Cleveland Podcast

Jim and I recap Portland, talk about Lewis Hamilton and tee-up this weekend's Cleveland GP.

click on the title above to listen to it.

where in the world have I been???

I’m sorry about not writing more this past week. Admittedly it’s been very busy around these parts, both professionally and personally, but its no excuse. I will try to do better. :)

First of all, a big thank you to those who emailed me with comments about the latest videos on Champcar.ws. I really do appreciate them. We’re all in this together, fighting the good fight!

Jim and I will have our usual pre-race podcast on Thursday night, so look for it Friday morning right here or on Itunes.

I am still amazed that Sebastien won that race in Portland. I haven’t come to terms with it yet because it should not have happened. In my opinion anyway, there is no way he should have come back from an 18 second lead and eventually win by some 15 seconds himself. Not with no yellows. I know NHL has their stuff together and they short-filled to give him a slight edge. But there were NO yellows to bunch them up! I look forward to getting Jim’s take on his drive and I absolutely loved David Phillips article on the race. He was spot on. It was a very enjoyable race, a purists dream.

And those standing starts!

But now it’s on to Cleveland this weekend where the Bourdais dominance is showing no end in sight. The guy goes to Le Mans and gets himself a podium, then flies to Road America and ends up being the fastest CC tester. I know I sometimes sound like a broken record when it comes to Bourdais, but I can’t help it. He’s the story. He’s the best. He’s one of the best of all time. He would win the F1 championship AND the Nextel Cup if all things were created equal.

So, the IRL and Champ Car go head to head this weekend. I have to say, I don’t often pay attention to television ratings these days, but I will be curious to see the outcome of this one. I know it’s not the first time they go head to head, but both on network, both on at the same time. Whether we want to believe it or not, there be something significant at stake. Initially its bragging rights, but it could develop into something further. Now, I know the IRL has been getting all sorts of promotion on ESPN and whatever else ABC owns, so right off the bat its advantage IRL. But, Champ Car has a more exciting product this weekend. Iowa versus Cleveland isn’t much of a contest, especially with standing starts and turn one. It’ll be up to the broadcast crew to captivate the viewers and keep them on CBS. As Larry Sanders used to say, “no flipping”. Are they still playing this Dan versus Danica feud? I haven’t heard much about it after Texas, although I know they did have a ‘run-in’ together that race.

Speaking of her, the growing consensus is not ‘if’ she wins a race, but ‘when’. You’ve heard it from the pundits and with her 3rd place finish at Texas and her fine Indy drive, she’s making a believer out of a lot of people. Unfortunately, I am just not convinced that she will. Yet anyway. Sure she finished 3rd in Texas, but a large chunk of the field was taken out with that crash, including some very prominent drivers. If they were all running at the end, I think she finishes in her usual spot. Just inside the top 10. I do hope for her she does it because I can imagine the pressure she has. I am just not convinced yet she can do it.