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Want to Feel Better about IndyCar? Listen to Trackside.

I fired up the replay of Trackside with Cavin and Kevin and, dude, you gotta listen to John Lewis, the IRL VP of Marketing & League Development. Um, OK, where has the league been keeping this guy? I'm nodding and agreeing with basically everything he said.

Lewis talks about what they do to find out what current fans want, all of which I had no idea they were doing. Talking to ACTUAL fans who watch on TV and go to tracks about what they want.

Lewis also came out strong about flipping the script -- and then shredding it up and burning it -- with a radical new car. Then he talked about the "Year of the Fan." Insert me breathing into a bag with excitement here. 

Note to IndyCar: when you are doing many things to help the series, maybe don't keep it a secret. I follow the series pretty closely and hand zero idea much of this was going on.

Check out the podcast via iTunes or listen here 1070thefan.com, click on the Nov. 19 show.

What's Lurking in the Secret Wind Tunnel ...

(Price is Right voice) ... A NEW CAR.

Curty Cavin from the Indy Star has some juicy tidbits about a possible (Price is Right voice) New Car for the Izod IndyCar Series. It's allegedly tucked away in a secret wind tunnel right next to former Vice President Dick Cheney.

Read about it HERE.

TSO and Sam Schmidt Posse up to Deliver Killer Content and Put the Smack Down on Paralysis

The pressdog homeys at Trackside Online and the Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation are teaming up for a killer double dip offer.

Subscribe to TSO and get a super deluxe IndyCar calendar F-R-E-E, FREE.

It's a FULL YEAR of Trackside Online's original inside info PLUS a 16-month IndyCar calendar ($14 value) for just $22 total.

AND TSO will donate $11 of your subscription payment to the Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation. Seriously. OMG. See all the details below, including how current Trackside Online subscribers to score some free stuff.

Sarah Fisher Busts Off in Car and Driver

pressdog super fav driver Sarah Fisher did a fabulous Q&A with Car and Driver magazine a while back. Now it's available online. A killer must read for all us Fish Heads.

Just a taste of the schwerve:

SF: Funny you’d say that. Personally, growing up racing on dirt tracks against guys like Steve Kinser, it changes how you look at your brand. I just focus on what I’m doing and being the girl next door.

Racing against 20-time World of Outlaw champion Steve "The King" Kinser has to be a clarifying experience, because I'm pretty sure he doesn't give a crap about how you look in a bikini; he just wants to kick your ass repeatedly. Elbows up, baby. You're on a dirt track now.

Read the interview HERE.

Kimi Räikkönen to the Indy 500

The fact that you just pissed your pants prooves what a BRILLIANT idea this is, offered by Twitter buddy @djcraske.

THINK ABOUT IT ... our favorite indifferent android driver, Kimi Räikkönen, at the INDY 500.

Hang on, I gotta change my pants because I just soiled myself. Now I'm envisioning the IndyCar real journalist cadre -- Robin Miller, Bruce Martin, Curt Cavin, Kevin Lee, John Oreovicz, trying to interview Räikkönen.

Button Bolts to McLaren

BBC Sport is reporting that 2009 F1 world champion Jenson Button has bolted from Brawn and will drive for McLaren in 2010, along side 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton.

Read it HERE.

Leilani Münter Hints at Return to Fenderland

In yet another Twitter-related dribble, I would say the tweets below mean Leilani Münter (@leilanimunter) has something brewing somewhere in Fenderworld.

Good for her. When you race cars for a living, you gotta go where the jobs are. No jobs in the Firestone Indy Lights series -- God knows Leilani has done more than most to try and find money for a ride -- then giddy up over to a Fender World Feeder Series.

I'll keep my eyes open for official announcements from Leilani. Here's a screen capture from her Twitter site late Tuesday:

Summerton to F1? You Tell Me

Maybe he's just goofing us, but Twitter is the new place to hint at big things, as Jonathan Summerton (@jsummerton) appeared to today with this tweet:

Reports: No Räikkönese Spoken in Formula 1 for 2010

Several sites are reporting that our favorite android driver, Kimi Räikkönen, will not drive in 2010 Formula 1.

Apparently the Kimster's monotone, all-one-word talks with McLaren have crapped out and he'll go rally some and enjoy his $15 million euro buy out from Ferrari outside F1 in 2010.

This apparently means Jenson Button will join up with Lewis Hamilton at McLaren with Brawn (now Mercedes) moving towards Nick Heidfeld and Nico Rosberg.

Read Autosport.com's article HERE and something from F1 übermench Joe Saward HERE.

IMS Carving May Just Beginning

The Indianapolis Business Journal is reporting that Indianapolis Motor Sports CEO Jeff Belskus may be just getting warmed up when it comes to swinging the ax.

Check out the start to the IBJ article linked below:

Indianapolis Motor Speedway CEO Jeff Belskus has some interesting — and difficult — decisions to make, and by all accounts he’s busy mulling many of those.

The article also says the league may go to still more twisties and less ovals. I believe fewer ovals means fewer fans, but I guess we'll see.

Check it HERE.