October 2002 (10/30) - Here's an interesting twist, remember how the IRL was providing room for underfunded race teams in the past? Now the competition and money pouring into the IRL is squeezing out the little guys. Meanwhile, CART, faced with loss of tracks, tv coverage and loss of teams, is struggling to find enough drivers to field a race. It appears that becoming a spec series will be lowering costs in CART. You may be seeing the smaller underfunded IRL teams moving to CART while the big CART teams switch to the IRL. Take Dr. Jack Miller, the racing dentist as an example. He was injured in an IRL race over a year ago and hasn't raced open-wheeler since. He now says he has a CART car and will be moving in that direction for 2003. (10/29) - BIG CHANGES IN STORE FOR F1 IN 2003! 1) Qualifying has been redesigned. Instead of an hour of qualifying on Saturday, where a bunch of drivers are on the track at once, they will begin the qualifying process on Friday. Each driver will get 1 flying lap with the track all to themselves, as we do it in the IRL. None of these times count towards race day, but instead determine the qualifying order for Saturday. On Saturday, each driver will again get 1 flying lap, alone on the track, to qualify for the race. The slowest cars from Friday will be the first to get to qualify on Saturday. Conversley, the fastest cars from Friday will have to qualify last on Saturday. The only reason I can figure out why they are doing this is that it reduces the chances of a good team qualifying high on the grid, since they only get 1 chance at qualifying and there is a higher probability that they will not get a great lap in one try, as opposed to running around for an hour. However, this same thing applies to the lesser teams... 2) The points system, currently 10,6,4,3,2,1 for the top six, will be changed so that the top eight finishers will benefit. The race winner will still score ten points but from second place on down will be 8,6,5,4,3,2,1 -- they think the new system should keep the championship closer. I have reviewed all the races this year and present for you the difference this point system would have made over what it actually was: Actual 2002 Standings 2003 Point System Pl Driver Pts Pl Driver Pts 1 Schumacher M 144 1 Schumacher M 158 2 Barrichello 77 2 Barrichello 91 3 Montoya 50 3 Montoya 75 4 Schumacher R 42 4 Schumacher R 68 5 Coulthard 41 5 Coulthard 61 6 Raikkonen 24 6 Raikkonen 39 7 Button 14 7 Button 32 8 Trulli 9 8 Fisichella 18 9 Irvine 8 9 Irvine 16 10 Heidfeld 7 10 Trulli 16 11 Fisichella 7 11 Massa 15 12 Villeneuve 4 12 Villeneuve 11 13 Massa 4 13 Sato 10 14 Panis 3 14 Panis 8 15 Sato 2 15 Frentzen 6 15 Webber 2 15 Heidfeld 6 17 Salo 2 17 Sato 5 17 Frentzen 2 17 Webber 5 19 McNish 0 19 McNish 3 20 Yoong 0 20 Yoong 2 21 de la Rosa 0 21 de la Rosa 2 21 Bernoldi 0 21 Bernoldi 0 21 Davidson 0 21 Davidson 0 Not much difference, eh? 3) They say that Team orders will also be banned... as much as they can be. 4) The other decision was that the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps has been removed from the 2003 calendar due to Belgian's new anti-tobacco advertising laws. This will make room for China in 2004 anyway. (10/28) - Did you stay up till midnight Saturday to watch the CART race? I did. What a horrible wet mess it was. Adrian Fernandez broke his neck and Tora Takagi broke his hip in a wild crash on the opening lap. An hour and a half later when they restarted, some drivers in their backup cars, it was raining so hard that they went to caution after 5 laps and just drove around the streets in Australia under the yellow flag for an hour until they stopped the race at the mandatory two hour mark. If CART didn't have bad luck, they'd have no luck at all. Rookie Mario Dominguez took the checkered flag giving his team, Herdez, its first win (in seventeen years!) (10/23) - Target Chip Ganassi Racing announced today their plans to run two cars next year in the IRL. Signed to drive next year for the team are current Team Target pilot Scott Dixon and second-year IRL driver Tomas Scheckter. I think both of these guys are 22. I guess this means that Jeff Ward, who captured his first IRL win this year, will