IRL to Test at Iowa/ Danica not going Anywhere/ Sarah Fisher may still run Michigan/ Tracy Hines Resigns from FitzBradshaw
IRL to Test at Iowa Speedway
Image courtesy of Neumann Brothers and IowaSpeedway.com (Image shot 7/14/06)
The Indy Racing League confirmed today that both the Indy Pro Series and the IndyCar Series will conduct a compatibility test on Aug. 2 at Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa. Scott Dixon and Wade Cunningham will be behind the wheel for the session on the new 7/8 mile oval. The IRL has conducted compatibility tests at all new venues, which have played host to either the IndyCar Series or an Indy Pro Series event. The goal of the test is to see how IndyCar Series cars react to the racing surface and to determine what changes, if any, are needed for IndyCar Series or Indy Pro Series cars, engines, chassis or tires to race at the facility.
“We look at everything from the track surface, pit lane to race track transitions, the walls and pit and paddock areas.” John Lewis, IRL vice president for league development said. “Whether the track is in Motegi, Japan or Newton, Iowa the Indy Racing League conducts such tests to assure the best product available is delivered to our fans.”
The 2007 Indy Racing League schedule has not been released. Iowa Speedway will host it’s first race weekend in 52 days (as of Tuesday). USAC National Midget, Sprint and Silver Crown Series will help christen the new facility on September 16-17.
Confirmed, Danica is not going Anywhere
Well at least not leaving the IRL. The media that normally cover NASCAR have been casting lots over the past two weeks to which NASCAR team, Danica Patrick would land with in 2007. Patrick confirmed what we have been saying all along, that she will not leave the IRL but will switch teams in 2007. The sophomore IndyCar Series driver announced today that she will drive for Andretti Green Racing. (Ok we gave her a 40 percent chance of going to AGR.) AGR in their announcement said there will field four cars in 2007. The team currently fields four cars. That means someone will be bumped off the island at the end of the season. Andretti Green Racing won the 2004 and 2005 IndyCar Series championships, the 2005 Indianapolis 500 and is the winningest team in IndyCar Series history.
No word if her cowbell was part of the deal.
Sarah Fisher may still run at Michigan
Our friends at Trackside Online www.tracksideonline.com report that Sarah Fisher may still pilot a car for Dreyer and Reinbold Racing at Michigan this weekend. The website says the team is working on sponsorship for that race and two more IndyCar Series events on the 2006 schedule.
For more on this story, please visit www.tracksideonline.com.
First Danica in FHM, Now Helio in Maxim
Instead of posing spread eagle on a car in the August issue of Maxim, Helio Castroneves test drove four high-performance sports cars for the men’s magazine. The Brazilian gives his take on the Saleen S7 Twin Turbo, a Lamborghini Gallardo, an Aston Martin V8 Vantage and a Porsche Cayman S. The Penske Racing driver test-drove the four cars at his home track, Homestead-Miami Speedway and gives tips for getting around the track.
Tracy Hines Resigns from FitzBradshaw
USAC veteran Tracy Hines announced today that he has decided to resign his duties as a part-time driver for FitzBradshaw Racing. According to a news, the decision was made after Hines was pulled from the No. 12 car before this weekend's race at Gateway.
"I've been fortunate to have the opportunity to drive for FBR in the Busch series this year, but it's time for me to move on and look for something else," Hines said. "I'd like to find another ride with a team in NASCAR, either in the Truck or Busch series. I feel like I can be an asset to any team."
Hines, who has competed in both the NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, will most likely return to running USAC races until another seat opens up for him in the NASCAR ranks.
"It's frustrating to be in a situation where we're constantly losing team members to other teams and I feel like I'm just waiting my turn for the driver's seat to open up," Hines explained. "Each race that I drive, I feel like I'm continually trying to prove myself behind the wheel. We've had some decent runs this year. Bristol was probably our best, especially considering we were running on a very low budget for that race. FBR isn't a Cup-backed Busch team, so it is hard to compete with teams that have million dollar budgets at their disposal. We gave it a good try for these last six months, but I don't feel like my skills are being used to the fullest at FitzBradshaw. Dodge Motorsports has been very good to me for a number of years and I'm grateful to them for helping me obtain this position at FBR. I'm looking forward to an ongoing relationship with Dodge in the future and hopefully, we'll be able to find something that benefits all of us a little better."
The early entry sheet distributed by NASCAR for this weekend has Chip Ganassi Racing w/ Felix Sabates development driver Kevin Hamlin in the No. 12 at Gateway. Tracy Hines is a gifted driver and I hope he gets another chance in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck or Busch Series.
