Bleacher Report - Articles by Kyle Lavigne

Luca Badoer Gets His Chance After Michael Schumacher Cancels Comeback

Kyle Lavigne — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 23:51:59 -0400

Just as quickly as Michael Schumacher took Felipe Massa’s ride as his replacement, he gave it back. An injured neck, sustained in a motorcycle crash back in February, will keep the German away from the track in Valencia.

While the shock of Schumacher’s non-return is making headlines, what isn’t is the driver who will step in and fill the void while Massa recovers: Look no further than tester Luca Badoer, a driver with the dubious distinction of having driven the most races without scoring a single point.

I’ll go out on a limb and say he’ll end that streak in Valencia. This year’s Ferrari may not be a race winner, but it'll definitely get into the points, or even on the podium.

So, just how will Luca Badoer do in his role as driver? Of course, this will not be his first go around as an F1 race driver; he raced for Scuderia Italia, Minardi (twice), and Footwork, before taking the role as tester for the most famous of F1 teams.

A simple look at F1 Rejects will tell you the stories of those teams, so it comes as no surprise that Badoer couldn’t score points with any of them.

Plus, luck hasn’t exactly been on his side either. Case and point: Look back to 1999. Schumacher broke his leg at Silverstone and would miss a nice chunk of the season. Badoer, who had just signed as their tester, looked to be set for a drive in (arguably) that season’s best car.

But, as you well know, Mika Salo was given the ride, and Badoer had to keep his role as test driver. And people say Johnny Herbert had the worst luck of an F1 pilot.

It seems only fitting that the Italian (a nice bonus for Ferrari I’m sure) will finally get his chance. Even Luca di Montezemolo admitted the loyalties of the veteran tester, and that he deserved a chance to race.

“We have decided to give Luca Badoer the chance to race for the Scuderia after he has put in so many years of hard work as a test driver,” said the Ferrari president.

So, what could be a realistic result for Badoer on his return to a race seat? Given that the car is not for it, and that we’re unsure of his own capabilities as a racer, a win is a little too much to expect of him, especially on his first outing.

However, as I said earlier, points should definitely be in the cards. The Ferrari F60 has improved greatly through the year, and has turned into a solid points scorer, if not a podium contender. A finish up in the top eight would do very well.

Of course, what happens if he sets the world a fire in this stretch to end the year? Where would that leave the injured Felipe Massa? Fear not; Massa’s ride should nicely secured for him. Badoer, while deserving of a chance, is not a young, hard charger whom Ferrari is looking to offer experience. Nor is he likely going to be a long-term race driver.

If he does impress, there’s the possibility he’ll take on the seat beside Massa for next year. This, of course, is based on the truth in the rumors of Fernando Alonso’s move to Ferrari. Still, no matter what, Massa’s drive should be safe, regardless of how Badoer does.

The story that lies here is not of a driver looking to set the world ablaze and steal a ride from a potential title contender. It is one of a driver who has waited patiently (albeit very patiently) for his chance to compete…even staying put after being passed over at least once.

While the Brawn team has offered the best field-good story of the year, Badoer can certainly offer up one of equal quality, and that’s only if he does as expected and scores points. If he can somehow pull an upset and win (especially if it should occur at Monza), it would easily be the biggest Cinderella story this year.

Again, I can’t be sure of his ability as a race driver, but something tells me that a killer instinct must lie deep within him somewhere, otherwise Ferrari would not have wanted him in the first place. If the car is up to it, and if he has a talent the general public has not seen, we might be seeing the beginnings of yet another Cinderella.

Sebastian Vettel, Mark Webber Not Laying Down to Brawn's Early Dominance

Kyle Lavigne — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 23:03:23 -0400

After the Turkish Grand Prix, I wrote that this year’s World Drivers’ Championship was Jenson Button’s to lose; his Brawn team had built the best car, he was driving superbly, and, even when it appeared others had him covered, he managed to grab victory from a certain defeat.

His lead was more than 30 points, a nearly insurmountable margin as the season neared its midway point. Nothing could have gone wrong for him and the Brawn team, even if they tried their hardest to do so.

And then came the British Grand Prix when, with a slew of new developments, Sebastian Vettel, Mark Webber, and Red Bull Racing went on the attack, and thoroughly demolished the field.

No one was ever going to beat them that weekend, and they ran away with a resounding 1-2…and made a statement in the process.

This title is not over just yet.

With another 1-2 at the Nurburgring (with Webber winning this time), the two Red Bull drivers may have Jenson and Brawn GP on the ropes.

The updated RB5 doesn’t have anywhere near the teething problems I thought it might (especially the addition of s double diffuser, which wasn’t a part of the car’s fundamental design).

But, not only have they come out strong in the prior two races, they’ve outright pulverized the field, even being more dominant than Brawn was through the first seven races.

Vettel now sits 21 points back, while Webber isn’t laying over for anyone, keeping himself within 22.5 points of the lead.

Plus, remember that Vettel’s contact with Robert Kubica in Australia ruined that race and the next one for him. Had that incident not happened, he could easily be within 10 points of the lead.

With the halfway point of the season now upon us, we may now truly be able to speculate the likelihood of a title fight into (perhaps) the final race of the season. Vettel and Webber have each chopped off 11 points over the past two races.

Do they still need some help to catch Button and draw even with him? Well, I’m sure they wouldn’t say “no” to a DNF for the British driver, but they might necessarily need him to his trouble.

If they can continue to finish ahead of him, then they’ll chip further into that lead as the season goes, and should be well within reach of him by the final race.

However, that would be dependent on Button and Brawn not reasserting their own dominance. Remember, Ross Brawn knows how to develop car, so he’ll have some tricks up his sleeve over the remainder of the season.

Button, as well, has always been a capable driver, especially when given a competitive car. He may have gotten lost a couple times in his career, but those were times when he was settled with an inept team and a terrible machine (see Benetton in 2001, and Honda in 2007 and 2008).

Plus, Mr. Brawn has handled many a title fight in his career, and knows how to nurture a driver through the pressures. You don’t Michael Schumacher won all those championships without some help, do you?

Throw Red Bull’s inexperience in a title chase, along with the fact they have to contending drivers who might take points away from each other and this championship could still be the hands of Jenson Button and Brawn GP.

After all, if they start winning again, the gap will once again increase. Even if it only does so a little bit, it would swing momentum back in the favor of the Brackley outfit, and make closing the interval back up all the more difficult, given that there will be fewer races to do.

The next stretch of races, the ones that run from the end of this month through September (remember that there’s a month off in between Hungary and Valencia) will be absolutely vital in the run to the 2009 championship.

If the Red Bull drivers can chip away into Button’s lead some more, they may very well be in the prime spot to overtake the Briton. However, if Button can regain his winning ways, he just might put that title out of reach.

Throw in the fact that Ferrari is improving, Williams is solid, and Lewis Hamilton finally may have decent car underneath, and there are a lot of variables in play now.

This year’s championship appears to be as uncertain now as it was when the season started back in March. And is it fun, or what?

Tony Stewart Dominating the Standings, But Hendrick Motorsports Is Lurking

Kyle Lavigne — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 17:07:02 -0400

Tony Stewart has been stealing the headlines this season, and rightly so. No one anticipated this team becoming so good, so fast.

They even had driver history playing against them (Stewart has been one who starts slow, but gets better as the summer starts).

Currently, Stewart leads the standings by 175 points over Jeff Gordon, and 212 points over Jimmie Johnson.

Unless he hits a very tough string of bad luck, he will likely end the “regular season” as the points leader (though that may not guarantee him the top seed, depending on wins with him and the other drivers).

However, as far as the Chase is concerned, might he and Stewart-Haas Racing be peaking too soon?

When you look at the stats of the Chase, only one driver who led standings through the first 26 races (again, not counting the times when seeding has placed a driver with more wins at the front), only one has managed to win the Chase.

Now, that one driver was Tony Stewart (2005). But, as he normally had done through his career, his season never got going until the summer.

He didn’t completely dominate the early part of the season (as Jeff Gordon did in 2004 and 2007, as Matt Kenseth during the summer of 2006, and as Kyle Busch did in 2008).

As Stewart is stealing all the attention, Rick Hendrick’s group seems to be plugging away and consistently contending for wins.

Mark Martin grabbed his fourth of the season, while Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson ran well through the night and finished second and ninth (Johnson dropped back after contact with Kurt Busch).

Throw Mark Martin (and his four wins) into the picture, and it appears that Hendrick’s boys are all geared up for a title run…and could so with any of those drivers. Remember, Martin’s only back 11th in the standings due some horrible luck, especially early in the year.

While it’s impossible to predict how the Chase will go, especially at this point in the season, I’d very wary to say that Stewart will grab this year’s title.

Not when Johnson and Gordon are lingering in the background, or even with Kurt Busch and Carl Edwards in the mix, as each has contended for titles in the past.

Plus, there’s always a chance that someone will surprise and contend for a title, even if he wasn’t at the top of standings through the first 26 races (see Carl Edwards in 2005, Denny Hamlin in 2006, and Clint Bowyer in 2007).

There’s a always the chance that a driver like Kasey Kahne or Juan Pablo Montoya (among others) could mount a charge.

Plus, Stewart has one more thing that could work against him. The Haas team hasn’t experienced a Chase before.

Now, you might be thinking that’s irrelevant, because Stewart and has, and Darian Grubb has (when he was with Jimmie Johnson as a car chief).

However, this team reminds me of Kyle Busch’s team from one year ago. They came out blazing hot, and then got on a winning roll during the summer months (as Stewart has, winning two races since June started).

But no one on that No. 18 team has experienced what the Chase is like, and the team collapsed once it started.

Stewart’s team is in the same boat this year. And, if trends are anything to go by, Chase experience can be very important to making a true run at a title.

Of course, as I said, it’s impossible to tell exactly who will do what come Loudon in September. But, based on the trends, I would think that Stewart might not be the title favorite we might be led to believe.

He has dominated the season to date, but his lead will vanish once the Chase starts (and that’s if he has enough wins to be seeded first).

Can that team handle the pressure of a title fight, having not been involved with one…ever? I really don’t know…and I have some doubts.

Chaser or Racer: NASCAR's Race to the Chase (Chicagoland)

Kyle Lavigne — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 23:24:19 -0400

Scratch one wildcard off the list in the Race to the Chase. So, just how badly did Daytona shake up the point standings? Well, going into last Saturday's race, one point separated 12th and 13th. This week, that gap is 65…quite a bit larger than we’ve seen of late.

So, who came out of Daytona smelling pretty, and who came out smelling…well…not so pretty? Well, aside from the obvious (i.e. Tony Stewart), Carl Edwards helped his Chase efforts by finishing fourth, solidly keeping him in the top five in the standings. He hasn't locked up a spot, but nothing says he won't do so at this point.

Denny Hamlin also boosted his Chase hopes with a third, keeping him only 15 points out of the top five. Like Edwards, he hasn't locked up a spot by any means, runs like that will keep up near (or even in) the top five; Hamlin’s main issue is going to be breaking his current winless streak, which dates back to Martinsville in April…of 2008.

So, what about the bubble drivers? Who struck gold, and who went broke (or is on the way to do so) trying?

10th place Matt Kenseth

He managed to back up is 500 win with an eighth last Saturday night, a top ten that he needed. Kenseth’s struggles from March until now have documented, and any finish in the top ten will suit him well.

Of course, that run came in a restrictor plate race, and they don't make up the bulk of run to Richmond. He'll have to prove he ran in the top 10 (and top five) consistently on the intermediate tracks, starting this week in Chicagoland.

The good news for him is that he typically runs well in the Windy City, and could be poised to get another solid run. He'll need more to sure up his Chase spot and he can’t afford finishes below 20^th or 25^th. The team has it in them, but it might be a matter of not making mistakes…which isn’t necessarily easy to do.

11^th place Juan Pablo Montoya

No top fives for the Colombian, but eight top tens have him in the Chase this week. Typical of his season, his Daytona was quiet, but efficient. He ended up ninth, avoiding all the trouble (including the last-lap crash) and moved up a spot in the standings.

Me thinks that this driver and team is getting stronger as the year goes. And, with one more road course looming, at least one really good shot at a win is in front of them

What out for this bunch. Something tells me they could make a lot noise through the summer…and might be a dark horse come the fall (assuming they can stay in the top 12). Montoya’s always been an exciting driver, but maybe he has got his skills honed enough to become a true contender.

12^th place Kasey Kahne

He has got a little more breathing room this week. He may have clobbered Kyle Busch at the start/finish line last week, but he ended up sliding across the line (busted front end and all) in 15th. Not a great run, but nothing too terrible either (especially for a restrictor plate race).

Now, they got to go to some more tracks that they are suited for. Kahne's strength throughout his career has been the intermediate ovals, the exact type of track that makes up the bulk of the races up to Richmond. A good run in Chicagoland could set them on a role…but a run without mistakes would also do them well.

If they can avoid mistakes, I see no reason to think this driver and team will miss the Chase. Like Montoya, this is a driver would could catch fire in the coming weeks…so keep an eye on him.

13^th place Mark Martin

Martin’s “feast or famine” year continued at Daytona, where an early wreck saw him finish no better than 38th, a tough night for a driver who has easily run well enough to rank in the top five, but has been riddled with bad luck.

Based on performance, Martin should easily be in the top 12. But, his string of DNF's has him on the outside looking in. He’s tied for the series lead with wins, but he’ll need more runs in the top five and top ten in order to secure a Chase spot.

He and team have it in them; it's just a matter of shaking off that black cloud that's hovering over them…which may want to hang around longer than it’s wanted.

14^th place David Reutimann

He has got some ground to make up after he got caught in the first rendition of "The Big One," but he'll be happy to visit a track that suits him and the team. The 1.5 mile ovals have been their strong point this year, so this race presents him with a nice opportunity to make up the ground he lost last week.

If this team could find just a little more consistency, then they could easily crack the top 12. But, that aspect is lacking just a little bit. But, I’d certainly be worried if I was someone in the top 12 who has struggled a bit lately (i.e. Matt Kenseth, or even Kyle Busch, who hasn’t exactly had the banner year we’ve expected at this point).

Reutimann could certainly make a run over the remainder of the summer, but he'll need find a little more consistency.

15^th place Jeff Burton

He and the RCR bunch continue to hang around and stay alive, but I just don’t it happening for any of them this year. Sure, Burton stayed out of trouble (discounting a cut tire) and came home 16th, but it's not going to be enough to let him make up significant ground, which he needs to do.

The elder statesmen of this bunch, Burton has been the team's best driver since April, but he has been the best of a minor league team (at best). Richard Childress' bunch may have two drivers still hanging on, but I don’t either having a good chance to make a run at a Chase berth.

