Full Throttle

IndyCar team owner Aguri Suzuki has failed in his last-minute bid to gain an entry for the 2006 F1 World Championship. The potential Honda backed team’s name was conspicuous by it’s absence on the definitive list issued by the FIA in Paris.

In addition to the much written about $48 million fee that was, then wasn’t on deposit with the FIA, Suzuki’s biggest huddle was attempting to start the 2006 season with a 2002-spec Arrows chassis.

The news leaves Takuma Sato and Anthony Davidson with no chance of securing race drives for 2006.

UPDATE: As noted by the trackback to the comment section the on again, off again, Aguri/Sato saga continues

The FIA, the sport’s governing body based in Paris, said Thursday it has accepted the Japanese Honda-backed team - the Super Aguri - making it the 11th team to compete the new season opener in Bahrain on March 12.

You should note the C BS network continues its “fine reporting” with the Associated Press’ help by stating Takuma Sato won the 2004 USGP. Guess it was too much to ask them to do a bit of research to learn Michael Schumacher won the “04 edition of the USGP.

Cross Posted @ Asian MotorSports Blog.

Roush and NASCAR agree on downsizing: Five-Team Owner [#'s 6,16,17,26,99] Jack Roush said he and NASCAR have agreed on the basics of how to get his Nextel Cup team down to four cars, which was mandated by the sanctioning body late last season.

I can’t say I’m surprised by Toyota’s choice in selecting Bill Davis Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing as two of the three Cup startup teams. The only Red Bull question I have is, what took them so long to enter NASCAR?

The Red Bull logo is splashed acrossed nearly every form of racing on the planet, with the addition of NASCAR to it’s portfolio it’s most probably every form. Red Bull is also an active supporter of action and adventure sports, music and culture, along with motorsports and the brand is as ubiquitous as Coke on the world market.

There is something to be said for arriving at the party late. Everyone sees you come in.

And let the poaching of crew chiefs, jackmen and drivers begin.

Cigarette giant Gudang Garam will co-sponsor the Indonesian leg of the A1 Grand Prix motorsport championship next month, organisers said Tuesday, bucking a global trend toward restricting tobacco advertising.

Spokesman for A1 Team Indonesia, Indra Said, said Gurang Garam and local Bank NISP would sponsor the event, but he declined to reveal how much they would spend. “The most important thing is the event will be successful,” Said told AFP.

Both companies would be allowed to put the A1 logo on their own billboards and advertisements, while their logos would adorn Team Indonesia, he said. Indonesia and Nepal are the only two countries in Asia that have not signed a UN convention on tobacco control, which among a slew of other measures, requires signatories to impose restrictions on tobacco advertising, sponsorship and promotion when it comes into force.

The Indonesian A1 Grand Prix was originally scheduled for January 15 but was postponed due to the death of Dubai ruler Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashed al-Maktoum, the uncle of the championship’s founder. The race now will now take place on February 12.

When A1 Grand Prix organisers wanted to publicise the Durban round of the Series, New Zealand driver Matt Halliday took the bait. Now he

Toyota confirmed Monday that it will enter NASCAR’s premier stock car series in 2007, joining American-made manufacturers Chevrolet, Ford and Dodge. Toyota also confirmed it would compete in the Busch Grand National series as well. Toyota has been competing in the Craftsman Truck Series since 2004 capturing 4 wins in it’s inaugural season and 9 in 2005 including the last three NCTS events at Texas, Phoenix and Homestead with Todd Bodine at the wheel.

“NASCAR welcomes Toyota to the greatest auto racing in the world,” said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France.

“Toyota’s entry into the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series and the NASCAR Busch Series is good for drivers, teams and the fans. This move provides for even more intense competition on the track between drivers and manufacturers, which will provide more excitement and fan interest. Toyota’s entry also provides more options for drivers and teams, which will increase the competition between manufacturers.”

My couple hundred Japanese Yen: My first thoughts came from looking at the photo. First, where’s the CoT “splitter” and cow-catcher front end that will be mandated in 2007? And secondly is the #7 on the car. I have a memory of a Lee Spencer article in The Sporting News a few months back. She quoted a “source” as saying they had spotted several Toyota Camry’s built up and adorned with the #7 in Robby Gordon Racing’s North Carolina shop. Hmmm… will Robby be the fourth Toyota team joining Bill Davis Racing and, as previously speculated, Darrell and Michael Waltrip?

