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MSR-Houston gets praise from many
Houston Sports Car News- April 2006
Feature story
First place- 2007 Press Women of Texas Annual Contest
Second place- 2007 National Federation of Press Women Annual Contest
Nestled on 381 acres off Highway 288 in South Houston, MSR Houston is the newest track in the southwest. The 2.38-mile, 17-turn Mercedes Benz of Sugar Land Road Course is also the next stop on the Sports Car Club of America Southwest Division Club Racing schedule.
During the month of March, two Champ Car teams, Forsythe Racing and Rocketsports Racing, came down to the track for two separate testing sessions. The total of four days, two with Forsythe Racing drivers Paul Tracy and Mario Dominguez and two with Rocketsports Racing drivers Antonio Pizzonia and Enrique Bernoldi, were productive for all drivers.
“This is one of the most fun tracks I’ve ever driven,” Paul said. “It has one of the quickest road course corners I’ve ever driven and a great place to test everything from shocks to aero.”
Bernoldi added that the track was both interesting and demanding, both great qualities for a test track.
Many involved in the inner circles of Champ Car are hoping for MSR to be the new primary winter testing location. Phil Howard, Team Manager of Rocketsports Racing, is one of those advocating the track.
“It’s a good track with a combination of high and low speed turns,” Howard said. “Texas has good weather and the location to pretty good too.”
With all the praise coming from the professionals, it will soon be time for the club racers to give their input. Easter weekend, April 15-16, marks the date the Sports Car Club of America visits the track for their “Attack of the Virgin Asphalt” Regional/National event.
Al Mitchell, General Manager and Houston Region member, was a forerunner in the development of MSR.
“The southwest has always been short a good road racing track,” Mitchell said. “The idea for a member track started popping up, so about three and half years ago we started looking into investors.”
With the help of Jerry Massengale, Director of Track Operations, a track was designed to incorporate the best of the best aspects of different road courses.
“Jerry ultimately designed the track,” Mitchell said. “We wanted to incorporate as much diversity as possible because of the lack of elevation in South Houston.”
That meant including enough off and on camber turns as well as high and low speed turns.
“It’s very much a driver’s track.” Mitchell continued. ”You must get the rhythm of the track or else you will be fighting it all day.”
In constructing the track, a few bumps in the road caused for some revision of the original track configuration. Turns 16 and 17 did not evolve as planned.
“Turn 17 is actually faster than I originally designed,” Massengale said. “With that, we had to rethink the entrance to pit lane. Our first concern is safety and with the line of turn 17 being wider than planned, we installed a new pit lane entrance to alleviate the problem.”
Massengale said he doesn’t have a favorite part, that the entire track works together to blend into one cohesive racing course.
“It goes from high speed to technical back to high speed,” Massengale said. “You never really get bound up. Unlike other road courses, there isn’t a section I dread to drive. Each turn and section has its positive features.”
“We made even the easy turns challenging,” Massengale continued. ”We used camber to increase the difficulty as well as the fun. It’s (the camber) the only real elevation to the track.”
The track opened its gates to the public in December 2005, but Mitchell already has big plans for the future.
“We are going to start constructing Formula One-style garages behind pit lane,” Mitchell said. “They will be 10 feet tall with glass garage doors on both sides allowing easy access to both the paddock and the pits. The top will be flat with awnings on top allowing for a prime observation deck.”
Twenty to twenty-five garages will be built in the coming months as well as a video system installed in the timing and scoring and race control buildings. The video system will allow for race officials to be monitoring all parts of the track at all times. A lighting system will also be installed on the starters stand to allow for quick communication with the drivers on track
As for the distant future, Mitchell hopes that the track could eventually be used for professional events.
“We could place grandstands in six to eight locations that still allowed spectators a view of 75 percent of the track,” Mitchell said. “That’s highly unusual for a road course event. With all the acreage out front, there would be plenty of space for parking and the close proximity to Hwy. 288 would make it very accessible for both teams and spectators.”
For now, drivers can look forward to a highly praised new track to add diversity to the SOWDIV Club racing schedule. For more information on the track, check out www.msrhouston.com. To register for the “Attack of the Virgin Asphalt” Regional/National, check out www.houscca.com.
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Negative stereotypes - racing fanatic vents over favorite sport
The Pine Log- 9/21/06
Opinion column
Honorable Mention Sports Column- Texas Intercollegiate Press Association
I am the sports editor because, well, I love sports. Not all sports, just some, as I'm sure yall are the same way. The ones that I am more passionate about, I tend to let everyone and anyone within earshot know what's going on. If you know me, you know I have a small obsession with auto racing, motorsports and driving fast on a closed circuit for any length of time. Yes, I am a girl and I like racing, but it's much more than that.
