For 2011, It's Still A Chip On Penske's Shoulder In The IRL

Target Chip Ganassi IndyCar Championship Series transporter fleet as it sits proudly in the paddock at the 2010 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

For 2011, It's Still A Chip On Penske's Shoulder In The IRL

Now that open wheel motorsports racing fans have been treated to what could happen when competing factions join and meld together for the last three years, what do they have to look forward to for the Indy Racing League's IndyCar Championship Series 2011 season? Well, more of the same.

Cream always rises to the top, gold dents when one bites into it, angry jihadist Muslims always find a way to put a damper on everyone's party, the sun rises in the East and sets in the West ... just as teams fielded by Chip Ganassi and Roger Penske will always dominate the racing action on oval, street and road courses in premiere American open wheel automobile racing.

Many had hopes that the union of ChampCar and IndyCar 2008 would deliver a chance at diversity where more teams and drivers would have a better shot at creating racing history, but alas ... this hope was as ill fated as Tony George holding down every major executive position in the IRL including running the track the series was named after.

Having the gravitas of this dueling giant pair of immovable forces, when one looks at the path they cut really isn't so bad once one looks at the quality of the results. Just look at the incredible 2010 run a former ChampCar budding star, Will Power, had with Roger Penske just to be reeled in by one of the best racing pairings in modern open wheel racing of Dario Franchitti driving for Chip Ganassi.

In 2011, if past behavior is the best predictor of future results ... we all be uttering "Three-Peat" at seasons end.

Team Penske drivers Ryan Briscoe (P5), Helio Castroneves (P4), and Will Power (P1) as they field questions in the post Firestone Fast Six qualifying press conference. While no Target Chip Ganassi drivers made the "Fast Six" in qualifications, in the race Scott Dixon (qualified in P8) registered a P4, right behind Will Power's P3 ... the only Penske driver to finish in the top six positions. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

This excerpted and edited from SPEED CHANNEL -

INDYCAR: Penske’s Thorn
Looking back on these past 42 years, several people have tried to draft Penske into the fast lane, but there has only been one constant thorn in The Captain’s side.
Robin Miller | Posted December 29, 2010 Indianapolis, IN

Roger Penske began fielding cars at the Indianapolis 500 in 1969 and during this time span The Captain has amassed 153 wins, 12 championships and made a record 15 trips to Victory Lane at Indianapolis.

He also built a template for success and re-shaped the business model for motorsports.

Looking back on these past 42 years, several people have tried to draft Penske into the fast lane. Bobby Hillin and Rick Galles damn near went bust trying to keep up with R.P. in CART and billionaire John Menard threw good money after bad trying to catch The Captain at 16th & Georgetown.
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But, throughout CART’s heydays, The Split and unification; during the engine, car and tire wars; from taking a chance on equipment to being stuck with spec racing, there has only been one constant thorn in The Captain’s side.

That would our boy Chip Ganassi.

And while there’s no denying the Chipster can be a pain in the ass to a lot of people on any given day, he’s accomplished what nobody else has been able to pull off.

His IndyCar team has pulled alongside of Penske’s.

In a horse racing form, they would be coupled: 1 and 1A.

Since 1994, the year Target/Ganassi Racing scored its initial victory, it’s almost a dead heat.

Chip’s drivers have 79 wins, seven championships and three baby Borgs from winning Indianapolis.

Team Penske’s stats are 73 victories, four titles and five Indy 500s.

Ganassi and Target have been partners since 1990, while The Captain had Marlboro for the better part of 20 years.

Helio Castroneves returns for his 12th year with R.P. and Scott Dixon is back in the saddle for his ninth consecutive season at Ganassi’s.

Tim Lombardi, Tom Wertz, Clive Howell and Rick Rinaman are lifers at Penske just like Ricky Davis, Barry Wanser, Julian Robertson, Scott Harner and Mike Hull for Ganassi as both organizations breed loyalty.

If a driver is hired at either place, winning is the only option.

“I don’t know that Chip’s goal was to be like Roger but, let’s face it, Roger is the model for success in this business,” said Hull, the managing director who joined Ganassi in 1992.

“Chip is fueled by the passion of winning and the passion of having comparison. Both of them are from the same competitive mold.”
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There is no denying that The Captain is one of the smartest people on this planet and his work ethic is second to none. He builds up companies, resuscitates others and knows how to keep customers and sponsors satisfied. Racing is how he unwinds.

Ganassi lives and breathes motorsports, from his IndyCar and Grand-Am headquarters in Indy to his NASCAR shop in Charlotte. Pittsburgh is his home but racing is his family.

“The biggest difference between them is that Roger runs his empire from Monday through Thursday and follows his passion from Friday to Sunday,” continued Hull. “Chip is focused on racing from Monday to Sunday.

“I always hear that Chip gives us the resources to succeed but the resource is the mindset and culture we’ve been fortunate enough to develop. Chip is all about building for tomorrow and the future. It’s all about staying power.”

Staying up front with Penske has proved to be almost impossible during the past four decades. But he can’t shake Ganassi.

Nothing better illustrates this like 2010. At Indy, Castroneves and Will Power qualified 1-2 but the Ganassi team never concerned themselves with qualifying, and Franchitti totally dominated the race. Power was the class of the IndyCar season but lost the title in the finale when Dario and Dixon delivered a psychological blow in qualifying before sealing the deal in the race.

It was the second straight season that a Ganassi driver (Franchitti) had overtaken a Penske driver in the last race to win the championship.

While many have grown tired of the same two teams winning everything, and nothing is going to change drastically until those new cars/engines arrive in 2012, Ganassi and Penske have evolved into one of the best rivalries in sports.

Make no mistake: The Captain still casts a long shadow but the ‘ol Chipster is standing right in it.
Reference Here>>

Look for just more of the same in 2011 - but does anyone think it will be different in 2012 with the new choices in chassis, aero body forms, engine, and tire combinations? My bet would be on hearing "Four-Peat" at the awards dinner by the end of the year.

... notes from The EDJE

LA Auto Show 2010 - Lotus Enters Into A New Era Agreement With The IRL

The competition language just increased with the signing of an agreement to have Group Lotus/Lotus Motorsport supply engines and body aerodynamic parts to teams competing in the IndyCar Series starting in 2012. Pictured from left to right: Famed Indianapolis driver, Parnelli Jones, Randy Bernard, CEO of the Indy Racing League, Dany Bahar, CEO of Lotus Motorsport and Group Lotus. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

LA Auto Show 2010 - Lotus Enters Into A New Era Agreement With The IRL

On Thursday, November 18, 2010, the second day of the LA Auto Show Press Days held at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Group Lotus announced an agreement with Randy Bernard, CEO of the Indy Racing League, to supply engines and aero body kits for the IZOD IndyCar Series beginning with the 2012 season.

The deal that was put together by Dany Bahar, CEO of Lotus Motorsport, is for a duration of five years and has Lotus also creating a motorsport facility in Indianapolis that will give the company a base in the thick of the action for this unified, exciting, and adrenalin filled race series and make them easy to find by potential IndyCar engine and aero body kit customers.

