Racing Of The United States Variety

[Massa 0]

Just saw this from Jim Utter's Twitter:

NASCAR officials told A.J. Allmendinger on July 7 the exact substance that caused Allmendinger to fail his drug test.

But yesterday, July 24, Tara Ragan told us they had no idea what he failed for, and were going to go through all his supplements and medications to see what ever could have caused it...

Sorry, Tara, nothing you say is credible now...

[JHS18 0]

I don't understand why they don't just name now what he tested positive for, to avoid all this speculation? Who is it going to harm?

It is fair to say that whilst he could be innocent, most the media have made it seems like he's some guy who takes illegal drugs.

So if it something like an energy drink or whatever, why not say so and prove your innocence? Equally, if it is bad - well at least the truth is out and you can focus on rehab.

[Massa 0]

Tara Ragan finally comes clean and tells us more...why not tell us everything from the start, Tara?

She has confirmed Allmendinger failed for an amphetamine. This seems to be tied to performance enhancing drugs. Amphetamine is actually illegal, so Tara Ragan lied again in the article, even if A.J. was using it in a supplement unknowingly rather than taking "speed" recreationally etc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphetamine#Performance-enhancing_use

So, to sum up: Allmendinger failed his drug test, and he failed for a drug that is banned in NASCAR and is illegal in the United States.

[Massa 0]

Allmendinger's suspension will likely last around five months.

Chevrolet's announcement is today. This is their NNS car under wraps. It's either a Camaro or a warped Impala.

I also assume the Cup car will be unveiled.

I have to say the new Cup cars for 2013 are the only things giving me any hope in NASCAR, because otherwise...meh.

Though I will be watching the Nationwide races at Watkins Glen and Montréal, because I love road course racing, and at Montréal, a certain Alex Tagliani will be in the #30 Turner Motorsports car that Nelson Piquet one in at Road America, so that excites me.

[Massa 0]

The NASCAR Nationwide Series Chevrolet Camaro. Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger are already there, so it makes sense:

http://twitpic.com/abyv0r

Only one that doesn't make sense now is the Toyota Camry, which looks horrible because they designed it around the 2009 Toyota Camry (which it looks nothing like anyway), and now they gave it the 2012 Camry's headlights but kept the old front, so the Camry is really just a conglomerate of things that look vaguely like past Toyotas and it's a wretched example of how far from production stock cars can look under the wrong rules.

But the Camaro's a huge upgrade from the Impala they run in NNS now. Excited to see the Cup car, which is based on a model that isn't even seen now. That model will be a 2014 Chevrolet SS, which will be a next-gen Holden Commodore.

[Massa 0]

The horror, the horror! They lied!

The Cup car will not be unveiled today. Waaaaaaaaaah.

[Massa 0]

Best article you'll read about the Allmendinger stuff:

http://www.buildingspeed.org/blog/2012/07/talking-about-things-you-dont-understand/

[Massa 0]

Danica Patrick is back in Indianapolis this weekend to run the Nationwide race on Saturday, so naturally the media are asking her if she'll run the 500 again. I'm not sure how serious Danica is about doing the double next year, but she says she wants to. I don't know if it's just to keep her name in the headlines this weekend and to play along with the media. I'd like to see her try it.

What will make it difficult for her? Well, at Indianapolis, she won't get much practice time and she's never driven the DW12. If she doesn't have a teammate to help with setup, it will be tough. No one can deny that having a "feel" for the car was Danica's weakness, and that her setup abilities aren't as good as that of the top-flight drivers. It won't be easy for her to just get in the car and go.

That said, Danica was one of the most consistent drivers at Indianapolis. Outside of the pit incident in 2008 with Ryan Briscoe (I believe it was Briscoe's fault, don't remember), Danica has finished top ten in every 500 she's run, and was on track to finish there in 2008. She's also done it with some less-than-stellar equipment. In 2006, the Panoz was an awful chassis, but she manged eighth. In 2011, two of her teammates failed to qualify, but she came from twenty-fifth to finish tenth. Her best result was 2009, P3, from tenth starting place and recovering from a blown pit stop. Outside of her rookie year, she's never even spun the car, which is a huge accomplishment at Indy where it's so easy to wreck.

