Nascar and Racing Other Racing Series

Let's get one thing straight: John Force may or may not have thrown his semifinal match in Monday's U.S. Nationals -- but we have no firm evidence saying he did.

We do know, however, that the NHRA team owner, driver and 14-time champion picked the undesirable lane, was nearly three times slower on his reaction time and made a remarkably un-John Force move off the starting line en route to smoking his tires and watching as teammate Robert Hight scooted past and earned a spot in the Countdown to the Championship.

And we do know that the NHRA -- thanks to some harsh words, a scuffle and even more verbal barbs -- is looking at a pretty serious issue of team cooperation, even at the series' biggest event.

ROME (AP) - Seven-time Formula One champion Michael Schumacher is making a comeback for Ferrari to replace injured driver Felipe Massa.

Ferrari said Wednesday in a statement that the German had agreed to get back in the cockpit until Massa is fit to return. The next race is the European Grand Prix on Aug. 21-23 in Valencia, Spain.

Felipe Massa's condition is stable following surgery for a skull fracture, his Ferrari team said. Massa has communicated passively with doctors, and medical scans provided encouraging signs.

The Brazilian driver, who survived a freak accident in Saturday's qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix, sustained a concussion and damage to his skull. Doctors at the AEK Hospital in Budapest placed him in an artificial coma while they operated to repair the bone.

Formula One is in Budapest this weekend for the Hungarian Grand Prix. Qualifying took place on Saturday, and it was marred by a wreck involving Felipe Massa.

The Ferrari driver missed a curb and slammed into the wall. Replays indicated that Massa was struck in the head by a spring that had fallen off a fellow competitor's car. Video after the jump.

Henry Surtees, son of 1964 Formula One champion John Surtees, died Sunday after being hit in the head by a bouncing wheel and tire during an F2 race. Even after watching the video, it seems too outrageous to believe.

Wisconsin is not regarded by many people as a mecca for auto racing. However, it does have a fair history in the sport. Tracks like Road America (Elkhart Lake) and Madison International Speedway have been around for over 40 years, while the Milwaukee Mile has been around for over 100 years.

The historic racetrack on the Wisconsin State Fairgrounds in West Allis is in trouble. After its most recent run of major events, the Milwaukee Mile may be about to shut its doors for good.

You get the feeling this is kind of what the renegade Formula 1 teams wanted all along.

Wednesday, F1 and FOTA [Formula One Teams Association] announced that plans from last week for the international racing series to split in 2010 had been halted after a deal between the two was struck.

Terms of the deal -- while not completely released -- include plans for Max Mosley, the righthand man for F1 chief Bernie Eccelstone, to take a backseat and leave the sport entirely at the end of his term in October, in addition to plans to scrap the class-creating plans for financial cutbacks.

It's been nearly 14 years now since a major auto racing division decided to split and implode itself.

Naturally, that just means it's time for another series -- this time it's Formula One -- to set itself back 20, 30 or maybe 60 years.

Reading, however, the summary released Thursday night by the Formula 1 Teams Association, one could probably argue that FOTA is trying to avoid such a relapse thanks to new rules for the 2010 championship that F1 czars Bernie Eccelstone and Max Mosley have presented.

Need a quick tour of the racing world? Strap in today and come back later this week as FH takes a lap around Formula One, NASCAR and the NHRA. IndyCar fans, you'll have to wait until 2009 truly gets moving.

Before you start, yes, I'll acknowledge that 'lap around' doesn't quite fit with drag racing's fire-em-down-the-strip style of racing.

But come on, does a stunning brunette who actually wins in this rough and tumble sport of speed, fire and guts truly fit drag racing's mantra?

You bet not, and that's a big part of the reason why the NHRA is racing that you need to be watching.

Need a quick tour of the racing world? Strap in today and come back later this week as FH takes a lap around Formula One, NASCAR and the NHRA. IndyCar fans, you'll have to wait until 2009 truly gets moving.

In two races so far in 2009, one team has won, a dominant team has struggled, the defending champion faces a possible season-long suspension and the results of the first two races might be completely tossed out in the near future.

No, it's not the constant source of American race fan complaints -- NASCAR -- but instead, those issues are today's everyday life of the 2009 Formula One season.