New Open-Wheel Driver Transition To Stock Car Racing Seen

SPEED coverage of the ARCA Racing Series season opener from Daytona scored a Nielsen Household Rating of 2.30 (1,723,000 households), a 59-percent increase over last year's 1.45 (1,062,000 households). Highlighted by the stock car debut of Danica Patrick, race coverage peaked at 2.66 (1,997,000 households), up a stunning 72 percent from last year's peak of 1.55 (1,137,000 households). Image Credit: ARCA

New Open-Wheel Driver Transition To Stock Car Racing Seen

Open-Wheel racing drivers take on a new challenge of placing a heavier, full bodied, sheet metal covered car around their seats as they take to the track in Daytona for the Automobile Racing Club of America race (ARCA Slick Mist 200) this last weekend.

Among the most prominent names from the IRL, Formula One, and etc. were Danica Patrick driving for a team put together by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Rick Hendrick in the #7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet, Nilson Piquet Jr. in the #6 Toyota prepared by ARCA standout, Eddie Sharp Racing, and Milka Duno driving the CANTV, Celebrity Jazz sponsored #90 Toyota.

Even though Piquet and Duno got caught out early in a multi-car crash and eventually were unable to finish the race, at the ARCA Series open test at Daytona in December, and in her very first time in a stock car, Milka was the fastest stock car rookie on the second day of the three-day test.

As for Piquet ... this Q&A from his fan website -- You started from a excellent 7th place for a debutant, even for a long time you were in fifth place. But then it went backwards for you.
Piquet: Well, it was almost expected that it would be in the race a completely different story. After the race was interrupted ( red flag ), I could not start my car. A problem with the main switch. Bad contacts or something. So I just had to start from behind again, then around 22, 23, 24 Place.

From there it went so well again to the front, but eventually it was over.
Piquet: I made it back to the twelfth. Everything went perfectly. For sure I would have stayed in front with it. But I had a lot of contacts. On three corners of the fenders the tires had or were scraping. On the right front, the aerodynamics were gone. At some point I was far too slow and could not keep the connection with the other drivers any more. There were also slow opponents.

What is for you the most important lesson of your first oval race?
Piquet: Today I learned a lot, lot more than I ever imagined. Patience is the key word.Just have patience. This is the most important thing.

You had a collision with Danica Patrick.
Piquet: What should I do? I was pushed down, she would probably just below try to get through. Then we touched.

Despite the Danica Mania that commanded the majority of the attention, Lebanon, Pennsylvania veteran Bobby Gerhart out-performed and out-smarted his closest rivals during Saturday's running of the 47th Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona Int'l Speedway to earn a record sixth victory at the "World Center of Racing". Image Credit: ARCA

This excerpted and edited from NowPublic -

DAYTONA, ARCA, DANICA and NELSINHO
By Charles Oladeji | February 8, 2010 at 04:57 am

Next Sunday being St Valentine’s Day, another commercially driven ‘day of observance’ (or subservience if you see it thus) recreated by a well known greeting-card manufacturing company will be upon us once more. But, my excitement leading on to the 14th of February will have nothing to do with buying flowers, chocolate confectionary or the agonising ritual of purchasing sexy ladies lingerie. But rather, I’m keenly awaiting the arrival of that “Great American Race” known as the Daytona 500, which represents the real competitive beginning of the 2010 NASCAR season.
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The extensive and gruelling nature of NASCAR competition, and the commitment it demands of Drivers and Teams alike, formed a substantial part of the numerous concerns put forward by those who questioned IZOD IndyCar Driver Danica Patrick’s Part-time involvement NASCAR, even though her participation in Nationwide Series in 2010 will be limited and overwhelming commercially driven (please pardon the pun).

Danica, took part in the scheduled Automobile Racing Club of America race (ARCA Slick Mist 200) at Daytona this past weekend amongst six other lesser known female Drivers including fellow Venezuelan IZOD IndyCar Driver Mika Duno. Unfortunately, Mika Duno did not finish the race while it’s reported that Danica put on a good showing coming in 6th overall having to fight her way back to the top 10 after being bumped off the track on the 54th lap by none other than Nelsinho Piquet.

The Brazilian former Formula One Driver Nelson (Nelsinho) Piquet Jr, who tested in the Truck Series at Rockingham last year for Red Horse Racing (RHR), and has debuted in ARCA racing this year, has also declared his intentions to stay with NASCAR for the foreseeable future. However, he finished in 27th position after being caught up in a pile up later in the 80 lap during the ARCA race on Saturday.

With Danica’s #7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet finishing top 10 in what can be considered her first real Stock Car test in full glare of the media, Hendrick /JR Motorsport can feel a ‘wee’ bit vindicated for pursuing her driving services so aggressively last year, whilst commentators (myself included) questioned her driving ability in both IndyCar and Stock Car racing, where seasoned and aggressive Drivers like Juan Pablo Montoya have struggled to gain a steady foothold.

Yet, Danica Patrick is having a phenomenal effect on NASCAR at present, and I’ll readily admit to being a Danica Patrick fan. However, I’m no fan of Danica Patrick’s actual racing. Such is the media pull of Danica Patrick that the historic nature of the ARCA race winner Bobby Gerhard this saturday, winning the Slick Mist 200 for the 6th time was reduced to a footnote. How long Danica fans of my particular ilk remain intrigued by the Danica brand as the NASCAR season gets more competitive is unknown to us. What we do know is that beautiful people like Danica Patrick are good commercial business; and much needed business at that.
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As the Daytona 500 rapidly approaches, Danica Patrick’s popularity has even managed to eclipse NASCAR new-age hero. Aged Mark Martin, who, building on last season’s success as part of Hendrick Motorsport with Jimmie Johnson has qualified in pole position for the forthcoming February 14th race. Current Sprint Cup Champion Johnson is positioned 7th on the grid while Martin will share the front grid with Dale Earnhardt Jr come the green flag at 1pm EST on Sunday.

One thing is becoming certain; St Valentine’s Day at Daytona will not be a romantic date with the beautiful people, Danica and Nelsinho.
Reference Here>>

Not just yet anyway ...

The racing debut ended early for Piquet and Duno but as this clipped report shows ... the race was pretty straight forward for the eventual race winner, veteran driver Bobby Gerhart, 51, and just a little less so for Danica Patrick.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. says that he is refraining from giving driver Danica Patrick too much advice heading into her stock car debut in Saturday's Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards race, allowing the IZOD INDY Car Series veteran to make her own race day game plan. Image Credit: ARCA

This excerpted and edited from Motorsports.com -

Gerhart wins his sixth ARCA 200 at Daytona
By Joe Jennings - Motorsport.com - 2010-02-06 (Daytona Beach, FL)

Gerhart shared the post-race spotlight with Danica Patrick, who drove superbly to garner sixth place.