16th place Clint Bowyer

Bowyer's chances of making the Chase may have put out to pasture last week. A finish of 19th has him more than 130 points out of the Chase. He'll need a lot of help to get in (he is barely hanging on right now), but I don't see that happening. Bowyer’s started out with lots of potential, but has gone downhill fast.

Kyle Busch Shows NASCAR Blocking Is a Hazard

Kyle Lavigne — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:52:31 -0400

Block(v): to act so as to obstruct an opponent.

Such an act claimed it’s second victim in NASCAR this season, as Kyle Busch’s attempt to do so sent him into the wall…and got him rammed twice (once in the back bumper, once in the driver’s side).

When Carl Edwards flipped at Talladega, many blamed the close confines of restrictor plate racing.

Some, myself included at the time, believed it was the yellow line rule and NASCAR’s interpretation of it.

Going below that line and passing someone brings an automatic penalty, while forcing someone below that line (with the alternative being a crash) is perfectly fine. Putting someone in that position (“Do I wreck the guy I’m passing, or go ‘out of bounds’ and get a penalty?”), a dangerous move in it’s own right, isn’t actually worthy of a penalty.

However, Saturday night’s race gave a different reason for the craziness we’ve seen in the restrictor plate races. Until NASCAR decides to try to change this rule, more accidents like this will happen...and a driver could get hurt (or worse) in the process.

I would agree that NASCAR may have made too many rules and rule changes over the past few years, but this one I think needs to be in play (although, it is a bit of a challenge to do so).

What may need to be done to prevent wrecks like the one Kyle Busch had Saturday night is a rule against BLOCKING.

Unfortunately, it seems like blocking has become more and more a part of racing, especially with the advent of restrictor plate racing.

It is commonplace for a driver to get a run on someone, only to see another driver shoot up in front of him, to (1) stop him from going by and (2) to get a push and move forward in the pack.

It may be common to see right now, but it doesn’t mean it has a place in racing (in my opinion at least). Therefore, I propose that NASCAR follow most other series in the world and adopt this rule: a driver gets one defensive move, but cannot make another move afterward.

Notice it says “defensive move,” which differs, if only slightly, from blocking. Such a move is best understood as one made before an opponent tries to pass.

For example, it could be as simple as staying glued to that yellow line, forcing opponents to pass on the outside, which is assumed to be the longer (and more difficult) way around.

Of course, a “no blocking” policy works perfectly in theory, but can be difficult to firmly implement. Making a call like that is often very gray, which would make NASCAR even more vulnerable to even more criticism (assuming such a rule is eventually implemented).

However, perhaps it could offer a solution to the violent crashes we’ve seen at the end of the previous two restrictor plate races. A firm hand with that rule would do the trick, so long as NASCAR isn’t afraid to pull the trigger and penalize a driver, not simply offer a warning every time it happens.

Most every other form of racing, most notable being Indycar racing, has figured out a way to make such a rule work relatively well (though, some calls are obviously missed, for various reasons).

It would be difficult to make such calls against blocking, but it offers a solution that won’t affect the cars themselves (adjustments on which could cost teams money, which is at a premium in this economy).

Is a “no blocking” rule perfect? No, it’s not. But, it is something that needs to be addressed, and success can be had…so long as a commitment is made to it.

Chaser or Racer: NASCAR's Race to the Chase (Daytona)

Kyle Lavigne — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:29:17 -0400

Like last year, mother nature interfered with the Lenox Tool 301 (and it’s “extra mile,” even though we haven’t that race go the full distance since they lengthened). Unlike last year, though, no one was really “bitten” by the rain and suffered poor results because of strategy.

The guys who ran up front throughout the race finished up there for the most part. Of course, Joey Logano grabbed win using strategy, while David Reutimann took fourth, and Brad Keselowski sixth because of mother nature’s intervention.

But, the rain itself didn’t really hurt a lot of the guys in the running for the Chase. What hurt those guys was poor runs or crashes (especially for those who trapped in Loudon’s version of “The Big One”).

What’s more, those who ran poorly at Loudon have the wildcard of Daytona International Speedway in front of them this weekend…and we all know what a restrictor plate race and do (just ask Carl Edwards).

10th place Matt Kenseth

Kenseth’s struggles continued last week, as he could do no better than 22nd. Surely, Kenseth and the No. 17 team will have to do better than that in this stretch run to the Chase. He’s only 17 points ahead of Reutimann…who’s in 14th. He could easily fall to 15th or worse this week, if things don’t go in his favor.

Now, you may be thinking “But, he won at Daytona in February. Shouldn’t that make him a favorite this weekend?” You’d be correct to think that he should at least be in the front running group, but restrictor plate racing has never been a Roush strong point.

Jack Roush even admitted that he wasn’t sure if he’d even win the Daytona 500, because of their plate racing package. Given that Kenseth hasn’t met the success he had in the first two races, problems this weekend could spell “doom” for his chances of making the Chase.

If he can get through this weekend, he’ll have dodged a bullet…but would still have to run better. Finishes in the 20s aren’t going to be helpful Richmond gets closer.

11th place Mark Martin

The “Old Man” seems to be stuck on the edge of making the Chase right now. He finished 14th last week, which isn’t a bad run, but didn’t do much to help get in a safe spot in the standings.

He’s only a handful of points to the good, and any more bad luck could knock him out. He has certainly run well enough to rank in the top five, but this early season bad luck has him just outside the to ten.

Again, I don’t doubt that they’ll make it in, but they’re teetering on the edge right now. A few good runs in the top five will help out, but not making mistakes will help just as much.

I have faith that the team can do both, but hanging on as they are certainly has me a little nervous about them for the time being.

12th place Juan Pablo Montoya

One point is the difference between him and Kasey Kahne; you think this Chase battle is going to come down to the last lap at Richmond? I certainly do.

Montoya has Chip Ganassi in the best spot to make the Chase he has even been in. But, even with that, there isn’t room for error with this team. Their consistency has done them very well to this point, but will have to remain in play.

Miscues and/or lapses in performance simply can’t be had for this bunch right now. The gap from Montoya to Kahne (or back to Reutimann for that matter) is too close at the moment.

13th place Kasey Kahne

He can just about taste it. Kahne will overtake Montoya (or Martin, or Kenseth even) with a nice run in the top five or top ten at Daytona. He’ll only need to beat Montoya by one spot to do, and only another two or three (depending on positions) to overtake Martin and Kenseth.

What’s more, the team’s strong point seems to be the intermediate and big ovals…which make up much of the run to Richmond. If Kahne can make it through Daytona unscathed (or even with a finish near the front), he’ll be poised to make a true run at the Chase…and a possible run at a championship.

14th place David Reutimann

“The Franchise” is well within range of Michael Waltrip a Chase berth. A fourth in New Hampshire has him 12 points behind Montoya, and that much is because of his poor showing at Infineon.

Reutimann has greatly improved his game since 2007, and the team is now capable of putting winning cars on the track. All things point to this combo cracking the top 12…for good. If he and the team can survive the next road course (Watkins Glen), they could be in great shape come Richmond.

15th place Clint Bowyer

The only Richard Childress car to miss that big wreck, Bowyer appeared like he might be able to get a good finish. Unfortunately, 20th was the best he could do.

His chances of making this year’s Chase seem to be slipping away with every passing race; they just don’t seem to have what they need to do so this year. I don’t see them picking up in the coming weeks, and something tells me they’ll be left on the outside after Richmond (or maybe even before then).

16th Jeff Burton

Nothing is ever over until it’s over, but Burton’s Chase chances may have been put out to pasture last week. That wreck has him more than 100 points of Montoya; while that much ground be made up, Burton hasn’t been running well enough to do so.

Is it possible that he can make up what he lost? Yes, but only if a big gain in performance is seen. I don’t indications of the RCR bunch getting that much better. I don’t have a good feeling about Burton.

Joey Logano Coming of Age as Second Half of Season Starts

Kyle Lavigne — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:42:36 -0400

Joey Logano only got into major NASCAR racing in May of 2008. Yet, everyone knew he would eventually find stardom in the Sprint Cup Series…in time. It seemed that 2010 would be the season in which he would make the jump, after a little more than a year and a half in the Nationwide Series.

Of course, that all changed when Tony Stewart announced he was leaving to join Haas-CNC Racing, re-naming it Stewart Haas Racing.

Joe Gibbs needed a driver for the No. 20 car. Even though it meant bringing him up a year earlier than anticipated, the team put then 18-year-old Logano in the car.

Was it before he was ready? Yes, and everyone, including Logano, admitted to it. But, in reality, this move was the one that made the most sense. He was the highest ranked Gibbs development driver at the time, and bringing in a veteran to fill the gap for a year wouldn’t have been fair, since that seat would likely have been Logano’s in 2010.

It was an opportunity that Logano admitted he couldn’t pass up, even if he did feel he wasn’t ready to move into the Sprint Cup Series. The experience would come and he would eventually learn the ropes; it would just take time, which the Gibbs team was prepared to give him.

While driving the No. 20 car was the opportunity of a lifetime, it also put incredible pressure on Logano (as if is his nickname “Sliced Bread” and immediate success in every other series he ran in didn’t already do that).

What if he didn’t run well early on? What if his inexperience showed and he failed to finish races? What if he had trouble giving Greg Zipadelli feedback about the car?

His results through the first few months reflect the struggles he had transitioning into the series. He had no finishes in the Top 10 through the first eight races, and only one in the Top 15. A tough start, right?

Not exactly. Remember, Logano’s goal in the opening half of the season was just to gain experience and learn how to drive a Sprint Cup car. The results would come, but not in the first of the season (or they weren’t likely to come at least).

Gain experience was exactly what Logano did. He only has two DNFs to his name this year (neither of which his own doing). He even managed to run well in his restrictor-plate debut during Speedweeks (he finished in the Top Five in his Duel race).

Plus, even in the races he failed to finish, he still ran a great many laps. His Daytona crash ended coming at about the halfway point (when you factor in the rain that eventually shortened the race), and he ran all but 13 laps at Bristol (where he blew a motor).

As far as gaining experience and learning the cars, this first half of the season has been a banner year for Logano and the No. 20. Their success is made all the more impressive given the failures of Scott Speed (the only other Rookie of the Year candidate) and the No. 82 Red Bull team.

That group has failed to qualify for three races (though he was placed in Joe Nemecheck's car in two of them) and is mired back in 36th in the owner standings (Speed ranks 35th in the drivers’ standings). And this is with a driver who came from the “superior” series of Formula 1.

What’s more, Logano has earned the respect of his peers, many of whom congratulated him on his victory yesterday. As important as it is to run well, gaining the respect of the other competitors may be more important.

Logano has paid his dues, hasn’t done anything stupid, and has his fellow competitors’ respect, which says a lot about the person he is.

Is Joey still learning as he goes? Absolutely. He is still a rookie, and will continue to gain experience and get better as the year goes. That much, though, should make his competitors nervous through the end of this season and into next season.

He’ll now be heading to tracks he has been to before in a Sprint Cup car (aside from Indianapolis and Watkins Glen). With that knowledge to draw from, his runs should improve, or I expect them to at least (though he did run relatively well in the first of the year, when he was simply learning the cars and tracks).

What lies ahead for Logano this year? Obviously, a Chase berth is out of the question; he’s too far back. But more wins could be in the cards, especially now that he doesn’t have to worry about the question of “When are you going to win?” He already has!

And, I’ll make a prediction about next year right now.

Given the rate of improvement he has shown this year, I would not be surprised at all if he makes next year’s Chase…and I’ll go out on a limb and say he will.

Joey Logano entered the sport with unseen potential, but also with many lingering questions about whether or not he could handle the Cup Series at such a young age. Not only is he handling it, but he is acquitting himself faster than many believed, and looks to be assuring himself as a future star of the sport.

Chaser or Racer: NASCAR's Race to the Chase (New Hampshire)

Kyle Lavigne — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:10:47 -0400

As one of the wild cards in the summer run to the Chase, Infineon Raceway (formerly known as Sonoma) has a habit of throwing several wrenches into the overall equation; as Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Busch found out, a nice day in the top 10 can go very bad, very quickly (they finished 22th and 26th, respectively).

Of course, the likes of Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson saw mediocre days (or mistake-ridden ones at least), yet each came back to finish in the top 10 (fourth for Johnson, ninth for Gordon).

Yes, Infineon can wreak havoc on drivers, and send them from the front to the back to the front again.

Now, a few managed to come out of wine country sitting pretty (see Kasey Kahne).

Others, of course, were very happy to leave the road course behind and head to the familiar confines of the ovals for the next several weeks.

Here's a few drivers who are on the cusp of making the Chase, but still have some work left to do:

10th place: Matt Kenseth

He managed to escape several of the dangers of road racing, but didn’t exactly have the banner day he needed. A finish of 18th put him ahead of several guys who had trouble, but it wasn't exactly the type of finish that will suit him extremely well in the coming weeks.

He still sits just 43 markers ahead of 13th place Kasey Kahne, so he remains under fire. Recent strong runs have him back in a better spot, but something seems to be missing from Kenseth, especially after his back-to-back wins to start the season.

He’ll need a much better performance in New Hampshire to start feeling reasonably comfortable about qualifying for the Chase. Roush Racing would appear capable of doing so, but I’m not completely sure at the moment.

11th place: Mark Martin

He has been a little “feast or famine” with his finishes this season, but the feast outweighs the famine at this point. A disappointing run at Infineon dropped him to 11th, but that No. 5 car has been too strong this season for him to stay back there.

It wouldn’t surprise me at all to see Martin crack the top 10 in the standings this week, but he will have to be careful to minimize those bad days. He has had a few to this point (especially during his incredibly unlucky start to the year), but his recent string of runs near the front, with three wins, has kept him in the Chase.

I don’t doubt that he can, at the very least, hold his spot. But, he’ll want to leave those poor runs in the dust; otherwise his spot could be in jeopardy.

12th place: Juan Montoya

While I’m sure he wanted a win coming out of Sonoma, his sixth place finish bumped him all the way up to 11th, which can’t be anything to be disappointed about. While the late-race restarts hurt him a bit, he managed to hold his spot in the top 10, showing his maturity as a driver.

The next date he’ll be watching for is Watkins Glen (again, likely his best shot at winning). But, with the way he has run this year, a win on an oval might be beckoning. The DEI/Ganassi merger seems to have really helped Montoya, and it might propel him to his (and Ganassi’s) first Chase birth.

13th place: Kasey Kahne

By a show of hands, who had Kahne pegged to win last weekend? Neither did I. Kahne’s surprise win (he has never been a star on the road courses) vaulted him to within three points of the top 12.

He has run well enough so far to rank well inside the top 10, but something has always prevented him from getting the results (see the fuel mileage derbies at Pocono and Michigan).

