172. Spa Malaise. Porsche Proto Kaput. ALMS to Abandon Speed.

August 9th, 2010

“There was a weird feeling in the air at Spa,” said one of Murphy’s correspondents. He and others described a widespread malaise in the sport. People in the paddock and in media rooms are worried, and talking about it. Read the rest of this entry »

171. Dyson to Grand Am. Mid-Ohio Sale (new). Pissed off Mexicans. 2011 Events.

July 26th, 2010

Dyson Racing and Grand Am

Announcements have been written but not released while the last details of an agreement are completed. However, Murphy is pretty sure Dyson Racing (but not its current two drivers) to be on hand at Montreal, and yes, the Bear knows full well that’s on the same weekend as Mosport. Dyson Racing will wrap up the 2010 season involved in both ALMS and Grand Am, as they have before. Read the rest of this entry »

170. NASCAR-DTM Alliance, Todt at Daytona, R18 waits for the ACO, Shopping for an R8 (maybe not).

July 7th, 2010

Grand Am Throws a Party

Grand Am had a team owner’s meeting and cocktail reception on the 8th floor of the new ISC/NASCAR digs on International Speedway Boulevard last Thursday afternoonand evening. It’s probably where A.C. saw FIA chief Jean Todt accompanied by fiancé Bond Girl (Wai Lin, Tomorrow Never Dies) Michelle Yeow (right, at Cannes, credit Georges Baird). Todt is heading an FIA delegation, including American Nick Craw, on a “good will” tour – shoring up support amongst racing series and motoring club after AAA’s recent resignation.

With Bernie’s payments for F1 rights about to end with 89 years of exclusivity left (what dumbo wrote that contract?) the Frogs are facing a big ($35 million) hole in the budget. If others follow AAA out the door, things will be dire indeed. Read the rest of this entry »

Natural Causes

July 4th, 2010

By A.C. Guillermo
 
The Daytona round of the Rolex Ganassi-Am Series (Editor’s note – apparently a Freudian slip by AC) was spectacular. The Most Interesting Man in the World won yet another race in dominating fashion, again proving he is our generation’s Juan Manuel Fangio. And all this despite the fact NASCAR forced them to race with a stock BMW engine from a spectator’s car, installed just hours before the race by the 10th grade shop class from Seabreeze High School in Daytona Beach. The win by Scott Pruett and the other guy should quiet the disillusioned Grand-Am fans that complain the series is boring and predictable. I think. Read the rest of this entry »

169. Jaguar to move on? Prototype Prospects. Mid-Ohio is “on” – for IRL. The Obligatory Abruzzi stuff.

June 25th, 2010

A car that won’t race is just part of Jaguar’s problems. When your best finish (by far) in an ALMS race is last place, 36 laps behind the Porsche class winner, it can’t get much worse, can it? Sure it can. It did at Le Mans. Read the rest of this entry »