Full Throttle

We are all very familiar with NASCAR’s attempt to turn a portion of Staten Island into another cash cow and provide area fans a venue with shorter travel times than a trek north to Watkins Glen or the Pocono Mtns.

That effort was shot down by disingenuous politicians, anti-south bias, anti-racing bias (OMG they will be “tailgating” one worried) and concerns of what would follow any successful construction of the track. (things like a Redneck Mecca top that list)

Into that “void” steps Indy Racing League CEO Tony George. He has a plan to take a bite of New York’s Apple.

Tony G has commenced “informal discussions” with unnamed NYC officials on plans to hold an Indycar event on of all places, an island. (haven’t we heard this before?)

The island he purposes is the 172 acre Governors Island just south of lower Manhattan in the East River. The island is only accessible via a ferry service (heard that before also) and is described by the National Park Service as “a silent sentinel in New York Harbor.”

Maybe Tony G has future plans for IRL cars to be equipped with mufflers for this “event.”

“Everybody’s trying to crack the New York market, so that’s kind of an ambition of ours, a project that we work on in our spare time,” George said.

(NOTE to Tony G, “everybody” [a.k.a. the 900lb gorilla NASCAR] was unceremoniously evicted from Staten Island.)

But as stated, Tony G has a “plan” and readily admits the “plan” may take two years, and if it ever came to fruition “it would have to be done ‘creatively.’”

Well, that has to be the understatement of the week. One would have to be mighty “creative” to hold an IRL event that is co-located with a National Park. On an island. With the only transportation via ferry.

The Governors Island Preservation and Education Corporation, who operates the island for the City, has previously turned down offers for construction projects ranging from a “Nickelodeon-themed amusement park to a giant CUNY campus.”

That doesn’t sound very promising, if they turned down Nickelodeon what are the odds a “Danica theme park” an IndyCar race can be approved? And anecdotal evidence seems to suggest Tony G has an uphill battle on his hands.

Never let it be said the Half-Vast Staff

In one of histories most shocking developments the World’s rotation seems to have stopped.

Geophysical and astrological scientists are at a loss to explain the unusual occurrence but have pointed to an “anchor” tossed into the atmosphere and whose origin seems to be centered on Mexico City. (Al Gore was heard to say: “see I told you so,” as he fled to the far, and much cooler, side of the Earth away from the now stationary sun.)

IN OTHER BREAKING news A1GP Team USA made a statement Sunday, an “anchor” if you will, by scoring their best ever finishes at the Mexico City round of the Grand Prix of Nations.

A1 Team USA’s Jonathan Summerton produced a second place drive in the day’s Feature Race, along with the fastest lap, following a fifth place finish in the Sprint Race.

Summerton’s performance far outpaced a long string of previous Team USA chauffeurs including F1’s not-so-speedy Scott Speed who spent his A1GP time languishing in mid-field.

At the start of the Sprint race Summerton deftly avoided the spinning car of Team Brazil’s Bruno Junqueira wherein he commenced a race long dice with Adrian Zaugg of South Africa. Clearly quicker, Jonathan ducked and dived, but even with the aid of the Powerboost button, he could not find a way past. In the end, A1 Team USA was rewarded with a points-paying 5^th place.

Starting from his 5^th position for the Feature, Summerton, who is only 18-years-old, made a lightening start, blowing away the pole sitting car of Team Malaysia with Alex Yoong at the wheel, and squeezing through a seemingly nonexistent gap between Australia and South Africa (Scott Speed where are you now?) to place second into the first corner.

Great Britain’s Oliver Jarvis mimicked Summerton’s start storming ahead of the pack into turn one off the start and led the remainder of the event and scoring Team Great Britain’s maiden victory of the series with the USA finishing in their best ever position less than seven tenths of a second behind.

South Africa took the final step on the podium claiming the spot behind the team’s sound pit stop strategy and defending well for the second half of the race.

The weekend’s efforts netted Team USA 9 Championship points and the We the People Car has moved into tenth place in the season’s points standings.

IN LATE BREAKING news, A1 Team USA owner Rick Weidinger has used his past experience with state-of-the-art fiber-optics and kick started the Earth’s rotation back into it’s normal 24 hour cycle.

(Al Gore when last heard from was selling snake oil from the trunk of a Toyota Prius an elephant in Mozambique.)

A1GP, Grand Prix of Nations. World Cup of Motorsports, Sports, A1 Team USA, Auto Racing, Motorsports, Full Throttle

As always there was a lot said and written about Bristol last week. Both the weekend events and the venue always come under scrutiny when ever NASCAR rolls into the Smokey Mountians.

One thing that was said but many may not realize is Bristol is an “almost a living organism.” (And it lives on a menu of sheet metal - ed)

That’s the description Bristol’s manager Jeff Byrd uses in explanation of why the oval’s surface is being torn up this week and resurfaced in time for the August NASCAR events. The track has become a modern day version of The Blob, it’s “Indescribable… Indestructible! Nothing Can Stop It!”

“This track is moving, it’s almost a living organism,” Byrd said. “Concrete moves, it expands and contracts. Two weeks ago, the concrete was eight inches off the wall; this week, it’s two inches off the wall. That’s how much it’s moving.”

I suppose it’s safe to say The Monster has competition now. Or rather did. The Monster is under going it’s own reconstruction as Bristol begins it’s extreme makeover. I also feel comfortable in saying the changes to Bristol may make an excellent short track into something even better.

Many have called Kyle Busch’s win Sunday “historical” and rightfully so being the first victory for both the CORN and the latest version of the Impala SS (and possibly Chevy’s new V8). Greg Biffle’s season best fifth place finish Sunday may also be a “historical first.”

(NOTE: Impala has 60 NASCAR Cup wins to date. Last Impala victory was December 1, 1963 by Wendell Scott at Jacksonville Speedway, the only African-American driver to ever win a NASCAR Cup race.)

Biffle’s team faces penalties after his car failed post-race inspection for being too low during post-race inspection. Oopsy!

Adding to Kyle Busch’s resum