danicamania | Another point of view of Danica Patrick

[IZOD IndyCar Series] Ladies and gentleman, start yout engines

2009-11-05T15:52:00.000-08:00

Today was officially the contract between the IndyCar Series and IZOD.

IZOD whom? And what agreement?

The IZOD is a clothing brand that is part of Phillips-Van Heusen Company, which in turn owns the world-famous (and famously) Calvin Klein. The contracts closed with the category totals 6 years -which leads us to also say to 2015- and an investment of almost U$ 60 million. The brand has already provided support to both the IndyCar Series, as the Firestone Indy Lights Series by producing T-shirts, polos, hats and umbrellas for both leagues, team officials and the general public. Partnership started in 2008 and now expanded.

So ... Ta-da! I present the new logo of our beloved league:

Now, the IZOD IndyCar Series (or IICS), gives an apparent step towards a bright future with vision for growth, not to mention the alliance with a strong brand. So it is welcome to old-new league! At the moment as everything is kind of a justifiable rate of hype, we will see more to the weight of that change.

PS: The indycar.com was one of those pre-home page with some photos of the press conference and other information about the partnership. If you like, leave the link here.

Note of apology

2009-11-05T15:29:00.000-08:00

Oh, I apologize to all the non-intentional neglect of the blog. The relentless pace of commitments in offline life continues. Moreover, the Danicamania in Portuguese also been my priority because of limited time available. So, I apologize. Let's scare the cobwebs around here now talking about the announcement that changed our dear League IndyCar Series at IZOD IndyCar Series.

So, here we go.

You Can't Blame for My Dreams

2009-10-12T09:42:00.000-07:00

It was the season which we hope you too much, because we know of his ability to go beyond the IndyCar Series, don't blame us. St. Pete was an unexpected start, but we were proud to see that your old impulsive phase has been overcome, giving way to someone more mature and better faces the facts.

And yes, I doubted, I confess. I must confess that I believed a good result in Long Beach. Then I felt bad to see that you were progressing at a point that its still not strong.

Ah, Kansas. I was so excited about the first oval of the season. Ok, the result of frustrated me a little, even being a top-5. Oh dear, I don't inport if you blame me for this habit of expecting too much too much of you, however that at times the car has not met.

Indy 500: one of the more odd weeks of my year. Throughout the month created a trust so great that the moment of departure I had no idea in mind that push you to victory through my positive thinking, like many other fans did. The final was worthy of the race that is! I'm sure if you had exceeded the Wheldon with some more laps to go, things would be different.

PS: Don't hold the emotion in the end, and cried like a silly (laughs).

Milwaukee showed that you came to a different season of the former, and Texas ... It was the first night race, and I think that day (Saturday) is the perfect day for the series running. I know that the end was far from expected, and the supposed-real time of tension occurred at the end took me patience.

Difficult to admit that the Andretti Green has lost the good shape of long ago, but I still rooting.

Iowa was a strange race, no qualify, no pratices (almost)... Richmond was a simple reason for joy. For you to another top-5, and Hideki succeeded by a good result, like this guy! Then came Watkins Glen. The memory of the 2008 edition was still fresh. But I have used it to create that same positive force to support you, and that race was a victory to overcome. I know how Watkins is complicated.

Toronto, Toronto ... The second race of the year in which I expected more. For any involvement you had in the AGR organization of it, and because I love racing in Canada since a long time. Like I say, "was with high hopes".

Uhm, don't blame yourself for Edmonton was a race so boring. I don't like this airport since it opened in 2008.

Kentucky ... Ohio ... Sonoma. And another film in the 2008 edition in my head, because it was by far one of the best races, your and of the series I've seen so far. And heaven ... That muddled start the other drivers. One day I hope to have a chance to ask you if that escaped the sandbox went to avoid any contact with other cars, because it was thought a very clever move. Unfortunately he committed the car, but again, not your fault.

Chicago! The "our race". How crazy was that Saturday night, the cars were riding so close together that no one could pass and be passed easily and at any time. I was upset to see that your car does not surrendered yet again, what you need and I did relatively poorly finished. But it was still a race to justify why I like tandem IRL.

Pause for a few weeks and it came: Motegi. No one, not my closest friends have no idea how many castles built on sand I wonder how it could be the end of the race. Too bad you couldn't defend the victory, but still Motegi as one of my favorite tracks on the calendar. It is an oval different from others.

And the end of the season in Homestead. Sounds funny ending where everything began. not? It was a good weekend for his team, and was going well until the race. Hardly any car would take the Ganassi and Penske's Briscoe. Until a disastrous move messed up. But still, a hasty to thank. Thank the work devoted more than you did to confirm the fifth in the championship, the best of your career. Congrats! And finally, Dario was also champion. I'm sure it made you happy in some way.

The work doesn't stop, just pauses longer. Thanks for the memories. These ups and downs of IRL mess with people's emotional, really. Give Mutoh congratulations to the good results too.

Finally, time for a good rest.

Homestead: post race quote

2009-10-10T19:40:00.001-07:00

DANICA PATRICK (No. 7 Boost Mobile/Motorola, 19th): "The Boost Mobile/Motorola car was really good today. From my feelings out there, it looked like the first six cars were really going out there, and it was good to be in that mix. The car was getting better every stop. But we came in for what would have been our final stop, and Dan Wheldon was coming out of his pit box. He went, then he stopped, then he went and he hit me. His team sent him, and they shouldn't have. It's pretty unfortunate because it took me out and it took him out. As far as the season goes, I'm happy. We've got some work to do over the winter. We know what we need to do, and we'll be ready for next year."

Really bad that the season is over so as unfortunate. Not the first incident between the two, and incidentally was the last in which I saw involved in this year, (obviously) was the last race. Now it's time to relax and recap. Recalling that the work here not to. We have a. .. novel-saga by defining, mainly. Finally, draw their conclusions and why not, share them here.

Homestead: final.

2009-10-10T19:40:00.000-07:00

Hail The Champion!

Final.

They were long weeks waiting for this race so strange. Without a yellow flag, which is an extremely unusual in the series, just in ovals. Neither phantom debris or Milka Duno to help. We had three candidates direct to the title match in the first three positions, and that same desire to see a good race.

Hope for a good race.

Frankly, I did not find anything SO spectacular. And the drivers who were two laps behind those same three drivers must have thought the same. Another race based on the known fuel saving, which obviously has the advantage in which Franchitti explored as well. While Ryan Briscoe and Scott Dixon promoted a "spending" of fuel at an unusual pace, he was back, just watching. I venture that even his start was thought before.

He then pitched the trap of splash and go, in which the other two fell powerless to avoid.

Congratulations! In the brief preview I did yesterday with the grid, I explained exactly what reasons I'd like to see him win today. Oh how the Andretti Green to miss you!

Speaking about this guys, this is the final panorama. Tony took advantage of a moment of fumbling with a lapped car of Danica, and now has the fourth place. Hideki came from behind and there was the sixth. Marco had mechanical problems and did not complete the race. Danica, had the misfortune to be involved in an incident in the pit lane.

Hey Panther, the next time look before you send out your a driver. You do not throw the alien race down the drain.

Remains a mixture of relief because at last season Ganassi x Penske ends. Furthermore, a possible hint of nostalgia, I guess. We will have time to ponder and see what the feeling that fills us to remember the IndyCar Series in 2009. Dario Franchitti is not only as a double winner in the series . It's a winner from those with the dramatic component of giving a comeback, showing that the IRL is your place.

Forgive the repetition.

Congratulations also to the other: Ryan Briscoe will still be a star, simply control their impulses barbeirísticos. Good result. Congratulations to Dixon? I think so. Showed in left field ever: firm. He lost, but lost in a dignified way, fighting.

Let's finish the post. The final table of points (full), I leave here, and a print made of that "homepage before the homepage" of indycar.com which was dedicated to the new champion here.

And the classification of the race, leave now:

Pos	Car	Driver	Team	Laps	Status
1.	10	Dario Franchitti	Chip Ganassi Racing	200
2.	6	Ryan Briscoe	Team Penske	200
3.	9	Scott Dixon	Chip Ganassi Racing	200
4.	11	Tony Kanaan	Andretti Green Racing	199
5.	3	Helio Castroneves	Team Penske	199
6.	27	Hideki Mutoh	Andretti Green Racing	198
7.	5	Mario Moraes	KV Racing Technology	198
8.	402	Alex Lloyd*	Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing	198
9.	43	Tomas Scheckter	Dreyer & Reinbold Racing	197
10.	18	Justin Wilson	Dale Coyne Racing	197
11.	02	Graham Rahal	Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing	197
12.	20	Ed Carpenter	Vision Racing	197
13.	14	Ryan Hunter-Reay	AJ Foyt Enterprises	196
14.	2	Raphael Matos*	Luczo Dragon Racing	196
15.	24	Mike Conway*	Dreyer & Reinbold Racing	195
16.	13	EJ Viso	HVM Racing	194
17.	23	Milka Duno	Dreyer & Reinbold Racing	194
18.	67	Sarah Fisher	Sarah Fisher Racing	187
19.	7	Danica Patrick	Andretti Green Racing	185
20.	33	Robert Doornbos*	HVM Racing	166	Mechanical
21.	4	Dan Wheldon	Panther Racing	150	Contact
22.	26	Marco Andretti	Andretti Green Racing	58	Mechanical
23.	98	Jaques Lazier	CURB/Agajanian/Team 3G	23	Mechanical
* Series rookie

Homestead: The final starting grid

2009-10-09T17:14:00.000-07:00

The Scot has just taken a good step towards the title. Of the three candidates is why I rooting for one obvious reason, and say simply: in the year he left the Andretti Green and went to NASCAR, I felt bad. I don't follow the series seriously, but he had sympathy for him, the team and etc. The story now and then I tell here.

After a troubled period in the stock cars, Chip brings him back, and that luxury is in its 2 cars no less than the two champions of the IndyCar Series. Dixon in 2008, and Dario in 2007.

As much as he is driving for Ganassi, like he was the champion. To count on my sympathy, and to show that the IRL is your real place, not NASCAR. And for the AGR see the driver was unable to hold him.

Yes, consider this as a cutting edge of grief.

Dixon may be a good driver and I admit, but not so cool (laughs), at least not for me. Briscoe is a great guy, and I will not disappoint me if he wins the championship, because after all he has improved and was much more barber. But let us leave things as they are.

An important addendum on the soap-saga Where's Danica that I learned today: the official announcement, so we hope, final should be done within 4 to 6 weeks. What made me wonder if that coincidentally (actually, not so much) could not be done at the stage of NASCAR in Phoenix.

Why?

Cause that's where she currently resides.

Finally, time to go. let the words post qualify and the starting grid.

See us tomorrow.

"Overall it was a productive day for the Boost Mobile/Motorola car. The changes we made in practice today made the car better which is what you hope for on a race weekend. The last run in the afternoon session was the best the car has felt yet. To go from that and then end up faster in qualifying is a good sign and it makes me believe we have a strong car for tomorrow's race."

Homestead: Hour I

2009-10-09T09:57:00.000-07:00

So...Let's go with the times of Pratice 1.

Props to Sarah. I like her too, good to see your name in the first spots.

And I... I will return soon, of course.

Firestone Indy 300 (and the season finale)

2009-10-07T12:48:00.000-07:00

"The Homestead track is a very challenging track. It's really difficult to get your car to feel comfortable and fast, but once you do you're a step above the rest. We had a really good test in Homestead last week, so we will use the data we got and use it to our advantage. It would be great to end the season on a high note and have a strong finish come Saturday." "

Officia site | Entry list | Wheater

Local: Homestead (southwest of Miami), Florida
Venue: Miami Superspeedway
Type: 1,5 mile oval - 200 laps
Atual record: 24,4625s -218,781 mph (Sam Hornish Jr - 2006)
First IndyCar race: 2001
Best lap: Ryan Briscoe in 25,0624s at 213,308 mph (in lap 3)
Duration: 1:44:03,5914
Cautions: total of 3 of 24 laps
- In 2008
Polesitter: Scott Dixon (Chip Ganassi) - 100,2341
Winner: Scott Dixon (Chip Ganassi) - 200 laps

Notes:
- Season finale.

- Streams
Channel Surfing
ATDHE
Justin.tv
Roja Directa

- Indycar.com (scoring and radio)
Scoring
Qualify
Race

Comments: Literally the beginning of the end, because Homestead used to be the opening race of the IRL a few seasons ago. Many things to say, but not now. A whole series of small-large things to say about the 2009 season, was very nice to make this coverage with you. Full of ups and downs, certainly. But we are here for it.

Enjoy Homestead, yeah. Stay with the page before the homepage of indycar.com. It shows the drivers and also the contenders of the 2009 title:

Finally ready to re-sign

2009-09-24T21:49:00.000-07:00

Consider the mystery of the novel Where's Danica finally resolved. The Indystar.com reported today that the renewal of contract with AGR finally happened. During the weekend at Motegi. And I do not know if it was intentional that happen this time, I know that I bring good news. Over 3 years.

It was not something unlikely to happen, despite recent rumors annoying. The news did not bring me an overflowing joy, a matter of feet on the ground. In fact, I felt it was relieved. For another time we still see here discussing, exchanging ideas and everything else.

The part of all that work to intensify. Take competent engineers to avert any vanity or feeling stupid that helped bring the situation to the current state, and roll up their sleeves.

With the ideas more mature, I hope she keeps the focus and make the most of good results of this contract. The announcement does not strayed far from my uncertainty with future targets that it still give the career ... But yes, celebrate.

