Honda-Powered Dallaras Heat Up The Streets (and driver tempers) Of The Honda Indy Toronto

Will Power leads the field from P1 at the Honda Indy Toronto. Image Credit: IZOD IndyCar Series

Honda-Powered Dallaras Heat Up The Streets (and driver tempers) Of The Honda Indy Toronto

Round 10 of 18, the Honda Indy Toronto proved to be one of the toughest tests of man, women, and machine of the season. We are beginning the second half of the season and what was shaping up to be a tightly contested two to four driver series championship points race was undone in part due to timing and, of course, full course yellow flag caution periods.

Will Power, entered the race by securing the pole, but still 20 points down to Dario Franchitti, the driver that took the points lead last year in the last race in order to secure his third IndyCar Series Championship. Will Power has done well here in Toronto (reining 2010 race winner) and he was hoping to climb back in the middle of the race for the season points lead on the strength of his Firestone Fast Six Peak Pole Award starting position.

The flag drops to start the race and everything looked good at the beginning because Will's car and his driving skill had the best of the two red Target Chip Ganassi racing Dallaras behind him. At about lap 27, Dario Franchitti heads into the pits a little early to shake things up and get on a different pit sequence and this became the first chink in Power's hold on the lead. Three laps later, Power teammate Helio Castroneves spins out Alex Tagliani in turn 3 bringing out the second full course caution out of eight in the race. This, on restart, places Dario Franchitti at the lead of the race and in attitudinal control from this point forward.

Double-file restarts become the attention draw they were intended to be, with three-wide contests going into turn one and cleaning themselves up by turn two, only to increase the level of contest going into the end of a high-speed straight at turn three where most of the day's full course cautions were launched.

By lap 54, with the help of a slowing Simona de Silvestro, Power was able to gain enough spots to pass by and get ahead of Dario Franchitti where Power felt he could recapture the lead of the race on pit sequence, but Dario had other ideas. When the next time these two drivers came to turn 3, Dario decided to stick his nose in where there wasn't any room and pulled off a NASCAR style punt on Will ... and spun him around. By the time Will Power was able to get turned back around and running, he was back in the fields at P13. The IndyCar Series Championship points gap between Franchitti and Power enlarges to 55 before going on to Round 12 of 18 at Edmonton, July 24th, 2011.

Helmet of the points leading Dario Franchitti as he and his team celebrates the contraversial win at Exposition place in Toronto. Image Credit: IZOD IndyCar Series

This excerpted and edited from Racer -

Power slams Franchitti after clash
RACER - July 11, 2011

Afterward a furious Power said the series officials should have taken action against Franchitti.

"It doesn't surprise me that he didn't get a penalty, because he never gets penalized, it's pretty typical," said Power in an interview with Versus. "It was a pretty dirty move. He just turned me around. Does anyone ever penalize this guy? He's as dirty as you like.

"I left the inside open on the brakes. I'm really disappointed with Dario. I always race him clean, and he always races me dirty. He did the same at St. Pete, though I didn't say anything, and he did the same today. Disappointed in Dario. The guy who mouths off about everyone and whinges about everyone, and he's the guy who races the most dirty, never gets a penalty from IndyCar. It's just not right."
[Reference Here]

There was a lot more that ended up not being right as there was hot action around turn three, the pits, and the rest of the track for that matter.

Alex Tagliani's car goes airborne after colliding with Danica Patrick's car on the streets of Toronto. Patrick was able to return to the race after having the nose of her car replaced with a spare part from teammate Marco Andretti. Image Credit: IZOD IndyCar Series

Danica Patrick, for her part, finished yet another race in rolling condition, extending her IZOD IndyCar Series record to 43, but this was not without incident. She ran well all race after starting P21 of 26 cars, concentrating at going fast and had worked her way up to the top 10 when she entered turn three with the Dale Coyne Racing Dallara of James Jakes turned around in the corner on lap 71. To avoid contact, Danica ended up pushing Alex Tagliani's Sam Schmidt Motorsports Dallara (not his first incident in the race) up on its sidepod along the wall as he, a Canadian crowd favorite, luckily misses injury. This results in damaging Danica's front wing and delivers the eighth and final full course yellow.

