Motorsports FanHouse

Team Priorities Leave NHRA Competitors, John Force at Odds after U.S. Nationals

Geoffrey Miller — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 20:41:00 EST

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.

Monday's brouhaha began in Indianapolis' O'Reilly Raceway Park at the 55th U.S. Nationals when results of the second round in the funny car division ended with Cruz Pedregon losing his race with John Force and Force's teammate Robert Hight beat Bob Tasca to advance. The wins paired Force -- previously locked into the Countdown -- with Hight, who needed just one more round win to earn enough points to secure his spot as the fourth John Force Racing team qualified for the championship battle.

A Hight round win would also knock Cruz Pedregon from the Countdown.

Naturally, the questions started quickly when the pairing was realized.

What was John Force going to do? Would he race Hight straight up, knowing that beating his teammate would keep Hight out of the NHRA championship hunt in the last six races? Would the prestige of the U.S. Nationals as the drag world's largest event be bigger than Force's desire to make sure each of his team's -- and more narrowly, their sponsors -- were happy?

And naturally, the Pedregon camp -- one that also included Funny Car point leader and Cruz's brother Tony -- wasn't thrilled with the all-JFR matchup in the semifinal round, but held the accusations back until the Force/Hight race was run.

The result didn't make the Pedregons feel any better.

Hight left the line against Force with a very conservative reaction time of 0.142 seconds, while Force left almost inexcusably late. In the previous two runs Monday, Force had reaction times for the green light of 0.68 seconds and 0.94 seconds.

By the time Force left the line against Hight, he was nearly three times slower than the average of his previous reaction times with a reading of 0.209 seconds. In fact, at the last race, Force had permissible reaction times of .049 and .097 seconds -- quite the difference from a 0.209.

The red flags didn't stop there on Force's semifinal run.

Nearly immediately, the green, white and red Castrol car swapped to the right and out of the groove and smoked the tires before Force regained control and briefly returned to throttle at half track. Hight's steady but not quick run of 279.09 mph and 4.261 seconds easily swiped past his team owner, locking him in the Countdown.

In the end, it was almost too predictable that Force's car would do that -- especially for Cruz Pedregon as he watched from just behind the staging lane.

"Well, there wasn't a whole person in the garage area who thought that wasn't going to happen," said Cruz Pedregon. "Force cheats. He manipulates the outcome of these races and he should be ashamed of himself."

Before those words made it to the far end of the track where Force and Hight were, another JFR car driven by Ashley Force Hood -- the eventual race winner -- blew down the track in the next pass to beat Cruz's brother and funny car point leader Tony Pedregon by .0472 seconds.

For Ashley, it was a huge win, particularly since her father gave Tony his first big break to drive a Funny Car well over a decade ago.

When Tony -- who before Cruz's words was the more outspoken of the two brothers concerning the incident -- emerged from his car at the top end of the track, the scene got quite interesting. A few words suddenly led to an absolutely irate Force as he began yelling obscenities, pointing and attempting to confront Pedregon while being restrained by NHRA officials and team members. Pedregon also shouted back.

"What bothers me is that people that talk behind your back, people that go on the internet, people that go on TV and say stuff," said Force. "And then they walk by you and mutter something to you and you go 'What? What did you say? Say it to me."

"Have a little spine."

With Hight and Force Hood advanced to the final round, and Cruz Pedregon bumped from the Countdown that he won a year ago, the talk and issue then turned to what effect, if any, NHRA can over preventing teams like JFR from purposely plotting a race -- and, even, if its an issue that drag racing should care about.

Perhaps a change could be made to the way points are distributed when teams run against their teammates on-track to keep them from being affected but not allowing them to count until a win is secured in the next round. Presumably, there's lot of possibilities from the rules perspective -- the NHRA does have a rule against team cooperation while racing and couldn't find conclusive evidence that Force rigged Monday's race -- and those might be the way to go.

To me, the issue would have been wiped off the map easily by having Cruz Pedregon perform up to par through the first 18 events of 2009. The team had exactly the same amount of time to score more points than Hight, and even controlled their own destiny on Monday had they beaten Force in the second round and moved to face Hight in the third.

Unfortunately, NHRA drag racing isn't at all like NASCAR in the sense of the stock car drivers often pulling the practice of allowing a teammate to lead a lap or two in a race for bonus points. In the NHRA, the only way to earn more points is to advance, meaning Force couldn't really win for racing against his teammate.

If Force beats Hight, he likely wins the U.S. Nationals but leaves a quarter of his team out of the championship chase. Can you really the blame the guy if he really did throw the race?

After all, he's got bills to pay at a mighty big race shop just down the street from Monday's racing.

Of course, Force denied such a fix was in.

But if you're a John Force fan, you're probably feeling the sickest after Monday's racing knowing that their was a distinct possibility that Force handed Hight a round at the biggest drag race in the world, despite Force having one his best chances to find victory lane for the first time in over a year.

There's something that just doesn't go over easily when the guy you cheer for just pulls over -- even if it was Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barichello at Indianapolis in the F1 race a few years back.

This is certainly a problem for the NHRA, but its one that just can't be fixed easily -- a feeling that Force surely felt when he stopped for maybe a half of a second on Monday to consider what move would be the best for his race team.

Perhaps that should indicate that the end of Force's racing career is nearing thanks to the fact that he can't decide what is more important -- a big win for himself or a big win for his own team. Most of the time, racers don't have to think too hard about that decision.

Thanks to the prodigy team that is JFR, the NHRA certainly has a problem on its hands, but the solution is hardly clear. Do you fine, scrutinize and penalize teams for seemingly any act of cooperation? What's the best way to police it?

As we saw today at Indy, those are questions without answers. For the NHRA, that's got to be a little worrisome.

Team Priorities Leave NHRA Competitors, John Force at Odds after U.S. Nationals originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Mon, 07 Sep 2009 20:41:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Michael Schumacher to Return to Formula One, Replace Felipe Massa

FanHouse Newswire — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:25:00 EST

Filed under: Other Racing Series

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.

"Though it is true that the Formula One chapter has long been closed for me, it is also true that for team loyalty reasons I cannot ignore that unfortunate situation," the 40-year-old Schumacher said. "But as the competitor I am, I also very much look forward to facing this challenge."

The 28-year-old Massa was hit in the helmet by a loose part from another car and crashed into a protective tire barrier at 120 mph during qualifying Saturday at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

The Brazilian receieved multiple skull fractures in the accident and doctors say he will not race again this season.

Massa took his first steps since the crash on Wednesday and was later scheduled to leave the intensive care unit of the AEK hospital in Budapest. He also received a visit from Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo.

Ferrari said Schumacher will undergo a special training program in the coming days to determine whether he will be able to drive in Valencia. There are six races left in the season after the European GP.

"Thanks God, all news concerning Felipe is positive. I wish him all the best again," Schumacher wrote on his Web site.

Schumacher, who had 91 wins in 250 F1 races starts, still acts as a consultant for Ferrari. Since retiring in October 2006, Schumacher has raced occasionally in a motorcycling series but was injured in a crash in February.

Schumacher won his first two F1 titles with the Benetton team. He joined Ferrari in 1996 and won five straight from 2000-04.

