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I can confirm that HVM is testing de Silvestro Tuesday and Wednesday of this week at Sebring.
Rumors are abound that Team Stargate Worlds from Atlantics is looking at moving to the IRL and this test is more about Simona and Team Stargate Worlds then HVM.
"Team Stargate Worlds", eh? Does this team have any connection to the SciFi (SyFy) Channel TV franchise?Quote:
Originally Posted by Chamoo
You be the judge:
http://community.stargateworlds.com/image/1263/large/
Yea, there is supposedly some sort of sponsorship deal in place with the online game Stargate Worlds. I'm not sure how it worked, but at one point I had read somewhere that no money actually changed hands.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jag_Warrior
Frankie Muniz and Simona de Silvestro are both characters in the game.
Cool. I've been a big fan of the Stargate franchise for 10 years or so.
Go Simona!!!! I hope Frankie isn't seriously of thinking about driving in the ICS.
Think Jason Priestly.............and that was in the Lights cars.
Frankie could pilot a car and would be no worse off then Milka. I would think he would actually be better then her. He has a hell of a lot more experience at the lower ranks of Open Wheel, and he has more balls then she does (this came out wrong) when it comes to race cars.Quote:
Originally Posted by bblocker68
When you think of Stanton Barrett, Milka Duno, and Marty Roth, Frankie Muniz would be at the top of that list.
You forgot Danica!Quote:
Originally Posted by Chamoo
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chamoo
Well put. I was thinking the same thing ealrier but didn't have time to post. I would like to see Frankie give it a try. Why not? Like you said we have seen MUCH worse and who knows the kid might just have his game on.
Gary
Back from those original stories it was pointed out it did not cost the game developers of Stargate Worlds anything for this advertisement. the movie studio MGM owns the intellectual properties to the whole Stargate series so that must somehow be a factor.
Sweet looking car she was driving yesterday!
http://66.223.111.192/Images/2009/IR...eIndyTest1.jpg
I'm thinking teams don't usually full out paint a car simply for a test?
Typically no, teams don't go through the extra cost of painting a car, but if they're being paid to test a driver, and whomever is paying wants to film the car for whatever reason, normally a commercial or a movie/television plot tie in. As far as "Lets go test a driver," no, normally they don't skin a car for that.
For those who are curious. Stargate Resistance is a new model to the Stargate Worlds game franchise that dramatically increases the game's playability.
I get that MGM owns the franchise, but I don't get where the $4 million or so it would cost to sponsor that ride is coming from. I get that Simona has investors, but how does the ad buy for a game come in? There is a new Stargate show, and I understand there are plans for a series of Star Gate movies, but this seems odd. Some of her Atlantic team is helping with the test, so I think its something of a joint venture/rental situation between Stargate Worlds and HVM. So the livery could be part of presentation to whomever is paying for the Stargate support of "This is what your team could look like if you choose to fully fund an IRL operation," kinda thing, which would mean that the deal isn't done, and all this is a mockup.
From the Catchfence:
http://www.catchfence.com/tag/team-stargate-worlds/Quote:
“Simona has been impressive in Atlantics and could certainly have a future in IndyCar,” said Keith Wiggins, HVM Racing team principal and owner. “This trip to Sebring is going to be sort of a litmus test to see if there’s potential for future collaboration with her and Team Stargate Worlds.”
I hear ya, but I am really hoping that one day we get to the point to where we wont see drivers that are not qualified to race in IndyCars.Quote:
Originally Posted by Chamoo
But then again, we had such illustrious pilots as Dennis Vitollo and King Hero when CART was in it's hey day :)
Pretty car. It must have been painted up for PR of some sort. Hope we see it on opening day!!
I understand, and I thought about the fact they may be doing PR work after I posted. They may well be filming an online commercial of some sort.Quote:
Originally Posted by MDS
HVM did say they were doing this as a joint test with Team Stargate Worlds. I'm thinking Stargate Worlds will be represented in 2010 in the Izod Indycar Series somehow or other, either attached to HVM as their second car, or as a two car effort by themselves.
I could see MGM throwing out the cash needed to sponsor the cars for this venture. If they own the franchise, and you would think they generate revenues from the game, they could very well be interested in using the IRL as a means to advertising the game. I know I never would had heard of it if they didn't sponsor the team in Atlantics last season.
From Wikipedia.
"With the partnership with Pacific Coast Motorsports dissolving in 2009, US RaceTronics quickly signed Atlantic Championship series regular Simona De Silvestro and resigned Frankie Muniz to complete in the 2009 season. Imran Safiulla joined the team as Team Principal and together with Seneviratne the team signed Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment, FireSky as Major Sponsors and Mechanix and Meguiar's rejoined the team. The team underwent a name change to Team Stargate Worlds. Stargate Worlds is the name of the upcoming Massive multi-player online game due to be released by Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment. Both De Silvestro and Muniz will play actual characters in the game.
De Silvestro will participate in an IndyCar Series test on December 8th & 9th at Sebring which will be a joint effort between HVM Racing & Team Stargate Worlds."
Yeah, there could be some MGM money into this, but that hasn't been how movie studios have operated in the past. Normally they'll do a couple special promotions around the release date. Also, why promote the game and not have any signage for Stargate Universe, the new show on the SyFy channel?
I don't get it, doesn't mean there's something wrong with deal, but I don't get it. Also, there's no way I see Team Stargate Worlds coming in with two cars full time. They don't have the engineering support to break out with two cars, and its a little late the game to start buying chassis. It seems to make sense to me that HVM partners with their ownership to run Simona. Keith Wiggins has show he's more than open to taking on partners on a short term basis in the past; Cedric The Entertainer and Frank Stoddart.
