Sunday Group Management

10 August, 2012 18:40

For Immediate Release 2012 RED BULL INDIANAPOLIS GP TELECONFERENCE Colin Edwards, Nicky Hayden Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012 Note: American MotoGP stars Nicky Hayden and Colin Edwards participated in a Red Bull Indianapolis GP teleconference Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012. Both will join fellow MotoGP stars from around the world in the Red Bull Indianapolis GP on Aug. 17-19 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. MODERATOR: You have made no secret about the package that you have for the CRT bike that you have this year. You guys have struggled with the electronics and other various elements of the bike, and you guys keep chipping away and chipping away. But you did test some other bikes after the race at Mugello last month. Any news on the equipment from at Indy for you guys? COLIN EDWARDS: Damn, how do you know about all this? All this is supposed to be a secret? (Laughter) No, right now I don’t know. Obviously we have what we have, make due with what we got, and there might be something at Brno. Honestly, I haven’t had any contact with the guys, and I don’t know if we are 100 percent this way or that way. So for the moment, we are with a BMW-Suter, and we are going to go racing. MODERATOR: Indy is a unique circuit in that it has the long straightaway and which clearly favors the prototype and their extra horsepower. But it is pretty tight in the infield, which could probably give you CRT guys, which are using the production-based engines, maybe a chance to stay in the front. How do you see Indy on a CRT bike? It is a great unknown, because they haven’t run there yet. Do you see that as a circuit that maybe the CRT bikes could run closer to the prototypes? EDWARDS: I have yet to be at a track where the CRT bikes work better anywhere than the prototypes. You know, to answer your question, I don’t know. At Laguna, honestly, the bike felt pretty good. The lap times were slow; all the CRT bikes were slow. All the lap times were slow, and when you have a short lifetime like that, I mean, it is the first time in my career that I got lapped. From 4 years old, obviously, I am not in the same spec of bikes as the leader, but that was kind of heartbreaking, to be honest with you. Indy, on the other hand, I don’t know. We are just going to have to go and see how far off we are, do the math, ride our ass off and see what happens. Q: I just wanted to find out if you have figured out what your plans are for next season? Are you going to be back on a prototype bike next year or if you will remain in MotoGP? I just wanted to see what the plans are? EDWARDS: Yeah, at the moment, I can’t answer that. You can imagine that I got everything from a two-year deal with these guys. If we can or if it is possible to get a prototype under us or a CRT route, you know, I have even thrown out the idea of let’s go Superbike racing. At the moment, I am with these guys, and we will see what it comes to. Q: Someone, maybe me, suggested to you that it would be great to see you in World Superbike next year. I didn’t get to hear the response was, why don’t you tell everybody. EDWARDS: I don’t know if I heard what my response was. Did I have a beer before I said that? I get this question about World Superbike. But you know how long I was there, been there and done it. And it is definitely a possibility: That is all I can say. I don’t know, I don’t know. I like the team where I am at, and I love the team that I am working with, and the team is one of the best teams that I have ever worked for. We will just have to try and make it work, somehow, some way. Q: How important is winning now in your career? EDWARDS: Yeah, it would be nice to win again. I am not going to lie to you. You know, it would be nice to know that you line up on the grid and that you have every chance possible to win as the next guy. That is the way my DNA is programmed. Q: I have a few different things for you, but the first one is something a Speedway official told me about. It seems to be a badge of honor with you guys, and it is this arm-pump situation. It seems you haven’t been initiated as a motorcycle racer until you have had arm-pump surgery. Can you tell me about it? EDWARDS: The arm-pump surgery, yes. On your forearm you kind of have a sheath, let’s say that kind of encapsulates everything, and when your muscle expands, it pretty much cuts the blood circulation off and it gets pumped up and it gets too thick for the blood to flow. I blew mine out a long time ago; I mean, you can do it naturally by working too hard or lifting something or whatever it does. I went to the doctor to go have the surgery when I was climbing a lot, and I thought I was getting arm pump, which I was. But come to find out I didn’t need it. I found out I was just working my arms too much, and I went to the doctor, and he said, ‘You don’t need it.’ You have already blown it out. So the doctor said to stop climbing and you will be fine, which I was. Q: Everybody seems to have to get this at some point? EDWARDS: Yeah, obviously the bigger the bikes, the heavier the bikes are and the harder you are going to work. It is a good thing, I have seen guys do it, and they have had the surgery and now they just don’t have arm pump at all. So it works and it leaves nasty scars if you have the wrong doctor, but, you know, chicks kind of dig scars. It is what it is, I guess. Q: I know from talking to you over the years that this is a dangerous sport and you guys get beat up all the time, anyway. EDWARDS: Yeah, exactly. You have scars all over your body when you are done here. Q: Regarding this track, I know someone has expressed some optimism after the Brickyard race that those GRAND-AM cars running on the road course that it might wear in some of that asphalt a little better. Do you have any thoughts about running here this year? EDWARDS: Man, to be honest, I haven’t really even thought about it. I think we were all pretty pleased with it last year. Yeah, even better if they are running it in and laying some rubber down. Even better. Sometimes we go to tracks where cars have been, and it is the wrong kind of rubber, and it just turns into ice when you put motorcycle rubber on it. Q: Everybody is pleased but Casey Stoner? EDWARDS: Oh, yeah. You are going to take that up with him. Q: When we spoke earlier in the year at Sepang, you were a bit optimistic about the formula and you were a bit down on prototypes. Now it seems to have turned around some. Was there a point at which you sort of changed your thinking about the whole concept? EDWARDS: Well, whenever you see the prototypes getting faster and faster, and they are just getting further and further away from us. When we first started this gig in Malaysia, we were three seconds off the pace or 2.8 – whatever that numbers was – our thinking was that number would come down, and our development schedule isn’t nearly what the prototype guys are. And that gap has only gotten bigger. A lot of the stuff that we were conned into let’s say, we were going to have a new chassis every other week and blah, blah, blah, and you know the rest of the story. It just really hasn’t come to fruition. The gap is just getting bigger at the moment. Q: Where do you think the CRT bikes are suffering most? There is talk of a spec ECU coming in from (20)14 or (20)15. Is the electronics your biggest problem or is it the chassis? EDWARDS: My biggest problem is from the starting line to the last corner and everything in between. Our biggest problem is that you put it all together. Engine, everybody has gone to this big-bang or V or a cross-plane crank, and it is more tractable power. It is just more common sense for racing. So we have strike one there. Chassis, I feel we are way rigid, the bike is too small. Strike two. Electronics, yes. The system we are on, my 2003 Aprilia had that on it and had better electronics than what I am on now. So strike three. It’s everything. I can’t sit here and point the finger at one thing, and say, ‘Well, if we had that we would be 10 times better.’ It’s everything. Electronics, yes, they have a habit, if the electronics work, you can kind of get everything else to work, chassis, engine wear. If your electronics are wrong, you can’t even get a feel for the chassis. And that is kind of where we are at. Q: Do you think there is talk of a spec ECU for both the prototype and the CRT bike. Do you think having that level playing field where everyone is just playing with maps instead of traction control, fuel strategies or whatever? Do you think that would make a big difference or will the prototypes just cream everyone? EDWARDS: Well, let me explain something. I have heard this spec ECU and spec ECU coming up, but it is impossible. For me, it is impossible to have one spec ECU to run on a cross-plane, inline four-cylinder, a V4 or all these different configurations of engines. They have different power characteristics, anyway. So we always play with the butterflies and the electronics to smooth out that power. So how are you going to field one spec ECU for all these different engines? Somebody is going to have an advantage right off the bat. And then you are going to change your engine to accommodate the ECU. So I don’t really buy it. A spec ECU with all of these different engines, I just don’t see it working. Q: And yet the Ducati and the Yamaha, which are very different, both running Magneti Marelli, isn’t that a spec ECU already? EDWARDS: OK, the ECU itself and all that crap in the ECU, there are so many