Needless to say before the ink dried on the nations sports pages announcing the Toyota decision the bashing of the world

At the ripe old age of 75 F1 Supremo Bernie Ecclestone says rumors of his death retirement are greatly exaggerated.

”I don’t think (wife) Slavica wants me hanging around at home all day,” he told the ‘Bild’ magazine at the World Cup ski meeting in Kitzbuehel, Austria.

Bernie once told a British newspaper that he was not afraid of death. ”I wouldn’t want to be 21 again,” he added.

Don’t quote me on this but, I’ve heard through my “sources” Bernie and Midland F1 owner Alex Shnaider have joinly funded an expedition searching for the Fountain of Youth.

“Sources” (See example of “sources” here.) also tell me the search will be centered in Shnaider’s native country Russia along the Caucasus Mountain Range between the Caspian and Black Seas.

If found Bernie, formerly known as F1 Supremo, will become F1 Supremo in Perpetuity.

Again, don’t quote me on that!

AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) - Nextel Cup driver Ken Schrader raced to his record 16th title at Phoenix International Raceway and fourth West Series victory on the track Sunday, winning the feature race in the Copper World Classic.

Schrader, second in a 100-mile NASCAR Southwest Tour event earlier, had better luck in the 125-mile West Series race that capped the combined USAC-NASCAR lineup in the 29th Copper Classic.

The 50-year-old Schrader took the lead three times while leading a total of 50 laps. The third time, he passed Spencer Clark after 108 laps and held off the Eric Holmes to take the United Rentals 125 by 0.0128 seconds.

Schrader broke a tie with Richard Petty for West wins at Phoenix.

“We’ve run so many races here we ought to have won one,” Schrader said. “You know, we haven’t won any Cup races here. Finished second once.”

Matt Kobyluck finished third, Clark fourth and rookie Peyton Sellers fifth.

Matt Crafton beat Nextel Cup regular Ken Schrader in a wreck-shortened NASCAR Southwest Series event Sunday at the Copper World Classic.

Crafton, who was ninth in Craftsman Truck points last year, passed Schrader with 10 laps to go and held on. Schrader led 28 of the 85 laps.

The race was scheduled for 100 laps on the one-mile oval at Phoenix International Raceway, but was stopped early because two other events scheduled later had to be completed by sundown.

“I asked why they stopped it,” said Crafton of Kernersville, N.C. “I had a really good car, and I thought it was 100 laps.”

A five-car pileup on the second lap brought out the red flag, holding up racing for about 20 minutes. There were four yellow flags.

Crafton won his fifth Southwest Tour title in the opening event of the series’ last season. NASCAR plans to eliminate its AutoZone-sponsored Elite Division, which includes four regional series, because of declining interest.

“I’m totally disgusted,” Crafton said. “This is a brand-new car. I built this car to come here to race.”

When Michael Waltrip was unceremoniously forced out of his association with DEI it was obvious to most “Mikey” would land on his feet somewhere, along with his NAPA sponsorship.

Many, including myself, questioned the wisdom of his choice in an eventual landing spot with Bill Davis Racing (BDR). With this latest announcement that Waltrip and Doug Bawel had formed Waltrip-Jasper Company things are starting to make a bit more sense. Consider this “alignment of (Toyota) stars.”

Mikey along with wife Elizabeth has fielded a [avatar:http://cranialcavity.net/files/bgn.gif]Busch Series[/avatar] team for a number of years with the expressed intentions of ultimately of moving into Cup as an owner.

Bill Davis has been the “go to guy” in Toyota’s Craftsman Truck Series efforts, and by all indications will carry that experience into Cup/Busch in 2007.

Mikey’s brother Darrell has also been an owner in NCTS with David Reutimann and 2006 Rookie if the Year candidate Joey Miller driving Toyota Tundra Trucks. Reutimann’s ride carries sponsorship from Japanese industrial giant NTN. A key thing to remember here is Darrell along with Michael have appeared in advertisements for Toyota, and Aarons.

With BDR supplying cars, engines and personnel to the Waltrip-Jasper team (and the #55), along with NAPA staying with Waltrip it’s not out of the realm of possibility that come 2007 both Michael and Darrell will be in Busch, and or Cup, as part of the Toyotas brigade that will start their assault on the higher levels of NASCAR.

I also wouldn’t be suprised to see the brothers join up under the same Toyota umbrella. Add in Michael Waltrip’s plans for