Bob Barnard Track Engineering

Arrived about 3:30 this afternoon, long but thankfully uneventful trip, and Eddie, my cat for once did not howl for the first 15 minutes like he usually does, very good boy. Hot and dry. Furniture might be here tomorrow, which is good and bad as we will then have to unpack, looking forward to a rest.

Had a first look at the options for the logo for the track, and of course we all like different ones.

Saw another thing to make me wonder. "Zero Visibility is possible" on a sign in dust storm area. One, would you not notice, and two, how would you see the sign?

Mr. Austin F1 race came out in public again with an interview with Autosport, www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/85288. Is it just me, but every time this guy opens his mouth he is less convincing. The land is there but it is nobody's business where it is! It is also nobody's business where the money is coming from, a bit more plausible. The layout is done, the most challenging course in the world, designed by Tilke, but with corners borrowed from all over. Tavo changed a couple of corners for aesthetic reasons! Read it and weep. First Texas was putting up $25m, now it is the sales tax revenue. I think I have said before that he goes to the same PR firm as Red Bull. He also does not think he needs to go to a lot of other races, busy at home. When I was promoting an international race half the world away from where the action was I made sure I went to find out what was required and keep up with the politics, but I forgot, Tavo is a mate of Bernie's. I have seen first hand what happens when a promoter thinks he does not need to go overseas to learn.

So IRL chose Dallara as the tub, but you can bolt your own aero on? I can just see the small teams beating Penske and Ganassi with that.  They should call HRT and ask how the Dallara is working for them. But Dallara are going to build them in Indy, so it must be good eh? This is right up there in "what were they thinking" mode. Am I alone in thinking this is a really stupid idea? And it will cut costs?

Forgot to mention yesterday was one year to the day when I walked out on the  best paying job I have ever had. Life is too short to spend it doing something you hate.

Watch for the August 26th edition of Autosport, article on the iconic tracks of each decade that Autosport has been published, and the 80's is Adelaide. I had a long phone conversation with the journalist, so should be good.

Well the loading of the truck and finishing packing took until after 8:30 last night, so everything ran late. Did not leave until 8am this morning and drive 12 hours and 820 miles with the car crammed full with the wife and the cat, knackered. I continue to be amazed at the amount of open space there is in the US with over 300 million people!

My daughter Dani came and  visited last weekend and as we are all starting something new we celebrated by opening my bottle of 1989 Motorcycle GP port. Despite all the years and all the travel it was still good. Nice crust on the bottom. Finished it off last night.

Rossi to race in Germany, Valentino that is. As I say, I hope he is really ready.

Saw one of those things that make you wonder today. Four orange cones in front of damaged guard rail. Well, they will not stop you hitting it, and if you had the control to steer away from that damaged piece presumably you would have enough control to avoid it anyway!

Another ten hours tomorrow, so off to bed.

House in total chaos, boxes everywhere, and the truck coming this morning, so short and sweet today.

The fall out from Red Bull continues with Horner saying he regrets not talking to Mark Webber before they took the wing off Mark's car to give to Vettel. What was going on that was so important you could not spend two minutes explaining that? I can only imagine my reaction if I walked in the garage and saw that going on without being told anything! Do these people know nothing about managing people, especially people as intense as top sportsmen. They need to call Phil Jackson for some tips, or just read his book.

Alexander Rossi finished third in the GP3 race at Silverstone the weekend, having a great first season, and someone in the US needs to make sure he has the backing to move on from here in a top team. Cypher?

Well done Valentino Rossi, tested on a superbike the weekend and lapped as quick as the WSBK guys. Just do not fall again!