different parameters. That is where all your time is, adjusting this and adjusting that. With Honda’s system and Suzuki’s old system, they change over, great. Let’s see what happens. Q: Are your engine and electronics built in house or are they currently outsourced? EDWARDS: My engines come to my knowledge, we bought a package from Suter, and Suter bought a package from BMW. So BMW sends the engines from Suter and directly from factory to factory, let’s say. They put it in, and we get the package. It is webbing it altogether, and we get the final product. As far as I know, we have nothing in house, in team house, let’s say. Q: Do you have any idea if your engine spec is similar to let say, Melandri in World Superbike? EDWARDS: I have talked to BMW, and we have got the same/same or maybe the crank. That might be a little bit different. But at the end of the day, they own the electronics that they have been developing for the last four years, so that seemed to work. Where we have been developing this Bosch system for a few months, and it still doesn’t work. Q: As far as the chassis, have you spent much time changing your body position, say, more sitting in the bike, as opposed to sitting on it. EDWARDS: The bike feels so small. It feels like you are sitting up on top of it. We have pulled the whole seat pad panel that was on the cushion; I just pulled it off. I will deal with my knees and legs later in life, but for now I need to get into the bike, and I am a little crunched up in the lower half, but it feels a lot better and I feel more in the bike. MODERATOR: Most of the people on the panel are well aware of your Texas Tornado Boot Camp down on the outskirts of Houston. Folks come in for a long weekend or a week and have a good time, ride, drink a few beers, sit around the campfire and tell stories. But you have some special guests this week. This is no ordinary session. EDWARDS: This is no ordinary Boot Camp. Yes, we have a lucky 11 or 12 that have paid to come and enjoy and some training and teaching, but at the same time we have Jorge Lorenzo, and Ricky Cardus from Moto2, Bradley Smith from Moto2, Randy Krummenacher from Moto2, Tommy Aquino, Dustin Dominguez. I don’t want to forget anybody. Yes, we have some big names here, and it is going to be fun. I can’t wait; it will be an exciting weekend coming. MODERATOR: Now is this Jorge’s first time to Texas? EDWARDS: Yes, his first time in Texas. He got off the plane and said he felt like he landed in Malaysia. It’s 100 degrees here and humid as hell. For those of you that want to see pictures this weekend, you can always follow me @TexasTornado5 or @Lorenzo99 on Twitter, and we will be updating quite often with some pictures. MODERATOR: What unique bits of Texas are you going to give Jorge at the camp this weekend? EDWARDS: We have barbecue, and we will figure out some way to turn his gas off when he isn’t looking and he can peter out during the Superpole lap or something like that. That is kind of the initiation around here. We will figure that out on the fly. I initiated him to Texas golf this morning. I said: ‘Hey, get up. It’s 6:30, and we are going to play golf,’ and he said: ‘That’s too early. I don’t normally go to sleep until then.’ And then a couple hours in, he said, ‘Let’s just do nine. I can’t do 18; it is just too hot.” MODERATOR: There is talk next year of there being three races in the United States with Laguna, Indy and a race down in Texas. What does it mean to you as an American to see the growth of this sport compared to say when you first came in the World Championship in 2003, there were no American rounds? Laguna didn’t come back until 2005, and now 11 years later, there might be three. Talk about the growth of MotoGP in America. EDWARDS: You know, this might now be the most politically correct answer to your question but honestly, I think it awesome. The merrier, the more I get to hang around my house and my family and do what I love to do. That is awesome and the scary part of that question is the growth part. Are we growing? Yes, we are, but I am not sure that we are selling a lot more motorcycles than we were 10 or 15 years ago or if we are even selling them at all. But the reality is when we were at Mugello, the decline in attendance and I know that no one has any money to buy a ticket. But at the end of the day, that is Rossi’s home track, and it is normally nuts, and this year kind of scared me, to be honest with you. I was like, ‘Where did everybody go?’ I would much rather see Mugello wide open just because that is the heart of MotoGP racing, and that was just scary to me to see that and I don’t know why. I don’t know if it is economy or whatever. Q: The question about three races in America reminded me of something. Mugello Saturday in the press conference, we had five Spaniards the front row of the MotoGP and the two pole sitters in Moto 3 and Moto2. And things are not looking very hopeful to follow you and Nicky and Ben, maybe in MotoGP. Where do you see the next great American road racer coming from? EDWARDS: That is a good question. Give me 10 years because I am training my boy right now. Man, I don’t know. I know that we have little Joe Roberts from Houston, great kid. We have some young kids around that are running local, Dustin Dominguez. I don’t know; I just don’t know. I was just talking to Jorge this morning and Cardus, and they were talking about a little training camp that they have in Spain, that Jorge’s dad has, and they have 5- and 6-year-old kids on pocket bikes running full schools. It’s that Tiger Woods routine, and that is starting them on a bike as soon as they can walk and roll with it. I know that we have that here; that is what I did. But I am not sure how many kids are getting that opportunity at 3 or 4 years old to get out and do what they want to do, which is go ride. Q: To me, the problem seems to be not so much the talent but the clearly faster Americans out there. There was a whole host of them that came over, but they seem to have all gone home and are racing Supersport or the Daytona Sport in the AMA. How do we keep Americans in the series? Do you have any ideas? EDWARDS: You can ask Nicky on this and don’t quote me, but for the first time that I remember he was in the right place at the right time and had the right passport. Obviously he is doing a great job for Ducati, but there was talk about maybe Cal or keeping Valentino. But this is Ducati’s biggest market, and they need an American rider, and you don’t ever hear that usually. It is normally we need to have a Spanish rider and a Japanese rider on the bike. He had the right passport in this game, and it was a good play for him to have an American passport. MODERATOR: Welcome, Nicky, and thanks for joining us today. What about the IMS circuit suits your style? You have finished on the podium here on two very different motorcycles. One was a traditional frame in the Honda and one was a carbon-fiber frame Ducati. What about Indy just kind of jives with the way you ride? NICKY HAYDEN: Well, unfortunately those results have been a few years ago. The last couple years, I haven’t really been able to put up a big fight. I like Indy, I like a track to go left, I prefer. Indy is a great example. It is a track built for cars mostly, and I grew up doing left, and most Europeans grew up going right. I don’t think it is a big difference, but I do like going left, and I have had some good opportunities there, and I don’t really think about that. I look forward to this year and try to put up a good fight. MODERATOR: How much difference did the new asphalt make last year for you guys? HAYDEN: It was a big difference. The old track wasn’t too bad, but there were a few spots that were getting pretty bad. It made the track a lot more fun and a lot more fast, and I think it opened up a few places where we can pass. Last year, the track was really rough on tires, and the surface was new and was quite abrasive. But I think with a year on the track, it should be better and be the best that we have ever seen the track. MODERATOR: We also had rubber laid down on the road course last month with the GRAND-AM cars, and that is the first time that you guys had been there with rubber actually laid down on the road course. It used to be that you guys with the bikes were the only vehicles that raced on it since 2008, so the extra rubber that has been laid down has got to help, too. HAYDEN: Yes, for sure, to clean it up and get some of the dirt off of it. When you first laid down new pavement, it is natural that it will be sharp and be kind of gritty, but when the tires go around it and start smoothing those edges down and you can certainly have a better grip and less wear on the tires. We will see how it is, and we use a bit different line than those cars, especially going the other way, so we will have to feel it out and see how the grip is. But I don’t expect any problems. Q: I was talking to Colin about the arm pump surgery, and I never knew this stuff existed, and I know that you have had it. Could you talk about how that is like a rite of passage for you guys? It seems like everybody gets it, and Colin said you have to be careful who does it or else you get nasty scars. How is your scar? HAYDEN: I have got a pretty lengthy scar. So I actually had it done twice. Definitely arm pump is kind of weird, it comes and goes. And is not any clear reason to what has caused it. You can have it at one track and not at another, it can be bike-related, training-related. It doesn’t take much to trigger when you are hold on to a 250-horsepower bike