The team appears to be good enough to make the Chase; it’s just a matter of not faltering under pressure. While I won’t say Kahne is a choke artist, something always likes to hamper his better days (see his 2004 rookie season, in which he could have won about half-a-dozen races).

If he can avoid the troubles that have hit him in the past, I see Kahne making the Chase field, and potentially challenging for a title (if circumstances play out in his favor). Of course, that’s dependant on him staying out of trouble, which is hard to do in the run up to Richmond.

14th place: David Reutimann

He has got to be happy about leaving Sonoma; road racing is not his forte, to say the least. A 31st place finish dropped him all the way to 14th in the standings. The good news for him is that there’s only one more on the schedule, and he has run well enough everywhere else to make a run at a Chase birth.

I wholeheartedly expect Reutimann to make the field, given his performance through the year. But, it won’t be as a result of his road racing.

15th place: Jeff Burton

The lead driver for RCR this year finally fell out of the top 12 last weekend. This can’t be a good sign for the RCR team, since none of their four drivers have been running well enough as of late to crack the top 12.

This bunch could be in trouble as the summer gets underway. If they don’t get themselves sorted out soon (and I mean within a couple of races), the door will begin to close on them for this season.

Either way, it has been a very disappointing season for the entire RCR team, and all four teams have a lot of work to do over the rest of the season.

16th place: Clint Bowyer

An eighth place finish for Bowyer helped him move up in the standings, but he’s still a good ways back of the Chase (especially in performance). He’s 65 points out, but like Burton, he hasn’t been running well enough to make much headway over the past month or so.

The problems RCR is facing aren’t incredibly huge, but they’re wreaking havoc on the entire team (it doesn’t take much to be off your game in racing). It must be gut-wrenching for them, knowing that all of their teams made the Chase last year.

It doesn’t look like any of them will do it this year (unless something drastically changes in the coming races).

FOTA Breaks Away, Yet FIA May Be Key in the "F1 Cold War"

Kyle Lavigne — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:03:31 -0400

FOTA has the teams, FIA could have the races (if they threaten punishment of any circuit that hosts a FOTA race), and the rest of us may be left with grand prix racing as a shell of it former self.

An innumerable amount of questions remain unanswered in the wake of FOTA’s announcement to break away from the current Formula 1 series, so long as Bernie and Max don’t give in to their demands.

Some answers may lie in the near future. The FOTA teams will be meeting later this week to discuss the first steps of launching a new series, and potentially requested Mosely step down or have his power reduced. But, how long this split could last remains very dodgy.

After some initial mudslinging, Max Mosely said this past weekend that a deal was close that would keep the two sides together in one racing series. However, that sentiment was halted by Flavio Briatore, who told Autosport that the deadline for such a deal has long since passed; he also took advantage and made a few insults of his own toward Mosely.

Is F1 headed toward a CART/IRL like “cold war” destined to kill Grand Prix Racing as we know it? While FOTA can’t want that, the fact that they are breaking ranks shows just how dire their situation is, and it’s up the FIA to fix the problems.

Everyone (FOTA, journalists, fans, etc.) has criticized Mosely and Ecclestone for the manner in which they’ve run the series, and the decisions they’ve made (or tried to make) to “better” the sport. FOTA can’t be blamed for wanting to stop them in their tracks, and can’t be blamed for breaking away; it seems they’ve been forced to do so.

How this “war” between the two sides goes will be down to what Bernie and Max do in response. Do they play nice? Will they realize that FOTA actually has BIG advantage over them, at least with teams and drivers ? It’ll be hard to legitimize a “top” series that has a grid full of unknowns who were called up to run in the ninth hour.

Bernie Ecclestone dropped hints that he might be willing to renegotiate with FOTA and give in to their demands, saying that he feels sympathy for their situation, and that he wants F1 to thrive, not die.

“My marriage broke up because of Formula 1, so I am sure as hell not going to let things disintegrate over what is, in the end, basically nothing,” he told Autosport. It would appear that he wants things to work out; why he wants them to is a different story, but he might understand that a championship without FOTA is an inferior one.

But, what if they don’t place nicely, and continue a war of words and insults with FOTA, and potentially banish drivers and teams from FIA events? What if they bar FOTA circuits from ever hosting another FIA sanctioned race?

As inept as the FIA has been at times, they sanction numerous racing series throughout the world, and preventing a track from hosting their other events (i.e. A1GP, Touring cars, etc.) could severely hurt a circuit’s revenue and popularity, especially if it can only get FOTA to run there.

If such an occurrence unfolds and the FIA does deliver all those punishments, what circuits would be willing to host FOTA races, and what would their drivers and teams do outside of their races.

Remember, such teams as Ferrari have other teams in other series; would they be barred from FIA events, simply because they’d be attached (even in name only) to an F1 outfit?

What about drivers running touring cars after their F1 careers are finished? Would be barred from doing because they drove for FOTA teams?

All of these questions, and an immeasurable number of additional ones, are surrounding the FIA/FOTA war. Unfortunately, the answers to those questions may not come for a while, so we may be left in a haze for several weeks, or even months.

What is clear, however, is that Bernie, Max, and the FIA hold the keys to whatever outcome occurs. Will they choose one that will see the sport come back together and thrive, or will pick one that could potentially kill Formula 1?

Chaser or Racer: NASCAR's Race to the Chase (Infineon)

Kyle Lavigne — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:55:52 -0400

Next week marks the beginning of summer, and the start of NASCAR’s stretch run to the Chase for The Sprint Cup. Now in its sixth year, the drama and excitement we saw in the first years has waned slightly (due to the large Chase field), but it still represents the biggest point of stress for teams and drivers this side of Daytona.

The top three in the standings (Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, and Jimmie Johnson) appear to be safe locks to make The Chase, and Kurt Busch (fourth in the standings) looks to be relatively safe as well.

However, from fifth on back, there is a bit of a dogfight. A little more than 120 points separates Ryan Newman (fifth) from Jeff Burton (12th).

Like last year, I’ll be starting up the “Chaser or Racer” pieces in the lead into each race, looking at the drivers between 10th and 16th in the standings and their chances of cracking, or staying in, the top 12, with a final prediction coming just before the Richmond race.

This time of the season is always fun for fans and journalists, and stressful for the teams and drivers. It’s the run to the “postseason” folks; strap in and hold on.

10th Place: Denny Hamlin

It’s hard to believe he’s the “senior” driver in the Joe Gibbs team, but the 2006 Rookie of the Year is indeed the elder statesmen of the coach’s driver lineup. Unfortunately, his driving performances haven’t indicated that very much.

Hamlin is the epitome of “woulda, coulda, shoulda.” Since 2007, he has had the best car in a given race probably more than a dozen times, but has only two wins in that time period to show for it.

Now, that’s not to say he hasn’t run well, because he has. He consistently puts himself in the in the top ten, but can’t seem to find his way to Victory Lane. His consistency will help him (assuming he can avoid bad luck), but his lack of wins will hurt his title chances.

Hamlin is heading to one of his better tracks in New Hampshire in a couple weeks, and he’s usually very good in the summer. Maybe he can take advantage and grab a win during this stretch? He’s capable of doing so, but he’ll have to learn to seal the deal. Otherwise, a title chance may be just out of his reach.

11th Place: Matt Kenseth

He became the first driver since Jeff Gordon (1997) to win the opening two races. Since then, however, the Roush Fenway driver has struggled mightily, and has fallen out of the top 10.

This is a driver that should be slightly worried. He and the team have been off since those two wins (even though their results have picked up, ever so slightly, recently) and can’t afford many more bad runs.

Kenseth has had to come from behind to make the Chase twice, in 2005 and 2008. He may have to do it again this year, since it seems they may be on the verge of falling out.

Watch for him in the coming weeks. They may be important to his Chase aspirations.

12th Place: Jeff Burton

The Richard Childress driver is barely hanging on to a spot in the top 12 (David Reutimann is only three points behind him). The best of the RCR bunch, Burton has been a staple in the top 12 throughout the year, but is beginning to struggle as the year goes.

In fact, all of the RCR teams are struggling (including Clint Bowyer, who was second in the standings at one point). It’s hard to believe that a group that put all its outfits in the Chase one year ago might see none of its teams make it this year.

But, that appears to be a road RCR is going down. As of now, Burton may be their best bet to crack the Chase field. But, that is far from a good bet, given the performance of the team.

This is another driver who should be worried right now; like Kenseth, keep an eye on him over the next few weeks. If the struggles continue, he may very well find himself on the outside looking in after Richmond.

13th Place: David Reutimann

He may have lucked into a win at Lowes Motor Speedway, but “The Franchise” has been on the mark this year and is one of the most improved since last year (along with Kurt Busch and Jeff Gordon).

A pair of poles and a handful of recent runs in the top 10 have him but three points outside of the top 12. He has got to be liking his chances right now. Quietly, he is putting together a very fine season, and could very well sneak into the top 12 come Richmond.

If so, he will be the first of Toyota’s “startup” efforts to do so (remember, they brought Michael Waltrip Racing and Team Red Bull into the mix, while Joe Gibbs Racing was signed on afterward).

Don’t sleep on “Reutty.” He could surprise you…if he hasn’t already.

14th Place: Juan Pablo Montoya

The Columbian is licking his chops right now. A string of six top tens has him just outside The Chase, and he’s heading to Sonoma, where he won two years ago. This date, along with Watkins Glen, has probably been circled on his calendar since the start of the year.

This race represents his best shot at making ground. If he can take full advantage and get a win, it may be the spring board he needs to make a Chase run (we all know how crucial momentum can be).

If he doesn’t take advantage, then it will be interesting to see how he and team react. Regardless, this is a critical weekend for Montoya that could define his season. Watch out for the Columbian; you know he’ll try to come out firing.

Chip Ganassi’s team has experienced an upswing after downsizing and merging with DEI. That improvement could land his organization in the Chase for the first time.

15th Place: Kasey Kahne

Like Hamlin, Kahne represents “coulda, woulda, shoulda” so far this season. If not for fuel mileage, he’d likely be sitting on consecutive top fives (with one possibly being a win). The new Dodge engine certainly seems to be giving him a nice performance boost, which will suit him well on the big ovals.

His strong point has been 1.5-2 mile tracks, and with several of those in the coming weeks, Kahne might be poised to put himself back in The Chase.

Once labeled as NASCAR’s next star, Kahne has only made The Chase once in his career, and has never been a true contender. He could go a long way to changing that this year, but he’ll need to turn his solid runs in equally solid finishes.

If he doesn’t do that, then he’ll spend another year watching 12 others fight for a title.

16th Place: Clint Bowyer

After Martinsville, Bowyer sat second in the standings and was one of the big surprises of 2009. Since then, the bottom has fallen out, and he has dropped well out of the top 12. As I said earlier, all of the RCR cars are struggling this year, and Bowyer seems to have been hit very hard in the last 10 races.

Since Martinsville, he has one top 10 (which came last week at Michigan). Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Bowyer will need to pick up the pace in the coming weeks if he has any chance of making the Chase. Otherwise, Burton may be the only RCR representative in the Chase run.

Kyle Busch's Inconsistency Puts Chase Berth in Jeopardy

Kyle Lavigne — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:26:15 -0400

No one has won more races over the past two seasons (combining all of NASCAR’s top three divisions) than Kyle Busch. Simply put, he is the fastest driver going on the circuit … and the most controversial (he apparently destroyed a guitar in victory lane at Nashville).

This season, he has dominated the Camping Truck and Nationwide Series. With two wins in the truck, he has himself seventh in those standings (even after missing two races). In the Nationwide Series, he leads the standings and could have won every race this season, if not for poor luck and mistakes.

One would think this dominance would extend to the Sprint Cup Series. And when you look at his wins and laps led, it has. He is tied for the series’ lead in wins with three (the other being Mark Martin) and has led more laps than any other driver.

Yet, he sits but ninth in points, 53 ahead of 13th place David Reutimann. How did this happen? How can it be that the most dominant driver in NASCAR is but 53 points to the good at this point in the season?

Well, to counter those three wins, Mr. Busch has collect six finishes of 24th or worse. It has been feast or famine for “The Wild Thing” (oddly resembling the performance of Charlie Sheen’s character in Major League); he either wins, or struggles…mightily.

For that reason, I am wary in saying that he’ll even qualify for this year’s Chase, let alone contend for a title. Winning and leading laps grabs headlines, but consistency wins championships, even with “The Chase” format.

Look at Tony Stewart’s 2006 campaign as an example of how “feast or famine” will suit you through the year. He garnered a couple of wins through the first 26 races, and led a bunch of laps, but numerous finishes below 30th saw him on the outside looking in after Richmond (the same could have almost been said of Kasey Kahne that same year).

Now, I’m not saying it is a definite that Busch will miss The Chase. He is in the top 12 for the time being and could certainly turn things around during the rest of the summer.

But, if this trend keeps up, I’m going to go out and say he, like Stewart in ’06, will be on the outside looking in after Richmond. A driver simply can’t have two finishes in the mid 20’s for every win; too many others will get that consistency (and a small hot streak even) and can pass a driver with those stats.

As I said, Busch can certainly turn things around in the coming months. After all, it was during this stretch that he got about half of his wins 2008. He knows he can go well at the coming tracks, and the team knows the same thing.

Plus, Joe Gibbs Racing is among the top teams; the equipment and people are in place for a title run, so long as they qualify for The Chase, which can be easier said than done (just ask Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr.).

When the season started, it appeared to be a certainty that Busch would both make The Chase and be a true title contender. Surely, his 2008 collapse would make him and the team hungry enough to mount a charge.

However, that certainty is waning with every race that Busch runs right now. For, with every passing race, he either wins, or is way off the pace.

Jeremy Mayfield Either Crazy Innoncent, or Simply Crazy in Drug Mess

Kyle Lavigne — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:56:08 -0400

With the economic downturn, an innumerable amount of Sprint Cup teams either downsized or merged. That left the door open for “little guys” to sneak onto the grid, if they were willing to put up some of their own money and find a small sponsor willing help out a bit.

The likes of Tommy Baldwin, Joe Nemecheck, and TRG stole the headlines as they have been the most prominent of these newcomers (with TRG being the most successful at this point).

Jeremy Mayfield, despite also starting his own team, didn’t garner as many headlines as his fellow startups. Yet, in the early portion of the season, he was one the series’ Cinderella Stories, as he ended up making the Daytona 500 field.

Of course, now he is in the NASCAR headlines, but for the wrong reason. The most recent report regarding his positive drug test has him testing positive for methamphetamine (according to ESPN The Magazine).

Of course, Mayfield has always maintained his innocence, saying that his test came from a combination of Aderrall (a prescribed drug he takes for Attention Deficit Disorder) and Claritin D (an allergy medication).

Neither NASCAR nor Mayfield are commenting on this newest finding (the result of a gag order), but part one of Mayfield’s power play against NASCAR has indeed succeeded.

