Auto Racing Capsules: Mears hopes to make 1st starting field this season
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Casey Mears will never be the best driver in NASCAR, and chances are slim that he'll ever be a championship contender.
Still, he's got talent and charm and a rich family history in the sport — all qualities that should have him racing each week.
Instead, he found himself standing in the garage in street clothes for a third straight weekend as his friends raced on without him at Las Vegas. Mears is racing right now for startup Keyed-Up Motorsports, a team with old cars, underpowered motors and very little financial support.
Team owner Raymond Key only committed to run the first two months of the season when he signed Mears, but the driver didn't have many choices. Sponsorship cutbacks cost him his job at Richard Childress Racing, which is not fielding the car Mears drove to a 21st-place finish in the 2009 final standings.
He hoped and waited to see if Childress could land sponsorship to keep that fourth team running, and when it finally became clear that the economic conditions meant Mears was out at RCR, there wasn't a lot left for free agent drivers.
"You look around at what's out there, and you have some hard decisions to make," Mears said. "Do you go to the Trucks or the Nationwide Series? Sure, if it's in competitive equipment. But you can't just take a ride to take a ride and make yourself look bad every week."
With Keyed-Up, though, most everyone knows what Mears is working with: Very little.
The team bought out-of-use cars from Dale Earnhardt Inc., and instead of entering into a leasing program with a well-established engine company, owner Raymond Key bought his own motors. Maintaining them, tuning them and getting them ready to make races has likely been far more challenging than Key could have imagined.
Because it's a new team, the No. 90 Chevrolet was not automatically qualified for the season-opening Daytona 500. Mears had to race his way into the field, and came up short when he had to lift off the gas late to avoid wrecking with a loose car in front of him.
It meant Mears, nephew of four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Rick Mears and a member of one of racing's most famous families, missed the Daytona 500 for the first time in eight years.
Then he missed making the race at California, and again last week at Las Vegas.
Still, he roamed the garage on Saturday, watching practice and talking to as many people as he could.
His next plan?
"We'll just keep trying to make races," Mears said. "But we can't afford to be off, that's for sure. If we're gonna go, we need to get some current stuff and go racing hard. It's just really frustrating right now because you want to be in the race, you'd do anything to be in the race, and we're coming up just short."
Remember, Mears has driven for top teams before and has shown to be at least one of the top 20 drivers. He was 14th in the 2006 standings with Chip Ganassi, then moved to Hendrick Motorsports and won the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 in 2007 on Memorial Day — a day linked to his family through Rick Mears' Indianapolis victories.
HMS let Mears go at the end of 2008 when the team signed Mark Martin, and Mears landed at RCR just as the team was about to start a season-long slide into mediocrity. Three months into the season, Childress swapped crews for Kevin Harvick and Mears, giving Mears his seventh crew chief in seven seasons. Mears is positive that instability has been one of the major reasons his numbers aren't as good as they could be: In 252 starts, he has one win and 46 top-10s, but has not finished lower than 22nd in the standings since his second season of full-time Cup racing.
"When Richard hired me, one of the first things he said is I just needed a little bit of stability," Mears said.
As Mears watched RCR driver Jeff Burton practice at Las Vegas, it was Childress who stopped and leaned in to whisper something in Mears' ear. As he walked off, Childress could be heard making a pledge of future help.
Maybe that means use of one of the stout Earnhardt-Childress Racing motors that have the RCR and Ganassi drivers running up front this year, and maybe even in time for this weekend's race at Atlanta.
Because if Mears can get into the field, he promises his intention will be to run the entire race.
That's a point of contention the last year or so in the Cup garage, where teams have entered events with no intention of running the actual race. Called "start-and-park teams" the cars earn a spot in the field, but pull off the track shortly after to collect a sizable payday in last-place money.
At Vegas, it was Aric Almirola in a car owned by Phoenix Racing that ducked off the track after 23 laps for what was listed as a vibration. The team collected $79,431 for the effort.
NASCAR is trying to make it tougher on start-and-parks with a new policy of inspecting the first car out of the race that wasn't involved in an accident. It could force teams to run longer, or, at the very minimum, ensure the cars will be forced to prove they are legal and made the race fair and square.
