On average, Williams F1 builds seven chassis per season. Over a thirty year history, that's a lot of cars, so, what do we do with them?
In a video released by AT&T Williams, the race team takes you behind the scenes at Grove and into their Williams F1 Grand Prix Collection and museum workshop.
Image Credit: AT&T Williams
The collection features the most successful racecars from the 30 years of the team’s history.
Cars shown were driven by Allen Jones, Jacques Villenueve, Nigel Mansell, Juan Pablo Montoya and one experimental chassis that sported a six-wheel design. The "Star" notation next to the chassis nameplate is explained.
"We at AT&T Williams are excited to open our doors and show our fans that building a Formula One car is an exciting, organic process that requires dedication and application from all of our 500-strong team. This programme does just that." commented Scott Garrett, Head of Marketing, Williams F1. (source: AT&T Williams)
Graham Rahal as he slides against the outer wall about halfway through the The ABC Supply/AJ Foyt Indy 225 - The Milwaukee Mile :: West Allis, Wisconsin. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (The EDJE) 2008
Tough Times For The T-Team Ten In West Allis
The Milwaukee Mile proved to be a very tough place for many of the T-Team Ten. Mario Dominguez and the Pacific Coast Motorsports team could not get a clue as to how to get any speed or handling out of their Dallara all weekend long. Virtually last in qualifying and after hobbling around the track for half of the race, Mario and the PCM team thought it best to park the car for the balance of the race.
Mario Dominguez - Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)
There were five transition team drivers to make it into the top ten of the starting grid, but the lead driver of the group, Graham Rahal, did not finish the race. The first half of the race, Graham showed well staying in the top five positions most of the time but then drifted high off of the driving line on the track and glanced the wall, crushing his right side A-Frame.
Oriol Servia running clean on the Milwaukee Mile. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)
Oriol Servia, Justin Wilson, and EJ Viso finished 6, 7, and 8, respectively but they were helped into the top ten by an accident started by Marco Andretti when he tapped Ed Carpenter sending both cars spinning. When Marco’s car was turned 180 degrees on the track, Vitor Meira’s car rode up the nose of the car and was launched into the air and collapsed onto the track to slide up against the outer wall to a stop.
Ryan Brisco was leading the race and INDY 500 winner, Scott Dixon at the time and was able to win the race under the Yellow caution flag.
How the T-Team Ten Fared:
POS./Car # Driver, Team, Sponsor
06/ 5 Oriol Servia, KVRT, Plantronics
07/02 Justin Wilson, NHL, Mc Donald’s
08/33 EJ Viso, HVM, PDVSA
14/ 8 Will Power, KVRT, Aussie Vineyards
16/36 Enrique Bernoldi, CR, Sangari
18/18 Bruno Junqueira, DCR, Z-Line
23/19 Mario Moraes, DCR, Sonny’s BBQ
24/34 Jaime Camara, CR, Sangari
25/6 Graham Rahal, NHL, No Sponsor
26/96 Mario Dominguez, PCM, Visit Mexico City
This from Autosport.com -
"It's been 30 years since Roger's first IndyCar win," Briscoe said. "I can't tell you how important it is to me to get my first IndyCar victory for him in this race." Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)
Briscoe clinches first IndyCar win By Matt Beer and Jeff Olson - Sunday, June 1st 2008, 22:00 GMT
Ryan Briscoe fended off championship leader Scott Dixon to score his first IndyCar Series race win at the Milwaukee Mile.
Penske driver Briscoe worked his way into contention in the second half of the race after falling as low as 14th early on. With 70 laps to go, Briscoe was up to third place, then overtook teammate Helio Castroneves and then Dixon in quick succession to hit the front on lap 176.
After briefly losing ground to Briscoe, Dixon closed right back in and put the Penske driver under enormous pressure through the traffic in the closing laps, briefly drawing alongside on the outside on lap 220 of 225.
But when a full course yellow came out with three laps to go following a dramatic multi-car incident, Briscoe was able to clinch his maiden win and put last week's controversial Indianapolis pit lane crash with Danica Patrick behind him. ---- The only other major incident prior to the late crash was Graham Rahal's impact with the wall on lap 130. Newman/Haas/Lanigan's rookie had been running a strong third before understeering into the barriers in traffic.