Over the past month, NASCAR officials have been adamant that it wouldn’t release the substance they say Mayfield tested positive for. Mayfield’s subsequent denial placed much confusion over the matter; the cloud of haze was placed on NASCAR, with their persistent refusal to reveal the substance.

Drivers, teams, journalists, and fans alike became slightly alarmed when it seemed that Mayfield may be innocent, and that NASCAR wouldn’t allow him to argue against what they found (even if he was innocent to begin with).

That pressure he put on NASCAR has now paid off, with the newest revelation in ESPN The Magazine (even if neither NASCAR nor Mayfield isn’t commenting on it).

Part one can now be labeled “mission accomplished.” The substance that Mayfield reportedly tested positive for is now out in the open. But, that was the easy part; even as despotic as NASCAR is at times, there was no way they could keep this hidden, especially with the outside pressure they were under.

Now comes the hard part. When this case goes into court (which is going to happen eventually), Mayfield will have to show that he did, in fact, only test positive for Claritin D and Aderrall, not meth.

While the court system operates under the assumption “you are innocent until proven guilty,” Mayfield can’t have any chinks in his armor. He’ll have to show that whatever was not only legal, but not on NASCAR’s list of banned substances.

Remember, it could be possible that either drug Mayfield says he took may have been on that list, if they have side affects that would hinder his driving ability and focus.

Whether or not those substances are legal may be irrelevant; if NASCAR says drivers can’t take Aderrall or Claritin D, then they can’t take them (even if Claritin is a sponsor, but that’s a different story altogether).

We all know from NASCAR’s history that series officials are often very autocratic. They have their own set of rules, and all involved in the series must abide by them. Something tells me they’ll be even more tyrannical about their drug policy, since it can’t something to be messed with.

What if one or the other has side affects that would adversely affect focus? Surely, I can see NASCAR taking a bit of a hard line on that. And, if Mayfield took one knowing that it’s on the list, then he may up the river without a paddle (assuming such a forbidden list of substances exists, that Aderrall and/or Claritin are on there).

Looking at the happenings over this past month, it is clear that Jeremy Mayfield firmly believes in his innocence, and that NASCAR mishandled the drug test. He may have gotten NASCAR to budge on revealing the substance, but he may have a harder time getting them to budge on this.

I sincerely hope that he is innocent, since I’d hate to see someone see their career ruined. But, if he is guilty, then his NASCAR suspension will be the least of his worries.

Jeremy Mayfield may be the biggest story NASCAR has right now (even bigger than Kyle Busch and his various antics). But, it isn’t for the right reasons. The manner in which he has handled makes one of two things clear.

Too paraphrase a piece written in Auto Racing 1, Mayfield is either crazy innocent, or just plain crazy.

Jenson Button Inching Closer to Title after Win in Turkey

Kyle Lavigne — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:58:57 -0400

This time last year, Jenson Button and the then Honda team were perennial back of the field runners. Button had scored his only points of the season with a sixth in Spain (back in April) and was on his way to his worst season to date (though his stint at Bennetton in 2001 also ranks up there).

He was written off as a potential world champion; there was no possible way the Honda outfit could turn itself around that quickly. Plus, when Honda eventually sold the team, it looked like he, and teammate Rubens Barrichello, would not even be on the grid this season.

Yet, with new owner Ross Brawn at the helm, Button is driving the best car on the grid, has won six of seven races, and holds a commanding 32-point lead over title rival Sebastian Vettel (I don’t included Barrichello as a title rival, because the team isn’t likely to let the two teammates battle for a title, especially with Button’s lead).

Plus, in recent weeks, it seems that many are “throwing in the towel,” ready to appoint Button the 2009 World Driving Champion. And, despite 10 races remaining in the season, I can’t find anything that would suggest a different outcome

As I said, Button’s lead is 32 points; that’s a little more than three races. Typically, a driver with that large of a gap is nearly a shoe-in to clinch the world championship.

Of course, history says that comebacks can happen. In 2006, Fernando Alonso led Michael Schumacher by a similar margin (24 points) heading into the U.S. Grand Prix. A Schumacher victory, coupled with Alonso struggling to fifth, was the momentum Schummy and Ferrari needed to mount a title charge.

So, that should be all you need to know to say that the 2009 championship is far from over, right? Not so fast.

In that 2006 season, there was a slight row regarding Renault and their mass damper system. Because their dampers in the nose of the car could move within the nosecone (as was the design, to shift weight around and maximize speed), the FIA ruled that it was a movable aerodynamic device. It was subsequently banned mid-way through the season.

That penalty proved extremely costly; the Renault R26 never had the speed it showed earlier that season, allowing Schumacher and Ferrari to close the gap, and even hold an advantage, despite trailing the French team through the season.

Now, such a scenario might have played out this year…had Diffuser Row ended up seeing these new double-decker diffusers illegal. Instead, with such a device legal and all teams now trying to apply them, the reverse may be happening.

The BGP001 was designed with that diffuser in mind; it was one of the focal points the designers used and a centerpiece to the car’s performance (which has been nothing short of phenomenal).

Red Bull’s RB5, however, was not designed with such a device in mind. It is only on the car because of the clear advantage Brawn seems to have with it. Because Brawn has been using that diffuser since their car was first penned, they were able to solve any teething problems in the design blue prints in testing (if any were apparent, that is).

Red Bull won’t have the luxury of multiple tests to work out any teething problems with their diffuser design (remember, in-season testing has been banned). Therefore, it may take several races before they understand how to properly utilize it and work through any teething problems.

And while they’re busy doing that, nothing appears to be in the way of Brawn’s freight train. Button said it best on the radio after the Turkish Grand Prix: “You’ve built me a monster of a car.”

However, one can’t simply chalk up Button’s 2009 successes solely to his car. Finally, Button has a car capable of matching his driving talents. So much of success in F1 is dependant on the car, and the Brit has had to drive some real pigs in his career (the past two Honda pieces taking the cake).

While teammate Rubens Barrichello has driven the same car, only Button has managed to secure poles and wins, while Barrichello failed to capture similar results (especially in the early races).

Button has taken this all-conquering piece that Ross Brawn has given him and is doing things akin to Michael Schumacher in his days at Ferrari. With a renewed focus and drive, Button has seized this opportunity and run with it.

In the span of one year, Jenson Button has gone from a driver without a team or car to a driver on the cusp of winning a world championship. Ten races may remain on the schedule, but the dominance of Button and the car illustrate this clear fact: This title is in his hands.

He just has to hold onto it.

Felipe Massa, Kimi Raikkonen Look To Return to Glory in Turkey

Kyle Lavigne — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 20:57:38 -0400

To say that the 2009 season has been hard on Felipe Massa, Kimi Raikkonen, and everybody at Scuderia Ferrari would be an understatement. While we all knew the re-written technical rulebook would mean struggles and growing pains for all the teams, no one expected Ferrari to hurt as badly as they did.

They unloaded in Australia, though not as fast as Brawn or even Red Bull, but there was nothing that said they were “off the pace.” Massa and Raikkonen qualified sixth and seventh, and Massa ran near the top three (and easily could have had a podium) until the car failed him. Raikkonen fell victim to the car’s twitchy nature and spun off.

It was a weekend the team didn’t enjoy, but they didn’t look terrible. However, it was indeed a sign of things to come. Whether it was from a lack of pace, uncharacteristic errors, or both, points did come for the scarlet cars until Bahrain.

Massa and Raikkonen looked off form, and the team was making radical calls to move up the grid (see Kimi Raikkonen’s stint on wet tires in a then dry Malaysian race). Oh, and the team’s miscues in qualifying (not running either driver late in some Q1 sessions), and in the race (not giving Massa enough fuel in Spain), weren’t helping.

Even engineer Chris Dyer admitted some of the team decisions were stupid. “Sometimes, you make a decision. And a couple weeks later, you go ‘What were we thinking?’” Clearly, something was missing in Maranello.

But, like all great teams do, they began to get things sorted out. For all the team problems with calls and strategies, the car’s pace was solid. If not for the late-race fuel saving, Massa would have secured a fourth.

Two weeks later in Monaco, Raikkonen and Massa brought the cars home third and fourth. Things are looking up for the Maranello boys.

Of course, Kimi Raikkonen was doing his best to keep it all in perspective. “The Monaco weekend was a step forward as far as the result is concerned, but we have to be patient: I know that our fans want to see us winning immediately, but we have to be realistic," he said on Ferrari’s Web site.

For sure, nothing is guaranteed. But when you look at the history of the Turkish Grand Prix, you’d be hard-pressed to say that neither driver can win.

There have been four races held at Istanbul Park. Only two drivers have record poles and victories: Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa, the latter having three straight of each. I think you can say this track is a playground for these two, especially for Massa.

If history is worth any merit, it’s a safe bet that Ferrari will put up a good fight against Brawn this weekend (even if it’s hard to say Button and Brawn won’t continue their dominant form). But Ferrari appears to be back on form.

Turkey presents them with their best chance yet to get their season firmly back on track with a win. Will it lead to a jump-start in their title chase? Well, not necessarily. They trail Jenson Button by 42 (Raikkonen) and 43 (Massa) points respectively. That’s a deficit not even Michael Schumacher could make up.

You never should say “never” in auto racing, but I feel comfortable in believing that neither Ferrari as a driver nor Ferrari as a constructor has a hope at this year’s championship.

But there are still wins and pride at stake. Plus, the further up in the standings you are, the more money you get at season’s end. Titles are out of reach, but more point money isn’t.

Watch out for the Scuderia this weekend. If there’s a team that could dethrone the all-conquering Brawn team, it just may be this one.

Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson Lead Standings After 13 Races

Kyle Lavigne — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 16:51:26 -0400

Thirteen races down, 13 to go. NASCAR’s Race to The Chase is halfway over. Normally, by the time we get here, we have a general idea about who the drivers to beat will be come Loudon in September.

This year, however, the Chase field seems a little more wide open. Sure, there are a handful of drivers you could say are “favorites,” but you can’t exactly say they’re all that far ahead of everyone else.

One could make a good argument that there are seven drivers who have a shot at this year’s title, whether it’s based on this year’s statistics or from previous years. And what about those outside of that group? Well, you can’t exactly count them out either; those final twelve races always see someone surprise us a little.

Kurt Busch wasn’t “supposed” to win the title in 2004. Carl Edwards and Denny Hamlin weren’t “supposed” to contend in 2005 and 2006. And Clint Bowyer came from nowhere to mount a charge in 2007.

So, what drivers are the leaders in the club house, and who could turn out to surprise some during The Chase?

Tier One: Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch

These are the likely favorites at the moment. Stewart took the points lead at Dover (even though he has yet to capture a win) with Gordon and Johnson right behind him. Kyle Busch leads the series in wins right now with three.

Between the four of them, there are six wins and 22 top fives so far. By a considerable margin, these four have been the cream of the crop through 2009. Odds say they have the best shot at this year’s title.

Of course, each has obstacles in their way right now. Tony Stewart and Stewart-Haas Racing, as good as they’ve been, have yet to win and haven’t battled for a championship together (or at all in the case of the team).

Do they know how to handle the pressures of The Chase? Can they raise their game when everyone else (Jimmie Johnson) does? We can’t be sure of that just yet.

What about Jeff Gordon? He’s been the best of the year to this point, leading the standings for eight races this year. He has been in contention for the entire season, and could have captured top tens in every race this year, if not for bad luck? But, his back has been on the fritz recently, leading Jeff to have medical procedure on it.

Does he have the endurance in him to last the full season? You know the team can give him the fast enough cars, and Jeff’s driving talent is as good as it’s ever been. But can his body hold up?

Kyle Busch leads the series in wins, and is easily the fastest driver in NASCAR right now. He has lead more laps than anyone, and has won more races over the past two years than anyone else in any of NASCAR’s major series. But this year, the younger Busch brother has been either feast or famine.

In races he hasn’t won, he has only one top five, two top tens, and seven finishes lower than 17th (including three lower than 25th). The consistency isn’t there for him so far. Without that, I can’t see him making a real charge, not yet at least.

So, who among this group has the best chance to bring home a championship? I’ll stay away from Stewart and Busch for the time being (Stewart’s team is untested in The Chase, and Kyle Busch is too inconsistent right now).

That leaves J.J. and Gordon. History says Johnson has an advantage (it’s hard to argue against three straight championships). But something tells me that Gordon shouldn’t be slept on.

So long as his back holds up, I think this year could be his, allowing him to ride off into the sunset and retirement (I can’t imagine he’d race much longer if he were to get one more title).

At the moment, I’ll take Jeff Gordon as my champion, with Johnson putting up a big fight for his fourth in a row. But, it won’t be enough.

Tier Two: The Field

The other eight drivers in the current Chase lineup go like this: Kurt Busch, Ryan Newman, Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle, Jeff Burton, Carl Edwards, and Mark Martin.

This bunch is comprised of those that may not be primary title contenders, but if circumstances turn up good for any of them, someone from this group could (and will) make a run at this thing. As I said earlier, there’s always one driver (at least) who isn’t a favorite that somehow manages to make a title push?

So, of this group, who might be able to make such a run? My heart says Mark Martin; he’s easily the “feel good” pick of this group, and he’s with the best team in Hendrick Motorsports. His slow start is a distant memory, and he has steadily climbed the standings to 12thright now.

In typical fashion, Martin has quietly been going about his business; he doesn’t lead a lot of laps, and doesn’t make much noise at races’ start. But, by the end of the day, he’s in somewhere in the top ten. Not bad for guy who FOX gave a rocking chair to four years ago.

Watch out for him to be this year’s “surprise” Chase contender (and he’s only a surprise because he isn’t in that “favorite” group; I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he took the title home after Homestead).

Outside Looking In

Finally, there are bout six or seven drivers just outside the top 12 trying to break in. Highlighted be David Reutimann, Kasey Kahne, and Dale Earnhardt Jr., among others.

While the so-called “experts” like to point out that a vast majority of Chase drivers are already in the top 12 at this point, I’ll remind them Mark Martin wasn’t in 2004 and Matt Kenseth wasn’t in 2005 or 2008/ Yet, both ended up making the Case those years. Hmm, maybe this deal isn’t sealed yet, is it?

I’m liking Kasey Kahne to knock someone out and put himself in between now and Loudon, NH is September. His Richard Petty Motorsports outfit is on the upswing, and this new Dodge engine is only going to help their cause.

Kahne hasn’t lived up to his successful rookie season (which saw everyone and their dog proclaim him as “the next Jeff Gordon”), but he is still one the better drivers going. With a better prepared team this year, a Chase birth is within reach. I believe he’ll grab it.

