IndyCar Silly Season

[rustyfan]

Originally Posted by N I Tram

Also, dare I say that he isn't the most marketable driver, considering his Arabic background and confusingly-pronounced surname (to your average American, especially your average NASCAR fan)?

I have to say that I have yet to hear a commentator - American or otherwise - pronounce his surname in any other way you say "said" as the word itself is pronounced (rather than perhaps pronouncing it in a more "arabic" way).

As for his background, I dunno - I've never thought about him having an Arabic background, both considering what I mentioned above and also because he has seemed as American as any other stock-car driver (which might have something to do with him being born in California back in the 60's).

[marcus]

Originally Posted by rustyfan

Also, according to the IndyStar, Team Rahal-Letterman Racing will announce its three-car line-up tomorrow Wednesday, and the drivers will be, as expected, Buddy Rice, Vitor Meira and Danica Patrick.

Nothing on the rahal website at present.

has anything been announced officially ?

[rustyfan]

Originally Posted by marcus

Nothing on the rahal website at present.

has anything been announced officially ?

Note that you are around 15(?) or so hours ahead of the US... Heck, they have barely gone to bed around the time you get up

[rustyfan]

I just saw the following in Curt Cavin's Q&A section at the IndyStar;

Question: What is the likelihood of Michel Jourdain Jr. landing in the third seat at Fernandez Racing? Will Gigante continue with their sponsorship? Where is Scott Sharp and the Delphi sponsorship most likely to end up? (Steve from Fishers, Ind.)

Answer: As of Monday, Dec. 6, Fernandez Racing is negotiating with Delphi to bring Scott Sharp into its fold -- making in a three-car team for the full season. Contracts could be signed as early as Thursday or Friday.

Both sides had hoped to have the deal finalized in time for Sharp to test with Adrian Fernandez this week at Homestead, but it didn't happen. Panther (with Tomas Scheckter) and Andretti Green Racing (with Tony Kanaan) will test at Homestead with Firestone.

Might've been posted already, but I hadn't seen it before. Sharp in a Fernandez-car should be interesting I think - it's now a proven team and we all know Sharp can win races. Here's hoping the deal comes through

[Snrub]

I completely agree with Tim Northcutt that some drivers with a road background take a while to get use to ovals or aren't as strong as when turning left as well. Bourdais is a pretty good example. We all know he's incredible, but he's yet to put in a decent performance on a non-foot to the floor through the corner oval race. I hate to always harp on the same point, but for the real drivers to be seperated from the rest there needs to be a substantial difference between corner and straight speeds.

As for the "fairness" of Kannan, Franchitti, Castroneves, Manning and Dixon getting top IRL rides, each one of them had to prove themselves in non-top teams in CC, I fail to see how this is relavent to a IPS driver getting a shot at the IRL.

[marcus]

wow the Sharp thing sounds Interesting.

I bet GP Racer is happy about that

Scott is closing in on his 100th start and im sure is capable of winning races so I wish him luck with this alledged deal.

[GP Racer]

Originally Posted by marcus

wow the Sharp thing sounds Interesting.

I bet GP Racer is happy about that

Scott is closing in on his 100th start and im sure is capable of winning races so I wish him luck with this alledged deal.

Yes I am marcus!

Scott is now the elder statesman of the IRL, and after all this time, he is deserving of a competitive seat in a competitive team. He's a proven winner, and I will be very happy to see him running up front and kicking some butt, (especially Ganassi's!) and most importantly, proving some people on this forum wrong!

[Kicking-back]

Much as I'd like to be proved wrong, I feel Scott Sharp was feeling the pace last year - and his best days are behind him.

[rustyfan]

Crash.Net had this posted yesterday:

Toyota F1 test driver Ryan Briscoe is expected to sign a two-year deal with the Chip Ganassi IRL squad at Sebring on Monday.

According to reports by Australasian Motorsport News, Briscoe only has the final details of a two year contract to finalise, and this is expected to be completed at the Sebring test.

Briscoe had been one of many names linked to Jordan in Formula One, with the Silverstone-based squad getting Toyota powerplants for 2005. This deal, however, was not conditional on Briscoe getting a drive.

I guess it remains to be seen whether there is an announcement later today or not.

[JohnSSC]

If I may, Boris' difficulties in securing a steady "Top" ride and sponsorship have more to do (imho) with his willingness to shoot from the lip rather than his ethnicity.

He is a sort of Robby Gordon with less talent. And less control of his mouth.

As far as Scott Sharp being past it, if I remember seeing his dad race in his heyday then that means I am....

[fazzaz]

I'm not sure how Boris Said acquired "Arabic" descent. His father, also named Boris but known as Bob, was born in New York, of Russian extraction. He was a somewhat well known Formula One and sports car racer. Boris was born in California. I know Boris well enough to think that some of you are underestimating his talent, although this doesn't automatically make him odds-on to succeed in NASCAR.

Another son of an American F1 driver, Derek Hill, has announced that he will test with Cheever's Red Bull team at Homestead. No further plans are announced, but it will get his rookie test out of the way. Derek has raced in F3000.

[Kicking-back]

Derek Hill's got his father's surname, but not his talent, judging by his F3000 efforts.

[BootsOntheSide]

KB's spot on about Derek Hill. He was a back-marker at DAMS while Bourdais won races in the other car (admittedly with one year's experience), and struggled after that. If Red Bull are to run a third car alongside Barron and Carpentier, there are plenty of better candidates, many of them also American.

Regarding Boris Said, I always thought it was more correctly pronouced as 'Sigh-eed', like the name Saeed, but there you go. Guys who go into NASCAR without oval experience seem to find it hard, but this is way off-topic.

[N I Tram]

I'd be more upset if Derek Hill gets a ride than if Enge or Briscoe do. He's showed no evidence of any real talent, so unless he has a miraculously good oval test, he'd be a bad choice.

[climb]

well, that's not really a matter of "getting" a ride.
If you have enough money to bring the seat is yours.