The Foyt Futility Watch -- Grand Pricks of St. Petersburg Edition

[pchall]

There's something going on down in Florida this weekend. If I can find any news I'll post it here to help keep it in the FFW quarantine thread.

[pchall]

2nd practice

1 Will Power 103.979
2 Scott Dixon 102.808
3 Justin Wilson 102.763
4 Tony Kanaan 102.757
5 Ryan Hunter-Reay 102.733
6 E.J. Viso 102.712
7 Takuma Sato 102.706
8 Parco Andretti 102.391
9 Helio Castroneves 102.388
10 Graham Rahal 102.334
11 Alex Tagliani 102.259
12 Hideki Mutoh 102.157
13 Ryan Briscoe 102.040
14 Alex Lloyd 101.
15 Mike Conway 101.978
16 Dan Wheldon 101.825
17 Simona De Silvestro 101.590
18 Dario Franchitti 101.588
19 Raphael Matos 101.586
20 Vitor Meira 101.461
21 Danica Patrick 101.430
22 Mario Romancini 100.600
23 Milka Duno 93.924
24 Mario Moraes 92.968

[Andrew Longman]

Those are mphs, no?

WTF is this, NASCAR?

[pchall]

Those are mphs, no?

WTF is this, NASCAR?

Yup. IRL stats lead with mph before lap time and intervals. Gomer think rules!

[Sean Malone]

Good for Justin putting a Fisher car in 3 for practice and I've always liked Power. :thumbup:

There's been a bit of media coverage down here this year. The papers and radio spots are referring to it as "the Grand Prix' in a way to imply that it is a very 'known' event. Hard to believe this is the 5th year for it.

Dario is the one the media is focused on with his 200th start, last years champ and married to Ashly. Very little Danika coverage that I've seen.

No, I'm not going. But I'll catch it on my DVR.

[High Sided]

Justin Wilson is with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing ;)

times posted here, http://www.indycar.com/schedule/raceresults/55-izod-indycar-series/1800-honda-grand-prix-of-st-petersburg/870-practice-2/

[nissan gtp]

.

Pos Driver Team Time Gap
1. Will Power Penske 1m02.3200s
2. Scott Dixon Ganassi 1m03.0299s + 0.7099s
3. Justin Wilson Dreyer & Reinbold 1m03.0576s + 0.7376s
4. Tony Kanaan Andretti 1m03.0615s + 0.7415s
5. Ryan Hunter-Reay Andretti 1m03.0763s + 0.7563s
6. EJ Viso KV 1m03.0890s + 0.7690s
7. Takuma Sato KV 1m03.0930s + 0.7730s
8. Marco Andretti Andretti 1m03.2866s + 0.9666s
9. Helio Castroneves Penske 1m03.2884s + 0.9684s
10. Graham Rahal Sarah Fisher 1m03.3220s + 1.0020s
11. Alex Tagliani Fazzt 1m03.3687s + 1.0487s
12. Hideki Mutoh Newman/Haas/Lanigan 1m03.4320s + 1.1120s
13. Ryan Briscoe Penske 1m03.5043s + 1.1843s
14. Alex Lloyd Dale Coyne 1m03.5329s + 1.2129s
15. Mike Conway Dreyer & Reinbold 1m03.5431s + 1.2231s
16. Dan Wheldon Panther 1m03.6383s + 1.3183s
17. Simona de Silvestro HVM 1m03.7857s + 1.4657s
18. Dario Franchitti Ganassi 1m03.7870s + 1.4670s
19. Raphael Matos de Ferran/Luczo Dragon 1m03.7882s + 1.4682s
20. Vitor Meira Foyt 1m03.8672s + 1.5472s
21. Danica Patrick Andretti 1m03.8864s + 1.5664s :laugh:
22. Mario Romancini Conquest 1m04.4134s + 2.0934s
23. Milka Duno Dale Coyne 1m08.9920s + 6.6720s :saywhat:
24. Mario Moraes KV 1m09.7015s + 7.3815s

[pchall]

Good for Justin putting a Fisher car in 3 for practice and I've always liked Power. :thumbup:


Baby Booby Rahal is still in the Fisher car -- apparently until Long Beach.