Confusion ensues for Danica and her team as they do not have a replacement for her damaged front wing. As it turns out, Andretti Autosport gave the wing away to support the effort of teammate Ryan Hunter-Reay on his way to a podium (P3) finish but did not anticipate another incident. As Danica had wait in her pit, Antretti Autosport found a wing in Marco Andretti's pit (Marco finished in P4) and rushed it over to Patrick's pit and it was installed. One can only wonder, if Andretti Autosport were prepared for the Patrick incident (or just any team incident - bad team management process), where would she have ended the race ... probably a lot better than P19 and the next to the last car running on the track ahead of KV Racing Technologies/Lotus team's Takuma Sato, both ending the race six laps down.

One of many of the picturesque views to be had at one of the premiere temporary street courses in North America - the Honda Indy Toronto. Image Credit: IZOD IndyCar Series

The crowd was big and full of the excitement generated throughout the race by the close wheel-to-wheel, carbon-fiber action. Can any standard oval race course deliver this kind of intensity and competition throughout a race?

Street and road courses look great on TV and the action on small bullring (1 mile or less) courses with close open wheel action has fans on the edge of their seats leaving the regular oval track wanting for something other than "event" trappings to bring people to the track or turning on their TV sets! It is a question fair to ask.

... notes from The EDJE


[Article first published as Honda-Powered Dallaras Heat Up The Streets (and driver tempers) Of The Honda Indy Toronto on Technorati]Source URL: http://allnewfordcar.blogspot.com/search/label/Danica%20Patrick
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Women Of The Historic 94th IZOD Indy 500

The Pagoda at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2010)

Women Of The Historic 94th IZOD Indy 500

For the first time in its 94 event history, four women have qualified for the Indianapolis 500, motorsport's most sought after and watched auto racing event.

The four women that will appear on the grid of the preset and traditional 33 car field in the following order of qualification are Brazilian Ana Beatriz, driving the Ipiranga/Dreyer & Reinbold Racing car #25 starting from Row 7/P21, Swiss driver, Simona De Silvestro, driving Team Stargate Worlds/HVM Racing car #78 starting from Row 8/P22, American Danica Patrick, driving the Go Daddy/Andretti Autosport car #7 starting from Row 8/P23, and the woman to qualify for more Indy 500 starting fields of 33 cars than any other woman, American Sarah Fisher, driving the Dollar General/Sarah Fisher Racing car #25 starting from Row 7/P21.

Brazilian Ana Beatriz, driving the Ipiranga/Dreyer & Reinbold Racing car #25 starting from Row 7/P21. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2010)


Swiss driver, Simona De Silvestro, driving Team Stargate Worlds/HVM Racing car #78 starting from Row 8/P22. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2010)


American Danica Patrick, driving the Go Daddy/Andretti Autosport car #7 starting from Row 8/P23. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2010)


American Sarah Fisher, driving the Dollar General/Sarah Fisher Racing car #25 starting from Row 7/P21. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2010)

There would have been five women to qualify if IRL regular, Venezuelan Milka Duno had qualified her Citgo/Dale Coyne Racing car #18.

What is a bit more amazing is that these four women qualified for a 33 car field that was separated by only 3.0622 seconds from P1 to P33 (the fastest to the slowest qualifiers) - the field for the 2010 Indy 500 is the closest matched field, by time, in the event's 94-year history. Also, the shortened format for this year's Indy 500 offered new and unique challenges to the 41 entries vying for a spot in the coveted 33 car starting field. This is the first year in modern history that the qualifying format for the legendary race was scaled back to a single weekend, making the challenges of car set-ups, weather conditions and the luck of the draw all crucial factors.

Milka Duno and her Dale Coyne team had only two attempts remaining to bump their way into this year's Indy 500. An average four-lap speed of 223.8mph was needed. Trying twice in the last hour a 223mph flat was the best time that could be generated. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2010)

We have come a long way since 1977 when Janet Guthrie became the first woman to ever qualify for this grueling test of man (woman) and machine. She was Top Rookie and set set fastest time of day at Indianapolis on May 7 and May 22, 1977. The very next year (1978), her ninth-place finish in the Indianapolis 500, with a team she formed and managed herself, was the best by a woman until 2005 when Danica Patrick was able to post a fourth place finish.

The only other woman to compete at the "Brickyard" was Lyn St. James starting in 1992, qualifying 27th and finishing 11th. She went on to compete in six more Indy 500's qualifying as high as P6 but never bettering or equaling her first finishing experience.

