Allmendinger Out, Rice In
AJ Allmendinger's Champ Car career is over, following Jerry Forsythe's decision to replace him with immediate effect. Allmendinger, who this week confirmed his switch to NASCAR for 2007, will be replaced in the Forsythe Championship Racing team by 2004 Indy 500 winner Buddy Rice in the series' finale at Mexico City. He may be joined by a third Forsythe machine driven by Mexico's Michel Jourdain. Allmendinger told autosport.com: "I haven't spoken to Jerry since Monday, when I told him I was leaving. But he didn't mention then that I wasn't going to be at Mexico. In fact, I told him I'd love to do it for the No. 7 crew, and go out with a win and show my appreciation for all their hard work for me this year.
"However, it's still two weeks to go before Mexico, so I guess anything could happen. If Surfers was my last Champ Car race, then I'm sad. It wasn't the way I wanted to leave the series. I wanted to go out kicking a--, you know?"
Allmendinger crashed out of last Sunday's race at Surfers Paradise, Australia, confirming Sebastien Bourdais' third Champ Car title in succession. Allmendinger's runner-up spot in the championship is unlikely to come under threat, given that Justin Wilson, the only man who could beat him to second, is unlikely to race in Mexico City given the wrist injury he suffered Down Under.(autosport.com)
And From Forsythe Racing...Wheeling, Illinois – October 27th, 2006 - Forsythe Championship Racing announced today that Buddy Rice will replace A.J. Allmendinger for the last round of the 2006 Champ Car World Series in Mexico City, November 10-12th.
Allmendinger joined the Forsythe Team for the Champ Car Grand Prix of Portland on June 18th and won his first career Champ Car Victory. Ever since, Forsythe and Allmendinger enjoyed a great deal of success together; in 9 starts with the Team Allmendinger won 5 races, 1 Pole Position, started on the front row 5 times, and secured 2nd place in the 2006 Champ Car World Series Championship. After the announcement that the young American will compete in a different series next year, it has been agreed that it is in the best interest of both parties to part ways. Forsythe Championship Racing would like to wish A.J. Allmendinger the best of luck and success in his future racing career.
Buddy Rice has also had his share of success in the open-wheel racing world. Rice began his career in Formula 2000 where in 1997 he captured his first victory and won the Valvoline Team USA Scholarship. He moved up to the Champ Car Atlantic Championship where he competed from 1998 to 2000 winning the prestigious Gilles Villeneuve Memorial Award on his rookie year, placing 5th in the overall standings on his sophomore year, and capturing the Championship on his last year in Champ Car’s development series. The Arizona native continued climbing the ladder and went on to win the 88th running of the Indianapolis 500 from the pole in 2004. Rice will join the Forsythe Team for the Gran Premio Telmex Presented by Banamex and will drive the #7 INDECK Ford-Cosworth/Bridgestone/Lola in his first career Champ Car World Series start.
A.J. Allmendinger
“I would like to thank Jerry Forsythe and the whole Forsythe Team for the opportunity that they gave me. The last few months of my life have been incredible and I’ve really enjoyed my time with the Team, we had great success and I’ve made great friends. I am starting a new chapter in my life and I’d like to wish the best of luck to the Team and to Buddy and hope they win in Mexico.”
Buddy Rice...#7 INDECK Ford-Cosworth/Bridgestone/Lola
“I’m very excited! It was looking like being a very long off season so I can’t wait to be back in a car and driving again. Forsythe is one of the top teams out there and there’s no better feeling than knowing that you will be in a competitive car that can run up front and win races. This will be like a homecoming for me; I won the Champ Car Atlantic Championship in 2000 and that’s where I honed my driving skills, so being back in the Champ Car family is something that I’ve been looking forward to for a long time. I’m also super excited about going back to road racing; it’s going to take some adapting specially since I haven’t driven a Champ Car in years and the turbos take some getting used to, but I am confident that we’ll be quick right out of the box. I have to thank Jerry Forsythe for giving me this huge opportunity; I’m determined to make the most of it!”
