Danica fans

[jackmart]

Ok, so I checked her website last week and saw this journal posted. Here is the most interesting part imo


I will be sending another update soon, you will see why on Wed. Sept 24th. Keep you eye out!!



THen I saw nothing on Wednesday. I wonder if AGR was supposed to announce soething since they have that radio show on that day. I haven't been able to find any news. Then I was thinking maybe she will drive another car in a serious for AGR to continue to practice. What do you guys think?

p.s. since everyone is so danica I was so hesistant to make this thread. Let's be respectful and say good or constructive things.

[DanicaFan]

I was down at Andretti Green Racing Headquarters on Friday. Danica Patrick and Marco Andretti will be driving in the A1GP race in the Netherlands coming up. They had to go since they are American drivers and the drivers for Team USA have to be American.

[jackmart]

thanks for the info. I just got into ICS this year so can you fill me in some more. Why do they have to choose US drivers, is it only an AGR thing because there are other US drivers. Also, when will this be on and can it only be watched on tv? How cool to be down at the headquarters, why hasn't more been said about this>

[DanicaFan]

I dont know much about A1GP but I do know that the car a team uses is owned and kept by the organization. The car is transported by the organization (A1GP)and is left at the last track used. No team can take the car back to their facility. It has to be worked on and prepped at the track they are racing at.

The drivers of each team I believe have to be from the country they are driving for. Its not just an AGR thing, other American drivers and teams are elgible. I dont know why it hasnt been announced already.

As far as TV coverage, have no idea. You might check with Speed TV or the A1GP website. I am going to try and watch the race since they are in it too.

Yes, its cool to be able to be at the AGR Headquarters. Im fortunate to be able to be close to Danica, her team, and good friends with her crew chief.

[jackmart]

thanks for the info. I just did some research to figure out the race will be next weekend and it can be streamed online. I'm just unsure if it's really true if it hasn't been announced that both Marco and Danica will represent the US in the race. It is interesting to see that all the cars are the same to level the playing field.

[jackmart]

I think your info is off because this weekend Marco is supposed to race in another series that has been confirmed by ARG

Andretti Green Racing (AGR) announced today that IndyCar Series drivers Tony Kanaan and Marco Andretti will join Franck Montagny in the #26 XM Radio Acura for the 11th running of Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta. Kanaan will also join Montagny for the final race of the season at Laguna Seca.

Petit Le Mans will mark Kanaan's first start for Andretti Green in the American Le Mans Series in 2008. However, in 2007, Kanaan was part of the AGR lineup that captured the LMP2 victory in the team's debut at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. Kanaan was also slated to drive at Petit last season. However, a punctured radiator sidelined the AGR entry early and prevented Kanaan from making an appearance in the race.

Andretti will co-pilot the #26 XM Radio Acura for the third time this season and in his career. His first American Le Mans Series race came at Sebring where the team was forced to retire early due to a mechanical issue. Andretti's second start came with Montagny at Lime Rock as part of a doubleheader weekend for Andretti, who also drove in the IndyCar Series race at Nashville Superspeedway after completing his stint in the car at Lime Rock Park.

So I wonder if Danica will actually run in it or plans have changed and that's why there was no announcement

[BobGarage]

this story has been rumoured for a while. It was mentioned on the British broadcast of the chicagoland race and I posted it here:- http://www.motorsportforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=129341

I'm surprised it hasn't been officially announced yet. And A1 Team USA have not participated in either of the two pre-season test sessions so far. The final test session is on October 1st at Snetterton so if this story is true I would expect them to be there.

And if they are in, it would leave them 4 days of testing behind everyone else on the grid with just a few days to go before first practice at Zandvort.

[beachbum]

Since AGR bought into the US A1GP team, there has been no news, nothing. I doubt they will even make Zandvoort as that is the same date as Petit Le Mans and all of their effort and drivers will probably be in Atlanta. If they were smart, they wound just plug Summerton back in a car, as he did very well.

[BobGarage]

Since AGR bought into the US A1GP team, there has been no news, nothing. I doubt they will even make Zandvoort as that is the same date as Petit Le Mans and all of their effort and drivers will probably be in Atlanta. If they were smart, they wound just plug Summerton back in a car, as he did very well.

summerton will be at road atlanta too... for the atlantic race....

[elis]

The drivers for Team USA have to be American

The drivers of each team I believe have to be from the country they are driving for. Its not just an AGR thing, other American drivers and teams are elgible. .

