K-Rail Blocks And The Toyota Grand Prix Of Long Beach Are A Match Made In Motor Culture Heaven

Green flags were set flying along Shoreline Drive signaling the start of construction for the 39th Annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, which will run April 19-21, 2013 (L to R - Jim Michaelian, Bob Foster, Jim Liaw, Stephan Papadakis). Image Credit: TGPLB

K-Rail Blocks And The Toyota Grand Prix Of Long Beach Are A Match Made In Motor Culture Heaven

Yesterday, February 19, 2013, the 39th Toyota Grand Prix got underway in earnest. The process is the same every year and it would never happen without K-Rails. The temporary track through the streets of Long Beach, California got started with a ceremony before noon near Turn 10. It's the time of year where the demand for 'K-Rails' begins to increase as the temporary street circuit for the first race of the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series season in St. Petersburg, Florida began just last week.

Sebastien Bourdais (third from left) has a tangible countdown to the IZOD IndyCar Series season-opening Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg every time he rides his bike on portions of the 1.8-mile, 14-turn circuit. Construction of the temporary street circuit for the ninth annual event March 22-24 began Feb. 15, 2013. Image Credit: IndyCar.com

The honorary construction foremen for the ceremony were Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster, Papadakis Racing owner Stephan Papadakis, Formula DRIFT President & Co-Founder Jim Liaw and Grand Prix Association of Long Beach President & CEO Jim Michaelian. Also on-hand were the Papadakis Racing Scion tC, which will be driven in 2013 by top Drifting driver Frederic Aasbo, and, courtesy of Toyota Motorsports, an all-new, race-prepared Scion FR-S that will be driven in the 2013 Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race.

“Our race circuit will feature something extra this year as we will be hosting the first-ever night racing in the Motegi Racing Super Drift Challenge on Friday and Saturday,” said Michaelian. “Along with the six other racing events here in April, this should make for one of the most entertaining weekends in our history.”

The setting of the first of more than 14 million pounds of concrete K-Rail blocks that line the 1.97 mile, 11-turn temporary street circuit track marks the beginning of two months of work preparing for the 175,000 fans expected during race weekend. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2012)

“It’s three days of great parties and great racing,” said Foster. “The Grand Prix brings a lot of people to Long Beach. Our hotels get filled up, our restaurants get filled up and people understand that Long Beach is a really a great city, a great place to have a good time.”

More than 30,000 working hours will be spent installing the  K-Rail blocks, three miles of fencing and 16,000 bolted-together tires, along with 16 huge spectator grandstands, seven pedestrian bridges and giant-vision boards for full-circuit TV coverage.

The heavy-duty concrete blocks and fencing, however, are merely a start.

“Leading up to race weekend, our staff will also install hospitality suites, tents, electrical equipment, phones, porta-johns, trash containers and a hundred other little things up until race weekend,” said Dwight Tanaka, director of operations for the Grand Prix Association.  “Then, when the last checkered flag falls on Sunday night, we start to take everything down, inspect it and get ready for next year.”

All businesses along the race circuit, which includes Shoreline Drive, Aquarium Way and Pine Ave., will remain open during construction of the racetrack.

Race fans will certainly get an eyeful as the Stadium SUPER Trucks go to battle, powered by 600-horsepower engines, going door-to-door on the 11-turn, 1.97-mile street course circuit for this special one-of-a-kind event. The Grand Prix exhibition will serve as the build-up to the Robby Gordon OFF-ROAD Stadium SUPER Trucks event scheduled the following weekend (April 26-27) at the famed L.A. Memorial Coliseum. The series then moves to San Diego’s Qualcomm Stadium on May 4 and May 18 for two thrilling venues to round out the commemorative California portion of the inaugural 2013 season. Image Credit: TGPLB

The 2013 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach will feature racing from the IZOD IndyCar Series, Tequila Patrón American Le Mans Series, Firestone Indy Lights, Pirelli World Challenge, Formula DRIFT, Robby Gordon OFF-ROAD Stadium SUPER Trucks and the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race.

SLIDESHOW

Fans can select and pay for their seats, parking and paddock passes online at gplb.com.  Tickets can also be ordered by calling the toll-free ticket hotline, (888) 82-SPEED, and callers can request a printed ticket brochure that includes a circuit map, ticket prices, order form and other information.  Also featured on gplb.com is the latest Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach news, downloadable ticket brochure and racetrack information, photos and ongoing announcements of special race week activities.

Ticket prices range from $28 for a Friday General Admission ticket to $130 for a three-day ticket that includes Sat./Sun. reserved seating in grandstand upper levels.  Pre-paid parking packages are also available, along with handicapped seating, IndyCar Paddock passes, Super Photo tickets and a wide variety of Hospitality Club packages.

Fans can also follow the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on Facebook at GrandPrixLB and on Twitter @ToyotaGPLB.

The track takes shape on the streets of downtown Long Beach surrounding the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and encompassing the Aquarium of the Pacific and a portion of the Pike at Rainbow Harbor complex. The start/finish line is on Shoreline Drive.