Good news is still good news.

Twitter moment

2009-09-23T17:10:00.000-07:00

While we are passing that pause before the last race of the 2009 season, I make a suggestion that you follow the blog on Twitter. The profile of the blog you find links to all our posts here. How cool to get in touch with you. Give suggestions, make criticisms, praise, make a suggestion for a subject that I can write under the "another view of Danica Patrick" im my column Path... Feel free to talk.

Combined?

And if you also have your Twitter, leave the link in the comments so we can follow you too!

Our link: @danicamania

Motegi - post race quote

2009-09-19T11:12:00.000-07:00

"The No. 7 car was strong all day; unfortunately it just wasn't strong enough to defend my win from last year. We could have had a run on Mario (Moraes) but I got caught in traffic and just wasn't able to gain the position. Overall it was a good day and a solid finish for us."

Danica, you have absolutely nothing to apologize.
We do have to thank you.

Continue

2009-09-18T23:39:00.000-07:00

Motegi. Just who is a little closer to me had the exact size of the sand castles I built for this race. Or maybe to you not as close to me to risk it. Amazingly, I slept like 5 hours of Thursday to Friday, and woke up without the clock. And here I am dictating the slogan, which is not strange: continue.

The start of the pratices was interesting, a seventh and a third place. Something that could have gone beyond the sixth place, was not the problem allegedly sustained by the # 7 I have mentioned throughout the cover ... Damn. But never mind, I reserved the right not to make many predictions for this race.

The sixth went quiet, without tensions were not new to me. Around 23:40 (in Brazil) the heart throughout the day was relatively well began to race in the chest. No more newspaper in TV and came to the transmission.

Properly spruce on the couch, watched the start. I incredibly karmic as drivers like Graham Rahal, Dan Wheldon and Marco himself marked presence in disputes against Danica. It all started with a mixture of deja vu: shes was coming and pressing Ryan Briscoe. Then, changing (or being taken to change) posture, being more conservative and even losing positions.

More ahead, the fight was homemade. The Ganassi did not have much to worry about, because Helio was well occupied with his race recovery. Briscoe was there, but not with all the trappings of performance cars that Chip had. Briscoe is a guy who has a past that condemns, and then the error that led to track him and cone, I can say...

Tony had been doing their work within the car allow. And the yellow Flags: Tomas Schekter and Ryan Hunter-Reay, with a significant hit.

It hit those hours in a mixture of anger, frustration and sadness to see her there, without choking perspectives as consistent with his thinking so ambitious. There's something wrong: either the car or is with the team, or is with Danica ... Or is it all together. All I know is that the result for me was dull. Dario even won.

But still I have a feeling moderately good: to have survived the madness that was the weekend Japanese. All are provided through villain, middle guy. Let us add to that list of villains Ed Carpenter.

Finally, we fall into another break. Two weeks to Homestead, Miami. Earth's last step
this season will follow giving node in my neurons. Literally the beginning of the end, because on that track, the cars of the IndyCar Series season usually opened.

Let us continue...

Motegi - final

2009-09-18T23:22:00.000-07:00

Pos	Car	Driver	Team	Laps	Status
1.	9	Scott Dixon	Chip Ganassi Racing	200
2.	10	Dario Franchitti	Chip Ganassi Racing	200
3.	02	Graham Rahal	Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing	200
4.	06	Oriol Servia	Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing	200
5.	5	Mario Moraes	KV Racing Technology	200
6.	7	Danica Patrick	Andretti Green Racing	200
7.	26	Marco Andretti	Andretti Green Racing	200
8.	4	Dan Wheldon	Panther Racing	200
9.	2	Raphael Matos*	Luczo Dragon Racing	200
10.	3	Helio Castroneves	Team Penske	199
11.	11	Tony Kanaan	Andretti Green Racing	199
12.	18	Justin Wilson	Dale Coyne Racing	199
13.	20	Ed Carpenter	Vision Racing	198
14.	27	Hideki Mutoh	Andretti Green Racing	198
15.	13	EJ Viso	HVM Racing	198
16.	33	Robert Doornbos*	HVM Racing	198
17.	34	Kosuke Matsuura	Conquest Racing	195
18.	6	Ryan Briscoe	Team Penske	185
19.	98	Stanton Barrett*	CURB/Agajanian/Team 3G	182
20.	43	Roger Yasukawa	Dreyer & Reinbold Racing	172
21.	14	Ryan Hunter-Reay	AJ Foyt Enterprises	157	Contact
22.	24	Mike Conway*	Dreyer & Reinbold Racing	103	Contact
23.	23	Tomas Scheckter	Dreyer & Reinbold Racing	83	Mechanical
* Series rookie

Standings after Motegi:

Pos	Driver	Points
1.	Scott Dixon	570
2.	Dario Franchitti	565
3.	Ryan Briscoe	562
4.	Helio Castroneves	403
5.	Danica Patrick	381
6.	Marco Andretti	368
7.	Graham Rahal	366
8.	Tony Kanaan	354
9.	Dan Wheldon	342
10.	Justin Wilson	334

Like always, full standings here.

Some words about Motegi.
WHAT I have to say? First congratulations to Danica for fighting with his troublesome car and do a very good race. Lately it has been difficult to fight against each other and against itself (so to speak) and still get a decent result. In the second place Tony Kanaan, the unyielding spirit, were not put off too.

My booo (sound) to Ryan Briscoe. Christ, that error. I have my sympathy for this guy, but it was bizarre. My thanks for the company on Twitter "english friends". Joe Graphix, Matt Archuletta, Kohl and all that I follow. Who came today and that did not appear today.

Ok... Thanks to all of you, brave readers of this courageous blog.

Here we will see in this space for the final confrontation on Motegi review. And all other important information.

Take care (:

Motegi - starting grid

2009-09-18T07:56:00.000-07:00

And here I am again with the starting grid.

Pos	Car	Driver	Team	Time	Speed
1.	9	Scott Dixon	Chip Ganassi Racing	1:48.3400	202.031
2.	5	Mario Moraes	KV Racing Technology	1:48.6231	201.504
3.	10	Dario Franchitti	Chip Ganassi Racing	1:48.6820	201.395
4.	6	Ryan Briscoe	Team Penske	1:48.9772	200.849
5.	02	Graham Rahal	Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing	1:49.0862	200.649
6.	7	Danica Patrick	Andretti Green Racing	1:49.1569	200.519
7.	06	Oriol Servia	Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing	1:49.6027	199.703
8.	4	Dan Wheldon	Panther Racing	1:49.6083	199.693
9.	18	Justin Wilson	Dale Coyne Racing	1:49.7204	199.489
10.	23	Tomas Scheckter	Dreyer & Reinbold Racing	1:49.7944	199.354
11.	20	Ed Carpenter	Vision Racing	1:49.8995	199.164
12.	2	Raphael Matos*	Luczo Dragon Racing	1:50.0413	198.907
13.	24	Mike Conway*	Dreyer & Reinbold Racing	1:50.0686	198.858
14.	26	Marco Andretti	Andretti Green Racing	1:50.2353	198.557
15.	14	Ryan Hunter-Reay	AJ Foyt Enterprises	1:50.4195	198.226
16.	34	Kosuke Matsuura	Conquest Racing	1:50.5895	197.921
17.	43	Roger Yasukawa	Dreyer & Reinbold Racing	1:50.8267	197.498
18.	13	EJ Viso	HVM Racing	1:50.8571	197.443
19.	33	Robert Doornbos*	HVM Racing	1:51.2442	196.756
20.	98	Stanton Barrett*	CURB/Agajanian/Team 3G	1:54.6700	190.878
21.	3	Helio Castroneves	Team Penske	no time
22.	27	Hideki Mutoh	Andretti Green Racing	no time
23.	11	Tony Kanaan	Andretti Green Racing	no time
* Series rookie

Ok.. It is not the starting position to where we want to see Danica, but still not bad. I'm still confident that it can make a good race.

Post qualify quote (that explains a lot):

"We're here to win so I'm a little disappointed with where we qualified. On my third lap instead of downshifting to fifth gear the car went all the way down to fourth. I'm not sure if it did it by accident or if it was an electrical problem, but I'm sure that affected my last lap. The car has been pretty good today, Eddie (Jones), my engineer, has done a great job and we were really strong in the last practice session before qualifying and made great progress. The entire #7 crew has been working hard and I think we'll be okay for tomorrow's race."

And I say again, stay tuned.

Motegi - Hour II

2009-09-17T22:17:00.001-07:00

That's why I love this track:

And the qualify is coming. Cross your fingers Danica fans. I'll be back later with the starting grid. A great grid I hope.

Motegi - Hour I

2009-09-17T19:17:00.000-07:00

Which of you will accompany me on the morning of indycar?
We opened the night with the times of practice 1:

Stay tunned. The Pratice 2 is coming. And the qualify too.

Indy Japan 300

2009-09-16T15:02:00.000-07:00

"Estou realmente ansiosa por este fim de semana. É um sentimento muito especial retornar ao Japão depois de vencer lá no ano passado. Eu amo a pista. Eu tive alguns bons resultados lá. Ganhar lá no ano passado foi uma experiência incrível . Há tantos grandes fãs da IndyCar, no Japão; Eu adoraria dar então uma repetição ".

Oficial site | Entry list | Wheater

Local: Motegi, Japan
Venue: Twin Ring Motegi Superspeedway
Type: 1,5 mile oval - 200 laps
Atual record: 26,4353s - 206,996 mph (Scott Dixon - 2003)
First IndyCar race: 2003
Best lap: Helio Castroneves in 27,6476s at 197,920 mph (in lap 12)
Duration: 1:51:02,6739
Cautions: total of 4 for 29 laps
- In 2008
Polesitter: Helio Castroneves (Team Penske) - no time (due to rain)
Winner: Danica Patrick (Andretti Green Racing) - 200 laps

Notes:
- Penultimate race of the season 2009. Where some drivers and teams - the part coming from Champ Car - no previous experience. It may be interesting;
- Local drivers: Hideki Mutoh, Kosuke Matsuura and Roger Yasukawa;
- History: Would dispense with any comment, but I never get tired of talking. Danica Patrick was (though the popular "fuel mileage") the first driver to win an open wheel racing in America.

Programming
Thursday - 17/09
22:00 at 22:30 - Rookie Orientation and Entrants outside Top 10 Points
22:30 at 23:30 - Practice (all cars)

Friday - 18/09
01:30 at 02:15 - Practice Group 1
02:15 at 03:00 - Practice Group 2
04:30 – Qualify

Saturday - 19/09
01:00 – Race

- If you don't have how watch the race on tv. Some streams
Channel Surfing
ATDHE
Justin.tv
Roja Directa

- Indycar.com (scoring and radio)
Scoring
Race (audio)

Comments: The schedules of all of this GP are complicated for those left on the other side of the globe, rs. But worth the effort. Of course, a special summary:

I Will Return - Taking flight

2009-09-15T14:30:00.000-07:00

A few days ago I did a background to enter the atmosphere Motegi, once and for all. I confess that I am well, I have some superstitions with regard to the IRL races (as well as I have with the F1), especially on a Saturday. Especially Motegi.

I was rummaging through the photos I have on the computer. Recalling and almost touched. The only victory, but the most unique among many in the category. Gives a mixture of apprehension, excitement and thrill to know that the caravan of drivers, teams and staff out slowly from the land of Uncle Sam. And traveling to the other side of the world.

Twin Ring Motegi, wait for "us".

In recent days I've been annoyed, but decided to leave it all aside. No NASCAR, Tony Stewart not enough to get me out of the madness of cheering for Danica in Motegi this year, and one more time. If she wants to go with them, sorry. But at least make a "run-away" decent.

I will not make predictions, or notes. Words in a more technical form in the race tomorrow. What I have sought to pass through this short text is the same message again, but gaining a greater psicologic dimension this weekend. Of course I'm on my feet on the floor because I know that not everything is rosy so beautiful ..

However, I think the same way that Danica said for keeping all the weekends the mentality that she can win, now is no exception. I do what want: Danica fans, unite. Root, wake the neighbors and the people of the house with their hysteria.

Nobody knows what will happen, but everyone knows what you want to see happen.
Let's follow it. Nothing ventured ..

So many stars are born each in everyday

You know I will return

Hitler finds out Danica is leaving (the IndyCar)

2009-09-11T16:00:00.000-07:00

Source: Planet-IRL.com

First, props to Matt Archuleta Planet-IRL.com who made an amazing video! Very funny and realistic. Secondly, props to Kohl for posting it on his Twitter. Stay with the video and see if the Fuhrer is wrong. I also think that the whole community of the IndyCar Series feels so.

NASCAR would like Patrick, but IRL needs her

2009-09-07T14:46:00.000-07:00

Source: independentmail.com (Auto Racing)

As the Indy Racing League season winds down, officials with the sanctioning body are placing a lot more focus on Danica Patrick.

Not because she’s closing in on a championship.

She’s not.

But she is the champion of their cause, and their cause is to maintain some level of interest and popularity in the United States.

Simply put, the IRL needs Patrick in order to stay relevant. Not relevant to the hard core open wheel fans — they watched the sport long before she came along and they’ll still be watching if she decides to jump ship. But IndyCar racing has become an afterthought to many American TV viewers, and if Patrick is no longer in the mix “casual” fans might just start viewing something else.

The fear, of course, is that Patrick is going to make the move the NASCAR. It’s a rumor that surfaces every year, and has grown more pronounced in 2009 since her three-year contract with Andretti Green Racing is about to expire.

