The racing weekend that was - Wk 21

Just saw my first F1 race of the season on TV and what a race it was. After Nico Rosberg managed to keep team mate Lewis Hamilton behind him after the first right hander of the first lap at Monaco, most of us knew that the race would be pretty uneventful, since the Monaco street circuit is known to be most difficult to pass on.

Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo and Kimi Raikonnen followed the Mercedes duo, whilst reigning world champion Sebastien Vettel had problems with his car's KERS. This forced him into the pits a couple of times and he eventually dropped out of the race. Raikonnen suffered from some bad luck and poor driving decisions and was penalized by the marshals, while his Ferrari  team mate Fernando Alonso ran a somewhat difficult race having also suffered from KERS problems in the opening lap, but he would still finish fourth.

Race winner and son of Keke Rosberg

The race's intensity decreased as the Mercedes duo created a big gap over the third place driver Ricardo, but shot up again when Hamilton radioed in he got something in his eye, as he was following the German too close for too long. This caused him to drop back into the clutches of Ricardo, who was reeling him in at more than a second a lap. However, he could not overtake the Brit who finished in second place behind last year's winner Nico Rosberg (right).

F1 insider Allan McNish

Whilst watching the race I subscribed to the Formula One "premium" app for my iPad. I strongly recommend this for those like me who do not get F1 TV coverage throughout the season. Not only do you get a very good sense of what is going on during the race through data reporting and live track race positions, but you get also live commentary by none other than "Le Mans" great Allan McNish!

Race results, the top 6:
1. Nico Rosberg GERMANY Mercedes-Mercedes,
2. Lewis Hamilton BRITAIN Mercedes- Mercedes,
3. Daniel Ricciardo AUSTRALIA Red Bull-Renault,
4. Fernando Alonso SPAIN Ferrari-Ferrari,
5. Nico Hulkenberg FERMANY Force India-Mercedes,
6. Jenson Button BRITAIN McLaren-Mercedes.

For more info on the race click here.


The INDY 500:
In the grand daddy of open wheel stadium racing that is the Indianapolis 500, its 98th running ended in the 2nd closest finish (see pict on right), as Ryan Hunter-Ray held of three-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves by a hair raising margin on 0.06 seconds. In a race that is known for early cautions due to cars sliding into the wall as drivers struggle to come to grips with different track qualifying-race conditions, the race ran smooth well into the second half of the race.

Carpenter-Hinchcliff accident

On lap 149 (of of 200) Charlie Kimball made a pretty impressive save only kissing the outside retaining wall and sliding across the track into the inside wall. Luckily the safety crew were able to fire his car back up and he would finish 31st. Just twenty laps later, Scot Dixon also got loose and hit the wall hard. He was running in the top five at the time and would finish 29th. At the next restart, a gutsy move caused pole-sitter Ed Carpenter and James Hinchcliff to wreck. The race was red flagged for an hour for debris on the track. It would re-start with just six laps to go and Hunter-Reay and Castroneves would duel it out to the finish each passing each other a couple of times, but in the end Castroneves couldn't catch the American.

It should be noted that Hunter-Reay raced for Andretti Racing, and though Marco Andretti (third gen) finished third, no other Andretti has won Indy 500 since Mario in 1969 when "Man walked on the moon".

For more on the race, click here including a good recap video by Indycar/ABC.

Race results, the top 6:
1. Ryan Hunter-Reay
2. Helio Castroneves BRAZIL
3. Marco Andretti
4. Carlos Munoz
5. Juan Pablo Montoya
6. Kurt Busch (also racing in Coke 600)


The COCA COLA 600:

Race winner Jimmie Johnson

The longest NASCAR race was an eventful one with good racing that started late in the afternoon and lasted well into the night. Pole-sitter Jimmy Johnson went in what was considered as his house, namely the Charlotte Motor Speedway, from the drop of the green flag to the checkered in commanding fashion, when he passed Kevin Harvick with just 9 laps to go. He was the last to win the Coke 600 race from pole a decade ago. This was also his 1st win of the season.
For a complete recap of the race including different videos, click here.

Kurt Busch who also raced in the Indy 500 to finish a solid 6th, unfortunately had to drop out of the race due to a blown engine.

Race results, the top six:
1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Kevin Harvick
3. Matt Kenseth
4. Carl Edwards
5. Jamie McMurray
6. Brian Vickers



NHRA's Kansas Nationals:
On Saturday night I got the feeling that the "force" would be with the women of NHRA, after seeing the rebroadcast of qualifying. For the first time in history, two women (and sisters) qualified number one in their respective classes.  And as if this wasn't enough, Courtney Force out-qualified her father John. In an interview with John's wife Lori, after Courtney's run, she said, and I am paraphrasing here: John is probably riding around on his scooter trying to cool off.

Courtney Force, 100th female winner

And on race Sunday, Courtney kept her winning ways by outrunning Dale Creasy Jr., Jeff Arend and Tommy Johnson Jr. and, as if the final had been scripted in Hollywood, she would face none other that Cruz Pedregon in the finals. Well, she outran Cruz too and in doing so, achieves the milestone 100th female win in NHRA history. Courtney Force, 25, is the youngest daughter of 16-time world champ John Force. This win pretty much cements the fact that all three Force will be back in 2015.

The other winners were; Spencer Massey in Top Fuel and Allen Johnson in Pro Stock.

For more information about the race, click here.


Please check back for more updates

Thanks for reading.