Jerry Forsythe, Team Owner
“We are obviously very sad to see A.J. go; we tried to make things work but couldn’t come to an agreement. As a team we now have to focus on the future and we decided that the best course of action for us and for A.J was to go our own ways immediately. A.J. is a great driver and I know that he will have great success in the future. Our main goal is to win the 2007 championship and that’s what we will concentrate on from now on. Buddy has shown great potential throughout his career and he deserves a shot at Champ Car. We must explore our options as we prepare for next year and what better way to give Buddy an audition than by racing for us in Mexico.”
New F-1 Rules ~ All Lapped Cars Get Free Pass
2007 United States Grand Prix fans will see more Formula One practice action Friday, June 15 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway due to new rules ratified Oct. 18 by the World Motor Sport Council. F1 cars will be on track for three hours, split into two 90-minute practice sessions, on Fridays at all Grands Prix in 2007. That's up from two hours, split into two 60-minute sessions, in 2006.
In another bonus for fans, the rules that limit F1 teams to one engine every two races will apply only to Saturday and Sunday on race weekends in 2007. Teams will have even more incentive to turn laps during Friday practice, as they won't have to restrict mileage to conserve engines. The two team race drivers and a nominated third test driver are eligible to practice Friday, but a team can only use two cars during these sessions.
The World Motor Sport Council also instituted new Safety Car rules for 2007.
When the Safety Car is deployed, lapped cars between cars running on the lead lap will pass those cars and the Safety Car and move to the rear of the field for the restart. This will put all lead-lap cars nose-to-tail on the track, allowing those drivers to resume duels for position immediately after the restart without interference from lapped cars.
The United States Grand Prix race date of Sunday, June 17 also was approved by the World Motor Sport Council. The USGP is the seventh event on the 17-race schedule in 2007. The season starts March 18 in Australia, and the Canadian Grand Prix on June 10 precedes the USGP, creating another North American F1 double-header.
Marco Andretti To Race, Mario Receives Award
IndyCar Series Bombardier Rookie of the Year and Indianapolis 500 runner-up Marco Andretti will compete in the All-Stars Karting Classic on Dec. 14 in Orlando, Fla. The event, in conjunction with the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show, will feature the top drivers and teams from the Snap-on Stars of Karting presented by the Indy Racing League competing in the Karting division. Guest drivers, including Andretti and IndyCar Series veteran Bryan Herta, will participate in the Masters division. The top drivers from both divisions will advance to a final race. "Marco is not only (an Andretti Green Racing) teammate but a great friend as well," said Herta, founder of the Snap-on Stars of Karting presented by the Indy Racing League. "When I asked him if he wanted to race, he was very excited to come mix it up in a kart again. What makes it even better is the fact that Marco was racing in our series only a few years ago."
Andretti, 19, joined his father, Michael, in New York City on Oct. 23 to be present when his grandfather, Mario Andretti, was awarded the title of "Commendatore della Repubblica Italiana" by Antonio Bandini, Italy's Consul General in New York.
The title of commendatore is the third of six ranks of the Ordine al Merito della Repubblica, an organization similar to Britain's Order of the British Empire. It is in recognition of his auto racing career and good character, which have reinforced a positive image of Italians throughout the world.
Patrick Featured In GQ
IndyCar Series driver Danica Patrick is in the GQ spotlight for November. In an 18-page feature "The Originals: 16 of the coolest sports heroes of all time," the magazine looks at the 2005 Bombardier Rookie of the Year's flair on and off the racetrack. The Patrick package, including a full-page photo, highlights her drive toward perfection that "makes her one of the most unbridled - and entertaining - competitors out there." Other featured athletes include Willie Mays, Joe Namath, Kevin Garnett, Michael Vick and Kelly Slater. The magazine is available on newsstands. Patrick also is featured in the new Jay-Z video "Show Me What You Got," which debuted Oct. 16 on MTV. The opening scene, featuring Patrick racing Jay-Z in sports cars above Monaco, has been part of a Budweiser Select commercial shown on the Fox broadcasts of the World Series and League Championship Series.
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