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Firings on NASCAR race teams over the past two years have been followed by wholesale dumping of 20 writers from Scene Daily and NASCAR Scene last week. Unfortunately the Senior Editors have fired their best and brightest writers. We also feel that these folks were not “dead wood” but the “muscle and bone”. We also think that those editors who did all of the “chain sawing” may be next if things don’t improve. Was this an over-reaction to the ailing economy and that demand for NASCAR entertainment is on the wane in the foreseeable future? All of this deep cutting puts both Scene Daily and NASCAR Daily on shaky ground and they will be unable to deliver a quality product as a result. It will be interesting to see what’s left of the two entities after a reorganization. |
A French court has ruled illegal the lifetime ban that the International Automobile Federation (FIA) imposed on Flavio Briatore taking part in motor-racing. Briatore was banned after the revelation that his Renault Formula One team staged a deliberate crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix in an attempt to rig the outcome of the race. “The court ruled the sanction was illegal,” said a judge at the Tribunal de Grande Instance, as reported by Reuters.
Briatore was awarded only €15,000 compensation, after seeking €1 million. The FIA said that it was “very likely” to appeal the French court’s decision. Briatore left the Renault team following last year’s scandal. His successor as Renault Team Principal was named yesterday as Eric Boullier, a 36-year-old Frenchman with no former Formula One experience and who will be one of the youngest team principals in the paddock.
Reuters reports that Boullier is chief executive of Gravity Sport Management, a company owned by Luxembourg-based fund Genii Capital. The chairman of Genii Capital, Gerard Lopez, has a large stake in the Renault team. Boullier has prior experience in motor-racing team management, having overseen the DAMS team in the GP2 series and the French team in the troubled A1GP championship. To quote Tony George, formerly of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indy Racing League, ” With F1 you never know with that series.” That was said after talks broke down between the then IMS’ George with F1 principal Bernie Eccelstone and the F1 events on the IMS road course evaporated few years ago.
Meaning that you can never be sure of anything and were a venue stands with F1. Because so far the demand for those races is beyond the supply of races. That’s a big surprise considering the world economy is in the dumper. But, there are cracks in the dike and several of the top automaker teams have bailed out and have been replaced by groups that have limited resources.
JLowe Racing, a professional sports car racing team competing in NASCAR’s GRAND-AM Rolex Series, announced its partnership with Siemens Gigaset, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of cordless phones, and Enviro Packaging Solutions, a world leading environmental packaging manufacturer. Siemens Gigaset and Enviro Packaging Solutions will debut as the team’s sponsors at the 48th running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona, which takes place January 30-31. Marking its fifth season in the series and fifth time entered in the 24 hour classic, JLowe Racing’s strong driver lineup includes team owner/neurosurgeon Dr. Jim Lowe, multi-time Daytona winner Jim Pace, racing veterans Tim Sugden and Eric Lux, and World Series by Renault standout James Walker. They will be running the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car with renowned crew chief Roger Reis leading a strong collection of some of racing’s best mechanics and crew.
Dr. Jim Lowe states, “What a great way to start off our fifth season in GRAND-AM! Our partnership with Siemens Gigaset enables us to simultaneously expand JLowe Racing’s commitment to GRAND-AM and to two worthy causes. Through Siemens Gigaset and Enviro Packaging Solutions, we now have a tree-planting program to support the environment while proceeds continue to help the ThinkFirst Foundation and the Urban Youth Racing School. The best way to introduce a new partnership is to have a strong showing at the biggest endurance race of the year – the 24 Hours At Daytona. With our collection of drivers and crew, we’re positioned better than ever for a run to the front.”
Siemens Gigaset CEO, North America, Rod Keller comments, “We are honored and excited to partner with JLowe Racing and debut the national tree planting program while supporting the racing team in 2010. Together with JLowe Racing, Siemens Gigaset hopes to support both the sport of racing, as well as strengthen and grow the nation’s environment initiatives through the proactive tree-planting efforts.”
Adam Melton, CEO of Enviro Packaging Solutions adds, “There could not be a better time to combine JLowe Racing with Siemens Gigaset and Enviro Packaging Solutions to help make the world a better place, one tree at a time.”
