I hate that Bruno’s out of competition for a little while, and naturally we all hope for a speedy recovery and for him to get back in that cockpit as soon as possible. There is a pretty darn good seat available at Newman/Haas as a result of this and the guessing game begins as to who will fill that seat.
If the seat should go to anyone, it should be John Forgaty. But his commitment to the ALMS likely won’t make it happen. I do like the idea of Buddy Lazier taking his seat. Buddy is a worthy competitor and should have the chance to drive a real racecar for a real team. Its always fun to have a ‘buddy’ in the series.

But all speculations aside, it’s a real shame that Bruno will be out for a little while. We all know the ‘bridesmaid’ label that is associated with him. This season he wanted that championship more than ever. The saddest part is that he did exactly what he needed to do this season to get it. A quick start. Traditionally, though he finds himself on the podium at this time of the year, he never got those early season wins that you need. This year, he got it two weeks ago in Monterrey. His confidence level must have been sky high, another attribute needed to be a champion. It’s a real shame. Like I said in yesterday’s blog, the IRL just can’t fill a field of 33 quality drivers anymore without Champ Car guys and some NASCAR guys. You don’t want to touch tradition, but the bottom line is that 33 is more than just a number, it’s also a liability now.

Now for Milwaukee:

Conditions matter on this track. A slight change in temperature can change the entire structure and performance of your car. No two cars are the same year in, year out. The reason I say this? Well, technically Bjorn Wirdheim has Ryan’s #4 car from last year. Take nothing away from Hunter-Reay’s drive, but on an oval, the set up of the car is more important than on any other track. The HVM team can technically set the car up exactly like it was last year and take off early, go see a Brewer’s game or something. But alas, the race isn’t in the evening this year, its at noon. That changes a lot. Nevertheless, the team did find something in that car last year and this year have displayed great fuel mileage. So, my pick for this year’s race, you guessed it…Ronnie Bremer!

Ronnie Bremer? What kind of pick is that?? Okay, maybe its more of a darkhorse pick than a straight up pick. Nonetheless, he found himself on the podium last year in Milwaukee, and though he didn’t show much love for the ovals, like a lot of Champ Car driver, he still mastered that track despite his lack of experience. This year, with a good setup and a smart drive, look for him to be there at the end.

Of course, on ovals its all about the setup, therefore much of the onus is on the engineers and mechanics. The driver has to find the right line and more importantly, keep his nose clean (especially during yellows…burn!). That means that lots of teams will have a good chance this year. You can practically include just about every entry as a contender. All the more reason to come out on Saturday and enjoy the fastest and most exciting racing you’ll see at the mile all year!

Champ Car baby! Champ Car for life!