Inside Track TV - Episode 1.07 - Big Preview Show

In this episode, host Spencer Lewis previews upcoming Canadian racing across Canada, including Kawartha Speedway's Summer Sizzler, the OSCAAR Super Late Models at Sauble Speedway, the Honda Indy Toronto - featuring the IndyCars, NASCAR Canadian Tire Series and the Canadian Touring Car Championship.
He also spotlights weekend action in the Maritimes and several other big races around Ontario, including the big Wednesday, July 13 show at Delaware Speedway starring NASCAR Sprint Cup brothers Kyle and Kurt Busch.

Paul Tracy to throw out the 'first pitch' at the Jays game tonight

Canadian IndyCar racer Paul Tracy is in T.O. to support his Make-A-Wish Canada / Ontario Honda Dealers sponsorship for the upcoming Honda Indy Toronto. 'The Thrill from West Hill' will be throwing out the 'First Pitch' at tonight's Jays game, against the Red Sox.

Thanks to Mark James of MediaProfile for passing along these pics taken today at Exhibition Place.

IZOD IndyCar Series Q & A: Franchitti & Ganassi

Championship-winning team owner Chip Ganassi and three-time IZOD IndyCar Series champion Dario Franchitti participated in a Q & A today to discuss the recently completed IZOD IndyCar Series season...

Franchitti’s second consecutive IZOD IndyCar Series title for Target Chip Ganassi Racing capped a highlight year for the team owner, whose teams captured marquee races this season in IndyCar (Indianapolis 500) and NASCAR (Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400) and the Grand Am Rolex Sports Car Series title.

Below are select quotes from their interview. A full transcript and MP3 audio file can be downloaded at the IZOD IndyCar Series media website at www.indycar.com/media.

***

Q. Dario, I just mentioned the company that you now keep with winning the title and the Indy 500 in the same season for the second time in your career. What does it mean to you to be in such exclusive company with legends like Foyt, Meyer, Shaw and Ward?

DARIO FRANCHITTI: I hear that are kind of list and I hear these legends of the sport, and I don't kind of -- I don't feel part of that group, you know what I mean? I'm very proud of my achievements winning the three championships and the two Indianapolis 500's. But I kind of look on those guys as, I don't feel part of that. You know what I mean?
I just feel I'm a driver who has been lucky enough to drive some great equipment and gotten the job done. But it's a privilege to be mentioned in the same kind of sentences as those guys

Q. You seem to be getting better with age. I mean, three titles, two Indy 500 victories since 2007. What keeps the fires stoked? It seems like you're more competitive than ever. What do you attribute that to?

DARIO FRANCHITTI: I think in some ways things have clicked. It's like we were talking about earlier. Back in the late '90s when I first showed up, I was fighting with Zanardi, Montoya, Jimmy Vasser, Michael Andretti, Al (Unser) Jr., all those guys for wins. But we never managed to tie that season together.
There were a couple difficult years, too. But from 2007, it's all just clicked. I think when you figure out how to win one of these things, you've kind of got that knowledge to fall back on. I've been very lucky again to drive great equipment both in 2007, and certainly since I've joined Team Target, and that all helps.
As Chip said before, it's a team sport. You're not going to do it without a great teammate. And the relationship I have with the guys and especially with my engineer Chris Simmons and the engineering staff. That is all critical to getting the most out of essentially everybody running the same equipment. You've got to find an advantage somewhere.

Q. Not to press the point. I'm just wondering when do you start thinking about 2011? You said you want to take some time off, and deservedly so, but when will you start getting serious?

DARIO FRANCHITTI: Unfortunately, I was thinking about it last night already (laughing). I was like stop already. You just need to give yourself a break for a couple of weeks.
I don't know. It's a blessing because I love what I do so much. I think about it quite a lot. But I would say certainly when I get back from Australia to start in November, I'll be heading up to Indianapolis and sitting with Chris and Barry and Julian (Robertson) and Eric (Bretzman) and the whole technical side of Team Target. And we'll be talking about next year and where to improve.
I'm sure Chip and I will be getting together as well. He'll be putting his side of things in there, too. We'll start working already on it. Testing is going to cull up, and it's going to be here before we know it.
I suppose in some ways the good point is I'm already up for it. But I think I do need a couple of weeks off.

***

Q. Chip, you've had many great drivers through the years with all of your teams, IndyCar, Stock Car and sports car teams. What similarities does Dario have to the other great drivers throughout the years and Ganassi Teams, and where is he different? Possibly a cut above?

