| August 2007 |
Latest news is at the bottom
Aug 5 - While the McLaren Mercedes F1 team was found guilty of industrial espionage last month, no penalty was
delivered to them from the FIA. It was determined that McLaren had received secrets about Ferrari's team, but it did
not appear that it benefit them.
However, they were not so lucky this week, as penalties were given after the FIA determined that Fernando Alonso
intentionally held up his teammate in the pits during qualifying. Lewis Hamilton took over the pole position as
Alonso was moved backward five places on the grid. It was also judged that McLaren would not receive any points
delivered to them from the FIA. It was determined that McLaren had received secrets about Ferrari's team, but it did
not appear that it benefit them.
However, they were not so lucky this week, as penalties were given after the FIA determined that Fernando Alonso
intentionally held up his teammate in the pits during qualifying. Lewis Hamilton took over the pole position as
Alonso was moved backward five places on the grid. It was also judged that McLaren would not receive any points
from the Hungary grand prix!
Hamilton went on to win the race and Alonso
finished in 4th.
Hamilton maintains his lead in the driver point
standings and McLaren continues to lead in the
manufacturer point standings.
After winning the Manufacture's Cup the past two
years, Renault languishes far behind in 4th place
this year, with Ferrari and BMW ahead of them.
Meanwhile, Honda drifts along at the back of the
pack with only 1 point, behind Red Bull, Super Aguri
and Toyota.
Hamilton went on to win the race and Alonso
finished in 4th.
Hamilton maintains his lead in the driver point
standings and McLaren continues to lead in the
manufacturer point standings.
After winning the Manufacture's Cup the past two
years, Renault languishes far behind in 4th place
this year, with Ferrari and BMW ahead of them.
Meanwhile, Honda drifts along at the back of the
pack with only 1 point, behind Red Bull, Super Aguri
and Toyota.
, of the 70's rock band KISS, is coming out Gene Gene with a line
of comic books through IDG Publishing, including a comic which
takes IndyCar racing out into the galaxy - using space ships instead
of cars!
The comic should be coming out this summer. Keep a tab on these
websites for further information:
http://www.idwpublishing.com/
http://simmons-comics.com/
Simmons spoke about the comic, "I wanted to do an Indy-themed
comic book... But just doing a new version of Speed Racer didn't
appeal to me. And then it hit me. What would happen if a sentient
alien group wanted to test the mettle of different life forms? Our
Indy Racers... and various aliens in their vehicles race against each
other...The pit stops are on different worlds."
of comic books through IDG Publishing, including a comic which
takes IndyCar racing out into the galaxy - using space ships instead
of cars!
The comic should be coming out this summer. Keep a tab on these
websites for further information:
http://www.idwpublishing.com/
http://simmons-comics.com/
Simmons spoke about the comic, "I wanted to do an Indy-themed
comic book... But just doing a new version of Speed Racer didn't
appeal to me. And then it hit me. What would happen if a sentient
alien group wanted to test the mettle of different life forms? Our
Indy Racers... and various aliens in their vehicles race against each
other...The pit stops are on different worlds."
Aug 5 - The IndyCar race at Michigan was delayed five hours due
to rain. The fans who hung out and waited were witness to some big
excitement as the racing was very close.
Dario Franchitti was on the pole. His comfortable lead in the point
standings has been wittled away recently by Scott Dixon's
success. Dixon started 7th.
Helio Castroneves and Vitor Meira tangled and hit the wall on lap
58.
At lap 113, Darren Manning slid out and hit the wall backwards
really hard.
Franchitti lead the first half of the race, but on lap 144, as he battled
side by side for the lead with Dan Wheldon and Tomas
Scheckter, Franchitti went airborn. ( watch video of crash ) The
wreck took out Scheckter, Dixon, and Sam Hornish Jr. Everybody
was ok.
to rain. The fans who hung out and waited were witness to some big
excitement as the racing was very close.
Dario Franchitti was on the pole. His comfortable lead in the point
standings has been wittled away recently by Scott Dixon's
success. Dixon started 7th.
Helio Castroneves and Vitor Meira tangled and hit the wall on lap
58.
At lap 113, Darren Manning slid out and hit the wall backwards
really hard.
Franchitti lead the first half of the race, but on lap 144, as he battled
side by side for the lead with Dan Wheldon and Tomas
Scheckter, Franchitti went airborn. ( watch video of crash ) The
wreck took out Scheckter, Dixon, and Sam Hornish Jr. Everybody
was ok.
| IRL Points Leader, Dario Frachitti gets airborn |
With 30 laps left to go, Tony Kanaan beat Marco Andretti for the win. Danica Patrick finished 3rd - so AGR scored big this week.
