DECEMBER 2006
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NOVEMBER 2006
Ryan Newman got into him and sent him into the wall, bringing out a red flag on lap 284. Montoya was hired to replace Casey Mears for Ganassi's 2007 Nascar Cup effort. He's quickly been trying out a few types of stock cars. He finished 20th in the Phoenix Busch race a week ago.
By the way, his wife, Johanna Martinez, had their first child on November 14. The newborn baby boy was named Jules. JV is now 35 and his wife is 21.
Here's a picture of them at the 2006 United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis.
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OCTOBER 2006
Ragan, who'll replace Mark Martin in the No. 6 Ford next season, found a way to discuss the matter. At a Speedway Children's Charities auction, Ragan bid $5,750 for a ride around Atlanta Motor Speedway with Stewart. "I've never spoken to Tony before," Ragan said. "This will give us a chance to talk a little bit. Tony criticized me a lot after last week, and when a champion does that it's good to go talk to him. I think I'll ask him ...what I should have done different and just introduce myself so if I step out of line in the future he'll come and talk to me about it."
In Allmendinger's place, Forsythe has hired 2004 Indy 500 Champion, Buddy Rice to compete in the last race of the year - at Mexico City.
Rice was in need of a job as Rahal Letterman Racing couldn't afford him since he did not have enough sponsor money to bring. Rice's performance has not been great since he won the 500 and he just barely beat his rookie teammate this year.
RLR is losing Danica Patrick to Andretti-Green next year, leaving them just with Jeff Simmons. [Thankfully she is remaining in Indycar!]. RLR may just be a 2-car operation next year. Rumor has it that Scott Sharp may join them.
Allmendinger competed in two NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events this season under the tutelage of Rick Viers with Bill Davis Racing. Viers will move to the new Cup team with Allmendinger as his crew chief along with earlier-signed Cup driver Brian Vickers. Allmendinger is currently 2nd in the Champ Car point standings.
Flavio Briatore and Fernando Alonso star in this week's episode of "Love European Style". A foreign investor created the Champcar series on the dregs left over from CART's collapse. Since then, Sébastien Bourdais and his Newman-Haas team has dominated the series. With several races to go this year, he wrapped up his 3rd championship today by finishing 8th in Australia. Bourdais also won the FIA International F3000 Championship in 2002. He has always wanted to race in Formula One, but they won't hire him for some reason. I thought maybe it was because F1 was prejudiced against U.S. racers, but Dan Wheldon was offered a ride in F1 last year by some slow teams. Maybe that's Bourdais' problem, he was wanting the F1 Champions to hire him. With Fernando Alonso's exit from Renault, I would have thought they'd have given him a shot.
![]() What is up with those fingers? Is he part Vulcan?
Massa's uniform is made in his country's flag colors instead of Ferrari Red.
Looking at the entrylist, I found some famililar names from the Indycar, Nascar and Champcar world.
I like Mid-Ohio, but there are no hotels anywhere close. If you don't have a camper, you are stuck with living in a tent in what will probably be extreme heat. Although I do not see why the IRL needs so many road courses, the idea to run the road course at Daytona is a great idea, so I hope it works out! The only oval track Champcar has had for the last couple years has been Milwaukee, They have dropped it from their 2007 schedule. The IRL will race there after the Indy 500 next year.
Vickers wrecked Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Jimmie Johnson at Talledega last weekend on the last lap, as he went for the win, and their fans are not too happy with him. "He didn't wreck anybody on purpose," commented Earnhardt. "I think he was just trying to push the No. 48. He didn't think, oh here's my chance to knock them both out. He just got excited trying to push the No. 48. I don't think he should lose any points or anything. He was just racing hard there." Note: NASCAR mandated that teams switch to a smaller restrictor plate after practice speeds topped 198-mph.
While Alonso and Michael Schumacher were tied for first place in points, Schumacher had the lead with one more race-win than Alonso. With both Ferrari's starting the race from the front row, Alonso was starting back in the 3rd row behind both Toyotas. If 7-time World Champion Michael Schumacher won this race and Alonso did not finish in the points, Schumacher would win his 8th title. Alonso did not take it easy and try to insure some points, he charged to the front and was soon in second place. Now, is when Alonso's amazing luck made an appearance. With Schumacher about to take a two race-win advantage and a 2 point lead over Alonzo, going into the last race of the year, Schumacher's Ferrari engine blew up! This was the first engine failure for Schumacher in six years. 25 y/o Alonso went on to win his 15th grand prix victory, tied Schumacher for the number of 2006 race wins and pulled ahead 10 points. As long as Alonso finishes in the top 8 in Brazil in two weeks, there is nothing Schumacher can do to capture another championship.
