T-Time At The Detroit Grand Prix In Belle Isle

Justin Wilson claimed his first win in the IRL IndyCar Series in Detroit after Helio Castroneves was awarded to relinquish the lead by race control having allegedly blocked the Newman/Haas/Lanigan driver. /// Until the controversial late call by the officials, Castroneves looked set to take his third win at the Detroit street course and carve into title rival Scott Dixon's championship lead. With Dixon only finishing fifth, Castroneves has still reduced his deficit, but the title is now Dixon's to lose at Chicagoland next week. Image Credit: autosport.com

T-Time At The Detroit Grand Prix In Belle Isle

On a very tight street course and a former staple on the Champ Car Series, the race featured three of the "Transition Team" drivers in the final “Firestone Fast Six” shootout in the knockout qualifying format used for street/road courses.

At the end of the 12 minute session where the drivers are ranked by the fastest time they are able to post, Justin Wilson (NHL Racing) and Oriol Servia (KVRT) filled the second row in positions 2 and 3 on the grid. Graham Rahal, Wilson’s teammate was not able to improve beyond position #6.

Originally, the Detroit GP was held around the Renaissance Center downtown and the track was hard on both car and driver. The racing surface was very rough and included a railroad crossing! The circuit was also very narrow with concrete barriers surrounding the track with little run-off room. This resulted in a high level of attrition. By 1989, F1 had had enough and terminated the Detroit GP, but CART stepped in and raced at the current location, but not the current configuration, on Belle Isle. Michael Andretti won the pole of that innaugural race at Belle Isle, but at the end of the day it was Emerson Fittipaldi, winner of that year's Indianapolis 500, who emerged victorious. Belle Isle was also the location of Helio Castroneves first major open-wheel victory, finishing first in both the 2000 and 2001 GPs. 2001 was the last year for the CART races at Belle Isle, and racing didn't return until Roger Penske organized a complete revamping of the circuit in 2007. The area was made much more accessable and many of the fan areas and paddock areas were paved to avoid the mudpits that the paddock had become in previous years. Image Credit: IndyCar Garage

This excerpted from autosport.com -

Dixon beats Castroneves to pole
By Matt Beer Saturday, August 30th 2008, 17:07 GMT

Pos Driver Team Time:
1. Scott Dixon Ganassi 1:12.2861
2. Helio Castroneves Penske 1:12.7649
3. Oriol Servia KV 1:12.9618
4. Justin Wilson Newman/Haas/Lanigan 1:13.0530
5. Ryan Briscoe Penske 1:13.1004
6. Graham Rahal Newman/Haas/Lanigan 1:13.6464
7. Ryan Hunter-Reay Rahal Letterman 1:12.9511
8. Tony Kanaan Andretti Green 1:13.2339
9. EJ Viso HVM 1:13.5354
10. Danica Patrick Andretti Green 1:13.9158
11. Dan Wheldon Ganassi 1:13.9267
12. Will Power KV no time
13. Marco Andretti Andretti Green 1:14.1623
14. Vitor Meira Panther 1:13.6678
15. Darren Manning Foyt 1:14.2619
16. Hideki Mutoh Andretti Green 1:13.9010
17. AJ Foyt IV Vision 1:14.3486
18. Buddy Rice Dreyer & Reinbold 1:15.0969
19. Mario Moraes Dale Coyne 1:14.4841
20. Ed Carpenter Vision 1:15.3061
21. Alex Tagliani Conquest 1:16.6407
22. Jaime Camara Conquest 1:16.7047
23. Milka Duno Dreyer & Reinbold 1:19.0865
24. Bruno Junqueira Dale Coyne 1:22.3955
25. Tomas Scheckter Luczo Dragon no time
Reference Here>>

Lap Notation of the Detroit Indy Grand Prix presented by Firestone:

Green Flag – The race starts on Belle Isle.

LAP 1
A clean start until Milka Duno tries to chop down on Bruno Junquiera, touches tires and is spun out of turn #3.

LAP 2
Officials rule the Bruno was guilty of avoidable contact and sent to the back of the grid. Thomas Schechter pulls in and un-straps to get out of the car – reports of a broken driveshaft.

LAP 3
Four cars at the back of the field peel off and top off on fuel.