Danica Patrick's Road to Success Lies with Indy

Kyle Lavigne — Wed, 27 May 2009 16:43:49 -0400

It didn’t take Danica Patrick very long to become the darling of the Indycar Series. Her burst onto the scene in 2005 brought much-needed attention to a motorsport that had been playing second fiddle (if that) to NASCAR since 1996.

That changed in 2005 at Indianapolis, when Danica nearly won the pole, was a couple gallons of fuel away from winning the race (if she didn’t have to save fuel late in that run, she would’ve walked away from Dan Wheldon).

Finally, the sport of Indycar racing had a star that transcended the sport into the mainstream media. The 2005 Indianapolis 500, thanks in large part to Danica, drew a bigger television audience than NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600. A buzz had come back to a series that desperately needed one.

However, the inevitable rumors of her jumping ship into a stock car have become more and more prevalent now that she’s in the final year of her contract with Andretti Green Racing.

Each side has its perks: Indycar racing gives her a shot at winning (given her performance this year) and the Indianapolis 500. NASCAR gives her all the attention anyone could want and a large payday.

Everyone has an opinion on the matter. Open Wheel enthusiasts want her to stay since losing another star to the France family would be a heavy nail in the Open Wheel coffin. NASCAR wants her because of her celebrity and her status as a female racer, which NASCAR needs for its diversity program.

In all likelihood, this is a story that won’t reach a conclusion until the offseason and will see many twists and turns (and a few talking heads) along the way. There’s no way to see where it would end right now.

However, if Danica is smart, she’ll stay where she is: the Indycar Series.

First, look at what has happened to the last two Indycar stars to make the jump to NASCAR: Dario Franchitti and Sam Hornish Jr. Each had credentials that surpassed Danica’s.

Hornish was a three-time Indycar champ with an Indy 500 win to his name. Franchitti was also an Indycar and Indy 500 champ. It made sense for each to at least try NASCAR.

The result: Franchitti was out of that series and back in Indycars before 2008 ended, and Hornish runs between 25th and 30th about every week.

Now, many have said their failures came from the teams they were on. Dario had signed with Chip Ganassi’s fledgling Cup outfit, while Sam continues to drive for Roger Penske’s team, which underperformed throughout 2008.

However, I think that theory can be put out to pasture when looking at the 2009 stats. Kurt Busch, in a Penske car, sits third in the standings with a win already. Hornish, however, is mired back in 30th right now. Penske’s equipment appears to be significantly better this year, but Hornish isn’t.

Should Danica make the move to NASCAR, it would take her more than a year and a half to learn how to drive a stock car. Plus, if she gets with a team that doesn’t have a lot of owner points to give her, she’ll run the risk of missing races; we all know how big of a hole that can be put a driver in.

In the time it would take her to learn the ways of stock car racing, she might run her reputation as a driver dry and be out of a ride, regardless of her prior success. (It wouldn’t surprise me at all if Roger Penske took Hornish of the car and replaced him with another driver; Justin Allgaier perhaps?)

From that standpoint alone, it would make sense for Danica Patrick to remain in the Indycar Series.

But there is another component to this story that makes me think it would make sense for her to stay in Indycars.

She has long since passed the point of becoming the best female racer major auto racing (aside from the NHRA) has seen. Now, she has the chance to be the lead driver in Indycar’s recovery from the split.

Whether it is fair or not, a female driver being a consistent race winner is a novelty in society (unless you follow drag racing). The attention Danica received for being a competitive female racer may be waning, but the attention she (and the series) would get for consistently winning and being a female racer wouldn’t wane...for a VERY long time.

If you don’t think Danica is close to winning, look at her stats over the past three races. She may not have led laps, but she has finishes of fourth, fifth, and third and sits 13 points off the lead. Plus, if she hadn’t been crashed out by Raphael Matos in St. Pete, she could easily be leading the standings right now. Be sure of this: More wins are coming.

The greatest drivers in any form of motorsport have been ones who could transcend their own series, taking it to new heights with them. We saw it with Richard Petty, who was NASCAR’s first big star (with the Hollywood looks to match his Southern gentleman prowess).

We saw it again with Dale Earnhardt Sr., who showed what marketing and a persona can do for the promotion of a driver and series.

Finally, we saw it once more with Jeff Gordon, whose good looks, wit, and charm helped lift NASCAR out of the Southeast and into mainstream America.

Am I saying Danica is as good as any of those three? Absolutely not; she has a way to go in that light. But, she has the opportunity to take Indycar racing on her back and lead it to new heights, as Petty, Earnhardt, and Gordon all did with NASCAR.

If Danica can do that, she’ll put herself on the same level as the other greats in motorsport history, doing her reputation much better than if she follows that large golden carrot NASCAR is going to dangle in front of her.

Of course, this can only happen if she keeps focusing on her Indycar efforts and stays in that series. If she does just that, I have no doubts that she’ll start winning, and Indycar will become relevant again.

The opportunity is on the table for you, Danica. It’s up to you to take it.

FIA, FOTA at Odds Over Budget Caps, Teams Contemplate Boycott/Split

Kyle Lavigne — Sun, 17 May 2009 21:36:06 -0400

When FOTA (the Formula One Teams’ Association) was formed a year ago, I pondered about if this would lead to a Grand Prix Racing split. Surely, after what we saw happen to American Open Wheel Racing, the FIA would find a way to work with FOTA in harmony to give them what they want, but also keep them in line.

Apparently, that isn’t going smoothly. The recently proposed budget cap(s) for next season saw every team (sans the Brawn, Williams, and Force India outfits) threaten to withdraw, or start their own series, separate from F1.

That number might have been higher, but the three teams who haven’t crossed the picket line may only be doing so because they, literally, can’t afford to.

Of course, this isn’t the first time the FIA has come to heads with a team organization/union. Going to the late 1970s and early '80s, the FIA (the FISA) was involved the now famous FISA/FOCA war. That multi-year conflict eventually led to the FOCA teams’ boycotting of the 1982 San Marino Grand Prix.

So, what has led us to this point, and what might be a resolution? Well, the latter can’t be answered at the moment, but the first can absolutely be. We’ll just speculate about that when we get there.

The Budget Caps

It is widely agreed that a budget cap is necessary for Formula 1 teams. The massive budgets that some teams have (Toyota’s has been said to be over $500 million at times) is making the series teeter on a dangerous ledge: there are only a few teams capable of such a budget (and those are dwindling fast).

The more expensive F1 is, the more likely it is that we’ll lose teams, simply because the costs of competing will be too high.

With the grid only at 20 cars right now, the sport won’t want to lose any more teams, and will want to promote others to get involved.

The most recent proposed cap had two tiers to it. One allowed the teams to spend as much as they want, but must adhere to all sorts of technical restrictions, severely hindering performance.

The other tier gave teams $58 million to spend, but with complete technical freedom. The money would be theirs to spend and develop what ever pieces they want, including more boost from KERS units and movable aerodynamics.

The FIA’s intent with this, however, was not to create a scenario in which both would be used. What they wanted to do was force teams to adhere to a strict budget cap by giving heavy incentives to those who would follow it and brutally penalizing those who didn’t accept it.

Imagine the advantage that would be had by a car with150 bhp boost from KERS, or a rear wing that lays down on long straights and stands back upright under breaking for turns (I speak hypothetically here).

Cars with those elements would have a HUGE advantage over the ones that can have $400 million in them, but have to meet incredibly stringent and tight regulations.

But, this proposed system was never going to put all the teams under the same umbrella with the rules. We all know that some would take the tier with unlimited spending, because they would have the money to do so and didn’t want to be limited to $58 million.

The teams don’t want a system that could potentially create two “classes;” they want everyone to be under the same umbrella regulations.

The “multi-classism,” as that proposal had been termed, was not a road that the teams wanted to go down. Martin Whitmarsh, the Mclaren team principal, even called it “dangerous.”

Mario Thiessen, the head of the BMW Sauber outfit, echoed those sentiments in Autosport. “In my view the budget cap is not the problem, I even think it makes more sense than too many individual technical restrictions on the technical side,” he said. “The problem is to have an A and B league. That is something we cannot support.”

Thankfully, Bernie came forward and said this idea will tabled for 2010. No multi-tier budget cap system will be in place. But, no resolution was found; Friday’s meeting in London saw both sides hit a stalemate regarding an official cap for next year…and the team will meet themselves in Monaco on Tuesday to discuss the matter.

The Solution

All but three of the teams have threatened to boycott the championship in 2010 should this proposal go through. As I said earlier, the three that haven’t would do so, but wouldn’t be able to survive sitting a season out. Otherwise, every single member of FOTA is standing strong against the FIA here.

This is a very delicate situation that FIA needs to handle with some common sense (yes, I did mention “FIA” and “common sense” in the same sentence). While Bernie and Max do run the show, they can’t ignore the teams’ wants and wishes.

After all, what good is Formula One if only three teams compete next year, and the likes of Ferrari and Mclaren are on the sidelines? Answer: not much.

Flavio Briatore gave the impression that there is a sense of desperation and frustration going in to this. “We are living in a difficult moment and we must find a solution at all costs. I hope [Max] Mosley and his men will mend their ways, in order to start over in full harmony,” he told Autosport Thursday.

He also mentioned that, even though it’s a last resort, a breakaway series may loom. Of course though, that would be the last thing they want to do. Again, I’ll reference the current state of American Open Wheel Racing as evidence of why a split is more damaging than anything.

What might be done to fix this whole fiasco? Well, they got the first part correct and listened to the teams complaints about the original proposal. It won’t be a part of the 2010 season.

Secondly, find out what the teams exact budgets currently are and negotiate an appropriate amount to cap them at. I’ll refer back to the proposed $58 million cap, even if it was part of an idea that was scrapped. While making them spend no more than $58 million would save them a lot of money, it may not be a realistic

Consider this: Kimi Raikkonen’s salary with Ferrari is rumored to be more than $20 million. That would leave them $38 million to pay Felipe Massa, as well as the other employees at the factory, and build and develop a car.

That doesn’t sound very feasible to me. At this time, the technical side of F1 is easily worth more than $100 million (and I’m being very modest in the estimate).

My solution: start the negotiations at a cap that’s around $100 million (or a little over even)…and take in feedback from the teams about it! They know how much they spend, and they know how much they can realistically be capped at.

Again, they want to limit how much can be spent, but they want to be heard…and well! Note to Bernie and Max: don’t make the teams call their bluff on boycotting or breaking away from Formula One. CART did that with Tony George, and look what happened?

Mark Martin: NASCAR's Version of Brett Favre, Minus the Criticism

Kyle Lavigne — Tue, 12 May 2009 21:19:53 -0400

Nearly five years ago now, Mark Martin announced that 2005 would be his last season. Dubbed the “Salute to You Tour,” Martin took that season to thank his fans for their support of his career, and make one final run at NASCAR Cup Series championship.

The FOX broadcasters gave him a rocking chair for his “golden years,” he brought out all his old paint schemes to run periodically throughout the year; everything pointed toward a permanent retirement.

Then, a funny thing happened later that summer: Jaime McMurray had signed to replace Martin, but starting in 2007, not 2006. Then, Kurt Busch did the unforeseen: he left Roush Racing (with which he won the championship the year before) and signed the same deal to join Penske Racing in 2007.

Common sense eventually prevailed as McMurray and Busch got out of their contracts with their current teams to make their switches for 2006. But, a problem still remained for Jack Roush.

McMurray took Busch’s No. 97 car, and Martin’s car was vacant (remember, they were down a driver with Busch’s departure). With no young drivers in the pipeline (Carl Edwards was already in the Cup Series), Roush needed a driver, and he asked his friend to make one more go.

That chain of events started a snow ball that has led to this: Martin continues to run, now full-time after a pair of partial seasons, and has signed on for another full-time season in 2010.

He is NASCAR’s version of Brett Favre: a long-time veteran who, despite a career spanning more than decade (or close to one in the case of Favre), can still get it done.

But, unlike Favre, Martin is revered for his refusal to quit and is easily the most admired driver in the garage. Favre, on the other hand, has become more of a hindrance than a hero, as his saga has seen many fans (and journalists and fellow athletes) and turn on him for hanging around into his 40’s.

Why? Neither is “out to pasture” regarding performance on the field, or track. Each of worthy of being their sports’ Hall of Fame (Martin deserves a spot, even if he hasn’t won a Daytona 500 or a title).

How is it that one is more of a hero than he ever was while the other is Public Enemy No. 1 in the minds of many?

Well, it’s simple really. We all know Favre’s story (and all to well if you ask me, given the obscene amount of coverage it received last summer).

His retirement saw the Packers name Aaron Rodgers the starter, and move on to the future. Of course, Favre decided later on that he was only joking, and tried to come back to “his” team.

Management said “no,” as they had already moved on; to take Rodgers out of the starting role would be an injustice to him, and Favre hadn’t done any offseason workouts to keep in football shape.

Plus, his noncommittal statements about returning during the prior three years (which saw them draft Rodgers as an insurance policy) couldn’t have done him much help.

For trying to holding his team hostage, attempting to keep a youngster on the bench after he’d been told he’d start, and for generally mishandling the whole “I might quit, but I’m not sure” thing for three years, Favre has been nearly crucified by fans and journalists.

Conversely, Mr. Martin, who has also been noncommittal on his retirement at times, never did hold a team he was on hostage.

He never told Jack Roush “I’m retiring,” go through the entire winter at home, and then decide he wants to come back, asking the team kick to the curb the driver they got to replace him.

Martin only ever accepted and discussed offers from other teams when THEY made them; he never initiated those discussions.

It was Bobby Ginn who got Martin to run that first partial schedule in 2007, partnering him with rookie Regan Smith.

Now, Smith was eventually left out in the cold, but that was a result of the fast demise of Ginn Racing and merger with DEI. Smith would have likely stayed with the team had they survived.

With the DEI merger, Martin took over the No. 8 car, sharing it with Aric Almirola for 2008, before leaving to run full-time with Hendrick this year. Like Smith, Almirola was eventually left out in the cold, but due to sponsorship and funding.

Martin never displaced either of those drivers from their rides; in fact, his presence in the car for most races likely kept those teams in the top 35 in owner points, making it more feasible for his rookie teammates to run the races they were entered.

Now, you might be wondering about Brad Keselowski. The young Nationwide Series standout is a Hendrick/JR Motorsports development driver, and his top 10 at Darlington backed up his Talladega win nicely; he should be a fixture in years to come.

But, is Martin keeping him from entering the series, in the same manner that Favre nearly kept Rodgers from finally taking a starting role?

Not necessarily. Rick Hendrick is not limited to the four teams he owns; he also gives equipment out to Stewart-Haas Racing.

Could they farm him to that team for a year of Cup experience (as Joe Menzer discussed on NASCAR’s Web site)? Or what about propping up James Finch’s team to run a full year and him?

