Williams Debuts new FW28
Category: INDY CAR / F1 / Open Wheel | Posted January 27, 2006 by Brian Losness | Source: Williams F1 Racing

The FW28 will use Cosworth power, following the team’s split with BMW at the end of last season, and will run on Bridgestone tyres after Williams’ switch from Michelin.

The team’s driver line-up also features three new members - Nico Rosberg is Mark Webber’s 2006 team mate, while testing will be carried out by third driver Alexander Wurz and the newly-signed Narain Karthikeyan.

Like its rivals, the aerodynamic design of the FW28 has been heavily influenced by the move to smaller V8 engines for 2006. Obvious changes on the new car include an aggressive barbed sting on the back of the engine cover and de-cambered tips to the rear wing. Coupled to these changes, the team have adopted a tall sidepod concept to allow a larger undercut to smoothen air flow to the rear of the car.

New restrictions on bodywork to the front of the car, removing the bottom parts of any forward barge boards, have also prompted Williams to use a zero keel option for the front suspension. In addition, the team has progressed the cascaded front wing, trialled successfully in the last two Grands Prix of 2005.

The FW28 is a first design for technical director Sam Michael’s new combination of chief aerodynamicist, Loic Bigois and chief designer, Jorg Zander. For the first time too, the design team has had the benefit of two onsite wind tunnels dedicated to the new car from the outset.

“The FW28 has been a large departure from previous Williams’ designs due in part to new aerodynamic efficiency targets, but also the mechanical challenges of changing to Bridgestone tyres and Cosworth’s V8 engine,” explained Michael. “It has been a really interesting car to design and I believe that will continue to be the case during its development in 2006.”

On the engine front, Cosworth CEO Tom Routsis reflected: “Our partnership with WilliamsF1 continues to strengthen and the highly motivated nature of the relationship has produced extremely encouraging results since track testing began. The CA2006 V8 was first installed in the WilliamsF1 FW27C interim car in November last year, since when it has completed in excess of 7,000kms of test mileage. Progress achieved so far by Williams and Cosworth validates the expectation of the partnership enjoying a competitive campaign this season.”

Alongside the new V8 engine in the drivetrain design strategy has been the progression of Williams’ seamless shift technology which is anticipated to come on stream in the early part of the 2006 season. This seven-speed, continuous torque gearbox owes much of its development progression to the joint validation work conducted on Cosworth’s dynos in Northampton. Seamless transmission can be worth up to 0.4 seconds over the course of an average racing lap.

The FW28 commences its first test on Tuesday in Valencia, ahead of its race debut in Bahrain on March 12.

1st Test for 2006 Indy Car Test
Category: INDY CAR / F1 / Open Wheel | Posted January 27, 2006 by Brian Losness | Source: IRL

The first official test of the 2006 IndyCar Series season was nothing short of a success, according to Indy Racing League officials and the drivers who participated in the two-day test at Phoenix International Raceway Jan. 24-25.

Teams were looking at how the Honda engines performed with the blend of 90 percent methanol and 10 percent ethanol. Others had changed engine and/or chassis suppliers since the last race.

“It ran like clockwork and there no complaints from anyone,” Indy Racing League president and COO Brian Barnhart said. “The methanol-ethanol blend debuted in flawless fashion. We had 3,100 miles of testing over the two days and the chassis were great and ran as we expected them to. Honda’s performance was flawless as well.”

Four drivers, led by defending IndyCar Series champion Dan Wheldon, eclipsed the 2005 pole speed of 176.612 mph set by Bryan Herta. Wheldon’s new Target Chip Ganassi Racing teammate, 2003 IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon, and Marlboro Team Penske teammates Sam Hornish Jr. and Helio Castroneves also bettered Herta’s pole speed.

“It’s apparent that Target Chip Ganassi Racing and Marlboro Team Penske will be among the contenders for race wins each weekend, which makes the IndyCar Series that much more competitive,” Barnhart said. “Having two of the most recognized and successful organizations in IndyCar racing back on level ground makes the field all the more deeper in terms of competition.”
IndyCar Series Merchandise



Barnhart said he was pleasantly surprised by the performance each of the 16 car/driver combinations to turn laps during the test, but added the performance of Vision Racing’s Ed Carpenter and Tomas Scheckter showed that 2006 could be the most competitive season in series history.

“Vision was a perfect example of how the sole engine supplier has leveled the playing field for everyone,” he said. “With equal accessibility to equipment, Vision Racing jumped to seventh and eighth on the speed charts.”


Vision Racing driver Ed Carpenter, defending Indy Pro Series champion Wade Cunningham and Indy Pro Series drivers Travis Gregg and Nick Bussell will serve as honorary captains for the Indiana Pacers game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Jan. 27 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

The group will also greet fans and sign autographs with members of the Indiana Pacemates dance team from 5:45 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway pavilion at Conseco Fieldhouse. An IndyCar Series show car also will be on display in the main lobby.

ABC has New Booth Lineup for IRL Broadcasts
Category: INDY CAR / F1 / Open Wheel | Posted January 27, 2006 by Brian Losness | Source: IRL / ABC

ABC has announced it's line up for their broadcast of the IRL this year and it is an interesting panel.

Marty Reid who for the past four years has been the lead on the NHRA telecast and has done alot of Stadium Off Road races for his own production company will be the lead and former NASCAR Nextel(WINSTON)Cup Champion Rusty Wallace will co-color along with veterian Indy Car driver Scott Goodyear. This should bring an interesting flavor to the telecast.

