804 replies to this topic

[Arnold Schwarzenegger]

Odgovorio sam ti na mestu gde si trebo postaviti pitanje.

[Rad-oh-yeah?]

The Celebration of Automobiles will return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for a fourth consecutive year on May 8-10, 2014.

 

The Celebration of Automobiles will join the inaugural Grand Prix of Indianapolis IndyCar Series event May 10 on the new-look IMS road course to kick off Month of May activities leading into the 98th Indianapolis 500 on May 25.

 

Four-time Indianapolis 500 Mile Race winner Al Unser will serve as the honorary head judge during the Vintage and Classic Car Show on May 10.

 

The Vintage and Classic Car Show on May 10, featuring cars manufactured from 1910-70, is the focal point of the 2014 Celebration of Automobiles. There will be a special spotlight on cars built in Indiana. An addition to the show is the inclusion of motorcycles from 1910-70. An artist pavilion featuring world-class automotive art is another new attraction for 2014.  

 

"It's a great privilege to be selected as the honorary head judge for the Celebration of Automobiles," Unser said. "I've loved everything about cars since I was a kid. It's going to be so exciting to evaluate all of these incredible vehicles and learn their stories from their owners at a place that has meant so much to me and my family for more than 50 years."

[Rad-oh-yeah?]

Objavljen je sponzor Tonija Kanana za narednu sezonu u timu Ganasi - TNT energetsko pice. TK ce voziti bolid sa brojem 8:

 

[Rad-oh-yeah?]

Razmislja se o promeni kvalifikacionog formata za Indi 500:

 

 

Pole day for the Indianapolis 500 could be a day later than in the past, Mark Miles confirmed today.

 

Miles, the CEO of Hulman & Co., which owns IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, said his staff is working on a plan that would have the No. 1 starting position decided in the final minutes of qualifying weekend, which in 2014 would be May 18.

 

Throughout most of the 500’s history, pole day was reserved for the first qualifying day.

 

Miles said the potential change is based on a general desire to strengthen the 500’s events. That includes IndyCar’s first road race at IMS on May 10 and having two meaningful days of qualifying for the 500 (May 17-18).

 

Although not official yet, Miles likes the idea of all the cars qualifying on Saturday, May 17, with the Sunday session reserved for setting the order of those cars.

 

The fastest nine from Saturday would take part in a lineup-setting session at the end of Sunday’s action, and that’s when the pole position would be determined.

 

“I think the idea of culminating (qualifying) at the end of the day makes a lot of sense,” he said.

 

Miles said he told IndyCar teams about the possible changes at last month’s IndyCar race in Houston.

 

Miles acknowledged that qualifying both days will be taxing on the teams, but he said there could be financial incentives.

[Rad-oh-yeah?]

INDYCAR announced that full-season IndyCar Series teams are permitted a total of 18 testing days, with the opportunity for bonus days, through the 2014 season finale at Auto Club Speedway.

 

The days can be used in any combination of engine manufacturer tests, team tests, Open Tests, straight line and full-sized wind tunnel tests.

 

“Our objective was to structure the testing rules so that everybody had equal opportunity and an equal number of days,” INDYCAR president of competition and operations Derrick Walker said. “Rather than INDYCAR designating specific numbers for each category of testing, the onus is on teams to utilize days as they feel is best for their individual program.”

 

Additionally, IndyCar Series teams can receive two bonus days by testing a current Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires driver. Teams will have two additional days for testing rookie drivers and any new entrant will have four additional offseason team test days in addition to its allotment of 18 days.

 

KV Racing Technology is the first on track during the initial offseason window that stretches to Dec. 20 with Sebastien Bourdais and Indy Lights competitor Mikael Grenier testing Nov. 13-14 at Sebring International Raceway. Additional drivers will be at Sebring on Nov. 18, participating in testing of the new-for-2014 twin turbo Honda engine.

 

Open Tests will be held at three venues that host 2014 IndyCar Series events:

 

• Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Ala., will be the site of spring training on March 17 and March 18 for the second consecutive year. Spring training is mandatory for all Leaders Circle entrants.