Dazzling the crowd, the colorful driver's race report reads as follows: started 12th, advanced to fifth, pitted once, lost the draft and dropped back, made contact with Nelson Piquet Jr. and slid through the grass on the front-stretch and kept the car off the wall, stopped twice for minor repairs, fell back to 20th and taking advantage of yellow flags, she bolted through the field in the in the final 10 laps to secure a solid finish [Danica's sixth place finish], to the delight of the chilled crowd.

"I learned how to use the fenders a little bit," Patrick said. "For the race, I wanted to play it smart, make it to the end and learn something from it. At the end, I just said to myself, 'What the heck, I don't really care as I have made it this far, let's see what else we can do.' It was a lot of fun. I got bumped from the front, the back and the side, and I learned a lot. Having so much fun in the car, I can't wait to do it again."
Reference Here>>

We can not wait either, Danica ... we wish that all of the new open-wheel transition drivers bring excitement to the turn-left crowd in full-bodied cars over the course of this next year.

... notes from The EDJE

Rookies And Regulars Run Together, In Unification At INDY

The regulars showed their collective experience by topping the speed charts with occupying the top ten lap speeds posted. Graphic Credit: indycar.com PDF

Rookies And Regulars Run Together, In Unification At INDY

Within their first four to eleven laps, just after the 10:00am PDT start time of the official first day of Practice at Indy, the seasoned drivers who have been to the track and have raced in IndyCar Series for the last few years showed their stuff.

Tony Kanaan – 224.591 – 9 laps, Danica Patrick – 223.479 – 11 laps, Ryan Briscoe – 223.068 – 8 laps, Marco Andretti – 223.041 – 4 laps, Helio Castroneves – 222.893 – 7 laps ... all speed marks above the fastest mark set by the ChampCar transition team rookies with KV Racing Technology's Will Power at 222.267 after 154 laps of practice.

Two other rookies also posted better times than Power in the Rookie Orientation Program with Rahal Letterman Racing's Alex Lloyd - 223.033 after 106 laps and Andretti Green Racing's Hideki Mutoh - 222.600 after only 78 laps.

The biggest story from yesterday comes from Andretti Green Racing driver, nineteen year old Marco Andretti posting a lap speed average of 226.599 mph. This mark bests the 2007 pole qualifying speed set by Team Penske driver Helio Castroneves at 225.817 by nearly 8/10ths of a second.

The regulars showed their collective experience by topping the speed charts with occupying the top ten lap speeds posted. Will Power was able to improve his time and lock down eleventh at 223.550 mph.

Mario Dominguez and presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, share a moment ... each in the middle of their own campaigns. Image Credit: PCM (2008)

Mario Dominguez showed how difficult it is to get to speed on a new track, especially one as unique as Indy.

Day before yesterday on Day 2 of the Rookie Orientation Program, he progressively advanced his times on each lap - 142mph, 171mph, 189mph, 194mph, 199mph, 201.518mph, 204.435mph, 204.777mph – lap 13, 205.024 – lap 17, 205.828, and so on.

He finally posted a 214.358 and completed 48 laps on his first day, Monday.

Mario Dominguez in the #96 Visit Mexico City/Pacific Coast Motorsports Dallara taking first laps at speed on the IMS track. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

Yesterday, he began to achieve more speed - Mario on the day: “Today we really spent the afternoon building up speed and finding the limits, step by step. Every lap I turn, I learn something.

Yesterday we had to get out there and pass our three phases so we didn’t have time to really focus on anything but that. So today was our first day finding limits and seeing what the car needs. We are fighting a loose condition, but we are working through it.

This racetrack is just phenomenal; it is completely different than any track I have ever run on. I am grateful I have so much oval experience because it helps considerably, but at the same time, this track is different than any other.”

He has completed 61 Laps and is at 30th on the speed charts at 218.306. At the EDJE, we believe that PCM will be able to figure out the set-ups because they really are one of the more competent truly new teams out there.

Today, the fourth day of trials and the third day Mario and the guys at PCM take to the track, the racers face the prospect of a 60% chance of rain. Rain expects to be a threat to practice sessions over the next two days.

A Midwest Month For Pacific Coast Motorsports

Gasoline Alley on a May afternoon. This is where Pacific Coast Motorsports and the rest of the Indy Racing League will be calling home for the month of May(wouldn’t be more appropriate to name the garage area “Corn-Row”? - the cars now race on ethanol biofuel ;- What? ... you never thought of this?). Image Credit: Ddrucki on Flickr

A Midwest Month For Pacific Coast Motorsports

The folks of twenty member traveling team of Pacific Coast Motorsports are beginning to get a feel for their new digs and they feel destined as they streach out in garages 25-27 for the balance of the month of May.

It is all pluses for the first time driver, sponsor and team to the race track that sports the famed “yard of bricks” for their rookie debut in the 92nd running of the Indianapolis 500.

Pacific Coast Motorsports Dallara with its new "Visit Mexico City" livery in which "rookie" IndyCar Series driver Mario Dominguez expects to become the first driver born in Mexico to win an Indianapolis 500 sporting event in 92 tries. Image Credit: PCM (2008)

The Oxnard, California-based PCM squad received their two Dallara IndyCar’s just before the Champ Car finale at the Long Beach Grand Prix. Dominguez’s third place finish at Long Beach fueled his team for 15-hour work days the last two-weeks as they prepared for the Indy effort.

While this is the first time the Pacific Coast Motorsports organization has shown up to compete in the Indy 500, there is plenty of experience within the traveling squad. PCM Team Manager Michael Harvey will make his second start, Crew Chief Roy Wilkerson has 12 Indy 500 starts under his belt, while Car Chief Didier Francesia has seven starts with two third-place finishes, and a pole and Gearbox Specialist Chuck Miller has competed at the Speedway seven times.

Mario Dominguez is expected to cross the historic “yard of bricks” for the first time in his #96 Visit Mexico City/PCM Dallara tomorrow, Sunday, May 4th when he participates in the Rookie Orientation Program practice session from 12:00pm – 5:00 pm. The team will concentrate on a qualifying set-up throughout the first week of practice.

"Visit Mexico City" sponsorship colors worn by Mario Dominguez. Mario was named “Mexico City’s Official Driver” last fall 2007 by Mayor Marcello Ebrard. Image Credit: PCM (2008)

“This is a dream come true,” said Dominguez. “Competing in the Indy 500 has been a dream of mine as long as I can remember. I have to thank all of my guys who have been working crazy hours to get us here. Also to the IndyCar Series and the Mexico City Tourism Board for their encouragement and support. To be here is a great honor, now we have a lot of work to do to make sure we make the show.”

