Open Letter from INDYCAR to NASCAR

Posted on March 25, 2013 by Brett Musick

Dear NASCAR,

We’ve been watching your races over the last year and a half or so and, while exciting, your “Boys Have At It” mentality to let drivers settle their personal vendettas and scores is starting to push the envelope into the ‘danger zone’.

To begin 2013 you had a car impact the catch fence on the grandstands side of Daytona International Speedway injuring fans who paid their hard earned money to sit in those seats for an enjoyable afternoon of racing and, instead, found themselves in an ambulance on its way to a local hospital. This crash was all caused by a block thrown by Regan Smith because he did not want to give up the position coming down to the finish. First of all, we can’t remember the last time somebody was penalized for blocking in a NASCAR race. The blocking issue will resurface later, but the inherent problem with your racing on circuits like Daytona and Talladega is the ridiculous pack racing that ensues on these tracks. The fans may crave and scream for it but, eventually, they will pay dearly for it.

The race at Bristol opened a new can of worms when Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano took their Twitter feud to a new level when Hamlin nudged Logano into the wall which resulted in subsequent threats of “He’s got it coming” etc. This past weekend’s race that ended in carnage, bleeped out post-race interviews, and a hospitalized driver is a prime example of how you are losing control of your sport’s atheletes.

Race car drivers are passionate, emotional creatures that desperately want to win. Especially in these times where sponsorship dollars seem to grow fewer and fewer, the pressure on drivers to win races and championships is ten fold of what it was a decade ago and, therefore, any fellow competitor who interferes in the pursuit of that goal will be the subject of at least verbal jabs if not worse. What we are seeing is a complete lack of professionalism and respect on the drivers’ part and a lack of discipline from the sanctioning body of your sport and it must stop immediately. Although there will be differences of opinion and words between drivers periodically, the racetrack is NOT the time or the place to settle any sort of score. The drivers must respect each other on the track and, if they do not, the management of NASCAR must take swift and decisive action to discipline any driver that steps outside the bounds of what is acceptable behavior with fines, points deductions, vacation of wins, or suspensions if necessary.

In 2011, we had our own version of ‘Boys Have At It’ where poor choices by our series management allowed drivers to take matters into their own hands when it came to settling on-track melees because there was no clear line of what was acceptable behavior. We paid for the shortsightedness of everyone involved in our sport with our dearest blood when one of our biggest stars lost his life in a race filled with insane pack racing absent of mutual respect between the competitors causing a 12 car crash.

The insanity of the ‘Boys Have At It’ must stop. You may think it great for the sport as it allows the drivers to “show their character” but showing their character with 3,500 pound racecar circulating a two mile racetrack at 200 mph speeds will come back to haunt you in the deepest, most painful way possible if you do not change the culture.

Change it now before you endure the heartbreak that we did.

Sincerely,

INDYCAR

Roger Penske Throws A Life Preserver

Posted on February 10, 2013 by Brett Musick

Roger-Penske Roger Penske, fresh off his first top level NASCAR championship, never ceases to throw curveballs into the world of Auto Racing. Penske’s IZOD IndyCar Series operation, appearing hell bent on trimming from three cars to two, never ceases to provide out-of-the-blue and surprising news. Team Penske came to realize that finding sponsorship to run three cars in 2013 was, quite possibly, and insurmountable task and subsequently released Ryan Briscoe to pursue other options after retaining three time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves and perennial championship runner-up Will Power to contest the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series title. Breaking news last week changed all that.

Penske Racing announced last week that the team’s former NASCAR driver, AJ Allmendinger, would don a Penske Racing firesuit on February 19th to test one of Team Penske’s DW12 IndyCars at Sebring International Raceway. Allmendinger’s test will be overseen by Penske Racing crew members as well as full-time drivers Power and Castroneves, with the end goal to grid Allmendinger in April at Barber Motorsports Park and Long Beach. The Indianapolis 500 is also on the radar.

Recent history will regard AJ Allmendinger as a NASCAR driver, however, the native of Thornton, Colorado etched his name into the minds of team owners in the Champ Car World Series from 2004-2006. He was forded the opportunity to drive as teammate to Paul Tracy at Forsythe Racing and really made his mark on the series wining four races and capturing fourth in the final points standings and becoming a regular thorn in the side of four-time champion Sebastien Bourdais.

Allmendinger was given the opportunity to join the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2007 as a member of the new Team RedBull operation as teammate to Brian Vickers but his full-time participation only lasted the 2007 season as he was relegated to part-time status in 2008 before moving to Richard Petty Motorsports from 2009-2011. Allmendinger struck gold with the opportunity of a lifetime when Penske Racing signed him to drive for the team with sponsorship from Shell Pennzoil. The season started difficultly as team and driver worked to find the same page on setups and just when it seemed they were making some headway, Allmendinger took the proverbial .44 Magnum and shot his career in the foot. Suffering from the strain of the season, Allmendinger accepted a pill of Adderall from an acquaintance. The following race weekend at Kentucky Speedway, Allmendinger was summoned for a random drug screening as per the NASCAR rule book. Allmendinger tested positive for Amphetamines leading directly to his release from his Penske Racing contract as he completed the ‘Road to Recovery’ program and was reinstated.

AJ Allmendinger’s career looks to be headed full circle as he hopes to join the IZOD IndyCar Series in a part-time basis in 2013 eying a full-time drive for The Captain in 2014. Roger Penske runs an organization built on loyalty and family with ‘once part of the organization, always part of the organization’ as its mantra. Allmendinger handled his return from his drug suspension with the upmost professionalism which is just the kind of character Roger Penske desires and demands from all members of the Penske brand. While at the unfortunate expense of Ryan Briscoe, Allmendinger’s opportunity to join auto racing’s most successful team is a fortunate happenstance for INDYCAR as it could put an American driver at the forefront of the IZOD IndyCar Series grid which is never a bad thing when trying to build momentum and exposure.

