Floored all day long

[Hard Driver]

So then, what is the trick to being fast at Indy these days. As far as I can tell, it is to setup the car so that you can be 100% throttle all the way around.

Do you think those guys right foot fell asleep from lack of activity.

Have to admit that I saw the start and finsih, but fell asleep myself in the middle while I TIVO'd Monaco. But what I did see was guys never lifting the whole way around... There is something just not right about that.

[High Sided]

Do you think those guys right foot fell asleep from lack of activity.


no, most likely they got leg cramps from pushing down so hard wishing for a 230mph turbo indy car.

[pchall]

no, most likely they got leg cramps from pushing down so hard wishing for a 230mph turbo indy car.

I was concerned that they would experience finger numbness from constantly resetting the fuel map to save a bit and play the pit stop/sequence game.

[oddlycalm]

Bottom line is that this is a race you could run with a cruise control engaged. It's a frickin drone fest. As our man Bourdais put it...
You need to lift for the corners. That's the way all racing is supposed to be."

oc

[Andrew Longman]

I saw plenty of lifting and shifting in the race.

While you can set the car up to run flat all the way around, you still have to hit the turn in point exactly right or you are going to need to lift.

Not doing that on the last lap in T3 IMO caused Marco to lose enough speed that Sam was able to catch his draft. Doing it perfectly lap after lap as JPM did it what gave him his dominating win (and what Mears was good at).

Add to that contending with traffic and trying to take a different line through the corners. Catch a backmarker/slower car in the apex and you are in for trouble. That's what happened to Helio this year and what happened to Bruno and Seebass last year.

Even in the old CART spec at Indy in 95 you tried not to lift, but is was a scarier proposition then

[Hard Driver]

Well, that is why I like road courses and street courses better than ovals. Then I like the short ovals, remember the brazillian roval. Then Indy and then a superspeedway. Indy is at least fairly flat.

I am not saying that I could win. Sure, hitting the exact turn in spot is key. But somehow I think that lifting for the corners is supposed to be part of racing.

[racer2c]

I saw plenty of lifting and shifting in the race.

While you can set the car up to run flat all the way around, you still have to hit the turn in point exactly right or you are going to need to lift.

Not doing that on the last lap in T3 IMO caused Marco to lose enough speed that Sam was able to catch his draft. Doing it perfectly lap after lap as JPM did it what gave him his dominating win (and what Mears was good at).

Add to that contending with traffic and trying to take a different line through the corners. Catch a backmarker/slower car in the apex and you are in for trouble. That's what happened to Helio this year and what happened to Bruno and Seebass last year.

Even in the old CART spec at Indy in 95 you tried not to lift, but is was a scarier proposition then


Recovery from lifting is the key difference. A Champ Car can regain in a corner or two what was lost whereas the IndyCars take almost a full lap to recover the lost momemtum. It's like they are dragging an anchor.

[Andrew Longman]

Sure, hitting the exact turn in spot is key. But somehow I think that lifting for the corners is supposed to be part of racing.

Sure, but there is also always room for the corner that if you hit it just right you keep your foot in it and use every inch of track.

Back in the day that's what Indy was about. Speed, speed, speed. Track was uniquely configured to go scary fast, but only if the driver was both talented and brave.

Mashing you foot on a high banked oval. That require a lot less of both. Doing Indy in the currect cars require less of both.