Oriol Servia charged back through the field to take sixth for KV Racing despite having to pit for a new front wing on lap one, with fellow 'transition' drivers Justin Wilson (Newman/Haas/Lanigan) and EJ Viso (HVM) also putting in strong runs to seventh and eighth.
Danica Patrick and Buddy Rice completed the top ten.
Driver Points Standing Here - By finishing in the top ten, Oriol Servia surges into the Rookie Of The Year points lead. Next week it's the high banks of Texas for the T-Team Ten!
Pit Lane at the ABC Supply/AJ Foyt Indy 225 - The Milwaukee Mile :: Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (The EDJE) 2008
Milwaukee – “T-Team Ten” Fill Five Of The Top Ten Spots
At the race
track located at the Wisconsin State Fair, the sixth race of the season in
Milwaukee is bearing the fruit that many felt would never happen with the move
to unification when it was announced late last February.
Of the ten
drivers for teams that originally started the 2008 season as ChampCar World
Series organizations, half of the ten filled half of the spots available in
the first five rows of two during qualifications today. That translates to
five of the top ten positions.
To put it another way, eleven of the
remaining sixteen positions (for a total field of 26 cars) are filled by
drivers from established IRL teams.
Graham Rahal being interviewed just after father, Bobby Rahal tapped him on the helmet after setting the fastest pace at the time. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (The EDJE) 2008
The other real story involves the names of the two drivers who occupy
the top two positions. An Andretti and a Rahal, again, are the two names that
top the charts of American open wheel racing. This edition of the show
features the spawn of champions past.
Graham Rahal of
Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing laid down the gauntlet about halfway through the
late afternoon qualification session in Milwaukee with an average time of
1:27.1796 with a speed of 167.654. He was only challenged once during the
qualifying session. He was challenged once later in the run of his four lap
session by Helio Castroneves/Penske Racing who eventually ended up in the
third qualifying position just behind Scott Dixon/Target Chip Ganassi Racing
before the runs laid down by Marco Andretti/Andretti Green Racing then Will
Power/KV Racing Technology.
It was Marco Andretti, the second
youngest driver in the series to win an IRL race though (the youngest being
Graham Rahal). Andretti made the most impressive run. His average time for the
four laps was 1:26.9591 for a speed of 168.079. The last driver to qualify,
Will Power, was fast enough to drop Castroneves to fifth, who was just ahead
of Tony Kanaan with Andretti Green Racing in sixth.
The T-Team Ten
Qualification Positions For The ABC Supply/AJ Foyt Indy 225 - The Milwaukee
Mile :: Milwaukee, Wisconsin:
POS./Car # Driver, Time/Speed, Team,
Sponsor
Row 1 02/06 Graham Rahal, 1:27.1796/167.654, NHL, No
Sponsor
Row 2 04/ 8 Will Power, 1:27.3822/167.265, KVRT,
Aussie Vineyards
Pacific Coast Motorsports released this statement from Mario
Dominguez:
"We are learning about the car. It is very difficult to make a lot of
progress without much practice time. We just have to be patient, it is not a
one-day thing and we will keep improving.
For us right now, it is not really about the position we are in, but more
about gaining the experience of track time. But, obviously today the car is
not where we want it.
I am really looking forward to the race tomorrow. It will be great for me
and for the team to get back into race mode, strategy and pitstops.
Finishing the race is the most important thing right now, so we can get as
many laps as possible in changing conditions to learn about the cars
behavior."
The famed "Yard Of Bricks" at the Start/Finish line of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Image Credit: cowgirlsdave.com
A Live Blogging Effort Observing The Progress Of
The Teams That Are Transitioning Into The IRL
INDY 500: The Line Of The “Fine Nine”
American Open Wheel racing has always captivated the interest of motorsports enthusiasts throughout the world and this weekend hosts a race that has been held for 92 years in the state of Indiana.
Each year, on the final weekend of May, powerful cars, without fenders, with their wheels sticking out to defend the four corners of the space they occupy, speeding around a large rectangle for 500 miles (200 laps), yellow flag sessions during the race bunch up the field of 33 cars, pit stops throughout for tires and fuel can lead to an advantage or setback given a smooth result or a malfunctioning airwrench, 400,000 spectators line the pavement strip where the cars can fan out three to four cars wide, where, at the end of the race, the winner is treated to a swig from a quart of milk to become one of the names in the world of automobile racing few will forget (more recognizable than annual series champions) … this is the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the race that defines American motorsports, The INDY 500.