By ARIEL DAVID, AP Sports Writer

AP Writers Nesha Starcevic in Frankfurt and Pablo Gorondi in Budapest contributed to this report.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

Michael Schumacher to Return to Formula One, Replace Felipe Massa originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Felipe Massa's Condition Stable Following Surgery on Skull

Tom Herrera — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 15:45:00 EST

Filed under: Other Racing Series

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.

While driving at speeds over 156 mph, Massa was struck in the head by a spring from another driver's car. At The New York Times' Web site, you can see a screengrab of the errant spring flying toward Massa's car. Massa's shocking accident marked the second time in the past week that a loose part injured an unsuspecting driver. Henry Surtees, 18, was killed when he was struck in the head by a bouncing wheel during a Formula Two race.

Formula One officials stated they would look into whether further safety measures may need to be taken, such as putting canopies over the drivers' heads.

According to The New York Times report, team director Ross Brawn said the spring weighed about 1.5 pounds and the team would look into why it had come off.

Felipe Massa Photos

Ferrari fans wait with a Brazilian flag in front of the hospital of Ferrari Formula One driver Felipe Massa of Brazil in Budapest, Hungary, Sunday, July 26, 2009. Massa suffered life threatening injuries in a crash during the Hungarian Formula One Grand Prix qualification on Saturday. Sign on the building reads: Ministry of Defense State Health Center. (AP Photo/Bela Szandelszky)

A Hungarian couple waits in front of the hospital of Ferrari Formula One driver Felipe Massa of Brazil in Budapest, Hungary, Sunday, July 26, 2009. Massa suffered life threatening injuries in a crash during the Hungarian Formula One Grand Prix qualification on Saturday. Sign on the building reads: Ministry of Defense State Health Center. (AP Photo/Bela Szandelszky)

Brazilian Formula One driver Rubens Barrichello of Brawn GP speaks to journalists at the entrance of the Honved Hospital, Budapest, Hungary, Sunday, July 26, 2009 where Brazilian Formula One driver Felipe Massa of Scuderia Ferrari is in a life-threatening but stable condition after his operation. Massa underwent a life-saving surgery Saturday, following his high speed accident during the qualifying session at the Hungaroring in Mogyorod near Budapest. Massa was hit on the head by a steel spring, that fell off the car of Rubens Barrichello. (AP Photo/MTI, Balazs Mohai)

Brazilian Formula One driver Rubens Barrichello of Brawn GP arrives at the Honved Hospital, Budapest, Hungary, Sunday, July 26, 2009 where Brazilian Formula One driver Felipe Massa of Scuderia Ferrari is in a life-threatening but stable condition after his operation. Massa underwent a life-saving surgery Saturday, following his high speed accident during the qualifying session at the Hungaroring in Mogyorod near Budapest. Massa was hit on the head by a steel spring, that fell off the car of Rubens Barrichello. (AP Photo/MTI, Balazs Mohai)

A Ferrari fan cries in front of the AEK hospital, where Felipe Massa was taken after his crash on the Hungaroring circuit, July 26, 2009. Ferrari's Massa was in intensive care on Saturday after being hit on the head by bouncing debris and crashing heavily in Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying. Massa suffered a cut forehead, skull damage and concussion in the accident caused by a fist-sized spring weighing around 800 grams falling off compatriot Rubens Barrichello's Brawn seconds earlier. REUTERS/Stringer (HUNGARY SPORT MOTOR RACING HEALTH)

Reuters

Ross Brawn (L) and Rubens Barrichello (R) arrive at the AEK hospital, where Felipe Massa was taken after his crash on the Hungaroring circuit, July 26, 2009. Ferrari's Massa was in intensive care on Saturday after being hit on the head by bouncing debris and crashing heavily in Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying. Massa suffered a cut forehead, skull damage and concussion in the accident caused by a fist-sized spring weighing around 800 grams falling off compatriot Rubens Barrichello's Brawn seconds earlier. REUTERS/Stringer (HUNGARY SPORT MOTOR RACING HEALTH IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Reuters

Ross Brawn and Rubens Barrichello (R) arrive at the AEK hospital, where Felipe Massa was taken after his crash on the Hungaroring circuit, July 26, 2009. Ferrari's Massa was in intensive care on Saturday after being hit on the head by bouncing debris and crashing heavily in Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying. Massa suffered a cut forehead, skull damage and concussion in the accident caused by a fist-sized spring weighing around 800 grams falling off compatriot Rubens Barrichello's Brawn seconds earlier. REUTERS/Stringer (HUNGARY SPORT MOTOR RACING IMAGES OF THE DAY HEALTH)

Reuters

Felipe Massa's Condition Stable Following Surgery on Skull originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sun, 26 Jul 2009 15:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Felipe Massa In Scary Wreck at Formula One Qualifying

Bruce Ciskie — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 11:15:00 EST

Filed under: Other Racing Series

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.

Massa is said to be in stable condition. He was conscious at the track. Speculation is that he was dazed when the spring struck his helmet, and that's what caused the car to hit the wall.

The crash caused a delay of close to a half-hour in qualifying.

Felipe Massa In Scary Wreck at Formula One Qualifying originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sat, 25 Jul 2009 11:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Henry Surtees, 18-Year-Old Driver, Dies After Being Struck in Head by Tire

Tom Herrera — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 03:15:00 EST

Filed under: Other Racing Series

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.

With the cars going at approximately 140 mph, driver Jack Clarke spun into the wall and his tire flew off. Surtees was knocked unconscious by the severe blow, causing his car to crash into a barrier at the Brands Hatch circuit in Kent, south of London. The race was red-flagged while Surtees was removed from the scene. He was then airlifted to Royal London hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

More From Bleacher Report: Accident Raises Safety Questions

Surtees finished third in Saturday's opening race for his first F2 podium finish. Now he's gone before his 20th birthday following one of the most freakish accidents in the history of motorsports. His 75-year-old father is the only man to win world championships on both two and four wheels, having claimed seven motorcycle world titles before winning the F1 title with Ferrari.

Formula Two chief executive Jonathan Palmer expressed his "great sadness" after hearing of the news. "An accident like this obviously raises high levels of concern," he said.

As James Broomhead points out at Bleacher Report, this is the second time that an errant tire has been a major hazard. The first incident also involved Clarke and Surtees at an earlier event.

There are sure to be questions in the aftermath of this tragedy, especially considering the Formula Two feeder series is in its inaugural season. If the series is to have a long-term future, you can bet they'll need to investigate better wheel tethering and what exactly went wrong here.

Henry Surtees, 18-Year-Old Driver, Dies After Being Struck in Head by Tire originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Mon, 20 Jul 2009 03:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Milwaukee Mile May Be on Last Legs

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:50:00 EST

Filed under: Nationwide Series, Other Racing Series, Camping World Truck Series, IRL

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.

The NASCAR Nationwide and Craftsman Truck Series races run at Milwaukee two weeks ago are the biggest events the sanctioning body brings to Wisconsin on an annual basis. The IndyCar series has typically run at the Mile the weekend after the Indianapolis 500.