CHIP GANASSI: Well, that's a good question. I think Dario isn't the -- he's not the empresario that (Alex) Zanadi was, or he's not somebody that is referred to as blindingly fast like (Juan Pablo) Montoya was when he was in IndyCar. But he's always one of these guys that he's always there when it counts.
He's always -- you win championships and you win races by first finishing and then finishing first. There is a lot that goes into all of that. Dario just has a way of, I think, looking at -- he has a keen eye on the race at hand any particular weekend. But he also has his left eye on this weekend. He's got his right eye on the goal post at the end of the year.
I think that's a special kind of thing that I didn't really see in any of our other drivers. Not to mention his teammate, obviously, Scott Dixon didn't have the kind of year that he would have liked to have. But there can only be one winner, and it's good to have Dario as a bullet in your gun, as a big bullet, yeah.

Q. As a team owner, you've been involved with PPG as the series sponsor and then later with FedEx. This year IZOD was the series sponsor for the IndyCar Series for the first time. If you could talk a little bit about how they elevated the promotion and the awareness of the sport this season in their first year as a series sponsor?

CHIP GANASSI: Well, I tell you, that is a good question. It started off with seeing ads for the IndyCar Series during the NFL playoff season last year. I remember watching ads on some pretty big networks that had some pretty big events on them. There was IZOD in the IZOD IndyCar Series.
I thought it was pretty interesting that they came out of the blocks really hard and kept it going throughout the year, exposing IndyCar racing to a different crowd.
Let's face it, everybody that picks up an issue of Auto Week or IndyCar magazine, we have some core fans that will be core fans for a long time. But I think we all agree that IndyCar racing needs to be taken to some new fans and just exposed to people.
I think that's what IZOD's done a great job of. Whether it was these events in New York and Boston and L.A., Indianapolis, they're bringing in people that expose to different types of media, different types of people.
There are a lot of people that, when exposed to motorsport and particularly IndyCar racing, when they're exposed to it, you find out a lot more about them. They have a keen interest in it, they have a little bit, they have a story to tell about the Indy 500 or something to tell them and they're a fan of it.
I think we're very lucky to have IZOD. I think they did a great job for their first year and certainly exposing us to some new type of people.

Q. As a car owner, I know it wasn't a perfect year, but in your mind could it have gotten any better?

CHIP GANASSI: Yeah, I guess. You could sit there and argue that my guys are 14th or 15th in NASCAR points or so, so we didn't make the Chase. I could sit there and nitpick the season.
We had a terrible race this past weekend in Fontana, California, after being so promising in qualifying. I could sit there and nitpick little things and reasons, but the fact of the matter is it's been a great year. It would be very hard to have anything that will turn it into a not so good year. Practically nothing can happen to turn it into a bad year.
I say practically nothing, so, obviously we -- there are ups and downs in all forms of things you do in life. I'm sitting here right now celebrating a championship with Dario on one hand. On the other hand, I have my team manager in Indianapolis today with his son who is comatose right now from a crash. (Steve Hmiel, whose son Shane was injured in a USAC racing accident)
You know, it's an everyday thing. When you're in this business every day, it's filled with ups and downs.

Q. There are several big named free agents out there in the IndyCar Series, Tony Kanaan and Graham Rahal and Ryan Hunter-Reay among the biggest. Are you interested in expanding your team to a three-car operation? Do you feel the need to do that, or are you worried about maybe upsetting chemistry?

CHIP GANASSI: First of all, there are some great free agents out there. None, I think, as great as the drivers I have, but nonetheless there are some great free agents out there that are available.
I'm perfectly happy with the two guys I have whether these free agents became available last week, last month or six months ago. I'm perfectly happy with the guys I have. And I doubt very much that I would do anything to dilute our team right now.
Whether that's with a -- I wouldn't think a third car is in the cards at Target Chip Ganassi Racing.

Having said all that, I would be perfectly happy to have a well-funded development team of some younger guys that are on their way up that have some potential down the road if the proper sponsorship could be found. Not necessarily under the roof of Target Chip Ganassi Racing, but I think in terms of a development team, we could easily compete with a lot of these teams out there now running less than a total budget for a well-funded front-running car.
I think if done right, that could add to Target Chip Ganassi Racing down the road three or four years or something. The things you do now could possibly augment your team for the future.
Again, having said that, it's not something -- it's not something that's going to make or break our organization. If our organization looks exactly the same a year from now as it does today, it won't bother me a bit.

From Amy Konrath, Indy Racing League

EDMONTON JOURNAL: 2009 Edmonton Indy lost $3.9M... 2010 race in jeopardy?