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How sweet it must have been for Mark Webber to win the British F1 GP  yesterday. "Methinks they protesteth too much" is how I would treat Red Bull's continual assurances that Vettel is not getting preferential treatment. Team Principal Christian Horner insisted that the differences between the two wing versions were minor, and only affected driving characteristics. If that was true why risk having a problem with Mark by changing it over to Vettel's car after Vettel's wing had broken in practice? Sources have revealed that there was both a lap time and a weight difference between the two versions. Mark commented that the car felt better with it on. Horner saying that they gave the wing to Vettel because he was ahead in points makes more sense than "there were minor differences." It's like the Turkey deal all over again, they cannot stick to a story. So, if Mark wins the World Championship are we going to see a Champion walk from his team again? You have to love him for his honesty and lack of PC!

Not that winning the Championship is going to be easy. They said that Jim Clark could just drive around a car's problems, as did Senna. Now I am not yet saying that Hamilton is in that illustrious company, but you have to admire his ability to take a car that is not well set up and putting it fourth on the grid when  his World Champion team mate can only manage 14th and says it is undriveable. Then he runs a strong second in the race, setting fastest times. Cudos to Button to take that ill handling car and get it up to fourth, he has a different style to Lewis but is still very effective. You do not really see how he does it. McLaren have a great team with these two and of course the engineers and mechanics, and yes I am biased.

Ferrari are again exercising their selective memory and "the rules do not apply to us" mentality. Do they not recall Spa three years ago and that great duel between Raikkonen and Hamilton? When Kimi pushed Lewis wide at the "bus stop" and Lewis did pass Kimi, let Kimi back past him again, and then overtook him, only to be penalized for not letting Kimi by far enough! Lost the race and the Championship. So why was Alonso's pass on Kubica any different?

Nice to see Williams up there again, and the Cosworth is obviously not too shabby. Yamamoto ran around last, must have been weighed down by his wallet! Well done Nico Rosberg, beat your elderly team mate again. Michael is not driving well and cannot be enjoying his time back in the car. Even the TV commentators are now comparing his age with every other driver he gets passed by.

Did not get to see the ALMS at Miller, but well done Highcroft, and it seems that the Drayson car ran well. Keep Emmanuele in the car so we have some competition for Brabham and co.

Did not see WSBK either, but it is turning into a Biaggi benefit. Pity about Corser and the BMW's. Did anyone see the accident in practice? Brno is a safe track so I am surprised at his injuries, was it just a high speed get off?

Congratulations Spain for the World Cup. I lived in Spain for a year and love the people and the Country, so if England could not win I am glad Spain did. Hard to believe it was their first final and win.

Sad to see Lance Armstrong having such a tough time on the Tour, but I guess when your luck runs out. He is still amazing, but in a way he is finding out what Michael is finding out, the current crop of riders are pretty damn good! I know I am an Aussie, but I think Andy Schleck is who I would like to win.

Air travel, who needs it! It is supposed to be fast and convenient when in truth it is neither. A good friend back in Australia who was a pilot told me "if you want to be sure of getting somewhere do not fly." And that was in the late seventies, how bad is it now. Missed the blog yesterday while flying from Phoenix to New Orleans on Delta, via Atlanta of course, and taking twelve hours with only four of that actually flying! I would not mind that they have delays and problems with aircraft if they actually told you the truth and not the continual lies.  Only one very nice lady actually told me the truth. They must all go to school to learn how to lie to customers, yes customers, something the airlines have forgotten about, and to threaten them with not flying at all if they dare to complain. Try and find a complaints button on their web site.

So, here I am back in Louisiana finishing packing and getting set to drive back to Phoenix. We have a hanger to set up at Falcon Field, a municipal airport in Mesa, where we are going to promote the new track. Put in some toys to compliment the helicopters, planes, and power boat already there, and set up a projector and some couches and we are ready for our first group in two weeks. As I said, the project is evolving and we are now planning to place"casitas," garages with living space above, along pit lane so it looks like a European track. Getting nicer every day.

Big day today which I will try and watch between packing. World Cup final, British GP, ALMS Miller, and Tour de France. Hope you all enjoy, back Monday!