 

• The newly modified Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course will be open on April 30 in advance of the inaugural Grand Prix of Indianapolis on May 8-10.

 

• The 2-mile Auto Club Speedway oval will again be the site of an Open Test on Aug. 27 in advance of the 500-mile season finale under the lights.

 

Engine manufacturers Chevrolet and Honda have five on-track test days. Mileage amassed while using a manufacturer development engine does not count against a entry's maximum of 10,000 miles during team tests, Open Tests and race events in a calendar year.

[Rad-oh-yeah?]

Sibas je juce odvezao prve krugove u KVRT bolidu na Sebringu:

 

 

U medjuvremenu Gradonacelnik Hinc odradjuje sponzorske obaveze:

 

 

...a najcuveniji Indikar privatnik Ed Karpenter provodi vreme sa svojom porodicom:

 

[Rad-oh-yeah?]

Dario Frankiti po savetu lekara okacio volan o klin:

 

 

Four-time champ Franchitti announces his retirement

By Dave Lewandowski

Published: Nov 14, 2013

 

 

Four-time IndyCar Series champion and three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti announced his retirement from the sport today.

 

Franchitti, 40, is tied for eighth on the all-time list with 31 Indy car race victories and is sixth on the career list with 33 poles. Franchitti, who finished 10th in the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series championship standings (four podiums, seven top-five and 11 top-10 finishes), suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the penultimate race of the season.

 

“Since my racing accident in Houston, I have been in the expert care of some of the leading doctors and nurses, all of whom have made my health, my safety and my recovery their top priority," he said in a statement. "I am eternally grateful for the medical care I have received over the last several weeks.  I'd also like to thank my family and friends for their unbelievable support.

 

"One month removed from the crash and based upon the expert advice of the doctors who have treated and assessed my head and spinal injuries post-accident, it is their best medical opinion that I must stop racing.  They have made it very clear that the risks involved in further racing are too great and could be detrimental to my long term well-being.  Based on this medical advice, I have no choice but to stop.

 

"Racing has been my life for over 30 years and it's really tough to think that the driving side is now over.  I was really looking forward to the 2014 season with Target Chip Ganassi Racing, with a goal of winning a fourth Indianapolis 500 and a fifth IndyCar Series championship.

"I'd like to thank all my fellow competitors, teammates, crew and sponsors for their incredible support over the course of this amazing ride.  I'd also like to thank Hogan Racing, Team KOOL Green and Andretti Green Racing for the opportunities to compete on the racetrack, and especially Target Chip Ganassi Racing, who have become like a family to me since I joined their team back in 2008.  I would be remiss if I didn't thank all my fans around the world.  I can't thank you enough for standing by my side for all these years.

"I'll forever look back on my time racing in CART and the IndyCar Series with fond memories and the relationships I've forged in the sport will last a lifetime.

"Hopefully in time, I'll be able to continue in some off-track capacity with the IndyCar Series.  I love open-wheel racing and I want to see it succeed.  I'll be working with Chip to see how I can stay involved with the team, and with all the amazing friends I've made over the years at Target.

"As my buddy Greg Moore would say, ‘See you up front.’ ”

Franchitti joined Target Chip Ganassi Racing in 2008 and delivered two Indianapolis 500 wins (2010 and 2012), the first-ever run of three consecutive IndyCar Series titles by a Target driver (2009-2011), 13 Indy car wins, 16 pole positions and a win in the 2008 Rolex 24 At Daytona. He's among 10 drivers to have won the Indy 500 three times.

 

"Dario Franchitti has done so much for Target Chip Ganassi Racing so it will be very disappointing to not see him in our cars next season," said Chip Ganassi Racing Teams owner Chip Ganassi, a former Indy car driver. "But simply put, Dario is a motorsports legend and will be sorely missed on the racetrack by everyone in the paddock and in the stands.

 

"His contributions to the sport of motor racing are too many to list, but I can tell you that they go way beyond what he has done on the track. What's both impressive and unique about Dario is that he has always been a student of racing, someone who not only appreciates the actual science of the sport but also the rich heritage of those racers that have gone before him.

