List of Alternative Formula 1 World Drivers Champions

[Chipperback]

" If the Indy 500 is as big an international race and you're saying it is, they may have by now bit the bullet and built the world's biggest sports facility out of it by building grandstands all the way around, though you wouldn't be able to see much from the backstraight stands.

The track at 16th and Georgetown Street in Speedway, Indiana is beautiful OTL, but in this timeline...It's a wonder of the world..

Indianapolis Motor Speedway ITTL makes OTL Dallas Cowboys Stadium look like the Mug N' Bun near the OTL Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Indianapolis-Marion County, Indiana is one of the 20 largest U.S. metro areas ITTL 2012, because of the growth of Tony Hulman's pride and joy and the cottage industry that grew around automotive research in the area. Most of the major automotive technology firms and automakers have offices and labs in Indianapolis. Ferrari, Lambourghini, McLaren, GM, Ford, Chrysler American Motors, even Cherry and Brilliance are building technology centers here.

And a lot of central Indiana is growing right along with it, and the local racing series and dirt tracks have benefitted. Head out to Claremont and check out Classy Chassis Raceway Park, home of the "Night Before The 500", and the NHRA U.S. Nationals. The USAC certified course is a gem, and a template for the soon-to-be completed Tony Stewart Speed Bowl.

Indianapolis is a wild, fun mix of cosmopolitan and Middle America.

How Cosmopolitan? "Late Night With David Letterman" is done live from his main studio overlooking the Veteran's Memorial in Downtown Indy.

How Middle American? The Indianapolis 500 still sells the Krogers-Superconfex Boxed Lunch, you can hear the race every memorial day on WIBC NewsTalk Indiana.

 

[TheMann]

The track at 16th and Georgetown Street in Speedway, Indiana is beautiful OTL, but in this timeline...It's a wonder of the world..

Indianapolis Motor Speedway ITTL makes OTL Dallas Cowboys Stadium look like the Mug N' Bun near the OTL Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

*jaw hangs open, drool running out one side of it*

In this world, I would guess that the facility has a major museum/Indycar Series corporate offices/media center/technology center on the back stretch with VIP boxes above that, and the stands now are double-deck all the way between the entry to Turn Four to the exit of Turn Two, with glassed-in stairways to upper decks. The timing stand on the front stretch now has 43 car numbers instead of 33, the stands on the inside of the front straight have awnings as well. Jumbotrons on the inside of Turn Four and Turn One show the race video feed live on the screen, no commercials. The seating at Indy is actual stadium-type seating, complete with cupholders, and new stands are built at a steeper angle than before to give better sightlines. The Pagoda was rebuilt in the early to mid 2000s during the renovation of all of the front stretch. The Indy Road Course was built inside the oval, though it is a different layout than the F1 one, and the area around the track includes a top-class golf course that hosted a round of the PGA Tour in 2005 and again in 2008. The paddock at the track includes air-conditioned garages and other amenities.

The track was evaluated for tax purposes in 2008 at a value of $1.62 Billion, though the city does not charge tax to the speedway to any real degree - its too much of a cash cow and famous landmark for the city, and while the city's NFL and NBA teams are also noteworthy, Indianapolis is still best known as the "Home of the 500" and as one of America's primary automotive research centers.

Indianapolis-Marion County, Indiana is one of the 20 largest U.S. metro areas ITTL 2012, because of the growth of Tony Hulman's pride and joy and the cottage industry that grew around automotive research in the area. Most of the major automotive technology firms and automakers have offices and labs in Indianapolis. Ferrari, Lambourghini, McLaren, GM, Ford, Chrysler American Motors, even Cherry and Brilliance are building technology centers here.

And a lot of central Indiana is growing right along with it, and the local racing series and dirt tracks have benefitted. Head out to Claremont and check out Classy Chassis Raceway Park, home of the "Night Before The 500", and the NHRA U.S. Nationals. The USAC certified course is a gem, and a template for the soon-to-be completed Tony Stewart Speed Bowl.

Indianapolis is a wild, fun mix of cosmopolitan and Middle America.

How Cosmopolitan? "Late Night With David Letterman" is done live from his main studio overlooking the Veteran's Memorial in Downtown Indy.

How Middle American? The Indianapolis 500 still sells the Krogers-Superconfex Boxed Lunch, you can hear the race every memorial day on WIBC NewsTalk Indiana.

I can just envision a Ferrari research center in Indianapolis, with the newest Ferrari road cars turning up just as often on the streets of Indianapolis as they turn up on the roads outside of Maranello....

In this world, I might have to add a major Detroit-Indianapolis high-speed rail line just for the auto industry people shuttling between two of the three "gems of the Midwest", Detroit and Indianapolis.

 

[TheMann]

The 2012 IMSA American Sportscar Championship presented by Shell

Entry List

Prototype 1 (16 entries)

Cytosport Aston Martin Racing (1 Lola B08/74-Aston Martin V12)
Chrysler Patriot Team (2 Chrysler SuperPatriot Abarth P1)
Peugeot North American Racing (2 Peugeot 908 HDi FAP)
Highcroft Motorsport (1 Acura ARX-04)
Andretti-Green Motorsport (1 Acura ARX-04)
Ford Racing Team Panoz (2 Panoz-Ford LMP15)
Toyota Team America (2 Toyota R12LM)
BMW Schnitzer Racing (2 BMW V12 LMR4)
Kolles Racing Team (1 Lola B11/80-Toyota V8)
Dyson Racing (2 Lola B11/86-Mazda Rotary)

Prototype 2 (14 entries)

Alex Job Racing (2 Porsche RS Spyder)
Schumacher Racing (1 Porsche RS Spyder)
Autocon Motorsport (1 Zytek Z11SN-Nissan V8)
Intersport Racing (1 Zytek Z11SN-Nissan V8)
Libra Racing (1 Radical SR9-Nissan V8)
DAMS Motorsport (2 Oreca 03-Judd BMW V6)
Arena International Motorsport (1 Lola B11/40-Honda V6)
David Price Racing (1 Lola B11/40-Judd BMW V6)
Level 5 Motorsport (2 Radical SR9-Honda V6)
HKS Pro Team (1 Oreca 03-Mitsubishi inline-4)
Rafanelli Enterprises (1 Lola B11/48-Ferrari V8)

Prototype GT (9 entries)

Corvette Racing (2 Chevrolet Corvette GT1)
Champion Audi North American Racing (2 Audi R8 LMGT-2)
Porsche Motorsport North America (2 Porsche 911 GT1-12)
Freisinger Motorsport (1 Porsche 911 GT1-12)
CORE Autosport Team Lotus (1 Lotus Esprit P-GT)
Michael Shank Racing (1 Lotus Esprit P-GT)

GT1 (16 entries)

