NASCAR: Jimmie Johnson Phoenix press conference transcript

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
CHECKER O’REILLY AUTO PARTS 500 PRESENTED BY PENNZOIL
PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY
November 7, 2008

Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Lowe’s Impala SS, met with member of the media at Phoenix International Raceway and discussed this weekend’s race, attacking and/or defending at the end of the Chase, the Lucky Dog rule, his spotter, and more.  Full transcript:

YOUR THOUGHTS ON YOUR PREPARATION AND MINDSET COMING IN TO THIS WEEKEND AT PHOENIX: “It has been a really good track for us, so we are excited it is the race before Homestead. We are excited to still have a nice points lead. Obviously last weekend didn’t turn out like we had hoped for, what we thought we would get. But, we are still in a great position. One of our better tracks in the last couple of years and looking forward to a good performance this weekend.”

DO YOU THINK BEING A NEWCOMER TO THE SPORT MADE THINGS MORE DIFFICULT FOR THEM WITH THE NEW GENERATION RACE CAR? “I do. I think on the front side of it, people looked at the car and said, nobody knows much about it so the gap is closer than it has ever been. There may have been some truth to that, but the fact of the matter is, this car has been really tough to figure out and sort out. The car that we had in the past, you may remember some conversations and people talking about, we are tapped out, we have done all that we can with these cars, we are working in very small areas to find advantages, and like that. We felt like that as one of the big teams and a team that understood that old car so well. We were really at the ceiling and the floor was catching us and the gap was getting closer and closer.

“You come in to a new car, a new rule book essentially, people are going to find bigger chunks of speed and eventually, you run through the car long enough, the ceiling will be found and the floor will start coming back up to it. I think that is the cycle of any new rule book or car and we are seeing that. I think we are all looking for different positive things when the car came along. I don’t think any of us really understood how big of a challenge this car would be until it was here and we had it full time.”

ARE YOU MORE COMFORTABLE THAT YOU HAVE A BIGGER LEAD HEADING IN TO PHOENIX THAN YOU HAVE HAD PREVIOUS YEARS? “No.  When I stop and look at where we are at, I am certainly more comfortable now than any other Chase that we have been a part of. But the racer in me and what this team is about, we look at last weekend and say, we gave some points away. We got caught behind and couldn’t recover through the course of the race the way the race worked out and we lost points. That side still sticks around and it is in my head and Chad’s head because we are racers. We felt like we were much better than where we finished. That is a problem in our eyes. We can’t have those days, regardless of where the points are. Again, that is behind us. That is last week. We are at one of our better tracks. When we look at the reality of things, we still have a great points lead as you pointed out and it is just time to get out there and do it again.”

IS THE LUCKY DOG RULE A LEGITIMATE PART OF NASCAR COMPETITION? “I think it is a fair compromise. There are schools of thought that way, you should have to go up and earn the opportunity to be back on the lead lap If you have lost it, you need to race for it. There is another side that says it wouldn’t put on good racing and it isn’t what our sport is about. It wouldn’t be good for viewership so then it would be bad for the sponsors, the teams and have this trickle down affect and cause a problem. When you look at the whole picture, I think it is a good compromise. I think it has been quiet among the people in the garage area the last two or three years once we got it resolved and understood it that is just how it is and it is a fair way to go about it.”

YOUR SPOTTER IS LEAVING, ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF FINDING SOMEBODY NEW OR IS IT A BIG DEAL? “No, it is not a big deal. First of all Stevie has done a great job for us over the last couple of seasons. As a year winds down, teams are looking at improving in different areas and that is a position that we are going to make a change in. We think a lot of Stevie and certainly don’t want to make that change now, we want to finish up the season and hopefully win a second championship together. You at Stevie and a couple of other people inside the No. 24/No. 48 shop, there are some changes that have come along and are taking place and it is just natural, end-of-the-year stuff to make our team stronger and better for the future.”

WHAT ELSE DID YOU DO TO IMPROVE THROUGHOUT THE SEASON TO IMPROVE IN ADDITION TO THE EXTRA TESTING? “Truthfully, we had to find a direction and part of the testing, when we first ramped up our testing procedure, we were just trying to find something to build off of and find that direction to go it. With this car, you can get confused and things may show a little hope, but then they don’t. The clear-cut decision making that we had in the past that either showed speed on the stop watch or it didn’t, it was hard for us to find that clear-cut direction when we started with this car. Multiple packages that we tried, all produced the same lap time, but they all had issues in different areas. Frankly, all the stuff we were working on wasn’t fast. So it is like which one do we hone in on, which one has the best potential. It took us a long time to find the package that had the best potential. I think that we 2/3 thirds of the tracks where we know what package to take. Atlanta, California even Texas package, I think we can be much better in those areas. But we are competitive. We are able to run in the top-five with this package, but, you got to find the bottom and you have to find a direction. All of that stuff takes a lot of time and really a lot of patience from a crew chief and the engineering staff to continue to work on things.

“From my standpoint, I just work really hard to do the same things each time out. I didn’t try to make a certain setup be any better. I just went out and found the same rhythm, produced the lap times, drive the car the same way so that I was a constant and the team could make adjustments and see what showed the most hope. A lot of it, from my side frankly, was being patient with the guys and having trust in knowing that my guys were working endless to hours.  We might not find it as fast as we want, but, we will. That is really what I had to do was just sit back and relax and drive laps that I could repeat so that they could work on stuff.”