UPDATE:

How They Finished

Pos - Driver - Team - Gap
6. Danica Patrick - Andretti - + 21.7560s
14. Simona de Silvestro - HVM - + 1m01.6745s
21. Ana Beatriz - Dreyer & Reinbold - + 4 laps

Retirements:

Sarah Fisher - Sarah Fisher Racing - 125 laps

... notes from The EDJE
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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.
----
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
Source URL: http://allnewfordcar.blogspot.com/search/label/Danica%20Patrick
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Danica Patrick In 2010? Rick Hendrick, or Jack Roush?

Danica Patrick, Andretti Green Racing gets ready to qualify at Richmond International Raceway 6-26-2009. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2009)

Danica Patrick In 2010? Rick Hendrick, or Jack Roush?

This item was found scanning the blogs and it seems to have some credibility on the rumor front.

If Danica were to jump to NASCAR, it would be a great loss for open-wheel racing ... not just in terms of the promotional value of Danica herself, but in terms of loosing a good driver who is finally hitting the consistency required to become a champion.

Danica Patrick, Andretti Green Racing passes Tony Kanaan, Andretti Green Racing at Richmond International Raceway 6-27-2009. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2009)

We are here at the halfway point of the 2009 IndyCar Series Championship season and she is sitting at fifth in the points with nine races left ... this means that she is the driver that is the first in points behind a driver, driving for Target Chip Ganassi Racing or Team Penske Racing!

Not bad!

Danica Patrick, Andretti Green Racing gets ready to qualify at Richmond International Raceway 6-26-2009. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2009)


Danica Patrick, Andretti Green Racing gets ready to qualify at Richmond International Raceway 6-26-2009. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2009)

This excerpted and edited from Mike Mulhern.net -

Danica Patrick? The latest report puts her in a Rick Hendrick Chevrolet, instead of a Jack Roush Ford. But Hendrick spokesman says no way. And Roush's Geoff Smith says the field is still open.
Posted June 27th, 2009 by Mike

Danica Patrick, Andretti Green Racing gets ready to qualify at Richmond International Raceway 6-26-2009. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2009)

The latest on the Danica Patrick/NASCAR saga is quite intriguing.

If the Indy-car star does jump from the Indy Racing League to NASCAR, as increasingly appears likely, the battle for her, according to sources close to the negotiations, is down to car owners Rick Hendrick, of Chevrolet, and Jack Roush, of Ford.

According to these sources, Hendrick and General Motors' Chevrolet division are now suddenly the heavy favorites to sign Patrick.

But hold on -- Hendrick's Jesse Essex, manager of media relations, is quick to deny the Patrick report: "It is untrue," Essex says.

Essex, when asked about any talks over the issue, declined to go any further on the point.

And Geoff Smith, head of Roush Fenway Racing, says he's got a meeting of his own with Patrick's people tentatively set for within the next week or so, and Smith certainly doesn't seem ready to concede anything.
----
Danica Patrick, Andretti Green Racing gets ready to qualify at Richmond International Raceway 6-26-2009. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2009)

This much appears clear – That Patrick could probably generate as much as $60 million in sponsorship interest, if packaged correctly, which in these strapped economic times, is quite appealing. And that Patrick apparently wants to put together a racing package that allows her to keep running some IRL events.

It may be the IRL angle that stymies most NASCAR options, because only Roger Penske and Chip Ganassi currently have both an Indy-car and NASCAR operation.
----
Patrick has talked increasingly positive in the past few weeks about moving to NASCAR, as "a new challenge." But she has indicated she was not particularly interested in starting at a lower level of stock car racing and slowly moving up.
----
One interesting angle on the Patrick-Hendrick situation -- both have GoDaddy.com sponsorships. GoDaddy is the privately-owned internet website licensing company, which likes to use edgy advertising.
----
It is unclear what Patrick's own thinking might really be.
Reference Here>>

Wherever Danica Patrick lands in 2010 ... it will always catch the attention of the press. As for open-wheel motorsports though, she needs to stay put and the IRL needs to make their product more like the mid-ninties heyday of CART at its zenith - more left ... AND right turns placed through exciting venues similar to Long Beach, St. Pete, and Toronto - why not bring back Road America, Burke Lakefront Airport in Cleveland, and Portland ... or Vancouver, B.C.?!

