This past Tuesday evening’s Autosport Radio Show was fairly entertaining, as it featured key members of the latest two Open Wheel Racing teams to be announced.
First up, was guest Greg Beck, current owner of Beck Motorsports and now part owner of the newly formed Indy Car operation, Team 3G; which stands for: 3 Guys. As many may already know, Beck has inked stuntman and Nationwide series competitor Stanton Barrett as his full time Indy Car driver for the 2009 season, with hopes of a possible second car to be added. Beck is also hopeful of running an Firestone Indy Lights team, being close to having at least a partial season deal for an initial car and further hopes of a second car, which could see Greg ultimately fielding four race cars after struggling to just run a lone Indy Car previously.
When asked how much it takes to run a single Indy Car effort for a full season and does the $1.3 million incentive doled out by Tony George factor in? Greg said yes, we definitely factor the money in and I’d say you can probably get away with a NO Frills, bare bones single car entry for $3.5 million for an entire season, although $5.5-6.0m would probably be more realistic a number in order to do the season correctly.
Stanton Barrett did all of the stunt work for the three Spiderman films and has a long list of credits, along with being the son of Stan Barrett, who was part of the original stunt team for Burt Reynolds Smokey and the Bandit along with Hal Needham. And I believe that Stan also did multiple work as Paul Newman’s stunt-double.
Interestingly, Greg threw out the tidbit that Stan had also been the pilot behind the controls of the Budweiser Rocket car, that controversially tried to become the first vehicle to break the sound barrier nearly three decades ago, while its top speed of 739mph was never officially recognized!
Next up, was Louis “Butch” Meyer III, who’s decided to leave his post as Firestone Indy Lights technical director after six years and form an alliance with Jim Guthrie, as the new co-owner of Guthrie/Meyer Racing. This Indy Lights team has been raiding the workforce of current champions Sam Schmidt Motorsports and features an impressive line-up of its four cars chief mechanics, which includes Mike “Groovy Baby” Meyer, son of Butch; while Butch is the grandson of the late, legendary Louis Meyer, the first driver to win the Indy 500 three times...
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Rocky goes ballistic
Nope, I’m not referring’ to Rocky the Flying Squirrel going postal on his good friend Bullwinkle, nor beatin’ the buh-jesus outta the evil Boris & Natasha...
No, while Scotty “The Goose” Speed was getting me all riled up with his SMART ASS remarks, there was also a very brief interview on the Speed Freaks TV show just prior to the top of the first hour with “Scooter” piloto extreme Rocky Robinson, who’s just broken the two wheel land speed record at Bonneville by going 360.9mph...
HOLY SHEISA!
To check out a very cool video on the affair, see; Ack-Attack Streamliner
No, while Scotty “The Goose” Speed was getting me all riled up with his SMART ASS remarks, there was also a very brief interview on the Speed Freaks TV show just prior to the top of the first hour with “Scooter” piloto extreme Rocky Robinson, who’s just broken the two wheel land speed record at Bonneville by going 360.9mph...
HOLY SHEISA!
To check out a very cool video on the affair, see; Ack-Attack Streamliner
Speed claims IRL is Boring!
Yeah! That’s right, Scotty “The GOOSE” Speed, the ex-Formula 1 Scuderia Toro Rosso piloto, who was interviewed on the Speed Freaks show this past Sunday, on a number of topics; including Lewis Hamilton and Drag Racing, had the following to say when asked by Crash Gladys if we’d ever see him at the Indy 500, Speed said; “Honestly, I think it’s BORING to hold the throttle full down around Ovals.”
“The IRL is about half as competitive as NASCAR, maybe one quarter as much as F1!”
And then further blathered on ‘bout how you see Open Wheel Racing drivers getting their ARSE kicked by the Bomber piloto’s in the Roundy-round ranks...
Hey, Scotty! Look out, here comes Sam Hornish Jr. And he’s got a present for you, mate... It’s called the Bump ‘N Run! As Rubbin’ is Racin.’ And is it just me, or isn’t his team owner Deeter Majestic currently running NOT one but two F1 teams?
As I’m sure Y’all are wonderin’ what ‘Ol DC would have to say on the matter, eh? You can listen to the whole interview at the link below.
Speed on Speed Freaks
“The IRL is about half as competitive as NASCAR, maybe one quarter as much as F1!”
And then further blathered on ‘bout how you see Open Wheel Racing drivers getting their ARSE kicked by the Bomber piloto’s in the Roundy-round ranks...
Hey, Scotty! Look out, here comes Sam Hornish Jr. And he’s got a present for you, mate... It’s called the Bump ‘N Run! As Rubbin’ is Racin.’ And is it just me, or isn’t his team owner Deeter Majestic currently running NOT one but two F1 teams?
As I’m sure Y’all are wonderin’ what ‘Ol DC would have to say on the matter, eh? You can listen to the whole interview at the link below.