Patrick has been coy about her plans. On the one hand she hints that she’s happy in IRL, but then she also leaves the door open for an exodus.

NASCAR, obviously, would love to have her. Although it remains the most popular form of motorsports in the country, its stranglehold on the public has been eased.

A sport that once seemed bulletproof is now riddled with holes, and could use a jolt.

Sign up Danica, and suddenly complaints about the Car of Tomorrow, rainouts, boring events and drug tests move to the back burner.

Plus she has a temper. Who wouldn’t love to see her first clash with Kyle Busch?

But while NASCAR wants her, it doesn’t need her.

Problems aside there are still hundreds of thousands of folks who will gladly plunk down some cash to watch guys like Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. turn left.

For the IRL, however, Patrick is a one-woman P.R. machine.

Watch a commercial featuring an IndyCar driver, and she’s in it.

If you want to see an IRL competitor on a talk show, it’s going to be her.

Although Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon have four victories each and Ryan Briscoe has three wins and the points lead, it’s Patrick who serves as the face of the league.

My guess is that Patrick will stay put thanks to some huge money deal.

She already has one IRL checker, is competitive week in and week out, and I doubt she wants to work her way up to Sprint Cup.

It would be quite a blow to her considerable ego if she had to run an ARCA race and then a truck event before getting the green light to take a spin in a stock car.

And that’s standard procedure. All the drivers who’ve made the switch from open wheel to stock cars have had to ease their way in, and she’d be no exception.

Regardless of what she decides to do, however, she’ll continue to be in the news.

And that’s just the way the IRL likes it.

I give up (my ultimatum temporary)

2009-09-06T20:50:00.000-07:00

At first, I used to think being a conspiracy theory, that interest in NASCAR for Danica was something created by the press. All know, stock car suffered heavy losses in some time now. If you're reading my words is well informed about it, you know. Damage to the audience and financial among them.

Fired red alert in the IndyCar Series for a possible jump through the fenders. The emotional component involved gives dramatic-funny proportions, brings up other interesting points of view. We had evidence that we should not underestimate her, but the overall history of drivers coming out of the IRL didn't lie. And that makes most people are still conservative. I guess.

After some reading I realized something. She's smart. Perhaps driven by the errors committed by his friend Dario, and the desire to risk a real step forward, so that methodical analysis of how to do things the right way. Tony - your new Michael Andretti - made no effort to hide the advice he gave her. Haul in the air the question also made by others: you, fan of Danica, how do you react? Will be the proof that will show us a moment of division of opinion, similar to the present. Follow her, or not follow her?

She has the same right as Dario Fanchitti or Sarah Fisher, who considered the IRL as a plan to return if the move to stock cars failed. Comment: I liked that she has been manifested through her Twitter. While we're at a moment of speculation where she herself usually does not talk much - leaving this to the people who are around you and the press - was a simple attitude. But significant.

I feel it is better that I sit and breathe deeply. And I recommend the same to you. The problem is not in Danica. I do not blame the ambition to expand her career. The problem is in me. I would be hypocritical not to admit that I want to see it in open wheel for over a long time. For one season in the IRL that has been so good (within limits), I don't know if I am willing to consider this possibility. Perhaps many who Danica did not see winning on the regular basis have waived her.

I know I'm a recent fan - converted after the victory at Motegi, yes - but I also know that other fans persisted, and came here. Before and with me. If the transfer occurs, or at least the completion of the rumor up by ESPN, want to try all sorts in the world to Danica. Is a person I greatly admire, but it is a change at the moment I can not agree. Sorry girl. You will still find that I must be one of your biggest fans. And one of the most courageous as well. My Brazilian readers can speak well about it.

We'll see what series (and fans) will be with the arms truly open to receive you.

If Stewart is messing with the media, in return for what or even (and if it is true), I do not know. What I know is that my patience and sanity have a limit of crushing. I would not like that this was a silly game of statements. I think worse than a rumor that is not contradicted, is a rumor that is exploited in this way. But I no longer believe that all these compliments to her are free.

IndyCar, may soon be just you and me. I don't think you hold her for long. And God, that mania is that removing the funny side of things just when I was beginning to like?

You bad.

Dear IndyCar Diary (Page 1)

2009-09-03T14:12:00.000-07:00

Monday, 08/31/09

What a weekend run! The hours passed so quickly that I still feel the fatigue tormenting me. I woke up with that old-new thinking: the current season of the IndyCar Series. There are times that I don't quite know what to say about it. You already know that I am a supporter of the controversial Andretti Green. You also know that I have staked hopes partially matched with the current season of Danica.

Yeap... Another year of ups and downs. She has improved the road courses, and I'm glad. Oval in the fight has been fierce, see Chicago as an example. That was crazy and tantalizing too. See the #7 wasn't 100% capable of playing better positions left me upset, but life goes on. The final of the race was one of the motives to justify why I like the series. The part that doesn't change is still the same: to change the intermediate positions, but the position that matters most (the leadership) remains in the hands of Penske, Ganassi or. This is boring! I wonder if the blame because they found some mysterious formula of super competitive, or other teams for lack of ability, luck...

Speaking of luck, there I go again talking of AGR. Two figures that ignore over the year, I would say. Guess who caused the first yellow flag on Saturday? Hideki Mutoh. I like him, I feel sorry. So? Marco Andretti. I saw scared, I confess I have waited for hours of Danica and Tony, and so that it didn't. It would be dramatic.

Oh, she hasn't announced anything about the contract for 2010. That was a little strange, because there was a possibility that Motorola has confirmed this week the race, since the basis of that is outside of Illinois. I'm intrigued by it. There was a sudden silence, and she just said that the IMG agents are taking care of it and everything else.

I don't know, don't trust these guys. Schism. Paranoia. NASCAR.

Dear IndyCar Diary (Page 2)

2009-09-03T13:14:00.000-07:00

In the current season had incredible results: the Indy 500, Long Beach.. I was very happy with the race that happened in Toronto. A weekend between heaven and hell in a short space of time. I confess, I cried at the end of the day before the race. You know how I am, I'm involved so much with the things I like. If you could speak would say that I have problems? Haha.

Then came Sunday and wow. I was surprised by her bold approach during the race. I know she is naturally that way, but it was one of those moments above average, you know? Of course, Mike has helped a lot taking care of the strategy and her emotional control.

Right. Speaking of emotional control, the phase bunnies and rainbows going well. I think. It was a change of attitude that took the criticism, and even me by surprise. It seems strange and sometimes I feel bad to admit that since I came to think that is a kind of 'mask' that it brings to say things like "I stopped worrying about what people think." This I thought well before reading the interview with the Wind Tunnel, where she uses the same expression. And that confused me. But don't misunderstand me. So I'm finding interesting. The tougher stance has brought improvements in the way of dealing with the events and people.

Despite being relatively far away geographically, I say these things without much hesitation. It is a leisure craft. I pay attention to every word of her to translate those lines. Half 'obligation' and half like to do. I am very analytical, and sensitive to details, like to train this ability. In less than 2 years already learned so much and met many people too. Missing the main, but "never say never", right? Hence, I don't blame her. The media in general talk about everything and a lot about her. So much of what she makes inside or outside the track...

Now we're in this pause of 3 weeks to Japan. The climate is already anxious, and is slowly turning the tension too. Question of the day of the race getting closer. I'm sure concrete that she is better prepared than last year, the car is what worries me, as always. I know that Michael will support comparable perhaps only to the Indianapolis 500, I'm curious and very apprehensive.

If the result can be repeated? Well .. of course I believe so. Part of the current grid has no experience at Twin Ring Motegi, and I will stick to that much, because while they try to get it right, she already knows the path. Another consideration was that Chicago is because it is an oval 1.5 miles, something that also masks (for better or for worse) the performance of pilots because it is one foot down and that's it.

Know... I think we Danica fans a kind of fan complicated. We seem to be more emotional than most, suffered much from the criticism, but never failed to support her, because fleeting moments of anger I've been. Already questioned the words and some attitudes of her and the team at times, but it is an interesting case:

Few drivers today are the energy and passion for work. At this point I have no one in motorsports that wakes me up so much curiosity, and it gives me a certain fear. I don't know exactly explain why, but it gives. Perhaps the fear of becoming a fan that thick skull that does not admit the mistakes of the idol, haha. And I always liked to avoid this side, although I can no longer avoid the addiction.

That's all my friend. If possible, I promise not let you forget a corner. Subject never lack.

Chicago: Post race quote

2009-08-30T22:19:00.000-07:00

"I really thought we had a car that was capable of finishing in the top-ten tonight. We had a decent practice and qualifying runs yesterday so I thought we would be strong. It's disappointing that we didn't have a better finish. We are headed to Japan in a couple of weeks, so hopefully we have better luck there."

Goodbye Joliet. Time to go.

2009-08-30T20:39:00.000-07:00

Chicago. The Speedway was the scene of another exciting finish, put the car in double or triple rows (known as two and three wides), also highlighting the block. A night show in Illinois. In the main pack, have drivers and Mario Moraes, Ed Carpenter, Orion Servia, Graham Rahal and Marco Andretti...

The drivers of Ganassi and Penske all know that are the 'essence of it', because they rarely came out this block during the year. In the middle pack (and played), all the drivers who were involved in a fight for the top places were pretty busy. Danica, Tony Kanaan, Dan Wheldon, Raphael Matos..

" 'Cause I'm (Chicagoland) the queen of the night"

A significant number of changes in leadership, good disputes between Briscoe and Dixon. This Saturday wasn't the day of Franchitti, or the day of Helio. Sorry for him, but happiness for the rest of us.

Throughout the night I saw Danica winning positions, and lose them. The inability of the car to stay competitive through traffic was clear, despite a weekend that began with the fourth time in first free practice. She doesn't know how to explain, not me. I have a certain discreet because little evidence that there is a problem in engineering (also). And to complete, yet lived to witness the ascendancy of teams such as Dale Coyne Racing and KV in ovals.

"Luck. Runs. Out."

Later on, the Penske had to make a return to the main pack, but only - and again - Briscoe and Dixon were in real contention for the victory. Strange deja vu to see the New Zealander lose another win in the same conditions.

For me, the feeling was confusing and not strange. The feeling of seeing Danica driving on the middle pack knowing that she can walk among the best is complicated, and adverse. A dichotomy to show strength without being able to have it. I admire her for that.

"Everybody searching for a hero

People need someone to look up to"

And, nothing concrete was known about the contract renewal, I've notified a few days that could be announced by Motorola. This put into question the statements that the renewal with Andretti

Green would be made. Hopefully the end of the season to know then.

Set foot on the road for 3 weeks to the Twin Ring Motegi.
A little rest and a lot of thinking to do.

"When you question me

For a simple answer

I don't know what to say (no)"

Chicago: Final

2009-08-30T09:53:00.000-07:00

Pos	Car	Driver	Team	Laps	Status
1.	6	Ryan Briscoe	Team Penske	200
2.	9	Scott Dixon	Chip Ganassi Racing	200
3.	5	Mario Moraes	KV Racing Technology	200
4.	10	Dario Franchitti	Chip Ganassi Racing	200
5.	02	Graham Rahal	Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing	200
6.	20	Ed Carpenter	Vision Racing	200
7.	06	Oriol Servia	Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing	200
8.	43	Tomas Scheckter	Dreyer & Reinbold Racing	200
9.	2	Raphael Matos*	Luczo Dragon Racing	200
10.	18	Justin Wilson	Dale Coyne Racing	200
11.	26	Marco Andretti	Andretti Green Racing	200
12.	7	Danica Patrick	Andretti Green Racing	200
13.	11	Tony Kanaan	Andretti Green Racing	200
14.	67	Sarah Fisher	Sarah Fisher Racing	199
15.	14	Ryan Hunter-Reay	AJ Foyt Enterprises	199
16.	24	Mike Conway*	Dreyer & Reinbold Racing	199
17.	13	EJ Viso	HVM Racing	198
18.	33	Robert Doornbos*	HVM Racing	197
19.	98	Jaques Lazier	CURB/Agajanian/Team 3G	195
20.	3	Helio Castroneves	Team Penske	184	Contact
21.	23	Milka Duno	Dreyer & Reinbold Racing	155	Mechanical
22.	4	Dan Wheldon	Panther Racing	95	Mechanical
23.	27	Hideki Mutoh	Andretti Green Racing	90	Contact
* Series rookie

Standings after Chicago (more here):

Pos	Driver	Points
1.	Ryan Briscoe	550
2.	Dario Franchitti	525
3.	Scott Dixon	517
4.	Helio Castroneves	383
5.	Danica Patrick	353
6.	Marco Andretti	342
7.	Tony Kanaan	335
8.	Graham Rahal	331
9.	Dan Wheldon	318
10.	Justin Wilson	316

Chicago: Day 1 - Comments after pratices, qualify...

2009-08-28T17:46:00.000-07:00

Danica Patrick (No. #7 Boost Mobile/Motorola Dallara/Honda/Firestone):
"I really thought we had a faster car than the results show. I drove far more aggressively during the qualifying run than I did during this morning's practice. We didn't make a whole lot of adjustments to the car from this morning and we were quicker then than we are now, I don't really know. But once the race starts tomorrow night anything can happen and it's really anyone's game."

Ok. Not the end of the world, but let's say a little atypical of what started out as. I was really happy with the time of the first practice, but the fact of being a night race (the climate-changing facts if it was daytime) and an oval in which Danica usually has good results, is not cause for "panic". But it's great to read it, shows that she will find even more her driving style, and soon.

