Sunday

INDYCAR IN WISCONSIN

SCOTT DIXON

Scott Dixon took a chance on Lap 201 of this 225 lap race, when he dared go three-wide to slip past leader Ryan Briscoe, who was stuck in lapped traffic. Dixon zipped by and cruised to the win, earning his second IndyCar Series victory of the year and jumping to first in the overall points.

RYAN BRISCOE

Ryan Briscoe who was last year’s winner of this race and the polesitter of this race ended up in 2nd after leading for many laps.

DARIO FRANCHITTI

Dario Franchitti came into this race as the points leader, but ended up in third spot and also third in the race. He is still always the winner….married to Ashley Judd.

FROM THE 60'S....FOR SALE

1963 BUICK RIVIERA....www.countryclassiccars.com

1968 MUSTANG....www.billsclassiccars.com

1962 CORVETTE....www.proteamcorvette.com

1962 ALFA ROMEO 2000....www.gullwingmotorcars.com

1969 DOODGE CHARGER...www.brockersbeautys.com

INDIANAOPLIS 500

THE WINNER: HELIO CASTRONEVES

With all the pomp of the Indy 500, military flyovers, God, country, motherhood and apple pie, Castroneves (fresh from his April scare with the IRS) was able to pull a win. Driving for midas-touch Roger Penske he was able to join the club of drivers that have won at the Indy three times. He is a happy camper.

SECOND PLACE: DAN WELDON

A former winner and driving for a brand new team (for him, that is) he should be thrilled to be in second place. Second and third place at the '500' always feel like they are "also rans" and nothing could be further from the truth this year.

THIRD PLACE: DANICA PATRICK

Danica, the hearttrob of the Indy Series, had a very strong finish and became the first woman to finish that high in the field. She knocked race fans out in 2005, her Rookie year, when she finished fourth. The are rumors running abound about her switching to NASCAR or Formula One next year. In fact, there are rumors that there will be two women in Formula One. She could do if she could put up with the F1 big boys club. Of course, NASCAR has one too. I would like to see her spice up Formula One.

THE DANCE CARD LINEUP IN NEW YORK

FORMULA ONE IN MONACO


At Formula One's most colorful race, Grand Prix of Monaco, the Brawn GP team did it again. With Button on top again and his team mate, Reubens Barrichello, following in second. Chasing up third was Kimi Raikkonen in his Ferrari.

I say most colorful because it runs through the city of Monte Carlo with the sea as a beautiful backdrop. Problem nowdays is that the track (city streets) was always narrow and with the width of todays racecar it is hard to pass. You have to have brass balls to do it.

What I want to know is where did they get that hat for Raikkonen? It is like making your office chair higher than everyone else. He should lodge a complaint.

Wednesday

INDIANA ON THE 28TH

1937 PACKARD

1970 DODGE

AUBURN SPRING 2009 COLLECTOR CAR AUCTION
by Kruse International
Kruse Auction Park
Auburn, Indiana

www.kruse.com

1-800-968-4444

1972 CHEVY CHEVELLE

1993 CHEVY LUMINA NASCAR RACE CAR

MOTOR ART....ALFREDO DE LA MARIA


Alfredo De La Maria

www.delamaria.com

+54 11 4805 9375

ENGLAND ON THE 24TH

1963 356C
1966 906

EXCELLENCE OF PORSCHE
by Coys
Brands Hatch Race Course
United Kingdom

www.coys.co.uk

+44 208 614 7888

1987 KENWOOD 962

1989 930

Tuesday

CALIFORNIA ON THE 22ND

1930 FRANKLIN 145

1933 CHRYSLER

THE PASO ROBLES CLASSIC
by Kruse International
River Oaks Hot Springs
800 Clubhouse Drive
Paso Robles, California

www.kruse.com

1-800-968-4444

1947 BUICK

1948 FORD

JACKIE PRETORIUS 1934 - 2009

I try to watch for such things, but I totally missed this which happened shortly after I returned from China/Mongolia. It was only recently brought to my attention. I remember these guys from South Africa because in my youth some sports car magazine included them in their coverage. This tribute below was written by Peter Burroughes.

