Just gonna lay a few thingson the table and let you draw your own conclusions:

• You might remember that inAugust 2011, China’s Triangle Tyre Group came to Akron with grand plans to opena research and development operation and a sales office in the once RubberCapital of the World. Some 30 jobs were coming with all of this, and Trianglecreated "A3T LLC" as its new American company. Triangle had approval to invest atleast $9 million into the project.

• At the time, University of Akron officials told the Akron Beacon Journalthat Triangle has actually signed an agreement with it – for an undisclosed sum– and will “hire university researchers over the next few months to begin workas soon as January at the Akron Polymer Research Innovation Center on the UAcampus.” 

• Well more thana year later, it seems no one can precisely say what is happening. Emailinquiries by Tire Review with Triangle Tyre in China have been met with noresponse. Separately, inquiries about the status of the project in Akron and ofA3T were made at the recent Global Tire Expo, and Tire Review was told, ineffect, that there was no R&D project in Akron. When asked about a U.S.sales office, the Triangle representative offered that a firm in Latin Americawas handling U.S. sales. (We’ll allow that perhaps the representative did notfully understand the questions, so we’re taking those answers with a grain ofsalt.)

• Coming back toAkron, we made repeated (as in four) inquiries with the University of Akron asto the status of the purported Triangle R&D center project. Finally (aftergreat exasperation), we received this reply from a PR type there: “I’m not sure what information you received, but thereare currently two researchers from Triangle working with our faculty andgraduate students on three Triangle Tire-funded research projects in theUniversity of Akron Polymer Engineering Academic Center and the Olson ResearchCenter. These projects involve research to improve rolling resistance of rubbercompounds, use of laser irradiation to strengthen adhesion in cord/belt/fabricinterfaces in tires, and vulcanization at lower temperatures to provide energysavings and reduce carbon footprint of tire making processes.” Again, draw yourown conclusions.

• We also attempted to finda working phone number of “Triangle Tyre” and “A3T LLC.” Directory assistancein Akron said no such companies were listed.

• We approached the City ofAkron development staff, which was involved in the original talks that landedthe “R&D center” and “sales office” in the city. Two emails later wereceived a phone call from Robert Bowman, head of theAkron Economic Development Board, who said another person from his staff wouldbe calling us later that day. That was more than a week ago; no calls have beenreceived.

• A3T does have a website,such as it is. The rather barebones effort has a meager amount of information,but says basically nothing of value. There are just three parts – CompanyProfile, Research and Careers. A fourth – Contact Information – leads to ablank page. No address, phone or email are shown. The website doesn’t evenmention Akron or the purported R&D center. In the Careers area, A3T pushesthe wonders of “Weihai, one of the most habitable places on the planet, islocated at the east-most tip of the Shandong Peninsula in China.” So if youwanted to work for A3T in Akron, you’ll be working in China?

What we wonder is what isreally going on? Is Triangle Tyre going to follow through? And when? Or isAkron and its people being played (again) by a tire company? If you knowanything, please pass it along to me at [email protected].

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So you think you and theguys might want to start a racing team? And you’ve set your sights on thepenultimate – Formula One?

Well, good on you, boys! Oh, and bring your checkbooks!

FIA is looking for morerevenue from its F1 endeavor, so they’re planning to upgrade its entry feeschedule. In fact, FIA is doing away with one flat fee ($402,000 per team thispast season) in favor of a sliding scale based on level of success.

Under the new scheme, eachteam will make a flat $500,000 payment per team, and then another $5,000 perconstructor championship point recorded the season prior.

Using that formula, Red BullRacing, which won the 2012 constructor title, will be on the hook for a $3.26million entry fee for next season. Ferrari will be paying $2.5 million andMcLaren $2.39 million.

At the back end of theconstructor results were Caterham, HRT and Marussia, each getting a $500,000entry fee for 2013 thanks to their really crappy results.

Feeling oddly American, FIAchief Jean Todt said of his new fee scheme: “I feel in any democratic countryyou are paying your taxes depending on your income. So it will generate about30% more from this side."

Tires, fuel, travel, food,drivers, etc., are, of course, extra.