LAP 4
Green Flag re-start – Dixon leads Castroneves, Servia, Wilson, Briscoe, Rahal, and Kanaan.

LAP 6
Dixon and Castroneves pull away from the field and have a two second cushion.

LAP 10
The lead has grown to seven seconds. If the race were to end this way, Dixon would capture the season points' championship over Castroneves.

LAP 12
The lead is now over 10 seconds from P2 to P3.

LAP 13
Dan Weldon pits early in order to put in place a different fueling strategy.

LAP 15
Bruno Junqueira has made the biggest move up the field so far moving six spots from 24th to 18th.

LAP 16
Everyone is holding station in the top seven positions mentioned before. The rest of the T-Team drivers are running Viso in 9th, Power in 10th, Moraes in 17th, Junqueira in 18th,

LAP 17
#34 Jamie Camara takes out #10 Dan Wheldon going into turn 9. Weldon is penalized for unavoidable contact for tapping Jamie Camara in the corner.

LAP 20
The field pits with Dixon in but Castroneves stays out to counter the strategy of Dixon. Most of the leading positions stay out.

LAP 21
Green Flag restart – Dixon back in position #18 behind Buddy Rice.

LAP 22
Dixon moves past Rice and now sets up behind Alex Tagliani in position #16.

LAP 23
All of the cars are bunched up after the restart, very tight single file racing.

LAP 24
Castroneves is turning two laps a second faster than Dixon who is stuck back in the field; Helio has a sixteen second advantage and growing.

LAP 25
Dixon gets passed by Ed Carpenter for P15. The lead pack of #3 Castroneves, #5 Servia, #02 Wilson, #11 Kanaan, and #17 Hunter-Reay have checked out from P6 #33 EJ Viso.

LAP 27
Castroneves and the leaders are expected to pit in four laps.

LAP 28
Race in the race has EJ Viso is just ahead of Will Power as the highest T-Team points leaders for rookie-of-the-year, if Power passes Viso, he will take the points lead.

LAP 29
Dixon down 27 seconds to leader Castroneves.

LAP 32
Servia, Kanaan and others pit … Castroneves solders on.

LAP 33
Wilson and Castroneves pit.

LAP 34
Danica Patrick and Darren Manning get together and further down the track EJ Viso taps the wall … all three cars are out.

LAP 35
These incidents move Dixon up to P5. Helio, Justin Wilson were able to maintain P1 and P2 respectively … followed by Servia and Kanaan in P3 and P4.

LAP 36
Danica Patrick was able to come in and get restarted and rejoins the field.

LAP 38
Green Flag restart – If the race were to end right now, Dixons championship points' lead would be cut to just 20 from 43.

LAP 39
Hideki Mutoh’s car is off the pace and is getting passed and drops four positions to P15.

LAP 41
Castroneves and Wilson pull out a 2 second lead over Oriol Servia in P3. Junqueira is now up 12 positions to P12 from P24 where he started the race.

LAP 42
Bruno Junqueira of Dale Coyne Racing is now up to P10.

LAP 43
#3 Castroneves and #02 Wilson have checked out and opened a 5 second lead over P3 #5 Servia.

Justin Wilson of Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing prepares to run at the Detoit Grand Prix on Belle Isle. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

LAP 45
The Race is half way over and #3 Helio Castroneves has been in control for most of the race.

LAP 49
Castroneves has pulled away from Justin Wilson by a margin of three seconds.

LAP 52
Castroneves now leads Wilson in P1 by 5.4 seconds and Dixon in P5 by 16.3 seconds.

LAP 53
Rahal pits, giving Junqueira P8 up 16 positions from his start.

LAP 54
Power has contact with Ryan Hunter-Reay while battling for position and damages both cars. Dixon dives into the pits. Will Power stays out a couple of more laps while his wing flaps around

LAP 55
With Dixon pitting, Junqueira to P6. Wilson pits from P2.

LAP 56
Briscoe pits to leave room in the pit box for the expected pit in for Castroneves.
Dixon is 43 seconds behind Helio.

LAP 58
Helio Castroneves takes what he hopes to be his last pit stop. Servia was able to get past and this leaves Dixon 33 seconds behind P2 Castroneves.
This should be good to go till the end.

LAP 59
Servia comes in while P1 and comes out in P4 behind Kanaan.

