Full Throttle

What has commonly been called “bump drafting” by fans, drivers, NASCAR officials and press alike has been given a new name by Dale Earnhardt Jr. “It’s more like slam drafting,” he said. “At Talladega we hit each other hard. It feels like being hit by a sledgehammer.”

“The car we’re taking this weekend had to have a whole new rear clip put on it, because it was so banged up from the last plate race,” he said. “But it’s a part of it. Some guys don’t like it, but I think it’s fun.

“If you do it right, it can be a big advantage, but if you don’t … it isn’t pretty.”

New name, old tactic, a tactic learned from Dale Sr. Here are a couple excerpts from a story about Senior’s last Talladega win and I highly suggestyou read the entire article. Earnhardt led the outside line. He was fourth. Two laps to go.

It must be a slow news week, I’ve lowered myself to writing a list of random meandering thoughts.

Is anyone else surprised only one member of the current Chase field has won at Talladega? And the one winner, Mark Martin, hates the place. Mark has had one of the better runs in the last few weeks but I doubt Martin will add to is win total in Talladega. Smoke was impressive at Daytona in Feb. and won in July. Stewart is my pick to win this week.

NEWS FLASH: Rusty Wallace’s mistress is having a baby! Well not really, but I got your attention didn’t I? The new mecca for speed under construction in Newton Iowa has it’s first race date. An ARCA RE/MAX Series event will be run on the 7/8-mile track on Oct. 15, 2006. Co-designer Wallace turned over the first spade full of dirt in late June for what they’re calling the first NASCAR style track designed by a driver. Does that mean if the right fronts start to shred on the new surface like cheap mozzarella we can point a finger at Rusty and not Goodyear?

NASCAR and “he who must be obeyed has concluded” the Busch Series would also benefit from a new testing scheme for ‘06. NASCAR will cut the number of Busch Series testing dates from nine to four and will require drivers to test at four specified tracks in 2006, this week’s NASCAR Scene reports. The four are Daytona, Las Vegas, Charlotte and Richmond. I suppose one could hope the new plan doesn’t include loopholes large enough to fit four car haulers and a Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade Oprah Winfrey balloon as they did for ‘06 NEXTEL Cup testing. But that may be asking too much of “he who must be obeyed.”

Jeff Gordon is headed to Paris for this years Race of Champions in December. Along with Gordon others already committed are, Sebastien Loeb and Heikki Kovalainen. Jean Alesi, rally driver Marcus Gronholm and Red Bull’s David Coulthard. Gordon was scheduled to attend last year but came down with “some kind of something” and missed the event. Casey Mears took his place and along with Jimmie Johnson made the trip to Paris to represent NASCAR.

Someone yelled, “Lets git’R done! And Sterling Marlin did. He will appear on WB

First impressions are always a rocky road to traverse. The bluster and hype surrounding a new racing series makes it hard to separate fact from fiction. Example, former F1 driver and current owner of the Brands Hatch circuit - site of the inaugural A1 GP event - blustered, a warning to the bosses “of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone that A1 will overtake them as the biggest event in the nation’s motor sport calendar.”

Pure bluster, discounting Bernie’s boys going into full self destruct mode and the loss of Silverstone as an F1 venue. (Which could happen at any time) A1GP in the long run should be a success - their financial people are giving a three year window to turn a profit - I don’t see it as a threat to F1.

Selecting Brands Hatch for the opening round was a brilliant choice on two counts. First it was an F1 weekend so thoughts among fans were already tuned into racing. Because the F1 event was in Brazil and A1GP in the UK with an approx. 12 hour time difference a fan could easily take in both events.

Secondly Brands Hatch is one of the most picturesque circuits in the world. It makes for great TV images. I should insert here I’m not an unbiased observer. I have access to Star Sports channel that carries many of the events at Brands Hatch so I’ve learned to love the place. My two favorite events are the [avatar:http://cranialcavity.net/files/caterham.jpg] Caterham Series[/avatar] and the Thoroughbred Grand Prix. With the tracks off camber turns, steep hills and tree lined straights it’s been a favorite of many drivers for decades.

