head-to-head with NASCAR at Pocono.
Milwaukee will go head-to-head with NASCAR at Michigan.
Sonoma is the day after NASCAR at Bristol.
Fontana is the day before Sprint Cup at Atlanta but could be head-to-head with the Nationwide Series that weekend.
By my count, four IndyCar races will happen simultaneously with Sprint Cup races with possibly another three happening simultaneously against the Nationwide Series.
In case you are Leigh Diffey and the lead commentator for both IndyCar and Formula One coverage on NBCSN, four weekends feature both IndyCar and Formula One races. Texas is the day before the Canadian Grand Prix. I don't see why he couldn't do both (and why he couldn't bring some Formula One drivers down to Texas the night before). Pocono and the British Grand Prix, race two at Toronto and the German Grand Prix and Sonoma and the Belgian Grand Prix all occur on the same day and on the same network.
Three other weekends feature both IndyCar and Formula One but IndyCar will be on ABC (St. Petersburg and Malaysia, Grand Prix of Indianapolis and Spain (though Spain is the following day) and the Indianapolis 500 and Monaco).
In case you are worried about IndyCar offseason being too long after the end of the 2014 season, don't worry, Hulman and Company CEO Mark Miles said he is target the Middle East, India and South Africa to host races in February and March in 2015.
Some non-schedule related news, Paul Page will return as the lead commentator for the IMS Radio Network and the voice of the Indianapolis 500.
First, the IndyCar television schedule has been announced. Thirteen of the eighteen races will air on NBCSN with five rounds, including the season opener at St. Petersburg, inaugural Grand Prix of Indianapolis, Indianapolis 500 and Belle Isle doubleheader airing on ABC with ABC also providing Indianapolis 500 qualification coverage.
NBCSN's first race of the season will be the Long Beach Grand Prix and will show the following event at Barber Motorsports Park before ABC takes over for the month of May and the first day of June. NBCSN will then pick up coverage at Texas through the season finale at Fontana.
Once NBCSN takes over, majority of the races will air at 3:00 p.m. ET with all the ABC races starting at 3:30 p.m. ET except for the Indianapolis 500 which coverage will begin at 11:00 a.m. ET.
Here is a full list of races by start time (all times Eastern):
11:00 a.m: Indianapolis 500 (May 25).
Noon: Pocono 500 (July 7).
2:30 p.m: Barber (April 27).
3:00 p.m: Houston (June 28 and 29), Toronto (July 19 and 20), Mid-Ohio (August 3), Milwaukee (August 17).
3:30 p.m: St. Petersburg (March 30), Grand Prix of Indianapolis (May 10), Belle Isle (May 31 and June 1).
4:00 p.m: Long Beach (April 13), Sonoma (August 24).
8:00 p.m: Texas (June 7), Iowa (July 12).
9:00 p.m: Fontana (August 30).
Indianapolis 500 qualification coverage on ABC will begin at 4:00 p.m. Saturday May 17 with coverage continuing the following day (May 18) at 1:00 p.m.
Few things:
1. Interesting to see the schedule say Indianapolis 500 qualifications are day 1 and day 2, not pole day and bump day. I smell changes coming. Be prepared. Also, not sure how long ABC's coverage of qualifying will be. It isn't crazy to think they will do 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on "day 1" but five hours on "day 2" seems to be a stretch. Not sure how one will be able to see first few hours of "day 1" qualifications. The last couple of years any un-televised hours of qualifying have been available on IndyCar.com. I'd like to see ABC/ESPN step up and broadcast them on ESPN3.com but that's just me.
2. Houston at 2:00 p.m. local time is going to hot. Start hydrating now.
3. Overall, not a terrible schedule. There is one, count it one break of two weeks. There is no need to complain that there is too much off time between races. These teams will have three stretches of three consecutive races or more, one includes a doubleheader (Indianapolis, Belle Isle, Texas), another is bookended by doubleheaders. (Houston, Pocono, Iowa, Toronto) and the other ends the season (Milwaukee, Sonoma, Fontana).
A few IndyCar races go head-to-head with NASCAR:
March 30th, St. Petersburg and Martinsville go head-to-head.
Long Beach is the day after NASCAR at Darlington.
Barber is the day after NASCAR at Richmond but is the week before NASCAR heads to Talladega.
Grand Prix of Indianapolis is the same day as NASCAR at Kansas but Kansas is a night race.
Of course, Indianapolis 500 is the same day as NASCAR at Charlotte but Charlotte is a night race.
Belle Isle goes head-to-head with NASCAR at Dover, Nationwide on Saturday and Cup on Sunday.