Click to View Race Results
Click to View Race Results
Aug 11 - The IRL raced this evening in Kentucky. Tony Kanaan easily won the
race. This was his 4th win this season, more than any other driver. None the less,
he is some 50 points behind the points leader: Dario Franchitti.
Franchitti had further incidents tonight. First running into a pylon in pit lane after
narrowly missing Danica Patrick. He had to get a new nosecone put on his car.
After the race ended, he came up too fast on a slowling Kosuke Matsuura, hit him,
launching himself into the air.
race. This was his 4th win this season, more than any other driver. None the less,
he is some 50 points behind the points leader: Dario Franchitti.
Franchitti had further incidents tonight. First running into a pylon in pit lane after
narrowly missing Danica Patrick. He had to get a new nosecone put on his car.
After the race ended, he came up too fast on a slowling Kosuke Matsuura, hit him,
launching himself into the air.
Aug 18 - Formula One team Torro Rosso kicked Scott Speed to the curb two
weeks ago. They replaced the only American in the series with BMW tester,
Sebastian Vettel. While Vettel does not have much seat time, he did fill in for an
injured driver at the U.S. Grand Prix, where he finished third! At Hungary, he
finished 16th.
The team has now announced they will hire Champ Car driver, Sebastian
Bourdais to replace Tonio Liuzzi next year.
Bourdais has been decimating the competition in Champ car for years now. Why
F1 teams, paritcularly French Renault, have ignored him, year after year,
illustrates again the strange thing that passes for intelligence and politics in
Europe's premiere racing series.
weeks ago. They replaced the only American in the series with BMW tester,
Sebastian Vettel. While Vettel does not have much seat time, he did fill in for an
injured driver at the U.S. Grand Prix, where he finished third! At Hungary, he
finished 16th.
The team has now announced they will hire Champ Car driver, Sebastian
Bourdais to replace Tonio Liuzzi next year.
Bourdais has been decimating the competition in Champ car for years now. Why
F1 teams, paritcularly French Renault, have ignored him, year after year,
illustrates again the strange thing that passes for intelligence and politics in
Europe's premiere racing series.
| Sebastian Vettel |
| Sebastian Bourdais |
Aug 18 - Just days after colleting a dramatic Indy Pro Series victory at Kentucky
Speedway, Super Aguri Panther driver Hideki Mutoh passed his IndyCar Series
rookie test at Chicagoland Speedway and is officially set for his league debut in
the final race of the season, on Sept. 9th in Joliet.
Mutoh has adapted well to the American open-wheel scene this year, and his
Kentucky victory last Saturday night was his first career win on an oval track.
Mutoh made a three-wide pass on Indy Pro Series veterans Alex Lloyd and Wade
Cunningham on the final lap of the race to collect his second career victory.
Currently ranked second in the Indy Pro Series championship, Mutoh trails Lloyd,
the current points leader, by 98 points. In 13 starts this season, Mutoh has seven
podiums, 10 Top Five and 12 Top Ten finishes. His first victory of the year came at
the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where he started from the pole and dominated
the first race of the Liberty Challenge, held during Formula One weekend.
Speedway, Super Aguri Panther driver Hideki Mutoh passed his IndyCar Series
rookie test at Chicagoland Speedway and is officially set for his league debut in
the final race of the season, on Sept. 9th in Joliet.
Mutoh has adapted well to the American open-wheel scene this year, and his
Kentucky victory last Saturday night was his first career win on an oval track.
Mutoh made a three-wide pass on Indy Pro Series veterans Alex Lloyd and Wade
Cunningham on the final lap of the race to collect his second career victory.
Currently ranked second in the Indy Pro Series championship, Mutoh trails Lloyd,
the current points leader, by 98 points. In 13 starts this season, Mutoh has seven
podiums, 10 Top Five and 12 Top Ten finishes. His first victory of the year came at
the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where he started from the pole and dominated
the first race of the Liberty Challenge, held during Formula One weekend.
Aug 18 - Here's a bit of news that is a month old.
Jeff Simmons has been replaced at Rahal Letterman Racing by Ryan
Hunter-Reay. RHR raced in Formula Atlantics in 2002, then moved to CART for
several years where he garnered two wins.
Recently he has competed in Grand Am and A1GP. He has raced in 3 Indycar
races so far this summer and has finished mid-pack.
Graham Rahal announced that his fellow Champ Car drivers are campaigning to
get "text messaging while driving" stopped?
Jeff Simmons has been replaced at Rahal Letterman Racing by Ryan
Hunter-Reay. RHR raced in Formula Atlantics in 2002, then moved to CART for
several years where he garnered two wins.
