How Many Cars, Redux

[Dirk Diggler]

Looking at the current driver lineup, how many cars will still be running on the second lap?:shakehead

Pizzonia, Vasser, Moreno, etc... How many laps have these guys turned in the past two years? Extra beers for the corner workers, I'd say.

[cameraman]

Well Moreno did all the testing for the DP01 so he has a few days under his belt.

[Insomniac]

Plenty will still be running. These guys have driven in the recent past and they will have practices, qualifying and a warm-up before the race to get more than acclimated. Any problems on lap 1 won't be because they haven't driven a CC in a while.

Mario Dominguez had a few seasons and still took out most of the front of the grid a couple years ago.

[dando]

Let's hope it's a standing start. :thumbup:

-Kevin

[Dirk Diggler]

Mario Dominguez had a few seasons and still took out most of the front of the grid a couple years ago.

Crap, I forgot about him... Ok, how many running by the second corner?

[TravelGal]

More to the point, how many of those listed are actually going to start? :saywhat:

[Insomniac]

Let's hope it's a standing start. :thumbup:

-Kevin

Of course they will. Since this is the final race, they'll do everything right. :gomer:

[FCYTravis]

It's not like Vasser's been doing nothing. He's driven Bob's Grand-Am car quite a bit - and he's hardly gone senile behind the wheel. Jeemy might not end up P1, but he's not going to wall it on the first lap, either.

[dando]

It's not like Vasser's been doing nothing. He's driven Bob's Grand-Am car quite a bit - and he's hardly gone senile behind the wheel. Jeemy might not end up P1, but he's not going to wall it on the first lap, either.

I ceretainly have more faith in Jeemy than Stoopid :saywhat: Mario.

-Kevin

[Accipiter]

Pupo did some Grand Am last year too, IIRC.

[Mr. Vengeance]

Yeah, Grand Am's a great way to stay sharp. Like riding a moped around a parking lot to tune up for a superbike race.

[Sean O'Gorman]

Oh, so you've raced one?

[Mr. Vengeance]

Oh, so you've raced one?

Superbike? Yes, I have. And I've ridden a moped. I suspect the lap differential between them would be similar to a Grand Sham parade float vs a DP-01.

[Sean O'Gorman]

Awesome, you get the prize. I'm sure there are tons of DP drivers who would love to be told by a fan that their race car requires no effort to drive.

[Mr. Vengeance]

Awesome, you get the prize. I'm sure there are tons of DP drivers who would love to be told by a fan that their race car requires no effort to drive.

Not "no effort", just "not a real comparitive effort". Pretty hard to convince me that those ugly, slow, wallowing pigs are useful for "keeping sharp" with respect to a Champ Car drive. Alright, I guess "ugly" doesn't have any bearing on the situation but it's hard to not comment on the repulsiveness of those cars.

To put it terms you can understand: it's like comparing autocross to real racing.

(And my sincere apologies to any driver who had their feelings hurt by my belittling of their car).

[opinionated ow]

(And my sincere apologies to any driver who had their feelings hurt by my belittling of their car).

I think you can safely get rid of this bit roflmao. ;) I don't think there is anybody that likes those things...

[Sean O'Gorman]

Not "no effort", just "not a real comparitive effort". Pretty hard to convince me that those ugly, slow, wallowing pigs are useful for "keeping sharp" with respect to a Champ Car drive. Alright, I guess "ugly" doesn't have any bearing on the situation but it's hard to not comment on the repulsiveness of those cars.

To put it terms you can understand: it's like comparing autocross to real racing.

(And my sincere apologies to any driver who had their feelings hurt by my belittling of their car).

Feel free to come out to an autocross and show me how easy it is. :rolleyes:

[FCYTravis]

Yes, I'm sure Alex Gurney and Jon Fogarty would be happy to tell you how stupidly easy driving a "slow, wallowing" Grand-Am car is. I mean, anyone can win a championship in those things. They proved it last year. :shakehead

I bet Cristiano da Matta would have something to say about it, too.

[Mr. Vengeance]

Yes, I'm sure Alex Gurney and Jon Fogarty would be happy to tell you how stupidly easy driving a "slow, wallowing" Grand-Am car is. I mean, anyone can win a championship in those things. They proved it last year. :shakehead

I bet Cristiano da Matta would have something to say about it, too.

Don't get your diapers in a knot. Just having a bit of fun.

[Insomniac]

Yes, I'm sure Alex Gurney and Jon Fogarty would be happy to tell you how stupidly easy driving a "slow, wallowing" Grand-Am car is. I mean, anyone can win a championship in those things. They proved it last year. :shakehead

I bet Cristiano da Matta would have something to say about it, too.

Wouldn't winning a championship and drivability (or difficulty to drive) be two different things? The person (presumably) who was the best to drive that type of car over a season would be champion. It doesn't necessarily make it difficult to drive the car.

[FCYTravis]

Just having a bit of fun.
Which, oddly enough, is what Alex and Jon are having driving in Grand-Am. ;)

[Methanolandbrats]

Feel free to come out to an autocross and show me how easy it is. :rolleyes: I hope you wear a Hans Device in case you lose control and hit a cone head-on at 30 mph.

[RusH]

Let's hope it's a standing start. :thumbup:

-Kevin

Some of these drivers have not practiced standing starts with a dp01, I`ll be surprised if they would risk having so many stalled cars.

[opinionated ow]

Some of these drivers have not practiced standing starts with a dp01, I`ll be surprised if they would risk having so many stalled cars.
they have 4 practice sessions and two qualifying sessions to practice it at pit exit, just like everyone else in every other category

[dando]

Some of these drivers have not practiced standing starts with a dp01, I`ll be surprised if they would risk having so many stalled cars.

But that's why they have practice. ;) I think guys like Jeemy and Pupo can get the hang of them quite quickly. Now Stoopid :saywhat: Mario OTOH... :shakehead

-Kevin

[TravelGal]

Oh give up on Mario. :p I like him. I'll be glad to see him one last time. But I'm still not counting any of these chickens until I see them with my own two eyes.

[Insomniac]

But that's why they have practice. ;) I think guys like Jeemy and Pupo can get the hang of them quite quickly. Now Stoopid :saywhat: Mario OTOH... :shakehead

-Kevin

Wouldn't it be preferable for him not to be going into T1 with everyone else? :gomer:

[dando]

Wouldn't it be preferable for him not to be going into T1 with everyone else? :gomer:

He should start on pit lane. :irked:

-Kevin

[dando]

We'll see about 20 cars later this week.

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/20-car-field-assembling-for-long-beach-champ-car-finale/


Besides Tracy’s name on the entry list and the car total, the other surprises are Derrick Walker, Alex Tagliani and Roberto Moreno.

Embroiled in a potential lawsuit with former Team Australia partner Craig Gore, Walker did not compete in the first two IRL races and had to let go half of his crew. He planned on only running Nigel Mansell’s sons in the Atlantic race at Long Beach until he received a phone call.

“A gentleman said he had sponsorship for me for Long Beach so I’m cautiously optimistic,” said Walker, who will run Tagliani if the money shows up. “I should know later today and hopefully we’ll be at Long Beach and have a bit of fun.

“It’s going to be double duty for my Atlantic boys but Tag runs well at that place and I just don’t want us to go away.”

-Kevin

[Dirk Diggler]

Yes, I'm sure Alex Gurney and Jon Fogarty would be happy to tell you how stupidly easy driving a "slow, wallowing" Grand-Am car is. I mean, anyone can win a championship in those things.

Well, someone's always first in the Special Olympics, as well. Doesn't mean you're ready for China in August.