2013 IZOD IndyCar Series Primer

Posted on February 7, 2013 by Brett Musick

As teams begin testing for the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series season, it is time to get moving on some of the things to watch for as we move into February where testing will be ramping up. The 2012 season for INDYCAR was a great success with closer and safer competition, solutions to keep oval track races that eliminate the insanity but still manage to bring you to the edge of your seat, and an Indianapolis 500 that could possibly be enshrined as the best in the 101 year history of the event. But, 2013 is a new season with a lot of new and a lot of remaining the same. Looking to the new season, here are some ‘hot buttons’ to watch for as another run for the Astor Cup and the Borg Warner trophy begin once again.

AND THEN THERE WERE TWO…

The experiment bringing Lotus to INDYCAR as an engine manufacturer lasted only one season as Lotus and INDYCAR negotiated an exit for the European engine marque leaving Honda and Chevrolet with the responsibility to power the grid for the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Indianapolis 500. The 2012 season saw some of the most intense engine competition in motorsports history. So intense, in fact, that it got entangled in legal litigation and threatening lawsuits between series officials and engine manufacturers.

Chevrolet may have won the manufacturers and overall championships, but there is unfinished business as Target Chip Ganassi Racing cars won the Indianapolis 500 as well as the revival of the Grand Prix of Detroit for which Chevrolet is largely responsible. Chevrolet was caught a bit off guard by Honda’s newest generation engines debut for the Indianapolis 500 and were vastly out dueled on race day. Chevrolet will look to repeat its success on the road and street courses while improving their overall large oval performance.

Honda, conversely, would undoubtedly regard 2012 as a mis-step in their storied history in auto racing and would probably admit that Chevrolet brought the battle and perhaps underestimated the Chevrolet commitment and resolve in their first year return. The previously mentioned legal battle took place because Honda was allowed to change their turbo cover to equalize to the Chevrolet on the road courses. Honda will look to develop their engine to chase down Chevrolet on the road and street courses whilst keeping their advantage on the ovals.

DE SILVESTRO GETS HER OPPORTUNITY AS KV RACING REBOOTS

The casualty in the Lotus debacle was that Simona de Silvestro spent the entire 2012 season handcuffed by a massive horsepower deficiency that saw her parked early at the Indianapolis 500 due to insufficient pace. For 2013, de Silvestro and sponsor Nuclear Clean Air Energy move to KV Racing to partner with veteran Tony Kanaan. For the first time in de Silvestro’s IndyCar career she will have an opportunity with a proven winning team and a Chevrolet powerplant to allow her to push her limits higher and, hopefully, turn faster laps. Also of note, de Silvestro will have a teammate for the first time in her career and couldn’t have chosen a better partner than Tony Kanaan. This team, KV Racing Technology, has a real opportunity to contend for the front of the grid this upcoming season.

RAHALS UNITE

Graham Rahal must have thought he had the opportunity of a lifetime when he signed on to drive for Chip Ganassi Racing’s satellite operation in late-2010 but the marriage between Ganassi’s outfit and Rahal was never a stable relationship resulting in Graham Rahal’s release from the team for 2013. What resulted was a perfect opportunity for Graham to take his sponosorship and team up with his dad at Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Finally, the Rahals unite with Honda power and look to threaten the top of the grid consistently.

PENSKE TRIMS THEIR GRID

The years of a full-time three car Team Penske juggernaut appear to be at an end. Although unconfirmed, it appears that Team Penske moves forward in 2013 with two cars piloted by perennial championship runner-up Will Power and three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves while Champ Car and NASCAR veteran A.J. Allmendinger looks to join the team starting at Barber Motorsports Park as well as Long Beach and the Indianapolis 500. While at the expense of Ryan Briscoe, trimming the team could bring a less-is-more situation where Team Penske can focus on fielding two competitive cars and beating Dario Franchitti and Target Chip Ganassi to the elusive fourth Indianapolis 500 victory.

GANASSI LOOKS FOR A REBOUND

The four years between 2008 and 2011 could only be described as domination by Target Chip Ganassi Racing encompassing four consecutive championships and two Indianapolis 500 victories. 2012 was a little different as Dario Franchitti had difficulty getting a handle on the DW12 while Scott Dixon suffered some tough luck at points in the season and both drivers entered the season finale at Auto Club Speedway unable to contend for the championship, a situation not seen since 2005. Chip Ganassi’s team managed to bring home just three wins in 2012, but they did get the most important win at the Indianapolis 500 but all involved would certainly chalk the season as an overall disappointment and they will look to rebound in 2013. No one in the paddock believes the three cars from Chip Ganassi Racing will suffer consecutive difficult seasons and nor should we. Chip Ganassi Racing will, undoubtedly, be there until the end in 2013.

HUNTER-REAY, ANDRETTI LOOK TO BUILD ON AMAZING 2012

Anybody remember in 2011 when Andretti Autosport spent the month of May at Indianapolis searching like detectives for enough speed to make the show much less contend on race day? Fast forward to 2012, and my how they turned things around as they, along with Team Penske, held down the first two rows at Indianapolis and Hunter-Reay outdueled Will Power for the championship. Even with their rapid turnaround, Andretti Autosport will look to put all three cars in Victory Lane and near the top in the points standings.