Recently he has competed in Grand Am and A1GP. He has raced in 3 Indycar
races so far this summer and has finished mid-pack.
Graham Rahal announced that his fellow Champ Car drivers are campaigning to
get "text messaging while driving" stopped?
| Ryan Hunger-Reay |
| Graham Rahal |
P.J. Chesson will join Marty Roth's team for the last Indycar race of the season on
September 9th at Chicagoland Speedway. Chesson has made four IndyCar Series
and 12 Indy Pro Series starts including the 2006 Indy 500. Team owner Marty
Roth will make his fourth start of the season in the No. 25 car.
September 9th at Chicagoland Speedway. Chesson has made four IndyCar Series
and 12 Indy Pro Series starts including the 2006 Indy 500. Team owner Marty
Roth will make his fourth start of the season in the No. 25 car.
Aug 25 - Two Dodge drivers sat on the front row of for the NASCAR Nextel cup
night race at Bristol Tennessee: Kasey Kahne edged out Juan Montoya for the
pole.
Reconstruction of Bristol Motor Speedway started immediately after the March race
finished. The entire concrete racing surface was redone with variable banking that
opened up multiple racing grooves. In past races, Bristol was essentially a one
groove track and drivers needed to hold the bottom line to pass.
"It's totally different," Jeff Gordon said before jumping into his Chevrolet. "It's
different when you look at it. It's different when you drive it. It's more of a
momentum track. All those notes, all those wins at Bristol -- you can throw them out
the window now."
Carl Edwards led 182 laps, including the final 128 to claim the checkered flag.
night race at Bristol Tennessee: Kasey Kahne edged out Juan Montoya for the
pole.
Reconstruction of Bristol Motor Speedway started immediately after the March race
finished. The entire concrete racing surface was redone with variable banking that
opened up multiple racing grooves. In past races, Bristol was essentially a one
groove track and drivers needed to hold the bottom line to pass.
"It's totally different," Jeff Gordon said before jumping into his Chevrolet. "It's
different when you look at it. It's different when you drive it. It's more of a
momentum track. All those notes, all those wins at Bristol -- you can throw them out
the window now."
Carl Edwards led 182 laps, including the final 128 to claim the checkered flag.
Aug 26 - Felipe Massa captured the pole and drove flawlessly to win the Formula
One race in Turkey. Kimi Raikkonen finished 2nd, giving Ferrari another 1-2.
Points leader Lewis Hamilton lost a tire, dropping him back to finish in 5th. This
moved Fernando Alonso up to third place and within 5 points of Hamilton's points
lead.
One race in Turkey. Kimi Raikkonen finished 2nd, giving Ferrari another 1-2.
Points leader Lewis Hamilton lost a tire, dropping him back to finish in 5th. This
moved Fernando Alonso up to third place and within 5 points of Hamilton's points
lead.
Aug 26 - Dario Franchitti and Danica Patrick started today's Indycar race from
the front row. Franchitti led most of the race. With 8 laps to go, , Dario sustained
damage when he tangled with Marco Andretti. This allowed Scott Dixon and
Helio Castroneves to get around him.
Dixon held on to win on this road course. Dixon won all 3 races in July, two of
which were on road courses. He has also finished in 2nd place five times this
year. With this win, he takes over the IRL points lead.
Danica finished in 6th The series moves on to Detroit this coming weekend (Sept.
2), followed by the season finale Sept. 9 in Chicago. Click to View Race Results
the front row. Franchitti led most of the race. With 8 laps to go, , Dario sustained
damage when he tangled with Marco Andretti. This allowed Scott Dixon and
Helio Castroneves to get around him.
Dixon held on to win on this road course. Dixon won all 3 races in July, two of
which were on road courses. He has also finished in 2nd place five times this
year. With this win, he takes over the IRL points lead.
Danica finished in 6th The series moves on to Detroit this coming weekend (Sept.
2), followed by the season finale Sept. 9 in Chicago. Click to View Race Results
Aug 26 - Champcar traveled to Belguim this weekend. CART last raced in Europe
in 2003.
Many fans showed up to see Sebastian Bourdais who will be racing in Formula
One next year. They also got to see one of their hometown boys - Jan Heylen.
Bourdais won the race and Heylen finished 13th.
Bruno Junqueira finished 2nd, giving Dale Coyne Racing their best finish.
Champ Car will race in Holland next week.
in 2003.
Many fans showed up to see Sebastian Bourdais who will be racing in Formula
One next year. They also got to see one of their hometown boys - Jan Heylen.
Bourdais won the race and Heylen finished 13th.
Bruno Junqueira finished 2nd, giving Dale Coyne Racing their best finish.
Champ Car will race in Holland next week.
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