The following is the press release from ABC:


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Bill Davis and Micheal Waltrip to be 1st Toyota Team in 06
Category: NASCAR / Oval Track Racing | Posted January 27, 2006 by Brian Losness | Source: nascar.com

Bill Davis and Michael Waltrip will each field two cars in Toyota's first Cup season Waltrip forms race team to lead Toyota into Cup
Manufacturer to have three teams, six cars in inaugural season

CONCORD, N.C. -- Toyota announced its tentative plans for 2007 and beyond, and Michael Waltrip was doing most of the talking.

Speaking at the NASCAR Media Tour on Tuesday, Waltrip officially announced the formation of Michael Waltrip Racing, which will field two Nextel Cup cars in '07.

Toyota will have six cars total on the Cup circuit in its first season, two by Bill Davis Racing and two more with a team yet-to-be-named but associated with Red Bull.

Toyota reiterated it will not have factory-based teams, like Ray Evernham has with the UAW Dodge Dealers. NAPA will continue as the primary sponsor for Waltrip's entry and Caterpillar, which sponsored Davis' No. 22 last season, will continue its association with BDR.

Waltrip announced the hiring of Larry Carter, Rusty Wallace's former crew chief who is expected to serve in the same role. Carter will stay in his current role this season as a consultant for BDR.

Waltrip also announced the hiring of former Dale Earnhardt Inc. vice president Ty Norris as vice president and GM of Michael Waltrip Racing. In addition, he said a 125,000-square-foot shop is being readied for the team's operation in Cornelius, N.C.

Waltrip said he and Toyota had been in negotiations since August. Late last season DEI and Waltrip announced their partnership would end after 2005.

No other drivers were formally announced but Dave Blaney, who along with Waltrip will drive a Dodge for BDR this season, was on hand and it is anticipated he'll make the move to Toyota next year.

After the fiasco centering around the Kurt Busch and Jamie McMurray signings of midseason a year ago, Toyota said it wouldn't announce any other driver signings until after the season.

It was speculated that Robby Gordon would make the move to Toyota. But Gordon said he had no announcement to make and he planned on driving Chevrolets with DEI motors in '06.

Junior will drive the Number 3 for RCR someday
Category: NASCAR / Oval Track Racing | Posted January 27, 2006 by Brian Losness | Source: Mr. Marty Smith

I really think that'll happen," Earnhardt said, leaned back easily in a folding chair on the JR Motorsports shop floor. "I've informally talked to Richard, just so he knew I wanted to do that."

Easy, Junior Nation, easy. ... Before you run off and make the 6.7 commercial reality -- "HE CHANGED HIS NUMBERRRR!!" -- relax. Take a deep breath. It'll be a while.

"I'll drive the No. 3 car toward the end of my career if I've done what I wanted to do at DEI, and that's win championships and win races," Earnhardt said. "And I'll stick around as long as it takes to do it."

Earnhardt's devotion to Dale Earnhardt, Inc. has never been stronger. The want to see his father's vision through to fruition has fostered a new, sharper focus.

That wasn't the case six months ago.

A tumultuous 2005 season ignited a firestorm of speculation about Earnhardt's commitment to DEI. Word was he wanted out, was seeking the quickest avenue to a new racing home.

But a reunion with Tony Eury Jr., and the renewed mutual respect a year apart forged, along with Martin Truex Jr.'s elevation to the Nextel Cup Series, has reinvigorated the entire company - and Earnhardt's belief therein.

"There's been a lot of gray areas at DEI for four or five years. We've made some mistakes, so there's a lot of questions on a lot of people's minds about the future," he said. "But some things, fortunately, have happened in the last year that are putting us in position to make it right.


"What if Tony Jr. didn't want me back? What if Martin was still a year away? It'd be another awful year. But it's clicking. It feels like the gears are all meshing again.

"We have the opportunity to have harmony throughout the entire business side, and as a company become the icon weonce were."

If and when that happens, if and when DEI becomes self-sufficient and no longer requires Junior's presence for perceived legitimacy, if and when Junior hoists the Nextel Cup under the DEI banner, he'll park the 8 and head to RCR to write the final chapter of his father's legacy.

For many that is necessary. For some members of the Earnhardt family, and for many of Dale Earnhardt's lifelong friends inside racing and out, closure won't come until the 3 screams down the superstretch at Daytona.

With Junior at the wheel.

But this isn't about Junior. It's not about the fans. It's not about NASCAR marketing hoopla.

It's about the passion with which Dale Earnhardt and his boys competed. It's about racing -- hell-bent, pedal to the mat racing.

"It'd be good for guys like Will Lind, guys that spent a lot of time with my Dad in his racing career," Junior said. "If I ever drove the 3, it'd have nothing to do with my personal feelings. It'd be all racing.

"It'd be all about going out on the track with the 3, with anwith an Earnhardt behind the wheel, putting a smile on Chocolate (Myers') face and Richard's face and those guys he spent so much time with for so many years.

It's not necessarily for anyone. If the fans like it, they like it. If they don't agree with it, they don't agree with it. That's fine. It's between me and Richard."

He'd gladly leave the particulars to Childress.

"They could do it however they saw best," Junior said. "If they want to paint it black, they can paint it black. If they don't, I don't care. I don't feel it's my decision. It'd just like to do it because I'd like to drive for Richard. He's been so good to me.

"People tend to twist that around and think I want to [leave DEI] tomorrow. I have a commitment -- not legally as much as mentally -- to do what I can to make DEI as good as it can possibly be.

"But Richard knows I'd like to do it, and he seems pretty open to it. We'd like to do it together."

The opinions expressed are solely of the writer

The Staff at Nitrophoto Motorsports Photography