HOW SERIOUS IS THE ECONOMIC SITUATION IN THE GARAGE AND HOW MUCH DO YOU GUYS WORRY ABOUT THAT?  “We certainly worry about it. I think everyone in the world is worried about their financial future. It doesn’t matter if it is in motorsports; other sports or regular businesses as well as people at home trying to pay their bills. That crunch is out there. The thing that has gone on at Hendrick Motorsports, some of it, a lot of it has just been trying to make the company better. Some of the changes that have gone on, things that have gone on in the No. 5/No. 88 shop and really things in general in staffing. I don’t have any part in what goes on there. Everybody is always looking at how you can do it for less and more lean and different things like that. So those all apply to what has gone on at Hendrick, trying to make the team better. Trying to be lien and more efficient. I think that is the way any business operates but in today’s market, you even have got to consider people the you really like and need and wonder ‘Am I just doubled up in this are, I really only need one guy that specializes in X’. You have to be smart with money right now, because there is no telling when this thing is going to turn around.”

IN THERE A DOWNSIDE TO WINNING A CHAMPIONSHIP? “In some cases, I look at what we did over the off-season. We worked the same hours if we would have won it or not. I think there were a couple of small things we could have done a little bit better. Participated in the Atlanta test and some things like that, but I can’t really look back and say ‘because we didn’t go to that Atlanta test in October, or whatever it was, it affected the start of our year.’ We were just working in the wrong areas. The time was put it, the money was spent, and the effort was there. We just were working in the wrong spots and paid the price for it. But I think in some cases you’ve seen it before, and it can happen, but we worked very hard through ’06 to ’07 and then ’07 to ’08 to not let that happen to us. We made a conscious effort to make it right and just didn’t get it right.”

ON THE SUBJECT OF IF HE WINS THREE CHAMPIONSHIPS IN A ROW
“Yeah, I’m certainly comfortable with it. I’m very proud that what I’ve done and what this race team has done has put us in the situation to have people ask the question. That’s a great by-product of what we’ve been doing. So I’m excited about that and the conversation has started, and I still have many, many, many years left of driving. So I don’t think there is an answer. I think when a driver gets to the end of his career and thinks about hanging the helmet up, that’s when the real question comes along and more of an answer needs to take place then. But still, you have the deal that takes place was Richard Petty the best or was Dale Earnhardt Sr.? So I don’t think there’s ever closure to it, I’m just excited that what I’ve done has led people to talk about me with those other names. So I think it’s very cool and exciting and I’m hopeful of pulling off three. But I haven’t spent much time thinking about where I fit into all this because I still have a lot of years left and I think that I can improve my stats and race wins and qualifying and hopefully (there are) more championships to come.”

YOU’RE IN A DIFFERENT PLACE THIS YEAR THAN PAST YEARS. THE TWO YEARS YOU WON THE TITLE, COMING INTO PHOENIX YOU WERE IN ATTACK MODE. THIS YEAR, YOU’RE IN DEFEND MODE. HOW IS IT DIFFERENT?

“It just depends on what’s taking place. Last week (at Texas) there was a calmness because we had a big points lead. We got off on that third run, and then the runs around that; we had the speed to be in the top 10 and so we found comfort in some areas. We also knew that if we melted down and Chad pushed me too hard and I crashed the car or we didn’t have the right energy in the pit and missed a lug nut and had to come back in and tighten up a wheel or lost a wheel. Those things would create bigger problems. So I think out of our team maturing and growing, we dealt with that a lot better. I think that last weekend shows you can’t just defend. You can’t be comfortable with any size point lead. You need to attack. You don’t know what’s going to take place. You don’t know what’s going to go on. So I’m still in attack mode. Certainly, with a 106-point lead, I don’t need to take as much risk and there is a little bit of a different feel to it than what I had chasing Jeff (Gordon) last year, but the more I can look at what our team has been successful with, and how we’ve acted, the better we’re going to do. And that is staying aggressive. And I keep saying this over and over because that’s the way we perform our best. And last week we were mature and had a little bit of a points lead; we didn’t have to stress too much about and so we handled it right. But this weekend, we’re showing up and we want the trophy. We know what the points breaks are. We know what we need to do. And the first goal would be to try to leave here and not have to worry about racing in Homestead. Will that happen? Carl (Edwards) is going to be strong now. But if I can keep the points where they are and take the trophy home, we’re in great shape.”

FROM WHERE YOU WERE FIVE OR 10 YEARS AGO, DID YOU EVER THINK YOU COULD BE ONE OF THE GREATEST DRIVERS EVER?
“I can’t say I’ve ever looked at that or thought of my career going in that direction. Everybody has high hopes and everybody is confident in what they do and I feel that I do a good job in that race car, but to have it develop as it has, I couldn’t dream that big, no. It’s been a great ride and I still feel like there are a lot of great years ahead of me and I hope to improve my position in the sport.

“Jeff (Gordon) has taught me a lot by leading through example. When I first came on board and was trying to get to know Jeff, and the way he thought and what he thought about racing, it was very easy for me to see that he was a humble guy that had a lot take place in a short period of time. He would openly admit that so much more has happened to him than he could have ever dreamed of and he’s very grateful for those things. Having somebody to look up to that was in check and balanced out, helped me a lot to put it in perspective. He’s been a good mentor in that respect.”

General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world's largest automaker, has been the annual global industry sales leader for 77 years. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 266,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in Detroit, GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 35 countries. In 2007, nearly 9.37 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, Vauxhall and Wuling. GM's OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services. More information on GM can be found at www.gm.com.

From Nancy Wager & Judy Kouba Dominick

Star Mazda Championship virtual test drive

If you are serious about climbing the open-wheel ladder from karting up through the junior formulae with the goal of a professional career in racing -- and are trying to decide what series you want to race in during 2009, the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear would like to provide you with some information… and with a free 'virtual test drive' in one of our Star Mazda open-wheel race cars.