There seemed to be conflicting reports as to the size of the crowd. In my race report I gave a figure of 80,000. Later reports have said that figure was for the two day event, not just Sunday’s two races. Either way considering it’s a new untested formula and gas is [avatar:http://cranialcavity.net/files/born.jpg]about twice, or more[/avatar] than it is in the US it was respectable showing.

As for the race itself, the first 18 lap sprint was far from prior billing. Nelson Piquet Jr. ran a hid from the field and passing was nearly non-existent. America’s entry with Scott Speed at the wheel had a frustrating day. After starting 17th and working into the top five he was caught in someone else’s mess and failed to finish.

The second 38 lap event provided much more action with New Zealand

The weeks NASCAR Cesspool has an unusual beginning. In the past those nominated to partake of the Cesspool’s odoriferous pleasures have been lurking near the bottom of the NASCAR food chain. No team or organization has been spared - from Dale Jr’s. ignominious season, to pitrow speed demons, to willful participants in a weeks crashfest - they have all taken a dip in the pool at one point in a long season.

This week breaks from Cesspool tradition by nominating a winner, and his teammate. Shortly after the winning, the #48 rolled from the winner’s circle into the post race inspection process. Johnson’s along with Hendrick teammate Kyle Busch’s #5 failed inspection due to excessive rear ride height as measured at the right rear corner. After the cars were allowed “to settle” they passed inspection. There was some radio talk during the event about the ride height.

During the race itself, several drivers - Dale Earnhardt Jr., Rusty Wallace and Kyle Busch - made references to the rear-end height of the Nos. 48 and 5 Chevrolets. During one caution period, Earnhardt Jr. had the following conversation with crew chief, Tony Eury Jr.:

“Man, that 5 car (Kyle Busch) is really jacked up in the back,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “Yeah, you could fit a fence post under there,” Eury Jr. replied. “Yeah. Something’s going on there,” Earnhardt Jr. said.

Late in the race under caution, Kyle Busch made the following comment to his crew chief Alan Gustafson over the team radio:

“Remind me about the 48 right-rear after he race,” Busch said. 10-4, will do it,” Gustafson replied.

This is the second time this issue has come up with the Hendrick teams. After Las Vegas where Kyle also finished second, he took a post-race hit, losing 25 points for too high of a quarter-panel height. Kyle also lost the services of crew chief Alan Gustafson for the next two races. After the same event Johnson and crew chief, Chad Knaus, was suspended for two weeks and fined $35,000, for “three infractions stemming from a lower-than-allowed roof.”

I see a pattern here and it’s obviously related to regaining lost downforce due to the shortened rear spoiler. The higher the rear end can be made, either by some type of clown-car shocks (assuming a violation is found) or a lower roof line that allows more air over the spoiler, the “stickier” the rear of the car will be. I suppose to be fair I should add NASCAR, and it’s rules committee, for this dip in the pool. Without the lower spoiler these infractions would go away and teams would expend time on other “creative uses of the rule book.” So there ya go rules committee, you and all those presumingly using clown-car shocks enjoy your dip in the Cesspool of infamy.

The tale of the Tortoise and the Hare enters the Cesspool. Having qualified on the pole at a speed of 158.102 the “Hare” (#12) escapes the pool. The two tortoises don’t. Carl Long qualed at 152.400, Kenny Wallace at the “blazing” speed of 151.725. Both a full 6 mph off the pole speed. No sooner than the green flag drops these two “tortoises” get a warning from NASCAR race control that they better peddle faster or risk a black flag. The phrase comes to mind, “lead, follow, or get the hell out of the way.” Well… they never led and they most definitely were “following” and apparently did get out of the way. Wallace finished 34^th and Long 42^nd after blowing an engine. (Gee, wonder why that is?)

