My Bucket List Gets A Big Checkmark This Weekend!

I couldn't leave the house without going over what I'd like to accomplish the next couple of days...

1. I'm going to attend the greatest race in NASCAR (and quite possibly in the world)!

2. Knowing all the people who will be there, I'm going to push the envelope and try to get a few autographs between races. Here's what I'm after:
a. Kyle Busch (just for me)...

b. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (for my good friend James and his wife Samantha)...

c. Darrell Waltrip (for our beloved Gene Haddock)...

If I can accomplish any of those three things I'll consider it an even greater event!

(To be straight up honest, if I can just get close enough to scrutinize these people, and I think I will, I'll be happy!)

3. Hope that everyone, and I mean everyone, makes it through the weekend without mishap.

4. Get some free psychological help from Kristen! Like why I'm a Kyle Busch fan and yet I'm picking his older brother in the Trifecta...

Finally (I gotta go), here's a list of who Gene's favorite NASCAR color commentator, Darrell Waltrip, thinks will challenge for the Daytona 500 championship on Sunday courtesy of an interview with the Nashville Tennessean's Mike Organ (I could say something about that guy's name... But I won't!)...

The first number after each name is where the driver finished last year's 500...

Jamie McMurray, 1 — No. 1, Chevrolet, Earnhardt Ganassi Racing: "Last year, just out of nowhere, McMurray pops up there and wins the race. You have to keep on eye on him. He and Juan Montoya have the same engine package (with team owner Chip Ganassi), and that's a big deal at Daytona and at Talladega, to have a little extra horsepower. And they've also had a pretty good go of it on the restrictor plate tracks."

Kevin Harvick, 7 — No. 29, Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing: "He always runs good at Daytona. He's won two Bud Shootouts in a row, and he had the car to beat in the Daytona 500 last year. Circumstances just kind of kept him from winning. A Richard Childress-owned car is going to be in the mix."

Jeff Gordon, 26 — No. 24, Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports: "The crew chief change (Alan Gustafson replacing Steve Letarte) will be a good thing for Gordon. Gustafson was Mark Martin's crew chief the past couple of years, and that's going to make for a good combination. A Hendrick (owned) car has to be considered — Gordon or (Dale Earnhardt Jr.). Those cars also seem to have a little of an advantage when it comes to the restrictor plates."

Kyle Busch, 14 — No. 18, Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing: "Kyle runs really good at Daytona. Or pick any one of the Toyotas of (Joe) Gibbs (Racing) — Kyle, Denny Hamlin or Kurt Busch."

Dale Earnhardt Jr., 2 — No. 88, Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports: "It's hard to say about Junior. He runs good at Daytona, and if they can give him a car that's anywhere near like it needs to be, if the thing will handle like it's supposed to for
him, Junior's always a threat there and at Talladega. He likes those two tracks."

Well, I'm off! Type with y'all later!

The Conundrum Strikes!

Dale Earnhardt Jr. got tied up in a wreck while practicing Wednesday afternoon. Here's the video:

Junior is now relegated to starting at the back of the pack...

If he wins from the last starting position on Sunday will the conspiracy theorists still say it was a set up?

Shall We Dance…? Errrrr Draft?

The impetus:

The repaved Daytona track is so smooth that one car can push another all the way around the track, allowing both cars to go as much as 20 mph faster than cars running alone.
Everybody wants to grab a partner and draft…

Okay… So when the laps dwindle down to a precious few next Sunday, who chooses who gets to be the pusher and who gets to be the pushee?

I’d venture to say that every driver’s hand stays down when volunteers for being the pusher are sought and yet everybody’s hand is raised when asked who wants to be the pushee.

So how DO they figure that question out?

If an owner has more than one car on the track is it his decision? Does his BIG DOG driver automatically become the pushee and the secondary drivers are relegated to the pusher role?

Is it just a matter of circumstance?

Joe Blow just happens to be in front of you so ya go ahead and lock up doing him the favor?

