| September 2015 News |
Red Bull MotoGP Cancelled
Sept 11 - Following the removal of the
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca from the
MogoGP schedule in 2014, the Red Bull
Indianapolis Grand Prix became the only
summer MotoGP event in North America
for the last two seasons. This caused both
financial and logistical challenges that no
longer made the event viable for the
foreseeable future.
So, no more MotoGP at Indy or in the USA
for next year. Bummer!
Sept 11 - Following the removal of the
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca from the
MogoGP schedule in 2014, the Red Bull
Indianapolis Grand Prix became the only
summer MotoGP event in North America
for the last two seasons. This caused both
financial and logistical challenges that no
longer made the event viable for the
foreseeable future.
So, no more MotoGP at Indy or in the USA
for next year. Bummer!
| RACE NEWS & VIEWS |
| Most recent news is at bottom of page. |
Sept 15 - NASCAR begins its second year of its new
elimination-style Chase format this weekend at Chicagoland
Speedway.
The 10-race Chase for the Sprint Cup will feature 16 drivers
vying for the series championship.
The four-round playoff is designed to create a Final Four-like
showdown for the season finale Nov. 22 at Homestead-
Miami Speedway.
The Chase begins with the Sept. 20 race at Chicagoland
Speedway.
The field features 16 drivers — the regular-season points
leader, plus the next 15 drivers — as long as they’re in the
top 30 in the standings and have attempted to qualify for
each race — based on wins and points. There were 11
drivers, including regular-season points leader Kevin Harvick,
who qualified by winning races, so the final five spots went
to drivers based on points.
For the first round of the Chase, each driver gets three points
for each regular-season win. They are then ranked by the
normal tiebreaker in the standings — best finish. So among
those with the same number of wins, the driver with the most
second-place finishes would be the higher seed.
There are four rounds, with the first three consisting of three
races each:
1st round: Chicagoland, New Hampshire, Dover
2nd round: Charlotte, Kansas, Talladega
3rd round: Martinsville, Texas, Phoenix
Championship race: Homestead
The first round is being called the "Challenger" round, the
second round the "Contender" round and the third round the
"Eliminator" round. The final event is dubbed the
“Championship” race.
Four drivers will be eliminated in each round. Race winners
(as long as they are still part of the Chase) automatically
advance, with the remainder of the spots based on points
scored in the three Chase races. Ties are broken by best
finish in that specific round. After the first round, the 12
remaining drivers have their points reset to 3,000. After the
second round, the eight remaining drivers have their points
reset to 4,000 and after the third round, the four remaining
drivers have their points reset to 5,000.
The driver who finishes best among the four finalists at
Homestead is the champion. There are no bonus points
based on a lap led or leading the most laps. The Chase driver
among the four that crosses the finish line first wins the
championship.
Drivers who are eliminated in the first three rounds have
their points adjusted by taking their total points accumulated
in Chase races and adding to their point total when they
started the Chase. That way, a driver who is knocked out in
the first round of the Chase can finish as high as fifth in the
final standings.
elimination-style Chase format this weekend at Chicagoland
Speedway.
The 10-race Chase for the Sprint Cup will feature 16 drivers
vying for the series championship.
The four-round playoff is designed to create a Final Four-like
showdown for the season finale Nov. 22 at Homestead-
Miami Speedway.
The Chase begins with the Sept. 20 race at Chicagoland
Speedway.
The field features 16 drivers — the regular-season points
leader, plus the next 15 drivers — as long as they’re in the
top 30 in the standings and have attempted to qualify for
each race — based on wins and points. There were 11
drivers, including regular-season points leader Kevin Harvick,
who qualified by winning races, so the final five spots went
to drivers based on points.
For the first round of the Chase, each driver gets three points
for each regular-season win. They are then ranked by the
normal tiebreaker in the standings — best finish. So among
those with the same number of wins, the driver with the most
second-place finishes would be the higher seed.
There are four rounds, with the first three consisting of three
races each:
1st round: Chicagoland, New Hampshire, Dover
2nd round: Charlotte, Kansas, Talladega
3rd round: Martinsville, Texas, Phoenix
Championship race: Homestead
The first round is being called the "Challenger" round, the
second round the "Contender" round and the third round the
"Eliminator" round. The final event is dubbed the
“Championship” race.
Four drivers will be eliminated in each round. Race winners
(as long as they are still part of the Chase) automatically
advance, with the remainder of the spots based on points
scored in the three Chase races. Ties are broken by best
finish in that specific round. After the first round, the 12
remaining drivers have their points reset to 3,000. After the
second round, the eight remaining drivers have their points
reset to 4,000 and after the third round, the four remaining
drivers have their points reset to 5,000.