and fighting it, especially with these carbon brakes now. We can brake so hard, and the force, especially on the right hand, is a lot. But at the moment, mine is under control, so I don’t want to talk about it too much. Q: The one follow-up I had is since you jumped on the Indian and wore that old racing garb way back when, you kind of have been the spokesman and the front man for promoting this race at IMS. Do you still feel that way even though the results may not have been the way that you would have wanted? Do you still feel like a guy that wants to be the ambassador for promoting this race? HAYDEN: Oh, I would say so. Of course, MotoGP promotes itself. It is the show, not me. But it is my home race. Laguna is an American round, but my true home race, I have to consider Indy. It is only three hours away, just across the bridge, so a lot more of my friends and family come to the race, and I grew up racing a lot in Indiana. Dirt tracks and even road racing there, so I consider it much more my home. I do enjoy and I do feel some obligation to promote the race and give back to here and there. But once I get there, it is business as usual, and I cannot change my routine too much. Q: Just wanted to ask you now that you are signed with Ducati next year if you might be able to give an idea of what teams or series you were considering or had been talking to you while you were negotiating? HAYDEN: Well, my main objective was always to stay in MotoGP. It is the pinnacle of our sport, and that is where I wanted to be and hang in there and hopefully get back to the front. So, of course, I wasn’t ready and I didn’t know how negotiations were going to go and did have a bit of interest from some other series. But it was nothing that excited me. It was something that I would consider if it got down to it, but I was going to ride something and I wasn’t just going to come home and ride the couch just yet. I wanted to do everything possible to stay in MotoGP and it had to get worked out. Q: The Ducati’s have a tough time this year; there is no secret to that, but do you have hopes that perhaps this season or going into next year they will find a combination that works and give you a chance to win again? If that is the case, what kind of changes do you think they need to make to give you a competitive motorcycle? HAYDEN: Of course I believe that, or I certainly wouldn’t have agreed to come back for another year. I believe we have the pieces and the resources and certainly this year we just haven’t made it happen. I see a lot of effort going in, but Laguna wasn’t a great weekend for us. We struggled a lot going in, and before that we came from Mugello, where I would say me and Valentino, I would say we as a team had out best dry race that we have had in two years. So that was really encouraging. Every now and then, we catch a little hope and see a little light, and we think now things are going in that direction. Right now, there isn’t a lot that we can do, but after summer break we have a test in Misano after the Czech Republic race, and there we are going to try a few things. And we have some difference chassis parts coming in later in the season, and I certainly believe in this team and believe in this bike. And I think they have done it before, and there is no reason why they can’t do it again. We have been off a bit, but if everything comes right, certainly there is no reason why Ducati can’t be completely competitive in MotoGP or in any series. Q: 1000cc Ducati bike at Indy, how fast is that thing going to go? Top speed? HAYDEN: Top speed, I can’t quite put a number on it, but it is definitely going to be faster than the 800 there. Especially off of last corner out of Turn 4 (of oval, Turn 16 of road course), slower corner is where these bikes accelerate a lot more than the 800s. At Laguna, the fans there, I would say they didn’t really see a big difference because the turns there are so tight and so slow to where we are in second gear at half-throttle. But here on the front straight we will be able to open them up. I don’t think we will be able to see Mugello speeds. Mugello was pretty high, even Mugello wasn’t as high on Dorna’s radar as on the data. The way the beam and everything is set, they don’t always get the outright speed so our data is even a little faster than Mugello. So, I am sure, Indy we are going to be pretty quick down the front straightaway, well over 200. Q: Any news on any possible siblings of yours racing MotoGP at Indy? HAYDEN: Yes, there was some talk. Especially, me and Vito (Guareschi) had talked at Laguna about Rog (Roger Lee Hayden) riding (Hector) Barbera’s bike because he didn’t have a contact with the manufacturer. I know there was some discussion, and there has still been a bit of discussion, to be honest, about Indy, but I don’t think any answer had been made. But there has definitely been some talk. Q: Enjoying the break? HAYDEN: Yeah, it’s all right. It has been nice. It hasn’t exactly been like a vacation, but sure, being at home around my family has been nice. But Indy is probably the race that I look forward to the most. So I will be excited to ease on over to Indy on Wednesday to start the week. Q: Have you had any more talk with the role in Audi may have to speed the bike up, to make it more competitive? Have you heard any more talk with people at Audi or at Ducati about what their role is going to be or how they may help develop the bike? HAYDEN: No not completely, I spoke with Filippo (Preziosi) on Tuesday. So you know that is not going to happen overnight. That is going to take some time to bring in those resources, but definitely that is something that will happen. I just don’t know how quick, and I don’t have a real answer for you there. Q: Are you more optimistic now that you know that Audi is back in? HAYDEN: Absolutely. Audi is a great partner for Ducati, both financially and technically. If you have to be partnered with somebody, I see a strong company and something new and fresh, and that is one of the reasons I was so excited about coming back for another year and see what we can do. How quick it is going to change? I don’t know, really. That takes time, and that isn’t something that just a couple of engineers are going to show up and whatever. Like anything, it is going to take real work and real time, and I see it as a big positive for Ducati, for a race team, for everything. Q: Have you mentioned chassis parts coming in down the road? Have you tested more than one chassis or have your tested more derivatives of the original chassis? HAYDEN: The actual chassis from the start of Malaysia, I wouldn’t consider it that much testing because I was injured. But yes, I am using the same actual chassis that I started the season with. We have had some modifications to the chassis, some stiffness here, and we changed parts after Mugello, but the actual chassis is the same. Q: Where are you in terms of engine wear this year? HAYDEN: I am on schedule. It is a bit tight, but nothing that we can’t handle if we don’t have any problems, so I think I will be in another new engine soon. But at the moment, we are right on schedule for the mileage. Q: There was some talk about a new spec engine for Laguna but, if I remember correctly, largely electronics. Any more talk about that? HAYDEN: No. I did put in one new engine at Laguna, but the spec wasn’t much different. Maybe a few little parts had changed, but maybe later in the season this engine has the capability of putting updates to it. Once the engines are sealed, you can’t touch them. But with the new engines, you can add some parts to help with the electronic stuff. But what I raced with was very similar to what I have been running this year. Q: I was wondering with all the changes you have made you are basically making a tenth here a tenth there, but you really aren’t in the fight for the win. Do you think you need a new chassis and a new engine? Some people say it isn’t the right shape or the right place to be truly competitive. Or do you think you can sort of phan-agle something that works? HAYDEN: Well, I am a rider and I am not an engineer, so certainly I don’t try to overstep that. I can tell them it needs a new, but new is not always better. Especially midseason when you start throwing new parts at it. It doesn’t work normally that easy. Every now and then you can hit on something new, and it is automatically better. Normally when you bring in anything new, it takes time to make it work and adjust. It is hard to say. Last year we brought in new chassis and made big changes during the season, and I would say it hurt us. Things became confused. We lost track; we lost our way a bit. So it is clear that we need to do a big step. A tenth, two tenths isn’t going to help us. Usually I give my feedback to the engineers and whatever they say it needs. Of course, we have to fix out understeer, and we have to make it stiffer and better. Some of it could be caused from the engine. Whatever it takes to fix that, I would say it has to be fixed. We certainly need something modified with the chassis, but to say a complete new design, I am not sure. We have some ideas to change some weight distribution around, and already Valentino has tested that at Mugello, and it is one of the areas that we are working on. Q: Are you going to tell us who your teammate is? HAYDEN: No, I am not going to tell you because I don’t know. I haven’t really got caught up in it because it doesn’t change that much for me. I am sure I will find out a little before you guys, but not much. I thought you were going to tell me, Henny?