Let me start by establishing something. I am not just a racing fan; it's practically my life.
If it's not school, it's racing. I don't just watch it, I photograph it, write about and I race myself. I hopefully plan to spend my career in the motorsports journalism industry too.
I am sick and tired of the stereotypes that surround this amazing sport. I have been a licensed racecar driver with the Sports Car Club of America for the past three years, so I have a different perspective when it comes to racing. I can laugh at those who think NASCAR is easy and question why people are so hung up on Danica Patrick.
If you think NASCAR drivers drive around in circles, you are one of those I laugh at. I don't mean to hurt your feelings, but it's not that easy. Have you ever hydroplaned in the rain? Okay, now try that at 180+ mph while you are going though a 20-degree banked turn with cars inches away. And that's if your car is handling properly, which rarely happens.
If you can handle that, then I will stop laughing, but I doubt many of you could. Oh, I forgot to mention that you have to do that for roughly 250 laps. And then there are pit stops, crashes and such. Check out an in-car camera of a driver sometime and I think you might change your opinion.
When I tell people I race, one of their first questions is usually, "Do you like Danica?" If someone gave me a dollar for every time I was asked that question, I could buy an iPod shuffle. But to answer the question, NO.
I never have and probably never will like Danica. Why? Most men only like her because she's hot. Yeah, great reason to like a racecar driver.
I'm the type of person who gets to know a driver's talents before I make a decision about him or her. In Danica's case, she has nothing to back her talents up, or at least nothing that has really impressed me.
Ok, so she led a few laps at Indy. That doesn't mean she can walk on water now. That year, 2004, I had someone ask me how I felt about a woman winning the Indy 500. I just about strangled the kid and set him straight - she didn't and Dan Wheldon did. Just in case you didn't know either.
Other drivers in the Indy Racing League, who have actually won races and championships, have been practically ignored because of Danica. Her teammates even wore shirts after Indy that said, "Danica's Teammate" and "Danica's Other Teammate." Dan had to wear a shirt that said, "I actually won the Indy 500."
If she had some real talent, she wouldn't have to get ahead by posing half naked in Maxim either. Like I said, guys think she's great, but I'm beginning to understand why: sex sells.
People have asked me why I don't support a fellow female driver. I have one response for them: I will support any female driver who doesn't use her sex appeal to further her career.
Take Katherine Legge for example. I doubt anyone has heard of her. Why? Because she's actually won a race. It's sad, she's the first woman to win a professional open-wheel race, and no one knows who she is. Katherine used her talents and skills to move up through the ranks in the ChampCar series. I am a huge fan of Katherine and all that she has accomplished because she raced for it.
Danica has established an image for herself, one that isn't based on her talents. Using that image, she got a ride with one of the top teams in the IRL. Instead of hiring a driver with racing talent, they choose to get the marketing talent.
No doubt, Danica can bring fans to a race, but now comes the test. Since she is with a winning team can she perform to the standards of every other IRL driver? Everyone says she can race, but until she seriously fights for a win at the end of a race, I'm going to continue to be skeptical.
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A different kind of Sunday drive
The Pine Log- 4/16/07
Sports feature story
While most college students spend weekends partying and kicking back, Reed Sorenson is working hard.
The 21-year-old Georgia native is one of the youngest drivers in NASCAR, and he is currently in his second year of Nextel Cup Series and third year of Busch Series competition.
While in high school, Sorenson thought about going to college, but he hoped he would be racing instead.
Having climbed the racing ranks since the age of 6, Sorenson found himself running the American Speed Association in 2003 where he won rookie-of-the-year-honors.
He caught the eye of Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates who signed Sorenson to a driver development deal shortly after he started his senior year of high school.
He moved to Concord, N.C., after graduation to be closer to the team’s shop located in the same town outside of Charlotte.
By 2005, Sorenson was racing full-time in the Busch Series, and college was a thought of the past.
“I went to the University of North Carolina-Charlotte majoring in motorsports engineering for a semester, but I was running in the Busch Series and I didn’t have any time to do (schoolwork),” he said.
Trading textbooks for rulebooks, Sorenson made the grades finishing fourth in points at the end of the season with two wins.
Despite his age, he is not intimidated by other, more seasoned drivers.
“I don’t think I’m really at a disadvantage,” he said. “There are a wide range of ages in Nextel Cup series, both young and old. I think you need both the older veterans to set the ways, and then you need the younger guys to bring new things along.”
“Everybody, young or old, has been racing for a long time, so it’s just about gaining experience in these cars and at these tracks,” he continued. “You get that the more weekends you race.”