The driver who finishes best among the four finalists at
Homestead is the champion. There are no bonus points
based on a lap led or leading the most laps. The Chase driver
among the four that crosses the finish line first wins the
championship.
Drivers who are eliminated in the first three rounds have
their points adjusted by taking their total points accumulated
in Chase races and adding to their point total when they
started the Chase. That way, a driver who is knocked out in
the first round of the Chase can finish as high as fifth in the
final standings.
10 RACES OF THE CHASE
Sept. 20 — Chicagoland Speedway
Sept. 27 — New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Oct. 4 — Dover International Speedway
Oct. 10 — Charlotte Motor Speedway
Oct. 18 — Kansas Speedway
Oct. 25 — Talladega Superspeedway
Nov. 1 — Martinsville Speedway
Nov. 8 — Texas Motor Speedway
Nov. 15 — Phoenix International Raceway
Nov. 22 — Homestead-Miami Speedway
Sept. 20 — Chicagoland Speedway
Sept. 27 — New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Oct. 4 — Dover International Speedway
Oct. 10 — Charlotte Motor Speedway
Oct. 18 — Kansas Speedway
Oct. 25 — Talladega Superspeedway
Nov. 1 — Martinsville Speedway
Nov. 8 — Texas Motor Speedway
Nov. 15 — Phoenix International Raceway
Nov. 22 — Homestead-Miami Speedway
DRIVER
1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Kyle Busch
3. Matt Kenseth
4. Joey Logano
5. Kevin Harvick
6. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
7. Kurt Busch
8. Carl Edwards
9. Brad Keselowski
10. Martin Truex Jr.
11. Denny Hamlin
12. Jamie McMurray
13. Jeff Gordon
14. Ryan Newman
15. Paul Menard
16. Clint Bowyer
1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Kyle Busch
3. Matt Kenseth
4. Joey Logano
5. Kevin Harvick
6. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
7. Kurt Busch
8. Carl Edwards
9. Brad Keselowski
10. Martin Truex Jr.
11. Denny Hamlin
12. Jamie McMurray
13. Jeff Gordon
14. Ryan Newman
15. Paul Menard
16. Clint Bowyer
WINS
4
4
4
3
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
4
4
4
3
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
POINTS
2012
2012
2012
2009
2006
2006
2006
2006
2003
2003
2003
2000
2000
2000
2000
2000
2012
2012
2012
2009
2006
2006
2006
2006
2003
2003
2003
2000
2000
2000
2000
2000
| All About The NASCAR Chase |
How did Kyle Busch make the Chase?
Busch missed the first 11 races of the season after
suffering a broken leg in a crash in the Xfinity
Series race at Daytona. He was granted a medical
waiver, however, to make him eligible for the
Chase if he won a race and cracked the top 30 in
points. Busch returned at Charlotte in May and
won the June 28 race at Sonoma in his fifth start
after his return. He cracked the top 30 in points
with a runnerup finish at Watkins Glen in August
and climbed to 27th by the end of the regular
season. He wound up winning four races —
Sonoma, Kentucky, New Hampshire and Indy —
including three in a row.
Busch missed the first 11 races of the season after
suffering a broken leg in a crash in the Xfinity
Series race at Daytona. He was granted a medical
waiver, however, to make him eligible for the
Chase if he won a race and cracked the top 30 in
points. Busch returned at Charlotte in May and
won the June 28 race at Sonoma in his fifth start
after his return. He cracked the top 30 in points
with a runnerup finish at Watkins Glen in August
and climbed to 27th by the end of the regular
season. He wound up winning four races —
Sonoma, Kentucky, New Hampshire and Indy —
including three in a row.
IMS Project 100 Update
Sept 16 - The speedway is making lots of improvements
for next year, including elevators to the penthouse level.
They are currently ripping the roof off the penthouse. 3
rows of seats are going to be added and a new roof will
be 20 feet taller and will not have posts that cause sight-
line problems.
Stadium seating will be added, replacing the current
bleacher seating.
Sept 16 - The speedway is making lots of improvements
for next year, including elevators to the penthouse level.
They are currently ripping the roof off the penthouse. 3
rows of seats are going to be added and a new roof will
be 20 feet taller and will not have posts that cause sight-
line problems.
Stadium seating will be added, replacing the current
bleacher seating.
Wilson Children's Fund
Sept 9 - IndyCar drivers are donating race items, such as
their helmets, to raise money for the late Justin Wilson's
wife and children.
As Graham Rahal did following the death of fellow
IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon in 2011, he has partnered
with eBay and large online auction facilitators Auction
Cause to conduct the online auction of all memorabilia
with proceeds going directly to the Wilson Children’s
Fund. EBay has waved all fees.
Items signed by legends such as Mario Andretti and A.J.
Foyt were donated and teams and drivers throughout the
racing world have pledged items as well. A one-of-a-kind
original painting of Wilson's car by artist Bill Patterson
will also be made available.