M2 Motorsports Announces Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca Track Day December 22

M2 Motorsports Announces Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca Track Day December 22


M2 Motorsports Contact: Mikel Miller
Ph. 808-344-2976 (m)
email: mikel

August 9, 2012 — M2 Motorsports, which is managed by racer Mikel Miller, is pleased to announce the date for the next M2 Motorsports Test Day, set to be staged at the fabled Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on December 22nd. Having operated at a wide range of tracks across the country, M2 Motorsports Test Days have quickly developed a reputation as a top selection for those looking for a full day of track action that offers a little bit more.

Miller, who has instructed for hundreds of days at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, began offering the test days in 2007 when he saw a need for a test day that catered to a wide range of drivers and a wide range of cars. After winning a coveted spot on the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca schedule, the M2 Motorsports group certainly has been looking forward to the December 22 event, and with good reason.

The upscale events, which featured catered meals and a full coaching staff on hand, it is much more than just another day at the track for those on hand for M2 Motorsports. Video and data coaching is available, and M2 Motorsports has an extensive network that Miller puts to work to find the right car for attendees, from open wheel machines to GT entries.

And the high-quality experience is bolstered by the remarkable setting of the fabled Laguna Seca facility.

“Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is just one of those ‘bucket list’ tracks,” offered Miller. “Everyone wants to run there, and even after running lap after lap there, it is the kind of track that always leaves you wanting more!”

With elevation changes, a pair of long straights to stretch your car’s legs, and of course the signature Corkscrew Corner, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca has played host to some epic races through the decades. For those looking to enjoy themselves and maybe even learn how to shave off a little more lap time, the M2 Test Days have been an excellent selection.

“There isn’t just one secret to being fast at Laguna,” said Miller. “It’s a track that has a bit of a puzzle at each corner and you have to put those puzzles all together just right for a fast lap. It’s an excellent facility and I am very excited that we are able to stage events there. The response has been outstanding and we expect to sell it out quickly.”

With a very focused coaching ration, selling out the events is more easily done for an M2 Motorsports event than some other track day programs.

“We’re very cognizant not only of the ratio of coaches to drivers, but also of how many cars we have for the event in the first place, so we limit our entries,” continued Miller. “No one wants to spend a bunch of time in traffic–you can just hit the highway if you want to do that! We keep our focus on a high quality of cars and keeping the day organized so that you are getting the most out the experience. We can also help arrange for our drivers to help find a particular car to participate in the day and we can also help dial in the set up for your car as well.”

To secure your position, contact M2 Motorsports at mikel.

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GRAND-AM News And Notes: Watkins Glen

Begin forwarded message:

From: GRAND-AM Communications <Grand-AMCommunications>

Subject: GRAND-AM News And Notes: Watkins Glen

Date: August 8, 2012 4:58:34 PM EDT

To: GRAND-AM Communications <Grand-AMCommunications>

Please see attached News And Notes, below is a text-only version

ROLEX SPORTS CAR SERIES

The Race: Continental Tire 200 presented by Dunn Tire
The Place: Watkins Glen International
The Date: Saturday, Aug. 11
The Time: 6 p.m. (ET)
TV: SPEED, 6 p.m. (ET)
Radio: MRN Radio
Distance: 2 Hours

After Indy Win, Popow Looks to Continue ‘Dream Season’

Alex Popow made his first GRAND-AM Rolex Series victory one to remember.
The Venezuelan joined IndyCar star Sebastien Bourdais in winning the recent Brickyard Grand Prix, GRAND-AM’s first race at historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Not only did Popow get to kiss the bricks, the victory also gave him a “championship within a championship,” individual Daytona Prototype honors in the inaugural North American Endurance Championship presented by VISITFLORIDA.com, and the $100,000 team title for Starworks Motorsport.
“Indianapolis was very, very big,” Popow said. “It’s amazing to win a major championship in only my second year here. That gives me confidence to keep going, and I’m looking forward to a stronger run next year.”
This weekend, Popow returns in the team’s No. 2 Ford/Riley as Starworks looks to continue its dream season. Popow and fellow full-time Starworks driver Ryan Dalziel were part of the team’s runner-up finish in the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona while Dalziel finished third at the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen in July and was part of Starworks’ class-winning efforts in both the 12 Hours of Sebring and 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Pruett, Rojas Get First Crack At Milestone Win For Team Owner

Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas teamed with Joey Hand and Graham Rahal in the 2011 Rolex 24 At Daytona to score the “Chip Slam,” givingChip Ganassi Racing victories in the Daytona 500, Indianapolis 500, Brickyard 400 and Rolex 24 over the course of 12 months.
This weekend, the drivers of the No. 01 TELMEX BMW/Riley are looking to give the Ganassi organization its 150th victory in combined GRAND-AM, NASCAR and major open-wheel competition at the Continental Tire 200 presented by Dunn Tire.
Pruett and Rojas are currently leading the DP standings in quest of their third consecutive title – and fourth in five seasons. Pruett and Rojas won the title in the No. 01 TELMEX BMW/Riley in 2008, 2010 and 2011. While the pair won at least five races in each of its championship seasons (six in 2008, nine in 2011 and five in 2011), their only 2012 victory was at Road America. Pruett also won the DP title in 2004, winning four races co-driving with Max Papis.
Pruett is the leading winner in GRAND-AM history with 37 DP and 38 class victories, including Road America in June; Rojas is second with 24 DP victories. He also has a solid resume at Watkins Glen International. He has six Rolex Series victories at the circuit, winning the August event in 2010 with Rojas and in 2006 with Luis Diaz. Pruett was a five-time competitor in the Finger Lakes 355 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, finishing second in 2003 and fourth in 2005, both with Chip Ganassi Racing. He also raced four times in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, winning the pole and finishing eighth in 2001. He competed in four IROC events, finishing second in 1989, third in 1988 and fourth in 1987.

Unfinished Business: Magnus Racing Seeks Redemption At Watkins Glen

Magnus Racing came to Watkins Glen for the Sahlen’s Six Hours in June with the GT lead in the North American Endurance Championship presented by VISITFLORIDA.com by virtue of winning the Rolex 24 At Daytona. But only 12 laps into the Sahlen’s Six Hours the hopes of John Potter and Andy Lally went up in flames when the No. 44 Porsche GT3 fell victim to electrical problems.
Undeterred, the Salt Lake City, Utah-based team went to work. They rebuilt the damaged car in three weeks and had it ready for the Brickyard Grand Prix. Potter and Lally became GRAND-AM’s first GT winners at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and also wrapped up the $50,000 NAEC GT title.
“It’s unbelievable how hard they worked and it’s a perfect reward for such a great crew,” said Potter. Lally added, “I thought the NAEC was really cool when I first heard about it. To actually win it – combining it with victories at Indianapolis and the Rolex 24 At Daytona – is really epic.”
Lally has added incentive for a strong showing in the return to the Glen. WGI is the home track for Lally, a native of Northport, N.Y. He returned to the Rolex Series in 2012 after competing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series last year, winning the Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award. He is a three-time competitor in the Finger Lakes 355 at The Glen, with his best finish 18th in 2010.

Jordan Taylor To Make Daytona Prototype Season Debut For Action Express

Back in June, Action Express Racing scored a thrilling victory in the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen, with Joao Barbosa and Darren Lawwinning in the No. 9 Corvette DP. Barbosa caught Alex Gurney in the No. 99 GAINSCO Auto Insurance Corvette DP in traffic with 20 minutes remaining and used lapped cars to his advantage down the stretch, winning by .238 seconds.
Barbosa and Law return in the No. 9 Corvette for Saturday’s Continental Tire 200 presented by Dunn Tire. They will have a new teammate in the team’s No. 5 entry, with David Donohue joined by Jordan Taylor.
Taylor was approached by Action Express Racing after he tested his father Wayne Taylor’s No. 10 SunTrust Corvette DP at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Taylor joined Action Express for a tire test at Watkins Glen, leading to the invitation to race this weekend.
“It’s just a one-race deal,” Taylor said. “When the team called and asked if I would be available to do the race with them, of course I said yes. I’ve always wanted to drive in DPs, and especially with a successful team like Action Express and David Donohue – you can’t really say no.”
It will also mark the first time in several years that Taylor has gone head-to-head with his older brother Ricky Taylor, who shares their father’sNo. 10 SunTrust Corvette DP with Max Angelelli.
“It will be interesting to see what happens, and I know Ricky will be one of the toughest guys to go up against,” Taylor said. “I think it will be a little awkward to begin with, but it’s just going to be another race car on the track and another competitor. Once I’m in the race car, we’ll be trying to beat any car that’s out there.”

Curran Headlines List of CTSCC Drivers Attempting ZIPPO 200

With the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge on an off weekend a number of the series’ top competitors have decided to take their talents to Watkins Glen and try their hand at stock car racing on The Glen’s 2.45-mile short course. Led by Brickyard Sports Car Challenge winner Eric Curran, this weekend’s NASCAR Nationwide Series field features a who’s-who of some of Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge’s best.
Joining Curran in the ZIPPO 200 are Matt Bell, driver of the No. 9 Stevenson Motorsports Camaro GS.R and Ryan Ellis, driver of the No. 30 i-Moto Mazda Speed 3.
Bell, who will be driving the No. 39 Global Barter Chevrolet in the ZIPPO 200 on Saturday, currently sits seventh in GS points with a season-best finish of fifth at Mid-Ohio. He has made one other Nationwide Series start this season, finishing 34th at Road America.
Ellis also made his lone Nationwide Series start at Road America finishing 39th and will return at Watkins Glen driving the No. 52 Chevrolet for NASCAR veteran Jimmy Means. Ellis sits 15th in ST points and has one win on the season (Homestead).
The winner of the inaugural race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Curran has enjoyed a stellar season driving the No. 01 CKS Autosport Camaro. Driving with co-driver Lawson Aschenbach, Curran has scored podiums in four of the last five Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge races. Despite a season-opening finish of 22nd at Daytona, Curran and Aschenbach sit third in GS points, just seven points out of first.
Curran will make his Nationwide Series debut this weekend in the No. 53 Dodge for NDS Motorsports. If he needs any help he can lean on Rolex Series teammate Boris Said, who is a frequent NASCAR road course competitor and will be competing in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.
“I’m really excited for my Nationwide debut this weekend. I grew up racing in New England and won my first race here back in 1996,” Curran said. “To make a great opportunity even better I’ll be racing the No. 53 at Montreal the following weekend as well.”

Said Set For 12th NASCAR Sprint Cup Race At The Glen

Boris Said is used to double duty weekends, racing the Turner Motorsports BMW M3 in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge in addition to sharing the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Corvette in the Rolex Series with Eric Curran.
Said shares the No. 97 BMW M3 with Michael Marsal, with their best finish third season fourth at New Jersey Motorsports Park.
With the CTSCC not in action this weekend, Said will double up at Watkins Glen, driving the No. 32 HENDRICKCARS.com Ford for Jack Roush Ford in Sunday’s Finger Lakes 355 At The Glen NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.
Said is an 11-time Sprint Cup Series competitor at The Glen since 1999, scoring two top-10 finishes – including his career-best third in 2005. Said has 44 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts, winning two pole positions.

