| November 2014 News |
Hawksworth Joins AJ Foyt Enterprises
Nov 1 - Four-time Indianapolis 500 winner A.J.
Foyt Jr., 79, will field a multi-car team for a full
IndyCar season for the first time since 2002.
Foyt confirmed the hiring of Jack Hawksworth
to drive a second car in 2015.
ABC Supply Co. will extend and expand its
sponsorship to accommodate Hawksworth and
Takuma Sato, who has been Foyt's sole driver.
Hawksworth, a 23-year-old from Bradford,
England, finished 17th in the final IndyCar
drivers' standings as a rookie this year for Bryan
Herta Autosport. His best finish was a third-
place effort in the second race of the Houston
doubleheader.
Nov 1 - Four-time Indianapolis 500 winner A.J.
Foyt Jr., 79, will field a multi-car team for a full
IndyCar season for the first time since 2002.
Foyt confirmed the hiring of Jack Hawksworth
to drive a second car in 2015.
ABC Supply Co. will extend and expand its
sponsorship to accommodate Hawksworth and
Takuma Sato, who has been Foyt's sole driver.
Hawksworth, a 23-year-old from Bradford,
England, finished 17th in the final IndyCar
drivers' standings as a rookie this year for Bryan
Herta Autosport. His best finish was a third-
place effort in the second race of the Houston
doubleheader.
| RACE NEWS & VIEWS |
| Most recent news is at bottom of page. |
"I want them to run as hard as they possibly
can, I want them to race each other the best
they can, and may the best man win," Foyt
said. "Just don't take each other out."
can, I want them to race each other the best
they can, and may the best man win," Foyt
said. "Just don't take each other out."
| A.J. Foyt, Takuma Sato, Jack Hawksworth, Larry Foyt |
F1 Pole Trophy
Nov 9 - Beginning this year, Formula 1 will be
rewarding the driver who wins the most poles in a
season with a trophy.
Today at the Brazilian Grand Prix, Nico Rosberg
won his 10th pole. His team-mate, Lewis
Hamilton, has the second most number of poles, at
7. With just one race left to qualify for this season,
Rosberg has clinched the most pole positions and
will received the new trophy.
Nov 9 - Beginning this year, Formula 1 will be
rewarding the driver who wins the most poles in a
season with a trophy.
Today at the Brazilian Grand Prix, Nico Rosberg
won his 10th pole. His team-mate, Lewis
Hamilton, has the second most number of poles, at
7. With just one race left to qualify for this season,
Rosberg has clinched the most pole positions and
will received the new trophy.
2015 MotoGP
Nov 9 - There are 25 entries so far and 16 of them
are factory optioned machines. Suzuki and Aprilia
are going to compete, making a total of five
manufacturers.
2015 Driver Changes:
Andrea Iannone will be joining Ducati to replace
Cal Crutchlow who will be joining LCR Honda.
Aleix Espargaro is leaving Forward Yamaha and
joining Suzuki.
Alvaro Bautista is leaving Gresini Honda and
joining Aprilia.
Nov 9 - There are 25 entries so far and 16 of them
are factory optioned machines. Suzuki and Aprilia
are going to compete, making a total of five
manufacturers.
2015 Driver Changes:
Andrea Iannone will be joining Ducati to replace
Cal Crutchlow who will be joining LCR Honda.
Aleix Espargaro is leaving Forward Yamaha and
joining Suzuki.
Alvaro Bautista is leaving Gresini Honda and
joining Aprilia.
| American Colin Edwards is retiring after 196 GP starts (5th all-time) |
Nascar Sprint Cup's Chase
Nov 9 - Nascar has tried to setup some type of
elimination playoff for the end of their seasons.
Sixteen drivers who have won a race or have a lot
of points about ten races from the end of the season
are now the only ones eligible to win the Chase and
therefor the championship.
Today's penulitmate race at Phoenix eliminated four
drivers including Jeff Gordon who finished 2nd in
today's race.
Nov 9 - Nascar has tried to setup some type of
elimination playoff for the end of their seasons.
