"Hello from the 'Action Track'"

Here at Richmond International Raceway for the weekend festivities, we found out some things about the purported FOTA 2010 schedule--a source at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway says that officials at the Speedway were never contacted by the FOTA powers that be about that schedule. Where I come from, that meant the "schedule" was simply a rumor. Reporting that as a fact--and not a rumor-- was not fair to readers of the internet sites who ran with that as "gospel"--and especially to American fans of Formula One, who would like to see a return of Grand Prix style racing to the Brickyard--which is the only venue in the US that has the proper infrastructure to run such an event as they are presently run. Such reporting raised a false hope that F1 could come "back home again in Indiana". That was similarly unfair to Canadian fans of F1 who would like to see a return to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

Today's action at Richmond includes practice and qualifying for the IndyCars and a USAC Silver Crown race. We'll of course blog from IndyCar qualifying, and with any tidbits that may be uncovered.

"Race-Talk Extra: FOTA Says it'll run its own F1 series in 2010"

Just read the words from FOTA, the Formula One Teams Association, which said, in essence, that it would begin plans for its own F1 style series in 2010. Teams like Ferrari, McLaren, Brawn, Toyota, BMW, etc.--the major players in today's FIA F1 series--would contest the events. No word on where they'd run, or if they'd consider coming back to venues in North America. No word if this series would consider returning to venues in Europe that Bernie Ecclestone of Formula One Administration (commercial rights holder) has abandoned. The cars would likely resemble those running at Silverstone this weekend.

A pretty brave statement by FOTA, given the economic downturn world wide.

I'm wondering whether this is an even higher stakes game of chicken, where the marinade is like that for chicken wings--hot, very hot and suicidal.

Update on Friday June 19, at 2:30 EDT--Ferrari and the FIA will likely meet in court over all of this...the FIA (Max Mosely's operation) is taking action against Ferrari because of its work in setting up the Formula One Teams Association (FOTA). If Brawn and Jenson Button all but run the table at the British GP, and the rest of the season--the most interesting stuff in F1 land will be the court battles. I am not sure you'd see News of the World getting ready to hammer ol' Max after the Nazi debacle a couple of years ago..but I'm sure the teams and their principals are brushing up on the Machiavellian theory and practice.