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June 15, 2007
It's a big weekend for race fans with a number of key races, including the Le Mans 24-hour race in France, the USA Formula 1 Grand Prix in Indianapolis, NASCAR's Citizens Bank 400 at the Michigan International Speedway and the NHRA's Franklin Trailers Lucas Oil Division 1 Points Race at Atco Raceway in Atco, NJ.
Rhode Island's own Bob Tasca III is competing at Atco after already building up quite a record in Top Alcohol Funny Cars this season. Last month, he won at the Virginia Motorsports Park in Richmond and came second at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, PA.
But perhaps his most impressive performance was at the ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, FL, in March where he set the record for Top Alcohol Funny Cars with a pass at 263 mph. That's 263 mph - a speed that few of us can even imagine let alone ever experience.
Tasca is one of the brightest stars on the Top Alcohol Funny Car circuit - where he he currently ranks No.8 nationally - and I look forward to writing an indepth piece about him later in the season as he keeps up this blistering pace. I mean, what is it really like to drive at 263 mph?
Speaking of No.8, all eyes will be on Dale Earnhardt Jr. in Michigan this weekend following his signing with Hendrick Motorsports, the most dominant team in the Nextel Cup. Earnhardt, son of legend Dale Earnhardt, is the most popular driver in the sport and the move - he will start driving with Hendrick next year - is expected to generate increased interest and revenues for the sport.
Meanwhile, much speculation surrounds the possibility that Chevrolet might break out of a winless pattern at Michigan and come in with a win with current Nextel Cup leader Jeff Gordon. Chevrolet has been dominating the circuit this year, but last won at Michigan with Gordon in 2001.
By the by New England race fans, NASCAR is coming to Loudon, NH, on July 1 for the Lenox Industrial Tools 300 at the New Hampshire International Speedway. That's just two weeks away, and I plan to go.
But let's get back to superstars. The Formula I Grand Prix in Indianapolis this weekend features a major new star in the form of Lewis Hamilton of the McLaren team who won the Canadian Grand Prix last weekend in Montreal.
Hamilton, a Brit, is being hailed as the next Tiger Woods - he is young (22), black, handsome and extremely media/sponsor savvy. Already, there is talk of him being lured to the Ferrari team, which is suffering this season, for sums beyond the dreams of avarice, as Dr. Johnson would say.
Then we have the Le Mans 24-hour race in France, starting Saturday afternoon. There really is no race like it in the world - the cars run through the night for 24 hours with teams of three drivers changing places every three hours or so - and the car that has completed the most number of circuits at the end of the race wins. So it's really a matter of endurance and traditionally a great testing platform for engine and performance technology.
Certainly one of the most dramatic leaps in engine technology was highlighted last year with the win by Audi's R10 TDI diesel racer. One of the R10s was down at the Greenwich Concours d'Elegance earlier this month and they are impressive just to look at - wide and low slung in silver and white with red and black flashes.
The TDI (Turbo Direct Injection) engine, with its massive torque, is incredibly powerful and romped to victory last year and is the favorite again this year. It's success follows the numerous victories of Audi's R8 gasoline Le Mans racer which retired last year after a final tour of the Le Mans American Series, including a run at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Conn.
The only drawback of the R10 is the noise: there isn't any. For any race fan used to the breastbone-breaking thunder of a sqad of NASCARs or the madding whine of a flow of Formula I racers, the discrete hum of the R10 is something of a letdown to say the least.
But with the TDI technology due to hit the American roads next year as the VW group starts importing its clean diesels, the comparative quiet of their engines will be more than welcome. Just not at the racetrack!
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