Watkins Glen NN_2_FINAL.pdf

Matt Cleary
Sunday Group Management
mediawww.sundaymanagement.com
youtube.com/sundaymanagement
317.908.2975 (m)

For additional information: www.sundaymanagement.com, www.facebook.com/sundaygroup, www.twitter.com/Sundaygroup

USF2000 Offers Tests to Top Skip Barber Candidates

Series News
August 7, 2012

USF2000 Offers Tests to Top Skip Barber Candidates

PALMETTO, Fla. – The Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda is opening its doors to give up-and-coming drivers a taste of the next level car on the Mazda Road to Indy. The winners of the Skip Barber Winter and Summer Series presented by Mazda will be awarded a seat at the second annual Chris Griffis Memorial Mazda Road to Indy Open Test on October 10/11 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The test, dedicated to the memory of Sam Schmidt Motorsports’ Firestone Indy Lights team manager, brings together the three levels of the Mazda Road to Indy Ladder system including the Star Mazda Championship Powered by Goodyear and Firestone Indy Lights. Hosted by INDYCAR, the outing not only offers all three series a jumpstart on the 2013 season but also showcases the ladder system to prospective teams and drivers.

“As a 1990 graduate of the Skip Barber organization myself, I know what a terrific training program they have put together over the years,” said Dan Andersen, President and CEO of Andersen Promotions, the series promoter. “With so many of their graduates moving into our USF2000 Championship, it is only natural and logical that we should expose these talented drivers to the teams and cars of USF2000 at the IMS open test. It is my pleasure to offer tests to the two winners, and also express my thanks to Michael Culver and his fine staff for what they do in racing.”

The winner of the 2012 Skip Barber Summer Series presented by Mazda, whose season concludes on October 6, will join 2011-2012 Skip Barber Winter Series presented by Mazda Champion and Rookie of the Year Jake Eidson at the test. With his Winter Series crown, Eidson, 17, of Littleton, Colo., will also receive a fully funded ride in the 2012 Skip Barber Racing School Championship Shoot-Out for a chance to win a seat in the 2013 USF2000 series.

“Skip Barber Racing School, USF2000 and Mazda continue to enhance the ability for promising young drivers to move up the Mazda Road to Indy ladder and to realize their dreams of becoming a professional driver,” said Michael Culver, Chairman, CEO and Managing Member of the Skip Barber Racing School. “Racing is in our DNA; we are passionate about creating champions.”

Skip Barber Racing School is the Official Racing School of the IZOD IndyCar Series and Mazda Road to Indy. The newly-created Skip Barber IndyCar Academy announced in April adds another step to the well-established development ladder system – a clearly-defined path for aspiring drivers. Being held for the inaugural year at Sebring International Raceway on January 25-27, 2013, 33 candidates will battle it out for a full scholarship in the 2013 Skip Barber Summer or Winter Series presented by Mazda. The deadline for applications is December 15, 2012.

INDYCAR’s recently announced partnerships with British Formula Ford and Canadian F1600 (Quebec and Ontario) will see their series champions receiving a full day in a USF2000 car at the test. The partnership with the La Tam Challenge Series in Mexico will see the top-three drivers in that series receiving a one-day test with Star Mazda at Indianapolis.

Interest in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda has ballooned this year with seven new teams and record grids of over 30 entries. The series offers a scholarship package from Mazda to advance to the Star Mazda series – the next rung on the development ladder which currently fields its 2010 and 2011 champions Sage Karam and Petri Suvanto, respectively – as well as vital training in on and off-track skills via the Mazda Road to Indy Summit program.

USF2000 will be back in action on August 17/18 with the series’ first triple-header event which will be held at Road America’s 4.048-mile, 14-turn permanent road course in Elkhart Lake, Wis.

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About USF2000: The Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda debuted in 2010 and is a continuation of the highly-regarded USF2000 series which ran from 1990 through 2006, launching the careers of many of today’s top drivers. Sanctioned by INDYCAR and managed by Andersen Promotions, the series is the first official step on the Mazda Road to Indy ladder system. The top driver in the Championship class will earn a scholarship package from Mazda to advance to the Star Mazda Championship. The series also is part of the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development Ladder program which assists young drivers in advancing from the Skip Barber Racing School to USF2000. The series will be featured in the new Mazda Motorsports Hour debuting on the Velocity network in April, with select races airing on ESPN International.

About Mazda: Mazda is the number-one brand for road-racers across North America. Thousands of Mazda powered grassroots racers compete in various classes with the SCCA and NASA highlighted by Spec Miata, the world’s largest spec class with over 2,500 cars built. In 2006 Mazda established the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development Ladder to assist racers in moving up through the ranks. In 2010 this was expanded to include the Mazda Road to Indy. Key to Mazda’s success is strategic partnerships with the Skip Barber Racing School and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. MAZDASPEED Motorsports is managed by Mazda North American Operations (MNAO). MNAO is headquartered in Irvine, Calif. and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States, Canada and Mexico through nearly 900 dealers. Operations in Canada are managed by Mazda Canada, Inc., located in Ontario; and in Mexico by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City. Consumer information can be found at www.mazdausa.com with press information at www.mazdausamedia.com. Racers and fans can follow the action on Facebook (Mazdaspeed Motorsports).

About Cooper Tire & Rubber Company: Cooper Tire & Rubber Company is a global company with affiliates, subsidiaries and joint-ventures that specialize in the design, manufacture, marketing and sales of passenger car and light truck tires. The company also has subsidiaries that specialize in medium truck, motorcycle and racing tires. With headquarters in Findlay, Ohio, Cooper Tire has manufacturing, sales, distribution, technical and design facilities within its family of companies

USF2000 Offers Tests to Top Skip Barber Candidates.pdf

Shell-Pennzoil Karter Kyle Kirkwood is Double Winner in Norway

Shell-Pennzoil Karter Kyle Kirkwood is Double Winner in Norway

Walldinger Racing Media Contact:
Matt Cleary, Sunday Group Management
Media

Norway, Ill. (7 August 2012) – Walldinger Racing’s Kyle Kirkwood returned to the top step of the podium at the KartLift Nationals in Norway, Illinois over the weekend to add two more victories to his racing resume and mark his fourth national win of the season in the No. 29 Arrow as the WKA Manufacturers Cup Series staged Round 5 of the 2012 Championship at Concept Haulers Motor Speedway.

Kirkwood was off to a fast start on Saturday and qualified fourth in Komet Jr. Heavy and third in Yamaha Jr. Lite. The very competitive fields saw extremely close qualifying times with Kirkwood just .052-seconds off of the pole time in Komet Jr. Heavy and .017-seconds off in Yamaha Jr. Lite.

Unfortunately those efforts would be thwarted when Kirkwood faced misfortune in both of the eight-lap Pre-Final events which left him starting at the rear of the field in Saturday’s Finals.

Starting 25th in the Komet Jr. Heavy Final, Kirkwood made quick work of moving forward – improving 15 positions to run 10th at the 1/2-way mark of the 14-lap Final. He would finish the race ninth.

Just before the Yamaha Jr. Lite Final, a major storm moved over the track which halted the race action until the high winds, lightning, and torrential rains had moved out of the area. WKA officials announced that the races would continue and allowed the teams 15 minutes to switch their karts over to a wet set-up.

The KartSport team quickly went to work to make the switch and Kirkwood returned to the grid ready for rain racing as the 13-year-old karter looked to use his abundant experience in the wet conditions – having grown up in South Florida – to his advantage in the Yamaha Jr. Lite Final.