Speed on Speed Freaks
DC’s F1 Curtain call
And while Scott Speed was shooting his trap off on Speed Freaks, as you probably already know, this past weekend’s running of the Formula 1 season finale in Brazil, marked the end of F1’s elder statesman David Coulthard’s career in Grand Prix, after having made 246 starts and winning 13 races...
Thus, I think its pretty cool that DC was granted approval by all of the Formula One teams to run a special liveried white race car to mark the occasion, with the Red Bull Racing chassis not only celebrating David’s final Grand Prix, but paying homage to DC’s charity; Wings for Life.
Although it was a bit ironic as SPEED’s Peter Winsor interviewed the Scot after his first lap accident, that DC mused” “I started my F1 career with Williams and I ended my career with Williams...” As NOT one, but both Williams-Toyota’s played pinball with Coulthard’s RBR racecar.
But as for his charity salute; Good on you, mate!
Thus, I think its pretty cool that DC was granted approval by all of the Formula One teams to run a special liveried white race car to mark the occasion, with the Red Bull Racing chassis not only celebrating David’s final Grand Prix, but paying homage to DC’s charity; Wings for Life.
Although it was a bit ironic as SPEED’s Peter Winsor interviewed the Scot after his first lap accident, that DC mused” “I started my F1 career with Williams and I ended my career with Williams...” As NOT one, but both Williams-Toyota’s played pinball with Coulthard’s RBR racecar.
But as for his charity salute; Good on you, mate!
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Black Panthers
So, I’ve been having a few discussions with Tacoma Bureau Chief Mary Ellen over the subject matter regarding how it seems that nobody’s broaching the topic of the colour barrier in Der Vurld der Motorsporten...
Of which I recently scribbled about in the story titled Hope, to which Mary Ellen immediately replied by saying; Lewis Hamilton’s not an African American, which indeed he’s not... As I enjoyed the Speed Freaks crew’s assessment; He’s a Black born, British World Champion! While Stat Man Caruthers also immediately corrected Kenny Sergeant when he pronounced that Lewis Hamilton was the first African American to win the Formula 1 World Championship, as Bob Varsha repeatedly commented; Do we bring the matter up? As part of the world wishes to remain colour blind, while the other half thinks it’s important to mention.
As now, that “Jaguar’s” (Hamilton_ done it! It seems that the topic is once again making the rounds, albeit just-in-time for today’s potentially historic Presidential election... Which I thouroghly expect Barack Obama to win and hence, become the nation’s very first Black President!
Brazil Post-race quotes
Of which I recently scribbled about in the story titled Hope, to which Mary Ellen immediately replied by saying; Lewis Hamilton’s not an African American, which indeed he’s not... As I enjoyed the Speed Freaks crew’s assessment; He’s a Black born, British World Champion! While Stat Man Caruthers also immediately corrected Kenny Sergeant when he pronounced that Lewis Hamilton was the first African American to win the Formula 1 World Championship, as Bob Varsha repeatedly commented; Do we bring the matter up? As part of the world wishes to remain colour blind, while the other half thinks it’s important to mention.
As now, that “Jaguar’s” (Hamilton_ done it! It seems that the topic is once again making the rounds, albeit just-in-time for today’s potentially historic Presidential election... Which I thouroghly expect Barack Obama to win and hence, become the nation’s very first Black President!
Brazil Post-race quotes
Lewis Hamilton (5th)"The most dramatic race of my whole life. It's pretty much impossible to put this into words: I'm still speechless. It's been such a long journey, but I've always had the support of my family, the team, our partners and the fans. We did a fantastic job throughout the whole year and, with all the sacrifices we made, I'm so thrilled to be able to win this for everyone."
"Before it started to rain I was quite comfortable, and I was just focused on having a clean race. Then it started to drizzle and I didn't want to take any risks - but Sebastian (Vettel) got past me and I was told that I had to get back in front of him. I couldn't believe it. Then at the very last corner I managed to get past Timo (Glock) - it was just amazing."
"This was one of the toughest races of my life, if not the toughest. I was shouting, 'Do I have it? Do I have it?' on the radio. It was only when I took the chequered flag and got to Turn One that the team told me I was World Champion. I was ecstatic."
