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Peugeot On Ice
Marcus Gronholm won his third Swedish Rally in four years after a dominant performance in the snow drifts. Gronholm took the lead when he won the second stage then went on to win seven of the remaining fourteen stages that were run, finishing fifty seconds clear of fellow Finn, Tommi Makinen.
After being stomped on by PSA stablemates Citroen at Monaco, you would have thought Peugeot would have been happy with the result. Gronholm was on top of the rally almost from its first moments when he took control of the event from Sebastien Loeb in the second stage. Richard Burns was less than four seconds shy of Makinen at the end of the first leg, but on the second leg the damage was done with Burns conceding seconds on every stage to be 22 seconds behind on Saturday evening. While Burns would attack for second again on Sunday, it would be in vain.
Peugeot brought Harri Rovanpera, winner here two years ago, in the team's third car. Rovanpera was travelling quickly in fourth place well into the second leg. Juuso Pykalisto was also flying the flag for Peugeot, and flying himself, the young Finn privateer comfortably in fifth place. In Special Stage 8 Pykalisto flipped and rolled, coming to rest in the middle of the road. The crew stayed in the car, waiting to be righted by spectators and officials when the Pug was struck by the next car in the stage, the 206 of Rovanpera. Rovanpera had virtually no warning of the magnitude of the hazard ahead and damage to both vehicles was extensive. Pykalisto was taken to hospital as a precaution and the stage was halted.
Markko Martin brought home his Focus in fourth place, in another valuable result for the young Estonian. Martin had to hold off a determined Colin McRae on the final day, who in turn was under pressure from Petter Solberg. Martin won the battle for 'best of the rest' despite the class of those chasing him. However it would be Ford's only points scoring result. Mikko Hirvonen was new to the event and brought his car home straight in eleventh position. Francois Duval though retired in Stage 5 after damaging the Ford on a snow bank in Stage 3. Duval blocked the road causing the cancellation of Stage 5.
Much more at home on bitumen, Citroen were always going to be less competitive on snow, and so it proved. First on the road as championship leader, Sebastien Loeb kept it on track, and won the first stage. Snow started to hit the rally at this point, forcing Loeb into a road sweeper role that saw him plummet down the order on the first day. Colin McRae too struck problems, dropping to 22nd on the second stage after spinning. Carlos Sainz also spun a stage later and all the Citroens were outside the top ten. McRae stormed back through the field to claim fifth. Sainz was the first of the three to recover into the top ten, but did not progress much further and had a championship point for eighth taken away on the final stage by the flying Loeb who passed both Sainz and Toni Gardemeister on Stage 17.
The Production Cars World Championship, which features Group N class cars, kicked off its season in Sweden, having skipped Monte Carlo. Local cars dominated the class with Kenneth Backlund winning Group N in his Evo VII Lancer. Fifth in Group N was the first of the registered championship cars. Janusz Kulig took maximum points in his Evo VI Lancer ahead of the legendary Stig Blomqvist in his Subaru. Karamjit Singh, one of the early pace setters was third, while Toshihiro Arai led for most of the rally until turbo failure removed his Subaru Impreza on Stage 15.
The rally circus gather itself together again in three weeks time for the Rally of Turkey.
Result of World Rally Championship, Round 2 of 14, Swedish Rally:
Drivers' Standings: Sebastien Loeb and Colin McRae 12, Marcus Gronholm, Richard Burns and Markko Martin 10, Tommi Makinen 8, Carlos Sainz 6, Petter Solberg and Cedric Robert 3, Francois Duval 2, Armin Schwarz and Toni Gardemeister 1
Manufacturers' Standings: Citroen 24, Peugeot 22, Ford 15, Subaru 11, Hyundai and Skoda 3
Production Cars Standings: Janusz Kulig 10, Stig Blomqvist 8, Karamjit Singh 6, Martin Rowe 5, Possum Bourne 4, Krzysztof Holowczyc 3, Joakim Roman 2, Lukasz Sztuka 1
FIA Back Turkish Rally To Go Ahead
Motorsport's world governing body have given this month's Turkish Rally the go-ahead after fears that it could be cancelled due to the possibility of war in neighbouring Iraq.