This announcement closes out a great week for Randy Bernard, Brian Barnhart - President, Operations & Competition, and the future fortunes of the Indy Racing League for the level of competition on many levels starting in 2012. Lotus joins Chevrolet (USA), which also announced an agreement this week, and Honda (Japan) the current and exclusive engine supplier, making available a choice of three manufacturers engines to run in this new and unified era. The IndyCar Series is no longer a "Spec-Series" anymore!

Randy Bernard said: “Lotus is a renowned name in racing, with a long association with some of the greatest names of motorsports. We’re honored Lotus has chosen to serve as an engine manufacturer for the first time.” Randy shared that the number one concern of the fans after unification was that American open wheel racing did not take the easy route and become a pure specification series where every car was basically the same and all had parts and engines supplied from the same factory.

The speculation is that since Kevin Kalkhoven is the team owner of the car driven by Takuma Sato, and sponsored by Lotus, also owns Cosworth - this Lotus engine just might be produced by the Cosworth organization and have a Lotus name be placed on it which will give Lotus the instant "gravitas" and history of Cosworth ... and why not?!

The Lotus IndyCar engine will follow the agreed rules, namely 2.4 litre, up to 6 cylinders and turbo charged and producing between 550 and 700 horsepower to suit the diverse set of tracks on which the IZOD IndyCar Series competes. All engines will run on E85 with additional details on the fuel platform to be announced at a later date.

Dany Bahar, CEO of Group Lotus said: “Lotus is unique in the automotive world, no other car company has been more successful in such a wide variety of motorsports discipline, whether it is Le Mans, World Rally, Sportscars, F1 - of course, and IndyCar. This year we teamed up with KV Racing for IndyCar and we will significantly increase our participation next year. However in 2012 IndyCar competitors will have the exciting opportunity to choose an IndyCar with a Lotus engine and aero body kit, immediately become part of a legacy that is Lotus: one of the most innovative and successful sports and racing car brands in the world.” Dany also let loose during the announcement that Lotus would like to make its own chassis and offer this up to other teams as well - ummmmm, interesting.

Lotus announces an agreement to supply engines and aero body parts to the IndyCar Series beginning 2012. Pictured from left to right: Famed Indianapolis driver, Parnelli Jones, Randy Bernard, CEO of the Indy Racing League, Dany Bahar, CEO of Lotus Motorsport and Group Lotus, Claudio Berro, Director of Lotus Motorsport, and Brian Barnhart, President, Operations & Competition of the Indy Racing League. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

The announcement in the booth and on the show floor of this 2010 LA Auto Show helped to lend an excitement to their proceedings. Rand Bernard, Brian Barnhart, and Dany Bahar were joined at the podium set up next to Takuma Sato's IndyCar by none other than the person who first drove and won in a Lotus at Indianapolis ... Parnelli Jones. New traditions do not get any better than when one reaches back and brings some of the original traditions forward to form the traditions of this new era.

Claudio Berro, Director of Lotus Motorsport said: “The history and DNA of Lotus is all about extracting the most performance out of a car in return for maximum efficiency and we are delighted to offer our engine and aero body kit to the 2012 IndyCar series.

Long live the IndyCar Series and its agreement with Group Lotus and Lotus Motorsport - may it spur others to step up and compete in this series at every level.

... notes from The EDJE

The Indianapolis Colts IndyCar / Vision Racing letters of recommendation

The Indianapolis Colts IndyCar - Image Credit: IndyCar Garage

The Indianapolis Colts IndyCar / Vision Racing letters of recommendation

The Indianapolis Colts are playing in the Super Bowl against the New Orleans Saints this Sunday and the IZOD IndyCar Series is right the middle of all the action. The blue and white car that is pictured above was rolled out and shown off at a recent golf outing sponsored and presented by Van Heusen with attendees that featured former NFL Players. IndyCar Series standout, and former ChampCar World Series driver Ryan Hunter-Reay was also in attendance. Jim Irsay should probably sponsor the car for his new son-in-law, AJ Foyt IV ... who is married to Casey Irsay.

Speaking of sponsorships, Vision Racing is looking to have Menard's continue to support its racing effort through its sponsorship of the car driven by Ed Carpenter. Tony George is having trouble retaining his longtime relationship with the home center retailing giant in the mid-west. Menard's has alwayus been tightly associated to the Indy 500 event and its colors have been a standout on the IndyCar Series ever since the IRL was formed by Tony George as a break-away alternative to CART/ChampCar open-wheel racing series.

Now that the two series are again one, and have been solidly one for one full year in 2009 (merged in 2008 but the two racing discipilines still had equipment and racing venues to sort out under the ICS banner), Menards is contemplating a change in its approach to sponsorship in the series. Vision Racing has asked its fans to submit letters of recommendation to the Menards organization in the hopes at retaining this long term relationship they have shared ever since Vision Racing was formed and before with its support of the George/Hulman family and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway racing events.

That shot of the Menards livery on turn 11 ... oops, turn 9, at Long Beach should tell them they (Menards) need to have a store in Southern California. Let them know how you feel Vision Racing & Ed Carpenter have represented them, and how much you LOVE the day-glo yellow No.20 MENARDS IndyCar. Image Credit: Vision Racing (2009)

This excerpted and edited from a Facebook message sent out to "friends" -

To our Vision Racing fans
Sat, January 30, 2010 4:27:41 PM

“It is with profound regret and heavy hearts that we share the following update with you all. Despite the team’s best efforts, Vision Racing will be suspending all racing operations. We have an amazing group of people here that appreciate all the support you have given the team. Efforts to find a solid sponsor partnership have been difficult but will continue so that we may take to the track once again. We hope to see you all there in the near future.”

Followed by:

What Vision Racing Fans CAN Do...
Saturday, January 30, 2010 at 5:25pm

Dear Vision Racing Fans,

We cannot tell you how much your words of support and encouragement have meant to all of our team members in the past few days. We want you to know that we are working hard to get past this speed bump and get our team back to the business of building race cars & IZOD IndyCar & Firestone Indy Lights racing.

Many of you have asked what YOU, as fans, can do to help.

Well, we thought about it and the fact is YOU guys count A LOT. We race BECAUSE of you. We race for you. Sponsors get involved because they want YOU to buy their products and support their involvement in our sport. Neither of us can succeed without you, the fans.

SO... here's what you can do if you want to help.

"LETTERS OF REFERENCE" Campaign

If you are willing, we would ask you to send a letter, email, short note, fax to Vision Racing that we can pass along to potential sponsors AND the sponsors that have been supportive of us in the past. (They don't all yet understand the power of twitter & facebook)

Think of it as a letter of reference that we can use to find and secure sponsors that want your business.