This year is the first year since the formation of CART back in 1979 American open wheel racing is unified under one annual competitive series of races that, in the end crowns a champion – one champion, one series, and this one race. At the heart of this series of races is the fourth race of the 18 that will be held here in 2008.
Nine drivers of the field of 33 cars in the race are from the former CART/ChampCar World Series and through unification, these nine drivers represent an infusion of new talent to this fabled racing competition. Racing with equipment the teams of the nine drivers received in the merger agreement, some with parts that needed to be upgraded to 2008 specifications, equipment that is new to the learning curve of the chassis engineers and specialists on each team that helped to qualify these nine drivers to a new track beginning on the fifth row.
At the wave of the checkered flag, after two warm-up laps performed by the 33 rows of three cars side-by-side, that starts the 92nd INDY 500, the “Fine Nine” are placed in the field in the following order.
POS./Car # Driver (Speed), Team, Sponsor
Row 5 13/06 Graham Rahal (222.531), NHL, No Sponsor 15/18 Bruno Junqueira (222.330), DCR, Z-Line
Row 6 16/02 Justin Wilson (222.267), NHL, Mc Donald’s
Row 8 23/ 8 Will Power (221.136), KVRT, Aussie Vineyards
Row 9 25/ 5 Oriol Servia (220.767), KVRT, Visit Mexico City/Plantronics 26/33 EJ Viso (220.356), HVM, PDVSA
Row 10 28/19 Mario Moraes (219.716), DCR, Sonny’s BBQ 29/36 Enrique Bernoldi (219.422), CR, No Sponsor 30/34 Jaime Camara (219.345), CR, No Sponsor
Julianne Hough sings the National Anthem at 9:55 AM PDT and four jets fly-over the yard of bricks. It’s time for the drivers to get into the cars and show a moment of silence for those who have died so that we may remain free on this Memorial Day (TAPS).
Back Home Again In Indianana, as sung by Jim Nabors – “Oh how I long for my Indiana home”.
Mari Hulman George, “Ladies and Gentelman, Start, Your, Engines!”
Good luck to Helio Castroneves on his attempt to win the INDY 500 three times; Is this the race that Danica Patrick breaks through and has a woman win the 500 mile race … or will it be Sarah Fischer, or Milka Duno?
Orrrrr, will it be one of eleven rookies with the overwhelming number of them coming from the ranks of the former ChampCar World Series?
The Perfect Storm … And there’re off at a few ticks after 10:12 AM PDT – “Green, Green, Green”
Clear!, still clear! – off to a great and clean start.
YELLOW Flag flies for debris on the racing line on the track – LAP 8.
Bruno Junqueira’s Dale Coyne Racing Dallara looses a mirror at speed and he will have to come in and have it replaced. He had moved up in the order before the incident to Position # 13 and was the lead driver in the “Fine Nine” at the time of the incident.
Sarah Fischer spins while on scrubbing off her tires in the corner while waiting for the field to go back to Green on LAP 13.
LAP 18 re-start and Buddy Rice followed by Justin Wilson of NHL take the Checkered Flag.
LAP 20 sees Dan Weldon taking over the overall lead with Justin Wilson passing Buddy Rice for 3rd.
At 25 laps the Fine Nine are struggling to maintain pace … after Wilson at Position #3 we see the next Fine Nine driver at Position #20 being EJ Viso, #23 Will Power, #23 Mario Moraes, #24Rahal, #26Bernoldi, #27 Camara, and 17 laps down after having the mirror replaced, #33 Junqueira.
Pit Stops and Buddy Rice gains a position on Justin Wilson.
YELLOW Flag – Graham Rahal of Newman/Haas/Lanigan hits the wall on LAP 37 while avoiding a car driven by Alex Lloyd that had slowed down to enter the pits.
One Fine Nine driver OUT and one down 17 laps with Bruno Junqueira.
Buddy Rice and Justin Wilson stay out while the rest of the field comes into the pits for tires and fuel. Danica Patrick has a long time in the pits.
FIRE in AJ Foyt IV’s car while in the pits on LAP 39 … the second fuel incident for Foyt IV in the past full week.