Will you, as the pusher, then try something fancy at the end to try and sling shot into the lead for the win? Is turn four on the white flag lap the only opportunity to avoid coming in second place?

Will the grateful recipient of your pushing turn into Frodo’s Uncle Bilbo and want to keep his precious?

Or will he simply allow you by as a form of thanking you?

(HUH? We're talking precious here!)

Will it be 198 laps of kum-by-ya followed by a two lap knife fight?

I’m going to step out on a flimsy thin limb and say it’s just a case of happenstance. Ya dance with whoever you can up to a point then its every person for themself.

Daytona has really become a conundrum…

Three Questions...

First, there have been two drivers in the NASCAR Cup series who won seven championships in their career.

Richard Petty was the first to win seven titles. He won the last when 42 years old and across his racing life he earned the nickname “The King”. Then along came Dale Earnhardt. By the time Dale had won his seventh championship at 43 years of age he was known across the country as “The Intimidator”. Today we have a current driver who at the age of 35 has won an unprecedented five championships in a row and yet Jimmie Johnson has not been bestowed with a regal nickname. Yes, we know him by the acronym “JJ”, but that simply doesn’t fit the monumental achievement he’s made in this sport. Why do you think this is so? What do you think would be a good nickname for him?


Second, as I see it there are basically four types of racing venues in NASCAR’s Cup series, the short track (1mile around the track or less), the intermediate length track (between 1 and 2 miles), the superspeedways that are longer than 2 miles, and the road course tracks. Now go back in time. Back to the roots of stock car racing, back to the time when small community tracks were commonplace around the country. Most of the older drivers sprang from those tracks and most of the tracks were originally unpaved dirt tracks that required a driving style all their own. Given the sport’s history, why aren’t there any dirt track racing venues in today’s NASCAR Cup series?

Bristol's concrete was once covered with dirt for a race a few years back... Why not?

And third, two Joe Gibbs’ drivers surpassed 203 mph in Friday’s Sprint Cup practices at
Daytona International Speedway while a total of 10 drivers came in at over 200 mph and another group of four finished at 199. From all accounts the track’s new surface is so smooth it’s enhanced the drivers’ ability to “lock up” with another car (stay in close proximity without bouncing into each other) and thus push the envelope to ever increasing speeds. Given NASCAR’s mandate to keep speeds below 200 mph, do you think there will be a last minute change to an even smaller restrictor plate before race day on February 20th?

Now don't be shy... Let me know what you think...

Off The Wall Racing News

NASCAR

Some quotes about the significance of the Daytona 500 from an article by Fox Sports’ Bob Margolis entitled Daytona 500 keeps fans on edge…

“It’s amazing to be in this position to win this race and how big this is for my career.” —2006 winner Jimmie Johnson

“It’s hard to explain the magnitude of the Daytona 500. It was something I really didn’t understand until I won the race, just knowing the difference between the Daytona 500 and winning any other race.” — 2007 winner Kevin Harvick

“It’s really hard to win it. Some of our greatest competitors come in and out of this sport without taking this trophy home.” – 2004 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr., whose late father scored his only win in the event on his 20th career start in 1998.

“This is holy ground when it comes to NASCAR racing. A win in the Daytona 500 is something that nothing else will ever top.” – 2002 winner Ward Burton

“It’s the ultimate race. There’s just no better place to win than Daytona. If you can pick one, this is the one you want to win.” — three time winner (1997, ’99 and 2005) Jeff Gordon.
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Fan Development

Kelley Earnhardt and her brother Dale Earnhardt Jr. made a big splash a couple of seasons ago when they brought in one of the most recognized faces in American auto racing to drive a JR Motorsports' entry in the Nationwide Series and although Danica Patrick and her Go Daddy Chevrolet haven’t made it into victory lane, she’s brought much needed exposure to NASCAR.

