Around the Racing World

by Tammy

I'll be honest. The races I followed the most closely this weekend were the Oscars. But that didn't mean there's not some interesting news brewing in the racing world....

• In NASCAR: Kevin Harvick might have won at Phoenix, but Junior took second. Who's thinking Junior for the championship already?
• In sportscars: Level 5 (the team that won, but then was penalized off the podium, but then was reinstated for the win at the 24 Hours of Daytona) has pulled out of the United Sports Car Championship. The nice way to put it is they want to give the series time to establish itself. I can't help but wonder if they're still mad and/or realizing they're little fish in a big pond now.
• In Formula 1, can it be true? Might Red Bull NOT be the dominant force this year? I'll believe it when I see it....
• What? F1 wants to come back to Long Beach?! Bring it on!
• Finally, the news is the disturbing lack of news on Schumi. The void of silence on his condition has many of us thinking the worst. Make sure you're following Former F1 Doc Gary Hartstein for interesting analysis of what little information is coming out.

Any recent news I'm forgetting? Who's excited for Sebring??

Racing Year in Review

by Tammy

Simon and I are taking a blog hiatus for the end of the year (going dark for 2 weeks over the holidays), and when I return, it will be January 6, 2014. Leaving aside that I'm not prepared for the new year, at that point, we'll be less than two weeks to the 24 Hours of Daytona, the first race of the year and the first race of the TUSCC (the Tudor United Sports Car Championship). Big stuff.

So it's time to reflect on what I thought was significant about 2013. Chime in with your thoughts and anything I've missed....

• Daytona 24: I was embedded in a race team, and it was fabulous.
• Daytona 500: Danica on pole, which set a bar too high for her to meet the rest of the year. By the stats, I think she did well for a rookie, but of course, the Danica lovers or haters will believe what they believe, no matter what. We'll see if she improves in 2014.
• Long Beach Grand Prix: the introduction of Team Kate! And the start of the long good-bye to the American Le Mans Series (the merchandise trailer was absent from this race, for instance).
• Indy 500: Kanaan wins!
• Le Mans: the death of Allan Simonsen (which, as I noted in a blog post, eerily reflected a plot idea I'd hatched just the night before), the triumph of Audi. Leena Gade as a rock star.
• Baltimore GP: what a bus-wreck of accidents.
• IndyCar: A more contentious year between drivers and Race Control? The oval races were mostly uninteresting? Dario retires.
• Petit Le Mans: farewell to the ALMS. Hello to the Corvette Stingray. A great time had by all.
• Formula 1: a total snoozefest. I'm not sure I watched more than 10 laps of a single race.
• NASCAR: Jimmie wins 6. Danica receives hate mail. Smoke breaks a leg. 

What did I miss? What do you remember as being the most significant racing events of 2013? Overall a thumbs-up or thumbs-down?

Hey, while you're ending the year and prepping for 2014, make sure you're following me on Facebook and Twitter (@tkaehler and @katereilly28)!

Planning the Racing Year

by Tammy

When the leaves are off the trees (except here in Southern California). When the last racing champion has finally been crowned. When there's nothing on television on Sundays but football ... you know what time it is, right?

Time to plan what races you'll get to in 2014!

So let's talk. We've got NASCAR, IndyCar, and the new United Sports Car Championship. Oh, and don't forget the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The givens for me in 2014 are Long Beach and Le Mans. I'm considering at least a pre-race trip (is that a travesty?) to the 24 Hours of Daytona to double-check some last details for the next book and lay eyes on the new C7.R, so I'll add that one in.

Then there's talk about a trip to Indy to hook up with some of my new racing besties, Glass Hammer Racing ... and that's more likely to be the IndyCar road race, given the proximity of the 500 to Le Mans.

Then I start getting tempted by all kinds of other options ... Laguna Seca's just up the road (USCC May4) . We have family in the Detroit area (USCC May 30-31—wait, too close to Le Mans). Petit is always an E-ticket ride (USCC October 4). NASCAR's out here March 23 (nope, I'll be in Monterey at a mystery convention). IndyCar's out here August 30 (doable).

And that's not even considering Houston or Austin (family, friends, and a great mystery bookstore in the state) for any number of types of racing. That's not considering F1 at all. But I don't think it's the year for either the Indy500 or F1. Maybe 2015.

Because the big one is going to be Le Mans. June 14-15. Wahoo!

So here's my schedule so far:

• January 24-26, Daytona 24 (USCC
• April 11-13, Long Beach (USCC/IndyCar)
• ?May 10, Indianapolis? (IndyCar)
• June 14-15, Le Mans

And the rest, TBD. So tell me, what am I missing? Where are you going in 2014?

