(RacingWire) – The Grand-Am Rolex Series and the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge will race at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway starting in 2012.
Author: SM Staff
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NASCAR’s Greg Pursley Continues Dream Season Defeating a Long-Time Nemesis
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[/media-credit]NASCAR’s K&N Pro Series West division rolled into Toyota Speedway at Irwindale on Saturday night for the Southern California Toyota Dealers 200 presented by King Taco, and the only obstacle in the way of point’s leader Greg Pursley continuing his dream season, was the fact he had never won in a West race in 11 starts at this track he calls his home.Pursley who drives the No. 26 Gene Price Motorsports/Star Nursery sponsored Ford in the West series, has been to victory lane 28 times at this progressively banked half mile including a Super Late Model championship in 2004.
Pursley also became the NASCAR Whelen All-American series national champion that same season winning 13 of 18 races, and in 2007 picked up a Super Late Model win in the prestigious NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown. ”We have been trying many years in this car to win here. We have won everything there is to win here,” Pursley said while waiting for the first of two practice sessions to begin.
The Newhall, California native wasted no time in preparing himself to overcome his nemesis by taking the pole, his third of the season and second-in-a-row at an oval track after deciding not to run the run the second practice session.
“We have been here enough to where we know what’s gonna happen and don’t want to get yourself in trouble in practice. We’ll know what we got after qualifying and that will tell us how we are gonna run tonight,” said Pursley.
Pursley also added that, “The communication is very well between myself and Jerry Pitts (Crew chief) and he understands what I like to feel in the car. I can get in the car and not have to worry about it and it takes a lot of stuff off the back of my mind.”
Once the green flag waved, Pursley quickly went to the front where he led the first 66 laps of the 200 lap feature race, which included a 10 minute break at the 100-lap mark to give the teams a chance to make adjustments.
Before the break, Michael Self would lead the last 36 laps of the first 100-lap segment when Pursley let the faster driver go by to save his car for the second half of the race. “The first 100 when the 21 passed it was planned. I told them I wasn’t going any faster. So if they want to go ahead let him go. I knew we needed to save our tires so we just let him go,” Pursley said when talking about the reason he moved over and let Self pass.
Once the cars came into the pits for the 10 minute break and restarted on lap 103, Pursley once again pulled away and led the next 55 laps when a caution came out because of a fire on pit road. The race restarted on lap 164 with Pursley showing the dominance he has shown all season when he pulled away from the rest of field, and took the checkered flag in front of a near sell-out crowd.
The win gave Pursley his fifth win on the season, but more importantly he was able to defeat the track that has eluded him throughout his K&N West Series career. “We have come so close so many times in this car and finally got one. When you’re on a roll like this you have to ride it as long as you can. Everyone knows in racing in can end like that you can go to the bottom as fast as you’re at the top,” Pursley said.
Pursley also added that, “It’s a tribute to my team and the preparation of my car and I probably have a different mindset entering these races being a little more careful and being a smarter driver. If we can win one were gonna win one and if not we have to get out with the best finish we can. “
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Oriol Servia Puts Newman-Haas Racing Back on the Map With Strong Start
After not having a lot of success last year in the part that sponsorship funding could not be found, Newman-Haas has been able to put themselves back on the map this year with a large part of that being cause of Oriol Servia.
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[/media-credit]Nine races into the year, Servia currently has the No. 2 car fourth in points, 89 points behind points leader Dario Franchitti.“The season has been great, outstanding to the point that we’re getting so close to the win that we can almost smell it and I think that nothing else will satisfy us now, which is where we exactly want to be in IndyCar racing,” he said. “So we’re in a really good place, we’re getting stronger and stronger each weekend. I’m fourth in the points; I lost third in the last race, but we’re hoping this weekend that we have a good one and we can get back in the top three in the standings.”
There’s been a lot of change within Newman-Haas, including the addition of rookie driver James Hinchcliffe, which has been good for the team.
“It’s great, actually, because he’s not only a great driver, but he’s very fun to be around with,” Servia said. “He’s very smart and he’s a rookie, but comes with a lot of experience because he’s done Indy Lights and Atlantic Series for a few years now so he has a very good work ethic. We work really well together between us and the engineers and it’s the way it has to be to be successful in the series. So its been huge for me to have him as a teammate and I think being together is a big reason why we’re doing really well.”
The Girona, Spain native got his start with Newman-Haas back in 2005 and the following season, he was able to finish second in points. From there, they tried to put a deal together, even running four races in 2009, though the deal didn’t come together till this year. He caught the eye of Newman-Haas after success in the Firestone Indy Lights, including a championship in 1999.
