Quote :

Mika Salo is on course to take part in next year’s NASCAR Nationwide Series after completing a successful first test in a stock car last week.
The veteran of 109 grand prix starts, who has raced GTs since 2003, tested a Sprint Cup-spec Toyota Camry for Michael Waltrip Racing at New Smyrna Raceway in Florida last week along with fellow Ex-Toyota F1 man Jarno Trulli.

He believes that the test can be a springboard to a full season in NASCAR’s second-tier series in 2010.

“Two things were new to me: driving a big NASCAR and driving on an oval,” the 42-year-old Finn told AUTOSPORT. “It felt comfortable in the car from the beginning and I could feel the changes we made to the car.

“It’s all about the money. If my sponsors are happy, it will happen. The plan is to learn the racing and learn the tracks in Nationwide and then move up to the Sprint Cup in 2011.”

/

Boy this took a while to confirm. I think he was suppose to be in NASCAR 2009 but I thought it fell through (Made a thread about it a while back)

On a side note...if he lands in MWR he's DONE.

Although it is Nationwide, so I dont know exactly which team he'll be able to be in. He can probably save some teams from disappearing all together like the 07, 09, 11, and 47. Although since this is a MWR test, I'm guessing he'll take over Ambrose's former spot in the 47.

Would be interesting to see how Salo would fair in Ambroses' former ride. But everywhere else is pretty much filled up for next season (due to crossover contracts).

BTW Trulli was there as well: http://www.paddockreport.com/i ... p-up-two-day-nascar-test/

Quote from Trulli :

There are so many different factors and you need to be a smart person to be aware of whats happening around you

Orly

i seriously hope Mika can succeed on the NASCAR circuit, rather than failing like Dario Franchitti.

Quote from hansonator69 :

i seriously hope Mika can succeed on the NASCAR circuit, rather than failing like Dario Franchitti.

Salo will probably bring some Finnish interest into NASCAR similar to what Ambrose is doing. Unfortunately, Salo will have to do well in order to warrant that.

Back when Christian Fittipaldi and Hideo Fukuyama were in NASCAR, Brazil and Japan still remained impartial to NASCAR because both Fittipaldi and Fukuyama performed very very poorly.

While Salo was an F1 driver, I think Salo will fair much better because it's been a very long time since he was in open wheel. He's been mainly doing endurance racing and that's a heck of a lot closer to NASCAR than F1 or Indy. So I say Salo has a good background to crossover into. Of course, right now it'll all depend on money and the team. If he takes over the 47, there's a good chance he'll succeed. But if he takes over one of the backmarker teams like the 0, then I say there isn't much of a chance for him.

These guys who have never raced ovals before have a huge disadvantage IMO. Most NASCAR drivers started out on < .5 mile ovals in their teens. Say what you want about "how hard can it be to turn left all the time?" The guys who grew up on short tracks get a lot of practice running in constant traffic for 25+ laps.

He's going straight into the Nationwide Series, which I think is a mistake. Whoever set up Scott Speed's "intro to stock car racing" course did it right. Start out small (ARCA) and work your way up. Of course, what former F1 driver wants to travel with a touring series to exotic locales like Salem (Indiana), Mansfield (Ohio), Berlin (Michigan), and Springfield (Illinois)?

I wish all these guys well, but I'm afraid they're doomed to fail unless they "serve their time" in the much lower series.

I agree but disagree for 2 reason.

1. I agree that Scott Speed's career was crafted well as he really did his time in the lower ranks and impressed in them. However, look at his rookie season. While not as disastrous as it could have been, it was pretty much a flunk imo. I mean the 82 didn't even make it into the top 35 in owners points.

2. Montoya. He basically jumped straight to Cup and was almost instantly successful. Sure he struggled at Bristol and Darlington. But his rookie season was a great success.

This can be seen elsewhere too. Look at Mark Webber in F1. He came from GT straight into F1. That's a pretty bad idea. Yet he's very successful.

If the driver has the skill and talent. He can make the jump and do relatively well. IMO, adapting to a totally new discipline is what separates the mediocre from the talented. I'm not saying that those who failed are necessarily untalented. They failed for many reasons. Like Dario Franchitti was dropped because sponsors decided to pull out when the results was slowly coming in. But Salo isn't an untalented driver. If he's serious on staying (which he is), he'll do well. But of course this is all just speculation. We'll see what team he signs with and how he drives in consistent 3 wide traffic in 2010.

Montoya did half a year of Nationwide before going into the Cup. But he is also a pretty universal driver (drove latemodels this year at Eldora I think).

Wow, Salo is a big cock :o

And i remember a thing: Ferrari will be allways the best team...because i drived there :? lol

Well, he´s gotta be better than me
Following the money

Quote from PMD9409 :

Montoya did half a year of Nationwide before going into the Cup. But he is also a pretty universal driver (drove latemodels this year at Eldora I think).

Yup: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_yJHsYires (PS is it just me or does Kyle Petty always say "Let me tell you something" LOL)

As well as select races in ARCA.

Quote from manneF1 :

Wow, Salo is a big cock :o

And i remember a thing: Ferrari will be allways the best team...because i drived there :? lol

Well, he´s gotta be better than me
Following the money

I have no idea if this post is a encouragement or not LOL. I will say that he is suppose to have 1 win in F1 but was told to move out of the way for Eddie Irvine. I think Irvine gave Salo the trophy as a sign of good will.

Quote from lizardfolk :

I have no idea if this post is a encouragement or not LOL. I will say that he is suppose to have 1 win in F1 but was told to move out of the way for Eddie Irvine. I think Irvine gave Salo the trophy as a sign of good will.

Well, it wasent supposed to be an encouragement, but as i said he´s gotta be better than me

Quote from lizardfolk :

Salo will probably bring some Finnish interest into NASCAR similar to what Ambrose is doing. Unfortunately, Salo will have to do well in order to warrant that.

To be honest 'no one' here cares what he does now. If certain other likely soon-to-be ex-F1 mumbler jumped to Nascar, then that would create a lot interest.

Quote from deggis :

To be honest 'no one' here cares what he does now. If certain other likely soon-to-be ex-F1 mumbler jumped to Nascar, then that would create a lot interest.

Yeah, I guess Salo's been out of the picture for too long