Kia Motors Motors America announced today that they will team up with Kinetic Motorsports to bring the Kia Forte Koup to compete in the Street Tuner class in the Koni Challenge next year.  Stalwarts Andy Lally and Nic Jonsson have been tapped by Kia and Kinetic to pilot the cars in 2010.

This is big news.  A few years back Korean tire manufacturers started popping up in motorsports, Hankook probably being one of the first and most notable.  They were completely unknown at that time.  Now, I think Hankook has become a name known for cheap tires.  Kia is much more well known than those tire makers were back then and but the reputation they have is definitely not for something like this.  Let me go on the record as saying that I’m in favor of any manufacturer getting involved in motorsports.  The more the merrier.

BUT…

This just seems weird to me.  Kias are cheap, that’s their shtick.  Apparently now they’re shooting for edgy, fast, and cool.  Maybe a new crop of young kids will buy this but I don’t think I’m going to be able to.  I can see why Street Tuner may appeal to them as it does contain many of their compact car competitors but will they be competitive?  They have definitely chosen the right team to go with.  Kinetic has what it takes to build a winning program and the drivers are obviously no slouches either.

What I absolutely have to say about this more than anything else is that I hate their use of the word Koup.  I don’t like purposefully misspelling words for originality or cuteness.  According to Wikipedia, the word is coupe is derived from the French word couper which means to cut.  I don’t get the correlation but none the less it isn’t from the French word kouper so don’t f with it.  I don’t like z’s on the end of words that are supposed to represent s’s.  I don’t like x’ at the end of words that are supposed to replaces “icks”.  It’s just lame.

Well, I’m going to go email TaTa Motors to see if they’ll be making any announcements soon.  When in Rome…

You can read the full press release relating to the Kia Koups entrance into the Konee Challenge Sereez here.

Penske Racing DHL RS Spyder 2007 ALMS Photo Credit: kptyson

Autoweek is reporting that Penske racing will campaign three Indycar entries, two NASCAR Nationwide series cars, and three Sprint Cup cars in 2010. Noticeably absent from that list is any sports car series entrants. Drivers Sam Hornish Jr. and Kurt Busch will return, with the addition of Brad Keselowski for Cup. Justin Allgaier will be joined by Keselowski for Nationwide. The Indycar drivers will be Ryan Briscoe, Helio Castroneves, and full time next year, Will Power.

It was enjoyable to see Penske campaigning sports cars the last few years under the Porsche banner. The successful organization brings credibility to any series they run. Plus Timo Bernhard and Romain Dumas are top notch sports car racers and deserve to be in elite cars. Surely they will land somewhere if The Captain can’t put something together last minute to keep them in the stable. Hopefully Penske will be back in road racing in the near future.

It might be a hassle some times but memories are made at the track. Photo Credit: TequilaMike

I was presented with a dilemma recently.  I received my annual renewal for my Nationwide and Sprint Cup tickets for the August Michigan race.  My family has had four tickets together for both races and we have attended for at least 10 years now.  As time goes by interest wanes with all parties involved; everybody seems so busy these days.  Michigan isn’t exactly an excitement track like Bristol either.  Plus it really is a chore to go to a NASCAR race.  All the traffic, the people, the long walks, and 90+ degree humid Michigan summer day, just doesn’t appeal anymore.  The tickets are getting ridiculously priced too.  So we are reluctantly going to let them go.  Nationwide in the shadow of the pressbox, and turn 1 grandstand aisle seats for Sprint Cup.  Even selling our extra tickets if someone doesn’t want to go hasn’t been possible for the last couple years given my region’s economy.  It just wasn’t worth it.  Or is it? 

Why do we go to races?  It’s easier, cheaper, and you seemingly get to see more up close action with today’s television coverage.  I can even listen to Dale Jr.’s radio through the computer at home better than I can on my old Radio Shack scanner in the stands.   Why do we go?  Yeah, we aren’t down on the track like we all wish we were.  But we have skin in the game when we are at the track.  Well at least sunburnt skin, and lots of sweat.  We are invested in the sport we love.  We are connected to the point we think we are participants.  You don’t get that through the TV.  Not even in hi-def.  You can’t smell or hear the cars. 