Next we heard that Michael Waltrip Racing had cut a deal with X-Games champion and daredevil Travis Pastrana to work into an MWR ride in the Nationwide Series.
These are examples of how NASCAR is working to attract a younger audience.

Now comes speculation that another X-Games icon (and an Olympic Gold Medal Champion to boot!) has expressed interest in auto racing, but this time we’re talking about the second most powerful American sports personality in 2010 as ranked in a list released last month by Bloomberg Business Week. The list was created by an Atlanta-based sports marketing firm, CSE, using math-based analytics that combine on-field performance as well as nationwide surveys.


Shaun White (also known as the "Flying Tomato" for his long red hair in the breeze) is a 10-time Gold Medal winner in the X-Games having won in both Snowboarding
and Skateboarding plus he’s won two Olympic Gold Medals in Snow Boarding. Last week it was announced that Shaun placed second out of the 100 most powerful sports personalities.

"We were honestly quite surprised" (that White landed in second), said David Newman VP of analytics at CSE. "Until we hit the enter button, we don't know what the list is going to look like."
"Power is a unique term," Newman added, "but it's really just the completeness of an athlete. It's their ability to perform on the field and serve as a role model off it. Overall, it relates to their total endorsement potential."

Did you catch that last part of Newman’s statement? Endorsement… That’s NASCAR’s middle name! And this guy is expressing interest in auto racing? Who’ll be the first in line to sign this personable 24 year old up?

Here’s an out take from Shaun’s new B.F. Goodrich commercial shoot…

Concerning the current state of NASCAR’s affairs it makes sense that fan development takes precedence over driver development. Let Travis and Shaun get some training and some seasoning then turn ‘em lose in the Camping World Truck or Nationwide Series and watch the television ratings take off!
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Paul Menard earned an exemption for the first 5 races of the 2011 Sprint Cup season while racing for Richard Petty Motorsports last season (he ranked 23rd) and yet stood to lose the exemption due to switching to Richard Childress Racing. Now comes word that through an “equity partnership” between Richard Childress and Thomas Pumpelly who was a partner in TRG Motorsports last season, Menard will get his exemption after all. As part of a divestment with TRG Pumpelly retained the 35th place points of TRG’s number 71 car. These points will be used to qualify the RCR car Menard will drive. Pumpelly will be listed as the owner of RCR's number 27 Chevrolet. Menard will now be rightfully guaranteed a starting position for the first five races.

Smile Paul!

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Joe Gibbs’ Racing Engines Are So Hot…

Last Friday a fire broke out in JGR’s engine shop where dynamometer testing was being performed. How hot are those engines???

Luckily there was only minor damage and nobody was hurt with everyone back at work within an hour.
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With work continuing toward a new Sprint Cup car to be introduced in 2013 word is circulating that the new pony cars to be raced in the Nationwide Series this season my end up in the Sprint Cup series. Now in my opinion that would be a step in the wrong direction. Using the Mustang and Challenger in NASCAR’s Nationwide series is a good marketing tool to separate the two series and I thought that was the idea (like having the drivers commit to points driving in only one of the three major NASCAR series for the championship). You’ve started a good thing here, don’t shoot yourself in the foot by making these two series go backwards toward being homogenous again. Develop Sprint Cup cars as you traditionally have and leave the pony cars for Nationwide…
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Roger Penske announced he will race a limited Nationwide schedule with Sam Hornish Jr. behind the wheel of the number 12 Challenger in 2011. Kristen will be pleased to see him at Daytona February 19th…

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Formula One

Robert Kubica likely out for 2011

Lotus Renault's lead driver Robert Kubica sustained serious injuries following a crash in which he was driving at an Italian rally event Sunday morning. Robert, who almost lost his right hand while suffering several broken bones in the accident, was most concerned with the condition of his co-driver Jakub Gerber who luckily was unhurt.

On Monday it was announced the Polish driver was able to move the fingers on his damaged hand but it appears Robert will be forced to sit out the 2011 season while he works to restore his surgically repaired hand.