Boring, Impressive, and Surprising

by Tammy

The last week in racing was a little bit of everything.

In Formula 1, not content with wrapping up the championship with 3 (or was it 4?) races still to run, Vettel ground the rest of the field into so much dust under his tires, winning the USGP, making it his 12th win of the season and his 8th in a row.

Impressive? Absolutely. Boring? No doubt. As I've said before, I've got massive respect ... but I also had better things to do than watch the race. Again.

In NASCAR, Jimmie Johnson won his sixth championship in smooth style, finishing the final race of the year in 9th place, for a 20-some point margin in the championship. It was a nail-biter down to the end, though, given that he needed to finish 23rd or better to win, and given Matt Kenseth (2nd place) doing all he could. The commentators reported Jimmie having said he wanted 8 championships (the record of 7 is held by Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt) ... and no one who's watched him over the last decade would be surprised to see him achieve that.

Surprising? Nope. Impressive? Definitely. Boring? Depends on your point of view.

And in IndyCar, the news that took plenty by surprise, and dismayed many, many fans, was of Dario Franchitti's retirement from racing. The bottom line is that he got one-too-many concussions, and he hasn't been recovering as quickly as hoped from the last one. The medical opinion seems to be that any more such bell-ringers and he risks brain damage (Is this sounding familiar, Simon?), and he made the wise choice to stop. (It does make me wonder how many racecar drivers have chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the brain disease that the world of football is just beginning to recognize.)

Surprising? For sure. But rational and understandable.

Lastly, in the media, former NFL quarterback Donovan McNabb dredged up the years' old question of whether drivers are athletes. Jimmie wouldn't be drawn into the controversy, but Jeff Gordon had a great response (image).

Surprising? Yes. Boring? Completely. Aren't we past this by now? And seriously, even the notoriously unfit Tony Stewart could take most defensive linemen, am I right?

Best two Twitter hashtags of the week: #peoplewhoaremoreathleticthandonovan and #ThankYouDario.

Racing Dominance

by Tammy

Was it boring when Michael Schumacher was winning? Because I have to tell you, I'm finding Formula 1 so boring these days I can't even be bothered to DVR the races—I used to always DVR them and watch if the reports were of a good race, but "the exciting battle for 5th" doesn't count.

Partly, I assume, it's a matter of whether I like the driver or not. Take Jimmie Johnson. I tend to like him, so I'm glad to see him winning ... then again, it was less liking than awe and respect when he was steamrolling the competition to five consecutive championships. The last one and this year have been different, more clutch performances. Down to the wire.

But I just can't get excited about Vettel. Is it that he's cold, aloof, reserved? Is it that he's kind of a brat? I figure he's outgrown that by now, but I'm still not warming to him.

I think my problem is the combination of open-wheel cars, fragile cars, no refueling strategy, and then the dominance of one specific driver that means I just don't engage. If I'd been a lifelong viewer perhaps—then again, a friend of mine who's a lifelong viewer isn't watching the end of this season anyway.

I caught a tweet today where someone blamed Jimmie's dominance for NASCAR's viewer woes. But I don't think it's entirely on his shoulders. After all, he's not dominating this season, and someone else won last year. Plus, plenty of other racing series (hello, IndyCar) have seen declining viewership and attendance numbers, so I'd be more inclined to blame the economy and strange broadcast channels (who else misses SPEED?).

But I want to know what you think? Is it boring when a driver or team dominates a particular series? Or just when it's a driver you don't like?

And do you think Jimmie will take it this year?

Winter Blues

by Tammy

It's happened again, hasn't it? The days are growing shorter, the temperatures are falling ... and we're nearly out of racing for the year.

Dammit!

Grand-Am is over. The ALMS is down to one race of the year and of its life. NASCAR has only six races left, and F1 has only five. Sure, we've still got some good competition left (except for F1—ouch!), but I can smell it, can't you?

The dark weekend days of winter with nary a car race to be had. *sniff* That must mean it's time for Christmas shopping and plotting our fantasy race teams for 2014, right?

Here's what I want to know:

1. How are you going to make the most of the last few races of 2013? Viewing parties? Getting to any races?
   Me? I'm headed out to Petit Le Mans in a week and a half.
2. Who do you think will take a championship? (Any of them, pick one.)
   I'm tired of Vettel, who will undoubtedly win F1 again. And I'm thinking Corvette will take the last ALMS GT title (hooray!). NASCAR? I still think old five-time could make it a six-pack (that's Jimmie Johnson). 
3. What will you miss about this season?
   Hmm, I'm not sure there is anything. This year's been a little lame-duck in my sportscar racing series, and the anticipation is high for next year.

