DECEMBER 2006 (12/12) - If you check out Jay-Z's video, you will see Danica Patrick racing Dale Earnhardt, Jr in supercars on the streets of Monte Carlo for the first 1/3rd of the video! WARNING: People with musical taste should turn their speakers off before clicking on the link. (12/8) - 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson suffered a broken left wrist when he fell off a golf cart in Florida.

NOVEMBER 2006 (11/20) - Juan Pablo's first Cup race ended in a fiery wreck. He is ok. 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. (11/17) - What has Jacques Villeneuve been doing since his exit from Formula One? Why making a music video course!! Go HERE to see it. 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. (11/14) - Darren Manning is returning to the IRL, but instead of racing for Chip Ganassi, he will drive the #14 car for A.J. Foyt Enterprises. Larry Foyt has been made Team Director. (11/7) - Jeff Gordon has married Belgian model Ingrid Vandebosch in a private ceremony in Mexico. Here's a picture of them at the 2006 United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis.

OCTOBER 2006 10/29) - Ha! After last week's race at Martinsville, Va., 2005 Cup champion Tony Stewart described David Ragan as "a dart without feathers." 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." (10/23) - Forsythe Championship Racing quickly released A.J. Allmendigner upon his announcement of his 2007 NASCAR ride - not unlike Montoya's quick release from McLaren earlier in the year. Allmendinger is reportedly being paid $9-million for a 3-year deal with the formative Red Bull Toyota team. 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. Self Gratuitous Quote of the Week! "Buddy has shown great potential throughout his career and he deserves a shot at Champ Car." - Jerry Forsythe 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. 2006 Final IRL Standings for Rahal Letterman Racing Standing Points Driver 9th 302 Danica Patrick 15th 234 Buddy Rice 16th 217 Jeff Simmons 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. (10/23) - The only American driver in Champ Car, A.J. Allmendinger, announced he is leaving Champ Car to pursue a career in NASCAR next year. He will be driving for Team Red Bull. 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. (10/22) - Young Spaniard Fernando Alonso whipped Michael Schumacher for the second year in a row, winning the F1 World Drivers Championship. While Alonso will move to team McLaren, Schumacher is set to retire. Joining Schumacher in leaving F1 for 2007 are driver's Juan Pablo Montoya and Jacques Villeneuve, engine builder Cosworth, tire manufacturer Michelin and tobacco sponsors Mild Seven and BAT. Flavio Briatore and Fernando Alonso star in this week's episode of "Love European Style". (10/22) - In 2003, Frenchman Sébastien Bourdais won three CART races in his freshman year. By then, most of the good teams had left the series, Newman-Haas and Forsythe sticking around. By the end of that year, CART went out of business. 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. Ok, we get it. What is up with those fingers? Is he part Vulcan? (10/21) - Indycar owner Sam Schmidt won the Humanitarian Award from the Las Vegas Walk of Stars Foundation. On October 28th, the Mayor will present the award, a 3-foot slab of polished granite with Sam's name. It will be place on a 4-mile section of the famous Las Vegas Blvd. sidewalk. (10/20) - During the second stage of qualifying for the Brazilian Grand Prix, Michael Schumacher's Ferrari got stuck in gear and he did not get a chance to qualify, forcing him to start 10th in the last race of the season. Fernando Alonso qualified 4th, with Brazilian Felipe Massa on the pole. Massa's uniform is made in his country's flag colors instead of Ferrari Red. (10/15) - The Karting World's biggest event of the season, the RoboPong.com 200, is being ran today in Indianapolis at the New Castle Motorsports Park. Looking at the entrylist, I found some famililar names from the Indycar, Nascar and Champcar world. Start Finish Drivers Team 11 1 Ricky Rudd RH Racing/Racersites.com #41 team 23 15 Tomas Scheckter BeST #21x< 54 26 Robby McGehee Indywolves #51 team 33 31 Katherine Legge Sarah Fisher Team MKP GP #457 team 10 34 Dan Wheldon Mark Dismore Jr. Comet Kart Sales #7 Team 20 35 Scott Dixon TKM Motorsports #12 team< 34 53 Rick Treadway Triple Threat Racing #14 team DNQ Jeff Simmons Team Ethanol – MKP #e team DNQ Arie Luyendyk Jr. Average Joe’s Racing #18 team (10/12) - Last month the IRL added another road course to their schedule -Belle Isle in Detroit. The IRL has now added a 5th road course to the 2007 schedule. They will be racing at Mid-Ohio on July 22nd. Like in Detroit, their Saturday support race will be the American Le Mans series. 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. (10/10) - If there was any doubt that NASCAR fans are serious, Lowe's Motor Speedway Chairman Bruton Smith has assigned extra security for Brian Vickers for the upcoming race at Charlotte. 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. (10/8) - I've often been surprised by the extreme good fortune which Fernando Alonzo has enjoyed. His boldness and confidence, too, are amazing. Today's Formula One grand prix in Japan was no exception. 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. (10/7) - 2000 Indy 500 winner, Columbian Juan Pablo Montoya, debuted in stock cars at the ARCA race at Talledega. He finished 3rd. Montoya said, "In F1, if you go to the back, you stay in the back. Here, you can be in the back of a 30-car line and still get up front. That's just really, really nice. I passed probably 40 cars today. It was freaky, but I never had so much fun in my life." (10/7) - Mark Martin, who was supposed to have retired in 2005, is leaving long-time team Roush Racing where he drove for 19 years, to race a partial 2007 Cup schedule with MB2 Motorsports. Martin will be switching from Ford to Chevy too. I would find it surprising if he can continue his success by leaving Roush and racing part-time. (10/4) - Tony Kanaan joined three other drivers who participated in winter practice at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway the past two days. He continued the test of the 2007 Indycar. He reports, "It was a very important practice because Firestone was testing something new on its tires." 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%. (10/1) - 2006 CHINESE GRAND PRIX 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. Renault dropped the champaign bottle from the podium, but they didn't catch it and it broke. It just wasn't their day.