This news immediately fueled speculation concerning who might replace him with Group Lotus. The speculation was then further fueled as Lotus Renault principle Eric Boullier let it be known the team has started looking for a “name” driver even though their back-up driver Bruno Senna is ready and willing.

Nothing bad ever happens at a good time, but trying to replace a top Formula One driver just a few weeks before the start of the season has got to be difficult. All the top drivers have already been snatched up. Then you realize that just four short years ago Kimi Raikkonen won the Formula One World Championship and he may be available. Then the next realization sets in, Raikkonen is committed to racing in the World Rally Championship driving for Renault’s long time competitor, Citroen… Any deal for Raikkonen to switch would require a buy-out of the Citroen contract if Raikkonen would even agree to it… I think its fair to say that’s not going to happen. Another possibility with considerably less baggage involved could be Nick Heidfeld… One way or another the options are few if an experienced driver is being sought…
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Sebastian Vettel Shows well for Red Bull in Valencia

Vettel driving Red Bull’s new RB7 picks up where he
left off in 2010, in the lead! Vettel was clocked during the first day of testing last week at one minute, 13.769 seconds for one of his 93 laps around Valencia’s 2.517-mile Circuit Ricardo Tormo. Other results at the Valencia testing were Nico Hulkenberg, the new reserve and test driver for Force India, who ran the second quickest lap at one minute, 13.938 seconds. McLaren test driver Gary Paffett was third, followed by rookie Paul di Resta, who joined Force India for the upcoming season.
Seven-time F1 champion Michael Schumacher turned the ninth quickest lap in Mercedes GP's new MGP WO2 car. Schumacher's teammate, Nico Rosberg, debuted Mercedes' car in the morning, but Rosberg completed only nine laps before hydraulic problems curtailed his session.
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The Question Remains…

Now that the 2011 Formula One launches have been made and several laps of testing have been booked in Valencia Spain, Ferrari fans are questioning whether their favorite constructor has been too conservation in its 2011 changes.

“Futuristic projects are not always better than more conservative ones,” Fernando Alonso insisted to La Stampa newspaper last week.

Aldo Costa, the Maranello team’s technical director agrees. “I think the fastest car will be the one with the best performance balance between aerodynamics, the mechanical side and reliability. If you attempt something extreme in one area, you might pay in another, so for a car that wins you need a balanced approach,” he added.

Costa also revealed that Ferrari’s F150 will evolve between now and the first race of the season in Bahrain. “Mechanically, the car will be almost complete at Jerez (this week),” said the Italian, “but from an aerodynamic standpoint, there are still a lot of changes coming. More than an extreme approach, we are seeking a productive approach,” he insisted, “and ultimately it will be the lap times that will make the verdict.”

I guess last week’s Off The Wall Racing News' question (Has Ferrari done enough?) will stand until we get three to four races under our belts this season…

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IndyCar

Get your tickets now or be left out of the 100th Anniversary Edition of the Indianapolis 500. It should be quite a celebration…

http://secure.brickyard.com/utm_source=Racer_2011I500_300&utm_medium=Banner&utm_campaign=Racer_2011I500_300

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Time keeps on slippin' slippin' slippin' into the future... 12 more days!

Super Sunday...

All things are not as they appear...

Later today a football game will be played that over the years has achieved "Event" status. An Event being an occurance of such magnitude that a large share of the population is aware of it and may actually stop what they're doing to pay attention to it.
In our world of "gotta have it" in which we are lured into a growing desire to own a particular something, an "Event" is an advertiser's dream come true. Super Sunday has reached the promised land. It's not only an "Event" in the United States, it's now attempting to achieve that same status around the so-called civilized world (where people can enjoy advertisement driven television...).


Today, 32 billionaires make up the National Football League, each owning one of the teams that competes in the league. From late summer through mid-winter these people play a game with the television watching public where billions of dollars are at stake. So long as the public tunes in to watch, the advertisers will continue to pave the way and these billionaire NFL owners will continue to be happy...