Felipe Massa (Winner)“Well, I think as Kimi said, we did everything perfect today and unfortunately it was not enough. I think we did a great championship, we had some up and downs and we paid for that and we are also paying now a little bit but racing is like that. Sometimes you just have a perfect year with so many victories, a very reliable car, and sometimes you have some ups and downs and that's racing. From one year to the other things change. That was our championship but even if we had some ups and downs I think everybody did a great job. Everybody worked really hard to achieve our goals with the heart and sometimes things don't happen in the way we want. But that's racing. That's the sport, sometimes it is a little bit different than we expect. We need to be happy with our Constructors' championship. It is very important and I am sure our President, everybody inside the team is very, very proud and very happy like me as we need to be. The second thing is we need to congratulate Lewis because he did a great championship and he scored more points than us, so he deserves to be champion. I know how to lose and I know how to win and as I said before it is another day of my life from which I am going to learn a lot. Hopefully we come back here with the title but anyway I think it is part of our experience, part of our life. I am sure everybody here, me, Fernando, Kimi, knows how tough it is to be a driver. Sometimes things are very easy and something happens you don't expect. Sometimes things are very difficult and you win without expecting, so we know a lot about that and that is another day. But as I said I am very happy and I am leaving the track with my head completely up as I think we did everything we could.”
*Source: Grandprix.com)
So, do you think Barack's opponents will be as gracious in defeat as SPEED’s Peter Winsor commended Felipe Massa for being, at the end of the Post-race press conference...
Monday, November 3, 2008
New World Order
Whale! What a truly epic nail biter the 2008 F1 Season Finale was, eh?
As a long time fan of Herr Schumacher’s, a.k.a. Michael Schumacher, the brother of “Vurld” famous Ralfanso, I’ve been a devoted Tiafosi since the German departed my previous favourite Formula One team Benetton, way back in 1995.
Thus being devoted to the Scuderia since the last BLOODY Bloke from Jolly ‘Ol England; Damon Hill finally defeated his arch nemesis “Schuey” behind the wheel of Sir Frank’s Williams-Renault, I recall having cast squared jaw “Brit” David Coulthard as one of the enemies during the Schumacher reign, (Of terror?) while “Jense” (Button) was touted as the new British hope upon his arrival in Formula 1.
Yet, nobody could be the unrivaled mastery of the German, who as we all know, went on to capture a record setting seven F1 Driver’s World Championships, along with helping his two respective teams to capture a total of seven Constructor’s titles, while obliterating the rest of the Grand Prix record book...
And since 2002, I’ve fondly thought of the phrase; “Immer Ferrari,” when Mary Ellen asked the neighboring “huns” at the Nurburgring who’d they’d root for after Schuey had retired. And believe me, I’m NO talent spotter, but the driver that most garnered my attention was a very young 21yr old Fin, by the name of Kimi Raikkonen way back in 2001 when he made his rookie debut driving for Peter Sauber’s privateer outfit. Thus, it was logical that I’d take up rooting for the Iceman when he somewhat acrimoniously took over Michael’s seat at the Scuderia for the ’07 season, which miraculously saw Kimi go on to become World Champion in Brazil by the narrowest of margins.
Another driver “pick” of mine, was the mercurial Brazilian Felipe Massa, having also been suitably impressed by his driving at Sauber, then going off to become a Ferrari test driver before returning for a second stint at the Hinwil based outfit and then picked as Schumacher’s teammate at Ferrari for ’06, when “Rubino” left to challenge for the title with Honda.
And although we didn’t get to have any free crème soda’s while exiting the media center that hot July afternoon, (Danny) one of the coolest things in regards to Felipe, was getting to watch him taking part in the live interview at Indianapolis in ’06, when via close circuit TV, we got to witness the top three post race interviewee’s talking live in their native tongue’s, as race winner Michael Schumacher prattled on in Deutch, with Felipe in Portugese and third place Giancarlo Fisichella in Italian.
Thus, I’ve been facing a bit of a dilemma during the past few races, as in being torn between Massa and Lewis Hamilton, who may not be my favourite piloto, but is one HELL of a driver, as I’d have to say, that since Kimi seems to have gone a bit off the boil this season, I’ve been kind of rooting for Felipe after having resigned myself to the fact that Raikkonen wasn’t going to be a title contender. And I’m still quite puzzled to how Massa has been able to so thoroughly dominate the Finn this year, as the Iceman was once considered the fastest gun on the track...
But, I’ve enjoyed watching how all of these drivers have developed, as I recall vividly how Kimi learned how to do the Schuey “Squeeze,” after Michael had forced him wide at Magny Cours in ’02 enroute to his record tying fifth World Championship, as Kimi would return the favour to Juan Pablo Montoya, while young “Louise Jaguar” Hamilton, seems to have learned similar lessons this season.
So, why am I blathering on about this? Well I found it most amazing that I actually felt “gutted” when I thought Massa had won the title in the most improbable circumstances, as I had decided that I’d really enjoy seeing not one, but two Blacks win their respective contests this year... And thus remarkably, while in all senses of logic, should have been euphoric over the perceived triumph of Massa, I burst out a few expletives at the telescreen instead! Thinking Lewis had thrown it all away once again...
And thus, I was even more spellbound when it was announced that it was the young Messer Hamilton who’d be named the 2008 F1 Driver’s Champion instead, having come out of nowhere in the appalling conditions to grab the title by the single point that he’d given away last year!