Not strictly true. Adam Khan raced for Pakinstan yet is a born & bred British resident & had never been to Pakistan. Graham Rahal raced for Lebanon, & this season will see Canadian Daniel Morad compete for Lebanon, dispite him being on the Canadian team with Hinch last season. (Though he did not race) :crazy:

It's tenuous, but a family heritage link can also get you a ride representing a country that you are not from.

Incidentally since Rahal has driven for Lebanon he is now inelligable to switch teams (um so to speak), & race for the USA.

[BobGarage]

Not strictly true. Adam Khan raced for Pakinstan yet is a born & bred British resident & had never been to Pakistan. Graham Rahal raced for Lebanon, & this season will see Canadian Daniel Morad compete for Lebanon, dispite him being on the Canadian team with Hinch last season. (Though he did not race) :crazy:

It's tenuous, but a family heritage link can also get you a ride representing a country that you are not from.

Incidentally since Rahal has driven for Lebanon he is now inelligable to switch teams (um so to speak), & race for the USA.

its the same in most sports....

quickly off the top of my head I can think of Lesley Vainikolo a Tongan born and bred playing rugby union for England last year. Vinnie Jones a true Englishman playing football for Wales due to some tenuous link his grand parents had with the country.

as in other sports once a driver has represented that country in that sport he cannot play for another nation in that said sport.

as long as the driver has some kind of link to the nation he can drive for said nation.

also note in the series first season when Pakistan had no drivers (due to injury) Enrico Toccacelo stepped into drive for them, but as he had no link to the country (and had previous represented Italy in the series) Pakistan were ineligable to score points.

[jackmart]

wow some serious stuff must be going on with Danica's people because all of her journals have been rmoved from her site as well as the little update thing on her main page. they wanted to quickly get rid of her hint to something happening. very strange

[SarahFan]

I have been reading rumors about Andretti and patrick running A1GP for a couple of months....


isn't the first race this weekend?


and no official announcement?

[SarahFan]

I was down at Andretti Green Racing Headquarters on Friday. Danica Patrick and Marco Andretti will be driving in the A1GP race in the Netherlands coming up. They had to go since they are American drivers and the drivers for Team USA have to be American.

why no announcement?


unless I'm missing something there is zip nada nothing....checked the websites for Danica...A1GP .... and Andrettu Green

isn't the race only a couple days away?

[BobGarage]

isn't the race only a couple days away?

yes,

last test day of the season is Wednesday (at Snetterton). Team USA have not been present at any of the tests so far.

Practice for the first race of the season starts this friday.

With no testing under their belts and no announcement I cannot see it happening in time.

[SUBARUTEAM]

A1GP is not in good health and a lot of teams and rounds are holding back on announcements. An example - the Taupo round (in New Zealand) have not started advertising or selling tickets yet, until they hear confirmation that the series will answer the bell. Also, there is a shortage of cars so there will be a handful of teams that wont race in round 1. perhaps team USA will be one of the teams to miss out. Aparantly there will be enough cars for round 2. (they expect a 24 car grid).

Just on a side note, the new a1 car looks good. perhaps indycar could take note for there new design.

bump up ..

[beachbum]

I was down at Andretti Green Racing Headquarters on Friday. Danica Patrick and Marco Andretti will be driving in the A1GP race in the Netherlands coming up. They had to go since they are American drivers and the drivers for Team USA have to be American.If you got that info from the team, they were giving you a line. The press release indicating Marco would be at Petit was dated Sept 12. The date for Zandvoort was known long before then.

[BobGarage]

If you got that info from the team, they were giving you a line. The press release indicating Marco would be at Petit was dated Sept 12. The date for Zandvoort was known long before then.

good point beachbum, also where he says Danica and Marco would be driving at Zandvoort...... since each team only has one car per race that isn't going to happen either.

yes,

last test day of the season is Wednesday (at Snetterton). Team USA have not been present at any of the tests so far.

Practice for the first race of the season starts this friday.

With no testing under their belts and no announcement I cannot see it happening in time.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/70824

[jackmart]

Wow, drama does seem to follow Danica. Earlier today it was rumored by other that she would be driving there. Then the same website said she was no longer running for the seat but it is official that AGR will run there. Who else can they get though?

[Hoop-98]

Is Paul Tracy dual citizenship?

tic
rh

[BobGarage]

the AGR link up is confirmed, drivers aren;t yet though.



Media Release
A1GP
Date: 01 October 2008
Press release number: PR0334
Embargo date: For immediate release


Andretti Green Racing to Run USA Team;
Michael Andretti to Unveil Driver Lineup at Zandvoort

London, Great Britain – A name that stands for American racing royalty will join forces with A1GP World Cup of Motorsport for Season Four. Andretti Green Racing (AGR), the most successful team in Indy Racing League history, announced today it will run the US entry in A1GP beginning at Circuit Park Zandvoort, The Netherlands this weekend.