For the Southern California automobile race enthusiast, motor culture heaven begins Friday through Sunday, April 19-21, 2013 with the 39th Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on 1.97 miles of pavement defined between the lines of K-Rail blocks of concrete.

... notes from The EDJE

Auto Club Speedway Hosted Q And A With Dario Franchitti Of Target Chip Ganassi Racing

Target Chip Ganassi Racing drivers Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti unveiled culinary creations that will be available for purchase at the Drivers Cuisine Cantina during the MAVTV 500 INDYCAR World Championships at Auto Club Speedway. Image Credit: IZOD IndyCar Series  

Auto Club Speedway Hosted Q And A With Dario Franchitti Of Target Chip Ganassi Racing

We are joined by four-time IZOD IndyCar Series Champion Dario Franchitti, who drives for Target Chip Ganassi Racing. After winning the IZOD IndyCar Series Championship three years in a row, posting a season leading five pole positions in 12 races of a 15 race season (second is Will Power with three), winning the Indy500, and needing one more win to become the exclusive seventh all-time winningest driver in American open-wheel racing history here during the first season of the DW12 formula chassis. Let me intorduce myself, I'm Edmund Jenks (please call me Ed), and welcome to Motorsports Unplugged.

Hello, Ed.

There have been a few changes this season in American open-wheel racing, probably more changes than most seasons, what with the chassis, additional engine suppliers, a new director at Race Control and the rules that govern on-track relationships between drivers, technology nuances like push-to-pass and its many applications ... and finally, rules that govern the supply and performance of the new turbo-charged engines.

Question #1a - How has the change in attitude and management styles at Race Control - this includes Beaux Barfield and the entire staff - affected your approach and preparation to races this year? What one thing or area of race management stands out in your mind?

I don't think anything has really changed with the race management, it's just not any different, really. Ummm, definitely, the last group under Brian Barnhart did a good job and Beaux's continued that, Ummm so I haven't looked like a difference there ... as you have mentioned, Ed, everything is different though, with the new cars, the DW12, the engine suppliers, the engine war between Honda and Chevy going on its really been a whole fresh start for the IndyCar Series and, its not that there have not been teething problems but has brought some great racing.

Question #1b - Yeah, it really been amazing the way, I guess, the cars have been able to mix it up over the old formula, although you did kinda' clip the wing in this last race (at Mid Ohio). In general the chassis seems very strong.

I hope that the chassis is strong, definately with the side-to-side contact and the design of the car now with the body work its eliminated some issues, Ummm trust me, the car is far from perfect, there's some issues with the suspension that when we put on the brakes that we definitely like to sort out but that cut in the wing at Mid Ohio was totally my fault and nothing to do with it (the suspension), the new design, just me makin' a mistake in judgement. 

So, otherwise though, I think its performed quite well, obviously love some more horsepower from the engines if the series would allow us run more with something ... but the Honda has done a great job at gettin' some good horsepower that was fixed this year.

Question #2 - In this late season section of races, we have seen the implementation of Push-to-Pass - we have also seen its implementation take on a few technology wrinkles like 100 seconds to be used whenever as opposed to 10 second spurts - and a delay added to the reaction time when the button is pushed. Most people I talk with are confused, do you have an understanding of this tool and what would be your recommendation on how it might be used ... if at all.

I think there's a bit of a plus on that - I think the push-to-pass is a good thing, but at the same point that if both cars are on the push-to-pass, or on the overtaking, if you want to call it that, then it negates the whole thing, so we have to do something to change that, but we have to be careful not to be too gimmicky I would say. With the five second delay that is attached to it? - that when you press it you have to wait five seconds to activate, you ... it will only activates when you go full throttle ... we get some teething problems with that. Ummm, we can't make it too complicated otherwise the fans will ahh won't understand, I would say, they won't understand the intricacies with it ... the casual fan, anyway, not the hardcore fan will.

They are tryin' stuff and I like the fact they are mixing up trying to improve the racein' for the fans, and umm it probably needs a little bit of work but we'll get there.

Question #3 - Your brother, Marino Franchitti, is a talented and winning driver in his own right. His latest project has him developing a new concept in a racing platform known as the DeltaWing. A little less than a week ago, word was released that the Panoz developed, Nissan-powered and supported DeltaWing joined the competition of constructors vying for the contract to supply the new 2014 Indy Lights car. What do you think of the DeltaWing? Being that it was originally developed and considered in the competition that was eventually was won by the new DW12 here in the IndyCar Series, would you have preferred driving the DeltaWing as opposed to the DW12?

It was an interesting position to be in because my boss, and Scott Dixon's boss, the boss of the Target team, Chip Ganassi ... he was the guy who put up the money to develop the DeltaWing - and ummm - when I first saw it, it was totally unbelievable, I thought this thing is not going to work. I'm really not sure about it. So when it became a project for Le Mans and Marino found out that it worked in the turns and he said it drove pretty much just like a normal car but the performance was far exceeded and umm if they really get a chance to work on that with differentials and stuff, the performance of that car with only 300 horsepower it would be really significant.

