PressSnoop

WADE CUNNINGHAM/No.11 Sam Schmidt Motorsports played a waiting game Friday afternoon and it paid off with a victory in the Firestone Freedom 100 Indy Lights Race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Although he had the pole position, he relinquished the lead on Lap Two to Rookie SEBASTIAN SAAVEDRA/27 AFS Racing. Cunningham retook the lead four more times, the last time on the white flag lap to run for the win. His first words in the media press conference: “I had the car to win the pole” and he won the race. “But it was not easy. It was like I was in a bar fight and had too many glasses.”

Cunningham, who led five times for 14 laps, said he knew early on that his gear ratio wasn’t the right one for running up front. So his strategy was to give up position in the beginning, maintain an up-front position, and then go for it at the end.  “The last lap was nerve wracking. It was such a relief and joy when I got the checkered flag.”

J.R. HILDEBRAND/No.26 AFS Racing came in second after leading twice for 23 laps – the most of any leader. He finished .1046 seconds behind Cunningham, the closest ever margin of victory in the history of the Firestone Freedom 100. Hildebrand turned the fastest race lap of 0:47.1775/190.769 mph on Lap Three. He now is the Indy Lights points leader, with a third at St. Petersburg and Long Beach.

Charging from eighteenth position in a 22-car field to finish third was Rookie MARIO ROMANCINI/No.5 RLD/Andersen Racing. He was the top Rookie of 12 in the field. He also finished third at Kansas Speedway, his first oval race.

JAY HOWARD/No.37 Team PBIR was fourth, followed by Saavedra, who led once for three laps.

There were nine lead changes among the three drivers, the most lead changes in series history.

Cunningham won the Freedom 100 race in 2006 and this was his sixth series victory.

It was the third Freedom 100 win for his Sam Schmidt Motorsports team.

Three drivers were involved in crashes, and all have been checked and released to drive by DR. MICHAEL OLINGER, medical director for the Indy Racing League.. Rookies MARTIN PLOWMAN/No.15 Panther Racing and GUSTAVO YACAMAN/No.44 Sam Schmidt Motorsports were unhurt. ANA BEATRIZ/No.20 Sam Schmidt Motorsports was treated for a small chin laceration. X-rays of her left knee and right elbow proved negative.

Plowman spun and had a hard rear end hit into the Turn One SAFER Barrier. He clipped Rookie PIPPA MANN/No.16 Panther Racing, which flattened her right side tires. Plowman retired. Mann pitted and retired.

Beatriz and Yacaman touched wheels, spinning her nose hard into the Turn One wall. He lightly rear ended the SAFER Barrier and spun across track. Both retired.

CHARLIE KIMBALL/No.35 Team PBIR rear ended MIKE POTEKHEN/No.24 Alliance Motorsports, spinning him around. Both pitted and retired.

Four cautions took 17 of the 40 laps

The Firestone Indy Lights Series next race is Sunday 31 May 2009 at The Milwaukee Mile.

It’s a beautiful day at Long Beach for the 35th Annual Toyota Grand Prix. The temperatures reached 94 by noon. Skies are blue and there are people everywhere. And lots of skin. Photographers will have a field day with all the skimpy outfits

Saturday evening JIM MICHAELIAN, President of Grand Prix of Long Beach Association, wouldn’t quote specific figures, but did say that Friday’s attendance was up 10-12 per cent. Saturday’s attendance was flat, about the same as last year, although there was some walk-up, mostly General Admission. He couldn’t yet equate any stats to the ‘Castroneves effect’ but should on Sunday. The retail vendors seem pleased..if you could get close enough to ask.

In the Sunday morning warmup, Rookie RAPHAEL MATOS/No.2 Luczo Dragon Racing was fastest, followed by Rookie MIKE CONWAY/No.24 Dreyer & Reinbold, JUSTIN WILSON/No.18 Dale Coyne Racing, SCOTT DIXON/No.9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing, and DAN WHELDON/No.4 Panther Racing.

IndyCar driver, HELIO CASTRONEVES/No.3 Team Penske was cleared to drive after Saturday’s whack into the wall giving him a headache. A crew had told me Saturday night that he was fine, and fixing the car would be no problem – just throw some new parts on and he’d be good to go. He was tenth. All 23 drivers were on course.