[G.]

.

Only 3 (admitted) women this race?


Pos Driver Team Time Gap
1. Will Power Penske 1m02.3200s
2. Scott Dixon Ganassi 1m03.0299s + 0.7099s

And Power 0.7 over #2? WTF?

[opinionated ow]

Was having dinner with some of our Aussie Formula 3 people tonight. Apparently Will Power rates our Sim really highly and reckons she'll win races before long.

[NismoZ]

Well, duhhh...:gomer:...:D

[opinionated ow]

Well, duhhh...:gomer:...:D

It's always nice to have your gut instincts reinforced by people in the know :p

[NismoZ]

Milka nails last by over 5 seconds! Awesome! Now that's what I call "gapping the field!":thumbup:And Princess locks up a top 21 start! Woo hooo!

[High Sided]

Starting order:

Pos Driver Team Time
1. Will Power Penske 1m01.6026s
2. Tony Kanaan Andretti 1m01.8796s
3. Scott Dixon Ganassi 1m02.0820s
4. Justin Wilson Dreyer & Reinbold 1m02.1991s
5. Helio Castroneves Penske 1m02.2117s
6. Marco Andretti Andretti 1m02.3461s
7. Ryan Hunter-Reay Andretti 1m01.8979s
8. Alex Tagliani Fazzt 1m01.9692s
9. EJ Viso KV 1m01.9806s
10. Mike Conway Dreyer & Reinbold 1m02.0433s
11. Takuma Sato KV 1m02.4204s
12. Hideki Mutoh Newman/Haas/Lanigan 1m02.5112s
13. Dario Franchitti Ganassi 1m02.1944s
14. Simona de Silvestro HVM 1m02.4483s
15. Dan Wheldon Panther 1m02.2556s
16. Graham Rahal Sarah Fisher 1m02.5043s
17. Vitor Meira Foyt 1m02.2687s
18. Mario Romancini Conquest 1m02.7366s
19. Ryan Briscoe Penske 1m02.3205s
20. Mario Moraes KV 1m02.8293s
21. Danica Patrick Andretti 1m02.4904s
22. Alex Lloyd Dale Coyne 1m03.4793s
23. Raphael Matos de Ferran/Luczo Dragon 1m03.0144s




24. Milka Duno Dale Coyne 1m08.5057s

[oddlycalm]

Starting order:

Mr. René approves. :gomer:

http://www.mentalfloss.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/Picture%2062.png

[NismoZ]

Met that guy at RA a few years ago at the Redman thing. He wouldn't talk to me, but I MET him!:D

[pchall]

Waiting on a corrected starting grid.

[RusH]

Although I honestly will not go to this race. :D

I spent a good part of Saturday with HVM.

The Danica Machine has a problem.....and it`s a Swiss Miss. :thumbup:

[RusH]

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs477.snc3/26133_384184135858_171876115858_3637907_4900870_n. jpg

[High Sided]

^^^

great pic! :thumbup:

[Methanolandbrats]

Somebody photoshop a bikini on the chicken and name it Go Daddy.:D

[pchall]

Qualifying times

1. Will Power Penske 1m 01.6026s
2. Tony Kanaan Andretti Autosport 1m 01.8797s
3. Scott Dixon Ganassi 1m 02.0820s
4. Justin Wilson Dreyer & Reinbold 1m 02.1992s
5. Helio Castroneves Penske 1m 02.2118s
6. Marco Andretti Andretti Autosport 1m 02.3461s

7. Ryan Hunter-Reay Andretti Autosport 1m 01.8979s
8. Alex Tagliani FAZZT 1m 01.9692s
9. EJ Viso KVRT 1m 01.9897s
10. Mike Conway Dreyer & Reinbold 1m 02.0434s
11. Takuma Sato KVRT 1m 02.4205s*
12. Hideki Mutoh NHLR 1m 02.5113s

