FUMES

November 30, 2011

Thoughts, words and musings from the 2011 racing season.

By Peter M. De Lorenzo

(Posted 11/29, 12:00 p.m.) Detroit. We've come to an end of another tumultuous year in motorsport, one that saw triumph and tragedy in equal measure, and one that saw the continuing swirl of conflict, controversy, territorial infighting, and flat-out boneheaded decision making continue to stymie the sport from moving forward. Amidst all of this was some spectacular racing, thank goodness. And thus it was ever so too. When racers are allowed to race and the politicians stand down, great and memorable racing usually ensues. Following are a few of my highlighted thoughts from this past season...

I believe that the next five years in motorsport will determine the future health of this sport one way or the other going forward. We must see seismic shifts in terms of applications of technological relevance in this sport if we hope to see it continue, because standing in place, or recycling the status quo, will ultimately kill the sport altogether. - "Change or die for racing." (1/19/2011)

Can we get racing back to the forefront of developing advanced automotive technologies? Yes, I believe we can, but it will take a tremendous amount of vision and real guts by some seriously committed people who also have the power to affect real change. I believe we need to press the “reset” button in racing and start over. By that I mean we need to establish new challenges that will inspire a new level of ingenuity and creativity and foster a whole new dimension of innovation. - "For Love of the Game." (1/26)

... the last thing I want for racing is for it to turn into an exercise in nostalgia for a generation that keeps dying off each and every year. Make no mistake, I love and support vintage racing but we can't have the entire sport turn in that direction, it just wouldn't work. But I'm afraid that if we don't change racing now, which means combining the manufacturers' interest in relevance with new thinking in how to reach this new generation of consumers coming up, then that's exactly what will happen and the very survivability of the sport itself will be at risk. - "From relevance to... survivability." (2/2)

NASCAR reached its peak several years ago now. The powers that be leading NASCAR can't continue to operate under the assumption that things will get better, because that's a fool's errand. I watched the Detroit Three operate under those assumptions for 25 years and two of those car companies ended up in bankruptcy. Not getting out in front of the problem is not dealing with the problem. NASCAR has reached the point where a serious reduction of the schedule is crucial to their long-term survival. - "Can NASCAR learn to exist in a world of reduced expectations?" (2/9)

As an observer and enthusiast of the sport I always wanted to see Jeff in IndyCars or in an F1, and that brief test he did at Indianapolis where he swapped rides with Juan Pablo Montoya just fueled my wish for that to happen. But alas that was not to be as Gordon, lured by the money in NASCAR, went on to a brilliant career in what is now the dominant form of motorsport here in the U.S. No matter what happens this season (and wouldn't it be some story if Gordon is the one who finally stops his protege's championship streak?), Jeff Gordon will go down in history as one of the greatest racers of all time. - "For one brief shining moment at least, Jeff Gordon is back." (3/2)

The Road Racing Drivers Club dinner honoring Roger Penske was a glittering gathering, with a who's who of racing and the racing industry turning out in droves for the event. Large format pictures from throughout Roger's career as both a driver and team owner ringed the walls of the ballroom and were available for bids, and a video/photo montage of Roger's career ran in a continuous loop on large screens. The highlight of the evening was Roger himself getting up on stage and being interviewed in conversational style by host Bobby Rahal, who was master of ceremonies for the evening. The most fun anecdotes of Roger's career were only briefly touched upon, which was too bad, because you could sense everyone in the room wanted to hear more of those stories. But it was good to see Roger step back for a moment - just for a moment, because he's always thinking about his next race - and bask in the accolades of his contemporaries who hold him in such high regard and who have such tremendous respect for him. The evening was a fine tribute to a man who, without question, has been the single most influential force in American racing throughout his career. - "News, notes, and thoughts from Long Beach." (4/20)

The High-Octane Truth about major league road racing here in the U.S. is that it is splintered and broken, and unless cooler heads prevail and the principal players get together to save it, redirect it, and position it for the future, I'm afraid we're going to see it continue to dwindle in importance and popularity. And it just doesn't have to be that way. - "A Desperate Need: One great road racing series in the U.S." (5/4)

