Tale Of The Tape Through 11 Sessions – No Top 10

ORIOL SERVIA In The Pits (No. 5 KV Racing Technology): Quoted after the FIRESTONE INDY 200 at Nashville Superspeedway - "It was not really a great finish for the No. 5 KV Racing Technology car. Placing 16th is not what we were hoping for, but we definitely wanted to bring the car home. We had a little misfortune with our first pit stop, a gun failure, and lost any chance we had to do anything. I am looking forward to the next round of road courses where, hopefully, we will be performing up front again." Servia is in the lead on Championship points for the season – out of the top ten, in eleventh place with seven races remaining. Image Credit: Dana Garrett - IRL (2008)

Tale Of The Tape Through 11 Sessions – No Top 10

Nashville showed the weakness of the way the merger between ChampCar and IndyCar has been handled. It’s racing but not at its best primarily because the playing field has not been leveled enough to allow ANY of the former ChampCar teams to be competitive … not even where these teams would normally shine.

It all comes down to timing, equipment transition, and the desire to have a truly competitive series. What with the series through eleven races having primarily small ovals and little variance in the level of support (few aero parts for ovals early on, equipment settings for consistent and progressive speed runs) the very best the T-Teams can muster as it relates to the points championship is 11th .

Nashville was especially disheartening. Poor qualifying and only eight drivers competing with the best showing put in by Mario Moraes (Dale Coyne Racing) at tenth (his best oval race so far), one lap down in a rain shortened race on ESPN was anything but exciting for a longtime CART/CCWS fan. The “Elite Eight” were anything but elite.

Yes, there was some pretty decent driving and risky passes by the established team drivers … but this is to be expected when nothing has changed much in seven years in terms of tracks, top teams, and equipment. The winner did not listen to the radio communications from the team pit captain and won by rain default. The ESPN broadcast announcing team thought that the reason Scott Dixon (Chip Ganassi Racing) won at Nashville for the third time (yawn) was due to great pit strategy, but the truth came out making the whole affaire just another “round-and-round” IRL small oval production.

The IRL had a chance to invigorate the BRAND … but through 11 races has done little to get the maximum benefit from the situation. If I were a driver from a T-Team, I would have wished I had the mumps like EJ Viso (HVM Racing) and pulled out, or had the guts not to show up at all as did Mario Dominguez (Pacific Coast Motorsports) if it meant going around in small circles while being placed at a disadvantage as it relates to having an improvement on the increase of speed (and limited set-up options) in the existing equipment. In this first transition year, there doesn’t seem to be any light at the end of the tunnel (on small ovals anyway).

Honestly, small ovals can be exciting … but NOT as a steady diet. Here is hoping that the final seven races get a little better for the T-Team Ten and that they are able to creep back into the top ten in the point standings by years end. Mid-Ohio can not get here fast enough.

MARIO MORAES (No. 19 Sonny's Bar-B-Q, 10th): Dale Coyne Racing also kept Moraes on track during the final yellow, allowing the improving rookie to leap ahead of the rest of the midfield and take 10th after his best oval race so far. Said Mario of the race, "I'm very happy with a 10th-place finish tonight. The car was great, and the team did an excellent job. I was able to improve 12 positions in the race, which shows how good we did tonight. This is my best oval finish of my career. It would have been interesting to see if the race wasn't ended early because I really think I could have passed a few more cars." Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

How the Elite Eight Fared:

Pos. Driver>Team +Time

10. Mario Moraes>Dale Coyne +1 lap

11. Will Power>KV +1 lap

12. Graham Rahal>Newman/Haas/Lanigan +1 lap

15. Bruno Junqueira>Dale Coyne +2 laps

16. Oriol Servia>KV +2 laps

18. Justin Wilson>Newman/Haas/Lanigan +28 laps

20. Enrique Bernoldi>Conquest +105 laps

21. Jaime Camara>Conquest +121 laps


T-Team Ten Point Standings Through 11 of 18 Races

Pos. Driver - - - - - - Points –Points Behind Leader

11. Oriol Servia - - - - - - 220 -200

13. Will Power - - - - - - 213 -207

16. Graham Rahal - - - - - - 201 -219

17. E.J. Viso - - - - - - - 190 -230

19. Justin Wilson - - - - - - 183 -237

20. Enrique Bernoldi - - - - - - 172 -248

21. Mario Moraes - - - - - - 160 -260

22. Bruno Junqueira - - - - - - 156 -264

24. Jaime Camara - - - - - - 98 -322

27. Mario Dominguez - - - - - - - 74 -346

... notes from The EDJE

CCIC - RIP

CCIC - RIP

It's official, the Champ Car Inner Circle of Champions fan website is down for the count.