be looking for a new ride. TCGR will be using Toyota engines and G-force chassis in 2003. As for CART, TCGR is leaving it, which frees up two CART drivers. Bruno Junqueira may join Newman-Haas. There is no word yet what will become of Kenny Brack, the 2000 Indy 500 winner. (10/22) Allen McNish, who drove for Toyota in Formula One this year, ran a 350-mile test at Fontana for Penske Racing in an IRL car today. (10/22) - Roberto Guerrero makes his debut in the Busch Series this weekend in the first all Hispanic Nascar team. (10/22) - One of the current 17 Grand Prix tracks will be dropped from the international circuit to make way for Shanghai in 2004, Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone said today. The $240 million track's construction began this week. China had built a track in Zhuhai for a 1998 F1 date, but it failed to pass inspection. Shanghai's population is 16 million. None the less, the ticket prices will be lowered from normal F1 races to try and attract more Chinese to attend. Meanwhile, the project to bring F1 to Moscow has died out as the Ruskies were not willing to sign over all ticketing, television, and advertising rights to Bernie. Moscow's mayor said that the only thing they were going to be left with was engine smoke! (10/18) - Speaking of Target Team Ganassi, they currently have 4 open-wheel drivers: Jeff Ward (IRL) and Bruno Junqueira, Kenny Brack and Scott Dixon (CART). Yesterday, they were testing Toyota's new engine at IMS and who was driving? Tomas Scheckter! While Ward won his first IRL race this year (out of 51 tries), Scheckter also won his first IRL race (for Team Cheever) this year in his rookie season. However, he also did a whole lot of wrecking. None the less, Chip must be considering running Tomas next year hence the test. (10/16) - I saw an interview with Scott Dixon who drives in CART for Ganassi. Here is an excerpt I found amusing: "I think the ovals probably don't play a big part in CART's future. They need to take the more downtown cities and overseas, I think -- like you go to Australia or even in the other overseas, the Canadian ones, are just huge. They make it more of a carnival; the atmosphere is a lot nicer. And, you know, you go to some circuits, some of the ovals, like Milwaukee, nobody really turns out. They don't really know what is going on. I think Toronto, Vancouver and Australia are pretty similar. They make a big party of it, a lot of action going on. But maybe the enthusiasm could be coming because they probably drink a lot." (10/16) - Next year's 500 Festival Parade will be broadcast live on ESPN. (10/14) - Jaques Lazier got back in a IRL car after sitting out most of the season after breaking his back in April. He ran 77 laps at Kentucky Speedway. His testing went well and he suffered no pain. He should be back for the first race of next year for Team Menard. (10/14) - For months Jacques Villeneuve has been denying stories that he plans to return to race in CART. "The story does not bother me, but what bothers me is how the story started," he said. "It came internally, trying to devalue me, to make me feel bad and eventually to push me out of the team. After all the hard work I put into the team, I found that very annoying. Very difficult. "It doesn't bother me too much, it just lacks respect, that is all. Respect, for me, is important. I'm not angry but it is very annoying and disappointing. It just takes a lot of energy. "You don't want people not to like you. If you feel not wanted somewhere, you don't work well anymore. I think it had a negative effect on a few races during the season because lots of energy was spent where it should not be. We spent it arguing and it affected on the team too. Then they don't work well either." He thinks next year's car will be better and that since his contract will be up, they won't spend any energy trying to get rid of him (due to his high salary), but he did say they wanted the team to be British and that Jenson Button, his new teammate, "will be the little darling of the team." (10/14) - 26 y/o Jamie McMurray, subbing for Sterling Marlin in his 2nd ever Winston Cup race, won in Charlotte! (10/14) - Takuma Sato scored his first points of