I didn't even get into all the driver-swapping and silly-season moves ... that'll have to be another blog.

Lucky 13

by Tammy

Jeff Gordon has to consider 13 is lucky number, at least in 2013. After all, on Friday the 13th, it was announced he was being added to NASCAR's Chase, as the 13th driver.

This caps a week of unprecedented statements and actions on NASCAR's part. First, of course, was the assessed penalties against Michael Waltrip Racing for interfering with the race result at Richmond, a move that dropped Martin Truex, Jr., out of the Chase and put Ryan Newman in.

No sooner had the dust settled on that announcement, mid-week, when petitions from fans (and others?) who thought NASCAR hadn't gone far enough by not addressing the situation that bumped Jeff Gordon from the Chase. The specifics there were that one of Penske's drivers, David Gilliland slowed way down and made an extra trip or two down pit lane, in order to bump another Penske driver, Joey Logano, up the order, thus gaining enough points to make the Chase ahead of Gordon.

NASCAR apparently believed this was done on purpose and didn't like it enough to add Gordon to the Chase, though they didn't remove Logano. In addition, over the weekend, the suits held a closed-door meeting with all drivers/teams, then brief the media on the details. The gist of it was that drivers and teams had better drive to win and not try to manipulate race or championship outcomes.

The response on Twitter was swift, at least from the media, with jokes about the 100% effort rule being applied to journalists, anthem singers, and so forth. One reporter noted the irony of a major sporting organization calling a meeting to tell its participants they should be trying hard to win at all times....

Which is true, if a bit exaggerated. I'm not sure if I agree with every decision NASCAR made, but I am glad they did something. Personally, I'm OK with team orders where you let your teammate pass you on the track, even if for position or a win, if he or she is right there behind you. I don't like it a lot, but I'm OK with that. Because at that point, it's only affecting you (well, and maybe the bettors), even if it's affecting the positions in the race or the points for the championship.

But affecting the whole field through a spin (Bowyer for Truex, Jr.) or dropping a couple laps in order to let your teammate catch up (Gilliland for Logano), to squeak the one or two points that gets him into the Chase? I'm not down with that either.

So what do you think? How far is too far for team orders? And were the punishment and outcomes NASCAR doled out fair?

(Photo from www.nascar.com.)

Feeling Lucky?

by Tammy

Luck plays an awfully big role in racing. Sure, you've got to have good equipment, a good team, and talent behind the wheel. None of that can be overstated. They're a given. But all of your preparation and talent can be doomed by being in the wrong place at the wrong time or the cards falling just wrong for you.

Take Jeff Gordon on Saturday night at Richmond. Seven laps to go, he's in the Chase—then Bowyer spins, everyone pits, the order is reshuffled, they restart ... and with three laps to go, Gordon's out of the Chase. Damn unlucky. (Though more than one fan and/or pundit contends Bowyer spun on purpose to help his teammate get into the Chase, which was the ultimate result.)

Think of sportscar races where the yellow flies and you might or might not gain or lose a lap depending on where the overall leader is and where the safety car comes out. Pure luck.

It comes down to gambling. Teams and drivers can be amazingly talented and prepared, but it's still a gamble to see if you'll make it through unaffected by the bad decisions, poor talent, or unpreparedness of others. (For that matter, every drive in our street cars is a gamble that we won't be wrecked by the others on the road.)

So here's my question: Looking at NASCAR, which tracks do you think require the most luck? The super-speedways where the pack is nose-to-tail most of the time? Or the short tracks, where they're in constant traffic?

I'm voting the short tracks, after watching Bristol (pictured) the other week. At least at the super-speedways, there's some space to try to avoid a wreck. At Bristol, and even Richmond (not that there were any big wrecks the other night), there's just nowhere to go.

One other note: I'm no gambler, and that's part of why I don't race. But I'm sure fascinated by what motivates those who do. You people are fascinating and more than a little bit crazy!

Photo from www.bristolmotorspeedway.com.

Wrap Them Up in Cotton Wool

by Tammy

Watching Twitter during a race has to be almost as fascinating as watching the race itself—especially if it's NASCAR, and especially when there are wrecks.

NASCAR was at Daytona last weekend, which means restrictor plate racing (which I still don't understand the fun of) and the possibility of "the big one" because the cars are all bunched together with only parking-lot spacing between them as they do something like 200 m.p.h. Saturday night for the Cup race, there were a number of "big ones"—including two on the last lap alone.

But it was the big one that collected (and bounced and shredded) Denny Hamlin's car that was probably the most scary, given that he's wrecked badly already this season and hurt his back. (He seems to be fine; certainly he got out of the car and walked to the ambulance on his own steam.)