Here is the full statement sent to all 5,000 members who enjoyed the community of like minded, fun loving, open-wheel race fans.

From the Chief Steward:

Dear Champions,

Champ Car would like to thank all of you for participating and contributing to the Inner Circle Fan Club. You’ve proven to be among the most dedicated and loyal fans of a racing series. We know that some of you have mixed feelings about what has transpired, but we hope that you will support the teams and drivers that made Champ Car so great in their future endeavors, whether it be in the IndyCar Series, the Atlantic Championship or another form of racing. We wish all of you the best and thank each and every one of you for your support over the years.

- The Champ Car Team

Thank you Chief, may we see you in the Paddock of the next race we, as Champions, attend. Long live the spirit of the CCIC!

... notes from The EDJE

It’s A Hollywood Debut For Pacific Coast Motorsports

Frankie Muniz (left) and Carl Skerlong make up the 2008 driver lineup for PCM's Atlantic program. Image Credit: PCM 2008/CCWS website

It’s A Hollywood Debut For Pacific Coast Motorsports

Being a member of the Champ Car Inner Circle fan club has it’s benefits. For example, the other day I receive in my email inbox an invitation to join an event that was being held up on Universal City Walk where a CCWS Atlantic racing series team was going to make it’s 2008 team debut campaign announcement.

The event was scheduled to start Wednesday, January 30, 2008 – 7:00 P.M. – about a half an hour after the Republican Presidential Primary Debate that was being broadcast from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, staged right in front of the reassembled Boing 747 that had served as President Reagan’s Air Force One while he was in office, was scheduled to end.

City Walk is easy to get to from where I reside here in Toluca Lake, it is just one mile away, and up on the hill near the amusement park.

Let’s go! … and go we did.

Universal City Walk at night. The blue neon outline of King Kong hanging off of the building ahead in left frame. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks/The EDJE

Drive to the MTA station parking lot at the bottom of the hill (nobody walks in LA!), grab the Universal Studios shuttle tram for the slow ride up the 20% or so grade to the top of the hill to be let off just around the corner of the signature spinning world fountain at the Universal Studios entrance. Walk the City Walk past Sparky’s, The Daily Grill, Bubba Gump’s, The NASCAR Racing Amusement Arcade, underneath King Kong hanging off the side of a building, on past a few more eateries forward to the large guitar standing in front of the Hard Rock Café, Hollywood (originally named Hard Rock Café, Universal City).

Two shrouded CCWS Atlantic cars bookended a gathering that included PCM team director Tyler Tadevic as announcer/interviewer, team drivers - Carl Skerlong and Frankie Muniz, race engineer’s Burke Harrison and Tim Lewis, and a host of Committee 300 Long Beach Grand Prix voenteers, fans (as EDJE was one), and a large contingent of entertainment and sports media.

President/Team Director, Tyler Tadevic rests his arms on the drivers who will campaign for Pacific Coast Motorsports in the CCWS Atlantic series 2008 season. The drivers are Frankie Muniz (on left) and Carl Skerlong (on right). Image Credit: Edmund Jenks/The EDJE

This excerpted from the CCWS website -

PCM ANNOUNCES CARL SKERLONG, FRANKIE MUNIZ AS DRIVERS FOR ATLANTIC TEAM
Hollywood, CA (Jan. 30, 2008)

Frankie Muniz (left) and Carl Skerlong - 2008 Pacific Coast Motorsports CCWS Atlantic drivers next to the car Frankie Muniz is expected to drive for the season. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks/The EDJE

Pacific Coast Motorsports, a two-car team in the Champ Car World Series, announced tonight that they will expand their racing team with a two-car entry in the Cooper Tires Presents The Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda. PCM also announced their all-American driver lineup, Carl Skerlong and Frankie Muniz.