the year in the last race of the year at his home grand prix in Japan. As every Honda-powered engine in the field blew up, the tension mounted as the race wore on. With a few laps to go, Ralph Schumacher's BMW engine blew, moving Takuma into 5th position where he finished to cheering crowds. Michael Schumacher easily captured his 11th race win of 2002. (10/10) - Everyone in the F1 community is concerned about the advantage that Ferrari has demonstrated the last few seasons. They are afraid that Ferrari's superiority is damaging the sport, afraid fans will go away if they keep on winning nearly every race. There are usually dominant teams in any racing series. I believe this year in Supercross, the same guy won EVERY race. We see many racing series that try to keep competition tight and also slow down the cars. Restictor Plates, grooved tires, boost pressure, ballast, etc. Then there are the spec series, such as IROC, where the cars are equal and it is all up to the driver. Many rule changes have been suggested for F1 recently. What I think they might consider is getting rid of the tire war and go with just one spec tire. Right now, Ferrari has an advantage with their close relationship with Bridgestone. Their closest competitors use Michelins. I would love to see them remove all driver aids (powersteering, traction control, ABS, Automatic transmissions, etc.) This would certainly do more to separate the great drivers from the merely good. It might even make things worse, but as a race fan, I would be more interested in the races if the driver had to do more than floor it and steer. Another idea would be to change the qualifying and make it more like sprint car racing. Make the fastest cars start last and the slowest cars start first! That would make things more intersting. Adding weight penalties or other handicaps to just one team, because they have done such a good job, is simply unfair and unsportsmanlike. (10/10) - Toyota had its first engine test in an Indycar at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Gil de Ferran ran the car for 250 miles. (10/9) - Bernie Hallisky, the Kelley Racing pit-crewman who was seriously injured at the Kentucky IRL race, has returned home to recuperate and is currently in a wheelchair. (10/7) - After capturing his 7th win of the year, Brazilian Cristiano da Matta clinched the CART championship, giving Newman-Haas their fourth CART title as team owners and Toyota its first Champ Car championship. This was the third year in a row that a Brazilian has won the title. Two races remain on the CART schedule. (10/3) - Ex-Formula One driver, Gaston Mazzacane, passed his IRL rookie test along with Infiniti Pro Series driver, Arie Luyendyk, Jr.. But don't look for the young Luyendyk to race in the Indy Racing League next year as he will run one more season in the IPS.

September 2002 (9/30) - As we all know, Michael Schumacher really won the U.S. Grand Prix. I have heard some people moaning over the situation. The local newspaper referred to these discontented ones as "racing purists". Frankly, if you have been following Formula One all year (or all decade), then you should realize that Herr Schumacher performed a noble act. This action rises above any sporting behavior that I've witnessed in this country in any sport. If you don't understand this, then what kind of purist are you? Probably one who doesn't watch the entire season of racing! In Austria this year, Rubens dominated the race. While Schumi had a good lead in the points battle, Ferrari wanted a larger cushion and asked Rubens to move over. Rubens didn't have to do it. Afterall, they couldn't force him to relinquish the lead, but Rubens is a team player. He swallowed his pride and slowed down and let Michael pass. Afterward, on the winner's podium, Michael obviously felt bad about what had happened. It certainly wasn't his decision. He cheered Rubens and had him join him on the winners block. He gave him the winners trophy. (Both were fined hugely for this days later.) Many in the racing world were wroth. While Rubens was hailed as a decent chap for the act, Ferrari and Schumi were vilified. Now, five months later, when Schumacher, on his own initiative, returned