RACE CONTROL

The best hire in sports in 2012 was the installment of Beaux Barfield in INDYCAR Race Control replacing Brian Barnhart. Barfield’s rules package simplified previously ambiguous and judgement-call rules such as blocking and avoidable contact by providing concrete lines in the rules that drivers could not cross. Barfield made, perhaps, the gutsiest call in sports when he red flagged the season finale at Auto Club Speedway with five laps to facilitating a finish under the green flag. For 2013, Barfield has further modified the rules to make the series easier to follow and instituted the possibility of standing starts on the double header weekends at Detroit, Toronto, and Houston. Barfield will be looked to to maintain his resolve from 2012 and police the series’ drivers accordingly.

NEW LEADERSHIP

The final hot button for 2013 is regarding new leadership at the top of INDYCAR. Regardless of where you fall on Randy Bernard resignation debate, the fact of the matter is that Jeff Belskus is now the CEO of INDYCAR and the IZOD IndyCar Series. Bernard’s departure was not handle correctly. In fact, it was downright ugly how the Indianaplis Motor Speedway Corporation proceeded with the leadership change. Belskus may be the CEO, however, Bernard’s fingerprints will be all over this season of INDYCAR Racing with the schedule and the movie ‘Turbo’ coming out later this summer, which, if handled correctly, could be a huge boost for the INDYCAR brand. Belskus has been given the foundation to have a great season of competition and only needs to facilitate what Randy Bernard has left right in front of him. What is desperately needed in INDYCAR is a liaison from the governing body of INDYCAR to its drivers and team owners. The driver liaison has been, at least partially, fulfilled as Barfield has good relationship with the series’ drivers, but Belskus must institute a bridge between his office at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the team owners in the Paddock every weekend if history will record him as a successful leader.

The 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series Season At-A-Glance

Posted on October 22, 2012 by Brett Musick

The 2011 season closed with tragedy and questions instead of excitement and anticipation. The death of Dan Wheldon cast a dark cloud over INDYCAR as they moved toward a new car and engine formula and safety going forward was going to be of paramount importance. The show, as always, must go on and the drivers, once again, prepared for their season-long campaigns for the Astor Cup signifying him or her the champion.

The 2012 season was always going to be of great importance to the future of open wheel racing in North America due to the debut of the new car and engine formula instituted to create closer competition, faster laps, and more excitement. We will delve into the particulars of the DW12 IndyCar’s performance in a different article very soon, but it is time to look at the IZOD IndyCar Series 2012 season in generalities.

SEGMENT 1: ST. PETERSBURG – SAO PAULO

The 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series season began in St. Petersburg in an emotional weekend battle on the grounds that Dan Wheldon called his home in the United States. This was the important debut of the DW12 in competition as well as Chevrolet and Lotus engine package. With exception to a few electrical gremlins the race came off as an incredible show capped by Helio Castroneves returning to victory lane, but not until after celebrating with a fence climb on Dan Wheldon Way to cap the weekend’s festivities.

A street course is one thing with its own quirks and drama, but the first real test for the IZOD IndyCar Series came at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama. Originally built for motorcycle racing, Barber is notorious for follow-the-leader parades with periodic ill-advised attempts at advancement often resulting in torn up equipment and hot tempers, but 2012 was a completely different story. The DW12′s competitive ability coupled with new blocking rules resulted in the best race at the track in IndyCar history with Will Power coming from 9th starting position to win the race.

In the weeks following the race at Barber, Chevrolet found an issue with their engine that required all Chevrolet powered teams to change engines and suffer 10-position grid penalties making Pole Winner Ryan Briscoe start 11th in the race. Teammate Will Power started 12th and raced his way through the field to record his second straight win of 2012. Power would revisit Victory Lane in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

SEGMENT 2: THE OVALS (INDANAPOLIS 500 – IOWA CORN INDY)

When the IZOD IndyCar Series returned from Brazil, it was off to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Series’ Crown Jewel, the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race. IndyCar fans had been treated to some of the best road and street course racing ever seen in the IZOD IndyCar Series, but concerns mounted in testing about the car’s performance on ovals. We’ll get to the particulars of the car’s oval gremlins in a later post, but, in short, the technical department of INDYCAR developed a new wing package for the Speedway and Auto Club Speedway to correct imbalance in the car. They hit this package right on the spot resulting in, possibly, the best Indianapolis 500 in history.

After a street race in Detroit, IndyCar teams loaded into the most feared race of the season at Texas Motor Speedway. When the 2012 IndyCar calendar was released, nearly everyone was pointing at this race as the event with the most apprehension from drivers. In the wake of the death of Dan Wheldon, IndyCar drivers expressed their distaste for the ludicrous pack racing on high banked oval tracks that was a prime contributing factor to the crash that claimed Wheldon. Testing at the track revealed that the DW12 was capable of producing this type of racing that the drivers would no longer tolerate or participate. IndyCar’s technical department developed a package with minimal downforce in order to put the driver back into the equation and it worked.

Short tracks at the resurrected Milwaukee Mile and Iowa Speedway rounded out the early summer oval schedule highlighted by the Iowa Corn Indy 250 all the exciting IndyCar racing that we have all come to know and love.

The streets of Toronto marked return to road and street courses and would be followed by Edmonton, Mid-Ohio, Sonoma, and Baltimore. Toronto began this stretch with Hunter-Reay capturing his third consecutive win of the season soldifying his place as a top contender for the championship. Edmonton saw Helio Castroneves capture is elusive victory at the track while Dixon continued his dominance at Mid-Ohio.

The scope of the championship began to change in Sonoma which became a game changer on the first lap when third in points Helio Castroneves’ attempted pass on Scott Dixon on the first lap resulted in Dixon’s car turned around against traffic and a drive-through penalty for Team Penske’s Brazilian driver. The race commenced as normal with Will Power maintaining a healthy lead over teammate Ryan Briscoe until a late-race pit stop by Power followed by an untimely caution flag allowing Briscoe to take the lead. On the ensuing restart Ryan Hunter-Reay was spun by Alex Tagilani seemingly dashing the American’s title hopes. Roger Penske’s standard of ‘no team orders’ allowed Briscoe to capture the victory instead of surrendering the podium’s top step to championship contender Will Power.