 

"This news only serves as the start of next chapter in Dario Franchitti's racing career – which I expect will be here with Target Chip Ganassi Racing."

Franchitti, who made his CART debut in 1997 with Hogan Racing, made one IndyCar Series start -- the Indianapolis 500 -- in 2002. He joined Andretti Green Racing for the 2003 season. After winning the 2007 Indianapolis 500 and his first series title, Franchitti moved to stock car racing. He committed to return to the IndyCar Series, signing with Ganassi during the Belle Isle race weekend in late August -- for 2009.

 

Overall, Franchitti made 265 career Indy car starts. His four championships are tied with Mario Andretti for second to A.J. Foyt's seven on the all-time list, and he is among three drivers in Indy car history to win at least three consecutive titles. He is fifth on the all-time list with 92 podium finishes and is tied for sixth with 119 top-five finishes.

 

Said INDYCAR in a statement: “As a four-time IndyCar Series champion and a three-time Indianapolis 500 winner, Dario Franchitti has etched his name among the greats of this sport, and his legacy will continue to influence future generations of competitors. His passion was born, in part, from a deep love for the sport and a reverence for its history, and Dario carries that heritage everywhere he travels and shares it with everyone he meets. Dario’s leadership on and off the track has helped shape INDYCAR, and we look forward to him remaining involved in the sport he loves.”

 

Srecno Sampione, i hvala ti na svim lepim trenucima koje si nam pruzio!

 

[Rad-oh-yeah?]

Competitors and friends salute a true champion

By Dave Lewandowski

Published: Nov 14, 2013

 

 

Justin Wilson vividly remembers renewing acquaintances with Dario Franchitti at the annual McLaren BRDC (British Racing Drivers Club) Autosport Awards on-track test.

 

“He was a Mercedes DTM driver and he had some really flash Merc," Wilson said of the 1992 McLaren Autosport BRDC Award winner recognizing young up-and-coming drivers from the United Kingdom.

 

"Mercedes talked him into fitting his car with driving sensors (throttle, brakes) and the young drivers would drive that around the track and he would be in the passenger’s seat. I had just turned 17 and I had to get a ride and then I’m throwing his Merc around Silverstone track and he’s in the passenger’s seat hanging on.

 

"It was damp. It was good fun. He got quiet a few times. I would pitch it in, get it sideways and get back on the power. I think he was just hanging on. I had known Dario for years in go-karts. He was a few years older so he was always way ahead of me in karting terms. I knew of him, followed and watched him through junior open-wheel in England and DTM and I was impressed when he was racing in DTM, and then he came across when he started racing CART.

 

"I followed him and I’m a fan. I’ve always been impressed with the job he does."

 

Franchitti, 40, a four-time IndyCar Series champion and three-time Indianapolis 500 winner, announced his retirement Nov. 14 from motorsports. He's tied with Mario Andretti with four championships -- second to A.J. Foyt's seven.

 

“I think Dario’s been a great race driver, he’s a fine gentleman and he’s been a great asset to Indy car racing," said Foyt, who is first on the career Indy car win list with 67. "If the doctors tell him he should quit then he should listen to them. I’m the opposite and never would listen, but I probably would have been a lot better off if I did. But Dario’s won a lot of races and championships so he has a lot to be proud of. My hat’s off to him.”

 

Franchitti won the 500 Mile Race in 2007, 2010 and 2012 -- the first with then-Andretti Green Racing and the latter in a Target Chip Ganassi Racing car.

 

"Over the years he has become more than a former driver, he is truly a great friend and will forever be a part of the Andretti racing family," Andretti Autosport said in a statement. "Dario captured his first championship and Indy 500 victory with us, and the team's strong history is much to Dario's credit. We'd like to congratulate him on a successful career and wish him the best as he transitions into the next stage of his life. We have no doubt that he will continue to make a great impact on the sport of racing, albeit from behind the pit wall."

