Auto Racing Capsules: Cassill gets seat with new team
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Landon Cassill has a job for the Daytona 500 for the first time in his career. Cassill said Thursday he's been hired to drive for a team that purchased assets and last year's points from the now defunct Red Bull Racing team. Cassill will drive the No. 83 Toyota, he said, and the points Brian Vickers earned in that car last year guarantee Cassill a spot in the first five races of the season.
Cassill said he has a deal with the new team to drive all year.
"It's my first time going into a NASCAR season with a signed deal knowing I'm going to be in the car every week," Cassill said. "It's my first time attempting the Daytona 500 — wait, I am locked into the Daytona 500. That's a pretty big dream came true."
Doug Richert will be the crew chief for the No. 83 team, which is being fielded by investors who had previously backed TRG Motorsports. Cassill said the owners will announce the team name and sponsorship in the coming days.
Cassill has been working the NASCAR garages since he was 17, and five years later, his search for something steady has finally ended. He's made 33 starts in the second-tier Nationwide Series since 2007, and has made 48 Sprint Cup Series starts over the last two seasons. His best finish was 12th at Michigan last season while driving for Phoenix Racing.
Cassill was originally planning to drive a start-and-park car for Front Row Motorsports when the opportunity with this new team was offered to him. Front Row had given him a clause to leave the team if he found a full-time ride.
The opportunity was created when this new team was able to complete a transaction with energy drink company Red Bull, which pulled out of NASCAR after five seasons. The team fielded two cars last year, Kasey Kahne ended the year 14th in the standings, and Brian Vickers was 25th.
The new team now owns the points for both entries, and could field a second car alongside Cassill in the Feb. 26 season-opening Daytona 500.
Former TRG general manager Harry McMullen will have the same role with the new team. The team is working out of Randy Moss Motorsports shop in Statesville, N.C., and will get its engines from Triad.
"I've got a lot of faith in this deal. These guys want to get to the race track, want to do it right, pay their bills and they really want to have a good reputation," Cassill said. "They want to race and they want to do it right. They got away from that (at TRG) and have moved on and created a pretty neat opportunity."
TRG Motorsports ran three seasons in NASCAR, but was forced to start-and-park at times. TRG shut down its Sprint Cup team this winter, and owner Kevin Buckler is not involved in this new team.
IndyCar
Barrichello seeking sponsors for IndyCar move
SAO PAULO (AP) — Veteran Formula One driver Rubens Barrichello said his move to the IndyCar Series depends on finding new sponsors and he may only compete on road and street circuits.
Barrichello said Thursday that "everybody is in a hurry to try to find the money" to allow him to drive this season. There are only "minor details" to be discussed but the move still remains up in the air, he said.
The 39-year-old Brazilian said it would be a great challenge to drive on an oval circuit but safety remains a concern, especially to his family.
Despite his mooted IndyCar move, Barrichello said in an interview with SporTV that he hasn't completely closed the door on F1 and still hopes "the phone will ring" with an invitation to drive for a record 20th season.
Barrichello lost his spot with Williams following the 2011 season and began considering a move to IndyCar after friend Tony Kanaan invited him to a three-day test session with KV Racing Technology about a week ago.
He said he enjoyed the experience and his performance prompted an invite from the team. But to make the deal work, both parts need to find sponsors to put another car on the track in 2012.
"The car was available for someone who arrived with the cash to race," Barrichello said. "Fortunately, the situation is different with me, everybody is in a hurry to try to find the money.
"It's still unknown if it's going to happen. You have to remember that it all happened in the last minute. There are still minor details that need to be resolved."
On Twitter, Barrichello said: "No decisions just yet ... Small (dilemma) at home plus trying to find sponsors to have a complete budget. Hoping for something good."
The dilemma at home has to do with the oval tracks.
"Yeah, the (fear) exists," he said. "I've been talking a lot with my wife. The decision has to be made now."
But Barrichello said his wife, Silvana, knows how passionate he is about racing and feels her concerns will not end up keeping him from racing. He said she noticed how upbeat and happy he was during the tests with KV Racing.
"I saw the look in her eyes and I could hear her saying something along the lines: 'Oh no, it's going to start all over again,'" he said.
He said he already has the support from his two young sons.
"One of them already wants to know which number I'll be using and the other wants to know the color of the car," Barrichello said.
The Brazilian, who will turn 40 in May, said it's still an option to participate only on the road and street circuits.
"The possibility still exists," he said. "But I don't think I would feel good to be back in Brazil watching these races from TV. I would feel better being there, taking the risk and having fun."
Plus, he said he would enjoy having to learn all the tricks needed to do well on ovals.
"It would be a great challenge," Barrichello said. "I've been racing 19 years in F1, but this would be something I would have to do without any experience. It would be fascinating."
-- Tales Azzoni
Formula One
Texas F1 officials say building schedule on track
AUSTIN (AP) — Developers of the Texas racetrack set to host the U.S. Grand Prix in November say they are on schedule.
Construction manager Scott Kahler said Thursday workers have excavated about 85 percent of the Circuit of the Americas track near Austin and they expect to start putting down the first layers of asphalt in April. Construction of medical and pit facilities is ongoing.
Recent rains caused a few delays, but Kahler says forecasts of dry weather should allow workers to make up for lost time. The project has between 350 and 450 workers on site six days a week.
The U.S. Grand Prix is scheduled for Nov. 18. Track officials say construction must be finished 60 days in advance.
Mercedes tops F1 test; Lotus fastest 2012 car
JEREZ, Spain (AP) — The new Mercedes car topped Formula One preseason testing for a second straight day, while Lotus was quickest of the season's new competitors.
Nico Rosberg was fastest around the Jerez circuit on Thursday with a lap of 1 minute, 17.613 seconds, following Michael Schumacher's leading pace on Wednesday.
French driver Romain Grosjean in a Lotus was the fastest in the 2012 designs at 1:18.419. It was more than eight-tenths of a second faster than two-time defending world champion Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull, who was driving for the first time.
Lewis Hamilton's first spin in the new McLaren placed him fourth ahead of Jean-Eric Vergne of Toro Rosso. Fernando Alonso kicked off his Ferrari campaign with the seventh-fastest time.
NHRA
Beckman leads Funny Car qualifying
POMONA, Calif. (AP) — Jack Beckman raced to the provisional No. 1 qualifying position in Funny Car on Thursday in the season-opening NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway.
Morgan Lucas led the Top Fuel field and Mike Edwards topped the Pro Stock competition.
Beckman had a run of 4.139 seconds at 308.14 mph in his Dodge Charger.
Courtney Force had a 4.210-second pass at 303.16 mph in her first run in NHRA Funny Car competition. She took the provisional sixth spot, and will line up next to father John Force in the second round of qualifying.
Defending Top Fuel event winner Morgan Lucas drove his dragster to the top of the pack with a pass of 3.832 seconds at 320.28 mph. In Pro Stock, Edwards had a run of 6.545 seconds at 211.86 mph.