After all of the incidents, the shuffle has the “Fine Nine” in NO fine positions at all … its dismal.
The highest position any T-Team driver occupies at the restart on LAP 46 is Will Power of KV Racing Technology at Position #16.
Positions Of The Fine Nine After 50 Laps
POS./Car# Driver, Team, Sponsor
16/ 5 Oriol Servia, KVRT, Visit Mexico City/Plantronics 17/33 EJ Viso, HVM, PDVSA 18/ 8 Will Power, KVRT, Aussie Vineyards 24/02 Justin Wilson, NHL, Mc Donald’s 28/19 Mario Moraes, DCR, Sonny’s BBQ 29/36 Enrique Bernoldi, CR, No Sponsor 30/34 Jaime Camara, CR, No Sponsor 32/18 Bruno Junqueira, DCR, Z-Line OUT/06 Graham Rahal, NHL, No Sponsor
LAP 60 – Marty Roth hits the wall in his Lids sponsored car in a similar accident that befell Graham Rahal. Car slowing into the pits and catching the trailing car off guard and by the time the driver reacts, he is in the marbles and into the wall.
Helio Castroneves hits some of the debris and crunches a front wing.
Everybody into the pits. Servia climbs up to #14, followed by Viso #16, Wilson #17, Power #18, Camara #24, Moraes #25, Bernoldi #26, Junqueira #31
LAP 73 – Green Flag
Crash and YELLOW Flag for Jamie Camara on LAP 81 as Jamie gets too high into turn one, hits the wall and slides the length of the short chute and smashes into the wall at turn two before sliding to a stop. OUT, Jaime Camara Conquest Racing, No Sponsor.
Pits open and Danica Patrick picks up two more spots to position #9.
Re-Start GREEN Flag on LAP 92 and EJ Viso climbs to #11, with Servia, Wilson, and Power at #15, #16, #18 respectively.
Tony Kanaan splits the Target Chip Ganassi Team cars driven by Scott Dixon and Dan Weldon then passes Weldon for the lead on LAP 96.
Marty Reid, the announcer suggests that approaching the half-way point is beginning to see a page turn as it relates to tactics.
Andretti Green Racing team members are making a move as Marco Andretti climbs into the top five at 100 laps.
Positions Of The Fine Nine After 100 Laps
POS./Car# Driver, Team, Sponsor
13/33 EJ Viso (220.356), HVM, PDVSA 14/ 5 Oriol Servia (220.767), KVRT, Visit Mexico City/Plantronics 16/02 Justin Wilson (222.267), NHL, Mc Donald’s 20/ 8 Will Power (221.136), KVRT, Aussie Vineyards 25/36 Enrique Bernoldi (219.422), CR, No Sponsor 26/19 Mario Moraes (219.716), DCR, Sonny’s BBQ 29/18 Bruno Junqueira (222.330), DCR, Z-Line OUT/34 Jaime Camara (219.345), CR, No Sponsor OUT/06 Graham Rahal (222.531), NHL, No Sponsor
YELLOW Flag on LAP 105 - Tont Kanaan, and Sara Fischer collect each other after Marco Andretti cuts into Tony’s line in the corner forcing TK into the marbles and the wall. Team owner and Tony Kanaan are not very happy.
Everyone pits on LAP 107 – Servia passes Viso in the pits to take position #11 before the restart.
LAP 112 - Something breaks on Jeff Simmons AJ Foyt Racing, ABC car and has him first hit the outside wall then the inside wall on the front straightaway.
GREEN Flag Restart LAP 117 – Scott Dixon, Marco Andretti, Dan Weldon, Tomas Schecter, and Ed Carpenter in the lead.
The next two laps sees a mix of aggressive driving by all cars in the top 15. Danica Patrick warned about blocking Helio Castroneves.
Marco Andretti passes for the lead with 79 laps to go.
LAP 128 has Ryan Hunter-Reay pass Dan Weldon for position #6. Biggest mover up the field is Oriol Servia up to position #10.
Justin Wilson into the wall with 67 laps to go … there will be no finish or win for the Newman/Haas/Lanigan team for the 92nd running of the INDY 500.
Pit Stops for all. Ed Carpenter suffers gearbox problem in the pits and looses a lot of time and is the last car on the lead lap - 23. Mario Moraes Dale Coyne Racing does not pit and assumes the lead of the race … mark a moral victory to the T-Team Fine Nine proud! Helio Castroneves moves up three spots to #7.
