tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62302442445884075572011-10-08T07:52:09.363-04:00Open-wheel and sportscar racing opinion & analysis from an outspoken TrackForum.com personality.Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.comBlogger761100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-48309347517257746072011-06-06T15:39:00.003-04:002011-06-06T16:12:28.904-04:00

Feathers are flying on Twitter this afternoon as the link to this article is making the rounds. In short, the article quotes an unnamed team source questioning how J.R. Hildebrand went so many laps before crashing, speculating that the car was outfitted with a larger fuel tank.@GrahamRahal fired the first shot, saying "Now some of you may understand what I was saying the other night. Word is

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-66604278246940708992011-01-05T13:15:00.002-05:002011-01-31T16:36:14.630-05:00

The deadline for Firestone to extend it's agreement as official tire supplier to the Indycar Series beyond 2011 has come... and gone. In all likelihood they'll be back for 2012, but so far negotiations have gone flat.The question that should be getting some traction is this: does it really matter? Fans will enjoy the same level of racing regardless of which white letters appear on the sidewall,

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-87343717073024955352010-12-03T20:09:00.001-05:002011-01-31T16:30:15.089-05:00

It's always great to see a major sponsor come on board to help a struggling, underfunded hardscrabble outfit like Team Penske. Finally, the boys from PA can afford a can of corn to go with their bread and water.I'm not trying to give Penske a hard time... well, OK, I kinda am... but I think we all would have loved to see Pennzoil back on Panther's sidepod, where they found so much success in the

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-87614681131609941222010-11-19T18:11:00.003-05:002011-01-31T15:57:21.301-05:00

Confirming one of the worst-kept secrets in Indycar, Lotus will be joining the Indycar series as both an engine and aero kit manufacturer.Awesome. Just awesome. What else is there to add, really? Lotus has a grand history at the Brickyard, its crowning moment coming with Jim Clark winning the 1965 Indy 500 with the famed green-and-yellow car.The shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who watched

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-58663975193400168182010-11-13T19:22:00.001-05:002011-01-31T15:55:20.782-05:00

General Motors has now announced they are returning to Indycar competition with a 2.4L V6 engine. This confirms the info I received back in October.Welcome back, Chebby!

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-91234742133050793432010-10-30T21:44:00.001-04:002011-01-31T15:52:17.231-05:00

According to a few whispers, look for GM to officially announce the return of Chevy as an engine manufacturer in the next 7 to 10 days. Not a huge surprise, but still... Chevy at Indy makes all the sense in the world. It just feels right. Fingers crossed!

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-65898664222978502802010-09-20T23:34:00.003-04:002011-01-31T15:39:55.655-05:00

When the first Indycar Oval Championship is won by road-course specialist Dario Franchitti, could a Series Championship be far behind?I love the three separate Indycar Championship titles because it allows a lower-funded team to compete in a single discipline (like oval tracks) and have a chance at winning a title on a shoestring. But there's still the risk that one driver will sweep all three

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-58131500954596921812010-08-22T17:42:00.002-04:002011-01-31T15:34:41.704-05:00

When you think of Wineries with connections to Indycar, Andretti immediately springs to mind. But rough-and-tumble punch-throwing laptop-smashing Texan A.J. Foyt? News to me.The fledgling Foyt Family Wines is mainly run by the legend's grandson A.J. IV and quattro's uncle Larry. No specifics on where they get their grapes, but I suspect that since A.J. doesn't like to finish second to Andretti

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-76822629211241881172010-07-25T19:12:00.002-04:002011-01-31T15:31:29.101-05:00

As Simona De Silvestro takes seventh in qualifying at Edmonton, Milka Duno gets a finger-wagging rebuke from the league.The cynical take: The series *needs* a female driver, preferably a good one. Prior to 2010, Milka Duno was the "backup gal" in case Danica bolted for NASCAR. Now that Simona looks like a solid female competitor who's here to stay, Milka is yesterday's fish wrapped in

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-40579668024223748122010-07-14T18:17:00.002-04:002011-01-31T15:23:37.464-05:00

After much speculation -- probably too much, and most of it far too silly -- the Indycar movers 'n' shakers have announced the 2012 Indycar chassis "strategy".It's about time for a change. And bonus: it's not the Delta Wing.

