Author: Pat W

No Preview..

Sorry guys, no full Weekend Preview from me this weekend. This has to have been the busiest week off I’ve ever had!!

In brief..

F1 / GP2 / FBMW-E / P.Supercup — Valencia

IndyCar / IndyLights — Sonoma

NASCAR Sprint Cup / Nationwide Series — Bristol

LMS / Formula Le Mans / German F3 / ADAC FMaster / ADAC GT — Nurburgring

Euroseries3000 / FIA GT4 — Zolder

V8 Supercar / V8 Dev.Series / Australian F3 / FFord — Queensland

SuperGT — Suzuka

IRC — Czech Rally

Back to full service next week!

Catch-Up: A1GP Taupo

Preface – This is the first in a regular series where I will write a few short paragraphs giving my general impressions of races I watch which are not F1 or IndyCar. As I am utterly obsessed with motorised combat I have been storing up masses amounts of racing on my DVR and elsewhere since the beginning of the year. I am only now beginning to work through them.

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A couple of weeks ago I watched the A1GP races at Taupo, which were held in January. I forgot to take any kind of notes and I think this series of posts will be about impressions of events rather than going into detail. We’ll see.

Taupo is a curious little circuit which got a makeover especially for the return of a big open-wheel single-seater series to New Zealand’s shores after an absence of far, far too long. Unfortunately it is quite dusty and even after the makeover, narrow and has twisty bits. These don’t help bigger open wheel cars and the two A1 races were very processional, the only racing really happening when someone messed up the last turns (which form a chicane) or got a wheel on to the dusty area on the edge of the track.

The cars had faults too, the engine management system was cutting in when drivers were trying to pull away from a standstill, such as a race start or a pit stop. Not good. It ruined several races and cost Ireland the double-victory. The series is still obsessed with PowerBoost.

The event was very well attended proving the appetite for a major open-wheel event in NZ. I am not convinced this is the right venue. There is a new circuit under construction and A1GP is rumoured to be heading there instead, so let’s hope that works, and while the people at Taupo may be disappointed they can take heart from the fact their circuit upgrades are a legacy of A1GP’s long-term aim of improving motorsport facilities around the world in places F1 can’t or won’t touch.

Weekend Preview: 15-16 August

Apologies for the delay..

Feature Events

MotoGP

– Cardion AB Grand Prix Ceske Republiky
– Cardion AB Czech Republic Grand Prix
– Automotodrom Brno
– Brno, Czech Republic
– (11/17)
– www.motogp.com

I like Brno, it is a long fast and flowing circuit with a LOT of elevation change which is a challenge for rider and motorcycle alike.

TV Guide:
UK – LIVE on BBC Two at 12.30pm BST Sunday
USA – LIVE on SPEED at 6pm ET Sunday

Joined by 250cc, 125cc and the Red Bull Rookies.

Other Events


American Le Mans Series

– Time Warner Cable Road Race Showcase
– Road America
– Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, USA
– (7/10)
– www.americanlemans.com

Sportscars at Road America! Great track and these cars look fantastic on it. I sincerely hope that title is the name of the race weekend and not the actual ALMS race..

TV Guide:
UK – TAPE DELAY and I can’t be bothered to go hunting into next weekend to find it
USA – LIVE on SPEED at 3pm Sunday
You can also follow along at the official website and at Radio Le Mans.

FBMW Americas and the IMSA GT3 Cup join them.


NASCAR Sprint Cup

– Carfax 400
– Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn, Michigan, USA
– www.nascar.com

TV Guide:
UK – LIVE on Sky Sports Xtra at 7pm Sunday
US – LIVE on ESPN at 1pm Sunday


NASCAR Nationwide Series

– Carfax 250
– Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn, Michigan, USA
– www.nascar.com

UK – none
US – LIVE on ESPN2 at 3pm Saturday


FIA Formula 2

– Donington Park
– Donington Park, Leics., England
– www.fiaformulatwo.com

DTM

– Nurburgring
– Nurburgring, Germany
(with Euroseries F3)

BTCC

– Knockhill
– Knockhill, Fife, Scotland


Atlantic Championship

– Trois-Rivieres
– Quebec, Canada
(with Star Mazda)


AMA Superbikes

– Virginia, USA


British F3 & GT

– Silverstone, England
(with F.Ford)

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That’s about the size of it this week. I have rushed it a little because I’m late and need to do some other things, sorry if the formatting is wonky or if I’ve missed anything!

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Sources:
FORIX (sub req.)
Live Sport on TV
RadioTimes.com