13. Dario Franchitti Ganassi 1m 02.1944s
14. Simona de Silvestro Stargate Works/HVM 1m 02.4493s* :)
15. Dan Wheldon Panther 1m 02.2557s
16. Graham Rahal Sarah Fisher 1m 02.5044s
17. Vitor Meira AJ Foyt 1m 02.2688s
18. Mario Romancini Conquest 1m 02.7366s*
19. Ryan Briscoe Penske 1m 02.3295s
20. Mario Moraes KVRT 1m 02.8294s
21. Danica Patrick Andretti Autosport 1m 02.4904s :rofl:
22. Alex Lloyd Dale Coyne 1m 03.4793s*
23. Raphael Matos de Ferran Luczo Dragon 1m 03.0144s
24. Milka Duno Dale Coyne 1m 08.5058s :shakehead

Week 2 of the Princess Permapout IRL Farewell Tour is off to a great start.

[grungex]

"But she's only 0.0411s slower than Simona!!!" :gomer:

[pchall]

Sounds like she left her IRL scripted remarks at home this weekend.


Danica Patrick: Too much street racing not good for IRL
By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer

ST. PETERSBURG — Danica Patrick is in her sixth season of IndyCar racing and has only a month of NASCAR experience, but as the IRL adds more street-course racing to its schedule, that decision could play a role in Patrick's future in racing.

"I don't think it's the greatest place for us to display excitement for the fans," Patrick said after a practice session Friday. "I just think we aren't as exciting as we could be on the road courses."

Patrick said the lack of competition from different manufacturers has made the IndyCars too much alike, making it difficult to pass in the tight constraints of a street course.

"People like to talk about the glory days of (open-wheel racing) when there was a whole bunch of street courses and road courses, and there was also the days of multiple manufacturers all over the place. There was some separation between people. Now you just don't have that. It's all the same. It's very difficult to be faster than someone else."

Patrick said she's thinking not of herself but of the league's future when she talks about more oval racing for the IRL.

"At the end of the day if people stop watching us, then no sponsors are going to go on the cars and there'll be no cars to go around the track," she said.

The Princess could just suck it up and drive the wheels off her crapwagon and actually out race somebody... but she's never been able to do that, has she?

link (http://www.tampabay.com/sports/autoracing/danica-patrick-too-much-street-racing-not-good-for-irl/1083033)

[Andrew Longman]

The Princess could just suck it up and drive the wheels off her crapwagon and actually out race somebody...

Just like these folks did ahead of her in traditional backmarker or totally new teams or teammates did.

Pos Driver Team Time Gap
1. Will Power Penske 1m02.3200s
2. Scott Dixon Ganassi 1m03.0299s + 0.7099s
3. Justin Wilson Dreyer & Reinbold 1m03.0576s + 0.7376s
4. Tony Kanaan Andretti 1m03.0615s + 0.7415s
5. Ryan Hunter-Reay Andretti 1m03.0763s + 0.7563s
6. EJ Viso KV 1m03.0890s + 0.7690s
7. Takuma Sato KV 1m03.0930s + 0.7730s
8. Marco Andretti Andretti 1m03.2866s + 0.9666s
9. Helio Castroneves Penske 1m03.2884s + 0.9684s
10. Graham Rahal Sarah Fisher 1m03.3220s + 1.0020s
11. Alex Tagliani Fazzt 1m03.3687s + 1.0487s
12. Hideki Mutoh Newman/Haas/Lanigan 1m03.4320s + 1.1120s
13. Ryan Briscoe Penske 1m03.5043s + 1.1843s
14. Alex Lloyd Dale Coyne 1m03.5329s + 1.2129s
15. Mike Conway Dreyer & Reinbold 1m03.5431s + 1.2231s
16. Dan Wheldon Panther 1m03.6383s + 1.3183s
17. Simona de Silvestro HVM 1m03.7857s + 1.4657s
18. Dario Franchitti Ganassi 1m03.7870s + 1.4670s
19. Raphael Matos de Ferran/Luczo Dragon 1m03.7882s + 1.4682s
20. Vitor Meira Foyt 1m03.8672s + 1.5472s
21. Danica Patrick Andretti 1m03.8864s + 1.5664s
22. Mario Romancini Conquest 1m04.4134s + 2.0934s
23. Milka Duno Dale Coyne 1m08.9920s + 6.6720s
24. Mario Moraes KV 1m09.7015s + 7.3815s

[Methanolandbrats]

Sounds like she left her IRL scripted remarks at home this weekend.