Prodrive Ferrari North America Racing Team (2 Ferrari 599 Fiorano GTS)
West Yokohama Racing (1 Lamborghini Aventador LP700 XR)
Team Falken Nissan (1 Nissan GT-R Spec VR)
Jim Wolf Technology (1 Nissan GT-R Spec VR)
Sumo Power North America (1 Nissan GT-R Spec VR)
Robertson Racing (2 Saleen S7-R)
ACEMCO Motorsport (1 Saleen S7-R)
Corvette Owners Racing Organization (2 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1.R2)
Team Lexus (2 Lexus LFA GT)
Young Driver AMR USA (2 Aston Martin DBR9)
Chrysler Patriot GT Team (1 Chrysler Viper SR-GT)

GT2 (33 entries)

Team Cadillac (2 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe)
Extreme Speed Motorsports (2 Ferrari 458 Italia GTC)
Flying Lizard Motorsports (2 Porsche 911 GT3-RSR)
Prototype Technology Group (2 BMW M3 GT2)
Rocketsports Jaguar Racing (2 Jaguar XKR GT)
The Racer's Group (2 Porsche 911 GT3-RSR)
Paul Miller Racing (1 Mosler MT900R)
Krohn Racing (1 Ferrari 458 Italia GTC)
Stasis Engineering (1 Audi R8 GTLM)
Saleen-Allen Speedlabs (2 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 LM)
Brumos Racing (2 Porsche 911 GT3-RSR)
Drayson-Barwell Racing (1 Aston Martin V12 Vanquish)
Lotus Jetalliance (2 Lotus Evora GTE)
SpeedSource IMSA (1 Lotus Evora GTE)
Dempsey Racing (1 Mosler MT900R)
American ViperRacing (2 Chrysler Viper Competition Coupe GT2)
Stevenson Motorsports (2 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1)
Pacific Coast Motorsports / Team Seattle (2 Ferrari 458 Italia GTC)
Autoquest Performance (1 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1)
Champion Racing Team America (1 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500 LM)
Team Sahlen (1 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1)

NOTE: Not all of these cars will be at every race, but most will be, hence the problems with splitting up the races at different tracks.

 

[Unknown]

What's the PoD for this, Chip?

Love TTL.

 

[Chipperback]

What's the PoD for this, Chip?

Unknown, there's quite a few of them that led to motorsport being even bigger ITTL. In this alternate 2012, motor racing rivals soccer worldwide, and rivals the National Football League in the United States. It is a global sport in all of its major forms. It has diversity of participants, manufacturers and venues.

So how did we get here, anyway?

The Really Big Bangs.

1. The Rear Engine Revolution was earlier.

In OTL, you started seeing rear engined cars in Grand Prix and Indianapolis around 1961. ITTL, the British "garagistes" started putting the horse before the cart circa 1955 in both venues.

In 1959, Stirling Moss took his Cooper-Climax and and went on a worldwide victory tour, winning both the Formula 1 championship and the Indianapolis 500. The whole world took notice. The rear engine car was here to stay.

2. Indianapolis didn't resist the British Invasion. They joined it.

In 1960, Jim Rathmann won the Indianapolis 500, in the last victory for a front-engined at Indy.

In 1961, the A.J. Watsons, George Bignottis and Jim Halls were showing up in their own rear-engined cars. All of Indy studied the Cooper and put an American twist on it.

But Enzo Ferrari did everybody one better with the shark-nosed Ferrari 256/Indy. Californian Phil Hill gave Enzo his dream of winning Indy, and it added the glamour of the race.

By 1963, all 33 cars on the starting grid at Indy were rear engined. That year was a classic 500 where Eddie Sachs, A.J. Foyt, and Jim Clark dueled for 500 miles, with the popular Sachs getting one of the great wins Indy history.

The Indianapolis 500 truly became of one of the great events on the worldwide racing calendar in the 1960. Tony Hulman's racetrack became a tourist spot in those days, and it only grew....and that's leads to...

3. American Motorsport was part of the world scene, and stayed a part of it.

In OTL 1960s, Carol Shelby, Ford, Dan Gurney, Phil Hill, Richie Ginther and entire field of American during May in Indiana, took on the world and were glad to do it.

In ITTL 1960, They did the same, only it was even more intense. American automakers fought at the cutting edge in the 1960s and kept that edge in 1970s.

Also American drivers did the same in the 1960s and 1970s. Many of the top wheels in the USAC National Championship drove sportscars and Formula 1 cars. The Ford "strike forces" that went to LeMans brought even greater amounts of American firepower..and they didn't stop and go insular in the 1960s, it grew well into the 1970s, 1980...all the way to now..

A number of top Americans also contesting the major world championships in Formula 1 and endurance racing. A.J. Foyt and Mario Andretti both won Formula 1 championships. American LeMans winners included Mario (1980, 1987) and A.J (1967, 1969)....along with Richie Ginther (with Foyt 1969), Tony Adamowicz (1973), Wally Dallenbach, Lloyd Ruby (with Foyt in '69), Al Unser (1971) and Bobby Unser (teamed with Mario and Hans Stuck in 1980).

Formula 1 fans still rave about "Colin's Chapman's American Dream Team" The unlikely coupling of rivals Foyt and Andretti which brought Lotus back-to-back championships in '77 and '78.

And that flow worked the other way as well. America's Can-Am series was a happening of the 1970s. Back then the International Race of Champions was truly that (although it may get the way again with its return in a new format in 2013).

And how about the ultimate down-home American racing spectacle, NASCAR's Daytona 500?

, British drivers won the "Great American Race" four times. A Canadian won it once. Daytona was also won by a Finn and an Australian. Since Jackie Oliver's upset win in 1972, drivers from 15 nations have made at least one 500 start.

And diversity was also within American racing. Wendell Scott, a black, hard-driving privateer from Danville, Virginia broke the color barrier in stock cars 13 years after Joie Ray did at Indianapolis. Scott won the 1968 Daytona 500.

The owner of the team that Scott raced with for much of his pioneering career was a man who's exploit greatly influenced, a sport and a nation.

4. Daniel Sexton Gurney

In OTL Dan Gurney is known as one of the greatest of American racers. He was a respected driver on the world scene and it one of the early pioneer in racing engineering and safety.

In ITTL, Dan Gurney was all those things...and more....It's that "more" that only changed his destiny, it changed American motorsports, American motoring and he did a lot of making motorsport the trillion-dollar multinational spectacle it is today.

"I respected all of the courageous men I raced against. However, Dan Gurney goes beyond respect. Every race day, he was the one man I feared because of his talent and his heart." -- Jim Clark, 2011

In 1962, Dan Gurney and Jim Clark waged a season-long battle that Formula 1 fans of the time still talk about. There rivalry through the years was the template for 1967 film "Grand Prix". (The movie won the Academy Award for Best Picture. James Garner won Best Actor for his portrayal of Pete Aron, who's character was based on Gurney)

Dan Gurney won the world championship for himself and Ferrari, and became the toast of American racing. Gurney left Ferrari after the 1964 season amid a dispute with Enzo Ferrari. Gurney, however, had money and his good name as a champion. After winning the '62 Championship, he created a small firm called All-American Racers.