The official WRC website quoted International Automobile Federation (FIA) president Max Mosley as saying on Tuesday that he saw no reason why the third round of the world championship, scheduled to take place from February 28 to March 2, could not go ahead.
"I've had several conversations with the Turkish Motorsport Federation and looked at every situation very carefully and they can see absolutely no basis for anyone to be worried.
"And I must say that having looked at the map, I rather share their view," said Mosley.
The rally is run in Anatolia with the rally headquarters in the Mediterranean resort of Kemer, near Antalya. It is making its debut on the championship calendar in place of Kenya's axed Safari Rally.
Some drivers suggested during last weekend's Swedish Rally that they would rather the event was cancelled. Turkey is NATO's only Muslim member country and could be a staging point for an attack on Iraq.
"I would rather we stayed at home," the website quoted Skoda's French driver Didier Auriol as saying. "In the current climate, it seems a bit silly to be going."
Turkey rally report provided by Reuters
Earnhardt Jr Goes Back To Front
If people were hoping that the rule changes for the 2003 NASCAR season would reduce DEI's dominance on the restrictor plate tracks, they might be disappointed after last weekend's Bud Shootout. After starting from last position in the 19 car field, Dale Earnhardt Jr raced to the front before the break, and led again after it to take his first Bud Shootout win. Second was Jeff Gordon, who had started one place in front of him.
At the start Jimmie Johnson took the lead from fellow front row starter Geoff Bodine, who quickly fell back through the field before retiring soon after, as the pack running two and three wide as the two from the back began to march forward. Kurt Busch took the lead on lap five, temporarily opening a gap before the pack caught him, leading the pack around lap after lap. By lap 14 Earnhardt Jr was up to second, and up on Busch's tail. Lap 15 and 16 saw Busch and Earnhardt Jr side by side as they battled for the lead of the race before Earnhardt Jr took the lead at the end of the back straight, which he held on to as they raced to lap 20, the caution coming out for the cars to make their 10 minute break.
The break was a saviour for Rusty Wallace, who had dropped off the back of the field a couple of laps beforehand with a tyre deflating. The top five at the end of the first segment were Dale Earnhardt Jr, Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth. At the start of the second segment, Earnhardt Jr held on to the lead before being challenged on lap 2 by Kenseth, Kenseth taking the lead before Earnhardt Jr retook the lead on the next lap, the two continuing to battle with Kenseth taking the lead back again the next lap as Earnhardt dropped a few places.
Earnhardt Jr wasn't down for long, moving back up and then leading again by lap 7, before Kenseth retook the lead soon after who was then passed by Gordon, Earnhardt Jr sitting close behind as the pack shuffled backwards and forwards behind them. Soon they would need to pit, and that they did. With all the wheeling and dealing on pit lane that happens to make sure that you don't pit alone, the whole field ended up pitting on lap 31! Some drivers took just fuel, others took fuel and two tyres while Jimmie Johnson took fuel and four tyres after locking his brakes up on the crowded entry to the pits, and left the pits last.
As they began lap 46 Earnhardt Jr was back to third. As they exited turns one and two he was second. As he entered turn three he was leading. At the end of the lap he was leading with a gap. Gordon held on to second after fighting off Newman, then Schrader raced past on the outside for a while, before Gordon and Schrader then raced side by side for the place. With just over a lap remaining Gordon retook second for good and moved right onto Earnhardt Jr's bumper for a split second before Earnhardt Jr pulled away again as they began the last lap. As they raced for the line it was a race in two, but Gordon wasn't nearly close enough, Earnhardt Jr completing the 'last to first' fairytale to win his first Bud Shootout.
