Vitor going to NASCAR Trucks series?!

[NickFalzone]

He will be testing a Camping World Truck Series car later this year, along with Piquet Jr. I like the Truck racing, and I guess it's step 1 for any pro driver (other than Danica, who's above that) that wants transition into stock cars. But Meira? Never would have thought it:

http://nascar.speedtv.com/article/trucks-piquet-jr-meira-to-test-for-red-horse-racing/

[Jag_Warrior]

That is surprising. Wonder what prompted that?

[beachbum]

That is surprising. Wonder what prompted that?Curiosity, seat time, fun. Someone offers a driver a chance to drive a different type of race car in a no pressure test. Would any driver turn it down?

I could also be a way to set benchmark for Piquet Jr. Neither has NASCAR experience, but Vitor is a known commodity.

[Mark in Oshawa]

What is prompting this is they likely are brining money. Red Horse dropped defending champion Johnny Benson earlier this year because Johnny didn't have a sponsor, and some unknown guy with a sugar daddy did. Red Horse is all about pay to play from what I have seen, so these two must be paying for the ride...

[SarahFan]

that makes no sense Mark....I get the money part

but whats prompting them to test the trucks....why not bring that funding to Indycar?

[beachbum]

why not bring that funding to Indycar?Because there isn't any real testing in the IRL? An IRL test would cost a lot more?

[SoCalPVguy]

That is surprising. Wonder what prompted that?

Maybe he needs a job - that pays

[Chamoo]

Maybe that crash at IMS really scared Vitor? Perhaps after the IMS test last week, he didn't feel comfortable in a Dallara anymore?

[NickFalzone]

I sort of agree with Beachbum, in that this test could be used as a benchmark as well for Piquet. But a test is not free, and I honestly think that Vitor has some interest in NASCAR right now. Maybe the wreck at IMS and long time off has him thinking about options outside the IRL. Whatever the reason, I would say that this test DOES indicate that he or his sponsor wants to go stock car racing, and if he's adequate in the test, he may well not be in the IRL for much longer.

[Lousada]

If I wanted job security as a racecar driver I'd be looking at Nascar too. He could combine a partial Truck schedule with an ICS schedule to gain experience.

[DavePI2]

piquet because nascar will pick up any f1 reject no matter how bad he is and how many cars he wrecks. Meira because for some reason he can't get a good ride in irl despite his obvious ability.

[Mark in Oshawa]

that makes no sense Mark....I get the money part

but whats prompting them to test the trucks....why not bring that funding to Indycar?

Ken..because as you well know that TV time for the IRL is a fraction of what it should be. I may give them the money to run the Trucks on Speed and get a 1.1 or something in the ratings, but I will not give them the funding to run mid pack in the IRL and be on broadcasts with no ratings. Maybe the funding is different also. There are more to sponsors and where guys end up than just a blanket fund to go where you like.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Personally, I don't think Vitor is coming....but I do know the Red Horse owner was on Sirius and he is looking to nail down some Brazilian sponsors if he has one of these guys racing for him, and maybe those sponsors are not interested in the IRL....

[garyshell]

Personally, I don't think Vitor is coming....but I do know the Red Horse owner was on Sirius and he is looking to nail down some Brazilian sponsors if he has one of these guys racing for him, and maybe those sponsors are not interested in the IRL....


Vitor has been quoted as saying he is only going to the test as a favor to help Piquet adjust to ovals. I can't find the link I had for that quote. Sorry.

Gary

[Jag_Warrior]

piquet because nascar will pick up any f1 reject no matter how bad he is and how many cars he wrecks. Meira because for some reason he can't get a good ride in irl despite his obvious ability.

Well, there was a time when "F1 rejects" and people not really wanted by Formula One made up the sharp end of the grid in AOWR: Michael Andretti, Alex Zanardi, Paul Tracy, Jimmy Vasser, Al Unser, Jr., et al. And more recently, when people have been rejected by F1 or left F1 on their own, they've not shown any desire to come to what is now AOWR: Jacques Villeneuve, Juan Pablo Montoya, Sebastien Bourdais and Scott Speed. Hell, even Ralf Schumacher had no desire to come here. How f'ed up is that?!