Click on the link above and you will be directed to a page with important information about the series. If you are interested in the virtual test drive provided by iRacing.com, the Official Simulation Service of the Star Mazda Championship, you will be asked to submit a form with your contact details, racing resume and other relevant information.

If you are ready to take the next step, we'll get back to you with instructions on how to drive an iRacing.com virtual Star Mazda race car on a number of the North American tracks (road courses and ovals) where the series will race in 2009. A PC, PC-compatible steering wheel/pedals and a broadband connection are all that is required to experience simulation technology that was previously out of reach for all but the top Formula One teams.

iRacing.com is the next best thing to being in the cockpit and while it certainly is entertaining, it is also a serious tool for serious racers.

Paul Tracy going testing in Dubai

Las Vegas, NV (November 7, 2008) – Not quite a week removed from his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut, 2003 Champ Car champion Paul Tracy is taking his show to the other side of the globe.  After an impressive showing at Texas Motor Speedway in Germain Racing’s #9 Bombardier Learjet/Sport Clips Toyota Tundra, Tracy has been invited to a SPEEDCAR Series test in Dubai.  A literal last-second deal, Tracy is departing today for the Arabian Peninsula. 

 
The SPEEDCAR Series is quickly becoming one of the most popular racing series in the world, as they have lured many former Formula 1 drivers, such as Jean Alesi, Johnny Herbert, Gianni Morbidelli, Jacques Villeneuve and Stefan Johansson. The Asia and Middle East-based stock car racing series also features a $3 million (USD) purse and offers a $10,000 (USD) award for the drivers who capture the pole position for each respective race.   

 
Tracy’s stock car experience will allow him to adapt quickly when he hits the track this weekend at the Dubai Autodrome. Aside from his most recent NASCAR appearance in the Truck Series on October 31st, Tracy piloted the #34 Sport Clips car and the #4 GEICO car in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2006.  Tracy’s 31 wins is tops among the former Champ Car World Series, but he has always had a passion for driving stock cars.   

 
Recognized as one of the most colorful personalities in auto racing, Tracy is looking forward to arriving in the Persian Gulf region. 

 
“It’s a great opportunity to do something that I have fun doing, which is racing stock cars,” Tracy said.  “Everyone knows how much visibility the SPEEDCAR Series is receiving and the quality of drivers that it is attracting.  I have driven many different types of race cars, and this trip to Dubai will only add to my long list of racing experiences.”  He continued, “I’m appreciative of the opportunity and I’m looking forward to getting over there and having fun.” 

 
For more information about Paul Tracy, please visit www.paultracy.com
 
For more information about the SPEEDCAR Series, please visit www.speedcarseries.com

From Doug Barnette // Player Management International, Inc.

NASCAR TRUCKS: J.R. Fitzpatrick / Mammoet Phoenix Preview

J.R. Fitzpatrick – No. 71 Mammoet Chevrolet

Pre-Race Notes And Quotes
Phoenix International Raceway
Lucas Oil 150
Friday, November 7th, 2008

Racetrack:                     Phoenix International Raceway
Race:                            Lucas Oil 150
Location:                      Avondale, AZ
Track Length:                1-mile Paved Oval
Race Distance:              150 Laps  / 150 Miles
Broadcast Coverage:     SPEED
Radio Coverage:           MRN
Date:                            October 31st, 2008
Time:                            8 p.m. ET

J.R. Fitzpatrick Makes Second Start at Phoenix:  J.R. Fitzpatrick will make his second career start in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series on Friday night at Phoenix International Raceway.  Fitzpatrick’s first career start came in the Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway on October 18th where the young gun qualified 19th and finished 21st in his debut driving for DGM Racing in conjunction with TRG Motorsports.  “Well all I can say is I'm excited, and I think I am going to be more comfortable on the bigger track then I was at Martinsville,” he explained.  “I am going to go into the race with the same approach as I did my first race at Martinsville.   My goal was to stay out of trouble, stay out of the championship race, and get some laps and earn my license needed to move forward in NASCAR.”

TRG’s Truck Choice for Phoenix:  J.R. Fitzpatrick’s Crew Chief, Jon Wolfe, is taking chassis number 74 to Phoenix International Raceway for the Lucas Oil 150 on Friday night.  This truck has made three starts this year and is the same truck that Donny Lia won with at Mansfield Motorsports Park in May.  It was also raced by Lia at Martinsville Speedway in the Spring and Memphis Motorsports Park where it finished 9th and 26th respectively. 

J.R. Fitzpatrick to Run Season Finale with TRG:  J.R. Fitzpatrick will join TRG Motorsports for the second week in a row as the series descends on Homestead-Miami Speedway for the season finale next Friday night.  Fitzpatrick will pilot the No. 71 Mammoet Chevrolet as a teammate to T.J. Bell.  Fitzpatrick is attempting to gain the proper approvals from NASCAR to compete in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series full-time with TRG in 2009. 

J.R. Fitzpatrick’s Mammoet Hero Cards are In!:  J.R. Fitzpatrick’s new hero cards are in!  To request an autographed hero card, please send a self-addressed stamped envelope with adequate postage to:  Autograph Card Request, TRG Motorsports, 292 Rolling Hill Road, Mooresville, NC  28117.  Please allow two to three weeks for processing.

 
About Mammoet:  Mammoet specializes in heavy lifting and transport solutions on and offshore.  Mammoet offers turn-key lifting and transport operations, factory-to-foundation heavy lifting and multimodal transport projects, maintenance lifting services and plant stops, day-to-day rental of mobile cranes, salvage and wreck removal of ships and offshore installations, and deals in new and used equipment worldwide.  Mammoet is a leading worldwide player in its industry. Knowledge, experience and state-of-the-art equipment in combination with high quality and safety standards have made Mammoet a market leader that sets trends and records around the world.  For more information, please visit mammoet.com.