Texas is the day before NASCAR at Pocono.
The first race at Houston is the same day as NASCAR at Kentucky but Kentucky is a night race.
Pocono is the day after NASCAR at Daytona.
Iowa is the day before NASCAR at New Hampshire.
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is off the Toronto race weekend. However the Nationwide Series will be at Chicagoland the same day as race one. However, Chicagoland could be a night race and not happen simultaneously.
Mid-Ohio will go head-to-head with NASCAR at Pocono.
Milwaukee will go head-to-head with NASCAR at Michigan.
Sonoma is the day after NASCAR at Bristol.
Fontana is the day before Sprint Cup at Atlanta but could be head-to-head with the Nationwide Series that weekend.
By my count, four IndyCar races will happen simultaneously with Sprint Cup races with possibly another three happening simultaneously against the Nationwide Series.
In case you are Leigh Diffey and the lead commentator for both IndyCar and Formula One coverage on NBCSN, four weekends feature both IndyCar and Formula One races. Texas is the day before the Canadian Grand Prix. I don't see why he couldn't do both (and why he couldn't bring some Formula One drivers down to Texas the night before). Pocono and the British Grand Prix, race two at Toronto and the German Grand Prix and Sonoma and the Belgian Grand Prix all occur on the same day and on the same network.
Three other weekends feature both IndyCar and Formula One but IndyCar will be on ABC (St. Petersburg and Malaysia, Grand Prix of Indianapolis and Spain (though Spain is the following day) and the Indianapolis 500 and Monaco).
In case you are worried about IndyCar offseason being too long after the end of the 2014 season, don't worry, Hulman and Company CEO Mark Miles said he is target the Middle East, India and South Africa to host races in February and March in 2015.
Some non-schedule related news, Paul Page will return as the lead commentator for the IMS Radio Network and the voice of the Indianapolis 500.
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
My Sportsman: Nicki Thiim
Had you told Nicki Thiim on January 1st of this year that we would win a round of the FIA World Endurance Championship driving for the factory Aston Martin team and would win the Porsche Supercup Championship in 2013, you probably would have made his year. Had you gone on to tell him the reality of how he ended up at Aston Martin and as Porsche Supercup champion he probably would have said he'll pass on the ride and the honor.
We can't change reality. Nicki Thiim had a incredible year in sports cars and did so carrying on the memory of two talented drivers. Thiim entered 2013 as an up and coming driver from Denmark. At 24, Thiim was already on the cusp of taking that next step in motorsports. He won a class in the 2009 24 Hours Nürburgring and finished third in the 2012 Porsche Supercup behind René Rast who took his third consecutive title and his teammate Kévin Estre.
Estre and Thiim teamed up again for the 2013 championship. In the opening round Thiim finished second to Sean Edwards at Barcelona. Edwards was coming off a second consecutive win in the 24 Hours of Dubai and had been slowly been working his up the ranks in Porsche Carrera Cup Germany and Supercup. After the opening weekend of the 2013 Porsche Supercup weekend, Thiim and Edwards went on to win the 24 Hours Nürburgring teamed with legendary German driver Bernd Schneider and Jeroen Bleekemolen, giving Mercedes-Benz their first ever victory in the German endurance classic.
After their victory at the Nürburgring, Edwards and Thiim would win the next two rounds of the Porsche Supercup season at Monaco and Silverstone. Prior to Silverstone however, the most sobering event that can happen in motorsports occurred and opened a door for Thiim's future. Allan Simonsen's death in the 24 Hours of Le Mans left a door open in a factory Aston Martin in the World Endurance Championship. Simonsen had been the lead driver to Aston Martin's young driver team and his vacancy was only fittingly filled by a fellow Dane: Nicki Thiim.
In the first WEC race after Simonsen's death, the all-Danish team of Christoffer Nygaard, Kristian Poulsen and Thiim were having a great run in class at Interlagos until a mechanical failure ended their day early. Thiim would go on to win the following weekend in Porsche Supercup at Monza and narrow the gap between him and Edwards to eighteen points entering the season finale race weekend at Yas Marina. Thiim would continue his success in WEC with a second in class at Austin to his Aston Martin teammates Jamie Campbell-Walter and Stuart Hall.
Unfortunately motorsports threw another sobering blow. Sean Edwards was killed in a training accident at Queensland Raceway in Australia weeks prior to the Porsche Supercup season finale. Edwards seemed a lock to take the Porsche Supercup championship but his death opened the door for either Thiim or Michael Ammermüller. While there were calls to make the season finale weekend at Yas Marina a non-points event and posthumously hand Edwards the title, the weekend continued as scheduled. Thiim went out as a race car driver, swept the weekend and took home the championship.