“We are very proud to be representing the United States on the level and competitive playing field that is provided by A1GP,” said team co-owner, Michael Andretti. “Andretti Green has been fortunate to enjoy a reasonable amount of success in just six seasons of operation and we’re looking forward to joining the world stage of A1GP.”

Andretti, who is a racing legend himself, will be on hand at Circuit Park Zandvoort to announce the team’s Season Four driver lineup.

Andretti Green Racing, which is owned by Andretti and partners Kim Green and Kevin Savoree, has taken three IndyCar Series championship titles (2004, 2005, 2007), two Indianapolis 500 wins (2005, 2007), one Firestone Indy Lights championship (2008), an overall American Le Mans Series (ALMS) victory at the 2008 Detroit Sports Car Challenge and an LMP2 class victory at the ALMS 12 Hours of Sebring (2007).

A1GP Chairman, Tony Teixeira, commented: “We are proud to have such a successful and well respected team involved with our series. Over the years some of the most famous names in motorsport have been associated with the A1GP, and to have one that is synonymous with racing at its highest level in the United States can only help to raise the profile of the series both there and worldwide. ”

[DanicaFan]

Marco Andretti and Danica Patrick will be AGR's drivers for A1GP, trust me. Danica will be in the driver's seat in the Netherlands.

[BobGarage]

Marco Andretti and Danica Patrick will be AGR's drivers for A1GP, trust me. Danica will be in the driver's seat in the Netherlands.

i do believe you, but only because that was said on the UK coverage of the IRL long before you mentioned it ;)

I can't wait to see how Danica performs against relativley unknown lower formula drivers like Adrian Zaugg and Jerome Bleekamolen.

[DanicaFan]

i do believe you, but only because that was said on the UK coverage of the IRL long before you mentioned it ;)

I can't wait to see how Danica performs against relativley unknown lower formula drivers like Adrian Zaugg and Jerome Bleekamolen.
It couldnt of been on UK coverage for that long because according to my sources at AGR, they only confirmed and found out about them driving recently and it was a last minute thing.

Oh and Danica will show all of them how to drive. She will win this race.

[BobGarage]

It couldnt of been on UK coverage for that long because according to my sources at AGR, they only confirmed and found out about them driving recently and it was a last minute thing.


on the Chicagoland coverage on Sky Sports the in studio guest (Christopher Tate) said the current rumour coming out of the states was that AGR would be running A1 Team USA and that Marco and Danica would be drivers.

I posted the story on this forum back at the start of september... http://www.motorsportforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=129341

[Damon]

I can't wait to see how Danica performs against relativley unknown lower formula drivers like Adrian Zaugg and Jerome Bleekamolen.


Did you have this same feeling of giddiness when Buddy Rice raced in A1GP and didn't do much?

[BobGarage]

Did you have this same feeling of giddiness when Buddy Rice raced in A1GP and didn't do much?

i was actually semi surprised buddy did so badly. there will be no element of surprise is Danica puts in the same performances.

[DanicaFan]

Danica is going to run away with this race. She is taking those boys to racing school this weekend. You wait and see!

[Damon]

i was actually semi surprised buddy did so badly. there will be no element of surprise is Danica puts in the same performances.


We'll see, but I think she'll be alright if she races over there. Finishing in the top 10 a few times (running 3 or 4 events- 6 to 8 races overall), maybe crack the top 5 once, which is certainly better than race, who failed to finish higher than 13th in any of the four races he was in.

[Damon]

Danica is going to run away with this race. She is taking those boys to racing school this weekend. You wait and see!

:rolleyes:


You're giving all of us who actually LIKE Danica and want to see her do well a bad name, stop it!

[nigelred5]

Danica is going to run away with this race. She is taking those boys to racing school this weekend. You wait and see!

ROTFL! What's the announced field for the race this week, something like 12 cars? Maybe she can pull a top ten.

[nigelred5]

Is Paul Tracy dual citizenship?

tic
rh


I'm fairly certain He is a US citizen now, don't know about DUAL. I believe that is allowed now. It wasn't when I received my citizenship, I had to renounce my German citizenship in 1970.

[Damon]

I meant to say Rice, not race.

Buddy never finished better than 13th in the four races he competed in.


As far as the field, pending on the size of it, if Danica races this weekend, just finishing in the top half and getting used to the car would be a solid result.