Jim Pace continues to be the spiritual leader of the team. As a former overall winner at the 24, Pace knows what it takes to get to the top step Sunday afternoon. British GT Champion and 2005 Porsche Cup winner Tim Sugden is back for his third year with JLowe Racing. Sugden is no stranger to endurance racing success with many great runs at Le Mans, Spa, and Daytona under his belt. Team newcomer Eric Lux joins the team with his 6th start at The Rolex 24 and his established success in GRAND-AM complimenting greatly his youth and speed. Lux led 33 laps of the 2009 Rolex 24 en route to a 5th pace finish. Finally, Rolex 24 rookie James Walker jumps out of his front-running Renault single-seater into the #64 JLowe Racing Porsche.
To compliment such proven drivers with great support, Engineer Steve Bunkhall is back for a third run at Daytona with the team after his much continued success in Europe and Asia in 2009. With Bunkhall and his crew, and the rest of the JLowe Racing team members, the team is primed as one of the best-equipped and best-prepared organizations in the paddock.
In its debut year, 2006, JLowe Racing enjoyed three top 10 finishes at Watkins Glen (6th), Daytona Brumos (9th) and Miller (10th). In 2007, the team placed 3rd at the Rolex 24 Hours At Daytona and 4th in 2008. In 2009 JLowe Racing was 8th at the Daytona Brumos race.
Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has put in a bid for ailing General Motors-owned carmaker Saab. Ecclestone is bidding along with Genii Capital, majority owners of the Renault Formula One team. Dutch sports car maker Spyker, another a former Formula One team backer, is also bidding for the Swedish car brand, and a third bid is expected from a group of Swedish investors. This came from SportsBusinessInternational.com. The question is why is Bernie doing this? Is it because he’s concerned that F1 needs to replace some of the world’s top auto manufacturers who have bailed on F1. Bloomberg reports that Swedish company Saab is one of several brands Detroit-based General Motors is looking to offload as it restructures following its bankruptcy filing last year. Also on the block are the Pontiac, Saturn and Hummer. The company will focus in future on its Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac lines.
The bids by Ecclestone and Genii, Spyker, and the Swedish group of investors, are last ditch efforts to save Saab, as GM has already announced it is proceeding with plans to shut down the company’s operations. The bidders submitted bids before a 5 p.m. deadline in New York last Wednesday. “It’s a good brand that has probably been neglected by the current owners,” Ecclestone said. “We don’t own it yet, so let’s see what happens.”
Genii Capital said in a statement that it “has decided that given an adequate and short timeframe for finalizing its offer, it will aggressively work towards a successful closing of the transaction with all the relevant stakeholders of the company.” Genii said it would bid for a majority stake in Saab together with Ecclestone.
Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage settled his BCS national championship bet with Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway President Rick Humphrey today as a result of the University of Alabama’s 37-21 victory over the University of Texas on last Thursday night. With ‘Bama claiming the victory, Gossage lost the bet to Humphrey and had to wear a Crimson Tide hat while raising the Talladega Superspeedway flag in the flagpole circle in front of Texas Motor Speedway’s administration building. Gossage also will be sending Texas barbeque Humphrey’s way as part of the bet as well.
Let’s check to see what’s on TV this week into the weekend for gear head action courtesy of RaceFanTV.com. On Monday VS offers the Dakar Rally, Argentina & Chile at 3:30 p.m. while Speed airs the Speed Report at 7:30 p.m. On Tuesday it’s more of the Dakar Rally Argentina & Chile Day 9 with Speed offering NASCAR Race Hub at 7:30 p.m. More of the Dakar on VS this time Day 10 on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. and another NASCAR Race Hub on Speed at 7:30 p.m. Ditto for Thursday and Friday on both of those programs at the same time.
On Saturday Speed goes with the German Touring Car Series from the Nurbergring at noon followed by the British Touring Car Series from Snetterton, UK at 1 p.m. At 4 p.m. VS offers more of the Dakar Rally Argentina & Chile, Day 14. Sunday’s offerings are a 5 p.m. airing for the AMA SuperX Lites from Phoenix, AZ at 6 p.m. VS will air more of the Dakar Rally at 6:30 p.m., Argentina & Chile, Day 15. At 7 p.m. Speed airs NASCAR Hub (END)
NOTE: INFORMATION FOR THIS COLUMN CAME FROM VARIOUS REFERENCED SOURCES, PRESS RELEASES, NOTES AND OTHER SOURCES.