LAP 63
Dixon short fueled at his last pit stop and has to throttle back in order to make it to the end. Dixon is behind Servia in position 5 and if the race ends now there will be a 20 point margin and the championship goes to Chicagoland Speedway.

LAP 65
Fourth Full Course Yellow of the race for #10 Dan Wheldon and #19 Mario Moraes in turn 8.

LAP 67
Pits open but none of the leaders come in.

LAP 68
Castroneves captures the three bonus points for leading the most laps in the race.

LAP 69
Green Flag restart and it is a sprint to the end of the race. Dixon is quagmired in P5 and still has to conserve fuel.

LAP 71
Wilson makes a move for the lead and gets blocked – Officials rule that Helio has to give up the position and drop to P2.

LAP 72
Castroneves begins to move out, gets space and does not let Wilson by.

LAP 73
Castroneves complies with the IRL ruling and gives up the lead to Justin Wilson. The Penske team states that the delay was tactical.

LAP 76
#02 Wilson is in control and it's his race to lose. With 14 laps to go P1 thru P3 have checked out from P4.

LAP 78
Race Control: This is now a 2 hour timed race. This means that the race will be shortened from its scheduled 90 laps.

LAP 84
Rahal pits for fuel. With under 4 minutes left in the race is #02 Justin Wilson's race to lose.

LAP 87
#02 Justin Wilson wins the Detroit Indy Grand Prix presented by Firestone. He is the ninth different driver to win this year and the 41st to win an IRL race. Hats off to Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing.

After Wilson was P2 Castroneves, P3 Tony Kanaan, P4 Oriol Servia, P5 Dixon, P6 Ryan Hunter-Reay, P7 Bruno Junqueira … from P24, P8 Will Power, P9 Ryan Briscoe, and P10 AJ Foyte IV.

Justin Wilson sends additional congratulations to team owner Paul Newman. His dedication of this race to Paul is poignant in that team owner Paul Newman is suffering from cancer and the situation looks terminal.

The Championship moves on to the penultimate race of the season in Chicago (the final race is set for the streets of Queensland, Australia – Nikon Indy 300 - Sunday, October 26 aired at 10:30 p.m. ET, Oct. 25 ESPN).

Castroneves finishes the race 30 points behind Scott Dixon which means that all Dixon has to do is finish eighth at the PEAK Chicagoland Indy 300 next weekend (Qualifying: Sat, September 6 - Race: Sun, September 7).

This excerpted from autosport.com -

Wilson takes first IRL win in Detroit
By Matt Beer - Sunday, August 31st 2008, 21:44 GMT

Pos Driver Team Time
1. Justin Wilson Newman/Haas/Lanigan 87 laps
2. Helio Castroneves Penske + 4.4058
3. Tony Kanaan Andretti Green + 17.6815
4. Oriol Servia KV + 26.5468
5. Scott Dixon Ganassi + 27.7185
6. Ryan Hunter-Reay Rahal Letterman + 28.2688
7. Bruno Junqueira Dale Coyne + 28.6815
8. Will Power KV + 28.8776
9. Ryan Briscoe Penske + 35.5244
10. AJ Foyt IV Vision + 38.1040
11. Hideki Mutoh Andretti Green + 38.3811
12. Darren Manning Foyt + 44.4662
13. Graham Rahal Newman/Haas/Lanigan + 47.8028
14. Ed Carpenter Vision +1:01.2770
15. Mario Moraes Dale Coyne + 1 lap
16. Danica Patrick Andretti Green + 1 lap
17. Vitor Meira Panther + 4 laps
18. Marco Andretti Andretti Green + 6 laps
19. Buddy Rice Dreyer & Reinbold + 11 laps
20. Dan Wheldon Ganassi + 23 laps
21. Tomas Scheckter Luczo Dragon + 31 laps
22. Alex Tagliani Conquest + 33 laps
23. Milka Duno Dreyer & Reinbold + 41 laps
24. EJ Viso HVM + 55 laps
25. Jaime Camara Conquest + 71 laps
Reference Here>>

... notes from The EDJE

The Fine Nine Gets A Taste Of Richmond Short Track

RIR Logo on trackside wall. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

The Fine Nine Gets A Taste Of Richmond Short Track

The rookie run of the Fine Nine continued its ninth start at qualifications in fairly good style. The short track yielded a few surprises along the way and a blend of drivers started to make a showing that even surprised some of the established teams.