Result of Budweiser Shootout, Daytona International Speedway, Florida, United States:
With just a few days left until the Daytona 500 this Sunday, the front row starters for the race have been determined while everyone prepares for the two 125 mile qualifying races on Thursday. Richard Childress Racing's Jeff Green is on the pole, with DEI's Dale Earnhardt Jr alongside, as the rest of the field tries to race into the field through the 125 milers. Someone who will have to work hard if he is to make it through on the 125 miler results is Tony Stewart, starting at the rear in race two after his engine went sour before he even completed a timed lap, though he is certain to make the field through a provisional start should he not finish high enough in the qualifier.
The two qualifying races are unique to the Daytona 500 and set the bulk of the field's starting positions. The starting order for race one is the odd qualifying times ie. 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th etc. for race one, with the even number cars similarly in race two. Then the top 14 finishers in each race (not including either of the two drivers already guaranteed a front row start) fill the grid positions through to 30th, with the top 14 from race one starting on the inside of each row behind pole, with the top 14 from race two on their outside. The next six places, 31st to 36th, are the six fastest cars in qualifying who are not already in the field. The final seven places are filled through provisionals, the first six based on the team's owner's points in 2002 with the final place taken either by a previous Winston Cup Champion or the next car based on owner's points.
Qualifying results:
Spring Break
The crucial 18 drivers needed to make the season viable attended the final pre-season test before the start of the season, Sebring's Spring Training. A 19th driver was also in attendance but without his car. CART is now officially 'go'.
Only four hundredths away was the ever-improving Michel Jourdain Jr in the Team Rahal Lola. Oriol Servia was a tenth away in fourth in the Patrick Racing Lola. Fifth was the first of the Player's Forsythe cars with Patrick Carpentier six-tenths away from Bourdais, with teammate Paul Tracy only twelfth fastest. Meanwhile Player's reject Alex Tagliani was only one thousandth of a second behind his former teammate in the Rocketsports Lola.
The first of the Reynards was Darren Manning. The Walker Racing Reynard was just ahead of the Herdez Lola of Mario Dominguez. The second Herdez car of Roberto Moreno was tenth. In between the green cars was Jimmy Vasser, having his first steer of the Johansson Team Spirit Reynard. Rookie teammate Ryan Hunter-Reay impressed, sitting just outside the top ten. The top twelve drivers were covered by a second.
Outside that top twelve were Adrian Fernandez (Fernandez Racing Lola), Mario Haberfeld (Mi-Jack Conquest Racing Reynard), Joel Camathias (Dale Coyne Racing Lola), Rodolfo Lavin (Walker Racing Reynard), Patrick Lemarie (PK Racing Lola) and Roberto Gonzalez (Dale Coyne Racing Lola).
A surprise visitor to Sebring testing was NASCAR driver Kurt Busch, who had a run in Michel Jourdain Jr's Lola-Ford, setting a best time just over three seconds slower than Jourdain's best that day, and less than 1.4 seconds slower than Patrick Lemarie's best. "The whole experience was first-class," Busch said. "Team Rahal went above and beyond what I'm used to in terms of telling me what to expect from the car and Michel was very polite and very generous to let me drive his car today." Busch commented that the braking was beyond what he had ever experienced and that he didn't really trust the downforce, so given more time there were two areas for time to be gained, though he made it clear he had no intentions of switching in the near future.
"I am very proud to return to Champ Car racing at a time when the sport is in the midst of its most significant turnaround in history under the leadership of Chris Pook, " said Emerson Fittipaldi. "This time however, I will race as a team owner, in a partnership with James Dingman. I have known the Dingmans through James' father, Michael Dingman, for several years and I am confident that this partnership will be successful on and off the track."
The team plans to expand to a second car for 2004, while team partners Mi-Jack are still searching to make their own second car operational this season.
The new look Bridgestone presents Champ Car World Series powered by Ford, will kick off in two weeks on the streets of Saint Petersburg in Florida.
Teams Prepare At Test In The West
Tony Kanaan was fastest in his Andretti Green Racing Dallara-Honda, recording a lap speed of 176.783 miles per hour. The time would have been good enough for only eighth on the grid at the Phoenix round last year, with Helio Castroneves recording a pole lap average speed of 179.888 mph. The track was very green though, as the cars lost a lot of time with rain sweeping across the circuit.