Thursday TERRY ANGSTADT, Indy Racing League President, Commercial Division, spoke at “The Race Goes Green” conference. Among the things he said was that IRL “was looking at a couple of new markets, possibly as soon as next year.” How coincidental that a large contingent of Brazilians are visiting the IRL paddock this weekend, including the mayor of the area interested in having an IRL race. Some of the gossip in the paddock has China being another venue.

The series which started as an American series for American drivers on oval tracks has evolved into an international series. It races in Motegi Japan, and runs a variety of ovals, road courses and street circuits. The 23-car field at Long Beach includes six Americans, five Brazilians, four Brits, two Australians; and one each from Canada, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Scotland, and Venezuela,

Firestone has brought two sets of tires for the IndyCar race. The primary tires (blacks) this weekend are different and harder, than the opening race at St. Petersburg. The alternate tires (reds) are the same as St. Pete.

Regarding the engine package for 2010, Angstadt said a group of manufacturers was formed, at the Board level, and IRL is hoping to hear from them soon.

The IndyCar race will start 1:30PM PDT and shown live on VERSUS.

Friday was the day for all kinds of announcements at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

It was not totally unexpected that KV Racing Technology would announce Friday that veteran open wheel racer, PAUL TRACY of Canada, would race No.15 GEICO-KV Racing Technology for the team at the Indianapolis 500 race this year. He said “I’m excited and ready to get back out there and show what I can do.”

GEICO also sponsors another veteran open wheel (and road racer) driver, MAX PAPIS who is now running selected NASCAR races.

Present for the announcement were Tracy, KV owners, KEVIN KALKHOVEN and JIMMY VASSER, flanked by a full-sized GEICO gecko. Kalkhoven joked that GEICO chose Tracy because he most looked like the caveman. (ED note for those who don’t understand the in-joke, GEICO has run a series of not always well-received ads using a caveman).

Tracy talked about not having to take the Indy 500 Rookie test. “I don’t think they’ll let past winners take the Rookie training” – his one last jab at IRL who had to decide who won the 2002 Indianapolis 500. Tracy felt he won but IRL awarded the photo-finish victory to HELIO CASTRONEVES.

At one point, a journalist (maybe a plant?) asked about the plans for Papis, and the two of them racing together, in either IRL or NASCAR. The gecko nuzzled up to Tracy, stood up and took off his head mask. It was a grinning Papis. He will be racing the NASCAR Sprint Cup 600 race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway at the same time that Tracy is running the Indy 500. Papis said the only problem now is – who will wear the GEICO Gecko outfit that day.

Tracy’s first run in an IRL IndyCar was last year’s Canadian race in Edmonton, where he started fifteenth and finished fourth. He has been racing indy cars for nineteen years, and was the 2003  champion in the Champ Car World Series.

Tracy said “I feel I have some unfinished business at the Brickyard and with the support of GEICO and an outstanding team like KV Racing Technology, I feel good about our chances at this year’s.

The team owners were asked about Tracy running other races, such as Toronto or Edmonton.

Tracy said it is a tough economic time now. He had personal sponsorship with Monster, and small deals here and there in NASCAR. Kalkhoven said we’re going to do as much as we can to maximize the GEICO sponsorship. We’d love to have a third car. It would depend on sponsorship. It’s an entertaining month in May and only a gecko can help it.

Before the start of the Australian Grand Prix, I had the privilege of having a lengthy one on one interview with PETER WINDSOR, who is co-owner of the new American Formula One team – Team US F1.

Q – Where is the shop?

A – It’s about ten minutes drive from SPEED TV’s High Def facility on Harris Boulevard in Charlotte, from Ken’s Windshear wind tunnel, and ten to fifteen minutes from the Douglas Charlotte Airport.

Q – Will you be allowed to use Windshear’s wind tunnel?

A – Yes, absolutely. As of 2010 there will be no limit on wind tunnel testing or what size you do it. It will come out of your operating budget which is your limitation as a race team. But no problem. And we will be using Windshear, quite obviously, because that was Ken Anderson’s first stake in the ground showing that American technology is equal to anything in Europe. And all those Formula One teams, all the great F1 teams over the years have tried to do their own wind tunnel and none of them are as good as the one Ken’s done. So that says how good the technology belt is now in that area.

