View Full Version : Houston 2007 Discussion Thread
Insomniac
04-20-07, 11:45 AM
Cars are on track now. Servia is at the top of the charts. :thumbup: No sign of Graham Rahal yet.
Rahole ends up #7...he's still the new Frenchie's biotch. :gomer:
CCWS needs to update the freakin' Web site...2 of 3 top features are old news from last weekend. :\
-Kevin
Insomniac
04-20-07, 12:51 PM
It's pretty cool, Team Australia on top. I wish DCR was having a similar type of success.
Spicoli
04-20-07, 02:03 PM
It'$ pretty cool, Team Au$tralia on top. I wi$h DCR wa$ having a $imilar type of $ucce$$.
:D
Read more closer.
Insomniac
04-20-07, 02:44 PM
:D
Read more closer.
$tupid $$$!
Insomniac
04-20-07, 04:12 PM
Bourdasi on provisional pole. No sign of Figge, did he wreck in practice 2? Maybe 2007 won't be any different than 2004-2006...
Bourdasi on provisional pole. No sign of Figge, did he wreck in practice 2? Maybe 2007 won't be any different than 2004-2006...
No mention on the CCWS site, but that's not surprising..... :saywhat: :irked:
-Kevin
nissan gtp
04-20-07, 04:29 PM
Figge out, due to "lingering back injuries" from LB
...not because he sucks :D
Figge out, due to "lingering back injuries" from LB
...not because he sucks :D
So, another broken back?:confused: Anyone else in the car?
Figge out, due to "lingering back injuries" from LB
...not because he sucks :D
I thought he was in practice earlier? :confused:
EDIT: he was in session 1, but not session 2.
-Kevin
JAGFlo. kwality flow controls.
:gomer:
Racing Truth
04-20-07, 05:02 PM
16 cars, then?
cameraman
04-20-07, 05:11 PM
Sucks for Figge but it will probably mean one or two fewer yellow flags:rolleyes:
TKGAngel
04-20-07, 07:05 PM
Speed says Figge's having an MRI since he's still sore. Roberto Moreno may step into his Super-Sub Suit for the remainder of the weekend.
Racing Truth
04-20-07, 07:49 PM
Speed says Figge's having an MRI since he's still sore. Roberto Moreno may step into his Super-Sub Suit for the remainder of the weekend.
Probably a major upgrade. Glad to see PCM keeping the car in.:thumbup:
Spicoli
04-20-07, 08:01 PM
:tony:
coolhand
04-20-07, 08:17 PM
It is starting to sound like you don't want to hit the wall in this car
Wheel-Nut
04-20-07, 09:47 PM
Track is much smoother than last year, still a bit bumpy in spots.
They "fixed" the Turn 2 chicane, removed the wall and cones and put in a curb a la Vegas.
Decent crowd today for a Friday.
The Audis are whisper quiet, very cool!!
Looked like a 'normal' Friday street race crowd to me. However there was still a line a cars to get into the parking lot at 6:30 when we left.
For some reason there was no refreshment stand behind grandstand 5 today. :irked: Fortunatly that was our last stop on the way out.
In Vegas, beer was $4, and water was $2. Today I paid $7 for beer and $3.75 for water.
There seems to be more vendors this year. Plus with the Champ Car paddock moved outside the whole area inside the track seems more full.
RHR_Fan
04-20-07, 10:07 PM
Moreno will be replacing Figge. It was between him and Andreas Wirth, but Moreno's experience with testing the car gave him the edge/ride.
~Nicole
Moreno will be replacing Figge.
May turn out to be PCM's best result for the year. :\
cameraman
04-21-07, 07:51 PM
MRI results determined Alex Figge has a mid-thoracic compression, there are no fractures.
Neither shunt was of epic proportion. I'm think the seating/belting system of the new car might need a closer look.
Insomniac
04-22-07, 12:24 PM
Bourdais and Tagliani were docked their fastest lap after quals were over. Power starts on pole. That will give Bourdais someone to chase down at least. I also hope they enforce blocking (like last year, for the most part) with an iron fist.
B3RACER1a
04-22-07, 12:51 PM
So are we in HD this time? Just got a TV! :cool:
Insomniac
04-22-07, 01:04 PM
So are we in HD this time? Just got a TV! :cool:
Doesn't look like it: http://hd.espn.com/hd/schedule.jsp
Insomniac
04-22-07, 05:25 PM
They lined up for a start!!! Bourdais got off easy on shortcutting the chicane. Too bad for Servia. When will FCR learn not to short fill? Congrats to Graham, kept his nose clean all day and brought home a P2. I have a feeling many fans won't mind if Bobby stopped showing up. :)
Nice favor for Bourdais from race control in delaying the yellow flag and closing the pits there at the end. Also, you've won so many races, shouldn't you know how to do proper donuts by now? Props to the DP01 and Bourdais. He drove around an entire lap under Wilson's wing without a problem. Didn't even need P2P to get by him.
