An American in Formula 1

[Dannyboy]

It was just announced today that American driver Scott Speed will be the 2nd driver for the Scuderia Toro Rosso team.  He's the first American driver since 1993 (Michael Andretti, I think).  Hopefully this will help alleviate some of the hard feelings after the debacle at Indy last year.

[TarpleyG]

Holy crap...hell has officially frozen over!

Greg

[griz]

Is he really the driver of the second car, as in starting every race? There was talk last year that they would start different drivers depending on the country the race was in. Anyway it's good to have a US driver in the field.

[garrettwc]

Hopefully this will help alleviate some of the hard feelings after the debacle at Indy last year.

Tarpley, there's your answer right there. Speed is a talented driver no doubt. But F1's politics make our own congress critters seem tame by comparison.

I think they need a US driver to get the fans back to the Brickyard this year. Look for him to be heavily promoted as the USGP gets closer.

[jefnvk]

And to think I was going to go to Indy last year.

I'll still take NASCAR over F1 anyday.

[crt360]

I'm glad to see it.  I watched him a few times in GP2.  I don't know if he'll achieve the level of Schumacher, Raikkonen (sp?), or Alonso, but at least there'll be someone with a little U.S. flag sticker on their car.  Is the STR team running the Cosworth or will they also be switching to Ferrari power?

I nearly went to Indy last year, too.  That really sucked.  I'm seriously thinking about going this year.  It should be extra cool to make up for what happened.

[Dannyboy]

STR is running Cosworth.

I never really wanted to see the race in Indy.  I've always wanted to see one of the European races at one of those historic tracks like Spa or Imola.  I just spent this past weekend planning my post graduation vacation.  I got my plane ticket, race tickets and my room reserved in Nice for the Monaco Grand Prix and I am so frickin stoked right now.

[garrettwc]

I never really wanted to see the race in Indy.  I've always wanted to see one of the European races at one of those historic tracks like Spa or Imola.

I'm with you on this one. I always wanted Indy to stay the home of the 500. Bringing Nascar and F1 were changes that made financial sense, but the history of the track is slowly being eaten away. I would love to see F1 at Watkins Glen again.

I got my plane ticket, race tickets and my room reserved in Nice for the Monaco Grand Prix and I am so frickin stoked right now.

I hate you now.

[jefnvk]

I got my plane ticket, race tickets and my room reserved in Nice for the Monaco Grand Prix and I am so frickin stoked right now.

Shut up.  I'm serious.  No more talking for Dannyboy, because Jeff is getting incredibly jealous.

I've seen NASCAR at Daytona.  Indy at Indy.  The only thing that would be better to me than F1 at Monaco, would be F1 at the old Nurburgring, or maybe in the streets of Detroit.

[Art Eatman]

Street races suck.  I went to the F1 at Dallas in 1984.  The chain link fences only let you see what's right in front of you.  Once the cars go past, you can't see anything more unless you're on the outside of the apex of a corner and can see down-track.  I won't go to another artificial-course race.

Art

[griz]

I got my plane ticket, race tickets and my room reserved in Nice for the Monaco Grand Prix

The only thing that would make me more envious is if you told me the names of the two supermodels who will be sitting to your left and right.

[TarpleyG]

Street races suck

Agreed, but races held on proper race tracks don't.  Watch an F1 race sometime and you'll see that there are usually way more fans than any event we can put on over here.

Greg

[garrettwc]

I've seen NASCAR at Daytona.  Indy at Indy.  The only thing that would be better to me than F1 at Monaco, would be F1 at the old Nurburgring

After Daytona, Indy, and Monaco, my next one would be the 24 Hours of LeMans.

[crt360]

I got my plane ticket, race tickets and my room reserved in Nice for the Monaco Grand Prix and I am so frickin stoked right now.

Not fair.  The first thing I would do if I had enough money to quit working is go to as many of the Grands Prix in Europe as possible.  Then I'd do it again.

[jefnvk]

After Daytona, Indy, and Monaco, my next one would be the 24 Hours of LeMans.

That would be a good one.

Don't forget, though, World Rally.  Or maybe instead of World Rally, something like the Baja 1000 or Paris-Dakar Rally.

[Dannyboy]

OK, you guys know the layout of the course in Monaco, right?  My race day ticket is in Grandstand E, which is at the chicane after they come flying out of the tunnel.  I have a few months to figure out my new camera so I can get some good pics.  That's like a 200-50 mph area right there and last year that was where most of the action happened. Did I mention how stoked I am?