So she's certainly someone steady for race day who will get a good finish, even if she wouldn't likely contend for the win (she only really did that once, back in 2005).

[Massa 0]

So who else has attempted the 1100-mile (~1770.278 km) run of the Indianpolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 in the same day?

John Andretti (1994)

Indianapolis 500: 10

Coca-Cola 600: 36

Total distance: 820 miles

Robby Gordon attempted to do it in 1997, but the Indy 500 was rained out and run on Monday (for 15 laps) and Tuesday (to completion), so he only ran the NASCAR race on Sunday.

Tony Stewart (1999)

Indianapolis 500: 9

Coca-Cola 600: 4

Total distance: 1090 miles

Robby Gordon (2000)

Indianapolis 500: 6

Coca-Cola 600: NC

Total distance: ??? miles

Due to rain, Gordon arrived late to the Coca-Cola 600, such that P.J. Jones started the car, and was therefore classified (in 35^th). Robby Gordon did get into the car at some point during the race, but it is unclear how many miles he actually completed in the Coca-Cola 600. Gordon did complete all 500 miles at Indy that year.

Tony Stewart (2001)

Indianapolis 500: 6

Coca-Cola 600: 3

Total distance: 1100 miles

Robby Gordon (2002)

Indianapolis 500: 8

Coca-Cola 600: 16

Total distance: 1098.5 miles

Robby Gordon (2003)

Indianapolis 500: 22

Coca-Cola 600: 17

Total distance: 835 miles

The Coca-Cola 600 was shortened to 414 miles (of which, Gordon completed 412.5) due to rain in 2003.

Robby Gordon (2004)

Indianapolis 500: 29

Coca-Cola 600: 20

Total distance: 665.5 miles

Robby Gordon left the Indianapolis 500 after it was red-flagged after lap 28 due to rain. Jaques Lazier replaced him in the car, but retired on lap 88. Gordon only completed 70 miles at Indianapolis, but was classified as P29 because he started the car.

That day I bolded is part of why I regard Tony Stewart as one of the greatest drivers in the world.

[Massa 0]

Jimmie Johnson gets number four at Indianapolis, tying him with Jeff Gordon and only Jeff Gordon, not Rick Mears, Al Unser, or A.J. Foyt as they won four of an entirely different race, and not putting him one behind Michael Schumacher, who won five of an entirely different race on an entirely different track that just happens to be at the same venue as the other one.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. takes the points lead for the first time since September 2004.

Next race is Pocono, but I would like to alert everyone about three upcoming races after that:

August 11 sees the Nationwide Series at Watkins Glen, with Sprint Cup there on August 12. Then, on August 18, the Nationwide Series is at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, featuring Alex Tagliani, Patrick Carpentier, and, as far as we know, Jacques Villeneuve.

So that's three road course races in seven days, which is about the most interesting NASCAR will get all year, for me, at least.

[JHS18 0]

Then, on August 18, the Nationwide Series is at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, featuring Alex Tagliani, Patrick Carpentier, and, as far as we know, Jacques Villeneuve.

It'll be easy for me to remember that date.

[Massa 0]

Wonder why...

Can't say I follow IndyCar these days, but I did see this...

Giorgio Pantano will be racing for Chip Ganassi this weekend at Mid-Ohio. Charlie Kimball broke his finger in a testing crash.

Pantano's been inconsistent in his IndyCar races thus far. In 2005, he finished fourth at Watkins Glen for Ganassi, but fourteenth in his other race. Last year, he would have been fifth at Sonoma, but he was black-flagged for blocking on the final corner, which I think was the wrong call but whatever. His other races in 2011, however, were totally forgettable.

