Monday, February 9, 2009

Duno ‘N the Crashers

Whale, apparently once again I’m behind on ALL ‘O le internets rumour-thon’s in regards to who’s going’ where, etc. As I’ve just learned that Danny B’s favourite driver Milka-duh-licious... (Milka Duno) is shopping for a ride with Egads! Newman Haas Lanigan... Err, this just in; Breaking News! Duno will partner with Mario “m ‘N m” Moraes, as the KV Racing Technology team will now be fondly known as the Melts in your Hands team, with Mr. Chrome Horn, a.k.a Paul Tracy fillin’ in during the month ‘O May... So that’ll be three, count-em three large M’s at the revamped MMM Motorsports... As in Milka, m ‘N m and Monster!

(NAH! Just Joshin’ Y’all!)

Yet, I recently commented to one esteemed scribe Up North, Eh? As a long time CART/Champ Car fan... I’d say for the final four years of the series lamented fate (2003-07) I fondly referred to the off, nee pre-season: As duh Chump Carzs Vurld Turns... As we’d routinely go up to the very week of the season opener without knowing who’d be making the race or how many teams/drivers would participate. I mean Crikey’s mates... Can you count how many cars look the same as last year’s?

And although the Champ Car World Series (CCWS) was contractually obligated to running 18 cars per race, I seem to recall that the final season’s tally slipped to only 17, with a low of a paltry 15 chassis taking the grid once...

And thus, I suppose it was destined to happen, as there’s this ‘lil economy thingy goin’ on right now...

So be it, if NHL has to take on Mrs. Citgo... Who knows, perhaps DanDan-Danicker can use those towels? After all I hear she’s now takin’ 5 showers a day! Yet does this mean that the sky is falling if one of Open Wheel Racing’s most storied teams decides to gravitate towards Venezuelan dinero? Although I still think it STINKS that Indy Car winners like Justin “BIG UNIT” Wilson and Ryan “the Dude” Hunter-Reay cannot land a ride, while “Suitcase” Servia will hopefully unpack his highly used helmet bag and end up somewhere in the Indy Car World Series...

And why in the H-E Double Hockey Sticks AIN’T NOBODY HAMMERIN’ Tony George who has NOT ponied-up to hire “Quattro” (AJ Foyt IV) back for the upcoming season? Hmm? Wonder if that means Quattro will leave ‘lil Napoleon OFF of his wedding guests list, eh?

Like Eric Bachelart recently said, we’ll see what happens by Homestead... And then wait for the other shoe to drop as I hear there’s still gonna be a race at St. Pete on April 5th!

2009 IRL car count
This is by NO means a confirmed grid... Just my best guess NON-Scientific attempt at trying to figure out how many cars will really be racing this season? As Brian Braveheart claims he expects to see 22-24 entries for the season opener in Florida...

Committed:(1) AJ foyt enterprises
#14 Vitor Meira

(4) Andretti Green Racing
#7 Danica Patrick; #11 Tony Kanaan; #26 Marco Andretti; #27 Hideki Mutoh

(1) Dreyer & Reinbold
#15 R-Mike Conway; #23 TBA

(1) Sarah Fisher Racing
#67 Sarah Fisher
(1) HVM Racing
#33 EJ (Ernesto) Viso; #XX TBA
(1) KV Racing Technology
#5 Mario Moraes; #8 TBA
(1) Luczo Dragon Racing
#12 R-Rafael Matos

(3) Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing
#02 R-Robert Doornbos; #06 Graham Rahal; #00(?) Milka Duno
(1) Panther Racing
#4 Dan Wheldon

(2) Target Chip Ganassi Racing
#9 Scott Dixon; #10 Dario Franchitti
(2) Team Penske
#3 Will Power/Helio Castroneves; #6 Ryan Briscoe
(1) Team 3G
#XX R-Stanton Barrett

(1) Vision Racing
#2 TBA; #20 Ed Carpenter

Probable:
(2) Dale Coyne Racing
#18 Bruno Junqueira; #19 TBA

(1) PCM/Rubycon Racing
Xx. Buddy Rice

Unknown:(2?) Conquest Racing
#34 Alex Tagliani; #36 Enrique Bernoldi

(?) Philippe Motorsports (Ex-Roth Racing team)
#XX Nelson Philippe; #TBA?

NOT Happening:
(1) Rahal Letterman Racing
Although the team may make a token appearance at this year’s Indy 500?

Thus upon lookin’ into my crystal ball and using my Kal-cue-lator... My math shows a total of 18 “Confirmed” entries for St. Pete, as I’ve left out Sarah Fisher and Milka Duno for the time being... While there’s a total of five “Probable’s” and two most Unlikely entrants...