Combined, the Nextel Cup and Busch Series’ race 40 weekends a year. Throw in testing and that leaves little time to relax.
“Testing is a pretty jammed up week,” Sorenson said. “You have about a day, Monday, to rest then you’re back at the track Tuesday and/or Wednesday then you go to the next race on Thursday (and stay until Sunday).”
On weeks without testing, things slow down a little.
“If you’re not testing, you have Monday through Wednesday off, unless you have some kind of media adventure,” he continued. “It just kind of varies from week to week. You might have three weeks where you’re gone the entire time and then you have three weeks when you (have a break).”
On the off days, Sorenson goes to the shop where the team has all day meetings on Tuesdays.
“I do most of the stuff other people do on the weekends when their not working,” he said. “I hang out at the house, do laundry, take care of my two dogs, stuff like that. When it gets warmer, we all go hang out on the lake.”
Even with the unconventional lifestyle, Sorenson doesn’t feel he is missing out on anything.
“I love what I’m doing and I still hang out with my friends as much as I can,” he said. “And I’m getting paid to do what I love to do, so I can’t see how it could get any better.”
The NASCAR Nextel Cup and Busch Series’ made its bi-annual trip to Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth this past weekend.
Thursday’s Busch practice and qualifying took place in fair conditions with Sorenson qualifying 36th. Friday’s Nextel Cup practice saw rain turn in to severe storms that canceled qualifying, thus setting the starting grid by owners’ points putting Sorenson 25th on the grid.
Saturday, Sorenson finished 35th after getting caught up in a midrace crash during the Busch Series O’Reilly’s 300. He had a strong race going, running comfortably in the top-10 before getting caught up in a multi-car wreck on the front stretch.
In Saturday’s final Nextel Cup practice session, Sorenson was second fastest on the charts, but had engine failure during Sunday’s race.
He finished 40th even though he spent a lot of time in the top-10.
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Driving to Success
Houston Sports Car News- 2008 Grand Prix of Houston Edition
Sports feature story
Graham Rahal is one of eight rookies racing in the Champ Car World Series this year.
He is the driver of the No. 2 Medi Zone Newman Haas Lanigan machine and has turned quite a few heads so far this season.
The biggest hurdle he’s had to overcome so far this season was the race in Las Vegas in which he crashed on the opening lap.
“Certainly the first race in Vegas was a big one this season,” he said. “That was a tough weekend for us.”
“We had to move on from there and just two races later I got a podium finish, and I think that says a lot,” he continued.
At this year’s Champ Car Grand Prix of Houston, Rahal drove his way to a second place finish, the best of the season thus far, behind teammate and defending race champion Sebastian Bourdais.
Heading into the weekend, Rahal felt his team would be competitive.
“We had a good car all weekend and our goal was a podium finish,” Rahal said. “We knew it was going to be tough to beat Sebastian because he had a better car, but we certainly came close and I’m happy about that.”
“Overall it was a good weekend,” he continued. “I drove a solid race and I feel I made very few mistakes.”
Looking ahead to the rest of the season, Rahal hopes to continue to be competitive.
“I want to win a race this year and there’s no reason we can’t,” he said. “So that’s definitely a goal I’ve set for myself and will shoot for.”
He wants to win the championship in the next several years and hopefully make it to Formula 1 someday.
“We’ve got to take some time and see where things lead us, but that’s definitely a goal,” he continued.
On the road to winning, Rahal hopes to improve on his qualifying.
“Trying to get the fastest lap out of the car has always been something I lack,” he said.
Learning a new track is something that he seems to have down though.
“Doing track walks are some of the most important things in learning a new track,” he said. “It helps to just spend a little extra time to focus on the track and figure it out.”
Since he’s been a kid, Rahal knew he wanted to race. With a professional racecar driving father, it was no surprise when he started racing go-karts at age 10.
"It was different growing up in a situation like that (with a famous father),” he said. “Once I started racing, I was just like everybody else though.”
Throughout his career his father has naturally been the biggest influence.
“Dad has obviously been a huge influence on me,” he said. “There have been many others, but Dad has been the biggest.”
Despite having a famous father, Rahal feels that times have change.
“A lot of people say there’s pressure to do the same (as he’s done), but I think it’s a different time now, and you just have to approach it differently,” he said. “I mean there’s pressure to do well, but it’s the pressure that I put on myself.”
The pressure doesn’t seem to be getting to him though. The challenge of balancing both his career and high school, ended in June when he graduation.
“Before graduation, racing and school kept me pretty busy and left no time for much else,” he said.
In the coming weeks, Rahal will be heading to San Jose, Elkhart Lake and Belgium, still in search of his first win of the season and looking to add his name to the record books.
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