Ford’s test in Sweden follows on from a four-day session on gravel roads in Portugal Ford World Rally Team technical director Christian Loriaux has described the squad’s five-day test in Sweden last week as “positive”. Drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala covered approximately 1250 kilometres in a development version of Ford’s all-new Fiesta RS World [...]
Flagworld.com >> News
Aggressive test schedule set ahead of 2011 LMPC debut After taking delivery of its new LMP Challenge cars, CORE autosport wasted no time in taking to the track. Team owner Jon Bennett took the wheel of the ORECA FLM09 during a private test session at Carolina Motorsports Park. Despite temperatures near freezing last week in [...]
Flagworld.com >> News
‘Hinch’ was happy to download his thoughts on his maiden IndyCar test
High winds and cold temperatures failed to stop Canada’s James Hinchcliffe enjoying his first outing in an IndyCar as the 24-year-old concluded two days of testing with the legendary Newman/Haas Racing outfit yesterday, Tuesday 14th December, at Sebring International Raceway, Florida.
Hinchcliffe, a three-time race winner and runner-up in the 2010 Firestone Indy Lights Series, reveled in the opportunity to test the Honda-Dallara-Firestone IndyCar package for the first time at the 1.65-mile permanent road course. Joined by veteran racer, Oriol Servia, the duo braved some unseasonal elements but successfully worked through their respective test programs for the Illinois-based team.
Setting a fastest time of 52.8 seconds from 81 laps recorded on Tuesday, ‘Hinch’ was happy to download his thoughts on his maiden IndyCar test:
Q: How was your first time flat-out in an IndyCar?
James Hinchcliffe (JH): “I’ll tell you, the biggest thing that impressed me in those first few laps was the engine. The increase in power from the lights car was significant, so the first time going flat-out was a bit of a wake up call. I had to remind myself, “Alright James, this isn’t a lights car, let’s get it together and figure this thing out!”
Q: Did the team have a ‘rookie’ program for you to follow and if so what did you concentrate on specifically?
JH: “Absolutely. My program was tailored to a rookie. Driver development rather than car development! The first day was really about acclimatizing myself with the car – the extra power, the downforce, the brakes – and getting used to some of the procedural stuff on the team side.
“For day two we worked more on setup changes that gave me a feel for how certain changes affect the car, all the while building a working relationship with the team. Ok, we may have had some fun and tried to go fast when we found some spare time!”
Q: Sebring seemed cold – did that have any impact on your time in the car?
JH: “It made my time in the car cold!!! I couldn’t feel my toes half of the time. Luckily it didn’t have any impact on how many miles we did, but certainly did on what time of day we ran and the performance of certain aspects of the car. They were definitely not the best conditions, but the team did a great job of making the best of it.
“To be honest, it wasn’t so bad for me, strapped into a nice warm racecar, but I feel for the mechanics and engineers who were working out in the freezing cold all day! True professionals!”
Q: Was your head buzzing on Monday night digesting your first day’s running?
JH: “Absolutely! I’d like to lie and say it was no big thing, but there was just so much to take in! Not only is it a new team, car, etc., the IndyCar has so much more telemetry to go through, and the analysis is a much bigger part of how they operate. It was a change, but I really enjoyed that side of it. The more info I can cram into my head the better!”
Q: You were running with the team alongside Oriol Servia – how much time did you spend with him and were you working together on anything?
JH: “Oriol and I sat together for every debrief and we were usually on track at the same time to make sure we were running in the same conditions. It was great for me because he is such an experienced guy that I could pull so much from him, especially on day one. By day two I was at a level where the team could evaluate a change with both drivers, so it was good for me to reach that point and be able to contribute to the team’s development plan.”
Q: Given that NHR’s reputation and pedigree goes before them – what was it like behind the wheel of one of their IndyCars and following in the tire tracks of some legendary names?
JH: “It was phenomenal. You know they are such a legendary outfit, and so professional, I was incredibly lucky to have gotten my first crack at the big cars with them. More so even than driving the car was going to their race shop. That’s when the history and pedigree of the team hits you like a Mack truck!”
Q: Testing is one thing, racing is another! How badly do you want to race an IndyCar now that you’ve tested one?
JH: “Every time you test a new car the first thought is, ‘ok, now let’s go racing!’. The big difference is normally if you move up from F2000 to Star Mazda, or Mazda to Indy Lights, you don’t know or haven’t heard of a lot of the people you are racing against. With this step, you know them all because you’ve been watching them on TV!