SEPTEMBER 2006 (9/29) - The Detroit Grand Prix at Belle Island may return next year. This time the IRL would be the main event on Sunday, Sept. 2 with the debut of an American Le Mans Series race the day before. The Detroit City Council all but approved a proposal from Roger Penske and Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick today. The contract with IRL would be for five years. The last Detroit Grand Prix was a CART race in 2001, and was won by Marlboro Team Penske driver Helio Castroneves. (9/27) - The IRL has tested Indycars at the Daytona Motor Speedway this week in anticipation of a possible race on their 10-turn, 2.73-mile roadcourse which has 31-degree banking. 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. (9/26) - Scott Dixon, a defending champion of the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, said he thinks next year he'll return driving for Ganassi, along with Dan Wheldon and Juan Pablo Montoya. (9/24) - During the Champcar race today at Road America, Katherine Legge was approaching 165mph corner when she lost her rear wing. The car spun and she hit the wall backwards. The car flew into the air, climbing the fence. When it hit the ground, it snapped in two, flew up in to the air and was spinning. It was a devastating wreck. I thought the cockpit was chopped in two and that Legge was dead. Fortunately, her driver compartment was intact. After a short while, we saw her smiling and walking into her trailer! Amazing. Legge shortly after the wreck. (9/23) - Cristiano da Matta has been released from the hospital in Wisconsin and is returning home to Miami to continue his rehabilitation process. (9/19) The FIA continues to amaze me with their brass. After the Turkish GP, the President of Northern Turkey presented the winner's trophy. Apprently, the international community recognized the president of southern Turkey. So the FIA is angered, considers it a breach of contract and fines them $5,000,000.00, the largest fine in sports history. 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. (9/15) - Bobby Rahal's son Graham Rahal had a two-day test session with Champcar's Newman-Haas Racing this week. The 17-year-old completed almost 200 laps at the Sebring circuit behind the wheel of Bruno Junqueira's No. 2 car. Graham is currently in 2nd place in the Atlantic Championship chase. He is expected to return to A1 GP this fall before possibly embarking on a Champ Car career next year. (9/10) - Ferrari's 7-time World Driver's Champion Michael Schumacher announced after winning the F1 grand prix at Monza Italy that he would retire at the end of the season. He is now only 2 points behind reigning F1 champion Fernando Alonso and has a real chance of winning the title for the 8th time. (9/10) - The 2006 IRL Indycar Championship was won once again by the reigning Indy 500 Champion. Last year, it was Dan Wheldon. This year it was Sam Hornish, Jr.. 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. (9/11) - Red Bull F1 team's test and third driver, Robert Doornbos will replace Christian Klien for the remaining three races of the F1 season. Mark Webber will take over that drive next year. Klein was offered a Champcar drive by Red Bull, but he declined. He is now loooking for another F1 job. (9/9) - Going into the final race of the Indycar season, four drivers are capable of winning the championship: Helio Castroneves, Sam Hornish, Jr., Scott Dixon and Dan Wheldon. Sam Hornish, Jr. captured the pole for the race at Chicagoland speedway. He is followed by the other three drivers. A.J.Foyt IV, driving in his first IRL race of the year, qualified in 11th. Sarah Fisher returns for her second IRL race of the season, qualifying in 16th position, right behind Danica Patrick. There are 19 cars qualified for the Peak Antifreeze Indy 300. (9/9) - Kasey Kahne finished 3rd at Richmond tonight and moved into the top 10 and the NASCAR Nextel Cup Chase, pushing reigning Cup Champ Tony Stewart out of the Chase. 10 drivers will now compete in the final 10 races to determine the new NASCAR Cup Champ: Matt Kenseth Jimmie Johnson Kevin Harvick Kyle Busch Denny Hamlin Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Mark Martin Jeff Burton Jeff Gordon Kasey Kahne (9/8) - Peter Brock was killed today in a racing accident in the Targa West Rally in Perth Australia. Brock raced V8 Supercars down under and won a total of nine Bathurst 1000 events and one Bathurst 24 hour event. He was 61. (9/6) - Andretti Green Racing announced today that A.J. Foyt IV will drive the #27 Klein Tools/Canadian Club Dallara/Honda/Firestone in the final race of the 2006 IndyCar Series season Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway. 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.