Now to the question at hand... With this kind of money on the line, do you truly believe these 32 billionaires (who agreed a long time ago to equally share in the NFL's net annual revenue) will allow the fate of their huge sports industry to lay with chance?

As a sports fan, isn't the true appeal, or to put it in business terms, isn't the "bottom line" in any sporting event the fact that the winner will be determined on the field, the court, the rink, the course or at the track? If it became common knowledge that forces behind the scenes were manipulating the outcome of sporting events in order to maximize their personal profit, do you think people would still show up to watch the events?

The fact is sporting events have been "fixed" for as long as sporting events have been held. Since gambling has run hand in hand with sporting events there have been unscrupulous people making sure the "competitor" they put their money on actually wins... The Federal Bureau of Investigation has worked long and hard to put an end to organized crime over the years and a big part of that endeavor has concerned catching dirty fingers attempting to tip the scales their direction in sporting events, but that was yesterday and yesterday was small potatoes. Today the stakes are like the size of the Universe as compared to the size of our solar system and today's players all wear only the finest business suits. With big business scandals like Enron, Bernard Madoff and more recently the housing industry collapse and financiers like Bank of America using unethical practices seemingly always in the news, do you honestly believe big time sports is immune?

So along comes Brian Tuohy, the self-proclaimed "Nation's most skeptical fan and #1 sports conspiracist". Brian recently wrote a book entitled:

The Fix Is In: The Showbiz Manipulations of the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, and NASCAR

(Yes, NASCAR's in it too, imagine that!)

At 4:30 pm EST Brian is going to publish who will win today's Super Bowl based upon insider information... Check out the site "The Fix Is In" and see if he gets it right...
http://www.thefixisin.net/sbpick.html

The Super Bowl is a lot of fun to watch. People throw parties in honor of it and many times the "Event" boils down to nothing more than a distraction as people enjoy each other's company. Before they know it the game is over, its time to go home and the world is good...

Off The Wall Racing News

OPEN WHEEL EDITION

Formula One


The Sauber Racing team welcomed their newest driver, Sergio Perez, a 21 year old rookie from Mexico, to their unusual week of fitness training. Perez and teammates Kamui Kobayashi and reserve driver, fellow Mexican Esteban Gutierrez met in Switzerland near Walensee Lake and went through performance testing at the Swiss Olympic Medical Center (Sportzentrum Kerenzerberg) then went about cross country skiing and frozen waterfall climbing... Yes, I said frozen waterfall climbing…

Not my cup of tea…

Other unusual activities included bowling and pistol shooting…
"There's a lot of fun involved in days like these, but you also get to see how everyone responds to pressure, sometimes you have to overcome yourself, and you learn to rely on your teammates," said program overseer Markus Angst.
"During the ice climbing, for example, we were roped together both metaphorically and literally."

I’d like to see a few of the NASCAR drivers up on a frozen waterfall…
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The Lotus…

In Buddhist teaching the Lotus is one of the Eight Auspicious Symbols. The roots of a lotus are in the mud, the stem grows up through the water, and the heavily scented flower lies pristinely above the water, basking in the sunlight. This pattern of growth signifies the progress of the soul from the primeval mud of materialism, through the waters of experience, and into the bright sunshine of enlightenment. A really beautiful symbol.