Another noteworthy addition this week is Kurt Busch. Riding high, wide and handsome, Busch was on his way to a dominating win. He had wrapped up bonus points for leading the most laps when a deflated Goodyear let him down both figuratively and literally. During the change of tires Kurt failed to follow the first rule of holes. He dug himself deeper. Jack down, and peddle to the metal and a cloud of smoke signaling the hole was getting deeper. It did, real deep. The pass-thru penalty for speeding on the way out ended his reign as [avatar:http://cranialcavity.net/files/cup.jpg]NEXTEL Cup[/avatar] Champion. Enjoy Kurt. Better luck next time - in the #2.

Next up is Dale Jr. What to hell was that! 10 laps in and the whoa peddle goes to the floor! Tony Eury Jr.:

“Master cylinder, CHECK, brake lines, CHECK, brake rotors, CHECK. OK boy go get’em, nothin’ to see here!”

EXCEPT, seeing yourselves dipped into the fetid feces this week for phantom brake failure.

I love the smell of crumpled and smoking sheetmetal in the morning. And expect to see a lot this week as the chasers, chasing the Chase, invade the home of the “Big One,” Talladega. I can see it now, Talladega Lemmings, all in a row headed for the fences and infield grass.

A quick note for new points leader Johnson: (assuming he is of legal ride height) With only one top five and 2 top tens in your career at Talladega don’t follow the Lemmings!

NASCAR, Sports, Auto Racing , Talladega

NASCAR has been working on it’s “Car of the Future” for a while, five years in fact. Leaving aside a “stock car” is no longer a stock car, the suits of Daytona are attempting to further distance the sport from the mid-sixties and the days of Fred Lorenzen and Fireball Roberts.

In today’s age of “template racers” that produce a reasonable facsimile of what you drive everyday and rear wheel drive where there is none it’s not surprising the car of NASCAR’s future is even further away from reality.

Along with NASCAR’s “Engine of the Future,” that has received critical reviews, the testing debut scheduled for Talladega this week has drawn howls of protest from a majority of garages.

The main source of disagreement is over cost. The owners say the change could cost up to $4.3 million per team to build the new cars, which they said will have to be brand new from the ground up. The secondary question raised is what to do with the estimated 650 to 850 cars, all instantly obsolete upon the introduction of the car of the future in 2007. Other than the ARCA ReMax Series there aren’t many places that can absorb that many used race cars for the owners to sell off and recoup some of the loss.

Concerned car owners have used this week prior to the first test to rally forces by setting up a joint game plan they plan to take to NASCAR executives.

“The way we count, seven car owners put 25 of the cars on the grid each weekend, and that’s a pretty big chunk of the field,” one team boss said, pointing out the leverage. And the clear hint is that car owners are considering balking over the entire new-car issue. They’re insisting instead that NASCAR allow them to retrofit current cars with the various safety features - principally a more crushable front end, a three-inch wider roll cage “halo,” and a stronger left-side door cage.

Jack Roush currently leading the pack on the track is apparently taking lead against the “future car.”

“It hasn’t been made clear to me why we need to do this,” Roush said.

“There is an understanding the driver needs to be moved over, and we can do that with the car we’ve got. There is the feeling we need more headroom clearance for the driver, and we can do that with the car we have. There is a definition of left-side crush-zone bars, and we can scab those on existing cars. I’ve heard there is a safety consideration on a crush-zone on the front of the snout, and we can put that on.

“There is nothing I’ve heard of that goes with this new car that requires us to throw our current cars away.

“There is a consequence to the teams that is being recognized by the people who spend the money and set the workload, and a lot of teams are agonizing over that right now, and there are ongoing discussions with NASCAR about it.

“NASCAR will ultimately do what it thinks best. But the team owners and financial people are being heard from right now, and what NASCAR does with that is anybodys guess.

“My conservative number for changing over my cars is $21.5 million, for all the cars. That’s just over $4 million a team.