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-48805650866410343862010-06-15T12:01:00.004-04:002010-06-15T12:15:29.729-04:00

It's a match made in heaven. A beautiful little slice of heaven, where a top American driver finds support from the American ethanol industry to race at the track where the corn is grown. It's the intersection of Americana and Rightness, a mid-season kismet for the Indycar world.Andretti Autosport has announced that Ryan Hunter Reay, winner of the Long Beach Grand Prix, will drive the

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-91892631673333824942010-05-27T10:37:00.008-04:002010-05-27T11:35:56.070-04:00

Still no sign of Kim at the Indy 500 yet, but she's weighing-in on Graham's P7 qualification result over at celebuzz.com:"225.6 mph!! WOW! That means we are starting 7th in the Indianapolis 500 (inside 3rd row) and I’m going to be there at the race next weekend to watch Graham win!"OK guys, quick show of hands -- and just the guys, we're not concerned about where the gals' hands are right now:

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-69033618200614874452010-05-26T14:32:00.003-04:002010-05-26T14:35:40.579-04:00

So much bluster about Bernie's announced 2012 F1 race in Austin, Texas, and so little actual information. SpeedTV is reporting that the "City of Austin and Austin Chamber of Commerce officials were unfamiliar with race organizers’ plans".Odd. Seems that you'd want to let these folks in on the secret if you actually wanted construction permits.With just a handful of Texas dollars know to be

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-61698920853139124742010-05-20T10:47:00.004-04:002010-05-20T11:31:30.547-04:00

Score one for Graham Rahal. Make that two, actually: he secured a fast ride for the Indy 500 and he landed sponsorship from Quick Trim and their sultry promoter, Kim Kardashian.Not that we're star struck or anything. I mean sure, she's got a mane of flowing onyx hair, curvy hips like Saharan sand dunes, eyes like a summer's tempest, and huge... hmmmm... wait, sorry, was I saying something?And

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-51126850195338546732010-05-17T11:14:00.006-04:002010-05-17T11:19:49.338-04:00

How's this for a classic "Window Over Terre Haute" satellite image? :)

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-18144864130121611122010-05-14T12:33:00.000-04:002010-05-14T12:34:37.613-04:00

Who's up for an evening Indycar race in Charlotte? I think it's time to return.With Indycar cowboy Randy Bernard's creation of a separate Oval Championship, there's reason to hope for a 50/50 split between oval tracks and road/street courses on the 2011 schedule. If we end up 1 or 2 ovals short of that, then I ask you all to close your eyes for a moment and remember those IRL races at Charlotte

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-605878559675980912010-04-21T10:28:00.002-04:002010-04-21T11:11:55.818-04:00

At this moment, www.trackforum.com is down.They warned us. They told us this was coming. They said that this update package was necessary and the time was very soon. It's for our own good.But 'fess up now: how many of you TF'ers are staring wide-eyed at the blank browser window, hands trembling just a little, that nervous vein on your neck standing out, wondering exactly how you are supposed

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-81282807671787993112010-04-20T09:41:00.006-04:002010-04-20T11:24:24.162-04:00

If you're a bit weary of the typical Indycar merch, like T-shirts, hats, and bum bags, then get a gander at this bit of bling from Team Stargate Worlds: a BRM watch themed for the Simona de Silvestro fan.It'll set you back a cool $6,995.00, but hey... they take Visa. Now if I was a 24-year-old fan, I'd only drop that kind of cash if it came with a smooch on the cheek from the driver herself, but

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-69046841561127178212010-04-12T13:11:00.003-04:002010-04-12T13:33:45.496-04:00

Another successful inaugural Indycar race is in the books, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that the usual game of "guess the attendance" -- where one blogger announces that there were 142,000 paid racefans in attendance while another says that there was only 46 including himself -- was completely unnecessary. The Birmingham News is reporting 53,555 in attendance, a very solid number."