Sixteen drivers who have won a race or have a lot
of points about ten races from the end of the season
are now the only ones eligible to win the Chase and
therefor the championship.
Today's penulitmate race at Phoenix eliminated four
drivers including Jeff Gordon who finished 2nd in
today's race.
The drivers who are still eligible are Denny Hamlin,
Joey Logano, Ryan Newman and Kevin Harvick.
The driver which finishes highest at next week at
Homestead-Miami will win the Sprint Cup
Championship.
I find it discouraging that Ryan Newman has not won
a single race this year while Jeff Gordon (winner of
the Brickyard 400), Dale Earnhardt Jr (winner of the
Daytona 500) and Jimmy Johnson (winner of the
Coca-Cola 600) have all won four races each! Not only
that, Brad Keselowski has won 5 races this year! Yet
they are all out of contention.
Joey Logano, Ryan Newman and Kevin Harvick.
The driver which finishes highest at next week at
Homestead-Miami will win the Sprint Cup
Championship.
I find it discouraging that Ryan Newman has not won
a single race this year while Jeff Gordon (winner of
the Brickyard 400), Dale Earnhardt Jr (winner of the
Daytona 500) and Jimmy Johnson (winner of the
Coca-Cola 600) have all won four races each! Not only
that, Brad Keselowski has won 5 races this year! Yet
they are all out of contention.
Brazilian Grand Prix - F1
Nov 9 - Nico Rosberg ended Formula 1 title rival
Lewis Hamilton's five-race winning streak by beating
the sister Mercedes to victory in the Brazilian Grand
Prix.
By converting his 10th pole position of the 2014 F1
season into victory, Rosberg closed team-mate
Hamilton's points lead down to 17 heading into the
Abu Dhabi GP double-points finale.
Hamilton's hopes of challenging Rosberg's supremacy
were largely undone when he half spun on lap 28 of
71.
Hamilton hustled superbly to recover the time lost to
Rosberg, and put him under pressure by remaining
within DRS range during a franctic final stint (in which
both drivers exchanged fastest laps), but ultimately
Hamilton had to settle for second.
Local hero Felipe Massa brought smiles to the faces of
the home crowd by completing the podium.
The Williams driver survived a five-second penalty for
speeding in the pitlane at his first stop, and the
embarrassment of accidentally driving into the McLaren
pit at his last, to finish a distant third.
Team-mate Valtteri Bottas should have been well
placed to capitalise on Massa's errors, after running
fourth early on, but a lengthy delay at his first pitstop
set him back badly, and he lost more time when Nico
Hulkenberg's Force India forced him wide while
overtaking into the Senna S.
Nov 9 - Nico Rosberg ended Formula 1 title rival
Lewis Hamilton's five-race winning streak by beating
the sister Mercedes to victory in the Brazilian Grand
Prix.
By converting his 10th pole position of the 2014 F1
season into victory, Rosberg closed team-mate
Hamilton's points lead down to 17 heading into the
Abu Dhabi GP double-points finale.
Hamilton's hopes of challenging Rosberg's supremacy
were largely undone when he half spun on lap 28 of
71.
Hamilton hustled superbly to recover the time lost to
Rosberg, and put him under pressure by remaining
within DRS range during a franctic final stint (in which
both drivers exchanged fastest laps), but ultimately
Hamilton had to settle for second.
Local hero Felipe Massa brought smiles to the faces of
the home crowd by completing the podium.
The Williams driver survived a five-second penalty for
speeding in the pitlane at his first stop, and the
embarrassment of accidentally driving into the McLaren
pit at his last, to finish a distant third.
Team-mate Valtteri Bottas should have been well
placed to capitalise on Massa's errors, after running
fourth early on, but a lengthy delay at his first pitstop
set him back badly, and he lost more time when Nico
Hulkenberg's Force India forced him wide while
overtaking into the Senna S.
Bottas eventually wound up a lapped 10th.
McLaren's Jenson Button took that fourth spot with a
brave pass around the outside of Kimi Raikkonen's
Ferrari with 10 laps to run.
Their side-by-side duelling also allowed world champion
Sebastian Vettel to nip through into fifth in his Red
Bull.