About TRG:  TRG was founded in 1993 and has been competing at the top level of sports car racing every since.  TRG Motorsports (the NASCAR division) was founded in the spring of 2007 and is comprised of a group of friends, partners and racers.  TRG has the most wins of any team in the Grand-Am Rolex Series, including the 2005 and 2006 Rolex Series GT Championship trophy to go along with wins in the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the 24 Hours or Le Mans.  TRG is also a manufacturer and distributor of high-performance racing parts.  The group specializes in engine and chassis building as well as full service professional race car preparation.  The company also provides electrical and mechanical engineering services, driver development and arrive-and-drive opportunities. TRG is based in Petaluma, California and has now expanded to include a state-of-the-art race shop in “Race City, U.S.A.” – Mooresville, North Carolina.

From TRG_motorsports / Jamie Maynard

Taylor Hacquard - Star Mazda Season Review

Vancouver, Canada (November 04, 2008) – Taylor Hacquard’s rookie season in the 2008 Star Mazda Championship Presented by Goodyear proved to be a highly accomplished one for the 18-year-old Canadian.  Recording a top-ten finish in the points and earning ‘Top Canadian’ honours along the way, the World Speed Motorsports racer impressed many with his on-track maturity and his hunger to educate himself further in his first season racing cars.

 
With a fairly limited karting background and without the open-wheel racing experience already clocked by many of his on-track rivals, Hacquard’s run to tenth overall in the 2008 Driver Standings was encouraging and the Vancouver teenager is the first to admit that he exceed his expectations as he raced coast-to-coast across North America for the first time.

 
“To be honest we simply looked at 2008 in Star Mazda as a learning year,” stated Hacquard upon review of his season.  “We knew that we’d have to learn a bunch of new tracks and experience all the highs and lows that come with a rookie open-wheel campaign.  I knew there’d be a lot to learn so I wasn’t focusing on where I’d finish in the championship and at the start of the year I thought, given how competitive the series has been in the past,  that if I finished in the top-15 I’d be doing well.

 
“I think it’s safe to say that finishing in the top-ten definitely exceeded all our expectations but it’s also something that gives me a great platform from which to build.  The season really started off well and that helped.  I finished ninth in the opening round at Sebring and followed that up with what I felt was my best race of the year in Round 2 at Miller Motorsports Park when I finished sixth.  After those races I knew I was capable of being a top-ten runner but was also aware that I was still learning as I raced.”

 
After a strong start Taylor continued to progress behind the wheel of the #15 Wolfe Auto Group / World Speed Motorsports entry.  July’s double-header meeting at Portland International Raceway saw the Canadian post his best finish of the year when he scored a fifth place effort in Round 5 – backed up the following day with a second top-ten finish, Taylor taking the checkered in tenth. 

 
Hacquard’s consistency ensured he was locked into the top-ten in the Driver Standings throughout the season, sitting as high as sixth at one stage, and his record of eighth top-ten finishes in twelve starts kept him in the mix in what was a truly international and highly competitive field of talent.

 
“It was a much closer championship than I thought it would be,” Taylor remarked.  “Considering this was my first ever season racing cars I was pleased to be competing regularly in the top-ten, not least as some of the front-runners had loads more track experience than me both in karting and in other open-wheel series such as Barber Dodge, Formula BMW and even the Atlantic Championship.

 
“It was a lot of fun and I’d have to say my two favorite tracks throughout the season were probably Miller Motorsports Park in Utah and Road Atlanta in Georgia.  Miller had some pretty cool turns and the elevation changes were fun and I liked Road Atlanta as well, it was a great track to learn but then it was also a blast to see the American Le Mans Series cars racing there at night.  Watkins Glen, no question, proved to be my bogey track this year but hopefully next season I’ll get another crack it and avoid some of the misfortune which struck me there.”

 
As Taylor pointed out, every season, regardless of experience, comes with its share of highs and lows.  Unsurprisingly the Vancouver racer opted for his sixth place finish at Miller Motorsports Park as a high point, not least as it was only his second Star Mazda start and it resulted in his second straight top-ten finish. 

 
While he finished fifth in Portland later in the season, Hacquard opted for Miller as his best race of the year as the front-runners remained in the race and he had to compete directly against them while Portland’s effort saw some of the pre-race favorites retire early in the proceedings with the Canadian gaining position.

 
A wayward ground-hog is just one reason why Round 3 at Watkins Glen in June is marked by Taylor as the low point of his 2008 season.  Crashing into the said mammal in practice not only gave the rookie an unwelcome and sizeable crash into the tire barriers, it also robbed him of valuable track time as the team worked feverishly to repair his car – forcing Taylor to play catch-up for the remainder of the race weekend.

 
Through all the experiences though Taylor knows it’s an education that will serve him well for the future.
 
He commented, “There’s not really any one thing about the season that surprised me but there’s no doubt I learned a lot with regards to car set-up, engineering, coaching and driving styles and so on.  I was obviously extremely happy to be competitive almost immediately and at Miller I ran as high as second for two consecutive track sessions which was a great feeling given it was only my second Star Mazda outing. 

 
“Life might have been easier for me if I’d entered Star Mazda armed with a little more experience in karting or other open-wheel race cars, just to help learn some more of the basics, but I wanted to be on a par with other racers my age so that dictated jumping straight in at this level and it turned out to be a good move as I proved I was capable of both learning and racing at the same time.”