The World Championship created AAR, and AAR created an American icon.

AAR signed a development deal with Ford for the budding Trans-Am and NASCAR series. By 1966, AAR was winning Grand National races.

But Gurney, and Carole Shelby, and had a bigger goal in mind.

1967 was the year of Dan Gurney. He began the year by winning the Motor Trend 500 at Riverside for the 5th straight year, and then he went over to Europe with the AAR Eagle-Sheleby grand prix racer.

Gurney shocked the mighty Formula 1 teams of Europe, including the dominant Lotus team led by Gurney's archrival Jim Clark. Only two drivers won GPs that year. It came down to a 2-race duel in North America. Gurney won at Watkins Glen and Mexico City to clip Clark by 3 points in the final standings. An American driver and his American car had won in Formula 1. Gurney kept AAR-Eagle going as an Formula 1 team until 1972, by that time AAR was more than just a constructor.

Oh by the way, Gurney won at Indianapolis, too...He took the 500 in 1970. The '70 season was be his last in competitive racing. Gurney traded his crash helmet for a business suit. All-American Racers was becoming a player in the automotive industry.

He was an engineering consultant to to Ford, a number of British automakers, and Saab and Volvo. Gurney AAR even worked with Lada in the Soviet Union.
In 1974, Gurney bought controlling interest in STP and was an early investor in the innovative safety designs of a racing buff named Bill Simpson.

Add buying a piece of Cosworth Engineering, a minority share of Ford and interests in a number of diversified companies in automotive engineering and aerospace...and you have The Gurney Group.

In 1970 Dan Gurney was 2-time world champion and an Indy 500 winner.

By 1979, Dan Gurney's personal worth was around $400 million. He was one of the most respected voices in the automotive industry and in motorsport. His status as a racer-turned statesman was critical in four key happening that shape the sport and his country in the 1970s.

First, there was his break with Ford Motor Company in 1978, after Henry Ford II fired a number key engineering staff, including FoMoCo vice President Lee Iacocca. Gurney strongly protested, and Ford Motor Company severed their relationship with the Gurney Group as a response. A war of words ensued between Ford and Gurney that would last for 2 decades.

Second, with trouble brewing between USAC and the team owners in Championship Car racing, Dan Gurney wrote his famous "White Paper" in 1978 setting up the template for what we today know as the IndyCar Series Championship.
Indianapolis Speedway President Tony Hulman read the paper, and listened to Gurney. The drums of discord died down in 1979. At the start of the 80s, Indianapolis-type racing had their house in order, and that house has stayed in order through threats of discord, including the 1995 crisis situation between CART and Tony George which was quickly defused by a working group of drivers, owners working together. The OTL CART-IRL split didn't happen ITTL.

At the same time, Formula 1 was in disorder. The battle between FISA-FOCA boiled over. 1980 was the first split Formula 1 season. Federation Internationale du Sport Automobile (FISA) and their teams ran a series. Formula One Constructors' Association (FOCA) and their teams ran a series.

In the UK, the automobile industry was dying. The endless labor strife of the 1970s crippled the British car industry. In a rush to rebuild, the Thatcher government looked to privatization. The problem was, nobody wanted to buy any piece of it.

The Gurney Group made an offer and bought British Leyland in 1981, immediately restructuring it to form Gurney Austin Rover Motors.

Gurney's first action was the make peace with the unions. It wasn't easy, but Gurney's team of American mavericks brought an Iacocca-style approach of shared sacrifice and vision. Whereas many unions and management stayed at odds in 1980s Britiain, the auto industry became the opposite case within a year. A dying British Leyland, became a roaring new Austin Rover. By 1985, Metros were winning in the showrooms and on the World Rally circuit. Even the Mini was back, and the Mini was BRITISH! Austin Rover was the UK's top selling manufacturer, and they were making a massive return to the world market.

In ITTL, The Mini NEVER was built by Germans.

"There was no way getting around it. We needed peace in Grand Prix racing, or there would be no Grand Prix racing. I remembered that crack by bloody James Hunt and I'd wince. Not only at the vision of it, but the mere idea of another split season. I approached Gurney out of desperation. I figured if he could get the Great Handbag, the Great Windbag and the Whiny Unions together, he could get Jean-Marie and I on the same page" -- Bernie Eccelstone in his book Eccelstone: A Cut Above The Rest

Gurney adapted his White Paper to Formula 1 and chaired a meeting between the two sides in Paris, July 1982.

Within two weeks, there was an agreement. Formula 1 would be united again in 1983. Gurney helped forge the first Eccelstone-Balstre Agreement. The set of rules that have governed F1 since, and in turn made a lot of people a lot of money, including Dan Gurney.

His influence stretched beyond cars and engineering. As Gurney grew in influence, he put his clout on Capital Hill toward legislation to build more railroads, towards more engineering research, alternative fuels, and transportation improvements.

While being a man of libertarian leaning, Gurney was also a visionary and a pragmatist who felt rather than government "non-interference", the better way was getting all sides on the same page. Such was the centerpiece for his 1992 Presidential Campaign with running-mate Brock Yates. The Gurney-Yates ticket shocked a lot of people and put quite a scare into both Bill Clinton and Robert Dole by winning 4 states (California, Indiana, Kentucky, and North Carolina) and narrowly losing 6 other states.

5. A United States of America that most Western Europeans would love to live in.

This is what my country is like ITTL 2012: Transport America timeline

An industrially strong, technologically advanced forward-thinking United States that is wealthier, more secure, stronger and has a better standard of living in terms of our national production and our national quality of life by a wide margin over the OTL. Unemployment is down, innovation is up. The nation has a strong working middle class (Americans didn't oursource everything. We build stuff ITTL) with low medical bills (Universal Health Care built on a Scandinavian-style wellness model. Americans are among the healthiest people in the world and guess what, we like to walk and bike places!), a lower carbon footprint (Urban renewal and smart public transportation planning in the 1950s and 1960, less suburban sprawl, more inner city planning and development. Walkable, trainable and sustainable.), means.. "MO' MONEY IN OUR POCKETS!"

And we have to do a little something with that extra jingle in our jeans. And quite a few Americans buy tickets to see a race with it.

6. An American auto industry, and automotive culture that races forward to tomorrow.

OTL 1970s Detroit was behind the times.

ITTL Detroit is in the scrap with the automakers of the world, and the art and science of the car is greener, safer, and still a lot of fun...even more so.