Two points about that accident stood out to me:

1. It reminded me a lot of the kind of impact Dale Earnhardt had in his fatal wreck just a few hundred yards away, but with a dramatically different result. (Watch Hamlin's crash Saturday, and Earnhardt's crash in 2001.)
2. Twitter lit up with the information that where Hamlin crashed, there were no SAFER barriers installed. Lots of people were outraged over that fact, and I gather that there were probability studies done about where they were most needed at Daytona International Speedway, and not every location around the 2.5 mile oval made the cut.

Here's my basic question: how much should tracks and series and organizing bodies try to protect drivers from impact?

That's going to sound harsh, and of course I don't want anyone seriously hurt. But should Daytona have SAFER barriers on both sides of the track, all the way around? Should Le Mans tear out trees along Tetre Rouge and put in more spongy barriers so that someone like Allan Simonsen isn't killed running into it? Should IndyCar or F1 cars have kevlar bubbles over the cockpit so no one's hurt like Felipe Massa or killed like Dan Wheldon? At what level of racing should the safest-possible seat (or belts or helmet or whatever) be mandated, so more aren't killed as Jason Leffler was? 

Do we wrap them up in cotton wool, these racing drivers? Where do we draw the line of trying to make an inherently dangerous activity safe? I don't know the answer....

Watching Elephants

by Tammy

I had a bit of a sick day this weekend, so I'm reposting one of my favorite topics: NASCAR on a road course. Do you love them or leave them?

I’ve spent some time here the last couple weeks explaining how I find NASCAR on television kind of boring. That I don’t get ovals. That I much prefer sportscar racing. There’s one big caveat to this opinion of mine, one big BUT. There’s one aspect of NASCAR that I flat out love, and that’s road courses.

See, I think stock cars on a road course are one of the funniest sights in the world. Certainly it’s the funniest sight in racing, with the possible exception of the Anheuser-Busch Clydesdales in the pit lane at Sebring (but that’s another story). Stock cars aren’t built to maximize downforce or to corner well. They’re … well, I’m not sure exactly what they’re built for, but road course racing ain’t it.

They look like elephants running an obstacle course sized for gazelles. They lumber around, turning hard, braking hard—looking for all the world like the car’s center of gravity is up near the roof. And I do mean they’re wobbly. (Check that shot from Getty Images if you don’t believe me.)

Adding to the entertainment, the announcers cover the same inevitable points at the two road course races each season, with great excitement:

1. The drivers have to remember how to shift! On a road course, they’ll be doing so a couple-dozen times a lap, compared to a dozen times in total on some oval courses.
2. The drivers have to turn right and left! This gets them talking about road courses versus ovals, and which drivers are good and bad at the road courses. This leads to the last point …
3. We’ve got special guest stars in the field, some road course ringers! The “ringers” are the road course experts who make or have made a career in road course racing (whether sportscar or open-wheel) and who are typically brought in for a ride in a stock car for just the road course races to get a win for the team. If they don’t always win, there are inevitably three or four ringers in the top 10 at ever road course race.

This past weekend brought us some good elephant watching. First the NASCAR Nationwide Series (the minor league) raced at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, one of the most beautiful and historic road courses the U.S. has to offer. Ron Fellows, road course ringer and multiple-time ALMS and Le Mans champion for Corvette Racing, almost took the win in a weird, caution-filled finish. Then on Sunday, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (the majors) raced at Infineon Raceway (aka, Sears Point) in Sonoma, California. The winner of that race won by dominating most of the day, but the big story was of fraying nerves, tempers, and behavior. The late-race bumper-car action we saw should make for some interesting wars: of words during the coming week and fenders in the next race. 

All in all, a highly entertaining weekend of racing! But if NASCAR could do one thing for me, it would be to go racing at more than two road courses each year. I don’t think it’s likely, but I’ll keep hoping. Is anyone with me?

NASCAR's Early Days

by Tammy

I finally finished reading a book someone recommended a while back about the early days of NASCAR: Driving With the Devil: Southern Moonshine, Detroit Wheels, and the Birth of NASCAR, by Neal Thompson.

The back-of-the-book copy sums it up better than I could:
Part Disney, part Vegas, part Barnum & Bailey, NASCAR is also a multibillion-dollar business and a cultural phenomenon that transcends geography, class, and gender. But dark secrets lurk in NASCAR’s past.

The bottom line Thompson tell us is that revisionist history would have NASCAR springing from the genius of Jim France on the sands of Daytona Beach ... which is only partially true. France had the iron will and the foresight to see what NASCAR could become (though how could he have envisioned the megalith it is today?). But daredevil drivers pushing souped-up cars to the limit? That came from moonshiners seeking to outrace the authorities on their tails.