Congratulations Lewis!
Hamilton is World Champion
As a long time fan of Herr Schumacher’s, a.k.a. Michael Schumacher, the brother of “Vurld” famous Ralfanso, I’ve been a devoted Tiafosi since the German departed my previous favourite Formula One team Benetton, way back in 1995.
Thus being devoted to the Scuderia since the last BLOODY Bloke from Jolly ‘Ol England; Damon Hill finally defeated his arch nemesis “Schuey” behind the wheel of Sir Frank’s Williams-Renault, I recall having cast squared jaw “Brit” David Coulthard as one of the enemies during the Schumacher reign, (Of terror?) while “Jense” (Button) was touted as the new British hope upon his arrival in Formula 1.
Yet, nobody could be the unrivaled mastery of the German, who as we all know, went on to capture a record setting seven F1 Driver’s World Championships, along with helping his two respective teams to capture a total of seven Constructor’s titles, while obliterating the rest of the Grand Prix record book...
And since 2002, I’ve fondly thought of the phrase; “Immer Ferrari,” when Mary Ellen asked the neighboring “huns” at the Nurburgring who’d they’d root for after Schuey had retired. And believe me, I’m NO talent spotter, but the driver that most garnered my attention was a very young 21yr old Fin, by the name of Kimi Raikkonen way back in 2001 when he made his rookie debut driving for Peter Sauber’s privateer outfit. Thus, it was logical that I’d take up rooting for the Iceman when he somewhat acrimoniously took over Michael’s seat at the Scuderia for the ’07 season, which miraculously saw Kimi go on to become World Champion in Brazil by the narrowest of margins.
Another driver “pick” of mine, was the mercurial Brazilian Felipe Massa, having also been suitably impressed by his driving at Sauber, then going off to become a Ferrari test driver before returning for a second stint at the Hinwil based outfit and then picked as Schumacher’s teammate at Ferrari for ’06, when “Rubino” left to challenge for the title with Honda.
And although we didn’t get to have any free crème soda’s while exiting the media center that hot July afternoon, (Danny) one of the coolest things in regards to Felipe, was getting to watch him taking part in the live interview at Indianapolis in ’06, when via close circuit TV, we got to witness the top three post race interviewee’s talking live in their native tongue’s, as race winner Michael Schumacher prattled on in Deutch, with Felipe in Portugese and third place Giancarlo Fisichella in Italian.
Thus, I’ve been facing a bit of a dilemma during the past few races, as in being torn between Massa and Lewis Hamilton, who may not be my favourite piloto, but is one HELL of a driver, as I’d have to say, that since Kimi seems to have gone a bit off the boil this season, I’ve been kind of rooting for Felipe after having resigned myself to the fact that Raikkonen wasn’t going to be a title contender. And I’m still quite puzzled to how Massa has been able to so thoroughly dominate the Finn this year, as the Iceman was once considered the fastest gun on the track...
But, I’ve enjoyed watching how all of these drivers have developed, as I recall vividly how Kimi learned how to do the Schuey “Squeeze,” after Michael had forced him wide at Magny Cours in ’02 enroute to his record tying fifth World Championship, as Kimi would return the favour to Juan Pablo Montoya, while young “Louise Jaguar” Hamilton, seems to have learned similar lessons this season.
So, why am I blathering on about this? Well I found it most amazing that I actually felt “gutted” when I thought Massa had won the title in the most improbable circumstances, as I had decided that I’d really enjoy seeing not one, but two Blacks win their respective contests this year... And thus remarkably, while in all senses of logic, should have been euphoric over the perceived triumph of Massa, I burst out a few expletives at the telescreen instead! Thinking Lewis had thrown it all away once again...
And thus, I was even more spellbound when it was announced that it was the young Messer Hamilton who’d be named the 2008 F1 Driver’s Champion instead, having come out of nowhere in the appalling conditions to grab the title by the single point that he’d given away last year!
Congratulations Lewis!
Hamilton is World Champion
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Brazil F1 Finale
Well, it’s now almost over... As the 2008 Formula 1 season finale will take place tomorrow in san Paulo, Brazil. Will Felipe Massa or Lewis Hamilton be crowned World Champion? Will Fredrico Suave (Alonso) slam into his arch nemesis Hamilton? Will it rain? Will it be Rubino’s” last Formula One start? Will Jarno Trulli score Toyota’s very first F1 victory?
These are just some of the questions inquiring minds wanna know! So, tune in tomorrow...
Qualifying Results
Row 1
Pole: F. Massa; 2. J. Trulli
Row 2
3. K. Raikkonen; 4. L. Hamilton
Row 3
5. H. Kovalainen; 6. F. Alonso
Row 4
7. S. Vettel; 8. N. Heidfeld
Row 5
9. S. Bourdais; 10. T. Glock
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)