All of these races are in serious jeopardy, thanks to the inability of Mile promoter Claude Napier to pay the bills from those events.

Napier's organization owes NASCAR nearly $1.9 million for staging two races in June and owes the Indy Racing League an undisclosed amount for its weekend in May. The organizer of a spectator event in August - the track's final opportunity for a significant payday this season - said this week that he is ready to walk away from his commitment.

This isn't child's play. The Milwaukee Mile, at 107 years of age, is the oldest racing facility anywhere in the United States. It hosted its first racing event way back in 1903, even before there was an Indianapolis 500. In a state that features legendary venues such as Lambeau Field and Camp Randall Stadium, the Milwaukee Mile is Wisconsin's most historic sports facility.

Former promoters Dominic and Frank Giuffre tell the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that they think it's "too late" to save the Mile, though they say they'd like a crack at it.

Current NASCAR drivers like Matt Kenseth, Paul Menard, Kelly Bires, Johnny Sauter, Travis Kvapil, and Scott Wimmer all hail from the Badger State. Matt's father, Roy, has organized a stock car event at the Mile in August, but he may be on the verge of pulling that event from the track.

Wisconsin race fans will still have opportunities to see some great racing at Road America and at MIS if the Mile closes. The problem is it can be argued Road America is the only other track in the state configured to host a NASCAR or IRL event. The IRL probably has enough road-course races as is, and NASCAR appears to be allergic to the concept.

Meanwhile, the Giuffres, according to the Journal Sentinel, are doing what they can to make it clear to State Fair Park management that they want a shot at resurrecting the speedway.

The Giuffres made their most recent contact with fair management this week, sending a letter to Chairman Susan Crane and members of the board. In it, they estimated the value of the track at $150 million, called the Mile "one of Wisconsin's crown jewels, and yet it is tarnishing the reputation of the state," and said its demise would be an "incalculable" loss to the state.

Racing will continue in Wisconsin. Just this week, Kenseth and Sprint Cup points leader Tony Stewart drove in a race at Madison, near Kenseth's hometown of Cambridge. That said, the loss of either the IRL or NASCAR events at Milwaukee would be a blow to Wisconsin's visibility on the racing map.

It would leave either Iowa Speedway and Chicagoland as the closest tracks for Wisconsin fans to catch NASCAR or Indy racing.

Milwaukee Mile May Be on Last Legs originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mosley Gone as Formula 1 Avoids Split

Geoffrey Miller — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:55:00 EST

Filed under: Other Racing Series

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.

F1 released a statement explaining, in bare terms, what had been agreed upon:

"All currently competing teams have committed to the FIA Formula One World Championship.

There will be no alternative series or championship and the rules for 2010 onwards will be the 2009 regulations as well as further regulations agreed prior to 29 April 2009.

As part of this agreement, the teams will, within two years, reduce the costs of competing in the championship to the level of the early 1990s. The manufacturer teams have agreed to assist the new entries for 2010 by providing technical assistance."

The deal will undoubtedly help F1 start to get over the mess of a season it has now found itself embroiled in thanks to a plethora of bad moves, failed rule changes and legal protests. Among it all, last year's Lewis Hamilton faced expulsion while the nobody Brawn Racing from a year ago has come to dominate the series with driver Jenson Button in 2009.

It reached the tipping point last week when FOTA -- a group consisting of nearly all of the big names in the sport -- announced plans to create a rival sanctioning body effective in 2010 with promises to implement common sense to nearly every part of the sport, including the fan aspect.

It appeared to be a lot of talk, but one would imagine that a few F1 fans will be looking for the sport to make changes that are important to them for the 2010 season. The biggest beef, though, from FOTA was a Mosley-led idea to create a two-class system in the sport that had some teams competing with wide-ranging rules for a $60 million budget or teams competing under harsh rules with unlimited funding.

The scandal from a year ago involving Mosley being involved with five prostitutes in a London hotel room didn't exactly leave the sport behind the often dictatorial leader.

Mosley Gone as Formula 1 Avoids Split originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This Time, Formula 1 Split May Be Real

Geoffrey Miller — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 06:34:00 EST

Filed under: Other Racing Series

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.

In that document -- shall we consider it the Formula One team version of the Declaration of Independence? -- the FOTA didn't cut any corners or butter up any statements to leave a small door open for return.

Instead, they took direct shots at Eccelstone ("series will have transparent governance"), acknowledged that the attempted $60-milllion 2010 team spending limit is atrocious and outrageous, and most importantly, took direct aim at F1's reputation for usually being an outlandishly expensive form of motorsport for fans.

All out war between FOTA and F1 seems to be brewing.

The document, however, did not ever explicitly mention Eccelstone's half-witted pre-2009 attempt and pending 2010 plans to change the way the F1 World Championship is decided. Previously, he had tried to change the rule to give the championship to the driver who wins the most races until it was realized that he didn't have the power to make such a decision without the teams.

Eight teams in F1 -- including powerhouses like Scuderia Ferrari, McLaren, and the most dominant team of 2009 Brawn Racing -- are all apart of the FOTA that has agreed to establish a new series. Such a split has been attempted before and talked about for years, but it didn't ever come to fruition mainly because Ferrari backed out when push came to shove.

This time, though, they are a team that has been quite vocal in opposing Mosley's idea to implement a series in 2010 that would essentially have two classes. One class would have unlimited use of financial investment but have a narrow, disadvantaged rules package. The other class would agree to a $60 million per year spending limit but have nearly free reign of the rulebook.

Sure, it's a novel idea and a smart one in this worldwide economy to think about cutting back, but when teams in F1 have been used to spending half of a billion per year instead of a half of a hundred million, that's not a step that can just happen overnight.

The spending limit was originally seen as a great way for the startup F1 team in the United States to make a succesful entrance to the sport in 2010 -- though now, it seems that the field they'll compete against won't be what they were originally looking for.

This Time, Formula 1 Split May Be Real originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 19 Jun 2009 06:34:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FanHouse Lap Around: NHRA

Geoffrey Miller — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:12:00 EST

Filed under: Other Racing Series

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.

Already five weeks into their 2009 schedule, the season is off to its usually quick start. And as is usual, Tony Schumacher is showing that his U.S. Army team is still the class of the Top Fuel field.

A lot of questions surrounded Schumacher's ride in 2009 after legendary crew chief Alan Johnson left to work with a new team in Top Fuel, and most of them assumed 'The Sarge' couldn't continue his current run of five-straight season championships.

Well, Schumacher has so far gotten the better end of that deal after beating Johnson's driver Larry Dixon in the semi-finals at the season's fourth event in Houston, Tex. at the end of March. Schumacher ended up winning that event as well as the following race in Las Vegas, but the sweetest gain had to be knowing that he beat Dixon & Co. in a holeshot win.

[A holeshot, you may be wondering, happens when the winning driver wins the drag race after running a slower elapsed time but beats his opponent out of the starting line. It's essentially the best test of driver v. driver available in drag racing]

Dixon, though, saw victory lane in the previous event as have former pro stock motorcycle racer Antron Brown and Doug Kalitta.