Pacific Coast Motorsports Champ Car driver Alex Figge acquired the Bakersfield-based US RaceTronics Atlantic team. The team will be based at PCM's Oxnard, California, headquarters and will compete under the Pacific Coast Motorsports banner. Former US RaceTronics team owner, Shane Seneviratne will manage the Atlantic program.

PCM team director Tyler Tadevic made the announcement under the famous Hard Rock guitar at a media event at the Hard Rock Cafe at Universal Studios tonight in Hollywood. Tadevic commented on the team's desire to return to their racing roots.

"We're really proud to be returning to the series where we won the 2004 championship, and we are looking forward to continuing our winning tradition," Tadevic said. "As a graduate of the series, Alex is a believer of the product; this is an important program to him. Shane has a history of running championship-winning teams and we saw this as a terrific opportunity to return to Atlantic competition.

"We feel we've got two exceptional young drivers on board. They're both quick and very professional. We've got an exciting season ahead of us."

Skerlong, 19, of Mukilteo, Washington, will drive the #28 King Taco/Mazda/Swift. Skerlong made an impressive debut in the Atlantic series in 2007 with two podium finishes and a top-10 finish in the series championship. Skerlong will be paired with two-time Atlantic championship-winning (2003, 2004) race engineer Burke Harrison,

"I am so excited about this opportunity," Skerlong said. "I am really happy to be able to continue my relationship with Shane, but grateful for the tools and resources racing for Pacific Coast Motorsports will offer. I have one goal this year, and that is to win the Atlantic series title and the $2 million prize in the #28 King Taco car."

Frankie Muniz rests helmet on the front right tire of his Atlantic series ride for 2008 between photography shots. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks/The EDJE

Muniz, 22, of Los Angeles, will drive the #29 PCM/Mazda/Swift in his sophomore season of Atlantic competition. Most people will recognize Frankie as an Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated actor, but 2008 will mark his third season as a professional racecar driver.

"Joining PCM is a huge step forward for me in my racing career," said Muniz. "In the three tests I have already completed, I have learned so much and really developed my skills as a racing driver. Tim Lewis, my race engineer, has a championship-winning record behind him and we have gelled really well. I just can't wait for the season to start in April at the Long Beach Grand Prix and I am thrilled to represent a professional racing team like Pacific Coast Motorsports."
Reference Here>>

After the ceremonies, the crowd milled around and fans, friends, and family of the event we able to enjoy a little conversation. The gathering outside adjourned to a private party hosted by Pacific Coast Motorsports up on the second level of the Hard Rock Café. Food and conversation were in plentiful supply and the building buzzed of the upcoming first of the season tests that are to be held in Sebring, Florida beginning this weekend. Team members were anxious to get the cars in the transport truck, drive them across the country and get this 2008 season started.

Great success to Team Pacific Coast Motorsports, may you all wage a campaign of epic scale … one worthy of a Hollywood debut!

Image Credit: Edmund Jenks/The EDJE

See you all the next time you are in the neighborhood at the 2008 running of the Long Beach Grand Prix. We will hop in the car and drive to the MTA station parking lot at the bottom of the hill ...

… notes from The EDJE.

All Hallow's Champ Car? - 2000 laps

One Racy Pumpkin! Image Credit: EDJE/Edmund Jenks

All Hallow's Champ Car? - 2000 Laps

For this activity we want to see your Champ Car pride integrated into one of the most fun holidays of the year, Halloween!

Carve a pumpkin with the “Champ Car” logo in it, disguise yourself as Count Champula (get it, like Dracula) or dress up a skeleton in CC swag. Take a picture of your creation and send it to us for all to see. Use your imagination and somehow combine the holiday of Halloween with the awesomeness of Champ Car.

Ended Nov 05, 2007

Awarded: 2000 Points ...


… notes from The EDJE.

Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach 2007

Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach 2007

The sights, the sounds, the unique vantage points, all of which make up the premiere closed course temporary street circuit race in the world.

From the top of the Wells Fargo Building at the corner of Ocean Blvd. and Pine Ave., to the Fountain Corner at the aquarium, ending up at the General Admissions grandstands located on the southern end of the front straightaway grandstand bank ... This IS Champ Car! ... This IS The 33rd Addition Of The LBGP!

I am an Inner Circle Champion because there is absolutely nothing like the thrill of competition on the "EDJE" (pronounced edge)!