After we got so close and did not give the facts - just the first 3 of the points table has a real chance and mathematical way to fight for the championship - I believe the team Boost Mobile / Motorola may try an approach in which Franchitti, Briscoe and Dixon currently can not .

The Chicagoland Speedway will stage a big event, to give this venture a good guess with certainty. Just now again to twist things conspire for, and Danica and the team are in the usual line. Or better yet, no problem.

Well... The qualify today soufre an interruption because of moisture on the track. Let's hope that this will not spoil the show.

Chicago: Day 1 - Times

2009-08-28T16:52:00.000-07:00

Here I am back. Get with the times, and the next post, comments:

Pratice 1:

Starting Grid:

Pratice 2:

Chicagoland Q&A: IRL IndyCar - Danica Patrick

2009-08-28T16:36:00.000-07:00

Source: PaddockTalk

DANICA PATRICK:

On returning to Chicagoland Speedway: "It's always close racing here in Chicago. You can always race side-by -side. It's one of the few we have left that it truly three-wide all the time, so it makes it really challenging. It's all about momentum and keeping you foot in it. We're going to be focusing on making a good car so we can have that in the race situation."

Is there pressure racing close to friends and family so close to home: "It doesn't matter what race we go to any more, there's always some friends or family coming. We try to disperse them throughout the season. We actually discourage them from coming to the closer races because there are so many more than normal. There's nobody that puts more pressure on myself. I am really my worse critic. No one can make me try harder than me."

About prediction for the championship: "It's really tough. These guys have been dueling it out since the beginning of the season. Scott had the tough start to the season with a couple of tough results at St. Pete and Homestead. Dario has been consistent and good as normal and Ryan (Briscoe) has been Mr. Consistency with his second place finishes. It's really tough to say. Scott has a good shot and I know what Dario is capable of and Ryan is a little bit more of a long shot as he has less experience, but he can pull it out too. He can be really fast sometimes. I think it's a little bit more difficult to be outright faster than anybody on the mile and a halfs we have left, but gosh I don't know. Dario is such a good friend. I have to go with Dario. I think he's so happy this year and he's happy to be back and he's having a good time. I guess I'll put my money on Dario."

Haha, I found it funny that you said that about Dario, proving that friendship exists and is great. I'm also rooting for him.

PEAK Antifreeze and Motor Oil Indy 300

2009-08-27T09:51:00.000-07:00

"I'm looking forward to getting back to an oval this weekend, especially my home track where I will have many friends and family there to support me. It would be great to get a win this weekend for that very reason. I started on the pole there back in 2005, and have always had pretty solid race results since. Hopefully the #7 car will be competitive and strong all weekend."

Official site | Entry list | Wheater

Local: Joliet, Illinois
Venue: Chicagoland Speedway
Type: 1,5 mile oval - 200 laps
Atual record: 24,4216s - 224,064 mph (Buddy Rice - 2002)
First IndyCarRace: 2001
Best Lap: Justin Wilson, in 25,0618s at 218,340 mph (in lap 3)
Duration: 2:01:04,5907
Cautions: total of 7 for 53 laps
- In 2008
Polesitter: Helio Castroneves (Team Penske) - 101,4190 (speed)
Winner: Helio Castronaves (Team Penske) - 200 laps

Notes:
- Antepenúltima prova da temporada 2009, onde 3 pilotos tem condições matemáticas e reais de continuar na disputa do título;
- Retorno da americana Sarah Fisher ao grid;
- Chicagoland detém a marca da chegada mais próxima (em inglês 'closest finish') dos 20 anos da categoria. Registrada em 2008 após Helio vencer a disputa contra Scott Dixon;
- História: na temporada de estréia pela IndyCar Series, Danica conquistou suas três pole positions, e a última delas foi na pista. Com o tempo de segundos.

Programming
Friday - 08/28
9:30 / 10:30 - IndyCar pratice - all cars
1:30 / 3:00 - IndyCar qualify
4:30 / 5:00 - IndyCar pratice

Saturday- 08/29
8:00 / 9:00 - Pre race
9:00 / 11:00 - IndyCar race - 200 laps

If you don't have how watch the race on tv. Some streams
Channel Surfing
ATDHE
Justin.tv
Roja Directa

- Indycar.com (scoring and radio)
Scoring
Qualify (audio)
Race (audio)

Comments: Another "saturday IndyCar night". Very good no? And back home, as our illustrious Roscoe is also in Illinois. All conspiring for, tend to be a good race. In 2008 despite the unsuccessful strategy, Danica did a very good race.

Overall the event was one of the best of the last season. Without road courses, only ovals. End of the season, so ... Enjoy the rest. Support and cheering for Danica also, of course. Countdown now to "my" most expected race, and the last of 4 under which created more expectation: Motegi.

Patience Is Virtue for Danica Patrick

2009-08-26T07:45:00.000-07:00

Source: Fanhouse

Smart move, not moving.

Danica Patrick should consider her apparent decision to stay in Indy cars and resist the allure of NASCAR a sound investment beyond padding her bank account. A move to NASCAR would be easy money, but it's the wrong time.

By re-signing with Andretti Green Racing (AGR) as she has indicated she will do, Patrick gives herself at least another season to move from a top-five driver to a true championship contender.

The money AGR can expect from Patrick's car sponsor Motorola should help improve that team's technical resources for her run at the 2010 title.

And the IndyCar Series keeps its biggest household name.

Even NASCAR wins because by the time Patrick makes her inevitable transition to the big-bucks, bump-and-bang stock car world, she will have padded her resume and answered questions about ability. It won't seem like a marketing ploy for "her brand" as much as a career progression -- the same kind of career progression other top open-wheel drivers have been afforded relatively grudge-free.

Team owner Chip Ganassi got it right when early on in the summer's "Danica Sweepstakes" he suggested she not rush a move to stock cars.

"My counsel to her was that she's close to making that last step in Indy Car racing and she could easily do that in the next three to five years and still be able to do this [NASCAR],'' Ganassi said in July, acknowledging his team had discussions with Patrick.

"She's one of those athletes with an opportunity to make career moves into the foreseeable future. It's up to her.''

Perhaps one of the signs that Patrick's immediate future is in open-wheel is the fundamental fact that she still hasn't turned a lap in a stock car. More established commodities like Juan Pablo Montoya, Dario Franchitti, Tony Stewart and Sam Hornish Jr. ran races in NASCAR's development series and put in miles of testing before making the full-on commitment.

And frankly, it's not clear if any of NASCAR's top teams even seriously pursued Patrick.

Other than cashing in on her popularity, it didn't make a lot of sense for her to jump in with both feet. Yet.

Mistakes would be magnified, her learning curve compressed and if she was unsuccessful -- as plenty of other talented open-wheel drivers have been -- it would have been exponentially worse for Patrick.

The unfortunate reality is that it is important for Patrick to make wise choices because she is always going to be heavily scrutinized.

By choosing to establish herself and resist the apple dangling from NASCAR's tree, Patrick puts herself in better position when the time is right. It will still mean a lucrative contract. And by spending an extra season or seasons establishing herself and bettering her racing credentials, she will also gain something equally as significant as a big paycheck: experience and respect.

Patrick is currently ranked fifth in the IndyCar Series championship -- best of the drivers who aren't steering a car owned by Roger Penske or Chip Ganassi and ahead of recent past champions Dan Wheldon and her AGR teammate Tony Kanaan, who is presumably in the same equipment.

The remaining three races are on ovals -- Patrick's strong point -- including the Twin Ring Motegi in Japan where Patrick made history last year as the first woman to win a major open-wheel race.

She's had nine top-10 finishes and led 26 laps in 14 starts this year. Her best showing was a third in the Indianapolis 500, a race where she's proven herself a legitimate favorite starting with her 2005 debut there.

People forget that the 27-year old Patrick is only in her fifth full season. And her stats -- one win, 16 top-five finishes, 45 top-10s -- stack up favorably when compared to the first five seasons of drivers like Kanaan (1 win, 16 top-5s, 49 top-10s) and three-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves (seven wins, 16 top-5s, 34 top-10s).

In fact, through his first four seasons Patrick's teammate, Marco Andretti, has the same number of victorires (one) and nearly twice as many DNFs (22) as Patrick (12) but is widely touted as one of America's best racing talents.

Another few wins, a real run at a title and Patrick is on the verge of something genuinely significant.

Of course there will always be that certain segment of the population that can't get past an attractive woman succeeding against males in athletic competition. They will demean her and her successes, no matter how well she fares.

Patrick's good looks -- and her penchant for using them -- work for and against her, often making her an easy target in the sports world. But they have nothing to do with her ability to drive a car.

The Sports Illustrated swimsuit spreads are cool, but so is earning the coveted cover as a racer. She's done both.

I remember when her former car owner, Bobby Rahal, brought Patrick into the massive media center at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2004 for a formal introduction. In a very low-key interview session attended by only a dozen or so reporters, Patrick confidently predicted good things were in store.

They are. And by making this sound, reasonable decision to resist the temptation of NASCAR a little while longer, Patrick still has everything to gain and nothing to lose.

A very good article.

Despite all the desire for return to Ganassi, I'm happy for her stay the Andretti Green Racing. Many of us fans hope that Danica has an immediate success. But at that moment what is apparently more sensible is to make progressions not as fast, but solid.

There is no secret that the current AGR is not 100% stable, while the red teams experience otherwise. Michael is relatively confident that with the restructuring of the team may result. The present world is not accustomed to change "not immediate", and I'm still a little insecure about it... But in this case I think it's worth the vote of confidence.

A short message.

2009-08-24T10:09:00.000-07:00

If you expected a usual analysis, forgiveness to all (I even tried to write something). But I will not brood about the strange drama that was the race in Sonoma. Rubber last week, entered the race in Chicago. Congratulations again to the team Boost Mobile / Motorola, which along with us fans justify the above image.

Sonoma: post race quote

2009-08-23T20:48:00.000-07:00

Danica Patrick,
Car: #7 Boost Mobile/Motorola Dallara/Honda/Firestone:

"The Boost Mobile/Motorola guys did a great job fixing the tow link that got damaged on the first lap of the race. They almost got it fixed in time for us to stay on the lead lap, but the rod was bent pretty badly. It frustrating when this all happens on the first lap, but it is what it is. We're still fifth in points, so hopefully we will keep it that way next weekend in Chicago."

Sonoma: final

2009-08-23T20:23:00.000-07:00

Final:

Pos	Car	Driver	Team	Laps	Status
1.	10	Dario Franchitti	Chip Ganassi Racing	75
2.	6	Ryan Briscoe	Team Penske	75
3.	24	Mike Conway*	Dreyer & Reinbold Racing	75
4.	5	Mario Moraes	KV Racing Technology	75
5.	27	Hideki Mutoh	Andretti Green Racing	75
6.	06	Oriol Servia	Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing	75
7.	18	Justin Wilson	Dale Coyne Racing	75
8.	11	Tony Kanaan	Andretti Green Racing	75
9.	2	Raphael Matos*	Luczo Dragon Racing	75
10.	33	Robert Doornbos*	HVM Racing	75
11.	20	Ed Carpenter	Vision Racing	75
12.	4	Dan Wheldon	Panther Racing	75
13.	9	Scott Dixon	Chip Ganassi Racing	75
14.	26	Marco Andretti	Andretti Green Racing	75
15.	98	Richard Antinucci*	CURB/Agajanian/Team 3G	75
16.	7	Danica Patrick	Andretti Green Racing	74
17.	23	Milka Duno	Dreyer & Reinbold Racing	71
18.	3	Helio Castroneves	Team Penske	66	Contact
19.	14	Ryan Hunter-Reay	AJ Foyt Enterprises	65	Mechanical
20.	25	Franck Montagny*	AFS Racing/Andretti Green	57	Handling
21.	02	Graham Rahal	Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing	30	Mechanical
22.	13	EJ Viso	HVM Racing	0	Contact
DNS	12	Will Power	Team Penske	0
DNS	34	Nelson Philippe*	Conquest Racing	0
* Series rookie

Standings after Sonoma (full standings here):

Pos	Driver	Points
1.	Ryan Briscoe	497
2.	Dario Franchitti	493
3.	Scott Dixon	477
4.	Helio Castroneves	371
5.	Danica Patrick	335
6.	Marco Andretti	323
7.	Tony Kanaan	318
8.	Dan Wheldon	306
9.	Graham Rahal	301
10.	Hideki Mutoh	297

It was a tiring day. All observations that I have to share with you will be made in the review. Congrats Mutoh and the Boost Mobile/Motorola guys by persistence in trying to send Danica again to the track. It's nice to see that despite not being the most competitive team, is by far the team is more united.