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-82086629217907402702010-04-02T13:23:00.004-04:002010-04-02T13:29:17.714-04:00

Here's a proposed new oval speedway that's getting lots of buzz here in Central Ohio: the Cooper Park Complex. With it's easy access to the interstate and state-of-the-art facilities, wouldn't this be a great (if not downright wild) venue for Indy Lights?When the Columbus Clippers baseball team moved downtown into their tony new ballpark, it opened the door for the Cooper Park concept on the

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-87760839867880251012010-03-31T16:58:00.006-04:002010-03-31T17:22:10.103-04:00

There must be pixie dust in the air, because the Indycar world's in a good mood today.First Kevin Lee teased us all that a big announcement was in the air, saying "R Bernard said presser Monday and if what I hear is correct, its pretty big..." Apparently our new cowboy-turned-Indycar-Tzar is cooking with gas.Still-dormant Vision Racing tweeted, "Positive vibes from our #IZODIndyCar tweeps has

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-73601734994980137292010-03-30T09:45:00.008-04:002010-03-30T18:20:08.291-04:00

The more I see from new Indycar rookie sensation Simona de Silvestro, the more I like -- both on and off the track.Check out Simona's VBlog from St. Pete: Helio Castroneves' little sister, I say. She has the same natural charm and easy-going speaking manner. The way she says "crazy race", she's almost impossible to dislike.My favorite part is when she said (about the race in Sao Paulo), "I did

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-3742815622840790132009-12-23T18:07:00.003-05:002010-04-02T15:48:55.557-04:00

1965 Lotus IndycarThere's a buzz going around about Lotus expanding their racing exposure by getting involved in the Indycar series. Would they actually put their name on a Dallara? Or are they gearing up for a chassis bid for 2012?

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-40624402283433919452009-10-01T13:55:00.002-04:002010-04-02T14:04:54.992-04:00

Sad news today: the Penske-Saturn deal is off, and GM is killing the brand. Read more at CNN.I, for one, was excited about the possibility of keeping the fresh American brand alive. At one point, they were making the best domestic cars you could buy, but I think the decision to simply re-badge GMC vehicles killed Saturn's loyal following.

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-32627249867011072682009-07-13T17:45:00.002-04:002010-03-30T17:36:30.552-04:00

First off, I whole-heartedly support freezing track positions on a yellow. It's utterly essential for safety and good sportsmanship, laying rest to the preposterous practice of "racin' back to the line". Here's the way the rule should work. Upon a yellow, a "snapshot" of all field positions is taken, just it has for the past 5 seasons. If a car has committed to a pit stop at this point (i.e.

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-4824712078498144202009-07-08T11:26:00.001-04:002009-07-08T12:53:59.267-04:00

It ain't the Streets of Manhattan, but it's probably as close as the Indycar series is going to get: a blogger at The Baltimore Sun is reporting that Indycar may be heading to the streets of the Momument City.Will it happen? Eh, probably not, but we can add it to the list of events to talk about.

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-37434570804984540332009-06-24T17:36:00.003-04:002009-06-24T17:43:37.273-04:00

This is kinda cool: Fans at the Richmond SunTrust Indy Challenge race will be able to text their needs to the track staff.Medical emergencies are the obvious use. But how far will this go? "Bring me a beer"? "Neck massage please"? "Pleez telz the bald fatty in front of me to siddown soz I can raxor teh hawt blonde"?

