Katherine Legge back in F1 machine

Champ Car’s F1×2 programme has been a hit with lucky participants all season, but the biggest surprise of a private program for Bridgestone Firestone North America and Champ Car World Series guests at the MSR-Houston track wasn’t the excited reaction of the 40 passengers, but that of the two drivers, Katherine Legge and Nelson Philippe.

While the wide-eyed look of passengers who experienced the 2.4-mile permanent road course first hand was almost guaranteed, both drivers also came back from each run with a wide grin.

With regular high-speed ‘chauffeurs’ Zsolt Baumgartner, Patrick Friesacher and Mario Dominguez unable to be present for the Texas event, Legge and Philippe were strapped into the cockpits of the two-seater chassis in Houston. Legge, of course, is no stranger to F1, having tested for the Minardi team at the Vallelunga circuit near Rome almost exactly two years ago, and the Briton was happy to be back in action with Paul Stoddart’s machinery.

“It was really nice to be able to give people we work with a reward for all the effort they put in during the season and, at the same time, help them gain an understanding of what actually happens on track,” Legge said, “When you’re driving race cars all the time, you can easily start to take the performance for granted after a while but, when you see how excited the passengers are after they get out of the F1×2 cars, you’re reminded how amazing it is. They’ve clearly had the experience of a lifetime.

“From a purely personal point of view, however, it’s been a great day, and I can only thank Paul for the opportunity to drive the F1×2 car. Nelson and I have had a blast!”

For Frenchman Philippe, the day provided a first taste of F1 performance but, like Legge, he quickly got to grips with the quirky machines and, by the end, seemed as impressed with the experience as his passengers.

“It’s been a great experience and a lot of fun – I particularly enjoyed scaring the s**t out of certain people!” he laughed, “Despite that, all the passengers got out of the car with big smiles and were obviously very impressed with what they had experienced.”

The day also brought the curtain down on the F1×2 programme for 2007, in which the cars have appeared at 13 different venues on two continents and carried nearly 500 passengers. Judging by the response at Champ Car events this year, the programme has been a big hit with the fans and, after a brief - but much-needed - end-of-season break, Stoddart has promised that the team will be back for more of the same in 2008.

“As usual, it’s been another fantastic performance from the Minardi F1×2 Team here in Houston,” the Australian admitted, “They’ve been terrific throughout the year, and I’d like to express my sincere thanks to everyone on the team. It’s been just great to have the opportunity to entertain our friends from Bridgestone Firestone North America here today, as well as a select band of Champ Car personnel, as both organisations are always exceptionally helpful to us. I think today’s F1×2 passenger experience may also have changed one or two perceptions about race cars and race drivers, so well done to everybody.”

[Source: gokatherine.com]

DiCarlo Gets Short-Track Assist at Lakeland

MOORESVILLE NC (12-21-07) - Great Clips Racing’s Gabi DiCarlo is on the off-season fast-track. After a very successful test at Daytona Int’l Speedway last weekend, the Stringer Motorsports team traveled straight to USA Int’l Speedway in Lakeland, Florida Monday to gather data for the ARCA RE/MAX Series’ challenging short-track schedule.

Legendary Crew Chief Barry Dodson has been very busy in the off-season building new cars for the Great Clips Team and feels that their Daytona piece may be one of the best cars in the well-stocked stable. He’s been turning the wrenches on new short-track cars too.

“We had a great test at Daytona,” said DiCarlo.

“We’ve all been looking forward to getting this car on the track. Barry has been building new cars and the difference from last year is night and day. It should be real fast.”

But as prestigious as Daytona is, the second race on the 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series schedule is at the Salem Speedway short-track where set-ups are critical to success.

