Autoblog

Rubens Barrichello shifting from F1 to Indy

Noah Joseph — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs

Rubens Barrichello may be down, but he most definitely is not out.

The Brazilian driver - a longtime teammate of Michael Schumacher in the Ferrari glory days - has been on the Formula One grid since his fallen countryman Ayrton Senna was still with us, but in the end, he was replaced at Williams by Ayrton's nephew Bruno, effectively ending his F1 career. But while his grand prix racing days may be behind him, Rubinho still has too much talent to simply vanish into retirement.

So where is he going? To IndyCar, following a similar path taken by former masters like Mansell, Fittipaldi and Andretti, but also by contemporary pilots Takuma Sato, Sebastien Bourdais and Jean Alesi. We've been anticipating the move since January when Barrichello was lining up for a test drive with KV Racing, and now the two racing stalwarts have reportedly sealed the deal.

While Rubens had previously considered racing just the road course and street circuit races on the Indy calendar in deference to his wife's reported concerns over oval-track safety, he will, in the end, contest all sixteen races this year, including the Indianapolis 500 and the four other speedways on what was once a calendar dominated by oval racing.

The signing of a multiple grand prix winner like Barrichello stands as a coup for American open-wheel racing, which has been clawing its way back into relevance after the rift between CART and Indy was repaired, attracting more automakers to supply engines for a new Dallara chassis. Rubens will be partnered at KV Racing - the team owned by former Champ Car chief Kevin Kalkhoven and former Indy champion Jimmy Vasser - by longtime friend and race winner Tony Kanaan (with whom he is pictured above at the press conference) and Venezuelan driver EJ Viso. Follow the jump for the official announcement.

Continue reading Rubens Barrichello shifting from F1 to Indy

Rubens Barrichello shifting from F1 to Indy originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 Mar 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official report concludes Dan Wheldon's death a "chance" accident

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 10:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Safety

The official IndyCar accident review has been released concerning Dan Wheldon's fatal crash at Las Vegas earlier this year. Although Wheldon's head coming into contact with a fence support post was ruled the specific cause of his death, the verdict on the context of the accident is that "multiple factors that are not uncommon to racing that came together in a way that claimed Dan's life."

Two days of safety testing had been conducted at the Vegas speedway, but drivers still knew it could be a "hairy" race. The size of the track allowed for a huge field of 34 cars, and the particular geometry of the track not only allowed high speeds, it also meant that there were no 'racing grooves' that would channel the cars into some kind of order. That meant ''nearly unlimited movement on the track surface under race conditions." The ability for drivers to race just about anywhere the banked oval also meant it would be hard for drivers to know where everyone else was, meaning it was problematic to identify any predictable route to safety without standard racing lines.

Wheldon's car wasn't the only one to go airborne, nor was it the only one to impact the fence above the SAFER barriers. It just so happened, however, that his cockpit was turned toward the fence as it impacted. The report's conclusion was that "While several factors coincided to produce a 'perfect storm,' none of them can be singled out as the sole cause of the accident. For this reason, it is impossible to determine with certainty that the result would have been any different if one or more of the factors did not exist."

IndyCar will not return to Las Vegas next year, but more testing will be conducted at the track for a potential return in 2013. Additionally, the Dallara chassis entering the series next year has been engineered to address issues with wheel-to-wheel contact.

Official report concludes Dan Wheldon's death a "chance" accident originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Dec 2011 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jody Scheckter wants his son to quit Indy, son wants more horsepower

Noah Joseph — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 18:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Safety

Tell us if this sounds familiar: Parent wants kid to stop doing something because it's too dangerous, which makes son only want to do it more. It's a common enough occurrence, played out every day in households across America and around the world. Only this is no ordinary family. It's the Scheckters.

If the name rings a bell, that's because it belongs to the 1979 Formula One World Champion Jody Scheckter. These days, it's his son Tomas who wears the driving gloves in the family, competing in the IndyCar series. Tomas Scheckter has won a couple of races, never managing better than seventh in the championship, but he's only contested a few rounds this season. Following the tragic crash in Las Vegas that killed Dan Wheldon, AutoWeek reports that Jody has said he would like to see his son leave the series. But Tomas has other ideas.