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-52767381589181408102009-06-18T17:46:00.003-04:002009-06-18T17:51:40.121-04:00

As the Indycar worlds shifts it's focus to the waving cornstalks and flatulent cattle of Iowa (see, I knew I could get both stereotypes into the first sentance), Danica has made her big announcement:She's not deciding anything until after the 2009 Indycar season.You know, if I was her I'd do the same thing. Might be smart to see how those NASCAR tires do at the brickyard before your throw your

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-47237313227417401802009-06-16T14:32:00.002-04:002009-06-16T18:15:09.072-04:00

Before we get started... DANICAR. You like that? Back off, jackals, you heard it here first. It's Copyright 2009 Racemind Inc. (Or at least it would be if such a corporation existed.)Anyway, I just took a quick poll of a few very knowledgeable racing fans to get their take on the Danica-to-NASCAR media hyperventilation, and the results are unanimous: no way. Regardless of how you slice it,

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-61337700682834894582009-06-15T17:47:00.000-04:002009-06-15T17:44:31.513-04:00

Tomas Scheckter to NASCAR? Naw, not to my knowledge -- but if you're looking to start a rumor, here's how you can back it up:Scheckter is tweeting about how much he loves the new Palm Pre. The Pre, mind you has gotten lukewarm reviews, so why would Tomas like it so much?Recall Scheckter's post-race interview after at Kentucky in 2003, when he impetuously exclaimed that Sam Hornish, running the

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-43894486649909905052009-06-08T10:07:00.002-04:002009-06-08T11:35:43.194-04:00

As the auto industry makes room for another Sheriff in town, the media lets the speculation fly: What will Roger do next? What does this mean for future Saturn cars? How many ways will Roger Penske win?U.S. Today declares that Penske may strike gold. Of course, anyone that been paying attention to the Indy 500 the last 30 years won't be surprised.TradingMarkets.com breaks out the numbers: 350

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-44235234552151746292009-06-04T10:52:00.006-04:002009-06-04T11:53:02.849-04:00

Pair of Tickets: $74Track Beer: $9.50Danica Trinkets for the Kiddies: $29Indycar Series: Riceless.In a season full of good news about increased sponsorship, better TV coverage, and higher car counts, the most baffling question of all remains: Why is 2004 Indy 500 Champ Buddy Rice without a ride?Maybe Paul Tracy's hamburgers and hot dogs don't cut it for him either, and he's holding out for steak.

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-23242898635198538172009-05-27T23:27:00.005-04:002009-05-27T23:44:11.769-04:00

For those that missed this bizarre news cycle, let me sum it up for you:Robin Miller claimed that Tony George had been ousted from the position of CEO at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.The Indycar metasphere of posters and bloggers lit up like a roman candle.Two hours later, Tony George held a press conference and said the reports were incorrect and that he remained as the CEO. Sounds like the

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-74700065945820875422009-05-27T13:33:00.012-04:002009-05-27T14:20:12.609-04:00

Unbreaking News: For two hours today, the Indycar world burned with the news the Tony George was "ousted" by the IMS board, according to Robin Miller.Only it is not true.It appears that Robin Miller was given some information (the details of which are still unknown), and he interpreted it to mean that Tony George was ousted. How many times have we seen this already? Anyone remember Robin saying

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-84122461519813189272009-05-27T12:44:00.007-04:002009-05-27T13:29:45.978-04:00

Breaking News: According to speedtv.com, Tony George has been voted out as CEO of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He will remain as CEO of the Indycar Series.This will certainly be the "Topic of the Day" in the Indycar world. Trackforum is discussing it here, and check the blogroll on the right as the major bloggers weigh in.My primary concern at this point is the process for deciding on new

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-2498769420751055202009-05-27T10:25:00.001-04:002009-05-27T10:28:14.536-04:00

Pretty sharp! Nice work as always, aowzone.

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-43658594561296265482009-05-22T22:26:00.002-04:002009-05-22T22:31:12.206-04:00

Dan Wheldon tweets about the car's handling, while Sarah has her crew broadcast out tweets while she's driving. Tony Kanaan's been keeping us in stitches all month. Heck, even Danica's gotten into the act.For better or worse, this level in interconnectivity has been the story of the month.The old-guard media like Curt Cavin have seemingly moved effortlessly to twitter's handheld-based medium,

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-29754373589390959902009-05-21T22:05:00.009-04:002009-05-22T23:42:50.504-04:00

Well, the paint job anyway...Now *this* is nice livery. Vision went from having one of the poorest examples of sponsor placement to perhaps having the easiest sponsor logo to read at speed.