Pacific Coast Motorsports announced its IndyCar program last week in a press conference in Mexico City. The news was well received by 80 members of Mexico’s major media outlets. Mario was named “Mexico City’s Official Driver” last fall by Mayor Marcello Ebrard. At the press conference, the city announced they will place 92 jumbo-tron televisions throughout Mexico City, so Mario’s fans can watch him vie to become the ninth rookie and first Mexican driver to win the Indianapolis 500.

Five drivers from Mexico have previously competed at the Indy 500; Josele Garza, Bernard Jourdain, Michele Jourdain Jr, Hector Rebaque and most recently, Adrian Fernandez. Adrian Fernandez holds the highest finishing position by a Mexican driver in the History of the Indianapolis 500; he started sixth and finished seventh in 2004.

Eight rookies have won the Indy 500 … and largely because of the open-wheel racing unification agreement reached between ChampCar and IndyCar hardly a little over two months ago, 13 rookies have entered; all of them are expecting to become the ninth rookie in 92 years to win it all at the end of 500 miles and drink the milk of success from the traditional quart glass bottle!

At the EDJE, we are hoping that it is Mario’s white uniform that will be drenched from the overflow of that first ever victory swill … classic “White-On-White” is the order of the day for Pacific Coast Motorsports come the 25th day of May, 2008.
(ht: PCM Press Release)

… notes from The EDJE










UPDATE 5-4-2008:

At INDY, "Rookies" Get Their Day In The Sun

The #96 Visit Mexico City - Pacific Coast Motorsports Dallara getting updated with the proper wishbone suspension parts. Image Credit: PCM (2008)

Thirteen of the fourteen registered Rookies that hope to qualify and make it into the race come May 25 took to the "Brick Yard" for the first time.

Mario Dominguez was scheduled to make his rookie debut today in orientation, but some last minute details kept the Pacific Coast Motorsports squad from taking to the track for their first time.

"Once we rolled through tech, three of the four wishbones on the car were deemed unusable by the series. These are suspension pieces that we received with our car and we were not aware these parts are no longer being used," said team owner, Tyler Tadevic. "The guys have been working hard, we're back to being rookies again. We disseminating tons of information trying to catch up and we'll make sure Mario gets through his orientation tomorrow."

Mario discusses strategy with team member after the #96 Visit Mexico City/PCM Dallara has the updated wishbone parts installed. Mario and the rest of the PCM team feel upbeat about being able to get out onto the track for the very first time. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

The rest of the "Rookies", most of them driving for teams that transitioned from the ChampCar World Series with the unification agreement, posted respectable lap speeds with the cream of the crop circling the rectangle two and a half mile "oval" of upwards to the 220 mph range.

The biggest surprise of the day is how poorly the CCWS Championship Team of Newman/Haas/Lanigan did with their drivers Graham Rahal and Justin Wilson being eighth and ninth fastest for the day ... nearly two miles per hour off of the pace st by Will Power/KV Racing Technology and EJ Viso/HVM Racing.

Day One Rookie Orientation Program Speed-Chart - Image Credit: indycar.com PDF

More on the events of the day from IndyCar writer, Dave Lewandowski>>

... notes from The EDJE

UPDATE - May 6, 2008 - End Of Practice, Day One:

Rookies And Regulars Run Together

Mario Dominguez and presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, share a moment ... each in the middle of their own campaigns. Image Credit: PCM (2008)

It looks as though Mario has changed the color of his driving uniform ... it's yellow!

I wonder if the color change happened while he was in the cockpit as he was about to post a lap exceeding 200 mph in his first ever session at IMS (lap 11)?

He finally posted a 214.358 and completed 48 laps on his first day, Monday.

Mario Dominguez in the #96 Visit Mexico City/Pacific Coast Motorsports Dallara taking first laps at speed on the IMS track. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

Yesterday, he began to achieve more speed - Mario on the day: “Today we really spent the afternoon building up speed and finding the limits, step by step. Every lap I turn, I learn something.

Yesterday we had to get out there and pass our three phases so we didn’t have time to really focus on anything but that. So today was our first day finding limits and seeing what the car needs. We are fighting a loose condition, but we are working through it.

This racetrack is just phenomenal; it is completely different than any track I have ever run on. I am grateful I have so much oval experience because it helps considerably, but at the same time, this track is different than any other.”

He has completed 61 Laps and is at 30th on the speed charts at 218.306. I believe that PCM will be able to figure out the set-ups because they really are one of the more competent new teams out there.

The biggest story from yesterday comes from Andretti Green Racing driver, ninteen year old Marco Andretti posting a lap speed average of 226.599 mph. This mark bests the 2007 pole qualifying speed set by Team Penske driver Helio Castroneves at 225.817 by nearly 8/10ths of a second.

Today, the fourth day of trials and the third day Mario and the guys at PCM take to the track, the racers face the prospect of a 60% chance of rain. Rain expects to be a threat to practice sessions over the next two days.

ChampCar and IndyCar Become One In 2008

Indy Racing League CEO and founder Tony George shook hands with Champ Car World Series co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven in front of a packed meeting room at Homestead-Miami Speedway to formally announce the unification. Standing behind them as a sign of unity were nearly two dozen drivers from both series. In photo looking on from left to right: Tony Kanaan and Marco Andretti of Andretti/Green Racing, and Robert Doornbos of Minardi Team USA - Image Credit: Shawn Payne

ChampCar and IndyCar Become One In 2008

… and then there was one!

Video Of Announcement

That’s right, there will no longer be two competing major professional open-wheel racing series to split the pool of available team owners, drivers, sponsors, loyalties of fans, and formula rules managed here in North America.

With unification, it will give participants the ability for all to build a competitive series of annual races (Tony George, President of the IRL looks to have 20 races in the schedule for 2009) that will lend the world an alternative to the “Anything Goes” structure of Formula One (which currently has races in 18 venues).

“American” open-wheel automobile racing has always sought to have a formula on which to race focused on safety, and controlling costs while allowing racing teams to have a greater than equal chance at being competitive with each other. On any given race day, any driver could win a pole position or a race because the equipment and the rules that govern the use of the equipment and on track race management (stoppages for debris, accidents and pit stops) help to promote parity.

In Formula One, the expenditures for equipment are basically not an issue and the rules that govern use of technology are at a minimum. On track race management rules do not allow for drivers to catch up during stoppages for accidents and there is no “Yellow Flag” restart process as there is in American auto sports. While the automobiles that are created bust the bounds of imagination in performance, the competition basically remains with the racing teams that spend the most money. Winning is left in the control of two to three teams throughout the course of a season.

Image Credit: indycar.com

This excerpted from Racing One –

Unification Announced
J.J. O'Malley - RacingOne Contributor - HOMESTEAD, Fla - Posted Wednesday, February 27, 2008

After 12 years of division - and nearly 30 years of animosity - the leaders of American open-wheel racing declared it's time to look forward and proceed with a unified IndyCar Series.