While other parties have called for reduced speeds in Indy in the wake of the Wheldon crash, Tomas wants next year's cars to have more power so they can more ably pull away from tight fields that, by some accounts, is what led to the massive fifteen-car pile-up.

Tomas just might get his wish, as new engines provided by Chevrolet, Honda and Lotus are set to power a new, lighter Dallara chassis next year. The question is whether that will be the prudent move given the recent tragedy.

Jody Scheckter wants his son to quit Indy, son wants more horsepower originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASCAR to commemorate Dan Wheldon with B pillar sticker at Talladega

Zach Bowman — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Racing

Fans and competitors in the motorsports community are still reeling from the loss of Dan Wheldon in Las Vegas last weekend. The young driver's passing continues to be felt by anyone who has even the thinnest tether to racing, and NASCAR has announced that the organization will honor Wheldon in its own way during upcoming events at Talladega.

Organizers will provide unique Lionheart Knight decals for the B pillars of all trucks and cars competing during races at Talladega this weekend. Wheldon famously adorned each of his helmets with the image.

While some competitors are planning to honor Wheldon in their own ways, NASCAR is also providing Lionheart Knight helmet decals at inspection for those who wish to wear them. Click past the jump for the full press release.

Continue reading NASCAR to commemorate Dan Wheldon with B pillar sticker at Talladega

NASCAR to commemorate Dan Wheldon with B pillar sticker at Talladega originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Oct 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Will Power fined $30,000 for flipping off Indycar officials in New Hampshire

Zach Bowman — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Celebrities

Never underestimate the power of the middle finger. After a rain-delay restart ordered by IndyCar officials at New Hampshire Motor Speedway resulted in a crash, driver Will Power chose to express his displeasure by giving those officials a taste of universal sign language with both hands. The event happened on August 14, and chief race steward Brian Barnhart eventually issued an apology for the decision to get the competition underway again after calling the race off. Still, that hasn't stopped IndyCar from levying a $30,000 fine against Power for his display, which was caught by television cameras.

Power was given the option to either pay the fine out of pocket or work it off through appearances on behalf of the Izod IndyCar Series. The racer has reportedly chosen to do the latter, noting that $30,000 is a lot of money. We're inclined to agree.

Interestingly, other drivers have come to Power's defense by urging fans to donate one dollar to the Penske team to help offset Power's fine. Power, meanwhile, says that he'll donate any money that comes in to the families of the victims of the Indianapolis fair disaster and the victims of the recent flooding in his native Australia.

Will Power fined $30,000 for flipping off Indycar officials in New Hampshire originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Aug 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Angry Will Power flips off IndyCar officials at New Hampshire

Noah Joseph — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 16:57:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos

Being a race official is one of those things that nobody notices until it goes wrong. And wrong it went this past weekend in New Hampshire.

The IndyCar race there was stopped eight laps from the end due to wet conditions, but rather than call the race there or wait for the weather to clear up, the league's competition chief Brian Barnhart evidently opted to restart the race over the vehement objections of many drivers and team chiefs.

Few were as livid, however, as Will Power. The Australian multi-race winner was one of several who were taken out of the race when Danica Patrick spun out, but it was what transpired next that caught the eye of many observers. After climbing out of his wrecked car unscathed, Power made a b-line to the race officials he blamed for the bad call. And just to drive the point home, he flipped them the double birdie. On camera.

Even though his frustration seemed justified, the Penske driver (who finished second in the championship last year and was hoping to take the lead in this year's standings after Dario Franchitti retired earlier in the race) will likely face some sort of punitive measures for his conduct. Follow the jump to watch the ABC Sports video that includes the entire restart (with Power's angry gesticulation around the four-minute mark) and the link for more on the incident.

Continue reading Angry Will Power flips off IndyCar officials at New Hampshire

Angry Will Power flips off IndyCar officials at New Hampshire originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Aug 2011 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hot Wheels world record jump at Indy 500 starting to take shape

Aaron Richardson — Sun, 22 May 2011 14:03:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Off-Road

The ramp designed to propel Hot Wheels' mystery driver to world record glory at the 100th Indianapolis 500 is starting to take shape. The ramp doesn't look quite like it did in Hot Wheels' original rendering, but it's still an enormous and terrifying structure. Don't believe us? Check out a full gallery of the ramp on the speedway's Flickr page.