Then there’s the Lotus as it pertains to Formula One…

The use of Lotus branding has boiled down to a money-driven feud between two wealthy businessmen from the Far East. Renault (Group Lotus) owner Gerard Lopez is once again finger-pointing going after Tony Fernandes (majority owner of Team Lotus). Lopez claims Fernandes’ is only engaged in the disagreement to avoid losing prize money. Under F1 regulations, prize money earned in previous years cannot be received if a team changes its official chassis name, unless the rest of the paddock is in agreement.
"I've dealt with the press for many years, not just in Formula 1, but also in business, and I've got to call a spade a spade," Lopez said.
"I can tell when somebody's trying to twist things.
"I think it's a shame because we've never twisted things in any form or fashion.
"We've just said that we have a partnership with Lotus, Lotus is a great car company, they've decided to be quite aggressive in this involvement, they want to have a business association with Formula 1, and they want to promote their brand.
"There's only one Lotus car company.
"Anything else is a bunch of 'BS'.
"I'm aware of the negotiations that took place, and I know that money is essentially the centrepiece of this - it's not passion, it's not taking over Colin Chapman's legacy, or whatever.
"It's the fact that if 1Malaysia [the company name behind Fernandes' team] changes the name, they lose the FOM [prize] money.
"It's an issue for them, and yes it's probably one that I wouldn't take too kindly to if I was in their shoes and obviously I would be fighting.
"But just admit to reality: the fact is it's about money and nothing else."
Lopez admitted he had become annoyed by the way Fernandes was presenting his team's position in the argument.
"What I believe is quite damaging is to act as the small team that's getting beaten up – the David against Goliath," said Lopez.
"We're a private team, we do have a sponsor, but we're privately-owned and we just happen to be bigger.
"The thing about [Team Lotus] being the poor kid who gets beaten up at the back of the room, honestly that makes me laugh sometimes.
"The fact is, it's all about money, and they stand to lose money if they change their name, and they should be honest and just say that."

The disagreement has boiled down to nothing short of a knife fight between Lopez and Fernandes with a British Court hearing coming up shortly to sort it out. Then perhaps Lotus will lose its tarnish in Formula One.
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This just in! Team Lotus vs. Group Lotus: Summary Judgment application rejected

In a setback for the Group Lotus, a judge at London High Court rejects Group Lotus's application for a summary judgment. This would mean that Lotus Racing would be able to use the name of Team Lotus for the start of the 2011 Formula 1 season. A full trial date between Team Lotus and Group Lotus over the naming rights is now set for March 21.
"Team Lotus is delighted that we were successful at the Summary Judgment Application hearing today and that the Judge threw out Group Lotus' application even before hearing the arguments of the barristers on either side," read a statement released by the team.
"Although this decision was never in doubt, it means that we start the 2011 season under the Team Lotus name. Whilst we expected that the Judge would refuse this application, it is good to have the decision in black and white."
It continued: "The Judge also felt that it was in everyone's best interests to bring the hearing date for the full trial forward and that is now fixed for 21st March rather than us having to wait until Autumn 2011 or even later. We remain confident that we will succeed at the full trial and we can now focus on the challenges ahead in the 2011 FIA Formula One World Championship."
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New Car Launching is Underway! Here’s a look at several of the new F1 cars recently put on public display…

The Ferrari F150 features the return of a Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) and a new feature, the driver-adjustable rear wing…

By the way, Ferrari’s use of the F150 name is in honor of Italy’s reunification anniversary that occurred 150 years ago. The Italian tri-color flag also appears painted on the rear wing.


Ferrari is ready to launch an all-out campaign to unseat reigning champion Red Bull. Stefano Domenicali said last week: “Our strategy [for the coming season], which is a conservative approach, is to make it to the end and be ahead,” said the under-pressure team principal. “To reach this objective the mobile rear wing has to be interpreted and used best possible, together with the KERS, where we had many problems in 2009, but we hope that we could solve them due to our experience. As far as aerodynamics is concerned I think that there will be less improvement as the season goes on, so we have to start well immediately.”
Fernando Alonso took the new Ferrari F150 on its first test laps January 28th.

The question is… Has Ferrari done enough?
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Is This the new Red Bull Entry???