I know there are some out there who want more American drivers or whatever, but you can count me out of that. I'd be a lot more interested in an IndyCar Series that could pick up guys like Giorgio Pantano and Esteban Guerrieri who really were close to Formula One but didn't have the budgets (Guerrieri, in my opinion, should be in F1. Pantano...I don't know if he was quite good enough), or guys like Sébastien Bourdais who just didn't work out in F1 (though he was better than you remember).

Of course, if you really want my opinion, I'd rather see Pantano, Guerrieri, and my favorites (Servià, Tagliani, Bourdais) in sports car racing so I don't have any reason to check Indy results.

[Massa 0]

This is the 2013 Ford in a more traditional livery:

https://twitter.com/...0941440/photo/1

All the 2013 cars, including the Chevrolet SS that we aren't allowed to see and the Dodge Charger which has no actual team, will be testing on August 7 and 8. I really hope there are pictures.

Three things make me very interested in the new cars:

1. The aerodynamic differences, obviously. Differentiation makes for better racing because different cars have different strengths and weaknesses over the course of a lap, a race, and a season. That means passing and performance loss and gain and everything that makes it fun. I realize NASCAR already has big-time differences in engines and some chassis differences, but this just adds even more.

2. The cars are going to be a lot lighter as far as weight goes. I think this could make the cars drive a little differently, which might help for better racing, and might make for an adjustment for the drivers which could mix up the pecking order. I know the COT, when introduced, really changed the way a lot of drivers drove, and made some older drivers a little less competitive.

3. Goodyear is working on a tire with more grip. Usually the tradeoff with grip is quicker wear (I say usually but I don't think it'd be too wrong to say universally). Quicker wear forces drivers to really drive, and as you see in F1, makes for really interesting strategy and results. I also think fresh tires with more grip will add an element to the end of races: usually, there's a late-race caution, and the leaders often stay out if they're in their fuel window. But the guys at the end of the lead lap will take tires because, hey, why not? If the grip difference can be big enough, you'd see those guys really overtaking from the back toward the front. Also, you need to make drivers drive, but you also need grip to allow for any kind of overtaking, so there's that balance to find.

I'm carefully optimistic about this.

[Massa 0]

Jeff Gordon won a rain-shortened (and delayed) race in Pocono today. Sounds like the Pocono I know. I attended this race from 2004 through 2010, and the last three years featured a red flag for rain (2008 and 2010), a washout that had the race run on Monday (2009), and a delayed start (2010).

Pocono reminds me of some of the best experiences I've had in racing, and some of the worst photographs anyone has ever taken. Take a look (2005-2006 photos are webcam pictures of pictures; 2007 photos were direct from a Motorola KRZR K1m...I say this in case you ever want to replicate the quality ):

http://imgur.com/a/bkRIY

[Massa 0]

Fan killed by lightning at the race today:

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/nascar/story/2012-08-05/fans-struck-by-lightning-at-pocono-raceway/56811334/1

[JHS18 0]

A real shame to hear about that. It is always a tragedy, whatever the circumstances, when a fan goes to a race and doesn't come back. Really unfortunate, R.I.P.

[Massa 0]

Watkins Glen this weekend for Cup and NNS.

Might rain; NNS will use rain tires, Cup will not (longer race, heavier cars, fear of a ****show).

Two road course aces have been brought in to the Cup race to challenge regulars like Ambrose, Stewart, Montoya, Gordon, Johnson, Edwards, and Busch, who are all skilled on circuits like these:

Patrick Long (#30 Inception Motorsports Toyota) - Porsche factory driver racing predominantly with Flying Lizard; class winner of Le Mans, Sebring, Petit Le Mans, and Daytona; race winner in ARCA and NASCAR K&N Pro Series

Boris Said (#32 HendrickCars.com Ford) - Nürburgring, Sebring, and Daytona winner; NASCAR Nationwide Series win at Montréal; current Grand-Am GT driver

How about Nationwide? A few road course ringers, as they are called, are entered there:

Ron Fellows (#5 Canadian Tire Chevrolet) - Former Corvette factory driver; Le Mans, Sebring, and Daytona winner; four-time Nationwide and two-time Truck Series winner, all on road courses; current owner of Canadian Tire Motorsports Park (Mosport) in Bowmanville, ON

Miguel Paludo (#30 Duroline Chevrolet) - Camping World Truck Series driver; Porsche GT3 Cup Brasil champion

Eric Curran (#53 NDS Motorsports Dodge) - Current Grand-Am GT driver; Grand-Am class wins at Mont-Tremblant and Road America

Of course, Danica Patrick has something to prove, too, having had a certain top five robbed at the lost road race when Jacques Villeneuve punted her on the final lap of the race.