Please feel free to send these to us so that we can pass them along on your behalf:

by email at Visionmedia@visionracing.com

by FAX at 317-295-7066

or by snail mail to:

Letter of Reference
c/o Vision Racing
6803 Coffman Road, Indianapolis, IN 46268
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One of the sponsors that HAS supported Vision Racing and our driver Ed Carpenter for a number of years is MENARDS.

We are NOT asking you to HARASS our friends at MENARDS. In fact, ALL we'd like you to do is let them know that YOU still support us and appreciate the support MENARDS has shown us. The folks at MENARDS love racing as much as you do but they also have difficult decisions to make sometimes.
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We'll make sure your letters get to MENARDS or if you prefer, you can send you letters directly to them by fax at 715-876-2774.
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Thank YOU!

Vision Racing
Reference Here>>

The letter of reference writing campaign should focus on gaining a sponsorship from any business entity that would like to be recognized as being associated with one of the more compelling figures in all of motorsport ... Tony George.

A lot of motorsports history surrounds Tony George and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

At this point in time, a few entities are finding it easy to turn their back when some are down ... but Tony George is not out if a company would like the special advertising and public relations attention that would be brought by backing a racing effort with the history and "Vision" of a team owned by one of the truly monumental figures in the world of motor culture!

Sample Letter Here>>

... notes from The EDJE

IMS - Marco Andretti Ends Day On Top

Marco Andretti sits out the day's session, waiting with legendary grandfather, Mario Andretti, on top of the speed charts. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2009)

IMS - Marco Andretti Ends Day On Top

Bobby D started the day at the top of the charts.

Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing driver, Bobby D (Robert Doornbos), climbs to register the fastest time in the scheduled Practice Day 2 (the first day of combined team practice, Practice Day 1 was rained out) in early going.

Newman/Haas/Lanigan's Bobby D (Robert Doornbos) looks good at speed during the first couple of hours of the morning session of Practice Day #2 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2009)

His speed of 223.194 places him ahead of Team Penske drivers Ryan Briscoe @ 223.109 - P2 and Helio Castroneves @ 223.047 - P3 (for the top 15, refer to photo below).

Rookie Orientation Practice, held two days ago, was led by Paul Tracy, KV Racing Technology at a speed of 223.089 which would place him at third highest for all laps run in the month of May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS).

Up until noon on this day, Paul has been able to place in at P6 with a speed of 222.010 but what this says about how competitive this field for the 110th edition of the INDY 500 is fantastic. What with two of the top three lap speeds being registered in the month of May, at this early time by teams that are in only their sophomore year and Transition Players competing in the Indy Racing League, the competition for the Centennial Indy 500 is wide open.

Timing and Scoring snapshot from the morning sessions. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks via computer display (2009)

UPDATES from Twitter throughout the day:

10:50 AM PT - Danica Patrick sets Fastest Lap - 223.253 ... Sarah Fisher up to P10!

IndyTalk32 cars on track so far. Danica, Doornbos, Briscoe, Helio faster than 223. #indy500

FuriousWedgeTop 29 cars within one second of each other for best lap time. Will the Bottom get closer as they get more time, or will the Top go higher?

IndyTalkThe ins and outs of the Indianapolis 500 qualifying procedure, all on one page! http://www.indy500.com/imag...

TheEDJE@FuriousWedge - Top 29? ... Now that is competitive! Great early going results.

RaceRemoteWatching Practice for the Indy 500 See it live on-line and with T+S at http://www.indycar.com

11:05 AM PT - Scott Dixon sets Fastest Lap - 223.275

11:15 AM PT - Graham Rahal @ 222.967 is up to P6 making it 3 Transition Players (joining Robert Doornbos and Paul Tracy) placing in the Top 10 on lap speed.

11:32 AM PT - Helio Castroneves sets Fastest Lap - 223.650

IndyTalkHelio just jumped to No. 1 on speed charts at 223.650. Definitely NO tow. Did it solo

11:41 AM PT - Dario Franchitti sets Fastest Lap - 223.679

IndyTalkFranchitti tops of day at 223.679. Didn't see lap, don't know if it was solo or tow. Sorry.

IndyCarNationRT @IndyCarNation: RT @IndyCarNation: Ryan Hunter Reay first to make contact at Indy. Here's the direct link http://ow.ly/5Ewt

Marco Andretti, Andretti Green Racing in his new Venom Energy Drink black and red livery. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2009)

12:25 PM PT - Marco Andretti blisters Fastest Lap by 1.8 MPH - 225.478

VisionRacingVision team repairing & looking over the no. 21 car to make sure it is A-ok. Expecting to head back out on track before the end of the day.

IndyCarPR3:30 [PM ET] update: Fastest of the Day is now @Andretti26 with a lap of 225.478 mph.

Track Yellow Flag for inspection.

IndyTalkTop 5 at 3:55: [PM ET] Marco 225.4, Dario 223.67, Helio 223.65, Doornbos 223.5, Briscoe 223.4

TRACK STATUS: 16:01:23 GMT-0400 The track is green.

IndyTalkRT @Goblowsoup @IndyTalk tow for Marco, he was right behind Robert Doornbos.

IndyCarNationGuys r getn the car ready w changes. Going bck out n hope 2 find some speed. Wide open n not enough speed n abt 10 degrees 2 much steering

kvracing#5 and #15 cars are both back on track, 1hr 30mins left of practice. Currently PT is 10th & MM is 16th. Marco is P1 (225.478mph)

IndyCarNationMarco fastest. Watch latest highlight clip here: http://ow.ly/5FGI

IndyCarNationRT @IndyTalk: New IndyCast video podcast with Al Unser Jr., Sarah Fisher: http://bit.ly/9JToY

SarahFisher67Sarah could revisit her 221 lap if she could improve T 1,2. T 3,4 are the same as before

IndyTalkTop 5 at 5:25: Marco 225.478, Helio 225.237, Dixon 224.448, Dario 223.679, Doornbos 223.592

IndyCarPR5:30 update: @Andretti26 still the fastest at 225.478 mph.

RaceRemoteCongratulations to Townsend Bell for his Indy500 Ride: His interview is now "Live" on the Sidepods Podcast http://www.sidepods.com

He will be driving a KV Racing Technology Dallara sponsored by HerbalLife.

VisionRacingED Carpenter is on track @ #Indy 500 practice & is currently P14 @ 220.447 mph & has turned 112 laps. Only Conway & Matos put in more laps.

FuriousWedgeHope the trend continues; Stanton Barrett/Team 3G just went out & found a very slight more speed to get to 218.089mph; field now within 1.3s

5:53 PM ET - #16 Scott Sharp just turned a lap of 222.437 mph. This is their fastest lap of the day.

5:54 PM ET - #18 Justin Wilson just turned a lap of 221.200 mph. This is their fastest lap of the day.

5:56 PM ET - #4 Dan Wheldon just turned a lap of 224.022 mph. This is their fastest lap of the day.

5:58 PM ET - #14 Vitor Meira just turned a lap of 221.142 mph. This is their fastest lap of the day.