Open Wheeler Busch Entries for Gateway
10 John Andretti
11 Paul Menard
18 J.J. Yeley
30 Mike Bliss
38 Jason Leffler
60 Carl Edwards
77 Burney Lamar
Peter Shepherd to start first ARCA Race
According to the entry list for this weekend’s ARCA race at Gateway International Raceway in St. Louis, Peter Shepherd will start his first ARCA Re/Max Series race driving for owner Russ Roulo. Shepherd is scheduled to drive the No. 39 Canadian Board Game-LaQuinta Inn-Reliance Tool Ford entry. He is not the only Open Wheeler on the entry list. Erin Crocker and Burney Lamar are also scheduled to compete. Crocker is tied with Shawna Robinson as the highest finishing females in ARCA RE/MAX Series history. She finished second at Kansas in July and earned the Pork Pole Award at Kentucky the following week. The race is scheduled to go green Friday night at 9pm eastern on SPEED.
An Open Wheel TV Show on SPEED?
I was digging in the SPEED archives today and found this excerpt for a live SPEED.com chat with Robin Miller dated Tuesday, July 18.
Question: “Has Speed TV looked into having a 1/2 show for us?”
Miller: “Bless you. I worked on a pilot to do a show called The Truth (mostly open wheel) but it's kinda just sitting there and I'd love to host a half hour show once a week on open wheel only (IRL, Champ Car, USAC, WOO, SCRA, ect). SPEED is experimenting with different programming so maybe they'll give me a shot. But feel free to write a letter to SPEED and get a couple thousand signatures. I know the open wheel audience pales in comparison to NASCAR but there's still a few hundred thousand who care and want news, rumors, facts and opinion.”
There you go, break out the pen and paper and get to work folks. Let them know that you care about Open Wheel racing. By the way, Robin Miller is scheduled for another SPEED.com chat session on Thursday August 3rd from 1:30-2:30pm eastern. To view the complete archived chat session that the quotes were taken from above, please follow this link. http://www.speedtv.com/chat/index.php?action=viewarchivedchat&chat_id=27
Coming Tomorrow: More leftovers from Milwaukee including hockey and racing, schedules, a new team is coming and the grid girls. If we are lucky, I will also have the photo gallery from Milwaukee complete.
Images appearing in this blog courtesy of R.E. Technologies, Newman Brothers, IowaSpeedway.com, SPEED, FX, NASCAR Images, ABC, ESPN and the Indy Racing League.
Image courtesy of Neumann Brothers and IowaSpeedway.com (Image shot 7/14/06)
The Indy Racing League confirmed today that both the Indy Pro Series and the IndyCar Series will conduct a compatibility test on Aug. 2 at Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa. Scott Dixon and Wade Cunningham will be behind the wheel for the session on the new 7/8 mile oval. The IRL has conducted compatibility tests at all new venues, which have played host to either the IndyCar Series or an Indy Pro Series event. The goal of the test is to see how IndyCar Series cars react to the racing surface and to determine what changes, if any, are needed for IndyCar Series or Indy Pro Series cars, engines, chassis or tires to race at the facility.
“We look at everything from the track surface, pit lane to race track transitions, the walls and pit and paddock areas.” John Lewis, IRL vice president for league development said. “Whether the track is in Motegi, Japan or Newton, Iowa the Indy Racing League conducts such tests to assure the best product available is delivered to our fans.”
The 2007 Indy Racing League schedule has not been released. Iowa Speedway will host it’s first race weekend in 52 days (as of Tuesday). USAC National Midget, Sprint and Silver Crown Series will help christen the new facility on September 16-17.
Confirmed, Danica is not going Anywhere
Well at least not leaving the IRL. The media that normally cover NASCAR have been casting lots over the past two weeks to which NASCAR team, Danica Patrick would land with in 2007. Patrick confirmed what we have been saying all along, that she will not leave the IRL but will switch teams in 2007. The sophomore IndyCar Series driver announced today that she will drive for Andretti Green Racing. (Ok we gave her a 40 percent chance of going to AGR.) AGR in their announcement said there will field four cars in 2007. The team currently fields four cars. That means someone will be bumped off the island at the end of the season. Andretti Green Racing won the 2004 and 2005 IndyCar Series championships, the 2005 Indianapolis 500 and is the winningest team in IndyCar Series history.
No word if her cowbell was part of the deal.
Sarah Fisher may still run at Michigan
Our friends at Trackside Online www.tracksideonline.com report that Sarah Fisher may still pilot a car for Dreyer and Reinbold Racing at Michigan this weekend. The website says the team is working on sponsorship for that race and two more IndyCar Series events on the 2006 schedule.
For more on this story, please visit www.tracksideonline.com.
