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Ovalicious
Scoops listed here are posted in a "latest news" first
format.
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(4-26-05) Twelve days ago I "went out on a limb" and
posted information I had learned at St. Pete about TCGR/Scott
Dixon and a Dallara entered for him for Motegi. Since then, when
the entry list was posted, I got several E-mails offering me
a saw. Still, I never doubted my source. Then when the pay per
view IndyCar information site went out of their way to debunk the claim
and quote their un-named TCGR source, I was beginning to compose a
retraction. Tonight I got this post on our IndyCar PRIVATE forum,
a forum intended to weed out the D&G types and IndyCar
bashers. I will admit to a sigh of relief though. Here is a copy
of the post, which reads like a team PR piece, as soon as I have a
link I'll post it.
http://www.motorsport.com/news/arti...D=183123&FS=IRL
Official
word:
As a result of Target Chip Ganassi Racing’s relentless pursuit
of perfection in the IRL IndyCar Series, the team’s entry form
for the upcoming Bridgestone Indy Japan 300 is being changed to
reflect the addition of a Dallara chassis for the #9 Target
Toyota of Scott Dixon. Current entries for teammates Darren
Manning (#10 Toyota Panoz) and Ryan Briscoe (#33 Toyota Panoz)
remain unchanged.
Representing the only engine combination of its kind in the
series with the marriage of the Toyota power plant and Panoz G
Force platform, the Target team did not previously feel it could
efficiently and productively test two different chassis with the
differing driving styles of Dixon and Manning. However, with the
recent addition of former Toyota Formula 1 test pilot Ryan
Briscoe, a new opportunity presented itself.
“Now that our IndyCar program has expanded to three quality
drivers, we feel that with a strong engineering and management
group rooted deeply in information sharing, this would be the
perfect time to gauge the team’s performance on multiple
levels,” said Team Managing Director Mike Hull. “Now that
the Target team is better able to monitor driver style and
performance, it makes sense at this juncture to have direct
comprehension and comparison of the two chassis. This team was
built on racing excellence, and this is another step to ensuring
Chip Ganassi Racing is doing everything in its power to maximize
preparations and stay competitive.”
The addition of the Dallara chassis adds to the team’s open
wheel arsenal, but is not indicative of a move to the Dallara
chassis, or remaining with Panoz. Rather, with the reduction of
track time and test days by IRL rules and standards, this will
be the team’s best way to monitor performance by matching data
streams.
One
more bit of information, this isn't a one-off, TCGR now has
three Dallara's ready for Indy.
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(4-14-05, way
out on the limb again) It's funny how things happen, I posted an
"anyone going to Sears Point" thread at our O/IRR
"private" (an approver registration and a love for
IndyCar racing is a is all you need) forum. At first I thought
it was a dud, then I got a "Contact Miles" E-mail this
morning from someone that had an insider friend at the test who
had overheard something big. This person had read the
Ganassi/Dallara rumor in another O/IRR forum thread last night,
and wanted to pass on what his friend had overheard. Not wanting
to post a story from someone I had no track record with, I did
some checking. It appears the Ganassi team has had a Dallara for
close to a year, and had done some testing with it, I don't know
where and how without it becoming public knowledge. Anyway I
have heard enough backup information to run with the story. I
can only guess that this further confirms how intent Toyota must
be in trying to "win back" Motegi. Usually when the
teams load the cars for the flight to Japan there are pictures
to go with the IndyCar site story, I'll be looking for either
photo or entry list confirmation. This is a major change for the
Ganassi team, who have run G Force/Panoz chassis in every Indy
500 and IndyCar event they have ever entered.
I
think Chevy/Panther is intent on a Motegi win as well, I'm
surprised they aren't bringing a car for Buddy Lazier as well.
Panther skipped the Sears Point test, this team has an abundant
number of chassis, more then enough to ready primary cars for
Indy, get four cars ready to ship to Japan and still send at
least one of the St. Pete cars to Infineon. Since they chose to
pass on an important open test, I suspect they are taking Motegi
and Indy very seriously, this is a two-car team that is yet to
have one 2005 finish.