"EDMONTON — Councillors are bracing for a public backlash after the city revealed Tuesday that last July's Rexall Indy car race lost $3.9 million, more than double the expected amount.

Although Edmonton's civic budget assumed a $1.5-million shortfall, revenues for the event came up short because of the economy and lower-than-anticipated grants from the provincial and federal governments, Northlands president Ken Knowles said."

and...

"...council will decide Dec. 7 if it wants to cancel the final race scheduled for next July 25."

Click here for the full story, on the Edmonton Journal site.

The G&M's Jeff Pappone is live blogging/chatting from the Rexall Edmonton Indy

Click here to join the conversation.

Marco Andretti unveils new IndyCar in Toronto

IndyCar driver Marco Andretti unveiled his new No. 26 car today at Toronto's Brookfield Place. Here are some pictures of the event via Matthew Naftolin of Veritas Communications. Thanks to Matt for passing them along!

PHOTO #1: IndyCar Series driver Marco Andretti unveils #26 IndyCar Series showcar before his Honda Indy race in Toronto on Sunday, July 12.

PHOTO #2: IndyCar Series driver Marco Andretti together with Heather Pelant, Head of iShares, Barclays Global Investors Canada (BGI Canada), unveiling #26 IndyCar Series showcar before the Honda Indy race in Toronto on Sunday, July 12.

Photos courtesy of Derek Oliver, Canadian Press

INDYCAR: Danica Patrick discusses the Indy 500

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT – May 5, 2009

Danica Patrick was the guest on today’s Indy Racing League teleconference

About the speakers: Danica Patrick discussed the upcoming Indianapolis 500. This will be her fifth start in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”

Danica Patrick

· 27-year-old veteran of five seasons in the IndyCar Series

· Drives the No. 7 Motorola entry for Andretti Green Racing

· Opened the 2009 season with two top-five finishes in the first three races, one of only four drivers to do so

· Has made 67 career starts, recording 13 top-five finishes, 38 top-10s and winning three poles

· Became the first woman to win a major closed-course auto race in April 2008 at Twin Ring Motegi in Japan

· Has made four starts in the Indianapolis 500, qualifying in the top 10 in each one

· Has three top-10 finishes in the Indianapolis 500

· Won Chase Rookie of the Year honors at Indianapolis in 2005, leading 19 laps en route to a fourth-place finish

***

Select Quotes: Listed below are select quotes from today’s teleconference. The complete transcript and audio MP3 file are posted at www.indycar.com/media.

Q: Danica, a couple of practice days this week before Pole Day on Saturday. You qualified in the top 10 all four years at Indy. What are the things that you try and accomplish the first couple of days of practice and then what are the keys to turning in another solid qualifying effort on Saturday?

DANICA PATRICK: It's a good opportunity to really just focus on qualifying. All the rest of the year we tend to not really be so heavily focused on it, and we kind of do maybe a qualifying practice run or two, but that's about it, and then we kind of fill the car up and work on race stuff from there.

We get a few days to really focus on it. It's about getting the car comfortable. You really want the car comfortable when it has more downforce on it. As you trim it out, the balance changes maybe a little bit, but really you want to start out with a good balanced car, and hopefully you can even take the downforce off and just get faster.

Q: Other than the obvious answer, to finish first after 200 laps, what are the things you need to do this year to win the Indy 500?

DANICA PATRICK: Well, I think that it would be the easiest to start in the front and just stay there. I think that we're going to obviously work hard to qualify well. I think it's a matter of, in the past the qualifying's been reasonably good, but it's a matter of staying there. I think that's going to be the real focus, is just to not drop back and to not lose positions on the track on starts or restarts, to stay on top of the car throughout the race and keep up with the way that the track is changing, and then to have really clean pit stops. I think that's going to have to be a really, really big focus for me, getting in and out of the pits and getting in and out of the box at full speed all the time. If we do those things well, I hope we can qualify well and then I believe that we can stay there. Then it will be a shootout in the end.

There's no doubt that you do have to have a fast car to win the Indy 500, because it usually comes to that last sort of 20 laps or five-lap shootout where it's all about speed.

Q: I wanted to ask you about what I call the kinder, gentler Danica Patrick. The first race you were trying not to be mad all weekend, then (Raphael) Matos took you into the boards at St. Petersburg, you didn't smack him like we thought you might. Where is that all coming from?

DANICA PATRICK: Is it OK, do you think? I hope I'm not boring anybody (laughter).