There was a time, long ago, in a land far away, when AOWR teams would have been courting people like Robert Kubica, Timo Glock, Bruno Senna and even Jenson Button (Not happy? Not being treated with respect? Contract looking iffy for next season, Mr. Soon-to-be World Driving Champ? Come on over and talk to us, my good man!) - but no more. :(

So now, even Piquet is looking to NASCAR first, and people like Meira may be "exploring other opportunities".

[DavePI2]

the fact still remains piquet is a reject that noone wants because he can't seem to stop wrecking exspensive cars, something nascar doesn't have to worry or care about. Montoya was fired too for the same reason.

[Jag_Warrior]

No one wants Piquet (now) because he was a major player in a cheating scandal that rocked Formula One. And NASCAR doesn't enlist drivers anymore than F1 or the IRL do. The teams make that decision. On pure racing skill, I'd take Piquet any day of the week over Mike Conway, and twice on Sunday.

As for Montoya... really now. First of all, he wasn't fired from McLaren. And second of all, if Montoya had the same problem as Piquet, how did he manage to land a pretty sweet gig with Target Chip Ganassi Racing (that had to be brokered by Daimler Benz to get him out of the McLaren contract early)? He could have easily hung around in F1, as Trulli, Fisichella, Coulthard and others have done - and landed with some midfield team or a back marker in need of a hot shoe. But are you saying that "F1 reject" Montoya could not have landed a ride with an IRL team? I mean, since the IRL has a once in a lifetime winner like The Danica, why would they want a former WDC like Villeneuve, or a multi race F1 winner and a guy who's won more championships than the Go Daddy Girl has won races (or ever will win races)? What about Bourdais? What about Scott Speed? What about Bruno Senna? What about the other guys I mentioned? Piquet was swallowed up in F1 by Alonso and Renault - very true. But I watched the guy race in GP2. He is no slouch. And the current IRL car is a helluva lot closer to the GP2 machine than it is a grand prix car. The kid is a major a-hole. But compared to the slow growing blades of grass currently in the league, someone who can shake it up is exactly what this series needs (IMO).

The sad likes of Tomas Scheckter landed in the IRL. Same with Marco Andretti (thanks, Dad!). If I added up the damage that those two crash test dummies have inflicted over the years, I'd probably have enough to offer the IRL a title sponsorship for at least a year.

Hey, I can claim that the reason I'm not going out with Ivanka Trump is because she has big feet (which she apparently does). But the real reason is if I asked her out, she'd fall on the floor laughing. Rather than dreaming up excuses for why AOWR is no longer a desired destination for drivers from other series, the IRL needs to look at what ails it.

[Jag_Warrior]

And no sooner than I mentioned Trulli here do I find this:
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/79311

Dear Ivanka,

I'm writing this to let you know why it would never work out between us. #1 (#2 and #3), your feet are just too damn big, girl! I know you have your own money. But once we got hitched, what's yours is mine... and what's mine is mine. So WE would end up spending more on shoes for those gunboats of yours than we would on groceries. Na uh! I don't think so!

So, continue on with your engagement to that richie rich little twerp. No hard feelings, OK? If not for your feet, maybe we could have made it work. *sigh*

Sincerely,

Crazy Delusional Man.

[garyshell]

Montoya was fired too for the same reason.

Bollocks! He was not fired.

Gary

[Chamoo]

Bollocks! He was not fired.

Gary

Agreed.

[Mark in Oshawa]

It is sad....all these rejects from f1 wont even look at the IRL. They want the $$$$$$ and racing in the IRL doesn't pay anymore. THAT is the sad truth. Unless you are with Ganassi or Penske, you likely are having to bring sponsors....

[The instant classic]

It is sad....all these rejects from f1 wont even look at the IRL. They want the $$$$$$ and racing in the IRL doesn't pay anymore. THAT is the sad truth. Unless you are with Ganassi or Penske, you likely are having to bring sponsors....

i totally agree

i heard on wind tunnel 2 weeks ago, some guy in F1 is leaving (sorry i don't know his name im not a follower of F1) and Dave was saying will he go to Nascar? or Trans Am? i was sitting here like...oook? why not race indycar? indycar and F1 are both openwheel racing why not race it? but i agree it's all about the money