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-28827047615849550372009-05-21T18:07:00.006-04:002009-05-21T18:16:43.909-04:00

Tony Kanaan sent out this picture via twitter:Separated at birth? You decide.

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-46831868959232814852009-05-21T16:46:00.003-04:002009-05-21T18:22:56.538-04:00

MyNameIsIRL has a great photo of a currently-empty media center room for bloggers at the Speedway. Might have to get a pass next year and blog from the track.

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-19505639249414355892009-05-17T21:03:00.003-04:002009-05-17T23:58:01.706-04:00

In non-Indy news...TV wins some... and loses some. TNT cancels one of the sharpest shows on TV, Trust Me, while NBC renewed geek-chic Chuck for another season.

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-16222469307407843512009-05-17T18:56:00.003-04:002009-05-17T19:04:36.133-04:00

Dear Ryan Hunter-Reay,It's not you. It's me.Sincerely,Your Car

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-33481507138753089142009-05-12T10:49:00.009-04:002009-05-17T19:05:16.438-04:00

Yes, I know. I've committed Indy 500 heresy. Summon the ghost of Hulman and purify me with ethanol.But as we all sit around with no activity on the track on this gorgeous 70-degree Tuesday, we owe it to ourselves to ask: do we really need 20 days to run the Indy 500?Just take a look at the track schedule, which is empty for yesterday, today, and tomorrow. We have two days off next week too.

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-44588359802208416772009-05-10T23:15:00.005-04:002009-05-10T23:30:01.767-04:00

I agree with some twitterers that have interpreted Ryan Hunter-Reay's comments as suggesting that Ed Carpenter's car is getting a speed treatment that his isn't. But it's borne out by the evidence: Hunter-Reay, a solid oval driver last year with mid-quality Rahal equipment, was embarrassingly slow at Kansas and hasn't looked any better at Indy.And it seems like it's got to be more than

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-31129867051661541792009-05-08T23:26:00.003-04:002009-05-11T00:39:26.444-04:00

Tony Kanaan showed good team support by hanging out in the garage with his team while they thrashed his new car. Crew wrenches will tell you that they roll their eyes when drivers do this, but secretly nothing is more aloof than for a driver to disappear to his coach while the team stays up working of his car. The team sent him off to bed around 11:25pm.I have big concerns about Ryan

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-20526144906527106412009-05-07T01:38:00.004-04:002009-05-07T01:54:04.776-04:00

A possible sponsor for the #17 Rahal Letterman entry got a bottom-of-the-page mention over at Furious Wedge: DAFCA Software. Who no one has ever heard of -- unless you are a chiphead.Trying to connect the dots, I wandered over to www.dafca.com. It turns out that they produce post-silicon waffer validation systems, otherwise known as chip testing software. Now why would they want to be on the

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-86234393574403682532009-05-04T13:10:00.002-04:002009-05-04T13:20:43.019-04:00

Pressdog has filed an excellent interview with Bob Varsha. It's mostly about F1, but there's still plenty of interest for the Indycar fan.To followup my Conquest-Tagliani story yesterday: Curt Cavin is confirming via twitter that Tags is in with Conquest.Rubicon is announcing King Tut sponsorship for Tagliani's #34 machine via twitter.Follow these and all stories as they are happening at http://

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-39994333023990222652009-05-03T20:31:00.003-04:002009-05-03T21:06:10.317-04:00

Breaking News: After the today's post about Indy TBA's and Conquest Racing, I've received word now that Conquest will name Alex Tagliani for the Indy 500.After I speculated about Tomas Scheckter and Alex Tagliani, I was told "You are correct about one of those two, and it isn't Scheckter." Sly, huh?Nevertheless, this isn't a shock as Tagliani was the presumptive driver if Conquest answered the

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-55484499328184468642009-05-03T09:28:00.009-04:002009-05-03T15:07:58.204-04:00

The two Conquest Racing Indy 500 entries are still listed as TBA (driver To Be Announced), but there's some signs of activity.First, the team twitter (twitter.com/ConquestRacing) sent out a teaser pic of a black-and-yellow bit of body work with this caption: "Our car will have a new paint scheme for Indy. We can't show what the car will look like just yet but you can try and guess!"And guess I

