Bob Barnard Track Engineering

People write blogs for a variety of reasons, but I do it as an outlet for opinions I have on current events, not as a news source. So, unless something moves me to put pen to paper, or hands to keyboard, then I do not post every day, especially when I am busy building a track or writing expert opinions as I have been the last couple of weeks. Moooresville is ready to pave and will be done next week weather permitting. Then to install curbs, barriers and striping and we are good to go!

So, with a lull in proceedings I thought I should at least post some thoughts, although not much seems to change. Bernie is still waiting for the shoe to drop over the Gribkowsky affair, staying away from Germany even though he was supposed to meet the guys from the bankrupt Nurburgring there over next year's contract. Mercedes are reported to be holding off signing anything to do with the new Concorde Agreement until they know something, or do they already know it? The teams are still bickering over the Resource limitation agreement and Red Bull still trying to manipulate the engine mapping. McLaren keep shooting themselves in the foot, although I guess Lewis' puncture cannot really be their fault. The rumors about Massa continue and that dog of a Ferrari cannot help winning.

Over in the MotoGP world Spies has given up on Yamaha, or is it the other way around? Rossi seems likely to give up on the Duke, despite Hayden seeming to be able to get something out of it. Not enough to keep his seat next year though. So who's left for America, and if Casey retires, Australia? How the world changes from the 80's and 90's. CRT's are here to stay, otherwise Dorna would have nothing to put on the grid.

The whole state of GP racing on 2 and 4 wheels is not healthy. Joe Saward has a piece on the business model in F1 which supports what I have been saying for a long time. It is not sustainable. When Hockenheim with 5 German drivers, two of which are World Champions, cannot fill the stands then there is something very rotten in the State of Denmark.

The GT world is not immune with Ratelli dropping out as promoter next year, and the ELMS being cancelled. ALMS struggles along with three LMP1's, only two of which can compete, and two LMP2's. Without the grid fillers in the LMPC and Porsche Cup it would be a very thin field indeed. Too many Championships here and overseas for the current economy.

The reports this morning are that the FIA is close to reaching agreement on the 1.6 liter 4 cylinder turbo engine for 2013. Agreement with who? Previously the engine manufacturers were pushing back to keep the current engine due to the cost of designing and build new ones, so what happened? A Ferrari spokesman confirmed that he would be "surprised" if it did not now take place, adding: "An agreement is there, and when there is an agreement you work accordingly." Bernie still has his doubts that there should be a change, but it appears his opinion does not count on this issue.

The final round of the FIA GT Championship is being held at the San Luis, Argentina, track, Potrero de los Funes. This is a beautiful location around the bowl of an extinct, they hope, volcano, but the track basically has no run off. Peter Dumbreck said after the opening free practice session: "It's like Macau because you are constantly s****ing yourself as you try to keep it out of the wall." So how does the FIA approve this?

It seems even the cost conscious Moto2 is too expensive for American rider Kenny Noyes' team. Kenny was the only American in the class which is designed as a stepping stone to MotoGP, and according to the Superbike Planet web site, fellow American rider Roger Lee Hayden was offered rides for 2011 with no salary and he had to come up with nearly $400,000 to pay for the privilege.