Jackie Pretorius, one of the most colourful characters in the long and distinguished history of South African motor racing, died in Sunninghill Hospital in Johannesburg Monday morning 30 March. He was 74. He didn’t recover from severe injuries he sustained in a savage assault by intruders at his home in Glen Austin three weeks ago.

Several years ago he and his wife Shirley were viciously attacked by intruders in the same house and his wife subsequently died as a result of her injuries. He leaves a niece, Christine. Funeral arrangements are still to be announced.

Pretorius first came to prominence in 1964 when he drove Doug Serrurier’s LDS Alfa Mk 1 in the national Formula One championship, finishing fifth and sixth in the Republic Day Trophy at Kyalami and the Border 100 in East London. He unsuccessfully tried to qualify the car for the 1965 world championship South African Grand Prix in East London. The following year he finished ninth in the non-championship event in a Lotus Climax.

He competed in the national F1/F5000 championship in a Walls ice cream-backed F5000 Lola Ford, recording one of many memorable wins in a rain-soaked False Bay 100 at Killarney in Cape Town in August 1968, beating the F1 Repco Brabhams of Dave Charlton and Sam Tingle

He graduated to a Brabham Climax BT11, which he drove in the 1968 SA GP under the Team Pretoria banner. He enjoyed his best F1 year in 1971 at the wheel of a Team Gunston Brabham BT26A, in which he competed in the SA GP and at the wheel of which he won rounds of the national F1/F5000 championship at Killarney in Cape Town and Pietermaritzburg’s Roy Hesketh circuits.

In 1973 he was invited by Frank Williams to stand in for the injured Nani Galli in a Williams Iso-Marlboro FX3B in the SA GP. He was forced to retire with overheating problems.

He also drove 2-litre and 5-litre sports cars with his great friend Doug Serrurier and together they won the 1967 Pietermaritzburg Three Hour race in a Lola. He also enjoyed success with overseas drivers Barry Smith and Guy Edwards in the Three Hour at Roy Hesketh.

Renowned for his good humour and his ability to enjoy a good party, he worked for 34 years for Wynn Oil, a staunch supporter of motor racing when Pretorius was at the height of his career.

Ernest Hemingway once wrote, “There are only three sports: motor racing, bullfighting and mountaineering … all the rest are merely games”. Pretorius, like Hemingway, lived his life to the full and would have agreed, although he might have harboured some doubts about the other two sports.

Friday

MONACO ON THE 18TH

1959 MGA

1959 MORGAN

LEGENDE ET PASSION
by Coys
Espace Fontvieille
Monaco

www.coys.co.uk

+44 208 614 7888

1962 ALFA ROMEO

ABARTH 1000

MONACO ON THE 18TH

1937 MG TA

1938 BMW 328

SPORTS, COMPETITION AND COLLECTOR'S MOTOR CARS
by Barons Auctions
Musee Automogile de la Collection
Le Prince de Monaco

www.bonhams.com

+33 (0) 42 61 10 11

1961 JAGUAR

1963 PORSCHE 356

ITALY ON THE 17TH


FERRARI LEGGENDA E PASSIONE
by RM Auctions snd Sotheby's
Ferrari Factory
Maranello, Italy

www.rmauctions.com

+44 (0) 20 7293 6336

FRANCE ON THE 17TH


CLASSIC CAR AUCTION
by Stanislas Machoir Auction House
Chateau de Lasserre
Montastruc La Conseilliere, France

www.stanislasmachoir.com

+33 (0)5 34 26 14 48

FRANCE ON THE 17TH

1950 VINCENT BLACK LIGHTNING

1972 TRIUMPH T100 DAYTONA


CLASSIC MOTORBIKES
by AVE
Hôtel des Ventes de Rueil
Malmaison 2 boulevard du Général de Gaulle
Rueil-Malmaison, France

www.ave.fr

+33 1 47 49 36 26

1981 HONDA CB450

1985 SUZUKI

Wednesday

IT WILL BE A SAD DAY

RENAULT STATEMENT

13 MAY - The decision of the Federation International de l’Automobile (FIA) to introduce two sets of Formula One technical regulations for the 2010 Formula One season has caused the Renault Group to reconsider its entry in next year’s FIA Formula One World Championship.

