| October 2013 |
| Latest news is at the bottom |
New Race at Indy Speedway
Oct 1 - Next May, a few weeks before the Indy
500, the IndyCars will be racing at the Indy
Speedway's road course.
The race will begin from a standing start and
run clockwise, the same as the 2000-2007
Formula One U.S. Grand Prix.
However, the IndyCar course will be different from
the F1 course in the south west section of the
course. Some of the kinks of the course have
been removed. They are also talking of using
the chicane that was built for the MotoGP race
instead of Turn 1 of the oval. (Note: the MotoGP
race runs counter-clockwise)
The three Mazda Road to Indy classes
[IndyLights, Pro Mazda and USF2000] will also
race.
Oct 1 - Next May, a few weeks before the Indy
500, the IndyCars will be racing at the Indy
Speedway's road course.
The race will begin from a standing start and
run clockwise, the same as the 2000-2007
Formula One U.S. Grand Prix.
However, the IndyCar course will be different from
the F1 course in the south west section of the
course. Some of the kinks of the course have
been removed. They are also talking of using
the chicane that was built for the MotoGP race
instead of Turn 1 of the oval. (Note: the MotoGP
race runs counter-clockwise)
The three Mazda Road to Indy classes
[IndyLights, Pro Mazda and USF2000] will also
race.
| RACE NEWS & VIEWS |
The race will take place on Saturday (May 10, 2014) because Sunday is Mother's Day.
Practice will take place on May 8th and Qualifying will be on May 9th. Click For Pricing.
A $5 million-$6 million renovation to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course is underway for next
May’s inaugural Grand Prix of Indianapolis. Changes to several corners and the addition of spectator
mounds are aimed at creating a more fan-friendly course with additional opportunities for drivers to
pass.
Practice will take place on May 8th and Qualifying will be on May 9th. Click For Pricing.
A $5 million-$6 million renovation to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course is underway for next
May’s inaugural Grand Prix of Indianapolis. Changes to several corners and the addition of spectator
mounds are aimed at creating a more fan-friendly course with additional opportunities for drivers to
pass.
On the map above, the stands are in red. Also the blue are for sale, which are the penthouse level of part of the
Paddock and Stands A & B and the SW Vista Deck and NW Vista Deck.
Paddock and Stands A & B and the SW Vista Deck and NW Vista Deck.
| Indianapolis Grand Prix Race Course Layout |
Change at Ganassi
Oct 4 - Veteran IndyCar driver Tony Kanaan,
winner of this year's Indianapolis 500, next year
will join one of the sport's strongest teams, Chip
Ganassi Racing.
Ganassi announced that it signed the 38-year-old
Brazilian to a multi-year deal to become the team's
fourth driver.
The others are four-time IndyCar champion Dario
Franchitti, two-time title winner Scott Dixon and
Charlie Kimball, who won his first career IndyCar
race this year at Mid-Ohio.
"I wanted to be in the best teams with the best
guys who have been beating me forever. I
thought about it every single day," Kanaan said.
"The first question that I asked Chip was, 'What
do I have to bring?' And he said, 'Your helmet.'
That was a big weight off of my shoulders."
Kanaan, who currently drives for the team KV
Racing Technology, has 16 IndyCar wins in his
15-year career and was the 2004 series
champion. He's 11th in this year's title standings.
In 2009 Kanaan had a chance at Ganassi Racing's
No. 10 car, but opted to stay with Andretti
Autosport. Franchitti used it to win three IndyCar
titles and two Indianapolis 500s.
Oct 4 - Veteran IndyCar driver Tony Kanaan,
winner of this year's Indianapolis 500, next year
will join one of the sport's strongest teams, Chip
Ganassi Racing.
Ganassi announced that it signed the 38-year-old
Brazilian to a multi-year deal to become the team's
fourth driver.
The others are four-time IndyCar champion Dario
Franchitti, two-time title winner Scott Dixon and
Charlie Kimball, who won his first career IndyCar
race this year at Mid-Ohio.
"I wanted to be in the best teams with the best
guys who have been beating me forever. I
thought about it every single day," Kanaan said.
"The first question that I asked Chip was, 'What
do I have to bring?' And he said, 'Your helmet.'
That was a big weight off of my shoulders."
Kanaan, who currently drives for the team KV
Racing Technology, has 16 IndyCar wins in his
15-year career and was the 2004 series
champion. He's 11th in this year's title standings.
In 2009 Kanaan had a chance at Ganassi Racing's
No. 10 car, but opted to stay with Andretti
Autosport. Franchitti used it to win three IndyCar
titles and two Indianapolis 500s.