Starting from the rear of the 33-kart field, Kirkwood had a great start and improved several positions on the first lap only to be forced off track in Turn 7 to avoid a pile-up ahead of him. He returned to the track 17th in the order and began cleanly maneuvering his way through the field to finish 12th.

With temperatures in the upper 90s on Friday and Saturday, the storm on Saturday brought welcome relief from the heat with the humidity significantly lower and temperatures hovering around 80 on Sunday for Kirkwood’s Komet Jr. Lite and Yamaha Jr. Heavy events.

Kirkwood once again showed strong pace at the wheel of the No. 29 Arrow in the morning qualifying sessions – setting the third fastest time on the 24-kart Komet Jr. Lite grid and fourth on the 32-kart Yamaha Jr. Heavy grid.

After two wave-offs at the start of the Komet Jr. Lite Pre-Final, Kirkwood moved up to second on the second lap and remained glued to the first place kart’s bumper as he challenged for the lead throughout the remaining laps. Kirkwood attempted a pass on the final lap of the race, but lost momentum which allowed the third place kart to get by. Kirkwood finished third to line up on the inside of the second row for the Final.

The Yamaha Jr. Heavy Pre-Final saw Kirkwood start fourth and move up to second by the end of the first lap. He took over the lead on the second lap in a tight battle among the top-three runners. He fell to third at the ½ way point of the race, but made a brilliant pass for the lead to go three-wide on the final lap and masterfully defended all the way to the checkered flag to take the win as the tight pack of karts followed close behind at the finish.

Next up was the Komet Jr. Lite Final and Kirkwood made it look easy as he dominated the event after having started third of the 24-karts. He improved to second on the first lap and remained right on the tail of the leading kart. When the leader dropped a wheel off on Lap 3, Kirkwood took full advantage to take over the lead and he never looked back. He developed a 3-4 second gap over the rest of the field to claim his first victory of the day.

Kirkwood’s win in the Yamaha Jr. Heavy Pre-Final gave him the pole position for the start of the Final. He held onto the lead throughout the first few corners, but the second and third place karts that followed close behind utilized the draft into the “Monza Curve” and Kirkwood slipped to third. The Norway circuit is one where leading in the final laps of the race is not necessarily the best place to be, so Kirkwood remained glued to the second place kart as the trio ran in a tight pack at the front of the field.

On the final lap, the second place kart made a move on the leader, but Kirkwood had other plans as he expertly took advantage to go from third to first in two corners. He made a move to the inside and made it three-wide as he cleanly maneuvered through and slipped into the lead to take his first victory in the Yamaha Jr. Heavy category after having had three runner-up finishes in the last three events.

The win marked Kirkwood’s fourth national victory in only his first year of national racing.

“We didn’t have the day we wanted on Saturday, but we learned a lot throughout the day and that definitely paid off on Sunday,” said Kirkwood. “I had been planning that move (to win the Yamaha Jr. Heavy Final) the entire race. I had done a similar move in the Pre-Final and knew that if I timed it right, it would work out well. The KartSport guys worked hard all weekend to give me the best equipment and it all combined for a great day on Sunday. I’m so grateful to AJ and the whole Walldinger Racing organization for giving me the opportunity to compete at this level and I’m happy to have delivered them two more wins this weekend.”

Kirkwood and the KartSport group are right back in action again this week as they travel 2.5-hours east to Michiana Raceway Park in South Bend, Indiana for the U.S. Rotax Max Grand Nationals. The event sees an intense schedule of unofficial practice on Monday and Tuesday with official practice on Wednesday. Thursday will see morning practice, qualifying and Heat 1 with another morning practice and Heats 2 & 3 on Friday. A final morning practice followed by the Pre-Final and Main Events will be held on Saturday.

The Kart Racing Network will produce a live broadcast of the United States Rotax Grand Nationals at www.kartracingnetwork.com. The 2011 broadcast boasted over 14,000 unique connections from over 40 countries.

The U.S. Rotax Max Grand Nationals will award the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place drivers in the Junior Max, Senior Max, DD2 and DD2 Masters a ticket to the 2012 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals.

About Shell-Pennzoil:
Shell is a global group of energy and petrochemical companies with 93,000 employees in more than 90 countries. In the U.S., Shell operates in 50 states and employs nearly 20,000 people using technology and innovation to help tackle the challenges of the new energy future. The Shell downstream organization manages a portfolio of top-quality brands, including the No. 1 selling gasoline and premium gasoline brand[i] and Pennzoil®, the most trusted motor oil brand in America*. Shell’s motorsports technical alliances around the world provide a testing ground for fuel and lubricant technologies and products in demanding road conditions. The knowledge Shell and Pennzoil gain through these alliances help address tomorrow’s world mobility energy challenge with efficient solutions that power and protect motorists around the globe.

http://www.pennzoil.com/

Walldinger Racing
About Walldinger Racing, Inc.: Walldinger Racing was formed in 2006 to support AJ Allmendinger’s motorsports career by developing commercial opportunities and partnership programs.

About KartSport
Formed in August 2010, KartSport is the exclusive North American importer of Arrow Racing Karts. Owned and operated by professional karting and racing veterans Justin Marks and Eric Jones, and operating out of a state-of-the-art facility in Mooresville, North Carolina, KartSport delivers to the karting industry a number of quality products and services. KartSport also designs and manufacturers it’s own line of karting tools and components.

About Sparco
Founded in 1977 Sparco is the world leader in motor sports safety equipment. More than 35 years later, Sparco’s ambition for producing the safest and innovative driving equipment possible, is still the number one priority for the company. At speeds of more than 200 mph, and temperatures above 120 degrees, a driver must be 100% confident in their safety equipment. Therefore, the world’s top professional drivers choose Sparco, more than any other brand.

About Sunday Group Management
Sunday Group Management is a leading motorsports management and communications consulting firm with clients in NASCAR, IndyCar, GRAND-AM, and ALMS. www.sundaymanagement.com, www.facebook.com/sundaygroup, or www.twitter.com/Sundaygroup

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Box Score Mid Ohio IZOD IndyCar

IZOD IndyCar Series

Honda Indy 200

LEXINGTON, Ohio – Results Sunday of the Honda Indy 200 IZOD IndyCar Series event on the 2.258 mile Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, with order of finish, starting position in parentheses, driver, chassis-engine, laps completed and reason out (if any):

1. (4) Scott Dixon, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running

2. (1) Will Power, Dallara-Chevy, 85, Running

3. (3) Simon Pagenaud, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running

4. (6) Sebastien Bourdais, Dallara-Chevy, 85, Running

5. (15) James Hinchcliffe, Dallara-Chevy, 85, Running

6. (18) Tony Kanaan, Dallara-Chevy, 85, Running

7. (5) Ryan Briscoe, Dallara-Chevy, 85, Running

8. (8) Marco Andretti, Dallara-Chevy, 85, Running

9. (12) JR Hildebrand, Dallara-Chevy, 85, Running

10. (14) Alex Tagliani, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running

11. (21) Graham Rahal, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running

12. (9) Josef Newgarden, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running

13. (17) Takuma Sato, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running

14. (24) Giorgio Pantano, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running