Timing and Scoring snapshot - Final stack ranking of the top 15 positions. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks via computer display (2009)

18:00:27 GMT-0400 The checkered flag is out. Up next: IndyCar Series Fast Friday practice on May 8 at Noon (EDT).

kvracingPractice has finished for today, PT is 12th (222.671) and MM is 16th (222.150). Fastest was Andretti (225.478.ph)

VisionRacingCheckered flag on a FULL day of practice @ #Indy 500. TOP speed of the day 225.478 mph by M.Andretti. He has BIG toes or is that A BIG TOW?

patronhighcroftAll the news from the first full rain-free day of practice for Scott Sharp in the Tequila Patrón car at Indy http://tinyurl.com/indy-5-7

... notes from The EDJE

Dallara Options Pared Down For ICS Transition Parity - UPDATED

Where parity is insured ... the TechPad inspection tool. The 2009 rules change and the process that happens on this tool, will allow for greater competition between teams that field cars like the Luczo Dragon #2 Dallara, piloted by Raphael Matos pictured here. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2009)

Dallara Options Pared Down For ICS Transition Parity

Last year at this time, it was the first year of the merger of the two professional open wheel racing series and a couple of races were under the belt of all the competitors. The pains of transition were beginning to show themselves, in that the teams coming in from the former CART/ChampCar World Series were the teams that had to learn a whole new set of venues, learn how to drive and set up a whole new chassis, and begin to learn the nuances of the allowable variables the Established teams had been working with in order to gain a performance advantage.

One set of option variables focused on the length of the wheelbase itself. Last year, Transition teams were beginning to recognize that they did not have enough chassis parts to compete ... especially on ovals, and this year the IRL decided to do something about it.

Last year, the talk was that the Transition teams were going to have a tough time learning to drive on oval tracks (an IRL main staple) and as it turns out, the deck was stacked against the Transition teams.

The rules for setting up a Dallara chassis allowed the teams to vary the wheelbase length in order to set the car up for greater handling and speed based upon the nature of the oval venue they were tackling. A team could choose wheelbase measurements from 118 inches, 120 inches, and 122 inches. Along with these measurement options were the suspension configuration set up parts which would vary the amount of travel and dampening the chassis would have in the oval corners which could add to greater speed, stability and handling throughout the race.

No wonder the Transition teams were complaining that they did not have enough spare parts to field their Dallara cars ... they did not have ALL of the parts (and wheelbase options for the Dallara) that would give the teams ALL of the set up options available to ALL of the Established teams.

Kansas represents the first oval race of this sophomore season of unification and begins a run of six races where the only intentional right-hand turns during the race will be at pit box exit in order to enter the main pit lane to resume racing on the track. This will be the first oval race where there will be no excuses and all teams will be racing roughly the same chassis, on the same wheelbase, with the same set of set up options in the suspension parts. The deck will not be stacked against the Transition Players as it was on oval venues throughout all of the 2008 unification season.

The 122 inch standard measurement that all teams will be running on oval race venues this year. Parity and costs sited as the reasons to pare down these sets of set up options for the 2009 ICS Championship season. Image Credit: IndyCar.com

This excerpted and edited from IndyCar.com -

Oval equalizer
By Dave Lewandowski - Indycar.com - Tuesday, April 21, 2009

There's an under-the-radar rule change this year as IndyCar Series teams tackle the first oval of the season this weekend at Kansas Speedway. Wheelbase options are out; 122 inches is in.

Partly another cost-saving move passed along by the sanctioning Indy Racing League and partly a competition enhancement, the uniformity (with a half-inch tolerance for caster adjustments) puts more of the emphasis on drivers and their maintenance crews.

"It won't affect the short tracks because everybody had to run the long suspension on the short tracks just to get the car to handle," IndyCar Series technical director Kevin Blanch said. "On the big tracks it will make a difference because what you run into when you have 118, 120 and 122 inches -- and every possibility in between -- is every one of those suspension, because it changes the relationship of the wheel to the sidepod, changes the way the air flows over the car so you have to wind tunnel, shaker rig and 7-post test all those suspensions in every possible configuration.
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"Because (the wheelbase is) longer, the cars won't be as sensitive in traffic as a short car," Blanch said. "The shorter the car is like driving a Volkswagen compared to a limousine. It should make it easier on the tech side to check things and check relationships to the wheels and wings, too.

"It limits the options the engineer has, but it makes it more important to get it right every time and it makes it more important for the guys working on the car to really pay attention to what they're doing. If you're wheel isn't spinning free and the next guy's is, you're talking hundredths of a second top to bottom (of the field) on an oval in qualifying. Just how easy your wheel spins could make the difference.

"On an oval car, you're almost building a worn out race car. You wear out the rod ends and make the wheel bearings spin as free as you can. You don't want to wait for the car to wear it out. It's a constant kind of game of making sure you get it worn out just the right amount. If you could just change to a different part and go faster, then it's not as important that every little thing you're doing is right.
Reference Here>>

The next six races are critical for all racers, but even more critical for the Transition Player because now he has a playing field of uniformity to compete in and this may show them (and the ChampCar culture-rooted fans they bring along) the promise of competing in open wheel unification!

... notes from The EDJE

UPDATED 4-25-2009, 2:00 PM PT:

Pole winner Graham Rahal, Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing. This is his second pole award earned in three races this season - he earned on for Saint Petersburg, a road course ... and now one for Kansas Speedway, a short oval course. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2009)

Qualifications, Kansas Speedway: Three of the top ten positions held by Transition Players ... with the front row filled by teammates from Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing P1 - Graham Rahal and P2 - Bobby D, Robert Doornbos.

This makes it that in two of three ICS races held this year, a Transition Player has nailed down the pole position ... congrats to Graham Rahal. Further, in all three qualifications sessions this year in the ICS season, a Transition Player has nailed down P2 (Justin Wilson/Dale Coyne Racing at St. Pete, Will Power/Penske Racing at Long Beach, and now Bobby D/Newman Haas/Lanigan here at Kansas Speedway).

It has to be mentioned that Doornbos was lifted to P2 from P4 when the IRL ruled that the lap times of P2 Dario Franchitti/Target Chip Ganassi, and P3 Helio Castroneves/Penske Racing would be disallowed because both drivers, during each of their four lap qualifying runs, dipped their left tires below the White, inside track, boundary line. These two drivers will start from the back of the field for Sunday's race.