Hot Wheels' goal is to propel a winged off-road truck 302 feet through the air, which would clinch the world record for distance. The death-defying stunt will kick off the excitement at next weekend's Indy 500.

Hot Wheels world record jump at Indy 500 starting to take shape originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 22 May 2011 14:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sebastien Bourdais reportedly eying return to Indy

Noah Joseph — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 07:59:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs

It's been a while since we've heard anything about Sebastien Bourdais. The French driver took the Champ Car title four years running, but when the call came to move up to F1 courtesy of Scuderia Toro Rosso, Bourdais suffered a disappointing stint, prompting his mid-season replacement with rookie driver Jaime Alguersuari.

Bourdais went on to race in Superleague Formula and at Le Mans with Peugeot, but now reports indicate that he could be eying a return to American open-wheel racing in the IndyCar Series that replaced the league he dominated for years.

The Frenchman who made his name in Champ Cars reportedly tested for Dale Coyne Racing this past week, showing promising results with the IndyCar team. While Bourdais may have nothing left to prove in Indy racing, a return to winning form could be just what the doctor ordered for his currently stagnant career.

[Source: Autosport | Image: Guillaume Baptiste/AFP/Getty]

Sebastien Bourdais reportedly eying return to Indy originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Feb 2011 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lotus to expand involvement in Indy, GP2, GP3, GT and Le Mans racing

Noah Joseph — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 19:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Lotus

To say that Lotus has its hands full would be a gross understatement. In addition to the five new concept cars which the British automaker and engineering firm unveiled in Paris this year, Lotus is also expanding its racing programs in a big way. The House that Colin Built expressed its intentions to do so nearly a year ago, but as with the complete revamp of its entire product range, we didn't expect anything quite this drastic. Looks like we ought to be listening when the folks at Lotus speak.

In addition to the controversial licensing partnership that led to the marque's return to Formula One, Lotus has announced a whole slew of racing programs upon which it is embarking on in the near future. First up is the expansion of its Indy racing team - operated in partnership with former Champ Car chief Kevin Kalkhoven's KV Racing - from one car to two. Cosworth will undoubtedly be dropped from the effort as the F1 team switches to Renault power (the team also announcing a partnership with Red Bull Racing to use its gearboxes and other technologies for next season), and Lotus will be developing its own aerodynamics package on the new adaptable chassis that takes to the grid in 2012.

Moving beyond, Lotus is also teaming up with ART Grand Prix - champions of several single-seater feeder series - in both the GP2 and GP3 championships. (Lotus F1 chief Tony Fernandez meanwhile announced the launch of his own GP2 team running under the Air Asia banner.)

Not enough? Lotus isn't stopping there. Based on the enthusiasm garnered by the Evora GT4, Lotus is working on both GT3 and GT2 versions of the car, as well as a GT2 racer based on the new generation of vehicles displayed in Paris, though they aren't saying which one just yet. (That may be largely a marketing decision though, as the vehicles share a common architecture.) Last but not least, Lotus is also crafting a purpose-built, closed-cockpit Le Mans Prototype conforming to the ACO's LMP2 formula. That's a whole lot of racing goin' on, and there's yet more to read about in the press release after the jump.

[Source: Lotus]

Continue reading Lotus to expand involvement in Indy, GP2, GP3, GT and Le Mans racing

Lotus to expand involvement in Indy, GP2, GP3, GT and Le Mans racing originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Oct 2010 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monterey 2010: A century of Indianapolis 500 entrants féted at Pebble

Frank Filipponio — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 16:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Racing

Indianapolis 500 100th Anniversary at Pebble Beach - Click above for high-res image gallery

The 95th running of the Indianapolis 500 this May represented the 100th Anniversary of "The Greatest Spectacle In Racing." The unbroken streak halted a total of five years during our involvement with the two World Wars. It's hard to believe we've had this legendary race for that long, but the centennial was certainly deserving of recognition - and although perhaps a bit incongruous to some, it was celebrated in grand style at no less than the 2010 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. As America's premier race, why not have America's - and perhaps the world's - premier classic car event host the festivities?

