Happy Birthday to former IRL racer and current TV commentator Scott Goodyear (born 12/20/59),

and former Grand Prix driver Karl Wendlinger (born 12/20/68).

As expected Paul Stoddart has been confirmed as a Champ Car World Series team owner for 2007. The Australian, who owned the Minardi F1 team from 2001 to 2005, before selling it to Red Bull last year, has bought a controlling interest in CTE Racing-HVM to form a multi-car team called Minardi Team USA.

No word on driver line-up as yet although it seems that drivers with past Minardi connections may top the list. Names being linked with possible Minardi Team USA seats include Jos Verstappen, Katherine Legge, Robert Dornboos as well as last year’s CTE drivers Dan Clarke and Nelson Philippe.

In other Champ Car news 10 teams recieved an early Christmas present today as they took delivery of the first new Panoz DP01 race cars in preperation for next season.

According to a report posted on Autosport.com The IRL could hold a non-championship race around the streets of Biloxi, Mississippi, towards the end of next year.Former IRL team owner Larry Cahill is involved in the project, which is being looked after by a company called Marquis Sports Marketing. “I am the owner of that track, and that race will happen,” he was quoted as saying by the Indianapolis Star.

Cahill also plans to enter a two-car team for the entire IndyCar season in 2007, and he has already signed Venezuelan female racer Milka Duno for the attack.

An IRL spokesman added that the race could happen, but that it would be a non-championship round due to existing contracts. The race is expected to be held in either September or October, after the official IRL season finishes at Chicagoland on September 9th.

Happy Birthday to former Trans-Am racer Jim Derhaag (born 12/17/50),

ChampCar star Paul Tracy (born 12/17/68),

all-round Native American racer Cory Witherill (born 12/17/71),

and open wheel racer and current A1-GP Team USA driver Ryan Hunter-Reay (born 12/17/80)

According to reports on autosport.com and the BBC, event organisers have confirmed that the 2007 Race of Champions will take place at the new Wembley Stadium in England.The annual event, which sees drivers from various categories of motorsport go head to head for the title of Champion of Champions as well as for the Nations Cup, has been held at the Stade de France in Paris, France, for the last three years. “I want to say a huge thank you to everyone at the Stade de France and the fantastic French fans for the three great years we have had here,” commented Race of Champions organiser Fredrik Johnsson. “For 2007, we have been talking to some of the world’s most prestigious stadiums and I can tell you this evening that the 20th anniversary event will take place next year at the new Wembley Stadium in London, England. But we do hope to be able to come back here to Paris again some time in the future.”

Wembley Stadium has been undergoing a massive makeover in recent years, and the historic venue is scheduled to reopen in May next year.