What I most enjoyed, and why I recommend the book, wasn't the story of how criminals and illegal acts were the genesis of NASCAR (though that's amusing), but the stories of the early stars. Thompson clearly admires them too ... what they accomplished and against what odds. Men like Raymond Parks, the first, great team owner (who funded his racing efforts from his empire of illegal or slightly legal businesses); Red Vogt, the first genius mechanic, and Red Byron, NASCAR's first (and by some accounts, first two-time) champion. (Byron, by the way, won dozens of races and his championships with a leg full of shrapnel from WWII.)

Most of all, as history does, this book of NASCAR's history helps illuminate the present. The origins of the racing series in running 'shine and breaking the law explain some of the affinity the modern fan has for the rebels in the field today. NASCAR fans don't like their drivers too Yankee, too pretty-boy, or too polite, after all (hello, Tony Stewart? Kyle or Kurt Busch?). Through these drivers who push the limits and outrace (by car or mouth) the authorities, fans can live vicariously, dreaming of their own speed. And being glad we're not the ones crashing.

Have any of you read the book? Or did you know NASCAR's history already?

Wrapping Up Our Predictions

by Tammy

Early in the year, Simon and I set out our picks for who we thought would win season championships in various series. Along the way, a couple friends jumped in with their picks. I figured it's time to see how good we were at telling the future ... though let's just say, none of us should quit our day jobs.

Formula 1 Driver

SIMON: Jenson Button

TAMMY: Lewis Hamilton
RICK HUNT: Jenson Button
RICK HELMS: Sebastian Vettel

Verdict? Rick Helms pulls this one off, while Tammy and Simon/Rick Hunt are almost in a dead heat (2 points apart) for the McLaren drivers. 

Formula 1 Manufacturer

SIMON: Red Bull

TAMMY: McLaren

RICK HUNT: McLaren
RICK HELMS: Red Bull

Verdict?Simon and Rick Helms correctly pick Red Bull. Hey, at least Ferrari didn't win, right?

IndyCar Driver

SIMON: Dario Franchitti

TAMMY: Will Power

RICK HUNT: Will Power
RICK HELMS: Scott Dixon

Verdict? None of us picked the ultimate champion, Ryan Hunter-Reay, but Tammy and Rick Hunt got closest with Will Power.

IndyCar Team

SIMON: Chip Ganassi

TAMMY: Penske (gotta go with the combo of Power, Castroneves, and Brisco)

RICK HUNT: Penske
RICK HELMS: Ganassi

Verdict? Tammy and Rick Hunt again; Penske drivers had a 422-point average to Ganassi's 348.

ALMS GT Driver

SIMON: Jan Magnussen (b/c I raced against him--once)

TAMMY: Patrick Long (maybe that's just hope)

RICK HUNT: Joey Hand
RICK HELMS: --------

Verdict? Simon comes the closest, with Jan Magnussen, who finished third in the GT drivers' ranks.

ALMS GT Team

SIMON: Paul Miller Racing

TAMMY: Corvette Racing!

RICK HUNT: Team RLL BMW
RICK HELMS: --------

Verdict? Corvette Racing, all the way! It was their year.

NASCAR Cup Driver

SIMON: Jeff Gordon (he's a local boy)

TAMMY: Carl Edwards (honestly, the bigger question is if Junior will win a race this year)

RICK HUNT: Jimmie Johnson
RICK HELMS: Greg Biffle

Verdict? Tammy fail. What happened to Carl this year, honestly? Jimmie, Biffle, and Gordon were all in the Chase with a chance. Kudos to Rick Hunt for the call (at least Rick Helms got his ABJJ result ... Anyone But Jimmie Johnson). (Photo from @keselowski.)

NASCAR Cup Team

SIMON: Chip Ganassi

TAMMY: Hendrick Motorsport
RICK HUNT: Hendrick Motorsport
RICK HELMS: Hendrick Motorsport

Verdict? Hendrick swept the board, placing all four of its drivers in the Chase, compared to neither of Ganassi's two. But we do have to give Montoya the moment of the year, however, for his wreck with the jet dryer back in February....


OVERALL TALLY? Tammy and Rick Hunt picked 4 winners correctly, Rick Helms picked 3, and Simon picked two. None of us should quit our day jobs.... Thanks for participating, all of you! Everyone start considering your picks for next year.

Win, Fail, and WTF?

by Tammy

Let's evaluate the racing weekend, shall we?