Robert Doornbos, Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing secures a quick enough speed for four laps to qualify at P4. This position was later upgraded to P2 next to his teammate, Graham Rahal. The two NHLR drivers will fill the front row to start Sunday's third race of this IndyCar Series 2009 season. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2009)

Revised qualifying order (** denotes Transition Player):

Pos Driver Team Speed
1. Graham Rahal** Newman/Haas/Lanigan 211.311
2. Robert Doornbos** Newman/Haas/Lanigan 210.665
3. Danica Patrick Andretti Green 210.470
4. Scott Dixon Ganassi 210.368
5. Marco Andretti Andretti Green 210.220
6. Mario Moraes** KV 210.197
7. Ryan Briscoe Penske 210.098
8. Tony Kanaan Andretti Green 210.082
9. Dan Wheldon Panther 209.144
10. Ed Carpenter Vision 208.956
11. Sarah Fisher Fisher 208.543
12. Milka Duno Dreyer & Reinbold 208.537
13. Hideki Mutoh Andretti Green 208.506
14. Vitor Meira Foyt 208.461
15. Raphael Matos Luczo Dragon 208.382
16. Mike Conway Dreyer & Reinbold 208.145
17. Justin Wilson** Coyne 207.971
18. EJ Viso** HVM 206.779
19. Stanton Barrett 3G 205.820
20. Ryan Hunter-Reay Vision 205.673
21. Dario Franchitti Ganassi -
22. Helio Castroneves Penske -

Silly Season Nets Another Victim – Rahal Letterman Racing Out Of IRL

RLR On The Hook For 2009 IRL Season - Rahal Letterman Racing’s Dallara of Ryan Hunter-Reay after the accident in turn three at Indy 2008. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

Silly Season Nets Another Victim – Rahal Letterman Racing Out Of IRL

Rahal Letterman Racing has pulled out of the 2009 IndyCar Series because it cannot find a sponsor to support its program.

This action represents what has been a trend in the field of all motorsports where the depressive effects of the sub-prime mortgage crisis and its expansive economic downturn have prompted team mergers, layoffs, and outright cancellation of a team’s racing effort. Major corporations are trimming their advertising and sponsorship budgets much to the demise in the growth of all forms of motorsports.

American driver Ryan Hunter-Reay drove for RLR last season and won the race last July at Watkins Glen.

Spokesmen for Rahal Letterman Racing say it will continue to seek sponsorship as well as concentrate on its sports car alliance with BMW in the American Le Mans Series.

RLR Team Members Out Of Work For IRL 2009 Season - Rahal Letterman Racing team members at work Indy 2008. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

This excerpted and edited from The Columbus Dispatch –

Rahal Letterman Racing won't be in IRL this year
By Tim May, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH - Thursday, January 29, 2009 11:59 AM

Hilliard's Rahal Letterman Racing team -- winner of the 2004 Indianapolis 500 -- likely won't stage an Indy Racing League effort for the 2009 season, general manager Scott Roembke said today, but it's not as if the team is shutting its doors.

The team will foot a full-season effort in the GT division of the American LeMans Series carrying the BMW banner. It just finished three days of extensive preseason testing in Sebring, Fla.
----
At the moment, though, the team, whose primary owner is three-time IndyCar series champ Bobby Rahal, has no sponsor for an IRL effort. Its primary sponsor from a year ago, Ethanol, pulled its support in the wake of the recession economy and efforts to land a replacement leading up to the April 5 season opener have been fruitless, Roembke said.

"At this time, we will not be in the IRL for 2009," Roembke said this morning. "But we continue to pursue sponsors for the IRL season and for the Indianapolis 500."
----
Rahal Letterman won the 2004 Indy 500 with driver Buddy Rice, and ushered Danica Patrick into the IRL in 2005, during which she was the Indy 500 rookie of the year. She jumped to the Andretti Green Racing team in 2007.
Reference Here>>

UPDATE:

Rahal Letterman Down But Not Totally Out - YET

This excerpted and edited from autosport.com -

Rahal still working on 2009 funding
By Matt Beer, autosport.com - Thursday, January 29th 2009, 21:07 GMT

Rahal Letterman Racing co-owner Bobby Rahal says his team should not be counted out of the 2009 IndyCar Series despite suggestions that they would have to withdraw from the championship due to a lack of sponsorship.
----
"As I said in the quote from the story, as of this time we do not have any sponsorship that will allow us to compete in the IRL in 2009, but by no means does that mean that we are giving up," Rahal said.

"We are continuing to search for sponsorship to run the 2009 season and to run in the Indianapolis 500 and we feel that there is still time for us to put something together that will allow that to happen."

RLR's Indy Lights programme in conjunction with Andersen Racing is already confirmed for 2009.
Reference Here>>

... notes from The EDJE

2009 IndyCar Series Schedule - Highlighted & Announced

The IndyCar Series in DIRECTV HD today announced its 2009 schedule featuring 18 races, including two new destinations, bookend dates for the state of Florida marking changes to the season-opening and closing venues, and expanding the season-long championship by a month.

In its continuing effort to offer competitors one of the most diverse challenges in all of motorsports, the 2009 schedule features 10 oval races, three permanent road courses and five temporary circuits and includes all but one venue that hosted the IndyCar Series in 2008.

Highlighting the 2009 IndyCar Series schedule:

The season opener will be run through the streets of St. Petersburg , Fla. , on April 5.

The season-finale moves to Homestead-Miami Speedway and will be run on Oct. 11 with the speedway and series developing a championship weekend celebration, extending the IndyCar Series season a month longer than the previous two seasons.

The Grand Prix of Long Beach will be run on April 19, marking the IndyCar Series’ debut at the 35-year-old event that has hosted F1, CART and Champ Car races as its premier event.

The IndyCar Series will debut in Toronto on July 12. The Indy Toronto, which dates to 1986, will be the first of back-to-back temporary course events in Canada with Edmonton scheduled for July 26.

The Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course will shift from July to Aug. 9, allowing the series to break up what was six consecutive weeks of racing in 2008. With this date change, the Kentucky Speedway event will move one week earlier to Aug. 1.

The Raceway at Belle Isle Park and Chicagoland Speedway are exchanging weekends, with Chicagoland running on Saturday evening Aug. 29 and the temporary street event in Detroit running Sept. 6.

The Indy Japan 300 at Twin Ring Motegi in Japan is shifting to Sept. 19 after running in April since 2003.

The IndyCar Series will be a part of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s Centennial Celebration with the 93rd running of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race scheduled for May 24.

The IndyCar Series will return to Kansas Speedway, The Milwaukee Mile, Texas Motor Speedway, Iowa Speedway , Richmond International Raceway, Watkins Glen International and Infineon Raceway at approximately the same time on the calendar as 2008.

“We are thrilled with the schedule we have developed for 2009,” said Terry Angstadt, the president of the commercial division for the Indy Racing League, the sanctioning body for the IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights. “When unification was announced earlier this year, we talked about the opportunity of developing future schedules on a blank piece of paper, and with today’s announcement we have a solid foundation for developing a consistent, long-term schedule for the IndyCar Series.”

Next season’s schedule will feature four Saturday prime-time events, and unlike the previous two seasons the 2009 schedule affords a couple more in-season off-weekends for drivers and teams.

“Looking ahead to 2009, and with one season of unification under our belts, we know that the IndyCar Series continues to offer the most diverse schedule in all of motorsports,” said Brian Barnhart, president of the competition and operations division for the Indy Racing League.

“As our schedule has evolved in the past few years, the race for the IndyCar Series championship has become one that demands the ability of both drivers and teams to master a variety of venues and the challenges each one brings with the end result being a true champion.