Sonoma: Starting grid and updates

2009-08-22T21:09:00.000-07:00

Pos	Car	Driver	Team	Time	Speed
1.	10	Dario Franchitti	Chip Ganassi Racing	1:16.799	107.955
2.	6	Ryan Briscoe	Team Penske	1:16.849	107.885
3.	3	Helio Castroneves	Team Penske	1:16.870	107.855
4.	26	Marco Andretti	Andretti Green Racing	1:17.052	107.600
5.	27	Hideki Mutoh	Andretti Green Racing	1:17.206	107.386
6.	02	Graham Rahal	Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing	1:17.388	107.132
7.	11	Tony Kanaan	Andretti Green Racing	1:16.990	107.687
8.	25	Franck Montagny*	AFS Racing/Andretti Green	1:17.084	107.555
9.	24	Mike Conway*	Dreyer & Reinbold Racing	1:17.090	107.548
10.	9	Scott Dixon	Chip Ganassi Racing	1:17.225	107.359
11.	7	Danica Patrick	Andretti Green Racing	1:17.614	106.820
12.	4	Dan Wheldon	Panther Racing	1:17.678	106.733
13.	13	EJ Viso	HVM Racing	1:17.918	106.404
14.	5	Mario Moraes	KV Racing Technology	1:17.473	107.015
15.	33	Robert Doornbos*	HVM Racing	1:18.109	106.143
16.	14	Ryan Hunter-Reay	AJ Foyt Enterprises	1:17.640	106.785
17.	06	Oriol Servia	Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing	1:18.141	106.101
18.	2	Raphael Matos*	Luczo Dragon Racing	1:17.655	106.764
19.	18	Justin Wilson	Dale Coyne Racing	1:18.335	105.837
20.	98	Richard Antinucci*	CURB/Agajanian/Team 3G	1:17.750	106.634
21.	20	Ed Carpenter	Vision Racing	1:18.241	105.964
22.	23	Milka Duno	Dreyer & Reinbold Racing	1:23.618	99.150
23.	12	Will Power	Team Penske	no time
24.	34	Nelson Philippe*	Conquest Racing	no time
* Series rookie

Now the updates:
With a few minutes to the end of the Fast Six, Franchitti won the pole as it was already certain to Ryan Briscoe. Poor Briscoe (even like it), has not had much luck. My highlights are obviously for the cars of the Green. Marco and Hideki did a great rating and that Tony was not too bad. Danica will not be starting in a bad position, and was also the focus of the news along with Michael. Curt Cavin showed why he is so intrepid and reported via Twitter that Danica will remain in the IRL, and also remain with the AGR. However the paperwork is not ready yet.

Plus, she was in the last two days with Boost Mobile executives, including president. She also said that Michael convinced to stay with him for him to lead her in the right direction. Nice. I remember that all this is still unofficial. But to me, Bruce Martin and Curt Cavin Reporting, soon confirmed (laughs).

Finally, news about Will Power and Nelson Philippe. Nelson suffered a open fracture in his left foot, and was scheduled to be submitted to reconstructive surgery. He also suffered a concussion. Will Power already had a little less luck. The Australian had two crushed vertebrae (Geez..) - L2 and L4 (lumbar) - and magnetic resonance imaging is scheduled to be made. Also with a concussion.

Wow .. End of summary. Tomorrow it all starts again, and please don't lose the start. Kisses and wit to all. See us at any time. I want to see everyone cheering by our girl. This is an order, haha.

Sonoma: Day I

2009-08-22T12:57:00.000-07:00

Training foir marked by strong beat involving pilots EJ Viso, Nelson Philippe and Australian Will Power, with the last two taken to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. Power was taken with back pain and Nelson with pain in his left foot.

Video of the accident:

Don't miss the qualify, and later a summary of the facts of today.

Andretti's bigger role at AGR could keep Patrick in IndyCar Series

2009-08-21T17:26:00.000-07:00

Source: SI.com (Bruce Martin - Inside Racing)

SONOMA, Calif. -- It appears Danica Patrick is leaning strongly toward staying in the IndyCar Series now that Michael Andretti is in the process of taking full control of ownership at Andretti Green Racing (AGR).

"I think it's looking a bit like I'm returning," Patrick said in a private interview with SI.com on Friday. "I'm not done. We are still working through some things, but it's looking like that. It is moving along very positively."

AGR announced earlier this week that a plan is in place to have Andretti wholly own and operate the racing team while AGR principles Kevin Savoree and Kim Green will operate the promotions business, which includes staging races at St. Petersburg and Toronto.

"I do think that some of the things that have happened and the dynamics of what is happening with the team, seeing some of this come along, is a good thing for me," Patrick said. "I do think this plays into where I want to be in the future."

With Savoree removed from contract negotiations, Patrick said there is a tremendous comfort level and trust that exists between her and Andretti.

"Yes, I would prefer to talk to Mike than to Kevin because he is a larger owner in the team, and when I talk to Mike things get done," said Patrick, who's in the final year of a three-year contract and has considered leaving IndyCar for NASCAR. "I believe his heart is in it and he has a passion for everything from the business to the driving side, and he can relate to what the driver does as well."

Andretti spent 19 years driving open wheel cars and competed in 16 Indy 500s. Under his tutelage, Patrick had her best finish ever in the 500, coming home third in this year's race. She's currently fifth in the IndyCar Series standings, but with only four races to go, it's unlikely she'll win the title. Still, she has been the most successful of the four-driver team, which also includes former series champion Tony Kanaan, Andretti's son Marco and Japanese driver Hideki Mutoh.

Andretti confirmed that he is positive he can keep Patrick and her sponsor, Motorola, on his team for next season. A key to that would be the return of Motorola, which could provide the necessary income to meet Patrick's contract wishes. It's believed that Motorola's current three-year deal for Patrick's car is $17 million.

"All of the sponsorship is taken care of and it is pending if I'm staying or not," Patrick said. "And that would help the team put an offer out there and move forward. It's always the chicken or the egg. We have all been working forward, and it's a matter of working it out contractually. A new contract won't be done before Chicagoland [next week], but obviously if a deal is struck with the team that I'm with, we will know when it gets done. If it is not [done soon], then it will be at the end of the season, because that is the right thing to do."

If that answer has her remaining an IndyCar Series driver, it will be a big public relations victory for the open-wheel racing series just by keeping her from going to NASCAR.

Even with all the problems, I'm happy now that she has decided to stay in IndyCar Series. An extra relief for the heart. I like the harmony that exists between Michael and Danica, he being a person in whom I much admire. Few supported her and helped as much as he did.

Ok, he also committed mistakes. And that made me wish sincerely that the contract with Ganassi was signed, and the departure of Dixon for the future team Gil de Ferran.

It would only she and Dario ...

Dreams, assumptions and utopias later, I see that the article above can change the course of my reasoning (and many fans). This is the great dilemma: to remain with Motorola and Danica, if this new team will achieve the pace of rivals-dominant-red.

We'll see.

Yesterday's Official: Michael Andretti in full control of the AGR

2009-08-20T20:59:00.000-07:00

The decision did not surprise me, was something that I've waited for what might happen. Knowing how is the structure of the team I called that possibility last breath.

In 2010 Michael Andretti will make his solo flight. The announcement in a letter officially off, separates the trinity Andretti Green Promotions and Andretti Green Toronto Andretti Green Racing. The first two continuing as one company detached from the first.

One however: the same letter is still subject to execution of definitive agreements. But the deal done, Andretti will be the sole owner and operator of the team, while Green and Savoree operate part of the promotional business.

The Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is under ownership and operation of Andretti Green Promotions, born in 2004. Already the Andretti Green Toronto does the same with the Honda Indy Toronto, race that debuted this season.

This change means a restructuring, the only thing left on my list of hypotheses to emerge as a factor that in theory keep Danica on the team. Yes .. Certainly this novel will not drag on for a while. Accompany me the outcome of the plot and how all these characters end.

Update I, Indianapois Star: I started the first deployments. The site reported that the sponsor of car # 7 - Motorola - can make the announcement on the permanence of Danica on the team in the next week. Explain: this weeks which comes to the race at Chicagoland Speedway (which was great in 2008), proximity of where the sponsor is based: Schaumburg, Illinois.

Update II, Go Danica (credit to Don for information): This is a quote from Michael, passed through Robin Miller. Let's do it:

"There's a few reasons we're where we are but I don't want to share them," said Andretti. "Let's just say it's a fixable situation but I don't want to blame the drivers. It's not the drivers, it's another area.

"And I feel like we'll be more competitive this weekend (in Sonoma)."

Hum, mysterious .. But as always, not surprised me. It's a hypothesis I have raised myself for analysis across multiple situations. Haha, I'm crazy.

Bored With GoDaddy, Danica Patrick Now Pimping Watches

2009-08-20T13:55:00.000-07:00

Source: AdRants

In her every GoDaddy appearance, Danica Patrick always looked as if she was sleeping or bored out her mind with the silly antics which accompanied every GoDaddy outing in which she appeared. So now she's off to pimp watches. Where does the girl find time to drive anymore?

Patrick hooked up with GQ to appear in a four page advertorial (pdf, sadly) for Tissot Swiss Watches in the September issue. So there she is All glamor girl-style. In the pool wearing a bikini and getting some hunk boy love. Against a wall in a dress and heels getting pulled away by a mysterious arm which has "I want to have sex with you" written all over it. Sitting atop an old school newspaper man as if to...I don't know...show some form of mini-skirted feminine superiority. And presumably naked and embraced by a dude while watches the size of a person's head grace each of their wrists.

Well, at least she's moved beyond her car model days.

Peak Antifreeze & Motor Oil Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma County

2009-08-19T16:06:00.000-07:00

Official site | Entry list | Wheater

"The track at Infineon is a challenge, but very rewarding if you have a good race. Hopefully our hard work and efforts will pay off this weekend. We have been working really hard this season on all sides, but a win at the last road course event of the season would be gratifying."

Local: Sonoma, Califórnia
Venue: Infineon Raceway
Type: road course of 2,3 mile - 80 laps
Atual record: 77,5524s - 106,767mph (Tony Kanaan - 2007)
First indyCar race: 2005
Best lap: Helio castroneves, in 78,6320s at 105,438mph (in lap 55)
Duration: 1:50:15,8282
Cautions: total of 1 for 2 laps
- In 2008
Polesitter: Helio Castroneves (Team Penske) - 76,9027s
Winner: Helio Castroneves (Team Penske) - 80 laps

Notes:
- 24 cars, two premieres: Nelson Philippe (on Conquest) and the already mentioned here, Franck Montagny. On Andretti Green;
- Last road/street course of the season.

If you don't have how watch the race on tv. Some streams:
Channel Surfing;
ATDHE;
Justin.tv;
Roja Directa;

- Indycar.com
Scoring
Classificação (audio)
Race (audio)

Comments: Oh, Sonoma! It was the most exciting time since Motegi in 2008. This year is again at the end of the championship and hope is a good race. Personally is the road course that I most appreciate and one of the 4 races that waited more during that year. The others were in Indianapolis 500, Toronto and the odd Motegi, yet held in 2009. Come then.

Danica Patrick: Narrow World of Sports (video)

2009-08-17T17:07:00.000-07:00

Mehlman meets Danica. In this interview with sexy racecar driver Danica Patrick, Peter learns how to drive stickshift. Peter Mehlman brought you Yada Yada Yada and Sponge-worthy and now the Seinfeld Writer/Producer brings you Peter Mehlmans Narrow World of Sports.

IndyCar Series '09: season (and feelings) review

2009-08-14T23:17:00.000-07:00

Looking back, what you can say about the current season? Be honest..

All the learning and growth theory is always good. But is useful only effective if the need to demonstrate our new method to face the facts. There will only be useful if we are exposed to situations where we need to turn the game. It's not easy to reach the top, and it isn't easy to avoid falling. The same mass media that exalt, purposely try to fall when needed. More criticism, more pressure, more recovery...

Danica may have made his mistakes in 2008, but when it is done or said that is done is done. The following (and current) year would be a chance to redeem all that had escaped the plans. And then it starts: the time of the pre-season. Obviously there were a dozen inevitable questions and few answers. Time to see the reflection in the mirror and admit: "I made mistakes, but learned from them. I must take a stance." Rule applies to all drivers and teams.

Things seemed to fit when Michael Andretti was announced as the new strategist. A promising partnership. But then in St. Pete, an incredible surprise (and chance): the first test... When everyone thought that she shows her tempestuous side once again, the reaction was quiet and sober. Bingo! It was the beginning of an unusual season consolidator of several facts.. One is of how skilled she really is. Races like the Indianapolis 500, Long Beach and Toronto were amazing! Displays total of persistence.

Races like Watkins Glen races were a matter of simple pride to me. To see the focus on overcoming the difficulties of a type of track which has not yet reached the performance was considered 'satisfactory'. This is fact: if you're good about it, things tend to work differently.

She has been even more confident, bold and constant learning. A cycle of learning that never ends. If the moment was not the greatest of luck, all fans have suffered and suffer together. Required. All those fans who supported her continue thus to the chequered flag at Homestead waver. Go deep breath, and wait until everything starts from scratch. Again.

It is possible to look back with the feeling that the duty was fulfilled. It's great that the years of Andretti Green Racing has offered him a true transformation. You can have that feeling when we look at the facts with a little patience and less prejudice. And remember that the season is not finished, so more memories yet to be built. Cross your fingers and do more positive thinking you can.

The straight end of a pretty decent season. Now and always, thank you girl.

Intermission time

2009-08-14T18:28:00.000-07:00

Change, you can change.
(Tears for fears - Change)

Relaxed Patrick having more fun these days

2009-08-13T12:03:00.000-07:00

Source: Times-Herald

Even at 5-foot-2, barely 100 pounds, Danica Patrick can look a little intimidating on race day. Stone-faced, the IndyCar driver slips on her helmet and heaven help anyone who gets in her way on the way to the finish line.

Her showdown with Milka Duno after they collided at Indianapolis last season displayed her tempestuous side.

There are times, though -- and they're coming more frequently -- when Patrick is actually letting loose and having fun. She's even baking cookies -- chocolate chip and oatmeal-raisin -- for the crew.

"I've always gotten along with all the folks I've worked with," Patrick said "but particularly this year we are able to laugh and make fun of each other without it being personal."

Patrick, 27, suggested at the start of her fifth season in the open-wheel racing series that, in the past, she felt she had to be intense and determined all the time just to be taken seriously in the male-dominated arena. She doesn't feel that extra pressure now.