... notes from The EDJE


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Transition Players Nail Down P1 & P2 For 2nd Time This Season

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

Transition Players Nail Down P1 & P2 For 2nd Time This Season

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

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

Two time Indy 500 winner, Arie Luyendyk as he coaches Robert Doornbos through the 1.5 mile oval from the Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing pit - Kansas Speedway 2009 - Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2009)

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

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

Revised qualifying order (** denotes Transition Player):

Pos Driver Team Speed
1. Graham Rahal** Newman/Haas/Lanigan 211.311
2. Robert Doornbos** Newman/Haas/Lanigan 210.665

Danica Patrick gears up and gets ready to qualify fast enough to nab P3 on the grid, Sunday ... just behind NHLR Teammates Graham Rahal and Robert Doornbos - Kansas Speedway 2009 - Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2009)

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


... notes from The EDJE
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“Vacation” Pays Dividends For Franchitti At INDY Long Beach

Dario Franchitti, driving the Target Chip Ganassi #10 Dallara, receives the White Flag as he crosses the Start/Finish Line on Shoreline Drive with one more lap to go for the win of the 35th Toyota Grand Prix Of Long Beach. Image Credit: James Doss, Have Camera Inc. (2009)


“Vacation” Pays Dividends For Franchitti At INDY Long Beach


On a 97 degree day (a record for this day) at Long Beach, one of the most demanding street courses in modern motorsports history, a driver has to bring his (or her) “A-Game” in order to win. Relaxed, Ready. And Rested … after taking a one year “vacation/break” from open wheel motorsports competition, Dario Franchitti, 2007 ICS Champion (and Chip Ganassi) - out pitted, out conserved (on fuel), and out communicated Will Power (and a Penske pit crew managed by Rick Mears) to win the 35th Toyota Grand Prix Of Long Beach.

Will Power had secured the pole position and maintained the position through the first round of pit stops. Chip Ganassi brought Dario in a little early during the first stint, suspecting that because most all of the teams had opted to start the race using the Red Option sidewall, softer compound tires, that the grip of the tires would go away … and some of the drivers would tangle, or make a mistake that would bring out a full course Yellow Caution Flag. Chip was right.

Mike Conway nosed his Dreyer & Reinbold, Dad’s Root Beer car into the Turn 1 wall bringing out a local Yellow. Then, Transition Player hopeful, EJ Viso of HVM Racing (starting in position #4) was tapped by Franchitti’s Target Chip Ganassi teammate, Scott Dixon (P6), stalling Viso’s broken Dallara at turn #7.

This incidents served to jumble the field and catch Power out for 32 laps until the next pit stop… along with a five car pile up going into the hairpin turn #11 that leads to the long right sweeping straightaway of Shoreline Drive. This incident put another top qualifier, and another Transition Player hopeful, out of the race from the damage the incident had caused. Justin Wilson, who had qualified for the pole position at the last ChampCar World Series race held here at Long Beach in 2008, qualified and started in position #5.

A disruption in communications had Will Power at a little disadvantage. Radio communications with the in-car radio system only operated with a small window of one-way (in) delivery so the Penske team had to resort to Pit Boards hung over the wall to let their driver know when to PIT and etc. Will believed he heard that there was a full course Yellow Flag caution when, in fact, the call was a local Yellow Flag caution. Will slowed and a couple of cars went by – one of them was Dario’s full communications enabled Target Chip Ganassi Dallara.

The stage was set for a show down of pit strategy and driving to conserve fuel. The attitudes of both drivers, in the end, was that each would have had the best of each other if they did not have to drive, maintaining position due to fuel conservation tactics, to win and to keep second place.

To be honest, the way the weekend unfolded for Will Power, and how he responded to the multiple unusual challenges thrown at him and the team (Helio Castroneves late arrival due to an acquittal on Tax issues – Will having to break in a new, untested chassis and still have the fastest track times), Dario needed his prior ChampCar track experience and the one year “Vacation/Break” … just to beat the former ChampCar and current ICS rising star!