Awarded 2000 Points...

… notes from The EDJE.

For Will Power, It's Vegas Baby!

Will Power leads a group of cars through an elevation change before entering the front straightaway. Image Credit: Jalopnik's Las Vegas local, Curtis Walker

For Will Power, It’s Vegas Baby!

Will Power - Team Australia edges out series rookie Dutchman, Robert Doornbos - Minardi Team USA (yes, that Formula One team) to grab the pole and line up next to former series champion, Paul Tracy - Forsythe Championship Racing.

So tomorrow, the inaugural Vegas Grand Prix takes off and will be broadcast Apr 08, 3:30 pm ET on NBC TV. Both Will Power and Paul Tracy start the race with one point apiece toward the series championship for 2007.

The race will be run in a newly developed area near the downtown Fremont Street area (to the west and slightly south) on a temporary street circuit ala the Long Beach Grand Prix, which is set to be run the very next weekend.

Inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix Race Course - Image Credit: Las Vegas Grand Prix

Along the temporary race circuit are new buildings that are part of the revitalization of the civic center part of town. The new World Market Center is at its center and it sponsors semiannual furniture trade shows attended by more than 100,000 national and international furniture buyers and representatives each year. The trade show complex will ultimately open year-round, but for now acts as a great photographic backdrop for the race going into turn one.

The temporary circuit also features a bump that gets the cars airborne.

Taking A Flyer - Bruno Junqueira #19 Sonny's Bar-B-Q Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone. Image Credit: Jalopnik's Las Vegas local, Curtis Walker

Driver quotes after the days qualifying from Champ Car World Series -

Will Power #5 Aussie Vineyards Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone -"I think it's going to be important for everybody to get through the first corner and go racing. I think this is the start of a new era for Champ Car. You've got a bunch of new young drivers that are in the series, obviously showing that they're quick. It's not the scenario that everybody thought it was going to be where everybody was saying in the off-season, Sebastien is going to run away with everything. He's starting near the back. It's going to be quite an interesting race. on the red Bridgestone tires, at the end I think the track also gripped up. But our car worked really well on them. I mean, we struggled yesterday with just niggling problems with the car. Not to do with the handling or anything. We were quick yesterday. We just didn't get a fair go. We worked on it, worked on the setup all the way up until qualifying today. Pretty much nailed it at the end, got a good run in traffic. Yeah, we did a mega lap. But it all started in the off-season. I think Craig and Derrick Walker from the end of last year till now; they've been working really hard. They really want to win a championship and I want to help them do that."

Paul Tracy #3 INDECK Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone - "It was a little tougher for us today. Obviously we made some changes from yesterday. But it just seemed like my car suited going over that big jump in the chicane. We just never really got a chance to capitalize on the tires. We seemed to either catch a red at the end of the first set of tires, then the second set of tires I had some traffic with Pagenaud, which didn't help. That kind of just killed our qualifying effort. I think we didn't have anything for what the time that Will did. I think we could have made a better showing. Really the opportunity didn't come up. We're happy to be on the front row."

Robert Doornbos #14 Muermans/Jumbo Supermarkten/Media Mall Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone - "First of all, it's great to be in the Champ Car World Series. It's obviously a new category for me and also for my team, Paul with this Minardi outfit. We started the weekend not very competitive. I've been sitting down with my engineer, which is going really well, our relationship. Basically he turned the car to my liking. We improved every session. It's a great feeling to race between the streets of Vegas. I always enjoy driving open street circuits. We only have one really in Europe, which is Monaco, only once a year. I'll be more lucky this season, I think. Yeah, it went really well. Just in the end we pushed hard. The red tires were a new thing for me. I had no chance to try them in winter testing because obviously they were not there. So the first outing wasn't great. Then the second run on the red tires, we made some adjustments to the car and it was a lot better. So, yeah, up in third place. It's good to be here, especially because it's the first weekend. Hopefully I'll be here tomorrow as well."