She became the first woman to win a major closed-circuit race last year at Motegi, Japan, and finished sixth in the season standings. That feat silenced many of her doubters and gave her momentum and confidence for the next season.

"You're always moving along as a driver. You just keep gaining more experience and getting better overall from so many different aspects," she said. "This year I feel more comfortable than ever, but then again in the first few years of a career you're going to feel like that. I doubt years 10 and 11 are going to feel as different as years four and five. I'm always learning. That's never going to end for me."

Patrick is enjoying her best season in IndyCar to date, as she sits fifth in the standings heading into the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma, Aug. 23. Her best finish at the road course came last year when she took fifth.

"I think that probably at this point in time it's most realistic to have a top-five finish in the championship," she said. "I think there's a small shot that I could bump up in to fourth, but Helio (Castroneves) would have to have some misfortune and I'd have to catch some breaks. ... I think that I'd be able to look back and feel it was a pretty decent season if I was able to finish in the top five. At this time my goal is to stay in that top five."

A win in Sonoma could be just the bump she needs, but the physically demanding course takes its toll on drivers, as she knows all too well.

"I didn't enjoy going to Sonoma so much the first couple of years," Patrick said. "I struggled quite a bit, but I moved over to Andretti Green Racing (in 2007) and my first year there with the team I qualified on the front row and finished sixth that year, and from then on I've enjoyed going back. I definitely look forward to going back again this year. We've been strong the last couple of years, and, as an addition, I definitely like the view (of the wine country)."

The 2005 rookie of the year has been working her way up the ladder, finishing 12th in her inaugural season, then ninth in 2006 with Rahal/Letterman Racing. She improved to seventh in 2007 after joining AGR.

"I look back especially in my first year, and I had a really fast car that year and had a few pole positions that year and a great run at Indy," Patrick said, "and I think how exciting it would be to have the speed of the car that first year in a year like this where you feel much more experienced and ready for everything. That's all a part of it and racing is always coming and going in waves, and sometimes you have really amazing cars and some years you have to struggle through it and push. Those are the years you learn a lot, as well. I'm sure it'll come around when I can say I've got these really fast cars and it's really easy."

Becoming the face of IndyCar came quickly for Patrick, but it wasn't always easy.

"I've had to learn how to do everything from scheduling my day to getting in and out of the pits to passing on the high side to timing passes to just the easiest way to travel to a location," she said. "It's been amazing how much experience I've gained on and off the track in the last five years of my life."

Dealing with the instant fame and the crush of fans -- even the occasional whistles and marriage proposals -- can be tough.

"I just try to be nice to them all and some days it's harder than others," she admits. "When you're having a tough day on track, it's just like when you have a bad day at work. But they don't always see all of that. You have to realize that they're your fans, and they don't even know what happens sometimes that day. They don't know that you're 14th and disappointed and mad, they just want to meet their favorite driver. It's things like that that are important to keep in mind when you're having a tough day. I'm very flattered to have all the fans and I try to make as much time as I can."

The question her fans are asking most often is whether or not she'll try to move to NASCAR, following the lead of Dario Franchitti and Sam Hornish Jr. Franchitti struggled with the heavier stock cars last year and came back to IndyCar this season.

"The NASCAR rumors are true," Patrick confirmed. "We're definitely exploring all the opportunities that are out there for me as a driver and as a business and a brand."

Said Graham Rahal of the persistent rumor: "She's good for the series. ... She's good for us. It would be good to see her stay."

"Beware The Ides of March"

2009-08-12T16:34:00.000-07:00

Forgive me (or not), was another irresistible joke with analogies.

To me sounds like a curious move on the part of Michael Andretti. Yesterday the team announced that it will run with 5 cars in Sonoma. Yes, this is information. Quickly set up the equation in my head so fast that came to be unbelievable. Something like a conspiracy theory.

I will not question whether the Frenchman Franck Montagny has capacity or not to be driving an IndyCar. This is not the point at which I would like to discuss. Because other blogs and websites will have it.

The interesting question (and finally conspiracy) is that if the team has faced problems with 4 cars, because they put one more in the eye of the hurricane? I must be honest: I see the team is thinking and planning for life after the going to anyone. We already know that Hideki is leaving at the end of the current season, and this account too, against.

The theory goes a bit further: the team's planning for life without Danica. It is no secret of the high values injected in the Team Green with the sponsorship that came through # 7 car. Motorola - my favorite - among all.

Bags packed to go? Who knows. Where? We don't know for now. But it is a bit more difficult to believe that she will be "here". Everything starts to become slightly clearer. For me at least.

OBS: recent past shares the driver in the world of motorsports:
- American LeMans Series with AGR;
- Formula 1 with Super Aguri;
- The A1GP team of France;
- And have participated with Sebastien Bourdais and Stephane Sarrazin by Peugot in 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.

Everybody hates Conway

2009-08-10T23:34:00.000-07:00

Hey, don't blame me for the post title. Is just an observation fun to talk about the incident between the British and Danica. See because...

1- Paul Tracy was never the most behaved, but a driver owner of numbers - starting with weight (laughs) - respectable. In his last blog posting, the Canadian said interesting things, among them about Conyway Mike and Danica. I thought it would be worth highlighting the words. The full post you'll find on your official site: www.paultracy.com

Here is.

I think KV Racing team was pleased with me and they got some good points which the No. 5 needed so I hope I moved Mario further up the pitlane, away from Conweasel – which, after Kentucky, is quite a good thing, I reckon. (Yeah, okay, so he shouldn’t have been released at that moment, I know.) But today I hear it was his car that put Danica in the gravel. He’ll get some bad rap for that, I’m sure. The weasel picked the wrong bird to mess with; that bird will peck his eyes out!

Yeap, he said that.

2- The Luczo Dragon Racing also made his comment on the accident. On your Twitter page:

Conway did to Danica what he did with us in Edmonton, clipped her from behind and sent her spinning

3- No no, I still have more. We the video that shows the accident between the drivers, here:

A great conspiracy theory, no? Conway, you were found guilt!

Dixon cruises to landmark Mid-Ohio win

2009-08-10T23:28:00.000-07:00

Source: Motorsport.com

Scott Dixon used a combination of better fuel mileage and good balance of tire selection to win his fourth IndyCar race of the season, but 20th in his IndyCar career. The latter number breaks a tie for most wins under IRL sanctioning that he previously held with Sam Hornish Jr.

"Obviously, it's a fantastic milestone for the team, as we've achieved all those with Target," Dixon said. "Unfortunately, Sam's not here to defend it and that's the sad side of it. It's going to be tough to hang onto that, Helio (Castroneves) is at 16 or so, a couple others on 14 and 15. If I got to 25, 30, it would be pretty cool."

Dixon led a podium sweep for drivers from Ganassi and Team Penske, yet another race where the dominant red cars of the season were the major contributors to the script. Dixon's car was so good on blacks he romped to a margin of victory of a whopping 29.7803 seconds over Briscoe.

"It did feel smooth and good... the car was just really good. It's normally very hard to keep close to the guy in front of you with the same strategy. We were running leaner than them. You don't get cars like this too often."

The win also propelled Dixon, from Chip Ganassi Racing, back to the points lead. For yet another race, the season championship lead changed hands, as Dixon retakes the series lead from Ryan Briscoe.

The pole-sitter finished second, just edging Dario Franchitti. Dixon now leads Briscoe by three points (460-457), with Franchitti third both on the day and the championship at 440 markers.

"We didn't have the speed really," Briscoe said of his race. "I couldn't attack the corners as aggressively as I liked, understeering through the middle. I could see Scott was much faster. He just wouldn't back off. He got us in the pit stops, he went a lot further on the first stint."

Franchitti looked flustered from the 90-plus degree temperatures, with the predicted record heat and the added pressure of a dominant teammate making the usually cool Scotsman sweat profusely.

"We had a good start, managed to pass three cars, and stayed there for the lap," Franchitti said. "At that point the car was pretty good on the reds. But on the blacks, I wasn't happy with the balance of the car. The same problem we had at Edmonton; we have it figured out on the streets but not the roads. It doesn't suit my driving style like it does Scott's."

Winning the underdog, non-CGR and Penske class, was Ryan Hunter-Reay who drove a clean, heady and steady race for A.J. Foyt Enterprises. It's RHR's second-best finish of the season after a runner-up finish at St. Petersburg, and the best finish for Foyt's team this season. Hideki Mutoh finished best in the four-car Andretti Green Racing quartet, fifth overall for his best ever road or street course result.

Dixon's main competition for most of the race was Justin Wilson of Dale Coyne Racing, but Wilson fell to the wolves after running two laps longer in the second stint than was possible with his fuel amount. He had a slow entry into the pit with his car bone dry, and proceeded to stall on exit. The fiasco cost Wilson a sure podium finish and dropped him to an unrepresentative 13th.

"Sometimes things don't work out how you want them to," Wilson said of the stop. "But Scott was just unbeatable. I thought we were a lot better of everyone behind him. They've got everything perfect."

The race was largely uneventful around the 2.258-mile road course, with two cautions around half distance breaking up the monotony. Otherwise Mid-Ohio held true to form as somewhat of a procession on a hot and humid day, and the Honda overtake system (push-to-pass) made little difference.

Briscoe started on pole but only led the first five laps before Wilson made his charge. On lap six, Wilson went to the inside of Briscoe into turn 11, to complete the pass for the lead while using the Honda overtake button. In the next five laps, Wilson gapped Briscoe by nearly five seconds.

The only incident in the opening stages was an off for Tony Kanaan at the Keyhole, after slight contact with Hunter-Reay in a battle for seventh. Kanaan pitted and changed his tires from reds to blacks.

Wilson continued to lead through the first pit stop cycles as all bar E.J. Viso in the top ten switched from reds to blacks. Dixon jumped Briscoe for second, and as Briscoe struggled with the balance of his car he had an uphill fight to keep Franchitti and Rahal at bay.

Dixon caught Wilson several tenths a lap after the first pit stops, and made the pass for the lead going into turn four. Dixon pitted three laps later than Wilson and that was the difference. Both cars were still stuck trying to lap Duno and Wilson stayed close, but when the leaders passed Duno, Dixon checked out into another zip code.

Dixon's lead was momentarily halted for the first full course yellow on lap 40 caused when Helio Castroneves went into the gravel trap at the Keyhole. He recovered to come out of there but pitted and dropped from sixth to 17th.

The race briefly resumed before the second full course caution on lap 45. Mike Conway made an ambitious passing attempt on Danica Patrick into turn four, and Patrick slid into the gravel trap with a severely dusted car. She lost two laps and resumed, but without chance of a good finish from that point. Conway was slapped with a drive-through penalty for avoidable contact.

Dixon checked out again on the restart with Wilson giving chase as best he could. A switch to reds for the final stint could have helped but for the eventual downfall.

"He didn't need to save fuel in the second stint, so it would be tough to hold him off later," Wilson said.

Marco Andretti ran a longer middle stint on a slightly off-sequence pit strategy and vaulted to second, but once he stopped the order was restored. Andretti finished sixth, ahead of Paul Tracy, Graham Rahal, Raphael Matos and Kanaan. Rahal ran in the top five most of the race but an off-course excursion at the Keyhole dropped him down the order.

Dixon, Briscoe and Franchitti are still incredibly close in the battle for the championship, all separated by 20 points. With four races remaining, only the next round at Sonoma is on a road course with the rest on ovals. Castroneves and Patrick in fourth and fifth have lost touch with the championship leaders, each 100 points or more behind Dixon.

Head Up High

2009-08-10T14:53:00.000-07:00

Feelings after Sunday.

Another full weekend, have survived my birthday was one of the reasons too. About the race, I was not quite lively with a . I was more curious about how the 'aero changes' would make the cars to behave in a kind of track.

Everything went exactly as planned until the qualify *sigh*: Ganassi and Penske among the fastest, with drivers who normally stand out in road/street courses (as Graham Rahal). Three of the four pilots of the Andretti Green had reasonable time, to be among the fastest drivers in a part of one of the practice sessions.

And Danica is the slowest among them, it was expected.

In qualify, Briscoe was the pole. No surprises. What broke the sameness Danica was reaching the top-12 and 12th position of the grid, it was good ... She showed that her discipline and patience have been essential to the survival of this type of circuit. At the end of the day I was just waiting for the race without expectations bold. Only good.

Sunday. At the time of the start, another detail that caught my attention: Danica lost no positions at a time when she still needs to be more careful. For more subtle it was, was an evolution.

Following the comments, nothing new. It was the second race at Mid-Ohio and that I did not like, but it was good to see Hideki walking among the best, as Ryan Hunter-Reay. Both pilots deserve it, a car or at least a strategy that leads to better positions.

Chequered flag, the joy of Ganassi and end of everything. But the moment worthy of being called odd it was for after the race. I never hid my impartiality when dealing with any matter that involved Danica. BUT, I never hid that I am a great fan of her too. I would say 'the most crazy' (laughs).

No price was to see that her fans are the best. Do not remove the support and remain loyal full-time. Until the defects they are funny, and a good portion of insanity too. A friend who lives in Ohio and was on autodrome had to hold off the child not to throw something against the car of Conyway. She is still young, but already you can see how things are (haha).

While Dixon has made history by a tepid race, this was the fact coolest among all the others. I feel proud of belonging to a group like this. Critics affect us, but they're not in tips.

Head up high Danica fans, Sonoma in waiting.