Roush raises another interesting point related to cost. He believes the cost of shop personnel will go up. Because it takes six to nine months before 2007 to build enough cars to start the season much of the construction would happen during ‘06. Roush believes that would lead to teams poaching skilled workers - at a higher salary - from other teams to keep up with what in essence is two fab shops, one for ‘06 cars and one for the new ‘07 version.

Robin Pemberton, NASCAR’s competition director, held a series of meetings in the spring and the owners at that time said “they wanted to do it all at one time.” From the quotes above it looks like the CFO’s of the largest teams, and ones with the most ability to fund such a change over, are waking up the “garage rats” to the reality of the cost involved.

Expect an all out fight in the next few months.

NASCAR, Auto Racing, Sports

The MBNA 400 at Dover International Speedway turned into a waiting game. Everyone was waiting for the 1 mile concrete oval known as the “Monster Mile” to bite.

Of those chasing NASCAR’s [avatar:http://cranialcavity.net/files/cup.jpg]NEXTEL Cup[/avatar] gold defending Champ Kurt Busch received the worst bite. After sewing up the bonus points for leading the most laps - and looking for all the world enroute redemption from last week - he pitted for a scheduled stop. Shortly thereafter the [avatar:http://cranialcavity.net/files/caution.jpg]caution[/avatar] flew putting the #97 a lap down. While running down the “lucky dog” spot he ran over debris and cut a tire. That frustration led to the speeding police tagging Busch with a summons and a pass-thru penalty. He ended his day in 23^rd and that effectively ended his chances to repeat as Champ. Unless. Next week is Talladega, and if any track can catch a bunch of Chasers of in one crumpled mess, Talladega can.

Next up on Dover’s buffet line was Matt Kenseth. The #17 was stout all day but like teammate Busch was done in by deflated Goodyears. He started 11^th and ran well early, then fell a lap down after cutting a tire and pitting under green. He worked his way to the front regaining the lead lap, when he had a tire go down and finally hit the wall on Lap 367, ending his day in 35^th. Kenseth sits 124 points behnd new points leader Jimmie Johnson, not teminal, but he can’t afford another poor finish in the next eight.

Tony Stewart’s day is the primary cause - in addition to Johnson’s win - for the #48 taking over the Chase lead. In short Smoke was never in it. He logged an 18^thplace finish, he worst in over two months, and in truth that was better than he ran all day. Lesson learned? Don’t bring a new untested car to a Chase event. Tony dropped from first to fifth as part of a log jam that separates the top six by only 23 points.

New points leader and race winner Jimmie Johnson was all smiles and greatful for second place finisher Kyle Busch. First for racing clean the last few laps as he beat Busch, the younger, at the line by a car length. Then for a race setup discovered during a Busch test at Dover that Johnson rode to victory on. “They were up here testing two weeks ago and we used their information,” Johnson said.

The victory was the third this year for Johnson, who now leads Rusty Wallace by seven points after two of 10 races in the Chase. Johnson also won for the third time at Dover and 17^th in hs career.

Finishing third was Rusty Wallace in the #2 Dodge, followed by the Ford of Mark Martin and Ryan Newman’s Dodge. Martin looked to be the car to beat in the late stages but a late decision to change only two tires when Johnson took on four proved to be his undoing.

Next week brings the high banks of Talladega and another opportunity for a 30 car freight train to end up in a crumpled mass of smoking tires and bent sheetmetal.

NEXTEL Cup, NASCAR, Auto Racing, Sports

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Fernando Alonso became Formula One’s youngest world champion when he finished third as Juan Pablo Montoya claimed the Brazilian Grand Prix victory for McLaren Sunday.

Spaniard Alonso, 24, was outclassed as Montoya led teammate Kimi Raikkonen home to score McLaren’s first one-two in more than five years, but the Renault driver did enough to claim the six points needed for the championship trophy.

