People, Places & Racing News

NEWS NUGGETS

CANCELLED: Few were surprised when the Grand Prix of Houston, scheduled April 25–27 was officially canceled. The event was on the Champ Car World Series schedule but was not picked up when Champ Car was dissolved into the Indy Racing League. Promoters of the street race around Reliant Park hope the event will return in 2009 with an IRL sanction. The cancellation also leaves the American Le Mans Series with one less race this season.

Speedway Motors founder and owner “Speedy” Bill Smith was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from Darryl Starbird’s National Rod & Custom Car Hall of Fame Museum. He joins pioneers such as Robert Petersen and George Barris in receiving the award.

Twelve years ago, American open-wheel racing splintered into two camps: the existing Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) series, founded on road course racing, and the upstart, oval-focused Indy Racing League (IRL). Drivers and teams chose one or the other, and with NASCAR’s by-then dominance of American motorsports, fewer and fewer fans found it hard to care about open-wheel racing.

NEWS NUGGETS

Filler for eNews

UNITED: Late last week officials from the Indy Racing League and Champ Car World Series reached an agreement to merge the Champ Car Series into the IRL effective immediately. It will be a difficult transition, with Champ Car teams making the change to IRL cars in time for the season opener at Homestead-Miami Speedway. A press conference to discuss the many details of the arrangement is scheduled during testing at Homestead-Miami Speedway later this week. The deal marks the end of a 13-year split which divided open-wheel racing and its fans.

The Visteon board of directors elected Steve Hamp to join the board, effective March 1. Hamp previously served on the company's board from January 2001-2005. Hamp has been the principal of Hamp Advisors LLC since March 2007. Previously, he was the vice president and chief of staff for Ford Motor Co. from November 2005 through October 2006.     

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