Indy Racing League CEO and founder Tony George shook hands with Champ Car World Series co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven in front of a packed meeting room at Homestead-Miami Speedway to formally announce the unification. Standing behind them as a sign of unity were nearly two dozen drivers from both series.

Brian Barnhart, IRL vice president of operations, said that anywhere from 8-12 cars from former Champ Car teams could be added to the grid for the season-opening Gainsco Auto Insurance Indy 300, set for March 29 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Champ Car teams joining the IndyCar Series will each get two Dallara chassis from a pool of exiting new and used chassis; a one-year Honda engine lease; and $1.2 million per car from the IndyCar TEAM program.

To facilitate the transition, Champ Car teams will be partnered with IndyCar Series teams. For instance, Kalkoven's team (now known as KV Racing in partnership with Jimmy Vasser) will work with Target Chip Ganassi Racing. Rahal Letterman will work with Newman/Haas/Lanigan, and Andretti Green will work with Forsythe.

Also to be consolidated into the IndyCar Series are several of Champ Car's tangible properties - including the medical transporter - and intellectual and historical properties, including Champ Car's historical records. [View List Of Drivers That Competed In CART and Champ Car World Series That Will Now Join The History Of The Indianapolis Racing League]

As rumored, the April 20 race at Long Beach, California, will be the final event for the current Champ Car Panoz chassis and Cosworth engines, although it will follow the IndyCar Series purse and point structure. Kalkhoven hinted that he would not be surprised to see several of the IndyCar Series drivers flying in from the Saturday IndyCar Series race at Motegi, Japan, to also race at Long Beach.

In addition, races at Edmonton, Canada, and Surfer's Paradise, Australia, may be added to the current 16-race IRL schedule.

George said at the beginning of the conference that he was recently reflecting on the 30th anniversary of his grandfather's death (former Indianapolis Motor Speedway head Tony Hulman, who passed away in 1977), and realized that it had been 30 years since the sport has been truly unified.
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Kalkhoven said that he and George have talked about the unification for four years.

"It's been a long and hard road to get here," Kalkhoven said. "But, we are here. Unification in itself is not a magic bullet. This will take a lot of hard work. This still requires a huge amount of work."

Barnhart said that there was 100 percent attendance by the Champ Car teams at a recent orientation in Indianapolis.

"They were genuinely pleased with the package they were offered," he said.
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"We hope to get through this 2008 season and make this a story for the fans," George said. "If the fans are happy, we will have happy teams and sponsors.
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The Indy Racing League began competition in 1996, running an initial three-race schedule. The IRL and CART ran head-to-head on the Memorial Day weekend that year, with the U.S. 500 run at Michigan International Speedway the same time that the Indianapolis 500 was run.
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Homestead Testing Underway
Wednesday also marked the opening of two days of testing for the IndyCar Series on the 1.5-mile Homestead-Miami Speedway oval. None of the Champ Car teams had cars at the test, with 17 IndyCar Series regulars participating.

Spring Training continues March 3-6 at Sebring International Raceway. The series will be divided into two groups of cars, each testing for two days.

While the Champ Car teams are not expected to be ready for the Sebring test, they will have two days of testing at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Monday and Tuesday March 24-25.

In addition to the four cars from Andretti-Green Racing (Tony Kanaan, Marco Andretti, Danica Patrick and Hideki Mutoh) and two each from Team Penske (Helio Castroneves and Ryan Briscoe), Target Chip Ganassi Racing (Dan Wheldon and Scott Dixon) and Marty Roth Racing (Roth and Jay Howard), A.J. Foyt (Darren Manning), Rahal Letterman (Ryan Hunter-Reay) and Panther Racing (Vitor Meira) had one car each for the Homestead test. Vision Racing brought a second car for Anthony Foyt to partner with Ed Carpenter, while Dreyer Reinbold brought a second car for Milka Duno to join Buddy Rice.
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The 2008 [unified] IndyCar Series season takes the green flag at 8 p.m. Saturday, March 29, with the Gainsco Auto Insurance Indy 300
Reference Here>>

Graham Rahal charging a corner ... Team Rahal Letterman will work with Team Newman/Haas/Lanigan - Image Credit: Newman/Haas/Lanigan

Several ChampCar teams that have issued first responses are as follows:

First off, Forsythe Racing will not compete in the unification series (originally paired up with AGR for the transition) opting to pull out and race only in the former feeder series of Formula Atlantic which becomes an unassociated and independent entry-level professional series.

Statement from Frosythe Racing website -

Forsythe Racing to Focus on Atlantic Championship
Champ Car February 28, 2008

Forsythe Championship Racing LLC, which has participated in CART and Champ Car over the past 13 seasons, will cease operations following the April 20th Long Beach Grand Prix. Parent company Forsythe Racing, Inc. will continue its Atlantic program with drivers James Hinchcliffe and David Garza.

Thanks to all the fans who supported us over the years!
Reference Here>>

This, from a strong team with the following statistics:
TEAM STATS Years: 16 Victories: 32 Poles: 34

Paul Tracy needs a ride - Career: 30 Champ Car Wins, 25 Poles, 2003 Champ Car Champion

Conquest Racing was the first team to issue an announcement from team owner, Eric Bachelart stating that they will field two cars fot the season opening race to be held March 29 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Franck Perera was announced as one of the drivers, with the other driver still to be announced.

This excerpted from the IndyCar website -

"Finally, we have come together as one," Bachelart said. "It's been a long time coming and we can now all move ahead in the same direction under one roof. The work is only starting, but now that there is solidarity in open-wheel racing it will make it that much easier to take this sport to where it needs to be.

"It's a great moment for open-wheel racing in general and for the fans and our sponsors. We are happy to be competing under the Indy Racing League banner with our other fellow 'Champ Car' competitors against established IndyCar Series teams and we are also looking forward to the new challenge that this unification brings us."

Added Bachelart, who participated as a driver in the 1992 and 1995 Indianapolis 500:

"The first few races won't be easy, but we gladly accept the challenge. Thankfully, we will not be in complete unknown territory having competed in the IRL in 2002.

Obviously, the competition level has increased since then and there is a lot of work that needs to be done before we get to the same level as the IRL teams, but that's what racing is all about. We are really excited and can't wait to get to work on the Dallaras."
Reference Here>>

Tony Kanaan, right, chats with Bruno Junqueira, while Scott Dixon and Ryan Briscoe (in red) listen in. Image Credit: Dave Lewandowski - indycar.com

PKV Racing’s site is under construction.

Dale Coyne Racing’s site hasn’t had a news release since the end of last year although Bruno Junqueira was in attendance at the Homestead announcement.

