Robbie Loomis, a former championship crew chief for Jeff Gordon and now executive vice president of Petty Enterprises, is one NASCAR veteran who isn’t letting this week’s introduction of the Car of Tomorrow make him crazy.
“Ten or 15 years ago, I was one of those guys that when (NASCAR) made a change, whatever it was, if it was one shock instead of two shocks, I was jumping up and down and thought the world was coming to an end,” Loomis said. “It’s what they’ve done with NASCAR, it’s been amazing,” Loomis said.
“Usually, everything works out and goes forward, keeps getting bigger and better for everybody involved.
“I think the COT is going to be a great thing,” he added.
“Change is part of our life, not only in racing, but in everything we do.”
Tennis, anyone?
Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves is a pretty good tennis player, but he might not be quite ready for the professional circuit.
Castroneves challenged elite women’s player Kim Clijsters to an exhibition match at Crandon Park in Miami. He even managed to take a couple of points from the former U.S. Open champion during their 12-point tiebreaker.
But the Brazilian driver, who now makes his home in Miami, quickly turned the tables on Clijsters when the two raced IndyCar Series simulators. After claiming victory, Castroneves talked a little trash, telling Clijsters: “This is my world.”
Later, Castroneves said, “Obviously, Kim is an incredible athlete and she was obviously toying with me in tennis. I’m always impressed with the pro tennis players’ ability to focus with 40,000 fans looking at them. In racing, you have the engine noise and a helmet, so it’s just you.”
Clijsters, fifth in the latest WTA rankings, said she enjoyed being a fish out of water in the race car and meeting Castroneves.
“They told me I was going to play an Xbox game, but that is a different kind of controller than what I was used to,” said Clijsters, who handed Castroneves her steering wheel as a trophy.
“I enjoy meeting other athletes and seeing how they prepare for their sports.”
Castroneves and the rest of the IndyCar drivers will open their 17-race season Saturday night at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the Indy 300.
New guy
Lewis Hamilton only can hope that the Formula One season opener in Australia won’t be the high point of his first year in the globe-hopping series.
Hamilton, driving for McLaren-Mercedes, qualified fourth and finished third behind winner Kimi Raikkonen’s Ferrari and the McLaren-Mercedes of two-time world champion Fernando Alonso in the Australian Grand Prix. Hamilton also led four laps.
The youngster is the first rookie to reach the podium in his debut since Jacques Villeneuve finished second in 1996.
“To lead my first Grand Prix was a fantastic feeling,” Hamilton said. “It was extremely tough. I had Fernando behind me for a long time, and it’s pretty tough when you have the two-time world champion behind you in your first race.
“But I must say the team has done a fantastic job, preseason, preparing the car, not only the team here but back at the factory they have been working day and night to get the car ready and it was great.”
Typical racer, though, Hamilton lamented that “it was a bit unfortunate” that he lost second place to Alonso on his second pit stop. “But it was all a new experience for me and I thoroughly enjoyed it.”
Hamilton’s paternal grandparents immigrated to England from the Caribbean island of Grenada. He is the first black driver in F1.