the favor, he is again rebuked and reviled. Rubens had just won the previous race and had a pretty decent lead for 2nd place. Ferrari did not order Michael to slow, but Michael showed he is a man of honor. (Some of you may have heard me gripe about Schumi for Jerez in '97, when he tried to wreck Villeneuve. I recently heard Michael say that that is the one act he most wished he could reverse. That has improved my opinion of him.) While personally, I would have preferred for him to stay on the gas at the end of the U.S. Grand Prix, I can understand that this may remove the asterisk next to his race win total. Did any of you notice that on the McLaren team in 1998, after David Coulthard slowed to give his teammate the win in the first race of the season, that Mika Hakkinen never returned the favor while he went on to capture two world championships? As an aside, I also thought that having a tight side-by-side finish was more exciting and photogenic. Also it was impressive how Michael Schumacher could have orchestrated such a CLOSE finish - just behind Barrichello by 1/100th of a second at over 200 mph! Awesome! You must also realize that this behavior is legal. If you don't like it, then let the FIA know you want a rule change, but don't hammer Michael Schumacher for it. What I'd like to ask you Nascar fans that are upset about teammates cooperating, what exactly do these Winston Cup guys do when they "team-up" with a driver on some other team, to help each other draft? 2002 Formula One U.S. Grand Prix Results Rk.  Driver  Country  Team  Time  1.  Rubens Barrichello  Brazil  Ferrari  1 h., 31 m., 7.934 s   2.  Michael Schumacher  Germany  Ferrari  0.011 second back   3.  David Coulthard  Britain  McLaren  7.799  4.  Juan Pablo Montoya  Colombia  Williams  9.911  5.  Jarno Trulli  Italy  Renault  56.847  6.  Jacques Villeneuve  Canada  BAR  58.211  7.  Giancarlo Fisichella  Italy  Jordan  1 lap  8.  Jenson Button  England  Renault  1 lap  9.  Nick Heidfeld  Germany  Sauber  1 lap  10.  Eddie Irvine  Britain  Jaguar  1 lap  11.  Takuma Sato  Japan  Jordan  1 lap  12.  Olivier Panis  France  BAR  1 lap  13.  Heinz-Harald Frentzen  Germany  Sauber  2 laps  14.  Mika Salo  Finland  Toyota  2 laps  15.  Allan McNish  Britain  Toyota  2 laps  16.  Ralf Schumacher  Germany  Williams  2 laps  Not Classified    Kimi Raikkonen  Finland  McLaren  50 laps completed     Alex Yoong  Malaysia  Minardi  46 laps     Mark Webber  Australia  Minardi  38 laps     Pedro de la Rosa  Spain  Jaguar  27 laps    (9/24) - The Arrows F1 team will not be coming to Indy. They have missed the last several races as they are out of money. So, there will only be 20 cars on the grid this weekend. (9/23) - As announced earlier, Heinz-Harald Frentzen will be driving for the Sauber F1 team next year. Its now been decided that he will join now, replacing Felipe Massa at the U.S. Grand Prix. (9/23) - I found this quote from Chris Pook amusing, "CART is taking a leadership position as it pertains to providing a sports marketing environment that is conducive to the creation of new business opportunities." Perhaps the formation of new IRL teams as they switch over?! (9/23) - While Helio Castroneves had a F1 test with the Toyota team in France this weekend, he stated he was signed with Penske and planned on racing in the IRL next year. Besides, it looks like Toyota will replace McNish with Cristiano Da Matta. In his only session, Helio ran laps nearly 2 seconds faster than team test driver Stephane Sarrazin and 1 second faster than the team's No. 2 driver, Allan McNish. (9/19) - Sarah Fisher, who will be at the U.S. Grand Prix to introduce her new sponsor's (Tag Heuer) F1 watch, will get to test drive a McLaren Mercedes F1 car on Friday (Sept 27). Fisher visited Woking yesterday for a seat fitting. She will be driving the team's spare MP4-17. She will be the first woman to get behind the wheel of a McLaren F1 car. (9/19) - IRL officials are talking to ABC executives about the possibility of televising a Monday night race in 2004. If it happens, Texas Motor Speedway general manager Eddie Gossage said he believes the June IRL race in Fort Worth would be the host for the prime-time event. "I think