Rocketsports Racing – No Update since 2-5-2008

Dutchman, Robert Doornbos of Minardi Team USA in the "Fountain Corner" at the 2007 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Image Credit: Sutton Motorsport Images

Minardi Team USA - No Update since 2-4-2008

This excerpted from Walker Racing website –

UPDATE FOR THE FANS: Back to the Future
By: Derrick Walker - February 23, 2008

After four long weeks, we can finally say the deal is done. Walker Racing wanted to take this opportunity to update the fans again with what we know and where we go from here.
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Now the merger is done. It's day one of the rest of our lives. What are we doing and what is needed to complete the transition for the teams?

One of the major hurdles for the teams is going to be getting access to all of the parts necessary to turn up and compete at a level similar to what they were doing in Champ Car. There is a lot to learn about the new car, which will be a separate learning curve and a separate hurdle. In the next six weeks the teams have to get cars, kits and all the parts necessary to run the cars, build them and test for at least four to six days, which will be a luxury if they manage it for the first event.
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Top down view of the very capable DP01 racing chassis that will go away after the 2008 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, Image Credit: Walker Racing

Probably the most difficult factor for the teams will be acquainting themselves to an IRL car. There is a lot to be done in a short span of time and, because of the time frame, it will be an expensive six weeks for the teams to endure.

Having said that, it's probably the cart before the horse when looking at what needs to be done. Once it's known what the series is doing and everyone has gotten over the merger announcement, it needs to be determined if the sponsors are still interested.
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If you take Walker Racing specifically, since the last race in 2007, we have gone from a two car program in Champ Car to maybe a two car program in the IndyCar Series. A lot of time has been lost in being able to move forward and secure a two car program. One car is the first step. I think the Champ Car teams are going to be somewhat surprised when they see the cost of the Indy Car and this will be an ongoing concern as the season unfolds.

For example, in Champ Car you can't do wind tunnel testing. In the IndyCar Series you can.
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These are all differences and transitional ramp up elements, which is specifically team related. As we have seen in the Champ Car situation, it is possible to reduce the cost and not affect the show. For the 2007 season, there were more competitive entries and more challenges for race wins than there probably was in the last three years prior. Stabilizing the formula, bringing the costs down, and containing development would really be a request, if nothing else, to the league for 2010.
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All of the employees and drivers (Will Power and Simon Pagenaud) have been extremely patient with the process. It's hard to imagine saying to an athlete who's racing or playing for a championship to put their careers on hold for several months while the sport decides if it's going to be playing at Wimbledon or not. It's hard to imagine the effect on a driver to be put on hold like this, but Will has been very supportive of the team and has been standing by for this important announcement to be made so that he can get into the car and go racing.

We would like to continue to thank the fans for your continued support. We will keep you posted on this new journey and what this means for open wheel racing and Walker Racing.
Reference Here>>

Image Credit: Pacific Coast Motorsports (LAT, 2007)

And finally, this from Pacific Coast Motorsports website –

Pacific Coast Motorsports Statement on the Unification of Open-Wheel Racing
Katie Brannan, Feburary 22, 2008

Tyler Tadevic, Team Director - Pacific Coast Motorsports

“We are thrilled to have a unified series, without a doubt this provides the strongest platform for our partners going forward. It is our intention for Pacific Coast Motorsports to continue its open-wheel endeavors. Our goal is to be on the IRL grid at the GAINSCO Grand Prix in Miami with two IndyCars. We are working diligently on this program and welcome all opportunities.

In addition, it is our intention to continue our Atlantic program with our young American stars Frankie Muniz and Carl Skerlong. Vicki O’Connor (Atlantic President) has a long, successful history leading the Atlantic series and we are confident she will find the series a good home.

We are grateful to the Champ Car community and to our fans who have shown us great support and we look forward to a brighter future for Open-Wheel Racing in North America.”
Reference Here>>

Let's Go Racing!

... notes from The EDJE

Open-Wheel Talent At Daytona 500 In A Big Way

Dario Franchitti's "Car-Of-The-Future" / Dodge Journey Charger - The latest big name open-wheel champion to jump into the waters of NASCAR. Image Credit: Freewheeling Daredevil at Daytona during Speedweeks 2008

Open-Wheel Talent At Daytona 500 In A Big Way

That's right, open-wheel racing talent will be represented at the 50th running of the NASCAR stock car season kickoff Daytona 500 in a big way.

Champions League is what we'll choose to call them here at The EDJE. It’s a league within a league and frankly, these drivers, and their skill coming to the most prolific and commercial of world autosport racing series, NASCAR, is long overdue.

The chasm that had existed in the culture between open-wheel and “stock” car racing series was a little like Television actors not respecting Feature movie actors or either not respecting Broadway actors and visa-versa.

Get over yourselves and do what you all do best – RACE!

Sign of the Times – This 50th anniversary Daytona 500 logo will be seen early and often in the countdown the 2008 running of the “Great American Race.” Image Credit: www7.justmarketing.com

Why is it that only two open-wheel racing team owners are fielding teams at NASCAR, and conversely, NO stock car team owners field teams at Champ Car World Series or Indianapolis Racing League?

Those drivers with recognizable names with ample open-wheel racing experience are as follows (past open-wheel champions in BOLD):

Did Not Qualify - AJ Allmendinger (2004 CCWS Rookie of the Year), Patrick Carpentier (1997-2004 CART, 2005 IRL), Jacques Villeneuve (1995 CART Championship, 1995 Indy 500 winner, 1997 F1 Championship)

Quailfied Car #/Position: Tony Stewart #20/6 (1997 IRL Champion), Casey Mears #5/9 ( 5 CART starts, with one top-5 finish, 3 IRL starts, no top-5 finishes/nephew of four time Indianapolis 500 winner Rick Mears ), Juan Pablo Montoya #42/15 (1999 CART Champion, 2000 Indy 500 Winner,F1), Sam Hornish Jr #77/19 (2001, 2002, 2006 IRL Champion), John Andritti #43/22 (1988 CART Rookie Of The Year [61 top-10s in 74 career races in CART], IRL), Robbie Gordon #7/26 (1992-1999 CART [106 starts], Indy 500 [10 starts] ), Dario Franchitti #40/40 (1997-2002 CART, 2003-2007 IRL, 2007 IRL Champion, 2007 Indy 500 winner)

Starting lineup for the 2008 running of the 50th Daytona 500. Video Credit: nadeau1064

This excerpted from ABC News -

An open-wheel invasion of NASCAR is in full swing for 2008.
By TERRY BLOUNT - Feb. 7, 2008

Since NASCAR's early days, stars of open-wheel racing have occasionally stopped by to visit.

Things have changed. Now they're coming to stay.