Bruno Junqueira in an unhappy moment befor qualifications. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

First off, Bruno Junqueira, read the riot act to his Dale Coyne team after not being able to compete last week in Iowa. His car crashed in Iowa and the team worried whither they would have it ready for Richmond or not. When they hit the track in Virginia, the rebuilt Z-Line sponsored car ran well and was able to qualify in the top ten at position 9.

In a special Rookie practice held on Thursday, the current leader in the Rookie Of The Year point chase, Heideki Mutoh from the established team, Andretti Green Racing, elected NOT to participate. This didn’t bother his qualification though as he was able to clock in at position seven.

The biggest surprise was delivered by the driver from Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing who won the second race of the season by qualifying in position 3, right behind Andretti Green Teammates Tony Kanaan and Marco Andretti.

Tony and Marco discuss events of the day at Richmond. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

This Excerpted from Indycar.com -

Family Matters
By Dave Lewandowski - indycar.com

RICHMOND, Va. - Tony Kanaan, the senior member of the Andretti Green Racing quartet, called a family meeting before the race earlier this week at Iowa Speedway. He wanted to clear the air, get everyone on the same page and communicate like the "old days."

Aside from his mistake late in the 250-lap race after leading 71 laps, which resulted in a Turn 1 single-car crash, the team scored its best cumulative result in quite a while (rookie Hideki Mutoh was second, Marco Andretti third and Danica Patrick sixth).

Tony Kanaan on the button at Richmond International Raceway. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

Five days later, the vibe continued at another short track - the 0.75-mile Richmond International Raceway. Kanaan posted a four-lap cumulative time of 1 minute, 04.333 seconds (167.876 mph average) in garnering the PEAK Motor Oil Pole Award presented by Advance Auto Parts - his first on an oval since last August (1.5-mile Kentucky Speedway). Andretti will start next to the No. 11 7-Eleven car in the 300-lap SunTrust Indy Challenge.

Peak Pole award winner Tony Kanaan and Andretti Green 7-11 Team. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

They are separated by three 10-thousanths of a second -- less time than it takes to snap your fingers or blink. Don't blink on race day, whether you're watching from the grandstands or on ESPN, or you might miss just about anything. Andretti posted a four-lap average of 167.795 mph (1:04.3642) in the No. 26 Blockbuster car.

It's the seventh time AGR cars have started 1-2 and the 36th overall in IndyCar Series history.

Graham Rahal will start third (1:04.5740; 167.250) and IndyCar Series points leader Scott Dixon fourth (1:04.6242; 167.120). Buddy Rice recorded his first top five and top 10 starting position of the season (1:04.7467; 166.804) in the No. 15 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing car and will share Row 3 with Target Chip Ganassi Racing's Dan Wheldon (1:04.7606; 166.768), the winner at Iowa Speedway.
----
Vision Racing's A.J. Foyt IV, who posted his first top five of the season at Iowa, will start eighth in the No. 2 Lilly Diabetes car (166.126) and Bruno Junqueira grabbed his best starting spot (ninth; 166.032) in the No. 18 Z-Line Designs car for Dale Coyne Racing. He'll share Row 5 with Oriol Servia (165.815) in the No. 5 KV Racing Technology car.

John Andretti continued to post positive results for Roth Racing and will start 12th (165.275) - next to Team Penske's Ryan Briscoe (165.643) on Row 6. Helio Castroneves' streak of 11 top-10 starts came to an end. Castroneves, a two-time pole sitter at Richmond and second in the standings, will start 18th in the No. 3 Team Penske car.

"Qualifying certainly is an experience," said Andretti, who has made more than 20 stock car starts at Richmond but none in the IndyCar Series. "I like the four-lap average thing. You've got to make it happen four times; you can't hold your breath for one lap and make it in. Richmond International Raceway doesn't even look the same when you're going around in an IndyCar instead of a stock car. We'll see how we race."