That has directly affected motorsport. Innovation through racing has improved the car for the better. And the influence of American know-how that stayed constant in the 1970s and was prepared for the challenges for the 1980s, in part because of body politic and business climate that geared up towards a more forward-thinking philosophy as opposed to OTL's short-term philosophy.

American auto industry is STRONG ITTL. Not "wanky strong" but in the hunt with the great marques of the world. Jeremy Clarkson does not ridicule the American car ITTL! (Okay, he does, but not nearly as much as he does OTL. )

General Motors: GM's people listened to chirpy little Texan on their board in the 1980s. H. Ross Perot and his management team took majority ownership of GM in 1987, and he put in place a number of engineers in top positions. General Motors is a world leader in hybrid-diesel technology (GM locomotives are a gold standard on the world's freight railways) in addition to making some great cars. Chevrolet, Cadilliac, Buick and GMC Truck are the American nameplatea, but selected Opel, Vauxall, and Holden models are sold in the United States as well.

Ford: Was hurting for a little bit when Lee Iacocca was canned in 1978, and decided to compound the trouble by pissing off Dan Gurney.
Ford took heavy losses in the early 1980s....until Ford got smart, and under the advice of FoMoCo board member Jackie Stewart, Ford of Europe top brass was put in charge of Ford overall. The results, a massive turnaround from record losses in 1983, to record profits by 1988, and a fun lineup of cars in the model years since.
In ITTL 2012, Ford is a go-getter on the track, off the track and in the budding green technology field. Carl Edwards and Lewis Hamilton just won in a Ford, lately

Chrysler American Motors: Lee Iacocca took over slumping Chrysler in 1978, and over a lot of infighting on Capital Hill, received a set of loan guarantees that became the company saving K-Car line and the ground-breaking "Mini Max" minivans.

Poor ol' Chrysler fought it way out of the grave, and it's purchase of plucky, innovative American Motors in 1987, and an AMC-affiliated engineering firm led by racer-engineer Mark Donahue, put Chrysler on the road to leadership and prosperity.

ITTL 2012, Chrsyler, Dodge, and Jeep vehicles have made "Imported From Detroit" a catch-phrase (and people like the commercial featuring Detroit Red Wings superstar Marshall "White Chocolate" Mathers) and there's more fun to come. In 2010 Chrysler formed a strategic partnership with Italy's FIAT, and the first fruits of that union hit the market this year with the new FIAT 500, Dodge Gremlin WRC Abarth (and its World Rally Championship entry), and the LMP-1 SuperPatriot Abarth LeMans race car.

"When it comes to performance on the track or the road, there's an American spirit of enterprise you can only find at Chrysler American Motors."-- Mitt Romney, Chrysler American Motors Executive Vice President in charge of Sales and Promotions, 2012"

Now those are the biggies...Some more of the sport-specific PoDs

1. Racing became a lot SAFER a lot sooner. We still had "The Killer Years" of the 1960s, but thanks to the influence of key legends in motorsport who escaped the grim reaper, the safety advances that came in early 2000s OTL, came 4-8 years sooner. (Ex: Hans device became mandatory in 1992 in most major racing series. The SAFER barrier system began to show up on racetracks in 1997, beginning with the first application which was along the Tamborello sweeper at Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola, Italy.)

2. No McLaren as we know it.
McLaren ITTL was a cross between OTL March Engineering, Lotus, and TAG. They built race cars, they build ridiculously expensive road cars, but they never formed in team, in part because.

3. Ron Dennis, he's too darn difficult to deal with.
ITTL Ron Dennis turned McLaren cold, and drove Ken Tyrrell nuts, that is what led McLaren not to form a team with Project Four, and led Tyrrell to sell his team to Jackie Stewart so "Ron Dennis Oswald Mosley" wouldn't get his hands on it.

4. Bernie Eccelstone: Jail-bound?
Bernard doesn't run Formula 1 ITTL. He was forced out in 2009 when a lot of securities issues caught with him. He and Max Mosley are current in the courts in the UK right now. But Formula 1 is in good hands, thanks to..

5. Damon Hill. Chairman, Formula One Administration.
Perhaps the greatest man on two-wheels ever. The multi-time World Grand Prix motorcycle champion, and the daring promoter who gave the world MotoGP was tapped to lead Formula One in the post-Eccelstone era, and he's doing a good job of it.

6. There's diversity on the starting grid, especially with these women-type people

Somebody will ask so I figured I'll answer. ITTL, Louise Smith still ran hard in NASCAR and for awhile, they weren't allowed in the pits at Indy and Daytona, and yeah, the closest you'd see a woman get to a racetrack is a driver's wife or Francoise Hardy in tight dungarees keeping lap times for Nino Barlini.

But there were some key PoDs that we have to mention in regards to how we get from "Hell No!" to "Duno!" or from "Divina" to "Danica"

Uh, Chip? Where's Janet Guthrie?
Answer: Janet Guthrie was still very much a racing buff, but her life took a different turn. In 1966 Guthrie was selected for the NASA Scientist Astronaut Training Program. By 1970, she was Dr. Janet Guthrie, NASA Astronaut. After three more years of fighting for a mission, she got her chance.

On July 15, 1973, Mission Commander Fred Haise, Command Module Pilot Vance Brand and Lunar Module Pilot Dr. Janet Guthrie blasted off from Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida aboard Apollo 18.

Dr. Janet Guthrie became the first American woman in space.

On July 19, 1973, Dr. Janet Guthrie became the first woman to set foot on the Moon.

"If a woman can be on the Moon, she can enter the pits at a race track." -- Dr. Janet Guthrie. July 19, 1973

But that wasn't her big moment. That came on May 29, 1977. That afternoon at Indianapolis Motor Speedway was day of history.

For the first time in speedway history, the command to start would be shared. Tony Hulman would say it on the track, with Scientific Mission Specialist Dr. Janet Guthrie, who was in space as part of the third Apollo-Soyuz Joint Mission.

On the ground, more history. Tustin, California's Arlene Hiss, and Britain's Divina Galica became the first women to start an Indianapolis 500.

But the big breakthrough to the top of the podium happened two years before.

June 8, 1975, Scandinavian Raceway, Anderstorp, Sweden. Lella Lombardi polished off her best qualifying effort of the season with a stunning win in her Beta Team Mclaren M23B. The Italian was the first woman to win in Formula 1, and in a part-time ride no less. Her drives during the season got the attention of Lord Alexander Hesketh, who signed Lombardi to partner with James Hunt at Hesketh-BRM in 1976.

Three years later, Lombardi was at the top of the world. She was the 1979 World Driver's Championship in a wild season that saw 8 different drivers hold the championship led during the season. She won the title in a driving rain at Watkins Glen were she outlasted Alan Jones, Gilles Villenueve and A.J. Foyt to bring home a second championship foe Lord Hesketh and championship for Italy.