Seriously! How awesome is this shot! We took this picture! Photo Credit: Angry Race Fan

I go to races so that when I’m BSing with my buddies, I can say, “yeah, but I was in Cleveland when Danica and AJ were running Barber Dodge cars.”  Some of the races you remember clear as day.  Some are forgettable, either because they are boring (MIS stock car), or because you drank so many oil cans of Fosters at an F1 race at Indy and you don’t even remember getting home six hours away (I wasn’t driving).  It is the most fun when you can stay on site for the weekend.  Jimmy Vasser played football with his buddies next to our camp site at Road America.  Paul Newman practically drove through said campsite on his scooter staring at the sky. 

I feel as though I was truly a part of the IRL/CART split. I sat in the stands at the US500; people with portable black and white TVs sitting behind us were watching Indy and giving us updates.  I watched a buddy almost get killed by Chip Ganassi driving like an idiot on his scooter, or same friend almost run down by AJ Foyt on a golf cart.  Since we don’t have the talent to drive side by side with Juan Pablo, and we can’t call a race like Tim Cindric; we accept our role as fans.  As a race fan, you truly need to put your butt in the seat at a racetrack as often as you can.  That is where you truly connect with the sport.  It also makes watching those races on TV more enjoyable.  You subconsciously recall it all, and you truly know what it would be like if you were there. 

OK, so I’ve waxed ecstatic and gotten a little too romantic.  You still need to vote with your wallet first and foremost.    Babies still need shoes, and you need to take your lady or man out for dinner.  Those dance class and gymnastics for the kids don’t pay for themselves.  Whenever you can pull it off though; take in a race.  It’s worth it. 

Now I hope I didn’t already recycle that ticket renewal slip.

Indy Car:

Vitor Returns to Indy – After his crash in this year’s 500 Vitor Meira returned to IMS for a test this week.

Grand Am: 

Bosch Engineering Octoberfest Preview – Koni Challenge drivers talk about the upcoming race at VIR coming up on Sunday October 4th.

Formula 1:

Renault Penalty Verdict - So these two guys from Australia Max & Pep do an F1 Podcast and its pretty much awesome.  If for nothing else I like the intro stuff they do with the montage of pics and music.  This video is part 1 of a 2 part series.  If you’re down with part 1 you should be able to find your way to part 2 here.

NASCAR:

Joey Logano’s Nasty Ass Crash – Joey had a real rough one last weekend.  Definitely just an unfortunate racing incident with Tony Stewart but the young man definitely earned some stripes on this one.

I think Indy Car could learn something from the success of the Daytona Prototype class. Photo Credit: Wartermarked Photography

On the About Us page of the Grand Am website they refer to the Daytona Prototypes (DPs) as an “extremely raceable and relatively affordable format”.  DPs cost between $400,000 and $500,000 and are available from five separate constructors and have approved power plants from seven different manufacturers (both import and domestic).  Each of these seven engines can fit into any of the 5 approved chassis, so that gives you the possibility of 35 different chassis / engine combinations just within the current rules.  From an engine perspective Grand Am also states that, “manufacturers are welcome to submit any production-based engine for approval in the series, but turbos and superchargers are not permitted”.

 With this Grand Am has created an environment where the rulebook is very structured and strict on how cars can be designed and then parity is built into the rulebook by managing the homologation of engines into the series.  Seems reasonable enough, sound familiar at all?