Ryan Hunter-Reay, who topped the combined practice chart (166.664; 16.2003) in the No. 17 Ethanol car for Rahal Letterman Racing, will start 25th after not making a qualifying attempt because of an issue related to the electrical loom to the gearbox. Enrique Bernoldi, whose No. 36 Sangari Conquest Racing car sustained damage in a morning practice crash, went through a systems check and will start 26th
Reference Here>>

Oriol Servia of KV Racing Technology and Justin Wilson of Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing confer with IRL official before qualifications begin. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

How The Fine Nine Fared:

SP Car Driver Hometown Car Name Entrant Time Speed

3 06 R Graham Rahal Columbus, Ohio Hole in the Wall Camps Newman Haas Lanigan Racing 1:04.5740 167.250

9 18 Bruno Junqueira Belo Horizonte, Brazil Z-Line Designs Dale Coyne Racing 1:05.0477 166.032

10 5 Oriol Servia Pals, Spain KV Racing Technology KV Racing Technology 1:05.1330 165.815

16 8 R Will Power Toowoomba, Australia Aussie Vineyards-Team Australia KV Racing Technology 1:05.7251 164.321

19 33 R E.J. Viso Caracas, Venezuela PDVSA HVM Racing HVM Racing 1:06.1887 163.170

20 19 R Mario Moraes Sao Paulo, Brazil Sonny's Bar-B-Q Dale Coyne Racing 1:06.4344 162.566

23 02 R Justin Wilson Sheffield, England McDonald's Racing Team Newman Haas Lanigan Racing 1:07.6470 159.652

24 34 R Jaime Camara Goiania, Brazil Sangari Conquest Racing 1:07.9741 158.884

26 36 R Enrique Bernoldi Curitiva, Brazil Sangari Conquest Racing Conquest Racing no time no speed
Reference Full Grid Here

... notes from The EDJE

The Trials Of The Indy T-Team Ten

Mario Dominguez and the Pacific Coast Motorsports crew during qualifications at Indy. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

The Trials Of The Indy T-Team Ten

To say the least, watching the developments of the drivers and teams that were able to transition (T-Team) to the Indy Racing League (IRL) and compete for the championship of the IndyCar Sreies (ICS) has been an exercise in hope spiced with a healthy dose of frustration.

To the fan who favored the former ChampCar Series and its history legacy to CART and the spirit of competition this form of racing and equipment provided through the years, the process has had its moments.

When the announcement for the merger was first announced back on February 21, 2008, the obvious hope for fans and teams alike was that all of the teams and drivers would just port over and plug-in to the IndyCar Series and all racing life would go on for the duration of the 2008 season. As the reality set in after about thirty days, ChampCar was lucky to end up with as many drivers and teams that have now ended up at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to compete in the world’s largest staged racing spectacle.

Before the merge announcement of unification of ChampCar and IndyCar, the ChampCar Series was about to field 12 teams supporting the talents of 20 drivers in an 18 race event season. What remains going into the fourth race of the season, the Indianapolis 500 set to be held on May 25, 2008, are 6 teams supporting the talents of 10 drivers with one team and driver making this race its first of the 2008 ICS season (Pacific Coast Motorsports and Mario Dominguez).


The Indy T-Team Ten


Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing (NHL)
Graham Rahal – No Sponsor (Charity, Hole-In-The-Wall-Camps)





Justin Wilson – McDonald’s







KV Racing Technology (KVRT)
Will Power – Aussie Vineyards





Oriol Servia – Plantronics







Dale Coyne Racing (DCR)
Bruno Junqueira – Z-Line





Mario Moraes – Sonny’s BBQ







Conquest Racing (CR)
Enrique Bernoldi – No Sponsor





Jaime Camara – No Sponsor







HVM - former Minardi USA (HVM)
EJ Viso – PDVSA (Citgo Distribution)







Pacific Coast Motorsports (PCM)
Mario Dominguez – Visit Mexico City





(spotter's guide images credit: indycar.com)

Leading up to the month of May has been a series of set backs and break throughs. Set backs included a slow transition of teams announcing their participation, a parts shortage on the aerodynamics packages for the Dallara chassis delivered to the T-Teams as reported by Graham Rahal and the Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing team during the run-up to the first race of the season at Homestead. Writer Robin Miller later confirmed that this parts shortage would effect the T-Teams only.