I've learned from the past. Look, the emotional Danica is still there, but there's a time and a place. The time and place is not every weekend. So it's just easier. I think I always felt in the past like I had to prove to people that I cared and that I wasn't happy being fifth or 12th or something by being mad. It just doesn't really pay off, and it turns people off. It's a lot easier and a lot more fun to be relaxed. It's all bunnies and rainbows around here.

**

The 2009 IndyCar Series season continues May 24 with the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The race will be telecast live in High Definition at 1 p.m. (EDT) by ABC. The race will air live on the IMS Radio Network, XM channel 145 and Sirius channel 211. The radio broadcast also will be carried on www.indycar.com. The 2009 Firestone Indy Lights season continues May 22 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The race will be telecast May 22 by VERSUS as part of its Carb Day coverage from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. (EDT).

From IndyCar

Do you figure the NHL has one of these boilerplate releases for Sean Avery?

Subject: INDYCAR SERIES STATEMENT ON HELIO CASTRONEVES

LONG BEACH, Calif. (Friday, April 17, 2009) – The IndyCar Series today released the following statement from Brian Barnhart, president of competition and racing operations for the Indy Racing League, regarding Helio Castroneves return to Team Penske and the IndyCar Series:

“We couldn’t be happier for Team Penske, Helio Castroneves and his family and look forward to having him back on the race grid at (name of venue/event). Helio has played an integral part in the growth of the IndyCar Series on and off the race track the past few years and has an incredible legion of fans. He is a true star in every sense of the word and his infectious personality, popularity and success on the race track is welcomed back.”

INDYCAR: Paul Tracy and the Gecko seek revenge at the Indy 500

Long Beach, CA (April 17, 2009) – A year ago, open wheel star Paul Tracy was suffering through an awkward departure from Forsythe Racing that left the racing world scratching their heads. Oh, how things change in twelve months.

After enjoying his freedom and racing everything from trucks in the desert to trucks in NASCAR’s Truck Series, Tracy has decided that it’s time to return to the place that stole his joy.

In just a few weeks, Paul Tracy will re-visit the atmosphere that saw him depart Indianapolis with a 2nd place finish in 2002. KV Racing Technology will field the #15 entry for the Indianapolis 500 and GEICO will provide primary sponsorship, with the ‘gecko’ adorning several areas of the race car.

Tracy recorded an Indianapolis 500 win in 2002 before a controversial ruling by the Indy Racing League sent him home with runner-up honors. Race officials ruled that Tracy passed Helio Castroneves under caution on the final lap of the race even though videotape would indicate otherwise. Tracy took the decision in stride, but vowed to never again step foot in Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

A year later, in 2003, Tracy joined Forsythe Racing in the Champ Car World Series and became the first driver in thirty-two years to win the first three races of a season. After recording seven wins and six poles, he notched the series championship and rebounded from the pain he felt in Indy a year earlier.

Tracy has been a member of the GEICO Racing family since driving the GEICO NASCAR entry in Mexico City in the spring of 2006 for Biagi Bros. Racing. The 2003 Champ Car Champion was also featured on geicogarage.com alongside close friend and current GEICO NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver and former open wheel standout Max Papis in 2008.

“We’re pleased to be able to accompany Paul Tracy on his return trip to the Indianapolis 500,” expressed Ted Ward, GEICO’s vice president of marketing. “Having a relationship with two world class drivers such as Paul Tracy and Max Papis, as well as KV Racing Technology, allows us to spread our message of safety on a much broader scale and we are excited about the opportunity.”

Regarded as one of the top race car drivers in the world, Tracy is one of the most cerebral wheelmen in the business and he possesses unparalleled passion and enthusiasm. His return to Indianapolis is much anticipated and could quite possibly be auto racing’s story of the year.

KV Racing Technology co-owner Jimmy Vasser said, “I think I can speak for everyone at KVRT when I say that running Paul Tracy at the Indy 500 is very exciting. I also want to thank GEICO for supporting our efforts. Even though Paul hasn’t been in an open-wheel car much the last year, having raced against him and knowing his ability, I am sure he will get up to speed immediately.”

Tracy’s colorful personality and aggressive style is what has earned him the nickname ‘The Thrill from West Hill’, and makes him one of the most globally recognized racers in the business.

“This is a great opportunity and I can’t thank GEICO and KV Racing enough for stepping up and making it happen,” Tracy said. “Jimmy (Vasser, team owner), Kevin (Kalkhoven, team owner) and I are close friends and I have long been associated with GEICO, so it is exciting to have it all come together. It’s also a nice association to be teammates for a month with Max Papis who drives GEICO’s Cup car. Max is one of my closest friends, so I am sure he will join me in Indy at one point during the month.”