Her triumph opened the door to the top series worldwide that isn't closing anytime soon.


Now hold up....Lewis Hamilton is here, so I figure there's a little color beside the tarmac, right.


Oh yeah, he's here and racing hard and he's won a world championship, and think he could end Seb Vettel's reign in 2012. But coming up, Mr. Hamilton had a few more people who looked like him getting things done on the track.

But we gotta go waaay back. In the USA black guys have been racing cars, since cars started coming off assembly lines, but OTL and ITTL, Charlie Wiggins and the Gold and Glory boys never got to race on the Indianapolis bricks. .

Point of Divergence -- Indianapolis 1953....A hard-nosed racer named Joie Ray, broke through. He had proven himself a winner in the lower divisions of the American Automobile Association circuit, and finally he got his chance to qualify for the Indianapolis 500.

He had a two-year-old car and a skeleton crew, but on Bump Day, he got his Offy-powered roadster into the show. He qualified 32nd. He finished 15th and was around at the checkered flag.

1954 -- Ray had won a top division race earlier in the season. He got some top line equipment from a A.J. Watson and showed people what he could do. He finished 8th in the 500 and was 6th in the series standing...Ray caught the eye of a team manger for Mercedes-Benz. The Silver Arrows were planning an assault on Indy 1955.

May '55 -- Mercedes brought their best. Fangio. Kling. and also drafted last year's winner Bill Vukovich, who was having contract problem with his team from '54...Mercedes also entered a fourth car...For Joie Ray.

Ray got a local sponsor as well. Crispus Attacks High School, the "colored" high school in Indianapolis had their students raid piggy banks to put the school's name on Ray's car.
CAHS had already celebrated a great victory IN '55. Their school basketball team blasted 1954 defending champion Milan High to win the state high school championship (The story of their win was the subject of the 1989 critically-acclaimed film "Hoosiers")

In qualifying, Ray ran 9th fastest. He was still trying to get the handle of the powerful Grand Prix-bred W196. By race day, he mastered the Silver Arrow...

On race day. Ray put on the performance of his life, as ended the day has the fastest man for 500 miles. The man who was wasn't allowedn the pits at Indy in 1950, was in the winner's circle at Indy drinking a big bottle of milk.

"A colorful day of history at Indianapolis. A black man in a silver car has put together a golden day with a blue sky above.. Joie Ray has conquered the racing world and has won the 500-Mile Race!" -- Sid Collins, Indianapolis 500 Radio Network. May 30, 1955.

Ray continued racing through 1965, when he traded driving for development as part of a special project. Ray's mechanical knowledge helped build the 1967 AAR Eagle-Shelby F1 Car. The Championship car of the '67 season. The American challenge to European Grand Prix tradition.

He was a part of racing history again in 1970. Ray was the crew chief of Gurney's "Project 200," with the goal of building the first regulation NASCAR Grand National race car to exceed the 200-mile-per hour barrier.

The dream was realized on March 24, 1970 at Talladega, Alabama. Ray's group setup a NASCAR Ford King Cobra that set a lap average of 202.377 mph.

The driver of the car that cold morning in Alabama? Wendell Scott.

Scott's journey was similar to Ray's. Ray grew up in Kentucky. Scott grew up in Danville, Virginia.
His driving prowess was well known, especially to law enforcement. Scott was a moonshiner and he was one of the best.
But he traded the running from the law for running for prize money. From 1949-1960, Scott took on every hardscrabble dirt track in the Southeast. It was hard living. This was the Jim Crow south, and he was a black man in a sport that wasn't.

By 1961, Scott had enough resources to drive on NASCAR Grand National circuit. The top circuit. With more talent that resources, Scott ran hard to compete and earned the respect of many competitors, especially the top talents of time.

"On talent alone, Wendell was as good as any of us. He just needed the equipment to show what he could do. That was one thing many of the boys feared. If Wendell got top cars and real money, a lot of mediocre drivers wouldn't make money, and the boys running up front had to step lively." -- Ned Jarrett, 1965 NASCAR Grand National Champion, 2003

The Civil Rights Acts of 1963 and 1964 were law. President Lyndon Johnson had thrown down the challenge to segregation. In many parts of the country, North and South, there was tension unease.

Others saw new potential in a new America that was already seeing great change with the industrial boom brought on by Eisenhower's Interstates and railways. Urban renewal and intense rural electrification was making an impact. With civil rights respected and protected, a burgeoning black middle class could bloom.

A new market for durable goods could grow among black Americans. Markets for things like automobiles.

One of those who saw the vision was Anthony Lido Iacocca. In OTL 1964 Iacocca was a Ford VP for cars and trucks. He held two jobs ITTL. He was the VP for cars and trucks, and the official corporate contact for Ford Racing. Any requests, ideas, etc went through good ol' Lee.

It was conversation in the pits in 1964, which changed NASCAR. Iacocca was talking about a project. A push to get a growing African-American market to buy Fords.
Ned Jarrett listened and gave Iacocca an idea. "If you want to sell cars to black folks," Jarrett said. "There's a racer named Wendell Scott you need to give factory support to. He could do more to sell cars to his people that anybody else can." (2)

Iacocca checked out Wendell Scott. He saw a hardscrabble, bare-knuckles racer.

Within a week Iacocca pitched a plan to the higher ups. Henry Ford II said, "No."

Yet, somehow..Scott got some good factory parts from Ford. Iacocca was supporting Scott under the table. In 1965 season, Scott won at Jacksonville and Charlotte. The first two wins of his Grand National career, but the best was yet to come.

In 1966, Iacocca tipped off Dan Gurney on a NASCAR operation he could buy into and get competitive now. By Gurney's name being connected to it, Iacocca could sell supporting the team to Henry Ford II, no matter who the driver was.

Gurney bought Scott's effort and signed Scott to drive for AAR Eagle. Only July 12, 1966, the deal was done. On July 14, 1966, Scott drove his first event for AAR Eagle, the first AAR Eagle NASCAR race where Dan Gurney wasn't the driver.

Wendell Scott took the Fonda, New York road course that day and lapped the entire field.

Scott won 4 more races in '66, and 3 in '67
1968, saw Scott in a new car. Ford's latest contender. The Ford Torino for '68 was promising car. Scott was a promising driver.
Promise met performance over 500 miles on February 25, 1968.
Almost 13 years after Joie Ray bested Indianapolis. Wendell Scott found himself ahead of the greats. He passed Cale Yarbrough for the lead with 23 laps to go and never looked back.
It was a shock heard 'round the South. Wendell Scott wins the Daytona 500.

He ended the year third in the standings behind David Pearson and Richard Petty, but Scott was winning a lot of fans. Not only proud black southerners and a growing group of black northerners, but the traditional working-class white fans of stock car racing were warming up to Wendell Scott. In the hard-working, simple Scott, many of those fans saw themselves.