Many experts predicted that the T-Teams and drivers will be at such a disadvantage this 2008 season that no team or driver could expect to win (let alone place, or show) a race until about the sixth to tenth race of the season at the earliest. On the second race of the season, the very same Graham Rahal who could not field a car due to the availability of parts at Homestead, came back and won the race through the streets of Saint Petersburg. The race was hampered by rain, but this did not dampen the spirits of the ChampCar loyal having a breakthrough this soon into the season.

The third round featured the last time the ChampCar teams would be racing exclusively together at Long Beach. Due to scheduling and the quickness of the merger agreement, the IndyCar established teams would race at Twin Ring Motegi, Japan (Honda’s, the IndyCar Series engine supplier, home track) while the ChampCar teams raced in their equipment, the Panoz DP01, for IndyCar points. Highlights include being able to see Paul Tracy, Jimmy Vasser, Alex Figge, Frank Montagny, Roberto Moreno, Nelson Philippe, and Alex Tagliani (to mention a few drivers) turn laps in an American Open Wheel racing environment for the last time in the 2008 season.

Winners included, the LBGP fans, Will Power (1st Place), Frank Montagny (one and only ChampCar race and placed 2nd), Mario Dominguez (3rd Place) … and probably the biggest winner of all, Pacific Coast Motorsports. The only professional open wheel racing team located on the West coast was able to take a third place win by Mario Dominguez and put together a two year sponsorship deal with the “Visit Mexico City” tourism bureau and show up at Indianapolis for the month of May. Further, Mario was able to keep the points he earned with his third place finish at Long Beach and apply them to the rest of the ICS season.

The two weeks leading up to qualifications at Indy also has its moments for the T-Team Ten.

The fastest lap times from this group were fairly competitive, however, these are only one-lap lap times and qualifying requires four consecutive laps. Justin Wilson (224.123), Graham Rahal (224.033), Will Power (223.550), Oriol Servia (223.440), EJ Viso (222.643), Bruno Junqueira (222.390), Mario Moraes (221.475), Enrique Bernoldi (220.645). Graham Rahal brushed the wall a couple of times while drifting up out of the corners, Viso and Power had crashes but all three were able to repair and field their cars in the show.

Mario Dominguez and the Pacific Coast Motorsports team were assigned the garage spaces between 14-time Indy 500 race winner Penske Racing and Ganassi Racing, which owns the top two spots on the grid after the opening qualifying session last weekend. Team owner, Tyler Tadevic’s reaction to this fortunate garage draw, "We're the meat in an ‘oh-(expletive)’ sandwich."

Mario has suffered from a lack of speed and two crashes into a wall. The first crash came earlier in the week as he was exiting the pits … cold tires spun his car out and he hit the inside wall at low speed.

Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

The second crash happened just before the qualifying session today in warm-up practice. Since Pacific Coast Motorsports does not have a back-up car, a position most of the T-Teams are in being first time players in this series, they are hoping to be able to put the chassis back together and get it into the show. With only one spot open at the writing of this sentence and the team reporting that they have all of the parts they need, hope springs eternal.

Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

At ten minutes after Two in the afternoon L.A. time, the following T-Team drivers are in the show with 32 of the 33 positions filled:

POS. Driver (Speed), Team, Sponsor
13 Graham Rahal (222.531), NHL, No Sponsor
15 Bruno Junqueira (222.330), DCR, Z-Line
16 Justin Wilson (222.267), NHL, Mc Donald’s
23 Will Power (221.136), KVRT, Aussie Vineyards
25 Oriol Servia (220.767), KVRT, Plantronics
26 EJ Viso (220.356), HVM, PDVSA
28 Mario Moraes (219.716), DCR, Sonny’s BBQ
29 Enrique Bernoldi (219.422), CR, No Sponsor
30 Jaime Camara (219.345), CR, No Sponsor

Marty Roth, who's best finish at Indy was 26th and best start, 29th, lines up with his Black, un-sponsored car, at just a couple of minutes left in the session, and goes out and puts together four laps at 215.506 as the slowest car in the closed 33 car field. The weather is forecast to be spotty with rain and drizzle. If the weather bypasses the track, "Bump Day" will be just that for tomorrow, Sunday.

The drivers left wanting to make it into the field include Mario Dominguez and PCM ... still insisting that the car will be put back together and if the weather holds off, they can make it into the show. The fastest speed Mario Dominguez was able to achieve in practice - 220.597. Mario said in an interview in the PCM garage that the Angel that is part of the logo of his "Visit Mexico City" sponsored car is the Angel of Independence, and that this Angel will get them back out on the track and qualify for the 92nd Indy 500.