The eBay auction is live through Oct. 26. Click HERE for
details.
Sept 9 - IndyCar drivers are donating race items, such as
their helmets, to raise money for the late Justin Wilson's
wife and children.
As Graham Rahal did following the death of fellow
IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon in 2011, he has partnered
with eBay and large online auction facilitators Auction
Cause to conduct the online auction of all memorabilia
with proceeds going directly to the Wilson Children’s
Fund. EBay has waved all fees.
Items signed by legends such as Mario Andretti and A.J.
Foyt were donated and teams and drivers throughout the
racing world have pledged items as well. A one-of-a-kind
original painting of Wilson's car by artist Bill Patterson
will also be made available.
The eBay auction is live through Oct. 26. Click HERE for
details.
Donations can be made online at
www.wilsonchildrensfund.com
or sent to the following address:
Wilson Children's Fund
c/o Forum Credit Union
P.O. Box 50738
Indianapolis, IN 46250-0738
317-558-6000
www.wilsonchildrensfund.com
or sent to the following address:
Wilson Children's Fund
c/o Forum Credit Union
P.O. Box 50738
Indianapolis, IN 46250-0738
317-558-6000
Tony Stewart to quit NASCAR
Sep 28 - Tony Stewart has decided the 2016 season
will be his last as a fulltime driver in the Sprint Cup
Series, multiple sources familiar with his decision have
confirmed.
Stewart is one of the most diverse and successful
drivers in NASCAR history and at times one of its
most controversial, but an official announcement of his
decision to hang up the helmet has been set for 1 p.m.
ET on Wednesday at Stewart-Haas Racing
headquarters in Kannapolis, N.C.
Sources have confirmed that Clint Bowyer has been
tapped to take over the ride in 2017.
He’s won 48 Cup races – tied with Herb Thomas for
13th all-time. He’s also won three Cup championships
– the most recent in 2011 – and captured an IndyCar
Series title in 1997 before his fulltime move to
NASCAR.
In 1995, Stewart became the first driver to win
USAC’s version of the “Triple Crown,” earning
championships in all three of USAC's major divisions
– National Midget, Sprint, and Silver Crown.
Sep 28 - Tony Stewart has decided the 2016 season
will be his last as a fulltime driver in the Sprint Cup
Series, multiple sources familiar with his decision have
confirmed.
Stewart is one of the most diverse and successful
drivers in NASCAR history and at times one of its
most controversial, but an official announcement of his
decision to hang up the helmet has been set for 1 p.m.
ET on Wednesday at Stewart-Haas Racing
headquarters in Kannapolis, N.C.
Sources have confirmed that Clint Bowyer has been
tapped to take over the ride in 2017.
He’s won 48 Cup races – tied with Herb Thomas for
13th all-time. He’s also won three Cup championships
– the most recent in 2011 – and captured an IndyCar
Series title in 1997 before his fulltime move to
NASCAR.
In 1995, Stewart became the first driver to win
USAC’s version of the “Triple Crown,” earning
championships in all three of USAC's major divisions
– National Midget, Sprint, and Silver Crown.
Hinchliffe's IndyCar Return
Sep 28 - James Hinchcliffe, who suffered a violent
accident at Indy Motor Speedway in May and then, in
his own words, “shish-kebabed myself” with the broken
suspension when it penetrated the cockpit, was back
behind the wheel of a racecar today. Piloting his No. 5
Schmidt Peterson Motorsport-Honda around Road
America, the Canadian favorite set one of the fastest
times of the day.
Hinch ran about 60 laps around the 4-mile track today.
The course in Elkhart Lake Wisconsin is back on the
IndyCar schedule in 2016.
Asked if he and Schmidt Peterson just proceed with
off-season testing as usual, Hinch replied, "Yeah,
absolutely. I’ll be doing the Firestone tire test in Sebring
mid-October. Everything’s back to normal… and it
feels good!
Sep 28 - James Hinchcliffe, who suffered a violent
accident at Indy Motor Speedway in May and then, in
his own words, “shish-kebabed myself” with the broken
suspension when it penetrated the cockpit, was back
behind the wheel of a racecar today. Piloting his No. 5
Schmidt Peterson Motorsport-Honda around Road
America, the Canadian favorite set one of the fastest
times of the day.
Hinch ran about 60 laps around the 4-mile track today.
The course in Elkhart Lake Wisconsin is back on the
IndyCar schedule in 2016.
Asked if he and Schmidt Peterson just proceed with
off-season testing as usual, Hinch replied, "Yeah,
absolutely. I’ll be doing the Firestone tire test in Sebring
mid-October. Everything’s back to normal… and it
feels good!
| Local Indy Brewery Named Beer after Hinch - "Hinchtown Hammerdown" |