How the field fared (*** denotes Transition Player):

Pos / Driver / Team / Gap
1. Dario Franchitti Ganassi
2. Will Power*** Penske + 3.3182s
3. Tony Kanaan Andretti Green + 4.0537s
4. Danica Patrick Andretti Green + 5.0742s
5. Dan Wheldon Panther + 6.5655s
6. Marco Andretti Andretti Green + 7.5900s
7. Helio Castroneves Penske + 8.6332s
8. Raphael Matos Luczo Dragon + 9.4835s
9. Robert Doornbos*** Newman/Haas/Lanigan + 9.9583s
10. Alex Tagliani*** Conquest + 13.6185s
11. Ryan Hunter-Reay Vision + 15.2097s
12. Graham Rahal*** Newman/Haas/Lanigan + 15.8507s
13. Ryan Briscoe Penske + 1m05.1013s
14. Vitor Meira Foyt + 1 lap
15. Scott Dixon Ganassi + 1 lap
16. Darren Manning Dreyer & Reinbold + 1 lap
17. Stanton Barrett 3G + 1 lap
18. Ed Carpenter Vision + 3 laps

Retirements:

Driver Team Laps
Mario Moraes*** KV 71
Hideki Mutoh Andretti Green 60
Mike Conway Dreyer & Reinbold 51
Justin Wilson*** Dale Coyne 24
EJ Viso*** HVM 16
(ht: autosport.com)






















Unification of the series had brought out the best in Long Beach for this 35th edition of the race on Shoreline Drive. The competitors were very pleased with the crowd reaction and the environment during the four days of event activity.

Dario said it best during his post race news conference (to paraphrase) - "We went to local eateries at night and the crowds ... the buzz in the atmosphere surrounding the venue were fantastic ... pretty cool."

View Video Highlights From VERSUS Here>>

... notes from The EDJE
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Silly Season Nets Another Victim – Rahal Letterman Racing Out Of IRL

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This excerpted and edited from The Columbus Dispatch –

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

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

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

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

UPDATE:

Rahal Letterman Down But Not Totally Out - YET

This excerpted and edited from autosport.com -

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

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

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

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

... notes from The EDJESource URL: http://allnewfordcar.blogspot.com/search/label/Danica%20Patrick
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Grand Prix of Long Beach 2008 – An International Podium

Race winner Will Power gets doused with a victory magnum of champagne by runner-up Franck Montagny and third place finisher, Mario Dominguez on the podium of the 2008 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Image Credit: Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times


Grand Prix of Long Beach 2008 – An International Podium

The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach was a good race and a nice parade lap for the final event of the American open-wheel racing series known simply as ChampCar.

In this video taken from the press conference that featured the podium finishers of this final race featuring the rules, equipment, teams and drivers of the ChampCar World Series (CCWS), Australian Will Power, Swiss/Frenchman Franck Montagny, and Mexican born Mario Dominguez share their reflections and insights. The CCWS was an American rules sanctioning motorsports series which stressed racing in venues that optimized driver skill on temporary street courses, airport runways, closed road circuits, in North America and international localities.


Fred Nation, Executive Vice-President of Communications, Indy Racing League. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (The EDJE) 2008

The press conference was conducted by the Fred Nation, Executive Vice-President of Communications of the now ruling sanctioning organization, the Indy Racing League. The IRL will stage the Grand Prix of Long Beach in 2009 and beyond for at least the next ten years.


The conference opens with third place finisher, Mario Dominguez – Pacific Coast Motorsports. Mario discusses the car, the team and the fact that he had not been in an open-wheel racing machine in over six months.

Second place finisher, former Formula One driver Franck Montagny, in his first Champ Car start … and finish reflects on why he chose this series to compete in.

Race winner, Will Power, who started third in the 20-car field discussed the importance of his start.
Full Post-Race Transcript>>


The DP01 of Paul Tracy in Technical for specification check. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (The EDJE) 2008

This excerpted from the Press Telegram –

Will Power wins Grand Prix
By Mike Harris, AP Auto Racing Writer - Article Launched: 04/21/2008 06:58:30 AM PDT

Will Power led most of the way Sunday in the streets of Long Beach, winning the final race of the Champ Car World Series, the last remaining remnant of the 12-year rivalry between the newly unified American open-wheel series.
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Danica Patrick reaches for a drink of water during press conference at the Long Beach Grand Prix venue.Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (The EDJE) 2008

Less than 24 hours after a historic IRL victory by Danica Patrick, the first woman to win an IndyCar race, the final race for the series that began as CART in 1979 was run before a large, appreciative crowd. That included Patrick, who arrived after a 12-hour plane ride looking refreshed and very happy midway through the event.