 

Added Indianapolis Motor Speedway president J. Douglas Boles: "In over 100 years of racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Dario Franchitti stands in very exclusive company as just one of only ten drivers to win the Indianapolis 500 three or more times. Dario's competitive drive, coupled with his passion for and appreciation of the history of the Indianapolis 500 made him a fan favorite at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

 

"But it is his willingness to invest time to promote our sport outside of the car, to mentor young drivers aspiring to drive at Indianapolis, and to interact with our fans that make him one of the all-time great champions and ambassadors of the Indianapolis 500. We will miss him competing every May, but we look forward to celebrating his accomplishments in the Indianapolis 500 for years to come."

 

Each one of Franchitti's 265 Indy car starts that stretches back to 1997 at Homestead-Miami Speedway were with Honda power.

 

"It has been said that life begins at 40, but exactly how does one follow this?" American Honda motorsports manager T.E. McHale said. "When you take a moment to realize that Dario Franchitti won more races for Honda than any driver in the history of American open-wheel racing -- in a fraternity which includes the likes of Alex Zanardi, Gil de Ferran, Paul Tracy, Tony Kanaan, Dan Wheldon and reigning INDYCAR champion Scott Dixon -- you begin to come to some small understanding of what he has meant to American Honda and its racing program.

 

"Every one of Dario's 31 Indy car victories, 33 Indy car poles, three Indianapolis 500 victories and four Indy car championships was recorded with Honda power. Still, as monumental as those achievements may be, they tell no more than half of the story. Over 16 seasons of driving for Honda, Dario was an exemplary ambassador for the brand; I dare say he made scores of friends here of which he isn't even aware. We salute him for his many accomplishments, pay tribute to him as a true legend of this sport, and wish him every good thing imaginable as he moves into life's next act."

[Rad-oh-yeah?]

[Rad-oh-yeah?]

 

Dario Franchitti: the medical opinion

Robin Miller

November 14, 2013

 

 

Dr. Steve Olvey gave his professional opinion to Dario Franchitti a couple weeks ago in Miami.

 

“I told him that he had received three significant concussions not too far apart and, in my mind, it was too risky for him to continue driving,” said Olvey, the Associate Professor of Clinical Neurology/Neurosurgery at the University of Miami-Miller School of Medicine. “It was a tough pill for him to swallow but I think he understands what the risks are and he accepted it,” Olvey remarked on Thursday afternoon a few minutes after Franchitti issued a statement he was retiring from IndyCar racing.

 

The three-time Indianapolis 500 winner emerged from his violent crash last month at Houston with a fractured spine, broken right ankle and concussion. He was having trouble sleeping and with his short-term memory, and so he flew to Miami to consult with Olvey.

 

“This was a big one, a significant concussion,” continued Olvey who, along with Dr. Terry Trammell, pioneered a new era of safety for open-wheel racing back in the 1980s with CART. “Dario suffered one in 2002, one in 2006 and now this one, so he's got a higher risk for future concussions with less energy involved in a crash.

“And, as we've seen in pro football, repeated concussions can lead to early dementia, so he's got to think of his future. It's just too great a risk to take because he doesn't want to be in a nursing home when he's 55 years old.”

 

Back home in Scotland, Franchitti texted last week that everything was fine and there was nothing new to report but, obviously, his career was at a crossroads.

 

Olvey, who treated Formula 1 driver Felipe Massa a few years ago when he was struck in the head by a part from another car, said the 40-year-old veteran is making good progress.

 

“He didn't feel right and this one is taking a little longer to get completely over, but he's almost over it now,” said Olvey, who expects to re-examine Franchitti next month. “He keeps begging Terry and I to let him drive his family car but we told him he had to wait because he's not quite ready. So I'm sure he's driving his mom and dad crazy but soon he'll be just fine.”

 

[Rad-oh-yeah?]

Parnelli Jones' statement on Dario Franchitti's retirement

Steve Shunck

November 14, 2013

 

 

"Dario was a hell of a driver and will be missed; missed by everyone in racing around the world.  He was my kind of guy ... he wasn't afraid to put his foot down and go.  It is really hard to believe that he had to give up racing, I know he would have won more races, and maybe Indy a couple more times, had he been able to continue driving.