Vettel might have finished higher but for ground lost
while battling Kevin Magnussen's McLaren on the
opening lap, while team-mate Daniel Ricciardo retired
shortly before half-distance with a left front suspension
problem on his Red Bull.
Raikkonen started 10th and dropped behind the Sauber
of Esteban Gutierrez on the first lap, but made
progress by being the only driver to complete the race
on two pitstops.
The Finn lost time to what appeared to be a front jack
problem at his second stop, and defended desperately in
a battle of world champions with Fernando Alonso in
the closing stages, but ultimately couldn't prevent his
Ferrari team-mate passing him for sixth with a handful
of laps to go.
Hulkenberg made good use of alternative tire strategy -
running the soft tire at the end - to finish eighth, ahead
of Magnussen's McLaren and Bottas, who just held off
Toro Rosso's Daniil Kvyat to claim the final point.
McLaren's Jenson Button took that fourth spot with a
brave pass around the outside of Kimi Raikkonen's
Ferrari with 10 laps to run.
Their side-by-side duelling also allowed world champion
Sebastian Vettel to nip through into fifth in his Red
Bull.
Vettel might have finished higher but for ground lost
while battling Kevin Magnussen's McLaren on the
opening lap, while team-mate Daniel Ricciardo retired
shortly before half-distance with a left front suspension
problem on his Red Bull.
Raikkonen started 10th and dropped behind the Sauber
of Esteban Gutierrez on the first lap, but made
progress by being the only driver to complete the race
on two pitstops.
The Finn lost time to what appeared to be a front jack
problem at his second stop, and defended desperately in
a battle of world champions with Fernando Alonso in
the closing stages, but ultimately couldn't prevent his
Ferrari team-mate passing him for sixth with a handful
of laps to go.
Hulkenberg made good use of alternative tire strategy -
running the soft tire at the end - to finish eighth, ahead
of Magnussen's McLaren and Bottas, who just held off
Toro Rosso's Daniil Kvyat to claim the final point.
Caterham F1 Returns
Nov 18 - Caterham have announced they plan to take
part in next weekend’s season-ending 2014 Formula 1
Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The team have
missed the last two rounds, in the United States and
Brazil, due to ongoing financial issues.
“We now head to Abu Dhabi ready to show what a
hard-working and positive group of people this is and to
hopefully secure a future for the team,” said interim
team principal Finbarr O’Connell following a
crowdfunding project designed to aid their participation.
Nov 18 - Caterham have announced they plan to take
part in next weekend’s season-ending 2014 Formula 1
Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The team have
missed the last two rounds, in the United States and
Brazil, due to ongoing financial issues.
“We now head to Abu Dhabi ready to show what a
hard-working and positive group of people this is and to
hopefully secure a future for the team,” said interim
team principal Finbarr O’Connell following a
crowdfunding project designed to aid their participation.
“During the past few days the interest of many potential
buyers has increased massively and by racing in Abu
Dhabi the team will be showcasing itself as a live and
functioning team that deserves to continue into 2015
and beyond.”
Caterham have yet to confirm who will be driving for
them at Yas Marina. Kamui Kobayashi and Marcus
Ericcson have formed their regular 2014 race line-up to
date, but the latter - who will race for Sauber next year -
announced earlier this week that he has severed all links
with the team.
buyers has increased massively and by racing in Abu
Dhabi the team will be showcasing itself as a live and
functioning team that deserves to continue into 2015
and beyond.”
Caterham have yet to confirm who will be driving for
them at Yas Marina. Kamui Kobayashi and Marcus
Ericcson have formed their regular 2014 race line-up to
date, but the latter - who will race for Sauber next year -
announced earlier this week that he has severed all links
with the team.
Harvick Wins NASCAR Championship
Nov 18 - Just a few years ago, Kevin Harvick wore
multiple hats in NASCAR. He was primarily the driver
of the No. 29 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing,
but was also tugged in other directions as the owner of
Kevin Harvick Inc., which fielded teams in NASCAR's
Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series.
In 2011, after nine years as an owner/driver, Harvick
closed KHI. The team was successful and respected, but
the owner wanted to focus more on his own driving and
trying to win an elusive Sprint Cup title.