Q – Will you – the team – becoming back to the shop after each race – except those which are back to back?

A – Yes, the car and the guys. The pit equipment would all go to a logical European base where the trucks and the motor home, etc. will be contained. But the boys and the car will come back to Charlotte; and that’s where we’ll be doing the rebuilding and development and everything that normally takes place at any Formula One factory. But all the stuff you need when you’re operating in the field – pit equipment, garage equipment and the vehicles such as motor home, will be in Europe.

Brawn GP drivers, JENSON BUTTON and RUBENS BARRICHELLO started and finished first and second Sunday at the 2009 Formula One ING Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park in Melbourne. It’s been 55 years since a new team has finished 1-2 in its first race.

The 58-lap race was finished under yellow flag conditions behind the Safety Car due to a late-race crash between the two cars who were running second and third.

However, JARNO TRULLI/No.9 Toyota – who started from the pit lane after technical infractions Saturday – was third to take the checkered flag, and he was protested for passing under yellow. Both he and LEWIS HAMILTON/No.1 McLaren, who finished fourth, were summoned to a steward’s hearing.

At issue was whether Trulli passed Hamilton under yellow flag conditions behind the Safety Car.

MARTIN WHITMARSH of McLaren said Trulli went off in the grass, allowing Hamilton to move up behind the Safety Car. Then, according to Whitmarsh, Trulli rejoined the race in front of Hamilton.

The stewards agreed with McLaren and assessed a 25-second penalty to Trulli, moving him down to twelfth place, and moving Hamilton and everyone else up one position. The penalty would have been a ten-second stop and go in an ordinary situation, but it was within the last five laps of the race, so the penalty increased to 25 seconds.

Hamilton finished third, amazing to him and his team considering he started last.

Toyota could appeal the penalty.

As far as the accident which caused the last Safety Car condition – the accident between second-placed SEBASTIAN VETTEL/No.15 Red Bull and third-place runner ROBERT KUBICA/No.5 BMW Sauber – had its own share of controversy. Vettel and Kubica hit, and then both continued on and crashed again, individually. Kubica lost his two left wheels, one of which was left in the middle of the track as a lonely beacon.

BMW’s MARIO THEISSEN laid the blame on Vettel for the accident, and said he thought Kubica could have caught and passed Button, who was admittedly struggling on his soft tires.

The Stewards agreed with Theissen and penalized Vettel a ten-position setback on his grid position in Malaysia next weekend, for “causing a collision and forcing a driver off the track.” He would have been otherwise punished, but didn’t finish the race. Vettel was also fined $50,000. Instead of parking his bent and broken car after the accident, he continued on the track, holding up race traffic which couldn’t pass him due to the Safety Car situation.

Vettel said ““Maybe I should have said let him go and bring third back home, but that’s life. I tried to defend and, up to the mid-corner, I had reason, but then I had no grip to avoid a collision. I’m sorry to the team and also to Robert, as it didn’t just mean the end of my race, but also his.”

Button pointed out that people might say he won because of the diffuser, or that it wasn’t a proper win because the race finished under caution. Button said his diffuser was broken in contact during the race and of no use; and as for finishing under yellow, Button said he’d take it any way he could. He said he’d been struggling with tires, and also visibility was an issue for him, with the sun’s glare and deepening shadows from the trees around the course.

NICO ROSBERG/No.16 Williams, who was fastest in the three practice sessions, turned the fastest race lap of 1:27.706 on Lap 48. He finished sixth.

If he didn’t have bad luck, he’d have no luck at all. Local favorite, MARK WEBBER/No.14 Red Bull, was involved in the first lap crash and had to pit for a new nose, putting him a lap down in thirteenth position, last car running. He blamed Barrichello for the accident.

HEIKKI KOVALAINEN/No.2 McLaren was one of those caught up in that crash. He made it around the track to pull into his garage and retired. Others involved were NICK HEIDFELD/No.6 BMW Sauber, and ADRIAN SUTIL/No.20 Force India F1. Sutil and Heidfeld finished ninth and tenth, respectively.