We are also pleased to respond to our teams and offer a couple of more off-weekends during the core of the season.” , concluded Barnhart.

The complete 2009 IndyCar Series schedule:

Date – Location - Venue Length & Type

Sunday, April 5 - Streets of St. Petersburg - 1.8-mile street course

Sunday, April 19 - Streets of Long Beach -1.968-mile street course

Sunday, April 26 - Kansas Speedway - 1.5-mile oval

Sunday, May 24 - Indianapolis Motor Speedway - 2.5-mile oval

Sunday, May 31 - The Milwaukee Mile - 1.0-mile oval

Saturday, June 6* - Texas Motor Speedway - 1.5-mile oval

Sunday, June 21 - Iowa Speedway - .875-mile oval

Saturday, June 27* - Richmond International Raceway - .75-mile oval

Sunday, July 5 - Watkins Glen International - 3.4-mile road course

Sunday, July 12 - Streets of Toronto - 1.721-mile street course

Sunday, July 26 - Edmonton City Centre Airport - 1.973-mile airport course

Saturday, August 1* - Kentucky Speedway - 1.5-mile oval

Sunday, August 9 - Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course - 2.258-mile road course

Sunday, August 23 - Infineon Raceway - 2.245-mile road course

Saturday, August 29* - Chicagoland Speedway - 1.5-mile oval

Sunday, September 6 - The Raceway at Belle Isle Park - 2.906-mile street course

Saturday, September 19 - Twin Ring Motegi - 1.5-mile oval

Sunday, October 11 - Homestead-Miami Speedway - 1.5-mile oval

(*) Denotes Night race

Schedule Subject to Change
(ht: Pacific Coast Motorsports)

... notes from The EDJE

It's Elation At Edmonton For CCWS/IRL Fans

The temporary race track at Edmonton City Centre Airport (from above) where the Rexall Edmonton Indy was contested. It was formerly called the Rexall Grand Prix of Edmonton and was a round of the Champ Car World Series. It was one of three Champ Car races added to the 2008 IndyCar Series following the merger of the two American open wheel racing series. Image Credit: Edmonton City Centre Airport

It's Elation At Edmonton For CCWS/IRL Fans

Welcome to Edmonton, Indy Racing League officials and race fans.

The IRL was treated to some fantastic crowds (estimate at over 200,000 for the time of the event) and a warm CCWS reception all during the three days that the IndyCar Series was in town to compete at the Rexall Edmonton Indy - the IRL's first ever race in Canada. This is what it will be like at all former ChampCar World Series venues next year under a truly unified series. All the best drivers and all the best teams with enough experience throughout the paddock to make the 2009 season fun and competitive.

Here is the transcript generated as an off-line live blogging effort at The EDJE. The weather is perfect, clear and in the low 80's, with winds between 10-20 mph from the SE.

After three warm-up laps the pace car pulls off and the Green Flag is waved to start the race.

Race Start for the race held in 2008. This race was held by the ChampCar World Series and was won by Justin Wilson. Wilson qualified in position six and finished the race the highest of all the T-Team Eleven driver competing in the race today. Image Credit: Rexall Edmonton Indy

LAP 1
Graham Rahal gets through the first couple of corners then goes off track with a broken right rear suspension. Says he was tapped by Mario Moraes started 10th but soldiered on at 22nd.

LAP 4
Briscoe baubles and Castroneves takes over the lead.

LAP 7
Will Power started 5th came into the pits while running 13th for adjustments, fuel, and tires.

LAP 9
Will Power retires – left front wishbone is bent. Rolled the car back to the garage to see about replacement.

LAP 11
Tracy moves up to 10th position after starting 16th. Paul Tracy is making his first start of the IRL season even though he did run at the Long Beach Grand Prix.

LAP 14
Castroneves leads Briscoe by 3.2 seconds

LAP 19
Vitor Meira slides into the corner tires in turn one – brings out a full course Yellow and pit stops.

LAP 21
In the pits, Dixon skunks Servia to take over third position.

LAP 25
Restart – The Red & White parade is disrupted when Marco Andretti, Tony Kanaan, and Buddy Rice stay out to assume the lead over Penske (Castroneves and Briscoe), and Target Chip Ganassi’s Scott Dixon.

LAP 28
Right Rear wishbone of Dale Coyne Racing’s Mario Moraes breaks.

LAP 29
Andretti Green Racing’s Hideki Mutoh spins and crashes badly – Full Course Yellow.

LAP 31
Buddy Rice and Tony Kanaan come in to pit – Marco stays out.
LAP 34
Restart, Paul Tracy pulls up to position 11 behind Bruno Junqueira. Helio jumps all over Andretti and passes for the lead in to turn one.

LAP 36
Paul Tracy also jumps up a few positions on the restart to position 9.

LAP 40
Marco Andretti in the pits. Castroneves, Briscoe, Dixon, Servia, and Wilson round out the top five. Weldon, Bernoldi, Tracy, Hunter-Reay, and Junqueira make up the top ten.

LAP 49
Townsend Bell hits the tire barrier; it’s a tow – Full Course Yellow

LAP 51
Field takes a pit stop – Full fill up leaves a car about 7 laps short of making it to the end on Green.

Scott Dixon skunks both Penske cars off pit lane. Tony Kanaan stays out and assumes the lead. Other that stayed out include Foyt IV, Rice, and Carpenter.

Mario Dominguez climbed up to 14th at one time in the Pacific Coast Motorsports/Visit Mexico City Dallara, but had to retire due to mechanical problems. Image Credit: Covy Moore (2008)

LAP 52
Mario Dominguez of Pacific Coast Motorsports looses a right rear tire as a result of an improper tire change.

LAP 54
Dixon ordered behind Castroneves before restart.

LAP 55
Green, Green, Green – Kanaan leads the pack with 25 laps since his last pit stop.

LAP 56
Briscoe spins and looses places to the leaders – Ed Carpenter taps Briscoe and sends him to 17th.

AJ Foyt IV, passes Tony Kanaan for the lead. Tony spins and opens the door.

LAP 57
Briscoe in the pits, gets topped off on fuel and check for damage – can make it to the end.

LAP 60
Kanaan regains the lead on a driving miscue by AJ Foyt IV. EJ Viso punts Graham Rahal into the tires after Graham rejoins the race. Full Course Yellow

LAP 61
Dixon, Castroneves, Weldon, Tracy, and Wilson round out the top five at restart by staying out during pit open. Kanaan pitted.

LAP 64
Green Flag. Viso called in to the pits for a 15 second stop and go penalty.

LAP 65
Bernoldi spins and drops a couple of places from 12th place.

LAP 67
The top eight places will need a splash and go to complete the race if it remains Green. Ryan Briscoe riding in position 9 can make it all the way. Tracy is up to position 4 followed by Wilson, Servia, and Junqueira.