 
While it was America’s John Edwards who ultimately triumphed and claimed the 2008 Star Mazda Championship, Taylor Hacquard had the honour of racing for Canada and he finished the season as the highest ranked Canadian in the field – something the 18-year-old is extremely proud of.

 
“It’s definitely a cool thing to be the best placed Canadian in the field,’ Taylor reflected.  “I think it helps get you noticed a bit more as opposed to being the fifth or sixth placed American driver in the field.  On top of that I really enjoyed the opportunity to race here in Canada but it’s just too bad the races at Trois-Rivieres and Mosport in August didn’t end with stronger finishes for me.  We were going through a little bit of a lull at that point of the season but to take a positive from it we decided to do things a bit differently from then on, both in terms of our set-up and my driving style, and we improved our form ending in a more competitive run through to the season finale at Laguna Seca.”

 
Looking to the future, Taylor knows that with all he learned on his way to his tenth place finish in the 2008 Driver Standings, a follow up season could lead to a shot at the 2009 Star Mazda title.

 
“Coming back for a second season would definitely see me with an advantage as I’d have track knowledge and seat time built up in the car.  I’d like to return to the series and have a crack at the title; we’re working on a few things right now and hope to have my 2009 plans finalized as soon as possible!  It’s a great series and Mazda really get behind it which is neat for all of us involved!”

 
ENDS – www.taylorhacquard.com / www.starmazda.com
 
Photo Credit: ‘Taylor Hacquard – driver of the #15 Wolfe Auto Group Star Mazda’ – Taylor Hacquard Motorsports
For further information or interview requests please contact Stuart Morrison Public Relations:
Tel: +1 514 684 2621 / Cell: +1 514 945 3253 / Email: stuart@sm-pr.com

<<TaylorHacquard-LowRez.jpg>> <<Hacquard2-lr.jpg>>

Discontinued mid-range HANS devices available at CSC Racing

From CSC Racing Products Inc.

Discontinued mid-range HANS devices still available

The manufacturer of the HANS devices is discontinuing the EXTRA series of devices, effective immediately. The EXTRA was the mid-range device, weighing only a 1/4 lb. more than the PRO, and has been the industry standard for the past three years.

CSC still has stock available of the EXTRA model which costs $200 less than the PRO series.

HANS will now only sell the SPORT (the 2.25-pound model which they introduced this year) and the super-light-weight, 1-pound, PRO device.

For anyone looking for a lightweight device for about $200 less than they’d pay for the PRO, they should consider the EXTRA right now (which is one pound less than the SPORT). Pricing includes the new sliding tethers, which offers full range of side-to-side head motion.

SPORT = 2.25 lb.
EXTRA = 1.25 lb while supplies last
PRO = 1 lb.

Visit CSC Racing Products Inc. on the web at: http://www.cscracing.com/. Located in Newmarket, ON, CSC can be reached at 1-(866) 410-HANS.

ARRC: Fox40 and Greg Rice confirmed for ARRC on Nov. 8

SANBORN, NEW YORK - Greg Rice confirmed on Nov. 2 that he would be attending the American Road Race of Champions on November 8th. Rice had not planned on making the event after wrapping up the 2008 FST Series Championship at Mid-Ohio in September. “It just seemed a shame to miss a high profile event after winning so many other events. I talked to my supporters and we decided we needed to be there. Fox40 really stepped up as the final piece in the puzzle,” commented Rice.

 
Rice’s familiar black and pink #13 Problemchild race car has been highlighted with green graphics promoting the Fox40 website “Fox40World.com”. Fox40 is donating 50 whistles to the SCCA workers at the event and will have a small display beside the race car in the paddock. Fox40 USA manager Susanne Merrell explains, “Greg has had a great run of success over the past few years. It has been exciting for us to be a small part, and we wanted to highlight that success and our fine product with a special promotion. This promotion will introduce the racers and fans to the some of the recreational and safety aspects of our Fox40 products”.

 
The Fox40 Whistle was introduced to the world at the 1987 Pan-American games by Ron Foxcroft. The revolutionary pealess design can now be heard in arenas, stadiums, and gymnasiums in 130 countries and is sanctioned by the NFL, NBA, NHL, FIFA, and NCAA. Fox40 has now developed a wide range of whistles for rescue workers, lifeguards, school crossing guards and boaters. Fox40 Whistle has high performance product that can be heard above the noises of the race track and has targeted motorsports as a market that they can service.

 
Greg Rice started building the Problemchild SM2 in 2004 for the new Formula First class in SCCA Club Racing. The car debuted at Mid-Ohio in 2005 with a 3rd place finish. Since that time, the team has won 20 of its 30 starts (16 of last 19) and FST Series Championships in 2006, 2007, and 2008. This season started with a victory at the 45th FV Birthday Party and concluded with a pair of wins at Mid-Ohio. “Formula First is absolutely the most affordable of any open-wheel road race car. Ninety percent of the expense is travel cost and entry fees. The spec tires have really helped our team be so successful. With virtually no tire degradation over 25 sessions, the car can be tuned and the driver skills honed” explains Rice.

 
Greg Rice is a veteran of  Canadian and American formula car racing. Racing highlights include racing in the Canadian Tire Pro F2000 series in 1984-5, winning Canadian FV titles in 1986-7, SCCA NE FV Championship in 1987, and SCCA FV Runoff finishes of 8th and 4th. He also won a ProVee race at Lanier Speedway across the street from Road Atlanta. His last Road Atlanta appearance ended in spectacular fashion going end-over-end at the start of the 1992 FV Runoff race.

