Time to go home Dan and Kathy!

[The Saint]

I am an Englishman living in the USA, and love to see the Brits doing in the series over here, but I have had enough!

It is time for Speedy Dan and Legge to go. Dan has some raw talent, but is too hot and cold (mainly cold) to compete. He is forever making mistakes, and will I will be amazed if he is in Champ Car in 2008. I wouldn’t be surprised if he goes sooner!
Kathy is out of here league, time to move on to a series where you don’t languish at the back all days.

We have some quality British drivers, they aren’t two of them!

[drewdawg727]

I agree, time to "Park the Clarke"

[luke]

Yes. Dan was impressive last year but this year he has crashed even more and Nelson deserves his driver back!

As for Legge I donno...

But us brits still have Wilson and Dalziel.

[Craig]

I know Katie from the days when she used to race karts. Lovely girl. Sadly not an absolutely top notch driver but, well, Champcar is no longer a top notch series. It'd be a shame to lose her. Who else is gonna want to join the series if nothing else?

Dan, on the other hand, I would love to see leave. I don't rate him at all and really don't think he'd be any loss whatsoever.

[Knowlesy]

Dan has a fair bit of talent, but it really does need harnessed somehow. He could do well in the right environment. However, right now, he is abysmal basically. I do hope it gets better for him.

Katherine is really out of her depth. It's strange, because I thought she made a good start in Champcars but she seems to have gotten progressively worse rather than better as you'd expect. It's a shame, I wonder if the Road America shunt has perhaps affected her? Not for me to say though really.

[The Saint]

Dan did seem to make progress last year, and I thought his sophomore (2nd) year would be a lot better. Alas he has shown time and time again this season that he is a loose cannon with little road sense and VERY slow reaction times!

I wish Ms Legge would move to IRL. She looked pretty good on the oval last year and I feel that she would give Danica a run out for her money….which is more than can be said for Duno and Fisher!

[luke]

Katherine had her moments. Personally I like her. She's sexy but seriously at Milwaukee last year she was leading and that was her first oval race. I think she got a top 5. She was heading for a top 5 at Road America until her terrible accident. In some races last year she did spin a few times. But lets remember she was in PKV who were poor and now Dale Coyne who arent amazing but I love to see them do well.

This year I haven't seen much of her. But I think she is a very nice girl and a credit to the series. I think in a top team she could improve and showcase what she has.

Dan last year was erratic at times but he was so fast. He could have won San Jose last year but his car broke down. He showed real emotion and we all felt sorry for him as he was starting to get it together.

I thought this year he would be a top 5 driver and wouldn't be erratic. Last year pace wise he took to Champ Car so quick. Now he's got worse! How the heck he crashes under yellow at Houston and again at San Jose into Wilson was just poor. I think he should be known as Dangerous Dan Clarke.

[carsten66]

Dan Clarke

Las Vegas - contact
Long Beach - 12
Houston - contact
Portland - 6
Cleveland - 11
Mont Tremblant - mechanical
Toronto - contact
Edmonton - 8
San Jose - contact

results so far: starts 9 : DNFs 5 : contact 4

... it looks like he is something out of control... Speedy Dan Crash
and I don't believe the team is amused

[Teretonga]

katherine doesn't have enough experience to maximise the opportunity she has at Dale Coyne.
Last year the team was able to help her more engineering wise but this isn't happening this year and is the reason for the languishing further down the field.
As for Dan, I dunno....

What Champcar does need is another half dozen good North American drivers to set up a trans national battle at the front of the field. If that happened you would have something much more promotable to the public too.

If Scott Speed ended up in champcar next year plus another three or four drivers of similar ability in good teams you would really have a real fight at the front of the field.

[enemy-ace]

Originally Posted by Teretonga

katherine doesn't have enough experience to maximise the opportunity she has at Dale Coyne.
Last year the team was able to help her more engineering wise but this isn't happening this year and is the reason for the languishing further down the field.

I was about to say exactly that until I got down here and saw you got here first.
Both Bruno and Servia showed that a driver with good feedback and talent can make the car reasonably competitive. I wouldn't mind seeing Clarke in the Coyne car and somebody more consistent in the Minardi car.

[luke]

Yes, Scott Speed at Newman/Haas next to Graham Rahal. Two yanks in Paul Newman's team.

