Happy Birthday to “America’s Winningest Driver” Dick Trickle (born 10/27/41),

As expected, following the retirement of seven times World Champion Michael Schumacher the Ferrari team which was effectively built around him over the last ten years has started to come apart.

It was been confirmed that team principal Jean Todt has been promoted to CEO of the whole Ferrari operation while technical director Ross Brawn will be leaving along with engine guru Paolo Martinelli, who will be moving up to parent company FIAT. These follow the announcemnt last week that race engineer Nigel Stepney will be taking a year’s sabbatical.

So what does this mean for the championship hopes of recent Ferrari recruit Kimi Raikkonen who must have thought he was stepping into an established world championship winning team? Effectively they will now be starting from scratch, and I doubt that “The Iceman” has the character or temprament to build a winning team around him.

Roll on 2007. The new season looks like it could be the most open in nearly a decade.

Following the announcement of his switch to NASCAR and the scheduling of his Netxel Cup debut at this weekend’s race, A.J. Allmendinger’s contract with the Forsythe Champ Car team has been terminated with immediate effect, effectively bringing the young American’s open-wheel career to a close.

His place on the Forsythe team for the Champ Car season finale in Mexico City next weekend will be taken by 2004 Indy 500 winner Buddy Rice who is currently shopping for a ride for the 2007 season.

Saturday, 28th October

• NASCAR Busch Series - Memphis TN
• NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – Atlanta GA

Sunday, 29th October

• NHRA Nationals, Las Vegas NV (ESPN2)
• NASCAR Nextel Cup, Atlanta GA (NBC)

Happy Birthday to Sprint Car Champion Sammy Swindell (born 10/26/55)