The 2008 Daytona 500 will have at least three Indy 500 winners on the starting grid -- Juan Pablo Montoya, Sam Hornish Jr. and Dario Franchitti. Jacques Villeneuve will make it a historic foursome if he qualifies.

Having Indy 500 winners at Daytona is nothing new. Even 45 years ago, four men who would win Indy competed in the Daytona 500 -- A.J. Foyt, Johnny Rutherford, Troy Ruttman and Parnelli Jones. But two of them -- Jones and Rutherford -- hadn't accomplished the feat at the time.

The 1981 race was the last time two men with Indy 500 wins on their résumés -- Rutherford and Foyt -- competed in the Daytona 500.

In the past, the big names of Indy were just passing through, racing in NASCAR's biggest show as a little sidelight before heading back to the open cockpit.

And for the most part, they were Americans who sounded the same (well, sort of) and didn't have hard-to-pronounce names. They just happened to spend most of their racing careers in a different discipline.

They could make more money and gain more fame by concentrating on Indy cars. Frankly, the idea of racing full time in NASCAR was laughable.

2008 Daytona 500 Pace Car - Image Credit: z06vette.com

Who's laughing now? Indy-car racing did everything possible to destroy itself over the past decade with two competing leagues and constant feuding.

The open-wheelers are here now because it's the place to be. The men who won the past two Indy 500s -- Hornish and Franchitti -- will race full time in Sprint Cup. Neither will race in the 2008 Indy 500.

Montoya coming to Sprint Cup last year was just the beginning.
----
Villeneuve and Patrick Carpentier are Canadians who plan to race full time in Cup this season.

Cup will have four foreign-born drivers competing for the first time. Montoya is Colombian and Franchitti is a Scotsman.

They are bringing attention to the sport from people and places that never cared in the past. But there's also an element of NASCAR's old guard that doesn't like it.
----
NASCAR officials have embraced a "return-to-its-roots" theme for the 2008 season to try to regain the trust of the old-school fans. Obviously, the open-wheel invasion doesn't help sell that concept.

Most of the veteran drivers don't care. The open-wheelers are just other guys they have to beat.

"To me, it makes no difference," said Ryan Newman, Hornish's teammate at Penske Racing. "I was an open-wheel driver [sprint cars] when I came in. I just wasn't an IndyCar driver.

"The bottom line is they're drivers, they're competitors. I don't care whether they're male or female, open-wheel drivers or late-model drivers from the local short track. They will learn if they deserve to be here. In the car owners' and sponsors' eyes, they feel that they are."
----
This is an uphill climb on an icy slope. It's unlikely any of them will enjoy the type of success Montoya had last year when he finished 20th in the standings. Montoya won the road race at Sonoma and had six top-10s.

For now, Montoya is in a league of his own among the open-wheel newbies.
----
Talent isn't always enough. Carpentier and Villeneuve don't have guaranteed spots in the field, racing in cars that never have come close to winning.

Hornish, a three-time IndyCar Series champion, does have a guaranteed spot. He swapped points with teammate Kurt Busch. But Hornish is part of a new third car at Penske with a new crew, an almost certain recipe for struggle.

Franchitti is going to an organization (Ganassi Racing) that hasn't won an oval-track race in five seasons.
----
"It was a tough decision to make," Hornish said. "But I got to a point in my career where I decided this was the next challenge.
----
Money tops the list. NASCAR is their best option for cashing in while they can. Villeneuve and Carpentier are 36. Franchitti is 34. Time is running out.

Another reason is safety. NASCAR has become a much safer form of racing compared to open-wheel cars. Franchitti was lucky to escape unhurt from two terrifying airborne crashes last year en route to the IndyCar Series championship.
----
"I know it's going to be hard," Franchitti said. "But every year since I started racing, I've always asked myself one question at the end of the season: 'Do I still want to do this?' Being in NASCAR is what I really want to do."
Reference Here>>

UPDATE - Post Race Results For "The Champions League" (the league within a league) -

50th Daytona 500 Finish – Video Credit: Mikey2448

The race was won by Ryan Newman, Sam Hornish's teammate on the Roger Penske Racing team. So the race was won by an open-wheel racing series team owner.

Order of finish for those who have open-wheel racing experience:

Tony Stewart - 3, Robby Gordon - 8, Sam Hornish Jr. - 15, Juan Pablo Montoya - 32, Dario Franchitti - 33, Casey Mears - 35, John Andretti - 40
Reference Here>>

... notes from The EDJE

Indy 500 - A Slice Of The American Pie

Tux the penguin, the mascot of the Linux kernel – Image Credit: Tux 500, as drawn by Larry Ewing

Indy 500 - A Slice Of The American Pie

As we ramp up to what many believe is the greatest auto racing spectacle in the world today, here is a story that is a little slice of the “American Pie”.

One of the sponsors is a software operating system that really has no single corporate backing in that it is an Open-Source operating system code that runs on platforms that also run Microsoft Windows, known as Linux.

The driver is famous for being a substitute driver for many of the teams who race in American open-wheel racing series and was once a driver of note in the former CART Series before it split up into two different formulas – Indy Car and Champ Car.

This week it is all about Indy Car for both Linux and Robert Moreno, a Brazilian who recently applied for US citizenship.

Image Credit: TUX 500 website

This from the TUX 500 website -

The TUX 500:
A Community Linux Powered Marketing Program
Linux® is a trademark of Linus Torvalds.

Marketing Linux® has always been a tricky proposition. As a community, we have relied on corporations who have a stake in the Linux operating system to market Linux to the world at large. Today, we have an opportunity to change that, and make Linux marketing as much a community effort as Linux development. That effort begins with the Tux 500 project.

Our goal is simple: we want to collect community donations to enter a Linux sponsored car in the 2007 Indianapolis 500. We need your help! If less than 1% of the Linux community donates $1, this will happen... will you do your part?
Reference Here>>

WE are Linux! - TUX 500 promotional video posted on YouTube

So far, only about $16,000 of the $350,000 goal has been donated for the advertising enterprise effort.

Item #2 from Tux 500 website -

It's Official! We're in the Indy 500!
Sunday, May 20 2007 @ 06:16 PM MDT - Contributed by: Bob Moore - Views: 2,757

I just got back from the track... and what a day for Chastain Motorsports... what a day for Roberto Moreno... what a day for the Linux community!

For those of you who missed it, with less than 1 hour remaining in qualifications for the 91st Indianapolis 500, team owner Tom Chastain made a bold decision. Rather than take a chance on being bumped late in the day, he pulled their already qualified car to see if they could qualify with a higher speed. The idea being that they would put more pressure on the unqualified teams.

Roberto Moreno took the track, and put together the best 4 lap average since the day began... 220.299 mph! This put the car safely in the field, and sits us on the inside of row 11 for the race next weekend!