LAP 70
Servia passes Tracy for fourth. There is speculation that some of the top seven might make it to the end … laps will tell. Briscoe passed Danica Patrick to break into the top eight.

LAP 75
Wilson passes Tracy for fifth place. Twenty laps to go. Who will make it on gas to the end?

LAP 77
Marco taps tires with Danica Patrick and pushes her off of the track. Danica has a flat tire, Marco has a hurt wing and drops back to 15th. Local caution only.

LAP 80
Briscoe passes Junqueira for seventh position. The race is announced to become a timed race – to be run less than the 95 original laps.

LAP 83
Wilson assumes 3rd, Weldon drops back to 6th. Fourteen cars on the lead lap.

LAP 85
Castroneves locks his brakes and looses time behind leader Scott Dixon.

LAP 86
Junqueira passes Weldon for 6th.

LAP 87
Bruno Junqueira sputters and drops back to 11th. Briscoe up to 6th.

LAP 91
White Flag – Dixon, Weldon, Wilson, Servia, and Tracy in the top five for the last lap. Paul Tracy passes Oriol Servia for 4th place on this last lap!

Major thanks has to given to Tony George for clearing the way for Forsythe Racing to race under the Vision Racing banner with a Forsythe prepared SubWay Restruants sponsored Dallara. Image Credit: Covy Moore (2008)

The T-Team Eleven is bolstered by the presence of Paul Tracy who raced his first ever race in a Dallara all the way to the end.

Here is how the transition team drivers fared:

Pos. Driver/Car No C/E/T S Qual Speed Laps XL LL Status Pts

3 Justin Wilson McDonald's Racing Team 02 D/H/F 6 0.000 91 0 0 Running 35

4 Paul Tracy Subway/ Vision 22 D/H/F 15 114.122 91 0 0 Running 32

5 Oriol Servia KV Racing Technology 5 D/H/F 3 116.710 91 0 0 Running 30

14 Bruno Junqueira Z-Line Designs 18 D/H/F 7 115.871 91 0 0 Running 16

15 E.J. Viso PDVSA HVM Racing 33 D/H/F 20 112.879 90 0 0 Running 15

16 Enrique Bernoldi Sangari Conquest Racing 36 D/H/F 11 114.519 90 0 0 Running 14

20 Mario Moraes Sonny's Bar-B-Q 19 D/H/F 10 115.015 85 0 0 Running 12

22 Will Power Aussie Vineyards-Team Australia 8 D/H/F 5 116.410 72 0 0 Running 12

23 Jaime Camara Sangari 34 D/H/F 26 111.229 68 0 0 Mechanical 12

24 Mario Dominguez Visit Mexico City/PCM Racing 96 D/H/F 19 112.500 51 0 0 Off Course 12

26 Graham Rahal Rexall-Oilers 06 D/H/F 8 115.573 44 0 0 Contact 10
Reference Here>>

A really good race in general - not a great race for the overall advancement in the Rookie-Of-The-Year points race due to the fact Will Power could not take advantage of a last place finish by Hideki Mutoh, the current points leader (moved from 31 to 29 points behind).

... notes from The EDJE

It’s All, Or ALL – "Nothing" Is NOT An Option At PCM

Mario Dominguez mastering the hairpin just before entering the Long Beach Shoreline Drive straightaway in his Pacific Coast Motorsports Panoz DP01 Image Credit: Andy Sallee - TSO Photographer (2008)

It’s All, Or ALL – "Nothing" Is NOT An Option At Pacific Coast Motorsports

… or, when the pure love of motorsport meets a strong management style.

This year, 2008 has been quite a year for Pacific Coast Motorsports. It started off smooth enough, the kick-off party at the Hard Rock Hollywood was a complete success. Members of the C-300 volunteer group in Long Beach, luminaries’ from the Grand Prix of Long Beach Association, card carrying Screen Actors Guild members, photographers, and fans enjoyed themselves under the guitar and beside the Atlantic racing cars before retiring inside for food and chat.

At that time, back in the middle of February, Pacific Coast Motorsports, under the management of team president, Tyler Tadevic, had plans to compete successfully in two major American open-wheel series. After all, in 2004, the team had put together a series championship winning campaign with Jon Fogarty and was looking to do the same in the ChampCar World Series after what the team had learned from completing its first season in 2007 with a two car, three driver effort with Alex Figge, Ryan Dalziel, and later, ChampCar veteran Mario Dominguez.

Frankie Muniz made a big improvement over his Long Beach debut last year by starting ten positions ahead in the field and finishing four over his 2007 result. “Frankie struggled initially, but by the end of the second qualifying session, he was less than a second off of the pole, and we think that is pretty good for a driver who is only in his third year of racing. It is a big improvement over last year when he was three seconds off of the pole. I am really proud of him.” said PCM Team Owner, Tyler Tadevic. Image Credit: PCM Website (2008)

In about the time it took the PCM transporter to leave Oxnard and drive to Sebring for the first at speed testing for the Atlantic series where Frankie Muniz (yes that, "Malcom In The Middle" star, Frankie Muniz), and Carl Skerlong were anxious to get the season started … an announcement came down that the CCWS would merge with the Indy Racing League starting immediately.

The investment in equipment and relationships that had been forged over previous years that were planned out and put in place, in order to compete at the highest levels of professional motorsports had to be totally re-assessed in a bizarre game of high-stakes 52 card pick-up.

What was once viewed as a 2008 sophomore season chase toward a championship title with American born driver (a dwindling breed) Alex Figge, just became a rookie motorsports competition effort with new equipment, new tracks, new rules, and no driver, no sponsor. All of this with the prospect of having to run one last race through the streets of Long Beach in about two months.

See you all on Shoreline Drive …

Mario Dominguez with outgoing Pacific Coast Motorsports Team Owner, Tom Figge during the Third Place Podium Finish Trophy presentation ceremony at the 2008 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Image Credit: Andy Sallee - TSO Photographer (2008)

This edited and excerpted from Racer Magazine -

SPECIAL: PCM - Poster Child of What’s Possible
Written by: David Phillips - Senior writer, RACER Magazine - http://www.racer.com - 04/29/2008 - 04:50 PM - Oxnard, Calif.

The situation is rather different at Pacific Coast Motorsports, where the IndyCar Series’ newest team owner – former team president Tyler Tadevic – has gone into hock up to (and past) his ears to field a pair of Dallara-Hondas for the coming season. And even that wouldn’t have been nearly enough but for the 11th hour arrival of the “Visit Mexico” sponsorship program, courtesy of driver Mario Dominguez and the Tourism Bureau of Mexico City.

Then again, the fact that a team is competing in the 2008 IndyCar Series thanks largely to sponsorship may be the most encouraging sign yet of the altered financial dynamics wrought by the reunification of Indy car racing.

“You look at the other teams and most of those other teams had some sort of investor to facilitate the move from Champ Car,” Tadevic observes. “But ours is one of the only ones that’s set up 100% on sponsorship, sponsorship derived from a driver who went out and sold the program. I like to think of us as the poster child of what is possible.”