61 LAPS to go and Scott Dixon moves from third to first with Mario Moraes is a sitting duck. Moraes just misses the wall in the short chute between turns one and two.
Mario Moraes is loose, slow and needs to pit – DUAH!
Yellow Flag LAP 148 – Alex Lloyd crashes while holding position 17 from turn 4 into the entrance of the pit lane, taking out the speed radar sensors that help race management regulate the speed in pit lane.
Positions After 150 Laps
POS./Car# Driver, Team, Sponsor
09/ 5 Oriol Servia, KVRT, Visit Mexico City/Plantronics 15/ 8 Will Power, KVRT, Aussie Vineyards 18/36 Enrique Bernoldi, CR, No Sponsor 23/19 Mario Moraes, DCR, Sonny’s BBQ 24/33 EJ Viso, HVM, PDVSA 26/18 Bruno Junqueira, DCR, Z-Line OUT/02 Justin Wilson, NHL, Mc Donald’s OUT/34 Jaime Camara, CR, No Sponsor OUT/06 Graham Rahal, NHL, No Sponsor
Pit Lane open on LAP 154 – Dan Weldon has trouble in the pits and gets bumped to the back of the field. Tomas Scheckter climbs out of his car … his race is over due to a broken half-shaft .
GREEN flag on LAP 159 – Vitor Miera Panther Racing Delphi/National Guard takes the lead.
LAP 166 sees Vitor Miera leading, Scott Dixon Target Chip Ganassi, Helio Castroneves Team Penske, Marco Andretti Andretti Green Racing, and Ryan Hunter-Reay Rahal Letterman Racing in the top five.
YELLOW Flag, Eighth caution of the race. LAP 167 has Milka Duno spinning through the short chute and into the grass out of turn 4.
Final pitstops has contact between Ryan Briscoe and Danica Patrick knocking out both cars. Ryan Briscoe of Penske Racing slides into Danica as he comes out of the pits.
LAP 174 has Scott Dixon takes the Checkered Flag and the traffic into turn 1 is like driving in downtown Boston at rush hour except that instead an inch a minute drag race in your rental car against a taxi cab, these guys are running at INDY speed. On the backstretch Dan Weldon gets into the grass on a little off-roading excursion and solders on at speed.
LAP 181 – Everyone is good on fuel … this is a sprint to the finish.
Scott Dixon looks to be in charge with Vitor Miera, Helio Castroneves, Marco Andretti, and Ed Carpenter in tow. The top five positions are within about one second of each other.
Ten laps to go and Marco Andretti is on the march and moves to third place. Marco has the fastest car in on the track with eight laps to go.
Marco can see the race leader and he is “flat-footing” it all the way. With five laps to go Marco is only two car lengths away … Vitor begins to pull away from Marco and is close enough to get a tow from Dixon.
Three laps to go and Dixon begins to pull away and begins to encounter traffic … and clears.
Two turns to go and there is nothing but track – Dixon brings it home to win the 92nd INDY 500 and the 2.5 Million Dollar purse. The 19th driver to win from the pole position.
Congratulations to Vitor Miera and Marco Andretti for their podium finishes.
Final Finishing Positions for the T-Team Fine Nine After 200 Laps
POS./Car# Driver (Speed), Team, Sponsor
11/ 5 Oriol Servia, KV Racing Technology, Visit Mexico City/Plantronics 13/ 8 Will Power, KV Racing Technology, Aussie Vineyards 15/36 Enrique Bernoldi, Conquest Racing, No Sponsor 18/19 Mario Moraes, Dale Coyne Racing, Sonny’s BBQ 20/18 Bruno Junqueira, Dale Coyne Racing, Z-Line 26/33 EJ Viso, HVM Racing, PDVSA 27/02 Justin Wilson, Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing, Mc Donald’s 31/34 Jaime Camara, Conquest Racing, No Sponsor 33/06 Graham Rahal, Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing, No Sponsor
A one-time race for the ages, a first for unification in the modern era after only 29 years.
The Indianapolis 500 Victory earned Kiwi Scott Dixon a record $2,988,065 from a record purse of $14,406,580. This result should give a new meaning to the phrase – “The Thunder From Down Under!”