Either scenario is possible, and may be in the pipeline. Of course, Auto Racing is unique in that sense: a team can farm a driver out to another team, whole still keeping him (or her) under contract.

Has that helped Martin keep his admiration, even if he has hung around after declaring he would retire?

Well, it’s helped, although the two wins he has this year has certainly made it clear he’s as good as he’s ever been.

Why should he stop of he’s having fun and winning races? He shouldn’t if he doesn’t want to, and he isn’t hindering anyone from driving in the process.

By still kicking his competitors’ tails, and by not burning any bridges to get there, Mark Martin is clearly NASCAR’s version of Brett Favre, but has managed to keep his reputation fully intact.

F1 2009 Preview: Brawn, Ferrari Fast, McLaren Searching

Kyle Lavigne — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 22:51:43 -0400

New rules, new races, new cars, new technology…new season! The 2009 Formula 1 Season will commence this weekend in Melbourne Australia after, arguably, the most radical changes in formula the sport has ever seen.

Sure, we’ve had preseason testing to gauge how teams are doing, but that isn’t always the most accurate of portrayals. In 2001, the Prost team was very quick all through testing. However, that was because they ran the car underweight, hoping their appearance near the top of the time sheets would attract sponsors.

Once the season started, they added weight to the car (to make it legal) dropped to the back, eventually falling off the grid entirely.

Of course, preseason testing is all we have to bank on right now, and many a headline has been made throughout the winter. So, what do we have to look forward to this season? Who might be slated to do what? Who could potentially make headlines (whether good or bad) this season?

Brawn GP: Are they for Real?

It appeared that Formula 1 was dangerously close to losing a second team in less than 12 months (Super Aguri shut down last May). That is, until Ross Brawn (one of the masterminds behind the dominance of Michael Schumacher) formally bought into the outfit.

They were saved…and that was enough to make us all happy. Surely, they would simply take up Honda’s usual spot near the back of the field right?

Hold on though. They may have gotten a late start in testing, but the BGP001 has been a rocket straight out of the gate, topping several sessions over the past month.

Raise your hand if you saw this one coming. Don’t worry, I don’t think anyone did. But, perhaps it shouldn’t be that much a surprise. Their car has been in the works longer than anyone’s, and Ross Brawn’s technical mastery did touch this piece.

Sure, it is only testing, and we won’t know the full capabilities of the car until Melbourne (or afterward, given the recent Diffuser row). All the same, it is has been a sensational month for Brawn GP, and they have won over many a heart for those who love pulling for the underdogs.

If their testing pace proves truthful, watch for Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello to not only have a resurgence, but to potentially contend for a title.

No one knows what will come of this operation

But one thing is for certain. With a team that was believed to be all but dead, a car always assumed to be as sluggish as the previous chassis, two drivers many believed to have past their best days. The latest start of all the teams, they could be the Cinderella story of the year. What a joy it would be to see them stun the big dogs!

Ferrari Confident, McLaren Confused

As has been the norm, Ferrari produced a very competitive piece. Mother Nature did her best to hinder the team’s development, throwing all things rain and sand at them, preventing them from showing what the car may truly be capable of.

However, Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa exude a quiet confidence that suggests they will be strong again this year. One shouldn’t be completely shocked here, as Ferrari is always a team that is near the top of the time sheets.

What is surprising is the obvious lack of pace from the new McLaren. Sure, Heikki Kovalainen did turn the fastest lap of all during the final Jerez session, but the car lingered at the back for so long that it has eyebrows raised in concern over in Woking.

It is very clear that the McLaren is lacking speed, and team principal Martin Whitmarsh has admitted such. However, this could be a test for reigning champ Lewis Hamilton.

Many believe that the truly great drivers can win with a car that is not fast enough to do so; transcending the car’s capabilities by dragging it up the grid has been a defining aspect of the abilities of Senna, Schumacher, etc.

One of the big arguments against Hamilton has been that he has driven one of the best (if not the best) cars on the grid; he is a product of the team, not of sublime driving ability.

This year, he won’t have the luxury of driving one of the best pieces. If he can manage to take the MP4/24 and thrust it into podiums, or even a win, in the first few races, then he will cement himself as a top tier driver whose success is because of his talent, not the car the he drives.

A championship may not beckon this year, but a chance to prove his real worth is. Keep an eye on him and how he handles the adversity to come.

BMW, Toyota Aim for Title, Renault Hope for More Alonso Magic

BMW Sauber has been tabbed as a potential title contender since last year. In each season under the leadership of Mario Thiessen, the German-Swiss operation has set and matched every goal they’ve set out: regular points in ’06, podiums in ’07, and a win in ’08.

Now, they’ve set their eyes on the big prize: a world championship. Like the boys at Ferrari, Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica seem confident that their car will be fast, and their KERS is ready to race, which could give them a huge advantage.

On the flip side, the Renault piece has a fair many naysayers. Many believe (myself included) that the Renault’s successes this offseason (and late last season) were a result of Fernando Alonso’s driving brilliance, and the car’s true pace can be seen from Nelson Piquet’s times.

What’s more, Flavio Briatore is the head of those of challenging the diffusers on the Toyota, Brawn, and Williams cars. So, they may garner more attention from off-track antics than on-track success.

This is a very critical year for the Renault team; ING is pulling its funding after this year, and they’ll need to be fast to attract new sponsors (and keep Alonso, who has been reported to eye a spot at Ferrari). It could be “do or die’ this year for the French operation.

Toyota, Red Bull Eye Improvements

For all the funding each of these teams has had over the years, the results they have produced have been disappointing.

Aside from a simply remarkable 2005 season, Toyota hasn’t done anything noteworthy, a bad statement against them given their lucrative budget. On the contrary, the Red Bull cars have been quick, but they’ve always been very fragile.

However, Toyota says ’09 could (or should) bring a break through win, which is believed necessary in order to assure them a place on the grid permanently.

Red Bull, and Toro Rosso by extension, may have the best looking car on the grid this year, and have certainly turned heads based on aesthetics. Add in Sebastian Vettel’s presence in the “A Team,” and Red Bull has the potential to rocket up the grid this year.

However, the car hasn’t exactly lit the world on fire, and reliability may be a question mark (again). Plus, the Toro Rosso team may fall back, given Vettel’s departure and entrance of rookie Sebastien Buemi.

As I mentioned earlier, the basis for any confidence or doubt in teams is a result of testing, which has proven to be unreliable in the pas. The season remains impossible to predict at this point, and we won’t know, for sure, who is capable of what until Melbourne. However, this year will be a lot of fun to watch.

With that, the 2009 Formula 1 season beckons. As the immortal Murray Walker would say “one light, two lights, three lights, FOUR LIGHTS, GIVE LIGHT…AND IT’S GO GO GO GO!”

Tommy Baldwin Jr. Defies Odds, Announces He'll Start His Own Cup Team

Kyle Lavigne — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:16:26 -0500

Dale Earnhardt Inc. had to merge with Ganassi Racing (with Felix Sabates). Petty Enterprises is being absorbed by Gillett Evernham Motorsports. Dodge is rumored to be cutting its factory support for NASCAR teams.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is having trouble finding sponsorship for his Nationwide Series teams. Even the almighty Hendrick team, the most funded in NASCAR, has had to lay off employees because the current economic crisis.

This economic downturn has hit NASCAR…and hit it hard. Yet, even with all this turmoil, earlier today, Tommy Baldwin Jr. (former Daytona 500 winning Crew Chief) announced that he would be starting his own full-time Cup team for this 2009 season.

The team, which will use the Toyota Camry as its race car, made no further announcements regarding driver, sponsorships, etc.

Huh? With everyone in NASCAR struggling to make ends meet, how does someone find it in them to get involved now, when sponsorships drive the sport and few companies will likely be interested because the economic crisis?

It would seem that this new operation will fold as quickly as it was formed. No top 35 in Owners’ Points to lock the team, no apparent ties to an upper-tier team, and no big name driver (as of yet) announced to pilot the car: that all should equal a quick collapse.

Not so fast though; perhaps Mr. Baldwin knows what he’s doing in starting up a team right now as others are struggling to stay afloat.

Go back to the mergers I mentioned; The DEI/Ganassi merger sees four cars/teams disappear. The GEM/Petty deal will see one more go away. Throw Michael Waltrip Racing’s merger/partnership with JTG Daugherty Racing (which saw the No. 00 go away), and that’s six cars and teams from 2008 that we know won’t see 2009.

Even though Richard Childress is adding a fourth team and Robert Yates is adding a third, that still leaves at least four cars from last year won’t see the grid this year.

Plus, who knows how many more teams will merge or cut back? It is estimated that the Sprint Cup Series will see as few as 35-37 full times entries, meaning it is quite possible that several races won’t see 43 starters.

Should that happen, Mr. Baldwin’s operation should make every race, or most of them at least, it enters. He and Joey Arrington, who will be supplying engines to the team, seem very committed to see this team out through the entire year, at the very minimum, even if it means funding it from their own pockets.

If they can find even a little sponsorship for this season, then they look to be great shape. The smaller fields will make it easier for them to crack the top 35, and doing so would make them more appetizing to potential sponsors, since they’d already be locked in to all the races.

On top of it all, Baldwin does have some experience owning a NASCAR team…albeit not at the Sprint Cup level (but pretty darn close). He formed a Busch Series (now Nationwide Series) team with Eddie D’Hondt in 2003, before the team was sold Ray Evernham (whom Baldwin was working for at the time) in 2004.

On the surface, this move seems like it is poorly timed; the current economy just isn’t that friendly toward the sport of Auto Racing. Even almighty Honda isn’t immune, as it had to sell its Formula 1 team.

But, perhaps Tommy Baldwin knows what he’s doing. Maybe the other teams’ struggles will see his new operation be relatively successful this year. That much remains unknown, but this move might not be as shocking as one may think.

Formula One Review: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of 2008

Kyle Lavigne — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 13:06:11 -0500

The Good

The Championship and the Finale

With a tumultuous season (at least politically) in 2007, 2008 would need to bring the focus back on the racing (in spite of the attempts of Mr. Max Mosely to do otherwise…more on him later). The title fight between Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa (and Robert Kubica and Kimi Raikkonen for a while) did just that.

In a year that saw more twists than anyone imagined, it seemed that no one wanted to win this championship. Unreliability, driver errors, Mother Nature, and the occasional dumb race steward (see the Belgian Grand Prix) all had a hand in making this year’s title fight one of the best the sport has ever seen.

The only thing that could have made it better was a dramatic finale. Mother Nature took care of that. All you need to know about the final race is that Felipe Massa was the world champion…until the last corner of the last lap. For that race, Lewis Hamilton had luck on his side.

Outcome aside, it gave Formula One what it needed: focus back on the racing!

BMW Sauber

Struggles in testing said that BMW Sauber might take a step back this year; Robert Kubica’s near pole in Australia ended that thought.

BMW Sauber continued its surge forward with a pole, a win (both from Kubica), and 11 total podiums. Add this team to the big guns on the Formula One grid. Many have them picked as the favorite heading into next season. That may be in slight haste, but it’s more than reasonable to think this team will contend for both titles in ’09.

Watch out for Kubica and Nick Heidfeld next year. The German-Swiss outfit and its drivers might be poised to make a run.

Sebestian Vettel

In the second half of the season, we watched the birth of a new star in Formula 1. The Toro Rosso chassis may have been good, but there was no way it should have been beating the Mclarens, Ferraris, or BMW Saubers. Vettel proved time and again that he could drive a car beyond its limits.

His win at Monza will be a lasting memory for everyone who saw and served notice that Germany will have another hero after Michael Schumacher. Taking a car that should have been in the midfield and win was something special, and he made everyone who cheers for underdogs smile.

A move to Red Bull Racing next year may be an initial step back (many say the Renault power plant in inferior to the Ferrari one), but Vettel has proven he can do a lot with a little. The young German will be a force for years to come.

Fernando Alonso

He would’ve fallen into the “bad” category, but his second half performance shot him up the list. A pair of wins and more points than anyone in the second half of the season reminded us all that he is still a top driver.

Renault will have to give him a better car next year, but Alonso did make the right move in staying with Renault (made all the more correct given Honda’s withdrawal from F1 as a manufacturer).

Might we see Alonso and Renault make a run at the titles next year? Well, the grid will surely be shaken up with the new regs, so, to steal a line from the great Murray Walker, “anything can happen in Formula 1, and usually does.”

The Bad

Kimi Raikkonen

He looked to be on form after a win in Spain. But, from there, we saw the Kimster look dramatically more mediocre. He even went a full two months (Hungary to Japan) without scoring a point! Certainly, more was expected of the ’07 World Champion.

Also, with Massa’s increased performance, perhaps he might assume the role of team leader, relegating Kimi to “wing man.” That may be a reach to say right now, but Kimi will have to be on point early next season, or he won’t be a title contender in ’09.

Williams

In Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Monaco, Canada, Valencia, and Singapore, the Williams package was very quick and earned them a pair of podiums (though it could’ve been more in Monaco and Canada). However, in Malaysia, France, Britain, Belgium, etc. (aka, the big circuits), the team went AWOL.

Nico Rosberg and Kaz Nakajima did what they could, but the car’s performance was wildly inconsistent; the team’s preseason testing pace came only partly true.

Perhaps the drop in performance (especially in the latter races, minus Singapore) came from the team focusing toward ’09. Maybe so, but the year could have seen so much more for Williams. The ’09 season will need a jump up in performance from this group, or they may be in trouble.

The Ugly

Max Mosely

Say what you will about the circumstances surrounding his troubles, but he should’ve known better than to get involved in that “German prison themed” sexcapade. It remains unknown to me how he managed to stay on as FIA president, as all things seemed to point to his resignation.

He, and Formula One, are fortunate that the title fight and racing was as exciting as they were, otherwise this would have been the sole F1 story of 2008. The on-track dramatics saw this story fall by the wayside, but the fact remains that Mr. Mosely nearly put another (possibly permanent) black eye on the sport. Shame on you Mr. Mosely.

Here’s hoping there’s no more of this stuff next year.

Honda

The demise of Honda’s F1 presence began when Super Aguri (Honda’s B team) failed to find sufficient funding to compete. With Honda unable (or unwilling?) to prop the team up, Super Aguri left the grid to the chagrin of everyone who follows the sport.

Super Aguri was the team of “Super Best Friends” (as the American SPEED broadcasters dubbed them) who battled for everything they could and managed respectability with nearly nothing.

The highlight for me (and everyone else probably) will be Takuma Sato’s pass on Fernando Alonso the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix.

Now, Honda has withdrawn its support for the “A” team, leaving the Brackley boys (and girls) up in the air, wondering what will happen in 2009. Even as I write, there might be a deal progressing that could see David Richards take control of the team. However, that will all unfold in the coming weeks and nothing is yet known.