By 1969, Scott was featured in Ford's print ads. Win on Sunday. Sell on Monday. And Ford was beginning to sell to black to make green. Even today, Ford is very popular among African-Americans, in part because of their support of Wendell Scott then, and Lewis Hamilton now. (ITTL Lewis Hamilton is one of most popular athletes in America as well.)

1970 was Scott best year. A second Daytona 500 win. The 200-mile-per hour barrier in Ford's "Wing Car" challenge to the Dodge Charger/Plymouth Superbird. In Scott's hands, The Ford King Cobra was supersonic, and Scott won 5 races, including the Daytona 500, the World 600 and the one race he wanted more than any other.
Labor Day Weekend, 1970. Darlington, South Carolina. The Southern 500 is NASCAR's oldest major event. And for years, Wendell Scott was denied participation. (1) All the way until 1970, and call by President Richard Nixon.

"TRACK OFFICIAL: "Hello?"
NIXON: "I am slated to give the command to start the race this coming Sunday and I'd like to request that a Mr. Wendell Scott be given the opportunity.
TRACK OFFICIAL: "We don't let coloreds race here at the Lady In Black. WE NEVER HAVE. WE NEVER WILL.
NIXON: Sir, If you want my participation. I suggest you change that rule. This is 1970, sir. Its time to step into tomorrow.

TRACK OFFICIAL: Listen, son. who the hell do you think you are telling us folk down here what to do? I Don't give a popcorn fart if you're Richard Q. Nixon!

NIXON: I am Richard Nixon. And my middle name "Milhous". Now I will be at qualifying Saturday and I fully expect to see Mr. Scott's car in the qualifying lineup. You don't want my friend J. Edgar looking through Darlington's tax receipts do you? I understand he has some files that pertain to certain track officials and the transport of illegal alcohol. You wouldn't want him to investigate that further would you?

TRACK OFFICIAL: Uh....uh....No-no-no sir!

NIXON: Good. See you this weekend. It should be a fine race.
-- Transcript and tapes provided by the Nixon Presidential Library.

Scott was allowed to race at "The Track Too To Tame" for the first time.

A crowd 70,000 saw Scott take out years of frustration in display of driving fans still talk about.

"We are seeing an absolute master of the game playing his best as Wendell Scott's first attempt at Darlington is a domination." -- Ken Squier, Motor Racing Network, September 7, 1970

Scott finished 4th in the championship that season, and raced four more years and finished in the top 10 overall each year. After 1975, he retired and managed his son's NASCAR career. Wendell Scott Jr. started 318 races and won 1 race (Talladega 1981 in a three-car dive to the line past Darrell Waltrip and Terry Labonte). Scott Jr. is best known as a crew chief. In 1986, he was crew chief in the Busch Series, by 1989 he got his first gig as a Winston Cup crew chief for Bobby Hillin Jr. In 1994, he was hired by Petty Enterprises to be the crew chief for a young driver on the rise.

In 1997, Ricky Craven won the Daytona 500 to start the year and was sitting at the head table at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City at the end of the year as Winston Cup Champion.
Craven's crew chief was Wendell Scott Jr.
Today, Scott Jr. is the head of competition for Petty Enterprises.

Hey, buddy...What about Willy T. Ribbs?

Loud. check. Brash. check. Got into a little trouble at Charlotte? Uh, actually that was in Kent.

Kent?

Willy T. Ribbs was a graduate of Joie Ray's racing school. In 1975, a 20-year-old Ribbs went over to England, and set the country on its ear.

By 1978, Ribbs was ripping through Formula Three and Formula Two. In 1979, He got his first Formula 1 ride.
He was signed by the German-based ATS team. Despite a good start and two points finishes , he wasn't retained for 1980.

In 1980, Ribbs was doing a test for the UOP Shadow team and Brands Hatch. After the test session, he took his Ford Escort Cosworth and pretty much drove the hell out of it. He was clocked doing 128 in a 45. Needless to say, neither FISA nor FOCA would give him a Superlicense.

But Ribbs found a home in Trans-Am.

Willy T. Ribbs: Trans-Am Series Champ. '82, '83, '86, '88, '89
He also did selected IndyCar events where he had to make the best of hand-me-down equipment. Sort of like Ray and Scott had to.

But just like Ray and Scott, Ribbs got a big break.

1990. Porsche's IndyCar program needed a success and fast. Three years one win, while Ferrari and Lola were taking the podium spots.

Derrick Walker decided to take a chance on Willy T. Ribbs, mouth and all.

He missed the 500 in 1985, but made the show every year since and ran well in short IndyCra stint with a number of smaller teams during those years. 1990 was Ribbs' first full season in IndyCar, and took Porsche to victory lane twice in '90.

May 1991, Ribbs was dialed in from the first day of practice. On Pole Day, one of drivers Robin Miller said was a Bump Day Master, became a Pole Day master, too. Ribbs put his Porsche on the front row, starting 3rd.

The '91 Indy 500 was a lively dual. Rick Mears, who has finished 2nd 4 times since his 1982 win, started from the pole position. Bobby Rahal had his Ferrari in the second position. The Ohio superstar was looking for his 3rd 500 win and the third for the Prancing Horse.

Behind Ribbs, was legend A.J. Foyt who was starting 4th and was fastest on Carburation Day. Fifth was defending 500 champion, Danny Sullivan in his Ferrari. Sixth was surprising 500 rookie Michele Alboreto in a third Ferrari.

And a little farther back were Mario and Michael Andretti starting 9th and 10th but still a threat. Just ahead of them was '89 winner Al Unser Jr. (8th on the grid) and Andrea Montermini, another rookie driving in the 2nd WalkerSport Porsche entry.

Ribbs led 74 laps, including the last 8 a trophy dash to hold off Mears and Michael Andretti to win the Indianapolis 500. The Greatest Spectacle in Racing had an African-American drinking the milk in victory circle for the second time.

Ribbs raced in IndyCar, IMSA and NASCAR until his retirement in 2001. In 1995 Ribbs, along with his mentor Joie Ray, Lyn St. James (who became Mrs. Willy T. Ribbs in 1993), and a diverse group of racers including MotoGP standout Antron Brown, IMSA sportscar competitor Bill Lester, 1980 Indianapolis 500 winner Danny Ongais, NHRA Champion Angelle Sampey-Affleck, NHRA legend Don Prudhomme and then-NHRA President Bob Gidden, formed the Ray-Scott Working Group. An organized effort to continue to bring diverse faces into motorsport. Unlike similar efforts in the OTL, which were more celebrity driven than race-driven, this effort was began by racers first with an emphasis on grassroots talent development.