 

"He had very diverse skills and was fun to watch race on both road courses and ovals. He was always very smooth and precise.  We've become very good friends over the last three or four years, and I always enjoy my time with him. And, oh yeah, thank you, Dario, for helping me get my Baby Borg last January! I'll always appreciate your help with that!

 

"He's a colorful individual with passion for the sport and I am glad I got to watch him race. I had the pleasure of knowing Jim Clark personally, and I know he'd be proud of what Dario did for the sport, on and off the track."

 

An unfitting end to Dario Franchitti's career

Marshall Pruett

November 14, 2013

 

 

It was the news that those closest to him kept in confidence: the hellacious concussion Dario Franchitti suffered during his crash in the second portion of IndyCar's double-header at Houston was lingering far longer than expected. He would eventually make a full recovery, but as the cognitive fog continued to persist, alarm bells began to ring.

 

Franchitti also damaged his back and a leg in the crash, but those bones and muscles would recover at a predictable rate – well before the 2014 IndyCar season began. But after suffering a few bad crash-related concussions earlier in his career, the mammoth Houston accident compounded the earlier damage, significantly increasing the risk of what next impact would do to his gray matter.

 

The concern that emerged in the weeks following Houston centered on whether he'd suffered one too many blows to the head, and how the 40-year-old's brain would handle another crash. Among his inner circle, conversations shifted from talking about when he'd be ready to drive to if he should drive again. The writing was on the wall, and this time, due in large part to the worrisome tales of how brain trauma has come to the fore in other sports, the signs could not be ignored.

 

In recent years, fans of the National Football League have had no choice but to learn about concussions, the after-effects of repeated blows to the head, and how so many former NFL players are suffering troubling, life-altering effects from making a living in a contact sport. Franchitti's chosen profession comes with a far lower frequency of head trauma, but as we've seen, the speed and violence associated with a concussion-producing crash can be frightening.

 

It's the thousands of routine helmet-to-helmet hits football players receive during a given season, as some experts believe, that deliver the most amount of damage. It's a cumulative situation – higher frequency, lower impact. In our sport, it's the exact opposite. One or two monster hits can use up whatever “concussion credits” a driver has, and in the case of Franchitti, he quickly realized there was no reason to cash his remaining chips.

 

Count me among those who never wanted to see Dario's career end via press release while he was sitting at home recovering in Scotland. Selfishly, I wanted to see him return and prove the old lion could still keep the cubs in check, but not if there was a tangible price to pay. I wanted to see him join that elite club of four-time Indy 500 winners, but not if we watched while fearing for his health throughout the month of May. Not when even a minor crash – one that a driver without a history of concussions would walk away from – could leave Franchitti sitting unconscious in the car.

 

With four IndyCar Series championships, three Indy 500 wins and no financial worries, tempting fate to add more trophies to the pile simply wasn't worth it. He leaves a massive void in the world of open-wheel racing, and as one of IndyCar's two biggest stars, the sport finds itself unprepared to deal with his absence. It isn't the first time a big name has retired from Indy car racing, but Franchitti's departure has highlighted how much work awaits the IndyCar Series to build and promote the next wave of icons.

 

His Target Chip Ganassi Racing team, which has been driven by Scott Dixon and Franchitti since 2009, now finds itself in transition. Managing director Mike Hull, team managers Scott Harner and Barry Wanser, Dario's engineer Chris Simmons, his crew chief Kevin O'Donnell and the rest of the good people at Ganassi Racing will have to adjust to life without a force of nature pushing them at all times. He was an exacting competitor, and coupled with Dixon, formed the strongest 1-2 punch in the series.

 

It's believed Alex Tagliani, who deputized for Franchitti at Fontana, will help the team during off-season testing with the car, but just as every other driver retirement has led to a stampede of interest, rest assured Chip Ganassi has received calls and texts from every corner of the globe. Where Ganassi, Hull and sponsor Target take the No. 10 Chevy in 2014, and whether they go for a veteran or a young driver on the rise, will surely make headlines when it's revealed.