The Princess could just suck it up and drive the wheels off her crapwagon and actually out race somebody... but she's never been able to do that, has she?

link (http://www.tampabay.com/sports/autoracing/danica-patrick-too-much-street-racing-not-good-for-irl/1083033)

Sounds like she's been talking to Sammich. Trouble is he could drive on an oval and she gets her ass handed to her there too.:laugh: Whiney axe wound is always blaming the car, the track, blah, blah...wonder when she'll figure out it's her.

[NismoZ]

Exactly. but it seems about 20 people were able to separate themselves from HER. :shakehead Remember it's about excitement not excellence. Only then do her words make any kind of sense.

[TKGAngel]

Rain postponed the start of the race until at least 430pm.

And I can't watch the race due to my ABC affiliate running a telethon for our Children's Hospital. I guess that's good on so many levels.

[pchall]

General Looney has released this illustration of the proposed next IRL chassis:

http://www.champboat.com/images/stories/champ.3rd.shaun-torrente.112a.jpg

[Methanolandbrats]

Rain postponed the start of the race until at least 430pm.

And I can't watch the race due to my ABC affiliate running a telethon for our Children's Hospital. I guess that's good on so many levels.

WTF, don't they have rain tires?

[pchall]

WTF, don't they have rain tires?

I'd love to see the carnage if they try to run with standing water all around the track.

>>Event postponed to 10 am EDT tomorrow.<<

[stroker]

>>Event postponed to 10 am EDT tomorrow.<<

MY GOD, I CAN'T WAIT.

Oh, wait, Glenn Beck is on the radio. Screw the race...

[RusH]

Free race tomorrow.

I still wont go :gomer:

gotta fill the stands ya know,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,:D

[pchall]

Free race tomorrow.

I still wont go :gomer:

gotta fill the stands ya know,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,:D

Nobody will be getting in for free at Martinsville tomorrow.

The funny thing is that is IRL ploy can only alienate any fans who were goofy enough to pay for tickets. It would be really nice if somebody would start a class action suit on behalf of the paying fans demanding that the promoter and the IRL make good on the difference between what they paid for admission and the apparent real value of the race tomorrow morning.

[SurfaceUnits]

^^^paying fans?? hahaha you said a funny :laugh:

[Michaelhatesfans]

"It's very difficult to be faster than someone else"
Yeah, that's where that talent thing comes in handy.

"Patrick said she's thinking not of herself..."
:rofl::rofl::rofl:
Damn!!! Coffee out my nose!!!:laugh::laugh:

[opinionated ow]

From the Australian online tv guide:

7pm – 9pm
Indycar Series Racing (G)

Izod IndyCar Series at St. Petersburg

Series featuring "tomorrow's" Indy Car stars.


HAHAHAHAHA:rofl::rofl::rofl:

[pchall]

Current conditions at St. Petersburg:


Updated: 7:45 AM EDT on March 29, 2010
Light Rain
66.2 °F
Light Rain

[NismoZ]

WoooHooo...IRL beats F-1 37-24 on these forums again! And St. Pete is just getting underway....ESPN2. Drivers Start Your Engines. C'mon, it's a Monday morning, the dog has been run, already completed my workout, the coffee is hot...and I have NO JOB, so what the hell.:gomer: GO SIMONA!:thumbup:

[JoeBob]

Working at home today, so what the heck, I put this on.

So far, I've seen Milka spin on the pace lap, and fireworks that put a smoke screen over the main straight.

And, they haven't even gone green yet!

[Andrew Longman]

Darn. Milka out with "mechanical issues" lap 14 or abouts. Just prior I think to being lapped :rolleyes:

[opinionated ow]

GO SIMONA!:thumbup:

With you on that one cobber. Been talking her up all weekend except when I've been talking triathlon.:laugh::laugh:

[dando]

fireworks that put a smoke screen over the main straight.