I know it was a shame that they got taken out at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, it was a real shame the way it ended there.

As far as Indy Lights, I think it would be a very interesting thing to have that as the car. The future ... would that train the future IndyCar drivers in the best possible way? I don't know.

Question #4 - How has the issues surrounding engine hours, engine changes, and the 10-spot penalty in qualifications effected your season and will it be a factor in closing out your season?

Ahh we've had a couple of engine issues. You know, the guys at Honda continue to absolutely improve the envelope - to get the most power, the best fuel consumption, and the possible improvement on a couple of issues since Iowa (the rest of the answer became inaudible).

I think I'm on my 5th engine, I have one engine to go (more break up).

Question #5 - You are tied with Sebastien Bourdais (the only other active four-time IndyCar open wheel champion) and Paul Tracy for seventh all-time winning-est drivers - besides wanting to hold this seventh position exclusively, what other goals do you have in IndyCar and are there other racing goals outside of open wheel racing that you would like to pursue?

Obviously I have great pride in all of those wins, and the three Indianapolis 500s and the four championships, I'd like to have more wins, absolutely, especially at Indianapolis. But eventually I would love to race the 24 Hours of Le Mans I really think that is a race I'd like to do.

Dario, thank you for your reflections on this 2012 season and we wish you great success in your Honda-powered DW12 at the GoPro Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma, Grand Prix of Baltimore, and the season ending MAV TV 500 mile race at Auto Club Speedway there in Fontana  - thanks for joining us here at Motorsports Unplugged.

... notes from The EDJE



** Article first published as Auto Club Speedway Hosted Q And A With Dario Franchitti Of Target Chip Ganassi Racing on Technorati **

Mazda Road to Indy Holds Second Annual Oval Clinic

Bobby Rahal is currently talking to @Shelbilly @ZachVeach @SageKaram88 & @TMacRacing at #MazdaRoadtoIndy clinic! Image Credit: Andretti Autosport @FollowAndretti


Mazda Road to Indy Holds Second Annual Oval Clinic

This first Friday in the month of May events around the Indianapolis 500, the drivers involved in the MAZDA Road To Indy traveled to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) for the second annual MAZDA Road to Indy Oval Clinic, joining their fellow competitors in all three MAZDA ladder system series - the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda, Star Mazda Championship Presented by Goodyear and Firestone Indy Lights.

Hosted by INDYCAR’s Director of Grassroots Initiatives Jason Penix and led by multiple driving champion and USF2000 driving coach Gerardo Bonilla, the clinic covers all aspects of oval racing with the intricacies supported by video footage exhibits.

Oval veterans participating in this year's panel of experts included Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team owner / former Indy 500 winner Bobby Rahal, INDYCAR President of Competition Beaux Barfield, Performance Advisor / spokesman Johnny Unser, IZOD IndyCar Series driver / team owner Ed Carpenter, and former Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year / Elite Engines owner Steve Knapp. The participants receive training on the basics of oval racing, best practices of oval testing, working with spotters, how to prepare themselves physically for an oval race, safety, and how to approach oval event practice, qualifying and race day.

The drivers from all three open-wheel disciplines will have the opportunity to put these lessons to practice the very next day during a test at nearby Lucas Oil Raceway on Saturday, May 5. These young competitors, many of whom will be turning their first laps on an oval course, will have a combined five hours of testing on the short 0.686-mile track.

The Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda and Star Mazda Championship Presented by Goodyear drivers will be in serious preparation for the popular “Night Before the 500 races″ to be held on May 26 – 2012 Round 5 for both USF2000 competition (the only oval event on the series calendar) and Star Mazda Championship.

At the end of the month of May, all of these future Indianapolis 500 competitors will be honored at the inaugural Mazda Road to Indy Victory Celebration on May 27 at Sensu Restaurant and Nightclub in downtown Indianapolis.

Podium finishers of the Firestone Freedom 100 (Firestone Indy Lights race run at IMS) and "Night Before the 500 races" at Lucas Oil Raceway (USF2000/Star Mazda) will be recognized for their accomplishments at the event that follows the 96th Indianapolis 500. Roger Bailey, former executive director of Firestone Indy Lights, will be the guest of honor.

“The Victory Celebration will cap the exciting Month of May for the Mazda Road to Indy program, which includes the races and events surrounding the Indianapolis 500,” said Tony George Jr., director of Firestone Indy Lights. “It also allows everyone to congratulate Roger and reflect on his 50-plus-year career in motorsports.”

A painting of 2011 Indianapolis 500 champion Dan Wheldon, which motorsports artist Bill Patterson will produce during the event, will be auctioned – along with several prints - at the conclusion of the event.

... notes from The EDJE


** Article first published as Mazda Road to Indy Holds Second Annual Oval Clinic on Technorati **