“It’s a little intimidating thinking of the possibility of sharing the track with guys like Franchitti, Power and Dixon. But at the end of the day it’s just another car and they are just another group of drivers you have to go out and race your hardest against.”
Q: “You’ve had a bunch of positive feedback since being announced for the test. Presumably only a full-time ride in the IndyCar Series will suffice now?
JH: “Certainly after testing with NHR and seeing the response from fans and colleagues and everyone, it would be really hard to swallow not being on the grid next year. Having said that there are still a lot of things that have to fall into place for that to happen. We are incredibly focused on achieving that goal and if anything seeing the support from so many people has just made me push that much harder to pull it off.”
For further information on Newman/Haas Racing please log on to: www.newman-haas.com
For further information on the 2011 IZOD IndyCar Series please log on to: www.indycar.com
source: hinchtown.com
The Jaguars will travel to Nashville to face the Titans once again. LP Field has been an unfriendly destination for Jacksonville as of late; since the Del Rio era started they have won there only twice (’05 & ‘07) and neither of those victories was with David Garrard as the signal caller. David is 0-3 in Tennessee as the Jaguars starting QB, so if you thought this was going to be an easy game, just because the Titans have major issues – think again!
Yeah, I know since Jeff Fisher’s team humiliated the Jaguars on Monday night, they have lost 4 games in a row. Injuries have ravaged the Titans in every area. They lost Vince Young for the season (and he is possibly done in Nashville). The atmosphere around the team is dysfunctional at best (Cortland Finnegan’s on the field behavior and the Young-Fisher battle) and to crown their horrible month, the Titans were just shutout in Houston against one of the weakest defense in the league. Rusty Smith’s underwhelming debut may share part of the blame, but Chris Johnson was held to just 5 rushing yards in 7 attempts. The team looks lost, frankly, and that is what scares me most about Sunday’s game.
Make the jump for more game analysis!
Because Jeff Fisher is the master of “How to bounce back from this situation?”. Jaguars fans could be having an eerie feeling of déjà vu, because the last time the Titans were shutout (0-59 against the Patriots in Week 6 of ’09, the Titans’ sixth consecutive loss to start the season), they snapped out of it and beat the Jaguars in Nashville 30 -13. Chris Johnson had a monster game (228 rushing yards and 2 TDs), Vince Young looked like a very efficient QB, and the Jaguars (other then Maurice Jones-Drew) looked horrible. So there is a legitimate reason why this game makes me worry.
It gets worse, because Kerry Collins will return as the starting QB of the Titans. Remember him? He ripped apart the Jaguars secondary on MNF. And back then, a WR named Randy Moss was not a member of the Titans. Moss and Nate Washington could be deadly weapons for the aging veteran. And there is a small chance that even Kenny Britt will play, although local sources reported on Friday that he is not expected to play. Add Bo Scaife and Chris Johnson to the mix and it makes sense the experts’ predictions for Tennessee to win this game make sense.
I’m not going to lie, this will be a very tough test for the Jaguars. David Garrard, despite taking 90% of the snaps at practice and throwing according to Dirk Koetter, will be playing hurt. And let’s not forget that the Titans defense is responsible for the concussion Garrard suffered in their first matchup this year! As I pointed out earlier, he has never won a game in Nashville. Here’s the good part – unlike the the first game, the Jags’ running game is red-hot. Vince Manuwai is playing like it’s 2007 all over again. Maurice Jones Drew is looking like a Pro Bowl caliber RB. And right now, they must be lickin’ their chops, because the Titans D-line is pretty banged up right now. We saw what the Jacksonville running game was capable of against the Giants’ defense – and I rated those guys a bit higher than the Titans run-stoppers. If Maurice is successful on the ground, the Titans will load the box, which is not a good idea, in my opinion. The Titans secondary may be the best in the AFC South right now, but if the Jaguars and Dirk Koetter are smart they can use them to their advantage. That starts with their ticking timebomb of a cornerback, Cortland Finnegan. The only reason he’s playing this week is because the league didn’t want to suspend Andre Johnson for the Texans’ primetime game against Philadelphia on Thursday. They will be watching Finnegan extremely closely on Sunday; I think Mike Thomas can handle him, and if he does, look out!