it would be great for the league, and we would love to have it here," Gossage said. "Some people may think the idea is a little crazy, but a lot of people thought the idea of Monday Night Football was crazy when it first started." IRL and ABC officials believe the prime-time race would expose people who haven't seen an IRL event to the excitement of the IRL races, which could boost the ratings for the Sunday afternoon events. (9/17) - As expected, Michael Andretti will be abandoning CART and bringing his Motorola Team to the IRL next year. In addition, the entire Team Green will also be switching. This means two other CART drivers will be joining - Dario Franchitti and Tony Kanaan. All three will be powered by the new Honda engine. 2002 IRL Season Recap (9/15)- SAM HORNISH, JR. WINS INDY RACING LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP - TWO IN A ROW! Sam really turned up the burners towards the end of the season to capture the championship from the Penske Marlboro team. The IRL this year has certainly backed up their brag as the most exciting racing on the planet. Their formula and great American speedways have provided the fans with thrilling wheel to wheel action inches apart at speeds around 215-225 mph! The closest finish in Indycar history has been broken three times this year! Closest Finishes in IRL History Race Date Margin of Victory Chicago Sept 2002 .0024 seconds Texas Sept 2002 .0096 seconds Texas June 2002 .0111 seconds Texas Oct 2001 .0188 seconds Fontana Mar 2001 .0281 seconds Louden Aug 1997 .064 seconds Pikes Peak June 1999 .120 seconds Its been a crazy and fun year watching the IRL as Sam and Helio, and Panther and Penske, have fought it out, culminating in the side by side race to the finish in today's race that determined the championship and won Hornish a extra cool million dollars. Sarah Fisher was impressive in her third year in the IRL and is still the youngest driver at 21. (I hope she doesn't start following Little Al around to the bars this winter!) Meanwhile her teammate, Robbie Buhl has had few races to smile about. Buddy Lazier's hasn't either, but at least he stayed healthy. His brother Jacques has been coming along great and had landed a ride in a great team this year (Menards), but an accident in the spring sidelined him for the whole season. And his latest stand-in, Vicor Meira, has been looking very impressive. Thats probably worrying the younger Lazier some. Eliseo Salazar again proved his chutzpah by coming back from a serious crash in May to resume racing for A.J. Foyt Enterprises. Driver/owner Eddie Cheever, Jr. expanded his team up to three cars this year and was often extremely quick with their Infiniti engines. Misfortune often befell them though as they wrecked car after car. Before the season could end, the young South African, Tomas Scheckter, finally brought a Red Bull car home in first place. He then promptly quit! Will he be back next year? It was nice to see Jeff Ward finally get a race win this year. He had it coming. The other drivers who won were all worthy champions. List of 2002 IRL Race Winners The IRL raced in Nazareth PA for the first time this year and next year they are going to race over seas for the first time, at Motegi Japan. Toyota and Honda are going to enter the IRL next year as engine suppliers. Chevrolet replaced Oldsmobile this year. The IRL will also have a third chassis manufacturer coming in. The IRL began its own junior series this summer: the Infiniti Pro Series. Infiniti won't be competing in the IRL in 2003, but will concentrate on the IPS. And last and least, the IRL has had two Japanese drivers this year. (for comic relief?) (9/11) - Penske Racing is borrowing a CART driver from Team Rahal to fill in for de Ferran at Texas this week. Max Papis, an Italian, won two CART races last year, but is near the bottom in points this year. I'd like to have seen Penske go with an American IRL driver, such as Dismore, but that's Roger for ya. And can you believe that Rahal is even allowing it? (9/10) - Gil de Ferran who suffered a concussion in Sunday's race also broke his wrist. He will not be allowed to race in the season ending Texas race. He is currently 3rd in