That was just nutz. :saywhat: :shakehead I'm not sure which was more fun...Mr. Judd spinning on the first lap or Mrs. Judd's Kats losing Sat. :gomer: :thumbup:

-Kevin

[NismoZ]

Ok, 47 to go, Simona 4th, Princess 5th on restart falling to 6th as Dixon comes on. Now Dixon's on Sim's ass...uh, pullin in behind Simona, uh...GAINING on Simona for 4th. Passes her. Between Simona and Danica, now. Let's see how this turns out!

[NismoZ]

Viso lucks out with a fortuitous yellow right after his stop and everyone else has yet to stop. Hmmm, he could win this thing. Simona not being threatened by Danica but the pit stop will determine what happens, I think. CRAP, yup, Danica out ahead of Simona. Simona on blacks, Danica on reds. Should be interesting.

[NismoZ]

31 to go...Whoa, Simona taken to school on the restart. Loses 2 at least. Danica motors away. Poo. Never mind, game over. What a cluster f*** People ramming each other all over the place. Simona turned around by Rahal. He bounced over the curb at T-1 and speared her. She's pitted and back out, but WAAAY back. Danica 6th. Signing out now.:gomer:

[pchall]

St. Pete Grand Pricks Results

1 12 Will Power 100
2 22 Justin Wilson 100
3 6 Ryan Briscoe 100
4 3 Castroneves 100
5 10 Franchitti 100
6 77 Alex Tagliani 100
7 7 Danica Patrick 100
8 2 Matos 100
9 67 Graham Rahal 100
10 11 Tony Kanaan 100
11 37 Hunter-Reay 100
12 26 Andretti 100
13 34 Romancini 100
14 06 Hideki Mutoh 100
15 14 Vitor Meira 100
16 78 de Silvestro 99
17 8 EJ Viso 97
18 9 Scott Dixon 73
19 24 Mike Conway 64
20 4 Dan Wheldon 46
21 32 Mario Moraes 45
22 5 Takuma Sato 24
23 19 Alex Lloyd 14
24 18 Milka Duno 7

[stroker]

I think I like the new Penske liveries.

[Gnam]

Ok, 47 to go, Simona 4th, Princess 5th on restart falling to 6th as Dixon comes on. Now Dixon's on Sim's ass...uh, pullin in behind Simona, uh...GAINING on Simona for 4th. Passes her. Between Simona and Danica, now. Let's see how this turns out!

Too easy. ;)

[grungex]

I'm still trying to figure out how Princess Sparklepony made up 14 positions without making a single pass...

[pchall]

I'm still trying to figure out how Princess Sparklepony made up 14 positions without making a single pass...

I watched T&S this morning and she apparently got every position she gained by pit work or through attrition or spins. What I did notice is that Patrick was slower than de Silvestre all day long and only got to lapping almost as quickly as de Silvestre when the pit shuffle got Sparkle Pony right behind the HVM car. Interestingly, de Silvestre turned her fastest lap after the incident that knocked her out of 5th or so --- and that lap was 0.7 faster than anything Princess Permapout managed during the race. As Stirling Moss was wont to say, "One's a racing driver or one's not" -- this in response to Ken Purdy's observation that Moss often set the fastest lap in races which he could not conceivably win.

[Steve99]

I watched T&S this morning and she apparently got every position she gained by pit work or through attrition or spins.
That sounds like her usually MO, going all the way back to Atlantics (and maybe before).

[NismoZ]

Yeah, I was diappointed in Simona's finish but certainly NOT in the way she raced. Not only have I believed for some time she's better than PP-Pout, she's better than a bunch of people out there. I'm hoping AAS doesn't snap her up when P-Pouty goes cabbing full-time. I think she and Wilson would make a nice couple on a good team. Or Rahal. Or Power. Has a nice ChampCar sound to it.:) I shudder when I think of the high banks, though.

[Andrew Longman]

Free race tomorrow.