A large class of past Indy winners and notable contenders gathered in Pebble Beach on Sunday. Take a look at our gallery and you will see most, if not all, of the entrants - many on rare special loan from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum:

1911 Marmon "Wasp"
1920 Peugeot 3 Litre
1928 Miller "Front Drive Special"
1934 Ringling & Henning "Wonder Bread Special"
1938 Maserati 8CTF "Boyle Valve Special"
1950 Kurtis "Cummins Diesel Special"
1953 Kurtis Kraft KK 500B "Bardahl Special" B
1961 Cooper T51 "Kimberly Cooper-Climax Special"
1961 Watson "Bowes Seal Fast Special"
1965 Lotus 38 "Powered by Ford"
1972 McLaren "Sunoco Special"

Some incredible cars with the strongest of pedigrees are in there, and the best part of this class was seeing how much things have changed while some things seem to stay the same despite the era. Take a look at the gallery below and see the evolution of Indy race cars over a century.

Gallery: Indianapolis 500 100th Anniversary at Pebble Beach

Monterey 2010: A century of Indianapolis 500 entrants féted at Pebble originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IndyCar: 2010 Honda Indy Toronto [SPOILERS]

Frank Filipponio — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 09:59:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Honda, Racing

2010 Honda Indy Toronto - Click above for high-res image gallery

The IndyCar Series made a major announcement since the last race at Watkins Glen, deciding to stick with Dallara as its chassis supplier, but opening the game up a bit by allowing other manufacturers the option to supply aero packages and engines. Many think this will boil down to more of the same in IndyCar, but at least on paper, it has the potential to get more companies involved. Some of the bigger nuggets to drop from the official announcement were the new, lower prices of these 2012 IndyCar chassis and the fact that Dallara is building a plant right near the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to generate a few more jobs for the state's residents and to make it quicker and easier to make chassis changes during the season. But all of that is still a couple of years off and they still had a race to run this weekend.

The 2010 Honda Indy Toronto is the second race run on this particular 1.755-mile street circuit around the Canadian city of Toronto, although there has been a major open-wheel street race in Toronto since 1967, and CART/IRL races have been held there ever since 1986. Dario Franchitti won the race in 2009 and went on to win the championship last year as well. This year, Franchitti trails Team Penske's Will Power for the points lead and after Saturday's qualifying for Toronto, the Target Chip Ganassi driver found himself fifth on the grid behind Ryan Hunter-Reay (Team IZOD Andretti Autosport) in fourth, Helio Castroneves (Team Penske) in third, Power in second and polesitter Justin Wilson of Team Z-Line Designs/DRR Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, who has posted some impressive results this year and currently stands eighth in the championship standings. Could Wilson stay out front for his first win of the season? Could Franchitti repeat from last year and possibly take the points lead for 2010? Or would Will Power place high enough to retain his lead?

Follow the jump to see how the 2010 Honda Indy Toronto played out.

Gallery: IndyCar: 2010 Honda Indy Toronto

[Images: Robert Laberge, Streeter Lecka/Getty Images, Frank Gunn, Adrien Veczan/AP]

Continue reading IndyCar: 2010 Honda Indy Toronto [SPOILERS]

IndyCar: 2010 Honda Indy Toronto [SPOILERS] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Jul 2010 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Lotus to increase involvement in Indy

Noah Joseph — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 18:32:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Lotus

Lotus is back in IndyCars, and it's there to stay. After launching its own F1 team (in name, anyway) and announcing its intentions to expand further into other forms of motorsport, the legendary British firm revealed its sponsorship - together with engine partner Cosworth - of one of KV Racing's cars in the IndyCar Series, which former F1 driver Takuma Sato has been piloting (with limited success) this season.

Now Lotus is hinting at increased involvement in the series for next season and beyond, but has not indicated just what that might entail. The car it currently fields is neither built by Lotus nor powered by Cosworth: it's a Dallara chassis and a Honda engine, as per the series regulation. In fact, Lotus doesn't even run the car itself - that it leaves up to KV Racing Technology, the team run by former Champ Car chief Kevin Kalkhoven.

