Bob Barnard Track Engineering

The latest post by Murphy The Bear gives a run down on all the latest rumors in sportscar racing here in the States, give it a read. http://murphythebear.com/blog/index.php/2010/12/04/179-speculating-and-adding-detail/#more-940

So Michael Schumacher says it is all the car's fault he was so slow this year, and his car had things go wrong that Nico's didn't, and he is not happy. So what is he implying? He has told Mercedes to lift their game, look in the mirror Michael.

Mike Gascoyne has told his team that this year was the dress rehearsal and next year they need to step up a gear and run with the big boys. Reminds me of the pep talks I used to give my team running events. The day before we started I reminded them that this was what we had been training and organizing for all year, so now we have to perform. And then when we got to race day it was "great job, but now is the two hours that really matters when the world is watching."

Mark Webber is a glutton for punishment, breaking his shoulder again prior to the last four races after another mountain bike accident. Shades of Montoya. C'mon Mark, look after yourself and go out and win the Championship, then you can ride all you want.

I watched part of the GT race from San Luis and it struck me that there were few if any passing opportunities around that track. One of those tracks that is probably really fun to drive on your own, but racing is a procession.

I watched the live streaming of the qualifying at the San Luis track and it looked much better seen from the driver's perspective than the aerial shots. Like an Argentinian Bathurst. Still some dodgy corners, but I am pleasantly surprised that the FIA licensed this. One of the discussions at the recent Forum was about how to bring spectators back, especially in the US, and focused on making the racing more exciting by making the tracks more challenging. The FIA guidelines proscribe things like maximum grades and cross slopes, which can make the tracks bland and uninteresting. This discussion is going to continue formally at the LA Forum, so perhaps San Luis can be part of that discussion.

Not much else going on so I'll update you with my activities. Writing the book of course and up to Chapter Nine and my time back in Australia in the mid nineties and then returning to the US and Road Atlanta. Had one publisher knock it back, which surprised me given the books they are putting out, but that's his loss. We found how Borders will let us publish electronically, which is about 25% of the market these days, so it is going to get out there one way or another.

The Grand Bayou track in Donaldsonville, Louisiana, has contacted me again about a new layout for the old "No Problems" track, so I look forward to designing again in the New Year. The All Surface Racing guys are progressing with their project and we have been chatting via Skype about a typical ASR facility and how the races could run. This will be fun and will borrow ideas from other sports to make it a test of intellect and not just speed.

A very dear friend from France, Jean-Marc Bonnay, "Snoopy," is going to be in town later this month and we are really looking forward to seeing him again.

On the Arizona front the Sol Real project is undergoing a major rethink so it is back to the drawing board. Waiting on a comprehensive plan approval for the new site which should come this Wednesday. Then we shall see what works and what does not.

In the meantime, kicking back and enjoying the sunshine while most of our friends freeze, or drown, sorry, could not resist that.