There is frustration that FOTA’s constructive proposals, including major cost saving measures to be adopted progressively between 2009 and 2012, which were carefully constructed by FOTA members, have been completely ignored without any form of consultation by the FIA with the teams.

It should be stressed that FOTA has set the same, if not lower, financial objective as the FIA, but Renault strongly believes that this must be introduced through a different procedure agreed by all parties.

Renault also believes that it is paramount that the governance of the sport is coordinated with a spirit of consultation with all parties (FIA, FOM, FOTA) in order to achieve a better balance between the costs and the revenues. Renault is also of the firm view that all entrants in the World Championship must adhere to and operate under the same regulations.

President of the ING Renault F1 Team, Bernard Rey, commented: “Renault has always considered Formula One as the pinnacle of motor sport and the perfect stage to demonstrate technical excellence. We remain committed to the sport, however we cannot be involved in a championship operating with different sets of rules, and if such rules are put into effect, we will be forced to pull out at the end of this season.”

ING Renault F1 Team Managing Director, Flavio Briatore, commented: “Our aim is to reduce costs while maintaining the high standards that make Formula One one of the most prestigious brands on the market. We want to achieve this in a coordinated manner with the regulatory and commercial bodies, and we refuse to accept unilateral governance handed out by the FIA. If the decisions announced by the World Council on the 29th of April 2009 are not revised, we have no choice but to withdraw from the FIA Formula One World Championship at the end of 2009.”

FERRARI STATEMENT

12 MAY - Ferrari’s Board of Directors, chaired by Luca di Montezemolo, today analysed the first quarter results for 2009. Despite the current international economic climate, which has hit the automotive sector in particular, Ferrari’s figures were in line with the record levels reached in 2008. Turnover for the first three months was 441 million euro compared to 455.7 million euro over the same period in 2008. The first quarter closed with a trading profit of 54 million euro compared to last year’s 59 million euro.

These results reflect the introduction of new models, in particular the success of the Ferrari California and the Scuderia Spider 16M, the constant growth in activities linked to the brand (e-commerce, licensing, merchandising and retail) and the company’s continuing efforts to maximise efficiency.

The Board of Directors also examined developments related to recent decisions taken by the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile during an extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council on 29 April 2009. Although this meeting was originally called only to examine a disciplinary matter, the decisions taken mean that, for the first time ever in Formula One, the 2010 season will see the introduction of two different sets of regulations based on arbitrary technical rules and economic parameters.

The Board considers that if this is the regulatory framework for Formula One in the future, then the reasons underlying Ferrari’s uninterrupted participation in the World Championship over the last 60 years - the only constructor to have taken part ever since its inception in 1950 - would come to a close.

The Board also expressed its disappointment about the methods adopted by the FIA in taking decisions of such a serious nature and its refusal to effectively reach an understanding with constructors and teams. The rules of governance that have contributed to the development of Formula One over the last 25 years have been disregarded, as have the binding contractual obligations between Ferrari and the FIA itself regarding the stability of the regulations. The same rules for all teams, stability of regulations, the continuity of the FOTA’s endeavours to methodically and progressively reduce costs, and governance of Formula One are the priorities for the future. If these indispensable principles are not respected and if the regulations adopted for 2010 will not change, then Ferrari does not intend to enter its cars in the next Formula One World Championship.

Ferrari trusts that its many fans worldwide will understand that this difficult decision is coherent with the Scuderia’s approach to motor sport and to Formula One in particular, always seeking to promote its sporting and technical values. The Chairman of the Board of Directors was mandated to evaluate the most suitable ways and methods to protect the company’s interests.

Tuesday

INDIANA ON THE 13TH

1935 FORD

1938 INDY BLUE CROWN SPECIAL

1940 BUICK

1940 PLYMOUTH

1947 ALLARD

1950 MERCURY

MECUM'S ORIGINAL SPRING CLASSIC AUCTION
by Mecum
Indiana State Fairgrounds
1202 E. 38th Street
Indianapolis, Indiana

www.mecum.com

1-815-568-8888

1952 CHEVY

1953 DODGE

1954 STUDEBAKER

1956 THUNDERBIRD

1957 NASH METRO

1965 SHELBY COBRA