Dixon became the first native of New Zealand to win theIndianapolis 500. After starting from the pole position, he led seven times for a race-high 115 laps and beat Panther Racing's Vitor Meira to the finish line by 1.7498 seconds. The race featured 18 lead changes among nine drivers.
The previous record winner's purse was $1,761,740 awarded to Buddy Rice in 2004, while the 2007 Indianapolis 500 field was awarded the previous record race purse, $10,668,815. The event purse is comprised of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Indy Racing League awards, including the new IndyCar TEAM (Team Enhancement and Allocation Matrix) program, sponsor awards and other designated awards.
Meira's efforts in the No. 4 Delphi National Guard Dallara/Honda/Firestone earned $1,273,215, the first time anyone other than the Indianapolis winner has won more than $1 million, far exceeding the previous second-place record payout of $739,665 for Helio Castroneves in 2003.
The Mexico City Tourism Board is beckoning fans to "Visit Mexico City" in festive lettering on the sidepods of the No. 96 PCM car. The tourism board has made a two-year commitment to sponsor the car. This sponsorship will be displayed on Oriol Srevia's KV Racing Technology #5 Dallara for the 2008 Indy 500 in a one-race arrangement. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)
Mario Dominguez and the Pacific Coast Motorsports team dialing in on qualifying for a spot in the Indy 500 starting grid
This video was put together by Derek A. Platts, Associate Producer, ESPN - International Production from the events that transpired on Bump Day. Derek was able to borrow a Pacific Coast Motorsports team scanner which was able to tune into the audio insights and the drama that IS … Bump Day.
UPDATE:
This from a press release issued by Pacific Coast Motorsports -
Oriol Servia to Carry the “Visit Mexico City ” Colors at the Indy 500 For Immediate Release - Oxnard, CA (May 23, 2008)
Pacific Coast Motorsports and the Mexico City Tourism Board announced today that they have entered into an agreement with KV Racing Technology for Indy 500. Oriol Servia, driver of the #5 Angie’s List Special will carry the Visit Mexico City logo at the 92nd running of the Indianapolis 500.
Pacific Coast Motorsports and the Mexico City Tourism Board announced their program just one month ago. The rookie team and driver missed the 33rd starting spot in final qualifying last Sunday after a remarkable performance, which placed Dominguez “on the bubble” Sunday afternoon.
Team Owner, Tyler Tadevic commented, “I have to thank Jimmy (Vasser), Kevin (Kalkhoven) and Mark (Johnson) for offering their help. We gave it our best shot this month, but at the end of the day; despite Mario’s impressive performance, we just did not have the track time and preparation time to get into the show. It is very important that our partners, the Mexico City Tourism Board participate in the event and receive the additional exposure they deserve. We are very grateful and honored that Oriol will carry their colors.”
Oriol Srevia in his KV Racing Technology #5 Dallara durnig qualifications at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)
Oriol Servia will make his first Indy 500 start from the inside of row nine, in the 25th starting position on Sunday.
Although he is a rookie in the IndyCar Series, Servia is currently ranked eighth in the Series points standings, “I am proud to carry the Visit Mexico City colors for my friend Mario Dominguez. Mexico City is one of my favorite places to visit. I love the city and the people, plus some of my closest friends are from there. I hope to give everyone in Mexico City a result they will be proud of on Sunday.”
"This is not just a [sponsorship] project of this team any more," Dominguez said. "This is the project of a country."
Mexico City is installing more than 90 Jumbotron television screens at sporting venues and parks around the city just for the race.
This 1996 Dodge Viper flipped and burned in Nye County 44 miles south of the starting line early in the race resulting in a delay of more than four hours. Driver Jerry Moll, of K&N Engineering, Inc., was not injured. Image Credit: Ely Times
NDOT Management Havoc Hits The Open Road
The 2008 running of the Nevada Open Road Challenge did not go as smoothly as most people would have hoped ... for an open road rally event held in two locations, that has been staged by the same event organizers (sometimes as many times as three times a year) for 21 years.
The problem with this last weekend’s event wasn’t so much a problem that a Dodge Viper managed to leave the open road and flip over about half way through its run, NO, the problem was mainly that the Nevada Department of Transportation decided that they would take control of the event from the event organizers and sponsors that had overseen the management of this open road rally event since its inception back in 1988.