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-20886858744197674182009-04-22T12:43:00.006-04:002009-04-22T13:15:59.263-04:00

Breaking News: The word this morning is that Buddy Rice is working with Rahal-Letterman on an Indy 500 reunion. This would put the 2004 Indy 500 Champion into one of the better TBA rides out there. What's not yet known is the financial end; Buddy brings some money but probably not enough for the month, and Rahal seems to be holding out for a fully-funded shoe.No word yet from Curt Cavin or

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-83390080150212291472009-04-22T12:24:00.002-04:002009-04-22T12:31:03.955-04:00

Yes, I've decided to give Twitter a try. You can find Racemind at http://twitter.com/racemind.

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-51402373707420024842009-04-17T12:26:00.003-04:002009-04-18T01:01:11.330-04:00

As the racing world awaits Helio's fate at the hands of the jury, I find myself imagining what Helio is going through today. To come from the top of the world as a back-to-back Indy 500 champion, winner of Dancing with the Stars, loved by his fans in several continents... now he sits with his head in his hands after an enormously complicated tax trial, helplessly waiting for 12 people to decide

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-50268188477343718932009-04-13T13:40:00.002-04:002009-04-14T17:46:02.542-04:00

Helio Castroneves' tax-evasion trial has gone to the jury. With deliberations underway, we have to wonder what a hung jury will mean -- will the government go through the effort of retrying the case?The IRS will have a tough time walking away from the case at this point, because it might open the door for others to attempt this tax-avoidance method. But re-trying a case like this has a low

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-9369382268098874082009-04-01T13:18:00.007-04:002009-04-14T17:46:12.005-04:00

There are so many questions left unanswered as this postseason winds down, perhaps the least of which is do Indycar fans use twitter?What at first appeared as a cutesy way for 12-year-old girls to tweet each other when Hannah Montana tried a new shade of cheek glitter has now turned into a interesting news tool. The interface is still a bit too Limited Too for my tastes, but it might be more than

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-13393656524678306602009-02-16T11:43:00.005-05:002009-04-01T15:37:22.436-04:00

I tried, I really did. With beer in hand and pork rinds on the arm of the barcalounger, I fired up the Daytona 500 in surround sound. Lots of fans, 43 cars, the beginning of the NASCAR season...Meh. I was asleep in 15 minutes. For a die-hard Indycar fan, it's like kissing your sister.If NASCAR didn't want us to nap during the race then why did they give us a COT?

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-43870882927063492932009-02-04T10:20:00.003-05:002009-02-04T10:25:30.863-05:00

Rubicon is now listing Buddy Rice as their driver for the 2009 Indycar Series season, and all indications are that this is a full-season deal. If everything holds up and Buddy takes the green flag at St. Petersburg, then this is a huge step forward for Rice, especially considering the economy.

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-12249236693764891442009-01-28T14:51:00.003-05:002009-01-28T17:35:12.557-05:00

I experienced the kindness of a stranger today -- a stranger driving a heavy-duty diesel snowplow.Like most of us living in the upper midwest, I've spent a good portion of yesterday and today with a snow shovel in hand. The snow is the heavy, crusty variety that requires lifting instead of just pushing to the edges of the driveway, the kind of shoveling that leaves one with sore muscles and a

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-55232562639610501552009-01-23T18:04:00.006-05:002009-01-24T23:44:35.224-05:00

In the wake of Roger Penske's hiring of Will Power as an insurance policy to cover trouble-laiden Helio Castroneves' driving responsibilities, fans of other available drivers are disappointed -- and in some cases, scratching their head.Certainly the Aussie-born Will Power is talented, as his wins in ChampCar demonstrate. It's not that. It's just that you got a couple of proven Indycar winners

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-54761812692689209822009-01-16T17:33:00.004-05:002009-01-16T17:37:55.176-05:00

Audi Sport’s head of engine technology Ulrich Baretzky has now confirmed the information I posted on the 11th, although they are targeting 2011 instead of 2010. You can read his statements over at racecar-engineering.com.It will be interesting to see if this initiative will come to fruition amid these tough economic times.