The streets of Baltimore became the real game changer as the season raced toward its conclusion. IndyCar elected to remove a chicane on the main straightaway that hindered the entertainment factor of restarts during the 2011 race. It became very apparent that the chicane needed re-installation when the cars were dangerously leaving the track surface. Race day was the biggest wild card as mother nature presented herself as the wild card. In a huge gamble, Ryan Hunter-Reay, needing a win, remained out on the track on slick tires as ran began to fall on the course while Will Power, who dominated the race’s early stages, and other contenders ducked to pit road for rain tires. The track dried quickly and a coupled with a miscommunication from the Verizon Team Penske crew, Ryan Hunter-Reay found himself with a huge trackposition advantage over his championship rivals. The final restart was controversial as Hunter-Reay, running second to Power’s teammate Ryan Briscoe, jumped the Team Penske driver on the restart and set sail for the checkered flag capturing the race win setting up a two driver showdown in the season finale.

It all came down, as always, to the season finale for the championship. The 2012 IZOD IndyCar World Championships was contested at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California and was the first 500 mile race outside of Indianapolis in over a decade. This race was going to be a marathon that the two championship contenders, Hunter-Reay and Power, would have to navigate. Power entered the race with a 17 point lead on Hunter-Reay and by starting eliminated Scott Dixon and Helio Castroneves from title contention. INDYCAR selected a downforce level comparable to the one used in Texas making the cars very difficult to dial in comfortably. The scope of the championship changed drastically on lap 55.

Will Power with a 17-point championship lead only needed to keep Ryan Hunter-Reay in his sights all night to win the championship, but, inexplicably, attempted to get past the DHL/SunDrop car, lost control and hit the wall in between turns 1 and 2 mangling the Verizon sponsored machine and, seemingly, dashing Power’s hopes for the title for the third straight season. Team Penske would thrash together to repair the car and Power returned to the track allowing him to make up one position in the final running order. The battle was far from over as Hunter-Reay still had to finish sixth or better to win the title. Eventually Hunter-Reay would prevail to win the championship while Ed Carpenter won one of the most exciting and drama filled races in the sport’s history.

OVERALL GRADE: As a Series, IndyCar gets a solid B grade. In terms of the racing product, there was no other series worldwide that produced better racing week in and week out. The championship was, again, extremely close without any “Chase” or “Countdown” system which speaks volumes for the talent depth of the IndyCar Paddock. The new race officiating system, and Beaux Barfield in particular, created some intense competition and each race was officiated consistently and fairly. There was productive and respectful dialogue between drivers and the technical department that allowed for an acceptable downforce package for high speed ovals. Track product aside, IndyCar faltered in a few areas. The degradation of the track in Detroit was difficult to foresee but, with the race being on ABC, it goes down as a black eye for the sport. The entry of Chevrolet had great benefit to the competition level, but the Lotus engine never got up to speed and was parked swiftly at all oval races due to lack of acceptable pace. Randy Bernard posting on Twitter that people wanted him fired was also ill advised publicity for a sport that just ran one of its best Indianapolis 500 races in history.

LOOKING AHEAD: Looking to 2013, IndyCar is in a great position to move foreward. The first season with the DW12 was a resounding success and 2013 should have high expectations as the teams get more and more into developing the car and further unlocking its performance abilities. It can be expected that the 2013 season will be second to none in terms of excitement and competition, however, the biggest hurdle to jump is getting viewers on television to see the amazing motorsport product that IndyCar has to offer. Formula 1 will join IndyCar on NBC Sports Network starting in 2013 which could give a boost to the television ratings. 2013 will also have the storyline of Helio Castroneves and Dario Franchitti both going for their fourth Indianapolis 500 victory putting them right next to the names AJ Foyt, Al Unser, and Rick Mears. Everybody tune in starting in late March 2013 to see how the next chapter in IndyCar history is written!

A Vote For Randy Bernard

Posted on October 21, 2012 by Brett Musick

The years of open wheel racing from 1996-2007 can only be described as a period of all out war with no beneficiary! A little history to get us started. The year 1996 marked the inception of the Indy Racing League, an oval intensive open wheel racing series with the Indianapolis 500 as its centerpiece. Indianapolis Motor Speedway CEO, Tony George, had become discouraged by the manner the team owners of CART, or Championship Auto Racing Teams, were running their sport and elected to start a racing series with a sanctioning body to manage the overall operations of the sport. George went on to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on upgrades to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to facilitate the introduction of Formula to the facility as well as improve the NASCAR experience. The Formula 1 experiment would be deemed a failure after the after the 2005 event saw only six cars start the race due to the Michelin tire deemed unsafe so only cars with Bridgestone tires competed. Formula 1′s final race was contested contested in 2007.

In 2008, George brokered a deal with the Champ Car World Series where Champ Car teams willing to run in IndyCar for the 2008 season would be given Dallara Chassis, Honda engine leases, and Firestone tires with the costs absorbed by the sanctioning body of INDYCAR and IMS Corporation. Additionally, these “transition” teams from Champ Car would be partnered with veteran IndyCar Series teams to get them up to speed more quickly. The unification agreement, signed February 28, 2008, brought an end to over a decade of meaningless, petty, and detrimental hostility between the two series. Instead of bickering and name calling there became opportunity to rebuild and repair the damage done. By the end of the 2009 season, IMS Corporation became increasingly displeased with the dollar figures of debt George was amassing in his pursuit of keeping IndyCar afloat. The result was the removal of Tony George as IndyCar CEO.