“That’s a moment in my life where I was trying to become a professional racer, but I wasn’t yet,” he said. “That meant that I had to win the championship if I wanted any chance and the day I won the championship, I only lost control of all of my emotions and it was a great feeling.”
While working his way up the ranks, he has learned many lessons, though for him, its all about the work ethic.
“The biggest lesson in racing is that you gotta be consistent, you gotta never give up, and you got to work hard,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re talented or not, but if you don’t work as hard as you can, you just will not do it, even if you’re the most talented. So, you know racing teaches that you very well because each weekend you’re battling against similar equipment and other drivers and it’s a great way to test yourself every weekend. So definitely one of the biggest things I’ve learned in racing.”
For Servia last week, it was a finish of 14th after qualifying ninth, though with the Honda Indy in Toronto this weekend, Servia is hoping for more success.
“Its very difficult to start with, especially to race on, and we’ll see,” he said. “The street race, its very easy to make mistakes and ends up being a survival race, so the first thing is I just hope that we can be there at the end. That’s the first thing, and then hopefully fighting for victory.”
While Newman-Haas has gone through some changes, the series is also going through changes as a new car will be introduced in 2012. To that, Servia says its a good addition for the series for the drivers and fans.
“I think it’s great that we have a new car,” he said. “I don’t care how it looks, but I think its about time to have a different car. I mean, its good for the drivers as we have to get use to a new car, but its good for the fans also. I think this car has been used now for at least seven years, I think, and the fans like to see some innovation and some change and I think it won’t be difficult to make it a good looking car.”
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Matty’s Picks Vol. 9 – Kentucky – Quaker State 400 – July 9, 2011
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[/media-credit]This week, the NASCAR Sprint Cup series heads to the state known not for stock car racing, but for its horse racing. Yes, each year the Thunder Over Louisville is the opening ceremony for the most prestigious horse race in the world, the Kentucky Derby. Not only does the Kentucky Derby Festival hold the world’s largest fireworks display in the world, but Kentucky holds more gold in storage inside the vaults of Fort Knox, than any other place in the world. Over $6 billion dollars worth of gold calls Kentucky home in the underground storage vaults.Enough with the quirky facts about the state and onto the RACING!
Just 11 years ago, Jerry Carroll’s dream came became a reality when he opened the front gates to Kentucky Speedway on June 16, 2000. It was two years and $153 million dollars that finally got the track opened for its first event, a Slim Jim All Pro Series race. The day following, Greg Biffle won the first NASCAR sanctioned race at Kentucky in the Camping World Truck Series. Since then, Kentucky Speedway has been a stop for the Camping World Truck Series, Nationwide Series, IZOD IndyCar Series, and the Firestone Indy Light Series.
In 2008, the track was purchased from owner Jerry Carroll by Speedway Motorsports Inc with the intent to host a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event during the 2009 racing season. Bruton Smith put an additional $50 million into the track, expanding the seating of the track from 66,000 to 107,000, reconfiguring pit road, and adding an additional 200 acres of camping around the complex. This proved to be enough to land an event at the speedway for the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The race Saturday night has officially sold out and should prove to be one of the most memorable nights in the track’s brief history.
Kentucky Speedway’s layout mocks the layouts of Kansas Speedway and Chicagoland Speedway. With 14 degrees of banking in the corners, 8-10 degrees in the Tri-Oval and 4 degrees on the backstretch, Kentucky will prove to be a bit of a challenge to newcomers.
Daytona Recap
Because my Kentucky intro being as long-winded as it is, although tough with the excitement of the last 20 laps at Daytona, I will keep my recap of last week fairly brief.
My winner pick, Jeff Gordon, played the Hendrick game last Saturday night in an effort to steer clear of trouble. Gordon immediately hooked up with drafting partner, Mark Martin in the first few laps of the race, pushing Martin to the point. The tandem of Gordon and Martin would slip out of the top 20 just before lap number 20, and would ride in the middle of the pack until the 300-mile mark. Following their final green flag stops with 25 laps remaining, the duo would make their charge towards the front, moving to 7th and 8th with just 5 laps remaining. Gordon would make one of the best saves of his career, keeping the Pepsi Max Chevy clear of any barriers but would bring out the caution with just 4 to go. The first attempt at a GWC restart would go foul in Turn 2, putting Gordon in 17th on what would become the final restart. Gordon then hooked up with Toyota driver, Kyle Busch, and the tandem sliced through traffic and Busch pulled Gordon to a 6th place finish, netting me a top 10 for my winner pick.