Truthfully, PCM is already something of a poster child for the shifting sands of American racing in the 21st century. Founded in 2003 by banker Tom Figge in support of his son Alex’s racing career.
----
PCM then ran the American Le Mans Series and Grand-Am GT in ’05 before finishing the year in Daytona Prototypes. A full season of Daytona Prototypes followed with another one in the cards for ’07 until a chance meeting between Tom Figge and Kalkhoven led PCM down the Champ Car path.
----
PCM entered into a partnership with Shane Seneviratne to bring the US RaceTronics Atlantic team under its wings [for 2008].
----
[The CCWS/IRL merge agreement] spelled the end for the Figges’ cycle of investment, liquidation and re-investment . . . and the emergence of Tadevic as the new owner of the team.
----
“I was able to put myself as far in hock as my creditors would allow me,” Tadevic continues. “I scraped up the sums necessary to buy the company out. Mr. Figge was gracious enough to allow me to do so, and when we parted ways I sort of went all in. As I explained to everybody, ‘I’m all in on a pair of twos!’ I’m either gonna get another two on the draw or I’m gonna have to fold and find something else to do!”

Fortunately, Dominguez arrived with that missing two with a three to boot – as in a third-place finish in the Champ Car swan song at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. The deuce? That would be the Visit Mexico sponsorship.

Mario Dominguez at the announcement of the "Visit Mexico City" sponsorship in Mexico City. Image Credit: PCM Website (2008)

“All kudos go to Mario,” says Tadevic. “He’s been working on this program with Mexico City and he was good enough to give us the opportunity to meet with those people.
----
“The program has a lot of potential going forward. We are extremely proud, not only to have Mario but to represent a city the likes of Mexico City.
----
PCM will have to make due with two “used” cars that only arrived at its shop in Oxnard, Calif., the Wednesday before the Long Beach race. The team unloaded its two Dallara-Hondas from the transporter, loaded two Panoz-Cosworths and headed down the coast to Long Beach where Dominguez capped a highly competitive weekend with a fine third place.

Although Tadevic sees Long Beach as a sign of PCM’s growing maturity, he is also keenly aware of the monumental challenge that remains, one that includes not only the IndyCar Series but PCM’s continuing relationship with Seneviratne and US RaceTronics.

“I think our results at Long Beach really indicate we’re taking some significant steps forward,” Tadevic says. “We were really looking forward to running a Champ Car in ’08 as one of the teams to be contended with.”
---
“First, we’re not exactly ‘newbies’ when it comes to doing something new and second, with the Atlantic program we’re proud to keep that going and we’re thankful to Mazda and Cooper Tires to keep that series up and running. Third, over the winter, we hired some really capable people with IRL and oval experience, including Didier Francesia a chief mechanic from Target/Ganassi, and we have (crew chief) Roy Wilkerson and (mechanic) Chuck Miller who were with us last year and have a significant number of Indy 500s and time in the IRL under their belts.

“Then, engineering-wise, we brought on Gerald Tyler, who has a ton of oval experience in Indy Lights and Champ Car. It’s the same with our general manager, Michael Harvey. So I think we’re better prepared personnel-wise for the IRL than a lot of other teams. Can we be ‘best of the rest?’ I think we can and I think what we did in Long Beach displays that. As an organization we’re really matured and I think we’re ready to make that next step.”
----
“I’ve become pretty good friends with Michael Cannon, race engineer at HVM,” says Tadevic. “Michael told me the other day, ‘You’re the most ambitious man in motorsports.’ I think what he was really saying was that I’m either the most ambitious man in motorsports – or the stupidest. But we’ll see. All I can say for now is that failure is not in the scope of things.
Reference Here>>

Mario Dominguez (center) and Tyler Tadevic (right, sunglasses) celebrates a third place podium finish with the team of Pacific Coast Motorsports at Long Beach. Image Credit: PCM Website (2008)

The key to Pacific Coast Motorsports and Tyler Tadevic's management style (and the absolute love of the competition provided through racing automobiles) can be found in this Tadevic statement, “Every off-season we liquidated what assets we had procured for the series for the season before and throw those funds back towards a new series.

We’d go backwards a bit every time, but not as much as you might think when we were able to take our capital investments and basically roll them into the next investment throughout that entire time.”

It is this tough but smart management strategy through the years at Pacific Coast Motorsports that has allowed Mario Dominguez, at this very moment, to pursue the lifelong dream of competing at the Indianapolis 500. The dream begins Sunday, May 4, with the gates at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway track open for spectators from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. ... with the Rookie Orientation Program on track from noon-5 p.m.

We, here at The EDJE, are doubleing down on the success of Tyler Tadevic and the Oxnard, California based team at Pacific Coast Motorsports.

... notes from The EDJE

Support Series Captures Guinness Book World Record

Logan Gomez stated upon hearing about the Guinness Book Record confirmation, "I was happy just to get my first win at Chicagoland, but if you're going set a world record, I can't think of any better way than to win a race, even if it's by a very slim margin." (click photo to launch event video) – Image Credit: The EDJE 2008 (via video from aroundtheregion.tv)

Support Series Captures Guinness Book World Record

The official “feeder series” to the Indianapolis Racing League (IRL) that was designed to develop young drivers to compete at the highest levels of Open-Wheel automobile racing captured a mark yesterday that IndyCar, ChampCar, A1GP, and F1 may never reach.

The IndyPro Series was awarded the Guinness Book of World Records recognition for the closest margin of victory in a car race.

Logan Gomez sits in IndyPro car, helmet on and ready to race. (click photo to launch event video) - Image Credit: The EDJE 2008 (via video from aroundtheregion.tv)

The race in question was decided by an estimated 1.65 inches by two cars traveling at 190 miles per hour where the car driven by Logan Gomez beat out Sam Schmidt Motorsports teammate Alex Lloyd by an incredible 0.0005 seconds.

Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois (click photo to launch event video) – Image Credit: The EDJE 2008 (via video from aroundtheregion.tv)

The feat was marked at an IndyPro Series season-finale race run at the Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois – “Chicagoland 100” Sunday, September 9, 2007

Logan Gomez of IndyPro Series Sam Schmidt Racing wins first open-wheel race on the way to the record books. - Image Credit: indycar.com

This quote excerpted from indycar.com -

Closest finish recognized as world record
By indycar.com staff - Tuesday, March 4, 2008

"It's a great honor to be recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records," said Gomez, a Crown Point, Ind., native who will return for his second season in the Indy Pro Series with Guthrie Racing in 2008. "I was happy just to get my first win at Chicagoland, but if you're going set a world record, I can't think of any better way than to win a race, even if it's by a very slim margin."
Reference Here>>

I guess it can be said that the IndyPro Series is not only "The Fast Track" TO INDY but the recognized world record setting track as well.

So this announcement comes just as the professional open-wheel racing series in North America agreed to become unified - I guess we all can look upon this as a pleasant wedding present!

... notes fron The EDJE