No... But it's their very innovative prototype.
Here's the New Red Bull RB7 for 2011

Red Bull evidently will stand on their 2010 laurels as nothing about new improvements have been announced.
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Mercedes GP W02

Mercedes has tagged along with Ferrari as they also introduced a KERS system and an adjustable rear wing…
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Team Lotus

"This year's car is a much more contemporary design," Chief Technical Officer and former Toyota engineer Mike Gascoyne said ahead of Wednesday's expected test debut. "The car really will be a midfield runner. It's a modern F1 car. I'm very confident it is a big step up and it's the start of a process that takes Team Lotus back to the front of the grid.
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McLaren’s New MP4-26

Subtle aerodynamic changes to the nose, L-shaped side pods and the air box have been made.
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Sauber C30-Ferrari

The C30 features renewed stability and improved aerodynamics (raised front, slender waist, compact rear, new roll hoop and downward-sloping engine cover), capable of low-speed cornering and mechanical grip. KERS and the Ferrari 056 engine are back.
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Lotus Renault

"All the hard work over the winter has been focused on delivering a big improvement for 2011," team principal Eric Boullier told the Lotus Renault website. "The result is a car with more than 92% new parts compared to the R30. But technical innovation isn't the only key to performance.
"Since last year, we have reviewed all our internal processes and our overall efficiency has now improved by 15%. That means we should be more competitive than last year, on the track and at the factory."
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36 Days to Bahrain!

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IndyCar

Simona de Silvestro!

Last season’s IndyCar Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year
Simona de Selvestro has parlayed her good work in 2010 into a second year with HVM Racing and a new sponsor, Entergy Nuclear (an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations.)
The three-year Entergy sponsorship was announced at the InterContinental Hotel in downtown Baltimore, delivering publicity to the inaugural Baltimore Grand Prix scheduled for Sept. 4. De Silvestro later performed burnouts and simulated pit stops at nearby Camden Yards.
An eighth-place run at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course was De Silvestro's best finish in her rookie IndyCar effort, but the 22-year-old from Thun, Switzerland, was far more impressive than the results indicated.
"This is great news for HVM and for Simona," said HVM owner Keith Wiggins. "It gives Simona a long-term opportunity to develop into a top IndyCar driver while the team will have a stable platform over multiple years to support our championship effort. It is a terrific marketing opportunity with a strong partner who has an important message and role in our world's future."

Simona’s Racing Career:

Season-Series-----Team---------------Races Wins Poles FLaps Points Position
2005---Formula----Renault------------17------0----0-----0-----16-----20th
2006---Formula----BMW USA--------14------1----0-----2----113------4th
2007---Atl. Champ-Walker Racing---12------0----0-----0-----69-----19th
2008---Atl. Champ-Newman Wachs-11------1----0-----0----167------8th
2009---Atl. Champ-Stargate Worlds-11------4----4-----1----176------3rd
2010---IndyCar----HVM Racing-------17------0----0-----0----242-----19th

Ms. De Silvestro finished second out of 12 rookie drivers in the standings, 20 points behind Britain’s rookie Alex Lloyd (known as Pink Lloyd based on being a Pink Floyd fan).
Looks like the boys have a real competitor to deal with and Danica has some competition for most glamorous driver in IndyCar as well…
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Chip Ganassi has a LOT of work to do to top 2010

"If people are disappointed should we not match last year, they haven't been around racing too much," he said. "I would like our success to continue but the others (owners) want to end it. For our team, the last season is behind us and we must concentrate on 2011. You have to approach every year like it is a new season. For us, 2010 (season) is history."

Don’t look for Chip and his racing teams to slow down after one of the best racing seasons an owner could ask for.
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51 Days until the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg!

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OTHER

When you consider that the Earth is estimated to be around 5 billion years old and that man-like creatures have been walking on the Earth for around 200,000 years, you realize just how insignificant 125 years actually is.

January 29, 2011 marked the 125th anniversary of the invention of the automobile. 125 years ago on that day Karl Benz filed a patent for a three wheeled vehicle driven by a gasoline fired engine in Mannheim Germany.

From this…

To this…