Image Credit: Silver State Classic Challenge, Inc., a non-profit corporation
The Nevada Open Road Challenge in May and the Silver State Classic Challenge held in September, is a car rally event held on a 90 mile stretch of a little traveled open road from North near Lund to South near Hiko on Nevada Highway 318.
In previous years, the rally organizers would work with individual police and highway agencies and the state of Nevada so that the roads along the rally route would be properly shut down and signed and patrolled for the safety of the racers and other people in the area. For twenty years, everything went off without a hitch.
This year’s event, however, had problems due to the lack of communication and understanding by the Nevada Department of Transportation which over-reached and assumed responsibility for the management of the rally. The hope is to have an error free event.
A K&N Engineering, Inc. logoed Dodge Viper from last September’s 2007 Silver State Classic Challenge. Image Credit: Ely Times
This hope turned out to be wishful thinking … and the problems began early after a fifty-six minute delay created by the NDOT. It was soon followed by a flip-over crash of the Dodge Viper driven by Jerry Moll, of K&N Engineering, Inc., a sponsor of the event. Only nineteen cars of the 143 cars wanting to rally on the open road were able to start before the NDOT took assumptive control of the race course and the time management of the rally.
Preston, Nevada - South of Lund along Highway 318 sports a rodeo grounds, hotel, restrurant, and truck stop. Image Ctedit: Edmund Jenks (2008)
This edited & excerpted from the Ely Times -
Race promoters accuse NDOT of unnecessary cancellationBy JOHN PLESTINA - Ely Times Reporter - Published on Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Backers of the Nevada Open Road Challenge are blaming the Nevada Department of Transportation for more than five hours of race delays Sunday and the cancellation of parts of the 21st running of the race, resulting in 41 drivers never leaving the starting line.
Several drivers said they spent thousands of dollars bringing cars and crews to Ely from other parts of the United States and one crew and car that did not race came from Europe to compete in the Silver State Classic Challenge-sanctioned speed event that runs about 90 miles along Nevada 318 from a starting line south of Lund to Hiko.
The SSCC and others are saying that NDOT officials made decisions about delaying the race after a crash and the continuation of the race was in jeopardy. NDOT's role was to close the highway and keep it closed until the race was completed. ----
The view standing on the east-side of Highway 318 looking South from Preston, Nevada toward Lund. Highway 318 tracks along the west-side of the Eagan Mountain Range at the northern end of the rally course down to the Pahroc Mountain Range near Hiko. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2008)
“I got there yesterday afternoon and I was pretty shocked at what a fiasco it was,” Ed Spear, White Pine County Tourism Director, said Monday.
“It appears from what I have seen that NDOT made the errors.” Spear said.
Those errors included a failure by NDOT to post signs in the Alamo area alerting motorists of the Highway 318 road closure. That caused a 56-minute delay in starting the race. He also chided NDOT for mistakes that led to a four and a half hour delay following a crash and not allowing the race to be completed.
Spear said NDOT's mistakes in handling the event delayed portions of the race, and reflected badly on Ely and White Pine County. Those mistakes have a negative impact on tourism in White Pine, Lincoln and Nye counties and the state.
“The Nevada Department of Transportation needs to issue the permit and let the promoter run the race,” Spear said.
He took it a step further. “I believe, from day one, the NDOT has not liked this race.” Spear said.
Traveling North of Hiko near "The Narrows" along the southern half of the Highway 318 as it tracks along the Pahroc Mountain Range on the East side of the open road. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2008)
---- “The racers know there is an inherent risk in racing,” Spear said, adding that the SSCC does an incredible job with safety.
He said both sides should discuss the issues. Spear said if it becomes necessary, legislation could resolve future problems with NDOT related to the race. ---- About 40 miles from the starting line south of Lund, SSCC President Steve Waldman saw smoke in the distance. “I realized it was Jerry Moll. I could not stop. I was not allowed to stop. We immediately red flagged the event.” said Steve Waldman, President of the non-profit Silver State Classis Challenge. ---- Kathleen Weaver, NDOT's assistant district engineer in the Ely Office and Randy Hesterly of NDOT in Elko, were in charge for the NDOT at the event.
The race organizer said the NDOT representatives didn't like the response to the crash by race personnel. “They told the race director they were going to stop the race,” Waldman said. “They could have discussed it with me” but did not. He said NDOT claimed race communications were not running well. That is a claim Waldman said was not true.