Now let’s discuss the Jaguars’ defense in this ball game. I think if they can limit or stop Chris Johnson (which they actually did on MNF for most of the game), they have a much better chance to win this game. I know Randy Moss can be a dangerous playmaker, but he looks like a complete stranger in this offense. He has only 4 catches and 49 yards with the Titans – in three games! I expect that he will make plays (especially if Britt doesn’t play), but I think the Jaguars can limit him. The real challenge I for the secondary will be limiting Nate Washington and Bo Scaife. Washington is the #1 WR since Britt got injured and Scaife is a solid TE and we all know the trouble the Jaguars have had with them.
So what will be the key for the Jaguars to win this game? It’s simple: repeat the first half performance of last week and build a double-digit difference for the half time and of course, not turn the ball over in the first play of the second half. Why is that the key to succeed? Because that’s what the Texans did and the Titans completely shut themselves down in the second half. Let’s not forget, they’re on a 4 game losing streak. I expect them them to play with the same desperation in the first half that the Giants brought last week (particularly in the second half). The first half will be another dogfight, but the injuries at the Titans D-line might give the Jaguars the ability to repeat last week’s offensive performance.
This is a big test for the head coach, as well. It is the first December game of 2010 and like it or not, his teams have been notorious for collapsing in this phase of the season. The Jaguars will hope to repeat their late-season success in 2007, which produced the strongest finish the Jaguars have had under Jack Del Rio. This game looks like the perfect trap game, which the Jaguars have fallen victim to time and time again under Del Rio. If he can guide them to a win, he not only boosts the Jaguars’ playoff chances, but takes a major step toward staying in Jacksonville. Meanwhile, another loss for the Titans may push owner Bud Adams to stick with Young instead of Fisher (which would be a dumb move; if I had to choose between the two, I would unquestionably stick with Fisher).
If the Jaguars win this game, the division title is comes down between them and the Colts. The Texans are out. If they lose for the 5th time in a row, it will be safe to count the Titans out too. And if you’ve seen the Colts recently, they are not in great shape either right now. With a win, the Jaguars can become the (only) hot team of the division, and can mark the calendar on December 19 as the game where the AFC South will be decided! I think the Jaguars cannot miss that opportunity. This is most definitely a “Must Win!” game for them. And I think in the end of a very hard fought game, the Jaguars will come back from Nashville with a win!
Prediction: Titans 23, Jaguars 24
Zoltan Paksa
(H-L photo/David Perry)
Herald-Leader photo gallery of UK fans visiting Pearl Harbor.
Big Blue Links:
Experience could mean sink or swim for Cats
“Obviously, Michigan State should win going away,” Calhoun said as a smiling (and wincing) Spartans Coach Tom Izzo sat nearby. “Tommy has one of the best teams I’ve seen in 20 or 30 years.” Calhoun did not mention experience – nor a favorite’s role – in a needling salute to Kentucky.
“John (Calipari) has got more talent than the Celtics,” the UConn coach said. “The rest of us scrap for the pieces.” (Jerry Tipton, Herald-Leader)
Kentucky to face Oklahoma today in Maui Invitational
The sky and the water are the brightest blue here in basketball paradise. The teams and coaches assembled for the Maui Invitational are first-rate, as usual. And yet University of Kentucky coach John Calipari sounded uncertain on Sunday whether his No. 12 Wildcats are in the right place at the right time. “If I’ve got a veteran team … this is a great tournament to go in,” Calipari said. “If you have a young team, it’s hard. I don’t know what we’ll look like. The hardest thing in this tournament is you’re going to learn, and does it knock you for a loop? We could be knocked for a loop.” (Brett Dawson, Courier-Journal)
Experience critical in challenging event
Kentucky comes in as arguably the youngest team (Oklahoma could give the Cats a run for their money in that area), which means Calipari is bound and determined to see what his inexperienced club can do under unique conditions. The Cats already survived a dangerous opener to the road trip, blowing out capable mid-major Portland on its home turf before jetting to the island. (Matt May, Cats Pause)
Dunlap leads No. 9 Cats past No. 12 Notre Dame 81-76
Maybe Kentucky just caught lightning in a bottle last season. Maybe it was all just a fluke. There were all sorts of conspiracy theories out there for how lowly Kentucky managed to advance to the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight for the first time ever. The players for ninth-ranked UK heard all of the pre-season questions and went a long way toward answering them Sunday with an 81-76 win over No. 12 Notre Dame at Memorial Coliseum. (Jennifer Smith, Lexington Herald-Leader)
(AP photo/Ed Reinke)
Ex-UK receiver Stevie Johnson has last laugh against Bengals
The Joker buffaloed Batman and Robin. Steve Johnson, the third-year receiver out of Kentucky, caught a career-high three touchdown passes Sunday to rally the Buffalo Bills over the Cincinnati Bengals, 49-31. All three of his scores came in Buffalo’s 35-0 second half. As if to add “POW! BAM!” to his first touchdown, Johnson lifted his jersey to reveal a message scrawled on his shirt: “Why so serious?” (Mark Maloney, Lexington Herald-Leader)
Ex-Lexington Catholic teammates stage tug-of-war at Memorial
Thing was, even though Novosel ended up with a career-high 21 points, Notre Dame never got closer. “I would rather have had zero points and won the game,” the former Lexington Catholic standout said afterward. Snowden scored 17. “But honestly,” said Notre Dame’s Hall of Fame coach Muffet McGraw, “I really thought that 4 won the game for them.” That No. 4 would be Snowden, herself a former Lexington Catholic standout. “I think UK won the game for UK,” said Snowden. (John Clay, Lexington Herald-Leader.)