The Indy Racing League just recently revealed a new formula that will take effect beginning in 2012, using a Dallara chassis open to aerodynamic development by each team. The new engine formula, meanwhile, has been opened up to any manufacturer interested in pitching in, ostensibly opening the door to a Cosworth engine package. Lotus, meanwhile, may decide to develop its own aero package, but whether it would be the Malaysia-based F1 team or the England-based automaker that would spearhead the project remains to be seen.

[Source: Autosport | Image: Nick Laham/Getty]

Report: Lotus to increase involvement in Indy originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Jul 2010 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Long Beach Grand Prix 2010: Reflecting on America's Monaco

Frank Filipponio — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 19:27:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc.

2010 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Grid Girls - Click above for high-res image gallery

The great thing about a weekend of racing action in Long Beach is that there is so much to see and do besides the already thrilling track action and automotive displays. Vendor alleys, 'extreme sports' demonstrations, free concerts, '50s-style Mexican wrestling with a little extra vavoom thrown in...they all add to the payout on your already value-packed ticket purchase. That last one, though, is something new for the GPLB, via something old.

Dubbed Lucha VaVoom, it's a fairly new show that recalls the burlesque shows and masked wrestling matches of the '50s and '60s, but adds a few modern twists, along with a bunch of comedy and some daredevil antics to keep everyone happy and alert. Why do we bring this up when we're supposed to be covering an auto race? Because there's always more to the scene than just the racecars. Being at an event like the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach is an experience. Anyone can watch a race on their LCD screen, but actually being at the track, hearing, smelling, tasting and feeling the cars is a whole 'nother ball of wax.

A race event can be like having the circus in town. In fact, a whole little city sprouts up for these types of events, with restaurants, hair salons, recruiting centers, auto dealers, chapels, hospitals and entertainment spots galore. Participating in a race weekend is something all auto enthusiasts should do at least once in their lives, if not once a year or more. Long Beach in particular is such a great event because of its proximity to Hollywood, the Pacific Ocean and downtown Long Beach. And if you should ever think that attending a race is just a guy thing, know that there are plenty of families there as well, and plenty of ladies too, giving us all hope that the future of the hobby is in good hands.

This past weekend we were so pleased to find so many young women, in particular, at the track, that we couldn't help but take some pictures of all their smiling faces to prove our point. Take a look at the gallery below and you'll understand why we love Long Beach, and why it's been referred to as America's Monaco.

Gallery: 2010 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Grid Girls

Long Beach Grand Prix 2010: Reflecting on America's Monaco originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Apr 2010 19:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Long Beach Grand Prix 2010: Lone caution makes for fast IndyCar action [Spoilers]

Frank Filipponio — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

2010 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach - Click above for huge high-res image gallery

Sometimes referred to as America's Monaco, the Izod IndyCar Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach typically means sun, surf, stargazing and sensational street racing action in one weekend-long party. The 2010 edition looked to be no exception as the weather was beautiful and there were plenty of stars in attendance. Some were competing in the weekend's well-known Pro/Celebrity race while others were competing or managing in other series, and others were just there as fans.

Going into this, the fourth round of the 2010 IndyCar Series, Will Power was coming off his first loss of the season in Alabama and looking to regain his invincible status. Several other drivers were glad to see Power falter, giving them some hope that they could claw their way back into contention. After all, the season is far from over. After the first practice session, however, Power was once again on top. The question would be whether or not he could stay there through qualifying and in Sunday's featured event.

Follow the jump to see if Power could make it three-for-four in Long Beach or whether Alabama-winner Helio Castroneves could continue his winning ways, or if maybe, just maybe, somebody else could step up and beat these Penske boys.

Gallery: IndyCar 2010 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach

Continue reading Long Beach Grand Prix 2010: Lone caution makes for fast IndyCar action [Spoilers]

Long Beach Grand Prix 2010: Lone caution makes for fast IndyCar action [Spoilers] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Apr 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Officially Official: Lotus, Cosworth back in the IndyCar series

Sam Abuelsamid — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 17:33:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Chevrolet, Honda, Lotus

Lotus Cosworth KV Racing IndyCar rendering - Click above for high-res image gallery

Lotus is officially returning to the IndyCar series in 2010 in partnership with engine builder Cosworth and KV Racing. Lotus, as you well know, has a long history with Indy-style open-wheel racing, dating back to the early 1960s. Its exploits include a victory by Jim Clark in 1965 and the all-wheel-drive, turbine-powered cars that arrived a few years later.

