Formula 1 Preview

Formula 1

In great anticipation for the 2008 Formula 1 World Championship, the beginning of the season is but a fortnight away. What teams and drivers will challenge the McClaren and Ferrari dominance of the last several seasons? Will my favorite team, Williams, begin a resurgence that is long overdue? Will Honda and Toyota finally show some strength at the front of the field considering all the money they spend?

But the most intriguing story will be that of two time champion Fernando Alonso, returning to what many feel is a sub-par Renault team. Can his superior driving talent improve the performance of the team as he did for them in 2004? Was last year's poor performance due to his absence? Time will tell, but in my humble opinion this will be a very trying year for the Spaniard and his new team as they try to find that delicate balance that is required in this most demanding form of motor racing.

The next interesting story will be how Nico Rosberg fairs for team Williams. Given his status as a great young talent, the Williams team has to put a very good catr under him to retain his services in 2009. Formula 1 is a sport with very little patients and even shorter memory, as only the successful are rewarded. I was surprised that Rosberg stayed with Williams and did not jump ship to McClaren as most thought, but maybe this is the year that Williams goes forward and McClaren back.

The balance of the teams seem once again rather ordinary. With the exception of BMW, whom I feel should contend for a win in 2008, Red Bull, Honda, Toyota, STR, Super Aguri, Force India should all should vie for back of the pack. Red Bull could be a sleeper amongst the group but their driver lineup of Coultard and Webber will hold them back. Maybe Toyota can make some strides but they will be better served in the Williams cars.

The last subject to touch on is the removal of driver aids such as traction control and enginge breaking. This change could prove to be an equalizer, much in the same as rain is on race day. But the better teams seem to find their way around the obstacles put forth by the FIA and the cars just go faster and faster. Personally I wish they had stayed with the V10 engine as it proved to be more reliable and sounded OH SO much nicer.

Well get ready F1 fans for another season packed with excitement and of course controversy. Forgot to mention the top three drivers, Rikkonen, Massa and Hamilton, but they need no introduction, as they will be strong from the get-go. I can hear those engines already racing around Albert Park. Happy racing!

Formula 1

IRL-Champ Car Merger Too Little Too Late?

IRL

Did you see the press conference today with the main participants involved in the merger of the IRL and Champ Car? In my view this is a situation that has been manifesting for 12 years and this merger may be too little too late! When Tony George drafted a plan to form The IRL in 1994 it was the start of the destruction of one of the finest racing series this country has known.

So what good has transpired in the last dozen years? Oh yeah, the Brickyard 400 has become more popular than the Indy 500. The stars of Nascar are now a household name. Can you for the life of me name one famous IRL driver? There is that one guy who's married to Ashely Judd and the pretty girl who hasn't won a single race!

But on a more serious note, can we assume that this merger has any chance of resurrecting open wheel racing at a high level? Or is it in such disrepair were the only race that will be on their calendar is The Indy 500? Why has it taken so long for intelligent men to finally realize that one series was the only answer. Even a man as influential as Roger Penske couldn't bring Tony George to his senses.

But from the ashes of the fire maybe something positive can become of this unification. This hopeful fan would love to see this series grow and thrive in the years to come. But as an open wheel fan I feel I have been cheated out of 12 years of good racing, years I will never get back. Like a prison term we are now all on probation, with the hope that we fare well and return to a constructive life on the open wheel stage.

Fantastic Finish For The Daytona 500

Daytona 500

The long wait is finally over and the 50th running of the Great American Race had a finish that was worthy as one of the best. Once again the fastest car did not win the race, rather a consistent car with a very helpful teammate did. Ryan Newman came out on top with the help of a big time push on the back stretch by teammate Kurt Busch to take an exciting victory.

Kyle Busch, running his first Cup race for Joe Gibbs Racing had the car to beat all day. From the drop of the green flag his Toyota Camry was by far the quickest car. Both his teammates, Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin also had strong cars at the start, but Stewart had to battle his way back a few times and Hamlin ran into trouble early on.

My favorite driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a good showing for his first ride for Hendrick motor sports, but was a consistent 4th place car all day. Junior just didn't have a car to win or a teammate to help him as all three of them fell by the wayside.

At the white flag Tony Stewart had the lead but chose to go to the bottom of the race track instead of staying high to block the Penske duo of Newman and Busch. I guess Tony thought he would get more help from Kyle Busch on the bottom but he was too far back to give Tony the push needed. In fact, the Dodge Chargers were the cars to beat at the finish as Reed Sorenson also played a key role by helping the Penske cars push across the finish line 1-2.

Well, all in all it was a pretty good race for the new Cup Car as it seemed like a race from the late 70's and earl;y 80's, prior to restrictor plates. The cars spread out very nicely for most of the race but found their way to bunch up at the end for another fantastic finish. Congratulations to Ryan Newman for snagging the biggest prize in Cup competition and his first win since September of 05. Maybe the Hendrick dream team won't be as dominant as most have predicted for 2008. What do you thing? The Auto Racing Junkie would like to know!

Daytona 500