Recent racing notes

The Announcement came on July 20, 2017. Alex Bowman will drive the #88 Hendrick Chevrolet in the Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series. Congrats on the hot new ride!

Daniel Ricciardo, the fiery Australian Red Bull Racing teammate of Max Verstappen wasn't satisfied with the status quo. What status quo was that? The one in which Verstappen was the dominant driver on the team challenging Ferrari for points. After Monza this weekend, Daniel is fourth in points after Hamilton, Vettle and Bottas but is only 6 points ahead of The Iceman, Kimi Raikkonen.

You could say Daniel is on the hotseat. 

Ed Carpenter Racing has had a mixed year and as many teams this year, took a punch in the gut with the damage from the race in Texas. When asked who he's going to have driving his car next year he said, "Me."

The defending Formula 1 Double world champion Lewis Hamilton, driving a Mercedes factory car, has just taken the lead in the driver's world series points with his win at Monza, Italy this past weekend, it would be his fourth championship. His closest rival, Sebastian Vettle, now in a Ferrari, is pursuing his fifth title. 

Alexander Rossi,shown here winning at Watkins Glen, has been impressing his Andretti Autosport comrades for years. That's because this is his second year and the admiration continues. Why not? First, in improbable Indy 500 win due to fuel strategy, but also a strong follow up in the following season and this year. Rossi is a strong front runner in the AA stable which include champion Ryan Hunter Reay and veteran driver Takuma Sato. 

Back in the day at the local Brazilian karting track, a young Tony Kanaan waves during introductions. He and his pal, Helio Castroneves came from the same community of young karting stars to become Indy Car stars of today. Tony seems to be set to drive for Texas-based A.J. Foyt racing in the upcoming Indy Car season after racing only several years for Chip Ganassi. 

Circa 1995, Sprint karting at GCKI outside Katy, Texas. I was a privateer pitting alongside a team consisting of an owner (Colin), an engine builder (Frank) and a driver (Mike) who sold me my kart. Being alongside their operation was a godsend and I had fun and benefitted greatly. Several years later I would win a regional IKF points championship with Frank road racing. 

Sharing a pit area with Colin Walker (Swift) and Frank Newsom (PPK), I gathered a LOT of basic info. Frank also prepared my engines and I did stick a few. It's a light touch and a science to adjusting the jetting on the kt100 Yamaha motor while racing. I gained a lot of experience racing in Katy those several spring and summer seasons. 

-katykarter, ole'!