We've seen that Schumacher is willing to crash his opponents when it comes down to the last race and the championship is on the line. These instances were among the few actions the German has ever been criticised for. He will need to knock Alonso out of the race, while going on to win the race. How will he do it? With this being perhaps his last race, does the champion of champions want to go out with a "black-eye" from such unsportsman-like behavior? He has pretty incredible luck himself. If I were him, I'd try to concentrate on winning and hope that something happens to Alonso. Ferrari could also urge Schumys team-mate, Felipe Massa, to take Alonso out.
![]() "Take That!" Alonso in Japan Alonso's teammate, Giancarlo Fisichella, was teary-eyed on the podium. He announced in the after-race interview that his best friend had died this week. He dedicated his 3rd place to him.
I would find it surprising if he can continue his success by leaving Roush and racing part-time.
The IRL engine is increasing in size from a 3-Liter to a 3.5-Liter. The new fuel-mixture is going from 10% Ethanol to 100%.
It was a damp weekend in Shanghai. Both Renaults qualified on the starting row. As Fernando Alonso raced away in the lead, his team-mate, Giancarlo Fisichella held up the field. When Alonso began slowing, two attempts had to be made to get Fisi out in front. Michael Schumacher soon passed Alonso and stayed on Fisi. Schumacher would move in to first when he made a daring pass on Fisi who had just came out of the pits. Kimi left the race with car trouble again. If I were Alonso, I'd be scared about moving to McLaren next year. Schumacher held onto the lead. It started to rain during the last 5 laps and a pack of drivers got wild and reckless with a few crashing.
Alonso ended up 2nd on the podium, but was very sad. Michael was exuberant. With two races remaining, Michael and Fernando are tied! Schumacher said his tires and Ferrari's switching to slicks, helped him win. Fernando Alonso, on the other hand, blamed his intermediate tires for his decrease in speed.
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SEPTEMBER 2006
The last Detroit Grand Prix was a CART race in 2001, and was won by Marlboro Team Penske driver Helio Castroneves.
Indycar teams Panther, Penske and Ganassi participated in the test. It is the first time Indycars have been on the historic track since a open-wheel race back in 1959. The drivers all seemed to enjoy the tests, except for the "love" bugs. Sam Hornish, Jr. said his face mask was covered with them after only two laps. Vitor Meira said the bugs would swarm all over him when he was in the pits. These insects are only a seasonal problem. The new 3.5L engines running on 100% Ethenol was also tested. Tony Kanaan said the package was working great. Brian Barnhart said if these compatability tests worked out, and apparently they have, then he will shoot for an open test at Daytona next year. He said a race is a long way off, but a goal.
In 2002 Ferrari was fined $1 million after Rubens Barrichello and Michael Schumacher muddled about on the steps after the Austrian debacle and Jerez has been barred from holding a race since 1997 when the mayor made an unscheduled appearance on the podium to present trophies. Apparently Turkey has gotten off lightly as they will remain on the F1 calendar next year. Remind me never to make any deals with the FIA. Tony, good luck.
The exciting conclusion to the Indycar season was the closest in history. Wheldon won the Chicago race today while Hornish finished in 3rd and they both ended up with 475 points! The tie was broken by the fact that Hornish had won four wins this year to Wheldon's two. This fact won Hornish an extra million dollars. You have to feel sorry for Wheldon who had dominated some races this year, including the Indy 500, only to have the win snatched away in the closing laps.
![]() Sam Hornish, Jr. You have to feel for Helio Castroneves too as he entered the race today in first place, but ended the season in 3rd, only two points behind! Somehow he managed to keep that smile on his face and congratulate his Penske teammate. He's a class act. This is Hornish's 3rd IRL Championship. His first two were won with Panther Racing. This was Penske Racing's first Championship in the IRL. Penske joined the IRL in 2002.
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10 drivers will now compete in the final 10 races
Foyt IV will replace Dario Franchitti, who sustained a concussion Friday during a qualifying session for the Goodwood Revival at the Goodwood Motor Circuit in Goodwood, England. Sunday's race will mark the 48th IndyCar start of Foyt's career and the first since last October at California Speedway. He left the IRL after last season to pursue a career in NASCAR Busch series, but that has not worked out.
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