 
For more information, please contact:
Susanne Merrell, Susanne@Fox40world.com, 1-888-663-6940
Greg Rice, greg13rice@hotmail.com, 716-946-1857 (email unavailable Nov 3-10)
Other information links:
www.Fox40world.com , www.formula-first.org , www.arrc-online.com

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Bourque takes part in sporting function at a top Montreal private school

Recently, race car driver Pierre Bourque took part in a function at Selwyn House, a top private school in Montreal's Westmount district. According to Bourque, hundreds of people attended, including many of the city's 'movers and shakers', along with their kids, to meet the assembled athletes and get their autographs.

Bourque (on the left) is shown in the picture (Photo by Bill Bedard) with Montreal Canadiens star Alexi Kovalev (over Bourque's shoulder). Continuing from left to right were 2006 Olympic Gold Medal Moguls skier Jennifer Heil, David Testo (of soccer's Montreal Impact), and Matthew Proulx of the CFL Montreal Alouettes.

Bourque reported a "tremendous amount" of interest in NASCAR and said it was "a pleasure to talk enthusiastically about our sport with both the parents and their kids, as well as with the other athletes."

While at Selwyn House, Bourque brought some of his racing helmets to show around and enjoyed watching Kovalev put one on, while explaining to him some of the safety and communications features of the piece.

From pierrebourque.net

Kyle Marcelli year in review

Barrie, Ontario (October 10th 2008) - Another season is in the books for the young and talented Canadian race car driver Kyle Marcelli, and wow! What a season it was.

It began in early April at Virginia International Raceway with the first two rounds in the Pro U.S. F2000 Championship Series followed by many dazzling performances  before most recently wrapping up at the famous Road Atlanta race course during the Petite LeMans weekend with Marcelli’s stellar performance in his Star Mazda Championship debut.

After making a splash into the world of professional open wheel racing in 2007 and being crowned the Formula Ford Champion and rookie of the year, Marcelli went into 2008 with a confident head on his shoulders, as he should. However, before he was able to hit the track, it was a long winter full of hundreds of phone calls, emails and meetings that eventually landed him a ride in the Pro U.S. F2000 Championship Series presented by Hoosier.

Wrapping up a year of pro 2-litre competition, Marcelli drove his Brian Graham Racing prepared Van Diemen to a win and eight podiums crowning him third in the championship standings, 1 point out of second.

“Overall the 2008 season was a success and another step in the right direction for me. We had many up’s and down’s which forced us into a bit of a come from behind season all year long in the 2-litre championship. However we proved once again to be a championship contender being at or near the top of the charts each session on track. The third place result doesn’t really do justice to what we were capable of however that’s racing. I am going to keep pushing in the direction to make a career out of this sport.” Said Marcelli in a post season interview.

Aside from Marcelli’s year long duty behind the wheel of the F2000 Championship, the teenager was again invited to part of North America’s only factory Saab supported racing team competing in the Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship. Strapping into the Saab powered Turbo 93 only for a one off race at Mosport International Raceway the young Canadian native wowed the series the fans and the team bringing home a second place trophy in his series debut.

“The car was a blast to drive, the style is so different from that in a formula car, it requires a lot of finesse especially around Mosport Int’l. I was fortunate enough to drive the car last year in the 3 hour endure where we scored a victory, however over the off season the JL Racing team really went to work preparing the car and it was the little things here and there really made the car that much easier ultimately faster to drive this year. I want to thank John Lockhart for giving me the opportunity again and I look forward to continuing the relationship.” Says Marcelli.

To truly put a cap to Marcelli’s already busy and successful season, he with the help and support of Lafarge earned a seat in the very competitive Star Mazda Championship for the Petite LeMans weekend at Road Atlanta located in Braselton, Georgia. Having already built a relationship, Kyle joined the Canadian based AIM Autosport team for the one off race. Up to speed right away, Marcelli showed his versatility and poise to adapt to anything he gets behind the wheel as he qualified on row two! Lap after lap the race then featured some passionate side by side racing around the fast and winding circuit before Marcelli brought the Lafarge car home in fourth place, merely missing a podium position in his debut. Nothing short of spectacular.

“The Star Mazda Championship is really stacked with some fierce competition giving the prize that is awarded to the champion. To walk away barely missing out on a podium finish, the team, myself and Lafarge were very happy. The weekend would not have been possible if it weren’t for the support of Lafarge, they were really the foundation behind the whole operation of the weekend and I can’t thank them enough.”  Said Marcelli

Marcelli is now looking forward to many more opportunities in 2009. His plans will be revealed shortly so stay tuned.

Kyle would like to thank his sponsors Lafarge, Barrie Trim and Moldings, GP Masonry and Landscaping Supplies, Trudel Roofing, PFAFF, Alpinestars, The Robert Simpson Brewery, Brown Windows, MG Homes, Mullins Pub, Simcoe Building Center, RE/MAX Barrie, Stif Creative Works and Century Craft Custom Home Builders for their continued support.

For more Information visit www.kylemarcelli.com

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From Marcelli Motorsports

PHOTO GALLERY: Lucas Oil Can-Am Midget Banquet - Nov. 1, 2008 - Niagara Falls, ON by Dave Franks

This is a 129-photo gallery from the Lucas Oil Can-Am Midget Series banquet on Saturday, November 1, 2008 in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Thanks to Dave Franks for the use of his photos and congratulations to everyone associated with the club. You can see Dave's website here.

Contrary to what you might think, Canadian auto sales are holding up quite well

From the CBC...