To say that Tony George’s reign as IndyCar CEO was without merit or progress would be unfair as George did do a lot of good amongst the irreparable damage. George’s Indy Racing League became the dominant series in open wheel racing in the early 2000s resulting in the defection of the likes of Penske, Ganassi and Andretti and leading to unification under George’s IRL IndyCar Series. The unified series brought new and talented drivers to the IndyCar Paddock including championship contender Will Power and 2012 Texas winner Justin Wilson. The 2012 season marked the first time since 1995 open wheel racing had all the top drivers under one banner.

Entering the 2010 season, IMS Corporation turned to Randy Bernard, a businessman with a proven record of promotional and marketing success. The hitch, however, was that he had never attended an IndyCar race before being considered for the job in the waning months of 2009. Bernard took the Professional Bullriders Association from a no-name ‘what the heck is it’ brand to a top tier sport in the United States. Not unlike IndyCar racing, Professional Bullriders is, unlike the NFL or Major League Baseball, a niche sport that will appeal to certain specific demographics instead of broad societal appetites. Bernard also had the reputation of being a sound businessman in terms of operating on a budget giving the sport a viable, sustainable financial model. Bernard signed a five year contract to helm the IZOD IndyCar Series with 2012 his third full year in the series. Stating Bernard as amazing and without fault is as unfair as saying Tony George didn’t do any good. Bernard has had his pratfalls like anyone in a position of power.

In the wake of one of the best Indianapolis 500 Mile Races in the 101 year history of the Brickyard’s Memorial Day classic, there was indication that the war may return swiftly after four and a half years of peace. It was posted, by Bernard, on Twitter that several team owners had banded together to try to get him removed from his position as CEO of INDYCAR. The central issue circled around the cost of the new Dallara DW12 Chassis and its replacement parts and the owners desiring parts to cost 40% less they were being charged. As the 2012 season came to a close, Bernard revealed a compromise that he hoped would sit well with the owners, but it seems to have come to no avail…so far.

Tony George has resigned his position on the IMS Board and ventured on an endeavour to buy his beloved IndyCar Series back and oust Randy Bernard. Rumors are circling that George is unhappy with Bernard’s management of the series and desires more oval track races. The 2013 schedule contains only six oval races and thirteen road and street course races. Bernard’s schedule plan includes venues that are financially beneficial and progressive for the sport ushering multi-year contract agreements to build each event’s fan base. The facts are the facts, and the oval races, while exciting and offering IndyCar’s best on track product, are difficult to sell and put fans in the seats on race day on national television while street course races are capable of attracting 200,000 fans over the course of a weekend and are better financially for the long term success of INDYCAR. The ovals will come, but it will take a little time to build the popularity.

The IMS Board states that IndyCar Racing is NOT FOR SALE and that they will under no circumstances consider its availability on the open market. Randy Bernard is at the helm of INDYCAR and has given the brand its first positive momentum since 2008. It is more financially viable in 2013 than it was in 2009, but it still has a long way to go to get the ship fully righted and sailing in the right direction. Attendance at the tracks has improved, but the television ratings outside the Indianapolis 500 continue to struggle, but under Bernard’s guidance, INDYCAR has ushered in a new car, new stars, and exciting racing. Of all the racing series in action in 2012, INDYCAR has produced the best raw racing product of them all with the Indianapolis 500 the prime example on their biggest stage. The new car has shown to be tunable to given circuits and capable of eliminating the madness pack racing that claimed the life of Dan Wheldon. Bernard has employed and empowered Beaux Barfield to officiate the series closely and fairly in a manner that drivers and teams understand while the technical department works vigilantly with the drivers to grant them their wishes and honor their concerns. Most importantly, Bernard is the first in a long while to actually listen and get the pulse of the fan base and make changes accordingly to make the racing more exciting with double-file restarts, or moving lap cars out of the way inside 20 laps to go. Hopefully the Board stands their ground and keeps their word because Randy Bernard should, and needs, to see his contract through. All the bickering, name calling, and bad publicity needs to stop because it is just what IndyCar DOES NOT NEED in the wake of one of the best racing seasons run to date…in ANY series, I might add.

One Year Ago…

Posted on October 13, 2012 by Brett Musick

This is all that needs to be said…

A Brewing Dilemma for Roger Penske…

Posted on September 5, 2012 by Brett Musick

Roger Penske has an enviable dilemma on his hands as the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series season races toward its conclusion. The dilemma is what to do with his team for 2013. In 2012, Team Penske has won six of the fourteen completed races and captured Pole in eight. As of now, Will Power is the only driver confirmed in Team Penske stable for 2013 and Castroneves’ three Indianapolis 500 victories give him favorable odds he will, again, pilot the No. 3 entry for Team Penske next season. That begs the question of what is planned for the No. 2 car that was piloted to Victory Lane in Sonoma by Ryan Briscoe. As always, Penske has many options to cultivate.

BET ON BRISCOE

Of the impending free agent class, Briscoe is definitely in the top echelon of drivers available. Briscoe has proven pace and ability in the IZOD IndyCar Series evidenced by his win at Sonoma and the Pole at Indianapolis, but he has yet to recapture the magic of his 2009 run for the IndyCar championship. Since being a top contender in 2009, Briscoe has amassed only two wins and a handful of Poles so one has to wonder the reason why given that Briscoe competes for, arguably, IndyCar’s best team. The 2009 title run was bolstered by Briscoe being, essentially, the lead driver for Team Penske with Helio Castroneves fighting his tax evasion charges and Will Power only a temporary replacement in the No. 3 car. If Penske intends and has acquired sponsorship to remain at three full-season entries, he could find himself with few, if any, better options than the Australian he currently employs.

