Early April Racing Items

F1
In what has to be considered a surprise, Gil de Feran, 2003 Indianapolis 500 winner is set to be named the head man at BAR F1. de Feran’s title will be “Sporting Director” and will be responsible for the team at all F1 events.
This is fantastic for Gil who was always one of my favorite guys on the track. He was always steady and fast and a proven winner. Gil started out in Jim Hall’s Pennzoil car back in the day eventually graduating to Roger Penske’s Team Marlboro stable where he won Indy and two CART championships.
Even though I liked Gil as a driver I have been less than enamored of him in his role as color man on the IRL races. The past couple of races he has just rambled on and on and has added very little. Still though, he was always likeable.
You may recall Bobby Rahal taking a similar position with Jaguar a few years back only to be blown out six months later. Of course there should be a major difference between back-marking Jaguar and BAR.
From what I have heard, Gil will be running the team and basically coordinating all of the technical elements. It is a new position and one the team feels is necessary to get back to last years pace. So far this year neither Takuma Sato nor Jensen Buttons has finished a race and the Brackley tam is desperate to join the chase before Renault runs away with it and hides.
Best wishes to Gil and his family!
NASCAR
This week marks yet another BS move by the powers that be at NASCAR. I will refer to is as 35/8. What is 35/8 you ask? Well let me tell you. It is a formula where the top 35 in the points chase are automatically guaranteed starting spots in Sunday’s race. BTW, this will go on the rest of the season. Technically it has gone on all season already, but only now do the current season’s points count. Prior to Bristol, it was based on last years points.
So in effect the top 35 in points are guaranteed a spot as long as they are entered on time and attempt to qualify, the remaining spots will go to drivers not in the top 35 who have the fastest of the top 42 times. The final position will go as a provisional for a former champion only and only if the car is entered on time and the driver drove in 2004.
Confused about the system? Probably not. Confused as to why they would do such a thing? Probably. NASCAR has become a joke and I sense it is in real danger of losing its real fans. It will always be big in the south and will always attract rednecks. Look at my friends who still think it is so great! But look at the friends of mine who look at NASCAR as just another race series that has lost its way and is trying to win over everyone. It just won’t work.
NASCAR was born in the south and was popular with hot rodders for a long time. Then some genius in the marketing department came up with the idea that women and children should be involved and even catered to. They said fuck you to the guys and welcomed the gentler sex. I don’t care how many women go to the races, but the racing itself has been manufactured to be close and “exciting”. About as exciting as an old sofa. With their timed yellows and silly rule books the haves get richer and the have nots will never get there. If you don’t get the call, forget about being a star.
NASCAR will experience a backlash like they could never comprehend. They are losing their core fans and it will be left with an ignorant and lame fan base.
CCWS
Well the CCWS gets under way this weekend at Long Beach. Rumors of anything from 15 to 18 cars have swirled so only tuning in will tell for sure. One thing is for sure, this is Toyota’s last season as sponsor, at least contractually. It is also the last year of the contact between the CCWS and Long Beach. The IRL has made it clear they are interested in the event and the CCWS has even offered to run the event for free next year to keep it. They are trying to settle into a three year contract with Long Beach.
For its stance, Long Beach and the Grand Prix Association have said it will not make any contracts until after this weekend’s event.
Long Beach has been the traditional season opener for CART, OWRS and now the CCWS for years. It is considered their marquee event and generally draws excellent crowds. However, the IRL is coming off of its first street course race that can only be described as a success in St. Petersburg, FL. LB and the GPA will have to weigh carefully the future of both series and the contracts presented before making the decision. I have been saying the IRL won’t last two more years, but events like St. Pete could be the ultimate death knell for the CCWS.
IRL
Memo to IRL: DO NOT HIRE AL UNSER JR. TO DO COLOR ON YOUR RACES!!