[BobGarage]

As far as the field, pending on the size of it, if Danica races this weekend, just finishing in the top half and getting used to the car would be a solid result.
agreed.

many well known AOWR drivers (IRL, and Champ Car) have gone to A1 and struggled:-

Herta. 6 starts, 3 top tens (6th best)
Bruno J. 10 starts 3 top tens (7th best)
Buddy Rice. 4 starts, 0 top tens (13 best)
C Fittipaldi. 8 starts, 2 top tens (4th best)
Darren Manning. 4 starts, 3 top tens (2nd best)
Graham Rahal. 8 starts, 0 top tens, (11th best)
James Hinchcliffe. 20 starts, 6 top tens (2nd best)
Jourdain Jr. 4 starts, 0 top tens (11th best)
Rapha Matos. 6 starts, 2 top tens (6th best)
Ryan Briscoe. 10 starts, 6 top tens, (3rd best)
Ryan Hunter-Reay. 2 starts, 1 top ten, (10th best)
Tomas Scheckter, 4 starts, 1 top ten (10th best)
Will Power. 2 starts, two top tens (4th and 2nd)*

*although will power drove his two races before joining CC.


Not great results from some fairly well known and experienced AOWR drivers. If she does drive and get in the top half of the field she has done well.

My money is on Zaugg or Bleekemolen to win. ;-)

[DanicaFan]

:rolleyes:


You're giving all of us who actually LIKE Danica and want to see her do well a bad name, stop it!
Why is it giving us a bad name ? Danica is my favorite driver of all time and I always hope she does well. Not sure what you are getting at. :confused:

[BobGarage]

Why is it giving us a bad name ? Danica is my favorite driver of all time and I always hope she does well. Not sure what you are getting at. :confused:

i think what he is getting at is there is a difference between wanting her to do well and constantly posting comments like "Danica is going to run away with this race." all the time. Maybe you should try and be realistic, a top half of the field finish would be a good result for Danica this weekend in a car she is not familiar with and a track she has little expierence on, she is not going to win the race.

I am a Justin Wilson fan, but I am also realistic enough to know he is not going to go out there and "run away with the race" every weekend ;)

[garyshell]

She will win this race.


Care to back that up? I got a six pack that says she won't.

Gary

[SarahFan]

Why is it giving us a bad name ? Danica is my favorite driver of all time and I always hope she does well. Not sure what you are getting at. :confused:


hoping she does well and posting outright sillyness are two very VERY different things

[Damon]

i think what he is getting at is there is a difference between wanting her to do well and constantly posting comments like "Danica is going to run away with this race." all the time. Maybe you should try and be realistic, a top half of the field finish would be a good result for Danica this weekend in a car she is not familiar with and a track she has little expierence on, she is not going to win the race.


Exactly


Ditto Ken's comment as well

[Comal]

Keep an eye out for our unknown kiwi Earl Bamber. See how Danica goes against him!

[elis]

Well if she is racing, she'll have it easier this weekend now that 5 teams, including the front running team GBR, will not be competing at Zandvoort ;)

Hmmm, wonder if any of the established guys will remind her of her own words... "Look dude, you’re new. You better be nice because we all know how to handle this a little better than you do at this point".

Can't wait for some card to chime in with "I don't even know who she is"! bahahahaha. j/k ;) :crazy:

Will be interesting, but let's face it, this is ow in Europe, she wont necessarily be the star attraction. Just sayin'

[TURN3]

Isn't sending back of the pack type drivers like Marco and Danica sort of fruitless? I mean, you don't see the U.S. Men's Basketball team sending the college boys over to the Olympics anymore. Why not just forfeit and save face? Then again maybe AGR is seeing this as an opportunity to get them some seat time as opposed to demoting them to Lights or Atlantics where they belong.

[beachbum]

Danica is going to run away with this race. She is taking those boys to racing school this weekend. You wait and see!
First, she has to get into the race. The British press is suggesting she doesn't have the ride. Read down near the bottom

http://www.crash.net/motorsport/a1gp/news/169800-0/agr_confirms_a1_team_usa_role.html

Even if she would get the ride, expecting any driver in a new car they have never driven , on a track they have never seen, around many drivers they have never raced, and limited practice to do much beyond riding around at the back is stretch.

Everyone can dream and cheer for their favorite drive, but this is a fantasy.

[Jag_Warrior]

Danica is going to run away with this race. She is taking those boys to racing school this weekend. You wait and see!

I don't have anything to add. I just wanted to quote this post.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Boy...where does all the delusion end. To think I have missed close to a year's worth of delusions this past year.

Danica...if she is racing in A1 will do just ok......on a track she hasn't seen before in a car she hasn't sat in. OK is probably a good result actually....

