'BAMA A NO BRAINER

Sure, it's 20 miles from a NASCAR stronghold (Talladega) but it's a no-brainer for IndyCar to give Birmingham, Ala. a slot on the 2010 schedule. Barber Motorsports Park is a dazzling facility and those people did a better job of promoting a test than half of the IRL tracks do promoting a race.

Teams would loved to return to Barber in Alabama, despite the limited passing opportunities. (LAT)

We got off the airplane, there were signs everywhere welcoming the IRL (when is the last time that happened?) and the crowd looked larger than Homestead the past two years.

More importantly, track owner George Barber made it very clear he would re-configure the track to put in a straightaway with a braking/passing zone and make any safer improvements that IndyCar required. "I think we need to go where people want us and where they promote us,": said two-time IRL champion Scott Dixon. "It's tight and would be hard to pass but if they are willing to make some changes in the track, let's do it."

NOTES, QUOTES & NEWS

The ALMS folks got all riled up because of my "rumor" on SPEED REPORT last Sunday night that Honda would drop the Acura LP1 program after Sebring so let me clarify. OK, maybe that was bad phrasing. My understanding is that the R&D will cease on this car immediately and Honda wants to take Gil de Ferran's team to the IRL in 2010 instead of competing against no one in sports cars.

I also heard that Honda of Japan wants Takuma Sato in an open wheel series and he may get to run a couple of ovals prior to Motegi (ideally with Gil's people). And, if de Ferran runs two cars next year, it would be good to see Simon Pagenaud back in an open wheel car. There's also talk that Scott Sharp's Highcroft team may be bringing him to Indianapolis this May.

Will Takuma Sato make his way to Indy with his former Honda F1 sporting boss and current Acura ALMS team owner Gil de Ferran? (LAT)

Would owner Duncan Dayton, an accomplished vintage F1 racer, want to go IndyCar racing full-time? Probably depends on what happens with Honda and the ALMS.

But the ALMS folks swear de Ferran and Highcroft will continue with their 2009 ALMS efforts. It's just a shame that Audi and Porsche bailed because the ALMS had a lot of momentum after last year and watching the end of Sebring with Peugeot and Audi was entertaining.

Dan Wheldon on the lack of passing opportunities at Birmingham, Ala. "Hell, we raced at Detroit for a couple years and you couldn't pass there either."

The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEEDtv.com, SPEED, FOX, or NewsCorp.


The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEED.com, FOX, NewsCorp, or SPEED