Canadian sales rise

"... But in Canada, total sales of light vehicles were up 1.5 per cent in October compared with the same month last year.
"The Statistics Canada price index for new vehicles indicated price deflation in the seven to nine per cent range, and when you lower prices, consumers take advantage of the deals and buy more. I suspect this largely explains positive auto sales for Canada," Dennis DesRosiers, president of Richmond Hill, Ont.-based DesRosiers Automotive Consultants, said in an e-mail.

"But I must say that I am absolutely completely surprised by the Canadian performance. Did Canadians not open their investment statements in October?"

Toyota Canada surpassed its 2007 record sales performance in October.

Sales of Toyota and Lexus cars and trucks hit 15,843 over the past month — up 9.4 per cent from October 2007 — for a year-to-date total of 201,614. That surpasses 2007's record-setting 201,326 vehicles sold, with two months still to go in the year.

Honda Canada reported a one per cent increase over last October in its combined Honda and Acura divisions. It reported October sales of 10,293 Hondas, up two per cent from last year, while its Acura division reported sales of 1,162 units, down seven per cent from last year.

Chrysler Canada saw a 1.5 per cent increase in sales, with 15,643 light vehicles sold in October compared with 15,411 sold during the same month last year.

Ford Canada's numbers were in negative territory, dropping to 15,123 from 16,863 for a decrease of 10.3 per cent...."

In the past, you only had to worry about getting hit by a chicken bone...

Woman Hit by Stray Bullet at NASCAR Race

FORT WORTH, Texas — A NASCAR fan in her recreational vehicle at Texas Motor Speedway was wounded by a stray bullet after someone apparently fired a gun into the air, police said.

A bullet suddenly pierced through the motor home's roof Sunday morning before the Dickies 500 race, hitting a woman in the right arm, relatives said.
"She immediately [screamed], 'I've been shot. I've been shot.' She took off running out the door," her son-in-law Bobby Cook told Dallas-Fort Worth television station KTVT....

... click here for the full story.

AIM Autosport: Wilkins and Frisselle will drive #61 Ford Riley in '09

Woodbridge, Ontario - November 03, 2008: AIM Autosport announced today that Mark Wilkins is back at the wheel of the No. 61 Ford Riley and for the 2009 season he will be joined by former team mate Burt Frisselle. The pair last raced together in 2007 as Burt worked with the team through its first full season in the Rolex Sports Car Series. The twenty-seven year old Frisselle first raced in the series in 2004.

Burt has rejoined AIM Autosport with a strong desire to pick up where the team left off this season.

”I’m extremely happy to be back with AIM and partnered with Mark in the No. 61,” Burt commented. “The team had some great success this year and I am looking forward to getting back in the car. The Ford Racing program has proven to be a real winner and I hope to take advantage of that by getting victories along with Mark and fighting for the championship in ‘09.”

Mark Wilkins expressed his excitement at having Burt back in the car.

“We spent a lot of time with Burt in 2007 developing the team and developing the car. There are synergies in place already and it will be an easy transition bringing him back into the team. I’m sure we’ll  get into a rythym very quickly.” Mark continued, “Burt has a lot of experience in this series and has spent time with different chassis/engine combinations and the information and experince he brings can only help the team next year.”

Burt spent the 2008 season racing the No. 47 Dallara  recording seven top ten finishes. He previously earned five top tens over eigfht races with AIM in 2007. He joins AIM replacing his younger brother Brian who earned one pole and two victories in the No. 61 Ford Riley this season.

As the team prepares for the November test at Daytona, the mood in the shop is positive and the focus is very much on the championship next year. They have just returned from testing AIM’s second car, the No. 11 Ford Riley.

”We are excited to have Burt back with us for 2009” offered team principal Ian Willis. “He brings a great deal of experience in the Daytona Prototypes and as Mark mentioned, a solid history and synergy with the team. We can pick up where we left off and not have to worry about the usual adjustments that go with bringing a new member to the team.” He continued, “The entire AIM Autosport organization is confident that we can get the job done in ‘09 and we welcome Burt back to be a part of the program.

Mark Wilkins and Burt Frisselle will be at Daytona International Speedway for two days starting  November 11 testing the No. 61 Ford Riley on the new Pirelli tires developed for 2009. While the No. 61 will test in its familiar black and gold livery, title sponsorship is available for the season or individual events. AIM is currently in discussions with guest drivers to join Mark and Burt for the Rolex 24 at Daytona which starts the 2009 season on January 23.

AIM Autosport Facts: Established in 1995, AIM Autosport  has a mandate to identify, train and manage emerging motorsport talent. AIM has provided many young drivers with a solid foundation on which to build a career in professional racing. The success of the AIM driver development programs has been achieved through the dedication of our employees and the ongoing support of our commercial and technical partners. Away from the track, AIM Autosport serves the needs of the racing community with a purpose-built preparation shop situated in the Toronto suburb of Woodbridge, Ontario. AIM fields the No. 61 Ford-Riley Daytona Prototype in the Rolex Grand Am series with drivers Mark Wilkins and Burt Frisselle. The team also competes in the Star Madza Championship presented by Goodyear. AIM won the 2008 Championship with driver John Edwards.

Photo credit: Bob Chapman (Mark Wilkins and Burt Frisselle at Miller 2007; Burt at Miller 2007)
For information and hi-res photos please contact: Chris Jameson // Level Ten Communications // media@aimautosport.com

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PHOTO GALLERY: Flamboro Speedway - Frost Fest 2008 - Nov 2, 2008 by Dave Franks

This is a photo gallery from Flamboro Speedway on Sunday, Nov. 2, 2008. The Frost Fest 2008 was a two-day racing event featuring Mini Stocks and Thunder Cars. While it was very chilly at Flamboro on Sunday, the skies were sunny, and it's hard to complain when you're racing on a dry track, in Ontario, in November. Thanks to Dave Franks for sharing them. You can see Dave's website here.