I still wont go :gomer:

gotta fill the stands ya know,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,:D

The broadcast crew made a point of pointing out a pretty full small stand and thanking the determined fans

[pchall]

The broadcast crew made a point of pointing out a pretty full small stand and thanking the determined fans

Did the producer avoid showing the other stands for the broadcast or what. Bare aluminum doesn't show up all that well on timing and scoring.

[chop456]

The broadcast crew made a point of pointing out a pretty full small stand and thanking the determined fans


Determined to get their fair share of free awful. :gomer:

[Hard Driver]

Watched the race on DVR.... Personally I think it was mediocre, but OK.

Yes, there are some less than great drivers, Milka.

But the front of the field is talented. Yes, I would prefer DP01 cars over the crapwagons, but they are still open wheel race cars.

Sure it is still some form of the IRL. But the Indycar series is improving. Tony George is gone. They have lots of road/street courses. Every race is not a floor it around an oval deal.

Would I prefer CART 1995.. yup you becha. Do I want Indycar to fold, no, because what is left of CART 1995 goes with it.

But considering the current state of open wheel racing, I will be watching. And I will be hoping that others do to so that we can get better paid drivers and better cars.

BTW, congratulations to Will Powers, he is one of the good guys.

[Michaelhatesfans]

Would I prefer CART 1995.. yup you becha. Do I want Indycar to fold, no, because what is left of CART 1995 goes with it.

I don't see what's left, to be honest. Some familiar names doesn't cut it for me - if it did I'd be watching NASCAR. Tony may be gone, but the stench is still heavy in the room. If a clean slate means one of those dildos on wheels, I would actually prefer scorched earth.

I don't fault people for their optimism, but I just don't share it.

[NismoZ]

I have little to no optimism about the whole thing but I'll watch when I can or want to. Road courses, primarily. I'm even thinking of a road trip to Alabama in a couple of weeks. It beats being mad or bored all the time. It ain't the good ol' days, but what is? Maybe the Redman Vintage races at RA!:thumbup::)

[Michaelhatesfans]

It ain't the good ol' days, but what is? Maybe the Redman Vintage races at RA!:thumbup::)

Actually, that's more where I am - I'm having just as much fun, sometimes more, at vintage races.

[dando]

Watched the race on DVR.... Personally I think it was mediocre, but OK.


I was more impressed with the racing in Brazil...despite the issues with the track. :saywhat: The race yesterday was simply a parade outside of the dive bombers going into T1. :shakehead Is it better? Yes. Is it C^RT level of the mid to late 90s? Not even close.

-Kevin

[Sean Malone]

My 2c. I've been to the last 2 St Pete IRL races prior to this year and at all levels, from the vendor trucks, to the race itself, the IRL is a watered down version of CART. Mediocre at best.
Every CART race I attended had an electricity in the air...a shared anxiety in counting down until you heard the engines fired and you knew history was about to be made.
You'll be hard pressed to find many references to the 'IRL' at the races. It's all 'Indy Car' now, which is one little positive.

There was a nicely written piece in todays paper about Powers win (and refreshingly not ONE WORD of Sparkle Pony!), how he has come back from a broken back and how his lack of emotion after yesterdays win is a reflection of his determination, which I agree with. I think Will is saying "lets put this in perspective...I'm not going to cry like a Brazilian for winning some Monday street race in by god St Pete, I'm on to the next race". I like Will a lot and I'll be watching as he drives for that championship this year.

But maybe, just maybe, the IRL is finally realizing that throwing Sparkle Pony in front of the camera every minute and spec cars and engines do not a race series make. They need the new car now and they should do whatever they can to assure they have competition. At the very least they should have given the current cars another 100hp until the next car is decided on.

One thing I've noticed in the first 2 races is that the drivers seem to be really out there fighting for it. That's what racing is about. They need better machines to fight with though.

[Elmo T]

My 2c. I've been to the last 2 St Pete IRL races prior to this year and at all levels, from the vendor trucks, to the race itself, the IRL is a watered down version of CART. Mediocre at best.
Every CART race I attended had an electricity in the air...a shared anxiety in counting down until you heard the engines fired and you knew history was about to be made.