Separately, Ganassi said his team next year would
switch to Chevrolet engines from Honda. The
NASCAR team that Ganassi co-owns, Earnhardt
Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, already uses
Chevrolet engines.
"There are a lot of synergies that we will be able to
realize in working with the same manufacturer
across the two series," Ganassi said.
switch to Chevrolet engines from Honda. The
NASCAR team that Ganassi co-owns, Earnhardt
Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, already uses
Chevrolet engines.
"There are a lot of synergies that we will be able to
realize in working with the same manufacturer
across the two series," Ganassi said.
| Tony Kanaan celebrating long sought Indy 500 win |
| The Formula One U.S. Grand Prix Track Layout (2000-2007) |
| The IndyCar Indianapolis Grand Prix Track Layout (2014) |
| The Two Courses Over Lapped for comparison |
F1 track is black
IndyCar track is gray
IndyCar track is gray
Franchitti Injured at Houston IndyCar Race
Oct 6 - Four-time IndyCar champion Dario
Franchitti suffered two broken vertebrae, a
fractured right ankle and a concussion in a scary
crash in which his car went airborne into the
catchfence during Sunday's Houston Grand Prix.
Debris from his car vaulted into the stands, injuring
13 fans and an IndyCar Series official, according
to the Associated Press. Two people are being
treated at a local hospital.
Franchitti had surgery Sunday to repair his right
ankle.
Franchitti's car became airborne as he tried to
pass Takuma Sato on a fast portion of the course
in Turn 5. The car went airborne and tore into
fencing, which held. His No. 10 Honda came to
rest back on the temporary street circuit around
Reliant Park with the front end missing but with the
tub portion of the chassis intact. E.J. Viso was
also caught up in the crash.
Viso and Sato climbed from their cars unharmed.
Scott Dixon won the Saturday race and Will
Power won the Sunday race, which is when the
Franchitti crash happened. Dixon took the points
lead from Helio Castroneves.
Oct 6 - Four-time IndyCar champion Dario
Franchitti suffered two broken vertebrae, a
fractured right ankle and a concussion in a scary
crash in which his car went airborne into the
catchfence during Sunday's Houston Grand Prix.
Debris from his car vaulted into the stands, injuring
13 fans and an IndyCar Series official, according
to the Associated Press. Two people are being
treated at a local hospital.
Franchitti had surgery Sunday to repair his right
ankle.
Franchitti's car became airborne as he tried to
pass Takuma Sato on a fast portion of the course
in Turn 5. The car went airborne and tore into
fencing, which held. His No. 10 Honda came to
rest back on the temporary street circuit around
Reliant Park with the front end missing but with the
tub portion of the chassis intact. E.J. Viso was
also caught up in the crash.
Viso and Sato climbed from their cars unharmed.
Scott Dixon won the Saturday race and Will
Power won the Sunday race, which is when the
Franchitti crash happened. Dixon took the points
lead from Helio Castroneves.
| Crash Video |
Scott Dixon Wins Third IndyCar Title
Oct 20 - Scott Dixon won his third IndyCar
Championship last night at Fontana.
Coming down to the last race of the season, Helio
Castroneves was still in the hunt for the 2013
championship. A penalty and a broken wing from
contact with Charlie Kimball's car cause him to
finish a lap down in 6th place.
It was an exciting race with cars racing three wide
on the 2-mile oval in southern California. There
were many crashes with speeds of 220 mph.
Only 9 cars out of 25 were still running at the end.
Will Power won the race and Dixon finished in 5th
to secure his third IRL/IndyCar title - five years after
his last, 10 years after his first.
Dixon said, "The first one, I think I was young, just
didn’t really understand what I had won. My
perspective when I was 22 or 23 — of what I
actually did, to what I understand now — is totally
different,” he said. “And ’08 was a dream year.
Got married, won the Indy 500 and the
championship. Pretty hard to beat that."
Oct 20 - Scott Dixon won his third IndyCar
Championship last night at Fontana.
Coming down to the last race of the season, Helio
Castroneves was still in the hunt for the 2013
championship. A penalty and a broken wing from
contact with Charlie Kimball's car cause him to
finish a lap down in 6th place.
It was an exciting race with cars racing three wide
on the 2-mile oval in southern California. There
were many crashes with speeds of 220 mph.
Only 9 cars out of 25 were still running at the end.
Will Power won the race and Dixon finished in 5th
to secure his third IRL/IndyCar title - five years after
his last, 10 years after his first.
Dixon said, "The first one, I think I was young, just
didn’t really understand what I had won. My
perspective when I was 22 or 23 — of what I
actually did, to what I understand now — is totally
different,” he said. “And ’08 was a dream year.