Now let’s turn our attention to Indy Car, that bastion of engineering ingenuity where anybody with the desire, money, and brains to do it can build a car to the rulebook and may a go at the Indy 500.  Err, well, wait a minute.  The series that was once the epitome of motorsports creativity, the race that in 1967 saw Parnelli Jones race a gas turbine powered car, now is made up of a single chassis and a spec engine.  I won’t mention tires because after the debacle at the US Grand Prix in 2004 I don’t so much mind having a single tire manufacturer (Tony Stewart may disagree with me on this, but I’d argue it with him over some beer and what would probably be a ton of chicken wings and I’d win).

The IRL seems to believe that a single manufacturer for both cars and engines will bring down the costs for the teams. 

Seems like a little variety could do Indy Car some good. Don't you think? Photo Credit: cmakin

 Yet, I don’t see the Grand Am teams complaining about costs.  I also don’t see the Grand Am fans complaining about snooze-fest fuel mileage races or 200 MPH parades.  I know some recent rule changes have made an impact on those problems from earlier this season but seriously why can’t the Grand Am DP model be transferred over to Indy Car?

Now understood that Grand Am is in cahoots with NASCAR and many of the engines used are very similar to NASCAR engines.  This doesn’t really account for Porsche, BMW, Infiniti, Honda, and Lexus though, does it?  The IRL had their manufacturers’ summits recently and although they did get more interest than I expected it wasn’t nearly enough.  Why can’t they draw Chevrolet, Porsche, Ford, BMW, Lexus, Infiniti, or Honda like Grand Am did?  Well what’s in it for them?  Perhaps they should worry less about the manufacturers and more about the engine builders.

Roush-Yates is building Ford engines for Grand Am. Why, you say?  Because someone is paying them to build them!  Teams buy engines from engine builders or they build there own engines.  They don’t have to lease them from the manufacturers.  I’m not sure if the IRL has noticed but the vast majority of their teams already have machine shops in their facilities.

So, lets bring this back around to something useful and not just me ranting on and on about this.  Here is what I believe Indy Car needs to do to bring more attention to their fine version of motorsport:

• Create a proposed set of specifications for the next generation of Indy Car chassis.
• Open the submission process for designs to be approved by the IRL.  Look to specific manufacturers if necessary such as Lola, Dallara, Panoz, Riley, Swift, etc.
• Look for production based engine packages that could be built with the necessary horsepower, durability and size and solicit current manufacturers / engine builders to participate in the homologation process.
• If possible, look to include both import and domestic engine manufacturers 

Will this be easy?  NO.

Will it put more burden on the league to update and enforce the rule book?  YES.

Will it bring better competition?  YES.

Will it bring more attention through a more diverse set of manufacturers and constructors?  YOU’RE DAMN RIGHT IT WILL!!!

Now that’s just my 2 cents but Grand Am just tested at Indy a couple weeks ago and you can bet you’re ass if they run a 12 hours there that I will be the loudest shirtless guy standing on an ugly bus right in the middle of that hot mess! 

Keep it up Grand Am and get on the stick Indy Car!

Is Pruett Leaving Ganassi or pulling double duty? Photo Credit: ScrapNancy

According to AutoWeek Scott Pruett will not be assisting the the test of the new RSR (formerly RocketSports) Jaguar XKR this weekend at Petit Le Mans as was originally planned.  This is most likely due to the fact that it was originally to occur on Friday during practice and is now looking like it will be more of a parade lap or two on Saturday.  Scott will need to be in Miami at this time taking care of business with his Ganassi team mates

(Hi to Scott’s family at home.)

Although they originally thought they may debut the car at Mid Ohio earlier this year it had later been pushed to Petit Le Mans @ Road Atlanta this coming weekend.  That too was later changed to be a practice session and now has been  back further and has been referred to as “some demonstration laps”.  RSR does plan to have the new XKR’s race debut at the ALMS season finale at Laguna Seca on Oct 11th.  Marc Goossens and Paul Gentilozzi (RSR Team Owner) are slated to drive at that event.

Another big point of interest from the AutoWeek article was the mention that Scott Pruett would not be driving for RSR this weekend but is scheduled to drive the XKR in GT2 next year.