KAZUKI NAKAJIMA/No. Williams, crashed into the wall between Turns Four and Five on Lap 18. He jumped out of the car and behind the barrier, and the safety car did come out.

Also retiring: NELSINHO PIQUET/No.8 Renault after spinning off and into the gravel; and FELIPE MASSA/No.4 Ferrari.

Rookie SEBASTIEN BUEMI/Toro Rosso finished seventh and in the points, just ahead of his teammate, SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS.

The Brawn cars were the top finishing diffuser cars. The diffuser issue is under appeal and results could change, depending on the Court of Appeal’s outcome on 14 April 2009.

Hamilton was the top finishing KERS car.

The next race is for the Formula One teams to be all packed and crated for Monday’s flight to Malaysia for next weekend’s second round of the 2009 F1 season.

PROVISIONAL REVISED RACE RESULTS

1. JENSON BUTTON/Brawn GP                           58

2. RUBENS BARRICHELLO/Brawn GP                      58

3. LEWIS HAMILTON/McLaren                           58

4. TIMO GLOCK/Toyota                                58

5. FERNANDO ALONSO/Renault                          58

6. NICO ROSBERG/Williams                            58

7. SEBASTIEN BUEMI/Toro Rosso                       58

8. SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS/Toro Rosso                    58

9. ADRIAN SUTIL/Force India F1                      58

10. NICK HEIDFELD/BMW Sauber                         58

11. GIANCARLO FISICHELLA/Force India F1              58

12. JARNO TRULLI/Toyota                              58

13. MARK WEBBER/Red Bull                             57

14. SEBASTIAN VETTEL/Red Bull                        56

15. ROBERT KUBICA/BMW Sauber                         55

16. KIMI RAIKKONEN/Ferrari                           55

RETIRED

FELIPE MASSA/Ferrari                                  45
NELSINHO PIQUET/Renault                               24     Spin
KAZUKI NAKAJIMA/Williams                              17     Accident
HEIKKI KOVALAINEN/McLaren                              0     Accident Damage

DRIVER CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

1 – JENSON BUTTON         10
2 – RUBENS BARRICHELLO     8
3 – LEWIS HAMILTON         6
4 – TIMO GLOCK             5
5 – FERNANDO ALONSO        4
6 – NICO ROSBERG           3
7 – SEBASTIEN BUEMI        2
8 – SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS     1

CONSTRUCTORS CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

1 – Brawn GP          18
2 – McLaren             6
3 – Toyota                 5
4 – Renault               4
5 – Williams             3
6 – Toro Rosso        3

Brumos Racing No.59 Porsche Riley DP Photo by MARK WEBER

Brumos Racing No.59 Porsche Riley Daytona Prototype led the Rolex 24 at Daytona at the top of Hour Eight.  One of the drivers, JOAO BARBOSA, turned the fastest race lap of  1:41.855 on Lap 24. The top GT car was TRG No.66 Porsche GT3 Cup car in fifteenth place.

The No.45 Victory Junction – Orbit Racing BMW Riley Daytona Prototype was in the garage twice Saturday night, with various mechanical problems. It retired after the second visit to the garage due to a bad piston. The drivers were LEO HINDERY JR, BILL LESTER, DARREN MANNING, and KYLE PETTY.

Hindery is only running the Rolex 24. He said it was Petty who taught him to race.

Petty had chosen to run Grand-Am to promote his Victory Junction Hole In The Wall Camp. He’s breaking ground in Kansas for a second Victory Junction Camp, which will be near Kansas Speedway which runs NASCAR races.

KEVIN DORAN paced in the garage anxiously overseeing the frantic work on his No.77 Doran Racing Ford Dallara Daytona Prototype. Crew members are beavering away at both ends and the problem seemed to be steering.

Farnbacher Loles Racing No.87 Porsche GT3 Cup GT Photo by MARK WEBER

Other cars suffering mechanical problems: No.87 Farnbacher Loles Racing Porsche GT3 GT broke a drive shaft while DIRK WERNER was driving. It went to the garage for repairs.

MARCO HOLZER lost power steering in TRG’s No.65 Porsche GT3 GT.