Gene Haas is well aware of recent efforts by Americans to assemble Formula One teams. He is equally aware of the failures and borderline deceptiveness of those efforts and he thoroughly understands the skepticism that those failures have created among American fans.
So during a lengthy teleconference on Monday, Haas, who last week was granted a [...]
FEATURE STORY, Formula 1, NASCAR - Sprint Cup Series »
Lines Which Racing Series Can’t Afford To Cross
The sound of Formula One has hit a sour note with fans. (File photo courtesy of the Circuit of the Americas)
By Jim Pedley | Managing Editor
RacinToday.com
A friend asked the other day: What’s the big deal about the sound of the new Formula One engines? Who the hell cares what kind of sound engines make?
The answers is: Race fans the hell care. A lot. And not just the purist of the pure. Fans – and not just F1 fans – care because racing, like many other sports used to be, is about more than just the score. It’s about 
seemingly insignificant things adding up to a wonderful whole.
The F1 controversy, of course, was stirred by the FIA’s decision to junk screaming V-8 engines in favor of soft-spoken V-6 hybrids for 2014 for reasons of a cleaner environment. Not that I am against greening up the world – my views on the eco movement would likely get me beat bloody in the infield at Darlington – but moves like this are the kinds of things which convert traditional traditional fans into former fans.
For some of us, Formula One was the ultimate form of racing not so long ago.
It was the technology: Witnessing fighter-jet innovations put the relatively peaceful uses on race tracks was fascinating for those who had even mild interests in physics. It was dang cool to watch racing scientists and engineers trying to outflank the opposition and rule makers alike not from year to year, but from race to race.
It was the driving skill: Back in the day, F1 could legitimately claim that it was the destination of The Best Read the full story »
Gene Haas is well aware of recent efforts by Americans to assemble Formula One teams. He is equally aware of the failures and borderline deceptiveness of those efforts and he thoroughly understands the skepticism that those failures have created among American fans.
So during a lengthy teleconference on Monday, Haas, who last week was granted a [...]
FORT WORTH, Texas – INDYCAR’s annual aero package conundrum for Texas Motor Speedway likely won’t be solved at the end of a two-day Firestone tire test on Thursday. But any open-wheel fan longing for a return to pack racing with “grandma” and assorted “wankers” needs to get up-to-speed.
“That’s not going to happen,” reigning Indianapolis 500 [...]
By John Sturbin | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
FORT WORTH, Texas – Rookie Carlos Munoz was almost apologetic after his podium finish in Sunday’s 40th annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, where the 22-year-old Colombian emerged as Andretti Autosport’s coolest shoe.
“It’s not the way I’d like to earn my third-place with so many accidents, but this is [...]
By Deb Williams | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
CONCORD, N.C. – California businessman Gene Haas said Monday he believes basing his Formula One operation in Kannapolis at the current Stewart-Haas Racing location will be an enhancement rather than a distraction to his four NASCAR teams.
“There are a lot of similarities between both forms of racing,” Haas said. “Both [...]
Mike Conway held off points leader Will Power to win Sunday’s IndyCar Series Long Beach Grand Prix on Sunday.
Conway was driving the Fuzzy’s Vodka sponsored Dallara/Chevrolet of Ed Carpenter Racing.
The victory was Conway’s second in the series.
“Yeah, I can’t believe I’m actually here,” Conway said. “Wow, this is just an awesome job by the team. [...]
By Deb Williams | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
CONCORD, N.C. – NHRA 2009 Funny Car champion Robert Hight was the only familiar face in the Four-Wide Nationals victory lane Sunday at zMAX Dragway as three veteran drivers celebrated first-time wins in the unique event.
Antron Brown, the 2012 Top Fuel champion and the weekend’s fourth qualifier, earned his first [...]
RacinToday.com
Kevin Harvick passed Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the next-to-last lap of the second attempt at a green-white-checkered-flag finish and went on to win Saturday night’s Bojangles’ Southern 500.
The Stewart-Haas Racing driver became the first two-time winner in the series this year.
The victory was Harvick’s first at Darlington and the 25th of his career. It was [...]
RacinToday.com
Scott Pruett, Memo Rojas and their No. 01 Telcel Ford EcoBoost/Riley dominated the Tequila Patrón Sports Car Showcase on Saturday at the Long Beach Street Circuit.
Their victory was their second-straight in the inaugural TUDOR United SportsCar Championship season.
They led 76 of the race’s 77 laps, with Rojas starting the No. 01 of Chip Ganassi Racing [...]
CONCORD, N.C. – Drag racers always play mind games with one another and when it comes to the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway the challenges faced in the staging area are doubled.
“I know a lot of people think you just get in the car, stand on the pedal and put the parachutes out, but [...]
Ryan Hunter-Reay qualified for the pole of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on Satuday.
Hunter-Reay earned the pole by edging Andretti Autosport teammate James Hinchcliffe on his final lap of the Firestone Fast Six session with a lap of 1 minute, 7.8219 seconds on the 1.968-mile, 11-turn course. Hinchcliffe, driving the No. 27 United [...]