Mid-Ohio: post race quote

2009-08-10T14:44:00.000-07:00

Danica Patrick (Started 12th, finished 19th): "It's a disappointing way to end the weekend. We were running strong until we spun out, which was out of my control. It's frustrating when something like that happens during a race and you have to start all over. Up to that point we were making progress and gaining position. I was hoping for a strong finish this weekend, but it didn't pan out the way we wanted it to. It's going to be nice to have a week off and get recharged before we head into Sonoma."

Mid-Ohio '09: final

2009-08-09T19:17:00.000-07:00

Dixon wins and makes history in the IndyCar Series...

...And the Danica fans makes I felt proud to be one of them! Simply the best, a union that has no price. I wanted to say something better now, but I can not. I prefer to leave to speak in review, then, then we get the results:

Final:

Pos	Car	Driver	Team	Laps	Status
1.	9	Scott Dixon	Chip Ganassi Racing	85
2.	6	Ryan Briscoe	Team Penske	85
3.	10	Dario Franchitti	Chip Ganassi Racing	85
4.	14	Ryan Hunter-Reay	AJ Foyt Enterprises	85
5.	27	Hideki Mutoh	Andretti Green Racing	85
6.	26	Marco Andretti	Andretti Green Racing	85
7.	5	Paul Tracy	KV Racing Technology	85
8.	02	Graham Rahal	Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing	85
9.	2	Raphael Matos*	Luczo Dragon Racing	85
10.	11	Tony Kanaan	Andretti Green Racing	85
11.	06	Oriol Servia	Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing	85
12.	3	Helio Castroneves	Team Penske	85
13.	18	Justin Wilson	Dale Coyne Racing	85
14.	33	Robert Doornbos*	HVM Racing	85
15.	13	EJ Viso	HVM Racing	84
16.	4	Dan Wheldon	Panther Racing	84
17.	20	Ed Carpenter	Vision Racing	84
18.	98	Richard Antinucci*	CURB/Agajanian/Team 3G	83
19.	7	Danica Patrick	Andretti Green Racing	83
20.	24	Mike Conway*	Dreyer & Reinbold Racing	69	Mechanical
21.	23	Milka Duno	Dreyer & Reinbold Racing	56	Handling
* Series rookie

Standings after Mid-Ohio:

Pos	Driver	Points
1.	Scott Dixon	460
2.	Ryan Briscoe	457
3.	Dario Franchitti	440
4.	Helio Castroneves	359
5.	Danica Patrick	321
6.	Marco Andretti	307
7.	Tony Kanaan	294
8.	Graham Rahal	289
9.	Dan Wheldon	288
10.	Justin Wilson	270

Full standings here.

Honda Indy 200 - Starting grid

2009-08-08T17:39:00.000-07:00

1	Ryan Briscoe	AUS	Penske	1:06.6814
2	Justin Wilson	ING	Dale Coyne	1:06.7007	+0.020
3	Scott Dixon	NZL	Ganassi	1:07.0238	+0.343
4	Graham Rahal	EUA	Newman/Haas/Lanigan	1:07.0640	+0.383
5	Helio Castroneves	BRA	Penske	1:07.1809	+0.500
6	Dario Franchitti	ESC	Ganassi	1:07.3791	+0.698
7	Ryan Hunter-Reay	EUA	Vision	1:07.2364
8	Tony Kanaan	BRA	Andretti Green	1:07.5083
9	Ernesto Viso	VEN	HVM	1:07.5712
10	Paul Tracy	CAN	KV	1:07.6129
11	Hideki Mutoh	JAP	Andretti Green	1:07.6699
12	Danica Patrick	EUA	Andretti Green	1:07.7440
13	Marco Andretti	EUA	Andretti Green	1:08.1779
14	Oriol Servià	ESP	Newman/Haas/Lanigan	1:08.4314
15	Raphael Matos	BRA	Luczo Dragon	1:08.2311
16	Mike Conway	EUA	Dreyer & Reinbold	1:08.5495
17	Dan Wheldon	ING	Panther	1:08.8176
18	Robert Doornbos	HOL	HVM	1:08.5734
19	Richard Antinucci	EUA	3G	1:08.8516
20	Milka Duno	VEN	Dreyer & Reinbold	1:14.5371
21	Ed Carpenter	EUA	Vision	1:09.7141

Mid-Ohio times: day one

2009-08-07T18:13:00.000-07:00

2009 Mid-Ohio: IRL IndyCar Practice 1 Results
Pos	Driver Name	Best Time	Best Speed	Best Lap	Total Laps
1	Scott Dixon (9)	1:08.2298	119.139	9	13
2	Justin Wilson (18)	1:08.6425	118.422	20	20
3	Dario Franchitti (10)	1:08.6760	118.364	9	9
4	Tony Kanaan (11)	1:08.8390	118.084	22	22
5	Graham Rahal (02)	1:08.9932	117.820	16	20
6	Paul Tracy (5)	1:09.1094	117.622	23	23
7	Ryan Briscoe (6)	1:09.1440	117.563	12	14
8	Marco Andretti (26)	1:09.2477	117.387	18	20
9	Raphael Matos (2)	1:09.2833	117.327	16	21
10	E.J. Viso (13)	1:09.3563	117.203	19	20
11	Oriol Servia (06)	1:09.4613	117.026	27	27
12	Helio Castroneves (3)	1:09.4989	116.963	10	14
13	Ryan Hunter-Reay (14)	1:09.4996	116.962	27	28
14	Danica Patrick (7)	1:09.5421	116.890	22	23
15	Robert Doornbos (33)	1:10.0482	116.046	22	24
16	Hideki Mutoh (27)	1:10.1531	115.872	15	15
17	Ed Carpenter (20)	1:10.3882	115.485	35	35
18	Dan Wheldon (4)	1:10.7354	114.918	17	20
19	Mike Conway (24)	1:11.8048	113.207	11	11
20	Richard Antinucci (98)	1:12.5210	112.089	12	12
21	Milka Duno (23)	1:15.8764	107.132	34	36

Dixon flies in Mid-Ohio Friday practice

2009-08-07T18:04:00.000-07:00

Source: Motorsport.com

Scott Dixon uncorked a lap that was nine-tenths of a second quicker than anyone else, easily enough to secure the fastest time in the Friday practice session for this weekend's IndyCar Series Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio.

Dixon's lap at 1:08.2298 beat the previous best time of 1:09.1440 set by Ryan Briscoe of Team Penske. By the end of the session, five drivers were under the 1:09 mark but Dixon was the first. Briscoe wound up seventh in the session.

Dixon and Dario Franchitti, the teammates at Target Chip Ganassi Racing sandwiched Justin Wilson of Dale Coyne Racing, continuing his road course pace. Dixon was four-tenths quicker than Wilson, who jumped to second right at the end of the one-hour session.

"You can tell what's coming with segment times on the dash, but I don't think we were expecting that it was close to what we did at the test," Dixon said. "You like it when you see numbers like that!"

A number of teams waited for the track to rubber in before testing the surface. Some sealant that has been added to the track surface has changed the way the track handles, and that was precisely why the Ganassi duo and the pilots from Team Penske waited to set a time.

"The track recently went through a lot of changes, putting sealant down, and it takes a long time to put the rubber down," Dixon explained. "When you go out early, you waste a set of tires and rubber up the track for everyone else."

For a majority of the session the Andretti Green Racing teammates Tony Kanaan and Marco Andretti topped the timesheets. It's been an uphill struggle for the team on the road and street courses this year, but for most of today they had the setup figured out.

Kanaan and Andretti finished fourth and eighth on the timesheets. After the front four, hometown favorite Graham Rahal of New Albany, Ohio completed the top five, with Paul Tracy, Briscoe, Andretti, Raphael Matos and E.J. Viso in the top ten.

Tracy was a late addition to the field this weekend, as he rejoins KV Racing Technology on a somber note. The team's regular driver Mario Moraes is home in Brazil with family as his father, Mario Ermirio de Moraes, passed away Wednesday at the age of 50 from cancer.

"On behalf of the entire KV Racing Technology organisation, we wish to express our deepest sympathy to Senhora Nidia Maria Faustino de Moraes, Mario, his sisters Fabiana and Natalia and the entire family for their loss," said a statement released by KV Racing co-owners Kevin Kalkhoven and Jimmy Vasser.

Of the others making the switch in seats this weekend, Oriol Servia finished 11th for Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing, and his predecessor at the team Robert Doornbos was 15th for HVM.

Mike Conway and Richard Antinucci went to the garage early with mechanical problems but returned before the session was out. Each was still quicker than Milka Duno, 21st and last in the field, but those three rounded out the field.

Duno and Danica Patrick had a near repeat of their pit lane dustup a year ago. Patrick, who finished 14th in this session, was attempting a pass on Duno into the Keyhole (turn 2) when she had to swerve right to avoid her counterpart. No-one was harmed, no contact was made and no towels were thrown.

Patrick wasn't the only AGR car who went off line at some point in the session. Kanaan looped his #11 entry at turn 6 but continued with incident, and Hideki Mutoh spun at the Carousel (turn 13) to bring out a session stoppage. Mutoh finished 16th on the timesheets.

Honda Indy 200

2009-08-07T17:51:00.000-07:00

Official site | Entry list | Wheater

Local: Lexington, Ohio
Venue: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Type: road course 2,258 mile - 85 laps
Atual record: 66,8375s - 121,620mph (Hélio Castroneves in 2007)
First IndyCar race: 2007
Best lap: Ryan Briscoe, em 69,0091s a 117,793 mph (in lap 76)
Duration: 2:01:22,8496
Cautions: total of 5 for 19 laps
- In 2008
Polesitter: Helio Castroneves (Team Penske) - 67,2480
Winner: Ryan Briscoe (Team Penske) - 85 voltas

Notes:
- Paul Tracy in place of Mario Moraes. The requested waiver of the Brazilian race in reason of the death of his father;
Some changes: Serving Indy back to the Newman / Haas, Doornbos signs with HMV.

If you don't have how watch the race on tv. Some streams:
Channel Surfing / ATDHE / Justin.tv

- Scoring and radio:
Scoring
Race (audio)

Considerations: Sorry for the delay guys. All the fault of my birthday yesterday.

Promise that the next preview will return to default.

Path (debut): Just a good memory

2009-08-05T14:31:00.000-07:00

A very exciting start to end so dramatic. Was unfair.

The race in Nashville was one of the most exciting races of the 2008 season, for everything. After the pole position by Danica have escaped from so little, I knew something good would come. The adjustment of the # 7 in contrast to the previous races seemed stable and very good. She also appeared self-confidence out of their normal way. Even greater.

In the minutes prior to start I was only concern, and at the hour of start was like being at Nashville Superspeedway. She started pressing the Helio, almost taking the lead of the race. My heart almost stopped. Fun and exciting. Too much even for me.

Marco was already in the beginning been involved in an incident and left the race. Briscoe also left the race, involved in that incident. When the # 7 passed by the dirt and lost performance, I was tense. Okay, not take long for the car to recover, but fright is fright.

Came the first stops, and the loss of positions for Dixon, Tony, and then Helio. Vitor Meira went well. Right time, right place, arm enough to bring the car back to the track and avoid the hit.

Then the rain came ...

However, the initial drops were weak, given the chance to be a restart. Helio was clever, but not had much time the rain came again, but stronger.

Now was the race against time, because the time for Indy to be transmitted on TV (set in contract) was running out. Nothing. The race has ended, and Dixon as the leader before the interruption, was declared winner.

Nevertheless, it was very fun and exciting, I do not regret to have twisted by Danica. Ever. The other pilots were more lucky moments, but the race was in memory. Beyond the fact: make a car that is really competitive, and she will race well.

End of night for me. And continued for the season.

Meijer Indy 300'09 - Trackside report - August First

2009-08-02T12:56:00.000-07:00

DANICA PATRICK (No. 7 Boost Mobile/Motorola): "I really thought the Boost car was capable of a stronger finish, but I will take a top 10. We were fighting understeer most of the night. I kept asking for more grip, but in the end, it wasn't the best call on my end. We got caught in some lap traffic, so we decided to take fuel only on the last stop to see if we could take advantage of the time and try to get around Graham (Rahal) but we just didn't have the speed we needed."

Our solemn hour

2009-08-01T23:35:00.001-07:00

It was one of the longest weeks. Reasons: the anxiety because of the aerodynamic package released by the ICS, the desire to believe that the Andretti Green to get back to good shape, and of course, that Danica could a really good result.

Then came the Friday and something that I didn't expect: the rain. This will hinder any chance of cars going to the track, rules of an oval circuit.

Also on Friday: We wait, wait ... Nothing. The free pratice sessions were canceled. The wheater? Improved, but the track was left with problems of weepers, changing the plans of the FIL too.

The drivers came from different times in Canada: one of the best of season in Toronto and one of the most boring in Edmonton. But they still have to wait to accelerate.

When the qualify came I wasn't at home. At the time I was on the bus reminded me that, and I made a mental wish that Danica did a good job. Back to the type of track where she drives better, and that changes could make a difference on Saturday night.

No qualify, because it rained again. Mother nature insisted not help.

On Saturday, I was thinking about two things: the last and only free pratice and race. The first happened, and the Indy Lights could resume their work. And later we had the green flag for the most important moment of the week.

This race was good, we had overruns, good disputes, few yellow flags ... Danica started with a very good pace, encouraging. Pressure Penske, Ganassi, and did justice to bold style. But in the middle of the road had a car, and a breach to be made ...

Moraes, Moraes, Moraes.

The small touch with the Brazilian took me to a quick silence. At that time it was necessary to know whether the # 7 would have suffered any damage which compromise the future of the result in the circuit. For a time the car lost income and positions, and I a bit of my patience. But still rooting for it to be just a silly moment of instability.

The advantage of having attended the race alone at home was to be screaming and talking all the nonsense things that came into my head. This was fun: words of support, name calling and raising my hands as if I were in the Sparta. I love to see the IndyCar Series on Saturday night, I think a very good combination.

Gradually, the race in KY was much better than the other before, but I am a little upset. I was very happy for everything, but again AGR had left out a good result for the # 7 car. The shining moment of Ed Carpenter deserves to be mentioned (no shadow of doubt) as he and Will Power have done their part in the show, and very well.

Danica had apparent problems with lapped cars, and stated that happening, now long lost, won or lost positions. And the end of Ed and Briscoe was exciting, there is a good time not saw it.

The time of the formal debut of the new package was a good race. In this next Sunday we have the race at Mid Ohio, 3 days after to my birthday. The teams will assess the full race this Saturday and start to decide based on that new perspective of race.

Have been a good season for Danica, but the hearts of our fans has been somewhat. Still, I can't stop cheering. Yes, I didn't quit, the "worst" that is the situation.

See you at any time. Not disappear.

Meijer Indy 300 '09 - results

2009-08-01T23:35:00.000-07:00

Ok, ok. I know that another red guy won, but the times they are a-changin'. A little.

Great result for Tony "The Torch" Kanaan, I'm happy for him too.

After 200 laps:

Pos	Car	Driver	Team	Laps	Status
1.	6	Ryan Briscoe	Team Penske	200
2.	20	Ed Carpenter	Vision Racing	200
3.	11	Tony Kanaan	Andretti Green Racing	200
4.	3	Helio Castroneves	Team Penske	200
5.	02	Graham Rahal	Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing	200
6.	10	Dario Franchitti	Chip Ganassi Racing	200
7.	9	Scott Dixon	Chip Ganassi Racing	200
8.	7	Danica Patrick	Andretti Green Racing	200
9.	12	Will Power	Team Penske	200
10.	26	Marco Andretti	Andretti Green Racing	200
11.	4	Dan Wheldon	Panther Racing	200
12.	67	Sarah Fisher	Sarah Fisher Racing	200
13.	27	Hideki Mutoh	Andretti Green Racing	200
14.	14	Ryan Hunter-Reay	AJ Foyt Enterprises	197
15.	13	EJ Viso	HVM Racing	197
16.	2	Raphael Matos*	Luczo Dragon Racing	196
17.	24	Mike Conway*	Dreyer & Reinbold Racing	192
18.	5	Mario Moraes	KV Racing Technology	188
19.	06	Robert Doornbos*	Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing	185
20.	23	Milka Duno	Dreyer & Reinbold Racing	165
21.	18	Justin Wilson	Dale Coyne Racing	120	Mechanical
22.	43	Tomas Scheckter	Dreyer & Reinbold Racing	59	Mechanical
23.	98	Jaques Lazier	CURB/Agajanian/Team 3G	43	Mechanical
* Series rookie

And here the link for the Standing after Kentucky.

Meijer Indy 300 Daily Trackside Report - August 1

2009-08-01T00:13:00.000-07:00

Meijer Indy 300 - Starting grid

2009-07-31T18:24:00.000-07:00

Weepers... Because it was canceled and the starting grid is that, based on points of 2009 Standings:

Pos	Car	Driver	Team
1.	9	Scott Dixon	Chip Ganassi Racing
2.	10	Dario Franchitti	Chip Ganassi Racing
3.	6	Ryan Briscoe	Team Penske
4.	3	Helio Castroneves	Team Penske
5.	7	Danica Patrick	Andretti Green Racing
6.	26	Marco Andretti	Andretti Green Racing
7.	4	Dan Wheldon	Panther Racing
8.	18	Justin Wilson	Dale Coyne Racing
9.	11	Tony Kanaan	Andretti Green Racing
10.	02	Graham Rahal	Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing
11.	27	Hideki Mutoh	Andretti Green Racing
12.	06	Robert Doornbos*	Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing
13.	2	Raphael Matos*	Luczo Dragon Racing
14.	20	Ed Carpenter	Vision Racing
15.	23	Milka Duno	Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
16.	5	Mario Moraes	KV Racing Technology
17.	14	Ryan Hunter-Reay	AJ Foyt Enterprises
18.	13	EJ Viso	HVM Racing
19.	24	Mike Conway*	Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
20.	12	Will Power	Team Penske
21.	98	Jaques Lazier	CURB/Agajanian/Team 3G
22.	67	Sarah Fisher	Sarah Fisher Racing
23.	43	Tomas Scheckter	Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
* Series rookie
+ Weepers sets field by entrant points

Goodnight all. I hope the track will improve tomorrow.

Meijer Indy 300

2009-07-30T11:11:00.000-07:00

Official site | Track image | Entry list | Weather

"I'm ready to get to Kentucky, for sure. As a team, we need to bounce back from what has been a pretty tough stretch of races for us and I'm hoping Kentucky will give us the chance to do that. We've got a few new aero options to work with this week and the 'push to pass,' so we'll see how all that plays out. It should be very interesting."

Location: Sparta, KY
Venue: Kentucky Speedway
Type: 1,5 mile oval - 200 laps
Current record: 24,0661s - 221,390 mph (Sara Fisher - 2002)
First IndyCar race: 2000
Best lap: Ed Carpenter, 24,2999s at 219,260 mph (in lap 8)
Duration: 1:36:42,3467
Cautions: total of 3 for 21 laps
In 2008
Polesitter: Scott Dixon (Target Chip Ganassi) - 97,3293s
Winner: Scott Dixon (Target Chip Ganassi) - 200 laps

Notes:
- After a period in Canada, the IndyCar Series back to the U.S. and oval circuits;
- Women's history: on the track at the Sparta the American Sarah Fisher in 2002 won the first pole of a woman in class. Danica has a pole in 2005 with a time of 24.4947 seconds, even for Rahal Letterman;
- Confirmed: Tony Kanaan said, he will run in Saturday.

If you don't have how watch the race on tv:
- Streams
Channel Surfing (click the logo of IRL)
ATDHE (click on link of the race
Roja Directa (links the open minutes before of green flag, some need a p2p program)

- Scoring and radio (in english)
Scoring
Race (audio)

Consideratios: I like and prefer the Indy running in oval, and in a Saturday night, think perfect. Tomorrow, I bring the times of free pratices and of course, the starting grid.

Path - my new column

2009-07-28T18:05:00.000-07:00

In the Portuguese version of the blog I have a space where I talk about some issues, is called "Zone of Impact". The reason for the name? Simple ...

I like to argue other points of view that the Brazilian press or blogs don't normally speak when refer to Danica. Presenting the other side of issues considered controversial, and probably the only person to do that in my language.

So I need a name and an idea to write a column here too. Something quite different than I do, because outside of my language I'm not an "authority" in the subject Danica Patrick, but I consider myself a good interpreter of the facts.

The name "Path" seeking a similar proposal in principle: to interpret these facts of a clever way. But I don't know exactly how to do, I let the time show me the best way.

I have to write something for you, but not now. Soon ..

Ganassi interested in Danica Patrick--but only for IndyCar Series

2009-07-28T16:04:00.000-07:00

Source: AutoWeek Magazine

Danica Patrick might drive for Ganassi Racing next season, but apparently not in a situation where she drives both Indy cars and NASCAR stock-cars.

Team owner Chip Ganassi said his organization, which competes in the Indy Racing League and NASCAR, wants no part of such a situation.

“It's a really nice thing to have a team of drivers that are veterans in their specific categories,” he said. “Really, that's not anything against Danica. What I'm saying is, in these economic times you need less variables. I'm not interested in more variables.”

Ganassi said he spoke to Patrick recently and encouraged her to stay in the IndyCar Series for what would be her sixth season in 2010. Her three-year contract with Andretti Green Racing expires at season's end.

“Her IndyCar career, she's about to make a step in that career if she decides to stay there,” he said. “She's got one more step to make, and that's it.

“As much as I love what's going on [in NASCAR], my counsel to her is she's pretty close to making that last step in Indy-car racing and she could easily do that in the next three or four or five years and still be able to do this.”

IndyCar Series approves push-to-pass button

2009-07-28T15:38:00.000-07:00

Source: indystar.com (by Curtin Cavin)

Passing cars should be easier now that the IndyCar Series has approved a push-to-pass button for each driver.The electronic device, which initiates a power boost from the Honda engine, will be utilized in each of the remaining six races this season, beginning with this weekend’s event at Kentucky Speedway.

The Meijer 300 is Saturday night at the oval track near Sparta, Ky.

Drivers will get between 5 and 20 additional horsepower depending on how their fuel mixture is set. Over the course of the race, they will have 20 opportunities to use the device activated by a button on their steering wheel. The boost will last for 12 seconds, and there will be a 10-second recharge blackout.

The push-to-pass device will be one of several changes made to the Indy cars for this event. A lack of passing has been a complaint of fans and participants this season.

For me the news sounds good, and hopeful.

Done

2009-07-27T00:22:00.000-07:00

At the end of the day, mission accomplished. After two races in Canada several certainties and doubts arise, others will go. As has become the custom, didn't start easy, but it was expected. The involvement in the incident with Dan Wheldon wasn't in the plans, but the surprise factor isn't expected. Danica worked with the team throughout the weekend in search of the necessary speed, the pace still missing to crown a season that has exceeded expectations by the facts.

Okay, start in 20th it wasn't good, but not surprised me. Just a realistic way to face the facts. Advanced the time, and time of green flag. It was interesting seeing her win 4 positions in such a short time, reminded me of the good starts of TK over all these years.

The race itself was a "parade-follow the leader", something expected too, unfortunately. But I still like the IndyCar Series, and of course do my effort to follow because of Danica, mainly. She continues showing the discipline of hard and smart work, which combined with the "human touch" of the strategy of Michael Andretti has saved a little of the situation.

Situation which reached a level with the incredible incident involving Tony, the fire, the desperation of the mechanics of Andretti Green and Penske, pit of team where the car #11 stopped . The Brazilian is ok, advised us with their hands via Twitter. I'm happy and let the desire for improvements.

"Through the fire and the flames we carry on"

The track of the Edmonton City Center Airport gave the victory to Will Power, Helio and Dixon closing the podium. Nothing comparable to other Canadian race (Toronto), nothing much new. And even with the acquired habit of seeing such races, is still a concern.

A request for relief (a Mayday more precisely). Let's sinking in the wave of superiority of one team, most other changes that need to be made in the series as a whole, and the total lack of luck or whatever the other. Pinpoint the issue, Danica said.

I like the Andretti Green, and learned to like the IndyCar Series because of this team, but the weekends like this are a bit suffocating. I suffocate for lack of condition to see Danica go beyond the current performance, for example.

That's all. This week we return to the ovals, better expectations for the team # 7.

Rexall Edmonton Indy Daily Trackside Report - July 26

2009-07-27T00:10:00.000-07:00

DANICA PATRICK (No. 7 Boost Mobile/Motorola): "I think the No. 7 car was able to finish the day with a good result, considering our starting position. We had a great first stint. We were able to stay out longer than others, so we were able to gain positions. The track is very challenging and hard to pass on. Overall as a team, we're more on mark than we were at the beginning of the race weekend, but I think we're still off on something, since we are off the leader's pace. We are working really hard to pinpoint the issue. I really wish I could've stayed in the top 10, but at the end of the day points are points."

Rexall Edmonton Indy '09 - results

2009-07-26T23:30:00.000-07:00

"Good day, mate."

After 95 laps:

Pos	Car	Driver	Team	Laps	Status
1.	12	Will Power	Team Penske	95
2.	3	Helio Castroneves	Team Penske	95
3.	9	Scott Dixon	Chip Ganassi Racing	95
4.	6	Ryan Briscoe	Team Penske	95
5.	10	Dario Franchitti	Chip Ganassi Racing	95
6.	15	Paul Tracy	KV Racing Technology	95
7.	02	Graham Rahal	Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing	95
8.	18	Justin Wilson	Dale Coyne Racing	95
9.	06	Robert Doornbos*	Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing	94
10.	26	Marco Andretti	Andretti Green Racing	94
11.	7	Danica Patrick	Andretti Green Racing	94
12.	13	EJ Viso	HVM Racing	94
13.	34	Alex Tagliani	Conquest Racing	94
14.	27	Hideki Mutoh	Andretti Green Racing	94
15.	4	Dan Wheldon	Panther Racing	94
16.	20	Ed Carpenter	Vision Racing	93
17.	14	Ryan Hunter-Reay	AJ Foyt Enterprises	87
18.	2	Raphael Matos*	Luczo Dragon Racing	85
19.	23	Tomas Scheckter	Dreyer & Reinbold Racing	73	Contact
20.	24	Mike Conway*	Dreyer & Reinbold Racing	63
21.	11	Tony Kanaan	Andretti Green Racing	34	Pit Fire
22.	98	Richard Antinucci*	CURB/Agajanian/Team 3G	20	Mechanical
23.	5	Mario Moraes	KV Racing Technology	0	Contact
* Series rookie

2009 Standings after Edmonton (full standings here):

Pos	Driver	Points
1.	Scott Dixon	380
2.	Dario Franchitti	377
3.	Ryan Briscoe	366
4.	Helio Castroneves	309
5.	Danica Patrick	285
6.	Marco Andretti	259
7.	Dan Wheldon	255
8.	Justin Wilson	241
9.	Tony Kanaan	239
10.	Graham Rahal	235

Next round: Kentucky.
And on Monday, my first analysis of race written here.