I mean it when I say that I would like to see only two basic rule requirements in order to enter a car in the Indianapolis 500. 1. The car must fit into a dimensional "box" or envelope for size, and 2. All safety issues must be addressed and met. That's it. Everything else would be free with one key proviso: You have to travel the 500 miles on 50 gallons of ethanol - total - or its energy equivalent, or less. You put those simple rules in place and slowly but surely lessen the fuel allowed for the race over a sequence of years, and I can assure you that technical innovation will become paramount again at The Speedway. - "Can Indy survive another 100 years?" (5/11)

That the Indianapolis 500 has survived for 100 years through the turmoil and tumult of World Wars, the warring political strife between open-wheel factions that almost brought the sport to its knees, and the harsh economic realities of the global economy that's dominating the world today is a minor miracle. But I'm glad it has. Because the anticipation, the drama, the gut-wrenching emotions and the collective experience of the Indianapolis 500 make it not just the greatest single motor race in the world, but one of the greatest single sporting events in the world as well. - "There's simply nothing else like it." (5/25)

When you see the unabashed fervor for the Corvettes at Le Mans for yourself it puts everything in perspective. It's genuine and heartfelt, and when I first witnessed it I must say I was taken aback and it immediately made me very proud. And it should make every American road racing enthusiast - no matter what your personal favorite brand of car is - very proud too. Corvette Racing is embarking on yet another quest for greatness at this year's edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It drives them, it consumes them, and yes, ultimately it will define them. And believe me, they wouldn't have it any other way. - "The Enduring Quest." (6/8)

Anyone who watched the NASCAR road races over the weekend had to be struck by the stark contrast between the high-quality and high-excitment racing on the natural-terrain road courses vs. the typical NASCAR racing product on the homogenized and sanitized "modern" speedways that have cropped-up over the years. There is simply no comparison. NASCAR could help itself in a big way by embracing more road races. It's right for the drivers and teams, it's exciting for the fans and it's great for the sport itself. - "NASCAR + Road Racing? More, Please." (6/29)

Maybe it's the fact that the Road America is so inexorably linked with the town of Elkhart Lake. Maybe it's because the lazy cadence of summer blends so seamlessly with a time long since past in the bucolic setting that time seems to stand still, even if it's only for a weekend. Maybe it's the feeling that this place allows us to experience a slice of Americana that seems to be slipping away with each passing year, and that if we drink it in and savor it once more the inevitable march of time will somehow be kept at bay just a little longer. Maybe it's all of that. And more. - "A mid-summer's dream." (7/20)

So let's imagine for a moment that you're a team owner ensconced idyllically somewhere in the Twilight Zone, and you could have your choice of any driver from throughout history - in their prime - and you had five laps to go in your choice of some of the biggest races in the world. Who would the guy - or girl - be behind the wheel of your car? Remember, it's for all the marbles - for the win. This isn't about who gives good sponsor, or who is the most acceptable to the TV commentators. It's one car. One race. For the win. I'm sure you'll have fun composing your lists, but I'll give you a glimpse of mine as a thought starter. And forgive me if I jump around to racing genres, there's no hard and fast road map for any of this. - "Five laps to go for the win: Who's your guy?" (8/10)

Brilliant, mercurial, driven, obsessed and committed to his quest of being the champion of champions, Senna the man comes alive on the big screen in this film in a totally unexpected and disarming way. You understand his passion. You feel his unbridled love for "pure driving" as he so eloquently puts it. You see him as a national hero. And you begin to get a glimpse of the emotionally charged man who may have been the greatest to ever sit behind the wheel of a racing car. Do yourself a favor and make every effort to see "Senna." It's an extraordinarily riveting portrait of a complex man and a most extraordinary talent. - " 'Senna' is a must see." (8/17)