A.J. Allmendinger would also net me a top 10 for my Dark Horse pick this past weekend in his No. 43 U.S. Air Force Ford Fusion. Also taking the mid-pack route on Saturday night, Allmendinger hooked up with teammate Marcos Ambrose early, but the tandem would eventually split late in the race after the No. 43 ran out of gas on lap 134. Allmendinger coasted onto pit road and would eventually go one lap down to the leaders. It wasn’t until the caution brought out by my winner pick that Allmendinger would gain the Lucky-Dog and jump back onto the lead lap. Starting at the rear of the field following the final two cautions would prove to be beneficial in the end for the Richard Petty Motorsports Driver. Allmendinger would avoid both cautions in overtime to drive to a 10th place finish, netting me another top ten for my Dark Horse pick.
Kentucky Picks
Onto my picks for this week.
I’m not going to bore you all to death with statistics this week only because THERE AREN’T ANY! I’m also not going to base my predictions on past finishes at Kansas or Chicagoland because the two tracks are rather similar to Kentucky Speedway, but that fact means nothing when it comes to an inaugural race. Each of the 43 drivers starting the race Saturday Night will be foaming at the drop of the green flag in an effort to become the first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winner at Kentucky Speedway.
I’m not sure how legal this is in the eyes of the Matty’s Pick’s rules committee, but I’m picking a guy this week that fans may not always have as a contender to win week in and week out. He has won the past three NASCAR Nationwide Series races at Kentucky, and will use his experiences in the Nationwide cars to give him a bit of an edge on Saturday night. Joey Logano scored his first NASCAR win at Kentucky in 2008, but has not seen victory lane in the Sprint Cup series since his win at Loudon in June 2009. This is my basis for qualifying him as a Dark Horse this weekend, and my guess is he will prove me wrong as a Dark Horse by running in the top 10 on Saturday.
For my winner pick, I am also picking a driver with some experience at Kentucky Speedway. He won a race in the Nationwide Series at Kentucky in June of 2004. Rowdy Busch is my Winner pick for this week and I am basing this prediction off of desire. I think Kyle Busch has a spot on his mantle open for a trophy with the words “Inaugural Race Winner” inscribed on it, and Joe Gibbs Racing will give him the car he needs to go get it. Look for the No. 18 in Gatorade Victory Lane not only Saturday Night, but Friday in the Nationwide Series, and Thursday in the Camping World Truck Series as well.
This ends a very long-winded Matty’s picks this week, (including the two hidden Bonus Picks!) I am extremely excited to be joining the other 125,000 folks at Kentucky Speedway this weekend to watch history be made. I will make the journey from Buffalo, NY to be on hand for this epic event, and look forward to sharing some good food, good times, and great RACIN’ in the Bluegrass State!!!
Until next time…..you stay classy NASCAR NATION!!
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NASCAR Sprint Cup Point Standings Analytics – After Race 17
The announcement of a change to the distribution of points across NASCAR national series sparked debate among even the most conservative NASCAR fans. One of the explanations behind the change was to develop a more dramatic points battle to increase fan interest.
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[/media-credit]A debate arose over the fact that a quick calculation would show that very little, if anything, would change in the final championship standings. In fact, even among the more common point distributions across all major racing series, by the end of the season there did not appear to be much of a difference in the order of the final standings.Here, I shall contend that debate with weekly comparisons across the three most commonly mentioned distributions, plus my own personal points schedule designed to reward both race winners and consistent high finishes.
Under the title ‘Chg’ lists the difference between a drivers points position between the points system and the current system.
Classic Points System – Standings After Race 17
In a perplexing difference, Kyle Busch would lead the point standings over Carl Edwards, while Kevin Harvick drops to third. Notably this can be attributed to Busch’s three additional top five finishes, a facet which was more emphasis under the old system.
Notable changes in position compared to current system: None
Changes to Chase Field: NONE
F1 System – Standings After Race 17
Edwards retains the the championship lead by virtue of his series leading 12 top ten finishes by 7 points over Kyle Busch. Matt Kenseth jumps up to third while actual points leader Kevin Harvick falls to fourth. Coke Zero 400 winner David Ragan jumps up to 11th in points, a mere four points out of the top ten
Notable Driver without points: Jeff Burton
Notable changes in position compared to current system: Marcos Ambrose (+9), Regan Smith (+8), David Ragan (+6), Kasey Kahne (+6), Ryan Newman (-4), Tony Stewart (-4), Greg Biffle (-8)
Changes to Chase Field: Brad Keselowski (IN), Ryan Newman (OUT)
IndyCar System – Standings After Race 17
Kyle Busch jumps up to a slim points lead over second place runner Carl Edwards. Again, Kevin Harvick finds himself dropped to third, followed by Matt Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson.