Roberto Moreno talks with reporters after qualifying run. - Image Credit: Bob Moore

Roberto was in tears as he was interviewed by television crews, newspaper reporters, and snapped by countless photographers. The crew members hugged each other... Tom Chastain gave his wife Carol a kiss. It was a very emotional moment.

As for the Linux community, tonight we can, and should feel a great sense of accomplishment for what we've done! But we're not done yet... tomorrow, we need to start working to reward this racing team which has put us in the middle of a great story... and has rewarded us with some wonderful moments this weekend! And remember that we still have time to make the Linux presence on the car even bigger!

p.s. For those who watched on TV, did we get good screen time like we did for Saturday's qualifications? I haven't been able to check my MythTV yet.

Update
For helios' take on it, check out blog.lobby4linux.com

Also, there were two qualification shows on ESPN2 yesterday, an early one and a late one. I only got a recording of the early one. If anyone has a recording of the late broadcast, which had our qualifying run in it, I'd greatly appreciate a copy!
Reference Here>>

This from the Auto Racing Daily -

91st Indianapolis 500 Bump Day Post-qualifying Quotes - Roberto Moreno
May 21, 2007 - Roberto Moreno (#77 Chastain Motorsports Panoz/Honda/Firestone):

About Bobby More decal on side of car:

“Well, I’ve turned in an application for my (American) citizenship. On the form, it says there, you can choose a different name if you want to. So I went with Bobby More. I just need to get the accent right. I have not figured that one out yet. ”


What did you go through to get up to speed? :

“Basically yesterday, I asked to change the car. We were going in direction quite good. Then we changed the car and got a bit lost. Then people started to get in line (for qualifying). We didn’t have time to trim and fix the car. So we decided to try and qualify with the car as it was. Just in case it decided to rain (Sunday). What if it were to rain tomorrow? The car was really difficult to drive yesterday. We had lots of wing, and it was still difficult to drive. Today, we went back to what we had initially yesterday. We worked on that. My engineer did a great job. He focused really when we needed and he was right on. The car was good today. I was doing 217.1 with race downforce. Then they said it is time to “trim. ” I was a little unsure. But as soon as we trimmed, the car felt good. We trimmed one more step. Then they said lets trim two more steps. I said, ‘No, no. ’ We are quick enough. We had just gone over 219.6, which was good. So we went ahead and trimmed one more step. The car wasn’t really good, so I said to the guys lets go back one step on the trim and go into line (qualify). We did two more laps before qualifying at 220. I said, ‘That is good enough; let’s get in line and qualify. ’ I’m so glad that I got this opportunity. Stephan (Gregoire) is doing well. He will be back racing again. Thank you to the Chastain family gave me this opportunity. It’s an honor. One day, you are nobody sitting at home. Some people think I am too old and I don’t have any more left. But do not forget my spirit. It is so young, my strong desire to succeed. I am 48 years old, and today I feel great. I did it. We got in. I love this place. ”
Reference Here>>

Now even techno-geeks have something to root for in America's greatest automobile race.

UPDATE 5-27-2007:

Lap 37: Yellow for contact in T1 by #77 Roberto Moreno.
2007-05-27 13:42:45

Lap 38: He got too high coming out of the turn.
2007-05-27 13:43:01

Lap 38: Moreno is out of the car and into safety vehicle.
2007-05-27 13:43:24

A live update report from the track indicates that Roberto Moreno is complaining of back pain and will be transported to the hospital.

TUX hits the wall on lap 37 - Image Credit: IndyCar.com.

... notes from The EDJE.

(ht: MAXINE)

Bets Placed, Cards Played, Will Power Takes The Pot!

Winner Will Power shares podium with P2-Robert Doornbos and P3-Paul Tracy. Will celebrates by sailing a hat into the crowd. Image Credit: Jalopnik's Las Vegas local, Curtis Walker

Bets Placed, Cards Played, Will Power Takes The Pot!

The race starts on a clear, sunny Las Vegas spring day with the temperature in the mid to upper 80's.

The attitude of game was made at the very beginning of the race when it saw Paul Tracy pass pole winner Will Power and take the lead of the race from the very first turn.

Bobby Rahal's son, Graham, did not fair so well in that he found the wall before he was able to make it to the Start-Finish line.

By lap 11, Will Power found his legs and took the lead back in a clean but contested pass. What would one expect from Tracy?

The races for Champ Car this year are all "timed" races, in that the cars race for a specific period of time as opposed to a specific distance regardless of time.

Las Vegas is a great street course - it has every thing - A wicked fast, curved, 195 MPH front straightaway - Elevation change - Tunnels - Rhythm corners - A great mix of professional international experience rookies and series regulars - Lots of room to pass. The new DP01 car looks very racy as well. The louvered ground effects air escape ports just in front of the rear wheels look intimidating.

At lap 28, Tracy and Power pit while being very close to each other - Tracy played it straight and took full fuel ... Power out a little earlier and may have taken a little less on board to insure a quick turnaround.

Lap 32, after suffering three cut tires early on, Sebastian Bourdais (three time series Champion) goes out after he clips a wall and tucks his wing under the driver’s side front wheel. With that, CCWS' winnings team, Newman-Haas, folds for good.

Doornbos and Tracy speed past the parked and damaged McDonald's DP01 of Bourdais. Image Credit: Jalopnik's Las Vegas local, Curtis Walker

Tracy in for additional fuel on lap 34 - telemetry indicated that he did not get a full tank. This will put him back but the question remains ... Did Will Power get enough fuel? Reports are that he did.

Lap 40 - Alex Tagliani leads but is getting ready to pit.

Paul Tracy navigates the Las Vegas Grand Prix street course with the Stratosphere looking over his shoulder. Image Credit: Jalopnik's Las Vegas local, Curtis Walker

Lap 41 - Power, Doornbos, Jani, Junqueria, Tagliani, and Tracy

Will Power in the pits on lap 45 so it turns out he did not get a full load of fuel last time in. Power has a sloppy pit stop. These new pit stops on the DP01 car are a lot slower than the previous cars the Champ Car World Series ran last year. What used to be quick 7 second fuel fill-up is taking at least a third longer and it is confusing some of the members of the pit crew. It was causing the pit "captains" to wave drivers out before they were full of fuel.

Lap 50 - Finds Junqueria in for a pit stop and the fuel man indicated that the valve in the fuel tool never opened – Bruno’s Sonny’s BBQ White & Red DP01 is out of contention with a second fuel stop. Paul Tracy leads followed by Power, Tagliani, Doornbos, and Brit Kathryn Legge.

Will Power is fastest on the track and is pacing about one second per lap faster than leader Paul Tracy.

