F1 - individual time trial in Valencia / NASCAR - There'll be trouble / IRL - Penske back / ALMS - Clearing things up

Actually, I wanted to write about the race in Valencia's only: Massa wins. More must be said, at least not to the race course. But while I was watching TV bored me, but some things are noticed. Because if anything happens in the race, then you already have some time to take care of the thing that strikes otherwise Sun And that was not enough. The first was because the track. Well, nothing happened, the F1 car was narrow enough space on the track and it was not a single hairy situations. What has surprised me, however: why the field has moved so far apart? And what that means, if all the commentators speak of a "great investment", which is a parking lot in an industrial area and therefore not entirely dissimilar, because there is a parking lot in an industrial area?

In recent weeks it has, thanks to the Olympic Games in Beijing, where a lot of discussion about the general lack of sports journalists distance to the events around them. I had the theme a few weeks ago and once in the blog. This is apart from Keke Rosberg in a premiere nobody dares Norbert Haug times to ask a critical question is well known. But then I was still surprised that Schulz and Surer yesterday spoke repeatedly of a "beautifully situated" system. Now I was not on site, can not tell you how it looked in the paddock, but the helicopter images have shown what it really different. Brownfield sites, many construction sites, dust, waste dumps. Sure - the area will be expanded even further when it is finished, and then they might look good sometimes. But I have not even heard the phrase: "They have much work here." I do not know whether something you can not tell because you'll get trouble with Ecclestone, or whether that is not really noticed. Perhaps this is also related to that of the F1 entourage will notice something not right. It has a nice hotel and is otherwise around the paddock that had been housed obviously beautiful. To symbolize this, the outcome of the Jonathan Noble be at autosport.com just enthused about the beautiful location and then writes in a subordinate clause:

There were a few little niggles here and there - poor signage, lack of a real atmosphere in the harbor behind the pits and the track was a feeling in the middle of old rather than a wasteland central hub like Monaco.

And just had a feeling that the TV audience, dear commenters. Maybe take back some space?

After all, you did not try to race to talk nice, but I also missed the question, why a field pulls apart so quickly. After three rounds, each driver was actually on its own way, apart from Coulthard. Normally, I would also assume that the track was supposed to produce a narrow field, but which was now not scary so wise. I have no idea why people stay together in Montreal fairly narrow and not in Valencia. But the fact is: as races are not good for Formula One. Sure, in the IRL race last night, there were virtually no overtaking, but the cars were in at least one meter away from the road and so it was after all the tension. This individual time trial, which was organized by the Formula One since yesterday was only drowsy and dull. That the field was probably as much pulling apart at the last part of the track, the full-throttle Geschlängel before the start / finish. Here the aerodynamics has once again clean cut.

Otherwise, you must have praised Massa. Following his brilliant ride in Hungary, he remained in Spain without error. Hamilton had a chance and drove a calm race, like Kubica, from which one might have wished that he at the first corner after the start would have been a little more vigorously. Praiseworthy and Timo Glock and Sebastian Vettel. Less impressive was the performance of Kovalainen and Raikkonen who got along with the course not. Catastrophic: Red Bull and Renault. What might once again the engine of Renault was and when I think of wellness in 14 days, you will probably look just as well not good. The mechanic, the Raikkonen crossed the pile is, moreover, good.

NASCAR - Bristol
The highlight of the weekend was the race of the Sprint Cup at Bristol. And as indicated here, sometimes even a few weeks ago, pointed to the thing between Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch to slowly. I had misjudged Ford in Bristol not so strong and therefore not entirely wrong, because Edwards was the only Ford driver who was permanently forward. That he was so strong, has surprised me somewhat, but also shows that Ford is in this year with Edwards a really serious title candidate. After all, this was the sixth victory of Edwards this year and therefore it is only slightly behind Kyle Busch with eight wins. The two are not only as an absolute favorite in the Chase, but not just as friends.

Busch and Edwards this year are quite a few times since Saturday rattled against each other but the air is probably correct thick. What did it matter that Edwards is 30 laps before the finish maneuvered in a classic "bump n run" maneuver to pass Busch. The Roush driver during the race it was always just tried again on the Gibbs Toyota to go over, but was not more than the same amount. So he tried it with a light touch on the left rear fender, which made the cars of Kyle somewhat unstable. Edwards slipped down through, Bush tried to follow the curve with a similar version to be paid back, but failed because he was too quick himself. After Edwards was gone and Kyle Busch had no chance.