Notable changes in position compared to current system: David Ragan (+6), Kasey Kahne (+5), Marcos Ambrose (+5), Regan Smith (+5), Jeff Burton (-5), Greg Biffle (-6), A.J. Allmendinger (-6)
Changes to Chase Field: NONE
Phat’s System – Standings After Race 17
For an explanation of the points distribution, please see consult table below standings. This distribution is designed to reward race winners, while also rewarding those who run well every week.
With the same top five as the IndyCar system, Kyle Busch finds himself on top for the third points system. In comparing this system to the IndyCar and F1 systems, it is becoming apparent that systems which reward winners have roughly the same position distribution.
Notable changes in position compared to current system: Kasey Kahne (+6), David Ragan (+5), David Gilliand (+4), Ryan Newman (-4), Jeff Burton (-7), Greg Biffle (-8)
Changes to Chase Field: Tony Stewart (IN), Ryan Newman (OUT)
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NCAT: Steve Mathews Look To Carry Early Season Success Into Toronto
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[/media-credit]If you look at the season so far, a lot of people are pointing towards Steve Mathews as being the surprise as he has been running well at each track so far this year.“This season has been full of success and bad fortune,” he said. “We show speed almost everywhere we go, and are a car to contend with at the front of the field, but like anything else every little detail has to go as planned or flawless in order to succeed. I am happy with my showings on the oval tracks, but I admit there is work to be done on the road circuits. I haven’t really reflected on the season too much as of yet as it is still busy and ongoing, the main thing is that it all happens so fast, so you need to be prepared and ready well in advance.”
Despite the lack of success on the road courses, Mathews says he is welcome to the challenge and looks to improve on them.
“I do like the split of ovals and road course races, but as you can tell by my results I seem to like the ovals better,” he said. “The road courses are a new challenge, and in don’t mind having something new to try and master, especially with the racing being so fun on road courses. To be a good driver you need to be diverse, and that means successful on any course or terrain. With my ultimate goal of one day being in the Sprint Cup Series, where there is only 2 road course races, I wish we had more ovals in the Ontario region on the schedule to prepare myself, but it is what it is.”
The New Liskeard, Ontario native got his start in racing at the age of eight in go-karts, though he says the passion was there even before that.
“Ever since I was a little baby I would watch NASCAR with my dad,” he said.”One day we were outside at the beach and it started to rain so we went inside, with our luck the NASCAR race was under rain delay as well. With the rain delay, the television coverage switched to a kart race, and as soon as I saw driver’s helmets coming off and realizing they were kids, I wanted to race. I bugged my dad every summer to race, and he had researched the sport of go-karting and the summer I was turning 8 he put a go-kart magazine in my Christmas stocking and said lets go racing! So began the passion and disease of motorsports racing.”
Through moving up the ranks, there have been certainly a lot of moments to remember, though not one stands out as according to the young driver.
“I have no one moment I can pinpoint as my most memorable racing moment, I remember every moment,” the 20-year-old said. “I have very strong memories in racing from when I started, to my present time, to everything in-between. Every win, and every race is memorable for a certain reason and I intend on having many more memorable moments, including my first NCATS win.”
The experience has also brought forth a bunch of lessons, which Mathews has carried forward with him to work up the racing ladder and work on to become better.
“You learn many lessons in racing, such as: you can’t win the race on the first lap, gain respect from competitors, and patience,” he said. “The latter of the three is what I have been trying to work on, with no shortage of aggressiveness, I am learning to become more patient for the long races. Racing is full of lessons within the sport, as well as in every day life.”
This weekend’s Honda Indy in Toronto marks the 11th start of the Mathew’s young Canadian Tire Series career, though his first at Toronto after running a limited schedule the past two years.
“Heading into the Toronto Indy I am very excited and anticipate and eventful race for the fans,” he said. “Being downtown Toronto is always exciting in its own way, but going speeds of 175mph along the lakeshore is amazing. Heading into Toronto there was plenty of work to be done on the #15 Ford Fusion as it was unfortunately involved in a crash at Mosport causing heavy damage. Therefore, I would like to thank the crew and Bill Mathews Motors/Jack Mathews Body Shop for all the hard work enabling me to have a car to contend this weekend. The track looks fast and tricky, and I believe will will have a car to contend with in the tough NASCAR Canadian tire Series field.”
The Honda Indy Toronto also brings a bit of added pressure as the series will be racing along side of the IZOD IndyCar Series, though Mathews says he doesn’t let it bug him.