Three years later, Harvick is now wearing one hat: the
champion's.
The 38-year-old Californian finally grabbed his title on
Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, winning the
final race of the new NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase. An
"elimination" format was implemented for the final 10
races of the season, emphasizing consistency and
winning with a few sudden-death moments, and
Harvick answered the call each time.
Coming to the penultimate race in Phoenix, Harvick had
to win to make the finale. He did. In the finale, Harvick
had to finish ahead of fellow title contenders Denny
Hamlin, Joey Logano and Ryan Newman to take the
title. He did that and more in winning the race.
Harvick did all of it in the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 4
Chevrolet, the other noteworthy move he made in
recent years. Last year, after spending his entire 13-
year Sprint Cup career with Richard Childress Racing,
he jumped into a new seat at Tony Stewart's growing
team.
Harvick's title came full circle in a sense with who he
held off for the win at Homestead – Newman, who
moved to RCR when Harvick left after driving for
Stewart-Haas.
Nov 18 - Just a few years ago, Kevin Harvick wore
multiple hats in NASCAR. He was primarily the driver
of the No. 29 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing,
but was also tugged in other directions as the owner of
Kevin Harvick Inc., which fielded teams in NASCAR's
Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series.
In 2011, after nine years as an owner/driver, Harvick
closed KHI. The team was successful and respected, but
the owner wanted to focus more on his own driving and
trying to win an elusive Sprint Cup title.
Three years later, Harvick is now wearing one hat: the
champion's.
The 38-year-old Californian finally grabbed his title on
Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, winning the
final race of the new NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase. An
"elimination" format was implemented for the final 10
races of the season, emphasizing consistency and
winning with a few sudden-death moments, and
Harvick answered the call each time.
Coming to the penultimate race in Phoenix, Harvick had
to win to make the finale. He did. In the finale, Harvick
had to finish ahead of fellow title contenders Denny
Hamlin, Joey Logano and Ryan Newman to take the
title. He did that and more in winning the race.
Harvick did all of it in the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 4
Chevrolet, the other noteworthy move he made in
recent years. Last year, after spending his entire 13-
year Sprint Cup career with Richard Childress Racing,
he jumped into a new seat at Tony Stewart's growing
team.
Harvick's title came full circle in a sense with who he
held off for the win at Homestead – Newman, who
moved to RCR when Harvick left after driving for
Stewart-Haas.
Formula 1 Finale
Nov 23 - Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton produced a
faultless performance in Abu Dhabi on Sunday evening
to claim his 11th win of the season and with it his second
world drivers' crown.
Hamilton - previously champion in 2008 - made the
perfect start to grab the lead from polesitting team mate
Nico Rosberg, giving him the platform to control the
race from the front. Williams' Felipe Massa meanwhile
slotted into third from the start ahead of McLaren's
Jenson Button, while Valtteri Bottas in the second
Williams tumbled down the order after an awful start
from third.
For the first 23 laps Rosberg kept Hamilton honest, the
duo rarely separated by more than two seconds, but the
race turned dramatically on Lap 24 as Rosberg's car
began to slow as he lost ERS and then other systems
began to fail.
The German began to slip back, the loss of second to
Massa the first act of a slow and anguished plummet
down the points places. While he did his best to hang on
to a top-five result - crucial for his title chances - he
gradually slipped out of contention. To add insult to
brutal, cruel luck, he was lapped by Hamilton in the
closing stages, and eventually finished 14th after Romain
Grosjean crept by the stricken Silver Arrow in his Lotus.
Despite such misfortune, Rosberg showed dignity in
defeat as he was one of the first to congratulate his
season-long championship rival Hamilton. The Briton
described his second title - and the first for Mercedes
since Juan Manuel Fangio in 1955 - as the greatest day of
his life.
But even with Rosberg out of the picture, the Briton's
11th victory of the year was no easy run. Massa was
Nov 23 - Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton produced a
faultless performance in Abu Dhabi on Sunday evening
to claim his 11th win of the season and with it his second
world drivers' crown.