The Bush hands out like, but can insert bad, you could see after the race again. As he drove Edwards in the cool down lap in the driver's side, to show his anger, what Edwards sent Busch to the cheers of 160,000 spectators unceremoniously into a spin. After the race, Busch said, "If he wants to go ride so he can have there," and Edwards said: "Now we have probably one of hostility."

The NASCAR Busch will go after because of Remplers still time, but secretly pleased to be extending. At Busch has been in season yet each nut to crack. Junior did not feel like a blown-up hostility, especially since he knew that he also does not have the car to stand up to Kyle to offer. Hamlin and Stewart have their own problems, the rest is not up to the youngster. With Edwards but you have someone who wants you to win at any cost, has a car that meets this demand and has no problem to tangle with Kyle Busch. It could therefore be a really hot chase.

- In brief:
Felix Sabates, a partner of Ganassi, has confirmed that Sorenson loses to Gillette Evernham, but why can not grow gray hair. Sorenson was "... arrived at the height of its power ..." which is now given the results and not a compliment. It is unclear what this means now for Ganassi. We are urgently looking for a sponsor for Montoya, on the other side of the "target" car is now empty. Montoya pushes you into the "target" car, and Franchitti in the # 42? , Or get someone else entirely? The market is even now not just full of good drivers and Ganassi at the moment is not the first address.

- Travis Kvapil and David Gilliland stay with Yates

- Today at 20:00 German time clock, there are at SpeedTV the long-awaited announcement that Joey Logano in 2009 to take the car of Tony Stewart.

IRL - Infinion
Caution Due to an early race once again degenerated into an orgy of tactics. Who had tanked when? How many rounds can those who take what a lot of fuel? And where those who lost on the track how much time? It had all the ingredients for a catastrophic coverage, and exactly how it happened. Gary Lee and Larry Rice completely lost in between the overview and saw at least five riders ahead. But that was not their fault alone, but it showed once again that the graphics for ESPN ovals are good, suitable for circuit racing but did not. And that the director had no idea. A simple chart of who has tanked when, would have been helped, as did the distance between the leader and those who had already tanked. So you got unfortunately not, who then had real chances of winning, and only at the end, when Castroneves fueled triggered, to anything and it was clear that it would run out to a duel between him and his teammate Briscoe. That would no longer intervene was clearly already own because of the state championship.

For there is the matter Castroneves made exciting again. Before the race, Scott Dixon had more than 70-point lead, but just as he pulled in at 12th place (for whatever reason he has not made a mistake), Castroneves has the points difference to 43 points evaporated. As one of a perfect weekend (pole, win, fastest lap) can grab 53 points, the thing is completely open again. What is more, the next race is a street circuit again and Dixon is not just as a friend of these routes, although he has certainly been in the past races between them on such courses. So it could be exciting times this year, especially since only two races left.

Praise must also be times Danica Patrick. The continued yesterday not only an amazing fifth place but also turned the fifth fastest lap.

ALMS - Mosport
There were few surprises at Mosport. Audi took everything into the ground, which, given the fast track was not so surprising. With the victory, Audi has already secured the title in the least, the Porsche LMP1 and again kept at bay. But who have now a different opponent: Acura. The Japanese have this season strong and refills are at eye level. Except for consumption. Where you have to say that the Acura of Gil de Ferran and Simon Pagenaud with a very risky strategy was underway. We had a very long period Caution refueled the car and wanted to go to the brim. Good idea. Would have worked, if not the leading Audi one (!) Was second ahead of the expiry of the time, not race again flitted across the finish line. So there was another round and that was de Ferran's undoing. Nearly 1.5 kilometers from the finish he rolled out without Spirt. Porsche won for it ... no no, but another Acura with Brabham / Sharp. Penske is the best first landed in third place.

And what else?
Full program again next weekend: ALMS on the move again, this time in Detroit, NASCAR in Fontana, IRL on Belle Isle, DTM/F3 the BTCC at Brands Hatch and Silverstone.

08/25/2008

26/08/2008

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1. NASCAR Bristol - WTCC Oschersleben - Infinion IRL - Champ Car Zolder - ALMS Mosport
2. Villeneuve in NASCAR - Hornish Jr. also - Review Weekend
3. Le Mans - starting list is / F1 - Barcelona testing / NASCAR - how good is Toyota?
4. AJ Allmendinger out at Red Bull improves / NASCAR Ratings / Williams FW30 paint / MSA in the network

Actually, I wanted to write about the race in Valencia's only: Massa wins. More must be said, at least not to the race course. But while I was bored watching TV are ...