On the Funny Car side of things, not only has Ashley Force Hood -- yep, the daughter of Funny Car legend John Force got hitched over the offseason -- backed up her first career national event win a year ago with a final round title in Houston, but Ron Capps has enjoyed a nice resurgence after a winless season a year ago.

Capps, as NASCAR fans might know best, appears opposite of Sprint Cup driver Michael Waltrip in the latest series of commercials for NAPA Auto Parts after signing a new contract with the sponsor for 2009. The deal has paid dividends with Capps going to victory lane in three of the five events hosted so far.

Surely, that's not too bad for a guy who hadn't won since 2007.

On the pro stock side of things, Jeg Coughlin Jr. leads the point standings by just 12 markers over Jason Line with Mike Edwards and Greg Anderson further back. Both Coughlin and Line have taken home two national event wins this season.

The Pro Stock motorcycles, meanwhile, have only competed twice in 2009 with Hector Arana and Craig Treble heading to victory lane.

FanHouse Lap Around: NHRA originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:12:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FanHouse Lap Around: Formula One

Geoffrey Miller — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 08:15:00 EST

Filed under: Other Racing Series

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.

Sure, there's a lot of NASCAR fans these days that are worried sick about the future of their sport with a relatively unpopular new chassis, a lack of track diversity, declining TV ratings and a rules package that oftentimes seems like an exercise in the limits of frustration. But with the start F1 has seen in 2009, it's almost like F1 czar Bernie Eccelstone & Co. are trying to one up the frustration level on an international scale.

For starters, the biggest preseason news was an apparent change to the F1 points system that would give the championship to the driver with the most wins. F1 teams called Eccelstone's plan illegal per the sanctioning body's rules and the plan was rescinded -- but left open for 2010 -- just days before the season's first race in Australia.

Two more controversies reared their head at Australia before the race even began. For starters, drivers were miffed that the race started later than usual in local Australian time to help bring the race into a better live viewing time for the European countries that make up a hefty share of the sport's television audience. As a result, the drivers were racing near sunset with some blinding light while crossing around blind turns in the immensely fast and well-handling race cars.

The second had to do with a technical aspect as several teams have began running a new rear air diffuser on their cars that recent F1 patriarchs like Ferrari, BMW and Renault have failed to build into their car design. They've lodged a protest saying that the piece circumvents the rules and F1's world governing body is expected to rule on it this week.

If they agree with Ferrari, Brawn GP's two wins with driver Jenson Button in 2009 could be wiped from the slate, as well as the rest of the finishes from the Williams and Toyota teams.

However, McLaren Mercedes (the team that 2008 champion Lewis Hamilton drives for) also faces a possible ban from the rest of the 2009 schedule after Hamilton and other team representatives lied to race directors following a possible pass under the yellow flag during a late-race caution in Australia. Hamilton later apologized to race officials, but his actions cost him positions in that race and further discipline awaits him.

Combine all of that with the fact that Ferrari -- the team Michael Schumacher won 7 driving titles with -- has yet to finish high enough to earn a point in 2009 and you're looking at a strange start to the always dramatic and politically charged culture that is Formula One racing.

Personally, I couldn't imagine knowing that Matt Kenseth's wins from the opening part of the season could be rescinded or see Jimmie Johnson suspended from the season for making false statements to race officials. Much less, I'm not sure I understand how F1 can't figure out if a certain aerodynamic piece is legal before official competiton begins.

Regardless, the trials and tribulations that have come and will soon come the sport have left it more interesting than a daytime soap opera and to be honest, the racing hasn't been all that bad in 2009. Going with softer slick tires and other modifications will do that.

Need a racing drama to wrap your arms around? Head on over to the left and rights of the 2009 F1 season.

FanHouse Lap Around: Formula One originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Mon, 13 Apr 2009 08:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sebring Tradition Rolls On

Holly Cain — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 11:17:00 EST

Filed under: Other Racing Series

SEBRING, Fla. -- While a whole lot of America will be tuned into NASCAR's annual spring stop at Bristol, Tenn. this weekend, the rest of the world will be paying attention to another annual rite of spring, Saturday's 12 Hours of Sebring.

And believe it or not, there's a whole lot more similarities between the two worlds than either audience would admit.

Sebring is the biggest small town in a rural citrus belt of inland Florida. Its population grows exponentially twice a year when the "snowbirds" come down from up North to winter and when the American Le Mans Series rolls into town with its exotic fare of Audis, Peugeots, Porsches, Ferraris, Maseratis, Acuras and Corvettes and and a line-up of world-renowned drivers.

Iconic Indycar team owner Roger Penske picked up his first Sebring team win last year, his Porsches snapping an eight-year Audi win streak around the famed 3.7-mile airport circuit.

The only American-born Formula One champion Phil Hill, Mario Andretti, A.J. Foyt, Sterling Moss and Bobby Rahal are past Sebring champions.

"When people ask me, I still tell them my greatest victory is Sebring,'' said Rahal, a three-time Indy car series champion and the 1986 Indy 500 winner, who is fielding BMWs in the race."I started coming here with my dad. I would spend Spring Break working on a crew. There's so much personal investment here. And just look at the list of winners. Who wouldn't want to have a win here?''

That's the prevalent philosophy judging by the entry list each year.

There's always a healthy representation of former Formula One drivers. And at Sebring, the marquee "Franchitti" is sports car ace Marino, not his older brother, Dario. However, the Indy 500 winner Dario will be competing this weekend as is his IndyCar Series teammate, defending Indy 500 winner Scott Dixon who has won the pole position in his first Sebring start.

"I've now won a championship, the 500, plus a 24-hour race -- and I'd definitely like to add the Twelve Hours of Sebring to those,'' Dixon said. "It's a hugely prestigious event not only in America but also right around the world.''

NASCAR may be a bad word around the wine-and-cheese sports-car set, but drive into Sebring's famous "Green Park" viewing area and it looks curiously like the raucous infield at Talladega, Ala. during a Sprint Cup stop in that rural town -- complete with school-buses converted into RVs, bikini-clad women, cheap beer and Chevy flags.

Similarly, the All-American stock-car set, which has grudgingly tolerated Toyota's NASCAR entire, would be the first to appreciate the suped-up Chevrolet Corvettes that have dominated Sebring's production-based GT classes for years. The COT has made Sprint Cup a spec series, compared to the fare on Saturday's Sebring starting grid

With a rich 57-year history and a relevant present, Sebring is still living up to its worldwide billing - even if our country is still learning to appreciate it properly six decades later.

"I don't know how much it has really changed from its beginning and that's what I like about it,'' Rahal said. "The track's still rough as hell. They dress it up but you can't hide the cracks. And that's why it's so compelling.
"It's a pilgrimage, it's a happening and that's what I love about this place.''

Sebring Tradition Rolls On originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sat, 21 Mar 2009 11:17:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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F1's New Title Process Full of Flaws

Geoffrey Miller — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 19:04:00 EST

Filed under: Other Racing Series, Sprint Cup

The world's most popular form of racing -- in terms of global fans and ratings -- announced this week a new system to crown its champion in 2009 that certainly leaves a lot to desire.

That series, the FIA Formula One World Championship won last year by British driver Lewis Hamilton, officially adopted a new drivers championship rulebook that gives the season-ending trophy to the driver with the most race wins.