Actually, it's Paul Stoddart, the former-current owner of former F1 team Minardi that was Keith Wiggins partner. Frank Stoddart is a NASCAR Sprint Cup crew chief and now, I believe, team owner.Quote:
Originally Posted by MDS
The more I think about it, the more I think this isn't a PR move. If they wanted to film or take pictures with Simona in a Stargate Worlds car or Stargate Resistance car, why do they need to run a Dallara to do it? They already have a partnership with an Atlantic team, why spend the money to get Simona in an HVM car when they can just run an Atlantic car.
That leads me to believe there is more then just PR behind this.
I have to agree here. I mean if they wanted to do all this for an photo opp it would have been much easier and much cheaper to photo shop it, but they paint up a car, put associate sponsorship decals and all new number (as see here on it for just a 2 day test?Quote:
Originally Posted by Chamoo
They don't even need to photoshop. They have 2 Atlantic cars sitting in their shop right now that are already painted up.Quote:
Originally Posted by gofastandwynn
Just caught this at IndyTrackside:
Team Stargate Worlds' test with HVM coincided with the launch of the Stargate: Resistance Web site, http://stargateresistance.com/, which was displayed on the car. Stargate: Resistance is an online third-person shooter game being developed based on the popular Stargate sci-fi television franchise.
So there was some cross-promotion.
Yes, but why not just run an Atlantics test? There is more to this story than meets the eye.Quote:
Originally Posted by bblocker68
You guys school me on Simona de Silvestro. I see that she's won 5 races in Atlantics over the past couple of years. And I believe she also led the points at some point this past season? But I haven't seen an Atlantics race in awhile, so I don't know how many quality drivers are in the series now. I know this term is tired and beat to death, but is she the "real deal"? Is the Swiss Miss going to show Danica that a woman can be a legit racer without playing on her gender?
Being that I've been such a big Stargate fan for so long, I might finally have an IRL team that I'll really follow, if this comes to be.
Subjectively she did quite well against a pretty good field.
She didn't bend the car in the test.
http://www.racer.com/hvm-impressed-b...rticle/159391/
rh
I only know Imran Safiulla and Shane Seneviratne by reputation but I've never heard anything negative about them and the drivers they've worked with have been impressive, if not that successful to date. Carl Skirlong and David Martinez are both top notch, and I know Shane has put in his dues, so if they come up, great. Frankie Munez is a nice guy, and by all indications everything I've ever heard about Simona de Selvistra is positive as well. She doesn't have Danica's personality, in either the good or bad way, but from what I've heard she's a talented shoe with technical ability.
I would expect there's a better than average chance they'll partner with HVM for next season, but I can't envision a scenario where they have the support for two cars for Simona and Frankie.
The Atlantic series has been very thin for the past few years, but the drivers running at the front have been top notch. Summerton, Hildebrand, and Edwards are considered by many to be the very best young drivers in any series. They have all been considered viable candidates for F1. de Silvestro was able to run with all of them and beat them on a regular basis. Not only is she very fast, but she is a racer and can mix it up with the best.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jag_Warrior
Personally, I hope she gets a shot at the IRL because I think she can do well. I think all four mentioned have a chance for greatness. That level of talent deserves opportunity.
Well, everyone seems to have positive things to say about Simona de Silvestro. So I wish her well. It would be great to see a girl get into the IRL and do what Shirley Muldowney, Angelle Sampey and Ashley Force have done in the NHRA: win, without there being a fluke factor involved.
Go Swiss Miss! (Is anybody calling her that yet? :p )
I think some people are, but unofficially. :) Also, MAJOR kudos to you, Jag Warrior, for mentioning Shirley Muldowney, Angelle Sampey, and Ashley Force-Hood, three highly successful women in motorsports who the mainstream media have sadly ignored.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jag_Warrior
I think Swiss Miss is a little insensitive and sexist. Miss, in this country, is usually only used to refer to young, unmarried women, and its a little insulting to use it for someone who is 21.
That and its a brand of Hot Chocolate.
Swede of Speed?
But we have no actual Swedish drivers Hoop? Though I'd like one, and maybe a Finnish one too.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hoop-98
Scandy Dandy? Onomatopoeia trumps Geography!Quote:
Originally Posted by Chamoo
Swift Swiss....
I was actually thinking of Martina Hingis - and the nickname certainly didn't seem to get her all wound up about sexism or whatever. Even now, I'd say many more people know who Martina "Swiss Miss" Hingis is than know who Simona de Silvestro is. I barely know anything about her and I actually follow the sport.Quote:
Originally Posted by MDS
She better take any nickname she can get. Otherwise, people might just refer to her as, "no, not Danica, ya know... 'What's Her Name'?" I'd say she'd prefer Swiss Miss over that. :D
I'm just thinking I think its lame, but I guess they can't all be "The Intimidater"
The atlantic series seems to be the best series to prepare drivers for the indycar series. To bad its not part of the road to indy.
Thanks. Yeah, I have major respect for all three - especially Shirley. One of them I've been trying to marry for a couple of years. But a guy on her crew told me that since my last name didn't start with an "S" that I was outta luck. :(Quote:
Originally Posted by Ironcurtainantihero
My hope is that Simona can pick up where Katherine Legge left (got thrown) off. Hopefully she'll be on a team that already has her as part of its chemistry, so she'll be less likely to get treated like an unwanted old shoe. And for goodness sake, I hope Simona sees someone like Angelle Sampey (or Shirley Muldowney) as a female role model - rather than someone whose name I won't mention. I think Angelle could take a punch to the face, shake it off and find a way to positively move forward. For all of the adversity that she's faced over the past 3-4 years, she's an incredibly positive and grounded person. She doesn't whine, try to start fights or blame other people for her misfortune. She's one of the VERY few people in professional sports that I feel like I could learn something from.