Source: Formula1, Crash.net, USA Today, Fox Sports, NHRA,
Photo credit: Mike Young, USA Today, Indianapolis, NHRA

The best weekend in motorsports

For some, like us in living in sunny Curacao, the weekend has already arrived. For others, it is just a few hours away, but what an amazing weekend of racing it is going to be. The crown jewel that is the F1 Monaco GP, the Indy 500, the Coca-Cola 600, and the NHRA in Kansas, all this Sunday. And yes, even some PDRA Friday -and Saturday night. Personally I wish I could be in Monte Carlo right now with Priscilla and my mate Gege, boy we'd be enjoying the festivities. But enough about me, let's review the races.

F1 at MONTE CARLO:
As I write this most guests of the Indian Empress party have been rudely awakened by the practice sessions. The second one is underway in the principality with Alonso leading. The third and final practice session is scheduled for Saturday 11:00, followed by qualifying at 14:00. The race itself with be run on Sunday at 14:00 (local time).

A little bit about the 3.34 km Monaco GP course: it has 19 corners (7 left and 12 right), 78 race laps (260km), with just one DRS zone. The tire compounds for this race will be Soft, Supersoft, and Schumi holds the circuit lap record at 1 minute 14.439 seconds (2004).

Mercedes will be looking to extend their lead in the Championship whilst Ferrari and Red Bull hope to have the power and a lot of luck to triumph over the competition. For more, click here. To watch an awesome video review of last years race, click here.

The INDIANAPOLIS 500:
In what is one of the most storied motor race in the US, it has always been held on the last Sunday in May with the winner being giving a bottle of milk after the 500 mile long race. Tradition.


Come Sunday at 12:12 pm, the green flag will be dropped and drivers will carefully race each other maintaining speeds in excess of 200 mph for 200 laps on the 2.5 mile long oval, in the hopes to win the 98th running of the very special race and have their face eternalized on the Borg-Warner trophy (pictured right).Tony Kanaan leads final practice. For more info, click here and for a spotter's guide, click here.

The COCA COLA 600:
Only second to the Indy 500, this race is considered to be the biggest and most important in NASCAR. There has been a build up of activities for more than a week, with qualifying held last weekend. Of course, parties and events are a common sight around the Charlotte Motor Speedway, but it will all culminate at 6:00 in the afternoon, when some 66 drivers will race for 400 laps (600 miles) in the big race. For more info, click here.

NHRA KANSAS NATIONALS:
For drag racing fans in the heartland of America, the baddest nitro drag racers have come to town. As is usually the case, race Sunday will be hot, placing even more pressure on drivers and crew to perform well on Friday night during qualifying. Saturday qualifying will then be left for the race set up of the cars. For a couple of races already, the women have been knocking at the door, that is of the 100th win by a female racer in NHRA. The loudest banging has come from Erica Enders-Stevens who drives the technically difficult Pro Stock cars. But then again, many top drivers, such as Dave Connolly, Jason Line and especially Greg Anderson will try to win the Wally themselves. It is gonna be great!
Fore more information, click here.

PDRA's MEMPHIS DRAGS:
One of the best drag racing series is in Millington, Tennessee this weekend. The big budget teams were Thursday on the track testing, for on Friday night the qualifying will begin. The live stream via MotorMania challenges ESPN's coverage of NHRA, so be sure to tune in for the best door slammer show this weekend. And if you are in the area, do visit for entry is free of charge. To my friends Lizzy Musi (Frank Brandao), Jeff Dobbins and Trevor Eman, good luck you guys and give them hell!
Fore more info, click here.

2014 FIA Drag Racing at SANTA POD:
This weekend kicks of the FIA drag racing series at the historic drag racing strip in the UK. Be sure to check it out.

Hope you enjoy your weekend as much as I shall mine. Thanks for reading.

Source: Formula1.com, Indianapolis motor speedway, NASCAR, ESPN, PDRA660,
Photo credit: Formula1.com, Guyrhodes.com

Racing this Sunday

This Monday marks the US's celebration of those fallen for their country, known as Memorial Day, first observed after the American Civil War and to commemorate the fallen Union Soldiers. It has been a long tradition to have great racing spectacles on Sunday, such as Indy 500 and later the Coca-Cola 600. Many of the best american drivers long to participate in both races on the same day.

Here's a look to the long racing weekend ahead:

INDY 500: the 96th running of the The Indianapolis 500 will start at 12.00 pm ET. It doesn't seem Jean Alesi carried over Lotus' recent F1 success to the brickyard, for he qualified dead last!
Racers like Tony Kanaan, Takuma Sato, Simon Pagenaud, 4 time IndyCar Champ Dario Franchitti, Ray Hunter-Reay, Scott Dixon and Helio Castroneves are among the top contenders. Be sure to tune in, cause you never know what will happen at the brickyard. Nobody could have predicted that rookie JR Hildebrand would hit the wall off the final corner while leading in last year's race.  For more info, please click here.

NASCAR: The Nationwide series will run on Saturday at 2.30 pm ET. The Sprint Cup Series will run the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday at 5.30 pm ET, televised on Fox. This is NASCAR's version of an endurance race. The drivers must endure 600 miles, or 400 laps around the Charlotte Motor Speedway, at speeds topping 200 mph. For more info, please click here.

Across the pond, the well known GP of MONTE CARLO will take place on Sunday. Already this year there have been five different winners. Who will it be this time or will one of the usual suspects eek out the rest, here at this, the most glamourous race on earth. If you have a ticket, great and do share picts and stories. For the rest of us, humans, tune in to Speed TV for the race.
For more info, please click here.

The WRC will run round 6, the Acropolis Rally, on Saturday and Sunday. Sebastian Loeb leads the drivers' championship standings, followed by Petter Solberg and Mikko Hirvonen.
For more info, please click here.

Thanks for reading.

Photo credit: SpeedTV, Nascar, SunTimes, WRC.