Speedy Dan??? Under yellow and you clip a wrecked car...yikes. Roberto Moreno, should've found a better sub than him. But I suppose he was probably free.
ESPN had some graphics (like the intro) made for CC, which is good to see even though CC is buying time. Michelle Beisner is a Red Sox fan. :) (Did anyone else see her doing commercial break updates on NFLN a few weeks ago?)
It was a pretty good race I thought. (Except for the IRL promos. ;))
TravelGal
04-22-07, 05:46 PM
Short filling wasn't Servia's problem. GRRRRR.
Couldn't agree more about Moreno. I'm a fan of his but he had too many brain fades. I thought he might. I expected him to be constantly thinking about the differences in the way the car handled on a bumpy street course vs. the way it handled on the smooth slopes of Sebring.
Speedy Dan. Man, that guy gripes me. Wonder if I'll eventually come around or keep wishing for his speedy EXIT?!~
Good strategy by Seabass. Cheat to the front, hose your chief competitor and then it's clear sailing. The penalty was inadequate. Power was passed by Wilson largely because he ended up behind Bourdais, so just giving up one spot wasn't enough. Seabass should have been put behind Power.
Insomniac
04-22-07, 05:54 PM
Short filling wasn't Servia's problem. GRRRRR.
Couldn't agree more about Moreno. I'm a fan of his but he had too many brain fades. I thought he might. I expected him to be constantly thinking about the differences in the way the car handled on a bumpy street course vs. the way it handled on the smooth slopes of Sebring.
Speedy Dan. Man, that guy gripes me. Wonder if I'll eventually come around or keep wishing for his speedy EXIT?!~
I think that was part of his problem because it meant he had to come on to pit lane before the guys in front of him. After LB, FCR should know that being out is an advantage. He came in before the guys in front of him, and Mario coming in didn't help. I don't really blame Mario on that one. I don't know what you do there short of just stopping and waiting for Servia to pull out. Which is fine, but someone should radio that to him instead of him guessing. I've seen many races where the other team car pulls into the pit box in front while the other one is getting service so this isn't a situation where you stop first to let the guy out before pulling in.
Insomniac
04-22-07, 05:56 PM
Good strategy by Seabass. Cheat to the front, hose your chief competitor and then it's clear sailing. The penalty was inadequate. Power was passed by Wilson largely because he ended up behind Bourdais, so just giving up one spot wasn't enough. Seabass should have been put behind Power.
I agree, but didn't want to say it first. ;) Also, he only let Wilson by and then stayed right behind him. He gained a lot of time (compared to if he had to go through it in the first place) by shortcutting that chicane and gave up very little time in return.
nissan gtp
04-22-07, 06:34 PM
I think Kermit should have been put in 3rd as well.
He would have won anyhow :laugh:
Wheel-Nut
04-22-07, 06:55 PM
Great day at the races!! Methanol in the nostrils does a body good.
One thing, if I were a team owner, CC or Atlantic, I would fine my driver $1k for every car length he is behind the car in front of him. Matos never had a challenger on the restarts nor did the CC leader.
One thing, if I were a team owner, CC or Atlantic, I would fine my driver $1k for every car length he is behind the car in front of him. Matos never had a challenger on the restarts nor did the CC leader.
Closest restart appeared to be the last one with Gommendy in front of Sebass. How was the crowd compared to last year? Looked pretty good from what I could tell, but no way was it like the '98 race.
-Kevin
Good strategy by Seabass. Cheat to the front, hose your chief competitor and then it's clear sailing. The penalty was inadequate. Power was passed by Wilson largely because he ended up behind Bourdais, so just giving up one spot wasn't enough. Seabass should have been put behind Power.
I totally agree.
The group doing the broadcasts are much improved this year, and ESPN is the best channel to show it on, and we have a good announce team. Kudos to everyone involved.
The track, unfortunately, leaves much to be desired. Street courses are inferior to start with, and unless they are Vegas/Surfer's-like, they are not worth running, IMO.
The racing was decent until half the field lost their minds late in the race. The fuel, however, played too big of a role in the outcome. Why not force everyone to start races like this on half tanks, thus forcing three stops and minimizing fuel economy runs?