Second fastest was the Chip Ganassi Racing GForce-Toyota of Scott Dixon, demonstrating there would be little difference between chassis and engines. Third fastest were the Team Penske Dallara-Toyotas of Gil de Ferran and Helio Castroneves. Fifth fastest was 1998 champion Kenny Brack aboard his Dallara-Honda.
The best of the Chevrolet powered cars though was only twelfth fastest, the Panther Racing Dallara-Chevrolet of defending series champion Sam Hornish Jr.
The series begins in three weeks at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Florida.
Rally
By the end of the third stage Gronholm was already asserting himself over four time champion Makinen with Richard Burns moving into third place. Those top three places would not alter for the rest of the rally. If the top three can be ignored, then a top rally ensued.
After an ignominious debut for the new WRC2003 Impreza in Monte Carlo, Sweden was a much improved effort. Tommi Makinen showed the tenacity he is justly famed for that seemed to be missing for much of last year. He was ably backed up by teammate Petter Solberg, who climbed up the order after being delayed on Friday with problems with the centre differential. Solberg was just three seconds short of fifth place after the end of the final stage.
The final point in the rally headed in Skoda's direction. Toni Gardemeister had a consistent rally, staying on the island on the first day when others spun or crashed. Didier Auriol though struggled. With little confidence in what the car was doing, Auriol finished the rally in 18th. The Hyundai team unforunately struggled. The cash strapped operation saw Freddy Loix claim tenth, Armin Schwarz 13th, and the third car driven here by Jussi Valimaki retire with transmission dramas while 14th in Stage 7.
Pos Driver/Co-driver Car
1. Marcus Gronholm/Timo Rautiainen Peugeot 206 WRC
2. Tommi Makinen/Kaj Lindstrom Subaru Impreza WRC2003
3. Richard Burns/Robert Reid Peugeot 206 WRC
4. Markko Martin/Michael Park Ford Focus WRC
5. Colin McRae/Derek Ringer Citroen Xsara WRC
6. Petter Solberg/Philip Mills Subaru Impreza WRC2003
7. Sebastien Loeb/Daniel Elena Citroen Xsara WRC
8. Toni Gardemeister/Paavo Lukander Skoda Octavia WRC
9. Carlos Sainz/Marc Marti Citroen Xsara WRC
10. Freddy Loix/Sven Smeets Hyundai Accent WRC
"The place where the rally is being held is a very long way away from anywhere, so it is difficult to envisage any scenario which would end up with any sort of action or fighting in the mountains and hills where they are having this event," said Mosley.
NASCAR
The starting order was determined by lottery, which saw veteran Geoff Bodine on the pole while two of the race favourites, Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr, would start 18th and 19th respectively. The race's format was different for 2003, being held at night for the first time, and the 70 lap distance being split into sections of 20 and 50 laps, with a 10 minute pit-stop in between the two parts.
By taking fuel only Mark Martin, Ken Schrader and Ricky Rudd now led the field, the field spread well apart by the differing strategies. As the laps counted down the field closed up, with Gordon retaking the lead from Martin down the backstretch on lap 36, as Busch and Earnhardt Jr also moved forward. A bump between two Fords in front of him allowed Earnhardt Jr to slip into third with 12 laps remaining as Gordon led Busch as the lead pack broke away for a few laps before the rest of the pack caught them up when Busch and Earnhardt Jr diced side by side for second place with 7 laps to go, Earnhardt Jr dropping back to fourth.