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-66105256239122072002009-01-11T15:20:00.009-05:002009-01-16T17:39:28.162-05:00

You heard it here first: The latest information from Germany is that Indycar officials met with Audi racing recently about supplying engines to the Indycar series.There were similar rumors last June about Audi's interest in the Indycar series. Waiting for supporting information about this one.UPDATE (1/13): I have info from another source now to corroborate the recent discussions between IMS and

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-35779938485073616602008-12-30T13:19:00.004-05:002008-12-30T13:25:40.381-05:00

Queue The Clash, it's time to ask the same question we did one year ago: Will Hornish stay or will he go? With Helio's legal problems making his availablity uncertain, there's been talk over at TrackForum of bringing Hornish back to Indycars.It makes some sense: If Helio is out, why put someone new in the seat when you have the 2006 Indy 500 Champion and 2006 Season Champion right there in the

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-69802663357702332472008-12-15T12:33:00.008-05:002008-12-30T13:29:26.293-05:00

When the economy goes sour and your racing series has exactly *one* supplier of something, folks start to worry. Especially when that something is the engine.Trackforum poster "TheDJ" from speedfreaks.tv posted their concern about Honda, based on comments made by Jay Howard:"OK guys, so I've been worried as Honda not only pulled from F1, but also AMA Superbikes... but then Joie Chitwood left the

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-44006098817006209722008-12-12T21:49:00.011-05:002009-01-16T17:39:12.759-05:00

The 2008 Indycar season was probably the most important season since the first IRL race back in 1996. Loaded with firsts -- first Long Beach GP, first win by a female, first win for Graham Rahal in his first race -- this season will always be remembered for The Merge of the Indycar Series and the CCWS series.My personal feelings are mixed. It was great to see Danica make headlines, although I'd

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-28297233248252163332008-05-22T10:18:00.005-04:002009-05-13T09:55:36.180-04:00

When TracksideOnline nails it, they nail it. An except of a recent email received via their (fantastic) subscription service, talking about the Firestone Indylights Series:"...there are 26 cars practicing for this year's Freedom 100 with JR Hildebrand the early leader in the session at 191.575 miles per hour. Not that it matters but the qualifying record for IMS in a Sprint Cup NASCAR stock car

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-88313990741746832792008-05-12T17:55:00.003-04:002008-05-12T17:59:38.907-04:00

Lots of Trackforum teeth-gnashing at Marty Roth for putting John Andretti in Jay Howard's car for the Indy 500 time trials next weekend, with the assumption that Marty sat Howard in favor of Andretti and a fat check. However, the fact is the team was struggling to find speed, and neither driver was able to post a time that was anywhere near good enough to get in the show -- and in just 3 laps

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-73308119831256831062008-05-09T23:08:00.003-04:002008-05-12T18:00:41.433-04:00

For those who haven't seen the video yet because you've been trapped under something heavy and this is apparently where you ended up after googling Danica and Pit Accident, here you go:Horrible accident, and I believe it's no one's fault. But as the TrackForum board lit up with page after page of support for Danica, anyone notice the double standard? We were ready to give Marty Roth a boot to

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-89638596125045198562008-05-05T12:00:00.004-04:002008-05-05T12:41:33.961-04:00

After the disastrous beginning to my TracksideOnline Fantasy season, I decided I needed a little edge heading into Kansas. I ran to my hope chest big steel army surplus locker and grabbed my WWRPD booklet.And I asked myself: "What Would Roger Penske Do?" The answer is obvious... he'd find a way to turn a limitation into an advantage through innovation.So I took a look at TSO's Fantasy web page,

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-77105704787283633232008-04-29T11:32:00.003-04:002008-04-29T12:57:02.421-04:00

Just heard some great news. I think.Everyone's favorite deadpan open-wheel blogger is bringing his instamatic back to the Brickyard for another month of May! The wittingly naive Englisher announced his return at -- where else? --Trackforum."Anyhoo...just finished wheelin' and dealin' with my boss. As I told you, he's a big fan, even though he's a Canadian from Canada somewhere."We sat down and

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-35311128812430599232008-04-28T20:41:00.003-04:002008-04-29T11:31:45.447-04:00

The story coming out of yesterday's Kansas Indy 300 was not Danica Patrick -- who retired early with a wheel mount problem -- but rather an ugly incident involving a member of Tomas Scheckter's pit crew, resulting in a helmet-smacking incident by a member of Scheckter's crew on another driver during competition.Trackforum has lit up about this one, with some indignant anger at Scheckter's crew,

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-16786162945222596112008-04-26T10:14:00.002-04:002008-12-10T05:54:02.534-05:00

What's that called, when you keep trying something and keep getting the same negative result, but you keep trying anyway? ("Insanity", my helpful wife shouts from across the room.)Last year my experience with the Tracksideonline.com Indycar Fantasy game lasted all of about a week: I signed up, set my lineup, then forgot to do it every week thereafter. But this year, oooohhhh yeah baby... 2008

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-40607673201887113192008-04-20T20:35:00.009-04:002008-04-20T22:11:53.336-04:00

We just witnessed the last CCWS Long Beach Grand Prix, or the first Indycar Long Beach Grand Prix -- whichever way you want to look at it -- and I have to say that IMS certainly took a bad situation and achieved a decent race. Some random thoughts:* I was very impressed to see 20 cars take the green. I figured that with only 9 drivers participating from the Indycar Series, it would be tough to

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-88934237812387312512008-04-20T17:30:00.009-04:002008-12-10T05:54:02.762-05:00

Today sportwriters around the globe will be heaping praise on Indycar driver Danica Patrick, and deservedly so. But I'm going to attempt the unpopular; to view this win as a victory for Danica and her team, not for her gender.Make no mistake, it's an amazing feat: the first victory by a woman in any major sport where women compete openly with men. It's never happened in the top levels of golf,

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-25206112636031414402008-04-19T15:32:00.003-04:002008-04-19T18:41:43.960-04:00

Due to track moisture, ESPN's broadcast of the Indycar Firestone 300 in Motegi (Japan) has been postponed. And it will air tonight. At 10pm. On ESPN Classic.Lemme see... hmmm... checking.... and, NOPE, I don't get ESPN Classic.Isn't this was what ESPN2 was supposed to be for: a channel one step below ESPN on the pecking order but still available on most cable systems which can handle a

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-29516853915078565642008-04-07T09:17:00.006-04:002008-04-08T18:36:46.687-04:00

Acute watchers of the yesterday's St. Petersburgh Grand Prix Indycar race may have noticed that race control seemed to be asking pole-sitter Tony Kanaan about his opinion of the rain-soaked track. Odd? I thought so too.It's not news that race control chief Brian Barnhardt communicates with the Indycar drivers on pace laps, but usually he's giving instructions to the front row as they approach

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-16077691672427859892008-03-31T23:13:00.004-04:002008-04-03T00:12:30.854-04:00

Last August I jotted down a few predictions for the 2008 Indycar season.2007 Prediction: "Several CCWS teams move up to Indycars."2008 Reality: Not since 2002 and the arrival of Ganassi, Penske, and Andretti-Green has the league seen so many CCWS teams, thanks to the beauty of CCWS/ICS unification. Of course, I didn't predict the unification itself, but hey, I'm happy to see open-wheel together

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230244244588407557.post-13214749324129158952008-03-30T00:02:00.008-04:002008-12-10T05:54:02.936-05:00

Greetings, blogophere!You've found the blogging home of Racemind, one of the hundreds of colorful personalities you'll find over at Indycar racing uber-mecca TrackForum.com. I've logged well over 4,000 entries at TF, but you know how it is with message boards; today's thoughtful and engaging discussion becomes tomorrow's page 7 birdcage liner.Enter the blog and it's essential goodies like

Racemindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348199004996455495noreply@blogger.com0