GO WITH GRAHAM

Chip Ganassi Racing announced in August that they would not be picking up the option on Graham Rahal, driver of the No. 38 Service Central Honda, thus allowing the Ohio native and his lucrative sponsorship partners to test the free agent market. It is unknown whether Rahal would be so loyal to Honda to put the phone down if Roger Penske, who runs Chevrolet, came calling. Rahal would fit the Penske fold nicely and he brings financial backing to boot. Roger Penske currently fields three cars for drivers north of 30 years old and Helio Castroneves will turn 38 before the flag drops on the Indianapolis 500 next May and is in the twilight of his IndyCar career. It seems as though Rahal has been in the IndyCar Paddock for forever, but he is only 23 years of age and gives any team a driver to build with for years to come.

SPEED WITH SEBASTIEN

It seems like ages ago that Sebastien Bourdais celebrated his fourth consecutive Champ Car World Series title. Handcuffed by a Lotus for the first four races, Bourdais made the best of his situation and managed to make an underpowered engine look competitive using his brilliant driving skill. Since being given the boost of a Chevrolet, Bourdais has looked to be getting closer and closer to the form that made him so dominant from 2004-2007. Bourdais’ team, Dragon Racing, faces a turbulent offseason as they look to try and return to a two-car team among shortage of Chevrolet engines, Jay Penske’s legal issues, and, like everyone else, sponsorship concerns. Katherine Legge currently has the multi-year TrueCar sponsorship that she and Bourdais are sharing, but a move from one Penske to another could be what Bourdais needs to contend once again.

RIDE WITH RUBENS

This one may seem out of deep left field, however, if Penske was to hire a driver based on credentials alone there are few resumes as decorated as that of Rubens Barrichello. Barrichello would enter the Team Penske fold with 19 years of Formula 1 experience, but just one season in the IZOD IndyCar Series. Barrichello would join a team that has unmatched winning history and amassed fifteen Indianapolis 500 victories. It sounds like just the opportunity Barrichello would relish as his motorsports career winds down. This option could be determined a long shot because Barrichello seems to be looking toward a team powered by Honda which is not a possibility for Penske.

TRIM TO TWO

The easiest economic option would be to run two cars instead of three. Currently, the only car in the Team Penske stable with full-season major sponsorship is the entry piloted by Will Power while the other two cars have seen revolving liveries and side pod sponsors. Since becoming a three car team in 2010, Team Penske has shown indications of being spread a little thin after losing sponsorship from Philip Morris USA. Other than Power’s Verizon sponsorship, the No. 2 and No. 3 have carried revolving liveries including Shell V-Power, IZOD, AAA, Hitachi, and Penske’s own Truck Rental brand. Surely these sponsorships could be consolidated into one car allowing the omission of Penske Truck Rental completely and putting more pennies in Penske’s pocket to spend on testing, spare parts, and other team competitive expenses allowing more focus dealing with two teams instead of three. It would also, assuming he remains interested in being a race strategist, put Roger Penske on the pit stall for either Castroneves or Power which could help consistency for one or both. Another angle on downsizing to two cars is that it may allow Roger Penske’s son, Jay, to acquire the second Chevrolet engine lease that he desires.

As always, the ball is 100% in Roger Penske’s court and nobody is sure what The Captain has planned. It depends very much on sponsorship and what is available and who can bring what to the table. Penske, undoubtedly, has his eye on rising young stars such as Josef Newgarden, Simon Pagenaud, and Simona de Silvestro but those drivers are contracted to their current teams for the foreseeable future. All three current Team Penske drivers have visited Victory Lane in 2012 with Helio Castroneves and Will Power capturing multiple race wins. With the results of the Baltimore Grand Prix bringing Ryan Hunter-Reay within 17 points of Will Power heading to the Season Finale, you have to wonder what will Roger do for 2013. Behind the wins and championship contention, it has been a bit of a difficult season for the Penske organization with AJ Allmendinger failing a drug test and if Team Penske sees another championship slip from their clutches for the fourth consecutive season, it can be expected that major changes to the fabric of the Penske organization will be forthcoming. Stay tuned because when Roger Penske makes a decision, the Earth usually rumbles.

Where Did The 2011 IndyCar Drivers Go?

Posted on August 7, 2012 by Brett Musick

With the lion share of the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series season in the books, one has to look back and wonder where did the 2011 drivers go? The 2011 campaign for the IndyCar championship was littered with finger pointing, on track melees, fat checks written for replacement parts, and a double-bird salute to race control courtesy of Will Power.

For the first time in a long while, the perception that drivers would get into on-track squabbles without feelings of frustration or ill will boiling over to the next event went out the window. There were definite times in 2011 where on track altercation storylines continued for weeks, months, and races at a time. The officials policing the competition side of the sport found themselves trying to officiate a racing series that was out of control. All this came to a head at Las Vegas Motor Speedway when 34 high downforce, high grip IndyCars took to the track for the IZOD IndyCar World Championships. The story of Vegas is, regrettably, tragic, famous, and became the culmination of everything that had occurred during the season and Race Control’s ambiguity regarding blocking rules, penalties, and acceptable driver behavior.

On Sunday August 5, 2012, IndyCar ran its second consecutive race devoid of caution flags featuring only minor contact between a couple of cars requiring replacement of front wings. In fact, Ryan Hunter-Reay’s engine failure was the only DNF of the race. Rewinding to 2011, it was difficult to make it through the start of the race without a full course caution being shown much less an entire race distance. Of the twenty-five drivers entered, only five of them were absent from Las Vegas entry list in October 2011. With exception of Sebastien Bourdais, Josef Newgarden, Simon Pagenaud, Rubens Barrichello, and Justin Wilson, all drivers in the starting lineup at Mid-Ohio were gridded for the World Championships. How is it that the same drivers can behave in such a drastically different manner?