“I do not let the added pressure get to me though, once I am in the car there are no other factors that can affect me,” he said. “You need to perform at your best every event no matter how publicized or important it is, because you never know who is watching and what can happen.”
With the success so far, including a top five at Delawere, Mathews knows the first win is coming for the No. 15 Ford Fusion.
“I feel like my first NASCAR win is right in-front of me, and that with hard work and some lady luck I will stumble upon it in no time,” he said. “For a win to happen, all the pieces of the puzzle must fit together, we have been oh so close and I am confident I can secure a win for Mathews Motorsports in the very near future.”
For more information on Steve Mathews, check out , search Mathews Motorsports on Facebook and Youtube and follow Mathews’ on twitter @15Mathews.
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James Hinchcliffe Set To Continue Rookie Campaign With Hometown Race in Toronto
For the Oakville, Ontario native, the Honda Indy Toronto will mark the hometown driver’s first IZOD IndyCar Series race on the Toronto track.
“I’ve been telling everybody that I’ve been coming to this race since I was 18 months old,” James Hinchcliffe said during the teleconference. “I’ve had the opportunity to drive here in a few of the different junior formulas over the years which have all been incredible in their own right, but at the end of the day I was always sitting in the grandstands with everybody else when the main show started. It’s going to be special this year to see the race from a different seat.”
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[/media-credit]It won’t be the first time he has ran the street circuit as he has ran it four times before in the Firestone Indy Lights division, which he finished 10th last year after a crash and third in 2009.Though while the race will be special for Hinchcliffe, it also marks a milestone for the event as it marks the 25th Anniversary.
“Probably my favorite came in ’99,” he said. “I got the opportunity to spend 10 minutes chatting with Greg Moore, who was my hero growing up, when I started go-karting and everything. I had somehow, through a very long story I won’t bore you with, procured the steering wheel off of Greg’s first racecar, his ’91 Van Diemen Formula Ford. I stood outside his trailer for three hours and ten minutes through varying weather conditions and different people standing with me, none of them willing to stay the whole time.
“After a while, Greg actually came out, one of his mechanics went and got him when I explained the story of the wheel. He came out and chatted with my sister and me for 10 or 15 minutes. It was the only conversation I ever got to have with Greg and certainly one of my biggest memories from any race ever.”
Hinchcliffe has had success racing in Canada as last year, he won at Edmonton in the Firestone Indy Lights division.
“Well, you know, obviously Canadians are very proud people,” he said. “We have a sort of small population compared to some of the other big countries in the world. When it comes to sports, we like to prove that we can still compete.
“Motor racing is no different. I think there’s a big motor racing heritage in Canada, especially with open-wheel. So they’re very big fans. Even when I was racing in the junior formula, the support that you got from the fans in Toronto and Edmonton was incredible. They’re very knowledgeable, very passionate. They just love cheering on the locals.
“For me certainly that win in Edmonton last year was one of the high points of my racing career. I raced in Canada a bunch of times, but it was the first time in my formula car career that I managed to take a win on home soil. So it was a nice moment, especially after rebounding from a DNF in Toronto the week before.”
Hinchcliffe made the jump from the Indy Lights to IndyCar after second in points last year driving for Mark Moore.
“The transition has been certainly more difficult in some aspects than I was expecting and maybe a little smoother in other aspects,” he said. “It’s been a little bit of everything. The workload in IndyCar is certainly a lot more, and more than I was expecting. But to the other side of that, the first time I got to drive the car, I was very pleased to see how comfortable I was in it right away. I think a lot of that credit has to go to the Indy Lights Series, the time I spent there, how close that car is. It’s a very competitive series. You really appreciate that now you are driving against the best guys in North America. It’s been a huge learning experience. Rookies don’t get a ton of testing these days, so every race weekend is basically a two- or three-day test session. It’s all about getting laps. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every minute. We’ve had some ups and some downs. Some aspects were more difficult. At the end of the day I’ve worked very hard to get to this point and I’m learning as much as I possibly can every opportunity I get and just enjoying every single minute of it.”
In making the transition from Indy Lights to IndyCar, Hinchcliffe has had his teammate Oriol Servia to lean on.
“He was there at my first test,” he said. “Every track that we go to now, I’m going to for the first time in this car. He’s a huge asset as a teammate. Our personal relationship is very good. He’s always super willing to help. I think there’s a lot of mutual respect there. We’ve been able to work well together, with our engineers, on trying to improve the car on weekends when maybe it didn’t roll off with what we wanted. Had all sorts of advice and tips, especially during the month of May, places like Texas that can be a little bit intimidating, Milwaukee. So there’s no doubt that he’s been a huge, huge contributor to that. If you were to pick one person, he would probably have to top the list.”