To say they put on a show is an understatement, as the ALMS positively lit-up "America's National Park of Speed" with four intense hours of the finest road racing you could ever imagine or hope to see. Despite lacking the factory Audi and Peugeot LMP1 prototype teams - which now only appear at Sebring and Road Atlanta annually - the ALMS reasserted its mission by delivering some fantastic racing all its own. - "The way it should be." (8/24)

There really is nothing else like the sport of motor racing. One moment you can be jovially celebrating life with family, friends and fellow drivers and looking forward to the start of a race. And the next moment, you can be dead. Yet not one of these drivers signs up for the finality of death. Yes, it's lurking around the corner in every test, practice and qualifying session and certainly at every race weekend, but these drivers live life to the fullest and want no part of that end. They live to race but when you get to know them they drink in life at every opportunity, so when tragedy happens, it's always an unexpected shock. And it happens just enough to remind everyone that this is indeed the cruelest sport. - "The cruelest sport." (10/19)

A reborn United States Road Racing Championship would establish a major league presence for road racing in this country while providing viable sponsorship, TV and media opportunities that heretofore were unavailable, or were scaled back to the point of being inconsequential. The USRRC would fundamentally transform the sport of major league road racing in the U.S., something unthinkable or impossible to contemplate in the current environment. But does it have a chance of happening? Really? - "Why a unified, major league U.S. Road Racing Championship is desperately needed by 2014. And why it's probably not going to happen." (10/26)

It may have been the race of Tony Stewart's life. Check that, it was the race of Tony Stewart's life. Cocky and confident all week after getting smoking hot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship, Stewart told everyone he was coming to Homestead Miami Speedway to take the win and the Sprint Cup Championship trophy - his third - in that order. And he did exactly that, and in spectacular fashion as well. - "The 'wheelman' comes through." (11/23)

And so, another year of motorsport has come to a close, and the perennial questions, concerns and hand-wringing that have vexed racing will continue on in 2012.

As in, will NASCAR ever see the light and shorten their confounding, death march of a schedule? And add a road race to the Chase while they're at it?

Can James Stewart become a factor on four wheels?

Will Danica be more than a mid-pack regular in NASCAR?

Will the warring factions in Grand-Am and the American Le Mans Series - and the manufacturers who help fuel their agendas - lay down their arms and come up with a unified road racing championship in the U.S. that matters?

Will Randy Bernard be able to right IndyCar and make the transition to the new car and multiple engine manufacturers become a winning formula?

Is Sebastian Vettel one of the greatest of all time or is he a byproduct of the modern era where the car/team of-the-moment means everything? (For the record I think The Kid is displaying the kind of talent that transcends any era of F1.)

Will we ever see a F1 race in Austin, Texas?

Will the international motorsport powers that be really cut the legs out from under Don Panoz and the ALMS to run a race in Bahrain for the money instead of at Petit Le Mans?

Will an American manufacturer ever rise to the occasion and contend for the overall win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans?

Stay tuned.

We will update this space and particularly The Line over the next few weeks with any breaking motorsport news of importance.

That's the High-Octane Motorsport Truth for now.

Publisher's Note: As part of our continuing series celebrating the "Glory Days" of racing, we're proud to present another noteworthy image from the Ford Racing Archives. - PMD

(Courtesy of the Ford Racing archives)
Zandvoort, Netherlands, 1967. Jim Clark on his way to winning the Dutch Grand Prix in his No. 5 Lotus-Ford. It was the first race - and win - for the Lotus 49 powered by the Ford Cosworth engine. Jack Brabham was second in his Brabham-Repco V8, followed by his teammate Dennis Hulme. Watch a great video from that race here.

Publisher's Note: Like these Ford racing photos? Check out www.fordimages.com. Be forewarned, however, because you won't be able to go there and not order something. - PMD

See another live episode of "Autoline After Hours" with hosts John McElroy, from Autoline Detroit, and Peter De Lorenzo, The Autoextremist, and guests this Thursday evening, at 7:00PM EDT at www.autolinedetroit.tv.

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