Alonso has been a model of consistency this year and absorbed the pressure with ease to finally end the five-year reign of outgoing world champion Michael Schumacher and Ferrari.

But McLaren proved it is the top team with an impeccable performance that boosted its hopes of beating Renault to the constructors’ trophy, easing eased ahead by two points with two races to go.

“It has been a fantastic championship and Fernando is a fantastic champion,” said Renault team boss Flavio Briatore.

“We have been fighting to the end and he has done the best for the performance we have at this moment. He has been so consistent this year. His one mistake was in Canada and other than that he has been fantastic. He is terrific.”

Montoya was never challenged on his way to his third victory of the season, but Raikkonen came home seconds behind already sure that his slim hopes of chasing down Alonso for the title were over.

It was an easy victory for McLaren, which was thankful the threatening clouds over the circuit never broke, but Raikkonen was left rueing a lack of consistency for costing him the title.

Alonso made a clean getaway from pole to lead Montoya into the first corner but there was carnage behind when Antonio Pizzonia collided with David Coulthard’s Red Bull and was spun into his Williams teammate Mark Webber.

Pizzonia and Coulthard retired with Webber coming in for repairs as the safety car was deployed due to debris on the track, and when it came back in at the start of lap three Alonso stayed ahead of Montoya into the first corner.

But the Colombian was not waiting around and he stole the lead on the run up to the fourth turn then raced into the distance while Alonso fended off the challenge of championship rival Raikkonen.

Alonso made his first stop some nine laps earlier than Raikkonen, and the Finn used that time to jump past the Renault driver and into second place with Fisichella losing out to Michael Schumacher in the stops and dropping to fifth.

Button and Barrichello, BAR-Honda teammates next year, provided the entertainment in the middle of the race as they battled for sixth place, Barrichello eventually easing past in a slick move at turn one on lap 44.

Montoya stayed ahead of Raikkonen through the second set of stops and the McLaren pair eased home to take the victory as Alonso pumped his fist in his championship glory.

German Michael Schumacher, who relinquished his crown when he dropped out of the title race in Italy earlier this month, appropriately followed the new wave of drivers home in fourth place for Ferrari.

Italian Giancarlo Fisichella finished fifth for Renault with Brazil’s Barrichello pleasing his home crowds with a sixth place finish in his last home race for Ferrari.

Briton Jenson Button was a disappointing seventh after improvements to his BAR-Honda car failed to push him higher up the field, and Ralf Schumacher brought home the final point for Toyota.

But it was Alonso’s day as the Spaniard, who took the lead in the title race back in March and has never given it up, took a composed approach and came home with the crown.
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Oops, wrong sport. But a fitting title considering Brazilian Soccer star Ronaldo is the seat holder (owner) behind the Brazilian A1 GP entry and it’s driver Nelson Piquet Jr.

Piquet Jr., son of former World Champion Nelson Piquet (1981, 1982 for Bernie Ecclestone’s Brabham team and 1987), won both races to give Brazil a flying start in the opening event of the new A1 Grand Prix series Sunday.

With all 25 drivers in equal cars, organizers had promised an all-action championship. But the sprint race (18 laps) saw precious few overtaking opportunities and Piquet won with ease after controlling the race all the way.

The only position change of consequence occurred when France’s Alexandre Premat squeezed past New Zealand’s Matt Halliday to secure second place.

The feature race (38 laps) was a more entertaining affair, punctuated by the second safety car of the race which prompted an exciting finish.

Four cars were eliminated on the first lap when Ireland’s Michael Devaney, Indonesia’s Ananda Mikola (Current Asian F3 points leader), India’s Karun Chandhok and Alexandre Premat all came to together.

More retirements followed, with Switzerland’s Neel Jani and Portugal’s Pedro Lamy failing to make it past lap two.