Plus into the Atlantic's series and bring in a few more Americans along with other talent from there like their champion with his $2 mill.

I think drivers from the US should be setting the mark like they used to. There probably is too much of an element of European racing...blocking etc..Accoridng to Bourdais. that is.

AJ allmendinger was perfect. A very fast driver who won many times, a great personality. I really hope he returns to Champ Car and not sitting out of the field after not making the show for Toyota in the Cup races each week.

[The Saint]

I will be interesting to see how SeaBass will do in the T/R next year. Being in the NewmanHaas team is like having the key to the executive toilet in heaven. The Newman/Haas annual budget is almost as much as all the other teams combined. Newman/Haas have a wind tunnel where most other teams use flatulent obese people in a two car garage!

But like I said, Katie in IRL and Dan in a Ford Cortina 1.3lx!

[norman-normal]

Congratulations, I agree with everyone!

I would truly hate to see Kate go, she is such a warm, earnest person. I think she just lost her confidence. Perhaps she should have remained in FA another year but the competition there would have been too much, what with Graham and Simon.
As for Crash Dan, I think Élan should give Minardi a discount, or perhaps a commission? on DP01 parts. He is dangerous!

[mountainstar]

Dangerous Dan I was looking for an improvement this year, especially considering the team has stepped it up. He's either stayed the same or gone backwards not good.

Kat I suggested on another forum what she really needed was a driving coach to work with. I think there is potential there, but it is not being harnessed.

[Peter Ford]

Dont know if any of yous heard Shaw saying that if Bourdais does to f1 next year that Wilson is the favour to get his seat at newman-haas in 08.

[ensign14]

Legge is the second-string driver at a third-string team with fourth-string finance. Is anyone surprised she's not doing so well?

[JohnSSC]

Legge needs more than a driving coach. With a team like DCR, she needs an experienced engineer to help with the setups. The team is just not that deep with the staff needed to get to grips on a new car. that is why the more experienced drivers do better with Coyne: they already have a good grip on what works and what doesn't re: setups.

[DSM]

IMO you're clutching at straws. Legge is never going to be good enough to warrant a seat on merit, whatever engineers and coaches you find. Never was, never will be.

As for Clarke, well he was known as Dangerous Dan and has proved that the title is well deserved.

[MrTTraces]

Legge's an ok driver, I think she just needs a more family enviroment.

First time I met her was nearly 10 years ago when she was racing in the MG cup at Oulton Park. A lovely Lass.

If the team has little money nor the quality staff then ya can't blame her completely.

[luke]

Dan should be on probation and if he pulls off a dangerous move again ending someone elses races or crashing into someone under caution again he shouldn't be allowed to race imo. One or twice ok but not all the time like he is this year.

Bring back Nelson! Great character, a CC bred driver who turned into a good driver. He deserves the seat!

[The Saint]

Originally Posted by DSM

IMO you're clutching at straws. Legge is never going to be good enough to warrant a seat on merit, whatever engineers and coaches you find. Never was, never will be.

As for Clarke, well he was known as Dangerous Dan and has proved that the title is well deserved.

The American presenters actually call him “Speedy Dan”

[luke]

Yes but he has also been known as dangerous cause well he is!

[gomick]

dan was speedy in the lola last year - impressive actually at some tracks for a rookie... this year, he has been poo, totally outclassed by robert doornbos - speedy dan, you are the weakest link - goodbye .... nelson phillipe must be kicking himself now

[The Saint]

Originally Posted by gomick

dan was speedy in the lola last year - impressive actually at some tracks for a rookie... this year, he has been poo, totally outclassed by robert doornbos - speedy dan, you are the weakest link - goodbye .... nelson phillipe must be kicking himself now

Nelson left because he thought it was wrong that he should pay for his drive. I wonder who is paying for Dans…..maybe some auto bodyshop repair company?

Dings-r-Us maybe?

[DSM]

Originally Posted by The Saint

The American presenters actually call him “Speedy Dan”

Well, 'Speedy' was the name chosen by Dan himself and his Manager. That was commuted to 'Dangerous' by the rest of the sport during the days when he seemed hell bent of wrecking every Formula Ford built.

Don't remember the detail but I do recall seeing him repeatedly wreck his cars at a meeting at Snetterton, which resulted in him having to move teams IIRC.