I said it after my trips to M-O for IRL/ALMS, and I will say it again. It is soulless. It is the walking dead of auto racing - like a zombie, it just doesn't know it is dead yet.

For all the self-congratulatory and self-stimulating motions, the back slapping, the phony excitement in the air according to the announcers (like the laugh track on a bad sitcom)... it was all forced, over the top, and no one was buying it. All showmanship but no show.

The names are there. The tracks are there (for the most part). The cars are @#%& for now. The problem is that the heart is gone.

[oddlycalm]

Every CART race I attended had an electricity in the air...a shared anxiety in counting down until you heard the engines fired and you knew history was about to be made.


All showmanship but no show.

The names are there. The tracks are there (for the most part). The cars are @#%& for now. The problem is that the heart is gone.

You're both right in getting at the intangible that made CART transcend most other racing. We all felt it and knew it was there. Bernie knew it was there as well and it worried him more than a little.

"The steam had left the boiler" is what veteran writer Kevin Cameron had to say about AMA Pro racing under the Daytona mafia and it's a perfect description of what TG did as well.

Building the steam up again is probably impossible since they are starting out by asking the wrong questions.

oc

[Chief]

My 2c. I've been to the last 2 St Pete IRL races prior to this year and at all levels, from the vendor trucks, to the race itself, the IRL is a watered down version of CART. Mediocre at best.
Every CART race I attended had an electricity in the air...a shared anxiety in counting down until you heard the engines fired and you knew history was about to be made.
You'll be hard pressed to find many references to the 'IRL' at the races. It's all 'Indy Car' now, which is one little positive.
I ask everyone...

WHY DON'T THEY JUST DROP THE "IRL" MONIKER? For god's sake, it IS the reason for distrust and HATE. It's the remaining symbol of AOW destruction....just drop the name and move on as the "Indycar Series".

They could kill two birds and be +1 all the way around. MORONS over at 16th and Jonestown. Yet, they cling to it for none other than to poke the long existing fans in the eye. They need to change perspective of the fans...and keeping on with 11 year old + technology won't do it either.:shakehead

[Andrew Longman]

I said it after my trips to M-O for IRL/ALMS, and I will say it again. It is soulless. It is the walking dead of auto racing - like a zombie,


I said it after attending the first IRL race at Nazareth. It was dead. Far deader than the last CART race there (or for me MIS and Cleveland) when I was knowing I was probably watching the last Champcar/CART event there.

The last CART races at least had the association of many great races in my memory/history. The cars were still awesome and even the sparse crowds was full of people who "got it". The IRL events only had the confirmation that the future had almost no promise and those attending (like me) got their tickets for free.

[Easy]

I ask everyone...

WHY DON'T THEY JUST DROP THE "IRL" MONIKER? For god's sake, it IS the reason for distrust and HATE. It's the remaining symbol of AOW destruction....just drop the name and move on as the "Indycar Series".

They could kill two birds and be +1 all the way around. MORONS over at 16th and Jonestown. Yet, they cling to it for none other than to poke the long existing fans in the eye. They need to change perspective of the fans...and keeping on with 11 year old + technology won't do it either.:shakehead

FWIW at this point IRL is officially only the ACCUS/FIA member club moniker. I think they are trying to bury "IRL" but they can't just dump it completely because of FIA complications.

[High Sided]

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs477.snc3/26133_384184135858_171876115858_3637907_4900870_n. jpg

come to find out that is "travel chicken" check out his facebook pictures :thumbup:
http://www.facebook.com/photos.php?id=171876115858

[grungex]

This is a bit disturbing...


http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs477.snc3/26133_384184090858_171876115858_3637899_2279066_n. jpg

[G.]

This is a bit disturbing...


http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs477.snc3/26133_384184090858_171876115858_3637899_2279066_n. jpg

I know. She's looking lovingly at him, whilst servicing the chicken, while he's really just there for the chicken.

Threesomes just don't always work out the way you planned, do they. :shakehead

[NismoZ]

Wait a second...is that HER tongue, or the chicken's:confused: (and, easy on the GRIP there big guy!)

[Methanolandbrats]

Geezus, that's disgusting :yuck: