Autoblog

Indianapolis plans for all-EV, hybrid fleet

Zach Bowman — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 09:31:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Government/Legal, Technology, Electric

Indianapolis is moving to replace its entire vehicle fleet with electric and plug-in hybrid options. The Detroit News reports mayor Greg Ballard signed an executive order this week that will see Indianapolis replace its sedans with EVs.

Over time, the municipality will work in natural gas-powered snow plows, fire trucks and other heavy equipment in a bid to wean Indianapolis off foreign energy sources. Ballard's plan includes police vehicles, which could save tax payers around $10 million per year in fuel, though the city also maintains a fleet of 500 non-law-enforcement cars. So far, there's no estimation on how much the initial changeover will cost.

Right now, Indianapolis is working with automakers and fleet firms to come up with the best deal for the EV fleet purchase. The area already boasts 200 EV charging stations and plans to install more locations soon. Expect to see the entirety of the Indianapolis fleet switch over to hybrid and electric propulsion by 2025.

Indianapolis plans for all-EV, hybrid fleet originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 14 Dec 2012 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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McLaren celebrates 40th anniversary of Indy win

Noah Joseph — Mon, 14 May 2012 18:32:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, MISC

When McLaren was bringing its new MP4-12C to the United States, there were fears that Americans wouldn't recognize the name. After all, the team from Woking is known principally for competing in Formula One, which has had a spotty presence in the U.S. at best. Those fears proved to be misplaced, as customers in the States have been snatching up all the McLaren supercars they can get their hands on. And part of that might come down to the days when McLaren didn't only race in America, it dominated.

The bulk of McLaren's victories on this side of the Atlantic were notched up in the Canadian-American Challenge Cup, a radical form of sports-prototype racing campaigned in the 1960s, 70s and 80s, which Bruce and company won five times in a row. But Can-Am wasn't the extent of McLaren's success in America.

In 1970, the team entered into the Indianapolis 500 with its own car design. The following year, McLaren came back with a radically different design that scored pole position and finished the race in second place. And the year after that, the legendary Mark Donohue piloted his McLaren M16B fielded by the Sonoco-Penske team - complete with its Offenhauser four-cylinder turbo engine producing upwards of 700 horsepower - to the checkered flag.

Not only did McLaren win at Indy that year, but it also won races in Formula 1, Formula 2 and Can-Am, entering the history books as a force to be reckoned with. It would go on to win at Indy twice more in 1974 and 1976, and became the first car to exceed 200 miles per hour on the famed oval in 1977.

Now forty years later, McLaren is celebrating the first of its Indy by showcasing the #66 Sunoco-Penske car at the second annual Celebration of Automobiles in the speedway's infield. There it will be displayed alongside the current MP4-12C to showcase just how far the company has come since then. You can check out the historic high-resolution images in the gallery and the details in the press release below for more info.

Continue reading McLaren celebrates 40th anniversary of Indy win

McLaren celebrates 40th anniversary of Indy win originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 May 2012 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Indy 500 fixture Jim Nabors to miss this year's race [w/video]

Jeff Sabatini — Wed, 02 May 2012 18:28:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Etc., Celebrities

Jim Nabors wasn't born or raised in Indiana, and he doesn't live there. Yet that hasn't prevented him from becoming one of the state's favorite sons. Singing "Back Home Again In Indiana" before the vast majority of Indianapolis 500 races over the past 40 years will do that for a guy.

But this year, the 81-year-old actor and singer won't be able to make the trip from his home in Hawaii to Indy, due to a scheduled heart surgery, according to USA Today. Apparently the tradition is important enough to the folks that run Indianapolis Motor Speedway, that instead of calling John Mellencamp, they have dispatched a video crew to our 50th state to record Nabors singing the song.

According to the report, Nabors has performed the song before every Indy 500 since 1987 except for the 2007 race, which he also missed for health reasons. Nabors also sang before the 1972-1978 races and two additional times in the 1980s, according to WTHR.

Scroll down to watch video footage of Nabors singing before the 2010 Indy 500.

Continue reading Indy 500 fixture Jim Nabors to miss this year's race [w/video]

Indy 500 fixture Jim Nabors to miss this year's race [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 May 2012 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Indy 500 oozes drama, takes no prisoners on 100th Anniversary [spoilers, video]

Aaron Richardson — Sun, 29 May 2011 18:12:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

2011 Indianapolis 500 - Click above for high-res image gallery

The crowd at the Brickyard for today's 100th Annoversary Indianapolis 500 certainly got their money's worth. Once all the pre-race pageantry and fanfare was out of the way, the 2011 Indy 500 provided a spectacle full of drama, lead changes, and a shocking, exciting finish. Click past the break to see how the race shook out, right up to the final corner.

Gallery: 2011 Indianapolis 500

Continue reading Indy 500 oozes drama, takes no prisoners on 100th Anniversary [spoilers, video]

Indy 500 oozes drama, takes no prisoners on 100th Anniversary [spoilers, video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 May 2011 18:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alex Tagliani shocks with Indy 500 pole

Noah Joseph — Tue, 24 May 2011 11:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Canada

Most motor races take place over a weekend, but the Indianapolis 500 is not most races. "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" plays out over the course of weeks, with numerous practice sessions, extensive qualifying heats and finally the race itself. And with qualifying completed, Alex Tagliani has emerged on top.

Hailing from Montreal, Quebec, Tagliani is the first Canadian to take pole position at the Indy 500 in its one hundred year history. Of course, he wouldn't be the only Canadian to win the race, following the notable victory of his countryman Jacques Villeneuve in 1995. But as surprising as Tagliani's pole position was, converting into a win will be another matter. Over the course of seven years in Champ Cars, Tagliani's won just a single race (at Road America in 2004) and has yet to notch up a win since moving over to the IndyCar Series in 2008.

The coveted pole position was expected to go one of Ganassi drivers (Scott Dixon, a previous Indy 500 winner, or his teammate Dario Franchitti, a two-time Indy 500 winner) or one of the Penske boys (three-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves or current series frontrunner Will Power). Newman/Haas driver Oriol Servia put up a good fight too, but when the times were finalized at the end of the "fast nine" session, it was Tagliani and his Sam Schmidt Motorsports team who set the fastest qualifying speed in the #77 Bowers & Wilkins Dallara-Honda with a four-lap average of 227.472 mph.

Dixon qualified second and Servia third to line up beside Tagliani on the first three-car row. Sunday's "bump day" session, which gives ambitious drivers a shot at one of the top positions, was marred by heavy rain, preserving Tagliani's position at the front of the pack for when the race gets underway this coming Sunday. Update: Thanks to our astute readers, commenters and tipsters for pointing out the error in reporting the qualifying procedures.

Qualifying for the Indy 500 is based on average speed over a four-lap session (as opposed to a timed lap) and takes place over two days one week before the race. Saturday's "pole day" secures the top 24 positions on the grid, culminating in a second "fast nine" heat where the nine fastest drivers compete to determine their order in the front three rows. Sunday's "bump day", where grid positions 25-33 are filled. The slowest car, however, can be "bumped" by a challenger if he or she sets a higher qualifying speed. Tagliani's pole position, therefor, remains secure.

Alex Tagliani shocks with Indy 500 pole originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 May 2011 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Indy 500 centenary commemorated on U.S. postage stamp

Aaron Richardson — Mon, 23 May 2011 08:31:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Government/Legal

To celebrate the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500, the United States Postal Service is releasing a run of 50 million first-class mail stamps depicting Ray Harroun and his Marmon Wasp winning the 1911 race. The stamp features a slick art deco aesthetic and was released this week ahead of Fast Friday.

The stamp was unveiled at a ceremony with the mayor of Indianapolis, Postmaster General Patrick Donahue, and 1974 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year Poncho Carter. The postmaster general introduced the stamp, boldly predicting that there will be commemorative postmarks made for the 150th and 200th running of the race as well, provided the race lasts that long.

To get your hands on one of the first run of Indianapolis 500 stamps, head over to your local post office, or hit up usps.com/shop. Order in the next 60 days, and you'll be guaranteed a book of first-day-of-issue stamps. Read all about it in the press release after the break.

Continue reading Indy 500 centenary commemorated on U.S. postage stamp

Indy 500 centenary commemorated on U.S. postage stamp originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 May 2011 08:31:00 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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Video: Dario Franchitti drives Jim Clark's legendary '65 Lotus at Indy

Jeff Glucker — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 16:55:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Etc., Videos, Racing

Dario Franchitti drives Jim Clark's legendary Lotus 38 - Click above to watch video after the jump

We're sure that open-wheel hero Dario Franchitti has managed to realize quite a few of his four-wheeled dreams over the years, but he's only just managed to top them all with a drive of Jim Clark's legendary Lotus 38, a car that Clark piloted to victory in the 1965 Indy 500.

Franchitti, like Clark, was born in Scotland and the two share a love of going fast. Jim Clark's Lotus 38, with its four-cam V8 pumping out around 500 horsepower, is a very different vehicle then the modern day IndyCar that Franchitti pilots for Chip Ganassi Racing. Regardless, the Lotus is a pure racing machine and a true piece of motorsports history, and it's a treat to listen to Dario discuss his experience behind the wheel of the Lotus. His insight is important but his excitement is palpable - this is a rare opportunity and he appears to treat the opportunity with the appropriate level of respect and admiration for Clark and Lotus.

How'd this all come to pass? Dario Franchitti, working together with Road & Track, reached out to The Henry Ford Museum, Lotus Cars USA and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to make this event happen. It's all captured on the video after the jump, and it's just the first in a series of events designed to celebrate the Indy 500. In the near future, we will get to see Bobby Rahal drive the 1912 winning National and Sam Posey hop behind the wheel of Roger Ward's 1962 Leader Card Special.

For now however, it's all about Franchitti in Clark's Lotus 38 at the Brickyard. Stop reading and start watching (and listening!) by clicking past the jump.

[Sources: Road & Track, YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Dario Franchitti drives Jim Clark's legendary '65 Lotus at Indy

Video: Dario Franchitti drives Jim Clark's legendary '65 Lotus at Indy originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MotoGP 2010: Winds of change blow into the Brickyard [Spoilers]

Devon Brozek — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:32:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Motorcycle, Celebrities, Racing

The hype, the drama and one final chance to perform in front of the home town crowd made Indianapolis Motor Speedway a forum for several American riders to "leave it all out on the track " before MotoGP departed the U.S. for the remainder of the season. But with so much happening off the racetrack, when all the cast members were in place, who really had what it took to steal the spotlight? Make the jump to find out.

[Source: MotoGP.com | Image: Mirco Lazzari GP/Getty Images]

Continue reading MotoGP 2010: Winds of change blow into the Brickyard [Spoilers]

MotoGP 2010: Winds of change blow into the Brickyard [Spoilers] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tony George reportedly on board for new US Grand Prix, but not necessarily at Indy

Noah Joseph — Tue, 04 May 2010 17:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

If you can't bring America to Formula One, then they'll bring Formula One back to America. So while the USF1 effort may have tanked, reports are mounting over the return of the United States Grand Prix to the F1 calendar.

In the absence of the American round of the world championship, companies participating in the series - whether as sponsor, constructor or engine supplier - have been clamoring for a return to the largest automotive market in the world. Bernie Ecclestone is reportedly on board, working up a plan to place a race near New York City. But without the support of an American racing heavyweight - say, maybe...Tony George, for example - the project seemed doomed.

Anyone who even remotely follows IndyCar racing will instantly recognize the name Tony George. As head of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, he led the split that formed the Champ Car World Series and the Indy Racing League, and then fostered its re-merger. He was also responsible for bringing the USGP to Indy. But he's since been ousted from leading both the league and the speedway, shutting down his own IRL team in the aftermath.

Now it appears George - recently spotted in Shanghai as Ecclestone's guest at the Chinese Grand Prix - could be integral to efforts to re-start the USGP. But it may not even be held at Indy, the iconic facility where he still owns part stake. With his strong ties in the American racing scene, George has the connections to make it happen anywhere, coast to coast. In fact reports suggest that we could see multiple F1 races taking place in the United States, with a potential return to the East Coast, West Coast races held decades ago. Sound ambitious? Most definitely. But as many races as are currently packed into the calendar, Bernie isn't showing any signs of slowing down - saying the series could accommodate as many as 25 in a year - and if anyone can make it happen, it's Tony George.

[Source: ESPN | Image: Carey Akin/CC2.0]

Tony George reportedly on board for new US Grand Prix, but not necessarily at Indy originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 May 2010 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IndyCar switches up qualifying payouts for more exciting 500 pole shootout

Frank Filipponio — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 09:21:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

With a $175,000 check going to the Peak Performance Pole winner and new rewards for the other front-row starters - plus extra IZOD IndyCar Series championship bonus points - "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" is looking to make Pole Day the Greatest Spectacle in Qualifying. In a new two-session qualifying format just announced for the 2010 Indianapolis 500, the top nine cars after the initial four-lap runs are completed will have their times erased and will go into a second 90-minute round where they need to make at least one additional pass. They will be gunnin' for not just the pole, but a cash payout more than twice what it was last year.

Besides the $175,000 check going to the pole winner, second place gets $75,000 and the final front row starter will get $50,000. In addition to the money, there are more championship points being doled out at Indy this year. Typically, the IndyCar Series rewards the Peak Performance Pole Award winner one point, but for this year's 500, the series will award points to every qualifier. Pole gets 15 points, second receives 13, third 12, and so on for spots 4-9. Positions 10-24 get four points each and everyone else gets three.

The top 24 spots in the 33-car field will be claimed during the traditional four-lap runs, with each car getting up to three attempts during that time. The top nine follow that session up with the new pole shootout session, while the final nine spots will be filled on Bump Day (May 23), with four-lap qualifying attempts that could start bumping low qualifiers once 33 cars have already qualified. All of which should add just a little extra excitement to this year's Indy 500.

[Source: IndyCar Series | Image: Chris Graythen/Getty]

IndyCar switches up qualifying payouts for more exciting 500 pole shootout originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 09:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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U.S. Grand Prix to return to Indy?

Noah Joseph — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

During the Bahrain Grand Prix last weekend, Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone was quoted as saying that a return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was under consideration. Not so fast, say spokesmen for the speedway, who say that while the facility is interested in bringing the U.S. Grand Prix back, talks are not currently taking place.

Since the first "American Grand Prize" was held in 1908, the United States Grand Prix has been staged at a wide variety of locations across the country, including Savannah, Milwaukee, Santa Monica, San Francisco, Riverside, Sebring, Watkins Glen and Phoenix, to say nothing of the individual races in Long Beach, Las Vegas, Detroit and Dallas, or the years when the Indy 500 counted towards the Formula One World Championship. But in between, there have been huge gaps: the race was not held between 1917 and 1957, 1981-'88 or 1992-'99.

After eight races held at Indianapolis between 2000 and 2007 - including a dismal showing in 2005 when Michelin boycotted the event leaving six cars on the grid - the race has been off the calendar for the past three years running. Automakers still competing in the series (following the recent withdrawals of Honda, Toyota and BMW) have been clamoring for a return, as have American racing fans, among them a good portion of the Autoblog team.

[Source: ESPN]

U.S. Grand Prix to return to Indy? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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High Speed, High Fashion: Izod secures deal as IndyCar title sponsor

Noah Joseph — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:25:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Marketing/Advertising

New beginnings demand new threads, and that's just what the reunited IndyCar Series has gained with the announcement that clothing label Izod has become the league's new title sponsor.

The deal, which runs through 2015, is reportedly worth in the neighborhood of $10 million per year. Renaming the racing league as the Izod IndyCar Series, it forms part of a broad sports sponsorship initiative by parent company Phillips-Van Heusen which recently secured naming rights to the New Jersey Nets arena and the NFL Pro Hall of Fame. Last year, Izod began making inroads into Indy racing by sponsoring driver Ryan Hunter-Reay while securing a deal to become the official clothier for the IRL and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Izod's partnership with the league marks the first time the open-wheel series has had a title sponsor since search engine Northern Light withdrew in 2001. The clothing label is planning an aggressive advertising campaign, which promises to help both parties increase their visibility, an element that IndyCar desperately needs in order to step out of NASCAR's shadow and back into prominence as a premier racing series. Details in the press release after the jump.

[Source: IZzod IndyCar Series]

Continue reading High Speed, High Fashion: Izod secures deal as IndyCar title sponsor

High Speed, High Fashion: Izod secures deal as IndyCar title sponsor originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:25:00 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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RIP: Lou Palmer, voice of Indy, 1932-2008

Noah Joseph — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 07:58:00 EST

We're saddened to announce the passing of Louis A. Perunko, Jr., known to racing fans as Lou Palmer, who passed away this past Saturday, January 19, 2008 at the age of 75.

Palmer was born in Wheeling, West Virginia, and was raised in Syracuse, New York. He moved to Indianapolis in 1953 and began announcing for WIBC radio in 1958. He became famous for his regular interviews of each year's winner of the Indy 500 from Victory Lane at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and served as a reporter and anchor for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network reporter from 1953 to 1989, as well as being its chief in 1988 and 1989. Palmer was also an announcer on the CART radio network in the mid-90s before retiring some 10 years ago.

A memorial service will be held this coming Saturday, January 26 beginning at 1:30pm at the Camby Community Church in Indianapolis. Our condolences to the family of the dearly departed.

[Source: AutoWeek]

RIP: Lou Palmer, voice of Indy, 1932-2008 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Jan 2008 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog Podcast #71

Dan Roth — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 15:20:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Podcasts, Spy Photos, Trends, RR of the Day

We're shooting from the hip this week for Podcast #71. Rather than prepare, we're going with gut reactions. Starting it off, we mull over the loss of the USGP from Indianapolis, and postulate on where else F1 may pop up in the US. An F1 race on the Vegas strip would be the bomb. Staying with motorsports, we marvel at how Team SARD spanked everyone extremely hard at Tokachi with a hybridized Supra GT. We're sure that racing will improve the hybrid breed at a much steeper pace than conventional powerplants. In other racing news, Dale Junior has split from Budweiser, so he'll have new livery to plaster all over his left-turn machine.

Moving on from racing, we ponder the leakage and eventual announcement of the Porsche 911 GT2. It's as unassuming as a Porsche can get, but it packs 530 horsepower and uses the rear wheels to push top speed to the 200 MPH realm, while being a docile everyday car. While Porsches always make us giddy little schoolboys, Subaru's recent model line revisions have us alternating between cheers and jeers. The good: the Legacy SUS, or whatever the heck they call their Outback sedan is kaput. The bad: so is the straight Legacy wagon. We devolve into a styling review of Subaru's new corporate language for a while before surfacing again to discuss the inanity surrounding presidential candidates and hybrid vehicles. Idiocy, 'nuff said.

On a lighter note, we discuss the rumored sequel to Disney/Pixar's "Cars." Not surprising when you consider how lucrative the tie-ins usually are. Off entertainment and on to entertaining cars, we ogle the leaked pictures of the FPV Falcon, and discuss the future plans of that platform here in the US. It does look mean, so thanks to that janitor who picked these renderings out of the trash. Our pithy cavalcade keeps rolling along, and we chew over Bob Lutz's latest comments about the future of diesel powerplants in the US. It's odd that Bob is cool on diesel just as GM is poised to roll out new oil-burners. Wrapping up, we put out the call to action again for the Reader Ride - add your pix to the Flickr pool and include details! The hour duration of Podcast #71 will give you enjoyment to and from work, enjoy!

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Autoblog Podcast #71 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Jul 2007 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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USGP may be cancelled in 2008: F1 not coming back to Indy

Frank Filipponio — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 14:29:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

It looks like there won't be any United States Grand Prix (USGP) next year, at least not at Indy. According to all of the reports we've read, the 2008 Formula One schedule won't have a slot for a United States Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. After eight years of races at the Speedway, the FIA and Tony George apparently couldn't reach an agreement for future GPs at Indy. It seems F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone made some less-than-flattering comments about the event following the June race this year, and July 12 was the deadline IMS had set for a decision on future races. The two parties had been on a one-year extension of the prior contract, but it looks like there will be no extension this time around. There is still some remote hope that an agreement could come in the future, but even if Indy fails to secure a new race, Vegas and New York have been mentioned as possible future USGP locations. No info on those developments has surfaced yet.

Thanks for the numerous tips, everybody!

[Source: Autoweek]

USGP may be cancelled in 2008: F1 not coming back to Indy originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Jul 2007 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda hearts Linux, wants cash

Dan Roth — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 09:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Honda

Linux is pretty good at harnessing processor speed, and Chastain Motorsports is hoping to snare some of that effect to propel their Panoz/Honda to victory. The distinctive Penguin logo, "Tux," has been affixed to the nose of the 200+ MPH car in anticipation of meeting a donation goal. The famously open-source OS is applying that philosophy to sponsorship. The Tux 500 is an effort to raise $350,000 in exchange for those high-speed chilled fowl on the race car. There are perks for large donation amounts, but there is no shame in collecting lots of $1 gifts, either. It is an interesting concept, and we will be looking for the distinctive blue car when the checkered flag drops at the Indy 500. As long as the effort secures $25,000, the decals will stay on the car. Currently, donations total $7,600, and the organizers are confident that they'll at least make it to that $25K figure.

[Source: Wired]

Honda hearts Linux, wants cash originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Apr 2007 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Indy 500 features record 3 female drivers, but struggles to fill rest of grid

Noah Joseph — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 14:28:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs

Equal rights activists note that, with few exceptions, motor racing is an almost entirely male-dominated sport. In fact, the vast majority of racing drivers are white men, with only a handful of pioneers like Narayan Karthikeyan, Danica Patrick and Lewis Hamilton breaking through the grid. But this year, the Indianapolis 500, one of the most prominent races in the world (certainly in America) will feature, for the first time in motorsport history, three female drivers.

Lynn St. James and Sarah Fisher made history in 2000 when they became the first two women to line up together at the event, but this year Citgo-sponsored Milka Duno (pictured, right) of Venezuela will be driving a Dallara-Honda for the Samax team, along with Patrick and Fisher. Duno becomes the fifth woman to compete in the Indy 500.

The Indy Racing League is struggling, however, to fill the rest of the field. At the last reporting, only 27 entries have been received for this year's race, and seven of those don't even have drivers assigned to them yet. That's a far cry from the traditional starting grid of 33. Among the 27 currently registered for the race are five from Andretti-Green Racing, four from Vision Racing (owned by Indy chief Tony George), three from AJ Foyt, and three cars from Penske. It has not yet been revealed who will drive the third Penske car, and similar question marks loom over drivers from Vision, Foyt, Beck and Sam Schmidt's Indy Pro Series team. Meanwhile, although neither the Cheever nor Fernandez teams competed in the Indy Racing Series this season, insiders were still surprised the neither filed entries for the Indy 500.

[Source: GrandPrix.com]

Indy 500 features record 3 female drivers, but struggles to fill rest of grid originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Apr 2007 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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US Grand Prix could go into reverse

Sam Abuelsamid — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 15:33:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

If the US Grand Prix remains at Indianapolis beyond 2007, which is by no means a foregone conclusion, it could switch to running counter-clockwise, the way IndyCars do. That's because Indy is trying to get a MotoGP race and having the bikes run clockwise through the banked turn 1 (turn 13 when running the road course) could prove to be too dangerous when accelerating out of the turn onto the front straight.

The banked turn has always been controversial even for F1 cars because no other modern day F1 track has a similar type of corner, and the cars and their tires aren't really designed for the stresses they face there. After six years of running at Indy you would think that teams and tire makers would have learned and compensated by now, but apparently they prefer to whine about it, then address the problem in their designs.

[Source: SpeedTV]

US Grand Prix could go into reverse originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Mar 2007 15:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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