Insomniac
04-22-07, 07:40 PM
The racing was decent until half the field lost their minds late in the race. The fuel, however, played too big of a role in the outcome. Why not force everyone to start races like this on half tanks, thus forcing three stops and minimizing fuel economy runs?
Won't make a difference. They'll still run to save fuel to try and get that extra lap over the next guy. You basically get penalized for running flat out now.
Won't make a difference. They'll still run to save fuel to try and get that extra lap over the next guy. You basically get penalized for running flat out now.
If you take away the borderline situations, where they start the race knowing they can save fuel and eliminate a stop, you have eliminated part of the problem, and that is better than not doing it.
per AR1:
Champ Car's logistic guru Billy Kamphausen was robbed at gunpoint this morning at 6:30 a.m. at a Houston gas station. He is fine, but his wallet is a bit lighter.:eek:
Brian_R
04-22-07, 08:32 PM
per AR1:
:eek:
Someone must have been really hard up for a hard card. Glad to see he's OK :thumbup:
Wheel-Nut
04-22-07, 08:44 PM
. . . How was the crowd compared to last year? Looked pretty good from what I could tell, but no way was it like the '98 race.
-Kevin
I think the crowd looked better than last year but who knows what the total attendance was. Our seats are right on the S/F line and we were crowded but not packed in like sardines.
That F1 2 seater is one loud mofo! My ears were hurting when I left the ALMS race but the F1 car is crazy loud. I had to go "school girl" and put my fingers in my ears. Now its a must do for me, see 20 F1 cars at full song together.
BTW, I unoffically clocked the 2 seater at 1:08 / 1:09 . . . I guess when you have paying customers you can't go "Bordin" on them during the VIP rides.
Insomniac
04-22-07, 10:20 PM
If you take away the borderline situations, where they start the race knowing they can save fuel and eliminate a stop, you have eliminated part of the problem, and that is better than not doing it.
They've tried to force pit stops into the equation to get them to run all out, but even then they still saved fuel to reduce their pit stop time. A pit stop is just so costly that they'll do anything to keep them down to a minimum and when they do come in to keep it as short as they can. They're at the point now where they can save fuel AND keep the guy behind them behind them. I just don't see any solution until saving fuel costs you track position again.
Dr. Corkski
04-23-07, 12:30 AM
The look on Kalkhoven's face when that wannabe Danica he is stuck paying for took out a good driver in his car was absolutely priceless poetic justice.
TravelGal
04-23-07, 01:13 AM
I think that [short fueling] was part of his problem because it meant he had to come on to pit lane before the guys in front of him.
He came in before the guys in front of him, and Mario coming in didn't help. I don't really blame Mario on that one. I don't know what you do there short of just stopping and waiting for Servia to pull out.
I thought he came in before the guys ahead of him because we was *already* on an alternate fuel strategy. In any case, your point in well taken, if he hadn't been there due to supposed short fueling, he wouldn't have had the meeting with Dominquez.
BTW, I completely agree that this was not Dominguez's fault. But it caused Servia to just stop and wait for Dominguez to pull IN. Servia was on course for a podium and maybe a win. Nice that there are no team orders but let's face it, FCR does not have the swiftest of pit crews. They have run Tracy out of fuel, lost wheels, made all sort of wrong calls in the last couple of years.
Wheel-Nut
04-23-07, 10:22 AM
a few pictures,
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/Wheel-Nut/DSC03015.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/Wheel-Nut/DSC03013.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/Wheel-Nut/DSC03012.jpg
Wheel-Nut
04-23-07, 10:24 AM
a few more
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/Wheel-Nut/DSC03011.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/Wheel-Nut/DSC03010.jpg
Wheel-Nut
04-23-07, 10:25 AM
cc
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/Wheel-Nut/DSC02997.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/Wheel-Nut/DSC02996.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/Wheel-Nut/DSC02991.jpg
Wheel-Nut
04-23-07, 10:28 AM
cc
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/Wheel-Nut/DSC02994.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/Wheel-Nut/JacobKart.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/Wheel-Nut/DSC02988.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/Wheel-Nut/DSC02986.jpg
Insomniac
04-23-07, 10:32 AM
I thought he came in before the guys ahead of him because we was *already* on an alternate fuel strategy. In any case, your point in well taken, if he hadn't been there due to supposed short fueling, he wouldn't have had the meeting with Dominquez.