This year’s rookie crop in the IndyCar Series is very diverse, in which Hinchcliffe says its kind of nice to be on the list with the group.
“In all seriousness, I’m glad I’m a rookie this year because this is probably the best rookie crop they’ve had in over a decade,” he said. “It’s cool to be able to put your name on that list with that crop. I think whoever walks away with the rookie of the year award this year can truly say that he or she earned it and had some fierce competition trying to get it. It was certainly no walk in the park. We’re going to do everything we can to make sure it’s our name on that trophy at the end of the season. Either way, it’s good to know you’ve gone up against such a good crop of guys and girls and been able to compete.”
So far, the season has been good for Hinchcliffe as he currently sits second in the Sonoco Rookie of the Year Point Standings with a best finish of fourth at Long Beach earlier this year. That gives Hinchcliffe some hope for the hometown race as the courses are very similar.
“I think there are definitely some similarities between Toronto and Long Beach,” he commented. “If you had to pick a circuit that was closest to Toronto, it probably would be Long Beach. For sure, I guess that’s a confidence booster heading into this weekend. But I think we’ve had pretty good cars in all the street circuits so far this year. It’s just a type of track that Newman Haas seems to enjoy. This particular track, they’ve won seven times, five of them with Michael Andretti. I watched them do it every single time they did it.
“We’re hoping again that we’ll have a good car here. I just seem to like street circuits. I have since I first started racing them back in 2004. Although Toronto has not necessarily been my strongest track historically, it’s the same type of circuit. If everything goes our way, I think we can have another strong finish.”
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IZOD IndyCar Series Returns to Auto Club Speedway in 2012
IZOD IndyCar Series officials announced that Auto Club Speedway will hold a night race in 2012, after not hosting a race for the past seven years.
“We feel the time is right to bring IndyCar racing back to Auto Club Speedway,” Randy Bernard, IZOD IndyCar Series CEO said. “We want to maintain the diverse line-up of ovals on our schedule and the addition of Auto Club Speedway adds a great venue that was built for the high-speed, wheel-to-wheel excitement of IndyCar racing under the lights.”
Bernard mentioned that there would be another date possibly added and for him, California made sense because of the protential ticket sales there.
“It’s one of the largest markets in the United States, number one,” he said. “We need more ovals. We’re trying to keep a balanced series. We also think a night race there will be very exciting. It has a lot of history with IndyCar. We think they’re some very solid partners that we can bring on to enhance the event. I will say on a personal event, Gillian and her team have been outstanding to work with, very aggressive on wanting this event.”
The 2-mile oval in Fontana, California played host to CART from 1997-2002 and the IZOD IndyCar Series from 2002 to 2005. It’s also the site of two major records for the series. Gil de Ferran set the world speed record for the fastest lap on a closed course at 241.426 mph during qualifying in 2000, while Sam Hornish Jr. averaged 207.151 mph in 2003, setting the record for the fastest race on a closed course.
“This facility was built to host open-wheel racing and Auto Club Speedway has arguably hosted some of the most exciting races in Indy car history,” Gilllian Zucker, president of Auto Club Speedway, said. “We look forward to building on the area’s history and tradition of open-wheel racing with new records and new races beginning in 2012.”
Auto Club Speedway has a lot of connections with the IndyCar Series as it was built by the Penskes with the idea to have the best open-wheel racing on it.
“In our minds, this is the most competitive place to see open-wheel racing in the country,” Zucker added. “We hold the world speed record for the fastest lap of 241 miles an hour. We know that the finishes here have been unlike any other. We feel like this is going to provide a really excellent opportunity to provide world class racing for our fans and diversify our schedule.”
The full 2012 schedule is set to be released later this year, however Bernard said that as a series, they’re looking for a balance between ovals and road courses.
“Well, we want to say we’re the fastest and most versatile race [media-credit id=2 align=”alignright” width=”213″]
[/media-credit]car drivers in the world,” he said. “That’s what will differentiate us from other forms of motorsports. So we need to try to live up to that. It’s very difficult sometimes when you’re trying to complement road, street and ovals. IndyCar, the tradition and history, is all about ovals. What we’re trying to do is make sure we can maintain some great racetracks for that.”That diversity that Bernard and the fans want is partly why Zucker also wanted the California race to be a night race.