A few weeks ago, Lotus announced a revival of its cooperation with Cosworth for both road and race cars. The new collaboration with KV is described as being both technical and commercial. It's not clear at this point what Cosworth will contribute from a technical perspective, since all the current IndyCars run Honda V8s. Perhaps KV will provide a platform upon which Cosworth can test and develop a new engine for the next-generation IndyCar regulations that are in the works.

The green and yellow Lotus/Cosworth-badged car will debut in two weeks at the St. Petersburg, Florida race with ex-Honda F1 pilot Takuma Sato at the controls.

Gallery: Lotus Cosworth IndyCar

[Source: Lotus]

Continue reading Officially Official: Lotus, Cosworth back in the IndyCar series

Officially Official: Lotus, Cosworth back in the IndyCar series originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 13 Mar 2010 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Universal Soldier: Lola presents adaptable IndyCar proposal

Noah Joseph — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:58:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Motorsports, Racing

Lola B12 IRL design proposals - Click above for high-res image gallery

It ain't over 'till the fat lady sings. Or so the saying goes, but while the British motorsport engineering firm may specialize in lightweight composites, make no mistake about it: In the global racing arena, Lola Cars is a heavyweight.

In addition to sports prototypes, Formula One racers and a variety of other racing machinery, Lola's history in Indy cars goes back all the way to the 1960s. Along the way, Lola has provided motivation to such notables as Graham Hill, Al Unser, Newman/Hass, Penske and Chip Ganassi, to name just a few. Now, following the competing designs unveiled by Ganassi-led upstart DeltaWing and arch-rival Dallara, Lola has announced its own bid for the new IRL chassis.

Less of a radical change certainly than the DeltaWing concept, Lola's proposal has focused on two key areas: aerodynamic stability and design adaptability. Instead of one design, the Lola package includes two alternatives, allowing teams to choose and thus imbuing the field with more variety than existing one-make series, IndyCar included. Both designs, however, have been optimized to reduce turbulence in their wake, allowing for closer following, drafting and passing - key factors in increasing the level of competition, particularly on high-speed super-speedways.

The most intriguing element of the Lola design, however, is its adaptability. The concept is designed for use - with minimal modification - in both the top-tier IndyCar series and the lower Indy Lights category, allowing junior teams to graduate to the senior series with a few simple changes. Further details are at your disposal in the press release after the jump, with high-res images in the gallery below.

Gallery: Lola IRL B12/00 and B12/01 design proposals

[Source: Lola]

Continue reading Universal Soldier: Lola presents adaptable IndyCar proposal

Universal Soldier: Lola presents adaptable IndyCar proposal originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Heluva Good! Big renovations planned for Watkins Glen

Noah Joseph — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 08:28:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

Watkins Glen is in for some renovations. The historic road course in upstate New York was once the home of the US Grand Prix, and today hosts races in the Indy Racing League, NASCAR, the Rolex Grand-Am series and the SCCA Speed World Challenge, not to mention several vintage racing series. It's a veritable landmark in American automobile racing, and (nostalgia not being what it used to be) only stands to get better with the new improvements underway.

Intended to improve both safety and competition, the revisions will include paved run-off areas replacing some of the gravel traps and grass fields, new crash barriers and guard rails, upgraded catch fences and the installation of FIA-regulation curbs at certain corners. The project, which is set to be completed before the track opens for the season in April, will be the largest undertaken at the track since the catch fences were installed before the IndyCar Series came in 2005.

The plans were announced by the International Speedway Corporation, the company owned by the France family that controls NASCAR and which, in turn, owns and operates Watkins Glen along with such noteworthy oval speedways as Daytona, Talladega, Darlington and Homestead, to name just a few. However The Glen, as it's known, remains the only road course under the umbrella, and one of only two on the NASCAR Sprint Cup calendar, which calls its race there, if you can believe it, "Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen".