"It's frustrating because you know who is out here," Mears said. "There's people out here who everyone knows isn't going to run the whole race. We'll run the race. We've just got to get in there first."
Southern 500 champ Martin to lunch with fans in S.C.
DARLINGTON, S.C. — Darlington Raceway is bringing its fans lunch with NASCAR star Mark Martin.
Track president Chris Browning said Wednesday that last year's Southern 500 winner would attend a luncheon at the Florence Civic Center. There will be a question-and-answer session with Martin, who at age 50 won a Sprint Cup event at Darlington Raceway for the first time since 1993.
Browning said track leaders wanted to create an event fans could take part in before the race. Since Martin is among the most popular NASCAR drivers, Browning said it was a perfect fit for a fan event.
The Southern 500 is set for May 8.
IndyCar
IndyCar to open season on a Sambadrome in Brazil
SAO PAULO — The IndyCar Series will open its season on the streets of South America's biggest city, parading through a Sambadrome and a mile(1.6-kilometer)-long straight that is the series' longest ever.
The inaugural Sao Paulo Indy 300 will kick-start the IRL season on March 14, marking the return of Indy-style cars to Brazil for the first time since the CART series ran in Rio de Janeiro from 1996-2000.
"The race in Sao Paulo will be a great show, the track is awesome," Brazilian driver Tony Kanaan said. "I can't wait to see the stands filled with fans and to feel their enthusiasm."
The 2.6-mile (4.2-kilometer) temporary street circuit in Sao Paulo is highlighted by the Anhembi Sambadrome, a stadium-like venue where Sao Paulo's traditional Carnival parades are watched by tens of thousands of revelers every year in this city of nearly 12 million people.
The Sambadrome stretches for about a third of a mile (500 meters), flanked by grandstands and VIP suites on both sides that accommodate nearly 30,000 people. It is where the 75-lap race will start and end, and where the podium celebration will take place.
The Sambadrome will lead to a chicane called the Samba "S," which will be built just across from where colorful Carnival floats from last month's parades remain parked in public view.
Another unique feature at the Anhembi track will be its back straight, which at just short of a mile (1.6 kilometer) is the longest of all 17 tracks visited by the series this season. It also is longer than any at other venues the series has raced before, according to track designer Tony Cotman.
Drivers are expected to reach nearly 190 mph (300 kph) around the halfway point of the straight, which runs parallel to the Rio Tiete.
The straight, which will be followed by a sharp hairpin leading to the front straight, should provide drivers several passing opportunities.
"It's a special circuit," Cotman said. "It will provide a great opportunity for Indy and its drivers to put on a good show."
Cotman said the track is similar to the one in Surfers Paradise, Australia, which also is fast and provides several passing opportunities. The other four street races in the 2010 season will be in St. Petersburg, Florida; Long Beach, California; Toronto; and Edmonton, Alberta.
The announcement that Sao Paulo was picked for the race in Brazil was made only in November and organizers didn't have much time to chose a location in the city and set up the track. Construction began in January, and although not everything is completed, organizers guarantee the track will be ready in time.
Auto racing's governing body, FIA, was inspecting the track on Wednesday and will decide whether any changes or adjustments are needed.
Weather is a concern for organizers, as Sao Paulo commonly faces severe flooding at this time of the year. It rained for nearly 50 days straight this year, and road closures because of flooding were almost a daily occurrence, including at the Marginal Tiete highway, which is where the long back straight is located.
Organizers said, however, that measures are in place to avoid the floods and dismissed the possibility that any significant problems will jeopardize the event.
Sao Paulo was one of the many cities that tried to bring an Indy race back to Brazil. Rio de Janeiro, Salvador in northeastern Brazil and the interior Sao Paulo state cities of Campinas and Ribeirao Preto also bid for the event, but organizers chose the country's financial center mostly because of its infrastructure.
"I looked at six or seven different locations," Cotman said. "Sao Paulo has more traffic than most places in the world, so that was an important factor. "(But) Anhembi has an infrastructure already in place ... and that was key in the decision."
In addition, Brazil is the home country of the IRL's biggest sponsor last season, APEX-Brasil, which provides ethanol fuel for the IndyCars. Brazil is the world's biggest ethanol exporter, and a huge consumer. The fuel powers most new cars sold in the South American country.
