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way to go JenJo #jenjocobb #nascar

Posted on March 20, 2011 by thatconsultantbloke

Well done Jennifer Jo Cobb for walking away from a start and park job. I can understand, maybe, where an owner/driver is playing that game, but when you have a contracted driver on board who has brought sponsorship to your team in the expectations of running the race then no way.

So this is a vote of favour from JJB to JJC. You did the right thing and I wish you luck in getting a ride with someone who’ll let you race.

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coming soon; Hunt v Morgan and GT40s at Le Mans

Posted on March 13, 2011 by thatconsultantbloke

No F1 or NASCAR Sprint Cup this weekend (apologies to the truck series), so just a preview of a couple of things that I am working on in my Setting the Record Straight series.

The first one will be on the notorious James Hunt and Dave Morgan incident on the 3rd October 1970. I’m prompted to this one because of Tom Rubython’s book on the former where, in amongst a whole series of things that should never have appeared in a serious book, he raised the last corner crash at Crystal Palace. I was there and saw the whole thing, so I’ve got something fairly well advanced that will talk about the 1970 F3 season in general and that race in particular.

Also in production is something on the record of the Ford GT40 at Le Mans. This one comes from the erroneous utterings of one Jeremy Clarkson who has claimed that the GT40 won the Sarthe classic 4 years running, when it plainly did not.

Both of these are taking a lot of research to make sure that what I write will be as factually accurate as I can make them; that’s what setting the record straight is all about.

Thanks to all of the people that have read my posts here over the months. I hope that I can keep you entertained. Both of the above articles should be posted here before the end of April. Feel free to challenge me on any racing incident that you would like to know more about.

Filed under: Cars, Circuits, Drivers, Retro Moments, Setting the Record Straight | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

tracks may change to improve overtaking

Posted on March 8, 2011 by thatconsultantbloke

Good gracious, what will they think of next?

Are we to believe that those in power have finally woken up to the fact that many of these plastic tracks that they’ve inflicted on us might actually be pretty useless? It would be nice to think that they have.

So let’s see the stupid chicanes that have sprung up straightened back out (including those two abominations on the Mulsanne – it’s not just #F1 that’s been blighted) and have some fast straights leading to slow corners. OK, we’ll not change Monaco, but Barcelona, Abu Dhabi and a good few others would be so much better if sorted out. Modern F1 at Reims anyone?

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weekend round up – 6 March 2011 #NASCAR #F1

Posted on March 8, 2011 by thatconsultantbloke

#NASCAR – Well there’s still life in the old dog yet as MM grabs his 49th career Nationwide win and extend his lead for the highest number of wins in that class. It would have been nice to see him win again on Sunday, but never mind. I was also pleased to see a cup race finish under green for once rather than a succession of cautions.

#F1 – Fingers crossed for JYS to recover from whatver ailed him on his flight back to the UK. I was never a fan, but have always had the greatest respect and admiration for the bloke., and motor sport needs elder statesmen like him.

Bernie managed to get F1 into the headlines to make up for the missing Bahrain GP. A bloody stupid idea (akin to the competition caution that NASCAR love and I deride here as much as I can be bothered to), but it made sure that the press had some column inches to fill. If we are going to go down that route then why don’t we just make all the races virtual ones? Turn up on Saturday and draw lots to determine the grid and do that again on Sunday to sort out the result. Instand cost savings all round.

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NASCAR got something right

Posted on February 25, 2011 by thatconsultantbloke

I was very critical here the other week about NASCAR’s changes to the points system, but I didn’t mention the rule about only running in one championship. That has led to the situation where none of the three race winners at Daytona is leading the title race, becuase they are all nominated on a different division.

That is fine by me. I believe that it is right that the guys running in the Nationwide and Camping World series can race for the title without interference from more experienced guys. They still get to race against them, but having them out of the title race makes sense to me. It’s what we had here in Europe in the great days of F2 where the grand prix stars would turn out against the up and coming drivers, but only the latter could run for the title.

So praise where it is due. NASCAR generally do a great job, and this rule change is another example of that. I’ll still complain about some things, but I’m happy to acknowledge that they got this one right.

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