Pos Driver Car
1. Dale Earnhardt Jr Chevrolet Monte Carlo
2. Jeff Gordon Chevrolet Monte Carlo
3. Matt Kenseth Ford Taurus
4. Ryan Newman Dodge Intrepid
5. Ward Burton Dodge Intrepid
6. Ken Schrader Dodge Intrepid
7. Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet Monte Carlo
8. Ricky Rudd Ford Taurus
9. Kevin Harvick Chevrolet Monte Carlo
10. Ricky Craven Pontiac Grand Prix
Countdown To The Daytona 500
Chevrolets and in particular the DEI and Richard Childress Racing teams were fast in qualifying, Richard Childress Racing qualifying first, third and sixth with DEI taking second, fourth and 17th, though four time Winston Cup Champion Jeff Gordon was only 29th. Despite the recent rule changes the Pontiacs seem to still be struggling, with Ricky Craven best placed in 15th. Though in general the Dodges were quick, the Penske duo who have switched from Ford were not so fast, with Ryan Newman in 32nd and Rusty Wallace in 42nd.
Pos Driver Car
1. Jeff Green Chevrolet Monte Carlo
2. Dale Earnhardt Jr Chevrolet Monte Carlo
3. Robby Gordon Chevrolet Monte Carlo
4. Michael Waltrip Chevrolet Monte Carlo
5. Ricky Rudd Ford Taurus
6. Kevin Harvick Chevrolet Monte Carlo
7. Dale Jarrett Ford Taurus
8. Bobby Labonte Chevrolet Monte Carlo
9. Sterling Marlin Dodge Intrepid
10. Kyle Petty Dodge Intrepid
11. Jamie McMurray Dodge Intrepid
12. Bill Elliott Dodge Intrepid
13. Joe Nemechek Chevrolet Monte Carlo
14. Mark Martin Ford Taurus
15. Ricky Craven Pontiac Grand Prix
16. Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet Monte Carlo
17. Steve Park Chevrolet Monte Carlo
18. Jeremy Mayfield Dodge Intrepid
19. Ward Burton Dodge Intrepid
20. Elliott Sadler Ford Taurus
21. Greg Biffle Ford Taurus
22. Tony Raines Chevrolet Monte Carlo
23. Casey Mears Dodge Intrepid
24. Christian Fittipaldi Chevrolet Monte Carlo
25. Matt Kenseth Ford Taurus
26. Mike Wallace Dodge Intrepid
27. Kenny Wallace Dodge Intrepid
28. Jack Sprague Pontiac Grand Prix
29. Jeff Gordon Chevrolet Monte Carlo
30. Kurt Busch Ford Taurus
31. Johnny Benson Pontiac Grand Prix
32. Ryan Newman Dodge Intrepid
33. Larry Foyt Dodge Intrepid
34. Jerry Nadeau Pontiac Grand Prix
35. Jimmy Spencer Dodge Intrepid
36. John Andretti Dodge Intrepid
37. Terry Labonte Chevrolet Monte Carlo
38. Todd Bodine Ford Taurus
39. David Green Chevrolet Monte Carlo
40. Ken Schrader Dodge Intrepid
41. Brett Bodine Ford Taurus
42. Rusty Wallace Dodge Intrepid
43. Mike Skinner Pontiac Grand Prix
44. Dave Blaney Ford Taurus
45. Jeff Burton Ford Taurus
46. Hermie Sadler Pontiac Grand Prix
47. Derrike Cope Chevrolet Monte Carlo
48. Kirk Shelmerdine Ford Taurus
49. Mike Harmon Chevrolet Monte Carlo
50. Tony Stewart Chevrolet Monte Carlo
CART
As at the previous test at Laguna Seca, Newman-Haas Racing dominated proceedings with reigning Formula 3000 champion Sebastien Bourdais setting the quickest time of 50.584 seconds around the former airfield. Bruno Junqueira was second fastest with a time of 50.804.
Also present at Spring Training was Emerson Fittipaldi and the majority of his new team. Fittipaldi-Dingham Racing will run a Reynard from the workshops of Mi-Jack Conquest Racing for 26-year-old Portuguese driver Tiago Monteiro. Monteiro drove for the SuperNova squad in last years International Formula 3000 championship with a best finish of fifth at the Hockenheim.
IRL
The Indy Racing League is also nearing the end of their pre-season testing with an all-series testing session at Phoenix International Raceway in Arizona.
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Interview with Ralph Firman
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