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IndyCar #TheOffseason Episode 2 Continues the Schwerve

These videos are genius. This is exactly what IndyCar needs more of. Fun, funny, just for the heck of it kind of personality stuff. Reminds me of the fun vibe last captures by Arni the Indy Insider. Not overthought or over produced, just fun.

Super huge shout out to IndyCar's Kate Guerra, who had the idea to make these videos, and to the participating drivers (James Hinchcliffe, Will Power, Josef Newgarden and Charlie Kimball) for taking that idea and making it much more and not being afraid to just have fun with it. Awesome stuff with more episodes to come.

Collete Davis Tests New Formula Ford Car as She Explores European Competition

Woman of pressdog® Collete Davis was among the young drivers who tested the new Formula Ford car at historic Silverstone last weekend. Video above and news release below.

SAMPLER DAY SUCCESS FOR NEW FORMULA FORD

• Twenty-two young hopefuls try new EcoBoost 200 single-seater for size
• New teams, new drivers show great interest for coming season

17 December, 2012 – The first 22 drivers eager to try the new Formula Ford EcoBoost 200 chassis went behind the wheel at Silverstone on Saturday. Drivers from both sides of the Atlantic sampled the car during a day which Ford Racing motorsport manager Mike Norton described as “probably our most successful ever”.

Uncle pressdog's Fireside Chat -- Festival of IndyCar Encouragement Edition

Yo yo yo. Holidays harshing you yet? All the running around, crowds, variable moods of family members (including me and the dog) really make the holidays a Festival of Stress for Mr. Introverted Conflict Avoider here.

So just a quickly today before I go walk the dog: I came across this 4100-word TOME of a Q&A with IndyCar honcho Mark Miles by Marshall Pruett and SPEEDtv.com. Read it here. OMG. After just a third of it, I was breathing into a bag, and I had to rush to alert you.

Just one of the many statements from Miles that had me giddy:

I'm really excited about this work the consultants are doing and I'm not usually a very patient person but I think this process is long overdue and we need to get through this thinking before we reach any conclusions about who we need to do what.

Uncle pressdog's Fireside Chat -- K. Legge and Glimmers of Hope Edition

Good morning, peeps. It's 5:30 a.m. here in Des Moines, Iowa, and a balmy 37 degrees outside. Actually 37 now with a high of 48 today is blamy for Iowa in December, so I'll take it. I'm here in the underground lair with my space heater chugging valiantly to my right and the furnace to my left popping on occasionally.

Cue the homespun soundtrack. Cue the dark roast. Let's talk about this and that, including some glimmers of hope on the IndyCar front.

Katherine Legge Featured in Documentary About Qualifying for the Indy 500

This online documentary by Trace Sports and IMG Sports Media about Woman of pressdog® Katherine Legge qualifying for the Indy 500 is very well done. Lots of stuff from Katherine about the 500 and also her career in general.

We also talked about some of the same topics during an interview at Iowa Speedway in June after her Indy 500 experience (here).

Fan Fest, Ticket Packages Announced for Milwaukee

From Andretti Sports Marketing PR:

IndyFest Express Returns to the Milwaukee Mile in 2013
Exclusive bus packages are now available

The IndyFest Express returns to the historic Milwaukee Mile to celebrate the 110th Anniversary of the one-mile oval located on the grounds of the Wisconsin State Fair Park. This program offers race fans two exclusive tour bus packages from Indianapolis to the second running of the Milwaukee IndyFest, Father's Day weekend, June 14-15.

Each package includes transportation from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to the Milwaukee Mile, complimentary snacks and soft drinks, a reserved grandstand seat and paddock passes for the IZOD IndyCar Series race on June 15. The packages can be purchased from the Milwaukee IndyFest website at www.milwaukeeindyfest.com.

Race Day Package, Saturday, June 15 - $110 per person

The IndyFest Express will depart from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway at 7 a.m. and travel to Milwaukee the morning of the IZOD IndyCar Series race and return immediately following the post-race ceremonies. The package includes a Saturday general admission ticket, reserved level 200-grandstand seat, paddock pass and a pass to all the infield festival activities.

Weekend Package, Friday and Saturday, June 14-15 - $175 per person

The two-day IndyFest Express will travel to Milwaukee Friday morning, June 14 at 8 a.m. from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The tour will return Saturday evening following the IZOD IndyCar Series post-race ceremonies.

The weekend package includes transportation to and from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with complimentary snacks and soft drinks, transportation to and from the Hilton Milwaukee City Center Hotel, two-day general admission tickets, reserved level 300-grandstand seats, paddock passes and passes to all the infield activities.

The two-day package does not include lodging. You must book your hotel room separately, however, an exclusive group rate of $129* per night is available at The Milwaukee Hilton for IndyFest Express participants. Transportation to and from the hotel and Milwaukee Mile will be provided**. To book your room at The Milwaukee Hilton, please call: 1-877-704-5343 and ask about IndyFest Express.

*This rate does not include taxes and additional fees.

**The Milwaukee Hilton is the official hotel for the IndyFest Express and the only hotel where the shuttle bus will pick up and drop off.

Operator of USF2000 Takes Over Re-Named Star Mazda Series

Ashley Freiberg gets strapped before Star Mazda practice at Iowa Speedway last June.

From IndyCar PR ...

Mazda Road to Indy Confirms Star Mazda Replacement Series

Andersen Promotions to Spearhead Pro Mazda Championship

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (Dec. 7, 2012) - INDYCAR, sanctioning body of the Mazda Road to Indy development series, today announced the creation of the Pro Mazda Championship. The series will be owned and operated by Andersen Promotions - administrator of the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda - and will fill the opening vacated by the Star Mazda Championship.

Uncle pressdog's Fireside Chat -- Festival of Non-Negativity

Yo yo yo and WORD to my homeys. Come on it. Pull up some super dark roast, pop in an extra shot of espresso and let's get WIRED so tight we become transcendentally AWARE. I don't even know what "transcendentally AWARE" means for sure, but it sounded good, so I slapped it in there. That's what kind of LIFE ON THE EDGE thing I got going today.

It has come to my attention that there's a lot of negativity out there. And before you say "hey pot, why don't you talk about the kettle!" let me explain.

Star Mazda Demise Just in Time to De-Buzz IndyCar Celebration

Last night I read this from Jenna Fryer about tumultuous IndyCar needing to get beyond the drama that has dogged it all season, seemingly cropping up at just the wrong time to ruin any positive momentum in the series.

With the IndyCar championship celebration set for Thursday, some 17 weeks after the title was won, Jenna wrote: "Perhaps this week will indeed belong to (Ryan) Hunter-Reay, drama-free, and he can celebrate his title with his Andretti team."

Uncle pressdog's Fireside Chat -- NASCAR Festival of Awards Love Edition

Brad Keselowski celebrates his championship in You Know Where

Hello, peeps. 7:23 a.m. Central on a Saturday and here I am. Likely the NASCAR gliterati in Las Vegas, where it is 5:23 a.m., won't be up for five more hours (except, of course, for Bob Pockrass, who will have five stories posted by then).

Ah, that curious ritual of NASCAR Championship Celebration. Huge and fascinating. The media's roll in it is also fascinating. And, of course, more self-flagellation re: IndyCar. Let's be fascinated together ... DARK ROAST, ye BASTARDS.