From this working group, a number of efforts within the sport sprang up. Small teams in weekly series, Karting and the open wheel ladder grew. The fields at many dusty bullrings, kart circuits and local road course slowly but surely had new and different faces in the United States and around the world. Emerging markets worldwide began seeing more competitors coming from the Far East (Rallying and F1 became huge in car-crazy Japan and spread through the India-China subcontinent. Also the rise of Hyundai and Proton and major players in the auto industry was a factor), Middle East (Long known for prowess in endurance rallying, the Middle East was building talent in stage rallying and Africa (native Kenyans and Congolese are breaking into rallying. The end of Apartheid in South Africa and a formation of the Springbok "Amandla Racing School" at New Kylami in 1999 is bringing black talent into the sport for the first time in that part of the world. This effort received technical assistance from the RSWG beginning in 2004.)

Mr and Mrs. Ribbs also put their money where their mouths were. In 2002 the Ribbs' put together a 3-car effort driven by George Mack, Sarah Fisher, and Lyn St. James-Ribbs. All three qualified for the 500. Mack finished a strong 7th, and was rookie of the year. Sarah Fisher chased Gil de Ferran all the way to the checkered flag to finish 2nd.

Oh by the way, what about Sarah Fisher? She runs her own IndyCar team now, and last season they won two races. Many racing people and marketing people are really excited two developmental drivers she will campaign in a limited schedule of Star Mazda, Formula Hyundai and Indy Lights events 2012. A pair of 17-year old twins, Coretta Serena and Janet Mae Ribbs, both junior honor students at Speedway High School, just a couple of blocks away from Indianapolis Motor Speedway. They are young, gifted (both are being looked at by some of top colleges in the country), black, attractive (they get it from their mama), brash (they get it from their daddy) and can drive the hell out of a race car (they get it from both sides of the gene pool).

When not watching his own kids, Ribbs along with Max Siegel, a former vice president of Sony Interactive Entertainment, and hip-hop artist Jay-Z run Rocafella Revolution Racing, which has put together a group of teams to contest feeder stock car, sprint car and open wheel candidate after a grueling examination process that could be likened to the Jack Roush "Gong Shows" in the OTL since 2006. Three prized students have made serious jumps toward big time racing. Motorcycle ace Bubba Stewart will try to add a MotoGP championship to 2 Motorcross des Nations titles. Marc Davis makes his F1 debut this year for Force India, and Darrell Wallace Jr will do battle in the Nationwide Series with the Daugherty-Nance team. RRR will also run a two-truck effort in the Camping World Truck Series for Michael Cherry and 2011 Toyota All-Star Showdown winner Tia Norfleet.

So there's all the PoDs, earlier in this thread, there's a lot of tidbits on what some other racers are doing these days.

One of those racers got arrested at an Occupy Brasilia protest last night.

 

[Screvier20]

Incredible TL but two things what is going on in the world of drag racing and whats the overall set up of NASCAR.

What about this setup.

Sprint Cup Series
Nationwide Series
Camping World Truck Series
Baby Grand National(Goody's Dash Series)
K&N Pro Series West
K&N Pro Series East
Whelen Modified Tour
Whelen Southern Modified Tour
NASCAR Canada
NASCAR Mexico
NASCAR Australia

 

[Chipperback]

Screvier20, if you want to be Brian France in this TL? Boys, have at it.

The only restriction is following the canon already set on the thread, however there is a lot of room to play with PM me for more details

The NHRA is pretty much to same at the ITTL, the only major difference is due to an earlier emphasis on safety in the late 1980s, races are still a quarter-mile long. The drag strips have gotten even better...And John Force is still running his mouth.

 

[Screvier20]

2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

Schedule

1)February 26: Daytona International Speedway
2) March 4: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
3) March 11: Nashville Superspeedway
4) March 18: Bristol Motor Speedway
5) March 25: Infineon Raceway
6) April 1: California Speedway
7) April 14: Texas Motor Speedway
8) April 22: Kansas Speedway
9) April 28: Richmond International Raceway
10) May 6: Talladega Superspeedway
11) May 12: Atlanta Motor Speedway
12) May 27: Charlotte Motor Speedway
13) June 3 : Dover International Speedway
14) June 10: Pocono Raceway
15) June 17: Michigan International Speedway
16) June 24: Road America
17) June 30: Kentucky Speedway
18) July 7: Daytona International Speedway
19) July 15: New Hampshire Motor Speedway
20) July 29: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
21) August 5: Iowa Speedway
22) August 12: Watkins Glen International
23) August 19: Michigan International Speedway
24) August 25: Bristol Motor Speedway
25) September 2: Darlington Raceway
26) September 8: Richmond International Raceway

Chase for the Championship

27)September 16: Chicagoland Speedway
28) September 23: New Hampshire Motor Speedway
29) September 30: Dover International Speedway
30) October 7: Talladega Superspeedway
31) October 13: Charlotte Motor Speedway
32) October 21: Bridgehampton Raceway
33) October 28: Martinsville Speedway
34) November 4: Texas Motor Speedway
35) November 11: Phoenix International Raceway
36) November 18: Homestead-Miami Speedway

Non-Point Races

February 18: Daytona International Speedway(Budweiser Shootout)
February 23: Daytona International Speedway(Gatorade Duels)
May 19: Charlotte Motor Speedway(Sprint Showdown and All-Star Race)

 

[TheMann]

Holy s*** Chipperback, I thought your work was impressive beforehand. Having read all of that......Wow. You took Transport America and made it into a base for the best world of all for racing nuts. F***ing brilliant.

So, if we have greater African-American involvement in racing, I think we can safely have Bill Lester be something of a legend among these, with several Indy 500 starts and a very long career in sportscar racing. Perhaps he's part of Chrysler's little effort to go win Le Mans with the SuperPatriot Abarth? I did also have the idea of an all-female team to go try for that win, too.

Question 1: Did Mario Andretti ever win Le Mans here? It's about the only major race where he's never won IOTL.

Question 2: Whatever became of Pontiac, Saturn and Hummer? If you have nothing in mind, may I kick my little bit of Canadian nationalism and have Magna pick them up and sell cars under those brands? Magna has looked into becoming an automaker several times, even making concept cars in the 1990s. A more prosperous USA is going to mean a more prosperous Canada in any possible form, so I think it might be very possible here. Could also have Frank Stronach (Magna's founder and recently-retired boss) work with Gurney on Gurney Austin Rover.