15. (13) Rubens Barrichello, Dallara-Chevy, 85, Running

16. (23) Helio Castroneves, Dallara-Chevy, 85, Running

17. (2) Dario Franchitti, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running

18. (11) Justin Wilson, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running

19. (20) James Jakes, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running

20. (19) EJ Viso, Dallara-Chevy, 85, Running

21. (16) Mike Conway, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running

22. (25) Ed Carpenter, Dallara-Chevy, 84, Running

23. (22) Simona de Silvestro, Dallara-Lotus, 83, Running

24. (7) Ryan Hunter-Reay, Dallara-Chevy, 79, Mechanical

25. (10) Oriol Servia, Dallara-Chevy, 78, Running

Race Statistics

Winners average speed: 115.379

Time of Race: 01:39:48.5083

Margin of victory: 3.4619

Cautions: 0

Lead changes: 2

Lap Leaders:

Power 1 – 57

Hinchcliffe 58 – 59

Dixon 60 – 85

Point Standings: Power 379, Hunter-Reay 374, Castroneves 353, Dixon 351, Hinchcliffe 316, Pagenaud 311, Kanaan 307, Franchitti 271, Briscoe 267, Rahal 256.

Matt Cleary
Sunday Group Management
mediawww.sundaymanagement.com
youtube.com/sundaymanagement
317.908.2975 (m)

For additional information: www.sundaymanagement.com, www.facebook.com/sundaygroup, www.twitter.com/Sundaygroup

Indy LIghts, Trois Rivieres Race results

mauls notebook//mid ohio

http://www.motorsport.com/indycar/news/eric-mauk-s-mid-ohio-sunday-notebook/

Eric Mauk’s Mid-Ohio Notebook

Throwing caution to the wind
Overnight and morning rains, coupled with a narrow track surface and the ominous dark clouds floating over the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course had teams expecting numerous cautions, so much so that a half-dozen drivers pitted within the first nine laps expecting the chance to make up ground under the yellow flags that were sure to come.

But no caution flags ever came as the race went the full 85-lap race distance. The swift track is considered one of the most physical on the circuit and to do it without the relative respite of a caution period had guys worn out at the end of the day.

“I have never been this tired at the end of an Indy Car race,” said fifth-place finisher James Hinchcliffe.

Simon Pagenaud seemed to have an answer as to why the series has had back-to-back caution-free races for the first time since 1987.

“The field is really strong, it’s so tight, everyone is at the top of their game,” Pagenaud said. “There’s not too many drivers that are out there making mistakes, so I thought if it didn’t rain, we might not have any yellows today.”

No passing fancy
In Saturday’s Firestone Fast Six press conference at the, nearly all of the six IZOD Indy Car drivers attended spoke glowingly about driving the race track, but none of them expected a great race today. Bemoaning the lack of passing zones and the narrow entries to what braking zones there were, the drivers were expecting a fairly processional event.

Rubens Barrichello, KV Racing Technology Chevrolet

Photo by: Adriano Manocchia

That went out the window on the first lap as drivers went two-by-two through the esses and were even three-wide on a couple of corners through the first two trips around the 2.25-mile course. And while there were no on-track passes for the lead, there were plenty of overtaking maneuvers behind them, including a great inside move by Tony Kanaan coming out of the keyhole where he passed three cars, including that of eventual podium finisher Simon Pagenaud.

“Tony came flying by me there when I was trying to get (Ryan) Briscoe,” Pagenaud marveled. “He does that all the time, he is the master of the restarts. That was a great move.”

Further failures for Franchitti after front-row start
Dario Franchitti said yesterday that he was happy to earn his sixth consecutive front-row starting spot, but that he needed to convert it into a good result.

The #10 before the red nose

Photo by: Michael C. Johnson

Instead, Franchitti finished 17th on the day, marking the fifth finish of 14th or worse during his streak of front-row starts. Franchitti ran second up to the first round of pit stops, and was in the top five with 27 laps to go when he ran into James Hinchcliffe while trying to make a pass. The contact left him with a broken front wing, necessitating a nose change. Franchitti, who was sporting a blue and purple livery this weekend, went again all race-car fashion after the change as the replacement nose was Target red, which contrasted sharply with the light blue and purple on the #10.

Two-headed Dragon
Dragon Racing announced that it would go back to a two-car Indy Car entry at Sonoma, fielding a sister car for Katherine Legge. The British rookie had been running the oval while Sebastien Bourdais has carried the team on the road courses. The announcement came prior to the race, but today’s strong fourth-place result will give the team confidence heading to the road course in California’s Wine Country.

“Sonoma is our home track and we wanted to get back there with two cars,” said team owner Jay Penske. “The team has worked hard, Chevrolet has helped our program and we are excited to get Katherine back in the car.

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Mid Ohio USf2000

USF2000 Mid-Ohio Practice 1(1).pdf

Michael Marsal Returns to ALMS Competition with Dyson Racing at Mid-Ohio

Michael Marsal Returns to ALMS Competition with Dyson Racing at Mid-Ohio

Lexington, Ohio (2 August 2012) – Michael Marsal will be back in race action this weekend as his busy summer continues at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for his third American Le Mans Series race start with Dyson Racing in the No. 20 Mazda B11/66 Lola.

While the event may mark Marsal’s first time driving the prototype machine around the challenging 2.4-mile Ohio road course, Marsal is no stranger to Mid-Ohio with four starts at the track already under his belt.

Marsal has three career GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Series race starts and stepped up to the Rolex Series GT ranks last year with Turner Motorsport.

Driving a select schedule of ALMS events for Dyson Racing this year, Marsal will look to build on the positive performances of his two previous race starts in which he stood on the podium with co-driver Eric Lux after placing third in both the Long Beach and Lime Rock Park events. The Dyson duo targets a return trip to the podium this weekend – picking up experience and also maybe even a better view from the podium at the fabled Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

As Marsal transitions from his touring car GRAND-AM duties just last weekend at the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway to the high-speed, high-downforce LM P1 environment, he will utilize his extensive experience at the 15-turn Ohio road course with his focus on another solid finish in Saturday’s 2.75-hour race.

“It’s going to be a hot weekend, but I am ready for it,” said Marsal. “The Dyson guys have saved some weight by pulling out the AC in the car but I think we should be fine–the timing is not perfect with the forecast though! Every time I get to drive this P1 car, I’m able to get closer and closer to the limit of what the Lola is capable of. And to get to drive it on a track that is so technical and demanding like Mid-Ohio, I really can’t wait. Every weekend with Dyson, there has been something good to build on and that’s the main goal this weekend for me.”

The Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge weekend is held in conjunction with the IZOD Indycar Series event and will kick off on Friday with two practice sessions in the morning ahead of P1 qualifying which begins at 1:20 PM (ET). Saturday will see a morning warm-up with the race set to begin at 1:05 PM (ET).

Live timing and scoring can be followed at www.alms.com. ESPN3 will have live video streaming of Friday’s qualifying at 12:15 PM (ET) as well as Saturday’s race beginning at 12:45 PM (ET). ABC will televise the event beginning at 2:00 PM (ET).

Matt Cleary
Sunday Group Management
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