Columna de la Independencia" in Reforma financial district. Image Credit: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mario will have to duke it out with AJ Foyt IV (220.972), Tony George's Vision Racing, Eli Lily, and "Mad" Max Papis (221.358), Rubicon Racing, LifeLock. Max Papis crashed earlier today and was able to make a deal with Dreyer Reinbold Racing for Milka Duno’s 2007 car but the car needed to have modifications to the tub in order to have the car make it through technical inspection tomorrow … Team owner and Indy legend, Sam Schmidt has dubbed the car “Frankenstein”.

Dominguez is so popular in his homeland that Mexico City is installing more than 90 Jumbotron television screens at sporting venues and parks around the city just for the race.

Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

"This is not just a project of this team any more," Dominguez said. "This is the project of a country."

A final report has a potential of Jaques Lazier making a deal to field another teams back-up car ... it is said that anything can happen at Indy, and it usually does. No pressure.

Until tomorrow ...

... notes from The EDJE

Danica Patrick First Stateside Conference - Long Beach

Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (The EDJE) 2008

Danica Patrick Honors Long Beach Venue With First Stateside Conference

Danica Patrick, through the arrangement of the management of the Indy Racing League, held a news conference at 4:15pm PT in the press conference room at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. An honorable gesture was carried out by the IRL to have the woman who became the first-ever female motorsports driver to win a race in a professional open-wheel automobile racing series give a second news conference so soon after traveling from Japan to the Grand Prix racing venue in Long Beach.

Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (The EDJE) 2008

This conference in Long Beach was held just 19 hours after Danica won the IRL race at Twin Ring Motegi, Japan and helps to strengthen the move toward unification of the two American Racing series (the merge of ChampCar into IndyCar).

Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (The EDJE) 2008

The conference followed immediately after the ChampCar World Series podium winners conference and interview at the end of this, the final race featuring the rules, equipment, teams and drivers of the CCWS. The winner of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, Will Power – KV Racing Technology, stated clearly that his hat was off for Danica and that she had earned the win through skill and strategy.

Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (The EDJE) 2008

Thanks to the Indy Racing League for making this happen … a class act!

In the video, Danica discusses the final laps strategy and the end of the race, celebrating, and the team day planned for AGR at the American Honda facility in Torrance, California tomorrow.

... notes from The EDJE

Danica Patrick Sets Historic First-Ever Mark In Japan

Danica Patrick celebrates her historic achievement with Helio Castroneves and Scott Dixon on the podium at the Twin Ring track in Motegi, Japan (live camera transfer of internet broadcast). Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (The EDJE) 2008

Danica Patrick Sets Historic First-Ever Mark In Japan

On a day where the possibility of water seeping onto the race track threatened to postpone racing at Twin Ring Motegi, Japan (as it had done the day before), Danica Patrick uses her skills and her cool foot to out drive, out pace, and out last the top echelon of Indy Racing League drivers to become the first-ever female driver to win a race at the highest levels of professional open-wheel automobile racing.

Danica Patrick take a parade lap after first-ever historic win to accept cheers from the fans at Twin Ring Motegi, Japan (live camera transfer of internet broadcast). Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (The EDJE) 2008

Indy Japan 300 Post-race Press Conference>>

2008 will easily go down as a year of firsts in American Motosports!

First unified open-wheel racing season in well over a couple of decades (INDY perspective). The youngest driver to win a professional open-wheel automobile race (Graham Rahal at age 19). First team to win an IRL race other than the three top teams in the IRL since 2005 when Newman/Haas /Lanigan placed Graham Rahal in the top spot in St. Petersburg. And NOW - - - The first woman to ever win a race at the highest levels of professional open-wheel automobile racing.

All of this activity and we are only two and a half races (or is that three?) into an eighteen race season.

The Dallara chassis may be old, but it still races as long as there are teams and drivers to suit up and show up.

Whats next? A ChampCar T-Team takes the championship points lead? If Graham Rahal wins in Long Beach tomorrow, he will be second in the points with three full races into the season (or is that four?).

All Hail Danica Patrick!

... notes from The EDJE