 

[President Al Bundy]

List of FIA World Touring Car Champions from 1993 on

1993 - Nicola Larini/Alessandro Nannini (Alfa Romeo 155 V6)
1994 - Joachim Winkelhock/Johnny Cecotto (BMW M3 E36)
1995 - Bernd Schneider/Dario Franchitti (Mercedes C-Class)
1996 - Manuel Reuter/Yannick Dalmas (Opel Calibra V6)
1997 - Bernd Schneider/Klaus Ludwig (Mercedes C-Class)
1998 - James Thompson/Gabriele Tarquini (Honda Accord)
1999 - Anthony Reid/Alain Menu (Ford Mondeo)
2000 - Bernd Schneider/Peter Dumbreck (Mercedes C-Class)
2001 - Rickard Rydell/Michael Bartels (Ford Mondeo)
2002 - Laurent Aiello/Mattias Ekström (Abt-Audi A4)[1]
2003 - Bernd Schneider/Christjian Albers (Mercedes C-Class)
2004 - Andy Priaulx/Dirk Müller (BMW M3 E46)
2005 - Andy Priaulx/Dirk Müller (BMW M3 E46)
2006 - Bernd Schneider/Bruno Spengler (Mercedes C-Class)
2007 - Mattias Ekström/Martin Tomczyk (Audi A4)
2008 - Timo Scheider/Yvan Muller (Audi A4)
2009 - Michael Bartels/Andrea Bertollini (Ford Mondeo)
2010 - Augusto Farfus/Jörg Müller (BMW M3 E92)
2011 - Matt Neal/Gordon Shedden (Honda Accord)

[1]When new regulations were introduced in 2000, Audi didn't partake directly in the WTCC, as they preferred to stay in sportscar racing. But Abt Sportsline decided to built a car on their own, which sensationally won the championship in 2002.

 

[Chipperback]

Magna International building cars? Go for it. Stronach acquired Pontiac and Saturn in 2002, after Ross Perot restructured GM to meet the 21st century.

Canada has their own automaker

 

[TheMann]

Magna International building cars? Go for it. Stronach acquired Pontiac and Saturn in 2002, after Ross Perot restructured GM to meet the 21st century.

Canada has their own automaker

Sweet. I would be guessing that with that in mind, Magna would be a fairly big supporter of international racing efforts by Canadians (probably backing the Vector F1 team, among other exploits ) and Pontiac would be back in NASCAR, using the G8 bodystyle.

 

[TheMann]

I also just had a thought about Gilles Villeneuve. Part of the reason he was at Ferrari was because old man Enzo thought of him as one of his successors running the company when he passed on. I know that he won't own it all or anything like that, but I think we can say that Villeneuve would have been involved with Ferrari's operations once Enzo passed on. Does that effect anything here, and if so, what changes at Ferrari?

 

[Chipperback]

Gilles Villenueve

"I also just had a thought about Gilles Villeneuve. Part of the reason he was at Ferrari was because old man Enzo thought of him as one of his successors running the company when he passed on. I know that he won't own it all or anything like that, but I think we can say that Villeneuve would have been involved with Ferrari's operations once Enzo passed on. Does that effect anything here, and if so, what changes at Ferrari?

After Enzo died, Ferrari continued on pretty much similar to the OTL, however, the major changes involved the significant North American interests in Ferrari and those interest had a major stake in FIAT, Ferrari's parent.

Gilles Villenueve doesn't run Ferrari. Luca di Montezomolo does, but Ferrari's technical people ITTL hold higher positions of power. Immediately after Enzo's death in 1989, Mauro Forgheri, who was still with Ferrari unlike in the OTL, was the emergency caretaker Commendatore to ensure that Ferrari's racing operations didn't suffer during the transition. Forgheri kept the company together and focused during a critical time, and that is what led to the building of a strong technocrati within Ferrari.

A big piece of that technocrati was a funny-looking Indy winner from Ohio. Bobby Rahal's technical and business acumen impressed Enzo Ferrari and the rest of Ferrari's board early on. After Rahal retired from competition, he was offered a position on the board and was placed as head of Ferrari racing operations in North America, and by 2000, Rahal-Letterman Holdings became the center of everything Ferrari in North America, including running the lucrative distribution network for Ferrari.

One of the biggest piece of that network? Gilles Villenueve, who is the main hub for any Canadian looking to buy a Ferrari. He owns the entire dealership network for Ferrari in Canada as part of the promotions, and automotive investment firm he started in 1987. Villenueve, through real estate, racing promotions, and shrewd investment in Canada, combined with an economy in Canada which was decidedly stronger and more stable, is in a financial position similar to Roger Staubach OTL. He's a billionaire, he's on the board of Ferrari, and he's the most powerful man in Canadian motorsport. Along with Ron Fellows (who works in partnership with Villenueve in owning some key pieces of the sport in Canada).

Oh by the way..
Daytona 24 is this weekend..

And former Formula 1 champion and Indianapolis 500 winner, Dr. Ayrton Senna was there along with Raul Boesel and Mauricio Gugelmin, who will drive a Nissan GT-R in this weekend's 24-hour race. For Senna, this is first competitive drive in a major event since 2006. The Brazilian superstar, now a college professor in Brazil, is running selected events in 2012 as part of his "Racing For A Better World" initiative for a group of charities in his native Brazil and around the world. On Monday, Senna was arrested for disturbing the peace at the Occupy Brasilia demonstrations in Brazil's capital in continuing protest of President Jose Serra's austerity plan. The charges against Senna, along with 500 other protesters who were arrested, were thrown out due to technicalities.

 

[WSoxfan]

How are the road courses (Watkins Glen, Elkhart Lake, etc. ) developed ITTL? If this is based off of your transport America series, then that would most likely mean more infanstructure for the road courses.

 

[Chipperback]

How are the road courses (Watkins Glen, Elkhart Lake, etc. )

Watkins Glen is same course in the OTL, but the facility is vastly different. ITTL Watkins Glen has all the amenities of a Sepang, Bahrain or Abu Dhabi. Many of the great road courses in the U.S. have upgraded the creature comforts, because many of these courses also hold various FIA and MotoGP World Championships event as well.

 

[TheMann]

Watkins Glen is same course in the OTL, but the facility is vastly different. ITTL Watkins Glen has all the amenities of a Sepang, Bahrain or Abu Dhabi. Many of the great road courses in the U.S. have upgraded the creature comforts, because many of these courses also hold various FIA and MotoGP World Championships event as well.

You've made Watkins Glen have facilities like Sepang or Abu Dhabi? Wow......just Wow.

 

[Chipperback]

You've made Watkins Glen have facilities like Sepang or Abu Dhabi?

Gurney Group is the majority owner of Watkins Glen. And that is big money.

Dan Gurney is one of the richest men in America these days. Not Warren Buffett-wealthy, but Mr. Buffett and Mr. Gurney do work together on some projects. The Watkins Glen renovation was one of them.

 

[TheMann]

Can I make one last request for this - can I have Greg Moore not be dead? I think Greg Moore could well be a major flag-carrier for Canadian racing fans and drivers.

 

[WSoxfan]

What about Elkhart Lake? Sorry if I'm being pushy about this, but I've gone up to that course for five years and it really is a great course. Also, great work on the whole background for this.