So critical in fact that the team brought in Tallahassee, Florida driver Marc Mitchell, who filled in for DiCarlo at USA Int’l after the team experienced ignition trouble. As it turned out, DiCarlo, with a prior commitment, had to leave the test early. After DiCarlo and Dodson talked it over, and rather than scrub the test, the two decided to call on Mitchell to complete the job. Mitchell, who was at the time 400 miles away in Athens, Georgia, drove through the night to help the Great Clips team sort out their troubles. Mitchell was able to finish the job that DiCarlo has started and provide the team with quality test data for the grinding short-track schedule ahead.

Mitchell, who ran a partial schedule in 2007, finished a career-best second in the ‘07 ARCA 200 at Daytona.

DiCarlo is coming off an impressive season which saw the rookie driver finish 11th in ARCA RE/MAX Series championship points. DiCarlo will again compete fulltime in the series in 2008 beginning with the season-opening 45th annual ARCA 200 at Daytona Saturday, February 9th, LIVE on SPEED at 4:00 pm ET.

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[Source: arcaracing.com]

Three Female Drivers Set To Race For The First Time In The History Of Formula 3 In Australia

Oct 26, 2007

For the first time in series history three female drivers are set to race in a round of the Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3 Championship.

They may have teamed up in the Bathurst 12-hour production car race earlier this year, but next weekend current championship leader Leanne Tander (#42 Fleetcare TanderSport) will race against both Lauren Gray and Samantha Reid for the first time, in the final round of the Gold Star championship.

It’s the first time three female drivers will have taken to the track at once in the history of Formula 3 in Australia.

20-year-old Victorian Gray will return to the seat of her Scud Racing F301 Dallara to attempt to lock second place in the Kumho National class away, whilst young South Aussie driver Samantha ‘Samy’ Reid will make her second career start in the Scud Racing Trophy Class Dallara.

All three will test at Winton Raceway in Victoria next week before heading to Sydney later in the week for the 2007 finale’.

Tander - a nominee for the 2007 CAMS Motorsport personality of the year award - said that she was pleased to see the increasing number of talented females racing at the top level after being the sole representative at a national level for several years.

“There have only been one or two female drivers - none of them Australian - make it on the international stage, so it would be great if one or all of us could do that via Australian F3, ” Tander said.

“It’s really good to see both Lauren and Sam on track at Oran Park. It’s obviously good for the series and good for their careers as well. I think it says a lot for the development of female talent in Australia and how quickly they are starting to come up through the ranks.

“It’s pleasing that they have got the chance to show that they can do the job in the quickest cars in Australia. ” She said.

After a back injury forced her out of the seat earlier this year, Victorian Lauren Gray will return to the #25 Scud Racing Dallara F301 - Spiess at Oran Park in a quest to score second in the National Class.

“We are going there with the aim of scoring as many points as possible to see how the championship plays out, ” Lauren Gray said.

“I’m looking forward to having the three of us on the grid at the weekend: I’ve raced against Leanne since I was 16 (in both Production cars and, more recently, F3) but I’ve never raced Sam before.

“We had a great experience at Bathurst and we all get on outside of the car, but this will be something difference, and it’s something I’m really looking forward to.

“It’s great for Formula 3 and also great for my team, Scud Racing. Hopefully Sam and I can work with Tim (Macrow, championship contender) to make sure we all have a successful weekend and get the most out of it that we can. ” Gray added.

“It’s great to be returning to Formula 3 to race alongside Leanne and Lauren, ” Samantha Reid said.

“We worked well together at Bathurst but we also like to compete against each other so this will be a different experience and hopefully a lot of fun.

“We all have very different goals to take out of the weekend which we won’t be directly competing - which will make sure that it’s an enjoyable weekend. ”

“I enjoyed learning about Formula 3 cars on my debut in Tasmania and I can’t wait to get back into one at Oran Park. I have been working hard to put together plans to compete in the National Class next year, and now Opes Prime has supported the championship with the new prizes I’m trying even harder. ” She said.

The final round of the Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3 Championship, featuring a winner-take-all showdown between Leanne Tander, Tim Macrow and Charlie Hollings, will be held over two races at Oran Park raceway next weekend, on November 3 - 4.

[Source: Auto Racing Daily]