Sure, it looks like a system that will make racing exciting, but I can't help but look at all of the competition problems it will expose.

I'll grant to you that the race for a win will now take on an inherently larger role -- especially early in the season. Getting out of the box strong and nabbing a race win or two will setup a driver to be in immediate contention for the championship even if there are few mild stumbles in the middle of the season.

What happens, say, if Hamilton wins six of the first seven races like 7-time retired champ Michael Schumacher did in 1994 and 2004? With a 17-race schedule, such a title chase would be virtually over early in the season. Talk about a ratings nightmare -- even if 2 drivers evenly split the final races.

On the flip side, the system seems to create a nice run for each race win, but when a driver is worried about picking up another spot deep in field in the final laps, are points that simply go for a manufacturer's title really that big of a deal? And more importantly, do fans watching on TV care if Felipe Massa passes Robert Kubica for a position that doesn't affect the championship?

I can't say I'd be too excited about it, but rather just watching the leader to see if he makes a mistake or suffers a mechanical issue in the final laps. I'd also think such a system would make the sponsorship of a team that challenges for Top-15s instead of wins drop significantly in value because the focus of race will solely be on the winner -- though the coverage of back runners has long been an issue of television controversy.

And of course, I won't even get into the possibilities of a driver getting wrecked by another driver in an all-too-common first-turn crash. Those incidents always seem to snare a driver that had practiced well during the weekend and was in position to possibly win the race.

This will definitely cause teams to scrutinize their pitting strategy with a fine tooth comb because of how many ramifications a well-timed or an ill-timed pit stop can have on a driver's finish. That, though, leads down the alley of how little on-track competition actually exists in the series that we won't tackle today.

Had this been applied to NASCAR, Carl Edwards would have won last year's championship and other recent champions would have been Kasey Kahne, Greg Biffle and Ryan Newman. Would you consider each of those names -- I'd argue for Edwards and likely Biffle -- to be champions after their respective seasons that left them at the top of the win heap?

NASCAR's point system isn't perfect and, yes, it needs to place more emphasis on winning. But to base a championship solely on a team taking a few races and potentially not finishing more seems ludicrous.

F1's New Title Process Full of Flaws originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 19 Mar 2009 19:04:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Formula One Crossover Idea Is Absurd

Holly Cain — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Kyle Busch, Other Racing Series, Sprint Cup

Can we please be real?

All this talk about a NASCAR driver hopping into a Formula One car and suddenly delivering the world its first American-bred F1 star since Mario Andretti is ludicrous.

Putting Kyle Busch or any other NASCAR driver (with the obvious exception of Juan Pablo Montoya and Scott Speed) behind the wheel of the newly announced USF1 team would be 90 percent novelty and 10 percent pure optimism.

And it wouldn't be fair to them or to the rest of us who think it is high time to find a qualified young American open-wheel talent with a legitimate shot at making it in F1.

Legitimate being the word here.

Yes Busch is young, extremely talented and ambitious -- three of the basic qualifications. But for him to stand a real chance at even running near the front of the field -- forget winning a race -- he'd need to be with a proven team and have logged thousands of miles in a car. How about competing in an open-wheel race?

Sorry, but running Legends cars and modifieds on an oval does not count as open-wheel experience when it comes to strapping into the world's most sophisticated race cars competing against the most athletic race car drivers on the planet.

That's not to say with an extended timeline and a seat at Ferrari, Busch or Kasey Kahne or Jeff Gordon or a select handful of other NASCAR stars couldn't be successful in F1. But it's not an instant transition, certainly not with a startup team no matter how impressive the founders' credentials or noble his intentions.

Why would these NASCAR stars want to jump into a no-win situation?

While F1 is huge everywhere else in the world, their fame would take a nose-dive in America. Think it's tough and frustrating fighting fender-to-fender a lap down for the Lucky Dog privilege in a Sprint Cup race? Imagine what it's like knowing you stand next-to-nothing odds to win in a F1 race. Ask Speed how ample talent fares in the wrong circumstance.

The exotic locales, gourmet food and beautiful people can't substitute for the exhilaration of victory these drivers are used to enjoying.

Sure having a NASCAR driver on the grid would be a huge attraction for F1 -- a pick-me-up for a series with its own set of problems.

But being an out-of-contention sideshow is not the right reason for them to be there.

Let's hope the USF1 team owners, the wise Peter Windsor and Ken Anderson tap an American(s) with open-wheel experience and odds-on potential to give our country its best shot at contending on that great world stage. It's about time someone recognized and filled the void.

And if Busch, Kahne, or even Gordon are truly inclined to give big-time open-wheel racing a shot, let's first get them behind the wheel of an IndyCar.

Move the 600,000 miles of Charlotte to Memorial Day Monday and let these NASCAR drivers give the Indy 500 a try.

Latest NASCAR Photos

DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 07: David Ragan, driver of the #6 UPS Ford, spins into a gravel pit during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway on February 7, 2009 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** David Ragan

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 07: A view of cars racing during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway on February 7, 2009 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR)

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 07: Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 National Guard Chevrolet, races Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M's Toyota, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway on February 7, 2009 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Dale Earnhardt Jr.;Kyle Busch

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 07: Crew members work on the #82 Red Bull Toyota, driven by Scott Speed, in the garage are during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway on February 7, 2009 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Scott Speed

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 07: Crew members work on the #18 M&M's Toyota, driven by Kyle Busch, on pit road during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway on February 7, 2009 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Kyle Busch

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 07: Crew members work on the #29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet, driven by Kevin Harvick, on pit road during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway on February 7, 2009 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Kevin Harvick

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 07: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M's Toyota, sits in his car on the grid prior to the start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway on February 7, 2009 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Kyle Busch

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 07: Brian Vickers, driver of the #83 Red Bull Toyota, sits in his car on the grid prior to the start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway on February 7, 2009 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Brian Vickers

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 07: Denny Hamlin (R), driver of the #11 FedEx Express Toyota, talks with his crew chief Mike Ford on the grid prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway on February 7, 2009 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Mike Ford;Denny Hamlin

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NASCAR driver David Ragan talks with reporters as he leaves the infield care center after he was involved in an accident during the NASCAR Budweiser Shootout auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009.(AP Photo/John Raoux)

Formula One Crossover Idea Is Absurd originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 27 Feb 2009 21:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Questions Arise for Bristol Lap Record

Geoffrey Miller — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 17:04:00 EST

Filed under: Ryan Newman, Bristol Motor Speedway, Other Racing Series

Bristol Motor Speedway's public relations department got a nice kick this week thanks to a few NASCAR Whelen Modified Series drivers putting down some impressively fast laps at on the high banks of the half-mile east Tennessee track.

The laps, according to the track, were "record-breaking" because they eclipsed Ryan Newman's 2003 lap of 14.908 seconds (128.709 mph) during Sprint Cup qualifying at the track.

It turns out, thanks to the ever-mindful Jayski, that the laps might not have been so record-breaking after all.
.
From the Jayski.com Sprint Cup site:

"in an old July 2003 post on the uscsracing.com site, it says: Kenny Adams was one of four drivers who tested winged sprint cars with the United Sprint Car Series on Wednesday [July 2003] at Bristol Motor Speedway [...]