Formula 1: By all accounts, the U.S. Formula 1 race made a good showing this weekend. Consider: drivers seemed to like the track, fans packed the stands, and (gasp!) there was even a thrilling, on-track pass for the race win. (So the traffic in and out of the Circuit of the Americas was a drag ... we didn't experience that watching on television.) The results of this race even set up the last F1 race of the season as the championship decider. Bottom line: not just another boring F1 go-round. And in a good timezone for us to watch!
Score for F1 in the U.S. again? WIN

NASCAR: Jimmie was leading, Brad was mid-pack. One ahead in the Chase standings, then the other, then a tie. One hundred laps to go, and Jimmie stops for gas, guaranteeing he can get to the end with only one more stop. Brad doesn't stop, no one's sure he can save enough fuel to do a one-stop. Sixty-two laps to the end, Brad runs out of fuel, makes it to the pits, rejoins in 24th place (too low to secure the title). Fifty laps to go: horrors, Jimmie's crew misses a lug nut, he has to return to the pits, and he rejoins a lap down, 29th place. He seems out of it, but anything can happen in 49 laps, 48 laps....

And then something broke in the back of Jimmie's car, and they went to the garage. Day done. Season done.  Not the way anyone wanted to see them end. But as long as Brad can get his car around to the checkers (which he does), he's the champion. Everyone's happy for Roger Penske who wins (unbelievably) only his first NASCAR championship. Jimmie is classy in defeat in the media center, Brad is classy in the championship circle. Even Jeff "Mr. Retaliation" Gordon, who wins the race, is classy in the winner's circle.
Score for Penske: WIN
Score for Keselowski as Champ: WIN
Score for how Jimmie lost: FAIL

Hats: Rick Hendrick and Roger Penske reportedly swapped hats in the championship winner's circle when Hendrick (losing car owner) went to congratulate Penske (this apparently has history for the two men). And then there were the podium hats in Austin (seen on Hamilton, the race winner, to the right). Clever? Perhaps. But ... let's just say, once seen, can't ever be unseen.
Score for Hendrick/Penske hat swap: WIN
Score for one-of-a-kind Pirelli cowboy hats: WTF?

What do you all think? Do you agree? Do you want one of those cowboy hats?

Big Weekend Ahead

TAMMY: Two huge events in the racing world this weekend. Not only does Formula One returns to the United States, but also, NASCAR will crown a new champion. The question is, which one is bigger?

I'm voting the NASCAR champion, because of who it could possibly be. It's come down to Jimmie Johnston trying for a sixth championship ... though after a blown tire and a wall-slap last weekend, he doesn't have much choice of beating the frontrunner. That is, if Brad Keselowski can pull together a decent finish.

What I think is earth-shaking about Keselowski possibly winning the championship is that he represents the next generation of NASCAR. He's 28, and an avid Twitterer (@keselowski). He has been a brash, crazy rookie and newbie in the sport, but he's shown real maturity, especially this year. And talent, of course. But he's also captured everyone's imagination by tweeting from the car during red flags. Like the one last weekend (at right). And of course, the infamous red flag back at the Daytona 500, when Juan Pablo Montoya turned a jet dryer into a fireball.

So what will be more significant this weekend, NASCAR or the return of the lifestyles-of-the-rich-and-famous-racers show? NASCAR, because we'll either have a champion who's won six times in the past seven years, or we'll have a first-timer who reaches out to NASCAR fans in a way no other driver has.

But don't get me wrong, I'll be watching both.... What's your vote, Simon?

SIMON: Personally, I'll be watching F1. Don't think it'll be the bigger event, but it'll be the 1st time F1 will race on a proper race track since Watkins Glen. Since '81, F1 has arsed about on makeshift circuits (and parking lots if you consider the Vegas Grand Prix). Even Indy Speedway GP was a half-hearted attempt at a real track when they modified the infield. I hope Austin pulls this off because like I mentioned a few months ago, that F1 needs to race in countries where there's a racing culture and the US has it. I hope F1 remains in the US, so I'm rooting for it. I still question the need for a new track when the US has some established circuits that would make for a great F1 race.

TAMMY: Well, I agree that F1 could have run any number of great tracks that already existed in the U.S., but would that really have fed Bernie's ego the same way? But that's another post....

What about the rest of you, what will you be watching this weekend?

The Jimmie Juggernaut

by Tammy

Maybe we should start calling Jimmie Johnson (and crew chief Chad Knaus) "the Closer." Sure, he cruised to the title in his first couple years of championships. But the last year certainly was a fight, and in more than one, he (and crew) demonstrated an uncanny ability to finish the year strong, pulling out a number of victories and strong finishes in the Chase.

And this year. No one's been talking about Jimmie. Not as much as they've been talking about Brad Keselowski, Clint Bowyer, Denny Hamlin. But who's on top with three races to go this season? Who dominated at Martinsville this weekend, winning from pole?

Yep, this guy.