Alex Tagliani #8 Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone - "I am quite happy overall. I am just so thankful for the opportunity that Paul (Gentilozzi) and Dan (Pettit) have given me. I feel good about the RSPORTS team, and I think we are on the road to success this season. I feel that I am a good support for Justin (Wilson) and I feel that I have learned a lot from him and the team already. This is only the second time that we (both teams) are working together at a race track, so we still have a lot of catching up to do. But I think that we already have some great chemistry and that we are learning a lot from each other. I get along so well with my engineer Chris Lerch, and overall this whole deal is just a fantastic opportunity. Today's qualifying session went fairly well. I am happy with the #8 LXN2/RSPORTS car, and it is great to be starting in the top five for the first race of this season. The goal is to get lots of points, and obviously finish the race. But what is important is that we are running up front and I feel that we will be able to stay strong tomorrow during the race. I feel that we are in a good position with where we want the car to be, but we will work on making some more improvements tonight in hopes of being even quicker tomorrow."

Bruno Junqueira #19 Sonny's Bar-B-Q Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone - "I was very happy with a sixth place qualifying run. We made some changes from yesterday and I think we could have gone a little faster. We didn't have an opportunity yesterday to run on the red Bridgestone tires. It is a good place to start tomorrow."

Mario Dominguez #7 Telmex/Cabi Developers Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone - "Well it was a good day overall, we definitely improved quote a bit from yesterday. The Forsythe Team has done a great job, we've been making a lot of changes and the car has just gotten better and better. Qualifying was a little disappointing because I know we could've been much faster but I caught traffic, the cars in front of me kept slowing down and that prevented me from posting a quicker time. But the good thing is that we know we have a really fast car and we should be able to move up through the grid tomorrow. It's going to be a really exciting race, it's just great to be back in a race car I can't wait for the green flag tomorrow!"


Justin Wilson #9 CDW Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone - "We just weren't quick enough today. The #9 CDW/RSPORTS car felt OK, but obviously the speed just wasn't there. It's disappointing, because we were up there yesterday, but today it slipped away. We need to look at the data to understand how to improve the car and hopefully we'll be more competitive tomorrow."

Graham Rahal #2 Medi Zone Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone - "It's been a tough day for the Medi Zone team. I hooked it on the last curb at the end of the chicane and damaged the car so we had to get the backup car out for qualifying. The car was equally prepared. The guys did a great job getting it ready especially since it's never turned a wheel. Qualifying was pretty good but we just can't seem to get that last little bit; we need to find it. I know I'm giving my 100 percent so we need to figure out what it is. It's going to be a tough race. It's really hot out here. I think a lot of guys will fall out of the saddle. For me it will be a learning experience to go out there and figure out what I have to do. It's tough for me to tell if we have a good race setup having not run in a race"

Dan Clarke #4 Ticketmaster/Synapse Power/The Australian Pink Floyd Show Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone - "Last season I had my first third-place podium finish from a 13th place start, so I'm going for the double and aiming to finish on the podium again tomorrow from my 12th place grid slot. As I've already proved, it's certainly possible, so although I'd prefer to start higher up the grid and it's not going to be easy, it's not impossible. This year's field is very tough, so I reckon it'll be very exciting racing, and I know we have the pace for the race, so we'll be expecting to battle hard and bring home points from Vegas."
Katherine Legge #11 Dale Coyne Racing Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone - "I felt I could have gone about a second faster on the red Bridgestone tires. I have to improve a little more on my corners. I was very pleased with the results today, but I know I can improve on today's performance."

Sebastien Bourdais #1 McDonalds Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone - "I screwed up and brushed the wall on the outside of Turn 9. The McDonald's car had too much understeer and I just forced the thing. The car stepped out a little bit on exit and I was already too close to the wall and hit the rear a little bit. It wasn't that bad a hit but it bent the toe link and broke the rim. To aggravate things we had the clutch creeping so I couldn't' get into neutral, couldn't back up, couldn't anything so we were stuck in fourth gear in front of tires and they wouldn't push me back or do anything so I was stuck there until they moved me out of the way. We have 60 seconds of push to pass which isn't a lot here. We are going to have to be pretty darn good to get it (win) done but we'll see. It's a new track so we don't quite know if it's possible to pass or not. I think Turn 1 seems to be pretty difficult because everyone starts braking in the middle of the track so maybe Turn 4 might be the best option. We'll have to try and pull it off. We've done it before but it was a different thing; we don't have the car we knew. It's not the best way to start the season for sure."
Reference Here>>

... notes from The EDJE

(ht: MAXINE)