“One of the things that fans have been writing about, in addition to wanting the IndyCar Series back here at Auto Club Speedway, they also want to see racing under the lights,” Zucker said. “It provides an additional level of excitement to have a night event. So by being able to do both, we feel like we’re going to bring not only the excitement and speed of IndyCar racing but also the extra pizazz of watching them race under the lights.”
Bernard added that he is looking for a 20 race schedule for 2012 and if that happens, there will also be some more announcements coming about other tracks. However, one of the concerns in adding new dates to the schedule, though, has been the risk of having a lot of empty seats like Milwaukee had, though Zucker isn’t worried about that.
“I think, first of all, based on the timing of this announcement, it was really important for us that we were able to reach an agreement now because with the announcement coming this early we’re able to include the IZOD IndyCar Series in our renewals,” Zucker commented. “So fans who have season packages or club seat members will have an opportunity from the beginning to lock in their seats for IndyCar racing. That will help to enhance the crowd.
“In addition to that, this is something where there isn’t a day that goes by that we don’t have fans asking for the return of open-wheel racing. As I know you recall, when the split happened with open-wheel racing, there were fans that were disappointed about what was going on in the industry. Some of them showed that disappointment by not attending events. Now that the series is so cohesive, has so much momentum behind it, with all the changes that Randy made in the past year, the excitement he’s bringing to the sport, I think the timing is just absolutely right.
“We’re prepared to aggressively promote it with more than a year to be able to do that. By bringing back a night event, we feel that will even enhance it more for fans. So we fully expect to have a big crowd.”
The ticket price so far that has been released is $30 for general admission with reserved seating being $50 and the club areas being $60. However, Zucker added that kids under 12 are free in the general admission sections.
“We have really seen a tremendous amount of growth in this season with families enjoying motorsports,” she added. “We want to really continue that by providing affordable pricing for people in this region who were really hit hard during this economic crisis.”
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Danica Patrick’s Big Decision For 2012 Looks To Be NASCAR
Last week, it was released that Go Daddy was sold from Bob Parsons to KKR & Co. for $2.25 billion. Off the bat, people were worried about how that would effect Danica Patrick’s future. It appeared that was unnecessary. A spokesperson for Go Daddy said that it won’t affect their relationship with her.
David Yeazell | SpeedwayMedia.com“I can tell you Bob’s been very vocal about how well Danica has fit into Go Daddy’s marketing efforts,” spokesperson Elizabeth Driscoll said. “And the new investors have specifically said they don’t want to mess with Go Daddy’s secret sauce…at least two of the magic ingredients, our customer service and marketing.”“We are very much looking forward to the future…on the Internet and on the race track.”
With Go Daddy’s support behind her 100%, it is now up to Patrick with what decision she chooses to make for herself in 2012.
Silly season always seems to bring a puzzle and right now, the puzzle has Patrick pointed towards NASCAR for 2012.
Go Daddy already announced that it wouldn’t be backing the No. 5 entry from Hendrick Motorsports next year with driver Kasey Kahne, as it had backed the entry the last couple of years with Mark Martin. This opens up the door for Go Daddy to take on a new sponsorship role within the NASCAR sector. Patrick is already their marketing tool and the person who has given them some of their best publicity. It’d make sense that they were making that announcement so they could sponsor Patrick full-time over at JR Motorsports in the Nationwide Series.
Also, if Patrick came over to NASCAR, her future in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series looks bright down the road if she is capable of moving up. Tony Stewart already stated that he’d like to have her drive for him and as was seen last Friday night at Daytona, they work well together.
Speaking of Daytona, it showed that Patrick is a strong learner in learning aspects of stock car racing. Back in February, she was criticized for how she drafted with drivers as they stated she didn’t know the idea of dragging the brake. However, she learned that quickly on Friday night and led the field for a bit while working with Tony Stewart. She also worked well with JR Motorsports teammate Aric Almirola.
“Got disconnected about half a lap to go and dropped back to get reconnected with Aric,” she said after scoring the third top 10 of her NASCAR career Friday night. “It looked like Mike (Wallace) was struggling there. I kept the car straight and my foot in it, probably not the right thing to do in a wreck.
“I learned a lot out there. I was glad I got to push a bit as I was thinking, ‘Am I only good as a leader?’ But the guys did a good job on the Go Daddy Chevrolet.”
Her ability to be successful in NASCAR has been seen in many different forms also, as she scored her first top five earlier this year at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, finishing fourth with fuel strategy after running just inside the top 10 all day.
“I mean, we’ve been really consistent – the finishes haven’t shown it,” crew chief Tony Eury Jr. said after the fourth place finish. “It’s really easy for her to run in the top 15. If we can get everything right, we can run in the top 10 with this girl.”