Can he be stopped? Who do you like to take the title in NASCAR this year?

Simon's pick (back to our fantasy picks) of Jeff Gordon (6th) is doing better than my pick of Carl Edwards (not in the Chase), and Rick Helms' choice of Greg Biffle (9th). But Rick Hunt outpicked us all by pegging Jimmie from the start.

It's not too late. I'm changing my vote to Jimmie.

P.S. Did you know he wrote (with help) and published a memoir/coffee-table book? Hmm, writing, racing ... maybe he wants to join a feisty little blog....

Big Shots Versus Poor Relations

by Tammy

Will Buxton, SPEED Channel's pit-lane reporter for Formula 1, posted a blog last week about the experience he had visiting the IndyCar race in Sonoma, CA, the other weekend. (Read the post.) To paraphrase, he loved it. 

Now, you have to figure that WillB (I hope he doesn't mind me calling him that) had the best treatment possible--access to all drivers, owners, bigwigs. But even so, he spent part of the race in the stands and he visited the fan zone. One of his comments is this: "It really feels like a community, not just between the teams, drivers, and media, but among the fans too." Then he says this: "The simple fact is, Indycar works. It works because it is fun. It works because it understand how racing should be and what the fans should get for the price of their ticket." 
I have two points to make about this: 

1. His post confirms my growing impression of Formula 1. Sure, it's technologically advanced and impressive, and the biggest, most everything. But it takes itself pretty seriously. Pretentiously. It doesn't seem like much fun. WillB doesn't say this explicitly, just implicitly.
2. I think that IndyCar v. F1 is a lot like ALMS v. NASCAR. One side of that equation seems bigger, cooler, more, and the other seems like the poor relation. But the poor relations in these cases give you a better experience and more access to the action. 

I know I've been spoiled by my experiences with the ALMS and the access I have there. In part, I've resisted attending more NASCAR races (only been to one) or any F1 races (not that any have been nearby), because I know I'm used to a lot of access, and I won't have that with NASCAR or F1. But I'm beginning to suspect I just won't enjoy them the same, with or without the access. 

So for everyone out there who loves watching live racing, I'm going to encourage you to go see the "poor relations." I'm talking about the ALMS and IndyCar, but also Grand-Am, World Challenge, Indy Lights (or whatever they call it now), SCCA weekends, historic races, or whatever. Sure, the lure of the money and the stars is appealing. But if you like to watch racing, there are plenty of places to get right up next to the action.

Why I Love Tony Stewart

by Tammy

It's appropriate to call Tony Stewart a "bad boy," but you have to have to have the right connotation. I'm not talking "bad boy" like James Dean, all sultry and seductive. I'm talking "bad boy" like Chuck Norris. On second thought, maybe what I really mean is "bad ass."

Because Tony Stewart, or "Smoke," is definitely a bad ass, in that "I don't give a crap what other people think, I'm going to be me and do my thing." And his thing is racing. He looooooves racing.

I've hung onto a six year old quote from Smoke, because it epitomizes what I think is awesome about him, but also what I want my protagonist to feel about racing. He's talking about the 24 Hours of Daytona:
"I do (the 24 Hours) just because it's another race I can go run," said Stewart.... "If anybody wants to go out and have a foot race after we're done with the media session, we'll go outside. I've got new shoes on, they're soft on the bottom and I think I'll have a traction advantage over you Docker fans. I'll race anything. It doesn't matter to me." (Racer, August 2006)

His passion for racing often means a spectacular display of driving, such as the final race last year, which he had to come from the back of the field (twice) to win outright to take the season championship. It can also mean some great displays of temper, such as this weekend's helmet throwing incident.



Now, I don't know if he was right or wrong and Kenseth was crowding him or driving fair. I don't really care. Because I love that Smoke is fired up enough to throw his helmet. And you know? Maybe he swore on tape, but I doubt it. He's savvy enough to know it's good TV and a good show of temper to throw his helmet, but not to curse a blue streak or make obscene gestures. Smoke tends (as far as I know) to leave it on the track.

Which makes for a damn entertaining show. Anyone else a fan?

The Appeal of Danger

TAMMY: Simon mentioned hearing that Junior Johnson has said racing should be more dangerous. That it shouldn't get too pedestrian. Make it a driver sport, not a technological masterpiece.

I thought about this comment this week when a video of Jeremy Foley and his co-driver rolling down the side of Pike's Peak during the hillclimb made the front page of CNN.com after making the rounds on Facebook and racing sites.



Apparently, they're OK. So, do people want danger in their racing? I think they do, at least a little. Do I? I admit to being fascinated by the wrecks, though I don't honestly ever sit there and hope for them.