First Danica in FHM, Now Helio in Maxim
Instead of posing spread eagle on a car in the August issue of Maxim, Helio Castroneves test drove four high-performance sports cars for the men’s magazine. The Brazilian gives his take on the Saleen S7 Twin Turbo, a Lamborghini Gallardo, an Aston Martin V8 Vantage and a Porsche Cayman S. The Penske Racing driver test-drove the four cars at his home track, Homestead-Miami Speedway and gives tips for getting around the track.
Tracy Hines Resigns from FitzBradshaw
USAC veteran Tracy Hines announced today that he has decided to resign his duties as a part-time driver for FitzBradshaw Racing. According to a news, the decision was made after Hines was pulled from the No. 12 car before this weekend's race at Gateway.
"I've been fortunate to have the opportunity to drive for FBR in the Busch series this year, but it's time for me to move on and look for something else," Hines said. "I'd like to find another ride with a team in NASCAR, either in the Truck or Busch series. I feel like I can be an asset to any team."
Hines, who has competed in both the NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, will most likely return to running USAC races until another seat opens up for him in the NASCAR ranks.
"It's frustrating to be in a situation where we're constantly losing team members to other teams and I feel like I'm just waiting my turn for the driver's seat to open up," Hines explained. "Each race that I drive, I feel like I'm continually trying to prove myself behind the wheel. We've had some decent runs this year. Bristol was probably our best, especially considering we were running on a very low budget for that race. FBR isn't a Cup-backed Busch team, so it is hard to compete with teams that have million dollar budgets at their disposal. We gave it a good try for these last six months, but I don't feel like my skills are being used to the fullest at FitzBradshaw. Dodge Motorsports has been very good to me for a number of years and I'm grateful to them for helping me obtain this position at FBR. I'm looking forward to an ongoing relationship with Dodge in the future and hopefully, we'll be able to find something that benefits all of us a little better."
The early entry sheet distributed by NASCAR for this weekend has Chip Ganassi Racing w/ Felix Sabates development driver Kevin Hamlin in the No. 12 at Gateway. Tracy Hines is a gifted driver and I hope he gets another chance in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck or Busch Series.
Open Wheeler Busch Entries for Gateway
10 John Andretti
11 Paul Menard
18 J.J. Yeley
30 Mike Bliss
38 Jason Leffler
60 Carl Edwards
77 Burney Lamar
Peter Shepherd to start first ARCA Race
According to the entry list for this weekend’s ARCA race at Gateway International Raceway in St. Louis, Peter Shepherd will start his first ARCA Re/Max Series race driving for owner Russ Roulo. Shepherd is scheduled to drive the No. 39 Canadian Board Game-LaQuinta Inn-Reliance Tool Ford entry. He is not the only Open Wheeler on the entry list. Erin Crocker and Burney Lamar are also scheduled to compete. Crocker is tied with Shawna Robinson as the highest finishing females in ARCA RE/MAX Series history. She finished second at Kansas in July and earned the Pork Pole Award at Kentucky the following week. The race is scheduled to go green Friday night at 9pm eastern on SPEED.
An Open Wheel TV Show on SPEED?
I was digging in the SPEED archives today and found this excerpt for a live SPEED.com chat with Robin Miller dated Tuesday, July 18.
Question: “Has Speed TV looked into having a 1/2 show for us?”
Miller: “Bless you. I worked on a pilot to do a show called The Truth (mostly open wheel) but it's kinda just sitting there and I'd love to host a half hour show once a week on open wheel only (IRL, Champ Car, USAC, WOO, SCRA, ect). SPEED is experimenting with different programming so maybe they'll give me a shot. But feel free to write a letter to SPEED and get a couple thousand signatures. I know the open wheel audience pales in comparison to NASCAR but there's still a few hundred thousand who care and want news, rumors, facts and opinion.”
There you go, break out the pen and paper and get to work folks. Let them know that you care about Open Wheel racing. By the way, Robin Miller is scheduled for another SPEED.com chat session on Thursday August 3rd from 1:30-2:30pm eastern. To view the complete archived chat session that the quotes were taken from above, please follow this link. http://www.speedtv.com/chat/index.php?action=viewarchivedchat&chat_id=27
Coming Tomorrow: More leftovers from Milwaukee including hockey and racing, schedules, a new team is coming and the grid girls. If we are lucky, I will also have the photo gallery from Milwaukee complete.
Images appearing in this blog courtesy of R.E. Technologies, Newman Brothers, IowaSpeedway.com, SPEED, FX, NASCAR Images, ABC, ESPN and the Indy Racing League.
posted by Blake Johnson at 6:59 PM
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