Lastly, it has been displayed that she has a good teammate in Aric Almirola to lean on with his experience, as witnessed last year at Homestead-Miami when he came on her radio during the race to give her some tips about her racing line.
With all the pieces laid out, it’d look to be that her decision will be NASCAR full-time in 2012.Though whatever her decision, she’ll have her fans behind her and IZOD IndyCar Series CEO Randy Bernard says that he’s okay with whatever she does.
“I think the world of Danica,” he commented. “I think she’s going to make the right decision for her and I will wish her well whichever decision she makes. She’s done a lot for our sport and that’s what we need to remember. I think that she’ll probably go where the money is the best and I think that’s what I would do, you would do as well, and I think it’s more important right now I focus my attention to Go Daddy and make sure that I can keep Go Daddy apart of our series. I think without Go Daddy, Danica Patrick wouldn’t have the fame that she has and I’m looking out for the long term of our sport.”
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Notes From The NASCAR Nation: Lending Junior A Helping Hand
In the aftermath of the July 2nd Coke Zero 400, at the Daytona International Raceway, it was clearly evident to all that Dale Earnhardt Jr was not a happy man. Why would he be? First off, he lost sight of his Daytona dance partner, Hendrick Motorsports team mate Jimmie Johnson, following a miscommunication regarding a pit stop. Then, on the final lap of the race, he got caught up in the event’s second “big one” of the evening and watched a good race car and a potential top ten finish become a wadded up race car that finished 18th.
[media-credit id=22 align=”alignright” width=”225″]
[/media-credit]It was very easy to understand the frustration of NASCAR’s most popular driver. He arrived at Daytona with high anticipation, perhaps even a feeling that this was the weekend he was going to end that equally frustrating win less streak that dates back to the summer of 2008. It’s the same streak that he’s been reminded of on national television, and in the print media, at each stop on the NASCAR Sprint Cup’s schedule.After the race Earnhardt found himself in front of the media once again under dire circumstances. However,this time was different. He didn’t mince words and he made no effort whatsoever to choose his words carefully.
Referring to the his frustrations over the new two car draft system now prevalent in NASCAR restrictor plate racing, he asked “what kind of move can you make? I mean, Jesus man, what kind of freakin’ move can you make racing like this? There are no moves to make. You’re just holding on trying not to wreck each other and we saw how good we are at that.”
Then, much to every one’s surprise, Earnhardt challenged the media to state their opinions on the two car draft. “You guys need to get your own opinions and write what you all think about it,” he said adding “I think it’s probably pretty damn close to mine. Stop putting my damn mouth with y’all and getting my ass in trouble. Y’all write what y’all think. Come on, y’all are good. Y’all have an opinion about it. I read Y’all’s stuff. You put us in the damn crow’s nest.”
I can’t imagine how my personal opinion, on the state of restrictor plate racing, could help out Dale Earnhardt Jr, but I like him enough to at least try. Get ready, here it comes “Y’all”.
The Coke Zero 400 was 160 laps long. The first 140 of those laps was like watching paint dry. There were times when I had to stand up to keep from falling asleep. This was followed by 20 plus laps of the world’s most expensive demolition derby.
However, I’m not sure that this tedium is going to have a huge negative impact on the TNT Network’s television ratings. The race broadcast was on a Saturday night and, if you checked your television guide channel, there was basically nothing else on to compete with the race. Having said that, there were moments during the Coke Zero 400 when a rerun of “Law And Order” was starting to look good to me.
I’m having trouble relating to the fact that a driver absolutely needs a partner to win one of these races and I can’t imagine the fans being able to completely relate to that either. The old days of an individual, like Dale Earnhardt Sr charging to the front of the field at Talladega all by himself, appears to be gone forever and that’s too bad.
The so called “big one” is always going to be prevalent in restrictor plate racing. Whether the drivers return to the old school style of plate racing, keep the new two car tandem or even come up with a radically new concept, there’s always going to be the possibility of a multi car crash. I hate to see them because of the potential danger to the drivers as well as the collateral damage to the cars, especially the cars belonging to teams who are racing on limited budgets.
I couldn’t help but notice that, during pit stops, the gas man now had the added duty of wiping down the rear bumper with a grease laden rag to make the double car contact work smoother. I wondered why Pam hasn’t become the official cooking spray of NASCAR.
Finally I’ll never understand how this bizarre thought entered what’s left of my mind, but it occurred to me that this new two car hook up actually resembled two cockroaches having intimate relations.
Again, I don’t know if these opinions will help Dale Earnhardt Jr in any way, but I was glad to at least try and lend Junior a helping hand.