Why do we want danger? I think it reminds us that what those drivers are doing is hard. It makes them heroes when they succeed, and makes us glad it's not us crashing. Of course, we all want the danger right up until someone dies....

But I agree with Junior Johnson. I enjoy watching NASCAR more than I enjoy watching Formula 1. It's not that the F1 drivers aren't working hard or fantastic at their jobs. But the cars are such technological marvels it's hard to see what the drivers are doing. And I guess I like a little rubbin' with my racin'.

What do you think, Obi Wan?

SIMON: I came across Junior Johnson's comments in Sports Illustrated (not the swimsuit issue). I don't think he was highlighting the danger as such, but more that he wanted to see more driver skill and less chassis design.

I suppose Junior's point is the best driver should win and not the best team of engineers. That's where it gets tough for F1. Operating a modern F1 car makes my brain hurt because it's so complicated, but the drivers seem to make it look easy (the bastards). But as much Junior laments the olden days, I don't think there's ever been a time where a competitive edge didn't come from car design to assist the driver.  Sorry Junior.

However danger is part of racing.  It's a risk vs. reward thing.  How close can a driver take a car and essentially get away with not ending up in a wreck. I think the creepiest thing a spectator at a race track ever asked me was "do you think we'll see someone die today?" Yes, danger is a part of the equation, but it's a small part.  You know there's danger, you accept the danger, but the thrill and excitement comes from the competition and defying the risk to find the limits of a vehicle.

That's us, but what do you all think--how much danger should be in motorsport?

Green-White-Checker?

by Tammy

Two races this weekend finished under yellow (were there more? the two I watched did), the ALMS race at Lime Rock and the IndyCar race at Toronto. In both cases, there were terrific battles taking place for key positions. In both cases, accidents happened with only a handful of laps/minutes to go in the race, and the races went full-course-caution.

Cue the wailing and gnashing of teeth from disappointed fans who watched a safety-car parade to the checkers, instead of last-lap battles.

So here's the question? Should other racing series adopt NASCAR's green-white-checker rule?

For those who don't know what it is, in brief: NASCAR makes one attempt for the race to finish under green, no matter the lap count, by throwing a green flag for cars, then a white the next time by, then the checker. If there's a caution on that first lap between green and white flags, they try again. If there's a caution after the white flag waves, the race is over (aka, once the white flag waves, the next flag ends it).

Gimmicky? Perhaps. But it does combat the disappointment of teams not fighting it out until the end.

Problematic? Possibly, especially for the ALMS, which is based on time, not laps. But that could probably be surmounted.

What do you all think? Should more series adopt the G-W-C?

Checking Our Predictions

by Tammy
I decided it was time to check in and see how we were doing with the fantasy picks we've made. I'll take them category by category ...
F1 Driver
I'm kicking some behind here, with my pick, Lewis Hamilton, scoring 88 points to Jenson Button's 49 (the pick of both Simon and Rick Hunt).


F1 Team
But Simon's got me and Rick beat here, with his Red Bull pick scoring 176 to McLaren's 137 (my pick and Rick's).
IndyCar Driver
Again, Rick sided with the light (that would be me) with the pick of Will Power, who's outscoring Simon's pick of Dario Franchitti by 70 points (286 for Will, 216 for Dario).
IndyCar Team
I made an executive decision on scoring here, averaging driver totals, since Simon's pick of Ganassi has two drivers to my (and Rick's) pick of Penske. Result? Penske 251, Ganassi 244.
ALMS GT Driver
My sentimental choice of Patrick Long isn't working out so well for me (but the season is still young!), with 19 points, but Simon (Jan Magnussen 48) and Rick (Joey Hand 52) are neck and neck. Advantage: Rick.
ALMS GT Team
I'm pleased to say that my Corvette Racing pick (62) is dominating the season so far, over Rick's Team RLL BMW (55). Simon's Paul Miller Racing (20) needs some encouragement or luck....
NASCAR Cup Driver
Rick has the pick of all of us, with Jimmie Johnson (610) ranking above my Carl Edwards (503) and Simon's Jeff Gordon (453). But the most amazing statistic here is Junior in second place, with a race win to his credit! That answers my biggest question. (And I agree with Rick that we should pick anew once the Chase field is set.)
NASCAR Cup Team
Another average of driver totals, to compare the two drivers of Ganassi (Simon) to the four of Hendrick (me and Rick) ... and Hendrick is outscoring Ganassi by more than 100 points, 537 to 424. If only JMP got points for taking out the jet dryer.
So by my tally, Rick and I both have top picks in five categories (overlapping, obviously), and Simon has a top pick in one. What does this mean? Not a thing, except I get to needle Simon some....
Anyone else want to play along? Just submit your picks in the categories.