He continued, “Indianapolis is a special place and I look forward to returning and taking a run at getting a win and putting my name in the history books. I’ve committed my life to racing and a win at Indy is something that is very important to me. The past is the past and I’ll go to IMS focused on the present putting forth my best effort for GEICO and KV Racing.”

Tracy is nothing if not versatile and he will get up to speed quickly. In July 2008, he hopped in a car for Vision Racing in Edmonton’s IndyCar race and turned in a 4th place finish despite having been out of a car since Long Beach in April.

In May, Tracy will have plenty of practice time and he will also have support from one of the Indy Racing League’s top teams in KV Racing Technology, so stay tuned. One thing is for certain: When Paul Tracy is involved it will be nothing short of exciting.

GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company) is the third-largest private passenger auto insurer in the United States based on the latest 12 months written premium. It provides auto insurance coverage for 9 million policyholders and insures more than 15 million vehicles. In addition to auto insurance, GEICO offers customers insurance products for their motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATV's), boats, homes, apartments and mobile homes. Commercial auto insurance and personal umbrella protection and life insurance are also available. As a member of the Berkshire Hathaway group of companies, GEICO is rated A++ for financial strength by A.M. Best Company and ranks at the top of several national customer satisfaction surveys. For more information, please visit www.geico.com.

From Doug Barnette / Player Management International, Inc.

Rexall Edmonton Indy unveils its 2009 event schedule

On March 18 in Edmonton, the organizers of the Rexall Edmonton Indy held a press conference outlining some of their plans for the IndyCar / NASCAR Canadian Tire Series race weekend that will take place this summer (July 24-26) at the Edmonton City Centre Airport.

Alex Tagliani, the winner of last year's NASCAR race in Edmonton (shown above), took part in the proceedings. The weekend schedule was unveiled at the press conference. Below is a release from the event.

The Rexall Edmonton Indy is gearing up for the hottest three-day weekend of the summer from July 24-26, 2009! With the fastest drivers in the world competing on Edmonton’s challenging track, this year’s Indy is bound to be the highlight of an already scorching Edmonton summer. The Track Schedule for the 2009 Rexall Edmonton Indy will feature:

Friday, July 24 / Event / Minutes

8:00 - 8:30 Canadian Tire NASCAR Series Practice 30
8:45 - 9:45 FIL Practice 60
10:00 - 10:30 NASCC Practice 30
10:45 - 11:15 Canadian Tire NASCAR Series Practice 30
11:30 Gates Open to Public
11:45 - 12:30 IndyCar Practice 45
12:30 - 1:15 IndyCar Practice 45
1:30 - 2:15 FIL Qualifying 45
2:30 - 3:30 Corporate Race 60
3:45 - 4:45 IndyCar Practice 60
5:00 - 5:45 Canadian Tire NASCAR Series Qualifying 45
6 :00 - 7:00 Pace Car / 2 Seater Program 60

Saturday, July 25 / Event / Minutes

8:00 - 8:30 FIL Warmup 30
8:45 - 9:15 NASCC Practice 30
9:30 Gates Open to Public
9:45 - 10:45 IndyCar Practice 60
11:00 - 12:15 Canadian Tire NASCAR Series Race 75
12:30 - 1:15 NASCC Qualifying 45
1:30 - 2:00 FIL Pre Race 30
2:00 - 3:00 FIL Race 60
3:20 - 4:50 IndyCar Qualifying - Live Versus 90
5:00 - 6:00 Pace Car / 2 Seater Program 60

Sunday, July 26 / Event / Minutes

9:30 Gates Open To Public
9:45 - 10:45 2 Seater Rides 60
10:45 - 11:45 IndyCar Warmup 60
12:00 - 12:30 NASCC Warmup 30
12:30 - 1:30 Pace Car Rides 60
1:30 - 2:30 NASCC Race 60
3:00 - 4:00 IndyCar Pre Race 60
4:00 - 6:00 IndyCar Race - Live Versus 120

Tickets for the 2009 Rexall Edmonton Indy are on sale now at all Ticketmaster locations. Call (780) 451-8000 or secure yours online at http://www.ticketmaster.ca/. Northlands rocks Edmonton with 2,500 events each year that attract over 4 million visitors to Alberta’s Capital City. Think, Canadian Finals Rodeo, Farmfair International, Capital EX, Rexall Edmonton Indy, the best of horse racing, headliner concerts, international events and all the trade shows you can handle. Visit northlands.com to find out more.

By Darren Krill / Senior Manager, Communications / Northlands

Photos courtesy of Perry Nelson