[Source: Racer via Axis of Oversteer | Image: Chris Graythen/Getty]

Heluva Good! Big renovations planned for Watkins Glen originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Officially Official: Danica Patrick joining NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2010

Chris Paukert — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 13:29:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Chevrolet, Celebrities

Danica Patrick No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet - Click above for high-res image gallery

The "Will she, won't she" debate is over - Danica Patrick is headed for closed-wheel racing in 2010. Patrick will race a partial schedule in next year's National Nationwide series in the No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet, and she will also participate in one ARCA race. As a driver on the No. 7 team, she will be signed through 2011 to the JR Motorsports team that's owned by Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Rick Hendrick, Kelley Earnhardt and Tony Eury, Jr. through 2011.

This bit of news is not to say that Danica is eschewing her open-wheel career - she will also continue to race her similarly day-glo green Andretti Autosport IndyCar, also in full GoDaddy.com regalia. The NASCAR events that she will race in will be interlaced with her IndyCar schedule, before, during, and after the open-wheel season.

Danica's first stock car race will be a February 6 ARCA race in Daytona, the day before the Super Bowl. As usual, her primary sponsors will feature Patrick in a slate of new commercials during the big NFL game, and we're willing to bet that they'll have a bit of NASCAR flavor. High-res gallery of her new ride below, official press release after the jump.

Gallery: Danica Patrick NASCAR

[Source: GoDaddy.com]

Continue reading Officially Official: Danica Patrick joining NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2010

Officially Official: Danica Patrick joining NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2010 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Dec 2009 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ESPN: Danica Patrick close to two-year NASCAR Nationwide deal

Alex Nunez — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:39:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Celebrities

Rumors of IndyCar's Danica Patrick dipping a toe into the stock car racing pool have been swirling for months, but a new report suggests that an end to the rumors is near. ESPN says that Patrick is on the verge of signing a NASCAR Nationwide Series contract with JR Motorsports, the operation owned by Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Unnamed sources that spoke to ESPN call the talks "near their final phase" and comment that it'd be a "surprise if it didn't happen." In any case, don't expect a formal announcement until sometime after the Sprint Cup chase draws to a conclusion on November 22.

The potential move to JR Motorsports was made possible when driver Brad Keslowski jumped ship to join Roger Penske's NASCAR Sprint Cup team. According to ESPN, Patrick is angling to drive the number 7 car (the same number she runs in IndyCar), which would replace the current JR Motorsports number 5 car. Since Danica will continue to run the full IndyCar schedule as well, she'd be a part-time driver for JR Motorsports, sharing the race car with Junior and another unnamed driver. If the signing happens and NASCAR gives its blessing, Danica will make her first stock car appearance in the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 ARCA race on Feb. 6 during the Daytona Speedweeks, and go on to drive in 12 to 13 Nationwide Series races during the 2010 season. Frankly, given NASCAR's feel for marketing and Danica's undeniable celebrity, we see no way that she won't be in place for a debut during the February Speedweeks, assuming she does indeed ink the rumored deal.

[Source: ESPN | Image: Robert Laberge/Getty]

ESPN: Danica Patrick close to two-year NASCAR Nationwide deal originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BREAKING: Indy chief Tony George reportedly resigns

Noah Joseph — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:28:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs

It's the end of an era for open-wheel racing in America as Indy chief Tony George has stepped down from his post. The long-time president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, George was widely seen as the impetus for the 1996 split in Indy racing that created the Indy Racing League (IRL) and the rival Champ Car series (formerly known as CART), but he was also instrumental in fostering the merger of the two championships into the new IndyCar Series over which he's presided.

During his nearly two-decade tenure as the head of the famous race track, George also brought NASCAR, Formula One and MotoGP to the speedway for the first time, vastly expanding the calendar of events at the iconic venue. However, elements within the Hulman-George company that controls the business were concerned with the amount of resources their chief executive put into the reintegrated IndyCar Series and recently asked him to reorganize the company, but Tony evidently decided to step down instead. He'll be focusing his energies on the Vision Racing team which he fields in the series, while the job he vacates will be split into two: CFO Jeffrey G Belskus will take the reins at the speedway, while chief legal counsel W Curtis Brighton will oversee the operation of the series.

[Source: Autosport | Image: Jonathan Ferrey/Getty]

BREAKING: Indy chief Tony George reportedly resigns originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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