Video Update From 150 MPH 2nd Place Finisher In An NSX
(shows course response)
Tom King's solo run in a supercharged Acura NSX at 150 mph average speed in the 2008 Nevada Open Road Challenge
“Then they proceeded to tell me it took too long for us to get to the cars (crashed vehicle and two others that had broken down). They have no idea how to run an event and they proceeded to tell us how to run an event,” Waldman said. “We have been running it for 21 years and very safely.”
The delay following the crash lasted just over four and one-half hours. “They held up over 500 people from 9:39 (a.m.) until 2:10 in the afternoon when the event resumed.” he said. ---- The race resumed with starts for less than a half hour. Then NDOT stopped any further drivers from starting the race to complete it by the 4 p.m., the road closure time limit. NDOT did not agree to any additional road closure time.
“NDOT never, never communicated with us,” Waldman said.
“Forty-one cars did not start. People who came from Texas, people who came from Norway, Pennsylvania and on and on did not start the event,” Waldman said. ---- “It cost us thousands of dollars extra,” he said of costs for hourly employees and to keep ambulances stationed along the race course.
We don't want incidents. If the car breaks down that's fine. If the car flips that's fine. We are interested in the person inside the car,” Waldman said of safety taking a high priority.
Weaver (NDOT's assistant district engineer in the Ely Office) did not return two telephone calls from the Ely Times on Monday. Reference Here>>
To be honest, what happened on Nevada Highway 318, Sunday, May 18, 2008 would be as ridiculous as the state of Indiana Department of Transportation managing the track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the Indy 500 come May 25, 2008. There is a HUGE difference in focus and background understanding between transportation/road engineers and motorsports competition event specialists.
We, at The EDJE, talked with Steve Waldman before posting this review of the events of last weekend, and he insists, the Nevada Department of Transportation is there to observe that Highway 318 has been prepared according to the agreements with the state, issue the permit, then let the race organizers with the 500 participants, course workers, and safety personal aided with a communications network, ambulances, and aircraft run the event.
In the twenty previous years the event has been held, everything operated perfectly, primarily because the NDOT recognized their role. Issue the permit to the race organizers because all of the road qualifications had been met, get into proper position (preferably, next to the race organizer), then get the "H-E-Double-Toothpicks" out of the way, stay OFF of the road, and let the people who spent their hard earned tourist money (about 50 million dollars estimated over the years) to come and rally on the open road, RALLY!
Timo Glock's ride getting worked over in the garage. Image Credit: Toyota Motorsport
Toyota - F1 - Monaco - 'Nuff Said
Monaco is one of the greatest Formula 1 races of the year. It is an iconic example of taking the most sophisticated motorsports equipment designed by man and racing it on a road street circuit through an environment people live in.
When one watches a driver do a flying lap in Monaco, one knows that they earn their salary for the year, right there.
The Panasonic TF108 with Jarno Trulli at speed. Image Credit: Toyota Motorsport
As far as the value of an event for spectators, one is confronted with the great atmosphere of being in Monaco. You know, the glitz of it all. The glamour of it all. Combine that with Formula 1 racing and one expects an enthusiasm, a passion, that one would probably not get at any other circuit and event in the world today.
This supplied by the Formula 1 Panasonic Toyota Racing Team as it prepares to compete in the 2008 Monaco Grand Prix -
This released video from the Panasonic Toyota Racing Team includes an edited video piece about the Monaco Grand Prix, with soundbites from Team Manager Richard Cregan, Chief Engineer Race and Test Dieter Gass, Senior General Manager Chassis Pascal Vasselon, and Head of Aerodynamics Mark Gillan.
For nearly 80 years, the Monaco Grand Prix has challenged drivers to tame the tight and twisty streets of the Principality.
Jarno Trulli in the cockpit. Image Credit: Toyota Motorsport
The Panasonic Toyota Racing Team can benefit from driver Jarno Trulli’s experience to face the mental and mechanical challenges the race track features, having won his first Grand Prix in Monaco in 2004. Drivers will need to pay particular attention to the tight curves and the close proximity of the walls next to the track to preserve their racecars' gearboxes, brakes and engines.
Image Credit: AT&T Williams
Image Credit: AT&T Williams
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