[garrettwc]

My race day ticket is in Grandstand E, which is at the chicane after they come flying out of the tunnel.

Yeah, that's Nouvelle Chicane right before the sweeping road that runs along the harbor. So you will have a clear view of the yachts and the Euro babes sunning themselves too. Be sure to pack the long lens.

Very busy corner. 6th gear coming out of the tunnel all the way down to 1-2 going through the chicane.

[Morgan]

After Daytona, Indy, and Monaco, my next one would be the 24 Hours of LeMans.

That would be a good one.

Don't forget, though, World Rally.  Or maybe instead of World Rally, something like the Baja 1000 or Paris-Dakar Rally.

Or Isle of Mann TT (or any WSB race).

[Art Eatman]

TarpleyG, I saw my first F1 race in 1957.  I used to go to Jean Behra's AAT bar in Paris, just to quietly gawk at Moss, dePortago, etc.  Even managed to get down to Monza for the old "Race of Two Worlds", with Indy cars against F1 on the oval.  Went to LeMans in '56 and '57.  After coming back to the States, I was at the first FIA 3-hr on the Daytona road course (Dan Gurney; Arciero Lotus 19) and several times at Sebring in the '60s.

I never got to that rarefied atmosphere myownself, but I managed to qualify for the SCCA runoffs, three times.  Way back when, of course.  FA, and twice in CSR.

Art

"Life begins at 180."  Chris Cook, me, and a bunch of other idiots...

[French G.]

I've seen NASCAR at Daytona.  Indy at Indy.  The only thing that would be better to me than F1 at Monaco, would be F1 at the old Nurburgring

After Daytona, Indy, and Monaco, my next one would be the 24 Hours of LeMans.

Bah, all boring, although I have made it to Daytona and Indy plenty. When you've seen Sprints at Williams Grove and Knoxville then you've been to the heart of racing. Still waiting to go to Knoxville, grew up on the Grove. Hopefully will run laps on both within the next ten years.

[garrettwc]

Well French G., since I am a lifelong resident of "Kinser Kountry" I can't say as I disagree with you about sprint cars being a hoot. Spent many a summer night at Bloomington, Terre Haute, Salem, Winchester, Tri-State, and Eldora to name a few.

However, the 'Big 4' are sort of a holy grail since I may never make the two outside the U.S.

Inside the U.S. the Knoxville Nationals and the Kings Royal at Eldora are definite must see events. Especially if you are enough of a hardcore fan to go a week early and see all the preliminary races.

[French G.]

Garrett,
 I actually thought about including Eldora and central Hoosierland, but I just went with what I consider to be the two most significant tracks for history. My best Indiana race watching for sprints was seeing the sprints on the mile at the fairgrounds, I don't think cars were meant to go that fast on dirt. I'm not enough of a fan to go watch all the prelims, I think I've been to two sprint races where I wasn't there to drive or work on a car, I make a bad fan at the track.  
 My post was more of a joke, I would jump at the chance to go to any F1 event. I am hoping my schedule will put me back in Bahrain for the GP in March actually. I have woke up many Sunday mornings at 7 to watch GP after dragging back in from a racetrack at 2am. That is love for the sport bordering on disease.

[garrettwc]

I have woke up many Sunday mornings at 7 to watch GP after dragging back in from a racetrack at 2am. That is love for the sport bordering on disease.

You sound like my kind of guy.

For several years I went to the 'Little 500' at Anderson Speedway on Saturday night. Picture 33 sprint cars starting 3 abreast on a 1/4 asphalt track. We usually got out of there about 2AM and drove the hour down the interstate back to Indy to get back in time to walk in the gates at 4AM on race morning for the 'Big 500'.

[French G.]

I would love to see the Little 500, I've watched some pavement sprints at IRP, love it. No way I'd ever do it, too much trouble in the tire bill department as well as the amount of talent that has been killed racing pavement. 1/4 mi sounds about right, much more and you are going to hurt someone. I know that most people don't think of racing mecca in January, but if you are lucky unlike me and can get it tune in the Chili Bowl next week. 150+ car midget field, a week of racing, intense competition, and all indoors. Never been, my dad gets to go this year as a participatory spectator, that is he has a car, has never raced a midget before, but wants a vacation.

[French G.]

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