The crash at the IZOD IndyCar World Championships sent shockwaves through the sport of not only INDYCAR, but auto racing itself. For the first time, INDYCAR was forced to, seriously, search inward and change the way their sport runs. Nobody was exempt from blame for the incident and everyone was subject to scrutiny and change.

Changes were already coming with the introduction of the DW12 chassis, a much safer car than the Vegas car it replaces and contains bodywork designed to inhibit the kind of on track altercations that cost Dan Wheldon his life. In 2012, the car has proven itself as a competitive, exciting machine with a wealth of options to assist in the prevention of incidents like the Las Vegas disaster. Danger can never be completely removed from the equation when it comes to motorsports, however, the DW12 could be a huge step in the right direction to making the racing safer. As a competitive piece of racing equipment, the DW12 has more than passed the test.

In the aftermath of Las Vegas, INDYCAR CEO Randy Bernard realized that a new race director was needed to restore the officiating balance in the IZOD IndyCar Series back in favor of Race Control instead of the drivers taking matters into their own hands because they had no idea what action would be taken in any situation. Penalties for on-track incidents were inconsistent and ambiguous causing drivers to place distrust in the people officiating their races. Brian Barnhart was removed from his position as Race Director and Bernard called upon Beaux Barfield to step in and restore order to the chaos that had ensued. Barfield’s credentials were solid coming from the American Le Mans Series and Barfield, first, instituted new blocking rules that allowed drivers to defend their line as long as they remained in the lane they selected. Grounds for avoidable contact penalties were simplified and remained consistent through the first parts of the schedule. Bernard hit a home run in hiring Barfield because he hired a man that the drivers could trust to make consistent, correct calls. Even when Barfield has erred, such as Scott Dixon’s penalty at Milwaukee, he has openly, on the record, admitted to his mistakes which gives him integrity in the Paddock. A seldom occurrence under the old leadership.

While the Vegas crash forced almost immediate change at the top of INDYCAR, the driver piece of the puzzle caused competitors in series to look inward at changes they needed to make. The words of Race Directors, CEOs, and Technical Directors in driver’s meetings only go so far. In the end, it is the drivers that pull the helmets over their head and strap into the 1,300 pound missiles that, while on the ground, hold distinction as some of the safest machines in the world. In the end, it is the drivers that must behave and respect each other at 200+ mph on race day. Dan Wheldon had touched everybody in the Paddock and called almost all of his competitors his friends. As we’ve maneuvered through INDYCAR competition in 2012, the drivers have found something that they had locked away for a while. Drivers removed it from the shelf, shook off the dust, and brought it back to the race track for the simple reason that “we have to do whatever is necessary to prevent a disaster like Vegas from occurring again”. Professionalism returned to INDYCAR racing and it hasn’t been good racing, but outstanding racing.

Wheldon’s death tore huge emotional gashes in the Paddock, media, and fan base. Some may never heal, but sometimes change only happens in the gravest, most tragic of circumstances.

R.I.P. DAN WHELDON

Danica Patrick and the 2013 Indianapolis 500

Posted on July 30, 2012 by Brett Musick

As Danica Patrick winds her way through her first full season of competition in NASCAR, the native of Roscoe, Illinois is mulling the possibility of running both the Coca Cola 600 as well as the Indianapolis 500 on Memorial Day weekend in 2013 thus marking a short lived return to IndyCar racing at the track where she gained notoriety and fame in 2005 when she became the first woman to lead the annual Memorial Day classic at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Patrick is slated to drive a full 36 race NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule next season which will be her priority in 2013. Patrick gained fans in bunches in 2005 but her last two runs at the Indianapolis 500 saw her burn some bridges with fans due to comments made essentially throwing Andretti Autosport under the bus. If Patrick elects to attempt the double-duty Sunday she has a long road ahead of her for a number of factors.

Who Will She Run For?

Undoubtedly, the entry for Patrick would be a partnership between Stewart Haas Racing and a current IZOD IndyCar Series team. Stewart Haas’ alliance with Chevrolet would indicate that Patrick would run an IndyCar powered by the Bowtie and with Chevrolet likely powering half of the field for the Indianapolis 500 in 2013 there will be multiple options for Patrick to choose. Patrick’s desire to have a competitive car will definitely play into her decision. Team Penske is the most obvious choice of the Chevrolet powered teams given their storied history at the Indianapolis 500, but an effort with Team Penske is unlikely. Team Penske will likely field entries for Will Power, Helio Castroneves, and probably a third car that might remain piloted by Ryan Briscoe. Roger Penske will be hesitant to field a fourth car for the danger of putting too many cooks in the kitchen as their focus for the 2013 race will be on Helio Castroneves as the Brazilian tries to beat Ganassi rival Dario Franchitti to the four-time winner club. So far in 2012, Andretti Autosport as shown renewed strength in the IndyCar Paddock with Hunter-Reay and Hinchcliffe in the top-5 in the points standings. Andretti could take on Patrick, but the tumultuous relationship between Patrick and her teammates during the last years of her full-time IndyCar career would be a deterrent given Andretti Autosport’s renewed mojo in 2012. Beyond Penske and Andretti, Patrick is left with KV Racing Technology, Panther/Dreyer & Reinbold, Ed Carpenter Racing, and Dragon Racing as Chevrolet possibilities. All of these teams probably don’t fit the bill that Patrick demands essential for the program to become a reality.

