Overheard at Baltimore

IndyCar needs to lose the silly front stretch chicane. It is there to slow the cars over the RR tracks. Recall the Champ Cars used to fly over the RR tracks in San Jose at full tilt and the fans loved it.

Opening day at Baltimore saw a big turnout of fans and curiosity seekers as the IndyCars and ALMS took to the streets for the very first time. According to Claudio Berro of Lotus their new IndyCar engine will be on the dyno this month and hopefully on the track in October. Rumor has it that Conquest Racing Boss Eric Bachelart is talking to Lotus but he does not have an executed agreement yet. We hear he will almost definitely run one car next year but hopes to add a 2nd car…….The deadline for signing an engine contract has been extended from August 31st to September 15th. Most teams we have talked to said the ball in is the manufacturers court.

Ran into Conor Daly and his father Derek who are in town because Conor is back in an Indy Lights cars this weekend. Daly has been doing better in GP3 and we expect to see him either back in GP3 next year or maybe graduate to the World Series by Renault. Speaking of Americans in Europe trying to make it to F1, look for Alexander Rossi drive some F1 Friday morning practices for Lotus next year with a shot at making his F1 debut for Lotus in the US Grand Prix at Austin. Rossi currently race in the World Series by Renault.

The Senna movie is getting rave reviews by all the drivers in Baltimore this weekend who saw it Thursday night.

Drivers are talking about possible removing the chicane on the main straight before the Railroad Tracks. The chicane is silly and Dario Franchitti and Will Power both said it's bumpy over the tracks but the potential to remove the chicane is there.

Pitlane is very tight and short, so in order to fit all 27 cars at the start of pitlane cars are pitting on both the left and right sides of pitlane.

Rumor has it that Vitor Meira will be back with AJ Foyt Racing in 2012 and another rumor says AJ wants to run a 2nd car. And Simona de Silvestro is expected back with HVM with continued backing from Entergy Nuclear Clean Air Energy.

Spotted Justin Wilson hanging out in the Andretti pits wearing a full torso clam shell to support his broken back suffered at Mid-Ohio. Because of the compression fracture Wilson said "I'm about 1/2 inch shorter so now my brother is definitely taller." As to where he will drive next year, Wilson told me "It's totally up in the air right now, I have not heard anything from z-Line – his sponsor. "I want to be with a team that gives me a shot at winning races, said Wilson.

Spotted Steve Horne again working the radio in the KV Racing pits leading to further speculation he will join the team in 2012. And we hear Katherine Legge is about 1 month away landing a possible IndyCar rides.

And congratulations are in order for Beccy Gordon and Ryan Hunter-Reay who were married July 4th weekend in Key West, Florida. Mark C. reporting from Baltimore