Six Brazilian drivers are set to compete at the inaugural race in Sao Paulo — Helio Castroneves, Tony Kanaan, Vitor Meira, Mario Romancini, Raphael Matos and Bia Figueiredo. Mario Moraes may also make the field.
Sao Paulo also will host the season finale for the Formula One season in November, and currently is the only city to host both events in the same year. Sao Paulo also will host a race for the GT1 World Championship.
-- Tales Azzoni
Takuma Sato shifts into IndyCar Series
Takuma Sato's first official testing session on the IndyCar Series had its pluses and minuses.
The 33-year-old "rookie" from Japan fared quite well on the track at Alabama's Barber Motorsports Park last week, even posting the sixth-fastest lap. But as a lover of sampling local cuisine, Sato — known as Taku — couldn't find anything but fast food near his hotel in suburban Birmingham.
No barbecue, grits or fried chicken.
That's no trivial matter for the ex-Formula One driver.
"Other than family, he's got two interests in life: food and driving, probably in that order," said Matthew Winter, Taku's manager. "Whenever we go to new places, he always tries the local food."
The fare has ranged from kangaroo in Australia to wild boar in Hungary. He'll get plenty of chances for new experiences and food in his return to racing on a new circuit after a nearly two-year hiatus.
Sato spent seven years in Formula One and finished eighth in the championship in 2004 on the strength of 10 top-10 finishes. He found himself without a car when Super Aguri, which was backed by Honda, withdrew after just four races in 2008.
Sato and Winter met with other teams at last year's races in Indianapolis and Motegi, Japan. They wound up signing with KV Racing Technology on Feb. 18. Taku said he had little doubt he'd land with a team, but wanted to be picky.
"I've always been communicating with teams," he said in fluent English. "There was always another opportunity, but having a good opportunity is a different story. To me, this is a good challenge. I really appreciate that KV Racing gave me an opportunity for racing here, with this package, which I believe is going to be strong."
He had few problems navigating the 2.38-mile, 17-turn track at Barber, which hosts its first IndyCar race on April 11, the circuit's third event of the season. The season opens in Sao Paulo on March 14 and continues with a stop in St. Petersburg, Fla., on March 28.
Sato zoomed through his fastest lap at 117.937 mph, sixth-best among the 20 drivers. His showing came just days after signing, though he did quietly test for over an hour at Sebring International Raceway on Feb. 15.
Winter figures Sato will have a bigger challenge in adapting to racing on an oval.
"Circuits like this are something that Taku's going to take to like a fish to water. It's just second nature to him," the manager said. "Racing on this type of track is very similar to racing on the European tracks. But when you get to the ovals, he's going to have to sort of go back to Square 1 and start again to recalibrate his mind.
"Speeds are so much higher and it's just a totally different discipline."
Sato's greatest success came in British Formula 3, where he captured 12 races and won the Class A championship in 2001. Winter thinks his skills will be a nice fit in IndyCar, citing "the fact that he's now in a series where it's more about the driver and less about whether you happen to be a McLaren or a Ferrari or whatever.
"Sometimes during his career, he's been frustrated with the equipment that he's had," the manager said. "We've had enough of him being in back of the grid, because he's a winning driver.
"He's the most successful Japanese driver of all-time. He's the only Japanese driver to win the British Formula 3 championship. He's accustomed to winning."
Taku likes what he has seen so far from KV Racing, calling it "a very nice team" with "great potential." Just having a full-time ride again is nice, too.
"I'm really happy back in a car, happy back in a fast car," he said. "In new cities, new challenges. I love challenges. It's going to be a lot of learning for me, but that's my challenge. Hopefully very soon we want to be competitive."
-- John Zenor
Formula 1
USF1 out of 2010 season, no replacement allowed
PARIS — USF1 will not be racing in Formula One this year and its place on the grid will not be given to another team.
"The USF1 Team have indicated that they will not be in a position to participate in the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship," the sport's governing body said in a statement Wednesday. "Having considered the various options, the FIA confirms that it is not possible for a replacement team to be entered for the championship at this late stage."