Adams [...] recorded a 14.29 second lap as did Doug Berryman from Mansfield, Ohio. Two time USCS champion Terry Gray from Bartlett, Tennessee flew around the high 36 degree banks in 14.37 seconds and Jim Raptis from Marietta, Georgia, had a best for the day of 14.63 seconds. All four drivers unofficially broke the record of 14.908 seconds set by Ryan Newman during qualifying for the Winston Cup event at BMS last March [2003]"

Those lap times are important because the Modified driver Ted Christopher ran a lap of 14.479 seconds (133.269 mph) Tuesday after his team removed the carburetor restrictor plate in the waning hours of the test session. That lap was roughly two-tenths of a second slower than 14.29 that winged sprint car driver Dave Berryman was said to have run.

It should be noted, however, that these lap times are all completely unofficial and that "Rocket Man" Ryan Newman still holds the official track record because he made the lap during a sanctioned qualifying session. The general rule of thumb is that track single-lap speed records can only be challenged during a qualifying session -- often because the timing systems are set up to be highly accurate.

Regardless, if I was going to be in town for the fall Bristol night race in August, I'd certainly be buying a ticket for modified event because its quite obvious that those cars are going to fly around the half-mile. I'd imagine it'll be dangerous, but it would sure be a blast to watch

Questions Arise for Bristol Lap Record originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 26 Feb 2009 17:04:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Busch, Allmendinger on F1 Team's Radar

Geoffrey Miller — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 16:11:00 EST

Filed under: A.J. Allmendinger, Kyle Busch, Other Racing Series

Racing series around the world are feeling a growing hole in their wallets thanks to this ol' economy, but that's no matter for a group out of Charlotte, N.C., that's looking to join up with pricey Formula 1.

The upstart -- their taking "USF1" as their working team name -- is aiming to have an American operation field two American drivers in F1 in the near future, and Tuesday, they discussed some drivers -- including a pair of NASCAR names -- they might interested in.

Some of those wheelmen (and a wheel lady, mind you) seem like logical targets, but the others? Well, not so much.

The team, which had started earning a spot on the media map a month or so ago, officially opened up during a televised unveiling at SPEED's brand spankin'-new studios on the north side of Charlotte -- a city that will also double as the team's world headquarters.

F1 television broadcaster Peter Windsor and engineer Ken Anderson -- he formerly worked at the former Haas-CNC Racing in the NASCAR world -- will serve as the team's principles. SPEED's Tom Jensen has plenty of the details they chose to announce Tuesday -- like how it plans to have a fan-friendly facility similar to NASCAR shops and that it will purchase engines instead of build their own -- over on his article about it.

As for those drivers the group is aiming for, they seem to be a collection of drivers with talent and drivers with appeal.

For starters, A.J. Allmendinger, Marco Andretti and Danica Patrick were all explicitly named as candidates.

Allmendinger, of course, is running a partial schedule at the moment in the Sprint Cup Series with Richard Petty Motorsports and has shown signs of tremendous improvement since his rookie stock car season. Prior to NASCAR, he was quite successful in a brief foray with the now-defunct Champ Car.

Andretti -- the son of Michael Andretti and grandson of Mario, each of open-wheel fame -- has been participating full-time in the IRL IndyCar Series since 2006 and has a single win in the series. His grandfather told the AP today that if he could "design" the F1 driver of today, Marco would be it.

Patrick, of course, won her first IndyCar race in 2008 amid being the face of the series for many of past few seasons. Her contract is up with Andretti-Green Racing at the end of 2009 and told the Indianapolis Star today that F1 isn't "No. 1" on her list, but that a "conversation never killed anyone" after being asked about her name being rumored for the pair of rides.

Later, as FanHouse's Holly Cain reported from the IndyCar Spring Training at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Florida, she was a little more non-committal:

"I'm very flattered to be thought of, for sure. ... Formula One is a very competitive platform, but I don't necessarily know why no one ever spoke to me,'' Patrick said Tuesday after the team mentioned her as a potential driving candidate. "It's not like they contacted me and I gave them the 'oh yeah, that sounds very interesting.' I never heard from anyone.''

Additionally, Marco Andretti seemed a little shocked that his grandfather would make such a presumption.

"It would be risky because it's such a new team, that's all I would say,'' Andretti, 21, said, brushing off the question on his way into a drivers meeting before practice.

NASCAR's hottest young driver at the moment -- the "Shrub" Kyle Busch -- was listed as a "shoo-in" (or is that, shoe-in?) for the ride by Motor Authority, and they also mentioned driver Conor Daly, son of broadcaster and former driver Derek Daly.

Obviously, this new team has a multitude of forces going against it in order to actually get a team on track for 2010, but its certainly interesting to see the names that pop up as candidates.

To me, Kyle Busch -- despite lacking open-wheel experience -- has the most raw talent of the group and I'd probably put Allmendinger in second place. As for Danica and Andretti, its pretty doggone tough to claim they have credentials to prove capability for an F1 ride with just two total wins in major auto racing between them.

Regardless, I'll certainly be following this story sheerly on the fact that Windsor and Anderson plan to run the operation in a completely different manner than all the other F1 hoopla we've seen. That in itself, I think, will make this program a fun one to watch.

Busch, Allmendinger on F1 Team's Radar originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Tue, 24 Feb 2009 16:11:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Patrick Sheltra Hospitalized Following Nasty ARCA Racing Crash

Tom Herrera — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 22:15:00 EST

Filed under: Daytona Int'l Speedway, Other Racing Series

ARCA RE/MAX series driver Patrick Sheltra was among three drivers hospitalized following wrecks in Saturday's Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 season opener at Daytona. In the scariest crash yet of 2009, Sheltra was hit from behind by pole-winner Justin Lofton with four laps to go, then smacked hard by Larry Hollenbeck's car just as he was sliding back down on the 2.5-mile oval.

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According to reports, it took safety workers about 20 minutes just to get Sheltra out of his No. 60 Dodge before he was transported along with Hollenbeck to Halifax Health Medical Center. Sheltra is being kept overnight for observation, and both drivers were reportedly conscious and alert when taken to the hospital.

Sheltra, nicknamed "Mr. Showtime," was starting his third ARCA RE/MAX season and finished sixth in the series standings in 2008.

Bobby Gerhart, who hit the wall in a separate crash earlier in the race, was taken in for observation and later released.

After Sheltra's incident, the race was restarted with just one lap left as James Buescher held off fellow 18-year-old Joey Logano to win it.

H/T for the video: NASCAR Nuts & Bolts

Patrick Sheltra Hospitalized Following Nasty ARCA Racing Crash originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sat, 07 Feb 2009 22:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASCAR DQ's Logano at All-Star Race

Geoffrey Miller — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 00:07:00 EST

Filed under: Other Racing Series, Sprint Cup, Joe Gibbs Racing, Joey Logano

"Sliced bread" -- 18-year-old NASCAR Sprint Cup rookie Joey Logano's most-often used nickname -- didn't exactly fit NASCAR's appetite late Saturday night at Southern California's Irwindale Speedway.