[Massa 0]

Fun with TV ratings:

If you had a TV blackout (as in NOTHING on screen) on a network channel (ABC, for example), you would get a 1.0 rating (1,600,000 viewers or so).

IndyCar has fallen to a new low on ABC with Mid-Ohio's race. A 0.6. IndyCar has been around a 0.9 for most ABC races. A 0.6 means they got about 960,000 viewers. On network. I can't emphasize how horrible that is. It was against the Olympics...but I'm pretty sure it was women's water polo on at that time, and if you can dress water polo in red, white, and blue and get Americans to watch it, well, kudos to you because I sure as hell don't watch sports I'm not interested in, regardless of who is playing.

The ALMS time-buy on ABC from Saturday got a 0.4. I'll protect the sanctity of the sports car thread by not degrading that into a ratings thread and put that here. F1 races at 5/6/7/8 AM on cable get more viewers than that.

When it comes to U.S. racing, we don't have nice things. Now you know why. No one cares...at all.

[Massa 0]

Dodge is expected to withdraw from NASCAR and will not compete in 2013. They unveiled the 2013 Charger back in March at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

[Massa 0]

Don't expect much change in the quality of racing next year in NASCAR (which is either good or bad, depending on how you view NASCAR's racing). The cars are only 100 lbs lighter, and the drivers, having tested them today, say there is no difference at all in how they drive.

Allmendinger claims he tested positive for Adderall, a prescription medication for ADHD. Allmendinger does not have ADHD, and does not have a prescription for Adderall. In his tale, if you believe it, he explains how he took Adderall and expects to be reinstated by August (though he has no ride, as Penske already released him). If his program is that short, then NASCAR obviously believes his story...

http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/cup/story/_/id/8243320/aj-allmendinger-tested-positive-prescription-adderall

Who would ever just take a pill some guy hands to them? Total moron, in my opinion...

[Massa 0]

Jay Penske, owner of IndyCar team Dragon Racing, and his brother Mark Penske (both sons of Roger) were arrested. For a story that includes urinating, assault and battery on women, and breaking and entering, read on:

http://www.ack.net/PenskeBreakIn080912.html

[Massa 0]

Best finish to a NASCAR race in a very, very long time.

Kyle Busch had a huge lead with a few to go.

But Bobby Labonte is a complete, ****ing idiot who really needs to be suspended from NASCAR for a week: his engine blew, and rather than get off the racing line, the dip**** decides to lay oil ALL OVER the entire track...

The oil wasn't visible, and NASCAR didn't throw a caution, and pure excitement happened.

I am very, very glad they kept it green. Tons of fun. But I'm not sure why it stayed green, and I'm really not sure why Bobby Labonte didn't think to get off the track.

I enjoyed it a lot, though. It was like watching a wet weather race in a way. Waiting for video to share with you guys.

[Massa 0]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptLBVCU9hGw

A few spins within the final 20, then the finish.

[JHS18 0]

That was a cool finish - thanks for posting.

NASCAR should race on more road courses. Come to Knockhill - that'd be proper comedy.

[Massa 0]

Agree, I wish the calendar was road courses only to be honest...and make them a little bit shorter, too...

Last NASCAR road race of the year is Saturday with Nationwide at Montréal. Jacques Villeneuve returns to take out the rest of the field. Alex Tagliani is also running. Pretty sure Patrick Carpentier is coming out of retirement to do this one, too.