Calipari’s concerns valid
If you think John Calipari is just blowing smoke when he talks about taking a young team into a tough spot like the Maui Invitational, just look at what happened this past week to North Carolina at one of those types of events. The Tar Heels suffered back-to-back upset losses to unranked teams in Minnesota and Vanderbilt. (Tom Leach)
John Calipari likes Maui now
Nobody travels like Kentucky.Blue is everywhere. Maui tournament officials wouldn’t release details of tickets sold by each team, etc., but Kentucky is the only team said to have sold out their packages. Tickets are purchased through schools, through the tournament and through outside agencies. Anyway, fans have a lot to do with teams coming here, which tournament chairman Dave Odom pointed out. And, no, Odom was never upset with Calipari’s comments. (Mike Anthony, Hartford Courant)
Maui Invitational loaded with talent again
Terrence Jones? He didn’t come up until someone asked, and even then the down-to-the-last-second recruiting duel wasn’t an issue. “Honestly, we could make a big deal out of it, but it’s just going to be a game where you have a lot of respect for their program,” Romar said as waves crashed about 50 yards away. “All the teams we have a chance to play here, all our guys are going to look forward to it.” (John Marshall, AP)
Cats’ Hoops fend off No. 12 Irish 81-76
A mid-November game had the atmosphere, environment and play of an NCAA tournament game as the No. 10 UK women’s basketball team held on to defeat No. 12 Notre Dame 81-76. Although UK (4-0) and Notre Dame (3-2) women’s basketball teams have never played each other before, the intensity surrounding the game made it seem like a bitter rivalry. Thanks to a hometown crowd of 6,794 and senior forward Victoria Dunlap the Cats ousted the Irish. (T.J. Walker, Kentucky Kernel)
What fluke? UK Hoops squash notion with statement win
Faced with an NCAA Tournament-like atmosphere in front of a near-packed house of 6,794 fans at Memorial Coliseum, the No. 9/10 Kentucky women’s basketball team made a pretty significant statement to the rest of college basketball with an 81-76 win over No. 12 Notre Dame: Last season was no fluke. And this year’s team, still very much a work in progress, could be just as good, if not better, than last year’s team by season’s end. (Eric Lindsey, Cat Scratches)
UConn’s Jim Calhoun favors Michigan State in Maui
Of the eight teams in the field, the No. 2 Spartans (2-0) have the strongest mix of experience and talent. While other coaches said the tournament would be a learning experience for their newcomers, Izzo was able to discuss seasoned players like senior guards Kalin Lucas and Durrell Summers, and junior forward Draymond Green. “Does anyone have any veteran players here?” Kentucky coach John Calipari jokingly asked the group. Izzo smiled slyly and raised his hand. (Shannon Shelton Miller, Detroit Free Press)
Michigan State the talk of the town at Maui Invitational
Led by all-Big Ten point guard Kalin Lucas, senior Durrell Summers and junior forward Draymond Green, Michigan State returns three starters and nine lettermen from the team that posted a 28-9 record last season and made its second consecutive trip to the Final Four. “I think experience does help,” Izzo said. “We’ve had four or five guys who have had Final Four experience, so they know what the big stage is like and playing in front of 75,000 people. And this is a big stage.” (Percy Allen, Seattle Times)
The New York Jets will have their best defender, cornerback Darrelle Revis, back at full strength for their match-up with the Green Bay Packers, this Sunday — something that isn’t good news for the team’s passing attack. The Jets are coming off a bye and Revis says he’s 100 percent for the first time since [...]