Logano, as a video a little later in the post will dramatically illustrate, was closing on race leader Peyton Sellers on the final lap of the Toyota All-Star Showdown when the Joe Gibbs Racing driver in the black No. 08 car made a bonzai attempt at the lead and slammed Sellers into the Turn 4 wall as they came to the checkered flag.

Logano ended up crossing the finish line first -- a nose ahead of then-second place Matt Kobyluck -- as Sellers spun and collected multiple drivers in a big crash. The finish, however, wasn't to be for the young Logano, winner of the 2007 edition.

Just minutes after the checkered flag had fallen and barely after the smoke from the Turn 4 carnage had cleared, NASCAR declared Kobyluck the winner after disqualifying Logano's finish and citing rough driving as the reason. The decision set off an interesting spectacle of Kobyluck celebrating on-track with donuts while Logano got some stern words from Sellers, who had climbed from his mangled car and jogged down the track to confront the young driver.

Kobyluck, who owns his own construction contracting business in Connecticut in addition to his full-time ride with the Camping World East Series, became the first two-time winner of the event, thanks to NASCAR's decision.

The All-Star Showdown has been run since 2003 in various formats as a way to celebrate successes of drivers in NASCAR's lower levels, but in 2008, the 250-lap race featured champions from the Camping World East and West, Canadian Tire, Whelen Modified, All-American National, Corona and Southern Modifed Series among nearly 60 entrants into the 40-car non-points money-only event.

Some other notable names who participated Saturday night included Ron Hornaday Jr., Steve Park, Austin Dillon, Matt Crafton and Marc Davis.

But as for Logano, the young driver appeared to the entire incident and punishment in stride during a post-race interview in which he admitted to the mistake but also questioned NASCAR's call without sounding too over-the-top. In other words, the kid appears to be just another version of the oh-so-loved three-time Sprint Cup champ Jimmie Johnson. (You know, that guy with a beard.)

David Poole, over at ThatsRacin, made some interesting points about the whole situation and wondered how NASCAR would apply such a rule to, say, Dale Earnhardt Jr. taking out Tony Stewart on the last lap of this year's Sprint All-Star Challenge at Lowe's Motor Speedway in May.

After all, it's really the same concept and in a perfect world, NASCAR would apply rules without a hint of any gray area across its entire spectrum of racing series.

But then again, racing is as predictable as a ball or strike call in baseball with its rulebook, and because of that, the word "precedent" doesn't exactly apply to most things in NASCAR racing.

Anywho, here's a look at the last seven laps of the 250-lap race and be sure to watch for Logano's bold move on the final lap at about 2:25 on the video. And, as a perk for those of you with one of those fancy high-speed connections, there's even a high-quality version available on Youtube (just click the video twice). Enjoy.

NASCAR DQ's Logano at All-Star Race originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Mon, 26 Jan 2009 00:07:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jimmie Johnson Cuts Finger, Gets Stitches During Rolex 24 at Daytona

Geoffrey Miller — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 23:00:00 EST

Filed under: Jimmie Johnson, Other Racing Series, Sprint Cup

NASCAR's first driver to win three consecutive championships in 30 years proved to be a real, living, breathing human being Sunday at Daytona International Speedway.

El Cajon, Calif.'s Jimmie Johnson "cut the middle finger on his left hand while using a knife to try to cut a hole in his firesuit" according to the AP. The wound required stitches and prevented the Hendrick Motorsports driver from driving his final stint on Sunday afternoon in the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

Johnson was at the track to take part in the annual 24-hour race -- won by the Brumos-Porsche team despite some words of jealously from the competition -- when the injury happened.

Johnson was quoted by the AP and basically explained that the injury happened after he took the knife to his driving suit in an attempt to make a hole for a cooling tube.

To me, Johnson's injury sounds like a mistake all of us have made -- save for the part about it keeping him from driving a part in one of racing's most-treasured races. The injury had to lead to some interesting conversations around the team as news spread about Johnson's misfortune.

Perhaps, that crew-to-driver radio message went something like this: "Yeah, Vassar, you're going to have to stay in a little longer because the other Jimmie decided to go SAW IV on his finger. Many apologies, dude."

Or, perhaps, it didn't.

Aside from the fact that the injury proved Johnson's winning ways in NASCAR weren't the work of robot, it capped off a somewhat disappointing weekend for the Sprint Cup driver.

The driver's overnight stint halted early when a broken tailight on the GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing machine forced him to pit road for repairs. While leaving the pits, Johnson broke the transmission and forced a lengthy repair.

The team, which included IndyCar's Jimmy Vassar and sports car usuals Jon Fogarty and Alex Gurney, wound up 7th in the Daytona Prototype Class.

Johnson, the AP made sure to note, isn't expected to miss time in the No. 48, thankfully.

Jimmie Johnson Cuts Finger, Gets Stitches During Rolex 24 at Daytona originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sun, 25 Jan 2009 23:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A Case of Porsche Envy at Daytona?

Holly Cain — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 19:22:00 EST

Filed under: Daytona Int'l Speedway, Other Racing Series

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- It was the closest finish in the storied 47-year history of the Rolex 24 at Daytona. After 24 dramatic hours of racing, only a blink of an eye -- .167-seconds -- separated the winning Brumos Porsche team from the second-place Ganassi Lexus team Sunday afternoon.

For the winners, it was a result of hard work and perfect execution. For the runners-up, it was a case of showing up at a gunfight armed with a knife.

Both the Pontiac- and Lexus-powered teams insist they are at a 20-40 horsepower disadvantage to the Porsches and think concessions need to be made to even the playing field before the next Grand Am Series race.

"I think if you had asked us before the race if we had a chance to win this, I would 100 percent say no,'' said Ganassi driver Juan Pablo Montoya, who was passed for the lead with 40 minutes remaining.

"It was a matter of time (the pass). I was actually surprised to stay with them. ... I was actually surprised we even fought for the win, to be honest.''

Montoya's co-driver Scott Pruett, who drives the car full-time in the Grand Am Series, echoed Montoya's disappointment: "It's one thing to lose when you're out-driven or out-smarted, but quite frankly, this is frustrating.''

Porsche driver David Donohue, who made the pass on Montoya in the closing minutes, was quick to characterize the comments from the Ganassi stable as a classic case of sour grapes.

"I'm not sure how to begin after what I just heard,'' said Donohue, son of the late 1972 Indy 500 winner Mark Donohue.

"We tested for like 3,000 miles here... and came up with a real efficient package if anyone notices. Yes, we got them on the straightaways. Ever notice how he closed up in braking and chicane? It's ridiculous at this point.''

And that's essentially how the Grand Am sanctioning body feels, too -- despite the loud and constant grumbling this weekend.

The series' Managing Director of Competition Mark Raffauf said Sunday evening that his staff goes to great lengths using the latest technology to ensure a competitive field. He insisted he would not issue a rules change merely out of reaction to this race, but would review the competition throughout the season -- just as he always does.

"We have a wide variety of technological tools where we can make sure unlike things will do the same things -- to make sure the technology is as equal as it can be,'' Raffauf said. "Competition is determined by people. And what we have may not be perfect, but it's the best it's been since at least World War II.''