Hamilton - previously champion in 2008 - made the
perfect start to grab the lead from polesitting team mate
Nico Rosberg, giving him the platform to control the
race from the front. Williams' Felipe Massa meanwhile
slotted into third from the start ahead of McLaren's
Jenson Button, while Valtteri Bottas in the second
Williams tumbled down the order after an awful start
from third.
For the first 23 laps Rosberg kept Hamilton honest, the
duo rarely separated by more than two seconds, but the
race turned dramatically on Lap 24 as Rosberg's car
began to slow as he lost ERS and then other systems
began to fail.
The German began to slip back, the loss of second to
Massa the first act of a slow and anguished plummet
down the points places. While he did his best to hang on
to a top-five result - crucial for his title chances - he
gradually slipped out of contention. To add insult to
brutal, cruel luck, he was lapped by Hamilton in the
closing stages, and eventually finished 14th after Romain
Grosjean crept by the stricken Silver Arrow in his Lotus.
Despite such misfortune, Rosberg showed dignity in
defeat as he was one of the first to congratulate his
season-long championship rival Hamilton. The Briton
described his second title - and the first for Mercedes
since Juan Manuel Fangio in 1955 - as the greatest day of
his life.
But even with Rosberg out of the picture, the Briton's
11th victory of the year was no easy run. Massa was
hungry for Williams' first success since Barcelona 2012
and made the best use of a very long second stint to
gamble on a set of supersoft tires for the final 12 laps.
Initially he slashed the gap to race leader Hamilton, but
with a handful of laps to go his tires began to lose their
vital grip and he didn't quite have enough to challenge the
Mercedes, finishing 2.5 seconds behind at the chequered
flag.
Bottas did recover from his poor start to clinch third,
sealing an excellent day for Williams - it was their first
double podium since 2005, and earned them third place
in the 2014 constructors' championship.
"2007 was a very bad experience losing the world
championship in the last race," Hamilton admitted. "I fell
to a low over which I had no control. In 2008 I came
back and won the championship but Felipe here won the
race and won the championship for a few seconds,
before I got it back in the last corner. So I lost it and won
it and, while that was great, my emotions were shot. I
wasn't so mature, I didn't have the knowledge I have
now.
"Normally before a race you have butterflies in your
stomach and are nervous, but today I felt extremely
calm. It was weird; was that a good thing or a bad thing?
Obviously it was good!
"Last night I kept thinking that tomorrow is the big date,
something could happen to the car and that would be the
championship done. Naturally you think of all the
negative things that could happen but I tried really hard
bring all the positives into it, and I brought into the race
and looked after the car. It helped when Nico's car was
not performing, and when he fell out of the points I knew
I could fight Felipe.
"Today was the greatest race of my life."
and made the best use of a very long second stint to
gamble on a set of supersoft tires for the final 12 laps.
Initially he slashed the gap to race leader Hamilton, but
with a handful of laps to go his tires began to lose their
vital grip and he didn't quite have enough to challenge the
Mercedes, finishing 2.5 seconds behind at the chequered
flag.
Bottas did recover from his poor start to clinch third,
sealing an excellent day for Williams - it was their first
double podium since 2005, and earned them third place
in the 2014 constructors' championship.
"2007 was a very bad experience losing the world
championship in the last race," Hamilton admitted. "I fell
to a low over which I had no control. In 2008 I came
back and won the championship but Felipe here won the
race and won the championship for a few seconds,
before I got it back in the last corner. So I lost it and won
it and, while that was great, my emotions were shot. I
wasn't so mature, I didn't have the knowledge I have
now.
"Normally before a race you have butterflies in your
stomach and are nervous, but today I felt extremely
calm. It was weird; was that a good thing or a bad thing?
Obviously it was good!
"Last night I kept thinking that tomorrow is the big date,
something could happen to the car and that would be the
championship done. Naturally you think of all the
negative things that could happen but I tried really hard
bring all the positives into it, and I brought into the race
and looked after the car. It helped when Nico's car was
not performing, and when he fell out of the points I knew
I could fight Felipe.
"Today was the greatest race of my life."
IndyCar Driver's Brother Does Stand Up Comedy