Got married, won the Indy 500 and the
championship. Pretty hard to beat that."
| Scott Dixon is congratulated by his wife Emma. |
F1 Championship Ends Early
Oct 27 - After winning the last five F1 races,
Sebastian Vettel won the Indian Grand Prix today
clinching the World Driver's Championship for
himself and the Constructors championship for
his Red Bull team.
The 26 y/o German has had a blazing career.
Five years ago he entered Formula One and finished
second in the championship. He then proceeded to
win it every year afterwards.
He now has four championships, tying the great
French driver, Alain Prost.
Note: Instead of returning to parc ferme at the end
of the race, Vettel celebrated by doing donuts,
climbing the fence and throwing his gloves into the
audience. The FIA reprimanded him and fined his
team $25,000 Euros for the infraction.
Oct 27 - After winning the last five F1 races,
Sebastian Vettel won the Indian Grand Prix today
clinching the World Driver's Championship for
himself and the Constructors championship for
his Red Bull team.
The 26 y/o German has had a blazing career.
Five years ago he entered Formula One and finished
second in the championship. He then proceeded to
win it every year afterwards.
He now has four championships, tying the great
French driver, Alain Prost.
Note: Instead of returning to parc ferme at the end
of the race, Vettel celebrated by doing donuts,
climbing the fence and throwing his gloves into the
audience. The FIA reprimanded him and fined his
team $25,000 Euros for the infraction.
| TITANS OF FORMULA 1 at Age 26 |
Michael Schumacher
Alain Prost
Ayrton Senna
Sebastian Vettel
Alain Prost
Ayrton Senna
Sebastian Vettel
Wins
11
0
4
36
11
0
4
36
Podiums
29
1
14
59
29
1
14
59
Poles
6
0
11
44
6
0
11
44
World Championships
1
0
0
4
1
0
0
4
Ben Spies Retires
Oct 28 - American MotoGP racer Ben Spies
announced his retirement from racing Saturday,
Oct. 26, ending his competition career at age 29
due to a shoulder injury
Spies, from Longview, Texas, enjoyed a meteoric
career on the world level. He won three consecutive
American Motorcyclist Association Superbike titles
from 2006-08 and won the World Superbike
championship as a rookie in 2009 in his first
season of global racing.
Spies climbed to MotoGP in 2010 with Monster
Yamaha Tech 3, earning Rookie of the Year honors
after finishing sixth in the World Championship
standings. His best event of his rookie year was
the Red Bull Indianapolis GP at the Indianapolis
Motor Speedway, where Spies earned his only
career MotoGP pole and finished second in the race.
Promoted to the Yamaha Factory Racing team in
2011, Spies earned his only career MotoGP victory
in a magisterial ride in the rain at the prestigious
TT Assen. He also finished third at Indianapolis,
one of four podium finishes that helped him to fifth
place in the points that season.
He joined the Ducati team for 2013, but shoulder
surgery from 2012 never healed. He attempted a
comeback at the race in Indy in August, but he
crashed during practice. He separated his left
shoulder and this would end up being his last event.
Oct 28 - American MotoGP racer Ben Spies
announced his retirement from racing Saturday,
Oct. 26, ending his competition career at age 29
due to a shoulder injury
Spies, from Longview, Texas, enjoyed a meteoric
career on the world level. He won three consecutive
American Motorcyclist Association Superbike titles
from 2006-08 and won the World Superbike
championship as a rookie in 2009 in his first
season of global racing.
Spies climbed to MotoGP in 2010 with Monster
Yamaha Tech 3, earning Rookie of the Year honors
after finishing sixth in the World Championship
standings. His best event of his rookie year was
the Red Bull Indianapolis GP at the Indianapolis
Motor Speedway, where Spies earned his only
career MotoGP pole and finished second in the race.
Promoted to the Yamaha Factory Racing team in
2011, Spies earned his only career MotoGP victory
in a magisterial ride in the rain at the prestigious
TT Assen. He also finished third at Indianapolis,
one of four podium finishes that helped him to fifth
place in the points that season.
He joined the Ducati team for 2013, but shoulder
surgery from 2012 never healed. He attempted a
comeback at the race in Indy in August, but he
crashed during practice. He separated his left
shoulder and this would end up being his last event.
| Ben Spies |
VIDEO
2013 IndyCar Champion
Scott Dixon interviewed on
Late Night with David Letterman
Oct 29th 2013
2013 IndyCar Champion
Scott Dixon interviewed on
Late Night with David Letterman
Oct 29th 2013