Huh?  Could that be?  Is Scott going to leave the Ganassi boys?  This one came as a shocker to me.  Now in theory he could run partial seasons in bothseries.  I don’t think the 2010 schedules are out yet for either series so there probably is no way to commit doing running both or partial schedules at this point.  Seems that a fellow would have to pick one.  Especially Pruett who said in a 2008 interview with Crash.net that where he was quoted as saying, “He likes the Grand-Am schedule, which allows him lots of time with his wife and three children”. 

After considering it for a bit it does make some sense though.  Scott has been in Grand Am running that Lexus DP for some time now.  He’s proved that he is a damn good driver by winning multiple Rolex 24s and Daytona Prototype championships.  I haven’t seen if RSR is planning on taking the RSR to Le Mans next year but if that is the case this would give Pruett a shot at a another class win there (he previously had two wins in class).

Well however it ends up working out its all interesting to me.  It’s good to see Jaguar back in sports car  racing, good to

RSR unveiled their new GTS XKR at Road Atlanta this week. Bad Ass!

see Michigan-based RSR back in competition, and whether Scott stays in Grand Am or moves to ALMS you can bet he’ll be saying hi to his family at home.

(And I’m going to throw this in too.  There aren’t nearly enough children’s books related to motorsports and Pruett has written a few good ones.  Honestly can’t say I’ve bought them but I have flipped through them.  You can see and buy them here.  Start the kids out early!)

My relatively random thoughts on this past race weekend 9/18 – 9/20/2009:

The Good

• Mark Martin won another race.  That is always cool.
• Juan Pablo Montoya won the pole and  finished 3rd in the race.

It was a great weekend for JPM and his team.  A win would have been great but you can’t complain about being on the pole, leading some laps, nailing a 3rd, and moving up 7 positions in the points.  JPM is my pick to win the Chase this year. 

• Graham Rahal scored a podium finish @ Motegi and Castroneves was the only Penske car in the top 10.  Good work young Rahal and NHL!  Now don’t get me wrong.  I’m a big Roger Penske fan and his team is in no doubt superior to the remainder of the field save Ganassi, but I’m very bored with his team doing so well.

• The Grand Am race in Utah was exciting and the points race between Gainsco, Suntrust, and Ganassi continues with only 10 points separating all 3 teams.

• Briatore and Symonds leave Renault F1.  In the midst of the “Crashgate” scandal Renault F1’s Managing Director (Briatore) and Director of Engineering (Symonds).  I guess that should open up Briatore’s calendar for scoping super models.  Both have since been banned from FIA sanctioned events Symonds for 5 years and Briatore indefinitely.  Wild to think that people operating at the highest level of motorsport would not think asking a driver to crash deliberately would get out after he was released from his contract.  Seems as likely as Peter Windsor getting brushed off by a driver on the pre-race grid.

Bad News

• JPM got a solid 3rd but didnt’ win @ New Hampshire.  It was his Birthday this weekend so a solid win for the man would have been nice.  I suppose the pole was pretty good though.
• Scott Dixon won @ Motegi and Dario Franchitti finished 2nd.  Now don’t get me wrong, these are two of my favorite IndyCar drivers.  But come on, aren’t we all getting a little tired of the same guys up on the podium.  As I said above about Penske I want to see these guys do well but the dominance currently on display is about as interesting as listening to Robin Miller talk about Spring Cars.

The Ugly

• I didn’t get to watch the IndyCar race @ Motegi because I DirecTV dropped VS.  I have a dog in this fight but I’m not getting involved.  I wouldn’t dare to say that they just need to figure it out and maybe even the IRL should drop by the VS office and put in a good word for DirecTV.  Not that it would probably help but we all know in the battle of DirecTV vs. VS. the loser is IndyCar.  No question.

Grand Am has posted a video of some drivers thoughts on the test at Indy. It’s worth checking out.

Come on 12 Hours @ the Brickyard!