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(4-06-05) Playa Del Racing
listed Jaques Lazier as the driver for their Panoz Toyota in the
2005 Indy 500. On 3/24 I confirmed that this announcement
was forthcoming, and
those who were in the O/IRR chat room on 3/16 got the news
firsthand. I also learned the first day of practice that Jeff
Ward would get the 2nd Vision Racing entry for the 500, and
posted it in my Grand Prix of St. Petersburg coverage.
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(3-24-05) I am
trying hard to stay out of the speculation about the 2005 Indy
500 field, because I am sick of assuring everyone for the past
two years that there will be a full field at Indy. But this
year, even those that are into the selling of newspapers in Indy
with 'birdboy"-like headlines concede their will be a
full-field plus. Post-Motegi I will devote 6 weeks to one of the
love's of my life, The Indianapolis 500, but this news can't
wait. If you will recall Buddy Lazier's performance last year at
Indy with a Hemelgarn supported D&R team that wasn't very
good, you have to be excited about this deal. Buddy will get to
run with a Panther Racing team that will always get
favored-engine status from Chevy. At last report, Panther has 9
serviceable Dallara chassis as well. Chevy appears to have
almost as much speed and power as Honda, although I have some
doubts on the reliability side, but there is plenty of time left
to sort that out, and hundreds of miles of practice at Indy. If
you had joined us in the O/IRR Chat Room 8 days ago, you would
have learned that there will be two new-team announcements made soon,
one of them could be for as many as four races. Our always-reliable
source mentioned March 24th as the first announcement date 8 days ago,
before their was any mention elsewhere, and he was spot on. I never
expect anything else from him. So there is one more coming, and it
could be the multi-race deal, one of the deals mention was Toyota
powered, clearly not this one. Already at D&G Central, the usual crowd
is casting doubts about BB/PR/Lazier, it seems they just can't stand
to see others as excited as we are here.
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An
Update!
I have just learned that the other deal mentioned above has been
finalized, it is the Panoz Honda to be driven by Jaques Lazier. As
also mentioned, one of these deals might be for four races. The
announcement of this team will be made within a week. I
have also learned that both the IndyCars and some of the
MIPS-olition cars will test early next week at Sebring, so there
must be some road race issues unresolved since the open road
race tests at Homestead. My guess is that one of those issues
might involve brakes.
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(9-25-04) I
have just been furnished with a copy of the 2005 testing
schedule for both the IndyCars and the cars of the MIPS series
as well, including dates at both oval and road course venues.
More Ovalicious Scoops...
I have also posted two pictures from this weeks road race test
session at the Miami Homestead Speedway as posted by the IndyCar
Series and shown here at http://www.indyracing.com
To see the 2005 IndyCar and MIPS testing schedule and read
more about this weeks test, here is the link...
Remember, you saw it here
FIRST! |
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Update,
Update, Update! (8-13-04)
Here is the latest, it appears that this rumor won't go away, which
is the reason I never took the story down. Sponsorship problems
seem to be the only reason this thing hasn't already happened.
It appears that not only does Delphi have a big investment in
Scott Sharp, but they really like the guy and wish to continue
to have him in the car. Remember, Sharp is the only driver
in the series that has won in every IndyCar season, and that is
quite an accomplishment. In addition, he presents a clean-cut
and articulate image that serves a major company like Delphi
well. Whether having Sharp in the car fits into the TCGR plan or
not, Ganassi is a business man and he is "working"
that issue. It doesn't look to me like this deal will happen
this season, but I think Kelley is done at the end of the
season. |
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(7-1-04) I have
learned there is a deal in the works for Target Chip Ganassi
Racing to take over the operation of Kelley Racing. It appears
that this much the same as they did with the Pac West operation,
when they ran Scott Dixon for Toyota. This is a quick breaking
story, I have no further information, nor can I, while sitting
in a 757 at Midway airport; check into it further. I'm not even
sure when this will happen, but the news is plausible enough
that I took a chance and posted it.
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| 6-20-04 I have heard
a rumor that a prominent IndyCar team manger is heading to NASCAR
Land. It appears that former Kelley Racing employee Jim
Freudenberg may be heading for a position with a Nextel Cup team.
I am still trying to confirm the report, but this looks like a reliable
tip. |
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| 6-11-04
As
the IndyCar Series enters the high-speed portion of the schedule and
facing the possibility that the G Force aero package poses some speed
disadvantages, one team that has been running the G Force car has begun
to test a Dallara… |
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