Tracy in on lap 55 for his final fuel with Power taking the lead at 18 minutes left in the race. Power may or may not need fuel to the end.

Tagliani in on lap 59 after 18 laps on the tank. Reports state that Power is running with 13 laps on his tank at this time. Telemetry shows that Paul Tracy is good to the end.

So this is the bet on the table - Does Will Power and the Aussie Vineyards Green & Yellow painted livery have enough to hold off the rest of the field ... Robert Doornbos' Black & Red Muermans machine, Paul Tracy's Dark Blue & White fully fueled Indeck DP01, and Alex Tagliani's Black & Red at eight minutes to go.

Bets placed, cards played, and Aussie Will Power takes the pot and his first win for CCWS 2007 season in the Inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix temporary street race course!

Next week, the granddaddy of all temporary street race courses, The 33rd Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. It will be a rockin' party in LA ... especially if the teams can sort out the fueling procedure required for the new DP01 formula Champ Cars!

Excerpts from Champ Car World Series, Eric Mauk - Sunday, April 8, 2007 -

QUOTES FROM THE TOP THREE FINISHERS

Will Power: After that, I mean, I was pretty much alone. I caught Katherine Legge for a while, she held me up. But after that, it was a pretty cruisy race really. We had a good car. It handled well all day. The only issue I had was a really long brake pedal at the end of the race. But we had an 18-second lead, so we just brought it home and brought Derrick Walker his second win since '99. It's his birthday. So a pole and a win, I think that's a pretty good present for him.

Robert Doornbos: No, I really enjoyed it. A great start to the weekend. Already yesterday to have qualified in the top three, we couldn't have dreamed of a better start really. Was a bit worried this morning because it's a different routine that you have than in European racing with these rolling starts. I'm so pleased for everybody, especially for my sponsors here, they come all the way from Holland. It's been a long winter. Really a good decision to go racing in Champ Car.

Paul Tracy: It went really well. Obviously, to lead the beginning of the race, I made a good start, was able to get by Will on the start. We spent a lot of the first part of the race under yellow. We came in and did our first pit stop. The car didn't take any fuel for us. We spent 15 seconds and ended up getting like four laps of fuel. We came back out and chased, then had to come straight back in and take fuel again. That really took the fight out of the race I think for Will. I think we could have put a lot of pressure on him. It was a good day for the Forsythe team and Monster Energy.

NOTEWORTHY

· Will Power becomes the first Australian driver to win a Champ Car race. Geoff Brabham held the previous mark, having finished second on three occasions, the last of those being at Road America in 1987.

· Robert Doornbos is the first driver to score a podium finish in his Champ Car debut since Nigel Mansell won his debut in 1993.

· Both Roberto Doornbos and Tristan Gommendy made their Champ Car debuts with top-five finishes today, marking the first time that has happened since Jim Crawford (4th) and Emerson Fittipaldi (#5th) turned the trick at Long Beach in 1984.
Reference Here>>

… notes from The EDJE.

(ht: MAXINE)

CCWS - New Year, New Chassis, New Venues, New Logo

Champ Car World Series Logo - Copyright © 2007 Champ Car World Series, LLC.

CCWS - New Year, New Chassis, New Venues, New Logo

(revisited, originally published at MAXINE January 24, 2007)

Well, here we go!

The first offical time trials of the 2007 season are underway and the Champ Car World Series, North America's premiere open-wheel racing series is off to a blazing start.

Sporting a new chassis, a new logo, and having added six new venues (two of the venues in Europe) to a 17 race season, the Champ Car World Series (remnants of the old CART) looks to be set for one of the most exciting years yet.

Excerpts from two stories found at CCWS -

CHAMP CAR WORLD SERIES UNVEILS NEW LOGO FOR 2007 SEASON

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

The Champ Car World Series enters a new era in 2007 with six new venues, a number of new drivers and the brand-new Panoz DP01 chassis.To go along with the new-look series, Champ Car today unveiled its new logo that will be featured prominently on the cars, the driver and official uniforms as well as the new-look television package.

The logo is a sleeker, racier design than that of the past, and features the new DP01 on the right side of the layout. The traditional Champ Car colors of orange, silver and black are featured, and the style of the logo includes a chicane-like quality that stylizes the road and street courses that make up the 2007 Champ Car schedule.

----
“This new logo portrays many of the things that makes Champ Car special and unique and does it in an effective and stylish manner,” said Champ Car President Steve Johnson. “Having the DP01 in the logo is also a key for us, as it displays what Champ Car racing is all about.”The logo will begin to be displayed on the cars as early as tomorrow in the first of the year’s three open test session, which is taking place at Sebring International Raceway.

Further tests will take place at MSR Houston in February and at Laguna Seca in March as teams prepare for the 2007 season opener, April 6-8 in Las Vegas.
Read All>>

CHAMP CAR WORLD SERIES ANNOUNCES THE ADDITION OF TWO EUROPEAN EVENTS TO THE 2007 CALENDAR

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

The Champ Car World Series today announced that it will return to Europe for the first time since 2003 with inaugural races in Holland and Belgium.

Events added to the Champ Car World Series calendar will take place September 2 at the TT Circuit in Assen, Holland and September 9 at the Zolder circuit in Belgium. It will be the first time that Champ Car has raced in either of the two European nations.

"2007 continues to shape up as one of the most exciting in recent memory for Champ Car and today's announcement raises the anticipation level even higher," said Champ Car President Steve Johnson. "We considered a number of options for our return to Europe and these two events will prove to be very successful for our teams, fans and sponsor partners.

"The Assen circuit, long fabled for hosting exciting Grand Prix motorcycle events, underwent major modifications for the 2006 season, resulting in a 4.5-kilometer track that will provide a stern challenge for the Champ Cars.

Zolder is a 3.977-kilometer circuit which also underwent safety renovations for the 2006 season, after hosting Formula 1 events in the 1970s and 80s. The track will carry the process a step farther for the 2007 Champ Car visit, making further improvement to ensure a safe and challenging event.

"We are excited to bring the American equivalent of Formula 1 racing to Europe," said event promoter Bart Rietbergen. "Champ Car provides close racing that is easy for European fans to understand, and they will be very impressed with the access that they will have in the Champ Car paddock.

"The addition of the two European events brings the number of races on the 2007 Champ Car schedule to 17, marking the most races on a Champ Car calendar since 2003. The last time that the series went to Europe served as the coming-out party for three-time Champ Car champion Sebastien Bourdais, who took his first series victories by sweeping races in Brands Hatch and EuroSpeedway Lausitz.
Read All>>

… notes from The EDJE.

UPDATE: Actual European Event Dates -

Heusden-Zolder, Belgium - August 24 - 26, 2007

Assen, Holland - August 31 - September 2, 2007

CCWS Website Here>>

(ht: MAXINE)