[Damon]

Latest update:

http://www.1070thefan.com/trackside/BlogEntry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10009883

[BobGarage]

Well, team USA have announced Charlie Kimball as their driver this weekend, not Danica!

[elis]

Well, team USA have announced Charlie Kimball as their driver this weekend, not Danica!

Good. This is what's needed, giving seat/air time to a young driver who actually needs it. IMO, A1 should not be a 'play ground' for established drivers with 'safe' careers already set in place. *But hey, that's just my personal oppo ;)

Charlie has raced at Zandvoort a couple of times in the past in the Masters.

Of course in some wierdy way the Brits can cheer for him too, seeing as team GBR is sidelined this weekend... & given Charlie was actually born in Britain, & is not an unfamiliar face around the race paddocks in England ;)

[BobGarage]

Charlie was the teams "Rookie" driver last year. So has expierence with the series and drove most of the tracks during the friday sessions last year.

A good choice as he has more expirience in the series than danica

[Damon]

A good choice as he has more expirience in the series than danica


He has more experience than Marco too, who will probably be competing in the series at some point in the 2008-2009 season.

[JTK]

First, she has to get into the race. The British press is suggesting she doesn't have the ride. Read down near the bottom

http://www.crash.net/motorsport/a1gp/news/169800-0/agr_confirms_a1_team_usa_role.html

Even if she would get the ride, expecting any driver in a new car they have never driven , on a track they have never seen, around many drivers they have never raced, and limited practice to do much beyond riding around at the back is stretch.

Everyone can dream and cheer for their favorite drive, but this is a fantasy.

Agree. Will be most surprised if Danica (or Marco) get many podium finishes this season. Announcement that they will drive will certainly give the series a boost, which is needed following the problems the series is having getting everything up and running this year with all the changes.

Also Danica has herself admitted before she is not a good road-course racer, maybe this will help her in her Indy Car career, given the increase in road and street circuits there.

[BobGarage]

danica will drive later in the season.

from a1gp.com



Danica Patrick and Marco Andretti are both set to race in A1GP this season, US team boss Michael Andretti has confirmed.

It was announced earlier this week that American single-seater team Andretti Green Racing would run the US entry in A1GP this season, and team co-owner Michael Andretti flew into Zandvoort this morning to announce to the world’s media his plans for the squad’s driver line-up.

He confirmed that both his son Marco, and renowned female racer Danica Patrick are in the team’s plans to race this season.

Patrick, 26, currently races one of the four AGR entries in the IndyCar Series, and is widely regarded as one of the most popular female athletes in the world. She became the first woman ever to win an IndyCar Series event when she took the chequered flag in the Indy Japan 300 at Twin Ring Motegi (Motegi, Japan) in April this season. She will become the first female driver to race in A1GP since the series began in 2005.

Marco Andretti, 21, also races for AGR in the IndyCar series, and became the series youngest ever winner when he registered his first IndyCar victory at Infineon Raceway in 2006, aged 19 years, 5 months. He also finished second in the world famous Indianapolis 500 the same season.

“One of the problems is that they both said they want to do all the races,” quipped Andretti, trying to explain to the world’s media who will race at which event this season. “They are both really excited about the prospect. The patriotic side is such a unique part of this series, and A1GP is so cool in that you are able to carry your national colours.

“There are a lot of things that go into it making the decision on who will race, and one is schedules and things like that. I’m not 100 per cent sure who will race in China next month – it will probably be Marco but we are not totally sure right now.

“[AGR] being involved in A1GP makes a lot of sense and it will help get the brand out internationally. This is a great platform. We are in the racing business, and we have done well in the US and this is the perfect opportunity to get us out there. We are very serious about A1GP and very excited about it.”

Californian Charlie Kimball is racing the team’s car this weekend after being called up only on Wednesday, and could also be in the team’s plans for the rest of the season.

“We called him, asked him to drive and literally in a couple of hours he was on a plane,” Andretti added. “It was nice to have his experience because he has been in A1GP and raced at Zandvoort before.”

[evo5_mat]

i wonder if there be a USA round and there go back to Laguna again now that the andretti's etc are involved, i always thought they should have had a round in the states and laguna would have been a perfect event apart from the date they chose last time.
Alot of my friends who work the track said it was the wrong time of the year when they came last time and it proved they were right.

As for danica racing, well yes it improve the exposure of the series in the states thats for sure, although i cant see her or the team doing much this season. When u think who she be up against, the likes or dornbass, jani and young hot shots, lol wonder if she throw a tantrum if she gets hit off the circuit? as wont be accepted here and can u see that happening if gets hit by that mobile chicane of the korean car and the language there haha should be funny.