Canadian Gianmarco Raimondo - Formula BMW Rookie Champion

November 3, 2008 - Sao Paulo, Brazil – Taking it down to the wire, Gianmarco Raimondo secured the Formula BMW Americas Rookie Championship with a fifth-place finish in the final race of the season. The seventeen-year-old St. Catharines, Ontario native lead the championship from the first race back in May relinquishing the lead just once when his closest rival finished ahead of him in the penultimate round. Gianmarco, a Formula BMW Junior Driver, would go on to run his pace in the final round and bring his No. 50 Autotecnica FB02 across the checkers to also take third overall in the series championship.

Gianmarco is the third Canadian to win top rookie status since the Formula BMW series started in North America five years ago. He follows in the footsteps of James Hinchcliffe and Daniel Morad who won rookie honours in 2004 and 2006 respectively. Morad won the overall title in 2007 following Robert Wickens, another Canadian, who took the title in 2006. All four are graduates of the Sunoco Ron Fellows Karting Championship.

"This is great" exclaimed Gianmarco over the phone from Brazil. "We worked very hard all year long and it was a tough battle right to the end. We are very thankful for all the support from team owner Enrico Diano, my engineer Simon and everyone at Team Autotecnica. We would have nothing to celebrate without all their hard work." Gianmarco continued, "I also have to thank everyone in the Formula BMW Junior program. I learned a lot this year and the experience has been invaluable. Now I have some big shoes to fill following previous Canadian champions Wickens and Morad and I will try my hardest. This series meant a lot to their future in racing, and they, along with Hinchcliffe have gone on to much higher levels of the sport. I hope to follow that path also."

The rookie championship brings with it a full Formula BMW Junior Scholarship for 2009. Gianmarco was selected as an FBMW Junior for this year based on his performance in a 2007 shootout against other racers from across North and South America. The Junior Scholarship provides partial funding for the drivers as well as enrollment in an education and coaching program.

"The scholarship certainly helps with costs," noted Gianmarco, "but it is only a fraction of what it takes to race a full season and be competitive. We are encouraged by getting the scholarship for the 2009 season but must now concentrate our efforts on securing funding to ensure we can make a run at the championship. That will start as soon as we return home from Brazil. For now though, we are going to celebrate."

Next up for Gianmarco is the Formula BMW World Final which features an international filed of drivers who compete in Formula BMW series in Europe and Asia. This event takes place in December 5-7, at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez race circuit in Mexico City, Mexico.

Driver Facts: Seventeen-year-old Gianmarco Raimondo is a 2008 Formula BMW Americas Junior. A graduate of the Sunoco Ron Fellows Karting Championship (SRFKC) where he raced Intercontinental C (ICC) shifter karts, He also raced in the Stars of Karting series with Hamilton, Ontario-based Cameron Motorsports. At the end of the 2007 racing season, Gianmarco was awarded a scholarship by SRFKC to compete in the Skip Barber Southern Region Championship where he scored a podium result in a race at Sebring in January of this year. He now races with Team Autotecnica in the Formula BMW Americas series. Gianmarco receives support from Lakeshore Cardiology and Level Ten Communications. Gianmarco is know by his friends and fellow races as Gmo (pronounced gee-mo)

Team Facts: Team Autotecnica has been in the Formula BMW Americas series since its inception in 2004 (then called Formula BMW USA). The team has recorded a number of wins and podium results in that time. Autotecnica won the series championship in 2005 with rookie driver Richard Phillipe. In 2007 the team recorded a record nine pole positions with rookie driver Esteban Gutierrez. The team also collected the rookie championship in 2007 with Gutierrez. Team web site: www.autotecnicagroup.com <http://ethreemail.com/e3ds/mail_link.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.autotecnicagroup.com&i=0&d=ACC52A80-D54F-4874-82C4-2F28896B3EEB&e=greg@insidetracknews.com>

Photo credit: A. Raimondo (Raimondo_001 & Raimondo_002)
On Track Promotions (Raimondo_003)
For interviews, driver bio and photos, please contact:
Media Contact: Chris Jameson // Level Ten Communications // +1 416.284.4932 // media@gianmarcoraimondo.com <<Raimondo_001.jpg>> <<Raimondo_002.jpg>> <<Raimondo_003.jpg>>

Hamilton wins F1 title... but what's that smell?

On the final lap of the final race of the F1 season, Lewis Hamilton needed to finish fifth to win the Driver' Championship, yet he was running sixth at the time. Fortunately for Hamilton, however, Toyota driver Timo Glock came to a virtual standstill on a section of the track that appeared to be quite dry, supposedly because he couldn't keep the car on the slick racing surface anymore. Glock's slowing boosted Hamilton to fifth, and the championship.

Dave Despain and Bob Varsha are on Wind Tunnel poo-pooing the idea that a deal was cut between McLaren and Toyota to give Hamilton the title. Yes, Glock was still on 'dry' tires. Yes, it was spitting a bit. Yes, there was downpour after the race was over... but the more I see replays of Glock slowing to a crawl on what appears to be a very dry line, the more the whole thing starts to smell like another F1 race/championship altering deal played a role in the outcome.

Cont'd...

Just read about 25 pages of comments on another forum. Lots of people (and passion) on both sides of this one. What isn't in question is that it was an extremely exciting race. In all likelihood, there was no funny business in Brazil (Glock's last lap time was similarly slow to that of his teammate Trulli, who was also on 'dry' tires.) but there have been so many behind the scenes games in the past, that it's not a stretch to consider the possibility.