Thiim was in a no-win situation. There was no exuberant celebration but he did earn that championship. He won three races and scored five podiums. If there was any driver that deserved to win that title more than Edwards, it was Thiim. He would round out his 2013 season picking up a win in the WEC season finale in Bahrain, book-ending the season for the all-Danish Aston Martin squad after Simonsen, Nygaard and Poulsen took victory in the season opener at Silverstone.
Thiim's 2013 season was full of the successes any young driver dreams of. Motorsports can hand you opportunities through the misfortune of others. It has always happened in motorsports and it will continue to happen as long drivers show up and race. But we shouldn't curse Thiim for winning the Porsche Supercup title. He won the title honoring Edwards and drove the Aston Martin honoring Allan Simonsen. Despite the dark reality, Thiim raced with best intentions to carry on the legacy of his fellow racers and friends in Edwards and Simonsen.
Nicki Thiim is the model driver for what he does on and off the track. He has a bright future ahead of him and will carry on the memory of Sean Edwards and Allan Simonsen as well.
We can't change reality. Nicki Thiim had a incredible year in sports cars and did so carrying on the memory of two talented drivers. Thiim entered 2013 as an up and coming driver from Denmark. At 24, Thiim was already on the cusp of taking that next step in motorsports. He won a class in the 2009 24 Hours Nürburgring and finished third in the 2012 Porsche Supercup behind René Rast who took his third consecutive title and his teammate Kévin Estre.
Estre and Thiim teamed up again for the 2013 championship. In the opening round Thiim finished second to Sean Edwards at Barcelona. Edwards was coming off a second consecutive win in the 24 Hours of Dubai and had been slowly been working his up the ranks in Porsche Carrera Cup Germany and Supercup. After the opening weekend of the 2013 Porsche Supercup weekend, Thiim and Edwards went on to win the 24 Hours Nürburgring teamed with legendary German driver Bernd Schneider and Jeroen Bleekemolen, giving Mercedes-Benz their first ever victory in the German endurance classic.
After their victory at the Nürburgring, Edwards and Thiim would win the next two rounds of the Porsche Supercup season at Monaco and Silverstone. Prior to Silverstone however, the most sobering event that can happen in motorsports occurred and opened a door for Thiim's future. Allan Simonsen's death in the 24 Hours of Le Mans left a door open in a factory Aston Martin in the World Endurance Championship. Simonsen had been the lead driver to Aston Martin's young driver team and his vacancy was only fittingly filled by a fellow Dane: Nicki Thiim.
In the first WEC race after Simonsen's death, the all-Danish team of Christoffer Nygaard, Kristian Poulsen and Thiim were having a great run in class at Interlagos until a mechanical failure ended their day early. Thiim would go on to win the following weekend in Porsche Supercup at Monza and narrow the gap between him and Edwards to eighteen points entering the season finale race weekend at Yas Marina. Thiim would continue his success in WEC with a second in class at Austin to his Aston Martin teammates Jamie Campbell-Walter and Stuart Hall.
Unfortunately motorsports threw another sobering blow. Sean Edwards was killed in a training accident at Queensland Raceway in Australia weeks prior to the Porsche Supercup season finale. Edwards seemed a lock to take the Porsche Supercup championship but his death opened the door for either Thiim or Michael Ammermüller. While there were calls to make the season finale weekend at Yas Marina a non-points event and posthumously hand Edwards the title, the weekend continued as scheduled. Thiim went out as a race car driver, swept the weekend and took home the championship.
Thiim was in a no-win situation. There was no exuberant celebration but he did earn that championship. He won three races and scored five podiums. If there was any driver that deserved to win that title more than Edwards, it was Thiim. He would round out his 2013 season picking up a win in the WEC season finale in Bahrain, book-ending the season for the all-Danish Aston Martin squad after Simonsen, Nygaard and Poulsen took victory in the season opener at Silverstone.
Thiim's 2013 season was full of the successes any young driver dreams of. Motorsports can hand you opportunities through the misfortune of others. It has always happened in motorsports and it will continue to happen as long drivers show up and race. But we shouldn't curse Thiim for winning the Porsche Supercup title. He won the title honoring Edwards and drove the Aston Martin honoring Allan Simonsen. Despite the dark reality, Thiim raced with best intentions to carry on the legacy of his fellow racers and friends in Edwards and Simonsen.
Nicki Thiim is the model driver for what he does on and off the track. He has a bright future ahead of him and will carry on the memory of Sean Edwards and Allan Simonsen as well.
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