Currently, their status is unknown. Honda seemed poised to make a run at the big teams after Jensen Button’s fine win in Hungary in 2006. Now, Honda may be out of F1 altogether. How sad it is.

Champ Or Chaser: The Chase for the Sprint Cup

Kyle Lavigne — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 06:28:52 -0400

There’s nothin’ like a good trip back home to make you forget about a rough day. That’s probably what’s on the minds of nearly all the Chase drivers after last week’s wreck/tire blowing fest at Talladega Super Speedway. The race saw a several blown tires, more than a few innocent victims, and a pair of big ones that gave the Chasers headaches.

Because of Talladega, Jeff Gordon can kiss any hope he had of winning a title this year good bye. He now sits 232 points adrift of the lead, far too much to make up without a lot of help. The same can probably be said of Dale Earnhardt Jr., who was a victim of Carl Edwards’ and Greg Biffle’s game of bumper cars.

Oh my, how fast things can change. However, not all was lost. The top three remain in relatively close proximity to each other, and we know how easily points can be lost. With that, here are your top five heading into tonight’s race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

1.Jimmie Johnson: One of the lucky few Chasers to escape trouble last week, Johnson’s lead in the standings now sits at a nice 72 points. Sure, it may provide some breathing space (he won’t lose the lead in one race, barring an early crash or engine failure). But, he has by no means reached high ground yet.

Anyone remember what Jeff Gordon’s margin was over Johnson after last year’s Lowe’s race. Yeah, it was about the same…and we all know who won last year’s title. Johnson may be starting to assert himself a little more, but there’s still a lot more season to go.

2.Carl Edwards: A week after giving us one of the moves of the year, he gives one of the dumbest moves of the year. However, he was responsible enough to admit his mistake afterward, a classy move on his part. So, I’ll leave his error right here.

His 72 point deficit mostly likely won’t be made up in one swoop, but can be chipped away at. Edwards will be back up near Johnson before Homestead, and a big step in that direction could be made tonight. Edwards had the fastest time in first practice and second fastest time in second practice; he’ll be very fast tonight.

3.Greg Biffle: The Biff should be in good shape this evening. He had one of best cars here last May, and might have won if not for the fuel mileage run at the end. He’ll be looking to rebound from his bad luck last week, and mostly likely will. The 1.5 mile ovals have always been a Roush Fenway specialty, and Biffle seems hungry to get himself back in the thick of things.

4.Jeff Burton: Well, he did what he was supposed to at ‘Dega: he kept himself out of trouble and recorded a fourth place finish. The end results did prove to help him out some, as he’s now within 100 of the lead. He’ll need a win to help his cause, but consistency will also be a friend to have to next few races. If anyone in front of him falters, look for Mr. Burton to pick up the pieces.

5.Clint Bowyer: Like Burton, he also avoided the trouble and recorded a top five finish. However, unlike Burton, he lacks the consistency to make a title run. That doesn’t mean can’t sneak in an odd win in the next few races, just don’t expect him to make a serious title run. He’s too far back (152 points behind) and not consistent enough to make a charge. However, if you’re looking for a spoiler pick, this driver might not be a bad one.

Champ or Chaser: The Chase for the Sprint Cup (Talladega)

Kyle Lavigne — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 03:10:04 -0400

We now head to race number four and the one marked as the wild card that could change everything: Talladega. Just saying its name generates thoughts of high speed drama and 20 car pileups.

You don’t even have to do anything wrong; someone well in front of you can mess up…and you’ll just get caught up in their mess. It doesn’t matter where you are, the big wreck is always looming.

Currently, the top three are separated by 30 points, with Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick, and Jeff Gordon about another 100 back apiece. However, no one in the top six is out of contention at the moment.

Talladega has a habit of throwing not just one, but several monkey wrenches at drivers and teams.

No one knows how it will play out, but everyone does know it will be crazy and the standings will get shaken up.

1. Jimmie Johnson: He avoided Carl Edwards' gutsy, but unsuccessful slide job at Kansas to take his fifth win of the year. So, he’s won in the run into The Chase, and is running up front and winning during The Chase. I think I’ve read that script somewhere before…and it normally ends with Johnson on top at the end.

He and the No. 48 team are simply the team to beat the moment…and have been even when they hit bumps in the road as Kyle Busch dominated. You couldn’t really ever think that this bunch wouldn’t be in the thick of things; they’re simply too good.

However, they’re not safe yet. If they get out of Talladega as they went in, they’ll be in good shape to will another run. However, that is BIG “if.”

2. Carl Edwards: He gets my vote in the “Ballsiest Move of the Year” category after his battle with Johnson last week. He came up short in the end, but remains only 10 points back and well within striking distance.

Likewise though, he’ll have to get past ‘Dega before anyone can consider him a true threat this year. That’s not to say he hasn’t been competitive enough to do so (because he and No. 99 bunch have been), but too much happens down in Alabama for anyone to feel confident heading into Sunday. If he come can out where is going in, look him to also make a run at a title.

3. Greg Biffle: I find it very hard to say he had a “bad” race last week after he finished third. Sure, his two rivals did finish ahead of him, but “The Biff” was right behind them. I think he’s just fine where he is.

Talladega hasn’t been really nice to him though. His best finish in the last three ‘Dega races is 18th. He’ll need to improve on those performances, but he’ll also have to avoid the trouble (which is much easier said than done).

4. Jeff Burton: Just as he always does, the younger of the Burton Brothers is just hanging around. He isn’t making much noise, but isn’t really out of the picture; he’s just in the background for the time being.

And there is absolutely nothing wrong with just hanging around. His patience is a virtue (even though he has yet to capture a title of his own). If Talladega is nice to him, and if the people in front of him hit trouble (which is quite likely), don’t be surprised if his face suddenly appears near the top.

5. Kevin Harvick: The new found consistency has carried over from the summer and Harvick sees himself in a good spot to make a run if Sunday works in his favor. He’ll need to start turning his top tens into top fives though.

Simply being consistent may not be enough, even if he is helped out by others having trouble. He and the No. 29 team will have to start putting themselves in position to win some races. They probably can do that, but they really need to do so now.

Fernando Alonso Rekindles Old Form, Should Stay with Renault

Kyle Lavigne — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 03:02:04 -0400

The 2008 season hasn’t been what the double world champion from Spain wanted.

His fallout with McLaren came at a time when few rides were available; his subsequent choice to return to Renault has seen him struggle to score regular points, let alone compete for race wins and podiums.

However, the team and car has improved as the year has gone on, giving hope that Alonso could at least see the podium this year. At the same time, cases of bad luck and overdriving have caused such opportunities to slip away.

He qualified second in Barcelona and seemed to be poised for a podium in one of his home races. However, a poor race start and first stint dropped him back, and mechanical failure ended his day.

In Monaco, the rain gave him a real chance to show his struggles were due to the car, not the driver. Alonso’s known to be one of the best wet-weather drivers, and he was very fast in the opening laps.

However, an overly optimistic pass attempt on Nick Heidfeld failed; Alonso dropped back, and Alonso finished out of the points.

In Canada, the collision between Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Raikkonen gave Alonso a chance to get a podium finish. He was in prime position to do so…until he spun exiting the second turn. He failed to finish.

It’s safe to say this is a year Alonso would rather forget.

However, we all got a glimpse of what may be to come from him and Renault next year (if they indeed hit KERS right).

The car performed perfectly (except for a mechanical problem in qualifying), the driver drove perfectly, and the team pitted the car perfectly. Everything that could have gone right…did. It was a dream weekend for Alonso and Renault.

Despite his win and upturn in performance, he still hasn’t decided though where he will drive in 2009. Alonso, a word of advice: it’s apparent to everyone that you want to be the team’s top driver.

Chances are very good that you won’t be at BMW…and a move to Honda might be just plain stupid (given that team’s inability to do anything right in the past two seasons).

Stay at Renault, Alonso. That team is on its way back up. Plus, you could have a small “Michael Schumacher”-type of moniker if you stay on and help get that team back at the front permanently (like what Schumi did for Ferrari).

The 2007 spygate saga has all but labeled Alonso as damaged goods; no team seems to want a driver who could, potentially, go rogue if they don’t fully back him as their No. 1 driver.

Ferrari has already said they want no part of Alonso, even though rumors persisted that they’d sign him to replace Kimi Raikkonen.

BMW Sauber seems happy with their pair of drivers, though Nick Heidfeld may not be there after 2009. Even still, the team has a rising start in Robert Kubica, meaning Alonso wouldn’t get No. 1 treatment if he went there.

We all know that McLaren is totally out of the picture, and I can’t see Alonso taking a seat
“down” the grid. And if he does, his win on Sunday may be his last.

Renault likes you and wants to keep you Alonso. You were the driver who brought that team its first championship since 1995 (back when they were Benneton). You’ve got a good nest egg there. Don’t try leaving again.

Stay put, and you just may be in the hunt for a title next year. The aero rules and introduction of KERS will surely shake up in the grid next year. If you want a possible preview of what could happen, look to 1998, the last time big changes hit F1.

The prior season in 1997 saw Williams and Ferrari dominate. However, the next season, neither team held its form and McLaren were the dominant team.

Why? Likely because they were focused on building a car for “the narrow track” rules of ’98, while Williams and Ferrari were focusing on the ’97 championship(s).

This year, McLaren and Ferrari are the dominant teams. Like with Williams and Ferrari in ‘97, that may not suit them well next year, and could open the door for BMW Sauber, Renault, Red Bull, etc. to have some glory.

Alonso: stay at Renault! Another title could be in your reach.

Kyle "Busch's" Chase Might Be "Cut"

Kyle Lavigne — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 08:47:03 -0400

I don’t yet claim to be a racing expert (though I do strive to be one). I don’t have contacts within the industry and, therefore, can’t break any news stories that haven’t been already reported. I can only write on what I see on the track.

And on Sunday, I saw Kyle Busch’s chances of a title start to drift away.

“Shrub” has been the rabbit of this Sprint Cup Season; eight wins and a nearly 200-point lead prior to The Chase meant that he had been the strongest driver this year.

However, even though its history is brief, The Chase has rarely been kind to the “rabbit.”

Jeff Gordon led the standings by a wide margin before the 2004 Chase…and got beat out by Kurt Busch. Matt Kenseth was the point leader in 2006…but lost out to Jimmie Johnson. Gordon again found himself the dominant driver in 2007 (his commanding lead though didn’t earn him the top seed though, since Johnson had more wins)…but he lost out to Johnson.

You get the picture. The Chase has not been kind to the drivers who have entered it as the point leader and/or dominant driver.

I was wary of that heading into the 2008 “playoffs,” and was hesitant to say Busch was the favorite; everything does get reset, and racing has a habit of throwing wrenches into everything.

Busch’s blown engine not only ended his race, but possibly his championship. He is now more than 200 points out of the lead with eight races left. He must now depend on the top three (Carl Edwards, Jimmie Johnson, Greg Biffle) suffering similar misfortune, which is never good if you’re vying for a championship.

You always want to control your own fate regarding any type of “playoff” scenario; depending on others messing up is often a sign that the end is near.

Is it impossible for Busch to come back? No. Johnson was 247 down after three races in 2004. He battled back in get within nine of the title.

In 2006, Johnson also had to make a comeback (though not of that magnitude) and did so; but, that year, no driver asserted himself until the final handful of races, and all of the drivers had at least one problem on the first five.

This year, Biffle looks to be the surprise contender (and a pretty good one at that) while Edwards and Johnson continued their form from the regular season. The point: the three of them may be running too well for Busch to come back.

He’s certainly had a fine season. But, I just don’t see it turning out a championship. Maybe, just maybe, he and the team will have to mature a little more until they become true title contenders (remember, Busch hasn’t figured The Chase out yet and the No. 18 team hasn’t ever been a part of NASCAR’s playoffs).

The talent is there, but the experience might not be at the moment.

Champ or Chaser: The Chase for the Sprint Cup (Dover)

Kyle Lavigne — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 05:35:48 -0400

The concrete canyons of Dover International Speedway play host the second race in "the Chase." Widely considered to be a larger Bristol, this track has the habit of taking innocent victims (just look at the 10-car pileup there was back in the June race).

Last week, Kyle Busch, the season’s dominant driver, was the first of the Chase drivers to hit problems. A broken sway bar bolt caused him to spin, and the subsequent contact with Jaime McMurrary saw him finish 34th. However, as luck would have it, he only sits 74 points out of the lead, well within striking distance if he can rebound well in Dover.

Matt Kenseth, however, was not so lucky. His late-race crash saw him finish 40th. His allowance of one bad race has been used (unlike Busch, who might still be able to get away with one more poor performance, though he surely doesn’t want to have another one). Kenseth will need a ton of help to even have a glimpse of this year’s title.

Race No. 2 is here: Jeff Gordon is on pole and hoping to get his first win of the year. However, anything can and often does happen on Delaware’s concrete paradise (or hell, depending on who you ask). Here are the top five drivers heading into Sunday’s Camping World RV 400.

1. Carl Edwards

Six wins to Jimmie Johnson’s four gives Edwards the lead momentarily. A second back in June and a win in this last year bodes well for Roush’s biggest dog in this year’s fight (although Greg Biffle may have something to say about that at some point).

Busch’s troubles last week have given Edwards an opportunity to stretch his lead over the thought-to-be-favorite. However, we all know how quickly things can go wrong in the final 10 races, so Edwards can’t take any unnecessary or stupid chances.

He’s a smart racer, so he should be in good shape in that regard. But, he’ll need all of his smarts on Sunday, as he’ll start way back in 22nd. He’s hoping the Monster Mile won’t bite him.

2. Jimmie Johnson

He will join Edwards back in the middle of the pack, as he will have to start in 20th. Funny how the top two in the points can find themselves meddled so far back, and in a trouble spot, especially in the early laps. However, he also runs well at Dover, so he’ll have that in his corner.

Remember, Johnson swept the races here as a rookie in 2002 and won here again in the fall of ’05. A top 10 back in June means he should be competitive on Sunday...if he can survive the early laps. He’ll have to be very careful as he works his way through.

3. Greg Biffle

And we may officially have this year’s dark horse—Biffle and No. 16 have been solid this year (although they struggled with inconsistency at times), but just couldn’t break through and win. They did just that last Sunday, and propelled themselves to third in the championship.

That climb in the standings now makes him a true threat in the title chase, as he sits only 30 points adrift of the lead. Plus, he probably should have won the June race in Dover, meaning he could very well go back-to-back to start the Chase.

All things say he’ll be a contender through the final 10, so don’t be surprised if does as Kurt Busch did in 2004: steal the title of guys who “should have won it.”

4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

I know people made a big deal about how he and Tony Eury Jr. talk on the radio. But, remember, they have always been better when together than when apart.