BTW, I completely agree that this was not Dominguez's fault. But it caused Servia to just stop and wait for Dominguez to pull IN. Servia was on course for a podium and maybe a win. Nice that there are no team orders but let's face it, FCR does not have the swiftest of pit crews. They have run Tracy out of fuel, lost wheels, made all sort of wrong calls in the last couple of years.
I think we agree here. I don't really call short filling an alternative strategy since it's barely out of sequence. He came in with everyone the first time and got out in 2nd place. FCR said they short filled maybe a gallon. If they go full tank, maybe they come out 3rd instead. Not sure if they had anything for N/H/L anyway. I also agree their pit crew leave things to be desired. They are pretty good at either not filling up all the way, think they filled up all the way but didn't or miscalculating how far the car can go.
Ray Scar
04-23-07, 11:59 AM
If you take away the borderline situations, where they start the race knowing they can save fuel and eliminate a stop, you have eliminated part of the problem, and that is better than not doing it.
They'll still do it just to run an extra lap or two more than their nearest competitor and/or to reduce filling time. It's (almost) always beneficial to have a little more fuel than the other guy.
Hesketh
04-23-07, 12:05 PM
I also agree their pit crew leave things to be desired. They are pretty good at either not filling up all the way, think they filled up all the way but didn't or miscalculating how far the car can go.
You mean the crew GF didn't axe? the guys worth hanging on to when the championship-winning guys were cut?
You get what you pay for. Shame on you, GF.
:thumdown:
I think the crowd looked better than last year but who knows what the total attendance was. Our seats are right on the S/F line and we were crowded but not packed in like sardines.
Agree with your assessment, we were also at S/F, section Q row 4.
I won't be renewing those seats again. Last year we were a few sections down towards turn 1 and the sight lines were better. At S/F everyone goes by right next to the wall and we couldn't see much besides the top of the roll hoop going by. For the ALMS race it was impossible to see the scoring lights. If turn two is configured the same next year I think we are moving down there, possibly in the Grand Prix Club.
Wheel-Nut
04-23-07, 12:49 PM
Our seats are section R row 9 . . . . [wishful thinking] if they could swap the pits and the #1 GS that would be ideal. You could see the cars, have the afternoon sun at your back and a breeze in your face. [/wishful thinking]
and what was the deal with making you walk through the "entertainment" areas and around the Reliant Center to get to GS1? I guess the same thinking as setting up a grocery store, don't put the "needed" items in the front of the store!
opinionated ow
04-23-07, 01:02 PM
no alternative strategy is going to work in a timed race...
Someone must have been really hard up for a hard card. Glad to see he's OK :thumbup:
According to Kamphausen, the thug pulled a revolver on him and demanded that he hand over his wallet. Showing more courage than brains, Kamphausen did as ordered but then proceeded to try and grab the gun from the robber -- who promptly ran through some nearby bushes, jumped into a waiting car (with no license plate) and sped off.
dumbass
(http://www.speedtv.com/articles/auto/champcar/36882/?page=2)
Our seats are section R row 9 . . . . [wishful thinking] if they could swap the pits and the #1 GS that would be ideal. You could see the cars, have the afternoon sun at your back and a breeze in your face. [/wishful thinking]
and what was the deal with making you walk through the "entertainment" areas and around the Reliant Center to get to GS1? I guess the same thinking as setting up a grocery store, don't put the "needed" items in the front of the store!
The sun and breeze situation is another factor for moving elsewhere next year.
They do make it tougher then needed to get around.
Wheel-Nut
04-23-07, 01:54 PM
dumbass
(http://www.speedtv.com/articles/auto/champcar/36882/?page=2)
This could qualify too . . . .
One of the more expensive mistakes of the day came during a full course yellow in the wake of the coming together at the Turn Two chicane between Neel Jani and Katherine Legge that left the former's car beached in the middle of the chicane and the latter's Panoz parked against the wall on the exit. With yellow flags waving and the chicane blocked by the Red Bull car, the remaining competitors simply short cut the chicane to the drivers' left and continued on to Turn Three . . . all but Dan Clarke who managed to wallop Legge's stricken machine, taking off its right rear corner and destroying the left front corner of his Team Minardi USA car.
"Jani and Katherine Legge had some sort of incident, and Katherine got into the wall," said Clarke. "I came around the turn, found her car blocking the track, and with nowhere to go, hit it with the left front corner of my car."
Hard Driver
04-23-07, 02:14 PM
Man am I looking forward to Portland or any other REAL track. That Houston track is one small step above autocrossing champcars in a parkng lot.
Vegas and Long Beach were decent "for a street course". But you still have to qualify the "for a street course". And Houston was poor even "for a street course".
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.