Power, who started third in the 20-car field, spoiled the show a bit, though, jumping into the lead with a great start and leading most of the 83-lap, 1-hour, 45-minute timed race.

"Yeah, it was a very nice day, really good start, good pit strategy and we were very quick," Power said. "I just want to thank (my team owners and team). I feel really happy for them and the team to win the last Champ Car race."

He added, "We had problems all weekend, just little problems. But we fixed everything for the race. My engineer did a great job, the car was nice and it all came together in the race. I was just cool in the car, relaxed. When it comes together, it just comes together nicely."
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Post Race Timing & Scoring display in the press room at the Long Beach Grand Prix. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (The EDJE) 2008

Twelve of the drivers in the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach do not currently have rides in the IRL, but two of them, former Formula One driver Franck Montagny, in his first Champ Car start, finished second, followed by longtime Champ Car star Mario Dominguez.

Rookie Enrique Bernoldi and Oriol Servia, both transitional drivers, finished fourth and fifth.

Graham Rahal, the 19-year-old son of longtime racing star Bobby Rahal, who became the youngest driver ever to win a major open-wheel race two weeks ago in the IRL event in St. Petersburg, Fla., spun twice and finished 13th on Sunday.

The youngster had moved back up to seventh when he spun trying to pass Franck Perera, another transitional driver, for position on the last lap.

Justin Wilson, the driver who replaced Sebastien Bourdais, who won the last three Long Beach races for Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing, started from the pole but lost the lead to Power moments after the green flag and wound up completing only 12 laps before going out with a mechanical problem.

Jimmy Vasser in the pits. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (The EDJE) 2008

Former CART champions Jimmy Vasser, who came out of a two-year retirement to drive here, and Paul Tracy, who didn't have a ride until earlier this week, finished on the lead lap in 10th and 11th.
Reference Here>>

The “Fine Nine” is what we, here at The EDJE, have dubbed the drivers who were able to secure seats with teams that were formed to compete in the now merged ChampCar World Series.

The current standings after three race weekends in the Indy Racing League are as follows:

Position. Fine Nine Driver / Team / Season Championship Points / Pts. Behind Leader

5. Will Power / KV Racing Technology / 87 / -25
7. Enrique Bernoldi / Conquest Racing / 74 / -38
8. Oriol Servia / KV Racing Technology / 74 / -38
10. Graham Rahal / Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing / 70 / -42
12. EJ Viso / HVM Racing / 67 / -45
16. Franck Perera / Conquest Racing / 56 / -56
19. Justin Wilson / Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing / 49 / -63
23. Bruno Junqueira / Dale Coyne Racing / 42 / -70
26. Mario Moraes / Dale Coyne Racing / 28 / -84

So the transition drivers account for four of the top ten positions in the chase for the series championship after only three races. Not bad for all of the sad predictions of how well ChampCar teams and drivers would fair in the new, bigger, unified Indy Racing Series.

This will be the first and only season where the term Merge and Transition will make any difference at all. T-Teams and Established Teams (or E-Teams) for this season are a statistical side-bar and a study in motivation dynamics for those who enjoy the “inside baseball” nature of motorsports.

Special message written on the back of pit crew uniform at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (The EDJE) 2008

The final ChampCar sanctioned Long Beach Grand Prix by any measure was a grand success ... from the large, enthusiastic crowds, competition for a podium position at the end of the race, an international podium, a surprise appearance by the first female to ever win a major professional open-wheel racing series race in Danica Patrick, plus positive wishes from the ChampCar drivers, teams, and fans for a great IndyCar Racing Series championship in the unified season ahead for 2008.

… notes from The EDJE


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Danica Patrick First Stateside Conference - Long Beach

Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (The EDJE) 2008


Danica Patrick Honors Long Beach Venue With First Stateside Conference

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

Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (The EDJE) 2008

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

Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (The EDJE) 2008

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

Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (The EDJE) 2008

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




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

... notes from The EDJE


Source URL: http://allnewfordcar.blogspot.com/search/label/Danica%20Patrick
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Danica Patrick Sets Historic First-Ever Mark In Japan

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

Danica Patrick Sets Historic First-Ever Mark In Japan

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

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

Indy Japan 300 Post-race Press Conference>>

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

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



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

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

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

All Hail Danica Patrick!

... notes from The EDJE


Source URL: http://allnewfordcar.blogspot.com/search/label/Danica%20Patrick
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