Comments on: Some Drivers We May Never See Again

By: IndySteve

IndySteve — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 18:45:35 +0000

I would argue that there should be one more core market for IndyCar: Mexico. Unfortunately, except for Juan Pablo Garcia in Indy Lights this year, there is a lack of Mexican representation in IndyCar. At least on the CART side, Mexico had Fernandez, Dominguez, and Jourdain to root for (and at home, too!). True, there were flops like Lavin (he was okay in 2005, though), Gonzalez, and Carlos Guerrero, but Mexico completed the North American contingent. Because of IndyCar’s apathy concerning Mexico, David Martinez may be a lost case despite running 5th in Mexico City in 2007 before a gearbox failed.

Champ Car and A1GP are defunct, and the Busch Series left Mexico City, so I don’t even know if there are ANY major events down there. With a Mexican driver or two, IndyCar could be a success south of the border. They loved CART!

By: DOUG BERNARD

DOUG BERNARD — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 02:41:48 +0000

Matos showed no ability to drive the bigger cars at a competitive level ?
Where was he running last year at Indy, until a mistake in the pits. This is a team sport. He should be back next year, he has worked hard to reach this level on his own, by winning, he just needs a teammate, then you will see a better results.

By: The Speedgeek

The Speedgeek — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 02:44:36 +0000

I’m beating the dead horse just a bit here, but of the guys that George listed, I wouldn’t miss very many other than Rafa Matos. His 13th and 14th in points really aren’t all that bad, given his situation (one-car team which needed sponsorship to sign a driver at all for 2011, so it’s not like they’ve really been running at Roger Penske’s level of support), and 12 top-10 finishes in 34 starts tells me that he’s got plenty of potential. He finished only 9 points behind (the much beloved underdog-type, I might add) Ed Carpenter for 12th in 2009, and only 20 points behind Vitor Meira for 12th this year, so it’s not like he’s miles behind the other mid-field guys (and girls). If we were to ever see him in an AA car, for instance, I think we’d see something along the lines of 10-12 top-10s in a season, a handful of top-5s and maybe even a couple of races where he contended for a win (sound familiar to anybody who followed RHR this year?).

Anyway, that’s enough of that sort of speculation from me. As you were, folks. Kringle arrives soon.

By: NaBUru38

NaBUru38 — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 20:40:48 +0000

Saavedra was working with the reborn Walker Racing. I also hope that Rafa Matos is back for the full 2011 season.

George, now the best Japanese formula car driver is Sauber F1′s Kamui Kobayashi. He’s very fast and aggressive, but never suicidal. And he knows about setup as well. He will last longer in F1 than any Japanese before.

By: The Lapper

The Lapper — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 00:06:16 +0000

The series is a whole new game today and, frankly, we will see a lot of drivers run for the last time, even after this year.

By: ronski2007@hotmail.com

ronski2007@hotmail.com — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 19:28:58 +0000

Sheesh George, how did Tony Stewart ever get to where he is in racing what with being “surly and unshaven”? Likeability in a driver is highly overrated in my opinion, even for attracting sponsors.

Also, I think your remark that Sam Hornish “kicked the series that made him to the side” is a bit over the top. I do not recall Sam ever saying a bad thing about the IndyCar series. What is wrong with a driver wanting to try a new challenge?

By: billytheskink

billytheskink — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 16:47:04 +0000

I was a Buddy Rice fan from his days at Lynx and DSTP in Atlantics, was very disappointed when Bobby Rahal signed him to a contract only to let him sit in 2001, and while I wasn’t much of an IRL fan at the time I was happy to see Buddy do well in 2004.
Would love to see him in a car come May, if not full-time.

But i don’t have as much sympathy for him as I feel I should.
The point that he doesn’t seem to have the ability to “schmooze the sponsors” is probably fair, but the number of times that Robin Miller has written that Rice won’t “beg for a ride” makes me wonder if he even makes an effort to find funding for a ride.

I think it’s as bad as anyone does that a fairly recent Indy 500 winner hasn’t been in a car since 2008, but these are days when even the most talented and accomplished drivers often have to beat down doors to find sponsors. If Buddy doesn’t want to make an effort, then I can live without him in a car.

By: Jeff Iannucci

Jeff Iannucci — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 18:34:26 +0000

Mario Romancini is ALSO Eddie Cheever’s nephew? Good grief, I’ve got a lot of distant relatives in this series.

By: JP

JP — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 18:30:51 +0000

Carrera and Romancini both point to revelation that Bertrand was this year in that conquest ride.
But with your list having Matos, Carrera and Romancini on it does point to a problem in the future. A lack of young Brazillians. The league has to have a strong driver contingent from the CORE three markets: US, Brazil and Canada. Big steps have been taken to secure young Talent from the US and Canada but one or two of the young Brazillians needs to stick, Tony, Helio and Vitor are in the back third of their careers. Ana certainly is a candidate. But of Romancini, Matos and Moraes if Moraes is the one with a ride next year…YUK. of the three, I feel that Romancini is the one who had the incomplete audition. It might behoove him to get back into Lights and run for that scholarship…

By: Brian McKay

Brian McKay — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 17:41:27 +0000

I didn’t ‘vote’ in the poll, as I couldn’t … I didn’t imagine any of those guys being sought to pedal (and crash) a car next season, and Hornish Junior has said that he wants to focus on NASCAR…
Thanks for blogging, George. I like your point that racers need to be able to schmooze their sponsors (and their sponsors’ guests and customers). I believe that that is why Briscoe, Castroneves, Power, Dixon, and Franchitti get sponsored — and continue winning (prize money) — and get rehired, and so on … while the petulant, frustrated, pouting, unshaven, crashing youngsters don’t get funded beyond two seasons of costly, embarrassing DNFs.