 

There's at least one silver lining to come from today's announcements: Dario has made the right decision. His parents, brother, sister, girlfriend, closest mates and thousands of acquaintances will need to adjust to wherever life takes him outside the cockpit. Franchitti's the first to admit he's rather useless at anything other than driving a racing car, so whatever he comes up with will likely involve some unintentional humor as he finds his footing.

 

Driving aside, Dario makes whatever paddock he's in a warmer and more interesting place, and it's that side of the man I do not want to sport to lose.

 

Franchitti's choice to retire makes perfect sense, but it's still sad to see him walk away from the career he loves as a safety precaution. After Indy cars, a decade or more of sports car racing seemed to be all but a guarantee, and with his passion for vintage racing, it was easy to imagine an 80-year-old Dario turning up to Goodwood in period-correct gear for a go in something exotic.

 

I look forward to getting to know the next version of Dario Franchitti, and while farewelling a friend from the sport we love is never easy, I'm thankful we have nothing to mourn.

 

 

 

[Rad-oh-yeah?]

- Pomalo u senci iznenadnog odlaska Frankitija u penziju promakla je vest da ce u bolidu #20 Eda Karpentera na ne-ovalnim stazama u iducoj sezoni nastupati Majk Konvej. Ed je jedini "privatnik" u Indi karavanu trenutno (vozac-gazda svog tima) i vazi sa specijalistu za ovale na kojima je uvek pri vrhu, ali ga na ostalim stazama nema nigde. Sa druge strane, Konvej je odlican na "redovnim" stazama a ovale odbija da vozi nakon dve teske nesrece koje je doziveo na njima. Ovakav spoj dvojice specijalista, svaki u svojoj disciplini, u jednom bolidu garantuje visok plasman u konkurenciji za "vlasnicke poene" (umesto konstruktorskih poena u Indiju se za raspodelu novca racunaju bodovi svakog bolida bez obzira na vozaca, tako da recimo za bolid #18 su prosle godine racunali bodove Ane Beatriz, Konveja, Pipe Man, Dzejmsa Dejvisona i Stefana Vilsona).

 

- Otvorene su i spekulacije ko ce zameniti Frankitija u Ganasijevom Target #10 bolidu, za sada postoje nagovestaji da ce Toni Kanan biti prekomandovan a da ce u njegov TNT #8 bolid dovesti nekog novog...

[Rad-oh-yeah?]

 

 

 

Start prve trke na stazi u Indijanapolisu, 1909, vozilo se na duzinu od 100 milja:

 

 

(prvi Indi 500 je vozen 1911.)

 

 

Esteban Gutierez (F1), Sebastijan Savedra (Indikar) i Daniel Morad 2007. godine u americkoj Formuli BMW:

 

 

(Morad je te godine uzeo titulu, ali je kasnije nestao sa scene...)

[Rad-oh-yeah?]

- Veterani Aleks Taljani i Rajan Brisko su za sada najozbiljniji kandidati za mesto u Ganasi timu koje je ostalo upraznjeno Frankitijevim iznenadnim penzionisanjem.

 

- Dosadasnji inzenjer zaduzen za bolid Dzejmsa Hincklifa u ekipi Andreti, Krejg Hemson, je dobio unapredjenje i postace sef Andretijevog razvoja i dizajna (uskoro se uvode alternativni aero-paketi). Sa Hincom ce naredne godine saradjivati Nejtan O'Rurk, pojacanje dovedeno iz SFHR tima gde je radio na bolidu Dzozefa Njugardena.

[Rad-oh-yeah?]

Tokom prenosa F1 trke iz Ostina na NBC, voditelji javljaju da je Cip Ganasi kontaktirao Pola Direstu kao zamenu za Darija Frankitija, dil zavisi od toga da li ce Diresta dobiti produzenje ugovora u Fors Indiji - glasine kazu da nece, jer se vraca Hulk. Takodje, izgleda da je Sauber u pregovorima sa Simonom Desilvestro!