points. (9/8) - An exciting IRL race at Chicagoland Speedway yielded the closest finish in Indycar history. During the last dozen laps, the cars were running side-by-side at over 220 mph. The announcers noted it looked like flying pace laps. At the end, Sam Hornish, Jr. just edged out Al Unser, Jr. for the win, beating him by inches. This put Hornish into the points lead as they head for their last race in Texas. Just .9387 of a second separated the top 10 cars at the finish. Gil de Ferran hit the wall after swerving to avoid the car infront of him who had just lost fuel pressure. He was temporarily knocked out as his throttle was stuck open. This powered his car along the wall until it finally bounced out onto the track and the tire got spun off the rim. Track workers ran out to turn off his engine. He was airlifted to the hospital awake and conscious. It was later reported he did suffer a concussion. It will be up to Dr. Henry Bock as to whether he gets to compete for the championship next week. Eliseo Salazar had his rear wing flip backwards. Luckily he was on a straight when it happened and he avoided contact. Foyt's other driver, Airton Dare crashed out. (9/6) - For the last few years, about the only thing CART had to brag about was that they had a whopping 900 horsepower - more than an F1 racer. This changes next year when the spec Ford-Cosworth engines will have a maximum of 700 h.p. This is more in line with the IRL's power range. Formula One teams have around 780-840 h.p. In addition, CART is outlawing the use of traction control next year. (9/6) - The new Indiana quarters that feature an image of an Indycar are out. A armored car full of the quarters, showed up at the Speedway to take a lap! (9/4) - Greg Ray will drive the last two IRL races of the season for Sam Schmidt Motorsports. He will replace Richie Hearn who suffered a foot injury at the Kentucky race. (9/3) - Heinz-Harald Frentzen has signed to drive for Sauber next year. H-HF drove for Sauber in 1994-96. (9/3) - I don't believe any of it, but now they are saying that Forsythe Racing is going to put an offer in writing for Villeneuve. (see last months news for further details.) (9/3) - Open-wheels rule Indianapolis during Memorial Weekend, but during Labor Day weekend, the nitro-burning dragsters rule. NHRA U.S. NATIONALS - Results Top Fuel -- Tony Schumacher, 4.663 seconds, 315.93 mph Funny Car -- John Force, Ford Mustang, 5.028, 280.02 Pro Stock -- Jeg Coughlin, Chevy Cavalier, 6.953, 199.08 Pro Stock Bike -- Angelle Savoie, Suzuki, 7.232, 183.39 Top Alcohol Dragster -- John Haley, 5.474, 257.78 Top Alcohol Funny Car -- Frank Manzo, Dodge Avenger R/T, 5.736, 253.56 Competition Eliminator -- Larry Pritchett, Pontiac Grand Am, 8.060, 166.87 Super Stock -- Michael Beachy, Pontiac Firebird, 9.797, 130.71 Stock Eliminator -- Rusty Hall, Ford Mustang, 10.498, 125.15 Super Comp -- Ray Connolly, Dragster, 8.918, 159.95 Super Gas -- Thomas Stalba Jr, Chevy Corvette, 9.896, 147.97 (9/1) - (Belgium Grand Prix) The two Ferraris were in a class by themselves as they took the lead and pulled away from everyone else. Considering the sophistication of the rest of the field, this display is quite impressive. While Ferrari ran away with the show, we got to witness 1995 Indy 500 Winner, Jacques Villeneuve pull some impressive passing once again. He first passed Giancarlo Fisichellla in the Jordan Honda, and then shortly put the wraps on Toyota's Allan McNish. While the young Kimi Raikonnen started next to Michael, he dropped back to 4th. Near the end, his engine blew. Villeneuve had some good pitstops and finished in 8th having started 12th. JPM finished in 3rd behind the two Ferraris. Eddie Irvine had a decent showing for Jaguar this weekend. Arrows team once again did not show up. This makes the 3rd race they've missed this year. (9/1) - JOLIET, Ill., Dan Wheldon is set to make his Indy Racing League debut in the Delphi Indy 300 on Sept. 8 at Chicagoland Speedway after passing his IRL rookie test Aug. 29 on the 1.5-mile oval. 1999 U.S. F2000 champion, Dan Wheldon, from Emberton, England, will drive the No. 15 Pennzoil Panther Dallara/Chevrolet/Firestone as a teammate to reigning IRL champion Sam Hornish Jr.