The Jr. tandem ran well at New Hampshire and looked to have the best car in the middle of the race, but couldn’t keep the handle on the car enough. That will be a problem that needs fixing for them to win a championship; you’ve got to keep up with a changing track and conditions. This team has the talent, but that one area needs to be tightened.

5. Jeff Burton

Burton always has a habit of quietly lurking in the background. He’s rarely at the fore much, but he’s always nearly there, biding his time. He’s been consistent this year, and has been the best of Richard Childress Racing's trio this year.

Can he actually win a championship? That one is a mystery. He’ll need a win to help his cause, but the consistency and talent to do so has always been there. Watch out for Burton.

Sebastian Vettel, Toro Rosso Win One for the Underdogs

Kyle Lavigne — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 12:23:50 -0400

Go figure that Formula One’s most famous tracks on the current calendar (Spa and Monza) would deliver two of the most exciting and surprising races in recent memory.

We all know happened at Spa last week. Well, technically, we won’t know the final results until later this month, but you know what I mean.

And now, we have Monza to thank for the biggest surprise of the year…and probably in a very long time. Sebastian Vettel’s win was not only his first, but the first for the Scuderia Toro Rosso/Minardi outfit, comprised of team members who likely didn’t think they’d ever see a podium, let alone a win.

It was one of the only times that an underdog had his day in the sun without any problems. We all know that auto racing can be inhumanely cruel, but that is especially true for small teams working on smaller budgets. And even when they do have moments to shine, bad luck often interferes.

In 1997, world champion Damon Hill, then with the Arrows team, had dominated the Hungarian Grand Prix; the day had served as a reminder of just how good he was at driving. However, mechanical gremlins saw him surrender the lead to Jacques Villeneuve’s Williams and settle for a disappointing second.

In 1999, the Jordan team, a perennial midfield runner, shot up the grid as driver Heinz Herald Frentzen won a pair of races and was almost in reach of a driver’s championship. But, in the European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring, his engine sputtered and died…while he was leading.

In 2003, the old Minardi team had their time in the sun when it rained during Friday qualifying (remember they had two qualifying rounds then) and held the top two spots after that day. Of course, one round remained on Saturday, and the dry conditions saw the Minardi take up their normal last row positions.

Even the aforementioned Vettel had to endure his own moments of disappointment after momentarily shining. Fuji in 2007 saw him running third, behind Red Bull driver Mark Webber, when he ran into the back of his veteran “teammate” (both compete under the Red Bull banner, but on different squads). His DNF brought him zero points after what looked like a sure podium.

Earlier this year, we all remember Adrian Sutil falling victim to Kimi Raikkonen’s mistake and/or misfortune (depending on whether or not you believe Kimi hit a wet patch) at Monaco with their collision, knocking Sutil out of a sure fourth.

And of course, everyone still has a bitter tastes in their mouths over Super Aguri’s sad demise, as they were forced to withdraw due to a lack of funding (after having a 2007 season which them lead Honda in the standings for much of the year).

The harsh realities of the sport are often even more cruel to the small teams/drivers just looking to battle with the larger teams. It is always nice to see one of them have more than a moment of success.

And that was what we got on Sunday. Sure, Vettel has been dragging his Toro Rosso STR3 up the grid much of the season, but a podium wasn’t on anyone’s mind. Simple points would have been enough for celebration in that camp.

His win on Sunday had fans of the old Jordan, Sauber, Minardi, Arrows, and Tyrell teams celebrating. It also reminded current Williams fans that one of the little guys (Toro Rosso only differs from Minardi in name and funding…the latter being a good thing) can reach the mountain top.

And just when Formula One’s politics rears its ugly head and tries to dominate headlines, Sebastian Vettel and Toro Rosso give everybody something to smile about. Many kudos go out to them on a performance that will be remembered for a long time.

Champ Or Chaser: The Chase For The Sprint Cup (New Hampshire)

Kyle Lavigne — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 06:59:20 -0400

The Chase has started, twelve drivers will go for a championship; one will win, the other eleven will be left saying “Well, we tried.”

Of course, their compensation (at least monetarily) will be nice, but winning a championship can’t be measured in money. It is the culmination of a career’s worth of work and a high point for a driver and team.

Starting off The Chase poorly won’t completely doom your chances (as Jimmie Johnson will tell you from his title run in 2006), but starting it off well can greatly bolster your chances of winning it.

It will be worth noting how the contenders, especially the favorites, fare in this opening race. Plus, there’s always an unexpected surprise contender coming out of New Hampshire.

Watch for the Jeff Gordons, Greg Bifles, and Kevin Harvicks; they could sneak into this and make more than a three-man race to the title.

In a now updated version of my “Chaser or Racer” pieces, I will be writing a weekly column called “Champ or Chaser,” detailing the top five Chase drivers and their chances of winning championship. So, let’s get to it shall we.

1. Kyle Busch

He’s been the rabbit for the entire season; eight wins had him leading the standings going into The Chase, and those same eight wins have kept him on top with the seeding.

He’s this year’s “sexy” pick. But, in the four years of The Chase, the “sexy” pick has only won once (Tony Stewart in 2005). He can’t get too cocky or comfortable, because he could lose his hold much more easily than he could regain it.

2. Carl Edwards

Everyone seems to think this may be his year to take a title home; his speed has always been there, but now he may have the experience to back it up.

For sure, he’d be a wonder as a marketing piece if he were to win and the sport would love the attention he might bring, but it remains to be seen if he can actually consistently perform well in The Chase. His first in 2005 was great, but his Chase last year fizzled; maybe the third time will be a charm.

Who knows at this point? But, like Busch, Edwards can’t get too comfortable.

3. Jimmie Johnson

About the only thing keeping me from saying he is the hands on favorite is the fact that he’s gunning for three in a row. The odds simply aren’t in his favor to do so.

Then again, the odds weren’t in his favor to twin two in a row—and he did just that. This team has The Chase figured out more than any other; there is a switch somewhere in them that gets turned on when this point in the season comes around, and they become nearly unbeatable.

All things say he’ll contend up to the last race. Expect him to be fighting tooth and nail down to the end.

4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

I almost get the feeling that people are forgetting he’s in it this year. He’s been strong all year, but some bad luck (and a couple of bad calls) in the summer saw him score one top five after his Michigan win.

But, it’s not always bad to fly under the radar. I am always more comfortable picking a driver/team who isn’t always in the fore; I like guys who lurk and bide their time.

This team seems to be doing so. They’ve got a win, so that goal is met. Now, they just have to go for a title. And, I fully expect them to be a true contender. Watch out for Jr.

5. Clint Bowyer

A beneficiary of the seeding, Bowyer find himself in fifth.

However, it won’t do him any good now that The Chase is starting. He hasn’t been consistent enough this year and I see no reason to think he and the team and will stumble upon that consistency.

They’ve got to get better in order to be true contenders. I don’t this team hanging around a for a while.

Open Mic: Formula 1 Road Rules

Kyle Lavigne — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 09:19:19 -0400

There are couple of different sayings attached to rules, and they often reflect how you, the individual, live your life by them. There’s “Rules were made to be broken” for the fearless rebels. Then, there’s “Rules are the foundation upon which everything else is built” for those in favor of order.

Whatever the case, rules and laws are always there and must be dealt with. Typically, those rules are black and white: you’re either right or wrong.

That is unless you happen to be involved with the FIA, who seem to enjoy shading their regulations and consequences of breaking said regulations with various shades of gray. More often than not, a rules violation and subsequent punishment leaves fans scratching their heads, wondering about the reasoning behind the punishment.

In a separate B/R piece that also focused on Formula One rules, the author (Luke Johnson) proposed the idea that rulebook is fine; it’s just the ones who enforce the rules who aren’t.

I concur.

There really haven’t been rules imposed by the FIA that I’ve outright thought were stupid and/or dangerous. The only one that comes to mind was the ridiculous “one set of tires per weekend rule” back in 2005 (which I say to date helped cause the farcical 2005 U.S. Grand Prix, but that’s another story for another day).

No, I don’t think the rules have anything wrong or unjust in them; they just need to be enforced properly and consistently. And, grudges shouldn’t be retained against teams who may have violated those rules (more on that later).

Sometimes, I get the feeling that penalties handed down by the FIA are often picked at random from a hat. In 2006, at Hungary, Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso were both penalized in qualifying (for blocking I believe), and received two second penalties, to be added to their qualifying times.

That decision was a little unorthodox, but a rule was violated and penalty received. End of story. And yet, a few races later at Monza, Alonso is also accused of blocking (although much more controversially this time, but again I digress), and was instead forced to start tenth, at tenth (the back of those who made to Q3), his qualifying time irrelevant.

Huh? I thought blocking in qualifying got you a two second penalty? Say it with FIA…consistency.

Now, let us move on to the clouded realm of officials possibly being biased for one team or against another.

We all know that the Mclaren/Ferrari spy saga from 2007 left a bitter taste in many an F1 fan, with some us still harboring ill will toward Mclaren. I must say, I was actually happy to see Ferrari beat them afterward, since I don’t think a cheater should be rewarded.

But, Mclaren has paid its penalty, passed the imposed tests regarding their 2008 car, and moved on. Sure, some fans have the right to harbor a grudge against them (and that adds to the fun of being a racing fan), but the idea of officials being biased against them (or for Ferrari) is a very serious matter.

In any true sport, the outcome of a competition is left for the competitors to decide. No outside force and or sanctioning body has a say in the result; only the combatants do.

When people begin to think officials have an interest in hurting or helping one combatant (or driver and team in this case), then the word “fix” comes into play.

Formula One cannot be burdened in any sense by the idea that any races are possibly predetermined or that officials will do all they can to help or hurt teams and drivers of their choosing; such a case would give the sport a black eye that may never heal.

In the wake of the Spa incident, Bernie Ecclestone and Max Mosely could have a big question on their hands: are stewards doing more than simply and objectively calling a race?

Prior to the penalty, Mclaren CEO Martin Whitmarsh asked twice if Hamilton had complied with regulations after letting Kimi pass. And twice, he was told “yes.” Hmmm…

I return to my take on F1 rules: I see nothing wrong with them. The ones making calls however, might have something wrong with them. And it’s a problem that needs to be addressed if the sport wants to maintain its integrity.

Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Raikkonen, Spa Help Make Magic—Stewards Attach Asterisk

Kyle Lavigne — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 07:11:27 -0400

Just when you think Formula One has gotten dull and/or monotonous, Spa has to go and throw a wrench into the mix.

One of the oldest circuits still has some tricks to play on drivers when they think the race is theirs for the taking.

First, the traditional Spa weather dumped rain on the track prior to the start. The track was wet in spots (especially heading into La Source), but equally as dry in others. All drivers started the race on dry tires, which made the first run to La Source a sight to behold.

Such drivers as Jarno Trulli (whose fast start was negated by an inability to stop) and Heikki Kovalainen dropped and were forced to fight there way through the field (Kovy’s charge was particular fun to watch).

And then, with five laps remaining and Kimi Raikkonen looking to have his fourth straight Spa win in his grasp, one more rain storm would come into play.

In a conclusion that reminded me for the 1982 Monaco Grand Prix, Raikkonen and rival Lewis Hamilton stayed on dry tires and other pitted for wets.

The skills each driver illustrated in those laps were superb; driving an F1 car is hard enough…and made all the more difficult doing so in the wet with dry tires on.

However, the track came out on top with regard to Kimi, as he spun off into the barrier, and Hamilton took the victory…or so we thought.

Kimi Raikkonen

For the first time since Barcelona back in April, “Das Kimster” looked like the defending world champion he is.

He made a great start and passed Massa on the Kemmel straight, then dispensed of Hamilton at the spot lap later.

He truly looked a driver who is capable of winning a world championship, certainly different from the driver who appeared grumpy and disinterested in the sport at some points of the season.

Alas, his efforts were for naught. His late race crash has all but taken him out of contention. He sits 23 points out, and Ferrari will likely make him Felipa Massa wingman in the final races.

All the same, it was to see Kimi being the fast, bull headed, hard charger we’ve come to love.

Scuderia Toro Rosso

My status as an American F1 fan, and the treatment they gave driver Scott Speed (who had the “quote” audacity to fire back at Gerhard Berger, who accused Speed of “partying to much”) has made me not want to root for the small, Italian team once known as Minardi.

However, today, they made me a fan again. Sebastian Bourdais is desperately trying to make a case to stay on the grid next year. His P1 in Q1 of qualifying was a sight that made everybody smile, he showed great speed during the race.

Raikkonen’s misfortune bumped Bourdais into a podium spot, but a charging Nick Heideld (on wets at the time) passed the Frenchman for third. Eventually, Bourdais would finish seventh; not a podium, but a great result nonetheless.

Meanwhile, Sebastien Vettel continued to impress. He drove a quiet, but smart race that saw him in sixth before the rain started near the end. The subsequent shuffling saw him as high as fourth before Fernando Alonso passed him.

Vettel’s fifth was, coincidentally, his fifth points finish of the season, bringing his season point tally to a very respectable 13. I have a feeling the Red Bull “A team” can’t wait to have this youngster on board.

The Stewards

In American football, we always hear about referees “letting the players play.” What that means is this: while play might get rough and “could” warrant a penalty, throwing a flag would ultimately hinder the game such fouls should not be called (unless they are obvious).

Lewis Hamilton did indeed cut the final bus stop chicane. He subsequently slowed down. However, Kimi didn’t initially pass him, making Lewis slow further. Kimi finally re-passed him just passed the start finish line.

Penalty met. Let’s move on.

At least that’s what we all thought. Even Charlie Whiting was reported to have said Hamilton had complied with the order.

So, let’s keep racing shall we?

The two drivers went on to display a duel that was classic in every sense. The skills each showed as, as I mentioned before, remarkable. It was a truly great race to watch.

But now, things have changed.

In a move that will leave yet another black eye on the sport that has seen too many over the 18 months, the race stewards have stripped Lewis if his, giving him a 25 second post race penalty (which sees him drop to third).

What was the best race of the year in my book has now been permanently scarred, even if that decision is reversed.

Given that two scandals that have rocked the F1 world, the sport needed to have stories about the on track drama and action (which this race had plenty of) and not what happens in a meeting or court room.

Politics of this level are what drive me away from Formula One in 90’s. I simply did not want a race to be settled after the fact.

I personally hope the FIA overrules the stewards’ decision. Formula One could do with some good publicity at the moment.

As a final note, isn’t it nice such tracks as Spa and Monza have stayed on the calendar?

I find it quite refreshing that those two circuits have managed to keep with Bernie Ecclestone’s very high standards and remain fixtures on the F1 calendar. To me, the season wouldn’t be the same if it missed a blast through Spa’s Eau Rouge/Radaillon complex and Monza’s simple speed through Curve Parabolica all the way to the Rettifilo chicane.

I love classic racing circuits.