The safety car came out 13 laps into the 38-lap race when Italy’s Enrico Toccacelo and Khalil Beschir crashed at the top of paddock Hill Bend., sending the Lebanese car into a frightening barrel roll. The in car camera provided an amazing shot as the car first tipped onto it’s left two tires then rolled sideways and landed upside down in the gravel trap. Beschir seemed to lose conscientiousness momentarily but walked away after a few minutes.

Piquet found himself behind the Team Australia car of Will Power after pit-stops and the second safety car period but the Brazilian performed a miracle pass on the outside at Surtees and simply disappeared from the field.

Salvador Duran (Mexico) gave an excellent account of himself to take third, withstanding constant pressure from Team New Zealand’s Matt Halliday who had to start from the pit-lane after stalling at the start of the parade lap..

Newly minted Minardi F1 driver and lead driver for Team America, Scott Speed, never could make up any ground from his 16^th starting position and didn’t show the promise displayed during pre-season testing. Speed finished 11^th and 17^th in the days two events. In the second feature race his “We the People” race car experienced an electrical problem that required a long pitstop to repair.

Pre-race estimates predicted a crowd of 60,000, officials announced during the race that ticket sales reached 80,000.

A1 Grand Prix, Auto Racing, Sports
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Seventy-two MILLION! For three years!

What the hell is today’s date? April the 1^st?

Ferrari offers Rossi euro 60 million for F1 debut.

Ferrari confirmed it wants to give world motorcycling champion Valentino Rossi his Formula One debut in 2007 but denied reports that an agreement has been already reached.

Italian media speculated that Ferrari was prepared to give the Italian rider - Italy’s most popular sportsman - a three-year contract worth euro60 million (US$72 million).

Seven-time Formula One champion Michael Schumacher’s contract with Ferrari expires at the end of 2006, the same year to which Rossi recently extended his MotoGP contract with Yamaha.

Rossi, who can clinch his fifth straight world MotoGp title in Malaysia this weekend, has already had two tests with Ferrari - one last year and another in August.

He has said in recent interviews that he was looking forward to new racing experiences.

“We are interested and would like to have him with us, because we believe the Ferrari-Rossi combination is very alluring,” Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn said in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport published Saturday.

“It depends on him … if he wants to seriously begin a career in Formula One he will have to undergo tests. We have not yet discussed a program of tests - let’s wait until he wins the title and then we will see.”

Ferrari has already hired Felipe Massa to replace Rubens Barrichello as second driver for next season. Massa’s contract also expires at the end of 2006.

Jesus H. Christ in a hand basket! If placing an Italian in the monoque chassis built in Modeno is worth that much, I’m checking my family tree.

There must be some reason I gorge on pasta. If I can find one single DNA strand that says “Italian gene pool” I’m putting in my resume, pronto.

The next thing you here will be Jenson Button claiming ancestry dating to Giuseppe Garibaldi and Juan Manuel Fangio. With a side order of Mario Andretti!

Jenson Button faces a four-letter backlash after team-mate Takuma Sato was dumped by BAR.

Supporters of Japan’s most successful Grand Prix racer are preparing giant banners emblazoned with the words “F*** you, Button”.

The usually mild mannered Japanese fans are fuming over Sato being ditched for next season after BAR announced on Wednesday they had re-signed Button to partner Brazilian Rubens Barrichello for 2006.

They intend to show their anger when the Formula One fraternity rolls up in Suzuka for Sato’s home race in a fortnight’s time.

When it became evident that the Japanese were up in arms BAR offered Sato the role of test driver - but he angrily rejected the move

Sato is furious at the way he lost his drive and although he knew the writing was on the wall after scoring a single point when Button has 30, he was unimpressed not to have been given notice of the impending midweek announcement.

All he would say about his future was: “I won’t be staying at BAR.” A spokesman for Suzuka circuit said: “Takuma has a big following in Japan and they love his brave racing style. The fans are not happy and have said they will make their feelings clear.”

Sato’s manager Andrew Gilbert Scott has approached Williams over the vacant seat alongside Mark Webber.