And for Raffauf -- and, at least, a very happy Porsche camp -- the proof is in the finish. It was the first time four cars finished on the lead lap and it was the closest 1-2-3-4 finish in history -- just 10 seconds separating the top four cars.

Even team owner Chip Ganassi, who came less than a second away from a historic fourth straight Rolex win, appreciated the show if not the result.

"I've been in this business a lot time," he said, "and it's nice to be a part of a great race like that."

A Case of Porsche Envy at Daytona? originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sun, 25 Jan 2009 19:22:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Patrick Dempsey, aka 'Dr. McDreamy', Uses His Name for Good Cause

Holly Cain — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 21:40:00 EST

Filed under: Daytona Int'l Speedway, NASCAR Fans, Other Racing Series

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- They stood in line for an hour in the toasty Florida sun, cameras ready, pens in hand. For at least one diehard race fan there was no choice in the matter.

"I'm here waiting like this for Patrick Dempsey's autograph because he does a great job racing,'' one man explained from his place in line in the Daytona International Speedway infield.

Then he came clean.

"OK, OK the real reason I'm in line is because my wife said, 'Don't come home unless you get Patrick Dempsey's autograph and a picture.' The reality is I'm doing this for my wife.''

Either explanation would be acceptable for Dempsey.

The very personable and famously handsome "Dr. McDreamy" from television's hit show Grey's Anatomy is gracious to fans, especially attentive to kids and so down-to-earth you forget he's a movie star.

A self-proclaimed "car guy" Dempsey, 43, got the racing bug years ago and turned it into a serious pursuit. He wants nothing more than to be "one of the guys" in a drivers' meeting or a race favorite on the starting grid.

This weekend, he's the lead driver of his own Dempsey Racing team which is competing in the grueling Rolex 24 at Daytona, a 24-hour sports car endurance race around America's hallowed speedway.

Helmet on, inside his No. 40 Mazda RX-8, Dempsey is just another eager driver hoping to win one of the world's most prestigious races.

But with the crowd of photographers surrounding his every move and the security needed to keep the star-struck fans at bay when he climbs into his car, Dempsey is hardly "just another driver." Only two other starters in the field -- IndyCar star Danica Patrick and NASCAR champ Jimmie Johnson -- drew crowds similar to Dempsey's autograph line on Saturday.

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MARTINSVILLE, VA - OCTOBER 18: Justin Skinner, driver of the #03 Germain Toyota Toyota, poses on tack prior to the start of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway on October 18, 2008 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Justin Skinner

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MARTINSVILLE, VA - OCTOBER 18: Mike Skinner (L), driver of the #5 Toyota Tundra Toyota, poses with son, Justin Skinner (R), driver of the #03 Germain Toyota Toyota, on the track prior to the start of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway on October 18, 2008 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Mike Skinner;Justin Skinner

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MARTINSVILLE, VA - OCTOBER 18: Johnny Benson, driver of the #23 Toyota Tundra Toyota, celebrates winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway on October 18, 2008 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Johnny Benson

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MARTINSVILLE, VA - OCTOBER 18: Johnny Benson, driver of the #23 Toyota Tundra Toyota, leads the field on the final restart during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway on October 18, 2008 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Johnny Benson

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MARTINSVILLE, VA - OCTOBER 18: Johnny Benson, driver of the #23 Toyota Tundra Toyota, makes a pit stop during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway on October 18, 2008 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Johnny Benson

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L Carriers Chevrolet, during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway on October 18, 2008 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ron Hornaday Jr.;Johnny Benson;Kevin Harvick

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MARTINSVILLE, VA - OCTOBER 18: Johnny Benson, driver of the #23 Toyota Tundra Toyota, crosses the finish line to win the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway on October 18, 2008 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Johnny Benson

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MARTINSVILLE, VA - OCTOBER 18: Johnny Benson, driver of the #23 Toyota Tundra Toyota, celebrates after winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway on October 18, 2008 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Johnny Benson

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Celebrity is hard to escape so Dempsey doesn't try. He puts it to good use instead.

This weekend his race car is trimmed in pink with signage advertising the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer -- a cause he is passionately supporting.

"I think fame in itself is quite empty unless you use it for something that's benefiting other people,'' said Dempsey. "Otherwise you are really wasting an opportunity that you have been given.

"I think it's a certain obligation that you have when you reach a certain level, that you need to start giving back and using that celebrity and that voice so that you are out there promoting and giving the energy to the right places.''

It is also very personal for Dempsey, who founded and help fund the Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope and Healing at the Central Maine Medical Center after his mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. He's intent on helping people and their families navigate the complex medical world that becomes a harsh new reality with each cancer diagnosis.

Dempsey may play a doctor on television, but he's truly intent on saving lives in real life.

The Dempsey Racing Challenge is rewarding the top fundraiser from Avon's nine two-day Walk for Cancer events around the country with a chance to meet him and be guests of his race team at next year's Rolex 24 at Daytona.

Million-dollar fundraiser Barbara Jo Kirschbaum, a 70-year-old Californian, sat next to Dempsey at a press conference before the race started on Saturday. She's done 100 long-distance walks -- the equivalent of 5,000 miles -- and raised $1,046,000 for breast cancer research.

"As a top fundraiser, believe me the prize was not what it is this year,'' said Kirschbaum, smiling and nodding toward Dempsey. "The motivation will be much different now.''

For all the good he is doing away from the track, Dempsey couldn't be more committed on track.

"When I first met him, I didn't even know who he was,'' said his co-driver Jep Thornton, explaining Dempsey's regular-guy demeanor. "He's been doing this for several seasons now and he's really worked his way up. I give him credit with the way he's gone about this. And every time he moved up a series, he's improved.''

In nine starts last season he recorded his first top-10 finish (ninth) in the Grand-Am Series production-based GT-class. His success and progress is impressive considering his day job as one of Hollywood's most-sought actors often interferes with the racing schedule.

He's expecting to run the entire 12-race 2009 season. "We are working on the insurance policy to make that happen,'' Dempsey said with a grin.

He isn't the first celebrity to compete in this historic Daytona event. Lorenzo Lamas and Craig T. Nelson have raced and the late Academy Award-winning actor Paul Newman won in class in 1995 -- at the age of 70.

Although Dempsey had his car in 13th place among the 29 GT entries when he ended his first driving stint Saturday, Thornton had an accident during his time behind the wheel later and the crew spent much of the evening making repairs.

"I felt good in the car, just trying to get a good pace,'' Dempsey said. "It certainly helps to get more experience like that. Every race you walk away learning a little more. I'm out here competing against guys who have been doing this for 20 years.''

"The goal is to really be taken seriously and go out there and prove myself,'' Dempsey said. "Every time I come to the track, I want to present myself professionally and earn my way through.

"I'm proud to be a part of this series. I want to win a race. I want to win a championship. ... and we'll get there.''

And a lot of people will be cheering him along the way.

For more information about the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer or the Dempsey Racing Challenge, visit www.avonwalk.org.

Patrick Dempsey, aka 'Dr. McDreamy', Uses His Name for Good Cause originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sat, 24 Jan 2009 21:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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