The American team, one of four planned newcomers for 2010, had previously said it was looking to skip just the first four races of the season.
The decision dashes the hopes of Serbian team Stefan GP of taking USF1's place, having waited in the wings with the cars from the defunct Toyota team.
FIA added that it would soon announce details of "a new selection process to identify candidates to fill any vacancies existing at the start of the 2011 season."
Auto Racing Glance
SPRINT CUP SERIES
Kobalt Tolls 500
Site: Hampton, Ga.
Schedule: Friday, practice (Speed, 2:30-4 p.m.), qualifying (Speed, 6-8 p.m.); Saturday, practice (Speed, 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.); Sunday, race, 1 p.m. (FOX, noon-5 p.m.).
Track: Atlanta Motor Speedway (oval, 1.54 miles).
Race distance: 500.5 miles, 325 laps.
Last year: Kurt Busch raced to the first of his two 2009 victories, leading 234 of 330 laps and beating Jeff Gordon by 0.332 seconds.
Last week: Jimmie Johnson won for the second straight week, reeling in Hendrick Motorsports teammate Gordon and holding off Kevin Harvick.
Fast facts: Johnson, the four-time defending series champion, has won six of the last 12 Sprint Cup races to push his career total to 49. He swept the 2007 races at the track and also won the October 2004 event. ... Harvick, second in the last two races, leads the season standings with 506 points, 47 more than Richard Childress Racing teammate Clint Bowyer. ... Dale Earnhardt won a record nine Cup races at the track. ... Kasey Kahne won the September race at Atlanta.
Next race: Food City 500, March 21, Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, Tenn.
On the Net: http://www.nascar.com
| CAMPING WORLD TRUCKS |
|---|
| Atlanta 200 |
Site: Hampton, Ga.
Schedule: Friday, practice (Speed, 1-2:30 p.m., 4-5 p.m.); Saturday, qualifying (Speed, 9:30-11 a.m.), race, 2 p.m. (Speed, 1:30-4:30 p.m.).
Track: Atlanta Motor Speedway (oval, 1.54 miles).
Race distance: 200.2 miles, 130 laps.
Last year: Kyle Busch raced to the second of his seven 2009 series victories, holding off Kevin Harvick on the final lap.
Last race: Timothy Peters won the season opener at Daytona on Feb. 12, passing two-time defending champion Todd Bodine on the final lap.
Fast facts: Busch has four career series victories at the track, winning three of the last four races. The Sprint Cup driver has 16 wins in 70 career Trucks starts. ... Geoff Bodine, driving the No. 95 Team Gill Racing Dodge, is making his first Trucks start since 2004. The 1986 Daytona 500 winner is 60. ... Nationwide regular Steve Wallace is making his series debut in Billy Ballew's No. 15 Toyota.
Next race: Kroger 250, March 27, Martinsville Speedway, Martinsville, Va.
On the Net: http://www.nascar.com
| NATIONWIDE SERIES |
|---|
Next race: Scotts Turf Builder 300, March 20, Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, Tenn.
Last week: Kevin Harvick raced to his 35th career Nationwide victory, overcoming a pair of horrendous pit stops to win at Las Vegas.
On the Net: http://www.nascar.com
| NHRA FULL THROTTLE |
|---|
Next event: NHRA Gatornationals, March 11-14, Gainesville Raceway, Gainesville, Fla.
Last event: Cory McClenathan (Top Fuel) and Jack Beckman (Funny Car) won the rain-delayed NHRA Arizona Nationals on Feb. 22, an event marred by the death of a fan struck by a tire off a crashing car. The Pro Stock class completed only one round of eliminations, forcing officials to rescheduled the final three rounds for Gainesville.
On the Net: http://www.nhra.com
| OTHER RACES |
|---|
GRAND-AM ROLEX SPORTS CAR SERIES: Grand Prix of Miami, Saturday (Speed, 5-8 p.m.), Homestead Miami Speedway, Homestead, Fla. On the Net: http://www.grand-am.com
WORLD OF OUTLAWS: Sprint Car, Friday-Saturday, Thunderbowl Raceway, Tulare, Calif. On the Net: http://www.worldofoutlaws.com