Sponsorship

In NASCAR, Danica Patrick is sponsored by internet conglomerate GoDaddy.com who also sponsors the Andretti family as well as James Hinchcliffe’s No. 27 Dallara. GoDaddy would probably move forward and sponsor Patrick in the Indianapolis 500, but will she be allowed to utilize GoDaddy as sponsor if she were to run for a team other than Andretti Autosport? If not, where would the sponsorship money come from?

DW12

The last time Danica Patrick competed at the Indianapolis 500 was in May of 2011. The car she competed with was a Dallara IR07 powered by a V8 Honda engine. In 2012, the IZOD IndyCar Series debut a new car, the DW12. The DW12 is a completely different animal than the car it replaces. The weight distribution is further to the rear of the car making it increasingly more difficult to drive around the four corners of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The car is very difficult to dial in and even the best drivers in IndyCar have found difficulty getting a handle on it. The DW12 is powered by turbocharged 4-cylindar engines and utilizes and hand clutch instead of a normal foot clutch. The hand clutch has been a serious adjustment for drivers this season. Patrick would hit the track more than a year behind her competition in a car that, admittedly, is tough to master.

Scheduling

The schedule for the Indianapolis 500 has been scaled back dramatically in recent years for financial reasons and track time is at a premium especially with the unpredictable weather conditions in Indianapolis in May that has a knack for cutting practice days short and washing them out completely in some cases. Qualifying for the Indianapolis 500 takes place on the weekend of the Spring All-Star Race in Charlotte, an event that Danica would certainly be voted in by the NASCAR fan base. Patrick would need to try and qualify the IndyCar on Saturday before the All-Star Race or the next day where she would start no better than 22nd in the race. Balancing her NASCAR commitments and the large amount of work that it will take to make an Indy 500 program a reality.

The big question for IndyCar in 2012 other than how to make the racing safer was how would the sport fare without their biggest name? IndyCar has responded with some of the best racing across all Motorsport in 2012 and found new starpower in James Hinchcliffe and Rubens Barrichello. For Danica Patrick, contrary to what many predicted, the sport of IndyCar has moved on with very little hiccup. New cars, races, and stars have assisted IndyCar into its new, post-Danicamania, era. Patrick decided that her brand would benefit from a career in NASCAR and that is where it should remain.

Three Races In The Gloves Have Come Off!

Posted on April 20, 2012 by Brett Musick

It only took three races for things to get a little bit ugly. So far, Chevrolet drivers have wiped the pavement with Team Honda and Team Lotus with three races complete. The three-car juggernaut of Team Penske has used their Chevrolet power to open the season capturing three wins and three poles leaving Honda and Lotus frustrated. The result is what has started to be called “Turbogate”.

The issue for Honda stems from a noticeable turbo lag from their single turbo V6. Put simply, the turbo takes a split second longer than the Chevrolet coming off of the corners and slow corners in particular. During manufacturer meetings late in 2010, the three engine manufacturers agreed that if there was a noticeable deficiency from one manufacturer to another, then the manufacturer with the deficiency would be allowed to make changes to their platform to close the gap. Chevrolet has, without any doubt, established itself as the early dominant in the 2012 engine battle forcing Honda to bring a larger, more powerful, turbocharger to try and offset the Chevrolet advantage. Chevrolet protested and, for Long Beach, Honda was forced to revert back to their original spec. Chevrolet’s contention was that there was no written record of the manufacturer agreements from 2010, so there was no official record making Honda’s change in their spec legal within the IZOD IndyCar rule book. Chevrolet’s argument could be a little bit petty as they were at these meetings and agreed to the policy in the happenstance that their twin turbo powerplant was the one with the deficiency.

This has gone a step further this week as INDYCAR has approved Honda’s turbocharger change starting in Brazil leading Chevrolet to file a protest with the competitive and technical authorities of INDYCAR. The competitive tiff between the two manufacturers has gotten a little bit ugly because Chevrolet has said they may pursue legal action against Honda and INDYCAR. When is all said and done, Honda should, in the spirit of competition, be allowed to change their turbos to catch up to Chevrolet.

If Honda is behind Chevrolet by a couple of feet, Lotus trails by a Grand Canyon size chasm. Shortage of engine supply and lack of testing and track time have made for a frustrating spring for Team Lotus. Lotus has missed the first testing opportunity at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Lotus’ problems have escalated in recent weeks with Bryan Herta Autosport withdrawing from the Sao Paulo Indy 300 on April 29 and two teams, rumored to be BHA and Dragon Racing filing breach of contract papers and asking IndyCar’s permission to make a change in engine alliance. Lotus most certainly needs to step up their game and show its teams that they are committed to expending the resources necessary to close the gap to Honda and Chevrolet as quickly as possible. Brazil is probably too close, but Indianapolis is D-Day for a competitive product from Team Lotus.

Bottom line, here, is, through three 2012 races, the IZOD IndyCar Series is enjoying the best momentum seen in Open Wheel Racing since the 1996 split. The racing has been unbelievable with the DW12s ability to pass on these tight road and street circuits. Law suits and legal action would be direct detriment to this momentum and cannot continue. Instead of filing a lawsuit against INDYCAR, Chevrolet needs to let Honda upgrade their turbo in the spirit of competition they agreed to back in 2010. Chevrolet has, in this writer’s opinion, the deeper, more talented, driver lineup and certainly still has the edge over Honda even with an upgraded single turbo. As for Lotus, these teams knew what they were getting into signing an engine contract with Lotus. Instead of jumping ship and taking legal action against their engine supplier, these Lotus teams should do everything possible to help Lotus catch up to the competition.

Lawsuits and legal tiffs will not solve anything, rather, they would be a huge black-eye for the IZOD IndyCar Series…a series that needs to continue it’s upward climb to remain relevant and popular.

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